. 

. 


, 


HISTORY 


OF 

MERRIMACK  ^ BELKNAP 

COUNTIES, 

NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


EDITED  BY 

D.  HAMILTON  HURD. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

J.  W.  LEWIS  & CO. 

18  8 5 


Copyright,  1885,  by  J.  W.  Lewis  & Co. 


JAS.  1$.  RUDGEK8  PRINTING  COMPANY, 
PHILADELPHIA. 


0‘NBLLugrwrtr 
BOSTON  COLLEGE 


PREFACE. 


In  presenting  this  work  to  the  public,  the  publishers  claim  that  they 
have  at  least  endeavored  to  faithfully  fulfill  their  promises.  The  most 
competent  persons  have  been  employed  for  the  work,  and  it  is  sincerely 
hoped  that  readers  in  the  various  towns  of  the  counties  will  find  the  nar- 
ratives of  their  special  localities  interesting  and  instructive.  The  work  has 
been  compiled  from  authenticated  and  original  sources. 

The  preparation  of  the  ‘‘History  of  Merrimack  and  Belknap  Counties” 
upon  the  within  elaborate  plan,  imposed  upon  both  Editors  and  Publishers 
a task  which  they  have  keenly  felt.  They  submit  the  work  to  the  public, 
trusting  that  their  just  expectations  may  be  fully  realized. 


The  Publishers. 


CONTENTS 


MERRIMACK  COUNTY. 


GENERAL  HISTORY. 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  ORGANIZATION  AND  STATISTICAL 1 

II.  BENCH  AND  BAR 2 

III.  STATE-HOUSE 3 

IV.  THE  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  ASYLUM  FOR  THE  INSANE 47 


TOWN  HISTORIES. 


PAGE 


CONCORD 57 

BOSCAWEN 169 

BRADFORD 185 

CANTERBURY 221 

CHICHESTER 236 

BOW 263 

DANBURY 289 

DUNBARTON 291 

FRANKLIN 310 

ANDOVER 328 

HENNIKER 340 

HOOKSETT 361 

HOPKINTON 391 


PAGE 


NEWBURY 415 

NEW  LONDON 421 

EPSOM 443 

LOUDON 477 

NORTHFIELD 516 

HILL 547 

PEMBROKE 660 

PITTSFIELD 587 

SALISBURY 602 

SUTTON 627 

WARNER 653 

WEBSTER 678 

WILMOT 695 


BELKNAP  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  ORGANIZATION  OF  COUNTY— BENCH  AND  BAR 701 


TOWN  HISTORIES. 


Page 


ALTON 705 

BARNSTEAD 711 

BELMONT 717 

CENTRE  HARBOR 725 

GILFORD 731 


APPENDIX 


PAGE 


LACONIA 808 

MEREDITH 833 

NEW  HAMPTON 870 

SANBORNTON 893 

TILTON 876 


905 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016  with  funding  from 
Boston  Library  Consortium  Member  Libraries 


https://archive.org/details/historyofmerrima00hurd_1 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Abbot,  J.  Stephen 

Abbott,  William 

Aiken,  Walter 

Albin,  John  H 

Alexander,  Captain  Enoch... 

Ames,  Lorenzo 

Ames,  Jason  H 

Amsden,  Charles  H 

Bailey,  Oliver 

Baker,  Aaron  W 

Barnard,  Daniel 

Bartlett,  Levi 

Batchelder,  Joseph 

Bean,  Abraham 

Bickford,  H.  C 

Bickford,  Nathan 

Blanchard,  Hiram 

Carter,  Solon  A 

Carpenter,  Charles  H 

Childs,  Horace 

Cilley,  J.  M 

Clough,  Colonel  D.  M 

Cogswell,  Thomas,  Sr 

Cogswell,  Thomas,  Jr 

Cogswell,  P.  B 

Clough,  Rev.  J 

Coe,  John 

Cole,  B.  J 

Conn,  G.  P 

Connor,  Abel 

Couch,  Enoch 

Cummings,  George  A 

Crane,  John  S.,  residence  of. 

Crane,  J.  S 

Crockett,  S.  C 

Daniel],  Warren  F 

Davis,  Curtis 

Davis,  Hon.  Walter  S 

Deering,  Major  Arthur 

Doe,  Charles  C ... 

Downing,  Lewis 

Drake,  Oliver 

Durell,  David 

Burrell,  Thomas 

Eaton,  Joshua 

Eaton,  Frederick 

Ela,  Robert  L 

Ela,  Richard 

Ela,  Joseph 

Ela,  George  W 

Emerson,  Benjamin 

Evans,  Benjamin 


PAGE 

Fife,  Captain  William 585 

Fowler,  Asa 15 

Fowler,  Winthrop 582 

Fowler,  True  worthy  L 582 

Fowler,  Winthrop,  Jr 583 

French,  D.  J 512 

Gage,  Converse 649 

Gale,  N.  B 830 

Gallinger,  J.  H 160 

Gault,  Hon.  Jesse 389 

George,  Paul  R 410 

Gerrish,  Enoch 158 

Gilman,  James 808 

Gillingham,  Moody 419 

Goss,  William 470 

Gutterson,  John 358 

Hall,  Rev.  K.  S 777 

Hall,  Dr.  A.  B 542 

Hart,  George 216 

Hartwell,  H.H lot 

Haynes,  Martin  A 779 

Head,  Nathaniel 385 

Head,  William  F 388 

Hill,  James  li 104 

Hodgson,  Samuel 800 

Hoitt,  Thomas  L 715 

Holden,  Daniel 154 

Holmes,  II 218 

Howe,  Calvin 152 

Humphrey,  Moses 101 

Hunt,  Lucian 540 

Jewell,  D.  L 576 

Iveneson,  Randall  S 729 

Kenrick,  Stephen 321 

Kimball,  B.  A 146 

Kimball,  John, 144 

Kimball,  John  P 233 

Knight,  Elijah 153 

Knowlton,  Hosea  C 255 

Knowles,  William  F 546 

Ladd,  Seneca  A ' 858 

Lang,  Joseph  W 862 

Lane,  Robert 047 

Larabee,  George  H 581 

Little,  George  P 580 

Little,  George  P.,  residence  of  568 

Little,  T.  D 623 

Lovering,  Samuel  B 511 

Map  Outline  Merrimack  and  Belknap  Counties I 

Marshall,  Anson  S... 34 

Marshall,  John  W 213 

Martin,  Noah,  M.  D 408 


vii 


PAGE 

. 142 

. 155 

. 326 

. 26 

. 287 

. 231 

. 212 

. 158 

. 308 

. 286 

. 31 

. 676 

. 510 

. 159 

. 441 

. 476 

. 215 

. 44 

. 253 

. 359 

. 418 

. 234 

. 793 

. 807 

. 89 

. 509 

. 728 

, 773 

. 162 

355 

. 694 

156 

. 781 

. 780 

827 

. 324 

219 

413 

, 260 

474 

140 

256 

217 

806 

211 

651 

162  e 

162  d 

865 

162  b 

600 

675 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


vm 


PAGE 


Martin,  Samuel 469 

Meservey,  Rev.  A.  B 874 

Moore,  J.  C 783 

Moore,  McConnel 584 

Moore,  Stephen 514 

Morrill,  David 232 

Morse,  John  W 209 

Morse,  Joseph  420 

Moulton,  Hon.  John  C 825 

Moulton,  John  14 727 

Nesmith,  George  W 36 

New  Hampshire  Asylum  fur  Insane 48 

Norris,  J.  S 161 

Nutter,  E*  S 151 

Osgood,  Addison  N 584 

Page,  Enoch 618 

Peabody,  Sehvin  B 891 

Pease,  Simeon  D 867 

Pembroke  Academy 570 

Philbrick,  D.  M 475 

Pillsbury,  George  A 147 

Pillsbury,  Oliver 45 

Pitman,  J.  P 831 

Plummer,  Ephraim. 184 

Prescott,  D.  S 829 

Putney,  Truman 646 

Rolfe,  Henry  P 624 

R »llins,  Amos  L 709 

Sanborn,  Capt.  W.  A 775 

Sanders,  George,  Jr 473 

Sunders,  0.  S.,  Residence  of 471 

Sanders,  O.  S.,  Portrait 471 

S irgent,  J.  Everett 18 

Sargent,  Moses 782 


PAGE 


Sargent,  Sterling 166 

Savage,  Major  George  D 708 

Sawyer,  A.  H 710 

Shaw,  Charles  C 254 

Sinclair,  John  G 714 

Smiley,  James  R 650 

Smith,  A.  D 230 

Smith,  Jeremiah 543 

Stark,  Major  Caleb 302 

State-House 40  b 

Stearns,  Onslow 138 

Stevens,  Colonel  E 863 

Stevens,  Lyman  D 40  a 

Stinson,  Captain  Charles 307 

Stinson,  John 306 

Sulloway,  Honorable  A.  W 322 

Tappan,  Mason  W 22 

Thayer,  W.  F 92 

Tilton,  Alexander  II 890 

Tilton,  C.  E 887 

Truesdell,  Edmund  E 579 

Tuttle,  Hon.  Hiram  A 597 

Wadleigh,  Judge  Benjamin,  Jr 643 

Wadleigh,  Erastus 644 

Wadleigh,  General  John 857 

Walker,  Joseph  B.,  residence  of 116 

Webster,  Daniel 9 

Weeks,  Stephen 508 

Wentworth,  Joseph 157 

White,  Nathaniel 136 

Whittemore,  Aaron 586 

Woodman,  Edgar  II 40 

Woodward,  Frank  R 558 


BIOGRAPHICAL 


PAGE 

Abbot,  J.  Stephens 142 

Abbott,  William 154 

Aiken,  Walter 320 

Albin,  John  H 26 

Alexander,  Enoch 287 

Ames,  Lorenzo 231 

Ames,  Jason  H 212 

Amsden,  Charles  H 158 

Bailey,  Oliver 307 

Baker,  Aaron  W 286 

Barnard,  Daniel 31 

Bartlett,  Levi 676 

Bartlett,  William  H 10 

Batchelder,  Joseph 510 

Bean,  A 159 

Bellows,  Henry  A 9 

Bickford,  Hezekiah  C 441 

Bickford,  Nathan 475 

Blanchard,  Hiram 215 

Brown,  John 219 

Carpenter,  Charles  H 253 

Carter,  Solon  A * 44 

Childs,  Horace 359 

Cilley,  James  M 418 

Clough,  Col.  David  M 233 

Clough,  Rev.  Jeremiah 509 

Clough,  Joseph 915 

Cogswell,  P.  B 89 

Cogswell,  Thomas,  Sr 793 

Cogswell,  Thomas,  Jr 807 

Coe,  John 728 

Cole,  B.  J 773 

Conn,  Granville  P 162 

Connor,  Abel 355 

Couch,  Enoch 694 

Crane,  John  S 780 

Crockett,  Col.  Seldon  C 827 

Cummings,  George  A 155 

Currier  Family,  The 414  d 

Daniell,  Warren  F 324 

Davis,  Curtis 219 

Davis,  Walter  S 413 

Deering,  Major  Arthur 260 

Doe,  Charles  C 474 

Downing,  Lewis 140 

Drake,  Oliver 256 

Durell,  David 217 

Durrell,  Thomas 806 

Eastman,  Ira  A 39 

Eaton,  Frederick 661 


PAGE 

Eaton,  Joshua 211 

Ela,  George  W 162  b 

Ela  Joseph 865 

Ela,  Richard 162  d 

Ela,  Robert  L 162  e 

Emerson,  Benjamin 600 

Evans,  llenjamin 675 

Fife,  Captain  William 583 

Fogg,  George  G 869 

Foster,  W.  L 27 

Fowler,  Asa 15 

Fowler,  Trueworthy  Ladd 581 

Fowler,  W'inthrop 582 

Fowler,  Winthrop,  Jr 583 

French,  David  J 512 

Gage,  Converse 649 

Gale,  Napoleon  B 830 

Gallinger,  Jacob  H 159 

Gault,  Hon.  Jesse 389 

George,  John  H 28 

George,  Paul  R 410 

Gerrish,  Enoch 157 

Gillingham,  Moody 419 

Gilman,  James 867 

Goss,  William 470 

Gutterson,  John 358 

Hall,  Dr.  A.  B 542 

Hall,  Rev.  K.  S 777 

Hart,  George 216 

Hartwell,  Rev.  Henry  H 166 

Haynes,  Martin  A 779 

Head,  Governor  Nathaniel 385 

Head,  William  F 388 

Hill,  James  R 103 

Hodgson,  Samuel 860 

Hoitt,  Thomas  L 715 

Holden,  Daniel 153 

Holmes,  Rev.  Hiram 218 

Howe,  Calvin 152 

Humphrey,  Moses 101 

Hunt,  Lucian 54c 

Jewell,  Col.  David  L 576 

Jones,  John  F.  (See  Currier  Family) 414  d 

Keneson,  Randall  S ...  729 

Kenrick,  Stephen 321 

Kimball,  Benjamin  A 146 

Kimball,  John 144 

Kimball,  J.  P 233 

Knight,  Elijah 153 

Knowles,  W.  F. i 546 


IX 


X 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


p 

Knowlton,  H.  C 

Ladd,  Seneca  A 

Lane,  Dr.  Robert 

Lang,  Joseph  W 

Larabee,  George  H 

Little,  Thomas  D 

Little,  George  P 

Lovering,  S.  B 

Marshall,  Anson  S 

Marshall,  John  W 

Martin  N 

Martin,  Samuel 

Meservey,  A.  B 

Moore,  Joseph  Clifford 

Moore,  McConnel 

Moore,  Stephen 

Morrill,  David 

Morse,  John  W 

Morse,  Joseph 

Moulton,  John  C 

Moulton,  Col.  John  H 

Norris,  James  S 

Nesmith,  George  W 

Nutter,  E.  S 

Osgood,  Addison  N " 

Page,  Enoch 

Peabody,  S.  B 

Pease,  Simeon'D 

Philbrick,  David  Morrill 

Pillsbury,  George  A 

Pillsbury,  Oliver 

Pitman,  Joseph  P 

Plummer,  Ephraim 

Prescott,  DavidS.,  M.D 

Putney,  Truman 

Rolfe,  Henry  P 

Rollins,  Amos  L 

Sanborn,  Capt.  W.  A 

Sanders,  George,  Jr 

Sanders,  Orren  Strong 


PACK 


Sargent,  J.  Everett 18 

Sargent,  Moses 782 

Sargent,  Major  Sterling 166 

Savage,  George  D 708 

Sawyer,  Alonzo  H 709 

Shaw,  C.  C 254 

Sinclair,  John  G 714 

Smith,  Alpheus  D 231 

Stark,  Caleb 302 

Stark,  Caleb,  Jr 306 

Stearns,  Onslow 138 

Stevens,  Lyman  D 40 

Stinson,  Charles 307 

Stinson,  Col.  John 306 

Smiley,  James  R.,  M.  D 650 

Smith,  Jeremiah 543 

Stevens,  Col.  Ebenezer 863 

Sulloway,  Hon.  A.  W 322 

Tappan,  Mason  \V 22 

Tenney,  Dr.  R.  P.  J ...  598 

Thayer,  W.  F 92 

Tilton,  Alexander  II 890 

Tilton,  Charles  E 887 

Truesdell,  E.  E 579 

Tuttle,  Hiram  A 597 

Upham,  Nathaniel  G 5 

Wadleigh,  Benjamin 644 

Wadleigh,  Erastus 644 

Wadleigh  Family,  The 643 

Wadleigh,  General  John 857 

Walker,  Joseph  B 33 

Walker,  Rev.  Timothy  2 

Walker,  Hon.  Timothy 65 

Webster,  Daniel 9 

Weeks,  Stephen 509 

WentM’orth,  Joseph 157 

White,  Nathaniel 136 

Whittemore,  Aaron 585 

Woodman,  Edgar  H 40 

Woodward,  F.  R 558 


AGE 

255 

858 

647 

862 

580 

623 

580 

511 

34 

213 

468 

469 

874 

783 

584 

513 

232 

209 

420 

825 

727 

161 

36 

151 

583 

648 

891 

867 

475 

147 

45 

831 

184 

829 

646 

624 

709 

775 

473 

471 


AND  +-■ ! 

Belknap 

cOUNTltS 

EVia raved Jtjpresshj  lor  Hus  Work 


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HISTORY 


OF 


MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 

— 


CHAPTER  I. 

ORGANIZATION  AND  STATISTICAL. 

BY  DANIEL  F.  SECOMB. 


Merrimack  County  was  formed,  in  1823,  from 
towns  in  the  northerly  parts  of  Hillsborough  and 
Rockingham  Counties,  to  which  have  since  been 
added  towns  from  Grafton  County  and  a portion  of 
Sanbornton,  in  Stratford  County,  and  it  now  contains 
portions  of  four  of  the  five  counties  into  which  the 
province  was  divided  in  1769. 

It  is  now  the  second  county  in  the  State  in  popu- 
lation, and  the  third  in  the  valuation  of  taxable  prop- 
erty. Its  population,  as  given  in  the  United  States 
census,  has  been  as  follows:  In  1830,  34,614;  1840, 
36,253;  1850,  40,337;  1860,  41,408;  1870,  42,151;  1880,  | 
46,300.  It  includes  the  city  of  Concord  and  twenty- 
six  towns,  as  follows : 

Allenstown,  taken  from  Rockingham  County  in 
1823 ; incorporated,  1831 ; population  in  1830,  483 ; 
in  1880,  1708. 

Andover,  from  Hillsborough  County,  1823;  first 
known  as  New  Breton;  incorporated,  1779;  popula- 
tion, 1830,  1324;  1880,  1204. 

Bradford,  from  Hillsborough  County,  1823 ; first 
known  as  New  Bradford;  incorporated,  1787;  popu- 
lation, 1830,  1285;  1880,  950. 

Boscawen,  from  Hillsborough  County,  1823 ; for- 
merly called  Contoocook;  incorporated,  1760;  popu- 
lation, 1830,  2093 ; 1880,  1380. 

Bow,  from  Rockingham  County,  1823;  chartered, 
1727  ; population,  1830,  1065;  1880,  734. 

Canterbury,  from  Rockingham  County,  1823;  char- 
tered, 1727 ; population,  1830,  1663 ; 1880,  1034. 

Chichester,  from  Rockingham  County,  1823 ; char- 
tered, 1727 ; population,  1830,  1084 ; 1880,  784. 

Concord,  from  Rockingham  County,  1823 ; incor- 
porated, 1765 ; formerly  known  as  Penacook  and 
Rumford ; adopted  a city  charter,  1853 ; population, 
1830,  3727  ; 1880,  13,845. 

1 


Danbury,  from  Grafton  County,  1874;  incorporated, 
1795 ; population,  1830,  785 ; 1880,  760. 

Dunbarton , from  Hillsborough  County,  1823 ; in- 
corporated, 1765;  formerly  called  Starkstovvn ; pop- 
ulation, 1830,  1067  ; 1880,  708. 

Epsom,  from  Rockingham  County,  1823;  chartered, 
1727;  population,  1830,  1418;  1880,  909. 

Franklin,  from  parts  of  Andover,  Northfield  and 
Salisbury,  in  Merrimack  County,  and  Sanbornton,  in 
Strafford  County;  incorporated,  1828;  population, 
1830,  1870  ; 1880,  3265. 

Henniker,  from  Hillsborough  County,  1823 ; incor- 
porated, 1768 ; population,  1830,  1725 ; 1880,  1326. 

Hill,  from  Grafton  County,  1868;  incorporated, 
1778;  formerly  called  New  Chester;  name  changed, 
1836;  population,  1830,  1090;  1880,  667. 

Hooksett,  from  Hillsborough  County,  1823 ; incor- 
porated, 1822,  and  included  parts  of  Goffstown  and 
Dunbarton,  in  Hillsborough  County,  and  Chester,  in 
Rockingham;  population,  1830,  880;  1880,  1766. 

Hopkinton,  from  Hillsborough  County,  1823;  incor- 
porated, 1765;  formerly  called  New  Hopkinton;  pop- 
ulation, 1830,  2474;  1880,  1836. 

Loudon,  from  Rockingham  County,  1823;  incorpo- 
rated, 1773 ; was  originally  a part  of  Canterbury  ; 
population,  1830,  1642;  1880,  1221. 

Newbury,  from  Hillsborough  County,  1823 ; incor- 
porated, 1778;  formerly  known  as  Fishersfield ; name 
changed,  1836;  population,  1830,  798;  1880,  590. 

New  London,  from  Hillsborough  County,  1823;  in- 
corporated, 1779;  formerly  called  Dantzic;  popula- 
tion, 1830,  913;  1880,  875. 

Northfield,  from  Rockingham  County,  1823;  incor- 
porated, 1780;  was  originally  a part  of  Canterbury; 
population,  1830,  1169 ; 1880,  918. 

Pembroke,  from  Rockingham  County,  1823 ; incor- 
porated, 1759;  formerly  called  Suncook,  and  granted 
by  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts,  in  1727,  to 
Captain  John  Lovewell  and  his  associates  in  the  fight 
at  Lovewell’s  Pond  in  1725;  population,  1830,  1312; 
1880,  2797. 


1 


o 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Pittsfield,  from  Rockingham  County,  1823;  incor- 
porated, 1782;  formerly  a part  of  Chichester;  pop- 
ulation, 1830,  1271 ; 1880,  1974. 

Salisbury,  from  Hillsborough  County,  1823;  incor- 
porated, 1768;  formerly  known  as  Stevenstown;  pop- 
ulation, 1830,  1379;  1880,795. 

Sutton,  from  Hillsborough  County,  1823 ; incorpor- 
ated, 1784;  formerly  called  Perrystown ; population, 
1830,  1424;  1880,  923. 

Warner,  from  Hillsborough  County,  1823 ; incor- 
porated, 1774;  formerly  known  as  New  Almsbury 
and  Jennistown,  and  includes  what  was  formerly 
called  Kearsarge  Gore ; population,  1830,  2221 ; 1880, 
1537. 

Webster,  formerly  West  Boscawen,  taken  from  Bos- 
cawen,  1860;  population,  1870,  689;  1880,  647. 

Wilmot,  from  Hillsborough  County,  1823 ; incor- 
porated, 1807 ; formerly  called  Kearsarge ; popula- 
tion, 1830,  934;  1880,  1080. 

Of  the  46,300  inhabitants  of  the  county  in  1880, 
46,133  were  whites,  158  colored,  1 Chinese  and  8 
Indians;  40,521  were  natives  of  the  United  States, 
and  5779  of  foreign  birth ; 34,808  were  natives  of 
New  Hampshire,  and  5713  of  other  States;  5116 
males  and  5075  females  were  from  five  to  eighteen 
years  of  age ; 14,286  males  were  above  twenty-one 
years  of  age ; 9380  males  were  between  the  ages  of 
eighteen  and  forty-five  years,  and  one-half  of  the 
entire  population  was  above  twenty-six  years  of  age. 

Agricultural  Statistics  of  Merrimack  County, 
from  the  United  States  census  of  1880,  were  as  fol- 
lows: Number  of  farms,  June  1,  1880,4334;  number 
of  acres  of  improved  land,  305,282 ; value  of  farms, 
buildings  and  fences,  $11,392,721;  value  of  fimn  im- 
plements and  machines,  £426,083 ; estimated  value 
of  farm  products  for  the  year  1879-80,  $1,878,149. 
Live  stock  and  some  of  its  products  for  the  year  end- 
ing June  1,  1880:  Horses,  5998;  working  oxen,  4121 ; 
milch  cows,  11,800;  other  cattle,  17,296;  sheep,  27,755; 
swine,  8138.  Gallons  of  milk  produced,  586,662; 
pounds  of  butter  made,  908,728 ; pounds  of  cheese 
made,  190,809.  Vegetable  products,  1879 : Barley, 
6279  bushels ; buckwheat,  2976  bushels ; Indian 
corn,  229,877  bushels  , oats,  7503  bushels  ; rye,  4932 
bushels ; wheat,  25,403  bushels ; hay,  75,713  tons ; 
hops,  3219  lbs.;  Irish  potatoes,  375,653  bushels. 
Orchard  products  valued  at  $117,382. 

Manufacturing  Statistics. — Number  of  manufac- 
turing establishments,  June  1,  1880,  449;  males  above 
sixteen  years  of  age  employed,  3580;  females,  1477; 
children  and  youth,  628. 

Of  the  population  of  the  county  in  1880,  there 
were  22,751  males  and  23,549  females ; 40,521  were  na- 
tives of  the  United  States,  and  5779  of  foreign  birth; 
5116  males  and  5075  females  were  from  5 to  18  years 
of  age,  9380  males  were  between  18  and  40  years  of 
age,  and  14,286  males  were  21  years  of  age  and 
above,  and  one-half  of  the  whole  population  was  over 
26  years  of  age. 


Capital  invested,  $6,089,215 ; value  of  materials 
used,  $4,974,224  ; value  of  products,  $8,742,560. 


VALUATION'  AND  TAXATION. 


Valuation  of  the  county,  April  1,  1879  $24,882,550 

Valuation  of  real  estate 18,522,356 

Valuation  of  personal  property 6,360,194 

State  tax  assessed $58,552 

County  tax  assessed 78,000 

City,  town  and  school  taxes 257,873 

Whole  amount  of  taxes 393,925 


Total $50,159,025 

Indebtedness  of  the  county,  city,  towns  and  school  districts  in  the 
county',  June  1,  1880. 

Bonded  debt $956,400 

Floating  debt 158,662 


Aggregate  debt $1,115,062 

Number  of  post-offices  in  the  county  July  1,  1883,  60 ; compensation 
of  postmasters  the  preceding  year,  $18,515.94. 


CHAPTER  II. 

BENCH  AND  BAR. 

The  first  term  of  the  Superior  Court  of  Judicature 
in  Merrimack  County  was  held  in  Concord  in  January, 
1824.  This  was  the  first  time  that  Concord  had 
enjoyed  the  presence  of  a duly  established  court  of 
law.  The  members  of  the  bar  of  the  county  at  this 
term  convened  and  were  duly  organized  as  the  Merri- 
mack County  bar,  and  during  one  of  the  first  evenings 
of  the  session  a bar  supper  was  celebrated  at  the  inn 
of  J.  P.  Gass,  which  was  located  near  the  present  site 
of  Sanborn’s  block,  on  Main  Street.  The  venerable 
George  W.  Nesmith,  of  Franklin,  is  the  only  surviving 
member  of  those  present  on  that  occasion. 

Petek  Green,  sou  of  Nathaniel  Green,  was  one 
of  the  earliest  lawyers  in  the  State.  He  was  born  in 
Worcester,  Mass.,  1746  ; opened  an  office  in  Concord, 
1767.  He  was  chosen  State  councilor  in  1788  and  1789. 
He  died  March  27,  1798,  aged  fifty-two. 

Hon.  Timothy  Walker  was  the  only  son  of 
Rev.  Timothy  Walker,  and  was  born  upon  the 
paternal  farm  in  Rumford,  June  27,  1737.  He  is 
said,  when  a boy,  to  have  been  a great  favorite  of 
the  Indians  living  in  the  vicinity.  Entertaining 
a deep  reverence  and  affection  for  his  father,  they 
naturally  inclined  to  him,  and,  as  tradition  says, 
were  wont  to  take  him  on  visits  to  their  wigwams, 
assuring  his  mother,  who  did  not  altogether  relish  such 
civilities,  that  “ Indians  no  hurt  minister’s  pappoose.” 
This  promise  was  never  broken,  and  he  was  always 
returned  in  safety,  although  oftentimes  modified  much 
in  appearance,  from  the  Indians  having  painted  his 
face  in  glowing  colors,  and  garlanded  his  head  with 
gaudy  feathers. 

His  father  gave  early  attention  to  his  education,  and 
sent  him,  when  fifteen  years  of  age,  to  Harvard  Col- 
lege. He  remained  there  during  the  regular  course 
and  graduated  in  1756.  The  two  years  ensuing  he 
spent  in  teaching  school  at  Bradford,  Mass.  Upon 


BENCH  AND  BAR. 


3 


leaving  Bradford,  having  in  the  mean  time  chosen  the- 
ology as  his  profession,  he  commenced  a course  of 
study  and  pursued  it  most  probably  with  his  father. 
Having  completed  his  theological  studies,  he  was  ex- 
amined at  the  association  meeting  in  Haverhill,  Mass., 
and  licensed  to  preach  September  11,  1759. 

Mr.  Walker  was  never  a settled  pastor,  but  preached 
occasionally  for  about  six  years.  During  the  last  ab- 
sence of  his  father  in  England,  in  1762-63,  he  sup- 
plied his  pulpit  in  Rumford.  He  preached  many 
times  from  1761  to  1764  in  Rindge,  where  he  received 
a call  to  settle,  which  he  declined.  In  the  summer  of 
1765  he  preached  six  Sabbaths  at  Pigwacket  (now 
Fryeburg),  Me.,  which  seems  to  have  been  about  the 
last  of  his  preaching,  soon  after  which  he  relinquished 
the  profession  of  the  ministry. 

From  his  diary  it  appears  that  on  the  25th  of  No- 
vember, 1765,  he  concluded  a partnership  agreement 
with  Colonel  Andrew  McMillan,  and  engaged  with 
him  in  trade  in  Rumford,  in  the  southerly  part  of  the 
village.  They  continued  in  business  together  but  for 
a single  year.  Soon  after  their  separation  Mr.  Walker 
opened  a store  near  the  residence  of  his  father,  and 
there  continued  his  mercantile  pursuits  until  about 
the  beginning  of  the  Revolution.  During  this  period 
he  was  also  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  potash, 
which  was  disposed  of  in  the  lower  towns  of  the  prov- 
ince. Some  portions  of  the  works  erected  for  this 
purpose  remained  until  within  a recent  period,  the 
well,  stoned  up  from  the  bottom,  being  in  good  condi- 
tion to-day. 

Mr.  Walker  was  married,  some  time  previous  to 
1764,  to  his  cousin,  Susannah  Burbeen,  daughter  of 
Rev.  Joseph  Burbeen,  of  Woburn,  Mass.,  who  died  in 
Concord,  September  28, 1828,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two. 
They  had  fourteen  children,  ten  of  whom  lived  to 
mature  life. 

Upon  the  commencement  of  hostilities  with  Great 
Britain,  Mr.  Walker,  like  his  father,  warmly  espoused 
the  patriot  cause,  and  seconded  with  zeal  the  meas- 
ures adopted  for  the  security  of  American  liberty. 
His  whole  time  seems  now  to  have  been  devoted  to 
the  service  of  his  country.  The  town  of  Concord 
chose  him  a delegate  to  the  Fourth  Provincial  Con- 
gress,which  assembled  at  Exeter,  on  the  17th  of  May, 
1775,  and  he  took  an  active  interest  in  the  very  im- 
portant measures  which  came  before  that  body. 

On  the  20th  of  May  he  was  appointed  a member  of 
the  Committee  of  Supplies,  constituted  to  act  in  con- 
junction with  the  Committee  of  Safety,  and  procure 
supplies  for  the  New  Hampshire  troops,  at  this  time 
in  the  vicinity  of  Boston.  On  the  20th  of  August  he, 
with  Ichabod  Rawlings,  Esq.,  was  sent  to  the  army  to 
ascertain  the  losses  sustained  at  the  battle  of  Bunker 
Hill  by  each  of  the  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  New 
Hampshire  forces,  and  in  behalf  of  the  province  to 
make  them  compensation,  as  well  as  to  secure  to  them 
supplies  and  advance  a month’s  pay  to  such  as  had 
enlisted  in  the  Continental  service.  The  action  of 


the  Provincial  Congress  upon  the  report  subsequently 
made  of  their  doings  affords  evidence  that  those  du- 
ties were  performed  to  their  acceptance. 

About  the  1st  of  September  of  this  year  the  New 
Hampshire  Congress  passed  an  act  creating  four  reg- 
iments of  Minute-Men  equal  in  number  to  about  one- 
fourth  part  of  the  then  existing  militia  of  the  province. 
These  were  to  meet  to  drill  once  in  every  two  weeks, 
and  to  be  ready  for  service  at  a moment’s  warning. 
Mr.  Walker  was  commissioned  colonel  of  the  Third 
Regiment  September  5,  1775,  and  exerted  himself  to 
train  and  fit  for  duty  the  forces  under  his  command. 

From  the  4th  to  the  16th  of  October  we  find  him 
acting  as  paymaster  of  the  New  Hampshire  troops  at 
Winter  Hill,  commanded  by  Colonels  Stark,  Poor  and 
Reid,  and  again,  on  the  27th  of  December,  he  was 
appointed  by  the  Fifth  Provincial  Congress  paymas- 
ter of  the  same  forces. 

The  Fifth  Provincial  Congress  was  succeeded,  Jan- 
uary 6,  1776,  by  the  first  House  of  Representatives, 
organized  under  the  temporary  constitution  and  com- 
posed of  the  same  members.  Its  journal  shows 
Colonel  Walker  to  have  been  one  of  the  committee  of 
three  appointed  by  the  House  “to  make  a draft  of  the 
declaration  of  this  General  Assembly  for  independ- 
ence of  the  United  Colonies.”  The  committee  re- 
ported a draft  June  15,  1776,  which  was  at  once 
adopted  and  a copy  of  it  sent  to  the  Continental  Con- 
gress, then  in  session  at  Philadelphia. 

At  a date  not  long  subsequent  to  this  event  Colonel 
Walker  was  made  one  of  the  committee  to  devise  a 
systematic  plan  of  finance,  by  means  of  which  the 
payment  of  the  debts  of  the  State  might  be  provided 
for  and  funds  raised  for  present  and  future  purposes. 

When,  on  the  14th  of  March,  1776,  the  Continental 
Congress  sent  out  the  Association  Test,  to  be  signed  by 
all  friendly  to  the  patriot  cause,  Colonel  Walker  most 
cheerfully  signed  the  copy  sent  to  Concord,  and  it  was 
through  his  influence,  in  part  at  least,  that,  of  the  one 
hundred  and  fifty-six  to  whom  it  was  presented  for 
signature  in  that  town,  not  one  declined  subscribing 
to  it  his  name. 

Colonel  Walker  was  this  year  a member  of  the 
Committee  of  Safety  and  served  in  that  capacity  until 
the  20th  of  June,  1776.  During  the  next  three  years 
— viz.,  from  December  18,  1776,  to  December  15, 1779 
— he  was  a member  of  the  Council,  associated  with 
Meshech  Weare,  Josiali  Bartlett,  Nicholas  Gilman 
and  others  of  like  character, — men  of  the  purest  pa- 
triotism, whose  names  New  Hampshire  will  ever  cher- 
ish. On  the  26th  of  March,  1777,  he  was  chosen  by 
the  Legislature  a delegate  to  the  Continental  Congress, 
and  again,  at  three  subsequent  times,  in  1778,  1782 
and  1784,  but  it  is  not  certain  that  he  ever  attended. 
He  was  sent  from  Concord  a delegate  to  each  of  the 
New  Hampshire  Constitutional  Conventions  of  1778 
and  1781,  and  also  to  that  of  1791,  to  revise  the  con- 
stitution. 

In  1777  he  retired  from  the  more  stirring  scenes 


4 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


connected  with  the  war,  and  accepted  the  office  of  a 
justice  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  which  he  con- 
tinued to  hold  until  1809,  being  for  the  last  five  years 
a chief  justice.  The  courts  were  held  alternately  at 
Exeter  and  Portsmouth,  and  Judge  Walker  made  his  . 
journeys  to  and  from  those  places  on  horseback. 

Upon  the  organization  of  the  Republican  party  in 
New  Hampshire,  in  1798,  Judge  Walker  was  selected 
for  its  first  candidate  for  Governor,  and  was  run  against 
John  Taylor  Gilman,  who  had  already  been  the  in- 
cumbent of  the  office  in  previous  years,  and  was  one  , 
of  the  strongest  men  of  the  Federal  party,  at  that  time 
in  large  majority  throughout  the  State.  Governor 
Gilman  was  the  successful  candidate,  receiving  nine 
thousand  three  hundred  and  ninety-seven  votes  out  of 
the  whole  number  of  twelve  thousand  one  hundred 
and  fifty-three  thrown,  and  Judge  Walker  seven  hun- 
dred and  thirty-four.  Twice  afterwards — viz.,  in  1800 
and  1801 — he  was  the  Republican  candidate  for  Gov- 
ernor,  receiving  the  former  year  six  thousand  and 
thirty-nine,  and  the  latter  five  thousand  two  hundred 
and  forty-nine  votes,  the  whole  number  of  votes  cast 
being  between  sixteen  thousand  and  seventeen  thou- 
sand. 

Although  mingling  largely  in  State  affairs,  Mr. 
Walker  did  not  withhold  himself  from  a participation 
in  the  management  of  the  more  limited  business  of 
his  native  town.  In  this  sphere  he  was  also  promi- 
nent. He  was  moderator  of  the  annual  town-meeting 
in  1779  and  every  year  afterwards,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  ten,  until  1809,  serving  in  that  capacity  no  j 
less  than  twenty-one  years.  He  was  also  town  clerk 
from  1769  up  to  and  including  1777,  and  one  of  the  * 
selectmen  of  the  town  for  twenty-five  years  between 
1769  and  1802,  being  chairman  of  the  board  every 
year  during  this  period  except  four. 

He  ever  took  a lively  interest  in  everything  tending 
to  advance  the  prosperity  of  Concord.  Being  a rep- 
resentative to  the  Legislature,  which  was  holden  at 
Exeter  in  1781,  and  finding  some  dissatisfaction  among 
the  members  relative  to  accommodations  furnished 
there,  he  proposed  to  them  that  if  they  would  adjourn 
to  meet  at  Concord,  they  should  he  as  well  served  | 
and  at  one-half  of  the  expense.  The  proposal  was 
accepted,  and  upon  his  return  home  he  informed  his  ' 
townsmen  of  the  manner  in  which  he  had  committed  j 
them,  and  they  at  once  pledged  themselves  to  make 
good  his  engagement  to  the  best  of  their  several  abil- 
ities. The  next  year  the  Legislature  assembled  in 
Concord  for  the  first  time,  meeting  first  at  the  meet- 
ing-house, but  adjourning,  immediately  after  coming 
together,  to  a hall  prepared  for  them  in  a building 
now  standing  near  the  southwest  corner  of  Main  and 
Penacook  Streets. 

In  1798  we  find  him  greatly  interested  in  the  im- 
provement of  the  sacred  music  of  the  town,  and  the 
records  of  the  Concord  Musical  Association  show 
him  to  have  been  its  first  president.  Indeed,  Judge 
Walker  seems  to  have  been  intimately  connected  with  j 


most  of  the  Concord  enterprises  of  his  day.  He  was 
one  of  the  original  proprietors  of  Federal  bridge, 
which  was  incorporated  in  1795,  and  crossed  the  Mer- 
rimac  at  East  Concord  village.  Three  years  after,  he 
became  one  of  the  members  of  “ The  Proprietors  of 
the  Concord  Library.” 

In  1806  the  Concord  Bank  was  incorporated  by  the 
Legislature,  and  irreconcilable  differences  of  opinion 
arising  at  the  meeting  of  the  grantees  for  organiza- 
tion, two  banks  with  different  officers,  but  bearing  the 
same  name,  were  organized  under  the  same  charter, — 
one  located  at  the  north  end  and  the  other  at  the 
southerly  end  of  Main  Street.  Each  did  a successful 
business  for  twenty  years,  at  the  expiration  of  which 
period  they  were  organized  under  separate  charters. 
Of  the  upper  hank  Judge  Walker  was  the  first  presi- 
dent, and  continued  for  several  years.  Upon  most,  or 
all,  of  the  old  subscription  papers  for  procuring  money 
for  local  purposes, which  have  been  preserved,  his  name 
stands  prominent,  evincing  his  constant  interest  in 
the  public  enterprises  of  his  native  town. 

In  1774,  largely  through  his  influence  and  efforts, 
a township  of  land  upon  the  Androscoggin  River,  in 
Maine,  was  granted  by  the  General  Court  of  Massa- 
chusetts to  the  proprietors  of  Concord  or  their  de- 
scendants, to  indemnify  them,  in  part,  for  expenses 
and  losses  incurred  in  consequence  of  the  long  con- 
troversy with  the  alleged  proprietors  of  Bow.  This 
grant  afforded  good  lands  upon  favorable  terms  to  the 
children  of  the  original  settlers  of  Concord,  and  many 
emigrated  to  that  locality  and  established  the  present 
town  of  Rumford.  Of  these  lands  Judge  Walker 
eventually  became  a large  proprietor  and  afforded 
substantial  aid  to  many  young  families  of  limited 
means  in  establishing  themselves  in  life.  Some  of  these 
lands  descended  to  his  children  and  to  his  children’s 
children,  while  some  are  still  held  by  his  great-grand- 
children, who  are  to-day  among  the  prosperous  farm- 
ers of  Rumford. 

Notwithstanding  his  multitudinous  avocations  of  a 
more  or  less  public  character,  Judge  Walker  always 
kept  and  managed  with  care  the  large  farm  left  him 
by  his  father.  He  increased,  rather  than  diminished, 
its  original  area.  Situated,  as  this  was,  upon  the 
very  edge  of  the  village,  it  afforded  him  a convenient 
residence,  and  at  the  plain  mansion  which  sheltered 
him  and  his  family  he  dispensed,  for  a long  series  of 
years,  a plain  hospitality  to  multitudes  of  friends 
and  acquaintances  who  sought  his  society. 

“ My  son,  you  must  not  pull  down  the  old  barn  in 
my  day,”  he  said,  on  one  occasion,  to  his  youngest 
son  and  successor  upon  the  farm.  “ You  can  build 
as  many  new  ones  as  you  like.  That  was  Parson 
Walker’s  barn  ; it  has  never  failed  to  afford  shelter 
and  feed  to  the  horse  of  the  visitor  who  has  knocked 
at  our  door ; let  it  stand  as  long  as  I last.”  And  a 
new  barn  went  up,  but  “Parson  Walker’s  barn”  re- 
mained standing  until  the  worthy  judge  had  rested 
from  his  labors  a half-score  of  years  and  more. 


BENCH  AND  BAR. 


5 


In  person,  Judge  Walker  was  of  medium  size, 
being  about  five  feet  ten  inches  in  height  and  having 
rounded  and  well-developed  limbs.  In  later  life  he 
was  a little  inclined  to  fulness.  He  had  a placid, 
open  countenance,  a nose  somewhat  prominent  and  a 
full,  blue  eye.  His  walk  was  erect  and  his  bearing 
dignified.  He  possessed  an  active,  vigorous  mind 
and  a well-balanced  judgment.  He  had  keen  per- 
ceptive faculties,  which,  aided  by  the  experience 
gained  by  long  intercourse  with  men,  enabled  him  to 
form  quickly  correct  opinions  of  the  characters  and 
motives  of  those  with  whom  he  came  in  contact. 
While  cautious,  he  was  yet  of  a sanguine  tempera- 
ment; hopeful,  also,  when  others  despaired,  and 
rarely  given  to  despondency.  He  had  a cheerful  dis- 
position; he  was  reasonable  in  his  expectations  and 
charitable  in  his  judgments.  Careful  in  the  choice 
of  his  plans,  as  well  as  patient  in  their  execution,  he 
was  generally  successful.  Democratic  and  affable,  he 
was  on  familiar  terms  with  all  about  him.  Rejoicing 
in  the  welfare  of  his  townsmen,  he  was  ever  ready  to 
do  them  kind  services.  He  manifested  a particular 
interest  in  the  young  men  of  the  town,  and  not  a few, 
just  starting  in  life,  received  from  him  counsel  or  en- 
couragement or  pecuniary  aid,  which  assisted  them 
greatly  in  overcoming  first  obstacles  and  nerved 
them  to  exertions  which  secured  the  foundations  of 
future  prosperity. 

When  at  length  old  age  came  upon  him,  he  met  it 
cheerfully  and  manfully.  For  several  years  previous 
to  1822  he  had  been  somewhat  infirm,  but  still  en- 
joyed life  in  a good  degree.  His  children  were  pros- 
perously and  respectably  settled  in  their  different 
avocations,  a part  of  them  near  about  him.  He  had 
frequent  evidence  of  the  respect  entertained  for  him 
by  his  fellow-citizens  ; he  had  an  inward  conscious- 
ness of  having  done  what  he  could  to  be  useful  in  his 
day  and  generation ; he  had  entire  confidence  in  the  re- 
velations of  the  Sacred  Scriptures  and  an  humble  hope 
that  the  infinite  atonement  of  the  Son  of  God  might 
attach  to  him.  On  the  5th  of  May,  1822,  in  the  bosom 
of  his  family,  he  died,  a virtuous  and  a happy  old 
man,  in  the  eighty-fifth  year  of  his  age.  Truly, 
“ The  hoary  head  is  a crown  of  glory  if  it  be  found  in 
the  way  of  righteousness.” 

Edward  St.  Loe  Livermore,  son  of  Hon.  Samuel 
Livermore,  born  in  Londonderry,  1761,  entered  upon 
his  profession  in  Concord,  1783 ; solicitor  for  Rock- 
ingham County,  1791-93 ; judge  in  the  Superior 
Court  of  Judicature,  1797-99 ; then  resided  at  Ports- 
mouth. He  was  also  member  of  Congress  from 
Massachusetts.  He  was  the  father  of  the  celebrated 
Harriet  Livermore,  born  in  Concord  April  14,  1788. 
He  died  at  Tewksbury,  Mass.,  September  15,  1832, 
aged  seventy-one. 

Thomas  W.  Thompson,  son  of  Deacon  Thomas 
Thompson,  of  Boston,  born  March  10, 1766  ; graduated 
at  Harvard  University,  1786 ; was  tutor  in  college, 
1789 ; aid  to  General  Lincoln  at  the  time  of  “ Shay’s 


Rebellion  ; ” commenced  the  practice  of  law  at  Salis- 
bury, 1791 ; representative  from  that  town  in  the  State 
Legislature ; chosen  representative  to  Congress,  1805- 
07 ; in  1810  treasurer  of  the  State,  when  he  moved 
to  Concord ; speaker  of  the  House  in  the  State 
Legislature,  1813  and  1814;  Senator  in  Congress, 
1814-17 ; elected  trustee  of  Dartmouth  College  in 
1801,  which  office  he  held  till  his  death.  Mr.  Thomp- 
son was  an  accomplished  gentleman,  distinguished  for 
the  dignity  and  urbanity  of  his  manners,  for  integrity 
and  piety.  He  held  the  office  of  deacon  in  the  First 
Church  in  Concord  from  1818  till  his  death.  He  died 
of  pulmonary  consumption,  October  10,  1821,  aged 
fifty-five  years. 

Arthur  Livermore,  judge,  brother  of  Edward 
St.  Loe  Livermore,  opened  an  office  in  Concord  in 
1792 ; soon  moved  to  Chester,  thence  to  Holderness. 
He  died  July,  1853,  aged  eighty -seven  years. 

Samuel  Green,  judge,  son  of  Nathaniel  Green, 
born  March  7,  1770,  read  law  in  the  office  of  his 
brother,  Peter  Green,  Esq.;  commenced  practice  in 
Concord,  1793 ; associate  justice  of  the  Superior 
Court  from  1819  to  1840,  when  he  retired  on  account 
of  the  constitutional  limit  of  age.  He  was  then  ap- 
pointed to  a clerkship  at  Washington,  where  he  con- 
tinued till  his  death,  March,  1851,  aged  eighty-one 
years. 

Philip  Carrigain,  son  of  Dr.  Philip  Carrigain,  was 
born  in  Concord  in  1772,  and  graduated  at  Dartmouth 
College  in  1794  ; studied  law  with  Arthur  Livermore, 
Esq.,  and  settled  in  practice  in  his  native  town.  He 
was  Secretary  of  State,  clerk  of  the  Senate  and  was 
often  employed  in  public  business.  He  died  March 
15,  1842,  aged  seventy  years. 

Moody  Kent,  son  of  Joseph  Kent,  was  born  in 
Newbury,  Mass.,  May  22,  1779;  graduated  at  Harvard 
College,  1801  ; admitted  to  the  bar  in  1804  ; practiced 
in  Deerfield  nearly  five  years;  came  to  Concord  in 
September,  1809,  where  he  remained  in  practice  till 
1832,  when  he  withdrew  from  business. 

Isaac  Gates,  graduated  at  Harvard  College,  1802  ; 
was  in  Concord  a short  time  in  1814;  died  in  Harvard, 
Mass.,  in  November,  1852. 

Lyman  B.  Walker,  from  Gilford,  while  Attorney- 
General  of  the  State,  from  1843  to  — , resided  in  Con- 
cord. 

Samuel  Fletcher,  born  in  Plymouth,  July  31, 
1785;  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College,  1810;  opened 
an  office  in  Concord,  1815 ; trustee  of  Darmouth  Col- 
lege; trustee  and  treasurer  of  Phillips  Academy  and 
Theological  Seminary,  at  Andover,  from  1841  to  1850. 

Nathaniel  Gookin  Upham  was  born  in  Deer- 
field, N.  H.,  January  8,  1801.  His  parents  removed 
to  Rochester  the  following  year.  He  pursued  his 
studies  preparatory  to  college  at  Exeter  Academy  ; 
entered  Dartmouth  in  1816 ; was  a faithful  student, 
and  graduated  with  honor  in  1820. 

Immediately  after  his  graduation,  Mr.  Upham  com- 
menced the  study  of  law.  After  being  admitted  to 


6 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


the  bar,  he  practiced  his  profession  in  Bristol  until 
1829,  when  he  removed  to  Concord. 

Four  years  later  Mr.  Upham  was  appointed  one  of 
the  associate  justices  of  the  Superior  Court  of  New 
Hampshire.  This  honor  was  the  more  complimentary 
as  he  was  only  thirty-two  years  of  age.  With  the 
single  exception  of  Hon.  Levi  Woodbury,  he  was  the 
youngest  man  who  had  been  placed  upon  the  bench 
of  New  Hampshire.  He  discharged  with  faithfulness 
and  ability  the  duties  devolving  upon  him  until  1843, 
when  he  resigned  and  was  appointed  superintendent 
of  the  Concord  Railroad.  Some  years  later,  the 
business  of  the  road  having  greatly  increased,  he 
relinquished  the  superintendency  and  was  made 
president.  In  the  management  of  its  affairs  for 
twenty-three  years  he  used  great  wisdom  and  judg- 
ment, giving  to  it  his  best  thoughts,  his  legal  know- 
ledge and  experience,  ever  planning  wisely  and  suc- 
cessfully for  the  enlargement  of  its  business,  with 
remarkable  prudence,  foresight  and  perseverance. 
He  held  the  office  of  president  till  1866,  when  his 
connection  with  the  railroad  ceased. 

In  1853,  Judge  Upham  was  appointed  commissioner, 
on  the  part  of  the  government  of  the  United  States, 
to  confer  with  a similar  commissioner  appointed  by 
the  English  government,  and  to  decide  upon  certain 
claims  brought  by  citizens  of  either  country  against 
the  government  of  the  other.  These  claims  had  been 
growing  in  number  and  amount  for  forty  years.  This 
commission  met  in  London  in  September,  1853,  Ed- 
mund Hornby,  Esq.,  acting  on  the  part  of  Great 
Britain.  They  considered  all  claims  presented,  pro- 
nouncing upon  each  a deliberate  and  final  judgment, 
and  in  accordance  with  these  decisions  the  claims 
were  paid  by  the  respective  governments,  amounting 
in  the  aggregate  to  many  millions  of  dollars. 

In  1862,  Judge  Upham  was  called  to  act  in  a similar 
service,  that  of  umpire  in  the  commission  appointed 
by  government  for  the  settlement  of  claims  between 
the  United  States  and  New  Granada. 

In  politics  Judge  Upham  was  a Democrat  for  many 
years.  Though  decided  in  his  political  principles,  he 
was  not  a politician.  His  influence  was  exercised 
rather  by  private  suggestions  and  the  weight  of  his 
general  character. 

In  1850  he  was  chairman  of  the  business  committee 
of  the  convention  called  to  amend  the  Constitution 
of  New  Hampshire. 

In  1865  and  1866  he  was  a member  of  the  Legisla- 
ture, and  earnest  in  advocating  the  proposed  amend- 
ment of  the  National  Constitution.  He  was  also  at 
this  time  chairman  of  the  committee  to  remodel  the 
State-House. 

In  the  struggle  between  the  North  and  the  South 
Judge  Upham  took  an  open  and  decided  stand  at 
once  on  the  side  of  the  government,  in  the  exercise 
of  all  the  influence  he  could  exert,  by  addresses 
delivered  on  public  occasions,  as  well  as  by  letters 
and  essays  published  in  the  leading  newspapers.  He 


accepted  heartily  the  emancipation  proclamation, 
both  as  to  its  expediency  and  constitutionality  as  a 
war  measure. 

There  was  in  Judge  Upham,  beneath  all  the  busi- 
ness and  professional  life,  a strong  literary  taste. 
He  wrote  with  ease,  and  wrote  much.  His  style  was 
clear  and  forcible,  at  times  eloquent,  and  many  valua- 
ble articles  from  his  pen  were  published. 

For  more  than  forty  years  he  resided  in  Concord, 
and  his  name  is  associated  with  the  growth  and  pros- 
perity of  the  city.  He  was  interested  in  all  wise 
measures  for  the  public  good,  and  his  was  a leading 
mind  in  devising  methods  of  improvement,  and  very 
efficient  in  carrying  them  into  effect.  His  fellow- 
citizens  learned  to  place  great  confidence  in  his 
judgment,  acknowledging  his  prudence  and  foresight, 
knowing  that  his  opinions  were  given  after  a careful 
consideration  of  the  subject.  He  was  a man  of  up- 
rightness, true  to  his  engagements,  faithful  to  every 
contract,  doing  what  he  regarded  as  right  in  the  sight 
of  God  and  man.  He  was  a leading  member  of  the 
South  Congregational  Church  from  its  organization, 
and  did  much  for  its  stability  and  prosperity. 

Judge  Upham  was  twice  married,  first  to  Miss 
Betsy  W.  Lord,  of  Kennebunkport,  Me.  She  died 
in  Concord,  August  17,  1833,  leaving  two  children, 
both  of  whom  survive, — Rev.  Nathaniel  L.  Upham,  of 
Philadelphia,  and  Mrs.  Joseph  B.  Walker,  of  Concord. 
His  second  wife  was  Miss  Eliza  W.  Burnham,  of  Pem- 
broke. The  children  of  this  marriage  are  not  living. 
An  infant  daughter  died  in  1844,  and  Mr.  Francis  A. 
Upham,  April  3,  1867,  aged  twenty-nine  years.  Mrs. 
E.  W.  Upham  died  April  14,  1882. 

“ But  the  most  honored  life  must  come  to  a close.” 
Never  a strong  or  robust  man,  yet  with  prudence  and 
care  he  was  ever  able  to  perform  well  the  duties  of  the 
hour.  A few  days’  illness  terminated  a useful  life, 
and  Nathaniel  Gookin  Upham  died  December  11, 
1869,  aged  sixty-nine. 

Stephen  C.  Badger,  a native  of  Warner,  born 
April  12, 1797 ; graduated  at  Dartmouth  College,  1823  ; 
admitted  to  the  bar,  1826  ; came  to  Concord  from 
New  London,  1833  ; was  clerk  of  the  courts  of  Merri- 
mack County  from  1834  to  1846  ; police  magistrate 
several  years  previous  to  the  adoption  of  the  city 
charter. 

David  Pillsbury,  born  in  Raymond,  whence  his 
father  soon  removed  to  Candia;  a graduate  of  Dart- 
mouth College,  1827;  practiced  law  in  Chester  from 
1830  to  1854,  when  he  opened  an  office  in  Concord. 
Several  years  was  a major-general  in  the  New  Hamp- 
shire militia. 

Hamilton  Hutchins,  A.M.,  son  of  the  late  Abel 
Hutchins,  born  July  10,  1805;  graduated  at  Dart- 
mouth College,  1827;  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Concord, 
1830 ; was  highly  esteemed  for  his  amiable  temper 
and  gentlemanly  manners. 

George  Minot,  born  in  Bristol;  graduated  at 
Dartmouth  College,  1828;  admitted  to  the  bar,  1831  ; 


BENCH  AND  BAR 


7 


practiced  in  his  profession  at  Gilmanton,  Bristol  and 
Concord.  He  was  cashier  of  the  Mechanics’  Bank  in 
Concord. 

Calvin  Ainsworth,  a native  of  Littleton,  born 
August  22,  1807 ; admitted  to  the  bar,  1835  ; came  to 
Concord  from  Littleton,  1843  ; register  of  probate  for 
Merrick  County  five  years,  and  first  police  justice  of 
the  city  of  Concord,  1853. 

Ephraim  Eaton,  a native  of  Candia ; graduated  at 
Dartmouth  College,  1833 ; studied  law  with  Samuel 
Fletcher,  Esq.,  and  opened  an  office  in  Concord,  1837, 
where  he  continued  in  business  until  1853. 

Nehemiah  Butler,  born  at  Pelham,  February  22, 
1824  ; studied  law  with  Asa  Fowler,  Esq.,  of  Concord, 
and  at  the  Law  School  in  Harvard  University  ; com- 
menced practice  at  Fisherville,  1843  ; was  appointed 
clerk  of  the  Superior  Court  and  Court  of  Common 
Pleas  for  the  county  of  Merrimack,  and  removed  to 
Concord,  1852,  where  he  resided  until  his  death. 

Hon.  Ezekiel  Webster,  elder  brother  of  Daniel, 
was  born  in  Salisbury,  April  11, 1780.  The  first  nine- 
teen years  of  his  life  were  spent  on  his  father’s  farm, 
and  it  was  settled  in  the  mind  of  Judge  Webster  that 
he  was  to  remain  at  home  and  be  a farmer,  while 
Daniel,  who  had  less  physical  strength  in  childhood, 
who  seems  to  have  had  little  inclination  for  farming, 
was  to  be  educated  to  one  of  the  learned  professions. 

Daniel  entered  college  in  1797.  It  troubled  him, 
however,  to  think  that  Ezekiel  was  at  home  plodding 
on  the  farm  while  he  was  obtaining  an  education. 
He  says  in  his  autobiography, — 

“I  soon  began  to  gTO\v  uneasy  at  my  brother’s  situation.  His 
prospects  were  not  promising,  and  he  himself  felt  and  saw  this,  and  had 
aspirations  beyond  his  condition.  Nothing  was  proposed,  however,  by 
way  of  change  of  plan,  till  two  years  later. 

“ In  the  spring  of  1799,  at  the  May  vacation,  being  then  a sophomore, 
I visited  my  family,  and  then  held  serious  consultation  with  my  brother. 
I remember  well  when  we  went  to  bed  we  began  to  talk  matters  over, 
and  that  we  rose  after  suurise  without  having  shut  our  eyes.  But  we 
had  settled  our  plan. 

“ He  had  thought  of  going  into  some  new  part  of  the  country.  That 
was  discussed  and  disagreed  to.  All  the  pros  and  com  of  the  question  of 
remaining  at  home  were  weighed  and  considered,  and  when  our  council 
broke  up,  or,  rather,  got  up,  its  result  was  that  I should  propose  to  my 
father  that  he,  late  as  it  was,  should  be  sent  to  school,  and  also  to  college. 
This  we  knew  would  be  a trying  thing  to  my  father  and  mother  and  two 
unmarried  sisters.  My  father  was  growing  old,  his  health  not  good  and 
his  circumstances  far  from  easy.  The  farm  was  to  be  carried  on,  and  the 
family  taken  care  of ; and  there  was  nobody  to  do  all  this  but  him  who 
was  regarded  as  the  main  stay,  that  is  to  say,  Ezekiel.  However,  I ven- 
tured on  the  negotiation,  and  it  was  carried,  as  other  things  often  are,  by 
the  earnest  and  sanguine  manner  of  youth.  I told  him  that  I was  un- 
happy at  my  brother’s  prospects.  For  myself  I saw  mj'  way  to  knowl- 
edge, respectability  and  self-protection,  but  as  to  him,  all  looked  the 
other  way  ; that  I would  keep  school,  and  get  along  as  well  as  I could — 
be  more  than  four  years  in  getting  through  college,  if  necessary — pro- 
vided he  also  could  be  sent  to  study. 

“ He  said,  at  once,  he  lived  but  for  his  children  ; that  he  had  but  lit- 
tle, and  on  that  little  he  put  no  value,  except  so  far  as  it  might  be  useful 
to  them  ; that  to  carry  us  both  through  college  would  take  all  he  was 
worth  ; that  for  himself  he  was  willing  to  run  the  risk,  but  that  this  was 
a serious  matter  to  our  mother  and  two  unmarried  sisters  ; that  we  must 
settle  the  matter  with  them,  and  if  their  consent  was  obtained,  he  would 
trust  to  Providence  and  get  along  as  well  as  he  could.” 

The  father  laid  the  case  before  the  mother.  “ The 
farm  is  already  mortgaged,  and  if  we  send  Ezekiel 


to  college,  it  will  take  all  we  have;  but  the  boys  think 
they  can  take  care  of  us,”  he  said. 

It  did  not  take  the  strong-hearted,  sagacious  wo- 
man long  to  decide  the  matter : “ We  can  trust  the 
boys.” 

The  question  was  settled.  Daniel  went  back  to 
Hanover,  while  Ezekiel  went,  bundle  in  hand,  to 
Dr.  Wood’s,  and  began  the  study  of  Latin.  He  spent 
two  terms  at  a school  kept  at  Salisbury,  South  Road 
village,  and  returned  again  to  Dr.  Wood’s,  where  his 
expenses  were  about  one  dollar  per  week. 

While  thus  studying  and  taking  recreation  be- 
neath the  magnificent  beeches  that  stood  before  the 
house,  he  kept  up  a frequent  correspondence  with 
Daniel  at  Hanover.  Ezekiel  distrusted  his  ability  to 
get  on.  Daniel  made  this  reply  to  him,  in  a letter 
written  April  25,  1800,— 

“You  tell  me  that  you  have  difficulties  to  encounter  which  I know  no- 
thing of.  What  do  you  mean,  Ezekiel?  Do  you  mean  to  flatter  ? That  don’t 
become  you.  Or  do  you  think  you  are  inferior  to  me  in  natural  abili- 
ties? If  so,  be  assured  you  greatly  mistake.  Therefore,  in  the  future 
say  in  your  letters  to  me,  ‘ I am  superior  to  you  in  natural  endowments  ; 
I will  know  more  in  one  year  than  you  do  now,  and  more  in  six  than 
you  ever  will.’ 

“ I should  not  resent  the  language, — I should  be  very  well  pleased  in 
hearing  it ; but  be  assured,  as  mighty  as  you  are,  your  great  puissance 
shall  never  insure  you  a victory  without  a contest.” 

With  such  words  Daniel  endeavored  to  cheer  the 
struggling  elder  brother. 

In  November,  1802,  Daniel  was  at  home  in  Salis- 
bury, while  Ezekiel  was  struggling  with  poverty  at 
Hanover.  Funds  were  getting  low  in  the  Webster 
homestead.  Daniel  writes  under  date  of  November 
4th, — 

“Now,  Zeke,  you  will  not  read  half  a sentence,  no,  not  one  syllable 
before  you  have  thoroughly  searched  this  sheet  for  scrip  ; but  my  word 
for  it,  you’ll  find  no  scrip  here.  We  held  a sanhedrim  this  morning  on 
the  subject  of  cash.  Could  not  hit  upon  any  way  to  get  you  any.  Just 
before  we  went  away  to  hang  ourselves  through  disappointment  it  came 
into  our  heads  that  next  week  might  do.  The  truth  is.  father  had  an 
execution  against  Hubbard,  of  N.  Chester,  for  about  one  hundred  dollars. 
The  money  was  collecting  and  just  ready  to  drop  into  the  hands  of  the 
creditors,  when  Hubbard  suddenly  died.  This,  you  see,  stays  the  execu- 
tion till  the  long  process  of  administering  is  completed. 

“ I have  now  by  me  two  cents  in  lawful  federal  currency.  Next  week 
I shall  send  them,  if  they  be  all.  They  will  buy  a pipe  ; with  a pipe 
you  can  smoke  ; smoking  inspires  wisdom  ; wisdom  is  allied  to  fortitude  ; 
from  fortitude  it  is  but  one  step  to  stoicism ; and  stoicism  never  pants  for 
this  world’s  goods ; — so  perhaps  my  two  cents,  by  this  process,  may  put 
you  quite  at  ease  about  cash.  . . . 

“ We  are  all  here  just  in  the  old  way,  always  behind  and  lacking. 
Boys  digging  potatoes  with  frozen  fingers,  and  girls  washing  without 
wood.” 

Two  days  later  Ezekiel  writes  to  Daniel.  It  is 
not  an  answer;  the  letters  doubtless  passed  each 
other  on  the  way.  Ezekiel,  after  giving  a just  criti- 
cism on  the  writings  of  Horace,  thus  closes  his 
epistle, — 

“ These  cold,  frosty  mornings  very  sensibly  inform  me  that  I want  a 
warm  great-coat.  I wish,  Daniel,  it  might  be  convenient  to  send  me 
cloth  for  one  ; otherwise  I shall  be  necessitated  to  purchase  one  here.  I 
do  not  care  what  color  it  is,  or  what  kind  of  cloth  it  is — anything  that 
will  keep  the  frost  out.  Some  kind  of  shaggy  cloth,  I think,  would  be 
cheapest.  Deacon  Pettingill  has  written,  offering  me  fourteen  dollars  a 
month  (to  keep  school).  I believe  I shall  take  it. 


8 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


“ Money,  Daniel,  money  ! As  I was  walking  down  to  the  office  after 
a letter,  I happened  to  have  one  cent,  which  is  the  only  money  I have 
had  since  the  second  day  after  I came  on.  It  is  a fact.  Dan,  that  I was 
called  on  for  a dollar  where  I owed  it,  and  borrowed  it,  and  have  bor- 
rowed it  four  times  since  to  pay  those  I borrowed  of.” 

From  a paragraph  in  a letter  written  by  Daniel  to 
his  classmate,  Bingham,  of  Lempster,  it  would  ap- 
pear that  Ezekiel  taught  school  in  Sanbornton  in 
December,  1803, — 

“ Zeke  is  at  Sanbornton.  He  comes  home  once  in  a while,  sits  down 
before  the  kitchen  fire,  begins  to  poke  and  rattle  the  andirons.  I know 
what  is  coming,  and  am  mute.  At  length  he  puts  his  feet  into  the 
oven’s  mouth,  place  his  right  eyebrow  up  on  his  forehead,  & begins  a 
very  pathetic  lecture  on  the  evils  of  poverty.  It  is  like  church  service. 
He  does  all  the  talking,  and  I only  say  ‘ Amen  ! amen  !’  ” 

Ezekiel’s  funds  failed  in  the  spring  of  1804,  and  by 
permission  of  the  faculty  he  left  Dartmouth,  went  to 
Boston,  where  he  purchased  the  good-will  of  a pri- 
vate school,  which  he  taught  with  great  success  till 
April,  1805.  He  was  graduated  at  Dartmouth  mean- 
while, in  1804,  having  spent  but  three  years  in  col- 
lege. 

While  earning  a livelihood  by  teaching,  he  studied 
law  with  Governor  Sullivan,  then  Attorney-General  j 
of  Massachusetts.  In  1806  he  studied  with  Parker  j 
Noyes,  Esq.,  of  Salisbury,  next  door  to  Judge  Web- 
ster’s house.  Daniel  having  decided  to  leave  Bosca- 
wen  and  take  up  his  residence  in  Portsmouth,  turned  i 
over  his  practice  to  Ezekiel,  who  entered  upon  his 
profession  as  a lawyer  in  Boscawen  in  the  month  of 
September,  1807.  His  legal  knowledge  and  moral 
worth  soon  become  known,  and  acquired  for  him  an 
extensive  business.  He  was  not  ambitious  to  excel  j 
as  an  orator,  and  it  was  only  the  urgent  appeal  of 
duty  or  the  imperative  obligation  to  his  profession 
that  overcame  his  instinctive  aversion  to  a crowd,  and  : 
called  forth  his  highest  powers  of  eloquence.  He 
never  encouraged  litigation,  but  always  used  bis 
personal  influence  to  bring  about  a private  adjustment 
of  most  of  the  contested  matters  originating  in  the  1 
town.  He  repeatedly  represented  the  town  in  the  [ 
Legislature.  He  was  educated  a Federalist  by  bis 
father,  a Whig  of  1776,  He  was  old  enough  to  j 
remember  the  administration  of  Washington,  and  be-  ; 
lieved  with  all  his  heart  in  the  political  principles 


He  looked  upon  Dr.  Wood  as  a loving  child  looks 
upon  a devoted  parent.  A member  of  the  bar  spend- 
ing a Sabbath  with  Mr.  Webster,  and  hearing  Dr. 
Wood,  took  occasion  to  disparage  the  sermon.  Mr. 
Webster  replied,  pointedly  and  with  spirit,  that  he 
doubted  the  gentleman’s  ability  to  appreciate  the 
performance.  He  was  ever  Dr.  Wood’s  confidential 
friend  and  adviser.  Together  they  planned  the  es- 
tablishing of  Boscawen  Academy.  Mr.  Webster 
contributed  fully  three  hundred  dollars  to  the  insti- 
tution, and  by  his  heartiness  and  zeal  stimulated  his 
fellow-townsmen  to  carry  on  the  project,  while 
Daniel,  then  almost  in  the  zenith  of  his  fame,  con- 
tributed the  bell. 

He  was  an  exemplary  member  of  the  church,  and 
his  influence  was  ever  on  the  side  of  right.  He  was 
a constant  attendant  upon  religious  services,  and 
always  maintained  religious  devotions  in  his  home. 

On  the  10th  of  April,  1829,  he  was  making  a plea 
before  the  Merrimack  bar  at  Concord.  He  was  stand- 
ing erect.  Tbe  court-room  was  crowded,  for  when- 
ever the  lawyer  from  Boscawen  made  a plea  the 
people  flocked  to  hear  him.  The  court,  jurors,  law- 
yers and  audience  were  listening  to  his  words,  and 
noticing  the  play  of  his  clear-cut  features  and  the 
manly  dignity  of  his  commanding  presence.  He  was 
speaking  with  vigor  and  earnestness.  His  periods 
were  rounded  as  usual,  his  utterance  clear,  his  enun- 
ciation perfect.  He  closed  one  branch  of  his  argu- 
ment, uttered  the  concluding  sentence  and  the  final 
word  distinctly  and  with  his  accustomed  cadence,  his 
form  erect  as  ever,  his  eyes  clear  and  bright,  his 
arms  hanging  naturally  by  his  side,  and  then,  with- 
out a murmur,  a groan,  a lisp,  raising  not  a hand, 
clutching  at  nothing,  with  no  bending  of  a joint  or 
quivering  of  the  eyelids,  he  fell  backward  upon  the 
floor — dead  ! With  the  quickness  of  the  lightning’s 
flash,  from  the  full  vigor  of  a manly  life,  at  the  age 
of  forty-nine,  he  died — one  of  the  most  remarkable 
deaths  on  record. 

His  funeral  was  attended  on  the  following  Sunday 
by  a vast  concourse  of  people,  and  he  was  mourned 
by  the  entire  community. 

A writer  in  a public  journal  describes  his  appear- 


adhered to  by  the  Federal  party,  which  was  in  a 
minority  in  the  State  after  he  came  into  public  life. 
This  adherence  to  political  principles  prevented  his 
election  to  Congress,  and  from  holding  other  offices 
in  the  gift  of  the  people. 

Although  devoted  to  his  profession,  he  loved  agri- 
culture, and  retained  the  homestead  at  Salisbury 
after  his  father’s  death,  which  occurred  in  1806.  He 
was  one  of  the  projectors  and  an  active  member  of 
the  Merrimack  Agricultural  Society,  and  was  active 
in  advancing  improved  methods  of  husbandry. 

He  was  simple  in  his  tastes,  kind,  genial,  polite, 
and  a perfect  gentleman.  He  attended  to  all  the 
details  of  life,  served  as  assessor  in  the  religious  so- 
ciety, and  as  committeeman  for  the  school  district. 


ance, — 

“ He  was  nearly  six  feet  in  height,  finely  proportioned,  with  a very 
commanding  presence.  His  was  a magnificent  form,  crowned  with  a 
princely  head,  that  in  his  last  years  was  thickly  covered  with  snowy  hair. 
His  complexion  was  just  the  opposite  of  Daniel’s.  His  countenance  was 
open  as  the  day  ; his  heart  was  warm  and  affectionate  ; his  manners 
kind  and  courteous.” 

Daniel,  in  a letter  written  in  1846,  thus  spoke  of 
him, — 

‘‘He  appeared  to  me  the  finest  human  form  that  ever  I laid  eyes  on. 
I saw  him  in  his  coffin,  a tinged  cheek,  a complexion  clear  as  the  heav- 
enly light.” 

One  who  saw  him  at  church,  on  a cold  day  the 
winter  before,  speaks  of  his  appearance.  It  was  be- 
fore the  introduction  of  a stove.  Mr.  Webster  came 
in,  wearing  a jacket,  or  “Spencer,”  as  the  garment 


BENCH  AND  BAR. 


9 


was  called,  over  his  coat,  bringing  a foot-stove  in 
his  hand,  which,  with  princely  politeness,  he  placed 
at  the  feet  of  Mrs.  Webster,  and  then  took  his  seat, 
and  joined  reverently  in  the  worship. 

He  held  important  trusts:  was  trustee  of  Dart- 
mouth College  from  1819  till  his  death,  and  repeat- 
edly represented  the  town  in  the  Legislature. 

Daniel  Webster,1  whose  fame  is  world  wide,  lived 
the  earlier  half  of  his  life  in  New  Hampshire.  The 
son  of  a Revolutionary  patriot,  Capt.  Ebenezer  Web- 
ster, and  of  New  Hampshire  descent  for  four  genera- 
tions, he  was  born  in  Salisbury,  January  18, 1782.  A 
feeble  constitution  pointed  him  out  as  fitter  for  edu- 
cation than  for  the  sturdy  labors  of  the  farm,  and  with 
self-denial  on  the  part  of  his  parents,  and  struggle  on 
his  own  part,  he  accomplished  his  wishes,  and  gradu- 
ated at  Dartmouth  College  in  1801  with  honor.  His 
legal  studies  he  completed  under  the  direction  of  Hon. 
T.  W.  Thompson,  of  Salisbury,  and  Hon.  Christopher 
Gore,  of  Boston,  where  he  was  admitted  an  attorney  in 
1805.  He  took  up  his  residence  at  once  in  Boscawen, 
and  remained  two  years  a close  student  of  his  pro- 
fession and  of  general  literature.  In  1807  he  made 
Portsmouth  his  place  of  abode,  and  lived  there  until 
1816,  when  he  removed  to  Boston.  While  a resident 
of  New  Hampshire  he  served  two  terms  as  representa- 
tive in  Congress. 

Mr.  Webster  acquired  a high  reputation  as  a lawyer 
and  a statesman  (for  he  never  was  a politician)  before 
he  quitted  his  native  State.  When  he  went  to  Ports- 
mouth, at  the  age  of  only'  twenty-five  years,  he  was  a 
mature  man,  armed  at  every  point  for  the  battle  of 
life.  Mr.  Mason,  then  in  the  prime  of  his  unrivaled 
powers,  describes  his  first  encounter  with  Webster. 
He  had  heard  of  him  as  a formidable  antagonist,  and 
found  on  trial  that  he  was  not  over-estimated.  Young 
and  inexperienced  as  he  was,  Webster  entered  the 
arena  with  Mason  and  Sullivan  and  Bartlett,  and  bore 
away  his  full  share  of  the  honors.  And  before  he 
quitted  his  New  Hampshire  home  his  reputation  as 
a lawyer  and  as  an  advocate  of  eloquence  and  power 
ranked  with  the  very  highest  in  the  land. 

Those  who  heard  his  addresses  to  the  jury  in  his 
early  prime  testify  that  none  of  his  later  great  efforts 
surpassed  them — if,  indeed,  they  equaled  them — as 
examples  of  earnest,  impassioned  forensic  oratory. 
There  was  a youthful  brilliancy  and  bloom  about 
those  earlier  productions  that  is  not  found  in  the 
stately  works  of  his  maturer  years. 

In  those  days,  when  practitioners  made  reputations 
by  special  pleading  and  sharp  practice,  Mr.  Webster 
relied  little  upon  mere  technicalities  or  adroit  man- 
agement. He  tried  his  causes  upon  their  merits,  and 
with  his  logical  power  and  eloquent  tongue  made 
short  work  of  trumped-up  claims  and  dishonest  de- 
fenses. Many  traditions  attest  his  commanding  in- 
fluence over  court  and  jury  at  this  period  of  his  career. 


Without  being  authentic  in  all  particulars,  they  all 
concur  in  demonstrating  that  on  no  legal  practitioner 
of  his  time  Avas  the  popular  confidence  and  admira- 
tion so  universally  bestowed  as  on  Webster. 

The  events  in  the  life  of  Mr.  Webster  from  the  time 
he  re-entered  Congress  from  Massachusetts  are  too 
familiar  to  require  special  repetition  here.  He  con- 
tinued in  public  life,  with  the  exception  of  very  brief 
intervals,  up  to  the  time  of  his  decease  in  1852.  He 
was  a senator  in  Congress  for  seventeen  years.  He 
was  twice  Secretary  of  State,  and  died  in  possession 
of  that  office.  Every  public  position  that  he  held  he 
adorned  and  dignified  by  eminent  patriotic  service. 

Now  that  nearly  a generation  has  passed  since  Mr. 
Webster’s  death,  his  character  is  beginning  to  be  es- 
timated more  justly,  and  the  value  of  the  work  he  did 
for  the  country  has  been  tested.  We  see  that  his  sa- 
gacity and  foresight  were  far  beyond  those  of  his 
time ; and  his  apprehensions  for  the  safety  of  the 
Union  were  well  founded;  that  his  exhortations  to  his 
countrymen  to  stand  by  the  flag  were  honest,  neces- 
sary, and  vitalizing  to  the  patriotism  of  the  people. 

The  petty  assaults  that  seemed  temporarily  to  ob- 
scure his  fame  have  had  their  brief  day,  and  poster- 
ity will  recognize  the  true  grandeur  of  the  man,  and 
value  at  their  just  worth  the  great  deeds  of  his  life- 
time. As  a statesman  and  a diplomatist,  as  a vindi- 
cator of  the  Constitution,  as  a lawyer  and  an  orator, 
and,  most  of  all,  as  a patriot,  the  country  will  be  for- 
tunate if  the  future  shall  furnish  his  peer. 

Sylvester  Dana  graduated  at  Dartmouth  Col- 
lege in  1839.  He  is  son  of  the  late  Rev.  Sylvester 
Dana,  and  is  a native  of  Oxford.  He  studied  law  with 
Pierce  & Fowler  and  at  the  Harvard  Law  School,  and 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1842.  He  soon  after 
opened  an  office  in  Concord,  where  he  has  since  re- 
sided. He  is  the  present  police  justice  of  Concord. 

Josiah  Minot  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College 
in  1837.  He  studied  law  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
in  1840,  and  opened  an  office  in  Concord.  He  was 
appointed,  in  1852,  judge  of  the  Court  of  Common 
Pleas,  which  he  resigned,  in  1855,  to  accept  the  ap- 
pointment of  commissioner  of  pensions.  He  is  still 
in  practice  in  Concord. 

Arthur  Fletcher  was  a native  of  Bridgewater. 
He  graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1836,  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  Concord  in  1840,  where  he  re- 
mained in  practice  until  his  death. 

Henry  P.  Rolfe  is  one  of  the  older  attorneys  of 
Concord.  He  is  a son  of  Benjamin  Rolfe,  and  was  born 
in  Boscawen,  February  12,  1823.  He  graduated  at 
Dartmouth  College  in  1848,  and  in  1851  commenced 
the  practice  of  law  in  Concord,  where  he  has  since  re- 
sided. 

Henry  Adams  Bellows,2  chief  justice  of  New 
Hampshire,  was  born  at  Walpole,  N.  H.,  October  25, 
1803,  and  died  at  Concord,  March  11,  1873. 


1 By  Hon.  Charles  H.  Bell. 


- By  Daniel  F.  Secomb. 


10 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


On  the  paternal  side  he  was  descended  from  Gen. 
Benjamin  Bellows,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Walpole, 
and  on  the  maternal  side  his  immediate  ancestors 
were  members  of  the  Adams  and  Boylston  families  of 
Massachusetts,  his  grandfather,  Rev.  Zabdiel  Adams, 
of  Lunenberg,  Mass.,  being  a double  cousin  to  Presi- 
dent John  Adams. 

His  father  dying,  the  care  of  the  family  devolved 
upon  him  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years,  and  for  two 
years  he  was  engaged  in  teaching,  after  which  he  read 
law  in  the  office  of  Hon.  William  C.  Bradley,  of  West- 
minster, Vt.,  and  commenced  practice  in  Walpole 
shortly  after,  removing  to  Littleton  in  1828  and  thence 
to  Concord  in  1850,  where  he  continued  in  active 
practice  until  he  was  appointed  an  associate  justice, 
in  1859,  and  on  the  resignation  of  Judge  Perley,  in 
September,  1869,  he  succeeded  him  as  chief  justice, 
which  office  he  held  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

He  represented  Littleton  in  the  legislature  in  1839, 
and  was  one  of  the  representatives  of  Ward  5,  of  Con- 
cord, in  1856-57.  While  occupying  a seat  on  the  | 
bench  he  received  the  honorary  degree  of  LL.D.  from 
Dartmouth  College. 

Judge  Bellows  was  a sound  lawyer  and  an  excellent 
judge.  He  was  one  of  the  purest-minded  men  who 
ever  held  public  office  in  the  State ; a large-hearted 
man  in  thoughts  and  deeds,  taking  an  active  interest 
in  benevolent  enterprises.  A public-spirited  citizen, 
genial  and  courteous  in  his  intercourse  with  men,  he 
enjoyed  the  respect  and  esteem  of  his  associates  of 
the  bar  and  bench  and  the  community  at  large. 

William  Henry  Bartlett.1  — Beneath  the 
shadow  of  Kearsage  Mountain,  in  the  historic  town  of 
Salisbury, — the  home  of  the  Websters  and  Eastmans 
and  Bartletts  and  Pettingills, — William  Henry  Bart- 
lett was  born,  August  20,  1827.  He  was  the  youngest  j 
child  of  Samuel  Colcord  and  Eleanor  Pettingill  Bart-  j 
lett.  Plis  father  was  noted  for  his  vigorous  mind,  his 
great  activity  and  strict  integrity  ; his  mother  for  the 
sweetness  of  her  character,  her  gentleness  and  dignity 
of  manner,  and  strong,  womanly  sense;  both  for  their 
pure  Christian  lives  and  characters.  He  was  the  ! 
nephew  of  Ichabod  Bartlett,  of  Portsmouth,  the  co- 
temporary at  the  bar  of  Mason  and  Smith  and  Web- 
ster, and  the  peer  of  either  in  learning  and  eloquence. 
The  son  of  such  parents  could  not  fail  to  receive  the 
impress  of  their  virtues  and  characters.  He  was  rec-  j 
ognized  by  all  as  an  interesting  child,  and  a boy  of 
great  promise,  both  in  mind  and  character.  Without  j 
precocity,  he  was  singularly  quick  of  apprehension, 
and  equally  patient  and  painstaking.  While  in  the 
common  school,  and  afterwards  at  the  academy,  he  ! 
would  come  with  his  arithmetic  or  algebra,  and,  of 
his  own  accord,  sit  by  the  hour  working  at  his  prob- 
lems, till  it  was  found  necessary  to  send  him  to  his  | 
sports.  He  never  lost  that  habit  of  protracted  toil  to 


i From  an  eulogy  delivered  by  Hon.  Isaac  W.  Smith,  before  the 
alumni  of  Dartmouth  College  at  commencement,  June  23, 1880. 


the  end  of  his  life.  Perhaps  the  end  was  hastened  by 
the  excess.  Meanwhile,  from  his  childhood,  his 
scholarship  was  of  the  highest  order.  In  his  earlier 
school-days  he  was  associated  in  classes  with  much 
older  persons  than  he,  and  proved  himself  fully  their 
equal.  But  neither  then  nor  afterwards  did  his  pro- 
ficiency create  in  him  the  slightest  aspect  of  arro- 
gance or  conceit;  but  he  remained  to  the  end  as  mod- 
est as  he  was  bright  and  strong. 

His  childhood  and  boyhood  were  marked  by  an  ex- 
tremely kind,  obliging  and  winning  disposition.  At 
home  he  was  helpful  and  uniformly  cheerful  and 
obliging.  It  was  a marked  and  peculiar  trait  in  his 
character,  and  steadily  deepened  into  that  thoughtful 
kindness  which,  in  after  years,  gained  him  such  un- 
broken and  universal  love. 

Young  Bartlett  entered  Meriden  Academy  at  the 
age  of  thirteen,  and  at  fifteen  had  completed  his  prep- 
aration for  college.  His  friends  considered  him  too 
young  ; but  not  seeing  how  else  to  occupy  him,  con- 
sented, and  in  the  fall  of  1842  he  entered  the  fresh- 
man class  in  this  college.  The  modest  and  diffident 
Bartlett — the  youngest  member,  with  possibly  a sin- 
gle exception — soon  became,  by  universal  and  cheer- 
ful acknowledgment,  the  leader  of  his  class  in  point 
of  scholarship.  We  were  classmates  ; and  I have  no 
hesitation  in  saying,  I do  not  know  that  I ever  met  a 
finer  scholar,  and  seldom  have  I encountered  a 
brighter  or  stronger  intellect.  He  had  a singular 
quickness  to  perceive,  a powerful  memory  to  retain, 
and  a breadth  and  grasp  that  subordinated  every  de- 
tail to  the  whole,  and  extracted  order  out  of  compli- 
cation. The  modesty  with  which  he  bore  his  academic 
honors  was  only  equaled  hy  the  sincere  affection  with 
which  he  was  regarded  by  his  classmates. 

At  the  request  of  his  brother  Samuel,  he  left  college 
during  his  sophomore  year,  and  pursued  his  studies 
with  him  at  Monson,  Mass.  There  he  remained 
nearly  a year,  applying  himself  with  his  usual  dili- 
gence, and  endearing  himself  in  the  community,  so 
that  the  pleasant  memory  of  him  there  has  not  been 
lost  to  the  present  time.  He  entered  the  next  college 
class,  graduating  in  the  first  rank  in  1847.  The 
“Prophetic  Power  of  Genius  ” was  the  subject  of  his 
oration  at  commencement.  Those  who  knew  him 
best  felt  that  no  prophet  was  needed  to  estimate  his 
maturer  character  or  to  anticipate  his  eminent  suc- 
cess in  whatever  calling  he  might  pursue. 

At  the  time  of  his  graduation  his  brother  Samuel 
filled  a professor's  chair  in  Western  Reserve  College ; 
and,  as  he  was  still  quite  young,  it  was  thought  best 
that  he  should  spend  a year  of  more  general  study 
before  entering  upon  his  professional  career.  He 
accordingly  joined  a class  of  graduate  students  in  that 
college,  and  spent  a highly  profitable  year  in  the 
study  of  history,  the  German  language  and  the 
Greek  dramatic  poets.  Here  again  his  scholarship 
and  personal  qualities  made  a deep  and  permanent 
impression  on  his  teachers  and  associates,  so  that 


BENCH  AND  BAR 


11 


they  ever  remembered  him  with  a warm  personal 
interest. 

He  entered  upon  the  study  of  the  law  in  Concord 
in  the  office  of  Chief  Justice  Perley  in  1848,  and  re- 
mained with  Judge  Perley  till  he  went  upon  the 
bench,  in  1850,  and  afterwards  completed  his  course 
of  preparation  with  Chief  Justice  Bellows,  then  in 
practice  at  Concord,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
Merrimack  County  July  9,  1851.  How  he  impressed 
those  eminent  jurists  by  his  fine  scholarship,  studious 
habits,  ingenuous  disposition  and  legal  attainments  is 
best  told  in  the  language  of  Judge  Perley,  written 
soon  after  the  death  of  Judge  Bartlett:  “Few  men,” 
wrote  Judge  Perley,  “have  excelled  him  in  quick- 
ness of  apprehension  ; and  this  was  a general  trait  of 
his  mind,  observable  in  whatever  he  undertook, — in 
his  classical  and  mathematical  studios,  in  the  law, 
and  even  in  any  amusement  or  recreation  in  which 
he  might  be  led  to  indulge.  There  was  a playful 
ease  in  his  way  of  doing  the  most  difficult  things, 
which  made  them  look  more  like  an  amusement  or  a 
pastime  than  an  irksome  labor.  With  all  his  dis- 
patch, he  was  distinguished  for  accuracy  and  correct- 
ness. It  was  very  seldom  that  he  fell  into  any  mis- 
take or  blunder.  His  memory  was  also  tenacious 
and  exact.  In  the  law  he  united  two  things  which 
are  not  often  found  together  in  the  same  individual, 
— a perfect  mastery  of  principles,  with  great  and 
ready  recollection  of  points  and  authorities.” 

His  relations  to  Judge  Perley  were  most  intimate 
and  delightful, — in  some  respects  the  relation  of 
equals  ; in  others,  almost  of  father  and  son. 

His  admirable  collegiate  training,  supplemented  by 
two  years  of  special  instruction  under  the  immediate 
eye  of  his  learned  brother,  and  his  study  of  the  law 
under  two  such  eminent  legal  minds  as  Judges 
Perley  and  Bellows,  prepared  him  to  enter  upon  the 
practice  of  the  law  with  success  assured.  We  are  not 
therefore  surprised  to  find  him  at  once  taking  his 
place  in  the  front  ranks  of  the  profession,  and  en- 
trusted with  a business  important  not  only  in  the 
amounts  involved,  but  especially  because  of  the  legal 
principles  to  be  examined  and  applied.  From  the 
start  he  gave  promise  of  becoming  eminent  in  the 
profession,  and  his  subsequent  career  demonstrated 
how  well  he  was  appreciated  and  understood  by  those 
who  watched  his  entrance  upon  professional  life.  For 
several  years  he  held  the  office  of  city  solicitor  of 
Concord,  and  with  what  acceptance  is  best  shown  by 
repeated  re-elections  without  substantial  opposition. 
The  rugged  discipline  of  ten  years’  practice  in  the 
courts  of  New  Hampshire  afforded  him  an  admirable 
school  of  training  for  the  faithful  and  honorable  dis- 
charge of  his  subsequent  duties  upon  the  bench.  In 
1857  his  health,  until  then  apparently  perfect,  be- 
came impaired,  and  thenceforward  to  his  death,  ten 
years  afterwards,  his  work  at  the  bar  and  upon  the 
bench  was  done  while  struggling  against  the  inroads 
of  unrelenting  disease.  His  overtasked  physical 


frame  was  shattered,  but  his  intellect  shone  un- 
clouded to  the  end. 

While  his  success  in  the  profession  was  assured,  it 
is  not  claimed  that  he  did  or  would  have  taken  the 
first  rank  as  an  advocate.  As  Judge  Perley  puts  it, 
“ It  is  not  impossible  that  he  might  have  been  found 
wanting  in  a certain  boldness  and  confidence  of 
manner  and  style  which  would  now  seem  to  be 
thought  requisite  in  those  who  aspire  to  take  the  lead 
in  that  turbulent  and  noisy  department  of  our  pro- 
fession.” 

Owing  to  the  logical  cast  of  his  mind,  he  appeared 
to  best  advantage  in  matters  of  special  pleading,  in 
the  preparation  of  briefs  and  in  the  investigation  and 
argument  of  questions  of  law  before  the  court  in  banc. 
The  more  difficult  the  question,  the  greater  delight 
he  seemed  to  take  in  its  solution.  He  was  often  con- 
sulted by  his  brethren  upon  questions  in  regard  to 
which  they  were  in  doubt,  and  frequently  wrote 
opinions  for  their  guidance. 

His  high  sense  of  professional  honor  led  him  to  re- 
gard the  profession  as  an  office,  and  not  as  a trade. 
Accordingly,  to  witnesses  he  was  fair  and  respectful ; 
to  the  bench  he  was  deferential  without  being  obse- 
quious ; and  to  his  professional  brethren  he  was 
dignified  and  courteous.  As  Judge  Curtis  said  of 
Rufus  Choate,  “He  showed  that  forensic  strife  is 
consistent  with  uniform  personal  kindness  and 
gentleness  of  demeanor;  that  mere  smartness,  or  ag- 
gressive and  irritating  captiousness,  has  nothing  to  do 
with  the  most  effective  conduct  of  a cause ; that  the 
business  of  an  advocate  is  with  the  law  and  the 
evidence,  and  not  in  provoking  or  humbling  an  op- 
ponent ; that  wrangling,  and  the  irritations  which 
spring  from  it,  obstruct  the  course  of  justice,  and  are 
indeed  twice  cursed,  for  they  injure  him  who  gives 
and  him  who  receives.” 

Judge  Bartlett  was  a lawyer  of  great  research.  He 
seemed  to  have  an  instinctive  clinging  to  authorities. 
He  could  find  readily  what  others  could  not.  He  had 
a great  mastery  of  cases,  such  as  few  ever  have;  but 
he  was  not  a case  lawyer.  He  had  a legal  instinct  or 
genius  by  which  he  could  extract,  from  what  to 
others  seemed  a chaos  of  conflicting  decisions,  the 
true  legal  principle,  and  put,  it  in  the  smallest 
possible  compass.  He  distilled  the  spirit  from  the 
dilution,  appropriating  the  gold  and  rejecting  the 
dross. 

It  must  not  be  inferred  that  he  was  not  positive  in 
his  opinions,  or  was  not  sufficiently  firm  in  maintain- 
ing opinions  deliberately  formed.  We  have  on  this 
point  the  testimony  of  Judge  Perley,  that  “ he  had 
nothing  of  that  facility  which  yields  in  substantial 
matters  to  importunity  and  over-persuasion.  He  was 
very  firm  in  his  opinions  and  judgments  when  once 
formed,  and  perfectly  fearless  in  acting  on  them 
when  duty  appeared  to  require  it.” 

We  come  now  to  the  period  when  he  “ put  off  the 
gown  of  the  bar  to  assume  the  more  graceful  and 


12 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


reverend  ermine  of  the  bench.”  In  1861  a vacancy 
occurred  upon  the  bench  of  the  Supreme  Court  of 
New  Hampshire.  The  foremost  lawyers  of  the  State 
refused  to  be  candidates,  because  they  understood 
that  he  might  be  persuaded  to  accept  the  appoint- 
ment. In  obedience  to  the  united  voice  of  the  pro- 
fession, he  was  at  once  (February  23, 1861)  appointed 
associate  justice.  The  court  at  that  time  consisted  of 
Bell,  chief  justice,  and  Sargent,  Bellows,  Doe  and 
Nesmith,  associate  justices.  No  change  occurred  in 
the  composition  of  the  court  while  Judge  Bartlett 
lived,  except  the  reappointment  of  Judge  Perley  as 
chief  justice  upon  the  resignation  of  Judge  Bell  in 
1864.  At  no  period  in  the  history  of  the  State  has 
there  been  a stronger  court.  Five  of  the  six  judges 
with  whom  he  was  associated  have  held  the  office  of 
chief  justice.  His  selection  from  a bar  containing  so 
many  lawyers  of  established  reputation,  to  be  the  as- 
sociate of  judges  of  such  eminent  ability,  shows  in 
what  estimation  his  legal  attainments  and  qualifica- 
tions were  held. 

Rufus  Choate  thus  describes  the  qualifications  of 
the  good  judge:  “In  the  first  place,  he  should  be 
profoundly  learned  in  all  the  learning  of  the  law,  and 
he  must  know  how  to  use  that  learning.  ...  In 
the  next  place,  he  must  be  a man  not  merely  upright, 
not  merely  honest  and  well-intentioned, — this,  of 
course, — but  a man  who  will  not  respect  persons  in 
judgment.  . . . And,  finally,  he  must  possess  the 
perfect  confidence  of  the  community,  that  he  bear 
not  the  sword  in  vain.  To  be  honest,  to  be  no  re- 
specter of  persons,  is  not  enough.  He  must  be  be- 
lieved such.”  We  shall  see  how  well  Judge  Bartlett 
answered  these  requirements. 

His  legal  learning  was  profound.  He  had  an  ex- 
traordinary genius  for  learning  everything  quickly 
and  accurately,  and  remembering  it  during  life,  and 
without  effort.  We  have  shining  and  encouraging 
examples  of  what  can  be  done  by  men  of  moderate 
abilities.  Judge  Bartlett  was  not  of  that  class,  and, 
therefore,  as  an  example,  he  is  worth  far  less  than 
many  others.  As  a brilliant  legal  scholar,  a brilliant 
legal  thinker  and  practical  logician,  capable  of  ap- 
plying ancient  legal  principles  to  the  facts  of  new 
cases,  and  working  out  for  the  benefit  of  modern  life 
the  best  results  of  that  common  law  that  has  been 
constantly  growing  out  of  the  last  thousand  years  of 
English  and  American  civilization,  he  was  not  sur- 
passed by  any  one  judge  who  has  sat  upon  the  bench 
of  New  Hampshire.  It  is  not  uncommon  for  a man 
of  intellect  to  succeed  in  mastering  much  of  the 
special  doctrine  and  general  theory  of  the  law,  and  to 
fail  as  a practicing  lawyer  and  working  judge  from  a 
lack  of  ability  rightly  to  apply  his  learning  to  the 
varying  and  novel  circumstances  that  constitute  most 
of  the  cases  that  are  carried  to  the  office  of  a lawyer 
and  to  the  courts  of  justice.  Nearly  infallible  as 
Judge  Bartlett  was  in  his  opinion  on  an  abstract 
question  of  law,  he  equally  excelled  in  perceiving 


what  rule  was  applicable  to  each  case.  His  remark- 
able powers  were  equally  accurate  in  theory  and 
practice. 

All  great  lawyers  are  naturally  conservative ; so 
was  Judge  Bartlett.  Generally  inclined  to  follow 
precedents,  he  was  strong  enough  to  disregard  them 
when  they  disregarded  fundamental  principles. 
Witness  his  opinion  in  Bassett  v.  Salisbury  Manufac- 
turing Company,  43  N.  H.  569.  The  action  was  case 
for  maintaining  a dam,  thereby  causing  water  to  per- 
colate through  the  plaintiff’s  meadow.  On  the  fifth 
jury  trial,  the  present  chief  justice  presided,  and 
ruled  the  law  in  accordance  with  the  English  case  of 
Acton  v.  Blundell,  12  M.  & W.  324,  and  numerous 
cases  that  followed  in  its  train.  The  cause  was 
carried  to  the  full  bench  on  exceptions,  and  an 
opinion  prepared  affirming  the  ruling  of  the  court 
below,  which  received  the  assent  of  a majority  of  the 
court;  but  the  judge  who  drew  up  the  opinion  re- 
signed, and  the  cause  was  continued  for  further  ex- 
amination, and  assigned  to  Judge  Bartlett,  who  suc- 
ceeded him  upon  the  bench.  Few  cases  have  re- 
ceived such  careful  consideration  (50  N.  H.  444). 
Four  opinions  were  drawn  up  by  different  members 
of  the  court,  of  which  three  sustained  the  English 
doctrine.  The  opinion  published  in  the  reports  was 
drawn  up  by  Judge  Bartlett,  at  the  sea-shore,  when 
in  feeble  health  and  hardly  able  to  be  about.  It  re- 
versed the  English  authorities,  those  of  a majority  of 
the  States,  the  decision  of  the  court  below  and  the 
opinions  of  all  his  associates  except  one;  yet,  when 
read  in  consultation,  every  judge  yielded  his  objec- 
tions and  assented  to  the  opinion,  because  it  was 
| found  unanswerable.  But  for  him,  the  contrary  er- 
roneous doctrine  would  have  been  established  in  New 
Hampshire.  The  logic  of  the  opinion,  and  its  clear 
and  precise  style,  are  only  equaled  by  the  modesty 
j which  marked  his  dissent  from  the  English  and 
■ American  authorities. 

As  illustrating  his  way  of  summing  up  a case  and 
instructing  a jury,  I might  cite  Hayes  v.  Waldron,  44 
N.  H.  580,  where  his  charge  is  fully  reported,  and  so 
admirably  and  clearly  did  it  set  forth  the  law  of  the 
case,  that  little  was  left  for  the  judge  who  delivered 
the  opinion  in  banc  except  to  adopt  the  reasoning 
and  substance  of  the  charge. 

The  decisions  of  the  court,  written  and  delivered 
by  him,  will  be  his  lasting  monument.  Models  of 
brevity,  of  perspicuous  statement  and  logical  deduc- 
tion, of  legal  thought,  and  literary,  unornamented 
style,  they  will  endure.  But  they  are  very  brief. 
Those  that  are  published  are  but  a small  part  of  his 
work,  and  will  carry  to  other  generations  a very  in- 
adequate idea  of  how  much  was  lost  at  his  decease. 
His  associates  at  the  bar  and  on  the  bench,  who  en- 
joyed the  benefits  of  a personal  acquaintance  with 
him,  and  felt  the  refreshing  power  of  his  fellowship, 
will  never  lose  the  benefit  of  his  personal  influence, 
nor  cease  to  grieve  that  he  did  not  live  to  lead  them 


BENCH  AND  BAR. 


to  the  end  of  their  labors.  It  was  not  an  uncommon 
thing  for  him,  whether  he  delivered  the  judgment  or 
not,  to  cause  a decision  to  be  put  upon  ground  not 
thought  of  by  other  members  of  the  court  or  by 
counsel.  His  learning  was  so  complete,  and  his 
grasp  of  the  law  and  facts  so  comprehensive,  that 
while  he  seldom  changed  in  consultation  an  opinion 
he  had  formed  in  his  library,  other  members  of  the 
court  not  infrequently  found  occasion  to  correct  theirs 
by  the  light  of  his  expositions. 

Judge  Perley  says  of  him, — “ When  he  went  upon 
the  bench,  his  high  qualifications  for  the  office  were 
at  once  recognized  by  the  legal  profession.  His 
youthful  appearance,  his  unpretending  manners  and 
his  easy  and  rapid  way  of  dispatching  business 
might  have  led  a careless  observer  to  fear  that  he 
would  be  found  wanting  in  solidity  and  soundness  of 
judgment;  but  the  character  of  his  mind  was  emi- 
nently judicial.  His  examination  of  authority  in 
cases  which  required  it  was  faithful  and  exhaustive. 
He  weighed  conflicting  arguments  and  reasons  with 
equal  impartiality.  He  had  great  sagacity  in  per- 
ceiving the  practical  bearing  of  any  question  under 
consideration,  and  its  connection  with  the  whole 
complete  system  of  the  law ; and  his  opinions  and 
rulings  were  received  with  the  greatest  respect  and 
deference  by  the  legal  profession  throughout  the 
State.  In  presiding  over  trials,  I never  learned  that 
he  was  known,  in  the  most  irritating  circumstances, 
to  lose  the  sweetness  and  equanimity  of  his  own 
temper,  and  he  often  had  the  rare  felicity  of  winning 
from  both  sides  the  commendation  of  perfect  fairness 
and  impartiality.” 

Judge  Bartlett  never  failed  to  show  that  he  had  the 
courage  of  his  convictions  whenever  the  occasion 
called  for  it.  Witness  his  action  upon  the  Soldiers’ 
Voting  Bill,  so  called,  introduced  in  1863  in  the  midst 
of  political  excitement,  when  he  united  with  three 
other  members  of  the  court  in  an  opinion  which  set 
aside  the  act  as  a violation  of  the  constitution. 

In  1866  was  passed,  under  similar  circumstances, 
an  act  disfranchising  deserters  from  the  army,  the 
constitutionality  of  which  was  brought  before  the 
full  bench.  Not  long  before  his  death  he  drew  up  an 
opinion  setting  aside  this  act,  also,  as  a plain  viola- 
tion of  the  fundamental  law  of  the  land.  The  fact 
in  some  way  came  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Legisla- 
ture, which  forthwith  did  itself  and  him  the  honor  to 
repeal  the  law  before  the  opinion  could  be  read  in 
court. 

History  tells  us  that  the  celebrated  court  of  the 
Areopagus,  when  Athens  was  at  the  height  of  its 
civilization,  sat  in  the  dark,  that  the  judges  might 
not  see  or  know  who  were  the  suitors,  and  so  be  en- 
abled to  dispense  impartial  justice.  I suppose  for  the 
same  reason  the  Goddess  of  Justice  is  represented 
with  eyes  blindfolded,  that  her  hand  may  feel  the 
“trepidations  of  the  balance,”  uninfluenced  by  the 
presence  or  appearance  of  the  contending  parties. 


1 V 
Id 

All  systems  of  judicial  tenure  suppose  judges  to  be 
imperfect  because  mortal.  The  constitution  recog- 
nizes this  in  that  clause  which  secures  the  right  to 
the  subject  “to  be  tried  by  judges  as  impartial  as  the 
lot  of  humanity  will  admit.” 

But  I do  not  hesitate  to  say,  that  if  there  ever  was 
a judge  who  was  a living  personification  of  the  blind- 
fold goddess  ; one  who  watched  not  the  faces  of  his 
suitors,  to  inquire  who  they  were,  or  what  their 
standing  or  influence,  but  only  the  movements  of  the 
scales  held  in  an  even  hand ; one  who,  unlike  his 
ancient  brethren  of  Athens,  had  no  need  to  sit  in  the 
dark,  because  wholly  oblivious  to  all  surrounding 
circumstances  ; one  who,  when  a whole  city,  Athens- 
like,  came  “to  demand  that  the  cup  of  hemlock  be 
put  to  the  lips  of  the  wisest  of  men,”  would  deliver 
him  if  he  believed  he  “ had  not  corrupted  the  youth, 
nor  omitted  to  worship  the  gods  of  the  city,  nor 
introduced  new  divinities  of  his  own,” — such  an  one 
was  Judge  Bartlett. 

His  good-fellowship  placed  him  on  terms  of  inti- 
macy with  his  brethren  of  the  bar;  but  no  one 
presumed,  on  the  strength  of  former  intimacy,  or 
of  close  and  friendly  relations,  to  influence  his  rulings 
or  decisions ; or,  if  any  one  did  so  far  forget  himself, 
the  success  of  the  attempt  was  not  such  as  to  encour- 
age its  repetition. 

It  must  not  be  inferred  that,  while  he  was  noted 
for  his  patient,  courteous  and  urbane  manners,  he 
was  tolerant  of  fraud,  or  failed  to  rebuke  chicanery  or 
improper  interference  with  the  course  of  justice.  On 
such  occasion  he 

“Carried  anger  as  the  flint  bears  fire, 

Which,  much  enforced,  shows  a hasty  spark, 

And  straight  is  cold  again.” 

The  testimony  of  one  of  his  associates 1 upon  the 
bench  affords  a fitting  close  to  this  review  of  Judge 
Bartlett’s  judicial  life, — 

“ His  career  was  brief,  but  it  was  long  enough  to  satisfy  those  who 
knew  him  best,  and  whose  judgment  was  trustworthy,  that,  with  life  and 
health,  lie  would  have  become  the  great  American  jurist  of  his  generation . 
No  mental  or  moral  weakness  impaired  the  operation  or  influence  of  his 
great  powers. 

“There  have  been  great  men  who  were  not  loved,  and  did  not  deserve 
to  be  loved.  There  have  been  good  men  who  were  not  great.  Here  was 
a man  equally  great  and  good  ; equally  superior  by  nature  on  the  intel- 
lectual and  on  the  moral  side.  Incapable  of  selfishness,  envy  or  any 
meanness,  whole-souled  in  the  best  sense,  incapable  of  uttering  an  un- 
kind word  or  entertaining  an  unkind  feeling,  he  would  have  had  only 
pity  for  his  enemies,  if  it  had  been  possible  for  him  to  have  an  enemy. 
He  had  neither  a single  enemy,  nor  a single  cold  or  indifferent  friend. 
He  involuntarily  held  all  whom  he  met,  bound  to  him  by  those  ties  of 
affection  which  draw  all  men  to  a character  the  most  amiable  and  lovely 
as  well  as  by  those  ties  of  reverence  which  draw  all  men  to  mental  su- 
premacy. With  health  and  life,  what  a judge  he  would  have  become  ! 
And,  what  is  so  much  more  to  be  said,  with  health  and  life,  what  a 
teacher  and  leader  of  youth — what  a head  of  an  educational  institution — 
he  would  have  been  ! Where  he  presided,  there  was  no  thought  of  legal 
power  provided  for  the  maintenance  of  judicial  dignity.  In  him  all  men 
recognized  the  unconscious  majesty  of  the  law,  and  the  unconscious 
majesty  of  whatever  is  greatest  and  best  in  human  nature.  With  such 
as  he  in  many  places  of  government  and  personal  control,  it  would  not 


1 Chief  Justice  Doe. 


14 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


be  too  much  to  hope  that  the  word  ‘ discipline,’  in  the  sense  that  is  often 
disagreeable  and  offensive,  might  become  obsolete.” 

There  is  another  aspect  of  Judge  Bartlett’s  char- 
acter which,  although  already  considered  to  some 
extent,  because  so  closely  interwoven  with  his  intel- 
lectual character,  yet  remains  to  be  spoken  of.  I 
allude  to  his  moral  and  Christian  virtues.  He  was 
valued  more  for  his  character  than  for  his  intellect. 
He  was  witty,  bright  and  genial,  faithful  and  judi- 
cious; a thoughtful  friend,  a self-denying  brother,  a 
most  affectionate  son  and  husband.  His  professional 
life  was  passed  in  the  near  vicinity  of  his  native  town; 
and,  in  their  declining  years,  the  hearts  of  his  parents 
turned  much  and  constantly  to  him  for  sympathy  and 
kindly  care,  and  never  were  they  disappointed.  He 
visited  and  wrote  to  them  often  ; and  for  years,  what- 
ever were  his  engagements,  almost  never  did  a Mon- 
day pass  without  bringing  them  an  affectionate  letter. 
And  during  the  last  months  of  his  life,  it  was  an 
occasion  of  almost  uncontrollable  grief  to  him  that  he 
had  been  frustrated  of  being  present  to  comfort  the 
last  hours  of  his  father  not  long  before. 

In  his  own  home  he  seemed  to  be  whatever  a host 
and  a husband  ought  to  be.1  So  warmly  was  he  at- 
tached to  his  home,  and  to  her  who  was  its  star  and 
its  light,  that  he  was  loath  to  leave  it,  even  when 
called  away  by  professional  engagements.  The  one 
trait  that  fixes  itself  most  deeply  in  the  memory  of  his 
friends  is  the  kindly  spirit  that,  in  his  maturer  years, 
followed  him  in  all  his  relations,  and  made  him  always 
considerate  of  the  feelings,  and  actively  attentive  to 
the  wants,  of  all  around  him.  It  was  a pleasure  to 
him  to  make  others  happy;  and  he  loved  to  do  a kind 
office  to  those  who  could  not  repay.  It  seems,  as  we 
look  back  upon  it,  the  practical  benevolence  of  the 
gospel.  He  became  a diligent  and  deeply-interested 
reader  of  the  Scriptures ; and  to  those  who  knew  him 
best,  he  seemed  to  exemplify  the  spirit  of  the  gospel 
in  a most  important  aspect. 

At  the  close  of  the  summer  of  1867  he  returned  to 
his  home  from  the  sea-shore,  without  having  been 
benefited  by  the  invigorating  air  of  the  ocean.  For  a 
few  days  he  struggled  cheerfully  against  physical 
weakness  and  disease, — more  for  the  sake  of  others, 
perhaps,  than  for  himself, — his  pallid  countenance 
illumined  as  with  the  lustre  of  a beautiful  spirit.  On 
Tuesday,  September  24th,  as  gently  as  a child  falls 
asleep,  without  pain  or  a struggle,  consciousness  pre- 
served to  the  last  moment,  that  life,  which  had  been 
so  noble  and  beautiful,  changed  its  course,  as  a river, 
to  a smoother  channel,  and  put  on  immortality. 
Three  days  later,  on  a bright  and  beautiful  day  in 
early  autumn,  his  professional  brethren,  representing 
nearly  every  county  in  the  State,  and  the  surviving 
members  of  the  court,  with  his  inconsolable  relatives, 


1 May  8,  1856,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Caroline  Baker,  daughter  of  the 
late  Abel  Baker,  Esq .,  of  Concord,  and  sister  of  the  late  ex-Governor 
Nathaniel  B.  Baker.  Mrs.  Bartlett  survives  her  husband  and  still  re- 
sides in  Concord. 


in  tenderness  committed  to  his  mother  earth  all  that 
was  mortal  of  him  who  had  been  a dutiful  child,  a 
quick  and  ready  scholar,  a profound  lawyer,  an  up- 
right magistrate,  an  affectionate  brother  and  devoted 
husband,  to  rest  till  the  resurrection  morning. 

Ira  Perley  was  born  in  Boxford,  Mass.,  No- 
vember 9,  1799.  He  graduated  from  Dartmouth  Col- 
lege in  the  class  of  1822  and  was  tutor  in  that  insti- 
tution from  1823  to  1825.  He  read  law  with  Benjamin 
J.  Gilbert,  of  Hanover,  and  commenced  practice  in 
that  town  in  1827.  Here  he  remained  until  1834, 
when  he  removed  to  Concord,  where  he  resided  until 
his  death. 

Upon  his  removal  to  Concord  he  soon  acquired  a 
large  practice,  and  ranked  among  the  leaders  at  the 
Merrimack  bar.  In  July,  1850,  he  was  appointed  a 
justice  in  the  Superior  Court  of  this  State,  which 
position  he  held  until  October,  1852,  when  he  resigned 
and  resumed  the  practice  of  law.  In  1855  he  was 
appointed  chief-justice  of  the  Supreme  Judicial 
Court,  and  held  the  position  until  1859,  when  he 
resigned  and  again  resumed  the  practice  of  law.  In 
18G4  he  was  appointed  chief  justice  of  the  same  court, 
and  held  the  position  until  September,  1869. 

Judge  Perley  had  no  taste  for  political  office,  but 
served  at  three  different  times  as  a member  of  the 
House  of  Representatives, — first  from  Hanover  in  1834 
and  from  Concord  in  1839  and  1870.  He  received 
the  degree  of  LL.D.  from  Dartmouth  College  in 
1852.  He  manifested  an  interest  in  historical  matters, 
and  for  several  years  was  an  active  member  of  the 
New  Hampshire  Historical  Society  and  was  vice- 
president  of  the  New  England  Historic  Genealogical 
Society  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

As  a scholar,  Judge  Perley  ranked  among  the  fore- 
most in  the  State  and  in  New  England.  He  kept  up 
his  interest  in  classics  to  the  day  of  his  death,  and 
read  German,  French  and  Italian  with  readiness.  In 
social  life  he  was  modest  and  unassuming,  but  was 
nevertheless  a rare  conversationalist. 

In  January,  1840,  he  united  in  marriage  with  Mary 
L.  Nelson,  of  Haverhill.  Judge  Perley  died  February 
26,  1874. 

John  Y.  Mitgridge  was  born  in  Laconia,  N.  H., 
then  a part  of  Meredith,  April  15,  1832.  He  received 
his  preparatory  education  at  the  Gilford  Academy 
and  commenced  the  study  of  the  law  in  the  office  of 
Colonel  Thomas  J.  Whipple,  in  Laconia.  He  con- 
cluded his  studies  with  the  late  Hon.  Asa  Fowler,  of 
Concord,  with  whom  he  formed  a copartnership  for 
the  practice  of  his  profession  soon  after  his  admission 
to  the  bar,  in  1854.  He  was  subsequently  in  partner- 
ship with  Hon.  Josiah  Minot  and  later  with  Hon. 
Mason  W.  Tappan,  but  at  the  time  of  his  death  was 
alone  in  practice.  Mr.  Mugridge  never  sought  polit- 
ical preference,  but  devoted  himself  almost  entirely 
to  his  profession.  He  served  as  city  solicitor  from 
1861  to  1868,  was  a representative  in  the  Legislature 
in  1863  and  1864,  Senator  from  the  old  Fourth  Dis- 


BENCH  AND  BA  It. 


15 


trict  in  1868  and  1869,  being  president  of  the  Senate 
the  latter  year,  and  again  representative  in  1875. 

As  a lawyer  Mr.  Mugridge  held  a commanding 
position  at  the  Merrimack  bar,  and  probably  enjoyed 
a more  extensive  practice  than  any  other  man  in  the 
county,  especially  excelling  in  criminal  cases.  He 
was  a man  of  great  personal  popularity,  had  a large 
heart,  full  of  generous  impulses,  and  he  gave  them 
free  course  in  all  the  relations  of  life.  He  was  a 
Republican  in  politics. 

Hon.  Asa  Fowler. — The  origin  of  the  name  and 
the  antiquity  of  the  family  of  Fowler  in  England 
have  never  been  ascertained.  It  is  probable,  from 
the  large  number  of  families  of  that  name  known  to 
have  existed  in  various  sections  of  that  country  early 
in  the  sixteenth  century,  and  the  high  standing  of 
some  of  them,  that  the  name  was  adopted  soon  after 
surnames  came  to  be  used.  Edward  Fowler,  eldest 
son  and  heir  of  Sir  Richard  Q.  Fowler,  is  said  to  have 
entertained  Queen  Catharine  of  Arragon  at  his 
manor,  near  Buckingham,  in  September,  1514. 
Froude,  in  his  “ History  of  England,”  vol.  v.  pp.  129 
and  131,  mentions  John  Fowler,  a member,  in  1547,  of 
the  household  of  King  Edward  VI.,  who  was  so  influ- 
ential with  that  young  monarch  that  he  was  em- 
ployed by  Lord  Seymour  to  secure  the  royal  assent  to 
his  contemplated  marriage  with  the  Princess,  after- 
wards Queen,  Elizabeth,  and  subsequently  the  royal 
approval  of  his  already  secretly  accomplished  mar- 
riage with  Catharine  Parr,  widow  of  Henry  VIII. 
Christopher  Fowler,  an  English  clergyman,  born  in 
1611,  left  the  Established  Church  in  1641  and  joined 
the  Presbyterians,  among  whom  he  became  eminent, 
and  died  in  1676.  John  Fowler,  a learned  printer, 
born  in  Bristol,  removed  his  press  to  Antwerp  more 
effectually  to  aid  the  Catholics,  and  died  in  1579. 
Edward  Fowler,  born  at  Westerleigh  in  1632,  was 
distinguished  as  a divine,  published  a discourse  on 
“The  Design  of  Christianity”  in  1676,  which  Bunyan 
attacked, and  another  on  “Christian  Liberty”  in  1680  ; 
was  made  bishop  of  Gloucester  in  1691,  and  died  in 
1714.  William  Fowler,  born  about  1560, — died  in 
1614, — was  one  of  the  poets  that  frequented  the  court 
of  James  VI.,  whose  works  have  been  preserved. 
He  was  a lawyer  and  clergyman,  as  well  as  a poet. 

The  Fowlers  in  this  country,  now  quite  numerous, 
as  their  namesakes  were  in  England  three  centuries 
ago,  and  are  still  more  so  at  the  present  day,  sprang 
from  several  different  pioneer  ancestors  who  emigrated 
to  America  from  various  parts  of  England  at  different 
periods,  and,  so  far  as  known,  were  in  no  way  related 
to  each  other.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  of  the 
sixth  generation  in  lineal  descent  from  one  of  the 
founders  of  New  England,  the  common  ancestor  of 
the  great  majority  of  the  Fowlers  in  Massachusetts, 
and  of  most,  if  not  all,  of  those  in  Maine,  New 
Hampshire  and  Vermont.1 

1 For  a sketch  of  the  ancestors  of  Judge  Fowler  we  are  greatly  indebted 


Philip  Fowler,  Sr.,  born  about  1590  in  the  ancient 
town  of  Marlborough,  in  the  county  of  Wiltshire, 
England,  where  no  less  than  five  families  of  Fowlers 
are  shown  by  the  records  to  have  been  living  contem- 
poraneously early  in  the  seventeenth  century,  came 
from  thence  with  his  family  to  Massachusetts  in  1634 
in  the  ship  “ Mary  and  John,”  of  London,  having 
taken  the  oath  of  allegiance  and  supremacy  to  qualify 
him  as  a passenger  at  Southampton  on  the  24th  of 
March.  He  must  have  embarked  in  February,  since, 
by  an  order  of  Council,  dated  February  24th,  the  ves- 
sel was  detained  in  the  Thames  until  the  captain 
gave  bond  in  one  hundred  pounds,  conditional, 
among  other  things,  that  the  service  of  the  Church  of 
England  should  be  read  daily  on  board  and  attended 
by  the  passengers,  and  also  that  the  adult  male  pas- 
sengers should  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  and  su- 
premacy. All  this  having  been  done,  the  ship  was 
allowed  to  proceed  on  her  voyage,  but  did  not  reach 
New  England  until  May.  September  3,  1634,  he  was 
admitted  freeman  at  Boston  ; obtained  a grant  of 
land  in  Ipswich  the  same  year,  on  which  he  settled  in 
1635,  and  where  he  resided  until  his  death,  on  the 
24th  of  June,  1679,  at  the  age  of  eighty-eight.  Dur- 
ing his  long  life  he  made  a variety  of  records,  but 
none  that  any  descendant  need  blush  to  read.  It  is 
remarkable  that  his  homestead  in  Ipswich  has  ever 
since  been,  and  still  is,  occupied  by  one  of  his  de- 
scendants bearing  the  family  name.  His  wife,  Mary, 
mother  of  his  children,  died  August  30,  1659,  and  he 
again  married,  February  27,  1660,  Mary,  widow  of 
George  Norton,  early  of  Salem,  afterwards  Repre- 
sentative from  Gloucester.  There  came  over  in  the 
same  ship  with  Philip  Fowler,  Sr.,  and  family,  his 
daughter,  Margaret,  and  her  husband,  Christopher 
Osgood,  whom  she  had  married  the  previous  year, 
and  who  was  the  common  ancestor  of  most  of  the 
Osgoods  of  Massachusetts  and  New  Hampshire. 

Joseph  Fowler,  son  of  Philip,  Sr.,  born  in  England, 
date  unknown,  married,  in  Ipswich,  Mass.,  Martha 
Kimball,  who  came  over  from  Ipswich,  England,  in 
1634,  in  the  ship  “ Elizabeth,”  with  her  parents,  and 
is  stated  to  have  been  then  five  years  of  age.  Her 
father,  Richard  Kimball,  settled  in  Ipswich,  Mass., 
and  is  believed  to  have  been  the  ancestor  of  nearly 
all  the  Kimballs  in  this  country.  His  wife,  Ursula 
Scott,  was  the  daughter  of  the  widow  Martha  Scott, 
who  came  over  with  the  Kimballs  at  the  age  of  sixty, 
supposed  to  have  been  the  wife  of  Hon.  John  Scott, 
of  Scott’s  Hall,  Kent  County,  England.  Joseph 
Fowler  was  killed  by  the  Indians  near  Deerfield, 
Mass.,  May  19,  1676,  on  his  return  from  the  Falls 
fight.  He  was  a tanner  by  trade. 

Philip  Fowler  (second),  eldest  son  of  Joseph,  was 


to  Matthew  A.  Stickney,  Esq.,  of  Salem,  Mass.,  author  of  the  admirable 
genealogy  of  the  Stickney  family,  who  is  preparing  for  publication  the 
genealogy  of  the  Ipswich  family  of  Fowlers,  from  which  he  is  de- 
scended. 


16 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


born  in  Ipswich,  Mass.,  December  25,  1648.  When 
only  two  or  three  years  of  age,  he  was  adopted,  with 
the  consent  of  his  parents,  by  his  grandfather,  Philip, 
Sr.,  who  made  him  his  heir  by  deed  dated  December 

23,  1668.  He  received  the  rudiments  of  his  educa- 
tion at  the  famous  school  kept  by  Ezekiel  Cheever. 
He  was  a man  of  superior  ability,  and  as  a merchant, 
deputy  marshal  and  attorney  quite  distinguished. 
He  acquired  a large  landed  estate,  which  he  divided 
by  deeds  of  gift  among  his  four  sons,  a valuable  farm 
to  each.  He  married,  January  20,  1674,  Elizabeth 
Herrick,  born  about  July  4,  1647.  He  died  Novem- 
ber 16,  1715.  His  wife  died  May  6,  1727.  She  was 
the  daughter  of  Henry  and  Editha  (Laskin)  Herrick. 
Henry  Herrick,  born  at  Bean  Manor  in  1604,  was  the 
son  of  Sir  William  Herrick,  and  came  from  Leices- 
ter, England,  to  Salem,  Mass.,  where  he  arrived  June 

24,  1629. 

Philip  Fowler  (third),  ninth  child  of  Philip  (second), 
was  born  in  Ipswich,  Mass.,  in  October,  1691  ; mar- 
ried there,  July  5,  1716,  Susanna  Jacob,  daughter  of 
Joseph  and  Susanna  (Symonds)  Jacob,  and  great- 
granddaughter  of  Deputy  Governor  Samuel  Symonds, 
of  that  town.  He  is  reported  to  have  fitted  for  liar  j 
vard  College,  but  did  not  enter,  engaging  instead  in 
trade  and  carrying  on  the  tanning  business,  until  he 
sold  out  and  removed  to  New  Market,  N.  H.,  in  May, 
1743,  where  he  died  May  16,  1767.  His  widow  died 
there  in  1773.  Before  removing  to  New  Market  he 
purchased  of  his  brother-in-law,  Joseph  Jacob,  for 
the  consideration  of  two  thousand  pounds,  two  hun- 
dred and  thirty-six  acres  of  land  in  “New  Market,  ! 
in  the  township  of  Exeter  and  province  of  New 
Hampshire,  with  two  houses  and  two  barns  thereon.” 
The  deed  is  dated  February  14,  1737.  For  fifty-six 
acres  of  this  land,  including  the  homestead,  he  was 
sued  by  Josiali  Hilton  in  1760,  and  after  two  trials, 
one  in  the  Common  Pleas  and  the  other  in  the  Su- 
perior Court,  both  resulting  in  verdicts  in  Fowler’s 
favor,  Hilton  appealed  to  the  Governor  and  Council, 
some  of  whom  were  directly  interested  in  the  event  ! 
of  the  suit  as  lessors  of  the  plaintiff,  and  they,  in 
1764,  rendered  judgment  in  favor  of  Hilton,  from 
which  the  defendant  appealed  to  the  King  in  Council 
and  furnished  bonds  to  prosecute  his  appeal  in  Eng- 
land. The  Governor  and  Council  granted  this  appeal, 
which  vacated  their  judgment,  and  then  at  once 
issued  a writ  of  possession  founded  thereon,  upon 
which  Fowler  was  turned  out  of  the  land  and  com- 
pelled to  pay  costs.  He  had  executed  his  will  May 
22,  1754,  therein  devising  his  large  landed  estate  to 
his  three  sons, — Philip,  Jacob  and  Symonds, — and  re- 
quiring them  to  pay  legacies  to  his  daughters.  The 
land  in  controversy  with  Hilton  was  devised  to  the 
two  former  sons.  The  appeal  was  prosecuted  in  Eng- 
land by  the  father  and  these  devisees  until  after  the 
Declaration  of  American  Independence,  and  in  1777 
the  Legislature  of  New  Hampshire  passed  an  act 
authorizing  these  devisees  to  bring  an  action  of  re- 


view in  the  Superior  Court  for  Rockingham  County 
to  determine  the  title  to  this  land.  Such  action  was 
brought  by  them,  and  at  the  September  term,  1778, 
of  that  court,  they  recovered  judgment  for  the  land, 
costs  of  court  and  costs  of  former  litigation.  On  the 
14th  of  September,  1778,  the  sheriff  put  them  into 
possession  of  the  property  from  which  their  father 
had  been  wrongfully  ejected  fourteen  years  before. 
Sarah,  daughter  of  Philip,  one  of  these  sons,  was  the 
wife  of  Governor  William  Plumer  and  the  mother  of 
his  children. 

Symonds  Fowler , the  tenth  of  fourteen  children  of 
Philip  (third),  born  in  Ipswich,  Mass.,  August  20, 
1734,  removed  to  New  Market,  N.  H.,with  his  father, 
in  1743,  where  he  married,  July  12,  1756,  Hannah 
Weeks,  born  in  the  old  brick  house  in  Greenland, 
N.  II.,  August  12,  1738.  By  the  will  of  his  father  he 
inherited  a farm  adjoining  the  station  at  New  Mar- 
ket Junction,  on  the  Concord  and  Portsmouth  and  Bos- 
ton and  Maine  Railroads,  upon  which  he  lived  un- 
til he  removed,  in  1778,  to  a farm  in  the  western  part 
of  Epsom,  N.  H.,  upon  Suncook  River,  where  he  re- 
sided until  his  death,  April  6,  1821.  His  wife,  Han- 
nah, died  there  December  9,  1807. 

Benjamin  Fowler,  the  sixth  of  eleven  children 
of  Symonds,  was  born  at  New  Market,  N.  H.,  June 
16, 1769;  removed  with  his  father  to  Epsom,  N.  H.,  in 
1778;  married  in  Pembroke,  N.  H.,  January  15,  1795, 
Mehitable  Ladd,  only  child  of  John  and  Jerusha 
(Lovejoy)  Ladd,  of  that  town,  and  granddaughter  of 
Captain  Trueworthy  and  Mehitable  (Harriman) 
Ladd,  of  Kingston,  N.  H.  He  settled  in  Pembroke, 
after  his  marriage,  on  a farm  he  purchased,  and  died 
there  July  24,  1832.  His  widow  survived  him  until 
September  9,  1853. 

Asa  Fowler,  the  ninth  of  eleven  children  of  Benja- 
min and  Mehitable  (Ladd)  Fowler,  was  born  in  Pem- 
broke, N.  H.,  February  23,  1811.  His  childhood 
was  spent  on  his  father’s  farm,  his  means  of  educa- 
tion after  he  was  seven  or  eight  years  of  age  being 
limited  to  eight  or  nine  weeks  of  winter  school,  bis 
services  after  that  age  in  summer  being  required  in 
farm-work.  There  were  very  few  books  to  which  he 
had  access,  except  the  Bible  and  ordinary  school- 
books, and  his  early  reading  was  confined  to  these. 
At  the  age  of  fourteen  he  had  a very  severe  attack  of 
typhoid  fever,  which  left  him  in  such  enfeebled  con- 
dition as  to  be  incapable  of  severe  manual  labor.  Un- 
j der  these  circumstances  he  was  sent  to  the  Blanchard 
Academy,  in  his  native  town,  then  under  the  charge 
of  Hon.  John  Vose,  but  with  no  other  intention  than 
that  he  might  become  qualified  to  instruct  a com- 
mon district  school.  But  with  opportunity  to  learn 
and  to  read,  a desire  for  a liberal  education  was 
awakened,  and,  by  alternately  working  upon  his 
father’s  farm  in  the  spring  and  summer,  attending 
the  academy  in  the  fall  and  teaching  school  in  win- 
ter, he  succeeded  in  not  only  fitting  himself  for  col- 
lege, but  in  preparing  to  enter  the  sophomore  class, 


BENCH  AND  BAR. 


17 


having  attended  school  only  sixty  weeks  after  he 
commenced  the  study  of  Latin.  With  so  meagre  and 
defective  a training,  he  entered  the  sophomore  class 
at  Dartmouth  College  at  the  opening  of  the  fall  term, 
1830,  and  although  he  taught  school  every  winter, 
was  able,  nevertheless,  to  maintain  a highly  respect- 
able standing  until  his  graduation,  in  1833,  when, 
among  the  parts  assigned  to  the  graduating  class  ac- 
cording to  scholarship,  an  English  oration  was  given 
him.  He  was  never  absent  or  unprepared  at  any  re- 
citation during  his  three  years’  course.  In  his  junior 
year  he  was  elected  a member  of  the  Phi  Beta  Kappa 
Society,  as  being  in  the  first  third  of  his  class.  He 
has  never  sought  or  received  any  honorary  degree 
from  his  Alma  Mater.  After  leaving  college  he 
taught  the  academy  at  Topsfield,  Mass.,  for  a single 
term  in  the  fall  of  1833,  thereby  raising  sufficient 
funds  to  liquidate  all  indebtedness  incurred  to  defray 
his  college  expenses,  over  and  above  what  he  received 
from  his  father’s  estate.  Immediately  upon  leaving 
Topsfield,  having  determined  to  adopt  the  legal  pro- 
fession, he  entered  his  name  as  a student  in  the  office 
of  James  Sullivan,  Esq.,  then  in  practice  in  Pem- 
broke, occupying  the  office  of  the  Hon.  Boswell  Stev- 
ens, disabled  by  a paralytic  attack,  from  which  he 
never  recovered.  He  continued  to  read  books  from 
Mr.  Sullivan’s  library  through  the  following  winter. 
In  March,  1834,  he  came  to  Concord,  N.  H.,  where 
he  has  since  resided,  and  entered  the  office  of  Hon. 
Charles  H.  Peaslee,  then  a rising  young  lawyer,  and 
continued  with  him  until  admitted  to  the  Merrimack 
County  bar,  in  February,  1837.  While  a student  in 
General  Peaslee’s  office,  he  and  Hon.  Moody  Currier, 
then  a teacher  in  Concord,  undertook  the  editorship, 
as  a matter  of  amusement  and  with  no  hope  of  pecu- 
niary reward,  of  a small  literary  paper,  called  the 
Literary  Gazette.  It  was  published  weekly  for  six 
months,  and  then  once  a fortnight  for  another  six 
months.  After  Mr.  Currier  retired  from  the  editor- 
ship, Cyrus  P.  Bradley,  a youth  of  wonderful  preco- 
city, and  the  author,  when  a mere  boy,  of  a “ Life  of 
Governor  Isaac  Hill,”  became  associated  with  Mr. 
Fowler  in  the  management  of  the  Gazette.  During  a 
considerable  portion  of  the  period  in  which  he  pur- 
sued the  study  of  the  law,  Mr.  Fowler  supported  him- 
self by  writing  for  other  papers.  In  June,  1835,  he 
was  elected  clerk  of  the  New  Hampshire  Senate, 
which  office  he  continued  to  hold  by  annual  elec- 
tions for  six  successive  years,  discharging  its  duties  to 
universal  satisfaction.  In  1846  he  was  appointed  by 
the  Hon.  Levi  Woodbury  United  States  commis- 
sioner for  the  district  of  New  Hampshire,  which  of- 
fice he  held  at  the  time  of  his  death.  In  1845  he  was 
a member  of  the  New  Plampshire  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives from  Concord  and  served  as  chairman  of 
the  judiciary  committee.  Again,  in  1847  and  1848, 
he  was  one  of  the  Representatives  of  Concord  in  that 
body  and  served  upon  the  same  committee  in  both 
years.  In  1855  he  was  nominated  by  the  Independ- 
2 


ent  Democrats,  or  Free-Soilers,  as  their  candidate  for 
Governor,  and  was  frequently  assured  by  prominent 
Know-Nothings  that  if  he  would  join  their  order  he 
might  and  would  be  made  their  candidate,  also;  but 
he  was  deaf  to  all  such  suggestions.  After  that  party 
came  into  power  and  decided  to  change  the  judiciary 
system  of  the  State,  he  was  engaged  to  draft  the  bill 
for  that  purpose,  which  subsequently  became  a law. 
Afterwards,  at  the  earnest  and  repeated  solicitation 
of  Governor  Metcalf,  although  at  first  he  absolutely 
declined  to  do  so,  he  accepted  a position  on  the 
bench  of  the  Supreme  Court  as  associate  justice, 
which  he  continued  to  hold,  at  a great  pecuniary 
sacrifice,  from  August  1,  1855,  to  February  1,  1861, 
when  he  voluntarily  resigned  it.  During  this  period 
of  five  and  a half  years  he  performed  his  full  share  of 
the  arduous  labors  of  a judge  of  our  highest  judicial 
tribunal,  and  gave  general  satisfaction  to  the  bar  and 
the  public.  If  his  opinions  at  the  law  terms  as  re- 
ported are  not  so  labored  as  those  of  some  of  his  asso- 
ciates, they  are  more  numerous  and  not  less  sound 
and  clear. 

Immediately  upon  his  resignation,  Judge  Fowler 
was  appointed  by  the  Governor  and  Council  a dele- 
gate from  New  Hampshire  to  the  Peace  Congress, 
which  met  in  Washington  in  February,  1861,  for  the 
purpose  of  averting,  if  possible,  the  threatened  se- 
cession of  the  Southern  States  from  the  Union,  and 
continued  its  sessions  through  the  entire  month.  His 
associate  delegates  were  Hon.  Levi  Chamberlain,  of 
Keene,  and  Hon.  Amos  Tuck,  of  Exeter.  In  1861  he 
was  appointed  solicitor  for  the  county  of  Merrimack, 
and  held  the  office  until  he  resigned,  in  1865,  upon  his 
being  appointed  one  of  the  commissioners  to  revise 
the  statutes  of  the  State.  He  was  associated  in  that 
commission  with  Hon.  Samuel  D.  Bell,  of  Manchester, 
and  Hon.  George  Y.  Sawyer,  of  Nashua.  Upon  it  he 
labored  diligently  and  successfully,  alone  superin- 
tending the  printing  of  the  commissioners’  report, 
and,  subsequently,  the  printing  of  the  General  Stat- 
utes as  finally  adopted  by  the  Legislature  of  1867. 
He  also  attended  almost  constantly,  during  the  whole 
period  of  that  Legislature,  upon  the  sessions  of  the 
joint  select  committee  to  whom  the  report  of  the 
commissioners  was  referred,  and  greatly  aided  in 
procuring  the  speedy  action  of  that  committee,  and 
the  final  adoption  of  the  report  of  the  commissioners, 
as  amended  by  the  General  Court,  without  protract- 
ing the  session  beyond  its  usual  length.  In  1871  and 
again  in  1872,  Judge  Fowler  was  a member  of  the 
House  of  Representatives  from  Ward  Six,  in  Concord, 
serving  on  the  judiciary  committee  in  1871,  and  pre- 
siding over  the  deliberations  of  the  House,  as  Speaker, 
in  1872,  with  dignity,  impartiality  and  complete 
success. 

Judge  Fowler  was  one  of  the  most  diligent,  labori- 
ous and  successful  lawyers  in  the  State,  and  the  ex- 
tent of  his  practice  for  many  years  has  rarely  been 
exceeded.  In  September,  1838,  after  practicing  alone 


18 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


for  a year  and  a half,  he  formed  a co-partnership  with 
the  late  President  Pierce,  which  continued  until  April, 
1845.  During  this  period  of  six  years  and  a half, 
their  practice  was  probably  as  extensive  as  that  of 
any  individual  or  hnn  in  the  State.  General  Pierce 
engaged  in  the  trial  of  causes  as  an  advocate  in  nearly 
every  county,  while  Judge  Fowler  attended  chiefly 
to  office  business,  the  preparation  of  causes  for  trial 
and  briefs  for  argument  at  the  law  terms  of  court. 
Hon.  John  Y.  Mugridge  completed  his  preparatory 
studies  in  Judge  Fowler’s  office,  and  upon  his  ad- 
mission to  the  bar,  in  1854,  Judge  Fowler  formed  a 
business  connection  with  him  for  one  year,  which 
expired  about  the  time  of  Judge  Fowler’s  appoint- 
ment to  the  bench.  Soon  after  his  resignation  of  the 
judgeship,  in  1861,  he  entered  into  partnership  with 
Hon.  William  E.  Chandler,  which  continued  until 
Mr.  Chandler’s  appointment  as  Solicitor  of  the  Navy, 
in  1864. 

During  his  long  residence  in  Concord,  Judge  Fow- 
ler was  quite  familiar  with  the  forms  of  legislation, 
and  probably  drafted  more  bills  for  our  Legislature 
than  any  other  man,  living  or  dead.  He  originated 
many  laws  and  procured  their  enactment,  when  not  a 
member  of  the  Legislature.  Among  those  thus  orig- 
inated and  procured  to  be  enacted  may  be  mentioned 
the  statute  authorizing  school  districts  to  unite  for 
the  purpose  of  maintaining  High  Schools,  and  that 
authorizing  towns  to  establish  and  maintain  public 
libraries.  He  worked  zealously  with  General  Peaslee 
to  secure  the  establishment  of  the  Asylum  for  the 
Insane,  was  very  active  and  persistent  in  securing 
the  establishment  of  a Public  Library  in  Concord 
and  a High  School  in  Union  District.  He  always 
showed  a deep  interest  in  the  cause  of  public  educa- 
tion, and  for  more  than  twenty  successive  years 
served  as  prudential  committee  or  a member  of  the 
Board  of  Education  in  Concord.  He  was  always  fond 
of  literary  pursuits,  and  has  an  extensive  and  well- 
selected  miscellaneous  library.  For  the  last  three  or 
four  years  of  his  life  he  belonged  to  a class  in 
English  Literature,  whose  weekly  meetings,  during 
the  winter  season,  were  devoted,  with  much  pleasure 
and  profit,  to  reading  the  works  and  discussing  the 
lives,  character  and  times  of  English  and  American 
authors  of  reputation.  He  was  more  or  less  connected 
with  various  moneyed  institutions.  He  was  a director 
of  the  State  Capital  Bank  from  its  organization  under 
a State  charter  until  his  appointment  to  the  bench, 
when  he  resigned.  He  was  a director  and  president 
of  the  First  National  Bank  from  its  organization  until 
he  lost  confidence  in  its  cashier,  when  he  disposed  of 
his  stock  and  resigned.  He  was  for  many  years  a 
director  of  the  Manchester  and  Lawrence  Railroad, 
and  for  several  years  its  president.  In  his  religious 
sentiments  he  was  a liberal  Unitarian,  and  took  a 
prominent  part  in  the  work  of  the  society  in  Concord, 
serving  for  several  years  as  the  superintendent  of  its 
Sunday-school,  and  showing  his  interest  in  it  by 


leaving  it  a legacy  of  one  thousand  dollars  in  his  will, 
the  interest  on  which  sum  to  be  devoted  to  the  support 
of  liberal  preaching.  Educated  a Democrat,  but  with 
strong  anti-slavery  convictions,  he  acted  with  the 
Democratic  party  until  its  devotion  to  the  extension 
of  slavery  compelled  its  abandonment  in  1846,  and 
for  the  next  ten  years  he  acted  as  an  Independent 
Democrat.  Upon  the  formation  of  the  Republican 
party  he  joined  it,  and  continued  iu  its  ranks  until,  in 
1875,  he  resumed  his  connection  with  the  Democracy. 

In  the  spring  of  1877,  forty  years  from  his  admis- 
sion to  the  bar,  Judge  Fowler  determined  to  retire 
from  active  practice.  A severe  illness  in  the  fall  of 
that  year  confirmed  his  resolution.  Before  his  full 
recovery,  by  the  advice  of  his  physician,  he  decided 
to  visit  Europe.  Accompanied  by  his  wife,  daughter 
and  third  son,  he  left  Boston  on  the  13th  of  April, 
1878,  and  returned  to  New  York  on  the  17th  of  Oc- 
tober following,  having,  during  his  absence,  visited  the 
principal  points  of  interest  in  England,  Scotland, 
Ireland,  Italy,  Switzerland,  Bavaria,  Austria,  Bohe- 
mia, Saxony,  Prussia,  Hanover,  Holland,  Belgium, 
Germany  and  France.  He  returned  home  with  re- 
newed strength  and  energy,  and  passed  the  next  four 
years  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  health  and  happiness, 
in  the  quiet  of  his  pleasant  home  in  Concord  and  his 
beautiful  cottage  by  the  sea,  near  Rye  Beach. 

In  October,  1882,  the  great  sorrow  of  his  life  came 
upon  him  in  the  loss  of  his  dearly-beloved  wife,  after 
a long  and  painful  illness.  He  had  been  peculiarly 
fortunate  in  his  domestic  relations.  On  the  13th  of 
July,  1837,  he  married  the  daughter  of  Robert  and 
Polly  Dole  (Cilley)  Knox,  of  Epsom,  N.  H.,  and 
granddaughter  of  General  Joseph  Cilley,  of  the  Rev- 
olution, Mary  Dole  Cilley  Knox,  by  whom  he  had 
five  children, — four  sons  and  one  daughter, — all  now 
living. 

In  the  winter  of  1882-83,  Judge  Fowler  had  a 
severe  attack  of  gastric  fever  at  Richmond,  Va.,  while 
on  his  way  to  Florida  for  his  health.  After  a long 
convalescence  at  St.  Augustine,  Fla.,  he  fully  re~ 
covered  his  health  and  spent  the  entire  winter  and 
spring  in  the  South. 

In  November,  1883,  he  again  went  abroad,  spend- 
ing six  delightful  months  in  Nice.  Mentone  and  Italy, 
returning  in  May  to  New  Hampshire  after  a month’s 
sojourn  in  Paris  and  London. 

Again,  in  November,  1884,  he  went  away  from  his 
Concord  home,  and  sought  the  warmer  climate  of 
California,  spending  the  greater  part  of  the  winter  at 
Monterey.  Here  he  again  suffered  from  attacks  of 
gastritis,  and,  after  a trip  down  to  Santa  Barbara,  was 
very  ill  at  San  Francisco,  and  died  at  San  Rafael, 
Cal.,  on  the  26th  of  April,  A.D.,  1885.  His  re- 
mains were  embalmed  and  brought  to  Concord,  and 
were  buried,  May  9th,  from  his  residence. 

Hon.  J.  Everett  Sargent,  LL.D. — Judge  Sar- 
gent, now  of  Concord,  has  been  well  known  through- 
out the  State  for  more  than  a quarter  of  a century. 


BENCH  AND  BAR. 


19 


Besides  au  extensive  legislative  acquaintance,  lie  has, 
as  judge  of  the  different  courts  and  as  chief  justice 
of  the  State,  held  terms  of  court  in  every  shire-town 
and  half-shire  town  in  every  county  in  the  State. 
He  has  been  emphatically  the  architect  of  his  own 
fortune,  and  by  his  energy  and  perseverance  has 
reached  the  highest  post  of  honor  in  his  profession 
in  his  native  State.  He  is  genial  and  social  with  his 
friends;  he  loves  a joke,  and  belongs  to  that  small 
class  of  men  “who  never  grow  old.”  He  loves  his 
home,  his  family  and  his  books.  No  man  enjoys  the. 
study  of  history  and  of  poetry,  of  philosophy  and  of 
fiction,  better  than  he,  while  law  and  theology  come 
in  for  a share  of  attention.  He  is  a kind  neighbor, 
a respected  citizen,  a ripe  scholar,  a wise  legislator, 
an  upright  judge  and  an  honest  man. 

In  the  year  1781,  Peter  Sargent,  the  grandfather 
of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  moved  from  Hopkinton, 
N.  H.,  to  New  London,  at  that  time  equally  well 
known  as  Heidelberg.  This  locality  had  been  known 
by  this  latter  name  for  a quarter  of  a century  or 
more.  It  was  granted  by  the  Masonian  proprietors, 
July  7,  1773,  to  Jonas  Minot,  and  others  as  the  “Ad- 
dition of  Alexandria.”  It  was  first  settled  in  1775, 
and  was  incorporated  as  a town  by  the  Legislature, 
June  25,  1779.  Peter  Sargent,  who  thus  moved  into 
the  town  two  years  after  its  incorporation,  was  one  of 
ten  brothers,  all  born  in  Amesbury,  Mass,,  who  settled 
as  follows:  Amasa,  Ezekiel,  Thomas  and  Moses  al- 
ways lived  at  Amesbury ; James  settled  in  Methuen, 
Mass. ; Peter,  Nathan  and  Stephen  came  to  Hopkin- 
ton, N.  H.,  and  settled  there;  and  Abner  and  Eben- 
ezer  came  to  Warner,  N.  H.,  and  settled  there.  These 
ten  brothers,  with  four  sisters,  were  the  children  of 
Deacon  Stephen  Sargent,  of  Amesbury,  Mass. 

(Christopher  Sargent,  an  older  brother  of  Deacon 
Stephen,  graduated  at  Harvard,  entered  the  ministry 
and  was  the  first  settled  minister  of  Methuen,  Mass. 
His  eldest  son,  Nathaniel  Peaslee  Sargent,  graduated 
at  Harvard,  practiced  law  at  Haverhill  and  was  for 
many  years  a judge  of  the  Supreme  Judicial  Court  of 
Massachusetts,  and  was  chief  justice  of  the  State  in 
1790  and  1791,  when  he  died,  aged  sixty.) 

Stephen  Sargent  was  the  son  of  Thomas  (second), 
who  was  the  son  of  Thomas  (first),  who  was  the  son 
of  William  Sargent.  Stephen  married  Judith  Ord- 
way,  of  West  Newbury,  Mass.,  September  26,  1730, 
was  chosen  deacon  of  the  Second  Congregational 
Church  in  Amesbury,  May  10,  1757,  and  died  Oc- 
tober 2,  1773,  aged  sixty-three. 

William  Sargent  was  born  in  England  about  1602, 
and  was  the  son  of  Richard  Sargent,  an  officer  in  the 
royal  navy.  William  came  to  this  country  when  a 
young  man,  married  Judith  Perkins  for  his  first  wife, 
who  died  about  1633,  when  he,  with  several  daughters, 
was  one  of  the  twelve  men  who  commenced  the  settle- 
ment at  Ipswich  that  year.  He  soon  after  went  to 
Newbury,  and  helped  form  a settlement  there.  Soon 
after,  about  1638,  he,  with  several  others,  commenced 


a settlement  at  Hampton,  and  about  1640  he  re- 
moved to  Salisbury,  and  was  one  of  the  eighteen 
original  proprietors,  or  commoners,  who  settled  in 
New  Salisbury,  since  known  as  Amesbury.  His 
second  wife’s  name  was  Elizabeth,  by  whom  he  had 
two  sons,  Thomas  and  William.  He  had  several  lots 
of  land  assigned  him  at  different  times,  and  was  one 
of  the  selectmen  of  the  town  in  1667.  He  died  in 
1675,  aged  seventy-three. 

Thomas  Sargent,  son  of  William,  was  born  April 
11,  1643,  at  Amesbury;  married  Rachel  Barnes,  Jan- 
uary 2,  1667-68,  and  had  children,  among  whom  was 
Thomas,  Jr.,  born  at  Amesbury,  November  15,  1676, 
who  married  Mary  Stevens,  December  17, 1702,  and 
was  the  father  of  Stephen,  whose  family  has  been 
mentioned,  and  who  was  born  at  Amesbury,  Sep- 
tember 14,  1710. 

Peter  Sargent,  son  of  Stephen,  married  Ruth 
Nichols,  of  Amesbury,  and  moved  to  Hopkinton, 
N.  H.,  about  1763,  where  they  lived  some  eighteen 
years  and  raised  a large  family,  and,  when  he  went 
to  New  London,  took  them  all  with  him.  His  chil- 
dren were  Anthony,  Abigail,  Ruth,  Judith,  Peter, 
Ebenezer,  Amasa,  John,  Molly,  Ezekiel,  Stephen, 
William  and  Lois.  These  all  came  from  Hopkin- 
ton to  New  London  in  1781,  except  Lois,  who  was 
born  subsequently  in  New  London. 

Ebenezer  (the  son  of  Peter),  the  father  of  the 
judge,  was  born  in  Hopkinton  in  1768,  and  was,  of 
course,  thirteen  years  old  when  he  came  to  New 
London  with  his  father’s  family.  After  becoming  of 
age  he  procured  him  a farm,  and,  on  the  25th  of  No- 
vember, 1792,  he  married  Prudence  Chase,  of  Wen- 
dell (now  Sunapee),  the  daughter  of  John  and  Ruth 
(Hills)  Chase.  They  had  ten  children,  as  follows: 
Anna,  Rebekah,  Ruth,  Seth  Freeman,  Aaron  Lea- 
land,  Sylvanus  Thayer,  Lois,  Laura,  Jonathan  Kit- 
tredge  and  Jonathan  Everett.  Jonathan  Kittredge 
died  young;  the  other  nine  lived  to  mature  age,  and 
five  of  them — three  sons  and  two  daughters — still  sur- 
vive. The  parents  had  only  a very  limited  educa- 
tion, having  been  taught  to  read  and  to  write  a 
little,  the  schools  of  those  early  times  only  furnish- 
ing instruction  in  these  two  branches.  They  always 
lived  upon  a farm,  securing  what  was  then  considered 
as  a competence,  and  both  died  in  New  London,  hav- 
ing lived  together  more  than  sixty-five  years. 

The  following,  then,  is  the  order  of  descent : 

1.  Richard  Sargent,  of  England. 

2.  William,  son  of  Richard,  born  in  England,  1602. 

3.  Thomas,  son  of  William,  born  in  Amesbury, 
April,  1643. 

4.  Thomas,  Jr.,  son  of  Thomas,  born  in  Amesbury, 
November,  1676. 

5.  Stephen,  son  of  Thomas,  Jr.,  born  in  Amesbury, 
September,  1710. 

6.  Peter,  son  of  Stephen,  born  at  Amesbury,  No- 
vember 2,  1736. 


20 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


7.  Ebenezer,  son  of  Peter,  born  at  Hopkinton, 
N.  H.,  April  3,  1738. 

8.  Jonathan  Everett  Sargent  was  born  at  New 
London,  N.  H.,  October  23,  1816.  He  lived  at  home, 
working  upon  the  farm  until  he  was  seventeen  years  of 
age,  and,  being  the  youngest  child,  his  father  had 
arranged  for  him  to  live  at  home  and  take  care  of 
his  parents,  and  have  the  farm  at  their  decease. 

While  living  at  home  his  advantages  for  schooling 
were  very  limited,  being  confined  to  eight  weeks 
winter  school  each  year,  the  farm  affording  too 
much  work  to  allow  of  his  attending  the  summer 
school  after  he  was  nine  or  ten  years  of  age.  He 
attended  one  term  at  Hopkinton  Academy  and  one 
term  at  a jjrivate  school  at  home  before  he  was  seven- 
teen. For  years  he  had  been  thirsting  for  knowledge, 
and  had  resolved  that,  if  any  way  could  be  provided 
for  taking  care  of  his  parents  in  their  old  age,  he 
would  obtain  an  education.  When  about  sixteen 
his  youngest  sister  was  married,  and  she,  with  her 
husband,  made  an  arrangement  with  her  parents 
under  which  they  moved  upon  the  homestead  farm 
and  assumed  the  care  of  her  parents  for  life.  So,  at 
seventeen,  Everett,  as  he  was  always  called,  arranged 
with  his  father  that  he  was  to  have  the  remaining 
four  years  of  his  time  till  twenty-one,  instead  of  the 
sum  which  his  older  brothers  had  received  upon 
arriving  of  age.  He  was  to  clothe  himself  and  pay 
his  own  bills,  and  call  for  nothing  more  from  his 
father. 

This  arrangement  was  made  in  the  summer  of  1833, 
and  that  fall  he  worked  in  the  saddler’s  shop  near 
his  father’s  and  taught  school  the  next  winter;  and 
in  the  spring  of  1834  he  went  to  Hopkinton  Academy, 
then  under  the  charge  of  Mr.  Enoch  L.  Childs,  where 
he  remained  through  the  season.  He  taught  school 
the  next  winter,  and  then  went,  in  the  spring  of 
1835,  to  Kimball  Union  Academy,  at  Meriden,  where 
he  remained,  under  the  instruction  of  Mr.  Cyrus  S. 
Richards,  until  commencement  in  1836,  when  he 
entered  Dartmouth  College.  After  he  had  thus, 
without  assistance,  fitted  himself  for  and  entered 
college,  his  father,  very  unexpectedly  to  him,  gave 
him  fifty  dollars  to  pay  his  expenses  the  first  term, 
and  offered  to  loan  him  a few  hundred  dollars,  if  he 
should  need,  in  his  college  course,  but  that  it  must 
be  considered  as  an  honorary  debt,  to  be  repaid,  with 
interest,  after  graduation. 

But,  by  teaching  school  every  winter  and  two  fall 
terms  in  Canaan  Academy  during  his  course,  he 
earned  enough  to  pay  all  his  expenses  in  college  with 
the  exception  of  two  hundred  dollars,  which  he  bor- 
rowed of  his  father,  and  gave  him  his  note  for  the 
same,  with  interest,  which  he  adjusted  within  a few 
years  after  graduation.  Though  out  of  college  two 
terms,  besides  winters  in  teaching  and  another  term 
on  account  of  sickness,  yet  he  was  always  ready  at 
each  examination  to  be  examined  with  his  class  in  all 
the  studies  they  had  been  over,  and  always  took  a 


high  stand  at  these  examinations.  He  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  Phi  Beta  Kappa  Society,  and  grad- 
uated in  1840  among  the  first  in  his  class. 

He  had  long  before  this  made  up  his  mind  to  turn 
his  attention  to  the  law  as  a profession,  and  he  ac- 
cordingly began  the  study  of  the  law  at  once  with 
Hon.  Wm.  P.  Weeks,  of  Canaan,  and  remained  with 
him  till  the  spring  of  1841,  when  he  was  advised  by 
his  physician  to  go  South  for  his  health.  He  went 
first  to  Washington,  soon  after  to  Alexandria,  D.  C., 
where  he  taught  a High  School,  then  to  Maryland, 
where  he  remained  a year  in  a family  school,  when, 
having  regained  his  health,  he  returned  to  New 
Hampshire  in  September,  1842.  He  had,  upon  his 
arrival  in  Washington,  entered  his  name  as  a law 
student  in  the  office  of  Hon.  David  A.  Hall,  of  that 
city,  and  continued  the  study  of  the  law  under  his 
direction  while  engaged  in  teaching,  and  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  the  courts  of  the  District  of 
Columbia  in  April,  1842,  only  about  twenty  months 
after  leaving  college.  By  the  rule  of  that  court,  any 
one  might  be  admitted  upon  examination  without 
regard  to  the  length  of  time  he  had  studied.  So  he 
was  examined  in  open  court  by  Chief  Justice  Cranch 
and  his  associates  upon  the  bench,  and  was  admitted. 

After  returning  home  he  continued  his  legal  studies 
with  Mr.  Weeks  until  the  July  law  term,  in  Sullivan 
County,  in  1843,  when  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
the  Superior  Court  of  Judicature  in  this  State.  He 
then  went  into  company  with  Mr.  Weeks  at  Canaan, 
where  he  remained  till  1847,  when  he  removed  to 
Wentworth,  and  opened  an  office  there.  He  had 
been  appointed  solicitor  for  Grafton  County  in  No- 
vember, 1844,  while  at  Canaan,  and  he  at  once  com- 
menced a lucrative  business  at  Wentworth ; was  re- 
appointed solicitor,  in  1849,  for  five  years  more,  thus 
holding  the  office  for  ten  years,  to  1854,  performing 
the  duties  to  the  entire  acceptance  of  the  county  and 
the  people.  He  declined  a reappointment. 

In  1851  lie  was  first  elected  a member  of  the  Legis- 
lature from  Wentworth,  and  served  as  chairman  of 
the  committee  on  incorporations.  The  next  year  he 
was  re-elected,  and  was  made  chairman  of  the  judi- 
ciary committee,  and  in  1853  he  was  again  a member, 
and  was  nominated  with  great  unanimity,  and  elected 
as  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives.  He 
served  with  ability  and  impartiality,  and  to  the 
general  acceptance  of  all  parties. 

The  next  winter  a new  man  was  to  be  selected  as  a 
candidate  for  Senator  in  his  district,  and  at  the  con- 
vention he  was  nominated  with  great  unanimity,  and 
was  elected  in  March,  in  a close  district,  by  about 
three  hundred  majority.  When  the  Senate  met,  in 
June,  there  was  some  discussion  as  to  a candidate  for 
president,  but  at  the  caucus  he  was  nominated  upon 
the  first  ballot,  and  was  duly  elected  as  president  of 
the  Senate  in  1854.  He  was  renominated  in  the 
spring  of  1855,  but  the  Know-Nothing  movement 
that  year  carried  everything  before  it,  and  he  was  de- 


BENCH  AND  BAH. 


21 


feated,  with  nearly  all  the  other  Democratic  nomi- 
nees in  the  State. 

On  the  2d  day  of  April,  1855,  he  was  appointed  a 
circuit  justice  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  for  the 
State.  But  in  June  of  that  year  there  was  an  un- 
wonted overturn,  and  the  old  courts  were  abolished, 
mainly  upon  political  grounds,  and  new  ones  or- 
ganized, and  new  judges  appointed.  Judge  Sargent 
was  making  his  arrangements  to  go  into  practice 
again  at  the  bar,  when  he  received  a request  from 
Governor  Metcalf  that  he  would  accept  the  second 
place  on  the  bench  of  the  new  Court  of  Common 
Pleas.  This  offer  had  not  been  expected,  but,  upon 
consultation  with  friends,  it  was  accepted,  and  Judge 
Sargent  was  appointed  an  associate  justice  of  the 
Court  of  Common  Pleas. 

He  acted  as  judge  of  the  new  Court  of  Common 
Pleas  for  four  years,  until  1859,  when,  by  a statute  of 
that  year,  that  court  was  abolished,  and  the  Supreme 
Judicial  Court  was  to  do  the  work  of  that  court  in 
addition  to  its  own,  and  one  new  judge  was  to  be 
added  to  that  court,  making  the  number  of  Supreme 
Court  judges  six  instead  of  five,  as  before.  Judge 
Sargent  was  at  once  appointed  to  that  place  on  the 
Supreme  bench.  He  was  then  the  youngest  member 
of  the  court  in  age,  as  well  as  in  the  date  of  his  com- 
mision.  He  remained  upon  the  bench  of  that  court 
just  fifteen  years,  from  1859  to  1874.  In  March,  1873, 
upon  the  death  of  Chief  Justice  Bellows,  Judge 
Sargent  was  appointed  chief  justice  of  the  State, 
which  place  he  held  until  August,  1874,  when  the 
court  was  again  overturned  to  make  room  for  the 
appointees  of  the  prevailing  political  party.  Chief 
Justice  Sargent,  at  the  time  of  his  appointment  as 
chief  justice,  had  become  the  oldest  judge  upon  the 
bench,  both  in  age  and  date  of  commission,  so  fre- 
quent had  been  the  changes  in  its  members  since  his 
appointment  to  that  bench,  less  than  fourteen  years 
before.  He  was  distinguished  for  his  laborious  in- 
dustry, his  impartiality  and  his  ability.  His  written 
opinions  are  contained  in  the  sixteen  volumes  of  the 
New  Hampshire  Reports,  from  the  thirty-ninth  to 
the  fifty-fourth,  inclusive,  numbering  about  three 
hundred  in  all.  Many  of  these  are  leading  opinions 
upon  various  subjects,  and  show  great  learning  and 
research. 

After  the  repeal  of  the  Missouri  Compromise,  and 
the  attempt  to  make  Kansas  a slave  State,  Judge 
Sargent  acted  with  the  Republican  party. 

Upon  leaving  the  bench,  in  August,  1874,  he  was 
solicited  to  go  into  the  practice  of  the  law  in  Con- 
cord with  Wm.  M.  Chase,  Esq.,  whose  late  partner, 
the  Hon.  Anson  S.  Marshall,  had  recently  been  sud- 
denly removed  by  death.  He  left  a very  extensive 
and  lucrative  practice,  more  than  any  one  man  could 
well  attend  to  alone,  and  into  this  practice,  by  an 
arrangement  with  Mr.  Chase,  Judge  Sargent  stepped 
at  once,  and  the  business  firm  thus  formed  continued 
for  five  years. 


In  187(1  he  was  elected  a member  of  the  Constitu- 
tional Convention  of  this  State.  In  this  convention 
he  acted  a prominent  part.  He  received  a large 
complimentary  vote  for  president  of  the  convention, 
but  that  choice  falling  upon  another,  Judge  Sargent 
was  made  chairman  of  the  Judiciary  Committee,  the 
same  place  held  by  Judge  Levi  Woodbury  in  the 
convention  of  1850.  He  took  an  active  part  in  the 
debates  and  discussions  of  that  body,  and  wielded 
an  influence  probably  second  to  no  one  in  the  con- 
vention. 

He  was  also  elected  by  his  ward  a member  of  the 
House  of  Representatives  for  the  years  1877  and 

1878.  It  was  evident  from  the  first,  so  numerous  and 
important  had  been  the  changes  in  the  constitution, 
that  there  must  be  a revision  of  the  general  statutes  of 
the  State.  Early  in  1877  steps  were  taken  for  this  re- 
vision, and  Judge  Sargent  was  appointed  chairman 
of  a committee,  with  Hon.  L.  W.  Barton,  of  New- 
port, and  Judge  J.  S.  Wiggin,  of  Exeter,  to  revise 
and  codify  the  statutes  of  the  State. 

This  committee  at  once  commenced  their  work, 
and  with  so  much  dispatch  was  it  prosecuted  that 
they  made  their  report  to  the  Legislature  of  1878, 
which  report  was,  with  various  amendments,  adopted 
by  that  Legislature.  There  was  also  much  new  legis- 
lation enacted  that  year,  which  the  committee  were 
instructed  to  incorporate  with  their  own  work,  and 
this  was  all  to  go  into  effect  the  1st  day  of  January, 

1879. 

The  committee  revised  their  work,  making  the  re- 
quired additions,  superintended  the  printing  of  the 
whole,  and  had  their  volume  ready  for  distribution 
before  the  day  appointed.  It  is  the  largest  volume 
of  statutes  ever  printed  in  the  State,  and  it  is  be- 
lieved not  to  be  inferior  to  any  other  in  any  im- 
portant particular. 

In  the  fall  of  1878  Judge  Sargent  was  invited  by  a 
committee  of  the  citizens  of  New  London  to  prepare 
a centennial  address,  to  be  delivered  on  the  one  hun- 
dredth anniversary  of  the  incorporation  of  the  town. 
He  at  once  accepted  the  invitation,  and  set  about  the 
work,  and  on  the  25th  day  of  June,  1879,  he  de- 
livered his  address  to  a large  assembly  of  the  present 
and  former  citizens  of  the  town  and  others,  the  occa- 
sion being  distinguished  by  a larger  collection  of 
people,  probably,  than  ever  met  in  the  town  upon 
any  former  occasion.  Being  a native  of  New  Lon- 
don, he  took  a peculiar  interest  in  looking  up  its 
early  history  and  in  tracing  the  lives  of  its  promi- 
nent men.  The  address  was  published  in  the 
Granite  Monthly  in  the  numbers  for  July,  August 
and  September,  1879,  and  has  been  favorably  noticed 
as  a work  of  great  labor  and  research. 

About  the  1st  of  September,  1879,  at  the  end  of 
five  years  from  the  commencement  of  his  partnership 
in  business,  the  question  arose  whether  he  should 
continue  for  five  years  more  or  retire.  Having  spent 
nearly  forty  years  of  his  life  in  toil,  he  concluded  to 


22 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


take  some  portion  of  the  remaining  time  for  enjoy- 
ment, while  he  had  health  and  strength  and  capacity 
to  enjoy.  He  retired  from  the  practice  of  the  law, 
finding  that  it  was  vain  to  hope  for  rest  and  recrea- 
tion while  engaged  in  that  profession.  The  judge 
has  one  of  the  finest  residences  in  the  city,  and  is 
enjoying  life  with  his  friends  and  his  books.  He  has 
also  traveled  extensively  in  his  own  country,  and 
been  a close  observer  of  men  and  things. 

In  1864  he  was  elected  Grand  Master  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  for  the  State  of 
New  Hampshire,  and  was  re-elected  the  next  year. 
After  this  he  declined  a re-election. 

Dartmouth  College  conferred  on  him  the  degree  of 
Master  of  Arts,  in  course,  three  years  after  gradua- 
tion; also,  the  honorary  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws, 
at  its  centennial  commencement,  in  1869. 

He  has  for  many  years  been  an  active  member  of 
the  New  Hampshire  Historical  Society,  and  for  the 
last  ten  or  twelve  years  has  been  one  of  its  vice- 
presidents. 

For  many  years  past  he  has  been  connected  with 
the  National  State  Capital  Bank  as  one  of  its  direc- 
tors. The  Loan  and  Trust  Savings-Bank,  at  Con- 
cord, commenced  business  August  1,  1872,  and  in  the 
thirteen  years  since  then  its  deposits  have  increased 
to  over  one  million  seven  hundred  thousand  dollars. 
Judge  Sargent  has  been  president  of  this  bank  and 
one  of  its  investment  committee  since  its  commence- 
ment, and  has  given  his  personal  attention  to  its 
affairs. 

In  1876  the  New  Hampshire  Centennial  Home  for 
the  Aged  was  organized  and  incorporated,  and,  Jan- 
uary 1,  1879,  a home  was  opened  in  Concord  at 
which  some  ten  to  twenty  aged  ladies  have  since 
been  supported.  The  funds  of  this  institution  are 
gradually  increasing,  and  its  work  is  being  well  done. 
For  the  last  eight  years  Judge  Sargent  has  been 
president  of  this  institution,  and  has  taken  a deep 
interest  in  its  prosperity  and  success. 

In  compliance  with  a request  from  a committee  of 
the  trustees,  he  prepared  and  delivered,  at  the  com- 
mencement at  Dartmouth  College,  in  1880,  a me- 
morial address  upon  the  late  Hon.  Joel  Parker,  for- 
merly chief  justice  of  this  State,  and  afterwards 
professor  of  law  in  Harvard  College.  This  duty 
Judge  Sargent  performed  in  a manner  creditable  to 
himself  and  satisfactory  to  the  friends  of  the  late 
Judge  Parker.  His  address  was  printed,  with  other 
similar  addresses  in  memory  of  other  deceased  judges, 
graduates  of  Dartmouth,  by  other  distinguished  sons 
of  the  college. 

He  married,  first,  Maria  C.  Jones,  of  Enfield, 
daughter  of  John  Jones,  Esq.,  November  29,  1843, 
by  whom  he  had  two  children.  John  Jones  Sargent, 
the  elder,  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  1866, 
and  died  in  Oshkosh,  Wis.,  October  3,  1870,  just  as 
he  was  ready  to  commence  the  practice  of  the  law. 
The  second,  Everett  Foster,  died  young.  For  his 


second  wife,  he  married  Louisa  Jennie  Paige,  daughter 
of  Deacon  James  K.  Paige,  of  Wentworth,  September 
5,  1853,  by  whom  he  has  had  three  children, — Marie 
Louise,  Annie  Lawrie  and  George  Lincoln.  The 
second  died  young;  the  eldest  and  youngest  survive. 

Since  he  commenced  the  practice  of  the  law,  in 
1843,  his  residence  has  been  as  follows:  In  Canaan 
four  years,  to  1847;  in  Wentworth  twenty-two  years, 
to  1869;  and  in  Concord  sixteen  years  since. 

As  a lawyer,  Judge  Sargent  was  always  faithful 
and  true  to  his  clients,  a safe  counselor  and  an  able 
advocate.  As  a legislator,  he  has  been  conservative 
and  safe.  As  a judge,  he  always  studied  to  get  at 
the  right  of  the  case,  to  hold  the  scales  of  justice 
evenly,  to  rule  the  law  plainly,  so  that  the  party 
against  whom  he  ruled  might  have  the  full  benefit 
of  his  exception  to  the  ruling,  and  to  get  the  ques- 
tions of  fact  and  the  evidence,  as  it  bore  upon  them, 
clearly  and  distinctly  before  the  jury.  Any  one  who 
attended  the  courts  where  he  presided  as  judge 
could  see  at  once  that  he  was  patient  and  pains- 
taking, industrious  and  persevering,  vigilant  and 
discriminating,  impartial  and  fearless;  and  anyone 
who  reads  his  written  opinions  will  see  that  they 
exhibit  great  research,  learning  and  ability. 

Mason  Weare  Tappan1  was  born  October  20, 
1817,  in  the  village  of  Newport,  Sullivan  County.  His 
father,  the  late  Weare  Tappan,  being  a strong  admirer 
! of  Jeremiah  Mason,  who,  at  that  time,  was  in  full  prac- 
tice at  the  bar,  named  his  son  after  him,  and  gave  him 
also  his  own  name  and  the  name  of  his  mother,  who 
was  one  of  the  descendants  of  the  celebrated  old 
Weare  family. 

Weare  Tappan  was  a man  of  note  and  ability,  prom- 
inent as  a lawyer,  and  a main  pillar  in  the  com- 
munity in  which  he  lived.  He  was  born  in  the  town 
of  East  Kingston,  Rockingham  County,  and  early 
settled  in  the  town  of  Newport.  He  read  law  with 
the  late  Judge  Ellis,  of  Claremont,  who  was  one  of  the 
ablest  and  most  accomplished  lawyers  in  the  State. 
Mr.  Tappan  was  one  of  the  marked  men  of  his  time. 
Taking  an  early  position  on  the  subject  of  slavery,  he 
was  an  old  pioneer  in  the  cause.  His  house  was  the 
rendezvous  of  the  anti-slavery  lecturer  and  the  home 
of  the.  fugitive  slave.  A patriarch  of  the  olden  time, 
strong  in  his  convictions  when  answering  to  his  con- 
science, he  had  determined  that  he  was  right ; he  died 
in  1866,  but  not  till  he  had  seen  the  fulfillment  of  his 
hope  and  prayer,  that  the  curse  of  slavery  might  be 
blotted  out  and  the  authority  of  the  government 
restored. 

The  mother  of  Mason  W.  Tappan  died  only  a few 
months  after  the  decease  of  his  father.  The  Concord 
Monitor,  in  noticing  her  death  at  the  time,  paid  her 
the  following  tribute : “ The  deceased  was  a fine  spec- 
imen of  the  old  school  of  ladies,  who  maintained  a 
lively  interest  in  the  present,  which,  added  to  her 


1 By  Walter  C.  Harriman. 


BENCH  AND  BAR. 


23 


groat  intelligence,  rare  conversational  powers,  keen 
insight  of  persons,  a strong  moral  nature  and  a cath- 
olic spirit,  bounded  by  no  creed  or  color,  made  her 
presence  a benediction  and  her  life  a pleasant  recol- 
lection.” 

At  an  early  age  Mason  removed  with  the  family  to 
Bradford,  Merrimack  County,  and  here  he  spent  his 
boyhood  days,  and  here  has  he  always  resided.  In 
his  youth  he  displayed  many  of  those  strong  traits  of 
character  which  became  prominent  in  after-life.  He 
early  formed  a resolution  to  abstain  from  the  use  of 
intoxicating  drinks,  and  that  resolution  has  never 
b.een  broken.  In  addition  to  the  regular  course  of 
instruction  which  he  received  from  his  parents,  he 
attended  old  Father  Ballard’s  school,  in  Hopkinton, 
and  the  Hopkinton  Academy,  which  was  a noted 
school  in  those  days.  He  also  became  a student  at 
the  Meriden  Academy. 

Having  chosen  the  profession  of  the  law,  he  pursued 
the  study  of  the  same  with  his  father  and  with  the 
Hon.  George  W.  Nesmith,  of  Franklin,  who  for  a long 
time  was  one  of  the  judges  of  the  Supreme  Judicial 
Court.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1841,  and  soon 
acquired  an  extensive  practice  in  Merrimack  and 
Sullivan  Counties.  In  the  eminent  anay  of  legal 
ability  that  adorned  the  bar  in  those  days,  by  his 
power  as  an  advocate,  he  shortly  obtained  a promi- 
nent place. 

Down  to  the  year  1853  he  had  given  his  undivided 
attention  to  the  law.  His  practice  and  his  reputation 
as  a lawyer  were  constantly  on  the  increase.  He  had 
belonged  to  the  Whig,  Free-Soil  and  American  par- 
ties. Although  his  first  step  aside  from  his  profession 
was  only  to  represent  his  town  (which  was  largely 
Democratic)  in  the  Legislature,  to  which  he  was 
successively  elected  in  1853,  1854  and  1855,  by  his 
personal  popularity  among  his  townsmen,  it  was 
apparent,  from  the  position  that  he  occupied  and  the 
character  of  the  times,  that  he  would  drift  into  broader 
fields.  To  turn  from  his  profession  and  enter  the 
arena  of  party  strife,  although  a matter  largely  con- 
trolled by  force  of  circumstances,  was  a step  not  to  be 
taken  without  due  deliberation.  In  Sullivan  County, 
with  always  a formidable  array  of  counsel  against  him, 
he  had  achieved  some  of  his  greatest  triumphs,  and 
had  never  failed  to  secure  a verdict  before  a jury.  It 
was  with  some  misgivings  that  he  turned  from  the 
certain  pursuits  of  his  professional  career  to  tread  the 
uncertain  paths  in  the  field  of  American  politics. 

In  the  legislative  session  of  1854,  Mr.  Tappan  was 
a candidate  for  Speaker  of  the  House,  and,  notwith- 
standing there  was  a Democratic  majority  of  about 
twenty,  he  came  within  two  votes  of  an  election.  In 
the  same  year,  forgetting  past  contentions,  and  moved 
by  the  prominent  stand  he  had  taken  in  the  Legisla- 
ture, the  Whigs,  Free-Soilers,  Independent  Democrats 
and  Americans  came  to  his  support  and  nominated 
him  a member  of  Congress  from  the  old  Second  Dis- 
trict, and  he  was  elected.  He  was  twice  re-elected, 


breaking  for  the  first  time  the  long-established  rule  of 
giving  a member  of  Congress  only  two  terms,  and 
served  in  the  Thirty-fourth,  Thirty-fifth  and  Thirty- 
sixth  Congresses  with  distinguished  ability,  and  es- 
tablished for  himself,  in  those  eventful  times  when 
“ madness  ruled  the  hour,”  a reputation  as  an  able  and 
fearless  champion  of  the  cause  of  the  Union  and  the 
great  principles  of  the  Republican  party.  In  July, 
1856,  Mr.  Tappan  made  a speech  upon  the  subject  of 
the  extension  of  slavery  into  Kansas,  the  House  be- 
ing in  a committee  of  the  whole  on  the  state  of  the 
Union.  “ It  was  a rich  treat,”  to  use  the  language  of 
the  New  York  Tribune  at  the  time,  “ and  made  some 
of  the  Southern  chivalry  ‘rise  to  a point  of  order,’ 
and  ask  questions  and  squirm,  and  look  very  uncom- 
fortable. It  was  a speech  produced  by  deep  research 
and  much  labor.”  In  conclusion,  Mr.  Tappan  said  : 
“ Mr.  Chairman,  let  me  say  that  we  seek  no  quarrel 
with  our  brethren  of  the  South.  This  is  an  issue  they 
have  forced  upon  us,  and,  with  God’s  blessing,  we  will 
meet  it  as  becomes  worthy  descendants  of  patriotic 
sires!  You  sometimes  tell  us  that  you  want  to  be  let 
alone.  That  is  precisely  what  we  intend  to  do ; we 
will  interfere  with  none  of  your  rights ; whatever  is 
‘ nominated  in  the  bond  ’ that  we  will  yield.  In  turn, 
is  it  too  much  for  us  to  make  the  same  request  of 
you — that  you  will  let  us  alone?  If  slavery  be  a 
blessing,  to  you  shall  inure  all  its  benefits.  If  it  be  a 
curse,  do  not  ask  to  place  it  on  our  soil  to  involve  us 
in  its  guilt.  We  desire  to  cultivate  the  relations  of 
peace  and  fraternal  kindness  with  the  people  of  the 
South.” 

The  storm  of  secession  was  rising,  and  all  political 
elements  were  warming  to  the  contest  that  was  fast 
coming  on.  No  State  in  the  Union  had  more  reason 
to  be  proud  of  any  of  its  delegation  in  Congress  than 
had  New  Hampshire  of  Mr.  Tappan.  As  was 
said  by  one  of  the  leading  newspapers  in  the  State  at 
the  time,  he  was  “ active,  enthusiastic  and  always 
conciliatory  where  conciliation  is  needed.  With  a heart 
forced  by  its  very  nature  to  hate  falsehood,  oppression 
and  wrong,  he  is  just  the  man  whom  a free  people 
should  delight  to  honor,  and  in  honoring  whom  they 
must  honor  themselves.” 

j Mr.  Tappan,  in  March,  1858,  delivered  an  able 
speech  in  the  House  upon  slavery  agitation,  nullifica- 
tion and  the  Lecompton  Constitution,  in  which  he  said 
that  he  wished  “to  put  on  record  the  protest  of  New 
Hampshire  of  what  he  conceived  to  be  the  most  stu- 
pendous political  fraud  that  was  ever  before  attempted 
to  be  perpetrated  upon  any  people.”  In  the  winter  of 
1860-61,  in  the  Thirty-sixth  Congress,  the  celebrated 
select  committee  of  thirty-three — one  from  each  State 
— was  constituted,  to  which  was  referred  so  much  of 
the  President’s  annual  message  as  related  to  the  then 
disturbed  state  of  the  country.  Mr.  Tappan  was 
placed  upon  this  committee,  and  joined  with  Mr. 

I Washburn,  of  Wisconsin,  in  a minority  report. 

' A report  on  the  part  of  the  majority  had  been  agreed 


24 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


to  and  submitted,  recommending  amendments  to  the 
Constitution,  by  which  the  South  would  acquire  all, 
if  not  more,  than  it  had  demanded  for  its  institution 
of  slavery.  This  minority  report  was  a strong  docu- 
ment, and  recommended  the  adoption  of  the  following 
resolution  : 

“ Resolved , That  the  provisions  of  the  Constitution  are  ample  for  the 
preservation  of  the  Union,  and  the  protection  of  the  material  interests  of 
the  country  ; that  it  needs  to  be  obeyed  rather  than  amended  ; and  our 
extrication  from  present  difficulties  is  to  be  looked  for  in  efforts  to  pre- 
serve and  protect  the  public  property  and  enforce  the  laws,  rather  than 
in  new  guarantees  for  particular  interests,  or  compromises,  or  conces- 
sions to  unreasonable  demands.” 

On  the  5th  of  February,  1861,  the  minority  report 
was  submitted,  and  Mr.  Tappan  immediately  arose  in 
his  seat  and  addressed  himself  to  the  issues  involved. 
He  began  by  saying  that  he  was  opposed  to  the  rais- 
ing of  this  committee  at  the  outset,  not  because  he 
did  not  fully  understand  the  perilous  condition  of  the 
country,  but  because  he  believed  that  the  appointment 
of  such  a committee  would  lead  to  some  sort  of  a com- 
promise, when  any  compromise,  under  the  circum- 
stances, would  be  humiliating  to  the  North,  and 
he  did  not  believe  that  any  measures  that  might  be 
passed  would  be  productive  of  good,  and  would  only 
add  fuel  to  the  flame.  He  was  not  unwilling,  at  the 
proper  time,  to  make  reasonable  concessions  to  any 
portion  of  his  countrymen  that  had  grievances  to  be 
redressed.  But  he  contended  that  that  portion  of 
the  American  people  who  had  just  succeeded  in  elect- 
ing their  President,  in  the  modes  and  forms  recog- 
nized by  the  Constitution,  had  done  nothing  that  re- 
quired apology, — he  did  not,  for  one,  go  into  that  I 
election  to  have  the  principles  for  which  he  con- 
tended abandoned  at  the  first  howl  of  those  that  were 
disappointed  at  the  result.  Other  parties  went  into 
the  election,  and  all  must  abide  the  result.  But  no 
sooner  was  the  election  of  Mr.  Lincoln  declared  than 
the  fires  of  revolution  broke  out.  With  most  indecent 
haste,  the  disunionists  of  the  country,  who,  by  their 
own  confessions,  had  been  plotting  its  overthrow  for 
thirty  years,  seized  the  public  property,  insulted  the 
American  flag  and,  with  jeers  at  the  government 
which  had  protected  them  so  long,  declared 
themselves  out  of  the  Union.  Under  these  cir- 
cumstances, he  was  for  postponing  all  other  ques- 
tions until  it  was  ascertained  whether  we  had  a gov- 
ernment or  not.  He  declared  that  if  this  government 
was  a mere  cobweb,  with  no  power  for  its  own  preser- 
vation, it  would  be  utterly  useless  to  attempt  to  patch 
it  up  with  compromises.  He  was  for  narrowing  the 
issue  to  the  question  of  Union  or  no  Union,  govern- 
ment or  no  government,  and  maintained  that,  if  this 
position  had  been  boldly  taken  from  the  start,  they 
would  have  stood  stronger.  Every  time  the  people  of 
the  free  States  have  wavered,  every  time  her  repre- 
sentatives have  evinced  a disposition  to  fall  back  one 
step  from  their  position,  the  Secessionists,  with  fiercer 
yells,  have  advanced  two.  At  the  first  dawn  of  trea- 
son in  its  borders,  the  great  Nation  retires  before 


it,  and  is  crumbling  to  pieces  without  an  effort  to 
maintain  its  integrity  or  a finger  raised  to  protect  its 
flag!  The  enforcement  of  the  revenue  laws,  the  de- 
fense of  the  capital  and  the  protection  of  the  public 
property  does  not  necessarily  involve  war.  He  pro- 
ceeded at  length  on  this  line,  and  in  course  of  his 
masterly  effort  uttered  the  following  sentiments: 

“ Sir,  I will  indulge  in  no  threats  of  what  would  be 
the  result  in  such  an  event  [in  the  event  of  war],  I 
will  make  no  boasts  of  the  prowess  of  any  particular 
section  of  the  country.  I desire  to  say  no  word  that 
can  exasperate  or  inflame,  but  simply  to  plant  myself  on 
the  side  of  ray  country  and  the  integrity  of  its  govern- 
ment, whose  Constitution  I have  sworn  to  support. 
Sir,  the  Union  is  dear  to  the  people  of  the  Northern 
States ; they  would  sacrifice  much  to  preserve  it  as  it 
is;  but  a Union  founded  on  the  protection  of  slavery 
as  its  ‘chief corner-stone  ’ is  not  the  Union  for  which 
our  fathers  fought,  and  is  not  the  precious  boon  which 
they  supposed  they  had  transmitted  to  their  posterity.” 

The  speech  was  widely  circulated,  and  many  of  the 
congratulations  that  were  called  forth  by  it  were  con- 
tained in  private  letters  from  leading  citizens,  not  only 
in  New  England,  but  throughout  the  free  States.  By 
this  heroic  maintenance  of  the  “ Union  as  it  is  and 
the  Constitution  as  our  fathers  made  it,”  there  were 
accorded  to  him  an  ability  and  statesmanship  which 
those  troublesome  times  so  much  demanded  in  the 
halls  of  Congress. 

Mr.  Tappan’s  course  throughout,  as  a member  of 
Congress,  was  characterized  by  a conscientious  regard 
for  the  right  and  the  true  spirit  of  independence. 
Over  him  there  was  no  unworthy  control  and  with 
him  there  was  no  unworthy  alliance.  The  part  he 
bore  as  a member  of  the  committee  of  thirty-three 
receives  high  commendation  in  the  first  volume  of 
Mr.  Blaine’s  book,  “Twenty  Years  of  Congress.” 
His  action  in  the  celebrated  Judge  Watrous  case  and 
on  the  admission  of  Oregon  as  a State  was  not  with- 
out criticism.  But  that  criticism  was  fully  disarmed 
and  his  course  vindicated.  On  the  5th  of  March,  1859, 
at  a great  Republican  meeting  in  the  city  of  Concord, 
the  people  of  every  shade  of  political  opinion  gath- 
ered to  hear  him  and  listen  to  an  explanation  of  his 
position  in  the  Oregon  affair.  In  a candid  and  able 
manner  he  reviewed  his  action  thereon,  and  concluded 
by  saying  “ that  he  would  not  have  taken  a different 
position  if  every  man,  woman  and  child  in  the  State, 
on  bended  knees,  had  implored  him  to  do  it;  but 
would  have  resigned  and  come  home  and  delivered  to 
his  constituents  the  trust  which  had  been  confided 
to  him.”  A press  report  says  “ That  the  speaker 
was  interrupted  here  by  loud  and  continued  applause 
such  as  was  never  before  heard  in  the  city,  while 
three  tremendous  cheers  were  given,  which  showed 
emphatically  that  the  hearts  of  the  people  were  with 
him.” 

During  his  Congressional  life,  which  closed  with  the 
Thirty-sixth  Congress  (not  being  a candidate  for  re- 


BENCH  AND  BAB. 


25 


election),  he  had  served  on  the  judiciary  committee 
and  was  chairman  of  the  committee  of  claims,  and  at 
the  time  of  his  appointment  as  such  chairman,  the 
following  appeared  in  the  New  York  Tribune : “ The 
Hon.  Mason  W.  Tappan  was  conspicuous  intheThirty- 
fiftli  Congress  as  a member  of  the  committee  of  the 
judiciary,  and  during  the  protracted  examination  of 
the  charges  preferred  against  Judge  Watrous,  Mr. 
Tappan  was  untiring  in  the  discharge  of  his  delicate 
duties.  His  selection  now,  as  the  head  of  the  com- 
mittee on  claims,  was  a compliment  due,  as  well  to  his 
past  services  in  Congress,  as  to  his  distinguished  abil- 
ity as  a lawyer  and  integrity  as  a man.” 

He  was  also  a menber  of  the  vigilance  committee, 
the  chief  duties  of  which  were  to  watch  the  “ Black 
Horse  Cavalry.” 

We  had  reached  the  period  of  civil  war.  Armies 
were  gathering,  and  the  principles  he  had  enunciated 
in  the  national  House  of  Representatives  he  was 
ready  to  defend  in  the  field.  Abraham  Lincoln  called 
for  seventy-five  thousand  volunteers  for  three  months, 
and  Colonel  Tappan  was  one  of  the  first  men  to  enlist 
in  the  State.  The  command  of  the  First  Regiment 
naturally  went  to  him,  and  he  was  accordingly  ap- 
pointed and  commissioned  by  Governor  Berry.  The 
regiment  was  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United 
States  from  the  1st  to  the  4tli  of  May,  1861,  and  on 
the  morning  of  the  25th  left  for  the  seat  of  war.  The 
regiment  received  one  continued  ovation  as  it  moved 
to  the  front.  In  New  York  City  it  was  presented  with  a 
silk  flag,  by  Judge  Bowney,  and  its  passage  through  the 
streets  of  the  great  metropolis  on  the  day  of  the  fun- 
eral of  Colonel  Ellsworth  created  a scene  never  to  be 
forgotten.  It  was  the  first  regiment  that  had  entered 
the  field  fully  equipped,  with  field  and  staff  officers 
mounted,  and  with  seventy-five  horses  and  twenty- 
one  baggage-waggons.  It  wheeled  into  line  behind 
the  funeral  cortege  and  marched  down  Broadway. 
Baltimore  was  reached  in  the  afternoon  of  May  27th. 
The  men  disembarked  from  the  cars,  and, with  loaded 
muskets  and  fixed  bayonets,  marched  to  the  tune  of 
“ Yankee  Doodle  ” unmolested  through  the  city  that 
had  shed  Union  blood.  On  reaching  Washington,  the 
regiment  marched  up  Pennsylvania  Avenue  and  on 
to  Kalorama,  where  it  went  into  camp.  As  soon  as 
the  column  had  passed  the  White  House,  President 
Lincoln  sent  for  Colonel  Tappan,  and,  complimenting 
him  highly  on  the  appearance  of  his  men,  said,  taking 
him  by  the  hand,  “ Colonel  Tappan,  your  regiment 
looks  more  like  war  than  anything  I have  seen.”  On 
the  10th  of  June  the  regiment  was  joined  to  a brigade 
commanded  by  Colonel  Charles  P.  Stone,  and  marched 
to  Rockville,  Md.  At  this  time  the  Confederate  army 
was  skirting  the  right  bank  of  the  Potomac,  and  at 
no  time  during  the  war  was  the  national  capital  in 
greater  peril. 

On  the  14th  of  June  the  regiment  moved  towards 
Poolesville,  the  object  of  this  movement  being  to 
guard  the  river  against  the  enemy,  who  were  in  large  1 


force  at  Leesburg,  Ya.  On  the  17th  the  enemy  opened 
fire  on  a portion  of  the  regiment  with  rifles  and  six- 
pound  cannon,  and  while  Colonel  Tappan  was  mov- 
ing with  the  remaining  portion  of  the  regiment  to  the 
scene  of  action,  he  was  ordered  back  to  guard  against 
an  anticipated  attack  from  another  direction.  He  was 
placed  in  command  at  Poolesville,  and  established  a 
line  of  pickets  for  a distance  of  fourteen  miles,  from 
his  camp,  at  Poolesville,  down  to  Concord  Ferry,  thence 
up  the  Potomac  to  the  mouth  of  the  Monocacy.  On 
the  6th  of  July  a detachment,  under  command  of  Col- 
onel Tappan,  moved  to  Sandy  Hook,  the  reserve  to 
be  sent  there  by  rail  on  the  7th,  and  that  night 
moved  up  the  river  on  the  Maryland  sidetwelve  miles, 
arriving  at  Sharpsburg  at  two  o’clock  in  the  morning, 
and  at  Williamsport,  twelve  miles  farther,  in  the  af- 
ternoon, where  they  forded  the  river  and  stood  on  the 
“sacred  soil”  of  Virginia.  Here  they  joined  the 
brigade,  which  moved  forward  to  Martinsburg,  where 
they  joined  the  command  of  General  Patterson,  who 
had  his  running  fight  with  Johnston,  called  the 
battle  of  Falling  Waters.  July  14th  the  regiment, 
with  the  rest  of  the  division,  moved  on  towards  Win- 
chester. The  enemy  fled  at  their  approach.  They 
reached  Bunker  Hill  in  the  afternoon  of  the  same 
day.  The  troops  were  anxious  for  battle,  but  instead 
of  marching  on  Winchester,  a retreat  was  ordered  to 
Charlestown.  On  the  day  of  the  battle  of  Bull 
Run,  the  21st,  the  division  marched  to  Harper’s 
Ferry  and  went  into  camp  on  Bolivar  Heights.  July 
21st  found  the  regiment  again  in  camp  at  Sandy 
Hook,  and  August  2d,  their  term  of  enlistment  having 
expired,  they  embarked  on  board  the  cars  for  New 
Hampshire,  being  mustered  out  of  the  service  at  Con- 
cord, the  12th  of  August,  1861. 

The  men  of  Colonel  Tappan’s  regiment  were  a 
portion  of  the  time  wretchedly  clad,  and  endured 
many  hardships.  Owing  to  the  reputation  the  regi- 
ment had  acquired  since  entering  the  field,  it  was 
placed  as  the  leading  regiment  on  the  right  of  the 
army  in  its  extended  operations  in  Maryland  and 
Virginia.  Of  Colonel  Tappan,  “ New  Hampshire  in 
the  Rebellion  ” says  : “As  a commander  he  was  pa- 
triotic, brave  and  thoughtful  of  and  kind  to  his  offi- 
cers and  men,  and  respected  by  all.” 

Colonel  Tappan  was  appointed  colonel  of  the 
Fourth  Regiment  upon  the  resignation  of  Colonel 
Whipple,  but  declined  the  appointment,  feeling  that 
it  would  be  doing  injustice  to  the  brave  ranking  offi- 
cers of  that  regiment.  He  was,  subsequently,  unani- 
mously elected  colonel  of  the  Sixteenth  Regiment  by 
its  soldiers  ; but  Colonel  Tappan,  as  well  as  the  Gov- 
ernor of  the  State,  thought  it  advisable  that  the 
commission  should  go  to  another. 

For  the  last  twenty-five  years  Colonel  Tappan  has 
been  engaged  in  the  constant  practice  of  the  law. 
He  has  always  maintained  a large  practice  in  his 
county,  and  in  many  noted  trials  in  other  parts  of  the 
State  he  has  been  engaged.  In  the  celebrated  Paul 


26 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


R.  George  will  case  he  was  associated  with  the  late 
Caleb  Cushing  at  his  particular  request. 

By  a close  application  to  the  study  of  the  law 
through  a period  of  five  years,  Colonel  Tappan  was 
admitted  to  the  bar,  after  a thorough  examination  by 
such  a lawyer  as  the  late  Judge  Perley,  with  no  com- 
mon knowledge  in  all  its  branches,  and  perhaps 
fitted,  had  he  so  inclined,  to  become  what  is  popu- 
larly known  as  a technical  lawyer.  But  rather  than 
a strict  adherence  to  the  mere  technicalities  of  the 
law,  but  taking  a broader  and  more  comprehensive 
view  of  what  the  law  is  and  what  the  practice  of  it 
ought  to  be,  it  is  more  in  accordance  with  his  nature 
to  rely  on  the  merits  of  each  individual  case  and  the 
great  law  of  reason  and  common  sense  as  applicable  to 
them. 

In  1876,  Colonel  Tappan  was  appointed  Attorney- 
General  of  the  State  by  Governor  Cheney,  which 
position  he  now  holds.  The  administration  of  his 
office,  and  the  manner  he  has  conducted  the  large 
number  of  State  and  capital  cases  that  have  fallen  to 
him,  has  been  characterized  by  ability  and  a faithful 
discharge  of  its  varied  and  important  duties. 

As  an  advocate,  he  goes  to  his  work  with  great  as- 
surance, moulds  his  thought  into  shape  with  stalwart 
strength,  is  clear  and  convincing,  and  the  conviction 
that  he  is  sincere  in  the  cause  he  presents  is  impressed 
upon  those  that  hear  him. 

During  the  time  that  he  has  been  thus  actively  en- 
gaged in  his  profession  he  has,  in  many  heated  polit- 
ical campaigns,  for  which  the  State  is  so  much  noted, 
taken  the  stump  in  behalf  of  the  cause  of  the  Repub- 
lican party,  and  what  he  deemed  to  be  for  the  welfare 
of  the  whole  country.  In  the  great  contest  of  1868, 
in  Warner,  the  home  of  his  friend  and  the  nominee 
of  the  Republican  party,  General  Walter  Harriman, 
he  made  a speech  of  four  hours’  duration,  in  reply  to 
Richard  Yaux,  of  Pennsylvania,  who  had  spoken 
there  the  day  before,  and  had  taken  the  ground  that 
in  the  reconstruction  of  the  Southern  States  the  ad- 
ministration had  acted  outside  of  the  Constitution. 
Colonel  Tappan,  taking  as  his  text  the  clause  in  the 
Constitution  that  the  “ United  States  shall  guarantee 
to  every  State  in  this  Union  a republican  form  of 
government,”  proceeded  with  heavy  blows  to  destroy 
the  argument  of  the  day  before.  The  impression  that 
this  speech  made  upon  the  writer,  as  well  as  upon  the 
minds  of  all  that  heard  him,  still  remains,  and  it  was 
the  opinion,  regardless  of  party,  that  the  object  of  it 
was  accomplished. 

In  the  national  campaign  of  1872,  Colonel  Tappan 
joined  the  Liberal  Republican  movement,  and  sup- 
ported his  life-long  friend,  Horace  Greeley,  for  the 
Presidency.  Between  these  two  men  the  strongest 
ties  of  friendship  existed.  Colonel  Tappan  believed 
that,  more  than  any  other  man,  Horace  Greeley  was 
the  framer  and  builder  of  the  Republican  party.  He 
was  in  Washington,  as  a member  of  Congress,  during 
the  great  contest  for  the  Speakership  of  the  House  of 


Representatives.  Horace  Greeley  was  there,  and  he 
regarded  him  as  the  master-spirit  that  directed  the 
jarring  and  discordant  elements,  and,  uniting  them  on 
General  Banks,  secured  his  election  as  Speaker.  The 
war  being  over,  and  the  people  of  the  North  and 
South  being  citizens  of  one  common  country,  he  be- 
lieved that  the  desired  era  of  peace  and  reconciliation 
would  be  brought  about  by  the  election  of  Horace 
Greeley,  and  preferred  that  it  should  come  under  the 
leadership  of  such  a Republican  than  under  a reign 
of  the  Democratic  party.  He  therefore  supported 
Horace  Greeley,  and  while  this  course  subjected  him 
to  adverse  comment  and  criticism  no  one  doubted  his 
sincerity  or  the  motives  by  which  he  was  actuated. 
Nor  did  it  imply  that  he  had  renounced  any  of  the 
principles  of  the  Republican  party,  to  which  he  had 
adhered  from  the  day  of  its  birth,  and  with  which,  in 
the  course  of  events,  he  again  found  himself  in  full 
accord. 

Colonel  Tappan  has  been  three  times  married.  His 
first  wife  was  Emeline  M.  Worth,  of  Sutton,  by  whom 
he  had  one  son,  Frank  M.  Tappan,  Esq.,  who  resides 
near  his  father,  in  Bradford.  His  second  wife  was 
Mary  E.  Jenkins,  of  Boston,  and  his  present  wife  was 
Miss  Imogene  B.  Atwood,  of  Lisbon,  by  whom  he  has 
a little  daughter,  Helen  L.  Tappan. 

Of  Colonel  Tappan,  as  a man  and  a citizen,  the 
writer  concludes  this  sketch  by  quoting  from  a letter 
of  a neighbor,  as  follows  : “ Mr.  Tappan’s  kindness  to 
the  poor  and  afflicted,  his  fidelity  as  a friend,  his 
sensitiveness  of  heart  and  his  honor  in  his  profes- 
sion are  proverbial  among  his  most  intimate  ac- 
quaintances.” 

John  Henry  Albin  1 was  born  October  17,  1843, 
at  West  Randolph,  Vermont.  He  is  the  son  of  John 
and  Emily  (White)  Albin.  At  the  High  School  in 
Concord,  N.  H.,  he  prepared  for  college,  and  entered 
Dartmouth  at  the  fall  term  of  1860,  and  graduating 
therefrom  in  1864,  he  commenced  the  study  of  the 
law  with  the  late  Hon.  Ira  A.  Eastman  of  Concord, 
who  was  a prominent  lawyer  and  at  one  time  one  of 
the  judges  of  the  Supreme  Judicial  Court.  He  pur- 
sued his  legal  studies  assiduously,  without  interrup- 
tion, until  October,  1867,  when  he  was  admitted  to 
the  bar.  In  April,  1868,  he  became  a partner  of  Judge 
Eastman.  In  December  of  the  same  year,  Samuel  B. 
Page,  Esq.,  removed  from  Warren,  N.  H.,  and  became 
a member  of  the  firm.  They  did  a large  business  and 
it  was  one  of  the  leading  firms  in  the  State.  It  was 
dissolved  in  1874,  at  which  time  Mr.  Albin  became 
associated  with  the  writer  of  this  sketch,  and  by  rea- 
son of  whose  appointment  as  Attorney  General  of  the 
State,  the  relation  was  for  a short  time  dissolved,  as 
under  a statute  the  Attorney-General  was  disqualified 
from  practice,  except  in  cases  wherein  the  State  was 
a party.  This  statute  being  repealed,  the  association 
was  renewed. 


1 By  Mason  \V.  Tappan. 


BENCH  AND  BAR. 


27 


Mr.  Albin  formed  a partnership  with  Nathaniel  E. 
Martin,  Esq.,  of  Concord,  under  the  title  of  Albin  & 
Martin.  This  firm  has  an  extensive  legal  business. 

Mr.  Albin  was  a member  of  the  Legislature  from 
Concord,  in  1872-73.  During  his  first  term  he  served 
upon  the  Judiciary  Committee,  and  in  1873  was  chair- 
man of  the  Committee  on  Railroads. 

Iu  1875  he  took  up  his  residence  in  Henniker,  N.  H., 
but  continued  his  business  in  Concord.  He  was 
elected  to  represent  the  town  in  the  Legislature  of 
1876,  during  which  session  he  was  a member  of  the 
Judiciary  Committee,  and  of  several  important  special 
committees  he  was  made  chairman. 

Mr.  Albin  has  given  much  time  and  attention  to 
Odd-Fellowship,  and  takes  great  interest  in  the  mys- 
tic brotherhood.  He  has  held  all  of  the  official  posi- 
tions in  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  jurisdiction,  and  at 
its  annual  session  iu  1879  was  elected  Grand  Master. 
In  September,  1881,  he  represented  the  Grand  Lodge 
in  the  Sovereign  Grand  Lodge  at  its  session  in  Cin- 
cinnati, and  in  that  at  Baltimore  in  September,  1882. 
At  the  session  held  in  Cincinnati,  September,  1881,  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  prepare  a Degree  of  Uni- 
formed Patriarchs,  which  consisted  of  William  H. 
Crocker  of  Chicago,  Theodore  B.  Elliott  of  Milwaukee, 
John  H.  Albin,  C.  B.  Colledge  of  Washington,  D.  C., 
and  John  Heeseman  of  Charleston,  S.  C.  The  labo- 
rious duty  of  preparing  the  work  contemplated,  fell 
to  Mr.  Albin,  and  was  performed  with  great  care  ; he 
reported  a Degree  which  was  accepted  by  the  commit- 
tee and  almost  unanimously  adopted  by  the  Sovereign 
Grand  Lodge,  at  its  session  in  Baltimore  in  September 
1882.  This  committee  was  continued  in  existence, 
with  full  power  over  the  Degree  until  it  was  dis- 
charged by  the  grand  body  at  its  session  held  in 
Providence,  in  September,  1883.  At  the  September 
session  of  1884,  at  Minneapolis,  Minn.,  Mr.  Albin  was 
made  chairman  of  the  Committee  of  the  Patriarchal 
Branch  of  the  Order,  and  at  the  same  session  a special 
committee  was  appointed  for  the  purpose  of  making 
any  revision  that  might  be  deemed  necessary  so  far  as 
that  Degree  was  concerned,  and  also  to  report  such 
legislation  as  might  be  necessary  to  carry  it  into  full 
effect.  That  committee  was  composed  of  Mr.  Albin, 
ex-Governor  John  C.  Underwood  of  Covington,  Ky., 
and  Edward  A.  Stevens  of  Minneapolis,  Minn.,  with 
instructions  to  report  at  the  session  of  the  Sovereign 
Grand  Lodge,  at  Baltimore,  September,  1885. 

To  those  who  know  Mr.  Albin  it  is  not  too  much  to 
say,  that  he  is  one  of  the  most  active,  industrious  and 
well-read  lawyers  in  the  State,  and,  notwithstanding 
his  constantly  increasing  business,  he  keeps  himself 
thoroughly  read  up  in  the  latest  legal  decisions,  and 
makes  it  a point  to  provide  himself  with  the  best  and 
newest  text-books  in  the  profession.  No  case  comes 
to  his  hands  but  is  first  thoroughly  investigated  in  all 
its  legal  aspects;  and  in  preparing  and  presenting  his 
cases  to  the  court,  jury,  or  whatever  tribunal  are  to 
hear  the  same,  in  fact,  in  the  whole  conduct  of  a trial, 


he  takes  high  rank  at  the  New  Hampshire  bar.  No 
pains  are  spared  and  no  labor  is  shirked  which  he 
considers  will  in  any  way  tend  to  advance  the  cause 
or  the  interests  of  his  clients. 

Although  actively  engaged  in  his  profession,  Mr. 
Albin  takes  great  interest  in  agricultural  pursuits, 
and  upon  his  farm  in  Henniker  he  spends  many  days 
of  pleasant  recreation. 

He  was  married,  September  5, 1872,  to  Miss  Georgie 
A.  Modica,  of  Henniker.  They  have  two  children, 
Henry  A.,  born  February  5,  1875,  and  Edith  G.,  born 
August  5,  1878. 

William  Lawrence  Foster  is  the  only  son  of 
John  and  Sophia  (Willard)  Foster.  His  father  was 
one  of  thirteen  children  of  the  Rev.  Edmund  and 
Phoebe  (Lawrence)  Foster. 

Edmund,  the  grandfather  of  Judge  Foster,  was  born 
at  Groton,  Mass.,  in  1754.  He  graduated  at  Yale 
College,  studied  for  the  ministry  and  became  quite 
prominent  as  a preacher.  He  was  settled  over  the 
church  in  Littleton,  Mass.,  and  continued  to  be  its 
pastor  until  his  death,  in  1825,  a period  of  more  than 
forty  years.  He  was  at  one  time  a member  of  the 
Massachusetts  State  Senate.  In  1783  he  married 
Phoebe  Lawrence,  of  Littleton.  She  was  the  daughter 
of  Colonel  William  Lawrence,  of  Littleton.  Through 
his  paternal  grandmother  Judge  Foster  traces  his 
descent  from  Robert  Lawrence,  of  Lancashire,  Eng- 
land, who  was  born  about  the  year  1150.  Attending 
his  sovereign,  Richard  Coeur  de  Leon,  in  the  war  of 
the  Crusades  in  the  Holy  Land,  he  so  distinguished 
himself  in  the  siege  of  Acre  that  he  was  knighted  Sir 
Robert,  of  Ashton  Hall. 

The  sixteenth  in  descent  was  John  Lawrence,  who 
came  to  America  in  1635,  and  settled  at  Watertown, 
Mass. 

The  great-grandfather  of  Judge  Foster  was  Abra- 
ham Foster,  whose  father  came  from  England  about 
the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century,  and  settled 
in  Groton,  Mass.,  where  Abraham,  Edmund  and  John 
Foster,  the  ninth  child  and  third  son  of  Edmund,  was 
born.  John  Foster,  in  early  life,  removed  to  West- 
minster, Vt.,  where  he  married  Sophia  Willard,  and 
where  his  only  son,  William  Lawrence  Foster,  was 
born,  June  1,  1823. 

John  Foster  removed  to  Fitzwilliam,  N.  H.,  in  1825, 
and  from  thence  to  Keene,  N.  H.,  in  1834,  where  he 
died  February  7,  1854.  He  was  a captain  in  the 
old  New  Hampshire  Militia,  and  was  for  many  years 
high  sheriff  of  the  county  of  Cheshire.  While  resid- 
ing in  Keene,  John  Foster  was  many  years  a trader, 
and  his  son  assisted  him  in  his  store. 

Judge  Foster,  when  a boy,  attended  the  common 
schools  and  afterwards  studied  in  the  Keene  and 
Walpole  Academies.  When  about  seventeen  years  of 
age  he  commenced  the  study  of  the  law  in  the  office 
of  Levi  Chamberlain,  Esq.  In  1844  and  1845  he  at- 
tended the  Law  School  at  Cambridge.  In  1845  he 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Keene,  and  for  a short 


28 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


time  sustained  a partnership  with  John  N.  Baxter, 
and  afterward  with  Mr.  Chamberlain.  From  1845  to 
1849  he  was  postmaster  at  Keene.  From  1849  to 
1853  he  was  clerk  of  the  New  Hampshire  Senate. 
He  was  a member  of  Governor  Dinsmore’s  staff,  with 
the  rank  of  colonel,  by  whom,  in  1850,  he  was  ap- 
pointed State  reporter,  holding  that  office  till  1856. 
During  his  term  of  office  he  edited  Vols.  17-19,  21- 
31  inclusive,  of  the  New  Hampshire  Reports. 

In  January,  1853,  he  married  Harriet  Morton, 
daughter  of  Hon.  Hamilton  E.  Perkins,  of  Hopkinton, 
N.  H.,  and  in  April  of  that  year  he  removed  from 
Keene  to  Concord,  where  he  entered  into  partnership 
with  Colonel  John  H.  George.  Hon.  Charles  P.  San- 
born subsequently  became  a member  of  the  firm,  and 
upon  Colonel  George’s  retirement  therefrom,  in  1867, 
the  partnership  was  continued  by  Messrs.  Foster  & 
Sanborn  till  October,  1869. 

In  1854,  Colonel  Foster  was  appointed  commis- 
sioner of  the  Circuit  Court  of  the  United  States,  which 
office  he  held  until  his  election  to  the  New  Hamp- 
shire House  of  Representatives,  in  1862.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Legislature  in  1862  and  1863.  In 
1863  he  received  from  Dartmouth  College  the  hon- 
orary degree  of  Master  of  Arts. 

He  was  appointed  a judge  of  the  Supreme  Judicial 
Court  October  1, 1869,  and  held  that  office  till  October 
1,  1874,  when,  upon  the  reorganization  of  the  courts, 
he  was  appointed  chief  justice  of  the  Circuit  Court, 
with  the  late  Judges  Stanley  and  Rand  as  his  asso- 
ciates. October  1,  1876,  he  was  appointed  a judge  of 
the  Supreme  Court.  He  resigned  that  office  July  1, 
1881,  and  resumed  the  practice  of  the  law.  In  1884 
he  was  reappointed  an  United  States  commissioner. 

Judge  Foster  was  very  highly  esteemed  while  a 
member  of  the  court,  and,  as  a lawyer,  is  noted  for 
his  legal  attainments.  He  is  a graceful  writer  and  an 
eloquent  orator,  and  has  frequently  been  called  upon 
to  preside  at  public  meetings  and  to  deliver  commem- 
orative addresses.  His  post-prandial  speeches  have 
been  especially  happy.  He  is  a strong  advocate  before 
a jury. 

John  Hatch  George.1 — The  man  who  makes  his 
way  to  the  front  rank  at  the  bar  and  in  politics,  and 
holds  his  position  without  dispute  for  more  than  a 
quarter  of  a century,  must  be  a person  of  ability, 
energy  and  sagacity.  Especially  is  this  true  in  New 
Hampshire,  which,  from  the  earliest  period  of  our  na- 
tional history,  has  produced  some  of  the  ablest  law- 
yers and  the  keenest  politicians  known  to  the  country. 
Such  a man  is  Colonel  John  Hatch  George,  of  Con- 
cord, whose  name  has  long  been  a household  word  at 
every  Democratic  fireside  in  the  State,  and  whose 
eminent  legal  position  is  recognized  throughout  New 
England. 

He  was  born  in  Concord,  where  he  has  ever  since 
resided,  November  20,  1824.  His  parents  were  John 


and  Mary  (Hatch)  George,  the  former  a prominent, 
respected  and  energetic  citizen,  who,  though  a native 
of  Hopkinton,  located  in  Concord  in  early  manhood  ; 
the  latter,  a daughter  of  Samuel  Hatch,  a leading 
citizen  of  the  town  of  Greenland,  among  whose  grand- 
children are  included  the  Hon.  Albert  R.  Hatch  and 
John  S.  H.  Frink,  Esq.,  both  also  known  as  eminent 
lawyers  and  leading  Democrats. 

Gaining  his  preliminary  education  in  the  excellent 
public  schools  of  his  native  town  and  in  the  old  Con- 
cord Academy,  Colonel  George  entered  Dartmouth 
College  in  1840,  being  then  fifteen  years  of  age,  where 
he  diligently  pursued  his  studies  for  about  three  years, 
until  the  death  of  his  father  compelled  his  return 
home  and  the  non-completion  of  his  college  course. 
The  faculty  subsequently  conferred  upon  him  his 
graduating  degree,  which  was  followed  by  that  of 
Master  of  Arts.  Among  his  classmates  at  Dartmouth 
were  several  who  became  prominent  at  the  bar  and  in 
public  life,  including  the  late  Hon.  Harvey  Jewell, 
and  Hons.  A.  A.  Ranney  and  Horatio  G.  Parker,  of 
Boston,  and  ex-Governor  Charles  H.  Bell. 

If  young  George  was  unfortunate  in  the  loss  of  his 
father,  and  in  the  failure  to  complete  the  college  course 
consequent  thereon,  he  was  especially  fortunate  in 
being  favored  with  the  kindly  regard  of  that  brilliant 
son  of  New  Hampshire,  General  Franklin  Pierce, 
who,  as  a friend  of  the  family,  had  become  conversant 
with  his  qualities  and  characteristics,  and  readily  dis- 
cerned the  line  of  action  best  calculated  for  the  de- 
velopment and  successful  exercise  of  his  powers. 
Fortunate  as  he  was,  however,  in  the  enjoyment  of 
the  friendship  of  General  Pierce  at  this  time,  it  may 
safely  be  assumed  that  he  never  would  have  been  the 
recipient  of  such  favor  had  he  not  given  evidence  of 
the  possession  of  abilities  above  the  common  order. 
The  really  great  lawyer  has  a lofty  regard  for  his  pro- 
fession, and  will  never  be  found  influencing  any  one 
to  enter  upon  its  pursuit  who  is  not  likely  to  honor 
the  profession  and  bring  credit  to  himself.  When, 
therefore,  upon  the  invitation  of  General  Pierce, 
young  George  entered  upon  the  study  of  the  law  in 
the  office  of  the  former, — as  he  did  soon  after  leaving 
college,  and  at  the  time  when  that  distinguished  man 
was  in  active  practice, — it  was  under  circumstances 
every  way  propitious  to  that  ultimate  success  credit- 
able alike  to  each.  During  his  three  years  of  legal 
study  under  such  tutelage,  he  made  that  rapid  progress 
which  characterizes  the  advance  of  the  ambitious  and 
enthusiastic  young  man,  well  equipped,  mentally  and 
physically,  for  the  work  in  hand,  thoroughly  in  love 
therewith,  guided  by  wise  counsel  and  inspired  by 
brilliant  example;  and  when,  in  1846,  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar,  and  entered  upon  the  practice  of  his 
profession  in  his  native  city,  it  was  with  unusual 
thoroughness  of  preparation. 

At  the  opening  of  his  professional  career,  Colonel 
George  was  again  particularly  fortunate.  General 
Charles  H.  Peaslee  had  long  ranked  among  the  most 


l By  H.  H.  Metcalf,  in  “Clarke’s  Successful  New  Hampshire  Men.” 


BENCH  AND  BAR. 


29 


careful  lawyers  of  the  State,  and  had  acquired  an  ex- 
tensive practice.  He  was  a warm  friend  of  General 
Pierce,  professionally  and  politically,  and,  like  him, 
an  intimate  friend  of  the  George  family.  Entering 
largely  into  public  life,  its  engrossing  duties  withdrew 
his  attention  more  and  more  from  professional  en- 
gagements, rendering  desirable  a partnership  alliance 
with  some  active  and  competent  young  man.  Such 
alliance  was  offered  to  and  promptly  accepted  by 
young  George,  who  thus  auspiciously  commenced  his 
professional  career. 

The  limits  of  this  sketch  will  not  permit  a detailed 
account  of  the  progress  and  success  of  its  subject;  | 
but  it  may  be  stated,  that  from  his  entrance  upon  legal 
practice  to  the  present  time,  all  his  energies  and  facul- 
ties have  been  heartily  devoted  to  the  labors  and 
duties  of  his  profession,  in  whose  performance  he  has 
won  a high  measure  of  fame,  as  well  as  a fair  amount 
of  that  substantial  reward  which  the  world  largely 
regards  as  the  prime  object  of  human  effort.  His  con- 
nection with  General  Peaslee  continued  about  five 
years,  and  was  followed  by  a professional  alliance  of  a 
similar  character  with  Sidney  Webster,  Esq.,  then  a 
young  lawyer  of  fine  abilities  and  brilliant  promise, 
who  has  since  become  distinguished  in  legal  and  dip- 
lomatic circles.  This  partnership  continued  till  Mr. 
Webster  left  Concord  to  become  private  secretary  to 
General  Pierce,  upon  the  accession  of  the  latter  to  the 
Presidency,  in  1853.  Soon  afterward,  Colonel  George 
formed  partnership  relations  with  Hon.  William  L. 
Foster,  who  subsequently  became,  and  long  remained, 
a judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State,  and  with 
them  Hon.  Charles  P.  Sanborn  was  also  for  a time 
associated. 

Not  only  in  behalf  of  an  extensive  private  client- 
age have  the  professional  services  of  Colonel  George 
been  employed,  but  for  many  years,  also,  in  behalf  of 
the  public, — he  having  been  appointed  solicitor  for 
Merrimack  County  in  1849,  and  re-appointed  in  1854, 
discharging  the  duties  of  the  office  until  1856,  when 
he  was  removed  for  partisan  reasons,  the  Republican 
party  signalizing  its  ascendency  by  a clean  sweep  of 
Democratic  officials.  From  1853  to  1858  he  was 
United  States  attorney  for  the  district  of  New  Hamp- 
shire, appointed  by  President  Pierce. 

There  are,  undoubtedly,  many  men  at  the  bar,  in 
this  and  other  States,  as  well  grounded  in  legal  prin- 
ciples as  Colonel  George,  and  even  more  familiar  with 
the  text-books,  who  have  fallen  far  short  of  the  suc- 
cess he  has  attained.  It  is  one  thing  to  be  able  to 
state  abstract  legal  principles,  and  quite’  another  cor- 
rectly to  apply  those  principles  to  the  facts  in  any 
given  case.  It  has  ever  been  the  habit  of  Colonel 
George,  in  the  conduct  of  a cause,  to  thoroughly  fam- 
iliarize himself  with  all  the  facts  and  circumstances 
connected  therewith.  The  mastery  of  the  cause  itself 
leaves  little  difficulty  in  the  determination  of  the  law 
bearing  thereon,  and  it  is  the  strongest  guaranty  of 
success  in  its  management  before  a jury;  and  it  is  in 


the  conduct  of  jury  causes  that  Colonel  George  has 
won  the  greater  measure  of  his  success.  Gifted  with 
great  perceptive  powers  and  a ready  knowledge  of 
men,  and  familiar  as  he  ever  is  with  the  cause  in 
hand,  in  all  its  bearings,  he  is  never  taken  at  a disad- 
vantage, no  matter  how  able  or  alert  the  opposing 
counsel.  In  handling  witnesses,  and  especially  in 
cross-examination,  he  has  shown  unusual  tact  and 
ability.  He  reads  the  mind  of  a witness  almost  intu- 
itively, and  understands  how  to  bring  out  the  essen- 
tial facts  even  from  the  most  reluctant,  and  to  do  so 
in  the  manner  best  calculated  to  make  the  desired 
impression  upon  the  minds  of  the  jury.  As  an  advo- 
cate, he  is  equaled  by  few  and  excelled  by  none  of 
our  New  Hampshire  lawyers;  yet  his  power  in  this 
regard  consists  in  the  systematic,  logical  and  intensely 
earnest  presentation  of  all  the  facts  which  go  to  make 
up  and  strengthen  his  cause,  and  to  destroy  or  weaken 
that  of  his  opponents,  rather  than  in  the  oratory 
which  abounds  in  eloquently  rounded  periods  and 
impassioned  appeals.  In  this  connection  may  well 
be  quoted  the  words  of  one  who,  knowing  Colonel 
George  from  youth,  has  written  of  him  as  follows: 

“Intense  earnestness,  and  a faculty  of  an  immediate  and  powerful 
concentration  of  all  his  mental  faculties  on  any  subject  which  interested 
him,  were  the  predominant  peculiarities  of  the  early  manhood  of  Mr. 
George.  When  he  came  to  the  bar,  he  manifested  a power  of  felicitous 
language,  and  a largeness  of  vocabulary,  which  were  rarely  to  be  seen 
even  in  the  most  practiced  speakers.  He  never  prepared  beforehand  the 
words  of  his  spoken  utterances,  either  at  the  bar,  in  the  committee-room 
or  on  the  stump.  Whatever  he  could  see  aud  understand  at  all,  he  saw 
and  understood  clearly.  The  strength  of  his  feelings,  the  enormous 
power  and  range  of  his  vocabulary,  added  to  this  clearness  of  vision, 
made  mere  verbal  preparation  unnecessary  for  him.  His  speaking  was 
made  up  of  a clear  perception  of  the  turning-point  of  his  case,  and  then 
of  pungent  epigram,  sparkling  paradox,  rattling  attack,  vivid  repartee, 
heart}'  humor  and,  when  occasion  called  for,  of  a fearlessness  of  denun- 
ciation of  what  he  believed  to  be  wrong  or  unjust  or  unfair,  which  made 
him,  even  at  the  outset  of  his  brilliant  career,  a dangerous  antagonist 
for  the  most  practiced  and  powerful  members  of  the  New  Hampshire 
bar.” 

Though  not  retiring  from  general  practice,  Colonel 
George  has  devoted  his  attention  largely  to  railroad 
law  for  many  years  past,  having  accepted,  in  1867, 
the  position  of  solicitor  for  the  Boston  and  Lowell 
Railroad,  and  established  an  office  in  Boston  for  the 
transaction  of  business  in  connection  with  that  posi- 
tion. He  retired  from  this  position  in  1884.  For 
nearly  twenty  years  previous  to  that  date  he  had 
served  as  clerk  and  counsel  of  the  Concord  Railroad 
corporation,  and  had  already  become  familiar  with 
the  law  of  railways  and  their  general  relations  to  the 
public.  To-day  there  is  no  higher  living  authority 
upon  railroad  law  in  New  England  than  Colonel 
George, — no  man  who  understands  more  thoroughly 
or  can  state  more  clearly  the  respective  rights,  duties 
and  obligations  of  railroad  corporations  and  the  peo- 
ple in  relation  to  each  other,  a general  understanding 
of  which  is  becoming  more  and  more  essential  to  the 
fullest  measure  of  our  national  prosperity.  His  pub- 
lic addresses  upon  the  subject,  his  arguments  before 
legislative  committees,  courts  and  juries,  are  models 


30 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


of  clearness  and  cogency,  admirable  in  construction 
and  convincing  in  effect. 

Notwithstanding  liis  uninterrupted  devotion  to  the 
law,  Colonel  George  is  no  less  generally  known  in 
politics  than  at  the  bar.  Well  grounded  in  the  faith 
of  the  Democratic  party  in  his  youthful  years,  his 
intimate  association  with  Pierce,  Peaslee  and  other 
distinguished  leaders  of  that  organization  in  his  early 
manhood  served  to  intensify  his  feelings  and  convic- 
tions in  that  regard;  so  he  has  ever  been  a ready  and 
zealous  exponent  of  Democratic  principles  and  a 
champion  of  the  Democratic  cause,  contributing  his 
services  without  stint  in  conventions,  in  committee 
work  and  upon  the  stump,  doing  able  and  brilliant 
service  in  the  latter  direction  in  all  parts  of  the  State, 
and  in  almost  every  campaign  for  the  past  thirty-five 
years.  He  long  since  came  to  be  regarded  as  one  of 
the  most  powerful  and  effective  political  debaters  in 
the  State.  His  efforts  upon  the  stump  are  character- 
ized by  the  same  earnestness,  the  same  sledge-hammer 
logic  and  the  same  comprehensive  array  of  facts  as 
at  the  bar.  His  mode  of  warfare,  political  as  well  as 
legal,  is  of  the  Napoleonic  order.  He  never  assumes 
the  defensive,  and  if  placed  in  such  position  by  any 
combination  of  circumstances,  he  soon  transforms  it 
into  one  of  active  aggression. 

From  1851  to  1853,  inclusive,  Colonel  George  served 
as  chairman  of  the  Democratic  State  Committee,  and 
again  in  1856.  In  1852  he  was  also  selected  as  the 
New  Hampshire  member  of  the  Democratic  National 
Committee,  and  he  was  especially  active  in  the  cam- 
paign, both  in  the  State  and  the  country  at  large, 
which  resulted  in  the  election  of  his  friend,  General 
Pierce,  to  the  Presidency.  His  service  upon  the 
National  Committee  continued  until  1860.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Democratic  National  Convention  in 
1856,  and  chairman  of  the  State  delegation  in  the 
National  Convention  at  Cincinnati,  in  1880.  At  the 
State  Convention  of  his  party,  in  September  of  that 
year,  he  presided,  delivering,  upon  assuming  the 
chair,  one  of  the  ablest  addresses  ever  heard  upon  a 
similar  occasion. 

His  party  having  been  in  the  minority  in  New 
Hampshire  for  the  past  twenty-five  years,  he  has  been 
comparatively  little  in  public  office.  Aside  from  the 
non-partisan  positions  heretofore  mentioned,  he  was 
for  three  years — in  1847,  1848  and  again  in  1850 — 
clerk  of  the  State  Senate.  In  1853  he  was  chosen  a 
member  of  the  Legislature,  but  resigned  his  seat  to 
accept  the  office  of  United  States  attorney.  In  this 
connection  it  may  be  mentioned  that  in  1855  he  was 
tendered,  by  President  Pierce,  the  office  of  sec* 
retarv  of  the  Territory  of  Minnesota,  which  he  at 
first  was  inclined  to  accept,  but,  after  deliberation, 
determined  to  forego  the  chances  for  political  pro- 
motion ordinarily  involved  in  an  appointment  of  that 
character,  and  remain  with  his  friends  and  his  law 
practice  in  his  own  State.  In  1859,  Colonel  George 
received  the  Democratic  nomination  for  Congress  in 


the  Second  District,  and  again  in  1863,  when  he  made 
a vigorous  canvass,  and  was  defeated  by  a very  close 
vote.  In  1866  he  received  the  votes  of  the  Demo- 
cratic members  of  the  Legislature  as  their  candi- 
date for  United  States  Senator.  Had  he  deserted  his 
party  and  allied  himself  with  the  majority  when  the 
Republicans  came  into  ascendency,  he  might  readily 
have  commanded  the  highest  honors  in  the  gift  of  the 
State,  as  others  less  able  than  himself  have  done ; but 
his  position  in  the  honest  regard  of  the  people,  irre- 
spective of  party,  is  far  higher  to-day  for  having 
remained  true  to  his  convictions  aud  steadfast  and 
active  in  their  maintenance. 

His  military  title  comes  from  his  service  as  chief 
of  the  staff  of  Governor  Dinsmoor  from  1848  to  1850. 
He  was  also  for  several  years  .commander  in  the 
brilliant  and  popular  organization  known  as  the 
“ Governor’s  Horse-Guards.”  As  a popular  orator, 
outside  the  domain  of  law  and  politics,  Colonel 
George  also  takes  high  rank.  His  oration  upon 
Daniel  Webster,  at  the  centennial  celebration  of  the 
birth  of  that  most  illustrious  son  of  New  Hampshire, 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Webster  Club  of  Concord, 
is  surpassed  in  power  and  felicity  of  expression  by 
none  which  the  event  anywhere  called  forth. 

Colonel  George  was  united  in  marriage,  in  Septem- 
ber, 1849,  with  Miss  Susan  Ann  Brigham,  daughter 
of  Captain  Levi  Brigham,  of  Boston,  who  died  May 
10,  1862,  leaving  five  children,  three  sons  and  two 
daughters, — viz. : John  Paul,  Charles  Peaslee,  Ben- 
jamin Pierce,  Jane  Appleton,  Anne  Brigham.  In 
July,  1864,  he  married  Miss  Salvadora  Meade  Graham, 
daughter  of  Colonel  James  D.  Graham,  of  the  United 
States  engineers,  by  whom  he  has  one  child,  Charlotte 
Graham. 

The  family  residence  of  Colonel  George  is  the  old 
paternal  mansion  on  North  Main  Street,  in  Concord, 
wherein  he  was  born.  He  has  also  an  excellent  farm 
a few  miles  out  of  the  city,  in  Hopkinton,  where  he 
makes  his  summer  home,  and  where,  in  his  little 
leisure  from  professional  labor,  he  indulges  a fond- 
ness for  rural  pursuits,  and  especially  for  the  breeding 
and  care  of  domestic  animals,  which  was  one  of  the 
characteristics  of  his  boyhood.  Incidental  as  this 
may  be,  his  farm  is  known  as  one  of  the  most  highly 
cultivated  in  the  section  where  it  is  located,  and  his 
horses  and  Jersey  cattle  are  the  admiration  of  all 
lovers  of  good  stock. 

As  a citizen,  Colonel  George  is  public-spirited,  and 
freely  devotes  his  time  and  energies  to  the  further- 
ance of  every  movement  and  the  advocacy  of  every 
measure  which  he  believes  calculated  to  promote  the 
material  or  educational  welfare  of  the  community. 
No  man  in  Concord  has  done  more  than  he  to  advance 
the  prosperity  of  the  city  in  every  essential  regard. 
The  efficiency  of  the  public  schools  has  ever  been  an 
object  of  deep  interest  to  him ; and  as  a private 
citizen,  as  a member  of  building  Committees  and  in 
the  Board  of  Education,  he  has  given  his  services 


' 


■ 


' 


BENCH  AND  BAH 


31 


freely  in  perfecting  the  admirably-equipped  public- 
school  system,  which  is  far  from  the  least  of  the  at- 
tractions which  render  our  capital  city  one  of  the 
most  desirable  places  of  residence  in  New  England. 

The  general  extension  of  the  railway  system  of 
the  State,  to  which  most  that  has  been  accomplished 
in  the  development  of  its  material  resources  for  the 
last  twenty-five  years  is  due,  has  ever  found  an  en- 
thusiastic supporter  in  Colonel  George,  who  has  been 
and  still  is  directly  connected  with  several  railroad 
enterprises  in  different  sections,  which  have  proved  of 
great  local  and  general  advantage. 

Few  men  have  more  or  warmer  friends  than  Colo- 
nel George.  A man  of  positive  opinions,  frankly 
and  honestly  delared,  he  commands  the  sincere  re- 
spect of  those  with  whom  he  comes  in  contact  in  all 
the  relations  of  life,  private,  social,  public  and  pro- 
fessional. Formidable  as  an  opponent,  he  is  never- 
theless fair  and  honorable,  as  he  is  true  and  faithful 
as  a friend  and  ally.  He  is  a prominent  member  of 
the  Masonic  order,  having  attained  the  rank  of  Sove- 
reign Grand  Inspector-General  of  the  Thirty-third 
Degree,  and  a member  of  the  “ Supreme  Council  of 
the  Ancient  and  Accepted  Scottish  Rite  of  the  North- 
ern Jurisdiction  of  the  United  States.” 

This  brief  sketch  can,  perhaps,  be  no  more  appro- 
ately  concluded  than  in  the  following  language  of  the 
gentleman  (Sidney  Webster,  Esq.)  heretofore  quoted: 

“Years  of  incessant  toil,  while  they  have  diminished  somewhat  the 
energetic  temperament  and  the  exuberant  animal  spirits  of  Colonel 
George’s  youth,  and  have  naturally  softened  his  once  blunt  and  almost 
brusque  manner  in  debate,  have  not  diminished  the  real  force  and  strength 
of  his  genuine  character,  for  character  is  just  what  Colonel  George  has 
always  had.  As  the  ripples  of  his  experience  spread  over  a wider  and 
wider  area,  he  may  have  less  and  less  confidence  in  the  infallibility  of  any 
man’s  opinions,  and  less  belief  in  the  importance  to  society  of  any  one 
man’s  action  ; but  Colonel  George  has  reached  and  passed  his  half-cen- 
tury with  his  mental  faculties  and  his  moral  faculties  improving  and 
strengthening  year  by  year.  New  Hampshire  has  to-day  very  few 
among  her  living  sons  better  equipped  to  do  triumphant  battle  for  her 
in  the  high  places  of  the  world.’’ 

Hon.  Daniel  Barnakd. — 1.  John  Barnard  was 
among  the  earlier  settlers  of  Massachusetts.  He 
came  to  this  country  in  1634,  in  the  ship  “Elizabeth,” 
from  Ipswich,  England,  and  settled  in  Watertown. 

2.  John  Barnard,  son  of  the  pioneer  John  Barnard, 
had  two  sons, — Jonathan  and  Samuel. 

3.  Jonathan  Barnard,  inn-holder  in  Amesbury,  who 
kept  “The  Lion’s  Mouth”  in  provincial  days,  w’as  a 
captain  in  the  colonial  militia,  and  was  prominent  in 
the  affairs  of  the  town  in  which  he  lived.  His  name 
heads  the  list  of  the  sixty  original  grantees,  in  1735, 
of  the  township  of  New  Amesbury,  or  “Number 
One,”  which  was  afterwards  granted,  in  1767,  by  the 
Masonian  proprietors,  as  Warner. 

4.  Charles  Barnard,  son  of  Jonathan,  was  a soldier 
in  the  patriot  army  of  the  Revolution,  and  settled  in 
Warner. 

5.  Thomas  Barnard,  son  of  Charles  Barnard,  was 
born  in  Warner  in  1782;  married,  first,  Ruth  East- 
man, of  Hopkinton  ; second,  Phebe,  his  first  wife’s 


sister.  In  the  fall  of  1826  he  removed,  with  his  fam- 
ily, from  Warner  to  Orange.  He  died  January  29, 
1859.  His  wife,  Phebe,  died  June  30,  1845. 

6.  Daniel  Barnard,  son  of  Thomas  and  Phebe  Bar- 
nard, was  born  in  Orange,  N.  H.,  January  23,  1827. 

This  town,  though  it  received  some  settlers  under 
its  original  name  of  Cardigan  as  early  as  1773,  was  in 
1826,  for  the  most  part,  still  an  unbroken  wilderness. 
When  Thomas  Barnard  went  up  there  and  planted 
his  home  on  his  lot  of  three  hundred  acres  on  the 
highlands  dividing  the  waters  which  How  into  the 
Pemigewassett  from  those  which  flow  into  the  Con- 
necticut, the  whole  territory  was  still  covered  by  the 
primeval  forest.  The  church  and  the  district  school 
stood  together  more  than  three  miles  off,  and  so  con- 
tinued till  the  subject  of  this  notice,  the  fifth  child  of 
the  family,  was  fourteen  years  old,  no  regular  school 
being  established  nearer  till  he  was  eighteen  years  old. 
But  the  father  being  a man  of  sense  and  intelligence, 
and  the  mother  an  uncommonly  bright,  capable 
woman,  they  not  only  made  the  utmost  exertion  to 
give  their  children  the  full  benefit  of  the  meagre 
chances  of  the  district  school,  but  also  systematically 
supplemented  these  opportunities  with  regular  study 
and  teaching  in  the  long  winter  evenings  at  home. 
The  father,  a good  mathematician,  managed  the  flock 
in  arithmetic,  and  the  mother  handled  them  in  other 
branches.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  Daniel  was  at 
the  academy  in  Canaan,  several  miles  from  home, 
during  the  winter,  and  subsequently  continued  to 
work  on  the  farm  in  the  summers  and  study  at  the 
academy  in  the  winters  till  he  became  of  age. 

During  this  time  he  was  anxiously  endeavoring  to 
secure  the  advantages  of  a college  education,  and 
with  this  end  in  view,  pursued  his  preparatory  studies 
at  the  Canaan  and  Boscaiven  Academies,  and  at  the 
Normal  Institute  at  Reed’s  Ferry,  under  the  tuition 
of  Professor  William  Russell,  teaching  during  the 
winter  seasons. 

When  he  arrived  at  man’s  estate  he  took  his  stand 
with  the  Free-Soil  Democrats,  and  was  elected  to  rep- 
resent the  town  of  Orange  in  the  popular  branch  of 
the  Legislature  in  the  years  1848,  ’49,  ’50  and  ’51. 

Mr.  Barnard  was  well  known  in  the  House  from  his 
first  appearance  in  that  body,  not  merely  because  so 
youthful  in  appearance,  but  because,  also,  of  the  un- 
common capacity,  the  sincerity  and  sagacity  with 
which,  in  unassuming,  almost  diffident  ways,  he  met 
all  his  duties ; and  in  the  latter  sessions  of  the  four 
years’  service  he  became  a leader  of  the  Independent 
party  in  the  House,  an  influential  member  of  that 
body.  At  home  during  the  same  period  he  was  sleep- 
less in  his  vigilance  contriving  by  sagacious  manage- 
ment to  hold  the  little  band  of  Free-Soil  Democrats 
in  a solid  column,  and  annually  to  carry  the  town  till 
he  left,  in  the  autumn  of  1851. 

His  legislative  experience  causing  him  to  materially 
change  his  plans  for  the  future,  he  decided  to  enter 
at  once  upon  the  study  of  law,  and  at  the  close  of  the 


32 


HSTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


legislative  session  of  1851  he  entered  the  law-office  of 
Nesmith  & Pike,  in  Franklin. 

In  1854,  on  admission  to  the  bar,  he  became  at  once 
the  junior  partner  with  Mr.  Pike  in  the  office  in 
which  he  had  read  his  profession,  Mr.  Nesmith  at 
that  time  retiring  from  the  office  and  extensive  busi- 
ness which  he  had  so  honorably  founded  and  built 
into  its  large  proportions.  In  1863,  Mr.  Barnard 
withdrew  from  the  firm  and  established  himself  alone 
in  his  profession  in  the  same  village,  rapidly  rising 
into  the  very  large,  wide  and  lucrative  business  which 
for  more  than  fifteen  years  has  allowed  him  not  so 
much  as  a week  or  scarcely  a day  of  vacation  in  the 
year.  During  this  period  he  has  had  as  many  stu- 
dents in  his  office  constantly  as  the  circumstances  of 
his  office  would  admit,  and  has  nearly  all  the  time 
had  a partner  in  a temporary  way.  His  partner  now 
is  his  eldest  son,  who  was  graduated  at  Dartmouth 
College,  with  superior  rank,  in  1876,  at  the  age  of 
twenty  years,  studied  his  profession  in  his  father’s 
office  and  at  the  Boston  Law  School,  and  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  and  into  partnership  with  his  father  in  1879. 
In  relation  to  the  business  of  the  office,  it  is  perfectly 
safe  to  add  that  there  has  been  no  time  within  the 
last  ten  years  in  which  there  has  not  been  a formida- 
ble amount  of  business  piled  up  awaiting  attention, 
notwithstanding  the  most  sleepless,  indefatigable  in-  j 
dustry  which  Mr.  Barnard  has  brought  to  his  duties,  j 
For  many  years  he  has  not  only  regularly  attended 
all  the  courts  in  the  counties  of  Merrimack,  Belknap,  j 
and  the  Plymouth  sessions  of  Grafton,  but  has  con- 
stantly attended  the  LTnited  States  Circuit  Courts, 
practicing  in  bankrupt,  patent  and  revenue  cases. 
The  reports  of  the  courts  fully  support  the  statements 
here  made  on  this  subject. 

The  esteem  in  which  Mr.  Barnard  is  held  by  the 
immediate  community  in  which  he  lives  has  been 
casually  mentioned.  Though  never  seeking  office, 
he  has  been  often  chosen  to  places  of  responsibility 
by  his  townsmen.  In  1860  and  1862  he  represented 
the  town  in  the  Legislature,  and  in  all  political  con- 
tests in  the  town  in  which  he  has  been  candidate  for 
the  suffrages  of  his  townsmen  he  has  always  run 
much  ahead  of  the  party  ticket.  In  1865  and  1866 
he  was  a member  of  the  State  Senate,  presiding  over 
that  body  in  the  latter-named  year  ; in  1870  and  1871 
he  was  a member  of  the  Governor’s  Council,  and  in 
1872  was  a member  of  the  National  Republican  Con- 
vention at  Philadelphia.  He  was  solicitor  of  Merri- 
mack County  from  1867  till  1872,  when  he  declined  a 
reappointment,  again  declining  the  position  in  1877. 
He  was  a firm,  earnest  supporter  of  the  homestead- 
exemption  law  of  1850,  which  was  opposed  by  most  of 
the  legal  profession  in  the  Legislature,  and  introduced 
the  resolution  in  the  House  which  first  gave  the 
members  a daily  paper.  As  a member  of  the  Senate 
in  1867  he  took  a profound  interest  in  the  amendment 
of  the  Federal  Constitution  prohibiting  slavery, 
making  an  able  and  effective  argument,  which  was  1 


published  at  the  time,  in  its  support  in  that  body. 
In  the  cause  of  education  he  has  always  been  a 
foremost  friend  in  Franklin  and  throughout  the 
State.  His  own  early  struggles  have  doubtless  con- 
tributed to  make  him  peculiarly  a friend  of  the  com- 
mon school,  and  his  experience  as  a teacher  in  his 
early  years  gives  him  practical  wisdom  in  the  cause. 
While  studying  his  profession  in  Franklin  he  was, 
from  year  to  year  employed  in  the  teachers’  institutes, 
which  did  a large  work  in  awakening  higher  ideas  of 
the  mission  of  the  common  school  in  New  Hampshire 
during  that  period,  and  in  that  business  he  was  in 
nearly  every  county  of  the  State.  Sensible  of  his  own 
personal  misfortune  in  having  so  little  early  chance  for 
schooling,  his  voice  and  his  open  hand  are  always  on 
the  side  which  aims  to  give  enlargement  to  the  edu- 
cation of  the  masses  of  the  people,  and  in  his  own 
family  is  seen  his  appreciation  of  the  higher  grades 
of  education.  In  1867  the  honorary  degree  of  Master 
of  Arts  was  conferred  upon  him  by  Dartmouth  Col- 
lege. 

Mr.  Barnard  has  been  prominently  identified  with 
all  the  leading  industries  which  have  been  established 
in  Franklin,  and  which  have  so  remarkably  built  up 
the  town  within  the  last  twenty  years.  He  procured 
the  charters  and  helped  organize  all  the  large  cor- 
porations; has  been  a continuous  trustee  of  the 
Franklin  Library  Association  since  its  establishment, 
more  than  fifteen  years  ago,  and  a trustee  of  the 
Franklin  Savings-Bank  since  its  establishment,  in 
1865;  legal  counsel  of  the  Franklin  Falls  Company 
from  its  organization,  in  1864,  and  for  many  years 
its  local  agent,  and  is,  and  has  been  from  the 
first,  a director  and  vice-president  of  the  Franklin 
National  Bank,  organized  in  that  town  in  1880. 

As  a lawyer  Mr.  Barnard  ranks  very  high  in  the 
profession,  his  advice  being  eagerly  sought  by  all  clas- 
ses, but  no  person,  however  poor,  with  a meritorious 
cause  was  ever  turned  away  from  his  office  to  make 
room  for  a richer  or  more  powerful  client.  His 
client’s  cause  becomes  his,  and  his  whole  energy  is 
directed  to  winning  for  him  what  he  believes  he 
should  have.  His  terse  and  logical  arguments  are 
especially  powerful  before  a jury,  and  his  eloquent 
voice  has  often  been  heard  in  legislative  halls,  leading 
and  guiding  the  law-making  assemblies,  and  in  po- 
litical meetings  sustaining  the  motives  and  policy  of 
his  party 

In  the  social,  humane  and  religious  work  of  the 
community  he  has  always  been  active  and  efficient, 
generous  almost  to  a fault  in  every  good  enterprise, 
and  in  these  spheres  of  duty  he  has  ever  had  the 
efficient  co-operation  of  a cultivated  and,  it  is  not  too 
much  to  add,  a model  Christian  wife, — Amelia,  only 
child  of  Rev.  William  Morse,  a Unitarian  clergyman, 
of  Chelmsford,  Mass.,  at  the  time  of  the  marriage, — 
to  whom  he  was  married  November  8,  1854.  Mr. 
Morse,  now  deceased,  was  one  of  the  pioneer  clergy- 
men of  the  Unitarian  faith  in  this  country,  was  many 


BENCH  AND  BAR. 


33 


years  pastor  of  the  Callowhill  Street  Church,  Phila- 
delphia, and  au  able  and  excellent  minister.  His 
wife  was  Sophronia,  daughter  of  Abner  Kneelaud,  of 
Boston,  an  able  and  upright  man,  whose  trial  on  the 
technical  charge  of  blasphemy,  but  really  for  the 
publication  of  heretical  religious  doctrines,  was  a 
most  noted  episode  in  New  England  forty  years  ago. 
Mrs.  Morse  was  a noble  woman.  Mr.  Morse  and  his 
wife  resided  during  the  last  years  of  their  pleasant 
lives  in  Franklin,  near  their  daughter,  who  watched 
with  singular  tenderness  over  the  closing  years  of  the 
parents  to  whom  she  is  indebted  for  superior  train- 
ings, as  well  as  superior  ability. 

Their  union  has  been  blessed  with  seven  children, 
six  of  whom — four  sous  and  two  daughters — are  now 
living. 

William  Morse,  the  eldest  son,  has  been  mentioned. 

James  Ellery,  the  second  son,  entered  Dartmouth 
College,  but  left  at  the  end  of  his  sophomore  year, 
and  is  in  business  in  Boston. 

Charles  Daniel  and  Frank  Eugene  are  both  at 
school,  the  former  being  a student  at  Phillips  Exeter 
Academy. 

Emma  Sophronia,  the  elder  of  the  two  daughters, 
is  married  to  Captain  Samuel  Pray,  of  Portsmouth, 

N.  H. 

Mary  Amelia  was  graduated  at  Smith  College  in 
1881,  and  lives  at  home. 

Joseph  B.  Walker  is  the  son  of  Captain 
Joseph  Walker,  and  the  great-grandson  of  Rev. 
Timothy  Walker,  the  first  minister  of  Concord.  He 
was  born  on  the  paternal  farm  June  12,  1822.  He 
was  fitted  for  college  largely  at  Exeter,  and  graduated 
at  Yale  in  1844.  He  studied  law  in  the  office  of  Hon. 
Charles  H.  Peaslee,  of  Concord,  and  at  the  Harvard 
Law  School,  and  was  admitted  to  the  New  Hampshire 
bar  in  March,  1847. 

A year  or  two  after  his  admission  to  the  bar  he  re- 
linquished his  profession,  and  has  since  been  devoted 
to  general  business. 

He  inherited  the  family  farm,  one  of  the  largest  in 
Concord,  which  he  has  greatly  improved  by  working, 
draining, "fertilizing,  etc.,  thereby  trebling  its  produc- 
tiveness. 

From  1845  to  1866,  when  its  third  charter  expired, 
Mr.  Walker  was  a director  of  the  Merrimack  County 
Bank.  This  was  a State  institution,  and  its  managers 
not  caring  to  continue  it  as  a national  bank,  its  exis- 
tence ceased  with  its  third  charter,  after  a successful 
career  of  sixty  years.  In  1865  he  was  elected  presi- 
dent of  the  New  Hampshire  Savings-Bank,  in  Concord, 
one  of  the  oldest  institutions  for  savings  in  New 
Hampshire,  and  remained  at  its  head  until  1874. 
Upon  its  organization  in  1880  he  was  elected  one  of 
the  directors  of  the  Mechanics’  National  Bank,  and 
is  still  a member  of  that  board. 

About  1847  he  was  elected  clerk  of  the  board  of 
directors  of  the  Northern  Railroad  and,  a few  years 
later,  a director,  which  two  offices  he  held  for  several 
3 


years.  Some  twelve  or  fifteen  years  ago  he  became  a 
director  of  the  Concord  and  Portsmouth  Railroad,  a 
position  which  he  still  holds. 

Mr.  Walker  took  an  early  interest  in  the  New 
Hampshire  Asylum  for  the  Insane,  and  became  one 
of  its  trustees  in  1847  and  its  secretary  in  1848. 
These  positions  he  still  occupies,  having  held  them 
for  nearly  forty  years.  Being  a resident  trustee,  he 
has  had  much  active  service  in  connection  with  the 
outside  business  of  that  institution.  Since  his  con- 
nection with  it,  its  accommodations  for  patients  have 
increased  from  those  for  ninety-six  patients  to  ample 
ones  for  three  hundred  and  fifty. 

He  has  ever  taken  an  active  interest  in  the  New 
Hampshire  Historical  Society,  of  which  he  became  a 
member  in  1845  and  has  since  served  it  in  various 
ways,  acting  as  its  librarian  from  1845  to  1850,  its 
recording  secretary  from  1849  to  1853,  its  second 
vice-president  from  1860  to  1861,  its  first  vice-presi- 
dent from  1861  to  1866,  and  its  president  from  1866 
to  1868.  He  was  also  active  in  the  successful  efforts 
to  procure  for  it  a permanent  habitation  of  its  own 
and  in  fitting  this  to  meet  the  wTants  of  the  institu- 
tion. 

He  also  took  a deep  interest  in  the  founding  of  the 
New  Hampshire  College  of  Agriculture  and  the  Me- 
chanic Arts.  He  was  chairman  of  the  special  com- 
mittee of  the  House  of  Representatives,  in  1866  to 
whom  this  subject  was  committed,  drew  and  reported 
the  bill  establishing  it,  which,  with  some  modifica- 
tions, passed  both  branches  of  the  Legislature,  and 
after  its  organization  was  for  a year  or  two  one  of  its 
trustees.  His  name  now  stands  upon  its  catalogue  as 
lecturer  to  its  students  upon  the  subjects  of  drainage 
and  irrigation. 

Mr.  Walker  has  always  felt  a deep  interest  in  the 
welfare  of  his  native  city.  Twice — in  1866  and  1867 
— he  has  represented  it  in  the  Legislature,  and  for 
two  years  he  was  a member  of  its  Board  of  Aldermen. 

The  educational  interests  of  the  city  have  also 
received  his  earnest  support.  Up  to  about  1850  the 
schools  of  Concord  had  been  as  poor  as  those  of  any 
other  large  town  in  the  State.  The  consolidation  of 
the  three  districts  in  the  central  part  of  the  city  into 
one,  since  known  as  Union  School  District,  was 
the  first  important  step  in  their  improvement.  The 
second  was  the  establishment  of  a Board  of  Education 
in  this  district.  These  two  steps  subsequently  secured 
a new  interest  on  the  part  of  its  people  in  the  welfare 
of  their  schools.  A systematic  grading  of  the  schools 
and  a rebuilding  of  all  its  school-houses,  with  such 
additional  buildings  as  the  wants  of  the  schools  re- 
quired, were  the  third  and  fourth  in  this  important 
work,  which  required  large  expenditures  of  money 
by  the  district  and  large  expenditures  of  time,  skill 
and  patience  on  the  part  of  the  Board  of  Education. 
The  result  has  been  the  elevation  of  the  schools  to  a 
level  with  that  of  the  good  schools  of  New  England, 
and  the  placing  within  the  reach  of  all  the  children 


34 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


of  this  district  the  means  of  attaining  a respectable 
English  or  classical  education. 

Mr.  Walker  was  one  of  the  original  members  of 
this  Board  of  Education,  and  by  successive  elections 
was  continued  such  for  thirteen  years,  at  the  expira- 
tion of  which  period  he  felt  that  he  had  contributed 
his  share  of  work  in  this  direction,  and  retired. 

Mr.  Walker  was  one  of  the  original  members  of 
the  committee  appointed  by  the  city  for  the  purchase 
of  a new  cemetery,  and  took  an  active  part  in  laying 
out  the  grounds  of  Blossom  Hill  Cemetery,  in  1860, 
and  in  securing  a proper  ordinance  for  the  regulation 
of  its  affairs.  After  a service  of  ten  years  he  retired 
from  this  position,  in  1870. 

He  has  ever  been  a good  deal  interested  in  agricul- 
tural and  historical  subjects ; from  time  to  time  has 
written  papers,  and  on  various  occasions  has  delivered 
addresses  upon  these.  All  the  fourteen  volumes  of 
“Reports  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Agricul- 
ture ” contain  one  or  more  of  these,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  thirteenth.  Before  the  New  Hampshire 
Historical  Society  and  the  New  England  Historic 
Genealogical  Society  he  has  repeatedly  read  papers 
upon  historical  and  biographical  subjects ; many  of 
these  latter  have  been  printed. 

Anson  Southard  Marshall1  was  born  in  Lyme, 
New  Hampshire,  December  3d,  1822,  and  died 
in  Concord  on  the  morning  of  July  5th,  1874.  His 
father  was  a farmer,  and  young  Anson’s  boyhood 
was  passed  on  the  farm,  where  his  naturally  delicate 
constitution  became  strong  and  vigorous  and  thus  en- 
abled him,  in  the  succeeding  years  of  his  busy  life,  to 
bear  its  fatigues  and  worriments  without  seriously 
affecting  his  health.  At  an  early  age  he  inclined  to- 
wards reading  and  study ; and,  although  he  did  not 
neglect  the  sports  incident  to  his  gleeful  disposition, 
young  Marshall  found  time  to  indulge  in  a course  of 
reading  somewhat  unusual  for  one  of  his  years.  With 
an  ambition  like  this,  it  was  but  natural  that  he 
should  turn  his  eyes  towards  that  venerable  seat  of 
learning  only  a few  miles  distant  from  his  father’s 
homestead. 

Accordingly,  he  entered  Dartmouth  College  at  the 
age  of  twenty-one,  having  fitted  himself  in  the  space 
of  eighteen  months  while  at  the  academy  at  Thetford. 
Among  his  classmates  were  the  Hon.  James  W.  Pat- 
terson, now  superintendent  of  State  instruction,  the 
Hon.  Henry  P.  Rolfe,  Albert  H.  Crosby,  M.D.,  and 
many  others  since  distinguished  in  their  various 
walks  of  life.  He  was  graduated  in  the  class  of  1848, 
and,  like  many  a young  graduate  of  that  time,  sought 
his  immediate  livelihood  in  the  vocation  of  school- 
teacher. In  this  he  was  singularly  fortunate.  About 
the  year  1849  the  town  of  Fitchburg,  Mass.,  estab- 
lished a High  School,  and  the  committee  having  the 
selection  of  teachers  in  charge  chose  Mr.  Marshall 
from  a large  number  of  applicants.  To  the  wisdom 


of  this  choice  the  old  people  testify  to  this  day,  and 
his  name  is  held  in  most  affectionate  regard  by  those 
who  attended  the  school  during  his  principalship. 
As  a teacher,  he  was  remarkably  successful ; his 
method  of  instruction  was  such  as  to  interest  the 
scholar  without  the  tediousness  of  an  unchanging 
routine. 

As  an  illustration  of  his  originality  as  a teacher,  he 
once  dismissed  his  class  and  went  with  it  to  a circus, 
in  order,  as  he  said,  that  his  scholars  might  see  the 
exceeding  suppleness  and  perfection  of  the  human 
body  as  shown  by  the  performers.  As  a practical 
lesson  in  anatomy,  this  deviation  from  the  truly  or- 
thodox regulation  may  have  proved  productive  of 
much  good. 

While  in  Fitchburg,  Mr.  Marshall  entered  his 
name  in  the  law-office  of  Wood  & Torrey,  but  his 
school  duties  must  have  prevented  any  serious  or 
deep  researches  in  the  literature  of  that  profession, 
to  which  he  afterward  dedicated  his  life. 

He  often  referred  to  the  time  he  spent  in  Fitch- 
burg as  one  of  the  pleasantest  of  his  life,  and  when- 
ever, in  after-years,  business  called  him  in  its  neigh- 
borhood, he  was  sure  to  visit  the  old  scenes  and  to 
receive  the  hearty  welcome  of  those  of  his  old  friends 
who  yet  remained. 

In  1851  he  left  Fitchburg  and  came  to  Concord, 
where  he  lived  to  the  day  of  his  death.  Entering 
the  law-office  of  President  Pierce  and  Judge  Josiah 
Minot,  he  made  good  progress  in  his  studies,  and  the 
next  year  was  admitted  to  the  bar. 

A partnership  was  formed  with  his  former  class- 
mate, Mr.  Rolfe,  which  continued  until  1859,  and 
was  then  dissolved,  Mr.  Marshall  remaining  alone 
until  1863,  when  William  M.  Chase,  Esq.,  became 
associated  with  him  under  the  name  of  Marshall  & 
Chase. 

Theife  is,  probably,  no  State  in  the  Union  where 
politics  are  more  assiduously  cultivated  than  in  New 
Hampshire,  and  especially  by  the  lawyers;  so,  when 
Mr.  Marshall  found  himself  again  in  his  native 
State,  his  active  mind  inevitably  turned  to  party 
questions.  He  came  from  a stanch  Democratic 
family,  and  his  later  associations  were  of  the  same 
political  faith.  One  of  the  eminent  lawyers  with 
whom  he  had  studied  was  President  of  the  United 
States,  the  other  was  one  of  the  wisest  counselors  in 
the  Democratic  camp,  and  it  is  not  surprising  that 
the  young  man  just  entering  into  life  should  take  an 
active  part  in  the  management  and  detail  of  the 
campaigns. 

He  was  elected  assistant  clerk  of  the  House  of 
Representatives,  and,  later,  was  appointed  district 
attorney  by  President  Buchanan,  which  office  he 
held  until  the  advent  of  the  Lincoln  administration. 
The  fascination  of  politics  never  wore  off,  and  he 
continued  to  render  his  party  efficient  service  on  the 
stump  and  in  the  council- room. 

In  1867  he  was  chairman  of  the  Democratic  State 


1 By  Charles  R.  Corning. 


BENCH  AND  BAR. 


35 


Committee  during  one  of  the  most  exciting  cam- 
paigns ever  waged.  Andrew  Johnson  had  broken 
with  the  Republican  party,  and  as  New  Hampshire 
then  held  its  election  in  March,  the  great  eye  of  the 
nation  was  fixed  on  the  Granite  State  to  see  if  she 
wavered  in  the  fidelity  to  those  principles  which  had 
so  long  guided  her. 

The  fight  was  bitter  and  hotly  contested,  but  Mr. 
Marshall  and  his  party  were  beaten.  His  genial 
nature,  however,  did  not  suffer  from  the  defeat,  his 
cheery  ways  were  not  lessened,  and  there  lurked  in 
his  generous  mind  no  feeling  of  resentment  or  of 
revenge  either  toward  his  own  party  or  his  opponents. 

In  the  spirited  contest  between  the  Northern  and  the 
Concord  Railroads  Mr.  Marshall  was  an  active  factor, 
and  about  1870  was  elected  clerk  of  the  latter  corpo- 
ration, a position  which  he  held  at  the  time  of  his 
death. 

But  law  was,  most  truly,  Mr.  Marshall’s  forte,  and 
to  it  he  devoted  the  best  years  of  his  life. 

He  was  not  a learned,  nor  was  he  even  an  unusu- 
ally well-read  lawyer,  but  few,  indeed,  excelled  him  in 
getting  at  the  pith  of  the  case  or  in  applying  the 
necessary  legal  principles.  He  possessed  a confidence 
and  courage  that  helped  him  to  conquer  difficulties 
which  others  might  have  deemed  insurmountable, 
and,  above  all,  a tact  which  never  failed  him.  He 
was  uniformly  polite  not  only  to  the  bench  and  to 
the  bar,  but  to  the  witnesses  arrayed  against  him. 
Nor  was  his  manner  of  cross-examination  severe 
except  when  he  knew  the  truth  was  held  back  ; and 
even  then  he  depended  more  on  worrying  the  wit- 
ness than  on  vehement  denunciation. 

His  knowledge  of  human  nature  was  large,  and  he 
knew  almost  by  intuition  which  juryman  needed  his 
particular  attention. 

But  it  was  as  an  advocate  that  Mr.  Marshall  attracted 
the  public  notice,  for  he  so  invested  his  arguments 
with  wit  and  humor  that  the  court-room  was  sure  to 
be  filled  whenever  it  became  known  that  he  was  to 
address  the  jury.  His  manner  of  speech  was  quiet, 
but  lie  never  failed  to  indulge  in  invective  and  sar- 
casm if  the  cause  demanded  it,  and  with  these 
weapons  he  was  counted  a most  dangerous  adversary. 

He  rarely,  if  ever,  wrote  out  and  committed  his 
speeches,  either  political  or  forensic ; but  he  care- 
fully thought  them  out  as  he  walked  the  streets,  and 
this,  together  with  his  exceeding  readiness,  both  of 
words  and  of  apt  illustrations,  often  misled  his 
hearears  as  to  the  method  of  his  preparation. 

One  element  that  distinguished  him  was  his  habit 
of  putting  himself  in  his  client’s  place ; he  seemed 
to  feel  his  cause  and  to  make  it  his  own. 

His  law  practice  increased  year  by  year,  and  at 
the  time  of  his  death  had  become  one  of  the  largest 
in  the  State. 

Mr.  Marshall  was  one  of  those  happily  organized 
men  who  enjoyed  life  and  its  blessings  to  the  utmost; 
he  could  lock  law  cases  in  his  office  and  go  forth 


among  society  with  a seeming  forgetfulness  of  his 
morrow’s  labors,  and  it  was  in  this  way  that  he  found 
that  temporary  recreation  so  indispensable  to  the 
brain-worker. 

He  was  exceedingly  fond  of  nature  and  loved  to 
roam  round  the  beautiful  drives  of  Concord,  whose 
beauty  he  so  keenly  appreciated.  Indeed,  it  was  the 
love  of  such  outings  that  led  him  to  his  terrible  death. 

He  was  one  of  the  most  charming  conversational- 
ists that  ever  lived,  for  his  vast  reading  had  made 
him  a'  full  man,  and  there  was  no  subject  upon  which 
he  could  not  entertain  his  hearers.  His  quick  wit 
and  readiness  at  repartee  gave  his  conversation  a 
sparkle  and  lustre  that  never  failed  to  delight  even 
those  whose  opinions  were  at  variance  with  his  own. 

But  one  of  his  most  beautiful  traits  was  his  liking 
for  boys  and  young  men.  They  were  attracted  to 
him  by  his  politeness,  for  Mr.  Marshall  made  it  his 
habit  to  bow  to  everybody,  no  matter  how  humble, 
and  aside  from  this,  he  often  paused  in  his  walks  to 
inquire  of  them  about  their  studies  or  their  pas- 
times. He  took  much  pleasure  in  recommending 
courses  of  reading  to  the  young,  and  willingly  lent 
his  own  books  to  encourage  them. 

His  taste  in  reading  was  excellent,  and  his  library 
contained  the  works  of  the  great  writers  and  poets. 

It  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  say  that  his  favorite 
author  was  Scott,  and  his  favorite  poem  “ Gray’s 
Elegy.” 

He  had  a strong  memory,  and  oftentimes,  while 
in  his  company,  I have  heard  him  quote  long  passages 
from  Shakespeare,  Milton  and  others,  and  so  accu- 
rately that  he  seldom  halted  for  a word. 

In  religion  Mr.  Marshall  entertained  very  liberal 
views  of  man’s  duty  and  man’s  reward,  although  for 
the  last  years  of  his  life  he  was  an  attendant  at  the 
South  Congregational  Church,  and  his  funeral  ser- 
vices were  conducted  by  its  minister. 

He  retained  the  respect  of  his  fellow-citizens,  for 
he  was  active  and  full  of  public  spirit,  and  it  was 
with  heavy  hearts  that  those  with  whom  he  had  lived 
so  long  learned  of  his  tragic  death. 

On  the  bright  morning  of  July  4,  1874,  he  drove 
with  his  wife  and  young  son  to  the  grove  at  the  head 
of  Lake  Penacook,  where  he  intended  to  lunch.  A 
militia  company,  encamped  on  the  grounds  not  many 
rods  away,  suddenly  began  firing  at  a target.  Mr. 
Marshall  heard  the  bullets  whistle  near  and  called 
out  to  the  men  to  be  careful.  He  then  rose  to  his  feet 
and  was  instantly  shot  in  the  abdomen.  The  wound 
was  mortal,  and  death  ended  his  agonies  a few  hours 
later. 

His  funeral  was  largely  attended  by  all  classes  of 
society  ; the  bench  and  the  bar  and  the  State  gov- 
ernment were  all  represented. 

He  lies  in  Blossom  Hill  Cemetery,  on  the  ridge 
facing  the  north,  and  near  him  lie  his  friends  Ira 
Perley,  Charles  C.  Lund,  George  G.  Fogg,  John  Y. 
Mugridge  and  Asa  Fowler. 


36 


HIST011Y  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


At  the  next  term  of  the  Supreme  Court  after  his 
death  the  following  resolutions  were  entered  upon 
the  records : 

“ Resolved , That  in  the  recent  sudden  and  untimely  death  of  Anson  S. 
Marshall,  Esq.,  a prominent  member  of  this  bar,  struck  down  in  the 
vigor  of  life  and  the  full  possession  of  all  his  powers,  through  the  culpable, 
if  not  criminal,  carelessness  of  others,  we  regret  the  loss  of  a frank  and 
courteous  gentleman,  a kind  and  genial  associate  and  companion,  a gen- 
erous and  public-spirited  citizen  and  an  active,  zealous  and  able  lawyer, 
always  untiring  in  his  devotion  to  the  interests  of  his  clients  and  ever 
laborious  and  patient  in  the  practice  of  his  chosen  profession. 

“ Resolved,  That  we  tender  to  the  family  of  our  deceased  brother  our 
sincerest  sympathy  in  the  afflictive  dispensation  which  has  deprived 
them  of  an  affectionate  husband  and  indulgent  father. 

“ Resolved , That  these  resolutions  be  presented  to  the  Court,  with  a re- 
quest that  they  be  entered  upon  the  records,  and  their  clerk  instructed 
to  transmit  a copy  of  them  to  the  family  of  the  deceased.” 

Mr.  Marshall  was  married  to  Mary  Jane  Corning 
April  9,  1861.  Anson  Southard  Marshall,  Jr.,  was 
born  March  29,  1863,  and  is  now  studying  law  in  the 
office  of  Chase  & Streeter. 

Hon.  George  Washington  Nesmith,  LL.D.1 — 
One  of  the  most  affable  and  genial  gentlemen  of  the 
old  school  is  Judge  Nesmith,  of  Franklin,  or,  more 
widely,  of  New  Hampshire.  His  years  sit  lightly 
upon  him.  An  honorable  man,  a just  judge,  a kindly 
neighbor,  a good  citizen  and  a ripe  scholar,  he  can 
calmly  sit  in  his  well-appointed  library,  surrounded 
by  his  well-loved  books  and  mementoes  of  the  past, 
and  review  a well-spent  life,  crowned  with  honors. 
He  is  of  pure  Scotcli-Irish  descent.  In  him  are 
united  the  families  of  the  old  Covenanters,  the  de- 
fenders of  Londonderry,  the  hardy  pioneers  of  New 
England,  the  heroes  of  Bunker  Hill  and  the  strict 
Presbyterians ; the  Nesmiths,  the  McKeans,  the  Dins- 
mores  and  the  Dickeys.  He  comes  of  a brave  and 
cultured  race. 

Genealogy ? — 1.  James  Nesmith  was  born  in  county 
Antrim,  Ireland,  in  the  valley  of  the  Bann,  in  the 
year  1692,  about  two  years  after  his  parents,  coming 
from  Scotland,  had  settled  there.  In  1714  he  married 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  James  and  Janet  (Cochran) 
McKean,  who  was  his  companion  for  nearly  half  a 
century.  James  Nesmith  was  one  of  the  signers  of 
the  memorial  to  Governor  Shute,  March  26, 1718,  one 
of  the  proprietors  of  Londonderry  and  one  of  the 
original  sixteen  who  made  the  first  settlement  of  that 
town,  April  22,  1719.  James  Nesmith  was  a strong 
man,  respected  and  honored  by  his  associates,  and  an 
elder  in  the  church.  He  died  in  1767. 

2.  James  Nesmith,  Jr.,  son  of  James  and  Elizabeth 
(McKean)  Nesmith,  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1718, 
shortly  before  the  embarkation  of  his  parents  for 
America.  He  married  Mary  Dinsmore,  and  settled 
in  Londonderry.  Although  beyond  the  military  age, 
he  took  an  active  part  in  the  struggle  for  indepen- 
dence, and  was  present  at  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill, 


i By  J.  N.  McClintock. 

2 This  account  is  taken  from  the  “ History  of  Antrim,”  by  Rev.  W. 
R.  Cochrane. 


at  the  siege  of  Boston  and  at  Bennington.  He  died 
at  home,  July  15, 1793. 

3.  Jonathan  Nesmith,  son  of  James  and  Mary 
(Dinsmore)  Nesmith,  was  born  in  Londonderry  in 
August,  1759.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  commenced 
to  clear  a lot  in  Antrim,  and  permanently  settled 
there  in  1778.  He  was  one  of  the  leading  spirits  of 
the  town,  an  elder  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  from 
its  formation,  a selectman  for  eleven  years  and  a rep- 
resentative four  years,  commencing  with  1796.  For 
fifty  years  he  missed  but  one  communion.  He  was 
genial,  jolly,  good-natured  and  enjoyed  a joke ; was 
very  hospitable  and  benevolent ; anxious  for  the  pub- 
lic welfare  ; stoutly  in  earnest  to  maintain  the  faith 
of  his  fathers.  He  was  a man  of  strong  ability,  good 
judgment,  irreproachable  character  and  an  honor  to 
the  town  he  helped  to  establish.  He  married  Elea- 
nor, daughter  of  Adam  and  Jane  (Strahan)  Dickey,  of 
Londonderry,  and  granddaughter  of  John  and  Mar- 
garet Dickey,  of  Londonderry,  Ireland.  She  was 
born  January  1,  1761,  and  died  September  17,  1818. 
He  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-six,  October  15,  1845. 

4.  George  Washington  Nesmith,  sou  of  Jonathan 
and  Eleanor  (Dickey)  Nesmith,  was  born  in  Antrim, 
October  23,  1800. 

L{fe. — His  father’s  residence  in  Antrim  was  situate 
a mile  from  the  district  school-house,  and  the  dis- 
tance and  his  lameness  interfered  with  his  early 
attendance.  Miss  Katherine  Miller,  a sister  of  Gene- 
ral James  Miller,  later  wife  of  John  Caldwell,  of 
Antrim,  led  him  through  the  rudiments  as  found 
in  Noah  Webster’s  spelling-book.  She  was  an  ami- 
able and  kind  woman,  well  calculated  to  gain  the 
affections  of  children.  The  other  teachers  who  helped 
to  mould  his  character  were  Miss  Luciuda  Lawrence, 
of  Ashby,  Mass.;  Miss  Fanny  Baldwin,  afterwards 
wife  of  Dr.  Israel  Burnham;  and  Miss  Anstress  Wood- 
bury, a sister  of  Hon.  Levi  Woodbury,  who  in  later 
years  married  Hon.  Nehemiah  Eastman,  and  who 
became  the  early  friend  and  patron  of  Henry  Wilson 
in  his  boyhood.  In  the  winter  of  1810  he  received 
instruction  from  J.  Miltimore,  of  West  Newbury, 
Mass.;  in  1811,  from  Joshua  Holt,  of  Greenfield, 
N.  H.;  and  in  1812,  ’13  and  ’14,  from  Daniel  M. 
Christie,  of  Antrim,  afterwards  of  Dover,  N.  H.  In 
early  life,  in  the  school-room,  Mr.  Christie  gave  evi- 
dence of  superior  ability  as  an  instructor,  and  ranked 
as  a model  schoolmaster.  He  was  an  able  mathe- 
matician, and  could  lead  a class  through  the  intrica- 
cies of  figures  with  consummate  tact. 

In  May,  1814,  the  boy  was  sent  from  home  and 
placed  at  Jaffrey,  under  the  instruction  of  Henry 
Cummings.  His  companions  were  Luke  Woodbury 
and  Samuel  Dakin,  of  Utica,  N.  Y.,  the  former  for 
many  years  judge  of  Probate,  while  the  latter  lived 
to  see  his  five  sons  take  degrees  from  his  own  alma 
mater , Hamilton  College.  To  Rev.  John  M.  Whiton, 
minister  at  Antrim,  was  he  chiefly  indebted  for  his 
progress  in  the  classics  and  his  early  preparation  to 


BENCH  AND  BAll. 


37 


enter  Dartmouth  College.  His  course  of  four  years 
embraced  the  stormy,  threatening  period  when  the 
Legislature  of  the  State  attempted  to  establish  the 
Dartmouth  University,  and  deprive  the  trustees  of 
the  college  of  their  jurisdiction. 

In  the  class  of  1820,  with  Judge  Nesmith,  were 
graduated  Hon.  Nathan  Crosby,  of  Lowell,  Hon. 
George  P.  Marsh,  Judges  Upham  and  Woodbury, 
Hon.  H.  Williams  and  James  W.  Parker,  and  Rev. 
David  Goodwillie,  D.D.,  now  of  Trumbull  County, 
Ohio,  who  yet  survives. 

After  graduation  he  taught  school  at  “the  north 
end  of  Concord  Street”  four  months,  and  at  the 
academy  at  Bradford,  Vt.,  eighteen  months 

He  commenced  the  study  of  the  law  with  Parker 
Noyes,  Esq.  (then  of  Salisbury,  N.  H.),  August  14, 
1822.  Parker  Noyes  was  the  brother-in-law  of  Hon. 
Thomas  W.  Thompson,  and  his  law-partner  from  a.d. 
1801,  continuing  to  1807,  when  the  firm  was  dis- 
solved, and  Mr.  Noyes  succeeded  to  the  whole  busi- 
ness of  the  late  firm. 

He  commenced  the  study  of  the  law  under  the  de- 
pressing influence  of  poor  health,  but  by  adopting  a 
rigid  system  of  out-door  exercise  and  manual  labor, 
and  strictly  adhering  to  it  for  nearly  two  years,  he 
regained  his  accustomed  strength  and  vigor.  The 
law  business  of  Mr.  Noyes  was  quite  extensive,  and 
required  more  than  the  ability  and  strength  of  one 
man  to  attend  to  it,  so  that  the  hearty  co-operation  of 
the  young  law  student  was  duly  appreciated  and 
handsomely  recompensed.  Mr.  Nesmith  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  August,  1825,  and  immediately 
formed  an  equal  partnership  with  Mr.  Noyes,  which 
continued  until  the  end  of  one  year,  when  the  senior 
member  of  the  firm  withdrew  from  professional  labor, 
on  account  of  sickness,  and  surrendered  the  whole 
business  to  Mr.  Nesmith.  The  kindness  and  liber- 
ality of  Mr.  Noyes  to  the  young  lawyer,  on  the 
threshold  of  his  business  life,  has  ever  been  rightly 
appreciated  by  the  recipient. 

The  old  law-office  stood  in  the  lower  village  of 
Franklin  (then  Salisbury,  now  known  as  the  Webster 
Place).  It  was  originally  built  and  occupied  about 
1790,  by  Thomas  W.  Thompson.  Its  situation,  near 
the  point  where  four  of  the  five  great  counties  of  the 
State  then  cornered,  was  well  selected  for  legal  busi- 
ness. Mr.  Thompson  was  a good  lawyer,  but  not  a 
great  advocate.  His  students  acquired  good,  indus- 
trious habits  and  correct  principles.  They  were 
Moses  Eastman,  Daniel  Webster,  Ezekiel  Webster, 
Daniel  Abbot,  Jeremiah  H.  Woodman,  Jacob  Mc- 
Gaw  and  Parker  Noyes.  Ichabod  Bartlett,  D.  C. 
Atkinson,  John  A.  Harper,  Josiah  Houghton,  Pea- 
body Rogers  and  William  C.  Thompson  studied  with 
Mr.  Noyes.  To  the  last-named,  Mr.  Nesmith  owed  his 
invitation  to  leave  his  school  in  Bradford,  Vt.,  and 
enter  the  office  consecrated  to  legal  lore  as  a student. 

In  April,  1829,  Mr.  Nesmith  gave  up  the  office  at 
the  lower  village  and  removed  to  the  upper  village, 


where  he  has  ever  since  resided.  The  old  office  is 
still  in  existence,  reduced  from  its  lofty  station,  and 
now  doing  duty  as  a neglected  back  kitchen,  the  law- 
tomes  being  replaced  by  the  more  humble  pans  and 
kettles. 

Mr.  Nesmith  at  once  took  an  active  part  in  the 
affairs  of  his  adopted  home,  and  entered  eagerly  into 
the  scheme  to  incorporate  the  territory  from  the  four 
towns  of  Northfield,  Sanbornton,  Andover  and  Salis- 
bury into  a township,  when  there  would  be  a com- 
munity of  interest, — the  town  of  Franklin.  The  first 
petition  was  presented  in  1824.  The  following  year 
a viewing  committee,  consisting  of  William  Plumer, 
Jr.,  Caleb  Keith  and  Abel  Merrill,  examined  the  ter- 
ritory, and  reported  favorably  in  1826.  The  Legisla- 
ture of  that  year  rejected  the  application  on  the 
ground  that  a majority  of  the  inhabitants  within  the 
territory  in  question  were  not  in  favor  of  the  new 
town.  Tn  June,  1828,  there  was  more  union  and  con- 
sequently more  strength,  and  the  petition  was  pre- 
sented under  more  favorable  auspices.  Although 
opposed  by  the  strenuous  efforts  and  influence  of 
three  towns,  the  charter  was  granted  in  December, 
1828.  Judge  Nesmith  wrote  the  charter  and  gave 
the  town  its  name.  The  three  opposing  towns,  at  the 
June  session,  1829,  asked  that  the  several  tracts  of 
territory  taken  from  them  should  be  restored.  An 
order  of  notice  was  obtained  for  a hearing  of  this 
subject,  returnable  at  June  session,  1830.  To  the 
Legislature  of  that  year  Mr.  Nesmith  was  elected  to 
represent  the  young  town,  and  advocate  the  inviola- 
bility of  its  territory.  The  struggle  came  on  in  June. 
The  first  hearing  was  before  the  committee  on  towns 
and  parishes,  of  which  Hon.  Franklin  Pierce  was 
chairman.  The  committee,  by  a majority  of  one,  re- 
ported adversely  to  the  towns ; but  their  report,  after 
a long  and  well-contested  debate,  was  rejected  by  the 
House  by  two  majority.  The  territory  taken  from 
Northfield  was  restored  to  her  on  a final  vote,  the 
matter  being  settled  by  the  casting  vote  of  the 
Speaker.  Twenty-six  years  afterwards  this  disputed 
territory,  with  more  added,  was  quietly  ceded  to 
Franklin.  His  first  legislative  experience  was  ardu- 
ous and  repulsive  to  Mr.  Nesmith,  and  by  the  division 
of  the  town  he  saw  his  majority  fade  away.  How- 
ever, he  entered  into  the  canvass  of  1831  with  vigor, 
and  had  the  satisfaction  of  being  re-elected  by  a ma- 
jority of  fifty — an  increased  majority  over  that  of  the 
previous  election.  Judge  Nesmith  also  represented 
Franklin  in  the  Legislature  in  1832,  1834,  1835,  1836, 
1838,  1839,  1844,  1845,  1846,  1847,  1854,  1871  and 
1872,  and  was  a member  of  the  Constitutional  Con- 
vention in  1850  and  1851. 

From  the  first  he  took  advanced  grounds  on  the 
subject  of  extending  the  system  of  railroads  through 
the  State  and  in  granting  to  them  the  right  of  way, 
which  was  for  a long  time  bitterly  contested.  From 
its  organization,  in  1845,  he  has  been  actively  inter- 
ested in  the  Northern  Railroad,  having  been  a director 


38 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


on  every  board  and  for  eight  years  president  of  the 
corporation.  In  1852  and  1853  he  became  interested 
in  manufacturing  in  the  village  of  Franklin,  and  was 
an  owner  and  director  in  the  woolen-factory,  de- 
stroyed by  fire  in  1858. 

December  31,  1859,  he  was  appointed  one  of  the 
judges  of  the  Supreme  Judicial  Court,  which  respon- 
sible trust  he  exercised  until  October,  1870,  when, 
having  reached  the  age  of  seventy  years,  the  consti- 
tution of  the  State  relieved  him  from  further  duty. 
The  last  term  of  court  over  which  he  presided  he 
brought  to  a close  on  the  day  before  his  seventieth 
birth-day. 

In  the  cause  of  education,  and  especially  in  Dart- 
mouth College,  his  alma  mater,  in  all  its  departments, 
he  has  ever  been  deeply  interested.  Since  1858  he 
has  been  a trustee  of  that  venerable  institution ; since 

1870  a trustee  of  the  New  Hampshire  Agricultural 
College;  since  1877  its  president. 

For  the  last  fifty  years  of  his  life  Judge  Nesmith 
has  owned  and  occupied  real  estate  that  has  required 
cultivation.  He  has  therefore  taken  a deep  interest 
in  the  measures  adopted  to  improve  the  condition  of 
the  agriculture  of  our  State.  He  has  been  enrolled 
among  the  practical  farmers  of  the  State.  He  lent 
his  aid  in  organizing  our  New  Hampshire  State 
Agricultural  Society  in  1850-51,  and  acted  as  its 
president  during  those  years. 

In  1871  Dartmouth  College  conferred  upon  him 
the  degree  of  LL.D.  The  incorporation  and  estab- 
lishment of  the  New  Hampshire  Orphans’  Home,  in 

1871  (of  which  institution  he  has  been  president  since 
its  organization),  and  its  maintenance  since,  has  oc- 
cupied much  of  Judge  Nesmith’s  attention  of  late 
years,  and  he  takes  a paternal  interest  in  every  little 
orphan  received  there.  He  has  attended  to  the  pur- 
chase of  the  property  and  its  daily  support  since,  to 
the  employment  of  the  labor  necessary  for  carrying 
on  the  farm  and  the  other  departments  of  the  insti- 
tution, disbursing  all  the  money  from  the  treasury. 

In  politics  Judge  Nesmith  was  a Whig,  and  has 
been  a Republican  from  the  organization  of  the  party. 
For  many  years  he  has  been  a member  of  the  Con- 
gregational Church  of  Franklin,  and  is  a consistent, 
if  not  an  active,  member.  As  a lawyer,  he  has  the 
reputation  of  closing  many  lawsuits  and  stopping 
much  litigation.  His  clients  have  always  reposed 
the  utmost  confidence  in  his  judgment.  During  his 
connection  with  the  bar  of  Merrimack  County  he 
has  been  engaged  in  many  heavy  lawsuits.  Among 
the  students  who  have  studied  with  him  are  Hon. 
Asa  P.  Cate,  Hon.  Stephen  G.  Nash,  Hon.  Austin 
F.  Pike,  Hon.  Daniel  Barnard,  John  Bell  Bouton, 
Daniel  A.  Clark,  Walter  P.  Flanders  and  Frederick 
Bartlett.  One  of  the  most  pleasant  reminiscences  of 
his  life  is  his  friendship  and  intimacy  with  the 
“Great  Expounder,”  Daniel  Webster. 

Friendly  relations  with  Mr.  Webster  had  existed 
for  a number  of  years.  As  one  of  the  Whig  dele- 


gates from  this  State,  elected  for  the  purpose  of 
nominating  a President  in  1848,  when  Zachary  Tay- 
lor was  finally  nominated,  Judge  Nesmith  gave  his 
vote  for  Mr.  Webster.  He  also  supported  him  at  the 
Whig  National  Convention  at  Baltimore,  in  June, 
1852,  as  his  favorite  candidate  for  the  same  office, 
having  cast  for  him,  at  the  several  (fifty)  ballotings 
there  made,  his  vote.  About  one  week’s  time  was  con- 
sumed in  making  a choice  at  this  memorable  contest, 
when  General  Scott  was  nominated,  and  without 
much  chance  of  an  election. 

September  26,  1826,  he  was  joined  in  marriage  to 
Mary  M.,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Annie  (Bedel) 
Brooks,  granddaughter  of  General  Timothy  Bedel,  of 
Revolutionary  fame.  Mrs.  Nesmith  was  born  in 
Haverhill,  July  8,  1799,  and  died,  much  lamented, 
May  31,  1885.  Of  their  children,  but  one  survives. 
George  Brooks  Nesmith,  born  February  13,  1831, 
died  October  26,  1852,  while  a member  of  the  junior 
class  of  Dartmouth  College.  Arthur  Sidney  Nesmith, 
born  March  30, 1833,  served  the  State  during  the  War 
of  the  Rebellion  in  the  quartermaster’s  department, 
holding  the  rank  of  captain ; married  Mary  E. 
Moulder,  of  Washington,  D.  C. ; served  as  represent- 
ative in  the  Legislature  for  the  town  of  Franklin  for 
the  years  1868  and  1869,  and  died,  deeply  lamented, 
August  18,  1877,  from  the  result  of  disease  contracted 
in  the  army,  leaving  two  daughters,  who  still  survive, 
aged,  respectively,  fifteen  and  twelve  years.  Annie 
Nesmith,  born  July  24,  1841,  resides  with  her  father. 

In  closing  this  imperfect  sketch  of  Judge  Nes- 
mith’s life,  I will  quote  the  summing  up  of  his 
character  in  Rev.  W.  R.  Cochrane’s  “History  of  An- 
trim:” “He  is  a man  of  noble  principles  and  hon- 
ored life,  enjoying,  in  his  old  age,  the  highest  confi- 
dence and  esteem  of  men;”  a lawyer  of  sound 
judgment,  of  good  sense,  a safe  counselor  and  an 
honest  man. 

As  a sequel  to  the  words  of  Mr.  McClintock,  we 
would  add  that  Judge  Nesmith  has  now  arrived  to  a 
green  old  age,  having  nearly  reached  the  age  of 
eighty-five  years. 

From  the  experience  and  lessons  of  his  early  life 
he  was  taught  the  benefits  of  active  out-door  exercise. 

By  the  observance  of  the  general  rules  laid  down 
for  preserving  good  health,  and  under  the  power  of 
a kind  Providence,  he  has  realized  much  enjoy- 
ment in  his  latter  days.  Though  Cicero  did  not  die 
at  a very  advanced  age,  yet,  in  his  treatise  on  old 
age,  he  knew  how  to  prescribe  correct  rules  for  the 
aged  (page  157),— 

“Yidetis,  ut  senectus  non  modo  languida,  atque  iners  non  Bit,  vernm 
etiam  sit  operosa,  et  semper  agens  aliquid.'’ 

“ You  see,  that  old  age  not  only  should  not  be  slug- 
gish and  inactive,  but  also  industrious,  and  always 
doing  something.”  No  doubt  the  steady,  active  em- 
ployment of  all  our  faculties  tends  to  prolong  our 
lives  and  give  a zest  to  old  age. 

Amid  the  enjoyments  of  the  protracted  life  of  Judge 


BENCH  AN1)  BAR. 


39 


Nesmith,  still  there  have  been  mingled  in  his  cup 
many  of  the  trials  and  sorrows  incident  to  the  death 
of  many  intimate  friends.  The  loss  of  these  friends 
and  the  certain  termination  allotted  to  all  earthly 
life  now  serve  as  faithful  monitors  that  hut  a few 
days  at  best  remain  for  the  accomplishment  of  life’s 
work  here,  and  that  much  diligence  is  required  to 
perfect  it. 

Hon.  Isaac  N.  Blodgett  was  born  in  the  town  of 
Canaan,  November  6,  1838.  His  father  was  the  late 
Hon.  Caleb  Blodgett,  a prominent  citizen  of  Grafton 
County,  who  served  many  years  in  the  Legislature, 
and  was  also  a member  of  the  Senate  and  of  the 
Executive  Council.  Hon.  Jeremiah  Blodgett,  of 
Wentworth,  is  his  uncle.  He  received  a thorough 
education  at  the  Canaan  Academy,  read  law  with 
Hon.  William  P.  Weeks  and  Anson  S.  Marshall,  and 
commenced  the  practice  of  his  profession  at  Canaan 
in  December,  1862.  In  1867  he  removed  to  Franklin, 
and  was  a partner  of  Hon.  Austin  F.  Pike  until  March, 
1879. 

He  was  four  years  a member  of  the  House  of 
Representatives  from  Franklin,  taking  a leading 
position  upon  the  Democratic  side,  and  was  an  active 
member  of  the  Constitutional  Convention  of  1876.  He 
has  taken  strong  interest  in  political  affairs,  and  was 
chairman  of  the  Democratic  State  Committee  in  1876 
and  1877. 

He  was  appointed  an  associate  justice  of  the  Su- 
preme Court,  November  30,  1880,  a position  which 
he  still  occupies. 

In  June,  1860,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Sarah 
A.,  daughter  of  Rev.  M.  Gerould.  They  have  one 
child,  a daughter,  now  a member  of  Wellesley  Female 
College. 

E.  B.  S.  Sanborn  was  born  in  Canterbury,  N.  H., 
August  11,  1833.  He  graduated  at  Dartmouth  Col- 
lege in  1855  and  read  law  with  Nesmith  & Pike,  and 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1857.  He  settled  in 
Franklin  in  1868,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He 
lias  represented  the  town  several  terms  in  the  Legis- 
lature and  is  at  present  one  of  the  railroad  commis- 
sioners of  the  State. 

Aaron  Whittemore,  Jr.,  son  of  Hon.  Aaron 
Whittemore,  was  born  at  Pembroke  in  1849.  He  was 
educated  at  Pembroke  Academy  and  Harvard  Law 
School,  read  law  with  Hon.  John  M.  Shirley,  of  An- 
dover, admitted  to  the  bar  in  1870,  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
one,  and  commenced  practice  in  Pittsfield,  where  he 
continued  until  his  death,  May  4, 1885.  He  was  a mem- 
ber of  the  last  State  Senate  and  judge-advocate  on  the 
staff  of  Brigadier-General  White,  commanding  New 
Hampshire  National  Guard,  and  was  also  captain  of 
Weston  Guards,  of  the  Third  Regiment.  He  was  iden- 


tified with  the  best  interests  of  Pittsfield,  and  was  a 
worthy  and  highly-respected  citizen  and  lawyer. 

John  M.  Shirley  was  born  in  what  is  now  East 
Tilton  November  16,  1831.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1854,  and  soon  after  commenced  practice  in 
Andover,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  has  asso- 
ciated with  him  in  Andover  Mr.  George  W.  Stone, 
under  the  firm  name  of  Shirley  & Stone;  he  has  also 
an  office  in  Concord,  in  partnership  with  Colonel  John 
H.  George,  under  the  firm  name  of  George  & Shirley. 
Mr.  Shirley  is  also  deeply  interested  in  historical 
matters.  He  is  a Democrat  in  politics. 

Hon.  Ira  A.  Eastman  was  born  at  Gilmanton, 
N.  H.,  January  1,  1809.  He  was  the  son  of  Captain 
Stephen  and  Hannah  Eastman.  He  was  graduated 
at  Dartmouth  College  in  1829,  at  the  early  age  of 
twenty.  He  immediately  commenced  the  study  of 
law  with  the  late  Judge  John  Willard,  of  Troy,  N.  Y., 
in  which  city  he  commenced  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession in  1832.  His  love  for  his  native  State  and 
town,  however,  induced  him  to  return  to  Gilmanton 
in  1834,  where  he  continued  his  practice.  He  was 
clerk  of  the  New  Hampshire  Senate  in  1835.  As 
evidence  of  the  esteem  and  confidence  his  townsmen 
reposed  in  him,  they  sent  him  to  the  Legislature  in 
the  years  1836,  1837,  1838,  over  which  body  he  was 
the  presiding  officer  the  two  last  years.  From  1839 
to  1843  he  was  representative  in  Congress.  He  was 
one  of  the  circuit  judges  of  the  Court  of  Common 
Pleas  from  1844  to  1849,  and  a judge  of  the  Supreme 
Judicial  Court  from  1855  to  December  1,  1859,  at 
which  time  he  resigned  the  office.  He  had  also  been 
one  of  the  justices  of  the  Superior  Court  of  Judica- 
ture from  1849  to  1855. 

Judge  Eastman  was  a thorough  and  industrious 
student,  and  by  his  diligence  became  learned  in  the 
law.  His  attention  to  his  profession  always  gave  him 
plenty  of  clients,  and  he  never  lacked  business  while 
he  was  in  active  practice.  He  was  an  eminent  jurist, 
as  his  opinions  in  many  volumes  of  the  New  Hamp- 
shire Reports  abundantly  testify.  Judge  Eastman 
was  trustee  of  Dartmouth  College  at  the  time  of  his 
death,  and  that  institution  conferred  the  degree  of 
LL.D.  upon  him  in  1858.  He  died  at  Manchester 
in  March,  1881. 

Austin  F.  Pike,  of  Franklin,  N.  H.,  was  born 
October  16,  1819;  received  an  academic  education; 
studied  law  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Merrimack 
County  in  July,  1845,  and  has  been  in  active  practice 
since;  was  a member  of  the  New  Hampshire  House 
of  Representatives  in  1850,  ’51,  ’52,  ’65  and  ’66,  and 
Speaker  of  the  House  the  last  two  years ; was  a mem- 
ber of  the  New  Hampshire  Senate  in  1857  and  ’58, 
and  President  of  the  Senate  the  last  year ; was  chair- 


40 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


man  of  the  Republican  State  Committee  in  1858,  ’59 
and  760;  was  delegateto  the  Philadelphia  Convention 
which  nominated  General  Fremont  in  1856;  was 
elected  a Representative  to  the  Forty -third  Congress, 
serving  from  December  1,  1873,  to  March  3,  1875,  and 
was  elected  to  the  United  States  Senate  as  a Repub- 
lican, to  succeed  E.  H.  Rollins,  Republican,  and  took 
his  seat  December  3,  1883.  Mr.  Pike  is  in  practice 
in  Franklin  in  company  with  F.  N.  Parsons. 

Frank  N.  Parsons,  was  born  September  3, 
1854;  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  1874;  read 
law  with  Hon.  D.  Barnard,  of  Franklin,  and  G.  C. 
Bartlett,  of  Derry,  N.  H.,  and  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  March,  1875.  The  firm  is  Pike  & Parsons. 

Hon.  Edgar  H.  Woodman,  the  present  (1885) 
mayor  of  the  city  of  Concord,  dates  his  ancestry  in  this 
country  to  Edward  Woodman,  who  arrived  at  New- 
bury, Mass.,  from  Malvern,  England,  in  1635,  and  from 
that  time  to  the  present  the  Woodman  name  has 
been  honorably  and  prominently  identified  with  the 
professional  and  business  interests  of  New  England. 

Hon.  E.  H.  Woodman,  son  of  John  Kimball 
Woodman  and  Mary  Jane  (Drew)  Woodman,  was 
born  in  Gilmanton,  N.  H.,  May  6,  1847.  He  was 
educated  at  the  Gilmanton  and  Boscawen  Academies, 
fitting  for  college  at  the  latter.  He  finally  decided, 
however,  not  to  enter  for  a collegiate  course,  hut 
went  to  Poughkeepsie  and  attended  Eastman’s 
Business  College,  the  representative  institution  of 
its  kind  in  this  country.  After  receiving  the  degree 
of  Master  of  Accounts  he  came  to  Concord,  and  in 
February,  1866,  entered  the  employ  of  Colonel  C.  C. 
Webster  as  book-keeper,  with  whom  he  remained 
until  July,  1868,  when  he  accepted  a position  in 
the  adjutant-general’s  office,  tendered  him  by  Gov- 
ernor Nathaniel  Head,  then  adjutant-general  of  the 
State.  October  27,  1868,  while  gunning  in  Gilman- 
ton, he  received  an  accidental  gun-shot  wound  which 
resulted  in  the  loss  of  his  right  arm.  He  had  gone 
to  his  native  town  to  cast  his  first  vote,  and  was  tak- 
ing a vacation  for  a few  days  when  the  accident 
occurred.  Possessed  of  a good  constitution,  his  arm 
healed  rapidly,  and  in  the  following  December  he 
returned  to  this  city  and  spent  the  winter  learning  to 
write  with  his  left  hand  at  the  Commercial  School  in 
Manchester.  In  April,  1869,  as  assistant  superin- 
tendent of  construction  and  paymaster,  he  entered 
upon  the  work  of  building  the  Suncook  Valley  Rail- 
road, and  continued  therein  until  the  road  was  com- 
pleted, in  December  of  the  same  year. 

January  1,  1870,  Mr.  Woodman  commenced  his 
legal  studies  in  the  office  of  Minot,  Tappan  & Mu- 
gridge,  where  he  remained  until  1872,  when  the 
treasurer’s  office  of  the  Northern  Railroad  was  re- 


moved to  Boston,  and  Judge  Minot  appointed  him 
assistant  treasurer  of  the  Boston  office.  While  dis- 
charging his  duties  here  he  attended  law  lectures  at 
the  Boston  University,  and,  in  1873,  was  admitted  to 
the  New  Hampshire  bar.  He,  however,  remained  in 
charge  of  the  Boston  office  of  the  railroad  until  its 
removal  to  this  city,  April  1,  1876,  and  continued 
therein  until  April  1,  1878,  when  the  office  was  again 
transferred  to  Boston.  He  then  resigned  his  position 
in  the  treasurer’s  office,  and  at  once  entered  upon  the 
practice  of  his  profession  in  this  city,  opening  an 
office  in  the  Board  of  Trade  buildings.  July  1,  1879, 
he  removed  to  his  present  office  in  the  Governor 
Hill  block,  which  is  the  same  office  in  which  he 
commenced  the  study  of  law.  He  brought  to  the 
practice  of  his  profession  a good  knowledge  of  law, 
sound  judgment,  quick  perception  and  an  indomita- 
ble will,  which  have  borne  legitimate  fruit  in  the 
securing  of  a good  practice,  which  is  constantly 
increasing. 

The  citizens  of  Concord,  recognizing  his  ability 
and  integrity,  in  1882,  tendered  him  the  nomination 
for  mayor,  an  honor  which  came  to  him  unsought 
and  while  he  was  absent  from  the  city.  He  was 
elected  by  a large  majority,  and  re-elected  in  1884, 
and  is  the  present  mayor. 

Mayor  Woodman  is  a prominent  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity;  has  been  recorder  of  Mount 
Horeb  Commandery  since  1877,  and  was  also  secre- 
tary of  Eureka  Lodge  and  Trinity  Chapter;  secretary 
of  Concord  Masonic  Association,  and  is  the  present 
treasurer.  He  is  treasurer  of  the  Peterborough  and 
Hillsborough  Railroad,  and  of  Saint  Paul’s  Episcopal 
parish.  He  is  also  a director  in  the  First  National 
Bank  and  president  of  the  Webster  Club.  May  6, 

1878,  he  married  Georgiana  Hodges,  of  Boston, 
Mass.,  and  they  had  one  child,  George  Edgar,  who 
died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  Woodman  died  January  8, 

1879. 

Genial  and  courteous  by  nature,  he  has  won  hosts 
of  friends;  he  is  an  able  and  ready  speaker,  and  an 
executive  officer  of  marked  ability. 

Lyman  Dewey  Stevens,  a leading  member  of  the 
Merrimack  bar,  was  born  in  Piermont,  N.  H.,  Sep- 
tember 20,  1821.  His  father,  Caleb  Stevens,  was  g 
born  in  Hampstead,  N.  H.,  November  27,  1782,  and 
died  March  29,  1870;  his  mother,  Sally  Dewey,  was 
born  in  Piermont,  January  2,  1793,  and  died  January 
9,  1879. 

Mr.  Stevens  pursued  his  preparatory  studies  at 
Haverhill  (N.  H.)  Academy.  He  graduated  at  Dart- 
mouth College  in  1843.  He  then  became  principal 
of  the  Staustead  (C.  E.)  Academy,  where  he  remained 
two  years,  and  later  assisted  Jonathan  Tenney,  for  a 


BENCH  AND  BAB. 


40a 


short  time,  as  principal  of  the  academy  at  Pembroke, 
N.  H.  While  in  Stanstead,  he  decided  upon  the 
legal  profession  as  his  life-work,  and  began  his  studies 
in  the  office  of  E.  C.  Johnson,  Esq.,  of  Derby,  Vt. 
He  subsequently  continued  his  studies  with  Hon.  Ira 
Perley  in  Concord,  N.  H.,  and  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  October,  1847.  He  at  once  opened  an  office 
in  Concord,  where  he  has  remained  to  the  present 
time  in  the  successful  practice  of  his  profession. 

Mr.  Stevens  has  ever  manifested  a lively  interest  in 
his  adopted  city,  and  all  measures  tending  to  advance 
its  welfare  have  found  in  him  an  able  and  fearless 
advocate.  He  was  elected  mayor  of  Concord  in  1868; 
and  re-elected  in  1869.  During  his  mayoralty  he 
instituted  various  reforms  and  improvements,  the 
most  notable  being  the  adoption  of  the  present  sys- 
tem of  sewage.  This  was  almost  the  first  real  and 
substantial  improvement  that  the  people  had  been 
called  upon  to  make,  and  it  is  not  surprising  that  he 
met  with  determined  opposition  in  this  needless  out- 
lay of  expenditure,  as  many  deemed  the  movement. 
He  paused  not,  however,  to  listen  to  the  words  of 
opposition,  which,  in  many  instances,  were  exceed- 
ingly severe,  but  proceeded  fearlessly  to  carry  on  the 
improvements  which  the  health  and  beauty  of  the 
city  demanded.  The  wisdom  of  his  course  soon  be- 
came apparent,  even  to  the  most  strenuous  opponent. 
He  is  now,  and  has  been  for  a long  series  of  years, 
identified  with  various  leading  interests  of  the  city. 
He  has  been  a director  in  the  National  State  Capital 
Bank  since  1865,  and  president  of  the  Merrimack 
County  Savings-Bank  since  its  organization.  He  is 
also  president  of  the  Board  of  Trade,  and  a director  in 
the  Page  Belting  Company. 

He  was  appointed  by  Governor  Gilmore  to  adjust 
the  suspended  war-claims  of  New  Hampshire  against 
the  United  States  accruing  prior  to  May,  1863,  and 
also  to  attend  the  dedication  of  the  National  Ceme- 
tery at  Gettysburg,  November  19,  1863,  as  commis- 
sioner from  New  Hampshire. 

His  interest  in  charitable  objects  has  led  to  his 
appointment  as  vice-president  and  treasurer  of  the 
New  Hampshire  Home  Missionary  Society.  He  was 
also  a trustee  in  the  Kimball  Union  Academy  and 
Boscawen  Academy.  He  has  served  on  the  school 
committee,  and  been  a member  of  the  city  Board  of 
Education. 

Politically,  Mr.  Stevens  is  a Republican,  and  has 
been  since  the  organization  of  that  party.  He  has 
been  called  to  various  positions  within  the  gift  of  his 
townsmen  and  fellow-citizens.  He  was  city  solicitor 
in  1855  and  1856;  a member  of  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives in  1860,  ’61,  ’66  and  ’67,  and  was  elected 
Senator  in  1884.  He  was  one  of  the  Presidential 


electors  in  1872,  and  was  also  a member  of  Governor 
Bell’s  Council. 

Mr.  Stevens  is  a member  of  the  South  Congrega- 
tional Church  and  one  of  its  most  active  and  ener- 
getic supporters. 

August  21,  1850,  he  united  in  marriage  with  Ach- 
sah  Tollard,  daughter  of  Captain  Theodore  French, 
of  Concord,  by  whom  he  had  two  children, — Margaret 
French  and  Henry  Webster.  Mrs.  Stevens  died  July 
2,  1863.  January  20,  1875,  he  married  Frances  Child 
Brownell,  of  New  Bedford,  Mass.,  and  they  have  two 
children, — Fanny  Brownell,  born  January  10,  1876, 
and  William  Lyman,  born  April  5,  1880. 

The  present  members  of  the  Merrimack  bar  are  as 
follows : 

John  H.  Albin. 

Benjamin  E.  Badger. 

Bingham  & Mitchell  (Harry  Bingham,  John  M. 
Mitchell). 

Chase  & Streeter  (William  M.  Chase,  Frank  S. 
Streeter). 

Warren  Clark. 

C.  E.  Clifford. 

Charles  R.  Corning. 

Sylvester  Dana. 

Daniel  B.  Donavan. 

Samuel  C.  Eastman. 

George  M.  Fletcher. 

William  L.  Foster. 

John  H.  George. 

John  P.  George. 

Fred.  H.  Gould. 

S.  G-  Lane. 

Leach  & Stevens  (E.  G.  Leach,  Henry  W.  Stevens). 
Wells  H.  Johnson. 

Nathaniel  E.  Martin. 

Luther  S.  Morrill. 

A.  F.  L.  Norris. 

Henry  Robinson. 

Henry  P.  Rolfe. 

Charles  P.  Sanborn. 

Harry  G.  Sargent. 

Everett  J.  Sargent. 

Arthur  W.  Silsby. 

Lyman  D.  Stevens. 

Reuben  E.  Walker. 

Edgar  H.  Woodman. 

Willis  G.  Buxton. 

David  F.  Dudley. 

C.  E.  Carr. 

Shirley  & Stone. 

M.  W.  Tappan. 

A.  F.  Pike. 

Isaac  N.  Blodgett. 


40b 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Daniel  Barnard. 

E.  G.  Leach. 

G.  W.  Nesmith. 

G.  R.  Stone. 

W.  M.  Barnard. 

F.  N.  Parsons. 

J.  B.  Hazelton. 
George  S.  Blanchard. 
A.  F.  Burbank. 

T.  H.  Thorndike. 

A.  W.  Bartlett. 

E.  A.  Lane. 

Samuel  Davis. 

A.  P.  Davis. 

S.  K.  Paige. 

W.  W.  Flanders. 
Walter  C.  Harriman. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  STATE-HOUSE. 

I!Y  ISAAC  W.  HAMMOND. 

The  first  session  of  the  Legislature  that  was  held  in 
Concord  convened  in  March,  1782.  Prior  to  that  time, 
and  subsequent  to  the  commencement  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary War,  legislative  sessions,  with  two  exceptions, 
were  held  in  Exeter ; those  two  exceptions  being  the 
September  session  of  1777  and  the  October  session  of 
1780,  which  were  held  in  Portsmouth. 

From  1782  to  1808  the  Legislature  was  a movable 
institution,  and  held  its  sessions  in  Concord,  Exeter, 
Portsmouth,  Charlestown,  Dover,  Hanover,  Hop- 
kinton  and  Amherst,  — at  whichever  town  the 
members  of  the  next  preceding  Legislature  voted 
to  have  it  held.  The  matter  of  deciding  at  wrhat 
place  the  next  Legislature  should  sit  came  up 
at  every  session,  and  often  occasioned  consider- 
able strife  among  the  members.  A vote  in  favor 
of  one  town  was  occasionally  reconsidered  and 
another  town  finally  decided  upon,  in  consequence, 
probably,  of  some  of  the  members  having  been  “ seen  ” 
and  persuaded  that  a change  would  be  for  the  best  in- 
terest of  the  State. 

Since  1808  all  legislative  sessions  have  been  held  in 
•Concord,  although  not  permanently  located  here  un- 
til the  completion  of  the  State-House,  in  1819.  In 
1814  the  matter  of  having  a permanent  habitation 
came  up  in  the  Legislature,  and  the  members  wisely 
•concluded  that  the  wandering  life  theretofore  led  by 
the  honorable  body  and  the  exposure  of  its  records 
to  loss  in  consequence  of  frequent  removals,  as  well  as 
to  destruction  by  fire  for  want  of  proper  vaults,  was 


not  conducive  to  the  best  interests  of  the  State,  and 
accordingly,  on  the  6th  day  of  June  of  that  year, 
a committee  was  appointed  by  the  Legislature  “to 
take  into  consideration  the  expediency  of  building  a 
State-House,  and  report  where,  and  the  time  when, 
it  will  be  expedient  to  commence  the  building,”  etc. 
Said  committee  reported  that,  so  far  as  they  could 
learn,  all  of  the  States  in  the  Union,  except  New 
Hampshire,  had  provided  themselves  with  a State- 
House  and  located  a “ seat  of  government and  also, 
“ That  it  is  justly  considered  derogatory  to  a respect- 
able and  independent  State  to  suffer  the  officers  of  its 
government  to  sit  and  transact  the  business  of  the 
State  in  a building  mean  in  its  appearance  and  desti- 
tute of  suitable  accommodations.  That  your  commit- 
tee are  deeply  impressed  with  a sense  of  the  propriety, 
expediency  and  even  necessity  of  providing  fire- 
proof rooms  for  the  safe  keeping  of  the  public  rec- 
ords,” etc.  The  committee  further  reported  that  a 
State-House  might  be  built  upon  reasonable  terms, 
and  advised  the  appointment  of  a committee  of  three 
persons  to  sit  during  the  recess  of  the  Legislature, 
designate  a location,  prepare  plans,  ascertain  the 
! probable  expense  and  receive  proposals  for  erecting 
| the  building,  and  report  to  the  next  Legislature.  The 
report  was  accepted,  and  a committee,  consisting  of 
Hon.  John  Harris,  of  Hopkinton,  Benjamin  Kimball, 
Jr.,  of  Concord,  and  Andrew  Bowers,  of  Salisbury, 
was  appointed. 

On  the  13th  of  June,  1815,  said  committee  re- 
ported that  they  had  prepared  a plan  and  ascertained 
that  the  probable  expense  would  be  about  thirty 
thousand  dollars  if  built  of  stone;  that  Stuart  J. 
Park  had  made  a proposal  to  complete  the  building 
for  thirty-two  thousand  dollars ; that  a majority  of  the 
committee  had  designated  a location  in  Concord  west 
of  the  court-house ; and  also  reported  that  the  inhabit- 
ants of  Salisbury  had  offered  to  contribute  seven 
thousand  dollars  if  the  Legislature  would  locate  the 
building  in  that  town. 

The  report  was  accepted,  and  another  committee 
was  appointed  to  inquire  whether  any  donations 
would  be  made  by  the  town  of  Concord  or  its  citi- 
zens if  the  building  was  located  in  the  place  desig- 
nated by  the  committee.  The  citizens  of  Concord 
were  agreed  as  to  the  propriety  of  having  it  in  their 
town,  but  were  not  agreed  as  to  the  lot  upon  which 
to  locate  it.  Subscription  papers  were  circulated  by 
each  faction ; the  people  at  the  north  end  favored 
the  site  of  the  present  court-house,  and  those  resid- 
ing at  the  south  end  favored  the  “ Green  lot,”  which 
was  the  one  finally  selected.  A sufficient  amount  of 
money  was  pledged  by  each  party  to  meet  the  re- 
quirements of  the  legislative  committee;  hut  the  disa- 


THE  STATE-HOUSE. 


41 


greement  as  to  location  and  the  lack  of  funds,  par- 
tially in  consequence  of  the  then  late  war  with 
Great  Britain,  carried  the  matter  over  to  the  next 
June  session. 

On  the  21st  day  of  June,  181G,  the  matter  came  up 
in  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  the  following 
resolution  was  passed : 

“ Resolved , That  a State-House,  agreeably  to  the  plan  communicated  by 
Stuart  J.  Park  at  the  last  June  session,  be  erected  in  the  town  of  Con- 
cord and  county  of  Rockingham  ; the  spot  of  ground  to  be  selected,  and 
the  place  on  which  to  erect  said  State-House  to  be  located  by  his  excel- 
lency, the  Governor,  and  the  Honorable  the  Council.” 

That  hoard  was  also  authorized  to  appoint  a com- 
mittee to  make  the  necessary  contracts  and  superin- 
tend its  erection ; and  said  committee  was  to  be  in- 
structed to  commence,  as  soon  as  practicable,  and  to 
employ  the  convicts  in  the  State  Prison  in  preparing 
the  stone.  By  the  same  resolution,  the  sum  of  three 
thousand  dollars  was  appropriated  to  commence  the 
work,  and  it  also  contained  a provision  by  which  it 
was  not  to  take  effect  unless  the  town  of  Concord,  or 
its  inhabitants,  would  donate  the  land,  level  and 
prepare  it  to  the  acceptance  of  the  committee,  give 
all  the  stone  needed  for  its  construction  and  convey 
the  same  to  the  lot  free  of  charge. 

The  inhabitants  residing  at  the  north  end  were 
ready  to  give  a bond  to  comply  with  these  require- 
ments, providing  the  Stickney  lot  (site  of  the  present 
court-house)  was  selected ; and  those  residing  at  the 
south  end  would  do  the  same,  providing  the  Green 
lot  (site  of  the  present  State-House)  was  decided 
upon.  The  advocates  of  the  north  end  location 
claimed  that  the  Stickney  lot  was  elevated  and  dry, 
and  had  been  selected  by  the  committee  of  the  Legis- 
lature as  being  the  more  eligible  of  the  two;  that  the 
Green  lot  was  low  and  wet,  and  that  it  would  cost  a 
large  sum  to  put  in  a substantial  foundation.  The 
other  side  urged  that  the  Green  lot  was  more  central, 
and  for  that  reason  the  most  eligible. 

William  Plumer,  of  Epping,  was  Governor,  and 
i Benjamin  Pierce,  of  Hillsborough,  Levi  Jackson,  of 
, Chesterfield,  Samuel  Quarles,  of  Ossipee,  Elijah  Hall 
and  Enoch  Colby  composed  the  Council.  Messrs. 
Pierce,  Jackson  and  Quarles  favored  the  Stickney 
lot;  the  Governor,  with  Messrs.  Hall  and  Colby, 
favored  the  Green  lot.  Consequently,  with  all  pres- 
ent acting  in  the  capacity  of  a committee  of  the 
Legislature,  as  some  of  them  subsequently  claimed 
they  did,  the  result  would  have  been  a tie.  On  the 
2d  day  of  July,  Colonel  Quarles  asked  leave  of 
absence  until  the  4th,  to  attend  to  some  matters  of 
his  own,  and  went  away,  as  he  afterward  stated,  with 
the  understanding  that  the  matter  of  locating  the 
State-House  should  not  be  decided  until  his  return. 
On  the  following  day,  July  3d,  at  a meeting  of  the 
Governor  and  four  members  of  the  Council,  the  mat- 
ter was  brought  up,  and  they  proceeded  to  examine 
the  two  locations,  and  then  returned  to  the  Council 
chamber.  The  Governor  then  asked  the  councillors, 
severally,  if  they  were  “ready  to  proceed  in  selecting 


a plot  of  ground  for  said  house.”  Mr.  Colby  an- 
swered that  he  was  ready,  but  asked  whether  it 
would  not  be  best  to  wait  until  the  return  of  Colonel 
Quarles. 

According  to  the  statement  of  Mr.  Colby,  no  one 
else  expressed  any  desire  for  postponement,  and  a 
ballot  was  taken,  which  stood  three  in  favor  of  the 
Green  lot  and  two  in  favor  of  the  Stickney  lot,  the 
Governor  voting  with  the  Council.  Had  all  of  the 
councilors  been  present,  and  acting  in  the  capacity 
of  an  executive  board,  as  I think  was  the  intention 
of  the  Legislature,  the  vote  would  have  stood  three  in 
favor  of  the  Stickney  lot  and  two  in  favor  of  the 
present  location,  in  which  case  the  Governor  could 
have  used  his  privilege  of  negativing  the  vote  of  the 
majority  of  the  Council,  thus  leaving  the  matter  un- 
decided. It  was,  therefore,  fortune  for  the  friends  of 
the  Green  lot  location  that  Colonel  Quarles  was 
called  away  at  that  time. 

On  July  4th,  Colonel  Quarles  having  returned, 
the  Governor  and  Council  held  a meeting,  the 
proceedings  of  which  were  recorded  in  the  Coun- 
cil records  in  the  same  manner  as  were  those  of 
the  3d,  or  any  other  meeting  of  that  board,  the 
caption  of  the  record  being  as  follows : “At  a 
meeting  of  His  Excellency,  the  Governor,  and 
the  Hon1.  Council,  July  4,  1816,  The  whole  board 
present,”  etc.  At  that  meeting  some  one  moved 
a reconsideration  of  “the  vote  of  yesterday,  select- 
ing a lot  of  land  whereon  to  erect  a State-House.” 
The  question  being  put,  the  vote  stood  three  for  re- 
consideration— Messrs.  Quarles,  Pierce  and  Jackson, 
— and  three  against,  the  Governor  voting  with  the 
Council,  as  before,  and  claiming  subsequently,  in 
vindication  of  his  action  in  so  doing,  that  they  were 
acting  in  the  capacity  of  a committee  of  the  Legisla- 
ture. If  that  was  the  case,  and  so  understood  at  the 
time,  it  is  not  quite  clear  why  they  convened  as  “ a 
meeting  of  His  Excellency,  the  Governor  and  the 
Hon1.  Council,”  or  why  their  proceedings  in  that 
matter  were  recorded  in  the  Council  records,  with 
other  acts  done  at  the  same  meeting,  which  could  not 
have  been  legally  done  by  any  body  of  men  except 
the  Governor  and  Council  in  executive  session. 

On  July  5th  the  Governor  and  Council  met  and  ap- 
pointed Albe  Cady,  William  Low  and  Jeremiah 
Pecker,  all  of  Concord,  as  a committee  to  superintend 
the  erection  of  the  State-House.  Messrs.  Hall,  Colby 
and  Jackson  acted  with  the  Governor  in  making  the 
appointment,  a record  of  which  was  made  by  the 
Secretary  of  State  in  the  same  book  and  manner  as 
the  record  of  any  executive  appointment.  The  board 
then  adjourned  and  did  not  meet  again  until  Septem- 
ber 18th. 

The  Legislature  adjourned  on  the  29tli  of  June,  to 
meet  on  the  third  Wednesday  of  November  following. 
During  the  recess  the  work  of  construction  progressed! 
as  also  did  the  strife  between  the  “ north-enders”  and 
the  “ south-enders.”  Charges  of  unfairness,  on  the 


42 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


part  of  the  Governor  and  Council,  were  made  by  the 
defeated  north-enders,  the  principal  charges  being 
that  the  matter  was  acted  upon  in  the  absence  of 
Colonel  Quarles,  contrary  to  an  agreement  to  delay  it 
until  his  return,  and  that  the  Governor  voted  with 
the  Council,  as  he  had  no  right  to  do,  if  they  were 
acting  in  their  official  capacity  as  an  Executive 
Council. 

The  Legislature  assembled  on  the  twentieth  of  No- 
vember, 1816,  and  the  State-House  matter  was  taken 
up  on  the  ninth  of  December,  at  which  time  a com- 
mittee was  appointed  to  “ request  such  information 
of  the  Governor  as  he  possesses  relative  to  the  location 
of  the  State-House,”  and  report  to  the  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives. Said  committee  called  on  the  Governor, 
made  the  request  verbally  and  on  the  following  day 
he  communicated  in  writing  a statement  of  the  action 
of  the  board  in  making  the  selection  of  a lot,  etc. 
This  not  proving  satisfactory  to  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives, the  committee  called  again  on  the  evening 
of  the  thirteenth,  and  requested  copies  of  “ all  the 
votes  and  proceedings  of  the  Governor  and  Council” 
relating  to  the  matter,  which  request  he  complied 
with  by  furnishing  attested  copies  from  the  Council 
records,  covering  said  proceedings,  and  suggested,  in 
his  letter  of  transmittal,  that  if  either  branch  of  the 
government  considered  it  necessary  to  make  any 
inquiries  of  the  other,  whether  it  “ would  not  bet- 
ter comport  with  the  dignity  of  both  that  the  inqui- 
ries and  answers  should  be  in  writing.”  Whereupon 
the  House  of  Representatives  formulated  several 
(piestions,  and  sent  a copy  to  the  Governor,  and  one 
to  each  of  the  councillors.  The  substance  of  the 
Governor’s  answers  was : That  on  the  third  day  of 
July,  1816,  Charles  Walker,  Esq.,  presented  a bond 
to  furnish  a lot  ; and  the  required  amount  of  stone, 
provided  the  building  was  located  on  the  Stickney  lot  ; 
that  William  A.  Kent  and  Isaac  Hill,  Esqrs.,  pre- 
sented a bond  to  do  the  same,  provided  it  was  located 
on  the  Green  lot ; that  in  the  afternoon  of  that  day, 
he  and  four  of  the  councilors  examined  all  lots  that 
any  one  requested  them  to  see,  and  then  returned  to 
the  Senate  chamber  and  made  the  selection,  as  here- 
inbefore stated.  The  Governor  also  stated,  that  he 
did  not  understand  that  any  agreement  had  been 
made  to  wait  until  the  return  of  Colonel  Quarles 
before  making  the  selection.  Mr.  Pierce,  Mr.  Jack- 
son  and  Mr.  Quarles  stated  that  there  was  such  an 
agreement.  The  Governor  further  stated  that,  in 
making  said  selection,  they  acted  as  a committee 
appointed  by  a resolve  of  the  Legislature,  and  not  in 
their  executive  capacity  ; and  in  this  his  answer  was 
sustained  by  a majority  of  the  Council.  But  no 
attempt  was  made  to  explain  why  their  transactions 
as  a committee  were  acted  upon  in  a meeting  of 
“His  Excellency,  the  Governor  and  the  Honorable 
Council,”  at  which  meeting  executive  appointments 
were  made,  and  the  proceedings  of  which  were  embod- 
ied in  one  record,  by  the  Secretarv  of  State,  in  the 


same  manner  as  was  the  record  of  any  meeting  of  the 
Governor  and  Council. 

December  20th  the  investigating  committee  re- 
ported in  full,  from  which  report  I extract  the  follow- 
ing : “ Your  committee  would  further  report  that,  in 
their  opinion,  the  general  location  of  the  lot  whereon 
to  erect  the  State-House  never  was  made  agreeably 
to  the  true  meaning  and  provisions  of  the  resolve 
aforesaid,  inasmuch  as  that  they  have  never  seen  any 
evidence  that  a majority  of  that  Honorable  board  ever 
did  agree  to  such  location.” 

December  25th  the  investigating  committee  re- 
ported a resolution  repealing  the  resolution  of  June 
22,  1816,  which  placed  the  appointment  of  a commit- 
tee to  superintend  the  erection  of  the  State-House  in  the 
hands  of  the  Governor  and  Council,  which  failed  of  a 
passage.  On  the  same  day  a resolution  appropriating 
four  thousand  dollars  toward  the  erection  of  the 
building  passed,  ninety-one  to  seventy. 

L'ecember  27tb  the  investigating  committee  re- 
ported a resolution  providing  that  the  committee  to 
superintend  the  building  should  consist  of  one  man, 
instead  of  three,  and  that  Albe  Cady  should  be  that 
man.  As  no  complaint  had  been  made  by  the  com- 
mittee against  any  of  the  men  composing  the  build- 
ing committee,  the  presumption  is  that  the  resolution 
was  introduced  for  the  purpose  of  taking  the  matter 
from  the  control  of  the  Governor  and  Council,  by 
making  the  building  committee  an  appointee  direct 
of  the  Legislature.  The  resolution  passed  the  House, 
but  was  defeated  in  the  Senate. 

At  the  June  session,  1817,  the  sum  of  thirty  thou- 
sand dollars  was  appropriated  to  continue  the  work, 
in  accordance  with  a report  and  recommendation  of 
the  building  committee,  who  stated  that  they  desired 
to  complete  the  outside  that  season. 

In  1818  an  appropriation  was  made  for  necessary 
furniture,  and  the  building  was  first  occupied  by  the 
Legislature  at  the  June  session  of  1819,  but  tlie  build- 
ing committee  was  not  discharged  until  June,  1820. 

The  building  as  completed  was  one  hundred  and 
twenty-six  feet  in  length,  including  the  wings,  and 
forty-nine  feet  in  width,  with  a projection  of  four  feet 
in  the  centre  of  each  front,  and  cost  as  follows,  in- 
cluding fencing  and  furniture : Amount  appropriated 
from  the  State  treasury,  $67,372.44;  stone-work  done 
at  the  State  Prison  by  convicts,  $10,455.16  ; lot  and 
materials  given  by  citizens  of  Concord,  $4,000, — 
total,  $81,827.60.  The  building,  as  thus  erected,  was 
occupied  without  any  material  change  until  remod- 
eled, in  1864-66. 

In  1854,  Governor  N.  B.  Baker,  in  his  address  to  the 
Legislature,  at  the  June  session,  called  the  attention 
of  that  body  to  the  insecure  manner  in  which  the  pro- 
vincial and  State  records,  Revolutionary  War  rolls 
and  other  valuable  documents  belonging  to  the  State, 
were  kept,  stating  that  they  were  liable  to  destruction 
by  fire  at  any  moment  and  advising  the  construction 
of  fire-proof  rooms  in  the  State-House,  or  of  a separate 


THE  STATE-HOUSE. 


43 


fire-proof  building  for  their  safe  keeping.  A com- 
mittee of  the  Legislature,  appointed  to  investigate  the  i 
matter,  reported  a resolution  providing  that  the 
Governor  be  requested  to  employ  some  suitable  per- 
son to  estimate  the  expense  and  make  necessary 
plans  for  erecting  a fire-proof  building  of  sufficient 
capacity  to  accommodate  the  Secretary  of  State,  State 
treasurer,  State  Library  and  the  standard  weights  and 
measures. 

The  resolution  passed,  as  also  did  another  calling 
for  a plan  and  an  estimate  of  the  cost  of  enlarging  the 
Representatives’  Hall,  and,  in  accordance  therewith,  a 
report  was  made  to  the  Legislature  of  1855,  plans  pre- 
sented and  the  expense  estimated  at  $37,000  for  en- 
larging the  State-House  and  hall,  and  $17,500  for  a 
separate  fire-proof  building.  That  report  not  being 
acceptable  to  the  Legislature,  the  matter  was  post-  \ 
poned  to  the  next  session,  and  no  material  progress 
w’as  made  until  1863.  At  the  June  session  of  the  last- 
named  year  the  Legislature  passed  a resolution  setting 
forth  the  fact  that  the  largely  increased  business  of 
the  State  government  imperatively  required  an  en- 
largement of  the  State-House ; that  the  city  of  Con- 
cord derived  considerable  benefit  from  the  location 
and  should  contribute  materially  to  the  expense  of  en- 
larging the  capital.  The  resolution  authorized  the 
Governor  and  Council  to  cause  new  plans  and  esti- 
mates to  be  made,  receive  propositions  from  the  city 
of  Concord  or  any  other  city  or  town  having  necessary 
railroad  facilities  and  “ desirous  of  having  the  State- 
House  established  therein.”  In  other  words,  the  lo- 
cation of  the  capital  was  again  for  sale  to  the  highest 
bidder,  regardless  of  the  fact  that  it  had  once  been 
sold,  paid  for  and  delivered.  Bids  were  to  be  made  to 
the  Governor  and  to  be  by  him  presented  to  the  Legis- 
lature of  1864.  The  city  of  Manchester  submitted  a 
proposition  to  erect  and  complete  a building  without 
expense  to  the  State,  providing  it  should  be  located 
in  that  city. 

Concord,  by  action  of  the  City  Councils  on  the  23d 
day  of  May,  1864,  voted  to  raise  and  appropriate  j 
$100,000  to  the  work  of  enlarging  the  building  then 
in  use,  and  subsequently  raised  $50,000  more  in  the 
precinct.  These  propositions  were  transmitted  to  the 
Legislature  by  the  Governor,  June  6th,  and  referred  to 
a select  committee  of  one  from  each  county.  A sharp 
contest  between  the  two  cities  ensued  ; the  citizens  of 
Manchester  used  every  means  in  their  power  to  obtain 
the  prize,  and  the  citizens  of  Concord  as  earnestly  strug- 
gled to  retain  it,  believing  that,  as  they  had  once  pur- 
chased the  location,  it  ought  not  to  be  taken  from 
them  without  cause  ; and  believing  also  that  no  cause 
existed  to  warrant  its  removal,  as  Concord  was  nearer 
the  centre  of  the  State  than  Manchester,  aud  had 
equal  railroad  facilities.  A majority  of  the  Legisla- 
ture decided  in  favor  of  Concord,  and  the  location  of  | 


1816  was  confirmed  by  an  act  approved  July  16,  1864, 
the  act  requiring  Concord  to  bear  the  entire  expense 
of  the  work,  which  amounted  to  nearly  $200,000. 

A contest  of  this  kind  between  neighboring  muni- 
cipalities is  much  to  be  regretted ; the  placing  of 
citizens  in  hostility  to  each  other  creates  enmities 
which  time  alone  can  allay ; and  in  this  case,  the 
twenty  years  that  have  elapsed  have  failed  to  oblit- 
erate the  scars  caused  by  that  memorable  contest. 
The  proposition  made  by  the  Legislature  of  1863  wras 
wrong  in  principle,  and  should  never  be  repeated. 
When  a public  building  is  needed  for  the  use  of  the 
State,  let  the  Legislature  decide  upon  its  location  at 
such  place  as  in  their  opinion  will  best  accommodate 
the  majority  of  the  people,  and  then  cause  the  same 
to  be  erected,  and  paid  for  from  the  State  treasury. 

A new  steam-heating  apparatus  was  placed  in  the 
building  in  1879,  and  valuable  improvements  were 
made  in  the  basement  in  1883,  and  the  State-House, 
as  it  now  stands,  is  an  artistic  and  substantial  edifice. 
The  halls  and  offices  are  well  lighted  and  roomy,  with 
the  exception  of  the  room  used  for  the  library,  and, 
as  a whole,  the  structure  is  a credit  to  the  State. 

The  porch  on  the  east  front  is  two  stories  in  height, 
each  story  being  supported  by  eight  granite  columns 
of  massive  proportions,  which  present  a fine  appear- 
ance as  viewed  from  Main  Street.  The  Council-room 
contains  the  portraits  of  all  the  Governors  of  the 
State,  except  the  first,  of  whom  no  likeness  is  known 
to  exist.  Portraits  of  many  presidents  of  the  Senate 
are  hung  in  the  Senate  chamber,  and  the  Represent- 
atives’ hall  contains  portraits  of  Revolutionary  offi- 
cers and  other  eminent  New  Hampshire  men.  Doric 
Hall  contains  the  battle-scarred  flags  of  the  regiments 
from  this  State  who  participated  in  the  late  war,  some 
portraits,  a bust  of  Hon.  Amos  Tuck,  and  a raised 
map  of  the  State.  In  the  Secretary’s  office  are 
portraits  of  two  Provincial  and  two  State  Secre- 
taries. In  1876  a fountain  was  placed  in  the  front 
walk  of  the  park,  but  proving  to  be  a nuisance 
there,  it  was  removed,  in  1879,  by  order  of  the 
Legislature,  to  the  southeast  quarter  of  the  grounds. 

A statue,  in  bronze,  of  New  Hampshire’s  most 
gifted  son,  Daniel  Webster,  presented  to  the  State  by 
Benjamin  P.  Cheney,  is  soon  to  be  placed  in  the  park, 
on  the  side  adjoining  Main  Street.  It  will  be  seven- 
teen feet  in  height,  including  the  pedestal,  which  will 
be  of  granite.  Mr.  Cheney  was  a native,  and  for 
many  years  a resident,  of  this  State,  and  the  gift 
which  he  is  able  to  make  from  the  abundant  accumu- 
lations of  an  honest,  sagacious  and  industrious  life  is 
a credit  to  himself,  an  honor  to  his  native  State  and 
the  renowned  Webster,  whose  reputation  as  a states- 
man is  second  to  that  of  no  other  man,  and  whose 
name  will  be  familiar  to  future  generations,  when 
this  statue  shall  have  crumbled  to  dust. 


44 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


COLONEL  SOLOX  A.  CARTER. 

Solon  Augustus  Carter  (7)  was  born  in  Leominster, 
Mass.,  June  22,  1837 ; seventh  generation  from  Rev. 
Thomas  Carter  (1),  who  was  born  a.d.  1610,  graduated 
at  St.  John’s  College,  Cambridge,  England,  in  1629, 
and  came  from  St.  Albans,  Hertfordshire,  England, 
in  the  “Planter,”  embarking  April  2,  1635.  On  his 
arrival  in  this  country  he  was  admitted  an  inhabitant 
of  Dedham,  Mass. ; thence  he  removed  to  Watertown, 
Mass. 

He  was  ordained  the  first  minister  of  the  church  in 
Woburn,  Mass.,  November  22,  1642,  which  office  he 
filled  to  the  acceptance  of  his  people  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  September  5,  1684.  Johnson,  in  his 
“ Wonder-Working  Providence,”  says,  “ He  was  a 
reverend,  godly  man,  apt  to  teach  the  sound  and 
wholesome  truths  of  Christ.” 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  traces  his  descent  from 
Rev.  Thomas  (1),  born  1610;  Rev.  Samuel  (2),  born 
1640;  Samuel  (3),  born  1677-78;  Josiah  (4),  born 
1726-27;  James  Carter  (5),  born  1768;  Solon  Carter 
(6),  born  1801 ; Solon  A.  Carter  (7),  born  1837. 

Josiah  (4),  his  great-grandfather,  married,  attheage 
of  eighteen,  Tabitha  Howe,  aged  sixteen,  and  settled 
in  Leominster,  Mass.,  clearing  the  homestead  where 
the  three  succeeding  generations  were  born  and 
reared.  He  served  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  attain- 
ing to  the  rank  of  lieutenant-colonel.  He  was  with 
the  army  under  General  Washington  in  the  disas- 
trous campaign  in  New  Jersey,  previous  to  the  retreat 
across  the  Delaware.  He  died  at  the  ripe  age  of 
eighty-four,  on  the  farm  his  own  hands  had  cleared, 
and  in  the  house  his  own  hands  had  reared.  At  the 
time  of  his  death  he  had  living  more  grandchildren 
than  he  was  years  old,  several  of  the  fourth  degree 
and  one  or  two  of  the  fifth,  so  that  he  could  without 
fiction  say,  “Arise,  son,  go  to  thy  son,  for  thy  son's 
son  has  born  unto  him  a son.” 

James  Carter  (5)  reared  and  educated  a family  of 
eleven  children.  James  G.  (6),  the  eldest  son,  gradu- 
ated from  Harvard  in  1820,  and  was  engaged  in  educa- 
tional enterprises,  being  contemporary  with  Horace 
Mann  and  a co-worker  with  him  in  educational 
matters,  notably  the  establishment  of  the  system  of 
Normal  Schools  in  Massachusetts. 

Solon  (6),  the  second  son,  succeeded  to  the  home- 
stead farm,  which  he  cultivated  successfully  until  his 
death,  in  1879.  He  was  an  active  participant  in  the 
social,  religious  and  civil  affairs  of  his  town,  being 
called  upon  at  different  times  to  fill  the  various  town 
offices  within  the  gift  of  his  fellow-citizens. 

Solon  Augustus  Carter  (7),  the  eldest  sou  of  Solon 
(6)  and  Lucretia  (Joslin)  Carter,  was  born  upon  the 
farm  cleared  by  his  great-grandfather,  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  his  native  town,  completing  his 


education  in  the  High  School  at  the  age  of  seventeen, 
working  upon  the  homestead  farm  between  terms,  and 
also  during  term-time.  The  winter  succeeding  his 
seventeenth  birthday  he  taught  a district  school  in 
Leominster.  The  superintending  committee,  in  his 
report  of  the  school,  said  of  the  teacher,  “ It  is  evident 
he  does  not  need  to  learn  to  teach — it  is  in  him.”  The 
next  winter  he  taught  in  the  neighboring  town  of 
Lancaster.  The  summer  of  1857  he  spent  in  Chicago, 
in  the  employ  of  an  uncle  engaged  in  the  lumber 
trade;  but  the  panic  of  that  year  had  such  a depress- 
ing effect  upon  business  in  general  that  a commercial 
life  had  few  attractions  for  him  and  he  returned  to 
the  farm,  teaching  during  the  winter  months. 

He  entered  the  employ  of  the  Keene  Gas-Light 
Company  as  its  superintendent  in  December,  1859, 
and  has  since  that  time  considered  Keene  his  resi- 
dence. In  August,  1862,  he  enlisted  in  the  Fourteenth 
Regiment  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  and  was  com- 
missioned captain  of  Company  G,  serving  with  his 
command  until  July,  1863,  when  he  was  ordered  upon 
recruiting  service  at  Concord,  where  he  was  assigned 
to  duty  as  acting  assistant  adjutant-general  upon  the 
staff  of  Brigadier-General  Edw.  W.  Hinks.  In  the 
spring  of  1864,  General  Hinks  was  assigned  to  the 
command  of  a division  of  colored  troops  near  Fortress 
Monroe,  and  Captain  Carter  was,  at  General  Hinks’ 
request,  by  a special  order  from  the  War  Department, 
directed  to  report  to  him  for  assignment  to  duty. 
Captain  Carter  was  announced  in  General  Orders  as 
acting  assistant  adjutant-general  of  the  Third  Colored 
Division,  Eighteenth  Army  Corps,  and  remained  on 
duty  with  that  organization  until  the  close  of  the  war, 
having  received  a commission  from  the  President  as 
assistant  adjutant-general  of  volunteers,  with  the 
rank  of  captain  (July  25, 1864).  He  participated  with 
his  command  in  all  the  skirmishes  and  battles  in 
which  it  was  engaged  before  Petersburg,  on  the  north 
of  the  James,  at  Deep  Bottom,  Newmarket  Heights 
and  Fort  Harrison,  and  in  both  expeditions  to  Fort 
Fisher  and  the  subsequent  campaign  to  Raleigh.  He 
was  subsequently  breveted  major  and  lieutenant- 
colonel  for  gallant  and  meritorious  services  during  the 
war. 

Brevet  Major-General  Charles  J.  Paine,  in  recom- 
mending him  for  brevet  commissions,  wrote, — 

“ Captain  Solon  A.  Carter,  late  assistant adjutant-general  United  States 
Volunteers,  served  as  assistant  adjutant  general  of  the  division  which  I 
commanded  for  about  a year,  from  the  beginning  of  August,  1864. 

“ First,  in  front  of  Petersburg,  under  constant  fire  day  and  night ; then 
across  the  James,  in  front  of  Richmond,  taking  part  in  a very  severe  and 
successful  assault  by  the  division  on  the  enemy’s  lines  on  the  Newmarket 
road,  September  29,  1864,  and  in  other  engagements  ; later,  in  both  Fort 
Fisher  expeditions.  At  the  taking  of  Wilmington  and  in  the  march  in 
pursuit  of  General  Johnston’s  command,  never  for  a moment  away  from 
his  post,  and  never  neglecting  his  duties,  which  often  were  quite  as 
severe  as  those  of  any  officer  of  the  division. 

“ He  was  a brave  and  faithful  officer  of  great  merit,  and  I always  ex- 
ceedingly regretted  that  he  was  not  promoted.  There  is  not,  within  my 
knowledge,  an  instance  of  equal  desert  without  greater  reward.” 

After  his  discharge  from  the  service  he  returned  to 


TIIE  STATE-HOUSE. 


45 


Keene  and  engaged  in  the  furniture  trade.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  House  of  Representatives  from  Keene 
in  1869  and  1870. 

In  June,  1872,  he  was  elected  State  treasurer, 
which  office  he  has  held  since  that  time,  with  the 
exception  of  one  year  (1874-75),  receiving  the  nomina- 
tion by  acclamation,  and  without  opposition,  in  nine 
successive  re-elections,  and  also  the  commendation  of 
successive  auditing  committees  for  the  satisfactory 
manner  in  which  the  duties  of  the  office  have  been 
performed.  He  is  an  active  member  of  the  Unitarian 
organization,  having  been  for  several  years  president 
of  the  State  association,  and  is  also  identified  with  the 
Military  Order  of  the  Loyal  Legion  of  the  United 
States  and  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 

He  has  taken  an  active  part  in  Masonic  organiza- 
tions, having  passed  the  chairs  of  the  Blue  Lodge, 
Royal  Arch  Chapter  and  Commandery,  and  also  the 
chairs  of  the  Most  Worshipful  Grand  Lodge,  serving 
as  Most  Worshipful  Grand  Master  for  two  years 
(1878-79),  and  as  Right  Eminent  Grand  Commander 
of  the  Grand  Commandery  in  1875. 

He  was  married,  December  13,  1860,  to  Emily  A. 
Conant,  of  Leominster,  Mass. 


HON.  OLIVER  PILLSBURY.1 

William  Pillsbury,  from  whom  most  and  probably 
all  of  the  Pillsburys  of  this  country  have  descended, 
emigrated  from  Dorchester,  England,  in  1631,  and 
settled  in  old  Newbury  (now  Newburyport),  Mass.,  in 
the  year  1641. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  family  belonged  to  that 
brave  old  Puritan  stock  that  had  been  ground  and 
sifted  in  the  mills  of  God  for  generations,  and  had 
been  prepared  to  go  forth  in  the  fulness  of  time  and 
take  possession  of  a continent  in  the  name  of  liberty 
and  truth.  In  such  mysterious  ways  the  progress  of 
government,  church  and  society  is  evolved  from  the 
seed  of  the  dead  ages,  and  we  move  upward  by  the 
providence  of  Him  who  “ works  within  us  to  will  and 
to  do  of  His  own  good  pleasure.”  The  families  that 
planted  our  nation  were  not  the  sport  of  fortune, 
drifted  by  an  accident  of  history  to  these  shores,  but 
were  preordained  and  guided  to  their  destiny. 

Oliver  Pillsbury,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  sprung 
from  this  line.  He  was  born  in  Henniker,  N.  H., 
February  16,  1817.  His  parents,  Deacon  Oliver 
Pillsbury  and  Anna  Smith  Pillsbury,  were  both  per- 
sons of  unusual  physical  and  mental  strength.  The 
writer  recalls  distinctly,  after  a lapse  of  more  than 
thirty  years,  the  amiable  expression  and  serene  dig- 
nity of  Mrs.  Pillsbury,  and  the  masculine  thought 
and  deep,  solemn  voice  of  the  deacon,  as  he  led  the 
devotions  of  the  religious  assemblies  of  the  people. 
He  was  one  of  the  strong  men  of  the  town  and  a 
pillar  in  the  church.  Others  might  veer  and  drift, 
but  we  all  knew  that  the  deacon  was  anchored  within 


the  vail,  and  was  as  sure  to  outride  the  storm  as  the 
hill  upon  which  he  had  fixed  his  home.  He  was  a 
man  of  strong  powers,  a stern  will  and  constant  de- 
votion to  the  great  ends  of  life  as  he  saw  them.  The 
qualities  of  both  parents  were  transmitted  in  large 
measure  to  their  children.  Our  State  has  produced 
but  few  men  who  were  the  peers  in  intellectual 
strength  and  moral  courage  to  their  first-born,  Parker 
Pillsbury.  Not  many  men  in  our  country,  indeed, 
in  the  years  that  preceded  the  Civil  War,  struck 
heavier  blows  for,  or  clung  with  a more  courageous, 
self-sacrificing  devotion  to,  liberty  than  he.  Those 
of  us  who  knew  him  could  hear  the  deep  undertone 
of  the  deacon’s  voice  in  his,  and  knew  he  would 
conquer  or  die.  In  the  roll-call  of  the  imperishables 
in  the  great  struggle  for  liberty  his  name  will  be 
heard  among  the  first. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  during  the  first  seven- 
teen years  of  his  life,  experienced  the  usual  fortune 
of  the  sons  of  New  England  farmers, — a maximum 
of  hard  work  and  a minimum  of  schooling;  but  at 
that  time,  having  been  overtaken  by  a lameness 
which  threatened  to  be  permanent,  he  was  sent  to 
the  academy  that  he  might  prepare  for  duties  suited 
to  his  prospective  infirmity.  He  entirely  recovered, 
but  this  circumstance  gave  a new  drift  to  his  life. 
For  nearly  five  years  he  pursued  his  studies  with 
unabated  interest  and  industry,  giving  thoroughness 
and  a practical  character  to  his  acquisitions  by  teach- 
ing during  the  winter  months.  Mr.  Pillsbury  had 
few  equals  and  no  superiors  among  those  who  taught 
at  that  time  in  our  public  schools.  He  was  master 
both  of  his  school  and  his  studies,  and  had  the 
faculty  of  inspiring  his  pupils  with  his  own  spirit. 
Many  who  have  since  done  good  work  in  life  look 
back  with  gratitude  to  those  years  of  pupilage. 

In  1839,  Mr.  Pillsbury  left  New  England  and  went 
to  New  Jersey,  where  he  opened  a tuition  school, 
there  being  no  free  schools  in  the  State  at  that  time. 
There,  though  an  entire  stranger,  he  gained  the  con- 
fidence of  the  community  and  held  it  during  eight 
years  of  successful  work.  During  the  last  six  years 
of  this  time  he  taught  the  academy  at  Bound  Brook, 
Somerset  County.  While  there  he  married  Matilda 
Nevius,  who  died  in  1847,  leaving  a young  daughter, 
an  only  child.  The  position  which  Mr.  Pillsbury 
acquired  among  the  educators  of  New  Jersey  may 
be  learned  from  the  fact  that  he  was  prominent  among 
the  few  gentlemen  who  held  the  first  school  conven- 
tion at  the  capital,  over  which  he  presided,  and  which 
was  followed  by  similar  conventions  in  other  cities. 
The  movement  thus  begun  resulted  in  the  establish- 
ment of  public  instruction  in  that  State. 

At  the  end  of  this  time,  Mr.  Pillsbury’s  health 
having  become  impaired,  he  returned  to  his  native 
place,  where  he  purchased  the  paternal  homestead 
and  entered  again  upon  the  work  of  his  boyhood. 
For  seventeen  years  he  followed  the  life  of  a farmer, 
but  did  not  move  in  its  old  empirical  ruts.  He  ap- 


1 By  Hon.  J.  W.  Patterson. 


46 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


plied  the  knowledge  and  improved  methods  which 
modern  investigation  has  given  to  agriculture,  and 
in  a little  time  doubled  the  productive  power  of  his 
farm.  The  successful  factor  in  every  industry  is 
brains,  and  in  this  case  even  New  Hampshire  farm- 
ing proved  no  exception  to  the  rule. 

Mr.  Pillsbury  contracted  a second  marriage,  in 
1850,  with  Miss  Sarah  Wilkins,  of  Henniker. 

Though  assiduous  in  the  pursuits  of  agriculture, 
his  benevolent  instincts  led  him  to  take  an  active 
interest  in  the  causes  of  temperance,  anti-slavery 
and  whatever  else  the  public  welfare  seemed  to  de- 
mand. His  efforts  in  this  direction,  in  co-operation 
with  those  of  others,  produced  a change  in  the  poli- 
tics of  the  town,  which  resulted  in  his  introduction 
to  public  life.  He  was  elected  to  various  town  offices 
and  to  the  Legislature  three  times.  As  a legislator, 
he  did  not  seem  anxious  merely  to  shine,  but  to  be 
useful  and  to  advance  the  interests  of  the  State. 
Such  qualities  and  service  commended  him  to  public 
favor,  and  in  18G2  he  was  elected  a councilor  for  the 
last  year  of  Governor  Berry’s  administration,  and 
re-elected  to  the  Council  of  Governor  Gilmore.  This, 
it  will  be  remembered,  was  while  the  hardships  and 
horrors  of  the  Civil  War  were  upon  us,  and  when 
questions  that  could  not  be  settled  by  precedent, 
and  that  tested  the  authority  and  resources  of  the 
State,  were  brought  daily  before  the  Governor  and 
his  Council  for  decision.  The  exigencies  of  the  gov- 
ernment would  not  suffer  delay.  Not  only  great 
permanent  interests,  but  the  very  life  of  the  nation 
was  in  peril,  and  large  and  frequent  demands  were 
made  upon  the  States  for  supplies  of  men  and  money, 
when  every  resource  seemed  exhausted.  In  such 
times  means  must  be  invented  and  resources  created. 
Criticism  becomes  silent,  and  waits  for  the  return  of 
peace  to  awaken  into  unreasoning  activity.  Under 
the  pressure  of  such  events,  weak  men  are  likely  to 
be  paralyzed,  avaricious  men  corrupt  and  bold  men 
to  abuse  power. 

The  qualities  which  Mr.  Pillsbury  developed  in 
these  trying  circumstances  ought  to  make  his  name 
historic.  The  writer  has  received  communications 
from  two  gentlemen  who  were  associated  with  him  in 
the  Council,  and  whose  services  to  the  State  are  uni- 
versally acknowledged,  and,  as  they  express  more 
forcibly  than  any  words  of  mine  can  do  the  part 
which  the  subject  of  this  sketch  took  in  that  event- 
ful period,  I take  the  responsibility  to  publish  such 
portions  of  their  respective  letters  as  bear  specially 
upon  the  subject  of  this  paper.  The  known  char- 
acter of  the  writers  will  give  additional  weight  to 
their  strong  language  of  encomium. 

Hon.  John  W.  Sanborn,  of  Wakefield,  writes  as 
follows : 

“ Learning  that  you  are  to  prepare  a biographical  sketch  of  Hon. 
Oliver  Pillsbury,  I take  pleasure  in  saying  that  I formed  acquaintance 
with  him  in  1863,  being  then  associated  with  him  in  Governor  Gilmore’s 
Council.  His  great  executive  ability,  patriotism,  honesty  and  integrity 
won  the  respect  and  admiration  of  all  his  associates.  At  that  time  the 


country  was  engaged  in  that  terrible  war  for  the  support  of  the  govern- 
ment and  its  own  salvation,  and  grave  questions  came  before  us  relative 
to  the  prosecution  of  the  same.  Although  an  ardent  ltepublican,  he 
never  let  partisan  feeling  warp  his  judgment  in  his  official  acts.  He  had 
strong  convictions  of  right,  but  was  always  ready  to  discuss  all  questions 
with  frankness  and  fairness,  and  he  fully  appreciated  the  opinions  of 
his  opponents.  I had  the  honor  to  serve  with  him  on  the  military  com- 
mittee of  the  Council,  which  had  important  matters  to  consider, — ques- 
tions involving  the  rights  and  interests  of  the  soldiers,  their  families, 
and  the  State.  The  duties  of  this  committee  were  arduous  and  often 
difficult,  but  I can  attest  to  the  fidelity  and  untiring  energy  with  which 
lie  performed  his  part.  He  took  great  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  sol- 
diers, particularly  the  sick  and  wounded,  and  was  ever  ready  to  min- 
ister to  their  wants.  In  a word,  he  was  a model  councilor  for  the  time 
in  which  he  served,  and  the  future  historian  will  class  him  among  our 
ablest  and  most  efficient  men.” 

Hon.  John  W.  Noyes,  of  Chester,  who  was  also  in 
official  association  with  Mr.  Pillsbury,  says : 

“ I was  with  him  a very  considerable  portion  of  the  time  for  two  years, 
while  we  were  members  of  Governor  Gilmore’s  Council  during  the  war. 
He  was  the  most  important  member  of  the  Council,  on  account  of  his  ex- 
perience and  familiarity  with  the  duties  of  the  situation  ; in  fact,  his  in- 
formation and  good  judgment  were  exceedingly  valuable  to  the  Governor 
and  all  the  other  members  of  the  Council. 

“ I regard  Mr.  Pillsburj'as  one  of  the  best  informed  and  most  compe- 
tent business  men  in  this  State.  I hardly  think  there  is  another  man  in 
the  State  that  could  fill  his  present  position  as  well  as  he  does.  I said  to 
Governor  Stearns,  before  he  made  the  appointment,  that,  if  he  knew  Mr. 
Pillsbury  as  well  as  I did,  he  would  not  need  recommendations,  but  would 
urge  his  acceptance  of  the  place.” 

It  would  be  idle  to  add  anything  to  such  commen- 
dations. 

In  1869,  Mr.  Pillsbury  was  appointed  insurance  com- 
missioner by  Governor  Stearns,  for  a period  of  three 
years,  and  has  been  reappointed,  from  time  to  time, 
to  the  office  which  he  still  holds.  Soon  after  his 
appointment  he  drafted  and  secured  the  enactment  of 
the  present  law  of  the  State  relative  to  insurance 
companies  of  other  States  and  other  countries.  This 
law  established  the  department  of  insurance,  and  has 
given  to  the  people  a degree  of  protection  against  the 
frauds  and  impositions  of  unreliable  companies  never 
before  enjoyed  in  this  State,  and  has  brought  into  its 
treasury,  by  tax  on  insurance  premiums,  nearly 
one  hundred  and  thirty-eight  thousand  dollars,  in 
addition  to  the  compensation  of  the  commissioner. 

During  the  whole  term  of  his  office  Mr.  Pillsbury 
has  worked  quietly,  but  assiduously,  to  eliminate  un- 
reliable companies  from  our  borders,  and  has  care- 
fully avoided  the  admission  of  all  such  as  are  not 
regarded  as  perfectly  trustworthy.  It  is  universally 
affirmed,  by  men  familiar  with  the  insurance  busi- 
ness, that  the  commissioner  of  this  State  has  admin- 
istered his  office  with  unusual  skill  and  success,  and 
his  reports  are  much  sought  for  and  often  quoted  and 
referred  to  as  authority  in  other  States.  The  State  may 
well  congratulate  itself  on  having  had  the  continued 
services,  for  sixteen  years,  of  one  so  able  and  experi- 
enced in  an  office  so  intimately  connected  with  the 
material  interests  of  the  people. 

In  1871,  Mr.  Pillsbury  moved  to  Concord,  and  the 
estimation  in  which  he  is  held  in  the  community  is 
attested  by  the  fact  that,  during  the  fourteen  years  of 
his  residence  at  the  capital,  he  has  twice  been  elected 


THE  INSANE  ASYLUM. 


47 


to  represent  one  of  its  wards  in  the  Legislature,  and 
lias  been  a member  of  its  Board  of  Education  for 
seven  years,  and  was  president  of  the  board  at  the 
time  he  tendered  his  resignation.  When  a member 
of  the  Legislature,  Mr.  Pillsbury  was  eminently 
practical,  and  whenever  bespoke,  was  listened  to  with 
marked  attention,  for  he  only  addressed  the  House  on 
subjects  that  he  had  thoroughly  considered,  and  it 
was  understood  that  his  remarks  were  likely  to  aid 
the  members  iu  reaching  wise  and  just  conclusions. 

As  one  of  the  supervisors  of  the  educational  inter- 
ests of  Concord  Mr.  Pillsbury  was  exceptionally 
intelligent,  conscientious  and  pains-taking.  His 
views  on  the  general  subject  were  comprehensive, 
and  he  kept  himself  informed  as  to  all  real  improve- 
ments in  methods  of  instruction.  He  discountenanced 
shams  and  superfluities,  and  labored  faithfully  to 
make  the  schools  sources  of  knowledge,  of  discipline 
and  of  virtue.  To  the  other  public  trusts  so  honor- 
ably held  by  the  subject  of  this  sketch  we  may  add 
that  of  president  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the 
State  Industrial  School.  He  has  had  a deep  and 
abiding  interest  in  this  institution  since  its  found- 
ing, and  has  given  to  it  an  active  and  efficient  sup- 
port. 

We  can  only  realize  how  pure  and  unselfish  his 
labors  of  this  character  have  been  when  we  reflect 
that  Mr.  Pillsbury  has  no  children  of  his  own  to 
kindle  and  feed  his  sympathies,  but  that  they  spring 
from  a general  benevolence  toward  all  children,  of 
whatever  condition  in  life.  His  only  child  was  a 
daughter  of  rare  mental  activity  and  attainments,  and 
of  unusual  sweetness  of  temper.  She  married  Mr.  J. 
S.  Eveleth,  of  Beverly,  Mass.,  where,  after  a residence 
of  nearly  two  years,  she  died  of  consumption,  in  the 
flower  and  promise  of  early  womanhood,  leaving  two 
homes  stricken  and  desolate. 

In  this  brief  sketch  we  have  unconsciously  drawn 
a model  citizen, — a man  in  all  the  relations  of  life 
faithful  to  the  claims  of  duty;  in  the  family,  society 
and  the  State,  blameless;  benevolent  without  osten- 
tation, patriotic  without  the  claim  of  reward  and 
true  to  every  trust. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  ASYLUM  FOR  THE  INSANE. 


About  the  year  1830  the  condition  of  the  insane  of 
New  Hampshire  began  to  awaken  a deep  interest  in 
the  hearts  of  philanthropic  persons  in  all  sections  of 
the  State.  The  feeling  rapidly  increased  that  some- 
thing should  be  done  for  their  benefit,  and  that,  too, 
upon  a scale  commensurate  with  the  magnitude  of 
their  numbers. 


But  what,  by  whom  and  in  what  way?  This  was 
a question  of  difficult  solution.  As  the  public  inter- 
est in  the  subject  deepened,  a settled  conviction  was 
formed  in  leading  minds  that  the  State  should  take 
the  initiative  in  whatever  measures  might  be  adopted. 
Influenced  in  part,  perhaps,  by  this  general  senti- 
ment, but  feeling  deeply  the  importance  of  the 
enterprise,  Governor  Dinsmore,  in  his  message  to  the 
Legislature,  in  June,  1 832,  thus  called  attention  to 
the  condition  of  the  insane, — 

“ I feel  no  apology  need  be  made,  in  an  age  so  distinguished  for  its  pub- 
lic and  private  charities,  for  calling  your  attention  to  a subject  which 
has  so  much  reason  and  humanity  on  its  side  as  a measure  for  the  secur- 
ity and  recovery  of  the  lunatic  or  insane.  The  Legislature  of  the  State 
has  never  yet  recognized  these  unfortunate  beings  as  entitled  to  any 
special  favor  from  government.” 

After  alluding  to  the  belief  once  entertained  of 
the  incurableness  of  insanity,  he  contrasts  the  en- 
lightened and  humane  treatment  afforded  by  well- 
regulated  hospitals  with  that  in  use  throughout  the 
State.  He  then  asserts  the  curableness  of  the 
malady,  in  a large  percentage  of  cases,  under  proper 
and  timely  treatment,  and  cites,  in  proof  thereof, 
statistics  gathered  from  the  reports  of  some  of  the 
best-managed  institutions  in  England  and  the  United 
States,  thereby  showing  the  importance  “ of  having, 
in  some  convenient  part  of  the  State,  a place  where 
patients  of  this  description  can  be  received  with  as 
little  delay  as  possible  after  the  commencement  of 
the  disease  and  before  improper  management  shall 
have  aggravated  its  character  and  lessened  the 
chances  of  cure.”  He  also  recommended,  as  a pre- 
paratory step,  the  institution  of  an  inquiry  “to 
ascertain,  with  as  much  exactness  as  practicable,  the 
whole  number  of  insane  within  the  State,  distin- 
guishing paupers  from  others,  the  number  which  have 
been  committed  to  jail  within  a given  time  by 
authority  of  court  or  by  their  friends  or  others  with- 
out the  order  or  sanction  of  judicial  proceedings,  and 
the  length  of  their  respective  terms  of  confinement  ; 
and  to  ascertain,  in  like  manner,  the  actual  or  proba- 
ble amount  of  costs  of  court  and  jailer’s  fees  and 
expenses  of  their  support  and  maintenance  in  cases 
of  confinement.” 

Iu  accordance  with  this  recommendation,  the  Gov- 
ernor was  directed,  by  a resolution  introduced  by  Mr. 
Hugh  Miller,  of  Peterborough,  and  passed  on  the 
22d  day  of  June  of  that  year,  “to  take  proper  means 
to  ascertain  the  number  of  insane  persons  in  the 
State.” 

In  his  message  at  the  opening  of  the  winter  session, 
in  November  following,  Governor  Dinsmore  further 
said, — 

“ I addressed  letters  of  inquiry,  containing  copies  of  the  resolution,  to 
the  selectmen  of  the  several  towns  in  the  State,  requesting  them  to  fur- 
nish me  seasonably  with  the  information  desired.  In  one  hundred  and 
forty-one  towns,  being  all  from  which  returns  have  been  received,  the 
whole  number  of  insane  is  one  hundred  and  eighty-nine, — ninety  males 
and  ninety-nine  females, — one  hundred  and  three  of  whom  are  paupers. 
The  whole  of  those  now  in  confinement  is  seventy-six,  of  whom  twenty- 
five  are  in  private  houses,  thirty-four  in  poor-houses,  seven  in  cells  and 


43 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


cages,  six  in  chains  and  irons  and  four  in  jails.  Of  those  not  now  in 
confinement,  many  were  stated  to  have  been  at  times  secured  in  private 
houses,  some  have  been  handcuffed,  others  have  been  confined  in  cells 
and  some  in  chains  and  jails.” 

In  pursuance  of  the  Governor’s  recommendation,  a 
bill  was  introduced  iuto,  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives by  Mr.  Samuel  C.  Webster,  of  Plymouth,  on 
the  26th  day  of  December,  providing  “ for  the  es- 
tablishment of  the  New  Hampshire  Asylum  for  the 
Insane.”  This  was  read  twice,  laid  upon  the  table, 
and  on  the  28th  of  December,  on  motion  of  Mr. 
Samuel  E.  Cones,  of  Portsmouth,  indefinitely  post- 
poned by  a vote  of  one  hundred  and  thirty-nine  to 
seventy -eight. 

Upon  the  assembling  of  the  next  Legislature,  in 
1833,  Governor  Dinsmore  again  alluded  to  the  sub- 
ject in  his  message,  and  said,  in  relation  to  the  es- 
tablishment of  an  asylum  for  the  insane, — 

“ Although  your  predecessors  did  not  feel  prepared  to  sanction  the 
measures  recommended,  I have  never  lost  the  hope  of  seeing  at  an  early 
period  a zealous  co-operation  of  the  several  branches  of  the  government 
with  the  friends  of  suffering  humanity,  in  promoting  a charity  so  plainly 
recommended  by  the  principles  of  our  religion  and  by  every  considera- 
tion of  justice  and  philanthropy.” 

On  the  20th  day  of  June  of  this  year  a resolution 
was  introduced  into  the  House  of  Representatives  by 
Mr.  Arthur  Livermore,  of  Campton,  authorizing  the 
appointment  of  an  agent  to  examine  and  inspect 
sundry  asylums  for  the  insane  and  “report  a plan 
for  an  asylum  in  this  State.”  The  resolution  passed 
to  its  third  reading,  when,  ou  the  25th  day  of  June, 
its  indefinite  postponement  being  moved  by  Mr. 
John  L.  Hadley,  of  Weare,  the  yeas  and  nays  were 
required  by  Mr.  Hadley,  and  its  postponement  was 
lost  by  a vote  of  fifty-four  yeas  and  one  hundred 
and  five  nays.  The  resolution  was  then  passed  and 
sent  to  the  Senate,  where,  a few  days  afterwards, 
July  1,  1833,  on  motion  of  Mr.  Cyrus  Barton,  its 
further  consideration  was  postponed  to  the  next 
session  of  the  Legislature.  A resolution  was  also 
passed  by  the  House  “That  each  member  of  this 
Legislature  instruct  their  respective  towns  to  report 
by  their  members  at  the  next  session  the  number  of 
insane,  and  their  wishes  in  relation  to  the  State 
building  an  hospital  for  the  use  of  the  insane;”  but, 
on  the  4th  day  of  July,  this,  on  motion  of  Mr.  War- 
ren Lovell,  of  Meredith,  was  also  indefinitely  post- 
poned by  the  Senate.  On  the  26th  of  June  still 
another  resolution  was  introduced  to  the  House  by 
Mr.  Charles  H.  Peaslee,  of  Concord,  appropriating 
ten  thousand  dollars  “ for  the  erection  of  an  insane 
hospital,”  the  further  consideration  of  which  was,  on 
the  3d  day  of  July,  on  motion  of  Mr.  Zenas  Clement, 
of  Claremont,  postponed  to  the  next  session  of  the 
Legislature  by  a vote  of  one  hundred  and  eight  yeas 
to  eighty-seven  nays. 

The  use  of  the  Representatives’  Hall  was  granted 
to  Dr.  William  Perry,  of  Exeter,  on  the  evening  of 
the  20th  of  June,  for  the  delivery  of  a lecture  upon 
the  subject  of  the  insane. 


Upon  the  opening  of  the  session  of  1834,  Governor 
Badger  warmly  urged  in  his  message  the  importance 
of  taking  some  measures  for  alleviating  the  existing 
condition  of  the  insane,  and  on  the  11th  of  June 
so  much  of  the  Governor’s  message  as  related  to  the 
deaf,  dumb  and  insane  was  referred  to  a special  com- 
mittee of  the  House,  consisting  of  Messrs.  Charles 
H.  Peaslee,  of  Concord;  John  L.  Perley,  of  Mere- 
dith; Hugh  Bartley,  of  Londonderry;  John  Sulli- 
van, of  Exeter;  William  Gordon,  of  Charlestown; 
Otis  Amidon,  of  Chesterfield;  and  Gideon  L.  Tirrell, 
of  Shelburne. 

On  the  24th,  Mr.  Peaslee,  for  the  committee,  pre- 
sented to  the  House  an  able  report,  accompanied  by 
a resolution  for  an  appropriation,  by  the  State,  of  the 
sum  of  twelve  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  for  the 
erection  of  an  asylum  for  the  insane,  which,  on  the 
30th  of  the  same  month,  on  motion  of  Mr.  John 
Rogers,  of  Exeter,  was  postponed  to  the  next  session 
of  the  Legislature.  The  resolution  “authorizing 
the  appointment  of  an  agent  for  the  inspection  of 
certain  asylums  for  the  insane,”  which  was  postponed 
in  1833  to  the  next  session  of  the  Legislature,  was 
reported,  on  the  18th  day  of  June,  to  the  Senate 
from  the  committee  on  unfinished  business,  and  the 
same  day,  on  motion  of  Mr.  Austin  Corbin,  of  New- 
port, was  indefinitely  postponed.  Twelve  days  after- 
ward, however,  a resolution,  introduced  to  the  House 
by  Mr.  Jacob  Taylor,  of  Stoddard,  was  passed,  which 
required  the  selectmen  of  the  several  towns  to  make 
return  to  the  Secretary  of  State  of  the  number  aud 
condition  of  the  insane  in  their  respective  towns 
and  districts.  Further  evidence  of  the  activity  of 
the  friends  of  the  insane  is  found  in  the  fact  that  the 
House  granted  the  use  of  their  hall  a second  time  to 
Dr.  William  Perry  for  the  delivery  of  a lecture  upon 
the  condition  and  wants  of  the  insane  of  the  State. 

On  the  29th  of  June  the  next  year  (1835)  a resolu- 
tion was  introduced  in  the  House  by  Mr.  Charles  H. 
Peaslee,  of  Concord,  “ appropriating  twenty-five 
bank  shares  for  an  asylum  for  the  insane,”  which 
subsequently,  on  the  25th  of  June,  on  motion  of  Mr. 
John  Woodbury,  of  Salem,  was  postponed  to  the 
next  session  of  the  Legislature.  The  next  day, 
however,  the  House  passed  a resolution,  introduced 
by  Mr.  George  W.  Kittredge,  of  New  Market,  provid- 
ing for  the  appointment  of  a commission,  to  consist 
of  one  from  each  county,  to  ascertain  the  number 
and  condition  of  the  insane  in  the  several  counties  of 
the  State  and  make  report  to  the  next  Legislature. 

At  the  next  session  of  the  Legislature  (1836)  the 
subject  of  an  asylum  for  the  insane  was  again  brought 
forward  by  Governor  Hill  in  his  message,  and  on  the 
7th  day  of  June  a select  committee  of  ten  was 
appointed  “on  so  much  of  the  Governor’s  message  as 
relates  to  insane  persons  in  this  State,  the  memorials 
and  petitions  praying  for  the  establishment  of  an 
insane  asylum  and  the  statistical  returns  from  the 
towns  of  the  number  and  condition  of  the  insane.” 


THE  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  ASYLUM  FOR  THE  INSANE, 

CONCORD,  N.  H. 


TIIE  INSANE  ASYLUM. 


49 


This  committee  consisted  of  Messrs.  Charles  H. 
Peaslee,  of  Concord;  Luther  V.  Bell,  of  Derry; 
Thatcher  Bradford,  of  Hancock  ; Augustus  Jenkins, 
of  Portsmouth;  Benjamin  F.  Folsom,  of  Guilford; 
Benjamin  Pettingill,  of  Salisbury  ; Cyrus  Frost,  of 
Marlborough;  James  Breck,  of  Newport;  Henry 
H.  Lang,  of  Bath;  and  Aaron  Potter,  of  Milan. 

To  this  committee  were  referred  the  petitions  of 
sundry  inhabitants  of  the  towns  of  Richmond,  Fitz- 
william,  Nelson,  Winchester,  Gilsum,  Keene,  Exeter, 
Sullivan,  Dover,  Roxbury,  Portsmouth  and  Clare- 
mont, besides  others  of  individuals  whose  residences 
are  not  mentioned.  At  the  autumn  session  other 
petitions  of  like  purport  to  the  foregoing  were  in- 
troduced and  similarly  referred.  On  the  15th,  Dr. 
Luther  V.  Bell,  for  the  committee,  made  to  the  House 
of  Representatives  an  able  report,  whereupon  the 
House  postponed  the  further  consideration  of  the  sub- 
ject to  the  next  session  of  the  Legislature.  Immedi- 
ately after,  on  motion  of  Mr.  Joel  Eastman,  of 
Conway,  the  clerk  was  ordered  to  procure  one  thou- 
sand printed  copies  of  this  report  for  the  use  of  that 
body. 

Early  in  the  June  session  Samuel  E.  Cones,  of 
Portsmouth,  was  granted  the  use  of  Representatives’ 
Hall  for  the  delivery  of  a lecture  upon  insanity  and 
the  insane.  A few  days  later,  on  the  15th,  a resolu- 
tion of  the  previous  Legislature  appropriating  twenty- 
five  bank  shares  belonging  to  the  State  for  the  erec- 
tion of  an  asylum  for  the  insane  was  referred  to  the 
select  committee  above  mentioned.  Upon  the  same 
day  Mr.  John  L.  Hadley,  of  Weare,  introduced  to  the 
House  a joint  resolution,  which  soon  afterwards 
passed  both  branches  of  the  Legislature,  that  the 
Governor  be  requested  to  issue  his  precepts  to  the 
selectmen  of  the  several  towns,  to  take  the  sense  of 
the  qualified  voters  upon  the  question,  “ Is  it  ex- 
pedient for  the  State  to  grant  an  appropriation  to 
build  an  insane  hospital  ?” 

At  the  opening  of  the  November  session  Governor 
Hill,  in  his  message  to  the  Legislature,  remarks,  in 
relation  to  the  returns  made  in  conformity  to  this 
resolution,  that  “ less  than  one-half  of  the  legal 
voters  of  the  State  have  expressed  any  opinion,  and 
the  official  returns,  so  far  as  received,  would  indicate 
that  the  vote  had  been  nearly  equal  for  and  against 
the  proposition.” 

In  1837  neither  the  message  of  the  Governor  nor  the 
proceedings  of  the  Legislature  contain  any  allusion 
to  the  subject  of  an  asylum  for  the  insane.  Great 
financial  depression,  extending  throughout  all  parts 
of  the  country,  may  possibly  have  discouraged  efforts 
in  this  direction,  which,  under  other  circumstances, 
would  have  been  active. 

The  friends  of  the  enterprise,  however,  were  not 
disheartened,  nor  were  their  efforts  abandoned,  as 
they  cherished  a belief  that  these  efforts  must  ere  long 
be  crowned  with  success.  And  in  this  anticipation 
they  were  not  disappointed.  On  the  21st  day  of 
4 


June,  1838,  a bill  was  reported  to  the  House  from  the 
select  committee,  to  whom  had  been  referred  so  much 
of  the  Governor’s  message  as  related  to  insane  persons 
in  this  State,  and  petitions  praying  for  the  establish- 
ment of  an  insane  asylum.  This  passed  to  a third 
reading,  when  a motion  was  made  by  Mr.  Reuben 
Wyman,  of  Albany,  to  postpone  it  to  the  next  session 
of  the  Legislature,  and  “ that  the  Secretary  of  State 
be  required  to  notify  the  selectmen  of  the  several 
towns  in  this  State  to  insert  an  article  in  their  war- 
rants for  holding  the  annual  March  meetings,  to  take 
the  sense  of  the  qualified  voters  upon  the  subject  of 
granting  an  appropriation  for  building  an  asylum.” 
Upon  the  yeas  and  nays  being  called  for  by  Mr. 
Warren  Lovell,  of  Meredith,  it  was  found  that  the 
motion  did  not  prevail,  the  yeas  being  eighty-five  and 
the  nays  one  hundred  and  forty-four.  The  bill  was 
then  passed,  and  in  a few  days  its  passage  was  con- 
curred in  by  the  Senate. 

Thus,  after  a severe  struggle  of  six  years,  during 
which  period  they  encountered  a most  obstinate  op- 
position, its  advocates  at  length  succeeded  in  obtain- 
ing for  the  asylum  a charter.  We  would  be  glad  to 
recount  the  names  of  these  early  and  devoted  friends 
to  whose  protracted  and  unwearied  efforts  the  insti- 
tution owes  its  existence,  but  our  limits  forbid.  But 
for  their  efforts  in  its  behalf  in  the  Legislature,  the 
pulpit,  the  lecture-room,  by  the  way  and  wherever 
an  opportunity  offered,  it  might  not  have  been  erected 
to  this  day.  In  its  success  they  afterwards  had  proof 
of  the  correctness  of  their  early  foresight  of  its  im- 
portance, and  in  its  usefulness,  their  reward. 

By  its  charter  the  New  Hampshire  Asylum  for  the 
Insane  was  constituted  a corporation,  with  power  to 
hold  real  and  personal  property  in  any  amount  neces- 
sary for  its  maintenance  and  support,  “ provided  that 
its  annual  income  from  real  and  personal  estate  should 
not  exceed  thirty  thousand  dollars.”  The  institution 
was  placed  under  the  management  of  a board  of  twelve 
trustees,  the  offices  of  three  of  whom  should  become 
vacant  annually,  eight  to  be  chosen  by  the  corpora- 
tion and  four  by  a board  of  visitors,  consisting  of  the 
Governor  and  Council,  the  President  of  the  Senate 
and  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  for 
the  time  being.  It  also  provided  that  when  the  sum 
of  fifteen  thousand  dollars  should  be  secured  to  the 
asylum  by  individuals,  then  the  State  should  make 
over  to  it,  in  aid  of  its  benevolent  aims,  thirty  shares 
of  New  Hampshire  bank  stock,  worth  at  that  time 
about  eighteen  thousand  dollars. 

Some  six  months  after  the  passage  of  this  act  a 
controversy  arose  between  the  corporation  represent- 
ing the  subscribers  to  the  voluntary  fund  and  the 
board  of  visitors  representing  the  State,  relative  to 
certain  powers  of  control  assumed  by  the  former,  and 
different  interpretations  of  the  act  were  urged.  The 
questions  involved  were  settled  not  long  after  by  an 
act  of  the  Legislature,  “ in  amendment  to  and  ex- 
planatory of  the  incorporating  act,”  which  provided 


50 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


that  “ the  direction,  management  and  control  of  all 
the  property  and  concerns  ” of  the  asylum  should  be 
vested  in  the  trustees,  without  power  of  interference 
by  the  corporation.  And  it  was  ere  long  thought  best 
that  the  institution  should  be  placed  entirely  under 
the  control  of  the  State,  which,  in  accordance  with  an 
act  passed  by  the  Legislature  in  1840,  assumed  its 
sole  management  through  a board  of  twelve  trustees, 
to  be  appointed  by  the  Governor  and  Council.  An- 
other act,  passed  the  same  year,  provided  that  all 
contributions  by  private  individuals,  previously  made, 
should  be  refunded  to  them  if  claimed  within  a speci- 
fied time. 

The  location  of  the  asylum  at  some  point  in  the 
town  of  Concord  was  left  to  the  trustees,  who,  on  the 
‘21st  day  of  January,  1841,  selected  that  which  it  now 
occupies,  the  town  of  Concord  having  previously 
voted  to  give  to  the  asylum  the  sum  of  nine  thousand 
five  hundred  dollars,  provided  it  should  be  located 
within  its  limits  ; private  citizens  of  the  town  having 
previously  pledged  a considerable  amount  in  addition 
upon  the  same  condition. 

A building  committee,  previously  appointed,  now 
entered  upon  the  discharge  of  their  duties  and  pro- 
cured the  completion,  in  October,  1842,  of  the  front 
portion  of  the  present  centre  building  and  the  adjoin- 
ing north  and  south  wings,  which  afforded  accommo- 
dations for  ninety -six  patients.  From  the  trustees’ 
report  of  1844  it  appears  “ that  the  whole  amount  ex- 
pended in  the  erection  of  the  hospital,  barn  and  out- 
buildings, for  the  farm,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty-one  acres,  supply  of  water,  furniture,  farming 
tools,  stock  and  other  property  was  $35,266.70  ; ” and 
that  of  this  sum,  nineteen  thousand  dollars  only  had 
been  paid  by  the  State,  the  balance  having  been  re- 
ceived from  contributions  by  the  town  and  citizens  of 
Concord,  the  Society  of  Shakers  and  other  benevolent 
individuals  or  realized  from  the  board  of  patients. 

A few  years  later  an  additional  building  was 
erected  in  the  rear  of  the  main  structure,  for  the  use 
of  excited  patients,  which,  upon  the  completion  of 
the  original  Peaslee  building,  in  1855,  was  converted 
into  a laundry. 

The  asylum  was  opened  for  the  reception  of  patients 
on  the  29th  day  of  October,  1842,  under  the  superin- 
tendence of  Dr.  George  Chandler,  who,  in  June  follow- 
ing, reported  to  the  trustees  the  admission  of  seventy- 
six  patients  during  the  previous  seven  months.  Dr. 
Chandler  remained  at  the  head  of  the  institution  for 
about  three  years,  and  to  him  it  is  largely  indebted 
for  the  initiation  of  a wise  routine  of  management. 
He  was  succeeded  in  1845  by  Dr.  Andrew  McFarland, 
afterwards  superintendent  of  the  Illinois  Asylum  for 
the  Insane,  who  discharged  the  duties  of  superintend- 
ent for  about  seven  years,  and  resigned  in  the  summer 
of  1852.  In  1849,  three  years  before  he  retired  from 
his  office,  the  Chandler  wing  was  built. 

He  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  John  E.  Tyler,  who  held 
the  office  for  a period  of  about  four  years  and  a half. 


During  his  superintendency  the  first  portion  of  the 
Peaslee  building  was  erected  in  1854,  steam  fixtures 
for  warming  the  halls  and  other  parts  of  the  house 
were  introduced  in  1855,  and,  in  consequence  of  in- 
creasing applications  for  admission,  the  Rumford  wing 
was  erected  the  same  year,  thereby  increasing  the 
limit  of  accommodations  to  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  patients. 

In  consequence  of  impaired  health,  Dr.  Tyler  re- 
signed in  1857,  and  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  Jesse  P.  Ban- 
croft. His  period  of  service  was  a long  one,  extending 
from  1857  to  1883.  It  was  also  an  active  one,  during 
which  no  less  than  seven  important  buildings  were 
added  to  those  previously  in  use. 

The  first  of  these,  in  the  order  of  construction,  was 
the  Kent  building,  erected  in  1867.  This  is  the  cor- 
responding building,  on  the  female  side  of  the  asylum, 
to  the  Peaslee  building,  on  the  male  side.  It  embod- 
ies most  of  the  advanced  ideas  pertaining  to  the  cus- 
tody of  highly-excited  patients  prevailing  at  the  time 
of  its  erection,  and  is  still  well  abreast  of  the  present 
period  in  this  respect. 

The  very  greatly-enlarged  number  of  patients  in 
1868  rendered  necessary  a new  kitchen,  bakery, 
cellar,  dining-room  for  employes,  sewing-room  and 
chapel.  These  wants  were  all  supplied  in  the  present 
chapel  building,  which  was  built  this  year  and  de- 
signed to  meet  them. 

The  ventilation  of  the  old  buildings  proved  more 
and  more  defective  as  time  elapsed  and  numbers  in- 
creased. In  1869,  Dr.  Bancroft  devised  a new  system 
for  the  halls  and  rooms  in  these,  and  from  time  to 
time,  as  fast  as  practicable,  it  has  been  introduced 
with  gratifying  success. 

The  enlargement  of  the  asylum  structure  on  the 
south  brought  into  very  objectionable  contiguity  the 
barn  and  stable  of  the  institution.  The  necessity  for 
| larger  structures  of  this  character,  better  planned  and 
more  remotely  located,  was  met,  in  1871,  by  their 
removal  and  reconstruction  upon  the  sites  which  they 
now  occupy. 

In  1874  the  Peaslee  building,  originally  occupying 
a foremost  rank  among  buildings  of  this  description, 
was  found  to  have  become  of  insufficient  capacity 
and  wanting  in  some  important  conveniences,  which 
the  experience  of  the  period  following  its  erection 
had  suggested.  Its  accommodations  having  become 
insufficient  rather  than  unsuitable,  it  was  enlarged  to 
double  its  size  and  furnished  with  such  additional 
conveniences  as  the  most  advanced  treatment  of 
highly  excited  patients  required. 

Three  years  later  it  became  apparent  thatthe  asylum 
had  outgrown  its  boiler-house  and  repair-shops,  and 
that  a new  structure  to  meet  these  wants  had  become 
imperative.  After  a careful  consideration  of  these 
and  of  the  most  desirable  way  of  providing  for  them, 
the  present  boiler-house  and  work-shops  were  con- 
structed in  1877. 

Twice  since  its  erection  has  the  central  building  of 


THE  INSANE  ASYLUM. 


51 


the  asylum  been  enlarged.  Its  accommodations  were 
first  increased,  in  I860,  by  an  addition  of  some  thirty- 
six  feet  upon  the  west.  The  greatly-enlarged  num- 
ber of  employes  calling  ere  long  for  still  more  room, 
an  additional  story  was  put  upon  it  in  1879.  These 
additions  have  doubled  its  original  capacity. 

The  last  addition  made  to  the  asylum  structure 
was  that  of  the  Bancroft  building.  This  was  sug- 
gested partly  by  the  need  of  additional  room  on  the 
female  side  of  the  asylum,  and  partly  by  a desire,  on 
the  part  of  the  friends  of  a somewhat  limited  class  of 
patients  in  the  State,  for  more  ample  accommoda- 
tions and  a more  private  life  than  is  usually  found 
practicable  at  institutions  for  the  insane.  To  meet 
this  want  the  comely  structure  designated  as  above 
was  erected  in  1882. 

Such  has  been  the  growth  of  the  asylum  structure 
up  to  the  present  time  (1885).  Its  accommodations 
have  been  increased  from  those  at  first  provided  for 
ninety-six  patients  to  those  which  can  now  more 
amply  accommodate  three  hundred  and  fifty. 

The  whole  amount  expended  upon  this  structure, 
from  first  to  last,  by  the  State  has  been  but  two  hun- 
dred and  fourteen  thousand  dollars,  or,  considering 
the  character  of  the  accommodations  afforded,  the 
very  low  sum  of  six  hundred  and  eleven  dollars  per 
patient.  Whatever  the  asylum  has  cost  beyond  this 
amount  has  come  from  sources  other  than  the  State 
treasury. 

It  is  located  in  the  very  heart  of  the  city  of  Con- 
cord, upon  a tract  of  ground,  highly  improved,  of  about 
one  hundred  and  twenty-five  acres.  Some  twenty- 
five  acres  of  this  are  occupied  by  the  various  build- 
ings and  airing  courts ; the  remainder  by  the  pond, 
farming  areas,  groves,  avenues  and  paths.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  ground  about  the  house,  the  asylum  owns 
a pasture,  about  a half  a mile  distant,  of  fifty  acres. 

One  of  the  greatest  boons  enjoyed  by  the  institution 
is  that  of  an  unlimited  supply  of  purest  water.  This 
comes  from  a well  sunk  by  Dr.  Bancroft  upon  the 
premises  in  1880,  which  has  a diameter  of  fifty  feet 
and  a depth  of  fifteen.  It  is  drawn  upon  daily  for 
about  fifty  thousand  gallons,  and  is  capable  of  yield- 
ing a much  larger  supply.  Never  since  its  construc- 
tion has  it  shown  the  slightest  indications  of  failure, 
even  during  the  severest  droughts. 

In  1855,  as  before  stated,  the  furnaces,  which  had 
been  previously  employed,  were  discarded,  and  ap- 
pliances for  warming  the  buildings  by  steam  were 
introduced.  Up  to  1870  wood  was  the  fuel  used. 
But  this  growing  more  and  more  dear  in  price  and 
its  supply  more  and  more  uncertain,  it  gave  way  to 
coal,  and  for  the  last  fifteen  years  the  steam  for  heat- 
ing, washing,  cooking,  etc.,  has  been  made  by  this. 

After  an  active  service  of  twenty-five  years,  Dr. 
Bancroft  resigned  the  superintendency  in  1882,  and 
has  been  succeeded  by  his  son,  Dr.  Charles  P.  Ban- 
croft. Familiar  with  all  the  traditions  of  the  insti- 
tution and  thoroughly  equipped  by  education  and 


experience  for  the  high  responsibilities  of  his  post, 
he  is  maintaining  its  usefulness  and  continuing  it  in 
the  front  rank  of  American  asylums  for  the  insane. 
Its  success  thus  far  has  been  due  very  largely  to  the 
entire  absence  of  partisanship  in  its  boards  of  visi- 
tors and  of  trustees,  to  the  patient  and  devoted 
efforts  of  able  superintendents,  to  the  liberal  benefac- 
tions of  earnest  friends  of  the  insane,  to  timely  aid 
from  time  to  time  rendered  by  the  State  and  to  the 
full  reports  made  annually  to  the  public  of  its  con- 
dition and  operations. 

It  is  an  interesting  fact  in  its  history  that  devoted 
friends  of  the  insane  have  ever  watched  the  progress 
of  the  asylum,  and  made,  from  time  to  time,  liberal 
contributions  to  its  funds.  It  has  been  deemed  just 
and  jjroper  to  put  on  record  here  the  names  of  these 
generous  patrons. 

Before  its  opening,  even,  in  1837,  Miss  Catharine 
Fisk,  of  Keene,  a lady  of  high  culture  and  benevolent 
impulses,  bequeathed  to  it  a legacy  of  nearly  six  thou- 
sand dollars,  charged  with  certain  temporary  an- 
nuities, since  terminated.  By  the  terms  of  her  will, 
this  bequest  was  not  to  be  paid  to  the  asylum  until 
the  expiration  of  fifty  years  from  the  time  of  her 
decease,  and,  consequently,  no  part  of  this  has  yet 
been  received.  At  present,  held  by  the  State  as 
trustee,  it  is  increasing  by  the  annual  addition  of  the 
accruing  interest,  and  now  (1885)  amounts  to  twenty- 
three  thousand  four  hundred  and  seventy-six  dollars 
and  seventy-one  cents.  It  will  become  payable  to  the 
asylum  in  the  year  1887. 

In  1846,  and  at  subsequent  times,  the  State,  as 
trustee  for  the  asylum,  received,  in  partial  payments 
from  the  estate  of  Jacob  Kimball,  of  Hampstead,  a 
legacy  amounting  to  six  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
forty-three  dollars  and  forty-nine  cents,  the  interest 
of  which  is  annually  paid  by  the  State  treasurer  to 
the  asylum. 

Again,  in  1847,  the  Hon.  Samuel  Bell,  of  Chester, 
made  to  the  asylum  generous  donations  of  money,  to 
be  expended  in  the  purchase  of  books  for  the  use  of 
such  patients  as  might  be  benefited  by  the  imrusal 
of  them.  With  this  some  two  hundred  and  fifty 
volumes  of  standard  works,  well  suited  to  the  purpose 
intended,  were  procured.  These  formed  the  nucleus 
about  which  the  present  asylum  library  has  grown 
up.  The  important  additions  since  made  have  re- 
sulted from  numerous  smaller  and  later  gifts.  This 
collection  of  books,  now  containing  about  eighteen 
hundred  volumes,  is  of  great  value  as  a curative 
agency  in  the  treatment  of  large  numbers  of  con- 
valescent and  mildly  affected  patients. 

Two  years  afterwards,  in  1849,  the  institution  re- 
ceived, as  a contribution  to  its  fund,  the  sum  of  two 
hundred  dollars  from  John  Williams,  Esq.,  of 
Hanover. 

Abiel  Chandler,  Esq.,  of  Walpole,  the  founder  of 
the  Chandler  Scientific  School  at  Hanover,  who  died 
in  1851,  bequeathed  to  the  asylum  two  legacies,  one 


52 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


of  six  hundred  dollars,  charged  with  the  life-estate  of 
a niece,  and  another  of  one  thousand  dollars,  at  the 
same  time  making  the  institution  his  residuary  lega- 
tee. The  several  sums  paid  to  its  treasurer  and 
financial  agent,  from  time  to  time,  by  his  executors 
amount  to  twenty-seven  thousand  six  hundred  and 
thirty-one  dollars  and  fifteen  cents.  The  ultimate 
amount  of  this  fund,  which  bears  the  name  of  its 
donor,  has  been  fixed  by  the  trustees  at  thirty  thou- 
sand dollars,  and  already,  increased  by  the  addition  to 
it  of  interest,  stands  upon  the  books  of  the  institu- 
tion at  twenty-nine  thousand  eight  hundred  dollars. 

The  Countess  of  Rumford,  who  died  at  Concord  in 
December,  1852,  was  also  a benefactress  of  the  asylum. 
Feeling  a deep  interest  in  this  and  other  benevolent 
institutions  in  her  native  State  and  elsewhere,  at  her 
decease  she  left  to  such  a very  large  proportion  of 
her  estate.  To  her  kindness  the  asylum  is  indebted 
for  a legacy  of  fifteen  thousand  dollars,  which  was 
paid  to  its  treasurer  in  1853. 

Mrs.  Mary  Danforth,  of  Boscawen,  who  also  died 
in  1852,  after  making  other  specific  bequests,  left  to 
the  asylum  the  residuum  of  her  estate.  From  this 
the  sum  of  three  hundred  and  forty-seven  dollars  and 
ninety  cents  was  realized  by  the  institution. 

One  of  the  early  trustees  of  the  asylum  was  Mr. 
William  Plumer,  of  Londonderry,  who  ever  mani- 
fested a deep  concern  for  its  welfare.  It  was  found, 
after  his  decease,  that,  retaining  this  interest  to  the 
last,  he  had  left  to  it  a legacy  of  five  hundred  dollars, 
which  was  paid  to  its  treasurer  in  1863. 

Still  another  benefactress  of  the  asylum  was  Mrs. 
Peggy  Fuller,  of  Francestown,  from  whose  estate  it 
received,  in  1862-63,  the  sum  of  eighteen  hundred  and 
fourteen  dollars  and  forty-two  cents. 

In  1862  the  institution  received  from  the  executors 
of  the  will  of  Mrs.  Fanny  S.  Sherman,  of  Exeter,  a 
lady  of  great  excellence  of  character,  a legacy  of  five 
thousand  dollars,  the  annual  income  of  which  is,  by 
her  direction,  given  to  indigent  patients,  to  assist 
them  in  paying  the  necessary  expenses  of  their  sup- 
port, and  is  the  first  bequest  ever  received  by  the 
asylum  to  which  any  particular  direction  has  been 
attached  by  the  donor.  Some  five  years  later  the 
sum  of  two  hundred  and  two  dollars  and  ten  cents 
was  paid  to  the  asylum,  by  his  executors,  as  a legacy 
of  Mr.  Horace  Hall,  of  Charlestown. 

The  largest  bequest  ever  made  to  the  asylum  was 
the  munificent  one  of  Mr.  Moody  Kent,  who  died  in 
1866.  Having  watched  its  progress  with  great  interest 
for  a long  series  of  years,  he  left  to  it,  at  his  decease, 
the  residue  of  his  property,  after  the  payment  of 
numerous  legacies  to  relatives  and  friends.  From  his 
estate  the  institution  received  one  hundred  and  forty- 
nine  thousand  four  hundred  and  fourteen  dollars,  which 
sum,  increased  by  a small  addition  derived  from  ac- 
crued interest,  now  constitutes  the  present  Kent 
fund  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Charles  Burroughs,  of  Portsmouth, 


who,  for  about  thirteen  years,  had  held  the  office  of 
president  of  the  board  of  trustees,  left  at  his  decease, 
in  March,  1868,  as  an  evidence  of  his  deep  interest  in 
the  asylum,  a bequest  of  one  thousand  dollars,  to  be 
paid  to  the  institution  at  the  close  of  the  life  of  Mrs. 
Burroughs. 

Isaac  Adams,  of  Sandwich,  after  having  served  the 
institution  for  several  years  with  signal  ability  as 
one  of  its  trustees,  upon  retiring  from  the  board,  in 
1868,  accompanied  his  resignation  with  the  liberal  gift 
of  one  thousand  dollars,  requesting  that  the  interest 
might  be  expended  in  affording  means  of  in-door 
recreation  to  male  patients  so  situated  as  to  be  de- 
prived of  it  in  the  open  air.  This  fund,  which  has 
been  accumulating,  will  be  used  at  an  early  day  as 
the  foundation  of  active  measures  to  secure  the  im- 
portant result  suggested  by  its  donor. 

In  1872,  John  Conant,  of  Jaff'rey,  the  constructing 
agent  of  the  first  asylum  building,  for  many  years  a 
member  of  its  board  of  trustees,  and  for  six  years  its 
president,  gave  expression  to  a deep  interest  long  en- 
tertained for  the  institution  by  a generous  donation 
of  six  thousand  dollars,  as  an  addition  to  its  per- 
manent funds. 

The  third  on  the  list  of  female  patrons  of  the  insti- 
tution stands  the  name  of  Miss  Arabella  Rice,  of 
Portsmouth,  who  died  in  1872  and  left  to  it  a legacy 
of  twenty  thousand  dollars  as  a proof  of  her  deep 
interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  asylum  and  of  the  un- 
fortunate class  to  whom  it  ministers. 

Hon.  Isaac  Spalding,  of  Nashua,  for  many  years  a 
member  of  the  board  of  its  trustees  and  from  1868  to 
1875  its  president,  died  the  latter  year,  leaving  to  the 
asylum  a legacy  of  ten  thousand  dollars  as  his  con- 
tribution to  its  permanent  funds. 

In  1883  the  asylum  received  a legacy  of  one 
thousand  dollars  from  the  estate  of  Miss  H.  Louise 
Penhallow,  of  Portsmouth,  being  the  last  which  has 
come  into  its  treasury. 

The  whole  amount  of  the  asylum’s  permanent 
funds  on  the  1st  day  of  June,  1885,  was  two  hundred 
and  seventy  thousand  three  hundred  and  eightv-four 
dollars  and  five  cents. 

The  settled  purpose  of  the  trustees  as  to  each  of 
these,  and  to  every  other  fund  which  may  hereafter 
be  given  to  the  asylum  amounting  to  one  thousand 
dollars  or  over,  unless  otherwise  ordered  by  the 
donor,  is  to  maintain  the  principal  thereof  intact, 
and  so  to  expend  the  income,  from  time  to  time 
accruing,  as  the  greatest  good  of  the  patients  and  of 
the  asylum  shall  suggest.  The  following  votes  of  the 
trustees,  regulating  their  action  in  this  regard,  will 
present  more  in  detail  the  rules  by  which  they  are 
governed : 

“Voted,  That  the  several  fundR  that  have  been,  or  may  hereafter  be, 
given  to  the  New  Hampshire  Asylum  for  the  Insane,  unless  otherwise 
ordered  by  the  donors,  be  entered  upon  the  books  of  the  asylum  as  per- 
manent funds,  be  set  apart  with  the  names  of  said  donors  attached  to 
each,  to  be  forever  kept  intact,  and  that  the  income  thereof  be  expended 
in  accordance  with  the  conditions  upon  which  they  are  given,  or,  in  the 


THE  INSANE  ASYLUM. 


53 


absence  of  such,  in  such  manner  as  the  trustees  shall  deem  most  for  the 
interest  of  the  asylum  and  its  patients. 

“ Voted , That  if,  at  any  time,  the  principal  of  any  fund  be  impaired, 
the  income  thereof  shall  be  at  once  devoted  to  its  restoration  and  continue 
to  be  thus  appropriated  until  the  said  fund  shall  attain  its  original 
amount.” 

From  the  foregoing  sketch  of  the  rise  and  progress 
of  the  New  Hampshire  Asylum  it  appears  that,  from 
the  first,  there  have  been  successive  demands  for  ad- 
ditional buildings  and  other  facilities  for  the  care 
and  treatment  of  the  insane.  This  demand  has 
arisen,  in  part,  from  the  constant  increase  in  the 
number  of  persons  requiring  hospital  care;  but  this 
has  not  been  the  sole  cause  of  the  demand.  There 
has  been,  as  the  result  of  experience,  an  advancing 
idea  of  the  requisites  for  the  proper  treatment  of  in- 
sanity, and,  as  a result,  there  has  been,  from  time  to 
time,  demands  not  only  for  new  buildings,  but  for 
radical  changes  of  old  ones.  Experience  has  been 
constantly  bringing  to  light  the  insufficiency  and  de- 
fects of  the  earlier  ideas  and  usages,  and  calling  for 
facilities  for  utilizing  the  fruits  of  that  experience, — a 
common  fact  in  all  fields  of  progress.  The  history  of 
the  asylum  has  been  one  of  progressive  develop- 
ment, which  has  found  no  resting-place. 

It  germinated  in  sympathy  for  the  insane,  the 
depth  of  which  was  shown  in  the  patience  and  per- 
sistency with  which  the  first  movers  in  the  enterprise 
resisted  the  obstacles  thrown  in  their  way,  and  re- 
newed their  determined  efforts  from  year  to  year. 
The  results  of  their  efforts  have  been  an  emphatic 
vindication  of  the  soundness  of  their  judgment  as 
well  as  of  the  benevolence  of  their  sentiments.  It 
would  be  impossible  to  form  a just  estimate  of  the 
benefits  which  have  followed,  unless  by  a comparison 
of  the  condition  of  the  insane  prior  to  the  founding 
of  the  institution  and  that  at  the  present  time.  A 
few  words  in  regard  to  the  old  notions  of  insanity 
may  be  allowable  here  in  contrast  with  present 
views,  as  illustrating  the  amount  of  good  accom- 
plished. Before  the  opening  of  this  century  the  in- 
sane were  regarded  and  treated  as  outcasts,  looked 
upon  with  horror,  as  culprits  or  possessed  with  evil 
spirits.  Execution  or  imprisonment  was  their  por- 
tion. Those  who  escaped  these  were  subjected  to 
measures  for  the  expulsion  of  demoniac  possession, 
incantations  or  vile  compounds  supposed  to  possess 
virtue  against  demons.  Holy  water,  to  which  salt 
was  added,  was  a famous  prescription  for  this  pur- 
pose, on  the  theory  that  the  devil  abhorred  salt. 
Binding  the  subject  to  a cross  was  another  remedy 
supposed  to  possess  great  efficiency. 

An  old  medical  writer  records  this  as  the  treatment 
of  a case  of  active  mania,  which  he  witnessed:  A 
priest  entered  the  room  of  the  person  and  said, 
“Thou  devil  of  devils!  I adjure  thee  by  the  potential 
power  of  the  Father  and  the  Son,  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  by  the  virtue  of  the  Holy  Ghost  that 
thou  do  show  me  for  what  cause  thou  dost  possess 
this  woman.” 


Recovery  was  the  result  reported.  Prior  to  the 
year  1797  almost  no  rational  and  scientific  provision 
for  the  insane  had  been  attempted.  The  few  institu- 
tions then  existing  differed  little  from  prisons.  Pinel, 
with  an  insight  deeper  than  others,  saw  that  disease, 
and  not  the  devil,  was  the  cause  of  insanity  ; and  his 
logical  inference  was  that  treatment  of  it  as  of  other 
diseases  was  the  remedy,  rather  than  binding  to  a 
holy  cross  or  the  expulsion  of  the  devil. 

After  much  effort,  and  against  violent  opposition, 
he  obtained  the  reluctant  permission  of  the  authori- 
ties to  try  the  experiment  of  treating  insanity  as  dis- 
ease, but  only  on  condition  that  he  beheld  personally 
responsible  for  any  harm  which  might  ensue  to  the 
public  from  this  supposed  hazardous  measure.  He 
removed  the  insane  from  dark  and  foul  prisons  into 
hospital  care,  much  to  their  relief  and  joy.  This  was 
the  first  step  in  rational  and  scientific  treatment. 
Out  of  this  germ  has  grown  the  grand  results  of  the 
present  period.  But  the  hospital  'of  to-day  was  not 
the  immediate  product  of  this  radical  change  of 
theory.  For  a long  time  after  this  there  was  no  in- 
stitution seen  which  could  compare  favorably  with 
the  hospital  of  the  present.  Even  Pinel  himself  had 
little  conception  of  the  possibilities  lying  in  the  di- 
rection of  liberal  usages  in  the  care  of  the  insane. 
The  best  practice  of  that  day  would  now  be  regarded 
as  crude  and  insufficient,  affording  little  worth  copy- 
ing. 

The  way  out  of  the  strange  vagaries  in  opinion 
and  practice,  so  long  entertained,  was  not  short  or 
sudden,  but,  of  necessity,  through  a long  series  of 
cautious  observations  and  careful  practical  trials. 
Old  traditions  and  hereditary  prejudices,  however 
absurd  and  unreasonable,  are  never  quickly  eradi- 
cated. But  one  great  advantage  was  immediately 
realized:  insanity  at  once  begun  to  be  studied  and 
dealt  with  from  a new  point  of  departure.  Pinel  had 
transferred  it  from  demonology  and  crime  into  the 
category  of  disease,  to  be  henceforth  investigated  as 
other  bodily  affections.  This  was  an  immense  gain. 
Henceforward  the  sciences  tributary  to  general  medi- 
cine were  to  contribute  in  explanation  of  the  intri- 
cate mental  phenomena  dependent  on  cerebral  le- 
sions. Physiology  and  pathology  came  at  once  to  be 
consulted,  rather  than  the  changes  of  the  moon.  In 
the  light  of  these,  careful  observation  of  the  phenom- 
ena of  insanity  as  disease  has  been  the  increasing 
practice. 

From  this  point  progress  has  been  uninterrupted, 
but  especially  rapid  during  the  last  half-century. 
The  breaking  away  from  old  traditions  and  prejudices 
has  been  much  more  apparent  in  this  period,  as 
shown  in  changing  hospital  architecture  and  the 
adoption  of  a vastly  more  liberal  type  of  organiza- 
tion. If  the  progress  seems,  at  first  thought,  slow, 
it  is  to  be  considered  that,  in  the  nature  of  the  case, 
the  full  extent  to  which  it  is  now  found  that  liberal 
and  common-sense  methods  can  be  safely  applied  in 


54 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


practice  with  the  insane  could  be  only  gradually 
apprehended.  It  was  only  by  cautiously  conducted 
trials,  even  at  some  supposed  risks,  that  the  now 
generally  accepted  conviction  became  established 
that  the  insane,  as  a class,  could  be  intrusted  with 
a larger  liberty  and  controlled  more  by  moral  influ- 
ences than  had,  in  earlier  times,  been  deemed  safe. 

These  results  of  experience  explain  the  great  dif- 
ference apparent  between  the  architectural  features 
of  the  old  and  the  later  structures  of  the  New 
Hampshire  Asylum.  These  latter  show  that  much 
more  self-control  is  expected  on  the  part  of  the 
patient  than  was  supposed  possible  when  the  former 
were  constructed ; and  also  provide  a larger  latitude 
for  the  exercise  of  independent  volition  and  the  free 
exercise  of  personal  tastes.  A careful  examination  of 
the  features  of  the  series  of  buildings,  in  the  order  of 
the  time  of  their  erection  since  the  first,  will  aflord  a 
very  correct  illustration  of  the  gradual  evolution 
of  ideas  and  methods  of  practice  with  the  insane. 
This  evolution  is  most  gratifying  to  philanthropy, 
and,  by  the  most  intelligent  alienists,  is  not  believed 
to  have  yet  reached  its  limit.  They  look  confidently 
forward  to  that  happy  adjustment  of  residences  and 
other  auxiliary  influences  which  shall  reduce  to  a 
minimum  the  real  sacrifices  involved  in  hospital 
treatment,  as  also  the  dread  with  which  so  many 
have  regarded  its  necessity. 

The  New  Hampshire  Asylum  has,  from  its  organ- 
ization, been  in  fullest  sympathy  with  others  in  this 
progressive  work,  and  has  never  been  satisfied  with 
an  inferior  rank.  Each  new  move,  whether  in  build- 
ing or  in  administration,  has  embodied  the  gleanings 
of  the  past,  both  in  the  literature  of  the  subject  and 
of  experience,  whether  its  own  or  that  of  others. 
So  far  as  its  resources  would  allow,  it  has  ever  fol- 
lowed the  most  progressive  ideas,  regulated  by  a 
rigid,  hut  not  suicidal,  economy.  Its  trustees  and 
physicians  have  always  regarded  buildings  and  sur- 
roundings as  important  co-factors  in  successful  treat- 
ment, and  have  therefore  spared  no  pains  to  embody 
in  these  as  much  of  remedial  force  as  possible.  It 
was  not  the  first  in  the  field.  Enough  had  been  done 
in  England  and  in  this  country  to  aflord  solid  hope 
and  promise  to  our  sagacious  and  whole-hearted 
people,  by  whose  unwearied  efforts  the  first  organiza- 
tion was  secured. 

The  practical  work  accomplished  by  the  asylum 
could  not  be  fairly  appreciated  without  taking  into 
account  the  condition  of  the  insane  in  the  State  when 
it  commenced  operations,  a condition  which  it  is  dif- 
ficult to  realize  at  this  day.  It  cannot  be  described 
more  briefly  or  better  than  by  Dr.  Bell,  in  his  report 
made  to  the  Legislature  in  June,  1836,  to  which  refer 
ence  has  already  been  made.  He  says, — 

“The  committee  feel  that  neither  the  time  nor  the  occasion  require 
them  to  allude  to  instances  of  the  aggravated  and  almost  incredible 
sufferings  of  the  insane  poor  which  have  come  to  their  knowledge;  they 
are  convinced  that  the  Legislature  require  no  high-wrought  pictures  of 
the  variations  of  intense  misery  to  which  the  pauper  lunatic  is  subjected, 


extending  from  the  time  of  his  incarceration  in  the  cold,  narrow,  sunless, 
fireless  cell  of  the  almshouse  to  the  scarcely  more  human  disposal  of 
him  by  ‘selling  at  auction,’  as  it  is  called,  by  which  he  fell  into  the 
tender  mercies  of  the  most  abject  and  worthless  of  society,  who  alone 
could  be  excited  by  cupidity  to  such  a revolting  charge.  Suffice  it  to 
say,  on  this  point,  that  your  committee  are  satisfied  that  the  horrors  of 
the  present  condition  of  the  insane  in  New  Hampshire  are  far  from 
having  been  exaggerated.  They  have  found  that  public  officers  and 
citizens  of  towns  have  naturally  been  unwilling  that  the  extent  and 
particulars  of  what  many  of  them  doubtless  sincerely  believe  a necessary, 
or  at  least,  an  unavoidable  severity,  should  be  blazoned  forth  to  the 
public ; those  having  charge  of  insane  friends  have  been  found  often 
unwilling  even  to  refer  to  the  maladies,  still  less  to  speak  of  the  treat- 
ment and  condition  which  they  conscientiously  think  unavoidable  in 
their  circumstances.  ...  In  view  of  this  immense  mass  of  unmitigated 
and  undiluted  misery,  the  question  will  spontaneously  occur,  what  can 
be  done  for  its  alleviation  and  prevention  ? ” 

The  enacting  of  the  law  founding  the  asylum  was 
the  manner  in  which  the  Legislature  answered  this 
grave  question  of  their  committee.  The  same  com- 
mittee thus  set  forth  the  results  to  be  secured  by  this 
legislation, — 

“First,  a curative  institution,  restoring  those  intrusted  to  its  charge 
to  the  exercise  of  reason  and  their  duties  in  society ; second,  the  influ- 
ence of  such  an  institution  in  diminishing  the  amount  of  public  suffer- 
ing, both  iii  alleviating  the  condition  of  the  insane  inmates  who  may  be 
beyond  the  reach  of  successful  medication,  and  removing  the  immense 
weight  of  anxiety  and  distress  and  danger  to  their  connections  and  rela- 
tions ; third,  a place  of  custody  for  those  insane  persons  endangering  the 
lives  and  safety  of  the  community  and  their  ow  n persons.” 

That  these  objects  have  been  secured,  in  an  emi- 
nent degree,  can  hardly  be  questioned  at  this  day  by 
any  one  who  has  intelligently  watched  the  progress 
of  the  institution  from  its  foundation.  But  the  full 
measure  of  relief  from  suffering  which  it  has  secured 
to  the  objects  of  its  care,  as  well  as  the  amount  of 
misery  it  has  saved  by  its  preventive  measures,  can 
be  known  only  to  those  who  have  been  personally 
conversant  with,  or  interested  in,  its  personal 
histories. 

A brief  review  of  the  historical  record  of  its  work, 
as  derived  from  its  statistics,  will  be  germain  to  the 
objects  of  this  article.  From  the  time  of  the  admis- 
sion of  the  first  patient,  October  29,  1842,  to  March 
31,  1885,  a period  of  forty-two  years,  five  months  and 
two  days,  four  thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty-two 
persons  were  admitted  to  the  asylum  and  received  its 
care.  Of  this  number,  seventeen  hundred  and  thirty- 
four  went  forth  restored  to  reason,  prepared  to  resume 
their  places  and  trusts  in  society.  This  fact  alone 
has  much  significance  when  taken  in  connection  with 
the  statement  of  the  committee  already  quoted  from, 
that  “ We  found  no  more  than  an  occasional  instance 
of  amendment  under  the  common  treatment.” 

It  further  appears  that  eleven  hundred  and  seven 
persons,  under  care  and  treatment,  but  who  did  not 
fully  recover  mental  health,  left  the  institution  so 
much  improved  as  to  render  life  among  friends  prac- 
ticable, safe,  and  generally  more  or  less  useful.  Of 
this  class,  a considerable  number  were  convalescent 
on  leaving,  and  fully  recovered  afterwards.  The  rec- 
ords show  only  eight  hundred  and  thirty-eight  dis- 
charged whose  diseases  were  not  either  removed  or 
mitigated.  But  even  with  those  whose  maladies  did 


THE  INSANE  ASYLUM. 


not  admit  of  relief,  the  ministrations  of  the  institu- 
tion were  by  no  means  of  little  value.  This  will  be 
found  emphatically  true  when  the  hospital  life  of 
such  persons,  with  its  systematic  regulation  of  things 
and  its  sanitary  provisions,  is  compared  with  any  pos- 
sible life  without  a hospital.  The  incurable  insane, 
whose  lives,  to  a great  extent,  could  otherwise  be  only 
misery,  are  here  brought  within  the  reach  of  every 
domestic  comfort,  and  even  convenience,  and  the 
moderating  and  steadying  influences  existing  secure 
to  this  class  some  good  measure  even  of  happiness.  But 
besides  these  three  classes, — the  restored,  the  improved 
and  the  nominally  unimproved, — there  were  those  who 
died.  Of  this  class,  from  the  opening  of  the  asylum 
to  April,  1, 1885,  there  were  seven  hundred  and  forty- 
eight.  The  attentions  due  and  rendered  to  these  have 
not  been  among  the  least  of  the  benefits  accruing  to 
these  sufferers.  Kind  ministrations  to  the  hopeless 
and  the  helpless  are  ever  held  among  the  highest  and 
best  of  human  acts.  They  exalt  and  dignify  human 
nature.  We  think  only  with  a shudder  of  the  hope- 
less victims  of  disease  dying  in  lonesome  neglect.  It  is 
a bright  feature  of  Christian  civilization  that  it  tenderly 
cares  for  those  who  fall  in  the  race ; it  is  the  trait  of 
the  savage  to  abandon  to  their  fate  those  who  can  no 
longer  do  service  in  the  ranks.  To  bring  to  the  bed 
of  the  dying  all  suitable  tokens  of  respect,  and  to 
make  the  last  days  of  these  as  far  as  possible  from 
solitude  or  neglect,  has  ever  been  the  studious  effort 
of  the  management  of  the  institution. 

What  these  ministrations  may  have  been  worth 
to  the  immediate  objects  of  them,  and  to  the  sorrow- 
ing homes  to  which  they  belonged,  it  is  not  the 
province  of  words  to  show, — their  full  bearings  can- 
not be  made  written  history. 

This  glance  at  the  statistical  x-ecords  of  the  work  of 
the  asylum  from  its  foundation  is  only  a naked  out- 
line. To  bring  the  extent  and  value  of  this  work  to 
the  full  apprehension  of  the  reader  would  be  to  re- 
view, in  detail,  the  busy,  laborious  and  often  painful 
hours  of  forty-two  years. 

Through  these  yeai’s  all  plans  and  all  work  have 
aimed  at  one  object,  and  that,  to  make  the  treatment 
of  mental  disorders  rational,  thoroughly  human  and 
free  of  all  superstition  and  all  needless  interference 
with  the  rights  and  privileges  of  the  patient.  Fol- 
lowing, in  the  adoption  of  plans,  this  principle,  the 
history  of  the  institution  has  beeix  one  of  evolution. 
Out  of  what,  at  fii'st,  bore  great  resemblances  to  im- 
prisonment there  have  been  evolved  conditions  of  life 
for  the  insane  lacking  none  of  the  necessaries  and 
comforts,  and  few  of  the  privileges  and  even  the 
amenities,  of  ordinary  domestic  life. 

The  space  allowed  for  this  article  will  not  admit  of 
remark  upon  the  medical  treatment  of  insanity,  fur- 
ther than  to  say  that  mental  derangement,  in  some 
instances,  is  the  reflex  effect  of  disorder  in  some 
bodily  organ  other  than  the  brain,  and  that  in  such 
cases  treatment  is  directed  to  that  organ.  What  re-  I 


55 


mains  to  be  said  must  have  reference  to  the  general, 
or  so-called  moral,  treatment,  having  reference 
largely  to  those  influences  which  address  themselves 
to  the  mind,  and  involve  such  a regulation  of  hospi- 
tal life  and  activities  as  best  to  antagonize  morbid 
pi’oeesses,  restore  normal  habits  of  thought  or  to 
yield  the  largest  benefits  where  l-estoration  is  impos- 
sible. The  same  general  system  of  measures  contrib- 
utes to  both  these  ends.  In  other  words,  experience 
has  shown  that,  in  adjusting  surroundings  and  shaping 
domestic  and  social  influences  for  the  average  of  the 
insane,  the  usages  and  methods  most  agreeable  to  the 
sane  are  most  conducive  to  the  i-ecovery  of  the  cur- 
able, and  most  congenial  to  the  minds  of  those  who 
cannot  recover.  This  is  equivalent  to  saying  that  in- 
sanity inti'oduces  no  new  and  special  elements  of  its 
own  requiring  the  suspension  of  ordinary  customs. 
Tastes,  personal  proclivities  and  the  conditions  of 
pleasure  and  pain  remain  unchanged  in  kind,  even 
when  modified  in  action  by  disease;  and  are  respon- 
sive to  the  same  stimuli.  The  recognition  of  this  fact 
has  been  a modern  achievement,  and  is  in  agreeable 
contrast  with  older  ideas  and  practice.  The  latter  made 
the  insane  some  unreal  being,  endowed  with  exception- 
al traits  not  amenable  to  ordinary  influences,  and 
hence  to  be  treated  as  an  exception.  This  error  led 
to  every  absurdity  and  wrong  in  pi-actice,  the  most 
conspicuous  of  which  were  inactivity,  repression  and 
confinement,  shutting  out  most  of  the  health-giving 
remedial  stimuli.  Comparatively  speaking,  this  was 
the  practice  at  the  opening  of  the  asylum,  when  hospi- 
tal life,  as  compared  with  that  of  the  present,  was  a 
gloomy  monotony,  embracing  little  calculated  to  ai’rest 
the  morbid  currents  of  thought  and  feeling,  and  invite 
them  into  healthy  channels.  The  institution,  during 
its  forty  years  of  activity,  has  been  steadily  illustrating 
the  incorrectness  of  those  older  notions,  and  making 
its  cautious  way  towards  the  opposite  theory  and  prac- 
tice. This  later  method  is  especially  characterized  by 
varied  activities  and  the  least  practicable  departure 
in  the  same  from  the  style  of  social  intercourse,  and 
the  usages  and  rules  of  oixlinary  life. 

The  study  and  effort,  in  the  direction  of  affairs,  has 
ever  been  and  is,  to  make  ihe  institution  in  the  smallest 
degree  possible  a peculiar  place,  but,  on  the  other 
hand,  to  give  it  the  aspects  of  home-life,  and  to  fur- 
nish it  with  attractive  and  pleasant  activities,  calcu- 
lated to  arrest  the  attention  and  draw  the  thoughts 
from  self  and  morbid  themes.  This  end  has  been 
steadily  kept  in  view  in  all  the  movements  of  the 
management,  whether  in  building  new  or  reconstruct- 
ing old,  in  furnishings  or  equipments,  or  in  invent- 
ing the  various  methods  of  occupying  time  and  atten- 
tion. All  have  sought  this  one  object  till  scarcely 
any  l'esemblance  could  be  traced  between  the  original 
and  the  later  institution  life.  Attractive  surround- 
ings,  associations  and  occupations  have  come  to  take 
the  place  of  the  gloomy  and  depressing  monotony,  in 
the  ways  of  living,  which  characterized  the  first  stages 


56 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


of  the  enterprise.  The  application,  in  detail,  of  the 
underlying  principle  could  not  be  the  work  of  a day 
or  a year,  but  the  result  of  long-continued  study  of 
the  symptoms,  tastes  and  wants  of  many  individual 
cases,  and  of  the  effects  of  these  agencies  upon  them. 

This  has  shown  that,  next  to  a natural  and  attrac- 
tive domestic  adjustment,  occupation  is  the  great  de- 
sideratum of  successful  treatment.  This  applies  both 
to  body  and  mind,  and  should  he  varied  almost  with- 
out limit  to  adapt  it  to  individual  capacities  and  tastes. 

To  provide  such  occupation  in  sufficient  variety  is 
at  once  the  foremost  and  the  most  difficult  of  the 
duties  of  the  administration.  It  lays  under  contri- 
bution every  practicable  agency  within  reach, — the 
farm,  the  shop,  the  laundry,  the  kitchen,  the  sewing- 
room,  the  carriage-drive  and  the  walk  in  the  coun- 
try ; and  in-doors,  the  library  and  various  public  ex- 
ercises of  instruction  or  entertainment.  All  these 
are  drawn  upon  with  increasing  diligence,  to  the  ex- 
tent of  available  resources,  so  that  none,  except  the 
few  who,  from  bodily  weakness,  require  absolute  rest, 
are  left  without  an  external  stimulus  designed  to  an- 
tagonize the  morbid  introversion  ever  present  in  men- 
tal disease.  It  requires  no  argument  to  show  the  rea- 
sonableness of  this  practice,  even  if  ample  experience 
had  not  faithfully  demonstrated  it ; and  it  may  be  af- 
firmed that,  aside  from  strictly  medical  treatment, 
the  value  of  hospital  residence  is  now  largely  meas- 
ured by  the  ability  of  the  institution  to  provide  these 
agencies.  With  a view  to  multiply  and  vary  these,  a 
large  shop  is  now  being  fitted  up,  to  be  supplied  with 
facilities  for  introducing  many  forms  of  light,  safe,  and 
attractive  mechanical  work.  These  forms  will  be  so 
chosen  as  to  meet  the  largest  practicable  variety  of 
tastes  and  qualifications  for  work  on  the  part  of  the 
patients,  with  a view,  at  the  same  time,  to  being  as 
easily  conducted  and  as  inexpensive  as  possible. 
The  income  of  the  Adams  fund  is  available  for  the 
support  of  this  department.  Our  limits  will  not  allow 
as  to  extend  remarks  on  this  subject. 

Another,  and  the  last  we  shall  notice,  of  the  pro- 
gressive steps  taken  to  render  the  treatment  of  the  in- 
sane as  liberal  and  complete  as  possible  was  the  erec- 
tion of  the  Bancroft  building  in  1882-83.  In  its 
plan  of  construction,  this  was  an  advance  on  all  the 


others ; and  not  simply  to  increase  accommodations, 
but  also  to  occupy  new  ground  in  treatment.  Previ- 
ously, the  more  agitated  and  irresponsible  classes  had 
been  amply  provided  for  in  the  older  buildings,  but 
not  so  amply  the  convalescent  and  those  not  needing 
restraints.  The  partially  self-sustaining  patients  have 
hitherto  been  associated  with  more  or  less  incompat- 
ible classes  for  lack  of  sufficient  variety  in  apart- 
ments. So,  also,  persons  with  ample  means,  and  need- 
ing no  other  than  moral  restraints,  have  not  found,  in 
the  older  buildings,  sufficiently  liberal  accommoda- 
tions to  satisfy  their  habits  and  tastes.  Both  these 
classes  have  been  provided  for  in  the  construction  of 
this  building. 

The  trustees,  seeing  no  reason  why  the  tastes  of  the 
insane  should  not  be  recognized  in  their  treatment, 
have  here  prepared  to  do  so  by  furnishing  the  facili- 
ties for  individualizing  attentions  Without  incon- 
venience to  others,  a patient  can  have  one,  two  or  three 
rooms,  and  such  private  attendance  and  service  as 
may  be  desired,  with  all  the  privacy  and  independence 
of  private  residence.  At  the  same  time  those  not  able 
to  provide  so  liberal  an  outfit,  or  not  desiring  it,  can 
have  single  rooms,  with  the  general  attendance,  and 
secure  all  the  benefits  of  the  retired  and  quiet  situa- 
tion without  burdensome  expense.  The  practical 
working  of  this  detached  and  retired  building  has 
already  been  most  gratifying,  and  has  done  much  to 
remove  any  real  objection  to  hospital  residence, 
since  it  has  done  away  with  almost  the  last  vestige 
of  departure  from  the  forms  and  usages  of  private 
life,  at  the  same  time  that  it  has  retained  all  the  sus- 
taining and  remedial  influences  of  hospital  organiza- 
tion. 

Sufficient  has  been  said  to  give  the  reader  an  idea 
of  the  tendencies  and  most  prominent  characteristics 
of  the  hospital  care  and  treatment  of  the  insane  at 
the  present  time.  When  this  method  is  compared 
with  the  confinement,  the  inactivity  and  monotony 
which  characterized  the  earliest  usages,  it  is  not  diffi- 
cult to  form  some  adequate  estimate  of  the  influence 
the  New  Hampshire  Asylum  has  had  upon  the  con- 
dition of  the  insane,  or  to  see  how  far  it  has  realized 
the  hopes  of  its  early  advocates;  and  proved  a suc- 
cess and  an  inestimable  blessing  to  the  State. 


HISTORY  OF  CONCORD. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Geographical — Indian  Occupation — The  Penacooks —Original  Grant, 
1725 — First  Meeting  of  Proprietors — Tho  Pioneers — Early  Rules  and 
Regulations — Grant  of  Bow — The  Controversy— The  First  Settlements 
— List  of  Proprietors  and  Settlers — Incorporation  of  Rumford — Incor- 
poration of  Concord  Parish — The  First  Parish  Meeting — Officers  Elec- 
ted— Indian  Troubles — Garrisons  in  1746 — The  Massacre — The  Brad- 
ley Monument. 

Concord,  the  county-seat  of  Merrimack  County, 
and  capital  of  the  State  of  New  Hampshire,  lies  in 
the  southern  part  of  the  county,  and  is  bounded  as 
follows : 

North  by  Webster,  Boscawen,  Canterbury  and  Lou- 
don ; East  by  Loudon,  Chichester  and  Pembroke ; 
South  by  Pembroke  and  Bow;  West  by  Dunbarton, 
Hopkinton,  Webster,  Boscawen  and  Canterbury. 

This  territory  was  originally  occupied  by  the  Pena- 
cooks, a powerful  tribe  of  Indians,  who,  when  first  j 
known  by  the  English,  had  their  headquarters  here,  j 
and  numbered  four  or  five  hundred  men.  Their  chief 
was  named  Passaconaway,  “the  child  and  the  bear,” 
and  was  regarded  with  the  highest  veneration  by  the 
Indians,  filling  the  office  of  chief,  priest  and  physi- 
cian, and,  as  they  believed,  having  direct  communi- 
cation with  the  Great  Spirit. 

The  township  was  granted  January  17,  1725.  The 
petition  for  the  grant  was  as  follows  : 

“ To  the  Honble  Win.  Bummer,  Esqr.,  Lieut.  Governor,  and  Commander 
in  Chief  in  and  over  His  Majesties  province  of  ye  Massachusetts  Bay, 
in  New  England,  to  the  Honble  His  Majesties  Council  and  House  of 
Representatives  in  Gen.  Court  or  Assembly  convened  at  Boston,  June 
17tb,  1725. 

“ The  petition  of  Benja.  Stephens,  Andrew  Mitchel,  David  Kimball, 
Ebenezer  Eastman,  John  Osgood  and  Moses  Day,  a Committee  ap- 
pointed by  and  in  behalf  or  the  petitioners  formally  for  a Tract  of 
Land  at  a place  called  Pennycook, — 

“ Humbly  Sheweth,  That  whereas  yr  petioners  have  at  two  sev*1 
times  petitioned  the  Great  and  Genel  Court  for  a grant  of  the  aforesaid 
tract  of  Land  at  Pennycook,  with  resolutions  fully  inclined  to  make  a 
speedy  settlement  there,  w«h  they  conceive,  under  the  divine  protection, 
they  are  able  to  go  on  and  through  with  ; and  the  Honble  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives having  been  pleased  twice  so  far  to  take  their  petition  under 
consideration  as  to  grant  the  prayer  under  such  conditions  as  by  ye  vote 
of  the  sd  Honb,e  House  may  more  fully  appear,  which  conditions,  though 
they  be  expensive,  yet  yr  petitioners  have  well  weighed  the  same,  and 
would  willingly  have  undertaken  the  settlement,  if  it  had  been  the  pleas- 
ure of  the  Honble  Board  to  have  concurred  in  the  aforesaid  vote.  But  as  yr 
petitioners  are  informed  it  did  not  meet  with  a concurrence  : Wherefore, 
y*  petitioners  are  emboldened,  with  great  submission,  to  renew  their  petn 
to  yr  Honour,  and  this  Great  and  Gen1  Court,  that  you  would  please  to 
take  the  premises  again  into  yr  wise  and  serious  consideration  ; and  as  the 
building  a Fort  there  will  undoubtedly  be  a great  security  within  and  on 


Merrimack  River,  and  yl  your  petitioners  are  still  willing  to  build  and 
maintain  it  as  afore  propos’d,  at  their  own  cost,  y*  they  may  have  the 
countenance  and  authority  of  this  Court  therefor,  and  that  they  woud 
pledge  to  make  them  a grant  of  it  accordingly. 

“Yr  petitr8  wou’d  also  suggest  to  yr  Honnours,  that  many  applications 
have  been  made  to  the  Government  of  New  Hampshire  for  a grant  of  the 
sd  Land,  which,  though  it  be  the  undoubted  right  and  property  of  this 
Province,  yet  it  is  highly  probable  that  a parcel  of  Irish  people  will  ob- 
tain a grant  from  New  Hampshire  for  it,  unless  some  speedy  care  be 
taken  by  this  great  and  Honble  Court  to  prevent  it.  If  that  Government 
should  once  make  yma  grant,  tho'  the  pctr3  conceive  it  wou'dbe  without 
right,  as  in  the  case  of  Nutfield,  yett  it  wou’d  be  a thing  attended  with 
too  much  difficulty  to  pretend  to  root  ym  out,  if  they  shou’d  once  gett 
foot  hold  there.  Your  petitioners  therefore  pray  that  the  vote  passed  by 
the  IIonble  House  may  be  revived,  or  that  they  may  have  a grant  of  the 
Land  on  such  other  terms  and  conditions  as  to  the  wisdom  of  this  Court 
shall  seem  best.  And  for  yr  Hon”,  as  in  duty  bound,  yr  petitioners  shall 
ever  pray,  etc. 

“ Benja.  Stephens. 

“Andrew  Mitchell. 

“ David  Kimbel. 

“Ebenr.  Eastman. 

“John  Osgood. 

“Moses  Day. 

“In  the  House  of  Representatives,  June  17th,  1725. 

“Read,  and  the  question  was  put  whether  the  House  wou’d  revive 
their  vote  above  refer’ d to, — 

“ Resolved  in  the  affirmative. 

“ CopjT  examined  per 

“J.  Willard,  Sec  y. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  proprietors  was  held  at  the 
house  of  Ebenezer  Eastman,  in  Haverhill,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  admitting  settlers. 

At  a meeting  of  the  proprietors,  held  at  Andover 
February  7 and  8,  1726,  the  following  settlers  drew 
lots : 

Enoch  Coffin,  John  Peabody,  Richard  Trann,  Andrew  Mitchell,  Mr. 
Samuel  Phillips,  Samuel  Ayer,  John  Grainger,  Henry  Rolfe,  John  San- 
ders, Jr.,  Thomas  Page,  William  Barker,  Isaac  Walker,  Joseph  Davis, 
John  Coggin,  Benjamin  Parker,  Edward  Claike,  Stephen  Osgood,  Benja- 
min Gage,  Moses  Day,  David  Kimball,  Benjamin  Stevens,  John  Chand- 
ler, Ebenezer  Virgin,  John  Pecker,  Moses  Hazzen,  William  Gutterson, 
Joseph  Hale,  Ephraim  Davis,  John  Wright,  Jacob  Eames,  Jacob  Abbott, 
Christopher  Carlton,  Nathaniel  Page,  Samuel  Kimball,  Nathan  Simonds, 
David  Dodge,  Robert  Peaslee,  Richard  Coolidge,  right  drawn  by  Samuel 
Jones,  Thomas  Wicomb,  Robert  Kimball,  John  Saunders,  Nathaniel 
Clement,  Ebenezer  Lovejoy,  John  Osgood,  Zerobbabel  Snow,  Ebenezer 
Eastman,  Jonathan  Shipley,  John  Austin,  Edward  Winn,  Ebenezer 
Stevens,  Joseph  Page,  Samuel  Davis,  Ephraim  Hildreth,  James  Parker, 
Nathan  Lovejoy,  Samuel  Reynolds,  John  Foster,  James  Simonds,  Joseph 
Parker,  Nathan  Fisk’s  right  drawn  by  Zech.  Chandler,  Zebediah  Bar- 
ker's right  drawn  by  Edward  Abbott,  John  Bayley's  right  drawn  by 
Samuel  White,  William  Whittier,  Joshua  Bay  ley,  Ammi  Rliuhamah, 
William  White,  Nathaniel  Peaslee,  Thomas  Colman,  John  Jaques,  Oba- 
diah  Ayer,  Abraham  Foster  John  Mattis,  John  Merrill,  Thomas  Pcarley 
for  Nathaniel  Cogswell,  David  Wood,  Nathaniel  Abbott,  John  Ayer,  Na- 
than Blodgett,  Benjamin  Carlton,  Jonathan  Hubbard  for  Daniel  Davis, 
Ephraim  Farnum,  Stephen  Emerson,  Timothy  Johnson,  Nathaniel  Bar- 

67 


58 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


ker’s  right  drawn  by  Solomon  Martin,  Nehemiah  Heath,  Nathaniel 
Sanders,  Nathaniel  Jones,  Samuel  Grainger,  Thomas  Blanchard,  Nicholas 
White,  Jonathan  Pulsepher,  Richard  Hazzen,  Jr.,  Samuel  Toppan,  Moses 
Bordman,  Bezaliel  Toppan,  Thomas  Learned,  Joseph  Hall,  Nehemiah 
Carlton,  Benjamin  Niccols,  Minister’s  lot,  Ministerial  lot,  School  lot,  N. 
Parker. 

At  this  meeting  it  was  also, — 

11  Agreed  and  Voted , That  a block-house  of  twent3r-five  feet  in  breadth 
and  forty  feet  in  length  be  built  at  Penny  Cook,  for  the  security  of  the 
settlers. 

“ Argeed  and  Voted,  That  John  Chandler,  Moses  Hazzen,  Nehemiah 
Carlton,  Nathan  Simonds  and  Ebenezer  Stevens  be  a committee,  and  they 
are  hereby  empowered  to  build,  either  by  themselves,  or  to  agree  with 
workmen  to  build,  a block-house  of  twenty-five  feet  in  breadth,  and 
forty  feet  in  length,  as  in  their  judgment  shall  be  most  for  the  security 
of  the  settlers. 

“ Agreed  and  Voted , That  Benjamin  Stevens,  Esq.,  be  treasurer  for  the 
settlers. 

“ Agreed  and  Voted,  That  Timothy  Johnson,  John  Osgood  and  Moses 
Day  be  chosen,  appointed  and  empowered  to  examine  the  charges  that 
shall  arise  in  building  a block-house  at  the  place  called  Penny  Cook,  or 
any  other  charges  that  shall  arise  in  the  bringing  forward  the  settlement 
and  to  allow,  as  in  their  judgment  shall  be  just  and  equal,  and  also  to 
draw  money  out  of  the  treasury  for  the  defraying  of  said  charges. 

“ Agreed  and  Voted , That  the  sum  of  one  hundred  pounds  be  raised  and 
paid  by  thesettlcrs  into  the  hands  of  Benjamin  Stevens,  Esqr.,  treasurer, 
for  defraying  the  charges  that  are  past,  or  that  shall  necessarily  arise  in 
bringing  forward  the  intended  settlement,  to  be  paid  in  to  said  Benjamin 
Stevens,  Esqr.,  by  the  first  day  of  March  next,  in  equal  proportion. 

“ Enoch  Coffin  dissented. 

“Agreed  and  Voted,  That  a committee  of  five  persons  on  oath,  three 
whereof  to  be  a quorum,  be  chosen  out  of  the  number  of  the  intended 
settlers,  to  lay  out  the  remaining  part  of  the  interval  at  the  place  called 
Penny  Cook,  that  is  not  yet  laid  out,  so  that  the  whole  of  the  interval 
already  laid  out,  or  to  be  laid  out  to  the  settlers,  shall  be  equal  in  quan- 
tity and  quality. 

“ Agreed  and  Voted,  That  John  Chandler,  Henry  Rolfe,  William  White, 
Richard  Hazzen,  Junr.,  and  John  Osgood  be  a committee,  chosen  and 
empowered  to  lav  out  the  interval  at  the  place  called  Penny  Cook,  that 
is  not  yet  laid  out,  so  that  the  whole  of  the  interval  already  laid  out  or 
to  be  laid  out  to  the  settlers  shall  be  equally  divided  among  them  as 
to  quantity  and  quality. 

“ Agreed,  That  Jonathan  Hubbard  be  admitted  a settler  in  place  of 
Daniel  Davis,  who  was  admitted  a settler  of  Penny  Cook  by  the  Honora- 
ble General  Court’s  Committee,  appointed  to  admit  persons  to  settle 
Penny  Cook. 

“ Agreed  and  Voted , That  three  pence  per  tail  for  every  rattlesnake’s 
tail,  the  rattlesnake  being  killed  within  the  bounds  of  the  township 
granted  at  Penny  Cook,  be  paid  by  the  intended  settlers  ; the  money 
to  be  paid  by  the  settlers’  treasurer,  upon  sight  of  the  tail. 

While  the  proprietors  were  thus  arranging  the 
affairs  of  the  new  plantation,  May  20,  1727,  the 
government  of  New  Hampshire  made  a grant  of 
the  township  of  Bow,  which  covered  a large  por- 
tion of  the  Penacook  grant,  and  these  conflicting 
grants  led  to  a lengthy  and  expensive  controversy, 
which  was  carried  to  the  Court  of  St.  James  by  the 
Hon.  Timothy  Walker,  as  agent  for  the  Rumford 
proprietors,  and  decided  in  their  favor  by  the  King 
in  Council,  December  27,  1762. 

Rev.  Timothy  Walker.1 — More  than  any  other 
person,  Rev.  Timothy  Walker  is  entitled  to  the  ap- 
pellation of  Father  of  Concord.  He  was  the  son  of 
Deacon  Samuel  Walker,  of  Woburn,  Mass.,  was  born 
July  27,  1705,  and  graduated  at  Harvard  College  in 
the  class  of  1725,  of  which  the  Rev.  Mather  Byles 

1 This  sketch  of  the  life  of  Rev.  Timothy  Walker  was  prepared  by  Mr. 
J.  B.  Walker,  though  derived  largely  from  the  sketch  of  Mr.  Walker  by 
Rev.  Dr.  Bouton,  in  his  “ History  of  Concord.” 


was  the  most  eccentric  and  perhaps  the  most  distin- 
guished member.  After  his  settlemeut,  in  1730,  he 
first  lived  in  a log  house  which  stood  on  the  brow  of 
Horse-slioe  Pond  Hill,  but  in  1733-34  built  the  two- 
storied  gambrel-roof  house  in  which  he  afterwards 
resided  until  his  death.  The  house,  with  some  modern 
improvements,  overshadowed  by  the  stately  elm-trees 
which  Mr.  Walker  set  out  in  1764,  is  well  represented 
by  the  fine  engraving  in  this  volume. 

Mr.  Walker  was  of  full  middling  stature  and  size, 
not  corpulent,  but  portly  in  form  and  of  dignified 
manners.  He  had  blue  eyes  and  a light  complexion. 
Naturally,  his  temper  was  quick,  but  well  restrained 
and  governed.  If,  at  any  time,  he  was  betrayed  into 
hasty  expressions  or  acts,  he  was  prompt  to  acknowl- 
edge the  fault  and  ask  the  forgiveness  of  any  one 
injured.  He  was  exact  and  precise  in  all  his  domestic 
arrangements  and  business  transactions,  keeping  a 
diary  in  a little  book  done  up  in  the  form  of  an  al- 
manac. Though  not  talkative,  he  was  agreeable  in 
social  intercourse  and  occasionally  facetious.  Accord- 
ing to  the  custom  of  the  times,  he  wore  a large  pow- 
dered wig  and  a three-cornered  cocked  hat,  short 
clothes  and  shoes  with  large  buckles.  He  was  held 
in  high  regard  by  all  his  parishioners.  After  service 
on  the  Sabbath,  both  morning  and  afternoon,  the  whole 
congregation  stood  until  Mr.  Walker  went  out,  he 
respectfully  bowing  to  those  on  each  side  as  he 
passed  down  the  broad  aisle. 

Mr.  Walker  served  the  town  as  a wise  counselor  in 
relation  to  every  matter  of  public  interest,  and,  in 
connection  with  Benjamin  Rolfe,  Esq.,  who  married 
his  eldest  daughter,  drew  up  the  first  petition  for  help 
against  the  Indians  addressed  to  the  governments  of 
both  Massachusetts  and  New  Hampshire,  and  also 
many  of  the  papers  in  the  long  controversy  with  the 
proprietors  of  Bow.  As  fully  related  in  Dr.  Bouton’s 
“ History  of  Concord,”  he  thrice  visited  England  as 
agent  of  the  town  in  that  vexatious  litigation,  and 
through  his  judicious  and  persevering  efforts  and  his 
personal  influence  with  his  counsel,  Mr.  William 
Murray  (afterwards  Chief  Justice  Mansfield),  secured 
forever  the  rights  of  the  proprietors  of  Rumford  (now 
Concord). 

As  a preacher,  Mr.  Walker  was  instructive  and 
practical,  dwelling  more  on  the  duties  than  on  the 
doctrines  of  religion.  He  was  calm  and  moderate  in 
his  delivery;  his  sermons,  of  which  a few  still  exist, 
were  written  out  in  full  on  sheets  of  paper,  folded  in 
the  18mo  form,  and  would  occupy  about  thirty 
minutes  each  in  their  delivery.  His  style  was  good, 
perspicuous  and  didactic,  with  but  few  illustrations, 
but  well  supported  with  quotations  from  Scripture. 

In  his  theological  views  Mr.  Walker  was  orthodox, 
according  to  existing  standards.  He  received  the 
Westminster  Assembly’s  Catechism,  which  was  then 
also  used  in  the  families  and  schools  of  the  town.  In 
distinction,  however,  from  the  preachers  who,  in  his 
day,  were  called  “ new  lights,”  he  was  accused  of 


CONCORD. 


59 


being  an  Arminian,  but  called  himself  a Moderate 
Calvinist.  He  was  highly  conservative  as  regarded 
innovations  and  new  measures.  Hence,  in  the  period 
of  the  great  reformation,  under  the  preaching  of 
Rev.  George  Whitetield  and  others,  Mr.  Walker  was 
among  those  ministers  who  did  not  favor  the  excite- 
ment which  was  generally  awakened.  In  January, 
1743,  he  preached  and  published  a sermon  to  his 
people  entitled,  “ The  Way  to  try  all  Pretended  Apostles,” 
from  the  text  Rev.  ii.  2.  In  this  sermon  he  dwelt 
at  length  on  the  evils  produced  by  itinerant  preach- 
ers, especially  the  divisions  they  caused  in  established 
churches  and  societies.  Hence,  he  warned  his  people 
not  to  go  after  them  or  hear  them  preach.  “ Nothing,” 
he  says,  “ I am  well  satisfied,  has  so  much  contributed 
to  the  evils  that  do  so  cloud  the  present  day  and  look 
with  such  a direful  aspect  upon  us  as  the  indulging 
an  uumortified  itch  after  Novelties,  and  having  the 
Persons  of  Strangers,  whom  we  know  nothing  of,  in 
Admiration,  and  setting  them  up  above  the  Place  of 
Instruments.  If,  therefore,  you  would  not  become 
accessory  to  the  guilt  of  those  who  are  endeavoring 
the  subversion  of  our  religious  constitution,  keep  out 
of  the  way  of  temptation  as  much  as  may  be;  ponder 
well  the  first  step  that  leads  to  a comjdiauce  with 
these  errors.” 

At  this  time  all  of  Mr.  Walker’s  hearers  were  of  one 
way  of  thinking  in  religious  matters,  and  his  object 
was  to  keep  them  together  and  make  them  steadfast 
in  the  “ religion  and  church  order  which  was  very 
dear  to  our  forefathers.”  Conscious  of  the  power  he 
had  over  his  people,  he  not  only  charged  them  not  to 
go  after  or  to  hear  these  pretended  apostles  preach, 
“but,”  said  he,  “if  any  of  you  think  yourselves  un- 
able to  manage  a controversy  with  them,  invite  them 
to  accompany  you  to  my  house,  and  I will  gladly 
undertake  this,  or  any  other  service  I am  capable  of, 
for  the  benefit  of  your  souls.” 

In  1771,  Mr.  Walker  felt  called  on  to  give  his 
people  another  warning  against  innovations  and  what 
he  called  disturbers  of  the  peace  and  order  of  the 
churches.  A Baptist  elder,  Hezekiah  Smith,  had 
preached  in  the  vicinity,  and  awakened  much  interest 
in  his  peculiar  views.  To  counteract  this  influence,  Mr. 
Walker  preached  a discourse,  May  12,  1771,  entitled, 
“Those  who  have  the  form  of  godliness,  but  deny 
the  power  thereof,  described  and  cautioned  against.” 
The  text  was  2 Timothy  iii.  5.  The  sermon  was 
“ published  at  the  desire  of  many  of  the  hearers.”  It 
is  dedicated  “to  the  church  and  congregation  under 
the  author’s  pastoral  care,  having  been  composed  and 
delivered  solely  for  your  benefit,  without  the  most 
distant  view  of  its  farther  publication,  is  now  respect- 
fully inscribed  by  him  who  esteems  it  his  highest 
honor  and  greatest  happiness  to  serve  your  best  in- 
terest. 

“Timothy  Walker.” 

During  his  ministry  of  fifty-two  years  there  is  no 
regular  record  of  church  proceedings  after  1736 ; but 


in  his  memoranda  there  are  entries  made  of  those 
who  owned  the  covenant,  were  admitted  to  com- 
munion, baptized,  married  and  died,  together  with 
notices  of  private  affairs,  the  weather,  journeys, 
etc.  From  the  memoranda  kept  by  Mr.  Walker, 
it  appears  that  his  interest  in  his  people  did  not  cease 
upon  their  removal  from  Concord.  About  1764—65, 
considerable  numbers  of  them  became  first  settlers  of 
Conway  and  Fryeburg,  in  the  Pigwacket  country,  on 
Saco  River.  These  he  was  in  the  habit  of  visiting 
until  they  had  established  religious  teachers,  preach- 
ing to  them,  giving  them  pastoral  counsel  and  bap- 
tizing their  children.  Many  of  them  were  members 
of  his  church,  many  of  them  he  had  married,  many  of 
them  he  had  known  from  infancy.  His  big  heart 
yearned  after  them,  and  he  considered  them  a portion 
of  his  own  home-flock  until  he  had  seen  them  securely 
established  in  the  care  of  another  shepherd. 

Mr.  Walker  was  largely  dependent  for  the  support 
of  himself  and  family  upon  the  farm  given  him  by 
the  proprietors  of  the  township  as  an  “ encouragement 
to  his  settlement  with  them  in  the  wilderness  of  Pena- 
cook.  His  salary  as  pastor  was  at  one  hundred  pounds 
per  annum,  to  “ rise  forty  shillings  per  annum  until  it 
comes  to  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds,  and  that  to 
be  the  stated  sum  annually  for  his  salary.  Mr.  Walker 
was  twenty -five  years  old  at  the  time  (November  18, 
1730)  of  his  settlement,  and  the  prudence  and  fore- 
sight of  his  people  is  clearly  seen  in  the  farther  pro- 
vision relative  to  his  salary,  that  “ anything  to  the 
contrary  above  mentioned  notwithstanding,  that  if 
Mr.  Walker,  by  extreme  old  age,  shall  be  disenabled 
from  carrying  on  the  whole  work  of  the  ministry, 
that  he  shall  abate  so  much  of  his  salary  as  shall  be 
rational.” 

Mr.  Walker  was  an  ardent  patriot  as  well  as  a de- 
voted Christian  minister.  Upon  the  breaking  out  of 
the  Revolution  it  was  a great  grief  to  him  that 
circumstances  beyond  the  control  of  either  compelled 
his  son-in-law,  Major  Benjamin  Thompson,  after- 
wards Count  Rumford,  to  join  the  royal  cause,  in 
October,  1775,  and  retire  within  the  British  lines  at 
Boston.  But  it  was  at  the  same  time  an  exalted 
gratification  that  his  only  son,  Timothy,  afterwards 
Judge  Timothy  Walker,  was  intensely  earnest  in  his 
devotion  to  American  interests.  His  family,  like 
many  others  of  that  period,  was  represented  in  the 
ranks  of  the  patriots  and  royalists  both.  But  this 
fact  never  abated  in  the  least  degree  his  own  patriotic 
zeal  and  activity.  And  it  is  a fact,  of  which  all  his 
descendants  feel  proud,  that  in  all  contests  from  that 
time  to  the  present  in  which  their  country  has  been  a 
party,  they  have  ranged  themselves  instinctively  and 
deliberately  on  the  side  of  its  friends. 

The  news  of  the  battle  of  Lexington  reached  Con- 
cord in  the  evening  and  spread  like  wild-fire  through- 
out the  town.  The  next  morning,  before  daylight, 
his  neighbor,  Esq.  John  Bradley,  seeing  a bright  light 
in  the  pastor’s  study,  went  at  once  to  learn  the  occa- 


60 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


siou  of  it.  As  he  approached  the  house,  through  the 
uncurtained  windows  he  saw  his  venerable  pastor 
striding  back  and  forth  across  the  room,  apparently 
absorbed  in  deepest  mental  anxiety.  As  he  entered 
the  room  he  was  immediately  accosted  with  the  re- 
mark, “ There  is  no  other  course  left  us  hut  to  fight, 
John.  Yes,  John,  we  must  fight,  we  must  fight.”  It 
is  unnecessary  to  say  that  the  good  parson  voiced  the 
spontaneous  sentiment  of  the  province,  which  did 
fight,  losing  more  soldiers  in  the  Revolution  than  it 
had  male  children  horn  while  it  lasted. 

One  Sunday  in  July,  1777,  when  in  church  and  in 
the  midst  of  his  afternoon  sermon,  his  quick  eye  ob- 
served the  unexpected  entrance  of  Colonel  Gordon 
Hutchins,  Concord’s  representative  in  the  General 
Court,  which  had  just  adjourned  at  Exeter.  Pausing 
abruptly  in  his  discourse,  he  turned  to  him  and  said, 
“Are  you  the  bearer  of  tidings,  Colonel  Hutchins?” 
Upon  learning  that  forces  were  wanted  immediately 
to  check  the  progress  of  Burgoyne  and  his  army,  he 
remarked  at  once  to  his  congregation,  “Those  of 
you  who  can  go  had  best  retire  and  get  ready  to 
march  to-morrow  morning;”  upon  which  a portion  I 
of  the  audience  went  out,  while  with  the  remainder 
the  service  went  on  to  its  conclusion.  The  following 
night  was  a busy  one  in  Concord,  and  in  the  early 
morning  of  the  next  day  their  aged  minister  invoked 
God’s  blessing  upon  a well-equipped  band  of  brave 
men,  and  dismissed  them  to  Bennington  and  to  vic- 
tory. 

Mr.  Walker  possessed  a quiet  humor,  accompanied 
by  a strong  common  sense,  which  manifested  itself 
on  not  infrequent  occasions,  some  of  which  have 
been  remembered.  As  an  instance  of  these,  tradition 
says,  that,  going  out  to  work  one  day,  with  John  I 
Evans,  his  hired  man.  and  with  an  ox-team  and  cart, 
they  had  to  pass  a very  wet  and  muddy  place.  In 
passing  it  John  sat  on  the  cart-tongue  while  Mr. 
Walker  sat  on  the  rear  end  of  the  cart.  When  about 
midway  of  the  slough,  John  slily  pulled  out  the  pin 
which  held  down  the  front  end  of  the  cart  and 
dropped  it,  to  make  his  employer  think  it  worked  out 
accidentally;  up  went  the  cart  and  out  went  the  ! 
worthy  minister  into  the  mud  and  water.  Getting  on 
to  dry  land,  he  said  to  his  man,  “John,  this  is  a 
bad  accident;  but  never  mind,  drive  on  and  I will  go 
back.”  A few  days  after,  he  went,  late  one  afternoon,  i 
into  the  field  where  John  was  at  work.  When  it  be- 
came time  to  go  home,  he  told  John  that  he  would  | 
drive  the  team  home.  Upon  coming  to  the  slough,  ) 
he  quietly  seated  himself  upon  the  cart-tongue  while 
the  unsuspecting  John  took  to  the  seat  formerly  oc- 
cupied by  the  minister.  Upon  reaching  the  spot  j 
where  the  mud  and  water  was  deepest,  Mr.  Walker 
pulled  out  the  before-mentioned  pin,  up  went  the 
cart  and  John  was  suddenly  unloaded.  When  he  had 
struggled  through  to  hard  ground,  his  master,  hold- 
ing up  the  pin,  quietly  said  to  him,  “John,  John, 
here  is  the  pin ; I didn’t  throw  it  away  as  you  did.” 


Tradition  furnishes  another  instance  of  the  display 
of  mild  humor  and  sagacity  on  his  part.  A worthy 
young  couple,  who  were  members  of  his  church  and 
whom  he  had  recently  married,  happened  to  be 
blessed  with  an  increase  of  family  at  an  earlier  day 
after  that  solemnity  than  was  deemed  decorous. 
Some  worthy  church  brethren,  whose  sense  of  duty 
surpassed  their  charity,  immediately  reported  the 
fact  to  the  pastor,  in  painful  anxiety  as  to  what 
means  should  be  taken  to  protect  the  fair  fame  of  the 
church  ; at  the  same  time  inquiring  “what  was  to  he 
done  about  it  ?”  The  pastor,  seeing  atonce  the  situation 
of  affairs,  and  knowing  well  the  previous  good  char- 
acter of  the  parties,  quietly  replied  to  his  zealous 
brethren,  “This  fault  of  our  young  friends  gives  me 
great  pain  ; but,  as  we  all  know,  it  is  their  first 
offense.  I think,  therefore,  we  should  forgive  them 
this  time.  Should  it  he  repeated,  I should  advise 
their  summary  expulsion  from  the  church.”  The 
tradition  is  that  it  never  was. 

As  another  specimen  of  his  prudence  and  good 
sense,  it  is  related  that  the  Rev.  Elijah  Fletcher,  of 
Hopkinton,  once  requested  an  exchange  with  him  on 
the  Sabbath,  and  that  he  would  preach  upon  the 
subject  of  witchcraft,  which  at  the  time  was  making 
trouble  with  some  of  Mr.  Fletcher’s  parishioners. 
Mr.  Walker  accordingly  prepared  a sermon  for  the 
occasion  and  preached.  He  told  the  people,  “that 
the  most  they  had  to  fear  from  witches  was  from  talk- 
ing about  them ; that  if  they  would  cease  to  talk 
about  them,  and  let  them  alone,  they  would  disap- 
pear.” The  hint  had  the  desired  effect. 

But,  underneath  all  this  bonhomie,  was  a quiet  so- 
lemnity of  purpose,  which  was  never  absent,  and  always 
apparent.  His  dignified  deportment  and  manners 
were  such  as  to  command  universal  respect.  Ephraim 
Colby,  Concord’s  noted  fighter  and  champion  of  that 
time,  who  worked  much  for  him  upon  his  farm,  used 
to  say  that  “Parson  Walker  was  the  only  man  the 
Almighty  ever  made  that  he  was  afraid  of.” 

During  the  intervals  of  peace  between  the  French 
and  Indian  Wars  Indians  frequently  called  at  his 
house  and  were  hospitably  entertained.  On  one  oc- 
casion a number  of  the  warriors  encamped  near  by,  and 
were  to  have  a powwow  the  night  succeeding.  Mr. 
Walker  being  absent,  Mrs.  Walker  was  under  great 
apprehensions  of  injury.  Upon  learning  this  the 
Indians  remarked,  “Minister’s  wife  afraid,”  at  the 
same  time  delivering  into  her  possession  all  their 
guns,  as  an  assurance  of  her  safety.  They  called  for 
them  the  next  day,  having  kept  in  fidelity  the  promise 
made  to  her.  From  first  to  last,  he  seems  to  have  been 
highly  respected  by  his  wild  neighbors  of  the  woods, 
and  in  no  instance  to  have  received  personal  injury 
at  their  hands. 

During  his  long  ministry,  of  more  than  half  a century, 
Mr.  Walker  enjoyed  remarkable  health.  Tradition 
says  that  he  was  able  to  preach  every  Sabbath  except 
the  one  previous  to  his  death.  This,  there  is  reason 


CONCORD. 


61 


to  believe,  is  not  quite  correct,  but  is  doubtless  true 
in  the  main.  For  convenience,  in  his  old  age,  he 
slept  in  the  north,  lower  front  room  of  his  house, 
and  his  hired  man,  Philip  Abbot,  was  near  by,  to 
assist  him  when  necessary.  On  Sunday  morning, 
September  1,  1782,  he  woke  early  and  asked  that  his 
fire  be  built,  for  he  was  tired  of  lying  and  wished  to 
get  up.  Shortly  after  he  arose,  and  having  partly 
dressed  himself,  sat  down  in  a chair.  Mr.  Abbot, 
seeing  him  slide  forward  in  his  seat,  went  immedi- 
ately to  assist  him  and  found  him  dead.  Just  as  the 
morning  sun  began  to  mount  the  heavens  his  spirit 
rose  to  the  presence  of  Jehovah,  whom  he  had  served 
long  and  faithfully.  If  a long  and  successful  dis- 
charge of  the  duties  pertaining  to  the  station  in  which 
one  is  placed  entitles  him  to  the  commendation  of 
his  contemporaries  and  of  his  posterity,  Mr.  Walker, 
by  his  protracted  service,  clearly  earned  it. 

The  first  settlements  were  made  in  1727  by  Eben- 
ezer  Eastman  and  others. 

“The  spring  of  1728”  (says  Dr.  Bouton  in  his  “History  of  Concord,”) 
“ opened  upon  the  new  plantation  with  most  favorable  auspices.  Eager 
to  fulfill  the  conditions  of  their  grant,  and  to  become  settled  in  their 
chosen  home,  a large  number  of  the  proprietors  were  early  engaged  in 
building  houses,  clearing,  fencing  and  plowing  their  lands.  The  block, 
or  meeting-house,  was  finished  ; canoes  constructed  for  navigating  the 
river;  the  new  way  to  Pennycook  from  Haverhill  was  improved,  and 
the  First  Division  of  interval  ordered  to  be  completely  fenced  by  the  last 
of  May.  Messrs.  Joseph  Hale  and  John  Pecker  were  chosen  a commit- 
tee to  agree  with  a minister  to  preach  at  Pennycook, — to  begin  the  15th 
of  May, — but  they  were  not  to  ‘assure  the  gentleman  more  than  after 
the  rate  of  one  hundred  pounds  per  annum  for  his  service.’ 

“In  answer  to  a petition  presented  by  John  Osgood,  in  behalf  of  the 
settlers, — praying  that  an  allowance  might  be  made  them  for  the  five 
hundred  acres  formerly  laid  out  to  the  right  of  Goveror  Endicott, — the 
General  Court,  on  the  6th  of  August,  this  year,  authorized  them  ‘ to  ex- 
tend the  south  bounds  of  the  township  one  hundred  rods,  the  full 
breadth  of  their  town,’  and  the  same  was  confirmed  to  them  as  an 
‘equivalent for  the  aforesaid  five  hundred  acres.’ 

“ Arrangements  were  also  made  for  building  a saw-mill  within  six 
months,  a grist-mill  within  one  year,  and  to  establish  a ferry  at  the  most 
convenient  place.  The  first  grist-mill  stood  at  or  near  the  bark-mill  now 
owned  by  Robinson  & Morrill,  in  the  East  "Village,  and  the  saw-mill,  on 
the  same  stream,  about  half  a mile  above.  The  mill-crank  was  brought 
upon  a horse  from  Haverhill.  Soon  after  commencing  operations  the 
crank  was  broken.  How  to  remedy  the  evil  they  knew  not,  as  there 
was  no  blacksmith  nearer  than  Haverhill.  One  of  the  men,  who  had 
once  been  in  a blacksmith’s  shop  and  seen  them  work,  undertook  to 
mend  it.  Collecting  together  a quantity  of  pitch-pine  knots  for  a fire, 
they  fastened  the  crank  with  beetle  rings  and  wedges,  and  then  welded 
the  disjointed  parts.  The  crank  was  afterwards  used  many  years.  For 
the  grist-mill  fifty  pounds  were  allowed,  and  fifty  acres  of  land  granted 
to  Nathan  Symonds,  as  near  to  the  mill  as  was  convenient.” 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  proprietors  and  early 
settlers : 

Nathaniel  Abbot  was  about  thirty  years  of  age 
when  he  came  to  Penacook.  His  house  lot  was 
where  the  North  Congregational  Church  now  stands. 
He  was  the  first  constable  of  Penacook  (1732-33), — 
an  efficient,  enterprising,  useful  citizen,  and  member 
of  the  church.  At  the  commencement  of  the  French 
War  (1744)  he  entered  the  service,  and  joined  the 
rangers  under  Major  Robert  Rogers.  He  held  a 
lieutenant’s  commission  in  1755,  in  Captain  Joseph 
Eastman’s  company,  in  the  expedition  against  Crown 
Point,  and  was  a lieutenant  in  Captain  Richard 


Rogers’  company  of  rangers,  in  Fort  William  Henry, 
at  the  time  of  the  massacre,  1757.  In  1746  he  had 
command  of  a company  in  defense  of  the  town  against 
the  Indians.  He  died  in  1770,  aged  seventy-four. 

Edward  Abbot,  cousin  of  Captain  Nathaniel,  was 
one  of  the  first  selectmen  of  Rumford.  In  1746  his 
house  was  a garrison.  Edward,  his  son,  was  the  first 
male  child  born  in  Penacook  (7th  of  January,  1731), 
and  Dorcas  the  first  female  child. 

Jacob  Abbot,  cousin  of  Nathaniel  and  Edward, 
died  in  the  French  War,  1760. 

John  Austin,  probably  a descendant  of  Thomas 
Austin,  from  Andover,  where  was  Samuel  Austin 
(1714),  who  died  1753,  aged  eighty-three. 

Obadiah,  Samuel  and  John  Ayers,  or  Ayer,  were 
from  Haverhill.  Obadiah  was  a graduate  of  Harvard 
College,  1710;  was  employed  to  “examine  the  General 
Court’s  records,  to  see  if  there  be  any  former  grant  ” 
of  the  township  ; was  one  of  the  principal  inhabitants 
of  Haverhill.  Samuel  and  John  were  of  the  same 
family,  and  were  among  the  most  active  and  enter- 
prising settlers. 

Thomas  Blanchard,  the  proprietor  of  Penacook, 
died  in  1759,  aged  eighty-five. 

William,  Nathan  and  Zebediah  Barker  came  from 
Andover. 

Captain  Joshua  Bayley  is  named  in  the  proprietors’ 
records  as  “ one  of  the  principal  inhabitants  of  Haver- 
hill.” 

Moses  Boardman — unknown. 

Nathan  Blodgett  was  probably  from  Woburn. 

Nathaniel  Clement  was  from  Haverhill. 

John  Chandler  was  a leading  and  influential  man  ; 
was  a powerful,  athletic  man,  of  great  muscular 
strength  and  cool,  indomitable  courage. 

The  Carltons — Benjamin,  Nehemiah  and  Christo- 
pher— were  relatives,  probably  from  Andover  and 
Haverhill. 

Richard  Coolidge. 

John  Coggin  is  believed  to  have  been  of  Woburn. 

Edward  Clark  was  from  Haverhill. 

Rev.  Enoch  Coffin  accompanied  the  honorable 
committee  of  the  court  and  surveyors  when  they  came 
to  Penacook  to  lay  out  the  land,  in  May,  1726,  and 
preached  twice  on  the  Sabbath  after  their  arrival,  in 
a tent  on  Sugar  Ball  Plain.  The  first  settlers  of  the 
name  in  Concord,  after  the  death  of  Rev.  Enoch,  were 
William  and  Peter,  sons  of  John,  of  Newbury.  Peter 
afterwards  settled  in  Boscaweu,  from  whom  those  of 
that  name  there  have  descended. 

Thomas  Coleman  was  of  Newbury,  probably  a 
descendant  of  Thomas  Coleman.  Coleman  forfeited 
his  lot,  by  not  paying,  to  Henry  Rolfe,  Esq. 

Nathaniel  Cogswell’s  right  was  drawn  and  carried 
on  by  Thomas  Perley. 

Moses  Day  was  from  Bradford.  One  of  the  same 
name  was  deacon  of  the  church  in  the  west  parish  of 
Bradford  1730  and  also  1750.  Probably  one  of  them 
was  the  proprietor  in  Penacook. 


62 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Ephraim,  Joseph  and  Samuel  Davis  were  from 
Haverhill.  Ephraim  was  the  only  one  who  finally 
settled  in  Concord. 

David  Dodge — not  known  from  whence  he  came. 

Captain  Ebenezer  Eastman  was  from  Haverhill  ; 
one  of  the  most  enterprising  and  useful  of  the  pro- 
prietors. He  settled  on  the  east  side  of  the  river. 
His  house  was  a garrison  in  1746. 

Jacob  Eames  was  from  Andover. 

Stephen  Emerson  was  from  Haverhill. 

John  and  Abraham  Foster  were  from  Andover. 

Ephraim  Farnum,  from  Andover,  was  son  of  Eph- 
raim, son  of  Ralph  Farnum,  who  married  Elizabeth 
Holt  in  1658.  He  died  in  1775,  aged  about  eighty. 

John  and  Samuel  Granger  were  brothers  from 
Andover. 

Benjamin  Gage  was  from  Bradford. 

William  Gutterson  was  from  Andover. 

Nehemiah  Heath  was  from  Haverhill. 

Ephraim  Hildreth  was  probably  from  Chelmsford. 

Joseph  Hale  was  from  Newbury. 

Moses  and  Richard  Hazzen,  Jr.,  were  from  Haver- 
hill. 

Deacon  Joseph  Hall,  from  Bradford.  He  was 
deacon  of  the  church  in  Concord  more  than  forty 
years,  a benefactor  to  the  poor  and  an  example  of 
Christian  virtues.  During  the  hostilities  of  the 
Indians  his  house  was  a garrison.  He  died  April  8, 
1784,  aged  seventy -seven. 

Timothy  Johnson,  of  Haverhill. 

John  Jaques  is  believed  to  have  been  from  Brad- 
ford. 

Nathaniel  Jones — unknown. 

Robert,  Samuel  and  David  Kimball  were  from 
Bradford.  Probably  the  latter  only  finally  settled  in 
Concord.  He  was  the  father  of  Captain  Reuben 
Kimball.  He  died  November  20,  1745. 

Nathaniel  and  Ebenezer  Lovejoy  were  brothers, 
and  sons  of  John  Lovejoy,  of  Andover. 

Thomas  Learned  was  probably  from  Woburn. 

John  Merrill,  deacon,  is  believed  to  have  come 
from  Haverhill. 

John  Mattis.  His  origin  is  not  known. 

Andrew  Mitchell  was  from  Newbury. 

Benjamin  Nichols.  His  origin  is  not  certainly 
known. 

John  and  Stephen  Osgood  were  cousins,  from 
Andover. 

Benjamin,  James  and  Nathan  Parker  were  brothers, 
from  Andover. 

Nathaniel  Page  was  from  Haverhill,  and,  probably, 
Thomas  and  Joseph  also. 

Nathaniel  and  Robert  Peaslee  were  from  Haverhill. 

Rev.  Samuel  Phillips  was  minister  of  the  South 
Parish  Church  in  Andover.  His  right  in  Penacook 
was  carried  on  by  William  Peters. 

Jonathan  Pulsipher’s  origin  is  not  known. 

John  Pecker  is  believed  to  have  come  from  Haver- 
hill. He  was  a leading  and  useful  man  in  town. 


John  Peabody  was  probably  from  Salisbury,  Mass. 

Samuel  Reynolds — unknown. 

Henry  Rolfe,  Esq.,  was  from  Newbury  ; was  one  of 
the  commission  appointed  by  Massachusetts  in  1737, 
on  the  question  of  the  boundary  line  between  Massa- 
chusetts and  New  Hampshire. 

John  Sanders,  John  Sanders,  Jr.,  and  Jonathan 
Sanders — the  two  former,  father  and  son,  were  from 
Haverhill;  probably  also  Nathaniel  Sanders.  John 
Sanders  was  one  of  “ the  Committee  of  the  Great  and 
General  Court  ” for  the  settlement  of  Penacook. 

Benjamin  and  Ebenezer  Stevens  were  brothers, 
from  Andover. 

James  and  Nathan  Simonds  were  probably  from 
Woburn. 

Zerobbabel  Snow.  From  whence  he  came  is  un- 
known. 

Jonathan  Shipley.  Whence  from  not  known. 

Bezaleel  and  Samuel  Toppan  were  from  Newbury. 
Rev.  Bezaleel  Toppan  was  born  March  7,  1705. 
Bezaleel  preached  a while  at  Penacook. 

Richard  Urann,  it  is  believed,  was  from  Newbury. 

Ebenezer  Virgin,  probably  from  Salisbury. 

John  Wright. 

Nicholas  and  William  White  were  from  Haver- 
hill. 

Ruhamah  Wise. 

Isaac  Walker  was  from  Woburn — a relative  of  Rev. 
Timothy  Walker,  from  the  same  place.  Isaac 
Walker  was  father  of  Isaac,  Jr.,  grandfather  of  Abiel, 
lately  deceased,  who  lived  on  the  spot  where  his 
grandfather  built  his  log  house.  Isaac  Walker,  Jr., 
died  on  the  same  day  that  Rev.  Timothy  Walker 
died.  In  1746  the  house  of  Timothy  Walker,  Jr., 
was  a garrison.  He  was  a son  of  Isaac  Walker,  Sr. 

David  Wood.  This  is  a Newbury  name. 

William  Whittier  was  from  Haverhill. 

Thomas  Wicomb. 

Edward  Winn,  from  Woburn. 

Abraham  Bradley  was  not  an  original  proprietor, 
but  came  to  Penacook  as  early  as  1729. 

Stephen  Farrington,  not  an  original  proprietor,  but 
an  early  settler,  from  Andover. 

Jacob  Shute  came  to  Penacook  with  Captain  Eben- 
ezer Eastman. 

Jeremiah  Stickney  came  from  Bradford  about  1731 
■ — not  an  original  proprietor,  but  became  a valuable 
citizen. 

Rumford  Incorporated.  — The  town  was  incor- 
porated by  Massachusetts  February  27,  1733,  under 
the  name  of  Rumford,  and  was  a “ new  town  within 
the  county  of  Essex,  at  a plantation  called  Penny 
Cook.”  This  civil  organization  continued  until  June 
7,  1765,  when  it  was  incorporated  as  a parish  with 
town  privileges,  by  the  name  of  Concord,  probably 
with  a hope  that  thereafter  the  inhabitants  might 
live  in  peace  and  concord,  with  their  neighbors  in  Bow. 

The  following  is  the  petition  for  the  incorporation 
of  the  town : 


CONCORD 


63 


44  To  His  Excellency  Henning  Wentworth  Esqr  Captu  General  Governor 
and  Commander  in  Chief  in  and  over  His  Majesty's  Province  of  New 
Hampshire,  The  Honble  His  Majesty’s  Council  and  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives in  General  Assembly  Convened. 

April  li»k  1764 

“The  humble  Petition  of  Timothy  Walker  on  behalf  of  himself  and 
the  Inhabitants  of  Kumford  (so  Called)  in  said  Province  Sheweth,  That 
the  Affairs  of  the  said  Inhabitants  (so  far  as  relates  to  Town  matters), 
have  been  in  great  Confusion  Ever  since  the  Year  1749,  for  want  of  the 
Power  which  they  had  'till  then  Enjoyed  ever  since  the  year  1741  by  the 
District  Act  (so  called)  which  this  Honble  Court  say  in  July  1746  when  it 
was  received  had  been  found  ‘ Convenient  both  for  the  Government  of 
this  Province  in  General,  and  also  the  Inhabitants  incorporated  thereby 
in  particular.’ 

“That  altho’  it  has  been  pretended  that  they  might  still  have  Enjoyed 
the  same  priviledges  (as  Inhabitants  of  Bow)  yet  thej'  never  understood 
Matters  in  that  Light ; And  for  this  their  Opinion  and  Practice  conse- 
quential thereupon,  they  humbly  conceive  they  could  give  reasons  which 
wod  be  satisfactory  to  this  Court,  were  they  permitted. — But  to  pass  over 
all  this — This  Power  or  the  Exercise  of  it  has  been  lost  to  them  (if  Ever 
they  had  it)  Ever  since  March  1756,  for  want  of  a first  Meeting — 

“ That  by  the  Year  1760  they  were  so  heartily  tired  of  such  an  unset- 
tled State  that  they  would  have  been  glad  to  have  acted  Even  under  the 
Incorporation  of  Bow,  if  they  could  (altho’  highly  inconvenient  for 
them  as  it  blended  part  of  three  Towns  together  whose  Interests  had  al- 
ways been  separate,  and  would  Consequently  be  apt  to  create  Strife  and 
Contention). 

“ That  this  Court  was  apprized  of  their  utter  Incapacity  of  doing  any 
Corporate  Act  (Even  as  Bow)  by  a Letter  signed  ‘Jeremiah  Stickney,  on 
behalf  of  himself  and  others,’  now  on  File,  together  with  their  dutiful  tfc 
ready  disposition  to  Comply  with  every  motion  of  this  Court  to  the  ut- 
most of  their  Powers. 

“ That  the  said  Inhabitants  conceive  themselves  greatly  aggrieved  by  a 
late  Act  of  this  Government,  imposing  a heavy  Tax  on  the  Inhabitants 
of  Bow  as  Arrears  &c — a Tax  which  Nobody  has  Power  to  assess  and 
Collect  at  y«  Time  when  y®  s'1  arrears  became  due  and  which  if  now  done, 
must  be  laid  in  many  Instances  on  wrong  Persons. 

“That  what  they  suffered  for  want  of  the  Powers  they  had  Enjoyed  by 
the  first  mentioned  District  Act,  was  unspeakably  more  to  their  Damage, 
than  to  have  paid  their  Proportion  of  the  Province  Expence. 

“ That  the  Incapacity  complained  of  all  along,  still  continues  and  yet 
the  people  are  subjected  to  pay  their  part  of  the  Current  Charge  but  no- 
body has  power  to  assess  or  Collect  it. 

“ They  therefore  most  humbly  Pray  That  your  Excellency  and  Hon- 
ours will  take  the  Matters  complained  of  under  Consideration, and  either 
revive  the  said  District  Act  so  far  as  relates  to  Kumford,  or  (which  wod  be 
much  more  satisfactory  to  the  said  Inhabitants)  Incorporate  them  by 
a standing  Act,  and  by  their  former  known  Boundaries  That  the  said  In- 
habitants may  Be  abated  at  least  one  half  part  of  said  Arrearages,  And 
that  with  respect  to  their  part  of  the  Current  Charge  of  the  Province, 
they  may  be  subjected  to  pay  no  more  than  their  just  proportion  with 
the  other  Towns  in  this  Province,  or  grant  them  such  other  Relief  as  in 
your  great  Wisdom  and  Goodness  you  shall  see  meet. 

“And  your  Petitioners  as  in  Duty  bound  shall  Ever  Pray  &c 

“Timothy  Walker” 

The  first  parish  meeting  was  held  January  21, 1766, 
when  the  following  officers  were  chosen : Moderator, 
Lieutenant  Richard  Hasseltine;  Clerk,  Peter  Coffin  ; 
Selectmen,  Joseph  Farnum,  Lot  Colby,  John  Chand- 
ler, Jr.;  Constable,  Benjamin  Emery;  Tithingmen, 
Lieutenant  Richard  Hasseltine,  Amos  Abbot;  Sur- 
veyors of  Highways,  Jonathan  Chase,  Robert  Davis 
and  Nathaniel  Eastman  ; Sealer  of  Leather,  Deacon 
George  Abbot;  Sealer  of  Weights  and  Measures, 
Lieutenant  Nathaniel  Abbot. 

Indian  Troubles. — The  little  settlement  rapidly 
increased  in  population  and  importance,  and  no  dan- 
ger from  Indian  incursions  was  apprehended  by  the 
enterprising  pioneers  until  1739.  In  that  year,  how- 
ever, the  town  voted  “ that  a garrison  should  be  built 
round  the  house  of  Rev.  Mr.  Walker,  and  that  five 


pounds  should  be  granted  to  Barachias  Farnum,  to 
enable  him  to  build  a flanker,  in  order  to  defend  his 
mills  on  Turkey  River.” 

The  following  account  of  the  Indian  troubles  is  from 
Dr.  Bouton’s  “ History  of  Concord,”  and  is  a faithful 
narrative  of  this  trying  period : 

“About  the  year  1742,  according  to  tradition,  the  wife  of  Mr.  Jona- 
than Eastman — who  resided  on  the  Ilopkinton  road,  opposite  the  house 
of  Mr.  Aaron  Shute — was  taken  by  a party  of  Indians  and  carried  to 
Canada.  She  was,  however,  soon  redeemed  by  her  husband,  and  restored 
to  her  family. 

“The  opening  of  the  French  war,  in  1744,  greatly  increased  the  alarm 
and  anxiety  which  pervaded  the  colonies  ; and,  particularly,  the  frontier 
towns  which  were  most  exposed.  As  one  means  of  removing  or  allaying 
these  fears,  the  expedition  against  Louisburg,  on  Cape  Breton — which 
was  the  stronghold  of  the  French — was  projected,  and  triumphantly  ex- 
ecuted by  the  daring  enterprise  of  the  New  England  colonies.  In  this 
expedition  Capt.  Ebenezer  Eastman  was  commander  of  a company  raised 
in  these  parts,  and  was  engaged  in  the  assault  made  on  that  stronghold 
the  following  year.  Before  he  set  out  he  signed  a petition,  with  sixty- 
two  others,  to  the  General  Assembly  of  New  Hampshire,  for  assistance 
against  the  French  and  Indians.  This  petition  was  drawn  up  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Walker. 

“In  the  company  which  Capt.  Eastman  commanded  were  Nathaniel 
Abbot.  Isaac  Abbot,  Obadiah  Peters,  one  Chandler,  and  probably  others 
whose  names  are  not  known.  The  late  aged  Joseph  Abbott  said  he  ‘ al- 
ways understood  that  his  uncle  Isaac  was  killed  at  Cape  Breton,  and  that 
one  Mr.  Chandler  from  this  town  also  died  there.’  Capt.  Eastman 
went  to  Cape  Breton  twice.  He  first  set  out  from  Rumford,  March  1, 
1744-45,  and  returned  November  10th,  the  same  year.  The  next  year 
he  went  again,  and  returned  home  July  9,  1746. 

“ The  reduction  of  the  fortress  at  Louisburg  only  changed  the  scene  of 
war.  The  Indians,  the  more  instigated  by  the  French,  poured  forth 
from  Canada  upon  the  frontier  towns,  and,  with  horrible  barbarity,  car- 
ried on  the  work  of  destruction.  The  inhabitants  of  Rumford  felt  the 
general  shock,  and  sought  for  means  of  defense  and  safety.  At  each 
parish  meeting,  from  1744  to  1747,  they  chose  some  person  to  represent 
to  the  government,  either  of  New  Hampshire  or  3Iassachusetts,  or  both, 
‘ the  deplorable  circumstances  they  were  in,  on  account  of  their  being 
exposed  to  imminent  danger,  both  from  the  French  and  Indian  enemy. 
The  language  which  they  instruct  their  agents  to  use  is — ‘ We  request 
of  them  such  aid,  both  with  respect  to  men  and  military  stores,  as  to 
their  great  wisdom  may  seem  meet,  and  which  may  be  sufficient  to  en- 
able us,  with  the  Divine  blessing,  vigorously  to  repel  all  attempts  of  our 
said  enemies.’ 

“In  answer  to  these  petitions,  early  in  1745  two  small  companies  of 
scouts  were  raised  by  authority  of  Gov.  Wentworth,  under  the  direction 
of  Col.  Benjamin  Rolfe,  of  which  Capt.  John  Chandler,  of  Rumford, 
had  command  oi  one, consisting  of  ten  men,  and  Capt.  Jeremiah  Clough, 
of  Canterbury,  of  the  other,  consisting  of  five  men.  The  Massachusetts 
government  also  6ent  a small  detachment  of  men  from  Andover,  and  an- 
other from  Billerica,  who  were  stationed  here  in  1745.  In  1746  precau- 
tionary measures  were  taken  by  the  proprietors  for  the  preservation  of 
their  records.  LTnder  authority  of  Gov.  Wentworth,  garrisons  were  es- 
tablished at  different  points  in  the  town,  and  men,  with  their  families, 
assigned  to  them,  as  was  most  convenient. 

“ The  garrisons,  or  forts,  were  built  of  hewed  logs,  which  lay  flat  up- 
on each  other  ; the  ends,  being  fitted  for  the  purpose,  were  inserted  in 
grooves  cut  in  large  posts  erected  at  each  corner.  They  enclosed  an  area 
of  several  square  rods ; were  raised  to  the  height  of  the  roof  of  a com- 
mon dwelling-house,  and  at  two  or  more  of  the  corners  were  placed 
boxes  where  sentinels  kept  watch.  In  some  cases  several  small  buildings 
— erected  for  the  temporary  accommodation  of  families — were  within 
the  enclosure.  Houses  not  connected  with  garrisons  were  all  deserted 
by  their  owners,  and  the  furniture  removed.  In  the  day-time  men  went 
forth  to  their  labor  in  companies,  always  carrying  their  guns  with  them, 
and  one  or  more  of  the  number  placed  on  guard.  If  the  enemy  were 
discovered  approaching,  alarm  guns  were  fired,  and  the  report  answered 
from  fort  to  fort.  On  the  Sabbath  the  men  all  went  armed  to  the  house 
of  worship,  stacked  their  guns  around  a post  near  the  middle,  and  sat 
down,  with  powder-horn  and  bullet-pouch  slung  across  their  shoulders, 
while  their  revered  pastor — who  is  said  to  have  had  the  best  gun  in  the 
parish — prayed  and  preached  with  his  good  gun  standing  in  the  pulpit.” 


64 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


The  following  document  presents  an  exact  view  of 
the  state  of  the  settlement  in  the  summer  of  1740: 
“GARRISONS  IN  1746.  PROVINCE  OF  NEW  IIAMPe. 

“ We,  the  subscribers,  being  appointed  a Committee  of  Militia  for 
settling  the  Garrisons  in  the  frontier  Towns  and  Plantations  in  the  sixth 
Regiment  of  Militia  in  this  Province,  by  his  Excellency,  Henning  Went- 
worth, Esq.,  Governor,  Ac.,  having  viewed  the  situation  and  enquired 
into  the  circumstances  of  the  District  of  Rumford,  do  hereby  appoint 
and  state  the  following  Garrisons,  viz.  : 

“The  Garrison  round  the  house  of  the  Reverend  Timothy  Walker  to 
be  one  of  the  Garrisons  in  s'1  Rumford,  and  that  the  following  inhabi- 
tants, with  their  familys,  viz. : Capt.  John  Chandler,  Abraham  Bradley, 
Samuel  Bradley,  John  Webster,  Nathaniel  Rolfe,  Joseph  l’udney,  Isaac 
Walker,  jun.,  Obadiah  Foster,  be,  and  hereby  are,  ordered  and  stated  at 
lhat  Garrison. 

“ Also,  the  Garrison  round  the  House  of  Capt.  Ebenezer  Eastman,  on 
the  east  side  of  the  river,  to  be  one  Garrison,  and  that  the  following  in- 
habitants, with  their  familys,  viz.  : Ebenezer  Virgin,  EbeiP  Eastman, 
jun.,  Philip  Eastman,  Jeremiah  Eastman,  Timothy  Bradley,  Jeremiah 
Dresser,  Philip  Kimball,  Nathan  Stevens,  Judah  Trumble,  Joseph  East- 
man, jr.,  Nathaniel  Smith,  Daniel  Annis,  William  Curey,  be,  and  hereby 
are,  ordered  and  stated  at  said  Garrison. 

“Also,  that  the  Garrison  round  the  house  of  Mr.  Henry  Lovejoy,  in 
West  Concord,  be  one  Garrison,  and  that  the  following  inhabitants, 
with  their  familys,  viz.  : Henry  Lovejoy,  James  Abbot,  James  Abbot, 
jun.,  Reuben  Abbot,  Amos  Abbot,  Ephraim  Farnum,  Zebediali  Far- 
num,  Joseph  Farnum,  Abiel  Chandler,  James  Peters,  be,  and  hereby 
are,  stated  at  said  Garrison. 

“ Also,  the  Garrison  round  the  house  of  Mr.  Jonathan  Eastman,  at 
Millville  (on  lands  owned  by  St.  PauPs  School),  be  one  Garrison,  and  that 
the  following  inhabitants,  with  their  familys,  viz.  : Jonathan  Eastman, 
Amos  Eastman,  Jeremiah  Bradley,  Seaborn  Peters,  Abner  Hoit,  Jacob 
Iloit,  Timothy  Burbanks,  Isaac  Citizen,  be,  and  hereby  are,  ordered  and 
stated  at  said  Garrison. 

“ Also  that  the  Garrison  round  the  house  of  Lieut.  Jeremiah  Stickney 
(on  premises  now  owned  by  .1.  II.  Stickney),  be  one  Garrison,  and  that 
the  following  inhabitants,  with  their  familys,  viz.  : Jeremiah  Stickney, 
Nathaniel  Abbot,  Ephraim  Carter,  Ezra  Carter,  Joseph  Eastman,  Samuel 
Eastman,  Joseph  Eastman  (3d),  William  Stickney,  Thomas  Stickney,  Na- 
thaniel Abbot,  jun.,  Joseph  Carter,  Edward  Abbot,  Aaron  Stevens, 
George  Hull,  Edward  West,  Sampson  Colby,  James  Osgood,  Timothy 
Clemens,  Jacob  Pillsbury,  Stephen  Hoit,  be,  and  hereby  are,  ordered  and 
stated  at  that  Garrison. 

“ Also,  that  the  Garrison  round  Joseph  Hall’s  house,  at  South  End, 
be  one  Garrison,  and  that  the  following  inhabitants,  with  their  familys, 
viz.  : Col.  Benjamin  Rolfe,  Joseph  Hall,  Ebenezer  Hall,  David  Foster, 
Isaac  Waldron,  Patrick  Garvin,  Joseph  Pudney,  William  Puduey,  Henry 
Pudney,  John  Merrill,  Thomas  Merrill,  John  Merrill,  jun.,  Moses 
Merrill,  Lot  Colby,  Jacob  Potter,  be,  and  hereby  are,  ordered  and  stated 
at  that  Garrison. 

“Also,  that  the  Garrison  round  Timothy  Walker,  jun.’s,  house,  be 
one  Garrison,  and  that  the  following  persons,  with  their  familys,  viz. : 
Timothy  Walker,  jun.,  David  Evans,  Samuel  Pudney,  John  Pudney,  jun., 
Matthew  Stanly,  I saac  Walker,  Abraham  Colby,  Jacob  Shute,  Daniel 
Chase,  Daniel  Chase,  jun.,  Abraham  Kimball,  Richard  Ilazelton,  George 
Abbot,  Nathaniel  Rix,  Benjamin  Abbot,  Stephen  Farrington,  Nathaniel 
West,  William  Walker,  Aaron  Kimball,  Samuel  Gray,  James  Rodgers, 
Samuel  Rodgers,  be,  and  hereby  are,  stated  at  that  Garrison. 

“And,  inasmuch  as  the  inhabitants  who  reside  in  the  Garrison  round 
the  house  of  Mr.  George  Abbot,  the  Garrison  round  the  house  of  Mr. 
Edward  Abbot,  and  the  Garrison  round  the  house  of  Mr.  James  Osgood, 
have,  as  yet,  made  no  provision  for  house-room  and  conveniences  in  the 
respective  Garrisons  where  they  are  placed,  for  themselves  and  familys, 
and  the  season  of  the  year  so  much  demanding  their  labor  for  their  neces- 
sary support  that  renders  it  difficult  to  move  immediately — Therefore 
that  they,  for  the  present,  and  until  January  next,  or  until  further  or- 
der, have  leave,  and  be  continued  in  the  several  Garrisons  in  which  they 
now  are,  and  so  long  as  there  stated  to  attend  the  neccessary  duty  of 
watching,  warding,  Ac.,  equally,  as  if  the  same  had  been  determined 
standing  Garrisons. 

“Joseph  Blanchard,  ) 

“Benjamin  Rolfe,  ) Come,  <tc. 

“ Zacheus  Lovewell,  j 

“Rumford,  May  15th,  1746.’’ 

Such  was  the  state  of  the  settlement  in  the  summer 


of  1746.  Indians  were  now  in  the  vicinity,  and  an 
attack  was  daily  feared.  At  the  earnest  solicitation 
of  the  inhabitants,  a company  of  soldiers,  under  com- 
mand of  Captain  Daniel  Ladd  and  Lieutenant  Jona- 
than Bradley,  had  been  sent  by  the  Governor,  from 
Exeter,  for  the  defense  of  Rumford  and  the  adjacent 
towns.  This  company  had  been  ranging  in  the 
woods  and  scouting  in  the  vicinity  about  three  weeks 
previous,  and  a part  of  them  were  in  Rumford  on  the 
Sabbath,  August  10th.  On  that  day  it  appeal’s  that 
the  Indians  had  meditated  an  attack  upon  the  inhab- 
itants while  engaged  in  worship,  and  the  night  pre- 
vious had  secreted  themselves  in  the  bushes  adjacent 
lo  the  meeting-house,  to  await  the  favorable  moment. 
One  party  of  them  was  concealed  in  a thicket  of 
alders  hack  of  the  house  where  Dr.  Samuel  Morril 
now  lives;  another  was  hid  in  the  bushes,  northwest, 
between  the  meeting-house  and  where  Ebenezer  S. 
Towle,  Esq.,  now  lives.  Some  few  of  the  Indians, 
it  is  said,  were  seen  in  the  time  of  worship  by  a 
little  girl, — Abigail  Carter,  sister  of  the  first  Dr. 
Ezra  Carter, — but  she  did  not  make  known  the  dis- 
covery until  the  meeting  closed,  when  the  people 
marched  out  in  a body  with  their  guns.  The  pres- 
ence of  Captain  Ladd’s  company,  it  is  believed,  pre- 
vented the  Indians  from  making  the  designed  attack. 
Thus  thwarted  in  their  bloody  purpose,  they  retired 
and  lay  in  ambush  till  next  morning,  in  a deep 
thicket,  about  a mile  and  a half  southwest  of  the 
main  village,  in  the  valley,  a few  rods  beyond  where 
the  Bradley  monument  now  stands. 

The  Massacre,  August  11,  1746. — For  the  par- 
ticulars of  the  tragic  scene  which  now  follows  we 
are  indebted  to  the  journal  of  Abner  Clough,  clerk 
of  Captain  Ladd’s  company,  which  is  published  in 
full  in  the  fourth  volume  of  the  “Collections  of  the 
New  Hampshire  Historical  Society,”  and  to  the  story 
related  by  the  aged  Reuben  Abbot,  five  years  before 
his  death,  which  was  taken  down  in  writing  by  Hon. 
Samuel  A.  Bradley  and  Richard  Bradley,  Esq.,  grand- 
sons of  Samuel  Bradley,  who  was  one  of  the  killed. 
The  manuscript  is  now  in  the  hands  of  Richard 
Bradley.  It  was  taken  August  29,  1817,  when  Mr. 
Abbot  was  in  the  ninety-fifth  year  of  his  age. 

FROM  ABNER  CLOUGH’S  JOURNAL. 

“Capt.  Ladd  came  up  to  Rumford  town,  and  that  was  on  the  tenth 
day  [of  August],  and,  on  the  eleventh  day,  Lieut.  Jonathan  Bradley  took 
six  of  Capt.  Ladd's  men,  and  was  in  company  with  one  Obadiah  Petere, 
that  belonged  to  Capt.  Melvin's  company  of  the  Massachusetts,  and  was 
going  about  two  miles  and  a half  from  Rumford  town  to  a garrison  ; and 
when  they  had  gone  about  a mile  and  a half,  they  were  shot  upon  by 
thirty  or  forty  Indians,  if  not  more,  as  it  was  supposed,  and  killed  down 
dead  Lieut.  Jonathan  Bradley  and  Samuel  Bradley,  John  Lufkin  and 
John  Bean  [and]  this  Obadiah  Peters.  These  five  men  were  killed  down 
dead  on  the  spot,  and  the  most  of  them  were  stripped.  Two  were  strip- 
ped stark  naked,  and  were  very  much  cut,  and  stabbed,  and  disfigured  ; 
and  Sergeant  Alexander  Roberts  and  William  Stickney  were  taken  cap- 
tive. ...  It  was  supposed  there  was  an  Indian  killed  where  they 
had  the  fight  ; for  this  Daniel  Gilman,  who  made  his  escape,  saith  that 
he  was  about  sixty  rods  before  these  men1  when  they  were  6hot  upon, 


1 Tradition  says  that  Gilman  went  on  ahead  to  shoot  a hawk,  and  the- 
Indians,  seeing  him  alone,  let  him  pass. 


CONCORD. 


05 


and,  he  says,  the  Indians  shot  three  guns  first.  lie  says  he  thought  our 
men  shot  at  a deer  ; he  says  that  he  run  bark  about  forty  rods  upon  a 
hill,  so  that  he  could  see  over  upon  the  other  hill,  where  the  Indians  lie, 
and  shot  upon  the  men  ; and,  he  says,  as  ever  he  came  upon  the  hill 
so  as  to  see  over  upon  the  other  hill,  he  heard  Lieut.  Jonathan 
Bradley  speak  and  say,  ‘Lord,  have  mercy  on  me: — Fight V In  a 
moment  bis  gun  went  off,  and  three  more  guns  of  our  men’s  were  shot, 
and  then  the  Indians  rose  up  and  shot  a volley,  and  run  out  into  the 
path,  and  making  all  sort  of  howling  and  yelling,  and  he  did  not  stay 
long  to  see  it,  he  saith.  It  was  supposed  that  John  Lufkin  was  upon  the 
front,  and  Obadiah  Peters  on  the  rear:  and  they  shot  down  this  Lufkin 
and  Peters  the  first  shot,  as  they  were  in  the  path,  about  twelve  or  four- 
teen rods  apart ; and  they  shot  Samuel  Bradley,  as  he  was  about  twelve 
feet  before  where  this  Obadiah  Peters  lay,  and  wounded  [him]  so  that  the 
blood  started  every  step  he  took.  He  went  about  five  rods  right  in  the 
path,  and  they  shot  him  right  through  his  powder  horn,  as  it  hung  by  ( 
his  side,  and  so  through  his  body — and  there  lay  these  three  men,  lying 
in  the  path — and  Lieut.  Bradley  run  out  of  the  path,  about  two  rods,  I 
right  in  amongst  the  Indians.  He  was  shot  through  his  wrist.  It  was 
supposed  he  killed  the  Indian  ; it  was  supposed  that  he  fought  (as  he 
stood  there  in  the  spot  where  he  svas  killed)  till  the  Indians  cut  his 
head  almost  all  to  pieces  ; and  John  Bean  run  about  six  rods  out  of  the 
path,  on  the  other  side  of  the  way,  and  then  was  shot  right  through  his 
body  ; — so  that  there  were  none  of  these  men  that  went  one  or  two  steps 
after  they  were  shot,  excepting  this  Samuel  Bradley  that  was  shot  as 
above  said.  And  there  seemed  to  be  as  much  blood  where  the  Indian 
was  shot  as  there  was  where  any  one  of  the  men  were  killed.  It  was 
supposed  the  men  laid  there  about  two  hours  after  they  were  killed,  be- 
fore any  body  came  there.  We  did  not  go  till  there  came  a post  down 
from  the  fort,  three  quarters  of  a mile  beyond  where  the  men  lie  and 
were  killed.  The  reason  we  did  not  go  sooner,  was  because  we  did  not 
hear  the  guns.  I suppose  the  reason  that  we  did  not  hear  the  guns,  was 
because  the  wind  wa’nt  fair  to  hear.  We  went  up  to  the  men,  and  ranged 
the  woods  awhile,  after  these  captives,  and  then  brought  the  dead  down 
to  town  in  a cart,  and  buried  the  dead  men  this  day.  These  men,  when 
they  went  away  in  the  morning,  said  they  intended  to  be  at  home 
about  twelve  o’clock,  in  order  to  go  to  Canterbury  in  the  afternoon,  or, 
at  least,  to  get  fit  to  go.  It  was  supposed  that  these  men,  some  of  them, 
rid  double  on  horses  when  they  were  killed.  On  the  twelfth  day,  early  ! 
in  the  morning,  went  up  and  took  the  blood  of  the  Indian,  and  followed 
along  by  the  drag  and  blood  of  the  Indian  about  a mile,  very  plain,  till 
we  came  within  about  fifteen  rods  of  a small  river,  and  then  we  could 
see  no  more  sign  of  the  Indian  ; but  we  tracked  the  Indians  along  the 
river,  about  twenty  or  thirty  rods,  and  there  were  falls  where  they  went 
over.  ...  It  was  supposed  there  could  not  be  less  than  fifty  or  sixty 
Indians.” 

The  initials  of  those  massacred  were  inscribed  on  a 
large  tree  standing  near  the  spot,  which  remained  a 


erected  on  the  site  of  the  massacre,  bearing  the  fol- 
lowing inscription : 

This  Monument  is 
iu  memory  of 
Samuel  Bradley, 

Jonathan  Bradley, 

Obadiah  Peters, 

John  Bean  and 
John  Lufkin, 

Who  were  massacred  Aug.  11, 1746, 
by  the  Indians. 

Erected,  1837,  by  Richard  Bradley,  son 
of  the  Hon.  John  Bradley,  and 
grandson  of  Samuel  Bradley.  ” 


CHAPTER  II. 

CONCORD— ( Continued ). 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

First  Congregational  Church — South  Congregational  Church — Congrega- 
tional Church,  East  Concord — Congregational  Church,  West  Concord 
— Congregational  Church,  Penacook — Unitarian  Church  — St.  Paul’s 
Church — Universalist  Church — First  Methodist  Episcopal  Church — 
Baker  Memorial  Methodist  Episcopal  Church — Methodist  Church,  Pen- 
acook— First  Baptist  Church — Pleasant  Street  Baptist  Church — Free- 
Will  Baptist  Church— Baptist  Church,  Penacook — St.  John  the  Evan- 
gelist Roman  Catholic  Church — Catholic  Church,  Penacook. 

First  Congregational  Church.1 — The  history  of 
the  First  Congregational  Church  in  Concord  runs 
parallel  with  that  of  the  town.  At  a meeting  in 
Andover,  Mass.,  February  8,  1726,  the  proprietors  of 
the  town  voted  to  build  a block-house,  which  should 
serve  the  double  purpose  of  a fort  and  a meeting- 
house. The  first  public  assembly  in  the  township 
was  one  for  public  worship,  held  May  15,  1726,  and 
composed  of  a committee  of  the  General  Court,  sur- 
veyors and  some  of  the  proprietors  who  had  arrived 
two  days  before.  Rev.  Enoch  Coffin  led  the  service 
in  their  camp.  Early  in  1727  the  first  family  moved 
into  town  and  Rev.  Bezaleel  Toppan  was  employed  to 
preach  one  year. 

Rev.  Messrs.  Toppan  and  Coffin,  both  proprietors 
of  the  town,  were  employed  to  preach  till  October  14, 
1730,  when  it  was  resolved  to  establish  a permanent 
ministry.  Rev.  Timothy  Walker  was  at  once  called 
to  be  the  minister  of  the  town.  A council  met  No- 
vember 18,  1730,  in  a small  log  building  “in  this 
remote  part  of  the  wilderness,”  and  organized  a 
church  of  nine  members,  and  Rev.  Timothy  Walker 
was  installed  its  pastor. 

The  church  was  orthodox  and  stable  in  its  faith, 
and  during  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Walker — fifty-two 
years — it  was  united  and  prosperous.  Strong  in  the 
confidence  and  affection  of  the  people,  the  pastor 
actively  opposed  anything  that  threatened  division 
in  the  church  or  the  town.  It  is  not  possible  to  state 
accurately  the  growth  of  the  church  during  this 
period,  as  the  records  are  incomplete.  No  continuous 
record  is  found  after  1736,  and  the  names  of  those 
who  owned  the  covenant  are  gathered,  only  in  part, 
from  entries  made  in  his  diary.  The  names  of  only 
one  hundred  and  twenty-seven  who  united  with  the 
church  are  known,  though  many  more  must  have 
been  received,  for  at  the  pastor’s  death  one  hundred 
and  twenty  members  were  living. 

Rev.  Timothy  Walker  was  a native  of  Woburn, 
Mass.,  and  was  graduated  at  Harvard  College  in  the 
class  of  1725.  His  salary  at  settlement  was  one 
hundred  pounds,  to  increase  forty  shillings  per  annum 
till  it  reached  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds;  also 
the  use  of  parsonage.  He  died  suddenly,  Sunday 
morning,  September  1,  1782,  aged  seventy-seven 
years. 

1 By  Rev.  F.  D.  Ayer. 


5 


66 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


The  deep  impress  of  this  early  ministry  has  never 
been  effaced,  and  the  influence  of  Mr.  Walker,  to  a 
large  degree,  decided  the  moral  tone  and  habits  of 
the  town.  For  more  than  half  a century  his  clear 
convictions  and  bold  utterances  directed  the  thought 
of  the  early  settlers.  He  served  the  town  as  well  as 
the  church.  His  wise  counsel  and  judicious  action 
in  relation  to  every  matter  of  public  interest  were  of 
great  benefit  to  the  people  and  made  him  their 
leader.  Three  times  he  visited  England  as  agent  for 
the  town  to  confirm  its  endangered  rights,  and  was 
enabled  to  make  secure  forever  the  claims  and  privi- 
leges of  the  settlers. 

Nearly  seven  years  now  passed  without  a stated 
ministry.  Rev.  Israel  Evans  was  called  by  both  the 
church  and  the  town  to  settle  as  minister  September 
1,  1788,  and  was  installed  pastor  July  1,  1789.  His 
ministry  continued  eight  years.  No  records  of  the 
church  for  this  period  can  be  found.  There  were  one 
hundred  and  twenty-four  members  of  the  church  at 
the  close  of  this  ministry. 

Mr.  Evans  was  a native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  was 
graduated  at  Princeton  College,  1772.  He  was  or- 
dained chaplain  in  the  United  States  army  at  Phila- 
delphia in  1776.  He  resigned  his  pastorate  July  1, 
1797,  but  resided  in  town  till  his  death,  at  the  age  of 
sixty  years,  March  9,  1807. 

The  church,  without  delay,  chose  to  the  pastorate 
Rev.  Asa  McFarland,  and  the  town  concurring  in  the 
choice,  he  was  installed  March  7,  1798. 

The  growth  of  the  church  was,  from  this  time, 
rapid  and  steady.  Seasons  of  deep  religious  interest 
blessed  it,  and  four  hundred  and  twenty-nine  were 
added  to  the  membership.  His  ministry  continued 
twenty-seven  years  and  closed  March  23,  1825. 

Rev.  Asa  McFarland,  D.D.,  was  born  in  Worcester, 
Mass.,  April  19,  1769.  He  was  graduated  at  Dart- 
mouth College  in  1793.  lie  died,  by  paralysis,  Sun- 
day morning,  February  18,  1827,  in  the  fifty-eighth 
year  of  his  age.  He  possessed  a vigorous  mind,  was 
sound  in  judgment  and  diligent  in  action.  His  perso- 
nal character  and  position  secured  to  him  a wide  influ- 
ence in  the  State,  and  eighteen  discourses,  delivered 
by  him  on  public  occasions,  were  published. 

The  council  which  dismissed  Dr.  McFarland, 
March  23,  1825,  installed  as  his  successor  Rev. 
Nathaniel  Bouton.  Bible  classes  and  Sunday-schools 
were  organized  in  different  parts  of  the  town,  and  the 
assembly  of  the  people  in  the  single  place  of  worship 
was  large  and  united  in  spirit. 

In  connection  with  the  meeting  of  the  General 
Association  of  New  Hampshire  in  1831,  a deep  work 
of  grace  began.  Soon  the  whole  people  felt  its  power 
and  more  than  a hundred  were  added  to  the  church. 
In  the  following  years  “protracted  meetings”  were 
frequently  held  and  always  useful.  Large  accessions 
were  received  in  1834,  1836,  1842  and  1843.  During 
the  forty-two  years  of  Dr.  Bouton’s  ministry  seven 
hundred  and  seventy-two  were  added  to  the  church. 


For  years  the  church  grew  with  the  town,  but  in 
1833  it  was  called  to  a new  experience.  The  very 
prosperity  and  growth  of  the  town,  the  religious 
habits  of  the  people,  the  great  spiritual  harvests  that 
had  been  gathered  made  necessary  the  provision  of 
new  and  other  accommodations  for  worship. 

The  residents  of  the  West  Parish,  living  on  an 
average  nearly  five  miles  from  the  meeting-house, 
decided  that  they  ought  to  seek  greater  conveniences 
for  worship  and  build  a house  unto  the  Lord.  A 
house  was  built  and  eighty-eight  members  of  this 
church  were  dismissed  and  organized  into  the  West 
Parish  Church,  April  22,  1833. 

The  old  house  was  soon  full  again  and  the  church 
membership  five  hundred  and  thirty-nine.  The  vil- 
lage growing  towards  the  south,  the  brethren  thus 
located  erected  a church  edifice  and  sixty-seven 
members  were  dismissed.  Bearing  with  them  letters 
and  the  love  and  prayer  of  the  mother-church,  these 
were  organized  into  the  South  Church  February  1, 
1837. 

March  30,  1842,  forty-four  members  having  been 
dismissed,  were  organized  into  the  East  Church. 

All  these  were  dismissed  and  the  churches  organ- 
ized, prompted  by  love  to  Christ  and  His  cause,  and 
the  mother-church  gave  many  of  her  devoted  and 
useful  members  with  regret  at  the  parting,  but  every 
one  with  her  blessing.  True  were  the  words  of  the 
pastor,  that  “the  church  history  of  New  England 
does  not  furnish  a parallel  to  this  experience  of  three 
churches  going  out  from  a single  church  within  ten 
years  without  so  much  as  a ripple  of  discord.” 

Besides  these  losses,  a large  number  was  dismissed 
to  the  churches  of  other  denominations  which  were 
organized  here,  and  thus  began  to  be  realized  the 
change  that  had  come  over  the  community,  as  from 
one  great  congregation,  gathered  weekly  at  the  same 
place  from  all  parts  of  the  town,  there  were  now 
different  congregations,  and  the  people  were  no  longer 
one  assembly  in  the  delightful  service  of  worship. 
All  this  had  affected  the  strength  and  relations  of  the 
church,  but  in  harmony  and  under  the  favor  of  God 
it  went  on  prospering  and  continued  to  be  a positive 
and  aggressive  power  for  good. 

Rev.  Dr.  Bouton  resigned  his  pastorate  at  his  forty- 
second  anniversary,  March  23,  1867.  He  did  this 
under  the  conviction  that  the  changes  in  the  people 
and  in  all  about  the  church  might  be  met  best  by  a 
change  in  its  ministry,  and  that  he  might  accept 
another  office.  His  love  to  the  people,  as  their  love 
to  him,  was  unabated.  Few  men  have  been  permitted 
to  fill  a pastorate  so  happy  and  useful  as  was  this ; 
few  have  transmitted  one  to  a successor  under  such  a 
wealth  of  affection  as,  from  this  whole  city,  had  been 
won  by  the  years  of  faithful  Christian  labor. 

Rev.  Nathaniel  Bouton,  a native  of  Norwalk, 
Conn.,  was  graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1821.  Not 
only  was  he  a faithful  minister,  but  a citizen  of 
valued  influence,  who  bore  for  more  than  a genera- 


CONCORD. 


tion  an  active  part  in  all  that  advanced  the  weal  of  1 
the  people,  both  at  home  and  abroad. 

He  was  a friend  of  learning  and  its  institutions,  and 
performed  an  amount  of  intellectual  work  that  alone 
would  have  marked  his  long  life  as  busy.  Thirty-four 
of  his  sermons  and  addresses  were  published,  and 
many  articles  written  for  periodicals.  In  1856  he 
published  the  “History  of  Concord.”  Five  other  vol- 
umes are  from  his  pen.  He  was  appointed  to  the 
office  of  State  historian  in  1866.  To  the  duties  of 
this  office  he  devoted  himself  with  fidelity  and  zeal 
for  eleven  years,  and  compiled  ten  volumes  of  the 
Provincial  and  State  Papers. 

In  the  ecclesiastical  bodies  of  the  State  and  the 
benevolent  organizations  of  the  land  he  bore  an 
active  part.  Industry,  fidelity,  system  were  his. 
With  the  completion  of  his  historical  work  his  labor 
seemed  done.  He  attended  church  service  on  the 
fifty-third  anniversary  of  his  settlement,  but  was  una- 
ble to  preach,  as  had  been  his  annual  custom.  He  died 
June  6,  1878,  aged  seventy-nine  years. 

Soon  after  the  resignation  of  Dr.  Bouton  a call  to 
this  pastorate  was  extended  to  Rev.  Franklin  D. 
Ayer,  a native  of  St.  Jolinsbury,  Vt.,  a graduate  of 
Dartmouth  College,  1856,  and  of  Andover  Theological 
Seminary,  1859.  He  was  installed  pastor  by  the 
council  that  dismissed  Rev.  N.  Bouton,  I).D.,  Sep- 
tember 12,  1867. 

The  church,  so  long  used  to  the  ways  of  the  vener- 
able pastor,  welcomed  the  new  one,  and  have  labored 
unitedly  with  him.  The  church  has  been  blessed 
with  seasons  of  revival,  and  during  the  present  pas- 
torate two  hundred  have  been  added  to  the  church, 
making  the  total  number  uniting  to  the  present  time, 
one  thousand  six  hundred  and  fifty -three. 

The  one  hundred  and  fiftieth  anniversary  was 
observed  November  18,  1880.  Historical  Discourse, 
by  Rev.  F.  D.  Ayer ; History  and  Description  of  our 
Four  Meeting-Houses,  by  Hon.  Joseph  B.  Walker ; 
History  of  the  Sunday-School,  by  John  C.  Thorn ; 
History  of  Music,  by  William  G.  Carter,  M.D. 

This  church  has  taken  a positive  and  decided  part 
in  all  the  great  moral  reforms  of  the  past  years.  It 
has  lived  in  peace  at  home,  in  hearty  fellowship  and 
co-operation  with  churches  of  other  denominations,  | 
and  has  exerted,  both  in  this  community  and  the 
State,  a controlling  influence.  From  its  location,  its 
pastors  and  its  efficient  membership  have  had  much 
to  do  with  the  ecclesiastical  gatherings  and  the  benev- 
olent societies  of  the  State  and  the  land.  It  has 
borne  its  full  share  in  the  great  benevolent  enter- 
prises of  the  day,  and  its  contributions  have  been 
constant  and  generous. 

It  has  given  to  benevolent  objects  during  the  past 
fifty  years  $48,000,  for  the  support  of  worship  not  less 
than  $85,000,  and  more  than  $80,000  for  houses  of 
worship  and  parsonage. 

The  Sunday-school  was  organized  in  1818,  and  has 
always  been  well  attended. 


67 

The  houses  of  worship  demand  a separate  notice. 
The  first  meeting-house  was  built  of  logs  in  1727,  and 
was  occupied  twenty-seven  years.  The  second  was  that 
so  long  known  as  the  “Old  North.”  The  main  body 
of  the  house  was  built  in  1751.  In  1783  it  was  com- 
pleted with  porches  and  spire,  and  in  1802  enlarged 
so  as  to  furnish  sittings  for  twelve  hundred  people, 
and  a bell  was  placed  in  the  tower.  Central  in  its 
location,  it  was  for  a long  time  the  only  place  for 
public  worship  in  town,  and  was  used  by  this  church 
for  ninety  years.  It  served  the  State  also.  In  this 
house  the  Convention  of  1778  met  “ to  form  a perma- 
nent plan  of  government  for  the  State.”  The  first 
time  the  Legislature  met  in  Concord,  March  13,  1782, 
it  assembled  in  this  house,  and  not  less  than  fifteen 
sessions  of  the  General  Court  was  held  here.  Here, 
with  religious  services,  in  1784,  the  new  State  Consti- 
tution was  first  introduced  ; and  here,  too,  in  June, 
1788,  the  Federal  Constitution  was  adopted,  by  which 
New  Hampshire  became  one  of  the  States  of  the 
Union.  This  being  the  ninth  State  to  adopt  the  Con- 
stitution, that  vote  made  it  binding  upon  the  United 
States.  Many  of  the  political  gatherings,  historic  in 
the  State,  were  held  in  this  house.  After  another 
church  was  built,  1842,  this  was  used  by  the  Method- 
ist Biblical  Institute  till  1866.  When  it  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire,  on  the  night  of  November  28,  1870, 
there  passed  from  sight  the  church  building  which 
had  associated  with  it  more  of  marked  and  precious 
history  than  with  any  other  in  the  State. 

As  the  church  was  about  leaving  the  “Old  North  ” 
as  a house  of  worship,  it  was  voted  to  invite  all  the 
churches  formed  from  this  to  unite  in  a special 
religious  service.  These  farewell  services  were  held 
Thursday  and  Friday,  October  27  and  28,  1842.  On 
Friday  afternoon,  after  a sermon  by  the  pastor,  about 
five  hundred  and  fifty  communicants  of  the  four 
churches  sat  down  at  the  table  of  the  Lord.  “ It  was 
a season  of  tender  and  affectionate  interest.  Many 
wept  at  the  thought  of  separation  from  the  place 
where  they  and  their  fathers  had  worshiped.” 

So  happy  was  the  effect  of  this  meeting  that  the 
next  year  one  of  like  character  was  held  in  the  New 
North  Church  on  November  18th.  Since  that  time  an 
annual  meeting  of  the  Congregational  Churches  in 
Concord  has  been  held,  and  the  meetings  have  been 
precious  seasons  of  Christian  union  and  fellowship. 

The  third  house  of  worship,  situated  on  the  corner 
of  Main  and  Washington  Streets,  was  dedicated  No- 
vember 23,  1842.  It  was  enlarged  in  1848,  and  de- 
stroyed by  fire  June  29,  1873.  A chapel  was  erected 
in  1858,  and  enlarged  in  1868. 

The  fourth  and  present  house  of  worship  was  erected 
on  the  site  of  the  third,  and  dedicated  March  1,  1876. 
It  was  paid  for  as  built,  and  is  a beautiful  and  com- 
modious church  building.  The  total  cost  of  it  was 
$50,883.36.  A new  chapel,  connecting  with  the 
church,  was  completed  and  opened  with  appropriate 
services  January  20,  1884. 


68 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


In  grateful  memory  of  the  relation  of  his  parents 
and  family  to  this  church,  William  Abbott,  Esq.,  gave 
two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  towards  the  erec- 
tion of  this  building,  which  is  called  “ Abbott  Me- 
morial Chapel,”  and  the  people  promptly  added  to 
this  sum  five  thousand  dollars  more,  which  com- 
pleted it. 

The  present  officers  of  the  church  are : Pastor,  Rev. 
Franklin  D.  Ayer,  installed  September  12,  1867; 
Deacons,  John  Ballard,  Edward  A.  Moulton,  Andrew 
S.  Smith,  Robert  G.  Morrison. 

The  things  to  be  noted  in  this  history  of  more  than 
one  hundred  and  fifty  years  are  : 1.  That  there  have 

been  but  five  pastors,  and  that  all  but  the  surviving 
one  have  died  and  been  buried  among  this  people. 
The  church  has  not  been  without  a pastor  for  an  hour 
since  1798.  2.  The  church  has  lived  in  peace  and 

grown.  It  has  never  had  a serious  misunderstanding 
or  called  for  the  advice  of  council  on  account  of  diffi- 
culty. It  has  called  but  one  council  for  sixty  years. 
3.  It  has  paid  its  bills  as  it  went  on,  and  kept  free 
from  debt.  4.  “The  Lord  hath  been  mindful  of  us.” 

South  Congregational  Church.— The  first  meeting 
of  individuals  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a religious 
society  was  held  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Asaph  Evans, 
May  9,  1835.  Samuel  Fletcher  was  chairman  and 
Amos  Wood  secretary.  At  this  meeting  a committee 
was  appointed,  who  purchased  a lot  of  land  at  the 
corner  of  Main  and  Pleasant  Streets,  for  twelve  hundred 
dollars,  as  the  site  for  a meeting-house.  At  an  ad- 
journed meeting  it  was  voted  to  form  a religious  body, 
to  be  known  as  the  “ South  Congregational  Society.” 
Also  a constitution  and  by-laws  had  been  prepared, 
and  a committee  of  seven  had  been  procured,  who 
were  to  build  the  church  edifice.  On  the  1st  day  of 
August,  1835,  the  constitution  and  by-laws  were 
adopted,  and  thirty  names  were  signed  thereto  as 
members  of  the  new  society. 

In  the  summer  of  1836  a new  church  building  was 
erected  on  the  lot  purchased  for  that  purpose  by  the 
committee  of  seven.  It  was  of  wood,  seventy-seven 
by  sixty- four  feet,  with  two  stores  and  a vestry  on 
the  first  floor,  with  the  church  edifice  on  the  second 
floor,  and  cost,  with  the  land,  about  ten  thousand 
dollars.  The  house  was  dedicated  on  the  1st  day  of 
February,  1837,  in  the  afternoon.  The  pews  were 
sold  in  the  afternoon.  In  the  evening  of  the  1st  day 
of  February,  1837,  the  South  Congregational  Church 
was  organized  with  sixty-seven  members,  all  from  the 
First  Congregational  Church  in  Concord,  as  follows : 

Thomas  Chadbourne,  Clarissa  [Green]  Chadbourne  (Thomas),  John  B. 
Chandler,  Sarah  Chandler  (Timothy)  Ruth  [Wilson]  Cliickering  (El- 
liott), Abigail  Clement  (Joshua),  Esther  W.  Currier  (Ira  H.),  M.  A.  H. 
Estabrook  (Wm.  W.),  Asaph  Evans,  Almira  B.  Evans  (Asaph),  Samuel 
Evans,  Sarah  C.  Evans  (Samuel),  Samuel  Evans,  Jr.,  Henry  Farley, 
Mary  T.  [Farley]  Colburn,  Martha  0.  Farraud,  William  Fisk,  Margaret 
C.  Fisk  (William),  Samuel  Fletcher,  Nancy  B.  Fletcher  (Samuel),  Ruth 
W.  Fletcher,  Eliza  M.  Fletcher  (Daniel  H.),  Lydia  French  (Theodore), 
Hannah  Gould  (Nathan),  George  Hutchins,  Sarah  R.  [Tucker]  Hutchins 
(George),  Betsy  Hoit  (William),  Charlotte  M.  [Hurd]  Davidson,  George 
Kent,  Lucia  A.  Kent  (George),  David  Kimball,  Elizabeth  E.  Kimball, 


(David),  Mary  Ann  Kimball,  Fanny  A.  Low  (Joseph),  Grace  G.  Low 
(William),  Clarissa  J.  [Chase]  McFarland  (Asa),  Mary  Mills  (Charles), 
Emily  Moore  (J.  W.),  Asa  Morrill,  John  Niles,  Olive  Niles  (John),  Betsy 
[Robinson]  Osgood  (David),  Caleb  Parker,  Abigail  D.  Parker  (Caleb), 
Lucy  Robinson  (Josiah),  Mercy  G.  Robinson,  Benjamin  Rolfe,  Sarah  H. 
[Sargent]  Pillsbury  (Parker),  Samuel  Shute,  M.  II.  Tenney  (David), 
Roswell  W.  Turner,  Elijah  Tuttle,  Hannah  S.  Tuttle  (Elijah),  Zurviah 
Tuttle  (Jesse  0.),  Mary  J.  [Tuttle]  Tarlton  (John),  Sarah  S.  Tuttle, 
Nathaniel  G.  I’pham,  Eliza  W.  [Burnham]  Upham  (Nathaniel  G.),  Han- 
nah Upbam  (Ephraim),  Philip  Watson,  Mary  W.  Watson  (Philip),  Susan 
Weeks  (John),  James  Weeks,  Mary  L.  Weeks  (James),  Sarah  S.  Wilson 
(Thomas),  Amos  Wood,  Louisa  W.  Wood  (Amos). 

In  March,  1837,  the  church  and  society  extended  a 
call  to  Rev.  Daniel  J.  Noyes,  then  tutor  in  Dartmouth 
College,  to  become  pastor.  This  invitation  was  ac- 
cepted, and  Mr.  Noyes,  a graduate  of  Dartmouth  and 
of  Andover  Theological  Seminary,  was  ordained  and 
installed  May  3,  1837, — sermon  by  Rev.  Dr.  Bouton, 
of  the  North  Church.  Mr.  Noyes  had  a very 
successful  pastorate  of  twelve  and  a half  years,  to 
November,  1849,  when  he  resigned  to  accept  a profes- 
sorship in  Dartmouth  College. 

Rev.  Henry  E.  Parker,  of  Keene,  who  was  then 
preaching  at  Eastport,  Me.,  commenced  his  pastorate 
in  April,  1850,  but  was  not  installed  until  May  14, 
1851, — sermon  by  Rev.  Nathan  Lord,  D.D.,  president 
of  Dartmouth  College.  In  1857  the  meeting-house 
was  repaired  and  improved,  but  in  1859  (June  12th)  it 
was  totally  consumed  by  fire,  with  no  insurance. 
Public  services  were  held  in  Phoenix  Hall  until  No- 
vember, 1860.  After  much  discussion,  the  society 
purchased  the  property  on  Pleasant  Street,  many 
years  occupied  by  the  Hon.  William  A.  Kent,  as  the 
site  for  their  new  house  of  worship.  A building  com- 
mittee was  appointed,  and  work  was  commenced  on 
the  foundations  in  the  fall  of  1859.  The  corner-stone 
was  laid,  with  appropriate  exercises,  May  3,  1860, 
and  the  house  was  completed  and  dedicated  Novem- 
ber 27,  1860.  The  house,  land,  furnaces,  stoves  and 
bell  cost  twenty-four  thousand  five  hundred  and 
forty-five  dollars.  Mr.  Parker’s  pastorate  of  nearly 
sixteen  years  was  attended  by  the  most  salutary 
results.  He  had  leave  of  absence  on  two  occasions, — 
from  June,  1861,  to  August,  1862,  when  he  was 
chaplain  of  the  Second  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
and  from  September,  1865,  to  February,  1866,  when 
he  went  on  a European  excursion.  He  resigned 
while  abroad,  and  a council  held  in  March,  1866, 
after  his  return,  dissolved  his  relation  with  the  church 
and  society. 

There  was  no  installed  pastor  of  the  church  from 
March,  1866,  to  January,  1869.  Rev.  William  F.  V. 
Bartlett,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  was  called,  and  accepted 
conditionally;  but  his  health  failing,  he  was  not  in- 
stalled, though  he  preached  for  more  than  a year,  up 
to  May,  1867.  In  1868  an  invitation  was  extended 
to  Rev.  Mr.  Hamilton,  of  North  Andover,  Mass.,  and 
a little  later  to  Rev.  John  V.  Hilton,  of  North  Bridge- 
water,  Mass.,  both  of  whom  declined. 

But  the  society  was  not  inactive  in  the  mean  time. 
The  house  of  worship,  as  first  constructed,  had  no 
galleries.  In  1867  all  the  slips  were  occupied,  and 


782 


Appendix. 

in  addition  to  the  amount  required  by  law,  a sufficient  sum 
to  purchase  for  each  district  a set  of  outline  maps  to  aid  in 
the  study  of  geography.  They  are  to  be  found  in  only  one 
district  in  town,  and  in  that  very  imperfect.  In  the  lan- 
guage of  the  State  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction,  it 
is  the  u crying  want  ” of  our  schools.  A good  knowledge 
of  geography  is  of  more  importance  than  most  of  us  realize, 
and  that  it  is  not  as  thoroughly  and  systematically  studied 
as  it  should  be,  we  think  no  one  will  deny.  In  order  to 
study  it  to  the  best  advantage,  we  should  have  the  best  facil- 
ities. which  we  certainly  do  not  have  now.  We  trust  the 
town  will  take  the  matter  in  hand  and  purchase  a supply  of 
maps  and  reference  books,  which  are  absolutely  needed,  and 
which  would  be  a great  benefit  to  the  schools. 

John  Dowst, 
Committee. 


ANDOVER. 

Our  schools  still  continue  to  diminish  in  numbers  — mar- 
riages are  less  common  than  of  old  — and  even  in  one  dis. 
trict  where  the  most  of  that  in  town  has  been  done,  the 
children,  “ 0 where  are  they  ? ” 

Hiram  F.  French, 

Committee. 


BOW. 

We  are  more  strongly  than  ever  of  the  opinion  that  we 
have  too  many  districts  in  town  for  the  number  of  scholars 
and  the  amount  of  money  raised.  A larger  per  cent,  of  the 
money  than  we  can  well  afford  to  lose  is  thus  used  up  year 
after  year  without  receiving  any  just  equivalent  in  return. 
Probably  half  or  more  of  the  schools  in  town  will  only  av- 


V 

MERRIMACK  COUNTY. 


ALLENSTOWN. 

And  here  we  would  recommend  to  every  committee  to  en- 
gage the  services  of  the  former  teachers  in  the  district,  pro- 
vided they  were  fully  competent  for  the  work  and  acceptable 
to  the  citizens.  There  are  many  reasons  why  this  policy 
should  prevail,  the  chief  of  which  is,  after  the  pupils  be- 
come attached  to  teachers  they  will  do  all  in  their  power 
to  please  them  in  the  way  of  diligent  study  and  good  be- 
havior in  the  school-room,  and  thus  are  unconsciously  bene- 
fited while  seeking  to  please  their  instructor  ; while  in  the 
case  of  a stranger  they  are  indifferent  and  negligent.  In 
the  length  of  schools  the  past  year  there  has  been  a consid- 
erable increase  over  former  years,  and  a still  greater  increase 
would  be  for  the  interest  of  the  town.  To  be  sure,  we  have 
as  much  school  as  the  average  of  small  towns,  but  we  should 
be  liberal  enough  in  our  grants  of  money  for  school  pur- 
poses to  give  us  eight  months  in  a year,  whereas  jve  now  only 
have  from  three  to  six,  and  seldom  more  than  five.  Last 
year,  in  addition  to  the  amount  required  by  law,  there  was 
a revenue  from  the  tax  on  dogs  of  one  hundred  dollars,  or 
twenty-five  dollars  per  district,  which  we  shall  not  have  the 
ensuing  year,  but  which  will  be  made  up  by  the  increase  in 
our  proportion  of  the  state  tax,  requiring  more  to  be  raised 
by  direct  tax.  We  would  recommend  that  the  town  raise, 


CONCORD. 


09 


there  seemed  to  be  a call  for  more  room.  To  provide 
this  additional  space,  the  plan  of  erecting  galleries 
was  suggested.  The  consent  of  the  society  being  ob- 
tained, galleries  containing  forty  slips  were  built  by 
twenty-five  gentlemen,  members  of  the  society  known 
as  the  Gallery  Association.  There  was  no  organ 
in  the  church  until  1868,  but  in  the  summer  of  that 
year  the  society  purchased  the  one  now  used,  at  an 
expense  of  four  thousand  dollars.  About  twelve 
hundred  dollars  more  was  expended  in  repairs  and 
improvements  on  the  house  and  chapel. 

In  December,  1868,  the  church  and  society  ex- 
tended a call  to  Rev.  Silas  L.  Blake,  of  Pepperell, 
Mass.,  to  become  pastor.  This  call  was  accepted, 
and  the  services  of  the  pastor-elect  commenced  the 
first  Sabbath  of  January,  1869.  He  was  installed  on 
the  27th  of  the  same  month,  the  sermon  being  de- 
livered by  the  Rev.  Professor  Park,  of  Andover  Theo- 
logical Seminary.  Mr.  Blake’s  pastorate  of  nearly 
nine  years  proved  very  successful.  Sunday,  February 
4,  1877,  was  observed  as  the  fortieth  anniversary  of 
the  formation  of  the  church.  In  the  morning  the 
pastor  preached  a sermon  giving  an  historical  sketch 
of  the  material  growth  and  prosperity  of  the  church 
and  society,  and  in  the  afternoon  he  gave  a history 
of  the  spiritual  growth  and  progress  of  the  church 
during  these  forty  years.  In  the  morning  he  was  as- 
sisted by  Rev.  Dr.  Noyes,  of  Hanover,  the  first  pastor, 
and  Rev.  Dr.  Bouton,  of  Concord  ; and  in  the  after- 
noon Rev.  Mr.  Ayer,  of  the  North  Church,  Concord, 
was  also  present,  and  -assisted.  In  the  evening  Dr. 
Noyes  and  Dr.  Bouton  occupied  the  time  in  most  in- 
teresting and  profitable  personal  reminiscences.  The 
bouse  was  crowded,  and  the  occasion  was  one  of  great 
interest.  In  the  fall  of  1877  Mr.  Blake,  having  re- 
ceived a call  to  become  pastor  of  a church  in  Cleve- 
land, Ohio,  resigned,  and  he  was  dismissed  by 
council  October  14,  1877. 

Rev.  Dr.  Wallace,  of  Manchester,  was  employed  to 
preach  regularly  in  the  church  for  some  six  months 
after  Mr.  Blake’s  departure,  and  continued  until 
another  pastor  was  called.  At  the  close  of  his 
services  the  church  passed  resolutions  expressive  of 
their  deep  appreciation  of  his  faithful  services,  and  of 
their  affectionate  personal  regard. 

In  the  spring  of  1878  the  church  and  society  in- 
vited the  Rev.  Charles  E.  Harrington,  of  Lancaster, 
N.  H.,  to  become  their  pastor,  which  call  was  ac- 
cepted. He  began  his  labors  in  March,  and  was  in- 
stalled by  council  April  18,  1878,  Professor  William 
M.  Barbour,  D.D.,  of  Yale  College,  preaching  the 
sermon. 

April  19,  1882,  Brother  Franklin  Evans  gave  the 
church  two  hundred  dollars  “as  a nucleus  for  a 
fund”  to  aid  the  needy  members  of  the  church  and 
congregation.  This  was  in  memory  of  his  late  wife, 
Mrs.  Sarah  E.  Evans.  The  church  took  action  on 
this  subject,  and  the  result  was  that  a society  was 
formed  of  the  members  of  the  church,  known  as  the 


South  Church  Relief  Society,  for  the  purpose  of 
accumulating  a fund,  the  income  of  which  should  be 
applied  to  the  aforesaid  charitable  object. 

Mr.  Harrington’s  pastorate,  although  short,  was  a 
profitable  one.  He  resigned  his  charge  as  pastor, 
and  was  dismissed  by  council  August  31,  1882. 

Rev.  William  H.  Hubbard,  of  Merrimack,  Mass., 
was  called  to  be  pastor  in  the  spring  of  1883,  which 
call  was  accepted,  and  he  was  installed  June  4,  1883, 
Rev.  William  .1.  Tucker,  D.D.,  of  Andover  Theologi- 
cal Seminary,  preaching  the  sermon.  His  resignation 
has  been  accepted  to  take  effect  September  30,  1885. 

In  October,  1883,  the  National  Council  of  Congre- 
gational Churches  for  the  United  States  was  holden 
in  the  South  Congregational  Church  in  Concord,  the 
North  Church  uniting  in  making  the  arrangements 
and  in  entertaining  the  delegates.  The  council  con- 
tinued nearly  a week.  The  meetings,  day  and  even- 
ing, were  well  attended,  and  were  very  interesting 
and  profitable. 

The  interest  of  the  Gallery  Association  has  now 
been  purchased  by  the  society,  so  that  now  the 
society  owns  all  those  pews,  and  many  others  in  the 
body  of  the  house. 

For  nearly  twenty  years  past  the  pew-holders  have 
voted  to  assess  a tax  upon  the  pews  to  defray  the 
larger  part  of  the  expense  of  supporting  the  gospel, 
but  at  their  annual  meeting  in  January,  1885,  they 
refused  to  assess  any  tax  upon  the  pews,  so  that 
hereafter  all  moneys  for  the  support  of  the  gospel 
must  be  raised  by  subscription  until  some  better  way 
can  be  devised. 

Present  membership  of  church,  three  hundred  and 
eighty-four. 

DEACONS. 

Samuel  Fletcher,  elected  May  25,  1837. 

John  Niles,  elected  May  25,  1837. 

Amos  Wood  elected  August  15,  1830. 

David  Kimball,  elected  March  3,  1842. 

Epps  Burnham,  elected  August  31,  1843. 

Nathaniel  Evans,  elected  August  31,  1843. 

Asa  McFarland,  elected  August  31,  1843. 

Caleb  Parker,  elected  August  31,  1843. 

Joseph  French,  elected  July  18,  1850. 

George  B.  Chandler,  elected  November  4,  1852. 

Greenough  McQuesten,  elected  October  29,  1857. 

Levi  Liscom,  elected  December  31,  1857. 

Hazen  Pickering,  elected  December  30,  1863. 

George  G.  Sanborn,  elected  December  30,  1863. 

William  II.  Allison,  elected  July  5,  1872. 

Charles  W.  Harvey,  elected  July  5,  1872. 

Charles  Kimball,  elected  January  28,  1875. 

Albert  S.  Hammond,  elected  May  5,  1876. 

Frank  Coffin,  elected  January  31,  1879. 

Henry  A.  Mann,  elected  January  25,  1884. 

William  A Stone,  elected  February  8,  1884. 

The  South  Congregational  Church,  Concord,  has 
sustained  a Mission  Sunday-school  near  Richardson’s 
Mills,  about  five  miles  east  of  the  city,  since  1870,  a 
period  of  fifteen  years,  contributing  some  one  hun- 
dred dollars  per  year,  besides  supplying  them  with 
teachers  and  a superintendent.  It  is  called  the  Me- 
morial Sabbath-School.  This  school  is  in  a prosper- 


70 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


ous  condition,  having  an  average  of  about  one 
hundred  members.  There  is  a Union  Church  con- 
nected with  this  Sabbath-school,  which  was  formed 
some  ten  or  twelve  years  ago.  The  church  has  always 
been  small,  and  numbers  only  about  from  twelve  to 
fifteen  members. 

Congregational  Church,  East  Concord. — This 
church  was  organized  March  30,  1842,  with  forty-two 
members.  Its  history  is  thus  related  by  Dr.  Bouton  : 

In  the  year  1841  a new  house  for  public  worship  1 
was  erected  on  the  east  side  of  the  Merrimack  River, 
principally  by  members  of  the  First  Congregational  1 
Church  and  Society  there  residing.  In  March,  1842, 
a request  was  presented  to  the  First  Church,  signed 
by  forty-four  members  residing  in  that  part  of  the 
town,  requesting  letters  of  dismission  and  recommen- 
dation, for  the  purpose  of  being  organized  into  a new  i 
church,  which  request  was  granted.  The  East  Con- 
gregational Church  was  organized  by  a council  of  j 
neighboring  churches  on  the  30th  of  March,  1842, 
and  Rev.  Timothy  Morgan,  from  the  Theological 
Seminary  at  Gilmanton,  was  engaged  to  supply  the 
pulpit.  Mr.  Morgan  continued  his  labors  about  a 
year.  Rev.  Hiram  Freeman  was  next  invited  to 
settle,  and  was  ordained  September  27,  1843,  and  was 
dismissed  in  June,  1845.  March  24,  1847,  Rev.  Win- 
throp  Fifield  was  installed  pastor.  Mr.  Fifield  con- 
tinued his  services  about  three  years.  .June  25,  1851 

\ } 
Rev.  Henry  A.  Kendall  was  installed  pastor,  who 

continued  until  May  1,  1858.  His  successors  as  pas- 
tors and  acting  pastors  have  been  as  follows:  Revs. 
E.  O.  Jones,  A.  O.  Baker,  Norton  Smith,  George 
Smith,  II.  R.  Hawes,  A.  Burnham,  W.  G.  Schoppe, 
C.  L.  Tappan,  A.  F.  Dunnels  and  James  T.  Pyke. 
The  latter  was  installed  pastor  October  16,  1874. 

Congregational  Church,  West  Concord. — The  first 
church  edifice  was  completed  and  dedicated  January 
15,  1833.  The  building  was  of  wood,  sixty-three  by 
forty-three  feet,  with  a projection  of  three  feet  in 
front,  and  cost  two  thousand  dollars. 

The  formal  organization  of  the  church  occurred 
April  22,  1833.  with  eighty-nine  members  dismissed 
from  the  North  Congregational  Church  for  the  pur- 
pose. On  the  same  day  Rev.  Asa  P.  Tenney  was 
installed  pastor  and  so  continued  until  his  death, 
March  1,  1867,  a term  of  thirty- three  years  and  eight 
months.  During  his  pastorate  three  hundred  and 
eleven  were  added  to  the  church.  His  salary  ever 
remained  at  four  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  per  year. 
After  the  death  of  Mr.  Tenney  the  pulpit  was  supplied 
for  one  year  by  Rev.  Dr.  Bouton. 

Mr.  Hiram  B.  Putnam  supplied  the  pulpit  from 
August  9,  1868;  was  installed  October  28,  1868 ; re- 
signed and  dismissed  December  15,  1873. 

Rev.  Irving  D.  Adkinson  supplied  the  pulpit  from 
March  1,  1874;  was  installed  May  6,  1874,  and  con- 
tinued until  his  death,  February  25,  1875. 

Mr.  John  W.  Colwell  supplied  the  pulpit  from 
June,  1875;  was  ordained  September  22,  1875;  in- 


stalled February  28,  1877 ; dismissed  April,  1879,  and 
during  his  pastorate  fifty-seven  were  added  to  the 
church. 

Rev.  Cyrus  M.  Perry  supplied  the  pulpit  as  acting 
pastor  from  July,  1879,  to  July,  1882. 

Mr.  Charles  B.  Strong  was  ordained  as  pastor  Sep- 
tember 6,  1882;  resigned  July  13,  1884,  and  dismissed 
March  30,  1885. 

The  church  is  at  present  (April,  1885)  supplied  by 
C.  H.  Roper,  of  Andover  Theological  Seminary. 

Deacons. — Abiel  Rolfe,  from  1833  until  his  death, 
in  1840;  held  the  same  office  in  North  Church  pre- 
viously, from  1811  to  1833.  Ira  Rowell,  from  1833  to 
1875;  resigned  on  account  of  extreme  feebleness;  died 
1876;  held  same  office  in  North  Church  previously, 
from  1829  to  1833.  H.  Runnels,  from  1840  until 
his  death,  in  1859.  From  1859  until  1875,  Deacon 
Rowell  was  the  only  deacon.  Stephen  Carleton,  from 
1876  until  his  death,  in  1884.  Edward  S.  Barrett, 
from  1876  to  present  time.  Cyrus  Runnels,  from  1876 
to  present  time. 

This  first  church  was  burned  September  21,  1879, 
after  having  been  thoroughly  repaired,  at  a cost  of 
fiteen  hundred  dollars.  A new  church  was  imme- 
diately commenced,  built  of  granite  and  cost  fifteen 
thousand  dollars,  and  was  dedicated  June  14,  1871. 

Penacook  Congregational  Church.  — The  Con- 
gregational Church  in  Penacook  was  organized  No- 
vember 6, 1850.  Rev.  Mr.  Knight  and  other  ministers 
were  employed  as  preachers  till  1857,  when  Rev.  Albert 
William  Fiske  was  installed  pastor  May  20th,  and  re- 
mained in  that  relation  till  October  16th,  1836. 

The  second  pastor,  Rev.  William  R.  Jewett,  was 
installed  September  16,  1863,  and  dismissed  Septem- 
ber 10,  1874. 

The  third  pastor,  Rev.  Marvin  D.  Bisbee,  was 
installed  September  10,  1874;  dismissed  April  10, 
1877. 

Rev.  John  H.  Larry  was  installed  December  21, 
1882;  dismissed  May  15,  1883. 

In  1876,  Hon.  John  Kimball  and  Benjamin  A. 
Kimball  presented  a bell  to  this  church,  which  bears 
the  following  inscription : 

“MEMORIAL  BELL: 

PRESENTED  TO 

THE  CONGREGATIONAL  SOCIETY 

IN  FISHERVILLE,  N.  II., 

July  4th,  IS7G, 

BY 

John  and  Benjamin  Ames  Kimball, 

SONS  OF 

THF.  LATE  BENJAMIN  KIMBALL 

OF  BOSCAWEN. 

Let  him  that  hearelh  nay.  Come." 

Benjamin  Kimball,  whose  name  is  inscribed  thereon, 
was  a native  of  Canterbury,  born  December  27,  1794, 
and  remaining  most  of  the  time  on  the  old  home- 
stead, with  his  father,  until  he  was  about  twenty-five 
years  old.  He  resided  for  a time  in  Northfield, 
whence,  in  the  spring  of  1824,  he  removed  with  his 
family  to  Boscawen,  and  settled  on  High  Street. 


CONCORD. 


71 


Being  inclined  to  mechanical  rather  than  agri- 
cultural pursuits,  and  having  made  the  acquaintance  [ 
of  Mr.  John  Clark  — sometimes  called  “Boston 
John” — while  at  work  on  the  new  State-House  in 
Concord,  and  other  places,  resolved  to  abandon  his 
farm,  and  devote  more  of  his  time  to  mechanical 
labor.  In  1824  he  was  employed  by  the  late  Nathaniel 
Rolfe  to  build  a saw-mill  on  the  site  now  occupied  by 
Mr.  Blanchard’s  Excelsior  Factory,  which  was  the 
only  saw-mill  ever  erected  on  that  spot. 

It  was  here  that  he  became  acquainted  with,  and 
saw  the  advantages  of,  the  great  water-power  on  the 
Contoocook  River.  His  means  were  small,  but  after 
the  failure  of  Mr.  Varney,  who  had  commenced  to 
improve  the  water-power  here  by  building  the  upper 
dam,  he  sold  his  farm,  and  in  the  winter  of  1829-30 
bought  of  Hon.  Jeremiah  Mason,  agent  for  the  United 
States  Bank,  the  property  owned  by  Mr.  Varney, 
which  comprised  all  the  water-power  formerly  and 
now  owned  by  the  Contoocook  Company,  the  farm  of 
Captain  John  Sawyer  and  the  dwelling-house  and 
lands  now  owned  by  the  heirs  of  the  late  Ephraim 
Plummer  and  others. 

He  removed  here  with  his  family  in  November, 
1830,  and  commenced  immediately  to  make  further 
improvement  of  the  water-power  by  erecting  a dam 
and  building  a grist-mill,  which  was  successfully  ac- 
complished at  the  close  of  the  next  year.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Congregational  Church  at  Boscawen 
Plain,  and  always  took  an  active  part  in  all  that  was 
essential  to  the  general  and  religious  welfare  of  the 
town.  He  died  July  21,  1834,  aged  thirty-nine. 

Unitarian  Church.1 — Early  in  the  year  1827 
several  citizens  of  the  town,  who  were  dissatisfied 
with  the  Calvinistic  doctrine  preached  in  the  churches 
of  the  place,  met  together,  and,  after  consultation 
with  each  other,  on  the  4th  day  of  April  of  that  year, 
associated  themselves  together,  agreeably  to  the  laws 
of  the  State,  under  the  name  and  title  of  the  Second 
Congregational  Society  in  Concord. 

The  formal  organization  took  place,  as  we  learn 
from  the  records,  on  the  8th  day  of  August,  1827,  at 
which  time  Richard  Bartlett,  Moses  Eastman,  Wil- 
liam Kent,  Sampson  Bullard,  Stephen  Brown,  John 
Leach,  Woodbury  Brown,  William  M.  Virgin,  Elijah 
Mansur,  Joseph  Manahan,  Washington  Williams, 
James  Wilcomb,  Joseph  C.  West,  Timothy  Chandler, 
Benjamin  Grover  and  William  Francis  met  at  the 
court-room  in  the  old  town-house,  and  organized  by 
the  election  of  Major  Timothy  Chandler  as  chairman, 
and  William  Kent  clerk.  Moses  Eastman,  Richard 
Bartlett  and  Jacob  B.  Moore  were  chosen  a com- 
mittee to  prepare  by-laws  and  regulations  for  the 
society,  and  report  at  some  subsequent  meeting. 

“ Voted  unanimously,  That  this  society  assume  the 
powers  and  privileges  of  a corporation,  under  and 


1 Condensed  from  an  able  historical  address  prepared  by  Daniel  F.  i 
Secomb. 


pursuant  to  an  act  of  the  Legislature  passed  July  3j 
1827,  entitled  ‘An  act  empowering  religious  associa- 
tions to  assume  and  exercise  corporate  powers.’” 

The  clerk  was  directed  to  give  public  notice  of  the 
formation  of  the  society,  in  the  usual  form.  At  an 
adjourned  meeting,  held  August  25,  1827,  a code  of 
by-laws  was  reported  by  the  committee  chosen  to  pre- 
pare them,  and  accepted.  At  an  adjourned  meeting) 
held  September  4,  1827,  Moses  Eastman,  William 
Kent  and  Stephen  Brown  were  elected  a prudential 
committee,  and  Captain  Jeremiah  Pritchard  treasurer. 
Thus  the  organization  of  the  society  was  completed. 

It  being  deemed  desirable  to  secure  preaching  of 
the  liberal  faith  so  far  as  the  means  of  the  society 
would  allow,  Colonel  William  Kent  visited  Ports- 
mouth, and  arranged  with  Rev.  Dr.  Parker,  of  that 
place,  to  come  to  Concord  and  preach  two  Sundays 
during  the  session  of  the  Legislature  in  June.  The 
use  of  the  Representatives’  Hall  was  secured  for  the 
services,  and  there,  on  the  17th  day  of  June,  1827, 
was  preached  the  first  professedly  LTnitarian  sermon 
ever  delivered  in  Concord.  The  services  (says  Colonel 
Kent)  were  highly  appreciated,  and  the  audience  was 
highly  respectable  in  numbers.  Dr.  Parker  preached 
at  the  same  place  on  the  following  Sabbath. 

A wish  being  expressed  to  hear  more  of  the  liberal 
j preaching,  Colonel  Kent  visited  Boston,  and  secured 
the  services  of  several  pastors  of  Unitarian  Churches 
in  that  city  and  the  adjacent  towns  for  a Sunday  each, 
the  court-room  being  secured  as  a place  of  meeting. 
Rev.  Dr.  Barrett,  of  Boston,  commenced  under  this 
arrangement  July  8,  1827,  and  was  followed  by  Rev. 
Messrs.  Gannett,  Pierpont,  Tuckerman,  Whitman  and 
Ware.  Messrs.  Christopher  T.  Thayer,  Ralph  Waldo 
Emerson  and  Moses  G.  Thomas  then  preached  with 
reference  to  settlement. 

April  3,  1828,  the  society  voted  to  raise  three  hun- 
dred dollars , by  tax  on  the  members,  for  the  support 
of  preaching  the  ensuing  year.  Rev.  Moses  G. 
Thomas  was  ordained  pastor  February  25,  1829.  On 
the  same  day,  previous  to  the  ordination,  a church 
consisting  of  eight  members  was  formed. 

A minister  having  been  secured,  the  want  of  a 
permanent  place  of  worship  was  felt.  To  encourage 
the  effort  to  erect  a church,  Hon.  William  A.  Kent 
proposed,  if  a sum  of  money  sufficient  for  its  erection 
could  be  raised,  to  donate  a piece  of  land  to  the 
society  on  which  to  build  it. 

After  a thorough  canvass,  three  thousand  dollars, 
just  one-half  of  the  amount  needed,  was  secured, — a 
liberal  subscription  for  those  times  in  a society  few 
in  numbers  and  of  limited  pecuniary  means.  In  this 
emergency,  Colonel  William  Kent  was  dispatched  to 
Boston  to  solicit  aid  from  the  wealthy  friends  of  the 
cause  in  that  place.  Spending  a fortnight  in  the 
work,  he  succeeded,  to  his  great  satisfaction,  in  raising 
the  amount  required.  This  being  done,  measures 
were  at  once  adopted  to  secure  the  accomplishment 
of  the  object  so  much  desired. 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


John  Leach,  Esq.,  a member  of  the  society,  was 
employed  as  master-builder,  and  under  his  direction 
the  work  went  rapidly  forward.  The  corner-stone 
was  laid  May  2,  1829,  with  appropriate  services,  and 
on  the  11th  of  November  following  the  church  was 
dedicated  “ to  the  worship  of  the  one  living  and  true 
God.”  On  this  occasion  the  introductory  prayer  was 
ottered  by  Rev.  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson,  the  dedi- 
catory prayer  by  Rev.  Mr.  Parkman,  and  a discourse 
was  delivered  by  the  pastor,  Rev.  Moses  G.  Thomas. 

The  house  thus  dedicated  stood  on  the  spot  occu- 
pied by  the  present  edifice.  After  doing  service  as  a 
place  of  religious  worship  for  the  space  of  nearly 
twenty-five  years,  it  was  destroyed  by  fire  on  the 
evening  of  November  2,  1854. 

Measures  were  at  once  taken  to  replace  the  church 
edifice.  Plans  having  been  procured,  the  services  of 
Henry  M.  Moore,  as  builder,  were  secured.  The 
foundation  was  laid  under  the  direction  of  Luther 
Roby,  Esq.,  and  the  work  went  forward.  In  eighteen 
months,  lacking  one  day,  from  the  time  of  the  fire, 
the  new  house  was  completed  and  dedicated. 

January  14,  1834,  “ Voted,  That  the  sum  of  seven 
hundred  dollars  annually  be  raised  by  the  society  for 
the  next  five  years.” 

April  1,  1834,  Jefferson  Noyes  was  chosen  li- 
brarian. 

April  4,  1837,  Simon  Brown,  since  Lieutenant- 
Governor  of  Massachusetts,  was  elected  clerk  of  the 
society,  in  place  of  Colonel  William  Kent,  who  had 
filled  the  office  from  its  first  organization.  Mr.  Brown 
left  town  shortly  after,  and  at  the  annual  meeting, 
held  in  April,  1838,  Colonel  Kent  was  again  elected, 
serving  until  April  15,  1841.  At  the  same  meeting, 
“ Voted,  That  R.  II.  Sherburne  be  requested  to  take  a 
seat  in  the  gallery  a few  Sundays,  and  apply  a 
corrective  to  the  boys.”  “ Voted,  That  Mr.  Thomas  be 
released  from  his  duties  to  the  society  for  the  term  of 
four  Sabbaths  for  the  year  1837,  at  such  time  as  he 
may  desire,  and  that  the  society  supply  the  desk 
during  said  term.” 

Mr.  Thomas  resigned  January  28,  1844. 

May  15,  1844. — At  a special  meeting  held  this  day, 
“ Voted,  That  the  society  are  so  well  pleased  with  Rev. 
Mr.  Tilden,  of  Norton,  Mass.,  as  a preacher,  as  to  en- 
gage him  to  supply  the  desk  for  three  or  six  months;” 
and  the  standing  committee  were  directed  to  visit 
him  and  secure  his  services  for  the  coming  month  of 
June. 

April  1,  1845,  an  article  having  appeared  in  the 
Congregational  Journal,  entitled  “ Parkerism  in  Con- 
cord,” reflecting  somewhat  severely  on  the  opinions 
held  and  preached  by  Mr.  Tilden,  a series  of  resolu- 
tions expressing  the  confidence  of  the  society  in  him 
as  a preacher  was  introduced  by  Lewis  Downing,  Esq., 
and  passed  by  a unanimous  vote. 

April  25,  1845,  the  prudential  committee  were 
authorized  to  procure  the  services  of  Rev.  Mr.  Tilden 
for  one  year  from  the  1st  of  July  next. 


April  7, 1846,  Mr.  Tilden  having  expressed  a wish 
to  terminate  his  connection  with  the  society  at  the 
end  of  his  present  engagement,  the  society,  believing 
that  a misapprehension  existed  on  his  part  in  regard 
to  the  true  state  of  feeling  existing  towards  him, 
Voted  unanimously,  that  it  is  their  earnest  desire  that 
his  resignation  be  withdrawn,  and  that  he  continue 
with  them  for  the  coming  year.” 

Rev.  Mr.  Tilden’s  services  as  pastor,  which  com- 
menced in  1844,  of  the  society  closed  July  1,  1847. 
He  was  never  formally  installed. 

From  this  time  forward,  for  more  than  two  years, 
the  desk  was  filled  by  various  clergymen,  Rev.  Mr. 
Putnam  officiating  for  several  months,  by  temporary 
engagements. 

Mr.  Augustus  Woodbury  was  ordained  August  1, 
1849. 

July  27,  1851,  “Voted,  That  an  alteration  be  made 
in  the  gallery,”  and  a committee  was  appointed  to  raise 
the  money  necessary  to  defray  the  expense  of  the 
same.  At  the  same  time,  “ Voted,  That  Mr.  Wood- 
bury’s salary  be  increased  to  eight  hundred  dollars 
per  annum.”  Mr.  Woodbury’s  connection  with  the 
society  closed  August  1,  1853. 

Rev.  Artemas  B.  Muzzev  was  installed  March  29, 
1854  The  pastorate  of  Mr.  Muzzev  occurred  during 
a time  of  trial  to  the  society, — the  destruction  of  the 
church  edifice  in  the  month  of  November  following 
his  settlement,  and  the  building  of  the  present  one 
taxing  their  resources  severely.  But  in  all  their 
efforts  they  met  with  the  cheerful  and  hearty  co-oper- 
ation of  the  pastor  and  the  members  of  his  family, 
whose  services  deserve  a lasting  and  grateful  remem- 
brance. 

October  18,  1857,  the  prudential  committee  were 
authorized  to  invite  Mr.  Silas  Farrington  to  preach  to 
the  society  for  one  year ; and  the  invitation  being 
accepted,  he  was  ordained  early  in  the  month  of 
December  following. 

October  3,  1858,  Mr.  Farrington  was  requested  to 
continue  his  services  another  year. 

October  5,  1858,  a legacy  left  the  society  by  the 
late  Timothy  Walker,  Esq.,  of  twenty-one  shares  of 
stock  in  the  Northern  Railroad  corporation,  was 
accepted,  and  Benjamin  Grover  was  appointed  agent 
to  receive  and  manage  the  same. 

April  25,  1859,  the  society  voted  that  the  treas- 
urer be  directed  to  sell  and  convey  the  railroad  stock 
left  the  society  by  the  late  Timothy  Walker,  Esq., 
and  invest  the  proceeds  in  the  purchase  of  pews  num- 
bered 21,  23,  30,  56,  63,  65,  67,  69,  71  and  73,  in  the 
church,  the  same  to  be  owned  by  the  society,  and  the 
rents  received  therefor  to  be  appropriated  annually  to 
the  support  of  preaching,  agreeably  to  the  provisions 
of  the  will  of  Mr.  Walker. 

December  25,  1859,  Mr.  Farrington  was  requested 
to  continue  as  pastor  another  year. 

November  25,  1860,  Mr.  Farrington  resigned  the 
office  of  pastor,  the  resignation  to  take  effect  January 


CONCORD. 


73 


1,  1861,  and  his  resignation  was  accepted  by  the  soci- 
ety at  a meeting  held  December  2, 1860. 

For  some  time  after  the  withdrawal  of  Mr.  Farring- 
ton the  desk  was  tilled  by  such  supplies  as  could  be 
obtained,  Rev.  Liberty  Billings  among  the  number, 
who,  without  formal  installation,  officiated  as  minister 
for  about  two  years,  until,  having  received  an  appoint- 
ment as  chaplain  in  the  Fourth  Regiment  New  Hamp- 
-hire  Volunteers,  he  resigned,  and  the  desk  was  again 
left  to  be  supplied  by  candidates. 

December  27,  1863,  Rev.  T.  J.  Mumford  received 
an  invitation  to  take  the  pastoral  charge,  which  he 
declined. 

February  7,  1864,  Rev.  Junius  L.  Hatch  was  in- 
vited to  become  the  minister  of  the  society,  which  invi- 
tation was  accepted,  and  he  was  installed  in  the 
month  of  June  following. 

June  24,  1865,  difficulties  having  arisen  between 
Mr.  Hatch  and  the  society,  it  was  voted  that  the  rela- 
tion existing  between  them  be  at  once  terminated, 
and  the  committee  were  directed  to  notify  the  minister 
of  this  action  of  the  society. 

January  23,  1866,  the  society  voted  that  Rev.  J. 
F.  Lovering  be  invited  to  become  their  pastor,  which 
invitation  he  accepted.  The  formal  services  of  instal- 
lation took  place  February  27,  1866. 

Mr.  Lovering’s  labors  with  the  society  closed  April 
1,  1875,  after  having  continued  nine  years.  At  that 
time  the  society  voted  him  the  use  of  the  parsonage 
for  the  term  of  three  months,  free  of  rent.  The  resig- 
nation of  Mr.  Lovering  opened  the  way  for  the 
employment  of  temporary  supplies  and  candidates 
for  a long  time. 

January  24,  1876,  “ Voted,  That  the  committee  be 
instructed  to  extend  an  invitation  to  Rev.  W.  G.  Todd 
to  become  the  pastor  for  one  year.”  The  call  was 
accepted,  and  Mr.  Todd  entered  upon  the  duties  of  j 
his  office  without  any  formal  introduction.  During 
this  season  the  church  was  repainted,  and  some  neces- 
sary repairs  were  made. 

March  1,  1877,  Mr.  Todd  retired. 

November  24,  1877,  an  invitation  was  extended 
to  Rev.  Samuel  C.  Beane,  of  Salem,  Mass.,  to  assume 
the  pastoral  care  of  the  society.  The  invitation  was 
accepted,  and  the  services  of  installation  took  place 
January  9,  1878,  and  he  is  the  present  pastor. 

The  church  organized  February  25,  1829,  and  re-  j 
ceived  gradual  accessions  to  the  number  of  its  mem- 
bers, from  the  first  of  whom,  Miss  Ellen  Louisa 
Tucker,  afterwards  Mrs.  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson,  it 
received  a present  of  a set  of  vessels  for  the  commun- 
ion service. 

On  the  19th  day  of  July,  1829,  the  first  communion 
service  was  observed,  prior  to  which,  as  we  learn  from 
the  records,  Brother  William  Kent  was  elected  dea- 
con, and  accepted  the  office.  Although  his  resignation 
was  once  offered,  its  acceptance  was  refused  by  the 
church,  and  he  remains  to  this  day  its  senior  deacon. 
His  services  in  the  formation  of  the  society  and 


church  entitle  him  to  the  grateful  regard  of  the  pres- 
ent members. 

A Sunday-school  connected  with  the  society  was 
organized  by  Colonel  William  Kent  and  others  prior  to 
the  building  of  the  first  church  edifice.  Colonel  Kent 
was  for  a long  time  its  superintendent. 

The  Concord  Female  Benevolent  Association  was 
formed  by  ladies  of  the  society,  January  5,  1835, 
for  the  purpose  of  doing  something  towards  relieving 
the  wants  and  multiplying  the  comforts  of  the  indi- 
gent and  suffering  members  of  the  community. 

Of  the  good  done  by  these  organizations,  those  who 
have  been  taught,  and  those  whose  wants  have  been 
relieved  by  them,  can  bear  witness.  Of  the  ladies  who 
planned  them,  and  by  whose  exertions  they  have  been 
sustained,  it  may  be  truly  said,  their  works  praise 
them. 

By  the  will  of  Lewis  Downing,  Esq.,  dated  Decem- 
ber 27.  1872,  the  society  after  his  death  became,  after 
deducting  some  small  legacies,  the  recipient  of  one- 
sixth  of  the  income  of  his  estate  annually,  the  same 
to  be  appropriated  to  the  support  of  the  preaching  of 
the  Christian  religion  as  taught  by  the  late  Dr.  Clian- 
ning, — the  amount  of  the  legacy  being  increased  from 
time  to  time  as  the  deaths  of  his  children  should 
occur,  until  at  last  the  society  should  receive  the 
income  of  two-thirds  of  the  estate  ; the  balance,  over 
two  thousand  dollars  annually,  to  be  devoted  to  the 
support  of  a minister-at-large  of  the  Channing-Unita- 
rian  faith,  and  in  aiding  and  strengthening  feeble 
societies  of  that  faith  in  the  State  of  New  Hampshire. 

St.  Paul’s  Church.1— The  first  meeting  of  individ- 
uals friendly  to  the  organization  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Society  was  held  at  the  house  of  Albe  Cady, 
on  the  5th  of  January,  1817.  At  this  meeting  the 
basis  of  an  organization  was  presented  by  a commit- 
tee appointed  for  the  purpose,  which  was  subscribed 
by  thirteen  gentlemen,  among  whom  were  the  Hon. 
Samuel  Green,  Albe  Cady,  the  Hon.  Isaac  Hill  and 
John  West,  Jr.  They  gave  the  organization  the 
name  of  St.  Thomas’  Chapel.  On  the  24th  of  March, 
1818,  Rev.  Charles  Burroughs  was  chosen  rector.  It 
does  not  appear  whether  or  not  Mr.  Burroughs  ac- 
cepted the  rectorship.  He,  however,  frequently  offi- 
ciated here,  giving  to  the  new  parish  whatever  of 
service  he  could  bestow  in  connection  with  his  minis- 
trations in  St.  John’s  Church,  Portsmouth,  of  which 
he  was  rector,  and  in  many  ways,  by  advice  and  in- 
fluence, contributed  greatly  to  encourage  and  sustain 
the  infant  parish  in  Concord. 

During  1817  and  the  three  succeeding  years  the 
Rev.  Messrs.  Andrews,  Searle,  Herbert  and  Marshall 
held  occasional  services  here,  but  the  greater  part  of 
the  time  the  services  were  conducted  by  lay  readers. 
In  April,  1821,  the  Rev.  John  L.  Blake  was  cho- 
sen rector,  and  for  more  than  two  years  officiated 


1 Condensed  from  an  historical  sketch  prepared  by  lion.  Horace  A. 
Brown,  in  1884. 


74 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


here,  at  the  same  time  serving  St.  Andrew’s  Church, 
Hopkinton. 

For  a part  of  the  first  year  after  the  formation  of 
the  parish  the  services  were  held  in  Masonic  Hall, over 
the  Concord  Bank,  the  present  location  of  the  First 
National  Bank.  Subsequently  the  town  hall  was  oc- 
cupied by  the  parish  as  a place  of  worship  for  about 
two  years.  Afterwards  the  services  were  held  in  a 
commodious  hall,  fitted  up  by  Hon.  Isaac  Hill,  in  the 
upper  part  of  a store  occupying  the  present  site  of 
the  opera-house. 

This  hall  was  used  during  the  week  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Blake  as  a school-room. 

Several  ineffectual  attempts  were  made  during 
these  years  to  build  a church.  As  far  back  as  1819  a 
subscription  was  commenced  for  this  purpose.  The 
cost  of  the  edifice  was  not  to  exceed  six  thousand 
dollars,  and  one-half  of  this  sum  was  subscribed  by 
twelve  individuals.  In  the  spring  of  1823  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Blake  resigned  the  rectorship  and  removed  from 
town,  and  for  about  twelve  years  services  of  our 
church  were  only  occasionally  held  in  Concord,  Rev. 
Moses  B.  Chase,  of  Hopkinton,  now  and  then  sup- 
plying a single  service. 

It  appears  that  divine  worship  according  to  the 
forms  and  rites  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church 
was  conducted  here,  almost  without  interruption, 
from  the  beginning  of  1817  to  the  spring  of  1823,  a 
lay  reader  being  employed  when  the  ministrations  of 
a clergyman  could  not  be  procured. 

In  1819  a committee  on  the  state  of  the  church  in 
the  Diocese  of  New  Hampshire,  appointed  by  the 
Diocesan  Convention,  reported  thirteen  families  and 
ten  communicants  in  this  parish.  During  its  con- 
tinuance as  St.  Thomas’  Chapel  the  rite  of  con- 
firmation was  administered  to  seven  persons,  and  there 
were  about  twenty  baptisms. 

On  the  13th  of  July,  1835,  St.  Paul’s  parish  was  or- 
ganized, and  the  Rev.  Moses  B.  Chase  was  chosen 
rector.  Mr.  Chase  held  services  once  each  month  in 
this  parish,  from  May,  1835,  to  March,  1836,  and  each 
Sunday  evening  during  July  and  August  of  the  latter 
year.  He  resided  in  Hopkinton,  and  was  rector  of  St. 
Andrew’s  Church. 

Rev.  Petrus  S.  Ten  Broeck  became  rector  in  Novem- 
ber, 1836.  The  services  at  this  time  were  held  in  the 
court-house,  which  occupied  the  site  of  the  present 
city  hall.  At  this  time  there  were  ten  communi- 
cants. 

In  the  summer  of  1836,  John  West,  a gentleman 
devotedly  attached  to  the  church,  set  himself  about 
obtaining,  by  subscriptions  and  donations,  funds  to 
build  a church,  but  had  hardly  more  than  made  a be- 
ginning when  sudden  death  brought  his  earthly 
labors  to  a close,  and  one  of  the  first  offices  which 
the  new  rector  was  called  upon  to  discharge  in  the 
parish  was  the  sad  duty  of  consigning  to  the  dust  the 
mortal  remains  of  this  warm  and  active  friend  of 
the  church. 


The  first  church  edifice  1 was  completed  near  the 
close  of  the  year  1839,  and  on  the  1st  of  January, 
1840,  it  was  consecrated  to  the  worship  of  Almighty 
God  by  the  venerable  and  beloved  Bishop  Griswold, 
bishop  of  the  Eastern  Diocese,  of  which  New  Hamp- 
shire was  a part.  Bishop  Griswold  also,  on  the  fol- 
lowing day,  instituted  the  Rev.  Mr.  Ten  Broeck  rector 
of  the  parish. 

July  16,  1843,  Albe  Cady,  for  many  years  senior 
warden  of  the  parish,  deceased.  Mr.  Cady  was  among 
the  first  to  move  for  establishing  the  church  here  and 
labored  earnestly  and  faithfully  for  its  success. 

In  October,  1844,  Rev.  Mr.  Ten  Broeck,  on  account 
of  failing  health,  resigned  his  charge  of  the  parish 
and  removed  to  Danvers,  Mass.,  where  he  resided  till 
his  decease,  in  1849.  He  was  a faithful  minister.  The 
number  of  communicants  at  the  close  of  his  labors  in 
the  parish  was  about  forty,  as  against  ten  at  its  com- 
mencement. 

Rev.  Darius  R.  Brewer  succeeded  Mr.  Ten  Broeck, 
having  been  elected  the  25th  of  November,  1844.  Mr. 
Brewer  reported  to  the  convention,  the  following 
June,  forty-five  communicants,  thirty  families,  and 
the  number  of  persons  attending  public  worship  from 
one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and  fifty.  After  two 
years  of  faithful  and  devoted  service,  he  resigned  to 
take  charge  of  Trinity  parish,  Newport,  R.  I.  He 
has  since  died. 

Mr.  Brewer  was  succeeded  immediately  by  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Leaver,  from  the  Diocese  of  Rhode  Island. 
Mr.  Leaver’s  ministry  in  the  parish  was  very  brief. 
He  commenced  his  labors  here  on  the  first  Sunday  in 
December,  1846,  and  conducted  his  last  service  on 
the  first  Sunday  in  December,  1847.  After  a severe 
illness  of  a few  days,  he  died  on  the  23d  of 
the  same  month.  During  the  brief  period  of  his 
ministry  Mr.  Leaver  proved  himself  a faithful  shep- 
herd, and  his  death  was  a deep  affliction  to  the 
parish. 

On  the  27th  of  February,  1848,  the  Rev.  Newton  E. 
Marble,  of  the  Diocese  of  Massachusetts,  was 
elected  to  the  rectorship,  and  soon  after  entered  upon 
its  duties.  At  this  date  the  number  of  communicants 
was  forty- four,  the  number  of  families  thirty.  During 
Mr.  Marble’s  ministry,  of  a little  more  than  nine 
years,  the  parish  had  a steady  growth  in  numbers 
and  a correspondingly  widening  influence  in  the  com- 
munity'. 

Mr.  Marble  resigned  the  rectorship  of  the  parish 
April  1,  1857,  aud  soon  after  moved  to  Newtown,  Dio- 
cese of  Connecticut,  to  assume  charge  of  Trinity  par- 
ish, which  relation  he  sustained  during  the  remainder 
of  his  life.  He  died  about  three  years  since,  much 
beloved  by  the  people  of  his  charge  and  bv  every  one 
who  knew  him. 

From  Easter,  1857,  to  Easter,  1858,  the  parish  was 


1 The  buihling  committee  consisted  of  Albe  Cady,  L.  C.  Virgil  and 
Hon.  Isaac  Hill. 


CONCORD. 


without  a rector.  For  the  first  two  months  or  more  of 
this  time  the  Rev.  Dr.  Henry  A.  Coit,  either  by  him- 
self or  by  the  Rev.  Francis  Chase,  his  assistant  at  St. 
Paul’s  School,  kindly  supplied  one  service  on  Sundays. 
For  the  balance  of  the  year  the  Rev.  Edward  Ballard, 
then  residing  at  Hopkinton,  filled  the  position  of 
minister  of  the  parish,  accepting  therefor,  without 
stipulation,  such  compensation  as  the  parish  could  of- 
fer. The  ministrations  of  these  clergymen,  as  well 
as  their  helpfulness  in  many  ways,  is  gratefully  re- 
membered by  the  church  people  of  those  days. 

Rev.  James  H.  Eames,  D.D.,  entered  upon  his 
duties  as  rector  on  Easter  Day,  1858,  and  continued 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  December  10,  1877. 
The  parish  had  granted  Dr.  Eames  leave  of  absence  for 
the  winter,  and,  December  7th,  in  company  with  Mrs. 
Eames,  he  started  from  New  York  for  the  Bermudas, 
and  died  on  the  10th  of  the  same  month,  just  as  the 
vessel  dropped  anchor  in  the  harbor  of  Hamilton. 

Very  soon  after  Dr.  Eames  began  his  work  here 
signs  of  a new  and  deepening  interest  in  the  church’s 
work  were  visible,  and  soon  it  became  evident  that  the 
little  church  would  not  long  accommodate  the  congre- 
gation. The  following  appears  on  the  parish  records: 

“ At  a meeting  duly  notified,  and  held  in  the  church,  May  24,  1858,  a 
committee  was  appointed,  consisting  of  Rev.  J.  H.  Eames,  David  Davis, 
E.  Symmes,  A.  C.  Pierce,  John  M.  Hill,  William  L.  Foster  and  Charles 
P.  Gage,  to  take  into  consideration  the  expediency  of  enlarging  the  old 
church  or  building  a new  one,  to  report  at  an  adjourned  meeting  to  be 
held  in  one  week.” 

It  was  finall}'  decided  to  build  a new  church,  and 
the  following  were  appointed  a building  committee: 
Ebenezer  Symmes,  Augustine  C.  Pierce,  George 
Minot,  John  M.  Hill  and  Abel  Hutchins.  Of  these 
gentlemen,  John  M.  Hill  survives. 

On  Wednesday,  the  25th  day  of  May,  1859,  the  cor- 
ner-stone of  the  new  church  was  laid.  Two  excellent 
addresses  were  delivered  on  the  occasion, — one  by  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Burroughs,  of  Portsmouth,  the  other  by  Hon. 
Josiah  Minot.  Under  the  watchful  supervision  of  the 
building  committee  the  new  church  went  on  to  com- 
pletion, and  on  the  15th  day  of  December,  1859,  was 
consecrated  to  the  worship  of  Almighty  God  by  the 
Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Carlton  Chase,  of  this  diocese,  the 
Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Clark,  of  the  Diocese  of  Rhode 
Island,  preaching  the  consecration  sermon. 

The  cost  of  the  church  and  furnishing  was  about 
seventeen  thousand  dollars. 

A chime  of  nine  bells  was  placed  in  the  tower  of 
the  church  in  1868,  through  the  liberality  of  members 
of  the  parish.  Three  of  these  bells  were  given  by  the 
ladies  of  the  parish  ; the  others  were  personal  gifts 
from  John  H.  Pearson,  Mrs.  Eliza  C.  Davis,  Edward 
L.  Knowlton,  Edward  A.  Abbott  and  Mrs.  William 
Butterfield.  They  werefirst  rung  on  Easter  morning, 
April  12,  1868. 

In  the  summer  of  1877  extensive  repairs  of  the 
church  were  made.  While  these  repairs  were  going 
on  services  were  held  in  Rumford  Hall,  kindly  offered 
by  Mr.  Franklin  Low,  junior  warden.  ' 


It  had  been  arranged,  by  vote  of  the  parish,  pre- 
vious to  the  departure  of  Dr.  Eames,  that  the  bishop 
of  the  diocese  should  have  charge  of  the  matter  of 
supplying  the  services  during  his  absence.  This  ar- 
rangement continued  till  the  24th  of  the  following 
April,  when,  at  the  annual  parish  meeting,  it  was 

“ Voted , That  the  Rt.  Rev.  the  Bishop  of  the  Diocese  be  invited  to  ac- 
cept the  rectorship  of  St.  Paul's  parish.” 

At  a subsequent  meeting  the  bishop  nominated  the 
Rev.  Daniel  C.  Roberts,  of  Brandon,  Diocese  of  Ver- 
mont, to  be  vice-rector,  and  the  clerk  was  directed  to 
notify  the  bishop  that  the  wardens  and  vestry  ap- 
prove of  the  nomination,  and  that  he  is  desired  to 
communicate  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Roberts  accordingly. 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Roberts,  having  accepted  the  vice-rec- 
torship, entered  upon  its  duties  in  June  of  the  same 
year. 

On  the  2d  day  of  December,  1879,  the  ceremony  of 
unveiling  the  beautiful  window  to  the  memory  of  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Eames,  which  had  been  procured  by  the 
parish  and  placed  in  the  front  end  of  the  church,  was 
held.  John  M.  Hill,  in  behalf  of  the  committee  ap- 
pointed to  procure  the  memorial,  made  an  appropri- 
ate address  and  unveiled  the  window,  after  which 
Bishop  Niles  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Roberts  also  made 
addresses. 

At  a meeting  of  the  wardens  and  vestry,  held  No- 
vember 14,  1882,  the  subject  of  a chapel,  which  had 
been  discussed  at  the  previous  annual  meeting  of  the 
parish,  was  further  considered,  and  the  Hon.  Josiah 
Minot  made  a proposition  that,  with  money  then  in 
the  savings-bank  belonging  to  the  ladies  of  the  parish, 
and  designed  originally  for  a like  purpose,  amounting 
to  about  $1000,  he  would  agree  that  a chapel  should 
be  built,  the  cost  not  to  exceed  $3000.  The  wardens 
voted  to  accept  the  offer  of  Mr.  Minot,  and  the  follow- 
ing summer  the  chapel  was  completed  at  a cost  of 
$3,926.86,  Mr.  Minot  contributing  $2,233.75  ; Mr. 
James  R.  Hill,  for  land,  $300;  Mr.  John  H.  Pearson, 
for  steam-heating,  $300 ; Mr.  John  M.  Hill,  for  gas- 
fixtures,  etc.,  $147.50  ; ladies’  fund  in  savings-bank, 
$945.61.  Other  individuals  have  contributed  for  set- 
tees for  the  chapel,  and  recently  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  W. 
Stevens  have  contributed  a beautiful  lecturn. 

During  all  these  years  the  parish  has  had,  without 
stint,  the  services  of  members  of  the  congregation  in 
the  important  department  of  music.  We  have  avoided, 
as  far  as  possible,  mentioning  names,  particularly 
those  now  living,  who  have  contributed  in  their 
several  ways  to  the  church’s  work  and  worship,  and 
that  restraint  is  upon  us  now.  But  they  are  gratefully 
remembered  by  those  who  have  witnessed  their  faith- 
fulness and  profited  by  their  unselfish  devotion. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  summer  of  1883  a choir  of 
boys  was  organized,  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Frank 
E.  Brown.  The  cost  of  the  necessary  changes  in  the 
chancel  was  defrayed  by  special  gifts  from  generous 
friends,  notably  that  of  Mr.  Henri  G.  Blaisdell,  who 
gave  the  avails  of  an  entertainment  given  by  him  with 


76 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


liis  orchestra,  assisted  by  ladies  and  gentlemen  and 
children  of  the  parish.  On  the  Eighteenth  Sunday 
after  Trinity,  September  23,  1883,  the  choir  of  three 
men  and  twelve  boys,  vested  in  cassocks  and  surplices, 
came  into  church  at  morning  prayer,  singing  the 
232d  hymn,— 

“Onward,  Christian  soldiers.” 

The  choir  was  formally  presented  by  the  vice-rector, 
and  received  by  tbe  bishop  of  the  diocese,  the  same 
being  also  rector  of  the  parish,  with  a short  service  of 
benediction.  From  that  date  to  the  present  time  they 
have  continued  the  good  work  with  augmented  num- 
bers, increasing  interest  and  zeal  on  tbeir  part,  and 
growing  favor  on  the  part  of  the  congregation.  This 
service  is  rendered  without  salary,  and  has  been  given 
with  enthusiasm  and  constancy. 

During  the  last  twenty-five  years  there  have  been 
three  hundred  and  ninety-five  baptisms, — two  hundred 
anil  sixty-six  infants  and  one  hundred  and  twenty1 
nine  adults.  Three  hundred  and  six  persons  have 
been  confirmed.  Present  number  of  communicants 
in  the  parish,  two  hundred  and  sixty. 

The  contributions  of  the  people  for  missions, 
through  the  offertory  and  otherwise,  have  been 
$5054.07,  distributed  as  follows:  Diocesan,  $3851.61; 
domestic,  $848.60  ; foreign,  $353.86.  There  has  also 
been  given  within  the  twenty-five  years,  for  other 
objects,  about  $50,000. 

Of  the  latter  sum,  probably  about  seven  thousand 
dollars  was  devoted  to  objects  within  our  own  parish, 
such  as  the  chime  of  bells  and  church  repairs ; the  bal- 
ance has  been  given  to  church  and  charitable  work,  for 
educational  purposes,  Orphans’  Home  and  sufferers 
by  fire  and  flood,  etc.  This  sum  includes  very  little, 
if  anything,  for  the  maintenance  of  public  worship 
here  during  these  years. 

Hon.  Horace  A.  Brown,  the  senior  warden  of  the 
church,  was  born  in  the  town  of  Cornish,  N.  II.,  near 
Windsor,  Vt.,  October  3, 1823,  and  is  consequently  fifty- 
four  years  of  age.  When  but  a few  months  old,  his 
parents  moved  to  Windsor  (now  West  Windsor),  Vt., 
where  he  lived  till  he  was  nine  years  old.  At  this 
early  age  he  started  out  in  life,  working  on  a farm  for 
his  board  and  clothes  for  several  years.  Undoubtedly 
becoming  imbued  with  the  idea  that  agricultural  pur- 
suits were  not  adapted  to  his  tastes  and  a desire  to 
learn  a trade,  lie  first  entered  the  office  of  the  Demo- 
cratic Statesman,  at  Windsor,  in  January,  1837,  as 
chore-boy.  Being  of  an  industrious  turn  of  mind,  he 
also  learned  the  art  of  type-setting,  and  acquired  such 
other  information  about  the  business  as  the  facilities 
of  the  office  presented.  In  September,  1838,  he  be- 
came a “ printer’s  devil  ” in  the  office  of  the  National 
Eagle,  published  at  Claremont,  N.  H.,  by  Weber  & 
Warland,  where  he  served  an  apprenticeship  of  four 
years,  remaining  two  years  longer  as  a journeyman  in 
the  same  office.  In  September,  1844,  we  find  him  in 
the  employ  of  the  Claremont  Manufacturing  Company 
as  compositor,  and  occasionally  running  power-presses. 


It  was  in  this  office  that  he  first  gained  an  insight  in 
the  most  important  branch  of  the  “art  preservative,” 
press-work,  which  subsequently  became  his  constant 
employment.  In  November,  1847,  he  commenced,  in 
connection  with  Joseph  Weber,  Esq.,  the  publication 
of  the  Northern  Intelligencer,  but  remained  only  a few 
months  in  that  capacity.  The  following  year  he  be- 
came foreman,  for  a short  time,  of  the  Granite  State 
Whig,  after  which  he  printed  for  the  proprietor  the 
Philharmonic  Journal,  a semi-monthly  musical  quarto. 
In  September  of  the  same  year  he  became  employed 
in  tbe  office  of  the  National  Eagle,  where  he  remained 
three  years.  During  the  winter  of  1851-52  he  engaged 
himself  as  pressman  for  the  Claremont  Manufacturing 
Company,  running  an  Adams  press.  In  June,  1852, 
he  entered  the  employ  of  McFarland  & Jcnks,  former 
proprietors  of  the  New  Hampshire  Statesman,  and  in 
August  of  the  same  year  was  appointed  foreman  of 
the  press  department,  in  which  capacity  he  has  been 
constantly  employed  up  to  the  present  time,  a period 
of  more  than  a quarter  of  a century. 

Mr.  Brown  long  ago  acquired  the  reputation  of 
being  one  of  the  best  pressmen  in  the  State,  and  at 
the  completion  of  twenty-five  years’  service  received 
many  flattering  notices  from  the  press  of  New  Eng- 
land. A conscientious  workman,  of  noble  aspirations 
and  character,  he  has  won  the  confidence  and  esteem 
of  all  with  whom  he  is  intimately  associated.  He 
has  been  a prominent  member  of  the  Protestant  Epis- 
copal Church  for  many  years,  and  was  elected  secre- 
tary of  the  Diocesan  Convention  in  1857,  which  office 
he  has  since  held.  An  Odd-Fellow  and  Mason,  high  in 
the  respective  orders,  he  has  done  much  to  elevate 
and  promote  the  interests  of  these  organizations. 

Mr.  Brown  is  well-known  to  the  public  as  a high- 
minded  citizen  ; they  have  shown  their  appreciation 
of  his  many  accomplishments  by  electing  him,  from 
time  to  time,  to  many  positions  of  trust  and  honor 
in  the  city  government.  He  was  elected  mayor  in 
1878  and  re-elected  in  1879,  and  discharged  his  duties 
with  eminent  ability.  He  long  acted  as  secretary  of 
tbe  Republican  City  Committee,  and  was  elected  to 
the  State  Legislature  in  1875-76.  By  strict  economy 
in  business  relations,  combined  with  untiring  industry, 
he  has  acquired  a reasonable  competence,  which  will 
smooth  the  downward  path  of  life,  and  afford  rest  and 
comfort  in  his  declining  years. 

There  is  an  Episcopal  Church  Mission,  which  wor- 
ships in  Merrimack  Hall,  on  East  Penacook  Street. 
Rev.  Mr.  Roberts  is  rector  in  charge,  and  Colonel  J. 
S.  Pecker,  warden. 

Universalist  Church. ‘—The  Universalist  society 
was  organized  January  5,  1842,  although  there  was 
occasional  preaching  by  clergymen  of  this  denomina- 
tion, the  services  being  held  in  the  old  court-house 
room,  the  building  then  standing  near  the  site  of  the 
present  city  hall.  Among  the  earliest  of  the  preachers 


> By  Rev.  A.  P.  Rciu. 


CONCORD. 


were  Rev.  J.  G.  Adams,  now  residing  in  Melrose, 
Mass.,  Rev.  Thos.  J.  Whitemore,  late  editor-  of  the 
Trumpet,  one  of  the  earliest  religious  papers  of  the 
New  Ehgland  Universalists;  Rev.  Hosea  Ballou,  Rev. 
Messrs.  N.  R.  Wight,  G.  W.  Anderson  and  William 
Bell. 

In  1841  a vigorous  attempt  was  made  to  sustain 
regular  preaching  services  all  the  time,  a thing  then 
not  easy  to  do,  as  there  at  this  time  were  not  many 
professed  Universalists  in  Concord.  Success,  how- 
ever, attended  the  effort,  and  Rev.  N.  R.  Wight  and 
Rev.  G.  W.  Anderson  supplied  the  society  for  one 
year. 

In  June,  the  first  Sunday,  Rev.  Dr.  Ryder,  now  of 
Chicago,  111.,  then  a student  at  the  Gymnasium 
Academy,  in  Pembroke,  preached  for  the  society. 
Subsequently,  and  because  of  the  impression  then 
made,  Mr.  Ryder  was  settled  as  permanent  pastor. 
The  following  article  may  be  regarded  as  the  basis  of 
the  society : 

“ Article  2.  The  object  of  this  Society  shall  be  the  promotion  of  truth 
and  morality  among  its  members,  and  also  in  the  world  at  large  ; and  as 
the  gospel  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  calculated  above  all  truth  to  in- 
spire the  heart  with  the  emotions  of  benevolence  and  virtue,  this  Society 
shall  deem  it  one  of  its  main  objects  to  support  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel,  according  to  the  Society’s  ability,  and  to  aid  in  any  other 
practicable  manner  in  spreading  a knowledge  of  it  among  men.” 

Among  the  most  active  and  efficient  of  the  early 
lay  members  of  the  society  were  S.  S.  Sweet,  who 
was  the  society’s  first  moderator ; J.  C.  Danforth,  the 
first  clerk;  A.  B.  Currier,  Chase  Hill,  Aaron  Carter, 
W.  H.  Wyman,  J.  Fox,  Nathaniel  White  and  others. 
The  wives  of  these  gentlemen  were  equally  active 
and  efficient  in  every  good  word  and  work. 

December  28,  1843,  under  the  ministry  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Ryder,  the  church  organization  was  formed,  with 
about  thirty  members. 

Rev.  Ezekiel  Dow,  for  a short  time  prior  to  Mr. 
Ryder’s  regular  pastorate,  served  the  society  as  a sup- 
ply. Simultaneously  with  the  organization  of  the 
society  was  a movement  to  secure  the  erection  of  a 
meeting-house.  The  first  meeting-house  was  erected 
on  the  site  of  the  present  church  edifice,  and  com- 
pleted and  dedicated  in  October,  1842,  the  dedica- 
tory services  occurring  October  6th,  Rev.  Otis  A. 
Skinner,  of  Boston,  preaching  the  sermon.  The  new 
meeting-house  cost  four  thousand  dollars.  Later,  the 
society  outgrowing  its  church-home,  the  building  was 
sold  to  the  Free-Will  Baptist  society,  a new  brick  edi- 
fice taking  the  place  of  the  frame  one  sold,  at  a cost  of 
thirty  thousand  dollars.  The  clergymen  who  served 
the  society  as  supplies  and  as  pastors  were  Rev. 
Messrs.  N.  R.  Wight,  G.  W.  Anderson,  E.  Dow,  J.  F. 
Whitherell,  Rev.  W.  H.  Ryder  (1843,  the  first 
pastor),  Thompson  Barron  (1846),  John  Moore  (1850), 
familiarly  known  as  Father  Moore.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded, in  1855,  by  his  son,  J.  Hawly  Moore,  whose 
pastorate  continued  for  eight  years.  In  order,  Rev. 
A.  J.  Canfield,  1862;  Rev.  Rowland  Connor,  in  1865; 
Rev.  F.  E.  Kittridge,  1867 ; Rev.  E.  R.  Sanborn,  1869; 


Rev.  E.  L.  Conger,  1873;  Rev.  A.  P.  Rein,  the  present 
pastor,  who  began  his  settlement  January,  1881. 

In  1841,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joel  C.  Danforth  organized 
a Sabbatli-school  with  but  six  members.  The  school 
now  has  grown  to  be  one  of  the  most  efficient  in  the 
city. 

In  1869,  at  the  time  of  holding  the  annual  meeting, 
an  important  departure  was  made  in  the  management 
and  membership  of  the  society,  ladies  then,  for  the 
first  time,  being  allowed  to  become  eligible  to  mem- 
bership in  the  parish  and  society  organizations,  Mrs. 
Armenia  S.  White,  wife  of  Nathaniel  White,  be- 
coming the  first  lady  member  of  the  prudential 
committee. 

The  Universalist  society  has  always  been  an  active 
and  influential  factor  in  the  life  of  Concord,  and  its 
pastors,  or  the  most  of  them,  had  many  friends  out- 
side of  their  immediate  parish  and  church  associates. 
Rev.  John  Moore,  who  suddenly  died  in  the  street, 
of  heart-disease,  was  a man  highly  respected  and 
dearly  beloved,  and  when  his  funeral  was  held,  the 
trustees  of  the  Baptist  society  offered  the  use  of  their 
church  edifice  in  which  to  hold  the  funeral  services, 
the  auditorium  of  this  church  being  larger  than  that 
of  the  Universalist  Church. 

During  the  anti-slavery  agitation,  and  during  the 
progress  of  the  Rebellion,  the  friends  of  this  society 
were  loyal  friends  of  the  North,  and  advocates  of  the 
rights  and  helpers  of  the  enslaved  and  unfortunate. 
Rev.  J.  H.  Moore  took  an  active  part  in  the  work  of 
advocating  the  rights  of  the  enslaved. 

The  Universalist  society  is  at  present  in  a most 
healthy  and  prosperous  condition.  The  church  edifice 
has  just  been  remodeled  at  an  expense  of  four  thou- 
sand dollars,  the  improvements  giving  a chapel,  a 
ladies’  parlor,  kitchen  and  dining-room  and  other 
necessary  rooms,  all  of  which  have  for  some  time  been 
needed  to  keep  pace  with  the  wants  and  activities  of 
the  society.  The  parish  at  present  contains  many 
who  are  active  in  the  commercial  and  active  pursuits 
of  life.  Its  church  and  Sunday-school  organizations, 
and  its  Ladies’  Aid  Society,  incorporated  early  in 
the  history  of  the  society,  as  well  as  its  minor  bodies, 
are  large,  active  and  efficient. 

The  First  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. — The  first 
Methodist  services  in  this  vicinity  were  held  on  the  east 
side  of  the  river  as  early  as  1816.  In  1822  the  first 
class  was  formed  on  Stickney  Hill  by  Jotham  Horton 
and  E.  Stickney.  March  12,  1825,  the  first  Method- 
ist society  in  Concord  was  formed,  and  among  its 
first  members  were  Stephen  Webster,  A.  Webster, 
Philbrick  Bradley,  Timothy  Bradley,  B.  H.  Weeks, 
John  Sherburne,  James  Goodwin,  Richard  Flanders, 
John  Johnson,  John  Clough,  David  Culver  and  J. 
Abbott.  Meetings  were  held  only  occasionally,  how- 
ever, until  1830,  when  S.  Kelley  was  appointed 
pastor,  who  was  the  first  Conference  preacher  sta- 
tioned here.  He  was  chaplain  of  the  prison,  and 
received  for  his  services  one  dollar  per  week. 


78 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


In  1831  the  first  church  edifice  was  erected  on 
the  site  occupied  by  the  present  building.  It  was 
dedicated  December  1,  1831,  and  was  about  forty-two 
by  fifty-four  feet  in  size,  with  sixty  pews.  The 
church  has  several  times  been  repaired  and  improved. 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  pastors  from  its  or- 
ganization to  the  present  time : Revs.  Samuel  Kelley, 
1830-31  (D.  C.  Robinson,  1831,  supply) ; John  G. 
Dow,  1832;  George  Storrs,  1833-34;  S.  Hoyt,  1835; 
J.  W.  Mowry,  1836;  J.  M.  Fuller,  1837-38;  W.  H- 
Hatch,  1839-40;  John  Jones,  1841-42;  C.  L.  Mc- 
Curdy, 1843;  E.  Smith,  1844;  C.  C.  Burr,  1845;  E. 
Peaslee,  1846-47;  Charles  Adams,  1848-49;  F.  A. 
Hews,  1850-51 ; W.  F.  Evans,  1852-53 ; S.  Kelley, 
1854-55  (Professor  S.  M.  Vail,  supply,  1855) ; S. 
Beedle,  1856-57 ; Elisha  Adams,  1858-59;  O.  H.  Jasper, 
1860;  J.  H.  McCarty,  1861-62;  D.  P.  Leavitt,  1863-65; 
S.  Holman,  1866;  E.  Adams,  1867-68;  E.  A.  Titus> 
1869-70;  A.  E.  Drew,  1871-73;  M.  W.  Prince,  1874’ 
Leon  C.  Field,  1875-76 ; O.  W.  Scott,  1877-78  ; E. 
C.  Bass,  1879-80;  L.  C.  Field,  1881;  J.  H.  Haines, 
1882-84,  present  (February  26,  1885)  incumbent. 
The  present  membership  is  about  two  hundred  and 
fifty. 

Baker  Memorial  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.1— 

The  organization  of  a Christian  Church  in  any  com- 
munity is  an  event  worthy  of  note.  The  good  in- 
fluences it  may  exert  in  the  formation  of  the  charac- 
ter of  the  people  in  the  place  where  it  is  located,  the 
elevating  power  of  the  pulpit,  together  with  the 
teachings  of  a Sunday-school  in  the  giving  of  correct 
tone  and  purpose  to  the  young,  will  be  found  salutary  ( 
in  every  part  of  the  world;  truly  radical  in  its  op- 
position to  vice,  immorality  and  sins  sigainst  the  life 
and  property  of  the  individual,  and  strongly  con- 
servative in  all  things  pertaining  to  faith  and  doc-  ■ 
trine,  such  a church  will  materially  assist  in  giving 
permanence,  stability  and  peace  to  all. 

For  several  years  previous  to  the  organization  of  j 
Baker  Memorial  Church  it  had  been  manifest  to  all  ■ 
that  something  must  be  done  to  give  additional  church 
facilities  to  the  increasing  Methodist  element  in  this 
city ; the  old  church  was  small,  the  vestry  accommo- 
dations bad  and  insufficient  and  the  location  of  the 
church  was  too  far  from  the  centre  to  accommodate  ( 
the  Methodist  families  in  the  south  part  of  the  city. 
Several  attempts  were  made  by  some  of  the  zealous 
friends  of  Methodism  to  have  repairs  made, — enlarge- 
ment of  the  old  house,  or  a new  church  built  in  a j 
more  central  part  of  the  city.  To  this  end  the  Rev.  ' 
Alfred  E.  Drew,  then  preacher  in  charge,  by  a strenu- 
ous effort,  obtained  a subscription  of  thirty  thousand 
dollars  for  a new  church,  and  many  felt  that  relief 
was  at  hand.  But  some  of  those  who  opposed  the 
measure  sought  to  show  that  the  subscription  was  I 
faulty  in  many  particulars,  and  so  earnest  and  per- 
sistent was  the  opposition  on  the  part  of  the  minority, 


1 By  Luther  P.  Durgin. 


that  the  whole  scheme  failed,  and  all  other  efforts  in 
every  direction  met  a like  fate.  But  early  in  the 
autumn  of  1874  the  following  agreement  was  drawn 
up  and  circulated  among  the  people  : 

“ We,  the  undersigned,  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
I in  the  city  of  Concord,  believing  that  the  cause  of  Christ  and  the  best 
I interests  of  Methodism  in  our  city,  as  well  as  the  poin tings  of  Provi- 
I dence,  demand  that  a new  Methodist  Society  be  established  in  Concord, 
i and  in  order  to  test  the  feelings  of  our  people  in  some  tangible  form,  we 
I agree  that  when  one  hundred  or  more  of  the  membership  of  the  church 
now  existing,  twenty-five  of  whom  shall  be  adult  male  members,  shall 
sign  this  agreement,  we  will  ask  for  letters  of  dismission  from  the 
j first  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a new 
society.” 

The  requisite  one  hundred  was  obtained,  and  on 
the  evening  of  October  30, 1874,  they  met  in  Rumford 
Hall  for  the  purpose  of  being  organized.  At  this 
meeting,  Rev.  Theodore  L.  Flood,  presiding  eider  of 
Concord  District,  officiated,  making  some  appropriate 
remarks,  setting  forth  the  wishes  of  Bishop  Janes, 
after  which  the  people  assembled,  by  a vote,  accepted 
the  conditions,  and  the  church  organization  com- 
menced by  the  appointment  of  Maurice  W.  Prince  as 
preacher  in  charge,  and  he  appointed  Luther  P. 
Durgin  class-leader. 

Immediately  the  first  (Quarterly  Conference  was 
held, — Present,  Theodore  L.  Flood,  presiding  elder; 
M.  W.  Prince,  preacher  in  charge;  Rev.  John  W. 
Merrill,  D.D.,  a superannuated  Methodist  preacher ; 
and  Luther  P.  Durgin,  class-leader.  L.  P.  Durgin 
was  chosen  secretary,  when  the  following  board  of 
stewards  was  nominated  and  confirmed : Rensselaer 
O.  Wright,  George  W.  Marden,  Robert  Ramsdell, 
Jacob  B.  Gage,  Henry  C.  Sanborn,  Luther  W.  Durgin, 
A.  C.  Nash,  Charles  T.  Wason,  Hinman  C.  Bailey. 
The  following  board  of  trustees  were  also  nominated 
and  confirmed : Jacob  B.  Rand,  George  L.  Reed, 
Daniel  Widmer,  Osmore  R.  Farrar,  Charles  H.  Rus- 
sell, Daniel  E.  Howard,  Peter  W.  Myers,  William  E. 
Hood,  Timothy  R.  Elwell.  Additional  class-leaders, 
Frederick  Ruggles,  William  S.  Davis,  Alexander 
Lane;  treasurer  and  district  steward,  Henry  C. 
Sanborn ; recording  steward,  George  W.  Marden 
and  the  usual  church  committees. 

At  this  first  meeting  it  was  voted  unanimously  to 
take  the  name  of  “ The  Baker  Memorial  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,”  in  commemoration  of  the  la- 
mented Bishop  Osmon  C.  Baker.  We  think  it  not 
only  proper  but  important  to  this  history  to  speak 
briefly  of  the  life  of  Bishop  Baker.  Osmon  Cleander 
Baker  was  born  in  Marlow,  N.  H.,  July  30,  1812. 
His  father,  Isaac  Baker,  M.D.,  was  eminent  in  his 
profession.  The  bishop  entered  the  academy  at  Wil- 
braham  at  the  age  of  fifteen;  Middletown  in  1830; 
was  principal  of  Newbury  Seminary ; entered  the 
ministry ; preached  at  Rochester  and  Manchester, 
and,  after  one  year’s  service  as  presiding  elder,  was 
made  professor  at  the  institute  in  Concord,  N.  H. 
In  1852  he  was  elected  bishop  at  the  session  of  the 
General  Conference,  held  in  Boston,  being  the 
youngest  of  the  Board  of  Bishops.  For  nineteen 


CONCORD. 


79 


years  he  filled  the  office  of  superintendent  in  the 
church.  Great  in  head,  good  in  heart,  pure  in  life, 
high  in  position,  but  humble  in  spirit,  wise  in  counsel, 
yet  modest  and  childlike,  not  given  to  show  or  ego- 
tism, he  was  dearly  beloved  most  where  he  was  best 
known — at  home.  On  Wednesday,  December  20, 
1871,  he  quietly  fell  asleep  in  Him  whom  he  fully 
trusted. 

And  it  seemed  just,  appropriate  and  timely  that  a 
Methodist  Church,  organized  so  soon  after  his  decease, 
in  the  city  where  so  many  years  of  his  life  had  been 
spent, — the  home  of  his  now  bereaved  family, — should 
have  the  privilege  of  perpetuating  his  memory  by  a 
memorial  church,  which,  it  is  hoped,  will  endure 
longer  than  monuments  of  brass  or  marble  to  bless 
and  gladden  the  world. 

It  was  voted  to  organize  a Ladies’  Benevolent 
Society. 

The  first  public  service  was  held  in  Phcenix  Hall 
on  the  Sunday  following  the  organization  (November 
1st),  at  10.30  A.M.,  and  at  the  close  of  the  morning 
service  all  persons  desirous  of  forming  a Sunday- 
school  were  invited  to  remain.  Rev.  M.  W.  Prince 
took  the  chair,  and  the  following  persons  were  elected 
officers  of  the  school : President,  Maurice  W.  Prince  ; 
Superintendent,  Luther  P.  Durgin  ; Assistant  Super- 
intendent and  Chorister,  Robert  Ramsdell ; Secretary, 
Ezra  B.  Crapo ; Treasurer,  Rensselaer  O.  Wright; 
Librarian,  Timothy  R.  Elwell.  The  persons  present 
were  organized  into  classes  and  the  work  of  a Sunday- 
school  begun. 

November  30,  1874,  a committee  was  appointed  to 
secure  a lot,  looking  to  the  building  of  a church.  On 
the  28th  of  December  of  the  same  year  it  was  voted 
to  secure  the  lot  on  the  corner  of  State  and  Warren 
Streets, — the  same  that  is  now  occupied  by  the  chapel 
and  parsonage. 

In  January,  1876,  the  church  received  the  offer  of 
the  free  use  of  the  chapel  on  Green  Street,  the  prop- 
erty of  Theodore  H.  Ford,  Esq.,  and  immediately 
transferred  its  place  of  worship  to  that  house.  This 
was  the  first  of  very  many  helps,  counsels  and  finan- 
cial assistance  received  from  the  same  Christian  gen- 
tleman. 

In  the  spring  of  1876  the  board  of  trustees  chose 
a building  committee,  and  proceeded  to  erect  a chapel 
on  the  lot  on  the  corner  of  State  and  Warren  Streets, 
and  on  December  21,  1876,  the  house  was  dedicated 
by  suitable  services,  the  Rev.  Bradford  K.  Pierce,  of 
Boston,  preaching  the  dedication  sermon ; and  the 
dedicatory  prayer  was  offered  by  the  venerable  Rev. 
John  W.  Merrill,  D.D.,  of  this  city. 

Some  incidents  of  encouragement  are  worthy  of 
mention  in  connection  with  the  history  of  this 
church : 

As  the  stated  occasion  for  the  celebration  of  the 
Lord’s  Supper  came  for  the  first  time,  the  church 
was  without  a communion  service,  and  the  Unitarian 
society,  through  one  of  their  officers,  kindly  volun- 


teered the  use  of  theirs ; and  at  the  service  persons 
from  nearly  all  the  Christian  Churches  in  the  city 
were  present,  making  it  truly  the  Lord’s  table,  to 
which  all  that  love  him  were  invited.  Subsequently 
J.  B.  Stanley,  Esq.,  a member  of  the  Unitarian 
Church  of  Concord,  volunteered  and  did  present  to 
the  church  a valuable  communion  service  as  a memo- 
rial of  his  mother,  who  was  of  the  Methodist  faith. 
A fine  pulpit  Bible  and  hymn-book  were  the  gift  of 
Mrs.  Jacob  B.  Rand.  The  pulpit  was  made  by  John 
B.  Watson,  Esq.,  and  presented  to  the  church.  The 
altar-chairs  were  the  gift  of  the  children  of  the  Sun- 
day-school. 

The  money  to  meet  the  various  obligations  of  the 
church  have  all  been  voluntary  offerings.  In  the 
dark  days  when  financial  difficulties  arose,  when 
doubt  and  uncertainty  met  the  church  officials 
on  every  hand,  friends  were  raised  up,  the  needed 
funds  provided  and  the  good  hand  of  the  Lord  was 
plainly  visible. 

Among  the  valuable  contributions  in  aid  to  the 
work  was  the  gift  of  the  frescoing  of  the  chapel,  by 
Rev.  M.  W.  Prince,  the  preacher  in  charge. 

At  the  close  of  the  Conference  year,  in  1877,  came 
one  of  those  occurrences  usual  to  a Methodist  Church, 
a change  of  the  pastorate.  The  relations  between 
Rev.  M.  W.  Prince  and  this  people  were  very  tender, 
and  it  was  with  feelings  of  deepest  regret  that  they 
surrendered  to  the  inevitable  rule,  and  bade  good-bye 
to  one  that  had  labored  with  and  watched  over  this 
little  branch  of  God’s  church  very  zealously  and  effi- 
ciently, and  left  it  growing  and  prosperous,  with  a 
membership  of  one  hundred  and  sixty-one,  in  full; 
and  fifteen  probationers. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  Conference  year  the  society 
welcomed  its  new  pastor,  Rev.  William  Eakins,  who 
for  two  years  filled  the  pastorate  very  acceptably. 
During  his  labors  a very  profitable  revival  occurred, 
and  a goodly  number  were  added  to  the  membership 
of  the  church. 

In  xVpril,  1879,  the  church  was  fortunate  in  secu- 
ring the  appointment  of  Rev.  Charles  E.  Hall  as  their 
pastor. 

During  the  two  years  of  his  work  on  the  charge  the 
Sunday-school  was  reorganized,  and  a reduction  of 
two  thousand  dollars  on  the  church  debt  was  secured. 

At  the  close  of  the  Conference  year,  in  the  spring 
of  1881,  Rev.  C.  E.  Hall  gave  notice  of  his  intention 
to  make  a change  in  his  relations  to  this  church, 
much  to  the  regret  of  a large  portion  of  the  church 
and  congregation. 

Through  the  effort  of  Presiding  Elder  John  W. 
Adams,  Rev.  Charles  Parkhurst,  of  the  Vermont 
Conference,  was  transferred  and  stationed  with  this 
church.  Mr.  Parkhurst  brought  many  excellent 
qualities  of  head  and  heart  to  bear  upon  the  work. 
The  congregation  was  enlarged,  the  Sunday-school 
increased,  two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  of  the 
church  debt  canceled  and  a good  spiritual  inter- 


so 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


est  manifested.  But  the  sickness  of  his  esteemed 
companion  caused  a breaking  up  of  the  pleasant 
relations  that  were  then  existing,  and  in  August, 
1882,  Mr.  Parkhurst  removed  to  Washington,  D.  C., 
for  the  benefit  of  his  wife’s  health.  For  twelve 
weeks  the  church  was  without  a regular  preacher. 
In  the  latter  part  of  October  the  Rev.  W.  M. 
Sterling,  of  Minneapolis,  was  appointed  to  supply 
the  remainder  of  the  Conference  year,  and  did  re- 
markably good  work  for  the  time  given  him.  But 
feeling  called  to  return  to  his  old  Conference  (Maine), 
Mr.  Sterling  declined  a very  decided  vote  to  remain  j 
another  year.  On  the  first  Sunday  in  May,  1883,  the 
Rev.  George  W.  Norris  commenced  his  labors  with  j 
this  people.  He  came  with  an  excellent  reputation  J 
as  a preacher  and  man  of  God,  and  during  his  two 
years’  stay  here  his  previous  reputation  was  more  than  1 
realized  in  building  up  the  spiritual  life  and  power  1 
of  the  church.  In  the  spring  of  1885  he  was  called 
to  the  office  of  presiding  elder,  and  Rev.  David  E- 
Miller  was  transferred  from  the  Vermont  Conference, 
and  is  now  preacher  in  charge. 

The  present  condition  of  the  church  is  as  follows: 
Church  property  appraised  at  sixteen  thousand  dol- 
lars, upon  which  there  is  an  indebtedness  of  five 
thousand  dollars ; church  membership,  one  hundred 
and  eighty-five  in  full,  nine  probationers;  a Sunday- 
school  of  two  hundred  members,  with  a good  and 
increasing  congregation. 

The  location  of  the  church  property  is  good,  its 
field  for  usefulness  large,  and  with  God’s  blessing  it  ! 
will  fulfill  its  mission. 

The  system  of  voluntary  contributions  by  the  peo-  1 
pie,  for  current  expenses  of  the  church,  was  among 
the  earliest  measures  adopted,  and  has  been  main- 
tained to  this  day,  making  it  as  truly  a free  church 
as  any  can  well  be. 

A building  fund  association  was  organized  Febru- 
ary 26,  1884,  to  aid  in  the  erection  of  a prospective 
church  edifice. 

During  the  entire  history  of  Methodism  woman 
has  held  a prominent  place  in  points  of  privilege  and 
duty  in  her  churches,  materially  assisting  in  the  car- 
rying on  of  all  her  great  enterprises  and  endeavors  to 
Christianize  the  world. 

In  the  department  of  missions  this  church  has  not 
been  behind  her  sister  churches.  October  16,  1877, 
the  women  of  Baker  Memorial  Church  united  in  j 
forming  an  auxiliary  to  the  Women’s  Foreign  Mission 
Society,  which  has  been  increasing  in  numbers  and  ' 
efficiency  until  now. 

Mrs.  Rachel  O.  Badger  has  filled  the  responsible 
position  of  teacher  of  the  juvenile  class  in  the  Sun- 
day-school for  nearly  eleven  years.  Mrs.  Emily  H. 
Merrill  filled  the  place  of  class-leader  for  a long  time,  j 

The  Ladies’  Benevolent  Society  has  been  an  im- 
portant factor  in  the  various  financial  enterprises  of 
the  church,  and  in  the  promotion  of  the  social  ele- 
ment in  the  society. 


Women  have  been  very  efficient  as  collectors  of 
funds  in  times  of  emergency,  and  foremost  in  the 
various  enterprises  for  spiritual  growth  and  seasons 
of  revival. 

The  First  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  Pena- 

cook,  N.  H.,  was  organized  October  28,  1847,  under 
Rev.  Silas  Quimby  as  presiding  elder  and  Rev.Eben- 
ezer  Peaslee  preacher  in  charge,  he  being  the  first 
regularly  appointed  Methodist  preacher  in  the  place. 
For  several  years  after  the  church  was  supplied  by 
students  from  the  Concord  Theological  Seminary, 
after  which  the  following  persons  have  received  ap- 
pointments to  this  charge:  Revs.  Ebenezer  Peaslee, 

John  McLaughlin,  Mr.  Knapp,  H.  Loud,  W.  D.  Cass, 
Mr.  Sanborn,  D.  J.  Smith,  James  Pike,  J.  C.  Emer- 
son, D.  C.  Babcock,  Samuel  Roy,  N.  P.  Philbrook,N. 
Culver,  S.  P.  Heath,  W.  H.  Jones,  L.  E.  Gordon,  L. 
P.  Cushman,  H.  Woodard,  E.  R.  Wilkins,  C.  W.  Tay- 
lor. Of  its  early  members,  many  have  passed  away. 
They  were  earnest,  faithful  men  and  women,  who 
dared  stand  for  the  truth  as  they  believed  it.  Its 
present  membership  is  about  one  hundred  and  sixty. 
With  a full  board  of  stewards  and  trustees  and  a good 
church  property,  they  are  considered  a prosperous 
organization,  with  future  years  of  usefulness.  Pastor, 
1885,  Rev.  C.  W.  Taylor. 

First  Baptist  Church.1  — On  the  20th  of  May, 
1818,  a number  of  persons  residing  in  Concord,  and 
belonging  to  different  churches,  met  at  the  house  of 
Richard  Swain,  in  said  town,  for  the  purpose  of  ascer- 
taining what  degree  of  fellowship  existed  among  them 
in  the  faith  of  the  gospel,  and  also  to  consider  what 
the  prospects  were  of  forming  a church  agreeable  to 
the  principles  and  practices  of  the  Apostles  of  our 
Lord. 

After  a free  and  full  consideration  of  the  first  object 
before  them,  the  following  persons  gave  to  each  other 
an  expression  of  their  Christian  fellowship,  viz. : 
James  Willey,  John  Hoit,  Sarah  Bradley,  Deborah 
Elliot,  Sally  Swain  and  Nancy  Whitney. 

Soon  after  others  joined  them  in  fellowship  and  by 
the  advice  of  brethren  from  the  church  in  Bow,  they 
being  present  by  invitation,  and  having  well  con- 
sidered the  subject,  unanimously  recommended  the 
small  band  of  disciples,  fourteen  in  all,  to  embody 
and  organize. 

Accordingly,  an  ecclesiastical  council,  composed  or 
members  from  neighboring  churches,  assembled  at  the 
house  of  Rev.  William  Taylor  and  there  effected  the 
organization. 

The  council  was  composed  of  the  following:  Pas- 

tors,— Ottis  Robinson,  of  Salisbury;  John  B.  Gibson, 
of  Weare ; Henry  Vesev,  of  Bow.  Deacons,  — Cate 
and  Severance,  of  Salisbury;  Wood  and  Barnard,  of 
Weare;  Bryant,  of  Bow.  Brethren, — Kensington  and 
Fifield,  of  Salisbury ; Samuel  Gale,  of  Weare;  Cains 
and  Gile,  of  Bow. 


> By  A.  J.  Present t. 


CONCORD. 


81 


Prayer  was  offered,  and  the  articles  of  faith  adopted 
by  the  brethren  seeking  recognition,  being  read  and 
considered,  were  approved  by  the  council,  and  the 
body  was  unanimously  declared  to  be  a Church  of 
Christ  duly  formed. 

The  public  services  were  as  follows : Sermon,  by 
Elder  John  B.  Gibson  ; hand  of  fellowship,  by  Elder 
Otis  Robinson;  prayer,  by  Elder  Henry  Vesey. 

The  church  has  settled  seven  pastors.  Rev.  Wm. 
Taylor  served  for  seven  years,  to  1825,  during  which 
he  received  thirty  into  fellowship.  The  records  prove 
him  to  have  been  a good  minister,  “a  self-sacrificing 
man,  the  very  kind  needed  to  lay  broadly  and  strongly 
the  foundation  of  a new  enterprise.”  Rev.  Nath.  W. 
Williams  followed  and  served  the  church  five  and  a 
half  years,  taking  in  the  goodly  number  of  fifty-four. 
It  was  said  and  recorded  “He  was  a man  of  God,  dis- 
creet, humble  and  spiritual.”  Rev.  E.  E.  Cummings 
followed  in  1832  and  continued  for  eighteen  years, 
during  which  nearly  five  hundred  came  into  member- 
ship. The  long  continuance  and  abundant  fruits  of 
this  pastorate  must  be  regarded  as  especially  favored, 
as  one  revival  followed  another  through  the  very 
faithful  efforts  of  all,  with  God’s  blessing,  and  the 
community  around  rejoiced  indeed.  As  many  enter- 
prises of  the  church  were  carried  forward  under  the 
leadership  of  Dr.  Cummings,  it  must  be  a great  pleas- 
ure to  him,  still  living  in  his  chosen  home  in  Concord, 
at  the  age  of  eighty-four,  to  recall  the  past  and  con- 
template the  present  prosperity  of  his  long-time  charge. 

Rev.  C.  W.  Flanders  succeeded  as  fourth  to  minister 
to  the  church  permanently  in  1850,  remaining  sixteen 
years,  and  for  the  most  part  they  proved  to  be  years 
of  the  right  hand  of  the  Lord  in  our  Zion.  Revivals 
were  enjoyed  by  the  church  at  intervals  not  distant 
and  souls  saved  through  his  faithful  appeals  from  the 
pulpit,  and  in  his  pastoral  ministrations,  tender  and 
timely,  many  will  rise  up  in  the  sanctuary  above  and 
call  the  dear,  good  man  blessed,  while  there  remain 
others  here  below  who  yet  cherish  his  memory  with 
true  and  deep  affection  as  their  spiritual  father,  their 
ready  and  tender  comforter  in  affliction. 

The  fifth,  Rev.  D.  W.  Faunce,  D.D.,  present  pastor 
of  the  E Street  Baptist  Church,  Washington,  D.  C., 
and  the  sixth,  Rev.  W.  V.  Garner,  retiring  in  July, 
1884,  had  each  of  them  about  nine  years  of  efficient 
service  with  this  church,  and  are  regarded  by  their 
brethren  as  among  the' abler  preachers  in  our  Baptist 
ranks  to-day.  Rev.  Garner  has  good  reports  from 
his  present  field  of  labor  at  Bridgeport,  Conn. 

At  the  present  time  this  church  are  listening  with 
attention  to  the  instructions  and  rejoicing  in  the  min- 
istrations of  Rev.  C.  R.  Cram,  D.D.,  late  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church,  Boston,  with  every  token  of  favor 
and  success  in  a happy  and  useful  pastorate.  The 
church  has  buried  eight  good  and  faithful  deacons: 
Willey,  Gault,  Crockett,  Damon,  J.  O.  Gault,  Pres- 
cott, Winkley  and  Elwell,  the  first  in  1853,  the  last  in 
1872.  The  five  living  and  serving  during  the  last 
6 


five  to  thirty  years  are  Brethren  Flanders,  Norris, 
Humphrey,  Prescott  and  Fairbanks. 

Number  of  members  reported  at  last  association, 
three  hundred  and  two,  September,  1884.  Whole 
number  received  in  sixty-six  years,  eleven  hundred 
and  ninety. 

In  conclusion,  we  should  state  the  fact  that  the 
Pleasant  Street  Church  was  formed  in  1853,  embracing 
thirty  members  dismissed  from  the  parent  church, 
and  if  a fair  and  full  report  should  be  made  of  all  that 
has  been  sacrificed  and  accomplished  through  the 
Divine  aid  in  sixty-seven  years,  we  should  have  fresh 
courage  and  patience  in  laboring  according  to  the 
plan  set  forth  in  Christ’s  Sermon  on  the  Mount, 
(Matt.  v.  16) : “ Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men 
that  they  may  see  your  good  works  and  glorify  your 
Father  who  is  in  heaven.” 

Pleasant  Street  Baptist  Church.1 — This  church 
began  its  career  in  the  spring  of  1853.  The  original 
members  had  formerly  been  identified  with  the  First 
Baptist  Church,  of  which  Rev.  E.  E.  Cummings  had, 
for  years,  been  the  successful  and  beloved  pastor. 
These  brethren,  from  various  causes,  feeling  that  the 
time  had  come  for  the  formation  of  a new  Baptist 
interest  within  the  city  proper,  undertook  the  arduous 
task  of  erecting  a new  house  of  worship.  This  work, 
begun  and  carried  on  in  the  midst  of  peculiar  diffi- 
culties, was  at  length  completed  in  January,  1854. 

Rev.  E.  E.  Cummings  was,  at  this  time,  preaching 
in  Pittsfield.  So  successful  had  his  labors  proved, 
and  so  strong  a hold  had  he  secured  upon  the  hearts 
of  the  people  in  Concord,  that  they  very  naturally 
and  unanimously  turned  toward  him  as  the  man  who 
should  be  invited  to  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  new 
church.  Accordingly,  an  invitation  was  extended 
and  accepted,  the  new  house  opened,  and  Mr.  Cum- 
mings publicly  installed  January  11,  1854,  at  which 
time  the  church,  consisting  of  thirty  members,  was 
publicly  recognized.  Great  prosperity  followed  the 
church  under  the  leadership  of  Dr.  Cummings.  For 
thirteen  years  he  labored  with  untiring  energy  in 
this,  his  second  pastorate  in  the  city  of  Concord.  His 
wise  counsel,  his  faithful  preaching  and  his  devotion 
to  the  people  whom  he  served  marked  this  second 
chapter  in  his  history  as  a minister  of  the  gospel  in 
New  Hampshire  as  most  eventful.  Dr.  Cummings 
resigned  October  6,  1867 ; but  the  resignation  was  not 
accepted  until  April  12,  1868. 

On  the  18th  of  May  following,  Rev.  H.  G.  Safford, 
of  Amesbury,  Mass.,  received  from  the  church  an 
invitation  to  become  pastor  in  the  field  lately  occu- 
pied by  Dr.  Cummings.  Mr.  Safford’s  pastorate  be- 
gan June  7th,  and  continued  seven  years  and  six 
months.  During  his  labors,  which  were  highly  effi- 
cient, the  church  increased  considerably  both  in 
numbers  and  influence.  Sound  and  logical  as  a 
preacher,  thoughtful  and  sympathetic  as  a pastor, 


' By  Rev.  James  K.  Ewer. 


82 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Mr.  Safford  made  for  himself  a host  of  friends  not 
only  in  his  own  society,  but  throughout  the  entire 
community.  His  pastorate  ended  October  31,  1875. 

Following  his  resignation  was  an  interim  of  eight 
months,  when,  in  March,  1876,  a call  was  extended 
to  Rev.  E.  C.  Spinney,  of  the  Newton  Theological 
Institution.  Having  accepted  this  call,  Mr.  Spinney 
entered  upon  his  labors  in  June  following.  His  pas- 
torate continued  four  years,  and  was  eminently  suc- 
cessful. Called  to  the  church  when  the  membership 
numbered  one  hundred  and  fifty-five,  he  succeeded 
in  greatly  augmenting  its  numerical  strength,  and 
left  it,  at  the  close  of  his  pastorate,  numbering  two 
hundred  and  fifty-eight.  Mr.  Spinney  labored  ar- 
duously during  his  four  years’  residence  with  this 
people,  and  greatly  endeared  himself  to  a large  circle 
of  friends.  During  his  pastorate  the  house  of  worship 
was  thoroughly  renovated  and  beautified,  and  ren- 
dered more  attractive  and  comfortable. 

Mr.  Spinney  resigned  April  31,  1880,  to  take  effect 
on  June  1st  following. 

On  the  11th  of  July,  of  the  same  year,  Rev.  L.  G. 
Barrett  received  and  accepted  a call  to  the  pastorate. 
Mr.  Barrett,  who  had  previously  preached  in  Massa- 
chusetts and  New  York,  entered  upon  his  labors  Sep- 
tember 1,  1880,  and,  after  a pastorate  of  four  years, 
resigned  July  12,  1884,  to  take  effect  September  1st 
following.  Mr.  Barrett  was  an  able  preacher  and  an 
ardent  advocate  of  temperance  reform.  He  left  a 
membership  of  two  hundred  and  seventy-five,  the 
church  having  been  built  up  and  enlarged  in  its 
efficiency  during  his  term  of  service. 

The  present  pastor,  Rev.  James  K.  Ewer,  entered 
upon  his  labors  in  this  field  January  1,  1885. 

Free-Will  Baptist  Church. — (See  appendix). 

Baptist  Church,  Penacook. — (See  appendix). 

St.  John  the  Evangelist  (Roman  Catholic).— It  is 
impossible  to  give  the  exact  date  when  Mass  was  first 
said  in  this  city,  but  it  was  probably  in  about  the 
year  1845.  It  was  visited  occasionally  by  various 
priests,  among  whom  were  Rev.  Father  McDonald,  of 
Manchester,  and  Rev.  Father  O’Donnell,  of  Nashua. 
Very  Rev.  Father  J.  E.  Barry,  V.  G.,  the  first  resi- 
dent priest,  came  to  Concord  in  September,  1865,  and 
has  remained  to  the  present  time.  Services  were  first 
held  in  Phoenix  Hall.  Father  Barry  at  once  started 
the  movement  for  the  erection  of  a church  building, 
which  was  rapidly  pushed  forward,  and  March  13, 
1868,  the  present  large  and  substantial  brick  struc- 
ture was  dedicated.  The  church  now  numbers  about 
two  thousand  souls. 

Very  Rev.  J.  E.  Barry,  V.  G.,  was  born  in  East- 
port,  Me.,  in  August,  1836.  He  was  educated  at  Holy 
Cross  College,  Worcester,  Mass.,  and  spent  nine  years 
at  Sulpician  College  and  Seminary,  at  Montreal.  The 
first  year  of  his  service  in  the  priesthood  he  was  as- 
sistant at  the  Cathedral  in  Portland,  Me.,  under  Rt. 
Rev.  D.  W.  Bacon,  D.D.,  bishop  of  Portland.  Upon 
the  death  of  Dr.  Bacon,  Father  Barry  became  the  ad- 


ministrator of  the  diocese.  June  10,  1875,  he  was 
appointed  vicar-general  by  Rt.  Rev.  J.  A.  Healey, 
bishop  of  Portland.  At  the  time  of  Father  Barry’s  set- 
tlement here  there  were  no  Catholic  Churches  in  New 
Hampshire  north  of  Manchester,  and  his  labors  prac- 
tically extended  over  the  entire  northern  portion  of 
the  State.  Father  Barry  is  untiring  in  his  church- 
work,  and  his  sterling  qualities  and  genial,  courteous 
bearing  have  won  for  him  hosts  of  friends,  and  he  is 
one  of  Concord’s  most  honored  citizens.  He  has  a 
commodious  and  pleasant  residence,  adjoining  the 
church,  which  is  tastefully  furnished  and  replete 
with  all  the  conveniences  of  the  age. 

St.  John  the  Evangelist  Church  (Catholic),  at 
Penacook,  was  organized  in  1854,  and  the  present 
church  was  dedicated  in  1868. 


CHAPTER  III. 

CONCORD — ( Continued ). 

THE  PRESS.1 

The  Concord  Herald  and  New  Hampshire  Intelli- 
gencer, commenced  by  George  Hough,  January  6, 1790, 
was  the  first  paper  printed  in  Merrimack  County.  It 
was  on  paper  of  bluish  cast,  twenty  by  fourteen 
inches.  It  was  in  a year  or  two  enlarged,  and  ap- 
peared as  the  Courier  of  New  Hampshire.  It  was  dis- 
continued October  30,  1805.  Mr.  Hough  was  one  of 
the  most  accurate  printers  who  ever  lived  in  New 
Hampshire.  He  died  February  8, 1830,  aged  seventy- 
three. 

The  Mirrour,  by  Elijah  Russell,  was  commenced 
October  29,  1792.  Moses  Davis  was  soon  after  asso- 
ciated with  Russell  in  its  publication.  No.  130,  now 
before  the  writer,  is  styled  The  Federal  Mirror.  May 

13,  1799,  the  paper  appeared  as  The  Mirror,  the  word 
Federal  being  discarded.  It  was  soon  after  discon- 
tinued. 

The  Republican  Gazetteer , by  Moses  Davis,  made  its 
appearance  November  29,  1796.  Its  dimensions  were 
seventeen  and  a half  by  twenty-three  inches.  March 

14,  1797,  it  appeared  as  Russell  & Davis's  Republican 
Gazetteer.  It  probably  continued  but  a short  time. 
The  New  Star,  neither  a large  nor  brilliant  luminary, 
was  issued  a short  time  by  the  same  publishers,  in 
the  year  1797.  It  was  published  only  from  April  14 
to  October  3,  1797. 

The  Republican  Gazette,  by  Elijah  Russell,  made  its 
appearance  February  5,  1801.  The  name  was  after- 
wards changed  to  the  American  Republican  Gazette. 
It  was  the  first  paper  in  Concord  to  advocate  the 
views  of  the  Jeffersonian  Republicans.  Mr.  Davis, 
who  was  associated  with  Russell  in  publishing  the 
Gazette,  was  at  the  same  time  publisher  of  the  Dart- 

1 The  editor  acknowledges  his  indebtedness  in  the  preparation  of  this 
chapter  to  the  late  Asa  McFarland,  also  to  D.  F.  Secomb,  P.  B.  Cogs- 
well, H.  H.  Metcalf  and  George  E.  Jenk6. 


CONCORD. 


83 


mouth  Gazette,  at  Hanover,  and  espoused  the  Federal 
side,  Russell  styling  Davis  the  “elbow-chair 
editor.” 

The  Concord  Gazette,  by  Hoit  & Tuttle,  was  com- 
menced July  12,  180(5,  and  discontinued  with  the 
thirty-seventh  number.  Mr.  Hoit  resided  in  Concord 
many  years,  but  finally  died  in  Pembroke,  December 
24, 1854,  aged  seventy-one.  His  body  was  brought  to 
Concord,  and  buried  in  the  Old  Cemetery,  where  a 
monument  was  erected  to  his  memory  by  the  printers 
of  this  city. 

June  9,  1S07,  Jesse  C.  Tuttle  resumed  the  publica- 
tion of  the  Concord  Gazette,  and  continued  the  paper 
until  after  the  close  of  the  war  with  England,  in  1815, 
when  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  W.  S.  Spear,  and 
thence  to  Spear  & Thayer,  who  continued  it  until 
1819,  when  it  ceased  to  be  published.  Mr.  Tuttle 
died  in  Concord,  December  10,  1834,  aged  fifty -five. 

After  leaving  the  Gazette,  Mr.  Hoit  commenced  the 
American  Patriot,  October  18,  1808,  which  he  pub- 
lished until  April  18, 1809,  when  Isaac  Hill,  who, twelve 
days  before,  had  completed  a seven  years’  apprentice- 
ship in  the  office  of  The  Farmers'  Cabinet,  at  Amherst, 
became  its  proprietor,  and  changed  the  name  to  New 
Hampshire  Patriot.  Walter  R.  Hill  and  Jacob  B. 
Moore,  brother  . and  brother-in-law  of  Mr.  Hill,  were 
at  times  associated  with  him,  but  Mr.  Hill  was  at  all 
times  its  controlling  spirit.  He  was  a vigorous  writer, 
an  earnest  Democrat,  an  honest  man,  who  stamped 
his  character  upon  the  columns  of  the  paper,  and 
made  it  a power  in  the  State  as  an  exponent  of  the 
principles  of  Jeffersonian  Democracy.  Its  patronage 
increased  and  its  influence  extended  until  it  excelled 
all  other  papers  in  the  State,  and  was  recognized 
throughout  the  country  as  one  of  the  ablest  advocates 
of  Democratic  Republican  doctrines. 

In  March,  1829,  he  received  an  appointment  in  the 
Treasury  Department  at  Washington,  and  the  paper 
passed  to  Horatio  Hill  & Co.,  and  April  27th,  that  year, 
their  names  appeared  as  publishers,  Dudley  S.  Pal- 
mer being  editor.  July  6,  1829,  Cyrus  Barton,  of 
Newport,  became  a member  of  the  firm,  and  finally 
the  editor.  October  6,  1834,  Horatio  Hill  retired, 
and  Colonel  Barton  became  sole  proprietor.  Novem- 
ber 21,  1840,  Henry  H.  Carroll  became  associated 
with  Colonel  Barton  in  the  ownership  and  manage- 
ment of  the  Patriot.  December  9,  1841,  Colonel 
Barton  retired  from  the  establishment,  having  sold 
his  interest  to  Nathaniel  B.  Baker,  who,  with  Mr. 
Carroll,  conducted  the  paper  until  November  6,  1845, 
when  Mr.  Baker  retired,  and  his  associate  continued 
alone  in  the  paper  till  his  death,  August  4,  1846. 
December  3d,  same  year,  William  Butterfield  became 
proprietor  of  the  establishment.  May  27, 1847,  Hill's 
New  Hampshire  Patriot  was  united  with  the  New 
Hampshire  Patriot,  and  William  Butterfield  and  John 
M.  Hill  became  the  proprietors.  May  18,  1853,  Mr. 
Hill  retired,  leaving  Mr.  Butterfield  as  the  owner 
until  September  2,  1857,  at  which  time  Joseph  W. 


Merriam  became  associated  with  him.  This  arrange- 
ment continued  until  August  17,  1859,  when  Mr. 
Merriam  retired,  and  Mr.  Butterfield  was  alone  until 
May  G,  1868,  when  Mr.  Hill  re-entered  the  firm,  and 
the  firm-name  was  Butterfield  & Hill  until  February 
20,  1873,  when  Edwin  C.  Bailey  purchased  the  estab- 
lishment and  continued  as  proprietor  until  October, 
1878,  when  it  was  purchased  by  the  proprietors  of 
The  People,  and  the  two  papers  were  united  under  the 
name  of  the  People  and  Patriot. 

In  March,  1883,  upon  the  death  of  Charles  C. 
Pearson,  who  had  been  the  active  manager  of  the 
establishment,  the  paper  passed  to  the  proprietorship 
and  control  of  John  H.  Pearson  and  Lewis  C.  Pattee, 
by  whom  it  was  conducted  until  April  16,  1885,  the 
direct  management  being  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Pear- 
son. 

It  then  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  New  Hamp- 
shire Democratic  Press  Company,  by  whom  it  is  now 
published. 

The  People,  mentioned  above,  was  established  here 
June  10,  1868,  by  John  H.  and  Charles  C.  Pearson, 
under  the  firm-name  of  Charles  C.  Pearson  & Co. 

The  New  Hampshire  Magazine,  probably  the  first 
magazine  published  in  this  State,  was  commenced 
June,  1793,  in  Concord,  and  discontinued  the  follow- 
ing November.  It  was  a small  octavo,  each  number 
containing  sixty-four  pages.  Rev.  Martin  Ruter, 
then  a resident  of  Canterbury,  is  said  to  have  been 
the  editor. 

Hill's  New  Hampshire  Patriot  was  commenced 
August  14,  1840,  and  conducted  with  the  zeal  and 
ability  so  obvious  in  the  New  Hampshire  Patriot 
during  the  entire  period  that  journal  was  in  charge 
of  its  founder,  Hon.  Isaac  Hill.  In  May,  1847,  Hill's 
New  Hampshire  Patriot,  was  united  with  the  New 
Hampshire  Patriot. 

The  Farmers’  Monthly  Visitor,  commenced  by  Isaac 
Hill,  January  15,  1839,  and  conducted  by  that  gentle- 
man several  years,  was  an  interesting  and  useful  pub- 
lication, in  pamphlet  form.  Its  publication  in  Con- 
cord ceased  with  the  number  for  December,  1849, 
when  it  was  transferred  to  Manchester. 

The  New  Hampshire  Courier  was  commenced  by 
Palmer  & Odlin,  December  14,  1832, — Dudley  S. 
Palmer,  editor.  August  8,  1834,  it  appeared  as  the 
Courier  and  Inquirer,  printed  and  published  by  Odlin 
& Chadwick, — D.  S.  Palmer,  editor.  This  paper  was 
continued  under  various  proprietors  until  May,  1842, 
when  it  was  discontinued;  but  was  revived  October 
4,  1844,  by  Augustus  C.  Blodgett,  who  had  been  for  a 
time  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  New  Hampshire 
Statesman.  January  9,  1846,  the  Courier  was  united 
with  the  Concord  Gazette,  a journal  then  recently 
commenced  by  Charles  F.  Low.  The  connection  of 
Mr.  Low  with  the  paper  ceased  October  21,  1846,  and 
thenceforth,  until  its  union  with  the  Independent 
Democrat,  May  6,  1847,  Mr.  Blodgett  managed  the 
paper. 


84 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


The  New  Hampshire  Observer  was  commenced  in 
Concord,  January  4,  1819,  by  George  Hough,  and 
was  then  entitled  Concord  Observer.  March  25,  1822,  j 
it  passed  into  the  hands  of  John  W.  Shepard,  who 
changed  its  name  to  New  Hampshire  Repository.  Rev. 
John  M.  Putnam  succeeded  Mr.  Shepard,  changing 
the  name  of  the  paper  to  New  Hampshire  Observer. 
July  12,  1827,  Mr.  Putnam  sold  out  to  Tobias  H. 
Miller,  of  Portsmouth,  and  the  paper  was  transferred 
to  that  town.  It  was  printed  there  and  at  Portland, 
Me.,  under  several  publishers  and  editors,  until  May, 
1881,  when  Edmund  S.  Chadwick  purchased  a half- 
interest in  the  paper  and  returned  it  to  its  birth-place. 
June  11,  1831,  ex-Governor  David  L.  Morrill  became 
half-owner.  August  4,  1833,  Charles  H.  Little  pur- 
chased the  interest  of  Governor  Morrill,  and  the 
Observer  was  published  by  Chadwick  & Little  until 
February  6,  1835,  when,  Mr.  Little  having  died,  Rev. 
David  Kimball  became  associated  with  Mr.  Chad- 
wick, who  retired  March  25,  1836.  January  4,  1839, 
the  name  was  changed  to  Christian  Panoply.  Jan- 
uary 1,  1841,  the  paper  became  the  property  of 
David  Kimball  and  Henry  Wood,  Congregational 
clergymen,  and  the  name  was  changed  to  Congrega- 
tional Journal.  After  several  changes,  during  which 
Rev.  Benjamin  P.  Stone  and  Benning  W.  Sanborn 
were  proprietors,  December  25,  1862,  its  subscribers 
were  transferred  to  The  Congregationalist  and  Boston 
Recorder.  Mr.  Stone  afterwards  issued  a small 
monthly  publication,  and  continued  it  two  years, 
with  the  title  Christian  Reporter. 

The  first  number  of  the  Abolitionist,  published  by 
D.  D.  Fisk  and  E.  G.  Eastman,  appeared  January  24, 
1835.  After  four  numbers  it  was  published  by  Albe 
Cady,  George  Storrs,  George  Kent  and  Amos  Wood, 
and  issued  as  the  Herald  of  Freedom,  the  first  number 
being  dated  March  7,  1835.  Joseph  Horace  Kimball 
became  editor  and  Elbridge  G.  Chase  printer.  The 
connection  of  Mr.  Kimball  with  the  Herald  continued 
until  disease  forbade  his  longer  continuance.  His 
valedictory  appeared  March  24,  1838,  and  he  died  on 
the  11th  of  the  following  April.  N.  P.  Rogers  then 
assumed  the  editorial  management,  and  remained  in  j 
that  position  until,  in  1844,  a misunderstanding  arose 
between  him  and  the  managers  of  the  New  Hamp- 
shire Anti-Slavery  Society,  in  regard  to  the  property 
in  the  concern,  which  resulted  in  the  appointment  of 
Parker  Pillsbury  as  editor  and  Jacob  H.  Ela  publish- 
ing agent.  Their  first  paper  appeared  December  20, 
1844,  and  this  arrangement  continued  about  one  year. 
In  the  mean  time  Mr.  Rogers  started  another  herald 
of  freedom,  with  a prefix, — The  Herald  of  Freedom. 
In  this  sheet  he  sustained  his  side  of  the  controversy. 
This  paper  he  continued  until  near  the  time  of  his 
death,  which  took  place  October  16,  1846. 

August  13,  1841,  the  first  number  of  the  People’s 
Advocate  made  its  appearance, — Alanson  St.  Clair, 
publishing  agent;  G.  J.  L.  Colby  and  A.  St.  Clair, 
editors.  This  was  the  organ  of  the  political  anti- 


slavery party  in  New  Hampshire,  and  in  those  years 
met  small  encouragement.  It  seems  to  have  been 
printed  some  time  in  Hanover,  by  J.  E.  Hood ; for  in 
the  report  of  the  Liberty  Party  State  Convention, 
held  June  5,  1844,  it  was  stated  that  Mr.  Hood  had 
received  no  compensation,  and  was  liable  for  debts 
contracted  by  former  publishers  to  the  amount  of 
three  hundred  dollars.  Nearly  two  hundred  dollars 
was  contributed  at  that  meeting  to  discharge  this 
liability.  The  paper  was  probably  discontinued  in 
January,  1844.  A little  sheet — the  Family  Visitor— 
was  commenced  at  Hanover  by  Mr.  Hood,  February 
7,  1844,  and  continued  a short  time  in  its  place.  Mr. 
Hood  also  started  the  Granite  Freeman,  a political 
anti-slavery  paper,  June  20,  1844,  and  continued  the 
same  until  May  1,  1847,  when  it  was  united  with  the 
Independent  Democrat. 

Ihe  New  Hampshire  Statesman  1 was  founded 
by  Luther  Roby,  who  moved  from  Amherst,  N.  H., 
to  Concord,  and  became  its  printer  and  publisher. 
Amos  A.  Parker,  in  practice  of  law  at  Epping,  was 
engaged  to  conduct  it.  The  first  number  bears  date 
Concord,  January  6,  1823.  Mr.  Roby  published  the 
paper  until  June,  1823,  when  his  connection  with  it 
ceased.  He  continued  many  years  in  the  business  of 
book-printing,  until  he  abandoned  it  and  engaged  in 
developing  the  granite  quarrying  interest  in  Concord, 
in  which  he  was  the  pioneer.  In  the  later  years  of 
his  life  he  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  glasswares 
in  Lyndeborough,  N.  H.  He  returned  to  Concord, 
where  he  died  February  22,  1883.  He  was  born 
January  8,  1801. 

June  1,  1823,  the  Statesman  became  the  property  of 
Amos  A.  Parker,  its  conductor  during  the  five  months 
of  its  infancy. 

June  1,  1824,  George  Hough  commenced  and  pub- 
lished the  Concord  Register,  which  was  edited  by 
George  Kimball.  Mr.  Parker,  October  17,  1825, 
tranferred  the  Statesman  property  to  George  Kimball, 
to  which  he  united  the  “list”  of  the  Register,  and 
continued  the  publication  of  a paper  under  the  united 
name  of  the  New  Hampshire  Statesman  and  Concord 
Register,  the  first  publication  bearing  date  October 
22,  1825.  Mr.  Parker  still  lives,  and  resides  in  Glas- 
tonbury, Conn.,  at  the  age  of  eighty-nine. 

December  3,  1825,  Thomas  G.  Wells,  publisher  of 
the  Amherst  Herald,  purchased  an  interest  in  the 
Statesman  and  Register,  to  which  he  united  the  sub- 
scription list  of  the  Herald,  and  the  paper  was  pub- 
lished by  Kimball  & Wells.  February  11,  1826,  Mr. 
Wells  sold  his  interest  in  the  paper  to  Asa  McFar- 
land and  Moses  G.  Atwood,  and  the  publishers  were 
Kimball,  McFarland  & Atwood.  July  29,  1826,  Mr. 
Kimball  disposed  of  his  newspaper  property  to  George 
Kent,  and  the  publishers  were  Kent,  McFarland  & 
Atwood.  July  28,  1827,  Mr.  Atwood  conveyed  his 
interest  in  the  paper  to  Kent  & McFarland,  who  con- 


’ By  George  E.  Jenks. 


CONCORD. 


85 


tinued  its  publication  until  May  21,  1831,  ou  which 
date  a paper  called  the  New  Hampshire  Journal, 
established  September  11,  1826,  by  Henry  E.  & 
Jacob  B.  Moore,  was  consolidated  with  the  Statesman 
and  Register.  These  papers,  united,  assumed  the 
title  of  The  New  Hampshire  Statesman  and  State  Jour- 
nal, and  became  the  property  of  Asa  McFarland  and 
George  W.  Ela,  who  were  its  publishers  until  Janu- 
ary 1,  1834.  The  paper  bore  this  title  for  twenty 
years.  George  Kent  died  at  New  Bedford,  Mass., 
November  8,  1884,  in  the  eighty-ninth  year  of  his  age. 

January  1,  1834,  Mr.  McFarland  sold  his  interest 
in  the  Statesman  and  Journal  to  George  W . Ela,  who 
became  sole  proprietor  and  publisher  from  said  date 
to  May  5,  1838.  Mr.  Ela  then  entered  into  a part- 
nership with  John  W.  Flanders,  which  existed  until 
July  11,  1840,  when  Mr.  Ela  again  became  sole  pub- 
lisher to  August  14,  1841.  From  August  14,  1841,  to 
May  1,  1842,  the  Statesman  and  Journal  was  published 
by  George  W.  & Jacob  Hart  Ela.  From  May  6 to 
June  25,  1842,  the  names  of  George  W.  Ela  and 
Augustus  C.  Blodgett  appeared  as  its  publishers. 
From  July  1,  1842,  to  April  14,  1843,  the  names  of 
George  W.  Ela,  Augustus  C.  Blodgett  and  John  P. 
Osgood  appeared  upon  the  paper  as  its  publishers. 
From  the  last  date,  for  three  numbers,  no  names  ap- 
peared on  the  paper  as  publishers.  From  May  5, 1843, 
to  February  23,  1844,  the  names  of  John  P.  Osgood 
and  Frank  S.  West  appeared  as  publishers  and  A.  0. 
Blodgett  as  editor.  From  March  1 to  July  18,  1844, 
the  firm-name  of  Blodgett  & Osgood  appeared  as 
publishers.  Mr.  Ela  is  understood  to  have  retained 
an  interest  in  the  paper  from  April,  1843,  to  July  19, 
1844,  when  it  was  by  him  conveyed  to  George  W. 
Odlin  & Co.  Mr.  Ela,  now  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven, 
is  an  active  business  man,  and  holds  a residence  in 
Concord. 

The  firm  of  George  O.  Odlin  & Co.  (John  C.  Wil- 
son and  John  R.  Osgood  being  the  company)  began 
the  publication  of  the  Statesman  July  26,  1844,  and 
continued  it  until  July  4,  1851.  Mr.  Osgood  remained 
one  of  the  firm  about  three  years.  Asa  McFarland 
was  its  political  editor  to  July,  1850,  and  correspond- 
ent, while  making  a five  months’  trip  in  Europe,  to 
January,  1851. 

In  July,  1851,  Asa  McFarland  and  George  E. 
Jenks  (firm  of  McFarland  & Jenks,  book  and  job 
printers)  purchased  the  Statesman  and  assumed  its 
publication  under  the  title  as  above,  — Asa  McFar- 
land, editor.  The  first  publication  under  said  pro- 
prietors bears  date  of  July  12,  1851.  January  1, 
1858,  Henry  McFarland  became  associated  with  the 
said  firm.  January  1,  1868,  Asa  McFarland  retired 
from  the  editorship  of  the  paper,  and  January',  1869, 
the  name  was  changed  to  The  Republican  Statesman. 
January  1,  1870,  Rossiter  Johnson  purchased  Asa 
McFarland’s  interest  in  the  establishment,  and  the 
paper  continued  to  be  published  under  the  firm-name 
of  McFarland  & Jenks,  to  October  1,  1871. 


The  paper  was  then  purchased  by  a corporation 
known  as  the  “ Republican  Press  Association,”  who 
consolidated  with  it  the  weekly  Independent  Demo- 
I crat ; the  same  purchase  included  the  Concord  Daily 
Monitor.  The  weekly  issue  of  the  paper  from  the 
press  of  this  corporation  has,  since  October  1,  1871, 
borne  the  title  of  the  Independent  Statesman.  Rossiter 
Johnson,  P.  B.  Cogswell,  George  G.  Fogg,  William 
E.  Stevens,  Allan  M.  Jenks  and  Edward  N.  Pearson 
have  been  members  of  its  editorial  corps  since  Octo- 
ber, 1871,  and  Edward  A.  Jenks  has  been  its  business 
manager. 

Of  those  the  longest  identified  with  the  Statesman, 
Asa  McFarland  was  the  veteran.  His  publication  of 
the  paper  dates  from  February  11,  1826,  to  January 
1,  1834,  and  from  July,  1851,  to  January  1,  1868, — 
about  twenty-five  years.  To  this  term  of  service  may 
be  added  six  years  as  political  editor  and  correspon- 
dent while  the  paper  was  published  by  George  O. 
Odlin  & Co.  After  retiring  from  active  service,  he 
was  a frequent  contributor  to  the  columns  of  the 
Statesman  to  the  time  of  his  death,  December  13, 
1879,  in  the  seventy -sixth  year  of  his  age. 

George  E.  Jenks  was  for  more  than  twenty  years  a 
publisher  of  the  Statesman,  and  Henry'  McFarland 
fourteen  years.  George  W.  Ela  was  a proprietor  of 
the  Statesman  thirteen  years,  and  George  O.  Odlin 
and  John  C.  Wilson  each  seven  years. 

Of  the  men  who  have,  at  various  times,  been  en- 
gaged in  the  earlier  publication  of  the  Statesman, 
there  are  living,  a.d.  1885,  Amos  A.  Parker,  now  of 
Glastonbury,  Conn.,  aged  about  eighty-nine;  George 
W.  Ela,  Concord,  seventy-seven ; and  George  O.  Od- 
lin, Union  Grove,  111. 

The  Statesman  came  into  existence  after  the  decease 
of  the  Federal  party,  and  espoused  the  cause  of  Levi 
Woodbury  as  an  independent  candidate  for  Governor 
against  Samuel  Dinsmoor.  Mr.  Woodbury  was  suc- 
cessful against  his  rival.  Subsequently  it  supported 
the  Whig  party,  and  became  the  leading  exponent  of 
its  principles;  and  later,  an  effective  supporter  of  the 
Republican  party,  when  it  came  into  existence  in 
1856  from  the  wreck  of  the  old  Whig  and  Free-Soil 
parties,  and  since. 

The  Independent  Democrat  was  commenced  at  Man- 
chester, May  8,  1845,  by  Robert  C.  Wetmore.  Subse- 
! quently  it  was  transferred  to  Concord,  where  George 
G.  F ogg,  State  Secretary,  engaged  in  its  editorial 
management,  and  May  6,  1847,  the  New  Hampshire 
Courier,  published  by  A.  C.  Blodgett,  and  the  Granite 
Freeman,  published  by  J.  E.  Hood,  with  their  sub- 
scription lists,  were  merged  with  the  Independent 
Democrat,  and  Mr.  Hood  became  one  of  the  editors 
and  publishers  of  the  consolidated  journal,  under  the 
name  of  The  Independent  Democrat  and  Freeman. 
July  29,  1847,  Mr.  Wetmore  retired  therefrom,  and 
the  paper  was  published  by  J.  E.  Hood  & Co.  Feb- 
ruary 22,  1849,  Mr.  Hood  retired  from  the  paper,  and 
James  J.  Wiggin  became  a partner,  when  the  paper 


86 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


again  assumed  the  name  of  The  Independent  Democrat, 
and  appeared  published  by  Fogg  & Wiggin. 

January  1,  1852,  Cyrus  Barton,  a former  publisher 
of  the  New  Hampshire  Patriot,  commenced  the  publi- 
cation of  a semi-weekly  paper,  called  the  State  Cap- 
ital Reporter.  May  20,  1853,  Amos  Hadley  became 
associated  with  Colonel  Barton.  A weekly  edition  of 
the  Reporter  was  commenced  July  16,  1853,  and  the 
semi-weekly  Reporter  was  discontinued  September  5, 
1854.  Colonel  Barton  died  February  17,  1855,  and 
Mr.  Hadley  conducted  the  establishment  until  Jan- 
uary 8,  1857,  when  the  paper  was  merged  in  The 
Independent  Democrat,  which  was  thereafter  published 
and  edited  by  George  G.  Fogg  and  Amos  Hadley. 

May  23,  1864,  Parsons  B.  Cogswell  and  George  H. 
Sturtevant  commenced  to  publish  the  Concord  Daily 
Monitor.  October  14th  a weekly  edition  of  the  Monitor 
was  published,  and  continued  until  January  5,  1867; 
but  January  20,  1867,  The  Independent  Democrat  and 
the  Monitor  establishments  were  united,  and  the  Con-  j 
cord  Daily  Monitor  and  The  Independent  Democrat 
were  published  by  the  Independent  Press  Associa- 
tion until  October,  1871,  when  The  Independent  Dem-  1 
ocrat  and  Republican  Statesman  establishments  were 
consolidated.  The  combined  weekly  paper  appeared  j 
under  the  name  of  the  Independent  Statesman,  and  the 
daily  issue  continued  under  the  name  of  the  Concord 
Daily  Monitor.  The  new  business  combination  was 
incorporated  under  the  style  and  title  of  the  “Re-  | 
publican  Press  Association.” 

Such  have  been  the  changes  and  affiliations  of  half  { 
a century,  through  which  the  Independent  Statesman 
came  into  existence  October  6,  1871.  From  this  date 
there  has  been  no  change. 

As  connected  with  The  Independent  Democrat,  Inde- 
pendent Statesman  and  Daily  Monitor,  George  G.  Fogg 
held  a service  of  twenty-seven  years.  He  died  October 
5,  1881.  P.  B.  Cogswell’s  service  with  these  papers  has 
been  continuous  since  May,  1864.  Amos  Hadley  had  a 1 
ten  years’  connection  with  the  Reporter  and  Democrat. 

The  Independent  Democrat  was  established  to  pro-  i 
mulgate  the  principles  of  the  Free-Soil  party.  Sub- 
sequently, from  the  consolidation  of  the  opponents  of 
the  Democratic  organization  into  the  Republican 
party,  in  1856,  it  gave  firm  support  to  the  new  organ- 
ization, which  embraced  the  principles  of  the  Free- 
Soil  party.  These  two  leading  papers,  the  Statesman 
and  the  Democrat,  having  accomplished  their  separate  ( 
work,  are  now  consolidated  in  one,  to  represent  the  | 
great  principles  for  which  the  two  so  long  battled,  i 
side  by  side,  in  the  city  of  Concord.  Long  may  its 
name  be  a synonym  for  the  rights  of  all  mankind ! 

January  5,  1832,  the  Olive  Branch,  a small  quarto, 
issued  once  a week,  made  its  appearance.  It  bore 
the  name  of  Jacob  Perkins,  but  was  discontinued  on 
the  21st  of  the  following  June. 

November  21,  1832,  Hill  & Barton,  proprietors  of 
the  New  Hampshire  Patriot,  commenced  issuing  that 
paper  in  semi- weekly  form,  which,  after  trial  of  a 


year  and  a half,  ceased  to  appear  as  a semi- weekly 
sheet. 

The  Star  in  the  East  and  New  Hampshire  Universalist 
was  first  issued  on  April  12,  1832,  by  Kimball  & 
Adams.  It  was  conducted  by  Rev.  John  G.  Adams 
until  August  5,  1837,  when  it  was  merged  in  The 
Trumpet,  a Universalist  paper,  published  in  Boston, 
by  Rev.  Thomas  Whittemore;  Rev.  Moses  Ballou,  of 
Portsmouth,  was  assistant  editor. 

The  Balm  of  Gilead  and  Practical  Universalist  was 
commenced  July,  1842,  and  continued  two  years  or 
more, — J.  F.  Withered,  publisher;  C.  Philbrick, 
printer.  It  was  a small  weekly  quarto  paper,  and 
advocated  the  principles  of  the  religious  denomina- 
tion whose  name  it  bore. 

On  March  1,  1831,  Henry  E.  and  John  W.  Moore 
commenced  the  Concord  Advertiser,  but  the  paper 
was  soon  abandoned,  and  J.  W.  Moore,  May  10, 1834, 
commenced  a semi-monthly  called  The  Chameleon, 
but  that  also  was  short-lived. 

Moses  Eastman  and  Albert  G.  Chadwick,  June  16, 

1833,  commenced,  and  published  more  than  a year,  a 
paper  styled  The  Spirit  of  Enquiry. 

The  New  Hampshire  Baptist  Register,  Rev.  Edmund 
Worth,  editor;  Eastman,  Webster  & Co.,  publishers, 
was  issued  here  several  years  before  and  after  the  year 

1834. 

Priestcraft  Exposed,  a semi-monthly  publication, 
was  issued  here  in  1833,  1834  and  1835  by  Hayes  & 
Kimball,  a part  of  which  time  it  was  published  in  an 
enlarged  form  as  The  Expositor. 

The  Literary  Gazette,  published  weekly  by  D.  D. 
Fisk,  Asa  Fowler  and  Moody  Currier,  was  commenced 
August  1,  1834,  and  published  about  two  years. 
Cyrus  P.  Bradley  was  also  associated  for  a time  with 
the  paper. 

Temperance  Herald  was  the  name  of  a paper  pub- 
lished by  the  New  Hampshire  Temperance  Society, 
at  Concord,  and  furnished  free  one  year  to  every 
family  in  the  State  in  1834  or  1835.  E.  S.  Chadwick 
continued  the  publication  of  the  paper  one  year  after 
the  State  society  relinquished  it.  Mr.  Chadwick  also 
published  the  White  Mountain  Torrent,  a temperance 
sheet,  about  three  years  prior  to  July  20,  1846,  when 
it  was  united  with  the  Massachusetts  Temperance  Stand-  ■ 
ard,  and  published  in  Boston. 

The  Loco-Motive,  a small  semi-weekly  paper,  was 
commenced  May  20,  1842, — John  R.  French,  pub- 
lisher; George  Kent,  editor.  Only  about  twenty 
numbers  were  issued. 

The  Crusader  of  Reform,  commenced  January,  1852, 
was  published  about  two  years  by  Rev.  Daniel  Lan- 
caster. 

Rev.  Daniel  Lancaster  and  Charles  L.  Wheeler  com- 
menced, early  in  1853,  and  published  a few  numbers 
of  a paper  bearing  the  name  Northern  Indicator. 

The  Undercurrent,  a monthly  paper,  was  commenced 
November  1,  1848,  by  Lewis  Tower,  but  was  soon 
discontinued. 


CONCORD. 


87 


The  Democratic  Standard  was  commenced  June, 
1856,  by  John  I?.  Palmer,  and  continued  until  August, 
1861,  when,  on  account  of  its  alleged  disloyalty,  the 
office  was  assailed  by  a mob,  and  the  printing  material 
destroyed.  Its  publication  was  not  resumed.  Ed- 
mund Burke,  of  Newport,  was  understood  to  have 
been  a frequent  writer  for  the  Standard. 

The  Monitor,  the  organ  of  the  Unitarian  denomina- 
tion in  New  Hampshire,  commenced  at  Dover  in 
1881,  was  removed  to  Concord  May  7,  1834.  It  was 
conducted  until  May  6,  1835,  by  a committee  of  the 
Unitarian  Ministerial  Association.  Rev.  Moses  G. 
Thomas  occupied  the  editorial  chair  at  that  time,  and 
conducted  the  paper  until  it  was  discontinued,  prob- 
ably with  the  close  of  Vol.  5,  May  20,  1836. 

The  New  Hampshire  Phceuix,  a temperance  sheet, 
conducted  by  D.  & J.  Lancaster,  was  commenced 
January  7,  1854.  February  10,  1855,  E.  H.  Cheney 
appeared  as  editor  and  proprietor.  It  was  finally 
united  with  the  Weekly  Chronicle,  at  Portsmouth,  and 
published  there  by  Miller  & Gray. 

Campaign  Papers. — These  have  been  issued  by 
several  concerns,  especially  previous  to  the  establish- 
ment of  daily  papers  in  Concord.  These  sheets  had 
various  titles,  of  which  the  following  are  specimens: 
Spirit  of  the  Rejiublican  Press,  from  the  office  of  the 
Patriot,  in  1829,  D.  S.  Palmer,  editor;  The  Concord 
Patriot,  by  S.  O.  Dickey,  1835;  The  Transcript,  1835; 
The  Advocate  of  Democracy,  from  the  office  of  Hill's 
New  Hampshire  Patriot,  1843,  Joseph  Kidder,  editor; 
The  True  Whig,  D.  S.  Palmer,  editor,  1847 ; The  Wil- 
mot  Proviso,  1848,  Frank  Barr,  publisher;  the  Rough 
and  Ready,  1847-48,  True  Osgood,  publisher;  'the 
Concord  Tribune,  Charles  L.  Wheeler,  publisher;  the 
Voice  of  the  Stockholders,  by  E.  E.  Sturtevant,  1855 ; 
and  the  Tough  and  Steady,  to  match  the  Rough  and 
Ready. 

October  6,  1828,  Moore  & Patch  commenced,  but 
published  only  a few  weeks,  a paper  entitled  'Time’s 
Mirror.  Mr.  Moore  afterwards  published  a paper  at 
Meredith  Bridge  (now  known  as  Laconia).  He  died 
in  Amherst,  his  native  place,  February  13,  1837,  aged 
twenty-eight. 

The  New  Hampshire  Workman,  devoted  to  Labor 
and  Political  Reform,  was  commenced  at  Concord, 
March,  1870,  and  continued  a short  time.  No  names 
appeared  as  publishers. 

S.  G.  Noyes  publishes  a weekly  paper  in  Fisher- 
ville,  entitled  Rays  of  Light. 

The  Veterans’  Advocate  was  established  January  1, 
1884,  and  is  devoted  to  the  interests  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic.  H.  F.  W.  Little  and  Ira  C. 
Evans,  editors ; Ira  C.  Evans,  publisher. 

Amateur’s  Monthly  Magazine,  16  pages.  Edited  and 
published  by  Frank  A.  Knight;  commenced  January, 
1873,  ceased  April,  1874. 

The  Daily  Press  of  Concord.1 — The  history  of  the 


daily  press  of  Concord  must  necessarily  include  the 
papers  which  have  been  published  during  the  sessions 
of  the  Legislature,  and  in  political  campaigns,  cover- 
ing short  periods  of  time  usually.  Files  of  most  of 
these  are  preserved  in  the  newspaper  offices  of  the 
city,  and  an  examination  of  them  will  well  repay  any 
person  interested  in  the  progress  of  typography  and 
journalism. 

Hill’s  Daily  Patriot. — The  first  prospectus  for 
a daily  paper  in  Concord  was  issued  by  William  P.  & 
John  M.  Hill,  publishers  of  Hill’s  Sew  Hampshire 
Patriot,  May  12,  1841.  It  provided  for  the  publica- 
tion of  a paper  during  the  session  of  the  Legislature, 
six  days  in  a week,  to  contain  the  proceedings  of  the 
Legislature  as  reported  by  Governor  Hill,  assisted  by 
the  publishers,  and  also  the  proceedings  of  Congress, 
then  in  session,  having  been  called  together  in  con- 
sequence of  the  death  of  President  Harrison.  Its 
terms  were  two  cents  a copy,  delivered  by  stage- 
drivers  and  mail-carriers.  The  first  number  was 
issued  June  3d,  with  a printed  page  measuring  eleven 
by  seven  and  a half  inches,  and  presented  a neat 
typographical  appearance.  It  was  continued  until 
the  close  of  the  session,  July  3d,  making  a volume  of 
twenty-eight  numbers.  Vol.  2 was  published  in 
1842,  beginning  January  1st  and  ending  June  24th, 
the  day  of  the  close  of  the  session,  making  twenty- 
one  numbers. 

The  Daily  Patriot  was  first  issued  June  2,  1841,  by 
Barton  & Carroll,  and  was  continued  through  the  ses- 
sion of  the  Legislature  every  morning,  except  Friday 
and  Sunday.  It  was  a small  folio,  the  pages  twelve  by 
eight  and  one-half  inches,  with  three  columns  of  mat- 
ter, and  the  subscription  price  was  twenty-five  cents  for 
the  session.  The  volume  closed  July  3d  with  the  24th 
number.  The  volume  for  1842  is  missing,  but  it  was  of 
the  same  size  as  Vol.  1,  and  published  by  Carroll  & 
Baker.  Thefe  were  two  sessions  of  the  Legislature 
that  year,  the  first  beginning  June  1st  and  ending  June 
24th,  and  the  second  beginning  November  2d  and  end- 
ing December  23d.  Vol.  4 (probably  a mistake)  began 
June  8,  1843,  and  ended  July  1st,  with  the  21st  num- 
ber— Carroll  & Baker,  publishers.  The  volume  for  1844, 
by  the  same  publishers,  is  numbered  Vol.  4,  and 
! covers  two  sessions  of  the  Legislature,  the  first  be- 
ginning June  6th  and  ending  June  19th,  with  the  12th 
number,  and  the  second  beginning  November  21st  and 
ending  December  28th,  with  Number  33.  Vol.  5,  by 
the  same  publishers,  beginning  June  5,  1845,  and 
ending  July  3d,  contains  twenty-five  numbers. 

Vol.  6,  beginning  June4, 1846,  and  ending  July  10th, 
contains  thirty-one  numbers,  and  was  published  by 
! H.  H.  Carroll.  Vol.  7 appeared  in  an  enlarged  form, 
four  columns  to  a page,  and  the  pages  sixteen  by 
twelve  and  one-half  inches.  It  began  June  3,  1847, 
and  ended  July  5th,  with  the  27th  number— Butterfield 
& Hill,  publishers.  In  1848  there  were  two  sessions 
| of  the  Legislature  and  two  volumes  of  the  paper, — 
1 Vol.  8,  beginning  June  8th  and  ending  June  24th,  con- 


1 By  P.  B.  Cogswell. 


88 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


taining  fifteen  numbers,  and  Vol.  9,  beginning  No- 
vember 23d  and  ending  January  5,  1849,  containing 
thirty-two  numbers — Butterfield  & Hill,  publishers. 

In  1849  the  paper  took  the  name  of  Legislative  Re- 
porter, and  was  published  by  N.  B.  Baker,  as  Vol.  I, 
beginning  June  7th  and  ending  July  7th,  with  the 
25th  number. 

Vol.  10  of  The  Daily  Patriot  began  June  6,  1850, 
and  ended  July  13th,  containing  thirty-one  numbers, 
and  was  published  by  Butterfield  & Hill.  During 
this  year  the  Constitutional  Convention  was  held,  and 
the  daily  is  numbered  Vol.  12,  beginning  November 
7,  1850,  and  ending  January  4,  1851,  with  the  36th 
number.  This  volume  appears  in  enlarged  form,  the 
pages  measuring  nineteen  and  one-fourth  by  thirteen 
inches,  and  five  columns  to  a page. 

Vol.  13  began  June  5, 1851,  and  ended  July  5th,  with 
the  24th  number,  with  no  change  in  publishers. 
Vol.  14  began  June  3,  1852,  and  ended  June  19th,  with 
the  13th  number.  This  was  a Presidential  election 
year,  and  the  nomination  of  Franklin  Pierce  for  the 
Presidency  necessitated  better  facilities  than  a weekly 
paper  afforded  for  conducting  the  campaign  at  his 
home,  and,  therefore,  Messrs.  Butterfield  & Hill  de- 
cided to  issue  a daily  through  the  campaign  for  one 
dollar,  and  Vol.  15  began  July  12th  and  ended  Novem- 
ber 3d,  the  day  after  the  election,  making  ninety-seven 
numbers.  It  was  the  first  paper  printed  six  days  in 
a week,  in  this  city,  except  during  legislative  sessions. 
A second  session  of  the  Legislature  was  held  the  same 
year,  and  Vol.  16  began  November  18th  and  ended 
January  10,  1853,  making  thirty-seven  numbers. 

Vol.  17,  beginning  June  2,  1853,  and  ending  July 
2d,  with  the  24th  number,  was  published  by  William 
Butterfield,  as  were  the  seven  succeeding  volumes, 
— viz.,  Vol.  18  began  June  8,  1854,  and  ended  July 
5th,  comprising  twenty-five  numbers.  Vol.  19,  a cam- 
paign paper,  published  six  times  a week,  began 
November  9,  1854,  and  ended  March  10,  1855,  com- 
prising eighty-six  numbers.  Vol.  20  began  June  7, 
1855,  and  ended  July  14th,  with  the  27th  number. 
Vol.  21,  published  as  a campaign  paper,  began 
January  9,  1856,  and  ended  March  8th,  comprising 
forty-three  numbers.  Vol.  22  began  June  5,  1856, 
and  ended  July  12th,  with  the  24th  number.  Vol.  23 
was  published  as  a Presidential  campaign  paper  from 
September  11, 1856,  to  November  1st,  of  the  same  year, 
making  thirty-three  numbers.  Vol.  24  began  June 
4,  1857,  and  ended  June  27th,  making  only  sixteen 
numbers. 

Vol.  25,  beginning  June  3,  1858,  and  ending  June 
26th,  comprising  seventeen  numbers,  was  published  by 
Butterfield  & Merriam,  as  also  was  Vol.  27,  beginning 
June  2,  1859,  and  ending  June  28th,  with  seventeen 
numbers.  We  find  no  file  of  Vol.  26,  and  presume 
there  was  an  error  iu  numbering  Vol.  27. 

Vol.  28,  beginning  June  7,  1860,  and  ending  July 
5th,  comprising  twenty  numbers,  was  published  by 
William  Butterfield,  as  also  was  Vol.  29,  beginning 


June  6, 1861,  and  ending  July  4th,  comprising  twenty 
numbers. 

The  publication  of  The  Daily  Patriot  regularly 
through  the  year  was  begun  January  3,  1868,  by  But- 
terfield & Hill,  the  volume  being  numbered  30,  and 
was  continued  by  them  to  February  1,  1873,  when 
E.  C.  Bailey  became  its  proprietor  and  publisher,  and 
continued  its  publication  to  November  1,  1877,  when 
it  was  stopped.  During  the  legislative  session  of 
1878  the  paper  was  published  by  F.  P.  Kellom,  with 
William  P.  Bailey,  editor,  beginning  June  5th  and 
ending  August  19th,  making  sixty-four  numbers. 

During  the  legislative  session  of  1879  the  People 
and  Patriot,  Vol.  1,  was  published  by  G.  C.  Pearson, 
beginning  June  5th  and  ending  July  21st  comprising 
forty  numbers.  December  1,  1879,  the  publication  of 
the  paper,  under  the  same  title,  six  issues  a week,  was 
resumed  by  C.  C.  Pearson,  and  continued  until  Sep- 
tember 3,  1881,  when  it  was  discontinued.  The 
People  and  Patriot  was  re-established  by  the  Demo- 
cratic Press  Association,  1885. 

Daily  People. — Another  legislative  paper  was 
the  Daily  People,  published  by  Charles  C Pearson 
& Co.,  a folio  sheet,  with  pages  twenty-one  by  four- 
teen inches.  Nine  volumes  were  issued,  as  follows: 
Vol.  1,  from  June  1,  1870,  to  July  1st,  comprising 
twenty-three  numbers.  Vol.  2 from  June  7,  1871,  to 
July  18th,  twenty-seven  numbers.  Vol.  3,  from  June 
6,1872,  to  July  9th,  seventeen  numbers.  Vol.  4,  from 
June  5,  1873,  to  July  3d,  seventeen  numbers.  Vol.  5, 
from  June  3,  1874,  to  July  10th,  twenty-six  numbers. 
Vol.  6,  from  June  2,  1875,  to  July  3d,  twenty-three 
numbers.  Vol.  7,  from  June  8,  1876,  to  July  21st, 
thirty-two  numbers.  Vol.  8,  from  June  7,  1877,  to 
.Inly  21st,  thirty-two  numbers,  and  Vol.  9,  began  June 
6, 1878,  ending  August  20th,  with  fifty-three  numbers. 

Daily  Democrat  and  Freeman. — During  the 
legislative  session  of  1847  a daily  was  published  by 
Wetmore  & Hood,  called  the  Daily  Democrat  and 
Freeman.  It  was  a small  sheet,  eleven  by  fifteen  and 
one-half  inches,  four  columns  to  a page.  The  first 
number  was  dated  June  3,  1847,  and  the  last  number 
July  5th,  and  twenty -six  numbers  were  issued. 

Daily  Independent  Democrat. — Dailies  were 
issued  from  the  Independent  Democrat  office  dur- 
ing the  sessions  of  the  Legislature,  as  follows ; Vol. 

3 began  June  7,  1855,  and  closed  July  14th,  with  prob- 
ably twenty-seven  numbers.  We  rlo  not  know  that  a 
file  of  it  is  in  existence,  but  the  files  of  the  weekly 
edition  contain  the  proceedings  of  the  Legislature 
quite  fully,  which  were  taken  from  the  daily.  Vol. 

4 began  June  4, 1857,  and  ended  June  27th,  comprising 
seventeen  numbers.  It  was  published  by  Fogg  & 
Hadley.  Vol.  5 began  June  3,  1858,  and  ended  June 
26th,  comprising  seventeen  numbers.  Vol.  6 began 
June  2,  1859,  and  ended  June  29th,  comprising  seven- 
teen numbers.  Vol.  7 began  June  7,  1860,  and 
ended  July  5th,  comprising  twenty  numbers.  The 
size  of  the  pages  was  twelve  and  three-fourths  by 


■ 


CONCORD. 


8!) 


nineteen  and  one-half  inches.  Vol.  8 began  June  6tli, 
1861,  and  ended  July  5th,  comprising  twenty  numbers. 

Daily  Statesman. — Vol.  1 of  the  Daily  States- 
man was  begun  by  McFarland  & Jenks,  June  2, 1852, 
and  ended  June  19th,  comprising  only  fifteen  num- 
bers, the  session  being  a short  one.  Vol.  2 began 
June  8, 1854,  and  ended  July  15th,  comprising  twenty- 
six  numbers.  Vol.  3 began  June  7, 1855,  and  ended  July 
14th,  comprising  twenty-seven  numbers.  Vol.  4 began 
June  5, 1856,  and  ended  July  12th,  comprising  twenty- 
four  numbers.  Vol.  5 began  June  4,  1857,  and 
ended  June  26th,  comprising  sixteen  numbers.  Vol. 
6 began  June  3,  1858, and  ended  June 26th, comprising 
seventeen  numbers.  Vol.  7 began  June  2,  1859,  and 
ended  June  28th,  comprising  seventeen  numbers.  Vol. 
8 began  June  6, 1860,  and  ended  July  5th,  comprising 
twenty  numbers.  Vol.  9 began  June  6,  1861,  and 
ended  July  5th,  comprising  twenty  numbers. 

Legislative  Reporter. — In  1862  a joint  arrange- 
ment was  made  by  William  Butterfield,  of  the  Patriot, 
McFarland  & Jenks,  of  the  Statesman,  and  Fogg  & 
Hadley,  of  the  Independent  Democrat,  for  the  publica- 
tion of  one  daily  during  the  session  of  the  Legis- 
lature, under  the  title  of  Legislative  Reporter.  Vol. 
I began  June  5, 1862,  and  ended  July  10th,  comprising 
twenty-five  numbers.  Vol.  2 began  June  4,  1863, 
and  ended  July  1st,  comprising  twenty-four  numbers. 
Vol.  3 began  June  3, 1864,  and  ended  July  16th.  Vol. 
4 began  June  8,  1865,  and  ended  July  3d,  comprising 
seventeen  numbers.  Vol.  5 began  June  7,  1866,  and 
ended  July  9th,  comprising  twenty-one  numbers.  This 
was  the  last  volume  issued,  the  Daily  Monitor  and 
Daily  Patriot  being  published  regularly,  rendering  it 
unnecessary  for  the  weekly  papers  to  continue  the 
publication  of  a daily  solely  for  the  purpose  of  giv- 
ing the  legislative  proceedings. 

There  may  have  been  other  legislative  dailies  pub- 
lished, but  no  files  of  them  are  in  existence  to  our 
knowledge.  In  1846  the  Granite  Freeman  and  New 
Hampshire  Courier  announced  that  dailies  would  be 
issued  by  their  publishers  for  the  session,  but  whether 
the  promise  was  fulfilled  is  more  than  we  know. 

Concord  Daily  Monitor. — Early  in  the  spring 
of  1864  several  gentlemen  of  this  city,  who  felt  the 
need  of  a permanent  daily  paper  at  the  capital  of 
the  State,  took  steps  looking  to  the  securing  of  that 
object.  Estimates  of  expense  for  an  evening  paper 
were  obtained,  and  a guaranty  fund  of  three  thousand 
dollars  was  subscribed  by  some  forty  or  more  gentle- 
men interested  in  the  movement,  chiefly  through  the 
solicitation  of  the  late  Governor  Joseph  A.  Gilmore. 
A contract  was  made  with  P.  B.  Cogswell  and  George 
H.  Sturtevant,  book  and  job  printers,  under  the  firm- 
name  of  Cogswell  & Sturtevant,  to  print  and  publish 
an  evening  daily,  for  a fixed  compensation,  for  a 
specified  number  of  copies,  they  to  have  no  editorial 
responsibility.  On  May  23,  1864,  the  Concord  Daily 
Monitor  made  its  appearance  from  the  office  of  Cogs- 
well & Sturtevant,  and  bearing  their  names  as  pub- 


lishers. The  services  of  the  late  William  S.  Robinson, 
then  clerk  of  the  Massachusetts  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives, were  secured  for  a few  weeks  as  editor, 
and  J.  M.  W.  Yerrinton  as  legislative  reporter.  The 
paper  published  full  telegraphic  reports,  and  made  a 
special  point  of  giving  news  from  the  New  Hamp- 
shire soldiers  in  the  field,  which  helped  to  increase 
its  circulation. 

It  is  perhaps  needless  to  say  that  all  the  verbal 
conditions  of  the  contract  for  publishing  the  paper 
were  broken  almost  from  the  start,  and  the  promised 
written  contract  was  never  furnished.  The  local 
editorial  work  fell  at  once  upon  the  senior  publisher, 
and  at  the  end  of  six  or  seven  weeks  Mr.  Robinson 
returned  to  his  home,  and  J.  Henry  Gilmore,  the 
private  secretary  of  his  father,  Governor  Gilmore, 
assumed  the  editorial  work  in  part,  and  continued  his 
connection  with  the  paper  about  one  year.  Of  the 
subscribed  guaranty,  only  about  one-half  was  ever 
collected,  and  uot  a dollar  of  it  was  ever  received  by 
the  publishers.  Near  the  end  of  August,  1865,  the 
paper  and  its  accounts  were  turned  over  to  Cogswell 
& Sturtevant,  in  part  payment  of  their  claim  for 
printing,  and  they  assumed  its  editorial  and  business 
management,  which  they  continued  until  January  2, 
1867.  During  the  falls  of  1865  and  1866,  George  A. 
Marden,  now  of  the  Lowell  Courier,  and  Speaker  of 
the  Massachusetts  House  of  Representatives,  was 
employed  in  editorial  work  on  the  Monitor,  and  Wil- 
liam B.  Smart,  now  of  the  Boston  Post,  for  a short 
time  in  the  fall  of  1864  had  charge  of  the  local  work. 
On  January  2,  1867,  the  Monitor  and  Independent 
Democrat  offices  were  merged  under  the  name  of 
“The  Independent  Press  Association”  for  the  term 
of  five  years.  The  association  was  composed  of 
George  G.  Fogg,  Amos  Hadley,  P.  B.  Cogswell  and 
George  H.  Sturtevant,  and  they  continued  the  publi- 
cation of  the  Monitor  and  the  Independent  Democrat, 
the  Weekly  Monitor,  which  had  been  published  for 
fifteen  months,  being  united  with  the  latter  paper- 
Mr.  Hadley  retired  from  the  paper  after  a few 
months,  and  part  of  his  interest  was  taken  by  S.  C. 
Eastman.  On  January  1,  1868,  the  Monitor  was 
enlarged,  to  accommodate  the  increasing  advertising 
patronage.  In  1870,  Mr.  Sturtevant  sold  part  of  his 
interest  to  John  W.  Odlin,  and  the  association  con- 
tinued without  further  change  until  October  1,  1871, 
when  the  Republican  Press  Association  was  formed. 

Parsons  Brainard  Cogswell  was  born  in  Hen- 
niker,  N.  H.,  January  22,  1828.  His  parents  were 
David  and  Hannah  (Haskell)  Cogswell,  who  removed 
from  Gloucester,  Mass.,  to  Henniker  early  in  1815, 
and  he  was  the  eighth  in  a family  of  twelve  children. 
He  was  also  of  the  eighth  generation  of  descendants 
of  John  Cogswell,  ancestor  of  the  Cogswell  family, 
who  settled  in  Old  Ipswich,  Mass.,  in  that  portion 
now  known  as  Essex,  in  1635.  His  early  life  was 
spent  in  farming  principally,  occasionally  helping  in 
his  father’s  blacksmith-shop.  His  education  was  oh- 


90 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


tained  in  the  common  school  and  an  occasional  term 
of  a few  weeks  in  the  academy,  until  nearly  nineteen 
years  old,  when  he  attended  Clinton  Grove  School 
eight  months,  under  the  instruction  of  Moses  A. 
Cartland,  a noted  teacher  and  cousin  of  John  G. 
Whittier.  In  the  fall  of  1847  an  opportunity  occurred 
for  him  to  gratify  a long-felt  desire  to  learn  the 
printer’s  trade,  and  November  29th  he  entered  the 
Independent  Democrat  office,  then  owned  by  Hon. 
George  G.  Fogg  (afterwards  minister  to  Switzerland 
and  United  States  Senator)  and  .Joseph  E.  Hood  (after- 
wards on  the  editorial  staff  of  the  Springfield  Repub- 
lican for  many  years).  In  the  spring  of  1849  he  was 
employed  in  the  New  Hampshire  Patriot  office,  and 
continued  there  for  three  years,  with  the  exception  of 
six  weeks  in  the  Gloucester  Telegraph  office  at  the 
close  of  1849.  In  1852  he  entered  the  employ  of 
Tripp  & Osgood  as  a book  compositor,  and  so  con- 
tinued for  two  years.  Later,  in  March,  1854,  in  com- 
pany with  A.  G.  Jones,  he  purchased  the  printing- 
office  of  Tripp  & Osgood,  and  the  partnership  con- 
tinued for  some  four  and  one-half  years,  when  he 
conducted  the  business  alone  for  several  years.  May 
23,  1864,  in  company  with  George  II.  Sturtevant,  he 
started  the  Concord  Daily  Monitor,  which  was  the 
first  permanent  daily  paper  published  in  Concord, 
and  has  been  connected  with  it  ever  since,  as  local, 
associate  and  managing  editor,  holding  the  latter 
position  at  the  present  time.  The  weekly  issue  is  the 
Independent  Statesman,  and  the  papers  are  owned  and 
published  by  the  Republican  Press  Association,  he 
being  the  second  largest  owner  in  the  stock  of  the 
same.  He  was  elected  a member  of  the  superintend- 
ing school  committee  of  Union  School  District, 
which  embraces  the  compact  part  of  the  city  of 
Concord,  known  as  the  State-House  Precinct,  in 
March,  1858,  and  when  the  Board  of  Education  of 
the  district  was  created,  in  August,  1859,  he  was  cho- 
sen for  a two-years’  term,  and  has  been  successively 
re-elected  since  for  nine  terms  of  three  years  each. 
For  eighteen  years  he  served  as  financial  agent  of 
the  board,  and  is  president  of  it  at  the  present  time, 
it  being  his  fourth  year  of  service  in  that  capacity. 
He  was  elected  a Representative  to  the  Legislature 
from  Ward  Four  in  1872  and  1873,  and  State  printer 
in  1881  and  1883,  and  served  as  one  of  the  State  audi- 
tors of  printers’  accounts  and  trustee  of  State  Library 
for  several  years.  He  has  been  a member  of  the  New 
Hampshire  Historical  Society  for  many  years,  four  of 
which  he  was  its  secretary ; is  a member  of  the  New 
Hampshire  Antiquarian  Society ; was  president  of 
the  New  Hampshire  Press  Association  in  1872,  ’73, 
’74,  ’75,  and  recording  secretary  of  the  same  since 


1876;  and  is  a charter  member  of  the  Appalachian 
Mountain  Club,  Boston.  He  spent  nearly  a year  in 
the  Old  World  in  1878-79,  and  his  letters  to  his 
papers  were  published  in  an  octavo  volume  of  four 
hundred  and  fifty-five  pages,  under  the  title  of 
“ Glints  from  Over  the  Water.” 

The  Republican  Press  Association  which  was 
formed  Oct.  1, 1871,  bought  the  papers  and  business  of 
the  Independent  Press  Association  and  of  the  Repub- 
lican Statesman  proprietors,  and  consolidated  the 
two  offices.  The  publication  of  the  Concord  Daily 
Monitor  has  ever  since  been  continued  by  the  Repub- 
lican Press  Association,  and  its  circulation  has  yearly 
increased,  and  bids  fair  to  continue  to  do  so  in  the 
future. 

At  the  time  of  the  consolidation  of  the  papers, 
George  G.  Fogg  was  chosen  political  editor,  Rossiter 
Johnson  managing  editor  and  1*.  B.  Cogswell  local 
editor,  with  Edward  A.  Jenks  business  manager. 
Early  in  1872,  Mr.  Fogg  retired  from  editorial  labor 
and  from  the  association,  and  in  October  1st  of  the 
same  year  Mr.  Johnson  also  retired.  No  one  was 
selected  to  fill  his  place  for  a few  months,  Asa 
Fowler,  then  president  of  the  association,  perform- 
ing considerable  editorial  work  In  January,  1873, 
William  E.  Stevens  became  managing  editor,  and  so 
continued  until  the  middle  of  August,  1882,  when  he 
retired  to  accept  the  United  States  consulship  at 
Smyrna.  Allan  M.  Jenks  was  local  editor  during 
the  absence  of  Mr.  Cogswell  in  1878-79,  a period  of 
more  than  a year.  At  the  present  time  the  editors 
are  P.  B.  Cogswell,  who  has  been  connected  with  the 
paper  from  the  first  number,  and  Edward  N.  Pearson. 
The  Monitor  was  enlarged  for  the  second  time  March 
28,  1882,  and  a third  time  March  15,  1884,  when  it 
commenced  a morning  edition,  also,  which  was  con- 
tinued till  November  15,  the  same  year. 

Of  the  struggles  of  the  paper  during  its  early 
years  it  is  not  necessary  to  speak  in  detail.  Com- 
menced, as  it  was,  when  war  prices  ruled  in  every- 
thing,— white  paper  costing  from  twenty-seven  to 
thirty  cents  a pound,  and  composition  by  the  piece 
reaching  a higher  price  than  ever  before  or  since, — 
nothing  but  hard  work  and  a great  deal  of  it  carried 
it  through  successfully,  and  made  it  the  first  perma- 
nent daily  paper  in  Concord. 

Concord  Daily  Blade  was  started  by  the  Blade 
Publishing  Company  September  1,  1880,  and  discon- 
tinued December  7,  1880.  Subsequently,  the  Weekly 
Blade  was  published  by  E.  P.  Gerould,  for  some  time, 
when  it  was  suspended,  and  afterwards  resuscitated  as 
the  Concord  Tribune,  since  which  it  has  been  pub- 
lished in  Canaan  and  Concord. 


CONCORD. 


91 


CHAPTER  IV. 

CONCORD — ( Continued). 

BANKS,  ETC. 

The  Concord  Bank — The  Mechanics1  National  Bank — National  State 
Capital  Bank — First  National  Bank — The  New  Hampshire  Savings- 
Bank — The  Merrimack  County  Savings-Bank — Loan  and  Trust  Sav- 
ings-Bank— Penacook  Savings-Bank — Count  Rumford — Countess  of 
Rumford— The  Kolfe  and  Rumford  Asylum — The  New  Hampshire 
Bible  Society — Physicians  — City  Hospital— Fire  Department — Water 
Work9 — Penacook — Concord  Horse  Railroad — Centenarians  - Slavery 
in  Concord— Manufacturing  Interests — Miscellaneous. 

The  first  banking  institution  in  this  town  was  the 
Concord  Bank,  which  was  incorporated  June  18, 1806. 
“Timothy  Walker,  Caleb  Stark,  John  Bradley,  John 
Mills,  Robert  Harris,  Ebenezer  Beasley,  Richard 
Ayer,  William  Whittle,  William  A.  Kent,  Joshua 
Darling,  Thomas  W.  Thompson,  Aquila  Davis,  John 
Chandler,  Baruch  Chase,  Joseph  Towne  and  Joseph 
Clough  and  their  associates”  were  incorporated  “by 
the  name  of  the  President,  Directors  and  Company 
of  the  Concord  Bank.” 

In  proceeding  to  organize  for  the  transaction  of 
business  under  their  charter,  special  difficulties  were 
encountered,  growing  chiefly,  it  is  said,  out  of  ques- 
tions of  location  and  management.  Already  there  was 
a “north  end”  and  a “southend”  interest.  In  the 
former  was  Hon.  Timothy  Walker,  and  in  the  latter 
Colonel  William  A.  Kent,  with  whom,  respectively, 
others  took  sides,  according  to  their  own  ideas  of 
interest.  The  result,  however,  was,  two  banks  went 
into  operation  under  the  same  charter,  one  called  the 
Upper  Bank  and  the  other  the  Lower  Bank,  each 
claiming  exclusively  to  be  the  Concord  Bank.  Of 
the  Upper  Bank,  Timothy  Walker  was  first  president 
and  Samuel  Sparhawk,  from  Portsmouth,  cashier.  Of 
the  Lower  Bank,  Joseph  Towne,  of  Hopkinton,  was 
president,  and  William  A.  Kent  cashier.  For  several 
years  a disagreeable  competition  existed  between 
them.  On  the  part  of  the  Upper  Bank  a run  was 
made  upon  the  Lower,  for  the  payment  in  specie  of 
their  bills.  By  the  Lower  Bank,  or  by  persons  inter- 
ested therein,  suits  were  commenced  against  the  other 
for  issuing  bills  contrary  to  law;  and  hence  a litiga- 
tion as  to  which  was  the  lawful  Concord  Bank  was 
continued  for  a considerable  time.  In  1808  one 
Nehemiah  Jones  commenced  a suit  against  Timothy 
Walker,  containing  more  than  a hundred  counts, 
which  embraced  all  the  questions  at  issue.  In  these 
suits  the  late  Jeremiah  Mason  was  employed  as 
Jones’  counsel.  Tradition  says  that,  after  a while, 
Mason,  perceiving  the  difficulties  of  the  subject,  and 
disposed  to  adjust  the  matter  between  the  parties, 
signified  to  his  client  “that  as  he  had  got  into  gentle- 
men's company  he  must  expect  to  pay  a gentleman's 
price.”  Soon  after,  the  rival  banks  came  to  an 
agreement,  at  least  so  far  as  to  cease  from  vexing  one 
another;  both  obtained  credit  with  the  public,  and 
continued  to  do  business  under  one  charter  till  the 


expiration  of  twenty  years;  then  the  Upper  Bank 
obtained  a new  charter  and  took  the  name  of  Merri- 
mack County  Bank. 

The  Lower  Bank  obtained  a modification  and  exten- 
sion of  its  charter  in  1826,  and  continued  to  do  busi- 
ness till  1840,  when  it  failed. 

The  Mechanics’  Bank  was  incorporated  July  5, 
1884,  and  charter  extended  June  22,  1853.  Incor- 
porators: Peter  Renton,  Abner  B.  Kelley,  Horatio 
Hill,  Joseph  M.  Harper,  Nathaniel  G.  Upham,  Abel 
Baker,  Benjamin  Evans,  William  Low,  Joseph  Low, 
Cyrus  Barton,  Ralph  Metcalf,  Nathaniel  Curtis, 
James  Minot,  Arnold  Carroll,  Moody  Kent,  Ezra 
Carter,  William  Richardson,  Isaac  F.  Williams. 

Original  officers:  Nathaniel  G.  Upham,  president; 
George  Minot,  cashier.  Original  directors:  N.  G. 
Upham,  Peter  Renton,  Horatio  Hill,  .1.  M.  Harper, 
N.  Curtis,  A.  B.  Kelley.  Original  capital,  $100,000. 

Closed  its  affairs,  1865.  Last  officers:  Josiah  Mi- 
not, president;  Charles  Minot,  cashier. 

Minot  & Co.,  bankers  (Josiah  and  Charles  Minot) 
commenced  business  January,  1866. 

Reorganized  as  Mechanics’  National  Bank  January 
3,  1880.  Capital,  $100,000.  Officers:  Josiah  Minot, 
president;  B.  A.  Kimball,  vice-president;  James 
Minot,  cashier.  Directors:  Josiah  Minot,  Benjamin 

A.  Kimball,  Joseph  B.  Walker,  Edward  H.  Rollins, 
Chas.  H.  Amsden,  John  M.  Hill,  Sargent  C.  Whitaker. 

Officers,  1885:  B.  A.  Kimball,  president;  Joseph 

B.  Walker,  vice-president;  James  Minot,  cashier. 
Directors:  B.  A.  Kimball,  Joseph  B.  Walker,  Josiah 
Minot,  Charles  H.  Amsden,  Edward  II.  Rollins,  John 
Kimball,  John  M.  Hill. 

National  State  Capital  Bank  was  originally  or- 
ganized as  State  Capital  Bank  January  26,  1853. 
The  first  directors  were  Samuel  Butterfield,  Abram 
Bean,  R.  N.  Corning,  Hall  Roberts,  Ebenezer  Symmes, 
Asa  Fowler,  Enos  Blake.  Hon.  Samuel  Butterfield, 
president;  Edson  Hill,  cashier.  Capital  stock,  $100,- 
000  ; increased  to  $150,000  August  28,  1854. 

Presidents. — Samuel  Butterfield,  to  1860;  Hall  Rob- 
erts, from  1860  to  1862;  John  V.  Barron,  from  1862 
to  1865. 

Cashiers. — Edson  Hill,  to  1858;  Jonas  D.  Sleeper, 
from  1858  to  1859;  P.  S.  Smith,  from  1859  to  1865. 

January  1,  1862,  the  capital  stock  was  reduced  to 
$120,000;  January  1,  1863,  to  $100,000. 

The  bank  was  reorganized  as  National  Stale  Capi- 
tal Bank  January  2,  1865,  with  the  following  direc- 
tors: John  V.  Barron,  Robert  N.  Corning,  James 
Peverly,  Jonas  D.  Sleeper  and  James  S.  Norris. 
President,  John  V.  Barron;  Cashier,  Preston  S. 
Smith.  Capital  stock,  $100,000 ; increased  to  $150,- 
000  April  17,  1865;  to  $200,000  May  31,  1872,  by 
purchase  of  bonds  and  right  of  circulation  of  Carroll 
County  National  Bank,  at  Sandwich,  N.  H. 

John  V.  Barron,  president  to  1878;  Lewis  Down- 
ing, Jr.,  from  1878  to  present  time. 


92 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


P.  S.  Smith,  cashier  to  1872 ; Henry  J.  Crippen, 
from  1872  to  1882;  Josiah  E.  Fernald,  from  1882  to 
present  time. 

The  present  directors  are  as  follows:  Lewis  Dow- 
ning, Jr.,  James  S.  Norris,  Lyman  D.  Stevens,  J. 
Everett  Sargent,  John  H.  Pearson,  John  Jones, 
Henry  J.  Crippen. 

The  First  National  Bank  of  Concord  was  or- 
ganized in  March,  1864,  with  Asa  Fowler,  Enos 
Blake,  Edw.  H.  Rollins,  William  Walker,  Benning 
W.  Sanhoru,  George  A.  Pillsbury  and  Moses  Hum- 
phrey as  directors. 

The  first  president  was  Asa  Fowler,  who  continued 
in  office  until  1867,  when  George  A.  Pillsbury  was 
elected  as  his  successor. 

In  March,  1878,  Mr.  Pillsbury  being  about  to  leave 
the  State  for  a permanent  residence  at  the  West, 
resigned  his  office  and  A.  C.  Pierce  was  elected  to  fill 
the  vacancy,  which  position  he  occupied  until  Decem- 
ber, 1882,  when,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-two 
years,  he  resigned,  and  William  M.  Chase  was  elected 
and  held  the  office  until  January,  1885,  when  William 
F.  Thayer  was  chosen  his  successor. 

Woodbridge  Odlin,  the  first  cashier,  held  his  posi- 
tion but  one  month  when  he  resigned  to  accept  the 
appointment  of  assessor  of  internal  revenue.  William 
W.  Storrs  was  elected  to  the  office,  and  filled  the 
position  until  January,  1874,  when  he  was  succeeded 
by  William  F.  Thayer. 

The  present  hoard  of  directors  are  Thomas  Stuart. 
William  M.  Chase,  Solon  A.  Carter,  Charles  H. 
Roberts,  William  F.  Thayer,  William  P.  Fiske  and 
E.  H.  Woodman. 

The  hank  has  a capital  stock  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  thousand  dollars,  and  a surplus  of  nearly  the 
same  amount  after  having  paid  dividends  of  over 
three  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  dollars.  The 
report  of  the  comptroller  of  the  currency  shows  this 
hank  to  have  the  highest  per  cent,  surplus  of  any 
hank  in  the  State. 

William  F.  Thayer,  one  of  the  leading  financiers 
of  New  Hampshire,  was  born  in  Kingston,  N.  H., 
March  13,  1846.  His  grandfather,  the  Rev.  Elihu 
Thayer,  D.D.,  was  pastor  of  the  church  in  Kingston 
for  a period  of  more  than  thirty  years,  and  was  a 
leading  and  influential  citizen  of  that  portion  of 
Rockingham  County.  The  parents  of  William  F., 
Calvin  and  Sarah  Wheeler  (Fiske)  Thayer,  removed 
to  Meridan,  N.  H.,  in  about  1855.  William  F.  re- 
ceived his  education  at  Kimball  Union  Academy,  and 
in  1865  came  to  Concord  and  accepted  a position  as 
clerk  in  the  post-office,  Robert  N.  Corning  being  at 
that  time  postmaster.  He  soon  became  chief  clerk, 
and  remained  in  that  position  four  years.  He  then 
spent  a few  months  in  the  West,  and  upon  his  return 
to  Concord  entered  the  counting-room  of  the  Elwell 
Furniture  Company,  where  he  continued  about  eight 
months.  He  then  became  a clerk  in  the  First 
National  Bank  in  this  city,  and  his  strict  integrity, 


conservatism  and  financial  ability  won  for  him  rapid 
promotion  in  this  institution.  He  was  appointed 
assistant  cashier  in  1873,  and  cashier  in  1874.  He 
remained  in  this  position  until  January,  1885,  when 
he  was  chosen  president. 

Mr.  Thayer  is  clerk  and  director  in  the  Contoocook 
Valley  Paper  Company;  director,  clerk  and  treasurer 
of  the  Concord  Cattle  Company ; director  in  the 
Lombard  Investment  Company  ; treasurer  of  the  city 
of  Concord  since  1879;  and  treasurer  of  the  Concord 
Shoe-Factory  and  of  the  Hospital  Association.  He 
is  a Republican  in  politics,  and  a member  of  the  South 
Congregational  Church.  Mr.  Thayer  is  a member  of 
the  Masonic  fraternity,  belonging  to  Blazing  Star 
Lodge  and  Mount  Horeb  Commandery. 

October  20,  1874,  Mr.  Thayer  united  in  marriage 
with  Sarah  Clarke  Wentworth,  daughter  of  Colonel 
Joseph  Wentworth,  brother  of  Hon.  John  Wentworth 
of  Chicago,  and  their  family  consists  of  two  children, 
— Margaret  and  William  Wentworth. 

Mr.  Thayer’s  career  as  an  officer  and  manager  of 
the  leading  discount  hank  in  the  city  and  State  (the 
First  National)  has  been  remarkable  and  highly  cred- 
itable to  his  ability  as  a financier.  Entering  the  in- 
stitution in  1871,  in  the  subordinate  position  of  clerk, 
his  faithful  aud  efficient  service  led  to  his  promotion 
to  assistant  cashier,  in  1873,  and  to  the  responsible 
position  of  cashier  the  following  year. 

His  industry,  good  judgment  and  pleasing  address 
won  for  him  the  favor  of  his  employers  and  the  patrons 
of  the  hank,  and  under  his  management,  as  its  execu- 
tive officer,  the  institution  soon  attained  a leading 
position  among  the  national  banks  of  the  State. 

After  ten  years’  service  as  cashier  he  was,  in  Janu- 
ary, 1885,  elected  to  the  presidency  of  the  bank,  in 
recognition  of  his  great  ability  and  eminent  fitness 
for  the  position. 

There  is  probably  no  other  instance  in  the  history 
of  similar  institutions  in  New  Hampshire  where  so 
young  a man  as  is  Mr.  Thayer  has  won  such  a position 
as  he  occupies  at  present,  solely  upon  his  merits, 
which  are  universally  acknowledged  by  his  associates 
and  the  community  where  he  has  made  his  reputation. 

The  New  Hampshire  Savings-Bank  was  organ- 
ized in  July,  1830,  the  incorporators  being  Samuel 
Green,  Timothy  Chandler,  Joseph  Low,  Nathan  Bal- 
lard, Jr.,  Samuel  Morrill,  Nathaniel  Abbott,  William 
Low,  Jonathan  Eastman,  Jr.,  Nathaniel  Bouton, 
Moses  G.  Thomas  and  David  L.  Morril. 

At  a meeting  held  the  21st  day  of  July,  1830,  the 
bank  organized  with  Hon.  Samuel  Green  as  presi- 
dent, and  Samuel  Morrill  clerk,  with  a board  of 
eighteen  trustees,  viz.:  Timothy  Chandler,  Nathan 
Ballard,-  Jr.,  Samuel  Fletcher,  Francis  N.  Fisk, 
Samuel  A.  Kimball,  Jonathan  Eastman,  Jr.,  Nath- 
aniel G.  Upliam,  Isaac  Hill,  Richard  Bradley,  Wil- 
liam Low,  Robert  Ambrose,  Ezekiel  Morrill,  Hall 
Burgin,  William  Gault,  Stephen  Brown,  David 
George,  William  Kent  and  Richard  Bartlett. 


?1yAH.RUcK>* 


CONCORD. 


93 


The  bank  has  had  six  presidents — Samuel  Green, 
Joseph  Low,  Francis  N.  Fisk,  Samuel  Coffin,  Joseph 
B.  Walker  and  Samuel  S.  Kimball — and  four  treasu- 
rers,— Samuel  Morrill,  .lames  Moulton,  Jr.,  Charles 
W.  Sargent  and  William  P.  Fiske. 

The  present  organization  is  as  follows:  President, 
Samuel  S.  Kimball;  Treasurer,  William  P.  Fiske; 
Trustees:  Samuel  S.  Kimball,  Joseph  B.  Walker, 
Jesse  P.  Bancroft,  Francis  A.  Fiske,  Seth  Eastman, 
Enoch  Gerrish,  Sylvester  Dana,  Moses  H.  Bradley, 
John  Abbott,  John  H.  George,  Mark  R.  Holt,  Charles 
T.  Page,  John  H.  Stewart,  George  H.  Marston,  Par- 
sons B.  Cogswell,  Oliver  Pillsbury,  William  G.  Car- 
ter, John  C.  Thorn. 

The  deposits  of  the  bank  amount  to  $2, 350, 000,  with 
six  thousand  one  hundred  and  twenty  depositors ; a 
guaranty  fund  of  $125,000,  and  an  undivided  surplus 
of  $118,000.  The  bank  has  paid  its  depositors,  during 
the  fifty-five  years  of  its  existence,  $1,343,095.30  in 
dividends,  and  $156,321.32  in  extra  dividends,  the 
rate  of  interest  being  at  four  and  five  per  centum  per 
annum  during  this  period. 

The  Merrimack  County  Savings-Bank  was  in- 
corporated duly  2,  1867,  and  organized  May  3,  1870. 
The  first  officers  were  as  follows : President,  Lyman 
D.  Stevens;  Vice-President,  David  A.  Warde;  Sec- 
retary and  Treasurer,  John  Kimball ; Trustees:  John 
M.  Hill,  Abel  B.  Holt,  Woodbridge  Odlin,  George  A. 
Cummings,  Calvin  Howe,  Moses  T.  Willard,  E.  W. 
Woodward,  William  M.  Chase,  Henry  McFarland, 
George  W.  Crockett,  Daniel  Holden,  Isaac  A.  Hill, 
Benjamin  A.  Kimball.  Lyman  D.  Stevens  is  the 
only  president,  and  John  Kimball  the  only  treasurer, 
from  the  organization  to  the  present  time. 

The  first  deposit  was  made  June  1,  1870,  by  Isaac 
Andrew  Hill,  of  Concord.  The  amount  of  deposits, 
June  1,  1885,  was  $797,665.17 ; the  amount  of  sur- 
plus, June  1,  1885,  was  $60,000. 

The  present  board  of  trustees  are  Lyman  D.  Ste- 
vens, William  M.  Chase,  John  Kimball,  John  M. 
Hill,  Woodbridge  Odlin,  George  A.  Cummings,  James 
L.  Mason,  George  W.  Crockett,  Daniel  Holden,  Isaac 
A.  Hill,  Leland  A.  Smith,  Lysander  H.  Carroll,  Ben- 
jamin A.  Kimball,  Henry  W.  Stevens,  Charles  H. 
Amsden. 

The  present  officers  are : President,  Lyman  D. 
Stevens;  Vice-President,  William  M.  Chase;  Secre- 
tary and  Treasurer,  John  Kimball;  Teller,  Frank  P. 
Andrews. 

Loan  and  Trust  Savings-Bank  was  incorporated 
at  the  June  session  of  1872,  with  the  following  incor- 
porators: J.  Everett  Sargent,  Asa  Fowler,  George  G. 
Fogg,  William  Butterfield,  John  V.  Barron,  James 
Peverly,  Nathaniel  White,  James  8.  Norris,  Calvin 
Howe  and  others. 

Hon.  J.  Everett  Sargent  was  elected  president  at 
the  first  meeting  of  the  bank,  and  has  held  the 
office  ever  since.  John  V.  Barron  was  first  treasurer, 
holding  the  office  till  1878. 


George  A.  Fernald  treasurer  from  1878  to  present 
time. 

The  present  trustees  are  J.  Everett  Sargent,  James 
S.  Norris,  Lewis  Downing,  Jr.,  John  F.  Jones,  Silas 
Curtis,  Howard  A.  Dodge,  John  H.  Barron,  George 
A.  Fernald,  Leander  W.  Cogswell,  William  K.  Mc- 
Farland, Paul  II.  Holden  and  Howard  L.  Porter. 

Committee  of  investment, — Sargent,  Norris,  Down- 
ing, Jones  and  Dodge. 

The  amount  of  deposits  May  2,  1885,  was  $1,564,- 
828.17. 

The  amount  of  assets,  same  date,  was  $1,689,758.25. 

The  Penacook  Savings-Bank  was  incorporated 
in  1869.  The  original  incorporators  were  Isaac  K. 
Gage,  Henry  H.  Brown,  Calvin  Gage,  Henry  H.  Ams- 
den, John  S.  Brown,  Nehemiah  Butler,  William  H. 
Allen,  John  C.  Gage,  David  A.  Brown,  Ezra  S. 
Harris,  John  Sawyer,  Austin  G.  Kimball,  Moses  H. 
Bean,  John  S.  Moore,  John  A.  Holmes,  Healy  Morse, 
Samuel  F.  Brown,  George  Hepler  and  David  Putnam 
and  associates. 

The  following  were  the  first  board  of  trustees  : 
Nehemiah  Butler,  Henry  H.  Amsden,  Henry  II. 
Brown,  Isaac  K.  Gage,  John  C.  Gage,  John  A. 
Holmes,  John  Sawyer,  John  S.  Moore,  Ezra  S.  Harris, 
W.  H.  Allen,  Enoch  G.  Wood,  John  C.  Linelian, 
David  Abbott,  Moses  U.  Bean,  John  S.  Brown. 

The  first  meeting  to  organize  was  held  August  14, 
1869.  Henry  H.  Brown  was  chosen  president,  and 
held  the  office  until  his  death,  in  September,  1873. 
Isaac  K.  Gage  was  chosen  president  October  13, 1873, 
and  is  the  present  incumbent. 

Samuel  F.  Brown  was  chosen  treasurer  and  secre- 
tary at  the  organization  of  the  bank,  and  has  con- 
tinued in  that  capacity  to  the  present  time. 

The  present  board  of  trustees  are  Isaac  K.  Gage, 
John  S.  Brown,  Charles  H.  Amsden,  Charles  E. 
Foote,  Thaddeus  O.  Wilson,  John  A.  Coburn,  Rufus 
I).  Scales,  Charles  H.  Sanders,  William  H.  Allen, 
John  C.  Linelian,  Nathaniel  S.  Gale,  Charles  M. 
Rolfe,  John  E.  Rines,  Abial  W.  Rolfe. 

In  December,  1878,  on  account  of  losses  by  a 
failure  in  the  place,  also  a law-suit  pending,  the  court 
ordered  a scale  down  of  deposits  of  thirty  per  cent. 
In  July,  1881,  fifteen  per  cent,  of  scale  down  was  re- 
stored to  the  depositors. 

Depositors  continued  still  to  withdraw  their 
deposits,  so  that  in  April,  1884,  the  bank  commis- 
sioners petitioned  the  court  to  appoint  an  assignee  to 
close  up  the  bank.  The  court  appointed  E.  H.  Wood- 
man and  S.  F.  Brown  assignees. 

After  the  scale  down  of  the  old  account  in 
1878,  a “new  account”  was  opened  to  those  who 
wished  to  deposit,  which  is  operated  by  the  officers 
of  the  bank  at  the  present  time ; this  new  account 
has  never  been  large,  never  exceeding  thirty-five 
thousand  dollars,  and  is  gradually  being  withdrawn, 
the  depositors  receiving  their  principal  and  interest 
in  full. 


94 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Count  Rumford. — A history  of  this  town  would  not 
be  complete  with  the  name  of  Major  Benjamin 
Thompson  (afterwards  Count  Rumford)  omitted. 
In  1775  the  spirit  of  liberty  ran  high,  and  Major 
Thompson  seems  to  have  fallen  under  suspicion  of 
Toryism,  which  finally  resulted  in  his  flight  from  the 
town.  He  was  a native  of  Woburn,  and  in  1775  had 
been  in  Concord  about  three  years  engaged  in  teach- 
ing school.  He  married  Sarah,  widow  of  Colonel 
Benjamin  Rolfe,1  and  daughter  of  Rev.  Timothy 
Walker.  In  1774  he  received  a commission  as  major 
in  the  New  Hampshire  militia  from  Governor 
John  Wentworth ; but  as  Governor  Wentworth  was 
known  to  favor  the  cause  of  the  crown,  the  people 
became  suspicious  of  Major  Thompson  because  he 
held  a commission  under  him.  Other  slight  causes 
increased  the  feeling  against  him  in  the  minds  of  his 
fellow-townsmen,  and  he  finally  left  Concord  and 
placed  himself  under  the  protection  of  General  Gage, 
in  Boston. 

His  subsequent  fortunes  (says  Dr.  Bouton,  in  speak- 
ing of  this  remarkable  personage)  are  the  most 
remarkable  that  ever  attended  any  person  whose  name 
is  recorded  in  our  history.  Driven  by  unreasonable 
suspicions  from  his  home,  his  wife  and  infant  child, 
forsaking  his  native  country  fora  foreign  service,  he 
became  the  associate  of  princes,  the  honored  favorite 
of  kings  and  the  commander  of  armies.  As  the 
promoter  and  founder  of  public  institutions  of  learn- 
ing and  beneficence,  his  genius  shone  resplendent 
among  the  literati  and  philosophers  of  Europe.  His 
name,  invested  with  honors  which  royalty  alone  can 
confer,  is  transmitted  to  posterity  as  that  of  the  friend 
of  mankind. 

In  January,  1776,  he  was  entrusted  by  General 
Gage  with  dispatches  to  Lord  Germaine,  in  England, 
then  Secretary  of  State  for  the  department  of  the 
colonies.  In  1780  he  was  appointed  under-secretary 
in  that  department.  Toward  the  close  of  the  Revo- 
lutionary War  he  obtained  the  commission  of  lieuten- 
ant-colonel, and  was  sent  to  New  York  in  command 
of  a regiment.  In  1784  the  King  conferred  on  him 
the  honor  of  knighthood.  Subsequently  he  went  to 
Germany,  and  atStrausbourg  was  introduced  to  Prince 
Maximilian,  and  then  to  His  Serene  Highness, 
the  Elector  Palatine,  reigning  Duke  of  Bavaria. 
From  the  Elector  he  received  all  the  honors  that 
could  be  conferred,  and,  among  others,  that  of  Count 
“of  the  holy  Roman  Empire ,”  to  which  Mr.  Thompson 
added  the  title,  Rumford,  in  remembrance  of  his  for- 


1  Colonel  Benjamin  Rolfe  was  one  of  the  most  opulent  and  influential 
of  Concord's  earliest  citizens.  He  was  born  in  Newbury,  Mass.,  in  1710, 
and  was  graduated  at  Harvard  College  in  1727.  He  came  to  Concord 
soon  after  its  settlement,  and  from  1731  to  1770  was  clerk  of  the  proprie- 
tary. In  1737  he  was  made  clerk  of  the  Massachusetts  and  New  Hamp- 
shire boundary  commission,  appointed  to  determine  the  line  between  the 
two  provinces.  He  was  also  for  many  years  town  clerk,  a colouel  of  the 
provincial  militia  and  a representative  in  the  General  Assembly.  He 
possessed  large  business  capacity,  and  was  ever  active  not  only  in  his  own 
affairs,  but  in  those  of  his  town  and  province  as  well. 


mer  residence.  Under  the  patronage  of  the  Elector, 
Charles  Theodore,  he  introduced  great  improvements 
in  the  condition  and  discipline  of  the  army.  At 
Munich,  in  1790,  he  suppressed  the  system  of  men- 
dicity which  widely  prevailed,  and  provided  houses 
of  public  industry,  in  which  beggars  were  supported 
and  required  to  labor.  Two  thousand  and  six  hun- 
dred of  this  class  were  put  in  in  a single  week,  and 
the  industrial  establishment  for  them,  which  at  first 
was  supported  by  voluntary  contributions,  came  to 
yield  to  the  State  a net  income  of  one  hundred  thou- 
sand florins.  In  grateful  remembrance  of  his  ser- 
vices and  benefactions,  a monument  is  erected  in 
Munich  to  his  honor.  Inscribed  beneath  his  bust  is 
the  following : 

“ To  him 

Who  rooted  out  the  greatest  of  public  evils, 

Idleness  and  Mendicity ; 

Relieved  and  instructed  the  Poor, 

And  founded  many  institutions  for  the  education  of  our  Youth. 

Go,  wanderer, 

And  strive  to  equal  him 
In  Genius  and  Activity  ; and  us 
In  Gratitude.” 

On  the  other  front  is  inscribed, — 

“Stay,  Wanderer  I 

At  the  creative  fiat  of  Charles  Theodore, 

Rumford,  the  Friend  of  Mankind, 

By  Genius,  Taste  and  Love  inspired, 

Changed  this  once  desert  place 
Into  what  thou  now  beholdest.” 

He  became  almost  the  object  of  idolatrous  regard 
by  the  poor.  At  one  time,  when  dangerously  ill,  they 
formed  processions,  and  went  to  the  church  to  pray 
for  his  recovery.  When  sick  at  Naples  they  devoted 
an  hour  each  evening  to  join  in  supplications  for  his 
restoration  to  health.  About  17941  he  sent  to  this 
country  for  his  daughter,  who  met  him  in  England, 
accompanied  him  to  Munich,  and  for  several  years 
afterwards  shared  his  fortunes.  For  his  services  in 
Bavaria  the  Elector  settled  on  him  a pension  for  life 
of  nearly  two  thousand  dollars,  one-half  of  which 
descended  to  his  daughter,  as  Countess  of  Rumford, 
during  her  life.  Returning  to  England,  he  assisted 
in  putting  in  operation  the  society  known  as  the 
Royal  Institution,  in  London,  about  1799.  He  after- 
wards located  himself  at  Paris,  married  the  widow  of 
the  celebrated  chemist,  Lavoisier,  and  with  her  resided 
at  Auteuil,  on  the  estate  of  her  former  husband, 
where  he  died  of  fever,  August  21,  1814,  in  the  sixty- 
second  year  of  his  age. 

He  bequeathed  the  annual  sum  of  one  thousand 
dollars  to  Harvard  College,  with  other  reversions,  to 
found  the  Rumford  professorship.  To  the  American 
Academy  he  also  made  a liberal  bequest. 

Sarah,  Countess  of  Rumford,  was  born  in  Con- 
cord, October  18,  1774.  A portion  of  her  early  life 
was  spent  with  her  paternal  grandmother,  at  Wo- 
burn. After  the  death  of  her  mother,  in  1792,  she 


1 Perhaps  as  early  as  1792. 


CONCORD. 


95 


went  to  Europe,  at  her  father’s  invitation,  and  was 
introduced  into  the  polite  and  fashionable  circles  of 
Bavaria,  of  Paris  and  of  London.  Between  the  death 
of  her  father  and  her  own  decease  she  visited  this 
country  two  or  three  times ; hut  her  principal  resi- 
dence was  at  Brompton,  near  London,  in  a house 
which  she  inherited  from  her  father.  A portion  of 
her  time  she  spent  in  Paris,  where  she  had  funds 
invested.  In  1845  she  returned  to  the  spot  where  she 
was  born,  to  live  and — to  die.  Occasionally  the 
countess  attended  public  worship  at  the  North 
Church,  and  visited  her  family  relatives  and  friends, 
hut  spent  most  of  her  time  in  adorning  the  grounds 
about  her  house.  By  her  habits  of  strict  economy 
the  property  she  inherited,  together  with  her  pension 
of  about  one  thousand  dollars,  had  accumulated  to  a 
very  considerable  sum  at  the  time  of  her  decease,  all 
which  she  disposed  of  by  will,  partly  to  family  con- 
nections, but  mostly  for  charitable  objects,  as  follows: 

To  the  Rolfe  and  Rumford  Asylum,  in  Concord, 
which  she  founded,  $5000  ; with  all  her  real  estate, 
appraised  at  $5000;  to  the  New  Hampshire  Asylum 
for  the  Insane,  $15,000  ; to  the  Concord  Female  Char- 
itable Society . $2000 ; to  the  Boston  Children’s  Friend 
Society,  $2000;  for  the  Fatherless  and  Widows’  So- 
ciety, Boston,  $2000. 

Several  rare  paintings,  which  she  inherited  from 
her  father,  were  given  to  Joseph  B.  Walker,  Esq.,  of 
this  city. 

The  Rolfe  and  Rumford  Asylum  was  opened  for 
the  reception  of  beneficiaries  January  15,  1880.  Its 
benefits  are  confined  to  native  female  children  of 
Concord. 

The  germinal  idea  of  this  institution  may  probably 
be  found  in  a circumstance  which  occurred  more 
than  eighty  years  ago  at  Munich,  iu  Bavaria,  where 
Count  Rumford,  then  in  the  service  of  the  reigning 
Elector,  was  living  with  his  daughter. 

One  of  the  most  important  enterprises  which  the 
count  had  originated,  and  carried  to  full  success  in 
that  country,  was  the  establishment  of  an  institution 
known  as  the  House  of  Industry.  Through  its 
agency  large  numbers  of  idle  beggars  had  been  con- 
verted to  respectable  and  self-supporting  citizens.  It 
became  very  pojtular,  and  excited  much  interest  in 
all  Europe. 

To  pay  her  respects  to  her  father,  on  his  forty- 
fourth  birth-day,  the  countess  called  upon  him  on  the 
26th  of  March,  1797,  accompanied  by  a dozen  boys 
and  girls  from  the  House  of  Industry.  The  count 
was  so  much  affected  by  this  incident  that  he  re- 
solved that  it  should  not  he  forgotten.  He  made  the 
countess  a present  of  two  thousand  dollars  in  three 
per  cent,  stock  of  the  United  States,  the  income  to 
be  appropriated  to  clothe,  annually,  October  23d,  for- 
ever, twelve  poor  and  industrious  children.  The 
count  and  countess  decided  that  the  place  for  the 
bestowal  of  this  charity  should  be  the  town  of  Con- 
cord. 


Some  correspondence  took  place  with  the  selectmen 
of  Concord  in  relation  to  the  subject,  hut  nothing 
further  was  done  during  the  life-time  of  the  count. 
His  daughter  cherished  through  life  the  purpose 
of  ultimately  carrying  into  effect  the  original  design 
of  her  father,  or  of  establishing  some  equivalent 
substitute  for  it. 

By  her  will,  she  gave  to  it  all  her  real  estate  and  a 
cash  endowment  of  fifteen  thousand  dollars.  The 
latter,  deemed  inadequate  for  the  support  of  the  in- 
stitution contemplated,  has  been  carefully  cared  for, 
and  now  forms  a fund  affording  an  income  sufficient 
for  its  support. 

The  building  thus  far  used  was  formerly  the  man- 
sion-house of  the  Rolfe  and  Rumford  families.  In 
it  the  founder  was  born,  October  18,  1774.  In  it, 
after  a long  and  varied  life  in  this  country  and  in 
Europe,  she  died,  December,  1852. 

About  1764,  Colonel  Benjamin  Rolfe  erected  on 
the  west  hank  of  the  Merrimack,  at  the  Eleven  Lots, 
the  house  now  occupied  by  this  institution.  For  that 
time  and  this  locality  it  was  an  elegant  mansion,  and 
the  best,  doubtless,  in  this  section  of  New  Hampshire. 
Soon  after  its  completion,  wearied  of  his  bachelor 
life,  he  married  Sarah,  eldest  daughter  of  the  town 
minister,  Rev.  Timothy  Walker,  and  set  up  therein 
his  household  gods.  At  the  time  of  their  marriage 
he  was  some  sixty  years  of  age,  and  his  wife  about 
thirty.  They  had  lived  together  but  two  or  three 
years  when  Colonel  Rolfe  died,  leaving  to  his  widow 
and  their  only  son,  Paul,  the  largest  lauded  estate  iu 
Concord. 

The  asylum  was  incorporated  as  the  Rolfe  and 
Rumford  Asylum,  July  3,  1872,  the  following  per- 
sons being  named  a body  corporate:  Joseph  B. 

Walker,  Ebenezer  S.  Towle,  Enoch  Gerish,  Jesse  P. 
Bancroft  and  Francis  A.  Fisk. 

New  Hampshire  Bible  Society.1 — The  suggestion 
to  form  a Bible  Society  for  the  State  of  New  Hamp- 
shire was  first  made  at  the  meeting  of  the  General 
Association  of  Congregational  Ministers,  at  Exeter, 
in  1810. 

The  next  year,  at  the  meeting  of  the  same  body,  at 
Dunbarton,  it  was  decided  to  form  such  a society.  A 
committee  was  appointed  to  prepare  an  address  to 
Christians  of  all  denominations,  inviting  them  to 
unite  in  such  an  organization,  to  draw  up  a constitu- 
tion and  to  call  the  first  meeting  of  the  society. 
This  meeting  was  held  in  Concord,  June  3,  1812. 
The  constitution  reported  was  adopted,  and  the  fol- 
lowing officers  were  chosen:  Hon.  John  Langdon, 
president;  Rev.  Seth  Payson,  D.D.,  vice-president; 
Rev.  John  H.  Church,  secretary;  Jonathan  Wilkins, 
Esq.,  treasurer;  Daniel  Emerson,  Esq.,  Rev.  Joseph 
Smith,  Major  John  Mills,  Rev.  Reed  Page,  directors. 

The  object  of  the  society  was  “ to  promote  the 
more  extensive  distribution  of  the  Holy  Bible.”  This 


1 By  Rev.  F.  D.  Ayer. 


96 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


was  to  be  pursued  by  distributing,  gratuitously, 
among  the  destitute  and  needy,  and  by  selling  at  re- 
duced price  to  all,  Bibles  and  Testaments. 

The  method  of  work  adopted,  was  to  carry  copies 
of  the  Bible  to  every  home  in  the  State,  and  offer, 
by  sale  or  gift,  these  to  every  family. 

The  conviction  from  which  the  work  started  has 
continued  it,  viz.,  that  every  individual,  every  family, 
needed  the  Bible,  and,  in  some  way,  should  have  it. 

The  feeling  was  that  the  home  and  the  State  could 
be  safe  only  as  the  people  were  familiar  with,  and 
obedient  to,  the  truths  of  God’s  word. 

This  widespread  feeling  gave  the  society  at  once 
the  hearty  support  of  the  different  denominations, 
and  of  the  great  body  of  the  people.  In  four  years 
from  its  formation,  four  thousand  six  hundred  Bibles 
and  one  thousand  five  hundred  Testaments  had  been 
placed  in  the  homes  of  the  State.  This  was  more 
than  it  now  seems,  for  the  greater  part  of  the  State 
was  new  and  books  expensive. 

In  1815  a young  man  in  New  Ipswich  printed  an 
edition  of  the  New  Testament,  five  thousand  copies, 
and  the  society  purchased  one  thousand  copies,  which 
cost,  when  bound,  fifty  cents  a copy. 

This  year  Hon.  Timothy  Farrer  received  a com- 
munication from  the  president  of  the  New  Jersey 
Society,  proposing  a union  of  the  Bible  Societies  of 
the  country.  There  were  then  one  hundred  and 
thirty  local  societies. 

According  to  this  suggestion,  the  American  Bible 
Society  was  organized  May  8,  1816,  in  New  York. 

Of  this  society  Bibles  were  purchased,  and  to  it 
surplus  funds  donated  by  the  State  Society. 

Rev.  Nathan  Lord,  in  the  report  of  this  society  in 
1824,  suggested  that  Ladies’  Bible  Societies  should  be 
organized,  and  in  a few  years  there  were  more  than 
one  hundred  in  the  State,  the  contributions  from 
which  were  not  far  from  one  thousand  dollars  a year. 

County  Bible  Societies  were  formed  as  early  iis  1828. 

The  American  Bible  Society  voted,  in  1829,  to 
furnish  every  destitute  family  in  the  United  States 
with  a copy  of  the  Bible  within  two  years.  This 
society  heartily  joined  in  that  work,  and  pledged 
twelve  thousand  dollars  to  aid  it.  In  1836  it  was  re- 
ported that  this  society,  in  the  twenty  years  since  the 
organization  of  the  American  Bible  Society,  had  paid 
into  its  treasury  $16,922.18  as  donations,  and  $18,- 
949.66  for  books. 

In  1845,  Rev.  Henry  W.  Adams  was  appointed 
agent  of  the  American  Bible  Society  for  New  Hamp- 
shire and  Maine. 

In  1850,  Rev.  Isaac  Willey  was  chosen  secretary, 
with  instructions  to  watch  over  the  interests  of  the 
society,  and  to  present  its  claims  at  the  various  pub- 
lic meetings  of  the  different  denominations  in  the 
State.  Rev.  Joseph  Lane,  the  secretary  for  ten  years 
preceding,  had,  by  great  fidelity  and  industry,  pre- 
pared the  way  for  the  work  which  Mr.  Willey  took 
up  with  devotion  and  energy. 


The  annual  meetings  were  held  in  connection  with 
the  General  Association  of  Congregational  and  Pres- 
byterian Churches  without  dissent  till  1852,  when  it 
was  proposed  to  hold  them,  as  mass-meetings,  at 
Concord.  The  proposition  was  not  adopted  till  ten 
years  later. 

Deacon  William  G.  Brown  began  his  work  as  agent 
for  the  society  in  1852,  and  as  agent  and  superin- 
tendent has  continued  in  its  service. 

Rev.  Isaac  Willey  accepted  an  appointment  as 
agent  of  the  American  Bible  Society  for  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  began  work  April,  1853. 

This  society  entered  heartily  into  the  second  gen- 
eral canvass  of  the  whole  country,  by  the  American 
Society  in  1856,  and  entered  vigorously  into  the  sup- 
ply of  the  State,  and  contributed  to  the  general  fund. 

This  year  it  was  proposed  to  form  county  societies 
where  none  existed,  and  reform  such  as  were  ineffi- 
cient. Rev.  Isaac  Willey  entered  earnestly  into  this 
work,  presenting  it  to  the  people  and  arranging  for 
organization.  The  plan  was  to  unite  all  denomina- 
tions, organize  the  work,  report  methods  and  the 
work  done,  awaken  interest  by  discourse  and  discus- 
sion and  thus  give  efficiency  to  the  work,  and  raise 
money  to  carry  it  on.  Fifteen  of  these  societies  were 
organized,  and  they  continue  to  be  of  great  aid  in 
the  work,  and  the  meetings  are  now,  often,  gather- 
ings of  great  spiritual  blessing  and  power. 

The  work  of  supplying  the  State  by  visiting  every 
family  in  it  is  steadily  pursued.  About  one-third  of 
the  State  is  visited  yearly,  and  all  the  destitute  who 
will,  by  purchase  or  gift,  accept  a Bible  are  supplied. 
Each  canvass  of  the  entire  State  reports  about  seven 
hundred  Protestant  families  destitute.  This  work  is 
now  under  the  charge  of  the  efficient  superintendent, 
Deacon  William  Brown,  who  has  had  full  care  of  it 
since  the  resignation  of  Rev.  I.  Willey  as  agent  in 
1873.  The  faithful  labor  of  Mr.  Willey  for  so  many 
years  in  all  parts  of  the  State  is  still  fruitful  of  good, 
and  the  work  for  years  to  come  will  be  largely  upon 
foundations  which  he  laid.  He  died  at  Pembroke, 
October  25,  1883,  aged  ninety  years.  The  report  of 
1871  records  the  death  of  Rev.  Benjamin  P.  Stone, 
D.D.,  who  was  treasurer  and  depositary  of  the 
society  for  sixteen  years. 

The  third  general  canvass  of  the  country,  in  1866, 
and  the  one  began  in  1882,  were  accepted,  as  were 
the  preceding,  and  this  society  not  only  cared  for  the 
State,  but  generously  aided  in  the  general  supply. 

In  this  hist  canvass  of  this  State,  just  completed, 
the  superintendent  reports:  246  towns  visited;  76,760 
families  called  upon ; 704  Protestant  families  found 
without  a Bible;  4143  copies  given  away;  18,356 
copies  sold. 

At  the  seventy-third  annual  meeting,  held  in  Con- 
cord June,  1884,  it  was  reported  that  the  receipts  of 
the  society  since  its  organization  amounted  to  $310,- 
667.13.  It  has  distributed  about  five  hundred  and 
twenty-five  thousand  copies  in  this  State. 


CONCORD. 


97 


The  present  officers  are : President,  Hon.  Edward 
Spalding,  Nashua;  Vice-Presidents,  Hon.  J.  E.  Sar- 
gent, Rev.  Silas  Curtis,  Rev.  Sullivan  Holman ; 
Directors,  Rev.  G.  W.  Norris,  John  C.  Thorn,  Moses 
B.  Smith,  A.  J.  Prescott;  Secretary,  Rev.  F.  D. 
Ayer;  Treasurer  and  Depositary,  Hon.  John  Kim- 
ball; Superintendent,  Deacon  W.  G.  Brown;  Audit- 
ors, Woodbridge  Odlin,  Hon.  L.  D.  Stevens. 

Physicians. — The  first  physician  in  what  is  now 
Concord  was  Dr.  Ezra  Carter,  who  settled  here  in 
about  1740.  In  1742  he  married  Ruth,  only  daughter 
of  Captain  Ebenezer  Eastman,  who,  at  the  time  of 
her  marriage,  was  but  thirteen  years  of  age.  Accord- 
ing to  family  tradition,  their  first  child  was  born 
before  she  was  fourteen  years  old.  After  marriage 
Ruth  retained  her  love  for  childish  sports;  and,  on 
one  occasion,  the  doctor,  on  returning  home,  found 
his  wife  playing  with  other  children  on  the  liay-mow. 

A Dr.  Emery  resided  here  a short  time,  and 
moved  to  Fryeburg,  Me. 

Dr.  Ebenezer  Hander  Goss,  of  Bolton,  Mass., 
settled  in  Concord  about  1770,  and  married  a daugh- 
ter of  Rev.  Timothy  Walker.  He  lived  at  the  north 
end  of  Main  Street,  where  Mr.  Charles  Smart  resides; 
set  out  the  elm-trees  before  the  house;  held  important 
offices  in  town;  was  surgeon  in  the  army  under  Gen- 
eral Stark;  a man  of  eccentric  habits;  tall,  and  of 
strongly-marked  features.  He  moved  to  Brunswick, 
Me.,  where  he  died  at  an  advanced  age. 

Dr.  Philip  MaoCarrigain,  of  Scotch  descent, 
born  in  the  city  of  New  York,  1740;  studied  medi- 
cine in  Haverhill,  Mass.;  came  to  Concord,  1768; 
died  August,  1806.  He  married  a daughter  of  the 
late  Thomas  Clough,  Esq.,  of  Canterbury.  Dr. 
Carrigain  had  an  extensive  practice,  and  was  famous 
for  surgical  skill. 

Dr.  Peter  Green  came  to  Concord  in  1772. 

Dr.  Samuel  Adams,  from  Lincoln,  Mass.,  ivas  a 
resident  in  Concord  about  1796. 

Dr.  G.  Gridley  was  in  Concord  about  1798;  mar- 
ried a daughter  of  David  George,  Esq. 

Dr.  Zadok  Howe,  from  Franklin,  Mass.,  was  in 
practice  in  Concord  about  twelve  years  prior  to  1814, 
when  he  relinquished  his  business  to  his  partner,  Dr. 
Thomas  Chadbourue,  and  moved  to  Boston.  He  was 
distinguished  for  scientific  skill. 

Dr.  Thomas  Chadbourne,  son  of  the  late  Dr. 
William  Chadbourne,  of  Conway,  came  to  Concord, 
1814;  married  a daughter  of  Dr.  Peter  Green. 

Dr.  Benjamin  Parker,  from  Bradford,  Mass., 
was  in  Concord  a short  time — not  far  from  1818.  He 
lived  in  a house  on  Pleasant  Street,  afterwards  owned 
by  Samuel  Fletcher,  Esq.,  where  the  Baptist  Church 
stands. 

Dr.  Alexander  Ramsey,  a native  of  Scotland, 
delivered  lectures  on  anatomy  and  physiology  in 
Concord  and  other  places  in  New  Hampshire  from 
1808  to  1823.  He  died  at  Parsonsfield,  Me.,  1824. 

Dr.  Moses  Long,  a native  of  Hopkintou,  N.  H., 
7 


commenced  practice  in  Concord  East  village,  in 
1813.  He  moved  from  Concord,  1824. 

Dr.  Henry  Bond  was  a native  of  Livermore, 
Me.;  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College,  1813;  was 
tutor,  1815;  received  his  medical  degree  in  1817. 
He  practiced  in  Concord  from  1816  until  1820,  when 
he  removed  to  Philadelphia. 

Dr.  Moses  Chandler,  a native  of  Fryeburg, 
Me.,  commenced  practice  in  Concord,  1816;  was  a 
surgeon  on  board  of  a privateer  that  sailed  out  of 
Portsmouth  in  1813.  He  was  a tall,  stout,  athletic 
man,  and  devoted  to  his  profession.  He  died  Sep- 
tember 2,  1825. 

Dr.  Peter  Renton  came  from  Scotland  and  set- 
tled in  Concord,  1822.  His  practice  soon  became 
very  extensive,  both  in  Concord  and  neighboring 
towns.  He  removed  to  Boston  in  1843  or  1844, 
where  he  has  an  extensive  and  lucrative  practice. 

Dr.  Samuel  Morrill,  a brother  of  Hon.  David 

L.  Morrill,  came  to  Concord,  1819,  from  Epsom, 
where  lie  had  practiced  nineteen  years,  and  held 
important  offices.  In  1826  he  received  the  honorary 
degree  of  M.D.  from  Dartmouth  College;  was  ap- 
pointed justice  of  the  Court  of  Sessions  for  the 
county  of  Rockingham,  1821 ; register  of  deeds  for 
the  county  of  Merrimack,  1823,  which  he  held  till 
1828,  when  he  was  elected  State  treasurer.  In  1829 
he  was  chosen  treasurer  of  the  New  Hampshire 
Branch  Education  Society;  in  1830,  treasurer  of  the 
New  Hampshire  Savings-Bank.  He  was  a deacon  of 
the  First  Congregational  Church. 

Dr.  Richard  Russell  resided  in  Concord  about 
three  years  previous  to  1824,  but  spent  most  of  his 
life  in  practice  in  Wakefield  and  Somersworth,  at 
which  latter  place  he  died,  May  22,  1855,  aged  about 
seventy. 

Dr.  Elijah  Colby,  son  of  Isaac  Colby,  of  Hop- 
kinton,  N.  H.,  born  June  18,  1798;  graduated  at  the 
Medical  College  in  Hanover,  1823,  and  the  same 
year  commenced  practice  in  the  East  village  of  Con- 
cord. In  April,  1838,  he  moved  to  New  Bedford,  Mass. 

Dr.  Ezra  Carter  received  the  medical  degree  of 

M. D.  at  Bowdoin  College  in  1824;  commenced  prac- 
tice in  1825,  in  his  native  town ; next  year  he 
removed  to  Loudon;  returned  to  Concord  in  1828, 
where  he  has  remained  in  large  practice  till  the 
present  time.  Representative  in  1836  and  1837. 
He  was  commissioned  justice  of  the  peace  in  1837  ; 
in  1844  and  1845  was  president  of  the  Centre  District 
Medical  Society,  and  in  1852  president  of  the  New 
Hampshire  Medical  Society.  He  was  father  of  Dr. 
William  G.  Carter. 

Dr.  Edward  B.  Moore,  of  Lancaster,  practiced 
in  Concord  about  six  months,  in  1828. 

Dr.  Josedh  Reynolds  came  to  Concord  in  1828. 

Dr.  Nathaniel  Wheat  came  from  Candia  to 
Concord  in  1834,  and  remained  till  1837. 

Dr.  Josiah  Kittredge  came  to  Concord  in  1837, 
remaining  a year  or  two. 


98 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Dr.  Robert  Lane,  of  Sutton,  came  to  Concord 
about  1837,  but  remained  only  a short  time.  His 
daughter  married  George  W.  Ela,  Esq. 

Dr.  Thomas  Brown  was  in  practice  in  Concord 
from  1831  till  1837. 

Dr.  Timothy  Haynes,  a native  of  Alexandria, 
N.  H.,  born  September  5,  1810;  took  his  medical 
degree  at  the  Jefferson  Medical  College,  in  Philadel- 
phia, 1836,  and  immediately  after  commenced  the 
practice  of  medicine  and  surgery  in  Concord,  where 
he  resided  until  his  death,  a short  time  since. 

Dr.  Charees  Pinckney  Gage,  born  in  Hopkin- 
ton  April  5,  1811;  took  his  degree  at  the  Medical 
College  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  1837,  and  remained  in 
that  city  a year,  when  he  came  to  Concord,  where  he 
still  resides  in  active  practice,  and  is  the  oldest  physi- 
cian in  the  city. 

Dr.  Henry  0.  Stone,  from  Salem,  Mass.,  had  an 
office  in  Concord  in  1845,  and  remained  four  or  five 
years. 

Dr.  Daniel  J.  Hoyt  studied  medicine  with  Dr. 
Peter  Renton,  and  commenced  practice  in  Concord 
in  1840;  next  year  he  removed  to  Manchester,  where 
he  died  July  13,  1847. 

Dr.  Tsaac  Colby  came  to  Concord  in  the  fall  of 
1839,  and  remained  about  one  year  and  a half.  In 
1 854  he  returned  to  Concord. 

Dr.  Moses  Carter  came  to  Concord,  in  poor 
health,  1842.  He  had  a large  experience  in  small- 
pox, and  was  usually  employed  as  town  physician  for 
persons  in  that  disease.  He  resided  in  Concord  till 
1854,  when  he  moved  to  Sanbornton  Bridge. 

Dr.  Jonathan  C.  Prescott  came  to  Concord  in 
1843.  He  died,  after  a most  distressing  sickness,  of 
disease  of  the  kidneys,  February  13,  1844,  in  the 
forty-ninth  year  of  his  age. 

Dr.  Ebenezer  G.  Moore,  a native  of  Dorchester, 
N.  PI.,  came  to  Concord  in  1844,  where  he  resided 
until  his  death. 

Dr.  George  Chandler  came  to  Concord,  from 
Worcester,  Mass.,  in  October,  1842,  as  the  first  super- 
intendent of  the  New  Hampshire  Asylum  for  the  In- 
sane, and  continued  in  charge  of  that  institution 
until  1845,  when  he  was  appointed  superintendent  of 
the  State  Lunatic  Hospital  of  Massachusetts. 

Dr.  Benjamin  H.  Tripp  came  to  Concord  in  1843. 
He  left  in  1849. 

Dr.  William  Prescott,  born  in  Sanbornton 
December  29,  1788.  He  came  to  Concord  in  1845. 

Dr.  Moore  Russell  Fletcher  opened  an  office 
in  Concord  in  1845.  Here  he  remained  two  years. 

Dr.  Andrew  McFarland  was  appointed  superin- 
tendent and  physician  of  theNew  Hampshire  Asylum 
for  the  Insane  in  August,  1845.  In  1850  he  made  a 
tour  in  Europe,  and  after  his  return  published  an 
entertaining  volume,  called  “ The  Escape.”  Dr.  Mc- 
Farland  resigned  his  office  at  the  asylum  in  1852, 
and  in  1854  was  appointed  superintendent  of  the 
State  Lunatic  Hospital  of  Illinois,  at  Jacksonville. 


Dr.  James  F.  Sargent,  born  in  Warner  July  4, 
1810  ; came  to  Concord  1847. 

Dr.  Ephraim  F.  Wilson  came  to  Concord  East 
village,  1849.  In  1854  he  removed  to  Rockville, 
Conn. 

Dr.  William  IP.  Smart  was  born  in  Hopkinton 
April  8,  1810  ; came  to  Concord  1849. 

Dr.  Edward  H.  Parker,  son  of  Isaac  Parker, 
Esq.,  of  Boston,  opened  an  office  in  Concord  1850; 
removed  to  New  York. 

Dr.  Alpheus  Morrill,  a native  of  Canterbury, 
came  to  Concord  1849.  He  was  the  father  of  Drs. 
Shadrack  and  Ezekiel  Morrill. 

Dr.  Benjamin  S.  Warren,  a native  of  Peacham, 
Vt. ; graduated  at  the  Medical  College  in  Cincinnati, 
Ohio;  came  to  Concord  in  1849,  and  is  still  in  prac- 
tice. 

Dr.  John  Eugene  Tyler  was  superintendentof  the 
New  Hampshire  Asylum  for  the  Insane,  at  Concord  ; 
was  born  in  Boston  December  9,  1819. 

William  H.  Hosmer  graduated  from  Dartmouth 
College  in  1838;  has  practiced  in  P'isherville  thirty- 
seven  years. 

C.  A.  Lockerby,  Dartmouth  Medical  College,  set- 
tled here  in  1854. 

J.  P.  Banuroft  graduated  from  Dartmouth  Medi- 
cal College  in  1845;  was  superintendent  of  the  State 
Insane  Asylum  for  years. 

C.  C.  Toplife,  Fisherville,  since  1858. 

H.  G.  McIntire  graduated  from  Harvard  Medical 
College  ; settled  here  in  1860. 

J.  H.  Ga llinger  graduated  from  Ohio  Medical 
College  in  1858;  settled  here  in  1862. 

S.  C.  Morrill  graduated  from  Harvard  Medical 
College  in  1862,  and  has  practiced  here  since. 

G.  P.  Conn  graduated  from  Medical  College  in 
1855  ; settled  in  1863. 

A.  H.  Robin, son  graduated  from  Yale  Medical 
College  in  1863  ; practiced  here  since. 

A.  IP.  Crosby  graduated  from  Dartmouth  Medical 
College  in  1857  ; settled  here  in  1864. 

II.  B.  Tebbets,  Harvard  Medical  College  in  1835  ; 
not  in  practice. 

J.C.  W.  Moore  graduated  from  Bowdoin  Medical 
College  in  1865,  and  has  practiced  here  since. 

E.  W.  Abbott  has  been  here  about  twenty  years. 

Moses  W.  Russell  graduated  from  Dartmouth 
Medical  College  in  1863 ; settled  here  in  1867. 

J.  W.  Varney  graduated  from  University  of  Ver- 
mont in  1841 ; settled  here  in  1869. 

William  G.  Carter  graduated  from  Harvard 
Medical  College  in  1869,  and  has  practiced  here 
since. 

E.  H.  Foster  graduated  from  Bowdoin  Medical 
College  in  1866  ; settled  here  in  1872. 

F.  A.  Stillings  graduated  from  Dartmouth  Medi- 
cal College  in  1870;  located  here  in  1872. 

E.  Morrill  graduated  from  Castleton  (Vt.)  Medi- 
cal College  in  1857  ; settled  here  in  1874. 


CONCORD. 


99 


George  Cook  graduated  from  Dartmouth  Medical 
College  in  18(58  ; located  in  Concord  in  1875. 

B.  R.  Benner  graduated  from  College  of  Physi- 
cians and  Surgeons,  New  York,  in  1875;  was  assistant 
physician  at  Insane  Asylum. 

A.  R.  Dearborn  graduated  from  Bowdoin  Medi- 
cal College;  settled  here  in  1876. 

C.  R.  Walker  graduated  from  Harvard  Medical 
College  in  1877,  and  settled  here  soon  after. 

D.  E.  Harriman  graduated  from  Dartmouth  Medi- 
cal College  in  1877. 

Charles  I.  Lane  graduated  from  Hahnemann 
Medical  College,  Philadelphia,  in  1878. 

E.  0.  Piersons  graduated  from  Dartmouth  Medi- 
cal College  in  1878 ; was  assistant  physician  at  asy- 
lum. 

A.  E.  Emery  graduated  from  University  of  Ver- 
mont in  1865 ; located  in  Fisherville  in  1879,  where 
he  is  still  in  practice. 

Henry  M.  French  graduated  from  Dartmouth 
Medical  College  in  1878;  settled  in  Concord  in  1882. 

The  following  is  a complete  list  of  the  present 
physicians : 

E.  W.  Abbott,  Anson  C.  Alexander,  Jesse  P.  Bancroft,  William  G.  Car- 
ter, Joseph  Chase,  Jr.,  A.  P.  Chesley,  G.  P.  Conn,  George  Cook,  A.  H. 
Crosby,  Herbert  C.  Cummings,  Alfred  E.  Emery,  Edward  H.  Foster, 
Henry  M.  French,  C.  P.  Gage,  Jacob  H.  Gal  linger,  John  B.  Girnney, 

E.  E.  Graves,  Mrs.  Lucinda  S.  Hall,  Robert  Hall,  Fred  A.  Hoit,  W.  H. 
Hosmer,  S.  I).  Marden,  Harvey  G.  Mclntire,  John  C.  W.  Moore,  Ezekiel 
Morrill,  S.  C.  Morrill,  N.  C.  Nutting,  Abraham  H.  Robinson,  Julia  Wal- 
lace Russell,  Moses  W.  Russell,  F.  A.  Stillings,  Hiram  lb  Tebbets, 
Charles  R.  Walker,  Benjamin  S.  Warren,  Irving  A.  Watson. 

City  Hospital. — The  first  meeting  of  the  citizens 
of  Concord  interested  in  the  establishment  of  a hos- 
pital was  called  July  3,  1884.  At  a subsequent 
meeting  the  Hospital  Association  was  organized,  a 
board  of  officers  elected  and  a committee  appointed 
to  find  a suitable  location  or  house  for  a hospital. 
The  house  situated  on  the  corner  of  Allison  and 
Turnpike  Streets  was  eventually  leased  for  that  pur- 
pose, for  a term  of  two  years  from  October  1,  1884, 
with  the  privilege,  during  that  time  or  at  the  expira- 
tion of  it,  of  buying  the  house  and  land  for  six  thou- 
sand dollars. 

Early  in  October  work  began  upon  the  premises, 
and  changes  and  improvements  have  been  made 
since,  from  time  to  time,  as  the  necessities  of  the 
hospital  required. 

The  hospital  opened  October  20th,  and  nine  pa- 
tients have  been  treated  since  that  time. 

The  present  officers  are  as  follows:  Oliver  Pills- 
bury,  president;  Francis  L.  Abbot,  clerk;  William 

F.  Thayer,  treasurer.  Trustees:  For  the  term  ending 
January,  1886,  Henry  J.  Crippin,  P.  B.  Cogswell, 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  P.  Scliiitz;  for  the  term  ending  Jan- 
uary, 1887,  John  A.  White,  Joseph  C.  A.  Hill,  Mrs. 
F.  C.  Stevens;  for  the  term  ending  January,  1888, 
Samuel  C.  Eastman,  Mrs.  Mary  Stearns,  Mrs.  Lydia 
P.  Lund. 

Fire  Department. — III  about  the  year  1825  the  Fire 


Department  was  managed  by  what  were  called  “fire 
wards,”  appointed  by  the  town,  who,  on  occasions  of 
fire,  bore  aloft  the  distinguishing  badge  of  their  office, 
a staff  five  feet  long,  painted  red  and  headed  with  a 
bright  spire  six  inches  long,  with  a blue  ribbon 
streaming  from  the  apex.  In  1825,  and  for  some 
years  later,  there  were  only  two  small  fire-engines  in 
the  main  village,  one  of  them  called  the  “Literary,” 
which  was  worked  by  a brake,  six  men  on  each  side, 
with  a hose  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet  in  length, 
without  any  suction  hose.  Among  the  engine-men  of 
1827  were  Francis  N.  Fisk,  John  George,  John 
Nast,  Dr.  Moses  Chandler,  Jeremiah  Pecker,  Orlando 
Brown,  Richard  Bradley,  Robert  Davis,  Samuel  Coffin, 
Charles  Herbert,  Richard  Herbert,  Luther  Roby 
(chief  engineer,  1827),  James  Bushnell  and  S.  A. 
Kimball. 

The  present  Fire  Department  is  one  of  the  most 
efficient  in  the  State.  It  is  under  the  management  ot 
the  Hon.  John  M.  Hill,  than  whom  there  is  no  more 
capable  or  efficient  fire  officer  in  New  Hampshire. 

The  force  of  the  department  is  as  follows:  In  the 
precinct,  at  the  Central  Station,  two  second-class 
Amoskeag  steamers, — “Kearsarge,”  with  “Kearsarge 
Hose”  (sixteen  men),  and  “Governor  Hill,”  relief 
steamer,  with  “ Eagle  Hose  ” (thirteen  men).  The 
hose-carriages  are  both  of  Amoskeag  manufacture, 
first-class,  and  drawn  by  horses.  Hook-and-ladder 
carriage,  “City  of  Concord”  (twenty  men).  All  the 
men  in  these  companies  are  call  men.  The  perma- 
nent employes  are  steward,  assistant  steward  and 
three  drivers.  There  are  six  horses,  besides  the 
steward’s  horse,  always  held  within  reasonable  dis- 
tance to  respond  to  an  alarm. 

The  “Alert  Hose”  (twelve  men),  at  the  north  end, 
and  the  “Good-Will  Hose”  (twelve  men),  at  the  south 
end,  are  each  provided  with  a horse,  kept  constantly 
at  a hack-stable  adjoining  the  hose-houses.  The 
“Alert”  uses  a modern  department  wagon,  and  the 
“Good-Will”  a second-class  Amoskeag  four-wheel 
carriage.  Each  has  the  swinging  harness.  The  men 
are  all  call  men. 

The  “Pioneer”  steamer,  at  Penaeook  (thirty  men), 
is  a fourth-class  Silsby,  with  a second-class  Amoskeag 
hose-carriage.  The  steamer  can  be  drawn  by  horses 
or  by  hand,  as  necessity  may  require.  Horses  are 
held  available. 

The  “Old  Fort,”  at  East  Concord,  and  the  “Cata- 
ract,” at  West  Concord,  are  hand-engines,  with  jump- 
ers for  hose.  Their  complement  of  men  is  thirty  each. 

The  board  of  engineers  consists  of  chief  and  three 
assistants  in  the  precinct,  and  one  assistant  each  at 
Penaeook,  East  Concord  and  West  Concord.  Tho 
entire  force  numbers  one  hundred  and  seventy-five 
men. 

The  following  is  the  list  of  officers  of  the  depart- 
ment for  1885 : 

Chief  Engineer,  John  M.  Hill.  Assistant  Engineers : Precinct,  Jo- 
seph S.  Merrill,  Daniel  B.  Newhall,  Benjamin  F.  Tucker;  Ward  1, 


100 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


William  W.  Alien  ; Ward  2,  John  E.  Frye  ; Ward  3,  Harrison  Partridge  ; 
D.  B.  Newhall,  clerk  of  board  : Eben  F.  Richardson,  steward  Central 
Fire  Station  and  superintendent  fire  alarm  ; George  L.  Osgood,  assistant 
at  Central  Station. 

Kearsarge  Steam  Fire-Engine  and  Hose  Company,  No.  2. — John  J. 
McNulty,  foreman  ; Charles  C.  Blanchard,  assistant  foreman  ; William 
C.  Green,  clerk;  James  H.  Sanders,  engineer  and  treasurer.  Steamer 
“Kearsarge”  is  a second-class  Amoskeag,  drawn  by  double  horses 
Hose-carriage  is  a four-wheel  first-class  Amoskeag,  drawn  by  single 
horse. 

Eagle  Hose  Company,  No.  1. — Relief  steamer  “Governor  Hill,”  No.  1, 
is  assigned  to  this  company,  Charles  H.  Sanders,  engineer.  John  H. 
Toof,  foreman  ; George  W.  Johnson,  assistant  foreman  ; James  Hoit, 
clerk  and  treasurer.  Steamer  “ Governor  Hill  ” is  a second-class  Amos- 
keag, drawn  by  double  horses.  Hose-carriage  is  a four-wheel  first-class 
Amoskeag,  drawn  by  a single  horse. 

Alert  Ilose  Company,  No.  2. — Charles  A.  Davis,  foreman  ; Henry 
Tucker,  assistant  foreman  ; Fred.  Leighton,  clerk  ; Fred.  S.  Johnson, 
freasurer;  Fred.  Earl,  steward.  Hose-wagon  is  a modern  department 
wagon  of  Concord  manufacture, — W.  S.  Davis  & Son.  It  is  drawn  by 
a single  horse. 

Good-Will  Hose  Company,  No.  3. — William  A.  Bean,  foreman  ; John 
C.  Mills,  assistant  foreman;  Frank  II.  Blanchard,  clerk;  Samuel  D. 
McGloughlin,  treasurer.  Hose-carriage  is  a four-wheel  second-class 
Amoskeag,  drawn  by  a single  horse. 

City  ot  Concord  Hook-and-Ladder  Company,  No.  1. — Andrew  L.  Lane, 
foreman ; Napoleon  B.  Burleigh,  assistant  foreman ; Edward  E.  Lane, 
clerk;  Frank  T.  Bean,  treasurer.  Hook-and-ladder  truck  is  of  Concord 
manufacture, — Abbett-Downing  Company.  It  is  drawn  by  double 
horses. 

Pioneer  Steam  Fire-Engine  Company,  No.  3,  Penacook. — John  II. 
Rolfe,  foreman  ; D.  Warren  Fox,  assistant  foreman  ; John  B.  Dodge, 
clerk  and  treasurer;  John  W.  Powell,  foreman  of  hose ; George  S. 
Locke,  engineer;  Enoch  E.  Rolfe,  steward.  Steamer  “ Pioneer  ” is  a 
fourth-class Silsby  ; hose-carriage  is  a four-wheel  Amoskeag;  both  drawn 
by  hand  or  horse. 

Old  Fort  Engine  Company,  No.  2,  East  Concord. — Joseph  E.  Plummer, 
foreman  ; Harrison  II.  Carpenter,  assistant  foreman  ; Clarence  E.  Rob- 
inson, clerk;  John  C.  Hutchins,  treasurer;  Charles  C.  Chesley,  stew- 
ard. Hunnemann  five-inch  cylinder  hand-engine,  with  hose  jumper; 
drawn  by  hand. 

Cataract  Engine  Company,  No.  3,  West  Concord. — James  M.  Crossman, 
foreman  ; Simeon  Partridge,  assistant  foreman  ; John  E.  Gay,  clerk 
and  treasurer  ; William  A.  Martin,  foreman  of  hose  ; Ahial  C.  Abbott, 
steward.  Hunnemann  six-inch  cylinder  hand-engine,  with  hose  jumper; 
drawn  by  hand. 

SUMMARY  OF  MEMBERS. 


IN  PRECINCT. 

Engineers 4 

Steamer  and  hose  menders 16 

Hose  members 37 

Hook-and-ladder  members 20 

Steward,  assistant  steward  and  regular  drivers  (3)  . 5 

— 82 

WITHOUT  PRECINCT. 

Engineers . 3 

Members  at  Penac<x>k 30 

Members  at  East  Concord 30 

Members  at  West  Concord 30 

— 93 

Total 175 


Fisherville  (or  Penacook,  as  it  is  now  called)  is  a 
thriving  village,  about  six  miles  from  the  city,  and  is 
named  in  honor  of  the  Fishers,  who  erected  the  first 
mill  at  this  point.  It  was  on  an  island  near  here 
where  Mrs.  Hannah  Dustin,  in  1697,  killed  and 
scalped  ten  Indians.  The  following  account  of  this 
daring  exploit  is  thus  related  by  Dr.  Bouton : 

Mrs.  Hannah,  wife  of  Mr.  Thomas  Dustin,  was 
confined  to  her  bed  with  an  infant  child,  seven  days 
old,  and  attended  by  a nurse,  Mary  Nett’.  Hearing 
the  war-whoop  of  the  savages  as  they  approached, 


Mr.  Dustin  ran  from  the  field,  where  he  was  at  work, 
to  his  house,  aud  ordered  his  children — seven  in 
number — to  flee;  while  he  seized  his  gun,  and  finding 
it  impossible  to  remove  his  wife  and  infant,  mounted 
his  horse  and  rode  after  his  children — defending  them 
against  the  savages,  who  were  in  pursuit.  Supposing 
it  impossible  to  save  them  all,  his  first  thought  was 
to  catch  up  one  of  them — even  the  one  that  he  loved 
the  most — and  save  that;  but  he  was  unable  to  make 
a choice,  and,  keeping  in  their  rear,  he  retreated  and 
fi  red,  sometimes  with  fatal  effect,  till  the  Indians  gave 
over  their  pursuit. 

In  the  mean  time  a small  party  of  Indians  entered 
the  house,  took  Mrs.  Dustin  and  nurse  prisoners  and 
set  the  house  on  fire.  The  babe  was  snatched  from 
the  hands  of  the  nurse,  and  its  brains  dashed  out 
against  an  apple-tree.  Feeble,  and  with  but  one  shoe 
on,  Mrs.  Dustin  was  compelled  to  travel  through  the 
wilderness,  in  this  inclement  season,  till  they  reached 
the  home  of  her  Indian  captors,  on  the  island  above 
named.  The  Indians  on  the  island  were  twelve  in 
number, — two  men,  three  women  and  seven  children, 
— and  with  them  an  English  boy,  named  Samuel  Lan- 
nardson,  who  was  taken  prisoner  about  a year  before 
at  Worcester. 

After  a few  days  the  women  were  informed  by  the 
Indians  that  they  would  soon  start  for  a distant  settle- 
ment, and  when  they  arrived  there  would  he  obliged 
to  submit  to  Indian  customs,  of  which  one  was  to 
run  the  gauntlet,  naked,  between  two  files  of  Indians. 
On  learning  this,  Mrs.  Dustin  formed  her  deadly  plan. 
She  told  the  boy  Lannardson  to  ask  his  master  where 
he  would  strike  a man  if  he  wished  to  kill  him  in- 
stantly, and  how  he  would  take  off  a scalp.  The 
Indian  laid  his  finger  on  his  temple.  “Strike  ’em 
there,”  said  he,  and  then  instructed  the  boy  how  to 
scalp.  Engaging  the  nurse  and  the  boy  in  her  plot, 
they  waited  the  midnight  hour  for  executing  it. 
With  tomahawks  in  hand,  they  struck  the  fatal  blows 
on  the  heads  of  the  Indians  as  they  lay  fast  asleep. 
Ten  were  killed  at  once.  Mrs.  Dustin  killed  her 
master,  and  Samuel  Lannardson  dispatched  the  very 
Indian  who  told  him  where  to  strike  and  how  to  take 
off  a scalp.  A favorite  Indian  boy  was  spared,  and 
one  of  the  squaws  whom  they  left  for  dead  jumped 
up  and  ran  into  the  thicket.  Mrs.  Dustin,  gathering 
up  what  provisions  there  were  in  the  wigwam,  taking 
the  gun  of  her  dead  master  and  the  tomahawk  with 
which  she  killed  him,  and,  to  prevent  pursuit,  scutt- 
ling the  Indian  canoes,  except  one,  she  embarked  in 
that,  with  the  nurse  and  boy  Lannardson,  on  the 
waters  of  the  Merrimack,  to  seek  their  way  to  Haver- 
hill. They  had  not  proceeded  far,  however,  when 
Mrs  Dustin,  perceiving  that  they  had  neglected  to 
take  the  scalps,  and  fearing  lest  her  neighbors — 
should  she  ever  arrive  at  her  home — would  not  credit 
her  story,  hastened  back  with  her  companions  to  the 
scene  of  death,  took  off  the  scalps  of  the  slain,  put 
them  “ into  a hag,  and,  with  these  bloody  witnesses 


CONCORD. 


101 


of  their  feat,  hastened  again  on  their  downward 
course  to  Haverhill.  There  they  safely  arrived.” 
On  the  21st  of  April  following,  Mrs.  Dustin  and  her 
two  attendants  went  to  Boston,  carrying,  as  proofs  of 
their  exploit,  the  gun,  tomahawk  and  ten  scalps,  and 
received,  as  a reward  from  the  General  Court,  fifty 
pounds,  besides  many  valuable  presents  from  others. 

The  Dustin  Memorial. — On  the  island  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Contoocook  River  stands  the  granite 
memorial  erected  to  commemorate  this  achievement. 
The  statue  was  erected  mainly  through  the  efforts  of 
Robert  B.  Caverly,  of  Lowell,  and  E.  S.  Nutter,  of 
Concord.  The  first  step  to  that  end  was  the  convey- 
ance, by  Messrs.  John  C.  and  Calvin  Gage,  to 
Rev.  Nathaniel  Bouton,  E.  S.  Nutter  and  R.  B. 
Caverly,  in  trust,  all  of  the  land  lying  east  of  the 
Northern  Railroad,  upon  the  island,  for  the  purpose 
of  establishing  a memorial.  Funds  to  the  amount  of 
six  thousand  dollars  were  raised  by  subscription.  The 
statue  and  pedestal  are  of  Concord  granite,  after  a 
design  by  William  Andrews,  of  Lowell.  The  sculptors 
were  Andrew  Orsolini,  James  Murray  and  Charles  H. 
Andrews  ; the  builder,  Porter  E.  Blanchard. 

The  monument  was  unveiled  June  17,  1874,  with 
appropriate  ceremonies.  There  was  a large  gathering 
of  people.  Addresses  were  made  by  Rev.  N.  Bouton, 
of  Concord;  R.  B.  Caverly,  Esrp,  of  Lowell;  Hon.  G. 
W.  Nesmith,  of  Franklin  ; Major-General  S.  G.  Griffin, 
of  Keene  ; I).  O.  Allen,  of  Lowell ; Hon.  B.  F.  Pres- 
cott, of  Epping  ; Colonel  J.  H.  George,  of  Concord ; 
Rev.  Elias  Nason,  of  Billerica;  Charles  C.  Coffin,  of 
Boston  ; Rev.  W.  T.  Savage,  of  Franklin  ; ex-Governor 
Onslow  Stearns,  of  Concord,  and  others.  Governor 
James  A.  Weston  accepted  the  deed,  in  trust,  for  the 
State. 

The  Concord  Horse  Railroad. — This  road  was  or- 
ganized in  1880,  and  was  running  in  April,  1881.  The 
road  was  started  with  five  cars,  and  now  has  ten.  In 
1885  the  company  added  to  their  stock  two  steam 
motors,  which  are  designed  to  supersede  the  use  of 
horses.  The  line  extends  from  South  Main  Street,  or 
the  “South  End,”  as  this  part  of  the  town  is  called, 
through  West  Concord  to  Penacook.  Hon.  Moses 
H umphrey  is  president  and  superintendent. 

Hox.  Moses  Humphrey,  ex-mayor  and  one  of  Con- 
cord’s leading  citizens,  was  born  in  Hingham,  Mass., 
October  20,  1807 ; son  of  Moses  Leavitt  and  Sarah 
(Lincoln)  Humphrey,  who  were  descendants  of  the 
first  settlers  of  that  ancient  town.  He  attended  the 
common  schools  of  his  native  town  until  1821,  when 
he  commenced  following  the  sea,  at  that  time  a lead- 
ing branch  of  industry  of  Southeastern  Massachusetts. 
He  continued  in  this  occupation  twelve  years,  seven 
of  which  he  was  master  of  the  schooners  “ Ann  ” and 
“ Climax,”  of  Hingham,  and  other  vessels.  He  then, 
in  company  with  his  brother,  engaged  in  commerce, — 
owning  a number  of  vessels, — the  mercantile  business 
and  cooperage  on  an  extensive  scale,  and  the  practi- 
cal management  of  the  business  devolved  upon  Mr. 


Humphrey.  He  was  the  originator  of  the  manufac- 
ture of  “kits”  by  machinery,  and  upon  his  removal 
to  Croydon,  N.  H.,  in  1843,  commenced  their  manufac- 
ture, which  was  continued  there  until  1851,  when  he 
removed  the  business  to  Concord,  where  he  has  con- 
ducted it  to  the  present  time,  and  from  that  time  to 
the  present  has  been  prominently  identified  with  the 
progress  of  the  city.  He  was  a member  of  the  first 
City  Council  in  1853,  and  in  1854  was  elected  presi- 
dent of  the  Council ; in  1855  was  elected  to  the 
Board  of  Alderman,  and  during  Mayor  Clement’s 
sickness  for  several  months,  Mr.  Humphrey  was 
chairman  of  the  board  and  acting-mayor.  He  was 
re-elected  in  185(1.  In  1857  was  a member  of  the 
House  of  Representatives,  and  chairman  of  the  com- 
mittee on  towns  and  parishes.  In  1860  was  elected 
president  of  the  Merrimack  County  Agricultural 
Society,  and  held  the  position  several  years.  He 
was  chosen  a director  in  the  First  National  Bank  in 

1864. 

In  March,  1861,  Mr.  Humphrey  was  elected  mayor, 
and,  in  March  following,  upon  the  eve  of  the  break- 
ing out  of  the  Rebellion,  was  sworn  into  office.  Presi- 
dent Lincoln’s  first  call  for  troops  occurred  soon 
after,  and  Mayor  Humphrey  at  once  suggested  to 
Captain  Sturdevant,  a prominent  police  officer,  that 
he  recruit  a company  for  immediate  service,  which 
was  done,  and  mustered  into  the  United  States  ser- 
vice as  Company  A of  the  First  Regiment  of  New 
Hampshire  Volunteers.  Concord  subsequently  be- 
came the  headquarters  of  the  army  for  the  State, 
and  was  also  the  general  recruiting  station.  Here  were 
rendezvoused  the  First,  Third,  Fifth,  Ninth,  Elev- 
enth, Twelfth,  Thirteenth,  Fourteenth,  Fifteenth  and 
Sixteenth  Regiments.  This  brought  together  different 
elements  of  society,  and  devolved  great  responsibility 
upon  the  head  of  the  city  government.  The  June 
session  of  the  Legislature  in  1861  passed  an  act 
authorizing  cities  and  towns  to  pay  State  aid  to  vol- 
unteers. The  cities  generally  appointed  agents  to 
disburse  this  fund,  but  in  this  city  the  duties  were 
assumed  by  Mayor  Humphrey,  who  paid  out  the 
sum  of  $23,330.29.  He  discharged  the  duties  of  this 
trying  period  with  courage  and  to  the  welfare  and  honor 
of  his  adopted  city.  In  addition  to  the  duties  which 
the  war  devolved  upon  him,  he  was  also  overseer  of 
the  poor,  superintendent  of  highways  and  bridges, 
etc.  He  was,  also,  the  city’s  authorized  agent  for 
filling  the  quotas  in  1861,  ’62  and  ’65,  and,  at  the 
close  of  his  administration  in  1862,  he  had  eighty- 
two  men  credited  to  the  city  above  the  quotas.  He 
was  also  chairman,  in  1863,  of  the  High  School 
building  committee.  He  was  re-elected  mayor  in 

1865. 

He  was  foremost  in  the  movement  which  resulted 
in  the  rebuilding  of  the  State-House  in  1865,  and 
in  the  following  year  he  was  appointed  by  Governor 
Smyth  one  of  a committee  to  build  the  State-House 
fence,  beautify  the  grounds,  etc.  The  labor  of  this 


102 


HISTORY  OF  ME  11  HI  MACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


committee,  however,  chiefly  devolved  upon  Mayor 
Humphrey.  He  was  a member  of  Governor  Stearns’ 
Council  in  1809,  and  was  an  earnest  advocate  of  the 
movement  for  building  the  new  State  Prison,  and 
also  for  changing  the  method  of  appointment  of  the 
warden,  transferring  the  power  from  the  Legislature 
to  the  Governor  and  Council.  He  has  also  repre- 
sented Ward  Five  in  the  Legislature,  and  has  been 
chairman  of  the  Board  of  Agriculture  since  1870. 
Mayor  Humphrey  is  the  present  president  and  super- 
intendent of  the  Concord  Horse  Railroad,  and  the 
success  of  this  enterprise  is  largely  due  to  his  untir- 
ing efforts.  Although  beyond  the  scriptural  age  of 
three-score  and  ten,  he  still  retains  the  vigor  and 
elasticity  of  youth.  He  is  a Republican  in  politics, 
and  a member  of  the  Universalist  Church. 

In  1831,  Mayor  Humphrey  united  in  marriage 
with  Lydia  Humphrey,  and  they  had  one  daughter, 
who  died  in  1850.  Mayor  and  Mrs.  Humphrey  cele- 
brated their  “golden  wedding”  in  1881. 

Centenarians.1 — The  following  is  a list  of  centen- 
arians who  have  died  in  Concord  : 

Elizabeth  (Abbott)  Hazeltine,  died  February  25, 
1834;  daughter  of  Nathaniel  Abbott,  one  of  the 
original  proprietors  of  Concord  (then  Penacook), 
where  she  was  born  July  1, 1733. 

Mrs.  Willey  died  in  Concord  April  14,  1847,  aged 
one  hundred  years,  three  months  and  seventeen  days. 

Theodosia  Smith  died  in  Concord,  1839,  aged  one 
hundred  and  one  years. 

Lydia  (Goodwin)  Elliott  died  June  24,  1856,  aged 
one  hundred  and  three  years,  four  months  and  twenty- 
live  days;  born  in  Newton,  Mass.,  January  30,  1753. 
Oue  of  her  brothers  died  at  the  age  of  ninety -seven  ; 
one  sister  at  ninety-nine  years  and  eight  months,  and 
one  at  ninety-seven;  another  was  living  in  Janu- 
ary, 1853,  at  the  age  of  ninety-six  ; four  of  her  chil- 
dren, seventy  grandchildren,  one  hundred  great- 
grandchildren, and  at  least  eight  great-great-grand- 
children were  living  at  her  centennial. 

Margaret  (Sargent)  Evans  died  March  28,  1877, 
aged  one  hundred  and  one  years,  eight  months  and 
twenty-one  days.  She  was  born  in  Chester  July  7, 
1775;  of  her  eight  children,  four  survived  her,  two 
of  the  number  being  over  seventy  years  of  age.  She 
had  been  a resident  of  Concord  nearly  eighty  years. 

Slavery  in  Concord. — In  the  early  days  slavery  was 
not  unknown  in  this  section,  as  the  following  docu- 
ments show : 


“Concord,  March  4,  1707. 

“Received  of  Andrew  McMillan  the  sum  of  forty-seven  pounds  ten 
shillings,  lawful  money,  in  full  consideration  for  my  Negro  Boy  slave 
named  Caesar,  aged  about  eleven  years,  which  Negro  Boy  I have  this 
day  sold  to  said  McMillan,  and  promise  to  warrant  and  defend  the 
property  of  said  Negro  Boy  to  him,  the  said  McMillan,  and  his  heirs 
or  assigns  forever,  against  the  claims  of  any  other  person  or  persons 
whatsoever. 

“In  witness  whereof  I have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  seal,  the  day 
and  date  above  mentioned.  “ Benjamin  Osgood. 


“ Witness : 


J Paul  Burbeen, 
( James  Osgood.” 


“ Know  all  Men  by  these  Presents , 

“ That  I,  Patrick  Gault,  of  Chester,  in  His  Majesty’s  Province  of 
New-llampshire,  in  New-England,  husbandman,  for  and  in  consider- 
ation of  the  sum  of  twenty  pounds,  lawful  money,  to  me  in  hand 
before  the  delivery  hereof,  well  and  truly  paid  by  Andrew  McMillan, 
of  Concord,  in  the  Province  aforesaid,  Esq.,  the  receipt  w hereof  I do 
hereby  acknowledge,  have  bargained  and  sold,  and  by  these  presents 
do  bargain  and  sell  unto  him,  the  said  Andrew  McMillan,  my  Negro 
Garl,  named  Dinah , aged  about  eight  years,  to  have  and  to  hold  the 
said  Negro  Garl  Dinah,  by  these  presents,  to  him,  the  said  Andrew 
McMillan,  his  heirs,  administrators  and  assigns  ; and  I,  the  said  Pat- 
rick Gault,  for  myself,  my  heirs  and  administrators,  shall  and  will 
warrant,  and  forever  defend  her,  the  said  Negro  Garl,  unto  him,  the 
said  Andrew  McMillan,  his  heirs,  administrators  and  assigns,  against 
all  the  claims  and  demands  of  any  person  or  persons  whomsoever  ; 
and  have  put  her,  the  said  Negro  Garl,  into  his,  the  said  Andrew 
McMillan’s,  possession,  by  delivering  her  unto  him,  the  said  McMil- 
lan, at  the  time  of  sealing  hereof.  In  witness  whereof  I have  here 
unto  set  my  hand  and  seal,  this  24th  day  of  May,  and  in  the  eighth 
year  of  His  Majesty’s  reign,  A.D.  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
sixty-eight. 

His 

“Patrick  X Gault. 
mark. 


“In  presents  of  us  : 


Hannah  McMillan, 
Sam’l  Notes.” 


“ Billerica,  May  2,  1761. 


“ Know  all  Men  by  these  Presents , That  I,  Hannah  Bowers,  of  Bil- 
lerica, widow,  have  sold  unto  Lot  Colby,  of  Rumford,  in  the  Province 
of  New-Hampshire,  a mulatto  Negro  Boy,  named  Salem , and  have 
received  forty-five  shillings  sterling,  in  full  consideration  for  the  said 
boy,  as  witness  my  hand. 

“Hannah  Bowers. 

. (Joseph  Walker, 

“Test.  : ■)  , 

IJosiah  Bowers. 


The  “Negro  Garl  Dinah”  lived  to  an  advanced 
age,  and  was  known  as  “ Mother  Osgood.” 

The  “Boy  Caesar”  died  in  1847  or  1848,  in  the 
ninety-second  year  of  his  age. 

Aaron  Stevens  had  a negro  man  who  was  the  town 
“ dog-whipper,”  it  being  his  office  to  scourge  dogs 
out  of  the  meeting-house  on  the  Sabbath,  for  which 
he  received  a few  pennies  from  such  as  were  disposed 
to  pay  him.  The  faithful  discharge  of  his  office 
afforded  fine  amusement  for  the  children  during  Sab- 
bath hours. 

Captain  John  Roach  also  owned  a negro  woman. 

Deacon  Joseph  Hall,  Sr.,  had  a slave  woman  who 
had  two  children,  one  named  Lois  and  the  other  John 
Brown.  John  was  given  to  Deacon  Jonathan  Wil- 
kins, who  married  a granddaughter  of  Deacon  Hall. 
John  was  non  compos,  and  gave  the  deacon  so  much 
trouble  that  at  last  he  threw  him  on  the  town  for 
support. 

At  one  time  John  was  put  to  hoeing  potatoes 
alone;  but  it  was  found  he  skipped  over  every  other 
hill.  Being  asked  what  he  did  it  for,  he  said,  “ So  as  to 
keep  up.”  He  was  once  sent  to  turn  out  calves  from 
the  stall,  but,  not  succeeding  in  unfastening  their 
yokes,  the  deacon’s  hired  man  turned  the  calves  out 
and  yoked  John  up. 

Of  other  slaves  in  Concord  about  this  time,  tradi- 
tion has  preserved  some  interesting  reminiscences. 
Ephraim  Farnum,  grandfather  of  Moses  H.  Farnum, 
and  living  on  the  same  spot,  owned  a black  boy 
named  Caesar. 


1 Contributed  by  D.  E.  Secomb. 


CONCORD. 


103 


Abraham  Bradley  had  a negro  slave  named  Pompey 
— commonly  called  “ Pomp  ” — for  whom  he  paid 
thirty  bushels  of  corn.  “Pomp”  was  quite  a favorite 
in  the  family.  He  was  the  attendant  and  sort  of  life- 
guard of  John  Bradley  in  his  boyhood.  In  his  last 
will  Mr.  Bradley  gave  Pomp  to  his  grandson,  John, 
and  ordered  his  executor  “ to  take  especial  care  that 
my  said  negro  be  not  wronged  by  my  aforesaid  grand- 
son in  any  ways,  and  if  he  should  wrong  him,  I give 
him  power  to  do  him  justice.”  Mr.  Bradley  also  gave 
Pomp  “ the  use  and  improvement  of  one-half  acre  of 
land,”  near  his  dwelling-house,  during  his  natural 
life. 

Colonel  Benjamin  Rolfe  owned  a negro,  who,  in 
1772,  when  the  inventory  of  Colonel  Rolfe’s  property 
was  taken,  was  valued  at  fifty-five  pounds,  lawful 
money. 

William  Coffin,  the  grandfather  of  Samuel  Coffin, 
Esq., owned  a negro  woman  named  “Lucy.”  “Samp- 
son,” a negro  belonging  to  Archelaus  Moore,  of 
Canterbury,  wanted  her  for  his  wife,  and  there  was  an 
agreement  that  Sampson  should  work  one  year  for 
Mr.  Coffin  to  pay  for  her.  A man’s  wages  at  that 
time  were  about  forty  dollars  a year,  or  the  price  of  a 
yoke  of  oxen.  Sampson  was  a famous  fiddler,  and 
for  many  years  afforded  fine  fun  for  frolicsome  fellows 
in  Concord  with  his  fiddle  on  election  days. 

Rev.  Timothy  Walker  had  three  slaves, — a man 
called  Prince  and  two  women,  Luce  and  Violet. 

Lieutenant  Richard  Herbert  had  a slave  named 
Nancy,  who  was  said  to  have  been  born  in  Boston 
about  1766,  and  when  nine  days  old  was  given  to  a 
man  resident  in  Bow,  who,  wishing  to  remove  from 
the  vicinity,  brought  her  to  Rumford,  and,  in  1768, 
sold  her  to  Lieutenant  Herbert  for  about  five  dollars. 

Manufacturing  Interests. — The  Page  Belting 
Company  is  a representative  establishment.  The 
goods  manufactured  by  this  company  have  taken 
high  rank  in  the  commercial  w'orld,  and  branches 
for  the  sale  of  the  goods  are  now  established  in 
Boston,  St.  Louis,  New  York  and  Chicago.  This 
company  was  incorporated  in  1872,  and  has  a 
capital  of  two  hundred  thousand  dollars.  The  offi- 
cers are  as  follows:  George  F.  Page,  president; 
Charles  T.  Page,  treasurer;  George  F.  Page,  Charles 
T.  Page,  Theodore  H.  Ford,  Lyman  D.  Stevens,  John 
Abbott,  Benjamin  A.  Kimball,  E.  G.  Wallace,  direc- 
tors ; Daniel  Barnard,  clerk  of  corporation ; L.  D. 
Stevens,  clerk  of  the  directors. 

Porter  Blanchard’s  Sons  make  the  celebrated 
“ Blanchard  Chuck,”  which  has  been  manufactured 
since  about  the  year  1855.  The  business  of  chuck- 
making, however,  has  been  carried  on  by  the  Blan- 
chards, father  and  sons,  since  1818. 

James  R.  Hill,  a man  who,  entirely  by  his  own  ef- 
forts, rose  from  the  humbler  rank  of  an  apprentice 
to  affluence  and  social  position,  and  through  all  the 
changing  events  of  an  active  business  life  preserved 
his  integrity  unimpeached,  well  deserves  the  pen  of 


the  biographer.  The  life  of  the  late  James  R. 
Hill  is  a well-rounded  example  of  such  a career. 
Without  the  advantages  of  inherited  aid,  he  worked 
the  problem  of  his  own  fortune  and  lived  to  enjoy 
the  fruition  of  a successful  business  career. 

Mr.  Hill  was  born  in  Stratham,  N,  H.,  December 
17,  1821.  He  remained  in  his  native  town  until 
1836,  when  he  came  with  his  parents  to  Concord.  He 
soon  after  entered  the  employ  of  Abbot  & Downing, 
and  later  served  an  apprenticeship  with  Greeley 
& Morrill,  harness-makers.  In  1842,  in  company 
with  Oliver  Greeley,  he  commenced  the  harness  busi- 
ness under  the  firm-name  of  Greeley  & Hill.  A few 
years  later  he  purchased  Mr.  Greeley’s  interest,  and 
continued  the  business  as  sole  proprietor  until  1865. 
Several  times  during  this  period  his  establishment 
was  destroyed  by  fire,  but  with  characteristic  energy 
the  buildings  were  immediately  rebuilt.  In  the 
mean  time  Mr.  Hill  had  become  interested  in  various 
enterprises  in  the  city,  which  necessarily  demanded  a 
large  share  of  his  time,  and  he  was  forced  to  relin- 
quish the  active  management  of  the  harness  business, 
whereupon  the  firm  of  James  R.  Hill  & Co.  was 
organized,  in  1865,  consisting  of  Mr.  Hill,  George  H. 
Emery  and  Josiali  E.  Dwight ; and  the  fame  of  the 
“ Concord  harness,”  through  Mr.  Hill’s  wise  foresight 
and  characteristic  energy,  became  almost  a household 
word  throughout  the  civilized  world,  Mr.  Hill  spend- 
ing a large  portion  of  his  time  daily  in  the  manufac- 
tory, giving  his  personal  attention  to  the  business  un- 
til his  decease. 

In  1849  he  made  the  first  shipment  of  harness  to 
California  from  the  East,  and  in  1853  he  made  a ship- 
ment to  Chili. 

But  it  was  not  solely  as  a manufacturer  that  Mr. 
Hill  made  his  influence  so  largely  felt  in  this  city. 
He  amassed  a fortune,  which  was  expended  almost  en- 
tirely in  the  building  up  of  the  city,  thereby  adding 
largely  to  its  past,  present  and  prospective  growth  and 
advancement.  To  him,  more  than  to  any  other  man, 
the  city  is  probably  indebted  for  its  substantial  busi- 
ness blocks.  Among  the  blocks  erected  by  him  were 
the  State,  Columbian  and  Centennial  Blocks,  etc.,  and 
he  purchased  the  Phoenix  Hotel  property  in  1866,  and 
at  the  time  of  his  death  owned  more  real  estate  in  this 
city  than  any  other  person  who  has  ever  lived  in  Con- 
cord. For  several  years  previous  to  his  death  Mr. 
Hill  was  proprietor  of  the  Phoenix  Hotel,  and  the 
present  reputation  for  excellence  of  this  popular  hos- 
telry is  largely  due  to  his  judicious  management. 
Although  a Democrat  in  politics  and  actively  inter- 
ested in  the  success  of  his  party,  he  was  not  a politician 
and  never  sought  official  recognition  at  the  hands  of 
his  fellow-citizens.  He  was  emphatically  a business 
man,  and  his  life  was  one  of  steady  and  active  devotion 
to  business,  and  his  success  was  the  natural  result  of 
his  ability  to  examine  and  readily  comprehend  any 
subject  presented  to  him,  power  to  decide  promptly 
and  courage  to  act  with  vigor  and  persistency  in  ac- 


104 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


cordance  with  his  convictions.  At  the  time  of  his 
death  he  was  a member  of  the  Board  of  Water  Com- 
missioners and  of  Blazing  Star  Lodge  of  Masons. 

Mr.  Hill  was  twice  married,  his  second  marriage  being 
to  Miss  Sophia  L.  Pickering,  in  1804,  who  survives 
him.  Also  five  children  survived  him, — Mrs.  Josiah  E. 
Dwight,  by  his  first  wife,  and  the  following  by  his  sec- 
ond wife,  viz. : Edson  J.,  manager  of  the  Phoenix 
Hotel,  Solon  P.,  Joseph  C.  and  Cora, — all  residents 
of  this  city.  The  death  of  Mr.  Hill  was  a peculiarly 
sad  one.  September  2,  1884,  he  was  thrown  from 
a carriage  in  Main  Street,  Concord,  receiving  injuries 
which,  ten  weeks  later  (November  lOtli),  resulted  in 
death. 

The  business  men  of  Concord  subsequently  held  a 
meeting,  to  express  their  respect  for  the  memory  of 
Mr.  Hill,  and  Mayor  Woodman  was  chosen  to  pre- 
side. Upon  taking  the  chair  he  spoke  as  follows  : 

“Fellow-Citizens, — The  occasion  which  draws  us  together  is  one  of 
extreme  sadness.  Our  city  mourns  the  loss  of  one  of  her  foremost  citi- 
zens, and  one  whose  place  cannot  well  be  filled.  It  is  fitting  that  at 
such  a time  we  should  withdraw  from  the  ordinary  routine  of  business, 
ami  give  a few  words  in  perpetuation  of  the  memory  of  one  to  whom 
our  city  and  our  citizens  are  so  much  indebted,  and  whose  death  is  a 
common  loss. 

“The  comparative  suddenness  of  the  death  of  James  It.  Hill  makes  it 
impossible  for  us  fully  to  realize  the  importance  of  the  position  which 
he  occupied  in  this  community.  It  is  only  a few  days  since  he  was  with 
us,  attending  to  his  customary  avocations  with  that  energy  and  earnest- 
ness for  which  he  was  particularly  noted  ; to-day  he  sleeps  the  sleep  that 
knows  no  waking. 

“His  life  was  no  exception  to  the  rule  that  nothing  comes  without 
effort,  and  to  his  persistent  labor  and  indomitable  will  we  may  largely 
accredit  his  business  prosperity.  He  was,  in  truth,  a self-made  man, 
and  his  success  has  added  materially  to  the  growth  and  adornment  of 
our  city.  The  various  business  blocks  which  have  been  erected  through 
his  instrumentality  upon  our  principal  streets  form  enduring  monu- 
ments to  his  public  spirit,  and  will  cause  his  memory  to  be  long  cher- 
ished by  all  who  take  an  interest  in  our  city. 

“ When  we  consider  how  few  of  our  residents  are  likely  to  continue  so 
largely  a local  investment  of  their  capital,  in  the  direction  followed  by 
our  lamented  townsman,  wo  see  that  our  loss  is  almost  irreparable.  But 
it  is  not  alone  for  his  actual  relations  to  the  public  that  he  is  mourned 
by  those  who  knew  him  as  a citizeu,  a neighbor  and  a friend.  They 
appreciate  his  many  virtues  and  recognize  his  worth  as  a man  of  strong 
convictions,  earnest  purposes  and  excellent  judgment.  He  was  quiet 
and  undemonstrative  in  manners,  and  as  his  extensive  private  interests 
demanded  his  full  attention,  he  did  not  seek  office,  but  he  had  the  quali- 
ties which  would  have  made  him  a valuable  assistant  in  the  administra- 
tion of  public  affairs.  His  keen  perceptions,  unyielding  courage,  busi- 
ness sagacity  and  untiring  energy  fitted  him  for  any  duty  which  he 
could  be  induced  to  assume. 

“ It  is  in  the  fullest  and  sincerest  sympathy  that  I join  in  the  expres- 
sions of  sorrow  and  tender  tribute  to  the  memory  of  so  good  a citizen  as 
James  R.  Hill.” 

John  M.  Hill,  Esq.,  offered  the  following  resolu- 
tions: 

“Resolved,  That  we  are  deeply  sensible  of  the  loss  to  this  community 
of  our  late  associate,  Mr.  James  U.  Hill,  whose  connection  with  the  busi- 
ness interests  of  Concord  for  a period  of  more  than  forty  years,  has  been 
marked  with  great  industry,  ability  and  enterprise  ; and  who,  struggling 
unaided  through  the  adversities  of  early  life,  by  force  and  energy  of 
character,  initiated  and  developed  a large  manufacturing  business  of 
widespread  reputation,  bringing  to  himself  a fortune  which  he  ex- 
pended almost  entirely  in  the  building  up  of  our  city,  thereby  adding 
largely  to  its  past,  present  and  prospective  growth  and  advancement. 

“ Resolved , That  the  chairman  and  secretary  of  this  meeting  be  di- 
rected to  communicate  its  action  to  the  family  of  the  deceased  with  the 
expression  of  our  warm  sympathy  and  regard.” 


The  resolutions  were  seconded  by  several  gentle- 
men, the  first  of  whom  was  Hon.  J.  E.  Sargent,  who 
spoke  as  follows: 

“Mr.  Chairman, — I received  an  invitation  from  your  committee  to  be 
present  this  evening,  and  have  gladly  accepted  the  invitation.  We  meet 
for  the  purpose  of  expressing  our  respect  for  the  memory  of  the  late 
James  R.  Hill,  who  died  on  the  loth  day  of  November  instant,  at  his 
home  in  this  city.  With  the  circumstances  of  peculiar  sadness  to  his 
family  and  to  the  public,  which  attended  his  death,  we  are  all  familiar. 
We  have  seen  and  read  a brief  biography  of  him  in  the  daily  papers, 
which  I am  informed  is  substantially  correct,  except  that  when  he  was 
a small  boy,  his  father  and  family  moved  to  Exeter,  N.  II.,  where  they 
lived  some  dozen  years  or  more,  and  moved  from  there  to  Concord  in 
183f>  or  1837,  when  he  was  about  sixteen  years  old.  He  has  lived  in 
Concord  ever  since,  and  all  his  business  has  been  done  here.  He  learned 
his  trade  here,  and  commenced  business  for  himself  in  1842,  when 
twenty-one  years  of  age.  I am  also  informed  that  since  the  formation 
of  the  firm,  in  1805,  of  which  he  was  last  a member,  while  giving  up 
somewhat  the  management  of  details,  he  has,  however,  had  the  general 
management  and  the  particular  supervision  of  his  business  down  to  the 
time  of  his  injury.  Seldom  was  there  a day  when  he  was  about  home 
that  he  was  not  at  the  shop,  looking  after  the  business  and  making  him- 
self useful. 

“One  additional  statement  I wish  to  make  to  that  in  the  paper.  Mr. 
Hill  has  had  six  children, — two  by  his  first  wife  and  four  by  the  second. 
The  one  not  mentioned  in  the  paper  was  one  of  the  daughters  by  the 
first  wife,  who  died  a few  years  since,  the  wife  of  Mr.  H.  J.  Eaton,  of 
this  city,  who  left  three  children,  who  now  reside  with  their  father  and 
who  should  be  mentioned  jis  a branch  of  the  family  tree.  The  biograph- 
ical sketch  in  the  paper  has  told  us  of  Mr.  Hill’s  success  in  his  special 
business,  and  also  his  success  and  iutlueuce  as  a business  man  generally  ; 
how  much  Concord  owes  him  for  her  substantial  business  blocks  and  the 
improvements  on  its  main  business  street,  and  too  much  has  not  been 
said  in  his  praise  in  these  particulars.  But  I do  not  propose  to  enlarge 
in  that  direction. 

“One  subject  I think  is  particularly  worthy  of  mention,  and  that  is 
the  relations  that  Mr.  Hill  always  maintained  with  his  help  in  the  shop. 
He  knew  w hat  good  work  was,  and  when  he  found  a man  that  could  do 
good  work  and  understood  his  business,  he  kept  him.  lie  was  w illing 
to  pay  him  such  a price  that  he  could  afford  to  stay,  and  his  regular  men 
became  attached  to  him  and  he  always  treated  them  with  great  kindness 
and  respect.  There  were  no  strikes  among  his  men.  A man  that  did 
not  suit  him  he  discharged  at  once,  hut  if  a man  suited  him,  he  was  will- 
ing to  make  it  for  his  interest  to  stay  with  him.  I am  told  that  the 
relations  between  him  and  his  workmen  have  always  been  of  the  most 
friendly  and  intimate  kind,  and  this  accounts  for  the  fact  that  such  men 
as  Rollins  and  Philbrick  and  Chandler  and  Everett  anil  Kimball  and 
Dunn  and  Roach  and  Roers  have  been  in  his  employ  about  twenty-five 
years  each,  and  some  of  them  more  than  thirty  years,  while  a large 
number  of  others  have  been  there  from  twelve  to  tw’euty  years.  This 
is  the  best  evidence  in  the  world,  not  only  that  these  men  are  good  and 
faithful  men,  but  also  that  they  had  a kind  and  considerate  and  worthy 
employer,  whom  they  liked  and  in  whom  they  had  confidence. 

“ I have  know  n Mr.  Hill  for  more  than  twenty  years,  more  intimately  for 
the  last  fifteen  years,  since  I came  to  Concord  to  live.  Ten  yea  is  ago  I began 
to  occupy  an  office  in  his  block,  and  continued  its  occupancy  for  five 
years,  was  hiscounsel  in  several  important  suits  and  have  ever  since  been 
on  terms  of  intimacy  with  him.  We  never  exchanged  an  unpleasant 
word.  I always  found  him  prompt  and  ready  to  do  everything  as  he 
agreed,  and  nothing  would  make  him  more  angry  than  to  have  a man 
whom  he  hail  trusted  deceive  him  and  forfeit  his  word  and  his  honor. 
Mr.  Hill  had  his  faults,  otherwise  he  would  have  been  more  than 
human. 

“The  young  men  and  youth  of  to-day  may  profit  by  his  example  in 
this,  that  any  calling  or  trade  is  honorable  if  it  is  honest  and  useful,  how  - 
ever laborious,  and  whether  mechanical  or  agricultural.  It  is  not  the 
trade  or  occupation  that  makes  the  man  honorable,  but  the  manner  in 
which  he  follows  his  occupation. 

“ ‘ Honor  and  shame  from  no  condition  rise  ; 

Act  well  your  part,  there  all  the  honor  lies.’ 

“ When  Mr.  Hill  entered  the  shop  as  an  apprentice  to  learn  his  trade 
how  many  of  the  boys  and  young  men  of  his  age  here  in  Concord  would 
have  been  willing  to  have  done  the  same?  They  look  for  something 
that  they  call  higher,  because  it  was  less  laborious,  forsooth.  But  how 


E^*tyAKKiXcKU 


/h  j/'  ‘ 


CONCORD. 


105 


many  of  them  have  done  aa  well  as  he,  even  though  their  advantages  j 
may  have  been  much  better  than  his?  What  a vast  majority  of  them  all 
have  made  a failure  of  life,  because  they  were  not  quite  willing  to  take  | 
hold  of  anything  that  had  hard  work  in  it ! Mr.  Hill's  example  tends  to 
ennoble  labor,  to  make  hard  work  honorable  as  well  as  successful.  Let 
the  young  men  of  to-day  heed  the  lesson,  and  remember  that  nothing 
valuable  can  l»e  acquired  without  labor  of  some  kind,  and  that  manual 
labor  may  he  just  as  honorable  and  sometimes  more  successful  than  men- 
tal or  intellectual  work.” 

Hon.  John  Kimball  spoke  of  the  relations  which 
he  had  held  with  Mr.  Hill,  as  a member  of  the  Board 
of  Water  Commissioners,  for  several  years.  Jle  was  a 
valuable  member,  taking  active  and  earnest  interest 
in  the  business  of  the  board.  When  it  was  found 
necessary  to  increase  the  water-works  of  the  city,  he 
was  among  the  first  to  give  his  support  to  the  en- 
largement. Mr.  Hill’s  aim  was  to  build  up  the  city 
rather  than  break  it  down.  He  was  in  favor  of  the 
best  thing  to  be  had  at  a fair  and  reasonable  expense. 
He  had  strong  ability  to  make  business,  even  from 
small  beginnings,  to  overcome  difficulties  and  win 
success  where  many  other  men  with  the  same  oppor- 
tunities would  fail.  He  had  a love  for  construction 
of  buildings  and  of  making  improvements,  and  in 
gratifying  this  love  lie  did  not  remove  good  buildings, 
but  built  up  waste  places  with  new  blocks.  We  are 
indebted  to  his  ability,  industry  and  strength  of  char- 
acter for  many  of  the  beautiful  buildings  that  adorn 
our  Main  Street. 

Mr.  Lewis  Downing,  Jr.,  said, — 

“ .Mr.  Chairman, — I can  add  only  a word  to  what  lias  already  been  said, 
but  that  is  sufficient.  I first  remember  Mr.  Hill  as  being  at  work  in  a 
long,  narrow  room,  in  what  was  called  the  Williams  Block,  standing  on 
the  site  of  the  present  Merchants’  Exchange,  or  if  not  in  that  block,  in 
a small  shop  adjoining,  and  that  must  be  more  than  forty  years  ago.  1 
have  known  him  ever  since,  and  have  had  business  connections  with 
him  continually,  so  1 am  prepared  and  competent  to  say  that  asa  business 
man  he  has  ever  been  prompt,  reliable  and  faithful  to  all  his  agreements 
and  trusts.  He,  of  course,  was  ready  at  all  times  to  make  a good  bar- 
gain, and  knew  how,  or  he  could  not  have  left  such  results  as  he  has, 
ami  from  which  the  city  of  Concord  has  derived  so  much  benefit.  The 
business  in  which  1 have  been  engaged  for  the  past  forty-seven  years  has 
been  more  or  less  connected  with  Mr.  Hill's,  and  perhaps  it  may  not  be 
unjust  to  say,  that  in  all  probability,  but  for  the  success  of  the  one,  the 
other  would  never  have  developed  itself  as  it  has,  as  the  interests  of 
both  were  mutual.  The  founders  of  the  present  Ahbott-Downing  Com- 
pany were,  however,  the  pioneers,  exploring  new  countries  where  car- 
riages and  harnesses  were  wanted,  but  the  quality  of  the  work,  in  both 
departments,  Mr.  Hill  sustaining  his  own  with  marked  fidelity,  was  the 
real  key  to  the  success  of  each.  That  the  city  of  Concord  has  been  greatly 
benefited  by  the  enterprise  is  not  to  be  questioned,  when  you  look  at  the 
magnificent  buildings  erected  by  Mr.  Bill,  to  which  he  was  continually 
adding  improvements,  so  that  as  business  citizens  we  should  fail  of  doing 
our  duty  did  we  not  at  this  time  express  our  appreciation  of,  and  grati- 
tude for,  the  many  benefits  conferred  on  us  by  our  departed  friend,  James 
K.  Hill.  I shall  most  assuredly  join  in  passing  the  resolutions  offered 
when  the  vote  is  taken.” 

William  M.  Chase,  Esq.,  spoke  of  his  relations  with 
Mr.  Hill  for  a period  of  nearly  twenty-one  years, 
during  which  time  lie  had  occupied  his  present  law- 
office,  as  Mr.  Hill’s  tenant.  He  had  seen  a good  deal 
of  the  man,  and  he  desired  to  call  attention  to  one 
important  trait  of  his  character,  and  that  was  that 
while  he  was  attentive  to  the  greater  interests  of 
business,  he  was  also  attentive  to  the  little  things, 
and  was  a very  hard-working  and  busy  man  from 


early  morn  to  night.  Everything  received  its  due 
attention  from  him.  He  has  benefited  this  city  not 
only  by  building  up  fine  business  blocks,  but  even 
more  by  establishing  and  continuing  the  firm  of  J.  R. 
Hill  & Co.,  thus  bringing  men  to  our  city  and  giving 
them  employment,  whereby  the  city  was  the  gainer. 

William  P.  Ford  & Co.,  iron  founders,  manu- 
facture stoves,  ranges  and  agricultural  implements,  etc. 

Ford  & Kimball,  brass  and  iron  founders,  are 
doing  a large  business.  This  establishment  was 
founded  in  1865.  The  firm  consists  of  Theodore  H. 
Ford  and  Benjamin  A.  Kimball. 

Concord  Machine-Works,  Colonel  John  A. 
White,  proprietor,  were  established  in  1877.  Manu- 
facture wood-working  machinery. 

Other  iron  founders  are  Clapp  & Co.,  Concord 
Axle  Company,  Hobbs,  Gordon  & Co.,  N.P.  Stevens. 

The  Prescott  Organ  Company  was  incorporated 
in  January,  1880,  with  a capital  of  thirty  thousand 
dollars.  This  business  is  one  of  the  oldest  established 
of  its  kind  in  the  United  States.  It  originated  in 
1836,  although  the  founder  had  made  musical  instru- 
ments as  early  as  1814.  The  present  officers  of  the 
company  are  A.  J.  Prescott,  president ; George  I).  B. 
Prescott,  treasurer ; D.  B.  Corser,  superintendent. 

The  Concord  Axle  Company,  located  at  Pena- 
cook,  was  organized  in  1880  with  a capital  of 
fifty  thousand  dollars.  Its  officers  are  as  follows  : 
C.  H.  Amsden,  president;  I).  Arthur  Brown,  treas- 
urer ; Edmund  H.  Brown,  clerk ; Charles  H. 
Amsden,  D.  Arthur  Brown,  E.  H.  Brown,  John 
Whittaker,  J.  C.  Pearson,  directors.  This  company 
manufactures  the  original  Concord  axle. 

Concord  Granite  Quarries. — The  quarries  of 
the  celebrated  Concord  granite  are  located  on  Rattle- 
snake Hill,  which  is  literally  one  vast  bed  of  granite. 
The  superior  value  of  this  granite  is  due  to  its  free- 
dom from  all  mineral  impurities,  which  so  often  mar 
the  beauty  of  this  stone. 

Among  those  engaged  in  this  business  are  Concord 
Granite  Company,  Patrick  Crowley,  Crowley  A 
Quinn,  Donogan  & Davis,  Fuller  & Co.,  Asa  L.  Gay, 
Granite  Railway  Company,  Abijah  Hollis,  M.  H. 
Johnson,  Lyman  Knowles,  Putney  & Nutting,  Sargent 
& Sullivan. 

The  Concord  Manufacturing  Company,  of 
West  Concord,  was  incorporated  in  1873.  Capital, 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars.  Manufacture  all- 
wool  flannels  and  heavy  twilled  goods.  Capacity, 
eighteen  thousand  five  hundred  yards  per  week.  A. 
W.  Sawyer  is  president;  G.  F.  Blake,  clerk;  Daniel 
Holden,  treasurer  and  agent;  P.  R.  Holden,  superin- 
tendent. 

The  Contoocook  Manufacturing  and  Me- 
chanic Company  is  located  in  Penacook;  manufac- 
turers of  print  cloths.  Cotton  used  annually,  300,- 
000  pounds;  number  of  yards  of  cloth  made,  1,600,000 ; 
number  of  looms,  163;  number  of  spindles,  6200  ; 
number  of  hands  employed,  about  100. 


106 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


The  Penacook  Mill  is  located  in  East  Canal 
Street,  Penacook;  John  S.  Brown,  proprietor;  manu- 
factures print  cloths.  Number  of  pounds  of  cotton 
used  per  year,  525,000  ; number  of  yards  of  cloth 
made  per  year,  3,000,000 ; number  of  looms,  330 ; 
number  of  spindles,  13,064 ; number  of  bands  em- 
ployed, 190. 

William  B.  Durgin,  manufacturer  of  solid  silver- 
ware, commenced  this  business  in  1854,  and  it  has 
grown  from  small  proportions  to  rank  among  the 
representative  establishments  of  the  city. 

The  Concord  Shoe-Factory  has  a capital  of 
twenty-five  thousand  dollars.  Its  officers  are  George 
A.  Cummings,  president;  W.  F.  Thayer,  treasurer ; 
N.  E.  Martin,  clerk;  Oscar  V.  Pitman,  W.  G.  Shaw, 
L.  D.  Brown,  Edward  Dow,  directors. 

The  Concord  Cattle  Company  was  incorporated 
in  February,  1883. 

The  Concord  Gas-Light  Company  was  incor- 
porated in  1854.  Capital,  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars.  John  Kimball,  president;  Sylvester  Dana, 
clerk;  John  M.  Hill,  treasurer  and  agent;  William 
Badger,  superintendent;  Seth  Eastman,  John  Kim- 
ball, John  H.  George,  Josiah  Minot,  Edward  H. 
Rollins,  Sylvester  Dana,  Josiah  B.  Sanborn,  directors. 

The  company  has  laid  more  than  seventeen  miles 
of  main-pipe.  There  are  about  eleven  hundred  con- 
sumers and  one  hundred  and  ninety  street  lights. 

Town  Accounts. — The  following  are  extracts  from 


accounts  from  1771  to  March,  1775: 

£ «.  d. 

“ To  Abiel  Chandler,  for  keeping  school  and  surveying  for 

the  parish 55  14  2% 

To  Jo.  Emery,  for  keeping  school 0 10  6 

Patrick  Guinlon,  for  keeping  school 31  17  6 

John  Blanchard’s  order  for  boarding  a school  mistress  .076 
Robert  Hogg,  for  keeping  school  two  years  at  £30  ...  60  0 0 

Daniel  Abbot,  for  a wolf’s  head 0 10  0 

Dr.  E.  H.  Goss,  for  taking  care  of  Jacob  Pilsbury  and 

wife ...  2 7 8 

Rev.  Mr.  Timo.  Walker,  for  procuring  the  incorporation 

of  Concord 5 5 10 

Joseph  Eastman,  jr.,  for  a wolfs  head 0 4 0 

Timo.  Walker,  jr.,  for  a set  of  measures,  53  crows’  heads, 
articles  supplied  Pilsbury,  and  his  service  as  select- 
man and  clerk 7 1 6 

Abiel  Chandler,  for  surveying 0 6 0 

Benj.  Emery’s  order  for  carrying  out  a lame  man,  and  his 

services  as  selectman 2 8 0 

1772.  To  the  Rev’d  Mr.  Timo.  Walker,  for  preaching 

from  26th  day  of  Jan’y,  1772,  to  26th  Jan’y,  1773  .47  1 0 

To  John  Kimball,  for  making  5 staves  for  the  tything 

men 0 6 3 

To  sundry  articles  supplied  Elizabeth  Russ  and  Samuel 

Walker 1 7 3 

To  Noah  Parker,  for  one  new  weight,  and  sealing  the 

old  ones 0 12  0 


To  Gilman  West,  for  making  nails  for  the  meeting-house  0 5 5 ” 

From  1774  to  1775. 

“ To  Abiel  Chandler,  for  surveying  roads  and  taking  the 

number  of  the  people 3 10  6 

John  Kimball,  for  mending  the  meeting-house,  and  for 

nails  for  do 0 13  0 

Andrew  McMillan,  Esq.,  for  petitioning  the  General 

Court,  and  assisting  in  settling  Mr.  Walker’s  salary.  6 0 

John  Kimball,  for  a coffin  for  the  body  of  Samuel 

Walker 0 6 0 


Timothy  Walker,  jr.,  for  his  bill  against  the  parish  the  £ s. 

year  past 2 13 

Do.  for  journey  to  Exeter,  to  atteud  the  Congress,  5 days 

at  5s.,  travail  13s.  4 d 1 18 

To  cash  paid  John  Giddinge,  for  the  support  of  the  dele- 
gates at  the  Continental  Congress,  as  per  rec’t  ...  6 4 

Rev’d.  Mr.  Walker,  for  three  journeys  to  Exeter,  to  attend 

the  Congress 3 16 

To  cash  paid  John  Giddinge,  for  the  support  of  the  dele- 
gates, as  per  rec’t 3 10 

To  a horse  the  above  four  journeys,  at  6s 1 4 

To  cash  paid  Mr.  John  Fowle,  for  taking  care  of  Dr. 

Carrigin,  wheu  sick  of  the  small  pox,  as  per  rec't  . 3 0 

To  711  feet  of  plank  for  bridges 2 1 

Abated  Nath’l  Chandler  Abbot 0 2 


d. 

3 

4 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

6 ” 


In  1762  the  principal  merchant  in  the  new  town 
(then  Rumf'ord)  was  Andrew  McMillan,  whose  store 
was  located  on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Pleasant 
Streets.  Illustrative  of  the  price  of  various  com- 
modities at  that  date,  the  following  charges  from  his 
ledger  are  subjoined: 


1762. 

“ Rev.  Mr.  Timothy  Walker,  junior,1 

hr. 

£ 

8. 

d. 

Decemb 

To  1 tb.  of  Coffey 

...  1 

or, 

0 

“ 

“ 1 scain  of  silk 

. . . 0 

14 

0 

“ 

“ % of  bear-skin,  at  8*' 

...  6 

00 

0 

“ 

“ }/2  gall-  wine,  at  9a* 

. . . 4 

10 

0 

“ 

“ gall,  of  W.  I.  rum 

...  3 

00 

0 

1763. 
Jan.  10. 

“ 1 It),  of  coffee,  by  John  Colby  . . 

...  1 

06 

0 

“ “ 

“ 12  pipes 

...  0 

12 

0 

“ 18. 

“ 1 comb,  20s 

00 

0 

“ “ 

“ ^ lb.  of  tea,  at  128 

. . . 6 

00 

0 

“ “ 

“ 1 quire  of  post  paper,  at  50s.  . . . 

2 

10 

0 

Feb.  i). 

“ 4 lbs.  of  sugar,  at  14* 

9 

16 

0 

Mar.  6. 

“ 1 quart  mug,  at  508  

2 

10 

0 

“ 9. 

“ 1 piut  of  brandy,  by  John  Colby,  248  . . 1 

01 

0 

May. 

“ /^a  yd.  of  long  lawn,  by  Judith  . 

...  4 

00 

0 

“ 

“ 1 handkerchief,  by  Judith  .... 

. . . 8 

00 

0 

“ 

“ 1 pint  W.  I.  rum 

...  0 

15 

0 

July. 

“ 1 gall.  W.  I.  rum,  by  John  Colby 

...  6 

00 

0 

“ 

“ % lb.  of  powder,  by  John  Colby  . 

. . . 1 

05 

0 

1763. 

“ Deacon  Farnum,  Dr. 

£ 

8. 

d. 

Jan.  15. 

To  Sundries  brought  from  old  ledger,  p. 

196,  211 

11 

6 

“ “ 

“ gall,  and  pint  of  N.  E.  rum  . . 

...  2 

19 

0 

“ “ 

“ 1 lb.  of  coffey,  at  268 

...  1 

06 

0 

«<  ii 

“ 1 glass  of  brandy 

04 

0 

“ “ 

“ 1 qt.  of  wine,  at  25s 

2 

05 

0 

Feb.  1. 

“ >4  gall-  °f  brandy 

. . . 4 

10 

0 

“ 1 pint  of  brandy 

04 

0 

‘ ‘ 1 glass  of  brandy 

...  0 

03 

0 

“ 8. 

“ 2 lbs.  of  brown  sugar,  at  14s.  . . . 

...  1 

08 

0 

“ 16. 

“ 1 glass  of  brandy 

...  0 

04 

0 

Mar.  1. 

“1^  gall,  of  brandy,  at  9s 

10 

0 

“ “ 

“ % lb.  of  raisons 

00 

0 

“ 14. 

“ 5 pare  of  men’s  gloves,  at  50s.  . . 

. . . 12 

10 

0 

“ ii 

“ 2 pare  of  woman’s  black  do.,  at  50s. 

. . . 5 

00 

0 

ii  ii 

“ 1 pare  of  woman’s  white  do.  . . . 

. . . 2 

13 

0 

“ “ 

“ 3 yds.  of  hat  crape,  at  50s 

. . . 7 

10 

0 

“ Contra.  Rumford , January  15,  1763. 

By  sundries  brought  from  old  ledger  . 

. . 156 

Or. 

08 

8 

April  5. 

“ cash  

17 

0 

June  6. 

“ cash,  in  full 

. . 94 

00 

10 

1763. 

“ Ezra  Carter , Doctor , Dr. 

£ 

8. 

d. 

Jan.  21. 

To  sundries  brought  from  p.  11  . . . . 

. . 492 

15 

6 

“ 22. 

“ Vi  gall,  of  brandy 

. . . 4 

10 

0 

1 After  Timothy  Walker,  Jr.,  was  licensed  to  preach,  September  1 1, 
1759,  he  remained  in  Concord,  and  was  a while  in  company  with  Andrew 
McMillan. 


CONCORD. 


107 


£ s.  d. 

Jau.  22.  gall,  of  brandy 4 10  0 

“ 26.  “ % gall,  of  brandy 4 10  0 

“ 27.  “ gaH-  of  brandy 4 10  0 

“ 28.  “ ^ gall,  of  brandy 4 10  0 

44  29.  44  y2  gall,  of  brandy 4 10  0 

“ 31.  “ y gall,  of  brandy  (for  medicine  ?)  . ...  4 10  0 

44  5 lbs.  of  sugar 2 16  0 

Feb.  4.  “ % gall,  of  brandy  ....  • 4 10  0 

“ 8.  “ 5 note  of  thread,  at  3s 0 15  0 

“ 44  “ 6 sheets  of  paper,  at  Is.  6 d 0 09  0 

44  44  “ }/2  gall,  of  snakerut 4 05  0 

“ 11.  •*  y gall,  of  W.  I.  rum 3 00  0 

“ “ “ XA,  gall,  of  clove  water 3 15  0 

“ 12.  “ gall,  of  W.  I.  rum,  half  a dollar  ...  3 00  0 

“ John  Chandler , Dr. 

1765.  £ s.  d. 

June  13.  To  4 buttons 1 1)0  0 

“ \/2  bowl  of  tody 0 07  0 

Mar.  11.  “ 1%  yds.  of  blue  broad  cloth,  17s 25  10  0 

“ 2 do/,  buttons,  at  30s 3-  00  0 

44  8 jacket  do 0 10  0 

“ V/2  yds.  of  blue  camblet 6 00  0 

44  1 qt.  of  rum,  at  24s.,  and  2 bowls  of  tody  . 2 12  0 

July  22.  “ 1 gall,  of  W.  I.  rum,  6s 6 00  0 

“Rev.  Timothy  Walker , Dr. 

1763.  £.  s.  d. 

Dec.  9.  To  the  balance  of  your  account 26  15  0 

44  3 yds.  of  red  shoe-binding,  by  Judith  . . 0 09  0 

Dec.  8.  “ iy  lb.  of  chalk,  at  40s 2 10  0 

“ “ 44  2 qts.  rum 3 00  0 

1764. 

Jan’y  2.  44  % lb.  of  pepper,  18s 0 18  0 

Feb’y2.  44  1 quart  of  W.  I.  rum,  35s 1 15  0 

“ “ “ buckram 0 12  0 

44  16.  44  1 gall,  of  W.  I.  rum,  by  Mr.  Tim.  ...  6 00  0 

June  2.  “ y yd.  of  cambrick,  by  Judith,  at  11s.  . 1 08  0 

“ 44  44  1 punch  bowl,  at  15s 0 15  0 

44  44  44  J^yd.  of  gauze,  and  to  % skein  of  silk.  1 04  6 

44  44  44  2 qts.  of  rum.  . 3 00  0 

Aug.  9.  44  sundries  paid  Mr.  Paul  Burbeen . . . . 50  00  0 

4*  11.  “1  gallon  of  rum,  at  6s 6 (X)  0 ” 


Concord  Railroad,— The  first  passenger  depot  of 
the  Concord  Railroad  was  erected  in  1849.  The  pre- 
sent depot  building  was  completed  in  1885,  and  is  a 
large  and  commodious  brick  structure,  and  is  supplied 
with  all  the  modern  improvements. 

The  Penacook  Academy  was  established  in  1866. 
Hon.  William  H.  Gage  generously  contributed  a 
large  lot  of  land,  and  the  school  was  opened  No- 
vember 6,  1866,  the  same  year.  The  first  board  of 
instruction  consisted  of  M.  Weed,  A.M.,  Mrs.  Mary 
A.  Weed  and  Miss  Eliza  T.  Moore. 

The  New  Hampshire  Historical  Society1  was 
formed  at  Portsmouth,  May  20,  1823.  The  number 
of  original  members  was  thirty-one,  of  which  George 
Kent,  Esq.,  the  last  survivor,  died  at  New  Bedford, 
Mass.,  in  the  winter  of  1884-85. 

An  act  of  incorporation  was  passed  by  the  Legis- 
lature June  13,  1823,  and  the  first  meeting  of  the 
members  under  its  provisions  was  held  in  the  council 
chamber  in  the  State-House  on  the  evening  of  the 
same  day,  when  a constitution  was  adopted.  A code 
of  by-laws  was  adopted  at  a meeting  held  at  Exeter 
September  17,  1823. 

The  object  of  the  society  is  to  discover,  procure 


and  preserve  whatever  relates  to  the  natural,  civil, 
literary  and  ecclesiastical  history  of  the  United 
States  in  general  and  the  State  of  New  Hampshire 
in  particular. 

John  Farmer,  Esq.,  the  noted  antiquarian,  historian 
and  genealogist,  was  one  of  its  original  members, 
and  to  his  exertions  as  its  corresponding  secretary 
much  of  its  early  success  is  due. 

Hon.  William  Plumer  was  its  first  president;  his 
successors  have  been  Levi  Woodbury,  in  1825;  Iclia- 
bod  Bartlett,  1826 ; Salma  Hale,  1830 ; Matthew  Har- 
vey, 1832;  Charles  H.  Atherton,  1834;  Joel  Parker, 
1838;  Nathaniel  Bouton,  1842 ; Nathaniel G.  Upham, 
1844;  Samuel  D.  Bell,  1847 ; Charles  Burroughs, 
1849;  Levi  Chamberlain,  1852;  William  Plumer,  Jr., 
1854;  Chandler  E.  Potter,  1855 ; Edwin  D.  Sanborn, 
1857;  Joseph  Dow,  1860;  William  H.  Y.  Hackett, 
1861 ; Joseph  B.  Walker,  1866;  Charles  H.  Bell,  18(58. 

The  semi-centennial  of  the  society  was  celebrated 
May  22,  1873,  at  which  time  the  society’s  building — 
then  recently  purchased  and  fitted  up— was  dedicated 
to  its  use.  A dedicatory  address  was  delivered  by 
Joseph  B.  Walker,  Esq.  Addresses  were  also  made 
by  other  honorary  and  resident  members,  and  an  ode 
written  by  George  Kent,  Esq.,  of  Washington  City, 
was  sung. 


The  semi-centennial  address  was  delivered  by  the 
president  of  the  society,  Hon.  Charles  H.  Bell,  and  a 
poem  written  by  Edna  Dean  Proctor  was  read. 

Eight  volumes  of  valuable  historical  matter  have 
been  published  by  the  society,  and  a ninth  is  in 
course  of  publication. 

The  library  now  contains  about  eight  thousand 
volumes,  twelve  thousand  pamphlets,  one  hundred 
thousand  newspapers,  a valuable  collection  of  manu- 
scripts and  a large  number  of  ancient  and  curious 
articles,  which  are  kept  at  its  rooms,  212  and  214 
North  Main  Street. 

The  present  number  of  resident  members  is  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty. 


CHAPTER  V. 

CONCORD — ( Continued). 

The  State  Prison— United  States  Court-House  and  Post-Office— Schools— 
St.  Paul's  School— Water- Works— Walker  House — Masonic 1 — Odd-Fel- 
lows— Other  Societies. 

State  Prison. — The  old  State’s  Prison,  on  Main 
Street,  was  erected  in  1811  or  1812  on  land  given  by 
Joshua  Abbot.  The  location  was  thought  to  be  se- 
cluded, quite  out  of  the  way  of  business  and  of  popula- 
tion. It  was  erected  under  the  supervision  of  Stuart 
J.  Park,  and  was  built  entirely  of  granite,  quarried 
from  Rattlesnake  Hill.  It  contained  originally  thirty- 
six  cells.  Its  cost  was  about  thirty-seven  thousand 
dollars.  It  was  subsequently  greatly  enlarged  and 
improved. 


1 By  D.  F.  Secomb. 


1 See  appendix. 


108 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


The  present  prison  is  located  about  two  miles 
north  of  the  State-House,  on  the  road  to  Penaeook, 
and  was  completed  in  1878  at  a cost  of  about  two 
hundred  and  thirty  thousand  dollars.  It  is  a mas- 
sive and  imposing  structure.  It  was  erected  under 
the  supervision  of  Prison  Commissioners  John  Kim- 
ball, Albert  M.  Shaw  and  Alpha  J.  Pillsbury. 

The  whole  number  of  convicts  in  prison  is  127, 
— 11(5  white  and  11  black,  12(5  males  and  1 female. 
Only  35  persons  were  committed  to  the  prison  during 
the  past  year,  being  the  smallest  number  for  twelve 
years. 

The  earnings  of  the  institution  for  the  year  were 
$18,754.24,  and  the  expenses  have  been  $20,349.25, 
leaving  a balance  against  the  prison  of  $1,595.01. 

The  number  of  prisoners  discharged  during  the 
year  was  48, — 7 being  pardoned,  36  released  on  ac- 
count of  the  expiration  of  their  terms  of  sentence 
and  5 died. 

Of  the  127  inmates,  April  30,  1885,  43  were  mar- 
ried and  84  single;  33  claimed  to  be  temperate,  and 
the  remainder  admitted  themselves  to  be  intemper- 
ate; 12  were  under  20  years  of  age  when  committed, 
(56  between  20  and  30,  31  between  30  and  40,  8 be- 
tween 40  and  50,  and  10  over  50  ; 109  can  read  and 
write,  11  can  read  only  and  the  remainder  are  unable 
to  do  either  ; 23  were  convicted  in  Rockingham 
County,  10  in  Strafford,  5 in  Belknap,  6 in  Carroll,  4 
in  Merrimack,  33  in  Hillsborough,  7 in  Cheshire,  9 
in  Sullivan,  7 in  Grafton,  5 in  Coos  and  18  in  the 
United  States  Courts ; 4 are  serving  time  for  murder 
in  the  second  degree,  4 for  manslaughter,  5 for  at- 
tempt to  kill,  2 for  rape,  3 for  arson,  1 for  highway 
robbery,  29  for  burglary,  11  for  horse-stealing,  3 for 
stealing  cattle,  3 for  forgery,  4 for  breaking  and 
stealing,  9 for  breaking  and  entering,  28  for  stealing, 

1 for  stealing  from  person,  1 for  obtaining  goods  by 
false  pretences,  1 for  poisoning  cow,  7 for  robbery, 
3 for  attempt  to  rape,  1 for  assaulting  officer,  1 for 
robbing  post-office,  3 for  being  tramps,  1 for  false 
entry  in  bank  ledger,  1 for  false  affidavit  to  obtain 
money  and  1 for  falsely  personating  another  to  ob- 
tain money. 

Ninety-eight  are  natives  of  the  United  States,  11 
of  Ireland,  4 of  England,  1 of  Scotland,  6 of  Canada, 

2 of  Nova  Scotia,  2 of  Sweden  and  3 of  Germany. 
Four  were  sentenced  for  30  years,  1 for  25,  4 for  20, 
1 for  15,  1 for  13,  5 for  10,  1 for  9,  4 for  8,  7 for  7,  1 
for  6,  15  for  5,  2 for  41,  13  for  4,  35  for  3,  3 for  21,  20 
for  2,  1 for  11,  1 for  1J  and  7 for  1 year  and  a day. 

The  smallest  number  committed  during  any  twelve- 
month  was  1 in  1812,  and  the  largest  76,  in  1878. 
The  total  commitments  aggregate  2306,  of  whom  1211 
were  discharged,  633  pardoned,  149  removed  to  the 
asylum  for  the  insane,  189  died  and  20  escaped.  The 
last  escape  was  in  1870. 

The  financial  statement  is  as  follows : Earnings, — 
labor  of  convicts  from  May  1,  1884,  to  May  1,  1885, 
$17,456.75 ; visitors’  fees,  $302.10 ; rent,  $202  ; board, 


United  States  prisoners,  $392.31  ; gain  in  inventory, 
$401.08.  Total,  $18,754.24. 

Expenses, — deputy  warden’s  salary,  $1000 ; phy- 
sician, $500;  overseers,  $97(54.17  ; clothing,  $1530.23; 
discharged  convicts,  $126;  furniture,  $154.03;  sub- 
sistence, $3966.36;  light,  fuel  and  water,  $1450.62; 
hospital  supplies,  $261.09;  funeral  expenses,  $38; 
repairs,  $867.87  ; incidentals,  $690.88.  Total,  $20,- 
349.25  ; excess  of  expenses  over  earnings,  $1595.01. 

The  officers  of  the  prison  are  as  follows:  Warden. 
Frank  S.  Dodge;  deputy  warden,  Thomas  A.  Pills- 
bury; physicians,  H.  M.  French,  M.D.,  C.  It. 
Walker,  M.D. ; chaplain,  Rev.  E.  R.  Wilkins;  over- 
seer of  cook-room  and  hall,  F.  L.  Robinson  ; over- 
seers of  shops,  F.  J.  Sanborn,  David  Sanborn,  M.  B. 
Smart,  J.  B.  Greaton,  W.  H.  Stevenson,  Fred.  Peas- 
lee ; guards,  S.  N.  Allen,  Fred.  L.  Sabin,  J.  E.  Mor- 
rison, J.  A.  Pillsbury,  Joseph  Martin,  George  M. 
Colby;  night  watchman,  J.  L.  Jones,  N.  W.  Me- 
Murphy. 

United  States  Court  House  and  Post  Office.— 

June  10th,  1882,  Congress  made  an  appropriation  of 
two  hundred  thousand  dollars  for  an  “United  States 
court  house  and  post  office”  at  Concord,  N.  H. 
Owing  to  vexatious  delays  in  securing  a satisfactory 
site  and  acceptable  plans,  very  little  visible  progress 
lias  been  made  at  the  present  writing  (August  27, 
1885).  A lot  satisfactory  to  all  the  citizens  of  Con- 
cord was  secured.  It  embraces  an  entire  square,  and 
is  two  hundred  and  twenty-three  by  two  hundred 
and  sixty-seven  feet.  It  fronts  on  State  Street,  and 
is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Park  Street,  on  the  west 
by  Green  Street,  and  on  the  south  by  Capitol  Street. 
The  building  is  designed  to  be  Gothic  in  style  of 
architecture,  with  pitch  roof  and  dormer  windows. 
It  will  have  a frontage  of  one  hundred  and  seventeen 
feet.  Giles  Wheeler,  of  Concord,  is  the  superinten- 
dent, and  received  his  appointment  from  Secretary 
Manning.  An  excavation  for  the  cellar  has  been 
made,  and  a concrete  floor  laid.  The  contracts  for 
the  building  are  not  yet  awarded. 

Public  Schools. — The  history  of  the  public  schools 
of  Concord  for  the  first  century  of  its  existence  as  a 
town  is  not  unlike  that  of  other  towns  of  its  popula- 
tion and  wealth.  Up  to  1805  there  was  no  such  or- 
ganization as  a school  district  known  to  our  statutes. 
The  several  towns,  by  their  selectmen  or  by  com- 
mittees, had  been  divided  into  sections  for  school 
purposes,  as  convenience  required,  and  the  school 
money  raised  by  law  was  parceled  out  to  them.  In 
1805  an  act  was  passed  which  authorized  the  division 
of  towns  into  school  districts,  to  be  accurately  defined 
and  bounded,  and  empowered  to  hold  meetings  and 
raise  money  for  the  purchase,  repair  and  erection  of 
school-houses. 

The  first  school  established  in  Concord  was  in  1731, 
and  its  support  was  assumed  by  the  town  in  1733.  It 
was  taught  by  a master  hired  by  the  selectmen,  and 
for  many  years  was  kept  in  four  different  sections  of 


CONCORD. 


109 


the  town,  viz.:  East  Concord,  West  Concord,  Hop- 
kinton  road  and  Main  Street.  After  1700  winter 
schools  were  supported  in  each  of  those  localities. 
The  first  school-house  in  Concord  was  built  in  1742, 
and  stood  at  a point  near  the  northeast  corner  of  the 
State-House  park.  There  it  remained  until  near  the 
close  of  the  last  century,  and  at  the  beginning  of  the 
present  century  there  were  only  about  nine  school- 
houses  in  Concord  owned  by  the  town. 

As  early  as  1800  an  unsuccessful  effort  was  made  by 
the  town  to  divide  the  territory  of  Concord  into 
school  districts  and  to  raise  money  for  the  building 
of  school-houses  in  such  districts.  This  effort  was 
successfully  renewed  in  1807.  The  town  appointed  a 
committee  of  twenty,  with  the  selectmen,  to  divide 
the  town  into  school  districts,  in  accordance  with  the 
law  passed  two  years  before,  and  that  committee  re- 
ported sixteen  districts  definitely  described. 

The  first  committee  to  visit  schools,  appointed  by 
the  town,  was  in  1818,  and  the  report  of  such  com- 
mittee was  first  ordered  to  be  printed  in  1827,  for 
distribution  among  the  inhabitants. 

In  184.7  the  Legislature  passed  a law  for  the  estab- 
lishing of  High  Schools,  and  in  1848  the  Somersmith 
Act.  In  the  compact  part  of  the  town  there  were  at 
that  time  three  school  districts,  numbered  nine,  ten 
and  eleven,  and  the  school-house  accommodations 
were  very  limited.  An  unsuccessful  attempt  was 
made,  in  1847,  to  unite  the  three  districts  for  the  sup- 
port of  a High  School.  In  1850,  District  No.  10,  the 
central  one,  adopted  the  Somersmith  Act,  and  estab- 
lished a High  School  in  a brick  building  erected  in 
1840,on  the  site  of  the  present  High  School  building, 
School  Street,  and  which  was  taken  down  in  1863. 
In  1856  the  effort  to  consolidate  the  three  districts 
proved  successful,  and  the  result  was  the  establish- 
ment of 

Union  School  Districts,  from  which  date  there 
was  rapid  improvement  in  our  schools  and  school  build- 
ings. At  that  time  the  management  of  the  schools  was 
placed  in  the  hands  of  a prudential  and  superintending 
school  committee.  In  1859  an  act  was  passed  by  the 
Legislature  authorizing  the  election,  by  the  district, 
of  a Board  of  Education,  to  consist  of  nine  persons, 
the  terms  of  office  of  three  of  whom  should  expire 
each  year.  The  object  of  this  was  to  secure  more 
permanent  management  of  the  schools,  and  avoid 
sudden  change  in  teachers  and  methods  of  in- 
struction. The  Board  of  Education  discharged  the 
duties  of  both  prudential  and  superintending  com- 
mittees, through  a financial  agent  and  sub-committee. 
Their  duties  becoming  onerous  with  the  increase  of 
schools,  two  attempts  were  made  to  place  a large 
share  of  the  work  in  the  hands  of  a superintendent 
of  schools.  In  the  fall  term  of  1862  and  winter  term 
of  1863,  Henry  E.  Sawyer,  principal  of  the  High 
School,  was  directed  to  speud  part  of  his  time  in  the 
lower  grades  of  school,  and  did  so,  performing  efficient 
service  in  the  grading  of  these  schools.  In  the  fall 


term  of  1873,  Amos  Hadley,  a member  of  the  Board 
of  Education,  was  elected  as  principal  of  the  gram- 
mar schools,  with  power  to  supervise  the  schools  of 
other  grades,  and  continued  in  that  position  until 
March,  1874.  In  July,  1874,  an  act  was  passed  au- 
thorizing the  appointment  of  a superintendent  of 
schools,  and  the  office  lias  been  filled  by  Daniel  O. 
Allen  and  Warren  Clark,  respectively,  to  August  1st, 
this  year,  when  Louis  .T.  Kundlett  entered  upon  the 
discharge  of  the  duties  of  superintendent. 

The  following  gentlemen  have  served  upon  the 
Board  of  Education  since  its  creation,  the  first  nine 
named  being  elected  September  10,  1859,  and  having 
their  terms  of  office  determined  by  lot: 

Henry  E.  Parker,  David  Patten,  Josiah  P.  Nutting, 
Caleb  Parker,  John  P.  Bancroft,  Peletiali  Brown,  P. 

B.  Cogswell,  Asa  Fowler,  Joseph  B.  Walker,  Samuel 

C.  Eastman,  Hazen  Pickering,  John  V.  Barron, 
Lyman  D.  Stevens,  Abraham  .1.  Prescott,  Amos 
Hadley,  Elisha  Adams,  William  M.  Chase,  Henry  J. 
Crippen,  Albert  H.  Crosby,  Oliver  Pillsbury,  Charles 
P.  Sanborn,  Samuel  B.  Page,  Daniel  C.  Allen,  Warren 
Clark,  J.  C.  A.  Hill,  A.  B.  Thompson,  S.  C.  Whitcher, 
John  H.  George,  Everett  L.  Conger,  George  W. 
Crockett,  Daniel  B.  Donovan,  John  C.  Thorn,  Charles 
R.  Corning. 

The  present  members  of  the  board  are  P.  B.  Cogs- 
well, Henry  J.  Crippen,  William  M.  Chase,  George 
W.  Crockett,  Charles  R.  Corning,  Daniel  B.  Donevan, 
J.  C.  A.  Hill,  A.  B.  Thompson  and  John  C.  Thorn. 
The  officers  are  P.  B.  Cogswell,  president,  and  Daniel 
B.  Donevan,  secretary. 

Since  the  creation  of  Union  School  District  there 
has  been  almost  a total  revolution  in  the  school- 
houses  of  the  district.  At  the  present  time  only 
three  rooms  arc  occupied  which  were  in  existence 
previous  to  1856, — two  on  Union  Street  and  one  on 
Spring  Street.  In  1858  the  Merrimack  and  Rumford 
Grammar  School-houses  were  erected;  in  1863-64  the 
High  School  building  and  the  Bow  Brook  house;  in 
1865  the  Franklin  Street  house;  in  1870-71  the 
Penacook  house;  in  1873  the  Plains  and  Fair-Ground 
house;  in  1873-74  the  Walker  house;  in  1878  the 
Chandler  house.  The  cost  of  these  houses  has  been 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  all  of 
which  has  been  raised  and  paid  by  the  district,  so 
that  it  is  free  of  debt. 

There  were  32  schools  in  the  district  the  past  year, 
viz. : 1 High,  with  4 teachers  ; 10  grammar,  9 inter- 
mediate, 11  primary  and  one  mixed,  with  one 
teacher  each.  There  was  also  also  employed  1 teacher 
of  drawing  and  1 of  music.  The  High  School  has 
three  courses  of  study, — English  of  three  years,  and 
academic  and  clerical  of  four  years  each.  The  number 
of  pupils  in  the  several  grades  the  past  year  were,— 
High,  199;  grammar,  495;  intermediate,  447;  pri- 
mary, 675;  mixed,  26, — total,  1842,  which  is  about 
nine-elevenths  of  the  whole  number  of  pupils  attend- 
ing the  public  schools  iu  the  city.  The  graduates  of 


112 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


attainable,  the  rector  seems  to  have  felt  that,  while  a 
large  company  of  loyal  and  impressionable  boys  could 
be  very  easily  made  “ ritualistic,”  it  was  a harder  and 
a far  worthier  task  to  try  to  make  them  moral  and 
religious — manly  and  healthy  in  their  piety.  Nor 
will  those  who  understand  the  character  of  boys  doubt 
for  a moment  that  his  instinct  was  an  eminently  wise 
one.  The  original  chapel  was  intended  to  accommo- 
date about  forty  boys;  it  was  enlarged  to  more  than 
double  its  former  capacity  in  18(18,  and  being  now 
(1884)  wholly  inadequate,  preparations  are  making  by 
the  alumni  to  build  an  entirely  new  and  extremely 
beautiful  structure  til  a cost  of  seventy-five  thousand 
dollars.  This  amount  is  already  raised,  but  the  sum 
of  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  in  addition  is  needed 
for  the  endowment  of  the  chapel,  to  provide  for  heat- 
ing, lighting  and  repairs. 

In  the  year  1865,  after  the  breaking  up  of  St.  Janies’ 
College,  in  Maryland,  Dr.  Coit  was  happily  joined  by 
his  brother,  the  Rev.  Joseph  Howland  Coit,  M.A. 
who  had  been  professor  of  mathematics  and  natural 
science  in  that  institution.  A teacher  of  the  very 
first  order,  of  wide  and  varied  culture  and  of  the 
same  general  educational  views  as  his  brother,  he 
became  vice-rector,  taking  charge  of  the  scientific  side 
of  the  school,  and  proving  an  invaluable  addition  to 
the  corps  of  masters,  as  well  as  a judicious  adviser  on 
the  board  of  trustees.  At  this  period  the  school 
numbered  between  seventy  and  eighty;  in  the  chapel 
the  boys  had  overflowed  into  the  seats  designed  for 
the  neighboring  population,  who  loved  to  attend  the 
services,  while  for  additional  dormitories  various 
adjoining  houses  were  gradually  purchased  and  added 
to  the  school  property.  In  186!)  the  Upper  School,  a 
handsome  three-story  granite  building,  was  erected, 
with  kitchen,  dining-room,  matron’s  apartments,  etc., 
in  a separate  bouse  near  by.  To  this  were  added  the 
Lower  School  for  the  youngest  boys,  in  1870;  the 
Rectory,  in  1871  or  1872;  the  large  school-house,  with 
school-room  and  recitation-rooms,  in  1878;  the  In- 
firmary or  Sanatarium  in  1877.  The  last  large  edifice, 
called  “The  School,”  in  which  the  vice-rector  resides 
with  the  main  body  of  the  boys,  is  pronounced  by 
competent  judges  to  be  one  of  the  most  complete 
school  buildings  to  be  found  anywhere  in  the  country. 
This  takes  the  place  of  the  original  house  of  Dr.  Shat- 
tuck,  which  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1878. 

The  funds  for  these  numerous  and  costly  structures 
have  been,  to  some  considerable  extent,  given  by  the 
founder  and  other  generous  friends  of  St.  Paul’s,  but 
they  have  also  been  in  large  measure  derived  from  the 
income  of  the  school  itself,  which  the  rector  has  ex- 
pended, as  far  as  possible,  for  the  permanent  improve- 
ment and  growth  of  the  institution.  The  salaries  of 
the  various  masters, — several  of  whom  are  married, — 
and  their  rooms  and  houses,  are  probably  larger  and 
more  comfortable  than  in  many  other  schools  and 
colleges.  But,  obviously,  St.  Paul's  could  not  have 
grown  to  such  a size  in  so  short  a time  without  the 


wisest  financial  management;  for  the  fortune  of  the 
generous  founder  was  not  at  all  one  of  those  colossal 
ones  by  means  of  which,  in  some  few  instances,  a 
school  or  university  has  been  launched  into  life  with 
every  material  equipment,  including  a sufficient  en- 
dowment to  pay  the  salaries  of  professors  and  teachers. 
St.  Paul’s  has  been  built  up  rapidly,  indeed,  but  still 
gradually,  by  the  wise  economy  and  unceasing  labor 
of  the  rector  and  his  able  assistants. 

The  course  of  study  includes  six  forms,  of  which 
the  sixth  is  the  highest,  and  a preparatory  or  “shell,” 
thus  covering  in  all  seven  years.  The  students  are 
prepared  to  enter  the  freshman  and  sophomore  classes 
in  Harvard  or  in  any  American  college.  Not  a few, 
after  completing  the  extended  course,  enter  upon 
business  without  proceeding  to  college.  There  is  also 
a fine  gymnasium  and  all  the  usual  athletic  sports, 
especially  the  famous  English  exercises  of  cricket  and 
rowing  have  been  encouraged  from  the  very  start. 
A stranger  is  generally  much  struck  with  the  happy 
home-like  life  of  the  place,  and  the  healthy,  manly, 
ingenuous  appearance  of  the  boys  as  he  sees  them 
gathered  in  the  chapel  or  engaged  in  sports  upon  the 
spacious  playgrounds. 

The  daily  routine  is,  generally  speaking,  as  follows 
Rise  at  6.30  (a  little  later  in  winter);  breakfast  at  7 : 
short  morning  prayers  in  the  chapel  for  the  whole 
school  at  8;  school-work  until  12;  12  to  1,  recreation ; 
1,  dinner;  2 to  4,  recreation  ; 4 to  6,  school-work;  6. 
supper,  followed  immediately  by  short  evening  prayers; 
after  which  the  boy  is  free  to  use  his  time  as  he 
pleases  (except  one  hour  of  study)  until  bed-time 
which  is  9 o’clock  for  most,  and  10  or  10.30  for  the 
oldest  pupils.  Immediately  before  bed-time,  at  9 
o’clock,  a short  space  of  some  ten  or  fifteen  minutes, 
known  as  “ Bible-hour,”  is  invariably  devoted  to  the 
silent  reading  of  the  Holy  Scriptures — generally  the 
appointed  Gospel  lesson  of  the  day.  This  custom  was 
probably  inherited  from  Dr.  Muhlenberg’s  school,  at 
College  Point,  Long  Island,  where  Dr.  Coit  received 
his  earliest  school  education,  from  which  place  Bishop 
Kerfoot  also  had  previously  transplanted  the  usage  to 
the  College  of  St.  James,  in  Maryland. 

There  are  three  separate  refectories  or  dining-rooms : 
One  at  the  Upper  School,  one — the  largest — at  “The 
School,”  and  a third  at  the  Lower  School.  This 
arrangement,  while  considerably  increasing  the  ex- 
pense, contributes  greatly  to  the  comfort  and  home- 
like character  of  the  daily  life.  The  dormitories  are 
admirably  arranged,  each  “alcove”  being  practically 
a small  private  room,  while  the  older  boys  in  the  sixth 
form  have  bed-rooms  combined  with  their  “studies” 
in  the  Upper  School.  The  Anniversary  Day,  also 
called  Founder’s  Day,  is  celebrated  early  in  June 
every  year.  It  is  a great  l'ete-day  for  the  boys,  their 
parents  and  their  friends;  there  is  a grand  cricket- 
match  and  least,  and  a special  sermon  and  service  in 
the  chapel.  The  “old  boys”  assemble  in  force,  thus 
keeping  up  their  own  love  for  the  “ happy  hills,” 


CONCORD. 


113 


“Where  once  their  careless  childhood  strayed 
A stranger  yet  to  pain,” 


which  is  every  way  beneficial. 


The  present  number  of  pupils  is  about  280,  the 
number  of  masters  20,  many  of  them  graduates  of 
the  school.  Among  the  masters  now  resident  at  St. 
Paul’s,  and  who  have  for  many  years  past  been  iden- 
tified with  its  history  and  prosperity,  may  be  men- 
tioned the  Rev.  Robert  A.  Benton,  M.A.,  of  Trinity, 
Hartford;  the  Rev.  T.  G.  Yalpey,  M.A.,  ol  Yale; 
Mr.  Charles  S.  Knox,  M.A.,  of  Columbia  College, 
New  York;  the  Rev.  Charles  A.  Morrill,  M.A.,  of 
Harvard ; the  Rev.  Thomas  J.  Drumm,  M.A.-;  Mr. 
James  C.  Knox,  M.A. ; the  Rev.  John  Margate,  M.A.  > 
Mr.  James  Milnor  Coit,  Ph.D. ; the  Rev.  Edward  M. 
Parker,  M.A.  (Keble  College,  Oxford);  Mr.  Augustus 
M.  Swift,  M.A.  The  last  five  of  these  are  graduates 
of  St.  Paul’s.  The  terms  of  admission  were  originally 
three  hundred  dollars  per  annum  ; then  four  hundred  ; 
they  are  now,  and  have  been  for  some  years,  five  hun- 
dred. There  are  a few  scholarships  (which  the  authori- 
ties are  anxious  to  increase),  the  holders  of  which 
receive  all  the  benefits  of  the  school  free  of  charge. 
The  terms  for  board  and  tuition  are  not  considered 
excessive  by  the  families  from  whom  the  scholars  are 
drawn,  and,  considering  the  comfortable  style  of  living 
which  is  both  expected  and  maintained,  it  is  really 
moderate.  The  average  cost  of  a boy’s  education  at 
Eton  may  be  safely  put  down  as  not  less  than  one 
hundred  and  seventy-five  pounds,  or  eight  hundred 
and  seventy -five  dollars.  At  schools  like  Marlborough 
and  Wellington  (where  there  is  a common  hall  for 
meals),  the  cost  more  nearly  approaches,  but  still 
j somewhat  exceeds,  what  has  been  mentioned  as  the 
charge  at  St.  Paul’s. 

It  has  been  said  that  no  school  ought  to  be  regarded 
i|  as  a well-established  public  institution  until  it  has 
been  tried  long  enough  to  see  whether  its  own  pupils, 
when  they  become  fathers,  retain  their  attachment 
and  their  belief  in  the  methods  pursued,  so  far  as  to 
send  their  own  sons  to  the  old  place  where  they 
themselves  were  educated.  This  final  test  St.  Paul’s 
has  already  met.  For  some  time  past  there  have  been 
on  its  roll  pupils  whose  fathers  were  themselves  old 
St.  Paul’s  boys  twenty  years  ago  and  more,  and  the 
number  is  certain  to  increase  as  each  year  goes  by. 
The  long  list  of  its  alumni,  moreover,  includes  the 
names  of  not  a few  of  the  rising  young  lawyers,  physi- 
cians, clergymen  and  business  men  in  most  of  our 
great  cities. 

Looking,  then,  at  these  various  and  really  remarka- 
ble results,  and  calmly  weighing  the  excellencies  of 
the  system  of  St.  Paul’s,  there  is  every  reason  to  hope 
and  believe  that  Dr.  Shattuck  and  Dr.  Coit  have  suc- 
ceeded in  founding  in  the  United  States  a distinctively 
church  school,  which  gives  every  promise  of  enduring, 
and  will  prove,  in  time,  worthy  to  be  compared  with  i 
8 


those  famous  English  schools  which  enter  so  deeply 
into  the  very  heart  of  the  national  life  and  character. 
The  foundations  have  been  so  well  laid  that,  under 
the  protection  of  a good  Providence,  it  seems  that 
they  cannot  easily  be  overthrown.  No  doubt  in  this 
case,  as  in  all  similar  undertakings,  it  may  be  truly 
said  much  must  be  due  to  the  personal  influence  and 
magnetism  of  the  present  and  first  head  master,  which 
seems,  in  its  way,  to  resemble  that  of  the  celebrated 
Dr.  Arnold  at  Rugby.  It  is  plain  enough  that  he 
must  be  a man  of  peculiar  gifts  and  powers,  and  not 
only  such  as  impress  and  charm  the  young.  To 
bring  St.  Paul’s  to  its  present  high  efficiency  and 
celebrity,  the  rector  must  necessarily  have  been  able 
to  work  harmoniously  with  a large  corps  of  masters, 
themselves  men  of  culture  and  acquirement,  with  the 
distinguished  gentlemen  who  are  the  trustees  of  the 
school,  and  with  the  numerous  parents  of  the  pupils, 
not  a few  of  whom  are  known  among  the  most  influ- 
ential people  of  the  land.  But  after  making  all  due 
allowance  for  these  personal  qualifications,  which  it 
might  indeed  be  difficult  to  replace,  it  is  quite  certain 
that  if  anything  like  the  wise  judgment  and  unselfish 
labor  of  the  past  quarter  of  a century  shall  mark  the 
administration  of  Dr.  Coit’s  successors,  St.  Paul's, 
Concord,  will  more  and  more  take  a leading  rank 
among  those  noted  places  of  education  which,  after 
all,  are  the  true  glory  of  our  country,  because  they  are 
the  best  security  that  we  have  for  the  cultivation  of 
those  virtues  which  lie  at  the  foundation  of  the  safety, 
honor  and  welfare  of  our  people. 

Concord  Water- Works.1 — The  supply  of  water  for 
Concord,  previous  to  1873,  was  obtained  from  springs 
near  the  base  of  “ Sand  Hill.”  As  early  as  July  2, 
1829,  William  Low,  Jacob  B.  Moore,  Stephen  Brown, 
Joseph  Low  and  associates  were  constituted  a corpo- 
ration, with  a capital  of  two  thousand  dollars,  called 
the  “ Concord  Aqueduct  Association,”  empowered  to 
take  water  from  the  springs  before  mentioned  and 
deliver  it  to  takers  on  Main,  State  and  other  streets, 
and  charge  such  price  as  they  deemed  expedient.  It 
is  not  now  known  that  the  association  ever  did  any 
business. 

Soon  after,  Mr.  Amariah  Pierce  supplied  water, 
through  an  aqueduct  made  of  logs,  to  the  distillery 
which  was  located  near  the  iron-store  of  Walker  <fc 
Co.,  and  to  other  customers.  Mr.  Nathan  Call  suc- 
ceeded Mr.  Pierce,  and  being  desirous  of  extending 
his  works,  and  needing  more  capital,  he  obtained  a 
charter,  July  7,  1849,  incorporating  himself,  George 
Hutchins  and  others  under  the  name  of  the  “Torrent 
Aqueduct  Association,”  with  a capital  of  twenty  thou- 
sand dollars.  Mr.  Call  was  made  agent  and  treasurer 
of  the  company,  and,  being  a man  of  great  energy,  he 
made  the  enterprise  successful.  After  his  death  the 
affairs  of  the  association  were  conducted  by  his  son, 
Horace,  until  the  stock,  owned  by  his  heirs  was  sold 


1 By  John  Kimball. 


112 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


attainable,  the  rector  seems  to  have  felt  that,  while  a 
large  company  of  loyal  and  impressionable  boys  could 
be  very  easily  made  “ ritualistic,”  it  was  a harder  and 
a far  worthier  task  to  try  to  make  them  moral  and 
religious — manly  and  healthy  in  their  piety.  Nor 
will  those  who  understand  the  character  of  boys  doubt 
for  a moment  that  bis  instinct  was  an  eminently  wise 
one.  The  original  chapel  was  intended  to  accommo- 
date about  forty  boys;  it  was  enlarged  to  more  than 
double  its  former  capacity  in  1868,  and  being  now 
(1884)  wholly  inadequate,  preparations  are  making  by 
the  alumni  to  build  an  entirely  new  and  extremely 
beautiful  structure  at  a cost  of  seventy-five  thousand 
dollars.  This  amount  is  already  raised,  but  the  sum 
of  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  in  addition  is  needed 
for  the  endowment  of  the  chapel,  to  provide  for  heat- 
ing, lighting  and  repairs. 

In  the  year  1865,  after  the  breaking  up  of  St.  James’ 
College,  in  Maryland,  Dr.  Coit  was  happily  joined  by 
his  brother,  the  Rev.  Joseph  Howland  Coit,  M.A.; 
who  had  been  professor  of  mathematics  and  natural 
science  in  that  institution.  A teacher  of  the  very 
first  order,  of  wide  and  varied  culture  and  of  the 
same  general  educational  views  as  bis  brother,  lie 
became  vice-rector,  taking  charge  of  the  scientific  side 
of  the  school,  and  proving  an  invaluable  addition  to 
the  corps  of  masters,  as  well  as  a judicious  adviser  on 
the  board  of  trustees.  At  this  period  the  school 
numbered  between  seventy  and  eighty;  in  the  chapel 
the  boys  had  overflowed  into  the  seats  designed  for 
the  neighboring  population,  who  loved  to  attend  the 
services,  while  for  additional  dormitories  various 
adjoining  houses  were  gradually  purchased  and  added 
to  the  school  property,  in  1869  the  Upper  School,  a 
handsome  three-story  granite  building,  was  erected, 
with  kitchen,  dining-room,  matron’s  apartments,  etc., 
in  a separate  house  near  by.  To  this  were  added  the 
Lower  School  for  the  youngest  boys,  in  1870;  the 
Rectory,  in  1871  or  1872;  the  large  school-house,  with 
school-room  and  recitation-rooms,  in  1873;  the  In- 
firmary or  Sanatarium  in  1877.  The  last  large  edifice, 
called  “The  School,”  in  which  the  vice-rector  resides 
with  the  main  body  of  the  boys,  is  pronounced  In- 
competent judges  to  be  one  of  the  most  complete 
school  buildings  to  be  found  anywhere  in  the  country. 
This  takes  the  place  of  the  original  house  of  Dr.  Shat- 
tuck,  which  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1878. 

The  funds  for  these  numerous  and  costly  structures 
have  been,  to  some  considerable  extent,  given  by  the 
founder  and  other  generous  friends  of  St.  Paul’s,  but 
they  have  also  been  in  large  measure  derived  from  the 
income  of  the  school  itself,  which  the  rector  has  ex- 
pended, as  far  as  possible,  for  the  permanent  improve- 
ment and  growth  of  the  institution.  The  salaries  of 
the  various  masters, — several  of  whom  are  married, — 
and  their  rooms  and  houses,  are  probably  larger  and 
more  comfortable  than  in  many  other  schools  and 
colleges.  But,  obviously,  St.  Paul’s  could  not  have 
grown  to  such  a size  in  so  short  a time  without  the 


wisest  financial  management ; for  the  fortune  of  the 
generous  founder  was  not  at  all  one  of  those  colossal 
ones  by  means  of  which,  in  some  few  instances,  a 
school  or  university  has  been  launched  into  life  with 
every  material  equipment,  including  a sufficient  en- 
dowment to  pay  the  salaries  of  professors  and  teachers. 
St.  Paul’s  has  been  built  up  rapidly,  indeed,  but  still 
gradually,  by  the  wise  economy  and  unceasing  labor 
of  the  rector  and  his  able  assistants. 

The  course  of  study  includes  six  forms,  of  which 
the  sixth  is  the  highest,  and  a preparatory  or  “shell,” 
thus  covering  in  all  seven  years.  The  students  are 
prepared  to  enter  the  freshman  and  sophomore  classes 
in  Harvard  or  in  any  American  college.  Not  a few, 
after  completing  the  extended  course,  enter  upon 
business  without  proceeding  to  college.  There  is  also 
a fine  gymnasium  and  all  the  usual  athletic  sports, 
especially  the  famous  English  exercises  of  cricket  and 
rowing  have  been  encouraged  from  the  very  start. 
A stranger  is  generally  much  struck  with  the  happy 
home-like  life  of  the  place,  and  the  healthy,  manly, 
ingenuous  appearance  of  the  boys  as  he  sees  them 
gathered  in  the  chapel  or  engaged  in  sports  upon  the 
spacious  playgrounds. 

The  daily  routine  is,  generally  speaking,  as  follows 
Rise  at  6.30  (a  little  later  in  winter) ; breakfast  at  7 : 
short  morning  prayers  in  the  chapel  for  the  whole 
school  at  8 ; school-work  until  12  ; 12  to  1,  recreation  ; 
1,  dinner;  2 to  4,  recreation  ; 4 to  6,  school-work  ; 6. 
supper,  followed  immediately  by  short  evening  prayers ; 
after  which  the  boy  is  free  to  use  his  time  as  he 
pleases  (except  one  hour  of  study)  until  bed-time 
which  is  9 o’clock  for  most,  and  10  or  10.30  for  the 
oldest  pupils.  Immediately  before  bed-time,  at  9 
o’clock,  a short  space  of  some  ten  or  fifteen  minutes, 
known  as  “ Bible-hour,”  is  invariably  devoted  to  the 
silent  reading  of  the  Holy  Scriptures — generally  the 
appointed  Gospel  lesson  of  the  day.  This  custom  was 
probably  inherited  from  Dr.  Muhlenberg’s  school,  at 
College  Point,  Long  Island,  where  Dr.  Coit  received 
his  earliest  school  education,  from  which  place  Bishop 
Kerfoot  also  had  previously  transplanted  the  usage  to 
the  College  of  St.  James,  in  Maryland. 

There  are  three  separate  refectories  or  dining-rooms : 
One  at  the  Upper  School,  one — the  largest — at  “The 
School,”  and  a third  at  the  Lower  School.  This 
arrangement,  while  considerably  increasing  the  ex- 
pense, contributes  greatly  to  the  comfort  and  home- 
like character  of  the  daily  life.  The  dormitories  are 
admirably  arranged,  each  “alcove”  being  practically 
a small  private  room,  while  the  older  boys  in  the  sixth 
form  have  bed-rooms  combined  with  their  “studies  ” 
in  the  Upper  School.  The  Anniversary  Day,  also 
called  Founder’s  Day,  is  celebrated  early  in  June 
every  year.  It  is  a great  fete-day  lor  the  hoys,  their 
parents  and  their  friends;  there  is  a grand  cricket- 
match  and  feast,  and  a special  sermon  and  service  in 
the  chapel.  The  “old  boys”  assemble  in  force,  thus 
keeping  up  their  own  love  lor  the  “happy  hills,” 


CONCORD. 


113 


“Where  once  their  careless  childhood  strayed 
A stranger  yet  to  pain,” 

and  encouraging  in  the  younger  generation  a proper 
and  pleasing  pride  in  their  Alma  Mater,  the  effect  of 
which  is  every  way  beneficial. 

The  present  number  of  pupils  is  about  280,  the 
number  of  masters  20,  many  of  them  graduates  of 
the  school.  Among  the  masters  now  resident  at  St. 
Paul’s,  and  who  have  for  many  years  past  been  iden- 
tified with  its  history  and  prosperity,  may  be  men- 
tioned the  Rev.  Robert  A.  Benton,  M.A.,  of  Trinity, 
Hartford;  the  Rev.  T.  G.  Valpey,  M.A.,  of  Yale; 
Mr.  Charles  S.  Knox,  M.A.,  of  Columbia  College, 
New  York;  the  Rev.  Charles  A.  Morrill,  M.A.,  of 
Harvard ; the  Rev.  Thomas  J.  Drumm,  M.A. ; Mr. 
James  C.  Knox,  M.A. ; the  Rev.  John  Hargate,  M.A.  > 
Mr.  James  Milnor  Coif,  Ph.D. ; the  Rev.  Edward  M. 
Parker,  M.A.  (Keble  College,  Oxford);  Mr.  Augustus 
M.  Swift,  M.A.  The  last  five  of  these  are  graduates 
of  St.  Paul’s.  The  terms  of  admission  were  originally 
three  hundred  dollars  per  annum  ; then  four  hundred ; 
they  are  now,  and  have  been  for  some  years,  five  hun- 
dred. There  are  a few  scholarships  (which  the  authori- 
ties are  anxious  to  increase),  the  holders  of  which 
receive  all  the  benefits  of  the  school  free  of  charge. 
The  terms  for  board  and  tuition  are  not  considered 
excessive  by  the  families  from  whom  the  scholars  are 
drawn,  and,  considering  the  comfortable  style  of  living 
which  is  both  expected  and  maintained,  it  is  really 
moderate.  The  average  cost  of  a boy’s  education  at 
Eton  may  be  safely  put  down  as  not  less  than  one 
hundred  and  seventy-five  pounds,  or  eight  hundred 
and  seventy -five  dollars.  At  schools  like  Marlborough 
and  Wellington  (where  there  is  a common  hall  for 
meals),  the  cost  more  nearly  approaches,  but  still 
somewhat  exceeds,  what  has  been  mentioned  as  the 
charge  at  St.  Paul’s. 

It  has  been  said  that  no  school  ought  to  be  regarded 
as  a well-established  public  institution  until  it  has 
been  tried  long  enough  to  see  whether  its  own  pupils, 
when  they  become  fathers,  retain  their  attachment 
and  their  belief  in  the  methods  pursued,  so  far  as  to 
send  their  own  sons  to  the  old  place  where  they 
themselves  were  educated.  This  final  test  St.  Paul’s 
has  already  met.  For  some  time  past  there  have  been 
on  its  roll  pupils  whose  fathers  were  themselves  old 
St.  Paul’s  boys  twenty  years  ago  and  more,  and  the 
number  is  certain  to  increase  as  each  year  goes  by. 
The  long  list  of  its  alumni,  moreover,  includes  the 
names  of  not  a few  of  the  rising  young  lawyers,  physi- 
cians, clergymen  and  business  men  in  most  of  our 
great  cities. 

Looking,  then,  at  these  various  and  really  remarka- 
ble results,  and  calmly  weighing  the  excellencies  of 
the  system  of  St.  Paul’s,  there  is  every  reason  to  hope 
and  believe  that  Dr.  Shattuck  and  Dr.  Coit  have  suc- 
ceeded in  founding  in  the  United  States  a distinctively 
church  school,  which  gives  every  promise  of  enduring, 
and  will  prove,  in  time,  worthy  to  be  compared  with 
8 


those  famous  English  schools  which  enter  so  deeply 
into  the  very  heart  of  the  national  life  and  character. 
The  foundations  have  been  so  well  laid  that,  under 
the  protection  of  a good  Providence,  it  seems  that 
they  cannot  easily  be  overthrown.  No  doubt  in  this 
case,  as  in  all  similar  undertakings,  it  may  be  truly 
said  much  must  be  due  to  the  personal  influence  and 
magnetism  of  the  present  and  first  head  master,  which 
seems,  in  its  way,  to  resemble  that  of  the  celebrated 
Dr.  Arnold  at  Rugby.  It  is  plain  enough  that  he 
must  be  a man  of  peculiar  gifts  and  powers,  and  not 
only  such  as  impress  and  charm  the  young.  To 
bring  St.  Paul’s  to  its  present  high  efficiency  and 
celebrity,  the  rector  must  necessarily  have  been  able 
to  work  harmoniously  with  a large  corps  of  masters, 
themselves  men  of  culture  and  acquirement,  with  the 
distinguished  gentlemen  who  are  the  trustees  of  the 
school,  and  with  the  numerous  parents  of  the  pupils, 
not  a few  of  whom  are  known  among  the  most  influ- 
ential people  of  the  land.  But  after  making  all  due 
allowance  for  these  jiersonal  qualifications,  which  it 
might  indeed  be  difficult  to  replace,  it  is  quite  certain 
that  if  anything  like  the  wise  judgment  and  unselfish 
labor  of  the  past  quarter  of  a century  shall  mark  the 
administration  of  Dr.  Coit’s  successors,  St.  Paul’s, 
Concord,  will  more  and  more  take  a leading  rank 
among  those  noted  places  of  education  which,  after 
all,  are  the  true  glory  of  our  country,  because  they  are 
the  best  security  that  we  have  for  the  cultivation  of 
those  virtues  which  lie  at  the  foundation  of  the  safety, 
honor  and  welfare  of  our  people. 

Concord  Water-Works.1 — The  supply  of  water  for 
Concord,  previous  to  1873,  was  obtained  from  springs 
near  the  base  of  “ Sand  Hill.”  As  early  as  July  2, 
1829,  William  Low,  Jacob  B.  Moore,  Stephen  Brown, 
Joseph  Low  and  associates  were  constituted  a corpo- 
ration, with  a capital  of  two  thousand  dollars,  called 
the  “ Concord  Aqueduct  Association,”  empowered  to 
take  water  from  the  springs  before  mentioned  and 
deliver  it  to  takers  on  Main,  State  and  other  streets, 
and  charge  such  price  as  they  deemed  expedient.  It 
is  not  now  known  that  the  association  ever  did  any 
business. 

Soon  after,  Mr.  Amariah  Pierce  supplied  water, 
through  an  aqueduct  made  of  logs,  to  the  distillery 
which  was  located  near  the  iron-store  of  Walker  & 
Co.,  and  to  other  customers.  Mr.  Nathan  Call  suc- 
ceeded Mr.  Pierce,  and  being  desirous  of  extending 
his  works,  and  needing  more  capital,  he  obtained  a 
charter,  July  7,  1849,  incorporating  himself,  George 
Hutchins  and  others  under  the  name  of  the  “ Torrent 
Aqueduct  Association,”  with  a capital  of  twenty  thou- 
sand dollars.  Mr.  Call  was  made  agent  and  treasurer 
of  the  company,  and,  being  a man  of  great  energy,  he 
made  the  enterprise  successful.  After  his  death  the 
affairs  of  the  association  were  conducted  by  his  son, 
Horace,  until  the  stock,  owned  by  his  heirs  was  sold 


1 By  John  Kimball. 


114 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


to  James  R.  Hill,  who  carried  it  on  for  several  years, 
when  he  sold  his  interest  to  Nathaniel  White.  Henry 
M.  Robinson  had  commenced  to  supply  water  from 
what  is  now  “ White’s  Park.”  After  his  decease,  Mr. 
White  purchased  the  rights  of  the  heirs,  and  thus  be- 
came the  owner  of  nearly  all  the  water  property  in 
the  city.  Mr.  White  increased  the  capacity  of  the 
works  by  adding  more  springs,  but  the  demand  for 
water  being  more  than  he  could  supply,  besought  to 
increase  the  amount  by  pumping  from  Merrimack 
River,  but,  on  account  of  the  expense,  the  plan  wras 
unsuccessful. 

After  the  great  fire  of  1851  there  was  an  increased 
anxiety  among  the  people  in  regard  to  the  limited 
supply  of  water,  so  much  so  that  the  City  Council  ap- 
pointed Joseph  B.  Walker,  John  Abbott  and  Benjamin 
Grover  a committee  “to  inquire  as  to  the  feasibility 
and  cost  of  abundantly  supplying  the  compact  part  of 
the  city  with  water  for  fire  and  other  purposes.” 

This  committee  made  a report  December  16, 1859, 
in  which  they  say  that  they  have  endeavored  to  ascer- 
tain, 

“First.  The  wants  of  this  part  of  the  city  in  respect 
to  water. 

“ Second , The  best  means  of  securing  a full  supply 
of  it.” 

Under  the  first  head  they  say  that  “ Our  population 
is  at  present  supplied  in  part  from  wells,  and  in  part 
by  several  aqueduct  companies,  the  two  principal  of 
which  are  the  ‘ Torrent  Aqueduct  Association’  and 
that  of  Nathaniel  White.  In  addition  to  these,  are 
several  others  of  more  limited  capacities,  each  sup- 
plying from  one  or  two  to  forty  families.” 

Under  the  second  head  they  say:  “Five  different 
sources  of  supply  have  been  examined  and  consider- 
ed, viz. : Merrimack  River,  Horse-Shoe  Pond,  Ash  j 
Brook,  Little  Pond  and  Long  Pond,  and  they  give  the 
last  the  preference.” 

“ Long  Pond  is  distant  three  and  one-half  miles 
from  the  State-House,  lias  an  area  of  two  hundred 
and  sixty-five  acres,  and  is,  in  some  places,  seventy- 
live  feet  deep.  Several  small  brooks  enter  it,  but  it 
is  fed  principally  by  springs.  The  land  about  it  is  of 
a granite  formation,  and  rises  pretty  rapidly  to  a 
height  of  from  three  to  four  hundred  feet,  and  is  mostly 
cleared.  The  pond  is  surrounded  by  a water-shed  of 
some  three  thousand  acres  in  extent.  Its  bottom  is 
of  white  sand,  overstrewn  with  granite  boulders,  and 
is  free  from  sediment  and  aquatic  weeds.  There  are 
no  boggy  meadows  on  its  shores.  Its  water  is  soft, 
pure,  perfectly  transparent  and  abundant  in  quantity.” 
It  is  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  higher  than  Main 
Street  in  front  ofthe  State-House. 

They  estimated  the  cost  of  the  introduction  and 
distribution  at  $172,475.35,  and  say  “ The  most  serious 
objection  that  presents  itself  to  the  immediate  accom- 
plishment of  this  project  is  the  cost  of  its  execution.” 

Eleven  years  passed.  The  War  of  the  Rebellion 
had  begun  and  ended.  The  population  and  wealth  * 


of  the  city  had  increased.  The  people  had  become 
accustomed  to  a high  rate  of  taxation,  and  the  de- 
mand for  an  abundant  supply  of  water  was  imperative.  I 
July  30,  1870,  the  City  Council  af>pointed  Lyman 
D.  Stevens,  Josiah  Minot  and  fifteen  others,  known 
as  the  Committee  of  Seventeen,  to  report  to  the  City  ; 
Council  “ the  proper  course  to  be  taken  to  secure  the 
early  introduction  of  an  adequate  supply  of  pure,  \ 
fresh  water  from  the  Long  Pond.”  This  action  of  the  ) 
City  Council  was  supplemented  by  a mass-meeting  of  - 
citizens  at  Eagle  Hall,  October  1,  1870,  at  which  they 
“ Resolved  that  the  safety,  health,  prosperity  and  growth 
of  our  city  absolutely  demanded  a greater  and  better 
supply  of  water  than  it  now  has.”  The  report  of  the 
Committee  of  Seventeen  bears  date  October  29,  1870. 
They  recommended  that  measures  be  taken,  on  belialt 
of  the  city,  to  obtain  the  necessary  legislation  at  the 
next  session  of  the  Legislature,  and  that  in  the  mean- 
time plans  and  details  be  prepared  ready  for  the  work 
when  the  proper  time  came  for  commencing  it. 

Their  recommendation  was  referred  to  a special  ,, 
committee,  consisting  of  Josiah  Minot,  Benjamin  A.  ] 
Kimball,  John  M.  Hill  and  David  A.  Warde. 

August  10, 1871,  the  special  committee  reported  that 
they  had  procured  from  the  Legislature  “ An  Act  to  ' 
authorize  the  city  of  Concord  to  establish  water-works 
in  said  city,”  approved  June  30,  1871.  The  same 
committee  submitted  the  form  of  an  ordinance,  which 
was  adopted  by  the  City  Council  .December  30,  1871, 
providing  that  the  management  and  direction  of  the 
water-works  in  the  city  shall  be  vested  in  a Board  of 
Water  Commissioners,  consisting  of  six  citizens  and 
of  the  mayor  for  the  time  being. 

January,  1872,  the  mayor  and  aldermen  appointed 
John  M.  Hill,  Benjamin  A.  Kimball,  Josiah  Minot, 
David  A.  Warde,  Benjamin  S.  Warren  and  Ed- 
ward L.  Knowlton,  commissioners.  The  board  was 
organized  by  the  election  of  Josiah  Minot  president, 
and  Edward  L.  Knowlton  clerk.  James  A.  Weston, 
of  Manchester,  was  appointed  chief  engineer  and 
Charles  C.  Lund,  of  Concord,  assistant  engi- 
neer. The  organization  having  been  completed, 
necessary  steps  were  taken,  as  required  by  the  en- 
abling act,  by  virtue  of  which  there  was  obtained 
from  the  owners  ofthe  water-power  at  West  Concord 
the  right  to  draw  from  the  pond  one  million  gallons 
daily,  for  which  the  city  paid  sixty  thousand  dollars. 
Contracts  were  made  with  the  “ American  Gas  and 
Water-Pipe  Company,”  of  Jersey  City,  to  construct,  in 
all  respects,  complete  for  operation,  the  main  line  from 
“ Forge  Pond”  to  the  northerly  end  of  State  Street, 
and  of  all  the  pipes  for  the  distribution  of  the  water 
therefrom  throughout  the  city,  together  with  the 
setting  of  gates,  hydrants  and  other  appendages. 
The  amount  paid  was  $143,882.74.  The  stock  of  the 
“ Torrent  Aqueduct  Association  ” and  all  the  water- 
rights  owned  by  Nathaniel  White  were  purchased  1 
by  the  city,  October  1, 1873,  for  $20,000 ; also  the  sum 
of  $16,311.21  was  paid  for  other  water-rights  and  for 


CONCORD. 


115 


land  damages.  The  total  cost  of  the  works,  Decem- 
ber 31,  1874,  was  $351,293.45. 

Mr.  Vincent  C.  Hastings,  who  had  been  employed 
as  an  inspector  during  the  construction  of  the  works, 
was  elected  superintendent,  and  is  still  in  office. 

Water  was  admitted  into  the  pipes  January  14, 
1873,  being  only  eight  months  from  the  time  the  con- 
tractors commenced  work.  The  commissioners,  in 
their  report  for  1875,  say, — 

“ We  are  gratified  to  state  that  the  expectations  of  the  Board,  as  ex- 
pressed in  our  last  annual  report,  have  been  realized.  The  demand  for 
water  supply  has  gradually  increased,  which  gives  assurance  that  the 
time  is  not  far  distant  when  the  receipts  will  be  sufficient  to  pay  the  in- 
terest on  the  funded  debt  ($350,000)  and  the  expense  of  maintenance.” 

In  their  report  for  1877  they  say, — 

•*  Five  years  have  elapsed  since  water  was  supplied  through  these 
works,  and  the  test  of  time  has  been  exceedingly  favorable  to  both  the 
kind  and  character  of  the  work.” 

In  their  report  for  1879  they  say, — 

“ We  are  gratified  to  report  the  continued  success  of  the  works  ; that 
our  receipts  have  increased,  our  expenses  for  care  and  maintenance  di- 
minished, and  the  number  of  families  supplied  is  nineteen  hundred  and 
fourteen/’ 

After  an  experience  of  eight  years,  it  was  found 
that  the  demand  for  water  had  so  increased  that  the 
fourteen-inch  main-pipe  was  not  sufficient  to  furnish 
a continuous  supply  of  water  to  the  higher  points  of 
the  Precinct.  The  board,  after  a thorough  investiga- 
tion and  careful  consideration  of  the  subject,  voted 
to  lay  a second  and  larger  main-pipe  of  eighteen 
inches  in  diameter  from  the  dam  to  State  Street. 

Contracts  were  immediately  made,  and  the  pipe 
completed,  ready  for  use,  during  the  summer  of  1882, 
at  a cost  of  forty-seven  thousand  dollars. 

Other  additions  and  improvements  have  been  made 
from  time  to  time,  and  the  water-works  are  nearly 
complete,  at  a cost  of  about  four  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  thousand  dollars,  supplying  two  thousand  two 
hundred  and  fifty  families. 

Since  the  settlement  of  the  town  no  improvement 
within  its  limits  has  been  made  that  has  brought  to 
its  citizens  greater  blessings  than  this.  Pure  water 
from  Long  Pond  now  flows  in  abundance  to  almost 
every  dwelling,  not  only  supplying  their  necessities, 
but  furnishing  the  means  of  beautifying  their  sur- 
roundings. 

The  following  mayors  have  held  the  office  of  water 
commissioner:  Abraham  G.  Jones,  John  Kimball, 
George  A.  Pillsbury,  Horace  A.  Brown,  George  A. 
Cummings,  Edgar  H.  Woodman. 

The  following  citizens  have  been  appointed  com- 
missioners by  the  mayor  and  aldermen : Josiali 

Minot,  Benjamin  A.  Kimball,  John  M.  Hill,  David 
A.  Warde,  Edward  L.  Knowlton,  BenjaminS.  Warren, 
John  Abbott,  Abel  B.  Holt,  John  S.  Russ,  Samuel 
S.  Kimball,  Luther  P.  Durgin,  John  Kimball,  William 
M.  Chase,  James  L.  Mason,  James  R.  Hill,  Joseph  H. 
Abbot  and  George  A.  Young. 

The  following  have  been  the  officers  of  the  Board  : 
Josiah  Minot  (president),  two  years;  Benjamin  A. 


1 Kimball,  three  years;  John  Kimball,  nine  years;  Ed- 
! ward  L.  Knowlton  (clerk),  three  years ; B.  A.  Kimball, 

I one  year;  John  M.  Hill,  two  years;  William  M. 
Chase,  eight  years;  V.  C.  Hastings  (superintendent), 
thirteen  years. 

The  Walker  House,  now  the  residence  of  Joseph 
B.  Walker. 

In  the  Concord  Directory  for  1850,  Mr.  David  Wat- 
son says  that  this  house  is  the  oldest  two-storied  dwell- 
ing-house now  standing  in  the  Merrimack  Valley 
between  Haverhill,  Mass.,  and  Canada.  It  was  erected 
by  Rev.  Timothy  Walker,  on  the  house-lot  drawn  to 
the  first  minister,  in  the  year  1733-34,  the  town  hav- 
ing generously  voted  him  “ fifty  pounds  for  building 
a dwelling-house  in  Pennycook.”  Its  dimensions 
were  twenty  by  forty  feet,  two  stories  in  height,  with 
an  ell  adjoining  on  the  east  of  one  story,  both  parts 
being  covered  by  a gambrel  roof.  The  chimneys  were 
very  large.  One  of  them,  which  remained  as  origin- 
ally built  until  1847,  was  found,  upon  its  removal,  to 
be  about  five  feet  square  and  constructed  of  flat  ledge 
stones,  laid  in  clay  mortar  and  plastered  on  the  in- 
side with  a composition  of  clay  and  chopped  straw. 
Another,  of  brick,  was  still  larger. 

Only  the  ell  was  entirely  finished  at  first,  and  con- 
tained but  three  rooms  on  the  first  floor.  The  front 
part  remained  in  an  unfinished  state  until  1757,  when, 
with  the  assistance  of  Lieutenant  Webster,  of  Bradford, 
Mass.,  a joiner  of  higher  repute  in  those  days,  it  was 
also  completed.  Then  arose,  as  appears  from  a letter 
dated  September  9,  1757,  addressed  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Walker  to  his  son  Timothy,  then  teaching  school  at 
Bradford,  a grave  question  as  to  the  propriety  “of 
painting  ye  outside.”  The  decision  arrived  at  is  not 
now  known,  but  either  at  that  time  or  a few  years  sub- 
sequent, it  was  painted  a light  yellow,  which  continued 
to  be  its  uniform  color  for  at  least  seventy  years.  The 
interior  was  finished  in  a style  similar  to  that  found 
in  the  better  class  of  dwelling-houses  of  that  period. 
Most  of  the  partitions  were  of  wooden  panel-work ; 
the  front  hall  was  dadoed  with  paneling,  and  the  front 
stairs  were  in  three  short  flights,  conducting  to  broad 
landings,  being  guarded  by  a moulded  rail  supported 
upon  curiously-wrought  balusters. 

The  rooms  were  painted  in  various  colors,  the  north 
parlor  and  south  parlor  chamber  being  green,  the 
south  parlor  blue,  the  north  parlor  chamber  and  the 
old  people’s  bed-room  white  and  the  kitchen  red. 
Thus  constructed  and  finished,  it  remained  without 
outside  alteration,  with  the  exception  of  an  enlarge- 
ment of  the  ell,  until  1848,  when  it  was  modified  in 
some  particulars,  both  outside  and  within,  and  thor- 
oughly repaired  by  its  present  proprietor.  A few 
other  alterations  have  been  made  at  subsequent  dates. 
With  the  exceptions  above  mentioned,  it  remains  as 
originally  built. 

The  timbers  of  this  ancient  house,  now  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty-one  years  old,  are  mainly  of  white  oak 
and  pitch  pine.  The  posts,  sills  and  first-story  floor- 


116  HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


timbers  were  dressed  by  the  broad-axe.  The  oak  floor- 
joists  of  the  second  story  afford  evidence  of  the  exist- 
ence of  good  saw-mills  in  Pennycook  at  this  early  day. 
The  outside  was  covered  with  wide,  feather-edged 
white  pine  boards,  such  as  our  forests  no  longer  sup- 
ply. The  clapboards,  riven  from  the  logs  and  shaved, 
were  laid  about  four  inches  to  the  weather  and  with 
scarfed  joints  at  the  ends.  Both  boards  and  clap- 
boards were  held  in  place  by  wrought-iron  nails,  made, 
doubt  less,  by  a local  blacksmith  of  approved  skill.  The 
cracks  between  the  boards  of  the  roof  were  battened 
by  strips  of  birch  bark  before  it  was  shingled.  These 
are  still  in  position,  and  in  as  good  condition,  appar- 
ently, as  when  first  torn  from  their  parent  trees. 


than  the  other.  The  fire-places,  with  one  of  which  every 
important  room  was  furnished,  were  of  exceedingly 
generous  proportions,  and  must  have  aided  largely  in 
the  important  work  of  reducing  the  forest  area  of  the 
township.  The  old  granite  hearth-stone  of  the  kitchen, 
still  in  constant  use,  is  nine  feet  and  nine  inches  long 
by  two  feet  and  six  inches  wide. 

In  1746  this  house  was  “ appointed  ” a garrison-house, 
and  fortified  “at  the  town’s  cost”  by  the  erection  about 
it  of  awalloftimberslvingin  contact,  one  upon  another, 
and  held  in  position  by  tenoned  ends  let  into  perpen- 
dicularly grooved  posts  set  in  the  ground.  Smaller 
temporary  dwellings  were  at  the  same  time  built  witli- 
; in  this  inclosure.  Eight  families  besides  Mr.  Walker’s 


Four  largest  Elms  transplanted  by  Rev.  T.  Walker,  May  2nd,  1764. 


RESIDENCE  OF  JOSEPH  B.  WALKER, 

CONCORD,  N.  H. 


The  panel-work  of  the  numerous  partitions,  doors 
and  window-shutters  of  the  interior  was  all  made  by 
hand,  and  represented  the  faithful  labor  of  many  men 
for  many  days.  The  door  fastenings  and  hinges  were 
all  imported  from  the  fatherland,  where  the  dutiful 
colonists  of  George  II.  were  expected  to  procure  them. 
If  strength  were  the  only  standard  of  excellence  re- 
quired, these  were  surely  first-class. 

Stone  quarrying  was  little  understood  in  the  Merri- 
mack Valiev  a century  and  a half  ago,  and  the  stones 
of  the  cellars  of  this  house  of  the  first  minister  were 
broken  fragments  of  the  upper  sheets  of  the  Rattle- 
snake ledges.  They  bear  no  marks  of  drill.  The 
chimney  bricks,  so  far  as  used,  were  thinner  than  the 
bricks  of  the  present  period,  and  thicker  on  one  edge 


were  assigned  to  this  garrison,  viz.:  that  of  Cap- 
tain John  Chandler,  of  Abraham  Bradley,  of  Sam- 
uel Bradley,  of  John  Webster,  of  Nathaniel  Rolfe, 
of  Joseph  Pudney,  of  Isaac  Walker,  Jr.,  and  of  Oba- 
diah  Foster.  These  occupied  it  more  or  less  of  the 
time  until  the  close  of  the  second  French  War.  When, 
in  1782,  the  Legislature  met  in  Concord  for  thefirst  time 
and  held  its  sessions  in  the  hall  over  the  store  belong- 
ing to  Judge  Walker,  which  was  near  by,  the  President 
of  the  State,  with  his  Council,  occupied  the  north  par- 
lor of  this  house,  while  the  south  parlor  served  as  a 
general  committee  room,  and  the  room  above  it  as  tire 
office  of  the  Treasurer  of  State. 

Many  prominent  persons  have,  from  time  to  time, 
enjoyed  the  hospitalities  of  this  old  mansion.  In  early 


CONCORD. 


117 


days  General  John  Stark  and  Major  Robert  Rogers 
were  frequent  visitors  to  its  inmates.  So  was  Benja- 
min Thompson,  afterwards  known  as  Count  Rumford, 
who  married  Rev.  Mr.  Walker’s  oldest  daughter,  Sarah ; 
as  was  also,  at  a later  date,  Professor  S.  B.  F.  Morse, 
of  electric  telegraph  fame,  who  married  his  great- 
granddaughter,  Lucretia  Pickering  Morse.  Passing 
clergymen  and  men  in  official  life  often  stopped  there; 
while  to  the  humblest  of  its  neighbors’  occupants, 
its  doors  were  always  open  and  a welcome  awaited 
their  approach. 

This  plain  house,  now  rendered  venerable  by  past 
and  passing  years,  which  presents  a type  of  many  of 
the  better  class  of  dwellings  of  the  middle  colonial 
period,  was  occupied  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Walker  until 
his  death,  in  1782, — a period  of  forty-eight  years.  It 
was  the  home  of  his  son,  Judge  Timothy  Walker, 
during  most  of  his  life,  and  of  his  widow,  who  sur- 
vived him  until  1828.  During  the  next  twenty  years 
j its  tenants  were  parties  not  of  the  Walker  family,  but 
since  1849  it  has  been  in  the  occupancy  of  Joseph  B. 
Walker,  a great-grandson  of  its  builder,  and  its  pres- 
ent proprietor.  For  reasons  obvious  to  the  reader 
further  mention  is  forborne  of  the  condition  of  its  in- 
terior, of  its  library,  paintings  and  various  historic  me- 
morials. The  round  flat-stone,  about  eight  feet  in 
diameter,  just  seen  within  the  yard,  is  the  old  “ horse- 
block ” of  the  First  Congregational  Society,  which 
was  used  by  the  early  fathers  and  mothers  of  Concord 
in  alighting  from  and  mounting  their  horses  at  the 
meeting-house,  when  the  roads  of  the  towmship  were 
indifferent  and  carriages  were  rarely  used.  Tradition 
says  that  it  was  procured  from  subscriptions  made  by 
the  good  women  of  the  parish  of  a pound  of  butter 
each.  It  was  presented  to  its  present  owner  by  the 
| society. 

The  elms  in  front  of  the  house  were  transplanted 
from  the  intervale  by  Rev.  Mr.  Walker,  May  2, 1764,  as 
I appears  bv  his  diary  of  that  year.  The  largest  repre- 
sented in  the  cut  herewith  appended,  measures  sixteen 
feet  and  eight  inches  in  circumference  at  three  feet 
from  the  ground.  It  was  sixteen  feet  in  1856,  and 
has  increased  eight  inches  during  this  intervening 
period  of  twenty-nine  years.  It  is  still  in  good  health, 
although,  during  the  period  just  named,  the  circum- 
ference of  its  top,  unlike  that  of  its  trunk,  has  some- 
what diminished. 

It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  the  life  of  a single,  un- 
pretending, wooden  dwelling  should  span  so  important 
apart  of  our  colonial  and  all  of  our  Revolutionary  and 
modern  history. 

Odd-Fellowship— Grand  Lodge  I.  0.  0.  F. — The 

following  is  a list  of  Grand  Masters  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  Odd-Fellows: 

David  Philbrick, 1 Granite  Lodge,  No.  1,  Nashua,  session  of  1844-45. 

Samuel  II.  Parker,1  Wecohamet,  No.  3,  Dover,  session  of  1845-46. 

Nathaniel  B.  Baker,  White  Mountain,  No.  5,  Concord,  session  of 
1840-47. 

1 Deceased. 


George  W.  Towle,  Piscataqua,  No.  G,  Portsmouth,  session  of  1847-48. 
John  C.  Lyford,  Mechanics’  No.  13,  Manchester,  session  of  1848-49. 
Timothy  G.  Senter, 1 Piscataqua,  No.  6,  Portsmouth,  session  of  1849-50. 
John  T.  Stevens, 1 Watatic,  No.  14,  New  Ipswich,  session  of  1850-51. 
John  Peabody,1  Monadnock,  No.  11,  Mason  village,  session  of  1851-52. 
Stephen  Brown, 1 White  Mountain,  No.  5,  Concord,  session  of  1852-53. 
Hon.  Charles  A.  Tufts,  Wecohamet,  No.  3,  Dover,  session  of  1853-54. 
George  Canning  Williams, 1 Coos,  No.  35,  Lancaster,  session  of  1854-55. 
Moses  M.  Burbank,  Merrimack,  No.  28,  Franklin,  session  of  1855-56. 
Joseph  Kidder,  Hillsborough,  No.  2,  Manchester,  session  of  1856-57. 
William  R.  Tapley,  Wecohamet,  No.  3,  Dover,  session  of  1857-58. 
Stilman  S.  Davis,  Granite,  No.  1,  Nashua,  session  of  1858-59. 

Joseph  B.  Smart,  White  Mountain,  No.  5,  Concord,  session  of  1859-60. 
George  W.  Weeks,  Mechanics’,  No.  13,  Manchester,  session  of  1860-01. 
Edwin  C.  Stone,  Merrimack,  No.  28,  Franklin,  session  of  1861-62. 
Benjamin  M.  Parker, 2 Piscataqua,  No.  6,  Portsmouth  session  of 
1862-63. 

William  P.  Buell, 1 Granite,  No.  1,  Nashua,  session  of  1863-64. 

John  S.  McFarland,  White  Mountain,  No.  5,  Concord,  session  of 
1864-65. 

Ira  Doe,  Motolinia,  No.  18,  Rochester,  session  of  1865-66. 

John  L.  Spring,  Custos  Morum,  No.  42,  Milford,  session  of  1866-67. 
True  Osgood, 1 White  Mountain,  No.  5,  Concord,  session  of  1867-68. 
Charles  II.  Brown,  Mechanics’,  No.  13,  Manchester,  session  of  1868-69. 
Joseph  II.  Gardiner,  New  Hampshire,  No.  17,  Portsmouth,  session  of 
1869-70. 

Orlando  P.  Smart,  Granite,  No.  1,  Nashua,  session  of  1870-71. 

Amos  Jones,1  Mascoma,  No.  20,  Lebanon,  session  of  1871-72. 

Thomas  L.  Tibbitts,  1 Wecohamet,  No.  3,  Dover,  session  of  1872-73. 
Marvin  T.  Tottingham,  Beaver  Brook,  No.  36,  Keene,  session  of  1873-74. 
Samuel  J.  Osgood, 1 Winnipiseogee,  No.  7,  Laconia,  session  of  1874-75. 
Hon.  George  A.  Cummings,  White  Mountain,  No.  5,  Concord,  session 
of  1875-76. 

Alonzo  F.  Craig,1  Piscataqua,  No.  C,  Portsmouth,  session  of  1876-77. 
Henry  A.  Farrington,  Wildey,  No.  45,  Manchester,  session  of  1877-78. 
Rev.  Luther  F.  McKinney,  Fraternity,  No.  56,  South  Newmarket, 
session  of  1878-79. 

John  II.  Albin,  Crescent,  No.  60,  Henniker,  session  of  1879-80. 

George  A.  Robie,  Friendship,  No.  19,  Hooksett,  session  of  1880-81. 
Frank  A.  ltavvson,  Sugar  River,  No.  55,  Newport,  session  of  1881-82. 
James  W.  Odlin,  Sagamore,  No.  9,  Exeter,  session  of  1882-83. 

Hon.  Horace  A.  Brown,  Rumford,  No.  46.  Concord,  session  of  1883-84. 
Rev.  Lewis  Malvern,  Winnipiseogee,  No.  7,  Laconia,  session  of  1884-85. 

The  following  is  a list  of  Grand  Secretaries  of 
Grand  Lodge  of  Odd-Fellows: 

George  H.  II.  Silsby,  White  Mountain  Lodge,  No.  5,  Concord,  session 
of  1844-53. 

Joseph  B.  Smart,  White  Mountain,  No.  5,  Concord,  session  of  1854-56. 
Mitchell  Gilmore,  White  Mountain,  No.  5,  Concord,  session  oi  1857-63. 
Joel  Taylor,1  Hillsborough,  No.  2,  Manchester,  session  of  1864-77. 
Joseph  Kidder,  Hillsborough,  No.  2,  Manchester,  session  of  1878-85. 

Penacook  Encampment,  No.  3,  was  instituted  No- 
vember 26,  1844. 

White  Mountain  Lodge,  No.  5,  was  instituted  Feb- 
ruary 7,  1844. 

Tahanto  Encampment,  No.  18. 

Contoocook  Lodge,  No.  26,  was  instituted  in  1846. 
Rumford  Lodge,  No.  46,  was  instituted  December 
23,  1867. 

Merrimack  County  Odd-Fellows’  Relief  Asso- 
ciation. 

II.  0.  of  P.  F. — John  Carver  Colony,  No.  10,  was 
organized  February,  1880. 

Knights  of  Pythias. — Concord  Lodge,  No.  8,  was 
instituted  November  18,  1870. 

Endowment  Rank,  Section  No.  11. 

Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians. — Concord  Lodge. 
A.  0.  of  II.  W. — Equity  Lodge. 


1 Deceased.  2 Not  in  the  order. 


118 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Knights  of  Honor. — Granite  Lodge,  No.  225,  K.  of  I 
H.,  was  organized  March  23,  1876. 

Kearsage  Lodge,  No.  276,  was  organized  May,  1875. 

Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. — E.  E.  Sturtevant 
Post,  No.  2. 

William  I.  Brown  Post,  No.  31,  Penacook,  was 
organized  May,  1875. 

Davis  Post,  No.  44,  West  Concord,  was  organized 
July  30,  1879. 

Temperance.  — Woman’s  Christian  Temperance 
Union. 

State  Capitol  Lodge,  I.  O.  G.  T.,  No.  42. 

West  Concord  Temperance  Reform  Club. 

Crystal  Fount  Division,  No.  16,  S.  of  T. 

Merrimack  Division,  No.  20,  S.  of  T.,  was  organ- 
ized April  22,  1872. 

Penacook  Division,  No.  58,  S.  of  T.,  was  organized 
September  8,  1878. 

Concord  Commandery,  No.  84,  U.  0.  G.  C.,  was 
instituted  November  14,  1879. 

Dustin  Island  Lodge,  I.  O.  of  G.  T. 

Penacook  Lake  Lodge,  No.  10,  I.  O.  of  G.  T. 

St.  John’s  Catholic  Total  Abstinence  Society. 

Other  Societies. — Centre  District  Medical  Society. 

Concord  Female  Charitable  Society  was  estab- 
lished in  1812,  and  is  the  oldest  benevolent  associa- 
tion in  Concord.  The  officers  are  elected  for  three 
years,  with  a board  of  twelve  directors,  four  of  which 
go  out  each  year. 

Eastman  Association. 

Concord  Female  Benevolent  Association  was  or- 
ganized in  1835. 

Concord  Y.  M.  C.  Association. 

Eisherville  Library  Association  was  organized 
in  August,  1865. 

Penacook  Y.  51.  C.  Association  was  organized  in 

1875.  | 

Northern  Mutual  Relief  Association  was  incorpo- 
rated in  November,  1863. 

The  Rolfe  and  Rumford  Asylum  was  founded  in 
1852  by  the  Countess  of  Rumford,  and  was  opened 
for  the  reception  of  inmates  January,  1880.  It  is 
situated  on  Hall  Street,  near  Water.  This  asylum  is 
for  destitute  native  female  children  of  Concord. 
Joseph  B.  Walker,  president;  S.  S.  Kimball,  treas- 
urer; Enoch  Gerrish,  secretary;  Francis  A.  Fisk, 
Joseph  B.  Walker,  Jesse  P.  Bancroft,  Enoch  Gerrish, 
Samuel  S.  Kimball,  trustees. 

New  Hampshire  Dental  Society  was  organized  in 

1876. 

New  Hampshire  Pharmaceutical  Association. 

Provident  Mutual  Relief  Association  was  incorpo- 
rated in  July,  1878. 

New  Hampshire  Hommopathic  Medical  Society. 

New  Hampshire  Medical  Society. 

Orphans’  Home  is  situated  on  Dunbarton  road,  near 
Millville. 

New  Hampshire  Centennial  Home  for  the  Aged 
was  incorporated  in  1876. 


New  Hampshire  Home  Missionary  Society  was 
instituted  in  1801  and  incorporated  in  1807. 

Women’s  Auxiliary  Society. 

New  Hampshire  Branch  Concord  Auxiliary  of 
Women’s  Baptist  Missions. 

Ministers’  and  Widows’  Charitable  Fund  of  New 
Hampshire  was  organized  in  1813. 

St.  Patrick’s  Benevolent  Society  was  incorporated 
June,  1873. 

French  Canadian  Society. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

CONCORD — ( Continued ). 

CIVIL  HISTORY. 

The  First  Town-House — City  Hall — Jail — Plantation,  Parish  and  Town 

Clerks  from  1732  to  1885 — Representatives  from  1775  to  1885 — Incor- 
poration of  the  City — First  Charter  Election— Officers  Chosen— Or- 
ganization of  City  Government — Mayors,  Aldermen  and  Members  of 

Common  Council  from  1853  to  1885. 

Civil  History,  Etc. — The  old  town-house  and 
court-house  was  built  in  1792  and  enlarged  in  1823. 
A county  building  of  brick  was  erected  in  1844. 
These  were  occupied  until  the  erection  of  the  present 
city  hall,  in  1854  and  1855,  for  the  joint  use  of  the 
city  and  county.  The  north  wing  is  used  for  the 
county  and  the  south  wing  for  the  city.  It  is  a large 
and  commodious  brick  structure,  located  on  the  north 
side  of  Main  Street. 

The  present  jail  was  erected  in  1852  at  a cost  of 
about  eleven  thousand  dollars.  It  is  located  near  the 
junction  of  Pleasant  and  Washington  Streets.  Prior 
to  this  time  the  county  used  the  Hopkinton  jail, 
which,  previous  to  the  organization  of  Merrimack 
County,  had  been  the  county  prison  of  Hillsborough 
County. 

The  following  is  a list  of  plantation,  parish  and 
town  clerks  from  1732  to  1885: 

Benj.  Rolfe,  1732  to  1747,  and  in  17G6,  ’67  and  ’08. 

Ezra  Carter,  1747-48. 1 

Timothy  Walker,  Jr.,  1760,  ’70,  ’71,  ’72,  '73,  ’74,  ’75,  ’76,  ’77. 

John  Kimball,  1778  to  1786. 

Caleb  Chase,  1787  to  1795. 

John  Odlin,  1796  to  1819. 

Francis  N.  Fisk,  1819  to  1829. 

John  West,  1829  to  1833. 

Samuel  Coffin,  1833  to  1836. 

Jonathan  E.  Lang,  1836-37. 

Robert  E.  Pecker,  1838-39. 

Jacob  C.  Carter,  1840,  ’41,  '42. 

John  P.  Johnson,  1843,  *44,  '45,  ’46,  ’50,  '52,  ’53. 

Geo.  H.  H.  Silsby,  1848-49. 

Win.  D.  Robinson,  1851. 

The  following  is  a list  of  Representatives  from 
1775  to  1885: 

Timothy  Walker,  1775,  '76,  ’78,  '81,  ’82,  ’83,  ’84. 

Colonel  Thos.  Stickney,  1777-79. 


i About  this  time  the  rights  and  privileges  guaranteed  by  the  District 
Act  ceased,  and  Rumford,  already  involved  in  controversy  with  the  pro- 
prietors of  Bow,  was  destitute  of  government.  There  is  a chasm  in  the 
records  till  1765. — Bouton. 


CONCORD. 


Ill) 


Peter  Green,  1785.  ’80,  '87,  '88,  '80,  ’90. 

John  Bradley,  1787,  ’90,  ’92,  ’90,  1802. 

Robert  Ambrose,  1789. 

Wm.  Duncan,  1791-94. 

Daniel  Livermore,  1794-95. 

Wm.  A.  Kent,  1797,  1801,  ’03,  ’04,  ’05. 

Jacob  Abbot,  1798,  ’99, 1800. 

Samuel  Green,  1806,  '07,  ’08. 

Steven  Ambrose,  18-9,  ’10,  ’ll,  ’12,  ’13. 

Thomas  W.  Thompson,  1813-14. 

1815.  — Richard  Ayer  and  George  Hough. 

1816. — George  Hough  and  John  Odlin. 

1817.  — John  Odlin  and  William  A.  Kent. 

1818.  — T.  W.  Thompson  and  William  A Kent. 

1819. — Abial  Walker  and  Nathan  Ballard,  Jr. 

1820.  — Stephen  Ambrose  and  Nathaniel  Abbot. 

1821.  — Stephen  Ambrose  and  Nathaniel  Abbot. 

1822.  — No  choice. 

1823.  — Stephen  Ambrose  and  Samuel  Fletcher. 

1824. —  Samuel  Fletcher  and  Richard  Bradley. 

1825.  — Richard  Bradley  and  Francis  N.  Fisk. 

1826.  — Francis  N.  Fisk  and  Isaac  Hill. 

1827.  — Jeremiah  Pecker,  Nathan  Ballard,  Jr.,  and  George  Kent. 

1828. — Jacob  B.  Moore,  Richard  Bradley  and  Samuel  Herbert. 

1829.  — Richard  Bradley,  Samuel  Herbert  and  Robert  Ambrose. 

1830.  —Robert  Ambrose,  Richard  Bartlett  and  Theodore  French. 

1831.  — Richard  Bartlett,  Theodore  French  and  David  George. 

1832.  — David  George,  William  Kent  and  Samuel  A.  Kimball. 

1833. — Abel  Baker,  Isaac  Emery  and  Charles  II.  Peaslee. 

1834.  — Charles  H.  Peaslee,  Jeremiah  Pecker  and  Joseph  P.  Stickney. 

1835.  — Charles  H.  Peaslee,  Jeremiah  Pecker  and  Isaac  Emery. 

1836.  — Charles  H.  Peaslee,  E/.ra  Carter,  William  Dow  and  Ebenezer 
Eastman. 

1837.  — Ezra  Carter,  Ebenezer  Eastman,  William  Dow  and  Luther 
Roby. 

1838.  — Joseph  Low,  George  Kent,  Cyrus  Robinson  and  Abiel  Rolfe. 

1839.  — Abiel  Rolfe,  Cyrus  Robinson,  William  Kent  and  Ira  Perley. 

1840.  — Moses  Sbute,  Abiel  C.  Carter  and  Jacob  Hoit. 

1841.  — Joseph  Robinson,  Moses  Shute,  Abiel  C.  Carter  and  Jacob 

Hoit. 

1842.  — No  choice. 

1843.  — No  choice. 

1844.  — No  choice. 

1845.  — Jacob  Carter,  Nathaniel  Rolfe,  Jeremiah  S.  Noyes,  Asa  Fowler 
and  William  Page. 

1846.  — Jacob  Carter  and  Laban  Page. 

1847.  — Edmund  Worth,  Laban  Page,  Asa  Fowler,  Cyrus  Robinson, 
Joel  C.  Danforth  and  Simeon  Abbot. 

1848.  — Simeon  Abbot,  Edmund  Worth,  Joel  C.  Danforth,  Asa  Fowler, 
Cyrus  Robinson  and  Chase  Hill. 

1849.  — Luther  Roby,  Perley  Cleaves,  Cyrus  Hill,  Charles  H.  Norton 
and  William  Page. 

1850.  — Perley  Cleaves,  Cyrus  Hill,  Charles  II.  Norton,  John  L.  Tal- 
lant,  George  F.  Sanborn,  Nathaniel  B.  Baker  and  Ebenezer  Symmes. 

1851.  — Nathaniel  B.  Baker. 

1852.  — Nathaniel  White,  Shadrach  Seavey,  Benjamin  F.  Gale,  Nathan 
Chandler,  Joseph  Eastman  and  Caleb  Parker. 

1853.  — Jeremiah  S.  Noyes,  John  H.  George,  John  Sawyer,  William  H. 
Page,  James  Frye,  Janies  Moore,  Henry  P.  Rolfe  and  Benjamin  F.  Dow. 

1854.  — Jeremiah  S.  Durgin,  James  Frye,  Joseph  Eastman,  Shadrach 
Seavey,  Charles  Smart,  Robert  N.  Corning,  David  M.  Dearborn,  Caleb 
Parker,  George  Clough,  Jeremiah  S.  Noyes. 

1855. — Jeremiah  S.  Durgin,  George  G.  Virgin,  George  W.  Brown,  Ed- 
ward H.  Rollins,  William  Ballard,  Robert  N.  Corning,  Lucius  B.  Morrill, 
George  Clough,  Peter  Sanborn,  James  M.  Otis. 

1856.  — Abiel  Rolfe,  Abraham  Bean,  George  W.  Brown,  Edward  H. 
Rollins,  William  Ballard,  Lucius  B.  Morrill,  Henry  A.  Bellows,  Peter 
Sanborn,  Joseph  L.  Jackson,  James  M.  Otis. 

1857.  — Abiel  Rolfe,  Abraham  Bean,  Moses  Humphrey,  Edward  H. 
Rollins,  Charles  Smart,  Henry  A.  Bellows,  James  Sedgley,  Joseph  L. 
Jackson,  Napoleon  B.  Bryant,  William  G.  Whitney. 

1858.  — Albert  H.  Drown,  Samuel  B.  Larkin,  Moses  Humphrey,  Asa 
MacFarland,  Reuben  G.  Wyman,  James  Sedgley,  John  Kimball,  Na- 
poleon B.  Bryant,  George  B.  Wallace,  William  G.  Whitney. 

1859.  — Albert  H.  Drown,  Samuel  B.  Larkin,  Elbridge  Dimond.  Asa 
MacFarland,  Reuben  G.  Wyman,  John  Kimball,  Gilbert  Bullock,  Na- 
poleon B.  Bryant,  George  B.  Wallace,  Charles  E.  Thompson. 


, 1860. — David  A.  Brown,  John  L.  Tallaut,  Elbridge  Dimond,  Samuel 

Coffin,  Charles  H.  Herbert,  Gilbert  Bullock,  Henry  S.  Shattuek,  David 
J.  Abbott,  Lyman  I).  Stevens,  Charles  E.  Thompson. 

1861.  — David  A.  Brown,  John  L.  Tallant,  Ira  Rowell,  Samuel  Coffin, 
Charles  II.  Herbert,  Henry  S.  Shattuek,  Enos  Blake,  David  J.  Abbott, 
Lyman  D.  Stevens,  Benjamin  Green. 

1862.  — John  Whittaker,  William  Pecker,  Ira  Rowell,  John  Y.  Mug- 
ridge,  William  L.  Foster,  Enos  Blake,  William  E.  Chandler,  Charles  P. 
Sanborn,  Henry  T.  Chickering,  Benjamin  Green. 

1863. -  Samuel  Merriani,  William  Pecker,  Hiram  Farnum,  John  V. 
Mugridge,  William  L.  Foster,  William  E.  Chandler,  Henry  I*.  Rolfe, 
Charles  P.  Sanborn,  Henry  T.  Chickering,  James  Thompson. 

1864.  — Samuel  Merriam,  Samuel  Hutchins,  Hiram  Farnum,  Isaac  El- 
well,  Cyrus  W.  Paige,  William  E.  Chandler,  Henry  P.  Rolfe,  Stephen 
Webster,  Charles  W.  Davis,  James  Thompson. 

1865.  — John  Batchelder,  Samuel  Hutchins,  Daniel  Holden,  Isaac  El- 
well,  Cyrus  W.  Paige,  Henry  C.  Sherburne,  Nathaniel  G.  Upham,  Charles 
W.  Davis,  Lewis  Downing,  Daniel  Knowlton. 

1806. — John  Batchelder,  Sylvester  Stevens,  Daniel  Holden,  Joseph  B. 

' Walker,  Ezra  Ballard,  Nathaniel  G.  Upham,  David  A.  Warde,  Lewis 
Downing,  Lyman  I).  Stevens,  Daniel  Knowlton. 

1867. — John  S.  Brown.  Sylvester  Stevens,  Stephen  Carlton,  Joseph  B. 
Walker  Ezra  Ballard,  David  A.  Warde,  James  E.  Larkin,  Lyman  D. 
Stevens,  George  Hutchins,  Robert  Hall. 

1868.  — John  S.  Brown,  Charles  Smith,  Stephen  Carlton,  John  A.  West, 
Benjamin  E.  Badger,  James  E.  Larkin,  Augustine  C.  Pierce,  George 
Hutchins,  Joseph  W.  Prescott,  Robert  Hall. 

1869.  — William  H.  Allen,  Charles  Smith,  Henry  Farnum,  John  A. 
West,  Benjamin  E.  Badger,  Augustine  C.  Pierce,  Ephraim  W.  Wood- 
ward, Joseph  W.  Prescott,  Calvin  C.  Webster,  George  F.  Wliittredge. 

1870.  — William  H.  Allen,  Harrison  Bean,  Henry  Farnum,  Ira  Perley, 
James  N.  Lauder,  Samuel  M.  Griffin,  Ephraim  W.  Woodward,  George 
A.  Cummings,  Calvin  C.  Webster,  Benjamin  A.  Kimball,  George  F. 
Wliittredge. 

1871. — Robert  B.  Hoit,  Stephen  Clark.  Benjamin  F.  Holden,  James  N. 
Lauder,  Samuel  M.  Griffin,  Benjamin  S.  Warren,  George  A.  Cummings, 
George  A.  Pillsbury,  Asa  Fowler,  Samuel  B.  Page,  Lyman  T.  Flint. 

1872.  — Robert  B.  Hoit,  John  A.  Holmes,  Albert  Stevens,  Benjamin  F. 
Holden,  Benjamin  P.  Warren,  Jacob  II.  Gallinger,  George  W.  Emerton, 
George  A.  Pillsbury,  Parsons  B.  Cogswell,  John  H.  Albin,  Asa  Fowler, 
George  E Todd,  Charles  P.  Virgin,  Lyman  T.  Flint. 

1873.  — John  A.  Holmes,  David  A.  Brown,  Albert  Stevens,  Jacob  II. 
Gallinger,  George  W.  Emerton,  Charles  I\  Blanchard,  Parsons  B.  Cogs- 
well, John  II.  Albin,  George  E Jenks,  George  E.  Todd,  Charles  P. 
Virgin,  Henry  C.  Sturtevant,  Daniel  Wyman. 

1874.  — Nathan  Chandler,  William  H.  Bell,  Charles  W.  Blake,  Augus- 
tine C.  Carter,  Diaries  P.  Blanchard,  Luther  P.  Durgin,  Ebenezer  b. 
Towle,  George  E.  Jenks,  Dutton  Woods,  Henry  C.  Sturtevant,  Charles 
P.  Moore,  Samuel  F.  Morrill,  Daniel  Wyman,  Daniel  S.  Webster. 

1875.  — Nathan  Chandler,  David  Putnam,  Charles  W.  Blake,  Daniel 
Holden,  Luther  P.  Durgin,  John  Ballard,  Horace  A.  Brown,  Dutton 
Woods,  Charles  I*.  Sanborn,  Moses  Humphrey,  Charles  P.  Moore,  Samuel 
F.  Morrill,  John  V.  .Mugridge,  Daniel  S.  Webster,  Benjamin  F.  Gale. 

1876.  — David  Putnam,  William  H.  Bell,  Cyrus  R.  Robinson,  Abijali 
Hollis,  Horace  A.  Brown,  John  Ballard,  Oliver  Pillsbury,  Charles  P. 
Sanborn,  Moses  Humphrey,  Stillman  Humphrey,  Moses  W.  Dickerman, 
Joseph  C.  A.  Hill,  John  C.  Kilburn,  Benjamin  F.  Gale,  John  II. 
Lamprey. 

.1877. — Rufus  Cass,  Timothy  C.  Rolfe,  Cyrus  R.  Robinson,  Wyman 
W.  Holden,  Oliver  Pillsbury,  George  A.  Young,  William  E.  Stevens, 
Stillman  Humphrey,  Jonathan  E.  Sargent,  Edward  Dow,  Moses  W. 
Dickerman,  Joseph  C.  A.  Hill,  John  C.  Kilburn,  John  H.  Lamprey,  An- 
drew S.  Smith. 

1878.— Timothy  C.  Rolfe,  William  W.  Allen,  Henry  F.  Campbell,  Wy- 
man W.  Holden,  George  A.  Young,  William  E.  Stevens,  Jonathan  E. 
Sargent,  Edward  Dow,  Joseph  Wentworth,  Charles  C.  Lund,  Jonathan 
L.  Pickering,  Andrew  S.  Smith,  Moses  Critchett. 

1879-80. — William  W.  Allen,  Henry  F.  Campbell,  John  Thornton, 
William  i).  Ladd,  Henry  Robinson,  Charles  C.  Danforth,  Edgar  H. 
Woodman,  Charles  C.  Lund,  George  E.  Lawrence,  John  B.  Flanders. 

1881-82. — Nathaniel  S.  Gale,  Rufus  Virgin,  Henry  Robinson,  Enoch 
Gerrish,  Howard  A.  Dodge,  William  E.  Chandler,  Walter  Harriman, 
Leland  A.  Smith,  Jeremiah  S.  Abbott. 

1*83-84. — John  P.  Locke,  Moses  II.  Farnum,  Frank  E.  Brown, 
Samuel  C.  Eastman,  Charles  II.  Jones,  Charles  R.  Corning, 
Wentworth  G.  Shaw,  John  H.  Carr,  George  Cook,  Ebenezer  B.  Hutch- 
inson, Jacob  E Hutchins. 


120 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


188.3-SG. — John  G.  Tall  ant,  Charles  L.  Rowe,  J.  Perry  Kittredge, 
Frank  S.  Streeter,  Charles  T.  H untoon,  Lyman  Jackman  Prescott  F* 
Stevens,  George  Clough,  Henry  W.  C^app,  Robert  A.  Ray,  Leonidas  H. 
Clough. 

Concord  was  incorporated  as  a city  July  6,  1849. 
Cut  the  charter  was  not  adopted  until  March  10,1853. 

The  first  charter  election  was  held  March  26,  1853, 
with  three  candidates  for  mayor  in  the  field, — Richard 
Bradley,  Asa  Fowler  and  Joseph  Low.  The  vote 
was  as  follows:  Bradley,  644;  Low,  749;  Fowler,  126. 
Low  not  having  a majority,  a second  election  was 
held  April  5th,  when  he  was  chosen  by  a majority  of 
192,  his  opponent  being  Mr.  Bradley.  The  following 
officers  were  chosen  at  the  March  election  : 

Aldermen. — Ward  1,  John  Batchelder ; Ward  2,  John  L.  Tallant ; 
Ward  3,  Joseph  Kastman  ; Ward  4,  Robert  Davis ; Ward  5,  Edson  Hill  ; 
Ward  6,  Matthew  Harvey  ; Ward  7,  Josiah  Stevens. 

Common  Council. — Ward  1,  Jeremiah  S.  Purgin,  Eben  F.  Elliot; 
Ward  2,  i^amuel  B.  Larkin,  Heman  Sanborn;  Ward  3,  George  W* 
Brown,  Moses  Humphrey;  Ward  4,  Ezra  Carter,  George  Minot;  Ward 
5,  William  II.  II.  Bailey,  Cyrus  Barton  ; Ward  G,  Ebenezer  G.  Moore, 
Thomas  Bailey  ; Ward  7,  Moses  Shute,  Giles  W.  Ordway. 

Assessors  and  Moderators. — Ward  1,  Nathan  Chandler,  assessor  ; Jere- 
miah S.  Durgin,  moderator.  Ward  2,  William  Pecker,  assessor; 
Timothy  W.  Emery,  moderator.  Ward  3,  John  Abbot,  assessor;  Daniel 
Holden,  moderator.  Ward  4,  Jonathan  E.  Lang,  assessor;  Jchn  H. 
George,  moderator.  Ward  5,  Nathan  Call,  assessor;  John  L.  Hadley, 
moderator.  Ward  G,  William  M.  Carter,  assessor ; N.  B.  Baker,  modera- 
tor. Ward  7,  Jeremiah  S.  Noyes,  assessor ; Josiah  Stevens,  moderator. 

Clerks. — Ward  1,  James  I)  Page;  Ward  2,  John  M.  Dearborn;  Ward 
3,  El  bridge  Dimond  ; Ward  4,  J.  B.  Smart ; Ward  5,  Mitchell  Gilmore  ; 
Ward  0,  John  F.  Brown  ; Ward  7,  James  M.  Otis. 

Selectmen. — Ward  1,  Albert  H.  Drown,  Samuol  F.  Brown,  Rufus  D. 
Scales  ; Ward  2,  Thos.  D.  Potter,  Isaac  Virgin,  Zebulon  Smith  ; Ward  3, 
Simeon  Abbot,  Hiram  Farnum,  Jeremiah  S.  Abbot;  Ward  4,  Lyman  A. 
Walker,  Thos.  A.  Ambrose,  Jas.  II.  Buswell ; Ward  5,  Jona.  Sargent, 
Benj.  Coffin,  Jr.,  George  A.  Pillsbury ; Ward  G,  James  F.  Lund,  Joseph 
II.  Mace,  Caleb  Parker;  Ward  7,  Atkinson  Webster,  Isaac  Abbott, 
James  Thompson. 

School  Board. — Ward  1,  Edmund  Worth  ; Ward  2,  Henry  A.  Kendall ; 
Ward  3,  Asa  P.  Tenney  ; Ward  4,  Eleazer  Smith  ; Ward  5,  Chas.  P. 
Gage;  Ward  G,  Jas.  W.  Sargent ; Ward  7,  Josiah  Stevens. 

The  city  government  was  organized  April  6,  1853. 
The  oath  of  office  was  administered  to  the  mayor  by 
Hon.  Josiah  Minot.  Cyrus  Barton  was  chosen  presi- 
dent of  the  Common  Council  and  AY.  H.  H.  Bailey 
clerk  pro  tern.  At  an  adjourned  meeting,  held  April 
9tli,  John  F.  Brown  was  elected  city  clerk,  A\rm.  H. 
Bartlett  city  solicitor,  and  Amos  Hadley  clerk  of  the 
Common  Council. 

The  following  is  a list  of  mayors,  aldermen  and 
members  of  the  Common  Council,  prepared  expressly, 
for  this  work  by  Deacon  Daniel  F.  Secomb : 

MAYORS. 

1853. — Joseph  Low,  died  August  28,  1859,  aged  sixty-nine  years. 

1855.  — Rufus  Clement,  died  January  13, 1856,  aged  fifty  years. 

1856.  — John  Abbott 

1859. — Moses  T.  Willard,  died  May  30,  1883,  aged  seventy -seven  years. 
1861. — Moses  Humphrey. 

1863. — Benjamin  F.  Gale,  died  December,  1879,  aged  sixty  years. 

1865. — Moses  Humphrey. 

1866.  — John  Abbott. 

1868. — Lyman  D.  Stevens. 

1870. — Abraham  G.  Jones. 

1872.— John  Kimball. 

1876.— George  A.  Pillsbury. 

1878. — Horace  A.  Brown. 

1880. — George  A.  Cummings. 

1882. — Edgar  II.  Woodman. 


ALDERMEN. 

Ward  1. 

1853.  — John  Batchelder,  born  September  2,  1799 ; died  October  20, 
1870,  aged  seventy  years. 

1854.  — Henry  H.  Amsden,  died  December  6,  18G9,  aged  fifty-three 
years. 

1855.  — Albert  H.  D.own. 

1857.  — David  A.  Brown. 

1859.  — Jacob  B.  Rand. 

1861.  — Samuel  Merriam. 

18G3. — John  A.  Holmes. 

1867.  — Jeremiah  S.  Durgin,  died  January,  18G8,  aged  fifty -seven  years. 

1868.  — David  Putnam,  died  1879. 

1869. — William  H.  Bell. 

1871.  — John  Whittaker. 

1872.  — John  S.  Brown. 

1874. — Charles  II.  Amsden. 

1876.  — John  Whittaker. 

1877.  — John  C.  Linehain. 

1878.  — Franklin  A.  Abbott. 

1879.  — Nathaniel  S.  Gale  (resigned)  and  John  H.  Rolfe. 

1880.  — John  Carter. 

1882.— J.  E.  Marden. 

1884. — Henry  F.  Brown. 

Ward  2. 

1853. — John  L.  Tallant. 

1855.  — Samuel  Clifford,  died  February  G,  1879,  aged  eighty-six  years. 

1856.  — Ebenezer  Eastman. 

1858.  — Jacob  A.  Potter,  died  April  28,  1865,  aged  sixty-six  years. 

1860.  — Samuel  Eastman. 

1862.  — Thomas  D.  Potter,  died  March  2,  1873,  aged  seventy -seven 
years. 

18G4. — Timothy  W.  Emery,  died  May  29,  1875,  aged  sixty-one  years. 
1866. — John  P.  Locke. 

1868.  — Thompson  Tenney. 

1870.  — Joseph  T.  Clough. 

1872. -  George  H.  Curtis. 

1874. —  John  B.  Curtis. 

187G. — John  G.  Tallant. 

1878.  — John  T.  Tenney. 

1879.  — Cyrus  R.  Robinson. 

1880.  — Josiah  S.  Locke. 

1882. — Charles  H.  Clough. 

1884.  — Charles  II.  Sanborn. 

Ward  3. 

1853.  — Joseph  Eastman. 

1854. — John  Abbott  (mayor,  1856). 

1855.  — Moses  Humphrey  (mayor,  1861). 

1857.  — Elbridge  Dimond. 

1859.  — Ira  Rowell,  died  June  14,  1876,  aged  seventy-nine  years. 

1861. — William  D.  Colby. 

18G3. — Henry  Martin. 

1865.  — John  V.  Aldrich. 

18G7. — George  W.  Flanders. 

1869.  — William  H.  Brown. 

1871. — Alfred  C.  Abbott. 

1873.  — Daniel  Holden. 

1875.  — Andrew  J.  Holmes. 

1877.  — Jehiel  D.  Knight. 

1878. — Benjamin  T.  Putney. 

1880. — Omar  L.  Shepard. 

1882.  — Albert  Saltmarcli. 

1883.  — Chandler  Eastman. 

Ward  4. 

1853  — Robert  Davis,  died  March  19,  1861,  aged  seventy-one  years. 

1854.  — Samuel  Coffin,  died  September  27,  1865,  aged  seventy-one  years 

1855.  — William  Prescott,  died  October  18,  1875,  aged  eighty-six  years. 
1857. — Moses  T.  Willard  (mayor,  1859). 

1859. — Shadrach  Seavey,  died  January  31,  1880,  aged  seventy-two 
years. 

1862.  — Ezra  Ballard,  died  May  7,  1872,  aged  sixty-nine  years. 

1864. — Joshua  B.  Merrill. 

1866.  — Charles  H.  Herbert. 

18G8. — Horace  A.  Brown  (mayor,  1878). 

1870.  — Luther  P.  Durgin. 

1672.— Joseph  B.  Walker. 


CONCORD. 


121 


1874. — Abner  C.  Holt. 

1870.  — Samuel  W.  Shattuck. 

1878.  — Samuel  M.  Griffin. 

1880. — Emory  X.  Shepard. 

1882.— Oliver  Pillsbury  and  John  C.  Thorn. 

1884. — Richard  M.  Ordwayand  Frank  L.  Sanders. 

"Ward  5. 

1853. — Edson  Hill. 

1854.  — True  Osgood,  horn  January  21,  1814  ; died  February  24,  1884, 
aged  seventy  years. 

1855.  — John  Brown,  died  March  4,  1863,  aged  sixty-two  years. 

1857.  —Enos  Blake. 

1859.  — Robert  X.  Corning,  died  June  13,  1866,  aged  forty-seven  years. 

1860.  — Bradbury  Gill,  died  December  13,  1881,  aged  seventy-five  years. 

1861.  — Wentworth  G.  Shaw. 

1863. — Nicholas  Quimby,  died  August  11,  1873,  aged  seventy-seven 
years. 

1865. — Curtis  White. 

1867.— Abraham  G.  Jones  (mayor,  1870). 

1869.  — Daniel  F.  Secomb. 

1871.  — Stillman  Humphrey. 

1873. — George  A.  Pillsbury  (mayor,  1876). 

1875.  — George  A.  Cummings  (mayor,  1880). 

1877.  — Joseph  A.  Cochran. 

1879.  — William  H.  Buntin. 

1880. — Edward  Dow. 

1882.— Henry  A.  Mann. 

1884. — Albert  B.  Woodworth  and  Irving  S.  Ring. 

Ward  G. 

1853.  — Matthew  Harvey,  died  April  7,  1866,  aged  eighty-four  years. 

1854.  — George  B.  Chandler,  died  at  St.  Josephs,  Mich.,  October  28, 
1878,  aged  seventy-five  years. 

1856. — William  Kent. 

1858.  — Ebenezer  G.  Moore,  died  March  2,  1870,  aged  seventy-three 

years. 

1859. — Caleb  Parker,  died  January  18,  1874,  aged  sixty -three  years. 
1861. — Benjamin  F.  Gale  (mayor,  1863). 

1863. — Abraham  J.  Prescott. 

1865.— Edward  P.  Prescott. 

1867. — Henry  T.  Chickering. 

1870.  — John  D.  Teel. 

1871.  — Enoch  L.  Childs. 

1873. — Albe  J.  Hall. 

1874.  — James  L.  Mason. 

1876. — Byron  G.  Merrill. 

1878.  — Henry  W.  Clapp. 

1880. — John  T.  Batchelder. 

1882. — Joseph  H.  Lane  and  Gardner  B.  Emmons. 

1884. — Leland  A.  Smith. 

Ward  7. 

1853.  — Josiah  Stevens,  died  April  17,  1869,  aged  seventy-four  years. 

1854.  — Moses  Shute,  died  March  13,  1858,  aged  sixty-eight  years. 

1855.  — Samuel  Pease. 

1857.  — George  F.  Whittredge. 

1859.— Joseph  Hazleton,  died  December  31,  1880,  aged  eighty-one 
years. 

1861.  — Josiah  Cooper. 

1863. — William  Walker,  died  November  22,  1882,  aged  seventy-two 
years. 

1865. — Daniel  S.  Webster. 

1867. — Isaac  Clement,  died  May  30,  1875,  aged  seventy -one  years. 

1869. — Nathan  W.  Gove,  died  August  8,  1871,  aged  fifty-four  years. 
1871. — Andrews.  Smith. 

1873. — Jacob  E.  Hutchins. 

1875.  — Isaac  X.  Abbott. 

1877.  — Henry  Churchill,  born  in  Brookfield,  N.  H.,  June  26,  1834, 
died  March  18,  1885. 

1879.  — Charles  E.  Thompson. 

1880.  — John  H.  Lamprey. 

1884. — Daniel  B.  Smith. 

CITY  CLERKS. 

1853.  — John  F.  Brown,  died  July  26,  1878,  aged  sixty-three  years. 

1854.  — David  Watson,  died  March  25,  1867,  aged  seventy-eight  years. 

1862.  — William  A.  Hodgdon. 

1865. — Charles  F.  Stewart,  died  October  14, 1869,  aged  sixty-four  years. 
1879. — Joseph  A.  Cochran. 


COMMON  COCNCILMEN. 

Ward  1. 

1853.  — Jeremiah  S.  Durgin  (alderman  1867)  and  Eben  F.  Elliott. 

1854.  — Rufus  D.  Scales  and  Nathaniel  C.  Elliott. 

1655. — Robert  B.  Hoit  and  Jacob  B.  Rand,  1856  (alderman  1859). 

1857.  — Timothy  C.  Rolfe  (died  November  7, 1884,  aged  sixty-six  years) 
and  Jeremiah  F.  Runnels,  1858  (died  October  9, 1868,  aged  forty-four 
years). 

1859. — Andrew  P.  Bennett  and  Cyrus  W.  Lincoln. 

1861.  — Alfred  A.  Eastman  (died  September  3,  1861,  aged  twenty -eight 
years)  and  Hiram  Simpson  (resigned)  and  Nathaniel  Rolfe. 

1862.  — George  P.  Meserve. 

18G3. — Harvey  Chase. 

1864. — Amos  Hoit  (died  February  3,  1876,  aged  seventy-six  years)  and 
Hazen  Knowlton. 

1866.  — Edward  Runnels  and  Ilezekiah  S.  Durgin  (alderman  1867). 

1867.  — Hiram  F.  Simpson  (died  September  5, 1807,  fifty-four  years)  and 
John  Whittaker  (alderman  1871). 

1868.  — William  A.  Bell  (alderman  1869)  and  Cyrus  Runnels. 

1869.  — Cephas  A.  Fowler. 

1870.  — Job  S.  Davis. 

1871.  — Franklin  A.  Abbott  (alderman  1878)  and  Daniel  G.  Holmes. 

1872.  — John  C.  Linehan  (alderman  1877). 

1874.  — Rufus  Cass. 

1875.  — Andrew  P.  Bennett. 

1876.  — Frederick  G.  Chandler. 

1877.  — Edward  Runnels. 

1878.  — John  Carter. 

1879.  — Jerome  S.  Runnels. 

1880.  — Henry  Rolfe  and  Sherwin  P.  Colby. 

1882. — John  W.  Powell. 

1881. —  David  F.  Dudley. 

Ward  2. 

1853.— Samuel  B.  Larkin  (died  August  8,  1863,  aged  sixty-five  years) 
and  Heman  Sanborn. 

1855.  — Charles  Sanborn  and  Ephraim  S.  Colby. 

1856.  — James  Locke  and  William  Pecker. 

1858.  — Timothy  W.  Emery  (alderman  1864)  and  Isaac  Virgin. 

1860.  - Zebulon  Smith  and  William  Abbott. 

1862.  — Sylvester  Stevens  and  John  B.  Curtis  (alderman  1874). 

1864.  — Rufus  Virgin  and  John  P.  Locke  (alderman  1866). 

1866. — Thompson  Tenney  (alderman  1868)  and  David  A.  Morrill. 

18G8. — Joseph  T.  Clough  (alderman  1870)  and  Jonathan  P.  Leavitt. 
1870. — Daniel  Sanborn  and  Josiah  S.  Locke  (alderman  1880). 

1872.  — William  A.  Bean  and  Solomon  Sanders. 

1873.  — John  G.  Tallant  (alderman  1876). 

1874.  — Zebina  C.  Perkins. 

1875.  — Elbridge  Emery. 

1876.  — John  T.  Tenney  (alderman  1878). 

1877.  — John  T.  Batclielde.\ 

1878.  — John  E.  Frye. 

1879.  — John  B.  Sanborn. 

1880.  — Charles  H.  Sanborn  and  John  N.  Hill. 

1882.  — Fales  E.  Virgin. 

1884. — Samuel  L.  French. 

Ward  3. 

1853. — George  W.  Brown  and  Moses  Humphrey  (alderman  1855). 

1855. — Moses  M.  Davis  and  Hiram  Farnum. 

1857.  — Benjamin  F.  Holden  (died  November  29,  1874,  aged  sixty-eight 
years)  and  Henry  Farnum. 

1859.  — Stephen  Carleton  and  William  D.  Colby  (alderman  1861). 

1861.  — Moses  H.  Farnum  and  Henry  Martin  (alderman  1863). 

1863.  — George  W.  Flanders  (alderman  1867)  and  John  V.  Aldrich 
(alderman  1865). 

1865.  — Henry  Farnum. 

1866.  — Harrison  Partridge. 

1867.  — Jacob  N.  Flanders. 

1868.  — John  Thornton. 

1869. — Benjamin  Farnum  and  Reuben  K.  Abbott. 

1870.  — Charles  H.  Farnum. 

1871.  — Franklin  J.  Emerson  and  Jehiel  D.  Knight  (alderman  1877). 

1872.  — Charles  H.  Farnum  and  Daniel  C.  Tenney. 

1873.  — Andrew  S.  Farnum. 

1874.  — Lyman  Sawyer. 

1875.  — Charles  H.  Merrill. 


122 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


1870. — Benjamin  T.  Putney  (alderman  1878). 

1877.  — Stephen  W.  Kellom  and  IraC.  Phillips. 

1878.  — Albert  Salt  marsh,  1879,  and  Abial  C.  Abbott. 

1880. — James  Francis  and  George  B.  Dimond. 

1882. — Jeremiah  Quinn. 

1884. — Gilman  B.  Dimond. 

Ward  4. 

18?>3. — Ezra  Carter  and  George  Minot  (died  March  8,  1861,  aged  fifty- 
four  years). 

1854.  — Joseph  P.  Stickney  (died  April  19,  1877,  aged  eighty  years)  and 
Joseph  French  (2d). 

1855.  — Rufus  Merrill. 

1857.  — Richard  Bradley  (died  June  6,  1809,  aged  seventy-nine  years) 
and  Cyrus  W.  Page. 

1858.  — John  C.  Briggs,  1859,  died  May  20,  1805,  aged  forty-one  years. 

1859.  — John  C.  Pillsbury. 

1860. — Ezra  Ballard  (alderman  18c2). 

1801.  — Moses  A.  Bradley. 

1802.  — Jefferson  Noyes,  died  April,  1877,  aged  seventy-four  years. 

1863.  — Daniel  A.  Hill,  died  June  7,  1878,  aged  sixty-seven  years. 

1864.  — John  A.  West  and  John  Ballard. 

1860.  — George  W.  Emerton. 

1807.  — Daniel  Farnum. 

1808.  — John  Hoyt,  died  August  24,  1809,  aged  fifty-eight  years. 

1809.  — Luther  P.  Durgin  (alderman  1870). 

1870. — Abner  C.  Holt  (alderman  1874)  and  Charles  P.  Blanchard, 
born  March  4,  1812;  died  April  25,  1885,  aged  seventy-three  years. 

1872.  — Daniel  E.  Howard,  1873,  and  Charles  II.  Critchett. 

1873.  — Richard  M.  Ordway. 

1874. — Charles  W.  Moore,  1875. 

1875. — George  H.  Hill. 

1870. — John  C.  Thorn,  1877  (alderman  1882). 

1877.  — Emory  N.  Shepard  (alderman  1880). 

1878.  — Nathaniel  H.  Shattuck. 

1879.  — Frank  L.  Sanders,  1880. 

1880.  — Oscar  V.  Pitman. 

1882. — James  F.  Rooney,  Edward  A.  Moulton  and  Harrison  A.  Roby. 
1884. — William  H.  Kenney  and  James  K.  Kennedy. 

Ward  5. 

1853.  — William  II.  II.  Bailey  (died  at  Janesville,  Wis.,  March  18, 1872, 
aged  fifty-five  years)  and  Cyrus  Barton,  1853  (died  at  London,  February 
17,  1855,  aged  fifty-eight  years). 

1854.  — Silas  G.  Sylvester  (died  at  Vineland,  N.  J.,  July  19,  1883,  aged 
seventy-one  years)  and  Peter  Dudley  (died  August  13,  1871,  aged  sixty- 
eight  years). 

1856.  — James  Sedgley  and  John  Kimball,  1857  (mayor  1872). 

1857.  — Nathaniel  B.  Walker. 

1858.  — Bradbury  Gill  (alderman  1860). 

1859.  — Wentworth  G.  Shaw,  i860  (alderman  1801). 

18G0. — William  H.  Biintin,  1861  (alderman  1879). 

1861.  — Nicholas  Quimby  (alderman  1863). 

1862.  — Abraham  G.  Jones,  1863  (mayor  1870). 

1863. — Chari es  T.  Lane. 

1864.  — Curtis  White  (alderman  1865). 

1865.  — Nathaniel  J.  Meade  and  Emery  T.  Staniels. 

1867. — Philip  Flanders,  1869,  and  Daniel  F.  Secomh  (alderman  1869). 

1869.  — Stillman  Humphreys,  1870  (alderman  1871). 

1870.  — James  II . Chase,  1871. 

1871.  — Joel  C.  Dan  forth,  1872,  died  September  17,  1882,  aged  seventy- 
three  years. 

1872.  — Cyrus  N.  Corning. 

1873.  — Joseph  A.  Cochran  (alderman  1877). 

1874.  — Moses  B.  Critchett. 

1875.  — George  A.  Foster. 

1876.  — George  F.  Underhill. 

1877. — A.  B.  Smith. 

1878.  — Henry  A.  Mann  (alderman  1882). 

1879.  — Frank  J.  Batchelder. 

1880.  — Irvin  S.  Ring  and  Benjamin  F.  Caldwell. 

1882. — Franklin  S.  Abbott. 

1884. — Freeborn  S.  Abbott  and  Warren  H.  Corning. 

Ward  6. 

1853.  — Ehenezer  G.  Moore  (alderman  1858)  and  Thomas  Dailey. 

1854.  — ' William  P.  Hardy  (died  November  1, 1856,  aged  fifty-five  years) 
and  Thomas  J.  Tuck. 


1855. — Nathan  Farley  (died  May  16,  1869,  aged  eighty  years)  and 
David  Wink  ley  (died  June  29,  1870,  aged  sixty-three  years). 

1850. — William  Hart. 

1857.  — Stephen  Webster. 

1858. — Thomas  H.  Newhall,  died  January  21,  1800,  aged  fifty-five 
years. 

1859.  — Benjamin  Rolfe. 

1800.  — Abraham  G.  Jones  (mayor  1870). 

1801.  — John  D.  Teel,  18G2  (alderman  1870),  and  Lorenzo  K.  Peacock. 

1803. — Charles  P.  Virgin  and  Thomas  W.  Stewart. 

1805. — Henry  T.  Chickering,  1866  (alderman  1867)  and  Edward  Dow 
I (alderman  1880). 

18G7. — Lewis  L.  Mower,  18G8,  and  Nathan  H.  Haskell. 

1809. — Charles  H.  Abbott. 

1870. — Prescott  F.  Stevens. 

1871.  — Joshua  T.  Kendall. 

1872.  — John  L.  T.  Brown  and  Moses  B.  Smith,  1871. 

1874.  — Alonzo  Downing,  died  July  3,  1877,  aged  fifty-four  years. 

1875.  — Calvin  C.  Webster. 

1870. — Lewis  B.  Hoit. 

1877.  — Timothy  Colby,  died  December  19,  1880,  aged  sixty-four  years. 

1878.  — Joseph  C.  A.  Hill. 

1879.  — Joseph  H.  Lane  and  George  H.  Emory,  1882. 

1882.— Horace  S.  Fairbanks,  Leonard  W.  Bean,  Hiram  C.  Marsh  and 
Frank  J.  Batchelder. 

Ward  7. 

1853.  — Moses  Shute  (alderman  1854)  and  Giles  W.  Ordway,  died  March 
26,  1873,  aged  sixty-one  years. 

1854.  — Joseph  S.  Lund  (died  December  27, 1882,  aged  eighty-two  years) 
and  Isaac  Abbott. 

1855. — James  Thompson  and  Charles  A.  Reed. 

1857.— Josiah  Cooper  and  Isaac  Clement  (alderman  1807). 

1859.  — John  B.  Flanders  and  Moses  B.  Abbott. 

1860.  — Jedediah  C.  Abbott. 

1861.  — Isaiah  Robinson,  died  January  25,  1875,  aged  seventy-seven 
years. 

1802.  — Charles  W.  Hazeltine. 

1803.  — James  Weeks. 

1804.  — Isaac  N.  Abbott,  1865  (alderman  1875). 

1805.  — Jonathan  Weeks. 

I860. — William  S.  Curtice,  1807,  died  August  4, 1875,  aged  sixty-one 
years. 

1807.  — Nathan  W.  Gove  (alderman  1869). 

1808.  — Benjamin  A.  Hall,  died  November  21,  1883,  aged  sixty-four 
yea  re. 

1809.  — Andrew  S.  Smith  (alderman  1871.) 

1870.  — Jacob  E.  Hutchins. 

1871.  — George  W.  Chesley. 

1872.  — James  B.  Fellows. 

1873. — John  Hazeltine. 

1874.  — James  Thompson. 

1875.  — William  Stevenson. 

187C.— Henry  Churchill,  1870  (alderman  1877). 

1877.-  E.  A.  F.  Hammond  and  James  W.  Lane. 

1879.  — Charles  II.  Peacock  and  Jeremiah  S.  Abbott. 

1880.  — Henry  F.  Evans  (resigned)  and  Daniel  B.  Smith. 

1884. — George  II.  Mills. 

CLERKS  OF  COMMON  COUNCIL. 

1853. — A nio8  Hadley. 

1809. — Lewis  L.  Mower. 

The  present  city  government  is  organized  as  fol- 
lows : 

Mayor. — Edgar  H.  Woodman. 

Aldermen. — Ward  1,  John  E.  Marden  ; Ward  2,  Charles  H.  Clough  ; 
Ward  3,  Albert  Saltmarsh;  Ward  4,  Emory  M.  Shepard,  Oliver  Pillsbury 
and  John  C.  Thorn  ; Ward  5,  Edward  Dow  and  Henry  A.  Mann  ; Ward 
6,  John  T.  Batchelder,  Joseph  H.  Lane  and  Gardner  B.  Emmons  ; Ward 
; 7,  John  H.  Lamprey. 

City  Clerk. — Joseph  A.  Cochran. 

Common  Council. — President,  George  H.  Emery;  Ward  1,  John  W. 
Powell ; WTaru  2,  Fales  P.  Virgin  ; WTard  3,  Jeremiah  Quinn  ; Wrard  4, 
James  F.  Rooney,  Edward  A.  Moulton  and  Harrison  A.  Roby  ; Ward  5, 
Irvin  S.  King  and  Freeborn  S.  Abbott ; WTard6,  George  H.  Emery,  Hor- 
ace S.  Fairbanks  and  Leonard  W.  Bean  ; W’ard  7,  Daniel  B.  Smith. 

1 Clerk  of  Common  Council,  Lewis  L.  Mower. 


CONCORD. 


123 


City  Treasurer. — William  F.  Thayer. 

City  Messenger.— Richard  P.  Sanborn. 

Collector  of  Ttures. — Thomas  M.  Lang  (2d). 

Public  Schools. 

Board  of  Education. — Union  School  District : John  C.  Thorn,  term 
expires  March,  1885  ; Parsons  B.  Cogswell,  term  expires  March,  1885  ; 
Henry  J.  Crippen,  term  expires  March,  1885  ; Ai  B.  Thompson,  term  ex- 
pires March,  188G  ; William  M.  Chase,  term  expires  March,  1880  ; George 
W.  Crockett,  term  expires  March,  1886;  Joseph  C.  A.  Hill,  term  ex- 
pires March,  1887  ; Daniel  B.  Donovan,  term  expires  March,  1887  ; 
Charles  K.  Corning,  term  expires  March,  1887. 

Superintendent  of  Schools. — Warren  Clark. 

Superintending  School  Committees. — West  Concord,  District  No.  3:  Ella 

R.  Holden,  term  expires  March,  1885;  Frederick  A.  Eastman,  term  ex- 
pires March,  1886;  George  R.  Parmenter,  term  expires  March,  1887. 

East  Concord,  District  No.  12  : George  H.  Curtis,  term  expires  March, 
1885  ; Elbridge  Emery,  term  expires  March,  1886. 

Penacook,  District  No.  20  : William  W.  Allen,  term  expires  March, 
1885  ; Alfred  E.  Emery,  term  expires  March,  1886  ; Edmund  H.  Brown, 
term  expires  Marjh,  1887. 

Other  Districts  : William  W.  Flint,  Charles  B.  Strong,1  Abial  Rolfe,2 
George  H.  Curtis. 

Truant  Officers. — John  Connell,  James  E.  Rand,  Charles  H.  Jones. 

Public  Library. 

Trustees. — Ward  1,  Abial  Rolfe  ; Ward  2,  Joseph  T.  Clough  ; Ward  3, 
Paul  R.  Holden;  Ward  4,  William  L.  Foster;  Ward  5,  Henry  W.  Stevens; 
Ward  6,  James  S.  Norris;  Ward  7,  Rev.  Thomas  G.  Yalpey1  and  William 
W.  Flint.2 

Librarian. — Daniel  F.  Secomb. 

Assessors. 

Ward  1,  Abial  Rolfe;  Ward  2,  John  G.  Tallant ; Ward  3,  Harrison 
Partridge  ; Ward  4,  Gilbert  H.  Seavey  ; Ward  5,  Curtis  White  ; Ward  6, 
George  S.  Dennett ; Ward  7,  Jonathan  B.  Weeks.  Chairman,  Gilbert  H. 
Seavey  ; Clerk,  Abial  Rolfe. 

City  Water-Works. 

Water  Commissioners— Edgar  H.  Woodman,  mayor,  ejr-officio  ; Samuel 

S.  Kimball,  term  expires  March  31,  1885 ; Luther  P.  Durgin,  term  ex- 
pires March  31, 1885  ; John  Kimball,  term  expires  March  31,  1886;  Wil- 
liam M.  Chase,  term  expires  March  31,  1886  ; James  L.  Mason,  term 
expires  March  31, 1887  ; Joseph  H.  Abbott,2  term  expires  March  31,  1887. 
President,  John  Kimball ; Clerk,  William  M.  Chase. 

Superintendent  of  Water-Works. — V.  Charles  Hastings. 

Fire  Department. 

Chief  Engineer. — John  M.  Hill. 

Assistant  Engineers. — For  Precinct : Daniel  B.  Newhall,  Joseph  S.  Mer- 
rill, B.  Frank  Tucker.  For  Penacook  : William  H.  Allen.  For  East 
Concord  : John  E.  Frye.  For  West  Concord  : Harrison  Partridge. 
Steward  Central  Fire  Station. — Eben  F.  Richardson. 

Assistant  Steward  Central  Fire  Station — George  L.  Osgood. 

Superintendent  of  Fire  Alarm. — Eben  F.  Richardson. 

Police  Department. 

Police  Justice. — Sylvester  Dana. 

Special  Police  Justice. — Benjamin  E.  Badger. 

City  Solicitor. — Robert  A.  Ray. 

Clerk  of  Police  Court. — Rufus  P.  Staniels. 

City  Marshal. — John  Connell. 

Assistant  City  Marshal. — George  W.  Corey. 

Street  Department. 

Commissioner  of  Highways. — Edgar  H.  Woodman. 

Superintendent  of  Streets. — James  H.  Rowell. 

Overseers  of  the  Poor. 

For  Ward  1 : J.  Edwin  Marden,  Penacook.  For  Ward  2:  Charles  H. 
Clough,  East  Concord.  For  Wards  3,  4,  5,  6 and  7 : Joseph  A.  Cochran. 
City  Physician. — Dr.  George  Cook. 

Assistant  City  Physician. — Dr.  Alfred  E.  Emery. 

Health  Officers. — John  Connell,  George  Cook,  Alfred  E.  Emery. 

Ward  Officers. 

Moderators. — Ward  1,  James  H.  French  ; Ward  2,  John  B.  Curtis  ; 
Ward  3,  George  R.  Parmenter  ; Ward  4,  Benjamin  E.  Badger  ; Ward  5, 


Charles  C.  Danforth  ; Ward  6,  George  0.  Dickerman  ; Ward  7,  Harry  G. 
Sargent. 

Selectmen. — Ward  1,  William  II.  Moody,  Martin  Nolan,  Isaac  P.  Dur- 
gin ; Ward  2,  Isaac  F.  Potter,  Edward  J.  Lyle,  William  P.  Curtis  ; Ward 
3,  George  Trickey,  George  B.  Little,  Alvin  C.  Powell ; Ward  4,  Charles 
H.  Jones,  George  F.  Kelley,  Nathaniel  Bond;  Ward  5,  Augustus  H. 
Wiggin,  Warren  H.  Corning,  Charles  T.  Lane  ; Ward  6,  David  L.  Neal, 
George  L.  Theobald,  George  L.  Reed  ; Ward  7,  Joseph  E.  Hutchinson, 
Alfred  Clark,  Charles  H.  Critchett. 

Ward  Clerks. — Ward  1,  Frederick  M.  Morse  ; Ward  2,  Frank  P.  Curtis  ; 
Ward  3,  Fred.  A.  Eastman  ; Ward  4,  Charles  A.  Davis  ; Ward  5,  George 
W.  Lincoln  ; Ward  6,  Howard  31.  Cook  ; Ward  7,  George  B.  Whit 
tredge. 

STATISTICAL. 


Population  of  the  city  (census  1880) 13,845 

Valuation  of  the  city $9,877,874.00 

Tax  assessed  for  the  year $148,290.26 

Rate  of  taxation SI.  15  per  $100 


.11  per  $100  additional  for  Union  School  District. 

.30  per  $100  additional  for  precinct  tax. 

polls,  valuation,  and  taxes  assessed. 

The  number  of  polls,  and  the  tax  assessed  on  the  real  and  personal  es- 
tate in  the  city  of  Concord,  since  1860. 


Year. 

No.  of  Polls. 

Valuation. 

Tax. 

I860  

. . 2,577 

$4,307,192 

$47,082.25 

1801 

. . 2,497 

4,423,936 

46,290.48 

1862  . . . 

. . 2,350 

4,308,568 

50,945.01 

1863  

. . 2,454 

3,775,206 

60,293.82 

1864  

. . 2,539 

3,832,800 

89,931.97 

1865  . . 

. . 2,495 

5,549,002 

158,787.29 

1866  

. . 2,702 

4,934,082 

116,192.97 

1867  

. . 2,822 

5,006,774 

145,173.49 

1868  

. . 3,120 

5,378,365 

126,889.71 

1869  

. . 3,205 

5,581,459 

146,791.64 

1870  . . . . 

. . 3,187 

5,751,928 

133,953.94 

1871 

. . 3,338 

5,891,993 

137,844.70 

1872  

. . 3,767 

5,917,054 

141,122.97 

1873  

. . 3,613 

9,012,650 

158,281.13 

1874  

. . 3,784 

9,000,526 

171,045.61 

1875  

. . 3,941 

9,216,195 

175,234.68 

1876  

. . 3,911 

9,222,625 

163,768.29 

1877  

. . 4,015 

9,405,117 

177,040.27 

1878  

. . 3,869 

9,241,485 

162,038.53 

1879  

10,604,465 

155,964.99 

1880  . . 

. . 3,672 

10,150,686 

172,831.12 

1881 

. . 3,505 

10,062,894 

163,285.55 

1882. 

Polls. 

Valuation. 

Tax. 

Ward  1 . . . 

. . 402 

$816,552 

$10,373.39 

Ward  2 . . . 

439,108 

4,811.94 

Ward  3 . . . 

. . 239 

439,868 

4,913.00 

Ward  4 . . . 

. . 907 

2,299,970 

35,356,97 

Ward  5 . . . 

. . 690 

3,206,200 

49,35G.47 

Ward  6 . . . 

. . 820 

2,462,607 

38,094.66 

Ward  7 . . . 

. . 393 

643,881 

7,715.17 

Non-resideut 

1,320.00 

3,6G1 

$10,308,052 

$151,941.54 

1883. 

Polls. 

Valuation. 

Tax. 

Ward  1 . . . . 

447 

$811,471 

$11,279.32 

Ward  2 . . . . 

208 

420,500 

5,316.36 

Ward  3 . . . . 

244 

442,195 

5,803.32 

Ward  4 ... 

835 

2,176,700 

38,845.05 

Ward  5 . . . 

814 

3,129,413 

55,244.50 

Ward  6 . . . . 

840 

2,393,401 

42,509.03 

Ward  1 ...  . 

428 

649,476 

8,899.85 

Non-resident  . 

1,604.46 

3,810 

$10,023,216 

$169,498.95 

1884. 

Pulls. 

Valuation. 

Tax. 

Ward  1 . . . . 

407 

$805,023 

$10,338.78 

Ward  2 ...  . 

212 

414,798 

4,568.81 

Ward  3 . . . . 

245 

463,839 

6,009.11 

Ward  4 . . . . 

966 

2,147,933 

33,742.35 

Ward  5 . . . . 

3, 045, 000 

47,839.59 

Ward  6 . . . . 

818 

2,350,193 

36,624.04 

Ward  7 ...  . 

429 

651,088 

7,804.81 

Non-resid'  nt  . 

1,362.77 

3,734 

$9,877,874 

$148,290.26 

1 Resigne'’. 


2 Elected  to  fill  vacancy. 


124 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


MUNICIPAL  FUNDED  DEBT. 
City  bonds  payable  as  follows: 


When  due. 

January  1,  1885. 

April  1,  1885. 

November  1,  1885. 
January  1,  1880. 

April  1,  1886. 

November  1, 1886. 
January  1, 1887. 

October  1,  1887. 

January  1,  1888. 

October  1, 1888. 

January  1,  1889. 

October  1,  1889. 

January  1,  1890. 

October  1, 1890. 

January  1,  1891. 

October  1,  1891 . 
November  1,  1891. 
October  1,  1892. 
November  1,  1892. 

October  1,  1893. 

November  1,  1893. 

October  1,  1894. 
November  l,  1894. 

October  1,  1895.  0 


Payable. 

Amount. 

annually. 

$2,000 

semi-annually. 

5,000 

semi-annually. 

9,000 

annually. 

1,500 

semi-annually. 

1,000 

semi-anuually. 

10,000 

annually. 

1,500 

semi-annually. 

10,000 

annually. 

1,000 

semi-annually. 

10,000 

annually. 

2,000 

6emi-annually. 

10,000 

annually. 

2,000 

semi-annuallj\ 

8,500 

annually. 

1,000 

semi-annually. 

6,250 

semi-annually. 

6,000 

semi-annually. 

2,000 

semi-annually. 

10,000 

semi-annually. 

4,250 

semi-annually. 

8,000 

semi-annually. 

4,000 

semi-annually. 

7,000 

semi-annually. 

3,000 

Rate  of  int. 

6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
0 
6 
G 
G 
6 
G 
G 
G 
G 
G 
G 
G 
6 
G 
G 


SI  25, 000 


Notes  on  accomtt  of  extension  of  pari;  and  capitol  streets. 


August  1,  1885.  4 semi-annually.  $5,000 

August  1,  1886.  4 semi-annually.  5,000 


$135,000 

CITY  DEBT  NOT  FUNDED. 


Bonds  overdue,  not  presented $500.00 

Coupons  overdue,  not  presented  ....  397.50 

Interest  accrued,  not  yet  due 2,286.67 

Due  school  districts 2,244.41 


Funded  debt 


$5,428.58 

. . . 135,000.00 


Total  city  debt 


$140,428.58 


AVAILABLE  ASSETS. 


Cash  in  treasury $23,923.35 

Collectible  taxes,  1882  1,280.13 

Collectible  taxes,  1883  12,998.95 

Collectible  taxes,  1884  22,G72.21 

Due  from  county  of  Merrimack  . . . 2,173.43 

Balance  on  sale  city  farm,  due  1885  . 2,500.00 

$65,548.07 


Indebtedness  above  assets $74,880.51 

PRECINCT’S  FUNDED  DEBTS. 


City  precinct  bonds  ( State-House ) loan , payable  as  follows : 


When  due. 

Rate  of  int. 

In.  payable. 

Amount. 

December  1,  1885. 

6 

semi-annually. 

$1,500 

December  1, 1886. 

. 6 

semi-annually. 

2,500 

December  1,  1887. 

6 

semi-annually. 

3,000 

December  1,  1888. 

6 

semi-annually. 

3,500 

December  1,  1889. 

6 

semi-annually. 

2,000 

December  1,  1890. 

6 

semi-annually. 

3,000 

December  1,  1891. 

6 

semi-annually. 

2,000 

December  1,  1892. 

6 

semi-annually. 

2,000 

December  1,  1893. 

6 

semi-annually. 

2,000 

December  1,  1894. 

6 

semi-annually. 

3,000 

December  1,  1895. 

6 

semi-annually. 

10,000 

December  1,  1896. 

6 

semi-annually. 

7,000 

Seioer  Precinct  Notes. 

December  1,  1885. 

6 

annually. 

$8,000 

December  1,  1886. 

4 

annually. 

8,000 

Water  Precinct  Bonds. 


April  1,  1892. 

6 

semi-annually. 

$200,000 

April  1,  1894. 

6 

semi-annually. 

130,000 

April  1,  1895. 

6 

semi-annually. 

20,000 

October  1,  1912. 

4 

semi-annually. 

45,000 

$452,500 

PRECINCT’S  DEBTS  NOT  FUNDED. 


Bonds  overdue,  but  not  presented $100.00 

Coupons  overdue,  but  not  presented  ....  523.00 

Interest  accrued,  but  not  yet  due 224.17 

$847.17 

Precinct’s  funded  debts 452,500.00 

Precinct’s  debts $453,347.17 

Less  water-works  bonds  on  hand 2,000.00 

Net  precinct  debts $451,347.17 

RECAPITULATION. 

Net  city  debts  above  assets $74,880.51 

Net  precinct’s  debts  above  assets 451,347.17 


Aggregate  indebtedness  of  city  and  precinct  over 

available  assets 

$526,227.68 

Aggregate  city  and  precinct  indebtedness,  January 


1,  1884  553,649.75 

Decrease  for  the  year $27,422.07 


CHAPTER  VII. 

CONCORD — ( Continued). 

MILITARY  HISTORY. 

The  Heroes  of  Four  Wars — The  French  and  Indian  War — List  of 
Soldiers — War  of  the  Revolution — The  Association  Test  — The  Arrest 
of  Peter  Green  —Concord  Men  at  Cambridge — At  Bennington — List  ot 
Soldiers — Bounties  Paid — War  of  1812 — Soldiers’  Names — War  of  the 
Rebellion— Concord  a Recruiting  Station  and  Military  Rendezvous — 
First  Company  Raised — Captain  E.  E.  Sturdevant — List  of  Soldiers. 

The  French  and  Indian  Wars. — In  the  struggle 
known  as  the  French  and  Indian  Wars  this  town 
contributed  its  full  share  of  men  and  money.  The 
following  is  a list  of  those  who  entered  the  service : 

John  Chandler,  Joseph  Eastman,  captains;  Nathaniel  Abbot,  lieu- 
tenant ; David  Copps,  Moses  Eastman,  sergeants ; Nathaniel  Morse, 
clerk  ; David  Evans,  corporal  ; Obadiah  Maxfield,  Phineas  Virgin,  Moses 
Eastman,  Edward  Abbot,  Jacob  Potter,  David  Kimball,  John  Hoyt, 
Jonathan  Fifield,  Thomas  Merrill,  Nathaniel  Rix,  Jonathan  Chase, 
Ebenezer  Copps,  Asa  Kimball,  Ebenezer  Virgin,  Ebenezer  Simonds, 
James  Farnum,  Judah  Trumble,  Isaac  Walker,  John  Webster,  Reuben 
Simonds,  Joseph  Eastman,  Joshua  Abbot  (son  of  Lieutenant  Nathaniel 
Abbot),  John  Shute,  Daniel  Abbot,  Benjamin  Hannaford,  Amos  East- 
man, Nathaniel  Eastman,  Benjamin  Bradley,  Stephen  Hoit,  David 
Evans,  Stilson  Eastman  and  Philip  Kimball,  sentinels. 

W ar  of  the  Revolution. — The  record  of  Concord 
during  the  War  of  the  Revolution  is  one  in  which 
her  citizens  may  justly  feel  a patriotic  pride.  The 
news  of  the  battle  of  Lexington  had  scarcely  reached 
the  town  before  Captain  Abiel  Chandler  had  raised  a 
company  of  thirty-six  men  and  marched  to  Cam- 
bridge. There  were  three  companies  from  this  town 
in  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill.  These  were  commanded 
by  Captains  Gordon  Hutchins,  Joshua  Abbot  and 
Aaron  Kinsman. 

At  the  meeting  in  March,  1776,  “Philip  Eastman, 
Colonel  Thomas  Stickney,  Timothy  Walker,  Jr., 
Joseph  Hall,  Jr.,  and  Richard  Harbut  were  chosen 


C0NC011D. 


125 


a committee  of  safety  lor  the  parish  ot  Concord  for 
the  year  1776.” 

The  following  citizens  of  Concord  signed  the  “ As- 
sociation Test : ” 

“We,  the  subscribers,  do  hereby  solemnly  engage  and  promise,  that 
we  will,  to  the  utmost  of  our  power,  at  the  risque  of  our  lives  and  for- 
tunes, with  arms,  oppose  the  hostile  proceedings  of  the  British  fleets  and 
armies  against  the  United  American  Colonies. 

“ Reuben  Kimball,  John  Kimball,  Thomas  Stickney,  Peter  Gieen, 
Tinu  Walker,  jr.,  Benjamin  Emery,  John  Bradley,  Nathan  Chandler, 
Aaron  Stevens,  James  Walker,  Robert  Davis,  Benj.  Hauniford,  Daniel 
Gale,  David  Hall,  Simon  Danforth,  Nathaniel  Abbot,  Nathaniel  Rolfe, 
Stephen  Greenleaf,  Samuel  Thompson,  John  Gage,  Moses  Eastman,  jr., 
Jacob  Carter,  John  Fowle,  Levi  ltoss  (his  X mark),  Jeremiah  Bradley. 
Peter  Green,  jr.,  Amos  Abbot,  Timothy  Bradley,  Ephraim  Farnum, 
Cornelius  Johnson,  Philip  Eastman,  Daniel  Abbot,  Richard  Flanders, 
Joseph  Farnum,  Richard  Haseltine,  Joseph  Hall,  jr.,  Benjamin  lifield, 
Reuben  Abbott,  Lot  Colby,  Jonathan  Eastman,  Daniel  Chase,  David 
George,  John  Stevens,  John  Virgin,  l’bineas  Stevens,  Jahez  Abbot,  Ben- 
jamin Abbot,  Ebene/.er  Hall,  Henry  Martin,  Timothy  Simouds,  William 
Fifield,  Reuben  Abbot,  jr.,  Samuel  Butters,  Timo.  Walker  (Rev.),  Henry 
Beck,  Benjamin  Rolfe,  Oliver  Hoit,  Theodore  Farnum,  Ebenezer  Far- 
num,  Ephraim  Farnum,  John  Steven  (?),  Moses  Eastman,  Chandler 
Lovejov,  Samuel  Iviukson,  Caleb  Buswell,  Richard  Eastman,  Solomon 
Gage,  Ezekiel  Dimond,  jr.,  Amos  Abbot,  jr.,  William  Coffin,  Joseph 
Abbot,  Jonathan  Merrill,  James  Mitchell,  Ezra  Carter,  Asa  Kimball, 
Jonathan  Emerson,  Timothy  Bradley,  jr.,  Joseph  Eastman,  Phineas 
Virgin,  William  Currier,  Ebenezer  Simond,  Dan  Stickney,  Josiah  Far- 
num, jr.,  Elisha  Moody,  Benjamin  Eastman,  Jacob  Green,  Benjamin 
Farnum,  Ebenezer  Virgin,  Ephraim  Potter,  Edward  Abbott,  Jonathan 
Stickney,  Eph'm  Farnum,  jr.,  William  Virgin,  Obadiah  Hall,  George 
Abbot,  Josiah  Farnum,  Joseph  Farnum,  Stephen  Kimball,  Daniel  Hall, 
Abner  Flanders,  Nathan  Abbot,  Jesse  Abbot,  Isaac  Abbot,  Ephraim 
Abbot,  Stephen  Abbot,  George  Abbot,  jr.,  Stephen  Farnum,  Daniel  Far- 
num, Daniel  Chandler,  Philip  Carigain,  Daniel  Carter,  Joseph  Clough, 
Richard  Herbert,  Gordon  Hutchins,  James  Haseltine,  William  Haseltine, 
Simon  Tmmbel,  John  Chase,  John  Shute,  Jacob  Sliute,  Joseph  Hall, 
John  Trumble  (his  X mark),  Joseph  Colby,  Ephraim  Fisk,  Nathaniel 
Green,  Thomas  Wilson,  Isaac  Walker,  Ezra  Badger,  Richard  Flanders, 
Timothy  Farnham,  Ezekiel  Dimond,  Joseph  Haseltine,  Phineas  Kimball, 
Robert  Ambros,  Benjamin  Sweat,  Abiel  Blanchard,  Benjamin  Elliot, 
James  Stevens,  Joseph  Eastman,  jr.,  Richard  Potter,  Timothy  Symonds, 
Philip  Kimball,  Timothy  Kimball,  John  Farnum,  Ezekiel  Carter, 
Richard  Hood,  Henry  Lovejoy,  Lemuel  Tucker,  Jacob  Goodwin,  George 
Graham,  Jeremiah  Wheeler,  Zephaniah  Pettey,  Zebediah  Farnum, 
Samuel  Goodwin,  Abner  Farnum,  Thomas  Eaton, — 156.” 

Not  a single  name  was  returned  as  “disaffected;” 
still,  as  will  appear  from  the  proceedings  next  year, 
some  were  “suspected,”  and,  whether  justly  or  not, 
were  severely  dealt  with  on  that  account. 

Many  of  the  soldiers  in  service  at  Bunker  Hill 
enlisted  for  eight  months,  and  marched  this  year  to 
join  the  Continental  army  in  New  York.  Captain 
Joshua  Abbot  and  Captain  Benjamin  Emery  had 
command  of  companies.  Captain  Gordon  Hutchins 
was  promoted  to  lieutenant-colonel  in  Colonel  Na- 
hum Baldwin’s  regiment.  On  their  march  to  New 
York  many  of  his  soldiers  were  taken  sick,  and  no 
medicines  being  provided  in  the  public  stores,  Col- 
onel Hutchins  purchased  a quantity  for  the  use  of 
his  soldiers  at  his  own  expense,  being  moved,  as  he 
said  afterward,  in  a petition  to  the  General  Assembly 
for  remuneration,  with  “ pity  and  humanity  towards 
the  unhappy  sufferers,  and  also  actuated  from  zeal 
for  the  public  service.” 

March  4,  1777,  Messrs.  John  Kimball,  Thomas 
Stickney,  Reuben  Kimball,  Benjamin  Emery  and 
Richard  Harbut  were  appointed  a “ Committee  of 


Safety.”  Colonel  Gordon  Hutchins  was  chosen  rep- 
resentative, and  a vote  was  passed  “to  reconsider  the 
former  vote  of  the  parish,  passed  March  7,  1775,  for 
leasing  the  eighty-acre  lot  belonging  to  the  school- 
right  to  Oliver  Hoyt  for  nine  hundred  years,  — he 
paying  the  parish  six  dollars  annually ; ” audit  was 
voted,  “that  instead  of  said  Hoyt  paying  six  dollars 
annually,  the  selectmen  are  directed  to  receive  of 
him  one  hundred  dollars,  in  full  consideration  for 
said  lot;”  and  “that  the  selectmen  be  directed  to 
lay  out  the  one  hundred  dollars  which  they  shall 
receive  of  Oliver  Hoyt  for  the  eiglity-acre  lot  for  a 
town  stock  of  ammunition.” 

About  this  time  certain  prominent  individuals 
were  suspected  of  disaffection  to  the  American  cause, 
notwithstanding  they  had  signed  the  “ Association 
Test.”  Hence  the  following  votes  were  passed 
March  4th: 

“ Voted,  That  this  Parish  will  break  off  all  dealings  with  Peter  Green, 
Esq.,  Mr.  John  Stevens,  Mr.  Nathaniel  Green  and  Dr.  Philip  Caragain, 
until  they  give  satisfaction  to  the  Palish  for  their  past  conduct ; and  that 
they  be  advertised  in  the  Public  Prints  as  Enemies  to  the  United  States 
of  America,  unless  said  Persons  give  said  satisfaction  within  thirty  days 
from  this  date  ; and  that  the  above  Persons  be  disarmed  by  the  Committee 
of  Safety  until  they  give  satisfaction  to  the  Public. 

“ Voted , That  the  Committee  be  directed  to  instruct  Col.  Gordon 
Hutchins  to  apply  to  the  Courts  of  Judicature  of  this  State  to  dismiss 
Peter  Green,  Esq.,  from  all  Business  henceforth  and  forever. 

“ Voted,  That  if  any  Persons  have  any  Dealings  with  Peter  Green,  Esq., 
Mr.  John  Stevens,  Mr.  Nathaniel  Green  and  Dr.  Philip  Caragain,  before 
they  give  satisfaction  to  the  Public,  that  they  be  looked  upon  as  Enemies 
to  their  Country  by  this  Parish. 

“ Voted,  That  the  Committee  of  Safety  be  directed  to  instruct  Col 
Gordon  Hutchins  to  apply  to  Capt.  Parker,  the  Sheriff  for  the  County  of 
Rockingham,  to  dismiss  Mr.  Jacob  Green  from  the  office  of  Deputy 
Sheriff. 

“ A true  copy  — 

“ Examined  by  Timothy  Walker,  Jr.,  Clerk  ” 

In  accordance  with  the  spirit  of  the  above  votes, 
some  of  the  zealous  liberty-men  of  the  west  part  of  the 
town  meditated  something  a little  mor e personal.  About 
nine  o’clock  one  morning  Colonel  Timothy  Walker 
had  just  mounted  his  horse  to  ride  away  on  business, 
when  he  observed  a considerable  number  of  West 
Parish  men  walking  with  quick  steps  by  the  meeting- 
house, towards  Main  Street;  and  behind  them,  at 
some  distance,  John  Bradley,  Esq.,  with  a more 
deliberate  step,  and  apparently  in  deep  thought. 
Meeting  at  the  corner,  by  Mr.  Hanniford’s  house. 
Colonel  Walker  said,  “Good  morning,  Esq.  Bradley; 
what’s  going  on  ? ” “I  thought  I would  walk  down 
and  see,”  said  Mr.  Bradley.  They  followed  on,  and 
found  the  West  Parish  men  at  “ Mother  Osgood’s  ” 
tavern,  in  high  excitement,  threatening  to  go  at  once 
and  pull  down  Esq.  Peter  Green’s  house.  On  the 
arrival  of  Colonel  Walker  and  Mr.  Bradley,  they 
entered  into  a discussion  with  the  West  Parish  men 
on  the  merits  of  the  case,  and  detained  them  from 
executing  their  purpose  till  near  sun-down.  Then, 
inviting  them  all  into  “Mother  Osgood’s ” tavern, 
they  called  for  bowls  of  punch,  and  treated  the  com- 
pany liberally.  All  being  by  this  time  in  a better 
mood,  Colonel  Walker  made  a brief  speech,  which  he 


126 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


closed  by  saying,  “ Every  man  to  his  tent,  0 Israel ! ” 
and  they  quietly  dispersed  without  tearing  down  Esq. 
Green’s  house ! 

However,  soon  after  this,  Peter  Green,  Esq.,  John 
Stevens  and  others  were  arrested,  carried  to  Exeter 
and  confined  in  jail.  Liberty  was  granted  them  to 
take  the  oath  of  allegiance,  as  a condition  of  release, 
which  all  did  except  John  Stevens.  He  swore  he  was 
as  good  a friend  to  his  country  as  any  who  had  caused 
his  arrest,  and  he  never  would  take  the  oath  required. 
He  was  finally  discharged  from  jail,  by  special  order 
of  the  Legislature,  in  1778.  The  town  also  voted, 
March  4,  1783,  to  “consider  the  vote  formerly  passed 
to  break  off  all  dealings  with  Mr.  John  Stevens,  and 
that  said  vote  be  made  null  and  void.” 

May  22d  a committee  was  chosen  to  carry  into  exe- 
cution an  “ act  for  regulating  prices  of  sundry 
articles.” 

July  5th,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Gerrish,  of  Boscawen, 
raised  a company  in  Concord  and  adjacent  towns 
for  the  relief  of  the  garrison  at  Ticonderoga.  News  of 
the  evacuation  of  the  fort  soon  arrived,  and  the  com- 
pany was  disbanded. 

The  year  1777  is  memorable  on  account  of  the 
battle  of  Bennington,  in  which  General  John  Stark, 
with  his  New  Hampshire  volunteers,  defeated  Colonel 
Baum,  and  thus  ultimately  led  to  the  defeat  and  cap- 
ture of  General  Burgoyne. 

Belonging  to  Stark’s  brigade,  at  Bennington,  were 
twenty-eight  men  from  Concord.  They  did  not,  how- 
ever, all  arrive  in  season  for  the  fight,  which  issued 
in  so  glorious  a victory.  Colonel  Thomas  Stickney, 
Lieutenant  Richard  Herbert,  Jesse  Abbot,  John 
Abbot,  Elias  Abbot,  Abner  Flanders,  Samuel  Ivink- 
son,  John  Peters  and  Timothy  Johnson  were  in  the  bat- 
tle. Col.  Stickney  particularly  distinguished  himself. 

Colonel  Gordon  Hutchins,  who  raised  a volunteer 
company  of  about  thirty  men  in  Concord,  hastened 
as  fast  as  possible  towards  Bennington,  but  did  not 
arrive  in  time  to  share  in  the  battle.  The  names  of 
the  volunteers  in  his  company  cannot  be  definitely  as- 
certained. 

Captain  Joshua  Abbot  had  command  of  a company 
in  Colonel  Gerrish’s  regiment,  “ which  company 
marched  from  Concord  and  towns  adjacent  to  rein- 
force the  Northern  Continental  army  at  Saratoga, 
September,  1777.” 

On  the  8th  of  September,  this  year,  the  selectmen, 
together  with  Lieutenant  Joseph  Hall,  Timothy 
Walker,  Jr.,  and  Ezekiel  Dimond,  were  appointed  a 
committee  “ to  settle  with  all  persons  who  have  done 
service  in  the  army.”  It  was  voted,  “ that  the  ex- 
pense of  the  Continental  soldiers  raised  by  the  Parish 
of  Concord  shall  be  paid  by  the  Parish,”  and  that 
“ the  sum  of  four  hundred  and  sixty  pounds,  lawful 
money,  be  raised  upon  the  ratable  polls  and  estate  ” 
of  the  inhabitants  for  that  purpose. 

The  following  i-  a list  of  Revolutionary  soldiers 
from  this  town  : 


In  Captain  Joshua  Abbot’s  company  at  Bunker  Hill, 

1775, — 

Joshua  Abbot,  captain  ; Abiel  Chandler,  second  lieutenant ; Jeremiah 
Abbot,  Samuel  Davis,  sergeants;  Nathaniel  C.  Abbot,  Stephen  Abbot, 
Reuben  Abbot,  Amos  Abbot,  Jonathan  Bradley,  Ephraim  Colby,  Ezekiel 
Dimond,  Moses  Hall,  Stephen  Hall,  William  Mitchell,  Richard  Flood, 
William  Straw,  Peter  Chandler. 

In  Captain  Gordon  Hutchins’  company  at  Bunker 
Hill,— 

Gordon  Hutchins,  captain  ; Daniel  Livermore,  ensign  ; Benjamin 
Abbot,  sergeant ; Simeon  Danforth,  William  Walker,  corporals ; Robert 
Livingston,  Isaac  Johnson,  Abraham  Kimball,  Thomas  Chandler,  Joseph 
Grace,  Peter  Johnston,  Samuel  Straw,  Levi  Hutchins,  fifer;  Michael 
Flanders,  drummer  ; Ezra  Badger. 

In  Captain  Aaron  Kinsman’s  company  at  Bunker 
Hill,— 

Aaron  Kinsman,  captain  ; Ebeuezer  Eastman,  lieutenant  ; Samuel 
Thompson,  corporal.  Note. — Most  of  Captain  Kinsman’s  company  were 
from  other  towns. 

Concord,  February  26,  1776, — 

“ A return  of  those  men  who  were  in  the  Continental  army  last  year, 
and  have  engaged  to  tarry  the  present  year,”  etc.  Signed  by  Timothy 
Walker,  Jr.,  and  Benjamin  Emery,  selectmen , viz.  : Jeremiah  Abbot, 
Nathaniel  C.  Abbot,  John  Kinkson,  William  Straw,  Andrew  Stone, 
William  Walker,  Nathaniel  Eastman,  Jr.,  Moses  Hall. 

In  Captain  Benjamin  Sias’  company  (of  Loudon), 

1776,  of  Colonel  David  Gilman’s  regiment,  des- 
tined for  New  York,  and  mustered  by  Colonel 
Thomas  Stickney,  muster-master  and  paymaster  of 
said  company,  were, — 

Philbrick  Bradley,  Peter  Blanchard,  Amos  Abbot,  Jr.,  Daniel  Carter, 
Richard  Flood  and  Stephen  Sutton.  The  latter  perhaps  of  Canterbury. 

In  the  Continental  service,  under  Captain  Joshua 
Abbott,  1776, — 

Abiel  Chandler,  lieutenant ; Ephraim  Colby,  ensign  ; Timothy  Hall, 
Jonathan  Haseltine,  Philip  Page,  Amos  Barnes,  Florence  McColley, 
Beriah  Abbot,  Stephen  Hall,  Peter  Chandler,  John  Merrill,  Seth  Spring, 
John  Blanchard,  Benjamin  Powell,  Hezekiah  Colby,  William  Walker, 
Phineas  Stevens,  Jonathan  Johnson,  Samuel  Wort  hen,  Moses  Abbot, 
Moses  Hall,  I’eter  Carey,  Jonathan  Bradley,  Ephraim  Fisk. 

In  Captain  Benjamin  Emery’s  company  (Colonel 
Nahum  Baldwin’s  regiment,  of  which  Gordon  Hut- 
chins was  lieutenant-colonel),  to  reinforce  the  Con- 
tinental army  in  New  York,  1776, — 

Benjamin  Emery,  captain ; Aaron  Kinsman,  ensign  ; Israel  Glines, 
Ezra  Badger,  John  Carter,  Jonathan  Currier,  Simeon  Colby,  Ephraim 
Kinsman,  William  Stickney,  Ezekiel  Stickney,  Jacob  Carter,  Solomon 
Gage,  Benjamin  Elliot,  Bruce  Walker. 

The  following  men  served  in  Colonel  Timothy 
Bedel’s  regiment  and  Captain  Janies  Osgood’s  com- 
pany, and  were  at  Fort  Cedars,  Canada  East,  May 
19,  1776,  some  of  whom  were  taken  prisoners,  stripped 
of  most  of  their  clothing  and  all  their  equipments 
and  utensils  for  the  camp  or  field : 

John  Webster,  lieutenant ; Richard  H.  Osgood,  Hubbard  Carter, 
sergeants ; Joshua  Danforth,  corporal ; Nathaniel  C.  Abbot,  Nathaniel 
Walker,  Joseph  Lund,  Joseph  Giles,  Ezra  Abbot,  Elias  Abbot,  Philip 
Abbot,  Benjamin  Fifield,  Ezekiel  Eastman,  Nathan  Kinsman,  Benjamin 
Kenniston,  Daniel  Chandler,  Samuel  Danford,  William  Simonds. 

In  Captain  Ebenezer  Green’s  company, — 

Israel  Glines,  Ebenezer  Hall,  Joseph  Chandler. 


CONCORD. 


127 


Among  those  who  were  taken  prisoners  at  Fort 
Cedars  were  Elias  Abbot.  Ezra  Abbot,  Philip  Abbot 
and  Benjamin  Fifield. 

In  Captain  Daniel  Livermore’s  company,  1777, 
Third  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  who  enlisted  for 
three  years,  or  during  the  war, — 

Robert  Livingston,  sergeant ; Amos  Flood,  corporal ; Abner  Hogg, 
Phineas  Stevens,  Daniel  Chandler,  Philip  Rowell,  Samuel  Worthen, 
Abiel  Stevens,  Solomon  Fisk,  Obadiah  Kimball,  Abner  Farnum,  Beriah 
Abbot,  William  Eastman,  Jacob  Eastman,  John  Straw,  Ebenezer  Far- 
num,  Samuel  Colby,  who  enlisted  for  one  year. 

In  Lieutenant-Colonel  Gerrisli’s  regiment,  raised  in 
the  town  of  Concord,  and  towns  adjacent,  which 
“ marched  July  5,  1777,  for  the  relief  of  the  garrison 
at  Ticonderoga,  on  the  alarm,  and  marched  seventy 
miles  when  the  news  of  the  evacuation  of  the  fort” 
arrived,  were  from  Concord, — 

Richard  Herbert,  lieutenant ; William  Simonds,  Timothy  Bradley, 
John  Chase,  Richard  Eastman,  Simeon  Dan  forth,  Isaac  Abbot,  Joseph 
Eastman,  Daniel  Farnum,  Elias  Abbot,  John  Peters,  Nathaniel  Eastman, 
Ebenezer  Farnum,  Ephraim  Fisk,  Jr.,  Abiel  Hall,  Isaac  Chandler,  Israel 
Glines,  John  Eastman,  Phineas  Stevens,  Stilson  Eastman,  Ezekiel  Di- 
mond,  Benjamin  Rolfe,  Jacob  Heath  (?),  Stephen  Haines  (?),  John  Cross  (?) 
Peter  Blanchard  (?). 

This  company  marched  July  5th  ; were  discharged 
the  12th. 

In  General  Stark’s  brigade,  at  Bennington,  Colonel 
Thomas  Stickney,  1777, — 

Richard  Herbert,  lieutenant ; Jesse  Abbot,  John  Abbot,  Timothy 
Johnson,  Ephraim  Abbot,  Ezra  Abbot,  Stephen  Abbot,  Benjamin  Am- 
brose, Philbrick  Bradley  (was  wounded),  Simeon  Danforth,  Reuben 
Dimond,  Benjamin  Elliot,  Theodore  Farnum,  Richard  Flood,  Elias 
Abbot,  Abner  Flanders,  Samuel  Kinsman,  John  Peters,  Ephraim  Fisk, 
Ephraim  Fisk,  Jr.,  David  George,  Solomon  Gage,  Israel  Glines,  Abial 
Hall,  Anthony  Potter,  Phineas  Stevens,  William  Symonds,  Simon  Trum- 
bull, Gilman  West. 

“ A return  of  the  man’s  Names  belonging  to  my  Company,  in  Coll. 
Stickney's  Regiment,  wich  have  Enliested  as  Soders  to  sarve  three  mounth, 
agreable  to  a Late  Act  of  the  General  Corte  : 

“Elias  Abbot,  Gilman  Wast,  Edward  Wast,  Ruben  Blanchard,  Epli- 
eram  Fisk,  John  Dow,  Joseph  Blanchard,  Keyes  Bradley,  Josier  Flanders, 
Ebenezer  Gray,  Benjamin  Bradley,  Elisha  Virgin,  William  Eastman. 

“Aaron  Kinsman,  Capt. 

Concord , July,  11,  1780.’’  [Copied  from  the  original.] 

“Concord,  July  17,  1781. 

“ We,  the  subscribers,  do  voluntarily  Inlist  ourselves  as  Soldiers  in  the 
service  of  New  Hampshire  for  the  Parish  of  Concord,  for  the  term  of 
three  months  after  our  arrival  at  the  place  of  rendezvous,  unless  sooner 
discharged  ; and  we  promise  obedience  to  our  officers,  and  to  be  subjects 
to  the  Rules  of  the  Army  during  said  term.  As  Witness,  our  hand, — 

“Jeremiah  Virgin. 

“Jeremiah  Chandler. 

“ Moses  Read. 

“ Phineas  Ayer. 

“ Joseph  Blanchard. 

“David  Eastman. 

“ Millen  Kimball.’’ 

At  Ticonderoga,  1777,  Colonel  Thomas  Stickney’s 
regiment,  Captain  Ebenezer  Webster’s  company 
[Captain  Webster  was  the  father  of  Daniel  Webster] : 

Richard  Herbert,  lieutenant ; William  Symonds,  Timothy  Bradley, 
Simeon  Danforth,  Isaac  Abbott,  Elias  Abbott,  John  Abbott,  Ezra  Abbott, 
Phineas  Stevens,  Ezekiel  Dimond,  John  Peters,  Nathaniel  Eastman, 
Ebenezer  Farnum,  Ephraim  Fisk,  Jr.,  Abial  Hall,  Isaac  Chandler,  Israel 
Glines,  John  Eastman,  Stilson  Eastman,  Benjamin  Rolfe. 

In  Captain  Joshua  Abbott’s  company  of  volunteers 


that  marched  to  reinforce  the  northern  army  in  Sep- 
tember, 1777,  were, — 

Reuben  Kimball,  lieutenant ; James  Mitchell,  Moses  Abbot,  sergeants  ; 

| Amos  Abbott,  corporal;  Jacob  Carter,  drummer;  John  Farnum,  Moses 
Eastman,  Stilson  Eastman,  Jonathan  Eastman,  Ezekiel  Dimond,  Phineas 
Virgin,  Joseph  Eastman,  Daniel  Farnum,  Chandler  Lovejoy,  Enoch 
Coffin,  James  Johnson,  Reuben  Abbot,  Ezekiel  Stickney,  Philip  Abbot, 
Timothy  Hall,  John  Peters,  Michael  Flanders,  Isaac  Dimond,  John  Sill- 
away,  Benjamin  Rolfe. 

In  Colonel  Stickney’s  regiment,  raised  for  the  de- 
fense of  Rhode  Island,  1779,— 

Peaslee  Eastman,  Jacob  Flanders,  Josiah  Flanders,  Josiah  Chandler. 

New  levies  raised  in  1780,  and  in  service  about  six 
months, — 

Joshua  Graham,  age  seventeen ; Thomas  Carr,  age  twenty- three ; Dan- 
iel Stickney,  age  eighteen  ; Aaron  Eastman,  age  twenty  ; John  Peters, 
age  twenty-two  ; Jonas  Wyman,  age  twenty  ; Benjamin  Thompson,  age 
eighteen  ; Jonathan  Moulton,  age  — ; Peaslee  Eastman,  age  — . 

In  Captain  Webster’s  company  of  Rangers,  for  the 
defense  of  the  frontiers,  1782, — 

Abner  Flanders,  sergeant,  engaged  July  9tli,  dismissed  November 
11th  ; Henry  Eastman,  private,  engaged  July  9th,  dismissed  November 
8th. 

The  following  persons  were  also  in  the  service  : 

David  Davis,  fifer ; Moses  Chase,  Ebenezer  Foss,  Samuel  Walker, 
i Thomas  or  Benja.  Powell,  Salem  Colby  (negro),  El iphalet  Caswell,  Nathan 
Shead,  Thomas  Pitts,  Jos.  Hale,  Ephraim  Hoyt,  Nathan  Stevens,  Timo- 
thy Abbot,  David  Blanchard,  Jonathan  Chase,  Peter  Manual,  Joshua 
Abbot  (of  Hooksett),  Benjamin  Chase,  Enoch  Badger,  Moses  Reed.1 

BOUNTIES  PAID  TO  SOLDIERS  FROM  CONCORD. 


Men.  Amount. 

Lexington,  Capt.  Abiel  Chandler’s  com- 


pany,  1775  . 

. . 36 

£32 

3 

6 

Wingate  and  Wyman’s  regiments,  in  11 

76,  18 

108 

0 

0 

Continental,  1777  

. . 29 

442 

14 

6 

Stark’s  brigade,  1777  

. . 28 

252 

14 

6 

Rangers,  Coos,  1782  

2 

33 

14 

6 

Saratoga,  1777  

27 

243 

14 

6 

New  levies,  1780  

. . 9 

159 

n 

0 

Nichols’  regiment,  1780  

. . 12 

264 

10 

0 

Frontiers,  Co6s,  1780  

9 

45 

12 

0 

Reynold’s  regiment,  1781 

73 

10 

0 

New  levies.  1781 

. . 4 

82 

10 

0 

Continental,  1781 

191 

18 

0 

Continental,  1782  

296 

11 

3 

£2244 

1 

9 

Deduct  for  depreciation  : 

Florence  McCauley,  paid  Jan.  6, 

1778, 

4 

17 

6 

John  Merrill,  paid  Dec.  7,  1778  . 

14 

4 

0 

Both  engaged  in  1776. 

£19 

1 

6 

£2225  0 3 

The  following  are  the  names  of  soldiers  from  Con- 
cord who  lost  their  lives: 

William  Mitchell,  killed  at  Bunker  Hill,  June  17,  1775. 

Lieutenant  Abiel  Chandler,  died  of  small-pox  at  Crown  Point,  July  12, 
1776. 

Peter  Chandler,  died  June  25,  1776. 

Abiel  Stevens,  died  of  wounds,  October  20,  1777. 

Phineas  Stevens,  died  April  21,  1778. 

I Obadiah  Kimball,  killed  in  battle,  October  7,  1777. 

I Solomon  Fisk,  died  of  yellow  fever  at  Horseneck,  August  10,  1778. 
Samuel  Worthen,  died  November  10,  1778. 

Timothy  Hall,  died  of  fever  and  dysentery. 


lA  part  only  of  the  above  were  citizens.  Others  were  “hired”  for 
Concord. 


128 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Jeremiah  Abbot  was  in  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill, 
a sergeant  in  the  company  of  his  brother  Joshua,  and 
lieutenant  in  the  service  at  Ticonderoga  and  in  the 
expedition  against  Canada.  After  the  close  of  the 
war  he  married  Elizabeth  Stickney.  She  died  Sep- 
tember 10,  1836,  aged  eighty-four  years.  He  moved 
to  Conway,  N.  H.,  about  1787,  and  there  endured 
many  hardships  and  privations  by  frost  and  flood.  He 
kept  a house  of  entertainment,  where  the  few  travel- 
ers who  visited  that  part  of  the  country  found  a home. 
They  were  industrious  and  energetic,  beloved  and 
respected  by  all  who  knew  them  and  kind  and  hos- 
pitable to  all  who  had  claims  on  their  benevolence. 
They  were  early  supporters  of  religious  worship  and 
order. 

John,  born  June  23,  1756,  died  August  31,  1779. 
John  Abbot  was  six  feet  seven  inches  without  shoes, 
and  said  to  be  the  stoutest  young  man  ever  raised  in 
Concord,  though  not  quite  so  tall  as  Samuel  Baker, 
uncle  of  the  Governor,  Nathaniel  Baker.  He  received 
a ball  at  the  battle  of  Bennington,  on  his  breast-bone, 
which  fell  harmless  at  his  feet.  He  died  aged  twenty- 
two,  weighing  two  hundred  and  thirty  pounds. 

War  of  1812. — 111  1812  Concord  was  designated  as 
a military  rendezvous,  and  the  number  of  soldiers 
here  in  1812  and  1813  was  about  five  hundred.  At 
the  town-meeting  in  1813  a number  of  soldiers 
attempted  to  vote,  contrary  to  the  decision  of  Colonel 
William  A.  Kent,  who  was  moderator.  This  proce- 
dure created  some  excitement  at  the  time,  and  is  thus 
referred  to  in  the  records: 

“ Voted,  That  the  conduct  of  one  McCoy,  a volunteer  in  the  service  of 
the  United  States,  and  not  belonging  to  this  town,  in  attempting,  yester- 
day, in  defiance  of  the  moderator  of  the  meeting,  to  vote  for  State  and 
County  officers,  deserves  severe  censure  ; but  his  act  of  collaring  the 
moderator  while  in  the  exercise  of  his  official  duty  we  consider  an  out- 
rage of  the  most  destructive  character. 

“Voted,  That  the  thanks  of  this  meeting  be  given  to  William  A.  Kent, 
Esq.,  the  moderator,  for  his  temperate,  resolute  and  judicious  conduct 
upon  that  occasion.” 

The  names  of  the  soldiers  who  died  of  scarlet  fever 
in  this  town  in  1813,  as  recorded  by  the  late  John 
Farmer,  Esq.,  were, — 

March  Gth,  Joshua  Belknap  ; March  16th,  Kendrick  Houghton  ; March 
17th,  John  C.  Boyd  ; April  4th,  John  Taggart,  of  Hillsborough  ; April 
7th,  Samuel  Davis,  Chester,  Bradbury  M.  Carr,  Chester ; April  9th,  Na- 
than Stearns,  Goffctown  ; April  13th,  John  Abbott,  Warner,  Elias  Davis, 
Bow  ; April  14th,  one  Jones ; April  15th,  Alexander  Witherspoon, 
Bridgewater;  April  16th,  Isaac  Smith,  Goshen;  April  17th,  William 
Gage,  Wendell ; April  18th,  Ebenezer  Woodbury,  Dunbarton,  Robert 

Crawford,  Bridgewater, ; April  19th, Whitney,  Henniker. 

David  Patch,  New  Boston,  David  Hart,  Goffstown . 

Of  soldiers  belonging  to  Concord  who  marched  to 
the  northern  frontiers,  the  following  were  in  Captain 
Flanders’  company,  Forty-fifth  Regiment,  of  which 
Marshall  Baker,  of  Concord,  was  first  lieutenant : 
Ebenezer  Frye,  James  Emerson,  John  Uran,  Daniel 
Arlin,  Jonathan  Uran,  Jonathan  B.  Worth,  Na- 
thaniel Parker,  James  Elliot,  Samuel  Emerson. 

In  the  Fourth  Regiment  were  John  Elliot,  Jonathan 
Uran,  John  Dunlap,  John  Virgin  and  James  Dunlap 
who  died. 


James  Elliot  re-enlisted  in  the  Fourth  Regiment 
Asa  Hardy  served  in  both  the  Forty-fifth  and  Fourth 
Jonathan  Elliot  was  on  the  peace  establishment,  and 
died  at  Rock  Island,  in  the  Mississippi  River,  Illi- 
nois. Timothy  Abbot,  of  Andover,  was  a Concord 
recruit. 

In  1814,  August  29tli,  the  selectmen  were  author- 
ized “ to  hire  all  soldiers  which  may  be  called  for  in 
lieu  of  drafting.”  In  March,  1815,  they  were  di- 
rected to  pay  four  dollars  per  month  to  each  soldier 
detached  for  the  defense  of  Portsmouth  in  the  service 
of  the  United  States.  As  Portsmouth,  the  only  sea- 
port in  New  Hampshire,  was  in  peculiar  danger  from 
armed  vessels  of  the  enemy,  public  attention  was 
particularly  directed  to  that  quarter. 

Captain  Peter  Robertson’s  volunteer  company  of 
artillery,  that  was  in  service  twenty  days,  from  Sep- 
tember 10th  to  29th,  marched  from  Concord  on  the 
Sabbath,  passing  the  old  North  Church,  over  Fed- 
eral bridge,  thence  on  the  turnpike  to  Portsmouth. 

But  the  spirit  of  patriotism  was  not  confined  to  the 
men  who  actually  marched  to  the  field  of  danger. 
Venerable,  aged  men,  some  of  whom  had  served  in 
the  War  of  the  Revolution  who  were  exempted  from 
active  service,  offered  themselves  for  the  defense  of 
their  country. 

Some  time  in  September,  1814,  at  the  instance  of 
John  T.  Gilman,  the  then  Governor  of  New  Hamp- 
shire, a public  call  was  made  for  volunteers  of  that 
class  of  citizens  who  were  by  law  exempt  from  mili- 
tary duty,  in  the  ranks  of  the  militia,  to  form  them- 
selves into  companies  for  the  purpose  of  home 
defense,  in  case  of  necessity  from  invasion.  Some  of 
the  most  respectable  citizens  of  Concord  immediately 
responded  to  the  call,  held  a public  meeting,  and 
organized  a company  for  that  purpose,  numbered  the 
Sixth  Company  of  volunteers.  The  officers  chosen 
by  the  company  were  Stephen  Ambrose,  Esq., 
captain;  Samuel  Sparliawk,  Esq.,  first  lieutenant, 
then  Secretary  of  State;  Nathan  Ballard,  Esq., 
second  lieutenant;  Ezra  Hutchins,  ensign;  Moses 
Long,  first  sergeant,  orderly  and  clerk;  G.  W.  Rogers, 
ex-captain,  second  sergeant;  William  Davis,  West 
Parish,  ex-captain,  third  sergeant;  Samuel  Runnels, 
fourth  sergeant.  Corporals  not  recollected.  There 
were  some  over  an  hundred  privates  enrolled  in  the 
company,  many  of  whom  had  held  offices,  both  civil 
and  military,  as  the  secretary  of  the  State  and  treas- 
urer, seven  justices  of  the  peace,  one  colonel,  one 
lieutenant-colonel,  one  major  and  nineteen  captains. 
Quite  a majority  of  the  company  were  made  up  of 
some  of  the  most  respectable  citizens  and  yeomanry 
of  the  town,  among  whom  were  the  elder  Esquire 
Bradley,  Esquire  Charles  Walker,  William  Stickney, 
inn-keeper,  Captain  Richard  Ayer,  Major  Timothy 
Chandler,  Captain  Edmund  Leavitt,  Captain  Charles 
Eastman,  Captain  Jacob  Eastman,  Jeremiah  Pecker, 
Millen  Kimball,  Asa  Kimball  and  Asa  Graham. 

The  meeting  preliminary  to  forming  the  above 


CONCORD. 


129 


company  was  held  September  10th,  at  Stickney’a  Hall 
— Colonel  William  A.  Kent,  chairman;  Seth  Tucker, 
clerk.  A committee,  consisting  of  Colonel  William 
A.  Kent,  Stephen  Ambrose,  Jonathan  Eiistman,  Isaac 
Dow  and  John  George,  reported  the  following  pre 
amble  and  resolution,  which  were  adopted  : 

'' Whereas,  In  defense  of  our  altars  and  fire-sides,  our  property  and  our 
country,  Americans  can  have  but  one  opinion, — 

“Kesolced,  That  it  is  expedient  to  form  a military  association  in  tin* 
town  of  Concord,  of  such  persons  as  are  not  enrolled  in  the  militia,  to  lie 
in  readiness,  at  a moment's  warning,  to  act  under  the  direction  of  the 
Commander-in-Chief,  for  the  defense  of  the  State.” 

Captain  Richard  Ayer,  Captain  John  Eastman, 
Hon.  William  A.  Kent,  Mr.  Isaac  Dow,  Mr.  Phil- 
brick  Bradley,  Mr.  Daniel  Clark,  Ballard  Hazeltine, 
Esq.,  Mr.  John  Garvin,  Captain  Samuel  Runnels, 
Nathan  Ballard,  Jr.,  Timothy  Carter,  Esq.,  and  Cap- 
tain Pearl  Kimball  were  appointed  a committee  to 
give  information  and  form  a plan,  etc.,  for  the  asso- 
ciation, which  was  duly  organized. 

This  company  of  venerable  men,  fully  armed  and 
equipped,  paraded  in  town  October  1st,  and  marched 
through  Main  Street.  “Their  appearance  was  ac- 
companied with  the  proud  conviction  that  this  nation 
can  never  be  conquered  when  such  defenders  shoulder 
the  musket.” 

A squad,  or  small  company,  of  volunteers  was  also 
formed  in  East  Concord,  in  consequence  of  a rumor 
that  the  British  intended  to  destroy  the  United 
States  seventy-four  gun  ship  “ Washington,”  then  on 
the  stocks  at  Kitterv,  Me.  This  company  was  also 
under  drill  by  Dr.  Moses  Long,  and  consisted  of  about 
twenty  men,  of  whom  General  Isaac  Eastman,  Gen- 
eral Simeon  Stevens  and  Colonel  Robert  Ambrose  are 
recollected. 

Names  of  Soldiers. — In  Captain  Leonard’s  com- 
pany of  artillery,  1812,  who  served  from  August  17th 
to  November  30th,  were, — 

Keyes  11.  Powell,  sergeant;  Samuel  Powell,  corporal;  Solomon  Mann, 
Ebenezer  Flanders,  musicians  ; Jonathan  Stevens,  corporal ; James  Fos- 
ter, Abiel  Bradley,  Jonathan  E.  Elliott,  Jonathan  Elliott,  Jr.,  Benjamin 
C.  Waldron,  Ebenezer  Frye,  Francis  It.  Powell. 

In  Captain  William  Marshall’s  company,  1814, 
who  were  stationed  at  Portsmouth,  and  served  from 
August  6th  to  November  11th, — 

Nathan  Carter,  Frederick  Elliott,  Ebenezer  Flanders  (sergeant),  Jede- 
diah  Frye,  Samuel  Kimball,  Josiali  Robertson,  Thomas  B.  Sargent,  John 
Stevens.  Benjamin  C.  Waldron,  John  Whitney,  William  Shute  (lieuten- 
ant from  July  30th  to  November  loth). 

In  Captain  Nathaniel  G.  Bradley’s  company,  1814, 
who  served  from  September  15th  to  November 
12th, — 

Nathaniel  G.  Bradley,  captain ; Amos  Abbot,  Benjamin  Bradley, 
Enoch  E.  Bradley,  llaz.en  B.  Elliott,  Robert  Haynes,  Joseph  Hutchinson, 
Elijah  Munsey,  Keyes  B.  Powell  (sergeant),  Lonmmi  Reed,  Willey 
Tasker. 

In  Captain  Edward  Fuller’s  company,  1814,  who 
served  from  September  29th  to  November  18th,— 

Ephraim  Abbot,  John  Blanchard,  Joseph  F.  Bow,  Barnard  C.  Elliott, 
Joseph  Glines,  William  Hoit,  Jr.,  Jeremiah  N.  Howe,  David  Knowles, 
9 


Haz.cn  Kimball,  Reuben  Osgood  (corporal),  Ephraim  Pettingill,  Peter 
Powell,  Isaac  Runnels,  Joseph  Tasker,  Jerry  Abbot,  John  Farnliam. 

In  Captain  Peter  Robertson’s  company,  artillery, 
volunteers,  1814,  from  September  10th  to  September 
29th,  or  twenty  days.  This  company  marched  from 
Concord  on  the  Sabbath,— 

Peter  Robertson,  captain;  Samuel  Herbert,  first  lieutenant ; Chandler 
Eastman,  second  lieutenant ; Walter  R.  Hill,  Jacob  1 1 os  in  an,  John  Rob- 
ertson, William  Bell,  sergeants  ; Jeremiah  Birch,  Nathaniel  Parker, 
Jeremiah  C.  Elliot,  William  Moody,  corporals ; Jeremiah  Glines,  Sam- 
uel Hosmer,  Harmon  Eastman,  musicians  ; Moses  Burnford,  Moses  East- 
man, Jonathan  Elliot,  Josiuh  Fernald,  Cooper  Frost,  Thomas  Greenleaf 
Samuel  Blanchard,  Jacob  Carter,  Moses  Dickerinau,  John  Gould,  Josiali 
Knowles,  Robert  Rogers,  John  Stanyan,  John  Wheeler,  Charles  Wait, 
Charles  Whipple,  Charles  Herbert,  privates. 

War  of  the  Rebellion. — Immediately  upon  Presi- 
dent Lincoln’s  first  call  for  troojis,  Moses  Humphrey, 
at  that  time  mayor  of  the  city,  after  consultation  with 
a number  of  citizens,  suggested  to  Captain  E.  E.  Stur- 
devant,  a prominent  police  officer  of  the  city,  that  lie 
recruit  a company  for  the  service.  His  response  was, 
“ I am  ready,”  and  immediately  commenced  recruit- 
ing a company  which  was  soon  filled,  and  became 
Company  A.  of  the  First  Regiment  of  three  months’ 
men.  The  second  company  was  recruited  by  Captain 
Leonard  Drown,  of  Fisherville,  which  was  attached 
to  the  Second  Regiment  of  three  years’  men. 

During  the  war  Concord  was  not  only  the  head- 
quarters of  the  volunteers  from  this  State,  but  was 
also  the  general  recruiting  station.  Here  were  en- 
camped on  the  fair-grounds  the  First,  Third,  Fifth, 
Ninth,  Eleventh,  Twelfth,  Thirteenth,  Fourteenth, 
Fifteenth  and  Sixteenth  Regiments,  besides  cavalry 
and  sharp-shooters. 

The  following  is  a list  of  soldiers  from  this  town, 
from  August,  1862.  There  is  no  recorded  list  prior  to 
that  date : 

Oliver  B.  Abbott,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  21,  1862. 
George  W.  Abbott,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  26,  1862. 
Michael  Arnold,  Seventh  Regiment;  mustered  in  September  15,  1862. 
Charles  E.  Austin,  Sixteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  25,  1862. 
Alvah  Atwood,  Sixteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  25,  1862. 

Levi  C.  Abbott,  Sixteentli  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  25,  1862. 
James  H.  Anderson,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  September  10, 
1803. 

John  Adams,  mustered  in  September  23,  1863. 

Andrew  Anderson,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  21,  1863. 
John  Axmau,  mustered  in  September  28,  1863. 

Iiuri  Arlin,  Third  Regiment;  mustered  in  January  19,  1864. 

Warren  S.  Abbott,  Third  Regiment ; mustered  in  March  27,  1864. 

Daniel  Anderson,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  March  24,  1864. 

Frank  W.  Alden,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  in  1864. 

John  Allard,  Fourteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  August  5,  1864. 
William  Anderson,  United  States  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  August  12, 
1864. 

James  Anderson,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  December  1,  1864. 
Charles  S.  Abbott,  mustered  in  February  4,  1865. 

James  Allison,  Post  Band  ; mustered  in  February  10, 1863. 

James  Anderson,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  18,  1863. 
Charles  Anderson,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  18,  1863. 
Henry  Anderson,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  25,  1863. 
Charles  Adams,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  1,  1864. 
Abial  C.  Abbott,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 

Albert  Aspinwall,  mustered  in  September  23,  1864. 

Amos  S.  Abbott,  Second  Company  Sharpshooters. 

Joseph  M.  Abbott,  Eighth  Regiment. 

Horace  Ames,  Fifth  Regiment. 


130 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Louis  C.  Avery,  Fourth  Regiment ; mustered  in  May  18,  18G4. 

E.  C.  Babb,  Ninth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  16,  1862. 

Charles  H.  Blaisdell,  Ninth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  16,  1862. 
Thomas  Boyd,  Fifth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  18,  1862. 

Moses  W Blanchard,  Ninth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  19,  1S62. 
William  H.  Bartlett,  Tenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  August  21,  1862. 
John  Bresnahan,  Fourth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  16, 1862. 
Charles  Buckley,  Tenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  16,  1862. 
Sewall  B.  Bailey,  Ninth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  20,  1862. 
Alvin  B.  Batchelder,  Sixth  Regiment;  mustered  in  September  23,  1862. 
Josiah  Batchelder,  Sixth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  23,  1862. 
George  Burns,  Thirteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  September 23,  1862. 
George  F.  Butters,  Thirteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  September  23, 
1862  ; re-enlisted  in  Heavy  Artillery  September  5,  1864. 

Albert  A.  Baker,  Fourteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  26, 

1862. 

William  II.  Baker,  Fourteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  26, 

1862. 

George  W.  Brown,  Fifteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  20,  1862. 
Joseph  R.  Boucher,  Sixteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  October  25, 

1862. 

Samuel  N.  Brown,  Sixteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  25,  1862. 
Jefferson  Barnes,  Sixteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  25,  1802. 
Reuben  I).  Buswell,  Sixteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  1, 
1862. 

George  Brown,  mustered  in  September  10, 1863. 

John  Bisset,  mustered  in  September  10,  1863. 

Henry  Burnham,  mustered  in  September  18,  1863. 

John  Benny,  mustered  in  September  30,  1863. 

James  Butler,  mustered  in  October  5,  1863. 

Thomas  Bush,  mustered  in  October  6,  1863. 

George  W.  Boy  den,  Ninth  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  26,  1863. 
John  Bresnahan,  Jr.,  Tenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  April  5,  1864. 
Thomas  P.  Bean,  mustered  in  July  18,  1864. 

John  Brasson,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  August  17,  1863. 

George  J.  Barnes,  United  States  Secret  Service  ; mustered  in  December 
25,  1863. 

John  J.  Burke,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  April  5,  1864. 

Thomas  B.  or  James  B.  Bary,  Sixth  Regiment ; mustered  in  June  10, 
1864. 

John  J.  Burke,  Seventh  Regiment  ; mustered  in  Juue  29,  186*1. 

Walter  Barny,  mustered  in  August  12,  1864. 

James  Burnes,  Ninth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  18,  1864. 

James  Bell,  Fifth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  1,  1864. 

Robert  A.  Brown,  Seventh  Regiment  ; mustered  in  September,  1863. 
Orland  C.  Bryant,  Eleventh  Regiment  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in 
August  11,  1864. 

Francis  Burnes,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  September  19,  1864. 
George  F.  Batchelder,  Eighteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  December  3, 

1864. 

William  Barnes,  mustered  in  December  3,  1864. 

George  Brown,  mustered  in  December  13,  1864. 

Samuel  C.  Bruce,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  January  15,  1865. 
Edwin  C.  Brooks,  United  States  Navy;  mustered  in  February  1,  1865. 
Henry  Boyle,  Eighteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  February  11,  1865. 
Stephen  C.  Bailey,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  February  9, 

1865. 

Leander  C.  Barnes,  Ninth  Regiment. 

Thomas  A.  Brickley,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  12, 

1863. 

Jobe  Butler,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  18,  1863. 

Joseph  Bickford,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  20,  1863. 
William  Barnett,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  21, 

1863. 

Thomas  Baker,  Third  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  21,  1863. 

John  Brown,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  23,  1863. 

John  H.  Brown,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  23,  1863. 
John  Brown  (Ireland),  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  23, 

1863. 

Thomas  Burke,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  24,  1863. 
James  Boyham,  or  Bryhen,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  November 
24,  1863. 

William  Boyer,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  25,  1863. 
Lewis  Bronson,  Ninth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  5,  1864. 

James  Burns,  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  August  5,  1864. 

John  Bradford,  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  August  5, 1864. 

John  Belmont,  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  August  9,  1864. 


Elbridge  Barr,  Veteran  Reserve  Corps;  mustered  in  August  18,  1 64. 
Lucius  D.  Burnnell,  Fifth  Invalid  Corps  ; mustered  in  September  5,  1864. 
Henry  J.  Brackett,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 
Samuel  N.  Brown,  Sixteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  September  17, 

1864. 

Nathaniel  E.  Baker,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  15 

1864. 

William  Bennett,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  September,  1864. 
Samuel  II.  Ballou,  Heavy  Artillery;  mustered  in  September  7.  1804. 
James  C.  Brown,  Veteran  Reserve  Corps  ; mustered  in  September  6, 

1864. 

Thomas  Bailey,  Heavy  Artillery ; mustered  in  September  27,  1864. 
Enoch  W.  Bradley,  Heavy  Artillery;  mustered  in  September  27,  1864. 
George  A.  Brown,  Heavy  Artillery;  mustered  in  September  27,  1864. 
William  Burt,  or  Burke,  Eighth  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  12, 
1864. 

George  W.  Batchelder,  Eighteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  Septemler 
28,  1864. 

John  W.  Bateman,  Eighteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  September  28, 
1864. 

Frank  Balsch,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  September  3,  1864. 
Joseph  Y.  Bradbury,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  August  19,  1864. 
George  W.  Bean,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 
George  F.  Butters,  mustered  in  September  5,  1864. 

Sidney  T.  Bates,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  10,  1864. 
Charles  J.  Ben,  mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 

John  B.  Blake,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  October  17,  1864. 

John  N.  Bodwell,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 
Leonard  W.  Bean,  First  United  States  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  August  16, 
1864. 

Darias  K.  Bean,  Veteran  Reserve  Corps  ; mustered  in  August  29,  1864 
Samuel  F.  Brown,  Rost  Baud  ; mustered  in  April  6,  1863. 

John  Bickford,  First  Cavalry ; mustered  in  February  15,  1864. 

Freeman  D.  Batchelder,  Tenth  Army  Corps  Brigade  Band  ; mustered 
in  February  10,  1863. 

James  Bush,  mustered  in  October  5,  1863. 

John  Bremner,  mustered  in  November  21,  1863. 

D.  Arthur  Brown,  Post  Band. 

John  Byne. 

Jacob  H.  Cook,  Fifth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  15,  1862. 

Nathan  P.  Converse,  Second  Regiment  ; mustered  in  August  12,  1862. 
Benjamin  Cook,  Fifth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  6,  1862. 

Charles  Carter,  Fifth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  18,  1862. 

Hamilton  Carpenter,  Ninth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  August  19,  1862. 
Richard  Cullen,  mustered  in  August  21,  1862. 

Lorenzo  F.  Comer,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  iu  August  21,  1862. 
Charles  H.  Currier,  Third  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  21,  1862. 
Hiram  P.  Caldwell,  mustered  in  August  21,  1862. 

William  W. Critchett,  Eleventh  Regiment;  mustered  in  August 21,  1862. 
Samuel  H.  Chase,  mustered  in  September  6,  1862. 

Thomas  C.  Cross,  mustered  in  September  6, 1862. 

Jeremiah  Callahan,  Tenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  16,  1862. 
John  Callahan,  Tenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  September  16, 1862. 
Horace  D.  Carter,  Thirteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  23, 
1862. 

Gideon  Cassavaint,  Thirteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  23, 
1862. 

Watson  M.  Carter,  Thirteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  23, 
1862. 

Michael  Cassavaint,  Thirteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  23, 
1862. 

Michael  Callahan,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  23, 
1862. 

John  0.  Corner,  mustered  in  October  14,  1862. 

George  W.  Crummett,  mustered  in  October  25,  1862. 

Joel  A.  Cushon,  Sixteenth  Regiment;  mustered  iu  October  25,  1862. 
George  H.  Cushon,  Sixteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  25,  1862. 
Frederick  J.  Carter,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  iu  September  9, 
1863. 

John  Clark,  mustered  in  September  10,  1863. 

Cornelius  C’avanoy,  mustered  in  September  12, 1863. 

George  Conklin,  mustered  in  September  14,  1863. 

Edward  Connolly,  mustered  in  September  19,  1863. 

Augustus  J.  Cate,  mustered  in  September  19,  1863. 

Molivier  Clode,  mustered  in  September  26, 1863. 

Thomas  Collins,  mustered  in  September  28,  1863. 

Asa  D.  Cutting,  Fifth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  October  17,  1863. 


CONCORD. 


131 


William  Challalian,  Seventh  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  15,  1863. 
James  N.  (or  H.)  Carter,  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  December  15,  1863. 

David  Cross,  Fourth  Regiment ; mustered  in  April  4,  1864. 

Edward  W.  Casley,  Third  Regiment;  mustered  in  March  31,  1864. 

James  M.  Chase,  Third  Regiment  ; mustered  in  April  4,  1864. 

George  T.  Carter,  Second  Regiment  ; mustered  in  March  30,  1864. 

John  F.  Carter,  Seventh  Regiment;  mustered  in  March  14,  1864. 

Hiram  J.  Carter,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  July  IS,  1863. 

Orin  T.  Carter,  Heavy  Artillery ; mustered  in  July  IS,  1863. 

George  H.  Cushon,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  August  18,  1863. 

James  Chandler,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  February  28,  1864. 
Charles  C.  Chesley,  Sixth  Regiment ; mustered  in  December  19,  1863. 
John  P.  Collin,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  October  26,  1863. 

Lucius  If.  Chandler,  Seventh  Regiment;  mustered  in  February  28,  1864. 
John  Campbell,  Ninth  Regiment ; mustered  in  June  21,  1864. 

Charles  Clark,  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  June  2,  1864. 

Ezra  Cross,  First  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  June  27,  1864. 

Charles  II.  Clary,  Eighth  Regiment;  mustered  in  January  4,  1864. 
Horace  Clark,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  January  4, 1864. 

Albert  P.  Colby,  mustered  in  July  1,  1864. 

James  Coffer,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  24,  1864. 

James  Cole,  Third  Regiment ; mustered  in  December  13,  1864. 

Frank  A.  Carter,  Eighteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  December  15, 1864. 
Henry  Crague,  Third  Regiment ; mustered  in  December  16,  1864. 

Thomas  Campbell,  mustered  in  January,  1865. 

John  Clifford,  mustered  in  January  30, 1865. 

Edward  J.  Clark,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  February  8,  1865. 
Willis  E.  Cressey,  First  Cavalry;  mustered  in  March  29,  1865. 

Charles  Carter,  Secoud  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  16,  1863. 

Harry  Clark,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  17,  1863. 
Timothy  Crowley,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  16, 1863. 
David  F.  Cable,  Seventh  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  12,  1863. 
Joseph  Climensur,  Second  Regiment  ; mustered  in  November  13,  1863. 
Joseph  Cochran,  Eighth  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  12,  1863. 
Joseph  Curran,  mustered  in  November  12,  1863. 

Thomas  Campbell,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  18,  1863. 
William  Cohen,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  24,  1863. 
William  Clark,  First  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  November  24,  1863. 

John  Connor,  Second  Regiment  ; mustered  in  November  25,  1863. 

Charles  Concklin,  Second  Regiment  ; mustered  in  November  25,  1863. 
Edward  Clark,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  25, 1863. 
George  Campbell,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  25,  1863. 
John  F.  Cummings,  Fifth  Regiment ; mustered  in  January  1,  18(^4. 
Dennis  Curran,  Eighth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  November  12,  1863. 
James  M.  Cross,  Veteran  Reserve  Corps  ; mustered  in  August  9,  1864. 
Mark  Chase,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 

Jackson  Crosby,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 

Walter  Crockett,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  August  19,  1864. 
Daniel  Cutting,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 

John  Curran,  Eighteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  3,  1864. 

James  A Cilley,  Eighteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  1,  1864. 
Audrew  J.  Claffey,  Eighth  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  1,  1864. 
William  H.  Collins,  Heavy  Artillery;  mustered  in  September  27,  1864. 
George  E.  Crummett,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  24,  1864. 
John  II.  Clark,  Eighteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  II,  1864. 
William  Campbell,  Heavy  Artillery;  mustered  in  October  15,  1864. 
Michael  Callahan,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  30, 
1864. 

John  IT.  Caswell,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7, 1864. 
George  II.  Chesley,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  August  30,  1864. 

H.  R.  Clough,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September 7,  1864 
William  J.  Cheney,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  August  31,  1864. 
Cyrus  C.  Currin,  Second  Brigade,  Tenth  Army  Corps. 

James  Cushing,  Sixth  Regiment ; mustered  in  May  31,  1864. 

Albert  P.  Davis,  Ninth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  19,  1862. 
William  E.  Dow,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  21,  1862. 
Albert  II.  Davis,  Ninth  Regiment:  mustered  in  August  22,  1862. 

Charles  A.  Drew,  Tenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  16,  1862. 
Daniel  Driscoll,  Tenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  16,  1862. 
Cornelius  Driscoll,  Tenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  September  16,  1862. 
William  S.  Davis,  Thirteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  23,  1862. 
Nathan  M.  Dow,  Sixteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  24,  1862. 
Nathaniel  W.  Davis,  Sixteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  24, 1862. 
Gilman  H.  Dimond,  Sixteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  25,  1862. 
James  Durgin,  mustered  in  September  8,  1863. 

John  F.  Delany,  mustered  in  September  10,  1863. 

Lewis  Dow,  mustered  in  September  21,  1863. 


Henry  Dale,  mustered  in  September  25,  1863. 

Janies  Dillon,  mustered  in  September  26,  1863. 

John  Davis,  mustered  in  October  5,  1863. 

Calvin  S.  Davis,  Seventh  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  31,  1863. 

James  H.  Dwinnels,  mustered  in  October  15,  1863. 

Asa  N.  Dimick,  Third  Regiment ; mustered  in  April  4,  1864. 

Daniel  Davis,  Fourth  Regiment ; mustered  in  March  25,  1864. 

George  W.  Dow,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  June  8,  1863. 

William  A.  Dow,  Heavy  Artillery;  mustered  in  July  11,  1863. 

George  W.  Drew,  Heavy  Artillery;  mustered  in  July  18,  1863. 

Charles  Dubois,  Eleventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  July  23,  1864. 

Samuel  Dunn,  Fifth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  16,  1864. 

Rodney  Dodge,  Ninth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  27,  1864. 

Robert  S.  Davis,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  8,  1864. 

Simon  L.  Dorr,  Veteran  Reserve  Corps  ; mustered  in  November  18, 1863. 
Freeman  F.  Day,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  13,  1863. 
Frank  Davis,  mustered  in  January  2,  1865. 

George  S.  Davis,  mustered  in  January  29,  1865. 

Arch.  Douglass,  mustered  in  February  3,  1865. 

Janies  L.  Downing,  First  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  March  20,  1865. 

Lewis  W.  Dorr,  mustered  in  April  4,  1865. 

Charles  A.  Douglass,  First  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  February  20,  1865. 
Benjamin  P.  Davis,  mustered  in  March  16,  1865. 

Samuel  Davis,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  20,  1863. 
Anthony  Dundon,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  20,  1863. 
James  Davis,  Third  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  21,  1863. 

Adolphus  Durand,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  25,  1863. 
James  M.  Daniels,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  15,  1863. 
William  Driscoll,  mustered  in  August  16,  1864. 

Fred-.  W.  Durgin,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7, 1864. 

J.  Scott  Durgin,  Eighteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  September  17, 1864. 
Gilman  H.  Dimon,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 
David  P.  Dunbar,  Heavy  Artillery ; mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 

Paiue  Durkee,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  28,  1864. 

Henry  H.  De  Wolf,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  October  17,  1864. 

James  S.  Davis,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  October  17,  1864. 

Timothy  Davis,  Eighteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  September  30, 1864. 
Edwin  F.  Dexter,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  26, 1864. 
Frank  P.  Drew,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  August  27, 1864. 

Thomas  Darnly,  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  August  11,  1864. 

Cortez  De  Irish,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  30,  1864. 

Nelson  G.  Eastman,  Fifth  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  August  12,  1862. 

Edward  J.  Emerson,  Ninth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  August  19,  1862. 

Ira  C.  Evans,  Twelfth  Regiment  : mustered  in  September  5,  1862. 

Alfred  Elliott,  Sixteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  25,  1862. 

Hall  F.  Elliott,  Sixteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  30,  1862. 

John  II.  Elliott,  Sixteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  30,  1862. 

Asa  Emory,  mustered  in  October  30,  1862. 

James  C.  Elliott,  Sixteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  3,  1862. 
Lewis  B.  Elliott,  Sixteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  5,  1862. 
Charles  Eile,  mustered  in  September  21, 1863. 

Reuben  J.  Eastman, Fifth  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  12,  1863. 
James  W.  Edwards,  mustered  in  October  8,  1863. 

P.  Chandler  Eastman,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  March  29,  1864. 
Aaron  G.  Estabrook,  First  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  August  17,  1864. 

Robert  L.  Ela,  Sixth  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  30,  1864. 

Edson  A.  Eastman,  Eighteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  January,  1865. 

A 82i  Enny,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  February  9, 1865. 

John  Edwards, Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  20,  1863. 

John  Eipper,  Eleventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  20,  1863. 

John  Egin,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  23,  1863. 

John  Ericson,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  24,  1863. 
Charles  Edwards,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  25,  1863. 
Randall  Eastman,  Eighteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  October  20,  1864. 
Israel  L.  Emerson,  United  States  Navy;  mustered  in  August  19,  1864. 
Curtis  W.  Elkins,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  August  30,  1864. 

Oren  A.  Edgerly. 

William  H.  Eaton,  First  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  March  18,  1864. 

Asa  Folsom,  Fifth  Regiment. ; mustered  in  August  12,  1862. 

Freeman  Ferren,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  21,  1862. 

John  A.  or  Joseph  Flanders,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  September 
15,  1862. 

Robert  K.  Flanders,  Thirteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  23, 
1862. 

Rotheus  E.  Flanders,  Fifteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  13, 
1862. 

Andrew  S.  Farnum,  Sixteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  25,  1862. 


132 


HISTORY  OP  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Joseph  French,  mustered  in  September  18,  1863. 

Ilenry  or  Thomas  Flynn,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  19, 
1863. 

Mark  Floyd,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  August  25,  1863. 

James  S.  French,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  April  29,  1864. 

James  Fraser,  mustered  in  May  23,  1864. 

John  C.  French,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  January  4, 1864. 

John  Ferguson,  Eighth  Regiment;  mustered  in  January  4,  1864. 

Patrick  Fitzgerald,  Fifth  Regiment;  mustered  in  August  22,  1864. 

John  Forrest,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  November  16,  1864. 

John  Foster,  Eighteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  December  6,  1864. 

Owen  Fagan,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  February  18, 1865. 

Henry  A.  Flint,  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  February  4,  1865. 

Thomas  Flinn,  mustered  in  November  12,  1863. 

Garrat  Flen,  Third  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  20,  1863. 

William  Fox,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  20,  1863. 

Amos  Fuller,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  25,  1863. 

Richard  E.  Foster,  mustered  in  August  2,  1864. 

John  S.  Farnum,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  6,  1864. 

A.  C.  Ferren,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  August  19,  1864. 

W.  H.  French,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7, 1864. 

Cyrus  F.  Fletcher,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 
Henry  H.  Farnum,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 
Hiram  B.  Frost,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  1,  1864. 

Sidney  A.  Foster,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  October  18,  1864. 
Patrick  Finell,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  1,  1864. 

James  E.  Ford,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  October  18,  1864. 

Charles  W.  Fifield,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  23, 
1864. 

Edwin  R.  Farley,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  30, 
1864. 

Charles  C.  Fernald,  mustered  in  September  15,  1864. 

J.  L.  French,  Heavy  Artillery;  mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 

Edward  W.  Forrest,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  February  19,  1861. 
Edwin  C.  Gilmore,  Fifth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  5,  1862. 

George  Gordon,  Ninth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  18,  1862. 

Andrew  Goodwin,  Seventh  Regiment;  mustered  in  August  21,  1862. 
Edwin  Green,  Ninth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  21,  1862. 

Michael  Gannon,  Tenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  16,  1862. 
Jumes  Gallagher,  Thirteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  September  23, 
1862. 

Charles  F.  Glover,  Thirteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  September  23, 
1862. 

Augustus  L.  Gale,  Fourteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  September  26, 
1862. 

John  S.  Griffin,  Fifteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  September  22,  1862. 
Edward  Gerald,  Sixteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  3,  1862. 
William  Gibson,  mustered  in  September  10,  1863. 

William  H.  Gray,  mustered  in  September  23,  1863. 

Luke  Garvey,  Fifth  Regiment ; September  26,  1863. 

Edward  Gates,  mustered  in  October  9,  1862. 

William  G.  Gove,  Eighth  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  10, 1863. 
Frank  E.  Gerald,  Third  Regiment;  mustered  in  April  4,  1864. 

Charles  II.  Gove,  Third  Regiment ; mustered  in  March  28,  1864. 

Charles  Goodwin,  Seventh  Regiment  ; mustered  in  March  25,  1864. 
Edward  Green,  First  Artillery  Corps;  mustered  in  February 7,  1865. 
Charles  H.  Gray,  United  Suites  Navy  ; mustered  in  Octobers,  186*4. 
Joseph  A.  Graves,  mustered  in  October  8,  1864. 

•Nathan  M.  Gove,  Post  Band  ; mustered  in  February  10, 1863  ; re-enlisted 
in  Eighteenth  Regiment. 

Freeman  R.  Gardner,  First  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  February  28,  1865. 
Frank  I.  Greeley,  First  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  March  28,  1864. 

William  Griffin,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  17,  1863. 
Charles  Gatcliell,  Eighth  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  12,  1863. 
George  C.  Granger,  Eighth  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  11,  1863 
Ilenry  Gallagher,  Second  Regiment  ; mustered  in  November  23,  1863. 
William  Greay,  mustered  in  November  24, 1863. 

William  George,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  24,  1863. 
George  Guild,  Eighth  Regiment;  mustered  in  August  5,  1864. 

Richard  K.  Gatley,  United  States  Navy:  mustered  in  August  19,  1864. 
Albert  G.  Gardner,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mastered  in  September  27,  1864. 
Edward  II.  Grimes,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  30, 
1864. 

Charles  Goodwin,  mustered  in  October  17,  1864. 

Dennis  Griffin,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  October  17,  1S64. 

Nathan  W.  Gove,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  24, 
1864. 


John  Hanson,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  12,  1862. 

Charles  H.  Ilaye6,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  August  12,  1862. 
George  H.  Hill,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  12,  1862. 

Francis  S.  Hoyt,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  12,  1862. 

Rufus  R.  Haselton,  Ninth  Regiment;  mustered  in  August  18,  1862. 
Moses  C.  Heath,  Fifth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  18,  1862. 

Daniel  B.  Hill,  Ninth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  19,  1862. 

Francis  Hall,  Sixteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  21,  1862. 

Frank  Ilarivell,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  4,  1862. 
Frank  E.  Haines,  Eleventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  10,  1862. 
Byron  C.  Hill,  Twelfth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  11,  1862. 
Thomas B.  Heath,  Seventh  Regiment;  mustered  in  September  15, 1862. 
James  Haley,  Tenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  September  16,  1862. 

Rufus  It.  Haselton,  nine  months;  mustered  in  October  14,  1862. 

John  II.  Heath,  Fifteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  20, 1862. 
Frank  P.  Hall,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  25,  1862  ; re- 
enlisted in  Eighteenth  Regiment. 

Charles  J.  Hall,  Sixteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  25,  1862. 
Samuel  E.  Holden,  Sixteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  25,  1862. 
James  Helsly,  mustered  in  September  24,  1863. 

Frank  Howard,  mustered  in  September  16,  1863. 

Alfred  Ilalleday,  mustered  in  September  26,  1863. 

John  Harrell,  mustered  in  September  29,  1863. 

Charles  Hall,  mustered  in  October  8,  1863. 

Robert  Hart,  Third  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  14,  1863. 

William  Ilix,  Third  Regiment;  mustered  in  April  4,  1864. 

Geo.  II.  Hoyt,  Fourth  Regiment;  mustered  in  April  11,  1864. 

William  L.  Hook,  Fifth  Regiment ; mustered  in  April  19,  1864. 

Peter  Hughes,  Heavy  Artillery;  mustered  in  August  9,  1863. 

William  II.  Horner,  mustered  in  June  11,  1864. 

Joseph  Harris,  Sixth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  June  3, 1864. 

James  Ilarland,  Seventh  Regiment;  mustered  in  August  8,  1864. 

Austin  W.  Hadley,  mustered  in  September  9,  1864. 

Charles  F.  Hosmer,  Heavy  Artillery ; mustered  in  September  21,  1864. 
Henry  L.  Harris,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  24, 1864. 
Ralph  Hayes,  mustered  in  November 30,  1864. 

Carls  Hasselyren,  mustered  in  December  5,  1861. 

Peter  Hone,  mustered  in  December  5,  1864. 

Francis  Hanrutty,  Third  Regiment;  mustered  in  December  10,  1864. 
George  Harvey,  Third  Regiment;  mustered  in  December  17,  1864. 

David  Hardrick,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  December  23,  1864. 
James  R.  Happen ney,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  December  28, 
1864. 

Charles  M.  Hayden,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  January  26,  1865. 
Charles  Hagan,  Third  Regiment;  mustered  in  December  15,  1864. 

Frank  S.  Hunt,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  February  21,  1865. 
Jackson  Hillon  (or  Hilton),  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  March 
7,  1865. 

William  Haines,  mustered  in  April  1,  1865. 

Charles  Ililiker,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  17,  1863. 
Henry  Holt,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  17,  1863. 

Peter  Hoyt,  Sixth  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  17,  1863. 

Samuel  Horne,  Eighth  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  11,  1863. 

John  Hendrich,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  19,  1863. 
Amos  Holt,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  18,  1863. 

James  Howes,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  19,  1863. 
Charles  Howard,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  8,  1864. 
William  Hide,  First  Regiment  Cavalry;  mustered  in  August  5,  1864. 
Charles  II auks,  First  Company  Sharpshooters  ; mustered  in  August  19, 
1864. 

Joseph  E.  Ham,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  August  19,  1864. 

John  II.  Hickman,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  27,  1864. 
Nathan  P.  Hancock,  Eighteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  22, 
1864. 

Charles  E.  Hanscom,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  October  17, 1864. 
Frederick  Hoffman,  Post  Band  ; mustered  in  September  26,  1864. 

Solon  M.  Howe,  Heavy  Artillery;  mustered  in  September  7, 1864. 

Edwin  Hill,  Heavy  Artillery. 

John  Howry,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  October  8,  1864. 

Joseph  Hopkins,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  October  8,  1864. 
William  Ireland,  United  States  Navy;  mustered  in  January  5,  1865. 

M.  L.  Ingalls,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 

G.  W.  Ingalls,  Post  Band  ; mustered  in  February  10, 1863. 

Thomas  James,  Fifth  Regiment;  mustered  in  August  11,  1862. 

William  Jordan,  Ninth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  22, 1862. 

Lewis  Jackson,  mustered  in  October  7,  1863. 

Thomas  Jones,  mustered  in  October  8,  1863. 


CONCORD. 


133 


Samuel  P.  James,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  May  3,  1804. 

Henry  Jones,  Fifth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  11,  1804. 

Abraham  Jones,  United  States  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  August  20,  1804. 
James  Jones,  Eighteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  January  (5,  1805. 
Michael  Judd,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  17,  1863. 
Charles  H.  Johnson,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  November  12,  1803. 
Henry  Johnson,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  11,  1803. 
Charles  Johnson,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  23,  1863. 
Benjamin  Johnson,  Seventh  Regiment  ; mustered  in  August  8,  1804. 
Lawrence  Jemery,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 
Joseph  Jaiuery,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 
William  E.  Jameson,  Eighteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  September  17, 

1864. 

George  L.  Jennings,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  October  17,  1864. 
James  M.  Jackman,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  27,  1804. 
Edward  A.  Johnson,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 
James  Johnson,  Ninth  Regiment ; mustered  in  May  18,  1804. 

Caleb  L.  Johnson,  First  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  February  26,  1864.  — 
John  A.  Kendall,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  12,  1862. 
Patrick  Kelley,  mustered  in  September  16,  1863. 

John  Kelley,  mustered  in  October  7,  1863. 

John  Kelley,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  29,  1803. 

Albert  F.  Kent,  Fourth  Regiment ; mustered  in  April  11,  1804. 

James  Kirby,  Sixth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  3,  1804. 

John  Kiho,  mustered  in  August  20,  1864. 

Nathaniel  O.  Kimball,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  February  18, 

1865. 

Henry  A.  Klemier,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  19,  1863. 
Martin  Kelley,  Eighth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  August  5,  1804. 

Peter  Kenney,  mustered  in  August  19,  1804. 

Willis  G.  C.  Kimball,  Eighteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  October  1, 
1864. 

John  A.  Kendall,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  August  31,  1804. 
William  H.  Kenny,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  August  30,  1864. 

Charles  Kerley,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in in  1804. 

Andrew  G.  Libbey,  Thirteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  July  29,  1863; 
re-enlisted  in  Fourth  Regiment. 

Charles  F.  Libbey,  Fourth  Regiment ; mustered  in  July  29,  1803. 

George  A.  Lear,  Third  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  11,  1803. 

Gilman  Leavitt,  Ninth  Regiment;  mustered  in  August  19,  1863. 

Robert  K.  Lougee,  Ninth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  25,  1863. 
Maurice  S.  Lamprey,  Tenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  September  4,  1863. 
Austin  L.  Lamprey,  mustered  in  September  23,  1803. 

Charles  Libbey,  Thirteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  September  23,  1803. 
John  M.  Lull,  Thirteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  September  23,  1803. 
Moses  Ladd,  Thirteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  23,  1863. 
John  A.  Lane,  Thirteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  23,  1863. 
John  E.  Lull,  Thirteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  23,  1863. 
Leander  C.  Lull,  Thirteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  23, 
1863. 

William  II.  Libbey,  Thirteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  23, 
1863. 

Charles  W.  Lang,  Sixteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  October  24,  1863. 
Mateland  C.  Lamprey,  Sixteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  25, 

1863. 

Edward  Lussay,  mustered  in  September  17,  1863. 

Ludwig  Lucht,  mustered  in  September  25,  1863. 

William  D.  Locke,  mustered  in  September  19,  1863. 

E.  A.  Larkin,  mustered  in  September  26,  1863. 

John  Lewis,  mustered  in  September  26,  1803. 

William  Lotter,  mustered  in  October  7,  1863. 

Walter  E.  Lougee,  Second  Regiment  of  Sharpshooters  ; mustered  in 
April  15,  1864. 

John  L.  Lear,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  April  22,  1864. 

George  M.  Leavitt,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  October  15,  1863. 
Stephen  Lamprey,  Sixth  Regiment;  mustered  in  in  1804. 

John  Laughton,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  November  16,  1864. 
John  Landless,  mustered  in  November  18,  1864. 

Henry  Leaman,  or  Leonard,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  November 
17,  1864. 

Charles  Leroy,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  19,  1864. 
Charles  Louis,  mustered  in  December  2,  1864. 

Clarence  S.  Lamprey,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  December  28, 

1864. 

Jonathan  D.  Leavitt,  mustered  in  January  23, 1865. 

Thomas  M.  Lear,  Eighteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  March  9,  1865. 
Joseph  W.  Lowell,  Eighteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  Feb.  11,  1865. 


John  Lee,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  10,  1803. 

Arnold  Lehinan,  Eighth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  November  11,  1863. 
Andri  Lengoin,  Eighth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  November  12,  1863. 
John  Lang,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  19,  1863. 

Alfred  Lee,  Second  Regiment  ; mustered  in  November  18,  1863. 

John  Lynch,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  24,  1803. 
William  Laskey,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  24,  1863. 
Joseph  Leathers,  mustered  in  November  14,  1863. 

Simeon  N.  Lasconibe,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  22, 

1864. 

John  Lindsey,  mustered  in  October  19,  1864. 

Robert  Lloyd,  Heavy  Artillery;  mustered  in  October  17,  1864. 

Amos  S.  Locke,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  September  15,  1864. 
Jonathan  C.  Lane,  Band  ; mustered  in  September  23, 1864. 

Beza  II.  Lincoln,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  8,  1864. 

E.  S.  Lincoln,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 

John  Leary,  Heavy  Artillery. 

Andrew  L.  Lane,  Second  Brigade  Band,  Tenth  Army  Corps ; mustered 
in  February  10,  1863. 

Addison  S.  Martin,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  11,  1802. 
Nathan  Mansur,  Fifth  Regiment;  mustered  in  August  11,  1802. 

Charles  T.  Much,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  August  12,  1862. 
Alfred  L.  Marden,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  12,  1802. 
William  E.  Morse,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  August  12,  1862. 
Daniel  S.  Martin,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  12, 1862. 

Peter  I.  Morrison,  Ninth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  16, 1862. 
Charles  A.  Morrill,  Seventh  Regiment;  mustered  in  August  21,  1862. 
Asa  A.  McKusick,  mustered  in  August  23,  1862. 

Charles  Mahagan,  Tenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  1 1,  1862. 
Michael  Moran,  Tenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  September  13,  1862. 
John  Murphy,  Tenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  15,  1862. 
Patrick  McQuade,  mustered  in  September  15,  1862. 

Henry  W.  McMichael,  Thirteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  23, 
1862. 

William  II.  Moody,  Fouiteenth  Regiment ; mustered  In  February  25. 

1862  ; re  enlisted  Heavy  Artillery,  February  28,  1865. 

James  0.  Merrill,  Sixteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  3,  1862. 
Patrick  McCarty,  Sixteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  5,  1862. 
John  McMann,  mustered  in  September  12,  1863. 

Augustus  Marx,  mustered  in  September  19,  1863. 

John  Main,  mustered  in  September  22,  1863. 

John  McMahon,  mustered  in  September  21,  1863. 

James  McKeag,  Fifth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  7,  1863. 

James  Moran,  mustered  in  September  23,  1803. 

Isaac  Marx,  mustered  in  September  23,  1863. 

Isaac  A.  May,  Fifth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  12,  1863. 

John  Murry,  mustered  in  September  30,  1863. 

William  McDonald,  mustered  in  October  2,  1803. 

Charles  C.  P.  Moody,  mustered  in  September  25,  1863. 

John  J.  Morrill,  Heavy  Artillery  : mustered  in  September  17,  1863. 
Francis  Martin,  Eighth  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  19,  1863. 
John  E.  Mitchell,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  10,  1863. 
George  H.  Mills,  Third  Regiment;  mustered  in  April  4,  1864. 

George  A.  Mitchell,  Heavy  Artillery;  mustered  in  May  4,  1864. 

George  E.  Moore,  Sixth  Regiment ; mustered  in  May  23,  1864. 

John  T.  McMahon,  mustered  in  July  29,  1864. 

John  McGuire,  Fifth  Regiment;  mustered  in  August  8,  1864. 

Daniel  Mullan,  Fifth  Regiment;  mustered  in  August  13.  1864. 

John  Murphy,  Fifth  Regiment;  mustered  in  August 20,  1864. 

Frank  McGee,  Fifth  Regiment;  mustered  in  August  20,  186-4. 

John  Merrill,  mustered  in  September  23,  1864. 

James  Murry,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  November  17,  1864. 
Joseph  March,  mustered  in  October  20,  1864. 

John  McDonnell,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  18,  1864. 
John  Melville,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  29,  1864. 
James  McKeene,  or  McKeever,  Twelfth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  No- 
vember 25,  1864. 

John  Maearion,  mustered  in  December  5,  1864. 

David  Mardin,  Eighteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  December 26, 1864. 
Thomas  Martin,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  December  31,  1864. 
William  McEwen,  Fourth  Regiment;  mustered  in  January  5,1865. 
Thomas  McAloon,  Eighteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  February  13, 1865. 
Thomas  McGee,  mustered  in  March  22,  1865. 

James  McDonnell,  Fourth  Regiment ; mustered  in  January  7, 1865. 

Ruel  G.  Morrill,  United  Suites  Navy  ; mustered  in  February  9,  1865. 
William  H.  Moody,  First  Regiment  Artillery  ; mustered  in  February  28, 

1865. 


134 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Jacob  C.  Maine,  Eighteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  February  7,  1805. 
Samuel  McCaffee,  Ninth  Regiment ; mustered  in  May  20,  1804. 

Joaquin  Martin,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  October,  1864. 
Timothy  G.  Moses,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  August  9,  1802;  re- 
enlisted in  Eighteenth  Regiment  February  24,  1805. 

David  C.,  or  E.,  Marston,  mustered  in  February  25,  1804. 

James  0.  Mally,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  13,  1863. 
Owen,  or  Orville,  McDonough,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  Novem- 
ber 17,  1863. 

Paul  McNeil,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  17,  1803. 

Niles  Minards,  mustered  in  November  17,  1803. 

Thomas  Martin,  Fourth  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  11,  1803. 
Aurelius  McGuire,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  11, 1803. 
Daniel  B.  McKinnon,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  2l,  1803. 
Adalbert  Morzoricy,  mustered  in  November  19,  1863. 

John  McLean,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  November 24, 1803. 

Peter  Mullen,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  23,  1803. 
Abraham  Myers,  Second  Regiment  ; mustered  in  November  24,  1863. 
William  Marks,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  24,  1804. 
Andrew  P.  Merrill,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  25,  1803. 
George  Marsh,  or  March,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7, 
1864. 

Charles  II.  Merrill,  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  August  9, 1804. 

Guy,  or  George,  McAlister,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  October 28, 
1864. 

John  Marshall,  mustered  in  August  10,  1864. 

Peter  McCoy,  Eighth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  August  16,  1804. 

Wilson  E.  Morton,  Eighteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  September  24, 
1864. 

John  II.  Murphy,  Eighteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  September  30, 
1804. 

William  May,  mustered  in  October  18,  1804. 

William  C.  Mahuran,  Heavy  Artillery;  mustered  in  September  29,  1864. 
J.  P.  Messer,  mustered  in  September  15,  1804. 

Peter  W.  Myers,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  4,  1804. 
Henry  C.  Minot,  mustered  in  October  4,  1864. 

James  E.  Mosher,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  27, 1804. 
Thomas  Murphy,  Heavy  Artillery;  mustered  in  September  7,  1804. 
Joseph  F.  Merrill,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 
Frank  Mitchell,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7,  1804. 
William  D.  Moores,  mustered  in  August  30,  1804. 

John  H.  Nichols,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  12,  1802. 
Henry  B.  Nealy,  Thirteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  September 23,  1862 
George  Noyes,  Sixteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  October  25,  1862. 
Henry  Norton,  mustered  in  September  22,  1863. 

W.  Henry  Neal,  Fourteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  October  27,  1863. 
William  K.  Norton,  Fourth  Regiment ; mustered  in  April  6,  1864. 
Jemmy  Nudd,  Sixth  Regiment ; mustered  in  June  3,  1864. 

Daniel  B.  Newhall,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  January  4,  1804. 
Daniel  E.  Nichols,  Eighth  Regiment;  mustered  in  January  4,  1864. 
Thomas  Nathans,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  Noveml>er  30, 1861. 
Lewis  Na&sessus,  mustered  in  November  12,  1863. 

Andrew  Neil,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  11,  1863. 
William  Nash,  Third  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  20,  1863. 

Frank  Norton,  mustered  in  November  19, 1863. 

Charles  Newman,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  24,  1863. 
Charles  Nash,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  24, 1863. 
William  H.  Orne,  Sixteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  25,  1862. 
Thomas  O'Nalley,  mustered  in  November  17, 1863. 

Patrick  Owens,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  21,  1863. 
Alverton  B.  Osborne,  Eighteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  3, 1864. 
Peter  Olsen,  Ninth  Regiment ; mustered  in  July  14,  1804. 

James  Price,  Fifth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  11,  1802. 

Simeon  Partridge,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  12,  1802. 
James  Prindebell,  Ninth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  16,  1862. 
Daniel  Pettengill,  Seventh  Regiment  ; mustered  in  August  21,  1862 
Alfred  D.  Powell,  Tenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  Septeml>er  10, 1862. 
John  C.  Palmer,  Thirteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  23,  1862. 
Jerould  Perkins,  Sixteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  October  25,  1802. 
Oliver  C.  Powell,  Sixteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  25,  1862. 
Sylvester  II.  Powell,  Sixteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  25,  1862. 
Benjamin  Pevier,  Jr.,  mustered  in  September  12,  1863. 

Benjamin  F.  Peters,  mustered  in  September  14,  1863. 

John  Paul,  mustered  in  September  30,  1863. 

Edgar  V.  Parsons,  mustered  in  October  8,  1863. 

Charles  B.  Prentis,  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  April  11,  1864. 

Robert  H.  Potter,  Sixth  Regiment;  mustered  in  December  19,  1863. 


William  Phillips,  Eleventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  July  19,  1804. 

John  Proroncher,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  January  4,  1864. 
Joseph  P.  B.  Pope,  Sixth  Regiment ; mustered  in  in  1804. 

Bourdeau  Pierre,  Eleventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  July  23,  1864. 

Alfred  W.  Parker,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  August  31,  1864. 
George  Price,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  December  2,  1804. 

Charles  Perry,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  October  1,  1864. 

Thomas  F.  Powers,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  January  6, 1865. 
Severe  Pelren,  Eighteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  January  3,  1805. 
Charles  Porter,  mustered  in  February  7, 1865. 

Henry  Pearson,  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  February  25,  1865. 

George  Perkins,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  23,  1863. 
Joseph  Pierce,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  24,  1863. 
George  Parker,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  24,  1803. 
John  Powell,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  25,  1803. 
Leonard  L.  Perry,  Veteran  Reserve  Corps ; mustered  in  August  8,  1804. 
W alter  Perry,  mustered  in  August  11,  1864. 

James  II.  Parks,  mustered  in  September  8,  1864. 

Alvah  K.  Potter,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  26, 
1864. 

Joseph  Pidgeon,  mustered  in  August  19,  1864. 

Charles  W.  Piper,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  30, 
1864. 

Charles  Pace,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  22,  1864. 

Robert  A.  Packard,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  August  31,  1864. 
Charles  II.  Peifler,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7, 1864. 
Felix  Proroncher,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  February  15,  1865. 
John  Parker,  Sixth  Regiment ; mustered  in  May  23, 1865. 

Walter  Perley,  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  March  1,  1865. 

Ransom  S.  Quimby,  Tenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  1,  1802. 
Moses  M.  Quimby,  Tenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  September  16,  1862. 

P.  D.  Quimby,  Heavy  Artillery;  mustered  in  September  7,  1804. 

Peter  Quinn,  Fifth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  26,  1863. 

Hiram  M.  Quimby,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  August  25,  1803. 
Jeremiah  Quinn,  Heavy  Artillery ; mustered  in  September  5,  1864. 
Elisha  L.  Quimby,  Veteran  Reserve  Corps;  mustered  in  August  8,  1864. 
1'arkhurst  Quimby.  Sixteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  October  25,  1862. 
Horace  Rolfe,  Ninth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  10,  1862. 

Charles  D.  Rowell,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  21,  1802. 
George  A.  Rumsev,  Eleventh  Regiment;  mustered  in  August  21,  1862. 
Joseph  Ray,  mustered  in  September  19,  1803. 

James  Reid,  mustered  in  September  10,  1863. 

Thomas  Ratray,  Third  Regiment ; mustered  in  April,  1864. 

Charles  E.  Robinson,  Fourth  Regiment;  mustered  in  April  2, 1864. 

Oscar  F.  Rankin,  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  April  6,  1864. 

George  H.  Robinson,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  January  4,  1864. 
Charles  Runnells,  Ninth  Regiment;  mustered  in  July 8,  1864. 

Charles  A.  Robbins,  Eighth  Regiment;  mustered  in  January  4,  1804. 
John  Ryne,  Fifth  Regiment;  mustered  in  August  18,  1804. 

Henry  M.  Robinson,  Veteran  Reserve  Corps  ; mustered  in  September  23, 
1864. 

William  Robinson,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  26, 
1864. 

John  Russell,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  30,  186-1. 

John  F.  Rankcn,  mustered  in  December  13,  1804. 

John  N.  (or  M.)  Reed,  Third  Regiment  ; mustered  in  December  13, 

1864. 

Michael  Riley,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  December  22, 1864. 
Benjamin  F.  Roby,  Eighteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  February  5, 

1865. 

Alfred  Rushlow,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  February  23,  1865. 
Charles  F.  Roby,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  January  7,  1865. 
Joseph  Randall,  Second  Regiment  ; mustered  in  November  17,  1863. 
John  Risley,  Eighth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  November  12,  1863. 

Charles  Robinson,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  11,  1863. 
George  Russell,  mustered  in  November  20,  1863. 

John  Rutter,  mustered  in  November  21,  1863. 

George  Ring,  mustered  in  November  21,  1863. 

Thomas  Riley,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  21,  1863. 
Joseph  F.  Rowe,  Seventh  Regiment  ; mustered  in  November  24,  1863. 
Patrick  Rouse,  Second  Regiment  ; mustered  in  November  24,  1863. 

Jean  Roberts,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  25,  1863. 
Stephen  L.  Raymond,  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  November  14,  1863. 

Richard  W.  Robinson,  Second  Regiment  ; mustered  in  November  18, 
1863. 

James  Riley,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  6,  1864. 

James  Ryan,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  10,  1864. 


CONCORD. 


135 


Thomas  Ryan,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  10,  1864. 

David  B.  Rowe,  Veteran  Reserve  Corps ; mustered  in  August  31,  1864. 
William  11.  Robinson,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  2,  j 
1864. 

James  Robinson,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  28,  1861. 
Curtis  B.  Robertson,  Eighteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  1,  1864. 
Cornelius  Rourke,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  October  17,  1864. 

Eugene  P.  Rix,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 

Frank  G.  Rowell,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 

James  Reddingtou,  mustered  in  October  8,  1864. 

John  Rich,  Fifth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  20,  1864. 

Henry  Russell,  mustered  in  November  20,  1863. 

Charles  Sargent,  Fifth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  2,  1862. 

Frank  W.  Smith,  Fifth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  12,  1862. 

William  Stevenson,  Second  Regiment  ; mustered  in  August  12,  1862. 

De  Witt  C.  Sanborn,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  12,  1862. 
Carroll  Sanborn,  Ninth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  19,  1862. 

George  P.  Sylvester,  Ninth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  August  20,  1862. 
Edwin  Sanborn,  Thirteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  23,  1862. 
Edward  Shanks,  Thirteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  23,  1862. 
Frank  Sargent,  Thirteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  September  23,  1862. 
Leroy  Smith,  Fourteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  September  25,  1862. 
Charles  T.  Summers,  Heavy  Artillery ; mustered  in  October  24,  1862. 
Albert  II.  Smart,  Sixteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  25,  1862. 
George  W.  Shepard,  Sixteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  25, 1862. 
Joseph  J.  Shallies,  Sixteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  25,  1862  ; 

re-enlisted  Heavy  Artillery  ; September  5,  1864. 

David  W.  Sargent,  Sixteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  25,  1862. 
Joseph  E.  Sargent,  Fifteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  27,  1862. 
David  Stevens,  Sixteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  4,  1862. 
Hiram  Stevens,  Sixteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  5,  1862. 

John  Smith,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  9,  1863. 

Thomas  Smith,  mustered  in  September  9, 1863. 

Victor  Stunan,  mustered  in  September  10,  1863. 

Johu  W.  Swair,  mustered  in  September  14,  1863. 

John  Stevens,  mustered  in  September  21,  1863. 

Peter  Spellman,  mustered  in  September  22,  1863. 

Charles  Smith,  mustered  in  September  25,  1863. 

Norton  Stoddard,  mustered  in  September  24, 1863. 

Peter  Smith,  mustered  in  September  29,  1863. 

James  Scott,  mustered  in  September  29, 1863. 

Charles  Stevens,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  26,  1863. 
Daniel  J.  Sanders,  Fifth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  October  2,  1863. 

John  Snow,  mustered  in  October  7,  1863. 

Thomas  Smith,  mustered  in  October  8,  1863. 

Andrew  Saltmarsh,  Fifth  Regiment;  mustered  in  September  30,  1863. 
Charles  Smith,  mustered  in  October  7,  1863. 

Abel  H.  Stone,  Fifth  Regiment ; mustered  In  October  J,  1863. 

John  W.  Shepard,  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  March  30,  1861. 

Matthew  Storin,  Third  Regiment;  mustered  in  April  4,  1864. 

John  Scott,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  iu  July  2,  1863. 

Morris  Sullivan,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  October  17,  1863. 

Leonard  Speed,  mustered  in  December  25,  1863. 

William  F.  Speed,  mustered  in  March  22,  1864. 

Charles  Stevens,  Seventh  Regiment;  mustered  in  February  28,  1864. 

John  Shepard,  Sixth  Regiment ; mustered  in  June  9,  1864. 

John  H.  Sexton,  Eighth  Regiment;  mustered  in  January  4,  1864. 

Medad  Strong,  Fifth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  in  1864. 

Frederick  D.  Sprague,  Eleventh  Regiment;  mustered  in  July  27,  1864. 
Robert  J.  Smith,  Fifth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  13,  1864. 

Edward  P.  Smith,  Fifth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  August  8,  1864. 

Henry  Sweet,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  September  19,  1864. 
James  Smith,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  December  2,  1864. 

John  Shanks,  Eighteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  December  3,  1864. 
Robert  Stewart,  mustered  in  December  9,  1864. 

Thomas  Sullivan,  mustered  in  December  13,  1864. 

Charles  F.  Scales,  Eighteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  January  6,  1865. 
Joseph  E.  Sargent,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  January  7, 1865. 
William  Smith,  Third  Regiment ; mustered  in  February  3,  1865. 

George  Thomas  Smith,  mustered  in  February  13,  1865. 

Ralph  Sharpies,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  iu  March  20,  1865. 
William  Smith,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  20,  1863. 
Prudent  St.  Pierre,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  24, 1863. 
George  W.  Small,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  24,  1863. 
William  Sullivan,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  23,  1863. 
Joseph  Simpson,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  24,  1863. 
Charles  Seymour,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  24  1863. 


James  Sawyer,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  24,  1863. 

Isaac  Silver,  Secoud  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  25,  1863. 

Johu  Sands,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  25,  1863. 

Victor  Smith,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  25,  1863. 
Samuel  Stevens,  Eighth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  November  12,  1863. 
Edward  Smith,  Second  Regiment  ; mustered  in  November  25,  1863. 
William  Smith,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  iu  November  25,  1863. 
Arthur  Somerville,  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  November  25,  1863. 

Thomas  J.  Smart,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  28, 
1864. 

John  Smith,  Eighth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  August  5,  1864. 

John  Smith,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7,  186*1. 

Daniel  E.  Smith,  Eighteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  September  30,  1864. 
Albert  W.  Smith,  Eighteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  September  30, 
1864. 

Benjamin  Severance,  Thirteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  July  18,  1864. 
Leroy  A.  Sweatt,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 
Frank  Stevens,  Eighteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  September  17,  1864. 
James  M.  Shepard,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  27, 
1864. 

Edward  Sanders,  Eighteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  September  29, 1864. 
James  H.  Stevens,  Heavy  Artillery ; mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 
Joseph  I.  Shallis,  mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 

Charles  T.  Summers,  Sixteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  10, 
1861. 

J.  Sidney  Sargent,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 

A.  L.  Sanborn,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  7,  1864. 
Benjamin  Severance,  Veteran  Reserve  Corps. 

William  Sanborn,  mustered  in  September  10,  1864. 

George  Stearns,  mustered  in  October  8,  1864. 

Franklin  L.  Tandy,  Fourth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  12,  1862. 
Joskili  Tandy,  Fourth  Regiment;  mustered  in  August  15,  1862. 

Josiah  Teel,  Ninth  Regiment;  mustered  in  September  23,  1862. 

George  W.  Tucker,  Fourteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  September  24, 
1862. 

George  S.  Tufts,  mustered  in  September  14,  1863. 

Robert  Trimble,  mustered  in  September  22,  1863. 

Samuel  Tebo,  mustered  in  October  10,  1863. 

John  Thompson,  Fourth  Regiment;  mustered  in  October  23,  1863. 
Erastus  B.  Tucker,  Fourth  Regiment ; mustered  in  April  5,  1864. 

George  Thomas,  Fourteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  July  26,  1864. 

John  Town,  mustered  iu  September  27,  1864. 

Thomas  Trainor,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  November  16,  1864. 
Henry  Thomas,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  25, 1864. 
William  Tabor,  Eighteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  December  3,  1864. 
Thomas  Taylor,  mustered  in  December  15,  1864. 

William  H.  Thompson,  mustered  in  December  27,  1864 

Joseph  Thompson,  United  States  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  January  3,  1865. 

Elisha  Thomas,  Navy  ; mustered  in  November  14,  1863. 

Edward  Trayuor,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  19,  1863. 
Edward  Tobin,  Second  Regiment  ; mustered  in  November  17,  1863. 
Francis  Turner,  Secoud  Regiment  ; mustered  in  November  17,  1863. 
James  Tryou,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  13,  1863. 

Joseph  P.  Thompson,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  August  19,  1864. 
Charles  Thompson,  mustered  in  October  19,  1804. 

Charles  H.  Tallant,  mustered  in  September  2,  1864. 

William  S.  Thurston,  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  December  21,  1863. 

William  Tilton,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  October  25,  1863. 

James  Thomas,  Fifth  Regiment;  mustered  in  August  11,  1862. 

Charles  W.  Underhill,  Ninth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  16,  1862. 
William  W.  Virgin,  Thirteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  23, 
1862. 

John  S.  Vogler,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  September  3,  1864. 
John  White,  Fifth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  5,  1862. 

William  I).  Wallace,  Fifth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  11,  1862. 
William  Woods,  Ffth  Regiment ; mustered  in  August  12,  1862. 

William  R.  Wadleigh,  Seventh  Regiment;  mustered  in  August  21,  1862. 
George  W.  Worthen,  Eleventh  Regiment;  mustered  in  August  21,  1862. 
James  H.  Walker,  mustered  in  August  23,  1862. 

Harrison  Webber,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  5,  1862. 
George  II.  Weeks,  Thirteenth  Regiment;  mustered  in  September  23, 
1862. 

George  A.  Wilder,  Thirteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  23, 
1862. 

William  Williamson,  Thirteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  23, 
1862. 

Charles  W.  Wilson,  Sixteenth  Regiment  ; mustered  iu  October  25,  1862. 


136 


HSTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Corliss  Wheeler,  Fifth  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  1,  1863. 

Charles  E.  Williams,  mustered  in  September  23,  1863. 

John  B.  White,  mustered  in  September  16,  1863. 

Samuel  Watson,  mustered  in  October  7,  1863. 

George  E.  Watson,  Third  Regiment  ; mustered  in  February  1 1,  1864. 
Thomas  C.  Weeks,  Fourth  Regiment ; mustered  in  April  8,  1864. 
Charles  B.  Wallace,  Seventh  Regiment;  mustered  in  April  30,  1864. 
John  Ward,  Ninth  Regiment;  mustered  in  June  10,  1864. 

Thomas  E.  Wilder,  Sixth  Regiment;  mu  tercd  in  in  1864. 

James  White,  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  October  6,  1862. 

George  Winston,  United  States  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  August  18, 1864. 
Jeremiah  Williams,  mustered  in  September,  1864. 

Rensellaer  Wright,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  15,  1864. 
Henry  A.  Walsh,  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  November  11,  1864. 

Alfred  Wells,  Seventh  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  25, 1864. 

James  Wright,  mustered  in  December  2,  1861. 

Robert  Williams,  Navy;  mustered  in  December  6,  1864. 

Thomas  Ward,  mustered  in  December  9,  1864. 

William  Wilson,  Third  Regiment ; mustered  in  December  14,  1864. 
Edward  Walker,  Heavy  Artillery;  mustered  in  December  24,  1864. 
William  G.  Webb,  Eighth  Regiment ; mustered  in  January  2,  1865. 
Frank  Warren,  Third  Regiment  ; mustered  in  in  1864. 

Walter  A.  Webster,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  January  3,  1865. 
Ileury  Wilson,  Fourth  Regiment ; mustered  in  January  5,  1865. 

John  or  Joseph  Walch,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  February  3, 
1865. 

Peter  Woods,  Eleventh  Regiment  ; mustered  in  March  1,  1865. 

John  Wilson,  Fifth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  February  7,  1865. 

William  F.  Wallace,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  March  6,  1865. 
George  A.  Whittier,  Tenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  September  10,  1862. 
Charles  Wood,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  13,  1863. 
Henry  Williams,  Eighth  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  12,  1863. 
William  Wirt,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  20,  1863. 
James  Williams,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  23,  1863. 
William  Westermau,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  Noveml»er25,  1863. 
Charles  II.  Waymouth,  mustered  in  November  14,  1863. 

George  Whillard,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  17,  1863. 
Nelson  Whitney,  Fourth  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  13,  1863. 
George  Wallace,  Eighth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  November  12,  1863. 
Charles  W.  Woods,  Second  Regiment ; mustered  in  August !),  1864. 
John  W.  Wilson,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September,  1864. 
Clarion  F.  Whittier,  Eighteenth  Regiment ; mustered  in  October  1, 1864. 
William  F.  Winn,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  October  17,  1864. 
Richard  E.  Welsh,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  in  September  24,  1864 
George  H.  Wilkins,  Heavy  Artillery  ; mustered  iu  September  7,  1864. 
Horace  G.  Wyman,  United  States  Navy  ; mustered  in  August  24,  1864. 
Frederick  J.  Willoughby,  Cavalry  ; mustered  in  October  G,  1863. 

Frank  Walker,  Fourth  Regiment  ; mustered  in  January  2,  1865. 
Thomas  Young,  Seventh  Regiment ; mustered  in  November  23,  1864. 
Michael  York,  Second  Regiment;  mustered  in  November  17,  1863. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


NATHANIEL  WHITE. 

Nathaniel  White,  oldest  child  of  Samuel  and 
Sarah  (Freemau)  White,  was  born  in  Lancaster,  Feb- 
ruary 7,  1811.  His  childhood  was  passed  under  a 
tender  mother’s  care,  and  to  her  strict  religious  train- 
ing was  Nathaniel  White  indebted  for  his  noble 
character,  which  led  him  untainted  amid  the  tempta- 
tions of  youth,  and  unspotted  through  a long  career 
of  usefulness.  At  home  were  those  principles  of 
integrity,  honesty,  temperance,  philanthropy  and 
generosity  inculcated  which  led  to  a long  life  rounded 
by  Christian  virtues,  adorned  by  humanitarian  graces 
and  free  from  vices. 


At  the  age  of  fourteen  years  he  went  into  the  employ 
of  a merchant  in  Lunenburg,  Vt.,  with  whom  he 
remained  about  one  year,  when  he  accepted  employ- 
ment with  General  John  Wilson,  of  Lancaster,  who 
was  just  eutering  upon  his  duties  as  landlord  of  the 
Columbian  Hotel,  in  Concord.  His  parents  the  more 
readily  consented  to  his  taking  this  step  on  account  of 
the  many  noble  qualities  of  Mrs.  Wilson.  To  her 
care  he  was  entrusted  by  his  solicitous  mother.  In 
the  employ  of  General  Wilson,  Nathaniel  White  com- 
menced life  in  Concord  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder  He 
arrived  in  Concord,  August  25,  182(1,  with  one  shilling 
in  his  pocket.  For  five  years,  or  until  he  came  of 
age,  he  continued  at  the  Columbian,  rendering  a 
strict  account  of  his  wages  to  his  father,  and  saving 
the  dimes  and  quarters  which  came  as  perquisites, 
until  by  his  twenty-first  birthday  he  had  a fund  of 
two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 

This  may  be  understood  from  the  fact  that  he  com- 
menced life  with  certain  virtues  and  with  no  vices. 
He  was  prudent,  economical,  temperate.  He  never 
used  intoxicating  drinks  as  a beverage,  nor  tobacco 
in  any  form  ; nor  did  he  gamble  or  bet  with  dice  or 
cards.  Business  success  he  preferred  to  pleasure, 
and  to  his  work  he  carried  enterprise,  energy  and 
will. 

In  1832  he  made  his  first  business  venture,  negoti- 
ating the  first  and  last  business  loan  of  his  life,  and 
purchased  a part  interest  iu  the  stage-route  between 
Concord  and  Hanover,  occupying  the  “box  ” himself 
for  a few  years.  In  one  year  he  was  free  from  debt. 
Soon  after,  he  bought  into  the  stage-route  between 
Concord  and  Lowell.  In  1838,  in  company  with 
Captain  William  Walker,  he  initiated  the  express 
business,  making  three  trips  weekly  to  Boston,  and 
personally  attending  to  the  delivery  of  packages, 
goods  or  money,  and  other  business  entrusted  to  him. 
He  was  ever  punctual : he  never  forgot.  In  1842, 
upon  the  opening  of  the  Concord  Railroad,  he  was 
one  of  the  original  partners  of  the  express  company 
which  was  then  organized  to  deliver  goods  throughout 
New  Hampshire  and  Canada.  The  company,  under 
various  names,  has  continued  in  successful  operation 
to  the  present  day,  and  to  Nathaniel  White’s  busi- 
ness capacity  has  it  been  greatly  indebted  for  its 
remarkable  financial  success. 

In  184(5,  Mr.  White  purchased  his  farm,  and  has 
cultivated  it  since  that  date.  It  lies  in  the  south- 
western section  of  the  city,  two  miles  from  the  State- 
House,  and  embraces  over  four  hundred  acres  of 
land. 

For  his  adopted  home  he  ever  felt  and  evinced  a 
strong  attachment,  and  to  him  Concord  owes  much 
of  her  material  prosperity  and  outward  adornment. 
Beautiful  structures  have  been  raised  through  his 
instrumentality,  which  render  the  capitol  and  the 
State-House  park  such  attractive  features  of  the  city. 

In  1852  he  made  his  first  step  in  political  life,  being 
chosen  by.  the  Whigs  and  Free-Soilers  to  represent 


. 


CONCORD 


137 


Concord  in  the  State  Legislature.  He  was  an  Aboli- 
tionist from  the  start,  a member  of  the  Anti-Slavery 
Society  from  its  inception.  His  hospitable  home  was 
the  refuge  of  many  a hunted  slave,  a veritable  station 
on  the  Underground  Railroad,  where  welcome,  care, 
food  and  money  were  freely  bestowed,  and  the  refu- 
gees were  sent  on  their  way  rejoicing,  The  attic  of 
his  house  and  the  hay-mows  in  his  stable  were  the 
havens  of  rest  for  the  persecuted  black  men. 

In  all  works  of  charity  and  philanthropy  Mr.  White 
was  foremost  or  prominent.  He  was  deeply  interested 
in  the  establishment  of  the  New  Hampshire  Asylum 
for  the  Insane  and  the  State  Reform  School ; in  the 
Orphans’  Home,  at  Franklin,  which  he  liberally 
endowed;  and  the  Home  for  the  Aged,  in  Concord, 
which  was  his  special  care. 

The  Reform  Club  of  Concord,  though  not  an  elee- 
mosynary institution,  received  substantial  benefits 
from  his  generosity,  and  to  him,  in  a great  measure, 
it  owed  its  very  existence,  during  the  reaction  which 
followed  the  first  enthusiasm. 

Besides  his  extensive  interest  in  the  express  com- 
pany, his  farm — which  is  one  of  the  most  highly 
cultivated  in  the  State— his  charming  summer  retreat 
on  the  borders  of  Lake  Sunapee  and  his  real  estate  in 
Concord,  he  was  interested  in  real  estate  in  Chicago, 
iu  hotel  property  in  the  mountain  districts,  in  rail- 
road corporations,  in  banks,  in  manufacturing  estab- 
lishments and  in  shipping.  He  was  a director  in  the 
Manchester  and  Lawrence,  the  Franconia  and  Profile 
House  and  the  Mount  Washington  Railroads,  and  in 
the  National  State  Capital  Bank ; a trustee  of  the 
Loan  and  Trust  Savings-Bank  of  Concord;  also  of 
the  Reform  School,  Home  for  the  Aged  and  Orphans’ 
Home,  and  of  other  private  and  public  trusts. 

In  1875.  Nathaniel  White  was  the  candidate  for 
Governor  of  the  Prohibition  party,  and  he  had  a vast 
number  of  friends  in  the  Republican  party,  with 
which  he  was  most  closely  identified,  who  wished  to 
secure  his  nomination  for  the  highest  honor  within 
the  gift  of  a State  by  the  Republican  party.  In 
1876  he  was  sent  as  a delegate  to  the  Cincinnati  Con- 
vention, which  nominated  Mr.  Hayes  for  President, 
and  cast  every  ballot  for  the  gentleman  of  his  choice. 
During  the  summer  of  1880  he  was  placed  by  his 
party  at  the  head  of  the  list  of  candidates  for  Presi- 
dential electors. 

With  all  these  honors  thrust  upon  him,  Nathaniel 
White  was  not  a politician,  although  firm  in  his  own 
political  convictions.  The  office  sought  the  man,  not 
the  man  the  office. 

Nathaniel  White  was  blessed  in  his  marriage  rela- 
tions. His  history  is  incomplete  without  a narration 
of  the  perfect  union,  complete  confidence  and  mutual 
trust  and  assistance  between  him  and  his  wife  during 
a married  life  of  nearly  half  a century.  November  1, 
1836,  he  was  married,  by  Rev.  Robert  Bartlett,  of 
Laconia,  to  Armenia  S.,  daughter  of  John  Aldrich,  of 
Boscawen,  who  survives  him.  Mrs.  Armenia  S.  White 


is  of  good  old  Quaker  stock,  descending  in  the  sixth 
generation  from  Moses  Aldrich,  a Quaker  preacher 
who  emigrated  to  this  country  in  the  seventeenth 
century,  and  settled  in  Rhode  Island;  and  on  the 
maternal  side,  from  Edward  Doty,  a Pilgrim  who 
landed  in  the  “Mayflower.”  She  was  born  Novem- 
ber 1,  1817,  in  Mendon,  Mass.,  her  parents  removing 
from  Rhode  Island  at  the  time  of  their  marriage.  In 
1830  she  went  with  her  parents  to  Boscawen,  where 
she  lived  until  her  marriage.  Mrs.  White  has  been 
her  husband’s  companion  and  abettor  in  every  good 
work. 

Their  children  are  John  A.  White;  Armenia  E., 
wife  of  Horatio  Hobbs;  Lizzie  H.,  wife  of  C.  H.  New- 
hall,  of  Lynn;  Nathaniel  White,  Jr.;  Benjamin  C. 
White,  who  survive.  They  lost  two  children — Annie 
Frances  and  Seldon  F. — and  adopted  one,  Hattie  S., 
wife  of  Dr.  D.  P.  Dearborn,  of  Brattleborough,  Vt. 

In  early  life  Mr.  White  joined  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd-Fellows,  but  his  interest  was  soon  gone. 
For  several  years  he  continued  his  connection  with 
the  society  by  paying  his  dues,  without  actual  attend- 
ance, until  at  last  he  dropped  from  their  ranks.  He 
belonged  to  no  other  secret  socieey.  Anti-slavery 
societies,  temperance  societies,  charitable  and  benev- 
olent societies,  woman  suffrage  and  equal  rights 
societies,  and  the  Universalist  society, — in  all  of 
these  both  husband  and  wife  were  deeply  and  equally 
interested.  Hand-in-hand  they  have  been  in  every 
good  work,  save  where  the  charities  of  one  were 
unknown  to  the  other.  During  the  first  four  years  of 
their  married  life,  on  account  of  Mr.  White’s  occupa- 
tion, they  boarded ; for  eight  years  they  lived  on 
Warren  Street;  since  1848,  until  the  death  of  Mr. 
White,  in  their  residence  on  School  Street.  Here 
they  have  meted  out  generous  and  refined  hospitality 
to  the  humble  slave,  the  unfortunate  and  to  the  most 
illustrious  guests  who  have  honored  Concord  by  their 
visits. 

Nathaniel  White  died  Saturday,  October  2,  1880, 
having  nearly  completed  the  allotted  span  of  three- 
score years  and  ten.  He  was  stricken  down  suddenly, 
although,  with  his  usual  business  foresight,  he  seems 
to  have  been  prepared  for  the  change.  The  family 
in  their  bereavement  had  the  sympathy  of  the  com- 
munity and  State.  The  sense  of  a great  loss  pervaded 
the  city.  The  funeral  was  held  in  the  church  which 
owes  so  much  to  his  fostering  care,  and  was  the  occa- 
sion when  a great  multitude  bore  witness  to  the  depth 
of  their  sorrow.  His  remains  lie  in  the  lot  in  Blossom 
Hill  Cemetery  which  his  filial  love  prepared  as  the 
resting-place  for  his  parents. 

What  were  the  traits  that  so  endeared  Nathaniel 
White  to  all  who  knew  him,  or  could  appreciate  him  ? 
He  was  thoroughly  good : he  had  a great  heart.  Of 
active  sympathies,  of  warm  feelings,  he  was  ever 
ready  to  listen  to  the  call  of  suffering,  and  answer  it. 
His  heart  and  purse  were  always  open  for  worthy 
objects.  His  assistance  was  freely  given  for  the 


138 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


furtherance  of  good  enterprises.  He  was  an  ardent 
and  persevering  worker  for  reform.  He  was  a con- 
sistent temperance  advocate.  He  was  a modest  man 
withal,  not  fluent  as  a speaker,  but  listened  to  as  an 
oracle.  Deeds,  not  words,  made  up  his  life.  He  was 
blessed  with  good  judgment  and  common  sense.  He 
was  practical  and  successful.  To  him  a man  was  a 
brother,  a woman  a sister.  He  loved  his  fellow-men. 

Mr.  White  embodied  and  exemplified  in  his  life 
those  qualities  of  mind  and  heart  which  distinguish 
what  we  love  to  call  our  self-made  men.  He  was 
essentially  progressive,  courageous  and  a moving 
force  among  his  associates.  Life  was  to  him  full  of 
opportunities,  which  he  had  the  nerve  to  seize  and 
the  capacity  to  improve  ; and  then  force  of  character, 
guided  by  high  moral  instinct  and  sterling  honesty, 
made  him  a power  in  the  business  and  social  com- 
munity, and  won  for  him  his  high  position.  And  it 
was  no  covetous  hand  that  gathered  up  this  harvest 
of  wealth  and  influence  and  strength  of  resource.  He 
gathered  it  and  dispensed  it  with  equal  munificence. 
It  went  to  help  the  poor,  to  encourage  enterprise,  to 
promote  all  good  works  and  to  make  the  community 
better  and  happier.  He  made  his  impress  on  the 
world  about  him,  not  by  what  he  gained  from  it,  hut 
by  what  he  gave  it;  and  his  works  live  after  him, 
and  speak  continually  of  a life  that  was  a rich  bless- 
ing, and  is  still  a treasure  to  the  community  to  which 
it  peculiarly  belongs. 

The  Daily  Monitor,  under  date  of  October  2,  1880, 
said, — 

**  In  the  death  of  Nathaniel  White  this  community  sustains  an  irrep- 
arable loss.  Large-hearted,  humane,  liberal  and  progressive,  he  gave 
to  every  good  work,  local  and  general,  his  earnest,  unstinted  eupjjort. 
Devoted  to  the  welfare  of  Concord,  he  employed  his  wealth  for  the  en- 
hancement of  its  prosperity.  Ilis  public  spirit  extended  also  to  the  State, 
and  he  was  foremost  in  enterprises  for  the  development  of  its  resources. 
A good  man  has  gone  to  his  reward,  and  it  can  be  truly  said  that  the 
world  is  better  for  the  part  he  bore  in  it.” 

Mr.  White’s  marital  relations  were  of  a most  happy 
character,  and  Mr.  H.  P.  Rolfe  truly  said,-— 

“ In  all  his  aspirations  to  make  himself  an  honorable  name,  and  to  do 
good  to  his  kindred,  his  friends,  his  country  and  his  race,  31  r.  White 
was  most  fortunate  and  happy  in  that  he  had  the  early  suggestion,  the 
prompt  encouragement,  the  ready  co-operation  and  the  ardent  sympathy 
of  her  who,  for  nearly  half  a century,  kept  hisliome  constantly  blooming 
with  the  sweet-scented  flowers  of  affection.” 


HON.  ONSLOW  STEARNS. 

A large  proportion  of  the  men  who  have  been  elected 
to  the  chief  magistracy  of  our  State  were,  to  a greater 
or  less  extent,  engaged  in  political  life  during  a con- 
siderable period  of  their  existence.  The  men  of  essen- 
tially business  tastes  and  occupation,  who  have  been 
called  to  the  gubernatorial  chair,  have  been  excep- 
tions to  the  general  rule.  Nor  is  our  State  different 
from  others  in  this  regard.  Everywhere,  as  a rule, 
the  public  offices  which  the  people  have  at  their 
disposal  are  conferred  upon  men  who  have  devoted 
their  time  and  attention  to  politics  and  partisan 


management.  Among  the  more  conspicuous  excep- 
tions to  this  rule  in  this  State  is  the  case  of  the  late 
ex-Governor  Stearns,  who,  although  a man  of  de- 
cided political  convictions,  was,  in  no  sense  of  the 
word,  a politician,  and  was  never  in  any  degree 
concerned  in  party  management.  Mr.  Stearns  was 
a business  man  in  the  full  sense  of  the  term ; and, 
thoroughly  identified  as  he  was  with  the  railroad 
interest  of  the  State  from  its  inception  till  the  day  of 
his  death,  he  was  unquestionably,  from  first  to  last, 
the  most  conspicuous  representative  of  that  interest 
in  New  Hampshire. 

Onslow  Stearns  was  horn  in  Billerica,  Mass., 
August  30,  1810.  The  farm  upon  which  he  was 
reared,  and  which  still  remains  in  the  family,  being 
now  owned  by  an  older  brother,  Franklin  Stearns, 
was  the  property  and  homestead  of  his  grandfather, 
Hon.  Isaac  Stearns,  a prominent  and  influential 
citizen  of  Middlesex  County,  and  a soldier  in  the 
old  French  War,  who  was,  at  one  time,  a member  of 
the  Executive  Council  of  the  State,  and  held  other 
honorable  and  responsible  offices.  His  father,  John 
Stearns,  who  was  also  a farmer,  and  succeeded  in 
possession  of  the  homestead,  was  killed  in  the  prime 
of  life  by  a railroad  accident  at  Woburn.  William 
Stearns,  a brother  of  John  and  uncle  of  Onslow,  was 
a soldier  in  the  Revolution,  and  fought  at  the  battle 
of  Lexington.  Onslow  Stearns  remained  at  home, 
laboring  upon  the  farm,  and  availing  himself  of 
such  educational  privileges  as  the  public  schools 
afforded,  until  seventeen  years  of  age,  when  he  went 
to  Boston  and  engaged  as  a clerk  in  the  house  of 
Howe  & Holbrook,  afterward  J.  C.  Howe  & Co., 
where  he  remained  about  three  years,  and  then  left 
to  join  his  brother,  John  O.  Stearns,  since  famous 
as  a railroad  contractor  and  builder,  who,  then  in 
Virginia,  was  engaged  in  the  construction  of  the 
Chesapeake  and  Ohio  Canal.  Subsequently  he  be- 
came interested  with  his  brother  in  contracts  for  the 
construction  of  various  railroads  in  Pennsylvania, 
New  York  and  New  Jersey,  upon  which  he  was 
engaged  until  the  summer  of  1837,  when  lie  returned 
to  Massachusetts  and  engaged  in  contracts  upon  the 
Charlestown  Branch  and  Wilmington  and  Haverhill 
Railroads,  now,  respectively,  portions  of  the  Fitch- 
burg and  Boston  and  Maine  roads.  Soon  after,  he 
engaged  in  the  work  of  completing  the  Nashua  and 
Lowell  Railroad,  then  in  process  of  construction 
from  Lowell  to  Nashua.  This  road  was  completed 
in  the  fall  of  1838,  when  Mr.  Stearns  was  made  its 
superintendent,  holding  the  position  until  July, 
1846,  when  he  resigned  to  become  agent,  of  the 
Northern  Railroad  Company  of  New  Hampshire, 
for  the  purpose  of  constructing  its  road  from  Concord 
to  White  River  Junction.  His  first  efforts  in  the 
interest  of  this  road  were  directed  toward  obtaining 
the  necessary  legislation  for  securing  a right  of  way 
for  the  road  over  the  land  where  it  was  to  pass,  the 
law  of  1840  having  reudered  it  impossible.  This 


CONCORD. 


139 


legislation  was  secured  in  1844,  by  which  the  State 
was  empowered  to  take  the  land  of  the  owners, 
making  them  compensation  for  damages,  and  leasing 
the  same  to  railroad  corporations,  they  repaying  to 
the  State  the  amount  paid  for  damages. 

Under  the  personal  supervision  of  Mr.  Stearns, 
the  road  was  located,  and  the  work  of  construction 
vigorously  carried  forward  and  completed,  the 
Bristol  Branch  included.  Alter  its  completion  he 
became  manager  of  the  road,  which  position  he  held 
till  May,  1852,  when  he  was  chosen  president  of  the 
Northern  Railroad  Company,  continuing  in  that 
office  until  the  time  of  his  death.  He  was  also  gen- 
eral superintendent  of  the  Vermont  Central  Railroad 
from  1852  till  1855,  a director  in  the  Ogdenshurgh 
Railroad  for  some  time,  and  for  nearly  twenty  years, 
up  to  1875,  a director  in  the  Nashua  and  Lowell 
Railroad  corporation. 

While  president  of  the  Northern  Railroad  Com- 
pany, Mr.  Stearns  was  also  president  of  the  Sullivan, 
the  Contoocook  Valley  and  the  Concord  and  Clare- 
mont Railroad  Companies,  which  were  connected  in 
; interest  with  the  Northern  Railroad,  and,  under  his 
direction,  the  Concord  and  Claremont  Railroad  was 
extended  from  Bradford  to  Claremont,  being  com- 
pleted in  1S72.  The  success  of  Mr.  Stearns  in  the 
management  of  these  various  railroad  enterprises 
| caused  his  services  to  be  sought  by  those  interested 
in  other  railroads,  and  he  was  frequently  solicited  to 
J take  charge  of  railroad  interests  in  Massachusetts 
and  other  States.  These  offers  he  uniformly  declined 
i till  July,  1866,  when  he  was  induced  to  take  the 
i presidency  of  the  Old  Colony  and  Newport  Railway 
j Company,  in  Massachusetts,  which  position  he  held 
till  November,  1877,  when  he  resigned  on  account  of 
failing  health.  During  this  time  the  Old  Colony  and 
' Newport  Railway  Company  and  the  Cape  Cod  Rail- 
i road  Company  were  consolidated  under  the  name  of 
the  Old  Colony  Railroad  Company,  and  the  South 
Shore  and  Duxbury  and  Cohasset  Railroads,  with 
l others,  were  added  to  it.  The  Old  Colony  Steamboat 
Company  was  also  formed,  and  purchased  the  boats 
; of  the  Narragansett  Steamship  Company,  thus  form- 
j ing,  with  the  Old  Colony  Railroad,  the  present  Fall 
River  Line  between  Boston  and  New  York.  In 
1874,  Mr.  Stearns  was  elected  president  of  the  Con- 
cord  Railroad,  and  continued  to  manage  the  affairs 
of  this  corporation  till  his  death. 

The  eleven  years  during  which  Mr.  Stearns  was 
Ij  president  of  the  Old  Colony  Railroad  were  years  of 
||  the  most  intense  and  constant  labor  on  his  part. 

For  two  years  of  the  time  he  was  Governor  of  New 
! Hampshire.  He  was  president  of  the  Northern 
Railroad  and  the  other  roads  connected  with  it  dur- 
Ij  ing  all  that  time;  and  for  three  years  he  was  also 
president  of  the  Concord  Railroad  and  of  the  Old 
I ' Colony  Steamboat  Company,  besides  being  a director 
and  interested  in  the  management  of  various  other 
corporations.  Mr.  Stearns  gave  an  active,  personal 


supervision  to  all  the  corporate  interests  under  his 
charge,  embracing  not  only  their  general  relations 
with  other  corporations  and  interests,  but  extending 
to  the  most  minute  details  of  their  management. 
He  was  never  idle.  No  man  was  ever  more  pains- 
taking and  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties. 
His  papers  and  figures  were  carried  with  him,  and 
studied  as  he  journeyed  between  his  home  in  Con- 
cord and  the  railroad  offices  in  Boston  ; and  when  in 
Boston  his  labors  almost  always  extended  far  into 
the  hours  of  night.  He  lived  in  labor,  and  thought 
no  plan  complete  till,  by  execution,  it  had  passed 
beyond  his  power  to  labor  upon  it.  His  knowledge 
of  the  practical  management  of  railroads  was  com- 
plete and  perfect  to  the  smallest  details;  and  this, 
together  with  his  unwearied  industry,  sound  business 
judgment  and  foresight  and  his  knowledge  and 
control  of  men,  contributed  to  a success  such  as  few 
railroad  managers  have  attained.  At  his  death  he 
was  the  oldest  railroad  president  in  continuous 
service  in  New  England,  having  been  president  of 
the  Northern  Railroad  for  twenty-seven  years. 

Although  in  no  sense  a politician,  as  has  been 
stated,  Mr.  Stearns  was  a man  of  fixed  political  con- 
victions, acting  heartily  with  the  Whig  party  from 
early  life  until  the  dissolution  of  the  party,  when  lie 
became  a Republican.  In  1862  he  accepted  the 
nomination  of  his  party  as  candidate  for  State  Sen- 
ator in  the  Concord  District,  and  was  elected,  serving 
upon  the  committees  upon  railroads,  elections,  and 
military  affairs.  He  was  re-elected  the  following 
year,  and  was  chosen  president  of  the  Senate,  faith- 
fully and  acceptably  discharging  the  duties  of  his 
responsible  position.  In  legislation,  as  in  business 
life,  he  was  eminently  a practical  man.  During  his 
term  of  legislative  service  the  War  of  the  Rebellion 
was  in  progress,  and  his  efforts  as  a legislator,  as  well 
as  a citizen,  were  freely  and  fully  exerted  in  behalf 
of  the  Union  cause.  He  was  one  of  the  prime 
movers  in  the  formation  of  the  New  Hampshire 
Soldiers’  Aid  Society,  an  organization  which  con- 
tributed largely  to  the  encouragement  of  enlistments 
and  the  assistance  of  the  needy  families  of  soldiers 
in  the  field. 

In  1864,  Mr.  Stearns  was  a delegate-at-large  from 
New  Hampshire  in  the  Republican  National  Con- 
vention, and  was  one  of  the  vice-presidents  of  that 
body.  Many  prominent  Republicans  and  personal 
friends  had,  for  some  time,  urged  his  candidacy  for  the 
Republican  nomination  for  Governor  of  the  State,  and 
in  1867  he  received  a large  vote  in  the  convention 
which  nominated  General  Harriman  for  that  office. 
Soon  after  the  convention  he  was  besought  by  a num- 
ber of  his  friends  and  political  associates,  who  were 
dissatisfied  with  the  action  of  the  convention,  to 
allow  the  use  of  his  name  as  an  independent  candi- 
date, but  declined  to  accede  to  their  wishes. 

In  the  Republican  State  Convention  of  1867  no 
name  but  that  of  Mr.  Stearns  was  presented  lor  the 


140 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


gubernatorial  nomination,  which  was  conferred  upon 
him  by  acclamation,  a circumstance  of  rare  occur- 
rence in  a case  of  a first  nomination.  He  was 
elected  by  a decided  majority,  over  General  John 
Bedel,  the  Democratic  candidate,  and  was  renomi- 
nated the  following  year.  He  sent  a letter  to  the 
convention  declining  the  renomination,  on  account 
of  the  state  of  his  health  and  the  pressure  of  busi- 
ness cares;  but  the  convention  refused  to  accept  the 
declination,  and  a committee  was  appointed  to  wait 
upon  him  and  urge  its  withdrawal,  which  was  finally 
successful  in  its  efforts.  His  re-election  followed, 
and  for  another  year  he  devoted  no  small  share  of 
his  attention  to  the  interests  of  the  State,  notwith- 
standing the  varied  demands  of  the  extensive  cor- 
porate interests  under  his  management.  To  the 
financial  affairs  of  the  State  his  care  was  especially 
directed,  and  during  his  administration  the  State 
debt  was  reduced  nearly  one-third,  while  the  State 
tax  was  also  reduced  in  still  greater  proportion.  He 
also  took  a lively  interest  in  the  management  of  the 
State  Prison,  and  was  instrumental  in  effecting  great 
changes  therein,  securing  more  thorough  discipline 
and  putting  the  institution  upon  a paying  basis, 
whereas  it  had  long  been  run  at  a pecuniary  loss  to 
the  State. 

In  the  discharge  of  all  his  public  duties  Mr. 
Stearns  always  sought  to  treat  the  matter  in  hand  in 
a thoroughly  practical  and  business-like  manner, 
exercising  the  same  judgment  and  discrimination  as 
in  the  management  of  his  private  and  business 
affairs.  Although  firmly  attached  to  his  party,  he 
was  less  a partisan  in  the  exercise  of  his  official 
functions  than  many  of  his  predecessors  had  been, 
and  was  the  first  Republican  Governor  of  New 
Hampshire  to  nominate  a Democrat  to  a position 
upon  the  Supreme  Bench,  which  he  did  in  1870, 
when  Hon.  Wm.  S.  Ladd,  of  Lancaster,  was  made  an 
associate  justice  of  the  Supreme  Judicial  Court,  to 
fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  retirement  of  Judge 
Nesmith.  This  action,  although  denounced  by 
many  of  his  Republican  friends,  is  now  regarded  by 
all  as  having  been  wise  and  judicious,  inasmuch  as 
the  ultimate  outcome  has  been  a thoroughly  non- 
partisan judiciary  in  our  State  and  a universal  desire 
and  determination  to  maintain  the  same. 

The  cause  of  education  found  in  Mr.  Stearns  a 
warm  friend,  and  in  the  welfare  of  Dartmouth  Col- 
lege, which  institution,  in  1857,  conferred  upon  him 
the  honorary  degree  of  Master  of  Arts,  he  took 
special  interest.  His  first  public  address  after 
assuming  the  gubernatorial  office  was  upon  the 
occasion  of  the  college  centennial,  wherein  he  took 
decided  ground  in  favor  of  such  liberal  aid  from  the 
State  as  might  be  necessary  to  make  the  institution 
permanently  effective  for  the  public  good. 

In  religious  sympathies  and  convictions  Mr. 
Stearns  was  a Unitarian,  and  was  an  active  and 
influential  member  of  the  Unitarian  Society  of 


Concord  during  his  long  residence  in  the  city,  con- 
tributing liberally  for  the  support  of  public  worship, 
upon  which  he  was  a constant  attendant,  and  for  all 
its  auxiliary  purposes  and  objects.  Thoroughly 
public-spirited,  he  never  failed  to  give  material  sup- 
port to  all  measures  which  seemed  to  him  calculated 
to  advance  the  interests  of  his  adopted  city,  as  well 
as  the  State  at  large,  nor  were  his  social  duties  in  the 
least  neglected,  notwithstanding  the  pressing  cares 
of  public  and  business  life. 

The  long  and  arduous  labor  of  his  life  was  not 
without  its  substantial  reward,  and  he  became  the 
possessor  of  an  ample  fortune,  enabling  him  to  dis- 
pense a liberal  hospitality.  Among  the  many  dis- 
tinguished persons  entertained  in  his  elegant  mansion 
were  two  incumbents  of  the  chief  magistracy  of  the 
United  States,  General  Grant  and  Mr.  Hayes,  each 
of  whom  became  his  guest  when  visiting  our  State 
capital. 

Mr.  Stearns  was  united  in  marriage,  June  26,  1845, 
with  Miss  Mary  A.  Holbrook,  daughter  of  Hon. 
Adin  Holbrook,  of  Lowell,  Mass.,  and  with  her 
established  a home  in  Concord  the  following  year,  in 
the  location  where  he  continued  to  reside,  making 
numerous  improvements  from  time  to  time  through- 
out his  life.  Five  children — a son  and  four  daugh- 
ters— are  the  fruit  of  this  union.  The  son,  Charles  O. 
Stearns,  is  engaged  in  railroad  business  in  Boston. 
The  eldest  daughter,  Mary,  is  the  wife  of  Brevet 
Brigadier-General  John  R.  Brooke,  of  the  United 
States  army;  the  second  daughter,  Margaret,  is  now 
Mrs.  Ingalls,  of  North  Adams,  Mass.;  the  other 
daughters,  Sarah  and  Grace,  remain  with  their 
mother  at  the  family  residence  in  Concord,  where 
the  husband  and  father,  after  a brief  illness  of  a few 
days,  quietly  departed  this  life,  December  29,  1878. 


LEWIS  DOWNING. 

Samuel,  father  of  Lewis,  was  of  English  extraction, 
born  in  1757,  and  moved  to  Lexington,  Mass.,  in 
1777.  He  married,  first,  Susanna,  daughter  of  Ben- 
jamin and  Sarah  (Reed)  Brown,  of  Lexington.  The 
children  of  this  marriage  were  Polly,  born  Octo- 
ber 21,  1783;  Oliver,  born  March  10,1785;  Samuel, 
born  October  80,  1787  ; Susanna,  born  November  20, 
1788;  Sally,  born  November  23,  1790;  Lewis,  born 
June  23,  1792;  William,  born  September  20,  1796. 
The  latter  was  a soldier  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  was 
mortally  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Lundy’s  Lane, 
July  25,  1814. 

Samuel  married,  second,  Eunice  Bridge,  of  Lex- 
ington, and  the  children  from  this  union  were  Emily, 
born  January  24,  1801  ; Charles,  born  July  9,  1802; 
George  W.,  born  February  22,  1804;  Andrew  J., 
born  October  31,  1815,  and  Fanny,  who  died  in  in- 
fancy. Samuel  was  a carriage-maker  by  trade,  and 
taught  the  same  to  bis  son  Samuel,  who,  in  turn, 
taught  it  to  bis  brother  Lewis,  and  the  shop  where 


V&a  Si ycSc  Ac  Co.3o3ton 


f V /'//,  s , f ' 

o 


■ 


■ 


CONCORD. 


141 


they  all  worked  still  stands  as  then,  in  the  town  of 
Lexington  and  just  below  the  celebrated  “ Munroe 
Tavern.” 

In  the  year  1800  Samuel  removed  from  Lexington, 
Mass.,  to  Newburgh,  N.  Y.,  and  thence  to  Montgom- 
ery, intending  to  continue  his  occupation  as  a car- 
riage-maker at  that  place.  Owing  to  the  bad  state  of 
his  health  at  Montgomery  he  returned  to  Newburgh, 
where  he  established,  on  the  corner  of  Broad  and 
Liberty  Streets,  about  the  commencement  of  the 
present  century,  a shop  for  the  manufacture  of 
wagons  aud  carriages.  While  yet  in  the  early  stages 
of  this  undertaking  failing  health  led  him  to  engage 
in  the  more  healthful  business  of  market  gardening 
and  the  cultivation  of  a nursery,  which  he  planted 
on  the  property  adjoining  his  shop.  As  early  as 
1810,  he  offered  for  sale,  trees  grafted  or  inoculated  of 
apples,  pears,  peaches,  apricots  and  cherries,  and 
was  the  first  to  conduct  the  business  with  such  suc- 
cess as  to  secure  its  continuance.  He  led  an  indus- 
trious and  sober  life,  and  died  in  Newburgh  November 
1,  1822.  Of  the  children  by  his  second  marriage, 
Charles  and  Andrew  J.  were  very  celebrated  for 
their  knowledge  of  horticulture  and  landscape  gard- 
ening, having  published  various  works,  among 
which  are  “ Downing's  Fruits  and  Fruit-Trees  of 
America,”  “Downing’s  Country  Flouses,”  and  also 
“ Landscape  Gardening.” 

Andrew  J.  Downing,  as  an  architect,  has  no  su- 
perior. His  creations  were  always  appropriate  to, 
and  compatible  with,  their  surroundings.  So  much 
so,  that  one  was  often  fain  to  wonder  whether  the  scen- 
ery was  made  to  fit  the  edifice,  or  the  edifice  to  crown 
aud  ennoble  the  scenery.  As  a horticulturist,  flori- 
culturist and  pomologist  he  had  no  equal ; his  knowl- 
edge in  each  of  these  departments  was  profound  and 
exhaustive,  and  his  taste  both  exquisite  aud  unerring. 
As  an  author,  he  was  prolific,  genial  and  attractive; 
always  at  his  ease,  and  always  a perfect  master  of  his 
subject  and  the  English  language.  He  was  for  many 
years  editor  of  the  Horticulturist,  a monthly  magazine 
of  large  circulation.  It  is  very  rarely  that  a man  of 
such  varied  talents,  each  so  perfect  in  its  kind  and 
all  capable  of  combination  to  a certain  and  practi- 
cable end,  appears  in  this  world  of  ours.  He  laid 
out  the  grounds  of  the  Smithsonian  Institute,  in 
Washington  in  1851,  and  a monument  was  afterwards 
erected  on  them  to  his  memory.  He  perished  in  the 
burning  of  the  steamer  “ Henry  Clay,”  on  the  Hudson 
River,  July  28,  1852,  while  on  his  way  to  superintend 
the  erection  of  some  villas  at  Newport,  R.  I. 

Charles  Downing  was  always  in  complete  sympathy 
with  his  gifted  brother,  Andrew  J.,  and  had  many 
qualities  in  common  with  him.  He  devoted  his  life 
to  his  favorite  pursuits  of  horticulture  and  pomology, 
and  re-edited  Andrew’s  Work  on  “ F'ruits  and  Fruit- 
Trees  of  America,”  adding  much  new  matter,  the 
results  of  his  own  observation  and  experiments,  finally 
completing  a work  which  is  considered  the  highest 


authority  on  this  subject  both  in  England  and 
America.  He  died  at  Newburgh,  N.  Y.,  January  18, 
1885,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two  years.  On  the  ma- 
ternal side  they  are  of  the  same  lineage  as  the  late 
President  Garfield,  the  common  ancestor  being  John 
Bridge,  the  Puritan,  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of 
Cambridge,  whose  statue  in  bronze  stands  on  Cam- 
bridge Common. 

Lewis,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  son  of  Samuel 
and  Susanna  (Brown)  Downing,  was  born  in  Lexing- 
ton, Mass.,  June  23,1792;  married  Lucy  Wheelock, 
only  child  of  Jonathan  and  Lucy  (Beaman)  Wheelock, 
at  Concord,  Mass.,  May  25,  1815.  Jonathan  Wheelock 
was  a soldier  in  the  Revolution,  doing  service  for  his 
country,  from  Bunker  Hill  to  Yorktown,  especially 
sharing  in  the  sufferings  of  the  American  army  at 
Valley  Forge.  He  was  for  many  years  a noted  stage- 
driver  between  Boston  and  Concord,  Mass.,  spending 
the  last  years  of  his  life  with  his  daughter,  dying  at 
her  home,  September  5,  1845,  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
six  years. 

The  children  of  Lewis  and  Lucy  (Wheelock) 
Downing,  all  born  in  Concord,  were,  Lucy  Maria, 
born  September  19,  1818  ; Lewis  Downing,  Jr.,  born 
December  G,  1820  ; Alonzo,  born  December  28,  1822; 
Mary  Ann,  born  January  25,  1826  ; Emily  and  Ellen, 
born  July  28,  1828.  Lewis  moved  from  Lexington, 
Mass.,  to  Concord,  N.  H.,  in  May,  1813,  and  com- 
menced the  carriage  business,  first  at  the  north  end  of 
Main  Street,  but  in  1816  purchased  the  “ Duncan  Es- 
tate,” at  the  south  end,  and  moved  his  shops  there, 
where  they  remain  at  the  present  time.  For  the  first 
few  years  he  only  made  the  “Concord  Wagon,”  with 
some  freight-wagons,  used  at  that  time  for  freighting 
goods  from  Boston  to  towns  in  New  Hampshire  and 
Vermont,  and  the  two-wheel  chaise,  used  extensively 
then  instead  of  the  four-wheel  buggy,  as  at  the  pres- 
ent time.  The  first  wagon  made  was  in  November, 
1813,  and  the  first  chaise  he  made  was  sold  to  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Bouton,  and  was  used  by  him  a great  many 
years.  In  the  year  1826,  Mr.  Downing,  foreseeing 
that  there  must  eventually  be  a great  demand  for 
stage-coaches,  concluded  to  commence  the  manufacture 
of  them,  and  with  that  in  view,  he  went  to  Salem,  Mass, 
and  arranged  with  J.  Stephens  Abbot  to  come  to 
Concord  and  build  three  coach-bodies.  Mr.  Abbot 
was  then  at  work  for  Mr.  Frothingham,  a celebrated 
coach-maker  in  Salem,  but  left  and  arrived  in  Con- 
cord on  Christmas  eve,  and  made  the  first  coach- 
bodies  ever  built  in  New  Hampshire  during  the 
spring  of  1827.  The  first  coach  was  completed,  and 
went  out  of  the  shop  in  July,  1827,  and  was  sold  to 
John  Shepherd.  From  that  time  on,  the  demand  for 
coaches  increased,  and  before  the  advent  of  the  rail- 
roads they  could  be  found  in  all  parts  of  the  world. 

In  1828,  Mr.  Downing  took  Mr.  Abbot  in  with  him 
as  a partner,  and  the  firm-name  was  Downing  & 
Abbot  until  September,  1847,  when  it  was  dissolved, 
and  Mr.  Downing  and  his  two  sons  built  new  shops 


142 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


on  Main  Street,  opposite  the  Phenix  Hotel,  con- 
tinuing business  under  the  name  of  L.  Downing  & 
Sons,  while  Mr.  Abbot  and  his  son  Edward  A.  carried 
on  the  same  at  the  old  shops.  January  1,  1865,  Mr. 
Downing,  Sr.,  retired  from  the  business,  and  a new 
firm  was  formed  under  the  name  of  Abbot,  Downing 
& Co.,  consisting  of  J.  Stephens,  Edward  A.  and 
Joseph  H.  Abbot,  Lewis  Downing,  Jr.,  and  Alonzo 
Downing,  and  the  works  at  the  south  end  greatly  en- 
larged for  the  purpose.  January  1,  1873,  they  pur- 
chased the  works  of  Harvey,  Morgan  & Co.,  and 
reorganized  under  the  general  laws  of  New  Hamp- 
shire as  the  Abbot-Downing  Company,  and  so  continue 
at  the  present  time,  with  a capital  of  four  hundred 
thousand  dollars,  a force  of  two  hundred  and  seventy- 
five  men,  their  shops  occupying  about  six  acres  of 
ground  and  their  carriages  sent  in  all  directions.  In 
this  connection  it  may  not  he  improper  to  say  that  if 
is  a very  remarkable  circumstance,  probably  without 
a parallel,  that  from  the  time  Samuel  Downing  com- 
menced learning  his  trade,  in  1772,  until  the  present 
time,  1885,  it  will  be  one  hundred  and  thirteen  con- 
secutive years  of  service  in  the  same  business  by  the 
father,  son  and  grandson,  and  a total  of  one  hundred 
and  forty-four  years’  active  service  by  the  same  per- 
sons, viz.:  Samuel  Downing  from  1772  until  1810, 
thirty-eight  years;  Lewis  Downing  from  1807  until 
1865,  fifty-eight  years ; and  Lewis  Downing,  Jr.,  from 
1837  until  1885,  forty -eight  years.  The  latter  is  still 
in  active  business  and  president  of  the  Abbot-Downing 
Company.  The  original  shops,  established  by  Lewis 
Downing  seventy-two  years  ago,  occupy  the  same 
ground  they  have  occupied  the  past  sixty-nine  years. 
Mr.  Downing  visited  California  twice  in  connection 
with  his  business,  and  was  well-known  on  the  Pacific 
coast,  where  he  hud  a large  market  for  his  carriages, 
so  celebrated  the  world  over.  He  earned  and  main- 
tained a high  reputation  for  skill,  sagacity  and  in- 
tegrity, probably  doing  as  much  as  any  other  man  for 
the  prosperity  and  growth  of  Concord.  The  Concord 
Daily  Monitor , in  an  interesting  sketch  of  his  career, 
January,  1865,  says:  “Mr.  Downing,  Sr.,  retires  from 
business,  after  active  participation  in  it  for  nearly 
fifty-eight  years,  and  we  think  we  express  the  general 
sentiment  of  the  community  when  we  say  that  during 
that  time,  his  integrity  having  never  been  questioned, 
he  is  entitled  to  be  called  Concord’s  best  benefactor.” 
Mr.  Downing,  though  not  an  active  politician,  was 
a thorough-going  Republican,  and  represented  Ward 
6 in  the  State  Legislature  in  1865-66.  He  not  only 
sought  to  build  up  a business  for  his  own  advantage, 
but  he  was  keenly  alive  to  whatever  affected  the  pub- 
lic welfare.  So  far  as  his  influence  could  avail  any- 
thing, he  endeavored  to  have  the  business  affairs  of 
the  community  and  State  conducted  on  principles  of 
strict  justice  to  all  concerned.  Positive  and  self-re- 
liant in  his  own  convictions,  he  opposed,  with  blunt 
sincerity,  whatever  seemed  to  him  ill-considered  and 
blamable.  No  one  had  a more  thoughtful  concern 


for  whatever  tended  to  strengthen  public  character 
and  elevate  public  life,  and  his  personal  integrity  in 
business  gave  character  to  the  whole  community  and 
made  the  city  of  Concord  famous.  His  coaches  being 
known  the  world  over,  are  regarded  as  fair  represen- 
tatives of  the  average  moral  worth  of  her  citizens. 
In  religion,  so  far  as  any  creed  is  concerned,  he  was 
a strong  Unitarian,  being  one  of  the  founders  of  that 
society  in  the  city  of  Concord,  and  in  his  will  gives 
his  entire  estate,  at  the  decease  of  his  children,  to 
that  society,  the  income  of  which  is  to  be  expended 
by  them  annually  for  the  spread  of  liberal  Chris- 
tianity, as  represented  in  the  writings  of  William 
Ellery  Channing.  After  a long  and  severe  illness  he 
died,  March  10,  1873,  in  the  eighty-first  year  of  his 
age.  His  life  was  faithful,  just  and  true ; his  death 
peaceful,  serene,  full  of  faith  and  longings  for  the 
“ beyond.” 


J.  STEPHENS  ABBOT. 

In  the  beautiful  town  of  Andover,  Mass.,  situated 
on  the  bank  of  the  Merrimack  River,  is  the  cemetery 
in  which  may  he  seen  a cenotaph  bearing  the  follow- 
ing inscription : 

“GEORGE  ABBOT, 
born  in  England, 
was  one  of  the  first  settlers 
of  Andover,  A. I).  1G 13 
where,  in  1G47,  lie  married 
HANNAH  CHANDLER. 

He  died  December,  1(581,  M.  06, 

She  died  December  1711,  JE.  82. 

Their  descendants,  in  reverence  for 
Their  Moml  Worth  and  Christian 
virtues,  erected  this  monument 
A.D.  1843.” 

Thus  it  appears  that  the  ancestors  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  were  of  that  sturdy  and  valiant  race  of 
pioneers  who  laid  the  foundation  of  this  great  Anglo- 
Saxon  nation. 

J.  Stephens  Abbot  was  born  in  Albany,  Me.,  on 
the  22d  of  February,  1804.  While  yet  an  infant  he 
was  deprived  of  both  his  parents,  and  his  uncle, 
General  Abbot,  took  him  to  old  Salem  to  his  aunt, 
Mrs.  Chase,  by  whom  he  was  adopted,  and  for  whom 
he  always  cherished  the  most  affectionate  regard. 

At  Salem  he  enjoyed  such  educational  advantages 
as  generally  fell  to  the  lot  of  boys  destined  to  earn 
their  own  living  in  a new  country  at  that  early  period 
of  the  present  century.  His  school-days  over,  he  was 
apprenticed  to  Frothingham  & Loring,  of  Salem,  who 
were  then  celebrated  chaise-builders,  and  some  years 
afterward  he  was  induced  by  Mr.  Lewis  Downing,  Sr., 
to  accompany  him  to  Concord,  N.  H.,  to  aid  in  the 
introduction  and  manufacture  of  the  now  famous 
Concord  stage-coach.  It  was  here  that  he  built  the 
first  coach-bodies  which  were  ever  constructed  in  the 
State  of  New  Hampshire. 

In  1828  he  became  associated  with  Mr.  Downing  as 
a partner  in  the  firm  of  Downing  & Abbot.  Together 
they  planted,  with  skillful  hands,  that  tree  which  has 


/ 


I 


CONCORD. 


143 


taken  such  deep  root  in  the  soil  that,  to-day,  hundreds 
of  industrious  families  find  sustenance  and  shelter 
under  its  vigorous  branches. 

Many  an  old  man  in  New  England  and  the  Canadas 
can  well  remember  the  first  yellow,  oval-shaped,  Con- 
cord stage-coach  which  came  rattling  into  his  native 
village,  creating  more  excitement  than  the  train  of 
railroad  cars  does  now,  rushing  into  the  depot  with 
its  ponderous  engine.  A description  of  the  running 
part  of  the  Concord  stage-coach  would  be  superfluous, 
because  the  saying  has  become  proverbial  that  “ the 
Concord  running  parts  do  their  own  talking.”  The 
superiority  in  the  running  parts  was  a peculiarity  in 
the  Concord  stage-coach  that  called  for  the  exercise 
of  the  utmost  intelligence,  combined  with  no  small 
degree  of  practical  and  scientific  knowledge.  The 
same  admirable  qualifications  were  displayed  by  Mr. 
Abbot  in  the  construction  of  those  old-fashioned  om- 
nibuses then  in  vogue. 

For  several  years  the  business  continued  to  enlarge 
and  prosper,  until,  in  1847,  Mr.  Downing  retired  from 
the  firm,  leaving  Mr.  Abbot  to  carry  on  the  business 
in  his  own  name,  and  in  1852  he  took  his  son,  E.  A., 
into  partnership,  under  the  firm-name  of  J.  S.  & E. 
A.  Abbot,  who  brought  out  the  justlv-celebrated 
American  ambulances,  which  rendered  such  priceless 
service  in  our  Civil  War  and  also  in  the  conflict  be- 
tween France  and  Prussia.  So  greatly  were  they 
appreciated  by  the  French  nation  that  the  provisional 
government  decorated  with  the  Cross  of  the  Legion 
of  Honor  three  enterprising  Americans  who  intro- 
duced these  humane  accompaniments  of  war  into 
France. 

It  is  thus  that  at  all  times,  especially  when  great 
emergencies  arise,  the  genius  of  New  England  in  the 
mechanic  arts  finds  so  vast  a field  of  usefulness  at 
home  and  abroad. 

In  1865  the  firm-name  was  changed  to  that  of 
! Abbot,  Downing  & Co.,  by  the  introduction  of  Lewis 
Dowuing,  Jr.,  the  son  of  Mr.  Abbot’s  old  partner. 
The  new  firm  turned  their  attention  to  the  manufac- 
ture of  the  celebrated  Concord  wagons,  which  manu- 
facture soon  became  remarkably  successful.  There 
are  very  few  on  this  continent  who  do  not  know  what 
is  meant  by  the  expression  “a  Concord  express- 
wagon.”  Besides  the  various  specialties  of  their 
own  invention  here  manufactured,  they  built  for  the 
New  York  Transfer  Company  fifty  of  Dodd’s  •‘Patent 
Crystals”  for  use  in  New  York  City. 

The  whole  establishment  is  so  admirably  arranged 
that  the  extensive  business  at  Concord  contributes 
simultaneously  to  the  prosperity  of  the  firm  and  the 
general  comfort  and  happiness  of  the  employes  and 
their  families.  Indeed,  Mr.  Abbot  was  remarkably 
successful,  not  only  in  commanding  their  respect,  but 
in  gaining  their  affectionate  good-will.  Possessing  a 
fine  figure,  a noble  presence  and  a countenance  at 
once  beautiful  and  beaming  with  goodness  and  benev- 
olence, they  regarded  him  as  a friend  a benefactor, 


rather  than  as  an  employer,  in  the  ordinary  accepta- 
tion of  the  word. 

If  proof  of  this  were  called  for,  we  have  it  in  the 
fact  that  no  such  thing  as  a strike  was  ever  heard  of 
in  the  factory  at  Concord,  and  whenever  difficulties 
occurred  among  the  workmen  his  word  and  look  were 
sufficient  to  remove  them,  while  his  friendly  counsel 
rarely,  if  ever,  failed  to  effect  the  object  for  which  it 
wasgiven.  He  was,  essentially,  “a  master-workman,” 
being  thoroughly  conversant  with  every  branch  of 
the  manufacture  and  every  detail  of  the  business. 

Often  have  the  hands  been  astonished  to  note  with 
what  judgment  and  skill  he  could  walk  into  the  forest, 
and  at  a glance,  as  if  indued  with  intuitive  perception, 
select  and  blaze  the  trees  which  were  best  adapted  for 
his  purpose. 

In  all  the  relations  of  life  the  deceased  was  con- 
fided in  and  beloved,  while  a word  of  praise  from  his 
lips  exercised  the  same  magic  power  in  his  home 
circle  as  in  the  work-shop. 

He  attended  the  Episcopalian  Church  and  adorned 
its  doctrines  in  all  things,  and  was  more  a Christian, 
and  less  a sectarian,  than  many  who  make  a louder 
profession  of  religion.  In  politics  he  was  “an  Old- 
Line  Whig,”  one  of  the  Daniel  Webster  school.  He 
enjoyed  the  intimate  friendship  of  some  of  the  best 
and  foremost  statesmen  in  his  adopted  State;  was  a 
warm,  personal  friend  of  the  late  ex-President 
Franklin  Pierce,  and  a member  of  the  old  Salem 
Cadets,  at  whose  reunion,  in  1870,  he  was  present 
contributing  to  the  general  enjoyment  on  that  happy 
occasion.  With  the  ample  means  at  his  disposal,  he 
was  never  backward  in  promoting,  as  fitting  occasion 
presented,  the  welfare  of  his  relatives  and  friends. 
He  had  never  known  sickness  until  the  illness  over- 
took him  which,  in  three  short  weeks,  terminated  his 
earthly  career,  March  16,  1871,  in  the  sixty-eighth 
year  of  his  useful  and  honorable  life. 

It  is  pleasing  to  know  that  he  bore  his  sufferings 
with  Christian  patience  and  with  manly  fortitude. 

When  the  spirit  left  its  tenement  of  clay  to  return 
to  the  God  who  gave  it,  the  clock  had  just  struck  the 
hour  of  six,  and  as  the  signal  of  work  was  sounded 
for  others  he  received  the  summons  to  rest  forever 
from  his  labors.  But  no  sooner  had  the  tidings  of  his 
departure  reached  the  factory  than  the  implements  of 
labor  fell  from  every  hand,  every  arm  was  relaxed, 
every  heart  was  saddened  and  every  eye  was  dimmed, 
while  the  widowed  wife  and  mother,  with  her  sorrow- 
ing children,  relatives  and  friends,  felt  that  a cloud 
had  overshadowed  their  happiness.  The  cloud,  how- 
ever, was  not  without  its  silver  lining,  for  was  there 
not  something  of  the  chastened  “joy  of  grief”  in 
the  thought  that  the  loss  thus  mourned  by  the  living 
was  the  great  and  eternal  gain  of  the  dead  ? How 
truly  doth  the  good  Book  say:  “The  memory  of  the 
just  is  blessed ! ” 

December  15,  1829,  Mr.  Abbot  married  Grace, 
daughter  of  Sherburne  and  Margaret  (Sargent) 


144 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Wiggin,  who  was  born  October  6,  1806,  and  still  sur- 
vives. Their  family  consisted  of  five  children,  viz. : 
Edward  Augustus,  Margaret  Ann,  Joseph  Henry, 
Francis  Lewis  and  Mary. 

JOHN  KIMBALL.1 

An  honorable  ancestry  is  a source  of  gratification, 
if  not  of  merit,  and  from  it  noble  traits  of  character 
are  undoubtedly  often  inherited.  It  is  therefore  to 
be  noted  in  considering  biography. 

1.  Richard  and  Ursula  Kimball,  with  seven  chil- 
dren, came  from  Ipswich,  England,  April  10,  1634 
(0.  S.),  and  settled  in  Watertown,  but  in  1637  moved 
to  Ipswich,  Mass.  He  died  June  22,  1675,  having 
had  eleven  children.  From  this  Puritan  family  have 
sprung  most  of  the  Kimballs  of  New  England. 

2.  Their  son,  Richard,  was  born  in  England  in 
1623  ; settled  in  Wenham,  Mass.,  as  early  as  1656  ; 
married  Mary  Gott,  had  eight  children,  and  died  May 
26,  1676. 

3.  His  son,  Caleb,  was  born  in  Wenham  April  9, 
1665.  He  was  of  Exeter,  N.  H.,  having  moved  there 

from  Wenham.  He  married  Sarah  , had  eight 

children,  and  died  in  Wenham  January  20,  1731-32. 

4.  His  son,  John,  was  born  in  Wenham  December 
20,  1699;  settled  in  Exeter,  and  married  Abigail 
Lyford,  February  14,  1722-23,  who  was  the  mother  of 
six  children,  and  died  in  Exeter  February  12, 
1737-38.  He  married  Sarah  Wilson,  of  Exeter,  Sep- 
tember 18,  1740,  who  had  nine  children. 

5.  His  son  by  his  first  marriage,  Joseph,  was  born 
in  Exeter  January  29,  1730-31.  After  an  early  mar- 
riage, the  wife  and  two  children  of  which  died,  he 
married  Sarah  Smith,  who  gave  birth  to  nine  children, 
and  died  March  1,  1808,  and  he  died  November  6, 
1814.  He  had  moved  to  Canterbury  as  early  as  1788, 
and  settled  on  a farm  just  north  of  the  Shakers.  He 
had  the  misfortune  to  lose  his  eyesight  before  he  left 
Exeter ; consequently  he  never  looked  on  the  town  of 
Canterbury,  where  he  resided  twenty-six  years,  and 
six  of  his  children  were  born  after  he  became  blind. 

6.  His  son,  John,  was  born  in  Exeter  November  20, 
1767 ; married  Sarah,  daughter  of  Benjamin  Moulton, 
of  Kensington,  November  21, 1793 ; moved  to  Canter- 
bury February  14,  1794,  aud  settled  on  their  home- 
stead, north  of  Shaker  village,  where  they  resided 
nearly  sixty  years,  having  nine  children,  the  wife 
dying  April  30,  1853,  and  he  February  26,  1861,  at 
the  age  of  ninety-three  years,  three  months  and  six 
days.  To  farming  he  added  the  business  of  a wheel- 
wright and  manufacturer  of  agricultural  implements, 
and  occasionally  that  of  a builder. 

7.  His  son,  Benjamin,  was  born  in  Canterbury  De- 
cember 27,  1794;  married  Ruth,  daughter  of  David 
Ames,  February  1,  1820.  After  continuing  two  years 
with  his  father  on  the  farm,  and  two  years  on  a farm 


in  Northfield,  he  settled  in  Boscawen  in  the  spring  of 
1824,  on  the  farm  known  as  the  Frost  place,  on  High 
Street;  but  in  November,  1830,  having  purchased  of 
Hon.  Jeremiah  Mason,  of  Portsmouth,  attorney  for 
the  United  States  Bank,  its  land  and  water-power  at 
the  south  part  of  the  town  (now  Penacook),  he  moved 
there,  and  resided  in  the  house  he  had  bought,  situ- 
ated next  east  of  the  hotel,  where  he  died  July  21, 
1834.  Although  dying  at  the  age  of  forty,  he  had 
become  an  active  and  influential  business  man.  In 
1831  be  erected  the  dam  across  the  Contoocook  River, 
and  the  brick  grist-mill  standing  near  the  stone  fac- 
tory. He  also  engaged  in  manufacturing  lumber. 
He  took  an  active  part  in  all  that  was  essential  to 
the  general  and  religious  welfare  of  the  town,  and 
was  elected  to  the  Legislature  in  the  March  preceding 
his  death. 

Ruth  Ames  was  the  ninth  of  the  ten  children  of 
David  Ames  and  Phebe,  daughter  of  Thomas  Hoyt,  who 
died  in  1777,  in  the  War  of  the  Revolution.  David, 
born  May  27,  1749,  was  one  of  four  children  of 
Samuel  Ames,  oue  of  the  first  settlers  of  Canterbury, 
who  was  born  February  13, 1723-24,  and  died  January 
16,  1803.  Ruth  Ames  was  born  in  Canterbury  July 
29,  1797,  and  died  in  Concord  October  22,  1874.  She 
was  a fine  type  of  the  strong  but  liberal  New  England 
woman. 

John  Kimball,  son  of  Benjamin  Kimball  and  Ruth 
Ames,  was  born  in  Canterbury  April  13,1821.  When 
he  was  thirteen  years  of  age  his  father  died,  leaving, 
also,  a daughter  (Elizabeth)  nine  years  old,  and  an- 
other son  (Benjamin  A.)  less  than  a year  old.  The 
widowed  mother  had  already  buried  two  children  in 
infancy,  and  six  years  later  lost  the  daughter;  but 
she  lived  forty  years  longer,  and  enjoyed  the  highest 
felicity  of  a mother,  seeing  her  two  stalwart  sons  grow 
prosperously  to  man’s  estate,  achieving  riches  and 
honors,  unblemished  in  life  and  character.  The 
early  home  duties  and  experiences  of  the  elder  son 
naturally  aroused  in  him  tender  devotion  to  a mother 
and  brother  so  dependent  upon  him,  animated  him  to 
earnest  and  persistent  effort,  developed  in  him  strong 
self-reliance,  and  laid  broad  and  deep  the  foundations 
of  those  qualities  of  heart  and  mind  which  now  dis- 
tinguish him. 

He  attended  the  town  schools  of  Boscawen,  and 
during  the  year  1837  the  Concord  Academy.  In  1838 
he  was  apprenticed  as  a machinist  to  William  Moody 
Kimball,  his  father’s  cousin,  then  engaged  in  con- 
structing mills  and  machinery  at  Boscawen,  and  in 
four  years  he  mastered  his  trade.  His  first  work  after 
coming  of  age  was,  in  1842,  to  rebuild  the  grist-mills 
in  the  valley  near  the  north  end  of  Boscawen  Plain, 
which  are  still  in  use,  and  he  worked  at  his  trade  in 
Suncook,  Manchester,  Lowell  and  Lawrence. 

In  1848  he  took  charge  of  the  new  machine  and 
car-shops  of  the  Concord  Railroad,  then  building  at 
Concord,  and  in  1850  became  master  mechanic  of  that 
corporation,  continuing  in  the  position  until  1858. 


1 By  William  E.  Chandler. 


CONCORD. 


145 


Twenty  years  of  unremitting  work  in  mechanical 
construction  had  brought  him  to  the  summit  of  his 
vocation,  possessing  thorough,  practical  skill,  having 
< acquired  an  unusual  share  of  common  sense  in  human 
affairs,  and  with  habits  of  industry,  temperance  and 
self-reliance,  sure  to  give  him  a fair  measure  of  suc- 
cess in  any  new  calling  which  he  might  choose. 
Henceforth  his  life’s  work  was  to  be  in  different 
fields.  His  neighbors  and  friends  had  discovered  his 
integrity  and  capacity,  and  they  commenced  to  utilize 
them  in  public  employment. 

In  1856,  Mr.  Kimball  had  been  elected  a member  of 
the  Common  Council  of  the  city  of  Concord,  and  re- 
elected in  1857,  and  chosen  president  of  the  Council. 
In  1858  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Legislature,  was 
re-elected  in  1859,  and  served  as  chairman  of  the 
committee  on  the  State  Prison.  In  1859  he  relin- 
quished other  employment  to  serve  as  city  marshal  of 
Concord  and  collector  of  taxes,  from  which  office  he 
was,  in  1862,  appointed  by  President  Lincoln  to  the 
post  of  collector  of  internal  revenue  for  the  Second 
District  of  New  Hampshire,  consisting  of  the  counties 
of  Merrimack  and  Hillsborough,  and  served  until  lie 
resigned,  in  1869.  His  collections,  which  included 
the  tax  on  manufactures  from  the  mills  of  Man- 
chester, were  very  heavy  for  a country  district,  and 
amounted  in  the  seven  years  to  nearly  seven  millions 
of  dollars.  No  revenue  district  in  the  country  estab- 
lished a better  reputation.  His  methods  of  collection, 
while  thorough,  were  quiet,  and  gave  no  offense,  and 
his  administration  was  in  all  respects  faultless.  In 
the  office  of  the  commissioner  of  internal  revenue,  at 
Washington,  his  record  has  always  been  referred  to 
as  one  of  the  very  highest. 

In  1870,  Mr.  Kimball  was  elected  treasurer  of  the 
Merrimack  County  Savings-Bank,  then  first  organized. 
He  has  held  the  office  ever  since,  and  now  conducts 
its  business,  for  which  he  has  been  largely  respon- 
sible, the  bank  being  a profitable  and  successful  in- 
stitution. 

Mr.  Kimball  was  elected  mayor  of  the  city  of  Con- 
cord in  1872,  and  re-elected  in  1873,  1874  and  1875. 
The  duties  of  this  honorable,  responsible,  but  per- 
plexing office  he  discharged  with  zeal  and  firmness, 
and  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  citizens.  It  fell  to  his 
lot  to  construct  an  unusual  number  of  public  works, 

| which  will  long  endure  to  testify  to  his  capacity  and 
; fidelity.  A freshet  having  carried  away  or  rendered 
impassable  five  of  the  seven  wooden  bridges  spanning 
the  Merrimack  and  Contoocook  Rivers,  the  work  of 
rebuilding  devolved  on  him  as  the  superintendent  of 
roads  and  bridges.  The  new  structures  are  of  the 
most  substantial  character, — two,  the  Federal  Bridge 
and  that  at  Penacook.  being  of  iron,  of  modern  de- 
sign. The  central  fire  station,  built  by  him,  is  also 
an  edifice  attractive  as  well  as  commodious  and  con- 
venient. Complaints  of  the  cost  of  Mr.  Kimball’s 
constructions  as  mayor  have  long  since  ceased,  in 
view  of  the  universally  admitted  integrity  of  all  ex- 
10 


penditures  upon  them,  and  their  solidity  and  per- 
manency, as  well  as  of  the  credit  which  they  have 
brought  to  our  beautiful  city.  During  bis  adminis- 
tration the  Long  Pond  water-works  were  constructed, 
bringing  to  the  centre  of  Concord  a copious  supply  of 
the  purest  water,  at  a cost  of  four  hundred  and 
twenty-five  thousand  dollars,  economically  and  skill- 
fully expended.  He  became  ex-ojficio  one  of  the  water 
commissioners,  and  in  1878  president  of  the  board,  in 
which  position  he  has  ever  since  been  kept.  Blossom 
Hill  Cemetery  was  doubled  in  size,  the  streets  of  the 
city  were  improved  in  accordance  with  modern  re- 
quirements, the  system  of  sewerage  was  enlarged,  new 
and  attractive  school-houses  were  constructed,  and, 
without  any  discredit  to  other  mayors,  it  may  be 
claimed  that  it  happened  to  him  to  render  more  im- 
portant and  lasting  service  than  any  other  official 
from  the  adoption  of  the  city  charter,  in  1853,  to  the 
present  time.  For  his  success  he  must  have  been 
largely  indebted  to  the  skill  acquired  during  his  long 
and  laborious  experience  in  the  practical  business  of 
his  youth  and  early  manhood. 

In  1877,  unexpectedly,  and  without  solicitation  or 
suggestion  from  any  one,  Governor  Benjamin  F. 
Prescott  and  his  Council  appointed  Mr.  Kimball  as 
chairman  of  the  board  of  commissioners  to  build 
the  new  State  Prison  at  Concord,  with  Messrs.  Albert 
M.  Shaw  and  Alpha  J.  Pillsbury  as  his  associates. 
In  1880  the  edifice  was  completed  within  the  limits 
of  the  moderate  appropriation  of  two  hundred  and 
thirty-five  thousand  dollars,  a model  in  its  design  and 
construction,  remarkable  for  the  honesty  and  cheap- 
ness which  had  characterized  the  establishment  of  a 
penitentiary  superior,  all  things  considered,  to  any 
prison  of  other  States.  No  more  than  just  praise  was 
uttered  concerning  the  chairman  of  the  commission, 
on  the  ceremony  at  the  opening  of  the  prison,  by  the 
speaker  of  the  occasion,  one  of  Concord’s  most  de- 
voted and  public-spirited  sons,  Colonel  John  H. 
George,  who  said, — 

“It  is  a matter  of  further  and  warm  congratulation  that  its  erection 
has  been  intrusted  to  a competent  commission  ; that  good  judgment 
and  intelligent  investigation  have  characterized  the  plan  ; that  no  cor- 
rupt jobbery  has  polluted  its  construction  ; and  that  for  every  dollar 
expended  a fair  and  honest  result  has  been  obtained.  And  in  this  con- 
nection it  is  but  just  to  say  that  the  fitness  and  labors  of  the  chairman 
of  the  board  especially  should  receive  public  recognition.  To  the  suc- 
cessful performance  of  the  duties  of  his  office  he  brought  unusual 
mechanical  skill,  and  large  exprience  in  the  construction  of  public 
works.” 

Repeated  nominations  and  elections  of  any  citi- 
zen by  his  friends  and  neighbors  to  local  offices,  not 
in  any  way  improperly  procured,  but  conferred  solely 
from  popular  esteem  and  desire,  must  be  taken  to 
indicate  ability  and  true  excellence.  Mr.  Kimball 
not  only  held  the  elective  offices  already  mentioned, 
but  was,  by  the  most  intelligent  local  constituency  in 
the  State,  that  of  Ward  5,  Concord,  for  eleven  suc- 
cessive years,  from  1861,  elected  moderator  of  their 
meetings,  and  was  elected  a member  of  the  Consti- 
tutional Convention  of  1876,  in  which  he  was  chair- 


146 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


man  of  the  committee  on  finance.  He  was,  in 
November,  1880,  chosen  State  Senator  by  the  larger 
constituency  comprised  within  the  principal  wards  in 
Concord ; and  at  the  meeting  of  the  Legislature,  in 
June,  1881,  he  was,  by  general  consent  of  his  party 
associates,  selected  for  president  of  the  Senate,  in 
rank  the  second  officer  in  the  State.  The  duties  of 
this  high  position  he  performed  creditably,  with  cour- 
tesy and  dignity,  and  to  the  satisfaction  of  his 
fellow-members,  as  indicated  by  their  unanimous 
resolution  and  their  speeches  of  approval  of  the  18th 
of  August,  which  were  accompanied  by  an  appropri- 
ate testimonial  of  their  good-will. 

Additional  trusts  reposed  in  him  have  been  the 
presidency  of  the  Concord  Gas-Light  Company  ; his 
appointment,  by  Mr.  Chief  Justice  Doe,  as  one  oi 
the  trustees  of  the  Manchester  and  Keene  Railroad; 
the  treasurerships  of  the  New  Hampshire  Bible  So- 
ciety and  the  Orphans’  Home ; the  settlement  and 
management  of  many  estates  of  persons  deceased,  and 
of  beneficiaries  of  all  kinds,  the  amounts  now  in  his 
care  reaching  several  hundred  thousand  dollars.  The 
trusted  citizen,  banker  and  friend,  to  whom  is  so 
freely  committed  the  property  of  widows  and  orphans, 
can  possess  no  higher  evidence  of  integrity  and  worth. 

In  person,  Mr.  Kimball  is  tall,  erect  and  of  com- 
manding presence,  well  preserved  at  the  age  of  six- 
ty-four, in  perfect  health,  and  with  good  prospects  for 
longevity.  His  modes  of  life  are  regular,  and  he  is 
a total  abstainer,  through  conviction  and  habit. 
While  firm  and  decided  in  his  views,  he  is  genial 
and  courteous  in  personal  intercourse.  His  mind  has 
been  well  cultivated.  He  is  a careful  reader,  with  an 
inclination  for  genealogical  and  historical  research, 
and  he  writes  and  speaks  with  precision  and  effect. 
He  is  faithful  in  every  relation  of  life,  public  and 
domestic,  and  is  valued  and  beloved  by  his  neighbors 
and  friends. 

In  1843  he  joined  the  Congregational  Church  in 
Boscawen,  has  continued  his  connection  with  that  de- 
nomination and  is  now  a member  of  the  South 
Congregational  Church  in  Concord.  He  is  free  from 
bigotry,  pretense  and  intolerance,  is  a just  and  good 
man,  serving  his  God  faithfully  according  to  the  light 
he  possesses,  performing  his  every  duty  and  bearing 
his  every  burden  without  complaint. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Kimball  has  had  no  violent  changes 
to  make.  Acquiring  Whig  principles  from  his 
father  and  grandfather,  the  latter  being  a great  ad- 
mirer of  Governor  John  Taylor  Gilman,  he  became 
a Republican  in  1856,  and  has  always  been  an  active, 
trusted  and  honored  member  of  his  party,  serving 
since  1863,  twenty  years,  as  treasurer  of  the  Repub- 
lican State  Committee. 

May  27,  1846,  at  the  age  of  twenty-five,  Mr.  Kim- 
ball married  Maria  H.  Phillips,  of  Rupert,  Vt.  Their 
only  child,  Clara  Maria,  born  March  20,  1848,  mar- 
ried, June  4,  1873,  Mr.  Augustine  R.  Ayers,  a suc- 
cessful merchant  in  Concord.  Six  children — Ruth 


Ames,  John  Kimball,  Helen  McGregor,  Joseph  Sher- 
burne, Josiah  Philips  and  Augustine  Haines — have 
been  born  to  them.  All  are  now  living  except 
Joseph  Sherburne  and  Josiah  Phillips. 

Mr.  Kimball  has  lived  during  an  eventful  period 
in  the  history  of  his  country  and  the  world,  and  has 
seen  wonderful  changes  in  human  affairs.  Commenc- 
ing life  during  the  first  quarter  of  the  century,  he  has 
already  almost  reached  the  middle  of  the  last  quarter 
and  may  hope  to  survive  to  its  end.  He  began  in 
the  poor  and  primitive  days  of  the  republic ; he  now 
sees  it  abounding  in  wealth  and  the  means  of  luxuri- 
ous living.  Marvelous  progress  has  been  made 
under  his  eyes  in  all  forms  of  human  knowledge 
and  in  all  departments  of  human  endeavor.  When, 
in  1834,  he  and  his  widowed  mother  took  counsel 
together  how  to  meet  the  necessities  of  life  for  them- 
selves and  the  dependent  sister  and  brother,  they 
saw  no  telegraphs,  railroads,  steamships  nor  power 
printing-presses.  Before  that  mother  died,  in  1874, 
these  four  wonderful  inventions  alone  had  revo- 
lutionized all  civilized  life.  Progress  in  human- 
ity has  been  no  less  striking.  As  late,  even,  as  1852 
the  public  conscience  was  proved  to  be  dead  concern- 
ing American  chattel  slavery,  which  was  a most  foul 
stain  on  the  nation’s  honor,  whose  extinction  almost 
no  man  dared  predict  or  hope  for  ; but  another  decade 
saw  slavery  annihilated,  and  freedom  universal  in 
America.  Fortunately,  Mr.  Kimball  has  had  nothing 
to  unlearn  or  retract  of  opinions  on  slavery.  He  has 
witnessed  and  participated  in  the  whole  anti-slavery 
struggle,  and  now,  in  the  fulness  of  his  manhood, 
rejoices  that  he  can  enjoy  the  worldly  prosperity 
with  which  he  has  been  blessed,  as  the  citizen  of  a 
nation  exalted  by  righteousness  and  sustained  and 
guided  by  the  highest  national  honor. 


BENJAMIN  A.  KIMBALL 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  received  his  preparatory 
education  at  the  High  School  in  Concord,  and  sub- 
sequently at  a school  in  Derry  under  the  special  in- 
structions of  Prof.  Hildreth  (who  at  that  time  was 
regarded  as  one  of  the  ablest  teachers  in  the  State). 
He  entered  the  Chandler  Scientific  Department  of 
Dartmouth  College  at  the  opening  of  that  department 
of  the  college,  in  1851,  to  fit  himself  for  his  chosen 
profession  of  mechanical  engineer.  He  acquitted 
himself  with  credit  in  all  the  branches  prescribed  in 
the  course  of  study,  and  was  especially  excellent  in 
mathematics  and  draughting.  His  class  was  small, 
but  it  was  composed  of  men  who  entered  college  with 
the  purpose  of  making  the  most  of  themselves,  and 
they  worked  with  a will.  He  graduated  with  honor, 
July  27,  1854,  receiving  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of 
Science. 

An  incident,  known  to  but  few  now  living,  occurred 
at  the  time  of  his  graduation  which  revealed  the 
spirit  and  purpose  of  his  class. 


CONCORD. 


147 


Considering  the  smallness  of  the  number  that  was 
to  graduate,  the  trustees  thought  the  department 
could  uot  well  afford  to  have  a steel  plate  engraved 
for  the  diploma  at  that  time.  From  this  decision  the 
class  appealed  through  its  principal  instructor, — then, 
as  always,  a firm  friend  of  the  department, — John  S. 
Woodman,  to  the  board  of  visitors,  John  A.  Dixwell 
and  Francis  B.  Hayes.  The  visitors  saw  at  once  that 
the  class,  having  completed  the  prescribed  course, 
could  demand  all  they  claimed,  and  that  to  withhold 
it  might  injure  the  department,  and  they  said  to  Prof. 
Woodman:  “This  department  shall  not  be  behind 
other  departments  of  the  college  in  honoring  its 
graduates.” 

The  diplomas  were  consequently  ordered  and  ex- 
ecuted with  a pen  on  parchment  by  N.  1).  Gould,  of 
Harvard  College,  and  were  fine  specimens  of  artistic 
penmanship  and  faithful  testimonials  of  the  justice 
then  secured  and  since  maintained  for  the  Chandler 
Department  by  the  board  of  visitors. 

August  1,  1854,  Mr.  Kimball  entered  the  employ  of 
the  Concord  Railroad  as  draughtsman  and  machinist, 
and  was  promoted,  April  1,  1856,  to  be  foreman  of 
the  locomotive  department.  January  1,  1858,  he  suc- 
ceeded his  brother  as  master-mechanic  at  the  age  of 
twenty-six  years.  A suggestion  was  made  to  the 
directors  as  to  the  propriety  of  appointing  him,  on 
account  of  his  age  and  limited  practical  experience, 
to  an  office  involving  responsibilities  so  important, 
but  from  their  knowledge  of  him  in  his  previous  em- 
ployment by  the  company  they  did  not  hesitate  to 
make  it,  and  by  his  untiring  energy  and  application 
he  soon  proved  his  fitness  for  the  position  and  con- 
tinued successfully  to  occupy  it  until  April  1,  1865, 
when  he  resigned.  At  this  time  he  became  a member 
of  the  firm  of  Ford  & Kimball,  manufacturers  of  car- 
wheels,  etc.,  which  business  is  still  successfully  car- 
ried on  by  them.  In  1870  he  was  elected  a member 
of  the  House  of  Representatives  from  Ward  6,  Con- 
cord, but  declined  a re-election  in  1871. 

He  was  a member  of  a special  committee  appointed 
by  the  City  Council  of  Concord,  in  1871,  to  procure 
plans  and  specifications  for  an  aqueduct  to  bring  a 
supply  of  water  from  Long  Pond,  and,  in  January 
following,  was  appointed  a member  of  the  Board  of 
Water  Commissioners  to  construct  the  works  sub- 
stantially upon  the  plan  and  under  the  ordinance 
submitted  by  said  committee.  He  continued  an  ac- 
tive member  of  the  board  for  six  years  and  was  its 
president  for  three  years.  In  1876  he  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  Constitutional  Convention  to  revise 
the  Constitution  of  the  State,  and  proved  an  efficient 
and  valuable  member  of  that  assembly. 

He  has  been  connected  with  the  banking  interests  ot 
the  city  for  many  years.  He  was  trustee  and  president 
of  the  Concord  Savings-Bank  until  compelled  to 
resign  by  ill  health,  and  is  a trustee  of  the  Merrimack 
County  Savings-Bank  at  this  time.  He  has  been  a 
director  in  the  Mechanics’  National  Bank  from  its 


organization,  and  is  now  its  president.  January  11, 
1879,  he  was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy  in  the  board 
of  directors  of  the  Concord  Railroad  caused  by  the 
death  of  Hon.  Onslow  Stearns,  and  has  since  been 
closely  connected  with  its  system  of  roads.  In  No- 
vember, 1884,  he  was  chosen  councilor  for  the  Second 
District  and  accepted  the  office  June  4,  1885. 

This  is  the  brief,  but  honorable  record  of  one  whose 
life  has  been  devoted  to  industries  and  enterprises 
which  are  the  source  of  general  prosperity.  He  has 
not  coveted  official  stations,  but,  quietly  mastering 
the  principles  and  details  of  his  business,  has  ad- 
vanced by  the  force  of  personal  merit  to  stations  of 
large  public  responsibility,  and  has  always  proved 
equal  to  the  demands  which  have  been  made  upon 
him.  His  mind  naturally  and  easily  grasps  the 
reasons  of  things,  and  hence  he  is  thoroughly  practical 
in  his  work  and  affairs.  He  is  a good  example  of 
that  honorable  and  valuable  class  of  our  citizens 
whose  natural  abilities,  cultivated  and  improved  by 
study  and  practical  experience,  make  them  successful 
in  business  for  themselves  and  influential  and  useful 
members  of  society  in  the  communities  in  which  they 
live. 

In  an  age  distinguished  for  mechanical  skill  and 
the  application  of  force  to  the  development  of  material 
resources,  men  of  the  quality  of  Mr.  Kimball  are 
indispensable  and  appreciated.  Metaphysicians  and 
theorists  are  relegated  to  seclusion,  and  practical 
thinkers  and  doers  are  advanced  to  leadership.  The 
right  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  to  a foremost  place 
in  this  class  has  been  clearly  recognized  and  his  place 
assigned  at  the  front  in  the  line  of  social  progress. 
The  people  have  learned  that  he  is  not  one 

“ To  cozen  fortune, 

And  be  honorable  without  the  stamp  of  merit.” 


HON.  GEOROE  A.  PILLSBURY.1 

The  prosperity  of  the  great  West,  a subject  almost 
too  vast  for  comprehension,  certainly  too  extensive 
to  be  treated  of  in  these  pages,  is  one  in  which  all 
sections  of  the  country  must,  necessarily,  be  deeply 
concerned.  Particularly  is  the  proposition  true  as  re- 
gards New  England,  for  there  are  binding  ties  of 
relationship  and  identities  of  interest  that  render 
separation  or  indifference  upon  the  part  of  the  latter 
impossible.  New  England  has  claimed,  justly,  it  is 
conceded,  to  have  contributed  very  largely  in  men  and 
money  to  build  up  the  West  to  its  present  flourishing 
condition,  but  certainly  no  State  has  done  more,  pro- 
portionately, towards  accomplishing  this  end  than 
New  Hampshire.  National  or  sectional  prosperity  is 
as  much  due  to  the  energy  and  enterprise  of  men  as 
to  capital,  and  to-day,  there  is  not  a State  in  the  wide 
West  that  does  not  show  the  fruits  of  the  pluck  and 


1 By  Allan  H.  Robinson. 


148 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


perseverance  of  New  Hampshire  men.  A glorious 
inheritance  was  the  energy,  industry  and  self-reli- 
ance which  seem  to  have  been  transmitted  from  the 
settlers  of  the  Granite  State  to  their  descendants ; 
for  it  is  to  these  traits  of  character  that  the  State 
owes  the  credit  reflected  upon  her  by  the  success  of 
her  sons.  Well  may  the  State  regard  with  pride  the 
roll  of  names  that  have  achieved  distinction  abroad, 
for  it  is  as  bright  as  a constellation,  and,  as  a New 


Hampshire  statesman  and  scholar  recently  said,  “ as 
long  as  the  milky  way.”  Not  alone  in  literature, 
the  professions  and  politics,  but  in  industrial  pursuits, 
and,  in  fact,  all  the  walks  in  life,  have  they  become 
distinguished.  Hardly  a village  in  the  common- 
wealth but  boasts  of  some  representative  abroad  who 
has  won  honor  and  distinction.  High  in  the  list  of 
honored  names,  in  this  and  other  States,  is  that  of 
Pillsbury,  and  in  the  subjoined  it  is  attempted  to 
sketch,  briefly,  the  life  of  a member  of  this  family, 
who  recently  left  New  Hampshire  to  make  his  home 
in  Minnesota.  Brief  and  unsatisfactory,  in  point  of 
detail,  as  it  is  rendered  by  limited  space,  the  writer 
feels  assured  that  the  facts  will  he  read  with  interest 
by  the  many  friends  of  the  gentleman  mentioned. 

The  branch  of  the  family  to  which  this  sketch 
directly  relates  has  been  traced  back  to  William 
Pillsbury  (sometimes  spelled  Pillsberry  and  Pills- 
borough),  who  was  born  in  the  county  of  Essex, 
in  England,  in  1615.  He  came  to  Dorchester, 
in  the  colony  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  in  1640,  where 
he  married  Dorothy  Crosby.  In  1651  he  settled  on  a 
farm  in  Newbury,  Mass,  (now  a part  of  Newburyport). 
The  same  property  has  remained  in  possession  of  the 
Pillsbury  family  from  1651  to  the  present  time.  In 
England  the  coat-of-arms  of  the  Pillsbury  family 
is  described  in  heraldic  terms  thus:  “ Per f esse  mb/e 
and  azure  on  an  eagle  displayed  argent. : three  griffins’ 
heads  erased  of  the  second.”  Crest,  an  esquire’s  hel- 
met; motto:  “Labor  Omnia  Vincit.  ” William  Pills- 
bury died  at  Newbury,  June  10,  1686,  leaving  ten 
children, — seven  sons  and  three  daughters.  Moses 
Pillsbury,  second  son  of  William  and  Dorothy  (Crosby) 
Pillsbury,  was  born  in  Dorchester,  Mass.,  and  in  1668 
married  Mrs.  Susanna  Whipple,  of  Newbury.  To 
them  was  born  six  children.  Caleb,  second  son  of 
Moses  and  Susanna,  was  born  in  Newbury  in  1681, 
and  married  Sarah  (Morss),  in  1703.  Caleb,  son  of 
Caleb  and  Sarah  (Morss)  Pillsbury,  was  born  in  New- 
bury, January  26,  1717;  he  married  Sarah  Kimball, 
of  Amesbury,  Mass.,  July,  1742;  to  them  were  born 
seven  children.  Caleb  Pillsbury,  Jr.,  was,  for  several 
years,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death,  a member  of  the 
Massachusetts  General  Court.  Micajah,  fourth  son 
of  Caleb,  Jr.,  and  Sarah  Kimball,  was  born  in  Ames- 
bury, Mass.,  May  22,  1761,  and  in  1781  married 
Sarah  Sargent,  of  Amesbury.  Sarah  Sargent  was 
born  in  1763.  To  them  were  born  eight  children, — 
four  sons  and  four  daughters.  Micajah  Pillsbury  and 
family  moved  from  Amesbury,  Mass.,  to  Sutton,  N.  H., 


in  February,  1795,  where  he  remained  until  his  death, 
in  1802,  occupying  various  offices  of  town  trust.  His 
wife  survived  him  several  years.  Stephen,  the  oldest 
son,  was  a Baptist  clergyman  ; the  other  brothers,  in- 
cluding John,  the  father  of  thesubject  of  this  sketch, 
were  all  magistrates  of  the  town  of  Sutton,  N.  H. 

John  Pillsbury,  who  died  in  Sutton  in  1856,  aged 
sixty-seven  years,  was  a prominent  man  in  that  town, 
having  held  the  office  of  representative  and  select- 
man, and  filled  other  positions,  always  acceptably. 
He  held  a captain’s  commission  in  the  militia,  and 
was  known  as  Captain  Pillsbury.  On  the  2d  of  April, 
1811,  he  married  Susan,  youngest  daughter  of  Ben- 
jamin Wadlcigli,  of  Sutton,  who  settled  in  that  town 
in  1771.  She  was  born  March  23,  1793,  and  died  in 
1877,  at  the  age  of  eighty-four  years.  She  was  a de- 
scendant of  Captain  Thomas  Wadleigh,  of  Exeter,  a 
son  of  Robert  Wadleigh,  of  the  same  place,  who  was  a 
member  of  the  Provincial  Legislature  of  Massachu- 
setts. 

The  maternal  grandmother  of  the  Pillsburys  was 
a daughter  of  Ebenezer  Kezar,  whose  father  hid  the 
girl  he  afterwards  married  under  a pile  of  boards  at  the 
time  of  Mrs.  Duston’s  capture  in  Haverhill,  Mass.,  in 
1697.  Ebenezar  Kezar,  the  great-grandfather,  lived 
in  Rowley,  Mass.,  in  1752,  where  he  was  a black- 
smith, shoemaker,  tavern-keeper,  wig-maker  and 
dealer  in  earthenware  and  other  merchandise.  The 
old  wig-box  and  implements,  which  have  been  in 
disuse  for  more  than  a century,  are  now  in  the  town. 
Ebenezer  is  said  to  have  been  a relative  of  “Colder 
Keyser,”  referred  to  in  one  of  Whittier’s  poems  as 
possessing  the  “ magic  stone.”  He  was  of  German 
origin,  probably.  In  Harriman’s  “History  of  Warner,” 
Mr.  Kezar  is  spoken  of  as  being  moderator  of  a 
meeting  held  in  that  town,  in  1778,  for  the  choice  of 
representatives  from  the  classed  towns  of  Fishers- 
rteld,  Perrvstown,  New  Britain  and  Warner.  He 
called  the  first  meeting  of  Sutton,  after  its  incorpora- 
tion, in  1784,  and  presided  over  it.  He  went  to  Sut- 
ton in  1772,  and  worked  as  blacksmith,  shoemaker, 
farmer  and  trapper.  The  first  bridge  in  Sutton  of 
which  there  is  any  record  was  built  by  him.  His 
descendants,  who  are  numerous  there  and  elsewhere, 
own  most  of  the  pond  in  the  town  mentioned,  which 
bears  his  name,  and  nearly  a thousand  acres  of  land 
in  its  vicinity,  extending  to  and  embracing  the  upper 
falls  and  mills  above  Mill  village. 

Both  John  and  Sarah  Pillsbury  were  professors  of 
religion,  and  lived  exemplary  lives.  They  had  four 
sons  and  one  daughter, — viz. : Simon  Wadleigh  Pills- 
bury, born  at  Sutton,  June  22,  1812 ; George  Alfred, 
born  at  Sutton,  August  29,  1816  ; Dolly  W.,  born  at 
Sutton,  September  6,  1818  ; John  Sargent,  born  at 
Sutton,  July  29,  1827;  Benjamin  Franklin,  born  at 
Sutton,  March  29,  1831. 

All  the  brothers  had  a good  common-school  educa- 
tion. Simon  W.,  the  oldest,  was  a remarkable  young 
man,  both  physically  and  mentally.  He  was  a supe- 


CONCORD. 


149 


rior  scholar,  being  considered  one  of  the  best  mathe- 
maticians in  the  State  at  the  time  of  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  January,  183(5,  and  which  was  superin- 
duced by  close  application  to  study.  When  attacked 
by  the  sickness  that  caused  his  death,  he  was  pre- 
pared to  enter  college  two  years  in  advance.  He 
gave  the  first  public  lecture  on  temperance  in  an  old 
school-house  in  Sutton,  it  being  considered,  fifty 
years  ago,  sacrilegious  to  use  the  meeting-house  for 
such  a purpose.  His  success  was  most  marked,  for 
nearly  every  sober  man  was  ready  to  sign  the  pledge. 

At  the  age  of  sixteen,  John  Sargent  Pillsbury  went 
to  Warner  as  a clerk  for  his  brother,  George  Alfred, 
who  was  then  engaged  in  business  in  that  place.  He 
remained  there  till  about  the  year  1848,  when  he  en- 
tered into  a business  partnership  with  Hon.  Walter 
Harriman  in  the  same  town.  He  was  subsequently 
in  trade  at  East  Andover  and  Concord.  In  the  year 
1854  he  visited  the  West,  spending  nearly  a year  in 
Michigan,  Illinois,  Wisconsin  and  Minnesota.  He 
finally  established  his  home  at  the  Falls  of  St.  An- 
thony, and  at  once  went  into  the  hardware  trade,  and 
by  his  energy  and  honorable  dealing  he  succeeded 
in  building  up  the  largest  hardware  trade  in  the 
State.  He  took  an  active  interest  in  the  prosperity 
of  the  then  Territory  of  Minnesota  and  the  city 
of  his  adoption.  From  18(53  to  1875  he  served  as 
Senator  from  his  district,  notwithstanding  the  fact 
that  the  politics  of  a majority  of  the  district  did  not 
accord  with  his.  In  1875  he  was  elected  Governor 
of  the  State,  was  re-elected  in  1877  and  again  in  1879. 

The  elections  in  Minnesota  occur  biennially,  and 
this  is  the  only  instance  in  which  a person  has  been 
elected  to  the  office  of  Governor  for  a third  term. 

Dolly  W.  Pillsbury  married  Enoch  P.  Cummings, 
and  their  son,  Charles  P.  Cummings,  was  recently 
sergeant-at-arms  of  the  New  Hampshire  House  of 
Representatives. 

Benjamin  F.  Pillsbury  remained  in  his  native  town 
till  1878,  when  he  removed  to  Granite  Falls,  Minn., 
where  he  is  conducting  an  extensive  business  in  build- 
ing and  dealing  in  real  estate  and  lumber. 

During  his  residence  in  Sutton  he  filled  many 
offices  of  trust  and  responsibility.  He  was  select- 
man and  town  treasurer  quite  frequently,  and  in  1877— 
78  he  was  a Representative  to  the  General  Court. 
He  has  always  been  an  active  business  man,  and  is 
a highly- respected  citizen  in  his  adopted  home. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  George  Alfred  Pills- 
bury, a son  of  John  and  Susan  (Wadleigh)  Pillsbury, 
was  born  in  Sutton,  Merrimack  County,  N.  H.,  on 
the  29th  of  August,  1816.  He  received  a thorough 
common-school  education  in  his  native  town,  and  be- 
ing of  an  active  temperament,  manifested  a desire  to 
enter  business  at  an  early  age.  Accordingly,  at  the 
age  of  eighteen  years,  he  went  to  Boston  and  ob- 
tained employment  as  a clerk  with  Job  Davis,  who 
was  doing  business  at  that  time  as  a grocer  and  fruit- 
dealer  under  the  Boylston  Market.  He  remained 


in  Boston  but  little  more  than  a year,  when  he  re- 
turned to  Sutton,  and  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
stoves  and  sheet-ironware  in  company  with  his  cousin, 
John  C.  Pillsbury.  He  continued  there  for  a few 
years,  doing  an  extensive  business. 

On  the  1st  of  February,  1840,  Mr.  Pillsbury  went 
to  Warner  as  a clerk  in  the  store  of  John  H.  Pear- 
son, in  which  capacity  he  served  till  July  of  the  same 
year,  when  he  purchased  the  business  ; and  from  that 
time,  through  nearly  eight  years,  he  was  actively  en- 
gaged, either  on  his  own  accountor  in  partnership  with 
others.  His  partners  during  this  time  were  Henry 
Woodman  and  H.  I).  Robertson. 

In  the  spring  of  1848  he  went  into  a wholesale 
dry-goods  house  in  Boston,  and  in  1849,  having  leased 
the  store  of  Ira  Harvey,  in  Warner,  and  bought  his 
stock  of  goods,  he  returned  to  that  town  and  engaged 
in  business,  where  he  remained  till  the  spring  of 
1851,  when  he  sold  back  his  interest  to  Mr.  Harvey, 
and  went  out  of  mercantile  business  entirely. 

In  1844  he  was  appointed  postmaster  at  Warner, 
and  held  the  office  till  1849,  there  being  at  that  time 
but  one  office  in  the  town.  In  1847  he  served  the 
town  as  selectman,  in  1849  as  selectman  and  town 
treasurer,  and  in  the  years  1850  and  1851  he  was 
elected  Representative  to  the  General  Court. 

During  the  session  of  1851  Merrimack  County  de- 
cided to  build  a new  jail  at  Concord,  the  old  one  at 
Hopkinton  having  become  dilapidated  and  unfit  for 
use.  The  convention  appointed  Mr.  Pillsbury  chair- 
man of  a committee  with  full  authority  to  purchase 
lands,  perfect  plans  and  erect  the  building.  The 
site  selected  by  the  committee  was  that  occupied  by 
the  jail  in  present  use.  This  lot  contained  ten  acres. 
The  general  superintendence  is  given  to  Mr.  Pills- 
bury by  the  other  members  of  the  coinmitee,  and  he 
devoted  his  whole  time  to  the  work,  which  was  not 
completed  till  the  spring  of  1852.  At  the  time  of 
its  erection  it  was  considered  one  of  the  best  build- 
ings of  the  kind  in  the  State,  and  the  thoroughness 
of  its  construction  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  now, 
after  twenty-eight  years  of  service,  it  will  compare 
very  favorably  with  other  like  institutions. 

In  November,  1851,  Mr.  Pillsbury  received  from 
the  Concord  Railroad  corporation  an  appointment  as 
purchasing  agent  for  the  road,  and  entered  upon  the 
duties  of  the  position  in  December  of  the  same  year, 
having,  meantime,  moved  his  family  to  Concord. 
He  occupied  this  position  continuously  until  July, 
1875,  a period  of  nearly  twenty-four  years.  During 
his  administration  of  the  office,  which  was  always 
most  satisfactory,  his  purchases  amounted  to  more 
than  three  mill  ions  of  dollars,  and  he  settled  more  cases 
of  claims  against  the  road  for  personal  injury,  result- 
ing from  accident  and  fire,  than  all  other  officers 
combined.  In  all  his  long  term  of  office  his  relations 
with  the  officers  of  the  road  were  of  the  most  agree- 
able character;  no  fault  was  ever  found  or  com- 
plaint made  of  his  transactions  by  the  management. 


150 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


During  a residence  of  nearly  twenty-seven  years  in 
Concord  Mr.  Pillsbury  was  called  upon  to  fill  many 
important  positions  of  honor  and  trust,  and  he  did 
much  toward  building  up  and  beautifying  the  city. 
He  was  one  of  the  committee  appointed  by  Union 
School  District  to  build  the  High  School  building  and 
several  other  school  buildings  that  now  stand  monu- 
ments of  credit  to  the  enterprise  of  our  people.  He 
was  interested  in  the  erection  of  several  of  the  hand- 
some business  blocks  upon  Main  Street,  and  several 
fine  residences  in  the  city  were  built  by  him. 

In  1864,  Mr.  Pillsbury,  with  others,  organized  and 
put  into  operation  the  First  National  Bank  of  Con- 
cord. He  was  elected  a member  of  the  first  board 
of  directors,  and  in  1866  became  its  president,  and 
continued  in  that  office  until  his  departure  from  the 
State.  He  was  also  instrumental,  more  than  any 
other  person,  in  securing  the  charter  and  getting 
into  operation  the  National  Savings-Bank,  in 
1867.  He  was  the  first  president  of  this  institution  and 
held  the  position  till  1874,  when  he  resigned.  Dur- 
ing his  connection  with  the  First  National  Bank  that 
institution  became,  in  proportion  to  its  capital  stock, 
the  strongest  of  any  bank  in  the  State,  and  its  stand- 
ing is  equally  good  to-day.  Up  to  December,  1873, 
when  the  treasurer  was  discovered  to  be  a defaulter 
to  a large  amount,  the  National  Savings-Bank  was 
one  of  the  most  prosperous  institutions  of  its  kind 
in  the  State;  but  the  defalcation,  coupled  with  a 
general  crash  in  business,  necessitated  its  closing  up. 
During  the  first  year  of  its  existence  it  received  on 
deposit  nearly  seven  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and 
at  the  time  of  the  defalcation  of  its  treasurer  it  had 
nearly  one  million  six  hundred  thousand  dollars 
on  deposit;  its  total  deposits  during  the  first  five 
years  of  its  existence,  up  to  the  time  mentioned, 
amounted  to  more  than  three  millions  of  dollars. 
The  bank  eventually  paid  a large  percentage  of  its 
indebtedness. 

While  a resident  of  Concord,  Mr.  Pillsbury  was 
identified  with  most  of  the  benevolent  and  charitable 
institutions  of  the  day,  and  he  was  always  ready  to 
assist,  by  his  advice  and  contributions,  all  organiza- 
tions that  had  for  their  object  the  relief  of  the  unfor- 
tunate and  suffering.  He  was  ever  a liberal  supporter 
of  all  moral  and  religious  enterprises. 

To  his  generosity  is  the  city  of  Concord  indebted 
for  the  fine  bell  which  hangs  in  the  tower  of  the 
Board  of  Trade  building,  and  for  this  donation  he 
was  the  recipient  of  a vote  of  thanks  from  the  City 
Council. 

The  large,  handsome  organ  in  the  First  Baptist 
Church  was  a gift  from  Mr.  Pillsbury  and  his  sou, 
Charles  A.,  both  gentlemen  being  at  the  time  mem- 
bers of  that  church. 

He  was  actively  engaged  in  instituting  the  Cen- 
tennial Home  for  the  Aged,  in  Concord,  made  large 
contributions  to  aid  in  putting  it  into  operation  and 
was  a member  of  the  board  of  its  trustees.  He  also 


contributed  largely  to  the  Orphans’  Home,  in  Frank- 
lin, and  was  one  of  its  trustees  from  the  time  of  its 
establishment  till  he  left  the  State.  Mr.  Pillsbury 
was,  for  several  years,  a member  of  the  City  Council 
of  Concord;  was  elected  mayor  in  1876,  and  re- 
elected the  following  year.  During  the  years  1871— 
72  he  represented  Ward  Five  in  the  Legislature,  and  in 
the  latter  year  was  made  chairman  of  the  special 
committee  on  the  apportionment  of  public  taxes. 

In  1876  the  Concord  City  Council  appointed  him 
chairman  of  a committee  of  three,  to  appraise  all  of 
the  real  estate  in  the  city  for  the  purposes  of  taxation, 
and  in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  thus  devolving 
upon  him  he  personally  visited  every  residence  with- 
in the  limits  of  the  city.  The  position  is  a very 
responsible  one,  requiring  the  exercise  of  sound 
judgment  and  great  patience,  and  the  report  of  the 
committee  gave  very  general  satisfaction. 

In  the  spring  of  1878  he  determined  to  leave  Con- 
cord and  take  up  his  residence  in  Minneapolis, 
Minn.,  where,  with  his  two  sons  and  brother,  he  was 
extensively  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  flour. 
Probably  no  person  ever  left  the  city  who  received 
so  many  expressions  of  regret  as  Mr.  Pillsbury. 
Complimentary  resolutions  were  unanimously  passed 
by  both  branches  of  the  city  government  and  by  the 
First  National  Bank,  the  latter  testifying  strongly  to 
his  integrity,  honesty  and  superior  business  qualities. 
Resolutions  passed  by  the  First  Baptist  Church  and 
Society  were  ordered  to  be  entered  upon  the  records 
of  each  organization.  The  Webster  Club,  composed 
of  fifty  prominent  business  men  of  Concord,  passed  a 
series  of  resolutions  regretting  his  departure  from 
the  State.  A similar  testimonial  was  also  presented 
to  Mr.  Pillsbury,  which  was  subscribed  to  by  more 
than  three  hundred  of  the  leading  professional  and 
business  men  of  the  city,  among  whom  were  all  the  ex- 
mayors then  living,  all  the  clergymen,  all  the  members 
of  both  branches  of  the  city  government,  all  of  the 
bank  presidents  and  officers,  twenty-six  lawyers, 
twenty  physicians  and  nearly  all  the  business  men  in 
the  city.  On  the  eve  of  their  departure  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Pillsbury  were  presented  with  an  elegant  bronze 
statuette  of  Mozart.  Such  tributes,  however  worthily 
bestowed,  could  but  afford  great  gratification  to  the 
recipient,  showing  as  they  did  the  great  esteem  in 
which  he  was  held  by  his  fellow-citizens. 

Mr.  Pillsbury  is  now  very  pleasantly  located  in  the 
beautiful  city  of  Minneapolis,  having  built  one  of 
the  most  elegant  residences  in  the  city,  and  during 
the  short  time  that  he  has  been  there  he  has  fre- 
quently been  called  upon  to  fill  places  of  honor  and 
trust. 

Mr.  Pillsbury  is  a member  of  the  firm  of  Charles 
A.  Pillsbury  & Co.,  of  Minneapolis,  Minn.,  the  largest 
flour  manufacturing  firm  in  the  world.  This  firm 
have  in  operation  three  mills,  with  a capacity 
of  nine  thousand  barrels  of  flour  per  day.  One  of 
these  mills  has  a daily  capacity  of  six  thousaud 


CONCORD 


151 


barrels,  and  manufactures  more  flour  each  day  than 
any  other  two  mills  on  the  globe.  The  three  mills 
grind  each  day  forty-four  thousand  bushels  of  wheat, 
which  is  equal  to  the  production  of  about  three 
thousand  acres  of  land.  The  annual  consumption 
of  these  mills  is  eleven  million  bushels  of  wheat, 
which  is  equal  to  the  production  of  one  million 
acres  of  land.  It  requires  about  two  hundred  cars 
each  day  to  take  wheat  into,  and  flour  and  offal  out  ol 
these  mills.  The  firm  has  a world-wide  reputation 
as  honorable  and  fair-dealing  men,  and  their  brands 
of  flour  are  well  known  in  all  the  markets  of  the 
world. 

The  following  extract,  taken  from  the  January, 
1885,  number  of  The  Northwest,  a popular  monthly 
magazine  published  at  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  will  perhaps 
best  show  the  estimation  in  which  the  subject  of  this 
article  and  the  Pillsbury  family  are  held  in  Min- 
neapolis and  in  the  State  of  Minnesota : 

“The  Mayor  of  the  City.— More  than  a year  ago,  the  writer  said  in 
the  columns  of  The  Northwest , that  if  any  man  in  Minneapolis  was  asked 
to  whom  the  city  chiefly  owed  its  prosperity,  there  would  be  no  hesita- 
tion in  his  answer— ‘the  Pillsburys.’  Since  then  the  people  of  Minne- 
apolis have  had  no  cause  to  change  their  opinions,  while  last  spring  they 
gave  a somewhat  emphatic  utterance  to  them  by  electing  one  of  the 
members  of  this  remarkable  family— the  Hon.  George  Alfred  Pillsbury — 
to  the  mayoralty  of  the  city  by  an  overwhelming  vote.  A liking  for  hard 
work  and  a belief  in  its  virtues  seem  to  have  been  early  rooted  in  the 
Pillsbury  family,  for,  in  England,  more  than  two  centuries  and  a halt 
ago,  they  bore  for  their  motto  the  words  ‘ Labor  Omnia  Vincit. ’ But  in 
all  the  generations  of  Pillsburys  since  then  who  have  lived  and 
worked  from  English  Essex  to  Massachusetts,  New  Hampshire  and  Min- 
nesota, it  may  be  doubted  whether  any  one  of  them  has  better  deserved 
to  bear  the  motto  than  the  present  mayor  of  Minneapolis.  It  was  Lord 
Brougham  who  was  advised  by  a friend  to  ‘confine  himself,  if  possible,  to 
the  work  of  five  ordinary  men  but  his  toil-loving  lordship  himself 
might  have  been  envious  of  the  amount  of  downright  hard  work  which 
Mr.  Pillsbury  has  got  through  in  his  life.  Setting  his  early  life  aside 
for  the  present,  the  mayor  has  only  been  in  Minneapolis  six  years  as  yet. 

| During  that  time  he  has  been  president  of  the  Minneapolis  Board  of 
Trade,  of  the  City  Council,  of  the  Homoeopathic  Hospital  and  the  Minne- 
I apolis  Free  Dispensary  ; and  is  still  president  of  the  Chamber  of  Corn* 

, merce,  of  the  Pillsbury  & Hulbert  Elevator  Company,  of  the  Board  of 
Water- Works,  of  the  St.  Paul  and  Minneapolis  Baptist  Union  and  the  Min- 
| nesota  Baptist  State  Convention  ; vice-president  of  the  Minnesota  Loan 
and  Trust  Company  ; member  of  the  Board  of  Park  Commissioners  ; di- 
I rector  of  the  Northwestern  National  Bank,  the  Manufacturers’  National 
Bank,  the  Minneapolis  Elevator  Company  and  a trustee  of  institutions 
| innumerable.  All  this  besides  mayor  of  the  city  ! ‘ Here’s  a small  trifle 

of  work  ! Eleven  trusteeships  and  nine  presidencies  is  a simple  coming- 
in  for  one  man.’  And  in  spite  of  the  diversity  of  his  duties,  there  has 
not  been  one  post  among  all  those  which  he  has  filled  wherein  he  has 
failed  to  win  the  heartiest  respect  and  approbation  of  all  who  have  beeD 
brought  into  connection  with  him.  The  more  difficult  kinds  of  work  he 
has  to  do,  the  more  he  appears  to  be  able  to  give  his  undivided  attention 
to  each  oue. 

“Mr.  Pillsbury  has  shown  a capacity,  almost  a genius,  for  hard  and 
honest  work  almost  incomprehensible  to  most  men.  This  alone  would 
compel  the  respect  of  his  fellow-citizens  ; but,  by  his  generosity,  his 
| warm-heartedness  and  unostentatious  charity,  he  has  also  won  their 
affection.  No  stranger  can  read  his  public  record  without  admiring  the 
| man  who  could  live  such  a life  ; but  it  is  a stronger  tribute  to  his  char- 
acter that  no  acquaintance  can  see  the  details  of  his  private  life  without 
| his  admiration  growing  to  something  warmer.  Mr.  Pillsbury  is  yet 
only  sixty -eight  years  of  age,  and  it  is  safe  to  predict  that  Minneapolis 
will  yet  be  grateful  to  him  for  much  good  work  done  for  her  and  many 
i benefits  received  at  his  hands.’’ 

Mr.  Pillsbury  married  Margaret  S.  Carleton,  May 
9,  1841.  To  them  were  born  three  children, — Charles 


A.,  born  October  3,  1842  ; Mary  Adda,  born  April  25, 
1848;  Frederick  C.,  born  August  27,  1852.  Mary 
Adda  died  May  11,  1849. 

Both  sons  are  now  associated  with  him  in  busi- 
ness, and  are  excellent  business  men.  Charles, 
the  elder  son,  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in 
the  class  of  1883,  and  has  been  a member  of  the  Min- 
nesota State  Senate. 

George  A.  Pillsbury  is  a gentleman  of  great  per- 
sonal magnetism,  genial  and  affable  in  manner  and 
possessed  of  entertaining  and  attractive  conversa- 
tional powers.  Warm-hearted  and  generous,  he  was 
ever  ready  to  respond  to  calls  of  distress,  not  only 
with  good  counsel,  but  with  more  substantial  aids,  as 
many  an  unpublished  charity  in  Concord  will  attest. 
All  who  approached  him  were  sure  of  a kindly  greet- 
ing, aud  any  petition  for  favors  received  a patient 
consideration  and  a courteous  reply.  With  the  young 
he  was  very  companionable,  and  with  his  conserva- 
tive and  liberal  views  of  life,  he  was  able  to  impart 
much  valuable  advice  and  information.  His  mind 
was  well  disciplined  and  evenly  balanced,  and  his 
habits  very  systematic.  He  was  possessed  of  sound, 
practical  judgment  and  great  executive  ability.  Quick 
to  grasp  a point  he  seldom  erred  in  action,  and  by  a 
faculty  of  reading  character,  he  seemed  always  ready 
to  meet  any  emergency  that  might  arise.  In  early 
life  he  received  a thorough  business  training,  and  in  his 
dealings  with  men  he  was  straightforward  and  lib- 
eral. In  his  enterprises  he  looked  beyond  the  present, 
and  results  seldom  disappointed  him.  In  public 
life  his  administration  of  affairs  was  most  satisfac- 
tory and  able,  and  won  for  him  the  esteem  of  all  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact. 


ELIPHALET  SIMES  NUTTER. 

Eliphalet  Simes  Nutter  was  born  in  Barnstead, 
N.  H.,  November  26,  1819,  being  the  second  son  of 
Eliphalet  and  Lovey  (Locke)  Nutter.  His  grand- 
father, John  Nutter,  settled  in  Barnstead  in  1767, 
and  served  in  the  Revolution  as  major  of  Colonel 
George  Reid’s  regiment.  Major  John  Nutter’s  son 
Eliphalet — father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch — 
was  a farmer,  living  in  the  southeast  part  of  the  town, 
and  owning  a large  amount  of  real  estate.  Like  his 
father,  he  was  an  influential  citizen,  prominent  in 
town  affairs,  and  held  various  offices  conferred  by  the 
confidence  of  his  townsmen.  He  was,  in  his  time, 
the  principal  trial  justice  at  Barnstead,  and,  with 
clear  head,  pious  heart  and  upright  intention,  adjusted 
the  controversies  of  his  neighborhood.  In  1807  he 
married  Lovey,  daughter  of  James  Locke,  one  of  the 
first  settlers  of  Barnstead.  The  worthy  pair  left,  at 
decease,  a large  family. 

Their  son,  Eliphalet  S.,  spent  his  boyhood  on  his 
father’s  farm,  where  he  was  trained  to  those  habits  of 
industry  and  thrift  which  were  to  characterize  so 
eminently  his  maturer  years.  He  enjoyed  the  advan- 


152 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


tages  of  the  common  school,  and  improved  them  so 
well  that  he  became  an  efficient  and  acceptable 
teacher. 

He  inherited  military  tastes,  and,  at  the  age  of 
eighteen — in  the  year  1837 — he  received  from  Gov- 
ernor Isaac  Hill  his  commission  as  lieutenant  of  a 
company,  under  the  militia  system  of  the  period,  and, 
in  1839,  from  Governor  John  Page,  that  of  captain. 

In  1814,  he  commenced  that  active  business  career, 
in  which  he  still  continues,  by  opening  a country 
store  at  Barnstead  Parade,  where  he  carried  on  a 
prosperous  trade  for  eleven  years.  During  eight  of 
these  years  he  was  postmaster.  In  1855  he  moved 
to  Concord,  which  has  ever  since  been  his  place  of 
residence.  In  course  of  the  time  since  his  removal  to 
the  capital  of  the  State  he  has  been  five  years  in 
business  in  New  York  City;  has  owned,  for  seven 
years,  a leading  grocery-store  in  Lawrence,  Mass.; 
has  been  engaged  five  years  in  the  drug  business  in 
Concord,  and  also  has  had  a store  in  Boston.  He 
was  formerly  president  of  the  New  Hampshire  Central 
Railroad.  He  is  now  (1885)  engaged  in  several  im- 
portant business  enterprises:  being  one  of  the  direc- 
tors of  the  Franconia  Iron  Company,  with  capital 
stock  of  $200,000;  a large  owner  in  the  Atlantic  and 
Pacific  Railway  Tunnel  Company,  Denver,  Colorado, 
capital  stock,  $7,000,000;  president  of  the  New  Hamp- 
shire Democratic  Press  Company,  capital  stock, 
$25,000;  president  of  The  National  Railway  and  St  reet  - 
Rolling-Stock  Company,  capital  stock,  $500,000. 

Thrift  has  not  failed  to  follow  wisdom,  energy  and 
perseverance  in  the  prosecution  of  his  varied  busi- 
ness ventures.  He  now  enjoys  the  fruitful  accumula- 
tions of  well-directed  industry  in  a home  blessed  with 
the  presence  of  a worthy  wife,  to  whom,  as  Sylvania 
M.  Blanchard,  of  Lowell,  he  was  united  in  marriage 
in  1845.  Years  ago  their  happy  home  was  darkened 
by  a great  sorrow,  when  their  only  child,  a lovely 
daughter,  Ada,  was,  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  snatched 
away  by  death. 

Mr.  Nutter  has  found  opportunity,  amid  other 
engrossing  cares,  to  manifest  public  spirit  in  devoting 
time  and  effort  to  assisting  in  the  commemoration  of 
events  pertaining  both  to  the  history  of  the  State  in 
general  and  to  that  of  his  beloved  native  town  in 
particular.  His  patriotism  begins  where  it  should— 
at  home.  To  the  erection  of  the  monument  in  mem- 
ory of  Hannah  Duston  and  her  heroic  deed  of  rescue 
from  cruel  captivity,  on  the  little  island  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Contoocook,  his  generous  and  untiring  exer- 
tions were  a prominent  and  essential  contribution. 
Upon  his  call  was  held  the  meeting  of  the  sons  and 
daughters  of  Barnstead  living  in  Concord  which 
resulted  in  the  reunion  held  at  Phoenix  Hotel,  Febru- 
ary 28,  1878,  at  which  he  presided.  That  reunion 
paved  the  way  for  the  Barnstead  Reunion,  held  August 
30,  1882,  to  which  he  generously  contributed,  and  the 
published  proceedings  of  which  are  a valuable  con- 
tribution to  the  history  of  the  State. 


In  the  foregoing  statements  are  summarized  the 
leading  events,  doings  and  characteristics  of  a busy 
and  useful  life, — a life  whose  fruitage  of  success  is  the 
honorable  reward  of  sagacious,  earnest,  persevering 
activity. 


CALVIN  HOWE. 

Calvin  Howe  was  born  in  Enfield,  N.  H.,  March 
20,  1806.  His  boyhood  was  passed  in  his  native  town, 
from  whence,  early  in  life,  he  went  to  Kingston,  as 
clerk  in  a store.  He  quickly  developed  a taste  for 
mercantile  pursuits,  and  from  this  time  until  his 
death  was  identified  with  the  mercantile  interests 
of  the  community  wherein  he  resided.  From  Kings- 
ton he  went  to  North  Barnstead,  in  the  store  of 
Samuel  Webster,  and  later  went  into  trade  on  his 
own  account  at  Lower  Gilmanton,  where  he  remained 
several  years.  He  was  also  agent  of  the  Gilmanton 
Mills,  in  what  is  now  Belmont.  He  removed  to  Con- 
cord in  1855. 

Upon  his  removal  to  this  city  he  entered  the 
employ  of  Warde  & Humphrey,  as  book-keeper, 
which  position  he  occupied  until  1862.  In  that  year 
he  engaged  in  the  flour  and  grain  business  as  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  John  V.  Barron,  Dodge  & 
Co.,  and  later  of  Howe,  Moseley  & Co.,  and  of  John 
H.  Barron,  Moseley  & Co.,  retiring  from  business  in 
July,  1881,  with  a handsome  competency,  acquired 
through  long  years  of  faithful  devotion  to  business 
and  upright  dealing.  He  was  an  excellent  financier 
and  business  man,  of  sound  judgment,  prudent,  cau- 
tious and  reliable,  and  his  advice  was  much  sought 
after  by  his  fellow-citizens. 

Mr.  Howe  was  identified  with  the  banking  interests 
of  the  city  for  a long  series  of  years.  He  was  a direc- 
tor in  the  old  Union  Bank,  also  in  the  National  State 
Capital  Bank,  and  was  vice-president  of  the  Loan 
and  Trust  Savings-Bank,  being  one  of  the  finance 
committee.  Although  a life-long  Democrat,  Mr. 
Howe  never  sought  political  honors ; he  was  pre-emi- 
nently a domestic  man,  enjoying  home  and  friends. 
He  was  a member  of  the  South  Congregational 
Church,  and  was  one  of  its  most  active  and  generous 
supporters.  July  26,  1836,  he  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Eliza  H.  Judkins,  of  Gilmanton,  and  their 
family  consisted  of  one  son.  Mrs.  Howe  died  while 
they  were  living  in  Gilmanton,  and  the  son  after  Mr. 
Howe  removed  to  this  city.  May  29,  1850,  he  mar- 
ried Mrs.  Clara  N.  Evans,  daughter  of  William  Fisk, 
of  Concord,  who  survives  him. 

Mr.  Howe  was  an  earnest  supporter  of  the  move- 
ment which  resulted  in  the  founding  of  the  Home  for 
the  Aged,  and  was  one  of  the  first,  if  not  the  first,  to 
offer  substantial  aid  for  its  establishment.  He  gave 
five  hundred  dollars  towards  the  purchase  of  the 
house,  and  by  will  bequeathed  an  additional  sum  of 
five  hundred  dollars  to  its  permanent  fund.  He  was 
a trustee  of  the  Home  from  its  inception  to  the  day 
of  his  death.  Quiet  and  unostentatious  in  the  be- 


• CONCORD. 


153 


stowiil  of  his  charities,  and  an  upright  business  man, 
Calvin  Howe  died  as  he  had  lived,  a consistent  Chris- 
tian and  one  of  Concord’s  most  honored  and  esteemed 
citizens.  He  died  August  13,  1882. 


ELIJAH  KNIGHT. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch — a son  of  Benjamin  and 
Lucy  (Baker)  Knight — was  born  in  Hancock,  Hills- 
borough County,  N.  H.,  March  13,  1813.  (See  town 
history  of  Hancock.) 

His  father  was  a farmer,  and  Elijah  worked  at  home 
until  eighteen  years  of  age,  where  the  incidents  of  his 
boyhood  were  such  as  were  common  to  the  sons  of 
farmers  of  that  time, — assisting  in  the  farm-work  in 
summer  and  attending  the  district  school  in  winter. 
His  educational  advantages,  in  addition  to  the  district 
school,  were  one  term  in  the  academy  at  Stoddard 
and  one  in  Hancock.  At  the  close  of  his  school-life, 
being  of  a mechanical  turn  of  mind,  he  spent  two 
winters  at  the  trade  of  clock-making,  returning  in  the 
summer  to  assist  in  farm-work.  He  then  taught 
school  two  winters, — one  in  Alstead,  N.  H.,  the  other 
in  Hancock,  his  native  town,  his  object  mainly  being 
to  improve  his  own  mind.  Attaining  his  majority,  he 
went  as  a journeyman  clock-maker  to  Goffstown, 
Nashua,  Charlestown  and  Boston,  Mass.,  in  each  of 
which  places  he  worked  at  his  trade  for  some  time, 
during  which  he  became  efficient  as  a clock-maker 
and  also  learned  to  repair  watches.  In  July,  1837, 
having,  by  prudence  and  economy,  saved  some  money, 
he  was  prepared  to  realize,  in  a small  way,  the  hopes 
of  earlier  years,  by  going  into  business  on  his  own 
account  as  a jeweler,  at  Amoskeag,  a small  village  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  river  to  the  present  site  of 
the  city  of  Manchester.  In  1839  he  moved  across 
the  river  to  Manchester,  at  a time  when  there  were 
only  three  buildings  on  Elm  Street.  Here  he  re- 
mained two  years,  doing  a successful  business,  and  in 
the  fall  of  1841,  having  a touch  of  the  “ Western 
fever,”  he  sold  out  and  took  a trip  West,  but,  liking 
the  East  better,  soon  returned  to  his  native  State  and 
settled  in  New  Market,  went  into  business,  wdiere  he 
remained  twelve  years,  the  only  jeweler  there,  and 
did  a prosperous  business.  He  has  always  continued 
in  this  business,  has  worked  diligently  and  faithfully 
at  it,  and,  being  a good  workman,  has  earned  a good 
living.  August  28,  1842,  Mr.  Knight  married  Mary 
Jane,  daughter  of  James  and  Jerusha  (Palmer) 
Griffin,  of  Manchester,  N.  H.  From  this  union  there 
were  two  children.  Mr.  Knight  was  commissioned, 
by  Governor  Martin,  a justice  of  the  peace,  and  also 
was  solicited  to  act  as  trial  justice,  but  declined  to 
act  in  the  petty  disputes  between  his  townsmen.  He 
j was  recommissioned  and  held  the  office  for  ten  or 
more  years.  He  had  the  honor  of  being  chosen  a 
member  of  the  convention  which  assembled  in  Con- 
cord, December,  1850,  to  revise  the  constitution  of 
the  State.  He  also  held  a commission  of  major  in 


the  New  Hampshire  State  militia.  The  life  of  Mr. 
Knight,  while  in  New  Market,  was  a diligent  and 
peaceful  one,  and  he  enjoyed  the  confidence  and 
respect  of  the  community.  Of  robust  and  rugged 
constitution  and  of  temperate  habits,  Mr.  Knight  has 
always  had  good  health,  and  is  particularly  blessed 
with  a happy  disposition.  Desiring  to  be  nearer  the 
old  friends  and  acquaintances  of  himself  and  wife,  lie 
sold  out  his  business  in  New  Market  in  1854  and 
moved  to  Concord,  N.  H.,  where  he  purchased  a 
business  which  he  has  carried  on  successfully  for 
thirty-one  years  in  one  location,  and  thoroughly  en- 
joyed life  while  amassing  a very  comfortable  property 
and  maintaining  a happy  home.  Mr.  Knight  has 
always  been  just,  open  and  frank  in  his  dealings  with 
all,  maintaining  an  untarnished  reputation.  He  has 
always  been  a stanch  Democrat,  and  has  ever  taken 
an  active  interest  in  political  affairs,  always  anxious 
that  right  principles  should  triumph.  He  has  been 
the  candidate  of  his  party  for  various  offices  since 
coming  to  Concord ; but  the  party  being  in  the 
minority  he  was  never  elected.  He  has  been  a close 
observer  of  men  and  events,  both  in  public  and 
private  life,  keeping  well  informed  of  current  events. 
He  has  formed  his  own  opinions  and  is  always  ready 
to  maintain  them  by  argument.  He  was  brought  up 
under  the  teachings  of  the  Presbyterian  faith  and  has 
always  attended  worship  with  that  church.  In  1844 
he  became  a member  of  the  fraternity  of  Odd-Fellows, 
and  was  prominent  in  the  order,  holding  all  the 
various  offices  in  the  subordinate  lodge  and  encamp- 
ment. He  is  also  a member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity, 
having  taken  thedegrees  to  that  of  Royal  Arch  Mason. 
He  is  a good  citizen,  social  and  genial,  possessing 
sound  qualities  of  mind  and  heart,  and  is  truly  one 
of  nature’s  noblemen,  and  this  modest  sketch  pays 
but  a faint  tribute  to  the  real  worth  of  the  man  as  a 
kind  neighbor,  a valued  citizen  of  sound  judgment, 
having  the  best  interests  of  the  community  at  heart 
and  blessed  with  an  extended  circle  of  appreciative 
friends. 


DANIEL  HOLDEN.1 

Daniel  Holden,  the  subject  of  this  brief  sketch,  was 
the  son  of  Asa  and  Nancy  (Wyman)  Holden,  and  was 
born  in  Billerica,  Mass.,  April  20,  1809.  Being  one 
of  a family  of  nine  children,  he  went  away  from  home 
at  the  tender  age  of  nine,  as  was  the  custom  in  those 
days,  to  work  for  Dr.  Sylvanus  Plympton,  of  Woburn, 
Mass.  Up  to  that  time  he  had  been  to  the  district 
school  regularly  for  several  years,  but,  after  leaving 
home,  was  only  allowed  to  attend  during  the  winter 
terms,  until  he  was  thirteen,  which  finished  the 
meagre  education  then  furnished  to  boys  who  had 
to  earn  their  own  living.  Harsh  treatment  and 
scanty  fare  were  the  fate  of  such  youth,  and  there 
was  no  exception  in  this  case;  indeed,  so  utterly 

1 W ritten  by  a friend. 


154 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


did  the  boy  despise  the  position  which  he  held 
in  the  venerable  doctor’s  family,  that,  when  thir- 
teen years  old,  he  ran  away  to  his  home,  and 
no  amount  of  persuasion  could  induce  him  to  re- 
turn and  finish  out  the  period  which  had  been 
agreed  upon  for  him  to  stay.  After  this  he  was  em- 
ployed for  several  years  by  various  farmers  in  his 
native  place.  Having  a great  desire  to  own  a farm, 
he  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  easiest  manner  in 
which  to  obtain  the  money  necessary  therefor  would 
be  by  working  in  a mill ; so,  with  the  intention  of 
returning  to  agricultural  pursuits  very  speedily,  he 
again  left  his  home,  being  at  th  is  time  twenty  years 
old,  and  began  work  in  the  flannel  mill  of  H.  G.  Howe, 
in  Belvidere,  Tewksbury  (now  a part  of  Lowell,  Mass.), 
May  19,  1829. 

He  engaged  to  serve  as  watchman  for  one  year,  at 
eight  dollars  per  month  and  board,  but,  proving  very 
faithful  at  his  task,  his  pay  was  increased  to  twelve 
dollars  per  month  for  the  last  half  of  the  year,  without 
any  solicitation  on  his  part. 

He  soon  became  familiar  with  the  various  phases 
of  the  woolen  business,  and  three  years  after  coming 
to  Belvidere,  he  engaged  to  run  the  mill  by  contract. 
In  1837,  having  been  in  Belvidere  eight  years,  he 
was  employed  by  the  Chelmsford  Company  as  super- 
intendent of  their  mill  in  Dracut,  which  place  is  also 
a part  of  Lowell  at  the  present  time. 

The  young  man  had  apparently  forgotten  his  old- 
time  ardor  for  agriculture,  as  lie  remained  in  Dracut 
until  January  1,  1847,  where  he  conducted  a very 
successful  business  for  nearly  ten  years.  Severing  his 
connection  with  the  Chelmsford  Company  at  this 
time,  he  removed  to  West  Concord,  N.  H.,  and  began 
the  manufacture  of  woolen  goods,  in  company  with 
an  older  brother,  Benjamin  F.  Holden,  which  part- 
nership continued  twenty -seven  years,  until  the  death 
of  the  latter,  November  29,  1874.  A joint-stock  com- 
pany or  corporation  was  then  formed  under  the  name 
of  Concord  Manufacturing  Company,  of  which  Daniel 
Holden  was  elected  treasurer  and  general  agent, 
which  position  he  holds  at  the  present  date  (1885). 

In  the  autumn  of  1853,  Mr.  Holden  was  induced  to 
take  the  superintendence  of  the  Saxonville  Mills,  in 
Framingham,  Mass.,  where  he  remained  as  agent 
for  three  years,  returning  in  the  autumn  of  185G  to 
Concord,  his  interest  there  and  business  connections 
with  his  brother  having  remained  the  same  during  his 
absence.  In  the  early  years  of  their  business  they 
manufactured  all  grades  of  blankets  in  addition  to 
various  styles  of  flannels.  For  a number  of  years  they 
also  did  quite  a business  in  wool  hosiery ; but,  for 
the  past  twenty  years,  the  production  of  the  mills  has 
been  confined  almost  exclusively  to  a variety  of  all 
wool  flannels. 

Mr.  Holden  has  never  had  any  political  aspirations 
whatever,  but  has  faithfully  executed  every  duty 
which  has  devolved  upon  him.  He  has  served  in  most 


of  the  minor  ward  offices,  and  represented  Ward  Three 
in  the  Board  of  Aldermen  of  Concord  in  1874,  and  in 
the  Legislature  in  1865,  1866  and  1875. 

Mr.  Holden  has  been  twice  married, — in  1834,  to 
Miss  Sarah  Haynes,  who  died  in  1843,  leaving  four 
children ; in  1844,  to  Roxanna  Haynes,  who  has  had 
seven  children, — making  in  all  a family  of  eleven 
children,  ten  of  whom  grew  to  manhood  and  woman- 
hood. The  two  wives  were  sisters,  and  daughters  of 
Reuben  Haynes,  a successful  farmer  of  Sudbury, 
Mass. 

Mr.  Holden  has  seven  children  now  living, — two 
daughters  and  five  sons.  Four  of  the  latter  are  en- 
gaged in  the  same  business  as  their  father, — one  in 
Gaysville,  Vt.,  another  in  Lowell,  Mass.,  and  the  two 
youngest  in  West  Concord. 

Although  Mr.  Holden’s  educational  advantages 
were  very  limited  in  his  youth,  yet  an  exceeding 
desire  for  knowledge  has  made  him  a great  reader  and 
lias  rendered  him  familiar  with  almost  every  subject  of 
interest  at  the  present  time.  His  business  has  re- 
quired so  much  energy  and  application  that,  until 
these  later  years,  he  has  taken  very  little  time  for  rest 
or  travel. 

His  life  luus  been  useful  and  honorable  and  full  of 
activity,  and  if  we  have  seemed  to  lack  in  speaking 
words  in  his  praise,  it  is  not  because  he  deserves  them 
less  than  others,  but  dislikes  them  more. 


AVILLIAM  ABBOTT. 

William  Abbott  was  born  in  Andover,  Mass.,  Sep- 
tember 7,  1801.  He  was  named  for  his  father,  the 
late  William  Abbott,  who  removed  from  Andover, 
when  his  son  William  was  nine  years  of  age,  to  Con- 
cord, N.  IL,  having  purchased  the  farm  of  Joseph 
Carter  at  the  old  iron-works,  in  the  southwest  part  of 
the  town.  On  this  farm  William,  Sr.,  who  died 
in  1856,  spent  his  days  as  an  honest  and  thrifty  tiller 
of  the  soil,  and  here  William  lived  till  he  arrived  at 
about  the  age  of  twenty-one.  No  pleasanter  spot 
than  this  can  be  found  in  all  the  region,  and  it  was 
here  that  the  poet,  Nathaniel  H.  Carter,  son  of 
Joseph  Carter,  spent  his  youthful  days,  and  here,  it  is 
understood,  he  was  born  in  1787.  Through  this  farm 
runs  the  Turkey  River,  and  the  lines  of  our  poet, 
written  on  one  of  his  pilgrimages  to  his  old  home, 
have  cast  about  the  place  a peculiar  charm, — 

“ Hail ! hail  again  my  native  stream, 

Scene  of  my  boyhood’s  earliest  dream  ; 

With  solitary  step  once  more 
I tread  thy  wild  and  sylvan  shore. 

* * * * * * * 

“ What  if  no  lofty  classic  name 
Give  to  thy  peaceful  waters  fame, 

Still  can  thy  rural  haunts  impart 
A solace  to  this  saddened  heart.” 

William  Abbott,  Sr.,  married  Rebecca  Bailey  in 
1801,  who  died  in  1863.  Besides  William  they  had 


E*yahyA.H.mtC*U*- 


CONCORD. 


155 


I four  children, — Isaac,  born  in  1803,  died  185!);  Re- 
| becca,  born  in  180(>,  died  1873 ; Moses  B.,  born  in 
1815,  died  1876;  and  Phebe  E.,  wife  of  the  late 
Joseph  S.  Lund,  who  was  born  in  1817,  died  1875. 

William  Abbott,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  at  the 
age  of  twenty-one,  was  employed  by  the  Londonderry 
Turnpike  Company  in  the  construction  of  a turnpike, 
for  a period  of  six  months,  when  he  went  to  Billerica, 
Mass.,  and  learned  the  carriage  manufacturing  busi- 
ness. He  remained  there  engaged  in  this  business 
for  three  years.  He  then  returned  to  Concord,  and 
J shortly  thereafter  purchased  a farm  of  the  late 
Albert  Ordway,  married  Desdemonia  Fisk  Watkins, 
of  Warner,  N.  H.,  and  settled  down  in  life.  As  an 
extensive  and  industrious  farmer  Mr.  Abbott  “ kept 
i the  even  tenor  of  his  way”  till  within  a few  years, 
when,  feeling  compelled  by  reason  of  failing  health 
to  retire  from  active  pursuits,  he  purchased  a pleas- 
ant home  on  South  Street,  in  the  city  proper,  where 
he  now  resides. 

Mr.  Abbott  has  ever  been  known  as  a most  worthy 
j citizen,  as  one  whose  course  in  life  has  been  that  of 
an  honest  and  upright  man.  He  has  been  noted  for 
his  generosity,  and  has  often  contributed  to  many  a 
worthy  cause.  He  gave  quite  a large  sum  to  the 
North  Church  in  Concord  for  the  purpose  of  build- 
ing a chapel,  which  has  been  completed,  and  bears 
I the  name  of  “The  Abbott  Memorial  Chapel.” 

A great  deer-chase  occurred  in  Mr.  Abbott’s  early 
days,  when  he  was  about  fifteen  years  old,  which  has 
often  been  related  and  should  be  mentioned  here.  A 
deer  appeared  within  the  limits  of  the  town,  and  a 
large  party  of  young  men  was  immediately  in  hot 
pursuit.  The  deer  was  tracked  to  what  is  now  known 
as  “Horse  Hill  Bridge,”  and  from  there  into  the 
great  “swamp  woods,”  as  that  region  through  which 
now  runs  the  Bog  road  was  then  called.  Mr.  Abbott, 
i catching  a glimpse  of  the  deer  through  the  tangled 
I bushes,  blazed  away  with  his  flint-lock,  and  the  deer  fell 
i dead.  It  was  dragged  home,  dressed  and  three  quarters 
| were  divided  among  the  crowd  and  cooked  at  the  farm 
of  Moses  Carter.  The  other  quarter  was  exchanged 
for  West  India  rum.  At  this  feast  people  gathered 
from  far  and  near,  and  at  the  Carter  homestead 
there  were  heard  the  “sounds  of  revelry  by  night.” 

Mr.  Abbott’s  first  wife  died  in  1867,  and  he  has 
since  been  twice  married.  His  second  wife  was  Mrs. 
Betsy  Jones  Davis,  of  Warner,  N.  H.,  who  died  in 
1876,  and  his  present  wife  was  Mrs.  Vasta  Morrison 
Dolby,  of  Pembroke,  N.  H.,  widow  of  the  late 
Albert  T.  Dolby. 

Mr.  Abbott  has  no  children,  and  with  his  death 
this  branch  of  the  Abbott  family  will  become  extinct. 
' 

GEORGE  A.  CUMMINGS.1 

Much  has  been  said  and  written  of  the  success  of 
men  who  were  born  in  affluence,  who,  by  their  care- 


ful management  and  good  judgment,  have  retained 
the  fortunes  left  them  by  their  kindred.  Such  men 
are  entitled  to  much  praise ; but  if  they  should  re- 
ceive the  approval  of  their  fellow-men,  how  much 
more  should  those  who  started  life  with  nothing  for  a 
capital  but  a brave  heart,  an  honest  purpose  and  a 
strong  determination  to  overcome  all  obstacles  in 
their  pathway  to  success  in  life!  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  is  among  the  latter  class. 

George  A.  Cummings  is  the  fourth  son  of  Alvah 
and  Polly  (Grout)  Cummings,  born  in  Acworth,N.  II., 
June  13,  1833.  His  grandfather,  Rev.  David  Cum- 
mings, a descendant  from  Scotch  ancestry,  was  born 
in  Swanzey,  N.  LI.,  February  20,  1775 ; moved  to 
Acworth  in  1814  ; was  a Baptist  preacher,  well  versed 
in  Scriptural  knowledge,  and  an  earnest  advocate  of 
his  chosen  calling.  His  maternal  grandfather,  Colo- 
nel Ebenezer  Grout,  was  born  in  Watertown,  Mass., 
and  moved  to  Acworth  in  1782.  The  family  were 
noted  for  their  military  fame.  He  was  colonel  of  his 
regiment  in  the  State  militia,  his  brother  William 
was  an  officer  in  the  War  of  the  Revolution,  and  his 
son  Benjamin  was  an  officer  in  the  War  of  1812. 
Colonel  Grout  also  held  many  offices  of  trust  and 
responsibility  in  his  town,  having  been  elected  several 
times  to  the  Legislature.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneer 
settlers  of  Acworth,  making  his  way  through  the 
wilderness  bv  the  aid  of  marked  trees. 

He  was  a man  of  great  ability  and  much  respected 
by  his  fellow-townsmen,  and  they  named  that  part  of 
the  town  where  he  settled  “Grout  Hill.”  Alvah 
Cummings,  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was 
born  in  Sullivan,  N.  H.,  January  22,  17!)9.  He 
moved  with  his  father  to  Acworth  in  1814,  where,  in 
1825,  he  married  Polly  Grout,  daughter  of  Colonel 
Ebenezer  Grout,  and  settled  in  that  part  of  Acworth 
called  Grout  Hill,  and  engaged  in  farming,  and  they 
lived  together  thirty-six  years.  His  wife  died  in 
1866,  having  reared  a family  of  eight  children,  five 
boys  and  three  girls, — Dr.  A.  R.  Cummings,  Clare- 
mont; Dr.  E.  G.  Cummings,  Concord;  Oscar  Cum- 
mings (deceased);  George  A. ; Mrs.  Mary  J.  Young, 
Concord ; Mrs.  Sally  Ann  Young,  Acworth ; Mrs. 
Laura  Smith,  Acworth  ; and  Milon  I).  Cummings, 
Concord,  each  of  whom  have  been  successful  in  life 
and  blessed  with  comfortable  homes. 

Alvah  Cummings  was  a man  of  strong  and  vigor- 
ous constitution,  and,  with  his  prudent  and  faithful 
wife,  succeeded  in  securing  and  maintaining  a com- 
fortable home  for  themselves  and  their  large  family, 
and  he  continued  to  manage  his  entire  farming  busi- 
ness until  about  two  years  ago,  being  now  eighty- 
seven  years  old,  hale  and  hearty. 

George  A.  Cummings’  youth  was  spent  at  the  old 
homestead,  and  the  active  duties  of  farm-life  did 
much  to  strengthen  and  mature  him  for  the  struggles 
of  future  years.  He  remained  at  home  until  twenty 
years  of  age,  enjoying  the  advantages  of  the  district 
school,  and  subsequently  attended  the  academy  at 


1 By  Charles  E.  Cummings. 


15G 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


South  Acworth.  While  at  home  he  received  from 
his  faithful  mother  early  instructions  in  Christianity, 
and  he  is  largely  indebted  to  her  careful  training  for 
thus  early  forming  a Christian  character.  His  father, 
by  precept  and  example,  impressed  upon  his  mind 
the  importance  of  a life  of  industry  and  integrity. 

In  1853,  at  the  age  of  twenty,  he  left  his  native 
town  and  went  to  Franklin,  N.  H.,  where  he  and  his 
brother  Oscar  formed  the  co-partnership  of  O.  & G. 
A.  Cummings,  marble  dealers.  Then  it  was  that  the 
struggle  of  life  began  ; having  no  capital,  and  his 
brother  but  little,  it  was  with  great  effort  that  they 
established  themselves  in  business,  being  strangers  in 
the  place.  But  by  perseverance  and  strict  applica- 
tion to  their  duties,  they  succeeded  in  gradually 
building  up  a large  business,  which  exceeded  their 
expectations,  and  it  became  necessary  to  establish  a 
branch  at  Lebanon,  and  after  conducting  the  business 
in  these  sections  of  the  State  and  a part  of  Vermont 
for  several  years,  it  was  thought  best  to  establish  a 
central  business  at  Concord,  which  was  done  in  March, 
1861,  and  they  took  up  their  residence  there.  This 
wits  about  two  weeks  prior  to  the  opening  of  the 
Civil  War,  and  the  financial  crisis  which  came,  placing 
the  business  of  the  country  in  a very  trying  and  crit- 
ical condition,  did  not  seriously  affect  them,  and  they 
were  successful  in  carrying  their  business  through. 
In  November,  1864,  his  brother  Oscar  died.  He  be- 
ing a man  of  sterling  business  qualifications,  his 
death  was  a great  loss  to  the  business  interests  of  the 
firm,  thus  leaving  George  to  assume  the  responsibili- 
ties and  conduct  the  business  of  the  firm.  This  he 
succeeded  in  doing,  and  the  business  increased  so  that 
in  1868  he  took  his  brother  Milon  as  partner,  and  the 
firm  was  established  as  Cummings  Brothers,  and  con- 
tinues the  same  at  the  present  time.  During  this 
period  the  firm  have  conducted  a large  and  flourish- 
ing business  throughout  Central  New  Hampshire  and 
Eastern  Vermont,  and  in  this  time  having  opened  an- 
other branch  in  Pittsfield. 

In  1876  he  and  his  brother,  Dr.  E.  G.  Cummings, 
purchased  the  Williams  estate,  on  the  corner  of  Main 
and  Freight  Streets,  and  erected  a fine  brick  block,  the 
two  lower  stories  of  which,  being  fitted  for  the  marble 
and  granite  business,  and  being  very  large  and  conven- 
ient, are  the  best  arranged  and  furnished  memorial 
marble-works  in  the  State.  In  1885  they  erected  on  the 
adjoining  lot  one  of  the  finest  business  blocks  in 
Concord.  Cummings  Brothers’  monumental  business 
has  increased  and  extended  throughout  New  Hamp- 
shire and  to  many  towns  in  the  adjoining  States. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  been  in  the  marble 
business  for  over  thirty-two  years,  and  is  one  of 
the  oldest  in  it,  there  being  no  firm  in  existence 
to-day  that  was  doing  business  when  he  began. 

Mr.  Cummings  is  a Baptist  and  a liberal  supporter 
of  his  church,  but  he  is  very  charitable  to  those  of 
other  denominations;  is  a firm  believer  that  a cor- 
rect life  is  what  makes  the  Christian  more  than  a be- 


lief in  any  particular  creed.  He  became  a member 
of  White  Mountain  Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  March  2, 1866; 
was  elected  Noble  Grand  of  his  lodge  in  1870;  is  a 
member  of  Pennacook  Encampment,  and  served  as 
Chief  Patriarch.  He  is  a member  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  New  Hampshire,  and  served  as  G.  W.  and 
I).  G.  M.,  and  was  elected  Grand  Master  in  1875-76, 
and  representative  to  the  Sovereign  Grand  Lodge  in 
1877  and  ’78.  During  his  term  as  Grand  Master  he 
visited  every  lodge  in  the  State,  and  the  order  was 
very  prosperous  under  his  administration.  He  took 
a great  interest  in  the  work  and  did  as  much  to  ex- 
tend the  order  as  any  member  in  the  State.  He  is 
also  a member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity.  In  1870 
he  was  elected  to  the  Legislature  from  Ward  5,  Con- 
cord, and  re-elected  in  1871.  Serving  upon  import- 
ant committees  and  taking  an  active  part  in  the  de- 
bates in  the  House,  he  proved  himself  an  able 
legislator.  He  served  two  years  as  alderman,  and  in 
November,  1880,  he  was  elected  mayor  of  Concord 
by  a very  large  majority,  receiving  many  votes  from 
his  political  opponents ; his  term  expired  Jan.,  1883. 
His  administration  was  an  honest  and  successful  one. 

Mr.  Cummings  has  been  chosen  to  many  places  of 
honor,  trust  and  responsibility,  being  a trustee  of  Mer- 
rimack County  Savings-Bank,  a trustee  of  the  ( hplians’ 
Home,  at  Franklin,  vice-president  of  the  Odd-Fel- 
lows’ Home  and  director  of  the  Concord  Horse 
Railroad.  In  1884  the  citizens  of  Concord  formed  a 
stock  company  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a building 
and  establishing  a shoe  manufactory  here,  and  elected 
Mr.  Cummings  one  of  the  directors  and  subsequently 
he  was  elected  president  of  the  corporation.  The 
building  erected  is  the  best  in  the  State,  and  much 
credit  is  due  Mr.  Cummings  for  his  untiring  efforts  in 
making  this  new  industry  a success,  for  it  was  largely 
through  his  efforts  that  the  enterprise  was  accom- 
plished. In  1854  he  married  Mary  Lizzie,  daughter 
of  the  late  Frederick  P.  Smith,  then  of  the  firm  of 
Smith  & Johnson,  dry-goods  dealers,  of  Manchester, 
N.  H.  Mr.  Smith  had  four  sons,  each  of  whom 
served  in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion,  two  of  whom 
gave  their  lives  to  save  their  country.  Mrs.  Cum- 
mings is  a superior  woman,  possessing  energy  and 
ability,  and  by  her  economy  and  good  judgment  has 
performed  well  her  part  in  assisting  her  husband  in 
his  life-work.  Two  children  have  been  born  to  them, 
a son  and  daughter.  Frank  G.,  the  eldest,  is  a part- 
ner in  the  firm  of  C.  H.  Weeks  & Co.,  marble  and 
granite  dealers,  Haverhill,  Mass., — a young  man  of 
integrity  and  rare  business  ability,  having  inherited 
a share  of  his  father’s  good  judgment  and  business 
qualifications.  Ida  E.,  who  died  in  1876,  at  the  age 
of  nineteen  years,  attended  the  High  School  at  Con- 
cord, and  entered  the  Female  Academy  at  Bradford, 
Mass.,  in  1874,  and  would  have  graduated  in  about  a 
year,  had  her  health  permitted.  She  was  a young 
lady  of  culture  and  refinement,  and  of  great  promise, 
much  beloved,  not  only  bv  her  own  family,  but  by  all 


.\ittk, 


CONCORD. 


157 


who  knew  her,  and  her  early  death  was  mourned  by 
a large  circle  of  friends. 

George  A.  Cummings  is  a self-made  man.  He  be- 
gan life  with  nothing  and  gradually  worked  his  way 
to  a position  of  respect  and  influence,  and  he  is 
trusted  and  honored  by  his  fellow-citizens.  He  is  a 
man  of  noble  qualities  of  mind  and  heart;  no  worthy 
person  soliciting  aid  was  ever  refused  assistance.  He 
is  ever  encouraging  and  helping  others  in  the  strug- 
gle of  life.  Given  to  hospitality,  guests  are  always 
welcome.  Now  in  the  prime  of  manhood,  it  is  hoped 
that  his  life  may  be  spared  for  other  fields  of  useful- 
ness and  honor  that  he  may  yet  be  called  to  till. 


JOSEPH  WENTWORTH. 

Joseph  Wentworth  was  born  in  Sandwich,  Carroll 
County,  N.  H.,  January  30,  1818,  taking  his  first 
lesson  in  life  among  the  hardy  sons  of  that  moun- 
tainous region.  He  was  educated  at  the  academy  at 
New  Hampton  in  1835,  at  Hopkinton  in  1836  and 
South  Berwick  in  1837.  He  was  a successful  mer- 
chant thirty  years  in  his  native  town,  not  only  con- 
ducting a general  country  store,  but  dealing  largely  in 
cattle  and  horses.  He  was  town  clerk,  selectman  and 
representative  to  the  State  Legislature  in  1844-45. 
He  was  also  a delegate  from  Sandwich,  in  1850,  to 
the  convention  called  to  revise  the  constitution  of  the 
State,  and  from  Concord  to  the  Constitutional  Conven- 
tion in  1876.  He  was  aid  to  Governor  John  Page, 
with  the  rank  of  colonel,  and  quartermaster  several 
years  in  the  New  Hampshire  Horse  Guards.  Mr. 
Wentworth  was  register  of  deeds  for  Carroll  County 
two  years,  high  sheriff  of  same  county'  five  years, 
and  was  for  fifteen  years  postmaster.  He  was  also 
for  many  years  president  and  chief  owner  of  the 
Carroll  County  National  Bank.  In  1870  he  gave  the 
old  homestead  to  his  son,  Paul,  and  removed  to  Con- 
cord, N.  H.,  where  he  was  elected,  two  years,  assessor 
of  taxes,  from  Ward  6,  and  also  representative  to  the 
State  Legislature  in  1878.  He  married,  May  7, 
1845,  Sarah  Payson  Jones,  of  Brookline,  Mass.  They 
had  born,  in  Sandwich,  six  children, — two  sons  and 
four  daughters, — -all  of  whom  survive.  The  two  sons, 
Paul  and  Moses,  entered  Harvard  College  the  same 
day;  graduated  the  same  day,  in  1868,  just  one  hun- 
dred years  after  the  graduation  of  their  great-grand- 
father from  the  same  college,  and  from  their  high 
rank  in  their  class  both  were  assigned  a part  on 
graduation  day,  the  records  of  the  college  showing  no 
other  such  case  of  two  brothers.  The  daughters  are 
Sarah  C.,  Lvdia  C.,  Susan  .1.  and  Dolly  F.  Mr. 
Wentworth’s  parents,  Paul  and  Lydia  C.  Wentworth, 
were  both  descendants  of  Ezekiel,  son  of  Elder 
William  Wentworth.  His  maternal  grandfather, 
Colonel  Amos  Cogswell,  served  through  the  entire 
War  of  the  Revolution.  His  paternal  great-grand- 
father, Judge  John  Wentworth,  presided  at  the  Revo- 
lutionary Convention  in  New  Hampshire.  His 


grandfather,  John  Wentworth,  Jr.,  was  a member  of 
the  Continental  Congress. 


ENOCH  GERRISH. 

The  name  of  Gerrish  has  been  prominently  identi- 
fied with  Merrimack  County,  and  particularly  with 
the  town  of  Boscawen.  Captain  Stephen  Gerrish  was 
one  of  the  original  proprietors  of  Boscawen  and  one 
of  the  leading  spirits  in  the  new  settlement.  His 
eldest  son,  Colonel  Henry  Gerrish,  was  a distin- 
guished citizen  and  held  many  positions  of  trust  and 
responsibility.  He  was  chosen  the  first  grand  juror 
to  His  Majesty’s  Superior  Court,  1773;  delegate  to 
the  convention  for  the  choice  of  members  to  the  First 
Continental  Congress  in  1774;  the  same  in  1775; 
represented  the  towns  of  Boscawen  and  Salisbury  in 
the  General  Court  in  1779,  and  Boscawen  in  1790. 

He  was  captain  in  the  militia  at  the  breaking  out 
of  the  Revolution,  and  marched  with  the  Minute-Men 
to  Medford  upon  the  receipt  of  the  news  of  the  battle 
of  Lexington.  He  was  lieutenant-colonel  of  Stick- 
ney’s  regiment  at  the  time  of  the  Bennington  cam- 
paign, but,  having  been  detailed  to  other  duty,  was 
not  in  the  battle.  He  was  present  at  the  surrender 
of  Burgoyne,  being  on  the  left  flank  of  Burgoyne  at 
Battenkill,  where  he  acted  as  clerk  at  the  sale  of 
some  of  the  plunder  taken  from  the  British.  The 
mess-book  used  on  that  occasion  is  still  in  existence. 
He  often  acted  as  the  town’s  agent  during  the  Revo- 
lution, performing  the  duties  assigned  him  with  the 
same  care  and  energy  that  characterized  the  manage- 
ment of  his  private  affairs. 

Major  Enoch  Gerrish,  third  son  of  Captain  Stephen, 
was  born  in  Boscawen,  June  23, 1750.  When  eighteen 
years  of  age  be  built  his  log  cabin  on  the  east  side  of 
the  road  now  called  High  Street,  where  he  cleared 
five  acres  of  land,  being  part  of  the  homestead  where 
lie  and  his  posterity  have  since  resided.  He  had  a 
love  for  military  parade,  as  his  title  indicates.  Dur- 
ing his  life  he  was  chosen  to  fill  the  offices  of  moder- 
ator, selectman  and  representative  to  the  General 
Court  nine  years.  A man  strictly  religious,  he  joined 
Dr.  Wood’s  church  in  1781,  and  was  elected  deacon 
in  1783,  an  office  which  he  held  until  his  death,  May 
1,1821. 

His  son,  Isaac  Gerrish,  father  of  Colonel  Enoch, 
was  born  in  Boscawen,  November  27,  1782.  He  was 
an  honored  citizen  and  a leading  member  of  the 
church  in  that  town. 

Colenel  Enoch  Gerrish,  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
only  son  of  Isaac  and  Caroline  (Lawrence)  Gerrish, 
was  born  at  the  old  homestead,  on  High  Street,  July 
28,  1882.  He  obtained  his  education  at  the  acade- 
mies in  Boscawen,  Franklin  and  Meriden.  On  the 
death  of  his  lather  he  inherited  a large  portion  of  his 
estate,  and  with  it,  at  the  age  of  twenty,  came  the  care 
and  management  of  an  extensive  farm.  An  addition 
of  more  than  one  hundred  acres  made  it  one  of  the 


158 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


largest  in  Merrimack  County.  For  twenty  years  he 
devoted  his  time  to  the  cultivation  and  improvement 
of  his  soil,  successfully  developing  its  resources  by 
raising  live-stock,  hay  and  wool,  when  its  heavy 
growth  of  wood  and  timber  attracted  the  attention  of 
the  lumber  manufacturer,  to  whom  it  was  sold  in  1865. 

Possessing  a love  for  military  parade  and  drill,  he 
was  promoted  from  the  lowest  rank  to  that  of  colonel 
of  the  Twenty-first  Regiment  New  Hampshire  Militia. 

He  was  often  elected  to  fill  the  various  offices  in 
town,  the  duties  of  which  were  well  performed.  A 
friend  to  the  church  where  his  ancestors  worshiped, 
and  to  religious  institutions  generally,  lie  manifested 
an  interest  in  all  measures  that  contributed  to  their 
usefulness. 

He  moved  to  Concord  after  the  sale  of  his  farm, 
where  his  sound  judgment,  particularly  in  matters  of 
finance,  was  duly  appreciated,  as  is  shown  by  his  ap- 
pointment as  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  New  Hamp- 
shire Savings-Bank,  in  Concord,  and  of  the  Rolfeand 
Rumford  Asylum. 

He  also  represented  Ward  Four,  of  Concord  in  the 
Legislature  of  1881-82.  He  married  Miranda  ()., 
daughter  of  Joseph  S.  and  Harriet  N.  Lawrence, 
May  23,  1854. 

Their  children  are  Frank  Lawrence,  born  May 
19,  1855;  Lizzie  Miranda,  born  June  14,  1860. 


chaki.es  h.  amsden. 

Isaac  Amsden,  the  first  of  the  Amsden  name  re- 
corded in  this  country,  appears  in  Cambridge,  Mass., 
where  he  was  married,  June  8,  1654,  to  Frances  Per- 
riman.  He  is  supposed  to  have  come  from  England. 
He  died  in  Cambridge  April  7,  1659,  leaving  two 
children. 

Isaac  (2),  their  son,  was  born  at  Cambridge  in  1655; 
married  Jane  Rutter,  May  17,  1677.  He  died  May  3, 
1727.  She  died  November  22,  1739,  leaving  six 
children. 

John  (3),  third  son  of  Isaac  (2),  born  at  Marlborough. 
Mass.,  December  28, 1683,  died  at  Southborough,  Mass., 
November  12,  1761.  He  married  Hannah,  daughter 
of  Isaac  and  Frances  (Woods)  Howe,  of  Marlborough, 
Mass.,  who  was  born  June  17,  1688,  and  had  twelve 
children. 

Jesse  (4),  son  of  John  (3),  was  born  at  Southborough, 
Mass.,  May  31,  1729.  He  married  Bettie  Ball,  of 
Southborough,  November  10,  1748,  and  had  twelve 
children. 

Jonas  (5),  son  of  Jesse  (4),  born  at  Southborough, 
April  24,  1749,  married  Hannah  Rice,  August  9, 1770. 
He  died  at  Mason,  N.  H.,  March  20,  1802.  She  died 
at  Mason  February  27, 1809.  They  had  nine  children. 

Hubbard  (6),  son  of  Jonas  (5),  born  1790,  died  Sep- 
tember 16,  1817.  He  married  Annie  Saunders,  of 
Mason,  N.  H.,  March  8, 1814,  had  two  children. 

Henry  Hubbard  (7),  son  of  Hubbard  (6),  born  Sep- 
tember 14,  1816,  married  Mary  Muzzey,  of  New  Ips- 


wich, N.  H.,  August  6,  1840.  He  died  at  Fisherville 
(now  Penacook),  N.  H.,  December  6,  1869. 

Children  of  Henry  H.  and  Mary  Amsden, — George 
Henry,  born  July  7,  1841,  died  January  16,  1872; 
Charles  Hubbard,  born  May  20,  1846,  died  October 
29,  1847 ; Charles  Hubbard,  born  July  8,  1848;  Ed- 
ward, born  December  10,  1853,  died  June  9,  1858. 

Charles  Hubbard  (8),  son  of  Henry  (7),  Hubbard 
(6),  Jonas  (5),  Jesse  (4),  John  (3),  Isaac  (2),  Isaac  (1) 
and  Mary  (Muzzey)  Amsden,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  born  in  Boscawen,  N.  H.,  July  8,  1848. 

In  early  life  he  attended  the  public  schools,  and  in 
August,  1863,  went  to  New  Ipswich,  N.  H.,  where  he 
attended  the  Appleton  Academy,  remaining  there 
until  the  spring  of  1865. 

On  returning  home  he  entered  the  employ  of  Cald- 
well & Amsden,  furniture  manufacturers,  and  con- 
tinued with  them  until  December,  1868,  when  the 
firm  of  H.  H.  Amsden  & Sons  succeeded  to  Caldwell 
& Amsden,  the  same  being  composed  of  Henry  H. 
and  his  two  sons, — George  II.  and  Charles  H., — and 
Charles  H.  Allen,  of  Boston. 

December  6,  1869,  the  senior  member  of  the  firm 
died,  and  the  remaining  partners  continued  the  busi- 
ness until  the  death  of  George  H.,  which  occurred 
January  16,  1872.  After  that  the  two  remaining  part- 
ners conducted  the  business  until  January  1,  1880, 
when  Charles  II.  bought  the  interest  of  Mr.  Allen, 
and  since  that  time  has  conducted  the  same  alone 
under  the  same  firm-name.  Mr.  Amsden  is  also 
associated  with  John  Whitaker,  Esq.,  in  the  lumber 
business,  they  having  one  of  the  best  mills  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  State,  the  product  of  which  is 
used  by  Mr.  Amsden  in  the  manufacture  of  fur- 
niture. 

Being  of  the  opinion  that  New  Hampshire  is  a 
good  State  for  manufacturing,  it  has  been  his  policy 
to  encourage  and  aid  it  all  he  could,  and  to  this  end 
has  engaged  with  associates  in  other  branches  of 
business,  being  at  the  present  time  the  president  of 
the  Concord  Axle  Company,  also  a director  in  the  Con- 
toocook  Manufacturing  and  Mechanic  Company,  of 
Penacook,  the  B.  W.  Hoyt  Company,  of  Epping, 
N.  H.,  and  the  Mechanics’  National  Bank,  of  Con- 
cord, N.  H.,  and  also  State  director  of  the  Portland 
and  Ogdensburg  Railroad.  Nothing  of  a public 
nature  but  that  has  his  encouragement  and  assist- 
ance so  far  as  possible,  and  he  is  a liberal  contrib- 
utor to  benevolent  objects.  In  religious  views  he  is  a 
Baptist,  having  become  a member  of  that  church  and 
society  at  an  early  age,  and  is  to-day  one  of  the  most 
liberal  supporters  of  the  church  with  which  he  is 
connected. 

October  29,  1870,  he  married  Helen  A.,  daughter  of 
David  A.  and  Martha  A.  (Daggett)  Brown,  of  Pena- 
cook. Of  this  union  there  were  born  to  them,  July 
15,  1872,  a son,  Henry  Hubbard,  who  is  now  living; 
also,  January  31, 1878,  a daughter,  Mary  Ardelle,  who 
died  October  20,  1883. 


“V  * by  A.  II.  Fauil'A 


Eng  aiyAti 


CONCORD. 


159 


Being  of  a retiring  disposition,  and  having  his 
time  so  much  taken  up  by  business  cares,  he  has 
never  sought  public  honors  to  any  great  extent.  He 
represented  his  ward  in  the  Board  of  Aldermen  of 
the  city  of  Concord  in  the  year  1874,  and  was  unani- 
mously returned  in  1875;  was  also  a member  of  the 
State  Senate  in  1883. 

Mr.  Amsden  is  now  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  owing 
to  force  of  circumstances,  his  business  career  has 
already  been  more  extended  than  the  average  of  men 
at  his  age.  Filling  various  positions  of  trust  and 
responsibility  with  commendable  acceptability,  it  has 
been  his  peculiar  aim  to  merit  and  receive  the  es- 
teem and  confidence  of  his  associates  and  constitu- 
ents. 


ABKAHAM  BEAN. 

Abraham  Bean  was  born  March  14,  1789,  in  Lou- 
don, N.  H.  His  father,  John,  was  a farmer  in 
Gilmanton,  who,  shortly  before  the  birth  of  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  moved  to  Loudon,  and  there 
continued  as  a farmer.  Abraham  had  very  limited 
opportunities  for  obtaining  an  education,  as  his 
father  lived  two  miles  from  the  school,  and  his  atten- 
dance being  only  during  the  winter  terms;  he  often 
had  to  break  his  own  path  through  the  deep  snows 
for  the  entire  distance.  He  was  a hardy  boy  and 
grew  rapidly,  so  that  at  twelve  years  of  age  we  find 
him  leaving  his  home  and  engaging  with  Esquire  Jon- 
athan Eastman,  of  Concord  (then  a small  farming 
town),  as  a farm  hand.  Here  he  remained  forseveral 
years  and  became  known  as  a trusty  and  competent 
workman,  and  commanded  the  highest  wages  paid  at 
the  time. 

December  17,  1810,  he  married  Sally,  daughter 
of  Ezekiel  and  Mary  A.  (Sanborn)  Clough,  of  Lou- 
don. From  this  union  there  were  two  children, — 
Mary  Ann,  born  July  l(i,  1812  (who  married  Herman 
Sanborn,  of  Boscawen,  and  had  four  children),  and 
Sarah  Jane,  born  October  12, 1818,  who  married  John 
L.  Tallaut,  of  Canterbury,  January  21,  1835;  they 
had  thirteen  children,  seven  of  whom  are  now  living. 

Mr.  Bean,  early  in  life,  became  interested  in  civil 
affairs,  and  was  called  to  positions  of  trust  and  honor 
by  the  citizens  of  the  town.  He  was  for  over  twenty 
years  the  collector  of  taxes  for  Concord.  He  repre- 
sented the  town  of  Concord  in  the  General  Court 
two  years.  He  also  held  the  positions  of  deputy 
sheriff  and  constable  for  over  twenty  years,  and  be- 
came greatly  interested  in  the  growth  and  prosperity 
of  Concord.  In  these  various  positions  Mr.  Bean 
showed  himself  to  be  a man  of  good  sense,  was  ener- 
getic and  full  of  enterprise,  and  in  the  collection  of 
the  revenues  of  the  young  city  was  peculiarly  suc- 
cessful. In  politics  Mr.  Bean  was  a Democrat,  and 
acted  with  that  party  with  but  one  exception  during 
his  life,  the  exception  being  his  favoring  the  election 
of  his  friend,  John  Quincy  Adams. 

Mr.  Bean  was  a member  of  the  Congregational 


Church  at  East  Concord,  and  it  was  largely  through 
his  influence  that  the  first  church  there  was  built. 
He  was  one  of  the  original  grantees  of  a charter  for 
the  State  Capital  Bank,  and  one  of  its  board  of  direc- 
tors for  many  years.  He  was  an  earnest  advocate  of 
the  temperance  cause,  a man  of  great  decision  of 
character,  and  a valued  citizen  who  was  ever  ready  to 
lend  a helping  hand  in  any  good  cause.  He  led  an 
active  life,  and  died  April  7,  1861,  beloved  and  re- 
spected. 

HON.  JACOB  H.  GALLINGER.1 

Dickens  remarks,  in  one  of  his  novels,  that  it  is  not 
likely  to  be  forgotten  that  Alexander  wept  because 
there  were  no  more  worlds  to  conquer,  “the  circum- 
stance having  been  somewhat  frequently  mentioned.” 
For  the  same  reason,  there  is  little  danger  that  the 
reading  public  will  forget  that  “New  Hampshire  is  a 
good  State  to  emigrate  from.”  Let  us  for  once  amend 
this  tiresome  and  unpatriotic  old  proverb,  and  rejoice 
that  at  least  one  highly  successful  man  has  found 
New  Hampshire  a good  State  to  immigrate  into. 
And  may  not  the  honors  which  the  old  State  has 
bestowed  upon  the  child  of  her  adoption  suggest,  if 
not  a rebuke,  at  least  a wholesome  lesson,  to  her  own 
recreant  sons  who  have  wandered  from  her  side? 

Jacob  H.  Gallinger,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was 
born  in  Cornwall,  province  of  Ontario,  March  28, 
1837.  He  was  the  son  of  a farmer  and  the  fourth  in 
a family  of  twelve  children.  His  parents  were  of 
German  descent  and  were  possessed  of  but  moderate 
means.  Like  so  many  others  who  have  achieved 
high  success  in  after-life,  he  was  forced,  at  an  early 
age,  to  rely  upon  his  own  resources.  At  the  age  of 
twelve  he  entered  that  incomparable  political  train- 
ing-school, a newspaper-office,  served  an  apprentice- 
ship of  four  years  and  'made  himself  master  of  the 
“art  preservative.”  After  working  at  his  trade  for 
one  year,  in  Ogdensburgh,  N.  Y.,  he  returned  to 
Cornwall,  and,  for  a year,  edited  and  published  the 
paper  on  which  he  had  served  his  apprenticeship. 

During  this  time  he  was  under  the  charge  of  a 
private  instructor,  and  endeavored,  in  such  spare 
moments  as  a country  editor  may  snatch  from  his 
numberless  duties,  to  supply  the  deficiency  caused  by 
the  unfortunate  lack  of  educational  advantages  in  his 
early  boyhood. 

In  1855  he  began  the  study  of  medicine  in  Cincin- 
nati, Ohio.  During  the  vacations  he  eked  out  his 
scanty  means  by  working  in  the  office  of  the  Cincin- 
nati Gazette  as  reporter,  proof-reader  or  compositor. 
He  completed  his  medical  course  in  May,  1858,  grad- 
uating with  the  highest  honors  of  his  class.  He 
practiced  his  profession  in  Cincinnati  for  one  year, 
devoted  the  next  year  to  study  and  travel,  and  then, 
in  July,  1860,  came  to  New  Hampshire.  A year  later 
he  associated  himself  in  practice  with  Dr.  W.  B. 

1 By  Allen  J.  Hackett. 


160 


HISTORV  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Chamberlain,  at  Keene.  About  this  time  he  joined 
the  homoeopathic  school  of  medicine,  to  which  he  has 
since  adhered.  In  the  spring  of  1862  he  removed  to 
Concord,  where  he  has  since  resided  and  where  he 
lias  built  up  a large  and  lucrative  practice.  As  a 
medical  practitioner  he  stands  in  the  front  rank  of 
his  profession  in  this  State.  For  seven  years  he  was 
president  of  the  New  Hampshire  Homoeopathic  Med- 
ical Society,  in  1868  he  received  an  honorary  degree 
from  the  New  York  Homoeopathic  Medical  College, 
and  he  has  been  elected  an  honorary  member  of 
several  medical  societies.  He  has  also  been  a fre- 
quent and  valued  contributor  to  medical  periodicals, 
and  was  surgeon-general  of  the  State,  with  the  rank 
of  brigadier-general,  on  the  statf  of  Governor  Head, 
during  the  years  1871*  and  1880. 

But  it  is  in  political  life  that  Dr.  Gallinger  is  best 
and  most  widely  known.  To  use  a homely  and  hack- 
neyed expression,  he  is  a “born”  politician,  lie 
possesses,  in  an  unusual  degree,  the  executive  capa- 
city, the  quickness  of  perception,  the  promptness  in 
action,  the  courage,  the  combativeness  and  the  shrewd 
knowledge  of  human  nature,  which  are  the  most 
important  requisites  to  success  in  political  life.  Such 
a man  having  entered  the  held  of  active  politics,  it 
was  inevitable  that  he  should  work  his  way  to  the 
front. 

He  has  always  been  an  active  Republican,  and  has 
long  ranked  among  the  leaders  of  his  party  in  this 
State.  He  was  first  elected  to  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives in  1872,  and  served  as  chairman  of  the 
committee  on  insurance.  He  was  re-elected  the 
next  year  and  was  appointed  to  the  chairmanship  of 
the  committee  on  banks,  and  also  as  chairman  of  an 
important  special  committee. 

His  service  in  the  lower  branch  of  the  Legislature 
was  characterized  by  industry,  close  attention  to 
business  and  distinguished  ability  and  readiness  in 
debate. 

in  1876  he  was  elected  a member  of  the  Constitu- 
tional Convention.  This  convention  will  always  be 
historic  by  reason  of  the  large  number  of  able  men 
that  it  contained  and  the  important  reforms  that  it 
inaugurated. 

Dr.  Gallinger  took  a prominent  part  in  the  debates, 
and  was  a valuable  and  influential  member. 

His  plan  for  representation  in  the  Legislature  on 
the  basis  of  population,  although  opposed  by  many  of 
the  older  members  of  the  convention,  was  adopted  by 
a large  majority.  The  very  general  satisfaction  with 
which  the  system  is  regarded  sufficiently  attests  the 
wisdom  of  its  author. 

In  March,  1878,  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate 
from  the  old  Fourth  District,  and  served  as  chairman 
of  the  committee  on  education.  He  was  re-elected 
in  the  following  November,  and  upon  the  convening 
of  the  Legislature,  was  chosen  to  the  presidency  of 
the  Senate,  an  office  whose  duties  his  rare  parliamen- 
tary ability  enabled  him  to  discharge  to  the  entire 


satisfaction  of  the  Senators,  as  was  attested  by  the 
exceedingly  complimentary  resolutions  unanimously 
passed  at  the  close  of  the  session,  accompanied  by  a 
valuable  testimonial. 

Dr.  Gallinger  had  long  been  an  active  and  influen- 
tial member  of  the  Republican  State  Central  Com- 
mittee, and  in  September,  1882,  he  was  made  its 
Chairman.  The  campaign  which  followed  was  one  of 
exceeding  bitterness  and  beset  with  exceptional  diffi- 
culties. Republican  disaffection  was  rife  throughout 
the  land.  The  tidal  wave  which,  two  years  later, 
carried  the  Democratic  party  into  power  in  the 
nation,  had  already  set  in.  New  York,  Pennsylvania 
and  even  Massachusetts  chose  Democratic  Governors, 
and  a Democratic  Congress  was  elected.  In  addition 
to  these  general  discouragements,  the  Republicans  of 
New  Hampshire  were  called  upon  to  face  serious 
obstacles  of  their  own,  which  are  well  known  to  all, 
and  which,  therefore,  need  not  be  discussed  here.  It 
is  only  just  to  say  that,  with  a less  adroit  manager  at 
the  head  of  the  Republican  organization,  the  Repub- 
lican victory  which  followed  would  have  been  impos- 
sible. Dr.  Gallinger  was  re-elected  to  the  chairman- 
ship in  1884,  and  again  demonstrated  his  especial 
fitness  for  the  place. 

In  the  Second  District  Convention,  held  at  Con- 
cord, September  0,  1884,  Dr.  Gallinger  was  nominated 
for  member  of  Congress,  receiving  on  the  first  ballot 
one  hundred  and  seventy-one  out  of  a total  of  three 
hundred  and  twenty-nine  votes.  The  nomination 
was  subsequently  made  unanimous.  His  competitors 
were  Hon.  Daniel  Barnard,  of  Franklin,  and  Hon. 
Levi  W.  Barton,  of  Newport — two  of  the  ablest  men 
in  the  State.  He  was  elected  in  November  following, 
running  several  hundred  votes  ahead  of  his  ticket. 
He  will  take  his  seat  at  the  opening  of  the  first 
session  of  the  Fiftieth  Congress,  in  December  next. 

Dr.  Gallinger  has  been  prominent  in  politics  other- 
wise than  in  an  official  capacity.  He  is  one  of  the 
most  popular  and  successful  campaign  orators  in  the 
State.  As  a speaker,  he  is  rapid,  direct  and  practical, 
has  an  excellent  voice  and  always  commands  the 
close  attention  of  his  audience.  He  is  also  a facile 
and  effective  writer.  He  has  frequently  prepared  the 
resolutions  for  State  and  District  Conventions,  and 
has  written,  to  a considerable  extent,  for  the  daily 
press.  He  has  also  performed  considerable  literary 
labor  of  a general  character.  He  has  frequently  lec- 
tured before  lyceums  and  other  literary  societies,  and 
Dartmouth  College  has  conferred  upon  him  the  hon- 
orary degree  of  Master  of  Arts. 

In  August,  I860,  he  married  Mary  Anna  Bailey, 
daughter  of  Major  Isaac  Bailey,  of  Salisbury,  N.  H. 
Of  their  six  children,  four  are  living, — Alice  M., 
Kate  C.,  William  H.  and  Ralph  E.,  aged  respectively 
twenty-four,  nineteen,  sixteen  and  thirteen  years.  In 
religious  faith  he  was  reared  an  Episcopalian,  but  for 
many  years  has  been  identified  with  the  Baptist 
denomination. 


■&ng  «bij,  A/Witc™* 


CONCORD. 


1G1 


Dr.  Gallinger  is  slightly  above  the  medium  height, 
and  is  somewhat  portly,  lie  has  always  been  strictly 
temperate  in  his  habits,  and  the  happy  results  of  his 
abstemious  life  are  apparent  in  his  cheery  and  health- 
ful countenance.  He  has  a line  presence,  a cordial, 
hearty  manner,  and  a pleasing,  winning  address.  His 
rare  social  qualities,  abundant  good-nature,  keen  sense 
of  humor  and  excellent  conversational  powers  make 
him  a most  agreeable  companion,  and  few  men  in  the 
State  enjoy  a higher  degree  of  personal  popularity. 
His  many  friends  rejoice  in  his  advancement  and  will 
watch  his  future  with  interest  and  sympathy. 

In  the  prime  of  manhood,  in  the  full  tide  of  health 
and  strength,  about  to  abandon  State  affairs  for  the 
wider  arena  of  national  politics,  a sketch  of  Dr.  Gal- 
linger’s  life,  written  at  this  date,  is  necessarily  incom- 
plete. The  record  of  the  most  important  and  event- 
ful part  of  his  life-work  must  be  left  to  the  pen  of 
some  future  biographer.  If  the  achievement  of  the  past 
may  be  taken  as  an  index  of  the  probabilities  of  the 
future,  he  has  before  him  a career  of  eminence,  honor 
and  usefulness. 


JAMES  SHEPARD  NORRIS. 

Among  the  families  whose  names  are  prominent  in 
the  colonial  history  of  New  England,  and  who  have 
shown  energy,  force  of  character,  business  acumen  and 
persistent  industry,  which  have  impressed  themselves 
on  the  present  era  by  the  perpetual  labor  of  several 
generations,  must  be  particularly  mentioned  the 
Norris  family.  The  name  appears  frequently  in  the 
annals  of  Epping,  N.  H.,  showing  them  to  have  been 
active  in  the  pioneer,  colonial,  Revolutionary,  civil 
and  religious  history  of  that  town. 

In  1741,  as  signers  to  a petition  to  His  Excel- 
lency, Benning  Wentworth,  His  Majesty’s  Council,  for 
incorporation  into  a separate  parish,  are  found  the 
names  of  James  Norris,  James  Norris,  Jr.,  and 
Samuel  Norris.  As  members  of  a Committee  of 
Safety  are  found  the  names  of  Joseph,  John  and 
Moses  Norris. 

The  town  of  Epping  was  incorporated  February  12, 
1741,  and  the  first  town-meeting  was  convened  at  the 
farm-house  of  James  Norris. 

In  the  War  of  the  Revolution  James  Norris  was  a 
soldier,  and  in  1775  was  promoted  to  rank  of  captain. 

In  1779,  Josiah  Norris  was  chairman  of  the  com- 
mittee to  audit  the  accounts  of  the  town,  and  to  pay 
to  the  soldiers  the  sums  raised  as  bounties. 

In  the  list  of  representatives  to  the  General  Court, 
in  the  ecclesiastical  history  of  the  town  and  in  the 
various  records  of  public  acts  the  name  of  this 
family  frequently  appears.  These  men  were  tillers  of 
the  soil,  and  became  owners  of  large  tracts  of  land, 
which  have  been  handed  down  from  father  to  son, 
each  succeeding  generation  leaving  thereon  its  im- 
press of  improvement  and  increased  fertility.  The 
life  of  a plain  farmer,  with  no  startling  events  or 
11 


famous  acts,  is  apt  to  be  uneventful  so  far  as  the  pur- 
poses of  a biographical  sketch  are  concerned,  and  yet 
these  lives  are  the  foundation  and  superstructure  of 
society.  The  line  of  descent  is  from  John  (1 ),  James 
(2),  Thomas  (3),  James  D.  (4),  to  James  Shepard  (5). 

Thomas  (3)  was  born  February  14,  1743,  and  died 
in  1840.  His  son,  James  D.  (4),  was  born  in  Epping 
April  23,  1785,  and  married  Mary  Pike  Norris,  who 
was  born  in  Epping  July  2,  1785,  and  died  October  0, 
1828.  The  children  of  this  union  were  Maria  H., 
born  June  16, 1809;  James  Shepard  (5),  born  Decem- 
ber 4,  1812 ; Mary  E.,  born  August  22,  1825. 

James  D.  (4)  succeeded  to  the  farm  of  his  father, 
Thomas  (3),  and  became  one  of  the  successful  farmers 
of  the  town,  besides  carrying  on  the  lumber  business 
and  the  manufacture  of  barrels  and  shoe-boxes.  He 
was  active  in  doing  good,  greatly  interested  in  educa- 
tional and  religious  matters,  was  a regular  attendant 
on  public  worship  and  lived  a useful  and  exemplary 
life.  In  his  family  relations  he  wras  tenderly  affec- 
tionate, as  a friend  and  citizen  was  trusted  and  true, 
and  justly  meriting  the  good  opinion  of  all.  He  died 
at  his  residence  in  Epping,  August  9,  1857,  and  was 
buried  on  the  old  homestead. 

James  Shepard  (5),  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
passed  his  boyhood  on  the  old  homestead  farm,  where 
his  lot  was  much  like  that  of  the  farmer-boy  of  that 
time,  assisting  in  farm-work  in  the  summer  and 
attending  the  common  school  in  winter.  His  educa- 
tional advantages  were  such  as  were  afforded  by  the 
district  school,  supplemented  by  two  terms  of  private 
instruction.  At  the  age  of  twelve  years  young 
Norris  had  become  useful  in  general  farm-work,  and 
as  time  progressed  also  went  into  the  woods  with  his 
father  for  timber,  which  was  converted  into  lumber 
at  the  saw-mill,  owned  partly  by  his  father.  Being 
active  in  business,  he  was  soon  entrusted  with  the  re- 
sponsibility of  hauling  and  marketing  lumber,  which 
was  transported  by  ox-teams  to  Newburyport,  Mass., 
twenty-five  miles  distant.  The  teams  were  loaded 
and  ready  for  the  start  at  three  o’clock  in  the  after- 
noon, the  journey  being  kept  up  through  the  silent 
hours  of  the  night  and  the  journey’s  end  reached 
about  sunrise  the  following  morning.  The  lumber 
was  marketed  during  that  day  and  the  return  journey 
commenced  after  the  load  was  sold  out,  and  ordinarily 
the  arrival  home  would  be  in  the  afternoon  of  the 
third  day.  Such  was  the  routine  during  the  lumber 
season.  In  addition  to  these  duties,  he  took  charge  of 
the  manufacture  of  lumber  at  the  saw-mill,  and, 
during  the  absence  of  his  father,  was  intrusted  with 
all  the  responsibilities  incident  to  this  varied  busi- 
ness. 

About  the  year  1838,  Mr.  Norris  commenced  the 
manufacture  of  shoes  in  Epping,  which  he  continued 
until  1847,  when,  by  reason  of  the  business,  which 
was  too  confining,  his  health  failed.  He  came  to 
Concord  and  entered  the  employment  of  Ebenezer 
Symmes,  as  salesman  in  the  bread,  cracker,  pastry 


162 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


and  confectionery  business,  at  a salary  of  twenty 
dollars  per  month.  This  out-door  occupation  was 
beneficial  to  his  health,  and  in  a short  space  of  time, 
having  become  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  selling 
department  of  this  business,  and  more  or  less  con- 
versant with  the  general  business,  he,  in  1850,  pur- 
chased the  business  of  Mr.  Symmes  and  carried  it  on 
so  successfully  that  in  the  course  of  a few  years  it 
became  necessary  to  put  up  additional  buildings, 
which  were,  when  completed,  supplied  with  modern 
improvements  for  the  economical  transaction  of  the 
business  on  a large  scale. 

In  1859,  Mr.  Norris  suffered  the  loss  of  his  build- 
ings by  a disastrous  conflagration.  Transferring  the 
larger  part  of  his  business  to  an  unoccupied  bakery 
at  Warner,  N.  H.,  he  at  once,  with  characteristic 
energy,  set  about  rebuilding,  and  in  the  brief  space  of 
six  months  completed  the  work,  and  relinquishing 
the  Warner  bakery,  opened  anew  in  Concord. 

In  May,  1864,  Mr.  Norris  took  into  partnership  Mr. 
George  W.  Crockett,  of  Sanbornton,  N.  H.,  and  con- 
tinued under  the  firm  name  of  J.  S.  Norris  & Co.  until 
1875,  when  Mr.  Crockett  retired,  disposing  of  his  in- 
terest to  Mr.  Norris,  who,  the  same  year,  transferred 
it  to  his  son,  James  C.  Norris,  and  they  continued  un- 
der the  firm  of  J.  S.  Norris  & Son  for  three  years. 
Having  thus  been  actively  and  continuously  engaged 
in  this  business  for  thirty-one  years,  the  unremitting 
cares  of  which  had  undermined  his  health  and  made 
rest  and  quiet  imperative,  Mr.  Norris  sold  his  interest 
in  the  business  to  Mr.  Crockett,  his  former  partner, 
and  retired,  and  the  firm  since  that  date  (1878)  has 
been  Norris  & Crockett. 

Mr.  Norris,  during  his  successful  business  career, 
has  acquired  valuable  real  estate  in  Concord,  and  is 
now  passing  the  evening  of  life  surrounded  by  com- 
forts and  conveniences  that  are  the  legitimate  fruits 
of  his  careful  and  prudent  business  habits.  Mr. 
Norris  has  never  been  active  in  politics  nor  a seeker 
after  place  or  position,  but  since  his  first  vote  has 
acted  with  the  Democratic  party.  In  religion  he  is  a 
Baptist,  a member  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of 
Concord,  and  for  many  years  one  of  its  deacons.  In 
the  improvement  of  this  church  building  he  made  a 
very  liberal  gift,  and  also  contributed  to  the  churches 
in  Epping  and  Suncook. 

Mr.  Norris  is  a valued  member  of  the  I.  0.  O.  F. 
and  is  also  a Free-Mason,  being  a member  of  Blazing 
Star  Lodge,  of  Concord. 

A man  so  successful  in  the  management  of  his  own 
affairs  would  naturally  be  sought  for  counsel  in  the 
financial  affairs  of  his  community,  and  we  find  him 
acting  as  a director  in  the  State  Capital  Bank,  to 
which  position  he  was  elected  February  10,  1863. 
He  was  also  elected  director  of  the  National  State 
Capital  Bank  January  2,  1865,  which  position  he  has 
held  continuously  to  the  present  time.  He  is  a 
trustee  and  vice-president  of  the  Loan  and  Trust 
Savings-Bank,  of  Concord,  and  one  of  its  investment 


committee,  and  a trustee  of  the  Centennial  Home  for 
the  Aged,  the  existence  of  which  institution  is  largely 
due  to  his  exertions.  He  has  done  much  for  the  im- 
provement of  Concord,  and  has  been  ready  to  assist 
in  every  good  work,  and  has  ever  been  a true  friend 
to  the  poor.  He  has  been  interested  in  education 
and  liberal  in  support  of  schools. 

Such  a life,  unostentatious  though  it  be,  has  a value 
not  to  be  easily  measured,  and  the  world  is  much 
better  for  such  living. 

In  November,  1840,  Mr.  Norris  married,  first,  Caro- 
line M.,  daughter  of  Dr.  Timothy  and  Sarah  Hillard, 
of  Northwood,  N.  H.,  who  died  June  27,  1847,  aged 
thirty-one  years,  leaving  a daughter,  Ellen  G.,  born 
May  1,  1844,  who  married  George  W.  Crockett. 

September  24,  1850,  Mr.  Norris  married,  second, 
Mary  E.,  daughter  of  Wesley  and  Harriet  Palmer,  of 
Concord.  She  was  born  January  23,  1829.  From 
this  union  there  was  born  James  C.  (6),  April  3, 1854, 
who  has  succeeded  to  the  business  of  his  father  and 
is  now  at  the  head  of  the  firm,  and  stands  as  one  of 
the  flourishing  and  intelligent  young  business  men  of 
Concord. 

July  5,  1876,  James  C.  (6)  married  Minnie  Parker, 
daughter  of  Augustus  and  Mary  Jane  Wiggin,  of 
Concord.  She  was  born  May  13,  1856.  From  this 
union  there  have  been  Mabel  Parker,  born  February 
9,  1877;  Orra,  born  November  24,  1878;  Ethel,  born 
February  13,  1881;  and  James  Shepard  (7),  born  No- 
vember 20,  1884. 

Of  the  first  wife  of  Mr.  Norris  (5)  it  may  fittingly 
be  said  that  she  was  a help-meet,  frugal  and  indus- 
trious, and  with  untiring  devotion  and  Christian  love 
aiding  to  the  utmost  in  establishing  a home  in  its 
truest  sense.  She  was  devoted  to  her  husband,  her 
child  and  her  Saviour. 

It  was  at  the  time  when  Mr.  Norris  (5)  started  out 
for  himself  in  the  wider  field  at  Concord  that  he 
married  Mary  E.  Palmer,  and  of  her  it  may  be  said 
that,  while  attending  to  the  manifold  duties  of  the 
household,  she  has  aided  and  encouraged  her  husband 
in  his  struggle  from  poverty  to  affluence,  and  now 
shares  with  him  the  confidence  and  love  of  a large 
circle  of  friends.  She  is  a tender,  loving  wife,  a true 
Christian  mother  and  a member  of  the  First  Baptist 
Church  of  Concord. 


GRANVILLE  P.  CONN. 

Granville  P.  Conn,  A.M.,  M.D.,  Concord,  was  born 
in  Hillsborough,  Hillsborough  County,  January  25, 
1832,  and  was  the  youngest  of  eight  children  of 
William  and  Sarah  (Priest)  Conn.  The  paternal 
ancestry  was  of  Scotch-Irish  origin,  while  on  the 
maternal  side  it  was  of  English  descent.  His  father 
being  a farmer,  he  resided  at  home  until  sixteen,  at- 
tending the  common  schools  and  in  doing  farm-work. 
After  this  a few  months  at  Fraucestown  and  Pem- 
broke Academies  was  followed  with  two  years  at 


'TtZstst.  o~i 


CONCORD. 


1G2  a 


Captain  Alden  Partridge’s  Military  Institution,  at 
Norwich,  Vt.,  with  an  occasional  term  of  teach- 
ing common  and  select  schools  in  New  Hampshire 
and  Vermont.  At  this  time,  and  until  1852,  he  de- 
voted his  attention  principally  to  fitting  for  the  pro- 
fession of  civil  engineering,  which  myopia  and 
general  ill  health  compelled  him  to  relinquish. 

From  this  time  until  1856  he  read  medicine  in  the 
office  of  Dr.  H.  B.  Brown,  of  Hartford,  Vt.,  and 
teaching  mathematics  several  months  during  this 
period  at  the  academy  in  that  village.  After  attend- 
ing two  courses  of  medical  lectures  at  Woodstock, 
Vt.,  and  a third  course  at  Dartmouth  Medical  Col- 
lege, he  received  the  degree  of  M.D.  from  the  latter 
institution  in  the  class  of  1856,  with  the  late  Professor 
A.  B.  Crosby,  of  Hanover. 

In  1880  Norwich  University  conferred  the  honorary 
degree  of  A.M. 

In  1856  lie  located  at  East  Randolph,  Vt.,  and  re- 
mained there  until  1861,  when  he  sold  out  and  re- 
moved to  Richmond,  Chittenden  County,  Vt. 

He  was  commissioned  assistant  surgeon  of  the 
Twelfth  Regiment  Vermont  Volunteers,  August  19, 

1862,  and  was  ordered  to  rendezvous  at  Brattleborough 
at  once,  and,  in  connection  with  the  late  Surgeon 
Phelps,  of  Windsor,  Vt.,  instituted  a United  States 
hospital  of  one  thousand  beds.  A month  later  his 
regiment  came  into  the  field,  and  with  it  he  served  in 
Virginia  during  its  nine  months’  service,  first  in  the 
Twenty-second  Army  Corps  and  afterwards  with  the 
Second  Vermont  Brigade,  was  transferred  to  the  First 
Army  Corps  and  was  mustered  out  of  the  service 
with  the  regiment  at  Brattleborough,  Vt.,  July  14, 

1863. 

In  the  fall  of  1863  he  came  to  Concord,  locating  in 
Ward  4,  on  North  Main  Street,  where  he  has  re- 
mained ever  since.  For  several  years  he  was  a 
partner  of  Dr.  Charles  P.  Gage,  of  Concord,  and  a 
member  of  the  local  Board  of  Health.  Afterwards, 
for  five  years,  he  was  city  physician.  Very  soon 
after  commencing  the  practice  of  medicine  he  be- 
came firmly  convinced  that  a great  many  deaths 
occurred  from  preventable  causes,  due  in  many  in- 
stances to  ignorance  of  the  laws  of  health,  and  that 
physicians  were  often  disappointed  in  obtaining 
satisfactory  results,  by  reason  of  inefficient  nursing 
and  lack  of  attention  to  the  hygiene  of  the  sick-room,  i 
Believing  the  State  owed  to  the  people  a care  of  their 
health,  as  well  as  of  their  morals,  he  commenced,  in 
1866,  to  agitate  the  question  of  cleaning  up  the  city, 
and  there  being  an  epidemic  of  cholera  in  Europe  at 
the  time,  he  brought  the  matter  to  the  attention  of 
the  city  officials,  who  passed  an  ordinance,  drafted  by 
him,  that  secured  a house-to-house  inspection,  the 
first  in  the  State.  This  was  made  under  his  direc- 
tion, and  a full  record  of  the  sanitary  condition  of 
every  building  in  the  compact  part  of  each  ward  in 
the  city  was  made  early  in  the  season,  which  resulted  ! 
in  a general  cleaning  of  courts,  alleys,  streets  and 


yards.  The  city  at  once  took  an  advanced  position 
in  sanitation,  which  it  has  always  maintained,  for 
with  the  introduction  of  a water  supply  in  1873  came 
the  necessity  for  a system  of  sewers,  that  was 
promptly  met  by  the  city  borrowing  a large  sum  of 
money  to  practically  complete  the  system  in  1876. 

While  city  physician,  circumstances  occurred  to 
show  that  more  care  should  be  exercised  in  the  burial 
of  the  dead,  and,  in  company  with  the  city  solicitor, 
he  advocated  that  a burial  permit  be  required  from 
the  city  registrar  before  a body  could  be  lawfully  in- 
terred. 

The  City  Council  passed  an  ordinance  to  that 
effect,  and  since  then  substantially  the  same  ordi- 
nance has  become  the  law  of  the  State,  and  New 
Hampshire  undoubtedly  secures  quite  as  accurate 
registration  of  deaths  as  any  State  in  the  Union. 
His  intimate  connection  with  the  hygiene  of  the  city 
of  Concord  rendered  him  more  and  more  convinced 
that  the  State  should  have  and  maintain  an  effective 
supervision  over  the  lives  and  the  health  of  its  citi- 
zens, and  that  a State  Board  of  Health  was  fully 
as  necessary  an  adjunct  of  the  executive  department 
of  New  Hampshire  as  a bank,  railroad,  insurance  or 
fish  commission  ; for,  while  it  is  acknowledged  by  all 
that  the  material  interestof  the  State  should  be  fostered 
and  pushed  forward  to  compete  with  the  industries 
of  other  municipalities,  yet,  unless  the  causes  of 
sickness  are  reduced  to  the  minimum,  but  little  pro- 
gress will  be  made ; therefore  the  watchful  care  of  a 
health  department  becomes  a necessity  in  order  to 
render  good  health  possible  to  the  greatest  number, 
whose  energy,  vitality  and  working  capacity  become 
the  capital  stock  of  the  State,  whose  par  value  and 
dividends  can  only  be  attained  by  having  a sound 
mind  in  a vigorous  and  sound  body.  For  many  years 
he  labored,  with  others,  to  secure  for  the  people  of 
New  Hampshire  a State  Board  of  Health,  and  to  this 
end  he  read  papers  on  sanitation  before  the  medical 
profession,  as  well  as  contributed  articles  to  the  news- 
papers on  the  necessity  of  hygienic  reform ; for  it  was 
evident  to  his  mind  that  the  State  must  be  progres- 
sive in  matters  pertaining  to  the  health  of  her  citi- 
zens, else  it  would  be  impossible  to  retain  her  prestige 
among  other  commonwealths,  and  in  1881  he  had  the 
great  pleasure  of  having  the  Legislature  pass  an  act 
j giving  his  native  State  a Board  of  Health. 

The  bill  establishing  the  board  was  drafted  by  him. 
and  is  in  many  respects  a model  for  any  State  of  the 
population  and  diversified  interests  that  characterize 
New  Hampshire,  while  the  few  years  the  board  has 
been  in  existence  proves  that  the  whole  subject  was 
thoroughly  and  carefully  considered  before  being 
presented  to  the  Legislature ; for,  while  there  is  but 
the  slightest  appearance  of  arbitary  power,  which  is 
so  distasteful  to  a free  and  enlightened  people,  yet, 
with  the  statute  law  then  existing  in  the  State  and 
| the  enactment  of  the  bill  establishing  a Board  of 
Health,  it  is  doubtful  if  there  is  another  State  in  the 


1G2  b 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Union  whose  health  department  creates  less  friction 
in  its  practical  work  than  it  does  in  New  Hampshire. 
This  is  largely  accomplished  by  taking  it  entirely  out 
of  the  domain  of  politics,  and  in  making  the  secre- 
tary a permanent  officer  so  long  as  his  efficiency  con- 
tinues. 

He  was  at  once  appointed  a member  of  the  board 
for  four  years,  and  upon  its  organization  was  elected 
its  president,  which  office  he  now  holds. 

Although  in  active  practice  of  his  profession,  he 
has,  by  his  industrious  and  systematic  habits,  done 
considerable  work  for  the  board,  contributing  articles 
upon  ventilation  and  other  subjects  intimately  con- 
nected with  hygiene,  and  he  has  represented  the 
board  several  times  in  conferences  with  sanitary  au- 
thorities and  public  health  meetings. 

At  this  time  it  may  be  considered  an  endorsement 
of  his  work  on  the  board,  that  he  has  received  a re- 
appointment for  four  years. 

While  a resident  of  Vermont  he  became  an  active 
member  of  its  State  Medical  Society,  and  a few  years 
since  he  was  elected  an  honorary  member  of  the  same 
association.  He  became  a member  of  the  New 
Hampshire  Medical  Society  in  1864,  and  in  1869  was 
elected  its  secretary,  which  office  he  has,  by  the  un- 
animous vote  of  the  association,  held  ever  since, 
except  in  the  years  1880-81,  when  he  was  vice-presi- 
dent and  president  of  this  venerable  society,  which 
was  organized  in  1791. 

It  is  well  known  that  in  voluntary  associations  of 
this  kind  very  much  of  their  prosperity  and  efficiency 
depend  upon  the  executive  ability  and  energy  of  its 
secretary,  and  it  is  a matter  of  satisfaction  to  all  who 
know  him  that  since  he  became  its  secretary  the  New 
Hampshire  Medical  Society  has  increased  in  the  num- 
ber of  its  active  members  from  sixty  to  over  two  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five,  with  an  annual  average  attend- 
ance of  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  in  place  of  less 
than  fifty  in  1865.  He  is  a member  of  the  Centre 
District  and  an  honorary  member  of  the  Strafford 
District  Medical  Society,  as  well  as  a member  of  the 
American  Public  Health  and  the  American  Medical 
Associations.  He  is  also  a member  of  the  various 
Masonic  associations  in  Concord,  and  of  Post  E.  E. 
Sturtevant,  G.  A.  R.,  of  New  Hampshire. 

In  1877,  and  again  in  1879,  he  was  elected  by  the 
people  on  the  Board  of  Railroad  Commissioners  for 
New  Hampshire,  this  being  the  only  time  he  has 
taken  any  active  part  in  politics. 

While  railroad  commissioner  he  made  two  reports 
to  the  Legislature,  in  which  he  strongly  advocated  re- 
forms in  the  commission  and  in  the  manner  of  the 
roads  making  returns,  that  have  since  been  adopted. 
His  early  education  as  a civil  engineer  has  always 
made  the  construction  and  management  of  railways  a 
matter  of  interest  to  him,  and  he  has  always  believed 
that  the  progressive  spirit  of  our  country  will  yet  ad- 
vance American  railways  until  they  will  become  an 
example  to  the  world  of  business  prosperity.  In  this 


connection  it  may  be  mentioned  that,  believing  that 
the  prosperity  of  the  State  and  its  railroads  depends 
very  much  upon  its  being  a summer  resort  for  the 
whole  country,  who  come  here  for  the  purpose  of 
health  and  recreation,  he  has  instituted  a system  of 
railway  sanitation  and  inspections  that  the  manage- 
ments of  the  roads  nobly  second,  and  which,  by  the 
watchful  care  of  the  State  Board  of  Health  over  the 
railway  stations,  cars  and  hotels,  will  increase  the 
confidence  of  the  traveling  public  in  assuring  them 
that  it  is  the  desire  of  the  people  of  New  Hampshire 
to  keep  the  hills  and  valleys  of  the  Granite  State  free 
from  the  contaminating  influences  of  waste  and  effete 
matter,  in  order  that  the  summer  visitor  may  return 
to  his  home  with  firm  health  and  renewed  vitality  in 
return  for  the  pecuniary  consideration  of  a few  days 
or  weeks  in  the  State. 

In  1858,  while  a resident  of  Vermont,  he  married 
Miss  Helen  M.  Sprague,  of  East  Randolph,  in  that 
State,  aud  has  two  children. 


GEORGE  W.  ELA. 

George  W.  Ela,  a native  of  Portsmouth,  N.  H., 
born  January  18,  1807,  was  the  third  son  of  Joseph 
and  Sarah  (Emerson)  Ela,  and  the  sixth  of  a family 
of  nine  children.  The  first  sixteen  years  of  his  life 
were  spent  at  his  paternal  home,  occupied,  when  not 
attending  the  town  schools,  on  his  father’s  farm  and 
in  the  tannery  which  his  father  carried  on  as  a reg- 
ular occupation.  This  period  of  his  life  was  without 
noticeable  incident,  if  we  except  what  he  insists  was 
the  foundation-stone  of  his  future, — when,  in  bis 
fifteenth  year  (1822),  he  was  taken  from  school,  and, 
by  an  arrangement  of  his  father  with  other  land- 
owners  in  Grafton  County,  was  sent  to  Lisbon,  with 
his  surveying  instruments,  to  confirm  or  correct  the 
lines  of  the  original  survey,  involving  titles  to  lands 
in  that  town,  and,  to  some  extent,  the  boundaries  of 
the  adjacent  towns  of  Littleton  and  Lyman.  The 
object  was  accomplished  after  much  labor,  and  in 
that  season  a plan  made  and  returned  to  the  pro- 
prietors, much  to  their  satisfaction  ; and  their  entire 
approbation  and  their  flattering  praise  of  his  per- 
severance and  success  gave  him  confidence  in  his 
own  powers  and  secured  theirs  in  his  executive  ability, 
which  never  abated  while  they  lived. 

In  that  year,  by  an  arrangement  with  Hill  & 
Moore,  publishers  of  the  New  Hampshire  Patriot,  at 
Concord, — the  famed  Republican  organ  of  that  day, 
afterward  more  famous  as  the  organ  of  the  Jackson 
portion  of  that  party, — Ela  was  to  enter  their  office 
as  an  apprentice  in  the  printing  trade.  The  latter 
part  of  that  year  the  copartnership  of  Hill  & Moore 
was  dissolved,  Isaac  Hill  retaining  the  Patriot  and 
Jacob  B.  Moore  establishing  a new  printing-office — 
subsequently  establishing  the  New  Hampshire  Journal, 
as  the  organ  of  the  Adams  wing  of  the  Republican 
party  of  that  day.  In  January,  1823,  Mr.  Ela  entered 


CONCORD. 


162  c 


the  office  of  Jacob  B.  Moore  as  an  apprentice  and 
continued  there  during  his  minority,  excepting  a 
few  months  of  the  last  of  his  term,  when,  by  an 
arrangement  of  all  parties  interested,  he  went  to 
Dover,  N.  II.  He  then  started  the  Dover  Enquirer , 
which  the  supporters  of  Mr.  Adams  in  the  na- 
tional political  contest,  then  beginning  to  be  inter- 
esting, had  determined  to  establish  in  that  locality. 
After  a few  months  Mr.  Ela  became,  by  degrees,  the 
proprietor,  publisher,  printer  and  editor,  continuing 
in  that  relation — the  latter  part  of  the  time  in  con- 
nection with  the  late  lamented  George  Wadleigh — 
for  a period  of  about  three  years.  Many  of  the  present 
generation  of  politicians  will  remember  the  influence 
which  that  paper  exerted  in  political  circles  in  the 
State,  which  was  well  maintained  by  Mr.  Wadleigh, 
who  succeeded  Mr.  Ela  and  continued  in  its  manage- 
ment for  a long  series  of  years.  Mr.  Ela  then  re- 
turned to  Concord  for  the  purpose  of  consolidating 
the  Statesman  and  Concord  Register  and  the  New 
Hampshire  Journal,  as  a political  measure,  and,  in  the 
year  1831,  commenced  the  publication  of  the  States- 
man in  connection  with  the  late  Asa  McFarland,  who 
retired  after  about  two  years.  Mr.  Ela  continued  the 
paper,  as  sole  proprietor,  for  several  years,  and  sub- 
sequently in  connection  with  the  late  Hon.  Jacob  H. 
Ela,  who  had,  in  the  mean  time,  served  an  apprentice- 
ship in  the  Statesman  office,  which  was  commenced 
and  continued  while  he  remained  a member  of  Mr. 
Ela’s  family.  Thus  Mr.  Ela  was  brought  into  the 
forties, — after  unremitting  labors  of  more  than  twenty 
years  in  the  printing-office,  with  all  the  duties  and 
customs  connected  with  the  public  press  and  political 
parties — before  the  days  of  the  last  two  generations. 

He  commenced  with  these  duties  when  the  printers’ 
devil  was  expected  to  know  everything,  do  everything, 
know  everybody  and  be  everywhere — to  be  stoker, 
messenger,  newsboy  and,  perhaps,  caterer  to  his  mas- 
ter’s table.  It  was  a substantial  relief  to  advance  a 
peg  to  the  position  of  compositor  or  pressman  or  any 
other  labor  in  the  office,  when,  too,  the  last  called 
for  the  most  muscular  and  expert  workmen,  for  at 
that  time  a power  press  was  not  known  in  New 
England,  the  work  being  all  done  on  that  wonderful 
screw  arrangement,  the  invention  of  Adam  Ramage. 
Even  the  ink-spreading  process  was  accomplished 
with  balls,  the  composition  roller,  which  subsequently 
took  their  place,  being  then  unknown.  The  Wells 
press — the  lever — was  invented  a short  time  previous, 
about  1820.  Few  of  the  craft  of  the  present  day  have 
any  definite  idea  of  the  mode  of  printing  of  that  time. 
In  this  connection  Mr.  Ela  mentions  the  fact  that  all 
the  paper  then  used  was  made  in  that  primitive  mode 
of  dipping  from  the  vat  on  a hand-screen,  sheet  by 
sheet,  the  pulp  of  which  they  were  formed,  and  that 
the  revolutions  which  have  succeeded  from  time  to 
time  in  that  line  are  as  wonderful  as  the  many  other 
advances  in  art  and  science  and  mechanical  inven- 
tions. 


Mr.  Ela,  while  yet  an  apprentice,  became  acquainted 
with  many  of  the  business  men  and  politicians  of  the 
State,  and  more  especially  in  the  county  of  Merri- 
mack. Mr.  Jacob  B.  Moore,  with  whom  he  was  ap- 
prenticed, was  a publisher  and  bookseller,  as  well  as 
editor  of  the  New  Hampshire  Journal,  and,  a few 
months  after  the  formation  of  the  county  of  Merri- 
mack (1823),  was  appointed  register  of  deeds,  and  con- 
tinued in  that  office,  by  subsequent  elections,  several 
years.  Mr.  Ela  much  of  the  time  was  acting  as  clerk 
in  the  book-store  and  in  the  registry,  often,  in  the 
absence  of  the  principal,  in  the  entire  charge  of  the 
whole  concern.  Business,  custom  and  convenience 
made  the  place  a resort  of  the  active  men  visiting  the 
capital  of  the  State  and  the  shire  of  the  county.  While 
yet  in  his  minority  he  was  frequently  employed  as 
reporter  of  the  proceedings  of  the  Legislature,  which 
position  he  afterward  continued  for  a period  of  some 
fifteen  years.  These  employments,  incident  to  his 
early  situations  and  continued  while  proprietor  and 
editor  of  the  Enquirer  and  Statesman,  gave  him  an 
extensive  acquaintance,  most  of  whom,  in  the  early 
part  of  his  life,  were  fully  twenty  years  his  seniors — 
notably  so  with  the  politicians.  He  was  a Whig  in 
politics,  as  may  reasonably  be  inferred  from  his  po- 
sitions,— active,  energetic  and  influential, — acting  in 
responsible  positions  often,  at  times  as  chairman  of 
the  State  Central  Committee.  He  was  prominent  in 
the  campaign  which  seated  General  Harrison  in  the 
Presidential  chair,  as  also  in  that  which  so  nearly 
elected  Henry  Clay.  Mr.  Ela’s  position  brought  him 
in  contact  with  many  public  men  of  fifty  years  ago  of 
national  fame  as  well  as  of  local  distinction, — with 
some  in  a formal  way  and  as  a matter  of  ceremony, 
but  with  many  in  a more  sociable  and  intimate  rela- 
tion. He  relates  many  interesting  and  valuable 
reminiscences  which  an  attentive  observation  has  se- 
cured and  an  active  mind  treasured,  and  this  charac- 
teristic has  brought  him  to  be  regarded  as  an  author- 
ity in  matters  of  history  in  his  time.  He  was  present 
in  the  procession  of  school-boys  in  Portsmouth  when 
James  Monroe,  then  President  of  the  United  States, 
visited  that  ancient  town,  and  he  has  known  every 
President  from  that  time  down  to  Garfield.  A winter 
in  Washington,  forty-five  years  since,  secured  him  the 
acquaintance  of  most  of  the  prominent  men  there  at 
that  time.  With  the  press  and  its  managers  he  had 
a more  intimate  acquaintance,  which  extends  back  to 
when  Boston  was  a town  of  some  thirty  thousand  in- 
habitants, more  or  less,  with  its  Board  of  Selectmen, 
holding  its  town-meetings  and  transacting  its  town 
business  in  Faneuil  Hall,  electing  its  fifty  or  sixty 
representatives  to  the  General  Court ; when  it  had 
not  a single  daily,  and  Nathan  Hale,  of  the  Advertiser, 
Benjamin  Russell,  of  the  Centinel,  and  Joseph  T. 
Buckingham,  of  the  Courier,  were  the  guides  of  public 
opinion  and  maintained  the  digfuity  of  the  common- 
wealth. The  New  York  celebrities  were  Nathaniel 
^ H.  Custer,  of  the  Statum;  Mordecai  M.  Noah,  of  the 


162  d 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


New  York  Enquirer;  William  L.  Stone,  of  the  Com- 
mercial Advertiser;  and,  subsequently,  James  Gordon 
Bennett,  of  the  Herald;  James  Watson  Webb,  of  the 
Courier;  Horace  Greeley,  of  the  Tribune;  James 

Brooks,  of  the , with  all  of  whom  he  was  more 

or  less  intimately  acquainted. 

Mr.  Ela,  finding  his  health  failing,  in  1844,  on  the 
advice  of  his  physician,  abandoned  his  connection 
with  the  press.  Since  then  he  has  spent  much  of 
his  time  on  his  farm  at  Allenstown,  an  acquisition 
which  he  made  a few  years  previous,  and  has  devoted 
much  attention  to  agricultural  pursuits.  And  now, 
as  the  traveler  passes  along  the  highway  over  his  ex- 
tensive domain,  covered  with  a growth  of  pine  tim- 
ber, the  equal  of  which  is  rarely  to  be  found  in  this 
State  at  least,  he  may  often  see  the  tall,  straight  form 
of  the  proprietor,  clothed  in  rustic  garb,  alone  or 
with  workmen, — or  with  company,  as  it  may  happen, 
— attending  to  the  interests  connected  therewith ; 
sometimes  in  the  corn-field,  then  examining  the 
herd,  perchance  among  the  hay-makers,  or  directing 
and  participating  in  whatever  may  be  on  hand  at  the  | 
moment;  showing  the  evidence  of  age,  yet  with  an 
alacrity  perplexing  to  the  stranger  when  told  that  the 
object  of  his  observation  is  so  closely  approaching 
the  age  of  eighty  years,  having  endured  forty  years 
of  active  life  since  condemned  as  an  invalid  without 
hope  of  recovery.  He  is  ever  active,  rising  with  the  j 
dawn,  attending  to  whatever  duties  are  in  hand, 
whether  it  leads  him  to  the  stock-yard  or  the  office- 
table.  He  is  not  confined  to  his  farm  in  his  labors  ; 
he  has  other  interests,  somewhat  extensive,  and  other 
labors  call  him  on  frequent  journeys,  although  it  is 
apparent  that  his  activity  and  his  power  of  endur- 
ance have,  in  some  degree,  abated. 

Mr.  Ela  married  Mary  Adelaide  Lane,  of  Sutton,  by 
whom  he  had  three  children, — two  sons  and  a daugh- 
ter. The  latter  died  in  infancy.  Major  Robert  L. 
Ela  served  in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion,  in  the  Sixth 
Regiment  New  Hampshire  Volunteers.  He  was  se- 
verely wounded  in  the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run  and 
again  in  the  crater  at  Petersburg,  into  which  he  led 
his  regiment,  commanding.  He  recovered  to  some 
extent  and  served  throughout  the  war,  and  now  re- 
sides in  California. 

Captain  Richard  Ela  also  served  his  country  in  the 
War  of  the  Rebellion,  and  was  killed  at  Drury’s 
Bluff,  on  the  James,  below  Richmond,  while  leading 
a charge  on  the  enemy’s  wrnrks. 


CAPTAIN  RICHARD  ELA. 

The  most  costly  sacrifice  New  Hampshire  made  for 
the  preservation  of  the  Union  was  that  of  her  young 
men.  From  her  cities  and  towns,  colleges  and 
schools  they  came,  strong  and  brave,  to  fill  and  refill 
her  regiments,  and  they  fell  by  hundreds.  Captain 
Richard  Ela  was  one  of  these.  He  was  twenty-one 
years  old  when  he  entered  the  army,  and  he  was 


killed  in  battle  three  months  before  his  term  of 
service  would  have  expired.  Brief  as  was  his  life, 
the  story  of  it  is  worthy  to  be  told,  for  it  was  well 
lived.  He  possessed  an  even  temperament  and  a dis- 
position cheerful  almost  to  gayety.  To  his  passing 
friends  he  may  have  seemed  to  take  life  carelessly  ; 
but  beneath  the  jovial  surface  was  a grave  and  earnest 
element  which  governed  his  character,  and  when  the 
time  which  tried  men’s  souls  came,  it  was  shown  that 
he  was  controlled  by  an  abiding  purpose  to  accept 
the  work  that  fell  to  him,  and  do  it  well. 

Richard  was  the  second  son  of  George  W.  and 
Adelaide  Lane  Ela,  and  was  born  at  Concord  Feb- 
ruary 12,  1840.  His  mother  died  when  he  was  three 
years  old,  and  his  childhood  was  spent  partly  with  his 
father  and  partly  with  his  grandfather,  Dr.  Robert 
Lane,  of  Sutton.  After  the  public  schools,  the  most 
of  his  school-life  was  spent  at  the  academy  at  Frank- 
lin, although  he  attended,  for  shorter  periods,  the 
academies  at  Pembroke,  New  London  and  Meriden, 
and  graduated  from  the  latter  in  the  summer  of  1858. 
He  determined  to  begin  at  once  the  study  of  his  pro- 
fession, and  accordingly  entered  the  law-office  of 
George  & Foster,  at  Concord,  with  whom  he  com- 
pleted his  professional  studies  ; also  attending  lectures 
at  the  Harvard  Law  School. 

He  was  physically  strong,  vigorous  and  active,  and 
naturally  an  adept  in  athletic  sports.  He  had  a 
special  liking  for  military  exercise. 

When  the  war  cloud  broke,  and  the  call  to  arms 
was  sounded,  it  was  impossible  that  he  should  prove 
indifferent.  Patriotism  and  military  ardor  alike 
urged  an  immediate  response,  and,  August  22,  1861, 
he  was  mustered  into  the  service  as  first  lieutenant  of 
Company  E,  Third  Regiment  New  Hampshire 
Volunteers. 

About  this  time  he  was  admitted  as  a member  of 
the  Merrimack  County  bar.  Pie  entered  the  service 
with  enthusiasm  ; but  events  prrved  that  he  was  also 
moved  by  a profound  faith  in  the  righteousness  of 
his  cause,  and  a steadfast  purpose  to  do  his  every 
duty.  His  introduction  to  real  soldiering  was  as 
officer  of  the  guard  while  the  regiment  was  on  the 
way  from  Concord  to  Camp  Sherman,  Long  Island, 
N.  Y.  While  at  this  camp  he  was  appointed  judge 
advocate  of  the  regiment. 

The  Third  was  with  General  Sherman  at  Hilton 
Head,  and  was  among  the  first  to  land. 

Lieutenant  Ela  was  in  command  of  two  companies; 
was  detached  and  ordered  on  an  expedition  to  the 
plantation  of  General  Graham,  the  rebel  commander, 
for  the  purpose  of  securing  the  person  of  that  officer 
and  the  papers  at  headquarters. 

The  general  was  not  to  be  found.  In  other  respects 
the  expedition  was  successful. 

For  many  months  the  regiment  remained  at  Hilton 
Head.  Sickness  visited  them,  and  this,  with  some 
being  detailed  for  duty  elsewhere,  so  reduced  the 
number  of  officers  that  for  six  months,  with  few  ex- 


CONCORD. 


162  e 


ceptions,  he  was  the  only  officer  with  his  company. 
The  monotony  was  at  length  broken  by  an  expedition 
towards  Savannah.  It  amounted  to  but  little,  how- 
ever, save  to  plant  the  first  Union  flag  on  Georgia 
soil. 

Soon  after,  in  an  expedition  to  the  mainland, 
Lieutenant  Ela  was  ordered  to  cut  off  and  capture 
the  enemy’s  pickets  at  a certain  station,  which  was 
accomplished.  The  next  day  the  regiment  moved 
further  inland,  and  his  company,  deployed  as  skir- 
mishers going  up  and  rear-guard  in  returning,  had 
some  sharp  skirmishing  with  the  enemy.  “This,”  he 
says,  “ was  the  first  time  we  had  heard  the  whistle  of 
rebel  bullets.” 

During  April,  1862,  the  regiment  was  doing  guard 
duty  on  Edisto  Island,  and  on  the  15th  of  the  month 
Lieutenant  Ela  was  promoted  to  a captaincy  and 
assigned  to  Company  G.  Three  months  later  he  was 
given  command  of  his  former  company  (E).  The 
following  June  he  participated  in  the  battle  of  Seces- 
sionville,  and  being  knocked  down  by  a passing  shell 
was  reported  killed,  but  he  was  soon  able  to  contra- 
dict the  report. 

About  the  1st  of  July  the  regiment  returned  to 
Hilton  Head,  and  he  was  assigned  to  the  command 
of  the  forces  on  Pinckney  Island. 

In  September  he  returned  to  Hilton  Head.  Sick- 
ness prevailed  to  such  a degree  that  for  a time  but  one 
captain,  besides  himself,  was  on  duty.  His  health 
suffered  severely,  and  in  November  he  was  given 
leave  of  absence  for  twenty  days,  the  most  of  which 
he  spent  in  Florida. 

In  March,  1863,  he  was  assigned  to  duty  as  second 
in  command  of  provost  guard  at  Hilton  Head,  where 
he  continued  until  April,  when  he  returned  to  his 
regiment. 

He  was  with  the  first  expedition  against  Charles- 
ton, and  participated  in  the  fighting  on  Morris  Island 
in  July.  When  the  siege  of  Fort  Wagner  was  begun 
Captain  Ela  was  detailed  to  organize  and  command  a 
battalion  of  sharpshooters.  He  was  stationed  at  the 
front  and  held  the  post  of  danger  throughout  the 
siege,  doing  effective  and  important  work  towards  the 
capture  of  the  fort. 

In  March,  1864,  the  regiment  returned  to  Hilton 
Head  to  be  reorganized  as  mounted  infantry.  It  was 
then  sent  to  Florida  and  there  dismounted,  and  sent 
to  Virginia  to  join  in  the  operations  against  Rich- 
mond. The  forces  were  gathering  for  the  last  great 
struggle  with  the  Rebellion.  Captain  Ela  felt  that 
serious  work  was  ahead.  His  last  letter  to  his  father 
was  dated  at  Gloucester  Point,  Va.,  April  30,  1864, 
and  says : “ We  are  crowded  down  to  the  lightest  pos- 
sible marching  order.  You  need  not  expect  to  hear 
from  me  again  until  I find  an  opportunity  to  write 
from  Richmond.” 

Thirteen  days  later  he  fell  in  the  charge  which 
captured  the  first  of  the  outer  defenses  of  Richmond. 
In  the  desperate  charge  at  Drury’s  Bluff  he  led  his 


men  to  within  twenty  paces  of  the  enemy’s  breast- 
works and  died. 

The  adjutant-general’s  report  says . “The  fighting 
lasted  but  twenty  minutes ; but  in  those  twenty 
minutes  more  than  two  hundred  of  New  Hampshire’s 
bravest  and  best  fell  dead  or  wounded.  Among  the 
foremost  fell  the  gallant  Captain  Richard  Ela,  while 
in  advance  of  his  men,  leading  them  in  the  charge. 
He  was  shot  through  the  brain,  and  expired  almost 
instantly.”  His  body  was  buried  on  the  field  of 
battle,  where  it  lies  awaiting  the  last  reveille. 

Captain  Ela  was  a brave  and  faithful  soldier.  He 
had  few  opportunities  to  distinguish  himself  in  bat- 
tle; but  in  a less  conspicuous  way  his  merit  was  even 
greater.  Although  just  across  the  line  from  boyhood 
and  fresh  from  student-life,  he  performed  the  work  of 
one  or  more  other  officers  besides  his  own  during 
almost  the  whole  of  his  time  of  service.  From  the 
time  of  entering  active  service  the  complement  of 
officers  was  never  full ; he  was  always  on  duty,  and 
work  of  absent  ones  therefore  fell  upon  him.  Much 
of  the  time,  also,  he  was  detailed  for  special  work  in 
addition  to  his  regular  duties.  Officers  and  men 
alike  bore  testimony  to  his  ability,  his  faithfulness 
and  kindly  thoughtfulness  of  others.  He  bore  the 
hardships  and  disappointments  of  his  lot  without 
complaint,  and  seemed  only  anxious  to  do  his  work 
well. 

With  the  exception  of  leave  of  absence  at  one  time 
of  twenty  days,  he  was  never  away  from  his  post,  and 
though  sometimes  suffering  from  ill  health,  he  was 
never  marked  off  duty.  At  the  end  of  two  years  and 
a half  of  service  he  was  the  only  one  of  the  original 
officers  who  had  not  been  home. 

When  on  the  march  to  the  fatal  battle-field  a com- 
rade found  him — usually  so  cheerful— now  sober  and 
thoughtful  In  response  to  a question,  he  replied 
that  he  had  a presentiment  of  death.  They  were 
going  into  a fierce  battle,  and  he  felt  that  he  should 
be  numbered  with  the  slain.  The  comrade  urged 
him  not  to  go  into  battle  if  such  were  his  feelings. 
He  replied,  “If  it  comes  to  that,  I never  shrank  from 
duty,  and  though  I know  this  to  be  my  last  battle,  my 
duty  to  my  country  shall  be  well  done.” 

That  was  the  key-note  of  his  character.  Had  he 
lived,  it  would  have  made  him  a useful  and  honored 
citizen ; dying,  it  made  him  a hero. 


DR.  ROBERT  LANE  ELA. 

Dr.  Robert  Lane  Ela,  the  eldest  son  of  George  W. 
and  Adelaide  L.  Ela,  was  born  at  Concord,  N.  H., 
April  17,  1838.  When  he  was  five  years  old  his 
mother  died.  His  childhood  was  spent  in  part  with 
his  grandfather,  Dr.  Robert  Lane,  at  Sutton,  and  in 
part  with  his  father  at  Concord.  He  was  educated  at 
New  London,  Pembroke  and  Meriden  Academies. 
On  completing  his  studies  at  these  schools,  he  was 
employed  on  his  father’s  farm  at  Allenstown,  and 


162  t 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


subsequently  went  to  Stoneham,  Mass.,  where  he 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  boots  and  shoes, 
which  he  continued  until  the  spring  of  1861. 

When  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  broke  out  he 
responded  to  the  President’s  call  for  volunteers,  and, 
returning  to  Concord,  recruited  a company  for  the 
Sixth  New  Hampshire  Regiment.  He  was  com- 
missioned a captain,  and,  joining  the  regiment  at 
Keene,  was  mustered  into  the  United  States  service 
November  30,  1861.  He  went  with  his  regiment  to 
Washington,  D.  C.,  where  they  remained  in  camp  a 
few  weeks,  and  early  in  January,  1862,  they  joined 
Burnside’s  expedition  to  Hatteras,  Roanoke  Island 
and  Newbern,  N.  C.  In  July  they  were  transferred 
by  water  to  General  Pope’s  command  in  Virginia. 
They  participated  in  the  battle  of  Cedar  Mountain 
and  the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run,  August  29,  1862, 
where  Captain  Ela  was  severely  wounded  in  the  right 
arm.  He  went  home  on  a furlough,  and  remained  until 
he  had  partly  recovered  the  use  of  his  arm,  rejoining 
his  regiment  in  March,  1863,  while  it  was  on  the  way 
to  Kentucky.  He  was  with  the  regiment  through  the 
Kentucky  campaign,  and  went  with  it  to  Vicksburg, 
where  he  was  present  during  the  siege  and  at  the  sur- 
render of  that  stronghold,  and  also  in  the  operations 
against  Jackson,  which  resulted  in  the  capture  of  that 
place.  The  regiment  then  returned  to  Kentucky  and 
was  stationed  at  Frankfort,  where  Captain  Ela  acted 
as  provost-marshal.  On  the  reorganization  of  the 
army  under  General  Grant,  in  1864,  he  went  with  his 
regiment  to  Virginia,  and  participated  in  the  Wilder- 
ness battles  of  May  5th  and  6tli ; the  battles  of  Spott- 


sylvania,  May  12th  and  18th ; North  Anna  River, 
May  29th;  Cold  Harbor,  June  3d  and  4th;  then 
moving  across  the  James  River  to  the  front  of  Peters- 
burgh,  and  engaging  in  the  battles  of  June  17th  and 
18th,  and  being  under  fire  every  day  until  the  explo- 
sion of  the  mine,  July  30th.  Captain  Ela  was  in 
command  of  the  regiment  at  this  time,  and,  the  Sixth 
New  Hampshire  being  one  of  those  selected  to  charge 
the  enemy  after  the  blowing  up  of  the  mine,  he  led 
it  into  the  crater,  and  in  the  fight  which  followed  was 
wounded  by  the  explosion  of  a spherical  case  shot  in 
front  of  him.  Both  legs  were  partially  paralyzed, 
causing  injuries  from  which  he  has  never  fully  re- 
covered. He  was  afterwards  detailed  for  duty  as 
acting  adjutant  quartermaster,  at  Camp  Gilmore, 
Concord,  N.  H.  'He'  returned  to  his  regiment  and 
was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  major  before  the  close  of 
the  war.  He  was  mustered  out  of  the  service  with  his 
regiment  July  17,  1865. 

Major  Ela  was  popular  with  the  men  under  his 
command,  for  he  was  thoughtful  of  their  comfort  and 
watchful  of  their  interests.  He  was  intimate  with 
but  few  of  his  brother  officers,  but  with  those  he  was 
especially  friendly  and  always  ready  to  give  them  a 
cordial  greeting.  As  an  officer,  he  was  prompt  and 
faithful  in  the  discharge  of  duty  and  performed  well 
his  part  in  the  War  for  the  Union. 

After  his  return  from  the  army  he  studied  medicine 
and  surgery  with  Dr.  Crosby,  of  Concord,  and  at  the 
Dartmouth  Medical  School  and  Bellevue  Hospital, 
New  York,  taking  degrees  from  both  schools.  For 
the  past  ten  years  he  has  resided  in  California. 


HISTORY  OF  ALLENSTOWN. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Geographical— Original  Grant— Named  in  Honor  of  Gen.  Samuel  Allen 
— Incorporation  of  Town — Copy  of  Charter — First  Town-Meeting — 
Officers  Elected — First  Settlements — Names  of  Pioneers — Indian  Depre- 
dations—Capture  of  Robert  Buntin  and  Others— Documentary  History 
— First  Justice  of  the  Peace — Roman  Catholic  Church. 

The  town  of  Allenstown  lies  in  the  southeastern 
part  of  the  county,  and  is  bounded  as  follows : 

On  the  North  by  Epsom;  East  by  Rockingham 
County ; South  by  Hooksett  and  West  by  Pembroke. 

This  town  was  originally  granted,  May  11,  1722,  to 
the  children  of  Governor  Samuel  Allen  and  to  their 
heirs.  It  was  described  as  follows : “ A tract  of  land 
four  miles  square,  adjoining  to  Chester  side  line,  and 
Nottingham  head  line.”  A portion  of  this  tract  was 
incorporated  with  Pembroke  in  November,  1759.  It 
was  named  Allenstown  in  honor  of  Governor  Allen. 
In  June,  1815,  a tract  of  land  lying  east  of  the  Mer- 
rimack River,  which  had  previously  belonged  to 
Bow,  was  annexed. 

Although  this  town  was  early  granted,  it  was  not 
incorporated  as  a town  until  July  2,  1831.  The  fol- 
lowing is  the  act  of  incorporation : 

“State  of  New  Hampshire: 

“ In  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  thirty-one. 

“ An  act  to  incorporate  a town  by  the  name  of  Al- 
lenstown. 

“Section  1. — Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House 
of  Representatives,  in  general  court  convened,  that 
all  that  tract  of  land  situated  in  the  county  of  Merri- 
mack, in  said  State,  that  is  now  known  by  the  name 
of  Allenstown,  be  and  the  same  hereby  is  incorporated 
into  a town  by  the  name  of  Allenstown,  with  all  the 
powers,  privileges,  incident  to  other  towns  in  this 
State. 

“Provided,  however,  that  no  person  whomsoever, 
that  would  not  have  gained  a settlement  in  said  Al- 
lenstown by  the  laws  of  this  State,  if  said  Allenstown 
had  been  incorporated  into  a town  on  the  first 
Wednesday  in  June  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
twenty-eight,  shall  gain  a settlement  in  said  Allens- 
town in  virtue  of  this  act,  any  law  to  the  contrary 
notwithstanding. 


“Section  2. — And  be  it  further  enacted,  that  Ichabod 
Clark,  James  C.  Emery,  James  Piper  and  Mark  Til- 
ton, or  any  three  of  them,  are  hereby  authorized  to 
call  the  first  meeting  of  the  legal  voters  of  said  Al- 
lenstown by  posters  of  notification  in  two  of  the  most 
publick  places  in  said  Allenstown,  expressing  the 
time,  place  and  purpose  of  said  meeting,  fifteen  days 
previous  to  the  day  of  meeting,  which  meeting  shall 
be  holden  on  the  last  Monday  of  November  next. 

“Section  3. — And  be  it  further  enacted  that  the 
officers  that  were  chosen  at  the  last  annual  meeting 
of  the  legal  voters  of  said  Allenstown  shall  continue 
in  office  during  the  term  for  which  they  were  chosen. 

“Franklin  Pierce, 

“ Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 

“Samuel  Cartland, 

“ President  of  the  Senate. 

“Approved  July  2,  1831. 

“Samuel  Dinsmore,  Governor.” 

At  this  time  Ralph  Metcalf  was  Secretary  of  State, 
and  A.  O.  Evans  town  clerk  of  Allenstown. 

The  first  town-meeting  under  this  act  was  held 
February  2,  1822,  and  Charles  Bodwell  was  chosen 
moderator.  The  first  meeting  for  the  election  of 
town  officers,  under  this  act,  was  held  March  13, 
1832.  Daniel  Batchelder  was  elected  representative, 
Andrew  O.  Evans  town  clerk  and  John  Perkins,  A. 
0.  Evans  and  John  Tennant  selectmen. 

Among  the  first  settlers  of  the  town  were  John 
Wolcutt,  Andrew  Smith,  Daniel  Evans  and  Robert 
Buntin. 

Mr.  Buntin  and  a son  ten  years  of  age  and  one 
James  Carr,  while  at  work  on  the  west  bank  of  the 
Merrimack,  were  attacked  by  Indians,  who  killed 
Carr  and  captured  Buntin  and  his  son  and  marched 
them  as  prisoners  to  Canada.  Here  they  were  sold 
to  a Frenchman  residing  in  Montreal.  After  a cap- 
tivity of  eleven  months  they  escaped  and  returned 
to  their  home.  The  son  was  Andrew  Buntin,  who 
served  in  the  Revolutionary  War  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  at  White  Plains  October  28,  1776. 

163 


164 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Documentary  History.— 

Certificate  of  Three  Soldiers  liable  to  have  their  Tax 
abated. 

“Allenston. 

“this  is  to  searty  that  george  wins  John  Jedkins 
and  Jeams  megoy  [McCoy]  was  in  the  Continentle 
serves  agrebel  to  the  vote  of  thes  province  past  in  the 
year  1775  should  be  teaken  of  John  heyes  By  us 
“that  the  pole  tax  is  “Benj  matthes 

0 4 0 6 pr  head  Select  men 

to  the  state 

“13-6  Sworn  to  June  12,  1777,  before 

“ Wm  Pakker  Jus.  Peace. 

“Joseph  Dexnet  Constable  for  1776.” 

Return  of  Number  of  Ratable  Polls,  1783. 

“ In  obedience  to  the  Order  of  the  Hon1  General 
Court  we  the  subscribers  Select  Men  of  Allenstown 
have  made  the  Following  to  be  the  Exact  Number 
of  Rateable  polls  from  Twenty  one  years  old  & up- 
wards in  the  bounds  of  said  Allenstown  viz.  thirty 
Polls 

“ George  Evans  1 Select 
“Samuel  Webster  ) men 

“Allenstown 

December  9,h  A.  D.  1783. 

“ To  the  Hon1'  the  General  Court  of  the  State  of 
New  Hampshire  at  Concord.” 

The  above  was  sworn  to  before  Samuel  Dauiell,  of 
Pembroke,  justice  of  the  peace. 

Petition  for  Abatement  of  Tax. 

“ State  of  New  [ To  the  Hon1'1'  the  Senate  and  House 
Hampshire  j of  Representatives  in  General 
Court  Convened  the  14th  day  of  June  A.  D.  1786. 

“The  Petition  of  the  Selectmen  of  Allenstown  in 
the  County  of  Rockingham. 

“ Humbly  Sheweth  That  said  Allenstown  in  the 
year  1781  was  called  upon  by  the  authority  of  said 
State  to  raise  one  man  to  serve  in  the  Continental 
Army  three  years  or  during  the  war  between  Great 
Britain  and  the  United  States  of  America  at  which 
time  it  was  supposed  by  s4  Town  that  there  was  then 
serving  in  the  Army  aforesaid  a Man  for  said  Town, 
which  if  it  had  been  true  would  have  prevented  said 
Demand,  but  on  trial  before  the  Committee  of  safety 
it  was  determined  against  them,  by  means  whereof 
s'1  Town  lost  a large  sum  of  money  which  was  paid 
him  for  engaging  as  aforesaid.  Your  Petitioners 
afterwards  hired  one  Samuel  Kennistown  and  went 
with  him  to  the  Muster  Master,  who  Informed  them 
that  a few  days  before  he  was  ordered  not  to  Muster 
any  more— since  which  an  Extent  hath  been  issued 
against  the  Select  Men  of  said  Town  by  the  Treasurer 
for  Seventy  two  pounds  twelve  shillings,  and  is  in  an 
officers  hands  to  execute — As  the  said  Town  has  ever 
procured  their  quota  of  Men  during  the  late  War,  tho’ 
but  an  Handful  compared  with  the  greatest  part  of 
the  Towns  in  the  State,  and  were  unfortunately  de- 


prived of  a Man  they  supposed  that  they  had  a right 
to,  and  who  they  paid  for  his  Service,  beg  this  Honbl* 
Court  would  take  their  case  under  their  Consideration 
and  relinquish  the  whole  or  part  of  said  sum. 

“And  your  Petitioners  as  in  duty  bound  shall  ever 
pray. 

one,  and  in  be- 
half of  the  other 
Selectmen  of 
said  Town  ” 


“George  Evixs 


In  answer  to  the  foregoing  petition,  the  Legislature 
abated  forty-two  pounds. 

Petition  for  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

“ State  of  New  Hamp'  1 To  his  Excellency  John 
Rockingham  ss  ) Sullivan  Esq  and  the 
honourable  Privy  Council  for  said  State. — Humbly 
shews  that  the  Inhabitants  of  Allenstown  in  said  State 
— That  your  Petitioners  tho’  small  in  Numbers  Con- 
sider themselves  Entitled  To  Common  Privileges  with 
other  Towns  in  general  in  said  state,  that  Ever 
since  the  settlement  of  said  Town,  the  Inhabitants 
thereof  have  been  destitute  of  a Civile  Magistrate 
To  Transact  the  Nessary  business  of  said  Town,  and 
have  ever  been  Obleged  annualy  To  apply  at  least 
six  miles  and  some  times  more  Distance  from  said 
Town  To  a magistrate  To  qualify  Town  officers,  and 
frequently  upon  other  business  which  Proves  very 
inconvenient,  and  as  they  humbly  Conceive  that 
there  is  a Person  who  is  a Reputable  free  holder  in 
said  Town,  well  qualified  To  sustain  such  a Commis- 
sion and  the  most  likley  To  give  general  satisfaction 
as  a magistrate,  therefore  humbly  Pray  that  Capt. 
George  Evins  may  be  appointed  a Justice  of  the 
Peace  in  and  for  the  County  aforesaid,  and  your 
Petitioners  as  bound  &c. 

“Allenstown  Nov.  1787. 

“Robert  Bunten,  Samel  Kinstone,  Clement  McCoy, 
Danel  Daves,  Ede  Hall  Bergin,  Samuel  (his  X mark) 
fisk,  Josiah  Allen,  Jacob  Gay,  John  Trefethen,  Moses 
Leavett,  farik  Luces,  Samuel  webster  Junr.,  Philip 
Sargent,  Zablon  Davis,  Josiah  Johnson,  Riley  Smith, 
Roger  Dugan,  Leonard  Harrington,  Ichabod  Clark, 
James  kinniston,  John  Tomson,  Jerimiah  Jonson, 
John  Hayes,  Nathaniel  Smith,  Garshom  Dugan,  Icha- 
bod Clark,  Charles  Bamford,  Samuel  Rowe,  Hall 
Bergin,  Samuel  kinneson,  Samel  york,  John  Jonson, 
John  Robinson.” 

This  petition  was  not  granted. 


Petition  for  Authority  to  Tax  Land  for  Repairing 
Highways,  etc. 

s To  the  Honble  General  Assembly  for 
State  of  I gajj  gtate  convened  at  Exeter  Jan- 
New  Hampr  j uary7U,1789- 

“ Humbly  Shew  the  Inhabitants  of  Allenstown  in 
said  State — That  from  the  first  settlement  of  said 
Town,  the  Inhabitants  thereof  (who  are  very  few  in 
number,  not  exceeding  forty  rateable  polls)  have 


ALLENSTOWN. 


165 


been  at  the  sole  expense  of  maintaining  all  public 
roads  in  the  same — that  from  the  roughness  of  the 
land,  the  many  streams  running  through  said  Town, 
and  the  small  number  of  Inhabitants,  they  find  it 
exceedingly  burdensome  to  keep  the  roads  and  bridges 
(some  of  which  are  long  and  very  often  carried  away 
by  freshets)  in  barely  passable  repair — that  unless 
said  Inhabitants  can  have  some  assistance  from  the 
Non-resident  Proprietors  or  owners  of  lands  in  said 
Town,  (who  are  by  far  the  greatest  part  of  the  pro- 
priety,) they  cannot  possibly  keep  said  roads  & 
bridges  in  proper  repair,  they  therefore  pray  your 
Honours  to  take  this  their  petition  under  your  wise 
consideration,  and  alleviate  their  distress  by  granting 
them  liberty  to  assess  one  penny  per  acre  on  all  the 
lands  in  said  Allenstown  improved  and  unimproved 
for  the  term  of  three  years,  for  the  purpose  of  repair- 
ing and  making  passable  and  convenient  the  roads 
and  bridges  in  said  town,  and  as  bound  &c. 

) Select  Men  for  and 
Johh  Leonard  }n  behalf  of  the 
Josiah  Allen  Inhabitants  of 

Nathaniel  Smith  Allenstown.” 


The  foregoing  petition  was  before  the  Legislature 
January  7th,  and  a hearing  ordered  for  their  next 
session.  June  18,  1789,  an  act  passed  granting  the 
request. 

First  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

“To  His  Excellency  the  President  of  the  State  of 
New  Hampshire  and  the  Honorable  Privy  Council 
Convened  at  Exeter  May  1790. 

“The  petition  of  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Town  of 
Allenstown  in  said  State  Humbly  Shews — 

“That  your  petitioners  are  desirous  that  a Justice 
of  the  peace  may  be  appointed  in  said  Allenstown 
(as  they  never  have  as  yet  had  the  privilege  of  hav- 
ing one  in  said  Town)  and  they  beg  leave  to  recom- 
mend to  your  Excellency  & Honors  Capt.  George 
Evans  as  the  most  suitable  person  in  said  Town  for 
that  office  and  we  pray  that  your  Excellency  & 
Honors  would  take  the  matter  under  your  wise  Con- 
sideration & appoint  him  yee  said  Evans  a Justice  of 
the  peace  in  and  for  the  County  of  Rockingham. 
And  your  petitioners  as  in  duty  bound  will  ever 
pray. 

“Allenstown  5th  Feby.  1790. 

“ Ede  Hall  Bergin,  Josiah  Morse,  John  Clark,  John 
Woodward,  John  Bergin,  John  Leonard  Juner.  Na- 
thaniel Smith,  John  Johnson,  Benjamin  Mathies,  Ze- 
bilon  Daves,  Joshua  Cates,  Samuel  Kinneson  Sr,  Iclia- 
bod  Clark  Jr,  Walter  Bergin,  Hall  Bergin,  Amos  Carl- 
ton, Capt.  Staren  Sargent,  John  Leonard,  John  Hayes, 
John  Hartford,  federch  Luies  [?],  James  Hartford, 
Samuel  york,  Daniel  Daves  Jr,  Ichabod  Clark  Sr,  Jo- 
seph Y.  Bergin,  Robert  Bunten,  Philip  Sargent,  Theod 
Shackford,  Josiah  Allen,  Samuel  webster,  Samel  fisk, 
Samuel  gooken,  Nathaniel  Smith,  Charles  Bamford, 
Samuel  Kinneson  Jr.” 


This  petition  was  granted,  and  Evans  became  Al- 
enstown’s  first  magistrate. 

Captain  George  Evans  was  a prominent  citizen  of  the 
town  and  held  various  offices.  He  was  born  May  31, 
1755,  and  died  November  23, 1804.  His  wife,  Louisa 
Williams,  was  born  October  17,  1757.  They  had  four- 
teen children,  viz.:  John,  Daniel,  Andrew  O.,  Nancy, 
Eleanor,  Betsey,  George,  Alfred,  Samuel  W.,  Robert, 
Asenath,  Sophia,  Alfred  and  Lucy  P. 

Captain  Robert  Buntin  was  also  a prominent  citizen. 
He  was  born  December  1,  1767,  and  his  wife  (Betsy 
Hutchinson)  was  born  January  20,  1770.  Their  first 
child,  Mehitable,  was  born  June  15,  1791,  at  “six 
o’clock  in  the  forenoon.” 

The  following  petition  relative  to  building  bridges 
over  Suncook  River  was  presented  in  1798 : 

“To  the  Honble  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representa- 
tives in  General  Court  convened  at  Hopkinton,  on 

the  first  Wednesday  in  June,  A.D.  1798. 

“ Humbly  Shews  The  Inhabitants  of  Allenstown 
in  the  County  of  Rockingham  that  in  the  year  1759  a 
Township  was  incorporated  in  said  County  by  the 
name  of  Pembroke  bounded  westerly  by  Merrimac 
& Sowcook  Rivers,  Northerly  upon  Chichester  & 
Epsom,  & Easterly  & Southerly  by  Suncook  River: 
that  when  said  Pembroke  was  incorporated,  about 
one  mile  was  taken  off  from  the  Westerly  part  of 
Allenstown  & included  in  Pembroke:  That  the  Inhabi- 
tants of  Pembroke  have  unreasonably  refused  and 
still  neglect  and  refuse  to  build  or  keep  in  Repair  any 
part  of  the  Bridges  over  Suncook  River  under  pre- 
tence of  their  not  being  liable  by  Law  to  build  said 
bridges  nor  any  part  of  the  same,  said  Town  being 
bounded  by  Suncook  River  in  the  act  of  Incorporation ; 
by  reason  whereof  your  petitioners  are  in  danger  of 
being  Compelled  to  build  & keep  in  Repair  all  the 
Bridges  across  said  Suncook  River,  a burthen  which 
your  petitioners  in  their  present  situation  are  wholly 
unable  to  bear  on  account  of  the  fewness  of  their 
Number  & the  great  expence  of  maintaining  & keep- 
ing in  repair  the  other  Roads  & Bridges  through  their 
town — that  the  public  have  a long  time  suffered  much 
inconvenience  and  Danger  for  want  of  good  Bridges 
over  Suncook  River,  and  that  said  Bridges  are  now  in 
a Ruinous  Condition,  the  lives  of  passengers  being 
daily  endangered  in  passing  the  same:  Your  peti- 
tioners further  shew  that  if  that  part  of  Pembroke 
which  was  taken  off  from  Allenstown  with  the  In- 
habitants was  tojie  Re-annexed  to  said  Allenstown  it 
would  not  be  more  than  their  Just  proportion  of  the 
Highway  tax  of  said  Town  to  Build  and  keep  in 
Repair  the  Bridges  over  Suncook  River ; 

Wherefore  your  Petitioners  Humbly  pray  that  that 
part  of  Allenstown  with  the  Inhabitants  thereof, 
which  is  included  within  Pembroke,  by  said  Act  of 
Incorporation,  may  be  Disannexed  from  Pembroke, 
and  Joined  again  to  that  Tract  of  land  known  and 
called  by  the  Name  of  Allenstown,  That  they  may 


166 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Thereby  be  Enabled  to  build  and  keep  in  repair  the 
Roads  and  Bridges  aforesaid, — or  that  such  other  re- 
lief in  the  premises  may  be  afforded  to  your  peti- 
tioners as  your  Honors  shall  think  just  and  Proper, 
And  they  as  in  Duty  bound  will  ever  pray 

“ Allenstown  June  6th  1798. 

“Israel  Marden,  John  Leonard,  Samuel  Webster, 
Samuel  Fisk,  Philip  Sargent,  John  Johnson,  Robert 
Bunten,  John  Leonard,  Jr.,  Moses  Leavitt,  Theod. 
Shackford,  Jr.,  Simon  Johnson,  David  Webster,  George 
Evens,  John  Hayes,  Theod.  Shackford,  John  Fisk, 
James  Bunten,  John  Hartford,  James  Clark,  Daniel 
Kiuneson,  Nathaniel  Smith,  John  Cate,  Samuel  Davis, 
Nathaniel  Smith,  Junr.,  Hall  Burgin,  Samuel  Wells, 
Jur.” 

The  result  of  this  petition  was  an  act  extending 
the  easterly  and  southerly  line  of  the  town  of  Pem- 
broke to  the  easterly  and  southerly  bank  of  Suncook 
River.  This  act  was  approved  December  24,  1798. 

The  “New  Hampshire  Gazetteer,”  published  by 
Farmer  & Morse,  in  1823,  says : “ There  is  no  settled 
minister  in  Allenstown;  their  meeting-house  is  open 
to  all  religious  sects,  and  they  occasionally  have 
preaching.  Population,  433.” 

Roman  Catholic  Church.  — There  is  but  one 
church  in  Allenstown,  the  Catholic  Church  in  the 
village  of  Suncook.  The  church  building  is  a large 
and  elegant  edifice,  beautifully  located,  and  was 
erected  at  a cost  of  about  forty  thousand  dollars. 
The  church  is  under  the  care  of  Father  J.  II.  C. 
Davignon,  who  is  energetic  in  all  efforts  to  advance 
the  welfare  of  his  people.  He  is  a popular  pastor, 
and  his  influence  is  widely  felt. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


MAJOR  STERLING  SARGENT. 

Major  Sterling  Sargent  was  born  in  Allenstown 
March  20,  1794.  He  was  the  son  of  Philip  and  Sally 
Peirce  Sargent.  He  early  manifested  a great  interest 
in  music,  and  became  quite  proficient  as  a drummer. 
When  only  sixteen  years  of  age  he  wasstationed,  with 
others,  at  Fort  Constitution,  in  the  War  of  1812,  and 
commissioned  drum-major.  He  always  resided  in 
the  town  of  his  birth,  and  for  many  years  was  chosen 
to  represent  the  same  in  General  Court,  and  to  fill 
various  other  offices  in  the  interests  of  his  fellow- 
citizens.  He  was  born  on  and  inherited  the  farm 
now  owned  by  the  China  Manufacturing  Company. 
He  made  the  brick  and  built  the  house  in  which 
Colonel  D.  L.  Jewell,  the  agent,  now  resides. 

In  1843  he  sold  this  place  to  the  Pembroke  Mills 
Company,  moving  a short  distance  to  land  he  owned, 
where  he  built  a house  and  fitted  up  a home,  in  which 
he  lived  and  died. 


Mr.  Sargent  was  always  a decided  Democrat,  and 
was  intensely  loyal  to  the  government.  He  lived  to  see 
the  triumph  of  the  Federal  army  over  the  Rebellion, 
and  died  in  the  hope  of  peace  and  abounding  pros- 
perity to  every  section  of  our  fair  country.  He  was 
for  many  years  an  honored  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  contributing  freely  for  the  build- 
ing of  the  late  chapel  in  Suncook  village,  for  the 
purchase  of  the  organ,  and  for  the  support  of  the 
various  institutions  of  religion.  His  democracy  and 
piety  were  always  well  illustrated  in  his  liberality 
and  justice.  Being  for  many  years  an  esteemed  mem- 
ber of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  he  met  all  men  “ on 
the  level,  and  parted  with  them  on  the  square.”  He 
was  married,  in  1815,  to  Sally  Gault,  of  Hooksett. 
She  proved  to  be  a woman  of  uncommon  domestic 
ability,  and  every  way  well  qualified  to  preside  over 
a family  and  a home.  She  died  May  10,  1863.  He 
died  June  4,  1868.  They  lived  together  nearly  fifty 
years.  There  were  born  to  them  eleven  children, — 
seven  sons  and  four  daughters.  Three  sons  died  in 
infancy,  and  two  became  young  men  and  then  de- 
ceased. Six  children  are  now  living, — two  sons  and 
four  daughters.  Philip  Sargent,  the  eldest  son,  re- 
sides in  the  finest  brick  mansion  in  the  town,  which 
he  has  erected  close  by  the  place  where  he  was  born. 

Warren  Sargent  inherits,  and  now  occupies,  the  old 
homestead,  which  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  best 
farms  and  pleasantest  situations  in  Allenstown. 

These  brothers  are  known  as  the  firm  of  P.  & W. 
Sargent,  brick-makers,  Suncook,  N.  H. 

Sallie  S.,  the  eldest  daughter,  first  married  George 
Hirsch,  who  soon  after  died,  and  she  married 
Rev.  H.  H.  Hartwell,  a Methodist  minister  and  mem- 
ber of  tbe  New  Hampshire  Conference,  and  now 
owns  and  dwells  in  a fine  “ cottage  home,”  near  the 
place  of  her  birth. 

Elsie  K.  is  the  esteemed  wife  of  Henry  W.  For- 
bush,  Esq.,  a merchant  in  Philadelphia. 

Mary  H.  is  the  honored  wife  of  W.  F.  Head,  Esq., 
of  Hooksett,  a brother  and  a life-long  partner  in 
business,  and  now  occupying  the  splendid  residence 
of  the  late  ex-Governor  Natt.  Head. 

Abbie  H.  is  the  true  and  faithful  companion  of 
Natt.  B.  Emery,  one  of  the  long-known  firm  of  Emery 
Brothers,  and  has  a palatial  residence  in  Suncook 
village. 

These  six  children  all  revere  the  memory  of  their 
departed  parents,  and  in  talent  and  character  are 
living  to  honor  the  family  name. 


REV.  HENRY  H.  HARTWELL. 

Rev.  Henry  H.  Hartwell  was  born  in  Hillsborough, 
M.  H.,  October  18,  1819.  He  was  the  eldest  son  of 
William  and  Betsy  Wilkins  Hartwell.  They  had 
nine  sons  and  two  daughters.  Of  these,  six  died 
in  infancy,  while  five  lived  to  reach  manhood. 

The  family  was  poor,  and  at  times  destitute.  When 


ALLENSTOWN. 


107 


he  was  about  eight  years  old,  young  Henry  was  sent  to 
Vermont  to  live  with  a friend  (in  order  to  lighten  the 
burden  of  family  expenses),  where  he  remained  for 
more  than  four  years  without  seeing  his  mother,  to 
whom  he  was  greatly  attached.  He  then  returned  to 
his  native  town,  and  found  employment  in  different 
places,  working  during  the  summer  and  attending 
school  in  the  winter-time. 

When  fourteen  years  of  age  he  commenced  to  learn 
the  carpenter’s  trade,  working,  as  before,  in  the  busy 
season,  and  attending  school  or  teaching  in  the  fall 
and  winter.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  made  a pro- 
fession of  religion  and  united  with  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church. 

Immediately  becoming  very  active  in  all  the  social 
meetings  and  interests  of  the  church,  he  was  greatly 
impressed  that  it  was  his  duty  to  take  upon  himself 
the  work  and  office  of  the  Christian  ministry.  He 
found  two  barriers  in  the  way:  the  opposition  of  his 
father  and  friends,  and  his  deep  consciousness  of 
unfitness  for  such  an  important  work.  Still,  he  kept 
steadily  on  in  the  discharge  of  what  he  felt  to  be  his 
duty,  and  in  the  improvement  of  every  opportunity, 
until  in  the  spring  of  1840,  his  zeal  having 
daily  increased  and  his  father  being  less  opposed  to 
it,  he  gave  up  all,  and,  leaving  home  and  friends, 
started  on  horseback,  with  saddle-bags,  to  carry  the 
glad  tidings  to  lost  men. 

He  joined  the  New  Hampshire  Conference  in  1841, 
and  for  thirty-five  years  performed  effective  work  in 
the  ministry.  His  educational  advantages  were  lim- 
ited, but  he  was  a ready  extempore  speaker,  very 
original,  always  selecting  some  object  in  nature 
or  some  fact  in  history  with  which  his  hearers  were 
familiar,  that  he  might  more  clearly  illustrate  and 
forcibly  apply  the  truth  he  sought  to  inculcate.  He 
was  full  of  what  is  called  “ mother  wit,”  and  has  ever 
been  regarded  as  a good  student  of  human  nature. 
He  inherited  a peculiar  eccentricity,  which  added  not 
a little  to  his  popularity  as  a preacher.  During  his 
active  ministry  he  filled  many  of  the  best  positions 
in  the  Conference,  and  was  always  happy  in  his  charge 
and  his  work.  Under  his  ministry  thousands  have 
been  converted  and  added  to  the  Church  of  Christ. 

Physically  he  was  perfect,  and  the  early  muscular 
training  he  received  was  of  much  benefit  at  times 
during  his  ministry.  He  was  assailed,  when  in  his 
prime,  by  three  men  who  had  taken  offense  at  some- 
thing he  had  said  in  a temperance-meeting,  and  with 
much  profanity  they  informed  him  of  their  intention 
to  thrash  him.  He  replied  solemnly,  “ Boys,  I don’t 
want  my  ministerial  coat  soiled;  allow  me  td  take  it 
off  and  I am  ready.”  When  his  coat  dropped  from 
his  hand,  the  better  of  the  three  went  to  the  ground 
also,  and  the  second  was  treated  in  a like  manner. 
Mr.  Hartwell  then  said  to  the  third,  “ David,  if  I 
strike  you,  you  will  never  rise  without  help  l ” And 
David  gave  him  his  band,  and  the  two  together  got 
the  others  up,  washed  off  the  blood  and  assisted  them 


to  their  homes.  This  experience  was  to  the  three  in 
after-years  a source  of  merriment  when  they  met 
together. 

When  Mr.  Hartwell  was  pastor  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  in  Nashua,  in  1858,  one  night,  in 
the  midst  of  a powerful  revival,  some  one  made  a 
disturbance  in  the  back  part  of  the  congregation.  He 
called  upon  an  officer  to  still  or  remove  the  offender. 
The  officer  went  to  the  man  while  Mr.  Hartwell  de- 
layed reading  the  hymn.  At  length  he  came  back  to 
the  pulpit  without  his  man.  Mr.  Hartwell  then  said, 
“ The  officer  informs  me  that  this  is  a desperate  fel- 
low ; that  he  has  a revolver  and  swears  he  won’t  go 
out.  Now  let  all  be  perfectly  quiet,”  and,  turning 
his  hymn-book  upon  the  Bible,  he  walked  decidedly 
up  the  aisle  and  said,  “Jack  Burns,  will  you  go  with 
me  quietly  out  of  this  house?”  The  reply  was, 
“ Yes,  Henry,  I will ; but  there  ain’t  another  man  in 
this  crowd  that  can  take  me  out!  ” He  led  him  out 
and  down  into  the  street,  and  returning  to  the  pulpit, 
said,  “ Now  let  us  worship  God.” 

More  than  thirty  years  ago  Mr.  Hartwell  was  jour- 
neying from  New  Market  to  Concord  in  a sleigh  with 
his  wife  and  little  daughter.  In  the  town  of  North- 
wood  he  saw  three  young  men  from  the  leading  fami- 
lies in  Concord  coming  driving  at  a break-neck  speed, 
and  their  sleigh  lapped  his  about  three  inches. 
The  driver  said,  “What  now?  my  horse  won’t  back.” 
Mr.  Hartwell  said,  “ My  horse  will  back  if  I want 
him  to.”  After  a moment  one  of  them  said,  “ What 
are  you  going  to  do?”  Mr.  Hartwell  replied,  “I 
will  show  you  if  you  like  to  see,”  and,  stepping  out 
into  the  snow,  he  took  hold  of  their  sleigh  and  tipped 
it,  with  the  men,  into  the  ditch  and  then  drove  on. 
These  are  only  a few  of  the  many  reminiscences  of 
his  life.  He  was  never  a bigot,  but  was  an  outspoken, 
old-fashioned  Methodist  minister. 

He  spoke  of  heaven  and  hell  and  called  things  by 
their  proper  names.  He  was  of  a very  positive  na- 
ture, making  many  warm  friends  and  some  bitter 
enemies.  He  cast  his  first  vote  in  1840  with  the  then 
despised  Anti-Slavery  party.  His  father  wept  and 
said  to  him,  “I  should  rather  have  buried  you  than 
have  you  vote  the  nigger  ticket ! ” But  he  replied, 
in  his  own  peculiar  style,  “ Old  man,  you  have  al- 
ways told  us  boys  never  to  be  anything  because  your 
father  was,  but  investigate  and  then  act  as  you  con- 
scientiously believe  to  be  right.  That  I have  done.” 
And  his  father  never  said  anything  more  to  him  on 
that  subject.  Mr.  Hartwell  always  seemed  sanguine 
in  the  belief  that  he  should  live  to  see  the  doing 
away  of  American  slavery,  as  the  sum  of  all  vil- 
lainies. After  the  abolishing  of  slavery  he  drifted 
into  the  Kepublican  ranks,  and  for  many  years  has 
been  an  earnest  worker  on  that  line.  He  has  always 
been  a most  decided  temperance  advocate;  has  been 
associated  with  nearly  all  the  temperance  organiza- 
tions tor  the  last  fifty  years,  believing  that  all  of  them 
have  done  good.  But  his  great  stress  has  been  on 


168 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


prohibition.  He  has  always  believed,  preached, 
prayed  and  voted  with  the  hope,  and  only  hope,  of 
the  full  and  final  suppression  by  law  of  this  great 
curse.  On  account  of  his  outspoken  opposition  to 
this  traffic  he  has  suffered  in  person,  reputation  and 
property.  He  has  been  greatly  slandered,  waylaid, 
horse-sheared,  wagon  and  harness  mutilated  and  an 
attempt  has  been  to  burn  his  house  by  night.  But 
for  his  faithful  dog,  he  and  his  family  might  have 
gone  through  the  flames  of  his  own  dwelling  to  the 
rest  promised  to  the  people  of  God.  For  a few  years 
past  he  has  been  so  wounded  with  the  duplicity  of 
professed  temperance  men,  and  so  disgusted  with 
some  of  his  brethren  in  the  ministry  who  have 
preached  temperance  and  voted  for  rum,  that  he  has 
not  taken  as  prominent  a part  in  public  demonstra- 
tions as  formerly. 

A now  prominent  man  has  said:  “To  be  duly  ap- 
preciated be  must  be  thoroughly  known.  I have 
known  Mr.  Hartwell  for  fifty  years  intimately,  and  I 
would  trust  him  with  uncounted  thousands  of  dollars.” 

H e was  married,  in  May,  1842,  to  Flora  Ann  Sweatt, 
of  Webster,  N.  H.,  who  proved  every  way  worthy  of 


his  hand  and  heart.  They  toiled  together  for  sixteen 
years,  and  she  died  November,  1858,  leaving  three 
sons  and  one  daughter.  The  sons  are  all  living.  The 
daughter  was  Mrs.  Charles  T.  Daniels,  of  Lawrence, 
Mass.,  who,  with  her  only  son,  nineteen  years  of  age, 
was  lost  on  the  ill-fated  steamer  “ City  of  Columbus,” 
off  Gay  Head,  January  18,  1884. 

In  April,  1861,  he  married  Mrs.  Sally  Hirsch,  a 
widow,  and  the  eldest  daughter  of  Major  Sterling 
Sargent,  of  Allenstown.  They  have  one  daughter, 
Mrs.  Pork  Mitcliel,  now  of  Manchester.  He  has 
been  for  more  than  a quarter  of  a eentury  a member 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  of  the  I.  O.  O.  Fellows, 
having  regularly  passed  the  chairs  and  been  Grand 
Chaplain  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  State  in  both  of 
these  orders. 

In  1868  he  became  a citizen  of  Allenstown,  where 
he  now  resides.  Although  he  has  never  acted  or 
voted  with  the  predominant  party,  he  has  been  kept 
in  office  most  of  the  time,  showing  the  respect  for 
and  confidence  reposed  in  him  by  his  fellow-towns- 
men. He  is  now  a man  of  sixty-six  years,  hale  and 
hearty,  and  weighs  two  hundred  pounds. 


HISTORY  OF  BOSCAWEN.1 


CHAPTER  I. 

Geographical — The  Original  Grant— Contoocook — Incorporation  of  Town 
— First  Proprietors'  Meeting — Survey  of  the  Plantation — First  Settlers 
— First  Birth — The  Pioneer  Mill— The  First  Fort— Indian  Troubles — 
First  Town-Meeting — The  Pioneer  School — First  Justice  of  the  Peace 
— Population  in  1767 — The  First  Physician — Whipping- Post. 

The  town  of  Boscawen  is  located  near  the  centre 
of  the  county,  and  is  bounded  as  follows: 

North  by  Salisbury;  East  by  Northfield  and  Can- 
terbury; South  by  Concord  and  West  by  Webster. 

The  original  grant  of  this  town  was  made  to  John 
Coffin  and  eighty  others,  by  the  government  of  Mas- 
sachusetts Bay,  June  6,  1733.  It  was  named  Contoo- 
cook, and  bore  that  name  until  it  was  incorporated  as 
a town,  April  22,  1760,  for  a term  of  two  years,  hv 
the  government  of  New  Hampshire,  and  given  its 
present  name  in  honor  of  Admiral  Edward  Boscawen, 
of  the  British  navy.  This  charter  was  continued  for 
an  indefinite  term,  bv  the  same  authority,  October  7, 
1763.  The  first  proprietors’  meeting  was  held  in 
Newbury,  Mass.,  in  1733,  and  thirty-three  of  the 
proprietors  commenced  settlements  in  the  town  the 
following  spring. 

Mr.  Richard  Hazen,  an  experienced  surveyor,  who 
had  been  employed  by  the  proprietors  of  Penacook 
to  survey  that  plantation,  was  engaged  to  make  the 
first  survey  of  Contoocook.  The  original  plot,  as  laid 
by  him,  is  on  file  in  the  archives  of  the  Secretary  of 
State,  Boston. 

During  the  year  1734  thirty-three  settlers  came  to 
Contoeook,  to  begin,  as  it  were,  life  anew  in  the  wil- 
derness. Rev.  Mr.  Price  has  handed  down  the  names 
of  twenty-seven  only;  but  from  a deposition  made 
by  Moses  Burbank  in  1732  the  number  is  stated  as 
being  thirty-three,  as  follows:  David  Barker,  Sinkler 
Bean,  John  Bowen,  Josiah  Bishop,  Andrew  Bohon- 
non,  Moses  Burbank,  Philip  Call,  Thomas  Cook, 
John  Corser,  William  Dagodon,  William  Danforth, 
Nathaniel  Danforth,  Joseph  Eastman,  Edward  Em- 
ery, Edward  Fitzgerald,  Jacob  Flanders,  Richard 
Flood,  John  Fowler,  Stephen  Gerrish,  Ambrose 


i The  following  history  is  condensed  from  Charles  Carleton  Coffin's 
"History  of  Boscawen  and  Webster,”  an  excellent  work  of  six  hundred 
and  sixty-six  pages,  published  in  1878 


Gould,  Richard  Jackman,  George  Jackman,  Joel 
Manuel,  Nathaniel  Meloon,  William  Peters,  Nathan- 
iel Rix,  Daniel  Rolfe. 

It  is  not  probable  that  many  of  the  settlers’  fami- 
lies came  in  the  spring,  but  most,  if  not  all,  were 
there  before  the  close  of  the  year. 

November  8,  1734,  a meeting  of  the  proprietors 
was  held  at  the  house  of  Archelaus  Adams,  in  New- 
bury. It  was  voted  that  a saw-mill  should  be  built 
at  the  charge  of  the  proprietors,  and  Daniel  Hale, 
Joseph  Gerrish  and  Thomas  Thoria  were  chosen  a 
committee  to  attend  to  the  matter.  The  same  com- 
mittee was  empowered  to  rectify  any  mistake  made 
in  the  laying  out  of  lots,  and  John  Brown,  the  sur- 
veyor, was  engaged  to  go  to  Contoocook  to  show  the 
proprietors  the  location  of  the  lots. 

Five  of  the  proprietors  — Joseph  Lunt,  John 
Coffin,  Thomas  Thoria,  Benjamin  Lunt,  Benjamin 
Coker,  and  Edward  Emery— entered  their  dissent  in 
regard  to  the  power  of  the  committee. 

December  18th  another  meeting  was  held.  It  was 
voted  that  the  intervale  should  be  fenced  by  the 
15th  of  May  of  the  following  year,  at  the  expense 
of  the  owners  of  the  lots,  and  any  proprietor  neglect- 
ing to  build  his  proportion  should  make  satisfaction. 
It  was  also  voted  that  Joseph  Tappan  should  obtain 
a grindstone  for  the  common  use  of  the  proprietors. 

At  this  meeting  further  action  was  taken  towards 
building  a saw-mill. 

“ It  was  put  to  vote  by  the  moderator  where  [whether]  there  should 
be  a grant  of  [land]  made  to  those  men  hereafter  named,  of  the  little 
stream  [Mill  brook]  at  Contoocook  near  the  upper  end  of  the  lots  or 
town,  and  fifty  acres  of  land  laid  square  adjoining  to  the  mill  for  com- 
mencing thereof  on  both  sides  of  the  stream  and  also  one  whole  right 
throughout  the  town  or  plantation  on  condition  they  build  a saw-mill 
there  by  the  first  of  September  next  ensuing  the  date  hereof,  and  a 
good  grist-mill  so  soon  as  there  is  settled  twenty  families  on  the  said 
plantation  in  case  there  is  water  enough  to  accommodate  both  mills 
and  the  mills  be  built,  ami  in  the  length  of  time  by  clearing  the  land  or 
any  other  way  it  shall  be  judged  that  there  is  not  water  to  answer  the 
end  for  said  mill  or  mills  or  that  the  men  are  obliged  to  raise  the  dam 
so  high  to  save  water  to  saw  or  grind  so  as  to  be  judged  hurtfull : then 
the  proprietors  shall  pay  the  men  that  built  the  mill  or  mills  for  them 
the  price  of  what  they  shall  then  he  accounted  worth,  or  else  procure 
for  the  men  that  built  the  mill  or  mills  the  stream  commonly  called  or 
known  by  the  name  of  [Mill  brook]  Contoocook  & the  privileges  thereof 
as  was  reserved  as  by  record  may  appear— they  taking  the  land  as  it 
was  reserved  by  each  [of  the]  falls  for  convenience  of  the  mills  for  part 
of  their  rights.” — (From  the  Hecords.) 


169 


170 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


The  above,  evidently,  was  not  drawn  by  the  clear- 
headed clerk,  Joseph  Coffin. 

The  year  opened  auspiciously  to  the  settlers,  for, 
on  January  7th  a daughter  was  born  to  Nathaniel 
Danforth,  the  first  birth  in  the  plantation.  The 
infant  was  named  Abigail,  grew  to  maidenhood  and 
married  Thomas  Foss,  whose  name  frequently  appears 
in  the  records  of  the  town. 

From  action  taken  in  regard  to  the  discharge  of  the 
bond  given  by  the  fifteen  who  obligated  themselves  to 
build  the  saw-mill,  the  evidence  is  conclusive  that  the 
mill  had  been  erected. 

“ Voted  that  the  bonds  of  the  men,  which  have  built  the  saw  mill  be 
delivered  A to  lay  out  the  bonds  for  building  said  mill  according  to  vote 
as  by  record.” 

It  was  the  pioneer  mill  of  this  section  of  the  Mer- 
rimack Valley.  The  saw-mills  of  that  period  were 
such  as  any  carpenter  might  construct.  This  mill 
had  no  “ nigger”  wheel  to  move  the  “carriage”  back 
after  the  saw  had  passed  through  the  log;  that  labor 
was  done  by  a man  treading  upon  the  cogs  of  the 
“ ratchet-wheel,” — labor  exceedingly  fatiguing.  For 
many  years  it  was  the  only  saw-mill  in  the  town,  and 
several  of  the  houses  now  standing  on  King  Street  are 
covered  with  boards  which  were  sa.wn  in  this  first  mill. 

The  First  Fort. — It  was  voted  that  a fort  should 
be  erected  at  the  expense  of  the  proprietors,  the  in- 
closure to  be  one  hundred  feet  square,  built  of  hewn 
logs,  seven  feet  high  and  eight  inches  thick  when 
hewn,  “ to  be  built  three  feet  above  the  logs  with  such 
stuff  as  shall  be  agreed  upon  by  the  committee.” 

From  this  record  it  may  be  inferred  that  there  was 
an  upper  work, — a chevaux-de-frise  of  pointed,  pro- 
jecting timbers,  designed  to  prevent  the  enemy  from 
climbing  over  the  wooden  walls,  which  undoubtedly 
were  loop-holed  for  the  use  of  musketry. 

It  was  voted  to  locate  the  fortification  on  the 
“ school  lot.”  The  probabilities  are  that  it  was 
erected  a few  feet  south  of  that  lot,  near  the  spot  upon 
which  the  first  framed  house  was  subsequently  erected 
by  Rev.  Robie  Morrill. 

It  being  found  that  the  inclosure  was  not  large 
enough  to  accommodate  the  entire  community, 
another  fortification  was  erected  during  the  winter. 
No  record  has  been  preserved  in  regard  to  the  dimen- 
sions of  this  garrison,  but  it  probably  was  somewhat 
smaller,  and  designed  as  a retreat  for  the  settlers  on 
Queen  .Street  in  case  of  sudden  surprise. 

Through  the  years  of  trouble  with  the  Indians 
these  garrisons  served  to  protect  the  resolute  men  | 
who,  during  the  most  exciting  times,  when  other  fron- 
tier settlements  were  abandoned,  never  thought  of 
yielding  the  ground  to  the  foe. 

The  first  attack  of  the  Indians  upon  Contoocook 
was  made  about  1744,  though  the  exact  date  is  un- 
known. Josiah  Bishop,  who  was  at  work  in  his  field 
at  the  lower  end  of  King  Street,  was  surprised  by  a j 
party  of  Indians.  They  took  him  into  the  woods, 
probably  up  the  rocky  hill  west  of  the  lower  end  of 


King  Street.  He  made  an  outcry,  and  quite  likely 
preferred  death  to  captivity.  As  was  subsequently 
learned  from  the  Indians,  he  resisted  bravely,  and 
they  dispatched  him  with  their  tomahawks.  The 
capture  naturally  threw  the  settlement  into  com- 
motion ; but  the  citizens  having  located  their  homes, 
determined  to  defend  them.  The  summer  was  one  of 
great  anxiety.  The  families  took  refuge  in  the  gar- 
risons, while  sentinels  were  ever  on  the  watch  while 
the  citizens  were  at  work. 

The  chief  item  of  interest  in  the  call  for  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  proprietors  in  1752  was  the  erection 
of  a second  fort.  The  meeting  was  held  May  20th,  and 
the  following  vote  was  passed  : 

“ Voted  to  raise  £200  old  tenor  to  be  laid  out  in  building  a garrison  or 
fort  & to  be  built  forthwith  and  to  be  set  on  Samuel  Gerrish’s  lot  which 
wa6  originally  laid  out  unto  Richard  Greenougb,  said  fort  to  be  one  hun- 
dred A ten  feet  Square  or  otherwise  as  the  committee  shall  Judge,  allow- 
ing said  building  to  cover  the  land.” 

This  second  fort  was  erected  on  the  hill.  Messrs. 
Stephen  Gerrish,  Jacob  Flanders  and  Richard  Jack- 
man  were  placed  in  charge  of  the  work.  It  is  prob- 
able that  this  fortification  stood  on  the  site  of  the 
smaller  fort,  erected  during  the  previous  troubles. 

We  have  not  been  able  (says  Mr.  Coffin)  to  ascer- 
tain what  citizens  of  Contoocook  enlisted  in  the  war 
against  the  French  and  Indians.  It  is  not  likely  that 
their  names  would  be  found  on  the  proprietors’  rec- 
ords. It  is  known  that  Philip  Flanders  was  killed 
at  Crown  Point.  He  was  a ranger  in  Major  Rogers’ 
company.  He  was  the  son  of  Jacob  Flanders,  one  of 
the  first  settlers,  and  lived  at  the  south  end  of  Water 
Street.  He  was  brother  of  Deacon  Jesse  Flanders, 
who  was  in  one  or  more  of  the  campaigns  against  the 
French  and  Indians. 

Andrew  Bohonon,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Con- 
toocook, also  served  in  one  or  more  campaigns.  He 
was  brother-in-law  of  Philip  and  Jesse  Flanders, 
having  married  their  sister,  Tabitha. 

The  First  Town-Meeting. — The  first  town-meeting 
I was  called  by  the  proprietors’  clerk,  Joseph  Coffin, 

“This  may  inform  tho  Free  holders  A other  inhabitants  of  the  plan-  I 
tation,  formerly  called  Contoocook,  Is  now  by  his  excellency  Benning 
Wentworth,  Esq.,  Governor,  Ac.,  In  & over  His  Majesty’s  Province  of  New 
Hampshire  made  and  Incorporated  and  Invested  with  Town  privileges 
and  the  nominees  thereof  is  by  His  Excellency’s  People  called  Boscawen, 
the  said  Freeholders  and  Inhabitants  are  hereby  notified  to  meet  at  the 
Meeting-House  in  said  Town  on  the  third  Wednesday  In  June  at  Nine 
of  the  clock,  before  noon,  to  choose  a town  clerk,  assessors  and  all  other 
Town  officers  for  the  year  ensuing  as  the  Law  Directs.  By  order  of  His 
Excellency. 

“ Joseph  Coffin. 

“ April  30,  1760.” 

June  18th,  at  the  meeting  thus  called,  Joseph 
Coffin  was  chosen  moderator,  George  Jackman,  Jr.,  , 
town  clerk;  John  Webster,  Ensign  John  Fowler  and 
Captain  Joseph  Eastman,  selectmen  and  assessors;  ' 
Benjamin  Eastman,  constable;  Andrew  Bohonon, 
surveyor  of  highways;  and  Deacon  George  Jackman 
j and  Moses  Burbank,  fence-viewers. 

It  was  voted  that  the  selectmen  furnish  a town 
pound. 


BOSCAWEN. 


171 


The  First  School. — At  the  first  annual  meeting 
after  the  organization  of  the  town  an  appropriation 
of  thirty  pounds  was  made  for  a school,  to  be  kept 
two  months.  The  teacher  employed  was  Mr.  Varney, 
who  had  preached  for  a short  time  after  the  death  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Stevens.  He  was  the  first  teacher  employed 
in  the  town.  If  a school  was  taught  prior  to  this 
date,  it  was  a private  affair.  Probably  none  was 
taught,  and  the  instruction  received  by  the  children 
was  given  by  their  parents.  The  hardships  had  been 
too  great,  and  the  country  too  much  disturbed  by  the 
frequent  Indian  alarms  and  the  marchings  to  and 
from  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point,  to  admit  of  any 
organized  effort  in  educational  matters.  It  is  gratify- 
ing to  know  that  almost  the  first  appropriation  of  the 
town  was  for  public  instruction.  It  was  a significant 
indication  of  its  future  prosperity. 

The  first  action  in  law,  in  which  the  town  was  a 
party,  occurred  in  1765.  At  the  regular  town-meet- 
ing, which  was  held  on  this  day,  besides  choosing 
officers,  a committee  was  appointed — George  Jack- 
man,  Jr.,  and  Thomas  Carter — “ to  answer  to  the 
action  commenced  by  Major  Samuel  Gerrish  against 
said  proprietors,  also  for  any  other  suits  that  may  be 
brought.”  What  the  question  in  dispute  may  have 
been  does  not  appear. 

In  Rev.  Mr.  Price’s  history  it  is  stated  that  George 
Jackman,  Jr.,  was  appointed  justice  of  the  peace  in 
1760,  by  His  Majesty’s  authority,  George  II.  We 
have  not  been  able  to  verify  the  statement.  George 
III.  was  now  on  the  throne,  and  from  the  petition 
given  below,  it  would  seem  that  George  Jackman  re- 
ceived his  appointment  under  George  III.,  in  1766: 


“ To  His  Excellency , Benniny  Wentworth , d'C.  : 

“ Whereas  the  Town  of  Boscawen,  in  said  Province,  has,  ever  since  its 
first  settlement,  been  destitute  of  a commissioned  Justice  of  the  peace, 
such  an  office  being  often  needed  (more  especially  since  our  Late  favor 
able  Incorporation  by  your  excellency),  we  the  subscribers  and  Inhabit- 
ants of  said  town  pray  your  excellency  to  commissionate  Mr.  George 
Jackman,  junior,  of  said  Town,  to  be  justice  of  the  Peace,  he  having  de- 
served well  for  several  years  Last  past  in  the  acceptable  discharge  of 
public  Trust  to  him  committed  and  your  petitioners  will  ever  pray  for 
the  granting  of  their  prayer. 

“ Boscawen,  January  20,  1760  : 


“ Ezra  Carter. 
John  Fowler. 
Thomas  Carter. 
John  Webster. 
John  Flanders. 
William  Emery. 
John  Corser. 


Thomas  Corser. 

Ephm  Woodbury. 

Jesse  Flanders. 

Stephen  Call. 

Moses  Foster  petitions, 
tho’  not  an  Inhabitant 
of  Boscawen.” 


ITEMS  FROM  THE  SELECTMEN’S  ACCOUNT— 1766. 

£ s.  d. 

“ Paid  to  the  selectmen  for  perambulating  the  line  between  Bos- 
cawen and  Almsbury  [Warner] 0 4 0 

paid  Nathan  Corser  for  wolf’s  head 0 4 0 

Paid  Capt.  Eastman  for  entertainmeut  for  the  council  at  Mr. 

Morrill’s  Dismission 1 4 0 

Paid  Mr.  Thomas  Foss  the  Sum  of  Savin  shilling  for  his  Sarvice 
toward  Laying  out  highways  & perambulating  between  Bos- 
cawen & hopkinton 0 7 0 

Paid  mr.  William  Jerome  for  preaching  two  Days 2 8 0 


paid  Capt.  fowler  to  expense  of  town  in  the  house  ( Mr.  Fowler’s)  3 0 0 

at  another  time  paid  him  for  two  bowls  of  punch 1 8 0 

at  another  bowl  of  punch  for  the  Justice . 0 14  0 

paid  Capt.  fowler  for  entertaining  Revd  nil*,  ware  after  preach- 
ing   2 0 0 

paid  him  for  keeping  mr.  morrilPs  horse  sometime 4 0 0 

also  paid  Capt.  Fowler  for  entertaining  Som  of  the  Committee 

that  ware  chosen  to  appoint  a place  fora  meeting-house  . . 6 0 0 
Remaining  on  his  Book  not  settled  Savrill  person’s  Rates  who 

call  themselves  churchmen,  the  whole  of  the  money  being  .690 

ITEM  FROM  CONSTABLE  THOMAS  CARTER’S  ACCOUNT. 

£ s.  d. 

“Credit  to  warning  moses  Danford’s  wife  out  of  Town  A return- 
ing ye  warrant 7 9 3” 

Population  in  1767. — A census  of  the  province 
was  taken  during  the  year, — the  first,  so  far  as  is 
known.  The  population  of  Boscaw'en  is  thus  given  : 


Unmarried  men  between  sixteen  and  sixty 17 

Married  men  45 

Boys  under  sixteen 77 

Men  sixty  and  above 8 

Females  unmarried 83 

Females  married 52 

Widows 3 

Male  slaves 0 

Female  slaves 0 

Total 28p 


Other  towns  in  the  vicinity — population  : 


Concord 752 

Salisbury 210 

Canterbury 503 

Dunbarton 271 

New  Boston 296 

Hillsborough 64 

Canaan 19 

Plymouth 227 

Newport 29 

Haverhill 172 


The  First  Physician. — During  the  year  Dr.  Daniel 
Peterson  took  up  his  residence  in  Boscawen — the  first 
resident  physician  in  the  town.  He  built  the  house 
now  standing  — the  first  building  north  of  the 
academy,  on  the  Plain. 

The  growth  of  the  State  and  the  development  of 
northern  section  indicated  that  sooner  or  later  the 
capital  would  be  moved  from  Exeter  to  some  more 
central  locality.  The  matter  was  strongly  agitated 
during  the  year  1802-3.  Pembroke,  Concord,  Bos- 
cawen, and  quite  likely  other  towns,  took  measures 
toward  securing  it.  The  citizens  of  Boscawen  took 
hold  of  the  subject  zealously,  as  the  following  docu- 
ment shows : 

“We,  the  subscribers,  promise  to  pay  the  sums  set  against  our  names 
for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a house  for  the  Legislature  of  New  Hamp- 
shire, to  be  placed  on  Boscawen  plain,  in  the  Senter,  as  near  as  the 
ground  will  admitt  of,  between  Col.  Joseph  Gerrish  and  Mr.  Somersby 
Pearson,  by  a committee  that  shall  hereafter  be  appointed  to  compleat 
the  said  house,  provided  the  General  Court  of  New  Hampshire  shall  en- 
gage to  hold  their  sessions  in  said  Boscawen  in  seven  or  ten  years,  as 
witness  our  hand, 

“ December  the  26th,  1803. 


172 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


“Joseph  Gerrish $100  I 

Isaack  Chandler 75 

Caleb  Putney 200 

Dennison  Bowers 100 

Nath1  Green 100 

Nathan  Carter 150 

Somersby  Pearson 100 

Tho8  Gilmore 50 

Joseph  H.  Morrill 30 

Jeremiah  Morrill 20 

John  Gill 25 

Jon*  Hutchinson 25 

Simeon  Danforth 5 

Wm  G.  Emerson 10 

Enoch  Gerrish,  Jr 10 

Joshua  Morse 10 

Joshua  Carlton 10 

Timothy  Dix 50 

Sami.  Peterson 5 

James  Uran  . 10  1 

JohnS.  Abbott 20 


William  Gill 50 

Beni  Hills 20 

Sami.  Garven 50 

Joel  French 50 

Winthrop  Carter 25 

Humphrey  Webster 25 

Tho8  Carter 10 

George  Perkins 10 

| Charles  Eastman 10 

Joseph  Atkinson 15 

| Enoch  Danford 10 

i Henry  Gerrish  50 

I Silas  Rolfe 10 

i Benj.  Rolfe,  Jr 20 

Moses  Manuel 5 

I Samuel  Burbank 10 

I Samuel  Uran 3 

Josiah  Burbank 3 

John  Flanders,  Jr 4 

David  Burbank 2 


“ We,  a part  of  the  above  Subscribers,  do  hereby  engage  to  pay  the 
above  sums  annexed  to  our  names  in  case  the  Gen1  Court  should  adjourn 
to  this  place  for  one  session  only. 


“ Henry  Gerrish. 
Caleb  Putney. 
Joseph  H.  Morrill 
Jeremiah  Morrill. 
Benj.  Hills. 


Benj.  Rolfe,  Jr. 
John  Gill. 
Nathan  Carter. 
Joshua  Carter.’ 


The  public  whipping-post  stood  near  Gilmore’s 
tavern.  The  only  instance  of  a public  whipping  of 
an  offender  occurred  in  1809. 


CHAPTER  II. 

B0SC  A WEN — ( Continued). 

MILITARY  HISTORY. 

The  Heroes  of  Four  Wars — The  French  and  Indian  War— The  War  of 
the  Revolution — War  of  1812 — War  of  the  Rebellion. 

In  1744,  at  the  outbreak  of  the  French  War, 
Richard  Flood  served  the  provincial  government  in 
some  capacity  in  the  expedition  to  Canada.  It  is 
not  known  that  he  went  as  a soldier.  The  only  rec- 
ord of  his  service  is  a notice  of  his  petition  for  aid 
from  the  government,  in  the  records  of  the  provin- 
cial committee,  for  service  rendered  in  the  expedition 
to  Canada. 

The  same  year  Philip  Call  served  as  a scout  in 
Captain  Jeremiah  Clough’s  company,  from  January 
21st  to  March  18th,  receiving  two  pounds  ten  shil- 
lings. Captain  Clough  lived  in  Canterbury,  aud  was 
a leading  citizen  of  that  town. 

Captain  John  Clough  commanded  a company  in 
Penacook  at  the  same  time,  of  which  Nathaniel  Rix 
was  a soldier. 

In  1746,  Captain  John  Goffe,  of  Bedford,  com- 
manded a company  of  scouts,  in  which  Joseph  East- 
man, Jr.,  Deacon  Jesse  Flanders,  his  brother,  John 
Flanders,  Jr.,  and  William  Corser  served  as  privates 
thirty-seven  days,  having  been  called  out  by  the 
attacks  of  the  Indians  on  Penacook  aud  Contoocook, 


killing  Thomas  Cook  and  capturing  Caesar,  Rev.  Mr. 
Stevens’  negro. 

Later  in  the  season  Captain  Ladd  arrived  with  a 
company,  in  which  Philip  Flanders,  Joseph  Eastman 
and  Jacob  Flanders  enlisted.  In  this  company  was 
Robert  Rogers,  afterwards  the  celebrated  ranger. 

At  the  same  time  Philip  Call  was  doing  duty  in 
Captain  Clough’s  company,  being  out  one  hundred 
and  fifty- four  days,  receiving  £8  13s.  3 d. 

In  1747,  Captain  Clough,  of  Canterbury,  was  out 
from  the  5th  of  January  to  the  12th  of  November. 
Philip  Call  and  John  Manuel  served  under  him,  re- 
ceiving £16  10s.  10(1,  besides  provisions  and  ammuni- 
tion. Upon  the  return  of  this  company,  Captain 
Ebenezer  Eastman,  of  Concord,  began  a winter  cam- 
paign, being  out  with  his  company  from  November 
14,  1747,  to  May  9,  1748.  Rev.  Phineas  Stevens 
served  as  a private.  In  all  probability  he  preached 
on  Sunday  to  the  soldiers  in  camp. 

In  1748,  Captain  Goffe  was  scouting  the  frontier 
with  a company  in  which  William  Corser  served  as  a 
i private.  At  the  same  time,  Captain  Moses  Foster,  of 
Suncook,  was  ranging  the  frontier  with  a company,  of 
which  Rev.  Mr.  Whittemore,  minister  of  Pembroke, 
was  lieutenant.  Ezekiel  Flanders,  killed  in  1756  at 
Newfound  Lake,  by  the  Indians,  served  in  this  com- 
pany one  month,  from  June  6th  to  July  7th. 

Peace  having  been  made  between  England  and 
France,  there  was  no  further  need  of  military  service 
; till  1754,  when  the  Indians  again  began  their  depre- 
dations, killing  William  Stinson,  and  taking  John 
Stark  and  Eastman  prisoners  on  Baker’s  River,  cap- 
turing the  Meloon  family  of  Salisbury,  and  killing 
Mrs.  Philip  Call  and  Timothy  Cook,  in  Stevenstown. 

Military  service  was  no  longer  confined  to  the 
McrrimackValley, — the  theatre  of  war  was  transferred 
to  the  Upper  Hudson  and  the  lakes.  Colonel 
Blanchard  commanded  a regiment,  in  which  Benjamin 
Eastman,  of  Boscawen,  enlisted  under  Captain  John 
Goffe,  serving  from  April  24th  to  October  23d. 

One  company  was  commanded  by  Captain  Thomas 
Tasli,  of  Durham,  in  which  John  Corser  enlisted. 
Captain  Joseph  Eastman  commanded  another  com- 
pany, in  which  Winthrop  Carter,  Moses  Manuel, 
Samuel  Manuel,  Joseph  Eastman,  Andrew  Bohonnon, 
William  Jackman  and  John  Fowler  served. 

Another  regiment  was  commanded  by  Colonel 
Nathaniel  Folsom.  Upon  the  muster-roll  is  the 
name  of  Nathaniel  Meloon,  son  of  the  first  settler  of 
that  name  in  Contoocook. 

In  the  Crown  Point  expedition  John  Fowler,  Joel 
Manuel  and  Joseph  Eastman  served,  under  Captain 
John  Goffe. 

In  1758,  Daniel  Shepherd  and  Philip  Flanders 
served  in  Captain  Ladd’s  company,  Colonel  Hart’s 
regiment,  sent  to  Crown  Point.  Nathaniel  Meloon 
served  in  Captain  Todd’s  company. 

In  Rev.  Mr.  Price’s  history,  it  is  stated  that  Philip 
Flanders  was  killed  at  Crown  Point  in  1756,  which  is 


BOSCAWEN. 


173 


manifestly  an  error,  his  name  appearing  on  the. 
muster-roll  from  April  24th  to  November  1,  1758,  on 
which  day  he  probably  was  killed. 

There  is  no  record  to  show  the  military  organiza- 
tion in  the  town  from  the  close  of  the  FrenchWar,  in 
1760,  to  the  beginning  of  the  Revolution,  in  1775. 
The  law  required  all  able-bodied  men,  between  six- 
teen and  sixty,  to  be  enrolled  in  the  train-bands.  A 
town  containing  thirty-two  men  liable  to  do  military 
duty  could  have  a military  organization  of  its  own. 
There  being  more  than  that  number  of  soldiers  in  the 
town,  it  had  a “train-band.” 

War  of  the  Revolution. — The  news  of  the  attack 
of  the  British  at  Lexington  reached  Boscawen  on 
the  20th,  and  on  the  21st  sixteen  men  were  on  the 
march  under  Captain  Henry  Gerrish.  They  were, — 

Henry  Gerrish,  captain  ; Silas  Call,  lieutenant ; Winthrop  Carter, 
sergeant ; Samuel  Fowler,  Esq.,  Edmund  Chadwick,  John  Flanders, 
John  Stephens,  Nathaniel  Burbank,  Samuel  Jackman,  David  Flanders, 
Charles  Greenfield,  Peter  Roswell  Stevens,  Israel  Shepard,  Isaac  Davis, 
Edward  Gerald.  Nathaniel  Atkinson. 

We  may  think  of  them  as  assembling  at  Fowler’s 
tavern,  at  the  lower  end  of  King  Street,  with  their 
guns  and  powder-horns,  and  possibly,  here  and  there, 
a citizen  carried  a knapsack.  They  fill  their  canteens 
with  rum  at  Mr.  Fowler’s  bar,  and  take  a parting 
drink  with  their  neighbors.  We  see  them  crossing 
“Town-house  Brook,”  and  hear  the  tramp  of  their 
marching  as  they  pass  over  Contoocook  bridge. 

The  news  must  have  reached  town  on  the  morning 
of  the  20th.  Captain  Peter  Coffin  saddled  his  horse 
and  started  for  Exeter,  where  we  find  him  on  the  21st, 
in  consultation  with  sixty-eight  other  delegates — “to 
consult  what  measures  shall  be  thought  most  expe- 
dient to  take  in  this  alarming  crisis.” 

At  a meeting  of  the  town  the  following  votes  were 
passed : 

“ Voted  to  buy  one  barrel  of  Gunpowder,  one  hundred  weight  of  lead 
and  one  hundred  flints. 

“ Voted  that  Capt.  Stephen  Gerrish  buy  the  stores  at  as  reasonable 
price  as  may  be,  for  the  use  of  the  town. 

“ Voted  to  adhere  strictly  to  advice  of  the  Continental  Congress.” 

A committee  was  appointed  “to  see  if  the  afore- 
said laws  of  Congress  be  obeyed.” 

The  Committee  of  Safety  consisted  of  Benjamin 
Jackman,  Joseph  Atkinson,  Ebenezer  Hidden,  John 
Elliot,  Captain  Henry  Gerrish,  Lieutenant  Moses 
Call,  George  Jackman  and  Ensign  Peter  Kimball. 

March  14th  a committee  was  appointed  to  procure 
a preacher,  and  was  instructed  to  apply  to  Mr.  Levi 
Frisby. 

Twenty-five  pounds  was  voted  for  school  purposes, 
and  it  was  also  voted  to  employ  Mr.  Morrill  (Mr. 
Robie  Morrill)  as  teacher. 

Twenty  pounds  was  voted  for  preaching. 

The  Association  Test. — Every  citizen  of  Bos- 
cawen, with  one  exception,  signed  what  was  known 
as  the  Association  Test.  From  this  document,  we 
have  the  name  of  every  male  adult  in  town  in  the 


spring  of  1776,  not  including  those  who  were  doing 
military  service, — 

“Joseph  Hoyt,  Moses  Call,  Moses  Morse,  Jesse  Flanders,  Moses  Bur- 
bank, John  Flanders,  Daniel  Noyes,  Daniel  Clark,  Benj*.  Day,  Nathan 
Corser,  Joseph  Atkinson,  Robie  Morrill,  Moses  Burbank,  Jr.,  Thomas 
Gardner,  Samuel  Atkinson,  Jeremiah  Hidden,  Caleb  Merrill,  Daniel  Pe- 
terson, Benjamin  Couch,  Jacob  Flanders,  John  Knowlton,  Eben  Hidden, 
Henry  Gerrish,  Daniel  Shepard,  Isaac  Pearson,  Winthrop  Carter,  Sam- 
uel Davis,  Benja.  Rolfe,  Ezekiel  Flanders,  John  Elliot,  Jr.,  Thomas  El- 
liot, John  Muzay,  John  Jackman,  James  Garies  [Gerald?],  Enos  Flan- 
ders, Jedediali  Danford,  Jesse  Flanders,  Jr.,  William  Danford,  Jr., 
Samuel  Corser,  Stephen  Gerrish,  Samuel  Burbank,  Moses  Jackman, 
Enoch  Gerrish,  John  Morrill,  Silas  Call,  Joseph  Gerrish,  Mich1  Sargent, 
Thomas  Bedel,  Simeon  Jackman,  William  Welch,  Moses  Call,  David 
Burbank,  Simeon  Atkinson,  Timothy  Eastman,  Joseph  Pearson,  Joseph 
Flanders,  Friend  Little,  John  Corser,  Edmund  Chadwick,  Moses  Morse, 
Ir.,  Moses  Manuel,  Samuel  Jackman,  Daniel  Richards,  David  Corser,  Asa 
Corser,  John  Corser,  Edward  Garies  [Gerald  ?],  John  Manuel,  Bitfield 
Plumer,  David  Carter,  Nathaniel  Gookin,  John  Stevens,  Samuel  Ames, 
Thomas  Corser,  Jonathan  Atkinson,  Samuel  Clifford,  Peter  Kimball, 
John  Hale,  Robert  Elliot,  James  French,  Sam1  Danford,  Benjamin 
Jackman,  Joseph  Muzzy,  Samuel  Muzzy,  Isaac  Noyes,  Peter  Roswell 
Stevens,  William  Danford,  Nicholas  Elliot,  Captain  Stephen  Gerrish, 
Nathaniel  Atkinson,  Enoch  Little,  Nathan  Davis,  Joseph  Bean,  John 
Fowler,  John  Ilsley,  Peter  Coffin,  Oliver  Fowler,  John  Bowie}',  John 
Bowley,  Jr.,  John  Corser,  Jr.,  George  Jackman,  Samuel  Agaton,  John 
LTran,  George  Jackman,  Jr.,  Cutting  Noyes,  John  Elliot,  Joseph  East- 
man,— total,  one  hundred  and  eight. 

“To  the  honorable  Council  and  House  of  Representatives  for  the  Col- 
ony of  New  Hampshire,  or  Committee  of  Safety.  This  may  certify  that 
the  within  Declaration  have  Been  offered  to  the  Inhabitants  of  Boscawen 
and  unanimously  signed,  excepting  one  (viz.), — Aaron  Flanders  Refused 
to  sign  the  same. 

“ George  Jackman,  . 

“Cutting  Noyes,  > Selectmen. 

“J6hn  Elliot,  1 

“ June  3,  1770.” 

It  is  probable  that  Mr.  Flanders’  refusal  to  sign 
was  not  from  any  hostility  to  the  cause  of  liberty,  nor 
from  fear  of  consequences,  but  from  his  temperament 
as  an  individual.  He  was  a person  who  found  pleas- 
ure in  being  on  the  side  opposite  the  majority,  no 
matter  what  the  question.  It  is  not  known  that  his 
fellow-citizens  abated  their  confidence  in  his  loyalty 
from  his  refusal  to  sign  this  declaration  of  indepen- 
dence. 

March  29th  the  citizens  deliberated  on  the  state  of 
the  country,  and  passed  the  following  patriotic  votes  : 

“That Capt  Stephen  Gerrish,  Capt  Peter  Kimball,  Samuel  Fowler  Esq, 
Lieut  Benj  Jackman,  Mr  John  Flanders,  & George  Jackman  Esq,  be  a 
committee  to  propose  a plan  and  lay  before  the  Town  for  procuring  the 
men  to  go  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  of  America  agreeable  to 
Order  of  Court.” 

“ Voted , That  the  war  for  time  past  <fc  for  future  be  maintained  by  a 
tax  on  the  Inhabitants  in  the  same  manner  as  the  Law  directs  for  Prov- 
ince Tax,  allowing  a man  no  more  for  four  months’  service  on  his  credit 
in  the  Southern  army  than  for  three  months  in  the  Northern  army  and 
so  in  proportion.” 

“ Voted , To  give  fifty  dollars  as  a bounty  or  hire  from  this  Town  to 
each  man  who  shall  engage  to  go  into  the  service  of  this  Town  for  three 
years.” 

“ Votedt  That  the  sel  ectmen  provide  the  money  to  pay  the  men  who 
shall  enlist.” 

April  25th  the  citizens  again  assembled  to  take 
measures  to  push  on  the  war, — 

“ Voted , To  carry  on  the  war  by  a tax  in  equal  proportion,  on  the  in- 
habitants according  to  interest  in  the  same  manner  as  for  their  town 
tax.” 

A committee  was  appointed,  consisting  of  George 


174 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Jackman,  Captain  Peter  Kimball,  John  Elliot,  Lieu- 
tenant Enoch  Gerrish,  Mr.  John  Flanders,  Samuel 
Muzzy,  Captain  Samuel  Atkinson  and  Isaac  Pearson, 
“ to  enquire  into  the  state  of  service  already  done  in 
the  war,  and  make  a just  and  equitable  estimate  of 
each  Term  that  has  been  done  and  make  report.” 
DIARY  OF  OAPT.  HENRY  GERRISH. 

“ Fry  day  21  April,  1775. 

“ Set  out  for  Cambridge  with  Lieut.  Call,  Sargent  Carter,  Esq.  Fow- 
ler, Edmund  Chadwick,  John  Flanders,  John  Stevens,  Nathaniel  Bur- 
bank, Samuel  Jackman,  David  Flanders,  Charles  Greenfield,  Peter  Ros- 
well Stevens,  Israel  Shepard,  Isaac  Davis,  Edward  Gerald,  & arrived  at 
Cambridge  on  Sunday  & all  tarried  till  Tuesday,  & then  Esq.  Fowler  set 
out  for  home  ; on  Wednesday  Lieut.  Call,  Winthrop  Carter  & Nathaniel 
Atkinson  set  out  for  home  [Nathaniel  Atkinson  and  probably  other  sol- 
diers had  joined  the  company  between  Friday  and  Wednesday]  & there 
joined  our  company  on  Wensday  morning  William  Forrest,  Timothy 
Foss,  Jeremiah  Gibson,  Aaron  Sargeant,  John  Been,  John  Rains,  Abra- 
ham Fyfield,  Joseph  Loveiin,  Moses  Welsh.” 

These  last  were  probably  citizens  of  Salisbury. 

Some  of  the  Boscawen  soldiers,  in  common  with 
those  of  other  towns,  soon  returned  home,  while 
others  hastened  to  Cambridge  to  fill  their  places. 
Those  from  Boscawen  enlisted  in  Captain  Joshua 
Abbott’s  company,  Colonel  Stark’s  regiment.  Cap- 
tain Abbott  was  a citizen  of  Concord,  well-known  to 
the  Boscawen  men.  He  had  served  in  the  French 
War,  and  was  a brave  and  gallant  officer.  Samuel 
Atkinson  was  elected  lieutenant,  and  Samuel  Corser 
and  Nathan  Davis  corporals.  They  had  all  confi- 
dence in  their  colonel,  John  Stark,  who  had  seen 
hard  service  in  the  last  war  against  the  French  and 
Indians. 

Roll  of  honor  at  Bunker  Hill. — Those  en- 
gaged in  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  from  Boscawen 
were, — 

Officers. — Lieutenant  Samuel  Atkinson,  Lieutenant  Moses  Call,  Cor- 
poral Samuel  Corser,  Corporal  Nathan  Davis. 

Privates. — David  Burbank,  Nathaniel  Burbank,  Moses  Burbank,  Jr.f 
John  Bowley,  Edmund  Chadwick,  William  Corser,  Asa  Corser,  Isaac 
Davis,  Joshua  Danforth,  John  Eliot,  John  Flanders,  David  Flanders, 
Deacon  Jesse  Flanders. 

In  Captain  Aaron  Kinsman’s  company,  John  Man- 
uel, w ho  was  killed  ; in  Captain ’s  company,  Jos- 

eph Crouch,  who  w as  wounded  on  the  retreat  by  a 
spent  cannon-ball. 

The  following  receipt  is  in  possession  of  Luke  Cor- 
ser, Esq. : 

“ Boscawen  May  24  1775 

“ Rccieved  of  David  Corser  of  Boscawen  a Gun  marked  on  the  Britch 
W.  C.  B.  which  Gun  I have  Recieved  for  the  use  of  the  soliers  Now  in 
the  County  Sarvice  who  went  from  Boscawen  under  the  command  of 
(’apt  Abbott  in  order  to  Defend  the  country  against  the  Troops  under 
General  Gage  Now  at  Boston.  Recieved  by  me 

“Samuel  Atkinson.” 

“ W.  C.  B.”  undoubtedly  means  William  Corser, 
Boscawen.  He  was  an  uncle  of  David  Corser,  who 
gave  him  one  hundred  acres  of  land,  on  Pleasant 
Street,  for  the  gun. 

In  September  volunteers  were  called  for  to  join 
Arnold’s  expedition  to  Quebec  up  the  Kennebec 
River — an  expedition  attended  by  terrible  hardships, 
resulting  in  failure,  the  capture  of  nearly  all  of 


I 

Arnold’s  command  and  the  death  of  General  Mont- 
gomery. 

Deacon  Jesse  Flanders,  John  Flanders,  Jr.,  and 
Nicholas  Davis  enlisted  in  Captain  Henry  Dearborn’s 
command,  and  were  captured  in  the  attack  upon 
I Quebec.  They  were  kept  in  irons  a short  time,  liber- 
ated on  parole  in  August,  177G,  and  reached  New 
York  by  sea  September  25th. 

In  December,  1775,  additional  soldiers  were  called 
for,  and  Nicholas  Elliot,  Moses  Burbank,  Benjamin 
Webster  and  David  Carter  served  during  the  winter 
in  the  siege  of  Boston. 

During  the  year  177G  soldiers  were  called  for  for 
the  defense  of  Ticonderoga  from  the  threatened  attack 
of  Sir  Guy  Carleton,  and  twenty-three  men  enlisted, — 

Lieutenant  Enoch  Gerrish,  Thomas  Carter,  Daniel  Carter,  John 
Jackman,  James  Gerald  (died),  Joseph  Pearson,  John  Muzzy,  John 
Flanders,  Friend  Little,  Thomas  Beadle,  Joseph  Atkinson,  Nathaniel 
Atkinson,  Joshua  Dauford,  Isaac  Davis,  Lieutenant  Samuel  Fowler, 
Deacon  Joseph  Hoit,  Colonel  Ilenry  Geriish,  Charles  Greenfield,  John 
Hale,  Samuel  Jackman,  Phineas  Stevens  (died),  Nathaniel  Burbank, 
Joseph  Couch. 

Upon  the  evacuation  of  Long  Island  by  General 
Washington  the  militia  were  called  out  in  the  eastern 
colonies.  Boscawen  sent  eight  soldiers, — 

Captain  Peter  Kimball,  Lieutenant  Benjamin  Jackman,  Ensign  Sam- 
uel Ames,  Bitfield  Plummer,  Moses  Morrill,  Daniel  Richards,  .Samuel 
Jackman,  Cutting  Noyes. 

Boscawen  furnished  three  soldiers  for  the  winter 
campaign  on  the  Hudson, — Lieutenant  Winthrop 
Carter,  John  Uran  and  Samuel  Burbank. 

Colonel  Henry  Gerrish  was  in  the  service  of  the 
State  obtaining  supplies. 

“Boscawen  February  1,  1776. 

“ Received  of  Henry  Gerrish  one  Hundred  & sixty  six  Blankets,  Fifty 
seven  tin  Kittles  A one  Barrel  of  spirits  which  I promise  to  Deliver  Majr 
Cavis  of  Rumuey  for  Col  Israel  Morey. 

“Elisha  Bean.” 

“ Reced  of  Coll  Henry  Gerrish  one  Hundred  and  eighty  one  pounds 
fourteen  shillings  L m [lawful  money]  to  pay  Thirty  Three  Men  which 
I am  ordered  to  raise  out  of  my  Regiment  to  reinforce  the  army  at  New 
York  their  advance  pay  and  Billetting,  which  men  are  to  serve  till  the 
first  day  of  March  next  unless  sooner  disc  harged. 

“ December  10th  1776. 

“Thomas  Stick  met." 

At  a town-meeting  held  the  last  Monday  in  May, 
1777,  voted  “to  raise  sixty  pounds  to  pay  the  four 
men  hired  by  said  town  to  serve  in  the  Continental 
Army  for  the  term  of  three  years.” 

A committee  was  appointed  “ to  join  the  military 
officers  in  making  draughts  of  men  as  may  he  wanted 
from  time  to  time  for  the  Continental  service.” 

“ Voted , That  the  selectmen  raise  a tax  so  large  that  there  be  sixty 
pounds  left  after  the  proportional  part  of  those  who  have  done  service  is 
abated.” 

The  selectmen  addressed  a letter  to  the  Committee 
of  Safety, — 

“ Boscawen  May  17,  1777 

“ Gentlemen  : — 

“In  consequence  of  Express  orders,  the  Town  of  Boswacen  is  this  Day 
assembled  called  on  by  the  Capt  of  said  town  that  each  man  be  imme- 
diately a Quipt  according  to  law  and  as  there  is  found  wanting  a Number 
of  Fire  Arjns  Ammunition  <fcc  we  have  Imployed  Capt  Samuel  Atkinson 
and  Mr.  Joseph  Gerrish  to  procure  the  same.  We  Desire  your  favor  if 


BOSCAWEN. 


175 


thare  be  any  guns  in  store  to  be  purchased  that  you  would  give  Capt  At- 
kinson your  advice  A assistance  & also  a quantity  of  lead.  Mr.  Atkinson 
will  be  able  to  inform  you  of  the  Number  of  arms  <fe  Quantity  of  lead 
wanted  to  a Quip  said  Town  A your  Favor  herein  will  Greatly  oblige 
your  Humble  Sarventa, 

‘ Gbobge  Jac  kman  1 fiWectmew 
“ Cutting  Noyes  ) 

“To  the  Committee  of  Safety  at  Exeter." 

Orders  from  Colonel  Thomas  Stick ney,  who  lived 
in  Concord,  reached  Captain  Kimball  July  1st,  to 
be  ready  with  his  company  to  march  at  a minute’s 
warning  to  oppose  General  Burgoyne,  who  was  ad- 
vancing from  Canada  to  Lake  Champlain.  Captain 
Kimball’s  company  marched  July  4th. 

CAPTAIN  KIMBALL’S  DIARY. 

“ July  1st,  1777,  orders  came  from  Col.  Stickney  to  me,  to  muster  and 
£quip  one  Quarter  part  of  the  Company  to  march  at  a minits  warning, 
and  in  consequence  of  the  same,  we  met  to  git  the  men. 

“July  4,  orders  came  to  march  13  men  Immediately  to  tie  [Ticonder- 
oga]. 

“saterday  we  marcht  to  perrytown  [Sutton J,  and  Loged  thare. 

“Sunday  6,  we  marcht  to  Unity  and  Loged  thare. 

“ Monday  7,  wc  marcht  to  No.  4,  and  Loged  thare  & drawd  4 Da} 
allowance. 

“ tuesday  8,  we  marcht  to  Cavendysh  and  Loged  thare. 

“Wendeey  9,  we  marcht  to  No.  4 again. 

“ thursday  10th,  we  marcht  to  Unity  and  Loged. 

“ fry  day  11,  we  marcht  home.” 

The  men  engaged  in  this  service  were, — 

Colonel  Henry  Gerrish,  Captain  Peter  Kimball,  Captain  Peter  Coffin, 
Lieutenant  Enoch  Gerrish,  Lieutenant  Moses  Call,  Nathan  Corser.  Sam- 
uel Clifford,  Deacon  Jesse  Flanders,  Enos  Flanders,  Nathaniel  Atkinson, 
Simeon  Atkinson,  George  Jackman,  Jr.,  John  Morrill,  Deacon  Isaac 
Pearson,  Daniel  Clark,  Daniel  Shepherd,  John  Manuel,  Michael  Sar- 
gent, Jame6  French,  Benjamin  Sweatt,  Moses  Jackman. 

Men  were  called  for  to  go  to  Cobs  and  six  men  sent 
as  the  town’s  quota, — 

Captain  Samuel  Atkinson,  Jeremiah  Hidden,  Moses  Morse,  William 
Danforth,  Jedidiali  Danforth,  George  Jackman. 

A full  company  consisted  of  sixty  men.  Captain 
Kimball  marched  from  Boscawen  with  twenty-two, 
but  four  others  joined  him,  making  twenty-six  from 
Boscawen.  The  Concord  soldiers,  under  Lieutenant 
Richard  Herbert,  joined  him  on  the  march.  The 
company  was  thus  organized, — 

Captain  Peter  Kimball,  Boscawen  ; Lieutenant  Richard  Herbert,  Con- 
cord ; Ensign  Andrew  Pettengill,  Salisbury  ; Sergeant  Jesse  Abbot  and 
Sergeant  Abner  Flanders,  Concord;  Sergeant  William  Danforth  and 
Sergeant  Nathan  Davis,  Boscawen;  Corporal  Richard  Flood,  Concord ; 
Corporal  Richard  Burbank,  Boscawen  ; Corporal  John  Ahhot,  Corporal 
Theodore  Farnum  and  Fifer  Elias  Abbot,  Concord  ; Drummer  Asa  Cor- 
ser, Boscawen. 

Privies. — Stephen  Abbot,  Ezra  Abbot,  Benjamin  Ambrose,  Jonathan 
Ambrose  and  Peter  Blanchard,  Concord  ; Wells  Burbank  and  Thomas 
Beedle,  Boscawen;  Philbrick  Bradley, Concord  ; Jonathan  Corser,  David 
Corser,  Daniel  Carter,  Nathan  Carter  and  Abner  Chase,  Boscawen  ; * 
Simeon  Danforth,  Concord  ; Elknah  Danforth  and  Timothy  Danforth, 
Boscawen  ; Reuben  Diamond  and  Benjamin  Elliot,  Concord  ; James 
French  and  Je6se  Flanders,  Boscawen  ; Ephraim  Fisk,  Jr.;  Israel  Gline6, 
Solomon  Gage  and  David  George,  Concord  ; Charles  Greenfield  and  John 
Hutchins,  Boscawen  ; Samuel  Hickson  and  Abial  Hall,  Concord  ; Jedi- 
diah  Hoit,  Timothy  Jackman,  William  Jackman  and  John  Jackman, 
Boscawen  ; Timothy  Johnson,  Concord  ; Benjamin  Little,  Friend  Little, 
Samuel  Morse  and  Isaac  Pearson,  Boscawen  ; John  Peters,  Anthony  Pot- 
ter, Phineas  Stevens,  William  Symonds  and  Simon  Trumbull,  Concord  ; 
Daniel  L'ran,  Boscawen  ; Gilman  West,  Concord, — fifty-seven. 

Continental  Soldiers. — Three  regiments  were 


j raised  by  the  State  at  the  beginning  of  the  war  for 
the  Continental  service.  The  muster-rolls  of  Stark 
i — the  first — give  the  names  of  six  citizens  of  Bos- 
cawen, with  the  date  of  enlistment  and  discharge, — 

“ Batchelder,  William,  Enlisted  10  Jan.  1777,  Disl  Jan.  1780. 

“ Bishop,  Enos,  Enlisted  1 Jan.  1777,  died  8 Aug.  1778.  He  was  cap- 
tured by  the  Indians  15  Aug.  1754,  A taken  to  Canada. 

“Evans,  Edward,  Enlisted  7 Feb.  1777,  Discharged  1 Dec.  1781. 

44  Flanders,  Philip,  Enlisted  1 Jan.  1777,  Discharged  1 .Jan.  1782. 

44  Halcomb,  Matthew,  enlisted  1 Jan.  1777,  Deserted  9 July,  1777. 

“Stevens,  Peter  Roswell,  enlisted  1 Jan.  1777,  Discharged  1781.” 

These,  with  the  exception  of  Halcomb,  took  part  in 
the  battle  of  Stillwater,  September  19th,  and  of  Sara- 
toga, October  7th.  In  the  first  battle  three  New 
Hampshire  regiments  and  Dearborn’s  battalion  of 
two  hundred  and  fifty  New  Hampshire  troops  were 
attached  to  Morgan’s  riflemen,  and  with  them  did  all 
the  fighting  from  one  o’clock  till  nearly  four  in  the 
afternoon,  sustaining  the  brunt  of  the  battle.  The 
Sixty-second  British  Regiment  of  six  hundred  men 
was  nearly  annihilated  by  their  withering  fire. 

The  call  for  troops  during  the  year  wras  for  the  de- 
fense of  Rhode  Island.  Below  are  the  names  of  the 
soldiers  who  served  in  that  campaign  : 

FROM  THE  SELECTMEN’S  BOOKS. 

“The  Men  Hereafter  Named  have  Received  the  Savrill  sums  set 
against  each  of  thare  Names  in  Consequence  of  thare  going  to  Rhode 
Island  at  the  request  of  the  Committee  of  Safety, — 


£.  s.  d. 

“ Enoch  Gerrish 10  0 0 

Joseph  Gerrish  ...  10  0 0 

Daniel  Shepard ...  10  0 0 

Joseph  Flanders  ....  10  0 0 

Moses  Burbank 10  0 0 

Thomas  Gordon 10  0 0 

Nathan  Davis 10  0 0 

John  Flanders 10  0 0 

Isaac  Pearson 10  0 0 

Wells  Burbank 10  0 0 

Humphrey  Jackman  . . 10  0 0 

Samuel  Morrill 10  0 0 

Jedidiah  Hoit  10  0 0 

£130  0 0 


li  To  the  Treasurer  of  the  State  of  New  Hampshire: 

44  Sir,  please  to  alow  Winthrop  Carter,  Constable  for  Boscawen,  the 
above  sum  of  one  hundred  & thirty  pound  out  of  the  State  Tax  for  Bos- 
cawen, assessed  to  order  of  the  committee  of  safety. 

“George  Jackman,  a Selectmen 
“ Cutting  Noyes,  f for  Boscauen. 

“ Boscawen,  Sept.  3,  1778.” 

The  war  having  been  transferred  to  the  Southern 
States,  there  was  no  further  call  for  the  militia.  Sev- 
eral citizens  enlisted  in  the  Continental  service,  but 
their  names  are  not  known,  except  those  serving  iii 
the  First  Regiment. 

In  1798,  in  consequence  of  the  interference  of 
French  war-ships  with  American  merchantmen,  seri- 
ous trouble  was  apprehended  between  the  United 
States  and  France.  Congress  established  a provisional 
army  of  eighty  thousand  men,  and  appointed  Wash- 
ington lieutenant-general. 

Nathaniel  Green,  Esq.,  was  commissioned  a cap- 
tain, with  Moses  Sweat,  of  Concord,  first  lieutenant, 
and  Israel  W.  Kelley,  of  Concord, second  lieuteuaut. 
Eight  citizens  of  Boscawen  enlisted, — 


176 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Sergeant  Joseph  Flanders,  Moses  Jackman,  Daniel  Colby,  Benjamin 
Fisk,  Moses  Corser,  Nathan  Dan  forth,  Bernard  Young,  Joshua  Sawyer. 

The  company  assembled  at  Concord,  having  their 
quarters  for  a few  days  at  Osgood’s  tavern,  and  from 
thence  marched  to  Oxford,  Mass.,  therendezvous  forthe 
New  England  troops.  Negotiations  were  entered  into 
and  a war  averted,  and  the  soldiers  discharged. 

War  of  1812  . — Colonel  Timothy  Dix  commanded 
a United  States  regiment  on  the  frontier,  and  died  in 
the  service. 

Several  British  ships  of  war  made  their  appearance 
on  the  coast,  and  it  was  supposed  that  Portsmouth 
would  be  attacked.  The  militia  was  called  out  to 
defend  it.  There  were  two  drafts, — one  for  three 
and  the  second  for  two  months. 

Those  serving  under  the  first  draft  were, — 

Ensign  Richard  Little,  John  Stone,  Moses  Call,  Enoch  Burbank, 
Samuel  Burbank,  Moses  Cross,  Stephen  Dan  forth,  John  Eastman.  Jacob 
Flanders,  Josiah  Gale,  Nicholas  Gookin,  Simeon  Jackman,  Joseph  Moses, 
Daniel  Shepard, — fourteen. 

Under  the  second  draft  for  two  months, — 

Captain  Silas  Call  (who  died  in  service),  Eleazer  Burbank,  Jesse  Sweat. 
Benjamin  Severance,  Amos  Rolf,  William  Haines,  tiny  C.  Flanders,  Abej 
Eastman,  Samuel  Watson,  Ephraim  Noyes,  James  Noyes,  Theodore 
George,  Ebenezer  Moody,  Amos  Sawyer,  Samuel  Jackman, — fifteen. 

Of  those  enlisting  in  the  regular  service,  the  names 
of  a few  only  are  known, — 

Benjamin  Jackman,  Moses  Jackman,  Edmund  Day,  killed;  Benjamin 

Fisk,  died;  Fisk,  died  ; G'hellis  Eastman,  died;  George  Littlefield, 

died  ; Elipbalet  Burpee,  died. 

Military  Record,  1861—65. — ' T he  following  is  a 
list  of  the  soldiers  from  Boscawen  who  served  in  the 
War  of  the  Rebellion  : 

Fisher  Ames,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Seventh  Regiment. 

Henry  H.  Ayer,  enlisted  in  Company  B,  Third  Regiment. 

Daniel  C.  Abbot,  enlisted  in  Company  E.  Seventh  Regiment. 

Edmund  W.  Atkinson,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Sixteenth  Regiment. 
James  W.  Beut,  enlisted  in  Company  F,  Sharpshooters. 

William  II.  Brannan,  enlisted  in  Company  H,  Fourth  Regiment. 

Jonas  T.  Boynton,  enlisted  in  the  Sharpshooters. 

John  II.  Brown,  enlisted  in  Company  F,  Ninth  Regiment. 

Cyrus  B.  Bid  well,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Seventh  Regiment. 

George  F.  Bidwell,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Seventh  Regiment. 
Lieutenant  Henry  W.  Baker,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Seventh  Regiment. 
Lieutenant  William  W.  Ballard,  enlisted  in  Company  B,  Second  Regi- 
ment. 

Thomas  Brannan,  enlisted  in  the  navy. 

Samuel  Chaudler,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Seventh  Regiment. 

John  Clancy,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Seventh  Regiment. 

Patrick  Clancy,  enlisted  in  Company  K,  Ninth  Regiment. 

Alonzo  Chase,  enlisted  in  Company  I,  Fourth  Regiment. 

Edwin  H.  Chadwick,  enlisted  in  the  Sharpshooters. 

George  Coffin,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Sixteenth  Regiment. 

George  Call,  enlisted  in  Company  H.  Fourteenth  Regiment. 

Hale  Chadwick,  enlisted  in  Company  C,  Seventeenth  Regiment. 

Albert  J.  Crane,  enlisted  in  Twenty-Second  Massachusetts  Regiment. 
John  F.  Colby,  enlisted  in  the  cavalry. 

Nicholas  Duffy,  enlisted  in  Company  G,  Second  Regiment. 

Nathan  C.  Danforth,  enlisted  in  Company  A,  Fifth  Regiment. 

William  Duckworth,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Seventh  Regiment. 

Horace  H.  Danforth,  enlisted  in  the  cavalry. 

Sylvanus  E.  Danforth,  enlisted  in  Company  A,  Fifth  Regiment 
George  Damon,  enlisted  in  Company  B,  Second  Regiment. 

George  Day,  enlisted  in  Second  Heavy  Artillery. 

Wilson  Day,  enlisted  in  Second  Heavy  Artillery. 

Isaac  C.  Evans,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Seventh  Regiment. 

Curtis  Flanders,  enlisted  in  Company  I,  Tenth  Regiment. 


David  A.  Flanders,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Tenth  Regiment. 
Frederick  H.  Favor,  enlisted  in  Third  Regiment. 

Josiah  II.  Flanders,  enlisted  in  the  cavalry. 

David  J.  Flanders,  enlisted  in  the  navy. 

Hiram  Gage,  enlisted  in  Company  B,  Third  Regiment. 

John  Mayher,  enlisted  in  Company  C,  Seventh  Regiment. 

John  Mitchell,  enlisted  in  Third  Regiment. 

John  Muzzey,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Second  Regiment. 

Charles  Morse. 

Iliram  J.  Morrill,  enlisted  in  the  Heavy  Artillery. 

Charles  Moulton,  enlisted  in  the  navy. 

Daniel  Morse,  enlisted  in  the  Sharpshooters. 

Herbert  McEvely,  enlisted  in  Company  H,  Tenth  Regiment. 
Benjamin  Morrison,  eidisted  in  the  Sharpshooters. 

Alonzo  Paige,  enlisted  in  Company  I),  Eleventh  Regiment. 

Henry  Pearson,  enlisted  in  the  Sharpshooters. 

William  M.  Pierce,  enlisted  in  Company  K,  Ninth  Regiment. 
William  II.  Perry,  enlisted  in  Eighth  Regiment. 

Dexter  Pritchard,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Seventh  Regiment. 

: John  Pierce,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Seventh  Regiment, 
j John  H.  Pettengill,  enlisted  in  the  Heavy  Artillery. 

Charles  Riley,  enlisted  in  Company  A,  Fifth  Regiment. 

Liberty  G.  Raymond,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Seventh  Regiment. 
Michael  Reardon,  enlisted  in  Company  G,  Fourth  Regiment. 
Martin  Reynolds,  enlisted  in  the  navy. 

Walter  S.  Raley,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Third  Regiment. 
Jeremiah  Sheehan,  enlisted  in  Company  C,  Third  Regiment.  ^ 
Charles  P.  Shepard,  enlisted  in  the  Sharpshooters. 

Peter  R.  Shepard,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Sixteenth  Regiment. 
Horace  Smart,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Sixteenth  Regiment. 
Alexander  S.  Stevens,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Seventh  Regiment. 
William  II  Story,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Second  Regiment. 
Joseph  S.  Sweatt,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Second  Regiment. 
Calvin  W.  Simonds,  enlisted  in  the  Sharpshooters. 

Curtis  Smith,  enlisted  in  the  Seventh  Regiment. 

Joseph  Simonds,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Seventh  Regiment. 
William  Sewell,  enlisted  in  the  navy. 

Franklin  Spearman,  enlisted  in  the  navy. 

John  Spellman,  enlisted  in  the  navy. 

; Nathaniel  Thurston,  enlisted  in  the  Sharpshooters. 

1 James  S.  Tyler,  enlisted  in  the  Sharpshooters. 

Barnard  Thornton,  enlisted  in  Company  A,  Fifth  Regiment. 
Sumner  P.  Tewksbury,  enlisted  in  Company  K,  Third  Regiment. 
Samuel  F.  Tewksbury,  enlisted  in  Company  G,  Eighth  Regiment. 
John  C.  Thornton,  enlisted  in  Company  G,  Eighth  Regiment. 
John  P.  Thurston,  enlisted  in  Company  F,  Fourth  Regiment. 
Matthew  Wooley,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Seventh  Regiment. 
Samuel  Wooley,  enlisted  in  Company  A,  Fifth  Regiment. 

Albert  B.  Woodward,  enlisted  in  Company  K,  Fourth  Regiment. 


Charles  S.  Whitney,  enlisted  in  the  navy. 

Citizens  liable  to  do  military  duty  April  30,  1865  . . . 140 

Total  quota  under  all  calls 71 

Soldiers  in  service,  volunteers  and  substitutes  . . . 85 

Surplus 11 


CHAPTER  III. 

BOSCAWEN — ( Continued ). 

Biographical— The  Boscawen  Academy— Congregational  Church— Popu- 
lation— CiTil  History. 

Biographical.— Charles  Carleton  Coffin'.1— 
Among  the  emigrants  from  England  to  the  western 
world  in  the  great  Puritan  exodus  was  Joanna 
Thember  Coffin,  widow,  and  her  son  Tristram  and 
her  two  daughters,  Mary  and  Eunice.  Their  home 
was  in  Brixton,  two  miles  from  Plymouth,  in  Devon- 


iC'oudeused  from  Granite  Monthly. 


BOSCAWEN. 


177 


shire.  Tristram  was  entering  manhood’s  prime — 
thirty-three  years  of  age.  He  had  a family  of  five 
children.  Quite  likely  the  political  troubles  between 
the  King  and  Parliament,  the  rising  war-cloud,  was 
the  impelling  motive  that  induced  the  family  to 
leave  country,  home,  friends  and  all  dear  old  things, 
and  become  emigrants  to  the  New  World.  Quite 
likely  Tristram,  when  a youth,  in  1(520,  may  have 
seen  the  “Mayflower”  spread  her  white  sails  to  the 
breeze  and  fade  away  in  the  western  horizon,  for  the 
departure  of  that  company  of  pilgrims  must  have 
been  the  theme  of  conversation  in  and  around 
Plymouth.  Without  doubt  it  set  the  young  man  to 
thinking  of  the  unexplored  continent  beyond  the 
stormy  Atlantic.  In  1632  his  neighbors  and  friends 
began  to  leave,  and  in  1(542  he,  too,  bade  farewell  to 
dear  old  England,  to  become  a citizen  of  Massachu- 
setts Bay. 

He  landed  at  Newbury,  settled  first  in  Salisbury 
and  ferried  people  across  the  Merrimack  between 
Salisbury  and  Newbury.  His  wife,  Dionis,  brewed 
beer  for  thirsty  travelers.  The  sheriff  had  her  up  be 
fore  the  courts  for  charging  more  per  mug  than  the 
price  fixed  by  law,  but  she  went  scot  free  on  proving 
that  she  put  in  an  extra  amount  of  malt.  We  may 
think  of  the  grave  and  reverend  justices  ordering  the 
beer  into  court  and  settling  the  question  by  personal 
examination  of  the  foaming  mugs, — smacking  their 
lips  satisfactorily,  quite  likely  testing  it  a second 
time. 

Tristram  Coffin  became  a citizen  of  Newbury  and 
built  a house,  which  is  still  standing.  In  1660  he  re- 
moved with  a portion  of  his  family  to  Nantucket, 
dying  there  in  1681,  leaving  two  sons,  from  whom 
have  descended  all  the  Coffins  of  the  country — a 
numerous  and  widespread  family. 

One  of  Tristram’s  descendants,  Peter,  moved  from 
Newbury  to  Boscawen,  N.  H.,  in  1766,  building  a 
large  two-storied  house.  He  became  a prominent 
citizen  of  the  town,  a captain  of  the  militia  com- 
pany, was  quick  and  prompt  in  all  his  actions.  The 
news  of  the  affair  at  Lexington  and  Concord  April 
19,  1775,  reached  Boscawen  on  the  afternoon  of  the 
next  day.  On  the  21st,  Peter  Coffin  was  in  Exeter 
answering  the  roll-call  in  the  Provincial  Assembly, 
to  take  measures  for  the  public  safety. 

Charles  Carleton  Coffin,  was  born  on  the  old 
homestead  in  Boscawen,  July  26,  1823,  the  youngest 
of  nine  children,  three  of  whom  died  in  infancy. 

The  boyhood  of  the  future  journalist,  correspondent 
and  author  was  one  of  toil  rather  than  recreation. 
The  maxims  of  Benjamin  Franklin  in  regard  to  idle- 
ness, thrift  and  prosperity  were  household  words. 
Aside  from  the  district  school,  he  attended  Boscawen 
Academy  a few  terms.  The  teaching  could  not  be 
called  first-class  instruction.  The  instructors  were 
students  just  out  of  college,  who  taught  for  the 
stipend  received  rather  than  with  any  high  ideal  of 
teaching  as  a profession.  A term  at  Pembroke 
12 


Academy  in  1843  completed  his  acquisition  of  knowl- 
edge so  far  as  obtained  in  the  schools. 

The  future  journalist  was  an  omnivorous  reader. 
Everything  was  fish  that  came  to  the  drag-net  of  this 
New  Hampshire  boy — from  “ Sinbad  ” to  “ Milton’s 
Paradise  Lost,”  which  was  read  before  he  was  eleven 
years  old. 

The  household  to  which  he  belonged  had  ever  a 
goodly  supply  of  weekly  papers,— -the  New  Hampshire 
Statesman,  the  Herald  of  Freedom,  the  New  Hampshire 
Observer,  all  published  at  Concord. 

Without  doubt,  the  love  for  historical  literature 
was  quickened  by  the  kind  patronage  of  John  Far- 
mer, the  genial  historian,  who  was  a visitor  at  the 
Boscawen  farm-house,  and  who  had  delightful  stories 
to  tell  of  the  exploits  of  Robert  Rogers  and  John 
Stark  during  the  French  and  Indian  Wars. 

In  1845,  Mr.  Coffin  accepted  a position  in  the  en- 
gineering corps  of  the  Northern  Railroad,  and  was  sub- 
sequently employed  on  the  Concord  and  Portsmouth 
and  Concord  and  Claremont  Railroad. 

In  1846  he  was  married  to  Sallie  R.  Farmer,  of 
Boscawen.  Not  wishing  to  make  civil  engineering  a 
profession  for  life,  he  purchased  a farm  in  his  native 
town;  but  health  gave  way  and  he  was  forced  to 
seek  other  pursuits. 

He  early  began  to  write  articles  for  the  Concord 
newspapers,  and  some  of  his  fugitive  political  contri- 
butions were  republished  in  Littell's  Living  Age. 

Mr.  Coffin’s  studies  in  engineering  led  him  towards 
scientific  culture.  In  1849  he  constructed  the  tele- 
graph line  between  Harvard  Observatory  and  Boston, 
by  which  uniform  time  was  first  given  to  the  railroads 
leading  from  Boston.  He  had  charge  of  the  con- 
struction of  the  telegraphic  fire  alarm  in  Boston,  un- 
der the  direction  of  Professor  Moses  Cl.  Fanner,  his 
brother-in-law,  and  gave  the  first  alarm  ever  given 
by  that  system  April  29,  1852. 

Mr.  Coffin’s  tastes  led  him  toward  journalism. 
From  1850  to  1854  he  was  a constant  contributor  to 
the  press,  sending  articles  to  the  Transcript,  the  Bos- 
ton Journal,  Congregationalist  and  New  York  Tribune. 
He  was  also  a contributor  to  the  Student  and  School- 
mate, a small  magazine  then  conducted  by  Mr.  Adams 
(Oliver  Optic). 

It  is  impossible  in  this  brief  article  to  sketch  in  de- 
tail the  career  of  Mr.  Coffin  from  that  time  to  the 
present.  During  the  Rebellion  he  was  the  war  corres- 
pondent of  the  Boston  Journal,  and  in  1866  visited 
Europe  as  the  correspondent  of  the  same  paper. 

After  spending  a year  and  a half  in  Europe,  Mr. 
Coffin  visited  Greece,  Turkey,  Syria,  Palestine,  Egypt, 
sailing  thence  down  the  Red  Sea  to  Bombay;  trav- 
eled across  India  to  the  valley  of  the  Ganges,  before 
the  completion  of  the  railroad,  visiting  Allahabad, 
Benares,  Calcutta,  sailing  thence  to  Singapore,  Hong 
Kong,  Canton,  Shanghai.  Ascending  the  Yang-tse 
six  hundred  miles,  to  Wuchang,  the  Governor  of  the 
province  invited  him  to  a dinner.  From  Shanghai  he 


178 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


sailed  to  Japan,  experiencing  a fearful  typhoon  upon 
the  passage.  Civil  war  in  Japan  prevented  his  trav- 
eling in  that  country,  and  he  sailed  for  San  Francisco, 
visiting  points  of  interest  in  California,  and  in  No- 
vember made  his  way  across  the  country  seven  hundred 
miles — riding  five  consecutive  days  and  nights  be- 
tween the  terminus  of  the  Central  Pacific  road,  at 
Wadsworth,  and  Salt  Lake,  arriving  in  Boston,  Jan- 
uary, 1869,  after  an  absence  of  two  and  a half  years. 
During  that  period  the  Bouton  Journal  contained 
every  week  a letter  from  his  pen. 

In  the  lecture  field,  and  for  several  years,  he  was  one 
of  the  popular  lecturers  before  lyceums.  In  1869  he 
published  “Our  New  Way  Round  the  World,”  fol- 
lowed by  the  “Seat  of  Empire,”  “Caleb  Crinkle  ” (a 
story),  “ Boys  of  ’76,”  “Story  of  Liberty,”  “Old  Times 
in  the  Colonies,”  “ Building  the  Nation,”  “Life  of 
Garfield,”  besides  a history  of  his  native  town.  His 
volumes  have  been  received  with  marked  favor.  No 
less  than  fifty  copies  of  the  “Boys  of  ’76”  are  in  the 
Boston  Public  Library  and  all  in  constant  use. 

The  degree  of  A.M.  was  conferred  upon  him  by 
Dartmouth  College  in  1870.  He  is  a resident  of  Bos- 
ton and  was  a member  of  the  Legislature  in  1884. 

Hon.  Daniel  Webster,  America’s  greatest  states- 
man, prepared  for  college  and  began  his  public  life 
in  Boscawen.  He  was  a citizen  of  the  town  for  about 
three  years,  identified  himself  with  its  interests,  voted 
at  town-meeting,  paid  taxes,  enrolled  himself  as  a 
member  of  the  religious  society  and  took  part  in  the 
district  school  meetings.  It  was  ever  a pleasure  to 
him  to  return  to  the  place,  not  alone  to  visit  his 
brother  Ezekiel,  but  to  renew  his  acquaintance  with 
the  people.1 

Governor  John  Adams  I)ix  was  born  in  Bos- 
cawen, N.  H.,  on  the  24th  day  of  July,  A.n.  1798. 
His  father,  Colonel  Timothy  Dix,  Jr.,  was  one  of  the 
most  enterprising  citizens  of  the  town.  His  grand- 
father, Timothy  Dix,  was  an  upright  and  intelligent 
man,  and  was  postmaster  for  many  years.  His  great- 
grandfather, Jonathan  Dix,  died  in  the  village  at  the 
age  of  ninety-four. 

Captain  Peter  Kimball  moved  from  Bradford, 
Mass.,  about  1765,  and  settled  on  Queen  Street.  He 
was  a man  of  strong  character.  Rev.  Mr.  Price  says 
of  him:  “Possessing  great  self-command,  a sound 
judgment  and  unwavering  integrity,  he  soon  came 
into  public  notice,  and  was  elected  selectman  in  1768, 
in  which  office  he  served  nine  years.  In  our  Revo- 
lutionary struggle  he  manifested  a truly  patriotic 
spirit,  readily  accepted  those  appointments  with 
others  which  involved  the  dearest  interests  of  indiv- 
iduals and  of  the  public.  He  contributed  to  the 
security  of  our  independence,  not  merely  by  his  as- 
siduous services  at  home,  but  endured  the  privations 
of  four  campaigns  in  defense  of  his  country.  In  one 
of  them  he  volunteered  as  a private  soldier;  but  in 


the  other  three  he  bore  a captain’s  commission,  and 
at  Bennington  received  a wound  at  the  head  of  his 
company, — a precious  memento  of  that  signal  battle. 
Captain  Kimball  was  a valuable  citizen,  a much- 
esteemed  neighbor  and  consistent  man.” 

The  diary  kept  by  Captain  Kimball  in  the  cam- 
paign of  1776  and  at  Bennington,  is  given  in  the 
body  of  this  volume,  in  connection  with  the  events  of 
the  Revolution,  from  which  it  will  be  seen  that  he 
was  a prompt,  efficient  and  brave  soldier.  He  barely 
mentions  that  he  was  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Ben- 
nington,— leaving  it  to  others  to  speak  of  his  bravery. 

He  moved  from  Queen  to  Water  Street  after  the 
Revolution,  and  continued  till  his  death,  at  the  age 
of  seventy -two,  a useful  and  honored  citizen.  It  may 
be  said  that  Captain  Peter  Kimball  and  Colonel 
Henry  Gerrish  were  leading  spirits  in  the  town  dur- 
ing the  Revolutionary  period.  Both  were  military 
officers;  and  the  promptness  with  which  they  ordered 
out  their  commands,  when  called  upon,  attests  their 
efficiency.  • 

Benjamin  Thurston  Kimball,  the  youngest  son 
of  Captain  Peter  Kimball,  was  born  in  Boscawen, 
May  4,  1784.  He  had  no  opportunity  for  educa- 
tion except  the  meagre  instruction  of  the  district 
school.  He  resided  on  the  homestead  where  he  was 
born,  and  built  the  house  now  occupied  by  Mr. 
Wade.  He  was  an  influential  citizen,  and  a member 
of  the  Congregational  Church  and  society.  He  was 
an  early  advocate  of  anti-slavery,  and  cast  his  influ- 
ence and  his  vote  in  its  behalf.  He  longed  for  the 
day  when  the  slave  would  be  a freeman, — a consum- 
mation he  was  not  permitted  to  see.  He  died  July 
9,  1852.  He  was  hospitable,  kind  to  the  poor  and 
charitable  to  those  who  differed  from  him  in  opinion. 

The  Boscawen  Academy  was  organized  in  1827, 
went  into  operation  in  April,  1828,  with  Miss  Sarah 
Crocker  preceptress.  Joseph  Chadwick  gave  the  land 
upon  which  the  building  was  erected,  conveying  it  to 
the  following-named  gentlemen  : Rev.  Samuel  Wood, 
Rev.  Ebenezer  Price,  John  Greeuough,  Henry  Gerrish, 
Isaac  Gerrish,  Thomas  CoffiD,  Hezekiah  Fellows, 
Simeon  B.  Little,  John  Farmer. 

Academy  building  was  erected  in  1827.  Rev.  Dr. 
Wood,  besides  making  a generous  donation,  gave  the 
shingles  covering  it, — shaved  by  his  own  hands. 

The  bell  was  the  gift  of  Daniel  Webster.  Ezekiel 
Webster  gave  liberally  to  aid  in  the  construction  of 
the  building,  which  was  erected  by  Captain  William 
Abbot. 

February  11,  1829,  the  trustees  voted  that  the  com- 
mittee proffer  an  instructor  one  hundred  and  fifty  dol- 
lars and  the  tuition  of  the  male  department. 

January  19,  1829,  the  trustees  voted  unanimously, 
“ that  the  thanks  of  the  Board  be  presented  to  the 
Hon.  Daniel  Webster  for  his  very  generous  donation 
of  a suitable  bell  for  our  academy,  and  that  the  Presi- 
dent communicate  the  same  in  the  manner  he  shall 
deem  the  most  respectful.” 


i For  sketch  of  Ezekiel  Webster,  see  chapter  on  Bench  and  Bar. 


BOSCAWEN. 


179 


The  trustees,  in  1856,  voted  to  loan  the  building  to 
Mr.  Jonathan  Tenney  for  a term  of  twenty  years,  the 
lessee  having  the  right  to  make  sueh  alterations  in  the 
building  as  he  might  deem  necessary.  Extensive  al- 
terations were  made,  and  the  school  became  widely 
known  as  the  Elmwood  Institute.  In  1808  the  lease 
was  canceled  by  mutual  agreement. 

In  1872,  “ Voted  to  sell  the  building  and  grounds  for 
82000,  with  the  condition  that  the  bell  shall  not  be 
disposed  of,  but  kept  in  the  building  as  at  present.” 

Congregational  Church. — The  Congregational 
Church  in  this  town  was  organized  October  8,  1740.  1 
One  of  the  conditions  of  the  grant  to  the  proprietors 
of  Contoocook  was  that  one  eighty-fourth  part  of  the 
laud  should  be  set  aside  for  a parsonage,  and  one  ad- 
ditional eigbty-fourth  for  the  minister,  and  that  a 
“ learned  and  Orthodox  minister  ” should  be  settled 
within  the  space  of  four  years. 

At  their  March  meeting,  1737,  the  proprietors  voted 
that  Joseph  Gerrish,  Henry  Rolfe  and  Joseph  Stick- 
ney  ^e  a committee  “ to  treat  with  some  suitable  man 
& a Christian  learned  to  preach  at  Contoocook  the 
cumming  summer,  and  in  order  to  settle  the  aforesaid 
Gentleman,  if  he  can  be  rationally  agreed  with,  to  serve 
us  in  the  ministry.”  Two  hundred  pounds  were  raised 
for  preaching,  and  the  assessors  were  directed  to  make 
the  town-house  convenient  for  the  use  of  the  minister 
and  people  on  the  Sabbath. 

The  committee  secured  the  services  of  Rev.  Phineas 
Stevens,  who  remained  pastor  fifteen  years,  and  had 
taken  an  active  part  in  all  of  the  affairs  of  the  “ Plan- 
tation.” 

The  expenses  at  the  ordination  of  Mr.  Stevens  were 
as  follows: 

“ An  Acconipt  of  the  Expenses  for  the  Ordination  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Phineas  Stevens  at  Contoocook  Oct  29, 1740,  For  which  Charge  the  Pro- 


prietors are  indebted 

“ To  Mr.  Edward  Emci'y, 

£ s.  d. 

“ For  five  Bushels  of  Wheat  at  12s  per  bush1  ...  3 0 0 

10  lbs  Pork  at  18d 1 4 0 

2 ll»s  Sugar 0 4 0 

for  Crainberrys  Cabbage  & turnips 0 10  0 

Eggs  l8  Gd  Trouble  of  his  house  3o*  ...  1 11  G 

Charge  he  has  been  at  26*  A Trouble  12®  . 1 18  0 

For  bringing  up  the  Boat 1 0 0 


£9  7 G” 

The  query  arises,  How  a boat  could  he  used  at  an 
ordination?  The  answer  is  plain.  There  was  no  bridge 
across  the  Merrimack.  The  ministers  from  the  lower 
towns  would  come  by  the  road  leading  up  the  east 
side  of  the  Merrimack : hence  the  need  of  a boat. 


“ To  Mr.  George  Jackman, 

£.  s.  d. 

“ For  Edward  FitzGerald's  Service 1 6 0 

for  2 women  2 days  each 0 12  0 

a Bushel  of  wheat  128  & a Bushel  of  Indian  C 0 18  0 

His  Trouble  3o*  Cabbages  & Turnips  5s  . . 1 15  0 


£4  11  0 


“ To  Josfph  Gerrish  Esq 

£.  s.  d. 

“ For  4 Barrels  of  Cider  41 — 12®  & 20*  for  his  trouble  5 12  0 

for  352  lbs  of  Beef  at  GP 10  5 4 

90  lbs  of  Pork  at  12p 4 10  0 

27  lbs  Salt  Pork  408  GP  & 30  lbs  of  butter  2®  . 5 0 G 

1*4  bushels  of  Wheat  188  Turnips  Ac  5*  . . 1 8 0 

8 Turkies  at  5G  at  9P  per  lb  42".  Bringing 

the  Boat  20® 3 2 0 

Carting  10£  His  trouble  30s 11  10  0 

£41  7 10 

“ To  Mr  John  Coffin 

“ For  30  lbs  of  butter  GO8  4 bush1  of  Malt  40®  . . 5 0 0 

40%  lbs  Salt  Pork  GO8  9P  & 2G  lbs  of  cheese 

at  288  2P 4 8 11 

8 Geese  51%  at  8p  34®  4p  & his  trouble  & 

charge  GO8 4 14  4 


£14  3 3 


“ To  Mr  John  Noyes  Jun 

“ For 2 Cases  of  Knives  403  for  10  lbs  Sugar  20®  & 

one  lb  pepper  98  3 9 0 

“ To  Mr  Daniel  Coffin 

“ For  lo  lbs  of  Raisins  35®  5 lbs  Currents  15®  11  lbs 

of  loaf  Sugar  558  4 1 5 0 

30  lbs  of  Flower  10s  G Drinking  glasses  8s  . 1 8 0 

Biscake  20s,  1 do/.  Mugs  128  Carting  Stores  12®  2 4 0 

19  Gallons  Rhuni  at  108  per  Gal 8 10  0 

£10  17  0 

“ To  Mr  John  Adams 

“ For  20  lbs  Sugar  3G8Kp  Chocolate  1%  lb  21s  9p  . 2 IS  5 

Nutmeg8  58  6P.  Allspice  48  Pipes  4 doz  89  . 0 17  6 


£3  15  1 1 

“ To  Mr  John  Half  Jun 

“ For  one  half  barrel  full  l>ound  & a 4 gallon  Cask  0 12  0 


“ To  John  Broum 

“ For  Spices  9s  Pipes  A Tobacco  12®  Gp 1 1 6 

For  a 50  gallon  cask  & a 4 gall  bottle 0 7 0 

For  his  trouble  & charge 3 0 0 

£4  8 G 

“ To  Mr  Ehen'r  Choate 

“ For  Wine 1 10  0 

“ To  Mr.  Moses  Gerrish 

“ For  5 lbs  of  Sugar 0 10  0 

“ To  Cutting  Lnnt 

“ For  four  Gallons  of  Molasses 1 8 0 

“ To  Hich  arils  <{•  Tit  comb 

“ For  Carrying  up  their  Fanils  Each  20" 2 0 0 

£104  0 0 

“ A true  Acconipt  Errors  Excepted  Newbury  Nov  5th  1740 

“John  Brown.” 


He  died  January  19,  17-r>;>.  The  following  is  an  in- 
ventory of  his  estate: 

“ We  the  Subscribers  being  appointed  a Committee  to  apprize  the  Es- 
tate real  & personal  of  the  Revd  Mr  Phi  Delias  Stevens,  late  of  the  Place 
called  Contoocook  within  his  Majestys  Province  of  New  Hampshire, 
Clerk  Deceased,  being  first  sworn  to  the  faithful  Discharge  of  the  said 
Trust  have  taken  the  following  inventory  of  the  said  Estate. 

“ Vis — 

“ Of  personal  Estate — 


“ Imprimis.  To  Books — £.  «.  d. 

Mr  Pool’s  Synopses  Criticorum  in  five  volumes 

in  Folio 7 10  0 

Other  books  the  whole  of  them 1 5 0 

Item,  To  a Swivel  Gun 2 10  0 

item,  To  Beds,  Bedding  & Bedsteads 45  12  6 

item,  To  Pewter 12  10  0 

item,  To  two  warming  pans 3 2 6 

item,  To  two  Looking  Glasses 5 10  0 

item,  To  two  Brass  Kettles 4 0 0 


180 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


£.  s.  d. 

item,  To  a toasting-iron  & Gridiron 0 6 0 

item,  To  a Spit • . . 1 0 0 

item,  To  a Spool  wheel 0 5 0 

item,  To  a Cupboard 0 15  0 

item,  To  two  Caggs • 0 10  0 

item,  To  a great  Wheel • 0 5 0 

item,  To  Andirons 0 8 0 

item,  To  Tongs 0 6 0 

item,  To  another  pair  of  Tongs  «fc  fire  shovel  & 

irons 2 10  0 

item,  To  an  iron  Kettle 0 12  0 

item,  To  two  iron  Trammels 1 5 0 

item,  To  a little  Pot 0 12  0 

item,  To  two  Box  irons  & Heater 1 10  0 

item,  To  five  Chairs  at  38  OP  apiece 0 18  0 

item,  To  a Frying  Pan 0 6 0 

item,  To  an  iron  Pot 0 0 0 

item,  To  a pair  of  hand-Bellows 0 5 0 

item,  To  a brass  Skillet  & Frame 0 10  0 

item,  to  a brass  Skimmer 0 5 0 

item,  To  three  tables  at  5*  apiece 0 15  0 

item,  To  a Cradle 0 2 G 

item,  To  hay  at  the  Meddeo 2 2 G 

item,  To  2 Tubes 0 10  0 

item,  To  Iron 0 2 G 

Chaffing  Dish 0 5 0 

item,  To  a Coat 2 0 0 

item,  To  a great  Coat 1 0 0 

item,  To  two  Gowns 3 10  0 

item,  To  Stockings 0 18  6 

item,  To  a pair  of  Leather  Breeches 0 15  0 

item,  To  a Jacket 0 0 0 

item,  To  a Hat 2 0 0 

item,  To  a pair  of  Boots 0 15  0 

item,  To  Shoes 0 5 0 

item,  To  a Morter  Pestel 0 7 G 

item,  To  a Razor 0 0 6 

item,  To  Shirts 2 0 0 

item,  To  a half  Bushel  & Sive  . . 0 5 0 

item,  To  one  old  Saddle  & Bridle 2 0 0 

item,  To  Tea  Furniture 0 10  0 

item,  To  two  Chests 1 0 0 

item,  To  an  old  Portmantle 0 5 0 

item,  To  Salt o lo  0 

item,  To  Glass  Bottles 0 5 0 

item,  To  an  ax  0 5 0 

item,  To  a Scithe  to  cut  Bushes 0 12  G 

item,  To  Plow  irons 1 5 0 

“ Stock. 

“To a Mare 30  0 0 

item,  To  two  Cows 12  10  0 

item,  To  a Heifer  . . . • 3 0 0 

item,  To  a Calf I 10  0 

item,  To  five  Sheep 2 lo  0 

item,  To  three  Swine G 5 0 

“ Rent  Estate  <fc  Buildings. 

“ Imprimis,  To  the  House-Lot,  House  & Barn  . . 00  0 0 

item,  a House  in  the  Garrison 0 0 0 

item,  To  a five  acre  Intervale  Lot 25  0 0 

item,  To  a House  Lot  adjoining  to  Ensign  Jos- 
eph Kastman's 25  0 0 

item,  To  one  eighty  acre  Lot,  half  an  eighty  acre 

Lot,  & two  House-Lots  all  joining  together  215  0 0 

item,  To  one  hundred  acre  Lot 25  0 0 

item,  To  one  common  Right 7 0 0 

item,  To  half  a hundred  acre  lot,  & half  a com- 
mon Right 1G  5 0 

item,  To  one  eighty-acre-Lot  in  the  Township  of 

Rumford 62  10  0 ” 


Mr.  Stevens  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Robie  Merrill, 
who  was  ordained  December  29,  1761.  He  was  dis- 
missed December  9,  1766.  Rev.  Nathaniel  Merrill 
was  ordained  pastor  October  19,  1768,  and  resigned 
April  1,  1774.  Rev.  Samuel  Wood,  ofhonored  mem- 


ory, was  ordained  pastor  of  this  church  October  17, 
1781,  and  for  more  than  half  a century  his  life  was 
identified  with  the  history  of  the  church  and  town. 

Dr.  Wood’s  civil  contract  with  the  town  was  dis- 
solved May  7,  1802,  though  his  pastoral  relation  with 
the  church  still  continued.  In  1804  the  Second 
Church  was  organized  in  the  western  section  of  the 
town,  and  Rev.  Ebenezer  Price  settled  as  its  pastor. 

Rev.  Mr.  Wood,  during  these  years,  prepared  a 
number  of  young  men  for  college.  Among  them  was 
Daniel  Webster. 

From  1809  he  was  actively  engaged  in  promoting 
the  cause  of  education,  and  acted  as  visiting  com- 
mittee for  twenty  years. 

As  early  as  the  year  1797  he  endeavored  to  secure 
the  establishment  of  an  academy,  but,  failing  in  that, 
was  the  means  of  starting  a library.  Thirty  years 
later  the  project  of  an  academy  was  revived,  and 
through  the  energy  and  liberality  of  Hon.  Ezekiel 
Webster,  and  the  hearty  co-operation  of  the  citizens, 
Dr.  Wood  had  the  gratification  of  seeing  the  realiza- 
tion of  his  early  plans.  He  contributed  liberally  to 
establish  the  institution, — giving  the  shingles,  which 
lie  had  shaved  with  his  own  hands. 

The  Boscawen  Church,  nominally,  was  Presbyte- 
rian till  1828,  when  Dr.  John  Rogers  was  appointed 
to  see  what  its  relations  were  to  the  Presbytery.  He 
could  find  no  such  organization,  and  the  church 
passed  a vote  readopting  the  Congregational  polity. 

On  October  17,  1831,  Dr.  Wood  completed  a half- 
century  of  ministerial  labor,  and  noticed  the  event 
with  appropriate  services.  He  stated  that  he  had  re- 
ceived into  the  church,  by  profession,  four  hundred 
and  eighty,  of  whom  one  hundred  had  severed  their 
relation,  one  hundred  and  nineteen  had  died,  thirty 
had  been  excommunicated,  leaving  a church  at  that 
time  of  two  hundred  and  thirty-eight  members.  He 
remained  pastor  until  his  death,  1836. 

In  December,  1832,  Rev.  Salmon  Bennett  was  in- 
stalled as  junior  pastor.  By  the  terms  of  settlement, 
Mr.  Bennett  was  to  have  a salary  of  three  hundred 
dollars  and  one-fourtli  part  of  the  time  for  service 
elsewhere,  which,  proving  inadequate  for  his  sup- 
port, resulted  in  his  dismissal,  October  25,  1836. 

The  death  of  Rev.  Dr.  Wood  occurring  soon  after, 
the  church  extended  a call  to  Rev.  Caleb  B.  Tracy. 
He  was  installed  September  12,  1837.  Large  additions 
were  made  to  the  church  in  1842-43. 

The  organization  of  the  church  in  Fisherville  re- 
sulted, however,  in  the  transfer,  about  this  time,  of 
thirteen  members  to  that  body. 

Mr.  Tracy  remained  pastor  till  1851,  when  he  was 
dismissed  by  mutual  consent. 

During  the  year  1852  the  church  was  under  the 
charge  of  Rev.  Mr.  Slocum. 

On  June  15,  1853,  Rev.  Ambrose  Smith  was  in- 
stalled pastor,  remaining  till  his  death. 

Rev.  Milton  L.  Severance  was  installed  February 
16,  1864,  dismissed  December  22,  1868. 


BOSCAWEN. 


181 


Rev.  Joseph  A.  Freeman  installed  June  30,  1875, 
dismissed  July  3,  1877. 

Rev.  Frank  Haley  installed  October  11,  1882,  dis- 
missed June  11,  1885. 

The  first  meeting-house  was  built  of  logs,  forty  feet 
long  and  as  wide  as  Rumford  (Concord)  meeting- 
house, only  two  feet  higher.  This  was  occupied 
until  1767,  when  it  was  therefore  voted  that  a new 
meeting-house  should  be  erected,  and  a committee 
was  appointed  to  select  a site. 

It  was  voted  that,  pending  the  erection  of  the 
meeting-house,  the  meetings  should  be  held  half  the 
time  at  the  house  of  Jesse  Flanders. 

The  committee  appointed  to  select  a site  reported 
as  follows: 

“ Boscawen,  Sep.  8.  1767. 

“ We  do  hereby  deliver  it  as  our  honest  and  impartial  judgment  that 
it  be  erected  on  that  sapling  pine  land  about  ten  or  twelve  rods  from  the 
road  towards  Jesse  Flanders,  from  that  knowl  above  Ephraim  Wood- 
bury’s, which  was  the  last  voted  place,  and  that  this  meeting-house  be 
placed  for  those  only  that  live  on  the  Easterly  side  of  Battle  street,  so 
called,  and  that  those  who  live  on  the  Westerly  side  of  said  street  be  ex- 
empted from  any  cost  in  building  said  house. 

“ As  witness  our  hands, 

“ Ezekiel  Morrill,  n 

“Sinkler  Bean,  [>  Com.'" 

“ Archelaus  Moore,  ) 

The  site  finally  selected  for  the  new  meeting-house 
was  near  the  northwest  corner  of  the  cemetery,  west 
of  Woodbury’s  Plain.  It  was 

“ Voted  To  Raise  two  hundred  & fifty  pounds  old  tenor  Toward  De- 
fraying the  charges  already  arisen  in  building  the  meeting-house  frame, 
to  be  paid  in  Labour  at  fifty  Shillings  a Day,  and  whoever  Don’t  La- 
bour when  Notified,  or  pay  Stuff  fit  for  the  use  of  the  house,  to  pay 
money. 

“ Voted  To  begin  & Go  on  with  the  finishing  said  meeting-house  as  far 
as  the  pew  privileges  will  go,  together  with  the  money  as  above  voted. 

“George  Jackman,  Jun.,  Mr.  Joseph  Atkinson,  Ens.  Peter  Kimball, 
Mr.  Benjamin  Eastman  & Deacon  Jesse  Flanders  ware  chosen  and  fully 
Impowered  as  a committee  to  carry  on  the  finishing  said  Meeting- 
house.” 

The  old  tenor  currency  had  so  far  depreciated  that 
fifty  shillings  was  only  equivalent  to  about  forty-two 
cents  lawful  money,  a shilling  being  less  than  one 
cent. 

The  committee  appointed  to  appraise  the  pew  privi- 
leges reported  the  appraisal  and  articles  of  sale  as 
follows : 

“ l8t  The  pews  to  be  sold  to  the  highest  bidder. 

“ 2 — The  money  bid  is  to  be  understood,  Hampshire’s  old  tenor. 

“3d  That  no  person  bid  less  than  20  shillings  a bid.  [About  sixteen 
cents.] 

“ That  every  purchaser  shall  pay  one-fourth  part  thereof  in  money  & 
the  remainder  in  labor  or  lumber,  as  said  committee  & purchaser  shall 
agree,— provided  the  same  be  at  Cash  price  & when  wanted  for  the  use 
of  said  house. 

“5th  That  Each  pew  be  forfeited  unless  the  purchaser  pay  the  sum  for 
which  the  same  was  bid  off  at  in  the  following  manner,  viz. : 

“The  money  to  be  paid  in  three  months  from  the  time  said  pew  was 
bid  off  and  the  other  to  be  paid  when  called  for  by  the  committee  for  the 
use  of  said  house. 

“6.  That  every  person  shall  forfeit  his  pew  privilege  except  that  the 
purchaser  have  the  same  well  finished  within  twelve  months  from  the 
time  said  pew  was  hid  off. 

“7.  That  any  purchaser  shall  pay  down  or  give  security  for  one-tentli 
part  of  the  value  of  what  said  pew  was  bid  off  at— which  sum  shall  be 
forfeited  unless  the  articles  are  fulfilled. 


“ 8.  That  any  person  who  will  pay  Nails  A Glass  at  Cash  price,  or  pro- 
vide a joiner  acceptable  to  the  committee  when  wanted,  the  same  shall 
answer  in  lieu  of  money. 

“ Voted  by  the  town,  that  no  wall  pew  be  raised  more  than  12  inches 
above  the  meeting-house  floor,  A that  no  body  pew  be  raised  more  than 
six  inches.” 

There  is  no  writing  that  sets  forth  the  dimensions 
of  this  first  framed  meeting-house.  It  was  nearly 
square  and  had  a gallery,  which  was  not  finished  till 
several  years  later,  even  if  it  was  ever  wholly  fin- 
ished. There  was  a pile  of  boards  in  one  corner  of 
the  gallery,  behind  which  the  boys  used  to  secrete 
themselves,  greatly  to  the  annoyance  of  the  tithing- 
man.  The  present  town-house  in  Webster  was 
modeled  after  this  house.  There  was  a porch  at  each 
end  and  a front-door.  It  was  built  after  the  prevail- 
ing style  of  the  time, — a box-like  edifice. 

This  meeting-house  was  subsequently  burned,  and 
the  next  house  was  erected  on  King  Street. 

Population.— The  first  census  of  the  town  was  that 
of  1767, — 285  inhabitants.  In  1783,  when  the  first 
census  after  the  Revolution  was  taken,  the  number 
was  756.  The  first  census  of  the  general  government 
was  in  1790.  The  returns  are  as  follows : 1767.  285  ; 
1783,  756;  1790,  1108;  1800,  1414;  1810,1829;  1820, 
2116;  1830, 2093  ; 1840, 1965  ; 1850,  2063 ; 1860, 1458  ; 1 
1870,  1637  ; 1880,  1380. 

Civil  History. — The  men  who  have  been  selected 
to  represent  the  town  have  been  citizens  of  high 
character.  Colonel  Henry  Gerrish,  George  Jackman, 
Captain  Joseph  Gerrish,  Major  Enoch  Gerrish  and 
Captain  Benjamin  Little  were  the  representatives  of 
the  last  century.  These  five  men  represented  the 
town  from  1760  to  1801. 

During  the  first  quarter  of  the  present  century  such 
men  as  Timothy  Dix,  Caleb  Knight,  Ezekiel  Web- 
ster, Joseph  Little,  Jeremiah  Gerrish,  Major  Enoch 
Gerrish  and  Colonel  Isaac  Chandler  acted  as  legis- 
lators. Their  successors  in  the  next  quarter  were 
such  men  as  Hezekiah  Fellows,  Colonel  John  Farmer, 
Captain  Joseph  Ames,  John  Greenough,  Moses  Fel- 
lows, Thomas  Coffin,  William  H.  Gage,  Benjamin 
Kimball,  Nathan  Plummer,  Abraham  Burbank,  Rich- 
ard Gage,  Simeon  B.  Little,  Joseph  Morrill,  Rev. 
Ebenezer  Price,  Elbridge  F.  Greenough,  Abiel  R. 
Chandler,  Nathan  Pearson,  Jr.,  Thomas  Gerrish, 
Luke  Corser,  Caleb  Smith  and  Calvin  Gage. 

TOWN  OFFICERS. 

1760.  — Joseph  Coffin,  moderator  ; George  Jackman,2  clerk  ; John 
Fowler,  John  Webster,  Joseph  Eastman,  selectmen. 

1761.  — John  Webster,  moderator;  John  Webster,  Enos  Bishop,  George 
Jackman,  selectmen. 

1762.  — Joseph  Eastman,  moderator  ; George  Jackman,  John  Flanders, 
Joseph  Hoit,  selectmen. 

1763.  — John  Fowler,  moderator ; Joseph  Hoit,  Ephraim  Plummer, 
Thomas  Foss,  selectmen. 

1764.  — John  Fowler,  moderator ; George  Jackman,  Jesse  Flanders, 
Oliver  Fowler,  selectmen. 

1765.  — John  Fowler,  moderator;  George  Jackman,  John  Fowler, 
Jesse  Flanders,  selectmen. 


1 Town  divided.  2 From  1760  to  1796  he  was  re  elected. 


182 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


1766.  — Joseph  Eastman,  moderator ; Moses  Burbank,  Moses  Call, 
Ilenry  Gerrisli,  selectmen. 

1767.  — Jesse  Flanders,  moderator;  Henry  Gerrisli,  George  Jackman, 
Jesse  Flanders,  selectmen. 

1768.  — John  Fowler,  moderator;  Henry  Gerrisli,  Peter  Kimball, 
Oliver  Fowler,  selectmen. 

1769.  — Moses  Morse,  moderator ; Captain  Henry  Gerrisli,  Moses 
Morse,  George  Jackman,  selectmen. 

1770.  — Rev.  Robie  Morrill,  moderator  ; Moses  Morse,  Henry  Gerrish, 
Peter  Kimball,  selectmen. 

1771.  — Moses  Morse,  moderator  ; Wintlirop  Carter,  Moses  Call,  Moses 
Morse,  selectmen. 

1772.  — Captain  Henry  Gerrish,  moderator  ; George  Jackman,  Deacon 
Jesse  Flanders,  Samuel  Muzzy,  selectmen. 

1773.  — Henry  Gerrish,  moderator;  Ebenezer  Hidden,  Samuel  Gerrish, 
George  Jackman,  selectmen. 

1774. — Peter  Coffin,  moderator  ; Samuel  Muzzy,  Peter  Kimball,  Jesse 
Flanders,  selectmen  ; Henry  Gerrish,  delegate  to  State  Convention. 

177.7. — Stephen  Webster,  moderator;  Moses  Call,  Enoch  Gerrish, 
George  Jackman,  selectmen  ; Henry  Gerrish,  delegate  to  State  Conven- 
tion. 

1776.  — Robie  Morrill,  moderator  ; George  Jackman,  Cutting  Noyes, 
John  Eliot,  selectmen. 

1777. — Henry  Gerrish,  moderator  ; George  Jackman,  John  Eliot,  Cut- 
ting Noyes,  selectmen. 

1778.  — Henry  Gerrish,  moderator  ; George  Jackman,  Lieutenant  Enoch 
Gerrisli,  Cutting  Noyes,  selectmen  ; George  Jackman,  delegate. 

1779.  — Henry  Gerrish,  moderator  ; George  Jackman,  Enoch  Gerrish, 
Samuel  Muzzy,  selectmen  ; George  Jackman,  Henry  Gerrish,  delegates. 

1780.  — Peter  Kimball,  moderator;  George  Jackman,  Stephen  Webster, 
Cutting  Noyes,  selectmen  ; Henry  Gerrish,  representative. 

1781.  — Henry  Gerrish,  moderator  ; George  Jackman,  Cutting  Noyes, 
Captain  Peter  Kimball,  selectmen. 

1782.  — Peter  Coffin,  moderator  ; George  Jackman,  Joseph  Jackman, 
David  Corser,  selectmen. 

1783.  — Ebenezer  Hidden,  moderator ; George  Jackman,  Isaac  Pearson, 
David  Corser,  selectmen. 

1784.  — Peter  Kimball,  moderator ; Enoch  Gerrish,  Peter  Kimball, 
George  Jackman,  selectmen. 

1785.  — Ebenezer  Hidden,  moderator  ; Lieutenant  Enoch  Gerrish,  Ben- 
jamin Sweatt,  George  Jackman,  selectmen  ; George  Jackman,  represen- 
tative. 

1786.  — Samuel  Fowler,  moderator  ; George  Jackman,  Benjamin 
Sweatt,  Lieutenant  Benjamin  Jackman,  selectmen  ; George  Jackman, 
representative. 

1787.  — Henry  Gerrish,  moderator;  Joseph  Gerrish,  Peter  Kimball, 
Benjamin  Little,  selectmen. 

1788.  — Henry  Gerrish,  moderator  ; Joseph  Gerrish,  Cutting  Noyes, 
Peter  Kimball,  selectmen  ; George  Jackman,  representative  ; Henry 
Gerrish,  delegate  to  Convention. 

1789.  — Peter  Coffin,  moderator;  Joseph  Gerrish,  Peter  Kimball,  Ben- 
jamin Little,  selectmen. 

1790.  — Joseph  Gerrish,  moderator;  Joseph  Gerrish,  Peter  Kimball, 
Benjamin  Little,  selectmen  ; Henry  Gerrish,  representative. 

1791.  — Enoch  Gerrish,  moderator  ; Joseph  Gerrish,  George  Jackman, 
Samuel  Ames,  David  Corser,  Nathaniel  Green,  selectmen  ; Henry  Ger- 
rish, representative  ; Nathaniel  Green,  delegate  to  revise  State  Constitu- 
tion. 

1792.  — Enoch  Gerrish,  moderator ; Benjamin  Little,  Enoch  Gerrish, 
Lieutenant  John  Chandler,  selectmen  ; Enoch  Gerrish,  representative. 

1793.  — Henry  Gerrish,  moderator  ; Joseph  Gerrish,  Benjamin  Little, 
George  Jackman,  selectmen  ; Enoch  Gerrish,  representative. 

1794.  — Henry  Gerrish,  moderator  ; Joseph  Gerrish,  Benjamin  Little, 
George  Jackman,  selectmen  ; Enoch  Gerrish,  representative. 

1795.  — Joseph  Gerrish,  moderator ; Joseph  Gerrish,  Enoch  Little, 
George  Jackman,  selectmen  ; Benjamin  Little,  representative. 

1796.  — Thomas  Thorla,  moderator;  Tristram  Noyes,  clerk  ; Winthrop 
Carter,  Thomas  Thorla,  Enoch  Little,  selectmen  ; Benjamin  Little,  rep- 
resentative. 

1797.  — Thomas  Thorla,  moderator  ; Tristram  Noyes,  clerk  ; Winthrop 
Carter,  Thomas  Thorla,  Daniel  Shepard,  selectmen  ; Enoch  Gerrish, 
representative. 

1798.  — Enoch  Gerrish,  moderator ; George  Jackman,  clerk ; Enoch 
Gerrish,  Timothy  Dix,  Jr.,  Joseph  Little,  selectmen  ; Enoch  Gerrish, 
representative. 

1799.  — Major  Enoch  Gerrish,  moderator  ; George  Jackman,  clerk  ; 


Enoch  Gerrish,  Timothy  Dix,  Jr.,  Joseph  Little,  selectmen  ; Major 
Joseph  Gerrish,  representative. 

1800.  — Thomas  Thorla,  moderator;  Samuel  Choate,  clerk  ; Benjamin 
Jackman,  Joseph  Couch,  Caleb  Knight,  selectmen  ; Enoch  Gerrish, 
representative. 

1801.  — Nathaniel  Green,  moderator  ; Samuel  Choate,  clerk  ; Benjamin 
Jackman,  Joseph  Couch,  Caleb  Knight,  selectmen  ; Timothy  Dix,  Jr., 
representative. 

1802.  — Nathaniel  Green,  moderator;  Phinehas  Bailey,  clerk;  Joseph 
Couch,  Nathaniel  Green,  Samuel  Muzzy,  selectmen  ; Timothy  Dix,  Jr., 
representative. 

1803. — Enoch  Gerrish,  moderator;  Joseph  Couch,  clerk;  Nathaniel 
Green,  Nathan  Davis,  Benjamin  Jackman,  selectmen  ; Timothy  Dix,  Jr., 
representative. 

1804.  — Nathaniel  Green,  moderator;  Joseph  Couch,  clerk  ; Benjamin 
Jackman,  Isaac  Chandler,  Joseph  Little,  selectmen  ; Timothy  Dix,  Jr., 
representative. 

1805.  — Colonel  Joseph  Gerrish,  moderator  ; Caleb  Putney,  clerk  ; Ben- 
jamin Jackman,  Joseph  Little,  Major  Isaac  Chandler,  selectmen  ; Caleb 
Knight,  representative. 

1806.  — Joseph  Gerrish,  moderator ; Samuel  Choate,  clerk  ; Joseph 
Little,  Daniel  Pillsbury,  Joseph  H.  Morrill,  selectmen  ; Benjamin  Little, 
representative. 

1807.  — Joseph  Gerrish,  moderator  ; Joel  French,  clerk;  Daniel  Pills- 
bury, Joseph  Little,  Captain  Somersby  Pearson,  selectmen  ; Benjamin 
Little,  representative. 

1808. — Joseph  Gerrish,  moderator;  Joel  French,  clerk;  Captain 
Somersby  Pearson,  Ezekiel  Morse,  Stephen  Gerrish,  selectmen  ; Enoch 
Gerrish,  representative. 

1809.  — Joseph  Gerrisli,  moderator  ; Joel  French,  clerk  ; Stephen  Ger- 
rish, Joseph  II.  Morrill,  Peletiah  Peasley,  selectmen  ; Enoch  Gerrish, 
representative. 

1810.  — Joseph  Gerrish,  moderator  ; Samuel  W.  Lang,  clerk  ; Stephen 
Gerrish,  Joseph  Little,  Thomas  Coffin,  selectmen  ; Ezekiel  Webster, 
representative. 

1811.  — Colonel  Joseph  Gerrish,  moderator  ; Samuel  W.  Lang,  clerk  ; 
Thomas  Coffin,  Benjamin  Little,  Joel  French,  selectmen  ; Ezekiel  Web- 
ster, representative. 

1812.  — Isaac  Chandler,  moderator;  Samuel  W.  Lang,  clerk*;  Nathan 
Chandler,  Joseph  Ames,  Captain  Moses  Gerrisli,  selectmen  ; Ezekiel 
Webster,  representative. 

1813.  — Ezekiel  Webster,  moderator  ; Samuel  W.  Lang,  clerk  ; Captain 
Moses  Gerrish,  Joseph  Ames,  Nathan  Chandler,  selectmen  ; Ezekiel 
Webster,  representative. 

1814.  — Ezekiel  Webster,  moderator  ; Samuel  W.  Lang,  clerk ; Captain 
Moses  Gerrish,  Joseph  Ames,  Isaac  Gerrish,  selectmen  ; Ezekiel  Web- 
ster, representative. 

1815.  — Ezekiel  Webster,  moderator  ; Samuel  W.  Lang,  clerk  ; Isaac 
Gerrish,  Jesse  Little,  Joseph  H.  Morrill,  selectmen  ; Joseph  Little,  rep- 
resentative. 

1816.  — Ezekiel  Webster,  moderator;  Samuel  W.  Lang,  clerk  ; Major 
Moses  Gerrish,  Daniel  Pillsbury,  Nathan  Chandler,  selectmen  ; Joseph 
Little,  representative. 

1817.  — Enoch  Little,  moderator  ; Hezekiah  Fellows,1  clerk  ; Major 
Moses  Gerrish,  Daniel  Pillsbury,  Nehemiah  Cogswell,  selectmen  ; Jere- 
miau  Gerrish,  representative. 

1818.  — Ezekiel  Webster,  moderator  ; Colonel  Moses  Gerrish,  Nehemiah 
Cogswell,  Sami.  B.  Gerrish,  selectmen  ; Jeremiah  Gerrish,  representative. 

1819.  — Ezekiel  Webster,  moderator ; Nehemiah  Cogswell,  Joseph 
Couch,  Daniel  Pillsbury,  selectmen  ; Isaac  Chandler,  representative. 

1820.  — Ezekiel  Webster,  moderator ; Nehemiah  Cogswell,  Samuel  Lit- 
tle, Isaac  Gerrish,  selectmen;  Isaac  Chandler,  representative. 

1821.  — Ezekiel  Webster,  moderator  ; Samuel  Little,  Moses  Gerrish, 
Isaac  Pearson,  selectmen  ; Ezekiel  Webster,  representative. 

1822.  — Ezekiel  Webster,  moderator  ; Samuel  Little,  Moses  Gerrish, 
Isaac  Pearson,  selectmen  ; Ezekiel  Webster,  representative. 

1823.  — Ezekiel  Webster,  moderator;  Colonel  Moses  Gerrish,  John 
Farmer,  Thomas  Gerrish,  selectmen  ; Ezekiel  Webster,  representative. 

1824.  — Ezekiel  Webster,  moderator;  John  Farmer,  Nehemiah  Coggs- 
well,  Moses  Fellows,  selectmen  ; Ezekiel  Webster,  Hezekiah  Fellows, 
representatives. 

1825.  —Ezekiel  Webster,  moderator ; John  Farmer,  Moses  Fellows, 
William  H.  Gage,  selectmen  ; Ezekiel  Webster,  Hezekiah  Fellows,  rep- 
resentatives. 


1 From  this  date  to  1854  he  was  re-elected. 


BOSCAWEN. 


183 


1826.  — Ezekiel  Webster,  moderator  ; Moses  Fellows,  William  II.  Gage, 
Joseph  Couch,  Jr.,  selectmen  ; Hezekiah  Fellows,  Joseph  Ames,  repre- 
sentatives. 

1827.  — John  Farmer,  moderator;  Moses  Fellows,  William  II.  Gage, 
Joseph  Couch,  Jr.,  selectmen  ; Ezekiel  Webster,  John  Farmer,  represen- 
tatives. 

1828.  — Ezekiel  Webster,  moderator  ; Moses  Fellows,  Reuben  Johnson, 
Simeon  B.  Little,  selectmen  ; Ezekiel  Webster,  John  Farmer,  represen- 
tatives 

1829.  — Ezekiel  Webster,  moderator ; Moses  Fellows,  Simeon  B.  Little, 
Thomas  Gerrish,  selectmen  ; John  Farmer,  John  Greenough,  representa- 
tives. 

1830.  — John  Fanner,  moderator  ; Moses  Fellows,  Simeon  B.  Little, 
Thomas  Gerrish,  selectmen  ; John  Greenough,  Moses  Fellows,  represen- 
tatives. 

1831.  — John  Farmer,  moderator  ; Moses  Fellows,  Simeon  B.  Little, 
Thomas  Gerrish,  selectmen  ; Moses  Fellows,  Thomas  Coffin,  representa- 
tives. 

1832.  — John  Farmer,  moderator ; Moses  Fellows,  William  II.  Gage, 
Wyatt  Boyden,  selectmen  ; Moses  Fellows,  representative. 

1833.  — John  Farmer,  moderator;  Moses  Fellows,  William  II.  Gage, 
Wyatt  Boyden,  selectmen  ; William  H.  Gage,  representative. 

1834.  — John  Farmer,  moderator;  Wyatt  Boyden,  Abraham  Burbank, 
Hale  Atkinson,  selectmen  ; John  Farmer,  Benjamin  Kimball,  represen- 
tatives. 

1835.  — John  Farmer,  moderator  ; Abraham  Burbank,  Hale  Atkinson, 
Moses  Fellows,  selectmen  ; John  Farmer,  Moses  Fellows,  representa- 
tives. 

1836.  — Moses  Fellows,  moderator  ; Simeon  Little,  Moses  Fellows,  John 
C.  Cogswell,  selectmen  ; Nathan  Plummer,  William  H.  Gage,  represen- 
tatives. 

1837.  — Moses  Fellows,  moderator ; Simeon  B.  Little,  Moses  Fellows, 
John  C.  Cogswell,  selectmen  ; Nathan  Plummer,  Abraham  Burbank, 
representatives. 

1838.  — Moses  Fellows,  moderator  ; Simeon  B.  Little,  Jeremiah  Noyes, 
William  M.  Kimball,  selectmen;  Abraham  Burbank,  Richard  Gage, 
representatives. 

1839.  — Simeon  B.  Little,  moderator  ; William  M.  Kimball,  Moses  Fel 
lows,  Thomas  Little,  selectmen  ; Richard  Gage,  Simeon  B.  Little,  repre- 
sentatives. 

1840.  — Simeon  B.  Little,  moderator ; Thomas  Little,  Wyatt  Boyden, 
Abiel  R.  Chandler,  selectmen  ; Simeon  B.  Little,  Joseph  Morrill,  repre- 
sentatives. 

1841.  — Simeon  B.  Little,  moderator;  Wyatt  Boyden,  Abiel  Chandler, 
Nathan  Pearson,  selectmen  ; Joseph  Morrill,  Rev.  Ebenezer  Price,  rep- 
resentatives. 

1812. — Simeon  B.  Little,  moderator;  Abiel  R.  Chaudler,  Nathan  Pear- 
son, Wyatt  Boyden,  selectmen  ; Rev.  Ebenezer  Price,  Elbridge  F. 
Greenough,  representatives. 

1843.  — Simeon  B.  Little,  moderator  ; Benjamin  F.  Kimball,  Thomas 
Elliot,  William  H.  Gage,  selectmen  ; Abiel  R.  Chandler,  Nathan  Pear- 
son, Jr.,  representatives. 

1844.  — Simeon  B.  Little,  moderator  ; Caleb  Smith,  Samuel  M.  Durgiu, 
Friend  L.  Burbank,  selectmen  ; Nathan  Pearson.  Jr.,  Abiel  R.  Chan- 
dler, representatives. 

1845. — Moody  A.  Pillsbury,  moderator;  Caleb  Smith,  Thomas  Elliot, 
Eliphalet  Kilburn,  selectmen  ; Thomas  Gerrish,  Luke  Corscr,  represen- 
tatives. 

1846.  — Simeon  B.  Little,  moderator;  Caleb  Smith,  Samuel  M.  Durgin, 
Friend  L.  Burbank,  selectmen  ; Thomas  Gerrish,  Luke  Corser,  represen- 
tatives. 

1847.  — Simeon  B.  Little,  moderator;  Hale  Atkinson,  Samuel  M.  Dur- 
giu, Calvin  Gage,  selectmen;  Abraham  Burbank,  Caleb  Smith^represen- 
tatives. 

1848.  — Caleb  Smith,  moderator;  Eliphalet  Kilburn,  Abiel  R.  Chan- 
dler, Friend  L.  Burbank,  selectmen  ; Abraham  Burbank,  Caleb  Smith, 
representatives. 

1849.  - Simeon  B.  Little,  moderator ; Hale  Atkinson,  Abiel  It.  Chan- 
dler, Albert  Danforth,  selectmen  ; Calvin  Gage,  representative. 

1850.  — Simeon  B.  Little,  moderator  ; Hale  Atkinson,  Abner  Sargent, 
Simeon  B.  Little,  selectmen  ; Calvin  Gage,  Paul  Pearson,  representatives. 

1851.  — Simeon  B.  Little,  moderator;  Simeon  B.  Little,  Daniel  S. 
Balch,  David  A.  Gerrish,  selectmen  ; Paul  Pearson,  Abiel  Gerrish,  rep- 
resentatives. 

1852.  — Simeon  B.  Little,  moderator;  Simeon  B.  Little,  David  A.  Ger- 
rish, Hale  Atkinson,  selectmen ; Abiel  Gerrish,  Friend  L.  Burbank, 
representatives. 


1853.  — Simeon  B.  Little,  moderator  ; Simeon  B.  Little,  David  A.  Ger- 
rish Hale  Atkinson,  selectmen  ; Friend  L.  Burbank,  John  C.  Gage,  rep- 
resentatives. 

1854.  — Simeon  B.  Little,  moderator  ; Abner  Sargent,  Caleb  Smith, 
Hale  Atkinson,  selectmen  ; John  C.  Gage.  Enoch  Little,  representatives. 

1855.  — Simeon  B.  Little,  moderator  ; Franklin  P.  Atkinson,  clerk  ; 
Francis  S.  French,  Moses  Whittier,  Ira  Sweatt,  selectmen  ; Albert  Run- 
nels, Abner  B.  Winn,  representatives. 

1856  — Simeon  B.  Little,  moderator  ; Franklin  P.  Atkinson,  clerk  ; 
Francis  S.  French,  Moses  Whittier,  Ira  Sweatt,  selectmen;  Albert  Run- 
nels, Abner  B.  Winn,  representatives. 

1857.  — Enoch  Gerrish,  moderator  ; George  W.  Stevens,  clerk  ; Abner 
Sargent,  Hale  Atkinson,  Caleb  Smith,  selectmen;  Francis  S.  French, 
William  M.  Sweatt,  representatives. 

1858.  — Enoch  Gerrish,  moderator  ; David  E.  Burbank,  clerk  ; Moses 

Whittier,  Enoch  Gerrish,  David  A.  Gerrish,  selectmen ; Francis  S. 
French,  William  M.  Sweatt,  representatives.  , 

1859.  — Enoch  Gerrish,  moderator ; David  L.  Burbank,  clerk  ; Enoch 
Gerrish,  Moses  Gill,  Jeremiah  S.  Webber,  selectmen  ; Moses  Whittier, 
Thaddeus  0.  Wilson,  representatives. 

1860.  — Enoch  Gerrish,  moderator  ; David  E.  Burbank,  clerk  ; Enoch 
Gerrish,  Jeremiah  S.  Webber,  Almon  Harris,  selectmen  ; Moses  Whit- 
tier, Thaddeus  0.  Wilson,  representatives. 

1861.  — Isaac  K.  Gage,  moderator  ; Isaiah  H.  Arey,  clerk  ; Almon  Har- 
ris, Francis  S.  French,  Hale  Atkinson,  selectmen  ; Luther  Gage,  repre- 
sentative. 

1862.  — Nathan  B.  Greene,  moderator  ; Isaiah  H.  Arey,  clerk  ; Almon 
Harris,  Francis  S.  French,  Peter  Coffin,  selectmen  ; Luther  Gage,  repre- 
sentatives. 

1863.  — Jonathan  Tenney,  moderator  ; Isaiah  II.  Arey,  clerk  ; Nelie- 
miah  Butler,  Peter  Coffin,  George  Knowles,  selectmen  ; Almon  Harris, 
representative. 

1864.  — Franklin  C.  Morrill,  moderator  ; Isaiah  H.  Arey,  clerk  ; Nehe- 
miah  Butler,  George  Knowles,  Samuel  Choate,  selectmen  ; Almon  Har- 
ris, representative. 

1865.  — Franklin  C.  Morrill,  moderator  ; Calvin  M.  Chadwick,  clerk  ; 
Nehemiah  Butler,  George  Knowles,  Samuel  Choate,  selectmen  ; David 
A.  Gerrish,  representative. 

1866.  — Franklin  C.  Morrill,  moderator  ; Charles  Smith,  clerk  ; Enoch 
G.  Wood,  Healey  Morse,  James  II.  Gill,  selectmen  ; David  A.  Gerrish, 
representative. 

1867.  — Isaac  K.  Gage,  moderator;  Charles  Smith,  clerk  ; Enoch  G. 
Wood,  Healey  Morse,  James  H.  Gill,  selectmen  ; Franklin  C.  Morrill, 
representative. 

1868.  — Franklin  C.  Morrill,  moderator;  Charles  E.  Chadwick,  clerk  ; 
Nehemiah  Butler,  Ezra  S.  Harris,  Bradley  Atkinson,  selectmen  ; 
Franklin  C.  Morrill,  representative. 

1809. — Franklin  C.  Morrill,  moderator  ; Charles  E.  Chadwick,  clerk  ; 
Ezra  S.  Harris,  Luther  Gage,  Bradley  Atkinson,  selectmen  ; Nehemiah 
Butler,  representative. 

1870.  — Thaddeus  0.  Wilson,  moderator;  Charles  E.  Chadwick,  clerk  ; 
Nehemiah  Butler,  Hamilton  P.  Gill,  Joseph  G.  Eastman,  selectmen  ; 
Nehemiah  Butler,  representative. 

1871.  — Thaddeus  0.  Wilson,  moderator;  John  Scavey,  clerk;  Calvin 
Gage,  John  E.  Rines,  Enoch  G.  Wood,  selectmen;  Enoch  G.  Wood,  rep- 
resentative. 

1872.  — David  F.  Kimball,  moderator ; Charles  E.  Chadwick,  clerk  ; 
David  F.  Kimball,  Marcus  K.  Howser,  Samuel  B.  Chadwick,  selectmen  ; 
Daniel  Y.  Bickford,  representative. 

1873.  —David  F.  Kimball,  moderator  ; Charles  E.  Chadwick,  clerk  ; 
David  F.  Kimball,  Marcus  K.  Howser,  Samuel  B.  Chadwick,  selectmen  ; 
Daniel  Y\  Bickford,  representative. 

1874.  — David  F.  Kimball,  moderator;  Charles  E.  Chadwick,  clerk  ; 
Nehemiah  Butler,  Marcus  K.  Howser,  Samuel  B.  Chadwick,  selectmen  ; 
Marcus  K.  Howser,  representative. 

1875.  — David  F.  Kimball,  moderator ; Charles  E.  Chadwick,  clerk  ; 
Nehemiah  Butler,  Joseph  G.  Eastman,  Austin  G.  Kimball,  selectmen  ; 
Marcus  K.  Howser,  representative. 

1876.  — Calvin  Gage,  moderator  ; George  A.  Morse,  clerk  ; John  C. 
Gage,  Enoch  G.  Wood,  Caleb  C.  Hall,  selectmen  ; Nathaniel  S.  Webster, 
representative. 

1877.  — Thaddeus  ().  Wilson,  moderator  ; Charles  E.  Chadw  ick,  clerk  ; 
John  C.  Gage,  Caleb  C.  Hall,  Luther  Gage,  selectmen  ; Nathaniel  S. 
Webster,  representative. 

1878.  — David  F.  Kimball,  moderator ; Charles  E.  Chadwick,  clerk  : 
Luther  Gage,  Charles  W.  Hardy,  Marcus  K.  Howser,  selectmen  ; Peter 
Coffin,  representative. 


181 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


1879.  — John  C.  Pearson,  moderator  ; Charles  E.  Chadwick,  clerk  ; 
Luther  Gage,  Charles  W.  Hardy,  Marcus  K.  Howser,  selectmen. 

1880.  — John  C.  Pearson,  moderator;  Charles  E.  Chadwick,  clerk; 
John  C.  Pearson,  Samuel  Choate,  Frank  L.  Gerrish,  selectmen  ; Samuel 
Choate,  representative. 

1881.  — John  C.  Pearson,  moderator ; Charles  E.  Chadwick,  clerk ; 
John  C.  Pearson,  Samuel  Choate,  Frank  L.  Gerrish,  selectmen. 

1882.  — John  C.  Pearson,  moderator;  Charles  E.  Chadwick,  clerk; 
John  C.  Pearson,  Frank  L.  Gerrish,  William  P.  Abbott,  selectmen  ; 
Charles  J.  Ellsworth,  representative. 

1883.  — John  C.  Pearson,  moderator ; Charles  E.  Chadwick,  clerk  : 
John  C.  Pearson,  Frank  L.  Gerrish,  William  P.  Abbott,  selectmen. 

1884.  — John  C.  Pearson,  moderator;  Charles  E.  Chadwick,  clerk; 
William  P.  Abbott,  Samuel  B.  Chadwick,  selectmen  ; John  G.  Meder, 
representative. 

1885.  — John  C.  Pearson,  moderator  ; Charles  E.  Chadwick,  clerk ; 
John  C.  Pearson,  Samuel  B.  Chadwick,  William  P.  Abbott,  selectmen. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH. 


EPHRAIM  PLUMMER. 

The  ancestors  of  Ephraim  Plummer  came  from 
England  in  1663  and  settled  in  Newbury,  Mass. 
His  grandfather,  Bitfield  Plummer,  was  one  of  the 
early  settlers  of  Boscawen ; married  Priscilla  Rich- 
ardson, of  Chester,  N.  H.,  October,  1769.  He  was  a 
signer  of  the  People’s  Declaration  of  Independence 
before  that  of  the  Continental  Congress  was  issued, 
and  upon  t lie  evacuation  of  Long  Island  by  General 


Washington  responded  to  the  call  for  additional 
troops  and  served  for  a time  in  the  Continental  army. 

His  sou  Ephraim  was  born  1771 ; married  Rachel 
Choate  Cogswell,  May,  1792;  lived  on  the  homestead 
and  died  May,  1793,  three  months  before  the  birth  of 
his  son  Ephraim,  the  subject  of  the  present  sketch. 

The  mother  of  Ephraim  was  a native  of  Essex, 
Mass,  relative  of  Rufus  Choate, — a woman  of  rare 
qualities  of  character,  of  discriminating  mind  and 
marked  executive  ability.  To  the  future  of  her  only 
child  she  bent  all  her  energies.  With  the  heritage 
of  toil,  the  son  had  the  benefits  of  a better  education 
than  sometimes  falls  to  the  lot  of  boys  in  his  con- 
dition. The  years  of  his  childhood  were  uneventful. 
So,  too,  the  earlier  years  of  manhood;  only  as  the 
external  influences  and  processes  of  thought,  de- 
veloped the  man,  of  a logical  turn  of  mind,  a sincere 
respecter  of  law,  loyal  to  his  convictions,  of  un- 
doubted integrity.  He  was  a person  of  quick  sensi- 
bilities, frank  and  hospitable.  He  gave  with  liberal 
hand  for  school  and  church.  Unassuming,  he  never 
desired  place,  nor  influence  in  public  affairs. 

His  time  was  devoted  to  the  cultivation  of  the 
farm. 

He  married  Lucy  Gerrish,  of  Boscawen,  who  was 
the  efficient  counterpart  to  whatever  of  success  that 
came  to  him.  His  death  occurred  on  the  20th  of 
July,  1872. 


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HISTORY  OF  BRADFORD. 


BY  J.  M.  HAWKS,  M.D. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Thk  ideal  chapter  of  a county  history  would  be  an 
epitome  of  an  ideal  history  of  a town.  But  as  no 
such  town  history  has  yet  been  written,  we  must  still 
look  for  the  coining  of  the  model. 

As  the  art  (which  we  may  set  down  as  one  of  the 
fine  arts)  of  writing  town  histories  improves,  more  at- 
tention will  be  given  to  personal  records,  and  prob- 
ably an  entire  new  feature  will  be  added,  viz. : a de- 
scription of  every  house  and  farm  in  the  town,  giving 
the  particulars  as  to  who  first  settled  on  a farm,  who 
built  a house  and  who  have  owned  or  occupied  these 
since.  The  more  interesting  such  histories  are  to  the 
general  reader  the  better,  provided  the  great  practical 
lessons  of  history  are  not  lost  sight  of.  One  of  these 
lessons  is  that  the  law  of  human  progress  has  its  con- 
ditions. According  to  the  way  we  meet  those  con- 
ditions, we  may  as  a community  progress,  stand  still 
or  slide  back. 

As  a means  of  self-preservation,  the  future  town 
must  see  that  insanity,  idiocy,  crime  and  pauperism 
grow  less  and  less  from  generation  to  generation. 

The  first  step  toward  any  reform  is  to  feel  the  need 
of  it  and  the  assurance  of  its  practicability,  then  the 
means  will  be  discovered  and  adopted. 

The  work  going  to  press  a month  earlier  than  the 
writer  expected  will  account  for  the  unfinished  con- 
dition of  some  of  the  matter  and  the  omission  of 
much  that  was  considered  important. 

The  thanks  of  the  writer  are  due  and  hereby 
tendered  to  Hon.  M.  W.  Tappan,  Win.  M.  Carr,  Hon. 
John  W.  Morse,  Mrs.  J.  P.  Marshall  and  many  others 
for  special  assistance  in  procuring  lists  of  business 
and  professional  men.  The  list  of  lawyers  was 
handed  in  complete  as  printed,  with  the  exception  of 
the  little  word  “ Hon.”  which  the  compiler  had 
modestly  omitted  from  before  his  own  name. 

Unlike  our  neighbor  Warner,  we  have  no  con- 
troversy as  to  how  or  for  whom  our  town  was  named, 
but  the  old  stereotyped  sentence,  “ Bradford  was  first 
settled  in  1771  by  Deacon  Wm.  Presbury,”  is  being 
called  in  question.  Some  of  the  descendants  of  Isaac 
Davis  believe  that  he  was  living  in  this  town  as  early 
as  1762.  A little  search  of  neighboring  town  records 


will  readily  settle  the  question.  It  is  to  be  regretted 
that  no  more  histories  of  homesteads  and  families  can 
be  furnished  for  this  chapter. 

Boundaries. — Bradford  is  bounded  on  the  north 
by  Newbury  and  Sutton,  east  by  Warner,  south  by 
Henniker  and  Hillsborough  and  west  by  Washington. 
The  north,  south  and  west  lines  are  straight.  The 
town  is  longest  east  and  west.  If  about  one-fourth 
of  the  eastern  portion  were  cut  off,  it  would  leave  the 
remainder  an  exact  square. 

All  these  adjoining  towns  were  settled  before  Brad- 
ford, and  have  contributed  of  their  citizens  from  time 
to  time  toward  building  up  our  little  commonwealth. 
This  movement  has  not  been  one-sided,  however.  A 
sort  of  reciprocal  movement  has  taken  place,  in 
which  every  town  has  exchanged  its  citizens  with 
every  other  town  in  the  neighborhood.  But  in  the 
“long  run,”  Bradford  has  come  off  second  best  in 
these  exchanges,  she  having  given  more  than  she  has 
received.  When  the  towns  along  the  Atlantic  coast 
of  New  Hampshire  and  Massachusetts  were  a hun- 
dred years  old  most  of  the  country  a hundred  miles  in 
the  interior  was  a dense  forest.  Men  who  were  am- 
bitious to  acquire  homes  and  farms  of  their  own  very 
naturally  moved  back  from  the  old  into  the  new 
towns.  Those  who  had  money  bought  lauds  on 
speculation;  those  who  had  none  bought  their  lands 
on  credit,  and  with  their  own  hands  carved  their 
farms  out  of  the  primal  woods.  The  same  process 
has  been  going  on  ever  since  in  the  newer  regions 
farther  west  and  south. 

Natural  History — Geological  Formation. — 
As  New  Hampshire  is  the  “Granite  State,”  so  Brad- 
ford is  a granite  town.  The  backbone  and  ribs  of  all 
her  hills  are  of  the  primitive  rock,  just  as  it  crystal- 
ized  and  cooled  when  the  world  was  being  made. 
The  soil  of  the  hill-sides  and  the  plains  is  composed 
of  this  same  kind  of  rock,  disintegrated  by  frosts  and 
crushed  and  ground  to  powder  by  the  slow-melting 
avalanches  that  traversed  this  part  of  the  continent 
toward  the  close  of  the  ice  period.  The  progress  of 
the  ice-slieet  is  shown  by  striae,  or  scratches  and  fur- 
rows plowed  across  the  smoothed  face  of  ledges  of 
rock  in  Bradford  and  the  surrounding  towns.  One 
of  these,  mentioned  in  Hitchcock’s  “Geology  of 

185 


18(3 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,.  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


New  Hampshire,”  is  on  a ledge  near  the  Baptist 
Church  in  Bradford  ; others  are  mentioned  in  Hen- 
niker. 

These  ancient  records  on  the  pages  of  geology  fur- 
nish a fine  play-ground  for  the  imagination.  It  is  an 
accepted  theory  of  scientific  men  that  the  northern 
part  of  the  continent  was  once  covered  with  ice 
thousands  of  feet  thick;  that  it  began  to  melt,  and 
streams  of  water  to  flow  from  it  on  the  south  and 
southeast  sides,  and  that  a general  movement  of  the 
sheet  was  in  the  direction  of  southeast.  Thus,  at  the 
suggestion  of  science  and  by  the  aid  of  fancy,  we  can 
see  the  huge  avalanches  or  mountains  of  ice  melting 
and  sending  off  large  rivers  that  filled  the  valleys 
along  which  our  brooks  now  so  tamely  flow.  It  was 
indeed  a great  “ freshet  ” that  piled  up  the  Moody 
Gillingham  farm  and  other  similar  places  along  the 
valley  of  Todd’s  Pond.  And  what  a flood  of  water 
there  was  when  the  “Burying  Hill  ” was  washed  into 
its  present  place  and  Bradford  Plains ! The  same 
thing  is  true  in  relation  to  the  moraines  and  sand 
heaps  along  the  valley  of  Warner  River. 

When  those  sand-hills  were  formed  on  Cummings 
Pierce’s  land,  at  the  north  end  and  east  side  of  Massa- 
seecum  Lake,  and  on  Fred.  Cheney’s,  on  the  west 
side,  the  waters  of  the  innocent-looking  Pond  Brook 
were  surging  along  with  irresistible  and  terrible  fury 
from  the  side  of  Cheney’s  Hill,  clear  across  to  the 
Goodwin  Hill,  and  were  fifty  feet  deep  or  more,  all 
over  the  intervale.  Imagine,  then,  the  mighty  rush 
of  waters  along  the  swollen  valleys  of  Warner  River, 
the  Contoocook  and  the  Merrimack  at  the  time  that 
Concord  claims  and  similar  tracts  of  land  were  de- 
posited along  all  the  valleys  of  the  New  England 
rivers. 

Our  highest  spring  freshets,  from  long  rains  and 
sudden  thaws  of  the  snow,  are  but  very  feeble  imita- 
tions and  faint  reminders  of  those  early  floods.  Slight 
as  they  are,  these  modern  spring  freshets  bring  down 
every  year  small  portions  of  the  hills  and  mountains, 
making  the  water  turbid  or  soily.  It  is  estimated  that 
this  process,  if  continued,  will  bring  all  the  eleva- 
tions of  laud  to  a level  of  the  sea  in  two  hundred 
million  years. 

During  the  melting  of  the  ice-sheet,  and  its 
movement  across  the  country,  fragments  of  rock  that 
had  been  imbedded  in  the  ice  were  carried  many 
miles,  acting  as  the  upper  mill-stone,  while  the  lower 
one  was  composed  of  the  solid  ledges  of  the  hills.  In 
this  mighty  mill  rocks  were  ground  to  sand,  gravel, 
cobble-stones  and  smooth  boulders.  Every  acre  of 
our  town  went  through  this  mill, — was,  in  fact,  a part 
of  the  mill. 

Whatever  metals  and  gems  of  value  may  have 
drifted  within  our  borders,  they  were  buried  so  deep 
that  they  have  not  yet  been  discovered.  Every  acre  of 
land  in  town  bears  testimony  in  some  manner  to  the 
part  it  took,  whether  active  or  passive,  in  smoothing 
off  the  angular  ledges  of  the  hill-tops,  and  with  these 


broken  or  crushed  or  groimd  to  powder,  tilling  up 
deep  chasms  and  valleys,  laying  the  foundations  for 
fertile  intervales  and  making  sterile  plains,  and  scat- 
tering boulders  for  the  farmers  to  make  their  stone 
walls  with. 

Vegetable  Productions. — These  are  about  the 
same  as  prevail  in  this  latitude  across  the  State.  0 1 
the  forest-trees,  the  evergreens  are  a marked  feature ; 
the  white  and  pitch  pines,  the  hemlock,  the  spruce,  the 
cedar  and  the  fir  lend  their  aid  in  beautifying  almost 
every  landscape.  The  oaks  are  here  in  variety,  the 
white  and  red  principally.  The  maples,  from  the 
dwarf  striped  variety  known  as  Moosewood  to  the 
large  red  and  white  varieties,  which  delight  in  a moist 
and  generous  soil,  to  the  towering  rock  or  sugar  ma- 
ple, that  grows  on  nearly  every  kind  of  soil,  and  fur- 
nishes quite  a large  portion  of  the  sugar  and  sirup 
used  in  town. 

Of  the  ash,  the  brown  grows  in  swamps,  and  is  used 
for  basket  stuff  and  chair-bottoms;  the  white  grows 
on  dryer  land  and  is  used  in  carriage-making.  The 
elm  seems  to  be  a half-domesticated  tree,  delighting 
in  intervales  and  along  the  borders  of  streams;  this, 
however,  is  a second  growth.  Beech  selects  the  hill- 
sides. Of  the  birches,  the  gray  prefers  good  land,  but 
the  white  is  contented  almost  anywhere.  The  bass- 
wood prefers  a moist  soil  and  is  not  very  common. 

Chestnut  hardly  grows  wild  in  the  town.  Several 
farmers  have  planted  them  in  their  pastures,  and  a 
few  small  ones  are  growing  along  the  roadside  north 
of  the  Pond  meeting-house,  planted  there  by  some 
thoughtful  person.  Of  the  sassafras,  it  has  been  said 
that  a few  bushes  once  grew  on  the  south  side  of  Guiles’ 
Hill.  Tlieblack  cherry  can  hardly  endure  the  competi- 
tion of  tree-life  in  the  forest  here,  but  it  grows  well  in 
old  fields  and  pastures;  but  the  small  wild  red  cherry 
is  thankful  for  a foothold  anywhere,  and  is  rather  a 
nuisance  everywhere.  The  sumach  grows  mostly 
about  the  ledges  of  the  sides  and  tops  of  hills.  The 
butternut,  or  oil-nut,  so  common  and  wild  in  Vermont, 
only  grows  under  cultivation  here.  The  tamarack,  or 
larch,  is  confined  to  swamps. 

The  mountain  ash  is  grown  for  ornament.  The 
poplar  is  more  common  in  second-growth  forests,  while 
its  cousin,  the  Balm  of  Gilead,  requires  to  be  planted, 
and  grows  readily  from  cuttings,  as  does  also  the  wil- 
low ; the  latter  is  a rapid  grower.  A tree  at  the  road- 
side below  Cummings  Pierce’s,  at  fifty  years  old,  was 
four  feet  through.  The  locust  is  an  imported  tree. 

The  alders  grow  along  the  brooks,  and  furnish  a 
great  many  temporary  fish-poles.  Of  the  bushes  and 
shrubs,  the  button-ball  likes  to  have  its  feet  in  the 
water;  the  high  cranberry  bush  is  not  plenty — it 
grows  about  six  feet  high  along  the  edges  of  brooks 
that  run  through  meadows  or  swamps ; blackberry, 
raspberry,  red  and  black  blueberry  and  huckleberry 
bushes  are  quite  common.  On  rocky  hill  pastures  the 
ground  savin,  or  cedar,  forms  a low-spreading  shrub; 
the  ground  hemlock  is  confined  to  moist,  shady  woods 


BRADFORD. 


187 


—it  is  a trailing  shrub.  Grape-vines  are  common. 
Of  all  our  native  trees  cultivated  for  shade  and  or- 
nament, perhaps  the  sugar  maple  is  most  preferred  ; 
the  elm  stands  next  in  public  estimation,  while  a few 
have  spruce  and  larch.  The  one  specimen  of  red  oak 
in  town,  as  an  ornamental  tree,  at  Sharron  Jameson’s, 
furnishes  an  example  that  should  he  followed.  The 
old  Lombardy  poplar  seems  to  be  dying  out  of  public 
favor,  as  well  as  dying  as  a family  of  trees.  The  most 
notable  planted  groves  of  evergreens  are  those  of  J.  P. 
Marshall  and  Dr.  Ames,  both  at  the  Corner.  Mr. 
Marshall  has  a large  number  of  imported  trees. 

Hon.  M.  W.  Tappan  has  the  finest  grove  and 
grounds  in  town,  and  probably  the  finest  in  the  coun- 
ty. It  is  nature  embellished  with  art. 

At  the  saw-mills  an  observer  would  notice  that 
there  are  but  few  large  pine  logs.  The  pine  is  mostly 
second  growth ; some  spruce  logs  are  there ; but  the 
most  of  them  are  hemlock,  from  which  the  hark  has 
been  peeled  for  the  use  of  the  tanneries.  Now  and 
then  a farmer  hauls  in  a rock  maple  to  have  some 
“ drag-plank  ” sawed,  or  sled  runners.  Shingles  are 
made  from  spruce,  hemlock,  red  oak  and  pine. 

At  the  wood-piles  of  the  farmers  one  finds  a va- 
riety, including  every  kind  of  tree  named  above, — the 
tops  and  limbs  of  logs  that  have  been  hauled  to  mill 
or  got  out  for  railroad  ties ; old  trees  that  are  ripe 
and  beginning  to  decay  ; others  that  have  blown  down 
in  the  woods  and  old  apple-trees  from  the  orchards. 

Fruit-Trees  and  Shrubs. — Of  these,  the  apple 
stands  at  the  head.  Of  the  varieties  there  are  many. 
Those  which  take  the  lead  are  the  Baldwin,  russet, 
greening,  blue  pearmain,  for  winter;  the  Williams, 
the  Porter  and  orange  sweet,  for  fall.  Crab  apples  are 
grown  for  ornament  and  use. 

In  riding  through  the  town,  the  apple  orchards  all 
seem  to  be  past  the  meridian  of  life,  and  no  new  ones 
coming  on  to  take  their  places.  It  is  to  be  hoped 
that  this  industry  will  not  be  allowed  to  die  out. 

Barberry. — This  shrub,  that  grows  wild  all  along  the 
coast  of  New  Hampshire  and  Massachusetts,  only 
grows  here  under  cultivation.  Half  a dozen  families 
have  it.  It  may  be  grown  along  the  pasture  wall,  but 
is  hardly  worth  a place  in  the  garden. 

Cherry. — The  most  common  is  the  red  ; the  fine  va- 
rieties that  grow  fifty  miles  south  do  not  flourish  here. 

Currant. — The  red,  black  and  white  all  thrive  here. 
The  skunk  currant  grows  wild,  and  is  so  common  as  to 
suggest  that  this  is  a good  latitude  for  this  species  of 
fruit-hearing  shrubs.  The  red  currant  is  found  in 
almost  every  garden. 

Gooseberry  can  be  made  to  do  well,  hut  is  not  a 
general  favorite  here. 

Peach  is  grown  to  a limited  extent. 

Plum  does  well. 

Prunes  do  well  in  the  garden  of  Mrs.  Geo.  Hart. 

Pear  does  fairly  well,  several  varieties. 

Quince  is  occasionally  grown. 

Field  Crops. — The  most  common  are  barley, 


beans,  corn,  oats,  peas,  potatoes,  rye  and  wheat. 
Pumpkins,  squashes,  turnips  are  also  grown  in  the 
field.  Small  patches  of  tobacco  arc  grown.  Buck- 
wheat and  India  wheat  seem  to  he  rather  neglected- 
Flax,  which  was  commonly  grown  fifty  years  ago,  is 
forgotten,  and  our  young  people  would  not  recognize 
the  plant  any  more  than  they  would  he  able  to  use  a 
“tow  comb”  or  a “linen  wheel.” 

Garden  Vegetables. — Beans,  a large  variety ; the 
beet,  cabbage,  carrot,  cives  (rather  rare),  cucumber, 
horse-radish,  melon  (both  musk  and  water),  mustard, 
onions,  parsnip,  radish,  squash  (every  variety,  winter 
and  summer),  tomato  and  turnip.  “A  mess  of  greens” 
may  consist  of  any  of  the  following  vegetables,  while 
young  and  tender:  beets  (the root  and  top),  mustard, 
turnips  from  the  garden,  or  the  wild  cowslips  from 
the  meadow  or  dandelions  from  the  field. 

Shrubs  and  Plants. — Many  of  our  forests,  road- 
sides, gardens  and  fields  are 

“ Rank  with  what  the  dull,  incurious  weeds  account,” 

but  which,  on  further  acquaintance,  prove  to  possess 
medical  qualities  of  more  or  less  value.  Many  of 
these  plants  have  several  English  or  common  names; 
hence  the  only  way  to  identify  them  with  certainty  is 
by  their  scientific  names,  which  are  here  arranged  in 
alphabetical  order  : — 

Achillea  millifolium,  yarrow  ; acorus  calamus,  sweet  flag  ; actea  alba, 
white  cohosh  ; A.  rubra,  red  cohosh  ; adiantum  pedatum,  maiden-hair 
brake;  agrimonia  eupatoria,  agrimony  ; alnus  rubra,  tag  alder;  althea 
rosea,  red  hollyhock  ; amaranthus  hypochondriacus,  prince's  feather  ; 
ambrosia  artemisia?folia.  Roman  worm-wood ; angelica  atropurpurea, 
angelica;  antliemis cotula,  mayweed  ; A.  nobilis,  low  chamomile  ; apoc- 
ynum  androsaemifolium,  bitter  root;  aralia  hispida,  dwarf  elder;  A. 
nudicaulis,  American  sarsaparilla;  A.  racemosa,  spikenard  or  Indian 
root ; arbutus  uva  ursi,  bear  berry ; arctium  lappa,  burdock  ; artemisia 
abrotanum,  southernwood  ; A.  absinthium,  wormwood  ; A.  vulgaris, 
mugwort;  arum  tryphyllum,  Indian  turnip;  asarum  Canadense,  Ver- 
mont snake-root ; asclepias  incarnata,  white  Indian  hemp  ; A.  syriaca, 
milk-weed ; asparagus  officinalis,  asparagus  ; aster  puniceus,  cocash  or 
frost-weed ; baptisia  tinctoria,  wild  indigo  ; berberis  vulgaris,  barberry  ; 
betonia  officinalis,  wood  betony  ; betula  lenta,  spice  birch  ; calendula 
officinalis,  marigold  ; celastrus  scandens,  bitter-sweet ; chelidonium  ma- 
jus,  garden  celandine ; chelone  glabra,  balmony ; chenopodium,  jug- 
weed  ; cliimaphilla  umbellata,  prince’s  pine  ; chrysanthemum  parthe- 
nium,  fever-few  ; chicorium  intybus,  chicory  ; cimicifuga  racemosa, 
black  snake-root ; cirsium  arvense,  Canada  thistle ; clematis  erccta, 
virgin’s  bower  ; cochlearia  armoracia,  horse-radish  ; compton i a aspleni- 
folia,  sweet  fern;  conium  maculatum,  poison  hemlock;  convallaria 
multiflora,  Solomon  seal ; coptis  trifolia,  gold  thread ; corrallorhiza 
odontorhiza,  crawley  or  tompeny  ; cornis  circinata,  green  osier;  C.  sericea, 
red  osier  ; crocus  sativus,  saffron  ; cypripedium  pubescens,  ladies’  slipper  ; 
datura  stramonium,  apple  Peru  ; daucus  carota,  wild  carrot ; delphinium 
staphisagria,  larkspur  ; digitalis  purpurea,  foxglove  ; epigea  repens,  trail- 
ing arbutus  ; erigeron  Canadense,  flea-bane  ; eupatorium  perfoliatum,  tho- 
rough-wort ; E.  purpureum,  queen  of  the  meadow  ; fragaria  vesca,  straw- 
berry ; galium  aparine,  cleavers  ; gaultheria  procumbens,  checkerberry  ; 
geranium  maculatum,  cranesbill  ; geum  rival*?,  water  avens  ; gnaphalium 
polycephalum,  cud- weed  ; G.  uliginosum,  mouse  ear ; hamamelis  Virginica, 
witch  hazel ; hedeoma  pulegioides,  pennyroyal  ; helianthus  animus, 
sunflower;  II.  tuberosus,  artichoke;  hepatica  Americana,  noble  liver- 
wort; heracium  venosum,  hawk-weed  ; hunnilus  lupulus,  hops;  hyssop* 
U8  officinalis,  hyssop  ; impaticns  pallida,  wild  celandine  ; inula  helenium, 
elecampane  ; iris  versicolor,  blue  flag  ; kalmia  latifolia,  lamb-kill  ; lac- 
tuca  elongata,  garden  lettuce  ; L.  sativa,  wild  lettuce  ; laurus  sassafras, 
sassafras  (south  side  of  Guiles’  Hill)  ; leontodon  taraxacum,  dandelion  ; 
leonurus  cardiaca,  mother-wort ; leucanthemum  vulgare,  ox-eye  daisy  ; 
ligusticum  levisticum,  lovage  ; lobelia  cardinalis,  red  cardinal  flower; 
L.  inflata,  Indian  tobacco  ; lycopus  Europams,  bitter  bugle  ; malva  ro- 


188  HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


tundifolia,  low  mallows  ; marrubium  vulgare,  horehound  ; melissa  offici- 
nalis, lemon  halm  ; mentha  piperita,  peppermint ; M.  viridis,  spearmint ; 
Mitchella  repens,  squaw- vine  ; monarda  punctata,  horsemint;  myricagale, 
meadow  fern  ; nepeta  cataria,  catnip  ; nuphar  ad  vena,  cow-lily  ; nym- 
phcea  odorata,  white  pond-lily  ; ceuothera  biennis,  scabish  ; orobanche 
Virgiuiana,  beech-drops  ; osmunda  regalis,  buckhorn  brake  ; osmorrhi/a 
longistylis,  sweet  cicely ; oxalis  acetosella,  sorrel ; panax  quinquefo- 
limn,  ginseng;  papaver  somniferum,  poppy  ; petroselinum  sativum,  par- 
sley ; pliytolacca  decandria,  garget;  plantago  major,  plantain  ; polygo- 
num punctatum,  smartweed  ; polypodium  vulgare,  rock  polypod  ; poly- 
trichum juniperum,  hair-cap  moss  ; potentella  Canadensis,  five-finger  ; 
prinos  verticillatus,  black  alder  ; prunus  Virgiuiana,  wild  black  cherry  ; 
pulmonaria  officinalis,  maple  lung  wort ; pyrola  umbellata,  pipsissewa  ; 
ranunculus  arris,  buttercup  ; rhus  glabrum,  sumach  ; rlius  toxicoden- 
dron, poison  oak  ; rosa,  rose;  rubus  strigosus,  raspberry;  R.  trivialis, 
dewberry  ; R.  occidental  is,  tliimbleberry  ; rumex  acetosa,  sheep  sorrel; 
R.  agreaticus,  water  dock  ; R.  crispus,  yellow  dock  ; ruta  graveolens, 
garden  rue  ; salix  alba,  white  willow  ; S.  nigra,  pussy  willow  ; salvia 
officinalis,  sage;  sambucus  Canadensis,  sweet  elder  ; satureja  hortensis, 
summer  savory ; Scutellaria  lateriflora,  skull-cap  ; sempervivum  tecto- 
rum,  house  leek  ; sinapis,  mustard  ; solidago,  golden  rod  ; spinra  to- 
mentosa,  hardback  ; symphytum  officinalis,  comfrey  ; tanacetum.  tansy  ; 
thymus,  thyme  ; trifolium,  clover,  red  and  white  ; triilium,  beth-root  ; 
tussilago,  coltsfoot ; vcratrum,  Indian  poke  ; vcrbascum,  mullein. 

Grasses. — Clover,  herdsgrass  and  red-toj)  are  most 
common  on  uplands,  both  for  hay  and  for  pasture. 
On  the  low  grounds  are  foul  meadow,  blue-joint  and 
other  varieties  that  are  apparently  native.  An  excel- 
lent custom  of  growing  corn  in  drill  for  forage  is  very 
generally  followed.  Meadow  hay  is  made  up  of  a 
variety  of  wild  grasses,  brakes  and  polypods,  with 
occasionally  stray  stalks  from  the  cultivated  fields. 
Every  farmer  has  his  little  spot  of  switch-grass. 

Weeds. — These  are  plants  that  have  strayed  away 
into  fields  and  garden-beds,  or  road-sides,  where  they 
are  troublesome  or  unsightly  pests.  The  pests  of  old 
pastures  are  in  part  rather  shubs  than  weeds.  These  are 
sweet  fern,  hardback,  mullein  and  brakes.  The  pests 
of  the  fields  are  thistles,  yellow  dock,  sorrel,  white- 
weed  and  burdock.  In  the  garden  we  find  “ pusly,” 
(purslain),  rag-weed  or  Roman  worm-wood,  all  the  up- 
land grasses  and  pests  of  the  fields.  May-weed  and 
plantain,  catnip  and  mother-wort  keep  close  to  the 
house  and  barn.  A new  weed,  the  chicory,  has  with- 
in a few  years  become  quite  common  about  our  houses 
and  along  the  roads. 

Domestic  Animals. — None  are  natives.  They 
are  horses,  cattle,  sheep,  hogs,  dogs  and  eats.  Of  the 
varieties  of  fowl,  every  farmer  keeps  hens,  probably 
one  in  fifty  keeps  turkeys,  and  one  in  two  hundred 
keeps  ducks  and  geese. 

Wild  Animals. — The  largest  of  these  that  lives 
here  is  the  fox  ; then,  as  to  size,  come  the  raccoon, 
woodchuck,  rabbit,  the  muskrat,  skunk,  gray  squirrel, 
hedgehog,  mink,  red  and  striped  squirrel  and  weasel. 
It  is,  perhaps,  seventy-five  years  since  wolves  in- 
habited our  woods  and  beavers  the  brooks,  and,  more 
than  that,  about  a hundred  since  deer  and  bears  felt 
at  home  in  these  forests.  Tradition  has  it  that  a 
moose  was  slain  in  town. 

Birds. — Of  the  birds,  the  partridge  is  the  great 
game-bird ; the  quail  is  sometimes,  though  more 
rarely  found.  The  woodcock  is  common.  Several 
varieties  of  the  hawk  and  owl  are  native,  also  the 


kingbird,  bluebird,  blue-jay,  marten,  sparrow,  lark, 
oriole,  wren,  pewee  and  robin,  the  most  common  of 
all.  Ducks  often  stop  overnight,  and  wild  geese 
sometimes  do  on  their  journey  south.  The  name 
“ Loon  Island,”  in  Massasecum  Lake,  is  evidence 
that  the  great  northern  diver  once  frequented  the 
waters  of  that  lake.  It  is  now  occasionally  seen 
there. 

Fish  are  not  numerous.  The  pickerel,  perch, 
chub,  horned  pout,  sucker,  pond-sliiuer,  flatside  and 
speckled  trout  nearly  make  up  the  list.  Eels  are 
found  with  the  pouts  on  muddy  bottoms,  trout  in  the 
mountain  brooks  and  “falls”  of  the  rivers.  The 
black  bass  is  a modern  imported  novelty  that 
promises  well. 

Reptiles. — The  green  and  striped  snakes,  the 
speckled  or  water-adder,  and  the  water-newt,  toads 
and  frogs  are  most  common.  None  are  probably 
poisonous. 

Insects. — The  house-fly  is  universal  and  rather  on 
the  increase,  so  that  it  is  quite  common  for  farmers, 
as  well  as  town-people,  to  guard  their  doors  and 
windows  with  wire  screens.  The  blue  or  maggot-fly 
is  always  on  hand  when  there  is  a chance  to  spoil  a 
piece  of  fresh  meat  or  fish  ; gnats  or  black  flies  are 
most  troublesome  in  the  spring;  mosquitoes  stay 
near  moist  grounds,  by  the  borders  of  ponds,  brooks 
and  marshes.  There  is  a good  supply  of  horse-flies 
in  their  season ; ants  are  not  entirely  unknown,  but 
they  are  not  numerous.  The  borer  threatens  to  kill 
the  apple-trees ; a worm  ruins  the  fall  sweet  apples; 
the  Colorado  beetle,  unless  prevented,  will  destroy  the 
potato  crop.  Arsenic,  in  the  form  of  paris-green,  is 
very  effectual,  and  is  generally  applied.  Spiders  are 
not  numerous  or  hurtful.  A sort  of  beetle,  known 
locally  as  the  “ daw-bug,”  has,  within  a year  or  two, 
made  sad  havoc  with  the  liay-fields  by  eating  the 
grass  roots.  Caterpillars  build  their  houses  in  our 
apple-trees,  and  of  grasshoppers  the  supply  is  never 
short.  The  hornet  builds  a large,  round  nest,  sus- 
pended from  the  limb  of  a tree  or  bush.  The  yellow- 
jacket  wasp  builds  a cheaper  house  than  the  hornet, 
but  he  is  always  ready  to  defend  it,  whether  a boy 
injures  it  by  accident  or  design.  The  mud-hornets  or 
“ dirt-daubers,”  build  their  mud  cabin,  deposit  their 
eggs  and  the  food  for  the  young  when  they  hatch 
out. 

The  bumble-bees  are  insects  of  more  importance 
and  value  ; they  use  for  a hive  a deserted  rat’s  nest, 
and  contrive  to  have  on  hand  about  a tablespoonful 
of  honey  to  console  the  lad  who  gets  a thick  upper 
lip  while  storming  the  fort  and  capturing  the  honey. 
The  common  honey-bee  deserves  mention  among 
domestic  animals.  Very  few  investments  pay  as  well 
as  those  made  in  bee-keeping,  but  that  industry  has 
not  made  much  headway  in  this  town,  perhaps  not 
one  farmer  in  twenty  keeping  bees,  although  a native 
of  this  town  now  in  Florida  counts  his  colonies  by 
the  hundred  and  markets  his  honey  by  the  ton. 


BRADFORD. 


189 


Civil  and  Political  History. — 

PETITION  FOB  AN  ACT  OK  INCORPORATION. 

“ State  of  New  Hampshire,  1 “ To  the  Senate  ami  House  of 

Hillsborough  ss.  May  y«  30th,  | Representatives  of  said  State  to 

1787.  J be  convened  the  first  Wednesday 

of  June  next:  Your  Honours’  petitioners  most  humbly  showeth  : Being 
inhabitants  of  said  State  in  the  township  of  New  Bradford,  so-called, 
labouring  under  many  and  great  inconveniences  for  want  of  being 
incorporated  into  a town,  we,  your  Honours’  humble  petitioners, 
earnestly  desire  that  said  township  of  New  Bradford,  together 
with  a part  of  the  town  of  Washington,  and  a part  of  Washington 
Gore,  so  called,  be  incorporated  into  a town  by  the  name  of  Bradford, 
with  all  the  privileges  and  immunities  of  a town,  and  be  annexed  to  the 
County  of  Hillsborough,  containing  all  the  lands  within  the  following 
bounds:  Beginning  at  a beech-tree  on  Hillsborough  line ; thence  run- 
ning north  eighty-two  degrees  east  on  Hillsborough  line  six  miles  and 
eighty-four  rods  to  a hemlock-tree  ; thence,  the  same  point  of  compass, 
to  the  southwest  corner  of  Warner  ; thence  north  seventeen  degrees  west 
by  said  Warner  four  miles  and  two  hundred  and  thirty-one  rods  to  Sutton 
south  line  ; thence  westerly  by  said  Sutton  line  to  Fishersfield  east  line 
sixty  rods  from  said  Sutton  southwest  corner,  being  a white-oak  tree 
marked  ; thence  by  Fishersfield  line  to  a beech-tree  marked,  being  the 
northeast  corner  of  Washington  Gore  ; thence  north  seventy-eight  de- 
grees west  three  miles  three  hundred  and  ten  rods  to  a small  beech 
marked  on  Fishersfield  line  ; thence  south  two  degrees  west  two  miles  one 
hundred  and  fifty  rods  to  a black  ash -tree  marked  ; thence  south  twenty- 
seven  degrees  east  two  miles  and  one  hundred  rods  to  the  beech  first  men- 
tioned, And  in  granting  these,  our  desires,  your  Honours  will  much 
oblige  your  Honours’  humble  petitioners,  and  we,  as  in  duty  bound,  shall 
ever  pray,  &c. 

“ Ebenezer  Eaton,  Ebenezer  Colby,  Daniel  Cressey,  Joseph  Presbury, 
Stephen  Ward,  Nathaniel  Presbury,  Jr.,  James  Presbury,  John  Brown, 
Abram  Smith,  Nehr.  How,  Peter  How,  Nathaniel  Presbury,  Enoch 
Hoyt,  William  Clements,  Daniel  Eaton,  John  Stanley,  Isaac  Davis, 
Joshua  Andrews,  Abner  Ward,  Moses  Bailey. 

“May  y*  30tli,  1787. 

“ We,  the  subscribers,  being  inhabitants  of  that  part  of  Washington 
included  in  tha.  within  petition,  desire  the  prayer  thereof  may  be 
granted. 

“ Samuel  Crane,  Martin  Brockway,  Uzziel  Batchelder,  Asa  Brock- 
way, Simeon  Hildreth.” 

The  act  of  incorporation  was  passed  by  the  Legis- 
lature September  27,  1787.  No  time  was  lost  before 
organizing  the  town  government  under  the  act  of 
incorporation,  as  the  warrant  calling  for  a town- 
meeting was  issued  in  eight  days  after  the  act  was 
passed. 

First  Town-Meeting  after  the  Incorpora- 
tion of  the  Town. — 

THE  WARRANT. 

“State  of  New  Hampshire,  Hillsboro’  [Co.]. 

“Agreeable  to  an  Act  of  the  General  Court,  at  Charleston,  Sept.  27th, 
1787,  for  the  incorporation  of  New  Bradford  by  the  name  of  Bradford, 
I,  the  subscriber,  do  notify  and  warn  all  the  freeholders  and  other  in- 
habitants of  Bradford  to  meet  at  the  house  of  Nathaniel  Presbury,  in 
said  town,  on  Monday,  the  22nd  day  of  this  instant  October,  at  ten  of 
the  clock  in  the  forenoon,  then  and  there  to  act  on  the  following  arti- 
cles, to  wit : 

“ lstly.  To  choose  a town  clerk. 

“2ndly.  To  choose  a constable. 

“3rdly.  To  choose  three  selectmen  and  all  other  necessary  and  cus- 
tomary town  officers. 

“4thly.  To  see  if  the  town  will  raise  money  to  repair  the  highways. 

“5thly.  To  act  on  any  article  that  is  thought  proper  when  met. 

“Wm.  Presbury, 

“Bradford,  Oct.  5th,  1787. 

“ By  order  of  the  General  Court.” 

PROCEEDINGS  OF  THE  TOWN-MEETING. 

“ Bradford,  Oct.  22nd,  1787. 

“ Met  according  to  warning  of  Wm.  Presbury,  appointed  by  the  Gen- 
eral Court. 


“ Voted,  Ebenr.  Eaton  town  clerk. 

“ Voted , Daniel  Cresey  constable. 

“ Voted , Ebenr.  Eaton,  James  Presbury  and  Simeon  Hildreth  select- 
men. 

“ Voted , to  choose  all  other  town  officers  by  hand  a vote. 

“ Voted , Dea.  Presbury,  Reuben  Whitcomb,  Lieut.  Enoch  Hoyt  and 
Simeon  Hildreth  surveyors  of  highways. 

“ Voted,  Nathaniel  Presbury  and  Isaac  Davis  tithingmen. 

“ Voted , Dea.  Presbury  sealer  of  weights  and  measures. 

“ Voted , Nathaniel  Presbury  sealer  of  leather. 

“ Voted , Daniel  Young  and  Isaac  Davis  fence  viewers. 

“ Voted , Daniel  Cressey  surveyor  of  lumber. 

“ Voted , Dea.  Wm.  Presbury,  Isaac  Davis  and  Enoch  Hoyt  a commit- 
tee to  settle  with  the  selectmen. 

“ Voted , to  raise  money  to  repair  the  highways,  twenty  pounds. 

“ Voted , the  selectmen  be  a committee  to  lay  out  roads  for  the  town. 

“ Voted , that  the  petition  that  was  carried  to  the  quarter  sessions  by 
the  selectmen  of  this  town  be  denied. 

“ Voted , that  Nathaniel  Preshury  have  for  services  as  constable  for  the 
year  1786  one  pound. 

“ Voted,  That  all  the  highway  rates  he  worked  out  by  the  last  day  of 
November  next 

“Dissolved  the  meeting.’* 

The  foregoing  “ warrant,”  or  legal  public  notice 
of  a town  meeting,  and  the  town  clerk’s  report  of  the 
proceedings  of  the  meeting  held  pursuant  to  the 
call,  being  the  first  work  done  under  the  new  town 
charter,  is  of  historic  interest.  These  documents  are 
given  as  types  of  their  class,  samples  of  hundreds  of 
others  similar  in  form,  which  make  up  the  bulk  of 
the  “ records  ” of  this  and  other  New  England  towns. 
The  New  England  town  is  a pure  democracy.  There 
every  citizen  has  a right  to  speak  and  to  be  heard  on 
the  business  affairs  of  the  little  commonwealth. 
The  town  is  the  unpretentious  foundation  on  which 
the  more  showy  political  structures  of  county,  State 
and  national  governments  are  all  built;  the  super- 
structures might  be  wrecked  and  destroyed,  and  the 
foundation  still  remain.  In  copying  from  these  old 
records,  the  writer  has  thought  it  best  to  correct  all 
grammatical  errors.  The  custom  very  generally 
prevails  of  copying  all  the  bad  spelling  in  these  and 
other  ancient  records  and  documents.  This  is  bad 
taste.  The  rule  should  be,  in  copying  an  ancient 
document,  not  to  attempt  to  modernize  the  sense  or  the 
spelling  in  the  slightest  degree,  but  to  follow  the 
author  exactly  in  his  expression  of  his  statements, 
but  spelling  his  words  correctly  for  the  age  in  which 
he  wrote.  Bad  spelling  was  not  a peculiarity  of  any 
past  age.  It  is  probable  that  the  samples  of  war- 
rant and  record  of  proceedings  given  above  are  suffi- 
cient for  the  general  reader,  and  that  a copy  of  a 
town  ordinance  under  the  title  of  “ voted  ” will  be  as 
interesting  as  the  whole  proceedings  would  be. 
Under  the  head  of  “ annals”  will  be  given  the  most 
important  incidents  of  each  year  from  the  incorpora- 
tion of  the  town  to  the  year  1800. 

Annals. — 

CENSUS  OF  1786. 

“New  Bradford,  June  ye  7,  1786. 

“A  return  of  tbe  number  of  souls  in  New  Bradford,  so-called,  State  of 
New  Hampshire,  County  of  Hillsboro’.  Tbe  whole  number,  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-eight  of  white  (128),  2 negroes. 

“James  Pray,  'I  Selectmen 
“Enoch  Hoyt,  l of 
“Isaac  Davis,  Bradford.'' 


190 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


PETITION  FOR  AUTHORITY  TO  RAISE  MONEY  TO  BUILD 
ROADS,  1788. 

“ To  the  Honorable  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Court  convened  at  Concord  on  the  first  Wednesday  of  June,  1788.  The 
petition  of  the  inhabitants  of  Bfadford,  in  the  state  of  New  Hampshire 
and  county  of  Hillsboro’,  humbly  showeth  : that  they  being  but  few  in 
number,  that  their  roads  are  extremely  had,  notwithstanding  they  have 
done  much  labor  on  them  ; therefore,  the  prayer  of  your  petitioners  is, 
that  you  would  grant  us  liberty  to  tax  all  the  laud  in  Bradford  one  penny 
per  acre  for  the  space  of  three  years,  which  money  shall  be  laid  out  for 
the  purpose  of  repairing  and  making  roads  in  Bradford,  and  we,  as  in 
duty  bound,  shall  ever  pray. 

Eben'.  Eaton,  | Selectmen 
“ Enoch  Hoyt,  / for  Bradford. 

“ Bradford,  June  2nd,  1788.” 

The  above  was  granted  by  an  act  passed  January 
20,  1789. 

The  first  mention  of  Federal  money  in  the  town 
records  occurs  this  year  in  the  records  of  the  annual 
meeting,  March  11th.  At  that  meeting  a bounty  of 
four  dollars  was  voted  for  every  “wolf’s  pate  caught 
within  this  town.”  At  an  adjourned  meeting  in 
May  the  width  of  the  public  roads  was  established 
at  two  and  a half  rods.  It  was  also  voted  “That 
people  who  have  bars  or  gates  across  the  roads  be 
allowed  to  keep  them  till  the  last  day  of  October 
next.”  It  was  voted  to  build  a “ pound  near  the 
corner  of  James  Presbury’s  land,”  near  the  “ long 
cassey,”  so  called,  James  Presbury  having  agreed  to 
give  the  land  for  said  pound. 

At  the  annual  meeting,  March  10,  1789,  the  votes 
for  President  of  the  State  (John  Pinkney)  numbered 
twenty-five.  Nehemiah  How  was  elected  “clerk  of 
the  market,”  which  seems  to  have  been  a new  town 
office.  The  appropriation  of  roads  was  thirty-five 
pounds. 

The  wages  allowed  for  working  out  taxes  on  the 
roads  was  three  shillings  per  day  until  the  last  day  of 
September,  then  two  shillings  per  day. 

“ Voted  to  divide  the  districts  for  schooling  the 
same  as  for  highways  work.”  The  annual  appro- 
priation was  nine  pounds.  It  was  “ Voted  to  build 
the  pound  thirty  feet  square.”  The  contract  for 
building  was  given  to  Nathaniel  Presbury,  at  two 
pounds  twelve  shillings.  Mr.  Presbury  also  elected 
pound-keeper. 

In  1790  it  was  “ Voted  to  raise  eight  pounds  for 
schooling.”  “ Voted  that  the  selectmen  provide  rum 
for  raising  a bridge,  and  that  the  men  give  their  time 
at  the  raising.”  “ Voted  to  raise  money  for  preach- 
ing.” “ Voted  to  raise  two  shillings  on  a single  poll 
and  estates  accordingly.”  “ Voted  that  the  people  in 
this  town  shall  have  liberty  to  hear  such  preaching 
as  suits  them  best,  and  pay  when  they  have  their 
proportion  of  the  money  raised.”  “ Voted,  Stephen 
Hoyt,  Simeon  Hildreth,  Ebenezer  Eaton,  committee 
to  hire  preaching  the  present  year.” 

In  1791  it  was  “ Voted,  that  the  money  to  hire 
preaching  the  present  year  be  in  grain,  at  four  shillings 
per  bushel.”  “ Voted,  that  the  selectmen  should  see 
that  the  town  is  centered,  and  provide  a place  for 
holding  public  meetings  the  present  year.”  Mr. 


Josiah  Carpenter’s  name  as  a minister  appears  for  the 
first  time  in  the  town  records.  He  began  this  year  to 
hold  public  meetings  at  the  house  of  Daniel  Cressey. 
At  a town-meeting  held  July  1st,  it  was  “ Voted  to 
hire  Mr.  Carpenter  longer  on  probation.” 

Town  appropriations  for  the  year  1792  were:  For 
schools,  twelve  pounds ; for  repairs  of  roads,  forty 
pounds ; for  town  charges,  four  pounds ; to  build 
school-houses  in  the  several  districts,  thirty  pounds. 
“ Voted,  that  each  district  should  be  centered.” 

In  1793  there  was  appropriated  for  repairs  of 
highways,  fifty  pounds;  schooling,  fifteen  pounds; 
for  finishing  the  school-houses,  fifteen  pounds;  for 
preaching,  ten  pounds,  to  be  laid  out  in  hiring  a 
young  candidate  on  probation. 

At  a special  meeting  called  at  the  school-house  near 
the  pound,  January  1,  1795,  it  was  “ Voted,  to  make 
up  the  soldiers  eight  dollars  a month,  when  called 
into  service,  until  their  return.”  “ Voted,  to  give  each 
soldier  one  dollar  bounty  when  they  list.” 

At  a special  meeting,  held  October  5th,  “ Voted,  the 
spot  for  the  meeting-house  be  on  the  hill,  a little  east  of 
the  school-house,  in  the  Center  District.”  It  was  also 
voted  to  build  a meeting-house,  and  that  “ Ebenr. 
Eaton  should  draft  a subscription-paper,  and  get  as 
many  signers  as  possible.”  This  meeting  adjourned 
to  November  2d,  when  it  was  “ Voted,  to  build  the 
meeting-house  42  feet  wide,  50  feet  in  length,  with 
two  porches,”  and  that  “the  timber  fit  for  framing 
should  be  collected  the  following  winter.”  The 
selectmen  were  instructed  to  hire  Mr.  Wood  to 
preach.  At  a special  meeting,  December  1st,  it  was 
“ Voted,  to  give  Mr.  Benjamin  Wood  a call  to  settle 
as  a minister  in  this  town,  and  to  pay  for  his  first 
year’s  salary  40  pounds,  and  to  increase  the  sum  an- 
nually 3 pounds  until  it  reaches  70  pounds.”  The 
committee  for  the  meeting-house  consisted  of  Isaac 
Davis,  John  Brown  and  Simeon  Hildreth. 

March  8,  1796,  the  collection  of  taxes  was  bid  off 
by  Enoch  Hoyt,  at  four  pence  half-penny  per  pound. 
Twenty  pounds  were  appropriated  for  the  purpose  of 
raising  the  meeting-house.  The  voters  of  Fishersfield 
united  with  those  of  Bradford  in  the  latter  town  to 
choose  a representative  for  the  two  towns.  Ebenezer 
Eaton,  Esq.,  was  unanimously  chosen. 

August  20th  it  was  “ Voted,  to  have  a county  road 
laid  out  through  Bradford  to  Henniker,  from  Fishers- 
field.” 

August  29th,  “ Voted,  to  give  drink  and  victuals  to 
the  raisers  and  spectators  at  the  raising  of  the  meet- 
ing-house on  the  town’s  cost.” 

At  the  annual  meeting,  March  14,  1797,  “ Voted, 
not  to  clear  the  Baptist  Society  from  the  minister 
tax.”  “ Voted,  to  raise  40  pounds  for  schooling.” 
“ Voted , not  to  raise  money  for  preaching.”  “ Voted, 
that  the  selectmen  lay  out  a road  petitioned  for  by 
Josiah  Melvin  and  others.”  July  3d  a committee  of 
three  was  appointed  to  build  a pound  with  stone  walls, 
near  the  meeting-house,  in  a convenient  place,  the 


BRADFORD. 


191 


pound  to  be  two  rods  each  way,  the  walls  six  feet 
high  aud  four  feet  thick  at  the  bottom. 

March  13,  1798,  the  first  towu-meeting  in  the  new 
meeting-house  was  held.  Humphrey  Jackman,  of 
Bradford,  was  elected  as  the  representative  of  Fishers- 
field  and  Bradford.  March  20th,  at  an  adjourned 
meeting,  “ Voted,  to  fence  the  burying-yards.”  “ Voted, 
to  have  Brown’s  district  fence  their  own  burying- 
yard.”  At  a called  meeting,  on  April  18th,  Ebenezer 
Eaton  was  elected  to  serve  as  a grand  juror,  and 
Humphrey  Jackman  and  Captain  Nathaniel  Eaton 
were  drawn  to  serve  as  petit  jurors.  “ Voted,  to 
Vendue  fencing  the  burying-yards,”  and  that  “ the 
boards  should  be  15  inches  wide  and  1(5  feet  long, 
and  three  boards  high,  and  the  posts  within  8 feet  ot 
each  other.  Struck  off  to  Nathaniel  Presbury,  Jr., 
at  3 shillings  3 pence  per  rod.”  A part  of  the  fence 
around  the  burying-yard  on  “ Burying  Hill,”  near 
Bradford  Corner,  answers  the  above  description,  and, 
being  considerably  decayed  and  covered  with  moss, 
is  the  original  structure  referred  to  above,  and  is  now 
(1885)  eighty-seven  years  old. 

April  20th  the  selectman  laid  out  a road  “ Begin- 
ning at  the  main  road,  about  two  rods  southerly  of 
Mr.  Daniel  Young’s  house ; thence  easterly  to  the 
brook  that  runs  out  of  the  pond ; thence  to  the 
bounds  between  Mr.  Marshall’s  and  Mr.  Melvin’s,  on 
the  west  end  of  their  lot;  thence  easterly  on  the  line 
between  sd.  Marshall  and  Melvin  to  Warner  line; 
said  road  to  be  three  rods  wide,  and  to  remain  a bridle- 
road  till  paid  for.”  This  is  the  road  that  leads  from 
Nathan  R.  Marshall’s  old  place,  on  “ Bible  Hill,” 
down  by  Cummings  Pierce’s  to  “ Pond  Brook,”  and 
crossing  the  brook  at  “Massasecum  Rock,”  leads  up 
a sandy  hill  to  the  Henniker  road,  called  in  the  town 
records  the  “ Main  road.”  A cart-road  across  the 
field  of  Frederick  Cheney,  near  thejunction  of  these 
roads,  leads  to  where  Mr.  Young  formerly  lived. 

At  the  annual  meeting,  March  12,  1799,  it  was 
“ Voted  that  there  shall  be  a new  district  for  school- 
ing where  Capt.  Eaton  lives.” 

At  a meeting  held  July  15th  it  was  “ Voted  to  lay 
out  the  remainder  of  the  minister  money  on  Mr. 
Colton.” 

Federal  money  seems  to  have  been  more  fully 
adopted  in  1800,  as  at  a sale  of  laud  for  taxes  the 
amounts  are  carried  out  in  dollars  and  cents. 

Visit  of  General  Lafayette. — The  account 
of  this  visit  is  well  told  in  the  following  letter  of  the 
late  Captain  Miner  Hawks,  of  this  town,  written  for 
a Manchester  paper: 

“ Editor  of  the  Budget  : 

“Thinking  that  some  of  my  comrades  would  like  to  learn  a little  more 
about  that  visit  of  General  Lafayette  to  Bradford,  this  State,  in  the  early 
I days  of  the  century,  a brief  sketch  of  which  has  been  the  rounds  of  the 
1 press,  I interviewed  Attorney-General  Tappan  recently  upon  the  subject. 
He  was  present  at  the  reception  in  Bradford  and  related  to  me  the  scene 
as  he  recalled  it.  I give  it  nearly  in  his  own  words,  and  will  only  add 
that  lineal  descendants  of  the  gallant  Corporal  Blood  now  reside  in  Man- 
1 Chester:  ‘I  was  of  just  the  right  age  to  receive  an  indelible  impression 
! from  an  excitement  of  that  nature.  You  have  no  idea  what  a furor 


there  was.  It  seems  as  though  the  people  loved  the  French  general  even 
more  than  they  did  our  own  Washington.  Lafayette  was  driven  from 
Concord  in  the  most  elegant  turnout  the  country  could  boast.  The 
driver,  a man  of  splendid  physique,  was  named  Norton,  and  he  fully 
appreciated  the  honor  of  his  position.  It  was  known  about  what  time 
the  honored  guest  would  arrive  and  everybody  was  in  waiting.  A line 
of  couriers  was  placed  along  the  Warner  road  from  the  hotel  to  the  top 
of  the  hill,  to  give  notice  of  the  approach.  Presently  word  was  passed 
down  the  line,  “He’s  coming!  He’s  coming!’’  and  everybody  yelled, 
“ He’s  coming  ! ” and  began  to  rush  about  in  the  most  frantic  manner. 
The  bustle  now  was  to  form  two  lines  of  citizens  along  the  road.  Cor- 
poral Blood,  commonly  called  “Old  General  Blood,’’  by  way  of  compli- 
ment, a hero  of  Monmouth  and  Brandywine,  became  so  elevated  and 
elated  at  the  idea  of  meeting  his  old  commander  after  a lapse  of  forty 
years,  that  the  combined  strength  of  three  men  was  required  to  keep 
him  in  place. 

“‘As  Lafayette  approached,  Blood,  with  a terrible  struggle,  broke  from 
his  attendants  and  rushed  into  the  centre  between  the  lines  in  front  of 
the  house,  dressed  in  a full  suit  of  the  old  regimentals,  swinging  his  old 
cocked  hat.  Norton  pulled  up  the  horses,  when  Blood  called  out  at  the 
top  of  his  voice,  “General  Lafayette”  (with  a sharp  accent  on  the  last 
syllable)  “see  my  old  cocked  hat !”  at  the  same  time  throwing  the  hat, 
which  struck  Lafayette  fair  in  the  face  and  was  retained  by  him  till  he 
entered  the  hall.  In  the  centre  of  the  hall  the  General  was  seated  on  a 
platform,  where  the  presentations  were  made.  I was  among  the  first, 
and  being  a child,  he  took  me  on  his  knee  and  held  me  through  much  of 
the  ceremony.  I shall  never  forget  the  scene  when  old  General  Blood 
was  presented.  Lafayette  seized  the  old  veteran  with  both  hands,  and 
the  two  men  broke  into  a paroxysm  of  sobs  as  they  were  mutually 
reminded  of  the  old  dark  days  of  the  Revolution.  The  utmost  silence 
prevailed  in  the  hall,  while  many  a little  incident  and  reminiscence  of 
the  scenes  of  courage  and  privations  they  had  shared  were  called  to 
mind.’  “ M.  II.” 

Occupations  and  Industries— Farmers. — Brad- 
ford is  a farming  town.  Whatever  other  occupations 
men  may  follow  here,  for  profit  or  for  pleasure,  a part 
of  their  time  is  taken  up  on  the  farm  or  in  the  gar- 
den. From  the  first  settlement  of  the  town  the 
citizens  have  been  industrious,  economical  and  gener- 
ally thrifty.  Some  of  their  fields  have  been  twice 
cleared, — first  of  the  original  growth  of  forest-trees, 
and  again  of  rocks  that  covered  the  surface  of  the 
ground.  These  rocks  are  piled  up  in  walls  that  sur- 
round or  partition  off  the  farms,  or  lay  in  great 
heaps  on  the  hillside  fields.  These  huge  stone  piles 
and  walls  will  long  remain  as  monuments  of  the  in- 
dustry and  energy  of  the  builders,  and,  perhaps,  to 
excite  the  wonder  of  some  future  race  of  people  that 
may  come  here,  after  our  own  race  and  nation,  with 
our  literature  and  traditions,  shall  have  passed  into 
oblivion.  These  farmers  are  the  most  independent 
class  of  men.  The  first  of  our  race  must  have  been 
farmers,  and  the  last  will  be  the  same.  The  farmers 
may  have  enough  to  cat,  though  there  be  not  enough 
to  “ go  clear  round ;”  for  they  sit  at  the  first  table 
at  nature’s  feast,  and  help  themselves  to  whatever 
they  like  best.  What  they  leave  is  sent  to  market 
to  spread  the  second  table  for  the  rest  of  the  world. 

Many  privileges  and  luxuries  of  city  life  the  farmer 
is  deprived  of;  but  many  of  these  he  can  afford  to  do 
without.  He  need  not  care  for  paintings  of  domestic 
animals  or  landscapes  with  sunset  views,  for  the  best 
of  such  paintings  are  but  copies  on  canvas,  dead 
and  cold.  Their  animals,  their  light  and  shade,  do 
not  move  ; their  clouds  never  change  shape  or  color. 
But  out  on  every  farm  one  can  see  the  grand  originals 


192 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


of  these  fine  paintings.  There  are  the  horses,  cattle 
and  sheep  cropping  the  honeysuckle,  drinking  at 
the  brook,  lying  down  in  the  shady  woods.  No 
painting  of  scenery  or  of  landscape  can  equal  these. 
The  best  of  paintings  look  very  tame  compared  with 
nature’s  grand  panorama  of  dissolving  views,  which 
she  puts  on  exhibition  in  the  country  every  day. 
The  stars  of  the  night  slowly  fade  through  the  dawn, 
until  they  are  lost  in  the  glory  of  the  opening  day. 
The  many-shaped  and  many-tinted  clouds  of  sunrise, 
more  brilliant  than  gold  or  diamond,  give  way  to 
the  fervor  of  noon,  and  high  noon  hastens  down- 
ward to  the  clouds  that  are  trimmed  with  hues  of 
silver  and  gold  and  precious  stones.  These  sparkle 
and  dazzle  the  beholder,  take  on  more  sombre  shades, 
fading  into  the  gray  twilight,  and  the  stars  look 
out  again.  These  sublime  forms  and  hues  no  limner 
can  portray. 

Besides  this,  the  farmer  owns  a slice  of  the  great 
round  world,  for  his  farm  is  the  base  of  a pyramid, 
the  apex  of  which  touches  the  centre  of  the  globe 
itself.  The  farmers  are  no  middle  men.  They  are 
a deputy  Providence,  standing  nearest  to  the  Divinity 
who  makes  agriculture  possible  ; they  plant  and  tend 
and  gather  the  harvests  of  bread  and  fruit  and  meat, 
the  cotton  and  wool,  that  feed  and  clothe  mankind. 

Although  farming  is  the  only  occupation  that  is 
absolutely  necessary  to  support  life,  there  are  a great 
many  trades  necessary  to  support  our  present  civili- 
zation. In  nearly  all  of  these  the  demand  will  regu- 
late the  supply,  and  we  may  safely  trust  the  matter 
to  regulate  itself.  But  it  is  not  so  in  the  so-called 
learned  professions,  especially  those  of  law  and  medi- 
cine. 

Doctors  and  lawyers  should  be  paid  a stated  salary, 
and  not  by  fees.  This  would  immediately  change  the 
duties  of  the  doctors, — they  would  become  sanitary 
inspectors  and  advisers,  and  in  this  way  they  would 
lessen  greatly  the  amount  of  sickness  and  premature 
death  in  the  community.  Comparatively  few  would 
be  required;  the  others  could  find  some  other  employ- 
ment, and  so  many  would  not  crowd  into  the  profes- 
sion. Lawyers  would  in  this  way  become  peace- 
makers, and  the  number  of  lawsuits  grow  beauti- 
fully less.  Will  Bradford  lead  off  in  this  matter,  and 
thus  take  a long  step  ahead  of  the  rest  of  the  country 
towards  the  millennium  ? 

Lawyers  in  Bradford. — Weare  Tappau  came 
to  Bradford  in  1818,  and  was  in  the  active  practice  of 
his  profession  until  within  a few  years  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  at  Bradford  in  1868,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-eight.  He  was  a graduate  of  Dartmouth 
College  in  the  class  of  1811. 

Hon.  Mason  W.,  son  of  Weare  Tappan,  was  born 
at  Newport,  N.  H.,  October  20,  1817.  Fitted  for 
college,  but  was  not  a graduate,  preferring  to  enter  | 


upon  the  study  of  his  profession  without  a college 
course,  which  study  he  pursued  for  five  years,  and 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1841.  He  was  a member 
of  the  New  Hampshire  House  of  Representatives  in 
1853,  ’54  and  ’55.  He  was  elected  from  (Second  District, 
and  served  in  the  Thirty -fourth,  Thirty-fifth  and 
Thirty-sixth  Congresses  of  the  United  States;  colo- 
nel of  the  First  Regiment  New  Hampshire  Volunteers 
in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion,  and  has  been  Attorney- 
General  of  the  State  since  1876.  He  has  received 
the  degree  of  A.M.  from  Dartmouth  College. 

Lawrence  D.  Bailey,  born  in  Sutton,  read  law  with 
M.  W.  Tappan,  and  was  his  law-partner  from  1855  to 
1857.  He  afterwards  went  to  Kansas,  where  he  was 
for  some  years  one  of  the  judges  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  where  he  still  resides,  publishing  a newspaper 
and  practicing  law. 

Moses  K.  Hazleton,  born  in  Lisbon,  commenced  the 
practice  of  law  in  1857,  and  was  a partner  of  M.  W. 
Tappan  until  he  went  to  the  war  with  Colonel  Tap- 
pan,  in  1861.  He  was  appointed  paymaster  in  the 
regular  army,  and  died  in  the  service. 

E.  B.  S.  Sanborn  was  law-partner  of  M.  W.  Tappan 
from  1863  to  1868.  He  removed  to  Franklin,  N.  H., 
where  he  is  still  in  the  active  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion. He  Inis  been  frequently  in  the  Legislature 
from  that  town,  and  is  at  present  one  of  the  railroad 
commissioners  of  the  State. 

Robert  M.  Wallace  was  born  in  Henniker,  N.  H. ; 
read  law  with  M.  W.  Tappan,  and  was  his  law-part- 
ner from  1868  to  1871.  He  is  now  a rising  young 
lawyer  in  Milford,  N.  H.  ; has  been  in  the  Legisla- 
ture and  is  at  present  county  solicitor  for  the  county 
of  Hillsborough. 

Bartlett  G.  Cil ley,  of  Andover,  N.  H.,  was  in  com- 
pany with  Colonel  Tappan  in  the  practice  of  the  law  in 
1861  and  1862,  and  until  his  death,  which  occurred  at 
Bradford. 

Hon.  Bainbridge  Wadleigh,  son  of  Evans  Wad- 
leigh,  of  this  town,  read  law  with  Colonel  Tappan. 
He  commenced  the  practice  of  his  profession  at  Mil- 
ford, N.  H.,  where  he  still  resides,  was  frequently  a 
member  of  the  Legislature  from  that  town,  and  after- 
wards United  States  Senator. 

Physicians. — The  first  physician  in  town  was  Dr. 
Lyman,  a skillful  and  noted  surgeon.  He  came  from 
Warner  and  returned  there. 

Dr.  Jason  H.  Ames  was  Dr.  Lyman’s  successor. 
He  came  to  the  Corner,  settled  there  and  has  lived 
there  ever  since.  (See  genealogical  notes.  ) 

Dr.  David  Mitchell,  of  Peterborough,  settled  at  the 
“Middle  of  the  town,”  built  a house  and  lived  there, 
and  practiced  about  ten  years  and  died  there.  He 

married  Hoyt,  and  had  three  children ; one 

was  drowmed  in  the  well  at  Hoyt’s. 

Dr.  Frederick  Mitchell  came  to  town  soon  after  the 


BRADFORD. 


193 


death  of  his  brother  David;  family  came  with  him. 
He  did  not  remain  very  long. 

Dr.  Harvey  Studley  came  soon  after  Mitchell 
left,  and  lived  and  died  in  the  first  house  west  of  the 
“Uncle  Bill  Sawyer”  place.  He  was  in  practice, 
probably,  ten  years.  He  died  October  15,  1830,  aged 
forty-one  years. 

I)r.  Colby,  of  Henniker,  came  to  the  same  part  of 
town  and  lived  a year  or  two  in  the  Eben  Cressy 

house. 

Dr.  Weston  was  the  next.  He  lived  there  in  the 
Cressy  house  about  ten  years.  His  family  came  and 
went  away  with  him.  He  was  succeeded  by  Dr. 
George  H.  Hubbard,  of  Sutton.  He  married  Sally, 
daughter  of  Samuel  Jones,  of  Bradford.  They  had 
one  son,  George,  a druggist  in  Manchester,  N.  H., 
where  he  died. 

Dr.  Hubbard  was  a graduate  of  the  Vermont  Medi- 
cal College.  He  was  a skillful  surgeon  and  a success- 
ful and  popular  physician.  He  removed  to  Manches- 
ter, and  for  some  time  edited  the  New  Hampshire 
Journal  of  Medicine.  He  went  into  the  army  as  surgeon 
of  a New  Hampshire  regiment,  and  was  soon  promoted 
to  the  position  of  a brigade  surgeon.  After  the  war 
he  had  charge  of  a hospital  on  the  Hudson,  above 
Troy,  N.  Y.,  where  he  died  from  the  result  of  an 
injury  sustained  while  alighting  from  a street-car. 

Dr.  Daniel  F.  Hale  died  at  Bradford  December  7, 
1848,  aged  twenty-nine  years. 

Dr.  Morgan  lived  a year  or  two  in  the  Mrs.  West 
house.  Dr.  Stickney  also  practiced  a short  time  in 
this  town. 

Dr.  Fisk  lived  at  the  “Mills”  fifteen  or  twenty 
* years  and  practiced  his  profession.  He  sold  out  to 
! Dr.  Clark,  who  sold  out  to  Dr.  Raines,  who  still  re- 
sides at  the  Mill  village. 

Dr.  Carleton,  from  Webster,  practiced  a while  here 
before  going  to  Salem,  Mass. 

Dr.  Fitz  lived  at  the  Corner,  and  owned  a share  in 
the  hotel  with  Reynolds  Rogers. 

Dr.  Martin  was  in  practice  for  a few  years. 

Dr.  Ebenezcr  Harriman  Davis,  son  of  Samuel 
Davis,  of  this  town,  read  medicine  with  Dr.  G.  H. 
Hubbard,  graduated  at  the  Vermont  Medical  College, 
and  settled  in  Manchester,  N.  FI.,  where  he  became 
one  of  the  most  successful  and  popular  physicians  of 
that  city.  He  was  twice  married ; died  in  Manchester; 
had  one  son,  who  lives  in  Florida. 

Dr.  John  Milton  Hawks  removed  from  this  town 
and  began  practice  in  Manchester. 

Dr.  Samuel  Woodbury  Jones,  son  of  Samuel  Jones, 
fitted  for  medical  college  under  the  instruction  of  Dr. 
G.  H.  Hubbard,  graduated  at  the  Vermont  Medical 
ii  College,  and  entered  the  practice  of  his  profession  at 
i Manchester,  N.  H.,  as  a partner  of  Dr.  E.  H.  Davis, 
and  continued  with  him  several  years.  He  then  be- 
came one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  National  Hotel  at 
Washington,  D.  C.,  where  he  made  a fortune  and 
retired  to  private  life  in  Boston.  Flis  wife  was 


Harriet  Wadleigh,  of  Bradford.  They  had  one  son, 
on  account  of  whose  health  they  removed  to  Orange 
County,  Fla.,  where  Dr.  Jones  was  drowned. 

Dr.  Diamond  Davis,  uncle  of  Dr.  E.  H.,  above 
mentioned,  son  of  Daniel  and  Mary  (Brown)  Davis, 
lived  and  died  in  Sutton. 

Dr.  Seth  Straw  Jones,  brother  of  Samuel  Woodbury, 
graduated  at  the  same  college. 

Dr.  Farley  studied  with  Dr.  Lyman  at  the  Corner. 

Dr.  C.  A.  Carleton  practiced  at  the  Corner. 

Dr.  Reuben  Hatch  lived  at  the  Mills  in  the  Buswell 
house.  He  came  from  Hillsborough  in  May,  1837; 
and  removed  to  Newport  in  October,  1838. 

Dr.  Davis  lived  first  where  Wm.  A.  Carr  now  lives. 

Dr.  Doton  was  the  first  to  occupy  the  house  where 
Dr.  Raynes  now  lives;  was  there  six  years,  and  then 
removed  to  Manchester. 

Dr.  Fisk  succeeded  Doton ; the  next  was  Dr. 
Nathaniel  T.  Clark,  then  J.  H.  Martin,  then  Dr. 
John  B.  Raynes,  who  came  here  in  November,  1882. 

Stores. — At  “ the  Centre.” — Eben  Cressy,  Albert 
Cressy,  Walter  Stone,  Joshua  Jewett,  Robert  Hale, 
B.  F.  Hill,  Dana  Brown  and  William  C.  Hoyt  kept 
store,  successively,  at  the  Centre  village,  that  of  Mr. 
Hale  being  the  last. 

At  the  Mill  Village. — The  veteran  merchants  of  the 
town  are  Daniel  Carr  and  Jno.  W.  Morse;  the  latter  has 
been  in  business  here  about  fifty  years.  Ira  Cochrane 
had  a store  and  residence,  fronting  the  bridge,  half  a 

century  ago.  Blanchard,  formerly  of  the  firm  of 

Baxter  & Blanchard,  was  in  business  under  the  firm- 
name  of  Morse  & Blanchard.  Mr.  Buswell  dealt  in 
clothing,  and  Lund  in  saddles  and  harness. 

Among  others  in  business  here  were  Samuel 
Jones,  Weare , Tappan,  John  Cochrane,  Enoch  Dar- 
ling, Isaac  Darling,  Seth  Straw, Rogers,  Perley 

How,  Rufus  Eaton,  John  D.  Wadleigh,  William 
Robbins,  John  B.  Bailey,  Josiah  Morse  and  Wm.  A. 
Carr  (now  in  trade). 

At  the  Corner. — Among  the  early  store-keepers  at 
the  Corner  were  Joel  Gay,  from  Francestown  ; he  kept 
his  store  in  the  old  school-house.  Jeremiah  Page,  of 
Dunbarton,  kept  store  in  the  building  now  occupied 
by  the  Marshalls  as  a tin-shop.  A Mr.  Stickney 
traded  there;  also  Albert  Cressy  and  Hiram  Davis. 
Just  across  the  street,  on  the  corner  of  the  Warner 
and  Sutton  roads,  was  the  well-known  firm  of  Farley 
& Chase,  which  succeeded  a Mr.  Dodge.  Page  & Kim- 
ball’s stove-shop  was  the  next  building,  since  occu- 
pied by Bates  for  the  same  purpose.  Baxter  & 

Blanchard  were  in  the  store  on  the  corner,  as  were 
also  Martin  & Ames,  Lyman  Brockway,  Ira  French, 
Samuel  Wells  and  Amaziah  Carter,  and  the  last  to  do 
business  there  were  Watkins  & Sawyer.  There  came 
to  be  a demand  for  a store  near  the  depot,  and  J.  P. 
Marshall  built  one,  which  was  first  occupied  by  Saw- 
yer & Martin,  who  were  succeeded  by  Dan.  R.  Mar- 
shall, who  kept  a cash  store  and  had  charge  of  the 
Bradford  Library,  which  is  still  kept  in  the  rear  of 


194 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


the  store.  Marshall  sold  to  A.  B.  Jenny,  who  still 
continues  in  the  trade  there.  Just  across  the  railroad 
track  is  the  store  of  the  Colby  Brothers. 

Among  others  in  business  here  were  Samuel  Jones, 

Moore,  John  Kimball,  Bard  P.  Page,  Dr. 

Farley,  Albert  M.  Chase,  Hiram  Blanchard,  Moses  E. 
Baxter,  Robert  Wallace,  Henry  Ames,  Horace  K. 
Martin,  Freeman  Brockway,  George  Oscar  Sawyer, 

G.  B.  R.  Watkins,  Hiram  Davis,  Nat  Davis  and 

Wadleigh. 

Some  of  the  above-named  men  were  in  trade  as 
partners,  at  least  a portion  of  the  time, — Page  & 
Kimball,  Farley  & Chase,  Baxter  & Blanchard,  Ames 
& Martin. 

Hotels. — John  Raymond,  for  whom  the  Corner 
was  named,  was  probably  the  first  landlord  in  that 
quarter  of  the  town.  Then  followed,  somewhat  in 

the  order  named,  a Mr.  Roby,  Daniel  Cressy, 

Nichols,  William  Carter,  Lyman  Brockway,  Pearce 

Sweatt,  Nevins,  Dudley  Kendrick,  Dudley 

Davis,  Langdon  Littlehale,  West,  Reynolds 

Rogers,  Dr.  Fitch,  Chadwick  and  the  present 

proprietor,  Charles  Gillis. 

At  “ The  Mills”  Samuel  Jones  built  and  kept  a ho- 
tel. The  brick  hotel  was  built  by  him  about  1815. 
Levi  Morrill  has  twice  been  its  proprietor  and  popu- 
lar host.  A Mr.  Stevens  once  kept  there,  and  half  a 
century  ago  Amaziah  Hall  held  sway  for  a while ; 

also,  Jeremiah  Silver,  Seth  Straw, Watson,  Way 

& Tewksbury, Barber,  John  L.  Nevins,  Lyman 

Brockway  and  M.  C.  Bartlett,  present  incumbent. 

The  Presbury  House — a fine  hotel — stood  nearly  op- 
posite the  new  town  hall.  It  was  built  for,  and  occu- 
pied first  by,  Dudley  Davis,  of  Warner.  It  was 
destroyed  by  fire,  and  with  it  the  records  of  the  Ma- 
sonic lodge,  containing  the  autograph  of  Lafayette, 
written  when  he  visited  the  lodge  in  1824.  The  fol- 
lowing persons  also  kept  the  house : Silas  Wilkins, 

George  Hook,  Thatcher  and  Langdon  Little- 

hale. 

General  Stephen  Hoyt  built  a hotel  at  the  Centre, 
which  was  some  years  afterwards  moved  to  the  Mills 
and  used  for  other  purposes.  The  hotel  was  also  kept 
by  William  Hoyt. 

Edward  Cressy,  father  of  William,  once  kept  a tav- 
ern on  the  Warner  road,  on  the  edge  of  the  Cressy 
plain,  in  the  two-story  house  since  known  as  the  Stan- 
ley House. 

The  old  “ Tom  Cheney  tavern-stand,”  now  occu- 
pied by Ward,  is  on  the  west  side  of  the  Henni- 

ker  road,  at  the  south  end  of  “the  pond,”  or  Massa- 
secum  Lake.  This  and  the  Cressy  House,  being  on 
main  roads  to  Boston,  probably  entertained  real  live 
Vermont  and  Boston  teamsters;  but  it  is  many  a 
year  since  those  teamsters,  shod  with  no-heeled  slip- 
pers, told  stories  and  toasted  their  shins  before  the 
bar-room  fires. 

The  Bradford  Springs  Hotel,  built  by  General  Wil- 
son, is  mainly  for  summer  guests.  It  is  pleasantly 


located  and  surrounded  by  some  of  our  finest  land- 
scape views  and  forest  roads. 

Mills.  — General  Stephen  Hoyt  built  and  oper- 
ated a saw  and  grist-mill  west  of  the  centre  of 
the  town.  The  ruins  of  this  mill  may  still  be  seen  a 
few  rods  from  the  road.  Isaac  Davis  had  a mill  on 
his  brook,  near  the  pond.  The  saw-mill  now  owned 
by  Lucius  Wood  was  built  by  Eb.  Spaulding.  The 
grist-mill  has  been  owned  by  Maxfield,  the  An- 
drews Brothers  and  now  by Butman.  The  full- 

ing and  carding-mill,  built  and  first  owned  by  San- 
ders, then  by  Adams  & Wadleigh,  was  burned  a few 
years  ago  and  never  rebuilt. 

Jacob  and  Edwin  M.  Bailey  have  a large  shop  for 
manufacturing  doors  and  blinds,  next-door  to  the 
grist-mill.  Frank  Brown  has  a small  mill  and  chair- 
factory  on  the  road  from  the  Mills  to  the  Fair- 
Ground. 

Before  the  common  use  of  steam  as  a motive-power 
it  was  necessary  to  locate  mills  on  a stream  of  falling 
water.  It  is  now  known  to  he  about  as  economical 
to  run  machinery  by  steam-power,  and  that  fact  will 
change  the  location  of  mills,  shops  and,  consequently, 
villages.  New  industries  and  new  villages  may  yet 
arise,  that  will  repeople  our  deserted  faims  and  fill 
again  the  old  district  school-houses. 

Societies.  — The  Free-Masons  and  Odd-Fellows 
each  have  their  lodges  at  the  Mill  village. 

Churches  and  Ministers. — In  the  early  history 
of  the  town  Congregationalism  was  in  the  ascen- 
dency, and  dissenters  were  obliged  to  pay  a minister 
tax,  although  they  might  not  like  the  preaching.  It 
was  considerable  of  a step  toward  liberalism  when 
the  town  voted  that  the  Baptists  might  have  their 
share  of  the  public  money,  and  that  “ people  may 
have  such  preaching  as  suits  them  best.”  Rev.  Mr. 
Carpenter  was,  perhaps,  the  first  minister  settled  in 
town.  Rev.  Lemuel  Bliss  was  one  of  the  early  min- 
isters in  town.  He  had  no  children,  and  his  wife 
taught  the  district  school.  He  lived  several  years  at 
the  middle  of  the  town,  and  died  there.  Then  Hosea 
Wheeler  was  taken  “on  probation.”  Rev.  Robert 
Paige  was  settled  there  several  years;  he  died,  and 
was  buried  near  the  town-house.  Rev.  Mr.  Kent 
also  preached  there.  Rev.  Orlando  Thatcher  lived 
and  died  there.  He  had  one  son.  The  next  minister 
was  the  Rev.  Mr.  Rogers.  While  he  was  there,  the 
non-resistant  doctrine  was  preached  in  town  in  con- 
nection with  anti-slavery.  This  took  away  from  the 
church  the  families  of  John  Brown,  Albert  Chase, 
James  Farrington  and  others,  and  considerably  weak- 
ened the  church.  Religious  services  were  held  in 
the  town-house  until,  about  forty-eight  years  ago,  the 
“new”  church  or  meeting-house  was  built  near  the 
old  town-house. 

The  Baptist  meeting-house  is  located  between  the 
two  villages,  the  Mills  and  the  Corner.  This  church 
organization  was  “tried  as  by  fire”  in  1843,  during 
the  Miller  excitement.  The  Second  Advent  lecturers 


BRADFORD. 


195 


were  allowed  the  use  of  the  chureli  in  which  to  hold 
their  meetings;  the  insidewalls  of  the  church  were 
hung  with  great  charts,  some  covered  with  figures, 
by  which  it  was  ciphered  out,  in  various  ways,  that 
the  dreams  of  Daniel,  the  prophet,  and  the  visions  of 
John,  the  evangelist,  all  pointed  to  1843  as  the  time 
for  the  end  of  the  wicked  world.  Other  charts  were 
embellished  with  paintings  of  monstrous  and  fright- 
ful dragons  with  numerous  heads  and  horns.  With 
these  appliances,  aided  by  fluent  and  sensational  lec- 
tures, it  is  no  wonder  that  Elder  Weston  raised  a 
storm  of  excitement ; no  wonder  that  emotional 
women  “lost  their  strength”  and  fell  on  the  floor; 
and  in  the  emotional  brains  of  many  women  and  men 
reason  reeled  and  trembled  on  her  throne.  The  spell 
was  broken  by  the  charts  being  stolen  and  destroyed, 
and  the  town  breathed  freely  again. 

The  Baptists  (Free-Will)  have  a church  in  the 
Howlet  neighborhood,  known  as  the  “ Bush  Meeting- 
House,”  perhaps  from  the  fact  that  it  is  in  the 
“ bush,”  or  woods.  Elder  Holmes  preached  there 
about  the  year  1841.  Elder  Jonathan  Rowe  and 
Elder  Isaac  Peaslee,  of  Sutton,  have  preached  there. 
There  is  no  preaching  there  now,  and  the  unused 
door-steps  and  untrodden,  grassy  door-yard  have  a 
neglected  look  that  is  depressing  to  the  feelings  of 
the  passer-by. 

The  “Pond  Meeting-House”  is  a peculiar  institu- 
tion. It  is  sometimes  called  a union  church.  It  was 
erected  two  or  three  years  after  the  building  of  the 
Bush  meeting-house,  by  voluntary  subscriptions, 
principally  by  Moses  Colby,  of  men  of  various  modes 
of  faith,  with  the  understanding  that  the  house  is 
not  to  be  locked,  and  that  anybody  can  preach  there 
who  wants  to.  Any  man  or  woman,  desiring  to  be 
heard  on  temperance,  woman’s  rights  or  points  of 
doctrine,  has  only  to  “give  out  word”  that  there  will 
be  such  a meeting  at  such  a time,  and  an  audience 
will  be  there  at  the  appointed  time.  The  sparring 
between  Elder  Holmes  and  Moses  Colby  was  worth 
going  a long  way  to  hear. 

School  Districts.— We  learn  from  Mr.  Davis’  re- 
port for  the  year  ending  March  1,  1885,  that  there  are 
in  town  twelve  school  districts,  or,  perhaps,  more  ac- 
curately, eleven,  counting  Nos.  7 and  9 as  one  dis- 
trict. Each  of  these  districts  is  a little  republic  by 
itself.  Its  boundaries  are  not  so  definitely  defined 
and  fixed  as  those  of  a town,  for  they  vary  to  suit  the 
convenience  of  even  a single  family. 

A school-meeting  is  a type  of  every  deliberative 
and  legislative  body,  from  the  primary  or  caucus  to 
the  Congress  of  the  United  States.  The  history  of 
every  one  of  these  school  districts  properly  told  would 
be  more  interesting  than  the  general  run  of  town  his- 
tories. The  inhabitants  of  a school  district  are  more 
nearly  related  to  one  another  than  to  citizens  of  the 
town  in  general,  some  of  whom  they  rarely  meet, 
and  to  many  of  whom  they  are  strangers. 


Out  of  a dozen  such  histories,  covering  our  whole 
territory,  a history  of  the  town  could  be  compiled 
that  all  our  people  would  want. 

District  No.  8 is  united  with  District  No.  17  in 
Warner.  Their  temple  of  learning  has  been  famous 
for  more  than  half  a century,  and  is  known  as  the 
“ Calico  School-house  ” from  a fancied  resemblance 
that  the  dotted  door  and  window-shutters  bore  to 
calico. 

After  the  consent  of  the  towns  which  are  interested, 
this  district  was  formed  by  the  tax-payers  signing  an 
agreement  dated  October  10,  1825.  The  signers  in 
Bradford  were  Ebenezer  Bagley,  Colburn  Hawks, 
N.  R.  Marshall.  Ebenezer  Cheney,  Daniel  Pierce, 
Cummings  Pierce.  Those  in  Warner  were, — Timothy 
Flanders,  Enos  Collins,  Moses  Collins,  Newel  Brown, 
John  Simmons,  Thomas  J.  Flanders,  Samuel  Brown, 
David  Bagley,  Enos  Collins,  Jr.,  Asa  Sargent.  Of 
this  list  of  men,  only  Cummings  Pierce  survives. 

In  the  Bradford  portion  of  this  district  there  have 
at  times  been  twenty  or  more  attending  school ; now 
the  town  report  shows  but  two.  Well,  it  is  ebb-tide 
now;  let  us  not  be  discouraged,  the  tide  will  turn. 
There  are  live  men  and  brave  souls  in  the  old  district 
yet.  In  the  dark  hours  of  the  nation’s  peril,  when 
she  called  the  roll  of  her  defenders,  sixteen  men  who 
had  been  schooled  here  responded  to  their  names. 

Roads  and  Drives. — In  the  reports  of  town-meet- 
ings  and  in  the  proceedings  of  the  selectmen  may  be 
found  the  history  of  the  laying  out  of  most  of  the 
public  roads.  The  most  important  of  these  are  the 
cross-roads  at  Raymond’s  Corner  and  at  the  west  part 
of  the  town  and  the  Henniker  road.  The  north  and 
south  road  at  the  “ middle  of  the  town  ” is  known  as 
the  “ Old  County  road.”  That  from  the  “Corner” 
towards  Melvin’s  mills  is  the  “ Warner  road  ;”  that 
from  the  Corner  to  the  Lake  Massasecum  and  along 
its  west  shore  is  the  “ Henniker  road.”  These  roads 
are  intersected  by  others  at  all  angles,  and  running  in 
all  directions,  so  that  every  farm-house,  whether 
located  on  a hill-top  or  in  a valley,  has  a public  road 
leading  close  to  its  door-yard.  As  the  settlements 
change  from  one  part  of  town  to  another,  or  as  one  por- 
tion declines  and  another  advances,  the  roads  show 
the  movement  of  the  population.  In  and  near  and 
between  the  villages  the  roads  are  wide  and  smooth 
and  clear  of  stones,  and  kept  in  good  repair.  Out 
two  or  three  miles  over  the  hills,  where  the  dwellings 
are  farther  apart,  the  roads  become  narrowed  down 
to  a single  wagon-track,  bordered  with  grass  and 
weeds,  prominent  among  which,  near  the  farm-houses, 
are  the  plantain  and  may-weed.  Looking  along  these 
neighborhood  roads,  one  sees  long  lines  of  this  verdure 
dividing  the  horse-track  from  the  wagon-ruts.  It  is 
a struggle  for  mastery  between  nature  and  art.  The 
smooth,  wide  road  is  artificial ; the  grass  and  weeds 
are  natural.  A good  road  may  be  kept  open  thousands 
of  years,  as  they  have  been  in  Rome ; but  art  is  tern- 


196 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


porary  and  nature  eternal,  and  she  will  win  at  last. 
In  our  roads  it  is  interesting  to  watch  nature  in  the 
process  of  reclaiming  her  own,  and  gaining  a foot- 
hold where  she  had  temporarily  been  thrust  aside. 
As  the  travel  is  gradually  discontinued,  the  toe-path 
and  the  wheel-ruts  grow  narrower,  and  the  wreeds  and 
grass  taller ; and  here  and  there  blackberry  bushes, 
sumachs  and  birches  come  up  close  to  the  track,  as 
though  their  roots  had  been  there  all  the  time  waiting 
and  watching  for  their  opportunity  to  assert  them- 
selves. Modest  little  hushes  of  all  kinds,  that  had 
stood  almost  unnoticed  for  years  along  the  stone  walls 
at  the  roadside,  become  trees,  and  afford  a pleasant 
shade  to  those  who  pass  along  occasionally  in  summer. 
Rank-growing  vines  cover  up  the  stone  walls ; grass, 
weeds,  bushes,  trees  cover  the  roadway,  and  very  soon 
nature  half  denies  that  man  lias  ever  spent  his  labor 
there.  But  there  are  signs  of  civilization  not  so  easily 
covered  up.  Where  the  homestead  of  the  sturdy  set- 
tler stood,  the  old  cellar  and  the  old  well  remain. 
There,  too,  holding  their  own  for  a time  against  the 
forest-trees,  are  the  old  apple-trees,  where  the  orchard 
was,  and  the  lilac-bushes  that  we  know  stood  near  the 
door-way. 

There  are  several  pleasant  drives  out  of  town.  That 
to  the  top  of  Kearsarge  Mountain  is  rather  tiresome, 
hut  it  gives  fine  views;  a visit  to  Sunapee  Lake, 
where  several  of  our  citizens  have  summer  cottages, 
is  always  refreshing.  But  we  have  pleasant  drives 
within  our  own  borders.  One  good  drive,  rich  in 
varied  scenery,  exhibiting  our  hills,  valleys  and 
plains  dotted  over  with  pastures,  fields  and  gardens, 
farm-houses,  school-houses  and  meeting-houses,  also 
rich  in  historic  interest,  is  as  follows : Starting  at 
the  new  town-house,  which  stands  on  the  highest 
land  on  the  road  between  the  “Mills”  and  the 
“Corner,”  in  sight  of  the  railroad,  and  just  across  it 
Colby’s  and  Jenny’s  stores;  diagonally  across  the 
square  is  the  Baptist  meeting-house,  by  the  door  of 
which  huug  so  long  the  little  box  with  glass  front 
in  which  marriage  intentions  were  “ published.” 
Here,  at  the  church,  is  a road  leading  up  to  Deacon 
Marshall’s  old  place.  On  this  road,  across  from  the 
church,  lives  Joseph  Currier.  Then,  between  the 
meeting-house  and  Carr’s  store,  we  should  pass  on 
the  right  the  residences  of  Silas  Colby,  Ward  Day, 
Smith  Gillingham,  Ai  Hall,  H.  Colby,  Gillingham, 
the  Andrew  place,  Daniel  Carr,  Buswell  and  Carr’s 
store.  One  may  almost  truly  say  Carr’s  post-office, 
he  has  held  it  so  many  years. 

Next  is  the  old  Tappan  place,  with  its  law-office 
and  its  tall  poplars,  which  have  been  a land-mark 
for  miles  around  for  two  or  three  generations.  Then 
the  road  that  leads  back  to  the  Samuel  Jones  place, 
John  W.  Morse’s  store  and  Wood’s  grist-mill  finish 
up  that  side  to  the  bridge. 

On  our  left,  as  we  leave  the  town  hall,  and  close 
hv  it,  is  Dr.  Peaslee’s  drug-store ; then  Patch’s  house ; 
then  across  the  valley  Mrs.  Farley’s,  Mrs.  Emerson’s; 


then  “ Woodside,”  the  fine  estate  of  Colonel  M.  W. 
Tappan ; then  the  residences  of  Moses  Gould,  Frank 
Tappan,  Mr.  Wood,  William  M.  Carr,  the  Buswell 
store,  with  Masonic  and  Odd- Fellows’  halls  overhead, 
Bartlett’s  brick  hotel,  Hadley’s  house  and  black- 
smith’s shop;  then  the  bridge  across  the  outlet  to 
Todd’s  Pond,  which  pond  stretches  away  to  the  right 
into  Newbury. 

While  the  horse  is  drinking  at  the  public  fountain, 
just  across  the  bridge,  there  will  he  time  to  observe 
that  here  is  a public  square;  that  above  the  foun- 
tain are  several  sign-boards  with  fingers  pointing 
toward  various  towns,  the  names  of  which  are  plainly 
painted,  and  the  distances  told  in  figures. 

Having  decided  to  go  nearly  straight  ahead  up 
Cochrane’s  Hill,  we  may  take  time  to  glance  along 
the  street  to  our  right,  and  see  on  the  right-hand  side 
Bailey’s  huge,  barn-like  shop ; a little  beyond  which, 
and  up  a gentle  grade,  is  Dr.  Raynes’  office;  a few 
rods  farther  on  once  stood  the  hall  in  which  the 
“High  School”  was  held.  A little  beyond  is  the 
pleasant  residence  and  fine  garden  of  Mrs.  George 
Hart.  The  next  house,  a few  rods  away,  is  Mrs. 
Rowe's,  the  last  in  Bradford,  so  near  is  our  pleasant 
village  to  the  edge  of  the  town.  Across  the  street 
from  Mrs.  Hart’s  are  the  houses  of  Mr.  Wiggin, 
Blood,  Win.  A.  Carr  and  the  Deacon  Hadley  place, 
occupied  by  Jesse  Marshall.  Here  lived  for  a while 
and  died  one  of  our  noted  men,  Rev.  John  Gilling- 
ham, a preacher  of  the  Christian  sect.  He  was 
sympathetic  and  emotional,  with  a gift  of  language 
and  tone  of  voice  with  which  he  could  make  one’s 
nerves  tingle  from  head  to  foot.  On  the  hill  facing 
the  bridge  live  Edwin  and  Jacob  Bailey. 

At  the  left  and  close  by  the  bridge  is  the  residence 
of  John  W.  Morse;  and  just  across  the  street  from 
these  are  the  three  great  houses  of  the  Wadlcigh 
brothers,  Evans,  Moses  and  John  D.,  the  former  the 
father  of  Bainbridge,  the  United  States  Senator. 

Passing  up  over  the  hill,  the  first  house  seen  on 
the  right  was  occupied  several  years  by  David 
Hawks  and  family.  Next  on  the  left  is  the  Enoch 
Sweat  place;  then  the  house  of  Levi  Morrill,  the 
retired  hotel-keeper;  the  next  is  a large,  old  house 
on  the  right,  in  the  Ashby  place,  now  occupied  by 
Walter  Abbott.  “Jim”  Taylor  lives  next,  in  a 
small  cottage  on  the  left.  The  road  bears  to  the  left, 
near  a brook,  and  we  come  to  the  Jonathan  Peaslee 
place  on  the  right. 

Then,  without  crossing  the  brook,  we  go  close  to 
the  small  saw-mill  and  chair-shop  of  Frank  Brown. 
Looking  up  the  road  over  the  hill,  first  on  the  right 
is  the  house  of  E.  Ring.  Near  the  top  of  the  hill, 
on  the  right,  lives  Albert  Brown,  the  barn  close  to 
the  road  on  the  left.  This  little  hill  is  avoided  by 
taking  a new  road  that  bears  to  the  left  near  the 
mill. 

At  the  foot  of  the  hill,  beyond  Brown’s,  is  the 
Elder  Steele  place.  Along  a more  level  and  sandy 


BRADFORD. 


197 


road  we  soon  come  to  the  Fair-Ground,  where  the 
sister  towns  of  Bradford  and  Newbury  hold  their 
annual  fair  and  cattle  show. 

Leaving  the  Fair  Ground  on  our  right,  we  pass  over 
an  undulating,  wild  and  woody  country  to  and  across 
the  West  meadow,  near  General  Hoyt’s  old  mill-site, 
the  Durrell  farm,  one  of  the  best  in  town.  Not  far 
beyond,  an  old  road,  closed  by  agate,  leads  up  a long, 
steep  hill  to  Oliver  Sawyer’s  (father  of  Oscar).  He 
has  lived  there  some  fifty-live  years. 

More  woods  and  rocks  and  miles  bring  us  to  the 
Bradford  Springs,  noted  for  their  medicinal  and 
healing  waters.  After  the  sight-seeing,  water-drink- 
ing, restand  refreshment  here,  we  can  return  through 
“ the  middle  of  the  town,”  first  passing  the  house  ol 
Mrs.  Elbridge  G.  Hoyt,  which  is  the  old  General 
Hoyt  place.  The  old  burying-ground,  with  its  moss- 
covered  inscriptions,  is  worthy  of  a call.  The  stone 
walls  around  the  “pound”  are  in  good  repair,  and 
must  look  very  much  as  they  did  when  Nathaniel 
Presbury  built  them,  in  1789,  for  two  pounds  twelve 
shillings. 

This  is  all  sacred  ground.  Here  stood  the  old 
town-house  ; here  were  the  annual  March  elections  ; 
here  spread  out  the  ring  of  athlete  wrestlers;  while 
inside  the  house  our  fathers  voted  for  town  officers, 
the  minister  among  the  rest,  for  President  of  New 
Hampshire,  and,  every  four  years,  for  President  of 
the  United  States.  But  we  must  drive  straight  back 
to  the  Mill  village,  and  study  the  history  of  the  set- 
tlers at  another  time. 

Another  pleasant  drive  is  from  the  Corner  to  the 
“ Centre  ; ” then  easterly  along  over  the  long  range 
of  hills  where  Offin  French,  the  Sawyers,  Jewett 
and  Hale  lived.  On  this  high  road  one  gets  fine 
views  of  Lake  Massasecum,  Guiles’  Hill  and  the 
Warner  hills  and  old  Kearsarge.  Looking  across  to 
the  left,  the  old  Bush  meeting-house  and  its  neighbor- 
hood seems  to  be  in  a valley. 

Continuing  over  rocky  hills  and  a pebbly  road, 
but  little  used,  past  the  untenanted  houses  of  Deacon 
and  of  Silas  Abbott,  the  Lyman  Cheney  place,  the 
school-house  in  District  No.  5,  well-nigh  untenanted, 
down  the  hill,  through  a mass  of  blackberry  bushes; 
then  up  over  a short  but  steeper  hill  to  the  Moses 
Colby  place,  now  owned  and  occupied  by  Prescott 
Colby  and  a sister.  Here  Stephen  Ward  and  his 
father  lived ; they  sold  to  Colby,  and  moved  to 
where  Warren  Ward  now  lives.  Then  on  down 
longer  and  steeper  hills  to  the  Henniker  road,  near 
How’s  old  tavern-stand,  in  the  edge  of  Warner. 
Here,  taking  a turn  to  the  left,  one  soon  crosses  again 
Bradford  line,  and  comes  to  the  Sharron  Jameson 
place,  first  settled  by  Moses  Baley,  one  of  the  signers 
to  the  petition  to  have  the  town  incorporated. 

A few  rods  farther,  and  the  same  side  of  the  road 
(the  west)  at  the  left  in  going  toward  Bradford 
villages,  stands  the  “Pond  meeting-house,”  the  in- 
evitable grave  yard  being  by  the  road-side  south  of 


the  house.  A few  rods  down  the  sandy  hill  a road 
branches  off  to  the  right,  leading  past  the  Shepard 
Davis  and  the  Samuel  Davis  places.  Close  by,  on 
the  left,  is  the  old  Tom  Cheney  tavern,  with  its  barn 
hard  by  the  road  on  the  right.  Here,  at  the  right,  is 
the  south  end  of  old  Bradford  Pond,  now  Lake  Mas- 
sasecum. It  is  here  half  a mile  wide,  and  fringed 
by  a beautiful  opeu  grove  of  pines,  making  as  fine 
a place  as  could  be  wished  for  in  which  to  hold  picnic 
and  pleasure-parties.  The  shore  is  a white,  rather 
coarse  sand.  Beaver  Dam  Brook  comes  into  the  pond 
near  by.  Looking  north,  one  can  see  the  whole 
length  of  the  lake,  about  two  miles,  with  Great 
Island  on  the  left  and  Loon  Island  on  the  right. 
Beyond  the  “ Hay-Stack  Rock”  Guiles’  Hill  rises  from 
the  east  side  of  the  lake,  with  an  almost  perpendicu- 
lar side  of  granite  ledges  thinly  covered  with  stunted 
cedars,  oaks  and  blueberry  bushes.  This  hill,  by 
the  way,  is  a famous  berrying-ground.  As  to  the  mode 
of  spelling  this  hill,  Giles  would  be  preferred;  but 
that  would  allow  it  to  be  pronounced  as  if  written 
Jiles. 

The  east  side  of  the  lake  is  wild  woods,  excepting 
Frank  Davis’ pasture  at  the  south  end  and  Cummings 
Pierce’s  field  at  the  north  end ; but  along  the  west 
margin  of  the  lake  runs  the  “new”  Henniker  road, 
the  old  road  being  a few  rods  farther  west,  running 
along  over  hills  and  high  ridges.  This  was  called 
the  stage-road,  because  stages  carried  the  United 
States  mail  over  it  before  the  railroad  came  to 
Bradford. 

Before  starting  up  the  road,  it  is  only  fair  to  say 
that  the  thanks  of  many  readers  of  this  are  due  to 
Mr.  Ward,  at  the  Cheney  place,  for  the  loan  of  boards 
for  the  temporary  construction  of  tables  and  seats  for 
the  use  of  pleasure-parties  in  the  “ pine  grove.” 
Now,  starting  along,  one  may  notice  that  the  road  is 
excellent  and  considerably  shaded.  Within  half  a 
mile  or  so  a road  leads  up  the  hill  on  the  left  to 
Warren  Ward’s,  where  Proctor  and  Stephen  once 
lived.  Here  the  road  turns  to  the  left  almost  at  a 
right  angle,  and  leads  still  up  the  hill.  At  the  high- 
est point  in  the  road  a “pair  of  bars”  shuts  up  a 
private  road  that  leads  up  on  a higher  hill  to  the 
Sylvester  Ward  place,  where  Sumner  Ward  lived. 
From  these  bars  the  larger  road  leads  down  a 
gentle  slope,  through  a little  valley,  the  road  all  the 
way  deeply  shaded  until  near  the  other  road  where 
we  saw  the  School-house  No.  5.  Perhaps  there 
is  nothing  finer  in  town  than  these  few  rods  of 
retired,  quiet  shade.  At  the  point  where  this  road 
leaves  the  Henniker  road  a guide-board  is  marked 
“ Hillsborough.” 

Descending  to  the  valley  and  crossing  it  a few  yards, 
we  have,  on  our  left,  the  old  homestead  of  the  Davis 
family,  first  cleared  by  Isaac,  the  great-grandfather  of 
Charles  F.,  the  present  owner  and  occupant,  and 
crossing  the  brook,  on  which  once  stood  a mill,  we 
soon  pass  the  old  cellar  of  Lyndon  Ward  on  the  right 


198 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


then  about  a half-mile  to  a road  that  leads  off  on  the 
left,  which  passes  the  Bush  meeting-house  and  on  to 
the  “ Centre.”  A little  way  up  this  road  stands  the 
Pond  School-house,  one  of  the  old  institutions  of  the 
town.  Here,  at  the  angle  of  the  road,  is  the  Daniel 
Sargent  place,  first  settled  by  William  Young,  ol 
Warner,  who  afterwards  built  and  lived  north  o! 
Fred.  Cheney’s.  Carlos  Abbott  has  lately  come  int< 
possession  of  this  farm  and  has  made  a thorough  ren- 
ovation of  the  old  buildings. 

The  next  place  worthy  of  note  is  the  road  on  thi 
left,  with  stone  walls  on  each  side,  leading  up  to  True 
Pipers,  twenty  rods  or  so,  the  former  home  of  Nathan. 
The  next  house  is  Frederick  Cheney’s,  on  the  left, 
and  very  near  the  shore  of  the  lake.  Here  a road 
leads  up  to  John  Howlet’s,  intersecting  the  one  that 
branches  off  at  Carlos  Abbott’s.  Here  the  road  is 
sandy  and  heavy ; a brook  crosses  the  road  under  a 
bridge,  where  the  cardinal  flowers  can  always  be  seen 
in  their  season.  A few  rods  of  deep,  sandy  road 
across  the  valley  or  intervale  brings  the  traveler  to 
Adoniram  Jameson’s  on  the  right.  This  is  a new 
place,  and  seems  like  an  intruder  amongst  the  old 
veterans.  From  here  the  road  ascends  a sandy  but 
not  steep  hill,  though  probably  the  hardest  for  teams 
on  the  whole  road.  At  the  top  of  the  hill  a road 
branches  off  on  the  right,  labeled  “ Melvin’s  Mills, 
2 miles.”  This  is  the  road  that  was  laid  out  by  the 
selectmen  in  1787,  and  ordered  “to  remain  a bridle- 
road  till  paid  for.”  It  crosses  the  bridge  over  the 
Pond  Brook,  and  passes  up  by  Cummings  Pierce’s, 
Nathan  R.  Marshall’s  old  place,  which  lies  partly  in 
Warner ; here,  turning  northerly,  running  over 
Bible  Hill  by  the  Hawks  homestead,  and  down  the 
hill  to  Melvin’s  mills.  On  Bible  Hill  the  town  line 
runs  along  in  the  road,  and  the  houses  of  the  late 
Enos  Collins’  (now  Herbert  Ewing’s),  Moses  (now 
Frank  Collins’),  Mrs.  John  H.  Brown  and  Mrs.  Harvey 
Brown  are  all  on  the  Warner,  or  east  side  of  the  road. 
As  soon  as  the  road  crosses  the  Pond  Brook  at  Massa- 
secum  Rock,  a branch  leaves  to  the  left  and  passes 
the  Timothy  Dowlin,  or  Nathan  Pierce,  or  Leonard 
Jameson  place  on  the  right,  and  on  up  to  the  top  ol 
the  hill  to  the  old  T.  L.  Dowlin  homestead,  since 
owned  and  occupied  by  Amaziah  Hall;  then  down 
the  hill  to  the  Samuel  Wheeler  place,  on  the  left, 
across  the  bridge  over  the  united  streams  from  Todd’s 
Pond,  Presby’s  Brook  and  the  Pond  Brook,  which 
somewhere  along  here  must  begin  to  wear  the  name 
of  Warner  River,  and  out  on  to  the  Warner  road,  at 
Edward  Cressey’s  old  tavern-stand.  All  this,  from 
the  top  of  the  hill  near  Add.  Jameson’s,  is  a digres- 
sion ; we  are  on  the  Henniker  road,  at  the  top  of  a 
sand-hill,  at  the  north  end  of  the  lake.  Did  a great 
avalanche,  checked  in  its  progress  by  the  firm  ledges 
of  Guiles’  Hill,  melt  away  there,  and  scoop  out  the 
deep  basin  of  the  lake  and  pile  up  the  sand,  making 
this  hill?  The  second  house  that  William  Young 
built  in  town  stood  west  of  the  Main  road,  and  on 


the  “old”  Henniker  road.  Descending  the  hill,  and 
passing  a peat-bog  on  the  left,  and  the  field  and  in- 
tervale of  Cummings  Pierce  on  the  right,  we  soon 
reach  the  houses  of  George  and  Pierce  Sargent,  near 
together  on  the  left.  Down  a slight  incline  and 
passing  a narrow  woods  on  the  right,  we  come  out  to 
John  H.  Collins’  place,  on  the  right, — a well-kept  and 
productive  intervale  farm.  Close  by,  on  the  same 
side  of  the  road,  lives  Mr.  Woodbury;  then  Collins’ 
barn  on  the  intervale  at  the  left ; then  the  covered 
bridge  over  Presbury  Brook.  At  the  bridge,  before 
crossing,  the  road  forks,  and  one  branch  goes  up  to  An- 
drew Jones’  place  and  to  the  old  Deacon  William 
Presbury  place,  said  to  be  the  first  place  settled  in 
Bradford.  A little  beyond  the  bridge  the  road  crosses 
the  track  of  the  Concord  and  Claremont  Railroad, 
then  the  Hiram  Davis  house,  then  Mrs.  Dane’s,  Bard 
P.  Page’s  and  Marshall’s  tin-shop,  at  the  “ Corner,” 
and  on  a corner  of  the  Warner  road.  This  is  the 
village  square.  Gillis’  Hotel  stands  at  the  left  as  we 
entered.  Across  the  street,  in  front,  is  the  old  Farley 
& Chase  store,  now  finished  off  into  a dwelling-house, 
owned  by  J.  P.  Marshall,  occupied  by  John  French. 
Next  is  the  old  Kimball  stand,  the  stove-shop,  now 
owned  by  Bates.  A little  farther  along,  guarded  by 
an  iron  fence,  is  the  fine  residence  of  J.  P.  Marshall, 
on  the  old  Raymond  estate.  The  old  brick  school- 
house  has  been  changed  to  a residence.  On  the  same 
side  of  the  street  (the  right)  is  the  fine  old  residence 
of  Dr.  Ames,  with  its  grove  of  evergreen  trees  near; 
the  house  and  grounds  have  been  attractive  and  prom- 
inent features  in  the  village  for  almost  fifty  years. 

Personal  History  and  Genealogical  Notes. — Dr. 
Jason  H.  Ames,  born  December  16,  1796,  in  Fairlee, 
Vt.  He  was  a pupil  of  the  famous  Dr.  Lyman,  who 
lived  awhile  in  Bradford  in  the  house  next  to  the  tin- 
shop  at  the  Corner.  Dr.  Ames  married,  December 
20,  1827,  Clara  George,  of  Warner,  and  settled  in 
Bradford,  taking  Dr.  Lyman’s  business  and  living  in 
a house  purchased  of  David  Brown,  and  built  the 
house  where  he  now  resides  in  1836.  Dr.  Ames  was 
for  many  years  the  only  physician  in  town.  Hun- 
dreds of  men  and  women,  now  past  middle  life,  re- 
member that  when  sick  how  much  better  they  felt 
when  the  doctor’s  white  horse  was  reported  in  sight. 
He  heard  the  last  dying  groan  of  a large  portion  of 
three  generations  of  our  people,  and  the  welcome 
birth-cry  of  as  many  more. 

He  was  an  active  and  leading  member  of  the 
Democratic  party.  He  was  selected  by  his  townsmen 
to  deliver  the  address  of  welcome  to  Lafayette  when 
the  general  visited  Bradford,  in  1824.  His  wife  died 
December  5,  1868.  Their  children  were, — 

1.  George,  born  September  19,  1828;  died  Septem- 
ber 8,  1834. 

2.  Henry  George,  born  February  6,  1830;  married 
Mary  G.  Stoddard,  of  Perry,  N.  Y.,  in  1854,  and 
settled  at  Mt.  Morris,  N.  Y.,  where  he  now  resides. 

3.  Martha  Jane, horn  June  30, 1832;  married,  June 


BRADFORD. 


199 


8,  1862,  Bartlett  G.  Cillev,  of  Andover,  N.  H.,  who 
was  born  January  4,  1835,  died  August  21,  1867.  He 
was  a law-partner  of  Hon.  M.  W.  Tappan.  Children: 
George  Auies,  born  November  24,  1863;  Winfred  B., 
born  October  18,  1865. 

Daniel  Carr,  son  of  Moses  Carr,  of  Newbury, 
Mass.,  born  August  2, 1801.  He  married,  first,  Febru- 
ary 20,  1827,  Rhoda,  daughter  of  Joseph,  a descend- 
ant of  Richard  Bartlett,  who  came  from  England  to 
Newbury,  Mass.,  in  1635.  They  had  one  son,  Wil- 
liam A.,  born  January  10,  1828.  Mr.  Carr  came  to 
Bradford  in  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1836  and  en- 
gaged in  the  business  of  a dealer  in  general  mer- 
chandise. He  married  the  second  time,  January  1, 
1839,  Caroline  L.,  daughter  of  Weare  Tappan,  of  this 
town.  Their  children  were, — 

1.  Frank  Tappan,  born  October  28,  1844.  He 
married,  September  19, 1872,  Helen  Frances,  daughter 
of  John  H.  and  Esther  Pierce  Collins,  of  this  town, 
and  engaged  in  trade  with  Wm.  A.  for  awhile. 

2.  Kate  Elizabeth,  born  November  2,  1846 ; mar- 
ried, December  25,  1872,  Dr.  Charles  Augustus  Carle- 
ton,  who  settled  in  Bradford,  but  soon  removed  to 
Salem,  Mass.,  where  he  has  become  a noted  and  very 
successful  physician.  They  have  one  son,  Frank 
Carr,  born  June  10,  1879. 

William  A.,  son  of  Daniel  Carr,  married,  January 
10,  1856,  Harriet  Maria  Martin.  Their  children 
were, — 

1.  William  M.,  born  May  4, 1857  ; married,  February 
22,  1882,  Mary  L.  Hartshorne. 

2.  Mabel  M.,  born  June  28, 1859  ; married,  June  26, 
1884,  Henry  C.  Bartlett. 

3.  Charles  B.,  born  October  9,  1860 ; died  June  6, 
1864. 

4.  Frank  M.,  born  May  10, 1862 ; died  June  6, 1864. 

Mrs.  Carr  died  July  30,  1865.  He  married,  second, 

Mary  E.  Proctor,  of  East  Washington,  N.  H.,  June 
21,  1876.  In  July,  1854,  Mr.  Carr  was  admitted  as  a 
partner  iu  business,  under  the  firm-name  of  D.  & 
W.  A.  Carr.  This  firm  continued  until  July,  1875, 
twenty-one  years,  when  the  elder  member  retired  and 
the  business  was  continued  by  William  A.  Carr,  who 
has  been  postmaster  about  twenty-eight  years. 

Jonathan  Cheney  came  from  Londonderry  and 
settled  toward  the  east  part  of  the  town.  His  chil- 
dren were  Daniel,  Stephen  (a  famous  fox  hunter,  who 
lived  on  the  Henniker  road,  on  the  west  side  of 
Massasecum  Lake,  where  his  son  Frederick  now 
lives),  Lydia,  Jonathan,  Eben,  Hannah,  Calvin  Ly- 
man and  Simon. 

Richard  Cressy  was  born  in  Beverly,  Mass.,  Sep- 
tember 5,  1737.  He  removed  from  Hopkinton  to 
Bradford  February  11,  1794.  He  married  Susan 
Evans,  of  Methuen,  who  was  born  January  28,  1741. 
Mr.  Cressy  was  a soldier  in  the  War  of  the  Revolu- 
tion. A pass  from  General  Stark  is  still  in  possession 
of  Addison  Cressy.  He  died  September  9,  1797.  His 
children  were, — 


1.  Jabez,  born  September  3,  1762 ; died  July  30, 
1778. 

2.  Hannah,  born  November  8,  1764;  died  July  30, 
1778. 

3.  Susannah,  born  January  27,  1767 ; died  July  27, 
1778. 

4.  Mary,  born  April  1,  1770. 

5.  Ebenezer,  born  February  25,  1773  ; died  young. 

6.  Richard,  born  November  10,  1775  ; died  May  20, 
1852. 

7.  Hannah,  born  August  9,  1778;  died  July  14, 
1784. 

8.  William,  born  May  25,  1781. 

9.  Cyrus,  born  June  4,  1786.  He  married  Hannah 
Sawyer.  Their  children  were, — 

1.  Hannah,  born  February  7,  1812. 

2.  William  Sawyer,  born  June  3,  1813. 

3.  Jabez  Woodbury,  born  August  16,  1815. 

4.  Greeley  Miller,  born  February  22,  1819. 

5.  Cyrus  Miller,  born  October  15,  1822. 

6-  Addison  Searl,  born  December  20,  1825. 

7.  Antoinette,  born  March  15,  1834. 

Richard  Cressy  was  a Revolutionary  soldier,  and 
probably  settled  in  Hopkinton,  N.  H.,  immediately 
after  the  war.  Of  his  nine  children,  Cyrus,  the 
youngest,  was  eight  years  old  when  the  family  moved 
into  Bradford,  in  1794.  Richard  settled  on  the  place 
where  his  son  Cyrus  lived,  and  where  his  grandson, 
Greeley,  now  resides.  Richard  was  a gunsmith  in 
the  army,  and  he  did  good  service  in  keeping  the  old 
tlint-locks  in  repair.  A small  vise  and  screw-driver 
which  he  used  in  the  army  are  kept  as  relics  in  the 
family  of  his  grandson,  Addison  Cressy,  of  this  town. 
Mr.  Cressy  has  also  another  interesting  relic  of  the 
Revolution ; it  is  a twenty-four-pound  cannon-ball 
that  was  dug  out  of  Bunker  Hill  at  the  time  the 
foundation  for  the  monument  was  laid.  Cyrus 
Cressy  was  present  when  the  workmen  found  the 
ball ; they  told  him  he  might  have  it,  if  he  would 
take  it  out  of  the  city  without  being  discovered  by 
the  authorities.  He  put  it  on  his  arm  and  laid  his 
handkerchief  over  it,  and  walked  oft'  unmolested. 
The  originals  of  the  following  copies  of  military 
passes  are  held  by  the  same  family  as  choice  relics 
of  those  dark  days.  The  first  is  a week  older  than 
the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill, — 

“ Medford,  June  loth,  1775. 

“ Permit  Mr.  Cressy  ami  one  more,  to  pass  the  guards  from  head- 
quarters and  repa68. 

“John  Stark,  Coll 

“Camp  on  Winter  Hill,  Nov.  16th,  1775. 

“ Richard  Cressy  has  leave  of  absence  for  ten  days. 

“John  Stark,  Coll." 

The  following  relic  of  the  old  first  town-house  in 
Bradford  is  also  interesting : the  door-latch,  made 
by  Richard  Cressy.  The  handle  was  plated  with  brass. 
Two  angels  are  carved  on  the  thumb-piece,  and  an 
angel’s  head  and  wings  are  engraved  on  the  handle. 
Just  above  this  last-mentioned  is  engraved  this  senti- 


200 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


ment:  “ While  Truth  and  Benevolence  reign  within, 
the  Angels  keep  the  door,” — a very  pretty  sentiment. 
Let  us  believe  that  our  forefathers  in  council  here 
always  deserved  and  enjoyed  the  protection  of  invisi- 
ble door-keepers. 

ISAAC  Davis  came  from  Plaistow  ; probably  settled 
in  Bradford,  as  his  descendants  claim,  about  1760. 
He  came  three  summers  in  succession  and  made  im- 
provements on  his  land  before  he  brought  his  wife 
here,  so  says  a local  tradition.  The  fire  of  1859, 
which  destroyed  the  buildings  at  the  old  homestead, 
destroyed  nearly  all  the  old  records.  Mr.  Davis  was 
probably  in  Bradford  some  five  years  before  the  grant 
to  John  Pierce  and  George  Jafirey,  in  1765. 

He  built  near  the  “ pond,”  now  called  Lake  Massa- 
secum.  The  house  was  in  the  style  of  those  days;  it 
had  no  cellar ; it  had  seats  running  the  whole  length 
on  each  side,  and  for  seven  or  eight  years  it  answered 
the  purpose  of  a country  store  and  a hotel. 

Mr.  Davis  had  a mill  a few  rods  above  the  house, 
on  the  brook  that  runs  near  and  discharges  into  the 
lake.  “ The  old  road  ” rau  much  nearer  the  house 
than  the  present  Henniker  road.  Mr.  Davis  married 
Katuria  Woodward  ; she  died  in  or  about  1811.  He 
died  about  1808.  All  their  children  were  horn  here, 
with  the  possible  exception  of  the  first.  Their  child- 
ren were, — 

I.  Betsy,  horn  December  29,  1760;  married 
Stephen  Ward;  lived  in  Bradford. 

II.  Molly,  born  May  31,  1762;  married  Abner 
Ward,  of  Bradford. 

III.  James,  born  February  24,  1764. 

IV.  Daniel,  born  February  4,  1766;  married  Mary 
Brown. 

V.  John,  born  December  21,  1768  ; died  young. 

VI.  Susan,  born  January  7,1770;  married  Moses 
Bailey,  who  settled  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Shar- 
ron  Jameson.  Mr.  Bailey  afterwards  removed  to 
Washington,  Vt. 

VII.  Sally,  born  April  17,  1772;  lived  with  her  sis- 
ter Betsy ; unmarried. 

VIII.  John,  born  August  14,  1774;  had  his  name 
changed  to  John  Washington  Davis;  married  Sally, 
sister  of  Stephen  and  Abner  Ward.  Their  children 
were  John  S.,  Gardner,  Harrison,  Calvin,  Hannah, 
Julia,  Fanny  and  Preston. 

James,  son  of  Isaac,  born  February  24,  1764;  mar- 
ried  Brown.  Their  children  were, — 

1.  Daniel,  married  Betsy  Davis,  of  Charlestown, 
N.  H. 

2.  Polly,  married  Samuel  Jackman,  of  Enfield. 

3.  Catharine,  married  Isaac  Ward,  son  of  Abner. 

4.  Betsy,  unmarried. 

5.  Sally,  married  John  Ward;  settled  in  Clare- 
mont. 

6.  Dolly,  married  Heman  Burpee,  of  Enfield,  N.  H. 

7.  James,  married  Lucy,  daughter  of  Joshua  Davis, 
of  Charlestown. 

8.  Stephen.  He  was  one  of  General  Scott’s  staff  of- 


ficers in  the  Mexican  War.  He  was  in  the  Union 
army  in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion,  and  lost  his  life 
there. 

9.  Sophronia,  married  Benjamin,  son  of  Joshua 
Davis,  of  Charlestown,  Mass. 

Daniel,  son  of  Isaac,  born  February  4,  1766;  mar- 
ried Mary  Brown.  She  died  January  11,  1851.  He 
died  November  6,  1842.  They  had, — 

1.  Samuel,  b'orn  March  19,  1790. 

2.  Enoch,  born  August  22,  1791 ; died  March  22, 
1792. 

3.  Enoch,  born  January  6,  1793;  removed  to  Cam- 
bridge, Mass.  Soap  manufacturer  there.  Died  Sep- 
tember 17,  1832. 

4.  Dorcas,  born  January  23,1795;  died  February 
28, 1876. 

5.  Eliphalet,  born  December  16,  1796 ; removed  to 
Cambridgeport,  Mass.,  in  1811;  he  was  a soap  manu- 
facturer, and  acquired  a fortune  and  a world-wide  re- 
nown in  that  business. 

6.  Lydia,  born  January  4,  1799;  died  August  20, 
1821. 

7.  Dimond,  born  April  25,  1802;  died  in  Sutton, 
December  5,  1861.  He  was  a noted  and  successful 
physician  there. 

8.  Hiram,  born  February  24,  1807 ; died  in  Febru- 
ary, 1872. 

9.  Lyman,  born  October  11,  1809;  died  April  1, 
1860. 

10.  Isaac,  born  June  18,  1811.  Successful  soap 
manufacturer  in  Cambridge,  Mass. 

11.  Curtis,  born  February  11,  1814.  Successful 
soap  manufacturer  in  Boston.  The  only  survivor  of 
the  family. 

The  marriage  of  Daniel  Davis,  who  was  born  in 
1766,  to  Mary  Brown,  born  in  1771,  was  an  unusually 
good  combination  of  the  physical  and  mental  forces. 
Out  of  eleven  children,  ten  grew  up  to  mature  age, 
and  were,  as  a family,  remarkably  intelligent,  indus- 
trious, honest,  economical,  and  consequently  prosper- 
ous citizens  of  the  various  communities  where  they 
lived.  Of  the  sons  who  remained  in  Bradford,  Sam- 
uel lived  at  the  south  end  of  Lake  Massasecum,  near 
the  Warner  town  line.  His  children  were  Ebenezer 
Harriman  (mentioned  among  the  physicians  of  Brad- 
ford), Gilbert,  Lydia,  Elizabeth  and  Franklin,  who 
inherited  and  occupied  his  father’s  farm. 

Eliphalet  is  represented  in  this  town  by  his  son, 
Charles  Frederick  Davis,  who  owns  and  occupies  the 
original  homestead  of  Isaac  Davis,  mentioned  else- 
where. Charles  Frederick  was  born  in  Cambridge- 
port,  Mass.,  January  30,  1837.  He  married,  January 
29,  1860,  Frances  Sawyer,  daughter  of  William  and 
Jeannette  McKeith  Wilson  George,  who  was  born  in 
Topsham,  Vt.,  December  7, 1838.  Their  children  are: — 

1.  Clara  Jeannette  Allen,  born  in  Cambridge, 
Mass.,  March  26,  1861 ; she  died  March  19,  1868. 

2.  Florence  Bartell,  born  in  Cambridge,  Mass., 
August  7,  1863. 


BRADFORD. 


201 


3.  Lewis  Warner,  born  at  Deer  Isle,  Me.,  August 

21,  1865. 

4.  Arthur  Wilson,  born  in  Claremont,  N.  H., 
March  7,  1867. 

5.  Ida  Carleton,  born  in  Bradford,  April  6, 1869. 

6.  Marian  Frances,  born  May  29,  1871. 

7.  Sarah  Wentworth,  born  March  28,  1878. 

8.  Marshall  Graham,  born  February^  1882. 

The  last-mentioned  three  were  born  in  Bradford. 

Hiram  Davis,  born  February  24,  1807;  married, 
November  28,  1832,  Marietta  Ferrin,  who  was  born 
December  27,  1809.  Children, — 

1.  Caroline  Salome,  born  September  6,  1833;  mar- 
ried, November  8,  1858,  Frederick  Martin. 

2.  James  Warren,  born  December  28,  1834;  died 
February  5, 1835. 

3.  Mary  Jane,  born  February  1,  1836;  married 
Jacob  Jones. 

4.  Harriet  Newell,  born  February  17,  1839;  mar- 
ried, March  8,  1858,  Ira  Sargent,  of  Bradford. 

Lyman  Davis,  born  October  11,  1809;  married, 
January  20,  1841,  Mary  Eliza  Palmer,  who  was  born 
August  11,  1826.  Mr.  Davis  was  named  for  the  cele- 
brated Dr.  Warren  Lyman.  His  children  are, — 

1.  Curtis,  born  August  6,  1842  ; died  November  11, 
1866. 

2.  Homer  Eliphalet,  born  November  27,  1845 ; died 
July  12,  1865. 

3.  Dorcas  Jane,  born  February  14,  1848. 

4.  Walter  Farsons,  born  June  6,  1850. 

5.  Caroline  Elizabeth,  born  October  20,  1852. 

6.  Samuel  Dimond,  born  December  31,  1854. 

7.  Joseph  Hiram,  born  March  28,  1857. 

8.  Lydia  Frances,  born  March  5,  1859. 

William  Dowlin  was  born  in  1720,  and  came  to 

New  England  in  1753.  He  married  Sarah  (probably 
daughter  of  John)  Norris,  of  Epping,  N.  H.  He  died 
February  24,  1811.  His  children  were, — 

I.  Anne,  born  November  16,  1755. 

II.  Timothy  Leavitt,  born  February  4,  1762. 

III.  Elizabeth,  born  May  15,  1764;  died  November 

22,  1768. 

Timothy  Leavitt,  son  of  William  Dowlin,  was 
born  February  4,  1762.  He  married,  July  24,  1790, 
Elizabeth  Collins,  and  lived  on  the  farm  lately  occu- 
pied by  Amaziah  Hall.  He  was  a thrifty  farmer  and 
large  laud-owner.  He  gave  his  sons  each  a farm  and 
his  daughters  money  instead  of  land.  They  had  twelve 
children, — 

The  first  (born  December  14,  1791)  and  the  second 
(born  March  11,  1793)  lived  but  a few  days. 

3.  Samuel,  born  February  11,  1794;  had  a farm  on 
Goodwin  Hill. 

4.  Deborah,  born  March  25,  1796. 

5.  Dolly,  born  March  17,  1798;  died  December  30, 
1798. 

6.  Timothy,  born  October  8,  1799  ; married,  June 
7,1824,  Catharine,  daughter  of  Farrington  Hawks.  He 
settled  on  the  farm  since  owned  by  Nathan  Pierce, 


near  the  Pond  Brook.  Afterwards  the  family  lived 
where  William  Cressey  now  lives.  He  died  there 
March  24,  1844.  His  wife  died  March  30,  1872.  They 
had  nine  children, — 

I.  Elizabeth  Collins,  born  January  3,  1826 ; she 
married,  February  10,  1848,  Moses  E.  Gould,  of  War- 
ner. They  settled  at  Mill  village.  One  son,  Fred., 
attorney-at-law,  Concord,  N.  H. 

II.  Timothy  Leavitt,  born  February  17,  1828;  he 
married,  November  17,  1868,  Sarah  Jane  Ingraham, 
and  first  settled  in  Warner. 

III.  John  Hawks,  born  July  17,  1829;  married,  De- 
cember 14,  1853,  Ella  Frances  Colby,  of  Warner,  and 
settled  and  now  resides  in  that  town. 

IV.  Sarah  Jane,  born  March  2, 1831;  married,  March 
3,  1851,  Alfred  Colburn  Smith,  and  settled  at  Robin- 
son’s Ferry  ; they  afterwards  removed  to  Barnstead, 
where  Mr.  Smith  died.  They  had  three  children, 
two  of  whom  reside  at  Pittsfield,  N.  H.  The  other, 
a son,  perished  in  a snow-storm  on  the  Western 
plains. 

V.  Mary  Ann,  born  August  20, 1832  ; married 

Flanders,  of  Manchester,  N.  II.,  and  settled  there. 

VI.  Abby  Hawks,  born  August  24,  1834;  married, 
December  31, 1854,  Ezra  Dow  Cilley,  of  Manchester, 
N.  H.  She  died  there  May  3,  1869.  One  son,  who 
lives  with  John  H.  Dowlin,  of  Warner. 

VII.  George  Washington,  born  September  23, 1836  ; 
has  been  a miner  in  various  States  beyond  the  Rocky 
Mountains ; also  saddler  and  collar-maker  in  Con- 
cord, N.  H. 

VIII.  Marshall  Richardson,  born  September  15, 
1839 ; married  Sophia  Ann  Magoon  ; harness-maker 
and  saddler,  Westfield,  Mass. 

IX.  Louisa  Catharine,  born  November  11, 1841 ; 

married  Bradstreet,  and  resides  in  Rowley, 

Mass. 

7.  (Resuming  the  list  of  William’s  children)  achild 
born  January  20,  1803. 

8.  William,  Jr.,  born  April  9,1805.  He  removed  to 
Lempster,  N.  H. 

9.  A child  born  March  23,  1807. 

10.  Polly,  born  February  14,  1809 ; died  March  5, 
1810. 

11.  Caroline,  born  May  11,  1811  ; married  Cum- 
mings Pierce. 

12.  Irene,  born  September  9,  1813.  She  was  a very 
successful  teacher  of  the  winter  and  summer  terms  of 
district  schools.  She  was  a pious  and  active  Christian 
worker,  and  an  earnest  exhorter  in  religious  meetings. 
She  married  Patrick  Scully  and  lived  at  Mill  village. 

John  Felch,  born  in  Weare,  N.  H.,  June  27,  1794. 
He  married,  March  18,  1818,  Sally  Clark,  of  Hopkin- 
ton,  who  was  born  January  6,  1789.  He  settled  on 
the  farm  adjoining  that  of  John  Brown,  near  the  Cor- 
ner. He  had  an  excellent  farm  and  managed  it  well. 
He  died  May  22,  1858.  His  wife  died  November  17, 
1870.  Their  children  were, — 

I.  Horace  C.,  born  April  28,  1824.  He  married,  in 


202 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


1856,  Helen  H.  White,  ofStanstead,  P.  Q.,  and  settled 
in  Bradford.  Have  two  children, — 

1.  Fred.  R.,  born  July  15,  1860;  married,  Decem- 
ber 25,  1884,  Jennie  L.  Lund.  He  is  an  attorney-at- 
law  and  resides  at  Derry  Depot,  N.  H. 

2.  Emma  B.,  born  October  18,  1870. 

Offin  French  was  a soldier  in  the  War  of  the 
Revolution.  On  his  return  from  the  army  he  mar- 
ried and  moved  to  Bradford,  making  the  journey  on 
horseback.  He  bought  a lot  of  wild  land  and  cleared 
a farm,  and  built  the  house  where  he  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  his  days,  and  where  all  his  twelve  children 
were  born.  The  farm  is  a little  east  of  the  centre  of 
the  town,  next  beyond  that  of  Joshua  Jewett,  and  is 
now  owned  by  the  widow  of  Elder  Holmes.  Some 
of  his  neighbors  were  Timothy  Emerson,  Captain 
Sawyer,  Josiah,  father  of  Rial  Rowe,  Nehemiah 
Colby  and  Mr.  Hale.  Ten  of  his  children  lived  past 
middle  age ; two  died  young.  His  children  were, — 

1.  Offin,  married  I’hebe  Eaton ; lived  awhile  in 
Canada ; removed  to  Newbury  ; had  four  children. 

2.  Ru  an  a,  married  Jonathan  Muzzy,  of  W care;  they 
had  three  children. 

3.  Paskey,  died  unmarried. 

4.  Sceera,  married  James  Gilmore,  of  Hillsborough  ; 
died  there. 

5.  Daniel,  married  Abigail,  daughter  of  John 
Cressy,  of  Bradford;  lived  on  his  father’s  farm  till 
1833.  He  then  bought  a farm  of  Ilazeltine,  who  moved 
to  Ohio.  He  afterwards  sold  this  farm  to  Eben  W right, 
and  moved  into  the  village.  His  children  were, — 

Mary  Jane,  married  Joshua  P.  Marshall. 

Ira,  married  Hester  Goewey,  of  Lansingburg,  N.  Y.; 
was  engaged  in  trade  in  Bradford  several  years ; 
removed  to  Lansingburg,  and  died  there  in  May,  1883. 
His  only  daughter,  Hattie,  was  born  in  Bradford. 

Sabria  A.,  married  Frederick,  son  of  Stephen  Che- 
ney ; they  live  on  the  west  side  of  Massasecum 
Lake. 

Christina  P.,  married  Thomas  Little  ; settled  in 
Bradford. 

John,  married  Emma,  daughter  of  Ward  Day;  live 
at  the  Corner. 

6.  Phebe,  became  second  wife  of  Jonathan  Muzzy, 
of  Weare. 

7.  Susan,  married  Jonathan  Peaslee,  of  Weare. 

8.  James,  married  Hannah  Eaton  ; settled  in  Alex- 
andria; afterwards  removed  to  Michigan,  and  died 
there. 

9.  Judith,  died  in  Hillsborough;  unmarried. 

10.  Aaron,  at  the  age  of  twenty-one,  removed  to 
Charlestown,  Mass.;  removed  from  there  to  Provi- 
dence, R.  I.,  where  he  deals  in  honey ; unmarried. 

Farrington  Hawks,  son  of  David  and  Sarah 
Colburn,  of  Dunstable,  Mass.,  was  born  in  that  town 
April  21,  1770.  He  married,  first,  Sarah,  a sister  of 
David  Knowlton,  of  Newburvport,  Mass.,  by  whom 
all  his  children  were  born.  He  first  settled  in  Hud- 
son, N.  H.,  where  his  oldest  children  were  born.  In 


1796  he  removed  to  Warner,  having  purchased  of 
Reuben  Gale,  of  “ Almesbury,”  “ lot  No.  7,  in  the 
second  division  of  80-acre  lots.”  This  is  probably 
the  Shepard  Davis  place,  near  Massasecum  Lake. 
Here  he  lived  in  a log  house,  procuring  water  from  a 
spring  near  by,  and  threshing  out  his  grain  on  a 
smooth,  flat  ledge  of  rock,  still  known  as  the  “ thresh- 
ing-rock.” He  probably  lived  there  about  two 
years,  sending'  his  two  oldest  children  to  the  Pond 
school-house,  near  the  Daniel  Sargent  place.  He 
then  purchased  an  eighty-acre  lot  of  wild  land  in  the 
westerly  edge  of  Warner,  next  to  the  Bradford  line, 
On  this  tract  he  had  cut  down  fourteen  acres  of  the 
forest,  when  he  sold  the  whole  lot  to  Enos  Collins, 
of  Warner.  In  April,  1802,  he  bought  half  of  lot  43, 
in  Bradford,  of  Richard  Marshall,  the  half  lying 
south  of  the  road  to  the  pond,  and  west  of  the  Bible 
Hill  road.  The  next  purchase  made  by  Mr.  Hawks 
was  the  place  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
days.  The  deed  was  given  by  John  Pierce,  of  Ports- 
mouth, December  4,  1802,  in  which  the  tract  is  de- 
scribed as  follows : 

“A  certain  lot  of  land  in  Bradford,  containing  one  hundred  acres, 
more  or  less,  and  is  lot  number  forty-two  in  the  original  town  as  first  laid 
out,  and  was  drawn  and  recorded  to  the  right  of  Joshua  Pierce,  as  may 
be  found  by  the  records  of  the  Mason ian  Proprietors,  reference  there- 
unto being  had." 

The  price  paid  was  three  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 

Mr.  Hawks  built  and  occupied  a log  house  on  the 
northeast  corner  of  his  lot,  near  where  the  present 
house  stands  on  Bible  Hill.  Mr.  Hawks  was  tall, 
erect,  strong  and  healthy;  he  was  in  his  day  a cham- 
pion mower  and  wrestler.  He  was  very  fond  of  hunting, 
trapping  and  fishing.  His  first  wife  had  a good  edu- 
cation for  a woman  at  that  time.  She  died  in  August, 
1829.  He  married,  second,  Widow  Sarah  Young,  of 
Pelham,  N.  H.,  April  12,  1831.  He  died  November 
15,  1859.  His  children  were, — 

I.  Abigail,  born  May  5,  1792;  married  Nathan  R. 
Marshall.  She  died  March  11,  1867. 

II.  Colborn,  born  April  14,  1794. 

III.  Farrington,  born  June  5,  1796;  removed  to 
Cambridgeport,  Mass.,  where  he  died  March  31,  1832. 
His  widow  and  son  Henry  still  live  there  (1885). 

IV.  Catharine,  born  August  11,1798 ; married,  June 
7,  1825,  Timothy  L.  Dowlin  ; she  died  March  30, 
1872. 

V.  John,  born  October  26,  1801;  removed  to  New 
York;  married,  and  removed  to  Ohio.  He  was  a 
farmer.  He  died  November  20,  1868.  His  children, — 
Abigail,  born  August  11,  1834,  and  Elhanan  Win- 
chester, born  July  8, 1836— lived  in  Norwalk,  Ohio,  in 
1885. 

VI.  David  Knowlton,  born  May  7,  1804. 

VII.  Daniel,  born  August  25,  1806.  He  was  a 
farmer  and  worked  in  Massachusetts.  In  the  Mexican 
War  he  was  a member  of  Company  K,  New  England 
Regiment.  He  died  in  hospital  in  San  Angelos ; 
unmarried. 


BRADFORD. 


203 


VIII.  Moody,  born  February  25,  1809.  He  was  a 
farmer  ; worked  in  West  Cambridge,  Mass. ; married 
there  and  removed  to  Kirtland,  N.  Y.  He  was  in  the 
same  regiment  with  Daniel  in  the  Mexican  War.  He 
died  September  11, 1849.  His  wife  died  October  10, 
1848.  Their  children  were  Frederick  Henry,  Abigail 
L&mira,  Albert  Winn,  Sarah  Hall.  Albert  was  killed 
in  battle  in  1802. 

Colburn,  son  of  Farrington,  born  April  14,  1794,  in 
Hudson,  N.  H.  He  married,  March  7,  1820,  Clarissa, 
daughter  of  Dudley  Brown,  of  Wilmot.  He  died  July 
20,  1809.  He  was  of  slight  frame  and  below  the 
medium  in  stature,  his  usual  weight  being  one 
hundred  and  ten  pounds.  He  was  a farmer,  industri- 
ous, economical  and  fairly  successful.  He  bought 
his  father’s  farm,  and  built  the  house  now  standing  in 
1823.  From  this  homestead  can  be  seen  Kearsarge, 
Sunapee  and  Lovell’s  Mountains,  and  hills  in  Warner, 
Sutton,  New  London,  Newbury  and  Washington. 

Mr.  Hawks  had  surrounded  and  partitioned  off  his 
rocky  hillside  farm  with  several  miles  of  stone  walls, 
some  of  them  of  great  thickness. 

His  widow  still  survives  (1885).  Fully  half  the 
credit  of  acquiring  and  saving  a competency  is  due  to 
her  prudence  and  economy.  Their  children  were  all 
born  and  reared  on  the  homestead  above  mentioned, 
are, — 

I.  John  Milton,  born  November  26,  1826.  Educated 
in  the  district  school  and  at  the  “ High  School  ” at 
the  Mill  village.  He  taught  school  in  New 
Hampshire,  New  York  and  Georgia.  Read  medi- 
cine with  Dr.  G.  H.  Hubbard,  of  Bradford  Centre; 
attended  lectures  at  Woodstock,  Vt.,  and  gradu- 
ated at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  in  1848.  He  practiced 
medicine  in  Manchester,  N.  H.,  from  1848  to 
1861,  having,  in  the  mean  time,  visited  Florida  twice 
and  the  West  Indies  once.  In  March,  1862,  he  went 
out  to  the  Sea  Islands  of  South  Carolina  as  a physician 
to  the  freedmen.  From  July  till  October,  1862,  he  was 
acting  assistant  surgeon  United  States  army  on 
General  Saxton’s  staff.  In  October  was  commissioned 
assistant  surgeon  in  the  First  Regiment  of  South 
Carolina  Colored  Infantry.  This  was  the  first  colored 
regiment  ever  mustered  into  the  United  States  service, 
and  was  afterwards  numbered  Thirty-third  United 
States  Colored  Infantry.  In  October,  1863,  Dr. 
Hawks  was  commissioned  as  surgeon  of  Twenty-first 
United  States  Colored  Infantry,  where  he  served  until 
December,  1865,  when  he  resigned,  since  which  time 
he  has  lived  most  of  the  time  in  Florida.  He  married, 
October  4,  1854,  Esther  Hill,  of  Brentwood,  N.  H. 
She  graduated  at  the  Boston  Female  Medical  College 
in  1857 ; assisted  in  the  military  hospitals  at  Jackson- 
ville, Beaufort  and  Charleston  ; is  a successful  prac- 
titioner in  Lynn,  Mass. 

II.  Bartlett,  born  March  3,  1828 ; died  young. 

III.  Robert  Bartlett,  born  October  16,  1829  ; a 
farmer.  On  the  old  homestead  he  salts  the  sheep  and 
cattle  on  the  same  granite  ledges  where  his  father 


and  grandfather  salted  them,  and  cultivates  the  same 
fields  they  first  cleared  and  then  cultivated.  Invalid ; 
unmarried. 

IV.  Helen  Maria,  born  June  26,  1832;  married, 
November,  1853,  Prescott  Colby,  of  Bradford,  and  lives 
on  the  Moses  Colby  farm.  They  had  four  children. 
The  first,  a daughter,  was  poisoned  in  infancy  by 
chewing  friction  matches;  the  second,  Belle,  married 
J.  Currier,  of  Bradford,  and  settled  on  the  David 
Durrell  farm,  and  now  live  near  it;  the  third,  Jesse 
Prescott,  married  Clara,  daughter  of  Moody  Gilling- 
ham, and  first  settled  on  the  Gillingham  place ; re- 
moved to  Danvers,  Mass. ; the  fourth,  Flora,  resides 
with  her  parents. 

V.  Sarah  Knowlton,  born  September  17,  1835  ; in- 
valid ; lives  on  the  homestead. 

VI.  Miner,  born  January  28,  1845  ; married,  first, 
Georgia,  daughter  of  Edwin  Bailey,  of  Bradford; 
they  had  one  son,  Ralph,  born  July  30,  1869  ; died 
October,  1883.  She  died  of  consumption.  Second, 
Medora,  daughter  of  Wellman  George.  They  had 
Mertie,  who  lives  in  Manchester.  Mrs.  Hawks  died  of 
internal  tumor.  Miner  died  June  22,  1884. 

The  following  biographical  sketch  is  copied  from 
the  Manchester  Daily  Mirror  : 

“ Captain  Miner  Hawks,  of  Bradford,  whose  death,  on  the  23d  of  June, 
was  mentioned  in  this  paper,  has  an  excellent,  and,  in  some  respects,  an 
exceptional  military  history.  He  enlisted  as  a private  in  Co.  K,  1st 
Rhode  Island  Cavalry,  Oct.  31,  1861,  when  but  little  over  16  years  old, 
and  served  with  that  regiment  until  his  discharge  from  a general  hospi- 
tal in  Washington,  Dec.  21,  1862.  A part  of  the  next  year  he  attended 
the  academy  of  New  London  ; but  on  the  invitation  of  the  surgeon  of  the 
3d  Reg't  S.  C. Colored  Infantry  he  left  his  studies  and  enlisted  as  hospital 
steward  in  that  regiment,  then  stationed  at  Hilton  Head,  S.  C.  On  May 
24,  1864,  he  was  promoted  as  2d  lieutenant  in  Co.  D,  34th  Reg’t,  U.  S. 
colored  troops,  commanded  by  the  noted  Col.  James  Montgomery  of 
Kansas,  and  June  17,  1865,  he  was  commissioned  as  1st  lieutenant ; Nov. 

6,  1865,  as  captain  of  Co.  E,  in  the  same  regiment.  For  a portion  of  the 
time  till  the  muster  out  of  his  regiment,  Feb.  28,  1866,  Capt.  Hawks  was 
commander  of  the  post  at  Palatka,  Fla.  At  the  expiration  of  his  mili- 
tary service  Capt.  Hawks,  then  but  21  years  old,  commenced  the  study  of 
law  in  the  office  of  Cooper  & Bisbee,  Jacksonville,  Fla.  Having  lost  his 
available  funds  in  an  unfortunate  investment,  he  entered  the  employ- 
ment of  a company  at  Port  Orange,  which  failed  soon  after,  and  Capt.  II . 
returned  to  Bradford,  where  he  married  a daughter  of  E.  M.  Bailey,  aud 
removed  to  Council  Bluffs,  Iowa.  In  1864  he  returned  to  Bradford, 
where  his  wife  died  the  next  year.  In  1873  he  engaged  in  the  druggist's 
business  in  Allston,  Mass.,  and  afterwards  in  Manchester,  whore  he  re- 
sided until  the  death  ot  his  second  wife.  For  the  last  five  years  he  has 
carried  on  the  farm  of  his  aged  mother.  Capt.  Hawks  was  a fluent  and 
graceful  speaker  and  writer.  He  was  at  various  times  reporter  for  the 
Mirror  and  American  and  the  Union.  He  wrote  sketches  of  travel  in 
Florida  for  the  Saturday  Times  and  has  contributed  articles  to  the  Golden 
Rule , Youth's  Companion  and  other  Boston  periodicals.” 

David  Knowlton,  son  of  Farrington  Hawks,  born  May 

7,  1804;  a competent  cabinet-maker.  He  married, 
about  1825,  Susan  Straw,  and  lived  a while  at  the  old 
homestead  on  Bible  Hill.  Then  for  several  years  in 
the  “ Farrington  house,”  which  he  built  at  Ray- 
mond’s Corner  ; then  several  years  at  the  Mill  village, 
where  his  wife  died  of  cancer,  October  10, 1854.  Mr. 
Hawks  enlisted  in  the  Seventh  New  Hampshire  Vol- 
unteers at  the  age  of  fifty-six.  His  children  were, — 

I.  Emeline,  born  about  1826;  married  Orlando 
Bailey ; died  in  Manchester,  N.  H. 


204 


HISTORY  OP  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


II.  John,  a hatter  by  trade,  died  in  Derry,  N.  H., 
April  18,  1855. 

III.  Hartwell,  a teamster,  died  in  Boston. 

IY.  William,  a seaman,  married  an  English  wo- 
man ; lost  at  sea. 

Y.  Frederick  was  in  the  United  States  navy  during 
the  Rebellion;  married;  has  a daughter;  lives  in 
New  York. 

VI.  Esther,  worked  at  Manchester;  removed  to 
Boston. 

VII.  Helen,  married  Burke  Belknap,  of  Newport. 
They  live  in  Lawrence,  Mass.  One  son,  Lawrence. 

John  Howlet,  of  Henniker,  married  Phebe  John- 
son, of  that  town.  Their  children  were, — 

1.  Mary,  died  unmarried. 

2.  Betsy,  married  Neliemiah  Knight. 

3.  Enoch,  married,  second,  Hannah  Metcalf,  and 
settled  in  Freedom,  N.  Y.,  where  his  family  still 
resides. 

4.  Sally,  married  Benjamin  Flint,  and  lived  in 
Hillsborough. 

5.  Thomas,  married  Eunice,  daughter  of  Enos 
Collins,  of  Warner.  Their  children  were  John, 
Perley,  Enos,  Elizabeth  and  Sarah. 

6.  John,  born  July  22,1795;  married  Phebe  Cressy. 
Mr.  Howlet  is  probably  the  oldest  living  man  in 
town. 

7.  Alice,  married  Israel  Andrews. 

8.  Stephen,  removed  to  Sutton  and  married  there. 

9.  George,  married  Marinda  Cram;  died  on  the 
home  farm. 

10.  Perley,  died  at  twenty  years  of  age. 

11.  James,  married  Dorcas  Stevens;  lived  and  died 
in  the  next  house  to  John;  no  children. 

12.  David,  died  young. 

13.  Benjamin,  died  at  twenty-one  ; unmarried. 

14.  Caleb,  died  at  two  years  of  age. 

15.  Phebe,  died  an  infant. 

Stephen  Hoyt  was  born  in  Hopkinton,  N.  II., 
August  30,  1769;  he  married  Phebe,  daughter  of 
Deacon  William  Presbury,  born  July 20, 1772.  “She 
was  the  first  white  child  born  in  the  town  of  Brad- 
ford.” She  died  July  29,  1847.  General  Hoyt,  as  he 
was  usually  called,  was  a man  of  marked  ability  and 
activity.  He  built  and  operated  mills,  cleared  up 
farms,  built  houses  and  in  various  ways  left  the  im- 
press of  his  energetic  spirit  on  the  social  and  busi- 
ness life  of  the  town.  His  children  were, — 

1.  William  P.,  born  April  4,  1794;  died  January 
19,  1867. 

2.  Stephen,  Jr.,  born  August  27,  1795;  died  No- 
vember 10,  1859. 

3.  John,  born  October  3,  1797  ; died  at  sea  Septem- 
ber 28,  1851. 

4.  Hiram,  born  December  17,1800;  died  October 
26,  1825. 

5.  George  W.,  born  January  12, 1803 ; died  October 
10,  1826. 

6-  Olive  P.,  born  May  18,  1806. 


7.  Elisha  E.,  born  October  12,  1808. 

8.  John  Raymond,  born  September  2,  1811  ; died 
December  24,  1858. 

9.  Elbridge  Gerry,  born  September  6,  1814;  he 
married,  December  20,  1843,  Mary  Anne  Spaulding, 
of  Warner,  who  was  born  November  30,  1814.  He 
lived  on  his  father’s  homestead ; died  August  29, 
1879. 

Samuel  Jones,  son  of  John  Jones,  was  born  in 
Hopkinton  May  12,  1786.  He  came  to  Bradford 
about  the  year  1809,  and  taught  a district  school 
there.  He  married  Elizabeth  Andrews,  of  Sutton, 
April  17,  1810,  and  had  seven  children.  His  wife 
died  March  23,  1849.  He  married,  second,  Amanda 
Eaton,  of  Bradford,  April  10,  1851.  He  died 
February  12,  1867.  “Esquire”  Jones,  as  he  was 
familiarly  called,  was  one  of  the  leading  men  of  the 
town  in  his  day.  He  represented  the  town  in  the 
State  Legislature  for  several  years.  He  was  also  a 
member  of  the  State  Senate  and  of  the  Executive 
Council.  He  represented  the  town  in  the  State  Con- 
stitutional Convention  of  1850,  and  the  year  following 
was  one  of  the  Presidential  electors.  He  built,  and 
for  a while  kept,  the  hotel  at  the  Mill  village. 

The  children  of  Samuel  and  Elizabeth  (Andrews) 
Jones  were, — 

I.  George,  born  April  9,  1811;  died  May  3,  1882. 
The  following  biographical  sketch  appeared  in  a Con- 
cord paper  at  the  time : 

“Concord,  May  3, 1882. — Hon.  George  Jones,  whose  death  from  paral- 
ysis occurred  at  his  home  in  North  State  Street  this  morning,  was  born 
in  Bradford,  April  9,  1811,  and  was  a son  of  Hon.  Samuel  Jones,  who 
was  president  of  the  State  Senate  in  1838.  The  deceased  had  held  various 
local  offices  and  represented  the  town  two  years  in  the  Legislature.  lie 
was  chosen  register  of  deeds  of  Merrimack  County  in  1848  and  subse- 
quently re-elected  for  several  terms.  During  the  administration  of  Pres- 
ident Pierce,  Mr.  Jones  was  connected  with  the  postal  service,  and  was 
cashier  of  the  old  Warner  Bank  many  years.  While  residing  in  that 
place  he  represented  the  Eighth  District  in  the  State  Senate  from  1871  to 
1873.  He  removed  to  this  city  in  1874  and  was  immediately  elected 
treasurer  of  the  National,  afterward  Concord  Savings-Bank,  which  posi, 
tion  he  filled  most  acceptably  for  over  two  years.  He  formed  a copart- 
nership, March  1st,  with  John  E.  Robertson  and  Charles  P.  Rowell,  for  the 
purpose  of  conducting  an  extensive  wood,  coal  and  ice  business,  and  was 
on  his  way  home  from  his  office  last  evening  when  he  was  attacked  w ith 
the  fatal  illness.  Mr.  Jones  was  an  enterprising  and  public-spirited 
citizen,  honest  and  upright  in  all  his  dealings  and  highly  esteemed  for 
his  sterling  worth  and  the  strict  integrity  of  his  character  . He  leaves  a 
widow  and  two  daughters,  beside  a brother,  Timothy  P.  Jones,  of  Brad- 
ford, and  a sister,  Mrs.  George  Hubbard,  of  Manchester.” 

II.  Timothy  Peaslee,  born  April  15,  1813;  married, 
April  4,  1839,  Mary,  daughter  of  Nicodemus  Watson, 
of  Warner,  and  settled  in  Bradford,  where  he  spent 
nearly  his  whole  life.  He  took  an  active  interest  in 
the  welfare  of  the  town  and  took  part  in  the  manage- 
ment of  town  affairs,  having  many  times  held  offices 
of  trust.  He  represented  the  town  in  the  State  Legis- 
lature in  the  years  1874  and  1875.  His  children 
were  Wilbur  Fisk,  born  July  24,  1840,  died  Novem- 
ber 9,  1841;  Prudence  Elizabeth,  born  November  1, 
1842,  died  October  19,  1869;  Mary  Augusta,  horn 
August  6,  1842,  married,  November  15,  1876,  George 
Harvey,  son  of  Elder  Eleazer  Steele,  of  Bradford ; 


OBITUARY. 


•e 


At  last  the  blow  has  fallen  ! We  have  been  expecting  for 
several  days  to  hear  it  softly  spoken  that  Mrs.  Dora  A.  Evans 
was  no  more  ; but  however  so  much  we  all  expected  to  hear  of 
her  death,  yet  it  was  sad  news  to  this  community  when,  on  the 
morning  of  the  19th,  tidings  came  to  us  from  Epsom  that  this 
exemplary  Christian  woman  had  departed,  aged  25.  Mrs. 
Evans  was  the  daughter  of  John  H.  and  Mary  Fife,  of  Epsom, 
and  wife  of  William  B.  Evans,  of  this  town.  Her  parents, 
husband  and  one  son,  two  brothers  and  three  sisters  mourn  her 
loss.  Early  in  life  she  gave  her  heart  to  Jesus  and  joined  the 
F.  W.  Baptist  Church  in  Epsom,  the  home  of  her  childhood. 
A few  years  ago  she  severed  her  connection  with  that  church 
and  united  here,  and  always  lived  an  earnest,  Christian  life. 
Since  coming  here  she  had  endeared  herself  to  many  hearts  by 
her  sunny  disposition  and  Godly  life.  For  nearly  a year  she 
has  been  gradually  failing  with  that  terrible  disease,  consump- 
tion, and  as  she  neared  the  gate  of  the  Celestial  City  methinks 
there  must  have  been  a host  of  ministering  angels  there  wait- 
ing to  receive  her  only  across  the  river  of  death.  All  through 
her  sickness  she  was  perfectly  resigned  to  God’s  will,  and  when 
the  last  moment  came  she  died  in  the  triumphs  of  faith.  Her 
funeral  was  held  in  Epsom,  at  her  father’s  house,  on  the  22d. 
There  was  a large  attendance  of  mourning  friends  that  went 
down  from  here  to  pay  their  last  sad  tributes  of  respect  to  her 
precious  memory.  Her  remains  were  enclosed  in  a nice 
casket.  The  ladies  employed  in  the  stitch  room  of  C.  B. 
Lancaster’s  shoe  manufactory,  where  she  had  formerly  worked, 
sent  down  a cross  of  splendid  natural  flowers  ; besides  this 
there  was  contributed  by  her  friends  in  Epsom  a magnificent 
pillow  of  flowers  and  a wreath.  Rev.  J.  C.  Osgood,  from 
this  place,  preached  the  funeral  discourse.  After  the  friends 
had  taken  leave  of  the  corpse  a long,  sorrowful  procession 
followed  her  remains  to  the  grave.  “Blessed  are  the  dead 
that  die  in  the  Lord.” 


BRADFORD. 


205 


Samuel  Nicodemus,  born  January  1,  1850,  died  No- 
vember 8,  1852;  Frank  Woodbury,  born  February  19, 
1854,  died  June  20,  1873. 

III.  Fanny,  born  April  28,  1815;  married  

Francis  ; lived  at  the  Corner;  she  died  June  7,  1867  ; 
had  two  children,  who  removed  to  Massachusetts. 

IV.  Eliza,  born  April  10,  1817 ; married  Edward 
Cressy  and  settled  in  this  town,  near  Melvin’s  Mills. 
Of  her  three  children,  James,  the  eldest,  married,  for 
second  wife,  Antoinette,  daughter  of  Savory  Cheney, 
and  lives  near  the  centre  of  the  town.  Mariette,  mar- 
ried George  Denny,  lives  in  Gloucester,  Mass.,  six 
children ; Elizabeth,  married  Edward  Richardson, 
lives  at  Contoocook,  no  children. 

V.  Seth  Straw,  born  April  4,  1819;  died  June  23, 
1856.  He  “ fitted  for  his  profession  under  the  direc- 
tion of  George  H.  Hubbard,  M.D.,  of  this  town  ; 
graduated  at  the  Vermont  Medical  College  in  1847, 
and  settled  in  Effingham,  N.  H.,  in  June,  1848,  where 
he  resided  until  1854,  when  he  was  obliged  by  his 
failing  health  to  leave  his  large  circle  of  friends  in 
that  place.  Few  men  have  in  so  short  a time  acquired 
so  strong  a hold  on  the  confidence  of  the  commu- 
nity as  did  Dr.  Jones.  He  was  eminently  the  ‘good 
physician.’  ” — New  Hampshire  Medical  Journal,  July, 
1858. 

VI.  Samuel  Woodbury,  born  December  21,  1821  ; 
died  July  11,  1878.  (Biographical  notice  under  the 
head  of  Physicians). 

VII.  Sally  Martin,  bornSeptember  27,  1825;  mar- 
ried Dr.  George  H.  Hubbard,  of  Sutton,  and  first 
settled  at  Bradford  Centre.  One  son,  George,  a suc- 
cessful druggist  in  Manchester ; died  there. 

Richard  Marshall  married  Esther  Pierce,  and 
came  to  Bradford  probably  with  Josiali  Melvin  before 
the  year  1787.  He  bought  the  land  and  cleared  most  of 
the  farm  where  Cummings  Pierce  now  lives,  and  re- 
mained on  it  twenty  years. 

In  1787  he  owned  the  land  on  the  south  side  of  the 
road  that  leads  up  the  hill  from  C.  Pierce’s  and 
Melvin  on  the  north  side.  He  afterwards  bought  a 
lot  at  the  top  of  the  hill  in  Warner  and  built  a house 
on  the  edge  of  that  town,  southeasterly  from  where 
the  old  buildings  of  Nathan  R.  now  stand.  This 
house  was  probably  afterwards  moved  down  to  Na- 
than’s, but  the  site  of  the  old  house  can  still  be 
traced.  “ Bill”  Sargent  may  have  lived  first  in  that 
house,  or  possibly  north  of  Nathan’s,  near  the  old 
well  at  the  side  of  the  road.  He  lived  in  that  im- 
mediate neighborhood  before  Marshall  did.  The  last 
years  of  his  life  he  lived  in  a small  house  close  to 
Nathan’s.  His  children  were : — 

Richard,  who  spent  most  of  his  life  in  Massachu- 
setts, but  died  in  Bradford;  has  no  descendants  in 
town. 

Esther,  married  Josiah  Melvin. 

Sarah,  married  Asa  Sargent,  of  Warner. 

Nathan  Richardson,  born  June  10,  1792. 

Nathan  Richardson  Marshall,  son  of  Richard,  born 


June  10,  1792,  probably  in  Bradford,  purchased  his 
father’s  farm  and  maintained  his  parents  in  their  old 
age.  He  married  Abigail  Hawks,  of  Bradford.  He  was 
intelligent,  thoughtful  and  progressive.  He  examined 
into  the  claims  of  phrenology  and  became  a believer 
in  its  doctrines.  He  was  a methodical  and  systematic 
farmer;  a subscriber  to  and  reader  of  Hill's  Farmers' 
Visitor  for  many  years.  He  kept  a daily  journal  lor 
half  a century.  He  and  his  neighbor,  C.  Pierce, 
were  the  first  farmers  in  that  locality  to  substitute 
hot  coffee  for  rum  in  the  hay  and  harvest-field  and  at 
“ huskings.”  He  and  his  wife  were  patterns  of  in- 
dustry, economy  and  kindness  toward  neighbors,  and 
the  world  is  better  for  their  having  lived. 

Before  he  gave  up  work  he  left  the  old  homestead 
and  fitted  up  a comfortable  residence,  where  his 
daughter  Esther  and  her  husband,  John  H.  Collins, 
now  live.  A neat  monument  marks  their  last  rest- 
ing-place, not  far  from  the  house,  at  the  foot  of  the 
Goodwin  Hill.  She  died  March  11,  1867.  He  died 
December  6,  1872. 

Their  children  were, — 

I.  Sarah  Knowlton,  born  February  2,1812:  mar- 
ried, May  8,  1849,  John  Furnald  and  settled  in  Lou- 
don. One  son  died  at  twenty.  She  lives  in  Boston. 

II.  Catharine,  born  December  19,  1814.  Invalid ; 
lives  at  John  H.  Collins’. 

III.  Mary,  born  June  1,  1815;  married  Sumner 
Kittredge  and  lived  several  years  in  Massachusetts; 
then  on  the  Captain  Hoyt  farm  in  Warner.  They 
now  live  at  the  Corner.  One  son,  Everett,  who  owns 
and  lives  on  the  John  Felch  farm,  has  two  chil- 
dren. His  wife  died  in  June,  1885. 

IV.  Joshua  Pierce,  born  February  18,  1818;  mar- 
riedMary  Jane  French;  lived  several  years  in  Massa- 
chusetts, carrying  on  a wholesale  glassware  store  in 
Boston.  Residence  at  Bradford  Corner,  on  the  Ray- 
mond place.  Their  children  were, — 

1.  Daniel  Richardson,  married  Vilona  L.  Simonds, 
of  Washington,  N.  H.  He  entered  business  near  the 
depot  in  this  town.  Now  lives  in  New  York  City. 

2.  William,  died  in  the  West. 

3.  Addison  Joseph,  dealer  in  general  merchandise, 
and  is  postmaster  at  Hawks  Park,  Fla. 

4.  Mary,  died  in  Bradford. 

V.  Betsey  B.,  born  September  28,  1818  ; died  June 
28,  1824. 

VI.  Esther,  born  April  18,1820;  died  July  23,  1821. 

VII.  Esther  Pierce,  born  August  19,  1821;  married 
John  Harriman,  son  of  Enos  Collins,  of  Bible  Hill, 
Warner,  and  settled  on  the  Collins  homestead.  This 
couple  have  had  a rare  and  remarkable  experience  in 
taking  care  of  the  father  and  mother  of  both.  They 
first  lived  with  his  father  and  mother;  then,  some 
years  after  the  old  people  died,  John  and  Esther 
moved  over  to  her  parents’  home  and  took  care  of 

them.  Twochildren, — Abigail, married Blaisdell, 

died  in  Sutton,  leaving  one  son;  Helen  Frances, mar- 
ried Frank  Carr,  of  Bradford.  They  live  at  the  Mills. 


206 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


VIII.  Joseph  Addison,  born  July  7,  1826,  married, 
first,  MarietteC. Page;  second, Sarah  M. Chapman.  He 
first  settled  on  the  old  homestead,  his  father  moving 
over  to  his  new  place  on  the  Henniker  road.  After 
the  death  of  his  wife  he  left  the  farm  and  engaged 
successfully  in  trade  in  Suffolk  Market  for  several 
years.  He  was  in  a large  wholesale  business  with 
his  brother,  J.  P.,  on  Congress  Street,  Boston,  on  the 
site  of  the  new  city  post-office,  and  was  burned  out 
there  in  the  great  fire  of  1872.  The  business  was 
afterwards  carried  on  in  John  Street,  lastly  under 
the  firm-name  of  Marshall  & Blanchard.  Ill  health 
has  compelled  him  to  retire  from  active  business. 

While  living  in  Bradford  he  was  several  times  a 
member  of  the  Board  of  Selectmen.  He  died  in  Brad- 
ford, July  12,  1885.  His  last  work  was  to  make  out 
the  list  of  soldiers  from  Bradford,  in  the  late  civil 
war. 

IX.  Luella,  born  March  22,  1828;  married  Edwin 
M.  Bailey;  lived  at  Mill  village;  died  October  23, 
1854,  leaving  two  daughters,  Georgia  and  Florence. 

X.  Farrington  Hawks,  born  August  23,  1829;  mar- 
ried a Miss  Farrington,  and  resides  in  Boston,  where 
for  several  years  he  has  been  a wholesale  dealer  in 
country  produce.  They  have  three  children, — Walter, 
married,  lives  in  East  Boston  ; Minnie  and  Fred. 

Josiah  Melvin  came  to  Bradford  before  the  year 
1787,  at  about  the  same  time  with  Richard  Marshall, 
whose  daughter  Esther  he  married.  Their  farms, 
east  of  Bradford  Pond,  were  adjoining.  But  Mr. 
Melvin’s  fame  was  acquired  not  as  a farmer,  but  as  a 
miller.  He  owned  and  operated  the  grist-mill  at  the 
Mill  village  for  several  years,  living  in  the  house 
since  owned  by  Samuel  Jones.  He  removed  just 
over  the  town  line  into  Warner,  and  bought  the  grist 
and  saw-mills  that  had  been  built  by  Lieutenant 
Hoyt  and  owned  by  Simmons  and  others,  and  run 
them  successfully  many  years,  instructing  his  five 
sons  in  the  same  business;  all  have  tended  those 
mills,  and  they  well  deserve  the  name  Melvin’s  Mills, 
in  honor  of  which  the  post-office  and  railroad  station 
are  named.  To  every  one  who  knew  the  “Old 
Judge,”  as  he  was  latterly  called,  the  sight  or  men- 
tion of  his  name  will  bring  up  a crowd  of  pleasant 
memories.  Since  the  death  of  Nathan  Melvin  the 
mills  have  changed  owners  several  times,  and  have 
worn  rather  a doubtful,  not  to  say  dilapidated,  look. 
But  they  are  all  right  now.  In  1884  the  old  mills 
came  into  the  possession  of  Weare  Tappan,  youngest 
child  of  Josiah  Melvin,  and  he  has  renovated  every- 
thing from  the  dam  foundation  to  the  saddle-boards; 
new  outsides,  new  insides.  The  hand  of  the  master 
is  there;  the  mills  are  good  for  another  century  at 
least,  and  they  will  add  ten  per  cent,  to  the  comfor 
and  health  of  the  neighborhood  for  miles  around. 
From  the  old  family  Bible,  Miss  Ellen  M.  Straw,  of 
Claremont,  N.  H.,  a granddaughter  of  Josiah,  kindly 
furnishes  the  following  record  of  the  family,  giving 
no  other  particulars  only  dates  of  births: 


1.  Esther,  born  October  11,  1795. 

2.  Richard,  born  October  5,  1797. 

3.  Mary  M.,  born  December  19,  1799. 

4.  Sarah  P.,  born  June  25,  1802. 

5.  Hartwell,  born  August  9,  1805. 

6.  Nathan  R.,  born  January  15,  1807. 

7.  Susan  M.,  born  October  4,  1808- 

8.  Lucy  M.,  born  May  22,  1811. 

9.  Ruth,  born  November  9,  1815. 

10.  Jonah  Galusha,  born  November  6,  1817. 

11.  Weare  Tappan,  born  June  22,  1820. 

Richard  Melvin  was  the  only  one  of  Josiah’s 

children  who  settled  and  remained  in  this  town.  He 
was  a miller  by  trade.  He  built  the  house  now 
owned  and  occupied  by  Parker  S.  Whitcomb,  near 
the  Cheney  bridge  which  spans  the  Warner  River, 
within  one-third  of  a mile  of  his  father’s  mill.  He 
married  Betsy  Straw.  Their  children  were, — 

1.  Proctor  Darling,  born  November  5,  1817;  rail- 
road builder  and  contractor.  Married,  March  25, 
1845,  Harriet,  daughter  of  David  Bagley,  and  settled 
at  Melvin’s  Mills.  He  died  March  4,  1865.  Four 

children, — Margaret  F.,  born  1846,  married Holmes 

and  settled  at  Melvin’s  Mills;  Richard  Edson,  born 
October  25,  1849;  Betsy  A.,  born  December  14,  1854, 
died  young;  Walter,  born  October  18,  1856. 

2.  Grosvenor  Sticknev,  born  August  29,  1819;  died 
1826. 

3.  Harriet  Maria,  born  November  13,  1821;  mar- 
ried, July  25,  1844,  Clark  Whitcomb,  of  Hillsborough, 
and  settled  there;  lived  several  years  in  Lake  village. 
In  May,  1882,  they  bought  the  Ebenezer  Cheney 
farm,  near  Melvin’s  Mills,  and  have  removed 
there.  Of  their  three  children,  two  daughters  died 
unmarried.  Frank  Lawton,  born  June  7,  1851;  mar- 
ried Ida  Jennett,  of  Rockport,  Mass.;  engineer;  lives 
in  Concord,  N.  H. ; has  four  children. 

4.  Benjamin  Franklin,  born  February  15,  1824; 
married,  February  7,  1856,  Hannah  D.  Colby,  of 
Warner,  who  was  born  February  11,  1827.  They 
lived  in  Warner.  He  died  February  10,  1873.  Chil- 
dren,— Frank  Otis,  born  January  26,  1857;  Celia 
Addie,  born  September  4,  1860;  died  July  23,  1863; 
Maud  Muller,  born  August  19,  1866. 

5.  Elizabeth,  born  July  31,  1827;  married,  May, 
1853,  Eben  Wright,  engineer,  and  settled  in  Bradford; 
removed  to  Concord. 

6.  A son,  born  July  29,  1829;  died  young. 

7.  Mary  Ann,  born  1831;  died  1832. 

8.  Esther  Maria,  born  October  18,  1835;  married 
Baxter  Codman,  of  Hillsborough.  She  died  March  3, 
1869. 

9.  Henrietta,  born  September  3,  1838;  married 
George  W.  Page;  lives  in  Nashua. 

10.  Josiah,  born  March  3,  1841 ; conductor  Concord 
and  Claremont  Railroad ; has  been  twice  married ; lives 
in  Contoocook. 

Nathan  Pierce,  born  September  7, 1765,  probably 
in  Hudson,  N.  H.  He  married  Phebe  Cummings 


BRADFORD. 


207 


(born  July  8,  1768).  He  removed  from  Hillsborough 
to  Antrim,  where  he  remained  about  a year;  then,  in 
1820,  he  removed  to  Bradford,  and  settled  on  the 
farm  near  the  “ pond,”  where  he  died.  Several  fam- 
ilies, among  whom  was  that  of  George  Maxfield,  had 
lived  on  the  farm.  Richard  Marshall  cleared  most 
of  the  farm,  and  lived  on  it  twenty  years.  The  main 
front  of  this  farm  lies  along  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Henniker  road,  from  the  land  of  Frederick  Cheney  to 
that  of  J.  H.  Collins.  Extending  easterly,  the  farm 
includes  the  north  end  of  Massasecum  Lake  and  a 
part  of  Guiles’  Hill.  Probably  no  other  farm  in  town 
has  such  a variety  of  landscape  scenery  and  soil. 
Its  sheep  pasture  on  Cheney’s  Hill  and  its  noted  and 
far-famed  blueberry  patches  at  the  top  of  Guiles’  Hill 
all  overlook  the  Lake  Massasecum  and  the  great  val- 
ley on  the  west.  Its  soil  embraces  every  variety  from 
the  strong,  disintegrated  granite  of  the  hill-sides  to 
the  fine  sand  of  the  pine  land  and  the  rich  intervale 
and  cranberry  meadows  along  the  “pond  brook.” 
Before  the  country  was  settled  by  white  men,  this 
region  was  a favorite  resort  of  the  Indians.  Several  of 
their  concave  fire-places,  lined  with  stones  and  con- 
taining bits  of  charcoal,  have  been  found  on  this  farm. 

Curiously-wrought  stone  implements  have  also 
been  plowed  up  near  the  lake,  such  as  axes,  gouges, 
mortar-pestles  and  flint  heads  of  arrows  and  spears. 
Tradition  says  that  a moose  was  slain  at  the  brook 
below  the  barn  by  Deacon  Presbury,  the  first  settler 
in  town. 

Mr.  Pierce’s  children  were  as  follows: 

I.  Nathan,  born  August  15,  1787  ; married  Abigail 
Graves,  of  Washington.  During  the  latter  years  of 
his  life  he  lived  on  the  farm  first  occupied  by  T.  L. 
Dowlin.  He  had  two  children, — Benjamin  Franklin 
and  Cynthia.  The  former  lives  in  Stoughton,  Mass.; 
the  latter  married  Leonard  Jameson,  and  lives  on 
the  farm. 

II.  Susan,  born  May  23,  1792;  died  September  13, 
1797. 

III.  Mary,  born  July  12,  1794;  died  unmarried. 

IY.  Cummings,  born  December,  1796;  died  Decem- 
ber, 1801. 

Y.  Susan,  born  February  7,  1799;  late  in  life  she 
became  the  second  wife  of  Enos  Collins,  of  Warner. 
She  was  a tailoress  by  trade,  and  for  many  years  she 
worked  in  families,  cutting  and  making  men’s  and 
boys’  clothes.  She  worked  for  twenty-five  cents  a 
day  and  board,  and  usually  worked  fourteen  hours  a 
day.  She  was  very  economical  as  well  as  industrious, 
and  out  of  her  earnings  she  purchased  the  farm  for  her 
brother,  Nathan ; also  the  lot  and  house  where  she  died, 
now  (1885)  occupied  by  Charles  Burrill.  She  possessed 
a vigorous  intellect  and  clear  moral  perceptions. 
She  was  a warm  advocate  of  emancipation,  and 
for  many  years  a subscriber  to  Garrison’s  Liberator. 
She  was  also  a free  and  fearless  thinker  and  speaker 
on  religious  subjects  and  a reader  of  the  Boston  In- 
vestigator and  Free  Religious  Index.  On  giving  up 


work,  she  gave  her  property  to  Parker  Whitcomb  for 
the  support  of  herself  and  husband  during  the  re- 
mainder of  their  lives.  She  died  January  8,  1873. 

VI.  Daniel,  born  July  17,  1801;  married  and  lived 
in  Eden,  Vt.;  died  August  26,  1848. 

VII.  Cummings,  born  May  22,  1803;  married, 
February  14,  1833,  Caroline  Dowlin,  of  Bradford, 
and  lived  on  his  father’s  farm,  taking  care  of  his  par- 
ents. He  has  been,  for  several  years,  one  of  the  se- 
lectmen of  the  town.  He  has  been  one  of  the  earliest 
risers  and  most  industrious  and  frugal  of  farmers,  and 
consequently  he  has  been  very  successful  and  pros- 
perous. His  children  are,— 

1.  Lucefta,  born  May  12,  1838;  married  John  Her- 
bert Ewins,  of  Warner,  farmer. 

2.  Anna,  born  August  18,  1849;  married  Freeman 
H.  Gillingham,  of  Bradford,  who  carries  on  the  Pierce 
homestead. 

VIII.  Stephen  Chapin,  born  November  4,  1807 ; 
married  Martha,  daughter  of  Enos  Collins,  of  War- 
ner, and  first  settled  in  the  Timothy  Flanders  house, 
at  Melvin’s  Mills.  He  was  a skilled  mechanic  and 
an  ingenious  inventor.  He  has  had  some  very  nar- 
row escapes  from  making  a fortune.  His  inventions 
have  made  other  people  rich ; but  thus  far  he  has 
steered  clear  of  such  worldly  incumbrances.  He  has 
been  through  life  a “free  thinker”  on  theological 
subjects.  He  has  one  son,  Daniel,  a mechanic,  who 
lives  in  Warner. 

Nathan  Piper,  of  Hopkinton,  married  Hannah 
Smith,  of  Bradford,  and  for  a time  lived  in  Bridge- 
water,  N.  H.  They  came  to  Bradford  about  1808,  and 
bought  fifty  acres  of  wild  land  on  the  west  shore  of 
Bradford  Pond.  He  was  a carpenter  by  trade  and 
built  the  house  where  his  son  Trueworthy  now  lives. 
He  also  framed  most  of  the  houses  in  that  locality. 
He  died  in  1821,  in  the  thirty-ninth  year  of  his  age. 
His  wife  was  over  ninety-six  years  of  age  at  her  death, 
and  was  the  oldest  person  in  town.  She  died  in  1877. 
Their  children  were  Trueworthy,  born  in  Bridgewater, 
N.  H.,  in  1805;  (he  took  care  of  his  parents  and  in- 
herited the  homestead) ; Sally,  born  in  Bradford  in 
1809;  Keziah,  born  about  1812,  died  about  1814; 
Henry,  born  1816. 

Elijah  West,  blacksmith,  came  from  Henniker 
in  1808.  His  children  were, — 

1.  Betsy,  married  Joseph  Shattuck. 

2.  Polly,  married  James  Presbury. 

3.  Timothy  Kendall,  born  March,  1800. 

4.  John,  born  1802  ; died  1817,  of  spotted  fever. 

5.  Sally,  born  1804;  died  at  same  time  and  from 
same  disease  as  John. 

6.  Emily,  born  1806 ; married  Joshua  Wright,  of 
Warner. 

7.  Leonard,  born  1808 ; married  Mary  Ayers. 

8.  Elijah,  born  1810;  married  Jane  Albe,  of  Ver- 
mont. 

Timothy  Kendall,  son  of  Elijah  West,  had  the  fol- 
lowing children : 


203 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


1 . Daniel  F.,  born  March  6, 1824 ; died  April  22, 1825. 

2.  Abigail  Eaton,  born  December  19,  1825. 

3.  Rufus  Fuller,  born  January  26,  1828. 

4.  Timothy  Kendall,  Jr.,  born  August  22,  1830; 
married  Polly  Wright;  died  June,  1874. 

5.  Mary  Elizabeth,  born  July  18,  1832;  married 
Addison  Cressy. 

6.  Daniel  Fuller,  born  October  11,  1834. 

7.  John,  born  November  4, 1836 ; died  July  31, 1880. 

Eaton. — The  ancestors  of  the  Eaton  families  in 

this  town  came  from  Hopkinton.  There  were  foui 
brothers,  as  follows : 

I.  Ebenezer,  born  April  1,  1757 ; married,  Decem- 
ber 7,  1780,  Plannah  French,  born  October  12,  1759, 
died  June  29,  1823.  He  died  January  5,  1806.  Their 
children  were  Abigail,  born  April  1,  1783;  married 
November,  1804;  died  September  8,  1839.  Samuel, 
born  June  1,  1785;  married  1810;  died  August  1, 
1864.  Elisha,  born  April  11,  1788;  married  October 

20,  1811  ; died  March  24,  1862.  Hannah,  born  April 
4, 1792 ; married  November  25,  1816  ; died  September 

21,  1824.  E.  H.  Eaton,  son  of  Elisha,  born  Septembei 

22,  1816 ; married,  March  17,  1840,  Roena  F.  Ayer, 
born  December  22,  1818.  She  died  December,  1882. 

II.  Nathaniel,  born  March  20,  1761 ; married  No- 
vember 9,  1786;  died  January  24,  1837.  He  came  to 
Bradford  March  22,  1792,  and  returned  to  Hopkinton 
February  20,  1805,  and  was.  probably  the  first  of  his 
name  in  this  town. 

III.  John,  born  July  14,  1765;  married  Phebe 
Brock  way,  born  April  29,  1770;  died  February  12, 
1851.  He  died  January  19,  1844. 

IV.  Joshua,  born  February  25, 1768;  married,  first, 
Sarah  Hoyt;  she  died  April  17,  1815.  He  was 
captain  of  the  Fifth  Company,  Thirtieth  Regiment 
New  Hampshire  Militia.  The  commission,  now  in 
possession  of  his  son  Joshua,  is  dated  July  22,  1806, 
and  signed  by  John  Langdon,  Governor  of  the  State 
of  New  Hampshire.  A commission  as  major  of  the 
First  Battalion  in  the  same  regiment  is  dated  June  1, 
1809.  The  family  moved  to  Bradford  about  1795. 
Their  children  were, — 

1.  Moses,  born  April  9,  1793;  married  Polly  Pres- 
bury,  born  1796,  died  July  1,  1868.  He  died  Novem- 
ber 23,  1858. 

2.  Mary,  born  June  5.  1795  ; married,  April  6, 1815. 
John  Brockway,  born  June  18,  1793  ; died  Decembei 
27,  1874;  he  died  November  24,  1870. 

3.  William  A.,  born  April  2,  1800;  married  Han- 
nah Morse;  he  died  July  5,  1874. 

4.  Sarah,  born  February  16,  1805;  married  Simeon 
Shattuck  ; she  died  January  14,  1831. 

5.  Martha,  born  December  7, 1808 ; married,  March 
14,  1833,  Osman  Bailey,  born  September  6,  1806 ; she 
died  December  12,  1878. 

Joshua  married,  second,  January  23,  1817,  Anna 
Blaisdell  Hill,  of  Amesbury,  Mass.,  born  February  7, 
1788,  died  January  15,  1861;  he  died  April  11,  1850. 
They  had, — 


I.  Joshua,  born  December  22,  1817 ; married,  first, 
February  20,  1840,  Alzina  E.  Gillingham,  of  New- 
bury, born  April  17,  1823;  she  died  October  6,  1851. 
He  has  served  as  one  of  the  selectmen  of  the  town 
for  eleven  years ; was  representative  in  the  State 
Legislature  in  1856  and  1857 ; has  been  one  of  the 
justices  of  the  peace  in  Merrimack  County  since  1859. 
He  was  captain  of  Second  Company  of  riflemen  in 
Thirtieth  Regiment  New  Hampshire  Militia  for  four 
years.  Their  children  were  Alzada,  born  January  5, 
1841;  married,  April  1,  1866,  B.  F.  Hoyt.  Alzina, 
born  January  5,  1841  ; died  February  26,  1841.  Al- 
verton,  born  July  27,  1843;  died  July  2,  1846. 
Alzina,  born  April  10,  1848;  married,  July  4,  1870, 
F.  G.  Greeley. 

Joshua  married,  second,  October  28,  1852,  Louisa 
A.Niel  Plumer,  of  Weare,  born  October  17, 1823,  and 
had  Joshua  Willis,  born  December  24, 1856  ; married, 
March  18,  1877,  Nettie  E.  Boyce,  born  November  10, 
1858.  They  have  one  daughter, — Ethel  E.,  born 
April  7,  1878. 

Jl.  John  Hill,  born  November  22,  1819;  married, 
first,  April  8,  1841,  Hannah  T.  Twiss,  of  Newbury, 
born  August  29,  1823 ; she  died  September  8,  1850. 
Their  children  were, — 

1.  Roxana  B.,  born  May  27,  1846;  died  July  25, 
1865. 

2.  Ellen  M.,  born  February  20,  1848;  married, 
August  18,  1880,  Charles  Jl.  Palmer. 

3.  Hannah  M.,  born  August  11,  1850;  married, 
August  3,  1879,  Frederick  A.  Messer. 

John  Hill,  married,  second, February  24, 1852,  Mary 
J.  Lawrence,  born  at  Alstead  May  8, 1823,  and  had, — 

1.  Martha  J.,  born  March.  11,  1853;  married, 
March  26,  1879,  Lawrence  E.  Davis. 

2.  Louisa  L.,  born  December  2,  1854;  married,  No- 
vember 1,  1881,  Dolman  C.  Hoyt. 

3.  John  Henry,  born  October  31,  1858. 

III.  Roxauna  B.,  born  March  20,  1823;  died  Janu- 
ary 31,  1842. 

IV.  Daniel,  born  September  24,  1827;  died  June 
7,  1828. 

V.  Albert,  born  April  22,1830;  married,  Novem- 
ber 22,  1851,  Augusta  Colby,  of  Sunapee,  born  July 
2,  1832,  died  August  15,  1882;  he  died  March  2, 
1885.  They  had, — 

1.  Joshua  A.,  born  August  21,  1854;  died  August 
15,  1855. 

2.  Mary  J.,  born  July  17,  1856. 

3.  Ardell,  born  December  6,  1862 ; died  March  22, 
1880. 

John  W.  Morse,  born  in  Henniker,  August  10, 
1806  ; married,  August  16,  1835,  Lucy  Ann  Gove,  of 
Acworth,  born  November  21,  1812.  Mr.  Morse 
worked  on  a farm  until  he  was  seventeen  years  old, 
then  learned  the  clothiers’  trade  and  followed  it  until 
1833.  In  that  year  commenced  trade  at  Weare  and 
remained  three  years ; then  sold  out  and  bought  in 
Henniker,  where  he  lived  about  a year,  and  in  1837 


-2v  dtyA.HFUtc>vS' 


BRADFORD. 


209 


removed  to  Bradford,  where  lie  still  resides  and  con- 
tinues in  business.  He  h;is  been  the  longest  in  trade 
of  any  individual  in  town;  but  the  Carrs — father  and 
son  together — beat  him  about  a year.  Although  Mr. 
Morse  is  not  a radical,  as  we  generally  understand 
this  term,  yet  he  believes  in  progress  and  thought  it 
good  economy  to  have  a stone  bridge,  and  to  move 
the  town-house,  and  to  purchase  Pleasant  Hill  Ceme- 
tery. He  has  been  in  town  business  considerably,  and 
was  postmaster  under  Pierce’s  administration.  He 
represented  the  town  in  the  State  Legislature  in  1858 
and  1859,  the  old  Eighth  Senatorial  District  in  1865 
and  1866,  and  member  of  the  Constitutional  Conven- 
tion in  1876.  His  children  are, — 

I.  John  G.,  born  June  7,  1836,  in  Henniker; 
wholesale  grocer  in  Boston. 

II.  Charles  W.,  born  February  11,  1839;  married, 
November  21,  1865,  at  Plymouth,  Josephine  P.  Mer- 
rill; lives  in  Boston;  wholesale  grocer  there;  two 
children, — Alice  J.,  born  October  6,  1866;  Florence, 
born  February  26,  1869. 

III.  Mary  E.,  born  July  14,  1843;  married,  Octo- 
ber 1,  1877,  Nathaniel  T.  Lund. 

Joseph  Hartshorne,  son  of  John  and  Hannah 
(Prince),  was  born  in  Amherst,  N.  H.,  May  12,  1791; 
married,  March  30, 1817,  Mary  Ellsworth,  of  Deering, 
who  was  born  November  3,  1791,  and  died  January 
30,  1862.  He  died  in  Concord,  N.  H.,  June  27,  1884. 
He  was  a non-commissioned  officer  in  the  Twenty- 
ninth  Infantry  in  the  War  of  1812.  lie  was  one  of 
the  quota  of  Amherst  men  that  marched  to  the  de- 
fense of  Portsmouth  in  September,  1814,  and  was  the 
last  survivor  of  Amherst  men  who  served  in  that  war. 
They  lived  in  Hillsborough  till  April  6,  1839,  when 
they  moved  to  Bradford.  Their  children  were, — 

I.  David  Henry,  born  May  27,  1823;  married,  Feb- 
ruary 14,  1853,  Amanda  Forsaith;  died  in  Bradford, 
April  18,  1874.  He  had  four  children, — George 
Henry,  born  October  25,  1853  ; Joseph  Albert,  born 
May  31,  1855;  Sarah  Maria,  born  February  8,  1859, 
died  May  24,  1860;  Mary  Lizzie,  born  July  26,  1861. 

II.  Mary  Antoinette,  born  January  17,  1826;  died 
January  9,  1841. 

III.  Ann  Maria,  born  June  29,  1827 ; married 
(first),  April  16,  1854,  Henry  Canfield;  married  (sec- 
ond), June  25,  1856,  Hiram  Farrington;  resides  in 
Concord. 

IV.  Sarah  Dutton,  born  January  24,1829;  died 
September  26,  1854.  An  adopted  daughter,  Elizabeth 
Adaline  Gibson,  was  born  in  February,  1820  ; mar- 
ried (first),  December  9,  1841,  Caleb  Knight  ; mar- 
ried (second),  Emery  Bailey. 

Eleazer  Steele,  born  August  22,  1784,  in  Tol- 
land, Conn. ; married,  at  Dover,  N.  H.,  June  24, 1826, 
Eunice  Hodgdon.  He  was  ordained  elder  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at  Bath,  Me.,  June  30, 
1822.  After  spending  some  time  in  Canaan  and 
other  New  Hampshire  towns,  he  located  in  Bradford, 
about  1828.  Their  children  were, — 

14 


I.  Julia  Minerva,  born  May  12, 1827  ; died  Decem- 
ber 3,  1829. 

II.  Eliza  S.,  born  October  19,  1828;  died  June, 
1829. 

III.  Julia  M.,  born  January  24,  1830. 

IV.  Emily  M.,  born  September  9,  1831. 

V.  George,  born  August  31,  1833;  died  August  12, 
1834. 

VI.  George,  born  April  13,  1835;  died  in  infancy. 

VII.  Ellen  Ophelia,  born  March  31,  1837 ; died 
May  2,  1837. 

VIII.  George  Harvey,  born  May  24,  1839;  married, 
November  15, 1876,  Mary  Augusta,  daughter  of  Timo- 
thy Peaslee  Jones,  of  this  town,  and  lives  at  the  Mill 
village.  He  is  the  only  one  of  the  elder’s  family 
(five  of  whom  are  living)  who  remains  in  Bradford. 

IX.  Eliza  Ann,  born  July  5,  1841;  died  July  23, 
1856. 

X.  Caroline  Kimball,  born  August  28,  1844. 

XI.  Harriet  Clara,  born  October  11,  1847. 

Military  Record — Revolutionary  War. — The 

following-named  men  of  Bradford  were  in  the  Ameri- 
can army  in  the  War  of  the  Revolution  : Private  An- 
drew Aiken,  Corporal  Abel  Blood,  Richard  Cressy, 
John  Eaton,  Offin  French,  Jonathan  Knight,  Abra- 
ham Sweatt,  Abram  Currier. 

War  of  the  Rebellion. — -The  following  are  the 
names  of  soldiers  who  enlisted  in  our  late  Civil  War 
from  the  town  of  Bradford,  Merrimack  County, 
N.  H.: 

Colonel  W.  M.  Tappau,  Dr.  Cyrus  51.  Fisk,  Bloses  J.  Seavey,  Willis 
Cressey,  John  Lynn,  Charles  51.  Gould,  Btansel  Bixby,  Horace  Benton, 
Joseph  C.  Hoyt,  George  Benton,  Newton  Chenoy,  Savory  Cheney,  John 
Choate,  John  Eaton,  Justus  A.  Dunbar,  George  F.  Smith,  George  Sar- 
gent, Cyrus  E.  Jones,  James  Hoyt,  I’.  B.  Richards,  Henry  Presby,  Henry 
Hoyt,  Franklin  Pierce,  William  West,  Frank  West,  Ezekiel  Hadley,  Ai 
Hall,  Peter  Craig,  Charles  Tappan,  Clarence  Baily,  Blicali  Howe,  David 
Hawks,  Miner  Hawks,  George  L.  Ward,  Proctor  D.  Ward,  Levi  Ward, 
Curtis  Davis,  Albert  Woodbury,  Hollis  Itrockway,  George  Dunfield, 
Woodbury  Barnes,  Timothy  Z.  Smith. 

War  of  1812. — The  following  is  a partial  list: 

John  Harriman,  John  Robbins,  Joseph  Hartshorne,  Hazeu  I’resbury. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


JOHN  W.  5IORSE. 

To  no  man  is  the  community  more  indebted  than 
to  the  one  who,  by  diligence,  attention  to  business 
and  years  of  labor,  has  risen  by  his  own  inherent 
force  from  poverty  to  competency,  and  is  acknowl- 
edged a “ self-made  ” man.  Perhaps  no  one  is  more 
entitled  to  this  appellation  in  Bradford  than  John  W. 
Morse.  Certainly  no  man  has  done  more  during  his 
nearly  fifty  years’  residence  in  the  town  to  help  its 
advancement. 


210 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Prior  to  1635,  Anthony  Morse  was  a resident  of 
Newbury,  Mass.,  and  one  of  his  lineal  descendants, 
Josiah,  married,  February  18,  1773,  Lois  Webster,  of 
Chester,  N.  H.,  a member  of  the  same  family  which 
produced  America’s  statesman  and  orator,  Daniel 
Webster.  Their  son  Josiah,  on  reaching  his  majority, 
went  to  Henniker,  where  he  settled,  and  married, 
December  2,  1798,  Betsey,  daughter  of  Thomas  and 
Persis  (Gibson)  Brown.  Mr.  Morse  was  a saddler, 
tanner  and  currier.  He  died  December  15,  1833, 
and  his  wife  died  June  12,  1856. 

John  Webster  Morse,  their  son,  was  born  August 
10,  1806,  at  Henniker,  N.  H.  From  the  straitened 
condition  of  his  father’s  family,  John  was  forced  to 
labor  from  his  earliest  years,  worked  for  neighboring 
farmers  while  very  young,  and  the  most  of  his  small 
wages  went  to  defray  the  family  expenses  and  pay 
the  debts  of  his  father.  Concluding,  when  about  six- 
teen, that  he  could  not  gain  anything  by  this  manner 
of  working,  he  learned  the  trade  of  wool-carding  and 
cloth-dressing,  and  when  twenty-one  years  old  found 
himself  possessed  of  what  was  then  a good  trade  and 
a capital  of  “ fourpence  half-penny.”  A year  after  he 
was  able  to  attend  school  for  a term  at  Derry  and 
part  of  a term  at  Hopkinton  Academy,  and  made 
diligent  use  of  these  advantages.  He  worked  at  his 
trade  in  Weare  for  six  years,  in  the  mean  time  keep- 
ing up  his  studies,  and  taught  school  four  winters,  in 
Weare,  Henniker,  N.  H.,  and  Essex,  Mass.  At  the 
age  of  twenty-eight,  in  1834,  Mr.  Morse  had  accumu- 
lated six  hundred  dollars,  and  he  commenced  his 
mercantile  life  in  Weare  with  James  Wallace,  under 
the  firm -name  of  Wallace  & Morse,  and  continued  for 
two  years,  when  he  sold  out  his  interest  and  returned 
to  Henniker  and  established  himself  in  trade,  where 
he  remained  for  a year,  and  in  1837  came  to  Bradford. 

Mr.  Morse  married,  August  16,  1835,  Lucy  Ann, 
daughter  of  Hon.  Jonathan  and  Polly  (Fisher)  Gove, 
of  Acworth,  N.  H.  [“  Jonathan  Gove  was  the  grand- 
son of  Jonathan,  brother  of  Edward,  member  of  the 
General  Assembly  of  the  province  of  New  Hamp- 
shire, who  was  imprisoned  in  the  Tower  of  London 
for  three  years  for  heading  an  attempted  revolution 
against  the  arbitrary  proceedings  of  Governor  Cran- 
field  in  1682.  Hon.  Jonathan  Gove  settled  in  Ac- 
worth  in  1808,  and  was  widely  known  on  account  of 
the  many  public  offices  which  he  held,  and  also  for 
his  high  reputation  as  a skillful  and  accurate  land 
surveyor.  He  was  elected  treasurer  of  the  county  of 
Cheshire  when  Sullivan  was  a part  of  the  county ; he 
was  several  times  a representative  to  the  Legislature, 
twice  a member  of  the  Governor’s  Council,  and  was 
offered  the  office  of  judge  of  Probate.  His  abilities 
were  of  a superior  order,  and  his  sterling  common 
sense,  affability  and  genial  nature  made  him  very 
popular  in  all  the  public  positions  he  filled.”] 

The  children  of  John  W.  and  Lucy  Ann  (Gove) 
Morse  are  John  G.,  born  in  Henniker,  June  7,  1836, 
an  energetic  and  successful  business  man  (whole- 


sale grocer)  in  Boston,  firm  name — Morse  Bros. 
& Co. ; Charles  W.,  born  in  Bradford,  February 
11,  1839,  is  in  business  with  his  brother  (he  mar- 
ried, November  21,  1865,  P.  Josephine  Merrill,  of 
Plymouth.  Their  children  are  Alice,  born  October  6, 
1860,  and  Florence,  born  February  26,  1869);  and 
Mary  E.,  born  July  14,  1843,  married  N.  F.  Lund. 

Mr.  Morse  has  been  engaged  in  merchandising  in 
Bradford  for  nearly  halt  a century,  dating  back  to 
1837.  The  country  stores  in  those  days  were  the 
exchange  bureaus  of  the  farmers.  There  the  produce 
of  the  farm  was  exchanged  for  the  necessary  articles 
of  clothing  and  household  supplies,  and  the  enter- 
prise of  the  merchant  was  the  factor  tending  most  to 
increase  the  wealth  and  prosperity  of  the  section, 
even  while  enhancing  his  own  prosperity.  To  deal 
with  men  year  after  year,  to  keep  their  custom  and 
good-will,  required  not  only  a high  degree  of  business 
ability,  but  honesty  of  purpose  and  integrity,  and  also 
a facility  in  reading  character,  combined  with  a prac- 
tical common  sense,  that  would  insure  success  in  a 
different  sphere  of  activity,  and  when  we  say  that  Mr. 
Morse  was  successful,  we  endow  him  with  all  the 
characteristics  of  a good  country  merchant. 

Mr.  Morse  is  a Democrat  in  politics,  and  his  first 
Presidential  vote  was  in  1828,  for  Andrew  Jackson. 
He  has  always  been  of  independent  thought,  decided 
in  his  views,  acting  up  to  the  full  standard  of  his  con- 
victions, and  has  given  his  most  active  energies  to 
the  support  of  the  Constitution  and  the  principles  he 
deemed  founded  in  truth,  and  for  many  years  knew 
every  voter  in  town  and  how  he  voted.  During  his 
busy  and  laborious  life  he  has  creditably  filled  many 
positions  of  trust  and  honor,  having  held  every  office 
in  the  gift  of  his  town.  He  was  town  clerk  for  many 
years,  and  re-elected  until  he  resigned,  selectman  and 
town  treasurer;  was  appointed  postmaster  by  Frank- 
lin Pierce,  and  served  eight  years  ; again  appointed 
by  President  Cleveland  this  present  year  (1885); 
representative  to  the  General  Court;  in  1865  and  1866 
he  represented  the  Eighth  Senatorial  District  in  the 
State  Legislature,  receiving  more  than  his  party  vote, 
and  when  nominated  for  counselor,  twice  in  succes- 
sion, in  a district  of  more  than  two  thousand  majority 
against  him,  he  ran  far  ahead  of  his  ticket,  even  in  a 
heated  political  campaign,  thus  showing  the  respect 
and  confidence  in  which  he  wras  held  in  the  com- 
munity ; he  was  a member  of  the  State  Constitutional 
Convention  in  1868;  attended  the  National  Democratic 
Convention  in  1880,  as  alternate  with  John  H.  George. 

Mr.  Morse  is  a public-spirited  man,  always  inter- 
ested in  anything  of  advantage  to  the  citizens.  He 
was  the  first  person  to  advocate  the  building  of  the 
stone  bridge  at  the  “ Corner,”  the  moving  of  the  town 
hall  from  the  “ Centre  ” to  its  present  location,  and 
the  laying  out  of  the  beautiful  Pleasant  Hill  Ceme- 
tery. The  town  is  indebted  to  Mr.  Morse  and 
Colonel  Tappan  for  the  movement  which  resulted  in 
bringing  the  railroad  to  Bradford. 


t 


BRADFORD. 


211 


He  is  prudent,  practical  and  honest,  and  has  al- 
ways lived  within  his  income,  and,  as  he  says,  has 
had  the  satisfaction  of  being  able  to  pay  one  hundred 
cents  on  a dollar  of  all  claims  presented  him.  He  is 
a sound  and  safe  adviser  on  any  subject,  and  his  ad- 
vice has  often  been  called  for  and  found  of  much 
value. 

During  this  long  period  of  successful  labor  Mr. 
Morse  has  been  aided  and  blessed  by  his  industrious 
and  faithful  wife.  After  having  completed  a full 
half-century  of  happy  married  life,  they  are  now 
passing  down  the  declivity  of  age  with  the  esteem  of 
a large  circle  of  friends,  and  leading  lives  that  their 
descendants  may  worthily  emulate. 


JOSHUA  EATON. 

Among  the  one  hundred  and  two  passengers  of  the 
“Mayflower,”  which  arrived  in  Cape  Cod  harbor  two 
hundred  and  sixty-four  years  ago,  were  Francis  Eaton, 
Sarah,  his  wife,  and  Samuel  Eaton.  Hence  the  Eaton 
family  is  one  of  the  earliest  in  America,  and  Francis 
was  one  of  the  signers  of  the  first  compact  in  the 
nature  of  a constitution  of  government.  That  Puritan 
band  were  strong  and  religious  men  with  undaunted 
courage  and  bold  hearts,  and  New  Englanders  of  to- 
day are  justly  proud  of  their  ancestry.  Francis  Eaton 
died  in  Plymouth,  1633.  Samuel  Eaton  was  among 
the  twenty-six  men  who  purchased  what  became  the 
First  Precinct  in  Middleborougli,of  the  Indian  sachem, 
Wampatuck.  Said  purchase  was  made  in  the  month  of 
March,  1662,  and  said  Samuel  also  became  one  of  the 
pioneer  settlers  of  Middleborough,  Mass.,  where  he 
died  in  1684,  leaving  descendants.  Some  of  the  family 
settled  in  other  parts  of  Massachusetts.  Previous  to 
1650,  Thomas  Eaton  came  to  Haverhill,  and  was  the 
ancestor  of  the  Eatons  of  Hillsborough  and  Merri- 
mack Counties  of  New  Hampshire.  Thomas  Eaton 
married,  for  his  second  wife,  a Massachusetts  lady, 
Eunice  Sangletery,  of  Salisbury,  December  16,  1658. 
They  had  nine  children,  of  whom  Job,  born  April  22, 
1671,  married  Mary  Simons,  January  10,  1698.  Of 
their  four  children,  the  second  was  Thomas,  born  Feb- 
ruary 20,  1701.  He  married  Mehitable . They 

had  three  children, — John,  born  June  18,  1733;  Tim- 
othy and  Mehitable.  John  married,  first,  Abigail 
Peasley.  She  was  born  September  16,  1734,  and  died 
February  23,  1772.  The  children  of  this  marriage 
were  Ebenezer,  Mehitable  (Mrs.  Daniel  Cressey), 
Nathaniel,  Daniel,  John  and  Joshua.  He  married, 
second,  Sarah  Clarke,  and  had  three  children, — 
Thomas,  Abigail  (Mrs.  Benjamin  Colby)  and  Eliza- 
beth (Mrs.  Nathaniel  Gould).  He  died  January  10, 

; 1823. 

Nathaniel  Eaton  was  the  pioneer  of  the  family  in 
Bradford.  He  came  here  in  the  spring  of  1792,  settled 
on  the  old  “Sawyer  place,”  and  continued  until  Feb- 
ruary of  1805,  when  he  returned  to  Hopkinton,  his 
former  place  of  residence.  Ebenezer,  the  oldest,  emi- 


grated here  about  the  same  time,  and  made  a per- 
manent settlement.  Joshua,  born  February  25,  1768, 
in  Haverhill,  Mass.,  came  with  his  wife  and  two  chil- 
dren to  Bradford  in  the  spring  of  1795,  and  settled  on 
land  which  is  now  occupied  by  his  descendants.  Mr. 
Eaton’s  first  wife  was  Sarah  Hoyt.  The  children  of 
this  marriage  were  Moses,  Mary  (Mrs.  John  Brock- 
way),  William  A.,  Sarah  (Mrs.  Simeon  Shattuck)  and 
Martha  (Mrs.  Osman  Bailey).  He  married,  second, 
Mrs.  Anna  (Blaisdell)  Hill.  Their  children  were 
Joshua,  John  Hill,  Roxana  (deceased),  Daniel  and 
Albert  (deceased). 

Joshua  Eaton,  Sr.,  was  admirably  fitted  by  nature 
and  temperament  for  the  hardy  life  of  the  early  settler, 
having  a rugged  constitution  and  a well-developed 
physique.  He  devoted  himself  to  the  cultivation  of 
his  land  and  the  raising  of  stock,  and  became  one  of 
the  prosperous  farmers  of  the  town.  In  1810  he  built 
the  house  which  is  now  occupied  by  his  son,  John 
Hill,  and  at  the  time  of  its  erection  was  the  best 
house  in  Bradford.  Industrious  and  frugal,  he  man- 
aged his  affairs  with  discretion  and  always  had  corn 
to  sell  and  money  to  lend  to  a neighbor  in  an  emer- 
gency. When  the  first  Orthodox  church  was  erected, 
he  was  one  of  the  first  purchasers  of  the  pews,  of 
which  he  owned  three.  For  several  years  he  took  an 
active  part  in  the  military  organizations  of  the  State, 
and  was  commissioned  captain  of  militia  in  the  Thir- 
tieth Regiment,  July  22, 1806,  and  major  of  the  First 
Battalion  of  the  same  regiment,  June  1,  1809,  by 
Governor  John  Langdon.  His  resignation  was  ac- 
cepted September  13,  1814.  Mr.  Eaton’s  politics  were 
of  the  Jeffersonian  school.  He  was  a man  of  influence, 
good  judgment,  not  given  to  many  words,  deliberate 
in  forming  his  conclusions.  His  death  occurred  April 
11,  1850. 

Joshua  Eaton  was  born  at  Bradford,  N.  H.,  Decem- 
ber 22,  1817.  His  educational  advantages  were  more 
liberal  than  many  of  the  farmer’s  sons,  he  having  had 
opportunities  of  supplementing  his  district  school 
attendance  by  High  School  and  academic  instruction 
at  Bradford,  Henniker  and  Franklin.  He  was  brought 
up. a farmer’s  boy  and  was  early  accustomed  to  labor, 
and  continued  on  the  home  place  with  his  father  until 
after  his  marriage,  February  20,  1840,  to  Alzina, 
daughter  of  James  and  Elizabeth  Gillingham.  (See 
biography  of  Moody  Gillingham,  Newbury,  for  an- 
cestry.) In  1842  he  purchased  the  place  which  has 
since  been  his  home.  At  his  father’s  death  he  in- 
herited some  fifty  or  more  acres  of  the  old  home- 
stead farm,  and  at  present  he  owns  about  two  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres  of  land. 

The  children  of  Joshua  and  Alzina  (Gillingham) 
Eaton  were  Alzada  and  Alzira,  born  January  5,  1841 
(Alzira  died  February  26,  1841.  Alzada  married  Ben- 
jamin F.  Hoyt;  has  Frederick  G.,  born  January  10, 
1867 ; Warren  A.,  born  September  2,  1868;  Nettie  A., 
born  November  8,  1870;  Carrie  A.,  born  October  27, 
1873;  and  Chester  F.,  born  January  26,1879);  Alverton, 


212 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


born  July  27,  1843,  died  July  2,  1846;  Alzina,  born 
April  10,  1848.  Mrs.  Eaton  died  October  6,  1851,  and 
Mr.  Eaton  married  Mrs.  Louisa  A.  Plumer,  daughter 
of  Samuel  and  Lois  (Clark)  McNeil.  She  was  born 
in  Weare,  N.  H.  They  have  one  son,  Joshua  Willis 
Eaton,  born  December  24,  1856.  He  married  Nettie 
E.  Boyce ; they  have  one  child,  Ethel  E.,  born  April 
7,  1878. 

Mr.  Eaton  has  inherited  many  qualities  from  his 
Puritan  forefathers,  and  is  a man  of  weight  and  in- 
fluence in  the  town.  He  is  a Democrat  in  politics,  and 
as  such  represented  Bradford  in  the  Legislature  of 
1856  and  1857.  Since  1849,  when  he  was  first  elected 
and  served  as  selectman,  he  has  been  connected  with 
public  affairs, — been  selectman  twelve  years  and  first 
selectman  ten  years,  and  filled  many  other  official 
positions.  He  was  commissioned  justice  of  the  peace 
as  follow’s:  June  17,  1859,  by  Governor  Goodwin; 
June  9,  1864,  by  Governor  Gilmore;  June  9.  1869,  by 
Governor  Onslow  Stearns ; May  19, 1874,  by  Governor 
Straw ; May  20,  1879,  by  Governor  Prescott ; April 
29,  1884,  by  Governor  Hale. 

He  has  also  been  interested  in  the  militia,  and  when 
quite  a youug  man  he  was  employed  as  marker  or 
guide.  In  February,  1837,  he  was  appointed  sergeant, 
and  in  the  June  following  received  a commission  as 
lieutenant  in  Second  Company  of  Riflemen  from  Gov- 
ernor Isaac  Hill,  and  afterwards  that  of  captain  of 
the  same  company,  which  position  he  held  for  several 
years,  when  he  resigned. 

Mr.  Eaton  is  a man  of  integrity,  sound  judgment, 
energy  and  efficiency,  and  to  him  has  been  entrusted 
important  affairs, — the  settling  of  estates,  probate  busi- 
ness and  other  matters  requiring  a cautious,  careful, 
conservative  man.  He  is  a good  and  useful  citizen, 
a kind  husband  and  father,  and  stands  high  in  the 
confidence  of  the  community.  Like  his  father,  he  is 
a pronounced  liberal  in  religion. 


JASON  HOWARD  AMES,  M.D. 

Hardly  two  decades  had  passed  after  the  landing  of 
the  ship  “Mayflower”  on  Plymouth  shores  when 
William  Ames  emigrated  to  this  country  and  settled 
in  Braintree,  Mass.,  1638.  Of  his  many  descendants 
was  David.  The  exact  date  of  his  birth  is  unknown, 
but  it  was  near  the  close  of  the  seventeenth  century. 
He  married  Mary  Penniman,  and  resided  in  Braintree 
some  years  after  his  marriage,  then  emigrated  from 
Massachusetts,  and  his  death  occurred  at  Cardigan 
(now  Orange),  N.  H.  They  had  three  sons, — David, 
John  (probably  father  of  Hon.  Oliver  Ames,  of  Easton, 
Mass.),  Elijah— and  two  daughters. 

David,  the  oldest,  was  born  at  Braintree,  Mass., 
April,  1726,  and  married  Irene  Waldo,  who  was  born 
at  Scotland,  Conn.,  April  18,  1738.  He  died  at  Roy- 
alton,  Vt.,  April  11,  1821,  and  his  wife  died  August 
18,  1811.  Their  children  were  (1)  Thaddeus,  born  at 
Norwich,  Conn.,  May  18,  1755,  married  Judy  Clark; 


(2)  John,  born  at  Norwich,  Conn.,  September  11, 1756 ; 

(3)  David,  born  at  Norwich,  Conn.,  October  11,  1758, 
married  Ruth  Anin;  (4)  Nathaniel,  born  at  Scituate, 
R.  I.,  April  25,  1761,  married  Sally  Anin  (he  died  in 
Oregon,  Wis.,  in  1863,  at  the  age  of  one  hundred  and 
two  years.  He  was  a soldier  in  the  Revolution,  having 
enlisted  when  seventeen  years  old,  and  consequently 
lived  at  the  time  of  the  three  great  wars  of  our  coun- 
try. When  one  hundred  years  old  he  attended  a 
Fourth  of  July  celebration  in  Madison,  Wis.,  going 
fifteen  miles  for  that  purpose) ; (5)  Susanna,  born  at 
Killingsly,  Conn.,  October  8,  1763,  married  Joseph 
Daniels;  (6)  Abigail,  born  at  Killingsly, Conn.,  August 
14, 1766,  married  Nathaniel  Briggs;  (7)  Anna,  born  at 
Killingsly,  Conn.,  March  28,  1769,  married  Peter  Per- 
kins; (8)  Jesse,  born  at  Killingsly,  Conn.,  February  12, 
1772,  married  Patty  Howard,  of  Munson,  Mass,  (he 
died  at  Mt.  Morris,  N.  Y.,  March  10, 1862) ; (9)  Ebene- 
zer,  born  at  Cardigan,  N.  IL,  March  23, 1775,  married 
Chloe  Osborn,  and  died  at  Hamburgh,  N.  Y.,  Feb- 
ruary, 1862.  The  children  of  Jesse  and  Patty  (How- 
ard) Ames  were  Jason  H..  Polly,  Pamelia,  Roxanna 

M. ,  Ruth,  Cynthia,  Martha  L.,  Lyman  D.  and 
Loren  J. 

Jason  Howard  Ames,  M.D.,  son  of  Jesse  and  Patty 
(Howard)  Ames,  was  born  December  16,  1796,  at 
Fairlee,  Vt.  He  is  a descendant,  paternally  and  ma- 
ternally, from  families  of  consequence  in  the  Old 
World  and  the  New,  and  inherited,  in  an  unusual  de- 
gree, qualities  which  made  him  pre-eminently  a man 
of  mark.  After  pursuing  his  medical  studies  until  he 
obtained  his  M.I).,  he  commenced  the  practice  of  his 
profession,  in  company  with  Dr.  Lyman,  in  Warner, 

N.  H.,  where  he  continued  for  a few  years,  and  then, 
with  Dr.  Lyman,  removed  to  Bradford.  Dr.  Ames 
purchased  the  David  Brown  place,  and  soon  after 
married  Clara  George,  December  20,  1827.  Mrs. 
Ames  was  of  a prominent  Massachusetts  family.  She 
was  born  in  Warner,  N.  H.,  June  25,  1798,  and  died 
December  5,  1868,  at  Bradford.  (For  ancestry,  see 
George  family  of  Hopkinton.)  She  bore  him  three 
children, — (1)  George,  born  September  19,  1828,  died 
Septembers,  1834;  (2)  Henry  George,  born  February  6, 
1830,  died  June  7,  1885  (he  married  Mary  Graves 
Stoddard,  of  Perry,  N.  Y.  Their  children  are  Clara 
George  Ames,  born  March  12,  1860,  and  Harry  Stod- 
dard Ames,  born  May  21, 1861,  at  Mt.  Morris,  N.Y.); 
(3)  Martha  Jane,  born  January  30, 1832,  married  Bart- 
lett G.  Cilley,  of  Andover,  N.  H.  (he  died  August 
21,  1867.  They  had  two  children, — George  Ames, 
born  November  24,  1863,  and  Winfred  Bartlett,  born 
October  18,  1865,  at  Bradford). 

Dr.  Ames  has  been  a resident  of  Bradford  for  nearly 
sixty  years,  and  for  half  a century  his  life  was  that 
of  the  faithful,  hard-working  physician.  The  work  of 
a medical  man  fifty  years  ago  was  nearly  double  that 
of  the  present  time.  Almost  all  able  practitioners 
made  and  compounded  their  medicines,  and  visits  to 
patients  were  generally  made  on  horseback,  with  well- 


BRADFORD. 


213 


filled  saddle-bags,  traveling  late  at  night  and  great 
distances.  As  learned  and  skillful  men  of  the  medi- 
cal fraternity  were  few,  Dr.  Ames’  labors  extended  to 
a circuit  of  many  miles.  In  addition  to  bis  large 
practice  and  earnest  studies  in  the  direction  of  medi- 
cal science,  he  was  interested  in  the  public  affairs  of 
the  town,  and  this,  of  course,  claimed  time,  which 
deprived  him  of  his  much-needed  rest  and  recreation. 
When  comparatively  a young  man,  scarcely  thirty 
years  of  age,  he  delivered  the  semi-centennial  oration, 
July  4,  1820,  at  Bradford,  in  an  able  and  fitting  man- 
ner. The  document  is  preserved,  and  the  power, 
patriotism  and  piety  it  contains  must  have  stimulated 
those  who  listened  to  it  to  good  thoughts,  good  deeds 
and  good  conduct.  Dr.  Ames’  ability  was  recognized 
by  the  citizens,  and  they  elected  him  to  the  Legisla- 
ture ; and,  if  his  profession  had  permitted,  or  inclina- 
tion had  led  him  into  the  arena  of  public  and  political 
life,  he  would  have  ranked  high  as  a legislator.  He 
was  one  of  the  first  presidents  of  the  Warner  Bank, 
and  filled  other  official  positions. 

Many  of  the  old  inhabitants  remember  Dr.  Ames’  first 
advent  among  them,  and  describe  him  as  a gentleman 
dignified  and  courteous,  of  few  words,  and  yet  social 
with  those  with  whom  he  was  personally  connected 
in  family  or  medical  relations,  of  rare  intelligence 
and  a most  successful  physician. 

But  his  life-work  is  accomplished.  Some  five  or 
six  years  since,  this  venerable  gentleman,  after  a long 
and  useful  career  and  unremitting  professional  duties, 
succumbed  to  the  infirmities  of  age,  and  now,  at 
the  age  of  four-score  and  ten,  he,  who  for  so  many 
years  cared  for  others,  receives  the  loving  care  and 
attention  so  well  deserved. 

Dr.  Ames  has  done  enough  to  keep  his  memory 
green,  while  the  record  of  this  laborious  life  remains, 
and  we  continue  to  esteem  and  honor  the  men  wdio 
have  devoted  themselves  physically  and  mentally 
for  the  good  of  humanity. 


JOHN  W.  MARSHALL. 

The  study  of  human  life  is  a study  of  the  deepest  in- 
terest. “ Nooneliveth  to  himself,  and  no  one  dieth  to 
himself.”  Each  is  a vital  part  of  the  history  of  the 
world;  but  there  is  an  infinite  diversity  in  the  kind 
and  degree  of  individual  action.  Even  in  the  nine- 
teenth century  we  have  not  fathomed  the  occult  in- 
fluences controlling  the  destinies  of  each  child  of 
mortality,  and  it  is  well  to  place  upon  the  pages  of 
history,  for  the  perusal,  instruction  and  advancement 
of  coming  generations,  what  we  may  secure  of  the 
environment,  characteristics  and  education  of  those 
who  have  worthily  lived  lives  of  usefulness,  and  who 
have  shown  marked  traits  of  character,  and  who,  out 
ot  the  lowest  and  poorest  conditions,  by  diligence, 
patience  and  untiring  labor,  have  constructed  a life- 
edifice  of  more  than  ordinary  value.  In  this  record 
the  peculiar  educational  influences  and  advantages  the 


individual  may  have  had  should  be  most  clearly 
shown.  The  world  has  other  schools  than  those  of 
scholastic  renown  and  moneyed  endowments, — schools 
where  the  influence  of  wealth  is  never  known  and 
could  never  bring  advantage.  Many  are  educated  by 
poverty,  self-denial  and  stern  necessity,  and,  in  spite 
of  their  environments,  the  graduates  of  this  school 
have  oftentimes  outstripped  those  of  the  most  famed 
schools  of  liberal  culture. 

Among  those  that  New  Hampshire  has  just 
reason  to  claim  as  worthy  sons  of  the  last  half- 
century  is  John  Webster  Marshall.  He  was  born  in 
Salisbury,  N.  H.,  February  9, 1835,  and  was  the  son  of 
John  Webster  and  Judith  (Jackman)  Marshall.  At 
the  early  age  of  seven  years  he  was  left  motherless, 
and  the  lad  began  his  years  of  accountability  with 
little  to  cheer  or  elevate  him.  Poverty  hung  around 
his  father’s  house,  and  the  surroundings  were  illy 
calculated  to  bring  content.  Before  John  was  thir- 
teen years  old  he  had  had  two  stepmothers,  and  the 
boy  had  never  known  maternal  care  or  love  since  his 
own  mother  was  carried  to  the  grave.  In  the  fall  of 
the  year,  when  he  was  scarcely  thirteen,  he  obtained 
his  father’s  consent  to  earn  his  own  living,  and  with 
barely  clothes  enough  to  serve  as  a covering,  and  not 
even  underclothing,  he  went  out  into  the  world.  Com- 
ing to  Bradford,  he  secured  a place  with  his  uncle, 
Benjamin  Marshall,  to  work  for  his  board  and  attend 
school.  He  was  more  than  an  ordinary  boy,  quiet 
ind  retiring  in  his  manner,  kind  in  disposition  and 
possessed  of  a strong  will.  He  early  showed  a fond- 
ness for  machinery  and  an  aptness  for  tools.  He 
gave  diligent  attention  to  his  studies,  developed  a 
taste  for  mathematics  and  made  rapid  progress.  He 
labored  in  the  summer  for  his  uncle  and  other 
farmers  of  the  neighborhood  to  acquire  a respectable 
wardrobe,  and  after  two  years  thus  passed  he  en- 
tered the  employ  of  G.  W.  Wadleigh,  of  Fisherville, 
•is  clerk  in  his  store.  After  a year  of  hard  work  in 
the  store  and  on  the  farm,  John  went  to  Manchester, 
and  for  another  year  was  engaged  in  the  gun-shop  of 
a Mr.  Fogg.  His  natural  inclination  for  mechanics 
was  fostered  by  this  avocation,  and  it  decided  bis 
life-work.  Determined  to  become  a machinist,  he 
secured  a situation  in  the  Manchester  Locomotive- 
Works,  where  he  was  employed  for  about  six  years. 
Here  life  was  pleasant,  his  occupation  was  congenial, 
and  in  the  intervals  of  labor,  and  during  the  long 
winter  evenings,  he  continued  his  studies  of  mathe- 
matics and  drawing,  never  wasting  his  time  in 
frivolity  or  idleness.  He  had  even  then  marked  out 
for  himself  a career  of  steady  and  persistent  prog- 
ress, and  knew  that  to  accomplish  it  he  must  be  an 
unceasing  laborer  and  student.  In  view  of  this,  his 
thoughts  were  turned  to  Boston  as  the  place  where  a 
widening  sphere  of  opportunity  would  be  revealed 
to  him,  and  removing  to  that  city,  he  worked  a year 
for  the  Boston  Locomotive-Works,  and  after  another 
year  in  the  employ  of  a Mr.  Osborne,  in  a locomotive 


214 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


repair  shop,  he  engaged  as  a machinist  in  the  Atlan- 
tic Works,  at  $1.50  a day.  The  same  devotion  to  his 
studies  he  had  shown  in  Manchester  was  continued 
in  Boston.  The  allurements  of  the  great  city  had  no 
charm  for  him  ; his  evenings  were  consecrated  to  im- 
provement. He  became  proficient  in  mechanical 
drawing  and  engineering.  He  was  ready  for  a higher 
position,  and  it  came  unsought,  and  as  a most  pleas- 
ant surprise.  One  day  the  machinists  of  the  shop 
were  asked  to  vote  for  one  of  their  number  to  become 
the  superintendent  of  the  drafting  department.  Mr. 
Marshall  cast  his  vote  for  one  he  deemed  qualified, 
and  little  dreamed  that  he  would  be  the  chosen  one. 

This  was  a fortunate  financial  change,  the  salary 
being  twelve  hundred  dollars  a year.  Exercising  the 
same  diligence  and  studiousness  which  had  so  sig- 
nally changed  his  life,  he  thoroughly  qualified  him- 
self for  the  post  of  mechanical  engineer,  to  which 
position  he  was  advanced  in  about  two  years’  time, 
with  a salary  of  two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars. 
His  patience  and  assiduity,  his  modest  and  unassuming 
ways  and  the  painstaking  accuracy  and  promptitude 
with  which  everything  which  came  in  the  line  of 
his  duty  was  done,  early  won  the  approval  and  es- 
teem of  his  employers.  This  was  strengthened  with 
passing  time,  and,  as  a further  proof  of  their  confi- 
dence, he  was  appointed  superintending  engineer, 
and  sent  to  Europe  to  study  the  construction  of  iron 
vessels,  and  he  passed  three  months  in  the  leading 
shipyards  of  England,  Scotland,  Belgium  and  France, 
adding  much  to  his  store  of  information.  Nine 
months  after  his  return  to  Boston,  the  famous  firm 
Peter  Wright  & Co.,  Philadelphia,  who  had  learned 
of  his  abilities,  engaged  him  to  superintend  the  con- 
struction of  the  vessels  which  should  constitute  the 
Red  Star  Line,  at  a salary  of  three  thousand  dollars 
and  expenses.  He  remained  in  England  two  years 
and  ten  months,  his  wife  visiting  him  in  the  mean 
time,  and  during  this  time  the  three  pioneer  vessels 
of  the  line — “Vaderland,”  “Nederland”  and  “ Swit- 
zerland”— were  constructed  at  Jarrow-on-Tyne.  The 
vessels  demonstrated  that  Mr.  Marshall  thoroughly 
understood  the  principles  underlying  an  intelligent 
knowledge  of  his  work,  and  he  took  the  final  step  in 
the  ladder  he  had  started  to  mount  by  being  made 
superintendent  of  the  two  lines  of  steamships  owned 
by  his  employers, — the  Red  Star  and  American. 
Thus  had  diligence  and  application,  coupled  with 
energy  and  improvement  of  opportunities,  and  unfail- 
ing cheerfulness  under  all  circumstances,  brought 
the  unknown  youth  of  poverty  to  a high  position  in 
the  great  world  of  business,  and  to  competency  and 
honors,  with  strong  and  influential  friends. 

In  1878  he  again  went  to  England  to  personally 
superintend  the  building  of  the  “ Belgenland  ” and 
“ Rhvneland,”  of  the  Red  Star  line,  at  Barrow-in- 
Furness.  This  occupied  him  about  one  year.  The 
continued  application  and  overwork  for  so  many 
years  had  worn  upon  a delicate  physical  organism, 


and  only  an  indomitable  will  kept  him  up.  Return- 
ing on  the  “ Rhyneland  ” to  America,  he  tendered 
his  resignation  as  superintendent,  which  was  not 
accepted,  and  this  was  repeated  three  times  in  the 
course  of  a few  months.  The  firm  valued  his  ser- 
vices too  highly  to  dispense  with  them,  and  he  was 
in  their  employ  until  his  death,  which  occurred  Janu- 
ary 6,  1882,  in  Boston,  after  an  illness  of  two  years 
and  a half.  Up  to  the  last  the  plans  and  specifica- 
tions of  the  vessels  under  construction  were  sub- 
mitted to  him  for  approval,  and  it  is  noticeable  that 
he  had  just  concluded  the  examination  of  the  last  set 
of  papers  of  the  last  vessel  he  had  designed  when 
he  was  seized  by  the  hemorrhage  which  preceded  his 
death. 

Mr.  Marshall  married,  February  11,  1864,  Martha 
J.,  daughter  of  Benjamin  E.  and  Olive  (Chandler) 
Wadleigli,  of  Bradford,  a descendant  of  two  early 
and  honorable  New  Hampshire  families.  She  was  a 
schoolmate  of  his  in  his  early  school-days  at  Brad- 
ford. Both  were  proficient  in  the  same  studies,  both 
worked  the  hard  examples,  both  “spelled  down”  the 
school;  but  the  nature  of  each  was  so  retiring  that 
they  never  formed  a personal  acquaintance  until 
twelve  years  after,  when  their  congeniality  of  taste 
soon  drew  them  together.  She  was  especially  adapted 
to  be  his  companion,  entering  heartily  into  his  labors 
and  aspirations,  and  was  a true  adviser  and  friend. 
Their  children  are  Elmer  Wadleigli  and  John  Edgar, 
who,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  have  inherited  a share  of  their 
ather’s  ability. 

Mr.  Marshall  was  one  of  the  most  unostentations  of 
men.  In  forming  acquaintances  he  was  reserved  and 
reticent ; but  he  was  genial  and  social  to  those  who 
won  his  confidence.  He  lived  a regular  and  exem- 
plary life,  never  drinking  liquor  or  using  tobacco,  and 
devoted  the  time  so  many  waste  to  useful  investiga- 
tions in  science.  He  was  not  a church  member,  but 
a truly  religious  man,  who  lived  a remarkably  pure 
life.  A lover  of  nature  aud  an  admirer  of  its  works, 
he  “ looked  through  nature  up  to  nature’s  God,”  and 
based  his  life  and  actions  on  the  golden  rule.  His 
integrity  aud  honesty  were  as  clear  as  the  noonday 
sun,  and  though  millions  of  dollars  passed  through 
his  hands,  his  disposition  of  them  was  made  in  all 
cases  to  the  best  interests  of  his  employers.  He  was 
charitable;  but,  in  accordance  with  the  Scriptural 
admonition,  he  “let  not  his  left  hand  know  what  his 
right  hand  did,”  and  this  was  in  harmony  with  his 
entire  character.  Modest  and  unselfish,  he  was  in 
this  respect  a marked  contrast  to  many  “self-made” 
men.  He  was  ever  thoughtful  of  others,  their  wel- 
fare and  comfort,  and  in  the  closing  hours  of  his 
life  occupied  himself  with  instructions  to  his  wife 
concerning  the  happiness  of  those  depending  upon 
him. 

May  many  who  read  these  pages  find  an  instructive 
lesson  in  this  story  of  a life,  and  be  encouraged  to  new 
aspirations  and  endeavors  to  attain  a higher  and  more 


- 


BRADFORD. 


215 


useful  station  than  late  or  circumstance  has  given 
them. 


HIRAM  BLANCHARD. 

From  the  “History  of  Acworth”  we  find  that 
George  Blanchard,  who  was  born  on  English  soil, 
emigrated  to  Andover,  Mass.,  and  among  his  goodly 
descendants  was  Nathaniel,  who  had  three  sons, — 
Joseph,  Aaron  and  Lemuel.  Aaron  was  a soldier  in 
the  War  of  the  Revolution,  settled  in  Acworth, 
N.  H.,  but  afterwards  removed  to  Barnard,  Vt. 
Lemuel  also  took  part  in  the  struggles  of  the  colo- 
nists and  was  at  the  burning  of  New  London.  Joseph 
was  born  in  Shutesbury,  Mass-,  in  1755,  and  came  to 
Acworth  in  the  early  years  of  its  settlement  (1790), 
married  Relief,  daughter  of  Aaron  Osgood,  a 
descendant  of  John  Osgood,  of  Andover,  Mass. 
David,  his  second  son,  born  in  1788,  married 
Betsey,  daughter  of  John  and  Lydia  (Melvin) 
Gregg,  of  Acworth.  The  Greggs  were  among  the 
pioneers  of  Londonderry,  N.  H.,  and  possessed  the 
strong  and  resolute  spirit  of  those  enterprising  men, 
the  influence  of  whose  characters  has  left  a strong  im- 
press upon  the  town  and  community  in  which  they 
made  their  home.  To  David  and  Betsey  (Gregg) 
Blanchard  were  born  seven  children,  of  whom  Hiram 
was  the  oldest. 

Hiram  Blanchard  belongs  to  that  class  of  New 
Englanders  who,  while  unostentatious  and  unpre- 
tending, are  yet  the  true  benefactors  of  the  commun- 
ity in  which  they  live,  in  that  they  add  to  the  ma- 
terial prosperity  of  their  respective  localities  and 
leave  behind  them  tangible  results  of  their  life’s 
work.  He  had  his  birth  in  the  quiet,  rural  town  of 
Acworth,  N.  H.,  October  21,  1816,  attended  the  pub- 
lic schools  in  Acworth  and  Hancock  Academy,  and 
thoroughly  assimilated  the  instruction  to  his  intellec- 
tual betterment.  He  at  the  same  time  improved  his 
physical  health  by  laboring  on  his  father’s  farm. 
This  was  his  life  till  he  became  of  age,  when  he  went, 
first  to  Boston,  then  to  Bellows  Falls  and  other  places ; 
but  after  the  passing  of  a few  months  he  located  in 
merchandising  at  Bradford  Corner,  as  a partner  of 
Hon.  John  W.  Morse  and  M.  E.  Baxter,  under  the 
firm- title  of  Baxter,  Blanchard  & Co.  This  was  in 
1842,  and  from  that  time  to  his  death,  November  19, 
1872,  he  was  one  of  the  most  energetic  of  the  busi- 
ness men  of  the  town  and  a component  factor  of  its 
usefulness.  He  continued  in  trade  at  Bradford  Cor- 
ner for  about  ten  years,  with  various  partners,  and 
established  a reputation  for  sterling  integrity  and 
honesty  of  purpose  that  his  whole  after-life  but  con- 
firmed. He  afterwards  formed  a partnership  with 
Mr.  Morse,  at  Mill  village,  under  style  of  Morse  & 
Blanchard,  and  until  1870,  when,  on  account  of  fail- 
ing health,  Mr.  Blanchard  was  forced  to  retire,  they 
continued  in  trade,  each  week  and  each  month  but 
rendering  stronger  the  bonds  of  friendship  uniting 
the  two  men.  Their  business  interests  were  large 


and  diversified,  and  while  Mr.  Morse  attended  to  the 
“outside”  part,  Mr.  Blanchard  was  the  merchant 
who  daily  was  at  his  post  in  the  store,  and  it  is  not 
too  much  to  say  that  the  unfailing  courtesy  which 
gave  a pleasant  greeting  and  a kind  word  to  every 
one  added  much  to  the  popularity  of  the  firm  and  to 
its  success. 

Mr.  Blanchard  married,  October  18,  1843,  Polly  E., 
daughter  of  Hon.  Jonathan  and  Polly  (Fisher)  Gove, 
of  Acworth.  (For  Gove  ancestry,  see  biography  of 
Hon.  John  W.  Morse.)  For  nearly  thirty  years  of 
passing  time  were  their  joys  and  sorrows  cheered  by 
mutual  sympathy,  and,  while  Mrs.  Blanchard  was  a 
true  helpmeet  to  him,  his  unfailing  tenderness  made 
the  home  circle  a more  than  ordinarily  happy  one. 
He  prized  his  home  dearly;  after  the  wearisome 
duties  of  the  day  were  over,  here  he  found  a rest  for 
his  fatigue  and  a solace  for  the  discomforts  incident 
to  every  life.  The  same  qualities  which  made  him 
the  successful  merchant  aud  husband  and  lather, 
caused  him  to  have  the  respect  and  esteem  of  the  en- 
tire community.  He  was  remarkably  winning  in  his 
manners,  speedily  securing  the  interest  of  a stranger, 
which  was  usually  increased  and  consolidated  info 
friendship  by  further  acquaintance,  and,  throughout 
his  long  and  active  business  career,  never  dared  sus- 
picion to  breathe  one  word  against  his  integrity,  nor 
did  a single  action  of  his  cause  him  to  be  lowered 
from  the  high  position  he  occupied  in  the  minds  of 
the  better  element  of  the  people  among  whom 
he  had  made  his  home.  He  was  always  unassuming, 
never  giving  himself  full  credit  for  the  abilities  he 
possessed,  and  never  boasted  of  his  achievements  nor 
what  he  could  accomplish.  A man  not  given  to  idle 
talk,  he  had  great  command  over  his  feelings,  which 
were  naturally  impetuous.  He  was  firm  in  his  friend- 
ships, generous  to  the  unfortunate  and  suffering,  but 
his  good  deeds  were  never  found  out  from  him  ; he 
left  others  to  reveal  them  if  they  ever  came  to  the 
light ; only  his  wife  would  know  of  his  benefactions, 
and  she  cordially  shared  them  with  him.  He  pre- 
ferred the  quiet,  domestic  enjoyments  of  home  to  the 
turmoil  of  public  strife,  aud  consequently  never 
sought  political  or  official  distinction,  although  sup- 
porting, with  all  his  strength,  the  Democratic  princi- 
ples of  the  “ Father  of  the  Constitution,”  and  of  wide 
influence  in  the  community.  He  served  as  post- 
master at  one  time,  and  was  representative  to  the 
State  Legislature  in  1866-67,  the  only  public  positions 
he  could  be  induced  to  accept.  Of  an  earnest  and 
positive  character,  whatever  he  undertook  he  would 
accomplish,  and  this,  with  his  scrupulous  fidelity  to 
any  trust  confided  to  him,  caused  him  to  be  almost 
recklessly  unsparing  of  himself.  Hence  he  was  led 
to  a really  unjustifiable  excess  of  labor,  which  weak- 
ened a system  never  vigorous,  and  brought  on  con- 
sumption, that,  after  long  months  of  suffering,  ended 
his  useful  life.  He  had  one  son,  George  H.,  born  in 
1848,  who  resides  in  Lowell. 


216 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Mrs.  Blanchard  survives  her  husband  and  has  the 
esteem  and  friendship  of  a large  circle  for  her  ster- 
ling worth. 

By  the  reading  of  this  memorial  sketch  many  striv- 
ing youth  may  see  what  may  be  accomplished  by  dili- 
gence, good  habits  and  an  honest,  manly  life.  Better 
than  columns  of  stone  and  monuments  of  marble  are 
the  records  of  such  a life. 


GEORGE  HART. 

George  Hart,  the  grandson  of  Nicholas  Lawrence 
(a  native  of  Weston,  Vt.,  who  was  a very  prominent 
man,  and  one  of  the  veteran  heroes  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary War),  and  son  of  George  and (Lawrence) 

Hart,  was  born  at  Landgrove,  Vt.,  May  23,  1811.  As 
so  many  New  Englanders  had  done  before  him,  early 
in  life  he  was  obliged  to  earn  his  bread,  get  bis  edu- 
cation and  wrestle  with  the  world.  The  condition  of 
his  parents  was  humble.  The  incessant  toil  required 
in  a new  and  sterile  land  had  but  served  to  provide 
the  barest  necessities  of  life,  and  from  his  earliest 
years  he  struggled  with  adverse  circumstances.  His 
boy-heart  yearned  to  know  something  of  the  great 
world  of  books  in  which  so  many  found  enjoyment ; 
but  he  had  no  money,  nor  could  his  parents  meet  this 
demand  ; so  he  went  into  the  woods,  gathered  dry 
trees,  stumps,  brush,  etc.,  and  burning  them,  he  se- 
cured the  ashes  to  exchange  for  the  much-desired 
school-books.  But  the  rains  descended,  and  the 
prospective  capital  was  lost,  as  George  thought,  when 
his  mother  came  to  his  relief,  dried  the  ashes  in  the 
oven,  and  his  first  school-books  were  purchased.  He 
improved  his  time  in  labor  and  study,  and,  with  the 
assistance  of  his  brother,  while  yet  a young  man,  had 
the  satisfaction  of  seeing  his  parents  in  a home  which 
the  two  boys  had  provided.  Thinkingto  find  a larger 
field  of  labor,  and  one  more  remunerative,  in  a man- 
ufacturing place,  he  left  his  native  town  and  went  to 
Lowell,  Mass.,  where  he  took  a contract  for  the  heavy 
stone-work  required  in  one  of  the  mills,  and  thus  found 
employment  for  a time.  He  then  went  to  Tewksbury 
and  became  the  foreman  on  a farm,  and  resided  in 
Dracut  for  a short  period.  But  Mr.  Hart’s  ambition 
for  a better  position  and  advantages  for  adding  to  his 
stock  of  learning  soon  carried  him  to  Boston,  where 
he  engaged  in  one  of  the  tide-mills  for  manufacturing 
lead  pipe.  Here  he  continued  diligent  in  business 
and  saving  his  earnings,  when  a desirable  opportunity 
offered,  and  he  invested  his  little  capital,  and  went 
into  partnership  with  Messrs.  Crosby  & Cannon  in 
the  trucking  business.  He  remained  in  Boston  for 
more  thau  three  years,  when  he  removed  to  Mt.  Ta- 
bor, Vt.,  purchased  a farm  and  devoted  himself  to 
agriculture  for  the  next  five  years,  and  became  a J 
good  citizen  of  the  town,  interesting  himself  in  its 
public  affairs,  serving  as  town  clerk,  selectman  and  ! 
also  held  a commission  as  justice  of  the  peace.  He 
then  removed  to  Boston,  resumed  his  old  business,  : 


was  financially  successful,  and  having  sold  out  his 
entire  interest,  he  came  to  Bradford  about  1850,  and 
was  a resident  here  until  his  death,  in  the  last  night 
of  the  year  1879. 

Mr.  Hart  married,  April  5, 1835,  Louisa,  daughter  of 
Cyrus  and  Martha  (Millet),  Bailey,  native  of  Salem, 
N.  H.  Mrs.  Hart  has  been  a resident  of  Bradford  since 
her  third  year,  and  is  a Christian  lady  of  intelligence 
and  refinement.  Their  children  were  Louisa  A., 
born  at  Mt.  Tabor,  Vt.,  January  11,  1838,  married 
Arthur  T.  Morse,  of  Newbury,  N.  H.,  and  has  two 
children,  George  H.  and  Arthur  A. ; Almendo,  born 
at  Mt.  Tabor  November  7,  1840,  died  in  infancy; 
George  A.,  born  at  Mt,  Tabor  December  17,  1841,  died 
in  Boston,  aged  eleven  months  ; George  Herman,  born 
at  Boston  April  17,  1844,  died  aged  two  years  and 
four  months  ; Edwin  A.,  born  at  Boston  July  12, 
1849  (he  married  Eugenia  C.  Delaplaine,  and  has  an 
adopted  daughter,  Bertha,  now  living  at  Minneapolis, 
Minn.);  William  S.,  born  at  Bradford  September  25, 
1851,  now  living  in  Florida,  is  engaged  in  bee  cul- 
ture, in  connection  with  orange-growing,  in  which  he 
is  successful. 

About  1860,  Mr.  Hart  left  his  Bradford  matters  in 
charge  of  his  wife  and  a trusty  man,  and  went  to 
Enniskillen,  Canada,  and  engaged  in  boring  for  oil 
and  dealing  in  oil  lands  quite  extensively,  and  this 
enterprise  resulted  profitably,  as  also  other  business 
transactions. 

We  have  written  thus  far  concerning  Mr.  Hart  as  a 
business  man,  and  we  will  now  speak  of  him  in  the 
words  of  a friend,  who  knew  him  as  friend,  citizen 
and  neighbor,  of  one  who  saw  him  in  his  home, 
which  he  had  made  so  beautiful  by  his  own  care  and 
artistic  taste. 

He  was  a man  of  grand  presence,  reserved  in  his 
manners,  of  few  words,  carrying  on  conversation  for 
the  purpose  of  gaining  or  imparting  knowledge,  but 
never  condescending  to  trivial  details,  but  when  the 
occasion  demanded,  his  influence,  means  and  friend- 
ship were  offered  freely;  kind,  sympathetic  and  be- 
nevolent, but  always  choosing  the  objects  of  his 
charity;  unostentatious  and  unassuming,  yet  bold 
and  fearless  in  the  cause  of  the  oppressed ; a strict 
partisan,  but  never  intrusive  or  arrogant;  impatient  of 
shams,  but  a firm  friend  of  all  philanthropic  under- 
takings; of  a strong  and  positive  will,  as  is  often  the 
case  with  self-made  men;  refined,  cultured  and  with 
a taste  for  the  beautiful  in  nature,  of  which  he  was  a 
great  lover,  as  was  evidenced  by  the  adornment  and 
cultivation  of  his  home-place,  much  of  which  was 
the  labor  of  his  own  hands ; a strong  temperance 
man  and  a zealous  worker  in  the  cause,  ready  with  his 
advice  and  financial  aid  ; an  Abolitionist  at  the  time 
when  to  openly  avow  those  sentiments  almost 
amounted  to  social  ostracism.  When  Garrison  was 
mobbed  in  the  city  of  Boston,  Mr.  Hart  was  one  of 
the  foremost  to  stand  forward  and  offer  his  strong 
arm  in  his  defense ; also,  at  one  time,  when  a lady 


K 


(Jj&dru/s  (D^zfuJZ- 


BRADFORD. 


217 


lectured  in  the  church  at  Bradford  in  the  interest  of 
the  anti-slavery  movement,  and,  at  the  close,  asked 
for  some  one  to  take  up  a collection,  and  waited  for  a 
response,  not  a person  in  the  whole  congregation  re- 
sponded until  Mr.  Hart,  with  his  dignified  and  cour- 
teous mien,  arose,  and  complied  with  the  request.  He 
was  a keen  observer  of  human  nature  and  had  a won- 
derful power  in  reading  character.  He  had  a strong- 
sense  of  justice  and  was  no  respecter  of  persons.  In 
politics  he  was  a Republican,  and  his  being  twice 
elected  selectmen  in  a town  largely  Democratic  shows 
the  esteem  in  which  he  was  held.  He  was  thought- 
ful and  tender  of  his  wife  and  family,  even  to  the 
very  last,  when  pain  and  suffering  had  claimed  him 
for  their  own. 

Mr.  Hart  was  not  a professor  of  Christianity,  but 
his  wife  was  a member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  and  he 
contributed  liberally  for  the  support  of  the  cause  she 
loved.  But  he  was  a believer  in  (rod,  read  the  Bible 
carefully  and  had  been  heard  to  remark  that  “ all 
nature  gave  evidence  that  there  was  a God.”  A few 
days  previous  to  his  death,  on  bidding  farewell  to  a 
friend,  he  said, — “ Good-bye,  I hope  we  shall  meet  in 
a better  world,  if  there  is  one,  and  I believe  there  is.” 

All  in  all,  Mr.  Hart  was  an  honest,  upright,  con- 
scientious and  moral  man,  and  the  world  was  better 
for  his  having  lived  in  it. 


DAVID  DURRELL. 

The  Durrells  are  of  English  descent,  and  the  head 
of  the  family  is  a knight,  who  lived  in  a manor- 
house,  whose  erection  dates  back  to  the  fourteenth 
century.  (See  biography  of  Thomas  Durrell.)  Among 
. the  men  of  note  in  America  bearing  the  name  may  be 
mentioned  Judge  Daniel  M.  Durrell,  of  Dover,  N.  H., 
I and  the  yet  more  famous  Judge  Durrell,  of  Louisiana, 
who  are  nearly  related  to  the  branch  that  settled  in 
Bradford. 

Nicholas  Durrell  was  born  in  those  days,  just  sub- 
9 sequently  to  the  Revolution,  when  the  depreciation 
of  Continental  currency  had  caused  a stringency  of 
times  and  a shrinkage  of  values  of  which  we  now 
have  not  the  faintest  conception. 

The  young  lad  was  reared  in  the  midst  of  the  diffi- 
culties incident  to  a pioneer  life.  He  came  to  Brad- 
ford with  his  young  wife,  Polly  Batchelder,  of  North- 
wood,  on  horseback,  over  the  rough  roads,  in  which 
rocks,  logs  and  swamps  caused  slow'  and  tiresome 
progress,  and  with  brave  hearts  they  set  themselves 
to  make  a home  out  of  the  wild  piece  of  land  on 
which  they  settled.  Not  idle  were  they,  but  coura- 
geously and  industriously  they  devoted  themselves  to 
the  task  before  them,  and,  as  the  result  of  their 
labors,  there  was  developed  a splendid  farm — the 
finest  in  many  miles.  He  was  a model  farmer,  with 
an  eye  for  a good  animal,  and  took  pleasure  and  pride 
in  his  flocks  and  herds,  his  fields  and  his  buildings, 
and  many  remember  the  time  when  “ no  one  raised 


so  good  produce,  no  one  drove  so  fine  horses,  no  one 
owned  such  broad  lands  as  Nicholas  Durrell.” 

The  old  homestead  is  near  Bradford  Centre;  it  has 
now  (1885)  passed  into  other  hands,  and  his  descend- 
ants are  scattered  ; but  “ Nicholas,  his  wife  and  others 
of  his  race  now  sleep  in  the  small  iron-picketed 
grave-yard  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  road,  and  no 
male  of  the  name  resides  in  the  town.” 

Nicholas  Durrell  was  an  old-time  Whig,  a man  of 
fine  appearance,  of  social  ways  and  courteous  bearing, 
esteemed  by  his  acquaintances,  loved  by  his  family, 
a happy,  honest,  successful  agriculturist,  and,  although 
unable  to  write  his  name,  left  the  impress  of  his 
strong  character,  which  cannot  be  effaced.  He  was  a 
prominent  member  of  the  First  Congregational 
Church,  for  which  he  did  and  gave  much.  He  died 
in  September,  1844,  at  Saratoga,  N.  Y.,  aged  sixty- 
five.  His  wife  survived  him  many  years,  dying  at 
the  advanced  age  of  ninety-two.  Their  children  were 
Samuel,  David,  Levi  (now  living  in  Surry,  N.  H.)  and 
Mary  (Mrs.  Levi  0.  Colby). 

David  Durrell,  son  of  Nicholas  and  Polly  (Batchel- 
der) Durrell,  was  born  July  20,  1807,  on  the  home- 
stead of  his  father  in  Bradford,  and  was  a life-long 
resident  of  the  town.  He  had  a good  common-school 
education,  his  quick  mental  powers  making  such 
rapid  advancement  that  when  only  sixteen  years  old 
he  was  qualified  to  teach  school,  and  for  ten  consecu- 
tive years  he  taught  winter  terms  with  flattering  results 
and  great  popularity.  Inheriting  in  an  intensified 
degree  his  father’s  love  of  agriculture  and  fine  stock, 
he  remained  on  the  home  place  until  he  was  of  age, 
and  purchased  the  farm,  which  became  his  home,  for 
six  hundred  dollars;  married  Elvira  French,  who 
died,  leaving  one  daughter,  Lavinia  (Mrs.  George 
Baker).  He  married,  November  15,  1836,  Polly  P. 
Colby,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Sally  Patch.  They 
had  three  children, — Lizzie  S.  (Mrs.  Walter  S.  Leach, 
of  Methuen,  Mass.,  whose  only  child,  Lizzie  Etta, 
married  William  W.  Spalding,  resides  in  Lawrence, 
Mass.,  and  has  two  children  : Helen  D.  and  John 
W.),  Mary  Elvira  (deceased)  and  Helen  F.  G.  (Mrs. 
.T.  J.  Crippen,  now  residing  in  Salina,  Kan.,  having 
three  children : Henry  D.,  J.  J.,  Jr.,  and  Helen  E.). 

Mr.  Durrell  was  an  enthusiastic  laborer  in  his  favorite 
and  chosen  field,  agriculture;  worked  with  all  theardent 
energy  of  the  Durrell  nature  to  excel,  made  a specialty 
of  raising  fine  stock,  added  acre  after  acre  to  his  orig- 
inal small  possessions,  until,  in  a very  short  period  of 
time,  he  had  acquired  much  real  estate,  and  owned 
and  gave  his  name  to  Durrell’s  Mountains.  He 
had  at  one  time  in  liis  possession  as  many  as  seventy- 
three  blooded  cattle,  was  noted  for  having  one  of  the 
best  stock  farms  in  the  State,  and  had  many  fine 
horses,  whose  reputation  for  speed  and  quality  stood 
in  high  favor  among  Boston  horsemen,  who  highly 
valued  the  “ Durrell  breed.”  In  all  his  operations,  so 
successfully  conducted  as  to  make  him  wealthy  when 
only  in  the  prime  of  life  (for  when  his  death  occurred, 


Note. — [Some  branches  of  the  Durrell  family  spell  the  name  with  one 
“r”  while  others  use  two,  but  it  is  generally  spelled  with  two. — Editor.] 


218 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


September  15,  1854,  at  the  age  of  forty-seven  years, 
his  property  inventoried  about  twenty-four  thousand 
dollars),  he  was  not  an  idle  spectator  of  public  af- 
fairs. The  same  qualities  shown  in  his  private  busi- 
ness were  called  by  the  citizens  to  administration  of 
town  matters ; he  was  school  committeeman,  select- 
man and  tilled  other  offices  for  various  and  continued 
terms,  and  was  one  of  the  ablest  and  strongest  men  in 
Bradford,  whose  advice  and  counsel  was  sought  and 
gladly  received,  and  he  was  often  selected  as  an  ad- 
ministrator, guardian  and  for  other  weighty  trusts. 
His  operations  were  large;  lie  employed  many  men, 
and  the  oversight  of  them  in  the  various  departments 
of  his  labor  made  him  the  busiest  man  in  town.  Mr. 
Durrell  was  social,  warm-hearted,  tender  and  kind  in 
family  and  neighborhood  relations,  generous  to  all 
deserving  charities,  but  so  quiet  in  his  benefactions 
that  many  of  them  were  unknown  to  all  save  the 
giver  and  the  recipient.  A load  of  hay  would  be  sent  in 
the  long  winter  to  the  poor  man  whose  fodder  had 
failed;  a cow  would  be  driven  to  the  house  where 
“ many  children  played  around  the  door,”  and  its  use 
given  for  the  season.  In  these  and  similar  ways  was 
his  liberality  scattered,  like  sunbeams,  bringing  glad- 
ness and  light  to  many  destitute  homes,  and  when  lie 
was  called  away  bv  death  the  hearts  of  many  were 
shrouded  in  gloom. 

The  vigorous  constitution  of  Mrs.  Durrell,  in  spite 
of  her  active  labors  of  many  years,  has  preserved  her  i 
intellect  unimpaired,  and  her  sallies  of  wit  and  ap- 
preciation of  humor  would  do  credit  to  a much 
younger  person.  Her  appearance  does  not  indicate 
that  she  has  attained  her  age  of  seventy-four  years,  j 
and,  blessed  with  the  care  and  sympathy  of  three  | 
generations  of  worthy  descendants,  she  is  passing 
down  towards  the  “twilight”  of  life  reverenced  and  , 
beloved. 

There  lues  been  no  stronger  type  of  character  shown 
among  the  settlers  of  Bradford  than  that  exhibited  by 
Nicholas  and  David  Durrell,  and  none  of  its  inhabit- 
ants have  done  better  service  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  town,  or  left  more  substantial  tokens  of 
their  existence,  or  whose  memory  is,  to-day,  more 
sincerely  cherished. 


REV.  HIRAM  HOLMES. 

Rev.  Hiram  Holmes,  for  many  years  a useful  and 
faithful  minister  of  the  gospel,  was  born  in  Rochester, 
N.  H.,  October  3,  1806.  He  was  the  son  of  Joshua 
and  Polly  (Cater)  Holmes,  and  the  circumstances  of 
his  birth  only  afforded  him  the  benefit  of  the  edu- 
cation that  could  be  acquired  at  the  common  schools 
of  his  native  town.  At  a very  early  age  he  was  deeply 
impressed  with  the  importance  of  religious  interests, 
and  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  became  the  servant 
of  Christ,  and  August  3, 1828,  was  baptized  at  Strafford 
(Crown  Point)  by  Rev.  E.  Place,  and  joined  the  Free- 
Will  Baptist  Church.  Soon  after  he  was  convinced 


that  he  should  become  a religious  teacher,  and,  with  a 
few  others,  established  a prayer-meeting,  which  in  a 
short  time  bore  good  fruit  and  much  awakening  of  the 
spirit.  He  now  felt  that  preaching  was  the  vocation 
to  which  he  was  called,  and  henceforward  his  life- 
work  was  that  of  a preacher  of  the  Word.  In  1829  he 
commenced  holding  meetings,  and,  in  January,  1830, 
the  New  Durham  Quarterly  Meeting  “gave  him 
approbation  to  improve  as  a licentiate,”  and  Feb- 
ruary 8,  1831,  his  ordination  took  place  in  Strafford, 
Rev.  B.  S.  Manson  preaching  the  sermon.  Previous 
to  this,  and  afterwards,  he  traveled  in  various  towns, 
holding  meetings  and  going  from  house  to  house,  and 
his  heart  was  made  glad  in  that  many  turned  to  the 
Lord.  He  made  Wolfborough  bis  home  at  this  time, 
and  in  that  place  did  much  of  his  work.  He  was 
clerk  of  the  Wolfborough  Quarterly  Meeting  from  its 
organization,  August  6,  1831,  to  1835,  when  he  re- 
moved from  the  town.  He  perceived  a change  and  a 
quickening  in  religious  interests  while  a resident 
there,  and  baptized  thirty-seven  in  Wolfborough  and 
the  neighboring  towns.  He  then  went  to  Hopkinton, 
remaining  there  from  June,  1835,  until  the  following 
February.  His  next  field  of  labor  was  Weare,  in 
1836,  afterwards  supplying  the  church  in  Epsom  for 
a year.  In  October,  1837,  Mr.  Holmes  married  Su- 
sanna, daughter  of  Josiah  and  Lydia  Brown,  of  Weare, 
the  marriage  ceremony  being  performed  by  the  Rev. 
David  Moody,  the  well-known  Baptist  clergyman. 
His  next  pastorate  was  in  Raymond,  where  he  con- 
tinued for  a year  or  more.  His  final  settlement  was 
in  Bradford,  which  lasted  from  1839  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  suddenly  May  1,  1863, — a period  of 
twenty-four  years.  On  coming  to  Bradford,  Mr. 
Holmes  purchased  the  “ French  farm,”  and  made  it 
his  home  during  his  life  here,  and  his  widow  still  re- 
sides there.  In  all  these  years  he  supplied  Sunapee, 
Newbury,  Wilmot  Flat,  and  did  much  pastoral  work 
in  many  places,  and  was  also  appointed  by  the  Weare 
Quarterly  Meeting  an  “ itinerant”  to  visit  the  desti- 
tute churches.  His  health,  however,  was  feeble,  and 
he  was  unable  to  preach  constantly  ; but  whenever  or 
wherever  an  opportunity  occurred  he  “fought  the 
good  fight  ” and  labored  zealously  for  Zion’s  cause. 
His  activity,  zeal  and  persevering  endeavor  caused 
him  to  be  respected  and  esteemed  by  the  people  of 
Bradford,  and,  in  1860,  the  Congregational  Church 
being  without  a pastor,  he  was  invited  to  fill  the  pul- 
pit, which  he  did  alternate  Sabbaths,  “ to  good  con- 
gregations and  to  much  acceptance.”  He  was  a dele- 
gate to  the  Sixth  General  Conference,  held  at  Mere- 
dith, N.  H.,  1832 ; the  Seventh,  at  Strafford,  Vt., 
1833  ; and  the  Eighteenth,  at  Hillsdale,  Mich.,  1862. 

Mr.  Holmes  was  a public-spirited  citizen,  interested 
in  reform  movements  of  the  day,  and  in  all  enter- 
prises tending  to  further  and  promote  the  welfare  of 
the  community.  The  most  appropriate  and  fitting 
tribute,  to  this  good  man  is  that  of  his  friend  and 
Christian  brother,  Joseph  Fullonton  : “In  all  his 


wmmwW''' 


BRADFORD. 


219 


ministry  he  answered  well  the  qualifications  Paul  sets 
forth  as  requisite  in  a minister  of  Christ : ‘ A lover  of 
hospitality,  a lover  of  good  men,  sober,  just,  holy, 
temperate.’  He  was  firm  in  his  convictions  of  right, 
conscientious  in  all  his  duties  and  of  strict  integrity 
in  all  his  business  concerns.  His  heart  was  in  the 
benevolent  enterprises  of  the  age,  and  in  all  proper 
ways  he  labored  to  promote  them.  Coming  forward 
without  the  benefits  of  the  schools,  as  many  have 
since  enjoyed,  he  developed  preaching  talents  of  good 
quality.  He  labored  by  sound  doctrine  to  convince 
gainsayers  and  to  persuade  the  sinful  to  turn  to  God. 
He  presented  the  great  truths  with  such  clearness 
that  all  could  understand;  and  in  all  his  work  he  gave 
the  impression  that  love  to  God  and  love  to  men  con- 
strained him  to  make  earnest  efforts  to  win  the  way- 
ward and  perishing  to  Christ,  and  with  such  earnest- 
ness, deep  feeling  and  evident  sincerity  that  good 
results  followed.  God’s  people  were  instructed  and 
comforted,  the  desponding  encouraged  and  the  sin- 
ful directed  to  the  Lamb  of  God.  His  ministry  was 
successful,  and  he  has  entered  upon  a glorious  in- 
heritance in  heaven.  ‘The  memory  of  the  just  is 
blessed.’  ” 


JOHN  BROWN. 

John  Brown  was  born  in  Henniker,  N.  H.,  in  the  year 
1777,  and,  when  a child,  removed  to  Bradford,  where 
he  ever  afterwards  resided.  He  married  Sarah  Gregg, 
of  New  Boston,  N.  H. ; was  a farmer,  and  died  March 
27,1856.  His  wife  died  October  14,  1849.  They  had 
six  children,  viz. : Hannah,  Jerusha,  Livonia,  Joel 
H.,  Jeremiah  and  Nancy.  Hannah  married  Erastus 
F.  Brockway,  lived  in  Bradford  for  many  years,  and 
afterwards  removed  to  Boston  and  died  there  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1869,  at  the  age  of  sixty-two.  Her  husband 
is  still  living.  She  never  had  any  children. 

Jerusha  died,  unmarried,  May  8,  1838,  at  the  age 
of  twenty-nine. 

Livonia  married  Francis  T.  Simpson,  lived  many 
years  in  Manchester,  N.  H.,  but  afterwards  returned 
to  Bradford  and  died  there  May  18, 1854,  at  the  age  of 
forty-two.  She  had  no  children.  Her  husband  died 
before  her. 

Joel  H.  graduated  from  Dartmouth  College  in  the 
class  of  1841,  and  became  a physician  and  settled  in 
Newton,  Mass.,  where  he  died  March  18,  1865,  aged 
fifty-three.  He  married  Sarah  R.  P.  Richmond,  of 
Boston,  who  survives.  They  had  one  child,  a daugh- 
ter, who  died  in  childhood. 

Jeremiah  graduated  from  Dartmouth  College  in 
the  class  of  1842,  was  a lawyer,  and  practiced  for 
many  years  in  Boston,  where  he  died  December  26, 
1881,  aged  sixty-seven.  He  married  Mary  H. 
Talbot,  who  died  before  him.  They  had  no  children. 

Nancy  married  Ambrose  S.  Brackett,  and  resided 
in  Bradford,  where  she  died  May  14,  1862,  aged  forty- 
five.  Her  husband  died  in  Bradford  July  23,  1878, 
aged  sixty -three. 


J.  Q.  A.  Brackett  is  their  only  child,  and  the  only 
living  descendant  of  his  grandfather,  John  Brown. 
He  was  born  in  Bradford  June  8,  1842 ; graduated 
from  Harvard  University  in  the  class  of  1865,  and 
from  the  Harvard  Law  School  in  1868;  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  Boston  the  same  year  and  has  been  en- 
gaged in  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  that  city 
ever  since.  He  married  Angeline  M.  Peck,  of  Ar- 
lington, Mass.,  June  20,  1878,  and  has  one  son,  John 
Gaylord  Brackett,  born  April  12,  1879.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  City  Council  of  Boston  four  years, 
and  president  of  that  body  in  1876  ; has  been  a mem- 
ber of  the  House  of  Representatives  seven  years,  and 
at  present  is  its  Speaker. 


CURTIS  DAVIS. 

The  prosperity  of  New  England  is  largely  indebted 
to  its  self-made  men,  who  have  continually  added  to 
the  wholesome  wealth  of  the  community  by  their 
persistent  and  unwearied  efforts,  have  been  workers, 
producers,  and  not  mere  consumers,  obeying  the  an- 
cient law  of  our  race, — “ By  the  sweat  of  thy  brow 
shalt  thou  gain  thy  bread.”  Conspicuous  among 
these,  and  worthy  of  mention,  is  Curtis  Davis,  the  son 
of  Daniel  and  Mary  (Brown)  Davis.  He  was  born  in 
the  beautiful  farming  town  of  Bradford,  N.  H.,  Feb- 
ruary 11,  1814,  and  was  the  grandson  of  Isaac  Davis, 
whose  eight  children  were  Betsey,  born  December 
29,  1760;  Mollie,  born  May  31,  1762;  James,  born 
February  24,  1764;  Daniel,  born  February  4,  1766; 
John,  born  December  24,  1768  (died  young) ; Susan, 
born  January  7,  1770;  Sally,  born  April  17,  1772  ; 
and  John,  born  August  14,  1774.  Daniel  married 
Mary  Brown  and  had  eleven  children, — Samuel,  born 
March  19,  1790;  Enoch,  born  August  27,  1791  (died 
young) ; Enoch,  born  January  6,  1793  ; Dorcas,  born 
January  25,  1795 ; Eliphalet,  born  December  16, 
1796;  Lydia,  born  January  4,  1799;  Diamond,  born 
April  25,  1802;  Hiram,  born  February  24,  1807; 
Lyman,  born  October  11,  1809;  Isaac,  born  January 
18,  1811 ; and  Curtis. 

Curtis  Davis  was  the  youngest  of  eleven  children, 
and  although  his  father  was  a well-to-do  farmer,  yet 
with  such  a large  family  to  support,  frugality,  ecoi  - 
omy  and  industry  were  essential  characteristics  for 
the  development  of  the  resources  of  the  farm,  and 
the  children  were  well  grounded  in  the  principles 
which  lead  to  success,  and  formed  those  habits  of 
perseverance  and  diligence  that  have  ever  been  their 
prominent  traits.  In  1832,  Curtis  left  his  pleasant 
home,  a poor  boy  and  unacquainted  with  the  ways  of 
the  world,  his  education  being  that  afforded  by  the 
common  schools  of  the  period  ; but  his  courage  and 
determination  were  strong,  and  his  ambition  was  to 
engage  in  some  business  and  follow  it.  He  went  to 
Cambridgeport,  Mass.,  then  comparatively  a small 
place,  and  engaged  for  a very  moderate  compensation 
with  a firm  in  the  soap  business,  of  which  his  brother 


220 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Eliphalet  was  a partner.  He  continued  in  their  em- 
ploy for  a short  time,  and  then  returned  to  Bradford, 
where  he  remained  for  a year,  and  in  the  fall  of  1833 
he  removed  to  Cambridgeport  and  resumed  his  for- 
mer position,  where  he  worked  faithfully  and  devoted 
himself  to  acquiring  the  details  of  the  manufacture, 
with  a view  to  establishing  himself  on  his  own  ac- 
count, which  he  carried  into  effect  in  1834  by  pur- 
chasing the  business  of  Hiram  Davis.  This  estab- 
lishment he  sold  in  1835,  when  he  bought  another 
factory  of  greater  capacity,  and,  in  1837,  took  into 
partnership  Alexander  Dickinson,  with  whom  he  was 
connected  until  1851.  Mr.  Davis  then  bought  and 
enlarged  the  buildings  he  now  occupies,  and  at  pres- 
ent (1885)  the  entire  plant  covers  about  one  acre  of 
ground,  and  is  the  most  noted  factory  in  Cambridge, 
and,  also,  the  largest  one  of  the  kind  in  New  Eng- 
land. In  the  main  building  are  sixteen  kettles  or 
boilers,  twelve  of  which  are  for  the  stocking  and  fin- 
ishing of  soap,  and  have  a holding  capacity  of  over 
two  hundred  and  fifty  tons,  and  still  the  increasing 
demand  for  their  manufacture  calls  for  more  space, 
and  an  enlargement  of  the  works  is  in  contemplation. 
The  soap  manufactured  by  Mr.  Davis  is  a pure  article, 
and  the  Peerless,  Welcome,  Extra  and  Gold  Dust 
brands  are  used  throughout  the  country,  and  their 
quality  and  superiority  are  too  well  known  to  need 
further  mention.  In  1864,  Mr.  Davis  received  into 
his  business,  as  partner,  his  son-in-law,  James  Mellen, 
who  has  the  superintendence  of  the  sales-rooms  in 
Boston.  They  avail  themselves  of  all  the  new  ideas, 
are  progressive,  and  their  manufactory  is  provided 
with  the  best  and  most  improved  machinery.  They 
honestly  aim  to  make  a good  article,  and  conse- 
quently, are  successful. 

Mr.  Davis  married,  November  29,  1835,  Martha 
Kemp,  a native  of  Pomfret,  Yt.  She  was  born  April 
1,  1818.  Their  five  children  were  Christina  Van 
Ness,  born  April  15, 1840,  married  James  Mellen,  Jr. ; 
Ermina  Frances,  died  December  25, 1854,  aged  twelve 
years;  Curtis  Rockwell,  died  February  24, 1876,  aged 
thirty-one  years  ; Mary  Lizzie,  born  December  7, 
1846,  married  Samuel  Noyes,  Jr. ; Edwin  Alberto, 
•died  July  8, 1851,  aged  twenty-two  months. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis  have  passed  nearly  fifty  years 


together,  and  have  experienced  many  joys  and  many 
sorrows ; yet  amidst  them  all  each  has  been  cheered 
and  encouraged  by  the  sympathy  of  the  other,  and 
now,  at  the  twilight  of  life,  they  can  look  back  to  duties 
well  performed  and  forward  to  the  bright  beyond. 

With  all  his  devotion  to  business,  Mr.  Davis  has 
not  neglected  his  civil  relations  towards  the  place 
which  has  been  his  home  from  boyhood.  He  has 
kept  pace  with  the  growth  of  Cambridgeport,  hav- 
ing been  identified  with  its  manufacturing  interests 
for  half  a century,  and  is  one  of  the  solid  men  of 
that  city.  High-minded  and  honorable,  he  possesses 
the  respect  and  esteem  of  the  citizens.  Unassuming 
and  retiring  in  his  manners,  he  has  never  sought 
office,  but  the  office  has  sought  him.  His  integrity 
and  honesty  of  purpose  have  been  shown  in  his  meth- 
ods of  business,  and  as  director  in  the  Citizens’  Insur- 
ance Company,  and  also  in  one  of  the  Cambridge 
banks  for  several  years,  he  has  proved  himself  qual- 
ified for  important  trusts. 

His  political  affiliations  from  boyhood  have  been 
with  the  Democratic  party,  and  the  Jeffersonian  and 
Jacksonian  principles  and  methods  as  indorsed  and 
carried  out  by  President  Cleveland  find  in  him  hearty 
support.  He  has  been  a member  of  the  Common 
Council,  served  as  alderman  for  two  years  and  for 
three  terms  represented  Cambridge  in  the  State  Leg- 
islature. 

Mr.  Davis  embodies  and  exemplifies  those  qualities 
which  distinguish  what  we  call  our  self-made  men. 
He  commenced  life  with  no  vices ; he  was  prudent, 
economical  and  temperate ; business  success  he  pre- 
ferred to  pleasure,  and  to  his  work  he  carried  enter- 
prise, energy  and  will.  He  was  essentially  a moving 
force  in  his  work,  and  this  review  of  his  life  is  of 
value  to  our  young  men,  who  can  see  from  what  Mr. 
Davis  has  achieved  what  can  be  accomplished  by  in- 
dustry, fidelity  and  an  honest  purpose. 

In  all  these  years  his  heart  has  held  a firm  grasp  of 
his  native  town,  and  the  home  of  his  parents  has  ever 
been  tenderly  cherished.  He  has  a pride  in  its  scen- 
ery, its  associations  and  in  the  noticeable  men  it  has 
produced,  and  Bradford  has  never  had  a native  who 
more  loyally  prized  its  worth,  or  who,  in  the  far-reach- 
ing realm  of  business,  has  done  her  greater  honor. 


HISTORY  OF  CANTERBURY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Geographical — Original  Grant— Town  Privileges — First  Settlements — 
Names  of  Pioneers  — Indian  Incursions  — Capture  of  Jackman  and 
Dorset— The  Fort — The  Volunteers — Indian  Trading  Post — War  of 
the  Revolution — Captain  Jeremiah  Clough’s  Company — Captain  Janies 
Shepherd’s  Company  — Canterbury  “Train-Band”  — “Train-Band ” 
and  “Alarm  List” — Various  Enlistments. 

The  town  of  Canterbury  lies  in  the  eastern  part  of 
the  county,  and  is  bounded  as  follows: 

North,  by  Northlield;  east,  by  Belknap  County 
and  Loudon ; south,  by  Loudon  and  Concord ; west, 
by  Boscawen. 

This  town  was  granted,  May  20,  1727,  to  Richard 
Waldron  and  a large  number  of  associates,  and  em- 
braced, in  addition  to  its  present  territory,  the  present 
towns  of  Loudon  and  Northlield. 

March  10,  1741,  an  act  was  passed  granting  the 
inhabitants  town  privileges.  The  original  area  of 
the  town  was  increased,  by  an  addition  on  the  south- 
west side,  June  13,  1765.  It  retained  this  area  until 
January  23,  1773,  when  Loudon  was  set  off,  and  June 
10,  1780,  it  was  still  further  decreased  by  the  incor- 
poration of  the  northwesterly  part  of  the  town  as 
Northfield,  Rockingham  County.  A small  portion 
of  the  town  was  annexed  to  Concord,  June  2,  1784, 
and  a small  portion  was  also  annexed  to  Loudon, 
January  7,  1853. 

Settlements  were  made  here  soon  after  the  granting 
of  the  town,  in  1727;  but  in  consequence  of  its  ex- 
posed condition  on  the  frontier,  it  was  slowly  settled. 
Among  the  early  settlers  were  James  Scales,  Thomas 
Clough,  Thomas  Young,  James  Gibson,  William 
Glines,  Ezekiel  Morrill,  Samuel  Ames,  Joseph  Sy- 
monds,  John  Moor,  Richard  Blanchard,  Jeremiah 
Clough,  Josiali  Miles,  Ephraim  Clough,  Samuel  Shep- 
herd and  Samuel  Sias. 

Indian  Incursions. — The  early  settlers  of  Canter- 
bury were  not  exempt  from  Indian  depredations. 
For  a long  series  of  years  the  country  was  in  a con- 
stant state  of  alarm,  and  various  towns,  or  settlements, 
and  Canterbury  among  the  number,  erected  garrison- 
houses,  where  the  whole  settlement  would  gather  in 
time  of  danger.  In  1757  five  Indians  appeared  near 
the  house  of  Thomas  Clough,  which  they  entered, 
and  took  from  it  a small  quantity  of  meal ; but  their 


object  being  to  take  captives,  they  concealed  them- 
selves behind  a log  fence.  They  soon  perceived  a 
young  lad,  named  Moses  Jackman,  a neighbor  of  Mr. 
Clough,  and  Dorset,  Mr.  Clough’s  negro  man.  They 
gave  chase  and  captured  them.  They  were  taken  to 
Canada.  After  a tedious  captivity,  Jackman  was 
released  in  1761,  and  returned.  The  colored  man  was 
redeemed  for  a sum  of  money  paid  by  Mr.  Clough. 
While  returning  from  captivity  he  lost  both  his  feet, 
but  was  comfortably  supported  by  Mr.  Clough  till  his 
death,  which  occurred  at  an  advanced  age. 

At  the  time  of  the  capture  of  these  young  men 
Mrs.  Clough,  also,  came  near  falling  into  the  hands 
of  the  Indians.  On  that  same  day  she  went  from  the 
garrison  to  her  house  to  bake  and  prepare  for  the 
return  of  the  family.  Going  directly  to  her  meal- 
chest,  she  discovered  traces  of  Indians.  She  stepped 
to  the  door  and  called  loudly  for  the  boys.  She  fled 
to  the  garrison,  screaming  as  she  ran,  aud  gave  the 
alarm.  All  exertions  to  recover  the  captives,  how- 
ever, were  in  vain. 

During  another  incursion  Shepherd  and  Blanchard, 
two  of  the  settlers,  were  surprised  a short  distance 
from  the  garrison -house  by  a party  of  seven  Indians 
who  rose  from  behind  a log  within  a few  feet 
of  the  whites.  Both  parties  fired.  Shepherd 
escaped,  but  Blanchard  was  mortally  wounded. 
During  the  hostilities  this  garrison-liouse,  or  fort, 
was  garrisoned  by  a company  of  volunteers  and 
was  the  headquarters  for  the  various  scouting- 
parties  who  ranged  in  search  of  the  enemy  be- 
yond the  line  of  settlements.  This  company  was 
commanded  by  Captain  Jeremiah  Clough.  There 
was  a trading-post  in  this  town  in  the  early  days  for 
traffic  with  the  Indians,  and  the  following,  concern- 
ing this  traffic,  was  voted  by  the  General  Court,  in 
1743: 

“ 111  the  House  of  Representatives  Xr  the  22d  1743 

“ Voted  That  Mr  Jotham  Odiorn  Jr  & Mr  Hunking  Wentworth  be  a 
Comittee  to  Purchase  thirty  pounds  worth  of  Goods  to  Send  up  to  Can- 
terbury for  a Supply  to  Trade  with  the  Indians  which  Shall  be  laid  out 


in  the  following  Manner  viz1 

£ 8. 

“for  Rum 3 15 

for  Blankets 10  0 

for  Cloth  Suitable  for  Indian  Stockings 3 15 

for  Linen  for  Shirts 5 0 


221 


222 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


for  Powder  Shot  Bullets  & flints 5 0 

Knives  Pipes  and  Tobacko 2 10 


£30  0 

“ And  that  the  Treasurer  pay  the  Said  Sum  of  thirty  pounds  to  the 
Said  Comittee  for  the  Ends  aforesaid  out  of  the  Money  that  Shall  be  in 
the  Treasury  for  Contingencies  after  the  first  day  of  february  Next, 
And  when  said  Comittee  have  purchased  sd  goods  they  Shall  Convey  the 
Same  to  the  Town  of  Canterbury  & Deliver  them  to  Mr  James  Scales, 
who  is  hereby  impowered  to  Sell  the  Same  to  the  Indians,  and  receive 
the  Pay  in  furs  &c  at  Such  Prices  as  shall  be  Set  by  Said  Comittee,  and 
that  the  Comittee  be  Governed  in  Rating  the  Goods  & Furs  by  the 
Prices  that  are  Set  by  the  Massachusetts  Government  and  that  Said  James 
Scales  Render  an  accompt  of  the  Sale  of  all  Such  Sales  of  the  Said  Goods 
as  he  shall  Dispose  of  to  the  Indians  as  aforesaid  to  the  General  assembly 
Some  time  within  Six  Months  of  the  Date  hereof,  and  all  the  Produce  of 
Said  Goods  Shall  be  by  him  paid  & Delivered  to  the  Treasurer,  and  to  lye 
there  for  the  use  of  the  Governm1  as  Shall  be  Ordered  by  the  Gen1  ass'" 
And  that  Said  Scales  be  under  oath  for  the  faithful  discharge  of  his 
Trust,  and  to  have  Such  allowance  made  him  for  his  service  as  Shall  be  Tho* 
reasonable  by  the  Gen1  assm  at  the  Time  of  his  rendering  his  acc*  of  the 
Sales  & Returns  of  Such  Goods — 

“ James  Jeffrey  Clcr  assm” 

War  of  the  Revolution. — The  town  of  Canterbury 
responded  promptly  to  the  colonial  cause,  and  the 
record  of  its  soldiery  during  that  arduous  struggle  is 
an  honorable  one.  In  the  first  two  years  of  the  war 
there  were  thirty-one  from  this  town  in  the  service. 
The  officers  were  Captain  Jeremiah  Clough,  Captain 
James  Shepherd,  Lieutenant  Joseph  Soper,  Lieuten- 
ant Laban  Morrill  and  Ur.  Josiah  Chase.  Most  of 
those  from  this  town  were  under  command  of  Captain 
Clough,  who  “ first  dared  to  face  the  English  troops 
in  the  vicinity  of  Boston.”  Captain  Shepherd  and 
his  command  were  in  the  battles  of  Bennington  and 
Sa  ratoga. 

The  whole  number  of  soldiers  from  this  town  was 
about  seventy.  Of  these,  one  was  killed  and  six  died. 

The  following  is  the  roster  of  Captain  Clough’s 
company,  August  1,  1775: 

“Jeremiah  Clough,  Cap4.  ; Aaron  Sanborn,  Lieu*. ; Thomas  Lyford,  2d 
Lieu*.  ; Josiah  Chase,  Serjent ; Samuel  Chamberlain,  Serjent ; Jonathan 
Heath,  Serjent ; Charles  Glidden,  Serjent ; Jonathan  Thomas,  Corp1. ; 
Joseph  Clough,  Corp1.  ; Samuel  Haynes,  Corp1.  ; Nathan  Taylor,  Corp1.  ; 
Simeon  Robinson,  Drumr.  ; Thomas  Warren,  Fifer ; David  Blanchard’ 
Obadiah  Clough,  Elisha  Cate,  John  Curry,  Ebenezer  ('handler,  Humph- 
rey Colby,  Joseph  ('handler,  Winthrop  Clough.  Andrew  Cummings, 
Thomas  Drake,  Shubael  Dearborn,  Nathan  Dearborn,  John  Dearborn, 
Klkanah  Danford,  Ebenezer  Eastman,  Jacob  Eaton,  Benjamin  Eaton, 
William  Forrest,  Jonathan  Folsom,  Robert  Forrest,  Jonathan  Foster, 
Jeremiah  Gibson,  Jacob  Garland,  William  Glines,  Jn°.  Moody  Gilman* 
James  Gibson,  Enoch  Gibson,  John  Glines,  Daniel  Gale,  Levi  Hunt, 
Phillip  Hunt,  William  Hayes,  John  Lary,  Marston  Merrill,  Levi  Marston, 
John  Peterson,  John  Robinson,  Aaron  Rawlins,  Daniel  Randall,  Pearson 
Smith,  Simon  Sanborn,  James  Sherburne,  Stephen  Riggs,  Joseph  Smith, 
George  Sheppard,  Phinehas  Steevens,  Eli  Simonds,  Jonathan  Smith, 
William  Thompson,  William  Taylor,  Jacob  Tilton,  Joshua  Weeks,  Daniel 
Ward,  Tone  Boston,  Privates.” 

Captain  Clough  was  of  Canterbury,  Lieutenant 
Sanborn  of  Sanbornton  and  Lieutenant  Lyford  of 
Northfield. 

Among  other  soldiers  from  this  town  were  Edmund 
and  David  Colby,  Samuel  Danford,  Phineas  Fletcher, 
Nathaniel  and  William  Glines,  William  Rhines, 
Michael  Sutten,  Merrill  Sheppard  and  William 
Walker. 


The  following  is  the  roll  of  Captain  James  Shep- 
hard’s company  : 

“James  Shepard,  Cap*;  Samuel  Davis,  1st  Lieu*;  Enoch  Gerrish,  2d 
Lieu*;  John  Beau,  Ensign  ; Benjamin  Huutoon,  Philip  Flanders,  James 
Johnson,  Jona  Foster,  Robert  Wise,  Samuel  Scribner,  Cutting  Stevens, 
Ezekiel  Lunt,  Stephen  Call,  Jeremiah  Eastman,  Josiah  Scribner,  Daniel 
Giles,  Nathan  Rowe,  Stephen  Haynes,  James  Gerrel,  Moses  Cross,  Da>id 
Carter,  David  Emerson,  John  Foss,  Peter  Stevens,  William  Courser, 
Timothy  Eastman,  Thomas  Courser,  Cornelius  Bean,  Jonathan  Stevens, 
Abraham  IVaslee,  Moses  Johnson,  Friend  Little,  John  Jackman,  Moses 
Scales,  John  P.  Sweat,  Abraham  T.  Sweat,  James  U ran,  Johu  Robertson, 
Enoch  Bishop,  John  Lapisli,  Stephen  Bethel,  Joseph  Farnum,  Benj11 
Heath,  Isaac  Fitts,  Jedediah  Danford,  Joseph  Megoone,  Ephraim  Davis, 
John  Davis,  Ezra  Blasdel,  Sol™  Huntress,  Samuel  Haynes,  Nath1  Glines, 
William  Forrest,  William  Rinds,  William  Simonds,  Shubael  Dearborne, 
John  Dearborne,  Jonathan  Smith,  Timothy  Jones,  Jonathan  Morrison, 
Samuel  Macress,  Thomas  Crosby,  Ezekiel  Danford,  Ebenezer  Bean,  Amos 
Norton,  William  Phillips,  George  Kenfield,  John.  Stevens,  Sam1  Cook, 
John  Riant,  Silas  Fox,  Joseph  Pearse,  Joseph  Flanders,  Thomas  Griffin, 
Johu  Ross,  Elisha  Cummings,  Benja  Basford,  George  Shepherd,  William 
Shaw,  Moses  Rendall,  Joshua  Boynton,  Thomas  Bedel,  James  Russ, 
Privates.” 

CANTERBURY  “TRAIN-BAND.” 

“ A List  of  the  Men  Names  From  fifty  to  Sixteen  back  : Cal  lop  Heath, 
William  Glines,  Juner,  Jam u el  Hans,  Richard  Hans,  Janies  Maloney, 
Gidden  Bartlet,  Richard  Ellison,  Jonathan  Gils,  Simon  Roberson,  Walter 
Hans,  Thomas  Gipson,  Richard  Glins,  William  Miles,  Obadiah  Clough, 
Joseph  Clough,  Sargent  Morriell,  Abraham  Morriell,  Thomas  Hoyit, 
Benjamin  Heath,  David  Foster,  Nehemiah  Clough,  Epharam  Carter, 
Levit  Clough,  Henry  Clough,  Hezekiah  young,  Daniel  Felcher,  Phinehas 
Flacher,  Joseph  Sanborn,  Jeremiah  Ladd,  Benjamin  Wicher,  Jonathan 
Wicher,  Edmond  Kizer,  Bcnjamon  Sanborn,  Nathaniel  Pallet,  Joshua 
weaks,  William  Moore,  Juner,  Stephen  Sutton,  Mickel  Sutton,  Robrt 
Curry,  Jonathan  Weafit,  John  Weast,  Benjamin  Blanchard,  Jonathan 
Blanchard,  Joel  Blanchard,  Nothaniel  Moore,  John  Moore,  Juner* 
Edition  Colbey,  Jeremiah  Danford,  Stephen  Ilans,  John  Forrest,  Juner, 
Ezekiel  worthen,  Daniel  Randel,  David  Ames,  Abener  Hoyit,  Benjamin 
Simson,  James  Towle,  Jesse  Stiviens,  Samuel  Colbey,  Asa  Foster,  Benja- 
min Johnson,  Jonathan  Foster,  Baranat  Stils,  John  Been,  Humpre 
Clolbey,  William  Forrest  the  4,  Joseph  Woodman,  Samuel  Moore,  Simon 
Stevens,  William  Simons,  John  Glines,  John  Foss,  Samuel  Gerrish, 
Nathaniel  Glins,  Robert  Foss,  Aaron  Sargent,  Simon  Sanborn. 

“TotleTG — in  Number  in  the  Second  Company  in  Colonal  Stickney 
Regmont  Taken  By  us,  James  Shepard,  Cap*  Labeu  morrill,  Livt  James 
Glines,  Livt  Jeremiah  Ilacket,  En8. 

“the  Number  of  Guns  in  the  Second  Company  is  36  in  Number.” 
CANTERBURY  “TRAIN-BAND”  AND  “ALARM  LIST.” 

“ The  following  being  a return  of  the  train-band  under  my  Command 
in  Canterbury : Lieut8,  thomaa  Gilmou,  Ebenezer  Kimbal ; Ensign, 
William  Sanborn  ; Sargauts,  Richard  Blanchard,  Jacob  Heath,  David 
Norriss,  Willi  Perkins;  (’orper1#,  Jesse  Cross,  Nathanel  Derbon,  Gideon 
levet,  Joseph  Carr;  Fifer,  Joseph  Hancock ; Privets,  thomas  Cross,  John 
Cross,  George  Hancock,  Benjamin  Collins,  thomas  Clough,  William 
Kinestone,  David  Kinestone,  John  Derbon,  Shubal  Derbon,  William 
Glines,  William  Diah,  Peter  Huneford,  David  morrison,  Nathaniel 
Witcher,  John  me  Daniel,  Jeremiah  Daniel,  Abner  miles,  Samuel  miles, 
James  Soyer,  Nathaniel  Perkens,  James  Blanchard,  James  Perkens, 
David  Blanchard,  Jonathon  Wodaly,  William  Kenestone,  James  Simon, 
Abraham  Derbon,  thomas  Cross,  Jonathan  Sanborn,  Ezekeil  Gilmon, 
Obediah  Davis,  William  Hancock. 

“Larm  Lest  Names, — William  Glines,  Bonjmin  Blanchard,  Lieu*  Charls 
Gliden,  Leu*  Jonathan  Heath,  Shubal  Derbon,  Eusi  Arch  elans  miles, 
Johu  Cross,  Gideon  levit. 

“A  true  Return  “Per  Me,  Edward  Blanchard,  Captain." 

ENLISTMENTS,  1776. 

“ Canterbury,  September  y®  18th,  1776. 

“ We  the  Subscribers  do  hereby  Ingage  our  selves  In  the  Continental 
Servis,  and  forthwith  to  March  to  New  York  and  joyn  the  Continental 
Army  there  and  Continue  therein  untill  the  first  day  of  December  Next 
Unless  Sunner  Discharged. 

“As  Witness  our  hands — 

“ Samuel  Gerrish,  Joshua  Weeks, 

William  clement,  Nathanaiel  pallet, 

Henry  Clough,  Israel  Glines.” 

Sargent  Morrill. 


CANTERBURY. 


223 


“A  Return  o!  the  Names  of  the  Continental  Soldiers  Inlisted  for  the 
Town  of  Canterbury  in  the  Shite  of  New  Humps'  for  the  Term  of  Three 


Years  or  During  the  War — 

“ John  Holden,  of  Canterbury  (The  Cap*  Unknown).  . . . 1 

Elkins  Moore  (Cap*  Kobbenson) 1 

Parson  Kastman 1 

George  Sheperd  (in  Cap*  Stones  Company) 1 

Robert  Hastings 1 

James  Hastings 1 

Nicholas  Hall 1 

John  Rowing  (in  Cap*  Grays  Company) 1 

Andrew  Rowing 1 

Abner  Fowler 1 

Thomas  Hoit  (in  Cap*  Livermore’s  Company) 1 

Walter  Hains  (in  Cap*  Frye’s  Company) 1 

Prince  Thompson 1 

Ebeuczr  Varnum  of  Conway  (in  Cap*  Livermore’s  Company)  1 

Pratt  Chase,  of  Concord 1 

Loyd  Jones  . . » 1 

William  Walker  (in  Cap*  Frye’s  Company) 1 

Aaron  Hale,  of  Boscawen  (the  Captain  Unknown)  ....  1 
John  Mills,  of  Nottingham 1 


19 

“Nath  Glines,  C’Ar*  Frye,  Comp  Continental  Soldiers 
“Samuel  Hanford,  Boscawen  Ditto.” 

“Canterbury,  July  the  2d,  1777. 

“Pursuant  to  the  precept  from  the  Honourable  Thomas  Stickney  Esqr 
We  do  hereby  make  a true  Return  of  the  Above  Mentioned  Soldiers 
they  being  Inlisted  for  the  Town  of  Canterbury  and  State  of  New  Hamp- 
shire— 

“Jam  es  S h e pa  r d,  y 

“Edward  Blanchard,  ( C<lPlaut8- 

“Canterbury,  July  4th,  1780. 

“ We  the  subscribers  hereby  acknowledge  to  have  Voluntarily  enlisted 
to  serve  the  United  States  of  America  for  three  Months  from  the  time  we 
shall  Join  the  Army  of  the  s*1  United  States  at  the  place  appointed  for 
Rendesvous  by  the  Commander  in  Chief  of  said  Army. 

“ Witness  our  Hands— 

“ William  Foster 

“ Ezekiel  moore 

“Asa  Forster 
his 

“Daniel  X forster 
mark 
his 

“ Elkins  X Moor 
mark 

“MOSES  DAVIS.” 

“Canterbury,  24th  July,  1781. 

“ We  whose  Names  are  underwritten  hereby  acknowledge  to  have 
volentarily  inlisted  to  serve  as  Militia  in  the  Continental  Army  for  the 
term  of  three  Months  from  the  time  of  our  joining  said  Army  On  the 
encouragement  given  by  the  Town  of  Canterbury  at  a Muster  for  the 
purpose  of  raising  sd  Men,  And  engage  to  equip,  and  march  whenever 
we  shall  receive  orders. 

his 

“ Samson  X Battis 
mark 

“ thomas  Curry 
“ peter  Blanchard 
“ John  Sutton.” 


CHAPTER  II. 

CANTERBURY — (Continued). 

Town-House — Vote  for  Organization  of  Loudon  Parish — Petition  for 
Same — Town-Meeting  of  1773 — Officers  Elected — Various  Resolutions, 
etc.  — Nortlifield  Incorporated— Petition  to  be  annexed  to  Hills- 
borough County — Ratable  Polls  in  1787 — Educational  Interests — Phy- 
sicians—Longevity — Population. 

The  Town-House. — As  the  history  of  the  Canter- 
bury town-house  is  a record  of  the  historic  first 


meeting-house,  it  is  deemed  advisable  to  treat  it  in 
detail.  The  following  sketch  of  this  historic  build- 
ing is  from  the  pen  of  Miss  Mary  E.  Clough,  being 
an  able  address  delivered  by  her  at  the  dedication  of 
the  present  town-house,  in  1884  : 

“ Assembled  as  we  are  to-night  for  the  first  time  in  our  new  and  com- 
| modi ous  hall,  it  seems  fitting  to  say  our  good-bye  and  pay  a passing  trib- 
I ute  of  respect  to  the  old.  Our  present  building  is  to  all  appearance  a new 
i one,  and  yet  we  need  look  back  only  a few  months  to  he  reminded  that 
it  has  a history.  We  trust  that  it  will  not  be  without  interest  and  profit 
to  tell  its  story,  as  we  find  it  in  the  records  of  the  past.  Five  hundred 
i dollars  were  appropriated  for  the  present  repairs;  we  will  learn,  as  well 
as  we  are  able,  what  its  previous  cost  has  been.  No  building  in  town 
—perhaps  none  in  the  State — lias  known  such  vicissitudes,  none  has 
served  such  various  uses.  The  younger  portion  of  the  audience  may  not 
know  that  it  was  originally  a church,  and  that  the  same  frame  has  with- 
stood wind  and  weather  for  nearly  one  hundred  and  thirty  years.  Still 
its  timbers  are  sound  and  strong.  It  has  been  said  of  the  builders  of  St. 
Peter’s  Church  at  Rome, — ‘ They  builded  better  than  they  knew  ; ’ with 
equal  truth  may  it  be  said  of  the  framers  of  this  building. 

“As  early  as  1743  we  find  that  an  appropriation  was  made  for  the 
building  of  a fort  and  meeting-house  in  Canterbury,  but  no  further  action 
seems  to  have  been  taken  until  1750.  At  a meeting  of  the  proprietors  of 
the  town,  held  August  2d,  at  the  house  of  Captain  Jeremiah  Clough, — 
think  of  a modern  town  without  a town-house,  of  a nineteenth  century 
town-meeting  in  a dwelling-house  ! —it  was  agreed  that  a vote  passed 
September  21,  1743,  about  building  a meeting-house  for  the  public  wor- 
ship of  God  in  said  Canterbury,  the  prosecution  of  w’hich  was  hindered  by 
the  late  war  (referring  to  the  war  known  in  history  as  King  George’s 
War),  be  confirmed  and  the  dimensions  fixed.  ‘ Voted  that  said  meeting- 
house be  raised,  the  outside  finished,  the  windows  made  and  glazed  and 
a lower  floor  laid  at  or  before  the  last  day  of  September,  in  the  year  1751. 
The  house  shall  be  forty-five  feet  in  length  by  thirty-five  in  breadth.’ 
Present  measurements  show'  that  it  preserves  the  same  proportions.  A 
committee  wras  also  appointed  to  prosecute  the  affairs  of  building. 

“The  work  seemed  to  go  on  slowly.  This  is  not  surprising  when  we 
consider  the  difficulties  of  the  undertaking.  There  was  land  to  till  to 
furnish  subsistence,  houses  to  bo  built  to  shelter  themselves  and  their 
families,  hostile  Indians  to  watch  and  fight,  the  timbers  and  boards  to 
hew  and  finish  without  the  aid  of  modern  tools  and  machinery.  We  are 
told  that  some  of  the  heavy  braces  were  brought  on  men’s  shoulders  from 
a swamp  in  what  is  now  the  burying-ground,  Colonel  Clough’s  great- 
grandfather being  one  of  the  men  w'lio  aided  in  this  work.  The  records 
of  a meeting,  August  9,  1750,  show  how  far  the  work  had  gone  at  this 
time:  ‘At  a meeting  of  the  proprietors,  freeholders  and  inhabitants  of 
Canterbury,  held  this  day  at  the  meeting-house,  voted  that  James  Lind- 
sey, Thomas  Clough  (great-grandfather  of  one  of  your  present  commit- 
tee) and  John  Gibson,  be  a committee  to  receive  the  meeting-house  in 
behalf  of  the  proprietors,  as  far  as  said  meeting-house  is  done,  viz.  : the 
outside  finished  and  the  under  floor  laid  double.’ 

“ We  judge  that  some  of  the  blood  of  these  remote  ancestors  flow  s in  the 
veins  of  the  present  generation, 'for  in  the  records  of  the  first  meeting  held 
in  the  house  1753,  is  the  following:  Vote<l  that  three  men  be  chosen  to 
call  the  committee  who  built  the  meeting-house  to  an  account  tosee  what 
they  have  done  with  the  money.’ 

“ An  ingenious  plan  was  resorted  to  for  the  inside  finishing.  The  pew- 
ground,  as  it  was  termed,  of  which  there  were  eighteen  lots,  was  sold  at 
public  vendue.  Each  purchaser,  must,  within  two  years,  build  his  pew 
in  a handsome  and  workman-like  manner  ; failing  to  do  this  he  forfeited 
his  pew-ground,  or  if  lie  neglected  to  pay  the  price  of  the  ground  at  the 
specified  time,  it  became  again  the  property  of  the  proprietors. 

The  house  was  ready  for  occupancy  in  the  autumn  of  1756,  for  the  rec- 
ords give,  under  date  of  August  9,  the  following  : 

“‘The  committee  to  receive  the  meetiDg-house,  having  first  viewed 
and  found  it  finished  according  to  a vote  of  said  proprietors,  at  said  Can- 
terbury', the  21st  of  September,  1743,  have  this  day  received  the  same  for 
the  use  of  the  proprietors  and  inhabitants  of  said  Canterbury, 

“‘James  Lindsey,  1 

“ ‘ Signed,  Thomas  Clough,  Committee.' 

‘“John  Gibson,  j 

“The  house  as  thus  finished  seems  to  have  served  the  double  purpose  of 
church  and  town-house,  without  change,  up  to  the  year  1785,  at  which 
time  the  matter  of  repairing  or  building  new  was  brought  up.  We  will 
say,  in  passing,  that  this  wras  not  the  first  meeting-house  in  town ; the 


224 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


earliest  one,  built  in  1731,  stood  on  the  bill  beyond  where  JohnP.  Kim- 
ball now  lives,  was  made  of  logs  and  was  doubtless  a rude  affair. 

“ The  second  and  third  articles  in  the  town-meeting  warrant  of  Febru- 
ary 1, 1785,  are  to  see  if  the  inhabitants  will  take  any  measures.for  repair- 
ing the  meeting-house,  and  if  so  how  much  they  will  do  towards  repair- 
ing and  finishing  it,  and  if  not,  see  if  they  will  take  it  down  and  build  a 
new  one.  At  the  meeting  called  by  this  warrant  it  was  voted  to  raise 
money  for  repairing  ; also  to  move  it  across  the  road  northerly,  provided 
it  be  done  by  subscription. 

“ The  original  site  was  within  the  present  limits  of  the  burying-ground. 
Also  voted  ‘to  shingle  and  clapboard  the  fireside  of  the  meeting-house, 
and  clapboard  the  west  end  and  repair  the  east  end  and  lay  the  gallery 
fioor  and  put  rails  on  the  breast  of  the  galleries  and  put  pillars  under  the 
gallery  girths.’ 

“ The  work  does  not  appear  to  have  been  effected  at  this  time,  for  again, 
on  February  26,  1789,  a special  town-meeting  was  called  for  the  same 
purpose.  At  said  meeting  it  was  voted  ‘ that  this  meeting-house  be  re- 
moved on  the  north  side  of  the  road,  back  of  the  meeting-house  ’ (near 
where  the  watering-trough  stands) ; also  voted  ‘to  choose  five  committee- 
men to  make  an  estimate  of  repairing  this  meeting-house,  and  how  much 
the  pew-liolders  shall  pay  towards  it.’  At  an  adjourned  meeting  it  was 
voted  that  Benjamin  Blanchard  should  clapboard  and  shingle  the  fireside 
of  the  meeting-house  for  thirty-four  dollars'  worth  of  neat  stock,  and  at 
the  same  time  a committee  wasappointed  ‘ to  see  that  this  meeting-house, 
on  the  outside  of,  be  done  workman-like.’  During  the  present  repairs  a 
standing  committee  of  the  whole,  self-appointed,  seems  to  have  had  this 
matter  in  charge. 

“In  June  of  the  same  year  money  that  came  from  the  sale  of  pew- 
ground  not  before  disposed  of,  and  from  the  stile  of  several  pews,  was  voted 
for  the  making  of  two  porches,  one  at  each  end.  Again,  the  22d  day  of  the 
same  month,  eighteen  pounds  was  voted  for  repairs.  This  seems  to  have 
ended  the  struggle,  and  the  then  old  house  was  not  disturbed  again  by 
the  sound  of  axe  and  hammer  for  over  thirty  years. 

“ Many  events  of  interest  occurred  in  the  town  in  the  half  century  be 
ginning  1775,  but  it  is  not  our  province  to  chronicle  them.  It  should  be 
remembered  that  the  first  school-house  was  built  in  1781.  The  boy6  may 
be  interested  to  know  that  at  the  time  of  which  we  have  just  been  speak- 
ing, 1785-89,  a bounty  of  six  dollars  was  given,  not  for  the  noisy  crow, 
nor  for  the  inoffensive  woodchuck,  but  for  the  hungry  wolf. 

“And  so  the  old  house,  with  its  two  porches,  its  galleries,  its  high  pul- 
pit and  sounding-board  and  its  large,  square,  pen-like  pews,  stood  undis- 
turbed, defying  the  storms  of  thirty  winters.  To  it  devout  worshipers 
made  their  weekly  pilgrimages,  and  in  it  the  stormy  town-meetings  were 
annually  held.  The  first  twenty  years  of  Father  Patrick's  Sabbath  min- 
istry was  in  this  house,  as  we  have  last  described  it.  The  school  chil- 
dren may  not  know  that  Mr.  Patrick  was  great-grandfather  of  the  Cody 
boys. 

“There  came  a time,  about  the  year  1823,  when  the  building  was 
thought  to  be  unfit  for  a place  of  religious  worship,  and  with  good  rea- 
sons, as  we  shall  see.  We  arc  told  by  some  now  living  that  the  frame 
had  settled  so  much  that  on  one  side  an  open  space  of  six  inches  was 
left  between  roof  and  walls,  where  the  winter  winds  and  storms  could 
sweep  in  at  will  ; there  were  no  stoves,  and,  indeed,  there  was  no  way  of 
warming  the  building  ; the  windows  were  old  and  loose,  and  many  cracks 
and  seams  in  the  sides  and  about  the  doors  admitted  more  fresh  air  than 
was  necessary  for  the  good  ventilation.  NN  hat  wonder  that  the  worship- 
ers sang : 

“ ‘ Kindle  a flame  . . . 

In  these  cold  hearts  of  ours  ! ’ 

“At  .this  time  the  house  stood  about  three  rods  south  from  the  church, 
and  not  long  after  it  was  moved  back  to  its  present  position,  into  a frog- 
pond,  a 8 the  old  people  say  ; the  Osgoodites  sung,  and  as  none  of  the  pres- 
ent generation  can  doubt. 

“ But  we  will  go  to  the  records.  In  the  year  1823  the  voters  of  the 
town  were  called  upon  to  decide  whether  it  should  be  again  fitted  up  for 
a meeting-house  and  town-house,  or  whether  a modern  church  should 
be  built,  and  this  used  for  town  purposes.  As  many  different  parties  ex- 
isted then  as  there  have  been  in  the  present  contest,  and  as  many  town- 
meetings  were  held,  this  much  was  speedily  settled, — that  it  was  not  ex- 
pedient to  repair  the  old  meeting-house  for  a place  of  religious  worship, 
aud  it  was  decided  to  build  a new.  But  what  to  do  with  this  building  in 
order  to  fit  it  for  town  purposes  called  out  project  after  project,  and 
special  meeting  upon  special  meeting.  The  more  conservative  ones  said, 
spare  it  ; the  radicals  tear  it  down.  The  matter  was  pending  for  several 
j ears  before  anything  definite  was  accomplished.  At  the  March  meet- 
ing of  1825  (March  8th)  an  article  in  the  warrant  proposed  ‘ to  see  if  the 


town  will  vote  to  build  a town-house  and  adopt  measures  to  carry  the 
same  into  effect.’  Later  on  ‘ a committee  was  appointed  to  confer  with 
pew-holders  and  see  on  what  terms  they  will  relinquish  their  right  as 
pew-holders.’  March  25th,  the  same  year,  it  was  voted  that  ‘ the  town- 
house  be  located  within  thirty  rods  of  the  old  meeting-house,  that  the  old 
meeting-house  be  cut  down  to  one  story,  moved  and  finished  for  a town- 
house,  on  condition  that  Mr.  Greeuough,’  (Uichard  Greenough), — ‘after 
the  timber  necessary  for  silling  and  drawing  said  house  shall  be  provid- 
ed by  the  town,  and  also  after  the  lower  part  of  said  house  shall  be 
cleared  out  by  the  town — shall  cut  said  house  down  to  one  story,  new 
sill,  if  necessary,  and  move  it  to  the  place  where  the  committee  shall  di- 
rect at  his  own  expense,  which  condition  has  been  made  by  said  Green- 
ough ; ’ also  voted  * that  a committee  of  seven  be  raised  to  locate  the  house.’ 
And  so  it  wouldaeemas  if  the  matter  was  pretty  nearly  adjusted.  But 
not  so  ; a petition  of  thirty  or  more  of  legal  voters  called  fora  special  meet- 
ing the  18th  of  the  following  April,  to  reconsider  the, vote  of  March  25th, 
also  to  see  if  the  town  will  vote  to  locate  a town-house  on  the  hill  west  ot 
John  Sutton’s  (where  Moses  Emery  now  lives) ; to  see  if  they  will  se  ll  the 
old  west  meeting-house  (this  same  house),  and  appropriate  the  avails  for 
this  purpose  ; to  see  how  much  money  the  town  will  vote  in  addition  to 
the  two  hundred  already  raised.  Another  article  in  the  warrant  calls  for 
a house  in  the  easterly  part  of  the  town, — this  to  serve  as  church  aud 
town-house.  And  so  the  war  of  words  went  on.  When  doctors  disagree, 
who  shall  decide?  When  voters  disagree,  a majority  usually  decides. 
But  not  so,  said  these  men.  At  a meeting  of  April  18, 1825,  it  was  voted 
that  ‘ the  town  clerk  go  himself,  or  send  some  person,  to  the  selectmen 
of  Warner,  requesting  them  to  come  to  this  town  as  a committee  to  lo- 
cate a town-house,  and  their  decision  shall  be  final,  all  parties  having  the 
privilege  of  being  heard  by  the  committee ; ’ that  ‘ the  committee  request 
those  who  are  engaged  in  repairing  the  old  meeting-house  tosuspend  their 
work  until  the  committee  to  locate  shall  report.’  We  do  not  learn  that 
the  town  clerk  ever  attended  to  this  duty  or  that  the  Warner  men  ever 
came. 

“The  matter  of  locating  on  the  hill,  near  Mr.  Sutton’s,,  was  called  up 
once  after  this,  but  was  dismissed,  and  several  other  projects  shared  the 
same  fate.  We  concluded  that  the  work  of  reconstructing  was  going  on 
at  the  time  it  was  thought  necessary  to  call  in  the  Warner  men  ; for,  as 
you  noted,  those  engaged  in  repairing  were  requested  to  suspend  till  the 
committee  should  report.  We  judge  that  after  this,  Mr.  Greenough  went 
on  undisturbed  in  his  work.  The  last  mention  we  find  of  the  matter  is 
March  14,  1827,  when  it  was  voted  to  discharge  the  committee  ap- 
pointed to  settle  with  the  pew-liolders. 

“ And  now  Canterbury  has  for  the  first  time  a town-house.  In  the 
earliest  history,  1727-56,  the  town-meetings  were  held  in  the  meeting- 
house at  Oyster  River  Falls  and  Durham  Falls  (probably  the  same,  as 
Oyster  River  flowed  through  the  town  of  Durham),  or  in  private  dwell- 
ings. The  first  held  in  Canterbury  was  at  the  house  of  Captain  Jeremiah 
Clough  (near  Mr.  Pillsbury’s),  August  2,  1750  ; from  1756  to  1825,  in 
this  building,  which,  in  the  town  records,  was  at  different  times  designated 
as  the  meeting-house,  the  south  meeting-house  and  the  west  meeting- 
house. 

“ It  may  have  appeared  to  the  young  people  that  religious  and  secular 
affairs  were  in  these  early  times  strangely  mixed  ; and  so  they  were,  in 
one  sense.  The  town  officers  managed  the  affairs  of  the  church,  hired 
the  ministers  and  levied  a tax  for  their  support.  Robert  Cutler,  the  first 
minister  who  preached  in  this  house,  1756,  was  paid  three  hundred 
pounds  in  bills  of  credit  (a  pound  was  equivalent  to  twenty-five  cents), 
three  hundred  pounds  in  provisions  and  had  his  cows  pastured  and  his 
wood  hauled.  In  1760,  Rev.  Abiel  Foster’s  salary  was  seven  hundred 
pounds  (six  pounds  to  the  dollar),  the  use  of  the  parsonage  and  thirty 
cords  of  fire-wood.  Mr.  Prince,  in  1780,  had  six  bushels  of  Indian  corn 
a Sunday. 

“The  varied  history  of  our  old  building  for  the  last  sixty  years,  save 
that  relating  to  town-meetings,  no  scribe  hat)  written,  though  much  of 
it  is  fresh  in  the  memory  of  our  older  inhabitants.  It  was  often  used  as 
a church,  for  its  creed  embraced  all  faiths.  When  the  new  church  was 
closed  against  preachers  of  other  denominations  than  its  own  (for  the 
Christianity  of  our  ancestors  was  of  the  Puritanic  type)  the  town-house 
swung  wide  its  doors  to  welcome  them.  It  called  no  one  heretic,  no  one 
fanatic.  It  drew  away  many  hearers  from  the  new  church  and  often  the 
larger  congregation  assembled  there. 

“ While  the  present  school-house  was  in  course  of  building,  it  accom- 
modated our  school.  The  teacher  in  the  quaint,  old-fashioned  desk  and 
the  long  rows  of  bright  faces  looking  out  from  behind  the  rude  and  an- 
tiquated benches  was  indeed  a picturesque  sight  for  modern  days.  The 
selectmen’s  office  was  a convenient  solitary,  where  the  youthful  culprit 


CANTERBURY. 


225 


were  put  to  serve  out  their  sentence  of  an  added  liue  in  spelling  or  a 
double  arithmetic  lesson,  for  these  were  not  the  days  of  the  rod  and 
rule. 

“To  teacher  or  to  preacher,  to  school  or  to  meeting,  has  our  venerable 
building  never  been  known  to  shut  its  door.  It  has  been  a sort  of  om- 
nivorous creature,  taking  in  whatever  could  or  could  not  find  a place 
elsewhere. 

“ But  the  annual  town-fair  was,  for  the  first  four  or  five  years,  a real 
gala-day  for  the  old  house.  Here  were  displayed  the  best  products  of 
farm  and  garden,  of  dairy  and  kitchen  ; traces  of  well-ripened  corn,  spec- 
imens of  the  blacksmith’s  skill,  home-made  carpets,  rugs  of  various  de- 
signs and  workmanship,  and  quilts  in  curious  patterns  covered  the  dingy 
walls  ; apples,  large  and  rosy  cheeked,  grapes  in  rich  clusters,  juicy  pears, 
tomatoes,  smooth  and  shining,  and  peaches  in  their  woolly  dress  graced 
the  fruit-tables  ; large  yellow  pumpkins  sat  on  the  front  seats  blandly 
smiling  at  the  passers-by  ; huge  cabbage-heads  suggested  a great  amount 
of  fragrance  if  not  of  brains  ; argus-eyed  potatoes  took  their  places  on  the 
back  seats,  looking  around  complacently  on  the  whole  scene  ; beets  and 
their  cousi  ns,  the  orange-carrots,  occupied  conspicuous  places;  nearby 
were  the  cereals,  modest  and  quiet,  but  not  less  important.  On  the 
opposite  side  the  cooks  were  wont  to  place  specimens  of  their  bread,  un- 
rivalled in  whiteness  and  sponginess;  the  dairy  women  put  their  rich 
cheeses  and  butter, — sometimes  suspiciously  golden.  In  an  obscure  cor- 
ner were  found  the  products  of  the  sugar-orchard  and  cans  of  fruit, 
tempting,  but,  alas  ! sealed.  One  corner  was  always  reserved  for  the  irre- 
pressible sewing-machine  man. 

“ But  these  good  old  days  are  forever  passed,  and  we  now  come  to  a 
new  period  in  the  story. 

“Our  youthful  students  of  history  may  form  a truer  idea  of  its  age  and 
hold  in  greater  respect  clean  walls  and  fresh  paint  if  we  glance  briefly  at 
the  events  that  have  taken  place  in  our  nation  since  its  heavy  timbers  were 
first  laid.  I have  said  nation,  but  you  will  observe  that  we  were  British 
subjects  for  the  first  twenty  years  of  its  existence.  It  was  a youthful 
spectator  in  the  French  and  Indian  War.  It  silently  witnessed  the  up- 
rising when  the  odious  Stamp  Act  was  passed  and  the  tax  laid  on  tea  and 
glass,  and  it  saw  seventy  brave  men  from  the  sparsely-settled  town  leave 
their  homes  and  families  to  fight  the  Revolutionary  battles.  It  was  past 
the  age  for  doing  military  service  when  the  War  of  1812  took  other  strong 
men  to  the  defense  of  national  rights.  Again,  in  1861,  when  our  nation 
was  startled  by  the  report  of  bloodshed  at  Fort  Sumter,  it  was  worn  and 
old,  and  it  could  only  stand  as  a mute  witness  while  one  draft  of  men 
was  made  after  another,  until  it  saw  about  one  hundred  and  forty  of  our 
gallant  sons  go  forth  to  quell  the  civil  strife.  It  has  taken  part  in  twenty- 
seven  exciting  Presidential  campaigns.  It  stood  here  in  silent  wonder 
while  all  the  world  talked  of  the  first  locomotive  and  steamboat,  of  the 
telegraph,  the  ocean  cable  and  the  telephone. 

“ History  repeats  itself,  and  human  nature  will  be  human  nature  to  the 
end  of  all  time  ; so  in  our  town-house  story,  there  came  another  year, 
1833,  when  some  thought  the  house  needed  repairing  again,  and  the  fol- 
lowing year  there  began  a war,  which,  in  the  to-be-written  history  of 
Canterbury,  may  be  known  as  the  third  town-house  war.  The  active 
brains  of  active  men  set  to  work  devising  the  best  plan  for  getting  a sub- 
stantial house.  These  timbers  were  examined  and  found  firm  and  sound, 
— good  for  another  half  century,— so,  as  twice  before,  the  old  frame  was 
spared.  Now  for  the  repairs.  One  party  would  have  the  outside  made 
rain-proof  and  the  inside  remain  intact ; a second  thought  it  better  to  re- 
new both  outside  and  inside,  letting  the  building  stand  on  the  same  foun- 
dation ; some  would  raise  it  a few  feet,  others  would  move  it  forward  on 
a line  with  the  church  ; the  party  that  prevailed  (George  P.  Morrill 
originating  the  plan)  would  raise  it  enough  to  admit  of  horse-sheds  under- 
neath, and  put  the  whole  building  in  good  condition. 

“The  work  is  done,  and  all  now  seem  inclined  to  adopt  the  spirit  of  the 
proverb,  ‘All’s  well  that  ends  well,’  and  so  amiable  and  sensible  a way 
have  our  people  of  submitting  to  the  inevitable  that  the  current  of  good- 
will seems  now  to  flow  on  as  smoothly  as  if  nothing  had  ever  disturbed 
its  course. 

“A  good  word  for  our  new  building  will  not,  we  trust,  be  thought  out 
of  place  here.  You  remember  how  the  early  chroniclers  used  to  ride  on 
horseback  from  town  to  town  and  snatch  history  as  it  was  making  and 
write  it  down  while  it  was  yet  in  the  heat  of  action  and  taking  shape 
before  their  eyes.  It  would  have  been  indeed  a cheerful  task  in  this 
way  to  have  watched  the  progress  of  the  work,  but,  unfortunately,  we  had 
no  saddle-horse,  and  home  duties  prevented  us  from  acting  on  the  before- 
committee,  so  our  opportunity  to  view  the  building  came  last  week,  when 
we  took  an  hour  from  the  study  of  musty  record-books  for  this  purpose. 

“We  were  first  shown  to  the  basement.  Here  the  foundation  appears 
firm  and  solid  enough  to  resist  the  effects  of  rain  and  frost  and  March 


meeting  shocks  for  another  fifty  years ; the  space  underneath  will  fur- 
nish a warm  and  convenient  shelter  for  horses  through  the  long  months 
of  our  bleak  winters  (we  will  honorably  except  such  weather  as  last 
Thursday  evening  furnished).  It  is  raised  enough  to  entitle  it  to  the  re- 
spect of  its  neighbors,  and  yet  it  is  not  inconveniently  high  ; the  steeper 
roof  and  projecting  eaves  give  it  a modern  appearance  ; the  double  doors 
and  wide  stairway  will  prevent  a crowd  when  our  audiences  are  coming 
in  or  going  out. 

“But  the  inside,  how  changed  ! Transformed  as  if  by  magic  ! Have 
you  ever  read  of  the  Turkish  sultan  who  dipped  his  head  into  a tub  of 
water  at  the  direction  of  a miracle-working  doctor  and  found  himself  in 
a strange  land  by  the  sea,  where  he  married  a wife,  had  seven  sons  and 
seven  daughters,  lived  through  years  of  vicissitudes,  and  at  last,  plunging 
into  the  sea  to  bathe,  found  himself  by  his  own  tub  again,  and  was  told 
that  only  a moment  of  time  had  passed  ? Such  is  the  marvel  wrought 
for  us.  Wo  are  glad  that  we  can  look  out  to-night  upon  familiar  faces, 
to  assure  ourselves  that  we  are  still  residents  of  our  good  old  town.  The 
hewn  oaken  braces  remain,  suggesting  strength  and  at  the  same  time 
serving  as  a bond  to  connect  the  past  with  the  present,  —the  old  with  the 
new. 

“But  now  we  are  done  with  history  and  with  the  past,  for  this  even- 
ing our  time-honored  town-house  enters  on  a new  career.  Nothing 
about  it  reminds  us  of  the  worn  and  blackened  shingles  and  clapboards, 
the  high,  old-fashioned  windows,  the  antique  benches  and  the  smoky 
walls  and  ceiling.  Let  us  hope  that  with  these  ruins  will  be  left  what- 
ever disfigures  or  mars  or  dishonors  the  manhood  and  womanhood  of  the 
present  and  coming  generations. 

“ Many  who  have  been  actors  in  this  work  have  toiled  up  the  eastern 
slope,  the  meridian  sun  has  shone  on  them  and  now  they  are  fast  de- 
scending the  westward  side  of  life.  The  young  men  are  coming  to  the 
front. 

“ Would  that  it  were  in  the  power  of  pen  and  voice  to  speak  to-night  words 
that  should  echo  and  re-echo  down  the  years.  They  would  urge  you  to  copy 
only  the  virtues  of  the  men  whose  work  we  have  been  reviewing.  They 
would  entreat  you  to  form  correct  ideas  of  truth,  of  honor,  of  honesty,  of 
temperance,  of  morality  and  of  religion.  They  would  ask  you,  with  all 
earnestness,  to  banish  from  political  contests  bribery  and  everything 
dishonest  and  dishonorable.  They  would  beg  you  to  regard  the  motto, 
so  fitly  chosen,  ‘ Peace  be  within  thy  walls,  ’ as  a prophecy  of  a new  and 
better  day,  for  the  fulfillment  of  which  you  are  individually  responsible. 
They  would  encourage  you  to  seek  the  highest  type  of  manliness. 

“ Would  that  it  were  ours  to-night  to  dedicate  these  walls  to  pure  po- 
litical sentiment  and  action,  to  liberty  of  speech,  to  innocent  amusements, 
to  social  intercourse  (divested  of  insincerity  and  falsehood),  to  high  intel- 
lectual culture,  to  whatever  is  pure  and  noble  and  good  and  true ; and, 
if  ever  the  house  goes  back  to  its  primitive  use,  to  the  true  and  reverent 
worship  of  God  ! ” 

The  first  move  for  the  dismemberment  of  the  old 
town  was  the  following  vote  in  1722 : 

“At  a Regular  Town  Meeting  held  at  the  Meeting  House  in  Canter- 
bury on  Monday  ye  5th  day  of  October  1772  — Then  Agreable  to  the 
fourth  article  in  the  above  Warrant — 

“ Voted  that  the  Southeasterly  end  of  the  Town  of  Canterbury  be  Set 
off  as  a distinct  Parish,  begining  at  the  corner  of  the  Town,  at  the  bucks- 
horn  beach  tree,  then  runing  Southwest  acrost  the  Easterly  end  of 
Said  Town  to  that  corner  bound — then  Northwest  upon  the  line  between 
Canterbury  and  Bow,  five  Miles — then  Northeast  to  Gilmantown  Linu — 
then  southeast  to  the  first  bounds  mentioned. 

“A  True  Coppy  taken  from  Canterbury  Town  Records 

“ Per  Me  Arciielaus  Moore  Town  Clerk. 
“Canterbury  December  y°  26th  1772.” 

The  following  is  the  petition  for  the  parish : 

“To  his  Excellency  John  Wentworth  Esqr  Governor  and  Commander  in 
chief  in  and  over  his  Majesty’s  Province  of  New  Hampshire  The 
Honorable  his  Majesty’s  Council  and  House  of  Representatives  in 
General  Assembly  convened  the  5th  day  of  January,  1773 
“The  Petition  of  the  Subscribers  Inhabitants  of  the  North  East  part 
of  Canterbury  in  said  Province  humbly  sheweth 

“That  your  Petitioners  live  at  the  distance  of  ten  and  twelve  Miles  (as 
the  Roads  now  go)  from  the  Meeting  House  in  said  Town  That  the  Roads 
are  very  bad  and  therefore  they  can’t  without  great  difficulty  attend  the 
public  worship  of  God  there  nor  any  public  affairs  of  the  Town  for  which 
reason  they  have  petitioned  the  said  Town  for  their  leave  to  be  set  off 
1 into  a distinct  parish  inconsequence  of  which  the  said  Town  have  voted 


22(3 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


at  public  Town  meeting  as  follows  vi/A  ‘ Voted  that  the  South  Easterly 
end  of  the  Town  of  Canterbury  be  set  off  as  a distinct  parish  begining 
at  the  Corner  of  the  Town  at  the  Buckshorn  Beech  Tree  then  running 
Southwest  across  the  Easterly  end  of  said  Town  to  that  corner  Bound 
then  Northwest  upon  the  Line  between  Canterbury  and  Bow,  five  Miles 
then  North  East  to  Gilmanton  Line  then  South  East  to  the  first  Bounds.' 
Wherefore  your  Petitioners  humbly  pray  that  your  Excellency  and 
Honors  would  give  your  Petitioners  liberty  to  bring  in  a Bill  for  erect- 
ing a distinct  Parish  with  the  Privileges  of  other  Parishes  in  the  Prov- 
ince within  the  Limits  aforesaid.  And  your  Petitioners  as  in  duty  bound 
shall  ever  pray  &c. 

“John  Danfortli,  Daniel  Bachelder,  Ezekiel  Morrill,  Junr,  Marston 
Morrill,  Eliplialet  Rollins,  Nath1  Batchelder,  Samuel  Danfortli,  Ilenry 
Moulton,  Jethro  Bachelder,  Samuel  Morrill,  Isaac  Morrill,  Moses  Ardua, 
Moses  Ardua,  Junr,  George  Barnes,  Dudley  Swanzey,  Amasa  Dow, 
Samuel  Dow,  Samuel  Lock,  Joseph  McGoon,  Jacob  Towle,  Enoch 
French,  Solomon  Sias,  Benjamin  Sias,  William  Davis,  William  Boynton* 
Charles  Sias,  John  Glines,  Jethro  Bachelder,  Junr,  Samuel  Rogers, 
Abraham  Bachelder,  Abraham  Bachelder,  Junr,  John  Sanborn,  Philip 
Judkins,  Samuel  Sargent,  Jonah  Rines,  Samuel  Carter,  Jonathan  Smith, 
John  Smith,  Samuel  French,  Gershom  Matlies,  Stephen  Perkins,  Nathan 
Bachelder,  Jonathan  Clough,  Joseph  Tilton,  John  Drew,  Abel  French, 
Thomas  Drake,  Thomas  Swett.” 

“To  the  Honourable  his  Majestys  Council  and  House  of  Representatives 
in  General  Assembly — 

“Whereas  we  the  Subscribers  have  been  notify’d  according  to  your 
Honours  Directions  we  therefore  shew  no  Cause  why  the  South  Easterly 
End  of  Canterbury  should  not  be  set  off  as  a Distinct  Parish  according 
to  the  Petition  Laid  before  your  Honours  for  that  purpose — 

“ John  Hoyt,  'j 

“ William  Ellison,  l Meatmen  fnr 
“Jonathan  Clough,  J f'an,er^nrU- 

“Canterbury,  Jan.  12th,  1773.” 

The  parish  was  set  off  by  an  act  of  the  General 
Assembly,  passed  January  23, 1773,  and  erected  into  a 
parish  by  the  name  of  Loudon. 

Town-Meeting  in  1773. 

“At  a Meeting  of  the  Proprieiors  of  Canterbury  Held  at  the  Meeting 
house  In  sd  Canterbury  on  Day  of  may  1773 

“ Mr  Ezekiel  Merrill  chosen  Moderator  for  sd  Meeting  David  Forster 
Chosen  Clerk  to  sd  Proprietors — 

“ Voted  To  Cliuse  a Committee  to  Serch  the  Proprietors  Books  of 
Records  to  See  if  there  be  any  omission  or  Mistakes  in  them  & to  Collect 
any  Papers  Relative  to  sd  Proprietors  that  aught  to  be  recorded  & to  get 
them  Recorded  &.  to  make  Report  to  s‘l  Proprietors  & that  the  sd  Com- 
mittee apply  to  the  General  Court  if  it  shall  be  found  Necessary  for 
Power  to  Record  any  of  sd  Proprietors  Papers  which  have  heretofore 
been  neglected — 

“ Voted  Col0  John  Gage  Arclielaus  Moore  & mr  Asa  Forster  Committee 
for  that  purpose — 

“ Voted  Jeremiah  Clough  Esqr  Cap  John  Gage  & mr  Asa  Forster  be  a 
Committee  to  Settle  accompts  with  any  person  or  Persons  who  have 
Transacted  any  business  for  sd  Proprietors  which  have  not  yet  been 
Settled  with — 

“ The  meeting  adjourned  to  Second  Wednesday  in  June  Next  at  one 
o’clock  afternoon — 

“at  a meeting  of  the  Proprietors  of  Canterbury  held  by  adjournment 
at  the  meeting  house  in  3d  Canterbury  on  Wednesday  9th  of  June  the 
following  Votes  ware  pasd — 

“ Voted  that  John  Gage  Junr  Esqr  be  Chosen  a Committee  man  in  the 
Room  of  his  honrd  Father  Col0  John  Gage  who  is  unable  to  attend  the 
business  for  which  he  was  Chosen. 

“ Voted  that  archelaus  moor  Esqr  mr  Asa  Forster  & David  Forster  be  a 
Committee  to  Call  Proprietors  meetings  for  the  future — 

“ Voted  that  Meeting  of  sd  Proprietors  Shall  be  Called  upon  Aplica- 
tion  of  Sixteen  of  sd  Proprietors — 

“ Voted  that  a Warrant  for  sd  meeting  Shall  be  Published  in  the  New 
hampshire  Gazzettee  & also  at  the  Meeting  house  in  sd  Canterbury — 

“ Voted  to  Raise  four  Shilling  on  each  original  Right  to  Defray  the 
Charges  of  the  above  mentioned  articales  into  Execution — 

“ Voted  that  the  Committee  for  Calling  meetings  be  also  a Committee 
to  Raise  the  above  mentioned  Rate — 

“ Voted  that  mr  Ephraim  Clough  be  a Collector  to  gather  the  above 
mentioned  Rate — 


“ Voted  to  give  the  Collector  Six  Shillings  on  the  hundred  for  Collect- 
ing sd  Rate  — 

“The  meeting  adjourned  to  the  4th  of  August  next  two  oclock  after- 
noon at  the  meeting  in  sd  Canterbury  on  the  forth  Day  of  August  the 
Proprietors  for  sd  met  at  the  meeting  house  according  to  adjournment  & 
adjourned  to  the  twenty  fifth  Day  of  Augnst  8 oclock  the  forenoon  at 
the  meeting  house  in  sd  Canterbury — 

“On  the  25  of  August  the  Proprietors  met  according  to  adjournment 
& Voted  that  the  meeting  of  sd  Proprietors  be  further  adjourned  to  the 
first  Wednesday  in  October  next  at  one  oclock  afternoon — on  the  Sixth 
Day  of  October  instant  the  Proprietors  of  Canterbury  met  according  to 
adjournment  & Voted  as  follows  Viz. 

“ Voted  to  Except  their  Book  of  Records  as  they  now  stand  & Confirm 
& Establish  all  Entries  therein  made  by  the  Committee  appointed  for 
j that  purpose — 

“ The  meeting  adjourned  to  the  first  Wednesday  of  Janewary  Next  ten 
o’clock  in  the  afternoon 

“ On  the  fifth  day  of  January  the  Proprietors  aforsd  met  according  to 
adjournment  & Voted  as  followeth 

“ Voted  that  the  Revd  Abiel  Forster  be  a committee  man  or  agent  to 
Present  a Petition  to  the  General  Court  A to  lay  their  Proprietors  Books 
before  sd  Court  in  order  to  get  the  Same  Established — 

“The  meeting  adjourned  to  the  first  Wednesday  of  April  Next  at  one 
oclock  afternoon 

“ATrueCoppy  Test  David  Forster  Piop  Clk.” 


Power  of  Attorney  granted  to  John  Melony. 

“ Whei-eas  an  advertizement  has  appeared  in  the  New  Hampshire 
Gazette  of  the  30th  of  July  1773  Notifying  the  Proprietors  of  Canterbury 
to  meet  at  the  Meeting  House  in  said  Canterbury  on  the  25th  of  august 
next  and  among  other  things  to  See  if  the  Proprietors  will  vote  to  prose- 
cute a Writ  of  Review  in  the  Action  originally  brought  by  Richard 
Melony  of  the  County  of  Clare  in  the  Kingdom  of  Ireland  against 
George  Kezer  of  Hampstead  in  the  County  of  Rockingham  for  Two 
Forty  Acre  Lots  in  Said  Canterbury  and  (if  voted  then)  to  vote  how  they 
will  raise  Money  for  that  Purpose.  The  Subscribers  being  Proprietors 
and  owners  of  as  many  Rights  of  Land  in  Said  Canterbury  as  set  against 
our  Respective  names,  having  Considered  the  above  mentioned  Notifyca- 
tiou  and  think  the  Same  if  voted  will  be  prejudicial  to  the  Interest  of 
the  Proprietors,  And  not  being  able  to  attend  said  meeting  personnally. 
Therefore  we  do  appoint  John  Melony  of  Canterbury  aforesaid  yeoman 
to  be  our  Lawful  Attorney  in  our  Behalf  & stead  to  attend  Said  Meeting, 
and  there  to  vote  according  to  our  Interest  (in  the  same  manner  as  if  we 
were  personally  present)  against  the  proprietors  undertaking  to  Prosecute 
said  Review  or  raising  any  money  for  that  purpose  or  being  anyways 
concern’d  therein.  In  witness  whereof  we  have  hereunto  Set  our  hands 
& Seals  August  the  9th  and  in  the  Thirteenth  year  of  his  Majestys  Reign 
George  the  third  King  of  Great  Britain  France  & Ireland  Annoque 
Domini  one  thousand  seven  hundred  A Seventy  three — 


“witness  for  Joua  Warner  Esqr 
Chas.  E.  Warner 
N°  rights 

Tho  Davis  1 

Seth  Jacobs  for  Nath1  Lomex  1 
right 

Sam1  Emerson  1 right 
Ephraim  Davis  1 right 
Geo  : Jaffrey  1 right 
H Wentworth  2 Rights 
Jonathan  Warner  2 Rights 
John  Penhallow  2 Rights 
E Russell  two  Rights 
Peter  Gilman  1 right 
W“  Appleton  1 right 


N°  rights 
James  Davis  1 
Samuel  Davis  1 D° 
Sarah  Hicks  ) 

Joseph  Hicks  J 5 Rights 
John  Woodman  2%  Rits 
Jonathan  Woodman  l1^  rights 
Smith  Emerson  1 right 
Simon  Rendel  one  Rit  & a halt 
Benj  Jones  three  Rights 
Wm  Jenkins  one  Rit 
Riclid  Jenness  one  Right 
Robert  Leathers  1 Right 
Joseph  .Stevens  1 Right 


“ Province  of  1 august  ye  10th  1773  Then  Jam8  Davis  Sam1  Davis  Thom 
Newhampshire  j.  Davis  Setl*  Jacobs  Sam1  Emerson  Ephraim  Davis  Wid- 
Straffordss  I dow  Sarah  Hicks  & Joseph  Hicks  all  above  and  Within 
Subscribed  Personally  Appeared  Before  me  the  Subscriber  and  Acknowl- 
edged the  Within  Written  Instrument  to  be  their  free  act  and  deed 

“Sol  Emerson  Just  peace 


“Province  of  1 aug8t  10th  1773  Then  John  Woodman,  Jonathan 
New  Hampshire  l Woodman,  Smith  Emerson,  Simon  Rendell,  Benjamin 
Strafford  ss  j Jones,  and  William  Jenkins  acknowledged  the  above 
aud  within  Instrument  to  be  their  free  act  and  deed 

“ Before  Ebei&ezer  Thompson  Jus  Peace 


CANTERBURY. 


227 


“Province  of  1 Then  George  Jaffrey,  Hunking Wentworth,  Eleazer 
New  Hampr  l Russell  Esq',  and  John  Penhallow  Personally  appeared 
Rockingham  ss  j before  me  and  acknowledged  the  above  and  within  In- 
strum*  to  be  their  voluntary  act  and  Deed — 

“ before  me  Daniel  Rooers  J"  Peace 

“augst  12th  1773 

‘ Then  Jonathan  Warner  and  Peter  Gilman  Esq*  and  W“  Appleton 
personally  appeared  before  me  and  acknowledged  the  within  Instru- 
ment by  them  Subscribed  to  be  their  free  act  St  Deed 

“ Daniel  Rogers  Just  Peace 

“ Province  of) 

New  Hamp'  ) Aug<20,  1773  then  Richard  Jeness  and  Robert  Leathers 

appeared  Before  me  and  acknowledged  their  Instrument  to  be  their  free 

act  and  Deed  „ . _ 

“Joseph  Atkinson  Jus*  Peace 

“ Province  of  ')  August  the  21st  1773  Then  m*  Joseph  Stevens  person- 
New  Hamp'  L ally  appeared  & acknowledged  the  foregoing  Instrument 
Strafford  ss  to  be  his  act  and  Deed 

■‘before  me  Jn°  Sullivan  Jus* peace.” 

Proceedings  of  Town-Meeting , 1773. 

“On  the  Twenty  fifth  day  of  August  instant  the  Proprietors  of  Canter- 
bury being  Legally  Warned  Met  at  y«  meeting  house  iu  Said  Town  and 
Pas’d  the  following  Votes  Viz — 

“ Voted  That  John  Gage  Esq'  be  Moderator  for  sd  meeting 
“ Voted  To  Prosecute  a writ  of  Review  in  the  Action  originally  Brought 
by  Rich’d  Melony  of  the  County  of  Clare  in  the  Kingdom  of  Ireland 
against  George  Kezzer  of  Hampstead  in  the  County  ot  Rockingham  for 
Two  forty  acre  Lots  in  Canterbury  So  far  as  Sixty  Dollars  will  go— 

“ Voted  To  Raise  Sixty  Dollars  Toward  Defraying  Charges  of  the  above 
Lawsuit — 

“ Voted  that  John  Gage  Esq'  be  a Committee  man  or  agent  to  Prosicute 
the  above  said  action  & to  take  Care  of  the  above  sd  money — 

“ Voted  that  John  Gage  Esq'  hire  said  Money  and  the  Proprietors  pay 
him  the  Interest  for  the  same  till  it  Can  be  Rais’d— Then  the  Meeting 
adjourned  to  Wednesday  the  Sixth  Day  of  October  Next  two  o’clock 
afternoon — 

“The  Same  Day  John  Melony  Objected  To  the  Foregoing  Proceedings 
in  Behalf  of  himself  and  a number  of 
Propritors  absent  as  Illegal 

“ Canterbury  august  ye  2o»*  1773 
“A  True  Coppy 

“P'  me  David  Forster  Prop  Clk. 

“On  the  Sixth  Day  of  October  the  Proprietors  affbr  sd  Meet  at  the 
meeting  house  aforesaid  according  to  adjournment  and  Voted  as  followeth 

Viz. 

“ Voted  that  Lot  N°  5 in  the  forty  acre  Lots  shall  be  Returned  to  Daniel 
Davis  for  his  first  Division  Lot — 

“ Voted  To  Establish  & Confirm  the  Transactions  of  former  Votes  and 
former  Committees  Except  those  Imployed  in  Chichester  Lawsuit— 

“ Voted  That  Ephraim  Clough  be  a Collector  to  gether  the  above 

Rates — 

“ Canterbury  October  ye  6th  1773 — 

“A  true  Coppy  P'  me 

“ David  Forster  Prop.  Clerk.” 

Report  of  Committee  Relative  to  Line  between  Canterbury  and  Chichester, 
1779. 

“ The  return  of  the  division  Line  between  Canterbury  old  Town  & a 
Parish  proposed  to  be  set  off  at  the  North  west  part  of  sd  Town,  run  by 
the  Subscribers  a Committee  chosen  for  that  purpose.— Begining  at  a 
Beech  Tree  standing  by  the  southeast  corner  bound  of  a hundred  acre 
Lot  in  the  second  hundred  acre  division  laid  out  to  Joseph  Dearborn 
numbered  forty  two  : mning  south  seventy  seven  degrees  west,  to  a 
White  Pine  spotted  standing  by  the  turn  of  the  River  above  Gerrishes 
Ferry— 

“ Canterbury  June  24th  1779 

“ Josiaii  Miles 
“ Edward  Blanchard 
“ Arch8  Miles 
“ David  Foster 


l Committee 


“A  true  Coppy  attest 


ir  Archf.i.aus  Moor  Town  Clerk.” 


Abstract  of  Abner  Miles’  Petition,  Soldier,  1778. — 
In  a petition  dated  November  2,  1778,  Abner  Miles, 
of  Canterbury,  yeoman,  states  that  he  “Turned  out 
15 


as  a Voluntier  in  the  service  of  his  Country  on  the 
Expedition  to  Rhode  Island  under  the  command  of 
Capt.  Benja  Sias  & served  there  untill  the  Company 
Came  off  the  Island;”  was  taken  sick  and  confined 
at  the  house  of  Joseph  Goffe,  at  Rehoboth,  and  re- 
mained there  until  September  24,  1778.  He  asks 
that  the  bill  of  said  Goffe,  amounting  to  £39  14s. 
lawful  money,  and  the  bill  of  Hr.  Joseph  Bridgeham 
of  £9  6s.,  may  be  paid  by  the  State,  and  the  said  bills 
were  allowed  by  the  committee  on  sick  and  wounded 
soldiers.  Miles  also  states  that  he  lost  a horse  valued 
at  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  in  the  service  at 
Rhode  Island,  and  Captain  Sias  certifies  to  said  loss  ; 
and  Miles  introduces  the  following  to  prove  the 
value  thereof,  which  was  sworn  to  before  Archelaus 
Moore : 

“ Canterbury  March  y®  8th  1779 

“ We  Jeremiah  Hacket  and  Obediah  Clough  both  of  Canterbury  being 
appointed  by  the  select  men  of  6aid  Canterbury,  to  apprize  a Horse  which 
Abner  Miles  of  said  Town  Rode  to  Rhode  Island  and  Lost  Last  august 
when  he  went  a Volenter  in  Cap4  Siases  Company  under  Col0  Moses 
Nichols  in  Gen1  Whiples  Brigade— We  therefore  agreeable  to  the  trust 
Reposed  in  us  do  truly  honestly  and  Impartily  apprize  said  Horse  to  the 
best  of  our  Judgment  at  £75,  Lawful  Money  as  witness  our  hands 
“Jeremiah  Racket 
“Obadiah  Clough 

“ Consented  to. 

“ Nehemiah  Clough  | Selectmen  for 
• “ David  Forster  j Canterbury.” 

“ At  an  Annual  Meeting  held  at  Canterbury  on  the  18th  of  March 
1779— 

“Upon  application  of  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Northwest  part  of  the 
Town  to  be  set  off  as  a separate  Parish — Voted  to  6et  off  the  sd  Inhabitants 
accordingly,  and  that  Cap4  Josiah  Miles,  David  Foster,  Cap4  Edward 
Blanchard  & En8Q  Archelaus  Miles  be  a Committee  to  run  a Line  of 
division,  & make  return  to  the  Town  at  the  adjournment  of  this  Meeting 
for  their  acceptance 

“A  true  Coppy  attes4 

“Archelaus  Moore  Town  Clerk.” 

“ The  Number  of  Polls  in  Canterbury  21  years  old  & upwards  paying 
for  themselves  a Poll  Tax  for  1783 — 143 

“David  Forster l Selectman  for 
i Canterbury.” 

NORTHFIELD  INCORPORATED. 

Petition  for  a Division  of  the  Town. 

“ State  of  New  Hampr  Rockingham  ss.  Canterbury  March  30th  A.  D. 
1780  The  Humble  Petition  of  ye  Subscribers  Inhabitants  of  ye  North 
part  of  sd  Canterbury  to  y®  Honourable  y®  Presidant  and  members  of 
Council  & house  of  Representatives  of  Said  State,  we  your  Humble  Pe- 
titioners Living  at  a great  Distance  from  y®  Center  of  y«  Town  Some  of  us 
at  nine  or  ten  Miles,  & Consequently  at  a very  great  disadvantage  in  Join- 
ing with  them  in  all  Publick  Town  affairs,  being  encouraged  Partly  by  our 
Living  in  that  Part  of  y®  Town  that  was  Laid  out  for  what  was  called  y® 
upper  Parish  & Partly  by  ye  Kind  Reception  our  Request  mett  with  which 
we  made  to  y®  Town  for  a dismission  but  more  Particularly  by  our  Confi- 
dence in  your  Honours  desire  to  Promote  y®  Happiness  of  every  part  of 
this  State  Humbly  Pray  that  your  Honours  would  take  our  Case  into 
your  Serious  Consideration  and  grant  that  we  togather  with  all  who  Live 
in  sd  upper  Part  may  be  Erected  & Incorporated  into  a body  Politick  & 
Corporate  to  have  Continuance  by  y«  name  of  Northfield — with  all  such 
Powers  & Authorities  Privileges  Immunities  and  Franchises  wrhich  other 
Parishes  or  Towns  in  this  State  in  General  hold  & Enjoy  which  your  Pe- 
titioners as  is  duty  bound  Shall  forever  pray 

“Willm  Kenistone,  James  Blanchard,  Will™  Williams,  Jeremh  Mc- 
Daniel, Ben“  Blanchard,  Tho9  Clough,  Junr,  Joseph  Carr,  Richard 
Blanchard,  Simon  Sanborn,  Tho8  Gilman,  Charles  Glidden,  John  Dear- 
born, Joseph  Levitt,  Shubal  Dearborn,  Jnnr,  Will™  Forrest,  Shubal  Dear- 
born, Jacob  Morrill,  Aaron  Stevens,  Junr,  Sam1  Miles,  John  Forrest,  Nat1 
whitcher,  Tho9  Clough,  John  Cross,  Jona  Wadleigh,  Abnor  Miles,  Jacob 
Heath,  George  Hancock,  John  Simons,  Joseph  Hancock,  Benjn  Collins, 


228 


HSTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Abram  Dearborn,  Will®  Hancock,  Nat1  Perkins,  James  Lid  Perkins, 
Archelus  Miles,  Edward  Blanchard,  Will™  ad  Perkins,  David  Blanchard, 
Aaron  Stevens,  Reuben  Whitcher,  Will™  Sanborn,  John  McDaniel,  Ebenr 
Kimball,  Gedeon  Levitt,  Mathias  Hains. 

The  petition  was  granted.  The  northwest  part  of 
the  town  was  set  off,  and  incorporated  by  the  name  of 
Northfield. 

Petition  to  be  annexed  to  Hillsborough  County. 

“State  of  ) To  the  Honble  the  Senate  & House  of  Representatives 
New  Hampshire,  f of  said  State  in  General  Court  convened. 

“The  petition  oi  the  Subscribers  being  Inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Can- 
terbury in  the  county  of  Rockingham  humbly  shews  ; that  they  labour 
under  great  disadvantages,  by  reason  of  their  distance  from  Portsmouth 
& Exeter  where  the  Courts  are  held  & publick  records  kept  for  said 
County — Wherefore  they  pray  that  the  town  of  Concord  in  said  County 
togather  with  the  said  town  of  Canterbury  may  be  annexed  to  the  Coun- 
ty of  Hillsboro,  & and  that  for  the  future  half  the  Courts  for  said  County 
of  Hillsboro  may  be  held  at  said  Concord,  and  your  petitioners,  as  in  duty 
bovnd  shall  over  pray  &c 

“Jeremiah  Clough,  Archelaus  Moore,  Thomas  Clough,  David  Morrill, 
Sam1  Earnes,  Laden  Morrill,  Gideon  Bartlett,  John  Forrest  (his  X mark), 
David  Foster,  Jereh  Clough  jr,  John  Sutton,  Ezekiel  Moore,  John  moore, 
Joshua  Weeks,  Nath1  Glines,  Benjamin  Sanborn,  Zebadiah  Sargent,  Sliu- 
bael  Sanborn,  Elijah  Sargent,  John  Carter,  William  Hazeltine,  Obadiah 
Hall,  Simon  Earnes,  John  Bean,  Joseph  Clough,  John  Moore,  jr., 
William  Foster,  Jonathan  Bradley,  Masten  Morrill,  Jesse  Stevens.” 

Orders  from  several  Soldiers , 1781  to  1785. 

“Canterbury  March  7tb  1781. 

To  Nicholas  Gilman  Esqr  Treasurer  for  the  State  of  New  Hampshire. 
Sr  plase  to  pay  the  Select  Men  for  Canterbury  the  Sum  Total  of  what 
shall  be  made  up  to  Us  in  the  pay  Roll  as  Soldiers  in  the  Six  Months  Ser- 
vice the  Summer  past  and  their  Receipt  shall  Answer  the  same  to  the 
Subscribers. 

his 

“ Thomas  Hoyt,  Ebenezer  X Chandler 

mark 

“ Benjamin  Glines  Ebenezer  foss 

“ Thos.  Hoit  £9.17. G— order  granted  & Roll  signed  by  A Foster — J 
Pearson 

“ Please  to  pay  the  ballauce  of  the  within  order  to  Abiel  Foster  Esqr 
“ David  Foster!  Select  Men 
“ O.  Mooney  f for  Canterbury  ” 

John  Sutton,  of  Canterbury,  in  a similar  order, 
directs  his  wages  to  he  paid  to  Captain  Laban  Morrill, 
— amount  £5  5s.  2d. 

Canterbury,  March  ye  31at  1783 

“ To  the  Honorable  Nicolas  Gilman  Esqr  State  Treasurer  for  the  State 
of  New  Hampshire,  Sir  Please  to  pay  my  Honoured  father  John  Glines 
of  Loudon  the  wages  Doe  to  me  on  muster  Role  ; made  up  by  Cap4  Eben- 
ezer Webster  of  Solsbury,  for  five  months  serving  as  a Soldier  under  him 
at  Coass,  in  the  year  A.  D.  1782,  and  this  Indorsed  shall  be  a Discharge 
for  said  wages  pr  yours  to  Serve 

“ Eli  Glines.” 

Samson  Bates  orders  the  amount  due  him  for  three 
months’  service  in  Captain  Nathaniel  Head’s  com- 
pany to  be  paid  to  James  Norris.  Date,  January 
15,  1785;  amount,  £4  16s.  4d. 

Thomas  Curry  orders  the  amount  due  him  for  three 
months’  service  in  1781  to  be  paid  to  David  Foster. 
Date,  November  7,  1785;  amount,  £5  15s.  5 d. 

In  a petition  dated  June,  1786,  Noah  Sinkler,  of 
Canterbury,  states  “That  when  he  was  in  the  Con- 
tinental Army  at  St.  John’s  in  June,  1776,  he  re- 
ceived two  musket  Balls  through  his  wrist,  by  means 
of  which  he  then  lost  the  use  of  his  hand.”  He 
asks  the  Legislature  to  “grant  him  such  relief  as  a 
faithful  soldier  may  dare  to  ask,  or  his  ill  fortune 
may  demand,”  etc. 


The  committee  reported  that  he  be  enrolled  at  the 
rate  of  fifteen  shillings  per  month  from  the  time  his 
pay  ceased,  which  report  was  accepted. 

Abiel  Foster  petitions,  December,  1788,  to  have 
the  wages  of  William  Ervine,  who  was  three  months 
in  the  service  as  a ranger,  in  Captain  Ebenezer  Web- 
ster’s company,  at  Coos,  in  1782,  and  who  had  de- 
ceased, paid  to  him  for  the  benefit  of  the  town  of 
Canterbury.  Amount,  £8  19s. 

Vote  concerning  Paper  Money. 

“At  a Legal  Town  Meeting  of  the  Freeholders  and  Inhabitence  of  the 
Town  of  Canterbury  held  at  the  Meeting  House  in  said  Town  on  Munday 
the  fourth  Day  of  September  A.  D.  178G,  Proceeded  as  follows  Viz — 

“ Voted  Mr  Gideon  Bartlet  moderator  for  the  well  Regulating  Said 
Meeting — 

“Then  it  was  put  to  Vote  to  See  Wheather  or  no  they  would  have  a 
Paper  Currancy  Made  or  not,  and  better  than  two  Thurds  of  the  people 
Voted  in  the  affirmative  to  have  a paper  Currancy  made  on  Such  footing 
as  .the  General  Court  in  there  Wisdom  Shall  think  best, — and  the  other 
part  in  the  negative  not  to  have  a paper  Currancy. 

“A  True  Copy  attest. 

“Archelaus  Moore  Town  Clerk” 
Number  of  Ratable  Polls  in  1787. 

“These  may  Certify  whom  it  may  concern  that  the  Number  of  Polls, 
paying  Taxes  in  the  Town  of  Canterbury  being  carefully  Numbered  by 
us  the  Subscribers  do  find  the  Amount  Thereof  to  be  Two  Hundred  and 
Six  as  may  more  fully  Appear  by  the  Inventory  of  said  Town  for  the 
Year  1787— 

“Obadiah  Mooney  ( Selectmen  for 

“Obadiah  Hall  f Canterbury 

“ Canterbury  Febr  9th  1788.” 

Schools. — Previous  to  the  year  1781  schools  were 
kept  in  private  houses.  In  that  year  the  first  school- 
house  was  built,  but  it  was  not  until  1793  that  the 
town  was  divided  into  school  districts.  From  this 
date  educational  matters  received  much  attention, 
and  before  the  year  1833  fifteen  persons  from  this 
town  had  graduated  from  college,  viz.:  William 
Rolfe,  graduated  at  Dartmouth  in  1799;  Ebenezer 
Greenough,  Harvard,  1803 ; Samuel  Haines,  Dart- 
mouth, 1803;  Jonathan  Kitteredge,  Dartmouth,  1813; 
Charles  G.  Haines,  Middlebury  College,  1816;  David 
Ames,  Dartmouth  University,  1817;  Asa  E.  Foster, 
Dartmouth,  1822;  Abiel  Foster,  Dartmouth,  1823; 
Henry  Clough,  Dartmouth,  1823 ; Cyrus  Parker, 
Dartmouth,  1824;  Alfred  Kittredge,  Dartmouth, 
1827;  Josiah  Emery,  Schenectady  College,  1828; 
Adam  Shepherd,  Middlebury  College,  1826;  Galen 
Foster,  Amherst,  1831;  William  P.  Haines,  Dart- 
mouth, 1831. 

Henry  Parkinson,  A.B.,  spent  the  latter  part  of  his 
life  in  this  town.  He  was  a graduate  of  Princeton 
College,  in  1765.  He  was  a quartermaster  in  the 
Revolutionary  War;  died  in  May,  1820,  aged  sev- 
enty-nine. 

Physicians. — The  first  physician  in  Canterbury 
was  Josiah  Chase,  who  located  in  about  1762,  and 
remained  here  about  fifteen  years.  He  was  in  the 
War  of  the  Revolution,  and  was  surgeon’s  mate 
under  Colonel  Stark  at  Bunker  Hill  in  1775.  He 
moved  to  Maine,  and  was  drowned  in  the  Saco  River. 

Jonathan  Kitteredge  commenced  practice  here  in 


CANTERBURY. 


229 


1788,  and  continued  until  1810.  He  subsequently 
removed  to  Salisbury. 

Joseph  M.  Harper  commenced  practice  here  in 
1810.  He  was  a prominent  citizen  and  held  various 
official  positions.  He  was  several  years  a member  of 
the  Legislature,  and  in  1831,  while  president  of  the 
Senate,  he  was  acting  Governor  of  the  State,  Gov- 
ernor Harvey  having  resigned.  He  was  a member  of 
the  Twenty-second  Congress,  and  re-elected  in  1833. 
Other  physicians  have  been  Thomas  Cobbett,  R.  S. 
Morrill,  etc. 

Numerous  cases  of  remarkable  longevity  in  this 
town  are  mentioned.  Captain  John  Palmer  died 
here  in  1846,  aged  one  hundred  and  two  years,  and 
the  last  remarkable  case  was  that  of  the  late  Mrs.  Lovey 
Glover,  who  lived  to  a very  advanced  age,  some  claim 
one  hundred  and  three  years  and  others  one  hundred 
and  eight. 

For  more  than  twenty  years  she  prayed  every 
morning  and  night  that  God  would  not  allow  her  to 
become  a pauper  or  be  buried  as  one,  and  the  intelli- 
gence of  her  death  had  no  sooner  got  abroad  in  the 
town  than  the  good  people  of  Canterbury  contributed 
a generous  sum,  which  paid  all  the  burial  expenses, 
with  some  remaining  over  for  the  son. 

Population, — The  population  in  1790  was  1038; 
in  1800,  1114;  in  1810,  1526;  in  1820,  1702;  in  1830, 
1663;  in  1840,  1643;  in  1850,1614;  in  1860,1522; 
in  1870,  1169;  in  1880,  1034. 


CHAPTER  III. 

CANTERBURY — {Continued). 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

Congregational  Church — First  Free-Will  Baptist  Church — The  Shakers. 

Congregational  Church.1 — The  first  appropriation 
by  this  town  for  religious  purposes  was  made  in  the 
year  1735.  In  1742  the  proprietors  were  taxed  three 
shillings  and  nine  jience  each. 

The  Rev.  Janies  Scales  seems  to  have  been  the 
first  minister  of  whose  preaching  at  Canterbury  there 
is  any  account.  He  graduated  at  Harvard  College  in 
1733 ; he  removed  to  Canterbury,  from  Concord,  about 
1743,  in  which  year  the  town  voted  him  twenty  pounds 
for  ministerial  services.  It  is  uncertain  how  long  Mr. 
Scales  preached  in  Canterbury,  probably  but  a few 
years ; he  was  afterwards  ordained  the  first  minister 
of  Hopkinton,  where  he  died  July  26,  1776.  He  was 
town  clerk  of  Canterbury  for  several  years,  and  seems 
to  have  taken  a great  interest  in  the  affairs  of  the 
town. 

Some  time  about  the  year  1755  or  1756,  the  Rev. 
Robert  Cutler  preached  in  the  town  as  a candidate, 
and  received  a unanimous  call  to  settle  there.  In 


1 By  Hon.  Lucien  B.  Clough. 


the  convention  of  ministers,  held  at  Newmarket, 
September  28,  1756,  this  call  was  considered  by  a 
committee  of  the  convention.  This  committee  re- 
ported that  “ we  utterly  disapprove  of  your  choice  of 
Mr.  Cutler  for  your  minister,”  and  with  this  disap- 
proval gave  five  reasons  for  it,  either  of  which  was 
good  and  sufficient.  Mr.  Cutler  had  previously  been 
dismissed  from  the  charge  of  the  church  in  Epping. 
The  result  was  that  Mr.  Cutler  was  never  settled 
over  the  church  in  Canterbury. 

Mr.  Timothy  Walker,  of  Concord,  a graduate  of 
Harvard  College,  in  1756  was  employed  as  minister 
at  intervals  until  1760.  Mr.  Walker  was  licensed  to 
preach  at  the  association  meeting  held  at  Haverhill, 
Mass.,  September  11,  1759.  It  does  not  appear  that 
he  was  ever  settled  over  a church,  but  preached  occa- 
sionally for  about  six  years,  supplying  his  father’s 
pulpit  in  Rumford  (now  Concord)  in  1762,  while  his 
father  visited  England,  and  also  supplying  other 
vacancies  in  the  neighboring  towns.  Mr.  Walker 
did  not  preach  much  after  1765,  and  in  1777  he  was 
appointed  justice  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas.  He 
died  in  1822. 

A call  was  extended,  in  1760,  to  Abiel  Foster, 
another  graduate  of  Harvard  College,  a native  of 
Andover,  Mass.,  born  August  8,  1735,  and  graduated 
in  1756,  who  was  ordained  at  Canterbury  January 
21,  1761,  and  preached  there  until  1779  ; he  married, 
May  17,  1761,  Hannah,  daughter  of  General  Joseph 
Badger,  of  Gilmanton.  She  died  January  10,  1768. 
His  second  wife  was  Hannah  Rogers,  of  Ipswich, 
Mass.  In  1779,  Mr.  Foster  retired  from  the  ministry 
and  entered  on  public  business  ; he  was  chief  justice 
of  Rockingham  County,  and  Representative  to  Con- 
gress from  1783  to  1786,  and  re-elected  in  1789. 
He  was  a member  of  the  first,  fourth,  fifth  and  sixth 
sessions.  He  was  a man  of  acknowledged  ability  and 
rendered  important  service  to  the  town  and  State ; 
he  died  February  6,  1801.  From  this  time,  1779  to 
1791,  the  church  appears  to  have  been  without  a 
settled  minister ; several  candidates  preached  to  the 
people,  but  no  one  was  selected  until  January  5, 
1791,  when  the  Rev.  Frederic  Parker  was  ordained 
and  installed  over  the  church.  He  was  born  in 
Shrewsbury,  Mass.,  May  4,  1762,  and  was  graduated 
at  Harvard  College,  1784.  After  graduating  he  was 
employed  as  teacher  in  Portland,  Me.,  for  about 
two  years,  during  which  time  it  is  said  that  he  read 
the  service  in  the  Episcopal  Church  in  that  city.  He 
afterwards  became  attached  to  the  Congregational 
form  of  worship,  and  was  ordained  at  Canterbury  as 
above  stated.  His  successor,  the  Rev.  William 
Patrick,  said  of  him,  that  “ his  religious  sentiments 
were  moderate  Calvinism.”  He  died  at  Canterbury 
suddenly,  April  21,  1802. 

The  Rev.  William  Patrick,  the  next  settled  minis- 
ter, son  of  John  Patrick,  was  born  in  Weston,  Mass., 
July  4,  1773,  and  graduated  at  Williams  College, 
September,  1799.  He  read  divinity  with  Rev.  Charles 


230 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Backus,  of  Somers,  Conn. ; was  licensed  to  preach  in 
June,  1801 ; ordained  and  installed  over  the  church  in 
Canterbury,  October  26,  1803.  He  was  dismissed  at 
his  own  request  November  22,  1843;  he,  however, 
continued  to  preach  a part  of  the  time  for  some  years 
after  his  dismissal.  He  died  at  Boscawen,  October 
25,  1862.  His  first  wife  was  Mary  Gerrish,  daughter 
of  Colonel  Joseph  Gerrish,  of  Boscawen  ; his  second 
wife  was  Mary  Mills,  of  Dunbarton. 

The  successor  of  Mr.  Patrick  was  the  Rev.  Howard 
Moody.  He  was  born  in  York,  Me.,  May  4,  1808. 
Until  he  became  of  age  he  pursued  his  studies  in  the 
common  schools  and  with  the  educated  ministers  in 
his  neighborhood.  He  commenced  teaching  in  1829 
and  pursued  this  occupation  for  ten  years  ; entered 
the  Gilmanton  Theological  Seminary,  and  graduated 
in  1843.  Rev.  Corban  Curtis,  who  died  at  Tilton, 
January  19,  1881,  was  a classmate  of  Mr.  Moody  at 
the  Theological  Seminary. 

Mr.  Moody  was  ordained  and  installed  over  the 
church  November  22,  1843.  He  was  dismissed  at  his 
own  request  December  19,  1860.  After  his  dismissal 
he  supplied  the  pulpit  for  two  years.  In  1862  he 
went  to  Ohio  and  supplied  the  churches  in  Amherst 
and  Vermillion  one  year.  He  took  charge  of  the 
church  in  Canterbury  again  in  1864,  and  continued 
acting  pastor  until  1869,  when  he  commenced  preach- 
ing at  East  Andover. 

Rev.  Josiah  L.  Arms,  wdio  supplied  this  church  as 
pastor  during  the  time  Mr.  Moody  was  in  Ohio,  was 
born  in  New  Salem,  Mass.,  January  22,  1811.  He 
pursued  his  academical  studies  at  the  Leicester 
Academy  and  Hamilton  College,  New  York.  His 
theological  studies  were  pursued  under  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Blake,  of  Mansfield,  Mass.  He  was  settled  over  the 
church  in  Plymouth,  Mass.,  in  June,  1841,  and  after- 
wards over  the  church  in  Wilinot.  He  commenced 
his  labors  in  Canterbury  April  1,  1863,  and  closed 
April  1,  1865. 

Rev.  James  Doldt  was  settled  over  this  church  in 
February,  1870.  Mr.  Doldt  was  born  in  Groton, 
Mass.,  September  30,  1809,  where  he  acquired  his 
early  education  in  the  district  school  and  at  the  Gro- 
ton Academy.  In  1827  he  went  to  Lexington,  Mass., 
and  was  engaged  in  mechanical  employment  for  three 
years.  He  removed  to  Nashua  about  1831,  and  in 
1833  united  with  the  Olive  Street  Church.  He  then 
immediately  commenced  his  studies  preparatory  to 
the  ministry  at  the  Pembroke  Academy,  and  with 
Professor  Daniel  Crosby,  of  Nashua,  entered  Gilman- 
ton Theological  Seminary  in  1838,  and  graduated  in 
1841.  He  supplied  the  church  at  Ossipee  Centre 
three  months  in  1841,  after  which  he  preached  at 
Effingham  for  a year  and  a half.  He  was  ordained 
and  installed  over  the  church  at  North  Wolfeborough 
September  21,  1843,  and  in  May,  1848,  was  dismissed 
at  his  own  request,  and  in  the  same  month  took 
charge  of  the  church  in  Milton,  where  he  remained 
twenty-one  years  and  eight  months.  At  the  close  of 


his  labors  in  Milton  he  took  charge  of  the  church  in 
Canterbury,  as  before  stated,  in  February,  1870,  where 
he  still  continues. 

First  Free-Will  Baptist  Church.’ — Few  churches 
have  struggled  into  being  through  greater  conflicts 
than  the  one  in  Canterbury.  The  old  church  in 
1779,  was  the  first  to  declare  free-will  and  free  salva- 
tion.' Some  years  after  the  Shakers’  belief  was  ac- 
cepted by  pastor  and  a large  part  of  the  members, 
leaving  only  a small  remnant  who  remained  true  to 
their  faith.  After  this  followed  the  Osgoodites,  who 
drew  large  crowds  after  them,  so  that  popular  senti- 
ment was  decidedly  against  this  little  band,  making 
it  disrespectable  to  attend  their  meetings  otherwise 
than  from  curiosity.  As  a sect  they  were  regarded  as 
religious  outlaws,  and  their  meetings  were  disturbed 
with  impunity,  making  it  necessary  for  the  appoint- 
ment of  officers  to  keep  order  when  gathered  for 
worship.' 

June  29,  1796,  a council  from  the  Yearly  Meeting, 
consisting  of  Whitney,  Buzzell,  Randall  and  Boody, 
assisted  by  Aaron  Buzzell  and  John  Shepherd  as 
ruling  elders,  ordained  Winthrop  Young,  who  was, 
at  this  time,  thirty-three  years  old ; he  was  born  in 
Strafford,  taught  school  in  early  life,  removed  to  Can- 
terbury in  1787  and  remained  pastor  of  the  church 
thirty-five  years. 

In  1819,  Obadiah  Morrill  was  received  as  minister 
of  Christ,  a revival  following. 

In  January,  1821,  Samuel  Hill  was  ordained  as 
ruling  elder. 

May  8,  1823,  Jeremiah  Clough,  Amos  Cogswell, 
Mark  Davis  and  their  associates  formed  into  a 
church,  to  be  known  as  the  First  Church  of  Christ 
in  Canterbury. 

March,  1829,  Elder  John  Harriman  was  received 
as  minister  to  baptize  and  receive  members,  and  as 
an  assistant  to  Elder  Young. 

April  10,  1838,  Joseph  M.  Harper,  Jeremiah 
Clough  and  Joseph  Clough  were  set  apart  as  evan- 
gelists; good  revival  interest  and  prosperity  attended 
the  church  for  a number  of  years,  the  members 
numbering  nearly  a hundred.  We  find  on  the 
church  record  items  of  interest,  showing  the  church 
to  be  alive  and  active  on  the  subject  of  temperance, 
passing  strong  resolutions  against,  and  exercising 
rigid  discipline  of  some  of  its  members  who  did  not 
count  it  sinful  to  traffic  in  spirituous  liquors. 

In  1842  and  1843  a great  revival  followed,  and  up- 
wards of  one  hundred  and  fifty  were  added  to  the 
church. 

September,  1848,  Jeremiah  Clough  was  appointed 
pastor  over  the  whole  church,  which  consisted  of 
three  Sabbath  Meetings  and  four  Monthly  Meetings. 

In  1851  arrangements  were  made  for  building  a 
new  church;  the  following  May  the  old  church  was 
sold  at  auction  to  John  Keze  for  thirty-five  dollars ; 


i By  Rev.  A.  D.  Smith. 


£'y!lbyAH.RUC> Vi& 


CANTERBURY. 


231 


it  was  moved  a short  distance  and  used  for  worship 
until  the  new  church  was  completed. 

J une  22, 1852,  the  new  Free-Will  Baptist  Church  was 
raised;  Rev.  Jeremiah  Clough  made  appropriate  re- 
marks and  offered  prayer.  February,  1853,  the  first 
meeting  was  held  in  the  new  house. 

Seasons  of  revivals  alternating  with  times  of  de- 
clension, prosperity  and  trials,  have  been  experi- 
enced. 

Rev.  Jeremiah  Clough  continued  pastor  until  his 
death  in  1879;  during  the  last  few  years  he  was 
unable  to  preach,  and  the  labors  of  others  were  se- 
cured as  needed. 

Rev.  A.  D.  Smith  commenced  his  labors  in  April, 
1874,  and  has  continued  until  the  present  time. 

The  Shakers. — In  1774,  Ann  Lee,  the  founder  of 
a religious  denomination  called  Shakers,  came  to  this 
country  from  England,  and  a branch  of  the  denomi- 
nation was  established  in  this  town  in  1792.  Their 
first  minister  was  Elder  Job  Bishop,  who  occupied 
the  position  many  years.  They  are  a frugal,  indus- 
trious and  temperate  people,  intelligent  and  success- 
ful tillers  of  the  soil  and  breeders  of  stock,  and  are, 
at  present,  a prosperous  community. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


REV.  ALPHEUS  D.  SMITH. 

Rev.  Alpheus  D.  Smith,  son  of  Dr.  Alpheus  and 
Mehitable  (Foster)  Smith,  was  born  in  Lebanon, 
N.  H.,  August  25, 1813.  Dr.  Alpheus  Smith,  of  Rhode 
Island,  was  educated  in  Providence,  and  practiced 
medicine  in  Rhode  Island  some  time  previous  to  mov- 
ing to  Lebanon.  He  practiced  medicine  here  about 
twelve  years  ; was  the  physician  to  the  Shakers.  In 
June,  1813,  he  went  with  a New  Hampshire  regiment 
as  assistant  surgeon,  and  died  in  November  of  the 
same  year  at  Chateaugay,  near  Plattsburg,  N.  Y.  Mrs. 
Smith  was  born  in  Saulsbury,  N.  H.,  and  died  June 
17,  1827.  There  were  four  children  by  this  union— 
Foster,  who  left  home  in  December,  1837,  and  was 
never  heard  from  afterward ; Solomon  K.,  went  to 
Oregon  in  1832,  lived  and  died  there,  (he  was 
State  Senator  and  president  of  the  State  His- 
torical Society);  Josephine,  who  died  young;  and 
Rev.  Alpheus  D.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was 
left  fatherless  when  but  two  months  old,  and  re- 
mained with  his  mother  until  eight  years  of  age, 
from  which  time  until  he  was  fourteen  years  old,  the 
time  of  his  mother’s  death,  he  found  a home  with  va- 
rious families  A short  time  previous  to  her  death  she 
made  a contract  for  her  son  to  remain  at  his  then  pre- 
sent home  until  he  was  of  age.  He  found,  as  was  cus- 
tomary in  those  days,  plenty  of  work  and  but  little  op- 
portunity for  an  education.  He  remained  there  until 
twenty  years  of  age,  when  he  made  some  little  prepa- 


ration for  the  ministry.  On  the  evening  of  November 
5,  1834,  he  preached  his  first  discourse  from  the  text : 
“For  many  are  called  and  few  are  chosen.”  He  was 
licensed  the  May  following,  after  which  time  he  spent 
a few  months  at  N.  Parsonfield’s  seminary,  under  the 
instruction  of  Rev.  Hosea  Quimby,  D.D.,  holding  meet- 
ings on  the  Sabbath  several  miles  away  ; was  ordained 
June  22,  1837,  at  Corinth,  Vt.,  where  he  held  his  first 
membership.  In  July  following  became  pastor  of  the 
First  Free-Will  Baptist  Church  in  Dover,  N.  H.  A 
precious  revival  followed ; more  than  one  hundred 
were  baptized  and  united  with  the  church.  Mr. 
Smith’s  health  tailed  the  second  year  of  his  pastor- 
ate, and  he  returned  to  the  hills  of  Vermont  to  recup- 
erate, but  he  was  soon  able  to  resume  his  work. 

July  2,  1838,  he  married  Emily  B.  True,  of  Corinth, 
and  they  had  two  children, — Josephine  E.,  who  mar- 
ried S.  W.  Sanders,  of  Laconia,  N.  H.,  and  Alpheus 
D.,  a practicing  physician  of  Manchester,  N.  H.  In 
1839,  Mr.  Smith  became  pastor  of  the  Second  Free- 
Will  Baptist  Chilrch  of  Corinth,  which  relation  con- 
tinued until  1844.  He  then  spent  one  year  in  East 
Randolph,  Vt. ; then  returned  to  Dover,  N.  H.,  and 
continued  his  labors  for  four  years.  Spent  a few 
months  at  Farmington  ; from  there  he  went  to  Con- 
cord, N.  H.,  where  he  remained  two  or  three  years; 
assisted  in  raising  a church-debt  of  twelve  hundred 
dollars;  from  there  he  went  to  West  Fairlee,  Vt.,  where 
a new  church  was  organized  and  he  remained  in  charge 
for  about  two  and  a half  years  ; from  here  Mr.  Smith 
was  called  to  Lyndon  ; from  there  he  went  West  for 
some  time,  but  not  liking  the  climate,  returned  to  New 
England,  and  was  called  to  Laconia,  N.  H.,  the  second 
Sabbath  in  July,  1857,  where  he  remained  nearly  four 
years.  Next  to  East  Tilton  for  three  years;  but  re- 
turned to  Laconia,  where  he  resided  until  April,  1873. 

Mrs.  Smith  died  in  October,  1872.  Mr.  Smith 
found,  after  traveling  for  some  time  and  supplying 
destitute  churches,  the  need  of  a regular  home  and 
place  of  service.  He  married,  for  his  second  wife, 
Mrs.  Mary  E.  Clough,  of  Canterbury,  in  January, 
1874,  and  since  that  time  he  has  supplied  the  First 
Free-Will  Baptist  Church  of  the  town,  with  the 
exception  of  one-fourth  part  of  the  centre  of  the 
town.  In  1883  his  health  failed  and  would  not 
admit  of  his  preaching,  but  he  has  been  able  to  re- 
sume his  labors  in  the  last  year.  He  is  now  inter- 
ested in  the  Kezer  Seminary,  with  a fund  of  fifteen 
thousand  dollars  to  build  the  institution  and  pay 
expenses  of  running  the  same.  Mr.  Smith  has  ever 
had  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  those  with  whom 
he  has  been  brought  in  contact,  always  trying  to  do 
all  within  his  power  to  promote  the  welfare  of  his 
fellow-men. 


LORENZO  AMES. 

Among  the  early  settlers  of  Canterbury,  and  of  its 
hardy  stock  of  tillers  of  the  soil,  was  (1)  Samuel,  the 


232 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


great-grandfather  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  The 
time  of  his  arrival  is  not  known,  but  it  was  probably 
about  the  year  1745.  He  became  the  possessor  of  a 
large  farm  near  the  meeting-house,  and  was  noted  for 
the  thrift  and  energy  displayed  in  the  management 
of  his  business.  He  was  born  February  13,  1723-24,  j 
married  Hannah  Daloff,  and  died  in  Canterbury 
January  16,  1803.  His  wife,  Hannah,  was  born  Jan- 
uary 18,  1728-29,  and  died  January  23,  1804.  From 
this  union  there  were  four  children.  (2)  David,  the 
grandfather  of  Lorenzo,  was  born  May  27,  1749,  and 
succeeded  his  father  in  the  possession  of  the  large 
farm  in  the  “ borough.”  He  married  Phoebe,  daughter 
of  Thomas  Hoyt,  who  was  a Revolutionary  soldier, 
and  they  had  ten  children, — three  sons  and  seven 
daughters.  David  died  in  Canterbury  September 
22,  1812,  and  Phoebe  in  1836.  (3)  Samuel,  the  father 
of  Lorenzo,  was  born  at  the  old  homestead  July  29, 
1784.  He  married  Myra,  daughter  of  Jonathan  Ayres, 
of  Canterbury,  and  lived  on  the  homestead  inherited 
from  his  father  until  his  death,  June  30,  1870.  His 
wife,  Myra,  died  October  14,  1873.  From  this  union 
there  were  seven  children,  the  eldest  of  whom  was 
(4)  Lorenzo,  who  was  born  at  the  homestead  May  22, 
1814.  His  boyhood  was  spent  at  home,  assisting  in 
farm- work  in  summer  and  attending  the  district  school 
in  the  winter.  That  he  might  assist  his  father  more 
effectually,  and  having  a taste  for  trade,  he,  at  an 
early  age,  went  to  Boston,  and  engaged  in  the  whole- 
sale mercantile  business.  Remaining  there  for  a few 
years,  during  which  time  he  developed  a capacity  for 
business,  he  returned  to  his  native  State,  and  was  for 
a short  time  in  business  in  Concord.  In  1845  he 
went  to  Albany,  N.  Y.,  and  with  his  brothers,  Sam- 
uel F.  and  Jeremiah  F.,  engaged  extensively  in  the 
flour  and  grain  business.  They  were  successful,  and 
won  an  enviable  reputation  for  thrift  and  honesty.  A 
local  writer  has  recently  said  of  this  firm:  “Some 
forty  years  ago  there  came  over  from  New  Hampshire 
three  brothers  of  the  name  of  Ames,  and  settled  in 
Albany,  where  they  have  been  carrying  on  an  exten- 
sive produce  business.  They  have  well  maintained 
the  name  of  honest  Yankees  in  an  honorable  and 
successful  business.  They  are  among  the  land-marks 
of  the  capital  city,  where  they  have  made  records 
which  would  form  pleasant  reading,  not  only  for  the 
young,  but  for  men  of  every  age.”  Business  integrity 
and  enterprise,  fairly  and  fully  established,  insured 
social  position  in  the  city  of  their  adoption. 

Lorenzo  was  deacon  of  the  Congregational  Church 
there,  of  which  Rev.  Ray  Palmer,  D.D.,  was  pastor, 
and  was  interested  in  religious,  educational  and  civil 
matters. 

Mr.  Ames  has  retired  from  the  active  business  at 
Albany  to  his  farm  in  Canterbury,  where  he  is  dea- 
con of  the  Congregational  Church  and  a much  es- 
teemed and  highly-valued  citizen. 

October  14,  1852,  Mr.  Ames  married  Lydia  Page, 
daughter  of  Hon.  Ezekiel  Morrill,  of  Canterbury. 


From  this  union  there  are  four  children.  The  young- 
est, (5)  Samuel  Patten,  born  May  29,  1865,  alone 
survives. 


DAVID  JIORRII.L. 

In  the  early  history  of  Canterbury  few  names  are 
more  conspicuous  than  that  of  Ezekiel  Morrill,  who 
came  from  South  Hampton  to  this  place  about  the 
year  1750.  He  was  a deacon  of  the  Congregational 
Church,  his  name  appears  many  times  on  the  old 
record-books  as  town  clerk,  and  he  often  served  on 
committees  appointed  by  the  town  to  attend  to  mat- 
ters of  importance.  To  this  Ezekiel  Morrill,  David, 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  traces  his  ancestry  in  di- 
rect line.  Ezekiel  was  the  father  of  fifteen  children. 
His  second  child  was  David.  David’s  eldest  son  was 
Reuben,  who  married  Miriam  Smith.  These  were 
the  parents  of  Captain  David,  as  he  is  familiarly 
called.  He  was  born  in  Canterbury  August  12, 1798, 
j on  the  place  where  he  now  lives,  and  was  the  third  of 
nine  children.  His  education  was  obtained  in  the 
district  school,  which  he  attended  till  he  was  twenty- 
one  years  old.  At  this  time  he  began  to  teach  win- 
ters. His  first  school  was  in  Northwood ; here  he 
taught  two  terms,  then  two  winters  in  Pittsfield,  one 
in  Madbury,  one  in  Londonderry,  and  three  terms  in 
District  No.  1,  Canterbury.  In  1828  he  built  a saw- 
mill. The  management  of  this  and  of  his  large 
farm  have  occupied  him  through  his  long  life.  He 
has  a fine  set  of  buildings;  his  farm  is  well  situated, 
and  by  care  and  industry  he  has  brought  it  to  a good 
state  of  cultivation.  Mr.  Morrill  is  in  many  respects 
a man  of  the  old  school, — a working  and  thinking 
farmer.  Without  doubt,  many  a business  problem  has 
been  thought  out  while  his  hands  have  been  occupied 
with  the  hoe  and  scythe.  In  town  matters  the  cap- 
tain has  always  been  on  the  side  of  progress  and 
reform.  He  has  held  the  office  of  selectman  several 
times.  In  1859  he  represented  the  town  in  the  Leg- 
islature. In  1860  and  ’61  he  was  a member  of  the 
Senate.  While  here  his  opinions  were  respected  and 
even  sought  for  by  his  colleagues.  He  is  a Republi- 
can in  politics,  though  not  a partisan.  He  was  early 
in  the  anti-slavery  movement,  being  associated  with 
Stephen  S.  Foster  and  his  co-workers.  He  has  al- 
ways taken  an  active  interest  in  the  educational 
affairs  of  the  town.  Although  a scholar  of  the  olden 
time,  he  adheres  only  to  what  is  good  in  the  old 
methods.  He  is  a Congregation alist  in  religious 
faith,  having  united  with  that  denomination  when  a 
young  man.  Mr.  Morrill  has  been  twice  married, — 
in  1825  to  Comfort,  daughter  of  Marsten  Morrill,  and 
| in  1843  to  Mrs.  Sally  Kimball.  By  the  first  marriage 
he  had  seven  children,  six  sons  and  one  daughter  ; 
by  the  second,  two  sons.  Three  of  his  sons  were  in 
the  Civil  War.  He  is  a man  of  strict  integrity,  of 
sound  judgment,  of  great  firmness  and  of  practical 
common  sense.  At  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-six. 


CANTERBURY. 


233 


his  mind  is  clear  and  he  retains  an  active  interest  in 
public  affairs. 


JOHN  PEVERLEY  KIMBALL. 

Richard  Kimball  was  born  in  Canterbury  May  31, 
1798.  He  married  Sally  Sanborn,  daughter  of  John 
Peverley,  of  Canterbury,  October  24,  1826.  They 
moved  to  Boscawen  the  next  day  and  settled  on  the 
Rolfe  farm,  near  his  brother  Benjamin,  where  they 
resided  until  Mr.  Kimball’s  death,  which  occurred 
September  30, 1829.  Their  only  child,  John  Peverley, 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  in  Boscawen 
December  23,  1827.  After  the  death  of  his  father  he 
moved  with  his  mother  to  his  grandfather  Peverley’s, 
where  he  resided  until  he  married  Mary  Eliza, 
daughter  of  Samuel  Hill,  of  Canterbury,  June  3, 
1852,  and  settled  on  the  homestead  of  her  father,  near 
the  centre  of  the  town.  Here  he  resided  until  her 
death,  November  6,  1874.  Deprived  of  a father  at 
the  early  age  of  three  years,  young  John  experienced 
many  of  the  difficulties  of  other  boys  in  like  circum- 
stances. At  the  same  time  there  were  advantages. 
His  mother  was  a judicious,  energetic  woman,  and  he 
became  industrious,  persevering,  resolute  and  self-re- 
liant. These  elements  of  character,  thus  early 
formed,  have  done  much  toward  making  him  success- 
ful in  all  his  business  affairs.  His  education  was 
gained  mostly  in  the  common  school.  After  leaving 
this  he  attended  Gilmanton  Academy  and  the  New 
Hampshire  Conference  Seminary  two  terms.  During 
his  partnership  with  his  father-in-law,  they  devoted 
themselves  chiefly  to  agriculture,  and  the  fine  ex- 
hibits of  corn,  grain  and  vegetables  made  annually 
at  the  town  and  State  fairs  were  good  proof  of  their 
success.  Mr.  Kimball  has  in  recent  years  made 
stock-raising  a specialty,  and  his  excellent  Herefords 
have  attracted  much  attention.  He  has  made  great 
efforts  to  improve  and  multiply  this  stock  in  Canter- 
bury and  in  neighboring  towns.  For  several  years 
past  he  has  sent  fine  herds  to  the  State  and  New 
England  fairs.  He  has  always  been  a fancier  of  good 
horses,  and  several  of  his  own  raising  have  made  a 
very  creditable  record  on  the  turf  at  the  county  and 
State  fairs.  With  a view  to  comfort  and  convenience, 
the  homestead  buildings  were,  some  years  ago,  put  in 
excellent  condition.  A large  barn  was  built,  having 
modern  improvements,  and  the  house  was  made  com- 
modious and  attractive.  Mr.  Kimball  has  always 
shown  a good  degree  of  interest  in  the  educational 
affairs  of  the  town,  and  has  at  all  times  advocated 
good  schools.  His  disposition  is  social,  he  is  prompt 
to  do  a kindness,  and  has  many  warm  friends.  He  is 
a prominent  member  of  the  town  and  State  Grange, 
and  a member  of  other  societies  that  have  for  their 
object  social  and  educational  improvement.  He  has 
contributed  much  to  make  Canterbury’s  annual  fair 
successful  and  creditable  to  the  town.  He  is  a Re- 
publican in  politics,  and  a Congregationalist  in  his 
religious  sympathies.  Mr.  Kimball  bad,  by  his  first 
marriage,  four  children.  The  eldest,  George  Edwin, 
died  at  the  age  of  six  years.  The  second  and  third, 
Frank  Edwin  and  Ida  Grace,  were  born  May  13, 1859. 


The  youngest,  Georgianna  Eliza,  was  born  October 
10,  1867.  He  married  for  his  second  wife  Mrs.  Mary 
A.  Kilton. 

Mr.  Kimball  traces  his  paternal  ancestors  back  to 
the  eighth  generation.  His  grandfather’s  name  was 
Richard.  Richard’s  father’s  name  was  Caleb,  then 
John,  Joseph,  another  John,  and  still  another,  this 
last  John  making  the  eighth. 


COLONEL  DAVID  MORRILL  CLOUGH. 

A town  depends  more  upon  the  character  of  its  in- 
habitants for  fame  than  upon  its  natural  advantages. 
Canterbury  was  originally  settled  by  strong  men,  who 
have  left  their  impress  on  the  present  generation.  They 
were  the  Cloughs,  Gibsons,  Fosters,  Blanchards,  Mor- 
rills,  Kimballs,  et  al.,  of  the  present  generation.  Col- 
onel David  M.  Clough  is  one  of  the  most  energetic, 
enterprising,  successful  and  noted  farmers  within  the 
Granite  State,  and  has  deservedly  earned  the  title  of 
“ the  Corn  King  ” of  New  Hampshire.  The  colonel 
is  the  great-grandson  of  Jeremiah  Clough,  who  set- 
tled in  Canterbury  in  1727  and  built  the  old  garrison. 
Here  the  hardy  pioneer  raised  a family  of  five  boys 
and  three  girls.  He  was  a man  of  superior  ability 
and  great  physical  force  and  energy.  The  children 
all  became  prominent,  and  were  noted  for  building 
large  two-story  houses,  carrying  on  large  farms 
and  having  much  influence  in  their  day.  The  oldest 
boy,  Jeremiah  Clough,  succeeded  to  his  father’s  home 
farm.  Henry  Clough  joined  the  Shakers  and  became 
a leading  man  in  that  denomination,  being  one  of  the 
founders  of  Lebanon  (N.  Y.)  Community.  Thomas 
Clough  settled  on  Bay  Hill,  in  Northfield,  and  left  no 
issue.  Abner  settled  on  “ Clough  Hill,”  in  Loudon, 
giving  name  to  that  section  of  the  town,  and  has  left 
numerous  descendants.  Joseph  Clough  settled  on  the 
farm  now  owned  by  Colonel  Clough ; he  married  a 
Lawrence,  from  Epping;  had  no  children,  but  adopted 
his  wife’s  niece,  who  married  a Gerrish  and  be- 
came owner  of  the  farm.  Leavitt,  the  grandfather  of 
the  colonel,  settled  on  the  farm  lately  owned  by  Ed- 
ward Osgood.  One  of  the  sisters  married  a Gerrish, 
of  Boscawen,  and  left  a numerous  progeny.  Leavitt 
Clough  married,  first,  Hannah  Fletcher,  of  Loudon  ; 
second,  Peggy  Mason,  of  Chichester.  Leavitt  was  a re- 
markable man — powerful  physically,  strong  intellectu- 
ally, energetic,  prompt  to  keep  his  engagements,  trusted 
by  the  community,  a devout  Christian,  a successful  and 
wealthy  farmer.  Sally,  his  oldest  daughter,  married 
Abner  Clough,  of  Loudon  Hill.  Hannah,  another 
daughter,  married  Josiah  Haines,  of  Canterbury,  and 
Susan,  the  third  daughter,  married  Jeremiah  Clough. 
Leavitt,  Jr.,  was  their  only  son.  Leavitt  Clough,  Jr., 
was  born  October  30, 1778  ; married,  October  27, 1800, 
Abigail  Morrill,  the  youngest  daughter  of  Deacon 
David  Morrill,  and  aunt  of  Hon.  David  Morrill,  a 
prominent  citizen  of  Canterbury.  She  was  born 
February  8,  1779,  and  died  May  10,  1853.  He  was 
held  in  high  esteem  by  his  townsmen,  was  a justice  of 
the  peace,  selectman  and  representative  when  he  died, 
August  13,  1825.  She  was  a woman  of  great  natural 
ability  and  skill,  and  took  great  interest  in  all  that 


234 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


was  happening  in  the  outside  world.  Like  his  father 
and  grandfather,  Leavitt  Clough  was  orthodox  in 
creed  and  carefully  attended  to  religious  observances. 
Toward  the  close  of  her  life  Mrs.  Clough  was  liberal 
in  her  views.  The  children  of  this  couple  were  (1) 
Henry  Clough,  born  September  17,  1801,  graduated 
from  Dartmouth  College  in  1823,  and  died  in  Mary- 
land August  28,  1824;  (2)  William  Patrick  Clough, 
born  October  25,  1802,  married  and  settled  first  in 
Canterbury,  but  later  in  life  moved  to  Andover,  and 
for  many  years  lived  with  his  only  daughter,  Cornelia, 
who  married  the  late  Rev.  Howard  Moody ; (3)  Mary 
Ann  Clough,  born  January  8,  1804,  married,  in  April, 
1825,  Deacon  Jonathan  Brown,  of  Gilmanton ; (4) 
David  M.  Clough ; (5)  Merinda  Clough,  born  February 
14,  1808,  married  Jonathan  Prescott,  of  Gilmanton  ; 
(6)  Leavitt  Morrill  Clough,  born  September  10,  1809, 
who  went  South  and  disappeared  about  the  time  of  a 
noted  steamboat  explosion,  and  never  having  been 
heard  from,  was  supposed  to  have  been  lost ; (7) 
Thomas  Carmel  Clough,  born  February  16,  1812,  a 
promising  young  man,  who  married  Martha  Emery, 
of  Concord,  and  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  on  the 
Western  Reserve  (Ohio),  he  died  in  early  manhood, 
and  left  one  daughter;  (8)  Daniel  Webster  Clough, 
born  August  17,  1814,  is  unmarried  and  lives  in  Hill. 

Colonel  David  M.  Clough  was  born  on  his  grand- 
father’s farm  June  9, 1805,  and  succeeded  to  the  home- 
stead on  coming  of  age.  His  education  was  received 
at  the  district  school,  supplemented  by  three  terms  at 
Gilmanton  Academy.  What  he  was  taught  he 
was  able  to  impart  to  others,  for  at  the  age  of  eighteen 
he  was  engaged  in  teaching  winter  schools ; at  the 
age  of  nineteen  he  was  commissioned  in  the  State 
militia,  promoted  to  captain  at  twenty-one,  and  to 
the  rank  of  colonel  after  five  years’  service.  At  his 
father’s  death  it  devolved  upon  him  to  help  settle 
the  estate,  and  thus  early  in  life  he  became  immersed 
in  business.  In  1832  he  settled  in  Gilmanton,  re- 
maining there  ten  years,  when  he  returned  to  the 
neighborhood  of  his  old  home.  In  1848  he  took  a 
trip  of  inspection  and  discovery  through  the  States  of 
Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois  and  Iowa,  and  after  an  absence 
of  several  months  returned  with  the  firm  conviction 
that  New  Hampshire  offered  as  many  inducements  to 
the  farmer  as  any  State  in  the  Union,  and  accordingly 
purchased  a small  farm  near  his  early  home,  which  he 
brought  to  a higher  state  of  cultivation  and  sold  in 
1856.  He  bought,  that  very  fall,  the  farm  he  now 
owns  on  the  Merrimack  Intervale,  between  the  Can- 
terbury and  Boscawen  stations,  paying  four  thous- 
and six  hundred  dollars,  it  being  the  same  farm 
that  his  great-uncle,  Joseph  Clough,  formerly  owned. 

To  this  farm  of  some  five  hundred  acres  he  gave 
work  and  capital.  In  thirteen  • years  he  brought  its 
market  value  up  to  seventeen  thousand  dollars,  and 
its  supporting  capacity  from  twelve  cattle  to  that  of 
over  one  hundred.  He  has  added  outlying  pieces  as 
they  have  come  into  the  market,  until  he  now  owns 
about  twelve  hundred  acres  of  land.  His  average 
crop  of  corn  on  the  ear  is  some  three  thousand  bush- 
els. He  has  now  one  hundred  and  twenty  head  of 
cattle,  one  hundred  and  fifteen  sheep  and  six  horses. 


, He  has  served  the  town  of  Canterbury  as  selectman 
for  four  years,  and  as  representative  two  years.  Three 
! times  he  received  the  nomination  of  the  Democratic 
party  for  member  of  the  Governor’s  Council,  and  was 
elected  during  Governor  Weston’s  first  term.  During 
his  term  in  the  Legislature  he  was  a strong  advocate 
for  the  establishment  of  the  Agricultural  College  and 
was  one  of  the  board  of  trustees  for  several  years.  In 
politics  the  colonel  has  been  a Free-Soil  Democrat, 
attending  the  National  Convention  which  nominated 
John  P.  Hale.  After  the  abolition  of  slavery  he 
gravitated  into  the  Democratic  party.  In  agricultural, 
rather  than  in  political  circles  has  Colonel  Clough  been 
most  prominent.  He  was  a charter  member  of  the 
Merrimack  River  Grange  and  a charter  member  of  the 
State  Grange,  of  which  he  was  treasurer  for  six  years 
and  for  a long  time  one  of  the  executive  committee. 
He  is  a member  of  the  Merrimack  County  Agricul- 
tural Society,  for  two  years  its  president,  and  a life- 
member  of  the  New  Hampshire  Agricultural  Society. 

A great  aim  and  ambition  of  his  life  has  been  to 
give  dignity  to  the  farmers’  vocation,  and,  by  experi- 
ment, to  develop  the  science  of  farming  in  his  native 
State.  By  precept  and  example  he  has  been  a cham- 
pion of  the  farmers’  rights  and  a pioneer  in  every  ad- 
vance. He  has  been  a prosperous  and  successful 
farmer;  he  has  made  two  blades  of  grass  grow  where 
one  grew  before. 

In  1832  he,  with  his  wife,  joined  the  Free-Will 
Baptist  Church  of  Canterbury,  and  for  many  years 
was  clerk  of  the  society.  He  has  always  been  a tem- 
perance advocate,  abstaining  from  cider  as  well  as 
from  stronger  drinks,  and  also  from  tobacco  all  his 
life. 

As  a citizen  in  his  neighborhood,  in  his  town,  in 
the  county  and  in  late  years  throughout  the  State,  lie 
has  enjoyed  the  respect  and  confidence  of  his  fellow- 
citizens.  He  has  been  thoroughly  upright  in  all  his 
dealings,  scorning  dishonesty  in  politics  and  in  busi- 
ness, and  in  his  ripe  old  age  is  surrounded  by  com- 
forts and  luxuries  well  earned  and  well  deserve  1. 
He  married,  first,  October  25,  1828,  Almira  Batchel- 
der,  daughter  of  Ebenezer  Batchelder,  of  Canterbury. 
She  was  born  June  7,  1805;  was  the  mother  of  five 
children;  died  November  5,  1851.  He  married,, 
second,  June  17,  1856,  Mrs.  Caroline  (Gibson)  Tal- 
lent. His  children  are  as  follows  : 

1.  Ann  Maria,  born  in  1830;  died  August  9,  1838. 

2.  Henry  Leavitt,  born  February  17, 1834 ; has  been 
prominent  in  business  and  political  circles  of  Con- 
cord ; a candidate  for  high-sheriff  of  Merrimack 
County,  and  now  resides  with  his  father  ; unmarried. 

3.  Mary  S.,  born  in  1836 ; died  August  2,  1838. 

4.  Edwin  Davis,  born  October  5,  1843 ; married 
Eliza  Couch,  daughter  of  Elder  Couch,  of  Concord; 
has  had  two  children  (one  of  whom  is  living),  and  is 
a member  of  the  firm  of  E.  D.  Clough  & Co.,  of  Con- 
cord. 

5.  Charles  Newell,  born  January  15, 1849;  married 
Emma  T.  Morrill,  and  has  one  child, — the  colonel’s 
only  grandson,  David  Morrill  Clough,  Jr. 


HISTORY  OF  CHICHESTER. 


BY  D.  T.  BROWN'. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Chichester,  Merrimack  County,  is  bounded  on 
the  north  by  Pittsfield,  on  the  east  by  Pittsfield  and 
Epsom,  on  the  south  by  Pembroke  and  on  the  west 
by  Loudon.  It  is  about  six  miles  long  and  three  miles 
wide,  and  contains  about  eleven  thousand  nine  hun- 
dred and  seventy-eight  acres.  Distance  from  Concord 
to  centre  of  town,  eight  miles.  It  is  watered  by  the 
Suncook  River,  which  forms  its  eastern  boundary  for 
about  one  mile,  affording  excellent  water-power  at 
several  points,  only  one  of  which  is  at  present  util- 
ized. Another  small  stream,  known  as  Lynxfield 
Brook,  flows  out  of  a pond  by  the  same  name,  sit- 
uated in  the  southwesterly  part  of  the  town,  and  fur- 
nishes the  power  to  drive  Sanders’  board,  shingle  and 
lath-mills,  and  flows  into  the  Suncook  in  the  easterly 
part  of  the  town.  Another  small  stream  flows  through 
the  northeasterly  part  of  the  town,  known  as  Gilman- 
ton  Brook,  and  furnishes  the  power  to  drive  Fellows’ 
mills,  and  also  flows  into  the  Suncook.  It  was  upon 
this  stream  that  the  first  saw-mill  in  Chichester  was 
erected  by  the  early  settlers.  There  are  no  mountains 
in  town,  and  the  only  hills  of  note  are  Bear  Hill,  situ- 
ated in  the  westerly  part  of  the  town,  and  Garvin’s 
Hill,  situated  in  the  southerly  part  of  the  town,  from 
the  top  of  which,  on  a clear  day,  the  White  Mountains 
can  be  seen.  The  original  growth  of  wood  is  pine, 
hemlock,  chestnut,  beech,  birch  and  maple.  When 
the  town  was  settled,  a large  proportion  of  its  surface 
was  covered  with  a very  heavy  growth  of  wood  and 
timber.  For  the  first  fifty  years  after  its  settlement 
the  original  owners  devoted  a considerable  portion  of 
their  time  to  cutting  down  and  burning  up  the  growth 
of  wood  and  lumber,  preparatory  to  breaking  the  soil 
and  fitting  it  for  cultivation  ; and  within  the  last 
twenty-five  years,  more  especially,  the  lumbermen  of 
this  and  other  towns  have  invaded  our  forests,  and 
are  making  sad  havoc  with  the  original  growth  of 
pine,  hemlock  and  chestnut  until,  to-day,  there  is  but 
little  of  it  remaining  in  town.  Looking  from  the 
summit  of  the  surrounding  hills,  the  surface  of  this 
town  appears  to  be  much  broken  and  uneven  ; still, 
there  are  many  highly-cultivated  farms,  especially 
that  of  Charles  H.  Carpenter,  Esq.,  lying  on  both 


sides  of  Suncook  River,  which  is  one  of  the  largest  and 
most  productive  farms  in  Merrimack  County.  The 
soil  is  generally  good,  and  in  some  parts  is  very  fer- 
tile. Farming  is  almost  the  only  employment ; 
trade,  manufacturing  and  mechanic  arts  are  carried 
on  to  a very  limited  extent.  Population,  seven  hun- 
dred and  eighty-four;  number  of  polls,  two  hundred 
and  sixty-four. 

ORIGINAL  GRANT  OF  TOWN. 

“ George,  by  the  Grace  of  God,  of  Great  Britaiue,  France  and  Ire- 
land, King,  Defender  of  the  Faith,  &c. 

“To  all  People  lo  whom  these  Presents  shall  come,  Greeting:  Know  ye 
that  we  of  our  Special  Knowleidge  and  meer  motion  for  the  Dew  En- 
couragement of  Setliug  a new  Plantation  By  and  with  the  advise  ami 
Consent  of  our  Councill  have  Given  and  Granted  and  by  these  Presents 
as  far  as  in  us  Lies  do  Give  and  Grant  in  Equall  Shares  unto  Sundry  of 
our  beloved  subjects  whose  Names  are  Entered  in  a Schedule  hereunto 
anexed  that  Inhabit,  or  Shall  Inhabit,  within  the  Said  Grant  within- 
our  Provence  of  New  Hampshire  all  that  tract  of  land  within  the  fol- 
lowing bounds,  viz.  : To  begin  on  the  South  west  Side  of  the  Town  of 
Barnsted,  and  from  thence  Runing  South  westerly  on  the  head  of  the 
Town  of  Nottingham  untill  Eight  miles  be  accomplished,  and  then  North 
west  Eight  miles,  and  then  Nin  th  East  Eight  miles,  and  then  South  East 
by  the  said  Town  of  Barnstead  to  the  Place  where  it  first  began,  and 
that  Ye  same  be  a Town  Corporate  by  the  Name  of  Chichester  to  the 
Persons  affore  Said  for  Ever.  To  Have  and  To  Hold  the  Said  land  to  the 
said  Grantees  and  their  heirs  and  assigns  for  ever,  and  to  such  associates 
as  they  shall  admitt  upon  the  following  Condition  : (1)  that  the  Pro- 
prietors within  three  years  Buld,  or  Cause  to  be  Bult,  Sixty  Dwelling 
Houses  and  Settle  families  in  the  Same,  andCleare  three  acres  of  Ground 
Fitt  for  Planting  or  mowing,  and  that  Each  Proprietor  Pay  his  Propor- 
tion of  the  Town  Charges  when  and  so  often  as  occasion  shall  Require 
ye  same.  (2)  That  a meetting  house  be  Built  for  ye  Publick  Worship  of 
God  within  the  Tearm  of  four  years.  (3)  That  upon  Default  of  any  Per- 
ticular  Proprietor  in  Complying  with  the  Conditions  of  this  Charter 
upon  his  Part,  such  Delinquent  Proprietor  Shall  forfeit  his  share  of  ye 
said  land  to  the  other  Proprietors,  which  shall  be  disposed  of  according 
to  the  major  vote  of  ye  Said  Proprietors  att  a Legall  meetting.  (4)  That 
a Proprietor’s  share  be  Reserved  for  a Parsonage,  and  another  for  ye  first 
minister  of  the  Gospell  that  Shall  be  there  settled  and  ordained,  and 
another  Proprietors  Share  for  ye  Bennifitt  of  a Scoole  in  ye  Said  Town, 
provided  nevertheless  that  ye  Peace  with  ye  Indians  continue  for  ye 
Space  of  three  years,  but  if  itt  Should  happen  that  a warr  with  ye  In- 
dians Should  Commence  before  the  Expiration  of  the  affore  Said  Tearm 
of  three  years  that  then  ye  Said  Terme  of  three  years  Shall  be 
allowed  the  Proprietors  after  ye  Expiration  of  the  warr  for  ye 
Performance  of  ye  affore  Said  Conditions  Rendring  and  Paying  there- 
for to  us  our  heirs  and  Successors,  or  Such  officer  or  officers  as 
Shall  be  appointed  to  Receive  the  Same,  the  anuall  Quitt  Rent  or 
Acknowledgment  of  one  Pound  of  Hemp  in  ye  Said  Town  on  ye  last 
wendsday  in  march  yearly  for  Ever  if  Demanded.  Reserving  also  unto 
us  our  heirs  and  Successors  all  mast  Trees  Growing  on  Said  Tract  of  laud 
according  to  acts  of  Parliment  in  that  case  made  and  Provided  and  for 
ye  beetter  order  Rule  and  Govennent  of  ye  Said  Town  we  do  by  these 
Presents  and  for  our  Selves,  our  heirs  and  Successors,  Grant  unto  the 
Said  men  Inhabitants,  or  those  that  Shall  Inhabitt  Said  Town,  that 

235 


236 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


yearly  and  every  yeare  upon  the  Second  Wendsday  in  march  for  Ever 
Shall  ineett  to  Elect  and  Chuse  by  the  major  part  of  the  Proprietors  then 
Present,  Constable,  Selectmen  and  other  Town  officers  according  to  ye 
Laws  and  useages  of  our  aft'oresaid  Province  with  Power,  Priveleidges 
and  authority  as  other  Towns  and  Town  officers  within  our  afforesaid  j 
Province  have  and  Enjoy,  and  for  ye  Notifiing  and  Calling  of  ye  first 
Town  meetting  we  do  hereby  appoint  Peter  Weare,  Esqr.,  John  Sanborn 
and  Jacob  Freese  to  be  the  first  Selectmen,  and  thav  to  Continue  in  Said 
Respective  office  as  Selectmen  untill  ye  Second  Wendsday  in  ye  month 
of  march,  which  Shall  be  in  ye  yeare  of  our  Loid  one  thosand  Seven 
hundred  and  Twenty  Eight,  and  untill  other  Select  men  Shall  be  Chosen 
and  appinted  in  thare  Stead  in  Such  manner  as  is  in  these  Presents  Ex- 
presed,  In  Testimony  where  of  wee  have  Caused  the  Seale  of  our  Said 
Province  to  be  hereunto  affixed. 

“ Wittness,  John  Wentworth,  Esqr.,  our  Liueftenant  Governor  and 
Comander  in  Cheife  in  and  over  our  Said  Provence  att  our  Town  of 
Portsmouth,  in  our  Said  Provence  of  New  Hampshire, ye  Twentieth  Day 
of  may,  in  the  thirtenth  of  our  Reigne,  anno  Domiue  1727. 

“ By  order  of  liis  honour  the  Leiftenant  Governor  with  the  advice  of 
the  Counsell. 

“John  Wentworth. 

"Richard  Waldon,  Clerk  of  ye  Counsell .” 

On  the  13tli  day  of  March,  1728,  the  original  pro- 
prietors of  the  town  of  Chichester  held  their  first 
annual  meeting  at  the  house  of  Captain  Wingate,  in 
Hampton,  and  elected  William  Stanford  clerk,  and 
Benjamin  Perkins,  Benjamin  Lambre  and  Jethro 
Tilton  selectmen,  chose  Peter  Gilman,  Captain  John 
Gilman  and  Nathaniel  Healey  surveyors,  and  Deacon 
Weare,  John  Sanborn,  Peter  Gilman,  John  Robinson 
and  Samuel  Martin  a committee  to  lay  out  the  town. 
For  some  reason  this  committee  did  not  act.  They  \ 
held  other  meetings,  and  chose  other  men  with  no 
better  success,  until  December  24,  1728,  when  they 
held  a meeting  at  the  house  of  Captain  Wingate,  and 
chose  Simeon  Martin,  Samuel  Martin,  Jeremiah  San- 
born, Captain  Tilton  and  William  Stanford  a com- 
mittee to  lay  out  the  town,  and  Ichabod  Roby  a 
surveyor;  the  committee  to  have  ten  shillings  per 
day,  and  the  surveyor  fifteen.  This  committee,  it 
seems,  attended  to  the  business  assigned  to  them  im- 
mediately; for  we  find  them  back  to  Hampton  again 
January  28,  1729,  when  another  meeting  of  the  pro-  j 
prietors  was  held  at  the  house  of  Captain  Wingate,  to 
pay  them  for  services  rendered.  Their  pilot,  William 
Hill,  received  five  pounds,  seventeen  shillings,  Cap- 
tain Tilton  six  pounds,  Simeon  Martin  six  pounds, 
Samuel  Martin  six  pounds,  Jeremiah  Sanborn  and 
William  Stanford  six  pounds  each.  This  committee 
run  what  they  supposed  to  be  the  line  between  what 
was  then  Nottingham  and  Chichester,  and  Pembroke 
and  Chichester.  Beginning  at  a birch-tree  at  the 
south  corner  of  Barnstead,  which  they  found  marked 
with  “B”  and  other  letters,  they  run  eight  miles 
southwest  to  a beech-tree;  this  tree  they  also  marked,  j 
They  then  run  eight  miles  northwest  to  a white  oak 
tree;  having  marked  this  tree  and  others  near  by, 
they  returned.  This  running,  although  according  to 
their  grant,  took  in  a part  or  all  of  Epsom.  We  can 
account  for  this  only  in  this  way:  When  the  county 
was  mostly  covered  with  forests,  grants  were  made 
without  any  definite  ideas  of  exact  locations.  Char- 
ters often  overlapped  each  other  or  left  irregular  strips 
of  land  between  them.  In  this  case  it  seems  that  the  ; 


same  territory  was  granted  to  Epsom  and  Chichester; 
but  as  the  grant  to  Epsom  antedated  that  of  Chiches- 
ter by  a few  days,  Chichester  lost,  and  Epsom  gained 
the  land  in  dispute.  It  seems  by  the  record  that  the 
proprietors  of  Chichester  did  not  willingly  relinquish 
their  claim  to  this  portion  of  the  territory  embraced 
within  their  grant;  but  it  was  the  source  of  a great 
deal  of  perplexity  and  vexation,  if  not  of  actual  liti- 
gation, and  committee  after  committee  were  chosen 
to  settle  the  matter  with  Epsom,  and  finally  a com- 
mittee was  chosen  to  represent  their  situation  to  the 
Governor,  and,  if  possible,  get  him  to  grant  them  new 
territory  equivalent  to  what  Epsom  took  from  them ; 
but  their  efforts  in  this  direction  seem  to  have  been 
fruitless,  as  there  is  no  record  of  any  territory  being 
annexed  to  Chichester  afterward. 

At  their  annual  meeting,  held  March  12,  1729,  a 
committee  was  chosen  to  lay  out  a bridle-path 
through  the  town  of  Nottingham  to  Chichester,  and 
also  select  some  desirable  site  for  a settlement.  This 
committee  employed  a surveyor,  and  reported  as  fol- 
lows : They  took  their  departure  from  the  end  of 
Bow  Street,  in  Nottingham,  at  a great  white  pine 
tree;  thence  running  northwesterly  through  Notting- 
ham ; thence  northwest  about  two  miles  to  little 
Suncook  River  (now  Epsom);  here  they  concluded 
was  a desirable  place  for  a settlement.  Soon  after 
the  return  of  this  committee  the  proprietors  held  a 
meeting,  and  appointed  a day  upon  which  to  come 
up  through  the  way  just  laid  out,  and  fell  the  trees, 
and  clear  up  the  rubbish,  and  prepare  a bridle-path, 
and  those  men  who  went  were  to  receive  six  shil- 
lings, and  those  who  remained  were  to  pa}-  six  shil- 
lings. After  the  bridle-path  had  been  prepared, 
Peter  Weare,  Jabez  Smith,  Ichabod  Robey,  Josiah 
Moulton  and  Jasper  Blake  were  chosen  a committee 
to  fix  upon  a spot  for  a settlement,  lay  out  house-lots 
and  highways  to  accommodate  them,  locate  a block- 
house, etc.  This  committee  came  up  and  laid  out 
the  following  road: 

“Beginning  at  the  Suncook  River,  about  forty  rods  below  where  little 
Suncook  runs  into  the  main  river,  and  run  east-southeast  three  hun- 
dred rods,  thence  southeast  one  hundred  rods,  thence  east  two  hundred 
and  forty  rods,  thence  southeast  one  hundred  and  seventy  rods,  thence 
east-southeast  four  hundred  and  twenty  rods.” 

They  then  selected  a spot  for  a centre,  or  meeting- 
house lot,  “about  one  mile  upwards,  on  the  fifth 
course  of  the  above  highway.”  They  then  laid  out 
around  this  centre  twenty-acre  lots,  one  for  each 
proprietor,  and  numbered  them.  This  location  for  a 
settlement  was  in  Epsom,  but  probably  made  before 
the  proprietors  were  aware  of  the  fact.  The  commit- 
tee then  returned  to  Hampton,  made  a plan  of  the 
highways  and  house-lots,  with  the  numbers  of  each 
lot,  submitted  their  plan  to  the  proprietors,  who  ac- 
cepted it,  and  immediately  drew  their  lots;  but  none 
were  allowed  to  draw  their  lots  until  they  had  paid 
their  proportion  of  the  expenses  incurred  in  laying 
them  out.  At  a meeting  held  at  Hampton,  March 
11,  1730,  it  was  voted  that  “ye  proprietors  build  a 


CHICHESTER. 


237 


meeting-house  thirty-five  foot  long  and  twenty-five 
foot  wide,  and  to  be  eleaven  foot  stud;”  said  house 
to  be  completed  on  or  before  the  last  day  of  Novem- 
ber next.  “ Voted,  that  Daniel  Weare,  Captain  Win- 
gate and  Nathaniel  Healey  be  a committee  to  let 
out  ye  meeting-house.”  January  30,  1731,  it  was 
voted  “that  the  meeting-house  should  be  twenty-five 
foot  long  and  sixteen  foot  wide,  with  nine  foot  stud, 
being  built  with  timber  six  inches  thick,  and  shall  be 
called  a log  house.”  The  price  to  be  paid  for  this 
house  was  fifty  pounds.  The  proprietors  found  no 
difficulty  in  finding  men  who,  for  pay,  would  come 
up  and  survey  house-lots  and  highways,  locate  meet- 
ing-houses and  forts;  but  when  they  looked  for  men 
who  were  willing  to  leave  their  comfortable  homes  in 
Hampton  and  vicinity,  and  come  up  here  into  the 
forest  to  fell  the  huge  trees,  and  break  the  untried 
soil,  and  build  for  themselves  rude  log  houses,  through 
the  cracks  and  crevices  of  which  the  snows  of  winter 
and  rains  of  summer  would  beat,  surrounded,  in 
many  cases,  by  hostile  savages,  and  endure  all  the 
privations  and  hardships  of  the  frontier  settlers,  they 
were  not  very  plenty.  So  we  find  them  holding 
meeting  after  meeting  and  taxing  their  inventive 
faculties  to  the  uttermost  to  devise  some  plan  which 
should  offer  sufficient  inducement  to  families  to  settle 
in  the  new  town. 

At  one  of  the  meetings  they  voted  that  if  sixty 
men  of  the  proprietors,  or  men  procured  by  them, 
should  forthwith  settle  in  said  town  of  Chichester, 
and  continue  here  for  the  space  of  three  years,  they 
should  receive  two  hundred  jmunds  the  first  year,  to 
be  paid  upon  their  first  settlement,  and  one  hundred 
and  fifty  pounds  yearly  for  the  next  two  years.  May 
3,  1733,  it  was  voted  “that  if  fifteen  men,  or  under, 
would  go  and  speedily  settle  in  Chichester,  they  shall 
have  a full  Proprietor’s  share  throughout  ye  town  of 
Chichester.”  There  is  no  evidence  that  any  one  ac- 
cejfted  this  offer  of  the  proprietors.  For  several  years 
we  find  them  holding  their  annual  and  other  meet- 
ings and  discussing  different  plans  for  settling  the 
town,  also  the  difficulty  with  Epsom  in  relation  to 
the  dividing  line  between  the  towns.  Finally  a com- 
mittee was  chosen  to  petition  the  General  Court  to 
establish  the  line.  The  committee  carried  the  matter 
to  the  court,  and  the  line  was  established,  which  gave 
the  original  twenty-acre  house-lots,  meeting-house 
lot  and  highways  which  the  proprietors  laid  out  soon 
after  the  grant  of  the  township  to  Epsom.  This  made 
it  necessary  for  the  proprietors  of  Chichester  to  start 
again;  hence  we  find  them,  with  characteristic  zeal, 
pushing  ahead  and  making  preparations  for  another 
survey;  and  on  the  26th  day  of  June,  1749,  they 
chose  Obadiali  Worth,  James  Prescott,  Jeremiah 
Sanborn,  Nathan  Clough  and  Jonathan  Swett  a com- 
mittee to  come  up  and  lay  out  a fifty-acre  lot  for  each 
proprietor.  The  committee  employed  a surveyor,  came 
up  and  laid  out  the  first  division  of  lots  in  Chichester 
as  follows : 


“ We  begun  on  Canterbury  road,  about  three-fourths  of  a mile  west  of 
Suncook  river,  at  a large  white  Pine  tree,  standing  on  the  North  East 
Side  of  said  road,  and  pitch  pine  tree  on  the  Southwest  Side  of  said 
road,  which  trees  Stand  about  fifty  rods  distant,  about  Northwest  from  a 
brook,  and  we  numbered  each  of  Said  trees  with  No.  one.  Then  from 
said  trees,  which  trees  are  four  rods  distant  each  from  the  other,  on  a 
North  East  and  by  North  and  Southwest  and  by  South  Point  of  the  com- 
pass, which  is  the  course  that  divides  one  lot  from  the  other  through  the 
whole  division,  We  run  Northwest  and  half  of  one  point  more  North- 
erly up  said  Canterbury  road,  That  being  the  course  of  said  road 
nearest,  and  when  we  had  so  run  fifty  rods,  then  we  marked  a tree  that 
stood  two  rods  distant  Northeast  and  by  North  from  the  aforesaid  North 
West  half  North  line  with  the  number  one  again,  and  then  four  rods 
distant  from  said  last  mentioned  tree  South  west  and  by  South  we  num- 
bered a tree  number  one  ; also  then  we  went  on  Northwest  half  North 
fifty  rods  and  marked  a tree  that  stood  two  rods  distant  from  said  North- 
west half  North  line  with  number  two,  and  over  against  said  tree,  two 
rods  from  said  line,  we  numbered  another  tree  with  number  two,  and 
then  fifty  rods  and  numbered  two  other  trees  standing,  in  course  and  dis- 
tant as  the  trees  as  before  described,  with  number  three  on  each  of  said 
trees,  all  the  numbers  are  in  figures,  and  we  layed  out  seventeen  lots  on 
each  side  of  said  Canterbury  road,  ‘The  numbers  increasing  from  one  to 
seventeen,  as  afore  mentioned.  Then  we  returned  to  the  two  trees  first 
mentioned  in  this  return,  and  run  South  west  and  by  South  one  hundred 
and  sixty  six  rods  and  there  marked  a tree  with  letters  II.  W.  fora  high- 
way, then  four  rods  for  said  way,  then  measured  one  hundred  and  sixty 
six  rods,  and  then  marked  a tree  again  with  the  letters  H.  W.,  and  then 
run  up  North  west  half  North  a tree  before  we  began  to  run  North  west 
half  North  with  the  numbers  one,  two,  both  numbers  on  one  tree,  the 
number  one  on  the  North  East  side  of  said  tree,  and  number  two  on  the 
South  west  side  of  said  tree,  and  then  run  fifty  rods  and  marked  another 
tree  with  one,  two,  as  before,  then  fifty  rods  and  marked  another  tree  with 
the  numbers  three,  four,  then  fifty  rods  and  marked  a tree  five,  six,  and 
so  on  to  number  thirty  four,  and  the  road  hereof  four  rods  wide,  it  lays 
on  the  South  west  side  of  the  numbered  and  spotted  trees,  and  then  we  re- 
turned again  to  the  trees  first  mentioned  in  this  return  standing  on  Can- 
terbury road,  and  from  the  tree  that  stands  on  the  North  East  side  of 
said  Canterbury  road,  we  run  North  East  and  by  North  one  hundred 
and  sixty  six  rods,  and  marked  a tree  with  the  letters  H.  W.,  and  then 
measured  four  rods  on  the  road  ; all  the  roads  that  are  upon  the  North 
East  side  of  Canterbury  road,  which  is  the  road  between  the  third  and 
fourth  range,  lays  on  the  North  East  side  of  the  spotted  and  numbered 
trees.  All  the  eight  ranges  begin  their  numbers  at  the  South  East  end 
thereof  and  increase  their  numbers  as  they  go  North  westward.  The 
fifth  range  are  all  eaven  numbers  from  two  to  thirty  four.  The  second 
from  number  one  to  thirty  three  all  odd  numbers.  Range  the  third  is 
numbered  from  one  to  seventeen,  both  even  and  odd  numbers.  Range 
number  four  is  likewise.  Range  number  five  is  numbered  from  two  to 
twenty-eight,  all  even  numbers.  Range  number  six  is  numbered  from 
one  to  twenty  seven,  all  odd  numbers.  Range  number  seven  is  num- 
bered from  two  to  twenty  eight,  all  even  numbers.  Range  number 
eight  is  numbered  from  one  to  twenty  seven,  all  odd  numbers.  All  the 
lots  are  numbered  at  each  end,  and  are  one  hundred  and  sixty  six  rods 
long  and  fifty  rods  wide.  The  ranges  are  numbered  from  the  Southwest 
to  the  North  East.  Range  number  one  is  the  South  westerly  range. 
Then  next  is  range  number  two.  Then  next  is  range  three,  which  lays 
on  Canterbury  road,  on  the  South  west  side  thereof,  and  so  on  North 
Eastward.  The  first  cross  road,  which  is  four  lots  distant  Northwestward 
from  the  South  Easterly  end  of  the  ranges,  is  two  rods  broad.  Thesecond 
cross  road,  which  is  four  lots  distant  from  the  road  last  mentioned,  is 
four  rods  broad,  and  where  said  road  crosses  Canterbury  road  there  is  a 
center  square,  of  about  four  acres,  which  takes  off  a corner  from  each  of 
the  four  lots  adjoining  to  said  roads.  The  center  square  is  to  extend 
twenty  five  rods  on  the  end  of  each  of  the  four  lots,  and  twenty  five  rods 
on  the  side  of  each  of  said  four  lots  adjoining  to  said  roads,  and  then  ex- 
tending a straight  line  from  the  end  of  said  twenty  five  rods,  in  a tri- 
angular form.  The  third  and  last  cross  road  is  four  lots  distant  North 
Westward  from  the  last  mentioned  four  rods  road,  and  is  two  rods 
broad,  and  in  all  of  this  return  we  have  regard  to  a Plan  of  said  division 
drawn  by  Walter  Bryant  and  received  this  day. 

“ Walter  Bryant,  Obediah  Worth,  James  Prescott,  Nathan  Clough, 
Jeremiah  Sanborn,  Jonathan  Swett,  committee.” 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  original  proprietors 
and  the  lots  which  they  drew : 

Nathaniel  Gookin,  range  6,  lot  23  ; John  Odlin,  range  6,  lot  25  ; Chris- 


238 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


topher  Page,  range  8,  lot  3 ; Peter  Weare,  range  5,  lot  26  ; Edward  West, 
range  2,  lot  21 ; Nathaniel  Healey,  range  6,  lot  12  ; Jabez  Smith,  range 

6,  lot  17  ; Josiah  Buchelder,  range  1,  lot  32  ; Jonathan  Fifield,  range  1, 
lot  24  ; Pain  Wingate,  range  3,  lot  17  ; Nicholas  Gilman,  range  8,  lot  21  ; 
Nathaniel  Locke,  range  4,  lot  12  ; William  Stanford,  range  2,  lot  25  ; Shu- 
ball  Sanborn,  range  7,  lot  24  ; John  Webster,  range  8,  lot  11  ; Benjamin 
Thomas,  range  4,  lot  1 ; Joseph  Taylor,  range  2,  lot  5 ; Samuel  Martin, 
range  1,  lot  4 ; Mathias  Plant,  range  3,  lot  11  ; Jonathan  Garland,  range 

2,  lot  33;  Jacob  Freese,  Jr.,  range  2,  lot  15  ; Benjamin  Sanborn,  range 

4,  lot  15  ; Daniel  Weare,  range  1,  lot  22  ; John  Prescot,  range  2,  lot  9 ; 
Minister  Whipple,  range  2,  lot  13  ; Joshua  Wingate,  range  C,  lot  13  ; 
Nathaniel  Weare,  range  8,  lot  27  ; John  Sherburn,  range  6,  lot  11  ; 
Jonathan  Philbrook,  range  1,  lot  28  ; Benjamin  Perkins,  range  7,  lot  2 ; 
Charles  Steward,  range  4,  lot  16  ; Charles  Treadwell,  range  5,  lot  4 ; 
Nathan  Longfellow,  range  6,  lot  7 ; John  Swett,  range  5,  lot  14  ; Moses 
Blake,  range  7,  lot  26 ; Jacob  Freese,  range  3,  lot  15 ; Abram  Drake, 
range  8,  lot  25  ; John  Rodman,  Jr.,  range  3,  lot  11;  Nathaniel  Drake, 
range  5,  lot  24 ; Samuel  Thyng,  range  1,  lot  2 ; Samuel  Gilman,  range  1, 
lot  20  ; Thomas  Webster,  range  1,  lot  12  ; Peter  Gilman,  range  8,  lot  5 ; 
James  Leavitt,  range  7,  lot  12;  Joseph  Dearborn,  range  3,  lot  6; 
John  Robinson,  range  5,  lot  18  ; Benjamin  Lambre,  range  6,  lot  19  ; Jo- 
siah  Moulton,  Jr.,  range  7,  lot  6 ; John  Bachelder,  range  6,  lot  21; 
Samuel  Palmer,  range  5,  lot  16  ; Bezaleel  Tappan,  range  2,  lot  31  ; Jarius 
Ringe,  Jr.,  range  4,  lot  14  ; Eben  Weare,  range  6,  lot  15  ; Thomas  Perce, 
range  2,  lot  11;  Winthrop  Hilton,  range  2,  lot  29;  Joseph  Redman, 
range  1,  lot  18  ; James  Jaffrey,  Jr.,  range  4,  lot  11;  John  Redman,  range 

3,  lot  14  ; Thomas  Cram,  range  4,  lot  6 ; John  Dearborn,  Jr.,  range  4, 
lot  17  : Henry  Russ,  range  6,  lot  5 ; John  Gilman,  Esq.,  range  8,  lot  15  ; 
Andrew  Wiggin,  range  7,  lot  8 ; Captain  John  Gilman,  range  1,  lot  2 ; 
John  Downing,  range  8,  lot  17;  William  Fellows,  range  5,  lot  20 ; 
Samuel  Tibbets,  range  8,  lot  1 ; Epraham  Dennis,  range  4,  lot  3 ; Wil- 
liam Odion,  range  3,  lot  4 ; William  Peperell,  range  1,  lot  34  ; Joseph 
Frost,  range  3,  lot  16;  John  Tuck,  range  7,  lot  4 ; Colonel  rMark  Hunk- 
ing,  range  1,  lot  8 ; David  Currier,  range  3,  lot  7 ; Cyprym  Jeffrey,  range 
8,  lot  9;  Benning  Wentworth,  range  1,  lot  14;  Ilunkin  Wentworth, 
range  4,  lot  13  ; John  Wentworth,  range  7,  lot  18  ; William  Wentworth, 
range  5,  lot  6 ; Jeremiah  Sanborn,  range  8,  lot  19  ; Jethra  Tilton,  range 

5,  lot  8 ; Batholomew  Thyng,  range  4,  lot  5 ; John  Cram,  range  1,  lot 
12  ; Bradstreet  Wiggin,  range  6,  lot  27  ; Steven  Sanborn,  range  6,  lot  1 ; 
Benjamin  Cram,  range  7,  lot  28  ; Richard  Wibbard,  Jr.,  range  6,  lot  3 ; 
George  Jeffrey,  range  3,  lot  10 ; Richard  Waldron,  Jr.,  range  3,  lot  3 ; 
Benjamin  Gamlin,  range  8,  lot  13  ; Jonathan  Chusshing,  range  2,  lot  17  ; 
John  Bradford,  range  4,  lot  7 ; John  Jennis,  range  7,  lot  10  ; Hezekiah 
Jennis,  range  3,  lot  2 ; John  Gerrish,  range  2,  lot 23  ; Peter  Weare,  Esq. 
range  3,  lot  1 ; John  Plaster,  range  5,  lot  10  ; James  Davis,  range  4,  lot 
4 ; Theodore  Atkinson,  range  1,  lot  26  ; ‘Eben  Stevens,  range  2,  lot  19  ; 
Captain  Paul  Gerrish,  range  6,  lot  9 ; Richard  Jennis,  range  7,  lot  14  ; 
James  Jeffrey,  range  4,  lot  2;  John  Sanborn,  range  1,  lot  6 ; George 
Frost,  range  8,  lot  23;  Col.  Shattuck  Walton,  range  7,  lot  16;  George 
Jeffrey,  range  5,  lot  2 ; Richard  Wibend,  range  2,  lot  27  ; Colonel 
Thomas  Westbrook,  range  1,  lot  16 ; Archibald  Mackphedus,  raii£.e  8, 
lot  7. 

John  Frost,  lot  30,  first  range;  Jotham  Odiorn,  lot 

7,  second  range;  Henry  Sherburn,  lot  20,  range  7 ; 
Governor  Belcher,  lot  10,  range  1 ; each  a proprietor’s 
share,  with  a home  lot  and  five  hundred  acres  to  Hon. 
Samuel  Shute  and  Governor  Wentworth. 

The  proprietors  seemed  anxious  to  know  how  much 
land  they  possessed  up  here ; so,  on  the  19th  day  of 
March,  1750,  they  chose  Jeremiah  Sanborn,  James 
Prescott,  Jonathan  Swett,  Samuel  Drake  and  Jo- 
siali  Shaw  a committee  to  run  the  line  around  the 
town,  and  also  lay  out  two  fifty-acre  lots  to  each  of 
the  proprietors.  This  committee  employed  Simeon 
Dearborn  as  surveyor,  who  came  up  and  laid  out  the 
second  and  third  division  of  lots ; but  as  this  land, 
with  the  exception  of  one  range  in  the  third  division, 
is  now  in  the  town  of  Pittsfield,  it  is  not  proper  that 
I should  give  an  account  of  the  doings  of  this  com- 
mittee. A large  proportion  of  the  township  was  now 
surveyed  ‘and  lotted  off,  but  as  yet  no  permanent 


settlement  had  been  made,  although  the  proprietors 
had  offered,  what  seemed  to  them,  very  flattering 
inducements.  The  Indian  wars  in  which  the  people 
had  been  engaged  and  other  causes  no  doubt  pre- 
vented an  early  settlement.  But  in  1756,  Paul  Mor- 
rill, for  five  hundred  acres  of  land,  was  induced  to 
come  up  into  the  woods  and  commence  a clearing, 
and  make  for  himself  and  his  posterity  a home  and 
a name.  The  tract  of  land  which  he  selected  was  in 
the  southwest  corner  of  the  town,  and  has  ever  since 
been  known  as  “ Morrill’s  Grant.”  He  cleared  up  a 
piece  of  land  and  built  a house  near  the  residence  of 
John  F.  French.  At  the  “Horse-Corner”  Mr.  Mor- 
rill cleared  up  a farm,  upon  which  he  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  days,  He  settled  several  of  his  sons 
near  him, — one  upon  the  place  where  John  F.  French 
now  resides,  another  upon  the  place  where  James  F. 
Towle  lives,  and  still  another  on  the  C.  H.  Staniel's 
place. 

John  Morrill,  one  of  the  sons  of  Paul  Morrill,  was 
born  about  the  time  his  father  settled  in  Chichester, 
and  is  supposed  to  be  the  first  child  born  in  the  town, 
as  we  find  that  the  proprietors  gave  fifty  acres  of  land 
to  the  first  child  of  Paul  Morrill,  born  in  Chichester. 
The  proprietors  continued  for  several  years  their 
efforts  to  induce  others  to  settle  here,  and  thereby 
create  a demand  for  their  land,  hut  very  little  was 
accomplished  in  this  direction  until  about  1770,  when 
John  Cram,  for  a grant  of  land  and  the  water-power 
which  he  had  discovered  on  the  great  Suncook  River, 
in  what  is  now  Pittsfield,  built  a saw-mill, — an  institu- 
tion of  great  importance  in  those  days,  and  without 
which  no  extended  settlement  could  be  made. 

The  rich  soil,  favorable  location  and  heavy  growth 
of  timber  induced  the  ambitious  young  men  of  Hamp- 
ton and  vicinity  to  emigrate,  and  soon  we  find  the 
Dows,  Sanborns,  Drakes,  Davis’,  Hilliards,  Browns, 
Hooks,  Lakes  and  many  other  young  men  of  pluck 
and  strength  coming  up  here,  and  settling  in  different 
parts  of  the  town  to  hew  peaceful  homes  and  fruitful 
farms  from  the  wilderness,  and  provide  a competency 
for  themselves  and  families  by  arduous  toil  and  rigid 
economy.  Those  of  the  original  proprietors  who  had 
not  already  sold  or  lost  their  shares  in  consequence  of 
not  paying  their  taxes  still  remained  in  Hampton, 
selling  their  lands  as  they  had  opportunity,  and  hold- 
ing their  annual  meetings  from  year  to  year  for  the 
election  of  town  officers,  in  accordance  with  the  terms 
of  their  grant. 

Colonel  Simeon  Hilliard  came  up  and  settled  on 
Brown’s  Hill,  near  the  residence  of  the  late  Abner  P. 
Brown.  He  had  a large  family  of  children,  but  none 
of  their  descendants  remain  in  town  now.  About  the 
same  time  came  Jonathan  Leavitt,  Esq.,  who  pur- 
chased a large  tract  of  land  situated  on  both  sides  of 
Canterbury  road,  a portion  of  which  is  owned  and  occu- 
pied by  his  grandson,  Hazen  K.  Leavitt.  Captain 
John  Langmaid  settled  on  the  farm  now  owned  and 
occupied  by  Samuel  W.  Langmaid,  and  the  farm  has 


CHICHESTER. 


239 


been  in  the  possession  of  the  Langmaid  family  ever 
since.  About  the  same  time  came  David  Brown,  who 
bought  the  farm  now  owned  and  occupied  by  David 
T.  Brown,  who  is  the  fourth  generation  from  the  orig- 
inal settler.  Thomas  Lake  settled  on  the  farm  where 
J.  T.  Lake  now  resides,  from  which  the  large  family 
of  Lakes  descended.  Joseph  Dow  and  his  brother 
settled  on  Loudon  road,  the  former  on  the  farm  now 
owned  by  Thomas  Berry  and  sons,  and  the  latter  near 
“Kelley’s  Corner.” 

Joseph  Dow  was  proprietors’  clerk  and  afterwards 
town  clerk,  and  thereby  acquired  the  name  of  Clerk 
Dow.  Soon  after,  Joshua  Lane,  Esq.,  and  Jeremiah 
Lane  purchased  land  in  north  part  of  town,  and 
erected  houses  where  Arthur  Deering  and  S.  R.  Wat- 
son now  reside.  Captain  Dyer  Hook  and  Peter  Hook 
purchased  the  intervale  farm  now  owned  and  occupied 
by  Charles  H.  Carpenter,  Esq.  The  house,  which  Mr. 
Carpenter  moved  from  its  original  location  a few 
years  ago,  before  building  the  new  and  elegant  resi- 
dence which  he  now  occupies,  was  built  by  Captain 
Dyer  Hook,  and  is  thought  to  be  the  first  frame  house 
built  in  town.  Deacon  Ebenezer  Lane  came  to  Chi- 
chester in  1790,  and  settled  on  a part  of  the  Governor 
Wentworth  grant,  in  the  southerly  part  of  the  town. 
George  W.  Lane,  his  grandson,  still  owns  and  occu- 
pies the  farm.  Joshua  Lane,  another  grandson,  resides 
near  by,  upon  the  farm  formerly  owned  and  occupied 
by  his  father,  Eben  Lane. 

But  in  1797,  John  Hilyard,  Joseph  Dow,  Joshua 
Lane,  Jacob  Sanborn,  John  Bickford,  Thomas  Lake, 
Timothy  Prescott,  Asa  Lane,  Daniel  Tilton,  James 
Drake,  Robert  Tebbetts,  Jonathan  Perkins,  Joshua 
Berry,  Abram  Greene,  John  Cram,  William  Chase, 
Enoch  Butler,  Joseph  Sanborn  represented  to  Abram 
True,  a justice  of  the  peace,  that  they  were  pro- 
prietors, owners  and  grantees  of  more  than  one- 
sixteenth  part  of  the  township,  and  requested  him  to 
call  a meeting  for  the  election  of  proprietors’  officers 
at  the  house  of  Lieutenant  John  Hilliard,  in  Chi- 
chester. This  meeting  was  held  the  25th  day  of 
July,  1797.  Joseph  Dow  was  chosen  clerk,  and 
Robert  Tebbets,  Esq.,  and  Abram  True,  Esq., 
were  chosen  a committee  to  bring  the  record-book  of 
the  proprietors  up  to  Chichester.  It  was  accordingly 
brought  up  by  this  committee  on  the  4th  day  of 
December  following.  Another  meeting  was  called  by 
Abram  True,  Esq.,  agreeable  to  a petition  of  pro- 
prietors, on  the  29th  day  of  May,  1800.  A board  of 
officers  was  chosen  and  an  attempt  made  to  raise  a 
tax  to  pay  up  the  indebtedness  of  the  proprietors, 
but  not  much  was  accomplished,  except  to  adjourn 
their  meeting  from  day  to  day  until  they  had  ad- 
journed nine  times ; the  last  adjourned  meeting  was 
never  held.  These  adjourned  meetings  occupied 
about  three  years’  time,  during  which  a large  part  of 
the  proprietors’  rights  had  been  sold  to  pay  taxes  and 
claims,  Governor  Shute’s  five  hundred  acres  included. 
Thus  ends  the  recorded  doings  of  the  original  propri- 


etors of  our  town.  We  have  followed  them  from 
the  time  they  obtained  their  grant,  in  1727,  to  1803, — 
a period  of  seventy-six  years, — and  given  an  epitome 
of  their  votes  and  transactions  relative  to  the  set- 
tlement of  Chichester.  We  would  be  glad  to  give 
a more  extended  and  particular  account  of  them, 
but  the  limited  space  allowed  us  in  this  work  forbids. 
We  are  fortunate  in  having  in  our  possession  the 
complete  records  of  all  meetings  of  the  proprietors, 
written  in  a legible  hand  and  in  a good  state  of 
preservation. 

Having  said  all  that  our  limited  space  allows  about 
the  original  proprietors,  we  will  now  go  back  several 
years  and  take  up  the  “original  settlers;”  and  we 
find  that  on  March  18,  1773,  they  presented  a peti- 
tion to  John  McClary  to  call  a meeting  of  the  legal 
voters  for  the  election  of  town  officers.  General  Mc- 
Clary issued  the  following  order  : 

“Province  of  New  Hampshire,  Rockingham,  SS. 

“ Whereas , application  is  made  tome,  the  Subscriber,  one  of  his  Majes- 
ties Justices  of  the  Peace  for  the  County  aforesaid,  in  a petition  signed  by 
a number  of  the  freeholders  and  inhabitants  of  the  township  of  Chiches- 
ter, to  call  a town  meeting  as  soon  as  may  be,  at  some  convenient  place 
In  Said  Town,  to  Choose  Town  officers  as  the  law  Directs.  Therein  they 
Complain  of  never  having  had  the  advantage  of  any  legal  meeting  in 
Said  Town  heretofore.  Pursuant  to  the  aforesaid  application,  I Do 
hereby  notify  and  warn  the  freeholders,  and  other  Inhabitants  of  the 
township  of  Chichester,  qualified  by  law  to  vote  at  Said  Meeting,  to 
meet  at  the  Dwelling  house  of  John  Loverin,  in  Said  Chichester,  on 
Thursday,  the  first  day  of  April  next,  at  ten  of  the  clock,  forenoon,  then 
and  there  to  Choose  a Moderator  to  govern  Said  meeting,  also  Town 
Clark,  Selectmen,  Constable  and  all  other  town  officers  as  the^aw  di- 
rects, and  to  pass  votes  for  the  same. 

“John  McClary,  Justice  Peace. 

Agreeable  to  the  above  order,  the  citizens  of  Chi- 
chester held  their  first  town-meetiug  aud  “elected 
John  McClary  moderator  and  John  Cram  town  clerk; 
John  Cram,  Samuel  Davis,  Ebenezer  Barton,  select- 
men ; Samuel  Prescott,  Jonathan  Leavitt,  assessors; 
John  Worth,  constable  or  collector  together;  Ed- 
ward Sargent,  Edmon  Rand  Leavitt,  John  Blake  and 
Elijah  Ring,  they  all  surveyors  of  highways.”  The 
settlers  had  scarcely  got  started  in  the  new  town- 
when  the  difficulties  which  had  for  a long  time  ex- 
isted between  the  colonies  and  the  British  government 
assumed  such  formidable  proportions  that  war  seemed 
almost  inevitable. 

Already  people  in  the  lower  towns  of  the  State  were 
almost  driven  to  overt  acts,  but  were  restrained  by  the 
prudence  of  leading  patriots.  The  settlers,  though 
far  removed  from  these  scenes,  caught  the  spirit  and 
began  to  make  preparations  for  the  coming  storm ; 
for,  early  in  1775,  they  voted  to  enlist  four  Minute- 
Men  to  be  ready  at  a moment’s  warning  for  any  emer- 
gency, and  to  pay  each  man  two  shillings  per  day,  and 
raised  one  pound,  six  shillings  to  purchase  pork  and 
bread,  and  store  it  in  town  for  the  use  of  the  Min- 
ute-Men. January  23d  of  this  year  Elijah  Ring  was. 
choseu  as  a deputy  to  go  to  Exeter  to  choose  dele- 
gates to  represent  this  province  in  a Continental 
Congress  proposed  to  be  held  in  Philadelphia  in 
May  next.  On  the  8th  of  May,  John  Cram  was  choseu 


240 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


deputy  to  represent  the  town  in  the  Provincial  Con- 
gress to  be  held  at  Exeter  on  the  17th  instant,  with 
full  power  to  “ act  and  adopt  everything  according 
to  a letter  from  the  Provincial  Committee.”  In  1776 
the  town  chose  Simeon  Hilliard,  Jonathan  Stanyan, 
Thomas  Johnson,  David  Knowlton,  Israel  Hook  a 
Committee  of  Safety,  and  in  1777  voted  to  give  thirty 
pounds,  lawful  money,  to  each  man  who  enlists  into 
the  Continental  army  for  three  years,  and  chose  Jon- 
athan Leavitt,  Jeremiah  Sanborn  and  Jeremiah  Gar- 
land a committee  to  hire  the  men.  They  also  chose 
John  Cram,  William  Chase,  Elijah  Ring,  John  Lang- 
maid,  Simeon  Hilliard  to  regulate  the  prices  of  articles 
in  town,  so  as  to  correspond  with  prices  in  other  towns. 
They  also  voted  to  purchase  a good  supply  of  gun- 
powder, lead  and  flints,  and  store  them  at  the  house 
of  Captain  Dyer  Hook  for  the  use  of  the  Minute-Men. 
In  1778  the  town  raised  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds, 
lawful  money,  to  hire  men  to  fill  the  quota  of  the  town 
in  the  Continental  army,  and  chose  James  Cram,  Jon- 
athan Leavitt,  Edward  Sargent  a committee  to  look 
after  the  families  of  those  who  had  gone  into  the 
army,  agreeable  to  a resolve  of  the  General  Assem- 
bly. 

In  1779  a convention  of  delegates  was  held  at  Exe- 
ter to  draw  up  a new  system  of  government,  and 
John  Cram,  Esq.,  was  chosen  to  represent  the  town. 
This  convention  met  and  proposed  a new  form  of  gov- 
ernment, which  was  submitted  to  the  people  and  re- 
jected. This  year  a convention  was  held  at  Concord  to 
regulate  the  price  of  articles,  and  Ensign  Elijah  Ring 
was  chosen  as  a delegate  from  Chichester,  who  received 
twelve  pounds,  lawful  money,  for  his  services.  In 
1780  the  people  were  thoroughly  aroused,  and  deter- 
mined to  do  all  in  their  power  to  aid  the  Continental 
army  and  secure  the  independence  of  the  colonies. 
They  chose  Captain  Jonathan  Leavitt  and  Ensign 
Elijah  Ring  a committee,  with  instructions  to  furnish 
all  the  men  that  may  be  called  for  during  the  year, 
from  this  town,  as  soldiers  in  the  army;  and  the 
selectmen  were  also  instructed  to  furnish  the  commit- 
tee with  the  money  to  pay  them  and  to  assess  a tax 
upon  the  ratable  polls  to  raise  it.  It  was  no  easy 
task  for  farmers,  at  this  period,  with  but  very  little 
of  their  land  under  cultivation,  with  a distant  market 
and  the  difficulties  attending  transportation,  to  raise 
money;  yet  they  did  raise  it  to  the  extent  of  their 
ability,  and  when  they  could  not  raise  money,  they 
furnished  beef  and  corn,  and  conveyed  it  to  Hampton 
with  horses  and  oxen.  The  town  furnished  this  year 
six  thousand  five  hundred  and  twenty  pounds  of  beef 
and  delivered  it.  In  1781  the  Continental  Congress 
asked  them  to  furnish  eight  thousand  one  hundred 
and  fifty  pounds  of  beef  and  forty-eight  gallons  of 
rum  for  the  army,  and  it  was  raised  and  forwarded. 
They  also  voted  to  raise  all  the  men  wanted  from  this 
town  for  the  army  during  the  year,  and  passed  the 
following  very  singular  vote,  which  not  only  shows 
the  ingenuity  of  the  people,  but  shows  to  what  ex- 


tremity poverty  and  zeal  in  a just  cause  had  driven 
them : 

“ Voted  to  go  to  raising  young  stock,  and  that  each  and  every  citizen 
of  the  town  who  enlisted  for  the  term  of  three  years,  or  during  the  war, 
and  actually  went  into  the  service,  should  receive,  at  the  expiration  of 
his  term  of  service,  twenty  three-year-old  heifers , and  chose  Jeremiah 
Sanborn,  Captain  Jabez  Haskel  and  Joshua  Berry  a committee  to  hire 
the  soldiers,  and  voted  to  pay  this  committee  forty  dollars  per  day  for 
time  spent  in  furnishing  the  men,  and  thirty  dollars  per  day  for  use  of 
horse.” 

We  do  not  know  how  many  men  accepted  this 
offer  and  received  the  heifers;  but  we  find  the  town, 
some  time  after,  taking  measures  to  procure  them. 
This  wras  the  last  vote  passed  by  the  town,  as  no  more 
soldiers  were  called  for  after  this  year.  The  people 
of  Chichester  should  ever  remember  that  their  ances- 
tors performed  well  their  part  in  the  great  struggle  of 
the  colonies  for  liberty,  and  that  no  town  rendered 
more  willing  and  efficient  aid.  If  men  were  wanted, 
she  furnished  them  without  a murmur.  If  the  fam- 
ilies of  volunteers  needed  help,  their  wants  were  sup- 
plied, and  everything  that  the  circumstances  of  the 
people  would  allow  was  done  to  bring  about  the  glo- 
rious consummation  of  the  war.  The  Revolutionary 
War  left  the  country  deeply  in  debt.  Congress  had  no 
power  to  establish  a system  of  imports ; consequently 
heavy  taxes  were  levied  on  polls  and  estates.  This, 
in  connection  with  other  circumstances,  produced  a 
season  of  distress  and  suffering,  from  which  Chiches- 
ter did  not  escape.  The  war  over,  the  settlers  began 
to  talk  about  dividing  the  town  ; for  John  Cram  and 
his  numerous  friends,  aided  by  that  great  civilizer, 
the  saw-mill,  had  already  built  up  quite  a settlement 
around  the  water-power  (now  Pittsfield  village).  Paul 
Morrill  and  his  family  and  friends  had  settled  in  the 
extreme  southerly  portion  of  the  town ; so,  when  an 
attempt  was  made  to  fix  upon  a centre  for  a church, 
etc.,  a difficulty  arose  which  they  could  not  surmount. 
The  people  at  the  north  part  of  the  town  wanted  it 
there,  and  those  at  the  south  wanted  it  there.  So,  on 
the  26tli  day  of  December,  1781,  they  voted  to  divide 
the  town  as  follows  : That  the  second  division  of  land 
below  Suncook  River  in  Chichester,  with  that  part  of 
the  third  division  below  the  river,  and  the  six  nor- 
therly ranges  above  said  river  in  the  third  division, 
with  all  the  privileges  and  proportion  of  public  land 
belonging  to  said  divisions,  may  be  incorporated  into 
a town  or  parish  by  themselves,  with  all  town  priv- 
ileges as  other  towns  in  this  State.  And  John  Cram, 
William  Chase  and  Jonathan  Leavitt  were  chosen  a 
committee  to  petition  the  Legislature  to  confirm  the 
above  vote.  This  was  done,  and  in  1782  the  General 
Court  created  the  town  of  Pittsfield,  in  accordance 
with  the  previous  vote  of  the  town.  During  this 
year  the  town  business  of  both  towns  was  carried  on 
together;  but  in  1783  they  divided  their  books.  The 
town  of  Pittsfield  took  the  “law-book,”  which  had 
been  the  guide  of  the  town  officers  hitherto,  and  Chi- 
chester took  the  record-books  of  the  selectmen  and 
town  clerk.  These  books  are  in  the  town  clerk’s 


CHICHESTER. 


241 


office  in  Chichester,  and  are  in  a good  state  of  preser- 
vation. In  1784  the  town  voted  to  purchase  lot 
No.  3,  in  sixth  range  and  first  division,  for  a town 
centre  aud  parsonage,  upon  which  to  build  a house 
for  the  transaction  of  town  business  and  public  wor- 
ship on  the  Sabbath.  This  lot  was  purchased,  and 
twenty  acres  of  trees  were  felled  preparatory  to  build- 
ing ; but  they  afterwards  decided  to  build  elsewhere, 
and  sold  all  but  two  acres,  which  they  reserved  for  a 
town  cemetery. 

In  1785,  Simeon  Hilliard  was  chosen  as  a represen- 
tative to  represent  the  towns  of  Pittsfield  and  Chi- 
chester in  the  General  Assembly.  In  1788  the  new 
Constitution,  which  had  been  formed  at  Philadelphia 
the  year  before,  was  presented  to  this  State  for  adop- 
tion. Considerable  opposition  was  manifested  toward 
it.  A convention  was  called  at  Exeter  to  consider  it, 
and  Benjamin  Sias  was  chosen  as  a delegate  to  repre- 
sent this  town.  This  convention,  after  considerable 
discussion  and  delay,  ratified  it,  New  Hampshire 
being  the  ninth  State  to  accept  it.  Thus  the  number 
necessary  to  put  it  into  operation  was  complete.  We 
have  now  brought  our  “ Historical  Sketch  ” down  to 
the  adoption  of  the  Federal  Constitution.  From 
this  time  onward,  for  many  years,  the  town  steadily 
progressed  in  wealth  and  population  and  all  that 
adds  to  the  comforts  of  civilized  life,  though  we  are 
sorry  to  say  that  there  were  then,  and  have  ever 
been,  those  who  were  unable  to  support  themselves 
and  families.  We  think  that  the  first  man  to  apply 
to  the  town  for  help  was  Daniel  Perkins.  The  town 
immediately  held  a meeting  and  chose  a committee 
to  aid  him  at  the  expense  of  the  town.  Other  appli- 
cations followed.  The  town,  for  several  years,  either 
aided  them  at  their  own  homes  or  furnished  small 
farms  for  them  to  live  upon.  Afterwards,  for  several 
years,  they  were  set  up  at  auction,  and  their  board 
for  the  current  year  struck  off  to  the  lowest  bidder. 
In  1839  the  town  voted  to  purchase  a town  farm, 
upon  which  to  support  their  paupers,  and  chose  a 
committee  to  select  a suitable  one.  This  committee 
recommended  a farm  on  Canterbury  road,  now  owned 
by  James  B.  Towle  & Son.  The  farm  was  pur- 
chased by  the  town,  and  fitted  up  for  the  convenience 
of  the  poor.  An  agent  was  employed  annually  by 
the  town  to  carry  on  the  farm  and  take  care  of  the 
paupers.  This  custom  was  continued  until  1866, 
when  the  town  farm  was  sold  to  its  present  owners, 
since  which  time  the  town  has  had  but  very  few  pau- 
pers, and  these  few  have  since  then  been  boarded  in 
town. 

In  1845  the  town  voted  to  build  a town-house,  the 
old  meeting-house  having  become  ruinous  and  unfit 
to  hold  meetings  in,  but  for  a long  time  were  unable 
to  agree  upon  a location.  Several  meetings  were 
held,  and  considerable  excitement  engendered.  It 
was  finally  voted  to  locate  it  on  the  “centre  lot,” 
near  the  Methodist  Church.  A committee  was 
chosen,  and  the  building  framed  and  erected;  but 


before  it  was  finished,  the  people  at  the  north  part 
of  the  town  rallied  the  voters  and  got  the  former 
vote  rescinded,  and  the  location  changed  to  where  it 
now  stands.  Accordingly,  it  was  taken  down,  moved 
back,  erected  and  finished,  and  has  ever  since  been 
used  for  town  purposes. 

The  next  event  of  importance  in  the  history  of  the 
town  is  the  War  of  the  Rebellion,  and  on  the  14th 
day  of  December,  1861,  the  town  passed  the  first  vote 
in  relation  to  soldiers,  viz.:  “ Voted  to  aid  the  wives, 
children  or  parents  of  any  inhabitants  of  the  town 
who  have  enlisted  into  the  military  service  of  the 
United  States  agreeably  to  an  act  of  the  Legislature 
of  New  Hampshire,  authorizing  towns  and  cities  to 
aid  the  families  of  volunteers,  and  also  instructed  the 
selectmen  to  pay  a bounty  of  two  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars  to  each  volunteer  who  may  enlist  up  to  Sep- 
tember next,  to  fill  the  quota  of  this  town  under  the 
call  of  the  President  for  volunteers.”  At  a meeting 
held  September  21,  1862,  the  town  voted  to  pay  a 
bounty  of  three  hundred  dollars  to  all  those  who  may 
hereafter  enlist  to  fill  up  old  regiments,  and  two 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars  to  all  those  who  may  enlist 
into  new  regiments  prior  to  September  15th,  and  one 
hundred  dollars  to  those  enlisting  for  nine  months  to 
fill  the  quota  of  the  town.  September  20,  1862, 
“ Voted  to  raise  twelve  thousand  dollars  to  encourage 
voluntary  enlistment,  and  voted  to  pay  a bounty  of 
two  hundred  dollars  to  those  who  may  or  have  en- 
listed for  nine  months  to  fill  the  quota  of  the  town 
under  the  last  call  of  the  President,”  September  12, 
1863,  “ Voted  to  raise  a sum  of  money  to  pay  a bounty 
of  three  hundred  dollars  to  those  who  may  be  drafted 
to  serve  in  the  military  service  of  the  United  States, 
or  to  his  substitute  who  shall  be  mustered  into  the 
army  of  the  United  States,  and  that  the  selectmen 
be  authorized  to  borrow,  on  the  credit  of  the  town, 
the  sum  of  five  thousand  dollars  therefor.” 

December  8,  1863,  “ Voted  to  raise  six  thousand 
dollars  to  encourage  voluntary  enlistment  in  the  town 
of  Chichester,  and  that  the  selectmen  are  authorized 
to  apply  the  same,  or  such  parts  thereof  as  they  may 
think  proper,  to  pay  bounties  to  soldiers  to  fill  any 
quota  that  may  be  assigned  to  this  town.” 

June  14,  1864,  “ Voted  to  raise  the  sum  of  ten  thou- 
sand dollars  to  encourage  voluntary  enlistment  in  this 
town,  to  fill  any  quota  of  the  town  under  any  call  of 
the  President  during  the  present  political  year,  and 
that  the  selectmen  pay  such  bounties  as  they  think 
proper  to  each  volunteer  who  may,  at  any  time  during 
the  year,  enlist  into  the  military  service  of  the  United 
States,  and  also  that  the  selectmen  pay  a bounty  of 
three  hundred  dollars  to  all  persons  who  have  been, 
or  may  be,  drafted  or  conscripted  into  the  military 
service  from  this  town,  during  the  existing  rebellion, 
or  to  any  substitute  for  such  conscript.”  “ Voted  to 
raise  fifteen  thousand  dollars  in  addition  to  the  sum 
already  raised,  and  that  the  selectmen  be  authorized 
to  enlist  twenty  men  immediately,  and  put  them  into- 


242 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


the  service,  for  a reserve  to  fill  any  quota  of  the  town 
during  the  current  year.” 

August  24,  1864,  “ Voted  to  raise  twenty-five  thou- 
sand dollars  to  encourage  voluntary  enlistments  in  the 
town  of  Chichester,  and  that  the  selectmen  be  author- 
ized to  pay  a bounty  of  one  thousand  dollars  to  each 
and  every  man  who  shall  enlist  from  this  town,  and 
be  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  for 
the  term  of  one  year,  to  fill  the  quota  of  the  town 
under  the  call  of  the  President  of  July  18,  1864.” 
Sixteen  men  of  the  town  enlisted  under  this  vote,  and 
received  one  thousand  dollars  each. 

December  10,  1864,  the  town  passed  its  last  vote 
in  relation  to  raising  men  for  the  army.  “ Voted  that 
the  selectmen  be  authorized  to  pay  a bounty  of  three 
hundred  dollars  to  any  one  who  has  been  since  the 
date  of  this  warrant,  or  may  be  hereafter,  mustered 
into  the  military,  naval  or  marine  service  of  the  Uni- 
ted States  for  three  years,  as  a substitute  for  any 
enrolled  man  in  the  town  of  Chichester.” 

In  accordance  with  the  above  vote,  Jacob  S.  San- 
born, David  T.  Brown,  S.  W.  Langmaid,  C.  C.  Shaw, 
John  Shaw,  James  B.  Clifford,  Thomas  B.  Lane,  Ho- 
sea  B.  Langley  and  James  Hook  furnished  substi- 
tutes. Drafted  men  who  furnished  substitutes, — Geo. 
M.  Munsey,  Abram  M.  Drake,  Stephen  P.  Perkins, 
John  Y.  Lane,  Freeman  H.  Fogg,  Moses  R.  Lake, 
Edward  Langmaid,  Jr.,  Franklin  O.  Kelley,  George 
W.  Towle,  James  P.  Hook,  John  W.  Severance,  Ira 
Sanborn  and  Nathaniel  S.  Edmunds. 

Citizens  of  the  town  who  enlisted  and  were  mus- 
tered into  the  service  of  the  United  States  during  the 
Rebellion, — 

George  S.  Sanders,  Elbridge  G.  Locke,  Janies  McGuire,  Albert  Hook, 
William  H.  Jackson,  John  P.  Haines,  Hiram  E.  Locke,  William  Spiller, 
Joseph  C.  Munsey,  Frederick  Brown,  William  Buzzell,  Chellis  E.  Call, 
Charles  H.  Edmunds,  Joseph  C.  Perry,  Samuel  M.  Perry,  Ira  B.  Perry, 
Henry  M.  Sanborn,  James  Stanyan,  Charles  H.  Towle,  Cyrus  Sanborn, 
James  H.  Haines,  Thomas  Haines,  Peter  Mehier,  Thomas  Ames,  Wil- 
liam Stanley,  Hugh  Burns,  Alfred  Langmaid,  Charles  Kobey,  Charles  H. 
Staniels,  John  A.  West,  Hiram  Hook,  Levi  Hook,  James  M.  Meserve, 
Joseph  Cilley,  Warren  Langmaid,  Jonathan  H.  Leavitt,  William  San- 
born, Hiram  Stanyan,  Edward  West,  George  H.  Haines,  Herbert  T. 
Sanborn,  Charles  L.  Brown,  Charles  H.  Greene,  Alonzo  P.  Hall,  James 
P.  Hook,  George  P.  Haines,  Charles  H.  Johnson,  James  Bachelder, 
George  A.  Lear,  Sewel  B.  Bailey,  John  M.  Haines,  James  J.  Locke, 
Joseph  M.  Walker,  True  Sanborn,  Jr.  (enlisted  September  20,  1861, 
Fourth  Regiment,  second  lieutenant ; promoted  to  first  lieutenant 
June  12,  1862  ; promoted  to  captain  November  9,  1864),  Jonathan  D. 
Leavitt. 

The  following  is  a list  of  men  who  were  hired  by 
the  selectmen  to  fill  the  quotas  of  the  town,  under 
different  calls  of  the  President,  and  substitutes  for 
drafted  and  enrolled  men, — 

William  Walker,  George  H.  Pearson,  John  Ames,  Thomas  Eagan,  John 
Friar,  Edward  Morris,  Joseph  Miller,  William  Robertson,  James  Noble, 
William  R.  Fleming,  Charles  Hogan,  John  Smith,  James  Johnson,  John 
Thomas,  Elbridge  L.  Swain,  Edward  Anster,  Joseph  0.  Perkins,  Charles 
H.  Marston,  William  Stearns,  Edgar  L.  Carr,  George  Johnston,  Joseph 
Johnston,  Benjamin  Johnston,  Joseph  G.  Johnston,  Lewis  Woodbury, 
John  Wilson,  Orrin  H.  Weeks,  William  Sinclare,  George  W.  Dwinnel, 
Patrick  R.  Garitis,  Joseph  Murry,  Minor  Smith,  Peter  White,  Andrew 
J.  Gilman,  James  Wilson.  Martin  Johnson,  James  Smith,  Richard  Rod- 


gers, Charles  Anderson,  John  Rodgers,  Thomas  Williams,  Nathan 
Munsey,  George  W.  Fitch,  Francis  Dolan,  William  D.  Locke,  William 
Cook,  John  Cate,  John  Ames,  John  F.  Stanyan. 

The  town  responded  to  every  call  of  the  President 
of  the  United  States  for  men  to  go  into  the  Union 
army,  and  promptly  filled  every  quota  assigned  to  it, 
paying  bounties  ranging  from  one  to  ten  hundred  dol- 
lars to  each  man.  To  do  this,  the  town  borrowed  the 
money  from  year  to  year,  as  it  was  needed,  and  at  the 
close  of  the  war  had  incurred  a debt  of  thirty-six 
thousand  six  hundred  dollars.  This  amount  was  in 
notes,  ranging  from  fifty  to  three  thousand  dollars. 
The  interest  and  part  of  the  principal  was  paid  each 
year  until  1881,  when  it  was  found  that  about  sixteen 
thousand  dollars  of  the  original  indebtedness  of  the 
town  remained  unpaid.  The  town,  this  year,  voted 
to  fund  the  town  debt,  and  authorized  the  selectmen 
to  issue  bonds  bearing  four  per  cent,  interest  annually, 
with  one  thousand  dollars  payable  each  year  until  the 
debt  should  be  paid.  The  bonds  were  issued  and 
sold  ; hence,  in  about  twelve  years  the  war  debt  of  Chi- 
chester will  become  extinct. 

Schools  and  School-Houses. — The  people  of  Chi- 
chester early  turned  their  attention  to  the  subject  of 
education.  We  find,  that  a few  years  after  the  settle- 
ment of  the  town,  when  there  were  but  few  houses, 
and  these  very  much  scattered,  that  a few  pounds 
were  appropriated  “ for  schooling.”  There  were  then 
no  school-houses  in  town,  and  the  scholars  met  at 
private  houses,  aud  were  taught  to  “ read,  write  and 
cipher”  by  Joseph  Dow,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of 
the  town,  who  also  filled  the  office  of  town  clerk  for 
many  years,  and  is  now  remembered  by  the  old  peo- 
ple of  the  town  as  “ Master  Dow  and  Clark  Dow.”  It 
does  not  appear  that  the  subject  of  education  was  ever 
lost  sight  of,  though  the  poverty  and  distress  of  the 
people,  occasioned,  or  at  least  increased,  by  the  heavy 
taxes  imposed  upon  them  to  raise  men  for  the  Conti- 
nental army  during  the  memorable  struggle  of  the 
colonies  for  independence,  prevented  the  full  accom- 
plishment of  their  laudable  design.  In  1788  the 
town  built  four  school-houses, — one  near  the  mouth  of 
Loudon  road,  one  on  Bear  Hill,  one  on  Canterbury 
road  and  one  near  the  settlement  of  Paul  Morrill. 
The  school-house  last  mentioned  was  burned  in  1840, 
and  the  present  one  in  that  section  of  the  town  (Dis- 
trict No.  5)  was  erected  in  1841.  A school-house  in 
the  Lane  District  was  built  about  1790,  which  was 
burned  in  1815,  aud  the  present  house  erected  in 
1816.  In  1842  a union  district  of  Chichester  and 
Epsom  was  formed,  and  in  18 — , a union  district  of 
Loudon  and  Chichester  was  formed,  and  a school- 
house  located  on  Pleasant  Street.  Another  union 
school  district  of  Chichester  and  Loudon  was  formed 
and  a school-house  built  on  Canterbury  road,  making 
eight  school  districts  with  as  many  school-houses. 
The  money  appropriated  for  the  support  of  schools  is 
divided  among  the  several  districts,  according  to 
the  appraised  value  of  property  in  each  district. 


CHICHESTER. 


243 


The  Revolution.. — The  following  men  were  fur- 
nished by  the  town  for  the  Continental  army  : 

Josiah  Barton,  Ephraim  Garvin,  Jonathan  Locke,  John  Bickford, 
Nathaniel  Martin,  James  Ahearn,  Benjamin  Brown,  Benjamin  G.  Berry, 
Jacob  Abbott,  Ephraim  Conner,  Daniel  Paige,  Neil  Cate,  Joseph  Morrill 
Daniel  Seavey,  Joseph  Brown,  Joseph  Dow,  Joseph  Goss,  Jeremiah 
Abbott,  Eliphalet  Conner,  Simeon  Lovering,  Dudly  Swain,  Joshua 
Smith,  Richard  Smith,  John  Chase,  John  Maxfield. 

War  of  1812— The  following  men  were  furnished 
by  the  town  for  the  War  of  1812: 

Joseph  Dearborn,  Isaac  Stanyan,  Samuel  Drake,  Theophilus  Mason, 
Christopher  Page,  Jonathan  Maxfield,  Benjamin  W.  French,  David  P. 
Shaw,  Edward  Edmunds,  David  M.  Carpenter,  Mathew  Sanborn. 

POPULAR  VOTES  OF  THE  TOWN. 

In  1800.— For  Representatives  to  Congress : Abel  Foster,  33  ; Michael 
McClary,  40  ; Samuel  Tenney,  40  ; George  B.  Toppan,  36. 

1810. — Jonah  Bartlett,  80 ; Samuel  Dinsmore,  80;  John  A.  Harper, 
80  ; David  Morrill,  80  ; Ohed  Hall,  80  ; George  Sullivan,  33  ; William 
Hale,  33  ; James  Wilson,  33  ; Roger  Vose,  33  ; Daniel  Blaisdell,  33. 

X820. — For  Governor : Samuel  Bell,  173.  For  Counselor:  John  Bell, 
173.  For  Senator:  Isaac  Hill,  87  ; Ezekiel  Morrill,  83  ; John  McClary, 
1.  For  Treasurer:  William  Pickering,  173.  For  Register:  Seth 
Walker,  173. 

1830. — For  Governor:  Mathew  Harvey,  136;  Timothy  Upham,  36. 
For  Counselor:  Francis  N.  Fisk,  137  ; John  W.  Parson,  36.  lor  Sena- 
tor: Joseph  M.  Harper,  135  ; Samuel  Morrill,  37.  For  Treasurer:  Jona- 
than Eastman,  136  ; John  Wilson,  37.  For  Register  of  Deeds:  Samuel 
Coffin,  133  ; John  West,  34. 

1841.— For  Governor  : John  Paige,  147  ; Enos  Stevens,  34  ; Daniel 
Hoyt,  10.  For  Counselor : Moses  Norris,  146 ; Arthur  Breams,  35 ; 
Frederick  Sanborn,  9.  For  Senator:  Peter  Renton,  144;  Simeon  B. 
Little,  35  ; Samuel  Forrest,  9.  For  Treasurer : Caleb  Morrill,  147 ; D. 
K.  Foster,  35  ; Samuel  Morrill,  9.  For  Register  of  Deeds : Mitchel  Gil- 
more, 147  ; Joseph  Morrill,  35  ; John  T.  Morton,  9. 

1850.  — For  Governor  : Samuel  Dinsmore,  133  ; N.  S.  Berry,  37  ; Levi 
Chamberlin,  15.  For  Counselor:  Greenleaf  Clarke,  133;  Edmund 
Worth,  33.  For  Senator:  Samuel  Montgomery,  133  ; John  S.  Furnald, 
15  ; Charles  E.  Bartlett,  15. 

I860.— For  Governor:  Asa  P.  Cate,  143  ; Ichabod  Goodwin,  88.  For 
Railroad  Commissioner : Frederick  Vose,  143  ; Jeremiah  C.  Tilton,  88. 
For  Counselor : James  Butler,  143  ; Reed  P.  Clarke,  88.  For  Senator: 
Henry  P.  Rolfe,  142  ; David  Morrill,  88. 

1870. — For  Governor:  John  Bedell,  70 ; Onslow  Stearns,  74  ; Lorenzo 
Burrows,  5 ; Samuel  Felm,  73. 

1880. — For  Governor  : Frank  Jones,  137  ; Charles  H.  Bell,  90  ; George 
Dodge,  1. 

Congregational  Society. — From  the  settlement  of 
the  town  until  1791  but  little  is  known  concerning 
the  preaching  of  the  gospel  in  Chichester.  We  find 
that  before  and  after  the  Revolutionary  War  appro- 
priations of  a few  pounds  were  made  occasionally  at 
their  annual  meetings  to  hire  a gospel  minister  to 
preach  a part  of  the  year,  but  who  was  employed  or 
where  they  preached  we  have  no  means  of  knowing; 
but  as  the  business  meetings  of  the  town  were  held 
alternately  at  private  houses  in  different  parts  of  the 
town,  the  presumption  is  that  the  religious  meetings 
were  held  in  the  same  way.  But  during  the  memor- 
able struggle  for  independence  through  which  the 
colonies  passed,  although  the  subject  was  brought 
up  at  almost  every  annual  meeting,  the  people  were 
so  much  engaged  in  furnishing  men  for  the  military 
service,  and  were  taxed  so  heavily  to  raise  funds  to 
procure  these  men,  that  no  appropriation  was  made 
for  the  support  of  the  gospel.  In  1791,  Rev.  Josiah 
Carpenter,  a Congregational  minister,  came  here  from 
Vermont  and  preached  a part  of  the  time,  and  the 


town  raised  fifteen  pounds  to  pay  him  for  his  services; 
and  on  the  7th  of  June  of  this  year  the  people,  who 
for  several  years  had  contemplated  building  a house 
for  public  worship,  but  could  not  agree  upon  a loca- 
tion, decided  to  build  a meeting  house,  which  should 
be  used  for  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  and  the  busi- 
ness meetings  of  the  town ; the  house  to  be  forty  feet 
wide  and  fifty  feet  long,  and  fixed  upon  a spot  a few 
rods  east  of  where  the  town-house  now  stands  for  a 
location.  The  building  committee  were  Abram  True, 
Captain  James  Harden  and  Jeremiah  Sanborn. 

The  records  do  not  tell  us  just  when  the  house  was 
completed,  but  they  do  tell  us  that  the  pews  were  sold 
at  auction  in  1794  to  the  highest  bidders,  at  prices 
ranging  from  two  to  fifteen  pounds. 

At  a meeting  held  at  the  barn  of  Captain  John 
Langmaid,  July  23,  1791,  it  was  voted  to  set  apart 
August  3,  1791,  as  a day  of  humiliation  and  prayer  to 
Almighty  God  for  his  direction  and  presence 
with  them  in  all  their  undertakings ; also,  to  call  a 
council  of  neighboring  ministers  to  establish  a church 
in  this  town,  in  order  to  have  an  ordained  minister, 
and  Jonathan  Leavitt,  Hillyard  Shaw  and  Joseph 
Morrill  were  chosen  a committee  to  call  the  council 
and  make  preparations  for  their  entertainment. 

The  council  convened  August  3,  and  was  held  in 
connection  with  the  exercises  of  fast-day.  This  council 
established  the  Congregational  Church  in  Chichester. 
On  the  3d  day  of  September  following,  the  town 
voted  to  extend  a call  to  Rev.  Josiah  Carpenter  to 
settle  with  them  in  the  gospel  ministry  upon  the  fol- 
lowing terms:  Salary  for  the  first  year,  fifty  pounds; 
for  the  second  year,  fifty-five  pounds;  for  the  third 
year,  sixty  pounds ; for  the  fourth  year,  sixty-five 
pounds,  and  that  the  last-named  sum  of  sixty-five 
pounds  should  be  his  stated  salary  each  year  during 
the  time  he  should  remain  with  them  in  the 
gospel  ministry  ; said  salary  to  be  paid  yearly,  as 
follows : One-third  part  in  specie,  computing  six 

shillings  to  the  dollar ; the  other  two-thirds  in  beef, 
pork,  corn  and  grain  at  the  following  rates:  Good 
grass-fed  beef,  at  seventeen  shillings  nine  pence  per 
one  hundred  pounds ; stall-feed  beef,  at  twenty-five 
shillings  per  hundred;  pork  weighing  from  nine  to 
twelve-score,  four  pence  per  pound,  from  twelve-score 
upwards,  five  pence  per  pound;  corn,  three  shillings 
per  bushel ; rye,  four  shillings;  and  wheat  at  six  shil- 
lings per  bushel.  That  until  the  parsonage  lot  should 
be  cleared  and  put  in  condition  to  produce  grass  suf- 
ficient to  winter  and  summer  two  cows,  one  horse,  six 
sheep,  the  town  would  furnish  Mr.  Carpenter  annually 
and  every  year  with  six  tons  of  good  English  hay  and 
pasturing  sufficient  and  convenient  for  the  above 
stock ; then  he  was  to  cultivate  the  parsonage  lot 
himself  and  to  have  all  of  the  income.  They  also 
agreed  to  furnish  him  annually  with  twenty-five  cord3 
of  good  birch-wood,  delivered  at  his  house ; also  to 
give  him  boards,  shingle  and  clapboards  to  the  amount 
of  fifteen  pounds  and  labor  to  the  amount  of  forty 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


241 

pounds,  towards  building  him  a house.  Air.  Carpenter 
accepted  the  call  and  was  soon  ordained,  and  re- 
mained in  the  gospel  ministry  about  thirty-five  years. 
During  these  thirty-five  years  a tax  was  assessed  an- 
nually, and  in  a majority  of  cases  cheerfully  paid,  to 
pay  his  salary,  but  from  the  start  there  had  been  dis- 
senters, some  on  account  of  the  location  of  the  meet- 
ing-house, and  some  on  account  of  conscientious 
scruples,  not  believing  in  compulsory  support  of  the 
gospel;  these  dissenters  became  more  numerous  as 
time  rolled  on.  The  town  had  been  accustomed  to 
abate  the  minister  tax  of  those  people  who  furnished 
certificates  from  Rev.  Ebenezer  Knowlton  and  Rev. 
Benjamin  Sargent,  Free-Will  Baptist  ministers  of 
Pittsfield,  that  they  were  regular  attendants  upon 
their  meetings. 

After  the  law  was  passed  by  the  State  allowing 
individuals  to  form  religious  societies,  with  power  to 
admit  members,  make  rules  and  by-laws  for  their 
government,  assess  and  collect  taxes  ot  its  members 
for  the  support  of  a minister  of  their  own  denomina- 
tion, it  became  exceedingly  dilfcult  to  collect  the  taxes 
assessed  for  the  support  of  Mr.  Carpenter,  some  posi- 
tively refusing  to  pay  their  taxes,  and  there  is  a 
tradition  that  in  several  cases  the  goods  and  chattels 
of  delinquent  tax-payers  were  taken  by  process  of  law 
and  sold  to  pay  their  proportion  of  the  minister’s 
salary.  It  now  became  evident  to  the  people  that 
something  must  be  done  to  dissolve  the  contract  made 
in  1791  between  the  town  and  Rev.  Josiali  Carpenter, 
as  his  salary  was  still  going  on  and  the  town  already 
in  arrears  with  him.  Consequently,  the  town,  in  1826, 
chose  a committee  to  make  a final  settlement  with 
him.  The  committee  attended  to  their  duty,  and  on 
the  11th  day  of  December  of  this  year  the  following 
agreement  was  signed  by  both  parties: 

“Kruno  all  men  by  [these  presents:  That  I,  Josiali  Carpenter,  of  Chi- 
chester, County  of  Merrimack,  and  State  of  New  Hampshire,  Minister, 
for  and  in  consideration  of  five  hundred  dollars  paid  by  the  Selectmen  of 
Chichester  do  give  up,  relinquish  and  forever  abandon  the  contract 
made  with  me,  the  said  Josiah  Carpenter,  and  the  town  of  Chichester  in 
the  year  1791,  being  in  full  for  my  support  for  the  term  that  I have  re- 
mained the  minister  of  said  town  of  Chichester. 

“Abram  Drake, 

“ Benj.  Emery, 

“James  Blake. 

“Josiah  Carpenter." 

Thus  ended  the  long  and  successful  pastorate  of  the 
Rev.  Josiah  Carpenter  in  this  town.  Of  the  particular 
results  of  bis  public  and  private  ministrations  we 
know  but  little,  as  our  ancient  records  of  the  church 
are  supposed  to  have  been  burned  in  1840 ; but  we  have 
no  doubt  that  the  religious  sentiment  that  has  existed 
in  our  town  during  the  present  century  is  largely 
attributable  to  the  pure  life  and  wise  counsels  of  this 
godly  man,  who  for  so  many  years  “ went  in  and  out 
before  the  people.”  During  these  years  the  popula- 
tion of  the  town  nearly  doubled,  and  we  have  no 
doubt  that  the  number  of  church-going  people  corre- 
spondingly increased.  It  is  said  that  the  people  came 
from  all  sections  of  the  town  to  attend  church  on  the 


Sabbath,  some  of  them  coming  four  or  five  miles,  and 
as  there  were  no  carriages  in  those  days,  they  either 
walked  or  rode  on  horseback,  not  unfrequently  two  or 
three  upon  the  same  horse,  and  in  winter  to  sit  all 
day  in  a cold  house,  without  any  fire  or  any  other 
means  of  artificial  warmth,  except  in  some  cases  the 
ladies  carried  a little  tin  stove,  about  ten  inches 
square,  in  which  were  deposited  a few  coals,  which 
diffused  a little  heat  in  their  respective  family  pews. 
Those  of  our  people  who  ride  to  church  iu  richly 
upholstered  sleighs,  to  sit  only  half  a day  upon  a nicely- 
cushioned  seat,  in  a warm  room,  hardly  realize  the 
hardship  and  physical  endurance  it  cost  our  ancestors, 
to  attend  church. 

The  contract  between  the  town  and  Rev.  Josiah 
Carpenter  being  dissolved,  and  universal  taxation  to 
support  the  Church  done  away  with  forever,  we  trust, 
the  people  of  different  religious  proclivities  were  left 
free  to  form  societies  of  their  own,  admit  members, 
adopt  rules  and  regulations  for  their  government, 
assess  and  collect  taxes  for  the  support  of  a minister 
of  their  own  denomination,  build  and  repair  churches, 
etc.  Consequently,  a few  individuals,  who  were  in 
favor  of  forming  a Congregational  society  in  Chiches- 
ter, met  at  the  hall  of  David  M.  Carpenter,  in  said 
town,  on  the  20th  day  of  December,  1826,  and  chose 
Nathan  Harden,  Benjamin  Emery  and  Nathaniel 
Sherburne  a committee  to  designate  a title  by  which 
the  society  should  be  known.  At  a subsequent  meet- 
ing the  committee  reported,  and  the  meeting  adopted 
the  following  title:  ‘‘ The  Union  Congregational  Soci- 
ety of  Chichester,  in  the  County  of  Merrimack.” 

At  this  meeting  John  Chandler  was  elected  clerk. 
Abraham  Drake,  Nathaniel  Sherburne  and  Abijah 
Lane  were  elected  assessors.  For  several  years  the 
church  was  without  a settled  pastor ; money  was  raised 
by  the  society  almost  every  year,  and  expended  by 
the  committee  in  supplying  the  pulpit  in  the  old 
meeting-house.  Although  during  this  time  several  can- 
didates were  tried,  it  was  not  until  1832  that  a call 
was  given  to  any  one  to  settle  in  the  ministry.  This 
year  Rev.  Rufus  A.  Putman  preached  for  a while, 
and  the  church  and  the  society  were  so  much  pleased 
with  him  that  the  church,  on  the  30tli  day  of  July, 
1832,  voted  to  give  him  a call  to  settle  with  them  in 
the  gospel  ministry,  and  chose  Deacon  Enoch  Tilton, 
Deacon  Ebenezer  Lane  and  Joshua  Lane,  Esq.,  to 
present  the  call.  On  the  same  day  the  society  voted 
to  concur  with  the  church  in  regard  to  giving  a call 
to  Rev.  R.  A.  Putman  and  settling  him  in  the  min- 
istry, and  chose  D.  K.  Foster,  E.  K.  Webster  and 
John  Marden  to  act  in  unison  with  the  committee 
chosen  by  the  church. 

On  the  6th  day  of  August  following,  the  Rev.  Ru- 
fus A.  Putman  accepted  the  call,  and  remained  the 
settled  pastor  of  the  church  and  society  for  twelve 
years,  and  with  the  exception  of  bis  illustrious 
predecessor,  Mr.  Carpenter,  the  longest  pastorate  any 
minister  ever  had  in  Chichester.  Mr.  Putman  is 


CHICHESTER. 


245 


remembered  by  the  old  people  of  the  town  as  a man 
of  sterling  qualities  and  undoubted  piety,  and  noted 
more  for  his  depth  of  thought  than  for  brilliancy  of 
oratory.  The  old  edifice,  which  had  been  used  for  so 
many  years  as  town-house  and  church,  was  now  in 
rather  a dilapidated  condition,  and  must  either  be 
repaired  or  a new  church  built.  As  is  always  the  case 
under  such  circumstances,  the  society  were  divided  in 
opinion,  some  being  in  favor  of  repairing  the  old 
house  and  others  in  favor  of  building  a new  one ; 
finally,  the  latter  class  triumphed,  and  David  M.  Car- 
penter, J.  N.  C.  Leavitt  and  Simeon  Stevens  were 
chosen  as  a building  committee.  But  here  again  the 
question  of  location,  which  had  disturbed  the  fathers 
so  much  almost  a half-century  before,  when  contem- 
plating building  the  old  church,  presented  itself 
again  ; but  after  holding  several  meetings  and  discus- 
sing the  matter  thoroughly,  Stephanus  Kelley,  Chas. 
H.  Staniels,  Jonathan  Harden,  Benjamin  Farring- 
ton and  Samuel  S.  Moulton  were  chosen  a committee  to 
select  a location  for  the  new  church.  This  committee, 
after  considerable  delay,  reported  in  favor  of  the  spot 
where  the  Congregational  Church  now  stands.  A 
plan  was  procured  and  estimates  made,  and  the  con- 
tract to  build  awarded  to  Newell  Sanborn  for  one 
thousand  eight  hundred  dollars.  The  house  was 
finished  the  latter  part  of  1838,  the  majority  of  the 
pews  sold,  the  bills  paid,  and  from  that  day  to  this 
the  society  have  had  no  debts  of  any  amount  existing 
against  them.  Although  the  church  has  had  new 
blinds  and  been  several  times  painted  and  otherwise 
repaired,  the  bills  have  always  been  paid  by  the  soci- 
ety. 

In  1843,  the  people  no  longer  desiring  the  services 
of  Rev.  Rufus  A.  Putman,  he  was  dismissed.  In 
1844,  Rev.  Ezekiel  Dow  preached  a part  of  the  year, 
and  on  September  1st  of  that  year  Rev.  Chas.  Willey 
commenced  preaching,  and  preached  one  year  on  trial, 
when  the  church  and  society  gave  him  a call  to  settle 
with  them  in  the  gospel  ministry.  He  accepted  the 
call,  and  on  October  15,  1845,  he  was  ordained,  and 
continued  to  preach  and  labor  among  us  until  Decem- 
ber 3,  1850,  when  a council  was  called  and  he  was 
regularly  dismissed.  The  church  and  society  were 
without  a settled  pastor  for  several  years.  During 
this  time  several  candidates  were  employed,  among 
them  Rev.  Thomas  Kidder,  until,  in  1853,  Rev.  Silas 
Blanchard  commenced  preaching,  and  preached  for 
about  four  years.  In  1858,  Rev.  Joshua  Gay  com- 
menced preaching,  and  preached  for  five  years.  The 
society  was  without  a pastor  for  some  time.  In  1865, 
Rev.  Mark  Gould  commenced  preaching  and  preached 
until  1872.  In  1873,  George  A.  Foss  preached  for  a 
while,  when  the  church  and  society,  on  January  26, 
1874,  voted  to  give  him  a call  to  settle  with  them  in 
the  gospel  ministry.  He  was  ordained  February  24, 
1874,  and  preached  for  about  three  years,  when  a 
council  was  called  to  convene  at  Chichester  Septem- 
ber 7,  1877,  and  dissolve  the  pastoral  relations  exist- 
16 


ing  between  pastor  and  people.  Tbe  church  was 
without  regular  preaching  for  a time,  during  which 
time  several  candidates  were  tried,  when  the  assessors 
secured  the  services  of  Rev.  John  F.  Aiken,  who 
commenced  preaching  in  1879  and  preached  until 
August,  1880,  when,  after  a brief  illness,  he  died. 
This  was  a sad  day  for  the  Congregational  Society  in 
Chichester,  for,  within  my  recollection  at  least,  no 
man  in  our  town  ever  had  the  respect  and  love  of  the 
people,  which  amounted  almost  to  adoration,  that  was 
manifested  for  Rev.  John  F.  Aiken.  The  church  was 
without  a pastor  until  1882, when  Rev.  H.  W.  L.  Thurs- 
ton commenced  to  preach,  and  remained  until  the  fall 
of  1884,  when  he  resigned  and  went  away. 

Free  Baptist  Society. — In  1824  and  1825  an  ex- 
tensive revival  of  religion  prevailed  in  Chichester,  as 
the  result  of  a series  of  meetings  held  in  different 
sections  of  the  town  by  Rev.  William  Swain,  a Free- 
Will  Baptist  minister  from  Pittsfield.  Up  to  this  time 
there  had  been  no  Baptist  society  in  town,  although 
there  were  many  favorable  to  that  denomination,  who 
had  attended  meeting  at  the  Baptist  meeting  in  Pitts- 
field, at  which  Rev.  Ebenezer  Knowlton  and  others 
preached.  During  this  revival,  at  the  meetings  and 
on  other  occasions,  the  expediency  of  forming  a Free- 
Will  Baptist  Church  in  Chichester  was  discussed. 
Finally  they  laid  the  subject  before  the  Elders’  Con- 
ference of  the  New  Durham  Quarterly  Meeting,  held 
at  Loudon  in  May,  1825.  The  Conference,  after  duly 
considering  the  matter,  decided  in  favor  of  forming 
a church,  and  appointed  Elders  Winthrop  Young, 
Samuel  Dyer,  Ebenezer  Knowlton,  Arthur  Caverno 
to  organize  the  church.  On  the  27th  day  of  May  the 
above-named  elders,  with  the  exception  of  Elder 
Dyer,  met  the  people  at  the  house  of  Benjamin  Kaime 
and  organized  by  choosing  Elder  Winthrop  Young 
as  moderator  and  Elder  Arthur  Caverno  as  clerk.  A 
church  was  here  formed,  consisting  of  the  following 
baptized  members:  Benjamin  Kaime,  Ebenezer  Fel- 
lows, Stephen  Robey,  John  Fellows,  Samuel  B.  Miller, 
Dearborn  Mason,  Levi  Staniels,  Sarah  Fellows,  Mary 
Miller,  Sally  Kaime,  Rhoda  Page,  Mary  Mason.  At 
this  meeting  Benjamin  Kaime  was  chosen  clerk  of  the 
church. 

The  church  was  now  organized  and  ready  for 
Christian  work,  but  had  no  church  edifice  in  which 
to  hold  their  meetings.  So  the  next  thing  to  claim 
their  attention  was  the  raising  of  funds  for  this 
purpose.  They  set  about  it  with  characteristic  zeal. 
Benjamin  Kaime  gave  the  land  upon  which  to  set  the 
church,  and  many  others  contributed  generously  ac- 
cording to  their  means,  so  that  in  1826  the  house  was 
built  and  dedicated,  Elder  Caverno  preaching  the 
dedicatory  sermon.  Jeremiah  Lane,  Joshua  Lane, 
Stephen  Perkins,  Stephen  Robey,  Benjamin  Kaime, 
Simon  Mason,  Edmund  Mason,  Nathaniel  Bachelder, 
Josiali  Page,  Obadiah  Marston,  Ebenezer  Fellows, 
John  Fellows,  Henry  Robey,  John  Berry  and  Amasa 
Kelley  were  the  principal  contributors.  The  church 


246 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


| Chichester  was  composed  of  the  following  members: 
! John  Mason,  leader  ; Hannah  Winslow,  Nancy  Bach- 
Then  elder,  John  Morrill,  Betsey  Seavy,  Hannah  Drake, 
was  settled  as  Josiah  Knowles,  Deborah  Marston,  Amos  Barton  and 


completed,  they  then  set  themselves  to  work  in  earnest 
to  procure  a minister,  but  it  was  not  until  December, 
1827,  that  they  succeeded  in  obtaining  one. 

Elder  William  Swain,  of  Pittsfield 
pastor,  who  continued  to  preach  and  labor  among 
them  for  six  years,  at  the  close  of  which,  although  he 
ceased  to  be  their  pastor,  he  continued  to  preach 
occasionally  in  the  church  during  the  remainder  of 
his  life,  and  also  attended  many  funerals  of  former 
parishioners  and  friends,  and  to  the  close  of  his  life 
was  always  deeply  interested  in  the  prosperity  of  the 
Baptist  Church  in  Chichester.  He  spent  the  last  years 
of  his  life  on  a farm  on  Canterbury  road,  now  owned 
by  William  Carroll,  and  died  September,  1865.  For 
the  next  four  years  the  church  was  without  a pastor, 
although  they  had  preaching  occasionally.  But  in  1837, 
Elder  Silas  Bean  was  engaged  to  preach  one-half  of 
the  time  ; he  remained  with  them  until  some  time  in 
1840,  since  which  time  there  has  been  no  settled 
pastor,  although  every  year  there  has  been  more  or 
less  preaching  at  the  church.  Elders  Garland,  Mc- 
Cutchins,  Knowles,  Holmes,  Quimby,  Brown,  Mack, 
Harvey  and  others  have  preached  there  from  time  to 
time  during  the  last  forty  years.  Elder  Joseph  Har- 
vey has  held  more  meetings  in  the  church  and  at 
private  families,  and  preached  more  funeral  sermons 
in  that  section  of  the  town,  than  any  other  minister; 
in  fact,  he  seems  to  have  had  the  general  supervision 
of  the  church  and  society  for  the  last  forty  years. 

In  1883  the  old  church  had  become  so  much  out  of 
repair,  and  assumed  such  an  old  and  antiquated  look, 
that  the  good  people,  not  only  of  that  section  of  the 
town,  but  others  who  did  not  worship  there  and  some 
former  residents, — children  of  those  who  built  the 
house, — determined  that  the  old  church  should  not,  in 
their  day  at  least,  crumble  and  fall,  but  be  put  in 
condition  to  compare  favorably  with  other  buildings 
in  that  locality.  James  W.  Smith,  and  others 
took  hold  of  the  matter,  clapboardcd  and  painted 
it,  projected  the  eaves,  put  in  new  windows  and 
doors.  Charles  H.  Carpenter,  an  active  mem- 
ber of  the  Congregational  Society  in  Chichester, 
gave  the  windows,  so  that  the  old  Baptist  Church 
near  Kelly’s  Corner  and  the  new  school-house  stand- 
ing near  by  give  the  neighborhood  a thrifty  look. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Society. — The  first  germ  of 
Methodism  seems  to  have  been  planted  in  1819  by 
Rev.  John  Lord,  who  visited  the  town  and  preached 
in  different  localities.  The  subsequent  history  of 
Methodism  in  Chichester  proves  how  faithfully  he 
did  his  work.  For  the  next  nine  years  there  seems 
to  have  been  no  material  progress  made,  though  of  what 
efforts  were  put  forth  to  establish  a Methodist  Church 
in  Chichester,  or  by  whom,  we  know  but  little.  But 
in  1829  another  movement  was  made  to  continue  the 
work  already  begun.  This  year  Rev.  Ezekiel  Stickney 
preached  half  of  the  time.  Chichester  then,  and  for 
many  years  after,  formed  a circuit  with  the  surround- 
ing towns.  The  class  which  existed  at  that  time  in 


Mehitable  Barton.  At  the  session  of  the  New 
Hampshire  and  Vermont  Conference  held  at  Barre, 
Vt.,  June  23,  1830,  Rev.  Orlando  Hinds  was  ap- 
pointed to  Pembroke  Circuit,  in  which  circuit  Chi- 
chester belonged.  Mr.  Hinds  then  came  to  Chiches- 
ter and  spent  the  remainder  of  his  long  and  useful 
life  among  the  people.  In  1830  a great  revival  took 
place  in  the  Methodist  class  under  the  ministrations 
of  Mr.  Hinds;  a four  days’  meeting  was  held  in  the 
Old  Congregational  meeting-house  and  many  were 
converted.  In  November  of  this  year  a meeting  was 
held  in  the  Centre  School-house  to  see  how  many 
wished  to  join  the  church,  and  as  the  result,  about 
sixty  persons  of  both  sexes  united  with  the  church, 
which  was  then  in  reality  formed,  for  that  which 
existed  before  was  a class  and  not  a church.  The 
members  were  divided  into  three  classes,  and  the 
leaders  were  Elijah  Sanders,  John  Baily  and  Hiram 
Chase. 

In  1831  no  special  interest  was  manifested  among 
the  people,  yet  the  church  was  becoming  more  and 
more  firmly  established.  The  circuit  of  this  year 
embraced  Pembroke,  Epsom,  Northwood,  Loudon 
and  Chichester.  In  1832,  Mr.  Hinds  was  a supernu- 
merary preacher,  but  was  still  pastor  of  the  church, 
though  he  preached  in  Chichester  but  half  of  the  time. 
The  church  now  began  to  feel  the  need  of  a church 
edifice,  and  steps  were  taken  to  erect  one,  for  previous 
to  this  they  had  had  no  stated  place  for  public  worship, 
but  the  school-houses  in  town  had  been  used  for  this 
purpose.  The  foundation  for  the  new  church  was  this 
year  put  in,  and  some  of  the  building  material  secured 
and  a sufficient  sum  of  money  raised  so  that  work  upon 
the  church  could  be  commenced.  In  the  spring  of 
1833,  Rev.  Mr.  Hinds  went  to  Boston  to  solicit  funds 
towards  building,  and  obtained  from  Hon.  Lee  Claflin 
one  hundred  dollars.  Rev.  Amos  Binney  also  con- 
tributed something ; this,  with  what  the  citizens  of 
the  town  paid  themselves,  enabled  them  to  complete 
the  house  that  year  without  incurring  any  debt  of 
the  society.  The  building  committee  were  Abraham 
Drake,  Elijah  Sanders  and  Cheney  Reed ; the  con- 
tractors were  True  Sanborn  and  Hiram  Chase ; the 
master-workman  was  Caleb  Beede,  a local  preacher. 
According  to  tradition,  the  house  was  dedicated  No- 
vember 23,  1833.  The  Rev.  George  Stores  preached 
the  dedicatory  sermon.  With  the  close  of  1833 
ended  the  pastorate  of  Mr.  Hinds,  and  it  is  safe  to 
say  that  no  minister  of  this  church  ever  had  a 
greater  public  respect  or  a deeper  personal  affection. 
Next  came  Rev.  William  S.  Locke,  who  remained 
one  year;  from  1835  to  1836,  Rev.  William  S.  Kid- 
der; from  1836  to  1837,  Rev.  Warren  Wilber;  from 
1837  to  1839,  Rev.  Arnold  Adams;  from-  1839  to 
1840,  Rev.  B.  D.  Brewster;  from  1840  to  1841,  M.  A. 


CHICHESTER. 


247 


Howe;  from  1841  to  1842,  Rev.  Rufus  Tilton  ; from 
1842  to  1843.  Rev.  Lewis  Howard;  from  1843  to  1844, 
Rev.  J.  G.  Gale;  from  1844  to  1845,  A.  H.  Worthing; 
from  1845  to  1840,  Rev.  C.  F.  Bailey ; from  1846  to 
184S,  Rev.  F.  A.  Hewes;  from  1848  to  1849,  Rev.  A. 
Folsom;  from  1849  to  1850,  Rev.  A.  Heath;  from 
1850  to  1852,  Rev.  G.  W.  T.  Rogers ; from  1852  to 
1854,  James  Adams;  from  1854  to  1855,  Elijah  Wil- 
kins ; from  1855  to  1857,  John  Gould ; from  1857  to 
1858,  Rev.  A.  Kidder ; from  1858  to  1860,  J.  Fawcett  ; 
from  1860  to  1862,  Rev.  William  D.  Cass ; from  1862 
to  1864,  Rev.  M.  T.  Cilley ; from  1864  to  1866,  Rev.  C. 
H.  Smith;  from  1866  to  1868,  Rev.  S.  F.  Lougee; 
from  1868  to  1869,  Rev.  H.  H.  Hartwell ; from  1869 
to  1872,  Rev.  George  Beebe;  from  1872  to  1874,  Rev. 
Samuel  Bedle;  from  1874  to  1875,  Rev.  Lorenzo 
Draper;  from  1875  to  1876,  no  preacher;  from  1876 
to  1878,  Rev.  A.  R.  Lunt ; from  1878  to  1881,  Rev.  A.  A. 
Caswell ; from  1881  to  1882,  Rev.  S.  Holman  sup- 
plied; from  1882  to  1883,  Rev.  A.  Twichel;  from 
1883  to  1885,  J.  W.  Bean. 

Advent  Society. — We  hardly  know  when,  or  un- 
der what  circumstances,  the  Advent  Society  in  Chi- 
chester came  into  existance  ; but  since  1843,  the  time 
fixed  by  the  Advents,  generally,  for  the  final  con- 
summation of  all  terrestrial  things  and  the  end  of  the 
world,  there  have  been  a few  of  these  people  in  town, 
who  held  meetings  occasionally,  in  school-houses,  un- 
til 1864,  when  Mr.  Eneas  Ordway,  one  of  the  most 
enthusiastic  of  the  sect,  determined  to  erect  an  Ad- 
vent chapel  in  which  to  worship  ; but  not  being  able 
to  bear  all  of  the  expense  himself,  solicited  aid  from 
those  who  favored  the  enterprise.  Several  responded 
cheerfully  to  his  call,  and  a small  sum  was  subscribed 
and  paid  to  Mr.  Ordway,  who  built  the  chapel  and 
paid  the  balance  of  the  expense  himself,  and  in 
1864  the  house  was  dedicated  with  appropriate  cere- 
monies, and  the  following  very  singular  notice  posted 
in  the  vestibule : “All  seats  free,  and  no  politics  or 
slavery  to  be  preached  in  this  house.”  The  society 
has  never  had  a settled  pastor,  although  there  has 
been  more  or  less  preaching  in  the  house  every  year 
since  by  ministers  of  different  denominations  of  this 
and  other  towns.  In  1884,  Mr.  Ordway  died,  and  in 
1885  the  chapel  was  sold  by  his  administrator  to  Mr. 
George  H.  Haines,  who  proposes  to  use  it  as  a store- 
house for  carriages  and  sleighs,  of  which  he  is  an  ex- 
tensive manufacturer  and  dealer.  As  the  leading 
members  of  the  society  are  either  dead  or  removed 
from  town,  and  the  church  turned  into  a carriage 
mart,  the  Advent  Society  is  in  a fair  way  to  become 
extinct  in  Chichester  at  no  distant  day. 

Physicians. — Amasa  Kelley,  the  first  physician  in 
Chichester,  was  born  at  Amesbury,  Mass.,  in  1765; 
studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Cogswell,  of  Atkinson ; 
practiced  medicine  in  Pittsfield  from  1795  to  1799  ; 


came  to  Chichester  in  1799  and  settled  at  Kelley’s 
Corner,  the  place  subsequently  occupied  by  his  son, 
Daniel  R.  Kelley,  Esq.,  who  died  upon  the  old  home- 
stead. Dr.  Kelley  practiced  medicine  forty  years  in 
Chichester,  and  died  April  7,  1847,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-two. 

Dr.  Kelley  was  considered  a very  successful  phy- 
sician, and  universally  respected  by  all.  In  his  re- 
ligious belief  he  was  decidedly  orthodox,  and  held 
firmly  to  that  doctrine.  He  was  conscientious  and 
upright  in  all  his  dealings,  constant  in  his  attendance 
upon  public  worship  while  his  age  and  strength 
would  permit,  and  an  example  of  temperance,  faith 
and  charity. 

Dr.  James  A.  Tilton  was  born  in  Canaan,  N.  H., 
December  1815;  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College; 
entered  the  Medical  Department  and  graduated  Oc- 
tober 26,  1841,  and  soon  came  to  Chichester  and  com- 
menced the  practice  of  medicine.  While  here  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  T.  Stanyan,  daughter  of 
Abram  Stanyan,  who  died  at  Newburyport,  Mass., 
April,  1881.  After  practicing  here  for  several  years 
he  removed  to  Pembroke,  N.  H.,  and  thence  to  Ames- 
bury, Mass. ; remained  there  twelve  years  and  estab- 
lished a good  reputation  as  a physician.  From  Ames- 
bury he  removed  to  Newburyport,  where  he  remained 
in  successful  practice  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  1861.  Dr.  Osborn  came  here  in  1793  and  practiced 
a while.  Dr.  Samuel  Sargent  commenced  to  practice 
in  1818  and  died  in  1851.  Dr.  Wilder  also  practiced 
here  a while.  Dr.  W.  A.  Mack  was  born  at  Haver- 
hill, N.  H.,  October  3,  1824  ; fitted  for  college  at  Gil- 
manton  Academy  and  graduated  from  the  Academic 
Department  of  Dartmouth  College  in  1844;  entered 
the  Medical  Department  and  graduated  from  there  in 
1847;  practiced  medicine  in  company  with  the  late 
Dr.  Tenney  in  Pittsfield  two  years;  he  then  came  to 
Chichester,  where  he  was  in  active  practice  for  seven 
years ; he  then  removed  to  Pittsfield,  and  practiced 
medicine  several  years;  he  then  gave  up  the  practice  of 
medicine  and  went  iuto  the  apothecary  business,  in 
which  business  he  still  remains. 

Dr.  Moses  Hill  was  born  at  Warner,  N.  H.,  May  5, 
1805  ; graduated  from  Dartmouth  Medical  College  in 
1831 ; began  the  practice  of  medicine  in  Chichester 
the  same  year;  removed  to  Northwood,  thence  to 
Manchester,  and  in  1849  went  to  California;  returned 
in  1852,  then  removed  to  Louisiana,  where  he  died 
in  1875. 

Dr.  John  Fellows  came  to  Chichester  in  1862  and 
practiced  medicine  several  years,  also  held  the  office 
of  town  clerk  one  year  ; he  then  removed  to  Concord, 
where  he  also  practiced  medicine  until  his  death. 

Dr.  Bradley  H.  Bartlett  was  born  at  Grantham, 
N.  H.,  March  18,  1829;  removed  to  Pittsfield  when  a 
young  man ; served  in  the  Union  army  in  the  War  of 


248 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


the  Rebellion;  studied  medicine;  graduated  at  the 
Philadelphia  Medical  University  February  21,  186(5. 
Commenced  the  practice  of  medicine  in  Chichester 
in  1868;  remained  nearly  two  years;  he  then  removed 
to  Amherst,  where  he  had  an  extensive  practice  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  December  29,  1878. 

Dr.  Wliiddencame  to  Chichester  in  1869;  practiced 
medicine  a short  time  and  died. 

Dr.  George  Beebe  came  to  Chichester  in  1870,  and 
practiced  medicine  three  years,  and  also  preached  to 
the  Methodist  Church  and  society;  also  held  the 
office  of  superintending  school  committee. 

Orrin  Strong  Sanders,  M.D.,  was  born  in  Epsom, 
N.  H.,  September  24,  1820.  He  is  the  son  of 
Colonel  Job  and  Polly  Sanders,  being  the  eldest  of 
four  sons.  He  was  educated  at  the  district  school  in 
his  own  town,  and  at  Gilmanton  and  Pembroke 
Academies  in  New  Hampshire,  paying  his  expenses 
by  teaching  schools  in  his  own  and  neighboring  towns, 
and  it  is  said  of  him  that,  as  a teacher,  he  was  emi- 
nently successful.  He  commenced  the  study  of  medi- 
cine with  Dr.  Hanover  Dickey,  of  Epsom,  and  in 
1841  he  attended  his  first  course  of  medical  lectures 
at  Dartmouth  Medical  College.  He  afterwards  con- 
tinued his  studies  with  Dr.  Haynes,  of  Concord, 
N.  H.,  and  also  with  Drs.  Chadbourne  and  Buck.  In 
the  spring  of  1843  he  went  to  Lowell,  Mass.,  and 
completed  his  studies  with  Drs.  Wheelock,  Graves 
and  Allen.  In  the  fall  of  1843  he  graduated  at  the 
Castleton  Medical  College,  Vermont,  and  commenced 
the  practice  of  medicine  in  Effingham,  where  he  re- 
mained until  1847,  when  he  came  to  Chichester;  he 
remained  here  about  a year  and  a half  in  successful 
practice ; he  then  moved  to  Boston,  Mass.,  and  from 
that  time  to  the  present  Dr.  Sanders  has  followed  his 
profession  in  Boston,  and  has  been  from  the  first  con- 
spicuous among  the  physicians  of  that  city  for  his 
extensive  and  lucrative  practive  and  his  successful 
treatment  of  disease. 

Civil  List. — The  following  is  a list  of  the  pro- 
prietors’ town  officers: 

1728.  — William  Stanford,  clerk  ; Benjamin  Perkins,  Benjamin  Lam- 
bre,  Jethro  Tilton,  selectmen. 

1729.  — William  Stanford,  clerk  ; Jabez  Smith,  Charles  Stuart,  Jacob 
Moulton,  selectmen. 

1730.  — William  Stanford,  clerk ; David  Weare,  Jonathan  Garland, 
Nathan  Longfellow,  selectmen. 

1731.  — William  Stanford,  clerk  ; Jabez  Smith,  Josiali  Moulton,  Josiah 
Batchelder,  selectmen. 

1732.  — William  Stanford,  clerk  ; Benjamin  Lambre,  Charles  Treadwell, 
Edmund  Rand,  selectmen. 

1733.  — William  Stanford,  clerk  ; Ichabod  Roby,  Nathaniel  Drake, 
Christopher  Page,  selectmen. 

1734.  — William  Stanford,  clerk ; John  Sherbourn,  Jonathan  Cram, 
Joseph  Freese,  selectmen. 

1735.  — William  Stanford,  clerk  ; Rodger  Shaw,  Abram  Drake,  Benjamin 
Moody,  selectmen. 

1730. — William  Stanford,  clerk  ; Rodger  Shaw,  Abram  Drake,  Benjamin 
Moody,  selectmen. 

1737.  — William  Stanford,  clerk  ; Shnbal  Sanborn,  John  Dearborn, 
William  Stanford,  selectmen. 

1738.  — William  Stanford,  clerk  ; John  Batchelder,  Benjamin  Hilliard, 
Samuel  Palmer,  selectmen. 


1739.  — William  Stanford,  clerk  ; Ichabod  Roby,  Jouuthan  Garland, 
Benjamin  Janies,  selectmen. 

1740.  — William  Stanford,  clerk  ; Christopher  Page,  John  Dearborn, 
Benjamin  James,  selectmen. 

1741.  — William  Stanford,  clerk  ; Joseph  Worth,  Benjamin  James, 
Edmund  Rand,  selectmen. 

1742.  — William  Stanford,  clerk  ; Thomas  Cram,  Jonathan  Garland, 
Samuel  Martin,  selectmen. 

1743.  — William  Stanford,  clerk  ; Thomas  Cram,  Jonathan  Garland, 
Edmund  Rand,  selectmen. 

1744.  — William  Stanford,  clerk  ; William  Stanford,  Nathan  Tilton, 
Josiah  Moulton,  selectmen. 

1745.  — William  Stanford,  clerk ; Josiah  Moulton,  Abram  Drake, 
William  Stanford,  selectmen. 

174G. — William  Stanford,  clerk  ; Christopher  Page,  Edmund  Rand, 
Solomon  Page,  selectmen. 

1747.  — William  Stanford,  clerk  ; Edmund  Rand,  Jabez  Smith,  William 
Stanford,  selectmen. 

1748.  — William  Stanford,  clerk  ; Christopher  Page,  Josiah  Moulton, 
William  Stanford,  selectmen. 

1749.  — William  Stanford,  clerk  ; Jonathan  Garland,  Christopher  Page, 
Nathaniel  Ward,  selectmen. 

1750.  — William  Stanford,  clerk;  John  Sherburne,  Jacob  Moulton, 
Abram  Drake,  selectmen 

1751.  — William  Stanford,  clerk  ; Jabez  Smith,  Abram  Drake,  Thomas 
Rand,  selectmen. 

1752.  — William  Stanford,  clerk  ; Abram  Drake,  Jeremiah  Sanborn, 
Obediah  Worth,  selectmen. 

1753.  — William  Stanford,  clerk ; Edward  Shaw,  Jeremiah  Sanborn, 
Obediah  Worth,  selectmen. 

1754.  — William  Stanford,  clerk  ; William  Stanford,  Jonathan  Leavitt, 
Nathaniel  Drake,  selectmen. 

1755.  — William  Stanford,  clerk ; Joseph  Johnson,  Jonathan  Towle, 
Obediah  Worth,  selectmen. 

1756.  — William  Stanford,  clerk ; Joseph  Johnson,  Jonathan  Towle, 
Jonathan  Cram,  selectmen. 

1757.  — Jonathan  Leavitt,  clerk  ; Samuel  Garland,  Joseph  Johnson, 
Benjamin  Moulton,  selectmen. 

1758.  — Jonathan  Leavitt,  clerk  ; Joseph  Johnson,  Samuel  Garland, 
Jonathan  Towle,  selectmen. 

1759.  — Jonathan  Leavitt,  clerk  ; Joseph  Johnson,  Jonathan  Towle, 
Jonathan  Shaw,  selectmen. 

1760.  — Jonathan  Leavitt,  clerk  ; Jonathan  Leavitt,  Jonathan  Shaw, 
Joseph  Wood,  selectmen. 

1761.  — Jonathan  Leavitt,  clerk  ; Jonathan  Leavitt,  Jonathan  Towle, 
Samuel  Garland,  selectmen. 

1762.  — Jonathan  Leavitt,  clerk  ; Jonathan  Leavitt,  Jonathan  Towle, 
Samuel  Garland,  selectmen. 

1763.  — Jonathan  Leavitt,  clerk  ; Jonathan  Leavitt,  Jacob  Moulton, 
Jonathan  Towle,  selectmen. 

1764. — Jonathan  Leavitt,  clerk ; Jonathan  Leavitt,  Josiah  Moulton, 
Jonathan  Towde,  selectmen. 

1765.  — Jonathan  Leavitt,  clerk  ; Josiah  Moulton,  Joseph  Johnson,  John 
Moulton,  selectmen. 

1766.  — Jonathan  Leavitt,  clerk  ; John  Moulton,  Josiah  Moulton,  Jon‘ 
athan  Leavitt,  selectmen. 

1767.  — John  Moulton,  clerk ; Jonathan  Leavitt,  John  Moulton,  Josiah 
Moulton,  selectmen. 

1768.  — John  Moulton,  clerk ; Josiah  Moulton,  Jonathan  Leavitt, 
Thomas  Rand,  John  Moulton,  Joseph  Johnson,  selectmen. 

1769.  — John  Moulton,  clerk  ; Josiah  Moulton,  Jonathan  Leavitt, 
Thomas  Rand,  John  Moulton,  Joseph  Johnson,  selectmen. 

1770.  — John  Moulton,  clerk ; Josiah  Moulton,  John  Moulton,  Thomas 
Rand,  John  Lamprey,  Cotton  Ward,  selectmen. 

1771.  — John  Moulton,  clerk  ; John  Moulton,  Jonathan  Leavitt,  John 
Moulton,  selectmen. 

1772.  — John  Moulton,  clerk  ; Christopher  Tappan,  Micajah  Morrill, 
John  Lamprey,  selectmen. 

1773.  — John  Moulton,  clerk  ; John  Moulton,  Josiah  Moulton,  John 
Lamprey,  selectmen. 

1774.  — John  Moulton,  clerk  ; John  Moulton,  Josiah  Moulton,  John 
Lamprey,  selectmen. 

1775.  — John  Moulton,  clerk  ; Josiah  Moulton,  John  Moulton,  John 
Lamprey,  selectmen. 

1776.  — John  Moulton,  clerk  ; John  Lamprey,  Samuel  Drake,  John 
Moulton,  selectmen. 


CHICHESTER. 


249 


1777. — John  Moulton,  clerk  ; John  Lamprey,  Samuel  Drake,  John 
Moulton,  selectmen. 

177g. — John  Moulton,  clerk  ; John  Lamprey,  John  Moulton,  Edward 
Shaw,  selectmen. 

1779.  — John  Moulton,  clerk  ; John  Lamprey,  John  Moulton,  Edward 
Shaw,  selectmen. 

1780.  — John  Moulton,  clerk  ; John  Lamprey,  Edward  Shaw,  John 
Moulton,  selectmen. 

1781.  — John  Moulton,  clerk  ; John  Moulton,  Joshua  James,  John 
Lamprey,  selectmen. 

1782.  — John  Moulton,  clerk;  John  Moulton,  Joshua  James,  John 
Lamprey,  selectmen. 

1783. — John  Moulton,  clerk;  John  Moulton,  Joshua  James,  John 
Lamprey,  selectmen. 

1784. —  John  Moulton,  clerk  ; John  Moulton,  Joshua  James,  John 
Lamprey,  selectmen. 

1785.  — John  Moulton,  clerk  ; John  Moulton,  Joshua  Janies,  John 
Lamprey,  selectmen. 

1786.  — John  Moulton,  clerk;  John  Moulton,  John  Dearborn,  Joshua 
James,  selectmen. 

1787.  — John  Moulton,  clerk  ; John  Moulton,  John  Taylor,  Benjamin 
Sanborn,  selectmen. 

1788.  — John  Moulton,  clerk  ; John  Moulton,  Joshua  James,  Jeremiah 
Lane,  selectmen. 

1789.  — John  Moulton,  clerk  ; John  Moulton,  Joshua  James,  Jeremiah 
Lane,  selectmen. 

1790.  — John  Moulton,  Josiah  James,  David  Bachelder,  selectmen. 

1791.  — John  Moulton,  clerk  ; William  Chase,  John  Moulton,  Joshua 
Janies,  selectmen. 

1792.  — John  Moulton,  clerk  ; John  Dearborn,  John  Moulton,  Joshua 
James,  selectmen. 

1793.  — John  Moulton,  clerk;  John  Dearborn,  John  Moulton,  Joshua 
James,  selectmen. 

1794. — John  Dearborn,  John  Moulton,  Joshua  James,  selectmen. 

1795.  — John  Moulton,  Benjamin  Sanborn,  Joshua  James,  selectmen. 

1796.  — Joseph  Dow  (first  proprietors’  clerk  in  Chichester),  John  Hil- 
liard, Samuel  Brown,  Ebenezer  Prescott  (proprietors’  first  Board  of 
Selectmen  in  Chichester). 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  first  town  officers  : 

1773.  — John  Cram,  town  clerk  ; Ebenezer  Barton,  Samuel  Davis,  John 
■Cram,  selectmen. 

1774. — John  Cram,  town  clerk  ; Ebenezer  Barton,  Samuel  Davis,  John 
Oram,  selectmen. 

1775.  — John  Cram,  town  clerk  ; John  Cram,  David  Knowlton,  Jonathan 
Stanyan,  selectmen. 

1776.  — John  Cram,  town  clerk  ; Jonathan  Leavitt,  John  Brown,  Jere- 
miah Sanborn,  selectmen. 

1777.  — John  Cram,  town  clerk  ; Jeremiah  Sanborn,  Jonathan  Leavitt, 
Jeremiah  Garland,  selectmen. 

1778.  — John  Cram,  town  clerk  ; Jonathan  Leavitt,  Dyer  Hook,  Samuel 
Phil  brick,  selectmen. 

1779.  — John  Cram,  town  clerk  ; Dyer  Hook,  Jonathan  Leavitt,  Samuel 
Philbrick,  selectmen. 

1780.  — John  Cram,  town  clerk  ; Simeon  Hilliard,  James  Cram,  select- 
men. 

1781.  — Dyer  Hook,  town  clerk  ; Simeon  Hilliard,  James  Cram,  Elijah 
King,  selectmen. 

1782.  — Simeon  Hilliard,  town  clerk ; Benjamin  Jackson,  Jeremiah 
Sanborn,  selectmen. 

1783.  — Simeon  Hilliard,  town  clerk  ; William  Seavey,  Jonathan  Leav- 
itt, Dyer  Hook,  selectmen. 

1784.  — Simeon  Hilliard,  town  clerk ; Elijah  King,  Simeon  Hilliard, 
Benjamin  Jackson,  selectmen. 

1785.  — Simeon  Hilliard,  town  clerk  ; Elijah  Ring,  Edmund  Leavitt, 
Simeon  Hilliard,  selectmen. 

1786.  — Simeon  Hilliard,  town  clerk  ; Elijah  Ring,  Edmund  Leavitt, 
Simeon  Hilliard,  selectmen. 

1787. — Joseph  Dow,  town  clerk  ; Elijah  Ring,  Edmund  Leavitt,  Simeon 
Hilliard,  selectmen. 

1788.  — Joseph  Dow,  town  clerk  ; Jonathan  Leavitt,  Abram  True,  Na- 
thaniel Morrill,  selectmen. 

1789.  — Joseph  Dow,  town  clerk ; Abram  True,  Nathaniel  Morrill, 
Simeon  Hilliard,  selectmen. 

1790.  — Joseph  Dow,  town  clerk  ; Simeon  Hilliard,  Abram  True,  Na- 
thaniel Morrill,  selectmen. 


1791.  — Joseph  Dow,  town  clerk  ; Abram  True,  Nathaniel  Morrill,  Zebu- 
Ion  Hilliard,  selectmen. 

1792.  — Joseph  Dow,  town  clerk;  Abram  True,  Nathaniel  Morrill, 
Zebulon  Hilliard,  selectmen. 

1793.  — Joseph  Dow,  town  clerk  ; Dudly  Sanborn,  Joshua  Lane,  Ed- 
mund Leavitt,  selectmen. 

1794.  — Joseph  Dow,  town  clerk  ; Edmund  Leavitt,  Joshua  Lane,  Moses 
Seavey,  selectmen. 

1795.  — Joseph  Dow,  town  clerk;  Edmund  Leavitt,  Joshua  Lane,  Moses 
Seavey,  selectmen. 

1796.  — Joseph  Dow,  town  clerk  ; Moses  Seavey,  Abram  True,  Joshua 
Lane,  selectmen. 

1797.  — Joseph  Dow,  town  clerk  ; Moses  Seavey,  Abram  True,  Joshua 
Lane,  selectmen  ; Nathaniel  Morrill,  representative. 

1798.  — Joseph  Dow,  town  clerk  ; Moses  Seavey,  Abram  True,  Joshua 
Lane,  selectmen  ; Nathaniel  Morrill,  representative. 

1799.  — Joseph  Dow,  town  clerk;  Joshua  Lane,  Moses  Seavey,  Abraham 
True  selectmen  ; Nathaniel  Morrill,  representative. 

1800.  — Joseph  Dow,  town  clerk;  Joseph  Dow,  Jonathan  Leavitt,  Asa 
Lane,  selectmen  ; Nathaniel  Morrill,  representative. 

1801.  — Joseph  Dow,  town  clerk  ; Moses  Seavey,  Abram  True,  Moses 
Lane,  selectmen;  Nathaniel  Morrill,  representative. 

1802.  — Joseph  Dow',  town  clerk  ; George  Seavey,  Enoch  Tilton,  Jere- 
miah Lane,  selectmen  ; Nathaniel  Morrill,  representative. 

1803.  — Joseph  Dow,  town  clerk;  George  Seavey,  Jonathan  Stanyan, 
Joseph  Dow,  selectmen  ; Nathaniel  Morrill,  representative. 

1804.  — Joseph  Dow',  town  clerk  ; Enoch  Tilton,  George  Seavey,  Jere- 
miah Lane,  selectmen  ; Nathaniel  Morrill,  representative. 

1805.  — Moses  Seavey,  town  clerk  ; John  Marden,  Asa  Lane,  Joseph 
Sanborn,  selectmen  ; Nathaniel  Morrill,  representative. 

1806.  — Moses  Seavey,  town  clerk  ; George  Tilton,  Moses  Seavey,  Joseph 
Dow,  selectmen  ; Nathaniel  Morrill,  representative. 

1807.  — Moses  Seavey,  town  clerk  ; Ebenezer  Cate,  Joseph  Sanborn,  Asa 
Lane,  selectmen  ; Nathaniel  Morrill,  representative. 

1808.  — Moses  Seavey,  town  clerk ; Ebenezer  Cate,  Joseph  Sanborn, 
Asa  Lane,  selectmen  ; Abram  True,  representative. 

1809.  — Moses  Seavey,  town  clerk  ; Joshua  Lane,  Jacob  Moulton,  Jacob 
Sanborn,  selectmen  ; Abram  True,  representative. 

1810.  — Moses  Seavey,  town  clerk  ; Joshua  Lane,  Moses  Seavey,  Jacob 
S.  Moulton,  selectmen ; Abram  True,  representative. 

1811.  — Moses  Seavey,  town  clerk  ; Joshua  Lane,  Jacob  Moulton,  John 
Marden,  selectmen  ; Abram  True,  representative. 

1812.  — Moses  Seavey,  town  clerk  ; selectmen  same  as  previous  year  ; 
Abram  True,  representative. 

1813.  — Moses  Seavey,  town  clerk;  selectmen  same  as  two  previous 
years  ; Moses  Seavey,  representative. 

814. — Jacob  Moulton,  town  clerk  ; Joseph  Sanborn,  Jacob  S.  Moulton, 
John  Marden,  selectmen  ; Moses  Seavey,  representative. 

1815.  — Jacob  Moulton,  town  clerk;  selectmen  same  as  last  year  ; Moses 
Seavey,  representative. 

1816.  — Jacob  Moulton,  town  clerk  ; Joshua  Lane,  Asa  Lane,  John 
Marden,  selectmen  ; Moses  Seavey.  representative. 

1817.  — Joshua  Lane,  John  Marden,  James  Hook,  selectmen  ; Samuel 
Langley,  representative. 

1818.  — Jacob  Moulton,  town  clerk  ; selectmen  same  as  previous  year  ; 
Samuel  Langley,  representative. 

1819.  — Jacob  Moulton,  town  clerk  ; Joshua  Lane,  Enoch  Tilton,  Moses 
Seavey,  selectmen  ; Joshua  Lane,  representative. 

1820.  — D.  M.  Carpenter,  town  clerk  ; Joshua  Lane,  James  Hook,  James 
Blake,  selectmen  ; no  representative. 

1821.  — D.  31.  Carpenter,  town  clerk  ; Josiah  Mason,  Jacobs.  Moulton, 
Nathaniel  Sherburne,  selectmen  ; Joshua  Lane,  representative. 

1822.  — D.  31.  Carpenter,  tow  n clerk ; Henry  Robey,  James  Batchel- 
der,  Ephraim  Leavitt,  selectmen  ; David  31.  Carpenter,  representative. 

1823.  — D.  M.  Carpenter,  town  clerk  ; Henry  Robey,  James  Batchelder, 
John  3Iarden,  selectmen  ; D.  31.  Carpenter,  representative. 

1824.  — D.  31.  Carpenter,  town  clerk  ; selectmen  same  as  previous 
year  ; D.  31.  Carpenter,  representative. 

1825.  — D.  31.  Carpenter,  town  clerk  ; Henry  Robey,  James  Batchelder, 
Caleb  Parker,  selectmen  ; D.  31.  Carpenter,  representative. 

1826.  — D.  31.  Carpenter,  town  clerk;  Joshua  Lane,  James  Batchelder, 
John  31arden,  selectmen ; D.  31.  Carpenter,  representative. 

1827.  — Cheney  Reed,  town  clerk  ; Benjamin  Emery,  James  Batchelder, 
Daniel  Kelley,  selectmen  ; no  representative. 

1828.  — Cheney  Reed,  town  clerk  ; selectmen  same  as  last  year  ; D.  M. 
Carpenter,  representative. 


250 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


1829.  — D.  M.  Carpenter,  town  clerk;  Henry  Robey,  James  Batch  elder,  i 
David  Drake,  selectmen  ; Samuel  Sargent,  representative. 

1830.  — D.  34  Carpenter,  town  clerk  ; David  Drake,  John  True,  Henry  | 
Robey,  selectmen ; Samuel  Sargent,  representative. 

1831.  — D.  M.  Carpenter,  town  clerk;  Benjamin  Kaime.  James  Batch-  I 
elder,  Abram  Drake,  selectmen  ; Henry  Robey,  representative. 

1832.  — Nathaniel  Sherburn,  town  clerk  ; Abram  Drake,  John  True, 
Benjamin  Kaime,  selectmen  ; Henry  Robey,  representative. 

1833.  — Nathaniel  Sherburn,  town  clerk  ; Henry  Robey,  John  True, 
Abram  Drake,  selectmen  ; Nathaniel  Sherburn,  representative. 

1834.  — Nathaniel  Sherburn,  town  clerk ; J.  N.  C.  Leavitt,  James 
Batchelder,  Henry  Robey,  selectmen  ; Nathaniel  Sherburn,  representa- 
tive. 

1835.  — Nathaniel  Sherburn,  town  clerk;  D.R.  Kelley,  D.  31.  Carpen- 
ter, J.  N.  C.  Leavitt,  selectmen  ; John  True,  representative. 

1836.  — Nathaniel  Sherburn,  town  clerk  ; selectmen  same  as  previous 
year;  John  True,  representative. 

1837.  — Nathaniel  Sherburn,  town  clerk  ; D.  K.  Foster,  G.  S.  31ason, 
William  Swain,  selectmen  ; James  Batchelder,  representative. 

1838.  — Nathaniel  Sherburn,  town  clerk  ; selectmen  same  as  previous 
year ; James  Batchelder,  representative. 

1839.  — Nathaniel  Sherburn,  town  clerk  ; Nathaniel  Sherburn,  John 
Baily,  H.  C.  Knowltou,  selectmen  ; J.  N.  C.  Leavitt,  representative. 

1840.  — E.  Lang  maid,  town  clerk ; selectmen  same  as  previous  year, 

J.  N.  C.  Leavitt,  representative. 

1841. — E.  Langmaid,  town  clerk  ; D.  R.  Kelley,  James  Batchelder,  II. 

C.  Knowlton,  selectmen  ; John  Bailey,  representative. 

1842.  — E.  Langmaid,  town  clerk  ; D.  31.  Carpenter,  Nathaniel  Seavey, 

D.  R.  Kelley,  selectmen  ; John  Bailey,  representative. 

1843.  — E.  Langmaid,  town  clerk;  G.  S.  3Iason,  D.  31.  Carpenter,  H. 

C.  Knowlton,  selectmen  ; Nathaniel  Seavey,  representative. 

1844.  — E.  Langmaid,  town  clerk  ; E.  Langmaid,  D.  31.  Carpenter,  G. 

S.  3Iason,  selectmen  ; Nathaniel  Seavey,  representative. 

1845.  — E.  Langmaid,  town  clerk  ; H.  C.  Knowlton,  3Ialachi  Haines, 
George  S.  3Iason,  selectmen  ; Hosea  C.  Knowltou,  representative. 

1846.  — H.  C.  Knowlton,  town  clerk ; E.  Langmaid.  3Ialachi  Haines, 

G.  S.  31ason,  selectmen  ; Hosea  C.  Knowlton,  representative. 

1847.  — H.  C.  Knowlton,  town  clerk  ; E.  Langmaid,  D.  R.  Kelley,  J. 
N.  C.  Leavitt,  selectmen  ; George  S.  Mason,  representative. 

1848.  — H.  C.  Knowlton,  town  clerk  ; selectmen  same  as  previous  year  ; 
George  S.  3Iason,  representative. 

1849.  — H.  C.  Knowlton,  town  clerk ; H.  C.  Knowlton,  Peter  J.  Hook, 

G.  S.  3Iason,  selectmen  ; Edward  Langmaid,  representative. 

1850.  — H.  C.  Knowlton,  town  clerk  ; II.  C.  Knowlton,  Peter  J.  Hook, 
Joseph  C.  Greenough,  selectmen  ; Edward  Langmaid,  representative. 

1851.  — H.  C.  Knowlton,  town  clerk  ; D.  K.  Foster,  G.  S.  3Iason,  J.  C. 
Greenough,  selectmen  ; Peter  J.  Hook,  representative. 

1852.  — George  P.  Haines,  town  clerk  ; G.  S.  3Ias«*n,  II.  C.  Knowlton, 
Joshua  Lane,  selectmen;  Peter  J.  Hook,  representative. 

1853.  — E.  Langmaid,  town  clerk  ; E.  Langmaid,  Joshua  Lane.  Thomas 
Berry,  selectmen;  John  Lake,  representative. 

1854.  — E.  Langmaid,  town  clerk  ; E.  Langmaid,  Thomas  Berry,  John 
S.  Durgin,  selectmen  ; John  Lake,  representative. 

1855.  — E.  Langmaid,  town  clerk  ; H.  C.  Knowlton,  James  Blake, 
Benjamin  F.  Leavitt,  selectmen  ; Charles  H.  Carpenter,  representative. 

1856.  — E.  Langmaid,  town  clerk  ; H.  C.  Knowlton,  B.  F.  Leavitt, 
Hiram  Bachelder,  6electmeu  ; Charles  H.  Carpenter,  representative. 

1857.  — William  F.  Locke,  town  clerk;  Charles  H.  Carpenter,  Hiram 
Bachelder,  3Iadison  Bailey,  selectmen  ; Benjamin  F.  Leavitt,  represen- 
tative. 

1858.  — William  F.  Locke,  town  clerk ; C.  H.  Carpenter,  3Iadison 
Bailey,  J.  L.  Bachelder,  selectmen  ; Benjamin  F.  Leavitt,  representa- 
tive. 

1859.  — William  F.  Locke,  town  clerk  ; J.  N.  C.  Leavitt,  J.  L.  Bachel- 
der, Charles  H.  Carpeuter,  selectmen  ; Joshua  Lane,  representative. 

1860.  — John  Fellows,  town  clerk  ; J.  N.  C.  Leavitt,  J.  L.  Bachelder,  J. 

S.  Sherburn,  selectmen  ; Joshua  Lane,  representative. 

1861.  — John  Fellows,  town  clerk  ; .J.  N.  C.  Leavitt,  J.  S.  Sherburn, 
Stephen  Perkins,  selectmen  ; Thomas  Berry,  representative. 

1862.  — David  T.  Brown,  town  clerk;  J.  L.  Bachelder,  Amos  Hoyt, 
Stephen  Perkins,  selectmen ; Thomas  Berry,  representative. 

1863.  — David  T.  Brown,  town  clerk  ; J.  L.  Bachelder,  C.  II.  Carpen- 
ter, Amos  Hoyt,  selectmen  ; 3Ioses  R.  Lake,  representative. 

1864.  — David  T.  Brown,  town  clerk  ; C.  H.  Carpenter,  G.  S.  3Iason, 

D.  A.  Farrington,  selectmen  ; 3Ioses  R.  Lake,  representative. 

1865.  — Charles  Lake,  town  clerk  ; C.  H.  Carpenter,  I).  A.  Farrington, 

G.  S.  Mason,  selectmen  ; Madison  Baily,  representative. 


1866.  — Charles  Lake,  town  clerk  ; D.  A.  Farrington,  David  T.  Brown, 
C.  S.  Stevens,  selectmen  ; Madison  Baily,  representative. 

1867.  — Charles  Lake,  town  clerk  ; David  T.  Brown,  C.  S.  Stevens, 
Augustus  Leavitt,  selectmen  ; Iliram  Bachelder,  representative. 

1868.  — Charles  Lake,  town  clerk  ; A.  Leavitt,  Charles  C.  8haw,  John 
Fellows,  selectmen  ; Hiram  Bachelder,  representative. 

1869.  — John  C.  Leavitt,  town  clerk  ; selectmen  same  i s previous  year  ; 
John  S.  Sherburn,  representative. 

1870.  — John  C.  Leavitt,  town  clerk ; A.  Leavitt,  Charles  Lake  L.  W. 
Towle,  selectmen ; John  S.  Sherburn,  representative. 

1871.  — G.  W.  Lane,  town  clerk  ; Augustus  Leavitt,  Charles  Lake, 
Lewis  W.  Towle,  selectmen  ; no  representative. 

1872.  — G.  W.  Lane,  town  clerk  ; Charles  Lake,  James  S.  Greene,  L. 
W.  Towle,  selectmen ; Samuel  Langmaid,  representative. 

1873.  — George  W.  Lane,  town  clerk  ; Augustus  Leavitt,  S.  Ambrose 
Brown,  Asa  F.  Hutchinson,  selectmen  ; Samuel  W.  Langmaid,  represen- 
tative. 

1874.  — G.  \V.  Lane,  town  clerk ; S.  Ambrose  Brown,  Asa  F.  Hutchin- 
son, Jeremiah  L.  Perkins,  selectmen  ; John  Fellows,  representative. 

1875.  — Charles  Lake,  town  clerk  ; David  T.  Brown,  Hiram  Bachelder, 

I Jacob  S.  Sanborn,  selectmen  ; John  Fellows,  representative. 

1876.  — Charles  Lake,  town  clerk  ; J.  S.  Sanborn,  John  Shaw,  George 
31.  Warren,  selectmen  ; Carpenter  S.  Stevens,  representative. 

1877.  — C.  A.  Langmaid,  town  clerk  ; John  Shaw’,  George  31.  Warren, 
Horace  Carpenter,  selectmen  ; Charles  Lake,  representative. 

1878.  — C.  A.  Langmaid,  town  clerk  ; D.  T.  Brown,  G.  3Iunsey,  Horace 
Carpenter,  selectmen  ; Charles  Lake,  representative. 

1879.  — C.  A.  Langmaid,  town  clerk;  D.  T.  Brown,  George  3Iunsey, 
Stephen  R.  Watson,  selectmen  ; George  W.  Lane,  representative. 

1880.  — C.  A.  Langmaid,  town  clerk  ; A.  Leavitt,  Albert  Sanborn,  Jacob 
S.  Sanborn,  selectmen  ; Geo.  W.  Lane,  representative. 

1881. — C.  A.  Langmaid,  town  clerk  ; Augustus  Leavitt,  Jacob  S.  San- 
born, Albert  Sanborn,  selectmen  ; David  T.  Brown,  representative. 

1882.  — C.  A.  Langmaid,  town  clerk  ; G.  31.  Warren,  Noah  Edmunds, 
Benjamin  Shaw,  selectmen  ; David  T,  Brown. 

1883.  — Nathaniel  Bachelder,  town  clerk  ; George  M.  Warren,  Noah  G. 
Edmunds,  Benjamin  Shaw,  selectmen  ; Hiram  Hook,  representative. 

1884.  — Nathaniel  Bachelder,  town  clerk  ; Noah  G.  Edmunds,  Benja- 
min Shaw,  Nathan  Fitts,  selectmen  ; Hiram  Hook. 

1885.  — Walter  S.  Langmaid,  town  clerk ; N.  G.  Edmunds,  John  S. 
Sherburn,  Abram  31.  Drake,  selectmen  ; Charles  C.  Shaw,  representa- 
tive. 

Manufacture  of  Carriages  and  Sleighs. — About 
1857,  Mr.  Reuben  Locke  and  four  sons,  all  journeymen 
carriage-painters,  came  here  from  Gilmantown  and 
erected  a commodious  shop  for  the  manufacture  of 
carriages  and  sleighs,  and  for  some  five  years  carried 
on  quite  an  extensive  business  in  that  line,  especially 
in  the  department  of  carriage-painting;  but  the  war 
for  the  suppression  of  the  Rebellion  coming  on,  the 
sons  all  enlisted  into  the  Union  army;  the  father, 
left  alone,  soon  sold  out  and  left  town.  Not  much 
was  done  in  the  carriage  business  for  several  years, 
but,  in  1867,  Mr.  George  II.  Haines,  a Lmion  soldier, 
began  the  carriage  business  in  a small  way  in  the 
shop  formerly  occupied  by  the  Lockes.  From  the 
commencement  Mr.  Haines’  business  steadily  in- 
creased,so  that  in  1869  it  became  necessary  to  occupy 
more  commodious  aud  convenient  buildings;  he  there- 
fore erected  his  main  shop,  the  lower  story  of  which 
he  uses  for  a wood-shop  and  the  upper  story  for  a 
paint-shop  aud  trimming-room  ; also  erected  a black- 
smith-shop, and  soon  after  built  a large  two-story 
building  for  storing  stock  and  finished  carriages,  in 
which  can  be  found  at  all  seasons  of  the  year  a large 
variety  of  carriages  and  sleighs  of  different  styles  and 
values.  A few  years  ago  Mr.  Haines  built  a second 
blacksmith-shop,  and  more  recently  purchased  the 
old  Advent  Chapel  and  fitted  it  up  for  a salesroom 


CHICHESTER. 


251 


for  his  wares,  making  in  all  live  large  buildings,  all 
of  which  are  used  to  their  uttermost  capacity  in  his 
increasing  business.  Mr.  Haines  uot  only  has  a 
home  trade,  but  is  shipping  his  goods  to  Boston  and 
other  cities  of  New  England. 

Turnpike. — The  construction  of  a turnpike  road 
from  Concord  to  Piscataqua  bridge,  in  Durham, 
through  the  town  of  Chichester,  was  one  of  the 
greatest  events  of  the  eighteenth  century  to  the 
original  settlers.  For,  previous  to  the  building  of  j 
this  turnpike,  Canterbury  road  had  been  the  great 
thoroughfare  upon  which  the  people  traveled,  who 
had  occasion  to  pass  through  the  town.  The  road 
was  very  cheaply  built,  and  without  sufficient  bridges, 
so  that  at  times  it  was  almost  impracticable  for 
travel.  This  was  the  first  constructed  turnpike  in 
New  Hampshire.  The  company  building  it  was  in- 
corporated in  1797.  Upon  its  completion  and  for 
many  years  afterward  there  was  an  extensive  travel 
upon  it.  Merchants  from  Central  New  Hampshire 
and  Vermont  transported  their  goods  from  Ports- 
mouth up  over  this  road,  and  immense  quantities  of 
lumber,  beef,  pork  and  farm  produce  was  carried 
down  to  exchange  for  goods.  Toll-gates  were  estab- 
lished at  different  points  along  the  line  of  the  road, 
and  gate-keepers  appointed  to  collect  toll  of  traveler's 
using  the  road. 

The  extensive  travel  upon  the  road  made  a demand 
for  hotel  accommodations.  Consequently  one  was 
erected  in  Chichester,  and  kept  by  John  T.  Leavitt, 
who  did  a flourishing  business.  This  house  is  still 
standing  and  owned  by  Charles  C.  Drake.  After 
Leavitt,  Benjamin  Emery  and  John  Langly  kept  the 
house.  In  1817,  when  President  Monroe  passed  down 
the  turnpike  from  Concord  to  Dover,  he  halted  here 
for  a while  to  rest  his  horses;  and  many  were  the 
calls  made  by  Daniel  Webster  and  other  distinguished 
jurists  and  public  officials  when  going  to  and  from 
Portsmouth.  General  Lafayette,  when  he  visited  this 
country  (1824),  passed  over  this  road.  In  1807,  Gen- 
eral James  Blake  erected  a hotel  and  blacksmith- 
shop,  and  carried  on  an  extensive  business  until  1838, 
when  he  left,  and  his  son,  James  M.  Blake,  contin- 
ued the  business  until  1844,  when  he  closed  up.  The 
lucrative  business  which  hotel-keepers  and  toll-gate 
keepers  had  done  on  the  turnpike  was  now  at  an 
end;  for  other  routes  and  means  of  transportation 
had  been  discovered.  The  railroad  and  steam-engine 
were  already  taking  the  place  of  the  turnpike  and 
horses  and  oxen.  The  company  that  built  the  turn- 
pike gave  it  up ; the  town  took  it  up,  and  have  ever 
since  kept  it  in  repair.  A.  J.  Sherburn  kept  a hotel 
here,  on  the  Blake  place,  from  1862  to  1868,  when 
his  hotel  was  burned. 

Country  Stores. — The  first  store  was  kept  on  the 
turnpike  by  a Mr.  Bradley,  in  1800.  Next  came 
Benjamin  Emery,  in  1817,  who  remained  for  several 
years.  Then  Jonathan  Pierce  and  Olive  Smart  com- 
menced keeping  store  in  1825,  and  did  business  four 


or  five  years,  who  were  succeeded  by  Philip  Rodgers, 
who  also  remained  four  or  five  years.  Then  Jon- 
athan Pierce  again,  from  1833  to  1839.  Benjamin 
Leavitt  & Son  kept  a grocery-store  for  a while  about 
1870.  Nathaniel  Seavey  commenced  keeping  store 
in  1833,  and  did  a successful  business  until  December 
4,  1851,  when  he  was  suddenly  seized  with  violent 
hemorrhage  in  his  store  and  died.  Mr.  Seavey  was 
a man  who  carried  into  the  business  transactions  of 
every-day  life  all  the  Christian  virtues,  and  waa 
known,  far  and  wide,  as  the  honest  merchant. 
Messrs.  Fisk  & Fellows  kept  a grocery-store  at  the 
Pine  Ground  from  1830  to  1835.  Mr.  Charles  Hop- 
kinson  also  kept  a store  a while  there.  Henry  Robey 
did  business  for  several  years;  then  Sumner  Spaul- 
ding traded  a while,  when  Joseph  Morse  purchased 
the  store  and  goods  in  1863,  and  has  kept  a country 
store  since.  George  P.  Haines  commenced  trading; 
at  the  Pine  Ground  in  1847,  and  carried  on  the  man- 
ufacture of  matches,  in  connection  with  his  store  for 
several  years ; then  kept  hotel  for  a while ; he  also 
carried  on  quite  an  extensive  shoe  manufacturing  a 
number  of  years,  since  which  time  he  has  continued 
his  store  only.  Mr.  Haines  is  a veteran  merchant, 
having  been  in  trade  longer,  and  sold  more  goods 
than  any  of  his  cotemporaries  or  predecessors,  and 
is  celebrated  throughout  this  section  of  the  county 
for  honesty  and  fair  dealing. 

In  1857  a union  store  building  was  erected  at 
Chichester  Centre,  near  the  Methodist  meeting-house, 
and  Carter  Wilder  kept  a country  store  for  several 
years,  when  John  S.  Drake  bought  the  goods  and 
continued  the  business  for  three  or  four  years,  when 
he  sold  out  to  Jonathan  H.  Leavitt.  Mr.  Leavitt 
remained  in  the  grocery  business  several  years,  when 
Charles  L.  Brown  purchased  the  stock  of  goods  and 
continued  the  business  for  a while.  Next  came  Jon- 
athan Kendall,  Jr.,  sou  of  Jonathan  Kendall,  of 
Lowell,  Mass.,  who  remained  several  years  in  trade, 
when  Augustus  Sheldon  purchased  the  goods  and 
leased  the  store  building.  Mr.  Sheldon  kept  a gro- 
cery-stoi'e  and  also  the  post-office  for  two  or  three 
years,  when  Herbert  T.  Leavitt,  son  of  Hazen  K. 
Leavitt,  came  here  from  Tilton,  N.  H.,  where  he  had 
been  in  successful  business  for  several  years,  and 
purchased  the  stock  in  trade  of  Mr.  Sheldon,  filled 
up  the  store  with  a choice  line  of  groceries  and  dry- 
goods,  and  has  ever  since  done  a flourishing  business 
for  a country  merchant.  Mr.  Leavitt  is  quite  an 
extensive  dealer  in  corn  and  flour,  having  last  year 
leased  a building  erected  for  the  purpose,  at  the  Chi- 
chester railway  station,  for  storing  his  corn,  flour, 
grain  and  other  heavy  goods  which  he  is  constantly 
receiving  from  the  West  by  the  car-load. 

Cemeteries. — There  are  five  public  cemeteries, 
besides  several  private  ones,  in  town.  For  the  first 
fifty  years  of  the  town's  history  the  dead  were  buried 
upon  their  own  land  or  that  of  their  neighbors,  or, 
in  some  cases,  several  families  would  unite  in  inclo- 


252 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


sing  a small  piece  of  ground  for  a cemetery.  One  of 
these  is  located  on  Brown’s  Hill,  in  the  north  part  of 
the  town,  in  which  many  of  the  early  settlers  in  that 
section  of  the  town  are  buried.  We  find  that  one 
hundred  or  more  are  buried  in  this  cemetery.  Many 
of  these  graves  will  forever  remain  unknown,  as  no 
marked  stone  has  been  erected.  In  fact,  we  find 
upon  no  grave-stone  in  town  an  earlier  date  than 
1804,  and  this  upon  the  grave-stone  of  Jonathan 
Leavitt,  Esq.  Another  cemetery  is  located  near  the 
hearse-house,  on  Canterbury  road,  in  which  were 
buried  several  of  the  early  settlers  of  the  town.  The 
first  settled  minister  of  the  town,  and  several  mem- 
bers of  his  family,  including  Hon.  David  M.  Carpen- 
ter, were  buried  here,  and  a fine  marble  monument 
marks  their  final  resting-place.  Very  few  persons 
have  been  buried  here  during  the  past  forty  years. 
Another  cemetery  is  located  near  the  former  resi- 
dence of  H.  C.  Knowlton,  Esq.,  in  which  were  buried 
the  early  settlers  of  that  section  of  the  town, — the 
Leavitts,  the  Lanes,  the  Staniels  and  others.  The 
yard  has  recently  been  enlarged  and  improved.  The 
town  cemetery,  situated  at  the  Pine  Ground  (so 
called),  containing  two  acres,  was  set  apart  by  the 
town  for  a public  burial-place,  and  is  one  of  the  most 
suitable  locations  for  such  a purpose  to  be  found  in 
town.  There  are  over  one  hundred  and  fifty  persons 
buried  here,  a large  proportion  of  whom  have  died 
within  the  last  twenty-five  years;  and  about  a dozen 
marble  and  granite  monuments  are  erected.  Among 
the  most  expensive  and  beautiful,  are  the  granite 
ones  erected  by  Charles  H.  Carpenter,  Esq.,  and 
Charles  C.  Shaw,  Esq.  Reuben  Lake  and  the  Hook 
family  have  fine  marble  monuments. 

The  new  cemetery,  situated  on  a beautiful  swell  of 
land,  a few  rods  west  of  the  Methodist  Church  in 
Chichester,  was  built  by  a stock  company  incorpo- 
rated at  the  session  of  the  Legislature  in  1854.  The 
original  stockholders  were  Hazen  K.  Leavitt,  Solo- 
mon Leavitt,  Jacob  P.  Leavitt,  Benjamin  F.  Leavitt, 
G.  AY.  West,  Moses  AV.  Page,  Richard  Locke,  True 
Sanborn,  True  Sanborn,  Jr.,  and  Benning  Sanborn. 
This  company  purchased  several  acres  of  land,  in- 
closed it  with  a neat  and  substantial  fence,  constructed 
a beautiful  drive-way  across  a valley  to  it,  divided  it 
off  into  lots,  set  out  shade-trees  and  otherwise  im- 
proved it.  Many  of  the  lots  have  been  sold,  and  one 
hundred  and  thirty  persons  of  all  ages  are  buried  here. 
Some  very  fine  monuments  have  recently  been 
erected,  notably  those  of  Hazen  K.  Leavitt  and 
Benning  Sanborn. 

The  following  persons  paid  taxes  to  the  amount  of  ‘ 


ten  dollars  and 

over  in  1812: 

John  Berry  .... 

. . . $10.97 

Jonathan  Leavitt  . . . 

. . $10.89 

Peter  Hook 

. . . 19.40 

Edmund  R.  Leavitt  . 

. . 14.91 

James  Hook  .... 

. . . 15.40 

Samuel  Sargent  .... 

Malachi  Haines  . . 

. . . 11.06 

Thomas  Lake 

. . 13.44 

Joshua  Lane  .... 

. . . 12.76 

Abram  True 

. . 11.17 

Jeremiah  Lane  . . 

. . . 11.69 

Samuel  Langley  .... 

. . 15.88 

William  Lake  . . . 

John  T.  Leavitt  .... 

. . 11.30 

John  Maxfield  . . 

$11.70 

Caleb  Pearson  . . . 

....  §10.66 

Ebenezer  Lane  . 

Jacob  Stanyan  . . . 

....  10.47 

David  Miller  . . 

12.96 

Jobiuh  Shaw  .... 

. . . . 11.27 

Micjyah  Morrill  . 

13.03 

John  Stanyan  . . . 

. . . . 12.73 

Stephen  Perkins  . 

12.26 

David  Brown  . . . 

....  12.34 

The  following  persons  paid  taxes  to  the 
ten  dollars  and  upwards  in  1820 : 

amount  of 

Abram  True  . . . 

$10.27 

Benjamin  Shaw  . . 

....  $11.20 

Moses  Seavey  . . 

10.61 

Jeremiah  Sanborn  . 

. . . . 11.00 

John  Stanyan  . . 

11.49 

Caleb  Parker  . . . 

....  10.27 

Stephen  Perkins  . 

1O.90 

Samuel  Langley  . . 

John  T.  Leavitt  . 

10.41 

Jonathan  Leavitt  . 

. . . . 11.32 

Thomas  Lake  . . 

12.55 

William  Lake  . . . 

....  18.48 

Simeon  Lane  . . 

Jeremiah  Lane  . . 

....  14.35 

Joshua  Laue  . . 

Philip  C.  Kelley.  . 

....  13.74 

Amasa  Kelley  . . 

Malachi  Haines  . . 

. . . . 11.27 

James  Hook  . . . 

11.26 

Peter  Hook  .... 

David  Brown  . . 
James  Blake  . . 

11.78 

James  Brown  . . . 

....  10.72 

The  following  persons  paid  taxes  to  the  amount  of 
ten  dollars  and  over  in  1830: 


James  Blake $13.52  j Peter  Hook $20.12 

David  M.  Carpenter  ....  10.fi9  William  Lake 13.97 

Samuel  Langley 11.32  Stephen  Perkins 11  61 

Jacob  Perkins 13.33 

The  following  persons  paid  taxes  to  the  amount  of 
ten  dollars  in  1840  : 


John  Berry 

Peter  Hook  . . . 

$20.12 

James  M.  Blake  . . . . 

Jeremiah  Lane  . 

....  11.50 

David  M.  Carpenter  . . 

. . 19.54 

Isaiah  Lane  . . . 

Abram  Drake 

. . 10.83 

William  Lake  . . 

16.88 

I.  C.  Greenough  . . . . 

Thomas  Lake  . . 

11.13 

John  Lake 

J.  N.  C.  Leavitt  . 

11.27 

John  Lake  (2d)  . . . . 

. . 10.99 

Jacob  Perkins  . . 

20.62 

David  P.  Shaw  . . . . 

. . 11.69 

Johu  True  . . . 

. • . . . 13.73 

The  following 

persons 

paid  taxes  in 

1850  to  the 

amount  of  ten  dollar 

James  Brown 

s : 

Joshua  Lane 

. .$11.41 

Thomas  Berry 

11.32 

Moses  G.  Lane 

. . 13.53 

Nathaniel  Bachelder  . . • 

10.57 

Isaiah  Lane 

James  Blake 

12.76 

Edward  Langmaid.  . . 

. . 11.18 

Charles  H.  Carpenter.  . . . 

12.42 

William  Lake 

. . 21.15 

Abram  Drake 

ln.85 

John  Lake 

. . 12.26 

Edward  Edmunds 

12.17 

True  Lake  

Nathaniel  Edgerly 

10.11 

J.  N.  C.  Leavitt  .... 

. . 15.20 

Jesse  Garvin 

12.08 

Richard  Locke  . . . . 

. . 17.91 

Wilson  D.  Garvin 

11.85 

Harris  Marden 

. . 11.08 

Joseph  C.  Greenough  . . . 

22.13 

Nathan  Marden  . . . . 

. . 11.35 

Peter  J.  Hook 

23.06 

Daniel  P.  Maxfield  . . 

. . 10.43 

Malachi  Haines 

12.31 

Robert  Munsey  .... 

. . 10.51 

Chandler  Hutchinson  . . . 

14.37 

Nathaniel  Messer  . . . 

. . 12.08 

Benjamin  Kaime 

10.27 

Jacob  Perkins 

Stephen  Perkins,  Jr  ...  . 

24.32 

Stephen  Perkins  .... 

. . 14.88 

David  P.  Shaw 

20.70 

William  Swain  .... 

. . 10.80 

John  Shaw 

10.64 

Abram  Stanyan  . . . . 

. . 11.51 

Samuel  Stanyan 

12.66 

J.  S.  Staniels 

. . 10.79 

Simeon  Stevens 

10.50 

The  following  persons  paid  twenty-five  dollars  taxes 


in  1860: 


Thomas  Berry 

$29.04 

J.  C.  Greenough  . . 

. . . .$32.18 

Charles  H.  Carpenter.  . . 

76.65 

Stephen  Perkins  . . 

....  72.21 

The  following  persons  paid  taxes  to  the 
fifty  dollars  in  1870: 

amount  of 

S.  Ambrose  Brown  . . . 

$56.07 

L.  A.  Foster .... 

. . . . $54.81 

Thomas  Berry 

104.24 

William  Lake  . . . 

....  72.07 

Charles  H.  Carpenter  . . 

272  50 

M.  R.  Lake  .... 

Chandler  Hutchinson  . . 

50.50 

Josiah  Lake  .... 

E.  Langmaid 

52.12 

Nathan  Marden  . . 

....  50.85 

Samuel  W.  Langmaid  . . 

66.86 

Oliver  Messer  . . . 

John  Shaw 

69.55 

Stephen  Perkins  . . 

....  139.40 

J.  S.  Sanborn 

64.01 

Benjamin  Shaw  . 

....  60.05 

CHICHESTER. 


253 


The  following  persons  paid  taxes  to  the  amount  of 


fifty  dollars  in  1880  : 


Thomas  Berry $73.00 

Joeiali  Lake 60.18 

Stephen  Perkins 99.40 

Benjamin  Shaw 55.46 

Joseph  Moore 68.96 

Isaiah  Lane 50.60 


Charles  H.  Carpenter  . . . $396.42 

Charles  Lake 123.26 

John  Shaw 68.36 

J.  S.  Sanborn 53.00 

Samuel  W.  Langmaid  . . . 50.46 


1845. — Amount  of  money  tax,  $1375.19  ; school  money,  $363.22  ; poll 
tax,  $1.73  : salaries  of  town  officers,  $94.18. 

1850. — Amount  of  money  taxes,  $1532.54  ; school  money,  $370.83 ; 
poll  tax,  $1.75;  salaries  of  town  officers,  $111.37. 

1860. — Amount  of  money  taxes,  $1887.03 ; school  money,  $626.32 ; 
poll  tax,  $1.39  ; salaries  of  town  officers,  $123.06. 

1870. — Amount  of  money  taxes,  $5934.76;  school  money,  $604.80; 
poll  tax,  $3.00 ; salaries  of  town  officers,  $283.70. 

1880. — Amount  of  money  taxes,  $4867.86;  school  money,  $726.38; 
poll  tax,  $1.62  ; salaries  of  town  officers,  $356.75. 

1884. — Amount  of  money  taxes.  $3833.43  ; poll  tax,  $1.26  ; salaries  of 
town  officers,  $279.92  ; amount  of  school  money,  $907.03,  divided  among 
the  several  school  districts  as  follows : District  No.  1,  $127.77 ; No.  2, 
>125.18  ; No.  4,  $115.24  ; No.  5,  $105.76  ; No.  6,  $178.31  ; No.  7,  $63.03  ; 
No.  8,  $139.16  ; No.  9,  $52.58. 

Town  property  ; Town-house  at  cost,  $475  ; hearse-house  and  hearse, 
$500. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


CHARLES  H.  CARPENTER. 

Charles  H.  Carpenter  was  born  in  Chichester,  De- 
cember 18,  1818.  He  had  an  illustrious  and  patri- 
otic ancestry,  which  is  traced  in  a direct  line  to  Wil- 
liam Carpenter,  who  emigrated  from  England  in 
1638,  and  settled  in  Weymouth,  Mass.  From  his  son 
Joseph  the  line  of  descent  is  easily  traced  to  Josiah, 
the  grandfather  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  who  was 
born  in  Stratford,  Conn.,  October  6,  1762.  Though 
but  fourteen  years  of  age  at  the  breaking  out  of  the 
War  of  the  Revolution,  himself  and  three  brothers 
served  in  the  patriot  army,  and  one  of  the  brothers 
was  killed  at  Roxbury  Neck.  After  the  war  Josiah 
entered  Dartmouth  College  and  graduated  in  the  class 
of  1787.  He  then  studied  for  the  ministry,  and  on 
November  2,  1791,  he  wras  installed  as  pastor  to  the 
first  organized  Congregational  Church  in  Chichester, 
where  he  remained  for  nearly  forty  years,  when  he 
died,  beloved  and  respected  by  all.  He  ever  labored 
earnestly  and  diligently  for  the  public  good,  and  was 
highly  esteemed  as  a citizen  and  minister  of  the  gos- 
pel. He  married,  April  13,  1790,  Hannah  Morrill,  of 
Canterbury.  They  had  six  children,  David  Morrill 
being  the  second  one.  He  was  the  father  of  Charles 
H. 

David  Morrill  Carpenter  was  born  in  Chichester 
November  16,  1793.  He  received  a good  academic 
education  and  commenced  active  business  in  his  na- 
tive town  as  a country  merchant,  and  followed  it, 
with  much  success,  for  a number  of  years.  He  then 
turned  his  attention  to  agriculture,  purchased  an  exten- 
sive farm  and  cultivated  it  for  several  years  in  a most 
successful  manner.  Nothwithstanding  the  constant  de- 


mands of  his  private  occupation,  his  services  were  con- 
stantly claimed  by  his  fellow-citizens,  and  for  twenty- 
five  years  he  held  one  or  more  of  the  various  town  offi- 
ces and  for  several  years  represented  his  native  town  in 
the  State  Legislature.  He  discharged  all  his  official 
duties  with  ability  and  fidelity.  He  also  held  county 
office  as  one  of  the  commissioners  for  Merrimack 
County.  He  was  for  a long  time  one  of  the  directors 
of  the  Mechanics’  Bank  of  Concord,  and  for  more 
than  thirty  years  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  Merrimack 
County  Savings-Bank,  in  the  same  city,  and  rarely 
failed  to  attend  the  weekly  meetings  of  the  boards  of 
both  institutions.  He  was  married,  January  13, 1818, 
to  Mary  Perkins,  daughter  of  Jonathan  Chesley  Per- 
kins, who  settled  in  Loudon  in  1788,  where  he  cleared 
a large  farm  and  became  a prosperous  and  influential 
citizen.  The  children  of  David  M.  and  Mary  (Per- 
kins) Carpenter  were  Charles  H.,  Josiah,  Clara  A., 
Sarah  L.  and  Frank  P.,  besides  two  daughters,  who 
died  in  early  life.  Subsequently,  Mr.  Carpenter  re- 
moved to  Concord,  where  he  died  December  9,  1873, 
his  wife  having  died  seven  years  before,  on  November 
4,  1866,  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight  years.  He  was  a 
man  of  wide  influence  and  universally  respected  in 
the  community  where  he  was  known. 

Charles  H.  Carpenter,  whose  engraving  appears  on 
another  page,  received  a common-school  and  academic 
education.  When  he  was  ten  years  of  age  his  father 
gave  up  his  store  and  bought  a farm  at  Chichester 
Centre,  where  young  Carpenter  remained  till  he  was 
of  age,  working  on  the  farm  summers,  attending 
school  at  other  seasons,  and  teaching  school  for  sev- 
eral winters.  The  homestead  where  he  was  born 
has  since  been  used  as  a parsonage.  Young  Carpen- 
ter possessed  the  military,  patriotic  spirit  of  his  an- 
cestry, and  became  actively  interested  in  military  af- 
fairs while  yet  a young  man.  He  received  a lieuten- 
ant’s commission  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  and  was 
subsequently  commissioned  a captain  in  the  Thirty- 
eighth  Regiment.  He  had  his  company  uniformed, 
and  it  became  au  object  of  much  pride  to  the  young 
captain  as  well  as  to  the  whole  regiment.  When  he 
became  of  age  he  went  to  live  with  his  uncle,  Jacob 
Perkins,  a brother  of  his  mother,  who  lived  on  the 
large  farm  that,  as  it  happened,  Rev.  Josiah  Carpen- 
ter moved  to  in  1791,  and  where  he  lived  until  the 
parsonage  had  been  erected.  Mr.  Carpenter  has  al- 
ways continued  to  reside  there. 

Mr.  Perkins  was  one  of  the  wealthiest  and  most  influ- 
ential citizens  of  the  town  or  county.  He  was  an  active, 
energetic  business  man,  and  accumulated  considerable 
property  for  those  times.  Although  he  carried  on  a 
large  farm,  his  principal  business  was  in  connection 
with  trading  and  financial  matters,  and  he  largely 
engaged  in  the  cattle  business,  buying  in  Northern 
New  Hampshire  and  Vermont  and  driving  them  on 
foot  over  the  Indian  trail  by  Baker’s  River  and  the 
valley  of  the  Pemigewassett  and  along  the  turnpikes 
and  highways  to  a market  at  Brighton.  Behind  large 


254 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


droves  of  cattle,  young  Carpenter  would  walk  from 
beyond  Montpelier  to  Boston,  gaining  health  and 
strength  with  everyday’s  exertion,  and  strengthening 
and  improving  a naturally  good  constitution. 

When  the  Pittsfield  Bank  was  formed,  in  1851,  Mr. 
Carpenter  was  chosen  its  cashier  and  acceptably  held 
the  position  for  about  five  years,  when  Mr.  Perkins’ 
failing  health  compelled  him  to  resign  his  position 
and  devote  a larger  share  of  his  time  to  the  duties  at 
his  home  in  Chichester.  He  has  always  maintained 
a connection  with  the  Pittsfield  Bank,  either  as  cash- 
ier, director  or  president,  having  held  the  latter  office 
since  1870. 

For  the  last  thirty  years  Mr.  Carpenter  has  been 
placed  in  responsible  positions  in  the  interests  of  the 
town.  He  was  called  to  represent  the  town  in  the 
State  Legislature  in  the  years  1855  and  1856,  and  ac- 
quitted himself  with  honor  and  credit.  He  is  a life- 
long Democrat,  and  has  ever  taken  a deep  interest  in 
national  affairs,  always  anxious  that  true  men  should 
triumph  and  right  measures  prevail.  During  the 
trying  days  of  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  he  stood 
manfully  at  the  helm  in  directing  the  affairs  of  the 
town,  providing  the  town’s  quota  of  troops  and  meet- 
ing the  extraordinary  burdens  which  the  war  pro- 
duced. During  nearly  all  those  years  he  served  as 
chairman  of  the  Board  of  Selectmen  and  town  treas- 
urer, and  received  all  the  money  paid  into  the  town, 
and  disbursed  the  same  with  rigid  honesty  and 
correctness.  He  was  one  of  the  projectors  of  the 
Suncook  Valley  Railroad.  He  contributed  of  his 
means  to  the  first  survey  of  its  route,  was  actively 
interested  in  locating  and  building  it,  and  contributed 
five  hundred  dollars  of  his  private  means  towards  its 
completion,  and  has  served  on  its  board  of  directors 
since  its  organization,  where  his  judgment  and  busi- 
ness experience  have  proved  of  value  to  the  interests 
of  the  corporation. 

Mr.  Carpenter  has  a model  farm  in  the  rich  valley 
of  the  Suncook, — the  homestead  farm,  consisting  of 
seven  hundred  broad  acres  in  one  body,  with  over 
one  thousand  acres  in  woodland  and  pasturage  out 
lying.  He  cuts  one  hundred  and  fifty  tons  of  hay 
and  winters  one  hundred  head  of  choice  cattle.  For 
the  past  twenty  years  a cross  between  the  Devon  and 
Durham  has  been  his  favorite  breed  of  stock,  aud  his 
beef  animals  find  a ready  market  at  good  prices. 
Though  he  has  carried  on  farm  operations  extensively, 
he  is  largely  engaged  in  financial  matters  and  in 
trading  in  live  stock,  besides  doing  a large  lumber 
business,  buying  on  the  stump  and  manufacturing 
and  handling  annually  large  amounts  of  lumber. 
He  has  large  interests  in  Pittsfield,  where  he  has  in- 
vested considerably  in  real  estate.  He  was  actively 
interested  in  starting  the  Pittsfield  Aqueduct  Com- 
pany, and  holds  much  of  the  stock,  and  he  is  part 
owner  of  the  New  Opera-House  Block.  He  was  one 
of  the  promoters  of  the  Farmers’  Savings-Bank  of 
Pittsfield,  chartered  in  1883,  and  is  one  of  its  trustees. 


His  farm  buildings  are  models  in  their  way,  being 
among  the  finest  in  the  State.  His  residence  is  newly 
erected,  spacious  and  elegant,  commanding  a fine 
view.  With  all  his  business  and  multitudinous  cares 
he  finds  time  to  entertain  his  friends  and  give  valu- 
able advice  and  counsel  to  many  who  often  seek  it 
from  a man  of  his  large  business  experience  aud 
ripened  judgment. 

Mr.  Carpenter  is  an  active  member  of  the  Congre- 
gational Society,  though  he  has  never  connected 
himself  with  the  church.  He  takes  a deep  interest 
in  its  affairs,  and  contributes  liberally  for  preaching 
the  gospel  and  forwarding  its  philanthropic  works. 

Mr.  Carpenter  married  Joanna  Maxfield,  the 
adopted  daughter  of  his  uncle,  on  October  28,  1841. 
She  died  July  5,  1882.  She  was  noted  for  her  gener- 
osity and  hospitality.  She  was  an  exemplary  wife, 
an  efficient  help  and  adviser  to  her  husband  and  a 
tender  and  loving  mother  to  her  children,  of  whom  there 
were  five,  viz. : John  T.,  Mary  J.,  Electa  A.,  Sally  P. 
and  Clara  A. 

The  Carpenter  family  has  been  prominent  in  the 
political,  social  and  business  circles  of  Chichester  and 
the  county  of  Merrimack  for  three  generations. 
They  have  been  the  leading  citizens  of  the  town, 
strong,  energetic  and  successful. 

Charles  H.  has  done  his  full  share  towards  helping 
achieve  this  reputation  for  the  family  name. 


CHARLES  C.  SHAW. 

The  first  of  the  Shaw  family  in  Chichester  was 
Benjamin  Shaw,  who  was  born  in  Hampton,  N.  H., 
December  25,  1766,  and  came  to  Chichester  when  a 
young  man.  He  was  twice  married — first  to  Abigail 
Paige,  who  was  born  1773  and  died  January  17,  1831. 
She  had  two  children — John  and  David  P.  John 
died  March  6,  1819.  Benjamin  married  as  his  second 
wife  Ruth  Sherburne.  She  died  May  4, 1849,  leaving 
no  issue.  In  politics  Mr.  Shaw  was  a Democrat. 
He  was  a member  of  the  Congregational  Church  of 
Chichester. 

David  P.  Shaw  was  born  May  27,  1797 ; was  edu- 
cated at  the  common  schools  of  Chichester  and  at 
Pembroke  Academy.  He  married  Clarissa,  daughter 
of  Rev.  Josiah  and  Hannah  (Morrill)  Carpenter,  of 
Chichester. 

Rev.  Josiah  Carpenter  was  a native  of  Connecticut ; 
born  October  6,  1762.  He  came  to  New  Hampshire 
and  was  installed  first  pastor  of  the  First  Congrega- 
tional Church  of  Chichester,  aud  retained  that  pas- 
torate for  a period  of  nearly  forty  years.  He  married 
Hannah  Morrill,  of  Canterbury,  April  13,  1790. 

David  P.  Shaw  was  much  interested  in  militia  mat- 
ters, and  was  appointed,  April  17, 1826,  captain  of  mi- 
litia in  the  Thirty-eighth  New  Hampshire  Regiment. 
He  also  served  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  was  stationed 
at  Portsmouth.  He  was  like  his  father,  a member  of 
the  Congregational  Church  and  a Democrat. 


CHICHESTER. 


255 


He  married  Clarissa  Carpenter,  October  16,  1823. 
Their  children  were:  John,  Josiah  C.,  David  C., 
Charles  C.  and  Benjamin.  Josiah  C.  and  David  C. 
live  in  Concord,  while  John,  Charles  C.  and  Benja- 
min own  large  farms  in  Chichester,  on  which  they 
reside. 

Charles  C.,  the  fourth  son  of  David  P.  and  Clarissa, 
was  born  at  the  old  Shaw  homestead  in  Chichester 
May  4,  1830.  He  received  his  education  at  common 
school  and  at  New  Hampshire  Seminary,  at  Sanborn- 
ton  Bridge  (now  Tilton),  N.  H. 

He  learned  the  trade  of  machinist  and  was  em- 
ployed in  that  capacity  in  the  Concord  Railroad  shops 
nine  years.  Previous  to  this — in  the  years  1851  to 
1853,  inclusive — he  was  employed  as  a machinist  in 
Sandusky,  Ohio.  Returning  to  Concord,  he  remained 
there  until  1862,  when  the  declining  health  of  his 
aged  parents  induced  him  to  return  to  the  ancestral 
home  and  assume  their  care — a duty  which  he  faith- 
fully performed  to  the  close  of  their  lives.  Mrs. 
Shaw  died  November  9,  1881,  and  Mr.  Shawr,  April  2, 
1884. 

Charles  C.  married  Sophia  F.,  daughter  of  Hon. 
Aaron  and  Arieannah  S.  (Barstow)  Whittemore,  of 
Pembroke,  N.  H.,  June  2,  1861.  They  have  one 
(adopted)  son,  John  Langdon. 

Mr.  Shaw  is  one  of  the  most  prosperous  farmers 
and  most  highly  respected  citizens  of  Chichester. 
He  is  a large  owner  of  real  estate,  and,  in  addition  to 
his  farming  operations,  has  been  engaged  several  years 
in  lumbering.  He  has  served  as  justice  of  the  peace 
several  years  ; was  selectman  of  his  town  in  1869  and 
1870,  and  November  4,  1884,  he  was  elected  from 
Chichester  to  represent  the  town  in  the  State  Legis- 
lature. In  politics  he  has  not  departed  from  the 
faith  of  his  fathers,  but  is  an  earnest  Democrat.  He 
attends  the  Congregational  Church.  He  is  of  an 
earnest,  sanguine  temperament,  active,  pushing  and 
enterprising,  and  is  one  of  the  solid,  successful  men 
of  his  town. 


HOSEA  CHASE  KXOWLTON. 

Hosea  Chase  Knowlton,  whose  portrait,  which 
accompanies  this  sketch  of  his  life,  was  taken  when 
he  was  in  the  eighty-seventh  year  of  his  age,  was 
born  in  Northwood,  county  of  Rockingham,  State  of 
New  Hampshire,  March  31,  1799.  He  comes  of  a 
hardy,  long-lived  family ; was  one  of  nine  children, 
himself  being  the  seventh,  and  on  the  paternal  side 
is  of  English  descent.  His  grandfather,  Thomas 
Knowlton,  came  from  England  to  Portsmouth  and 
settled  in  Hampton,  afterwards  in  Kensington,  and 
in  1769  moved  with  his  family  to  Northwood,  where 
he  was  one  of  the  first  pioneers  and  settlers  ; that 
region,  until  his  day,  being  a wild,  unbroken  forest, 

Ebenezer,  the  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
at  the  time  of  this  removal  to  Northwood,  was  about 
ten  years  of  age,  and  fifteen  years  later,  in  1784,  then 


at  the  age  of  twenty-five,  he  married  Elizabeth  Raw- 
lins, of  Vermont,  built  a log  cabin  on  his  fifty-acre 
lot  of  wild  land  in  Northwood,  a short  distance  from 
his  father’s,  commenced  clearing,  and  in  time  had  it 
converted  into  a productive  farm,  with  improved  and 
substantial  buildings.  Upon  this  farm  Hosea  C.  was 
born,  and  here  he  worked  as  a farm-boy  until  the  age 
of  sixteen,  receiving  in  the  meantime  the  facilities  and 
privileges  of  the  district  school,  which,  at  this  early 
period,  was  limited  to  yearly  terms  of  but  three 
months.  He  then  desired  of  his  father  aid  in  ac- 
quiring an  academical  education.  But  his  father 
refused  all  help,  though  he  gave  him  liberty  to  go 
and  try  his  fortunes  at  any  institution  he  pleased  on 
his  own  responsibility.  Hosea  readily  accepted  this 
condition,  and  on  the  morning  of  April  10, 1816,  with 
his  little  pack  of  clothes  and  not  a dollar  in  cash  nor 
promise  of  help  from  any  one,  he  started  afoot  and 
alone  to  Hampton,  a distance  of  thirty  miles,  and 
there  procured  a boarding-place  with  Mr.  Simeon 
Shaw,  and  entered  the  academy.  Being  penniless,  he 
borrowed  money  of  his  new-found  friend,  Mr.  Shaw, 
with  which  to  purchase  books  and  pay  his  tuition, 
and  this  money,  together  with  his  board-bill,  was  due 
Mr.  Shaw  when  Hosea  was  through  at  the  institution. 
Soon  after  this  academical  term  at  Hampton  he  com- 
menced teaching  school  in  the  town  of  Brentwood, 
where  he  taught  four  months  at  twelve  dollars  per 
month,  eagerly  pursued  his  private  studies  in  his 
spare  time,  received  his  forty-eight  dollars,  returned 
to  Hampton  and  applied  it  in  payment  of  his  obliga- 
tions to  his  kind  benefactor,  Mr.  Shaw. 

In  the  month  of  April,  1817,  he  commenced  teach- 
ing in  the  town  of  Kensington  a term  of  ten  months, 
and  at  the  close  of  his  school  entered  the  Academical 
Institution  at  Newmarket,  under  the  care  and  tuition 
of  Martin  Reuter  as  principal  and  Moses  White  as- 
sistant, and  there  completed  his  English  studies, 
attending  especially  to  trigonometry  and  the  art  of 
surveying. 

In  the  following  April,  1818,  he  returned  to  Kens- 
ington, where  he  resumed  and  followed  teaching  for 
two  years,  a calling  for  which,  by  natural  gifts  and 
acquirements,  he  was  eminently  adapted  and  fitted. 
He  then  engaged  himself  for  one  year  as  clerk  in  the 
store  of  Ebenezer  Coe,  of  Northwood;  but  he  loved 
the  school-room,  and  in  the  next  two  years  was  en- 
gaged in  teaching  in  his  native  town  of  Northwood. 

For  one  year,  about  1823-24,  he  was  employed  as 
book-keeper  and  clerk  with  Captain  Obadiah  Wright, 
a retired  sea-captain,  in  a wholesale  store  of  general 
merchandise,  on  Long  Wharf,  Boston,  where  he  gave 
the  highest  satisfaction  to  his  employer,  and  could 
have  remained  at  increased  wages;  but  he  returned 
to  Northwood,  where  for  some  years  he  followed 
school-teaching  and  farming. 

For  two  years — 1832-33 — he  was  employed  as  head 
clerk  in  the  counting-room  of  Hon.  Isaac  and  Horatio 
Hill,  editors  and  publishers  at  Concord.  Here,  aside 


256 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


from  his  official  hours  in  the  counting-room,  he  edited 
and  compiled  “ Welch’s  Revised  Arithmetic,”  which, 
in  the  vastly  improved  edition,  found  great  accept- 
ance with  the  best  teachers  of  New  England. 

May  26,  1825,  he  married  Betsey  Seavey,  daughter 
of  Moses  Seavey,  Esq.,  of  Chichester,  and  resided  at 
Northwood  (except  his  two  years’  counting-room  ser- 
vice at  Concord)  till  the  autumn  of  1834,  when  he 
purchased  the  right  and  interest  of  the  heirs  to  the 
estate  of  his  father-in-law,  in  Chichester,  and  moved 
upon  this  farm  with  his  family  that  same  fall  of  1834. 
Here  he  not  only  actively  and  successfully  worked 
his  farm  and  improved  his  home,  hut  for  a number  of 
years  taught  school  winters,  and  in  all  public  and 
educational  matters  ever  took  a prominent,  active  in- 
terest. 

In  1832,  while  in  the  employ  of  the  Hill  Brothers, 
at  Concord,  he  was  duly  appointed  justice  of  the 
peace,  and  by  regular  renewals  of  his  commission 
has  held  this  office  continuously  to  the  present 
writing, — a period  of  fifty-three  years.  His  services 
as  a most  reliable  and  accurate  surveyor  of  land  were 
largely  sought,  not  only  in  Chichester,  but  also  in  all 
the  adjacent  towns.  He  served  twelve  years  on  the 
Board  of  Selectmen  and  as  town  treasurer,  five  years 
as  town  clerk,  two  years  as  representative  in  the  State 
Legislature  and  two  years  as  county  commissioner. 
Besides  these  positions  of  public  trust  and  confidence, 
ever  most  faithfully  and  ably  filled,  he  executed  a 
great  many  deeds,  wills  and  other  public  and  private 
documents,  was  executor  and  administrator  of  nu- 
merous estates,  and  all  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of 
all  his  patrons.  He  had  horn  to  him  four  children, 
— Eben,  Melissa,  Alonzo  and  Sallie  S.,  only  the  latter 
of  whom  survives. 

His  estimable  wife,  Betsey,  died  December  1,  1861, 
and  on  January  1,  1863,  he  married  Adaline  B.  Sher- 
burne, relict  of  Uriah  Sherburne,  late  of  Chichester. 

By  energy,  economy,  fidelity  and  perseverance  he 
has  acquired  a very  respectable  competence,  the  com- 
forts and  benefits  of  which  he  lives  to  enjoy  in  a good 
degree  of  health,  at  the  advanced  age  of  nearly  eighty- 
seven  years. 

Religiously,  he  is  of  the  Congregational  faith,  and 
a professor;  a Democrat  politically.  His  first  Presi- 
dential vote  was  cast  for  James  Monroe,  and  every 
Democratic  candidate  for  the  Presidency  since,  to  the 
election  of  Grover  Cleveland,  has  unwaveringly  re- 
ceived the  aid  of  his  vote.  Yet, — 

“ I am  not  old,  though  my  friends  and  my  foes 
Alike  have  gone  to  their  graves  ; 

And  left  me  behind  to  my  joys  and  my  woes, 

Like  a ship  in  the  midst  of  the  waves. 

For  youthful  memories  round  me  throng, 

Old  times,  and  manners,  and  men, 

As  I look  away  on  my  journey  so  long 
Of  near  four-score  years  and  ten. 

I look  back  o’er  the  past  and  my  life  seems  a dream  ; 

A strange,  tweet  dream  forsooth, 

For  old  as  I am  and  old  as  I seem, 

My  heart  is  full  of  youth.” 


OLIVER  DRAKE. 

The  family  of  Drake  is  of  Saxon  origin  and  one  of 
great  antiquity,  extending  back  previous  to  the  time 
of  the  Norman  conquest  of  England. 

Adown  the  centuries  some  references  to  the  name 
have  survived  the  general  wreck  of  time. 

As  early  as  the  year  1272  one  John  Drake  is  re- 
corded as  holding  lands  by  grant  from  Edward  I.  of 
England.  In  1313,  Edward  II.  gave  permission  to 
John  Drake  “ to  go  beyond  sea.”  Other  ancient  mem- 
bers of  the  family  by  the  name  of  John  are  men- 
tioned in  history. 

The  name  of  Robert  was  also  a very  prominent  one 
among  the  Drakes.  On  April  23,  1556,  one  Robert, 
minister  of  Thundersby,  in  Essex,  England,  with  five 
others,  suffered  martyrdom  by  burning  at  the  stake 
in  Smithfield,  in  the  reign  of  Mary.  His  memorable 
reply  to  the  bishop,  when  exhorted  to  renounce  his 
heresy,  was  in  these  decisive  words, — “ As  for  your 
church  of  Rome,  I utterly  deny  and  defy  it,  with  all 
the  works  thereof;  even  as  I deny  the  Devil  and  all 
his  works.” 

He  then  had  laid  nearly  a year  in  prison,  and  im- 
mediately thereafter  was  ordered  to  execution. 

English  records  also  contain  various  titled  names 
of  Drake,  as  Sir  John  Drake,  of  Ashe,  in  1360;  and, 
in  later  years,  Admiral  Sir  Francis  Drake,  who  cir- 
cumnavigated the  globe  when  English  navigation  was 
comparatively  in  its  infancy.  His  father’s  name  was 
Robert,  Sir  Francis  being  one  of  twelve  brothers, 
most  of  whom  followed  the  sea  and  died  in  foreign 
parts.  Several  other  Drakes  have  also  been  named 
Robert. 

Among  the  illustrious  Drakes  of  England  may  be 
mentioned  Samuel  Drake,  D.D.,  of  eminent  literary 
attainments,  who  died  in  1673,  and  whose  equally 
eminent  son  edited  Archbishop  Parker's  works  ; also 
Roger  Drake,  D.D.,  of  St.  Peter’s,  London,  an  author 
and  most  excellent  man,  who  suffered  much  for  his 
non-conformity;  Francis  Drake,  M.D.,  surgeon  of 
York,  F.R.S.,  and  who  was  a great  antiquary  ; 
Nathan  Drake,  M.D.,  of  Hadleigh,  in  Suffolk,  the 
well-known  essayist  and  most  skillful  and  successful 
annotator  and  biographer  of  Shakspeare  ; and  before 
him  in  point  of  time  was  Dr.  James  Drake,  F.R.S., 
whose  discoveries  in  anatomy  are  not  surpassed  in 
importance  to  those  of  Hervey. 

From  this  old  English  stock,  notably  a branch  of 
the  family  of  Ashe,  came  John  Drake,  a member  of 
the  Council  of  Plymouth,  England,  who  was  one  of 
the  original  company  established*  by  King  James,  in 
1606,  for  settling  New  England,  and  from  whom 
sprang  most,  if  not  all,  the  earlier  families  of  Drake 
in  America.  Several  of  his  sons  came  to  this  coun- 
try. It  is  known  that  one  of  them,  John,  reached 
Boston  in  1630,  with  two  or  more  sons,  who  fin- 
ally settled  in  Windsor,  Conn. 

Also,  Robert,  brother  of  John,  with  two  or  more  sons 
and  one  daughter,  who  was  settled  in  Exeter  some  time 


CHICHESTER. 


257 


prior  to  1643;  for  that  year  the  name  of  Abraham 
Drake,  son  of  Robert,  with  twenty  others,  was  signed 
to  a petition  to  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts 
against  the  encroachments  of  settlers,  and  it  is  therein 
set  forth  that  those  people  “ knew  we  long  since  pur- 
chased these  lands  and  quietly  possessed  them.” 

We  can  learn  but  little  of  Robert  Drake’s  personal 
history,  except  that  he  was  born  in  Devon,  England, 
in  1580  ; came  to  this  country  before  1643  (possibly, 
we  think,  with  his  brother  John  in  1630,  or  with  Rev. 
John  Wheelwright’s  company  in  1638) ; that  March 
15, 1650,  he  bought  of  “ Francis  Peaboddie  house  and 
lands  lying  and  being  within  the  bounds  of  Hamp- 
ton,” and  removed  thereto  from  Exeter  early  in  1651, 
and  acquired  in  Hampton  a considerable  estate ; that 
he  was  then  called  “ auld  Mr.  Drake that  he  left  a 
will — a full  copy  of  which  is  extant — dated  May  5, 
1663 ; that  he  was  a man  of  eminent  piety  and  highly 
respected,  and  “ departed  this  life  ” January  14, 1668,  at 
the  great  age  of  eighty-eight  years.  His  son,  Abraham, 
already  mentioned,  was  also  a very  prominent  man  of 
his  time,  capable  of  any  business,  a good  penman  and 
forward  in  all  public  service.  In  1663  he  was  chosen 
to  lay  out  four  thousand  acres  of  land  “ west  of  Hamp- 
ton bounds  and  away  to  the  great  pond;”  and  in 
1668-69  was  chosen  to  run  the  town  lines ; also  in 
1673  was  appointed  marshal  of  the  county  of  Nor- 
folk, in  which  office  he  probably  continued  till  the 
separation  of  New  Hampshire  from  Massachusetts,  in 
1679.  He  lived  to  a very  advanced  age,  being  alive 
in  1712  and  at  that  time  eighty-four  years  old.  But  the 
year  of  his  death  is  not  definitely  known. 

Dim  and  distant  as  this  early  period  of  New  Eng- 
land may  seem,  it  is  known  that  most,  and  probably 
all,  the  Drakes  of  New  Hampshire  are  the  direct  de- 
scendants of  Robert  Drake  (1),  of  Hampton,  N.  H., 
through  his  son,  Abraham  (2),  already  named,  and  so 
on  in  the  generations  that  have  followed  to  the  pres- 
ent time.  Many  members  of  the  family  name  have 
been  very  prominent  and  leading  citizens  of  their 
times,  in  the  varied  affairs  of  church,  military  and 
civil  life. 

The  generations  of  one  branch  of  the  Drake  family 
in  New  England  have  descended,  as  shown  by  the  in- 
dices, in  the  following  order  : Robert  (1),  Abraham  (2), 
Abraham  (3),  Abraham  (4),  Thomas  (5),  Josiah  (6), 
Thomas  (7),  Oliver  (8). 

Passing  over  the  third  and  fourth  generations,  of 
whom  much  could  be  laudably  written,  we  have  to  say 
of  Thomas  (5)  that  at  some  period  of  his  life  he  was 
settled  in  Epping,  N.  H.,  where  he  owned  lands  ad- 
joining the  farm  of  his  brother  Simon ; but  finally  re- 
moved to  Chichester,— though  in  what  year  the  writer 
has  been  unable  to  determine, — where  he  owned  a 
farm  and  lived  some  years,  and  where  he  died  August 
16,  1816,  aged  eiglity-three  years. 

Josiah  (6),  grandfather  of  Oliver,  was  a life-long 
resident  of  Chichester,  and  succeeded  to  the  farm  of 
his  father  in  the  southeasterly  quarter  of  the  town, 


where  he  led  an  exemplary  life  and  died  August  8, 
1832,  aged  seventy. 

Thomas,  Jr.  (7),  Oliver’s  father,  was  born  in  Chi- 
chester October  12,  1796,  and  reared  to  farm-life, 
which  in  his  day,  even  more  than  now,  implied  hard, 
persevering  labor  and  the  closest  economy.  A few 
years,  however,  in  his  early  manhood  he  worked  at 
last-making  and  nail-cutting  in  Malden,  Mass.  He 
fixed  the  “ Jr.”  to  his  name,  and  was  so  known  by 
his  townsmen,  because  of  another  Thomas  Drake  (a 
senior  cousin  of  his),  who  also  lived  in  Chichester. 
He  was  a careful,  painstaking  man  in  all  he  did,  and 
withal  of  a mechanical,  ingenious  turn  of  mind  ; was 
a great  lover  of  music,  an  excellent  player  on  the 
violoncello  and  had  a rare  musical  voice,  with  which 
he  ever  loved  to  aid  in  the  services  of  the  sanctuary. 
He  was  an  upright,  public-spirited  citizen,  ever  ready 
with  his  share  of  effort  in  the  furtherance  of  any  good 
object  or  purpose.  About  the  year  1829  he  bought 
the  farm  next  south  of  his  father’s  in  Chichester  (now 
owned  by  Mr.  Wilder  Hall,  in  School  District  No.  4), 
and  soon  had  his  future  home  improved  by  the  erec- 
tion of  the  good  buildings  which  have  since  been 
further  improved  and  are  still  thoroughly  preserved. 
He  married  Mehitable  Seavey,  youngest  daughter  of 
Daniel  Seavey,  of  Chichester,  of  Welsh  extraction — a 
man  of  less  than  medium  stature,  but  possessing  a 
genial,  happy  spirit,  and  of  a tough,  hardy  constitu- 
tion, which  prolonged  his  years  in  general  soundness 
of  health  to  the  end  of  his  life,  which  occurred 
December  27,  1853,  at  the  great  age  of  ninety-two 
years  and  eight  months.  They  soon  moved  to 
their  new  home  referred  to,  where  they  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  their  lives,  devoted  to  their  young  and 
growing  family,  which,  in  1839,  when  all  were  living, 
consisted  of  three  sons  and  three  daughters,  and  in 
whose  young  minds  they  sought,  by  precept  and  ex- 
ample, to  inculcate  truthfulness  and  rectitude  of  con- 
duct and  character.  The  parents  lived  and  died  con- 
sistent members  of  the  Congregational  Church.  In 
the  midst  of  his  days  the  father  came  to  his  death  by 
quick  consumption,  April  11,  1844,  aged  forty-seven 
years  and  six  months  ; and  on  November  5,  1847,  the 
devoted  mother  died  of  pleurisy  fever,  also  at  the  age 
of  forty-seven  and  one-half  years. 

Oliver  Drake  was  born  in  Chichester,  Merrimack 
County,  N.  H.,  August  18, 1830,  and,  as  already  shown, 
is  of  the  eighth  generation  of  the  family  name  in  this 
country.  His  brothers  were  Simon  S.  and  Francis, 
though  the  latter  in  his  adult  years  is  called  Frank; 
his  sisters  were  Samantha  T.,  Sallie  and  Joanna  M. 
Two  of  the  family  are  no  longer  of  earth, — Sallie,  who 
died  in  1839,  aged  two  years,  and  Simon  S.,  a most 
estimable  man,  who  died  February  22,  1885,  at  his 
home  in  Vallejo,  Cal.,  in  the  fifty-fourth  year  of  his 
age,  lamented  by  all  who  knew7  him. 

By  the  death  of  their  parents  the  children  were 
called  to  meet  the  stern  realities  of  life  at  an  early, 
untried  age.  Up  to  the  death  of  his  father,  young 


258 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Oliver,  then  thirteen,  had  been  raised  a farm-boy  and 
so  was  inured  to  toil.  By  his  comrades  he  was  called 
a strong  boy,  and  was  seldom  sick  or  ailing.  The  lit- 
tle farm,  at  his  father’s  death  left  to  his  mother,  was 
indeed  a precious  home  for  the  family.  His  brothers 
mainly  did  the  work  at  home  with  their  mother  and 
young  sisters  till  the  mother’s  decease,  while  for  two 
years  Oliver  worked  out  at  farming,  except  winters, 
when  he  was  at  home  attending  the  district  school. 
In  the  spring  of  1847,  the  year  of  his  mother’s  death, 
in  November,  lie  apprenticed  himself  to  Deacon  Jacob 
S.  Sanborn,  of  Chichester,  with  whom  he  faithfully 
worked  and  learned  the  trade  of  shoemaking,  intend- 
ing to  set  up  shop  for  himself  at  the  old  home  with 
his  mother,  when  through  with  his  apprenticeship, 
for  this  w'as  in  an  age  of  shoe  manufacturing,  when 
little  single  and  double-handed  shops  were  scattered 
all  about  this  part  of  the  State,  with  Lynn,  Mass.,  as 
the  head-centre,  and  not,  as  now',  merged  into  the  gen- 
eral factory  system  of  manufacture  writh  machinery.  It 
w'as  then  a leading,  lucrative  trade  for  many  hundreds 
of  young  men  at  their  homes  in  the  country.  But 
the  death  of  his  mother  shattered  the  fond  hopes  of 
Oliver’s  coming  home,  and  so  the  little  family  wyas 
soon  scattered,  and  to  Oliver,  the  oldest  of  the  family, 
there  came  a burden  of  solicitude  and  care  not  often 
experienced  by  one  of  his  age. 

Continuing  his  residence  in  Chichester,  he  follow'ed 
his  trade  steadily  till  December,  1849,  when  he  went 
in  search  of  a better  education  than  he  had  as  ,yet  had 
the  privilege  of  obtaining ; and  his  aim  was  to  do  so 
at  as  small  expenditure  of  his  limited  means  as  possi- 
ble. December,  1849,  found  him  at  the  Walnut  Grove 
Boarding-School  of  the  veteran  teacher,  Moses  A. 
Cartland,  in  Lee,  N.  H.,  a most  excellent  school, 
wholly  unsectarian,  though  rather  of  the  Quaker  per- 
suasion, where  the  willing  mind  was  led  and  vastly 
aided  in  broader,  deeper  channels  of  thought  than 
those  contained  in  the  text-books.  Here  Oliver 
obtained  board  and  tuition  till  the  following 
March,  paying  his  way  by  all  sorts  of  work  nights  and 
mornings,  while  in  all  respects  making  good  progress 
with  his  studies. 

Returning  to  Chichester,  he  w’orked  at  his  trade  till 
December,  1850,  and  then  took  up  his  studies  again 
at  Walnut  Grove  School,  in  Lee,  w'here  he  remained 
continuously  till  August,  1851,  working,  as  before,  for 
his  board  and  tuition  to  the  full  amount,  excepting 
four  dollars,  which  he  thankfully  paid  in  cash.  Octo- 
ber, 1851,  he  commenced  his  first  school  as  teacher  in 
Strafford,  N.  H.,  in  what  was  known  as  the  “ Caverly 
District,”  a term  of  nine  w'eeks  ; and  while  here  he 
was  engaged  by  Prof.  J.  C.  Cram  (the  veteran  singing- 
school  teacher)  to  take  the  school  of  his  district,  in 
Deerfield,  N.  H.  He  commenced  teaching  on  Monday 
following  the  close  of  the  school  at  Strafford,  the  Friday 
previous,  and  taught  the  winter  term  of  eleven  weeks, 
thus  making  for  him  a continuous  run  of  twenty 
weeks.  In  both  of  these  schools  he  met  with  the  hap- 


piest success.  Immediately  following  these,  he  taught 
a private  school  at  the  “ Pine  Ground  ” (so-called),  in 
Chichester. 

A few  w'eeks  later,  while  on  a visit  to  friends  in  Lee, 
Oliver  received  by  letter,  from  his  old  Walnut  Grove 
School  “chum”  and  esteemed  friend,  Benjamin 
i Chase,  Jr.,  of  Auburn, — who  now  for  many  years  has 
been  an  active  citizen  and  prosperous  manufacturer 
in  Derry,  N.  H., — a proposition  that  they  “take  a voy- 
age at  sea.”  They  had  together  read  Dana’s  “ Two 
Years  Before  the  Mast,”  and  in  their  young  enthusi- 
asm had  discussed  many  an  “ ocean  tale,”  till,  with 
their  natural  love  for  adventure,  they  felt  a strong  de- 
sire to  be  upon  the  “ rolling  wave  ” and  tread  another 
shore  across  the  “ocean  blue.” 

The  proposal  of  his  friend  was  readily  accepted.  As 
a matter  of  business  combined  with  their  pleasure 
sought,  and  also  to  learn  about  real  sea-life,  they 
planned  to  go  as  part  of  some  ship’s  crew.  It  would 
have  seemed  too  tame  to  have  gone  otherwise  ; at  all 
events,  one  object  of  the  two  adventurers  was  to  meet 
expenses.  An  able  seaman’s  pay  was  then  fourteen 
dollars  per  month. 

Going  to  Boston  and  donning  their  young  sailor 
rig,  they  at  last  succeeded  in  shipping  as  “boys,”  at 
ten  dollars  per  month,  “ before  the  mast,”  on  the  noble, 
square-rigged,  one-thousand-ton  ship  “William  Wirt,” 
commanded  by  Captain  Erastus  Samson — one  of  “ na- 
ture’s noblemen  ” and  one  of  the  best  officers  that  ever 
trod  a quarter-deck.  The  points  of  destination  were 
not  fully  known  to  the  men  before  sailing,  only  “to 
one  or  more  southern  ports  of  the  United  States, 
thence  to  one  or  more  European  ports.” 

They  set  sail  April  27,  1852,  and  the  voyage  proved 
to  be  to  Mobile,  Ala.,  loading  there  w'ith  cotton, — 
slave  cotton,  no  doubt, — thence  to  Liverpool,  Eng.,  and 
then  returning  to  Boston  with  a load  of  two  hundred 
and  eighty-seven  immigrants,  in  the  old  shipping  line 
of  Enoch  Train,  arriving  in  Boston,  Oct.,  1852.  The 
“ boys’  ” duties  of  course,  were  those  of  common  sailors 
before  the  mast,  with  whom  they  lived  in  the  fore- 
castle and  worked  the  voyage  through.  It  was  to  them 
a new  phase  of  life  with  but  slight  embellishments. 
Resolutions  repeatedly  formed,  however,  during  the 
trip,  not  to  “ follow  the  sea”  as  a calling,  alone  or 
chiefly,  resisted  the  fascination  of  making,  as  sailors 
say,  “ one  more  voyage.”  The  voyage  was  devoid  of 
serious  accident,  but  replete  with  many  a lively  in- 
cident. Lying  six  weeks  in  the  docks  of  Liverpool, 
though  living  and  working  aboard  ship  during  the  day, 
the  privilege  of  evenings  and  Sundays,  and  now  and 
then  a “ liberty  day  ” ashore,  gave  fair  opportunity  for 
seeing  much  of  English  life  and  considerable  of  its 
scenery. 

Returning  to  Chichester  from  his  sea-voyage,  Oliver 
was  soon  called  by  his  old  teacher,  Moses  A.  Cartland,  to 
assist  him  in  a school  that  he  had  recently  opened  in 
North  Weare,  N.  H.  Here  Oliver  remained  most  of 
that  winter  (1852-53)  and  spring,  pushing  on  with  his 


CHICHESTER. 


259 


own  studies  as  well  as  acting  as  tutor  in  the  school. 
With  an  aptness  for  learning,  a great  love  of  study 
has  been  a marked  feature  of  his  life.  The  following 
May  (1853)  he  became  a student  at  the  New  Hamp- 
shire Conference  Seminary,  at  Northfield  (since  moved 
across  the  river  to  Tilton),  and  continued  here  till  the 
close  of  the  fall  term,  November  9, 1853,  when  he  took 
a very  creditable  part  in  the  examination  exercises. 
He  was  a member  of  the  V.  A.  S.  Association  (a  lit- 
erary society  of  the  seminary),  and  was  ever  an  earn- 
est factor  in  promoting  its  welfare,  New  Hampshire’s 
future  United  States  Senator,  Henry  W.  Blair,  being 
at  the  same  time  an  active  brother  member,  whose 
talents  and  sterling  qualities  gave  bright  promise  of 
his  future  career. 

Returning  from  the  seminary,  Oliver  taught  a pros- 
perous private  school  in  his  native  district,  No.  4,  in 
Chichester,  and  continued  his  services  with  the  win- 
ter term  of  the  district ; and  then  immediately  fol- 
lowed with  the  school  in  the  adjoining  district,  at  the 
“ Horse  Corner  ” (so  called) ; after  which,  and  run- 
ning into  the  spring  of  1854,  he  taught  the  term  in 
the  Union  District  of  Chichester  and  Loudon,  on  the 
Chichester  north  road. 

Teaching  was  to  him  a pleasure,  and  the  best  of 
success  rewarded  his  efforts.  But  as  a business,  he  de- 
sired some  more  lucrative  calling. 

Duringthese  yearsof'1852,  ’53, ’54  the  Northeast  Pro- 
tective Union  stores  were  having  their  day.  One  was  or- 
ganized in  Chichester  in  1854,  and  opened  in  the  present 
store  building  on  the  corner  opposite  the  Methodist 
meeting-house.  Oliver  Drake  was  chosen  its  agent.  But 
organizations  of  this  class  all  through  New  England, 
though  for  a time  popular,  were  waning,  and  in  some 
two  years  after,  or  a little  longer,  had  all  gradually 
passed  into  private  hands.  As  agent,  he  conducted  the 
affairs  of  the  store  to  the  best  advantage  possible,  under 
the  impracticable  circumstances  that  prevailed,  till  the 
spring  of  1856,  when  he  resigned. 

With  regrets  to  himself  and  many  friends,  he  then 
left  his  native  town  to  try  his  fortunes  in  a broader 
sphere.  For  a year  thereafter  he  was  employed  as 
book-keeper  by  the  large  teaming  firm  of  Critchett  & 
Gilman,  in  East  Boston,  Mass. 

The  three  following  years,  1857, ’58, ’59,  he  was  vari- 
ously engaged  in  the  grocery  and  provision  trade  in 
Boston,  where  for  a time  he  worked  in  Faneuil  Hall 
Market. 

In  1860  and  ’61,  till  spring  of  ’62,  he  was  employed 
as  first  accountant  in  the  wholesale  grocery  business 
of  John  G.  Kaulback,  Jr.,  196  Water  Street,  Boston. 
Here,  from  the  sedentary  confinement  of  the  counting- 
room,  his  health  became  much  impaired,  for  which 
reason,  as  a more  physically  active  employment,  he 
betook  himself  again  to  the  market. 

But  that  autumn  (1862)  he  was  taken  down  with  a 
slow,  lingering  fever,  from  which  the  following  spring 
did  not  find  him  fully  recovered.  He  then  accepted 
a situation  as  book-keeper  for  the  ship-building  firm 


of  Curtis  & Tilden,  of  East  Boston,  actively  en- 
gaged at  that  time  in  building  war  steamers  for  the 
United  States  government.  He  remained  here  till  the 
autumn  of  1863,  and  then  became  proprietor  of  the 
West  Lynn  Market,  in  the  city  of  Lynn,  Mass.,  and  at 
once  entered  upon  this  branch  of  trade,  which  he 
steadily  and  successfully  followed  for  the  succeeding 
six  years. 

Just  at  this  period  (1868-69)  the  White  Pine  min- 
ing excitement  of  Nevada  was  atfever  heat,  such,  prob- 
ably, as  the  world  before  never  saw.  The  famous 
Eberhardt,  in  which  his  brother  Frank  was  a fifth 
owner  by  location,  was  turning  out  its  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  silver.  Naturally  of  an  active,  hopeful 
temperament,  Oliver  was  thus  drawn  westward.  Sep- 
tember 1,  1869,  he  sold  out  his  West  Lynn  Market, 
and  soon  completed  arrangements  for  an  inspection 
of  the  Nevada  mining  business.  He  reached  Trea- 
sure City,  Nev.,  where  his  brother  was,  on  No- 
vember 5,  1869,  and  from  that  date  to  the  present  has 
been  actively  connected  with  mining  interests,  shar- 
ing with  others  some  of  its  vicissitudes  as  well  as  its 
fortunes. 

“ White  Pine  ” was  first  the  name  of  the  mining  dis- 
trict, but  has  since  become  the  name  of  the  county  in- 
cluding the  district.  Except  a three  months’  visit  home 
in  the  fall  of  1870,  Oliver  remained  at  White  Pine 
till  November,  1871,  when,  with  his  family,  he  moved 
to  Greenville,  Plumas  County,  Cal.,  where  he  soon  be- 
came superintendent  of  the  Indian  Valley  Gold  Mine, 
having  in  that  vicinity  also  mining  interests  of  his 
own.  He  was  thus  engaged  till  September,  1875,  when 
he  was  called  to  become  secretary  and  cashier  of  the 
Eberhardt  Mill  and  Mining  Company,  which  was  ex- 
tensively and  prosperously  engaged  in  silver-mining 
at  Eberhardt,  White  Pine  County,  Nev.,  his  brother 
Frank  having  been  appointed  the  company’s  mana- 
ger,— positions  of  great  responsibility  and  trust  in 
which  the  two  brothers  have  been  retained  continu- 
ously to  the  present  writing  (August,  1885,)  except  the 
years  1879-80,  when  Oliver  had  withdrawn  himself 
to  engage  in  an  extensive  milling  enterprise  of  his 
own. 

The  Eberhardt  Company  (Limited),  with  which  the 
Drake  brothers  so  long  have  been  connected,  is  an 
English  incorporation,  with  its  directors  and  head  of- 
fice in  London. 

August,  13,  1862,  Oliver  Drake  married  Sallie  S., 
youngest  daughter  of  Hosea  C.  Knowlton,  Esq.,  of  Chi- 
chester, whose  likeness  and  sketch  of  life  are  given  in 
this  book.  Four  children  have  been  born  to  them, — 
one  son  and  three  daughters, — the  youngest  of  whom, 
Alma  K.,  born  in  California,  alone  survives.  Save  in 
the  loss  of  children,  his  domestic  life  has  been  emi- 
nently a happy  one.  Religiously  and  constitutionally, 
he  is  a Congregationalist,  regarding  the  polity  of  this 
church  as  possessing  the  very  spirit  of  genuine  de- 
mocracy. Whether  East  or  West,  he  has  ever  allied 
himself  in  some  way  with  church  life,  so  long  as  it 


260 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


visibly  existed  in  his  community.  Music  has  been  to 
him  one  cherished  source  of  recreation  and  delight. 
Of  a cheerful,  social  turn  of  mind  and  heart,  and  in  all 
respects  of  correct  and  abstemious  habits,  his  gener- 
ally excellent  health  through  life  has  been  but  little 
disturbed,  and  his  near  associates  and  warm  friends 
have  been  of  the  good  and  true. 

Though  politically  an  ardent  Republican,  he  is  no 
partisan.  His  only  votes  for  a Democratic  candidate 
for  the  Presidency  were  for  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  who 
was  defeated,  and  James  Buchanan,  which  vote  he  has 
ever  since  regretted.  Political  office  he  never  desired, 
sought  nor  accepted,  though  repeatedly  urged  to  con- 
sider it. 

As  inculcated  by  his  venerated  parents,  one  trait 
and  motto  of  his  life  has  been,  that  “ whatsoever  thy 
hand  findeth  to  d6,”  do  it  well. 

The  amities  of  life,  with  strict  fidelity  in  all  posi- 
tions of  trust,  have  brought  their  reward  in  the  confi- 
dence and  respect  of  his  fellow-men,  which  he  long 
has  largely  shared. 


MAJOR  ARTHUR  DEERIXG. 

The  origin  of  the  Deering  family  was  English  ; as 
far  back  as  the  French  and  Indian  War  two  brothers 
came  from  England,  from  whom  have  descended  all 
the  Deerings  in  this  country.  The  elder  brother  in 
all  English  families  inherited  the  estate,  and  it  often 
happened,  as  in  the  case  of  these  two  brothers,  that  the 
younger  brothers  came  to  this  then  new  country  to 
carve  out  a fortune  for  themselves.  One  of  these 
brothers  was  killed  during  the  French  and  Indian 
War,  and  a son  of  the  other,  by  the  name  of  Isaac, 
settled  in  Scarborough,  Me.,  at  Blue  Point. 

This  son  had  a son  named  after  himself,  who  was 
the  father  of  the  subject  of  this  brief  history.  Isaac 
Deering,  the  father  of  Arthur  Deering,  married  Sarah 
Sawyer,  whose  ancestors  came  from  Scotland,  and 
were  descendants  of  the  old  Marr  family,  of  whom 
“ Lady  Helen”  Marr  was  one.  To  Isaac  and  Sarah 
Deering  were  born  eleven  children, — three  girls  and 
eight  boys, — of  whom  Arthur  was  the  youngest,  who 
was  born  March  24,  1820,  the  year  the  State  of  Maine 
was  admitted  into  the  Union. 

Mr.  Deering  had  a common-school  and  academical 
education,  and  then  graduated  at  the  Free  Baptist 
Theological  School,  at  Whitestown,  N.  Y.  He 
entered  the  gospel  ministry  at  the  early  ageof  twenty, 
and  preached  his  first  sermon  at  East  Parsonsfield, 
Me.,  and  had  his  first  settlement  at  Bath,  Me.  From 
Bath  he  went  to  Central  New  York  and  ]:>reached  in 
several  places;  he  was  ordained  in  Philadelphia,  Jef- 
ferson County,  N.  Y.,  June  18,  1853,  after  being  re- 
fused an  ordination  three  times  on  account  of  more 
advanced  views  on  moral  and  natural  depravity  and 
on  the  atonement.  He  did  not  believe  that  moral  de- 
pravity, or  sin,  could  be  transmitted  from  parent  to 
child,  or  charged  upon  any  human  being  before  com- 


ing to  years  of  intelligence  and  human  accountability; 
but  sin  is  an  intelligent,  voluntary,  intentional  viola- 
tion of  a known  moral  law,  and  that  sin,  or  moral  de- 
pravity, can  never  pertain  to  man’s  nature,  but  to  his 
character.  And  as  to  the  atonement,  he  did  not  believe 
that  Christ  suffered  any  penalty  of  any  law  in  our 
stead ; did  not  believe  that  He  died  to  help  God  out 
of  any  difficulty  in  which  Adam’s  transgression  had 
involved  Him  ; but  that  all  that  Christ  did  and  suffered 
was  wholly  and  entirely  for  man’s  benefit.  He  be- 
lieved that  God  always  was  able  to  pardon  penitent 
sinners,  and  that  He  was  always  willing  to  pardon 
penitent  sinners,  and  all  the  reason  He  did  not  pardon 
them  was  because  they  would  not  repent ; and  that 
Christ’s  mission  into  the  world  was  to  be  a mighty 
moral  power  to  induce  men  to  repent. 

After  spending  some  nine  years  in  New  York  he 
returned  to  Maine,  and  settled  with  a church  in 
China;  he  afterwards  preached  in  West  Waterville, 
Richmond  and  several  other  places  in  Maine,  and  in 
1871  came  to  Pittsfield,  N.  H.,  and  preached  with  the 
First  Baptist  Church  there  three  years,  and  in  1871 
purchased  the  old  Foster  farm  in  Chichester,  where  he 
now  resides. 

Mr.  Deering  has  always  taken  an  active  part  in 
politics;  when  but  eighteen  years  of  age  he  embraced 
the  anti-slavery  cause  and  often  addressed  public 
meetings  upon  that  question.  In  1840  he  took  the 
stump  for  James  G.  Birney,  who  was  the  candidate  of 
the  Liberty  party  for  President,  and  in  1841  cast  his 
first  ballot ; there  being  no  candidates  at  that  election 
in  his  town,  he  wrote  upon  his  ballot  “ Abolition  ” and 
put  it  in  the  ballot-box.  He  often  attended  the  Lib- 
erty party  County  and  State  Conventions,  was  fre- 
quently on  their  committees  on  resolutions,  and 
always  kept  well  posted  upon  the  question  of  slavery, 
and  was  one  of  their  able  and  popular  speakers. 

In  1848  he  was  a delegate  to  the  Free-Soil  National 
Convention  at  Buffalo,  and  earnestly  advocated  a 
union  of  all  the  anti-slavery  elements  into  one  party 
to  oppose  the  extending  of  slavery  into  free  territory ; 
and,  with  other  members  of  the  old  Liberty  party, 
assisted  in  the  organization  of  the  Republican  party 
in  Maine  in  1855.  He  took  an  active  part  in  the 
Presidential  campaign  in  1856,  and  spoke  with  Josiah 
H.  Drummond  and  A.  P.  Morrill  for  Fremont  and 
Dayton.  And  again,  in  1860,  when  he  was  president 
of  the  Republican  Club  in  Richmond,  Me.,  his  club 
accepted  the  challenge  of  the  Democratic  Club, 
and  chose  him  to  meet  their  speaker  in  public  dis- 
cussion of  the  political  issues,  the  result  of  which, 
as  freely  admitted  by  his  opponent,  was  the  changing 
of  twenty-five  votes  to  the  Republican  ticket.  In  the 
fall  of  1863  he  was  elected  to  the  Legislature  by  the 
town  of  Richmond,  where  he  was  several  times  called 
to  the  Speaker’s  chair  in  his  temporary  absence,  and 
was  appointed  Speaker  to  conduct  the  proceedings  of 
the  “mock  session.”  Being  at  home  from  the  army 
in  1864  on  a short  furlough,  Governor  Coney  volun- 


CHICHESTER. 


261 


tarily  obtained  from  Secretary  Stanton  an  extension  of 
his  furlough  for  twenty  days,  that  he  might  take  part 
in  the  September  election ; and  a few  days  after  he 
was  requested  by  Hon.  J.  G.  Blaine,  then  chairman 
of  the  Republican  State  Committee,  to  take  the  stump 
until  election  ; which  he  did,  with  other  speakers  ; 
and  on  his  return  to  Philadelphia,  where  he  was  or- 
dered on  detached  duty  as  member  of  a military 
court,  he  was  made  an  honorary  member  of  the  Union 
League,  and  as  his  military  duties  occupied  but  a 
few  hours  of  his  time  during  the  day,  he  was  on  the 
stump  most  of  the  time  until  the  November  election. 
He  spoke  in  Philadelphia,  Reading  and  other  places 
in  Pennsylvania,  New  Jersey  and  Delaware.  Mr. 
Deering  acted  with  the  Republican  party  until  1868, 
when  he  became  satisfied  that  all  of  the  political  diffi- 
culties growing  out  of  the  war  had  been  settled,  and 
that  the  next  great  question  before  the  American 
people  was  the  liquor  traffic ; he  left  the  Republican 
party  and  helped  organize  the  Prohibition  party  in 
Maine,  since  which  time  he  has  been  an  earnest  ad- 
vocate of  its  principles.  In  1868  he  was  appointed  by 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  Good  Templars  in  Maine  as 
State  lecturer,  and  during  the  year  spoke  in  every 
county  but  Washington  in  the  State,  in  doing  which 
he  traveled  more  than  eight  thousand  miles,  speak- 
ing every  evening  from  one  and  a half  to  two  hours. 
He  was  again  employed  in  1869.  In  1870  he  was  em- 
ployed by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  New  Hampshire,  and 
lectured  some  time  in  that  State,  moving  to  Pitts- 
field, N.  H.,  in  March,  1871.  In  1874  he  commenced 
the  publication  of  the  Pittsfield  Times,  a local  non- 
partisan paper,  and  in  1875  he  took  charge  of  editing 
and  publishing  the  Prohibition  Herald,  which  had 
been  published  and  edited  by  Rev.  Mr.  Millen,  and 
continued  their  publication  until  Feb.,  1876,  when  his 
office  was  burned  and  their  publication  discontinued. 

In  1875,  Mr.  Deering  was  nominated  by  the  Prohi- 
bition party  for  Senator  in  the  Fourth  Senatorial  Dis- 
trict, and  again  in  1876,  which  resulted  in  a great 
deal  of  political  trouble  in  the  State.  He  received 
votes  enough  to  defeat  an  election  in  the  district,  but 
the  Democratic  candidate  had  a plurality  of  the  votes 
cast,  and  it  was  soon  ascertained  that  the  law  required 
that  a man,  to  be  eligible  to  serve  as  Senator,  must 
have  been  a citizen  of  the  State  seven  years,  and  that 
Mr.  Deering  had  only  been  in  the  State  a little  over 
five  years.  This  fact  coming  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
Governor  by  the  affidavit  of  Mr.  Deering,  which  the 
Governor  caused  to  be  taken,  the  Governor  and  Coun- 
cil threw  out  Mr.  Deeriug’s  votes  and  thereby  gave  the 
election  to  Mr.  Proctor,  the  Democratic  candidate, 
and  by  Mr.  Proctor’s  election  the  Senate  was  Demo- 
cratic. At  that  time  many  of  the  county  offices  were 
appointed  by  the  Governor,  and  removed  by  an  ad- 
dress of  the  Senate  and  House.  The  Governor  dur- 
ing 1876  was  Mr.  Weston,  a Democrat,  who  had  filled 
many  of  these  offices  with  Democrats,  who,  unless  re- 
moved by  address  of  the  Senate  and  House,  would 
17 


hold  over,  and  in  that  case  the  money  and  whiskey 
spent  by  the  Republican  politicians  in  the  several 
counties  to  carry  the  election  would  be  lost.  And 
this  was  the  only  issue  in  the  case,  and,  although  Mr. 
Deering  was  entirely  innocent,  knowing  nothing  of 
the  provisions  of  the  State  Constitution,  yet  unlimited 
abuse  was  poured  upon  him  because  of  this  affair. 
The  Boston  Journal  said  that  he  did  it  knowingly,  in- 
tending to  defraud  the  voters  of  their  votes.  But  no 
man  who  knew  him  ever  supposed  that  he  would  do 
such  a thing  intentionally. 

Mr.  Deering  then  told  his  enemies,  jokingly,  that 
“he  would  steal1  the  whole  government  next  time;” 
and  fulfilled  the  prophecy  in  the  fall  of  1884,  in  go- 
ing to  New  York  and  speaking  for  the  Prohibition 
party,  which  rolled  up  a vote  of  twenty-five  thousand 
for  St.  John,  taking  a large  majority  from  the  Repub- 
lican party,  and  thereby  giving  the  State  to  Cleve- 
land and  making  him  President. 

He  was  the  only  Prohibition  speaker  who  canvassed 
Jefferson  County,  which  only  gave  Dow  thirty -six  votes 
in  1880,  and  gave  St.  John  six  hundred  and  thirty- 
six  in  1884. 

When  the  war  broke  out  it  found  Mr.  Deering  at 
Richmond,  Me.  As  he  had  been  an  earnest  opposer 
to  the  extension  of  slavery,  so  he  was  now  ready  to 
meet  the  result  of  that  opposition  ; he  had  been  ready 
to  pray,  preach  and  vote  against  American  slavery, 
and  as  slavery  had  now  arisen  in  arms  to  rend  the 
Union  asunder,  so  he  was  just  as  ready  to  fight 
against  the  extension  and  existence,  even,  of  slavery, 
if  need  be,  as  he  was  to  talk  against  it.  In  August  of 
1862  he  held  patriotic  meetings  in  the  towns  of 
Richmond,  Dresden,  Bowdoinham  and  Topsham,  and 
enlisted  one  hundred  men  for  a company  in  the 
Twenty-fourth  Maine  Regiment,  and  was  by  them 
elected  captain.  When  the  regiment  was  first 
organized  he  was  the  ranking  captain  of  it.  The 
regiment  left  Augusta,  Me.,  in  November ; went  to 
East  New  York  and  remained  there  until  January, 
1863,  when  it  went  to  New  Orleans.  Remaining  in 
the  city  a few  weeks  it  then  went  to  Bonnet  Carre, 
forty  miles  up  the  river,  to  form  a part  of  the  outer 
defenses  of  the  city,  between  the  river  and  Lake 
Pontchartrain.  The  regiment  remained  here  until 
June,  when  it  marched  to  Port  Hudson  and  took  an 
active  part  in  the  siege  of  that  place,  after  which  it  re- 
turned, by  the  way  of  Cairo  and  Chicago,  to  Maine. 

While  the  regiment  was  at  Port  Hudson,  Corporal 
William  Lancaster,  of  his  company,  being  some- 
what deranged  by  sickness,  stabbed  and  killed 
Lieutenant  Newell,  of  Captain  Deering’s  company, 
and  was  tried  the  day  the  regiment  left  for  home,  so 
that  no  testimony  could  be  presented  in  his  behalf. 
After  the  regiment  returned  to  Maine,  Captain  Deer- 
ing gathered  the  facts  in  the  case  and  personally  laid 
them  before  Vice-President  Hamlin,  and  secured  his 
pardon.  Some  years  afterward  this  same  William 

1 They  said  “he  stole  the  Senate.” 


262 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Lancaster  saved  the  son  of  Captain  Peering,  William 
A.  Peering,  from  drowning  in  the  Kennebec  River  at 
Richmond. 

After  the  regiment  returned,  and  was  mustered  out 
of  service,  Captain  Peering  was  appointed  recruiting 
officer  and  enlisted  recruits  for  the  old  regiments. 
Paring  his  term  of  service  in  the  Legislature,  in  the 
winter  of  1864,  another  call  was  made  by  the  Presi- 
dent for  more  men,  and  two  more  regiments  were  or- 
ganized, the  Thirty-first  and  Thirty-second,  and  Cap- 
tain Peering  was  commissioned  a major  in  the  Thirty- 
second  Regiment.  At  the  close  of  the  session  of  the 
Legislature  he  went  into  camp  at  Augusta  and  took 
command  of  the  six  companies  then  formed,  as  no 
other  field  officers  could  he  commissioned  with  that 
number  of  companies. 

The  regiments  then  raised  in  New  England  were 
assigned  to  General  Burnside,  and  their  destination 
was  then  expected  to  be  to  North  Carolina.  In  April, 
Major  Peering  received  orders  to  take  the  six  com- 
panies and  report  to  General  Burnside  at  Annapolis, 
Md.,  but  when  he  reached  Baltimore  his  destination 
was  changed  to  Washington,  as  General  Burnside  had 
been  ordered  to  report  with  the  Ninth  Corps  to  Gen- 
eral Grant,  in  Virginia.  On  arriving  at  Alexandria 
the  Thirty-second  Regiment  was  assigned  to  Second 
Bivision,  Second  Brigade,  Ninth  Army  Corps,  and 
reached  the  Wilderness  on  the  second  day  of  the 
fight. 

The  regiment  was  not  much  exposed  the  next  day, 
which  was  Saturday,  and  at  night  started  for  Chan- 
cellorsville,  which  it  reached  Sunday  morning,  and 
Major  Peering  was  detailed  brigade  officer  of  the  day, 
and  had  charge  of  the  picket  line,  and  turned  it  over 
to  General  Fararro,  who  had  charge  of  the  Third  Pi- 
vision  of  the  Ninth  Corps,  which  were  colored  troops. 
The  regiment  was  severely  dealt  with  at  Spottsyl  vania, 
where  it  was  exposed  to  the  rebel  fire  all  day  without 
any  protection,  and  fifty  out  of  three  hundred  were 
either  killed  or  wounded ; and  in  the  second  attack 
on  the  enemy’s  left  Hank,  sixteen  more  were  killed 
and  wounded. 

The  regiment  was  under  severe  fire  at  the  Tolopot- 
omy,  where  Major  Peering  only  escaped  death  by  the 
narrowest  chance.  In  the  evening  he  went  to  the 
front  to  push  out  the  picket  line,  which  was  sta- 
tioned too  near  the  main  line,  and  as  he  was  returning, 
while  but  a few  rods  in  front  of  his  breast-works,  firing 


commenced  upon  the  left  and  soon  came  down  the  line, 
one  regiment  after  another  joining  in  the  rapid  firing, 
which  soon  reached  his  own  regiment ; supposing 
that  an  attack  had  been  made  upon  the  line,  they 
too  opened  fire,  and  in  a moment  the  air  was  full  of 
whistling  bullets ; some  of  the  picket  line  were 
killed,  but,  as  fortune  would  have  it,  he  escaped 
unharmed. 

At  another  time  two  men  were  shot  down,  one  on 
each  side  of  him,  as  he  led  his  men  into  the  fight.  He 
was  hit  once  on  his  spur  and  once  on  the  scabbard  of 
his  sword,  but  finally  came  out  of  every  fight  without 
a scar.  He  was  in  all  of  the  fights,  from  the  Wilder- 
ness to  Petersburg,  in  which  his  corps,  the  Ninth, 
was  engaged  ; and  so  much  had  his  regiment  be- 
come reduced  by  killed,  wounded  and  sick,  that  when 
it  mustered,  on  the  1st  of  July,  1864,  in  front  of  Peters- 
burg, there  were  but  fifty  men  for  duty.  The  col- 
onel, Mark  F.  Wentworth  and  the  lieutenant-colonel 
J.  M.  Brown,  joined  the  regiment  at  the  North  Anna, 
but  soon  after  it  arrived  at  Petersburg,  one  was 
wounded  and  the  other  was  sick,  so  the  command 
again  devolved  upon  Major  Peering.  But  constant 
working  and  fighting,  the  climate  and  the  unwhole- 
some water,  by  the  middle  of  July,  brought  on  the  di- 
arrhcea,  and  after  remaining  a while  at  the  front  hospi- 
tal, he  was  sent  to  the  officers’  hospital  at  Philadelphia. 
By  the  last  of  August  becoming  able  to  do  light 
duty,  he  was  detailed  on  court-martial  duty, where  he 
served  for  six  months,  trying  during  that  time  one 
hundred  and  ten  cases  ; and,  what  was  unprecedented 
in  any  other  court  in  the  army,  every  finding  and 
sentence  in  each  case  was  approved  by  the  com- 
manding general  of  the  department.  The  court  was 
then  dissolved,  and  Major  Peering  received  notice 
that  some  two  mouths  before  his  regiment  had  been 
consolidated  with  the  Thirty-first  Maine  Regiment, 
and  all  of  the  field  and  a part  of  the  line  officers  had 
been  mustered  out  of  service,  and  this  order  made 
him  a private  citizen  again,  and  he  returned  home. 
Since  his  return  he  has  spent  his  time  in  the  ministry, 
on  his  farm  and  in  the  lecture  field. 

He  was  employed  during  the  Presidential  campaign 
of  1884  by  the  Prohibition  party  in  Jefferson  County, 
New  York,  where  the  vote  of  the  party  was  increased 
from  thirty-six  to  six  hundred  and  thirty-six,  and  the 
vote  was  carried  in  the  State  up  to  twenty-five  thou- 
sand, which  determined  the  result  of  the  contest. 


HISTORY 


OF  BOW. 


BY  HARRISON  COLBY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

History  satisfies  the  desire  which  naturally  arises 
in  every  intelligent  mind  to  know  the  transactions  of 
the  country  or  town  in  which  he  lives.  Facts  interest 
our  curiosity  and  engage  our  attention.  The  early 
history  of  Bow  is  an  anomaly  in  the  history  of  New 
Hampshire  towns ; it  is  a triune  township, — Bow, 
Pennacook  and  Suncook,  three  in  one.  Prior  to  the 
settlement  of  New  England  by  the  English,  Passa- 
conaway,  the  powerful  chief  of  the  Pennaeooks,  held 
absolute  sway  over  the  country  bordering  on  the 
Merrimack,  from  Lake  Winnipiseogee  to  Pawtucket 
Falls.  In  1631  they  were  estimated  at  about  five 
hundred  men,  having  been  greatly  reduced  by  sick- 
ness about  twenty  years  before.  The  Mohawks  were 
hostile  to  them,  and  tradition  says  they  had  a terrible 
fight  near  Sugar  Ball,  on  the  east  side  of  the  river, 
northeast  of  the  main  village  of  Concord.  Passa- 
conaway  was  regarded  with  the  highest  veneration  by 
his  tribe  as  chief,  priest  and  physician.  He  died 
about  1665,  supposed  to  have  been  nearly  one  hun- 
dred years  old.  He  left  four  sons  and  two  daughters. 
Wonalancet,  his  second  son,  succeeded  him  as  sachem 
of  the  Pennaeooks.  In  1670  he  moved  to  Pawtucket, 
near  the  south  line  of  the  State,  and  built  a fort 
there.  He  embraced  the  Christian  faith  under  the 
influence  of  Elliot,  the  Indian  missionary,  in  1674. 
During  King  Philip’s  War,  in  1675,  he  withdrew  to 
the  woods  in  the  northern  part  of  New  Hampshire  to 
avoid  being  involved  in  any  way  in  the  war,  and  it 
being  good  hunting-ground  for  moose,  deer  and  bear, 
he  remained  there  all  winter — at  this  time  there  was 
not  over  one  hundred  of  the  Pennacook  and  Naum- 
keag  Indians,  whereof  he  was  chief. 

Wonalancet  returned  from  his  retreat  in  1676, 
bringing  from  captivity  a Widow  Kimball  and  her 
five  children,  whom  he  was  the  means  of  saving  alive 
after  they  had  been  condemned  to  death  and  fires 
made  ready  to  burn  them.  We  last  hear  of  him  in 
1697,  placed  under  the  care  of  Jonathan  Tyng,  of 
Dunstable,  and  the  General  Court  allowed  twenty 
pounds  for  keeping  him.  The  time  and  place  of  his 
death  is  unknown.  The  last  sagamore  of  the  Penna- 
■cooks  was  Kancamagus,  or  John  Hawkins,  as  the 


English  called  him,  a grandson  of  Passaconaway. 
He,  with  the  Pennaeooks,  went  to  the  eastward  in 
1685.  The  last  we  hear  of  him  is  in  a fort  on  the 
Androscoggin,  which  was  destroyed  by  Major  Benja- 
min Church,  September  12,  1790,  and  a sister  of 
Kancamagus  was  slain.  On  the  29th  of  November, 
1690,  a treaty  of  peace  was  made  by  the  government 
of  Massachusetts  and  the  eastern  sagamores,  among 
whom  was  John  Hawkins,  and  this  is  the  last  we 
know  of  him.  The  Pennaeooks  existed  as  a distinct 
tribe  for  many  years,  and,  finally,  it  is  supposed  those 
hostile  to  the  English  mixed  with  the  Penobscots  in 
Maine,  and  others  with  the  St.  Francis  in  Canada, 
and  some  remained  here  until  1725  and  after,  and 
were  useful  citizens.  Wattanumon  was  the  name  of 
the  Indian  chief  that  cultivated  the  field  near  Horse- 
shoe Pond  when  the  Pennacook  settlers  arrived  there. 
It  is  quite  probable  that  portions  of  the  alluvial  lands 
on  the  banks  of  the  Merrimack  have  been  cleared  of 
the  growth  by  fires,  for  the  cultivation  of  Indian 
corn  and  grass  for  grazing  of  deer  and  moose,  for  a 
long  period  of  time. 

By  virtue  of  her  original  charter,  obtained  in  1628, 
Massachusetts  claimed  all  lands  lying  between  three 
miles  northward  of  Merrimack  River  to  the  source, 
and  three  miles  to  the  southward  of  Charles  River, 
and  in  length  of  the  described  breadth  from  the  At- 
lantic Ocean  to  the  South  Sea.  Men  were  sent  to 
discover  its  source  in  1638,  who  found  it  to  extend 
north  of  forty-three  and  a half  degrees.  In  1652  the 
General  Court  of  Massachusetts  ordered  a survey  to 
ascertain  their  northern  boundary  and  appointed 
commissioners  for  that  purpose,  who,  with  Indian 
guides  and  a nineteen  days’  voyage  in  a boat,  found 
the  head  source  of  the  Merrimack  to  be  in  latitude 
forty-three  degrees  and  forty  minutes  at  a place  now 
called  the  Weirs  ; the  whole  expense  of  the  expedition 
amounted  to  eighty-four  pounds.  The  General  Court 
of  New  Hampshire  claimed  that  the  said  territory 
was  within  their  patent  and  jurisdiction,  founded  on 
a grant  from  the  Council  of  Plymouth  to  John 
Mason,  dated  November  7,  1629,  which  conveyed  the 
land  “from  the  middle  part  of  Merrimack  River  to 
the  Piscataqua,  along  the  sea-coast,  and  up  said  rivers 
to  the  farthest  head  thereof;  and  to  extend  sixty 

263 


264 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


miles  up  into  the  land  westward  from  the  sea  coast, 
together  with  all  islands  within  five  leagues’  distance 
of  the  premises.” 

In  1641,  there  being  but  few  settlements  in  New 
Hampshire,  for  their  better  defense  and  security 
against  the  Indians,  agreed  to  place  themselves  under 
the  jurisdiction  of  Massachusetts,  which  continued 
until  1680.  Edward  Hilton,  of  Exeter,  a friend  of 
Governor  Winthrop,  favored  the  usurpation  and  was 
made  a magistrate.  Hence,  being  under  one  govern- 
ment, in  1659  inhabitants  of  Dover  and  Newbury 
petitioned  the  General  Court  at  Boston  for  a town- 
ship at  a place  called  Pennacook,  which  was  granted 
on  certain  conditions.  In  1663  inhabitants  of  Chelms- 
ford and  Salem  were  granted  a plantation  six  miles 
square  on  condition  of  getting  twenty  families  on  it 
in  three  years.  The  conditions  not  being  fulfilled, 
the  foregoing  grants  were  forfeited. 

In  June,  1714,  the  people  of  Salem  again  peti- 
tioned that  the  grant  to  them  at  Pennacook  in  Octo- 
ber, 1663,  be  confirmed  to  them.  In  1679,  Charles 
the  Second  commissioned  John  Cutt,  of  Portsmouth, 
to  be  the  first  president  of  the  Council,  saying, — 

“TTftereas,  our  Colony  of  the  Massachusetts  have  taken  upon  them- 
selves to  organise  a government  and  jurisdiction  over  the  inhabitants  of 
the  towns  and  lands  in  the  Province  of  New  Hampshire,  not  having  any 
legal  right  or  authority  to  do  so,  now  be  it  known  that  We,  by  and  with 
the  advice  of  our  Privy  Council,  have  thought  fit  to  appoint  a President 
and  Council  to  take  care  of  the  said  Tract  of  land  called  The  Province  i 
of  New  Hampshire  and  the  inhabitants  thereof,  and  to  order,  rule  and  | 
govern  the  same,  and  do  hereby  appoint  Our  trusty  and  well  beloved  I 
subject,  John  Cutt,  Esq.,  of  Portsmouth,  to  be  first  President  of  said  | 
Council,  to  continue  in  office  for  one  year,  or  untill  We  or  our  successors  j 
appoint  some  other  person  to  succeed  him.” 

A question  may  arise  in  the  minds  of  some  whether, 
if  Massachusetts  had  no  legal  right  over  the  lands  in 
1679,  bad  they  in  1663,  or  subsequently? 

In  May,  1721,  over  one  hundred  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  county  of  Essex,  claiming  to  be  straitened 
for  accommodations  for  themselves  and  their  pos- 
terity, petitioned  the  honorable  Council  and  House 
of  Representatives  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  for  a 
grant  for  a township  extending  southerly  seven  miles 
from  the  mouth  of  the  Contoocook  and  three  miles 
east  of  Merrimack  River.  June  9,  1724,  a committee 
was  ordered  to  view  the  land,  which  had  been  previ- 
ously surveyed.  June  17,  1725,  a petition,  signed  by 
Benjamin  Stephens  and  others,  a committee  appointed 
by  and  in  behalf  of  the  petitioners  formerly  for  a 
tract  of  land  at  a place  called  Pennacook,  was  pre- 
sented to  the“Honble.  Wm.  Dummee,  Esq.,  Lieut. 
Governor  and  Commander-in-Chief  in  and  over  His 
Majesties  province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  in  New 
England,  to  the  Honble.  His  Majesties  Council  and 
House  of  Representatives  in  Gen.  Court  convened  at 
Boston,  Humbly  Showing  That  they  had  at  two 
several  times  petitioned  for  the  aforesaid  grant  of 
said  tract  of  land  at  Pennacook,  and  are  informed  it 
did  not  meet  with  a concurrence,  wishing  to  renew 
our  petition,  hoping  you  will  please  to  take  the 
premises  again  into  your  wise  and  serious  considera- 


tion, and  make  them  a grant  of  it  accordingly;  and 
suggesting  that  applications  had  been  made  to  the 
Government  of  New  Hampshire  for  a grant  of  the 
said  Land,  which  undoubtedly  belonged  to  Massa- 
chusetts; yet  it  is  probable  that  a parcel  of  Irish 
people  from  Nutfield,  who  have  built  a fort  there, 
will  obtain  a grant  from  New  Hampshire  for  it,  un- 
less speedy  care  be  taken  by  your  Houble.  Court  to 
prevent  it.  If  New  Hampshire  should  make  them  a 
grant,  which  we  conceive  would  be  without  right,  yet 
it  would  be  attended  with  much  difficulty  to  pretend 
to  root  them  out  if  they  should  get  a foot  hold  there. 
We  therefore  pray  that  a grant  of  the  land  may  be 
made  to  us  on  such  conditions  as  to  the  wisdom  of 
this  Court  shall  seem  best.”  The  petition  was. favor- 
ably received  and  was  successful.  The  court  decided 
it  would  be  for  the  interest  of  the  province  that  lands 
seven  miles  square  be  set  apart  for  a township,  “ be- 
ginning where  the  Contoocook  empties  into  Merrimac 
river,  and  to  extend  east  seventeen  degrees,  north 
three  miles,  and  west  seventeen  degrees,  south  four 
miles,  to  be  the  northerly  bounds  of  the  said  township ; 
and  from  the  extreme  parts  of  that  line  to  be  set  off 
southerly  at  right  angles  until  seven  miles  shall  be 
accomplished  from  the  said  north  bounds.” 

A committee  was  appointed  to  see  that  the  rules, 
and  conditions  of  the  grant  be  punctually  observed 
by  those  admitted  settlers, — 

“The  tract  to  be  divided  into  one  hundred  and  three  equal  shares  ; 
that  one  hundred  persons  or  families  be  admitted,  such  as  the  commit- 
tee supposed  to  be  able  to  pursue  and  bring  to  pass  the  settlement  of 
their  lands  within  three  years,  five  pounds  to  be  paid  by  each  settler  to 
the  committee  for  the  use  of  the  province  at  the  time  of  drawing  his. 
lot ; to  build  a comfortable  dwelling  for  his  family,  and  to  break  up  and 
fence  in  six  acres  within  three  years. 

“ As  60on  as  one  hundred  accepted  persons  are  obtained,  the  committee 
are  to  notify  a meeting  to  make  such  rules  as  they  may  think  best  to 
carry  forward  the  settlement,  the  whole  Charge  of  the  Committee  to  be 
paid  by  the  settlers,  and  the  committee  to  execute  deeds  in  behalf  of  the 
Court  to  all  admitted  settlers  for  the  aforesaid  tract,  for  the  sole  use 
of  them,  their  heirs  and  assigns  forever,  saving  of  former  grants. 

“ Read  and  concurred  January  17,  1725.” 

A meeting  was  held  February  7th,  at  which  the 
settlers  unanimously  agreed  to  fulfill  the  conditions 
and  orders  of  the  court  respecting  the  settlement ; 
and  having  a strong  prejudice  against  the  Irish  peo- 
ple, they  agreed  that  no  alienation  of  any  lot  should  be 
made  without  the  consent  of  the  community.  Sur- 
veyors, with  chainmen,  were  appointed  to  proceed  to 
Pennacook  to  lay  out  the  land  into  lots. 

May  12,  1726,  they  started  from  Haverhill,  sur- 
veyors and  chainmen,  with  a number  of  the  admitted 
settlers,  attending  them,  to  proceed  to  lay  out  their 
town.  They  arrived  there  on  the  13tli,  about  five 
o’clock,  and  encamped  on  Sugar  Ball  Hill,  east  of 
the  river.  They  organized  their  number  the  next 
morning  into  two  divisions,  one  to  survey  the  west 
side  of  the  river,  the  other  the  east  side.  About 
twelve  o’clock  on  the  14th,  a committee,  consisting  of 
Messrs.  Nathaniel  Weare,  Richard  Waldron,  Jr.,  and 
Theodore  Atkinson,  appointed  by  the  Lieutenant- 
Governor  and  Council  of  New  Hampshire,  .came  to 


BOW. 


265 


their  camp,  attended  by  about  half  a score  of  Irish- 
men, who  kept  some  distance  from  the  camp.  The 
New  Hampshire  government,  being  then  a weak 
community,  were  very  attentive  to  the  Scotch-Irish 
people  of  Londonderry,  and  did  much  to  please  and 
encourage  them,  for  which  they  were  very  grateful. 
The  aforesaid  committee  informed  them  that  the 
govern ent  of  New  Hampshire,  being  informed  of 
their  business  here,  had  sent  them  with  a request  not 
to  proceed  to  appropriate  their  lands,  for  they  lay  in 
the  province  of  New  Hampshire,  and  Massachusetts’ 
making  a grant  might  be  attended  with  very  ill  con- 
sequences to  the  settlers,  and  ordered  them  in  an 
amicable  way  to  withdraw  themselves  forthwith  from 
the  said  land  and  their  pretentions  to  it  by  virtue 
of  the  vote  of  the  General  Assembly  of  Massachu- 
setts, and  assured  them  that  their  proceedings  were 
highly  displeasing  to  the  government  of  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  that  they  might  depend  upon  it,  when  the 
boundary  between  the  two  provinces  should  be  de- 
termined, the  poor,  misled  people  who  might  be  in- 
duced to  settle  there  under  the  color  of  a Massachu- 
setts grant  would  be  dispossessed  of  the  said  lands  or 
suffer  some  other  inconveniences  equally  grievous ; 
and  that  the  message  on  which  they  were  sent,  and 
the  fair  forewarning  they  had  given  them,  would 
take  away  all  occasion  of  complaint  when  they 
should  be  compelled  to  leave  the  said  lands,  and  lose 
the  benefit  of  their  improvement.  The  Massachu- 
setts people  were  pleased  to  reply, — that  as  they  were 
sent  by  the  government  of  New  Hampshire,  so  were 
they  sent  by  the  government  of  Massachusetts,  and 
that  when  they  returned  home  they  should  lay  be- 
fore their  General  Assembly  the  order  of  Council  of 
which  they  had  delivered  them,  who  would,  without 
doubt,  pass  thereon  as  they,  the  General  Assembly, 
should  think  proper. 

Lieutenant-Governor  Wentworth,  in  his  speech  to 
the  General  Assembly,  held  at  Portsmouth,  April  11, 
1726,  says, — “ The  Massachusetts  are  daily  encroach- 
ing on  us.  A late  instance  we  have  in  voting  a 
township  should  be  erected  and  settled  at  Pennycook, 
which  will  certainly  be  in  the  very  bowels  of  this 
province,  and  which  will  take  in  the  most  valuable 
part  of  our  lands.”  Pursuant  to  which,  the  afore- 
said committee  was  appointed  to  immediately  report 
to  Pennacook,  and  forewarn  them  from  laying  out  or 
taking  possession  of  or  settling  at  that  place.  They 
still  persisted  in  making  the  survey  of  their  grant. 

It  was  ascertained,  on  making  the  survey,  that  a 
five  hundred  acre  grant  to  Governor  Endicott,  east 
of  the  river,  at  Sewell’s  Falls,  afterwards  known  as 
the  Sewell  farm,  came  within  their  township.  The 
committee  appointed  to  look  after  the  settlement 
petitioned  the  Great  and  General  Court  of  Massa- 
chusetts that  a like  number  of  acres  of  the  unappro- 
priated lands  joining  the  township  might  be  granted 
to  the  settlers  as  an  equivalent  therefor. 

August  6,  1728,  the  General  Court  of  Massachu- 


setts, “ Resolved,  That  in  consideration  of  the  500 
acres  of  land  formerly  granted  to  Governor  Endicott, 
which  falls  within  their  boundaries,  the  settlers  are 
allowed  to  extend  the  south  bounds  of  that  township 
one  hundred  rods  the  full  breadth  of  their  town,  as 
an  equivalent  for  the  aforesaid  five  hundred  acres,” 
which  was  read  and  concurx-ed  in  Council.  The  de- 
termination of  the  Massachusetts  government  to 
establish  their  claim  to  all  that  part  of  New  Hamp- 
shire west  of  a line  three  miles  east  of  Merrimack 
River  is  apparent  in  the  above  proceedings ; they 
had  located  a township  on  territory  that  had  been 
coveted  by  people  of  old  Essex  for  three-score  years. 

A cart-path  had  been  cut  through  the  forest,  a sur- 
vey of  lots  had  been  made  sufficient  to  accommodate 
the  admitted  settlers,  and  preparations  were  being 
made  to  inhabit  the  township  within  the  next  two 
years. 

May  20,  1727,  the  New  Hampshire  government,  in 
order  to  maintain  their  claims  to  the  territory  on 
both  sides  of  the  Merrimack  River,  granted  to  Jona- 
than Wiggin  and  many  others,  including  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Council  and  the  Governor’s  friends,  the 
town  of  Bow,  to  be  nine  miles  square,  covering  over 
three-quarters  of  Pennacook  and  the  territory  imme- 
diately south  to  below  the  mouth  of  the  Suncook 
River. 

August  6,  1728,  in  answer  to  a petition  of  volun- 
teers, under  the  command  of  Captain  John  Lovewell, 
the  Massachusetts  government  granted  a township 
on  both  sides  of  the  Merrimack,  “ to  begin  where 
Penacook  new  grant  ends,  which  is  100  rods  to  the 
southward  of  their  first  Grant,  and  thence  to  extend 
the  lines  of  the  East  and  West  bounds  on  right  an- 
gles untill  six  miles  square  of  lands  shall  be  com- 
pleted,” which  extended  nearly  one  and  a half  miles 
below  the  junction  of  the  Suncook  River  with  the 
Merrimack,  taking  in  the  Gault  and  Head  farms, 
east  of  the  river,  in  what  is  now  Hooksett. 

Tradition  says  the  first  permanent  settlers  in  the 
Suncook  parish,  in  Bow,  were  Francis  Doyne  and 
wife,  who  built  a log  hut  north  of  the  road  lead- 
ing from  Pembrook  Street  to  Garvin’s  Falls,  in  1728. 
James  Moore  made  a purchase  there  in  1729,  and  it 
is  supposed  Samuel  Gault  and  others,  whose  descend- 
ants afterwards  settled  west  of  the  Merrimack,  were 
there  about  that  time.  The  first  meeting  of  the 
Suncook  proprietors  was  held  at  Chelmsford  De- 
cember 10,  1729.  It  was  voted  that  a committee  of 
five,  with  an  able  surveyor,  should  view  the  lands  of 
the  township,  and  lay  out  sixty  lots  of  not  less  than 
forty  acres  each,  and  an  additional  lot  for  the  first  set- 
tled minister.  These  lots  were  east  of  the  river,  ex- 
tending from  Garvin’s  Falls  to  the  southern  limits  of 
their  township.  April  10,  1733,  “ Voted  to  build  a 
log  meeting-house,  twenty-four  by  thirty,  as  soon  as 
may  be.”  The  house  was  built  and  answered  the 
purpose  for  several  years. 

In  the  fall  of  1734  money  was  raised  in  Rumford 


2Cfi 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


for  building  a bridge  across  Suncook  River,  “ one-third 
part  of  the  expense  to  be  at  the  cost  of  the  town,” 
and  appointed  a committee  to  take  care  that  the 
bridge  over  the  Suncook  be  well  done.  The  next  spring 
the  Suncook  proprietors  voted  thirty  pounds  for  the 
same  purpose. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  proprietors  at  Suncook 
was  held  at  the  meeting-house  September  17,  1735. 

A bridge  was  built  across  the  Suncook  in  1737,  near 
where  the  Concord  railroad  bridge  now  is,  and  a road 
laid  near  the  river  to  the  great  bend,  where  a ferry 
was  established  in  1738. 

A minister  was  to  be  settled.  The  Presbyterian 
element  predominated;  but  the  organization  being 
in  the  hands  of  the  Orthodox  party,  Rev.  Aaron 
Whittemore  was  given  a call,  which  was  strongly 
protested  by  the  Presbyterians  of  the  town,  some 
fifteen  in  number.  The  Orthodox  Church  was  in  the 
minority  at  the  time. 

In  1739  the  proprietors’  clerk  not  having  taken  the 
oath  of  office  before  a qualified  officer,  a committee 
was  chosen  to  lay  the  case  before  the  General  Court  of 
Massachusetts,  and  ask  that  their  acts  be  legalized. 
The  favor  was  granted.  On  March  5,  1740,  the  pres- 
ent southern  boundary  of  New  Hampshire  was  estab- 
lished, and  Suncook  and  Pennacook  was  found  to  be 
outside  of  the  province  that  had  granted  their  charter. 

As  before  stated,  Bow  was  granted  by  Lieutenant- 
Governer  John  Wentworth,  with  advice  of  Council, 
May  20,  1727,  in  the  following  words,  viz. : 

“George,  by  the  Grace  of  God  of  Great  Britaine,  France  and  Ireland, 
Defender  of  the  faith,  &c. 

“To  all  People  to  whom  these  Presents  shall  come  Greeting  : Know 
ye  that  we,  of  our  special  Knowledge  and  meer  motion,  for  the  Due 
Encouragement  of  Settling  a new  Plantation,  By  & with  the  advice  & 
Consent  of  our  Councill,  have  given  & granted,  and  by  these  Presents,  as 
far  as  in  us  lyes,  do  give  and  Grant  in  Equal  Shares  unto  Sundry  of 
our  beloved  Subjects,  whose  names  are  Entered  in  a Schedule  hereunto 
annexed,  that  Inhabit  or  shall  Inhabit  within  s’d  Grant  within  our 
Province  of  New  Hampshire,  all  that  Tract  of  land  within  the  follow- 
ing Bounds,  viz.  : Beginning  on  the  South  East  side  of  the  town  of 
Chichester  & running  nine  miles  by  Chichester  and  Canterbury,  and 
carrying  that  Breadth  of  nine  miles  from  each  of  the  aforesaid  Towns 
Southwest  untill  the  full  Complyment  of  Eighty-one  square  miles  are 
fully  made  up,  & that  the  same  be  a Town  Corporate  by  the  name 
of  Bow  to  the  Persons  afores’d,  and  their  associates  forever.  To  have 
& to  hold  the  said  Land  to  the  s’d  Grantees  and  to  such  associates  as 
they  shall  admit  for  ever  upon  the  Conditions  following: 

“1.  That  the  Proprietors  build,  or  cause  to  be  built,  seventy-five 
Dwelling-Houses  on  S’d  Land,  & settle  a family  in  each  House,  & clear 
three  acres  of  Land  fitt  for  mowing  or  plowing  within  Three  years, 
and  that  Each  Proprietor  pay  his  Proportion  of  the  Town  Charge  when 
& so  often  as  occasion  shall  require. 

“2.  That  a meeting-House  bee  built  for  the  Public  Worship  of  God 
within  the  Term  of  four  years. 

“3.  That  upon  Default  of  any  Particular  Proprietor  in  Complying 
with  the  Conditions  of  the  Charter  upon  his  part,  such  Delinquent 
Proprietor  shall  forfeit  his  share  to  the  other  Proprietors,  which  shall 
be  Disposed  of  according  to  Major  vote  of  the  s’d  proprietors  at  a Legal 
Town  meeting. 

“4.  That  a Proprietor’s  share  be  reserved  for  a Parsonage,  another  for 
the  first  settled  minister  of  the  Gospel  which  shall  be  ordained  in  S’d 
Town  ; Provided,  nevertheless,  that  the  Peace  with  the  Indians  continue 
During  the  space  of  three  years  ; but  if  it  should  so  happen  that  a war 
with  the  Indians  shall  commence  before  the  Expiration  of  the  S’d 
Three  years,  then  the  term  of  Three  years  shall  be  allowed  the  Proprie- 
tors after  the  Expiration  of  the  war  for  the  Performance  of  the  aforesaid 


Conditions.  Rendering  & Paying,  therefore,  to  us,  our  heirs  & succes- 
sors, or  such  officer  or  officers  as  shall  be  appointed  to  receive  the  same, 
the  annual  quit  rent  or  acknowldgemeut  of  one  ear  of  Indian  Corn  in 
the  s’d  Town  on  the  first  Friday  in  December,  yearly,  forever  (if  De- 
manded), reserving  also  unto  us,  our  heirs  and  successors,  all  the  Mast 
Trees  growing  on  s’d  Land,  according  to  acts  of  Parliament  in  that  cafe 
made  «fc  Provided,  & for  the  better  order,  rule  & Government  of  the  s'd 
Town,  We  do,  by  these  Precepts,  for  ourselves,  our  heirs  & succesfore, 
Grant  unto  the  s'd  men  & Inhabitants,  or  those  that  shall  Inhabit  the 
s’d  Town,  That  yearly,  & every  year,  upon  the  first  Thursday  in  April, 
for  ever,  shall  meet  to  elect  & choose,  by  the  major  part  of  the  Proprie- 
tors then  Present,  Constables,  Selectmen  and  other  Town  Officers  ac- 
cording to  the  Laws  and  usages  of  our  S’d  Province,  & we  do  appoint 
Andrew  Wiggin,  Esq.,  George  Veasy  and  William  Moor  to  be  Selectmen 
our  s’d  Town  until  the  first  Thursday  in  April,  which  will  be  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  1728,  with  full  Power  & authority,  as  other  Town  select- 
men have,  to  call  a Town  Meeting  or  meetings  as  there  may  be  occa- 
sion, and  to  continue  untill  other  Selectmen  shall  be  chosen  in  their 
stead  in  such  manner  as  in  these  Presents  expressed.  In  Testimony 
whereof,  we  have  caused  the  seal  of  our  s’d  Province  to  be  here- 
unto affixed.  Witness,  John  Wentworth,  Esqr.,  our  Lieutenant-Gover- 
nor and  Comrnander-in-Chief  in  and  over  our  s’d  Province,  at  our  Town 
of  Portmouth,  in  our  s’d  Province,  the  Twentyeth  Day  of  May,  in  the 
thirteenth  year  of  our  Reign,  Anno  Domine,  1727. 

“J.  Wentworth. 

“ By  the  The  Lt.  Gov.,  Concured  with  advice  of  the  Council. 

“ Richard  Waldron,  Clerk  of  the  Council. 

“ A Schedule  of  the  Proprietors  of  the  Town  of  Bow. 

“Jonathan  Wiggin,  Thomas  Wiggin,  Samuel  Piper,  Thomas  Yeusey, 
George  Veasey,  William  Moore,  Edward  Fifield,  William  French,  Janies 
Palmer,  Jonathan  Chase,  Moses  Leavitt,  Joshua  Hill,  Thomas  Rollings, 
Richard  Crockit,  Isaac  Foss,  Thomas  Piper,  Richard  Kelly,  Samuel 
Goodhue,  Joseph  Mason,  John  Ilannaford,  Joseph  Rollings,  Satchel 
Randlet,  John  Mead,  Joseph  Morrill,  Nathaniel  Stevens,  David  Robin- 
son, Jonathan  Dearborn,  Joseph  Morril,  Jr.,  John  Piper,  Samuel  Yea- 
sey,  James  Thompson,  John  Sinclair,  Samuel  Green,  William  Burley, 
Benjamin  Hoag,  Samuel  Hilton,  Matthew  Thompson,  Benjamin  Palmer, 
Owen  Runnels,  Joshua  Neal,  Thomas  French,  Nathaniel  Piper,  Joseph 
Jewett,  John  Hill,  Thomas  Odell,  Abraham  Stockbridge,  Richard 
Colley,  Jr.,  Thomas  Briar,  Joseph  Mason,  Jr.,  Edward  Fifield,  Jr., 
William  French,  Jr.,  Ephraim  Leavitt,  Benja.  Yeascv,  Thomas  Veasey, 
Jr.,  Nathan  Taylor,  Jon’a  Clark,  George  Veasey,  Jr.,  John  Leavett, 
Tymon  Wiggin,  Samuel  Stevens,  John  Sachel,  John  Speed,  Thomas 
Wiggin,  Jr.,  Sami.  Piper,  Jr.,  Chaee  Wiggin,  Thomas  Wiggin  (3d), 
Benja.  Mason,  Joshua  Keniston,  Walter  Wiggin,  Caleb  Rollins,  Joseph 
Palmer,  Edward  Taylor,  Benja.  Norris,  John  Green,  Joshua  Stevens, 
Thos.  Piper,  Jr.,  Nathan’l  Folsom,  Henry  Wiggin,  Joseph  Peavey, 
Jeremiah  Folsom,  John  Palmer,  James  Norris,  Abr’m  Morgan,  Brad’st 
Wiggin,  Theoph.  Smith.  Stephen  Thurstin,  Robt.  Wilsou,  John  Avery, 
Joseph  Hoey,  Benja.  Taylor,  Jr.,  Benja.  Follet,  Nathan  White,  Pen- 
ning Wentworth,  Ilunking  Wentworth,  Win.  Wentworth,  Mark 
Wentworth,  Richard  Wibbard,  Jr.,  George  Jaffrey,  Jr.,  Henry  Rust, 
Cyprian  Jaffrey,  Eben’r  Wear,  Robt.  Auchmuty,  John  Reed,  Samson 
Sheaf,  George  Long,  Richard  Waldron,  Jr. 

“ Admitted  Associates. 

“ His  Excellency  and  Hon’rs  Samuel  Sliute,  Esq.  and  John  Went- 
worth, Esq.,  Each  of  them  500  acres  of  land  and  a home  lot.  Col. 
Mark  H unking,  Col.  Waldron,  George  Jaffrey,  lticli’d  Wibbard,  Col. 
Tho’s  Westbrook,  Archibald  McPhedris,  John  Frost,  Jonathan  Odiorne 
Esquires,  Each  a Proprietor’s  Share.  Peter  Wear,  John  Plaisted, 
James  Davis,  John  Gilman,  Andrew  Wiggin,  Capt.  John  Downing, 
Capt.  John  Gilman,  Sami.  Tibbets,  PaulGerrish,  Ephraim  Dennett,  John 
Sanborn,  Theodore  Atkinson,  Eben’r  Stevens,  Capt.  Win.  Fellows, 
James  Jaffrey,  Joseph  Loverin,  Daniel  Loverin,  Zachr.  Ilannaford,  Jos- 
eph Wiggin,  Pierce  Long. 

“ Bow  Scedule  Certified  By 

“ Richard  Waldron. 

“ Clerk  of  Council. 

“Joseph  Low,  James  Robinson,  Noah  Barker,  George  Clark,  Daniel 
Moody,  Thomas  Wiggin,  junr , Johna.  Rollins.  Benjamin  Tyler,  Hold- 
ridge  Kelly,  Daniel  Davis,  Wm.  Moore,  Junr.,  Abigal  Powell,  Mary 
Smith,  Mary  Jones,  Catharine  Wiggin,  Nicholas  Wiggin.  These  six- 
teen Persons  above  named  are  part  of  the  schedule  added  By  order  of 
the  Lt.  Govn’r  and  Council. 


“ Rich’d  Waldron,  Clr.  Council. 


BOW. 


267 


“A  true  Copy  taken  off  the  Proprietors’  Book. 

“Attest  Moses  Leavit,  Propr's.  ClJc. 

“ Prov.  of  New  Hampshire,  Nov.  25,  1727. — The  above  was  Entered  & 
Recorded  according  to  the  original  in  the  Book  of  Charters. 

“ By  Theodore  Atkinson.” 

Pennacook  was  granted  by  Massachusetts  January 
17,  1725.  Bow  was  granted  May  20,  1727,  by  New 
Hampshire.  Suncook  was  granted  August  6,  1728, 
by  Massachusetts.  Bow  included  nearly  all  of  both 
Massachusetts  grants,  which  was  to  have  the  suprem- 
acy. If  New  Hampshire’s  claim  sixty  miles  inland 
was  valid,  the  Bow  proprietors  were  the  rightful 
owners  of  the  territory ; if  Massachusetts’  claim  three 
miles  north  of  the  Merrimack  extended  to  Lake  Win- 
nipiseogee,  then  the  Pennacook  and  Suncook  propri- 
etors were  included  in  the  province  of  their  choice. 
Their  first  meeting,  at  Pennacook,  was  October  14, 
1730,  at  the  meeting-house. 

March  29,  1731,  the  conditions  of  the  original 
grant  of  the  plantation  being  complied  with,  the  pro- 
prietors petitioned  to  the  General  Court  of  Massachu- 
setts for  the  rights  and  privileges  of  a town.  The 
court  ordered  a meeting  to  be  called  for  the  choice  of 
town  officers.  Nathaniel  Abbot  was  authorized  by  a 
justice  of  the  peace  of  Essex  County,  Mass.,  to  call 
a meeting  to  be  held  at  the  meeting-house,  September 
14,  1732,  for  the  choice  of  a clerk,  and  to  transact  any 
business  they  should  think  best,  which  was  done,  and, 
February  27,  1733,  Pennacook,  in  the  county  of  Es- 
sex, Mass.,  was  incorporated  as  a township  by  the 
name  of  Rumford,  the  inhabitants  having  equal 
powers,  privileges  and  immunities  of  other  towns  in 
Massachusetts.  They  had  thrown  off'  their  plantation 
garb  and  were  permitted  to  assume  the  responsibili- 
ties of  a town,  but  they  were  fearful  they  might  not 
be  subjects  of  the  Massachusetts  government,  which 
could  not  be  known  until  the  line  was  established  be- 
tween the  two  provinces.  Massachusetts  claimed  the 
lands  from  three  miles  north  of  Merrimack  River, 
thence  running  parallel  with  the  river  as  far  as  the 
crotch  at  Franklin,  and  thence  due  west  to  the  sea. 
On  the  other  hand,  New  Hampshire  claimed  that 
their  southern  boundary  should  begin  three  miles 
north  of  the  middle  of  the  channel  of  the  Merrimack 
where  it  empties  into  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  and  from 
thence  should  run  on  a straight  line  west  up  into  the 
mainland  until  it  met  His  Majesty’s  other  govern- 
ments, or  New  York.  An  appeal  was  made  to  the 
King,  who  appointed  a commission  to  settle  the  con- 
flicting claims  as  to  the  boundary  between  the  two 
provinces. 

August  1,  1739,  this  commission  met  at  Hampton. 
Their  decision  was  unsatisfactory  to  both  parties,  and 
the  subject  was,  by  means  of  agents,  referred  to  His 
Majesty’s  Council  in  England,  who  decided,  March  5, 
1740,  the  present  southern  boundary  of  New  Hamp- 
shire, viz. : a similar  curve  line  pursuing  the  course 
of  the  Merrimack  River  at  three  miles  distance  to 


Pawtucket  Falls,  thence  due  west  till  it  met  with 
other  governments. 

In  accordance  with  the  above  decision  of  the  King, 
New  Hampshire  extended  her  jurisdiction  over  all 
the  inhabitants  within  her  bounds,  and  Rumford  and 
Suncook  were  henceforth  no  longer  subjects  of  the 
government  of  Massachusetts  Bay.  The  inhabitants 
of  Rumford  being  strongly  attached  to  the  Massachu- 
setts government,  petitioned  to  the  King  praying  to 
be  annexed  to  Massachusetts,  but  to  no  purpose. 

They  found  they  were  living  on  territory  belonging  to 
individuals  instead  of  the  State;  that  the  title  to  their 
lands,  which  they  had  received  from  Massachusetts, 
was  disputed  by  the  proprietors  of  the  town  of  Bow. 
They  could  get  no  redress  from  New  Hampshire 
courts,  for  judges  and  juries,  and  nearly  all  govern- 
ment officials,  were  among  the  Bow  proprietors,  and 
had  warned  them  at  their  peril  to  desist  in  their  at- 
tempts to  establish  a town  at  Pennacook  under  a 
Massachusetts  grant,  as  it  might  be  attended  with 
very  ill  consequences  to  the  settlers. 

April  28,  1742,  the  proprietors  of  Suncook  parish 
voted  not  to  urge  the  demand  for  town  privileges,  but 
wished  their  rights  to  be  respected,  without  the  sac- 
rifice of  their  homes,  lands  and  the  labor  of  years. 

A committee  was  appointed  to  look  after  the  inter- 
ests of  the  proprietors  against  the  claims  of  the  in- 
habitants of  New  Hampshire  in  the  province  courts, 
or  in  the  courts  of  Great  Britain,  and  undivided  lands 
were  sold  to  pay  the  expense  of  defending  their  prop- 
erty. In  1744  a committee  was  empowered  to  come 
to  an  absolute  agreement  with  the  Bow  proprietors,  if 
it  could  be  done  on  reasonable  grounds.  Many  of  the 
settlers  being  of  the  Scotch-Irish  stock  of  London- 
derry, whom  the  Lieutenant-Governor  had  cherished 
and  defended  from  encroachments  that  would  have 
disturbed  their  settlement,  they  were  permitted  to  go 
on  with  their  parish  as  best  they  could  under  con- 
flicting titles  and  plans.  The  Bow  proprietors  were 
willing  that  those  who  had  made  improvements  should 
enjoy  them.  The  court  was  called  upon  to  remove 
those  impediments,  to  annul  the  survey  of  the  home 
lots  of  Bow  so  far  as  they  interfered  with  the  Sun- 
cook survey  as  far  as  executed,  and  a new  survey  of 
the  undivided  land  to  order.  The  call  was  favora- 
bly received  and  answered ; they  got  all  they  asked 
for,  and  the  inhabitants  became,  for  the  time  being,  cit- 
izens of  Bow. 

The  war  between  France  and  England  had  extend- 
ed to  their  respective  provinces  in  America.  The 
French  in  Canada  had  instigated  the  Indian*  in  that 
region  to  make  depredations  on  our  frontier.  Block- 
houses or  garrisons  had  become  necessary  for  a refuge 
for  the  inhabitants  in  most  every  town.  Several 
were  established  in  Rumford  in  1746,  and  men  with 
their  families  were  assigned  to  their  respective  garri- 
sons for  protection  from  the  Indians.  Scouting-par- 
ties  were  organized, — one  at  Canterbury,  an  extreme 
frontier;  one  at  Rumford,  under  Captain  John 


268 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Chandler;  and  Captain  Ladd’s  company  was  scouting 
in  Pembrook  and  vicinity  to  warn  the  people  of  the 
approach  of  Indians  that  they  might  flee  to  their  garri- 
sons. The  New  Hampshire  government  looked  upon 
Rumford  and  Suneook  as  outla  ws,  and  were  slow  to  pro- 
tect them  ; but  Canterbury  was  the  favored  town  on  this 
frontier,  not  merely  on  account  of  its  position,  but 
because  it  was  a New  Hampshire  town,  settled  by 
New  Hampshire  people  and  granted  by  the  New 
Hampshire  government.  In  the  spring  of  1747,  and 
in  the  course  of  the  summer,  the  Indians  made  fre- 
quent attacks.  On  the  20th  of  May  they  made  an 
attack  on  the  people  of  the  Suneook  parish,  in  Bow. 
Robert  Buntin,  with  his  son  Andrew,  a lad  of  ten 
years,  and  James  Carr,  were  plowing  near  the  west 
bank  of  Merrimack  River.  Towards  night  Indians 
that  had  been  concealed  in  a thicket  rushed  on  them. 
Carr,  in  attempting  to  run  to  the  river,  was  shot,  and 
fell  dead  on  his  back.  As  they  ran  up  to  scalp  him 
his  large  dog  attacked  them,  but  was  stunned  by  a 
blow  of  a tomahawk  and  left  for  dead.  The  people 
in  garrison  at  Suneook  heard  the  firing,  but  it  being 
near  night,  did  not  venture  an  immediate  pursuit  for 
fear  of  being  taken  by  the  Indians.  The  dog,  having 
revived  during  the  night,  was  found  the  next  morning 
with  his  nose  laid  in  the  hand  of  the  corpse  of  his 
master;  nor  would  the  faithful  animal  permit  any 
one  to  touch  the  body  without  flattery  and  some 
force.  Carr  is  said  to  be  the  only  person  killed  by 
the  Indians  in  Bow.  Buntin  and  his  son  offered  no 
resistance,  and  were  hurried  into  captivity  through 
the  wilderness  to  Canada  and  sold  to  a French  trader 
in  Montreal.  The  father  purchased  his  freedom  in 
about  eleven  months,  but  the  son  was  a captive  nearly 
three  years,  when  he  returned  safely  home.  The 
General  Court  of  New  Hampshire  soon  ordered  a gar- 
rison of  eight  men  to  be  stationed  at  Suneook  for  the 
protection  of  the  inhabitants.  Owing  to  the  dual 
governments  of  Rumford  and  Suneook  (two  Massa- 
chusetts towns  included  in  a New  Hampshire  town), 
the  collector  was  unable  to  collect  the  minister  tax ; 
the  New  Hampshire  government  would  not  interfere. 
The  Massachusetts  government,  that  gave  them  their 
charter,  was  petitioned  for  authority  to  compel  each 
one  to  pay  his  share  towards  the  support  of  the  minis- 
ter, which  was  granted  in  the  case  of  Suneook,  it  hav- 
ing two  churches  nearly  equal  orthodox  and  Presbyte- 
rian; but  Rumford,  being  unanimously  orthodox, 
needed  no  compulsion. 

Although  the  attacks  of  the  Indians  were  less  fre- 
quent, the  government  did  not  relax  its  efforts  for  de- 
fense, as  they  sent  out  scouts  and  reinforced  garrisons. 
Ebenezer  Eastman  had  a company  of  fifteen  men  on 
duty  at  Pennacook  in  the  winter  of  1747-48,  and 
Captain  Moses  Foster  had  a company  of  twenty-six 
men  guarding  the  fortress  at  Suneook  in  1753.  In 
1754,  John  Chandler  had  a company  of  nine  men 
eight  days  scouting  in  the  neighboring  towns. 

February  7,  1749-50.  George  Veasey  and  Abram 


Tilton,  selectmen  chosen  by  the  proprietors  of  Bow, 
remonstrated  to  Governor  Benning  Wentworth  and 
Council  against  a petition  of  inhabitants  on  a tract 
of  land,  called  Pennacook,  to  be  incorporated  with 
town  privileges,  as  the  bounds  mentioned  make 
great  infringement  on  land  belonging  to  the  town  of 
Bow.  Walter  Bryant,  of  New  Market,  who,  with 
eight  assistants,  was  employed  by  the  New  Hampshire 
government  to  mark  the  boundary  between  New 
Hampshire  and  Maine,  perambulated  the  town  line 
of  Bow  about  the  year  1749.  He  says  in  his  report, — 

“ I began  at  the  Reputed  Bound  of  the  town  of  Chichester  at  the 
head  of  Notingham,  and  from  thence  Run  northwest  four  mites  to  the 
head  of  Epsom,  there  marked  a maple  tree  with  the  word  Bow  and  Sun- 
dry Letters,  and  from  the  said  tree,  which  I called  the  East  Corner  of 
said  Bow,  I Run  northwest  four  miles  to  the  west  corner  of  Chichester, 
then  north  east  one  mile  to  Canterbury  South  Corner,  then  north  west 
five  miles  on  said  Canterbury,  then  South  west  nine  miles,  which  Runs 
to  North  west  of  Rattlesnake  Hill  and  most  of  the  Pond  that  Lays  on 
the  north  west  side  of  6aid  hill,  and  said  Line  Crosses  Hopkinton  Road, 
so  called,  and  takes  part  of  said  town  in  ; then  we  marked  a tree  and 
Run  South  East  five  miles  and  marked  a tree,  then  one  mile  South  west, 
then  South  East  four  miles,  then  north  east  nine  miles  to  where  we  be- 
gan. I Crossed  Merrimack  River  within  two  mile  of  Canterbury  Lino 
and  found  all  the  Inhabitance  to  the  South  of  Canterbury  and  East  of 
the  Merrimack,  which  are  in  Rumford  to  be  in  Bow. 

“1752.  “ Walter  Bryant.” 

September  23d  a committee  of  the  Suneook  pro- 
prietors divided  into  lots  of  about  twenty  acres  each 
the  intervale  on  the  west  side  of  the  Merrimack  River, 
extending  from  the  southerly  line  of  Bow  to  the  head 
of  Garvin’s  Falls. 

Vexatious  law-suits  were  instituted  by  the  pro- 
prietors of  the  common  and  undivided  lands  in  the 
town  of  Bow.  A suit  in  an  action  of  ejectment  against 
Deacon  John  Merrill,  who  occupied  a tract  of  eight 
acres  of  land,  with  buildings,  at  the  lower  end  of  Main 
Street,  which  was  claimed  by  them  to  be  in  Bow. 
This  suit  was  brought  to  test  the  right  of  the  pro- 
prietors of  Bow  to  the  lands  included  in  the  Penna- 
cook grant. 

The  Rumford  settlers  were  united  in  their  purpose 
to  maintain  their  right  to  their  township.  Common 
lands  were  sold  to  meet  the  expenses  of  the  suit. 
Impartial  trials  were  impossible  in  New  Hampshire 
courts,  as  judges,  juries,  councilors  aud  all  were  in  the 
interest  of  the  proprietors  of  Bow. 

May  30,  1753,  the  selectmen  of  Bow  were  ordered 
to  raise  and  levy,  upon  the  ratable  polls  and  estates 
within  said  town,  the  sum  of  sixty  pounds  in  new 
tenor  bills  of  credit  on  this  government,  and,  July 
26th,  a further  levy  of  thirty-one  pounds,  four  shil- 
lings was  ordered,  both  to  be  paid  before  the  last  of 
December;  a list  to  be  committed  to  the  constable 
for  collection  in  bills  of  credit,  or  in  the  products  of 
the  soil  at  stipulated  prices.  The  selectmen  petition 
to  the  Governor  and  Council,  saying, — 

“They  are  ready  to  obey  every  order  of  Government,  yet  are  at  a 
loss  as  to  the  boundaries  of  Bow.  One  of  the  purchasers  of  Capt.  Tufton 
Mason's  right  is  of  the  opinion  that  their  South  East  side  line  should  bo 
carried  up  about  three  quarters  of  a mile  further  towards  the  north 
west.  The  Pennacook  settlers  allege  that  they  do  not  lay  in  Bow,  and 
many  would  refuse  to  pay  their  tax,  and  consequently  they  should  be 
thrown  into  many  Law  suits  that  would  probably  ruin  them  as  to  their 


BOW. 


269 


estates,  asking  that  the  Boundaries  be  fixed,  or  to  give  such  directions  as 
they  shall  think  proper,  which,  if  followed  by  them,  they  may  obey  the 
commands  laid  by  the  court  without  the  least  detriment  to  themselves. 
Signed  by — 

“31  oses  Foster,  j 
“John  Coffin,  | Seleclmm 
“Richard  Easman,  j.  of  Uow 
“David  Abbot, 

’ i 

“ William  3Ioor,  J 

“Bow,  Oct.  26,  1753.” 

The  persons  on  whom  those  taxes  were  to  be  as- 
sessed were,  with  three  or  four  exceptions,  inhabitants 

I of  the  Rumford  and  Suncook  settlements.  They 
deputed  Rev.  Timothy  Walker  to  represent  to  His 
Majesty  in  Council  their  grievances  by  reason  of  the 
law-suits  commenced  against  them  by  the  proprietors 
of  Bow,  and  solicited  of  the  Massachusetts  govern- 
ment such  aid  as  they  should  in  their  wisdom  see  fit. 
One  hundred  pounds  was  granted. 

July  25,  1754,  Clement  March,  Zebulon  Giddings, 
Daniel  Peirce,  as  agents  in  behalf  of  the  proprietors 

Iof  the  township  of  Bow,  petitioned  the  New  Hamp- 
shire government,  saying, — 

“That  the  said  proprietors  commenced  an  action  of  ejectment  against 
one  3Ierrill  for  the  recovery  of  eight  acres  of  land  lying  within  the  said 
Town  of  Bow  ; that  the  said  action  was  carried  through  the  Law  here 
and  said  proprietors  recovered  judgement  at  the  Superior  Court  of  Judi- 
cature ; that  the  said  3ferrill  had  complained  to  his  majesty  in  Council, 
who  was  Pleased  to  order  a hearing  of  the  action  before  him  in  Council 
in  October  next,  and  they  Humbly  pray  for  a Loan  of  one  hundred 
pounds,  Sterling  money,  to  defend  their  title  to  the  said  land,  and  they 
are  ready  to  give  such  security  as  the  Assembly  shall  order. 

“ Whereupon,  Voted  that  a bill  be  drawn  in  favor  of  the  petitioners 
on  John  Thomliuson,  Esq.,  agent  for  this  Province  at  the  Court  of  Great 
Britain,  for  the  sum  of  £100  Sterling  of  the  interest  in  his  hands  be- 
longing to  this  Government.’’ 

Iu  the  spring  of  1755,  Jonathan  Lovewell  was  ap- 
pointed to  call  a town -meeting  in  Bow,  on  the  22d  of 
April,  for  the  choice  of  officers,  which  he  accordingly 
did,  and  reported  to  the  General  Court  that  he  at- 
tended at  the  time  and  place  appointed,  and  but  one 
inhabitant  of  Bow  attended.  In  contempt  of  the  law 
and  in  defiance  of  the  government,  they  refused  to 
elect  the  necessary  officers  to  levy  and  collect  the 
taxes,  which  was  resented  by  the  government. 

May  25th  it  was  enacted  that  “ Ezra  Carter  and 
Moses  Foster,  Esq.,  and  John  Chandler,  Gent.,  all  of 
said  Bow,  assess  the  Polls  and  Estates  within  the  said 
town  of  Bow,  as  the  Limits  were  run  by  Walter 
Bryant  in  1749,  in  a just  and  equal  proportion,  the 
sum  of  £580  16s.,  New  Tenor  Bills  of  credit.” 
Timothy  Walker  and  John  Noyes  were  appointed 
collectors,  with  all  the  powers  of  constables  for  col- 
lecting public  taxes.  If  said  assessors  neglected  or 
refused  to  collect  said  tax,  the  province  treasurer  was 
directed  to  issue  his  warrant  to  the  sheriff  to  levy  said 
tax,  together  with  damage  sufficient  to  pay  the  extra 
expense  of  collecting. 

In  1756  the  committee  appointed  by  the  proprietors 
of  Suncook  to  settle  with  the  Bow  proprietors  were 
successful  in  their  endeavors. 

January  1,  1757,  a petition  was  presented  to  the 
General  Court  of  New  Hampshire  by  Daniel  Pierce, 


Thomas  Wiggin  and  Daniel  Marston,  gentlemen ; 
William  Pottle,  blacksmith,  and  Benjamin  Norris, 
yeoman,  as  a committee  of  the  proprietors  of  the 
town  of  Bow, — 

“Shewing  that  there  are  many  persons  claiming  lands  by  titles  not  de- 
rived from  Bow  Prop’s  ; that  they  had  made  improvements  and  had  ex- 
pensive law  suits  with  said  Proprietors  which  had  impeded  their  progress  ; 
that  many  of  the  settlers  who  hold  their  titles  under  the  proprietors  of 
Suncook  are  desirous  of  a settlement  of  these  disputes,  and  were  willing 
to  become  not  only  inhabitants  of  Bow,  but  to  hold  their  titles  from  the 
Bow  Proprietors,  who  were  desirous  of  having  the  question  settled  with- 
out further  expensive  law  suits,  by  reasonable  concessions  on  their  part ; 
notwithstanding  the  willingness  of  the  parties,  impediments  existed. 
The  Home  lots,  or  first  Division  in  Bow,  which  were  laid  out  for  40  acres, 
fall  short  some  of  them  nearly  one  half,  and  the  lots  laid  out  by  the 
Prop’s  of  Suncook  run  across  thoBow  lots  obliquely,  so  that  one  of  those 
interferes  with  several  of  these  in  many  places ; that  they  could  see  no 
way  to  quiet  the  possessors  unless  the  laying  out  of  some  of  the  said 
Home  lots  should  be  annulled  and  adjudged  common  land  so  far  as  re- 
lates to  those  claiming  under  them,  and  they  ask  to  have  liberty  to  bring 
in  a bill  accordingly. 

“Bead  in  Council  Jan.  6,  1757. 

“Theodore  Atkinson,  Sec. 

“ In  the  House  of  Representatives  Jan.  7,  1757. — And  ordered  to  be 
printed  two  weeks  successively  in  the  New  Hampshire  Gazette. 

“Andrew  Clarkson,  Clerk. 

“February  3d.  The  petition  being  read  in  the  House,  and  it  appear- 
ing that  the  order  of  Court  had  been  comply’d  with,  No  person  appearing 
against  it,  and  the  Bow  Committee,  the  petitioners  being  fully  heard,  have 
liberty  to  bring  in  a Bill  accordingly. 

“ In  Council  concured. 

“Andrew  Clarkson,  Clerk. 

“It.  Wibbard,  Secretary .” 


The  small  lots  both  sides  of  the  Merrimack  River 
were  annulled  and  adjudged  common  land.  Forty 
acres  immediately  south  of  the  Suncook  were  sold  to 
Henry  Hemphill  and  a tract  above  the  same  river  to 
the  Garvins. 

In  1758,  John  Noyes,  in  behalf  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Bow  living  east  of  the  Merrimack,  petitioned  for 
parish  privileges,  which  was  granted  November  1, 
1759,  by  the  name  of  Pembroke. 

April  6th  the  selectmen  of  Bow  remonstrate  against 
the  petition  of  John  Noyes  for  the  reason, — 


“That  a great  majority  of  the  settlers  came  on  there  without  right 
and  have  endeavored  to  hold  the  lands  from  the  Proprietors  of  Bow,  the 
lawful  owners  thereof,  as  appears  by  many  actions  that  have  been 
brought  against  them  and  many  more  now  depending,  and  as  there  is 
proposals  of  accommodation  made  on  both  sides,  we  Humbly  conceive 
that,  If  they  should  be  favored  with  their  request,  it  would  strengthen 
them  in  their  error  and  weaken  our  just  right  and  prevent  the  proposed 
agreement  from  being  vigorously  pursued  ; we  humbly  conceive  that 
they  ought  not  to  be  so  fully  disunited  from  the  town  of  Bow  and  ex- 
empted from  subjection  to  it  as  they  ask,  But  that  they  be  a Parish  in  the 
town  of  Bow,  for  we  cannot  Conceive  what  end  it  can  answer  to  make  a 
township  and  grant  privileges  to  a society  to  regulate  themselves  ac- 
cording to  the  Laws  of  the  land  when  we  are  putting  the  same  Laws  in 
execution  to  Disposess  them  ; for  these  and  many  other  reasons  we 
humbly  Beg  the  prayer  of  the  said  petition  may  not  be  granted. 

“Abraham  Tilton, 

“John  Stockbridge, 

“John  Dearborn, 

“Joseph  Clark,  j 


Selectmen 

of 

Bow .” 


Notwithstanding  the  foregoing  remonstrance,  the 
Council  and  Assembly  thought  it  would  not  only  be 
agreeable  to  the  town  of  Bow,  but  would  be  of  great 
service  to  them,  as  well  as  the  petitioners,  and  would 
promote  the  settlement  of  the  land  thereabouts.  Ac- 
cordingly, November  1st,  it  was  enacted  by  His  Ex- 


270 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


cellency  the  Governor,  Council  and  Assembly  that  all 
that  part  of  Bow  east  of  the  Merrimack  River  and 
between  the  Soueook  and  Suncook  Rivers  be  incor- 
porated by  the  name  of  the  parish  of  Pembroke,  in- 
vested with  all  the  powers  and  privileges  of  other 
parishes  in  the  province.  This  territory  included 
most  of  the  settlers  of  the  Suncook  grant,  and  their 
troubles  with  the  Bow  proprietors  were  at  an  end. 
But  it  was  not  so  with  the  people  of  Rumford  ; they 
were  obstinate  and  determined  not  to  give  in  their 
invoice  or  pay  their  part  of  the  public  charges  until 
they  were  given  town  privileges,  which  the  New 
Hampshire  government  was  slow  to  grant.  A like 
difficulty  respecting  taxation  existed  in  that  part  of 
Hopkinton  claimed  by  Bow.  About  twenty-six  families 
had  settled  there  who  wished  to  be  taxed  in  Hopkin- 
ton, and  permission  to  do  so  was  granted  in  1763. 

November  7th  the  sheriff  of  the  pi'ovince  of  New 
Hampshire  was  ordered  to  attach  the  goods  or  estates 
of  Benjamin  Rolf,  Esq.,  Daniel  Carter,  Timothy 
Simonds  and  John  Evans,  all  husbandmen  of  Bow, 
to  the  value  of  one  thousand  pounds,  and  for  the  want 
thereof,  to  take  the  bodies,  if  they  may  be  found  in 
the  precinct,  to  answer  unto  the  proprietors  of  the 
common  and  undivided  lands  lying  within  the  town- 
ship of  Bow  in  an  action  of  ejectment,  wherein  the 
plaintiffs  demanded  possession  of  about  one  thousand 
acres  of  land  and  appurtenances,  “ beginning  at  a 
stake  on  the  South  west  of  the  Great  River  in  Bow, 
116  rods  below  John  Merril’s  Ferry  ; thence  running 
west  to  Turkey  river  until  it  comes  to  within  20  rods 
of  Nathn’l  Smith’s  Grist-Mill;  Thence  south  to  said 
river ; thence  on  said  river  to  where  it  empties  into 
the  great  river ; thence  up  the  great  river  to  the  first- 
mentioned  bound,”  said  proprietors  alleging  they 
were  entitled  to  the  one  thousand  acres  as  part  of  the 
eightv-one  square  miles  of  their  grant.  These  suits 
of  ejectment  were  brought  to  test  the  right  of  the 
Bow  proprietors  to  the  lauds  claimed  by  them.  The 
cause  was  brought  on  trial  in  the  Inferior  Court  Sep- 
tember 2,  1760.  The  jury  gave  a verdict  in  favor  of 
the  Bow  proprietors.  The  Rumford  settlers  prayed 
for  an  appeal  to  the  next  Superior  Court,  which  was 
allowed.  On  the  second  Tuesday  of  November,  1760, 
in  the  Superior  Court,  the  jury  again  gave  their  ver- 
dict for  the  respondents.  The  appellants,  conceiving 
themselves  greatly  aggrieved,  prayed  and  were  allowed 
an  appeal  to  His  Majesty  in  Council.  Rev.  Timothy 
Walker  was  deputed  as  their  agent  for  that  purpose, 
and  succeeded  in  getting  the  verdicts  of  the  New 
Hampshire  courts  reversed,  and  the  appellants  he  re- 
stored to  what  they  had  lost  by  means  of  said  judg- 
ments, “Whereof  the  Gov’r.  or  Commander-in- 
Chief  of  His  Majesty’s  Province  of  New  Hamphire 
for  the  time  being,  and  all  others,  are  to  govern  them- 
selves accordingly.”  December  20,  1762,  this  final 
decision  was  made. 

In  1761  the  order  for  taking  the  inventory  of  the 
polls  and  ratable  estates  in  Bow  was  delivered  to 


Colonel  Jeremiah  Stiekney,  of  the  Rumford  parish. 
He  refused  to  act,  saying:  “ We  never  understood  we 
had  power  to  act  under  the  incorporation  of  Bow,  in 
which,  if  we  were  mistaken,  it  was  our  unhappiness.” 

It  is  difficult  to  see  why  he  had  not  power  to  act,  and 
retained  the  remaining  part  of  Bow  in  one  town- 
ship. 

The  selectmen  of  Canterbury  were  appointed  in 
April  of  the  same  year  to  take  the  inventory  of  the 
polls,  stocks  and  improved  lands  in  the  township  of  j 
Bow,  which  was  nearly  all  in  the  Rumford  grant. 
Samuel  Rogers,  Francis  Carr,  Ephraim  Foster,  John 
Noyes,  Jr.,  Samuel  Welch,  Ebenezer  Carlton  and 
Reuben  Currier  lived  on  the  territory  now  included 
in  Bow.  The  invoice  consisted  of  154  polls,  91  houses, 
341  acres  planting-ground,  498  of  mowing,  16  of 
orcharding,  16  oxen,  222  cows;  85  cattle,  three  years;  ! 
90  cattle,  two  years ; 103  cattle,  one  year ; 77 
horses,  37  under  four  years ; 150  acres  pasture 
land,  6 negroes  ; 6 mills,  yearly  income,  £125.  The  , 
valuation  was  £4828  10s.  and  £1000  damage.  Signed 
by  Ezekiel  Morrill,  Thomas  Clough,  selectmen  of 
Canterbury.  We  have  no  means  of  knowing  that 
the  tax  was  collected. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Walker  visited  England  for  the  third  I 
time  in  the  fall  of  1762  to  attend  the  trial  of  the 
cause,  which  was  yet  pending.  It  was  finally  decided 
on  the  ground  that  whoever  settled  under  a grant 
from  either  side,  if  he  happened  to  be  on  the  wrong  j 
side  of  the  line  when  it  came  to  be  settled,  his  pos- 
session should  be  his  title,  and  what  a man  claimed  j 
under  a certain  title,  part  of  which  he  improved,  was 
his  property. 

In  1764,  Solomon  Heath,  Edward  Russell  and 
Thomas  Chandler,  lately  settled  in  the  northwest 
part  of  the  present  township  of  Bow,  petitioned  the 
General  Court  June  12th,  saying  they  “ understand 
there  is  a very  great  Province  Tax  laid  on  the  in-  I 
habitants  of  Bow  the  last  year,  this  present  year  and 
the  next  year  for  their  Delinquency  for  the  past  seven 
or  eight  years  last  past,  which  would  almost  ruin 
them  if  obliged  to  pay  any  proportion  of  it,  and  wish 
to  be  relieved  from  so  doing.”  Said  petition  was 
read  in  Council  and  House  June  14th,  when  it  was  j 
voted  that  a hearing  be  had  next  August,  and  the 
selectmen  of  Pembroke  and  Ezra  Carter,  Esq.,  and 
Captain  John  Chandler,  assessors  of  Bow,  be  served 
with  a copy  of  the  petition  and  the  order  of  court, 
and  they  stated  to  His  Majesty’s  Council  “that  there 
are  41  polls,  with  the  estates  they  possess,  within  the 
limits  of  Bow  that  are  exactly  similar  to  these  peti- 
tioners, and  also  sixty  or  more  Polls  and  estates  of  ' 
minors,  and  so  not  liable  to  be  taxed  when  the  rates 
were  due  for  which  this  Tax  is  ordered,  but  have 
since  come  of  age ; many  have  left  town  and  some  the  j 
Province  since  these  taxes  were  assessed  and  are  ex- 
empt from  our  power  of  taxing  them,  and  they  ask 
whether  there  is  not  the  same  reason  that  these 
others  should  be  freed  as  that  the  petitioners  should. 


BOW. 


1 


which,  if  the  Case,  we  are  well  assured  that  it  will  be 
impossible  for  the  small  remainder  to  pay  the  whole 
of  said  tax.”  In  the  House  of  Representatives,  Jan- 
uary 9,  1765,  this  petition  was  read  and  it  was  11  Voted, 
that  the  prayer  be  Granted,  and  that  the  petitioners 
have  leave  to  bring  in  a bill  accordingly.  In  Council 
read  & concurred  Jany.  10th.” 

The  inhabitants  of  Bow  outside  of  Rumford  felt 
the  oppression  of  taxation  in  arrears.  It  is  stated  in 
the  petition  of  Timothy  Walker  in  behalf  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Rumford,  April  11,  1764,  that  “they 
would  have  been  glad  to  have  acted  even  under  the 
incorporation  of  Bow  if  they  could,  although  highly 
inconvenient  for  them,  as  it  blended  part  of  three 
towns  whose  interests  had  always  been  separate;  that 
they  conceive  themselves  greatly  aggrieved  the  heavy 
tax  in  arrears  that  nobody  has  power  to  collect. 
They  therefore  most  humbly  pray  To  be  Incorporated 
by  their  former  known  boundaries,  and  that  the  In- 
habitants may  be  abated  at  least  one-half  of  the  ar- 
rearages.” In  answer  to  this  petition,  the  House  of 
Representatives  reaffirmed  that  “ what  the  town  of 
Bow  is  now  in  arrears  for  the  Province  tax  shall  be 
collected,  and  all  the  inhabitants  on  lands  between 
Canterbury,  Bow  and  New  Hopkinton  shall  be  taxed 
and  pay  their  proportion.” 

May  25,  1765,  “ Whereas  there  are  sundry  arrearages 
of  taxes  now  due,  which  the  inhabitants  aforesaid 
apprehend  they  cannot  levy  for  want  of  sufficient  au- 
thority, and  several  of  them  praying  they  might  be 
erected  into  a town  or  parish  and  enjoy  the  common 
privileges  of  other  towns  in  this  province  : Be  it  en- 
acted ” (here  the  boundaries  of  Concord  are  inserted, 
beginning  at  the  southeast  corner  of  Boscawen  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Contoocook;  thence  running  south,  sev- 
enty-three degrees  west,  four  miles;  thence  south, sev- 
enty-three degrees  east,  seven  miles  and  one  hundred 
rods  ; thence  north,  seventy-three  degrees  east,  about 
four  miles  to  Merrimack  River — this  last  the  present 
line  between  Bow  and  Concord ; then  crossing  said 
river  the  same  course  to  the  Soucook  River,  etc.)  “that 
the  polls  and  estates  within  the  same  bounds  he  made 
a parish  by  the  name  of  Concord  with  all  the  powers 
of  other  towns  in  this  province  excepting  the  laying 
out  of  roads,  when  application  shall  be  made  to  the 
Court  of  General  Quarter  Sessions  of  the  Province.” 

The  selectmen  of  the  new  parish  were  to  unite 
with  John  Noyes  and  Edward  Russell  to  assess  the 
arrearage  taxes. 

The  triune  township  of  Bow  no  longer  exists.  The 
New  Hampshire  government  has  tenaciously  adhered 
to  their  original  purpose  of  giving  Bow  the  pre-emi- 
nence, and  disallowing  all  the  claims  of  Rumford  as 
incorporated  by  Massachusetts.  The  idea  advanced  in 
the  order  of  the  government  to  the  surveyors  of  Pen- 
nacook,  in  1726,  that  the  Massachusetts  government 
granting  a township  there  might  be  attended  with 
very  ill  consequences  to  the  settlers  had  been  verified. 
All  concerned  are  heartily  tired  of  this  state  of  things, 


and  pray  for  a reconciliation,  which  can  only  be  done 
by  giving  the  Rumford  settlers  their  township.  The 
Bow  proprietors  were  not  actual  settlers,  and,  living 
in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State,  held  their  annual 
meetings  at  Stratham,  independent  of  the  Rumford 
and  Suncook  settlers,  and  the  few  families  outside  re- 
fused to  act.  Their  feelings  can  be  best  known  by 
the  following,  which  also  shows  who  the  actual  set- 
tlers were  at  that  time  : 

“To  His  Excellency,  Benniiig  Wentworth,  Esq.,  Governor  and  the 
Hon’bl,  His  Majesty’s  Council  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Assembly.  The  petition  of  sundry  of  the  Inhabitants  of  the  town  of 
Bow  not  within  Concord,  Humbly  sheweth  that  Great  Difficulty  and 
hardship  hath  arose  by  our  being  Rated  with  old  Arrairages  (in  years 
past)  with  Concord  People  and  some  Difficulty  arises  with  our  being 
Rated  with  them  now  and  it  hath  ben  a Great  hendrance  to  many  more 
Settlements  being  made  in  s’d  Bow.  Wherefore  your  s’d  Petitioners 
Humbly  Pray  your  Excellency  and  Honors  to  take  their  Circumstances 
under  Consideration  and  Relieve  them  from  being  Rated  with  Concord 
any  Longer,  as  your  Excellency  & lionnors  shall  in  your  Great  Wisdom 
and  Clemency  See  fit,  and  your  Petitioners,  as  in  Duty  Bound,  Shall  ever 
Pray. 

“James  moor,  Joseph  Rogers,  James  Buswell,  John  Chace,  antony 
manuell,  Eliezer  Emerson,  Will’m  Robertson,  Samuel  Rogers,  John 
Noyes,  Jr.,  Samuel  Alexander,  Thomas  Eatton,  Elisha  Clough,  Jr., 
Francis  Carr,  Solomon  Heath,  Edw.  Carlton,  William  Parker,  David 
Merrill,  Joseph  Baker,  Jr.,  Samuel  Smith,  jun’r.,  Samuel  Welch,  Elisha 
Clough,  Edwd.  Russell,  Thomas  Chandler,  Ephraim  Foster,  John  Robert- 
son, John  Grushe,  Ephraim  moor,  Benjamin  Noyes. 

“ In  Council,  July  2, 17G6. — Read  and  ordered  to  be  sent  down  to  the 
Hon’bl  house.” 

The  first  enumeration  of  the  people  of  the  province 
was  made  in  1767  by  order  of  the  General  Assembly. 
The  return  from  Bow  was  as  follows,  viz. : 


Unmarried  men  from  sixteen  to  sixty 17 

Married  men  from  sixteen  to  sixty 33 

Boys  under  sixteen 50 

Men  sixty  and  upward 2 

Unmarried  females 50 

Married  females 33 

Widows 2 

Total 187 


The  Rumford  parish  being  granted  town  privileges 
by  the  name  of  Concord,  those  living  outside,  not  yet 
acting  in  the  capacity  of  a town,  a petition,  of  which 
the  following  is  an  answer,  was  presented  to  Jeremiah 
Page,  Esq.,  of  Dunbarton, 

“In  answer  to  a petition  to  me  Presented  by  fourteen  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Bow  who  are  not  set  of  into  any  Parish  ; Humbly  She  with  that 
they  Should  be  warned  to  meet  at  the  Dwelling  House  of  William  Rob- 
ertson of  sd  Town  on  Wednesday  the  eleventh  Day  of  march  next,  att 
Ten  o’clock  in  the  forenoon  to  act  on  the  following  affairs. 

“ Furthermore  all  the  freeholders  and  other  Inhabitants  of  sd  Bow 
that  are  not  in  any  Parish  are  Hereby  Notified  and  warned  ta 
meet  at  the  Dwelling  house  of  William  Robertson  on  the  eleventh  day 
of  March  at  ten  o'clock  in  the  forenoon,  to  act  on  the  following  particu- 
lars, viz  : 

“ 1st,  To  choose  a moderator  to  govern  sd  meeting. 

“2d,  To  choose  Town  Officers  if  the  Town  sees  Cause. 

“3d,  To  see  if  the  Town  will  subscribe  to  build  a Meeting  House. 

“ 4th,  To  see  if  the  Town  will  agree  on  a place  to  set  sd  house. 

“ Dated  y®  twenty-first  Day  of  February,  1767. 

“ Jeremiah  Page,  Justice  of  Peace 

At  said  meeting  they  made  choice  of  Samuel  Rog- 
ers for  moderator ; William  Robertson,  town  clerk ; 
Samuel  Rogers,  Ephraim  Moore  and  Samuel  Welch, 
selectmen  ; Francis  Carr,  constable;  Edward  Russell, 


272 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Elisha  Clough  and  John  Robertson,  committee  to 
examine  selectmen’s  accounts ; James  Moor,  John 
Grushee,  Edward  Carlton,  Thomas  Chandler  and 
Benjamin  Noyes,  surveyors  of  highways.  “ Voted  to 
build  a meeting-house  by  Subscription.”  “ Voted  to 
adjourn  sd  meeting  to  the  first  Tuesday  of  May  next, 
to  meet  at  the  House  of  Ephraim  Foster.”  Met  ac- 
cording to  adjournment,  and  adjourned  to  the  13th 
of  July,  at  which  time  the  aforesaid  officers 
made  oath  to  be  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  their 
offices  according  to  law.  This  was  the  first  town- 
meeting of  the  inhabitants  of  Bow,  a notice  of  which 
being  served  on  the  proprietors,  they,  at  their  annual 
meeting  at  Strathain,  the  first  Thursday  in  April, 
1767,  agreeable  to  charter,  declared  : 

“As  it  may  be  Necessary  that  sd  Inhabitants  should  act  in  Town 
affairs  separate  from  the  Propriety,  it  is  therefore  by  sd  Proprietors  voted, 
that  as  much  as  in  them  Lies,  they  approve  of  sd  Inhabitants  choice  of  sd 
■Gentlemen  to  their  Respective  Offices  aforesaid. 

“Attested  by 

“ Samuel  Lane,  Proprietors'  Clerk." 

From  this  time  the  inhabitants  managed  their  own 
affairs  independent  of  the  original  proprietors,  but 
were  still  rated  with  Concord.  August  28, 1767, — 

“ The  Selectmen,  in  behalf  of  themselves  and  inhabitants  of  sd  Bow, 
•exclusive  of  such  as  are  set  of  into  Parishes  ; Humbly  Sheweth  that  they 
have  chosen  town  officers  agreeable  to  Bow  Charter  and  are  ready  and 
willing  to  assess,  collect  and  Pay  our  proportion  of  Publick  charges  with 
other  towns  in  this  Province,  your  petitioners  Have  Been  and  are  now 
greatly  abused  by  being  Rated  with  Concord,  for  Their  Selectmen  are 
the  major  part  of  the  assessors  and  they  make  the  rate  as  they  see 
fit  ; Wherefore,  the  sd  petitioners  Humbly  and  Earnestly  Pray  your 
Excellency  and  Honors  to  take  their  Distressed  Carcomstances  under 
•consideration,  and  Relieve  them  from  being  Rated  any  longer  with 
Concord,  in  such  manner  as  your  Honors  shall  see  Fitt,  and.  your  Peti- 
tioners, as  in  duty  bound,  Shall  Ever  Pray — 

(Signed)  ‘ ‘ Samuel  Rogers,  1 SeUctmm 

"Samuel  Welsh,  1. 

“Ephraim  Moor,  j °f  Sow‘ 

“ In  Council  August  28, 17C7. — Read  and  Ordered  to  be  sent  down  to 
the  Honorable  House. 

“T.  Atkinson,  Jr.,  [Secretary.''] 

September  30th  the  selectmen  called  a meeting  of 
the  freeholders  and  other  inhabitants  of  Bow,  to  be 
held  at  the  house  of  Ephraim  Foster,  in  said  town,  on 
the  19th  of  October,  when  it  was  “ Voted  to  allow 
what  roads  the  selectmen  have  laid  out,  and  that  no 
more  be  laid  this  year.”  “ Voted  to  work  three  days’ 
work  on  the  highway  this  year.”  The  road  from 
Goncord  down  the  Merrimack  River  to  the  northerly 
corner  of  Samuel  Welch’s  land  was  laid  prior  to 
1757.  A drift-road,  two  rods  wide,  was  opened  “ from 
that  by  sd  Welch’s  land,  through  John-  Noyes,  Jr.’s, 
land  to  the  ridge  about  forty  rods  above  John  Noyes, 
Esq.’s,  House,  following  said  Ridge  till  it  strikes  the 
river;  thence  down  the  river  to  Starkestown  line; 
thence  Beginning  at  Benjamin  Noyes’  Ferry,  forty 
rods  above  his  house,  crossing  the  river  to  the  mouth 
of  Suncook  River  & up  sd  river  to  Allenstown  line.” 

In  1768  the  annual  meeting  was  held  at  the  house  of 
Joseph  Rogers.  He  was  chosen  moderator ; William 
Robertson,  town  clerk ; Edward  Russell,  John  Rob- 
ertson and  Aaron  Kinsman,  selectmen  ; James  Moor, 


constable;  Caleb  Buswell,  William  Robertson  and 
John  Hemphill,  committee  to  examine  selectmen’s 
accounts. 

“ Voted  to  build  a Pound  near  Ephraim  Foster’s 
House,  sd  Foster  to  be  Pound-keeper,”  and  “ Voted 
forty  Dollars  to  repair  highways,  to  be  worked  at  forty 
shillings  per  day.”  Roads  were  returned  from  Tom 
Merrill’s  bridge,  west  of  Seriah  Morgan’s,  easterly  by 
John  Robertson’s  house  to  Baker’s  ferry,  to  be  two 
rods  wide;  also  from  Samuel  Welch’s  land  northwest- 
erly to  Thomas  McConnell’s  land,  two  rods  wide, 
thence  to  Kinsman’s  Mills,  thence  northerly  to  Con- 
cord line,  keeping  the  breadth  of  four  rods;  also  a 
road  from  Kinsman’s  Mills  at  Turkey  River  bridge 
(to  be  four  rods  wide)  to  Tom  Merrill’s  bridge,  thence 
to  the  meeting-house  near  Elisha  Clough’s  land, 
thence  to  White  Rock  Brook,  over  Wood  Hill,  by 
Samuel  Rogers’  house,  to  Dunbarton  line. 

It  is  supposed  the  line  of  travel  from  one  settler’s 
dwelling  to  another  was  on  or  near  the  newly-re- 
turned roads,  — first  a foot  and  horseback  path, 
perhaps,  then  a cart-road,  and  finally  a formal  high- 
way. Turkey  River  bridge  and  Tom  Merrill’s  had 
been  built  previous  to  this  date.  The  amount  of 
ratable  estate  in  town  at  this  time  was  £1500 ; 
the  tax  £3,  10s.  on  £1000.  There  were  forty-eight 
ratable  polls  over  sixteen  years  old.  In  1769  the 
meeting  warned  by  James  Moor,  constable,  in  the 
name  of  His  Majesty,  met  at  the  house  of  Francis 
Carr.  Edward  Russell  was  chosen  moderator,  Wil- 
liam Robertson,  town  clerk ; John  Noyes,  David 
Clement  and  Edward  Russell,  selectmen ; Joseph 
Rogers,  constable.  “ Voted  to  accept  the  road  from 
Dumbarton  to  Concord  over  Wood  Hill.”  At  an  ad- 
journed meeting,  “ Voted  to  accept  the  road  from  Wm. 
Parker’s  house  to  Merrimack  River.”  The  State 
being  divided  into  five  counties,  Bow  was  included  in 
Rockingham. 

At  the  annual  meeting  in  1770,  Edward  Russell, 
Ephraim  Foster  and  Moses  Garvin  were  chosen  select- 
men. “ Voted  sixty  dollars  to  be  worked  on  the  high- 
way at  forty  shillings  per  day.”  At  a meeting  called 
by  Samuel  Welch,  constable,  by  order  of  the  select- 
men, to  be  held  at  the  meeting-house,  “ Voted  to  pay 
Mr.  Wooster  thirty  dollars  for  preaching  this  year.” 

The  annual  meeting  at  the  meeting-house  in  1771, 
chose  Edward  Carlton,  Benjamin  Noyes  and  Joseph 
Baker  selectmen,  and  other  town  officers.  “ Voted 
thirty  dollars  for  preaching,”  and  “ Voted  not  to  raise 
money  to  hire  a School-Master  this  year.”  “ Voted  to 
buy  a town-book  and  Pay  William  Robertson  for 
drawing  of  the  records.” 

In  1772,  Edward  Russell,  John  Grushee  and  Leon- 
ard Harriman  were  chosen  selectmen.  “ Voted  thirty 
dollars  for  preaching  and  thirty  dollars  for  a town 
school.”  “ Voted  to  sell  all  right  or  title  to  a 
forty-acre  lot  in  Pembroke,  as  laid  out  by  the 
Proprietors,  to  Ebenezer  Frye.”  “Voted  to  release 
Stephen  Kinsman’s  and  Francis  Carr’s  minister  tax, 


BOW. 


273 


they  giving  the  town  a discharge  for  boarding  the 
minister.”  Benjamin  Noyes,  Leonard  Harriman 
and  James  Buswell,  a committee  chosen  to  settle 
with  the  selectmen,  find  the  following  notes  due  the 
town : 

£ s.  d. 


One  signed  by  Ebenezer  Fry 30  0 

One  signed  by  Joseph  Rogers 13  0 

One  signed  by  Samuel  Welch 11  0 

One  signed  by  James  Moor 0 1G  8 


Fourteen  of  the  past  selectmen  signed  a paper, 
giving  all  their  services  as  selectmen. 

At  a meeting  called  for  the  purpose,  February  24, 
1773,  Aaron  Kinsman  was  chosen  to  serve  as  a grand 
juror  to  His  Majesty’s  Superior  Court  of  Judicature, 
to  be  held  at  Portsmouth  in  and  for  the  county  of 
Rockingham.  At  the  annual  meeting,  Edward  Rus- 
sell, Ephraim  Foster  and  Benjamin  Noyes  were  chosen 
selectmen ; John  Grushee  and  Leonard  Harriman, 
deer-reeves;  Edward  Carlton,  town  clerk.  The  new 
proportion,  settled  by  the  General  Assembly,  gave 
Bow  sixty-four  polls,  sixty-eight  ratable  estates  ; tax 
on  £1000 : £3  5s.  According  to  a census  taken  by 
order  of  Governor  John  Wentworth,  Bow  contained 
308  inhabitants, — 58  married  men  and  women  the 
same,  101  unmarried  females,  5 unmarried  men  from 
sixteen  to  sixty,  84  boys  sixteen  years  and  under,  2 
men  sixty  years  and  upward.  Signed  by  Benjamin 
Noyes  and  Solomon  Heath. 

In  1774,  Timothy  Dix  signed  his  name  as  town 
clerk  at  a meeting  called  for  choosing  a grand  juror  to 
the  September  court;  James  Buswell  was  chosen. 
At  the  annual  meeting  James  Buswell,  Enoch  Noyes 
and  John  Carr  were  chosen  selectmen.  “Voted  that 
the  meeting-house  be  on  the  Hill,  where  it  now 
stands,  and  not  at  the  Centre.”  “ Voted  to  give  Mr. 
Fessenden  an  Invitation  to  settle  with  us  in  the 
ministry,  giving  him  one  thousand  pounds,  Old 
Tenor,  in  Lands  for  his  settlement,  besides  a yearly 
salary  of  forty  pounds,  and  to  advance  his  salary  as 
the  town  grows  able,  and  chose  a committee  to  Treat 
with  him.,”  He  was  probably  their  settled  minister 
for  three  years;  he  then  preached  for  the  Presby- 
terians in  Pembrook  one  year ; then,  with  Rev.  Mr. 
Pearsons,  supplied  in  Bow.  The  church  at  this  time 
was  mixed, — Congregational,  Presbyterian  and  Bap- 
tist. 

A decade  had  now  passed  since  the  British  Parlia- 
ment made  a law  that  it  had  a right  to  tax  the 
colonies.  The  Stamp  Act  was  passed,  which  provided 
that  all  deeds,  notes,  bills  and  other  legal  documents 
should  be  written  on  stamped  paper,  at  certain  fixed 
rates.  Americans  denied  that  Parliament  had  a right 
to  impose  taxes  on  them,  and  expressed  their  opinion 
in  the  sentiment  that  “ Taxation  without  representa- 
tion is  tyranny.”  Public  meetings,  protesting  against 
the  Stamp  Act,  were  held  in  all  the  colonies,  and 
public  opinion  nullified  the  law  and  it  was  repealed. 

Parliament  then  put  a tax  of  three-pence  a pound 
on  tea ; but  the  people  determined  not  to  import  any 


tea.  The  press,  the  pulpit  and  Colonial  Legislatures 
denounced  the  acts,  and  an  attempt  to  raise  a revenue 
in  America  by  taxation  proved  a failure.  British 
troops  were  stationed  at  Boston  and  New  York.  The 
colonists  resolved  to  consult  together,  and  the  First 
Continental  Congress  was  called  at  Philadelphia 
September  5,  1774,  which  recommended  the  suspen- 
sion of  all  commercial  intercourse  with  England,  and 
agreed  to  meet  again  in  May,  1775.  The  General 
Assembly  of  New  Hampshire  sent  letters  to  the 
several  towns  in  the  province  requesting  them  to  send 
deputies  to  a convention,  to  be  held  at  Exeter,  to 
choose  delegates  to  a General  Congress  to  meet  at 
Philadelphia.  Accordingly,  a meeting  was  called,  to 
be  held  January  12,  1775,  “to  see  if  the  town  of  Bow 
will  vote  to  Chuse  a man  to  go  to  Exeter  to  set  with 
the  Provincial  Committee  to  Chuse  delegates  to  go 
to  Philadelphia  to  the  Congress  in  May  next.  Voted 
not  to  send  a man,  but  voted  to  Buy  a town  stock  of 
ammunition ; also  to  get  the  money  due  from  Lieut. 
Fry  soon  as  they  can  without  cost.” 

At  the  annual  meeting,  April  6,  1775,  Benjamin 
Bean,  John  Noyes  and  Leonard  Harriman  were 
chosen  selectmen.  “ Voted  to  raise  30  dollars  for 
schooling,  also  to  divide  into  districts  as  last  year, 
and  to  raise  eight  dollars  to  repair  highways.  Bought 
a town-book  for  fifteen  shillings.” 

On  May  11th,  pursuant  to  call,  a town-meeting  was 
held,  and  it  was  voted  to  send  Benjamin  Noyes  as  a 
delegate  to  the  Fourth  Provincial  Congress  at  Exeter 
the  17th  of  May ; it  was  also  voted  to  drop  school 
and  highway  rates  for  the  year,  probably  on  account 
of  the  war.  Aaron  Kinsman  received  a captain’s 
commission,  March  2d,  for  the  Seventh  Company, 
First  Regiment,  Colonel  John  Stark.  June  23d  the 
town  militia  was  organized  by  the  choice  of  Ephraim 
Foster,  captain  ; Ephraim  Moor,  lieutenant;  Ralph 
Cross,  ensign ; and  Esquire  Bryant,  James  Moor, 
Samuel  Rogers,  John  Noyes  and  Benjamin  Bean,  a 
Committee  of  Inspection  or  Safety. 

An  order  was  sent  to  the  several  towns  in  the  prov- 
ince, by  the  Provincial  Congress,  August  25th,  for 
the  taking  of  an  exact  count  of  the  number  of  in- 
habitants by  the  selectmen  of  the  several  towns. 
The  following  is  the  return  from  BowT : 


“ Males  under  1G  years  of  age 88 

Males  from  16  to  50 47 

Males  above  50  years  of  age 11 

The  Persons  gone  to  the  army 17 

Females  . 189 


Total 


350 


‘Guns  in  Bow,  33  ; Guns  wanting,  14  ; Powder,  13  pounds. 


i 


, “ Benjamin  Bean, 

“John  Noyes, 

“ Leonard  Harrim 
‘ Sept.  6th,  1775,  Sworn  to  Before 

“ John  Bryant,  J.  P. 


HAS,  } 


Selectmen 
of  Boic. 


February  3,  1776,  Edward  Russell  being  appointed 
a justice  of  the  peace  by  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives, the  selectmen  and  Committee  of  Safety  remon- 


274 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


strated  against  commissioning  him  until  the  town  had 
an  opportunity  to  recommend  another  man.  Febru- 
ary 14th  a meeting  was  called  for  that  purpose,  to  be 
held  the  22d,  when  Ephraim  Foster  was  chosen  as 
the  man. 

At  the  annual  meeting,  April  4th,  John  Bryant, 
Benjamin  Noyes  and  Ephraim  Foster  were  chosen 
selectmen,  and  “voted  to  raise  50  dollars  for  preach- 
ing, to  be  proportioned  above  and  below  Merrill’s 
bridge,  according  to  money  raised,  and  50  dollars  for 
schooling.”  Captain  Caleb  Page  was  representative 
at  the  September  session  from  Bow  and  Dunbarton, 
and  John  Bryant  at  the  December  session. 

In  Congress,  March  14,  1776,  “ Resolved  that  the 
Committees  of  Safety  of  the  United  Colonies  im- 
mediately cause  all  persons  to  be  disarmed  who  refuse 
to  associate  to  defend,  by  use  of  arms,  the  United 
Colonies  against  the  British  Fleets  and  armies.” 

April  12th  the  Committee  of  Safety  of  New 
Hampshire  requested  the  selectmen  of  towns  to 
desire  all  males  above  twenty-one  years  of  age  to 
sign  the  following  declaration,  called  the  Association 
Test:  “We,  the  subscribers,  do  hereby  solemnly  en- 
gage and  promise  that  we  will,  to  the  utmost  of  our 
power,  at  the  risque  of  our  lives  and  fortunes,  with 
arms,  oppose  the  hostile  proceedings  of  the  British 
Fleets  and  Armies,  against  the  United  American 
Colonies.”  The  act  of  signing  the  above  was  similar 
to  that  of  the  patriots  who  signed  the  national 
declaration,  July  4th.  The  signers  in  Bow  were, — 

Ephraim  Foster,  Joseph  Rogers,  Nathanel  Collier,  John  Bryant,  Ralph 
Cross,  John  Brown,  Benjamin  Beau,  Antony  Manuell,  Paltiah  Clement, 
James  Buswell,  Timothy  Dix,  Richard  Clough,  Jr.,  John  Carr,  Samuel 
Dow,  Henry  Hemphill  (his  X mark),  Stephen  Eastman,  Elisha  Clough, 
Joseph  Baker,  David  Carr,  Elisha  Clough,  Jr.,  Samuel  Welch,  John 
Grushe,  Thomas  Hardy,  William  Robertson,  Jonathan  Clement,  Edward 
Carlton,  AarOn  Noyes,  Solomon  Heath,  Samuel  Rogers,  Jr.,  John  Noyes, 
Edward  Russell,  Aaron  Kinsman,  James  Reddell,  David  Foster,  Reuben 
Currier,  John  Garven,  David  Elliot,  Richard  Clough,  Goin  Hemphill, 
John  Colby,  John  Robertsou,  John  Moor,  Abraham  Colby,  James  Moor, 
Samuel  Alexander,  Willaby  Colby,  Leonard  Harriman,  Samuel  Welch, 
Jr.,  Eligah  Colby,  John  Sulliway,  Jacob  Stockbridge,  Joseph  Rogers,  Jr., 
Enoch  Noyes,  Jonathan  Clough,  Ephraim  Moor,  Samuel  Winslow,  Ben- 
jamin Noyes,  Amosa  Dow  and  Simeon  Heath, — Total,  G3. 

“ Errors  excepted, 

“ Samuel  Rogers. 

“ I not  being  satisfied,  Errors  excepted, 

“William  Rogers. 

“ Bow,  September  y®  3d,  1776. 

“ Returned  to  the  Committee  of  Safety  by  the  Selectmen.” 

Heretofore  the  annual  meetings  bad  been  called  by 
the  province  of  New  Hampshire,  but  the  meeting  for 
April  3,  1777,  was  warned  by  the  State  of  New 
Hampshire  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Bow. 

In  1777,  Edward  Russell,  Edward  Carlton  and 
Jonathan  Clement  were  chosen  selectmen,  and  Cap- 
tain Bean,  James  Moor,  Esquire  Bryant,  John  Noyes 
and  Joseph  Baker  were  chosen  a Committee  of  Safety. 
No  money  raised  for  preaching,  schools  or  highways. 
John  Bryant,  representative  for  Bow  and  Dunbarton 
at  the  session  to  be  held  at  Exeter,  June  4,  1777,  and 
Jeremiah  Page,  Esq.,  of  Dunbarton,  at  the  DecemOer 
session.  The  State  tax  was  £40,000.  £118  6s.  8 d., 


Bow’s  proportion,  was  paid  by  Edward  Evans,  con- 
stable. 

In  1778,  William  Robertson,  David  Carr  and 
Samuel  Alexander  were  chosen  to  do  the  town  busi- 
ness for  the  year.  “ Voted  to  hire  a man  to  go  to 
Stratham  to  get  a copy  of  the  names  of  the  Proprie- 
tors of  the  unimproved  lots  in  town.  Joseph  Baker, 
James  Buswell,  Edward  Carlton,  John  Bryant, 
William  Robertson,  Ephraim  Foster,  Edward  Russell, 
Benjamin  Bean,  Leonard  Harriman,  John  Noyes, 
Enoch  Noyes  and  John  Carr  gave  to  the  town  their 
services  as  selectmen  from  1768  to  April  1,  1778,  and 
Timothy  Dix  gave  his  services  as  town  clerk  since. 

In  1774,  “ voted  100  dollars  for  preaching  and  100 
for  schools,  and  to  exempt  John  Garvin  from  paying 
his  tax  this  year,  on  account  of  his  loss  by  fire,  and 
also  Reuben  Currier,  he  having  lost  his  horse  and 
cow.”  “ Voted  the  invoice  be  taken  the  second  week 
in  April  this  year,  and  to  send  John  Bryant  to  the 
convention  at  Concord  in  June  next.” 

In  1779,  Edward  Russell,  Benjamin  Noyes  and 
Ephraim  Foster  were  chosen  selectmen.  The  meet- 
ing-house built  in  1770  was  probably  a rude  struc- 
ture. The  inhabitants  now  began  to  feel  the  need  of 
a better  one.  We  now  find  them  voting  to  build  a 
meeting-house  at  the  centre,  and  choosing  a committee 
to  find  the  centre,  by  measuring  from  where  the  line 
between  Bow  and  Concord  strikes  Merrimack  River 
to  Dunbarton,  near  Samuel  Welch’s,  where  Alfred  A. 
Elliot  now  lives;  then  beginning  at  Bow  and  Dunbar- 
ton line,  near  Benjamin  Noyes’,  and  running  to  the 
outside  of  Solomon  Heath’s  land.  John  Noyes  was 
commissioned  captain  of  the  Eighth  Company  in  the 
Thirteenth  Regiment,  March  17,  1779,  by  M.  Weare. 
The  Continental  and  State  tax  was  £267  11s.  fid. ; 
school  tax,  £33  2s.  5d. ; minister  tax,  £27  5s.  %d., — 
total,  £327  18s.  11  §d.  Ephraim  Foster  and  Leonard 
Harriman  were  appointed  a committee  to  settle  with 
the  selectmen.  “ Voted  to  accept  the  Bill  of  Rights 
and  Plan  of  Government  established  at  Concord ; 30 
persons  present,  18  voted  yea,  3 nay.”  Joseph  Rogers 
was  chosen  grand  juror  to  Portsmouth. 

In  1780,  Edward  Russell,  Benjamin  Noyes  and 
Jacob  Green  were  chosen  selectmen.  After  choosing 
other  town  officers,  it  was  “ Voted  to  allow  the  Con- 
stable sixpence  upon  the  pound  for  collecting,  and 
the  selectmen  Ten  dollars  per  day  for  their  services.” 
Owing  to  the  depreciation  of  the  currency  in  April 
four  thousand  pounds  “ Continental  money  ” was 
equal  to  one  hundred  pounds  silver.  Thete  was  no 
money  raised  for  schools  or  preaching.  “ Voted  to 
work  on  the  highways  150  days  or  pay  an  equivalent.” 
By  the  charter,  the  annual  meeting  was  to  be  held  on 
the  first  Thursday  in  April,  which  was  found  to  be 
too  late  for  the  selectmen  to  enter  into  office,  as  the 
inventory  was  to  be  taken  in  that  month. 

October  24th,  John  Bryant,  Esq.,  on  behalf  of  him- 
self and  other  freeholders  of  Bow,  petitioned  the 
General  Assembly  that  the  time  may  be  changed  to 


BOW. 


275 


the  first  Tuesday  of  March  annually,  which  was 
granted. 

Jeremiah  Page  was  chosen  representative  for  Dun- 
barton and  Bow. 

In  1781  it  was  “ Voted  to  give  the  selectmen,  Edward 
Bussell,  Benj”  Noyes  and  John  Brown,  30  dollars  per 
day  for  their  services,”  seventy-five  hundred  pounds 
being  equal  to  one  hundred  pounds  silver. 

The  tax  for  1780,  collected  this  year,  was,— 


£ s.  d. 

,f  Continental  and  State 7,900  17  G 

Ditto  for  Beef  and  County 5,743  11  5 

Ditto  for  Corn  and  money  for  soldiers  ....  2,085  14  4 


Total £15,730  3 3” 


At  a meeting  held  the  28th  of  May,  1781,  it  was 
“ Voted  to  send  Esqr.  Bryant,  as  agent  of  the  town,  to 
the  General  Assembly,  to  remonstrate  against  a Pe- 
tition, preferred  by  Concord,  to  have  their  town  In- 
corporated, and  voted  1000  dollars  to  defray  the 
expense.”  Bryant  promised  to  give  his  time,  and  if 
an  attorney  was  necessary,  he  would  pay  him,  the 
town  to  pay  Bryant’s  expenses  while  he  was  gone. 

Mr.  Russell  was  chosen  delegate  to  the  convention 
to  be  held  at  Concord. 

Timothy  Dix  gave  his  services  as  town  clerk  since 

1774. 

At  the  annual  meeting  in  1782,  Enoch  Noyes, 
Bichard  Dow  and  James  Robertson  were  chosen 
selectmen,  and  James  Robertson  clerk.  “ Voted  50 
dollars  for  schools  and  50  dollars  to  Repair  highways, 
at  2 shillings  per  day.”  “ Voted  not  to  accept  the 
plan  of  Government  as  it  now  stands,  by  37  votes.” 
“ Voted  to  accept  of  an  open  road  from  William 
Robertson’s  to  Esqr.  Benjm  Noyes,  as  Laid  by  the 
selectmen  in  May,  1778,  and  to  recomend  John 
Bryant  to  the  General  Court  for  a justice  of  the  peace.” 
u Voted  five  dollars’  bounty  for  each  wolf  killed  in 
town  for  the  year,  and  to  abate  John  Miller’s  tax  on 
the  steer  he  lost.”  “Money  raised  last  year, — New 
Emission  State,  £368  16s.  2d.  2 q.;  County,  £21  19s. 
6d.  2 q. ; Silver  money,  £160  0s.  0 d.  2 q.” 

“ Agreeable  to  an  act  of  the  General  Court,  John  Robertson,  Constable 
for  the  1780  for  this  town,  hath  lawfully  advertised  to  be  sold  to  pay  the 
taxes  for  said  year,  on  the  first  Wednesday  of  Oct.,  1782,  the  following 
Lands,  viz.  : 

“In  the  2d  Division.  — Nath’n’l  Stevens,  Lot  No.  7,  Range  11,  sold  to 
Ephraim  Moor,  18  acres.  Benjamin  Palmer,  Lot  No  11,  Range  12,  sold 
to  Benjm  Noyes,  56  acres. 

“ Third  Division. — Holdridge  Kelly,  Lot  No  3;  Richard  Waldron,  Lot 
19  ; Mary  Jones,  Lot  27  ; Ebenr  Weare,  Lot  49  ; Bradstreet  Wiggin,  Lot 
17  ; Thos.  Smith,  Lot  21  ; Rob’t  Wilson,  Lot  37  ; Jonan  Wiggin,  Lot  55  ; 
John  Frost,  Lot  60  ; Thomas  Piper,  Lot  61 ; Benjm  Hoag,  Lot  71 ; Daniel 
Davis,  Lot  83  ; John  Merrill,  Lot  84;  John  Leavitt,  Lot  85  ; 14  lots  sold 
to  Ensign  Benjamin  Noyes  ; Benjm  Mason,  Lot  33  ; Joseph  Merrill,  Lot 
39  ; Edwd  Fifield,  Lot  41 ; Samuel  Hilton,  Lot  92;  4 lots  sold  to  Walter 
Bryant,  Esqr.,  father  ot  John  Bryant,  Esqr. ; (Lot  92  is  the  lot  north 
east  of  the  mill  lot  on  the  Londonderry  turnpike)  ; Nathn1  Stevens,  Lot 
36;  Joseph  Wiggin,  Lot  120  ; Thos.  Yeazey,  Lot  122;  Col.  Andw  Wiggin, 
Lot  131  (north  of  the  old  Runell  lot) ; 4 lots  sold  to  John  Bryant,  Esq.  ; 
Rev.  Henry  Russ,  No.  86 ; William  French,  88,  two  lots  sold  to  Mr. 
Leonard  Harriman  ; George  Clark,  Lot  97,  sold  to  James  Robertson ; 
The  Ephraim  Leavit  Lot,  No.  108,  sold  to  Lieut.  Ephraim  Moor ; 
Abraham  Morgan,  Lot  146,  across  the  river,  sold  to  John  Garvin  ; Thos. 


Westbrook,  Lot  No.  4,  2d  Division,  18th  Range,  and  Lot  109,  third  Divi- 
sion, sold  to  Mr.  Aaron  Wliittemore,  in  behalf  of  Charles  Coffin. 

“ It  took  the  whole  of  the  aforesaid  lands  to  pay  the  aforesaid  taxes 
with  intervening  charges.  Attest, 

“James  Robertson,  Clerk. 

“Bow,  Oct.  2, 1782.” 

In  1783,  James  Robertson,  Enoch  Noyes  and  Ben- 
jamin Noyes  were  chosen  selectmen.  “ Voted  to  raise 
75  dollars  for  repairing  highways.  State  and  soldiers 
taxes,  £495  17s.”  “ Voted  to  accept  of  the  new  Consti- 

tution,” which  became  the  Constitution  of  the  State 
in  June,  1784. 

“The  number  of  Polls  in  town,  from  21  years  of  age  and  upwards, 
paying  taxes  in  Bow,  is  79,  taken  Decr  12tli  By  Jas.  Robertson,  select- 
man of  Bow. 

“Sworn  to  Before 

“Sam’l  Daniell,  Just.  Peace.” 

In  1784,  the  independence  of  the  United  States 
being  acknowledged,  a Constitution  of  the  State  was 
formed  and  accepted  by  the  people,  the  chief  execu- 
tive to  be  styled  President.  Mesliech  Weare  was 
elected,  but  the  voters  in  Bow,  in  their  characteristic 
manner,  cast  twenty-two  votes  for  Hon.  Woodbury 
Langdon  and  nine  votes  for  Hon.  Josiah  Bartlett. 

“ Voted  to  raise  200  dollars  for  work  on  the  highway 
at  half  a dollar  a day.”  James  Robertson,  Solomon 
Heath  and  Enoch  Noyes  were  chosen  selectmen, 
James  Robertson  clerk. 

The  following  unimproved  lands  were  sold  for  taxes 
this  year,  viz. : 

“The  Nathn1  Stevens  Lot,  No.  7,  lltli  Range,  80  acres,  and  the  John 
Piper  lot,  No.  3,  17th  Range,  40  acres,  sold  to  Lieut.  Ephrm  Moore  ; 30 
acres  of  the  Nicholas  Wiggin  lot,  No.  8,  12th  Range ; 29  acres  of  the 
Benjamin  Palmer  lot,  No.  11,  12tli  range  ; 30  acres  of  the  Joshua  Hill 
lot,  No.  4,  17th  range;  50  acres  of  the  Sami.  Tibbets  lot,  No.  3,  14th 
range.  In  the  3d  Division  the  Isaac  Foss  lot,  No.  1,  20  acres,  the  south 
west  corner  lot  in  town  ; the  John  Sanborn  lot,  No.  144,  20  acres  over 
the  river  ; the  Gov.  John  Wentworth  lot,  No.  18,  all  sold  to  John  Bryant, 
Esq.  The  Col.  Mark  Iluuking  lot,  No.  5,  15th  range,  29  acres ; Hon. 
John  Wentworth,  29  acres  of  lot  No.  6,  15th  range  ; 31  acres  of  the  Noah 
Barker  lot,  No.  8,  18th  range.  In  the  3d  division  the  Sol.  Cotton  lot,  No. 
5 ; the  Sami.  Tibbets  lot,  No.  35  ; the  Joshua  Stevens  lot,  No.  81 ; the 
Col.  Mark  Hunking  lot,  No.  54 ; twenty-acre  lots  sold  to  Ens.  Benjm 
Noyes  ; 59  acres  of  the  Catherine  Wiggin  lot,  No.  8,  15th  range,  sold  to 
Solomon  Heath  ; 30  acres  of  the  Joseph  Jewett  lot,  No.  6,  18tli  range, 
sold  to  James  Moor  ; the  Joseph  Loverin  lot,  3d  Division,  No.  142,  over 
the  river,  sold  to  John  Robertson,  and  the  Catherine  Wiggin  lot,  No.  95, 
sold  to  James  Robertson.  (This  sale  was  made  May  25,  1784,  it  took  the 
whole  proceeds  to  pay  the  taxes  and  charges.)  On  the  third  Tuesday  of 
December  the  following  lands  were  sold  at  Public  vendue  : The  Wiggin 
lot,  No.  3,  12th  range ; Hill  lot,  No.  4,  17th  range,  and  the  James 
Robertson  lot,  128,  3d  Div.  ; 20  acres  from  each  lot  sold  to  John  Bryant, 
Esq.  15  acres  of  No.  5,  15th  Range  ; 21  acres,  No.  6,  15th  R.  ; 30  acres, 
No.  8,  18th  R.  ; and  2 acres,  No.  110,  sold  to  Benjamin  Noyes.  20  acres, 
No.  6,  18th  R. ; the  Pierce  Long  lot,  No.  57,  3d  Div.,  sold  to  Enoch 
Noyes.  The  third  division  lots,  No.  121,  and  4 acres  of  126  sold  to  James 
Moor.  25  acres  of  No.  3,  17th  range,  sold  to  Capt.  John  Noyes.  Part  of 
lot  No.  129  sold  to  Jonathan  Currier. 

“ Enoch  Noyes,  Vendue  Clerk. 

In  1785,  James  Robertson,  Jacob  Green  and  Solo- 
mon Heath  were  chosen  selectmen.  11  Voted  to  work 
fifty  days  on  the  Soucook  Bridge.”  The  meeting- 
house built  in  1770,  we  suppose,  was  a rude  structure, 
built  of  logs,  and  has  now  become  unfit  for  public 
meetings..  “ Voted  to  raise  500  dollars  in  labor  and 
lumber  to  build  a meeting-house  on  the  Hill  where 
the  old  one  stands,  and  that  Solomon  Heath,  David 


276 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Brown,  Benjm  Noyes,  John  Bryant  and  Jacob  Green 
be  a committee  to  provide  material  for  the  Building.” 
“ Voted  50  dollars  for  preaching,  to  be  at  the  bouse  of 
John  Bryant,  near  Joseph  Rogers’.”  This  house  is 
supposed  to  have  been  the  first  two-story  house  in 
town,  and  was  called  the  High  House.  “ Voted  50 
dollars  for  schooling.”  James  Robertson  was  granted 
the  right  of  a ferry  over  the  Merrimack  River,  any- 
where between  Moor's  Brook  and  Soucook  River. 

In  1786,  after  making  choice  of  Edward  Russell, 
John  Bryant  and  Timothy  Dix  for  selectmen,  “voted 
£60,  at  3s.  per  day,  for  Highway,  and  75  dollars  to 
hire  schooling  this  year.”  John  Langdon  had 
twenty-four  votes  for  President  of  the  State;  no  op- 
position. 

A portion  of  the  inhabitants  wanted  the  meeting- 
house at  the  centre,  and  a committee  was  voted  to 
find  the  centre,  which  they  reported  to  be  at  the 
upper  end  of  the  Widow  Clement’s  land,  and  there 
the  place  to  build  the  house.  But  the  town  voted  to 
build  on  the  Hill,  as  last  year. 

At  an  adjourned  meeting,  held  May  29th,  “ voted  a 
committee  of  disinterested  persons  from  other  towns 
to  locate  the  house,  consisting  of  Col.  Kelly,  of  Goffs- 
town ; Capt.  Farrington,  of  Hopkinton ; and  Esqr. 
Foster,  of  Canterbury,  and  voted  to  Disannul  all 
votes  relative  to  building  a meeting-house  prior  to 
this  day.”  They  then  “voted  to  build  a house  as 
large  as  Mr.  Colbies,  then  minister  at  Pembroke,  and 
to  raise  £100  in  materials  and  labor  for  sd  House.” 

Mr.  Solomon  Heath,  Lieutenant  Enoch  Noyes  and 
Mr.  David  Brown  were  appointed  a committee  to 
build  said  house.  “ Voted  to  hire  Mr.  Bradford  to 
preach  eight  days.” 

Bow  and  Dunbarton  had  been  classed  for 
electing  representative  and  delegates  since  1775. 
January  29,  1787,  a meeting  of  those  qualified  to  vote 
in  town-meetings  of  both  towns  met  at  the  house  of 
Henry  Putney,  in  Dunbarton,  and  made  choice  of  Jacob 
Green,  delegate  to  the  convention  at  Exeter,  to  act  on 
a new  plan  of  government,  which  had  been  proposed 
by  the  Philadelphia  Convention  and  already  adopted 
by  eight  States,  nine  being  necessary  to  make  it  the 
law  of  the  land.  It  was  adopted  by  the  convention  ; 
Jacob  Green  voted  nay.  In  1787,  John  Bryant,  John 
Grushee  and  Enoch  Noyes  were  chosen  selectmen. 
In  1788,  Solomon  Heath,  James  Robertson  and  Jona. 
Clement  were  chosen  selectmen.  The  votes  for  State 
President,  43,  were  all  for  John  Langdon ; for  repre- 
sentative to  Congress,  Joshua  Atherton,  Esq.,  had  17 ; 
Nathaniel  Peabody,  Esq.,  14;  Paine  Wingate,  Esq.,  16; 
and  8 for  others. 

In  1789,  James  Robertson,  Solomon  Heath  and  Jona. 
Clement  were  chosen  selectmen.  In  answer  to  an 
article  “ to  see  if  the  town  will  vote  to  be  divided  and 
be  annexed  to  Dunbarton,  Concord  and  Pembroke, 
or  to  set  off  any  part  of  Bow  to  said  town,  voted  not 
to  set  off  or  divide  the  town.” 

In  settling  with  the  Rumford  proprietors  in  1771, 


they  were  to  pay  to  the  Bow  proprietors  ten  pounds 
for  each  hundred-acre  lot  which  was  laid  out  by  Bow 
in  the  Rumford  grant.  Thomas  Stickney,  Andrew 
McMillan  and  Abiel  Chandler  were  appointed  a com- 
mittee by  the  proprietors  of  Rumford  to  receive  a 
quit-claim  deed  from  the  Bow  proprietors  and  give 
them  a bond  on  interest  for  the  ten  pounds  for  each 
one  hundred  acre  lot.  In  1773  they  voted  to  raise  six 
hundred  pounds  by  assessments,  which  was  supposed 
to  be  sufficient  to  pay  the  proprietors  of  Bow,  and  to 
give  sixty  pounds  to  the  Masonian  proprietors  for 
their  right  to  the  land.  The  tax  not  being  all  col- 
lected, an  act  was  passed  in  17S9  empowering  Timo- 
thy Walker  to  collect  the  remainder,  and  to  fully  dis- 
charge the  bond.  In  1790  the  subject  of  a division 
of  the  town  met  the  same  fate  as  it  did  the  previous 
year.  Jacob  Green,  Samuel  Gault  and  James  Rob- 
ertson were  chosen  selectmen.  “ Voted  to  allow  Cap- 
tain Jacob  Green  three  pounds  for  attendence  at  the 
convention  at  Exeter  in  1788.”  At  a meeting  of  the 
voters  of  Bow  and  Dunbarton,  Major  Caleb  Stark 
was  chosen  delegate  to  a convention  to  revise  the 
Constitution.  The  votes  for  representative  to  Con- 
gress was,  for  John  S.  Sherborn,  30  ; Abial  Foster,  24; 
Jeremiah  Smith,  8.  “ Voted  forty  pounds  for  building 

a pound  and  repairing  highways,  and  none  for  school- 
ing.” 

The  following  tax-list  was  committed  to  Captain 
John  Noyes  for  collection,  September  14,  1790,  he  be- 
ing constable  : 


“ Nathan  Noyes  . . . 

s. 

. . 2 

(1. 

0 

Lt.  Jona.  Clement  . . . 

. 4 

tf. 

9 

Kus.  Benj*.  Noyes  . . 

. . 10 

3 

Lt.  John  Grushee  . . . 

c 

Gj£ 

Lt.  Enoch  Noyes  . . 

. . 8 

11 

John  Nicols 

0 

S'A 

Capt.  John  Noyes  . . 

. . 7 

9 

John  Ordway 

11 

John  Noyes,  Junr  . . 

. . 2 

4 

Sam1  Rogers  .... 

. 7 

8 

Sam1  Alexander  . . . 

. . C 

G 'A 

Sam1  Welch 

11 

Lt.  Eph”>  Moor  . . . 

. . G 

7 

Edward  Russell  .... 

7 

7 

Ephm  Moor,  Jr  . . . 

. . 2 

6 'A 

James  Russell 

0 

Moses  Moor 

. . 2 

3 

Widw  Hilton 

. 0 

3 

Aaron  Moor  . . 

. . 1 

6 

John  Russell 

. 1 

9 

James  Saunders  . . . 

. . 1 10^ 

Axey  Russell 

. 0 

11 

David  Silver 

. . 2 

8 

John  Twist 

. 0 

6A 

Benja.  Whipple  . . . 

. . 8 

0 

Reuben  Currier  .... 

. 4 

5 

Nathan  Silver  .... 

. . 1 

6 

Reuben  Currier,  Jr.  . . 

. 1 

7 

John  Silver,  Jr  . . . 

. . 2 

5 

Jona.  Currier 

. 3 

John  Silver 

. . 1 

10 

Elisha  Clough,  Jr.  . . . 

■ i ii A 

James  Colby 

. . 1 

10 

Bartholemew  Stevens  . 

. 3 

it'A 

Sam*  Silver 

. . 1 

9 

John  Merrill 

• 1 

8 

Sam1  Saunders  .... 

. . o 

4 

John  Robertson  .... 

. 8 

114 

Henry  Benson  . . . 

. . 4 

11 

James  Robertson  . . . 

. 1 

6 

Dea.  Isaac  White  . . 

. . 9 

0 

Will"1  Robertson  . . . . 

. 8 10j£ 

James  Moor 

. . 3 

1 

Joseph  Baker 

7 

W 

Ezra  Badger 

2 

1 

John  Baker 

2 

6A 

John  Bryant,  Esqr.  . 

. . 16 

»'A 

James  Baker 

2 

0 

James  Dunlap  .... 

. . 1 

8 

Daniel  Baker 

. 1 

6 

Will™  Hay 

. . 1 

6 

W.  Eliz.  Hemphill  . . 

. 4 

0 

liichard  Clough  . . . 

. . 4 

8 'A 

John  Garvin 

. 4 

0A 

Thomas  Wicomh  . . . 

. . 0 

G 

John  Garvin,  Jr.  . . . 

. 4 

4 

Lt.  Samuel  Gault  . . 

. . 5 

10 14 

Will"i  Garvin 

. 1 

6 

Simeon  Sargent  . . . 

. . 2 

0 

Lt.  Timothy  Dix  . . . 

..  6 

Jacob  Richardson  . . 

. . 1 

G 

Samuel  Ordway  .... 

. 3 

9 

James  Robertson  . . . 

. . 0 

i A 

Amos  Clement 

. 4 

4 

Benja.  Thompson  . . 

. . 5 

5 

Sam1  Rogers,  Jr  . . . 

. 7 

°A 

David  Stevens  .... 

. . 2 

0 

Dea.  Tlio9  Robinson  . . 

. 6 

1 

Capt.  Richd  Dow  . . . 

. . 4 

Tlio8  Robinson,  Jr.  . . 

. 1 

6 

Solm”  Dow 

. . 2 

G 

James  Bus  well  .... 

6 

BOW. 


277 


3.  d.  Non  Resident  tax-list. 


David  Clough  .... 

4 

6 

Dr.  Philip  Carrigan 

. i 

3 

Levi  Clough 

i 

8 

Lt.  Joseph  Hall  . . 

. 3 

H 

Jonathan  Clough  . . 

5 

ey2 

Capt.  Joshua  Abbott 

. 0 

1 Lt.  Eliphalet  Rowell  . 

5 

3 

Reuben  Welch  . . 

. 4 

4 

Amasa  Dow7 

2 

i 

Barnet  Harvey  . . 

6% 

John  Dow 

1 10^ 

John  Colby  .... 

. 4 

cy2 

Henry  Hemphill  . . 

1 

3'A 

Abram  Colby  . . . 

1 

Henry  Hemphill,  Jr 

1 

G 

Jona  Colby  .... 

. 2 

9 

Wid.  Molly  Brown  . . 

5 

4 

Wid.  Rach1  Elliot  . 

. 3 

0 

John  Hemphill  ■ . . 

2 

1 14 

Lt.  Willaby  Colby  . 

. 5 

8 

Simeon  Heath  .... 

7 

0 

Elijah  Colby  . . . 

. 3 

5 

W.  Green 

0 

4 

Thos  Colby  ... 

. 2 

0 

Samuel  Clement  . . . 

7 10 

John  Sulloway  . . 

. 2 

5 

W.  Betsy  Clement  . . 

1 

4 

Sam1  Dow 

2 

2 

John  Carter 

3 

6 

David  Lufkin  . . . 

. 2 

2 

Nehemiah  Merrill  . . 

1 

9 

Wid.  Jennet  Buntin 

. 0 

7 

Clement  Noyes  . . . 

2 

114 

Mrs.  Sarah  Thompson  . 

. 1 

oy2 

Nathn1  Hall 

2 

ny2 

Walter  Bryant,  Esq 

. 7 

8 

Solomon  Heath  . . 

. ii 

6 

Lt.  Sam1  Tarrinton 

. 0 

8 

Caleb  Heath 

i 

9 

Jeremiah  Page,  Esq. 

. 0 

G 

Capt.  Nathn1  Cavis  . 

8 

5% 

John  Moor  .... 

. 0 

214 

Moses  Noyes  .... 

3 

9 

Maj.  James  Cochran 

. 0 

10 

I William  Walker  . . . 

2 

5 

Capt.  Benjm  Norris . 

2 

1 

Samuel  Walker  . . . 

1 

9 

John  White  .... 

. 0 

10 

Abial  Walker  .... 

1 

6 

Joel  Farnam  . . . 

. 0 

10 

Samuel  Welsh,  Jr.  . . 

2 

0 

Benjn  Jenness  . . . 

. 0 10 

Capt.  Jacob  Green  . . 

5 

4 

Will™  Currier  . . . 

. 0 

6 

Anthony  Manuel  . . 

1 

2 

Lt.  Samuel  Noyes  . 

. 0 

2 

“ The  above  is  a true  list  of  Taxes  made  by  us  on  Bow 
1790.  Errors  Excepted. 

“Jacob  Green, 
“Jas.  Robertson, 

“ Samuel  Gault,  J 

for  the  year 
Selectmen 

There  were  one  hunch  ed  and  ten  resident  tax-payers. 
The  number  of  inhabitants  at  this  time  was  five  hun- 
] dred  and  sixty-eight. 

The  following  names  of  signers  of  the  Association 
| Test  have  disappeared  from  the  town  records  of  to- 
i day : 

“ Captain  Aaron  Kinman,  Capt.  Ephraim  Foster,  Ralph  Cross,  Capt. 
Benjm  Bean,  John  Carr,  David  Carr,  Samuel  Winslow,  Thomas  Hardy, 
i Leonard  Harriman,  Peltiah  Clement,  John  Brown,  James  Reddell,  James 
I Garvin,  Edwd  Carlton,  David  Foster. 

In  1791,  after  making  choice  of  James  Robertson, 
Timothy  Dix  and  Jonathan  Clement  for  selectmen, 
i and  choosing  other  town  officers,  thirty-three  votes 
! were  cast  for  Josiah  Bartlett  for  President  of  the 
I State  ; no  opposition.  “ Voted  £30  for  schooling, 
each  district  to  hire  a master  or  mistress,  as  they  see 
fit.”  The  road  from  Wood  Hill  easterly  between  land 
of  Abraham  Colby  and  Willaby  Colby,  thence  ex- 
| tending  by  John  Colby’s  to  Dunbarton  line,  was  laid 
out  this  year.  Mr.  Samuel  Alexander  was  paid  for 
boarding  Mr.  Stone  and  wife,  five  shillings.  John 
I Noyes  was  allowed  six  shillings  for  carrying  them  out 
of  town  and  five  shillings  for  warning  persons  out  of 
town.  An  act  was  passed  giving  Jacob  Green  and 
i Enoch  Noyes,  of  Bow,  and  William  Duncan  and 
; Daniel  Livermore,  their  heirs  and  assigns,  exclusive 
right  to  build  a bridge  at  any  place  one  mile  above 
or  below  Isle  Hooksett  Falls. 

January  11th,  Benjamin  Noyes  petitioned  the  Gen- 
I eral  Court,  “ Shewing  that  he  has  kept  a ferry  over 
'i  the  Merrimack  River,  near  the  mouth  of  Suncook 
River,  ever  since  the  year  1764,  in  all  which  time  he 
18 


has  endeavored  to  give  constant  and  satisfactory  at- 
tendance, which  he  conceives  has  been  greatly  for  the 
benefit  of  the  people  of  this  State  ; and  likewise  thinks 
that  a continuance  of  said  ferry  will  be  of  great  utility. 
And  as  he,  from  long  occupancy,  hath  acquired,  as  he 
humbly  supposes,  a natural  right  to  the  privilege  of 
owning  and  keeping  said  ferry,  he  humbly  prays  the 
Honorable  Court  to  grant  him,  his  heirs  and  assigns, 
a right  to  said  ferry  exclusively.”  The  petition  being 
read,  was  referred  to  a committee  who  reported  favor- 
ably, and  February  14th,  an  act  was  passed  granting 
said  Noyes  exclusive  right  to  a ferry  in  any  place 
within  one  mile  above  or  below  the  mouth  of  the  Sun- 
cook  River. 

In  1792,  James  Robertson,  Beujamin  Noyes  and 
Eliplialet  Rowell  v'ere  chosen  selectmen,  and  Jacob 
Green  town  clerk.  Josiah  Bartlett  had  twenty-seven 
votes  for  State  President  and  John  Pickering  one.  A 
committee  was  chosen  to  regulate  the  school  districts, 
which  numbered  four, — No.  1,  Heath  District;  No.  2, 
Centre;  No.  3,  East;  No. 4,  Wood  Hill. 

A committee,  consisting  of  Jacob  Green  and  John 
Bryant,  was  appointed  to  carry  on  a pauper  suit  which 
Concord  had  brought  against  Bow  for  the  mainten- 
ance of  Sarah  Stone,  widow  of  Andrew  Stone,  who 
was  in  the  French  War  in  1756  in  John  Goff’s  com- 
pany, in  1757  in  Jacob  Bavley’s  company,  and  in  Cap- 
tain Joshua  Abbott’s  company  in  1775.  Stone  resided 
in  Concord,  near  the  Ira  Abbot  place.  While  in  the 
war  his  house  was  torn  down  because  his  daughter  did 
not  behave  as  well  as  some  of  the  neighbors  thought 
she  should,  and  they  took  refuge  in  Bow  and  became 
a public  charge.  In  1786  the  town  of  Concord  “ Voted 
to  abate  Andrew  Stone  his  rates  that  are  due,  and  ex- 
empt him  from  paying  taxes  for  the  future.”  She 
was  the  first  pauper  in  town,  and  was  set  up  to  be  kept 
by  the  lowest  bidder,  who  was  Jonathan  Clough,  at 
four  shillings  per  week  The  subject  of  building  a 
meeting-house  came  up  again  this  year.  “ Voted  to 
reconsider  all  former  proceedings  concerning  said 
house,  and  that  Lieutenant  William  Page,  of  Goffs- 
town,  Colonel  Henry  Gerrish,  of  Boscowen,  and  Ben- 
jamin Wiggin,  of  Hopkinton,  fix  on  a place  to  set  said 
house,  and  chose  Jacob  Green,  Ensign  Benjamin 
Noyes  and  Mr.  John  Carter  a committee  to  wait  on 
them,  and  to  draw  papers  obliging  the  inhabitants  to 
put  up  a frame,  and  board  and  shingle  and  lay  the 
under  floor.”  The  meeting  was  adjourned  two  weeks, 
when  they  “ T oted  that  Captain  Nathaniel  Cavis  and 
Lieutenant  Willaby  Colby  be  added  to  the  aforesaid 
committee.”  They  then  adjourned  to  the  12th  of  No- 
vember, when  it  was  voted  to  accept  the  report  of 
committee — Page,'  Gerrish  and  Wiggin — that  the 
house  be  built  on  the  hill  near  where  the  old  one  stood. 
Jacob  Green  was  then  chosen  to  set  up  the  building 
of  the  house  to  the  lowest  bidder,  who  was  Eliphalet 
Rowell,  for  £60  12s.,  lawful  money.  “ Vot^d  that 
Enoch  Noyes,  Willaby  Colby  and  Timothy  Dix  be  a 
committee  to  accept  of  the  meeting-house.”  “ Voted 


278 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


to  raise  202  Dollars  to  defray  the  charges  of  building 
the  house.”  “ Chose  Benjm.  Noyes  to  defend  the 
town  on  account  of  a complaint  concerning  Sowcook 
Bridge,  near  Foster’s  Mill,  also  to  attend  Court  to  shew 
cause  why  the  town  should  not  maintain  the  road 
laid  by  the  committee  on  the  westerly  side  of 
Merrimack  River,  near  John  Carter’s  mill.”  The  vote 
for  Presidential  electors  was  thirty-two,  unanimous 
for  the  Federal  candidates.  Isaac  Moor,  Isaac  Shepard 
and  Ensign  Benjamin  Noyes  were  approbated  for  tav- 
ern-keepers, the  first  in  town. 

In  1793,  Benjamin  Noyes,  John  Gruslie  and  Richard 
Clement  were  chosen  selectmen.  Hon.  Josiali  Bart- 
lett had  fifty-eight  votes  for  President  of  the  State; 
no  opposition.  “ Voted  £45,  L.  Money,  to  repair  high- 
ways, one-tliird  of  each  surveyor’s  tax  to  be  worked  on 
the  river  road,  the  party  to  work  all  theirs  as  usual.” 
The  probability  is  that  a freshet  had  damaged  the  road 
badly.  Samuel  Alexander  kept  Sarah  Stone  for 
15s.  2d.  a week.  Paid  Benjamin  Noyes  for  services 
to  Portsmouth  to  prevent  the  road  from  being  laid  ; 
also  the  expense  of  building  Soucook  bridge,  £7  8s. 
2d.  Paid  the  committee  to  “ Perfix  a place  to  build 
the  meeting-house”  upon,  £2  8s.  The  dissatisfaction 
of  some  at  having  the  house  on  the  hill  instead  of  at 
the  Centre  is  apparent  in  an  article  in  the  warrant  to 
see  if  the  town  will  vote  to  set  oft’ those  that  request 
it,  for  the  convenience  of  the  gospel,  which  was 
negatived.  May  21st  there  was  a meeting  “ to  see  if 
the  town  will  vote  to  be  divided  by  lines  in  order  to  be 
annexed  to  other  towns,  or  to  set  off  parts  of  the  town 
by  themselves,  that  they  may  consine  themselves  in 
other  towns  for  the  benefit  of  the  Gospel,”  all  of 
which  was  negatived  by  thirty  voting  against  by  way 
of  poll.  Richard  Merrill  was  “approbated  to  sell  or 
Retale  Liker.”  No  money  raised  for  preaching  since 
1781. 

At  the  annual  meeting  in  1794,  Benjamin  Noyes, 
Nathaniel  Cavis  and  John  Carter  were  chosen  select- 
men. At  “ a meeting  warned  by  the  selectmen  of 
Bow  and  Allenstown,  holdeu  at  the  house  of  Benj" 
Noyes,  for  the  purpose  of  choosing  a man  to  represent 
said  towns  in  the  General  Court  the  present  year, 
Benjamin  Noyes  was  chosen  the  selectman  of  said 
towns  to  petition  said  Court  that  said  Noyes  be  al- 
lowed a seat.”  November  3d  a meeting  was  held  “ to 
see  wliat  method  the  town  will  take  to  raise  eleven 
men  to  hold  themselves  in  readiness  to  march  at  a 
minuite’s  warning.”  “ Voted  to  make,  with  what  the 
state  and  continental  gives,  seven  dollars  a month, 
with  one  dollar  as  a bounty,  and  if  called  for,  two 
dollars  more.”  It  is  supposed  they  were  never  called 
for.  The  probable  cause  for  the  order  for  these  men 
was  the  resistance  to  the  collection  of  taxes  on  dis- 
tilled spirits  in  Western  Pennsylvania,  called  the 
Whiskey  Rebellion.  For  representative  to  Congress 
Abial  Foster  had  twenty-three  votes ; Paine  Wingate, 
none. 

May  the  29th  the  selectmen  issued  their  precept  to 


John  Carter,  constable,  “requiring  him  forthwith  to 
notify  and  warn  the  following  persons  to  depart  out 
of  Bow  to  the  last  places  of  their  abode  within  four- 
teen days  after  said  warning,  viz. : Kimball  Colby 
and  Sarah,  his  wife,  and  three  children ; Widow 
Hannah  Foster;  Hannah,  wife  of  Jacob  Chisemore, 
and  her  daughter ; Jacob  Perkins  Burnham  and 
Sarah,  his  wife;  also  one  James  Clements;  all  of 
whom  came  into  Bow  to  reside  from  Dunbarton  less 
than  one  year  ago  ; also  .Jacob  Wheeler,  and  Betsy, 
his  wife,  and  Sirus  Bradford,  the  said  Wheeler’s  ser- 
vant from  Deering;  also  Thomas  Chandler  and  Sarah, 
his  wife,  and  Sarah  Goodnough,  their  grandchild, 
from  Concord,  less  than  one  year  ago,  and  have  no 
visible  means  of  support.”  This  was  done  in  the 
name  of  the  State  of  New  Hampshire,  and  the  con- 
stable was  to  make  return  to  the  next  Quarter  Ses- 
sions for  Rockingham  County.  By  warning  new- 
comers out  of  town  he  deprived  them  of  gaining  a 
residence,  and  the  town  was  not  liable  for  their  sup- 
port if  they  became  a public  charge. 

In  1795  the  selectmen  were  Thomas  Robertson, 
Benjamin  Noyes  and  Caleb  Heath.  “ Voted  that  the 
lowest  bidder  be  collector  of  taxes  and  constable.” 
Willaby  Colby  bid  three  pounds  and  was  chosen  for 
the  year.  John  Taylor  Gilman  had  thirty-nine  votes 
for  Governor  ; no  opposition.  In  1796,  Jacob  Green, 
Willaby  Colby  and  Samuel  Clement,  Jr.,  were  chosen 
selectmen;  John  Carter,  Jacob  Green  and  James 
White,  fish  wardens.  John  T.  Gilman  had  forty- 
nine  votes  for  Governor.  Jonathan  Freeman  had 
twenty-one  votes  for  member  of  Congress ; Peleg 
Sprague,  none.  Benjamin  Noyes  was  chosen  to  rep- 
resent Bow  and  Allenstown  in  General  Court.  In 
1797,  Enoch  Noyes,  Jacob  Green  and  Willaby  Colby 
were  chosen  selectmen.  Governor  Gilman  had  forty- 
four  votes  this  year ; no  party  lines  yet.  “ Voted  the 
selectmen  lay  out  the  school  districts  and  report  at 
an  adjourned  meeting;  also  provide  Guide  Posts  in 
town.”  “ Paid  Willaby  Colby  14  shillings  for  a 
coffin  and  expense  of  burying  Mrs.  Stone,  and  Is.  6c/. 
for  Jury  Box.” 

American  vessels  had  been  capt  ured  by  the  French  ; 
men  were  called  for  by  Congress.  A town-meeting 
was  called  January  1,  1798,  “To  see  what  method  the 
town  will  take  to  get  16  men  ordered  by  Congress.” 
“ Voted  to  give  them  a hansom  treat  for  listing  and 
ten  dollars  a month,  with  what  Congress  gives  them, 
if  orders  come  for  marching,  and  one  month’s  ad- 
vanced pay.”  It  is  not  known  that  any  went  from 
Bow.  At  the  annual  meeting  Enoch  Noyes,  Jacob 
Green  and  John  Grushee  were  chosen  selectmen. 
Forty-five  votes  were  cast  for  Governor  Gilman,  and 
sixty  pounds  were  ordered  to  be  raised  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  gospel,  the  first  raised  since  1781,  proba- 
bly owing  to  the  different  views  respecting  the 
meeting-house  and  religious  faith.  “ Voted  that  each 
district  shall  build  a school-house,  and  that  the 
selectmen  build  a pound  near  the  Brook  by  the  Cross 


BOW. 


279 


house ; Esqr.  Bryant  agrees  to  give  the  land.”  At 
an  adjourned  meeting,  party  feeling  having  been 
aroused,  “ Voted  to  reconsider  the  vote  for  Governor,” 
and  Timothy  Walker  had  thirty-nine  votes;  Oliver 
Peabody,  five.  Then  it  was  voted  that  the  selectmen 
“ purchase  rum  to  giye  each  man  a good  drink  of 
grog,  and  each  one  to  do  as  much  as  he  sees  fit  to 
build  the  pound.”  Deacon  James  Robertson  was 
chosen  representative  for  Bow  and  Allenstown. 

March  2,  1799,  “ Then  Lieut.  Enoch  Noyes  re- 
ceived of  John  Grushee,  Treasurer,  five  dollars,  four 
of  which  was  used  to  buy  four  gallons  of  rum  to 
build  the  pound,  as  by  vote  of  the  town.  Chose 
Enoch  Noyes,  Caleb  Heath  and  James  Robertson 
selectmen.  Jacob  Green  is  yet  town  Clerk.”  John 
Taylor  Gilman  had  forty-six  votes  for  Governor ; 
Timothy  Walker,  one;  Oliver  Peabody,  one.  Wil- 
liam A.  Kent  had  fifty-five  votes  for  recorder  of 

deeds;  Brooks,  two.  “Voted  that  the  selectmen 

purchase  a burying-cloth  and  locate  school-houses.” 
There  were  seven  school  districts  in  town,  viz.:  Heath, 
Centre,  two  on  the  River  road,  Woodhill,  South  and 
Bogg.  Number  of  inhabitants,  seven  hundred  and 
nineteen.  In  1800,  Enoch  Noyes,  Jacob  Green  and 
James  Robertson  were  chosen  selectmen  ; William 
Walker,  pound-keeper ; and  nine-pence  bounty  was 
voted  on  crows  killed  in  town. 

There  were  five  licensed  public-houses  in  town. 
In  1801  the  selectmen  were  Enoch  Noyes,  Samuel 
Clement  and  James  Robertson.  Timothy  Walker  had 
twenty-nine  votes ; John  T.  Gilman,  twenty-eight; 
and  John  Langdon,  eight.  The  meeting-house  hav- 
ing been  boarded  and  shingled  and  under  floor  laid, 
the  town-meetings  were  now  held  there.  In  1802  a 
meeting  was  held  at  the  house  Benjamin  Noyes  to 
choose  a representative  for  Bow  and  Allenstown ; 
no  record  of  proceedings.  At  the  annual  meeting, 
March  2d,  John  Carter,  Samuel  Clement  and  Jona- 
than Clement  were  chosen  selectmen.  For  Governor, 
John  T.  Gilman  had  twenty-eight  votes,  and  John 
Langdon  forty-five.  “ Voted  to  raise  a sum  sufficient 
to  build  school-houses  in  town,  but  not  to  build  them 
this  year,  the  selectmen  to  locate  them  and  purchase 
the  lands.”  In  1803  the  selectmen  were  the  same  as 
the  year  before.  For  Governor,  Gilman  had  thirty- 
five  votes  ; Langdon,  twenty-nine  ; whole  number  of 
votes,  sixty-four.  Jonathan  Clement,  Deacon  Simeon 
Heath  and  Deacon  James  Robertson  were  chosen  to 
lay  out  the  thirty  pounds  for  the  support  of  the  gos- 
pel. “ Voted  one  shilling  a head  for  crows,  and  three 
dollars  for  grey  wild-cats  killed  in  town  or  followed 
from  this  town  to  any  other  town.”  Benjamin 
Noyes  was  chosen  representative  for  Bow  and 
Allenstown.  In  1804,  Governor  John  Langdon  had 
fifty-three  votes  for  Governor,  and  His  Excellency 
J ohn  T.  Gilman,  twenty -seven.  Joseph  Baker,  Samuel 
Clement  and  Jacob  Green  were  chosen  selectmen. 
The  burying-cloth  was  ordered  to  be  left  at  Jacob 
Green’s.  The  heaviest  tax-payer  at  this  time  was 


Esquire  John  Bryant,  the  owner  of  mills  and  nearly 
one  thousand  acres  of  land ; next  came  Benjamin 
Noyes,  Esq.,  the  owner  of  one  thousand  acres. 
George  Evans,  of  Allenstown,  was  representative 
for  that  town  and  Bow.  The  electoral  vote  was 
forty- three  and  twenty-six.  “ Voted  to  Petition  the 
General  Court  to  make  a county  charge  of  Soucook 
bridge,  and  chose  Joseph  Baker  to  take  charge  of 
the  matter.”  Eli  Eastman  was  paid  three  dollars 
bounty  for  killing  a wild-cat. 

June  20th,  John  Prentice,  John  Philips,  Thomas 
W.  Thompson,  John  Montgomery,  William  A.  Kent, 
James  Pinkerton,  John  Dinsmore,  Isaac  Thom  and 
George  Reid  and  their  associates  were  authorized  to 
build  a turnpike  road  from  Butler’s  Corner,  in  Con- 
cord, to  the  State  line,  near  Andover  bridge,  four 
rods  wide,  on  the  most  practicable  route. 

The  road  was  two  years  in  building,  taking  a straight 
course  through  Bow  from  Main  Street,  Concord,  to 
Hooksett  bridge.  The  principal  roads  in  town  at  this 
time  was  the  River  road  and  the  road  from  South 
Street,  Concord,  to  Bow  Mills,  over  Meeting-House 
Hill  and  Wood  Hill  to  Dunbarton  line,  at  the  Elliot 
place.  Branch  roads  had  been  built  from  the  meeting- 
house to  Solomon  Heath’s,  from  Tom  Merrill’s  bridge  to 
the  River  road,  from  near  the  centre  to  Benjamin  Noyes’ 
ferry,  from  Wood  Hill  easterly  to  Dunbarton  line.  Au- 
gust 10th,  John  Bryant  sold  to  Jacob  Carter,  of  Con- 
cord, the  land  from  Badger’s  Brook  to  Isaac  White’s  and 
between  the  road  past  Isaac  Moore’s  and  the  river, 
about  thirty  acres,  with  a small  island  in  Garvin’s 
Falls,  east  of  said  land.  John  Carter  had  a grist-mill 
at  the  falls  theyear  before.  December  13th  the  north- 
erly Bow  gore  and  the  southerly  to  the  Soucook  were 
annexed  to  Concord,  and  that  part  southeast  oftheSou- 
cook  was  annexed  to  Pembroke.  These  gores  were 
caused  by  the  easterly  line  of  Bow  crossing  the  east- 
erly line  of  the  Pennacook  graut  at  an  angle  of  about 
thirty  degrees.  A charter  was  granted  for  a bridge 
across  the  Merrimack,  below  Garvin’s  Falls,  to  John 
Carter,  Philip  Carrigan,  Jr.,  and  Nathaniel  Cavis  and 
their  associates  and  successors.  The  bridge  was  built, 
but  was  of  short  duration. 

In  1805,  Samuel  Clement,  John  Carter  and  Jona- 
than Brown  were  chosen  selectmen,  and  Nathaniel 
Cavis  representative  for  Bow  and  Allenstown.  Philip 
Richardson’s  widow,  Manuel,  became  a town  charge. 
Isaac  Moore,  Masters  Wood  and  Hardy  are  men- 
tioned as  teachers  this  year.  Votes  for  Governor: 
John  T.  Gilman  had  thirty-two  and  Governor  John 
Langdon  sixty-four. 

“ Voted,  To  hire  Rev.  Thomas  Waterman  to  preach 
in  the  meeting  house  one  year  from  the  first  of  May 
next.  Chose  Joseph  Jones  to  search  the  proprietors’ 
book  to  know  if  there  is  any  ministerial  land  belong- 
ing to  Bow.” 

In  1806,  Samuel  Gault,  Joseph  Jones  and  John 
Colby,  Jr.,  were  chosen  selectmen.  Governor  John 
Langdon  had  sixty-five  votes,  and  John  Taylor  Gil- 


280 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


man  eight  for  Governor.  “ Paid  Thomas  Water  man 
three  hundred  and  sixty-four  dollars  for  preaching 
last  year.” 

In  1807,  Samuel  Clement,  George  Colson  and  John 
Colby,  Jr.,  were  chosen  selectmen ; John  Carter,  Esq., 
representative  of  Bow  and  Allenstown.  John  Lang- 
don  had  seventy-two  votes  for  Governor,  and  John  T. 
Gilman  one. 

In  1808,  John  Langdon  had  fifty-three  votes  for 
Governor,  and  no  opposition.  Samuel  Clement,  Sam- 
uel Gault  and  John  Colby,  Jr.,  were  chosen  select- 
men, and  John  Evans,  of  Allenstown,  representative. 

At  the  June  session  Israel  Aldrich,  George  Colsonj 
John  Carter,  Jonathan  Eastman,  Richard  Ayer,  James 
White,  Benjamin  Noyes,  John  Eastman  and  then- 
associates  and  successors  were  authorized  to  build  a 
canal  at  Garvin’s  Falls,  and  to  hold  land  adjoining 
Garvin’s  and  Turkey  Falls,  as  to  them  may  appear 
necessary,  not  to  exceed  twenty  acres ; also  to  con- 
struct such  locks  and  dams  as  may  be  required  to  ad- 
mit the  passage  of  boats,  rafts,  masts  and  lumber,  the 
fish  not  to  be  obstructed,  or  lumber  not  intended  by 
the  owner,  the  canal  to  be  completed  within  five  years. 

In  1809,  Samuel  Clement,  John  Johnson  and  Andrew 
Gault  were  chosen  selectmen,  and  Samuel  Clement 
representative.  John  Langdon  had  sixty-five  votes 
and  Jeremiah  Smith  thirty-nine  for  Governor.  Lieu- 
tenant Thomas  Colby,  Joseph  Jones  and  Nathaniel 
Cavis  were  chosen  fish  wardens. 

In  1810,  Samuel  Clement,  John  Johnson  and  John 
Colby,  Jr.,  were  chosen  selectmen.  The  census  shows 
seven  hundred  and  twenty  inhabitants.  Eight  persons 
were  licensed  to  sell  spirituous  liquors  and  keep  pub- 
lic-house. John  Carter  paid  nine  dollars  for  getting 
the  proprietors’  book.  Hall  Burgin,  of  Allentown, 
was  chosen  representative. 

On  July  4th  citizens  of  Bow,  Concord,  Pem- 
broke and  Dunbarton  assembled  at  the  house  of  Ben- 
jamin Noyes,  Esq.  General  Nathaniel  Head  was 
chosen  president  of  the  day  and  John  Carter  vice- 
president.  The  Declaration  of  Independence  was 
read,  an  appropriate  address  was  delivered  by  Obadiah 
Carrigan,  a procession  escorted  by  the  juvenile  artil- 
lery of  Pembroke  (Captain  Martin),  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Captain  Whittemore  and  Lieutenant  Gault  as 
marshals.  They  marched  to  the  bank  of  the  Merri- 
mack, where  they  found  a table  furnished  by  Esquire 
Noyes  with  all  the  luxuries  of  the  country.  After 
dinner  they  drank  to  the  following  sentiment,  by  Dea- 
con Samuel  Gault,  a volunteer:  “ The  American  Eagle, 
may  she  soar  over  her  foreign  and  domestic  enemies.” 

In  1811,  for  Governor,  John  Langdon  had  ninety- 
one,  and  Jeremiah  Smith  twenty-nine.  John  Brown ; 
Daniel  Parker  and  Joseph  Jones  were  chosen  select- 
men, and  Nathaniel  Cavis,  Esq.,  representative. 
“ Voted,  to  pay  the  fourteen  men  ordered  in  1807 
ten  dollars  a month,  when  they  are  called  for.” 

In  1812,  William  Plumer  had  eighty-six  votes 
for  Governor,  John  T.  Gilman  thirty-three,  and 


John  Brown  one.  John  Brown,  John  Johnson 
and  Daniel  Parker  were  chosen  selectmen.  War 
was  declared  between  Great  Britain  and  the  United 
States  this  year.  Nathaniel  Cavis  was  chosen  repre- 
sentative. The  branch  turnpike  from  Hopkinton  to 
Hooksett  Falls,  through  Bow,  was  chartered  June 
17th. 

In  1813,  John  Colby,  Jr.,  Daniel  Parker  and  John 
Johnson  were  chosen  selectmen.  William  Plumer 
had  one  hundred  and  seven  votes  for  Governor  and 
John  T.  Gilman  forty-three, — one  hundred  and  fifty 
votes  in  all.  Samuel  Clement  was  chosen  represen- 
tative from  Bow,  which  was  no  longer  classed  with 
Allenstown  for  that  purpose. 

In  1814  John  Colby  Jr.,  Jonathan  Cavis  and  Philip 
Colby  were  chosen  selectmen,  and  Nathaniel  Cavis  re- 
presentative. For  Governor,  William  Plumer  had  one 
hundred  and  seventeen,  John  T.  Gilman  forty-two. 

In  1815,  Samuel  Clement,  Daniel  Parker  and  John 
Johnson  were  chosen  selectmen,  and  Nathaniel  Cavis 
representative.  “ Voted,  to  sell  twenty-acre  lot  called 
the  Lane  land.”  It  sold  for  one  hundred  and  eighty 
dollars.  A road  was  laid  from  Bow  centre  to  Captain 
William  Walker’s  this  year.  That  part  of  Bow  south 
of  the  Suncook  River  was  annexed  to  Allenstown. 

In  1816  the  same  board  of  selectmen  served.  Sam- 
uel Clement  was  chosen  representative.  For  Governor, 
William  Plumer  had  one  hundred  and  fifteen,  and 
James  Slieaff  thirty-seven  votes.  This  was  the  coldest 
summer  ever  known, — snow  squalls  the  6th  and  8th  of 
June  and  heavy  frost  on  the  night  of  the  11th  ; the 
corn  crop  was  nearly  spoiled. 

In  1817,  Samuel  Clement,  David  White  and  Nathan- 
iel Cavis,  Jr.,  were  chosen  selectmen  ; Samuel  Cle- 
ment, Esq.,  representative;  Jeremiah  Heath,  collec- 
tor. 

In  1818  “ Voted  that  Elder  Henry  Veazey  be  in- 
vited to  open  the  town-meeting  by  prayer,”  the  first 
instance  of  the  kind  on  record.  The  selectmen  were 
the  same  as  last  year. 

In  1819  the  selectmen  were  Samuel  Clement,  Philip 
Colby  and  David  White.  “ Voted  unanimous  for  the 
new  county  of  Merrimack.”  For  Governor,  Samuel 
Bell  had  thirty-six  votes,  William  Hale  seventeen, 
William  Plumer  forty -three,  and  Daniel  L.  Morrill 
twenty-six. 

In  1820,  Philip  Colby,  John  Johnson  and  Jonathan 
Cavis  were  chosen  selectmen.  Samuel  Clement  had 
been  representative  since  1816.  The  seventy-five  votes 
cast  for  Presidential  electors  were  all  for  the  Republi- 
can candidates. 

In  1821,  “ Voted  to  build  a pound,  the  selectmen  to 
locate  and  let  it  out  by  vendue  to  the  lowest  bidder.” 
William  Pickering  had  the  whole  vote,  one  hundred 
and  forty-five,  for  treasurer. 

In  1822,  Gates  & Rowell  were  paid  forty-nine  dol- 
lars for  building  the  pound,  and  William  Walker  was 
chosen  pound-keeper. 

In  1823,  Rev.  Henry  Veasey  was  chosen  inspector  of 


BOW. 


281 


schools  and  to  take  care  of  the  key  to  the  meeting- 
house, for  which  he  was  paid  nine  dollars.  “ Voted 
that  any  one  have  liberty  to  put  a stove  in  the  meet- 
ing-house at  their  own  expense.” 

In  1824,  Jeremiah  Russell,  riiilip  Colby  and  David 
White  were  chosen  selectmen,  and  Stephen  Webster 
collector.  A road  was  laid  out  from  Page  corner  to 
Farrinton’s.  John  Brown  was  representative  in  1822, 
’23  and  ’24. 

In  1825  there  were  no  party  lines.  David  L.  Mor- 
rill had  one  hundred  and  forty-six  votes  for  Governor, 
and  Ruth  Heath  one.  Jacob  B.  Moore  had  one  hundred 
and  forty  -seven  votes  for  register, — the  whole  vote. 
Samuel  Clement  was  representative.  The  road  south- 
west from  the  Bog,  and  from  John  Colby’s  to  Hook- 
sett  line,  was  laid  out.  David  White,  James  Morgan 
and  Edward  C.  Clement  were  chosen  selectmen,  and 
Jeremiah  Russell  collector. 

In  1826  David  White  reported  the  road  laid  out 
from  the  Cheever  road  to  William  Walker’s. 

In  1827,  Samuel  Clement,  John  Parker  and  Nathan- 
iel Goodhue,  Jr.,  were  chosen  selectmen;  Jonathan 
Cavis,  collector;  Isaac  Clough,  a merchant  at  the  Cen- 
tre, town  clerk.  The  removal  of  the  meeting-house  to 
the  turnpike,  near  Clough’s  store,  began  to  be  agitated. 

In  1828  South  School  District  was  organized.  John 
Parker,  Nathaniel  Carter  and  David  White  were 
chosen  selectmen;  Jonathan  Cavis,  representative; 
Philip  Colby,  collector.  The  electoral  vote  was  as 
follows : one  hundred  and  fifty-three  Democratic, 
thirty-five  Whig. 

In  1829,  “ Voted  to  divide  the  literary  fund  among 
the  school  districts,  unless  it  can  be  used  for  the  es- 
tablishing of  a public  college.” 

In  1830  the  census  returned  one  thousand  and  sixty- 
five  inhabitants,  the  maximum  number  for  the  town. 
Philip  Colby  was  chosen  representative,  and  Mendel 
Samson  collector.  The  first  check-list  used  this  year. 
Nathaniel  Goodhue,  Jr.,  Isaac  Clough  and  Moses  Mc- 
Cutchins  were  the  superintending  school  committee, 
the  first  appointed.  The  Wood  Hill  District,  No.  10, 
was  formed. 

In  1831  the  vote  for  Congressmen  was  as  follows  : 
one  hundred  and  forty-seven  Democratic,  twenty- 
three  Whig.  David  White  was  chosen  representative. 

In  1832,  John  Farnum  was  chosen  representative. 
Captain  John  Brown,  James  Green  and  William 
I Boynton  were  appointed  a committee  to  lay  out  eighty 
dollars,  with  what  had  been  raised,  to  repair  the  out- 
side of  the  meeting-house  for  a town-house. 

In  1833  the  Baptist  meeting-house  was  built  at  the 
Centre,  at  an  expense  of  about  sixteen  hundred  dollars, 
by  Deacon  Walter  Bryant,  Nathaniel  Cavis,  Obed 
Gault,  Aaron  Nichols,  Robert  W.  Robertson  and  others. 
The  Congressional  vote  was  as  follows  : one  hundred 
and  forty-eight  Democratic,  twelve  Whig.  A weekly 
mail-route  was  established  from  Concord  to  GofFstown, 
through  Bow,  and  Isaac  Clough,  a merchant  of  Bow 
Centre,  was  appointed  postmaster  and  held  the  office 


until  1840,  when  Robert  W.  Robertson,  another  mer- 
chant near,  held  the  office  till  1842;  Willaby  C.  Had- 
ley was  postmaster  from  1842  to  1850 ; John  T.  Mor- 
gan from  1850  to  1868;  James  Green  1869;  George 
H.  Elliot  from  1870  to  1873,  when  Jonathan  C.  Ham- 
mond was  appointed,  and  now  holds  the  office.  Jona- 
than Brown,  Jr.,  and  James  McCauley  alternated  in 
carrying  the  mail  for  what  they  could  make  as  com- 
mon carriers.  Our  citizens  had  received  their  mail 
through  the  Concord  office  to  this  time. 

In  1834  the  subject  of  buying  a poor-farm  was  agi- 
tated, and  Nathaniel  Carter,  Esq.,  John  B.  White 
and  John  Brown  were  appointed  a committee  to  in- 
quire into  the  matter  of  the  expediency  of  the  pur- 
chase. William  R.  Parker  was  chosen  representa- 
tive. 

In  1835  the  Congressional  vote  stood : one  hun- 
dred and  fifty-two  Democratic,  twenty-four  Whig. 
Isaac  Clough  has  been  town  clerk  from  1826.  “ Voted 
a road  be  laid  out  around  Wood  Hill.” 

In  1836,  Jonathan  Cavis  was  chosen  representa- 
tive. “Voted  to  lay  out  a road  around  Wood  Hill 
whenever  Dunbarton  and  Gofftown  open  a road  to 
meet  it,”  which  was  never  done.  “ Voted  to  appropri- 
ate the  non-resident  highway  tax  for  post  guides,  and 
to  purchase  the  Branch  turnpike  through  Bow  of  the 
proprietors  and  lay  out  a highway  on  the  same.” 

In  1837  it  was  voted  not  to  buy  a poor-farm.  John 
Parker  was  chosen  representative. 

In  1838,  David  Putney  was  chosen  representative. 
The  vote  for  making  town  clerks  register  of  deeds 
stood  : fourteen  for  to  eighty-three  against  it.  “ Voted 
to  hire  fifteen  hundred  dollars  to  defray  the  expense 
of  the  suit,  Sandwich  against  Bow,  in  regard  to  the 
Matthew  Gault  family.”  In  this  year  the  Bog  Dis- 
trict was  divided. 

In  1839,  “Voted  to  divide  District  No.  4,  the  river 
road  to  be  one  and  the  turnpike  the  other.”  Oliver 
Messer  was  chosen  representative. 

In  1840  the  electoral  vote  stood : one  hundred  and 
eighty  Democratic,  twenty-four  Whig.  “ Voted  to  au- 
thorize the  selectmen  to  hire  a sum,  not  exceeding 
ten  thousand  dollars,  to  carry  on  the  law-suit  between 
Bow  and  Sandwich,”  which  was  changed  to  one  thou- 
sand dollars  at  a subsequent  meeting. 

In  1841,  William  Messer  was  chosen  representative. 
A road  was  laid  out  to  the  Quimby  place,  in  the  south 
part  of  the  town. 

In  1842,  Amos  Morgan  was  chosen  representative. 
The  first  vote  for  road  commissioner  stood  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty-three  to  seven. 

In  1844,  James  Morgan  was  chosen  representative. 
“ Voted  not  to  have  capital  punishment  abolished.” 
The  electoral  vote  stood  one  hundred  and  sixty  to 
seven.  Schuyler  Walker  had  been  town  clerk  since 
1838. 

In  1845  the  boundaries  of  school  districts  were  de- 
fined. 

In  1846,  Samuel  R.  Green  was  chosen  representa- 


282 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


tive.  A road  was  laid  out  from  Brown’s  Mills  to 
Turkey  Falls. 

In  1847  all  but  two  voted  in  favor  of  buying  a 
county  farm.  “ Voted  to  raise  six  hundred  dollars  to 
build  a town-house,  forty-four  by  thirty-four,  the  se- 
lectmen, with  William  Messer  and  George  Wheeler,  to 
be  the  building  committee.  Colonel  James  Green 
offers  to  give  the  land  for  the  house  to  stand  on,  as 
long  as  wanted  for  that  purpose,  if  the  town  will 
fence  it.  Voted  to  pay  him  thirty  dollars,  he  to  re- 
linquish all  claim  and  extend  the  lot  one  rod  on  the 
southeast  side,  which  he  agreed  to  on  condition  that 
all  sects  and  parties  be  allowed  the  use  of  the  house 
when  not  interfering  with  previously  posted  notices 
on  the  door  of  the  house.” 

“ Voted  that  the  selectmen  take  a deed  of  the  lot  on 
the  conditions  specified.”  The  electoral  vote  stood  : 
one  hundred  and  fifty-five  Democratic,  thirty-one 
Whig,  nine  Liberty,  the  first,  anti-slavery  vote. 
Daniel  K.  Gault  was  chosen  representative. 

In  1849,  “Voted  to  raise  seventy-five  dollars  more 
than  the  law  requires  for  schooling.”  Enoch  Alexan- 
der was  chosen  representative. 

By  the  census  returns  in  1850  there  were  one  thou- 
sand and  fifty-five  inhabitants  in  town,  ten  less  than 
in  1830.  Some  of  the  soldiers  did  not  appear  at  the 
May  training  in  consequence  of  the  small-pox  being 
in  town,  thus  forfeiting  the  dollar  due  them  ; but  the 
town  voted  to  pay  them  their  dollar.  “Voted  one 
hundred  and  thirty-nine  to  thirty-six  not  to  alter  the 
Constitution  ; ” but  the  State  voted  otherwise,  and 
Schuyler  Walker  was  chosen  delegate  to  the  Consti- 
tutional Convention. 

In  1851,  Amos  Hadley,  Jr.,  was  chosen  representa- 
tive. An  emphatic  nay  was  voted  on  all  the  amend- 
ments proposed  by  the  convention.  “ Voted,  that  the 
selectmen  purchase  a hearse  and  harness,  and  erect  a 
building  for  the  same  on  the  town-house  lot.”  Eighty- 
three  voted  in  favor  and  twenty-five  against  the  home- 
stead exemption. 

In  1852  the  electoral  vote  stood  : one  hundred  and 
forty  Democratic,  twelve  Whig,  twenty-seven  Free- 
Soil.  There  were  fifteen  school  districts,  with  boun- 
daries defined. 

In  1853,  Archibald  Stark  was  chosen  representative. 
In  1856,  “ Voted,  that  the  selectmen  purchase  a poor- 
farm,  to  pay  one  thousand  dollars  down  and  pledge 
the  credit  of  the  town  for  the  balance.”  Their  be- 
ing so  much  opposition,  a meeting  was  called,  and  it 
was  voted  to  reconsider  the  former  vote,  ninety-one  to 
thirty-two,  and  not  to  purchase  a farm. 

In  1859,  “ Voted  to  buy  a poor-farm,”  which  was 
done,  and  in  1866.  “ Voted  to  sell  the  same.”  The 
representatives  from  1854  to  the  present  time,  1885,  is 
given,  viz. — 

1855,  Benjamin  A.  Noyes ; 1857,  Andrew  Gault ; 1859,  Samuel  R* 
Green  ; 1860,  Frederick  Clough  ; 1862,  James  Thompson  ; 1864,  John  W* 
Goodhue  ; 1866,  William  P.  Short ; 1868,  Benjamin  Noyes;  1870,  Samuel  1 
C.  Clement;  1871,  Janies  Thompson  ; 1873,  Richard  W.  Goodhue;  1874,  | 


Guilford  Upton  ; 1875,  Ira  Woodbury  ; 1876,  Hiram  Colby;  1877,  John 
Brown  (2d) ; 1878,  Samuel  Gile;  1879,  Horace  II.  Parker;  1880,  Cavis  G. 
Brown;  1881,1  Henry  C.  Clough  ; 1883,  Leonard  Kendall;  1885,  Andrew 
Noyes. 

In  1860  the  census  returns  give  909;  1870,  745  in- 
habitants. In  1882  the  town  voted  to  exempt  from 
taxation  for  ten  years  capital  exceeding  ten  thousand 
dollars  invested  in  manufacturing  purposes.  Brown, 
Moore  & Co.,  built  a pulp-mill  the  next  year  at 
Garvin’s  Falls,  which  is  doing  an  extensive  business. 

The  town  of  Bow,  reduced  to  its  present  dimensions 
contains  about  sixteen  thousand  acres,  bounded  on 
the  north  by  Concord,  east  by  Merrimack  River,  which 
separates  it  from  Pembroke,  south  by  Hooksett  and 
west  by  Dunbarton.  Its  extent  on  the  river  is  about 
five  miles.  The  Concord  Railroad  runs  through  the 
town  a few  rods  from  the  river;  the  Robinson’s  station 
is  the  only  stopping-place  in  town.  Several  fine  farms 
are  situated  on  the  river.  West  of  the  river  about  a 
mile  is  the  Parker  range  of  hills,  extending  from  Turee 
Pond  to  Hooksett  Falls,  affording  several  Excellent 
farms  in  a healthy  location,  overlooking  Pembroke 
Street ; then  comes  a depression,  called  the  Bog, — land 
fertile,  but  stony  ; very  well  adapted  to  the  growth  of 
fruit. 

A range  of  hills  extends  the  whole  length  of  the 
westerly  part  of  the  town,  the  highest  elevations  being 
about  five  hundred  feet  above  the  sea-level. 

Military  History  from  1767  to  1785— Bow  prior 

TO  AND  DURING  THE  REVOLUTIONARY  WAR. — The 
military  history  of  Bow  prior  to  1767  is  comprised  in 
the  military  history  of  the  parishes  of  Penuacook 
and  Suncook  before  town  privileges  were  granted 
them.  But  few  families  occupied  the  soil  now  con- 
stituting the  town  of  Bow.  No  military  organization 
had  been  effected.  Several  who  had  served  in  the 
French  War  afterwards  became  residents,  viz. : 
Ephraim  Foster,  in  Joseph  Blanchard’s  company,  in 
1755  ; Andrew  Stone,  in  the  Crown  Point  expedition, 
in  1756 ; Samuel  Winslow,  in  Captain  Fogg’s  com- 
pany ; Henry  Hemphill,  in  Crown  Point  expedition, 
1758 ; Samuel  Clement,  1760,  in  Captain  Harron’s 
company  ; and  Amasa  Dow,  in  Captain  Ladd’s  com- 
pany, at  No.  4.  In  1773  Concord,  Bow,  Pembroke, 
Loudon,  Canterbury  and  Northfield  comprised  the 
Eleventh  Regiment,  commanded  by  Colonel  Thomas 
Stickney,  with  Benjamin  Thompson  (afterwards  Count 
Rumford,  as  major.  January  12,  1775,thetown  voted  to 
buy  a stock  of  ammunition.  After  the  battle  of  Lexing- 
ton, April  19th,  pursuant  to  call,  “ Voted  to  send 
Benjamin  Noyes  as  delegate  to  a convention,  to  be 
holden  at  Exeter,  17th  of  May.”  Said  convention 
voted  to  raise  two  thousand  men  besides  those  already 
in  the  field,  and  appointed  a committee  of  supplies 
for  the  army.  John  Stark  was  commissioned  colonel 
of  the  First  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  of  ten  com- 
panies. March  2,  1774,  Aaron  Kinsman  was  com- 
missioned captain,  Ephraim  Moor  lieutenant,  and 


1 Biennial  elections  after  this. 


BOW. 


283 


Ralph  Cross  ensign.  When  the  First  Regiment  was 
formed,  Captain  Kinsman  was  selected  as  captain  of 
the  Seventh  Company.  When  the  town  militia,  June 
23,  1775,  chose  Ephraim  Foster  captain,  with  lieu- 
tenant and  ensign  the  same,  several  of  the  citizens  of 
Bow  enlisted  in  Kinsman’s  company.  Among  them 
were  David  Clement,  Ebenezer  Bean,  Benjamin 
Cotton,  Jonathan  Currier,  Samuel  Rogers  and  John 
Manuel,  for  three  months,  ending  August  1st.  Manuel 
was  killed  at  the  Bunker  Hill,  June  17th.  Barnet 
Harvey  and  John  Robertson  were  in  Joshua  Abbot’s 
company  ; Benjamin  Bean.  Jr.,  Ephraim  Garvin  and 
William  Robertson,  in  Captain  Parker’s  company; 
Colonel  Bedell’s  regiment  of  rangers,  in  the  north- 
ern Continental  army ; Thomas  Colby,  in  Captain 
Noyes’  compamy ; James  Moor  (a  fifer)  and  Moses 
Noyes,  in  Daniel  Moor’s  company ; Reuben  Currier 
and  John  Moor,  in  Captain  James  Osgood’s  company, 
of  Conway,  July  28,  1775.  Samuel  Winslow  was  in 
Captain*  Dearborn’s  company;  William  Robertson, 
in  Colonel  Reed’s  regiment.  In  Colonel  Baldwin’s 
regiment  the  following  Bow  men  were  enlisted  and 
were  at  the  battle  at  White  Plains  in  October,  1776: 
Ephraim  Moore,  Ralph  Cross,  Ralph  Cross,  Jr.,  Aaron 
Kinsman.  The  officers  of  the  town  militia  at  this 
time  were  Captain,  Benjamin  Bean;  First  Lieutenant, 
John  Grushe  ; Second  Lieutenant,  Timothy  Dix ; En- 
sign, William  Rogers.  Solomon  Farley  was  returned 
as  among  the  sick  in  Colonel  Poor’s  regiment.  Moses 
Cross  was  in  Captain  Shepherd’s  company  April  3, 
1777.  Captain  Bean,  James  Moor,  Esquire  Bryant, 
John  Noyes  and  Joseph  Baker  were  appointed  a 
Committee  of  Safety,  and  voted  “to  raise  two  hundred 
and  seventy  pounds  to  hire  our  proportion  of  three 
years’  men  for  the  Continental  service,  and  give  each 
man  fifty  dollars  upon  his  enlisting.”  John  Riddle, 
Stephen  McCoy,  Jonathan  McCoy,  Daniel  McCoy, 
James  Bowes,  James  Reddell,  John  Sulloway  and 
Aaron  Noyes  accepted  the  offer.  Early  in  July  a 
party  of  eight  men,  consisting  of  David  Carr,  Willaby 
Colby,  Richard  Clough,  David  Clough,  Benjamin 
Bean,  Peter  Manuel,  John  Dow  and  Samuel  Manuel, 
all  of  Bow',  marched  for  the  relief  of  Ticonderoga. 
On  their  arrival  at  Charlestown  they  met  the  news  of 
its  evacuation  and  orders  to  return,  being  in  service 
seven  days,  under  Captain  Bean,  who  soon  died. 

Eli  Colby  was  in  Colonel  Wyman’s  regiment,  to  re- 
inforce the  army  in  Canada,  in  August,  1776.  In  1777 
there  were  sixty-four  men  in  town  from  sixteen  to  fifty 
years  of  age.  Benjamin  Noyes.  Captain  Ephraim 
Foster,  Amasa  Dow,  Solomon  Heath  and  David 
Elliot  were  appointed  to  set  prices  on  sundry  articles. 
Eliphas  Reed  was  in  Captain  Wiggan’s  company. 

In  1778  the  town  “ Voted  500  dollars  to  hire  Con- 
tinental soldiers,  and  Chose  Edward  Carlton,  Esqr. 
Bryant  and  Timothy  Dix  to  provide  for  the  families 
of  those  who  hath  or  shall  enlist.” 

In  1779  seventy  pounds  were  paid  to  volunteers  who 
went  to  Rhode  Island.  “ Voted  to  raise  300  dollars  as 


a bounty  to  the  two  men  that  will  go  into  the  army 
for  this  town  during  the  war,  and  to  give  Moses 
Noyes  40s.  Pr.  month  in  produce,  at  the  stated  price, 
and  the  town  receive  his  wages.”  John  Noyes  was 
commissioned  as  captain  of  Eighth  Company,  Thir- 
teenth Regiment,  March  17tli,  in  consequence  of  the 
death  of  Captain  Bean.  Mr.  Enoch  Noyes  hired 
Benjamin  Cotton  for  three  years’  service,  and  Captain 
John  Noyes  hired  Jonathan  Sargent  and  Robert 
Martin  to  go  to  Portsmouth  for  two  hundred  and 
twenty  dollars,  in  Colonel  Stickney’s  regiment,  Cap- 
tain Frye’s  company,  June  2,  1779. 

Eliphas  Reed  and  Stephen  McCoy  enlisted,  during 
the  war,  in  Captain  Frye’s  company.  In  1780,  “ Voted 
to  pay  Enoch  Noyes  140  dollars  for  the  depreciation 
of  his  money  paid  to  Benj“.  Cotton,  and  to  pay  the 
soldiers  hired  this  summer  in  Corn.”  John  Robert- 
son served  two  months  at  Winter  Hill,  for  which  he 
was  paid  £1  8s.  Gd. 

In  1781,  “ Voted  to  give  Benjn.  Cotton  £5,  Old 
way,  annually,  as  long  as  he  serves  for  the  Town  ; 
that  the  selectmen  assess  the  town  sufficient  to  buy 
our  proportion  of  beef,  and  to  hire  a man  to  serve  in 
the  Continental  army,  and  give  him  20  neat  cattle, 
3 years  old,  for  3 years’  service,  2 years  old  for  2 
years’  service,  and  20  yearlings  for  one  year’s  service; 
also,  that  Lieut.  Moor  have  the  benefit  of  the  services 
of  his  son  James  in  the  war,  and  that  James  Moor 
have  the  benefit  of  his  son  Ephraim’s  services  in  the 
war.”  The  six  months’  men  were  paid  seven  hundred 
and  twenty  pounds. 

The  three  soldiers  that  served  three  months  were 
paid  one  thousand  and  eighty  pounds.  “ Voted  that 
Capt.  Noyes  hire  two  soldiers  cheap  as  he  can,  and 
that  Ensign  Noyes  go  to  the  committee  on  claims  to 
prove  our  right  to  Benjamin  Cotton  and  others  who 
were  non-residents,  serving  for  the  town  of  Bow.” 
“ Voted,  that  Enoch  Noyes  collect  the  corn  due  to  his 
brother,  Nathan  Noyes.”  July  27tli,  “ Voted  the 
selectmen  hire  a soldier  to  serve  6 months  in  the  Con- 
tinental army.”  The  tax  for  corn  and  money  for  the 
soldiers  was  £2085  14s.  4 d. ; three  thousand  five  hun- 
dred and  fifty  weight  of  beef  had  been  furnished  at  an 
expense  of  £4474  10s.  Benjamin  Jenness  was  a six 
months’  man. 

James  Moor  and  Moses  Moor  enlisted  for  three 
years,  July  15,  1782 ; the  town  to  pay  them  fifty 
shillings  per  month,  in  stock,  at  silver  money  price. 

In  1783,  Benjamin  Cotton  was  paid  seventeen  pounds 
and  a half  for  three  years  and  a half  service,  at  five 
pounds  per  year,  in  the  Continental  army. 

In  1785,  Peter  Manuel  was  paid  for  services  in  the 
war,  £1  7s.  2 d. 

NAMES  OF  THE  REVOLUTIONARY  SOLDIERS  THAT  HAVE 
SERVED  FOR  BOW. 

Aaron  Kinsman,  David  Clement,  Ebenezer  Bean,  Benjamin  Cotton, 
Jonathan  Currier,  Samuel  Rogers,  John  Manuel,  Barnet  Harvey,  John 
Robertson,  Benjamin  Bean,  Ephraim  Garvin,  William  Robertson,  James 
Moor,  Moses  Noyes,  Reuben  Currier,  John  Moor,  Samuel  Winslow, 
Eliphas  Reed,  Stephen  McCoy,  Ephraim  Moor,  Ralph  Cross,  Ralph  Cross, 


284 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY.  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Jr.,  Solomon  Farley,  Moses  Cross,  John  Kiddle,  Jonathan  McCoy,  Daniel 
McCoy,  James  Bower,  James  Reddell,  John  Sulloway,  Aaron  Noyes, 
David  Carr,  Willaby  Colby,  Richard  Clough,  David  Clough,  Benjamin 
Bean,  Jr.,  Peter  Manuel,  John  Dow,  Samuel  Mauuell,  Eli  Colby, 
Jonathan  Sargent,  Robert  Martin,  Moses  Moor,  Nathan  Noyes,  Benjamin 
Jenness,  Thomas  Colby,  Ephraim  Kinsman  and  Jacob  Rogers. 

Captain  Aaron  Kinsman  settled  in  Bow  prior  to 
1767.  He  was  one  of  the  selectmen  in  1768  ; a grand 
juror  in  1773  ; received  a captain’s  commission  March 
2,  1774 ; signed  the  test  oath  in  Bow  in  1776  ; from 
that  time  he  was  in  the  war  to  its  close.  July  31, 
1786,  he  sold  his  real  estate  in  Bow,  consisting  of 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land,  bounded  as 
follows : “ Beginning  on  Concord  line,  20  rods  from 
Turkey  river,  runs  easterly  on  said  line  100  rods  to 
the  road;  thence  on  the  road  southerly  to  opposite 
Reuben  Currier’s  house;  thence  on  Currier’s  line  to 
the  3d  Division  lots  ; thence  westerly  140  rods ; thence 
to  the  first-mentioned  bounds,  with  dwelling-house 
and  barn,  all  the  mills  and  jmvileges,  except  one- 
fourth  part  of  an  old  saw-mill  and  one-fourth  part  of 
the  privilege  where  the  mill  now  stands.”  The  pur- 
chaser was  John  Bryant,  and  the  purchase  included 
the  lands  where  the  village  of  Bow  Mills  now  is. 

Captain  Benjamin  Bean,  of  Epping,  bought  of 
Nahum  Larey,  of  Stratham,  lot  No.  5 and  half  of  lot 
No.  4,  in  the  thirteenth  range,  September  6,  1770,  it 
being  the  farm  at  the  foot  of  Wood  Hill  now  owned 
by  Cyrus  Hadley  (1885).  He  served  in  the  French 
"War  and  rendezvoused  at  Dover,  and  contracted  an 
acquaintance  with  Mary  Baker,  of  Brookfield,  whom 
he  married  in  1753;  she  was  born  in  1725  or  1726. 
He  was  at  the  capture  of  Louisbourg  and  distinguished 
himself  there.  He  was  captain  of  the  militia  in  1776, 
and  very  active  in  obtaining  recruits  and  furnishing 
supplies  for  the  army.  He,  with  his  two  sons, — 
Ebenezer,  born  in  1755,  and  Benjamin,  born  in  1757, — 
was  at  the  capture  of  Burgoyne.  Captain  Bean  died 
in  1777,  aged  about  fifty  years.  Soon  after  the  close 
of  the  war  his  son,  Ebenezer,  with  his  mother,  went 
to  Conway,  N.  H.,  where  he  died  March  3,  1846.  His 
mother  died  in  1826,  lacking  ten  days  of  being  one 
hundred  years  of  age.  Benjamin,  the  second  son, 
married  Susan  Carr,  of  Bow,  after  the  Revolution ; 
went  to  Piermont,  where  he  died  in  1835.  Captain 
Bean  was  son  of  Benjamin  Bean  and  Mehitable 
Mab.ew. 

Military  History  from  1785  to  1864. — By  an  act 

of  the  Legislature,  in  1792,  each  regiment  included 
two  battalions.  Bow,  Concord  and  Pembroke  formed 
the  First  Battalion  in  the  Eleventh  Regiment. 
Jacob  Green  was  captain  of  the  militia  at  this  time  ; 
also  Captain  Richard  Dow  is  mentioned  and  Nathaniel 
Cavis. 

In  1794  eleven  men  were  called  for,  and  in  1798 
sixteen ; but  we  have  no  means  of  knowing  whether 
they  were  needed  for  active  service. 

In  1807  fourteen  men  being  called  for,  to  be  ready 
at  a minute’s  warning,  “ Voted,  to  give  each  one  dollar 
on  enlisting  and  to  makeup  ten  dollars  a month  when 


called  into  actual  service,  each  soldier  to  equip  him- 
self.” Fourteen  dollars  was  paid,  but  to  whom  does 
not  appear. 

In  1812,  soon  after  the  declaration  of  war,  men  were 
called  for  to  defend  Portsmouth  harbor.  August  17th, 
Governor  Plumer  ordered  a company  of  artillery  from 
the  Third  Brigade,  which  was  to  be  under  the  com- 
mand of  Captain  John  Leonard,  of  Londonderry. 
The  draft  was  for  six  months,  unless  sooner  discharged, 
which  was  done  November  30th.  Bow  was  repre- 
sented by  Corporal  Elisha  Clough,  Samuel  Robert- 
son, William  Clough,  John  Carter,  Jr.  John  Rowell 
and  John  Silver,  Jr.,  had  joined  the  Fourth  United 
States  Infantry,  and  were  in  General  Harrison’s  army, 
in  the  West,  at  Vincennes,  Prophetstown  and  Tip- 
pecanoe, and  were  present  at  Hull’s  surrender.  The 
regiment  was  under  command  of  Colonel  Miller. 

June  27th  the  town  voted  to  make  up  to  the  soldiers 
who  were  drafted  the  last  time  ten  dollars  a month. 

John  Thompson  and  Moses  T.  Willard  *vere  in 
Captain  John  McNeal’s  company,  Eleventh  United 
States  Infantry,  from  July  1 to  August  17, 1813.  James 
Goodhue  was  also  in  the  service.  Moses  T.  Willard 
was  in  the  service,  in  Samuel  Gordon’s  company,  five 
years,  from  June  11,  1812. 

In  Jonathan  Butterfield’s  company,  from  April  1st 
to  May  31st,  was  Ensign  IV ells  Carter,  Sergeant  John 
Carter,  Corporal  John  Elliot  and  George  Colson. 
Joseph  Flanders  became  captain  January  1,  1814, 
when  Isaac  Silver,  Richard  Silver,  Parker  Brown  and 
Benjamin  Bailey  enlisted  until  February  28,  1814,  for 
the  northern  army  at  Champlain. 

In  1814,  Alexander  Colby,  Benjamin  Noyes,  John 
P.  Rowell  and  Andrew  Buntin  were  in  Captain  Bart- 
lett’s company ; John  Nichols  also.  Bartholomew 
Heath,  Samuel  Quimbv,  James  Bunting,  David  Mor- 
gan were,  from  August  6th,  for  three  months,  in  Wil- 
liam Marshal’s  company;  Robert  Ordwav,  Willaby 
Colby;  Benjamin  Buntin,  Jonathan  Corliss,  three 
months,  from  September  15th.  Aaron  Colby, 'William 
Elliott  and  Asa  Goodhue  went  as  substitutes  for  Dun- 
barton men,  for  sixty  days,  from  September  27th,  in 
Captain  Trevet’s  company. 

On  the  tax-list  in  1790  those  bearing  the  title  of 
captain  are  Jacob  Green,  Richard  Dow  and  Nathaniel 
Cavis;  1799,  John  Thompson;  1801,  William  Walker; 
1811,  John  Brown  ; 1814,  Walter  Bryant;  1816,  Na- 
thaniel Cavis;  1820,  Aaron  Colby;  1824,  Obed  Gault; 
1826,  Francis  W.  Rogers;  1827,  John  Parker;  1832, 
William  R.  Parker;  1836,  Enoch  Clough;  1839,  Isaac 
White;  1841,  Emery  Clough;  1842,  Moses  Colby; 
1845,  Samuel  Gile;  1850,  Elijah  Upton,  Jr.;  1851, 
Joseph  C.  Kelly,  when  the  Legislature  enacted, “That 
the  militia  shall  be  subject  to  no  active  duty  except  in 
case  of  war.”  The  above  William  R.  Parker  was 
promoted  major  of  the  Eleventh  Regiment  in  1836; 
lieutenant-colonel,  1837;  colonel,  1839;  brigadier- 
general  of  the  Third  Brigade,  1841 ; major-general  of 
the  First  Division,  1849. 


BOW. 


285 


August  12,  1820,  a rifle  company  was  formed  iu 
town.  John  Carter  was  commissioned  captain,  Zenas 
Wheeler  lieutenant  and  Samuel  Burnham  ensign, 
who  was  promoted  to  captain  in  1824  ; Samuel  Gault 
was  captain  in  1827;  Simeon  Heath,  in  1829;  John 
Brown,  Jr.,  in  1831;  Samuel  Alexander,  in  1832; 
George  W.  Bancroft,  in  1833;  Benjamin  A.  Noyes,  in 
1835;  Enoch  Alexander,  1838;  Benjamin  Page,  1839; 
and  Benjamin  J.  Gile  when  the  company  was  dis- 
banded. 

At  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion  our  town  re- 
sponded nobly.  Those  who  enlisted  from  this  town 
were  as  follows : 

FIRST  REGIMENT. 

Charles  L.  Hall  and  Isaac  A.  Parker  enlisted  for  three  months  ; mustered 
in  May  4,  1861  ; re-enlisted  in  Fifth  Regiment  and  discharged  in 
October. 

SECOND  REGIMENT. 

Augustus  B.  Farmer,  Company  B,  mustered  June  1,  1861 ; promoted  to 
first  sergeant  February,  1862  ; wounded  June  3,  1864  ; mustered  out 
June  21,  1864;  re-enlisted  as  first  lieutenant  in  Company  A,  Eigh- 
teenth Regiment,  September  12,  1864  ; promoted  to  captain  April  4, 
1865  ; mustered  out  June  10,  1865. 

Charles  Holt,  Company  B,  enlisted  for  three  years  from  November  20, 
1863  ; absent,  sick,  since  April  29,  1864  ; no  discharge  furnished. 
Alexander  Fraser,  Company  D,  mustered  in  November  19,  1863  ; pro- 
moted to  first  sergeant  September  1,  1864  ; transferred  to  Company 
I September  7th  ; promoted  to  lieutenant  May  1,  1865. 

John  Hart,  Company  E,  mustered  in  November  14,  1863  ; transferred  to 
the  navy  April  28,  1864. 

Gottfried  Lunt,  Company  F,  served  from  November  20,  1863,  to  June 
3,  1865. 

John  Statun,  Company  I,  served  from  November  20,  1863,  to  December 
‘ 19,  1865. 

THIRD  REGIMENT. 

Henry  S.  Hamilton,  first-class  musician,  served  from  August  26,  1861, 
to  August  31,  1862,  in  the  band. 

Robert  F.  Palmer,  Company  E,  mustered  in  August  23,  1861 ; died  at 
Hilton  Head,  S.  C.,  January  4,  1862. 

Walter  S.  Proby,  mustered  in  August  23,  1861 ; died  at  Hilton  Head,  S. 
C.,  December  22,  1862. 

FOURTH  REGIMENT, 

William  Morris,  a substitute  and  not  accounted  for. 

SIXTH  REGIMENT. 

John  W.  Wilkinson,  Company  D,  mustered  in  November  27,  1861  ; dis- 
charged for  disability  at  Newport  News  September  22,  1863. 

SEVENTH  REGIMENT. 

Alonzo  Clough,  Company  A,  mustered  in  October  29,  1861 ; discharged 
for  disability  at  Beaufort,  S.  C.,  July  28,  1862. 

William  W.  Gile,  Company  A,  died  of  disease  at  St.  Augustine,  Fla., 
October  3,  1862. 

Charles  H.  Ordway,  Company  H,  served  from  December  14,  1861 ; 
wounded  July  18,  1863  ; discharged  on  account  of  wounds  at  Mc- 
Dougall  General  Hospital,  N.  Y.,  November  6,  1863. 

Almond  3Iark,  Company  K,  served  from  November  17,  1863. 

EIGHTH  REGIMENT. 

Joseph  Hall,  Company  A,  enlisted  November  11, 1863 ; discharged  for 
disability  at  New  Orleans  May  24,  1864. 

Eustace  Le  Plant,  transferred  to  veteran  battalion  Eighth  New  Hamp- 
shire Volunteers  January  1,  1865  ; mustered  out  October  28,  1863. 
Charles  Olsen,  Company  A,  served  from  November  11,  1863  ; transferred 
to  the  navy  June  18,  1864. 

TWELFTH  REGIMENT. 

Charles  H.  Taylor,  Company  C,  mustered  in  September  5, 1862  ; wounded 
May  3,  1863;  died  of  wounds  at  Potomac  Creek,  Va.,  May  21st. 

THIRTEENTH  REGIMENT. 

Charles  E.  Putney,  Company  C,  mustered  in  September  19,  1862  ; pro- 
moted to  sergeant  May,  1863  ; mustered  out  June  21,  1865. 


John  W.  Austin,  Company  C,  served  from  September,  1862,  to  June, 
1865. 

Harris  Clough,  Company  C,  served  from  September,  1862,  to  1865. 

Henry  Dwinnels,  Company  C,  died  February  24,  1863. 

Harris  K.  Frost,  Company  C,  served  from  September,  1862,  to  June, 
1865. 

John  F.  Guild,  Company  C,  transferred  to  Invalid  Corps  September  7, 
1863  ; discharged  by  order  July  7,  1865. 

Nathan  Hardy,  Company  C,  died  of  disease  in  New  Hampshire  January 
15,  1865. 

Carter  S.  Morgan,  Company  C,  discharged  for  disability  September  7, 
1864. 

Lewis  Silver,  Company  C,  discharged  June  1865. 

William  Morgan,  Company  F,  served  from  September  24,  1862,  to  June 
21,  1865. 

James  Ordway,  Company  I,  mustered  in  September  20,  1862  ; discharged 
for  disability  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  March,  1863  ; re-enlisted  in 
First  Regiment  Heavy  Artillery  in  August ; mustered  out  Septem- 
ber, 1865. 

FOURTEENTH  REGIMENT. 

Erastus  W.  Forbes,  Company  E,  served  from  September  23,  1862,  to 
June  8, 1865. 

Charles  F.  Heath,  Company  H,  served  as  sergeant  from  1864  to  July,  1865. 
George  H.  Buntin,  Company  II,  mustered  in  September  24,  1862  ; 

wounded  October  19,  1864  ; discharged  at  Concord  July  26,  1865. 
William  P.  Parker,  Company  H,  mustered  in  September  24,  1862 ; pro- 
moted to  sergeant  1864  ; discharged  1865. 

David  O.  Russell,  Company  II,  transferred  to  Veteran  Reserve  Corps, 
March,  1864,  to  June  30,  1865. 

Alonzo  P.  Saltmarsh,  Company  H,  served  from  1862  to  July  8,  1865. 

FIRST  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  CAVALRY. 

Lewis  Porter,  Troop  B,  mustered  in  March  24,  1864;  missing  in  June; 

gained  from  missing ; absent,  sick,  July  15,  1865. 

Joseph  Slevin,  Troop  G,  served  to  July  15,  1865. 

Frederick  A.  Chase,  Troop  K,  served  from  March  to  July,  1865. 

In  1863  the  town  voted  to  authorize  the  selectmen 
to  borrow  five  thousand  eight  hundred  and  eighty 
dollars  for  the  encouragement  of  the  enlisting  of 
volunteers.  Several  furnished  substitutes  at  a great 
exjiense. 

HEAVY  ARTILLERY,  SECOND  COMPANY'. 

James  Ordway  and  James  D.  Walker,  enlisted  August  18,  1863 ; trans- 
ferred to  First  Regiment  New  Hampshire  Artillery. 

Christopher  French,  John  F.  Ham,  Samuel  Elliot,  David  A.  Stevens 
and  Edward  T.  Parker  joined  the  regiment  September  5,  1864. 
Charles  H.  Brown,  enlisted  as  sergeant  in  the  First  Regiment  of  Sharp- 
shooters September  9,  1861 ; was  killed  at  Bull  Run  August  30, 1862. 
Joseph  S.  Austin,  Company  E,  discharged  for  disability  at  Portsmouth 
Grove,  R.  I.,  March  4,  1863. 

William  H.  Shattuck,  not  officially  accounted  for. 

The  enrollment  contained  114  names,  our  quota 
under  all  calls  being  52  ; number  furnished,  60;  sur- 
plus, 8. 

Samuel  Alexander  was  born  in  Londonderry,  N.  H., 
in  1730  ; came  to  Bow  in  1762  ; purchased  fifty  acres 
of  land  of  John  Noyes,  now  occupied  and  owned  by 
bis  grandsons,  Eli  and  Enoch,  bounded  on  the  east 
by  Merrimack  Biver. 

His  children  were  Martha,  born  November  6,  1760, 
and  married  Jonathan  Colby  in  1783,  died  October 
28,  1844 ; William,  who  married  Polly  Putney,  of 
Dunbarton,  and  went  to  Tunbridge,  Vt. ; Enoch, 
born  January  6,  1771,  and  married  Merriam  Colby 
(born  March  16,  1775)  on  July  14,  1797 ; and  Polly, 
who  married  James  White.  The  children  of  Enoch 
were  Betsey,  born  November  2,  1797,  and  married 
Andrew  B.  Sargent,  September  30, 1819;  Samuel,  born 


28G 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


January  19,  1800,  and  married  Mary  Nutt,  March  25, 
1825;  Sarah  S.,  born  June  21,  1802,  and  married 
Sewell  Haselton,  May  8,  1828 ; Philip  C.,  born 
August  22,  1804,  and  married  Mary  A.  Taylor,  May 
19, 1828 ; Merriam,  born  August  19,  1807,  and  married 
Jabez  Grimes,  April  16,  1840;  Enoch,  born  April  18, 
1810,  and  married  Lois  P.  Hadley,  November  27, 
1832;  Eli,  born  August  6,  1812,  never  married; 
James  G.,  born  February  12,  1815,  and  married 
Aurelia  Veasey,  January  28,  1841 ; Willaby  C.,  born 
May  18,  1818,  and  married  Sarah  Ann  Blood,  April 
13,  1848;  Adaline,  born  December  21,  1821,  and 
married  Aaron  A.  Samson,  August  23,  1846. 

The  children  of  Andrew  B.  Sargent  (born  January 
31,  1797)  and  Betsy  Alexander  are  Merriam  E,  born 
January  23, 1822,  and  married  Daniel  Messer  Novem- 
ber 30,  1843;  Samuel  A.,  born  September,  1826,  and 
married  Adaline  B.  Holt,  of  Wilton,  April  30,  1863 ; 
Simeon,  born  December  5,  1828,.  and  married  Mary 
E.  Thorndike,  October  14, 1858  ; Enoch  A.,  born  Feb- 
ruary 9,  1831 ; Lucy  Jane,  born  May  28,  1833,  and 
married  John  Morgan,  January  22,  1852;  Philip  J., 
born  May  6,  1839,  and  married  Sarah  E.  Messer, 
September  14th,  1870.  Andrew  B.  Sargent  died 
September  28,  1868.  His  wife  Betsy  died  August  9, 
1872. 

The  children  of  Samuel  Alexander  and  Mary  Nutt 
(born  April  7,  1797)  are  Eliza  Jane,  born  January  4, 
1826,  and  married  Allen  T.  Hubbard,  October  26, 
1856;  Mary  A.,  born  October  25,  1829,  and  married 
C.  Waterman  Pratt,  January  22, 1853;  J.  Bordman, 
born  December  15,  1834,  and  married  Mary  Nylaud, 
December  14,1870;  S.  Judson,  born  June  23, 1837(he 
was  captain  of  Company  B,  Ninth  New  Hampshire 
Regiment ; wounded  severely  in  action  July  13, 1863,  at 
Jackson,  Miss  ; died  of  wounds  July  23d).  Samuel  Al- 
exander died  August,  1879,  and  his  wife,  Mary,  died 
May  14,  1843. 

The  children  of  Sewell  Haselton  (born  January  7, 
1798)  and  Sarah  S.  Alexander  are  Rufus  R.,  born 
August  13,  1831,  and  married  Lydia  S.  Farnam, 
May  13,  1834;  and  Sarah  M.,  born  March  30,  1835, 
and  married  David  Roberts,  February  11, 1855.  Ru- 
fus R.  Haselton  was  a soldier  in  Company  B,  Ninth 
Regiment.  Frank  Manard,  born  April  2,  1853,  mar- 
ried Harriet  Rockwood. 

The  children  of  Philip  C.  Alexander  and  Mary  A. 
Taylor  (born  September  9,  1808)  are  George  Warren, 
born  May  9,  1829,  and  married  Harriet  Appleton; 
Elvira  S.,  born  December  2,  1830,  and  married  John 
C.  Morrison,  November  30, 1854;  Rosantha  A.,  born 
October  14,  1832,  and  married  Asa  Strong,  July  10, 
1855  ; Sarah  R.,  born  May  27, 1834,  and  married  James 
N.  Wright,  July  16,  1854;  Merriam  A.,  born  May  11, 
1836,  and  married  Horatio  B.  Shoals,  April  9,  1857  ; 
Lois  P.,  born  March  2,  1840,  and  married  Justus  Ly- 
man ; Dolly  T.,  born  April  20,  1842,  and  married  Ze- 
diah  Cooley,  November  24,  1872  ; Ella  J.,  born  Sep- 
tember 4,  1850,  and  married  Oscar  Ward,  August  25, 


1868;  Edward  F.,  twin  of  Ella;  and  Nettie  Maria, 
born  December  3,  1854. 

The  children  of  Jabez  Glines  (born  April  12,  1811, 
died  June,  1867)  and  Merriam  Alexander  are  Eras- 
tus  O.,  born  October  18,  1841,  and  married  Rebecca  J. 
Bunker,  November  27,  1862;  and  Alonzo  W.,  born 
September  7,  1848,  and  married  Hattie  E.  Corey,  No- 
vember 17,  1867.  He  was  delegated  as  drum-major 
to  accompany  the  Third  Regiment  and  band,  as  escort 
to  Governor  Bell  and  staff,  to  the  Yorktown,  Va., 
centennial,  in  1881.  Enoch  Alexander,  the  third  son 
of  Enoch,  is  a man  of  sterling  integrity,  enjoying  the 
perfect  confidence  of  his  townsmen  and  all  with  whom 
he  is  acquainted ; was  captain  of  the  militia  in  1838,  a 
member  of  the  House  of  Representatives  in  1849  and 
1850,  repeatedly  chosen  one  of  the  selectmen,  was 
town  treasurer  a score  of  years,  and  one  of  the  most 
accurate  surveyors  of  wood  and  lumber  the  country 
affords,  and  the  town  may  well  be  proud  of  the  por- 
trait of  himself  he  has  contributed  to  its  history. 

The  children  of  James  G.  Alexander  and  Aurelia 
Veasey  (born  March  20,  1816)  are  Charles  H.,  born 
August  27, 1844,  and  married  Sarah  Abby  Marsh,  Sep- 
tember 30,  1870  ; he  was  register  of  deeds  for  Merri- 
mack County  1882  and  1883,  and  keeps  a public-house 
in  IJenniker,  N.  H.,  since  1884. 

Edwin  G.,  born  June  22,  1849,  is  the  only  child  of 
Willaby  C.  Alexander  and  his  wife,  Sarah  Ann  Blood, 
born  November  21,  1826.  Willaby  died  April  8, 1884. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


AARON  W.  BAKER,  ESQ. 

The  early  settlers  of  New  Hampshire  were  sturdy 
pioneers  from  the  mother-country  or  came  from  the 
older  colonies,  principally  Massachusetts.  Some  of 
those  who  came  from  the  colonics  were  originally 
from  England,  but  many  were  native  born.  Of  the 
latter  class  were  the  ancestors  of  the  Bakers  who 
settled  in  Bow.  Their  progenitors  emigrated  from 
England  to  Massachusetts  during  the  last  half  of  the 
seventeenth  century,  and  at  once  grappled  with 
the  difficulties  and  dangers  of  frontier-life.  They 
were  active,  hardy,  industrious,  honest,  pious  and 
progressive  citizens,  and  were  prominent  in  the  church 
and  in  the  state.  From  that  ancestry  came  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  Aaron  W.  Baker.  His  great- 
grandfather, Captain  Joseph  Baker,  was  a surveyor, 
and  surveyed  several  townships  in  New  Hampshire, 
among  them  Pembroke,  where  he  settled  in  the  early 
part  of  the  eighteenth  century  and  raised  a family  of 
eleven  children.  He  was  the  first  of  this  name  to  re- 
side in  New  Hampshire.  His  son,  Joseph  Baker,  was 
born  November  7,  1740.  He  married  a descendant  of 
the  Scotch  Covenanters  and  settled  in  Bow.  Ten 
children  blessed  their  home.  One  of  these,  James 


- XtyffyAJiRtictue- 


BOW. 


287 


Baker,  married  Judith  Whittemore,  of  Pembroke. 
He  subdued  a farm  from  the  wild  lands  adjoining  his 
father’s  estate,  and  resided  there  until  he  died,  forty- 
three  years  old,  from  injuries  received  accidentally. 
He  left  a family  of  six  children,  the  eldest  of  whom 
was  Aaron  W.  Baker,  who  was  horn  April  10,  1796, 
and  was  only  twelve  years  of  age  when  his  father 
died.  The  farm  was  new  and  rough  and  required 
hard  and  continuous  labor.  This  Mrs.  Baker  and  her 
small  children  were  compelled  to  render.  Thus,  from 
boyhood,  Aaron  W.  Baker  was  accustomed  to  the 
hardest  of  farm-work.  Early  morning  found  him  in 
the  field,  and  darkness  closed  the  labors  of  the  day. 
His  advantages  for  education  were  very  limited. 
During  the  winter  terms  only  could  he  secure  even 
an  irregular  attendance  upon  the  public  schools.  By 
the  instruction  there  received  and  by  his  home- 
studies  he  acquired  a fair  common-school  education. 
To  this  he  added  a knowledge  of  vocal  music,  which 
he  taught  for  several  terms.  He  had  a good  voice, 
which  he  retained  until  old  age.  As  he  attained 
manhood  he  helped  his  brothers  and  sisters  to  better 
educational  opportunities  than  he  enjoyed,  and  by 
constant  labor  improved  and  enlarged  the  cultivated 
portions  of  the  farm.  He  bought  out  the  heirs  and 
became  its  owner.  In  later  years  he  added  to  it  un- 
til his  farm  included  nearly  all  of  the  land  originally 
owned  by  his  father  and  grandfather  and  many  acres 
besides. 

He  married,  March  10,  1825,  Miss  Nancy  Dustin, 
who  was  born  in  Concord  September  2,  1801.  She 
was  a descendant  of  the  heroic  Hannah  Dustin,  and 
was  a lady  of  excellent  character,  good  education  and 
natural  refinement. 

In  politics  Mr.  Baker  was  first  a Whig.  When 
the  Democratic  pariy  became  the  exponent  of  more 
liberal  principles  he  joined  it,  and  when  it  became 
allied  with  the  slave-power  of  the  South  he  as 
promptly  abandoned  it.  He  was  an  original  Aboli- 
tionist, and  acted  with  the  Free-Soil  party  from  its 
organization.  When  the  Republican  party  was 
formed  he,  with  the  Free-Soilers  generally,  united 
with  that  party  and  ever  after  remained  a Repub- 
lican. 

In  religion,  as  in  politics,  he  was  thoughtful,  studi- 
ous and  progressive.  He  was  trained  in  the  faith  of 
Orthodox  Congregationalism,  and  until  middle  life 
never  attended  any  but  Orthodox  preaching ; but  as 
he  read  his  Bible  and  pondered  over  the  great  ques- 
tions of  duty  and  destiny  he  found  both  heart  and 
mind  protesting  against  its  harsh  doctrines,  and  in- 
adequate statements  of  the  goodness,  mercy  and  love 
of  the  Infinite  Father.  He  became  a Universalist. 
His  wife,  who  had  been  educated  a Baptist,  joined 
him  in  his  studies  and  reflections,  and  she,  too,  be- 
came a Universalist.  Both  died  consoled  and  sus- 
tained by  that  cheering  faith. 

Long  before  total  abstinence,  or  even  temperance 
principles  were  popular,  Mr.  Baker  became  their 


earnest  advocate.  He  aided  the  circulation  and 
adoption  of  temperance  pledges,  and  by  his  influence 
many  signed  them.  His  example  and  encourage- 
ment assisted  in  the  maintenance  of  pledges  and 
helped  to  render  social  or  habitual  drinking  disrepu- 
table. 

In  all  the  transactions  of  his  life  Mr.  Baker  was 
noted  for  his  honesty,  integrity,  energy  and  faithful- 
ness. He  followed  his  convictions  of  duty,  the  logic 
of  events  and  of  principles,  to  their  legitimate  con- 
clusions, and  did  not  flinch  from  their  results.  He 
enjoyed  society,  liked  company  and  loved  his  friends 
and  relatives. 

Although  in  the  political  minority  of  his  town,  he 
held  the  offices  of  selectman  and  treasurer  and  other 
positions  of  responsibility  and  trust. 

His  children  were  four  sons, — Francis  M.,  who  was 
born  February  8,  1826,  and  died  April  13,  1838; 
Rufus,  who  was  born  March  8,  1831,  and  died  Febru- 
ary 15,  1861;  John  B.,  who  was  born  April  6,  1834; 
and  Henry  M.,  who  was  born  January  11,  1841. 

Rufus  married  Miss  Lucy  S.  Cutter,  of  Somerville, 
Mass.,  October  20,  1858.  She  was  born  August  29, 
1833,  and  died  March  26,  1866.  They  had  no  chil- 
dren. 

John  B.  married  Miss  Sarah  J.  Locke,  of  East 
Concord,  November  14,  1865.  They  have  had  two 
children, — Rufus  Henry,  born  March  16,  1870,  and 
John  Perley,  who  was  born  August  21, 1871,  and  died 
June  28,  1884.  John  B.  resides  upon  the  family 
homestead.  Henry  M.  is  a graduate  of  Dartmouth 
College  and  is  a lawyer. 

Aaron  W.  Baker  died  July  12,  1876.  In  his  life 
and  character  the  honest  yeomanry  of  the  Granite 
State  found  a fitting  exponent.  His  wife  survived 
him  but  a few  years.  She  died  May  20,  1881. 


CAPTAIN  ENOCH  ALEXANDER. 

Traces  his  ancestry  back  to  Samuel  Alexander,  who 
was  born  in  Derry,  N.  H.  He  was  born  in  1737,  and 
came  to  this  town  and  located  upon  a farm,  and  was 
a resident  of  this  town  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
June  25,  1835.  He  married  Mary  Bornton,  and  they 
had  four  children, — Enoch,  William,  Mary  and  Pat- 
tie.  Enoch  Alexander,  Sr.,  was  born  in  this  town 
April  6,  1771.  He  married  Miriam,  daughter  of  Wil- 
loughby Colby,  of  this  town,  July  14,  1797.  By  this 
union  there  were  ten  children,— Betsey,  Samuel, 
Philip  C.,  Sarah,  Miriam,  Enoch,  Eli,  J.  G.,  Wil- 
loughby C.  and  Adaline, — six  of  whom  are  now  living* 
This  family  is  noted  for  longevity,  as  nearly  all  have 
lived  to  an  advanced  age.  Captain  Enoch,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  in  Bow  April  18, 
1810.  His  early  days  were  spent  with  his  father  upon 
the  farm,  his  only  advantages  for  education  being 
limited  to  common  schools  of  his  native  town.  He 
has  spent  his  entire  life  upon  the  farm,  but  of  later 
days  has  been  a surveyor  of  wood  and  lumber, 


283 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


to  the  satisfaction  of  all  with  whom  he  has  been 
connected.  Captain  Alexander  was  married,  at 
the  age  of  twenty-two,  to  Lois  P.,  daughter  of  Amos 
and  Sarah  (Colby)  Hadley.  She  died  July  8, 
1878.  Since  then  Mr.  Alexander  has  lived  alone. 
He  is  a Democrat  in  politics,  having  cast  his  first  vote 
for  Andrew  Jackson,  and  has  always  advocated  the 
principles  of  Democracy.  The  citizens  of  his  town 
have  entrusted  him  with  every  office  within  their 
gift,  and  he  has  always  labored  earnestly  to  advance 
the  welfare  of  his  native  town. 


He  was  representative  to  the  General  Court  in  1848 
and  1849 ; was  made  captain  in  the  State  militia. 
Mr.  Alexander  has  always  been  a suppoiter  of  the 
Baptist  Church,  but  severed  his  connection  with  it 
several  years  ago,  although  since  that  time  he  has  de- 
voted a portion  of  his  means  toward  the  building  of 
churches  in  Suncook,  N.  H.  By  his  industry  and 
economy  he  has  provided  himself  with  ample  means 
for  his  support  in  his  old  age,  and  he  enjoys  the 
respect  and  esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens. 


HISTORY  OF  DANBURY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

This  town  was  set  off  from  Alexandria  by  an  act  of 
the  Legislature,  approved  June  18,  1795,  in  answer  to 
a petition  from  the  inhabitants,  with  the  following 
bounds  : “ Beginning  at  the  beech-tree  on  the  south- 
westerly corner  of  Alexandria  and  New  Chester 
[Hill],  southwest  of  Ragged  mountain  ; thence  north, 
twelve  degrees  west,  on  the  line  between  Alexandria 
and  New  London,  about  four  miles  and  a half  to  a 
beech-tree  marked,  standing  on  the  west  line  of  Ma- 
son’s patent,  otherwise  called  the  curve-line ; thence 
northeasterly  on  said  curve-line,  about  seven  miles 
to  the  range-line  between  lots  numbered  nine  and 
ten,  in  second  division ; thence  south,  twelve  degrees 
east,  about  four  miles  and  a half  to  the  line  between 
New  Chester  and  said  Alexandria,  between  lots  num- 
bered one  and  eighteen  on  said  line,  in  said  second 
division  ; thence  south,  fifty-three  degrees  west,  to  the 
bounds  first  mentioned,  about  six  miles,  on  the  line 
between  Alexandria  and  New  Chester.”  June  10, 
1808,  the  Legislature  appointed  “William  Webster, 
Broadstreet  Moody,  and  Enoch  Colby,  Esquires,  to 
determine  the  jurisdictional  lines  between  tbe  towns 
of  New  Chester,  Alexandria  and  Danbury.” 

December  19,  1848,  land  of  George  W.  Dudley  and 
Archibald  Ford  was  severed  from  Wilmot  and  an- 
nexed to  Danbury. 

June  26,  1858,  several  lots  of  land  were  severed 
from  Hill,  and  annexed  to  this  town. 

July  10,  1874,  this  town  was  severed  from  Grafton 
County  and  annexed  to  Merrimack. 

July  26,  1878,  another  lot  of  land  was  severed  from 
Wilmot  and  annexed  to  this  town. 

For  matters  concerning  the  earlier  history  of  the 
territoiy  now  comprised  in  the  town,  see  Alexandria 
papers. 

Relative  to  a Tax  for  the  Repair  of  Roads.— 

“ To  the  Honorable  Senate  and  House  of  Representa- 
tives in  General  Court  convened. 

“ Humbly  shews,  the  Petition  of  sundry  of  the  in- 
habitants of  the  Town  of  Danbury  in  the  County  of 
Grafton,  that,  ‘ An  act  for  laying  a Tax  on  the  lands 
of  Danbury,’  aforesaid  passed  to  be  enacted  by  the 
Honorable  Senate  and  Honorable  House  of  Repre- 


sentatives, June  15th  and  16th,  A.D.,  1796,  agreeably 
to  an  attested  Copy  of  said  act  herewith  exhibited, 
and  that  the  Selectmen  of  said  Danbury,  by  virtue  of 
said  act,  assessed  said  Tax,  and  directed  a warrant 
for  collection  thereof  to  the  Collector  of  said  Town 
for  the  time  being,  and  that  a part  of  said  Tax  has  been 
collected  and  appropriated  to  the  beneficial  purposes 
intended  by  said  act ; and  that  certain  clauses  of  said 
act  not  being  sufficiently  explicit  and  defined,  your 
Petitioners  are  apprehensive  that  the  said  Collector 
has  not  proceeded  according  to  the  true  spirit  and 
meaning  of  said  Act,  whereby  he  is  now  unable  by 
law  to  enforce  the  collection  of  the  remainder  of  said 
Tax : Wherefore  your  Petitioners  pray  that  the  said 
Collector  may  be  further  empowered  according  to 
law  to  proceed  to  the  collection  and  appropriation  of 
the  remainder  of  said  Tax,  agreeably  to  the  true 
meaning  and  intent  of  said  Act.  As  in  duty  bound, 
your  Petitioner^  shall  ever  pray — 

“ Danbury,  November  26,  1798 — 

“Anthoney  Tayler,  ) Selectmen 
“ Samuel  Pilsbtjry,  J of  Danbury.'” 

In  answer  to  the  foregoing,  an  act  was  passed  De- 
cember 7,  1798,  authorizing  the  completion  of  the 
collection  of  the  tax,  and  directing  that  it  should  be 
laid  out  on  the  road  through  “ twelve-mile  woods.” 
Petition  for  a Town. — 

“ State  of  New  Hampshire. 

“To  the  Honb1  the  Senate  and  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives for  said  State,  Convened  at  Concord, 
December  24th,  1794,  Humbly  Shew. 

“The  Subscribers,  Inhabitants  of  the  Town  of 
Alexandria,  that  they  labor  under  many  Inconven- 
iencies  by  reason  of  tbe  disagreeable  form  or  manner 
in  which  said  Town  lies;  also  by  reason  of  a Large 
mountain  that  crosses  said  Town  about  midway  of 
the  length  thereof — Said  Town  is  nine  miles  in 
Length  and  about  six  miles  in  breadth,  which  makes 
it  large  enough  for  two  towns,  and  the  mountain  in 
the  middle  of  said  Town  renders  it  almost  impossible 
for  the  inhabitants  of  the  South  part  and  those  of  the 
North  part  to  assemble  on  any  occasion  whatever, 
without  travelling  a great  length  of  way  to  get  by  said 
Mountain.  They  therefore  pray  that  your  Honours 

289 


290 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


would  take  their  case  under  your  wise  consideration, 
and  grant  them  relief  by  making  a division  of  Said 
Town  at  or  near  the  middle  thereof,  which  your  Pe- 
titioners conceive  would  be  of  public  utility,  as  well 
as  greatly  contribute  to  relieve  the  embarrassments 
of  your  Petitioners,  and  as  bound  shall  pray. 

“Anthony  Taylor,  Athmore  hosking  (his  X mark), 
Daniel  Reynolds,  Peter  Smith,  George  Niles,  Samuel 
Pilsbery,  John  Tolford,  Isaac  Favour,  Levi  danders, 
Samuel  Pingry,  Jonathan  Tolford,  Joseph  Atwood, 
Obadiah  Judkins,  Ebeuezer  Williams,  Daniel  Weare, 
John  simonds,  Benjamin  Emerson,  Daniel  Corliss, 
Enos  Ferren,  Samuel  jr.  Simons,  David  Atwood,  j 
Peter  Ladd,  thornas  Reed,  Robert  McMurphy,  Chris- 
topher Bartlet,  Jonathan  Clark,  Benj"  Pinter,  William 
Martin,  Eleazer  Taylor,  Timothy  Emerson,  William 
Simonds,  David  M'Murphy,  Moses  Simonds,  Eben- 
ezer  Simonds,  Joshua  Tolford,  Jonathan  Burpe,  Wil- 
liam McMurphy,  Ziba  Townsend,  James  Taylor,  Eben 
Carleton,  Sandrs  McMurphy,  Josiah  Emerson,  John 
Moor  Corliss,  Timothy  Simonds,  Jorg  Corliss,  Isaac 
Ladd,  Jeremiah  Ladd,  Peter  Ingalls,  Stephen  Gale, 
David  Morse,  John  Emons.” 

Votes  Relative  to  Division  of  the  Town.— 

“Alexandria,  March  30th  1795. 

“ then  met  agreable  to  said  warrant 

“ lly  voted  Joshua  tolford,  Modrator  to  govern  said 

Meeting. 

“ 21v  voted  to  Divid  the  town. 


“ Sly  voted  to  Divid  the  town  bet  wen  the  first  and 
second  Ranges  of  the  second  Divisliion. 

“41y  voted  to  Divid  the  town,  begining  at  New 
Chester  Line  betwen  the  first  and  second  Division, 
from  thence  to  Run  westerly  at  Right  angle  from 
New  Chester  Line  to  the  Patten  Line. 

“51y  voted  to  Divid  the  town  betwen  the  second  and 
third  Ranges  of  the  second  Divisliion. 

“ 61y  voted  to  reconsider  the  two  Last  votes  in  Respect 
of  Dividing  the  town,  and  that  the  first  vote  shall 
stand  that  is  to  Divid  the  town  betwen  the  first  and 
second  ranges  of  the  second  Division — 

“ a tru  Cooppey,  Attest, 

“Nason  Cass,  town  Clark.” 

In  House  of  Representatives,  December  29,  1794, 
a hearing  was  ordered  for  the  next  session  ; mean- 
while, a notice  was  to  be  published  in  the  New 
Hampshire  Gazette , and  one  posted  in  some  con- 
spicuous place  in  the  town.  June  18,  1795,  an  act 
passed  dividing  the  town  and  incorporating  the 
southerly  part  into  a town  by  the  name  of  Danbury. 

There  are  three  churches  in  the  town, — Baptist, 
Congregational  and  Christian. 

Danbury  is  thirty  miles  northwest  from  Concord  ; 
on  the  Northern  Railroad. 

Postmasters. — Danbury,  G.  II.  Gordon ; South  Dan- 
bury, Alfred  Sleeper. 


HISTORY  OF  DUNBARTON 


BY  COL.  W.  H.  STINSON. 


CHAPTER  I. 

•‘In  fair  Scotia’s  land  of  story, 

Near  the  ocean’s  swelling  tide, 

Stands  a castle,  grim  and  lioary, 

By  the  waters  of  the  Clyde. 

***** 

“ Here  within  New  Hampshire’s  border, 

’Mong  her  mounts  which  proudly  rise, 

And  in  wild,  yet  grand  disorder, 

Lift  their  summits  to  the  skies  ; 

***** 

“ Here  was  our  Dunbarton  founded, 

By  such  sceneries  surrounded, 

As  that  land  across  the  main, 

Whose  resemblance  gave  her  name.” 

— H.  E.  Burnham,  in  Centennial  Poem. 

The  first  mention  of  the  tract  of  territory  after- 
wards called  Dunbarton  is  in  the  journal  of  Captain 
Pecker,  who,  with  a small  company,  traversed  the 
country  late  in  the  autumn  of  1723,  in  a second 
journey  after  Indians. 

The  next  mention  of  the  territory,  and  probably 
the  first  grant  as  a township,  was  in  1733,  when  it 
was  granted  and  surveyed  as  a township,  known  as 
Narragansett,  No.  6,  by  the  General  Court  of 
Massachusetts,  to  soldiers  in  the  French  and  Indian 
War.  The  surveyor’s  report  is  as  follows  : 

“This  plan  describetli  a tract  of  Land  Laid  out  for  the  Narraganset 
Soldiers,  Being  the  Second  Township  for  Said  Soldiers’  Land  Laid  out 
on  Maramack,  and  contains  the  Contents  of  Six  miles  square,  and  fifty 
Acres  Allowance  for  Fishing  at  Amoskeag  Falls,  and  Three  Thousand 
and  Seventy  acres  allowed  for  Poor  Lands  and  Ponds.  In  the  whole 
place  is  2G,100  acres  bounded  as  follows : Beginning  at  a pitch  pine 
tree  standing  on  the  westerly  side  of  Maramack  River  at  the  foot  of 
Hannah  llooksett’s  Falls,  Being  in  Suncook  Line,  and  running  on  said 
Suncook  Township  four  miles  West,  Seventeen  Degrees  South,  to  a 
white  pine  tree,  being  the  South-West  Corner  of  Suncook  ; Then  Run- 
ning West  four  miles  and  40  Rods,  on  a Township  on  the  West  of  Sun- 
cook and  Penycook,  laid  out  for  the  Narragansett  Soldiers  (to  a heap 
of  stones  ; then  running  North  Five  miles  and  one  hundred  and  forty 
Rods  on  Province  Land,  to  a white  pine  Tree,  being  the  North-West 
Corner  of  ye  1st  Narragansett  Town  on  Maramack  River  ; then  Run- 
ning on  Said  Township  Six  miles  and  one  hundred  and  ten  rods  (east)  to 
Maramack  River  ; then  on  Maramack  River,  as  s’d  River  Runs,  Eight 
miles  and  145  Rods  to  the  pitch  pine  Tree  at  the  foot  of  Hannah  Hook- 
sett’s  falls  before  mentioned. 

“Surveyed  and  Plan’d  by  order  of  the  Great  and  General  Court’s 
Committee.  In  October,  A.  D.  1733,  pr. 

“Stephen  Hosmer,  Jr., 

Surveyor .” 


The  grant  lapsed  to  the  commonwealth,  and  two 
years  later,  or  in  1735,  Captain  Samuel  Gorham,  of 
Plymouth,  England,  obtained  a grant  of  the  same 
tract  of  territory,  had  it  surveyed  and  affixed  to  it 
the  name  Gorhamtown.  He  afterwards  relinquished 
his  claim. 

In  1752,  Archibald  Stark  and  others  purchased  the 
same  tract  of  territory  from  John  Tufton  Mason,  and 
named  it  Starkstown.  A transcript  of  the  record  of 
this  first  meeting  is  as  follows : 

“ PROVINCE  OF  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 

“ At  a meeting  of  the  proprietors  of  the  lands  purchased  of  John  Tuf- 
ton Mason,  Esq  , at  Portsmouth,  held  on  Monday,  the  second  day  of 
March,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty - 
two,  therefore,  voted,  That  there  be  and  is  hereby  granted  unto  Archi- 
bald Stark,  William  Stark,  John  Stark,  Archibald  Stark,  jr.,  all  of  a 
place  called  Amoskeag,  in  the  province  of  New  Hampshire,  the  Rev. 
David  McGregor,  Robert  McMurphy,  William  Rankin,  William  Stinson, 
John  Cochran,  James  Evans,  Hugh  Dunshee,  John  McCurdy,  John  Carr, 
John  Cochran,  Hugh  Jameson,  David  Stinson,  Joseph  Scoby,  Matthew 
Thornton,  Daniel  McCurdy,  John  Carr,  John  Cochran,  Dr.  Alexander 
Todd,  William  Hogg,  James  McGregore,  David  Leslie,  George  Clark, 
William  Rankin,  William  Stinson,  James  Rogers,  James  Cochran,  John 
McDuffie,  James  McGregore,  Samuel  Todd,  David  Craige,  all  of  London- 
derry, in  said  province  ; Thomas  Mills,  Samuel  Hogg,  Caleb  Page,  jr  , 
Samuel  Richards,  Thomas  Follansbee,  jr.,  all  of  Hampstead,  in  said  prov- 
ince ; and  Jeremiah  Page  of  said  place,  William  Elliott,  John  Hall, 
Adam  Dickey,  all  of  Derryfield,  in  said  province;  Joseph  Blanchard, 
Esq.,  Joseph  Blanchard,  jr.,  both  of  Dunstable,  in  said  province  ; Joseph 
Putney' James  Rogers  (their  eldest  sons  for  one  right),  all  living  on  a 
tract  of  land  hereby  granted,  William  Putney  and  Obadiah  Foster,  of 
the  same  place,  for  one  hundred  acres,  and  the  remaining  part  of  the 
share  or  right  of  Hugh  Ramsey  of  said  Londonderry,  John  Morton  of 
Portsmouth,  in  said  province,  and  George  Mussey  of  said  Portsmouth, 
William  Stark  (William  Stark  above-named  having  three  rights,  being 
the  same  man),  and  Archibald  Stark  above-named,  Samuel  Emerson, 
Esq.,  James  Varnum,  both  of  Chester,  in  said  province  ; John  Campbell 
of  Haverhill,  William  Hyslop  of  Boston,  both  in  the  province  of  Massa- 
chusetts Bay  ; William  Gault  of  Canterbury,  in  the  province  of  New 
Hampshire  ; Samuel  Fulton,  late  of  said  Londonderry,  equally  as  except- 
ing aforesaid,  to  them  and  their  heirs  assigns  excepting  as  heretofore  ex- 
cepted, on  the  terms,  conditions  and  limitations  hereinafter  expressed, 
all  the  right,  title,  estate  and  property  of  the  said  proprietors  of,  in  and 
unto  all  that  tract  or  parcel  of  land,  about  five  miles  square,  more  or 
less,  situated  in  the  province  of  New  Hampshire,  and  bounded  as  fol- 
lows: Beginning  at  the  main  river  on  the  northerly  side  of  a tract  of 
land  lately  granted  by  the  said  proprietors  to  Thomas  Parker  and 
others,  and  running  westward  as  far  as  that  tract  of  land  runs,  joining 
on  the  same  ; then  running  north  two  degrees,  west  five  miles  and  one 
hundred  and  eight  rods  ; thence  north  seventy-nine  rods  east,  till  it  comes 
to  Bow  line  ; then  southerly  by  the  township  of  Bow  and  continuing  by 
that  till  it  comes  to  said  river  ; then  by  that  till  it  comes  to  the  place 
where  it  begins.” 

The  first  settlers,  of  whom  there  is  any  knowledge, 

291 


292 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


to  enter  the  limits  of  the  territory  afterwards  called 
Starkstown,  were  Joseph  Putney  and  James  Rogers, 
who  came  from  Londonderry  by  tracing  to  its  source 
a small  stream  which  empties  into  the  Merrimack,  to 
the  great  meadow,  in  the  fall  of  1740.  The  luxuriant 
crop  of  grass  attracted  their  attention.  The  ready 
facilities  afforded  for  procuring  fodder  for  cattle  led 
them  to  regard  it  as  a desirable  spot  for  a permanent 
location.  There  they  erected  log-houses  and  planted 
apple-trees,  which  had  so  far  advanced  towards  ma- 
turity as  to  produce  fruit  when  the  attack  was  made 
on  Fort  Rumford  by  the  Indians,  in  1746.  They  pro- 
cured no  title  to  the  land,  but  their  possession  was 
confirmed  by  the  proprietors,  who,  in  1752,  obtained 
a grant  of  the  township  from  the  assigns  of  John 
Tufton  Mason. 

The  “ settlement”  was  exposed  to  the  depredations 
of  Indians,  and  great  diligence  was  exercised  to  pro- 
tect themselves  and  their  families  from  massacre  by 
the  wild  sons  of  the  forest.  When  the  attack  was 
made  on  Fort  Rumford  these  brave  pioneers  were  in 
imminent  danger,  but  saved  themselves  and  their 
families  by  flight  to  Fort  Rumford.  Stark,  in  his 
“History  of  Dunbarton,”  says  that  “ two  friends  from 
that  place  traced  their  way  in  the  night  by  spotted 
trees  through  the  forest  to  the  ‘great  meadow,’  to 
notify  them  of  their  impending  danger.  Upon  re- 
ceipt of  the  intelligence  they  at  once  abandoned 
their  homes  and  by  a speedy  retreat  to  Rumford  the 
same  night  insured  their  safety.  Returning,  in  the 
course  of  the  next  day,  to  drive  their  cattle  to  the 
Rumford  garrison,  they  found  them  all  slaughtered 
and  lying  scattered  around  in  every  direction.  Their 
houses  had  beeu  plundered  and  burned,  and  their 
apple-trees,  with  one  exception,  cut  down.” 

They  remained  at  Rumford  till  1749,  when  they, 
with  their  families,  returned  and  made  permanent  set- 
tlements ; the  extensive  range  of  meadow  lands  already 
cleared  by  the  industry  of  the  beaver  and  the  abund- 
ant natural  crop  of  tall  blue-joint  grass  then  pro- 
duced, influenced  the  pioneers  in  selecting  their 
location  at  Montalona.  The  drought  of  that  year  was 
probably  never  exceeded  in  New  England.  The 
preceding  had  been  unusually  dry,  but  this  was  ex- 
ceedingly so. 

There  was  but  little  rain  in  May,  June  and  July. 
Hay  in  the  Massachusetts  colony  was  so  scarce  that 
it  was  imported  from  England.  But  it  did  not  injure 
the  great  meadow,  and  in  November  the  owners  drove 
from  Haverhill,  Mass.,  eighteen  head  of  young  cattle, 
which  they  wintered  “at  the  halves.” 

From  1749  to  1752  few  settlements  were  made.  In 
the  latter  year  came  Thomas  Mills,  William  Stinson 
and  John  Hogg  from  Londonderry.  The  first  settled 
on  lot  17,  in  the  fifth  range,  the  farm  now  owned  by 
John  C.  Mills ; the  second  on  lot  No.  5,  in  the  second 
range,  the  farm  now  in  the  possession  of  William  C. 
Stinson ; and  the  third  on  lot  No.  18,  in  the  first 
range,  the  estate  formerly  owned  by  Deacon  John 


Church,  but  now  in  the  possession  of  Charles  Clif- 
ford. 

The  motive  that  actuated  these  settlers  to  emigrate 
to  this  township  was  the  vote  passed  at  the  first  meet- 
ing of  the  proprietors,  held  at  Londonderry,  April  8, 

1751,  “ that  of  the  thirty  individuals  who  should 
first  locate  themselves  under  their  grant,  each  person 
should  have  three  acres  of  land  cleared  on  or  before 
the  last  day  of  October  succeeding.  To  have  the 
same  fenced  in  and  a dwelling-house  not  less  than 
sixteen  feet  square  erected,  in  which,  also,  their  fami- 
lies were  to  be  settled  before  the  last  day  of  May, 

1752. ”  Their  dwellings  were  situated  several  miles 
apart,  and  thus  remained  for  some  time  without  any 
intervening  inhabitants. 

The  situation  of  these  pioneers  could  not  havebeen 
otherwise  than  drear  and  lonely,  in  a wilderness 
abounding  with  wild  and  ferocious  animals — bears, 
catamounts,  wolves  and  wildcats — whose  dismal  howls 
disturbed  their  nightly  repose  and  compelled  them  to 
maintain  a vigilant  watch  over  their  flocks  and  herds. 
If,  during  the  night,  they  looked  abroad  from  their 
timber-cabins  through  the  darkness  and  gloom  around 
them,  no  friendly  lights  gleamed  from  windows  of 
distant  dwellings  to  cheer  their  solitude  and  assure 
them  that  they  were  not  entirely  alone  in  their  forest 
wilderness. 

The  work  of  felling  the  forests  and  tilling  the  rug- 
ged soil  was  a laborious  task  ; tbeir  implements  were 
few  and  of  a rude  pattern,  and  their  means  scanty ; 
yet,  amidst  the  many  discouragements,  these  noble 
sons  of  toil  made  the  wilderness  to  blossom  as  the 
rose ; but  their  well-provided  and  opulent  descend- 
ants can  but  faintly  picture  to  themselves  in  imagi- 
nation the  stern  realities  met,  endured,  and  overcome 
by  the  hardy  foresters  who  located  the  now  pleasant 
places  in  which  they  dwell  in  peace,  security  and 
happiness. 

Many  of  the  original  settlers  of  Starkstown  were 
from  Derryfield  and  Londonderry  ; others  came  di- 
rectly from  Ireland  and  Scotland.  Several  families 
from  the  vicinity  of  Ipswich,  Mass.,  took  up  lands 
near  each  other  in  the  southern  part  of  the  town, 
while  those  from  Haverhill,  Hampstead  and  other 
towns  of  Massachusetts  located  in  other  parts  of  the 
township.  The  so-called  Scotch-Irish  emigrants  who 
first  settled  in  the  town  are  not  to  be  considered  as 
blended  with  the  natives  of  Ireland.  The  ancestors 
of  these  Scotch-Irish  emigrants,  who  left  Scotland  for 
Ireland  in  1619,  and  subsequently  settled  in  London- 
derry, N.  H.,  were  a distinct  people  and  unmingled 
with  those  of  the  country  to  which  they  emigrated. 
The  cause  of  their  leaving  their  native  soil  and  seek- 
ing a land  of  freedom  was  due  to  religious  persecu- 
tion ; but  their  expectations  were  not  realized,  and  not 
till  they  sought  refuge  in  America  did  they  enjoy  the 
freedom  they  desired  “ to  worship  God  according  to 
the  dictates  of  their  own  consciences.” 

The  Scotch-Irish,  having  been  the  first  to  settle  in 


DUNBARTON. 


293 


Stark’s  town,  and  having  for  a long  period  exerted  a 
controlling  influence  in  the  management  of  its  affairs, 
and  a large  proportion  of  its  present  inhabitants  be- 
ing their  lineal  descendants,  it  is  highly  proper  that 
something  of  their  history  and  the  causes  that  led 
them  to  seek  new  homes  in  the  wilds  of  America 
should  be  given,  as  in  the  foregoing. 

In  1765,  Governor  Benning  Wentworth  granted  a 
charter  for  the  township  to  be  called  Dunbarton. 
The  charter  is  as  follows  : 

“Province  of  New  Hampshire. 

“George  the  third,  by  the  Grace  of  God  of  Great  Britain,  France,  and 
Ireland,  King,  Defender  of  the  Faith,  etc. 

“ To  all  to  whom  these  presents  shall  come,  Greeting  : — Whereas,  our 
loving  subjects,  inhabitants  of  a tract  of  land  within  our  Province  of 
New  Hampshire  aforesaid,  known  by  the  name  of  Starktown,  have  hum- 
bly petitioned  and  requested  that  they  may  be  erected  and  incorporated 
into  a township,  and  enfranchised  with  the  same  powers  and  privileges 
which  other  towns  have  and  enjoy  within  our  said  province  by  law  ; and 
it  appearing  with  us  to  be  conclusive  to  the  general  good  of  our  said 
province,  as  well  as  the  said  inhabitants  in  particular,  "by  maintaining 
good  order  and  encouraging  the  culture  of  the  said  lands,  that  the  same 
should  be  done  ; 

“ Know  ye  therefore  that  we  of  our  especial  grace,  certain  knowledge, 
and  for  the  encouragement  and  promotion  of  their  good  deeds  and  pur- 
poses, by  and  with  the  advice  of  our  trusty  and  well-beloved  Benning 
Wentworth,  Esqr,  Our  Governor  and  commander-in-chief  and  of  our 
council  for  said  province  of  New  Hampshire,  have  erected  and  ordained 
and  by  these  Presents  for  us  and  our  heirs  and  successors  do  ordain  that 
our  loving  subjects  residing  on  the  tract  of  land  aforesaid,  or  that  shall 
hereafter  reside  and  improve  them,  the  same  being  limited  and  bounded 
as  followith,  viz.  : 

“ Beginning  at  a stake?  and  stone  standing  on  the  hank  of  Merrimack 
river,  on  the  westerly  side,  w hich  is  also  the  northerly  corner  bound  of 
the  Goffstown,  so  called.  Thence  running  westerly  by  said  Goffstown 
till  it  comes  to  the  town  of  Weare,  so  called  ; thence  turning  off,  and 
running  northerly  by  said  Weare,  till  it  comes  to  the  line  of  New  Hop- 
kinton,  so  called  ; thence  turning  off,  and  running  northeasterly,  by  the 
line  of  New  Hopkiuton  aforesaid,  till  it  comes  to  the  town  of  Bow  ; 
thence  running  by  Bow  line,  till  it  comes  to  Merrimack  river ; thence 
down  6aid  river,  southerly  on  said  river,  to  stake  and  stone  began  at : 

“Shall  be  and  by  these  presents  are  declared  and  ordained  to  he  a 
town  corporate,  and  are  hereby  erected  and  incorporated  into  a body 
politic  and  corporate,  to  have  continuance  until  His  Majesty’s  pleasure 
shall  be  signified  to  the  contrary,  by  the  name  of  Dunbarton,  w ith  the 
powers  and  authorities,  privileges,  immunities,  and  franchises  which 
other  towns  in  said  province  by  law  hold  and  enjoy  ; always  reserving  to 
us,  our  heirs  and  successors,  all  white  pine  trees  that  are  or  shall  be 
found  growing  or  being  on  said  tract  of  land,  fit  for  the  use  of  our  royal 
navy;  reserving  also  the  right  of  dividing  the  said  town  when  it  shall 
appear  necessary  and  convenient  for  the  benefit  of  the  inhabitants 
thereof : 

“ Provided,  nevertheless,  and  . . . hereby  declared,  and  that  our 

charter  and  grant  is  not  intended  or  shall  in  any  manner  be  construed  to 
extend  to  effect  the  private  property  of  the  said  . . . within  the 

limits  aforesaid.  And  as  the  several  tow  ns  within  our  province  of  New- 
Hampshire  are  by  laws  hereof  enabled  and  authorized  to  assemble,  and 
by  the  majority  of  votes  present  to  choose  all  such  officers,  and  transact 
all  such  affairs  as  by  the  said  laws  are  declared,  we  do  by  these  Presents 
nominate  Caleb  Page  to  call  the  first  meeting  at  any  time  within  forty 
days  from  the  date  thereof  giving  legal  notice  of  the  time  and  place  and 
design  of  holding  such  meeting,  after  which  the  annual  meeting  for 
6aid  town  for  the  choice  of  officers  and  management  of  affairs  aforesaid 
be  holden  within  said  township  on  the  second  Tuesday  of  March, 
annually. 

“In  testimony  whereof  we  have  caused  the  seal  of  our  said  Province 
to  be  hereunto  affixed.  Witness,  Benning  Wentworth,  Esqr.,  Our  Gov- 
ernor and  Commander-in-chief,  in  and  over  our  said  Province  of  New 
Hampshire,  the  tenth  day  of  August,  in  the  fifth  year  of  our  reign 
Anno  Domini,  1763. 

“B.  Wentworth. 

“By  His  Excellency’s  command  with  advice  of  council. 

“T.  Atkinson,  Jun’r,  Sec'y. 


“ Province  of  New  Hampshire. 

“August  10,  1763,  Recorded  in  the  book  of  charters,  No.  1,  Pages  280 
and  281. 

“ T.  Atkinson,  Jun’r,  Sec'y." 

The  bounds  as  made  by  the  survey  in  1803  are  as 
follows : 

“ North,  4 deg.  west,  6 miles,  313  rods  ; north,  82  deg.  east,  638  rods ; 
south,  45%  deg.  east,  1028  rods;  south,  48  deg.  west,  40  rods;  south,  44 
deg.  east,  160  rods  ; south,  46  deg.  west,  190  rods ; south,  2%  deg.  west, 
148  rods ; south,  45%  deg.  east,  1326  rods  ; north,  45  deg.  east,  8 miles, 
269  rods.” 

The  town  of  Dunbarton  is  situated  in  the  extreme 
southwestern  part  of  Merrimack  County,  but  pre- 
vious to  the  incorporation  of  Merrimack  County,  in 
1852,  it  formed  a part  of  Hillsborough  County ; its 
latitude  is  43°  5' ; its  present  area  is  twenty  thou- 
sand nine  hundred  and  sixty -six  acres;  there  are 
many  hills,  but  no  mountains.  Among  the  highest 
are  Duncanowett,  Mills,  Putney,  Prospect,  Jameson 
and  Abbott.  The  highest  point  of  land  is  seven  hun- 
dred and  seventy-nine  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 
The  situation  is  elevated,  the  air  pure  and  the  water 
good.  The  soil  is  of  the  best  quality,  and  well 
adapted  to  agricultural  and  horticultural  products. 
No  river  runs  through  the  town,  but  several  large 
streams  drain  it,  among  them  Harris,  One  Stack, 
Leach,  Tenny,  Ray,  Settlement  and  Chisamore 
Brooks.  The  largest  pond  is  Gorham,  having  an  area 
of  eighty  acres ; the  other  ponds  are  smaller,  and 
bear  the  names  of  Woodbury  (or  Kimball),  Long, 
Stark  and  Purgatory.  Concerning  the  geology  of  the 
town.  Prof.  C.  H.  Hitchcock  divides  the  formations 
into  distinct  groups,  viz. : — 1,  porphyritic  gneiss;  2, 
lake  gneiss ; 3,  montalbon  series,  including  the  Con- 
cord granite  ; 4,  ferruginous  schist ; 5,  andalusite  mica 
schist,  with  coarse  granite  veins;  6,  Rockingham  mica 
schist ; 7,  Kearsarge  andalusite  group  ; 8,  Merrimack 
group,  including  a little  clay  slate. 

No  minerals  are  found,  but  an  arsenic  mine  exists 
in  the  eastern  part.  The  arsenic  ore  is  included,  as  a 
bed,  between  a strata  of  mica  slate,  resting  directly 
in  granite.  It  is  from  six  to  eight  inches  in  thick- 
ness, and  is  very  heavy  and  rich  in  arsenic.  The  bed 
with  the  strata  is  to  the  south  80°,  east  20°,  and  runs 
north  and  south.  Large  qualities  of  loose  pieces  of  the 
ore  may  be  easily  obtained  on  the  surface  and  in  the 
soil.  Associated  with  the  arsenical  pyrites  the  green 
arsenic  of  ore  is  found,  forming  investing  layers  on 
the  ore,  andscorodite,  or  yellow  arsenic  of  iron,  occurs 
in  concretionary  masses  and  thin  crusts  between  the 
joints  and  cavities. 

A little  argentiferous  galena  was  also  found  in  dis- 
seminated branches  and  crystals.  Radiated  block 
tourmaline  exists  in  the  mica  slate,  and  quartz  crys- 
tals are  found  in  the  vein  and  in  the  soil.  Kaoline, 
or  clay  from  decomposed  granite,  fills  up  many  spaces 
between  the  rocks. 

In  1825,  by  act  of  the  Legislature,  the  part  border- 
ing on  the  Merrimack  River  was  disannexed  for  the 
purpose  of  forming  a part  of  the  town  of  Hooksett. 


19 


294 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


The  first  census  was  taken  in  1767, — Unmarried 
men,  16  to  60  years  old,  25 ; married,  16  to  60  years 
old,  39 ; boys  from  16  years  and  younger,  70 ; males 
over  60  years,  6;  females  unmarried,  80;  married, 
45;  widows,  4;  male  slaves,  2.  Census,  1775, — 
Males  under  16,  144;  16  to  50  not  in  the  army,  92; 
over  50,  14;  in  the  army,  14;  females,  232;  slaves,  1. 
1790,  917;  1800,  1222;  1810,  1256;  1820,  1450  ; 1880, 
711. 

The  first  saw-mill  built  in  the  town  was  by  General 
John  Stark,  in  the  northwesterly  section,  a lot  being 
granted  him  with  this  provision  understood.  The 
property  and  estate  is  still  in  the  possession  of  the 
Stark  family  and  owned  by  a granddaughter  of  the 
illustrious  general,  who  resides  in  the  grand  old 
mansion.  The  family  have  a private  cemetery  near 
the  estate  where  the  remains  of  Major  Caleb  Stark, 
a son  of  John  Stark,  lie  buried  with  those  of  other 
descendants. 

As  a farming  town  Dunbarton  holds  an  even  rank, 
whose  well-tilled  farms  and  good  farm-houses  and 
buildings  speak  volumes  for  the  thrift  and  enterprise 
of  the  people. 

On  the  13th  of  September,  1865,  the  town  cele- 
brated its  centennial  of  incorporation  with  exercises 
of  great  interest,  and  the  sons  and  daughters  located 
in  other  states  and  sections  came  home  again  to 
mingle  in  and  enjoy  the  festivities  of  the  occasion, 
and  the  event  will  long  be  a treasured  one  to  all  who 
were  present,  and  notable  in  the  history  of  the  town. 


CHAPTER  II. 

DUNBARTON  — ( Continued). 

RELIGIOUS  INSTITUTIONS. 

Closely  identified  with  the  town  is  the  religious 
review,  and  first  we  give  the 
History  of  the  Congregational  Church.  — The 
history  of  the  Congregational  Church  is  largely  the 
religious  history  of  Dunbarton,  for  this  organization 
is  at  once  the  oldest  and  largest  Christian  body  in 
the  town.  The  ancestors  of  many  of  the  early  in- 
habitants were  men  and  women  who,  in  1619,  had  left 
fair  Scotland,  their  native  land,  because  of  religious 
persecution,  and  had  settled  in  the  north  of  Ireland. 
Being  strict  Presbyterians,  they  did  not  find  there 
the  freedom  which  they  had  expected,  but  were  forced 
to  contribute  towards  the  support  of  the  Established 
Church.  A century  later  their  descendants  sought  in 
America  a home  where  they  could  freely  worship 
God,  and  their  children  who  came  to  Dunbarton 
brought  with  them  the  religious  spirit  of  their 
fathers.  They  early  felt  their  need  of  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel  and  of  public  means  of  grace. 

In  1752  a vote  was  passed  at  the  second  meeting 
of  the  proprietors  that  a meeting-house  should  be 


erected ; but  for  some  reason  it  was  not  finished  till 
about  1767.  This  building  was  located  at  the  Centre, 
in  what  is  now  the  public  common,  and  was  a low- 
framed structure,  furnished  only  with  seats  of  rough 
plank  and  a pulpit  of  rough  boards.  It  was  thirty 
feet  square,  and  had  no  means  by  which  it  could  be 
warmed.  This  house  remained  the  only  place  of 
public  worship  for  twenty  years.  Previous  to  the 
completion  of  this  building  the  people  enjoyed  oc- 
casional opportunities  of  hearing  the  Word.  The 
first  sermon  is  said  to  have  been  preached  by  Rev. 
Mr.  McGregor  in  the  open  air.  At  different  times 
several  ministers  were  employed  to  preach  ; but  not 
till  nineteen  years  after  the  erection  of  the  first  meet- 
ing-house was  there  a settled  ministry. 

In  1773  an  attempt  was  made  to  settle  a minister, 
Rev.  William  Fessenden,  but  previous  to  his  confer- 
ence with  the  committee  which  had  been  appointed  by 
the  town  he  had  become  established  in  another  place. 
The  Revolution  placed  a check  upon  religious  effort. 
From  1780  to  1783  only  twenty-four  days’  preaching 
were  hired.  In  1785  an  attempt  was  made  to  settle 
Rev.  Mr.  Bradford,  but  his  doctrinal  views  proved 
unsatisfactory.  Again,  in  1786,  an  unsuccessful  at- 
tempt was  made  to  settle  Rev.  Mr.  Williams.  On 
October  30,  1788,  a committee  was  appointed  to  en- 
gage Rev.  Walter  Harris  “ for  one  year,  or  a shorter 
time,  to  preach  on  trial.”  On  the  26tli  of  January, 
1789,  it  was  voted  to  extend  him  a call. 

On  June  18,  1789,  the  Congregational  Church  of 
Dunbarton  was  organized  with  ten  members.  A 
church  covenant  was  framed,  and  the  Westminster 
Confession  was  adopted  as  the  standard  of  faith,  in 
the  following  words : “ We  do  profess  a firm  belief  of 
the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  and 
understand  them  for  the  most  part  as  they  are  ex- 
plained in  the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith  ; at 
least,  we  view  that  as  the  best  human  system  now  ex- 
tant.” Rev.  Walter  Harris  was  ordained  and  in- 
stalled pastor  of  the  church  on  August  26th  of  the 
same  year,  and  he  held  his  charge  for  more  than  forty 
years,  the  leader  of  the  people,  not  only  in  spiritual 
matters,  but  in  all  things  essential  to  their  welfare. 
So  largely  was  Dr.  Harris  instrumental  in  moulding 
the  character  and  determining  the  prosperity  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Dunbarton  that  no  history  of  the  town 
is  complete  which  does  not  give  him  prominent 
notice.  He  was  born  June  8,  1761,  in  Lebanon, 
Conn.  His  father  died  shortly  before  his  birth,  and 
he  was  left,  with  his  brother,  to  the  care  of  his  pious 
mother.  Each  day,  taking  her  boys  by  the  hand,  she 
held  them  at  her  side  while  she  read  from  the  Bible 
and  offered  her  fervent  prayers  to  God.  Thus  was 
the  seed  of  piety  sown,  afterwards  to  spring  up  and 
grow  into  a pure  and  noble  character.  When  he  was 
sixteen  years  old  his  mother  died,  and  he  and  his 
brother  were  left  to  care  for  themselves.  The  War  of 
the  Revolution  soon  breaking  out,  the  brothers  en- 
listed to  defend  their  country,  and  fought  side  by 


DUNBARTON. 


295 


side  till  the  elder  was  killed  by  a British  cannon-ball. 
Dr.  Harris  served  uninjured  in  the  war  for  three 
years.  Having  received  an  honorable  discharge,  lie 
purchased  a lot  of  land  in  Lebanon,  N.  H.,  and  began 
to  clear  it.  While  at  this  work  the  thought  of  a 
higher  sphere  of  usefulness  came  to  him.  One  day 
he  sat  down  upon  a tree  which  he  had  just  felled,  and 
there  argued  aloud  his  case.  At  length  he  declared, 
“ I will  go  to  college,”  and  striking  the  axe  into  the 
tree,  he  left  it  there,  a present  to  the  finder,  and 
started  to  execute  his  new  resolve.  In  1787  he 
graduated  with  honor  from  Dartmouth  College, 
having  the  Hebrew  oration.  He  then  studied  theol- 
ogy under  Dr.  Emmons.  In  mental  power  and  in 
ability  to  defend  the  truth  he  was  nearly  the  equal 
of  his  illustrious  teacher.  On  coming  to  Dunbarton, 
he  found  the  people  greatly  needing  instruction  in 
evangelical  doctrines,  and  he  began  his  work  by 
setting  forth  and  expounding  these.  During  his  en- 
tire ministry  his  preaching  was  characterized  as 
doctrinal,  — “God’s  sovereignty,  man’s  depravity, 
salvation  through  the  blood  of  Christ,  by  the  effec- 
tual working  of  the  Holy  Ghost ; standing  on 
this  foundation,  he  preached.”  He  was  a natural 
orator,  possessing  a voice  of  great  power  and  pathos. 
At  first  he  would  carry  the  judgment  of  his  hearers 
by  his  convincing  logic,  and  then  persuade  them  with 
his  eloquence.  He  possessed  the  power  of  impressing 
himself  as  well  as  what  he  uttered  upon  the  people, 
and  so  had  the  two  great  essentials  for  leadership. 
All  reverenced  him.  The  inhabitants  came  to  him 
for  advice  upon  all  matters.  Rev  S.  S.  Parker  says: 
“The  impression  he  made  upon  my  heart  in  child- 
hood was  that  God  Almighty  was  first  and  Dr.  Harris 
was  second.”  Not  only  did  he  teach  by  word,  but  by 
example.  In  all  things  he  tried  to  be  a pattern  for 
the  people.  His  life  was  blameless.  He  cultivated 
his  farm  with  great  care,  kept  all  things  in  order  and 
was  a model  farmer.  As  a winner  of  souls  his  Master 
owned  him.  In  the  third  year  of  his  ministry  there 
was  a great  outpouring  of  the  Spirit,  and  eighty  per- 
sons were  ad  led  to  the  church.  Dr.  Harris  believed 
in  revivals  and  worked  and  prayed  for  them. 

In  1810  forty  new  converts  were  added  to  the 
church,  and  again,  in  1826,  eighty  persons  became 
members.  Dr.  Harris  was  always  deeply  interested 
in  the  cause  of  education,  and  for  many  years  visited 
all  the  schools  in  town  twice  annually,  and  it  was  a 
long  time  before  the  people  appreciated  his  labors  and 
thought  to  thank  or  recompense  him  for  this  work. 
Dr.  Harris’  influence  was  felt  throughout  the  State. 
In  church  affairs  and  in  the  defense  of  evangelical 
doctrines  he  was  an  acknowledged  leader.  Declining 
health  compelled  him  to  resign  his  charge  in  1830, 
but  he  still  remained  in  Dunbarton  an  inspiration 
and  a power.  He  died  December  25,  1843.  He  was 
succeeded  in  the  church  by  Rev.  John  M.  Putnam, 
who  was  installed  pastor  by  the  same  council  that 
dismissed  Dr.  Harris,  July  8,  1830.  Mr.  Putnam  was 


born  in  Sutton,  Mass.,  February  26,  1794.  From 
eight  until  fourteen  years  of  age  he  worked  on  a farm. 
Then  he  worked  as  a jeweler  and  in  a printing-office 
till  he  was  twenty-one.  He  studied  at  Kimball  Union 
Academy  from  1815  to  1817,  and  entered  Brown  Uni- 
versity at  the  age  of  twenty-four.  Ill  health  pre- 
vented graduation.  Having  studied  theology  under 
Rev.  Jacob  Ide,  D.D.,  of  Medway,  Mass.,  he  was 
ordained  December  13,  1820.  His  first  pastorate  was 
at  Ashby,  Mass.  He  remained  there  five  years,  and 
then  became  editor  of  the  Repository  and  Observer. 
From  1827  to  1830  he  was  settled  at  Epsom,  N.  H., 
from  which  place  he  came  to  Dunbarton.  He  was  a 
worthy  successor  to  Dr.  Harris,  and  for  thirty-one 
years  labored  faithfully  for  both  the  spiritual  and 
temporal  welfare  of  the  people.  Under  his  ministry 
the  church  greatly  prospered.  Only  eight  months 
after  his  installation  there  was  a revival  which 
brought  fifty  new  members  into  the  church.  In  1858 
another  revival  resulted  in  an  addition  of  twenty- 
three  persons  to  the  church.  These  were  nearly  all 
heads  of  families. 

Mr.  Putnam,  like  Dr.  Harris,  took  great  interest  in 
education.  For  many  years  he  visited  the  schools 
throughout  the  town.  He  also  published  two  works 
on  English  grammar.  His  other  publications  are 
“Helps  at  the  Mercy  Seat”  and  several  sermons. 
As  a preacher,  Mr.  Putnam  differed  somewhat  from 
Dr.  Harris.  His  preaching  was  less  legal,  though 
scarcely  less  effective.  He  was  a powerful  speaker 
and  a most  excellent  pastor.  He  resigned  his  charge 
from  ill  health,  and  was  dismissed  October  9,  1861. 
On  the  same  day  his  successor,  Rev.  Sylvanus  Hay- 
ward, was  installed.  He  was  pastor  till  April  12, 
1866.  Thus  for  more  than  seventy -seven  years  the 
Congregational  Church  has  the  remarkable  record  of 
not  being  one  day  without  a settled  pastor. 

Rev.  George  I.  Bard  was  installed  pastor  November 
20,  1866,  and  was  dismissed  December  3,  1872. 

The  next  pastor  was  Rev.  William  E.  Spear,  or- 
dained and  installed  October  16,  1873.  His  letter  of 
resignation  was  accepted  August  1,  1878.  Mr.  Spear 
is  now  a practicing  attorney  in  Boston. 

Rev.  James  Wells  succeeded  him  as  acting  pastor 
for  nearly  two  years,  and  gave  much  acceptance. 

The  present  pastor,  Rev.  Tilton  C.  H.  Bouton,  was 
ordained  and  installed  July  14,  1881,  coming  fresh 
from  Andover  Theological  Seminary,  and  is  an 
earnest  preacher  of  the  Word  and  a beloved  pastor. 

In  1860  there  were  one  hundred  and  twenty-nine 
members.  Now  the  church-roll  presents  one  hundred 
and  twenty-three  names. 

In  the  early  years  of  the  church  the  discipline  of 
its  members  was  of  the  strictest  character.  Many  of 
the  cases  of  church  discipline  would  seem  almost  in- 
credible to  the  present  generation.  The  following  is 
(pioted  from  the  records: 

“ Jan.  27,  1794. — A complaint  was  presented  to  the  church  by 

against  our  brother, , for  unchristian-like  behaviour, 


29G 


HISTORY  OP  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


in  suffering  himself  to  be  carried,  in  a light  and  vain  mauner,  upon  u 
man's  Sholder  to  the  length  of  one-quarter  of  a mile.” 

The  church  accepted  this  complaint,  and  summoned 
the  brother  before  it.  lie  appeared  and  confessed 
his  fault  and  was  pardoned. 

In  1789  it  was  “ Voted  to  erect  the  second  meeting- 
house.” This  vote  was  carried  into  effect.  The 
building  was  erected  on  the  spot  where  the  first  log 
church  was  built,  at  the  centre  of  the  common,  where 
it  still  stands,  now  used  as  the  town  hall. 

In  1836  the  present  church  edifice  was  built,  which 
covers  the  spot  where  the  house  of  Colonel  William 
Stark,  a brother  to  General  John  Stark,  was  located. 
It  was  repaired  and  remodeled  in  1884,  furnished  with 
an  elegant  and  costly  set  of  pulpit  furniture  by  repre- 
sentatives of  one  of  the  earliest  families,  and  is  now 
one  of  the  most  pleasant  houses  of  worship  to  be  found 
in  our  State,  outside  of  the  cities.  The  church  also 
owns  a good  parsonage,  built  in  1883,  and  a vestry. 

In  the  early  years  of  the  .church  the  minister’s 
salary  was  obtained  by  a tax  levied  upon  all  ratable 
polls  and  estates  in  the  town.  This  system,  in  time, 
led  into  much  difficulty,  and  was  abolished.  It  was 
succeeded  by  a tax  upon  all  members  of  the  society 
which  exists  in  connection  with  the  church.  It  is 
now  raised  by  subscription.  The  church  is  at  present 
in  a prosperous  condition,  and,  with  the  blessing  of 
God  resting  upon  it,  it  will  continue  to  be  in  the 
future,  as  it  has  been  in  the  past,  a mighty  instrument 
for  the  temporal  and  eternal  good  of  the  people. 

The  Baptist  Church. — In  1795,  as  the  result  of 
the  visits  of  Rev.  Hezekiah  Smith,  D.D.,  of  Haverhill, 
Mass.,  there  was  a Baptist  Church  formed  in  Bow, 
several  members  of  which  lived  in  Dunbarton,  and 
when  the  Bow  Church  disbanded,  in  1816,  the  Dun- 
barton members  united  with  the  Baptist  Church  in 
Goffstown.  In  1827  a young  man  who  was  working 
at  Amoskeag  village  began  to  hold  meetings  in  a 
school-house  near  Montalona  on  Sundays,  attending 
to  the  work  of  his  trade  during  the  week.  Soon  the 
school-house  could  not  contain  his  hearers,  and  a 
large,  unfinished  blacksmith-shop  was  floored  and 
provided  with  seats  for  a congregation,  which  soon 
filled  them  to  overflowing. 

Encouraged  by  these  meetings,  the  Baptists  of  Dun- 
barton met  November  9,  1828,  and  voted  to  obtain 
letters  of  dismission  from  the  churches  of  which  they 
were  members,  and  to  petition  the  Baptist  Churches 
of  Goffstown,  Bow,  Weare  and  New  Boston  to  send 
delegates  to  a council  to  be  held  December  15th,  at 
nine  o’clock  a.m.  Joel  Wheeler  and  Jonathan  Colby 
were  chosen  deacons,  and  Isaac  Westcott  (the  young 
man  who  for  several  months  had  been  their  preacher 
and  leader)  was  appointed  to  receive  the  hand  of 
fellowship.  To  the  request  for  a council  were  the 
signatures  of  nineteen  persons. 

Two  other  subjects  were  also  under  consideration  at 
this  time,  viz.:  buildinga  new  meeting-house  and  the 
ordination  of  Mr.  Westcott.  The  former  was  acted 


on  immediately,  and  the  new  house  was  finished  in 
the  summer  of  1830 ; the  latter  was  postponed  a few 
months,  and  though  a council  was  called  in  the 
autumn  of  1829,  Mr.  Westcott  was  not  ordained  until 
after  he  left  Dunbarton. 

The  council  of  recognition  met  according  to  invita- 
tion at  the  house  of  Joel  Wheeler,  the  churches  of 
Goffstown,  Bow  and  Weare  being  represented,  and 
chose  the  Rev.  Joseph  Davis  moderator,  and  Mr. 
Joseph  Peacock  clerk.  It  having  been  voted  to  ex- 
tend the  hand  of  fellowship  to  those  desiring  it,  ser- 
vices of  recognition  were  held,  Rev.  Joseph  Davis,  of 
Weare,  preaching  the  sermon.  Immediately  after  the 
recognition  services  the  church  retired  and  received 
two  new  members. 

During  the  first  ten  years  of  its  history  there  are 
but  few  items  of  interest  to  be  found  in  the  records 
of  the  church. 

The  church  was  supplied  by  Mr.  Westcott  until 
February  20,  1831,  and  afterwards  by  Rev.  Messrs. 
Ellis,  Strong  and  Wilmarth ; meanwhile  licenses  to 
preach  had  been  granted  to  Christie  Wheeler  and  to 
Joel  Wheeler,  Jr. 

Apparently  the  first  settled  pastor  of  the  newly- 
gathered  flock  was  Rev.  Stephen  Pillsburv,  who  was 
called  and  settled  in  the  spring  of  1835,  and  remained 
until  the  close  of  1838. 

In  July,  1839,  Mr.  Horace  Eaton,  then  a student, 
agreed  to  supply  the  church  until  October.  He  found 
the  state  of  religion  very  low,  there  being  no  attempt 
to  sustain  a prayer-meeting.  In  August  he  obtained 
a promise  from  one  of  the  deacons  to  meet  him  at  the 
place  appointed  for  a prayer-meeting  the  next  week. 

At  the  first  meeting  three  were  present,  at  the 
second,  twelve,  and  at  the  third,  a full  house.  These 
meetings  were  the  beginning  of  a series,  during  the 
continuance  of  which  several  were  converted  and 
fifteen  were  baptized  and  joined  the  church.  At  the 
close  of  the  year  the  total  membership  was  fifty.  Rev. 
Levi  Walker  was  received  by  letter  from  Hanover 
April  15,  1840,  and  became  pastor  of  the  pulpit  for  a 
year,  when  he  removed  to  Campton.  After  this  Rev. 
Stephen  Pillsbury  supplied  the  pulpit  half  the  time 
for  several  months,  and  the  membership  of  the  church 
was  increased  to  seventy. 

In  accordance  with  an  invitation  from  the  church, 
a council  assembled  March  21,  1843,  and  ordained 
Abner  Mason,  a member  of  the  Worthen  Street  G’hurch, 
Lowell,  Mass.,  to  the  work  of  the  ministry  and  as 
pastor  of  the  Dunbarton  Church. 

In  December,  1844,  Jonathan  Wheeler  was  chosen 
church  clerk,  a date  worthy  of  mention,  from  the 
fact  that  he  faithfully  discharged  the  duties  of  his 
office  for  thirty-two  consecutive  years,  during  twenty- 
nine  of  which  he  lived  four  miles  from  the  meeting- 
house. Rev.  Abner  Mason  having  been  dismissed  in 
November,  1844,  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  N.  W. 
Smith,  who  acted  as  supply  for  about  a year. 

The  church  had  thus  far,  during  nearly  twenty 


DUNBARTON. 


297 


years  of  its  history,  worshiped  in  the  meeting-house 
at  Montalona ; but  the  members  found  it  hard  work 
to  support  preaching  even  a portion  of  the  time.  Some 
members  of  the  Baptist  Churches  in  Hopkinton  and 
Bow,  all  of  whom  resided  in  Dunbarton,  having  ex- 
pressed a desire  to  attend  church  in  their  own  town, 
and  being  willing  to  contribute  toward  building  a new 
house  of  worship,  the  church  met  April  29,  1847,  in  a 
hall,  which,  with  a lot  of  land,  had  been  recently 
purchased  at  the  centre  of  the  town,  and  received  by 
letter  fourteen  new  members  from  the  churches  in 
Hopkinton  and  Bow. 

The  church  having  no  pastor,  Rev.  J.  W.  Poland 
was  received  by  letter  June  4,  1847,  and  became 
their  pastor  for  a season. 

The  failing  health  of  Mr.  Poland  would  not  per- 
mit him  to  continue  his  labors,  and  February  3, 1848, 
Rev.  H.  D.  Hodge  was  received  by  letter  as  member 
and  pastor  of  the  church,  and  remained  during  the 
year.  Meanwhile,  work  was  progressing  on  the  new 
meeting-house,  and  the  building  was  completed  so 
that  the  first  services  were  held  in  it  Sunday,  December 
1,  1848. 

In  the  spring  of  1849,  Rev.  Samuel  Cook  became 
pastor,  and  remained  until  the  latter  part  of  1853, 
when  he  removed  to  Concord.  For  about  a year  the 
church  was  without  a pastor,  but  January  7, 1855,  Rev. 
Horace  Eaton  and  wife  were  received  by  letter  from 
the  church  in  Wilton,  and  under  his  pastorate  the 
following  spring  there  were  several  additions. 

Mr.  Eaton  remained  with  the  church  nearly  five 
years. 

After  irregular  supplies  for  several  months,  Rev.  J. 
M.  Coburn  supplied  the  pulpit  very  acceptably  for 
one  year,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  brother,  Rev.  W. 
L.  Coburn,  who  was  ordained  at  Dunbarton  February 
28,  1861. 

For  reasons  which  do  not  appear  in  the  records,  this 
pastorate  was  a short  one.  In  May  or  June,  1862, 
Rev.  John  Peacock  was  engaged  as  a supply,  and 
continued  with  the  church  until  September,  1863. 

In  September,  1863,  Mr.  Stephen  Pillsbury  (son  of 
the  Rev.  Stephen  Pillsbury,  who  was  settled  in  1835) 
commenced  his  labors.  He  preached  about  a year  as 
a licentiate  from  the  New  London  Baptist  Church, 
and,  in  October,  1864,  was  ordained  and  settled  as 
pastor.  Mr.  Pillsbury  remained  with  the  church  until 
the  close  of  the  year  1865,  when  he  removed  to  Mt. 
Holly,  Vt.  During  the  year  1866  the  church  had  no 
stated  supply. 

Early  in  1867,  Rev.  T.  B.  Eastman  was  called  and 
settled  as  pastor.  Mr.  Eastman  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  E.  J.  Whittemore,  who,  in  turn,  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  Samuel  Woodbury.  Mr.  Woodbury  remained 
for  two  years  and  then  removed  to  Pembroke,  Me. 
In  the  summer  and  autumn  of  1874  the  church  was 
supplied  by  Mr.  A.  S.  Stowell,  then  a student  at  New- 
ton Centre,  Mass.,  and  afterwards  ordained  pastor  of 
the  church  at  Salem  Depot.  In  May,  1875,  Mr.  A.  J. 


Hopkins,  at  that  time  pursuing  his  studies  in  Newton 
Theological  Institution,  began  as  a supply  for  the 
summer,  and,  in  accordance  with  the  request  of  the 
church,  continued,  while  pursuing  his  studies,  to 
supply  them  through  the  following  year. 

He  was  ordained  pastor  of  the  church  September 
27,  1876,  and  remained  with  them  until  October, 
1879,  when  he  accepted  a call  to  the  adjoining  town 
of  Hopkinton.  During  his  pastorate  twenty-five  new 
members  were  received  by  the  church, — seventeen  by 
baptism  and  eight  by  letter. 

The  first  Sunday  in  October,  1879,  Rev.  L.  Hayden, 
D.D.,  began  to  preach  as  a supply,  and  at  the  close  of 
the  year  was  formally  recognized  as  pastor  of  the 
church.  He  remained  until  July,  1885,  when  he 
accepted  a call  to  become  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church 
in  Shutesbury,  Mass. 

Doctor  Hayden  was  one  of  the  town’s  most  respected 
citizens,  ever  taking  an  active  interest  in  every  good 
cause  of  public,  educational  or  religious  welfare,  and 
his  removal  from  town  was  an  extended  cause  of  deep 
regret,  and  that  the  remaining  years  of  a well-spent 
life  may  be  in  green  pastures  and  beside  the  still 
waters  of  a Father’s  love,  is  our  benediction  on  this 
noble  man  and  servant  of  God. 

In  the  autumn  of  1882,  owing  to  a bitterness  of 
feeling  engendered  by  political  excitement,  a portion 
of  the  members  withdrew,  thus  seriously  impairing 
the  financial  and  spiritual  strength  of  the  church. 
The  church  is  at  present  without  a supply. 

The  Universalist  Society  was  formed  in  1830, 
and  the  Methodist  Society  in  1847,  both  of  which 
have  been  disbanded. 

St.  John’s  Episcopal  Chapel.— In  the  westerly 
part  of  the  town,  on  land  donated  by  the  Stark  family, 
stands  the  St.  John’s  Episcopal  Chapel,  a very  neat 
and  inviting  edifice.  Services  are  held  regularly, 
to  the  support  of  which  the  Starks  lend  cheerful 
aid. 

In  the  preparation  of  the  history  of  the  two  larger 
religious  societies,  we  acknowledge  the  kindly  aid 
rendered  by  Rev.  Mr.  Bouton  and  Rev.  Mr.  Hopkins. 


CHAPTER  III. 

DUNBARTON — ( Contimud). 

SCHOOLS  AND  MILITARY. 

In  granting  townships,  the  lords  proprietors  usually 
set  apart  a right  called  the  “ school  lot.”  Such  a 
right  was  reserved  in  this  town.  At  the  proprietors’ 
meeting,  March  2,  1752,  after  voting  the  parsonage 
lot,  another  lot  was  voted,  as  the  record  states,  “ for 
the  use  and  maintenance  of  a school  forever.” 

At  the  meeting  in  March,  1771,  the  sum  of  thirty 
dollars  was  appropriated  for  a town  school,  which  ap- 
pears to  be*  the  first  for  that  purpose  upon  record. 


298 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


The  same  amount  was  annually  appropriated  during 
the  years  1772,  ’73,  ’74  and  ’75.  In  177(5  the  school 
money  was  voted  down,  as  was  the  case  from  that 
date  until  March  22,  1788,  when  the  sum  of  seventy- 
two  dollars  was  voted  for  the  town  school.  In  1788 
the  town  “ Voted  to  raise  eighty  dollars  for  a town 
school,  and  that  the  selectmen  divide  the  town  into 
proper  districts  for  a town  school,  and  that  no  men 
send  from  one  district  to  another.” 

In  1789,  “ Voted  to  raise  twenty-four  pounds  for  a 
town  school.” 

In  1790,  “Voted  twenty-four  pounds  for  a town 
school;”  and  in  1791  “thirty-five  pounds  were  voted 
for  the  use  of  a school.” 

The  law  of  1791,  which  directed  a tax  to  be  assessed, 
amounting  to  seven  thousand  five  hundred  pounds 
sterling,  upon  the  several  towns,  in  proportion  to  their 
taxable  property,  gave  a direct  impulse  to  the  common 
schools  throughout  the  State. 

Prior  to  the  passage  of  the  act  of  1805  Dunbarton 
had  been  divided  into  three  districts,  each  containing 
a school-house. 

At  that  time  the  town  was  divided  into  three 
school  districts,  viz.,  Page’s  Corner,  Centre  and  Mon- 
talon  a.  Robert  Hogg,  a native  of  England,  was  the 
first  teacher  in  town,  and  his  many  years’ service  gave 
him  the  sobriquet  of  Master  Hogg. 

The  first  school-house  at  the  Centre  stood  just  south 
of  the  present  Congregational  Church.  It  was  a plain 
structure,  twenty  feet  square  and  ceiled  instead  ol 
plastered.  The  entrance  was  from  the  east ; the  fire- 
place was  at  the  west  end.  Two  rows  of  benches 
were  on  either  side,  and  the  master’s  desk  stood  near 
the  entrance. 

The  only  books  used  at  that  time  were  Dilworth’s 
Spelling-Book,  New  Testament  and  Pike’s  Arithmetic. 
The  branches  taught  were  reading,  writing  and  arith- 
metic. All  copies  for  writing  were  set  by  the  master, 
and  only  quill  pens  were  used. 

The  town  is  at  present  divided  into  eleven  school 
districts. 

It  is  said  that  history  repeats  itself.  The  first  re- 
presentative to  the  General  Court  was  Caleb  Page,  in 
1775 ; the  representative  in  1875  was  Caleb  Page  also, 
but  though  the  same  in  name,  not  in  person. 

No  town  of  like  size  can  claim  a more  honorable 
record,  and  none  a larger  number  of  distinguished 
military  men,  than  Dunbarton. 

The  most  famous  of  all  engaged  in  the  service  was 
Major  Robert  Rogers,  a brief  biography  of  whom  will 
be  found  in  the  following: 

Major  Robert  Rogers,  who  became  famous  as  the 
commander  of  the  New  England  corps  of  rangers, 
was  the  eldest  son  of  James  Rogers,  and  was  born  in 
Londonderry  in  1727.  He  was  fifteen  when  he  came 
with  his  father  to  the  woods  of  Starkstown,  and  nine- 
teen when  the  family  made  their  fortunate  escape  by 
night  to  Rumford. 

The  ranger  corps  of  the  “Seven  Years’  War”  was 


mostly  made  up  of  Massachusetts  and  New  Hamp- 
shire men.  Major  Rogers  had  with  him  his  two 
brothers — Richard,  who  died  at  Fort  William  Henry 
of  small  pox;  and  James,  a captain  in  the  Provincial 
militia — William  and  Archibald  Stark,  Jr.,  Caleb 
Page,  Nathaniel  Martin,  Adam  Dickey  and  John 
McCurdy,  all  of  Starkstown.  Rogers  served  through 
the  war,  and  died  in  England  in  1800. 

Another  was  John  Stark,  who  received  his  first  bap- 
tism of  fire  under  the  heroic  Rogers,  and  who  after- 
wards made  the  independence  of  the  American 
colonies  an  accomplished  fact  upon  the  ever-historic 
battle-field  of  Bennington  ; Joseph  Blanchard,  the 
gallant  colonel  was  another  who  led  the  New  Hamp- 
shire forces  to  victory  in  many  a contest  during  the 
Seven  Years’  War;  Jeremiah  Page,  the  surveyor  of 
“Coos  meadows,”  and  afterward  surveyor  assistant 
for  His  Majesty’s  government,  George  III.  Captain 
Alexander  Todd  ; Richard  Rogers,  the  ranger,  and 
brother  of  the  famous  Robert, — these  have  written 
their  names  high  on  the  roll  of  fame,  and  reflected 
honor  on  old  Starkstown,  the  town  they  represented. 

The  following  gives  the  names  of  officers  and  sold- 
iers in  the  Indian  and  French  War,  1750-60: 

Captain  John  Stark  (afterward  General),  Ensign  Caleb  Page,  Major 
Robert  Rogers,  Captain  Joseph  Blanchard,  Captain  James  Rogers,  Cap- 
tain Jonathan  Burbank,  Captain  Richard  Rogers,  Lieutenant  Nathaniel 
Burbank,  Lieutenant  John  McCurdy,  Lieutenant  Abram  Stark,  Lieu- 
tenant William  Stark,  Stephen  Law,  Andrew  Dickey,  John  Foster,  James 
Andrews,  James  McCurdy,  David  Stinson  (killed  by  the  Indians  at  Stin- 
son’s Pond,  in  Rumney). 

The  following  are  the  names  of  those  who  served  in 
the  Revolutionary  War,  from  1775  to  1783: 

Major  Caleb  Stark,  General  John  Stark,  Colonel  William  Stark,  Captain 
Nathaniel  Burbank,  Captain  James  Leach,  Captain  John  Furgerson,  Cap- 
tain John  Schule,  Major  John  Mills,  Rev.  Walter  Harris,  Lieutenant 
Thomas  Mills,  Lieutenant  William  Tenney,  John  McCurdy,  Daniel  Mc- 
Curdy, Caleb  Page(3d),  L.  Barnard,  Sipio  (colored),  Sampson  Mcore  (col- 
ored), James  Stinson,  William  Holmes,  Jotham  Stearns,  William  Bailey, 
Tristram  Bonnet,  William  Beard,  George  Me  Alpine,  James  McPherson, 
Alexander  Hogg,  Ebenezer  Woodbury,  Thomas  Hart,  John  Damon,  Ste- 
phen Ayer,  Amos  Barnes,  John  Wegan,  Moses  Heath,  John  Dodge,  James 
McCurdy,  Samuel  Lord,  Thomas  Hammond,  William  Page,  Jeremiah 
Barnes,  Asa  Putney,  Aaron  Putney,  George  Hogg,  Thomas  Gregg,  Jona- 
than Smith,  Benjamin  Collins,  John  Blanchard,  Abel  Hadley,  Samuel 
Preston,  Ebenezer  Chase,  John  Holmes,  Nathaniel  Martin,  Noah  Sar- 
gent, Archelas  Perkins,  Abel  Sargent,  Nathaniel  Wheeler,  William 
Wheeler,  Winthrop  Sargent. 

The  following  enlisted  in  time  of  peace,  1810 : 

Robert  Miller,  Nathaniel  Hemphill  and  Jonathan  Colby. 

The  following  enlisted  in  1812-15  : 

Dr.  James  Stark,  Thomas  Ayer,  Joseph  Collins,  John  Miller,  Benjamin 
Bailey,  John  Ayer,  Robert  Sanborn,  Tra  Bailey,  John  Babson,  John 
Ladd,  Charles  Hart. 

The  following  were  drafted  in  the  War  of  181 2— 
15: 

Thomas  Lord,  Isaac  Nichols,  William  Stark,  John  Stark,  John  Wash- 
bury,  Luther  Clement,  Archibald  Stinson,  Daniel  Clement,  Stephen  Wal- 
man,  Jacob  Ayer,  Enoch  Gile,  Philip  Kidder. 

Daniel  Stinson  enlisted  July  17,  1818,  and  E.  Ly- 
man Harris  in  1820. 

In  1846,  in  the  war  with  Mexico,  the  following  men 
entered  the  army  from  Dunbarton  : 


DUNBARTON. 


209 


Benjamin  Whipple  (3d),  Charles  Clement,  Simeon  Cilly,  Lieutenant 
Winslow  (navy  ; served  in  regiment  of  Massachusetts  Volunteers). 

From  the  following  it  will  be  seen  that  the  town 
displayed  a truly  loyal  spirit  in  defending  our  gov- 
ernment and  country,  in  its  civil  conflict  of  1861  to 
1865. 

The  following  is  a copy  of  the  vote  passed  at  an- 
nual town-meeting  in  the  town  of  Dunbarton,  March 
14,  1865 : 

“Voted,  that  Silvanus  Hayward  be  a committee  to  obtain  the  names  of 
all  the  men  this  town  has  furnished  for  the  army  as  volunteers,  con- 
scripts or  substitutes,  and  bounties  paid  to  each,  date  of  enlistment, 
length  of  service,  and  all  the  facts  in  relation  thereto,  which  may  be  of 
historical  value  to  the  town,  that  the  same  may  be  recorded  in  the 
records  of  the  town.” 

The  following  is  a report  of  committee  appointed 
to  procure  and  place  on  record  the  names  and  history 
of  the  soldiers  furnished  by  the  town  of  Dunbarton 
in  the  late  war  : 

“ It  were  indeed  base  for  the  town  to  refuse  or  neglect  to  put  on  per 
manent  record  the  names  of  those  of  its  own  citizens  who  served  in  de- 
fense of  our  country  in  putting  down  the  most  causeless  and  infamous 
rebellion  the  world  has  ever  known.  Their  names  should  be  handed 
dow’n  with  honor  to  the  latest  generation,  that  our  children  in  years  to 
come  may  read  them  with  gratitude,  and  bless  the  names  of  those  who 
gave  their  toil,  and  even,  in  many  instances,  their  lives,  to  save  them 
from  the  curse  of  barbarism  and  slavery. 

“ To  this  end,  and  that  we  ourselves  may  honor  more  definitely  what 
the  town  has  done,  the  following  statement  is  presented  : 

“I  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain  whether  or  not  any  townsman  en- 
listed at  the  first  call  for  seventy-five  thousand  men.  Since  that  time 
the  town  lias  furnished  in  volunteers  and  substitutes  one  hundred  and 
one  different  men,  three  of  whom  re-enlisted  after  serving  out  theii 
time. 

“According  to  the  Adjutant-GeneraTs  Report,  this  gives  an  excess  of 
eight  men  over  all  required  by  the  government.  By  the  statement  fur 
nished  the  selectmen  from  the  recruiting-office,  the  excess  is  only  one. 

“ The  whole  amount  of  money  paid  in  town  bounties  has  been  twen- 
ty-four thousand  eight  hundred  and  uinety-five  dollars,  of  which  two 
thousand  and  twenty-two  dollars  has  already  been  received  back — eleven 
hundred  dollars  from  the  State  and  nine  hundred  and  twenty-two  dollars 
from  the  United  States.  From  one  to  three  thousand  dollars  (how  much 
cannot  yet  be  exactly  told)  will  be  paid  back  by  the  general  govern- 
ment, and  several  thousand  dollars  are  still  claimed  from  the  State,  of 
receiving  which  there  is  some  doubt.  A large  portion  of  this  has  been 
paid  to  substitutes  picked  up  here  and  there,  whose  names  I have  not 
thought  best  to  look  up,  as  they  can  be  of  no  interest  to  Dunbarton.  The 
separate  sums  paid  to  Dunbarton  volunteers  I have  given  as  shown  by 
receipts  in  the  hands  of  the  selectmen.  Two  Dunbarton  men,  Henry  S. 
Hammond  and  Frederick  "Waite,  enlisted  m Manchester,1  the  former  of 
whom  served  his  time  out  and  returned  in  safety.  The  latter  died  of 
measles  at  Newborn,  N.  C.,  April  20,  18G3.  The  following  volunteered 
and  received  no  town  bounty  : 

“ Alonzo  Barnard,  enlisted  in  Second  Regiment  Sharpshooters,  Com- 
pany F,  November,  1861  ; re-enlisted  December,  1863  ; promoted  to  cor 
poral ; wounded  May,  1864,  and  died  soon  after  in  the  hospital  at  Phil- 
adelphia, Pa. 

“Peter  Barnes,  enlisted  in  Second  Regiment,  Company  D,  November, 
1863. 

“ Ira  Briggs,  enlisted  in  Sixth  Regiment,  Company  I,  November, 
1861  ; discharged  for  disability,  1862. 

“Wilbur  F.  Brem,  enlisted  in  Second  Regiment,  Company  B,  June, 
1861  ; captured  at  Gettysburg,  July,  1863,  and  died  of  starvation  in  Au- 
dersonville  prison,  1804. 

“ Henry  M.  Caldwell,  captain  of  Company  F,  Second  Regiment  of 
Sharpshooters,  enlisted  September,  1861  ; died  of  fever  at  Falmouth, 
Va.,  July  12,  1862. 

“ Horace  Caldwell,  orderly -sergeant,  same  company,  enlisted  Novem- 
ber, 1861  ; -discharged  for  disability,  1863. 


1 This  is  evidently  a mistake,  aiid  should  read  Massachusetts. 


“Jeremiah  Clough,  enlisted  in  Second  Regiment  Sharpshooters,  Com- 
pany F,  November,  1861  ; discharged  for  disability,  1862. 

“William  C.  Flanders,  enlisted  in  Fourth  Regiment,  Company  E, 
September,  1861  ; discharged  for  disability  January,  1862;  afterwards 
re-enlisted  and  served  three  years. 

“Peter  Gravelin,  enlisted  in  Second  Regiment,  Company  E,  June, 
1861. 

“Simeon  N.  Heath,  enlisted  in  Second  Regiment,  Company  E,  June, 

1861  ; re-enlisted  January,  1864  ; 'died  of  disease  at  Oxford.  1864  or  ’65. 

“David  A.  .Jameson,  enlisted  in  Second  Regiment  Sharpshooters, 

Company  F,  November,  1861  ; wounded  June  8,  1864,  and  died  in  hospi- 
tal, at  Baltimore,  Md.,  June  26, 1864. 

“William  U.  Marshall,  enlisted  in  First  Regiment  Sharpshooters, 
Company  E,  September,  1861. 

“Frank  B.  Mills,  enlisted  in  Second  Regiment  Sharpshooters,  Com- 
pany F,  November,  1861  ; wounded  March,  1862,  and  discharged  for 
disability  May,  1862. 

“ George  Noyes,  enlisted  in  Second  Regiment,  Company  C,  June,  1861 ; 
discharged  for  disability  July,  1861. 

“Daniel  Ord way,  enlisted  in  Seventh  Regiment,  Company  I,  Decem- 
ber, 1861. 

“ Moses  E.  Ordway,  enlisted  in  First  Regiment  Sharpshooters,  Com- 
pany E,  September,  1861  ; deserted  and  went  west. 

“Frank  A.  Putney,  enlisted  in  First  Regiment  Sharpshooters,  Com- 
pany E,  September,  1861. 

“ William  A.  Putney,  enlisted  for  ninety  days  and  served  in  the  Na- 
tional Guards  stationed  at  Portsmouth,  X.  H. 

“Samuel  A.  Symonds,  enlisted  in  Seventh  Regiment,  Company  K, 
December,  1861  ; killed  at  Laurel  Hill  October  7,  1861. 

“John  W.  Twiss,  enlisted  in  Fourth  Regiment,  Company  H,  Septem- 
ber, 1861. 

“ Henry  A.  Waite,  enlisted  in  First  Regiment  Sharpshooters,  Com- 
pany E,  September,  1861. 

“ Edward  Everett  Whipple,  enlisted  in  Second  Regiment  Sharpshoot- 
ers, Company  F,  November,  1861  ; died  at  home  of  consumption  March 
3,  1862. 

“ David  II.  Whipple,  enlisted  in  Third  Regiment,  Company  A,  Au- 
gust, 1861 ; died  of  disease  at  Port  Royal  July  4,  1862. 

“J.  Henry  Whipple,  enlisted  in  Second  Regiment  Sharpshooters,  Com- 
pany F,  November,  1861  ; transferred  to  Invalid  Corps  July,  1863. 

“ Lewis  Wood,  enlisted  in  Second  Regiment,  Company  E,  June,  1861  ; 
re-enlisted  January,  1864;  promoted  to  corporal. 

“These  two  received  one  hundred  dollars  town  bounty  each,  viz.  : 

“Bradford  Bunham,  enlisted  in  Sixteenth  Regiment,  Company  D, 
October,  1862. 

“David  F.  Heath,  enlisted  in  Fourteenth  Regiment,  1864. 

“The  following  individuals  received  a town  bounty  of  two  hundred 
dollars  each  : 

“ Amos  C.  Bailey,  enlisted  in  Fourteenth  Regiment,  Company  Ji, 
September,  1862  ; wounded  and  discharged,  1865. 

“James  A.  Baker,  enlisted  in  Sixteenth  Regiment,  Company  1>,  Octo- 
ber, 1862  ; died  of  disease  at  Brashear  City,  La.,  April  14,  1863. 

“Janies  E.  Barnard,  enlisted  in  Ninth  Regiment,  Company  K,  August, 

1862  ; discharged  June  10,  1865. 

“ William  E.  Bunten,  captain  of  Company  H,  Fourteenth  Regiment, 
enlisted  October,  1862  ; discharged  September,  1863. 

“ Alonzo  P.  Chamberlain,  enlisted  in  Fourteenth  Regiment,  Company 
II.  September,  1862  ; promoted  to  corporal  ; wounded  September,  1864. 

“ Moses  K.  Eaton,  enlisted  in  Fourteenth  Regiment,  Company  H, 
September,  1862;  died  of  disease  at  Wilmington,  N.  C.,  September  21, 
1863. 

“John  R.  Emerson,  enlisted  in  Fourteenth  Regiment,  Company  II, 
September,  1862  ; promoted  to  corporal. 

“Joseph  H.  Ilealey,  enlisted  in  Sixteenth  Regiment,  Company  D, 
October,  1862. 

“Marcus  M.  Holmes,  sergeant  in  Fourteenth  Regiment,  Company  H, 
September,  1862  ; promoted  to  lieutenant  May,  1864. 

“ Marceller  A.  Merrill,  enlisted  in  Tenth  Regiment,  Company  C, 
September,  1862. 

“ Chester  L.  Page,  enlisted  in  Fifteenth  Regiment,  Company  E,  No- 
vember, 1862. 

“ Wilson  E.  Poor,  enlisted  in  Fourteenth  Regiment,  Company  H,  Sep- 
tember, 1862  ; promoted  to  corporal. 

“Daniel  B.  Roberts,  enlisted  in  Ninth  Regiment,  Company  E.  May, 
1862. 

“John  B.  Samton,  enlisted  in  Tenth  Regiment,  Company  H,  Septem- 
ber, 1862  ; captured  at  Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  October,  1864. 


300 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


“Andrew  J.  Stone,  captain  Company  F,  Ninth  Regiment,  enlisted 
August.  1862  ; died  of  wounds  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  May  20,1864. 

“Benjamin  Twiss,  enlisted  in  Tenth  Regiment,  Company  II,  May, 
1862  ; was  captured  in  May,  1864,  and  after  being  nearly  starved  to 
death  in  prison  was  released  on  parole  the  December  following. 

“Robert  E.  Wheeler,  enlisted  in  Fourteenth  Regiment,  Company  H, 
September,  1862  ; promoted  to  corporal. 

“Leonard  Wilson,  enlisted  in  Fourteenth  Regiment,  Company  II, 
September,  1862  ; promoted  to  color-sergeant. 

“ Lysander  Wyman,  enlisted  in  Thirteenth  Regiment,  Company  E, 
October,  1862. 

*•  The  following  are  those  who  received  three  hundred  dollars  bounty 
from  the  town  : 

“Timothy  Clark,  enlisted  in  Fifth  Regiment,  Company  H,  August, 
1863. 

“John  D.  Houlihan,  enlisted  in  Fifth  Regiment,  Company  I),  August, 
1863. 

“Elbridge  C.  Brem,  enlisted  in  Fourteenth  Regiment,  Company  II, 
August,  1864,  and  is  the  only  Dunbarton  man  who  received  five  hun- 
dred dollars  town  bounty.  . . . 

“ The  following  citizens  of  Dunbarton  provided  substitutes  of  their 
own  accord,  the  town  giving  three  hundred  dollars  to  each  for  that  pur- 
pose : 

“Lemuel  N.  Barnard,  Charles  W.  Brem,  Isaac  P.  Clifford,  Alfred  Col- 
by, William  A.  Elliott,  Lauren  P.  Hadley,  Aaron  Lord,  Johnson  C.  Mc- 
Intire,  John  C.  Mills,  John  Mills,  Nathan  W.  Wheeler,  Jr. 

“ The  labor  of  collecting  the  above  statistics  has  not  been  small,  and 
there  are  doubtless  still  many  errors  and  omissions,  but  it  is  as  accurate 
as  the  means  at  hand  would  allow. 

“ It  has  been  to  your  committee  a labor  of  love,  for  which  he  will 
feel  amply  rewarded  if  he  shall  thus  have  been  the  means  of  giving 
greater  permanence  to  Dunbarton's  roll  of  honor. 

“ Respectfully  submitted, 

“Silvanus  Hayward,  Committee. 

“ Dunbarton,  N.  II.,  April  7,  1866.” 


CHAPTER  IV. 

DUNBARTON — {Continued.). 

Few  towns  have  graduated  from  college  and  sent 
out  into  the  world  a more  worthy  list  of  sons  than 
Dunbarton  ; fifty-one  natives  have  graduated 
from  colleges,  as  follows:  Dartmouth  41  ; Wabash, 
Indiana,  3;  Union,  N.  Y.  2;  Harvard  2;  Yale  1; 
Brown  University  1 ; Amherst  1. 

Among  the  ministerial  graduates  we  find  Isaac 
Garvin,  Abraham  Burnham,  D.D.,  Hosea  Wheeler, 
Amos  W.  Burnham,  D.  D.,  Thomas  Jameson,  Har- 
rison C.  Paige,  Charles  H.  Marshall,  Abraham  Burn- 
ham, Leonards.  Parker,  Ephraim  O.  Jameson,  George 
A.  Putnam,  John  P.  Mills.  Among  the  teachers, 
Samuel  Burnham,  William  Parker,  Prof.  Caleb  Mills, 
Prof.  Charles  G.  Burnham,  Joseph  Gibson  Hoyt, 
LL.  D.,  Prof.  Mark  Bailey,  William  H.  Burnham.  Of 
journalists,  William  A.  Putney,  Henry  M.  Putney, 
John  B.  Mills. 

In  the  legal  profession,  the  names  of  Jeremiah 
Stinson,  William  Stark,  John  Burnham,  John  Whip- 
ple, John  Jameson,  John  Tenney,  James  H.  Paige, 
Walter  Harris  Tenney,  Caleb  Stark,  Jr.,  Amos  Had- 
ley, Joseph  M.  Cavis,  David  B.  Kimball,  George  H. 
Twiss,  Wm.  E.  Bunten,  Henry  E.  Burnham,  Newton 
H.  Wilson  appear,  while  many  others  have  made  a 
good  record  in  their  chosen  walks. 

It  will  be  pardonable  if,  out  of  the  honored  list  of 


those  who  have  won  a name  and  position  in  their 
chosen  walks,  we  give  a brief  sketch  of  a few. 

Prof.  Mark  Bailey  was  born  in  Dunbarton  May 
20th,  1827,  and  worked  on  his  father’s  farm  until  he 
was  fifteen  years  of  age;  he  attended  the  academy  at 
Pembroke,  also  at  Danville,  Vt.,  and  was  grad- 
uated at  Dartmouth  College  in  ’40,  in  the  same  class 
with  Judge  Doe  and  the  late  Judge  Stanley.  His 
time  was  occupied  winters  by  teaching,  and  his  elocu- 
tionary gift  was  further  cultivated  by  training  received 
from  the  late  Prof.  William  Russell,  of  Reed’s  Ferry, 
and  afterwards  he  became  a partner  of  Prof.  Russell’s 
son  in  teaching  the  art  in  New  York  City. 

Prof.  Bailey  taught  in  the  Andover,  Bangor,  Union 
and  Princeton  Seminaries,  and  in  most  of  the  New 
England  colleges  during  the  years  1852  and  ’53.  In 
1855  he  was  appointed  instructor  of  elocution  in 
Yale  College,  New  Haven,  Conn.,  a position  still  re- 
tained. 

In  1863,  Prof.  Bailey  lectured  before  The  American 
Teachers’  Association,  and  also  prepared  the  “ Intro- 
ductory Treatise  on  Elocution  ” for  the  popular  Hill- 
iard readers  ; his  lessons  on  “ Sound  and  Sense  ” 
have  awakened  a large  degree  of  interest  in  the  art. 

Several  courses  of  lectures  have  been  given  before 
the  public  teachers  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  and  at  Cin- 
cinnati. In  1856,  ’60,  and  ’61  he  was  active  as  a Re- 
publican, on  the  stump,  for  “ Free  Territories,  ” the 
“ Union  ” and  the  freeing  of  the  slaves.  Prof.  Bailey 
has  a delightful  home,  and  has  accomplished  much 
in  his  work  in  developing  good  readers  and  speakers, 
is  one  of  the  best  elocutionists  in  the  country  and  re- 
tains a fond  regard  for  his  native  town.* 

Joseph  Gibson  Hoyt,  LL.D.,  was  born  in  1815 ; 
graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1840;  he  won  a high 
reputation  as  a classical  scholar  and  accurate  teacher; 
was  chancellor  of  Washington  University,  in  the  city 
of  St.  Louis,  and  in  the  midst  of  his  splendid  career 
he  died  suddenly,  in  1862.  He  is  spoken  of  as  the 
most  brilliant  son  of  Dunbarton. 

Rev.  George  A.  Putnam,  born  in  1835,  has 
achieved  renown  in  the  clerical  profession.  Another 
worthy  son  is  Rev.  Ephraim  O.  Jameson,  born  Jan- 
uary 23,  1832.  He  prepared  for  college  in  Gilman- 
ton  (N.  H.)  Academy,  and  graduated  from  Dartmouth 
in  1855,  and  from  the  Theological  Seminary  in  An- 
dover in  1858.  He  was  ordained  to  the  gospel 
ministry  March  1,  1860,  and  installed  pastor  of  the 
East  Congregational  Church  in  Concord,  N.  H.  He 
resigned  and  was  installed  November  9,  1865,  pastor 
of  the  Union  Evangelical  Church  at  Salisbury,  Mass., 
where  he  labored  until  July,  1871,  when  he  resigned 
and  was  installed  as  pastor  of  the  First  Church  of 
Christ  in  Medway,  Mass.,  in  1871.  The  esteem  in 
which  this  pastor  is  held  by  the  people,  is  evidenced 
by  his  con  ti  nuous  service  of  nearly  fourteen  years  among 
them.  In  addition  to  his  duties  as  pastor,  Mr.  Jame- 
son does  some  literary  work.  He  published,  in  1844, 
a volume  of  family  history,  “The  Cogswells  in 


DUNBARTON. 


301 


America.  ” The  “ History  of  Medway,  Mass.,”  he  has 
ready  for  the  press. 

Mr.  Jameson  married,  September  20,  1858,  Miss 
Mary  Cogswell,  eldest  daughter  of  the  late  Rev. 
William  Cogswell,  D.D.,  of  Gilmanton,  N.  H.  Mr. 
Jameson  is  now  settled  at  Millis,  Mass. 

Henry  Eben  Burnham,  son  of  Henry  L.  and 
Maria  A.  Burnham,  was  born  in  Dunbarton,  N.  H., 
Nov.  8,  1844 ; attended  district  school ; prepared  for 
college  at  Kimball  Union  Academy,  Meriden,  N.  H.  ; 
graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  the  class  of  1865  ; 
studied  law'  in  the  offices  of  E.  S.  Cutter,  Esq.,  and 
Judge  Lewis  W.  Clark,  in  Manchester,  N.  H.,  and  in 
the  office  of  Minot  & Mugridge,  in  Concord,  N.  41.; 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  Merrimack  County,  April  term, 
1868  ; began  the  practice  of  law  in  the  fall  of  1868  at 
Manchester,  and  has  continued  in  law  practice  at 
Manchester  to  the  present  time.  He  has  been  a part- 
ner for  several  years  of  Hon.  David  Cross,  and  is  now 
in  business  with  A.  0.  Brown,  Esq.,  under  the  firm- 
name  of  Burnham  & Brown. 

He  has  represented  one  of  the  wards  of  Manchester 
in  the  Legislature  two  terms,  has  held  the  office  of 
treasurer  of  the  county  of  Hillsborough  two  years,  and 
was  judge  of  Ihobate  for  that  county  in  1876,  1877 
and  1878. 

Mr.  Burnham  is  one  of  the  most  pleasing  public 
speakers  in  the  State.  A thorough  lawyer,  popular, 
honored,  and  most  highly  esteemed  by  his  host  of 
friends.  His  poem  at  the  Centennial  of  the  town  was 
a model  in  arrangement,  word  and  sentiment,  from 
which  we  quote  at  the  opening  of  this  town  sketch. 

He  married  Lizzie  H.  Patterson,  daughter  of  John 
D.  Patterson,  Esq.,  of  Manchester,  October  22,  1874, 
and  has  three  children, — Gertrude  E.,  Alice  M.  and 
Edith  D.  Burnham. 

Colonel  Carroll  D.  Wright,  of  Reading,  Mass., 
was  born  in  Dunbarton  July  25,  1840.  He  is  a son 
of  Rev.  Nathan  R.  Wright,  a prominent  Universalist 
clergyman,  who  was  settled  at  different  places  in  this 
State  for  many  years,  but  has  of  late  resided  in  Lynn, 
Mass.  He  attended  the  academies  at  Washington, 
Alstead  and  Chester,  Vt.,  and  in  I860  commenced 
the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of  the  late  Hon.  William 
P.  Wheeler,  of  Keene,  continuing  the  same,  subse- 
quently, with  Erastus  Worthington,  of  Dedham,  Mass., 
and  Tolman  Willey,  of  Boston.  In  August,  1862, 
while  on  a visit  to  Keene,  and  before  completing  bis 
legal  studies,  he  enlisted  as  a private  in  Company  C, 
Fourteenth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  but  was 
commissioned  second  lieutenant  before  leaving  for 
the  seat  of  war.  He  filled  various  responsible  posi- 
tions in  the  service;  was  appointed  adjutant  of  his 
regiment  in  the  fall  of  1863,  and  was  assistant  adjutant- 
general  in  Louisiana  and  during  Sheridan’s  campaign 
in  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  at  the  close  of  which  cam- 
paign he  was  commissioned  colonel  of  his  regiment, 
but  resigned  in  the  following  spring  on  account  of  ill 
health.  4Ie  subsequently  resumed  the  study  of  the 


law,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  Keene  in  October, 
1865.  Recurring  ill  health  prevented  his  engage- 
ment in  active  practice  until  the  fall  of  1867,  when 
he  opened  an  office  in  Boston,  and  soon  succeeded  in 
establishing  a profitable  business,  making  his  resi- 
dence in  the  town  of  Reading,  which  has  been  his 
home  up  to  the  present  time. 

In  1871,  Colonel  Wright  was  elected  to  the  Massa- 
chusetts Senate  by  the  Republicans  of  the  Sixth  Mid- 
dlesex District,  and  was  re-elected  the  following  year, 
serving  with  ability  as  chairman  of  the  committees 
on  insurance  and  military  affairs,  and  secretary  of  the 
judiciary  committee.  In  1873  he  was  appointed  by 
Governor  Washburn  chief  of  the  State  Bureau  of 
Statistics  of  Labor,  which  position  lie  still  holds,  and 
to  the  work  of  which  office  he  has  devoted  his  atten- 
tion since  that  time,  winning  a reputation  as  a thor- 
ough statistician,  excelled  by  that  of  no  man  in 
America. 

Colonel  Wright  was  supervisor  of  the  federal  cen- 
sus in  1880  for  the  State  of  Massachusetts,  performing 
his  work  with  characteristic  fullness  and  accuracy. 
He  prepared  for  the  Census  Bureau  an  exhaustive 
special  report  upon  “ The  Factory  System  of  the  Uni- 
ted States,”  visiting  the  principal  factory  centres  of 
this  country  and  of  Europe  in  securing  the  informa- 
tion necessary  to  its  thorough  preparation.  He  also 
prepared,  under  authority  of  the  Boston  City  Council, 
a large  volume  embodying  the  social,  commercial  and 
industrial  statistics  of  that  city,  which  was  issued  some 
two  years  since. 

Colonel  Wright  is  a graceful  and  eloquent  speaker, 
and  won  distinction  as  a popular  lecturer  upon  war 
and  other  topics  before  entering  upon  his  statistical 
work.  He  was  prominently  brought  forward  as  a 
candidate  for  Congress  by  the  young  Republicans  of 
his  district  in  1876,  and  received  an  earnest  support 
in  the  nominating  convention,  which  was  only  over- 
come by  the  peculiar  influences  brought  to  bear  in 
the  interests  of  a wealthier  aspirant.  In  December, 
1879,  he  delivered  a course  of  lectures  on  social  topics 
before  the  Lowell  Institute,  in  Boston,  and  in  1881 
was  chosen  university  lecturer  on  the  factory  system 
at  Harvard  College. 

After  the  passage  of  the  measure  by  Congress,  in 
the  winter  of  1885,  instituting  the  United  States  Bu- 
reau of  Labor,  Colonel  Wright  was  appointed  the 
commissioner,  and  has  rendered  service  of  great  and 
lasting  value  in  inaugurating  the  initiative  work  of 
this  valuable  agency  to  aid  the  industrial  and  labor- 
ing interests  of  the  country. 

Henry  Laruom  Burnham. — The  only  State  Sena- 
tor the  town  has  furnished  is  Henry  Larcom  Burn- 
ham, son  of  Bradford  and  Hannah  Dane  (Whipple) 
Burnham,  who  was  born  in  Dunbarton  November  25, 
1814.  He  attended  the  district  school,  suminerand  win- 
ter terms,  until  twelve  years  of  age;  then  only  winter 
terms  for  six  years.  He  commenced  teaching  when 
eighteen  years  of  age,  and  continued  teaching  some 


302 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


part  of  each  year  for  thirty  years.  He  generally 
taught  winter  terras  and  was  engaged  in  farming  the 
rest  of  the  year. 

He  was  a student  at  Blanchard  Academy,  at  Pem- 
broke, N.  H.,  one  and  a half  terms;  was  employed  in 
land  surveying  more  or  less  for  forty-five  years;  was 
a justice  of  the  peace  nearly  forty  years,  writing  a 
large  number  of  deeds,  wills  and  other  legal  instru- 
ments; has  held  nearly  all  of  the  various  town 
offices;  represented  the  town  in  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives in  1858;  was  on  the  Board  of  County  Com- 
missioners from  1860  to  1863;  a member  of  the  State 
Senate  in  1864  and  1865,  and  was  sheriff  of  the  county 
of  Merrimack  from  1867  to  1872. 

In  March,  1842,  Mr.  Burnham  married  Maria  A. 
Bailey,  only  daughter  of  Josiah  Bailey,  late  of  Dun- 
barton. Their  only  child,  Henry  E.  Burnham,  is  a 
lawyer  in  Manchester,  N.  H. 

By  reason  of  failing  health,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burnham 
left  the  farm  at  Dunbarton  nearly  four  years  since 
and  now  reside  with  their  son  in  Manchester. 

The  scenery  from  our  hills  is  extensive  and  grand, 
the  air  pure  and  invigorating,  and  those  who  have 
gone  out  to  fight  the  battle  of  life  in  other  parts  of  the 
country  and  amid  other  surroundings  ever  remember 
their  old  ancestral  home  with  kindly  feelings  of  love 
and  delight  to  return  and  revisit  the  scenes  of  their 
childhood,  which  can  never,  never  be  forgotten. 

In  the  hurried  preparation  of  this  sketch  we  ac- 
knowledge the  kindly  aid  of  Rev.  Mr.  Bouton,  also  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Hopkins,  who  have  proved  themselves 
friends  in  need,  and  for  our  many  omissions  we  ask 
the  reader’s  indulgence. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


MAJOR  CALEB  STARK. 

On  the  20tli  of  August  1758,  Captain  John  Stark, 
of  His  Britannic  Majesty’s  corps  of  American  rangers, 
while  on  a furlough  from  the  army,  was  married  to 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Caleb  Page,  Esq.,  who  also 
held  His  Majesty’s  commission  as  captain  of  provin- 
cial militia,  and  was  one  of  the  original  grantees  of 
Starkstown  (now  known  as  Dunbarton,  N.  H.) 

In  the  spring  of  1759,  his  furlough  having  expired, 
and  a new  company  having  been  enlisted,  the  hardy 
soldier  returned  to  his  post  at  Fort  Edward,  prepared 
to  perform  his  part  in  the  next  campaign,  which,  un- 
der the  vigorous  direction  of  the  Earl  of  Chatham, 
was  destined  to  reduce  Louisburg  and  Quebec,  and 
open  the  way  to  the  entire  conquest  of  Canada. 

His  wife  was  left  at  home  with  her  father,  one  of  the 
most  prominent  and  wealthy  pioneers  of  the  settle- 
ment, under  whose  hospitable  roof  the  subject  of  this 
notice  was  born  December  3, 1759,  during  the  absence 


of  his  father.  The  capitulation  ofCanada,in  1760,  ter- 
minated the  war  in  the  north,  and  the  provincial 
troops  returned  to  their  homes. 

Soon  after  these  events,  there  being  no  immediate 
prospect  of  active  service,  Captain  Stark  resigned  his 
commission  in  the  army  and  withdrew  with  his  wife 
to  his  paternal  acres  at  Derryfield  (now  Manchester), 
N.  H. 

The  good  Captain  Page,  entertaining  a strong  af- 
fection for  the  child  who  had  been  born  under  his 
roof,  and  had  received  his  Christian  name,  was  desir- 
ous of  retaining  and  adopting  him.  To  this  propo- 
sition his  father  made  no  objection,  and  he  remained 
under  the  indulgent  care  of  his  maternal  grandfather 
until  June  16,  1775.1 

The  best  works  of  the  time  were  procured  for  his 
improvement,  and  he  obtained  a good  education  for 
j that  period.  The  two  principal  books  were  Fenning’s 
Dictionary  and  Salmon’s  Historical  Grammar,  which 
are  still  preserved  in  the  family. 

The  tragedy  enacted  at  Lexington  on  the  19th  of 
April,  1775,  having  aroused  the  martial  spirit  of  New 
England,  Captain  Stark  abandoned  his  domestic  oc- 
cupations, and  hastened  to  the  theatre  of  action,  in 
the  vicinity  of  Boston,  followed  by  most  of  the  old 
corps  of  rangers  who  had  served  under  his  orders  dur- 
ing the  previous  war,  and  others  from  the  province 
who  were  eager  to  prove  their  devotion  to  the  cause 
of  liberty. 

The  daring  acts  of  valor  which  had  so  frequently 
distinguished  the  career  of  the  veteran  Stark,  com- 
bined with  his  military  experience  and  success,  left 
him  no  competitor  in  the  minds  of  his  countrymen- 
in-arms,bv  whom  he  was  unanimously  elected  colonel, 
and  in  a few  hours  a regiment  of  nearly  nine  hundred 
men  was  enlisted  for  one  year. 

These  proceedings  were  soon  known  in  the  north- 
ern settlements,  and  his  son,  then  under  sixteen  years 
of  age,  whose  memoir  we  are  writing,  made  an  earn- 
est application  to  his  grand-parent  for  permission  to 
repair  to  the  camp  at  Medford.  The  latter  remon- 
strated with  him  on  account  of  his  extreme  youth, 
saying,  that  although  his  father  was  familiar  with 
scenes  of  strife  and  carnage,  the  camp  was  not  a fit 
place  for  one  of  his  years ; and  there  the  matter  for  a short 
time  rested.  Not,  however,  dissuaded  by  these  repre- 
sentations, the  young  man  resolved  to  go  at  all  events  ; 
and,  having  secretly  collected  his  clothing  in  a valise, 
without  the  knowledge  of  the  family,  and  before  day- 
light on  the  morning  of  June  16,  1775,  he  mounted 
a horse  which  had  been  given  him  by  his  grandfather, 
and,  with  a musket  on  his  shoulder,  started  for  the 
American  camp. 

After  traveling  a few  miles  he  was  joined  by  an- 
other horseman.  The  stranger  was  a tall,  well-formed, 


1 This  interest  in  the  child  of  his  adoption  continued  unabated  until  the 
close  of  his  life,  and  in  the  division  of  his  large  estate  his  favorite 
grandson  was  assigned  an  equal  portion  with  his  own  children. 


DUNBARTON. 


303 


fine-looking  person,  wearing  the  undress  uniform  of  a 
British  officer.  He  inquired,  politely,  of  our  young 
adventurer  who  he  was  and  where  he  was  going,  and 
upon  beinginformed  that  he  was  proceeding  to  the  camp 
at  Medford,  to  join  his  father,  Colonel  Stark,  the 
st  ranger  said  : “ You  are,  then,  the  son  of  my  old  com- 
rade. Your  father  and  I were  fellow-soldiers  for  more 
than  five  years.  I am  traveling  in  the  same  direc- 
tion, and  we  will  keep  company.” 

The  stranger  was  the  celebrated  Major  Robert  Rog- 
ers, of  the  “French  War”  notoriety.  As  they  jour- 
neyed on,  the  major  insisted  on  defraying  all  the  road 
expenses,  and  toward  evening  took  his  leave,  trans- 
mitting to  his  old  associate-in-arms,  Colonel  Stark,  a 
message  soliciting  an  interview  at  a tavern  in  Medford.1 

Upon  the  arrival  of  our  youthful  patriot  at  the  reg- 
imental headquarters,  his  father’s  first  greeting  was  : 
“Well,  son,  what  are  you  here  for?  You  should 
have  remained  at  home.”  The  answer  was : “ I can 
handle  a musket,  and  have  come  to  try  my  fortune  as 
a volunteer.”  “Very  well,”  said  the  colonel;  and, 
addressing  Captain  George  Reid,  he  continued  : “ take 
him  to  your  quarters ; to-morrow  may  be  a busy  day. 
After  that  we  will  see  what  can  be  done  with  him.” 

The  morrow,  in  truth,  was  a “ busy  day.”  A force, 
composed  of  detachments  from  the  Massachusetts  and 
Connecticut  lines,  under  the  command  of  Colonel 
William  Prescott,  moved  on  the  evening  of  the  16th 
of  June,  with  instructions  to  fortify  Bunker  Hill ; but, 
misapprehending  their  orders,  proceeded  about  one  mile 
farther,  and  commenced  an  intrenchment  on  Breed’s 
Hill,  a lesser  eminence,  which  was  commanded  by 
the  guns  of  the  opposite  battery  on  Copp’s  Hill,  in 
Boston,  as  well  as  exposed  to  the  fire  of  the  ships-of- 
war  at  anchor  in  the  harbor.  At  daylight  on  the  17th 
a furious  cannonade  opened  upon  the  half-finished 
“redoubt,”  and  soon  after,  in  compliauce  with  an 
order  from  General  Ward,  two  hundred  men  were  de- 
tached by  Colonel  Stark  to  support  the  parties  em- 
ployed on  that  rude  field-work.  Later  in  the  day 
(about  2 p.m.)  another  order  was  received,  directing 
him  to  march  with  his  whole  regiment  to  oppose  the 
enemy,  who  were  landing  in  great  force  at  Morton’s 
Point. 

As  previously  stated,  the  New  Hampshire  line, 
under  Colonel  Stark,  formed  the  left  wing  of  the 
American  force  on  this  ever-memorable  occasion,  and 
gallantly  repelled  the  reiterated  attacks  of  some  of  the 
choicest  battalions  of  the  British  light  infantry. 


1 We  liave  reason  to  suppose  that  ttie  object  of  Major  Rogers’  visit  to 
America,  in  1775,  was  to  sound  public  opinion  and  ascertain  the  relative 
strength  of  the  opposing  parties,  to  enable  him,  in  the  choice  of  service, 
to  make  the  best  personal  arrangement  which  circumstances  would  per- 
mit. At  this  interview,  as  we  have  been  informed,  Colonel  Stark  assured 
him  that  no  proffers  of  rank  or  wealth  could  induce  him  to  abandon  the 
cause  of  his  oppressed  country.  “ I have,”  he  said,  “taken  up  arms  in 
her  defense  and,  God  willing,  I will  never  lay  them  down  until  she  has 

become  a free  and  independent  nation."  The  veteran  lived  nearly  forty 
years  after  this  object  of  bis  most  fervent  wishes  and  laborious  toils  in 
the  field  of  honor  had  been  accomplished. 


Our  young  volunteer  proceeded  with  the  company 
under  Captain  George  Reid  (to  whose  care  he  had 
been  so  summarily  assigned  by  his  father  the  previous 
evening)  to  the  position  occupied  by  the  regiment  at 
the  rail-fence,  extending  from  the  redoubt  to  the  beach 
of  Mystic  River,  where  an  opportunity  was  soon  af- 
forded fortesting  the  skill  and  facility  with  which  he 
could  “handle  a musket”  in  his  country’s  cause. 
Side  by  side  with  some  of  the  veteran  rangers  of  the 
old  French  War,  he  stood  at  his  post  on  that  event- 
ful afternoon  ; and  when  their  ammunition  was  nearly 
expended,  and  the  occupation  of  the  redoubt  by  the 
British  marines  and  grenadiers  had  decided  the  fate 
of  the  day,  he  returned,  unharmed,  '2  to  Winter  Hill, 
where  the  regiment  subsequently  intrenched. 

On  this  pleasant  eminence,  a few  miles  from  the 
city,  were  located  the  handsome  residences  of  several 
wealthy  Loyalists,  whose  opinions  having  rendered 
them  obnoxious  to  the  American  party,  on  the  com- 
mencement of  hostilities,  had  abandoned  their  dwell- 
ings, and  taken  refuge  in  Boston.  Among  them  was  a 
gentleman  named  Royal,  who,  on  retiring  to  the  city, 
had  left  his  lady  with  a family  of  beautiful  and  accom- 
plished daughters,  in  possession  of  his  abode.  The 
mansion  being  conveniently  situated  for  his  head- 
quarters, Colonel  Stark  called  upon  the  family,  and 
proposed,  if  agreeable  to  them,  his  occupancy  of  a 
few  rooms  for  that  purpose,  to  which  Madame  Royal 
most  cheerfully  assented,  being  well  aware  that  the 
presence  of  an  officer  of  his  rank  would  afford  her 
family  and  premises  the  best  protection  against  any 
possible  insult  or  encroachment,  not  only  from  -those 
under  his  immediate  command,  but  also  from  other 
detachments  of  the  patriot  forces.  His  proposal  was 
made,  not  with  the  tone  of  authority,  but  rather  as 
the  request  of  a private  individual ; and  it  is  almost 
unnecessary  to  add  that,  during  the  intercourse  which 
ensued,  the  family  were  always  treated  by  Colonel 
Stark  and  his  officers  with  the  utmost  consideration 
and  respect. 

During  the  remainder  of  this  campaign  our  young 
soldier  was  acquiring,  as  a cadet  in  Captain  Reid’s 
company,  the  principles  and  practice  of  the  military 
discipline  of  the  day  ; and  when  not  actually  engaged 
with  his  new  duties,  many  of  his  leisure  hours  were 
naturally  passed  at  the  headquarters  of  his  father, 
where  his  association  with  the  refined  and  well- 
educated  ladies  of  the  house  could  not  but  exert,  at 
his  age,  the  most  favorable  influence  over  the  forma- 
tion of  his  habits  and  manners;  and  when  referring, 
in  after-years,  to  this  period  of  his  life,  the  subject  of 
this  memoir  has  frequently  acknowledged  the  advan- 
tages derived  from  the  intercourse  it  was  then  his 
privilege  to  hold  with  this  amiable  and  interesting 
I family. 

On  the  reorganization  of  the  army,  early  in  the 


2 During  the  action  a man  was  killed  at  his  side,  and  it  was  reported  to 
his  father  that  he  had  fallen. 


304 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


succeeding  year  (177(5),  young  Stark  received  his  first 
commission  as  ensign  in  Captain  George  Reid’s  com- 
pany, and  proceeded  with  the  regiment,  which  con- 
stituted a portion  of  Sullivan’s  brigade,  to  New  York, 
and  thence,  in  May,  to  Canada,  where  our  New  Hamp- 
shire troops,  under  that  able  and  resolute  general, 
rendered  important  service  in  checking  the  advance 
of  Sir  Guy  Carleton,  and  covering  the  retreat  of  the 
force,  which  had  invaded  that  province  the  preceding 
season  under  Montgomery  and  Arnold. 

The  retrograde  movement  of  the  army,  always  dis- 
couraging to  the  young  soldier,  was  rendered  more  so 
on  this  occasion  by  the  accompaniment  of  a dangerous 
and  loathsome  malady,  the  small-pox,  which,  as  in- 
oculation was  not  in  general  use  in  those  days,  rap- 
idly spread  among  the  officers  and  men,  converting 
the  camp  into  a vast  hospital.  Among  the  victims  of 
this  contagious  disease  was  the  adjutant  of  the  First 
New  Hampshire  Regiment,  who  died  at  Chimney 
Point  in  July ; and  Ensign  Stark,  who  had  been  pre- 
viously performing,  during  a portion  of  the  campaign, 
the  duties  of  quartermaster,  although  then  under 
seventeen  years  of  age,  was  deemed  qualified  to  suc- 
ceed to  the  vacancy,  being  already  distinguished  for 
his  energy  of  character  and  promptness  of  action,  as 
well  as  for  the  proficiency  attained  in  all  details  of 
military  discipline  and  duty.  Promotion  to  the  grade 
of  lieutenant  accompanied  this  appointment. 

After  the  retirement  of  Sir  Guy  Carleton  to  winter- 
quarters  in  Canada,  the  regiment,  with  others  from 
the  Northern  Department,  marched  to  reinforce  the 
dispirited  remnant  of  the  main  army,  under  General 
Washington,  in  Pennsylvania.  Cheerfully  sharing 
all  the  hardships  and  privations  which  were  endured 
by  the  army  at  this  gloomiest  period  of  our  Revolution- 
ary struggle,  Adjutant  Stark  was  also  an  active  par- 
ticipator in  the  brilliant  operations  at  Trenton  and 
Princeton,  with  which  the  campaign  was  so  success- 
fully closed  in  New  Jersey. 

In  January,  1777,  the  army  being  cantoned  on  the 
high  lands  about  Morristown,  the  First  New  Hamp- 
shire Regiment  was  dismissed,  the  term  of  enlistment 
of  the  men  having  expired.  In  company  with  his 
father,  young  Stark  was  now  enabled  to  revisit  his 
native  State,  where  the  next  few  months  were  em- 
ployed co-operating  with  the  other  officers  of  the  reg- 
iment in  raising  recruits  for  the  ensuing  campaign. 

Several  junior  officers  having  been  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  brigadier  over  the  heads  of  some  of  the  veteran 
colonels  of  the  army,  Colonel  Stark  could  not,  con- 
sistently, with  a decent  self-respect,  continue  to  retain  a 
commission  which  compelled  him  toserve  under  officers 
of  less  experience  than  his  own.  On  his  resignation, 
the  command  of  the  regiment  was  assigned  to  Col- 
onel Joseph  Cilley,  an  officer  of  undoubted  courage 
and  firmness,  in  every  respect  qualified  to  succeed 
him;  and  Lieutenant  Stark,  having  been  reappointed 
adjutant,  repaired  with  the  troops  to  Ticonderoga  in 
the  spring  of  1777. 


Those  who  are  conversant  with  military  affairs  will 
readily  appreciate  the  important  bearing  of  the  adju- 
tant’s duties  on  the  discipline  and  efficiency  of  the 
regiment.  It  is  no  disparagement  to  the  individual 
courage  and  conduct  of  the  officers  and  men  compos- 
ing the  same  to  remark  that  the  steadiness  and 
precision  with  which  all  the  evolutions  of  this  reg- 
iment were  performed,  when  in  the  presence  of  the 
enemy  on  various  occasions  during  this  campaign, 
afforded  satisfactory  evidence  of  the  faithfulness  with 
which  the  duties  of  his  office  were  discharged  by  the 
subject  of  this  memoir. 

After  the  evacuation  of  Ticonderoga,  and  the  re- 
treat of  the  American  army  to  the  North  River,  Gen- 
eral Schuyler  was  superseded  in  the  command  of  the 
Northern  Department  by  General  Gates.  Young  Stark 
happened  to  be  present,  on  duty  at  the  headquarters 
of  that  general,1  when  the  intelligence  of  the  Ben- 
nington success  was  received  by  express,  and  being 
permitted  to  accompany  a small  party  sent  to  open  a 
communication  with  General  Stark,  he  was  soon  en- 
abled to  congratulate  his  father,  personally,  on  that 
brilliant  achievement ; and  after  a few  days’  absence, 
rejoined  his  regiment,  which  was  the  first  to  come 
into  action  on  the  19th  of  September. 

In  the  action  of  October  7,  1777,  he  was  wounded 
in  the  left  arm.  Soon  after  the  capitulation  of  Sara- 
toga, General  Stark,  having  received  from  Congress 
the  commission  of  brigadier-general,  which  had  been 
justly  due  to  him  the  year  previous,  selected  his  son 
for  his  aid-de-camp.  During  the  years  1778  and  1781 
he  discharged  the  duties  of  aid-de-camp,  brigade 
major  and  adjutant -general  of  the  Northern  Depart- 
ment, then  commanded  by  General  Stark.  He  was  a 
good  writer  for  one  of  his  years,  and  from  the  period 
of  his  appointment  as  aid-de-camp  wrote  the  letters 
of  the  general’s  official  correspondence.  In  the  cam- 
paign in  Rhode  Island,  in  1779,  he  acted  as  aid-de- 


1 While  General  Gates  was  rejoicing  at  the  reception  of  tidings  an- 
nouncing the  first  success  in  the  north,  an  aid-de-camp  mentioned  to 
him  that  a son  of  General  Stark  was  awaiting  an  interview  with  a mes- 
sage from  Colonel  Cilley.  “ Is  he ?”  said  Gates  ; “call  him  in.”  When 
he  appeared  the  General  said:  “I’m  glad  to  see  you,  my  boy.  Your 
father  has  opened  the  way  for  us  nobly.  In  less  than  two  months  we 
shall  capture  Burgoyne’s  army.  Don’t  you  wish  to  sec  your  father?” 
The  adjutant  replied  that  “ if  his  regimental  duties  would  permit,  ho 
should  be  glad  to  visit  him.”  “I  will  find  an  officer,”  said  Gates, 
“ to  perform  your  duties,  and  you  may  go  with  the  party  1 shall  dispatch 
to  Bennington,  and  convey  a message  from  me  to  your  father.  I want 
the  artillery  he  has  taken  for  the  brush  I soon  expect  to  have  with  Bur- 
goyne.”  He  proceeded  with  the  party.  The  houses  along  their  route 
were  deserted  by  their  owners,  but  abounded  in  materials  for  good  cheer. 
From  the  residences  of  fugitive  Tories  they  obtained  ample  supplies  for 
themselves  and  horses  during  their  march.  After  the  surrender  he 
accompanied  General  Stark  on  a visit  to  General  Gates,  and  at  his  head- 
quarters was  introduced  to  all  the  British  officers  of  rank  who  were  there 
assembled  as  the  guests  of  the  American  general-in-cliief  of  the  northern 
army.  He  said  that  Major  Ackland  and  General  Burgoyne  were,  in 
personal  appearance,  two  of  the  best-proportioned  and  handsomest  men 
of  their  age  he  had  ever  seen.  General  Burgoyne  held  a long  conversa- 
tion with  General  Stark,  apart  from  the  other  company,  on  the  subject 
of  the  French  War,  of  which  the  former  then  stated  that  he  intended  to 
write  a history. 


DUNBARTON. 


305 


camp  to  his  father,  in  which  capacity  he  was  present 
at  the  battle  of  Springfield,  in  1780. 

After  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  War  his  atten- 
tion was  directed  to  mercantile  pursuits, — -first,  at 
Haverhill,  Mass.,  and  afterwards  at  Dunbarton, 
N.  H.  He  was  for  a time  concerned  in  navigation, 
and  owned  several  vessels. 

In  1805-6  he  became  an  importing  merchant  at 
Boston,  in  the  English  and  East  India  trade.  In  the 
course  of  his  commercial  transactions  he  visited  the 
West  Indies  in  1798  and  Great  Britain  in  1810,  where 
he  spent  a year,  making  purchases  for  himself  and 
other  merchants  of  Boston. 

Wl}ile  in  England  he  traveled  through  a large  por- 
tion of  the  kingdom,  and  his  observations  furnished 
an  interesting  journal.  He  also  kept  a journal  dur- 
ing his  residence  in  the  West  Indies. 

After  the  declaration  of  war,  in  1812,  he  closed  his 
mercantile  atfairs  at  Boston  and  purchased  an 
establishment  which  a company  had  commenced  at 
Pembroke,  N.  H.,  which  he  furnished  with  machinery 
for  manufacturing  cotton.  To  this  he  devoted  his  at- 
tention until  1830,  when,  having  disposed  of  his 
interest  in  the  concern,  he  proceeded  to  Ohio  to 
prosecute  his  family’s  claims  to  lands  granted  for 
military  services,  which,  in  1837,  after  a vexatious 
course  of  lawsuits,  were  recovered.  He  died  upon 
his  estate  in  Oxford  township,  Tuscarawas  County, 
Ohio,  August  26,  1838,  aged  seventy-eight  years, 
eight  months  and  twenty-three  days. 

In  1787  he  married  Sarah,  daughter  of  Dr.  William 
McKinstry,  formerly  of  Taunton,  Mass.,  who  was,  in 
1776,  appointed  surgeon-general  of  the  British  hos- 
pitals at  Boston.  She  died  September  11,  1839,  aged 
seventy-two.  Of  their  eleven  children  (five  sons  and 
six  daughters),  five  are  now  living.  Major  Stark’s 
remains  lie  in  his  family  cemetery  at  Dunbarton.  His 
monument  bears  the  following  inscription  : 

“In  Memory  of 
Major  Caleb  Stark, 

Eldest  Son  of 

Major-General  John  Stark, 

under  whose  command  he  served  his  country  in  the  War  of  the  Ameri- 
can Independence.  He  entered  the  army  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  as  quar- 
termaster of  First  New  Hampshire  Regiment ; was  afterwards  adjutant 
of  the  same,  and  subsequently  brigade-major  and  aid-de-camp  to  General 
Stark.  He  was  present  at  the  battle  of  Bunker’s  Hill  in  1775,  at  Trenton 
in  1776,  at  Princeton,  and  in  the  actions  of  September  19th  and  October 
7,  1777,  which  immediately  preceded  the  surrender  of  Burgoyne. 

“ Born  December  3,  1759  ; died  August  26,  1838.” 

In  person,  Major  Stark  was  rather  above  the 
middle  height,  of  a slight  but  muscular  frame,  with 
strong  features,  deep-set,  keen,  blue  eyes  and  a prom- 
inent forehead.  He  much  resembled  his  father  in 
personal  appearance.  His  characteristics  were  in- 
domitable courage  and  perseverance,  united  with 
coolness  and  self-possession,  which  never  deserted 
him  on  any  emergency.1 


1 When  the  pension  act  of  1820-21  was  passed,  Major  Stark  (as  former 
brigade-major)  being  personally  known  to  all  the  officers  and  most  of 


He  was  the  youngest  survivor  of  the  action  who 
appeared  to  witness  the  ceremony  of  laying  the  cor- 
ner-stone of  the  Bunker  Hill  Monument  by  the 
Marquis  de  Lafayette,  by  whom  he  was  recognized  at 
once  as  a fellow-soldier. 

During  his  tour  to  New  Hampshire  the  illustrious 
guest  of  the  nation  and  his  suite  were  entertained  at 
his  mansion  in  Pembroke. 

Major  Stark  was  one  of  the  twelve  Revolutionary 
veterans  who  stood  by  General  Jackson  at  the  cere- 
mony of  his  first  inauguration  as  President  of  the 
United  States,  and  was  personally  acquainted  with 
all  the  Presidents  from  General  Washington  to 
General  Harrison,  inclusive. 

“Patriot  Departed. — Died,  on  Sunday  evening  last,  at  his  residence, 
near  New  Comeretown,  in  this  county,  Major  Caleb  Stark,  of  New 
Hampshire.  Though  confident  that  on  this  occasion  ample  justice  can- 
not be  done  to  the  memory  of  Major  Stark,  yet  entire  silence  on  the  sub- 
ject would  not  be  tolerated  by  that  portion  of  the  community  who  know 
his  public  services  and  his  worth. 

“He  was  the  son  of  General  Stark,  of  New  Hampshire,  the  hero  of 
Bennington.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  entered  the  army  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, and  commenced  his  career  at  the  battle  of  Bunker’s  Hill  as  a vol- 
unteer in  his  father's  regiment.  He  remained  in  service  until  the  close 
of  the  war,  which  found  him  a brigade-major.  In  the  engagements 
which  resulted  in  the  surrender  of  General  Burgoyne  he  was  adjutant 
of  the  regiment  commanded  by  the  brave  Colonel  Cilley,  grandfather  ot 
him  who  fell  in  the  duel  last  winter  at  Washington. 

“ At  the  close  of  the  war  he  retired  to  private  life.  He  afterwards  was 
extensively  engaged  as  an  importing  merchant  at  Boston,  and  subse- 
quently as  a manufacturer  of  cottons  at  Pembroke,  N.  H.  He  owned  and 
cultivated  a large  farm,  and  contributed  the  results  of  many  agricultural 
experiments  to  the  public  journals. 

“ He  possessed  a highly-cultivated  and  active  mind,  for  the  improve- 
ment of  which  he  suffered  no  opportunity  to  pass  neglected. 

“ His  memory  was  strong,  and  his  stores  of  information,  derived  from 
travel  or  extensive  reading,  were  ever  at  command.  He  had  the  repu- 
tation of  being  one  of  the  best  military  critics  of  the  nation,  and  was 
often  consulted,  especially  during  the  War  of  1812,  when  our  army  had 
but  few  experienced  officers. 

“ He  came  to  Ohio  to  prosecute  the  claims  of  his  family  to  lands 
granted  to  General  Stark  for  military  services,  in  which,  after  a tedious 
litigation,  lie  was  successful.  It  was  his  intention,  after  he  had  succeeded 
in  recovering  this  valuable  estate,  to  have  returned  to  his  family,  in 
New  Hampshire,  but  sudden  indisposition  and  death  prevented  its  being 
carried  out. 

“Major  Stark,  in  all  his  acts  and  movements,  exhibited  the  prompt 
decision  and  energy  of  the  soldier.  Indeed,  his  whole  course  appeared 
to  be  influenced  by  the  habits  acquired  while  fighting  the  battles  of 
freedom  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution.  At  the  season  of  life  when  habits 
are  generally  formed,  his  education  was  acquired  in  the  tented  field,  in 
the  laborious  marches,  counter-marches  and  privations  of  that  fearful 
struggle,  devoting  his  moments  of  leisure  to  useful  study  ; and  in  his 
duties  abroad,  pressing  forward  with  indomitable  resolution  and  confi- 
dence in  himself. 

“ From  the  effects  of  this  habitual  perseverance  resulted,  as  is  sup- 
posed, the  immediate  cause  of  his  death.  He  had  attended  court  at 
New  Philadelphia  on  the  16th  of  August,  and  on  the  17th,  which  was  a 
very  warm  day,  rode  a hard-traveling  horse  from  Dover  to  his  residence 
— twenty-three  miles — in  three  hours.  On  the  following  week  he  was 


the  soldiers  of  the  New  Hampshire  line,  his  testimony  secured  pensions 
to  all  whose  cases  he  represented  at  the  War  Department.  Most  of  the 
veteran  applicants  who  sought  his  assistance  had  some  reminiscence  of 
their  military  days  to  relate.  One  of  them,  Captain  Daniel  Moore,  spoke 
of  the  sinking  of  a flat-boitt  in  the  middle  of  the  North  River,  in  which 
himself,  Major  Stark,  their  horses  and  the  oarsman  were  the  only  pas- 
sengers. “While  I was  considering,"  said  the  captain,  “what  excuse  I 
should  make  to  the  general  for  losing  his  boy,  the  boy’s  presence  of 
mind  and  activity  effected  arrangements  which  enabled  us  all,  with  the 
horses,  to  reach  the  shore  in  safety,  although  in  a well-soaked  condi- 
tion.” 


306 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


attacked  with  a disease  in  the  head  and  suspension  of  his  faculties, 
which,  with  some  intermissions,  continued  until  his  death,  on  Sunday 
evening  last,  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight  years,  eight  months  and  twenty- 
three  days.” — Copied  from  an  Ohio  paper  of  Avgust  31,  1838, 


Caleb  Stark,  Jr.,  son  of  Major  Caleb  Stark,  was  born 
in  Dunbarton,  N.  H.,  November  24,  1804 ; died  Feb- 
ruary 1,  1864.  He  was  buried  in  the  family  cemetery, 
near  the  old  Stark  mansion,  a most  beautiful  resting- 
place  for  the  dead. 

He  was  a graduate  of  Harvard  College  of  the 
class  of  1828.  After  completing  his  collegiate  course 
be  entered  the  Law  School  in  Connecticut,  where  he 
remained  about  one  year  and  then  entered  the  law- 
office  of  Charles  G.  Haines,  Esq.,  in  New  York  City, 
where  he  finished  his  legal  studies  and  was  admitted 
as  attorney-at-law.  He  soon  after  went  to  Ohio  and 
opened  an  office  in  the  city  of  Cincinnati.  The  Western 
climate  did  not  agree  with  his  constitution,  and  his 
health  becoming  impaired,  he  closed  his  business  there 
and  returned  to  his  native  State  and  opened  an  office  in 
Concord.  Finding  the  practice  of  law  unsuited  to  his 
quiet,  unobtrusive  disposition  and  domestic  habits, 
and  being  under  no  pecuniary  necessity  to  continue 
the  practice  for  a livelihood,  he  abandoned  his  profes- 
sion and  returned  to  the  old  family  homestead  in 
Dunbarton,  where  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his 
days  in  retirement. 

Although  not  engaged  in  active  business,  he  was  in 
no  sense  an  idle  man  ; he  represented  his  township  in 
the  State  Legislature  from  1884  to  1887,  and  was  al- 
ways an  earnest  and  strenuous  advocate  of  the  Demo- 
cratic principles,  which  he  had  adopted  at  his  first 
entrance  into  public  life. 

He  was  an  extensive  reader,  a close  observer  of  men 
and  of  the  events  of  life  and  a deep  thinker,  and  was 
one  of  the  finest  classical  scholars  of  his  class,  a writer 
of  great  ability  and  a liberal  contributor  to  the  politi- 
cal and  literary  journals  of  his  day.  He  is  the  author  of 
several  works  of  great  historical  value ; among  them 
is  the  “ History  of  Dunbarton,”  and  a valuable  memoir 
of  his  illustrious  grandfather,  General  John  Stark, 
whose  victory  over  the  British  and  their  Hessian  and 
Indian  allies  at  Bennington,  Vt.,  in  1777,  made  his 
“one  of  the  few  immortal  names  that  were  not  born  to 
die.” 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  inherited  from  his  an- 
cestors their  patriotism  and  love  of  country. 

In  private  life  he  was  justly  and  highly  esteemed 
for  his  genial  and  social  qualities  ; for  the  poor  and 
distressed  his  sympathies  were  ever  alive, and  liisheart 


and  purse  were  ever  open  for  their  relief.  No  appeal 
was  ever  made  in  vain  to  his  benevolence;  he  was 
most  emphatically  what  l'ope  calls  “ the  noblest  work 
of  God, — an  honest  man.” 


COLONEL  JOHN  STINSON.1 
As  early  as  1751  we  find  the  name 
of  Captain  William  Stinson,  the 
first  settler  in  the  south  westerly 
part  of  Dunbarton,  associated  with 
the  earliest  settlement  and  records 
of  the  town,  and  whose  original 
estate,  in  part,  is  now  in  the  possession  of  a grandson 
by  lineal  descent. 

Captain  Stinson  was  born  in  Ireland  March  15, 
1725,  his  parents,  with  other  families,  having  removed 
from  Scotland  to  escape  the  persecutions  there  en- 
dured, and  which  following  them,  they  took  passage 
for  the  New  World,  where,  on  arrival,  they  went  to 
Londonderry,  N.  H.,  where  others  of  their  people 
had  settled. 

From  this  rugged  ancestry  came  the  subject  of  our 
sketch,  Colonel  John  Stinson,  who  was  the  third  son 
of  James  and  Jauette  (Allison)  Stinson,  and  born  at 
Dunbarton  November  18,  1789. 

James  Stinson,  the  father,  was  a cousin  to  the  Cap- 
tain Stinson  mentioned,  a man  connected  with  the 
town’s  early  history,  as  the  records  indicate,  and 
known  for  his  well-grounded  and  industrious 
character  and  habits.  He  inherited  many  of  the 
Scottish  traits  and  characteristics,  and  particu- 
larly was  it  noted  in  speech,  while  the  reputation  of 
the  people  from  the  land  of  Wallace  and  Bruce  for 
honesty,  uprightness  and  integrity  of  character  were 
prominently  upheld  in  all  his  walks  and  associations. 
A farmer  by  profession  and  occupation,  his  estate  was 
cleared,  cultivated  and  improved,  and  the  home  which 
had  been  established  by  his  industry  and  economy, 
and  in  which  he  delighted,  witnessed  his  closing 
days  and  was  handed  down  to  his  son  John,  of  whom 
we  write. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-nine  years  John  Stinson  was 
married  to  his  cousin,  Betsey  Stinson,  the  ceremony 
being  performed  February  18,  1819,  by  Rev.  Walter 
Harris,  D.D.  From  this  union  of  hearts  three  chil- 
dren were  born,— two  daughters  and  one  son.  Mary 
Jane,  the  eldest  daughter,  married  David  Story,  a 
representative  farmer  of  the  town.  At  her  decease, 
and  in  the  course  of  time,  Mr.  Story  married  the  re- 
maining daughter,  Nancy  Chase,  who  died  August  12, 
1865.  The  son,  John  Chase,  completed  his  education 
at  the  High  School  in  town,  and  subsequently  went 
to  Gloucester  City,  N.  J.,  where  he  found  employment 
in  the  wood,  lumber,  hardware  and  coal  business,  and 
afterwards  was  admitted  to  the  firm,  where  he  still 
continues  in  business. 


1 By  William  H.  Stinson. 


DUNBARTON. 


307 


On  May  2,  1807,  he  married  Alice  B.  Cogill,  of 
Gloucester  City. 

Colonel  Stinson  was  a thrifty  farmer,  active  in  local 
affairs,  a true  Democrat  and  a town  officer  for  many 
years;  was  selectman  in  1840-47,  and  town  clerk  in 
1824,  serving  continuously  in  the  latter  office  from 
1833  to  1845 ; and  was  commissioned  colonel  of  the 
Ninth  Regiment  New  Hampshire  Militia,  which  po- 
sition he  filled  with  much  acceptance.  The  stirring 
times  incident  to  old  State  musters  and  trainings 
had  much  interest  to  him.  His  truly  hospitable 
home  was  ever  free  and  inviting,  and  his  fund  of  wit, 
humor  and  good-cheer  rendered  it  a tempting  place 
to  call  or  visit ; while  his  wife  was  a most  excellent 
lady,  and  noted  for  those  endearing  traits  of  character 
which  place  woman  high  in  our  reverence  and  de- 
votion. 

Colonel  Stinson  survived  his  wife  several  years, 
and  died  at  the  old  homestead  where  his  life  had 
been  spent,  and  where  his  son  had  provided  for  his 
every  want,  on  August  13,  1874,  in  his  eighty-fifth 
year,  respected  and  beloved  by  all  who  knew  him. 


CAPTAIN  CHARI.ES  STINSON. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  April  18,  1800, 
in  Dunbarton,  N.  H.  He  was  grandson  of  William  (1) 
Stinson,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  this  town  under 
the  Masonian  grant  of  1751  ; was  born  of  Scottish 
parents  in  Ireland,  March  15,  1725.  From  that 
country,  while  young,  he  emigrated  with  his  father 
to  Londonderry,  N.  H.  In  the  year  1751-52  he  com- 
menced a settlement  in  Starkstown  (afterward  Dun- 
barton), where  for  a time  he  lived  alone  in  a log  cabin, 
in  which,  on  one  occasion,  he  received  as  a visitor  the 
Rev.  David  McGregore.  “ Not  having  a table,”  says 
the  historian  of  Londonderry,  “ nor  anything  that 
would  answer  as  a better  substitute,  he  was  obliged  to 
make  use  of  a basket,  turned  up.”  The  Rev.  Mr. 
McGregore,  in  asking  a blessing,  pertinently  implored 
that  his  host  might  be  “ blessed  in  his  basket  and  in 
his  store.”  This  blessing  was  literally  fulfilled,  as 
Mr.  Stinson  became  one  of  the  most  wealthy  persons 
in  the  vicinity. 

He  was  prominent  in  the  settlement  of  the  town- 
ship, and  filled  with  credit  many  offices  of  trust  and 
importance,  and  by  industry  and  economy  became 
one  of  the  most  substantial  freeholders  within  twenty 
miles  of  his  residence. 

William  Stinson  was  married  to  Agnes  Caldwell, 
March  26,  1754,  and  died  August  21,  1803.  She 
was  born  June  17,  1734,  and  died  July  23,  1818.  By 
this  union  there  were  twelve  children. 

William  (2)  Stinson,  Jr.,  second  son  of  William  Stin- 
son, Sr.,  born  March  4,  1762,  married  Jane  Cochran, 
of  New  Boston,  N.  H , who  was  born  in  1776.  He  was 
an  excellent  farmer  and  intelligent  man.  He  was  often 
employed  in  town  affairs,  was  liberal  and  hospitable, 
especially  to  the  poor.  In  him  they  found  a friend. 


His  wife  was  a superior  woman,  who  looked  well 
to  the  ways  of  her  household,  and  their  house  was 
one  of  the  most  agreeable  visiting-places  in  town. 
From  this  union  there  were  five  children.  William 
Stinson,  Jr.,  died  April  8,  1822.  Jane  C.  Stinson 
died  April  28,  1820. 

Captain  Charles  (3)  Stinson  was  the  oldest  son  of 
William  Stinson,  Jr.  At  an  early  age  he  displayed 
a love  for  farming,  and  made  progress  in  the  district 
school.  At  Bradford  Academy,  Massachusetts,  he 
ultimately  acquired  what  education  it  was  his  privilege 
to  obtain.  When  eighteen  years  of  age  he  was 
appointed  commander  of  Dow’s  Troop.  He  was  an 
active  officer  during  the  celebrated  Goffstown  muster, 
where  he  obtained  the  title  that  followed  him  through 
life.  He  was  well  known  in  this  section  of  the  State 
for  his  good  judgment  and  his  sound  integrity. 

As  a farmer  he  was  active,  and  naturally  of  a strong 
constitution,  he  was  able  to  carry  on  a great  amount 
of  work,  and  as  a reward  of  his  industry,  he  added  to 
his  original  inheritance  a good  property. 

As  a resident  of  Dunbarton,  N.  H..  he  was  active 
and  prominent  in  its  affairs.  He  was  county  com- 
missioner, selectman,  treasurer  and  twice  elected  to 
the  Legislature.  In  1867  he  sold  his  large  estate  and 
moved  to  Goffstown,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of 
his  days  in  quietness  and  attending  to  his  business 
affairs. 

Captain  Charles  Stinson  married  Susan,  daughter 
of  Robert  and  Prudence  Cochran,  of  Sharon,  Vt., 
May  15,  1831.  Susan  was  born  October  27,  1803,  and 
died  March  23, 1838.  He  married,  second,  Mary  Ann, 
daughter  of  Moses  and  Sally  Poore,  of  Goffstown, 
N.  H.,  May  20,  1839,  born  August  28,  1811. 

Captain  Charles  Stinson  died  August  8,  1878. 
There  were  three  children  by  the  first  union,  and  one 
by  the  second. 

Children. — Jane  Stinson,  born  October  5,  1833, 
married  Wallace  Caldwell,  Byfield,  Mass.,  July  15, 
1858. 

Letitia  C.  Stinson,  born  March  9,  1835,  married 
John  M.  Parker,  of  Goffstown,  November  30,  1854. 

Susan  C.  Stinson,  born  October  22,  1837,  married 
George  Byron  Moore,  November  29, 1860.  Mr.  Moore 
died  of  pneumonia  April  11,  1872.  On  May  17, 1877, 
she  married  Judge  Edwin  S.  Jones,  of  Minneapolis, 
Minn.,  where  she  now  resides. 

Mary  A.  Stinson,  born  August  1,  1841,  married 
Charles  A.  Pillsbury,  September  13,  1866,  of  Minne- 
apolis, Minn.,  where  she  now  resides. 


OLIVER  BAILEY. 

Oliver  Bailey  was  one  of  the  independent  farmers 
and  substantial  men  who  constitute  the  chief  glory  of 
a State. 

He  was  born  in  1797,  in  Dunbarton,  N.  H.,  and 
died  in  1880,  eighty-three  years  old. 

His  father,  Captain  Oliver  Bailey,  a man  of  great 


308 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


vigor  and  thrift,  was  descended  from  the  Scotch  who 
migrated  to  the  north  of  Ireland  to  better  their  for- 
tunes, and  thence  to  Londonderry,  N.  H.,  in  the  New 
World.  His  mother,  Mary  Thompson,  was  of  ster- 
ling English  blood  and  worth,  from  Charlestown,  Mass. 
She  was  eight  years  old  when  the  battle  of  Bunker 
Hill  was  fought,  and  saw,  from  their  house-top,  and 
remembered  well,  that  famous  struggle. 

Born  of  this  thrifty  and  hardy  stock,  young  Oliver 
inherited  a vigorous  constitution,  a fearless,  active 
spirit,  good  brains  to  see  and  plan  for  himself,  and 
the  best  muscle  and  nerve  to  execute  his  resolute  will. 

Brought  up  on  wholesome  farmer’s  fare,  he  seemed  to 
thrive  best  on  the  hard  work  and  rough  sports  which 
added  skill  and  self-reliance  to  his  growing  strength, 
till,  at  opening  manhood,  he  yielded  to  none  in  the 
field  or  the  wrestling-ring,  with  the  scythe  or  the 
drumsticks. 

He  had  little  schooling,  but  learned  to  read  the  al- 
manac and  the  Bible,  and  had  an  apt  use,  always,  of 
the  wise  sayings  of  “ Poor  Richard  ” and  of  Solomon  ; 
learned  to  write  a note,  to  keep  his  accounts  and  to 
figure  in  his  head  better  than  most  can  with  pen  or 
pencil,  depending  mainly,  through  life,  on 

“ A spark  o’  Nature’s  fire,” 

which  the  poet  Burns  prized  above  all  learning. 

In  person,  he  was  of  medium  stature  and  weight, 
with  a large  head,  broad,  high  forehead,  sandy  hair 
and  grey-blue  eyes,  with  broad  shoulders,  a stout, 
straight  back,  strong,  lithe  limbs  and  a hand-grip 
from  which  nothing  could  escape, — a body,  indeed, 
which  seemed  modeled  to  give  him  the  utmost 
strength  and  staying  power,  consistent  with  his 
natural  quickness  and  ease  of  action. 

Thus  favored  by  nature  and  home  discipline,  he 
set  out  at  twenty-one  for  himself,  with  no  capital  but 
a few  acres  of  tough,  rocky  land,  but  partly  paid  for, 
and  an  irrepressible  ambition  to  earn  his  own  inde- 
pendence in  the  world. 

By  his  untiring  toil  he  soon  cleared  new  fields,  dug 
some  of  the  rocks  out  of  the  old  ones,  built  huge 
stone-walls,  a small  house  and  big  barns,  and  was 
ready  for  a home  of  his  own.  Much  of  his  pros- 
perity and  happiness  he  made  sure  of  by  marrying 
wisely.  In  1821,  at  the  age  of  twenty- four,  he  mar- 
ried Jane  Mills,  but  seventeen,  daughter  of  James  and 
Jane  Fulton  Mills,  of  his  native  town. 

She  was  a wise  and  winning  helpmate,  comely  in 
person,  even-tempered  and  amiable,  blessed  with 
equal  good  sense  and  good  nature,  and,  though  so 
young,  well  trained  in  household  duties,  apt  at  work 
and  willing  beyond  her  strength.  Of  this  union  four 
children  were  born, — a daughter,  who  died  in  infancy, 
and  three  sons,  yet  living,  to  bear  grateful  witness  to 
ner  never-failing  love  and  worth.  In  her  unselfish 
devotion  to  her  family  she  sacrificed,  ere  many  years, 
her  health,  and  life  itself  at  the  age  of  forty-five. 
Yet,  in  sickness  and  in  health,  she  was  ever  the  good 
angel  of  the  home  and  the  neighborhood. 


In  1850,  Oliver  Bailey  married  Mary  1).  Ryder, 
daughter  ot  Ezekiel  and  Betsey  Ryder,  of  Dunbarton. 
She  had  been  trained  in  the  best  school  for  her  new 
duties, — in  that  of  an  enlightened  farmer’s  home. 
She  was  unusually  well  educated  in  the  schools,  too  ; 
had  been  a teacher  and  enriched  her  house  with  good 
books,  pictures  and  flowers,  and  to  the  essential  vir- 
tues of  a good  wife  she  added  the  rarer  grace  of  a 
good  stepmother. 

Of  this  union  one  gifted  son  was  born, — George,  who 
died  at  eighteen,  in  the  full  spring  and  blossom  of  a 
promising  manhood. 

By  the  hardest  work  and  the  most  careful  saving  on 
the  smaller  farm,  Oliver  Bailey  was  able  to  buy  the 
large,  old  homestead  when  his  father,  Captain  Oliver 
Bailey,  had  outlived  his  three-score  years  and  ten. 

This  larger  place,  with  its  many  hay-fields,  natural 
runs,  great  meadows,  large  pastures  and  wood-lots, 
gave  him  a better  chance  to  prove  his  superior  man- 
agement and  to  keep  a large  stock. 

His  judgment,  at  sight,  of  the  weight  and  worth  of 
cattle  was  extraordinarily  accurate.  This  gift,  with 
a persuasive  tongue  in  his  head,  enabled  him  to  buy 
and  sell  to  advantage.  With  plenty  of  hay  and  barn- 
room  for  the  winter,  and  mountain-pastures  for  sum- 
mer, he  was  able  to  hold  his  stock  over,  and  so  to  take 
advantage  of  the  changing  market,  buying  at  the  low- 
est and  selling  at  higher  prices.  No  very  small 
part  of  his  gains  at  this  time  came  from  the  growth 
| and  exchange  of  cattle.  His  wise  policy  was  to  en- 
! rich  the  farm  also  by  selling  less  hay  and  grain  and 
more  fatted  cattle. 

He  had  a sleight-of-hand  at  all  kinds  of  work, 
and  could  get  more  out  of  his  boys  and  hired  help 
than  most  farmers ; for  he  led  them  himself,  giving 
them  more  than  enough  to  do  to  keep  up,  and  his 
restless  forethought  kept  ahead  of  any  execution  in 
plans  for  the  morrow,  so  that  no  odd  hour  or  stormy 
day  caught  him  without  some  bit  of  side-work  to  fill 
the  time. 

But  it  was  not  driving  work  and  shrewd  bargains 
alone  which  made  him  comparatively  rich ; it  was 
the  continual  saving  and  wise  investing  of  his  small 
earnings  for  so  many  years.  He  bought  only  what 
he  could  not  get  on  well  without,  and  could  pay  down 
for.  He  put  his  name  to  no  man’s  paper.  He  took 
no  stock  in  wild  land  speculations  or  railroad  prom- 
ises, however  tempting.  He  invested  his  money  in 
growing  property,  or  loaned  it  on  good  mortgages,  or 
put  it  into  the  soundest  banks,  rather  than  into 
those  paying  the  most  interest. 

Hence  he  lost  none  of  the  principal,  and  as  he 
rarely  disturbed  the  interest,  his  small  sums  naturally 
cumulated  in  the  long  years  to  a goodly  amount 
for  a Dunbarton  farmer.  But  he  was  thus  saving 
only  to  be  liberal  in  a larger  way.  To  his  second 
son,  Mark,  when  sixteen  years  old,  he  gave  the  choice 
of  a farm  at  twenty-one  or  a college  education,  and 
he  gladly  took  his  chances  in  the  schools.  In  1859, 


^ ^3  cc  UK% 


DUNBARTON. 


309 


when  only  sixty-two,  he  divided  the  great  farm  be- 
tween his  oldest  son,  Oliver  (who  inherits  with  his 
father’s  name  much  of  his  stirring  ambition  and 
talent  to  get  on  in  the  world),  and  his  youngest  son, 
James  M.  (who  has  a happy  genius  for  living  easier), 
and  bought  a small  farm  at  Bow  Mills,  near  Concord, 
built  a nice  house  on  it  and  deeded  this  place  to  his 
wife ; here  lie  spent  the  rest  of  his  days,  “ merely 
playing  farmer,”  as  he  used  to  say. 

At  his  home  he  was  hospitable  to  all  comers.  A 
good  liver,  though  a light  eater  himself  and  temper- 
ate in  all  things  save  only  in  hard  work. 

He  never  had  a doctor  for  himself  till  late  in  life, 
when  he  suffered  greatly  with  the  asthma.  Though 
a private  citizen,  always  devoted  to  “ minding  his 
own  business,”  he  was  in  his  own  way  public-spirited 
and  patriotic,  interested  in  town,  State  and  national 
affairs. 

In  politics  he  was  a staunch  Webster  Whig 
and  Lincoln  Republican.  In  religion  he  held  fast 
to  the  teachings  of  his  early  church,  the  Congrega- 
tional ist. 

20 


So  marked  a man  had  his  faults,  of  course,  but  they 
were  mostly  the  excesses  of  his  robust  virtues. 

Some  will  ask,  Was  such  a life  a success?  Was  so 
much  toil  and  so  little  pleasure  worth  the  while? 
Doubless  there  is  a golden  mean  between  work  and 
play,  but  of  the  two  extremes  his,  surely,  was  the 
nobler  one.  And  the  simple  truth  is,  he  took  more 
pleasure  in  earning  than  in  spending;  and  solid  en- 
joyment in  seeing  his  well-tilled  lands,  his  full  barns 
and  wood-sheds,  his  sleek,  fat  cattle,  and  his  comfort- 
able home.  He  enjoyed  the  manly  sense  of  inde- 
pendence his  honestly-earned  dollars  gave  him  while 
living;  and  the  generous  satisfaction  at  last  of  leav- 
ing them  to  his  widow  and  sons  to  help  “ keep  the  wolf 
from  their  doors.”  At  the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty- 
three,  with  his  mind  clear  apparently  as  in  manhood’s 
prime,  he  died  as  he  had  long  lived,  in  the  assured 
hope  of  a happier  hereafter. 

His  body  rests  in  his  family  burial  lot  in  Dunbar- 
ton, where  he  had  erected  a plain  granite  monument, 
— a fit  symbol  of  his  solid  and  lasting  work  and 
character. 


HISTORY  OF  FRANKLIN. 


CHAPTER  I . 

Geographical — The  First  Settlements — Names  of  Pioneers — Indian  Dep- 
redations—Manufacturing  Interests— The  First  Saw-Mill — Erected  in 
1764— The  First  Grist-Mill— The  Morrison  Mills— The  Granite  Mill — 
The  Winnipiseogee  Paper  Company — A.  W.  Sulloway —Mills,  &c. 

’The  town  of  Franklin,  lies  in  the  northeastern 
part  of  the  county,  and  is  bounded  as  follows: 

On  the  North  and  East,  by  Hill,  Belknap  Co.  and 
Northfield;  on  the  South,  by  Boscawen ; and  on  the 
W est  by  Salisbury  and  Andover. 

The  territory  embraced  within  the  bounds  of  the 
present  town  of  Franklin  originally  comprised  a 
portion  of  the  towns  of  Sanbornton,  Salisbury,  An- 
dover and  Northfield. 

The  first  settlement  of  the  town  was  made  in  1748, 
near  the  Webster  place,  where  a fort  was  built  and 
occupied  for  several  months.  To  Philip  Call  and 
his  son  Stephen  is  ascribed  the  honor  of  having  been 
the  first  permanent  settlers  within  the  bounds  of  the 
present  town,  at  that  time  a portion  of  Salisbury. 
Nathaniel  Malven  and  Sinkler  Bean  were  pioneers 
in  the  western  part  of  the  town.  In  174!)  Malven, 
with  his  wife  and  three  children,  were  captured  by 
the  Indians  and  taken  to  Canada,  where  they  remained 
several  years.  The  few  pioneers  were  in  constant  dread 
of  the  Indians  who  roamed  through  this  section,  spar- 
ing neither  women  nor  children  from  their  murderous 
assaults.  The  wife  of  Philip  Call  was  killed  by  the 
Indians  in  August,  1754,  her  husband  witnessing  the 
deed  while  secreted  unarmed  near  by.  It  is  said  that 
her  daughter-in-law,  with  her  grandchild,  escaped 
from  the  savages  by  concealment  in  the  chimney. 
Peter  and  John  Bowen  settled  on  the  “ Burleigh 
place  ” in  about  1748. 

John  and  Ezekiel  Webster,  cousins,  settled  in  the 
town  in  1759  or  ’60.  The  latter  was  the  father  of 
Ezekiel  and  Daniel  Webster.  Ephraim  Collins  was 
also  one  of  the  pioneers.  He  settled  in  about  1752, 
and  his  grave-stone  is  the  earliest  in  the  lower  grave- 
yard, near  the  Webster  place.  Jacob  Morrill,  Tris- 

i For  much  of  the  early  history  of  this  town,  early  record  history, 
Revolutionary  history,  etc.,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  histories  of  San- 
bornton, Northfield,  Salisbury  and  Andover  (elsewhere  in  this  volume), 
of  which  this  town  formed  a portion  until  1828. 

310 


tan  Quiinby  and  Benjamin  Sanborn  were  among  the 
early  settlers  at  the  Lower  village.  “ In  1767  there 
came  from  Epping,  James  Cate,  Sr.,  whose  wife  had 
been  saving  seeds  from  their  best  apples  all  the  win- 
ter before,  for  the  orchard  they  would  plant  in  their 
new  home  ! They  settled  on  the  late  Edward  Wyatt 
place,  in  Franklin.  Some  of  the  apple-trees  from 
those  seeds  were  still  remaining  a few'  years  since.” 
{Runnels.) 

The  settlement  at  what  is  now  known  as  the  Upper 
village  consisted  of  only  one  house  and  a grist-mill 
until  after  the  Revolution. 

Ebenezer  Eastman,  of  honored  memory,  was  the 
founder  of  the  village.  He  came  here  when  only 
twenty-seven  years  of  age ; was  a man  of  property, 
ability  and  great  energy.  He  built  a saw'-mill,  kept 
the  village  tavern,  conducted  a farm  and  was  exten- 
sively engaged  in  lumbering.  His  homestead  was 
the  “Webster  Home.”  He  died  in  1833.  A few 
years  later  the  village  received  an  enterprising  spirit 
in  the  person  of  Captain  Ebenezer  Blanchard,  who 
came  from  Northfield.  He  was  a man  of  great  energy 
and  contributed  largely  in  advancing  the  material  in- 
terests of  the  town.  He  was  the  father  of  Mrs.  Ste- 
phen Kenrick. 

Among  other  settlers  were  James  and  Isaac  Proc- 
tor and  James  Garland. 

The  Manufacturing  Interests.— The  first  mill  in 
this  town  was  the  old  “town-mill,”  of  the  original 
town  of  Sanbornton.  By  the  provisions  of  the  first 
Masonian  charter,  “twenty  acres  (says  Mr.  Runnels) 
were  to  be  assigned  in  some  suitable  place  for  a saw- 
mill, and  whoever  should  build  the  first  mill  within 
three  years  might  own  the  land  and  have  the  privilege 
of  sawing  the  ‘loggs  of  share-owners  and  other  in- 
habitants thare,  to  the  halves  for  the  teerm  of  ten 
years  next  after  the  said  mill  first  starts.’  If  none 
should  appear  to  build  thus  within  three  years,  the 
owners  of  shares  were  to  undertake  to  build  the  mill 
at  their  expense,  and  put  it  under  such  regulations 
that  all  the  inhabitants  might  be  ‘seasonably  and 
reasonably  served  with  bords  and  other  timber  sawed  ’ 
for  building  purposes.” 

The  town-mill  site  was  established  on  Salmon 


FRANKLIN. 


311 


Brook.  First  action  of  the  grantees  was  April  21, 
1763, — meeting  held  at  Joseph  Hoit’s,  in  Stratham,— 
when  it  was  voted  that  a saw-mill  be  built  and  main- 
tained on  that  first  established  site,  “agreaibel  to 
Charter  ; ” that  it  be  completed  by  October  10th ; that 
“whoever  builds  it  shall  have  £1000,  old  tenner,  and 
the  mill  priviledg.”  At  a meeting,  June  6th,  the 
privileges  of  mill-builder  were  accorded  to  Daniel 
Sanborn,  under  the  oversight  of  the  selectmen. 
Time  extended  to  November  20th;  but  even  then  the 
mill  had  not  been  built,  as  February  6,  1764,  “ Voted 
not  to  release  Daniel  Sanborn,  Jun.,  from  his  obliga- 
tion to  build  a mill,”  which,  accordingly,  had  been 
completed  that  spring,  and  was  soon  after  carried 
away  by  a freshet.  Hence  the  proprietors  voted, 
July  9,  1764,  to  give  Daniel  Sanborn,  Jr.,  five  hun- 
dred pounds,  old  tenor,  “to  build  a saw-mill  in  the 
rome  of  that  which  he  lost ; ” also  that  a grist-mill  be 
built  by  the  proprietors  within  fifteen  months.  But 
afterwards,  October  8th,  at  a meeting  in  Exeter,  per- 
mission was  given  Mr.  Sanborn  “to  build  his  saw- 
mill in  Sanbornton,  on  Winepisocke  River,  ner  the 
brige  [thus  changing  the  location],  provided  he 
build  a grist-mill,  with  or  near  the  saw-mill,  within 
the  specified  time.” 

Tradition  supplies  an  account  of  this  first  mill,  on 
Salmon  Brook,  in  what  is  now  Franklin,  as  follows: 
That  the  foundation  had  been  laid  the  fall  before, — at 
site  of  bridge  leading  to  the  late  Albert  G.  Morrison 
house, — without  a dam,  trees  being  simply  felled 
from  one  ledge  over  to  the  other ; that  Edward  Shaw 
drew  up  the  mill-irons  from  Exeter  on  a hand-sled, 
in  March,  only  to  find  the  foundation  all  washed 
away,  and  finally,  that  by  June  the  mill  thus  “ built 
between  the  ledges”  was  completed  and  went  into 
operation,  and  that  a log  was  actually  sawn  before 
the  fatal  freshet  alluded  to,  so  the  mill-site  was 
claimed ! 

After  standing  neglected  for  several  years,  a Mr. 
Adams  built  the  first  permanent  mill  on  or  a little 
above  this  original  town-mill  site.  It  was,  however, 
early  purchased  and  enlarged  by  Mr.  Bradbury 
Morrison,  and  being  extensively  used  by  three  gene- 
rations in  his  family, — himself,  several  of  his  sons, 
and  recently  by  his  grandson,  the  late  Albert  G., — 
the  whole  group  has  ever  been  known,  and  will  be 
for  years  to  come,  as  the  Morrison  Mills.  Another 
saw-mill,  with  a grist-mill,  tended  by  Bradbury 
Morrison,  Sr.,  and  a blacksmith’s  and  trip-hammer 
shop  for  the  ingenious  Ebenezer  Morrison,  stood  some 
twenty  rods  below  the  main  dam,  carried  by  water 
conveyed  from  the  same  by  a sluice-way.  Nathan  S. 
Morrison  and  Captain  Levi  Thompson  also  had  an 
interest  in  this  mill  and  shop,  which  were  burned  in 
1836.  Forty  rods  below  these  last,  on  the  fiat,  Albert 
G.  Morrison,  with  his  uncles,  Bradbury,  Jr.,  and 
George  W.,  had  also  a planing  and  shingle-mill, 
which  were  likewise  burned  about  1850. 

At  the  main  dam,  the  first  planing-mill  in  this  part 


of  the  country  was  erected  by  William  Greene,  its 
first  starting  being  “celebrated,”  it  is  said,  by  large 
potations  of  potato  whiskey.  This  was  swept  away 
by  the  February  freshet  of  1824.  Of  late  years  there 
have  been  a saw-mill  above,  and  a shingle,  lath  and 
planing-mill  below  the  bridge  and  original  site,  the 
latter  built  by  A.  G.  Morrison  between  1845  and  1850. 
The  present  occupants  and  chief  owners  of  the  whole 
are  Giles  & Knapp.  The  privilege  must  always  re- 
main a valuable  one,  as  the  fall  is  from  seventy-five 
to  one  hundred  feet  between  the  upper  mill  and  the 
Pemigewasset,  at  which  it  is  not  surprising  that  “im- 
mense quantities  of  lumber  ” were  rafted  from  these 
mills  in  earlier  times,  when  they  were  surrounded  by 
“ the  heaviest  and  finest  pine  timber.” 

When  Jeremiah  Sanborn  settled  at  Franklin  Falls, 
in  1778,  the  Folsom  saw-mill  was  standing,  erected, 
probably,  in  about  1772.  This  was  at  the  upper 
bridge. 

The  first  mill  (says  Mr.  Runnels)  was  soon  carried 
down  by  a freshet,  and  Mr.  Sanborn  rebuilt  on  the 
Northfield  side,  where  one  of  his  old  sills  was,  till 
very  recently,  to  be  seen  imbedded  in  the  wall  just 
above  the  bridge.  This  mill,  with  an  added  grist- 
mill, was  again  transferred  to  the  Sanbornton  side, 
though  extending  over  the  edge  of  the  river  for  some 
little  distance,  and  its  site  was  occupied,  after  1810, 
by  the  Jonathan  Sanborn  fulling  or  clothing-mill, 
which  was  itself  succeeded  by  the  old  “red  mill,” 
two  stories  high,  for  making  satinet  and  cotton  yarn. 
This,  after  lying  unused  for  several  years,  was  burned. 
The  same  site  was  later  occupied  by  the  Sleeper 
Bros.,  door,  sash  and  blind  manufacturers. 

The  Granite  Mill  was  erected  in  1822  by  John 
Cavender,  Thomas  Baker,  John  Smith,  John  and 
Charles  Tappen  and  John  Long  at  Franklin  Falls. 
This  was  burned  in  about  1855. 

The  Franklin  Mills  (woolen),  erected  in  1863, 
gave  a new  impetus  to  the  village.  These  mills  are 
now  leased  by  M.  T.  Stevens. 

The  Winnipiseogee  Paper  Company.1 — The 
so-called  “Upper  Dam,”  at  Franklin  Falls,  was  built 
about  1852  for  a large  hosiery-mill,  two  stories  high, 
of  stone,  which  was  erected  the  same  year,  and 
operated  by  the  Franklin  Mills  Company,  also  by  the 
Nesmith  Brothers  (George  W.  and  John  N.,  of  Low- 
ell, Mass.),  associated  with  K.  O.  Peabody.  The 
boarding-houses — two  less  in  number  than  at  present 
— were  built  the  next  season.  This  mill  was  only 
run  three  or  four  years,  and  then  burned.  Its  site  is 
now  occupied  by  one  of  the  pulp-mills  of  the  Win- 
nipiseogee Paper  Company,  which  was  first  built  in 
1868  for  the  grinding  of  poplar-wood,  and  was  built 
over  in  1879. 

A.  W.  Sulloway,  Manufacturer  of  Hosiery. 

- — This  mill  was  built  in  1864  by  Frank  H.  Daniell 
and  A.  W.  Sulloway.  In  the  spring  of  1865  it  was 


1 See  biography  of  Warren  F.  Daniell. 


312 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


started  under  the  name  of  Sulloway  & Daniell  and  j 
ran  two  sets  of  cards,  making  Shakers’  socks.  In  1867 
one  set  cards  were  added  and  run  on  Shaker  flannel 
and  hosiery.  In  1869,  Mr.  Daniell  sold  his  interest 
to  Mr.  Sulloway.  In  1871  the  mill  ceased  making 
flannel,  and  has  made  hosiery  altogether  ever  since. 
In  1873  was  added  a fourth  set  of  cards.  The  mill  now 
manufactures  three  hundred  dozens  per  day  men’s 
and  boys’  socks.  Employs  ninety-five  to  one  hundred 
hands. 

For  history  of  manufacturing  interests  of  Walter 
Aiken,  see  biography. 


CHAPTER  II. 

FRANKLIN — (Continued). 

CIVIL  HISTORY. 

Petition  of  Ebenezer  Eastman  and  others  for  Incorporation  of  Town — 
The  Movement  Opposed  by  Andover,  Salisbury,  Sanbornton  and 
Northfield — Report  of  Legislative  Committee — Incorporation  of  Town 
— First  Town -Meeting — Officers  Elected. 

In  1825  a petition  was  presented  to  the  Legislature, 
signed  by  Ebenezer  Eastman  and  others,  praying  for 
the  organization  of  a new  town  from  portions  of  An- 
dover, Salisbury,  Sanbornton  and  Northfield.  This 
was  met  with  opposition  from  various  persons  in  the 
towns,  whose  territory  it  was  sought  to  curtail,  and 
if  not  a long,  certainly  a sharp  contest  ensued.  Dur- 
ing a portion  of  the  time  the  subject  was  under  discus- 
sion the  old  towns  employed  as  counsel  E.  X.  Wood- 
bury, while  Parker  Noyes  guarded  the  interests  of  the 
embryo  town.  Hon.  George  W.  Nesmith  also  was 
interested  in  the  organization  of  the  new  town. 

The  following  is  a copy  of  the  report  of  the  com- 
mittee appointed  by  the  Legislature  to  act  on  the 
subject : 

“ To  the  Honorable  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives  : 

44  The  undersigned,  a committee  appointed  on  the  petition  of  Ebenezer 
Eastman  and  others,  praying  for  the  incorporation  of  a new  town,  to  be 
formed  out  of  parts  of  the  town  of  Salisbury,  Andover,  Sanbornton  and 
Northfield. 

44  Report, 

“That  they  met  at  Salisbury  on  the  twenty-ninth  of  September  last, 
for  the  purpose,  as  required  by  the  vote  of  the  House,  of  4 viewing  the 
ground  from  which  the  contemplated  new  town  is  to  be  taken,  and  hear- 
ing all  parties  interested.’  From  causes  not  within  the  control  of  the 
committee  the  several  towns  had  not  been  notified  in  the  manner  re- 
quired by  the  vote  of  the  House.  Having,  however,  been  informed  of 
the  intended  meeting  of  the  committee,  they  attended  by  their  respec- 
tive agents,  who  all  expressed  their  readiness,  at  that  time,  to  proceed 
with  the  examination.  The  committee  accordingly  accompanied  the 
agent  of  the  petitioners  and  the  respective  town  agents  to  such  parts  of 
the  several  towns  and  villages  as  the  parties  in  inteiest  thought  proper 
to  point  out.  In  their  various  examinations  and  in  the  several  hearings 
of  the  different  agents  and  individuals  interested  the  committee  spent  four 
days.  The  result  of  this  very  full  investigation  was  an  unanimous 
opinion,  on  the  part  of  the  committee,  that  the  prayer  of  the  petitioners 
is  reasonable  and  ought  to  be  granted.  With  respect  to  the  several 
towns,  out  of  which  it  is  proposed  that  the  new  town  should  be  takeu,  it 
may  be  stated,  as  the  result  of  the  committee’s  inquiries  on  this  point, 
that  those  parts  of  Salisbury,  Sanbornton  and  Northfield  which  are 
Without  the  limits  of  the  new  town  are  generally  opposed  to  the  division 


of  their  territory  ; that  the  people  of  Andover  are  divided  on  the  ques 
tion,  those  who  reside  near  the  present  centre  of  that  town  being  for  the 
most  part  opposed  to  the  incorporation  of  a new  town,  and  those  in  the 
western  and  eastern  parts  in  favor  of  it  ; and  that,  of  the  inhabitants  of 
the  proposed  new  town  iUelf,  those  belonging  to  Salisbury  and  Andover 
are  in  favor  of  its  incorporation,  those  in  Northfield  are  divided  and 
those  in  Sanbornton  opposed  to  it. 

4 4 The  objections  on  the  part  of  these  towns  are  very  fully  stated  in 
the  remonstrances,  and  other  papers,  which  accompany  this  report. 
Some  of  these  objections  appeared  to  the  committee  not  to  l>e  sustained 
by  the  facts  in  the  case,  others  they  have  endeavored  to  obviate  by  the 
limits  which  they  have  assigned  to  the  new  town,  and  of  the  remainder, 
such  of  them  as  have  any  real  weight  are,  in  their  opinion,  greatly 
overbalanced  by  other  and  more  important  considerations  in  favor  of  the 
new  tow'll.  That  inconvenience  should  result  to  some  individuals  is  to 
be  expected,  as  a matter  of  course,  in  all  proposed  changes  of  this  kind. 
Rut,  in  the  present  instance,  the  individuals  injuriously  affected  are  few 
in  number,  and  the  injury  which  they  w'ill  sustain  inconsiderable,  com- 
pared with  the  advantages  which  w ill  accrue  from  the  proposed  change. 
Within  the  limits  proposed  for  the  new  tow  n there  is  already  a popula- 
tion equal  to  that  of  the  average  number  given  by  more  than  one-half  of 
the  towns  in  the  State.  The  number  of  rateable  polls,  as  near  as  the 
committee  could  ascertain,  is  187,  of  which  number  75  belong  to  Salis- 
bury, 48  to  Sanbornton,  37  to  Northfield  and  27  to  Andover.  There  have 
recently  been  erected  on  the  hanks  of  the  Winnipissiogee  river,  within 
the  limits  of  the  proposed  new  town,  a paper-mill  and  cotton  manufac- 
tory, both  of  which  are  now  in  full  and  successful  operation.  From  the 
great  falls  in  this  and  other  streams  in  that  vicinity  and  the  inexhausti- 
ble supply  of  w*ater,  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  very  extensive  manu- 
facturing establishments  and  other  works  requiring  water-power  w ill,  at 
no  distant  period,  be  erected  at  or  near  this  spot,  in  addition  to  those 
already  there.  Even  without  these  contemplated  improvements,  which 
would  of  course  bring  along  with  them  a considerable  increase  of  inhab- 
itants, the  number  at  this  time  living  within  the  proposed  limits,  and  the 
amount  of  business  transacted  at  the  villages  along  the  river,  seem  to 
entitle  them  to  the  ordinary  privilege  of  being  incorporated  into  a town 
by  themselves. 

44  Many  of  the  petitioners  live  at  a great  distance  from  the  centre  of 
business  in  their  respective  towns,  and  have  far  to  go  over  rough  roads 
to  attend  the  annual  and  other  public  town-meetings.  Their  local  situ- 
ation, on  the  contrary,  is  such  that  they  come  easily  and  frequently  to- 
gether in  the  course  of  business  at  the  village  near  the  bridge.  At  this 
village  a handsome  church  has  been  lately  built,  in  which,  besides  the 
accommodation  which  it  furnishes  as  a place  of  religious  worship,  the 
public  meetings  of  the  new  town  may  be  conveniently  held.  Tt  may  be 
here  added,  while  speaking  of  public  establishments,  that  a well-endowed 
Literary  Institution — 4 Noyes  School  ’ — has  within  a few  years  been 
founded  within  the  proposed  limits  of  the  new  town,  and  that,  within 
the  same  limits,  there  is  also  a Post-Office.  The  objection  that  the  new 
town,  if  created,  will  be  divided  by  the  Peinigewasset,  which  passes 
through  it,  is  in  a great  measure  obviated  by  the  fact  that  there  is  a good 
bridge  over  this  stream  near  the  meeting-house,  and  that  the  roads  are 
so  arranged  as  to  meet  generally  at  this  point.  It  was  said  that  this 
bridge  might  be  swept  away  by  the  sudden  rise  of  the  stream,  and  this  is 
certainly  true  ; but  it  is  equally  tme  that  this  bridge  is  too  much  used, 
both  by  people  in  the  vicinity  and  by  travellers  from  a distance,  to  leave 
any  doubt  as  to  its  being  kept  constantly  in  repair.  .With  some  improve- 
ments on  the  Men  imack,  which  have  been  long  contemplated,  that  river 
would  be  navigable  up  to  the  junction  of  the  Winnipissiogee  with  the 
Peinigewasset,  which  takes  place  near  the  centre  of  the  contemplated 
new  town,  about  seventeen  miles  from  Concord.  In  that  event  the  new 
town  would  be  situated  at  the  head  of  navigation  on  the  Merrimack.  It 
was  urged  on  the  part  of  Northfield  that  the  creation  of  the  new  town 
would  deprive  them  of  so  many  of  their  inhabitants  as  not  to  leave  them 
the  number  of  rateable  polls  required  by  the  Constitution  to  entitle  towns 
to  a representative  to  the  General  Court.  This  objection  would  have  had 
much  influence  with  the  committee  if  they  had  found  it  well  supported 
by  the  facts  in  the  case.  Rut  the  certificate  of  the  town  clerk  of  North- 
field  shows  that  the  check  lists,  used  at  the  annual  meeting  in  that  town 
in  March,  1825,  contained  the  names  of  265  voters.  From  the  same  certi- 
ficate it  appears  that,  of  this  number,  only  thirty-seven  voters  live  within 
the  proposed  limits  of  the  new  town,  which  would  leave,  after  the 
separation,  two  hundred  and  twenty -eight  legal  voters  in  Northfield. 
Much  was  also  said  before  the  committee  respecting  the  injury  which 
would  result  from  the  divisiou  of  farms  and  the  destruction  of  school 
districts  in  the  old  towns  by  the  incorporation  of  the  new.  That  some- 
thing of  this  kind  should  occur  in  every  new  arrangement  of  town  lines 


FRANKLIN. 


313 


is  perhaps  inevitable.  In  the  present  instance  the  committee  have  en- 
deavored, as  far  as  possible,  to  avoid  any  inconvenience  of  this  kind,  and 
they  have  so  far  succeeded  in  this  object  as  to  divide  very  few  fauns  at 
all ; and  none,  so  far  as  they  are  informed,  in  a manner  particularly 
injurious  to  the  owner.  The  old  school  districts  in  the  several  towns  are 
also  left,  for  the  most  part,  without  change,  and  where  any  alteration 
will  become  necessary  in  any  of  them,  it  can,  without  difficulty,  be 
effected. 

“ The  committee,  therefore,  recommended  that  a new  town  be  incor- 
porated, to  be  formed  from  parts  of  the  old  towns  of  Sanbornton,  Salis- 
bury, Northfield  and  Andover.  A survey  of  the  territory  included  within 
the  limits  of  the  proposed  new  town,  as  designated  by  the  committee, 
has  been  made  under  their  direction  and  accompanies  this  report. 

“All  which  is  respectfully  submitted, 

“Caleb  Keith. 

“William  Plumer,  Jr. 

“Abel  IVIerril. 

“ January  31,  1820.” 

The  towns  of  Salisbury,  Andover,  Sanbornton  and 
Northfield  then  engaged  E.  X.  Woodbury  and  peti- 
tioned the  Legislature  to  be  put  back.  Parker  Noyes 
protested  to  the  proceedings,  as  the  town  had  not  been 
notified.  A committee  reported  in  favor  of  the  peti- 
tioners. Noyes  then  moved  for  an  order  of  notice  and 
postponement,  which  he  secured.  The  following  is  a 
copy  of  the  report  of  the  committee  on  towns  and 
parishes  for  1828 : 

“The  standing  Committee  on  Towns  and  Parishes,  having  had  under 
their  consideration  the  petition  of  Dearborn  Sanborn  and  others,  praying 
for  a new  town  to  be  taken  from  the  towns  of  Salisbury,  Andover,  San- 
bornton and  Northfield,  and  also  sundry  memorials  and  remonstrances 
against  the  petitions  and  other  papers  connected  therewith, 

Report  : 

“ That  notice  of  the  pendency  of  said  petition  has  been  published, 
pursuant  to  the  order  of  the  House,  at  the  bust  session,  and  that  the  pe- 
titioners, as  well  as  the  corporations  and  individuals  opposed  to  the 
prnyer  of  said  petition,  have  presented  to  the  committee  such  testimony 
as  seemed  to  them  to  have  a bearing  upon  the  merits  of  the  case. 

“ As  a result  of  their  inquiries  the  committee  offer  for  the  considera- 
tion of  the  House  the  following 

“ Statement  of  Facts  : 

“The  original  petition  is  signed  by  two  hundred  and  ten  voters,  ami 
the  petition  which  was  referred  to  the  committee,  at  the  present  session, 
is  signed  by  thirty  voters,  making  two  hundred  and  forty  petitioners  in 
the  whole,  all,  or  nearly  all  of  whom  reside  within  the  limits  of  the  pro- 


posed new  town. 

“The  number  of  voters  in  Salisbury  is 425 

in  Andover * * 325 

in  Sanbornton 750 

in  Northfield 288 

“The  proposed  new  town  would  include  within  its  limits, 

from  Salisbury 108 

from  Andover 35 

from  Sanbornton 55 

from  Northfield 40 

Making  in  all  247 


voters  to  be  included  within  the  limits  of  the  new  town,  of  whom  38 
remonstrate  against  the  prayer  of  the  petition,  and  leaving  the  old  towns, 
in  the  event  of  incorporation  of  the  new  one,  the  following  number  of 


voters,  viz.  : 

Salisbury 317 

Andover • 200 

Sanbornton 695 

Northfield 239 

“The  whole  amouut  of  State  tax,  assessed  in  Salisbury  in  1828,  is 

§416,79  j 

Assessed  on  inhabitants  within  the  proposed  limits 91,26 

State  tax  in  Andover,  1828  248.00  I 

Assessed  on  inhabitants  within  proposed  limits 21.63 

State  tax.  in  Sanbornton,  1828  478.80 


Assessed  on  inhabitants  in  proposed  limits 34.03 

State  tax  in  Northfield  in  1828  200.00 

Assessed  on  inhabitants  in  proposed  limits 37.95 


“From  this  statement  it  appears  that  the  valuation  of  the  inhabitants, 
to  be  taken  from  Salisbury  and  Andover,  is  rather  below  ; while  that 
of  the  inhabitants  of  Sanbornton  and  Northfield  is  somewhat  above  the 
average  valuation  of  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  respective  towns. 

“From  the  examination  made  by  the  committee  they  are  satisfied  that 
the  territory  pointed  out  {is  the  limits  of  the  new  town  contains  a popu. 
lation  and  resources  which  will  entitle  it  to  a respectable  rank  among 
the  towns  in  New  Hampshire.  That  this  population  is  increasing,  ap- 
pears from  the  fact,  that  in  January,  1826,  the  whole  number  of  voters 
within  the  proposed  limits  was  187,  shewing  an  increase  of  nearly  one- 
fourth  part  in  the  number  of  voters  in  less  than  three  years. 

“The  committee  are  also  satisfied  that  the  inhabitants,  living  within 
the  territory,  would  be  accommodated  by  granting  the  prayer  of  the  pe- 
tition. Most  of  them  have  a distance  to  travel  in  order  to  attend  the 
public  meetings,  which  tends  much  to  diminish,  in  respect  to  them,  the 
value  of  the  elective  franchise.  Many  of  the  petitioners  in  Salisbury  live 
at  a distance  of  five  miles,  and  some  of  them  a greater  distance  from  the 
place  of  town-meeting.  And  all  those  comprised  within  the  new  town 
could  much  more  conveniently  attend  at  its  proposed  centre.  The  same 
remark  will  apply  to  Andover,  except  that  the  average  saving  in  travel 
would  be  somewhat  more.  Some  of  the  petitioners  in  Sanbornton  live  in 
the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  proposed  new  centre,  and  most  of  them 
nearer  to  it  than  to  the  place  of  public  meeting  in  that  town.  In  North- 
field  is  a considerable  settlement,  connected  with  the  manufacturing  es- 
tablishments, on  the  banks  of  the  Winnipissiogee.  This  is  within  a mile 
of  the  proposed  new  centre,  and  a little  over  four  miles  from  the  place  of 
meeting  in  Northfield. 

“In  regard  to  the  quality  of  the  roads  and  the  expense  of  making  and 
repairing,  the  committee  do  not.fi nd  any  essential  difference  between  the 
old  towns  and  those  parts  proposed  to  be  taken  off.  It  was  objected,  cn 
the  part  of  Andover,  that  by  dividing  that  town,  in  the  manner  proposed 
by  the  petitioners,  an  expensive  road  in  the  northeast  part  would  be  left 
to  be  supported  by  that  town,  whereas  it  ought  to  be  supported  by  that 
portion  of  Andover  which  has  petitioned  to  be  set  off.  It  did  not  appear 
to  the  committee,  however,  that  the  average  expense  of  repairing  roads 
in  that  part  of  Andover  to  be  comprised  in  the  new  town,  is  not  equal  to 
the  expense  of  repairing  roads  in  other  parts  of  the  new  town  ; and  for 
this,  among  other  reasons,  a majority  of  the  committee  is  opposed  to  ex- 
tending the  line  in  Andover  over  the  limits  pointed  out  by  the  petition- 
ers. 

“ The  fact  being  established  that  the  proposed  territory  contains  a 
population  and  resources  which  entitle  the  prayer  of  the  petitioners  to  a 
respectful  hearing,  and  that  there  are  inconveniences  which  they  at 
present  suffer  which  ought  to  be  redressed,  the  committee  have  proceeded 
to  the  only  remaining  inquiry  which  seemed  to  them  necessary  to  be 
made,  in  order  to  come  to  a correct  result  as  to  the  subject  matter  re- 
ferred to  them — which  is, — 

“ Whether  these  inconveniences  can  be  removed,  and  these  grievances 
redressed  consistently  with  a due  regard  to  the  interests  and  rights  of 
the  towns  or  individuals  to  be  affected  by  the  measure  proposed. 

“ It  is  proper  here  to  remark,  that  the  prayer  of  the  petition  is  op- 
posed by  the  towns  of  Salisbury,  Sanbornton  and  Northfield  ; that  it  is 
not  probable  that  any  arrangement,  in  regard  to  lines,  would  reconcile 
the  inhabitants  of  those  towns,  living  out  of  the  proposed  limits,  to  a 
division.  The  town  of  Andover,  also,  opposes  the  petition,  unless  the 
line  of  the  new  town  should  extend  north  to  New  Chester,  in  which 
event,  as  the  committee  were  informed,  that  town  would  make  no  fur- 
ther opposition. 

“The  objections  made  by  the  several  towns  were  urged  by  their  agents, 
who  were  before  the  committee,  with  much  zeal  and  ability.  The  com- 
mittee have  attentively  considered  these  objections  and  the  testimony  in 
their  support,  and  upon  a view  of  the  whole  subject,  a majority  of  the 
committee  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  objections  to  the  proposed  measure 
are  not  sufficient  to  counterbalance  the  obvious  benefits  which  would 
result  to  the  petitioners  by  the  establishment  of  a new  town. 

“The  objections  urged  by  the  towns  were, — 

“1.  The  general  objection  against  all  encroachments  on  town  lines 
This  objection,  in  the  opinion  of  the  committee,  ought  to  prevail  only 
when  a town  is  subjected  to  a loss,  either  in  influence  or  resources,  and 
I when  a party  seeking  a redress  for  grievances  can  find  a different  rem- 
, ody.  In  this  case,  however,  the  committee  have  the  satisfaction  of  belie  v- 
| mg  that  a new  town  may  be  incorporated  and  the  old  towns  may  still  re- 
main, as  they  have  always  been,  highly  respectable  in  point  of  numbers, 
character  and  resources  of  their  inhabitants.  The  committee  is  further 


314 


HISTORY"  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY",  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


of  opinion  that  to  constitute  a new  town  it  is  necessary  to  take  a portion  | 
of  each  of  the  towns  mentioned. 

“2.  Another  objection  urged  was, — That  school  districts  would  be  de- 
ranged by  the  lines  marked  out  by  the  petitioners. 

“ It  may  be  here  remarked,  that  in  Salisbury  and  Andover  no  school 
district  is  affected  by  the  new  town.  In  regard  to  Sanbornton  and  North- 
field,  the  proposed  liue  divides  school  districts,  and  in  some  places,  of 
course,  inconveniently.  But  from  a careful  examination  of  the  testi- 
mony in  this  particular,  the  committee  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  pro- 
posed line  in  these  towns  is  as  little  inconvenient  as  any  that  could  well 
be  adopted.  In  regard  to  this  objection,  and  others  of  a similar  nature, 
the  committee  may  with  much  propriety  make  use  of  the  language  of  a 
highly  respectable  committee,  who,  after  viewing  the  ground  and  hear- 
ing the  parties,  made  their  report  to  the  House  of  Representatives  in 
June,  1826 : 

“‘Much  was  said,’  say  that  committee,  ‘respecting  the  injury  that 
would  result  from  the  division  of  farms  and  destruction  of  school  districts 
in  the  old  towns  by  the  incorporation  of  the  new.  That  something  of 
this  kind  should  occur  in  every  new  arrangement  of  town  lines  is  per- 
haps inevitable.  In  the  present  instance  the  committee  have  endeavored, 
as  far  as  possible,  to  avoid  any  inconvenience  of  this  kind,  and  they  have 
so  far  succeeded  in  this  object  as  to  divide  very  few  farms  at  all,  and 
none,  so  far  as  they  are  informed,  in  a manner  particularly  injurious  to 
the  owner.  The  old  school  districts,  in  the  several  towns,  are  left  for 
the  most  part  without  change,  and  where  any  alteration  will  become 
necessary,  in  any  of  them,  it  can,  without  difficulty,  be  effected.’ 

“It  should  be  remarked,  that  in  their  investigations  the  committee 
have  confined  themselves  to  the  limits  defined  by  the  viewing  commit- 
tee in  1826. 

“The  committee  report  for  the  consideration  of  the  House  the  follow- 
ing resolution  : 

“ Resolved , That  it  is  expedient  to  establish  a new  town,  to  be  taken 
from  Salisbury,  Andover,  Sanbornton  and  Northfield,  and  including  in 
its  limits  the  bounds  pointed  out  by  the  petitioners,  and  that  the  peti- 
tioners have  leave  to  bring  in  a bill  for  that  purpose. 

“Levi  Chamberlain,  for  the  Committee. 

“ December  3,  1828.” 

The  town  was  incorporated  as  Franklin  December 
24,  1828. 

What  pertains  to  the  setting  off  of  the  southwest 
portion  of  the  original  town,  to  form  the  town  of 
Franklin  (says  Rev.  Mr.  Runnels,  in  an  account  of 
the  action  of  Sanbornton  in  relation  to  this  contro- 
versy), may  now  be  safely  treated  as  a matter  of 
history;  but  in  alluding  to  the  later  division,  or  at- 
tempts at  division,  we  shall  be  treading  upon  delicate 
ground,  and  shall  therefore  confine  ourselves  almost 
exclusively  to  the  recorded  action  of  the  town  from 
time  to  time.  The  Sanbornton  people  were  no  doubt 
honest  in  their  earliest  strenuous  opposition,  though 
we  now  smile  at  the  arguments  used,  the  fallacy  of 
some  of  which,  valid  in  their  day,  is  being  proved  by 
the  lapse  of  time. 

In  town-meeting,  March  9,  1825,  the  subject  of 
“setting  off  the  southwest  corner  of  town  ” first  came 
up  in  the  warrant,  “ by  petition  of  Ebenezer  Eastman 
and  others,  to  form  a new  town.”  A “ polling  of  the 
House”  resulted  in  “yeas,  4;  nays,  402.”  At  the 
same  time  a similar  movement  for  the  “ northwest 
part  of  the  town,  on  petition  of  Ebenezer  Kimball 
and  others,”  was  disposed  of  in  nearly  as  summary  a 
way, — “nays,  379;  yeas,  7.” 

Next,  from  the  Strafford  Gazette  of  October  22, 
1825,  we  obtain  this  document, — 

“ The  inhabitants  of  the  southwest  part  of  this  fov\u  presented  to  the 
committee  appointed  by  the  Legislature  to  lay  out  a new  town,  agree- 


! ably  to  the  petition  of  Ebenezer  Eastman  and  others,  the  following 
remonstrance ; 

“The  undersigned,  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Sanbornton,  remou- 
nt rate  against  being  set  off  into  a new  town,  agreeable  to  the  petition  of 
E.  Eastman  and  others,  and  represent  that  they  are  not  subject  to  any 
great  * inconvenience,’  nor  do  they  suffer  any  ‘privation  of  civil  and  re- 
ligious privileges  by  reason  of  their  distance  from  the  public  building  ’ 
in  this  town  ; but,  on  the  contrary,  believe  their  civil  and  religious  privi- 
leges are  now  far  superior  to  any  they  might  expect  to  enjoy  in  the  new 
town. 

“That  they  now  live  in  a town  in  which  there  is  and  long  has  l»een 
:m  uncommon  harmony  between  the  different  religious  societies  ; neither 
can  they  believe  that  that  harmony,  civil  or  religious,  will  be  increased 
by  their  becoming  members  of  the  new  town,  divided  as  this  will  be  by 
a large  river,  extending  nine  miles  through  the  centre  of  the  town,  im- 
passable but  at  one  place,  their  neighborhoods  divided  in  like  manner, 
the  wants  of  its  several  parts  unknown  to  the  other  in  consequence  of 
this  division  ; but  have  good  reason  to  believe  that  it  would  produce  an 
unfriendly  disposition  and  rivalship  between  its  several  parts,  not  only 
in  their  civil  and  fiscal  concerns,  but  might  likewise  engender  the  seeds 
of  hatred  and  animosity  in  their  religious  duties. 

“That  the  town  in  which  they  now  live  have  a school  and  parsonage 
fund  amounting  to  more  than  58000,  the  interest  of  which  is  annually 
appropriated  towards  the  support  of  our  common  schools  and  all  of  our 
religious  societies.  Remove  us  from  these  advantages,  and  you  place  us 
in  a town  having  no  funds  ; and  instead  of  conferring  a favor,  you  im- 
|w»se  upon  us  a tax  annually  exceeding  our  proi>ortion  of  a $4000  State 
tax.  Remove  us,  and  you  deprive  us  of  a rich  legacy,  fostered  and  en- 
larged by  the  parental  (?)  [obscure]  and  tender  care  of  our  fathers,  and 
left  by  them  not  only  for  the  instruction  of  our  children  in  their  civil 
and  political  duties,  but  by  it  the  vital  principles  of  piety  and  evangeli- 
cal knowledge  are  enforced,  which  are  the  only  sure  foundations  of  our 
present,  and  the  only  hope  of  our  future  happiness. 

“That  they  now  live  in  a town  mostly  surrounded  by  monuments 
created  from  the  foundation  of  the  world,  which  require  no  perambula- 
tion, admit  of  no  doubt  and  subject  us  to  no  lawsuits  respecting  their 
authenticity.  Remove  us,  and  you  subject  eight  towns  and  eight  differ- 
ent sets  of  selectmen  to  the  expense  of  perambulating  over  twenty-five 
miles  of  a zigzag  line  on  this  new  town  where  we  now  have  natural 
boundaries. 

“That  we  have  located  and  accommodated  our  farms  to  our  several 
wants  and  circumstances.  Remove  us,  and  you  divide  them,  and  leave 
a part  in  another  town,  to  be  taxed  as  non-resident,  depriving  our  chil- 
dren, in  addition  to  the  loss  of  our  school  and  parsonage  money,  of  the 
benefit  of  the  school  tax  of  that  part  of  our  property,  and  giving  it  to 
strangers.  Remove  us,  and  you  divide  our  school  districts,  subjecting 
those  who  now  live  near  the  school-house  to  travel  more  than  two  miles 
to  attend  school ; you  will  locate  many  of  us  farther  from  our  public 
building  ; you  will  augment  our  taxes  ; you  will  give  us  a great  share 
of  bridges;  you  will  subject  us  to  the  maintenance  of  several  miles  of 
highway,  in  addition  to  our  common  highway  tax  ; and  we  never  have 
been  able  to  find  a precedent,  and  cannot  discover  the  least  semblance 
of  justice  in  taking  off  a large  section  of  this  town  against  their  unani- 
mous wish,  augmenting  their  taxes  at  least  one-third,  depriving  us  of 
our  school  and  parsonage  money,  dividing  and  cutting  up  our  farms, 
destroying  our  school  districts,  and  placing  us  under  the  arbitrary  will 
.if  strangers,— and  we  caunot  willingly  consent  to  these  sacrifices  with- 
out wre  can  perceive  a far  greater  advantage  to  some  section  of  this  town 
than  merely  gratifyiug  the  ambition  and  pride  of  some  half  a dozen  in- 
dividuals. (Signed) 

“James  Clark. 

Samuel  Fellows. 

Abraham  Cross. 

David  Clark,  Jr. 

Dearborn  Sanborn. 

Jonathan  Sanborn,  Jr. 

George  C.  Ward. 

Tristram  Sanborn. 

David  Thompson. 

Nicholas  Clark. 

Abraham  Sanborn,  Jr. 

Jonathan  Prescott. 

William  Thompson. 

David  Gage. 

Nathan  S.  Morrison. 

Ebenezer  Morrison. 


Bradbury  Morrison. 
Satchel  W.  Clark. 
Dearborn  Sanboru,  Jr. 
William  Robertson. 
Abraham  Sanborn. 
Andrew'  Sanborn. 

John  Cate. 

Jouathan  Prescott,  Jr. 
Jeremiah  French. 
Samuel  Prescott. 

David  Dolloft. 

Joseph  Thompson. 
John  Thompson. 

Levi  Thompson. 

Joseph  Sanborn.” 


FRANKLIN. 


315 


It  would  appear  from  the  foregoing  that  the  legal 
voters  in  that  part  of  Sanbornton  which  is  now 
Franklin  were  then,  almost  to  a man,  opposed  to  the 
division ; while  it  must  be  remembered  that  Mr. 
Eastman  and  the  few  others  who  petitioned  in  its 
favor  were  living  upon  the  west  side  of  the  river,  in 
what  was  then  Salisbury  village.  Accordingly,  for 
three  years  longer,  while  efforts  were  continued  for 
the  formation  of  the  new  town,  the  dismemberment 
of  its  own  territory  was  as  steadily  opposed  by  the 
town  of  Sanbornton.  Even  “ at  the  last  moment,” 
November  3,  1828,  it  was  voted,  on  the  motion,  “that 
part  of  the  town  petitioned  for  be  set  off  for  the  for- 
mation of  a new  town,”  yeas,  twenty;  nays,  three 
hundred  and  eighty  ; and  Charles  Gilman,  Esq.,  was 
chosen  as  an  agent  to  oppose  the  petition  of  Dearborn 
Sanborn  and  others  (for  new  town)  before  the  com- 
mittee of  the  Legislature  on  towns  and  incorpora- 
tions. 

When,  however,  at  the  next  annual  meeting,  March 
11,  1829,  the  town  of  Franklin  had  been  constituted, 
there  was  a display  of  will,  pertinacity  and  almost 
obstinacy  on  the  part  of  the  Sanbornton  citizens, 
which  seems  hardly  justifiable,  in  that  they  “would 
do  nothing”  in  respect  to  “the  proportion  of  the 
town  funds  claimed  by  Franklin,  the  town  paupers 
of  Sanbornton  belonging  to  Franklin,  or  the  annex- 
ing to  most  convenient  schools  districts  of  those  dis- 
aunexed  by  the  forming  of  the  new  town.” 

The  controversy  continued  for  several  years,  as  in 
March,  1832,  a special  agent  was  chosen — Nathaniel 
Holmes,  Esq. — to  make  arrangement  with  the  town 
of  Franklin  and  to  obtain  able  counsel,  whether  the 
town  of  Sanbornton  is  holden  to  pay  to  Franklin  any 
of  its  fund;  and  if  holden,  to  make  further  arrange- 
ments and  lay  the  matter  again  before  the  town.  At 
a meeting  in  October  (same  year)  it  was  voted  that 
the  town  agent  and  selectmen  “obtain  further  coun- 
sel whether  Franklin  has  a legal  claim  upon  San- 
bornton for  a proportion  of  the  School  and  Parsonage 
Fund.”  The  above  agent  never  reported  to  the  town 
(as  appears  from  records) ; but  at  a special  meeting, 
January  20,  1834,  an  action  having  been  brought  by 
the  town  of  Franklin  against  Sanbornton  to  recover 
part  of  the  funds  belonging  to  said  Sanbornton, 
Charles  Lane,  Esq.,  was  appointed  agent  to  attend  to 
the  suit,  with  instructions  to  continue  the  action  so 
long  as  any  probability  of  gaining  it  may  exist;  or 
otherwise,  that  he  have  power  to  settle  the  action  and 
agree  on  a committee  to  say  “ how  much  of  the  town 
funds  Franklin  shall  have,  and  what  part  of  the  poor 
it  shall  take.” 

The  Sanbornton  fathers  of  that  day  were  honest  in 
the  belief  that  no  other  town  could  justly  claim  the 
funds  which  were  left  to  their  town ; hence  they  were 
sincere  in  resisting  the  claims  of  Franklin.  But  it 
was  Ultimately  decided  against  them,  as  in  1836,  of 
the  “School  and  Parsonage  Fund,”  which  had 
amounted  to  $6658.78,  $633.53  was  paid  to  Franklin 


as  “the  share  belonging  to  those  persons  who  had 
been  set  off,”  leaving  a balance  of  $6025.25. 

CHAPTER  III. 

FRANK  L IN — ( Continued). 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

Tli©  Congregational  Church  1 — Unitariau  Church — First  Baptist  Church 
— Christian  Baptist  Church — Free  Baptist  Church — Methodist  Church 
— Roman  Catholic  Church. 

The  First  Unitarian  Congregational  Society  of 
Franklin  was  organized  the  6th  of  December,  1879, 
“ For  the  purpose  of  establishing  and  sustaining  the 
worship  of  God  in  public  and  social  religious  ser- 
vices, and  to  secure  for  ourselves  and  our  children  the 
benefits  of  religious  instruction,  and  as  a means  of 
illustrating  and  extending  rational  and  practical 
Christianity.” 

In  the  second  article  of  the  constitution  the  ob- 
jects of  the  society  are  declared  to  be  “the  cultiva- 
tion and  diffusion  of  useful  knowledge,  the  promotion 
of  fraternal  justice,  and  of  a serious  and  intelligent 
public  spirit,  and  the  earnest  endeavor  to  supply  a 
centre  and  home  of  religious  sympathy  and  of  all 
good  influences  to  those  who  seek  and  need  our  fel- 
lowship.” 

On  the  occasion  of  the  organization  of  the  society 
the  constitution  was  signed  by  the  following  persons: 
Rev.  J.  B.  Harrison,  Mrs.  W.  F.  Daniell,  Mrs.  R.  G. 
Burleigh,  A.  W.  Sulloway,  W.  F.  Daniell,  Daniel 
Barnard,  Charles  H.  Gould,  R.  G.  Burleigh,  G.  B. 
Wheeler,  F.  H.  Daniell,  R.  E.  Bean,  E.  B.  8.  San- 
born. The  following  persons  were  elected  officers  of 
the  society:  Clerk,  George  B.  Wheeler;  Treasurer, 
Alexis  Proctor;  Pastor,  Rev.  J.  B.  Harrison;  Trus- 
tees, Warren  F.  Daniell,  Daniel  Barnard,  A.  W.  Sul- 
loway, E.  B.  S.  Sanborn,  R.  G.  Burleigh,  Alexis 
Proctor,  Frank  H.  Chapman. 

The  board  of  trustees  was  constituted  a committee 
to  procure  plans  and  consider  other  matters  pertain- 
ing to  the  building  of  a church. 

At  a meeting  of  the  trustees,  held  April  20th,  a 
communication  was  read  by  the  pastor  informing  the 
trustees  that  Mrs.  Persis  Smith,  of  St.  Louis,  had 
offered  the  society  the  sum  of  four  thousand  dollars 
toward  the  erection  of  a church  and  one  thousand 
toward  building  a parsonage,  provided  that  a suitable 
building  lot  be  given  for  the  parsonage  and  a suitable 
home  erected  thereon  within  a reasonable  time. 

At  a meeting  of  the  society,  April  30,  1881,  it  was 
voted  that  the  trustees  proceed  to  build  a church,  to 
cost  not  less  than  ten  thousand  dollars.  The  trustees 
were  also  authorized  to  build  a parsonage  as  soon  as 
the  necessary  funds  could  be  raised.  At  the  annual 


1 J$ee  appeudix. 


2 By  Rev.  E.  S.  Elder. 


316 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


meeting  of  the  society,  December  31,  1881,  A.  W.  [ 
Sulloway  reported  that  a parsonage  had  been  built  at  [ 
a cost,  exclusive  of  the  lot,  which  had  been  given  by 
W.  F.  Daniell,  of  two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  of 
which  amount  Mrs.  Smith  had  contributed  one  thou- 
sand dollars  and  Mr.  Sulloway  had  advanced  the  re- 
maining fifteen  hundred  until  the  society  could  repay 
it.  During  the  year  the  society  received  from  its 
most  generous  benefactor,  Mrs.  Smith,  three  thousand 
dollars  toward  the  foundation  of  a library,  to  which 
was  added  five  hundred  dollars  contributed  by  mem- 
bers of  the  society,  and  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars, 
a gift  from  an  unknown  friend,  through  Hutchins  A 
Wheeler,  of  Boston.  At  a meeting  of  trustees,  held 
November  24,  1883,  the  building  committee  reported 
that  the  church  was  completed  at  a cost,  including 
two  thousand  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  paid 
for  the  land,  of  sixteen  thousand  one  hundred  and 
twenty  dollars. 

It  was  voted  that  the  church  be  dedicated  Decem- 
ber 19th,  and  that  Rev.  M.  J.  Savage  be  invited  to 
preach  the  dedication  sermon.  The  clerk  of  the 
society  was  instructed  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of 
one  thousand  dollars  from  Mrs.  Charlotte  E.  Stevens, 
of  North  Andover,  Mass.,  and  the  offer  of  whatever 
further  sum  might  be  needed  to  purchase  and  place 
in  the  church  such  an  organ  as  Mrs.  R.  G.  Burleigh 
and  Airs.  W.  F.  Daniell  might  select. 

The  church  was  dedicated  December  19th,  Rev.  M. 
J.  Savage  preaching  the  sermon.  Among  those 
present  and  participating  in  the  services  of  the  day 
was  Rev.  Horatio  Wood  who,  fifty-one  years  before, 
had  preached  the  first  Unitarian  sermon  ever  preached 
in  Franklin. 

In  January,  1884,  Rev.  J.  B.  Harrison,  who,  by 
earnestness  and  a high  order  of  ability,  had  drawn  a 
congregation  together,  and  held  them  during  nearly 
five  years,  withdrew  from  the  pastorate  of  the  society. 
In  the  following  September  the  society  extended  a 
call  to  Rev.  E.  S.  Elder  to  become  their  pastor,  which 
call  was  accepted. 

The  foregoing  narrative  has  been  compiled  from  the 
church  records.  But  little  needs  to  be  added.  A bis- 
tory of  a church  cannot  be  written  in  its  infancy. 
The  first  six  years  of  the  life  of  the  society  have  been 
extremely  prosperous,  and  the  present  is  full  of 
promise.  The  society  is  indebted  for  its  existence  and 
prosperity  to  an  unusually  fortunate  concurrence  of 
favorable  circumstances.  It  was  no  common  talent 
that  attracted,  and  no  common  ability  that  held  to- 
gether, a congregation  drawn  from  all  the  churches. 

It  was  no  ordinary  interest  in  a liberal  church,  and 
in  what  it  stands  for,  that  prompted  the  generous  gifts 
of  over  nine  thousand  dollars  from  distant  friends  to- 
ward a church,  an  organ,  a parsonage  and  a library, 
and  this  generosity  was  seconded,  by  a corresponding 
liberality  on  tbe  part  of  the  society.  And  what  is 
more  significant  and  promising,  those  ideas,  convictions 
and  purposes  of  which  the  Unitarian  Church  is  the 


representative  and  exponent  were  heartily  welcomed 
by  a large  portion  of  the  community.  There  are  at 
present  (188fi)  more  than  fifty  families  connected  with 
the  church.  In  its  unusually  excellent  library  of  more 
than  two  thousand  five  hundred  volumes,  to  which 
valuable  additions  are  being  made,  it  has  an  instru- 
ment of  power  and  helpfulness  to  the  entire  com- 
munity. It  is  to  be  hoped  that  as  an  institution  for 
the  promotion  of  goodness  and  righteousness  in  the 
lives  and  characters  of  its  members,  and  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  kingdom  of  (tod  in  the  community, 
the  Unitarian  Church  of  Franklin  will  abundantly 
justify  the  faith,  fulfill  the  hopes  and  reward  the 
endeavors  of  all  who  have  in  any  way  contributed  to 
its  establishment. 

The  First  Baptist  Church  of  Franklin  Falls.'— 

Owing  to  the  rapid  growth  of  the  village  of  East 
Franklin,  as  it  was  then  called,  there  was  an  evident 
need  of  some  place  in  which  religious  services  could 
be  held  on  the  Sabbath  for  the  benefit  of  many  who 
could  not  go  to  churches  in  the  neighboring  villages. 

Accordingly,  the  business  men  of  the  community 
secured  Lyceum  Hall,  the  only  place  that  was  then 
available,  and  made  arrangements  for  the  support  of 
weekly  religious  services  on  the  Sabbath.  Elder 
Burton,  of  Sanbornton,  appears  to  have  been  the 
earlist  regular  preacher  to  this  union  congregation, 
and  he  was  succeeded,  in  April,  186(5,  by  Rev.  N.  P. 
Philbrook,  who,  in  May,  1867,  was  followed  by  J.  E. 
Dame,  a student  from  tbe  academy  at  New  Hamp- 
ton. Air.  Dame  preached  his  farewell  sermon  June 
28,  1868,  and  Rev.  Charles  A.  Cooke  preached  most 
of  the  time  for  the  ensuing  year. 

Meanwhile,  the  question  of  organizing  a Baptist 
Church  had  been  discussed,  and  upon  the  advice  and 
encouragement  of  Rev.  E.  E.  Cummings,  D.I).,  of 
Concord,  an  organization  was  finally  effected  under 
the  name  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  East  Frank- 
lin. The  constituent  members  were  twelve  in  num- 
ber, as  follows:  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shadrach  Wadleigh, 
Mrs.  Lydia  Sanborn,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  T.  M.  Jenkins, 
Mrs.  James  Jenkins,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  Sumner, 
Mrs.  Walter  Aiken,  Mrs.  Fanny  W.  Sweat!,  Miss 
Nettie  Whittaker  and  Miss  Laura  McGloughlin. 

In  November,  1869,  Rev.  Benjamin  Wheeler,  of 
Saco,  Me.,  began  to  preach  to  the  union  congregation 
in  Lyceum  Hall,  and  in  June,  1870,  he  accepted  a 
call  from  the  Baptist  Church  to  become  its  pastor. 

In  the  summer  of  1869,  Walter  Aiken,  Esq.,  one  of 
the  most  generous  supporters  of  the  union  services, 
began  the  erection,  at  his  own  personal  expense,  of  a 
new  meeting-house,  which  was  completed  the  follow- 
ing spring,  so  that  just  at  the  time  when  the  town 
changed  Lyceum  Hall  into  a school  building  the  new 
church  building  was. ready  for  occupancy.  As  soon 
as  practicable  after  the  church  had  secured  a pastor, 
a council  of  neighboring  churches  was  called  to  con- 


^By  Rev.  A.  J.  Hopkins. 


FRANKLIN. 


317 


sider  the  question  of  recognizing  this  church  as  in 
good  standing  in  the  Baptist  denomination. 

This  council  met  June,  30,  1870,  and,  after  proper 
investigation,  voted  to  proceed  with  public  services 
of  recognition  of  the  new  church  and  dedication  of 
the  new  meeting-house. 

One  year  later  Mr.  Aiken,  with  rare  munificence, 
donated  the  meeting-house  and  land  on  which  it 
stood  to  the  First  Baptist  Society  and  he  has  to  the 
present  time  ever  been  a generous  contributor  to  the 
financial  prosperity  of  the  church. 

After  a brief  service  of  one  year  and  nine  months, 
Rev.  Mr.  Wheeler,  on  March  3,  1872,  resigned  his 
pastorate,  leaving  a church  which,  having  been  or- 
ganized less  than  three  years,  had  made  a net  gain  of 
seventy-five,  and  now  contained  eighty-seven  mem- 
bers. Of  this  iticrease,  forty  had  been  received  by 
baptism,  and  all  became  willing  workers  in  the  now 
vigorous  and  efficient  organization. 

Mr.  Wheeler,  in  the  following  October,  moved  from 
Franklin  to  Randolph,  Mass.,  though  he  remained  a 
beloved  member  of  this  church  until  August  25,  1876, 
the  date  of  his  death. 

Mr.  J.  F.  Fielden  began  preaching  for  the  church 
in  May,  after  Rev.  Mr.  Wheeler’s  resignation,  and 
June  7th  it  was  voted  to  extend  to  him  a call  to 
ordination  as  pastor  of  this  church.  The  call  having 
been  accepted,  the  public  services  of  ordination  were 
held  July  5,  1872.  During  the  next  seven  years  the 
church  enjoyed  a season  of  great  prosperity,  increas- 
ing rapidly  in  numbers  and  influence,  so  that  at  the 
end  of  its  first  decade  of  years  there  were  one  hundred 
and  ninety-six  members.' 

In  1875  the  First  Baptist  Society,  by  unanimous 
vote,  transferred  all  its  property  to  the  First  Baptist 
Church  of  Franklin  Falls,  a corporate  body  under  the 
laws  of  the  State.  In  April,  1875,  a baptistery  was 
placed  in  the  church,  and  in  July  an  additional  and 
useful  room  was  formed  by  connecting  the  church 
and  chapel.  In  February.  1878,  a fine-toned,  fifteen 
hundred  pounds  bell  was  presented  by  George  E. 
Buell,  Esq.,  and  placed  in  the  church  tower,  where  it 
yet  remains,  the  only  church  bell  in  the  village. 

Rev.  Mr.  Fielden  resigned  his  pastorate  in  Franklin 
August  5,  1881,  and  immediately  accepted  a call  to 
become  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  in  Win- 
chester, Mass. 

During  this  service  of  a little  more  than  nine  years 
Mr.  Fielden  made  a record  as  pastor  which  has 
rarely  excelled,  for  of  the  one  hundred  and  forty-nine 
accessions  during  his  ministry,  one  hundred  and  six 
were  baptized  by  him  and  forty-three  came  from 
other  churches. 

After  an  interval  of  about  five  months,  on  Decem- 
ber 16, 1881,  a call  was  given  to  Mr.  C.  R.  Brown,  of 
Cambridge,  Mass.,  to  become  pastor  of  the  church 
after  ordination.  This  call  having  been  accepted,  a 
council  met  in  the  church,  on  Friday,  December  30th, 
and,  after  a satisfactory  examination,  proceeded  to  the 


public  exercises  of  ordination  and  recognition.  This 
pastorate,  though  fruitful  in  accessions  of  new  mem- 
bers, was  quite  brief,  for  in  June,  1883,  the  pastor  was 
invited  by  the  trustees  of  Newton  Theological  Insti- 
tution to  take  the  position  of  assistant  professor  of 
Hebrew  and  cognate  languages  in  that  seminary. 
He,  having  pursued  those  studies  during  a residence 
of  two  years  in  Germany,  felt  it  to  be  his  duty  to 
accept  the  invitation,  and  accordingly  resigned  his 
pastoral  charge  after  a service  of  but  eighteen  months. 

In  July  the  church  extended  a call  to  Rev.  A.  J. 
Hopkins,  of  Hopkinton,  N.  H.,  to  become  their  pastor, 
and  he  accepted,  entering  upon  his  labors  at  the  be- 
ginning of  October,  1883.  During  the  period  between 
that  and  the  present  time  (July,  1885)  but  few  changes 
have  taken  place  and  little  worthy  of  note  has  oc- 
curred. The  church  now  numbers  one  hundred  and 
eighty  members,  has  a flourishing  Sunday-school  and 
appears  to  be  preparing  for  another  period  of  marked 
spiritual  development  and  rapid  increase  in  numbers. 

Christian  Church.1 — The  religious  awakening  out 
of  which  grew  the  Christian  Church  in  Franklin, 
N.  H.,  dates  back  to  October,  1810,  when  Elijah 
Shaw,  afterwards  a prominent  minister  in  the  de- 
nomination, visited  Andover  and  vicinity  on  an  ex- 
horting tour,  he  being  only  seventeen  years  old.  In 
the  summer  of  1811,  and  again  in  1814,  he  visited  the 
above-named  towns.  At  this  last  visit  the  work  began 
in  earnest,  he  preaching  in  a barn,  as  no  other  building 
was  large  enough  to  hold  the  crowds  that  flocked  to 
hear  the  good  news.  The  work  spread  into  the  ad- 
joining towns  of  Salisbury  and  Sanbornton. 

The  pioneer  church  organized  from  Elder  Elijah 
Shaw’s  labors  was  in  Sanbornton.  The  organization 
was  effected  October  25,  1814,  Elders  Moses  Cheney 
and  Elijah  Shaw  assisting.  This  church  continued 
its  work  with  some  efficiency  till  it  fell  to  decay,  in 
1827,  the  membership  at  that  period  being  eighty- 
one  persons,  residing  in  Sanbornton,  Salisbury, 
Andover,  New  Chester  and  Northfield.  Their 
covenant  was  brief  and  comprehensive : “ We,  whose 
names  are  under-written,  having  submitted  ourselves 
to  God,  agree  to  submit  ourselves  to  one  another,  con- 
sidering ourselves  a church  of  God,  called  to  be  saints, 
agreeing  to  take  the  New  Testament,  and  that  only, 
for  our  rule, — for  name,  belief  and  practice.” 

Elders  Galley  and  Morrison  organized  at  different 
times,  from  1820  to  1837.  three  churches  in  Andover 
and  Salisbury  village  (now  Franklin  West  village) 
and  Sanbornton.  These  three  churches  united,  March 
14,  1830,  into  a strong  organization.  They  did  not 
long  continue  in  this  united  capacity.  Little  or  no 
provision  was  made  for  supporting  the  minister,  and 
the  church  soon  went  to  ruin.  In  January,  1838, 
the  members  of  the  church  living  in  Franklin  decided 
to  separate  from  the  others  and  form  a new  church. 
The  organization  was  completed  January  21,  1838,  at 


1 By  Rev.  T.  G.  Moses. 


318 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


the  school-house  in  Franklin  village,  Elders  Benja.  I 
min  Galley  and  Richard  Davis  assisting. 

The  movement  toward  the  erection  of  the  church 
edifice,  in  which  the  church  have  worshiped,  was 
started  January  14,  1838.  A notice  was  posted  that 
day  for  a meeting  on  the  20th,  in  the  school-house  in 
Franklin  village,  of  all  desirous  of  aiding  in  the 
erection  of  such  a building.  At  that  meeting  Joshua 
Fifield,  James  Clark  and  Caleb  Merrill  were  ap- 
pointed to  procure  a site,  and  report  estimated  expense  ! 
to  an  adjourned  meeting  January  27th,  when  the  re- 
ports were  accepted,  and  Messrs.  Fifield,  Clark  and 
John  Rowell  were  appointed  a building  committee,  and 

N.  S.  Morrison,  Caleb  Merrill,  Daniel  Herrick,  a com-  j 
mittee  to  raise  funds  and  sell  pews.  February  10, 
1838,  all  the  arrangements  were  completed  for  the 
building.  The  foundation  was  put  in,  and  the  frame 
was  put  up  June  27th,  and  so  rapidly  was  the  work  j 
carried  forward  by  this  energetic  society,  that  the 
house  was  dedicated  to  the  worship  of  the  One  God  and 
His  Son,  Jesus  Christ,  November  7,  1838.  Isaac 
Hale,  Joshua  Fifield  and  John  Simonds  were  com- 
mittee of  arrangements,  Elder  Elijah  Shaw  preaching 
the  sermon  (text,  Isaiah  xlv.  6-7).  The  house 
cost  $3200.  The  pews  sold  and  subscriptions  paid 
amounted  to  $3003.73,  leaving  a debt  of  $197.27,  which 
was  raised  at  once,  and  the  church  given  to  the  worship 
of  God  free  from  debt,  and,  what  is  quite  remark- 
able in  the  history  of  churches,  has  never  had  an 
incumbrance  upon  it  in  the  form  of  a debt  ; and 
there  have  been  no  interruptions  or  lapses  in  the 
service  held  in  the  church.  In  1859  some  repairs  were 
made  at  an  expense  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  dollars. 
In  1872  repairs  and  improvements  in  the  interior  of 
the  church  were  made,  amounting  to  eight  hundred 
and  fifty  dollars,  and  a pipe-organ  put  in  costing 
fifteen  hundred  dollars.  The  pastors  that  have  been 
settled  over  this  church  since  its  organization  are  as 
follows:  Benjamin  Calley,  one  year,  to  1839 ; Joseph 
Elliot,  four  years  to  1843 ; Elijah  Shaw,  two  years,  to 
1845 ; J.  C.  Blodgett  and  E.  Chadwick,  one  year,  to 
1846  ; J.  W.  Tilton,  two  years,  to  1848;  O.  J.  Wait, 
eight  and  a half  years,  to  1856  ; A.  H.  Martin,  four 
and  a half  years,  to  1861.  During  1862  several  preach- 
ers of  different  denominations  supplied  the  pulpit.  In 
1862,  H.  C.  Dugan  was  settled,  who  remained  to  1865; 
Rev.  Mr.  Syreans,  to  1866 ; R.  B.  Eldridge,  to  1868  ; 

O.  J.  Wait  was  again  settled  in  1868  and  remained  to 
April  1,  1883,  when  he  resigned  to  become  president 
of  Antioch  College,  at  Yellow  Springs,  Ohio.  In  1883, 
T.  G.  Moses  was  called  to  the  pastorate.  In  writing 
this  sketch  I have  been  impressed  with  this  remark- 
able feature, — the  unanimity  which  has  characterized 
all  the  actions  of  this  body  of  Christians.  There  have 
been  no  long  and  distracting  church  trials,  no  bick- 
erings among  the  membership,  but  love  and  harmony 
have  prevailed  for  nearly  fifty  years.  The  present 
condition  of  the  church  is  prosperous.  The  Sunday- 
school  is  in  a flourishing  condition,  and  its  financial 


resources  are  sufficient  for  all  the  increased  demands 
upon  it. 

The  Free  Baptist  Church  was  organized  in  1870 
with  sixteen  members.  The  church  edifice  was  erected 
in  1871  at  a cost  of  about  six  thousand  dollars.  The 
first  pastor  of  this  church  was  Rev.  James  Rand. 
Among  his  successors  have  been  the  following:  Revs. 
F.  E.  Davidson,  J.  Willis,  E.  H.  Prescott  and  G.  N. 
Musgrove. 

The  Methodist  Church  was  organized  in  1871, 
by  Rev.  J.  H.  Haines.  The  church  is  in  a prosperous 
condition ; Rev.  S.  P.  Heath,  pastor. 

The  Roman  Catholic  Church  was  organized  by 
Rev.  Father  Murphy,  of  Laconia.  He  was  succeeded 
by  Fathers  Goodwin,  Lambert  and  Galvin. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

FRANKLIN — •(  Continued). 

The  Legal  Profession — Physicians — Educational — The  New  Hampshire 
Orphans’  Home— The  Press — The  Transcript — The  Merrimack  Jour- 
nal— The  Franklin  National  Bank— The  Franklin  Savings-Bank. 

Lawyers. — The  legal  profession  in  Franklin,  even 
from  an  early  day,  has  numbered  among  its  members 
some  of  the  most  distinguished  lawyers  and  jurists  in 
the  State.  The  first  lawyer  in  the  town  was  Thomas 
W.  Thompson,1  agraduate  of  Harvard,  who  commenced 
practice  here  in  1791.  He  was  a member  of  Congress, 
State  treasurer,  etc.  Parker  Noyes,1  an  early  lawyer 
of  the  town,  was  also  an  able  man.  He  was  promi- 
nent in  securing  the  charter  of  the  town  in  1828. 
Hon.  George  W.  Nesmith,1  ex-judge  of  Supreme 
Court;  Hon.  Daniel  Barnard;1  Hon.  Austin  F.  Pike,1 
United  States  Senator;  and  Hon.  Isaac  N.  Blodgett,1 
associate  justice  of  the  Supreme  Court.  Other  lawyers 
are  E.  B.  S.  Sanborn,1  F.  N.  Parsons,  William  M.  Bar- 
nard (son  of  Judge  Daniel  Barnard),  G.  R.  Stone, 
E.  G.  Leach  and  W.  D.  Hardy. 

Physicians. — The  medical  profession  has  also  been 
well  represented.  The  oldest  resident  physician  is 
Dr.  Luther  M.  Knight,  who  located  here  in  June, 
1845.  Other  physicians  have  been  John  H.  Sanborn, 
H.  W.  Brockway,  W.  W.  Sleeper,  Austin  Durkee 
(deceased),  William  E.  Keith,  C.  B.  Nichols  and  J. 
W.  Staples. 

Educational. — The  town  is  more  liberal  in  its 
support  of  schools  tharn  any  town  in  the  State  com- 
pared to  its  population.  The  present  High  School 
was  erected  at  a cost  of  about  forty  thousand  dollars. 

Two  natives  of  Franklin  are  presidents  of  colleges, 
— Rev.  N.  J.  Morrison,  D.D.,  president  of  a college  in 
Missouri,  and  John  W.  Simons,  president  of  a col- 
lege in  Dakota. 

The  New  Hampshire  Orphans’  Home. — The  first 
meeting  for  the  organization  of  this  humane  institu- 


1 See  chapter  on  Bench  and  Bar. 


FRANKLIN. 


319 


tion  was  held  in  Eagle  Hall,  Concord,  February  21, 
1871. 

At  that  meeting  Hon.  George  W.  Nesmith,  of 
Franklin,  was  chosen  president;  Hon.  Horton  D. 
Walker,  of  Portsmouth,  vice-president;  Rev.  C.  W. 
Millen,  of  Tilton,  secretary  ; Hon.  John  Kimball,  o( 
Concord,  treasurer;  and  Rev.  D.  A.  Mack,  of  Frank- 
lin, superintendent  and  agent. 

In  June,  1871,  the  institution  was  incorporated. 
The  persons  authorized  to  call  a legal  meeting  of  the 
corporation  did  call  it  in  July,  and  the  aforesaid 
charter  was  duly  accepted  by  the  grantees.  Officers 
were  elected,  and  at  that  and  a subsequent  meeting, 
a board  of  directors  was  chosen,  by-laws  ordained 
and  a committee  was  appointed  to  report  upon  the 
location  of  the  institution. 

Part  of  the  second  section  of  the  act  of  incorpora- 
tion gives  in  brief  language  the  main  objects  of  the 
Home, — 

“The  main  object,  or  purpose,  of  this  Corporation  is  to  procure  a 
home  for  the  destitute  orphans  and  homeless  children  in  this  State  ; to 
furnish  substantial  aid  for  a time  by  feeding  and  clothing  them  ; by 
teaching  them  habits  of  industry  ; by  giving  them  moral  and  intellectual 
improvement,  and,  finally,  to  seek  out  for  them  suitable  and  permanent 
places  of  residence,  where  they  may  receive  rewards  for  their  labor,  and 
ultimately  become  useful  members  of  society,  and,  consequently,  be 
saved  from  pauperism,  vice  and  crime.” 

It  was  empowered  to  take  and  hold  personal  or 
real  estate  to  the  amount  of  three  hundred  thousand 
dollars. 

Also  to  make  legal  and  binding  contracts  with  the 
guardians  or  friends  of  the  orphans  in  relation  to 
their  services  and  future  employment,  and  were  also 
authorized  to  make  similar  contracts  with  the  over- 
seers of  the  poor,  or  county  commissioners,  who  may 
have  the  legal  control  of  any  orphan  for  the  time 
being. 

At  a meeting  of  the  board  of  directors,  holden  in 
August,  1871,  the  committee  appointed  to  locate  the 
institution  reported  in  favor  of  establishing  it  upon 
the  Daniel  Webster  farm,  in  Franklin,  extensive,  well 
located  and  full  of  historic  interest.  Their  report 
was  adopted  by  a vote  of  the  directors.  On  the  28th 
of  August  the  executive  committee  of  the  board 
purchased  of  Messrs.  Joseph  Eastman  and  John  C. 
Morrison,  of  Concord,  one  hundred  and  eighty  acres 
of  the  Webster  farm,  with  the  buildings  thereon. 
The  price  demanded  was  ten  thousand  dollars,  but 
the  owners  remitted  eight  hundred  dollars  of  the  pur- 
chase money  to  the  corporation,  leaving  the  price 
stipulated  to  be  paid  nine  thousand  two  hundred 
dollars. 

This  was  adjusted  by  the  payment  of  five  thousand 
dollars  drawn  from  the  treasury ; also  by  contribu- 
tions of  the  citizens  of  the  town  of  Franklin  amount- 
ing to  $2504.24,  a portion  of  which  had  already  been 
paid  into  the  treasury ; also  from  money  received 
from  sundry  citizens  and  religious  societies  of  the 
towns  of  Amherst,  Andover,  Bristol,  Canaan,  Enfield, 
Exeter,  Lebanon  and  Wilton,  amounting  in  all  to 


$1745.62,  including  a small  balance  of  interest  which 
had  accrued  on  the  purchase  money.  On  the  19th 
day  of  October,  1871,  the  Home  was  duly  opened 
and  consecrated  to  the  public  use  and  to  its  pro- 
fessed objects  by  appropriate  ceremonies.  Interest- 
ing addresses  were  made  in  the  presence  of  a large 
concourse  of  people  by  Professor  E.  D.  Sanborn, 
Senator  Patterson,  Rev.  Mr.  Heath,  Rev.  Dr.  Davis 
and  others.  On  the  same  day  a fair  was  holden  for 
the  benefit  of  the  orphans  by  their  friends  from 
Concord,  Fisherville,  Lebanon,  Andover,  Salisbury, 
Tilton  and  other  adjacent  towns,  from  the  avails  of 
which  the  treasury  realized  the  net  income  of  about 
four  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  In  the  same  month 
the  trustees  engaged  the  services  of  Rev.  Mr.  Mack 
asfinancial  agent,  his  wife  as  matron  and  his  daughter 
Jennie  as  teacher,  all  at  the  fixed  salary  of  one 
thousand  four  hundred  dollars,  including  also  their 
board  for  the  term  of  one  year.  The  first  orphan 
was  admitted  on  the  26th  day  of  October. 

The  Home  was  opened  with  Rev.  D.  A.  Mack  as 
chaplain  and  Mrs.  Mack  as  matron.  Mr.  Mack  re- 
mained its  efficient  chaplain  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  December  1,  1883. 

During  the  first  three  years  the  number  of  children 
averaged  annually  from  thirty  to  forty.  During  these 
years  all  the  current  expenses  were  paid,  the  Home 
was  furnished  with  furniture  and  the  farm  with  stock 
and  tools.  Besides  this,  a new  building  was  erected 
at  a cost  of  eight  thousand  dollars,  and  five  thousand 
dollars  was  left  in  the  treasury  and  nearly  one  thou- 
sand dollars  on  subscription.  This  brings  us  to  1875. 
From  1875  to  1878  the  chaplain  served  as  financial 
ageut  only  six  months.  During  this  time  the  funds 
of  the  Home  decreased  nearly  one  thousand  dollars 
annually.  In  May,  1878,  there  were  only  two  thou- 
sand dollars  on  hand,  and  but  little  on  subscription. 
During  the  last  five  years,  from  May  30,  1878,  to  May 
30,  1883,  Mr.  Mack  was  the  only  accredited  agent. 

This  institution  was  practically  founded  by  Mr. 
Mack,  and  it  was  through  his  untiring  efforts  that  it 
was  made  a success.  He  planted  this  institution  here 
on  a property  for  which  a hundred  per  cent,  bonus 
lias  since  been  offered.  He  was  voted  ten  per  cent, 
commission  on  the  first  ten  thousand  dollars,  but 
received  little  less  than  eight  per  cent.  The  endow- 
ment of  the  Home  invariably  increased  when  he  acted 
as  agent,  and  at  no  other  time.  By  much  hard  labor 
he  procured  furniture,  furnishing  for  the  dormitories, 
thirty  thousand  brick,  boots,  shoes,  cloth,  books, 
papers,  farming  tools,  etc.,  for  the  institution.  Over 
four  hundred  dollars  was  secured  on  the  day  of  the 
dedication.  On  these  donations  he  received  no  com- 
mission. 

The  first  president  of  the  Home  was  the  honored 
and  venerable  George  W.  Nesmith,  who  still  occupies 
the  position.  His  name  has  been  a tower  of  strength 
to  the  institution  and  his  counsels  have  been  inval- 
uable. Mrs.  Mack  is  the  present  matron. 


320 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


The  Franklin  Transcript  was  started  by  Mr. 
John  A.  Hutchinson.  The  first  number  appeared 
July  6, 1882.  A seven-column  folio,  “ patent  outside,” 
was  used.  The  paper  was  dated  Franklin,  N.  H.,  and 
printed  by  0.  A.  Towne,  at  the  Falls.  Mr.  Hutchin- 
son was  a man  of  feeble  health,  who  was  able  to  put 
but  little  work  into  the  paper,  yet  from  the  first  it 
paid  not  only  the  running  expenses,  but  a handsome 
sum  beside.  He  was  taken  suddenly  ill  of  congestion 
of  the  lungs  September  26th,  and  died  October  5, 
1883.  The  paper  was  continued  by  his  widow  during 
October,  and  sold  to  O.  A.  Towne  November  1st.  Mr. 
Towne  having  other  business  which  demanded  bis 
attention,  associated  Mr.  S.  H.  Robiewith  himself  in 
the  enterprise,  giving  Mr.  Robie  the  position  of  editor 
and  general  manager.  In  December  of  the  same  year 
the  paper  was  changed  from  a “ patent  ” to  a “ home- 
print.”  The  subscription  list  and  advertising  patron- 
age increased  materially.  Up  to  the  present  writing 
it  has  been  constantly  under  the  above  management 
— in  the  firm-name  of  Transcript  Publishing  Com- 
panv. 

The  Merrimack  Journal  was  founded  in  February, 
1872,  by  Hon.  Daniel  Barnard  and  Hon.  Austin  F. 
Pike,  presumably  with  an  idea  of  helping  assist  Pike 
to  a re-election  to  Congress.  He  was  defeated.  The 
ostensible  proprietors,  whose  names  stood  at  the  head 
of  the  paper,  were  Moses  B.  Goodwin,  a Washington 
journalist,  lawyer  and  “ literary  feller,”  and  Frank 
M.  Galley,  a printer.  In  1874,  Omar  A.  Towne  pur- 
chased Calley’s  interest,  and  in  1875,  D.  T.  Elmer 
bought  the  paper.  His  successors  were  F.  K.  & G. 
B.  Wheeler,  who  bought  in  May,  1876.  G.  B.  Wheeler 
bought  his  brother’s  interest  in  1877,  and  sold  to 
Russell  P.  Eaton,  who  had  published  the  New  England 
Farmer  twenty-five  years,  in  May,  1880.  In  October 
of  the  same  year  it  was  purchased  by  the  present 
proprietor,  Roscoe  E.  Collins,  a practical  printer  and 
journalist  of  wide  experience,  who  made  it  an  inde- 
pendent paper  in  all  things.  It  had  been  a twenty- 
eight  column  paper  from  its  start.  In  May,  1883,  lie 
enlarged  it  to  a thirty-two  column  paper.  It  is  read 
by  six  thousand  people  every  week,  and  its  circulation 
embraces  most  of  the  States  and  Territories  of  the 
Union. 

The  Franklin  National  Bank  was  organized 
November  22, 1879.  Alvali  W.  Sulloway,  Daniel  Barn- 
ard, Warren  F.  Daniell,  Isaac  N.  Blodgett,  Walter 
Aiken,  John  Taylor,  all  of  Franklin,  and  George  E. 
Shepard,  of  Andover,  were  elected  directors  ; Alvali 
W.  Sulloway  was  chosen  president,  Daniel  Barnard 
vice-president  and  Frank  Proctor  clerk  and  cashier. 

The  capital  ($100,000)  was  fully  paid  on  December 
6,  1879,  and  the  charter  of  the  bank  (No.  2443)  was 
issued  December  20,  1879. 

The  bank  opened  for  business  January  1,  1880,  in 
the  rooms  of  the  Franklin  Savings-Bank,  which  occu- 
pancy has  continued  to  the  present  time. 

At  each  successive  annual  stockholders’  meeting 


the  same  board  of  directors  has  been  unanimously 
re-elected,  and  the  officers  of  the  bank  remain  the 
same  as  at  the  date  of  organization. 

The  surplus  and  undivided  profits  of  the  association 
now  aggregate  one-fifth  of  the  capital  stock. 

Franklin  Savings-Bank  was  incorporated  June 
30,1869,  with  the  following  incorporators:  Walter 
Aiken,  N.  H.  Sanborn,  Warren  F.  Daniell,  Austin  F. 
Pike,  Jonas  B.  Aiken,  Daniel  Barnard,  John  Taylor, 
Frank  H.  Daniell,  George  W.  Nesmith,  James  Tay- 
lor, Alexis  Proctor,  David  Gilchrist,  Edwin  C.  Stone, 
Frank  H.  Aiken,  Levi  Richardson,  Stephen  Kenrick, 
John  W.  Sweat,  Ephraim  G.  Wallace,  A.  S.  Nesmith, 
A.  W.  Sulloway,  John  H.  Rowell,  William  Russell, 
William  A.  Russell,  I.  N.  Blodgett,  E.  B.  S.  Sanborn, 
Asa  B.  Closson,  Henry  Burley,  Benjamin  S.  Hancock, 
Orin  B.  Davis,  Watson  Dickerson,  John  Proctor. 

The  following  were  the  first  officers  and  trustees  : 
President,  Austin  F.  Pike;  Secretary  and  Treasurer, 
Nathaniel  H.  Sanborn ; Trustees,  Austin  F.  Pike, 
George  W.  Nesmith,  Daniel  Barnard,  David  Gil- 
christ, Warren  F.  Daniell,  Watson  Dickerson,  Wil- 
liam A.  Russell,  John  Taylor,  Walter  Aiken,  Alexis 
Proctor,  Jonas  B.  Aiken,  Stephen  Kenrick,  A.  W. 
Sulloway. 

Present  officers:  George  W.  Nesmith,  president ; 
Alexis  Proctor,  treasurer.  Present  trustees  : George 
W.  Nesmith,  Daniel  Barnard,  Warren  F.  Daniell, 
John  H.  Rowell,  Milton  Gerrish,  John  Taylor,  Wal- 
ter Aiken,  C.  C.  Kenrick,  A.  W.  Sulloway,  H.  A. 
Weymouth,  I.  N.  Blodgett,  E.  B.  S.  Sanborn,  F.  L. 
Morrison. 

The  first  deposit  was  made  October  1,  1869,  by 
Harry  Hinds,  of  ten  dollars. 

Deposits,  April  4,  1885,  $593,930. 

Presidents,  Austin  F.  Pike  and  George  W.  Nes- 
mith ; Treasurers,  N.  H.  Sanborn  and  Alexis  Proctor. 

Military  Record,  1861-65  . — The  following  men 
enlisted  from  Franklin  under  the  call  of  1862  and 
subsequent  calls : 

Ilubbard  S.  Kimball,  James  P.  Simons,  John  Bankley, William  Folley, 
Edward  McCoy,  John  James,  George  Ramsay,  A.  J.  Sargent,  John  Bren- 
nan, John  Collis,  Barnard  Dormerly,  P.  McMahon,  A.  L.  Smith,  John 
C.  Smith,  A.  L.  Corliss,  Charles  D.  Colby,  C.  B.  Woodford,  C.  C.  Frost, 
II.  B.  Huntoon,  C.  A.  Fletcher,  G.  W.  Daniels,  Jacob  G.  French,  Edward 
A.  Knight,  G.  F.  Sweat,  S.  G.  Couliss,  H.  H.  Logan,  Joseph  Atkinson, 
li.  E.  Cochrane,  S.  H.  Clay,  R.  Stevens,  G.  H.  Stevens,  J.  L.  French,  A. 
A.  Pettengill,  J.  P.  Simons,  R.  Keysur,  James  Cate,  L.  M.  Clark,  John 
Russell,  J.  B.  Thorn,  E.  B.  Ash,  C.  Lutz,  A.  F.  Howe,  G.  S.  Eaton, 
George  Folley,  J.  Fuller,  John  Sanborn,  George  W.  Eaton,  D.  T. 
Cheney,  L.  Cheney,  Jr.,  John  Ash,  C.  O.  Dollof,  A.  M.  Sanborn, 
James  Fitzgerald,  Thomas  Harley,  James  Hall,  B.  F.  Pettingill,  William 
Wilson,  Duncan  McNoughton,  T.  James,  B.  I.  Barnes,  C.  J.  Pipe,  J. 
Clinton,  John  Anderson,  Calvin  Sanborn,  W.  A.  Gile,  M.  K.  Smith,  H. 
Colby,  E.  B.  Hancock, W.  P.  Kinsman,  F.  W.  Ballou,  George  Green,  J.II. 
Bennett,  A.  T.  Cate,  D.  T.  Cate,  S.  Cook,  L.  M.  Davis,  H.  W.  Fairbanks, 
Jr.,  H.  F.  Gardner,  W.  H.  Keyes,  C.  C.  Morrison,  D.  W.  Parare,  Joseph 
Thompson,  D.  K.  Woodward,  T.  P.  Whittier,  C.  E.  Thompson,  J.  P.  San- 
born, H.  H.  Sargent,  H.  B.  Ingalls,  S.  J.  Sawyer,  W.  J.  Foster,  0.  Gard- 
ner, J.  M.  Otis,  Thomas  Kelley,  J.  Gillooley,  Joseph  Bennett,  Charles 
Crawford,  John  Clancey,  George  M.  Custer,  Frank  Cole,  Thomas  Ford, 
Peter  Phillips,  J.  O’Brien,  Harry  Casper,  John  Ludlow,  James  Martin, 
John  Murphy,  John  Smith,  Joseph  Sullivan,  John  Ward,  Henry  Wil- 
liams, James  White,  Thomas  Cullam,  N.  Geary,  John  Gardner,  John 


FRANKLIN. 


321 


Huatore,  William  Henry,  John  Johnston,  R.  J.  Palmer,  John  Smith, 
Max  Solnary,  William  Wistar,  William  Riley,  Asa  Morrison,  R.  Brown, 
John  Flynn,  P.  Kelly,  George  Ramsey,  W.  Elliott,  Daniel  Maxfield,  G. 
M.  Clifford,  J.  Green,  J.  C.  Bruce,  J.  F.  Putney,  Thomas  Bruce,  B.  W. 
Breed,  Daniel  Curtis,  W.  T.  Dixon,  Isaac  Hamilton,  J.  H.  Hunt,  L.  Mar- 
inell,  G.  H.  Stevens,  C.  H.  Stevens,  George  Whitman,  L.  Reimann,  C. 
Flemming,  R.  Meir,  Charles  Hayes,  C.  II.  Hogan,  Daniel  Douglass, 
William  Bradley,  Thomas  Rider,  William  Andrews,  John  White,  James 
Hayes,  John  Maxwell,  William  Harvey,  John  Weed,  John  Harrington, 
0.  H.  Merrill,  R.  G.  Burleigh,  H.  J.  Williams,  Patrick  Sawyer. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


STEPHEN  KENRICK.1 

Stephen  Keurick,  Esq.,  one  of  the  oldest  and  most 
influential  citizens  of  Franklin,  died  on  the  morning 
of  the  4th  of  August,  a.d.  1884,  after  a lingering 
illness  of  several  months. 

He  was  born  in  Haverhill,  Mass.,  June  15,  a.d. 
1806 ; his  age,  therefore,  exceeded  seventy-eight 
years.  He  was  the  youngest  member  of  a family  of 
nine  children,  born  to  John  Kenrick  and  Sarah  Col- 
by. They  were  both  natives  of  Amesbury,  but  be- 
came citizens  of  Haverhill  soon  after  their  marriage. 
The  husband  was  born  December  16,  1764;  the  wife 
January  25,  1771.  John  died  by  a casualty  in  1806. 
His  widow  subsequently  became  the  wife  of  David 
Marsh,  and  the  mother  of  two  other  children,  viz.: 
Nathaniel,  of  Staten  Island,  N.  Y.,  deceased,  and 
Mary,  wife  of  Rev.  G.  VV.  Kelley,  resident  in  Haver- 
hill, Mass.,  now  deceased. 

The  name  of  Kenrick,  or  Kendrick,  or  Kendricke 
appears  to  be  of  early  English  origin.  The  name 
of  John  seems  to  have  been  adopted  as  an  early  fa- 
vorite by  the  family.  We  find  the  name  of  John 
Kendrick,  sheriff  in  London,  in  1645.  The  same 
name  appears  as  Lord-Mayor  of  London  in  1651. 
John  Kenrick  was  in  Ipswich,  Mass.,  in  1657. 
John  Kenrick,  John  Kenrick,  Jr.,  and  Elijah  Kenrick 
were  among  the  petitioners,  in  May,  1678,  to  the  Leg- 
islature, to  set  off  part  of  Cambridge  and  to  establish 
the  town  of  Newton.  John  Kenrick,  Jr.,  of  Newton, 
marched  from  that  towrn,  and  was  engaged  in  the 
Lexington  battle,  April  19,  1775.  Among  the  many 
immediate  descendants  of  John  Kenrick,  of  Ames- 
bury, Mass.,  who  were  distinguished  in  the  walks  of 
business  and  professional  life,  were  Professors  Henry 
L.  Kendrick,  of  West  Point  Academy,  and  John 
Kendrick,  of  Marietta  College,  Ohio,  both  first  cou- 
sins, and  James  R.  Kendrick,  superintendent  of  the 
Old  Colony  Railroad,  who  was  also  second  cousin  of 
Stephen  Kenrick,  Esq.  These  gentlemen  were  all 
natives  of  the  town  of  Lebanon,  in  this  State,  and  we 
might  enumerate  many  others  of  the  same  family, 
and  their  “ kith  and  kin,”  or  collaterals,  in  different 
parts  of  the  Union,  as  being  prominent  and  successful 


business  men,  and  highly  respected  in  their  respective 
localities. 

Early  in  this  century,  and  prior  to  1820,  Timothy 
Kenrick,  the  elder  brother  of  Stephen,  had  immi- 
grated to  the  town  of  Lebanon,  and  established  there 
a profitable  mercantile  business.  He  had  acquired 
early  a good  education,  and  was  known  and  honored 
by  his  fellow-citizens  as  a man  of  integrity  by  several 
public  trusts.  He  was  town  clerk  thirty-seven  con- 
secutive years,  and  wqs  several  times  elected  their 
representative  to  the  Legislature.  He  was  often  em- 
ployed in  the  settlement  of  estates  of  his  vicinity, 
and  was  for  many  years  director  of  the  Northern 
Railroad.  He  well  discharged  these  important  trusts- 
In  the  mean  time  his  brother  Stephen  was  with  his 
kind  father-in-law,  Marsh,  in  Haverhill,  where  he 
received  good  paternal  protection  and  the  benefits  of 
the  best  schools  found  there  until  he  arrived  at  the  age 
of  fifteen  years.  He  then  was  committed  to  the 
care  of  his  brother  Timothy,  then  of  Lebanon,  and 
was  employed  in  his  brother’s  store.  Here  he  received 
that  valuable  systematic  instruction  which  proved 
useful  to  him  in  after-life.  We  next  find  him  for  a 
short  time  in  Bangor,  Me.  Afterwards  he  was  en- 
gaged in  trade  for  himself  with  Mr.  James  Howe,  at 
Barnet,  Yt. ; next,  for  a short  time,  at  Boscawen 
Plain,  N.  H.  Then,  in  1831,  he  formed  an  advanta- 
geous co-partnership  with  Mr.  Brewer,  of  Mclndoe’s 
Falls  village,  Yt.,  and  there  continued  in  business  until 
1836,  when  he  came  to  Franklin,  and  ever  since  has 
made  his  permanent  residence  here,  identifying  him- 
self with  the  business  of  this  town,  and  becoming  one 
of  its  most  active  and  prosperous  citizens. 

For  many  years  he  was  largely  interested  in  various 
railroad  projects  and  contracts,  in  connection  with 
Joseph  A.  Gilmore  and  John  A.  Lyon.  From  these 
enterprises  he  derived  much  profit,  and  became  a 
large  proprietor  in  several  railroads.  He  was  president 
of  the  Concord  and  Portsmouth  Railroad  from  about 
1861  to  the  time  of  his  death.  For  many  years  before 
his  death  he  was  president  of  the  national  bank  lo- 
cated at  Hillsborough  Bridge,  and  was  interested  in 
its  stock.  He  was  also  trustee  of  the  Franklin  Sav- 
ings-Bank. He  took  also  a deep  interest  in  the  man- 
agement of  the  prudential  and  financial  matters  of  the 
town,  occupying  many  of  the  official  stations,  conferred 
by  his  fellow-citizens.  He  was  elected  one  of  the 
selectmen  of  the  town  during  the  years  1849,  1850, 
1851,  1854  and  1872.  In  1859  and  1861  he  represented 
the  town  in  the  House  of  Representatives  in  this 
State.  For  many  years  he  was  a member  of  the  Con- 
gregational Church  in  Franklin,  and  was  one  of  its 
most  generous  supporters. 

In  1833  he  married  Clarissa  A.,  youngest  daughter 
of  Captain  Ebenezer  Blanchard,  late  of  Franklin,  who 
still  survives  him.  To  them  were  born  seven  children, 
four  of  whom  were  removed  in  infancy  by  death. 
Another,  Dr.  Timothy  G.  Kenrick,  died  in  Naples, 
Italy,  January  29,  1879.  He  was  born  July  8,  1849- 


1 By  Hon.  Geo.  W.  Nesmith. 


322 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  1871;  studied  the 
medical  profession,  graduating  at  the  Bellevue  Hos- 
pital Medical  College,  New  York,  June  1,  1874.  With 
much  enthusiasm  he  applied  himself  to  the  study  of 
insanity,  and  to  the  best  mode  of  treating  and  man- 
aging those  affected  with  this  unfortunate  disease. 
His  mild  temper  and  great  power  of  self-control, 
united  with  his  skill  and  learning,  gave  him  signal 
success  in  this  department  of  his  profession.  He  was 
fortunate  in  early  securing  tlje  patronage  and  friend- 
ship of  Dr.  I.  W.  Barstow,  the  eminent  manager  of 
the  Sandford  Hall  Asylum,  at  Flushing,  N.  Y.  He 
had  the  full  confidence  of  Dr.  Barstow,  and  was  em- 
ployed by  him,  to  the  mutual  advantage  of  both  par- 
ties, up  to  187G,  when  Dr.  Kenrick  was  called  into  a 
larger  sphere  of  duties  as  assistant  surgeon  in  the 
New  York  State  Lunatic  Asylum,  at  Utica.  It  is 
enough  to  say  that  his  success  here  met  the  expecta- 
tions of  his  friends,  and  that  his  professional  attain- 
ments commanded  the  respect  and  confidence  of  his 
associates  and  the  managers  of  that  institution.  His 
life  was  sacrificed  to  the  malarial  climate  of  Naples 
while,  in  devotion  to  duty,  he  was  traveling  for  the 
benefit  of  the  health  of  one  of  his  diseased  and  wealthy 
friends,  who  was  very  wisely  committed  to  his  profes- 
sional care.  His  early,  premature  death  brought 
extreme  sorrow  to  the  hearts  of  his  parents  and  his 
many  friends,  who  had  witnessed  his  progress  and 
reasonably  indulged  high  hopes  of  his  future  success 
in  life.  The  lamentation  over  his  loss  at  home  was 
most  sincere.  Abroad  “ he  was  by  strangers  honored 
and  by  strangers  mourned.” 

Of  the  two  surviving  children,  Stephen,  the  eldest, 
many  years  since  removed  to  the  West,  where  he  has 
been  extensively  engaged  in  various  railroad  enter- 
prises. We  find  him  now  in  Wisconsin,  married,  but 
without  children,  and  prosperous  in  other  respects, 
enjoying  the  income  of  the  office ofgeneral  superinten- 
dent of  the  Fort  Madison  and  Northwestern  Railroad. 
He  is  cheerful,  and  apparently  enjoys  life  well. 

The  remaining  child  is  a son,  in  the  full  vigor  of 
life,  under  the  name  of  Charles  C.  Kenrick,  now  very 
active,  doing  the  labor  of  two  men,  being  exten- 
sively engaged  in  building  houses,  barns,  stables, 
shops.  As  a farmer,  raising  more  hay  ami  corn  than 
any  other  person  in  town,  improving  largely,  by  judi- 
cious cultivation,  his  lands;  selecting  good  breeds  of 
cattle  and  horses,  and  increasing  their  number;  giv- 
ing promptly  a fair  day’s  pay  to  a fair  day’s  labor, 
thus  rewarding  a large  number  of  laborers,  and  ex- 
pending profitably  a good  amount  of  capital  daily ; 
improving  the  condition  of  his  estates,  and  augment- 
ing the  wealth  of  the  town.  We  might  here  also,  with 
propriety,  refer  to  the  extensive  traffic  in  wood  and 
lumber  recently  carried  on  by  him,  not  without 
profit. 

During  the  long  life  of  his  father,  Charles  has  en- 
joyed the  benefit  of  his  advice,  and  followed  it.  There- 
by he  gained  his  father’s  confidence,  and  before  his 


death  he  received  from  him  the  conveyance  of  a large 
estate,  under  the  sole  obligation  to  render  all  needed 
aid  to  his  aged  mother  in  sickness  and  in  health. 
This  obligation  his  kind  nature  prompts  him  to  obey 
to  her  entire  satisfaction. 

We  now  leave  the  history  of  the  children  and  again 
refer  briefly  to  that  of  the  father.  While  Mr.  Kenrick 
was  a citizen  of  Franklin  we  found  him  interested  and 
well  informed  in  the  important  interests  of  the  town, 
State  and  nation.  He  had  leisure  and  opportunity 
to  inform  himself  so  as  to  discharge  intelligently  his 
own  private  trusts  and  duties,  as  well  as  those 
belonging  to  the  good  citizen.  His  knowledge  and 
experience,  acquired  by  him  in  trade,  banking  and 
railroad  affairs,  were  of  much  value  to  himself  and 
useful  to  others.  We  have  already  alluded  to  his 
great  ability  in  acquiring  and  retaining  successfully  a 
large  estate.  We  must  not  forget  to  give  due  credit 
to  a diligent  help-meet,  in  the  name  of  his  wife,  who 
brought  to  him  a considerable  pecuniary  inheritance 
that  descended  from  her  paternal  estate.  This  inher- 
itance, coming  down  from  a worthy  ancestry,  would, 
of  course,  be  highly  appreciated.  It  constituted  a 
valuable  accession  to  the  estate,  now  constantly  in- 
creasing through  the  harmonious  action,  kind  care 
and  economy  of  both  husband  and  wife.  It  is  an  ac- 
knowledged fact  that  the  accumulation  of  property 
generally  requires  much  patience  and  great  mental 
resources;  but  a critical  world  tells  us  that  a wise 
appropriation  or  disposition  of  a large  estate  requires 
the  exercise  of  still  more  sagacity,  good  judgment 
and  wisdom. 


HON.  A,  W.  SULLOWAY. 

From  an  industrial  as  well  as  a political  standpoint, 
the  town  of  Franklin  has  long  occupied  a prominent 
position  in  the  State.  Highly  favored  by  nature  with 
the  facilities  most  conducive  to  the  development  of 
manufacturing  industry,  there  has  grown  up  within 
its  limits,  or  been  attracted  thereto  from  other  locali- 
ties, a large  class  of  citizens  possessing  the  enterprise, 
energy  and  sagacity  requisite  to  the  most  advantageous 
use  of  those  facilities. 

There  are,  indeed,  few  among  our  New  England 
towns  of  corresponding  size  which  include  among 
their  inhabitants  a larger  number  of  active  and  suc- 
cessful business  men,  or  whose  progress  has  been 
signalized  during  the  last  quarter  of  a century  bv  a 
more  substantial  industrial  development. 

Alvah  Woodbury  Sulloway  is  one  of  the  best  known, 
most  practical,  energetic  and  public-spirited  among 
the  enterprising  business  men  of  this  prosperous  aud 
progressive  town. 

While  the  State  of  Massachusetts  has  drawn  from 
our  midst  a large  proportion  of  the  men  whose  labors 
have  brought  the  prosperity  and  distinction  which 
that  proud  old  commonwealth  enjoys,  she  has  given 
New  Hampshire,  in  return,  some  of  her  own  sous, 


FRANKLIN. 


323 


whose  efforts  have  contributed,  in  no  small  degree,  to 
advance  the  honor  and  welfare  of  the  State  of  their 
adoption.  Among  these  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 
Born  in  Framingham,  Mass.,  December  25,  1838,  Mr. 
Sulloway  is  now  in  his  forty-seventh  year.  He  is  the 
only  son  and  eldest  child  of  Israel  W.  and  Adeline 
Richardson  Sulloway,  to  whom  three  daughters  were 
also  born,  two  of  whom  are  living, — one  unmarried, 
and  the  other  the  wife  of  Herbert  Bailey,  Esq.,  a 
prominent  manufacturer  of  the  town  of  Claremont. 

Israel  W.  Sulloway  was  born  in  Salem,  N.  H.,  De- 
cember 24,  1812,  and  sprang  from  Revolutionary  an- 
cestry on  both  the  paternal  and  maternal  sides,  his 
mother  being  the  daughter  of  Captain  Israel  Wood- 
bury, of  Salem,  who  served  in  the  patriot  army  through- 
out the  war  for  independence. 

He  engaged  in  manufacturing  service  in  youth,  and 
was  for  some  time  an  overseer  in  the  Saxonville 
woolen-mills.  In  1848  he  removed  to  Enfield,  N.  H.,  ! 
where  he  introduced  the  process  of  making  the  cele- 
brated Shaker  socks  by  machinery,  being  the  first 
manufacturer  to  engage  in  this  enterprise.  He  estab- 
lished a prosperous  business,  which  he  carried  on 
about  sixteen  years,  when  he  sold  out  to  his  son-in- 
law,  Mr.  Bailey,  and  retired  from  active  life,  locating 
at  Waltham,  Mass.  He  died  suddenly,  November  20, 
1883, — a man  of  remarkably  kind  and  benevolent  dis-  j 
position,  whose  sterling  qualities  won  the  respect  of 
all  who  enjoyed  his  acquaintance. 

In  his  father’s  mill  at  Enfield,  Alvah  W.  Sulloway, 
gained  that  practical  knowledge  of  the  business  in 
which  he  has  since  been  engaged,  which  constituted 
the  sure  foundation  of  the  success  he  has  attained 
therein. 

He  secured  a good  academical  education  at  Canaan 
and  Barre,  Vt.,  and  the  Green  Mountain  Liberal  In- 
stitute, at  South  Woodstock;  but  spent  a considera- 
ble portion  of  his  time,  between  the  ages  of  ten  and 
twenty-one  years,  in  active  labor  in  the  mill,  thor- 
oughly familiarizing  himself  with  the  various  pro- 
cesses in  hosiery  manufacture  and  the  general  con- 
duct of  business  in  that  important  line  of  industry. 

Upon  attaining  his  majority,  with  that  ambitious 
and  independent  spirit  which  so  generally  character- 
izes the  youth  of  New  England,  and  to  which  the  de- 
velopment and  prosperity  of  all  sections  of  our  coun- 
try are  so  largely  due,  Mr.  Sulloway  determined  to  go 
into  business  for  himself.  His  purpose  received  the 
ready  encouragement  and  sanction  of  his  father,  and, 
after  due  deliberation,  he  formed  a partnership  with 
Walter  Aiken,  of  Franklin,  in  the  manufacture  of 
hosiery.  The  partnership  continued  for  about  four 
years,  when  it  was  dissolved  by  mutual  consent,  and 
another  firm  was  organized  which  put  in  operation  a 
new  mill. 

This  firm  consisted  of  Mr.  Sulloway  and  Frank  H. 
Daniell,  of  Franklin,  who  carried  on  business  to- 
gether until  1869,  when  Mr.  Daniell  withdrew,  and 
Mr.  Sulloway  has  since  been  sole  proprietor.  The 


mill  is  situated  upon  the  lower  power  of  the  Winni- 
piseogee,  opposite  the  mills  of  the  Paper  Company, 
the  power  being  used  in  common  by  the  two  estab- 
lishments. The  building  is  of  brick,  three  stories 
high,  with  basement,  contains  four  sets  of  woolen  ma- 
chinery, with  about  seventy-five  knitting-machines, 
and  furnishes  employment  for  about  ninety  opera- 
tives, besides  a large  number  of  women  in  the  vicinity 
and  surrounding  towns,  whose  labor  is  required  in 
finishing  the  work  which  the  machines  leave  incom- 
plete. 

The  goods  manufactured  are  the  Shaker  socks,  or 
half-hose,  of  which  more  than  three  hundred  dozen 
pairs  are  produced  daily,  giving  an  annual  product  of 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars.  The 
monthly  pay-roll  averages  about  two  thousand  five 
hundred  dollars,  aside  from  the  amount  paid  for  out- 
side labor. 

Mr.  Sulloway  is  a business  man  in  the  true  sense  of 
the  term,  and  as  such  he  has  been  thus  far  eminently 
successful.  But  while  devoting  his  energies  and  abil- 
ity to  the  development  of  his  own  business  interests, 
and  thereby  indirectly  conferring  large  benefit  upon 
the  community  in  which  he  moves,  he  has  never 
failed  to  contribute  by  direct  personal  effort  to  the 
advancement  of  all  measures  of  public  utility  and  ma- 
terial progress,  and  to  his  labor  and  encouragement, 
personally  and  pecuniarily,  as  much  as  to  any  other 
among  its  many  enterprising  and  public-spirited  citi- 
zens, the  town  of  Franklin  is  indebted  for  the  ad- 
vanced position  which  it  holds  when  regarded  from  a 
business,  social  or  educational  stand-point,  He  was 
a prime  mover  in  the  organization  of  the  Franklin 
National  Bank,  which  went  into  operation  in  Novem- 
ber, 1879,  and  has  been  president  of  the  institution 
from  the  start.  He  has  also  been  a trustee  of  the 
Franklin  Savings-Bank  ever  since  its  establishment, 
and  for  several  years  past  a member  of  the  committee 
of  investment.  In  1880  he  was  chosen  a member  of 
the  board  of  directors  of  the  Northern  Railroad,  and 
in  March,  1885,  he  was  appointed  president  of  the 
same  corporation. 

In  politics  Mr.  Sulloway  is  an  ardent  Democrat, 
an  earnest  and  enthusiastic  worker  in  the  party 
cause,  and  his  labors  in  this  direction  have  been 
largely  instrumental  in  bringing  his  party  into  as- 
cendancy in  Franklin,  which  was  for  many  years  one 
of  the  hardest-contested  political  battle-grounds  in 
the  State,  numbering,  as  it  does,  among  its  citizens 
several  of  the  most  active  leaders  of  the  two  great  par- 
ties. In  1871,  although  the  town  was  then  decidedly 
Republican,  he  was  chosen  a member  of  the  State 
Legislature  from  Franklin,  and  was  re-elected  the 
| following  year.  In  1874,  and  again  in  1875,  he  was 
elected  to  the  same  position. 

In  the  Legislature,  as  everywhere  else,  he  proved 
himself  a thoroughly  practical  man,  devoting  himself 
actively  to  business  and  leaving  speech-making  to 
those  inclined  to  talk  rather  than  work.  In  1871  he 


324 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


served  on  the  committee  on  elections;  in  1872,  upon 
railroads  ; in  1874,  was  chairman  of  the  committee  on 
manufactures,  where  his  close  acquaintance  with 
manufacturing  interests  fitted  him  for  most  efficient 
service  ; and  in  1875  was  again  a member  of  the  elec- 
tions committee.  In  1874,  when  the  Democratic  party 
managers  set  to  work  systematically  to  win  a victory 
in  the  State,  Mr.  Sulloway  was  nominated  for  rail- 
road commissioner  upon  the  ticket  headed  by  James 
A.  Weston  for  Governor. 

Although  there  was  no  choice  by  the  people  in  the 
election  that  year,  the  Democracy  won  a substantial 
victory  in  that  they  secured  a majority  in  the  Legisla- 
ture, and  the  election  of  their  candidates  for  Governor 
and  railroad  commissioner  followed  at  the  hands  of 
that  body.  To  the  triumph  of  his  party  in  the  State 
the  energetic  labor  of  Air.  Sulloway  in  the  general 
conduct  of  the  campaign  contributed  in  no  small  de- 
gree. 

As  a member  of  the  Board  of  Railroad  Commis- 
sioners for  the  term  of  three  years,  the  last  year  as 
chairman  of  the  board,  he  rendered  the  State  efficient 
service,  carrying  into  his  official  labors,  so  far  as  they 
extended,  the  same  practical  sagacity  and  judgment 
exercised  in  his  own  private  business. 

In  January,  1877,  Mr.  Sulloway  was  nominated  by 
the  Democracy  of  the  Second  District  as  their  candi- 
date for  Congress  against  Major  James  F.  Briggs,  of 
Manchester,  the  Republican  nominee.  The  district 
was  strongly  Republican,  and  that  party  had  a popu- 
lar candidate  in  the  field;  yet  Mr.  Sulloway,  with  no 
expectation  of  an  election,  made  a vigorous  canvass 
and  ran  largely  ahead  of  his  ticket.  He  was  also  the 
candidate  of  his  party  in  the  district  at  the  next  elec- 
tion, and  again  in  1880,  making  lively  work  for  his 
successful  opponent,  Major  Briggs,  on  each  occasion. 
He  has  been  an  active  member  of  the  Democratic  State 
Committee  for  a number  of  years  past,  and  for  the 
greater  portion  of  the  time  a member  of  the  executive 
committee  of  that  body,  having  direct  charge  of  the 
campaign  work. 

He  was  a member  of  the  New  Hampshire  delega- 
tion in  the  National  Convention  at  St.  Louis,  in  1876, 
which  nominated  Samuel  J.  Tilden  for  the  Presi- 
dency, and  was  an  enthusiastic  supporter  of  Mr.  Til- 
den, not  only  in  convention,  hut  also  in  the  subse- 
quent campaign,  in  which  he  was  actively  engaged  as 
a member  of  the  Democratic  National  Committee 
from  this  State.  In  1880  he  was  again  a delegate  to 
the  National  Convention  of  his  party  at  Cincinnati, 
where  General  Hancock  was  nominated ; and  in  1884, 
at  Chicago,  he  was  a zealous  supporter  of  Governor 
Cleveland. 

In  religion  Mr.  Sulloway  is  an  adherent  of  the  lib- 
eral faith.  He  was  reared  a Universalist,  and  is  now 
an  active  member  of  the  Unitarian  Society  in  Frank- 
lin. In  this  organization,  as  in  business  and  politics, 
he  is  an  earnest  worker,  and  to  his  encouragement  and 
material  assistance  is  largely  due  the  erection  of  the 


finest  church  edifice  in  the  town.  He  has  been  trus- 
tee of  this  society  from  its  beginning,  and  is  also  a 
member  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  Unitarian  Edu- 
cational Society,  under  whose  auspices  Proctor  Acad- 
emy, at  Andover,  is  conducted. 

In  1866,  Air.  Sulloway  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Susan  K.  Daniell,  the  youngest  daughter  of  the 
late  J.  F.  Daniell,  and  a sister  of  Hon.  Warren  F.  and 
Frank  H.  Daniell.  They  have  three  children, — a 
daughter  and  two  sons, — the  eldest,  Alice,  born  Au- 
gust 5,  1871 ; Richard  Woodbury,  born  February  15, 
1876;  and  Frank  Jones, born  December  11,  1883. 

Their  home  is  a fine  modern  residence,  erected  in 
1877,  beautifully  located  in  a bend  of  the  Winnipi- 
seogee  River,  surrounded  by  handsome  grounds,  with 
all  its  appointments  conducive  to  the  comfort  of  the 
family  and  the  hosts  of  friends  who  share  their  gen- 
erous hospitality. 

Mr.  Sulloway  is  a man  of  keen  perceptive  powers 
and  ready  judgment,  so  that  he  is  enabled  to  form 
conclusions  upon  all  practical  questions  presented 
with  more  than  ordinary  promptness  and  accuracy. 
His  opinion  in  all  matters  of  public  interest  and  con- 
cern in  the  community  in  which  he  resides  is  as  fre- 
quently sought  and  carries  as  great  weight  as  that  of 
any  other  man,  to  say  the  least,  and  the  same  also 
may  be  said  of  his  advice  in  private  business  affairs. 

He  is  frank  and  outspoken  at  all  times,  and  never 
hesitates  to  say  just  what  he  thinks  when  called  upon 
to  express  himself  in  any  direction.  He  has  many 
warm  friends,  and  enjoys  a full  measure  of  popularity 
in  social  as  well  as  in  public  and  business  circles.  He 
was  a moving  spirit  in  the  organization  of  the  New 
Hampshire  Club,  an  association  formed  by  New 
Hampshire  men  doing  business  in  Boston,  for  social 
entertainment,  and  has  been  a leading  member  of  the 
same  from  the  start.  Endowed  with  an  active  mind, 
and  healthy  and  vigorous  bodily  powers,  he  has  great 
capacity  for  labor,  and  will  unquestionably  accom- 
plish even  more  substantial  results  in  the  future  than 
have  already  attended  his  efforts. 


WARREN  F.  DANIELL. 

In  almost  every  instance,  those  who,  during  the 
first  half  of  the  present  century,  laid  about  the  water- 
falls of  New  Hampshire  the  foundations  of  our 
manufacturing  villages,  builded better  than  they  knew. 
They  were  generally  men  of  limited  ambitions  and 
means,  and  established  their  factories  without  the  ex- 
pectation that  they  were  changing  worthless  plains  and 
forests  into  cities  or  plain  mechanics  into  millionaires. 
They  aimed  only  to  create  productive  industries  and 
win  a fair  reward  for  their  labor.  But  they  were 
skillful  workmen,  and  under  their  inspiration  and 
direction  their  enterprises  have  grown  into  great 
proportions,  which  have  made  the  fortunes  of  their 
owners  and  called  into  being  communities  that  are 
models  of  the  best  that  skill  and  thrift  can  produce. 


FRANKLIN. 


325 


To  this  class  belonged  Kendall  O.  and  Janies  L. 
Peabody  and  Jeremiah  F.  Daniell,  who,  over  fifty 
years  ago,  built  a paper-mill  in  the  forest  that  then 
grew  about  the  falls  on  the  Winnipiseogee  where 
the  wealthy,  wide-awake  and  beautiful  village  of 
Franklin  Falls  now  stands. 

The  Peabodys  built  a small  mill  at  this  point  about 
the  year  1828.  Their  knowledge  of  the  paper  busi- 
ness was  very  limited,  their  machinery  of  the  most 
primitive  kind  and  their  experiment  was  not  at  first 
a success;  but  they  were  men  not  easily  turned  from 
their  purposes.  They  secured  the  services  of  a 
practical  paper-maker,  Jeremiah  F.  Daniell,  who 
knew  the  business  thoroughly,  and  was  by  education, 
as  well  as  by  natural  abilities,  well  qualified  to  prove 
an  efficient  helper  to  men  who,  like  the  Peabodys, 
were  trying  to  establish  a new  enterprise  in  the  face 
of  many  discouragements.  He  had  worked  at  his  trade 
in  Peppered,  Mass.,  also  in  Dorchester  and  Methuen. 
While  at  Peppered,  he  married  Sarah  Reed,  of  Har- 
vard, Mass.,  by  whom  he  had  two  children, — Warren 
F.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  who  was  born  June  26, 
1826,  and  Mary,  who  died  in  infancy. 

On  going  to  Franklin  he  was  given  an  interest  in  the 
business  and  became  a permanent  resident.  In  the 
face  of  many  obstacles,  he  secured  from  South  Wind- 
ham., Conn.,  a newly-invented  paper-machine,  which 
was  transported  across  the  country  by  two  eight- 
horse  teams  and  set  up  ready  for  business.  Mr.  Daniell 
purchased  the  interest  of  J.  L.  Peabody,  and  the  firm 
became  Peabody  & Daniell.  The  machinery  was 
scarcely  in  position  when  a fire  destroyed  the  factory 
and  its  contents,  leaving  the  owners  bankrupt  in 
nearly  everything  but  courage  and  a determination 
to  succeed,  which  enabled  them  to  finally  rebuild  and 
proceed  in  a small  way  with  their  business. 

The  erection  of  the  cotton-mills  at  Manchester  gave 
them  an  opportunity  to  purchase  large  amounts  of 
paper  stock  at  low  prices,  and  from  that  time  they 
were  moderately  prosperous.  The  next  year  after 
the  removal  of  Mr.  Daniell  from  Massachusetts  his 
wife  died,  and  a year  later  he  married  Annette  East- 
man, of  Concord.  His  son,  Warren  F.,  was  at  that 
time  a wide-awake  boy  of  ten  years.  He  had  picked 
up  a little  book-knowledge  in  the  Massachusetts 
schools,  and  that  he  might  be  further  educated  with- 
out much  expense,  was  sent  to  Concord,  where  he 
worked  upon  a farm  for  his  board  and  clothes  and  the 
privilege  of  attending  school  a short  time  each  winter, 
until,  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  he  was  called  home  and 
entered  the  paper-mill  as  an  apprentice  to  learn  the 
business  with  which  his  name  is  now  so  prominently 
identified.  It  was  his  purpose,  at  a later  period,  to 
attend  the  academy  at  Tilton ; but  on  the  day  on 
which  the  term  began  his  father  was  severely  burned, 
and  Warren  F.  was  obliged  to  take  his  place  in  the 
mill,  where  he  became  master  of  the  trade  in  all  its 
branches.  As  a journeyman,  his  wages  were  one  dollar 
and  twenty-five  cents  per  day.  Warren  F.  was  am- 
21 


bitious  at  some  time  to  have  a mill  of  his  own,  and 
with  this  object  in  view,  he  went  to  Waterville,  Me., 
and  with  other  parties  erected  and  ran  a paper-mill 
at  that  place,  when,  a year  later,  he  took  charge  of  a 
mill  at  Pepperell,  Mass.,  where  he  remained  until 
1854,  at  which  time  his  father  bought  out  Mr.  Pea- 
body and  asked  his  son  to  join  him  at  Franklin,  which 
he  did,  and  the  firm  became  J.  F.  Daniell  & Son, 
and  under  that  name  was  for  ten  years  prosperous 
and  successful.  In  1864,  Warren  F.  bought  his  father’s 
interest  and  became  sole  proprietor,  and  so  continued 
until  in  1870,  when  the  mill  property,  which  had 
grown  to  be  one  of  the  largest  and  best-known  private 
manufacturing  establishments  in  the  State,  was  sold 
to  a company  of  Massachusetts  capitalists,  who  organ- 
ized as  the  Winnipisogee  Paper  Company.  Mr. 
Daniell  then  became  connected  with  a large  paper- 
house  in  Boston  ; but  soon  tiring  of  city  life,  returned 
to  Franklin,  and,  with  a large  interest  in  the  company, 
j became  its  resident  agent  and  manager,  which 
! position  he  still  occupies.  This  company  owns  large 
paper-mills  supplied  with  the  best  machinery,  em- 
ploys three  hundred  hands  and  produces  about  twenty 
tons  of  paper  daily,  and  in  its  large  measure  of  suc- 
cess is  a monument  to  the  sagacity  and  enterprise  of 
the  man  who  plans  and  directs  its  operations,  who, 
without  the  help  of  a liberal  education,  has  won  his 
way  by  hard  and  patient  work  to  a first  place  among 
the  business  men  of  the  State.  While  compassing  his 
own  success,  Mr.  Daniell  has  contributed  much  to 
that  of  others,  and  in  his  struggle  upward  has  pulled 
no  one  down. 

The  business  world  acknowledges  him  as  a man 
of  undoubted  integrity,  thoroughly  responsible  and 
eminently  successful ; a genial  man  whose  good- 
fellowship  never  tires,  and  whose  hospitality  and 
generosity  are  inexhaustible.  In  1850,  Mr.  Daniell 
married,  Elizabeth  D.  Rundlett,  of  Stratham,  and 
had  one  child,  Harry  W.  She  died  in  Pepperell 
in  1854.  He  married,  second,  Abbie  A.  Sanger,  of 
Concord,  October,  1860,  from  which  union  there  are 
Eugene  S.,  Otis,  Warren  F.,  Jr.,  and  Jerie  R. 

Mr.  Daniell  is  much  interested  in  agriculture,  and 
owns  a large  farm,  which  is  under  a high  state  of 
cultivation.  He  has  long  been  the  owner  of  the  best 
herd  of  Jersey  cattle  in  the  State.  His  stables  con- 
tain some  of  the  finest  horses  ; he  admires  a good  dog, 
and  is  a skillful  breeder  of  swine  and  poultry.  He 
has  contributed  much  to  the  introduction  of  improved 
stock,  crops  and  farm  machinery  in  his  neighbor- 
hood ; has  been  active  and  liberal  in  sustaining  the 
State  and  local  agricultural  societies,  and  in  other- 
wise promoting  the  farming  interest. 

In  politics  Mr.  Daniell  is  a Democrat,  and  such  has 
been  his  popularity  at  home  that  he  has  represented 
his  town,  which  is  Republican,  several  times  in  the 
Legislature,  and  was  twice  chosen  Senator  in  a dis- 
trict which  no  other  Democrat  could  have  carried. 
He  represented  his  party  in  the  National  Convention 


32(5 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


of  1872,  and  has  always  been  one  of  its  trusted  coun-, 
selors  and  efficient  workers,  and  but  for  liis  refusal 
would  have  been  its  candidate  for  Governor  and  for 
Congress. 

During  the  war  he  gave  himself  to  the  cause  of  the 
Union  as  represented  by  the  “ boys  in  blue,”  voting 
to  raise  and  equip  all  the  men  who  were  needed, 
giving  liberally  to  provide  for  them  and  their  families 
and  supporting  by  word  and  deed  on  all  occasions 
the  cause  for  which  they  fought. 


WALTER  AIKEX. 

The  first  ancestor,  Edward  (1),  came  from  the  north 
of  Ireland  about  1722,  and  settled  in  Londonderry, 
N.  H.,  and  became  one  of  the  proprietors.  His  son, 
Nathaniel  (2),  lived  in  Londonderry  and  was  an  en- 
ergetic business  man.  One  of  his  sous,  Thomas  (3), 
moved  to  Deering,  N.  H.,  and  carried  on  farming 
there.  His  son,  Matthew  (4),  was  born  in  Deering, 
N.  H.,  March  21,  1776,  and  moved  to  Pelham,  N.  H., 
and  was  a saddler  and  harness-maker  there.  He 
married  Sally  Hackett,  daughter  of  Colonel  Hackett, 
of  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  who  built  there  the  first  frigate 
for  the  United  States  government  that  was  engaged  in 
the  Revolutionary  War. 

The  children  from  this  union  were  James  Gilman 
(5),  born  May  10,  1795,  who  was  a soldier  in  the  War 
of  1812,  and  was  last  heard  from  by  his  family  as  an 
officer  at  the  battle  of  New  Orleans,  where  it  is  sup- 
posed he  fell,  January  8,  1815.  Herrick  (5)  was  born 
in  Peterborough,  N.  H.,  June  8,  1797.  Sally  (5), 
born  May  10,  1799,  married  Phineas  Stevens,  who 
was  an  engineer  and  built  a number  of  prominent 
mills  in  New  Hampshire.  Emma  (5),  born  June  10, 
1802,  married  David  Hamblett,  a millwright,  of  Man- 
chester, N.  H.,  died  April  12,  1885.  Alfred  (5),  born 
July  11,  1804,  was  a tanner,  who  lived  first  in  Ben- 
nington, N.  H.,  and  removed  to  Beckett,  Mass.,  and 
there  died  September  25,  1878. 

Herrick  (5)  first  set  up  in  business  as  a manufac- 
turer of  machinery  at  Dracut,  Mass.,  and  moved  to 
Franklin,  N.  H.,  and  set  up  business  in  the  old  shop 
of  Daniel  Herrick,  in  1838,  which  business  he  carried 
on  in  that  vicinity  for  many  years.  He  was  an  in- 
ventor and  received  letters  patent  on  many  useful 
and  cunning  machines,  among  which  were  a “ spiral- 
brush ” and  a leather-splitting  machine.  He  also  re- 
ceived several  medals  for  valuable  inventions.  He 
conceived  the  plan  of  using  a cog-rail  for  steep 
grades  on  railroads  and  constructed  a model  at  his 
shop  that  worked  well.  Thinking  to  apply  his  in- 
vention upon  a road  to  the  top  of  Mt.  Washington, 
lie  rode  up  on  horse-back,  and  although  convinced  in 
his  own  mind  that  by  his  plan  the  summit  could  be 
reached,  he  was  unable  to  convince  the  railroad  men 
and  capitalists  that  his  plan  was  feasible,  and  the 
honor  of  the  achievement,  a few  years  later,  went  to 
others.  Mr.  Aiken  was  a good  citizen,  a successful 


business  man  and  a kind  husband  and  father,  and 
died  November  7,  1866. 

At  Dracut,  Mass.,  February  5, 1830,  he  married  Ann 
Matilda,  daughter  of  Isaac  Bradley,  of  that  place. 
She  wras  born  August  28,  1810,  and  was  a descendant 
in  the  fifth  generation  of  the  renowned  Hannah 
Dustan,  of  Haverhill,  Mass.  She  died  January  6, 
1884. 

The  children  from  this  union  were  Walter  (6), 
born  October  5,  1831,  in  Dracut,  Mass. ; Jonas  Brad- 
ley (6),  born  August  23,  1833,  at  the  same  place  ; 
James  Hackett  (6),  born  June  20,  1835,  died  of  chol- 
era in  Calcutta. 

Francis  Herrick  (6),  born  June  10,  1843,  in  Frank- 
lin, N.  H.  He  succeeded  his  father  in  business, 
carrying  it  on  successfully.  He  built  a fine  residence 
in  Franklin  and  died  January  16,  1876.  He  was  a 
prominent  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  a thirty- 
two-degree  Mason.  lie  married  Hannah  A.  Colby, 
of  Hill,  N.  H.,  September,  1865. 

Charles  Lowe  (6)  was  born  July  23,  1845.  He  re- 
sided in  Elkhart,  Ind.,  for  several  years  and  is 
now  an  employ^  of  the  Old  Colony  Railroad  Com- 
pany,, at  Taunton,  Mass.  He  married  Isabella  Bur- 
leigh, of  Thornton. 

Jonas  Bradley  (6),  the  second  son,  has  been  quite 
prominent  among  the  business  men  of  his  time  and 
had  extensive  business  connections,  although  he  retired 
from  active  business  some  years  ago.  He  married,  first, 
Helen  M.  Scribner,  of  Franklin,  in  1864.  She  died 
April  14,  1865,  the  same  day  upon  which  President 
Lincoln  died.  He  married,  second,  Addie  G.  Proctor, 
of  Northfield,  Yt.  The  only  child  from  the  first 
marriage,  Alice  Matilda  (7),  died  in  infancy.  The 
children  from  the  second  marriage  are  Mary  Louisa 
(7),  bom  November  19,  1867 ; Charles  Wilson  (7), 
born  August  21,  1869;  and  George  Proctor  (7),  born 
December  5,  1873,  who  was  drowned  May  10,  1876. 

Walter,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  passed  his  boy- 
hood at  the  old  home,  and,  in  addition  to  the  advan- 
tages of  the  common  schools,  he  attended  for  two 
years  the  Gilmanton  Academy  and  also  the  institutes 
at  New  Hampton  and  Tilton.  He  entered  his  father’s 
machine-shop  at  an  early  age,  and,  having  a natural 
talent  for  mechanics,  he  rapidly  developed,  and  at  the 
age  of  twenty-two  years  started  in  business  for  him- 
self in  an  upper  room  in  his  father’s  shop,  where  he 
invented  and  built  one  of  the  first  knitting-machines 
in  the  country.  A pioneer  in  the  invention  and  man- 
ufacture of  knitting-machines,  Mr.  Aiken  has  taken 
out  over  forty  patents,  and  his  latest  machine  makes 
a perfect  stocking  without  seam  in  less  than  five  min- 
utes and  works  automatically.  He  also  invented  a 
machine  to  make  gimlet-pointed  screws.  Mr.  Aiken 
is  also  a woolen  manufacturer,  producing  as  many  as 
four  hundred  dozen  pairs  of  stockings  per  day. 
He  also  built  the  house  on  the  summit  of  Mt.  Wash- 
ington, owning  one-half  of  it  ; assisted  in  building 
the  railroad  up  the  mountain  ; became  the  general 


Eny*iyAKFitch;U' 


FRANKLIN. 


327 


manager  at  the  opening  of  the  road,  in  18(39,  and  lias 
continued  in  that  capacity,  making  the  most  complete 
success  as  a financial  venture.  Mr.  Aiken  designed 
the  locomotive  in  use  on  the  Mt.  Washington  Rail- 
way. He,  in  connection  with  Sylvester  Marsh,  has 
perfected  and  carried  into  complete  operation  the 
work  which  Herrick  Aiken  had  so  many  years  before 
conceived,  viz. : to  build  a railroad  to  the  top  of  Mt. 
Washington.  His  residence,  on  a bluff  overlooking 
the  village,  is  one  of  the  finest  in  Franklin.  Mr. 
Aiken  owns  the  Hamilton  Hotel,  at  the  Bermuda  Is- 
lands, with  all  the  modern  improvements  and  capable 
of  entertaining  two  hundred  and  fifty  guests.  He 
built  the  signal  station  on  Mt.  Washington  for  the 


United  States  government  in  1873;  built  the  Summit 
House  in  1872.  Mr.  Aiken  is  a Democrat;  was  in 
the  War  of  the  Rebellion  ; has  been  a representative 
to  the  General  Court  for  four  years  and  is  a director  of 
each  of  the  banks  in  Franklin,  and  a prominent 
member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  also  of  the  Odd- 
Fellows.  “The  old  Granite  State”  may  well  be 
proud  of  such  sons.  He  married,  first,  Susan  Colby, 
of  Warner,  in  1853;  he  married,  second,  Mary  Dodge, 
of  Hampton  Falls,  January  1,  1867.  The  children 
by  the  first  marriage  were  James  (7),  born  February 
5,  1854,  and  Frederick  (7),  born  November  4,  1855. 
These  children  are  now  living. 


HISTORY  OF  ANDOVER. 


BY  N.  J.  BACHELDER. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Early  History. — The  earliest  or  provincial  history 
of  the  town  of  Andover  can  be  derived  only  from 
records  so  incomplete  and  often  contradictory  that  it 
is  difficult  to  settle  many  important  questions  regard- 
ing the  first  settlement  of  the  town.  Something  was 
known  of  the  location  and  peculiarities  of  this  tract 
of  land  many  years  previous  to  the  presentation  of  a 
petition  to  the  Masonian  owners  for  the  grant  in  1748. 

Whatever  had  been  learned  by  exploring  parties, 
so  little  had  been  recorded  before  this  date  that  not 
only  is  an  immense  amount  of  research  necessary,  but 
some  theory  and  speculation  also  for  an  intelligent 
statement  of  previous  transactions  in  regard  to  this 
tract.  But  few  facts  are  reasonably  certain  in  rela- 
tion to  it.  The  land  was  entirely  devoid  of  a white 
man’s  habitation  or  the  faintest  indication  of  the 
same  at  the  time  of  the  grant.  It  was  covered  with 
the  original  forest,  frequented  by  wild  animals  and 
diversified  only  by  the  unevenness  of  its  surface,  the 
mountainous  region  existing  on  the  northern  and 
western  boundaries.  The  hilly  sections  were  covered 
with  a dense  growth  of  hard  wood  and  the  plains 
with  an  immense  pine  forest.  The  streams  and 
ponds  existed  in  all  the  grandeur  of  primitive  wild- 
ness, and  the  entire  tract  now  known  as  the  town  of 
Andover  was  an  unbroken  wilderness. 

This  land  had  been  previously  purchased  of  John 
Tufton  Mason,  Esq.,  and  to  these  proprietors  did  the 
original  grantees  petition. 

At  a meeting  held  at  Portsmouth,  November  20, 
1751,  the  grant  was  made  to  the  following-named 
persons : 

Edmund  Brown,  William  Swain,  Archelaus  Lakeman,  John  Hoyt, 
John  Brown,  Daniel  Cram,  Nathan  Row,  Amos  Dwinell,  Daniel  Sanborn, 
John  Sanborn,  Joseph  Gove,  Benjamin  Leavitt,  Nathan  Longfellow, 
David  Norton,  Walter  Williams,  Benjamin  Swett,  Jr.,  Benjamin  Shaw, 
Benjamin  Tilton,  Joseph  Prescott,  Thomas  Sillia,  Israel  Blake,  John 
Ellis,  Daniel  Weare,  Nathaniel  Healey,  Benjamin  Sanborn,  Robert  Mil- 
ler, Tobias  Lakeman,  of  Hampton  Falls  ; Edward  Brown  and  Jonathan 
Beck,  of  Salisbury,  Mass.  ; Samuel  Batlirick,  of  Portsmouth  ; Ezekiel 
Worthen,  Joseph  Weare,  Samuel  Blake,  Jr.,  John  Chapman,  Samuel 
Blake,  Nathan  Dow,  Samuel  French,  William  Brown  Clough,  Jesse 
Prescott,  Ebenezer  Loverin,  of  Kensington  ; Anthony  Emery,  John 
Marston,  Simeon  Marston,  Joshua  Towle,  Daniel  Marston,  John  Leavitt, 
Jonathan  Leavitt,  Nathaniel  Bachelder,  of  Hampton  ; Samuel  French, 
Richard  Smith,  Benjamin  Eaton,  Joseph  French,  Hezekiah  Carr,  Benja- 
min French,  of  South  Hampton  and  Hampton  Falls  ; David  Page,  David 

328 


Lowel,  Nason  Cass,  Joseph  Rawlins,  of  Exeter;  Jonathan  Sanborn,  of 
Kingston  ; Robert  Calf,  of  Chester. 

Said  tract  of  land  was  estimated  to  contain  about 
forty  square  miles,  and  was  bounded  as  follows  : 

“Beginning  at  a great  rock  on  the  westerly  side  of  Pemigewasset 
River,  which  rock  is  the  northeasterly  bound  of  a tract  of  land  granted 
to  Ebenezer  Stevens,  Jedediali  Philbrick  and  others  by  said  proprietors  ; 
then  running  west  seventeen  degrees,  south,  ten  miles  ; then  beginning 
again  at  said  rock,  running  up  said  river  so  far  as  to  contain  four  miles 
upon  a straight  line  ; thence  west  seventeen  degrees,  south,  ten  miles  ; 
thence  on  a straight  line  to  the  end  of  the  first  ten-mile  line.” 

Various  conditions  were  imposed  upon  the  grantees, 
among  which  were  the  following : 

“That  fifteen  families  be  settled  upon  said  tract  of  land,  each  having 
a house  of  sixteen  feet  square  at  least,  or  equal  thereto,  and  four  acres 
of  land  cleared  and  fitted  for  tillage  or  mowing  upon  their  respective 
shares  within  four  years  next  after  the  granting  hereof ; and  fifteen 
families  more  so  settled  within  six  years  of  the  granting  hereof ; and 
thirty  families  more  writhin  ten  years  of  the  granting  hereof.  That 
within  eight  years  from  the  granting  hereof  a meeting-house  be  built  for 
the  worship  of  God  and  fitted  for  that  purpose  for  the  use  of  the  inhabi- 
tants there  ; and  that  they  maintain  and  support  the  constant  preach- 
ing of  the  Gospel  there  after  the  expiration  of  ten  years  from  the  grant- 
ing hereof.  That  all  white  pine  trees  fit  for  masting  the  royal  navy  be 
and  hereby  are  reserved  and  granted  to  his  Majesty,  his  heirs  and  suc- 
cessors forever  for  that  purpose.  Provided  ahvays  that  in  case  of  an  In- 
dian war  within  any  of  the  terms  of  years  above  limited  for  the  doing 
any  of  the  said  matters  and  things  aforesaid,  by  the  said  owners  to  be 
done,  the  same  number  of  years  as  such  war  shall  last  shall  be  allowed 
after  that  impediment  shall  be  removed.” 

According  to  the  terms  of  the  graut,  the  tract  was 
divided  into  eighty-one  shares,  and  each  share  di- 
vided into  three  lots.  Two  of  the  lots  were  to  con- 
tain one  hundred  acres  each,  and  the  third  the  re- 
mainder of  the  land  belonging  to  each  respective 
share.  Eighteen  of  these  shares  were  reserved  by  the 
grantors.  One  was  reserved  for  the  first  ordained 
minister,  one  for  the  parsonage  and  one  for  the  sup- 
port of  schools.  The  remaining  sixty  shares  were  to 
be  the  property  of  the  sixty  grantees.  The  pro- 
visions of  the  grant  were  such  that  the  eighteen 
shares  reserved  by  the  grantors  were  to  he  free  from 
any  expense  incurred  in  effecting  the  settlement  of 
the  town. 

The  township  was  first  called  New  Breton,  in  honor 
of  the  brave  men  who  achieved  the  capture  of  Cape 
Breton  in  1745.  A large  number  of  the  forces  in  this 
engagement  came  from  the  province  of  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  several  of  the  grantees  of  New  Breton  were 
among  the  number. 


ANDOVER 


329 


The  early  meetings  of  the  proprietors  of  the  town- 
ship were  held  at  Hampton  Falls,  and  for  more  than 
twenty  years  all  business  was  transacted  there. 
Committees  were  frequently  appointed  and  sent  up 
to  the  township,  and  their  reports  formed  the  basis 
of  action.  The  first  important  business  transacted 
at  these  meetings  was  to  procure  the  drawing  of  a 
plan  of  the  town,  and  May  28,  1753,  a committee  was 
appointed  to  lay  said  plan  before  the  grantors  and 
arrange  when  to  have  the  lots  drawn.  According 
to  this  plan,  the  town  was  divided  into  four  ranges, 
each  commencing  at  the  Pemigewasset  River  and 
extending  across  the  town  in  a westerly  direction. 
Land,  four  rods  wide,  for  a road  between  each  range 
was  reserved  and  a centre  square  surveyed,  where,  prob- 
ably, it  was  supposed  the  business  interests  of  the 
town  would  be  centred,  and  it  is  not  unreasonable 
to  conjecture  that  it  was  expected  to  become  a cen- 
tral location  for  all  leading  interests.  This  town 
centre  was  west  of  Loon  Pond  about  one-half  mile, 
and  located  on  land  now  owned  by  J.  D.  Philbrick, 
W.  A.  Bachelder  and  F.  H.  Flanders.  Instead  of  be- 
ing the  metropolis  of  the  town,  it  is  even  remote 
from  any  highway. 

The  ranges  were  divided  into  lots  according  to 
the  terms  of  the  grant,  and  measures  were  taken 
for  spotting  out  the  town  as  indicated  by  the  plan. 
It  is  not  certain  how  thoroughly  this  was  done,  for  at 
a meeting  in  May,  1763,  a committee  was  appointed 
“to  run  out  said  township  anew  and  bound  and  num- 
ber every  lot  agreeable  to  the  plan  formerly  exhibited 
and  accepted  by  the  grantors.”  This  committee  was 
David  Norton,  Richard  Smith,  Benjamin  Eaton,  Ben- 
jamin Tilton  and  Jeremiah  Lane.  They  spent  six  days 
doing  this  work,  and  in  November  of  the  same  year 
made  a lengthy  and  interesting  report  of  their  pro- 
ceedings. This  report  occasionally  mentions  “old 
spotted  lines,”  but  nearly  all  the  lines  were  newly 
spotted,  with  no  reference  to  any  previous  survey, 
and  the  committee  claim  to  have  made  a thorough 
division  of  the  town  according  to  the  original  plan. 
Undoubtedly,  this  was  the  first  accurate  survey  with 
the  boundaries  distinctly  marked.  About  the  same 
time  committees  were  appointed  for  establishing  the 
boundary  lines  between  this  and  the  adjoining  town- 
ships, which  seems  to  have  been  well  and  faithfully 
done. 

Proprietors’  meetings  were  held  very  frequently, 
and  after  the  boundary  lines  were  fairly  well  estab- 
lished, the  location  of  roads  and  bridges  was  the 
subject  mainly  considered. 

The  range-ways  which  had  been  reserved  for  roads 
were  not  practical  for  this  purpose,  and  we  find  the 
early  records  filled  with  reports  of  action  taken  in 
this  matter.  In  September,  1753,  it  was  voted  to  clear 
a road  to  the  Centre  Square.  Doubtless,  this  was  the 
earliest  projected  road,  and,  like  those  afterwards 
surveyed,  terminated  at  the  Centre  Square  as  the  ob- 
jective-point. Although  this  road  was  spotted,  we 


are  unable  to  find  any  evidence  that  it  was  cut  and 
cleared.  At  the  meeting  of  July  21,  1761,  a commit- 
tee previously  appointed  to  look  out  and  spot  the 
most  convenient  place  for  a road  to  the  Centre  Square, 
and  also  to  search  out  the  most  convenient  place  for 
a saw-mill  and  spot  a road  thereto,  made  report  as 
follows : 

“We  have  made  search,  and,  according  to  the  best  of  our  judgment, 
pursued  the  road  from  the  fort  in  Stevenstown  (so-called)  to  Peter 
Bowing’s  house,  in  said  Stevenstown,  and  from  thence  to  Call’s  meadow 
(so-called),  and  from  thence  the  spotted  way  to  Loon  Pond,  in  said  New 
Breton,  and  from  thence  to  the  Centre  Square,  and  from  thence  back  to 
the  southeasterly  part  of  said  Loon  Pond,  and  from  thence  northerly 
round  said  pond  till  we  come  to  where  said  pond  empties  itself,  and 
from  thence  down  said  stream  to  the  first  falls,  next  to  Loon  Pond, 
where  we  apprehend  to  be  the  most  convenient  place  that  we  can  find 
in  said  township  of  New  Breton  for  a saw-mill.” 

The  report  of  this  committee  was  accepted,  but  no 
further  action  is  recorded  in  regard  to  clearing  the 
road  thus  spotted. 

The  records  indicate  that  the  first  road  cut  and 
cleared  was  known  as  the  Centre  road,  leading  from 
the  Pemigewasset  River  to  Chance  Pond,  around 
the  northerly  end  of  this  pond,  and  from  thence  to 
the  mill  privilege  and  Loon  Pond. 

At  a. meeting  held  November  3,  1762,  a committee 
consisting  of  Anthony  Emery,  Nathaniel  Healy,  Jr., 
and  Jeremiah  Lane,  who  had  been  appointed  at  a 
previous  meeting,  reported  the  above-mentioned  road 
completed,  and  were  voted  three  hundred  and  eigh- 
teen pounds  ten  shillings,  old  tenor,  in  payment  for  cut- 
ting and  clearing  the  same. 

As  the  town  became  settled,  roads  were  necessary, 
and  soon  were  cut  in  various  directions  through  the 
forest,  and  their  location  has  been  a subject  of  con- 
troversy and  contention  as  often  as  a new  road  was 
projected,  even  to  the  present  day.  In  many  in- 
stances roads  were  abandoned  after  a short  time  as 
some  better  way  was  suggested. 

Damages  were  awarded  the  owners  of  land  through 
which  roads  passed,  and  frequently  the  range-ways 
adjoining  the  farm  were  voted  in  exchange  for  the 
land  taken.  The  famous  Fourth  New  Hampshire 
turnpike  was  surveyed  through  the  town  in  1804, 
and  opened  to  travel  in  1806.  One  of  the  most 
important  toll-gates  on  the  route  of  this  turnpike 
was  that  at  West  Andover,  where  this  road  was  in- 
tersected by  the  Grafton  turnpike. 

This  gate  for  many  years  was  in  charge  of  Thomas 
Clark,  Esq.,  a man  of  some  renown  in  hotel  and  store 
business,  and  also  in  public  affairs. 

The  turnpike  was  made  a free  road  in  1839,  and  the 
town  was  required  to  pay  the  corporation  five  hun- 
dred and  sixty-six  dollars  in  consideration  of  the 
same. 

The  early  settlement  of  the  town  progressed  very 
slowly.  It  required  no  little  courage  and  powers  of 
endurance  to  brave  the  dangers  and  privations  of  the 
wilderness.  A narrow  path  cut  through  the  forest 
was  the  road  over  which  a man  must  bring  on  horse- 
back his  family  and  household  goods. 


330 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Reminiscences  of  the  exploits  and  adventures  of 
the  earliest  inhabitants  would  fill  a lengthy  chapter. 
Different  sections  of  the  town  bear  names  taken 
from  hunting  adventures  which  are  still  fresh  in 
memory  and  often  told  by  the  oldest  inhabitants  as 
related  to  them  by  the  first  settlers. 

Money  was  voted  at  the  proprietors’  meetings  for 
the  encouragement  of  those  who  first  settled  here; 
but  not  until  1761  did  any  one  venture  to  make  a 
home  within  the  limits  of  the  town.  During  that 
year  Mr.  Joseph  Fellows  moved  from  Boscawen  into 
that  part  of  Andover  known  as  Flaghole,  and  settled 
on  what  is  now  the  Royal  Stone  farm.  Mr.  Fellows 
died  March  14,  1811,  and  his  daughter,  Peggy,  was 
the  first  child  horn  in  town.  Elias  Raino  was  the 
next  settler,  building  a house  near  the  Joseph  A. 
Rowe  place.  The  house  was  long  since  destroyed, 
but  traces  of  the  cellar  can  still  be  seen.  Mr.  Raino 
died  September  20,  1787.  The  third  man  to  settle 
in  the  town  was  William  Morey,  who  cleared  the 
farm  now  owned  by  Jonathan  Cilley,  and  built  a 
house  a few  rods  south  of  the  one  at  present  occupied 
by  Mr.  Cilley.  Mr.  Morey  died  in  1814.  Edward 
Ladd  was  another  of  the  early  settlers.  He  lived 
upon  the  farm  lately  occupied  by  James  Marston,  and 
died  in  1818,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two  years. 

With  no  inhabitants  on  the  north  from  whom  as- 
sistance could  be  had,  and  being  unable  to  obtain 
supplies  without  a journey  of  a dozen  miles,  and  then 
bring  them  home  on  their  backs,  it  is  no  w’onder 
that  the  early  settlement  w'as  slow.  In  1775  the 
number  of  inhabitants  in  the  town  was  one  hundred 
and  seventy-nine. 

In  the  minds  of  the  proprietors,  next  in  importance 
to  the  clearing  of  roads  seems  to  have  been  the 
building  of  a saw-mill,  and  the  mill  privilege  was 
one  of  the  first  things  looked  for  in  the  survey  of  the 
town.  The  place  selected  was  where  the  Busiel  hosiery- 
mill  now  stands,  and  here  the  first  saw-mill  was 
erected  by  Nathaniel  Prescott  in  1766.  The  proprie- 
tors of  the  township  voted  Mr.  Prescott  forty  pounds, 
lawful  money,  towards  the  erection  of  the  mill,  he 
agreeing  to  keep  it  in  good  running  order  and  to  saw 
all  logs  hauled  there  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  town 
at  the  halves  for  the  next  ten  yeai-s.  A large  num- 
ber of  saw-mills  have  since  that  time  been  built  in 
town,  and  in  1820  no  less  than  five  were  in  active 
operation.  At  this  early  date  they  were  usually 
built  on  small  streams,  which  now  would  not  fur- 
nish sufficient  power,  and  upon  very  small  streams 
do  we  frequently  find  traces  of  dams,  mills  and  rude 
machinery  in  places  now  entirely  given  to  the  growth 
of  wood  and  lumber. 

A grist-mill  was  needed,  and  its  location  was  con- 
sidered at  several  meetings.  Various  places  were 
favorably  reported.  In  1769,  Mr.  Prescott  moved 
the  saw-mill  farther  up  the  stream,  and  a committee 
contracted  with  Anthony  Emery  to  build  a grist- 
mill at  the  foot  of  the  falls,  and  also  made  a contract 


with  Mr.  Prescott  for  drawing  water  for  said  grist-mill 
from  his  saw-mill  gate  for  a period  of  twenty  years 
by  payment  of  seven  pounds,  lawful  money. 

At  a meeting  February  2,  1774,  this  grist-mill, 
built  by  the  proprietors  of  the  township,  was  voted 
to  be  sold  to  Joseph  Fellows  for  thirty-five  pounds. 
It  was  used  for  many  years,  and  was  but  one  of  sev- 
eral grist-mills  in  operation  in  the  town  a few  years 
later.  Carding-mills,  clothing-mills,  bark-mills  and 
tanneries  were  built  in  various  sections  of  the  town, 
and  in  1820  no  less  than  two  of  each  mentioned 
were  operated. 

The  first  business  meeting  called  in  New  Breton 
was  by  authority  of  the  province  of  New  Hampshire 
and  for  the  purpose  of  choosing  officers  for  assess- 
ing and  collecting  the  province  and  county  tax. 
This  meeting  was  held  at  the  house  of  Joseph  Fel- 
lows, June  21,  1773,  but  after  this,  were  annually 
held  at  the  meeting-house.  But  little  business  was 
transacted,  except  the  election  of  officers,  which  in- 
cluded a man  to  take  care  of  the  meeting-house,  until 
the  incorporation  of  the  town,  June  25, 1779,  at  which 
date  the  town  took  the  present  name  of  Andover. 

The  first  town-meeting  after  the  incorporation,  was 
held  at  the  meeting-house  July  13,  1779,  and  the  fol- 
lowing were  elected  the  first  town  officers:  Moderator, 
Samuel  Blake;  Clerk,  Jonathan  Weare  ; Selectmen, 
Joseph  Philbrick,  Samuel  Blake  and  Jabez  Morril ; 
Assessors,  Peter  Weare  and  Joseph  Chandler;  High- 
way Surveyors,  Robert  Wise,  John  Row,  Joseph  Phil- 
brick  and  Joseph  Fellows;  tithingmen,  fence-viewers, 
surveyors  of  lumber  and  hog  constables  were  also 
chosen. 

Meetings  were  held  on  August  16th  and  September 
1st  to  consider  various  questions  for  advancing  the 
settlement  of  the  town.  Action  was  taken  for  the 
support  of  both  school  and  church,  and  the  incorpo- 
ration of  the  town  marked  a new  era  in  its  develop- 
ment. 

During  the  next  years  the  town  became  rapidly 
settled,  and  all  worthy  objects  of  a public  nature  were 
supported.  Old  roads  were  repaired  and  new  roads 
laid  out  and  cleared.  Bridges  were  built.  Land  was 
cleared  and  cultivated,  and  the  large  two-storied  houses 
were  erected.  A new  meeting-house  was  built,  and 
a church  organization  established. 

Appropriations  were  almost  annually  made  for 
schools,  and  later  the  school  districts  were  formed 
and  school-houses  erected.  In  1790  the  town  had 
six  hundred  and  forty-five  inhabitants,  and  in  1820 
the  people  of  Andover  numbered  sixteen  hundred 
and  forty-two. 

October  10,  1828,  Joseph  C.  Thomson  was  elected 
agent  for  the  town  in  the  formation  of  the  new 
town  of  Franklin.  Mr.  Thomson  was  instructed  to 
favor  the  formation  of  the  contemplated  town,  pro- 
viding the  tract  of  land  taken  from  Andover  for  its 
formation  should  extend  entirely  across  the  town. 
A strip  of  land  bordering  upon  the  Pemigewasset 


ANDOVER. 


331 


River  was  taken  from  the  easterly  end  of  Andover 
and  incorporated  in  the  town  of  Franklin  by  an  act 
dated  December  24,  1828. 

Following  will  be  found  the  list  of  representatives 
and  town  clerks  serving  in  the  town  to  the  year 
1886,  and  after  this  are  given  the  more  important 
events  in  the  history  of  the  leading  interests  of  An- 
dover : 

REPRESENTATIVES. 

179G-1802,  Joseph  Philbrick  ; 1803,  Jonathan  Weare  ; 1804,  Joseph  j 
Philbrick  ; 1805,  Jonathan  Weare  ; 1806,  Jacob  B.  Moore  ; 1807-9,  Jona- 
than Weare  ; 1810-12,  James  Tucker  ; 1813,  Jonathan  Weare,  Jr.  ; 1814, 
Janies  Tucker  ; 1815,  Jonathan  Weare,  Jr.  ; 181G-17,  no  representative  ; 
1818,  Samuel  Graves;  1819,  no  representative;  1820-21,  Robert  Bar- 
ber ; 1822-24,  Samuel  Brown  ; 1825,  Robert  Barber  ; 1826,  no  represen- 
tative ; 1827,  Samuel  Brown  ; 1828,  Joseph  C.  Thomson  ; 1829-30,  James 
Tucker;  1 831-32,  Jesse  Graves  ; 1833,  no  representative;  1834-36,  Jo- 
seph Swett;  1837-38,  Royal  F.  Eastman;  1839,  Joseph  C.  Thomson ; 
1840  41,  Benjamin  F.  Scribener ; 1842-43,  Enoch  F.  Sceva ; 1844-45,  Jo- 
seph A.  Rowe;  1846,  Samuel  Butterfield;  1847,  Samuel  Butterfield  and 
John  Fellows;  1848,  John  Fellows;  1849-50,  Samuel  Morrill ; 1851-52, 
Ephraim  G.  Graves;  1853-54,  Dudley  F.  Langley  ; 1855-56,  Caleb  T. 
Marston  ; 1857-58,  Watson  Dickerson  ; 1859-60,  John  31.  Shirley  ; 1861- 
62,  John  Proctor;  1863-64,  Samuel  Swett;  1865-66,  Aaron  Cilley ; 1867- 
68,  George  W.  Thomson  ; 1869-70,  Henry  A.  Weymouth  ; 1871-72,  John 
F.  Emery  ; 1873-74,  John  P.  Carr  ; 1875,  Ziba  Severence ; 1876,  Ziba 
Severence  and  Clark  Durgin  ; 1877,  Clark  Durgin  and  Gerry  Morgan  ; 
1878,  Gerry  Morgan  and  Clarence  E.  Carr ; 1879,  Clarence  E.  Carr;  1881, 
William  E.  Melendy;  1883,  Robert  C.  Carr;  1885,  George  W.  Stone. 


TOWN  CLERKS. 

[At  the  organization  of  the  town  government,  in  1773,  Paul  Smith  ! 
Marston  was  chosen  town  clerk,  and  continued  in  the  office  until  the 
incorporation  of  the  town,  in  1779.] 

1779-92,  Jonathan  Weare  ; 1793-94,  Silas  Barnard  ; 1795,  Jonathan 
Weare  ; 1796-97,  Jacob  B.  Moore  ; 1798-99,  Jonathan  Weare;  1800-4, 
Jacob  B.  Moore  ; 1805,  Jonathan  Weare  ; 1806-10,  John  Weare  ; 1811, 
Willard  Emery  ; 1812-18,  Robert  Barber  ; 1819-24,  Samuel  Brown  ; 1825- 
31,  Jesse  Graves ; 1832-33,  Nehemiah  D.  Sleeper ; 1834-36,  Thomas  R. 
White  ; 1837,  Edwin  Moody  ; 1838-39,  Samuel  Swett ; 1840-41,  Jacob 
C.  Ilanson  ; 1842-44,  Simon  Graves  ; 1845-46,  William  B.  Emery  ; 1847- 
48,  Henry  A.  Weymouth  ; 1849-50,  Ephraim  G.  Graves  ; 1851-53,  Henry 
A.  Weymouth  ; 1854-56,  Jacob  F.  Kenerson  ; 1857-60,  Clark  Durgin ; 
1861-64,  Nathan  Woodbury  ; 1865,  Henry  M.  Bosworth  ; 1866-72,  John 
W.  Kenistou  ; 1873-79,  George  II.  Morrill  ; 1880-84,  Henry  M.  Bos- 
worth ; 1885,  Nathan  Woodbury. 


Ecclesiastical  History — Church  Buildings. — 
The  early  settlers  manifested  much  interest  in  es- 
tablishing and  supporting  a religious  meeting,  and  we 
find  action  frequently  taken  during  the  period  in 
which  the  religious  affairs  were  controlled  by  vote  of 
the  town.  Doubtless,  it  was  the  intention  of  the 
grantees  to  locate  the  first  meeting-house  at  the 
Centre  Square,  for,  being  the  geographical  centre  of 
the  town,  it  was  supposed  that  it  would  become  the 
business  centre  also,  and  a vote  was  passed  at  one  time 
to  build  a meeting-house  there.  The  “mills”  having 
been  located  at  the  place  now  known  as  East  An- 
dover, the  proprietors  of  the  township,  for  the  better 
convenience  of  the  inhabitants,  decided  to  locate  the 
first  meeting-house  there,  and  at  a meeting  held  May 
18,  1772,  the  following  action  was  recorded  . 


“ Voted,  That  a meeting-house  be  built  in  said  township  of  New  Breton 
for  the  public  worship  of  God  ; said  house  to  be  20  feet  wide  and  30  feet 
long  and  9 feet  stud  ; to  be  one  story  high  and  well  boarded  on  the  sides 
and  ends  with  feather-edged  boards.  The  roof  well  boarded  and 
shingled.  Proper  doors  made,  and  double  floor  laid  over  the  whole 
frame  below.  Plank  laid  for  the  people  to  sit  on  and  a decent  desk  for  I 
the  minister.” 


Benjamin  Tilton  and  Benjamin  Eaton  had  previ- 
ously agreed  to  furnish  all  material  and  build  this 
house  for  sixty-four  dollars,  and  were  appointed  a 
committee,  with  instructions  “ to  locate  said  house  as 
near  to  the  mills  now  built  in  said  township  as  they 
shall  think  most  convenient,  and  to  have  it  com- 
pleted in  a workmanlike  manner  within  one  year.” 
One-half  of  said  amount  was  to  be  paid  in  six  months 
and  the  remainder  when  the  house  was  completed. 

It  was  located  and  built  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
road  from  the  school-house  now  standing,  and  within 
twenty  rods  of  the  first  saw-mili  and  grist-mill  built 
in  town.  This  building  was  used  for  religious  meet- 
ings and  for  the  business  meetings  of  the  town  until 
1795,  when,  for  some  unknown  reason,  it  was  de- 
molished. Tradition  says  it  was  destroyed  in  the 
night,  and  it  may  have  been  done  with  the  object  of 
hastening  the  building  of  a new  meeting-house;  for,  as 
early  as  1782,  this  subject  was  considered  by  the  voters 
of  the  town,  but  they  could  not  decide  upon  the  place 
to  build  it.  The  location  of  the  second  meeting- 
house was  a difficult  question  to  settle,  and  for  several 
years  was  agitated  by  the  voters  at  each  annual 
meeting.  Various  places  were  accepted  and  as  often 
rejected  by  a reconsideration  of  the  vote. 

At  one  time  “ it  was  voted  to  build  a meeting- 
house on  the  hill  by  Captain  Bachelder’s.”  A com- 
mittee was  appointed  to  build  the  house  and  settle  for 
the  land.  Afterwards  it  was  voted  “ to  set  a meeting- 
house on  the  plains  near  Mr.  Clough’s,”  and  at 
another  time  “on'the  plains  near  the  pond.”  A vote 
was  passed  to  build  two  meeting-houses.  A commit- 
tee was  chosen  from  outside  the  town,  who  located 
the  house  “near  Mr.  Nathan  Row’s,”  but  the  report 
of  this  committee  was  rejected.  The  house  was 
finally  built  according  to  a vote  passed  May  10,  1790, 
“ to  build  a meeting-house  on  the  hill  in  Mr.  Hilton’s 
lot.”  This  was  on  the  exact  location  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Church  at  East  Andover  to-day,  and  the  frame 
now  in  that  building  is  the  same  as  was  originally 
raised  May  3,  1796.  The  first  sermon  was  preached 
in  the  house  July  3d  of  the  same  year,  and  the  church 
formally  dedicated  February  5,  1797. 

The  building  has  been  frequently  remodeled,  and 
at  the  present  day  has  but  little  resemblance  to  that 
first  erected.  The  greatest  development  of  the  re- 
sources of  the  town  was  made  in  the  years  following 
the  erection  of  this  building,  and  for  more  than 
twenty-five  years  it  was  the  only  church  edifice 
within  the  limits  of  Andover. 

But  very  few  records  have  been  found  regarding 
the  third  meeting-house  built.  It  seems  to  have  been 
erected  by  people  of  different  religious  beliefs,  and 
was  known  as  the  Union  Church.  The  frame  was 
raised  in  June,  1822,  and  the  building  soon  after 
completed.  It  was  located  at  Andover  Centre,  and, 
as  remodeled,  is  the  present  academy  building.  It 
was  for  a time  regularly  used  for  the  meetings  of  the 
Universalist,  Methodist,  Congregational  and  Chris- 


332 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


tian  Societies,  each  occupying  it  a stated  Sabbath  in  I 
a month.  It  was  afterwards  only  used  occasionally, 
and  a fine  hall  finished  in  the  building  erected  by 
Hon.  John  Proctor  became  the  more  usual  place  of 
holding  religious  meetings. 

The  former  church  structure  was  divided  into  two 
stories,  and  the  upper  floor  for  many  years  used  for  the 
annual  meetings  of  the  town,  and  at  present  the  entire 
building  is  devoted  to  the  needs  of  Proctor  Academy. 

The  large  and  commodious  hall  in  Proctor  Block, 
Andover  Centre,  was  fitted  up  by  Mr.  Proctor  ex- 
pressly for  religious  services  and  furnished  with  pul- 
pit, organ  chairs  and  all  necessary  appointments  and 
conveniences  of  a house  of  worship.  At  his  death  a 
provision  of  his  will  bequeathed  the  use  of  the  hall 
for  religious  purposes  to  his  native  village.  By  this 
wise  and  generous  forethought  a most  attractive  place 
of  worship  is  provided,  rendering  a church  edifice 
unnecessary. 

The  fourth  meeting-house  in  town  was  built  by  the 
Free-AVill  Baptist  Society  of  East  Andover  in  1839. 
The  building  committee  were  James  Severens,  Josiah 
Baclielder,  Jonathan  Cilley,  James  Bayley,  Simeon 
Rollins,  Dearborn  Cilley  and  A.  J.  Tucker.  The 
building  was  dedicated  December  25,  1839,  with 
appropriate  exercises.  A bell  was  purchased  in 
1841.  The  building  was  entirely  destroyed  by 
fire  May  23,  1871,  and  soon  replaced  by  the  present 
structure,  which  is  neatly  furnished  and  affords  a very 
pleasant  audience- room. 

In  1879  a building  was  commenced  at  West  An- 
dover by  the  Union  Enterprise  Society  for  religious 
meetings.  The  building  was  completed  in  March, 
1882,  and  dedicated  August  31  of  the  same  year, 
Rev.  William  Morrill  preaching  the  dedicatory  ser- 
mon. The  society  is  non-sectarian  and  its  members 
entertain  different  religious  beliefs.  The  object  of 
the  society  is  the  worship  of  God,  and  for  this  pur- 
pose was  the  building  dedicated.  The  pastors  have 
been  : William  Morrill,  Christian  ; William  Love 

and  James  D.  Legro,  Methodist. 

A building  was  erected  at  Andover  Centre  by  the 
Congregational  Society  during  the  summer  of  1882. 
It  is  known  as  the  Chapel,  and  built  for  religious 
worship  by  this  church.  This  building  was  dedicated 
September  26,  1882,  and  affords  the  fifth  place  at 
present  in  the  town  where  religious  services  are  con- 
stantly held. 

Religious  Societies.— According  to  the  terms  of 
the  grant,  “ One  of  the  said  shares  shall  be  for  the 
first  minister  of  the  gospel  who  shall  be  settled  on 
the  said  land,  and  continue  there  during  his  life  or 
until  he  shall  be  regularly  dismissed,  to  hold  to  him, 
his  heirs  and  assigns ; and  one  other  of  the  said 
shares  to  be  for  and  towards  the  support  of  the  gospel 
ministry  there  forever.”  This  condition  seems  to 
have  been  complied  with  in  the  drawing  of  the  lots, 
and  we  find  lots  numbered  19  and  62  reserved  for 
these  purposes. 


| 

The  income  of  these,  known  as  the  minister  and 
parsonage  lots,  was  appropriated  to  the  support  of 
preaching,  together  with  such  sums  as  were  voted  by 
the  proprietors  of  the  township.  The  entire  amount 
was  necessarily  small,  only  at  first  enough  to  secure 
preaching  a portion  of  the  time.  The  noble  character 
of  the  earliest  settlers  is  in  no  way  so  clearly  demon- 
strated as  in  the  sacrifices  made  for  the  support  of  the 
gospel  ministry.  Whatever  privations  were  endured, 
the  minister  was  supported,  not  barely  to  clear  the 
terms  of  the  grant,  but  freely  and  generously,  as  will 
be  seen.  The  first  minister  preaching  regularly  was 
Rev.  Mr.  Brown,  of  whom  but  little  is  known.  He 
was  here  in  1774,  two  years  after  the  building  of  the 
meeting-house,  and  it  seems,  for  some  reason,  that  the 
liberality  of  the  inhabitants  was  not  well  tested  this 
year,  for  he  received  but  thirty  dollars  for  his  services. 

Congregational  Society.  — Rev.  Josiah  Badcock 
preached  his  first  sermon  in  Andover,  August  19, 
1781,  and  this  commenced  a new  era  in  the  religious 
history  of  the  town.  Mr.  Badcock  was  called  to 
Andover  to  preach  regularly  July  8,  1782;  was  or- 
dained October  30th  of  the  same  year,  at  East  An- 
dover, and  on  that  day  the  first  Congregational 
Church  was  organized  with  six  members.  At  the 
time  Mr.  Badcock  was  called  to  the  town  it  was  voted 
to  give  him  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  for  the  first 
year,  with  ten  dollars  added  yearly  until  it  should 
amount  to  two  hundred  dollars  per  year.  It  was  also 
voted  to  build  him  a house  “ the  bigness  of  Mr.  Samuel 
Blake’s,”  to  give  him  the  use  of  the  parsonage,  to 
give  him  twenty  cords  of  wood  yearly,  to  clear  for 
him  two  acres  of  land  each  year  for  five  years,  to 
allow  him  to  be  absent  three  Sabbath  days  in  each 
year.  This  was  the  contract  under  which  Mr.  Bad- 
cock came,  and  doubtless  was  a low  compensation  for 
a man  of  his  fine  education  and  superior  natural  en- 
dowments. He  was  a graduate  of  Harvard  College 
in  1772.  It  would  also  seem  a liberal  sum  to  be 
raised  by  the  people  of  the  township,  who  probably 
at  this  time  did  not  number  more  than  three  hundred. 
The  minister  lot  is  now  known  as  the  Horace  Clay 
farm,  on  Taunton  Hill.  The  frame  of  the  house  now 
standing  is  probably  that  raised  for  Mr.  Badcock,  and 
there  he  lived  the  remainder  of  his  life.  The  church 
over  which  he  was  the  pastor  increased  to  about 
thirty  members,  and  during  his  pastorate  the  second 
meeting-house  in  town  was  built  and  occupied  by 
this  society.  Mr.  Badcock  was  an  active  and  influen- 
tial man  in  the  business  affairs  of  the  town,  and  his 
bold  signature  is  often  found  in  the  records.  Perhaps 
no  name  in  the  early  history  of  the  town  is  more 
familiar  than  that  of  Rev.  Josiah  Badcock.  He  was 
formally  dismissed  as  pastor  in  1809,  and  died  Decem- 
ber 7,  1831,  at  the  age  of  seventy-nine  years. 

After  the  dismissal  of  Mr.  Badcock  there  was  only 
occasional  preaching,  and  after  a time  the  Congrega- 
tional Society  informally  united  with  other  denomi- 
nations, under  the  name  of  the  Union  Society. 


ANDOVER. 


333 


June  14,  1810,  the  town  voted  to  sell  the  parsonage 
right.  This  right  consisted  of  three  lots,  each  num- 
bered 62.  One  was  in  the  second  range  and  sold  to 
Elijah  Hilton  for  nine  hundred  and  seventeen  dollars. 
The  remaining  two  were  in  the  fourth  range.  One 
was  sold  to  Moses  Fuller  for  five  hundred  dollars,  and 
the  other,  containing  eighty  acres,  to  Philip  Cilley  for 
one  hundred  and  ninety  dollars.  The  amount  re- 
ceived was  sixteen  hundred  and  seven  dollars.  The 
interest  on  this  sum  was  voted  for  various  purposes  at 
subsequent  meetings,  and  the  disjiosition  of  both 
principal  and  interest  frequently  considered.  Its 
proper  division  among  the  various  religious  denomi- 
nations soon  after  represented  in  town  was  a difficult 
question  to  determine,  and  finally,  on  March  8,  1831, 
the  town  voted  to  appropriate  the  parsonage  fund, 
both  principal  and  interest,  for  the  use  and  benefit  of 
the  town,  and  this  ended  all  controversy. 

January  13,  1829,  a Congregational  Church  was 
formed,  consisting  of  ten  members,  and  Mr.  Samuel 
Kingsbury  settled  as  its  pastor.  At  this  time  the 
church  formerly  organized  was  represented  by  its 
venerable  pastor  and  one  aged  member.  No  records 
or  church  documents  of  any  kind  could  be  found. 
Mr.  Kingsbury  was  dismissed  by  an  ecclesiastical 
council  January  11,  1831. 

June  25,  1841,  another  Congregational  Church  was 
formed.  May  23,  1843,  Rev.  Nathan  Howard  was 
ordained  pastor  over  the  Congregational  Churches  of 
Andover  and  Wilmot,  and  remained  until  1850,  at 
which  time  the  Congregational  Society  united  with 
others,  and  employed  Rev.  Reuben  Kimball,  who  re- 
mained two  years. 

In  January,  1853,  Rev.  Nathan  Howard  was  again 
employed.  He  remained  until  the  close  of  the  year 
1854,  after  which  only  occasional  Congregational 
preaching  was  had  until  the  organization  of  the  First 
Congregational  Church,  at  East  Andover,  in  the  early 
part  of  the  year  1868. 

In  January,  1869,  Rev.  Howard  Moody  was  called 
to  the  pastorate,  and  a portion  of  the  preceding  facts 
in  regard  to  the  Congregational  Church  in  Andover 
are  taken  from  a historical  sermon,  preached  July  9, 
1876. 

A Congregational  Church  was  formed  at  Andover 
Centre  November  16,  1880,  with  eighteen  members. 
John  R.  Bates,  George  J.  White  and  William  Wood- 
bury were  chosen  trustees;  Willis  D.  Thomson, clerk. 
Rev.  Howard  Moody  was  formally  installed  pastor  of 
this  and  the  church  at  East  Andover  September  26, 
1882,  remaining  until  his  death,  April  20,  1885. 
During  the  year  1885  both  churches  were  supplied 
by  Rev.  F.  G.  Chutter,  of  Andover,  Mass. 

The  meetings  of  the  Congregational  Society  have 
been  held  in  different  parts  of  the  town. 

Mr.  Kingsbury  preached  at  Taunton  Hill  a portion 
of  the  time,  and  Mr.  Howard  at  Andover  Centre. 

It  seems  that  this  society,  organized  by  Rev.  Josiah 
Badcock  in  1782,  has,  with  brief  cessations,  held  re- 


ligious meetings  in  some  section  of  the  town  since 
that  date. 

Mr.  Moody  reports  one  hundred  and  six  united  with 
the  church  previous  to  1876,  and  several  additions 
have  been  made  since. 

Free-  Will  Baptist  Society. — During  the  noted  revi- 
val among  the  Free-Will  Bajdist  denomination,  in 
1801.  interest  was  manifested  here  by  those  of  this 
belief.  The  formation  of  the  society  was  made  and 
first  meeting  held  in  1803,  the  association  then  organ- 
ized being  known  as  a Monthly  Conference,  which 
existed  and  held  religious  meetings  at  East  Andover. 
This  association,  although  not  bound  by  any  secta- 
rian creed,  was  sustained  by  those  of  the  Free-Will 
Baptist  belief,  and  was  productive  of  much  good  by 
the  sincere  worship  of  its  members.  The  great 
revival  of  1810  brought  encouraging  success  to 
the  work  and  numbers  of  this  society, — forty  addi- 
tions being  made  at  one  time  and  many  others  during 
the  year.  It  was  at  this  time  that  traces  of  a second 
Free  Will  Baptist  Society  are  found  in  town,  but  the 
records  are  so  meagre  as  to  specify  but  little  regard- 
ing its  location  and  existence. 

Elder  Elijah  Watson  was  ordained  here  in  1803, 
and  was  afterwards  a zealous  worker  in  this  society 
and  church.  Ebenezer  Chase  was  also  ordained  and 
preached  for  several  years,  beginning  in  1810.  He 
was  afterwards  the  editor  of  the  only  paper  ever  pub- 
lished in  town.  The  Free-Will  Baptist  Church  was 
formally  organized  at  East  Andover  by  Rev.  Elijah 
Watson  and  Rev.  Samuel  Robbins,  January  7,  1830, 
with  eighty-one  members.  Elder  Watson  was  for 
many  years  the  settled  pastor,  meetings  being  held  in 
the  same  church  with  the  Christian  denomination 
until  a house  was  built  by  this  society,  in  1839.  The 
name  of  Elder  Watson  is  very  familiar  to  those  ac- 
quainted with  the  history  of  this  church,  and,  per- 
haps, no  one  of  the  early  preachers  contributed  more 
to  its  success.  He  was  born  in  Nottingham,  N.  H., 
in  1777,  and  died  in  1857. 

The  preachers  in  this  church  since  Mr.  Watson 
have  been  as  follows : Ebenezer  Fisk,  Cummins 

Paris,  E.  G.  Knowles,  D.  Sidney  Frost,  Oliver  Butler, 
D.  Sidney  Frost  (second  pastorate  from  1856  to  1859), 
Uriah  Chase,  Samuel  T.  Frost,  Alvah  Buzzell,  N.  L. 
Rowell,  W.  M.  Jenkins,  J.  F.  Smith,  C.  B.  Griffin, 
F.  E.  Davison  and  J.  G.  Munsey.  Preaching  has 
been  held  almost  continually  since  the  organization 
of  the  church,  in  1830,  to  the  close  of  1884. 

March  18,  1854,  was  organized  in  connection  with 
this  church,  a Free-Will  Baptist  society  and  due  no- 
tice of  the  organization  appeared  in  the  Independent 
Democrat,  published  at  Concord,  April  20tli  following. 
“Notice  is  hereby  given  that  Henry  D.  Cilley,  Ziba 
Severens,  Henry  A.  Weymouth,  Thomas  Haley  and 
their  associates  have  formed  themselves  into  a Reli- 
gious Society  to  be  known  as  the  Free-Will  Baptist 
Society  at  East  Andover,  N.  H.,  assuming  all  the 
responsibilities,  rights  and  privileges  of  the  laws  of 


334 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


the  State  made  and  provided.”  William  A.  Bachelder 
was  chosen  clerk  and  a board  of  directors  have  been 
annually  elected.  William  Emery,  James  Connor 
and  Daniel  Weymouth  were  the  directors  elected  at 
the  organization. 

This  society  has  a large  representation  in  the 
families  of  this  community,  and  during  its  prosperous 
seasons  has  exerted  a broad  influence  for  Chris-  j 
tiauity. 

Unitarian  Society. — In  September,  1879,  the  First 
Unitarian  Society  was  organized  in  Andover.  Pre- 
vious to  this  time  there  had  been  occasional  Unita- 
rian preaching,  but  no  organized  society.  John  P. 
Carr,  Amos  H.  Proctor,  Joseph  Baker,  Calvin  Camp- 
bell and  J.  W.  Scales  were  elected  as  trustees  of  the 
organization,  and  Frank  W.  Proctor,  clerk.  The 
constitution  declares  the  object  of  the  society, 

“ united  effort  for  the  study  and  practice  of  Chris- 
tianity.” Rev.  Calvin  Stebbius  was  the  first  pastor. 
Under  his  ministrations  the  interest  and  attendance 
increased  and  the  society  became  firmly  established 
as  a religious  organization. 

Mr.  Stebbins  continued  with  the  society  for  two 
years,  and  was  then  called  to  a large  and  important 
field  of  labor.  The  society  parted  from  him  with  re- 
gret, and  he  has  continued  to  manifest  an  interest  in 
its  welfare  and  prosperity,  and  to  give  it  the  benefit 
of  his  experience  and  counsel. 

Mr.  Stebbins  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Crawford 
Nightingale,  who  remained  with  the  society  a year. 
For  the  next  year  the  pulpit  was  supplied,' and  at 
the  end  of  that  time  Rev.  T.  Thomson  was  settled. 
From  its  organization  the  society  has  sustained 
preaching  continuously.  About  sixty  families  are 
represented  in  the  society. 

The  Sunday-school  has  a well-selected  library. 
The  Ladies’  Industrial  Society  has  rendered  inval- 
uable assistance,  having  raised  and  contributed 
to  the  support  of  the  society  the  sum  of  six- 
teen hundred  and  sixty  dollars  in  six  years;  its 
social  and  benevolent  work  has  been  effective  also. 
The  choir,  a well-trained  quartette,  is  under  the  effi- 
cient direction  of  Professor  Buswell ; few  societies 
have  expended  so  much  upon  the  musical  depart- 
ment of  worship  with  such  excellent  and  helpful 
results.  The  society  has  raised  and  expended  for  all 
purposes  an  average  of  twelve  hundred  dollars  per 
year. 

The  meetings  of  this  society  are  held  in  Proctor 
Hall.  Its  present  condition  is  good  and  its  future 
well  assured.  Its  influence  and  opportunities  are  in- 
creasing and  it  bids  fair  to  continue  an  enduring 
power  for  the  development  and  fostering  of  the  moral 
and  spiritual  growth  of  the  community. 

Methodist  Society. — The  Methodist  Society  was  or- 
ganized at  Andover  Centre  in  1827,  Major  William 
Proctor  being  a leading  member  at  its  organization 
and  zealous  in  its  support.  Meetings  were  held  in 
the  meeting-house  on  certain  specified  Sabbaths  in 


the  year,  and  were  largely  attended.  The  church 
membership  is  estimated  at  thirty  during  the  years 
in  which  the  society  was  active.  The  first  preachers 
were  Matthew  Newhall  and  Richard  Xewhall,  in 
1827.  Following  is  the  complete  list  of  preachers 
located  in  this  society  from  1827  to  1838:  1828, 
William  Kimball  and  SerenoFisk  ; 1829,  John  Adams 
and  Caleb  Bede;  1830,  J.  B.  H.  Norris  and  Sylvester 
Williams ; 1831,  J.  B.  H.  Norris  and  S.  Harket ; 
1832,  Nathaniel  Ladd  and  S.  P.  Williams;  1833,  J. 
W.  Morey  and  M.  Quimby  ; 1834,  Jonas  Scott  and  H. 
Clark;  1835,  E.  H.  Ladd;  1836,  John  L.  Smith 
(Hallelujah  John);  1837,  John  L.  Smith;  1838,  A. 
Folsom  and  D.  Jones.  Occasional  preaching  was 
held  for  several  years  later,  but  no  great  prosperity 
was  witnessed  by  the  society  after  this  date. 

In  1832  the  Andover  Circuit  was  formed,  which  em- 
braced the  Andover  and  Boscawen  Churches.  A grand 
camp-meeting  was  held  in  June,  1834,  on  the  plains 
near  the  school-house,  by  the  societies  of  this  de- 
nomination. Many  teuts  were  pitched,  a large  num- 
ber of  speakers  present,  and  the  meeting  continued 
four  days.  During  the  prosperous  days  of  the  so- 
ciety in  Andover  it  was  widely  known  for  the  zeal 
and  interest  manifested. 

In  1818  a Universalist  Society  was  incorporated. 
In  1819  the  first  church  was  gathered  in  Andover, 
under  the  name  of  the  Christian  Denomination.  The 
numbers  of  this  society  were  large,  and  at  its  forma- 
tion had  one  hundred  and  seven  members.  A second 
church  of  this  denomination  was  formed  in  May, 
1820,  with  twenty-five  members,  and  these  churches 
were  under  the  pastoral  care  of  Elder  Peter  Young 
and  Elder  Nehemiah  Sleeper.  A third  Christian 
Church  was  organized  at  Andover  Centre  August  19, 
1843,  with  seventeen  members.  The  meetings  were 
held  in  the  meeting-house  in  connection  with  other 
societies,  and  Elder  Elijah  Shaw  will  be  remembered 
as  a leading  man  in  this  church  during  its  early  days. 
The  creed  to  which  their  signatures  were  attached 
was,  “To  recognize  each  other  as  the  Church  of  God, 
receiving  the  New  Testament  as  the  rule  of  faith  and 
practice.”  Other  religious  denominations  have  been 
represented  in  town,  but  if  ever  formally  organized 
here,  their  records  have  not  been  found. 

Schools.— Perhaps  no  town  in  the  State,  with  no 
larger  population  than  Andover,  has  had  better 
school  advantages.  Whatever  difference  of  opinion 
may  have  existed  regarding  other  public  affairs,  the 
necessity  of  providing  for  the  intellectual  training  of 
the  rising  generation  was  realized  by  the  original 
grantees,  and  the  means  of  instruction  have  since 
been  fully  supported  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  town. 

We  find  in  the  grant  of  the  township  certain  lots 
of  land  reserved  for  the  maintenance  of  schools,  and 
in  the  early  days  of  the  settlement  of  the  town,  be- 
fore school  districts  or  school-houses  had  an  exist- 
ence here,  schools  were  kept  in  dwelling-houses  and 
in  barns. 


ANDOVER. 


335 


The  character  of  the  first  settlers  was  such  as  to 
perceive  the  necessity  of  at  least  the  rudiments  of  an 
education,  and  the  first  instructor  in  these  primitive 
schools  is  familiarly  known  as  Master  Randall.  He 
taught  school  in  the  winter  season,  usually  in  barns, 
without  the  comforts  of  a fire  or  the  luxury  of  doors 
to  the  building.  Various  places  are  pointed  out  as 
the  location  of  these  schools.  This  first  instructor 
is  buried  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  town,  and 
in  an  unmarked  grave.  Other  instructors  followed 
Mr.  Randall,  and  as  early  as  1783  the  town  voted 
seventy  dollars  for  the  support  of  schools,  and  for 
several  years  following,  appropriations  were  almost 
annually  made  for  this  purpose.  The  division  of  the 
town  into  school  districts,  probably,  was  not  contem- 
plated by  the  proprietors  at  the  time  of  the  grant. 
It  was  not  until  1799,  or  nearly  fifty  years  after,  that 
the  selectmen  were  voted  a committee  to  divide  the 
town  into  school  districts,  each  district  to  build  its 
own  school-house.  The  town  was  divided  into  seven 
districts,  and  was  afterwards  kept  in  a state  of  con- 
stant perplexity  by  the  changing  of  district  lines. 
In  1779  the  town  voted  to  sell  one  of  the  school  lots 
at  public  auction,  and  expend  the  money  for  school- 
ing. Whether  a school  lot  was  sold  and  the  money 
thus  expended  we  have  been  unable  to  determine. 
Undoubtedly  it  was,  for  the  second  lot  was  sold  in 
1810  for  one  hundred  and  ninety  dollars,  and  the 
remaining  lot  in  1829,  the  proceeds  of  both  being 
appropriated  for  the  support  of  schools. 

In  1829  the  town  received  its  proportion  of  the 
literary  fund,  which,  added  to  the  amount  realized 
from  the  sale  of  school  lots,  was  placed  at  interest. 
In  1835  this  had  amounted  to  $1219.37,  and  the  in- 
come of  this  has  been  annually  expended  in  the  sup- 
port of  schools. 

At  the  time  of  districting  the  town,  in  1799,  eight 
hundred  dollars  was  raised  for  building  school-houses 
in  the  several  districts.  In  1808  the  town  was  re- 
districted into  eleven,  and  in  1863  into  fifteen  dis- 
tricts. In  1875  Districts  Nos.  14  and  15  were  annexed 
to  No.  12,  and  District  No.  6 was  abolished  by  being 
united  to  the  several  districts  adjoining.  In  1884 
Nos.  12  and  13  were  united,  and  eleven  is  the  number 
of  districts  existing  in  the  town  to-day. 

The  first  superintending  school  committee  was 
chosen  in  1809,  and  consisted  of  Rev.  Josiah  Bad- 
cock,  John  Weare  and  Ephraim  Eastman.  A com- 
mittee was  only  occasionally  elected  until  1846,  since 
which  time  they  have  been  annually  chosen  by  the 
town  or  appointed  by  the  selectmen. 

The  annual  report  of  the  superintendent  of  schools 
was  first  published  in  1858,  again  in  1860,  since  which 
time  they  have  been  annually  issued  in  printed  form. 

In  1875  a history  of  the  schools  of  the  town  was 
prepared  by  Rev.  Howard  Moody,  the  committee  of 
that  year,  and  published  in  the  annual  report  of  the 
State  superintendent.  For  several  years  following 
1858  the  schools  of  the  town  were  under  the  super- 


intendency  of  Hon.  John  M.  Shirley,  who  brought 
to  them  such  invigorating  discipline  and  system  as 
to  produce  beneficial  effects  for  many  years.  Per- 
haps no  superintendent  has  taken  a greater  interest 
or  given  more  time  to  the  welfare  of  our  schools  than 
did  Clarence  E.  Carr  in  1876. 

The  citizens  of  the  town  have  manifested  great 
liberality  in  later  years  by  appropriations  for  the 
support  of  schools,  and  have  otherwise  shown  such  a 
kindly  interest  in  their  success  as  to  produce  most 
gratifying  results. 

At  various  times  local  schools  have  been  successful 
and  well  supported.  The  Noyes  High  School,  liber- 
ally endowed  by  Mr.  Joseph  Noyes,  was,  for  a time, 
noted  and  prosperous  in  that  part  of  the  town  now 
Franklin.  Schools  at  East  Andover,  Taunton  Hill, 
Andover  Centre  and  West  Andover  have  at  different 
times  been  successful  in  aiding  the  district  schools  and 
academies  in  advancing  the  standard  of  education 
within  the  limits  of  the  town. 

Proctor  Academy. — The  school  association,  from 
which  Proctor  Academy  originated,  dates  its  first  for- 
mal meeting  July  8,  1848,  a list  of  thirty-six  names 
having  been  previously  obtained  and  duly  chartered 
for  the  purpose  of  establishing  and  maintaining  a 
school.  Hon.  Samuel  Butterfield  wras  chosen  pres- 
ident of  the  corporation,  Wolcot  Hamlin  secretary, 
and  the  school  named  Andover  Academy.  The  noted 
instructor,  Dyer  H.  Sanborn,  was  the  first  principal, 
and  Miss  Eliza  Wingate  preceptress.  Four  terms  of 
twelve  weeks  each  were  held  annually,  and  the  in- 
struction included  the  languages,  drawing,  painting 
and  needle-work.  A catalogue,  published  at  the 
close  of  the  first  term,  gives  an  attendance  of  one 
hundred  and  five  scholars.  Professor  Sanborn  re- 
signed during  the  second  year,  and  Moses  L.  Morse, 
A.M.,  was  chosen,  remaining  in  the  school  until 
August,  1851.  The  duties  df  preceptress  were  per- 
formed by  Miss  Louisa  J.  Clark  and  Miss  Hannah  J. 
Sanborn.  During  the  two  years  of  Mr.  Morse’s  man- 
agement the  school  was  exceedingly  prosperous. 
Among  those  fitted  for  college  was  John  Wesley 
Simonds,  who  entered  the  sophomore  class  from  this 
school,  graduated  with  honors,  was  afterwards  an 
instructor  here  and  a leading  educator  of  the  State. 
Two  hundred  and  fifty-two  scholars  are  reported  for 
the  two  years.  Thomas  W.  Bruce,  A.B.,  was  then 
chosen  principal,  and  Miss  Marcia  E.  Foster  precep- 
tress, and  at  the  expiration  of  two  years  Mr.  Bruce 
was  succeeded  by  George  Dustan,  A.B.  The  school 
was  well  sustained,  the  names  of  two  hundred  and 
five  students  appearing  in  the  catalogue  issued  April, 
1854.  John  W.  Allard,  A.B.,  was  the  next  principal, 
chosen  in  August  of  this  year.  Sickness  soon  after 
caused  disturbance  and  excitement  in  the  school,  and 
finally  produced  its  discontinuance.  In  July,  1856, 
the  property  and  appurtenances  of  Andover  Acad- 
emy, by  vote  of  the  trustees,  were  transferred  to  the 
members  of  the  New  England  Christian  Conference, 


336 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


and  the  name  changed  to  the  New  England  Christian 
Literary  and  Biblical  Institute.  On  the  18th  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1857,  school  was  opened  under  the  new  or- 
ganization with  John  W.  Simonds  principal,  O.  D. 
Barrett,  A.B.,  and  Miss  D.  E.  Payne  assistants.  At 
the  close  of  the  first  term  Mr.  Barrett  and  Miss 
Payne  were  succeeded  by  George  O.  Dodson,  A.M., 
and  Miss  Mary  J.  Ambrose,  who  remained  one  year. 
The  students  number  one  hundred  and  ninety-six  at 
this  time.  Mr.  Simonds  remained  at  the  head  of  the 
school  until  the  fall  of  1858,  effecting  a thorough  and 
systematic  organization  in  the  various  departments 
of  instruction.  Rev.  S.  W.  Whiting  was  principal 
until  November  10,  1859,  and  was  succeeded  by  John 
M.  Haley,  A.B.  In  October,  1860,  the  management 
of  the  school  was  restricted  to  the  New  Hampshire 
Christian  Conference,  and  the  name  changed  to  the 
Andover  Christian  Institute.  Rev.  John  Burden  was 
chosen  president  of  the  trustees,  and  Rev.  Thomas 
Bartlett  elected  principal.  Mr.  Bartlett  retained  his 
position  until  1865,  when  the  school  was  discontinued 
at  Andover,  and  soon  after  removed  to  Wolfborough. 
This  academic  institution  had  been  in  operation  in 
Andover,  with  only  brief  cessations,  for  seventeen 
years;  and,  although  controlled  by  different  parties 
and  under  different  names,  its  methods  and  operation 
were  not  materially  changed.  It  was  well  supported 
by  the  citizens  of  the  town,  and  had  an  average  an- 
nual attendance  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  scholars. 
For  several  years  no  school  was  regularly  sustained. 
In  1874,  having  closed  its  work  in  Wolfborough,  the 
liberality  of  tbe  citizens  of  Andover  induced  the 
officers  of  the  corporation  to  return  the  school  to  its 
former  location.  The  school  buildings  and  four  thou- 
sand dollars  for  repairing  and  enlarging  were  pre- 
sented to  the  association,  which  was  incorporated  by 
the  Legislature  of  New  Hampshire,  June  24,  1874, 
under  the  name  of  Proctor  Academy.  It  was  named 
in  honor  of  Hon.  John  Proctor,  a wealthy  citizen  of 
the  town,  one  of  the  grantees  of  the  charter  and  a 
libera]  contributor  to  the  school.  It  was  organized 
here  and  managed,  for  a brief  time,  by  Hon.  J.  W. 
Simonds.  Following  are  the  names  of  the  principals 
in  this  academy  since  its  reorganization  in  Andover: 
1874,  Miss  Annie  P.  Little;  1875,  Frank  P.  Adams; 
1875-76,  Alvah  H.  Morrill;  1876-77,  Alvah  H.  Mor- 
rill; 1877-78,  Alvah  H.  Morrill;  1878,  Henry  Mel- 
ville; 1878-79,  B.  A.  Field;  1879-80,  George  W. 
Stone;  1880-81,  Herbert  B.  Dow;  1881-82,  W.  J. 
Loyd;  1882-83,  Herbert  B.  Dow;  1883-84,  Herbert 
B.  Dow;  1884^85,  Herbert  B.  Dow.  During  this 
time  one  or  more  assistants  have  been  employed. 
Mr.  Dow  is  a graduate  of  Dartmouth  in  1879,  and  his 
earnest  efforts  in  this  school  are  bringing  gratifying 
results. 

Highland  Lake  Institute. — In  the  early  part 
of  the  year  1850,  citizens  of  East  Andover,  interested 
in  education  and  emulated  by  the  success  of  the  school 
at  Andover  Centre,  raised  by  subscription  a sufficient 


fund  for  the  erection  of  a building  for  school  purposes. 
The  paper,  to  which  about  fifty  people  attached  sig- 
, natures,  was  dated  March  23,  1850,  and  read  as  follows  : 

“We,  the  subscribers,  will  pay  the  several  sums  set  agaiust  our  names 
respectively  for  the  erection  of  a building  at  East  Andover  of  suitable 
size,  furnished  for  an  academy  and  other  purposes,  to  be  divided  info 
shares  of  five  dollars  each,  each  shareholder  to  be  entitled  to  vote,  ac- 
cording to  number  of  shares,  in  all  matters  in  relation  to  the  building 
and  locating  said  house,  and  all  other  matters  touching  the  interest  of 
the  same.  No  subscription  to  be  paid  unless  a sufficient  amount  be 
subscribed.” 

The  sum  subscribed  was  paid  either  in  money, 
labor  or  material,  for  which  certificates  of  stock  were 
issued.  A deed  of  the  land,  on  which  the  building 
still  remains,  was  given  May  28th,  and  an  organization 
formed  about  this  time  known  as  the  East  Andover 
High  School  Association,  with  the  following  officers  : 
President,  Rev.  D.  Sydney  Frost;  Secretary,  Geo. 
E.  Emery ; Treasurer,  Joseph  Osgood ; Executive 
Committee,  Jeremy  Y.  Bryant,  Joseph  A.  Rowe,  Ca- 
leb Cross,  Thomas  Haley,  William  A.  Bachelder, 
Joseph  Osgood  and  George  E.  Emery. 

The  building  was  immediately  erected,  and  in  the 
fall  of  the  same  year  the  first  term  of  school  was  held, 
known  as  the  Highland  Lake  Institute,  with  instruct- 
ors as  follows:  Principal,  Lyman  Marshall,  A.B. ; 
Preceptress,  Miss  Eliza  Wingate ; Teacher  of  Chirog- 
raphy,  Rev.  D.  Sidney  Frost.  The  examining  com- 
mittee consisted  of  N.  B.  Bryant,  Esq.,  Bristol ; Rev. 
D.  Sydney  Frost,  East  Andover;  David  Cross,  Esq., 
Manchester ; Rev.  Reuben  Dearborn,  Andover ; E. 
G.  Emery,  Esq.,  Danvers,  Mass. 

Connected  with  the  institute  was  a reading-room 
containing  a selection  of  daily  and  weekly  papers,  to 
which  a library  of  considerable  extent  was  afterwards 
added.  Thi'ee  literary  societies  were  in  prosperous 
condition, — “The  Mountain  Club,”  “The  Y.  M.  D. 
Society”  and  the  young  ladies’  literary  society,  “The 
Conjunct®  German®.”  Instruction  was  given  in 
drawing,  music  and  painting,  and  no  pains  spared 
for  a first-class  school.  The  natural  attractions  of  the 
place,  the  interest  of  the  citizens  and  energy  of  the 
officers  of  the  association  contributed  in  making  the 
school  a most  gratifying  success,  the  names  of  eighty- 
six  scholars  having  been  enrolled  at  the  close  of  the 
first  term,  November  5,  1850. 

Willard  Emery  was  chosen  president  of  the  associ- 
ation at  this  time,  Rev.  Reuben  Dearborn  and  Watson 
Dickerson  vice-presidents.  To  the  faculty  were  added 
Thomas  Marshall  and  Milan  Graves  as  assistants; 
George  W.  Murray,  teacher  of  music ; D.  P.  Putnam, 
M.D.,  lecturer  on  anatomy  and  physiology  ; and  Wil- 
liam P.  Hammond  was  chosen  teacher  of  chirography. 
A normal  class  was  formed  for  instruction  in  the 
science  of  teaching.  Various  other  advantages  were 
offered,  and  the  school  continued  to  prosper,  having 
one  hundred  and  forty-three  scholars,  representing 
thirty  towns  of  New  Hampshire  and  four  New  Eng- 
land States  in  the  year  1851. 

During  the  following  year  changes  were  made  in 


ANDOVER. 


337 


the  board  of  instruction.  Rev.  C.  M.  Dinsmore, 
A.B.,  was  chosen  principal ; Miss  Letitia  J.  Shaw, 
preceptress ; George  S.  Rawson,  M.D.,  lecturer  on 
anatomy  and  physiology ; and  S.  G.  Haley,  teacher 
of  penmanship.  The  previous  prosperity  of  the 
school  continued,  the  number  of  scholars  was  slightly 
increased  and  its  enviable  reputation  became  more 
extended  during  1852. 

At  the  close  of  the  school  year  in  November,  W. 
A.  Bachelder  was  elected  secretary,  to  succeed  Mr. 
Emery,  and  several  changes  were  made  in  the  execu- 
tive committee,  Mr.  Willard  Emery  still  continuing 
as  president  of  the  organization.  Nathan  F.  Carter, 
A.B.,  succeeded  Mr.  Dinsmore  as  principal,  Miss 
Shaw  remained  as  preceptress,  assisted  by  Miss  Mary 
J.  Cross  during  the  fall  term,  and  Miss  Marilla  J. 
Butler  was  teacher  of  music.  The  catalogue  issued 
in  November,  1883,  indicates  the  same  thrifty  condi- 
tion of  the  school,  and  the  elevating  and  educational 
influence  upon  the  entire  community  surrounding  its 
location  is  conceded  by  all  familiar  with  its  history. 

Public  meetings  by  the  literary  societies  were  fre- 
quently held  and  widely  known  for  the  drama- 
tic talent  displayed.  At  this  time,  those  interested 
in  its  organization,  having  either  sought  a higher 
education  or  entered  business  life,  were  compelled  to 
relinquish  further  interest  here.  The  school  was 
not  supported  by  others,  and,  after  a lingering  exist- 
ence, this  institution,  which  had  been  successful  and 
very  productive  of  good  in  many  ways,  was  entirely 
discontinued,  and  the  building  only  occasionally 
used  for  a school  by  some  transient  instructor.  In 
1867  a majority  of  the  stock  held  in  the  building  was 
purchased  by  C.  A.  Durgin,  Esq.  A litigation  fol- 
lowed between  Mr.  Durgin  and  other  owners  in 
regard  to  the  disposition  to  be  made  of  the  building, 
and  was  decided  in  1873,  the  building  having  re- 
mained on  its  original  location  and  used  for  such 
purposes  as  the  needs  of  the  towii  require. 

Religious  Informer. — The  Religious  Informer  was 
published  at  Andover  Centre  by  Rev.  Ebenezer 
Chase.  The  first  number  was  issued  July  20,  1819, 
and  commenced  with  a subscription-list  of  one  hun- 
dred and  forty.  It  was  a small  sheet  of  eight  pages, 
published  in  pamphlet  form,  twice  a month,  at  sev- 
enty-five cents  per  year.  At  the  expiration  of  six 
months  it  was  enlarged  to  sixteen  pages,  issued 
monthly  and  the  price  reduced.  It  soon  after 
reached  a circulation  of  eight  hundred.  It  was  de- 
voted to  the  interests  of  the  Free-Will  Baptist 
Church,  and  did  valuable  service  in  securing  regu- 
larity and  uniformity  in  the  churches  and  Quarterly 
Meetings  of  this  denomination.  Mr.  Chase  was  a 
practical  printer.  He  owned  the  press  and  type,  and, 
with  the  assistance  of  a journeyman  printer,  the 
labor  was  all  performed  by  himself  and  family. 
This  was  one  of  the  first  religious  papers  published, 
and  at  the  expiration  of  four  years  was  removed  to 
Enfield,  and  continued  under  the  same  management. 


Various  books  and  pamphlets  were  issued  from  this 
office,  and  the  ingenuity  and  skill  of  Mr.  Chase  as  a 
printer  are  highly  commended  by  the  newspapers  of 
that  day.  He  not  only  learned  the  trade  without 
assistance,  but  made  the  press  himself  upon  which 
his  first  work  was  executed. 

Physicians. — The  first  physician  settled  in  An- 
dover was  Dr.  Silas  Barnard.  He  was  born  in  Bol- 
ton, Mass.,  a son  of  Francis  Barnard,  the  common 
ancestor  of  the  distinguished  men  of  this  name 
famous  in  early  New  England  history.  Dr.  Barnard 
came  to  Andover  in  1792  and  practiced  his  profession 
here  until  his  death,  June  25,  1795. 

Dr.  Jacob  B.  Moore,  the  second  physician  settled 
in  Andover,  was  born  September  5,  1772,  at  George- 
town, Me.,  and  was  of  Scotch  descent.  He  was  a 
man  of  culture,  and  is  said  to  have  acquired  a fine 
education  by  his  own  industry.  He  came  to  the 
town  in  1796  and  practiced  his  profession  with  great 
success  until  1812,  when  he  received  the  appointment 
as  surgeon’s  mate  in  the  United  States  army.  He 
continued  in  the  service  until  December  of  that  year, 
when  he  returned  to  his  family,  his  health  destroyed, 
and  died  January  10,  1813. 

His  two  sons,  Henry  E.  and  Jacob  B.  Moore,  are 
quite  extensively  known.  Dr.  Moore  was  a musician 
and  poet  of  some  note,  and  his  remains  are  buried  at 
East  Andover. 

Dr.  Silas  Merrill  moved  to  Andover  about  1811  and 
was  the  successor  of  Dr.  Moore.  Dr.  Merrill  was 
born  January  16,  1784,  in  Salem,  N.  H.,  and  studied 
his  profession  with  Dr.  Morrill,  of  Epsom.  He  built 
a house,  in  1819,  on  the  place  where  Dr.  H.  A.  Wey- 
mouth now  lives,  this  place  having  been  occupied  by 
a physician  since  that  time.  Gaius  Jenkins,  who 
was  deliberately  shot  by  the  Kansas  Senator,  Jim 
Lane,  was  a son-in-law  of  Dr.  Merrill.  Dr.  Merrill 
remained  in  practice  in  Andover  until  1837,  when  he 
moved  to  Peoria  County,  111.,  and  his  house  and 
practice  were  taken  by  Dr.  James  M.  Buzzell. 

Dr.  Buzzell  remained  until  1839,  when  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Dr.  Jacob  C.  Hanson.  Dr.  Hanson  re- 
mained until  September,  1843,  when  Dr.  Henry  A. 
Weymouth  moved  to  the  town  and  to  the  place  where 
he  has  since  resided. 

This  seems  to  be  the  line  of  physicians  in  direct 
succession  since  Dr.  Barnard  came  to  town,  in  1792. 
Others  have  been  located  in  town.  Dr.  Tilton  Elkins 
was  at  West  Andover  from  1820  to  1854,  except  two 
years  at  Concord,  about  1835.  Mr.  Elkins  was  born 
at  Andover  Centre  in  1790.  Dr.  J.  Allen  Tibbetts 
was  at  Taunton  Hill  from  1842  to  1844.  Dr.  John 
P.  Elkins,  Dr.  Nelson  P.  Clark,  Dr.  Simpson  and 
othfers  have  been  located  in  the  town  for  brief  periods. 
The  earliest  physicians,  Dr.  Barnard  and  Dr.  Moore, 
were  located  at  East  Andover ; Doctors  Merrill,  Buz- 
zell, Hanson  and  Weymouth  at  Taunton  Hill.  Dr. 
Henry  A.  Weymouth  has  been  in  the  practice  of  his 
profession  in  Andover  forty-two  years.  It  has  not 


33S 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


been  confined  to  the  limits  of  the  town,  and  students 
of  the  profession  in  his  office  are  now  successful 
physicians  in  other  sections.  Dr.  Weymouth  is  a 
member  of  the  New  Hampshire  Medical  Society  and 
of  the  National  Medical  Association.  He  enjoys  an 
extended  acquaintance,  has  received  all  honors  within 
the  gift  of  the  town  and  is  still  in  the  vigor  of  life. 

Lawyers. — The  legal  fraternity  were  first  repre- 
sented in  Andover  in  1817  by  John  H.  Slack. 

Samuel  Butterfield  opened  a law-office  at  Andover 
Centre  in  1829.  In  1852,  Wolcot  Hamlin  came  to  the 
town  and  formed  a partnership  with  Mr.  Butterfield, 
under  the  firm-name  of  Butterfield  & Hamlin.  Mr. 
Hamlin  moved  from  town,  and  the  partnership  was 
dissolved  in  1855. 

John  M.  Shirley  came  to  Andover  September  11, 
1855,  and  October  1,  1855,  formed  the  partnership 
known  as  Butterfield  & Shirley,  and  which  existed 
until  the  death  of  Mr.  Butterfield,  in  1860.  Mr.  But- 
terfield was  also  connected  with  an  office  in  Concord 
during  the  later  years.  John  P.  Carr,  Jr.,  entered 
the  firm  with  Mr.  Shirley,  January  1,  1867,  and  re- 
mained until  May  8,  1869.  Frank  Kimball  came  to 
the  town  in  the  fall  of  1869  and  remained  two  years 
in  the  office  of  John  M.  Shirley. 

Clarence  E.  Carr  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Au- 
gust, 1879,  and  a partnership  was  formed  January  1, 
1880,  under  the  firm-name  of  Shirley  & Carr,  and 
existed  until  January,  1882.  George  W.  Stone  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  August,  1882,  and  entered  into 
partnership  with  Mr.  Shirley,  January  1,  1883,  with 
the  firm-name  of  Shirley  & Stone,  and  this  remains 
as  the  firm  at  the  present  time. 

Frank  W.  Proctor  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1876. 
Mr.  Proctor  was  afterward  in  Kansas  two  years,  when 
he  returned  to  the  town  and  practiced  his  profession 
at  Andover  Centre  until  near  the  close  of  1881.  At 
this  time  he  moved  .to  Boston,  and  is  now  in  the  prac- 
tice of  his  profession  in  that  city,  as  a member  of 
the  firm  of  Upham  & Proctor.  Several  students  have 
been  connected  with  the  law-office  at  Andover  and 
admitted  to  the  bar  elsewhere. 

Centennial  Anniversary. — The  one  hundredth  an- 
niversary of  the  incorporation  of  the  town  of  Ando- 
ver was  celebrated  at  East  Andover  June  25,  1879. 

It  is  estimated  that  two  thousand  five  hundred  people 
were  in  attendance,  and  it  was  the  most  noted  day  in 
the  history  of  the  town.  Clark  Durgin  was  chairman 
of  the  committee  of  arrangements,  and  the  following 
were  the  permanent  officers  of  the  day : President, 
Hon.  J.  W.  Fellows  ; Vice-Presidents,  William  Dyer, 
James  Marston,  Henry  D.  Cilley,  Joseph  A.  Rowe, 
Samuel  Morrill,  Ziba  Severence,  Herod  Thompson, 
John  Keniston,  Silas  C.  Fifield,  John  Wadleigh, 
Elias  Davis,  Benjamin  F.  Scribner,  Gilbert  C.  Kil- 
burn,  Warren  Rowell,  Andrew  J.  Cilley ; Secretary, 
Henry  M.  Putney. 

Prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  Howard  Moody.  Mrs. 
R.  G.  Burleigh  sang  “ Hurrah  for  Old  New  England,” 


after  which  the  president  of  the  day  made  appropriate 
introductory  remarks  and  felicitously  introduced  the 
speakers.  George  E.  Emery,  of  Lynn,  Mass.,  de- 
livered the  historical  address.  The  school  children 
of  Andover  sang  “America.”  Hon.  N.  B.  Bryant,  of 
Boston,  delivered  an  oration.  The  Gilford  Cornet 
Band  was  in  attendance  and  furnished  music  for  the 
occasion.  A fine  collation  was  served  to  all,  after 
which  the  literary  exercises'  were  resumed,  and  the 
following  toasts,  announced  by  the  president,  were 
ably  responded  to  by  the  persons  named  : 

“ The  President  of  the  United  States” — Hon.  A.  F.  Pike. 

“The  State  of  New  Hampshire” — [A  letter  of  regret  was  read  from 
Governor  Head,  who  was  to  respond  to  this  sentiment,  and  an  original 
poem  by  Edna  Dean  Proctor  was  read  by  Miss  Mary  A.  Brown.] 

“The  United  States  Navy” — Prof.  John  R.  Eastman. 

“The  Judiciary  System  of  New  Hampshire.” — Hon.  N.  B.  Bryant. 

“Highland  Lake  Institute  and  Andover  Academy” — Rev.  C.  M. 
Dinsmore. 

“The  Common-School  S}r6tem  of  New  England”  — George  W.  Stone,  Esq. 

The  exercises  were  held  in  the  grove  near  the 
village,  and  perfect  order  prevailed  throughout 
the  day.  A valuable  and  interesting  collection  of 
historical  articles  was  exhibited  in  Academy  Hall, 
and  was  visited  by  hundreds  of  people.  It  comprised 
a great  variety  of  ancient  articles,  the  oldest  of  which 
was  a book  loaned  by  George  E.  Emery,  of  Lynn, 
Mass.,  printed  in  1546.  The  hall  was  in  charge  of 
Walter  B.  Durgin,  and  proved  one  of  the  most  at- 
tractive features  of  the  centennial.  The  occasion 
was  a grand  success  and  worthy  the  day  cele- 
brated. 

Secret  Organizations. — Kearsarge  Lodge,  No. 
81,  F.  and  A.  Masons. — The  first  meeting  was  held 
under  a dispensation,  April  28,  1866.  The  lodge  was 
constituted,  hall  dedicated  and  first  officers  elected 
and  installed  June  23,  1866. 

Officers  as  follows:  Master,  George  Sleeper;  S. 
Warden,  Charles  W.  Quimby;  J.  Warden,  William 
H.  Huntoon ; Treasurer,  Moses  P.  Thomson ; Secre- 
tary, George  H.  Morrill. 

The  society  has  an  elegantly  furnished  hall  at  An- 
dover Centre,  and  a good  sum  in  the  treasury.  Pres- 
ent number  of  members  sixty-three,  and  following 
are  the  names  of  the  masters  in  order  of  service : 
George  Sleeper,  Charlton  W.  Woodbury,  John  B. 
Wadleigh,  Joseph  D.  Philbrick,  George  H.  Morrill, 
Frank  P.  Goss,  Herbert  B.  Dow. 

Highland  Lake  Grange,  No.  88,  P.  of  H. — 
This  society  was  organized  December  14,  1876,  with 
twenty-seven  charter  members.  Officers  elected  : 
Master,  J.  B.  Wadleigh;  Overseer,  O.  E.  Eastman; 
Lecturer,  E.  G.  Emery.  Masters,  in  order  of  service, 
J.  B.  Wadleigh,  N.  J.  Bachelder,  G.  H.  Haley. 
Present  number  of  members,  fifty-eight. 

The  hall  is  located  at  East  Andover,  conveniently 
furnished,  and  meetings  are  held  twice  a month 
during  the  year. 

The  Proctor  House  was  erected  at  Andover  Centre 
in  1874  by  Hon.  John  Proctor.  It  was  a magnifi- 


ANDOVER. 


339 


cent  hotel,  built  and  furnished  in  elegant  style  at 
an  expense  of  over  one  hundred  thousand  dollars. 
It  became  a noted  summer  resort  under  the  manage- 
ment of  W.  S.  Thomson,  the  popular  landlord,  and 
was  patronized  to  its  greatest  capacity.  This  house 
was  destroyed  by  fire  March  23,  1882,  and  proved  a 
severe  loss  to  the  business  interests  of  the  town. 

Many  individuals  of  local  note  and  eccentricities 
have  lived  in  the  town  whose  personal  history  would 
prove  interesting,  while  those  of  a broader  influence 
and  reputation  are  already  known  to  some  extent. 
Richard  Potter,  the  celebrated  ventriloquist  and 
juggler,  resided  in  the  town,  and  is  buried  at  the 
Potter  Place,  a village  named  in  his  honor. 

Andover  has  representatives  among  the  leading 
minds  of  the  country  in  all  honorable  professions  at 
the  present  day.  Successful  business  men  in  the  ac- 
cumulation of  wealth,  and  professional  men  of  dis- 
tinguished honors  refer  to  Andover  as  their  native 
town.  Leading  educators,  noted  authors  and  eminent 
jurists  could  be  mentioned. 

Edna  Dean  Proctor,  whose  fame  as  a poetess  is 
world- wide,  has  resided  in  the  town.  Napoleon  Bona- 
parte Bryant,  a power  in  the  legal  fraternity  of  Massa- 
chusetts and  the  country,  was  reared  on  a farm  in 
Andover.  Perhaps  there  exists  at  the  present  day 
characters  equally  as  grand,  which  the  power  of  de- 
velopment will  disclose. 

Present  Condition. — The  town  of  Andover  is 
bounded  by  the  towns  of  Hill  on  the  north,  Franklin 
on  the  east,  Salisbury  on  the  south  and  Wilmot  on 
the  west.  The  Northern  Railroad  traverses  about 
thirteen  miles  of  the  town,  and  four  stations  are 
located  within  its  limits:  East  Andover,  Andover 
Centre,  Potter  Place  and  West  Andover. 

Cilley ville  is  a small  village  supported  by  its  water- 
power. 

Andover  has  a population  of  twelve  hundred  and 
four,  mainly  engaged  in  farming.  The  natural  re- 
sources of  the  town  are  abundant,  and  the  soil  in  the 
hilly  sections  is  strong  and  well  adapted  to  grass- 
culture,  while  the  sides  of  the  mountains  afford  ex- 
cellent pasturage  for  the  flocks  and  herds  annually 
driven  from  the  southern  part  of  the  State  and  from 
Massachusetts.  Its  manufactories  consist  of  two 
hosiery-mills  and  a hame  manufactory. 

Harrison  M.  Busiel  is  making  hosiery  on  the  site 
of  the  first  saw-mill  in  town,  and  the  Murphey 
Brothers  are  operating,  on  a lease,  a hosiery-factory 
on  the  place  to  which  the  first  saw-mill  was  subse- 
quently moved. 

The  manufacture  of  liames  at  Andover  Centre  is  a 


peculiar  business,  these  goods  being  made  at  but  few 
places  in  the  United  States.  The  firm  was  estab- 
lished in  Enfield  February  10,  18G0,  by  Robert  C. 
Carr  and  Joseph  Baker,  under  the  firm-name  of 
Baker  & Carr.  The  business  was  moved  to  Andover 
in  December,  1863,  and  several  changes  have  since 
been  made  in  the  firm,  which  is  now  known  as  Baker, 
Carr  & Co.  The  members  of  the  firm  at  present  are 
Joseph  Baker,  John  P.  Carr,  Walter  S.  Carr  and 
Clarence  E.  Carr.  Within  the  memory  of  the  senior 
partner,  liames  were  made  from  old  ox-bows  which 
had  become  useless,  and  the  work  mainly  done  by 
hand.  They  now  manufacture  by  machinery  four 
hundred  kinds  of  hames,  and  the  styles  are  constantly 
changing.  The  trade-mark  of  the  firm  is  “The  Con- 
cord Hames.”  It  is  conceded  by  most,  if  not  all 
manufacturers,  that  the  best  Concord  hames  manu- 
factured in  this  country  are  made  here.  The  market 
is  mainly  confined  to  this  country,  with  some  export 
trade.  An  extensive  wholesale  and  retail  grain  trade 
is  carried  on  by  Daniel  Downes  at  the  Potter  Place. 

The  natural  attractions  of  Andover  are  a leading 
feature.  The  grand  scenery  of  Kearsarge  and  Ragged 
Mountains  on  the  west  and  north  is  afforded  variety 
by  the  numerous  ponds  and  innumerable  streams 
abounding.  Blackwater  River  flows  in  a southeasterly 
direction  through  the  town.  Elbo  Pond,  often  known 
as  Echo  Lake,  located  at  the  base  of  Ragged  Moun- 
tain, is  surrounded  by  an  irregular  outline  and 
densely-wooded  shores.  It  is  easily  accessible,  yet 
has  wild  natural  attractions  so  much  admired.  It  is 
well-known  to  sportsmen  for  its  pickerel-fishing  and 
is  a noted  resort  for  wild  fowl  in  their  spring  and 
fall  migrations.  Adder  and  Cole  Ponds  are  also  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  mountain,  but  remote  from  any 
road  or  present  habitation.  The  latter  is  stocked 
with  trout  of  the  gamest  kind,  bred  in  the  pond  and 
its  tributary,  and  never  displaced  by  the  introduction 
of  inferior  fish.  Bradley  Pond  is  at  the  base  of 
Kearsarge  Mountain.  Highland  Lake  is  in  the 
eastern  section,  contains  nearly  a square  mile  and 
has  lately  been  stocked  with  land-locked  salmon.  It 
is  noted  for  the  purity  of  its  water,  and  the  dry  and 
rocky  shores  adjoining  well-kept  groves,  finely  culti- 
vated farms  and  numerous  dwellings.  An  island, 
known  as  Halcyon,  adds  to  the  picturesqueness,  and 
since  before  the  memory  of  the  oldest  inhabitant  a 
pair  of  loons  have  annually  returned  and  reared  their 
young  on  this  beautiful  lake.  The  black  bass  and 
pickerel-fishing  attract  sportsmen  in  its  season,  and 
many  summer  tourists  find  in  the  romantic  surround- 
ings of  this  vicinity  a pleasant  annual  sojourn. 


HISTORY  OF  HENNIKER. 


BY  L.  W.  COGSWELL. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Hexxiker  is  the  most  southwesterly  town  of  Mer- 
rimack County,  and  is  in  form  nearly  a square.  It  is, 
in  its  extent,  on  its  east  line,  adjoining  Hopkinton, 
two  thousand  one  hundred  and  fifty-two  rods,  the 
variation  of  lots  being  south  eighteen  degrees  east. 
Its  west  line,  adjoining  Hillsborough,  is  two  thousand 
one  hundred  and  fifty -two  rods  in  extent,  the  variation 
of  the  lots  being  the  same  as  upon  its  west  line. 

Its  north  line  is,  in  extent,  one  thousand  six  hun- 
dred and  thirteen  rods  adjoining  Warner,  and  four  hun- 
dred rods  adjoining  Bradford,  the  variation  of  lots 
being  north  eighty-two  degrees  east.  The  south  line 
is  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  twenty-seven  rods 
adjoining  Weare,  and  seven  hundred  and  eighty-six 
rods  adjoining  Deering,  the  variation  of  lots  being  the 
same  as  upon  the  north  line.  The  township  is,  there- 
fore, seven-sixteenths  of  a mile  longer  upon  its  east 
and  west  lines  than  upon  its  north  and  south.  The 
township  contains  about  twenty-seven  thousand  acres, 
one-fifth  of  which  is  covered  with  water. 

The  town  is  situated  in  latitude  43°  10/  north,  and 
in  longitude  5°  10'  east  from  Washington,  and  lies 
fifteen  miles  west  from  Concord,  twenty-seven  north 
from  Amherst,  thirty-four  east  from  Keene  and  i 
twenty-five  northwesterly  from  Manchester. 

The  Contoocook  River  enters  the  town  at  its  south-  j 
western  side,  passing  easterly  through  its  centre,  and 
leaving  the  town  upon  its  eastern  side.  The  course 
of  the  river  is  very  circuitous,  and  presents,  in  many 
places,  scenery  of  peculiar  interest  and  beauty.  Few 
places  in  the  State  have  better  water-power  than  is 
afforded  by  this  river  within  this  township.  The  ! 
vicinity  of  the  falls,  in  the  southwesterly  part  of  the 
town,  presents  as  favorable  a power  as  can  well  be 
found  in  any  other  town.  The  stream  rises  rapidly 
in  the  spring  of  the  year  and  during  heavy  storms, 
but  as  soon  subsides  when  the  cause  is  removed,  and 
an  even  supply  of  water,  the  entire  season,  goes  rip- 
pling and  singing  on  its  way  to  the  ocean. 

The  surface  of  the  town  is  broken  and  in  some  parts 
hilly.  The  highest  hill  is  Craney  Hill,  which,  tradi- 
tion says,  was  so  called  for  a family  by  that  name 
who  at  one  time  resided  upon  its  south  side  and  near 
340 


the  Weare  line.  Its  elevation  is  one  thousand  four 
hundred  and  twenty  feet  above  the  sea.  Upon  the 
southerly  side  of  this  hill  are  to  be  found  some  of  the 
best  farms  of  the  town.  A chain  of  hills  extends  from 
this  hill  westerly  to  the  river,  beyond  which  are  some 
of  the  most  hilly,  but  best  cultivated  farms.  A chain 
of  hills  extends  along  the  western  line  of  the  town 
affording  most  excellent  pasturage,  and,  in  some 
places,  excellent  farms.  Slight  elevations,  only,  exist 
in  the  northern  and  eastern  parts  of  the  town.  The 
land  lying  in  the  valley  of  the  river  was  not  consid- 
ered fit  for  settlement  until  long  years  after  the  town 
began  to  be  peopled,  the  larger  part  of  the  inhabitants 
settling  upon  the  hills.  In  this  valley  are  situated 
the  two  villages,  one  mile  apart,  and  many  excellent 
farms.  A large  number  of  the  early  settlers  com- 
menced living  in  the  town,  in  its  southeast  part,  in 
consequence  of  there  being  at  that  time  quite  a tract 
of  low  land,  upon  which  grew  a coarse  grass,  which 
assisted  in  sustaining  the  little  stock  that  was  kept 
until  the  land  could  be  cleared.  This  natural  meadow, 
now  quite  large,  has  furnished  an  immense  amount  of 
hay  during  the  century  and  a quarter  it  has  been 
mown. 

Few  minerals  have  ever  been  found  in  the  town, 
Craney  Hill  furnishing  a little  black  lead. 

Besides  the  river,  the  town  is  well  wmtered,  quite  a 
number  of  small  streams  rising  in  different  parts  of 
the  town,  and  others  still  coming  into  town,  and 
nearly  all  emptying  into  the  river. 

Most  of  these  small  streams  furnish  water  during 
the  entire  season,  affording  good  fishing-grounds. 

Quite  a number  of  ponds  are  to  be  found  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  town,  the  largest  of  which  is  Long 
Pond,  situated  one  mile  and  a half  north  of  the  main 
village.  This  pond  was  known  for  over  half  a cen- 
tury as  Farnham’s  Pond,  having  been  named  for 
Baracas  Farnham,  the  first  settler  near  it.  This  pond 
is  about'  one  mile  in  length  from  east  to  west,  and 
from  sixty  to  eighty  rods  in  width  from  north  to 
south. 

Connecting  with  Long  Pond  is  Middle  Pond,  a 
little  pond  lying  easterly  from  Long  Pond,  being 
about  eight  rods  across  it,  and  nearly  circular  in 
form.  Connected  with  this  pond,  and  lying  easterly, 


HENNIKER. 


341 


is  Upper  Pond,  about  eighty  rods  across  it  and  some 
half  a mile  in  width.  This  pond  was  formerly  known 
as  North  Outlet  Pond.  These  ponds  furnish  a large 
amouut  of  fishing-grounds,  and  are  much  sought 
after  during  the  proper  times  for  fishing. 

Besides  these,  there  are  Whitaker’s  and  Gove’s 
Ponds,  in  the  easterly  part  of  the  town,  both  of  which 
were  favorite  resorts  for  fishing  and  camping  by  the 
Indians.  A few  years  since  the  relics  of  an  Indian 
were  found  buried  near  the  first-named  pond. 

Pleasant  Pond  is  situated  in  the  south  part  of  the 
town,  from  which  flows  a little  stream,  which  has 
been  utilized  for  more  than  a century  for  milling 
purposes.  Craney  Hill  Pond  is  situated  close  under 
the  hill,  on  its  southern  slope.  Buxton’s  and  Morrill’s 
Ponds  are  also  in  the  south  part  of  the  town,  both 
small  in  size.  Mud  Pond  is  situated  in  the  southeast 
part  of  the  town,  and  Clough’s  Pond  in  the  northwest 
part. 

All  the  woods  usually  found  in  this  latitude  are  to 
be  found  in  the  town,  as  also  are  all  the  fruits 
growing  here  in  large  quantities. 

The  scenery  of  the  town  is  very  fine  as  a whole. 
From  the  hills  around  some  fine  views  may  be  taken  in. 
From  the  summit  of  Craney  Hill  a magnificent  view 
is  to  be  had.  Several  villages  and  innumerable  farm- 
houses dot  the  landscape  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach. 
On  a clear  day  the  snowy  peak  of  Mount  Washington 
is  to  be  seen.  From  the  northernmost  step  of  Federal 
Hill  the  eye  takes  in  one  of  the  finest  panoramas  of 
nature  that  exists  in  this  vicinity.  The  valley  can  be 
seen  for  miles,  through  which  can  be  traced  the 
Contoocook  in  its  various  windings,  the  intervales 
and  the  plains,  in  the  summer  clothed  with  the  most 
luxuriant  green ; while  close  under  the  feet,  as  it 
were,  stands  the  main  village  of  the  town,  with  its 
snowy-white  buildings  embowered  behind  the  beauti- 
ful maples  which  adorn  the  streets.  A little  to  the 
left  can  be  seen  the  pretty  little  village  of  West 
Henniker,  buried,  seemingly,  in  shade.  The  town  has 
become  a popular  resort  for  summer  tourists,  on  ac- 
count of  its  pleasant  location  and  its  varied  land- 
scape. None  better  are  to  be  found  any  where. 

The  sons  and  the  daughters  who  have  gone  out 
from  these  hills  and  these  valleys,  and  have  made 
themselves  homes  in  different  parts  of  the  world, 
ever  revert  with  pleasure  to  the  good  old  town  which 
gave  them  birth,  and  love  it  yet  as  the  dearest  spot 
on  earth. 

First  Grant  of  this  Township  by  the  Province 
of  Massachusetts.— In  1690  the  colonies  in  New 
England  and  New  York,  being  aroused  at  the  unpro- 
voked atrocities  committed  upon  some  of  the  in- 
habitants of  the  frontier  towns  during  the  year  pre- 
vious by  Indians  and  Canadian  allies,  determined 
upon  a speedy  revenge,  and  united  in  an  effort  to 
invade  Canada  and,  if  possible,  to  conquer  it.  With 
this  end  in  view,  two  expeditions  were  sent  against 
that  province — one,  a land  expedition  from  the  New 
22 


York  colonies,  was  sent  against  Montreal ; the  other, 
a naval  expedition,  against  Quebec.  This  latter 
expedition  was  furnished  wholly  by  the  Massachu- 
setts colony,  and  consisted  of  thirty-four  vessels  and 
two  thousand  men,  under  the  command  of  Sir  Wil- 
liam Phipps,  a native  of  Pemaquid  (now  Bristol),  Me. 
Finding  the  city  strongly  fortified  and  an  attack  with 
the  forces  at  his  command  useless  he  returned  to  Bos- 
ton, and  the  expedition  was  a failure. 

The  soldiers  in  this  expedition  were  paid  for  their 
services  in  paper  money,  the  first  ever  seen  in  New 
England,  which  soon  became  so  depreciated  in  value 
as  to  become  almost  worthless.  Nearly  forty  years 
afterwards  the  soldiers  of  this  expedition  then  living, 
petitioned  the  General  Court  of  the  province  of 
Massachusetts  for  an  additional  compensation  for 
their  services  in  grants  of  land,  which  petitions  were 
generally  granted.  Eight  townships  in  New  Hamp- 
shire, from  territory  claimed  by  Massachusetts,  were 
granted  these  different  petitioners. 

One  of  the  companies  in  the  expedition  in  1690 
was  composed  of  men  from  Middlesex  and  Worcester 
Counties,  Mass.,  and  was  commanded  by  Captain 
Andrew  Gardner.  A large  number  of  the  men  com- 
posing Captain  Gardner’s  company  were  from  Stowe, 
Marlborough  and  Westborough,  Mass.,  and  these  men, 
headed  by  John  Whitman,  Esq.  (at  that  time  one  of 
the  most  prominent  meu  of  Stowe,  and  a grandson  of 
John  Whitman,  who  was  in  Weymouth,  Mass.,  be- 
fore 1633),  petitioned  the  General  Court  of  Massachu- 
setts in  1728  for  a grant  of  land  six  miles  square. 
After  various  delays,  for  which  the  most  trifling 
reasons  were  given,  in  1734  the  attention  of  the 
General  Court  was  again  directed  to  the  prayer  of 
these  petitioners,  and  on  January  14, 1735,  the  petition 
was  referred  to  its  appropriate  committee,  which 
committee,  on  the  day  following,  January  15,  1735, 
reported  through  its  chairman,  Edward  Quincy,  as 
follows : 

“January  15, 1735,  William  Dudley,  Esq.,  submitted  a report  from  the 
Committee  on  the  Petitions  for  Townships,  &c.  Ordered  a survey  of  the 
lands  between  Merrimac  & Connecticut  Rivers,  from  the  North  East 
Corner  of  Itumford  on  the  Merrimac  to  the  Great  Falls  on  the  Conn.,  at 
least  12  miles  in  breadth,  and  a committee  of  11  was  chosen  to  lay  out 
the  land  into  townships  of  six  miles  square,  no  township  to  be  more 
than  six  miles  square  from  East  to  West,  to  make  reports  as  soon  as  con- 
venient. 

“That  John  Whitman,  Esq.,  and  others  that  have  not  been  heretofore 
admitted  Grantees  or  settlers  within  the  space  of  seven  years  last  past,  of, 
or  in,  any  former  or  other  Grant  of  a township  or  particular  Grant  on 
condition  of  settling,  and  that  shall  appear  and  give  security  to  the 
value  of  Forty  Pounds  to  perform  the  Conditions  that  shall  be  enjoyned 
by  this  Court,  may,  by  the  major  part  of  the  Committee,  be  admitted 
Grantees  into  one  of  the  said  Township,  the  Committee  to  give  publick 
notice  of  the  time  and  place  of  their  meeting  to  admit  Grantees,  which 
Committee  shall  be  empowered  to  employ  surveyors  and  chain-men  to 
assist  them  in  surveying  and  laying  out  said  township,  the  Province  to  be 
at  the  charge  and  be  repaid  by  the  Grantees  (who  may  be  admittted)  the 
whole  charge  they  shall  advance  ; which  Committee  we  apprehend  are 
to  be  directed  and  impowered  to  admit  sixty  settlers  in  each  Township 
and  take  their  bonds  payable  to  the  Committee  and  their  successors  in 
the  said  trust,  to  the  use  of  the  Province,  for  the  performance  of  the 
Conditions  of  the  Grant,  viz.:  That  each  Grantee  build  a dwelling-house 
of  eighteen  feet  square  and  seven  feet  stud  at  the  least  on  their 
respective  House  Lots,  and  fence  in  and  break  up  for  ploughing  or  clear 


342 


HISTORY  OR  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


and  srock  with  English  Grass,  five  Acres  of  Land  within  three  years 
next  after  their  admittance,  and  cause  their  respective  Lots  to  be  inhab- 
ited, and  that  the  Grantees  do,  within  the  space  of  three  years  from  the 
time  of  their  being  admitted,  build  and  finish  a Convenient  Meeting- 
House  for  the  publick  Worship  of  God  and  settle  a learned  Orthodox 
Minister — and  in  case  any  of  the  Grantees  shall  fail  or  neglect  to  per- 
forin what  is  enjoined  as  above,  the  Committee  shall  be  obliged  to  put 
the  bonds  in  suit  and  take  possession  of  the  Lots  and  Rights  that  shall 
become  forfeit,  and  proceed  to  grant  them  to  other  Persons  that  will  ap- 
pear to  fulfil  the  conditions  within  one  year  next  after  the  said  last- 
mentioned  Grant.  And  if  a sufficient  number  of  Petitioners  that  have 
hid  no  Grant  within  seven  years  as  aforesaid,  viz.:  sixty  to  each  Town- 
ship, do  not  appear,  others  may  be  admitted,  provided  they  have  ful- 
filled the  Conditions  of  their  former  Grant,  the  Committee  to  take  care 
that  there  be  sixty -three  House  Lots  laid  out  in  as  regular,  compact  and 
defensible  manner  as  the  Land  will  allow  of,  one  of  which  Lots  shall  be 
for  the  first  settled  Minister,  one  for  second  Minister  and  one  for  the 
School,  to  each  of  which  an  equal  proportion  of  Land  shall  accrue  in  all 
future  divisions.  Per  order  of  the  Committee. 

“ Edmund  Quincy.” 

This  was  concurred  in  in  the  Council  the  same  day, 
J.  Belcher,  Governor.  The  following  order  was 
passed  the  same  day  : 

“Ordered,  that  Joseph  Gerrish,  Benjamin  Prescott,  Josiah  Willard, 
Job  Almy,  Esqs.,  Mr.  Moses  Pierson  and  Capt.  Joseph  Gold,  with  such 
as  the  honorable  Board  shall  join,  be  a Committee  to  all  Intents  and 
Purposes,  to  effect  the  business  projected  by  the  report  of  the  Committee 
of  both  Houses,  to  Consider  the  Petitions  for  Townships,  which  passed 
this  Day,  viz.,  on  the  proposed  Line  between  Merrimac  and  Con- 
necticut Rivers,  aud  on  both  sides  of  Connecticut  River ; and  that 
there  be  granted  and  allowed,  to  be  paid  out  of  the  publick  Treasury 
after  the  rate  of  fifteen  Shillings  per  diem  to  each  one  of  the  Com- 
mittee for  every  day  he  is  in  the  Service  in  the  Woods,  and  subsistence  ; 
and  ten  Shillings  per  diem  for  every  day  to  each  one  of  the  said 
Committee  while  in  the  Service  in  admitting  Settlers  into  the  said  Towns, 
and  subsistence.” 

The  proposition  to  oblige  the  petitioners  or  grantees 
to  give  a bond  for  fifty  pounds  was  afterwards  stricken 
out,  and  the  commonwealth  assumed  all  expense 
under  that  sum.  This  committee  caused  the  necessary 
survey  to  be  made  in  accordance  with  the  above  order, 
and  made  their  report  at  the  next  session  of  the  Pro- 
vincial Assembly. 

The  townships  thus  surveyed  were  assigned  to  the 
several  parties  petitioning,  and  this  township,  known 
then  as  No.  6 in  the  line  of  townships,  was  assigned 
to  John  Whitman,  Esq.,  and  others,  of  Stowe  and 
Marlborough,  as  witness  the  following  : 

“ On  the  petition  of  John  Whitman,  Esq.,  and  others,  of  Stowe  and 
Marlborough,  &c.,  praying  for  Lands,  as  entered  the  2d  of  December, 
1732,  and  referred,  which  was  read  and  accepted,  and  the  House  came 
into  the  Grant  of  a Township  of  the  contents  aforesaid,  in  some  suitable 
place  on  the  Coutoocook  Eiver,  on  the  same  Conditions  of  Settlement 
with  the  former.  Sent  up  for  Concurrence  Dec.  13th,  1735.” 

Upon  this  order  the  grant  was  made  as  above  given. 
Before  completing  all  the  necessary  arrangements 
for  the  settling  of  this  township  the  Provincial  As- 
sembly adjourned,  and  it  was  not  until  December  4, 
1736,  that  the  following  order  was  passed  : 

“December  4,  1736 — John  Whitman,  of  Stowe,  Esq.,  is  hereby  al- 
lowed and  impowered  to  assemble  and  convene  as  soon  as  may  be  the  Gran- 
tees or  Proprietors  of  No.  6,  lying  in  the  Line  of  Towns  between  the 
Rivers  Conn,  and  Merrimac,  to  choose  officers  and  divide  their  lands  and 
make  return  of  the  same  to  the  Court.” 

The  petitioners  met  at  Concord,  Mass.,  in  Sep- 
tember, 1737,  at  which  time  sixty  grantees  were  ad- 


mitted. Thus,  after  a delay  of  some  ten  years  after  the 
petition  of  Mr.  Whitman  and  others  was  received 
by  the  Provincial  Assembly,  this  tardy  act  of  justice 
l was  done.  These  petitioners  were  well  advanced  in 
years  when  the  grant  was  made,  for  nearly  half  a 
century  had  passed  away  since  they  were  soldiers  in 
the  ill-fated  expedition  in  which  they  were  engaged. 

! John  Whitman  was  a grandson  of  John  Whit- 
man, of  Weymouth,  Mass.,  who  was  in  New  England 
before  1633,  and  was  the  ancestor  of  the  Whitman 
family  in  America,  and  settled  in  Stowe,  Mass.,  about 
1675-80.  He  was  a prominent  man  of  the  town,  being 
a justice  of  the  peace,  and  was  empowered  by  the 
General  Court  of  Massachusetts  to  settle  all  difficulties 
arising  amongst  the  settlers  about  him,  particularly 
those  relating  to  land  titles.  He  died  in  Stoweshortly 
after  receiving  this  grant,  and  was  the  immediate  an- 
cestor of  the  Whitman  family,  which  has  existed  in 
this  town,  Henniker,  for  nearly  a century.  There  is 
no  record  yet  discovered  of  the  action  taken  by  these 
grantees,  but  as  will  be  seen  further  on,  improvements 
were  made  in  No.  6, — roads  were  laid  out,  which  were 
“ paths  ” through  the  wilderness,  and  preparations 
were  made  to  erect  a mill,  and  tradition  says  one  was 
operated  for  a short  time,  but  there  is  no  definite 
proof  of  it.  A few  settlers  came  into  the  township, 
but  the  exact  locality  of  their  settlement  is  not  known. 
Mr.  Crane,  with  a large  family,  resided  on  the  north 
shore  of  the  pond  south  of  Craney  Hill,  which  hill 
was  named  for  him ; but  he,  as  well  as  the  other  set- 
tlers, were  driven  from  the  township  by  Indians. 
One  or  more  settlers  made  a clearing  in  the  southeast 
part  of  the  township,  and  others  in  the  southwest 
part,  near  Hillsborough  line  and  in  close  proximity 
to  the  few  settlers  then  in  that  town.  None  of  the 
grantees  of  the  township  ever  settled  within  its  borders, 
and  they  were  evidently  deterred  from  doing  so  be- 
cause of  the  dispute  between  Massachusetts  and  New 
Hampshire  as  to  the  southern  boundary  line  of  New 
Hampshire  which  was  in  dispute  from  the  early 
part  of  the  eighteenth  century  until  its  final  settle- 
ment, in  1740  ; and  the  French  and  Indian  War 
followed  so  closely  upon  this  settlement  that  perma- 
nent settlers  were  deterred  from  entering  the  township. 
By  the  terms  of  the  settlement,  all  of  the  line  of  towns 
that  had  been  surveyed  were  inclosed  in  New  Hamp- 
shire, nearly  all  of  the  land  in  dispute  being  claimed 
by  the  heirs  of  Captain  Mason,  who  finally  succeeded 
in  establishing  their  claim,  and  then  disposed  of  their 
interest  to  a company  of  gentlemen  of  Portsmouth 
and  vicinity,  who  were  knowii  afterwards  as  the 
“ Masonian  Proprietors.” 

After  the  trouble  between  New  Hampshire  and 
Massachusetts  had  been  adjusted,  some  of  the  grantees, 
whose  titles  to  township  had  been  vitiated  by  the 
cession  of  lands  in  this  State  back  to  the  State, 
petitioned  the  General  Court  for  township  within  its 
jurisdiction. 

Among  those  who  made  application  were  the  heirs 


HENNIKEft. 


343 


and  assigns  of  the  first  grantees  of  this  township. 
Under  date  of  February  26,  1774,  they  petitioned  the 
General  Court  of  Massachusetts,  as  follows  : 

“ Province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay. 

“To  his  Excellency,  Thomas  Hutchinson,  Captain  General  and  Com- 
mander-in-Chief  in  and  over  this  Province.  To  the  Honorable  His 
Majesty's  Council  and  to  the  Honorable  House  of  Representatives  in 
General  Court  aforesaid  Assembled,  Feb.  26th,  1774.  The  petitions  of 
the  subscribers  in  behalf  of  ourselves  and  others,  grantees  of  the  town- 
ship No.  6,  in  the  line  of  towns,  humbly  showetli  that  the  great  and 
general  Court  of  this  Province,  at  their  session  1735,  granted  a township 
of  the  contents  of  9ix  miles  square,  No.  6,  in  the  lines  of  towns  between 
the  Connecticut  and  Merrimack  Rivers;  that  the  grantees  were  at  con- 
siderable expense  in  clearing  its  roads,  building  mills,  Ac.,  in  said  town- 
ship ; that  by  the  late  running  of  the  line  between  this  government  and 
the  government  of  New  Hampshire  the  said  township  was  taken  into 
the  government  of  New  Hampshire,  and  your  petitioners  and  their  as- 
sociates have  lost  their  interest  therein,  together  with  the  money  ex- 
pended for  bringing  forward  the  settlement  of  the  township.  Your 
petitioners  humbly  request  that  your  Excellency  and  honors  would,  in 
your  known  wisdom  and  practice,  grant  petitioners  and  other  grantees 
and  proprietors  of  No.  6,  in  lieu  thereof,  a township  of  the  unappropriated 
lands  in  the  eastward  part  of  the  Province,  or  otherwise  relieve  your 
petitioners  as  your  excellency  and  your  honors  in  your  wisdom  shall 
think  proper,  and  your  petitioners,  as  in  duty  bound,  shall  ever  pray. 

“John  Gardner. 

“Stephen  Maynard. 

“Seth  Rice.’’ 

In  answer  to  this  petition  was  the  following: 

“Re*olved,  That  in  lieu  thereof  there  be  granted  to  the  proprietors 
and  legal  representatives  or  assigns  of  the  original  grantees,  who  were 
sufferers  by  losing  their  lands,  a township  seven  miles  square  m the  un- 
appropriated lands  belonging  to  this  Province.” 

This  town  is  now  known  as  Waterford,  Me. 

The  Masonian  Grant  and  Charter.— November 
29,  1748,  a meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of  London- 
derry was  held  at  the  house  of  Joseph  Scobey,  to 
take  action  relative  to  a grant  of  land  upon  which  to 
settle.  At  this  meeting  Captain  Todd  was  chosen 
moderator,  Captain  Barr  treasurer,  and  Robert  Coch- 
ran clerk.  Sixty-one  persons  joined  the  organiza- 
tion and  paid  the  fee  required  of  them  towards  defray- 
ing the  necessary  expenses  that  would  be  incurred  in 
procuring  the  grant.  Twenty  more  were  admitted 
as  members  shortly  after.  The  names  of  these  men 
were, — 

“John  McMurphy,  Esq.,  Cap*.  And"'.  Todd,  Cap*.  Sum11.  Barr,  S.  Will- 
son  & Son,  James  Todd,  Sam11.  Todd,  Alexr.  McCollom,  Joseph  Willson, 
John  Hillands,  Henry  Erwin,  William  Forest,  Rob*.  Parkison,  Sam11. 
Allison,  junr.,  Rob*.  Wicar,  Joseph  Hammell,  John  Robie,  Tho8.  Coch- 
ran, W“.  Nickels,  Ja9.  Thompson,  Joseph  Stewart,  Black  James  Willson, 
George  Addison,  James  Addison,  George  Robertson,  James  Robertson, 
Nat11.  Hoalms,  John  Scobey,  John  Pinkerton,  John  Duncan,  Matth. 
Taylor,  Senr.,  Tho3.  Davidson,  Senr.,  Wm.  Duncan,  Geo.  Duncan,  Joseph 
Bell,  James  Cochran,  John  Archibald,  James  Willson,  South;  Leu*.  John 
Humphra,  James  Humphra,  Tho8.  Boyes,  Natu.  Hoalms,  jr.,  Wm.  Ayers, 
Rob*.  Cochran,  Wm.  Marten,  David  Scobey,  David  Aiken,  Henry  Dyer, 
Tho8.  McCleury,  Rob*.  Riddal,  James  Rodgers,  Eli  Boyd,  James  Petter- 
son,  Henry  Parkison,  Wm.  Gault,  James  Wallace,  Rob*.  Fairservice, 
James  Ewins,  Will™.  Rodgers,  Sen1.,  Hugh  Montgomery,  Rob*.  Rodgers, 
Ja8.  Alexander,  Blacksmith  ; Newell  llammell,  Rob*.  Livingston,  Rob*. 
McCurdy,  Isaac  Brewster,  John  Leggan,  John  Mack,  David  Hopkin, 
Sam11.  Moore,  Wm.  Hoalms,  Alexr.  McCollom,  jr.,  Matthew  Pinkerton, 
John  McCollom,  Nath11  Aiken  and  two  sons,  John  McMurphy,  jr.,  Ja9. 
Wallace,  Senr.,  Joseph  Boyes,  James  Smith.” 

At  a meeting  of  these  proprietors,  held  at  the 
house  of  William  Blair,  July  13,  1752,  Robert  Coch- 
ran and  James  Wallace  were  chosen  to  go  to  Ports- 


mouth to  “ Get  a Charter.”  These  men  attended  to 
their  duty  at  once,  and  on  July  16th,  three  days 
after,  the  following  grant  of  land  was  obtained, 
called  No.  6: 

PROPRIETORS’  GRANT. 

“Province  of  New  Hampshire. — At  a Meeting  of  the  Proprietors 
of  the  Lands  Purchased  of  John  Tufton  Mason,  Esqr.,  In  the  Provence 
of  Newhampshire,  held  at  Portsmouth,  in  said  Provence,  on  the  Six- 
teenth Day  of  July,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred 
fiftey-two.  Voted  that  thar  be  A hearby  is  Granted  unto  John  Mac- 
murphey,  Esq.,  Andrew  todd,  Gent. ; Samuel  Barr,  Gent.  ; the  Revre. 
William  Davidson  Clark,  Robert  Cochran,  Gent.;  Robert  Liviston, 
Blacksmith  ; Robert  Wallace,  yeoman  ; Nathaniel  Aiken,  yeoman  ; John 
Mack,  Blacksmith  ; John  MacMurphey,  Junr.,  John  Pinkerton,  Matthew 
Pinkerton,  Daniel  Lesly,  James  Willson  the  third,  James  Ewins,  yeo- 
man ; John  Reside,  weaver;  John  Scobey,  Joseph  Bell,  John  Caldwell, 
William  Ayers,  taner;  John  Loggan,  clothiers;  John  Loggan,  Junr., 
weaver;  James  Smith,  John  Duncan,  yeomen  ; Isaac  Brastor,  weaver; 
John  McCollom,  Alexander  McCollom,  Alexander  McMurphey,  James 
Wallace,  John  Clarke,  Georg  Duncan,  David  Archibald,  William  Mack, 
Junr.,  John  Stuert,  Thomas  Boys,  James  humphrey,  Rob*.  Fairsenes, 
Samuel  Allison,  junr.,  James  Willson  of  the  South,  James  Peterson, 
yeoman  ; Robert  Wear,  Leather  Breeches  Maker  ; Alexander  McCollom, 
junr.,  James  Wilson,  Junr.,  Robert  Wilson,  Alexander  Willson,  Thomas 
Gregg,  Robert  McCordey,  yeoman  ; Hugh  Willson,  Gent.  ; Alexander 
Craig,  James  Todd,  Samuel  Todd,  William  Ayers,  Junr.,  yeomen,  all  of 
Londonderry,  In  Said  Provence,  George  Robertson  of  Chester,  In  Said 
Provence,  Williams  holms  of  Bedford,  in  si  id  Provence,  yeoman,  and 
William  Peters,  of  a Place  called  hopkintown,  in  said  Province,  In 
Equal  1 Shares  on  the  tearms,  Conditions  A Limitations  hereafter  Ex- 
pressed, all  the  Right,  titele,  Claim,  Inheritance,  Estate,  Demand  of  the 
said  Proprietors  to  that  Tract  of  Land  within  the  Province  aforesaid, 
Containing  Six  Miles  Square  by  Estimation,  or  Equall  their  to,  Bounded 
as  follows,  viz.:  Beginning  at  the  North  East  Cornor  (nearest;  of  new 
hopkintown,  So  Called  ; thence  on  a Straight  Line  to  the  North  East 
Corner  of  Hillsborough,  So  Called,  Being  by  Estimation  Six  Miles  ; then 
by  said  Hillsborough  Line  to  the  South  East  Corner  thereof,  Being  Sup- 
posed to  be  Six  Miles;  then  on  a Strait  Line  to  the  South  West  Cornor  of 
said  New  hopkintown;  then  by  that  to  the  Cornor  where  it  begins,  all 
the  Said  Lines  being  supposed  to  be  Six  Miles  each,  to  have  and  to  hold 
the  said  Granted  Premeses  to  them,  their  heirs  and  assigns  in  Equal 
Shares  on  the  following  terms,  Conditions  A-  Limitations  : that  is  to  say 
that  the  whole  Tract  of  Land  above  Described  be  Divided  into  Eightey 
Rights  or  Equal  Shares,  and  Each  Share  into  three  Lots,  which  are  to 
be  so  Sorted  and  Joined  as  to  make  the  Shairs  as  Equall  as  Posibal  Both 
for  Quality  and  quantitey;  that  Land  be  Left  Between  the  Lots  for  Con- 
venient highways  ; that  the  Whole  be  Surveyed  and  so  Devided  and 
Laid  out  into  Lots  Reanged  A numbered  and  an  Exact  Plan  therof 
Made  and  Returned  to  the  Grantors  within  Six  months  from  the  Deat 
hearof,  and  upon  the  Return  of  Said  Plan  the  Lots  to  be  Drawn  for  in 
the  Customary  maner  in  such  Cases  at  Portsmouth  aforesaid,  under  the 
Derection  of  the  Grantors  with  this  Excepsn — that  one  Lote  belonging 
to  one  of  the  Reserved  Shares  shall  Contain  a stream  and  shutebl  Place 
for  Setting  a Mill,  and  be  laid  out  and  not  Drawn  for,  to  be  hereafter 
Disposed  of  as  the  Grantors  Pleas  ; That  Nineteen  of  the  Said  Shares 
be  and  hearby  are  Reserved  to  the  Grantors,  their  hairs  and  Assigns  ; 
that  one  of  the  Said  Shairs  be  for  the  first  minister  of  the  Gospel  who 
shall  be  Regularly  Settled  on  the  Said  Tract  of  Land  and  Continue  there 
During  his  life,  or  untill  he  be  Regularly  Dismissed,  to  hold  to  his  heirs 
and  Assigns  ; that  one  other  of  Said  Shares  be  for  the  use  of  the  ministry 
there  forever,  and  one  other  of  Said  Shares  for  the  use  A Mentanance  of  a 
School  after  the  Said  tract  of  Land  Shall  be  settled,  to  be  kept  there 
forever;  that  one  of  the  lots  of  the  Share  for  the  use  of  the  Ministrey  be 
laid  out  in  the  Most  Convenient  Place  for  Building  a Meeting  hous 
Without  Drawing  for  it,  and  the  Meting  hous  to  be  built  thereon,  and 
Round  about  the  Meeting  hous,  or  near  to  it  (as  will  be  best,  having  Re- 
gard to  the  Place  and  quality  of  the  Land),  there  shall  be  Left  ten  acres 
of  the  Said  lot  as  a Common  field  for  training,  a Burying  Place  and  any 
other  Publick  use  ; that  Eighteen  of  Said  Shares  be  Exempted  and 
Wholly  Exonerated  of  and  from  all  Charges,  Cost  A Expence  in  Making 
the  Settlement,  and  whatever  charges  may  arise  for  the  Suport  of  the 
Gospel,  or  other  ways  by  any  means  or  ways  whatever  until  the  Same  or 
Some  part  of  Each  Respective  Share  Shall  be  Improved  b}r  the  owner 
thereof ; that  the  owners  of  the  other  Fifty  Nine  Shares  make  settle- 
ment upon  the  said  Tract  of  Land  In  Maner  following,  viz.  : that  there 
be  one  acre  of  Land  Cleared,  fit  for  tilling  or  mowing,  on  one  of  the  Lotes 


344 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Belonging  to  Each  of  Said  Shares  within  one  year  from  the  time  of 
Drawing  the  6aid  Lots  so  Cleared  ami  filed  w ithin  one  year  after  that, 
and  an  hous  built  on  the  same  fit  for  a family  to  Dwell  in,  not  less  than 
Sixteen  feet  Square,  or  Equall  to  that  Demenshon  ; that  in  one  yeare 
after  that  one  acre  more  on  Each  of  the  Said  Lots  be  so  Cleared  and 
fited,  and  In  one  year  after  that  there  be  a Family  Living  in  Each  of 
the  Said  houses,  that  is,  a family  on  a Lote  belonging  to  Each  of  Said 
Shairs  ; that  a Meeting  hous  be  Built  there,  fit  tor  the  Publick  worship, 
within  one  yeare  After  that  ; That  there  be  Constant  Preaching  Men- 
tained  tlieire  within  Six  years  from  this  time  ; That  each  owner  of  the 
said  Fiftey  nine  Shares  do  Duly  pay  All  such  Sume  £ Sums  of  Money  as 
Shall  be  at  anev  time  Voted  and  agreed  by  the  Major  part  of  the  said 
owners  to  be  liaised  on  Each  Shaire  to  such  Person  or  Persons  as  they 
Shall  order  to  Carey  on  the  Setellment,  and  Shall  Do  and  Perform  his 
.Respective  Part  and  Dutey  toward  Making  the  same  in  maner  aforesaid, 
and  in  Default  of  so  Dowing,  his  Right  and  Shaire  who  Shall  be  De- 
linquent therein  shall  be  and  liearby  is  Declaired  to  be  forfited  to  the 
other  owners  of  Said  Shaire  who  Shall  have  duly  Down  and  Performed 
there  Respective  Parts  and  Duley  Conserning  the  same  in  Maner  afore- 
said, and  the  said  Owners  in  order  to  Carey  on  and  Perfict  the  said  Settle- 
ment may,  from  time  to  time,  as  a occasion  Shall  Require,  Make  choice 
of  a (’lark,  a Resever  of  the  Money  to  be  Raised  as  aforesaid,  and  any 
other  Persons  to  aney  office,  duty  and  trust  Necessary  for  the  Purpose 
aforesaid,  and  when  Aney  of  the  Said  Shares  Shall  be  so  forfited  for 
Neglect  & omission  as  aforesaid,  the  Said  owners  to  whom  the  same 
shall  be  forfited  May  Proceed  to  Enter  upon  and  Dispose  of  Such  forfited 
Share  as  they  or  the  Major  part  of  them  Shall  agree. 

“ That  all  the  White  Pine  trees  fit  for  his  Majesties  use  & Service  for 
Masts  are  hearby  Reserved  and  Granted  to  his  Majesty,  his  Heirs  «& 
Successors  forever,  and  in  case  the  Owners  of  the  said  fiftey  nine  Shares 
Shall  fail  of  Making  the  Said  Settlement  of  the  said  Number  of  familes 
Within  the  tearm  Granted  for  that  Purpos,  and  having  the  houses  Bult 
and  Land  Cleared  by  that  time,  as  above  mentioned,  then  the  Said  tract 
of  Land,  with  whatever  Shall  be  on  there  on  Short  of  the  Completing 
the  Said  Settlement,  Shall  be  forfeited  to  the  Grantors,  their  Heirs  & 
Assigns,  and  it  Shall  and  May  be  Lafull  for  them  or  aney  Person  or  Per- 
sons, in  there  Name,  by  their  Order,  into  and  upon  the  Whole  or  aney 
part  Thereof  In  the  name  of  the  Whole,  to  Re-enter  and  Take  full  Seizin 
thereof  as  tho’  this  Grant  had  Never  been  made,  that  in  Case  the  said 
Granted  Premises  Shall  be  Recovered  from  the  Grantees,  or  aney  part 
thereof,  by  any  ways  or  means  Whatsoever,  the  Grantees  Shall  Receive 
Nothing  over  against  the  Grantors  for  any  Improvements  or  Labour  by 
them  or  any  of  them  don  or  that  Shall  Be  Don  thereon.  But  the  Gran- 
tors hearby  Promis  and  Iugage,  upon  being  Properly  Notified,  to  take 
upon  them  Selves  the  defense  of  aney  action  that  Shall  be  brought  for 
the  Recovery  of  the  said  Premises  and  aney  Pairt  Theiroff  by  any  other 
title  than  that  under  Which  they  hold  or  from  which  theirs  is  Derived 
against  the  Grantees  or  aney  of  them. 

4‘  That  In  Case  an  Indian  War  Shall  happen  before  the  Experation  Of 
aney  of  the  said  terms  Limeted  for  Doing  Aney  of  the  Said  Matters  and 
things  aforesaid,  the  like  term  of  time  Shall  be  allowed  after  that  Im- 
pediment Shall  be  Removed. 

“ Lastly,  theGranthes  Shall,  as  soon  as  may  be  Don  with  Convenieucej 
hold  a Regular  Meeting  and  pass  a Vote  In  Writing  that  they  agree, 
assent  and  Consent  to  Accept  of  this  Grant  to  hold  the  Premises  on  the 
Terms  hearin  Expressed,  and  to  Ratify  and  Confirm  this  agreement  and 
Ingagement  on  their  Parts  and  Behalf  Accordingly  and  Transmit  an 
attested  Copey  thereof  to  the  Grantors. 

“Copey  of  Record  Ecaminedand  Attested  per  Geo.  Jaffrey,  Prop1-.  Clerk. 

“ Recorded  and  Examined  feberaary  the  7th,  1754. 

“Pr.  Robert  Wallace,  Grantees'  Clerk .” 

Upou  the  receipt  of  this  grant,  the  grantees  held  a 
meeting  July  20,  1752,  and  took  action  as  follows : 

“At  a legal  meeting,  Legally  named  and  held  by  the  Grantors  of  No. 
6,  the  20th  day  of  July,  1752. 

“1.  Voted,  for  Moderator,  Cap1.  Andw.  Todd. 

“ 21y.  Voted,  that  the  Grantees  Do  Accept  off  and  Consent  to  Receive 
their  Charter  on  the  tearms  prescribed  and  set  forth  in  the  Charter. 

“31y.  Voted,  for  Clerk,  Rob*.  Cochran. 

“41y.  Voted , that  Cap1.  Barr  be  treasurer  this  year,  and  he  is  to  be  al- 
lowed Reasonable  wages  for  his  trouble. 

“51y.  Voted , for  Counters,  John  Duncan,  John  Mack  and  Robert 
Wallace. 

“Gly.  Voted,  that  their  shall  be  a Com***,  now  Chosen  to  Lay  out  the 
town,  and  their  wages  is  to  be  1 P,  10*.  old  tenor  pr.  Day  each  of  them 


while  they  are  Gone,  they  fitting  and  finding  themselves  ; their  is  to  be 
five  men  in  the  Com,c«  Besides  a survior,  and  the  Com,w.  must  agree 
w ith  the  survior,  and  they  are  to  have  Liberty  to  hire  a hand  some  Days 
if  needful  ; the  Com***  Chosen  to  cary  on  Said  afair  is  Cap*.  Audw.  Todd, 
Cap*.  Sam1.  Barr,  David  Archibald,  Janies  Willson  A Sam1.  Todd. 

“ 71y.  Voted , that  this  Com***,  is  Iinpowered  that  in  case  that  any  of 
them  (viz.),  the  Com***.,  shall  be  taken  sick  or  lame,  that  then  tho 
Com***,  shall  hire  hands  to  finish  the  Bussiness  before  they  Come  home. 

‘*Hly.  Voted,  that  each  Grantee  Shall  pay  five  pounds  old  tenor  in  the 
following  manner,  viz.  : two  pounds  ten  shillings  by  the  last  of  August 
next,  & two  pounds  ten  shillings  more  by  the  Last  of  September  next. 

“91y,  Vottd,  for  a Comitee  to  call  or  warn  meetings,  Robert  Cochran. ** 

The  surveyors  employed  were  Matthew  Patten,  of 
Bedford,  and  Daniel  Leslie,  of  Londonderry.  Several 
meetings  of  the  grantees  were  held  before  the  sur- 
vey was  completed,  and  on  July  11,  1753,  the 
committee  drew  the  lots  at  Portsmouth.  Some 
changes  had  been  made  in  the  number  compo- 
sing the  grantees,  but  the  lots  were  drawn  for  sub- 
stantially those  petitioning  for  the  grant.  Prepara- 
tions were  at  once  made  for  erecting  a saw-mill  and 
making  settlements  in  the  township ; paths  were 
cleared,  but  the  French  and  Indian  War,  which  in- 
volved the  colonics  in  all  the  calamities  of  a war 
with  the  Indians  of  Canada  and  the  neighboring 
tribes,  suspended  operations  for  years.  Up  to  1761 
no  settlement  had  been  made  in  the  township.  A 
good  many  of  the  original  proprietors  were  dead, 
some  had  disposed  of  their  rights,  while  others  still 
took  but  little  interest  in  the  grant.  It  is  a singular 
fact  that  but  one  of  the  proprietors,  James  Peters, 
ever  settled  in  the  town.  In  the  spring  of  1758  a 
foundation  was  laid  for  the  first  saw-mill  in  the 
township,  to  use  the  water  from  Long  Pond.  Tradi- 
tion says  that  when  the  mill  was  near  its  completion 
Indians  appeared,  and  the  workmen  left  for  their 
homes  in  Londonderry,  and  the  project  was  aban- 
doned. 

First  Settlers.— In  the  spring  of  1760,  Rev.  James 
Scales,  having  come  into  possession  of  some  land  in  the 
easterly  part  of  the  township,  built  a log  cabin  under 
the  hill  known  as  Foster  Hill.  Mr.  Scales  was  a native 
of  Roxford,  Mass.  He  graduated  at  Harvard  in  1733, 
settled  in  Rumford  in  1737,  and  was  teacher  of  the 
first  school  taught  in  that  town.  He  was  shortly 
afterwards  licensed  to  preach,  and  was  the  first  min- 
ister at  Canterbury.  He  moved  from  that  town  to 
Ilopkinton,  and  was  the  first  preacher  in  that  town, 
being  ordained  as  pastor  of  the  church  there  Novem- 
ber 23,  1757.  It  was  while  he  was  residing  in  Hop- 
kin  ton  that  he  built  his  log  house  in  this  town.  He 
resided  here  some  six  months,  then  disposed  of  his 
claim  and  resumed  his  residence  in  Hopkinton.  The 
hill  near  his  cabin  was  known  for  half  a century  as 
“ Scales’  Hill.”  In  the  spring  of  1761,  Mr.  James 
Peters  and  his  family  moved  into  town  from  Hopkin- 
ton, and  built  a log  house  near  the  one  occupied  by 
Mr.  Scales.  There  were  no  neighbors  nearer  him 
than  on  Putney’s  Hill,  Hopkinton,  and  no  mill  or 
store  nearer  than  Rumford,  fifteen  miles  east.  To 
the  westward  a few  families  had  commenced  a settle- 


HENNIKER. 


345 


ment  in  Hillsborough,  while  to  the  north  it  was  an 
unbroken  forest  for  fifty  miles. 

In  this  wilderness  Mr.  Peters  made  his  home. 
In  June,  1763,  Eliakim  Howe,  Amos  Gould  and 
Thomas  Stone  moved  into  town  from  Marlborough, 
Mass.  They  settled  in  the  southeast  part  of  the 
township,  and  were  joined,  in  September  of  the  same 
year,  by  Jonas  Bowman,  of  Lexington,  Mass.,  who 
settled  near  them.  In  the  same  year  William  Peters, 
a son  of  James,  the  first  settler,  moved  into  town 
from  Hopkinton,  and  settled  easterly  and  near  his 
father.  He  was  killed  by  a falling  tree  July  5,  1775. 
Josiah  Ward  and  his  family  moved  into  town  from 
Marlborough,  Mass.,  in  September  of  the  same  year, 
1763.  In  1764,  Deacon  Ebenezer  Harthorn  came 
from  Marlborough,  Mass.,  and  was  the  thirteenth  set- 
tler in  the  township.  In  1765,  Annas  Campbell  came 
from  Hawke  (now  Danville)  and  became  a large  land- 
owner.  He  erected  the  first  two-story  frame  house 
in  the  township,  in  1766,  Deacon  Harthorn  erecting 
the  second  one  in  1768.  Eliakim  Howe  erected  the 
first  frame  house  in  the  township,  one  story  and  a half 
in  height  in  front,  with  a long,  slanting  roof  on  the 
back  side,  reaching  near  to  the  ground.  In  1765 
came  Alexander  Patterson  and  his  family,  including 
his  sons  Joseph  and  Isaac,  who  settled  on  what  is 
known  as  “ Goss  Hill.”  Ezra  Tucker  and  family 
came  in  this  year  and  settled  in  the  westerly  part  of 
the  town.  Mr.  Tucker  was  from  Marlborough,  Mass. 
Cornelius  Bean  settled  near  him  during  the  same 
year. 

In  1764,  Charles  and  Jacob  Whitcomb  moved 
into  town  from  Stowe,  Mass.,  and  Timothy  and  Jesse 
Ross,  also  from  Stowe.  Francis  Withington,  also  of 
Stowe,  came  this  same  year.  In  1766,  William  Pres- 
bury  came  from  Stowe,  Mass.,  and  settled  in  the 
southwest  part  of  the  town,  where  he  resided  a few 
years,  and  then  removed  to  Bradford  and  was  the  first 
settler  there.  During  this  year  came  the  three 
brothers,  Ebenezer,  Noah  and  Joshua  Gile,  from 
Marlborough,  Mass.,  and  settled  in  the  southeast  part 
of  the  township.  Ezekiel  Smith  and  Solomon 
Childs  came  from  Grafton,  Mass.;  Hezekiah  Newton 
came  from  Marlborough,  Mass.,  and  Ephraim  Merrill 
from  Stowe.  The  brothers  Adonijah  and  Jeplithah 
Tyler  came  from  Marlborough  in  1767.  Thomas 
Hewlett  came  from  Stowe  in  1766 ; also  William 
Powers  from  the  same  town,  and  William  Eastman 
in  1765.  David  Connor  settled  in  the  northeast  part 
of  the  township  in  1766,  and  Silas  Barnes  came  from 
Marlborough.  Ephraim  Goss,  in  1767,  came  from 
Lancaster,  Mass.,  and  Samuel  Wadsworth,  in  1768, 
came  from  Grafton,  Mass.  Abraham  Morrison  and 
Moses  Duston  came  in  1768  from  Hopkinton,  and 
Moses  Huse  in  1766.  During  the  years  these  settle- 
ments were  being  made  the  proprietors  at  London- 
derry held  several  meetings,  and  took  measures,  in 
co-operation  with  the  settlers  here,  to  lay  out  roads, 
raise  money,  etc.,  and  the  last  meeting  of  the  propri- 


etors was  held  January  1,  1768,  which,  without  trans- 
acting any  business,  adjourned  without  date. 

In  1768,  the  township  having  become  settled  in 
various  places,  a move  was  made  for  an  act  of  incor- 
poration of  the  township,  which  was  secured,  under 
date  of  November  10,  1768. 

PETITION  OF  THE  INHABITANTS  TO  HAVE  THE  TOWN  IN- 
CORPORATED, 17G8. 

“To  his  Excellency,  John  Wentworth,  Esq.,  Captain-General,  Gov- 
ernor and  Commander-in-chief  in  and  over  his  Majesty's  Province  of 
New  Hampshire,  in  New  England  ; And  To  his  Majesty’s  Council  in  the 
Province  aforesaid — 

“ The  Petition  of  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Place  called  Number  Six  of 
the  Line  of  Towns,  or  New  Marlborough,  in  the  Province  aforesaid, 
humbly  Sheweth,  That  wheras  your  humble  Petitioners,  whose  Names 
are  hereunto  subscribed,  find  ourselves  under  great  Inconveniences  & 
Difficulties  for  want  of  the  Powers  and  Privileges  which  incorporate 
Towns  in  this  Province  enjoy ; And  we,  your  humble  Petitioners,  hum- 
bly pray  your  Excellency  & your  Honours  to  take  our  Case  into  your 
wise  and  compassionate  consideration  ; and  if  you  think  it  proper  & 
necessary,  you  would  incorporate  into  a Town,  indued  with  the  Powers  & 
Privileges  of  other  Terms  in  the  Province,  that  Tract  of  Land  which  is  the 
sixth  in  Number  of  the  Line  of  Towns  which  was  first  laid  out  by  Or- 
der of  the  General  Court  of  the  Province  of  the  Massachusetts-Bay,  & 
granted  to  some  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Marlborough,  in  said  Province  ; 
and  was  since  granted  by  the  Masonian  Proprietors  to  some  of  the  In- 
habitants of  Londonderry,  in  this  Province  of  New  Hampshire  (Said 
Tract  of  Land  lies  between  Hopkinton  & Hillsborough).  We,  your 
humble  Petitioners,  humbly  pray  that  your  Excellency  & your  Honours 
would  incorporate  the  said  Tract  of  Land,  with  the  Inhabitants,  present 
& future,  their  Polls  & Estates,  into  a Town,  included  within  the  same 
Bounds  and  Limits  wherein  it  was  included  when  it  was  first  granted  by 
the  General  Court  of  the  Massachusetts  Province ; and  when  it  was 
granted  by  the  Masonian  Proprietors  (not  infringing  or  hurting  any 
private  Property)  ; and  that  your  Excellency,  and  your  Honours  will  be 
pleased  to  appoint  & impowerMr.  Eleakim  How,  Mr.  Ebenezer  Hawthorn 
and  Mr.  Jonas  Bowman  (now  Inhabitants  of  said  Tract  of  Land)  or 
any  others  whom  your  Excellency  & your  Honours  shall  think  proper, 
as  a Committee  to  call  the  first  Meeting  of  the  Freeholders  & Inhabitants 
in  said  town. 

“For  which  Goodness,  your  humble  Petitioners,  for  your  Excellency 
& your  Honours,  as  in  Duty  bound,  shall  ever  pray. 

“ Dated  at  No.  6,  or  New  Marlbourgh,  aforesaid,  the  fourteenth  Day 
of  March,  1768. 


William  Eastman, 

Jeplithah  Tyler, 

Jacob  Whitcomb, 

Hezekiah  Newton, 

Amos  Gould, 

Thomas  Pope, 

Jesse  Ross, 

William  Peters, 

Ezekiel  Smith, 

Ezekiel  Stone, 

Daniel  Willson, 

Adoni.frih  Tyler, 

Eliakim  How. 

Jonas  Bowman, 

David  Pope, 

William  Presbury 

David  McKillip, 

Joseph  Williams, 

Ebenezer  Haathorn, 

Silas  Barnes, 

Josiah  Ward, 

James  Joslin, 

William  Powers, 

Timothy  Ross, 

Joshua  Tyler, 

John  Johnson.” 

This  act  of  incorporation  was  as  follows  : 


COPY  OF  THE  CHARTER  OF  HENNIKER. 

“ Province  of  New  Hampshire. 

“George  the  Third,  by  the  Grace  of  God  of  Great  Britain,  France,  and 
Ireland,  King,  Defender  of  the  Faith,  and  so  forth.  To  all  to  whom 
these  presents  shall  come,  Greeting.  Whereas  our  loyal  subjects,  in- 
habitants of  a Tract  of  Land  within  our  Province  of  New  Hampshire, 
known  by  the  name  of  Number  Six  in  the  line  of  Towns  and  containing 
six  miles  square,  and  bounded  as  hereafter  mentioned,  have  humbly 
Petitioned  &.  Requested  us  that  they  may  be  erected  and  incorporated 
into  a Township  and  infranchised  with  the  same  privileges  which  other 
towns  within  our  said  Province  have  & Enjoy  by  law  ; and  it  appearing 
unto  us  to  be  conducive  to  the  general  good  of  our  said  province,  as  well 
as  of  the  said  Inhabitants  in  particular,  by  maintaining  good  order  & 
encouraging  the  culture  of  the  laud,  that  the  same  should  be  done  ; 


346 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Know  ye,  therefore,  that  we,  of  our  especial  Grace,  certain  Knowledge, 
and  for  the  encouragement  and  promotion  of  the  good  purposes  and 
ends  aforesaid,  and  with  the  advice  of  our  Trusty  and  well-beloved 
John  Wentworth,  Esq.,  our  Governor  and  Commander-in-Chief  of  our  said 
Province,  and  of  our  Council  of  the  same,  have  erected  and  ordained,  & 
by  these  Presents,  for  us,  our  heirs  and  Successors,  Do  will  & ordain,  that 
the  inhabitants  of  the  Tract  of  Land  aforesaid,  & others  who  shall  in- 
habit and  improve  thereon  hereafter,  the  same  being  butted  and  bounded 
as  follows,  viz.:  Beginning  at  the  North  West  Corner  (nearest)  of  New 
Hopkinton  so-called,  thence  on  a strait  line  to  the  north  east  corner  of 
Hillsborough  so-called,  being  by  estimation  six  miles  ; then  by  said 
Hillsborough  line  to  the  south  east  corner  thereof,  being  supposed  to  be 
six  miles;  then  on  a strait  line  to  the  south  west  corner  of  said  New  Hop- 
kinton; then  by  that  to  the  corner  where  it  begins,  all  of  the  said  lines 
being  supposed  to  be  six  miles  each,  be  and  hereby  are  declared  to  be  a 
town  Corporate, & are  hereby  Erected  into  a Body  Politic  & Corporate,  to 
have  continuance  forever,  by  the  name  of  Henniker,  with  all  the  powers 
and  Authorities,  Privileges,  Immunities  & Franchises  which  any 
other  Towns  in  said  Province  by  Law  have  and  enjoy,  to  the  said  In- 
habitants, or  who  shall  hereafter  inhabit  there,  & their  Successors  for- 
ever, always  reserving  to  us,  our  heirs  and  successors,  all  White  Pine 
trees  which  are  or  shall  be  found  growing  and  being  on  the  said  Tract  of 
Land  fit  for  the  use  of  our  Royal  Navy,  reserving  to  us,  our  heirs  and 
successors,  the  power  and  right  of  dividing  said  Town  when  it  shall  ap- 
pear necessary  and  convenient  for  the  Inhabitants  thereof.  Provided, 
nevertheless,  & ’tie  hereby  declared,  that  this  Charter  and  grant  is  not 
intended  and  shall  not  in  any  manner  be  construed  to  affect  the  private 
property  of  the  soil  within  the  Limits  aforesaid ; And  as  the  several 
Towns  within  our  said  Province  are  by  the  Laws  thereof  enabled  and 
authorized  to  Assemble,  and  by  the  majority  of  the  Voters  present  to 
chuse  all  officers  & transact  such  affairs  as  in  the  said  laws  declared,  We 
do  by  these  presents  nominate  and  appoint  Eliakim  How,  to  call  the  first 
meeting  of  Said  Inhabitants,  to  be  held  within  the  said  Town,  at  any 
time  within  three  months  from  the  date  hereof,  giving  legal  notice  of 
the  time  and  design  of  holding  such  meeting,  after  which  the  Annual 
Meeting  in  said  Town  shall  be  held  for  the  choice  of  said  Officers  & the 
purposes  aforesaid,  on  the  first  Monday  of  March  annually. 

“ In  Testimony  whereof  we  have  caused  the  Seal  of  our  said  Province 
to  be  hereunto  affixed. 

“ Witness  our  aforesaid  Governor  and  Commander-in-Chief  this  Tenth 
day  of  November,  in  the  Ninth  year  of  our  Reign  and  in  ye  year  of  our 
Lord  Christ,  1768. 

“ By  His  Excellency’s  Command,  with  advice  of  Council. 

“T.  Atkinson,  jr.,  Sec’}/. 

“J.  Wentworth. 

“Province  of  New  Hampshire,  Portsmouth,  Nov.  10, 1708. 

“Recorded  according  to  ye  above  in  ye  Book  for  recording  Charters 
of  Incorporation. 

“Attest,  “ T.  Atkinson,  jr.,  Sec’y.” 

Captain  Eliakim  Howe  proposed  that  the  name 
of  the  new  town  be  New  Marlborough,  in  honor 
of  Marlborough,  Mass.,  from  which  town  and  vicinity 
came  so  many  of  the  early  settlers ; but  Governor 
Wentworth  overruled  him  and  named  it  for  his 
friend  John  Henniker,  Esq.,  a wealthy  merchant  of 
London. 

No  other  township  in  all  our  wide  domain  is  known 
by  that  name. 

The  following  were  residents  of  the  town  at  the 
time  of  its  incorporation,  with  their  families : Rev.  Jacob 
Rice,  Deacon  Ebenezer  Harthorn,  Captain  Eliakim 
Howe,  Ezekiel  Smith,  Thomas  Stone,  Amos  Gould, 
Moses  Huse,  Ezra  Tucker,  John  Johnson,  Adonijah 
Tyler,  Jephthah- Tyler,  James  Peters,  William  Peters, 
Josiah  Ward,  Charles  Whitcomb,  Jacob  Whitcomb, 
Timothy  Ross,  Jesse  Ross,  Ebenezer  Gile,  Joshua 
Gile,  Francis  Withington,  Silas  Barnes,  Thomas  Pope, 
Jonas  Bowman,  Alexander  Patterson,  Samuel  Powell, 
Annas  Campbell,  William  Powers,  William  Presbury, 
Moses  Duston,  William  Eastman,  David  Connor, — 


thirty-two  families.  Ephraim  Goss  and  Samuel 
Wadsworth  were  young  men  about  to  be  married. 
The  first  child  born  in  the  township  was  Persis, 
daughter  of  Captain  Eliakim  and  Rebecca  Howe, 
December  3,  1763.  She  married  Fortunatus  Wheeler, 
of  Marlborough,  Mass.,  and  settled  in  Hillsborough. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town 
after  its  incorporation  was  held  November  25,  1768, 
and  Silas  Barnes  was  chosen  clerk,  and  Ebenezer 
Gile,  William  Presbury  and  Jonas  Bowman  select- 
men. The  first  annual  meeting  in  the  town  was  held 
March  6,  1769,  when  Amos  Gould  was  chosen  clerk, 
and  Ebenezer  Gile,  Eliakim  Howe  and  Ebenezer 
Harthorn  selectmen. 

First  Saw-Mill. — By  the  terms  of  the  grant,  one 
lot  was  to  be  given  to  the  party  or  parties  that  erected 
and  operated  the  first  saw-mill  in  the  town.  The 
following  record  was  made: 

“ Henniker,  January  ye  5th,  1769. 

“We,  the  Subscribers,  Selectmen  for  the  town  of  Henniker,  In  the 
Province  of  New  Hampshire,  Cartifie  that  Jona  Temple,  of  Marlboro’,  in 
the  County  of  Middlesex,  has  finished  and  completed  a Good  Saw  Mill  in 
said  Henniker,  it  being  the  first  Saw  Mill  in  said  town  ; these  are 
theirefore  to  signify  our  approbation  of  Said  Mill,  and  to  Entitle  said 
Temple  to  the  right  of  land  given  by  Grant.  We  accordingly  order  the 
Town  Clark  to  Record  this  in  the  Town  Book  of  Records  as  witness  our 
Hands, 

“Ebenezer  Gile,  'j  Selectmen 

“Jonas  Bowman,  r of 

“William  Presbury/  Ilenniker .” 

The  township  settled  quite  rapidly,  and  when  the 
first  census  was  taken,  in  1775,  the  population  was 
found  to  be  three  hundred  and  sixty-seven  ; in  1783, 
seven  hundred  and  forty-nine.  During  these  years 
many  of  the  most  influential  men  of  the  town  settled 
within  it,  including  the  Wallaces  of  Londonderry, 
the  Gibsons,  the  Rices  and  Wards  from  Westborough, 
Mass.,  and  vicinity,  Sawyers,  Cloughs,  Adams,  Kim- 
balls, Bowmans  and  others. 

Ecclesiastical. — In  accordance  with  the  terms  of 
the  grant,  the  proprietors  held  a meeting  in  May, 
1766,  at  which  it  was  voted  to  raise  half  a dollar  on 
each  right  in  township  to  hire  preaching  in  the  town, 
and  in  June,  1767,  it  was  “ voted  to  raise  six  shillings 
on  each  right  for  the  supply  of  the  gospel  for  the  year 
ensuing.”  But  it  was  not  until  the  summer  of  1768 
that  the  settlers  subscribed  a sum  of  money  to  hire  a 
preacher,  and  Captain  Eliakim  Howe  secured  the 
services  of  Rev.  Jacob  Rice,  of  Northborough,  Mass., 
a relative  of  his,  to  preach  to  the  settlers  of  the  town- 
ship. Several  meetings  were  held  at  the  houses  of 
Silas  Barnes  and  Captain  Howe,  and  at  a meeting  of 
the  settlers,  held  September  12, 1768,  Mr.  Rice  was 
invited  to  become  their  settled  pastor,  to  which  he 
returned  an  affirmative  answer  October  20,  1768,  pro- 
vided the  terms  of  his  salary,  yet  to  be  determined 
upon,  should  be  satisfactory  to  him.  Church  and 
state  were  not  yet  separate.  Ministers  were  settled 
by  the  town,  and  every  person  taxed  for  his  support; 
but  if  any  person  dissented  from  settling  this  or  that 
man  as  a preacher,  he  was  relieved  from  paying  any 


HENNIKER. 


347 


minister’s  tax  at  his  own  request.  To  be  valid,  his 
dissent  must  he  given  at  the  meeting  at  which  such 
action  was  taken  and  recorded  upon  the  records  of  the 

town. 

Settlement  of  First  Minister. — At  a meeting 
held  November  25,  1768,  Mr.  Rice’s  salary  was 
established  as  follows : 

“ The  conditions  of  his  settlement  are,  thirty  pounds  settlement  and 
thirty  pounds  salary  for  the  first  four  years,  and  then  thirty-five  pountls 
for  four  years  more,  and  then  forty  pounds  a year  till  there  is  seventy 
families  in  town,  and  then  to  be  fifty  pounds  yearly  till  there  is  ninety 
families  in  town,  then  we  will  give  him  sixty  pounds  yearly  till  there 
are  a hundred  and  ten  families  in  town,  then  we  will  give  him  sixty-six 
pounds,  thirteen  shillings  and  four  pence  yearly,  when  six  shillings  and 
eight  pence  per  ounce,  and  to  the  full  of  the  sum  proposed  according  as 
silver  what  it  is  at  present.  Also,  that  the  town  allow  him  two  Sabbaths 
the  first  year  after  his  ordiDation  to  be  absent  from  this  town,  and  then 
one  Sabbath  yearly  afterwards  to  be  absent  from  his  people  during  his 
ministry.  Also,  that  Mr.  Jacob  Rice  began  his  year  to  preach  with 
this  town  October  24th,  A.  D 1768,  and  whilst  he  is  absent  in  the  winter 
season  his  wages  is  to  cease  till  he  comes  again.” 

The  terms  were  satisfactory,  save  in  matter  of  the 
standard  of  silver,  Mr.  Rice  wishing  his  salary  to  rise 
or  fall  as  silver  rose  or  fell,  which  was  quite  an 
important  item  in  those  olden  days.  The  town 
acceded  to  his  request,  and  at  a meeting  held  De- 
cember 16,  1768,  Silas  Barnes,  Ebenezer  Harthorn 
and  Ebenezer  Gile  were  chosen  a committee  “to  agree 
and  appoint  with  Mr.  Jacob  Rice  for  his  Solom  Or- 
dination in  this  town.”  June  7,  1769,  was  the  day 
fixed  upon  for  that  purpose,  when  a council  was  con- 
vened, a church  embodied,  consisting  of  nine  male 
members  and  six  female,  and  Mr.  Rice  was  duly 
ordained  their  pastor. 

The  names  of  the  nine  males  were  Rev.  Jacob  Rice, 
Silas  Barnes,  Ebenezer  Harthorn,  Thomas  Howlett, 
William  Presbury,  Timothy  Ross,  Josiah  Ward, 
Charles  Whitcomb  and  Ezekiel  Smith  ; the  names  of 
the  females  are  not  known.  A church  covenant  was 
adopted  and  signed  by  all  of  the  members,  which 
continued  in  use  without  amendment  or  alteration 
until  April  1,  1835,  a period  of  sixty-five  years.  In 
the  spring  of  1773,  Mr.  Rice  experienced  a severe 
attack  of  measles,  which  impaired  his  eyesight  and 
otherwise  incapacitated  him  from  ministerial  labor, 
and  he  only  occupied  the  pulpit  a portion  of  the 
time  until  his  dismissal,  February  20,  1782.  Different 
persons  were  employed  to  preach  for  many  years, 
months  passing  at  a time  without  any  meeting  until 
after  Mr.  Rice’s  dismissal.  Among  the  clergymen 
that  efforts  were  made  to  settle  were  Rev.  Aaron 
Hutchinson,  of  Grafton,  Mass. ; Rev  Ebenezer  Allen, 
of  Kingston,  this  State;  Rev.  Josiah  Carpenter,  Rev. 
Mr.  Williams,  Rev.  Jabez  P.  Fisher  and  Rev.  Na- 
thaniel Hall.  None  of  these  efforts  were  successful; 
but  at  a meeting  of  the  town  held  August  12,  1801, 
Rev.  Moses  Sawyer  was  invited  to  become  the 
minister.  More  than  one-third  of  the  voters  of  the 
town  dissented  from  this  vote,  and  another  meeting 
was  held,  December  9,  1801,  to  reconsider  the  vote, 
which  was  not  done,  although  the  majority  in  favor 


of  the  settlement  of  Mr.  Sawyer  was  small.  In  con- 
sequence of  the  large  number  of  people  opposed  to 
settling  Mr.  Sawyer,  his  friends  determined  to  sepa- 
rate church  from  state,  and  on  this  same  day  formed 
themselves  into  a society  to  be  called  “The  Calvin- 
istic  Congregational  Society  of  Henniker.”  Over 
j this  society  and  church  Mr.  Sawyer  was  regularly 
ordained  May  26,  1802.  Those  dissatisfied  with  Mr. 
Sawyer  held  another  town-meeting,  and  voted  unani- 
mously to  give  the  Rev.  Pliny  Dickerson  a call ; but 
he  did  not  see  fit  to  accept  it,  and  that  was  the  last 
effort  made  by  them  to  settle  any  minister. 

Mr.  Sawyer  continued  as  pastor  of  the  church  and 
society  until  April  9,  1826,  when  he  preached  his 
farewell  discourse,  having  sustained  his  relation  with 
the  church  for  nearly  twenty-four  years. 

Rev.  Jacob  Scales,  of  Colchester,  Ct.,  was  ordained 
pastor  of  the  church  January  17,  1827.  Rev.  Justin 
Edwards,  of  Andover,  Mass.,  preached  the  sermon, 
having  woolen  mittens  upon  his  hands  because  of  the 
severity  of  the  weather.  Mr.  Scales  was  dismissed 
January  2,  1839,  after  a pastorate  of  twelve  years, 
and  the  pulpit  was  occupied  by  different  clergymen, 
none  of  whom  saw  fit  to  accept  a call.  July  12,  1841, 
Rev.  Eden  B.  Foster,  of  Hanover,  received  a unani- 
mous call  to  become  pastor,  which  he  accepted,  and 
was  ordained  August  17,  1841.  He  was  dismissed  at 
his  own  request  January  7, 1847,  and  December  1, 1847, 
Rev.  Richard  T.  Searle  was  ordained,  and  was  dis- 
missed February  1,  1850.  January  6,  1851,  Rev. 
Joseph  41.  R.  Eaton,  of  Fitchburg,  Mass.,  received  a 
call,  which  he  accepted,  and  was  installed  February 
6,  1851,  and  dismissed  May  14,  1868,  after  a pastorate 
of  over  seventeen  years.  September  1,  1870,  Rev. 
Stephen  S.  Morrill,  of  Hillsborough,  was  installed 
pastor,  and  dismissed,  at  his  own  request,  August  18, 
1873.  Rev.  George  H.  Moss,  of  Townsend,  Mass., 
occupied  the  pulpit  from  November  21,  1873,  to  July 
30,  1876,  but  was  not  settled. 

Rev.  John  H.  Hoffman  commenced  preaching  for 
the  church  June  10, 1877 ; ordained  August  27tli,  same 
year,  and  installed  pastor  June  7,  1878,  and  dismissed 
October  6,  1884,  and  Rev.  F.  L.  Allen,  of  White 
River  Junction,  was  installed  pastor. 

During  the  first  one  hundred  years  from  the  em- 
bodiment of  this  church  more  than  five  hundred  per- 
sons became  members  of  it,  and  January  1,  1880,  the 
total  number  then  belonging  to  the  church  was  one 
hundred  and  seventy-six. 

Baptist  Church. — Shortly  after  the  Revolution 
a Baptist  Church  was  formed  in  this  town,  which  was 
considered  as  a branch  of  the  church  at  Sutton.  It 
prospered  for  a while,  but  soon  became  extinct. 
February  23,  1832,  an  ecclesiastical  council  was  con- 
vened to  consider  the  expediency  of  forming  another 
Baptist  Church  in  this  town,  and,  after  due  delibera- 
tion ten  persons  were  embodied  as  a branch  of  the 
church  of  Bradford.  In  September  of  1833  this 
branch  was  severed  from  the  church  at  Bradford,  and 


348 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


became  known  as  the  Baptist  Church  of  Henniker,  | 
and  Rev.  Enoch  T.  Winter  was  duly  installed  as 
pastor,  which  position  he  held  until  1838,  and  was 
succeeded  by  Rev.  Jairus  E.  Strong,  who  remained 
one  year  ; and  the  next  settled  pastor  was  Rev.  John 
Peacock,  who  remained  but  a short  time,  and  Rev. 
David  G.  Mason  became  the  pastor,  being  ordained 
May  15,  1845,  and  was  dismissed  in  1847,  being  the 
last  settled  minister  the  church  had. 

The  whole  number  of  communicants  of  this  church 
during  its  existence  was  one  hundred. 

Methodist. — During  the  summer  of  1814  the  first 
Methodist  meeting  was  held  in  this  town  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Bates,  the  preacher  upon  the  circuit  that  included 
Henniker.  Meetings  were  occasionally  held  at 
private  houses  and  at  school-houses  until  1832,  when 
the  first  church  was  formed,  consisting  of  ten  mem- 
bers,— six  males  and  four  females.  Rev.  George 
Pickering  was  the  second  preacher,  followed  until  the 
present  time  by  Caleb  Duston,  Michael  Quimbv, 
Moses  Chase,  William  T.  Cass,  Abram  Folsom,  John 
C.  Haseltine,  Samuel  Prescott,  Joseph  Palmer, 
Abram  M.  Osgood,  John  Gould,  Elijah  R.  Wilkins, 
William  Iscariot,  G.  W.  S.  Rogers,  L.  H.  Gordon,  G. 
W.  Norris,  Josiah  Hooper,  X.  M.  Bailey,  Otis  Cole,  H. 
S.  Maid,  William  H.  Jones,  Watson  W.  Smith, 
George  C.  Powell,  George  H.  Hardy,  John  II.  Steele, 
W.  W.  Le  Seur  and  E.  L.  House. 

The  whole  number  admitted  to  communion  in  this 
church  has  been  about  three  hundred  and  seventy- 
five,  with  a present  membership  of  nearly  one  hundred. 

QrAKEits. — A Friends’  Meeting  was  established  in 
this  town,  as  a branch  of  the  Weare  Meeting,  in  1799. 
Timothy  Peasley,  Pelatiah  Penington,  Xathaniel 
Chase,  A aron  Foster,  Daniel  B.  Alley,  Joseph  Huzzey 
and  Samuel  Morrison  were  the  founders.  The  meet- 
ing flourished  for  more  than  half  a century  ; but  the 
older  members  died,  many  of  the  younger  ones  moved 
from  the  town,  and  others  still  partook  of  the  ways  of 
those  outside  of  the  sect.  Meetings  are  still  regularly 
held,  though  the  numbers  are  few.  The  whole  num- 
ber of  members  of  the  meeting  has  been  about  three 
hundred  and  forty,  with  a present  membership  of 
about  twenty. 

Uxi  VERS  A LISTS. — Meetings  connected  with  this 
sect  began  to  be  held  here  as  early  as  the  commence- 
ment of  the  present  century  by  Revs.  Mr.  Murray, 
Sebastian  Streeter  and  Edward  Evans ; still  later  by 
Revs.  Adam  Ballou  and  Alonzo  A.  Miner.  In 
1876  and  1877  meetings  began  to  be  held  at  intervals 
until  1880,  when  regular  preaching  was  had,  and  in 
1881,  Rev.  W.  H.  Fiske  became  pastor  of  a society  then 
formed,  which  is  still  in  a flourishing  condition. 

Meeting-Houses. — Before  the  incorporation  of 
the  town,  steps  were  taken  to  erect  a house  of  worship, 
and  in  the  proprietors’  records  we  find  this. — 

“Province  of  New  Hampshire. 

“Number  Six,  October  ye  22,  17CC. 

“ We,  the  under  Subscribers,  being  apointed  a Comm-tee  by  the 


Prop  rs'  of  said  Number  Six  to  fix  some  Convenient  Place  on  the  Senter 
Lott  in  said  town  to  Build  a Meeting  IIous  on,  and  for  a buring  Place 
andCoinons  for  a training  field,  Ac.  And  the  Place  We  have  agried 
upon  is  at  a hemlock  tree,  Marked,  Where  the  Laid  out  highway  Coins 
into  said  Lott,  thence  Kutiiug  North  twintey  four  liliods  to  a Stake 
marked  ; thence  West  twintey  Ithods  to  a Stake,  thence  South  twintey 
four  Uhods  to  a Stake,  thence  East  twintey  liliods  to  the  Bounds  first 
mentioned. 

“ Kleakim  How,  Josiah  Ward,  James  Wallace,  Thomas  Wallace,  Prop-rs 

Coin-tee.” 

At  a meeting  of  the  people  of  the  town,  held  March 
26,  1770,  it  was 

li Voted,  to  build  a meeting  bouse. 

“ Voted,  to  build  the  said  house  on  the  Clisby  lot,  so  called,  on  the 
north  side  of  the  highway,  on  the  east  side  of  the  lot,  near  the  pot  ash. 

“ Voted,  that  said  house  shall  be  thirty  feet  long  and  twenty  feet  wide. 

Voted,  twenty  dollars  to  build  said  house. 

lt  Voted,  Ebenezer  gile,  thomas  stone  and  William  preshury  is  a Com- 
mete  to  see  the  work  done  on  said  house. 

“ Voted,  that  the  men  shall  have  two  shillings  and  sixpence  per  day  and 
find  themselves,  lawful  money,  that  work  on  said  house.” 

The  house  was  built  the  same  season,  of  logs, 
and  it  was  used  for  public  worship  some  weeks  be- 
fore it  was  covered  with  a roof.  All  the  religious 
meetings,  as  well  as  meetings  of  the  town,  were  held 
in  this  humble  log  house  for  ten  years,  when,  on  or 
about  the  19th  of  May,  1780,  the  evening  of  the 
“dark  day,”  it  was  burned  to  the  ground,  having  been 
fired,  as  is  supposed,  by  an  incendiary,  as  no  fire  had 
ever  been  in  the  little  house,  save  what  was  carried  in 
in  little  foot-stoves  upon  the  Sabbath,  which  were 
then  in  use  by  those  who  could  afford  them. 

Several  efforts  were  made  to  erect  another  meeting- 
house, which  proved  of  no  avail;  but  at  a meeting  of 
the  town,  held  January  9,  1786,  it  was  “ Voted  to 
Build  a Meeting-House.”  Committees  were  chosen 
for  the  purpose;  but  the  same  difficulty  arose  that  had 
so  long  hindered  a house  being  erected,  and  that  was 
the  proper  selection  of  a spot  upon  which  to  erect  it 
which  would  best  accommodate  the  people  of  the 
town.  As  early  as  1783  efforts  were  made  to  select  a 
place, — by  far  the  larger  part  desiring  to  have  it 
built  upon  the  centre  lot, — and  it  was  finally  agreed 
that  a committee  of  three  disinterested  persons  out- 
side of  the  town  should  determine  the  place,  and 
they  made  the  following  report  at  a meeting  of  the 
town,  held  October  27,  1783  : 

“Henniker,  October  y«  27th,  1783. 

“ We,  the  Subscribers  being  Chosen  By  The  Town  of  Henniker  A 
Comity  to  Examine  and  agree  Where  a Meeting-house  Should  Be  Set  To 
Commode  the  sd  Town  of  Henniker,  we  have  this  Day  accordingly  Met 
and  Examined  all  curcumstances  which  was  in  our  power,  and  Beg  Leave 
to  reporte  that  it  is  our  oppinnion  that  it  is  the  Best  Place  to  Set  said  Meet- 
ing-House To  Commode  Said  Toun,  is  Neare  the  North  end  of  Said  Sen- 
l ter  Lot  on  the  Plane,  where  it  was  told  us  they  held  their  last  Town- 
j meeting  By  Adjournment,  which  is  our  sollem  oppinnion. 

“Stevens  Hanniman,  Francis  Davs,  Samuel  Philbrick,  Commity.” 

These  three  men  were  residents  of  Warner.  But  a 
; portion  of  the  people  were  not  satisfied  with  this  re- 
port, and,  as  a last  resort,  the  following  petition  was 
sent  to  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State,  then  in 
session  at  Exeter : 

“ [5-66.]  [Petition  for  the  Appointment  of  a Committee  to  locate  a 
Meeting-House,  1786.] 


HENNIKER. 


349 


“To  the  Honourable  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the 
State  of  New  Hampshire,  now  setting  at  Exeter,  in  Said  State, 

“We,  the  Subscribers,  Inhabitants  of  the  Town  of  Henniker,  Hum- 
bly Sheweth,  whereas,  we  are  about  Building  a Meeting-house  in  Said 
Town,  and  are  So  unhappy  as  not  to  agree  upon  the  Spot  where  to  Set 
said  house,  although  we  have  had  Two  Committees  to  Perfix  the  Place 
for  Said  house,  and  they  reported  to  Two  Different  Places,  and  the  Dis- 
tance Between  the  Two  Spots  is  about  one  hundred  and  forty  rods  ; 
where  four  we  Pray  your  honours  to  appoint  a Disinterested  Commettee 
from  the  Neighbouring  Towns,  Consisting  of  three  men,  to  View  the 
Situation  of  the  Place,  and  hear  the  Pleas  and  determin  the  Spot  where 
Said  house  Shall  Be  Set,  and  we,  your  Petitioners,  as  in  Duty  Bound. 

“Henniker,  September  ye  11th,  178G. 

“Jonas  Bowman,  James  Wallace,  Joshua  Heath,  Nathan  Putney, 
Michael  Archer,  Thomas  Poop,  David  McKillip,  William  Sargent, 
Francis  Withington,  Joshua  Wright,  John  Campbell,  Jesse  Campbell, 
Thomas  Willson,  Johntliing  Connor,  David  Poop,  Isaac  Putney,  Stephen 
Spelpen,  Samuel  Eastman,  Oliver  Noyes,  David  Clough,  John  Chadwick, 
Elias  Withington,  Samuel  Morrison,  David  Meuell,  Benjamin  Currier, 
William  Wallace,  Abiathar  Bowman,  John  Smith,  John  Putney,  Benja- 
min Clough,  Joseph  Lewis,  John  Withington,  Samuel  Barr,  Daniel  Chad- 
wick, Thomas  Stuart,  Thomas  Townsend,  Joseph  Ward,  William  Patrick, 
John  Smith,  Jr.,  Alexander  Parker,  James  Marsh,  Jesse  Ward,  Simeon 
Rose,  Benjamin  Hoyt,  George  Hoyt,  Moses  Hoyt,  Simeon  Simonds, 
Phinehas  Ward,  Nahum  Nuten,  Oliver  Clough,  Mather  Withington, 
William  Morrison,  John  Campbell,  Jr.,  Thomas  Howlett,  Samuel  Dun- 
alls,  Josiah  Ward,  Timothy  Ross,  Benjamin  Clark,  Jonathan  Ross, 
Joseph  Chadwick. 

“ In  H.  of  Rep.,  September  13,  1780,  a committee  wasappinted,  con- 
consisting  of  the  following  men  : Major  Isaac  Chandler,  of  Hopkinton  ; 
Ninian  Aiken,  Esq.,  of  Deering  ; and  Samuel  Caldwell,  of  Maine.” 


No  report  of  the  action  of  this  committee,  if  any 
was  ever  taken,  has  been  found. 

Whilst  the  dispute  as  to  location  was  in  progress, 
preparations  for  the  erection  of  a meeting-house  were 
being  pushed  actively  forward,  and  at  the  time  of  this 
action  by  the  General  Assembly  the  frame  of  the 
building  was  nearly  ready  for  raising.  At  a meeting 
of  the  town,  held  August  30,  1786,  it  was  “ Voted , to 
Provide  three  Barrels  of  Rum  to  Raise  the  Meeting- 
house with,”  and  with  this  and  the  aid  of  the  strong 
arms  of  the  men  of  this  and  neighboring  towns  the 
frame  was  raised  early  in  the  month  of  October  of  this 
year,  1786,  upon  the  spot  that  had  been  originally 
selected.  The  other  place  selected  was  nearer  the 
centre  of  the  township,  but  not  as  good  a location 
for  building.  Nothing  more  was  done  to  the  frame 
until  the  next  season.  At  the  annual  meeting,  held 
March  5,  1787,  it  was  voted  to  pay  the  men  who  as- 
sisted in  the  two  days’  work  of  raising  the  meeting- 
house, and  amongst  other  items  the  town  voted  to 
pay  were  the  following: 

“ Voted  Gideon  Adams  £1  4.«.  for  Sugar. 

“ Voted  Sam.  Kimball  £5  15s.  for  Beef. 

“ Voted  Dr.  Hunter  £12  5s.  1 2-4  P.  for  ninety -three  gallons  and 
a quarter  of  Rum  and  three  empty  Barrels.” 

The  work  upon  the  building  progressed  rapidly, 
and  the  first  meeting  held  in  it  was  on  November  14, 
1787,  for  the  purpose  of  choosing  a grand  and  petit 
juryman.  The  ground  floor  was  marked  off  and  sold, 
each  purchaser  to  build  his  own  pew  ; but  this  was 
reconsidered,  and  a committee  chosen  to  build  the 
pews  and  sell  them.  The  inside  was  finished  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  style  then  prevalent,  and  when 
completed  was  a noble  structure,  and  has  withstood 


the  storms  and  blasts  of  nearly  a century,  with  its 
timbers  as  perfect  as  the  day  they  were  raised. 

It  was  used  for  religious  meetings  by  the  town 
until  the  separation  that  took  place  in  1801  and 
more  or  less  for  that  purpose  by  different  de- 
nominations for  half  a century  afterwards,  and  has 
always  been  used  by  the  town  in  which  to  hold  its 
meetings  since  1787. 

First  Congregational  Church.— In  1803  the 
Congregational  Church  and  Society,  finding  them- 
selves without  a regular  place  in  which  to  hold  their 
meetings,  resolved  to  erect  another  meeting-house. 
A committee  was  chosen  to  take  the  matter  into  con- 
sideration and  decide  upon  what  should  be  done.  A 
spot  was  selected,  and  in  1804  a meeting-house  was 
erected,  and  dedicated  in  1805.  This  house  was 
: about  the  length  of  the  town’s  meeting-house,  without 
the  porches,  and  about  its  width,  sixty-five  by  fortv- 
; five  feet. 

There  was  a porch  at  the  south  end,  surmounted 
with  a low  belfry,  the  first  one  seen  in  the  town.  In 
this  house  the  meetings  of  the  church  were  held  until 
its  destruction  by  fire,  August  23,  1833,  when  the 
church  and  society  found  itself  again  without  a 
church-home.  In  1834  the  present  structure  was 
erected,  and  dedicated  August  27,  1834.  This  house 
was  furnished  with  a bell,  the  first  one  in  the  town,  a 
clock  and  an  organ,  and  with  a new  communion  ser- 
vice in  place  of  the  one  destroyed  by  fire  when  the 
church  was  burned.  This  building  has  been  kept  in 
excellent  repair,  and  in  1882  was  thoroughly  modern- 
ized, and  is  at  present  one  of  the  most  complete  and 
commodious  churches  to  be  found  in  any  rural  dis- 
trict. 

Baptist  Church  Meeting-House. — The  Baptist 
Church  held  their  meetings  in  private  houses  and  in 
school-houses  until  1834,  when  they  erected  a very 
neat  and  commodious  building  of  brick.  This  house 
was  finished  very  comfortably,  and  was  used  as  a 
house  of  worship  as  long  as  the  church  existed.  In 
1856  it  was  purchased  by  the  Methodist  Church,  who 
J still  occupy  it. 

Methodist  Meeting-Houses. — Like  their  breth- 
ren of  the  Baptist  Church,  the  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist Church  were  without  a church-home  until  1834, 
when  they,  too,  erected  a meeting-house.  This  house 
was  very  plain  in  its  architecture,  without  any  bel- 
fry or  ornamentation  whatever,  but  very  substantial. 
The  pews  were  straight  slips  without  doors;  there  was 
a very  small  pulpit  at  one  end,  and  equally  small  seats 
for  the  choir  at  the  other.  Meetings  were  held  in 
this  building  until  1856,  when  it  was  sold  and  con- 
verted into  a large  and  commodious  barn,  and  the 
society  purchased  the  brick  church,  which  has  been 
their  home  since.  In  1882  the  building  was  modern- 
ized in  its  interior,  and  provided  with  an  organ  and 
very  heavy  and  elegant  memorial  windows. 

Uxiversalist  Meeting-House. — This  society 
held  its  meetings  in  the  town-house,  in  Academy 


350 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Hall  and  other  halls’ until  1883,  when  it  erected  a ' 
very  neat  and  substantial  building  for  its  home.  This 
building  is  of  the  Gothic  style,  with  a seating  capacity 
of  upwards  of  one  hundred  and  fifty.  It  is  supplied  j 
with  an  organ  and  heated  with  a furnace. 

Friends’  Meeting-House. — For  three-fourths  of 
a century  the  Friends  have  had  a meeting-house,  j 
These  people  always  having  lived  in  the  south  part  of  j 
the  town  by  themselves  largely,  have  always  had  their 
meeting-house  in  their  neighborhood.  It  is  a plain 
structure,  partaking  severely  of  the  simplicity  of  the 
sect  who  have  ever  been  some  of  the  best  farmers 
and  most  worthy  citizens  of  Henniker. 

Military  History. — The  settlers  of  Henniker  were 
in  strong  sympathy  with  the  efforts  made  by  the 
colonies  to  throw  off  the  tyranny  of  the  home 
government,  that  was  continually  seeking  new  means  I 
to  oppress  them.  When  the  fight  at  Lexington  took  j 
place,  April  19, 1775,  and  help  was  called  for,  several  ; 
of  the  sturdy  settlers  of  this  town  responded  by 
hastening  to  the  scene  of  action,  leaving  their  plows  j 
in  the  furrow  and  their  oxen  unyoked ; one  man  who 
was  mending  fence,  laying  down  his  axe,  and  seizing 
his  gun  left  his  home  never  to  return,  having  been 
killed  at  Bunker  Hill  shortly  afterwards. 

Joseph  Kimball,  Esq.,  one  of  the  prominent  citizens 
of  the  town  and  one  of  the  selectmen  of  the  town  at 
the  time,  was  suspected  of  disloyalty  and  charges 
were  preferred  against  him.  His  case  was  referred  to 
the  Committee  of  Safety,  who  ordered  him  to  appear 
before  them  and  make  answer  to  these  charges.  The 
meeting  was  held  in  the  log  meeting-house,  where  a 
hearing  was  had,  and  this  was  their  report, — 

“ Henniker,  June  ye  12, 1775. 

“The  Resolves  of  the  Committee  met  to  discourse  Joseph  Kimball, 
Esquire,  concerning  his  political  principals  in  the  dispute  betwixt 
Brittain  and  this  North  America.  Accusations  as  follows,  viz.  : the  sd 
Kimball  did  say  that  he  did  not  blame  General  Gage  for  coming  to  this 
North  America,  But  did  not  justify  or  approve  his  evil  conduct  since  he 
has  been  in  ye  Country.  Further,  the  sd  Kimball  is  for  keeping  up 
civil  authority.  Further,  the  sd  Kimball  being  accused  of  speaking 
favorably  of  Gov.  Wentworth,  but  discoursing  the  Committee  before 
the  bodjr  of  the  people,  and  finding  the  people  disaffected,  the  sd  Kimball 
saith  he  is  sorry  that  the  people  are  uneasy  with  him,  and  that  he  is 
sorry  if  he  hath  given  any  provocation  of  offence,  But  means  to  do  all,  I 
as  far  as  lies  in  his  power,  to  Propegate  ye  liberty  cause,  and  we,  the  s(1 
Committee  of  Safety,  do  Receive  ye  said  Kimball  as  a friend  to  the  Com- 
mon Cause. 

“Jonas  Bowman, 

“Joseph  Lewis, 

“Aaron  Adams, 

“William  Powers, 

“Comm  illee." 

The  following-named  men  were  at  the  battle  of 
Bunker  Hill,  June  17,  1775: 

Alexander  Patterson,  James  Dunlap,  John  Gordon,  John  Stone, 
Samuel  Eastman,  Cornelius  Bean,  Joseph  Marsh,  Charles  Whitcombc, 
Elijah  Rice,  George  Remain,  Samuel  Wadsworth,  Amos  Gould,  Isaac 
Patterson,  James  Carr,  James  Palmer,  John  Barnes,  James  Stone, 
Joseph  Clough,  Abraham  Kimball,  Ephraim  Goss  and  James  Reed. 

These  men,  twenty-one  in  number,  were  in  Captain 
Hutchins’  company  and  General  Stark’s  brigade. 
Alexander  Patterson  and  Abraham  Kimball  were 


wounded.  Pursuant  to  an  order  issued  by  the  Con- 
tinental Congress,  a census  was  taken,  with  this 


result, — 

“ Males  under  1G  years  of  age 117 

do  from  16  years  of  age  to  50  not  in  the  army  . . 67 

All  males  above  50  years  of  age 15 

Persons  gone  in  the  army 9 

All  Females 15S 

Negroes  and  Slaves  for  life 1 

Total 367 


“ Henniker,  Sep*  ye  16th,  1775. 

“In  obedience  to  your  Req’*,  we  have  taken  a true  number  of  the  In- 
habitants of  this  Town  and  armies,  and  have  set  them  in  their  Colloins, 
according  to  your  directions.  We  have  made  search  for  Powder,  but  find 
there  is  none  of  any  value. 

“Joseph  Kimball, 

“Aaron  Adams, 

“ Selectmen  of  Henniker.'''' 

By  order  of  the  Continental  Congress,  an  enumeration 
of  the  inhabitants  liable  for  military  duty  was  ordered. 
By  the  law  of  New  Hampshire,  two  classes  of  soldiers 
were  provided  for, — “ a training-band  and  an  alarm- 
list.’’  The  former  included  all  able-bodied  male 
persons  between  the  ages  of  sixteen  and  fifty,  except 
persons  in  office,  negroes,  Indians  and  mulattoes. 
The  latter  included  all  males  between  the  ages  of 
sixteen  and  sixty-five,  not  included  in  the  training- 
band  and  not  exempted  by  law.  Under  this  order 
an  enumeration  was  made  in  the  town,  with  this  re- 
sult,— 

“ ROLL  OF  CART.  AARON  ADAMS’  COMPANY,  1776. 

“Sarg*  Beni*  Clark,  Sarg1  Jon*  Barford,  Sarg*  Phinehas  Ward,  Sarg* 
Joseph  Paterson,  Filer  Joseph  Williams,  Corp1  Joshua  Heath,  Corp1 
Samuel  Steel,  Corp1  Tho8  Townsend,  Corp1  James  Stone,  Drumr  Josiali 
Paterson,  Jonas  Alexander,  William  Cliambers,  William  Clark,  James 
Durston,  Samuel  Tinsel,  Noah  Gile,  Otis  How,  Thomas  Ilowlet,  James 
Joslin,  John  McPuffce,  Hezekiah  Newton,  Moses  Powell,  Jonathan 
Ross,  Ezekiel  Stone,  Ezekiel  Smith,  Charles  Whitcomb,  Alexander 
Whitney,  Jabez  Alexander,  Eliplialet  Colby,  Solomon  Childs,  Jon:‘  East- 
man, Isaac  Gates,  Joshua  Heath,  William  Heath,  Sargent  Heath,  Joseph 
Lewis,  Nathaniel  Merrill,  Nahum  Newton,  Isaac  Paterson,  Lemuel  Ross, 
Moses  Smith,  Benoni  Tucker,  Ruben  Whitcomb,  Samuel  Wadsworth, 
Abeatlial  Bowman,  Moses  Huse,  Benjft  Currier,  Robert  Campbel,  Aaron 
Eastman,  Timothy  Gibson,  John  llarthorn,  Joshua  Kimball,  Ephraim 
Morrel,  Samuel  Morrison,  David  Pope,  Jesse  Ross,  Daniel  Rice,  Samuel 
Smith,  Jacob  Whitcomb,  Josiali  Whitridge. 

“ We  have  10  men  gone  in  the  Army. 

“mager  Chandler,  tT.,  in  obedience  to  your  orders,  I have  warn’d  my 
Company  to  Apear  on  ye  21  Instant  to  view  the  Cituation  of  the  Com- 
pany, but  the  more  part  did  not  Apear,  but,  Acordingto  the  Best  Acompt 
that  I can  give,  Above  half  have  No  arms. 

“ Aaron  Adams,  Cap1.” 

“ Henniker,  May  the  21 8t,  1776. 

“Alarm  list  for  said  Henniker:  Ecclesiastical  Clark,  Jacob  Rice,  Cap- 
tain Eliakim  Howe,  Lieutenant  Jonas  Bowman,  Ensign  William  Heath, 
Captain  Josiali  Ward,  Esquire  Joseph  Kimball,  Coroner  Samuel  Kim- 
ball, Thomas  Stone,  John  Putney,  Alexander  Patterson,  Uriah  Amsdeu, 
Timothy  Ross,  Thomas  Pope,  Stephen  Spalding,  Francis  Withington, 
James  Peters,  Elijah  Rice,  John  Estman,  Deacon  Ebenezer  llarthorn.” 

Association  Test. — The  “Association  Test”  was 
a pledge  of  loyalty  for  the  citizens  of  each  town  to 
affix  their  signatures  or  not,  as  they  were  disposed. 

“ To  the  Selectmen  of  Ifannacor ; 

“Colony  of  New  Hampshire,  in  Committee  of  Safety,  April  ye  12th, 
1776,  in  order  to  carry  the  underwritten  resolve  to  the  Ilon’ble  Continen- 
tal Congress  into  execution,  you  are  requested  to  desire  all  males  above 
twenty-one  years  of  age  (lunatics,  idiots,  negroes  excepted)  to  sign  to 
the  declaration  on  this  paper,  and  when  so  done,  to  make  return  hereof, 


HENNIKER. 


351 


together  with  the  Name  or  Names  of  all  who  shall  refuse  to  sign  the 
same,  to  the  General  Assembly  or  Committee  of  Safety  of  the  Colony. 

“ M.  We  ARE,  Chairman. 

“ In  Congress,  March  14, 17TG. 

“ Resolved,  that  it  be  recommended  to  the  several  Assemblies,  Conven- 
tions and  Councils,  or  Committees  of  Safety  of  the  United  Colonies, 
immediately  to  cause  all  persons  to  be  disarmed  within  the  respective 
Colonies  who  are  notoriously  disaffected  to  the  cause  of  America,  or  who 
have  not  associated,  or  refused  to  associate,  to  defend  by  arms  the  United 
Colonies  against  the  hostile  attempts  of  the  British  fleets  and  armies. 

“ Copy  extract  from  the  minutes. 

“ Charles  Thompson,  Sec'ry. 

“In  consequence  of  the  above  resolution  of  the  Hon.  Continental  Con- 
gress, and  to  shew  our  determination  in  joining  our  American  brethren 
in  defending  the  lives,  liberties  and  properties  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
United  Colonies,  we,  the  subscribers,  do  hereby  solemnly  engage  and 
promise  that  we  will,  to  the  utmost  of  our  power,  at  the  risque  of  our 
lives  and  fortunes,  with  arms  oppose  the  hostile  proceedings  of  the  Brit- 
ish fleets  and  armies  against  the  United  American  Colonies, — Rev.  Jacob 
Rice,  Thomas  Pope,  Alexander  Whitney,  Jonas  Bowman,  William  Pow- 
ers, Ebenezer  Harthorn,  Amos  Gould,  Elijah  Rice,  Charles  Whitcomb, 
David  Pope,  Eliakim  Howe,  Jonas  Alexander,  Asa  Putney,  Nathaniel 
Joslyn,  Abel  Gibson,  Ezekiel  Stone,  Samuel  Twizzel,  David  Campbell, 
Thomas  Howlett,  James  Joslyn,  Joseph  Williams,  Ephraim  Morrill,  Jesse 
Ross,  Thomas  Townsend,  Phinies  Ward,  William  Clark,  timothy  Ross, 
William  Heath,  Stephen  Spalding,  Ezekiel  Smith,  Alexander  Patterson, 
Moses  Smith,  Timo.  Gibson,  Jr.,  Joseph  Lewis,  Joshua  Heath,  Samuel 
Wadsworth,  Francis  With ingt on,  Jacob  Whitcomb,  Benjamin  Whitcomb, 
Reuben  Whitcomb,  Uriah  Amsden,  James  Peters,  Otis  How,  Thomas 
Stone,  Jonathan  Wood,  Isaac  Gates,  Daniel  Rice,  John  Putney,  Eliplialet 
Colby,  Benjamin  Clark,  Timothy  Gibson,— fifty-one  names. 

“ Those  Persons  Refuse  to  sign  the  within  Declaration  are  under- 
written: Joseph  Kimball,  Joshua  Kimball,  William  Kimball,  Corporal 
Samuel  Kimball,  William  Chambers,  Samuel  Morrison,  Ezra  Tucker, 
present  lieutenant,  Moses  Howe,  Captain  James  Duston,  Samuel  Bar- 
stow,  Thomas  Stone,  Jr.,  Ebenezer  Haraman,  Josiah  Ward,  Sergent 
Ilethe,  Ensign  Benjamin  Currier,  Nathaniel  3Ierrick,  Amos  Eastman, 
Noah  Gile,  Robert  Campbell,  Aaron  Adams,  Captain  James  Stone, — 
twenty-one  names. 

“Jonas  Bowman,  Selectmen 

“Samuel  Wadworth?  j of  Henniker .” 

Of  the  twenty-one  who  refused  to  sign,  over  two- 
thirds  of  them  were  afterwards  in  the  American 
service,  and  did  their  duty  faithfully,  and  to  the  honor 
of  the  town  it  can  be  said  that  although  upon  a ques- 
tion of  expediency  there  were  various  and  conflicting 
opinions,  yet  upon  the  main  question  of  defending 
their  homes  and  supporting  the  cause  of  liberty 
against  any  and  all  foes  the  people  of  this  town  were  ! 
a unit,  and  obtained  for  themselves  the  reputation  of 
being  amongst  the  most  patriotic  in  the  State. 

The  following-named  men  were  in  the  battle  of 
Bennington,  August  16,  1777 : 

Cap6  Jonas  Bowman,  Serg6  Peter  How,  Serg*  Joshua  Gile,  Thomas 
Pope,  Jonathan  Eastman,  Corporal  Moses  Smith,  Sargent  Heath,  William 
Heath,  Zacariah  Bowman,  Ezekiel  Stone,  David  Colby,  Zadok  Bowman, 
Jabez  Alexander,  Samuel  Eastman,  Abraham  Kimball,  Levi  Colby 
Lemuel  Ross,  Isaac  Patterson,  Moses  Powell,  James  Duston,  Levi  Harri- 
man,  John  Putney,  Joshua  Whitney. 

Four  men  from  this  town  participated  in  the  battle 
of  Monmouth,  N.  J.,  on  Sunday,  June  28,  1778, — 
Jesse  Campbell,  Joseph  Marsh,  James  Peters,  Jr., 
and  Daniel  Squire. 

In  all  the  important  conflicts  of  the  Revolutionary 
War  Henniker  was  well  represented,  and  before  the 
war  had  ended,  as  near  as  can  be  ascertained,  the 
whole  number  of  enlistments  for  the  town  were  one 
hundred  and  thirty-two.  So  frequent  were  the 


calls  for  men  that  at  one  time  there  was  hardly  an 
able-bodied  man  left  in  the  town,  save  Rev.  Jacob  Rice. 
Even  the  boys  over  sixteen  years  of  age  were  called 
upon  not  only  to  perform  military  duty,  but  also  to  pay 
taxes.  All  through  the  seven  long  years  of  the  war 
almost  continual  calls  were  made  upon  the  town  for 
men  and  for  rations.  The  little  bands  of  patriots 
who  were  thus  hastily  collected  together  usually  as- 
sembled in  the  log  meeting-house  (until  it  was  burned), 
and  listened  to  an  appropriate  address  or  prayer,  as 
the  time  admitted,  by  Rev.  Mr.  Rice,  who  was  one  of 
the  foremost  citizens  of  the  town  in  helping  on  the 
cause  of  liberty.  Few,  if  any,  towns  can  show  a 
better  record,  in  proportion  to  their  population,  than 
can  Henniker. 

War  of  1812. — In  the  War  of  1812  fully  one  hun- 
dred men  bore  an  honorable  part.  Large  numbers 
enlisted  together  and  served  under  various  com- 
manders, and  were  at  various  points  where  their 
services  were  most  needed.  Two  of  the  men  of  the 
town  were  in  the  regular  army  when  the  war  broke 
out,  and  were  in  the  battle  of  Tippecanoe,  November 
7,  1811.  Not  only  those  liable  for  military  duty  were 
ready  for  enlistment,  but  those  exempt  from  such 
duty  formed  themselves  into  a company  and  volun- 
teered their  services,  if  needed. 

Mexican  War. — One  man  from  this  town  was  a 
grenadier  in  Captain  Charles  N.  Bodfish’s  company, 
which  was  composed  of  the  men  of  the  greatest 
height,  selected  from  the  Ninth  Regiment  United 
States  Infantry,  which  was  recruited  in  New  England 
and  commanded  by  Colonel  Truman  B.  Ransom,  of 
Vermont.  Two  men  also  enlisted  in  Captain  Daniel 
Batchelder’s  company,  belonging  to  the  same  regi- 
ment, one  of  whom  was  kil led  at  the  storming  of 
Chapultepec. 

The  War  of  the  Rebellion. — The  commence- 
ment of  the  Rebellion  found  the  people  of  Hen- 
niker still  patriotic.  One  of  the  first  men  to  enlist 
when  the  call  was  made  for  volunteers  to  fill  up 
the  First  Regiment  was  Enoch  W.  Goss,  who  was  at 
the  time  quietly  pursuing  the  avocation  of  a machin- 
ist at  Concord.  He  was  commissioned  second  lieu- 
tenant in  Company  I,  First  Regiment,  New  Hamp- 
shire Volunteers,  and  upon  the  formation  of  the 
Thirteenth  Regiment,  he  was  commissioned  first  lieu- 
tenant of  Company  K,  in  that  regiment,  and  was 
shortly  afterwards  promoted  to  be  captain  of  Com- 
pany I.  He  was  killed  October  27,  1864,  in  Virginia, 
whilst  in  command  of  a battalion  of  sharpshooters 
attached  to  the  First  Division  of  the  Eighteenth  Army 
Corps.  The  following  roll  contains  the  names  of  men 
who  enlisted  from  Henniker,  in  the  several  regiments 
of  this  State  and  of  other  States  : 

first  regiment. 

Captain  Enoch  W.  Goss,  Company  I. 

SECOND  REGIMENT. 

Nelson  Hurd,  Company  G ; Proctor  Collins,  Company  II ; Charles  E. 
Goodwin,  Company  II ; Henry  Bowman,  Company  II ; Clarence  M. 


352 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Hill,  Company  II ; George  L.  Chase,  Company  II  ; Horace  Page,  Com- 
pany II  ; Charles  Brown,  Company  B;  Charles  Wilkins,  Company  B ; 
Loren  I).  Hemphill,  Company  B. 

THIRD  REGIMENT. 

Eben  Adams,  Company  H. 

FIFTH  REGIMENT. 

Matthew  H.  Perry,  Company  I). 

SIXTH  REGIMENT. 

Alphonso  Page,  Company  I ; William  W.  Heard,  Company  I. 
SEVENTH  REGIMENT. 

James  H.  Caldwell,  Company  I) ; Lyman  H.  Cheney,  Company  D ; 
John  S.  Elliott,  Company  E ; George  W.  Elliott,  Company  E ; William 
P.  Dwinnels,  Company  II  ; Lorenzo  Connor,  Company  E ; Lewis  Sey- 
mour, Company  E ; Winford  L.  Repley,  Company  E ; Charles  Seymour, 
Company  E;  Alpha  C.  Smith,  Company  E ; Frederick  II.  Barnes,1  Com- 
pany E. 

EIGHTH  REGIMENT. 

Thomas  II.  Rogers,  Company  E;  Thomas  B.  Adams,  Company  E. 
NINTH  REGIMENT. 

Orlando  Flanders,  Company  F ; William  H.  Stone,  Company  F ; Hiram 
H.  Clark,  Company  G ; Horace  Page,  Company  G (second  enlistment) '» 
Samuel  E.  Tucker,  Company  F ; Lendall  A.  Conner,  Company  G ; George 
W.  Gove,  Company  G. 

ELEVENTH  REGIMENT. 

Leander  W.  Cogswell,  Thomas  L.  Sanborn,  Joseph  A.  Modica,  Al- 
phonso B.  Mood,  Hamilton  F.  Green,  Robert  D.  Rice,  Israel  Adams, 
Rufus  S.  Howe,  George  E.  Barnes,  Alfred  A.  Barnes,  Frederick  H. 
Barnes,  Tompkins  Baker,  Charles  A.  Bean,  Charles  H.  Bell,  Arthur  A. 
Brown,  Albert  A.  Bowers,  Fitz  E.  Cogswell,  James  M.  Colby,  Lewi3 
Childs,  George  S.  Clark,  Thomas  M.  Davis,  Warren  Farren,  George  H’ 
Green,  Charles  C.  Hill,  William  G.  Harriman,  Charles  Knott,  John  H. 
Ordway,  Joshua  Ordway,  James  W.  Ripley,  William  II.  Rice,  Charles  E 
Wood,  William  H.  Wadsworth,  all  of  Company  D. 

THIRTEENTH  REGIMENT. 

Enoch  W.  Goss,  Company  I (second  enlistment). 

FOURTEENTH  REGIMENT. 

Charles  C.  Carr,  Company  D ; Edward  W.  Barnes,  Company  II . 
SIXTEENTH  REGIMENT. 

Jonathan  Flanders,  Company  I);  Francis  B.  .Scribner,  Company  D 
Nelson  D.  Knight,  Company  D ; Frank  B.  Modica,  Company  K ; George 
M.  Wilkins,  Company  K. 

EIGHTEENTH  REGIMENT. 

Charles  II.  Andrews,  George  II.  Ordway,  Charles  Seymour  (second 
enlistment),  all  of  Company  A ; Lewis  Gibson,  Company  E ; Daniel 
McDole,  Company  B. 

SHARPSHOOTERS. 

Frank  II.  Carr,  Company  G ; Charles  F.  Stevens,  Company  G ; Chester 
Bailey,  Company  E. 

FIRST  REGIMENT  CAVALRY. 

Henry  C.  Goodwin,  Troop  C ; Reuben  M.  Gregg,  Troop  M. 

FIRST  NEW  ENGLAND  CAVALRY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  BAT- 
TALION. 

Robert  Campbell,  Troop  I. 

FIRST  REGIMENT  HEAVY  ARTILLERY. 

Henry  W.  Gordon  and  George  A.  Gordon,  Company  C 

UNITED  STATES  NAVY. 

Robert  Wallace  and  William  Wallace. 

MUSICIAN. 

Jacob  R.  Foster,  Second  Brigade,  Tenth  Corps  Band. 

RE-ENLISTED  VETERANS. 

Robert  Campbell,  Clarence  31.  Hill,  Eben  Adams,  Lewis  Seymour, 
Frank  H.  Carr,  Thomas  II.  Rogers  George  W.  Elliott. 

ENLISTED  IN  OTHER  STATES. 

Daniel  E.  Nichols,  William  Breed,  Ezra  T.  Folsom,  Edson  Tucker, 
George  3Iorrill,  Jonas  Bacon,  Thomas  A.  Gorman,  James  H.  Ellis,  Gawn 
Wilkins,  Freeman  E.  Colby,  Newton  G.  Colby. 


Number  enlisted  for  the  town  02 

Number  eulisted  in  the  navy 2 

Number  re-enlisted 7 

Number  enlisted  in  other  States 11 

Number  of  substitutes 51 

Whole  number  furnished  by  the  town 163 

Under  a vote  of  the  town  : 

45  men  were  paid  $150  each $6,750 

44  men  were  paid  $300  each 13,200 

15  men  were  paid  $475  each 7,125 

8 men  were  paid  $1,000  each 8,000 

3 men  were  paid  $200  each COO 

Total  amount  paid $35,675 


Of  the  number  of  men  who  enlisted  for  the  town, 
thirty  were  killed  in  action  or  died  in  the  service. 
Of  the  thirty-one  original  men  from  Henniker  in 
the  Eleventh  Regiment  when  it  left  the  State,  only 
nine  were  present  when  it  was  mustered  out. 

Educational.— The  first  money  raised  by  the  town 
after  its  incorporation  was  at  the  annual  meeting 
held  March  1,  1773,  when  the  town  “ Voted  Nine 
Pounds  Raised  to  support  a Sehule.”  “ Voted  to  have 
a Sehule  this  year.” 

For  the  first  eighteen  years  after  the  incorpora- 
tion of  the  town  only  two  hundred  and  thirty  dollars 
was  raised  by  the  town  for  schooling.  During  this 
time,  however,  many  private  schools  were  taught. 
The  first  school-houses  were  built  of  logs.  The  town 
was  districted  first  in  1788,  and  in  1800  again  dis- 
tricted, substantially  as  they  have  remained  since. 
In  1808  the  first  female  teacher  was  employed.  Lib- 
eral sums  have,  from  time  to  time,  been  appropriated 
by  the  town  in  addition  to  the  amount  required  by 
law,  and  much  interest  has  been  manifested  in  pro- 
viding suitable  school  buildings,  and  at  this  time 
every  district  in  the  town,  save  one,  has  an  excellent 
school-house — most  of  them  being  new — and  the  valu- 
ation of  the  school  property  of  the  town  is  exceeded 
by  only  two  towns  in  Merrimack  County. 

Henniker  Academy.— Henniker  Academy  was 
erected  in  1836.  The  matter  of  having  such  an 
institution  in  the  town  had  been  under  discussion  for 
some  years,  to  a certain  extent,  but  not  until  this 
year  did  it  culminate.  The  building  was  erected  by 
voluntary  subscription,  the  people  contributing  very 
liberally  towards  it.  A committee  was  chosen  early 
in  this  year  to  procure  a plan  and  contract  for  its 
erection.  Horace  Childs  was  its  builder,  and  an  act 
of  incorporation  was  obtained  from  the  Legislature, 
and  the  following-named  gentlemen  were  chosen  the 
first  board  of  trustees  : Rev.  Jacob  Scales,  Dr.  Nathan 
Sanborn,  Hon.  Joshua  Darling,  Samuel  Smith,  Esq., 
Page  Eaten,  Abel  Connor  and  Horace  Childs,  of 
Henniker;  Col.  Stephen  H.  Long,  of  Hopkintou; 
Rev.  Jubilee  Wellman,  of  Warner;  John  Grimes, 
Esq.,  of  Deering ; Rev.  Orlando  G.  Thatcher,  of 
Bradford  ; and  Gen.  Anthony  Colby,  of  New  London. 
Tht  first  term  was  taught  in  the  spring  of  1837,  Breed 
' Batchelder,  teacher. 

For  thirty  years,  save  two,  the  school  was  continued, 


1 Discharged  scon  after  mustering,  being  under  age. 


HENNIKER 


35  3 


one  to  three  terms  being  taught  yearly.  From  1867 
until  1884  several  terms  were  taught  by  different 
teachers,  but  not  continuously.  In  1884  an  arrange- 
ment was  made  with  the  trustees  whereby  the  town  ob- 
ligated itself  to  appropriate  a fixed  sum  for  the  purpose 
of  modernizing  the  upper  school-rooms  in  the  build- 
ing, and  appropriate  five  hundred  dollars  yearly,  for 
five  years,  towards  paying  the  salaries  of  competent 
teachers,  and  an  excellent  school  is  again  in  progress. 
Notwithstanding  all  the  hindrances,  a large  number 
of  students  have  pursued  their  studies  in  this  institu- 
tion and  become  graduates  of  some  college.  Amongst 
the  more  prominently  known  graduates  of  this  insti- 
tution are  Hon.  James  W.  Patterson,  ex-Senator  in 
United  States  Senate;  Hon.  James  W.  Childs,  State 
Senator  of  Michigan ; Rev.  Addison  Childs ; Rev. 
Augustus  Berry,  five  years  principal  of  the  institution  ; 
Rev.  Nathan  F.  Carter,  Rev.  Henry  E.  Sawyer,  Rev. 
Addison  P.  Foster  and  Edna  Dean  Proctor. 

The  towns  of  Henniker,  Hillsborough,  Deering 
and  Society  Land  (now  Bennington)  were  classed  for 
the  purpose  of  choosing  a representative,  and  No- 
vember 14,  1774,  Captain  Joseph  Simonds,  of  Hills- 
borough, was  chosen  for  one  year,  and  Captain  Tim- 
othy Gibson,  -of  Henniker,  was  then  chosen  ; then 
Captain  Simonds,  who  was  succeeded  by  Isaac  An- 
drews and  James  McCalley,  respectively,  of  Hills- 
borough, by  Robert  Alcock,  of  Deering ; then  Cap- 
tain Simonds  was  again  chosen.  Hon.  Robert  Wal- 
lace was  then  chosen  for  the  next  four  years ; then 
Gen.  Benjamin  Pierce,  of  Hillsborough,  for  two  years ; 
then  William  Wallace,  Esq.,  of  Henniker,  for  the 
ensuing  two  years,  since  which  time  the  town  has 
had  one  or  more  representatives  yearly,  as  follows  : 

William  Wallace,  Francis  Bowman,  Aaron  Adams,  Jonas  Bowman, 
Timothy  Gibson,  Joshua  Darling,  John  Smith,  John  Sawyer,  Oliver 
Noyes,  Moses  Brown,  Robert  M.  Wallace,  Artemas  Rogers,  Enoch  Dar- 
ling, Jacob  Rice,  William  L.  Woods,  Lewis  Smith,  James  Straw,  Oliver 
Pillsbury,  Harris  Campbell,  Carleton  S.  Dodge,  Israel  P.  Chase,  Lean- 
der  W.  Cogswell,  William  E.  Cogswell,  Henry  A.  Emerson,  John  H. 
Albiu,  George  W.  S.  Dow,  Col,  Imri  Woods,  Jacob  Straw,  Daniel  C. 
Gould*  Parrott  Marsh,  Micah  Iiowe,  Zebulon  Foster,  Jr.,  John  S.  Craig, 
Nathan  Sawyer,  Titus  Wadsworth,  Oliver  C.  Fisher,  Alfred  Winship, 
Jeremiah  Foster,  Jonas  Wallace,  Cyrus  Goss,  Zadok  Duston,  George  W. 
Rice,  Oliver  H.  Noyes,  Walter  B.  Barnes,  Harrison  Merrill,  Francis  Hills, 
Daniel  F,  Wyman,  Leonard  M.  Peabody. 

TOWN  CLERKS  FROM  17G8  TO  1885. 

Silas  Barnes,  Amos  Gould,  William  Presbury,  Aaron  Adams,  Timothy 
Gibson,  David  Clough  (nineteen  years),  William  Wallace,  Joshua  Darling, 
John  C.  Proctor,  Isaac  Rice,  Josiah  Morse,  Imri  Woods  (sixteen  years), 
Daniel  C.  Gould,  James  Caldwell  (sixteen  years),  Horace  Gibson,  Hiram 
Marsh,  William  E.  Cogswell  (twelve  years),  David  S.  Carr,  George  C. 
Preston,  Walter  T.  Sargent. 

PHYSICIANS. 

George  Morgan,  Dr.  Roberts,  John  Hunter,  Amos  Whitney,  John 
Clements,  Thomas  Eaton,  William  Dinsmore,  Jacob  Whitcomb,  Thomas 
D.  Brooks,  Daniel  Hough,  Zadok  Bowman,  Dr.  Cook,  Paschal  P.  Brooks, 
John  Stafford,  Dr.  Barnard,  Dr.  Johnson,  Solomon  Warde,  Dr.  Tubbs, 
George  W.  Cook,  William  H.  Hackett,  Nathan  Sanborn,  Jacob  Straw, 
Israel  P.  Chase,  John  Hurd,  William  Gaylord,  Wesley  W.  Wilkins, 
Leonard  W.  Peabody,  George  H.  Sanborn. 

GRADUATES. 

Tillius  Howe,  Elisha  Morrill,  Benjamin  Darling,  David  C.  Proctor,  Jacob 
C.  Goss,  Aaron  Foster,  Nathaniel  B.  Baker,  Josiah  W.  Pillsbury,  Gilbert 


Pillsbury,  William  Wood,  Socrates  Smith,  Addison  P.  Foster,  James  W. 
Patterson,  Henry  E.  Sawyer,  Nathan  F.  Carter,  Edward  P.  Scales, 
Thomas  L.  Sanborn,  William  B.  Fisher,  Frank  B.  Modica,  Robert  31. 
Wallace,  Solomon  Warde,  Timothy  Darling,  Augustus  W.  Berry,  Oliver 
Gould. 

Clergymen. — The  following  natives  or  residents 
became  clergymen : 

Tillius  Howe,  David  C.  Proctor,  Solomon  Warde,  Jacob  C.  Goss,  Parker 
Pillsbury,  Stephen  Whitaker,  Joshua  Colby,  Silas  Gove,  Aaron  Foster, 
Josiah  Hill,  Nathan  Page,  James  W.  Patterson,  Nathan  F.  Carter, 
Addison  Childs,  Richard  T.  Searle,  Addison  P.  Foster,  Augustus  31. 
Berry,  Henry  E.  Sawyer,  S.  Knight. 

3IISSI0N  ARIES. 

Timothy  Darling,  William  Wood,  Socrates  Smith,  Elizabeth  Darling, 
Cassandra  Sawyer,  Mary  L.  Wadsworth,  3I.D. , Emma  Sanborn,  Abigail 
Hill. 

TEACHERS  OF  3IUSIC. 

Samuel  3Iansfield,  John  Connor,  Imri  Woods,  Daniel  C.  Gould,  Fred- 
! erick  Whitney,  Imri  S.  Whitney,  Harris  W.  Campbell,  John  Jackman, 
Enoch  L.  C.  Colby,  Oliver  Pillsbury. 

LAWYERS. 

John  Kelley,  Artemas  Rogers,  Samuel  Smith,  Lewis  Smith,  John  H. 
Albin,  John  J.  Prentiss,  Timothy  Darling,  E.  B.  S.  Sanborn,  Warren 
Clark,  Robert  31.  Wallace. 

JUDGES. 

Robert  Wallace,  Luther  J.  Iiowe,  William  Conner,  Joshua  Darling. 

TRIAL  JUSTICES. 

Jonathan  Sawyer,  William  Wallace,  Imri  Woods,  David  Clough,  Jacob 
Straw,  Oliver  C.  Trisher  and  William  0.  Folsom,  who  was  also  the  very 
efficient  register  of  deeds  for  Merrimack  County  from  April,  1867,  to 
April,  1869,  and  High  Priest  of  Woods  Chapter,  No.  14,  R.A.  3Iasons. 

Social  Organizations. — Aurora  Lodge,  No.  43,  A. 
F.  and  A.  Masons,  was  instituted  June  24,  1825,  and 
has  been  in  continuous  existence  since.  Enoch  Dar- 
ling, first  W.  M. 

Woods  Royal  Arch  Chapter  was  instituted  June  7, 
1867.  Judge  Horace  Chase,  First  High  Priest. 

Bear  Hill  Grange,  No.  39,  was  instituted  December 
4,  1874,  and  is  a prosperous  organization. 

Crescent  Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  No.  60,  was  instituted 
July  28,  1876,  and  an  encampment  was  instituted  in 
1879,  both  of  which  are  prosperous  organizations. 

Henniker  Division,  Sons  of  Temperance,  is  a flour- 
ishing organization. 

Business  Industries— Coxtoocook  Valley  Pa- 
per Company. — This  company  purchased  the  water- 
power at  West  Henniker  in  1871.  Extensive  im- 
provements were  made,  including  a large,  new  dam 
and  an  entire  new  mill,  at  an  outlay  of  fifty  thousand 
dollars,  and  the  company  was  incorporated  June, 
1872.  Large  additions  have  been  made  to  the  prop- 
erty since,  and  although  some  changes  have  been 
made  in  the  members  of  incorporation,  it  has,  with 
the  exception  of  a few  months,  been  substantially 
under  the  management  of  Henry  A.  Emerson,  one  of 
the  three  original  owners  of  the  property,  assisted, 
since  1881,  by  William  N.  Johnson,  a member  of  the 
company. 

The  goods  manufactured  at  this  mill  have  taken  a 
high  rank  in  the  markets  of  New  England  and  the 
Middle  States,  their  book-paper  being  pronounced  by 
experienced  and  competent  judges  to  be  of  the  very 
first  class.  The  value  of  the  goods  manufactured 
yearly  is  fully  one  hundred  thousand  dollars. 


33  4 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


This  company  now  own  the  entire  water-power  at 
West  Henniker,  which  is  one  of  the  most  valuable 
on  the  Contoocook  River. 

Flouring-Mills. — John  Gutterson  purchased  the 
lower  mill  property  in  1862,  and  erected  thereon  a 
first-class  grist  and  flouring-mill.  In  November  of 
1864,  Mr.  Gutterson  purchased  and  brought  to  town 
a car-load  of  corn,  containing  four  hundred  and  six- 
teen bushels,  the  first  car-load  of  corn  ever  brought 
into  the  town.  He  now  averages  sales  of  corn  of 
seven  thousand  to  ten  thousand  bushels,  and  fifty 
tons  of  shorts.  Connected  with  his  mill  is  a saw-mill, 
where  half  a million  feet  of  lumber  are  manufactured 
yearly. 

Courser  & Son  are  owners  of  a first-class  mill  on 
the  upper  mill  Pond,  disposing  of  large  amounts  of 
grain  and  shorts  yearly.  Connected  with  their  mill 
is  a thresher,  with  which  they  thresh  several  thousand 
bushels  of  grain  yearly ; and  also  they  make  cider, 
and  saw  shingles  and  clapboards.  They  are  also 
owners  of  the  water-power  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
river  from  them,  upon  which  they  have  erected 
a building  used  as  a saw-mill.  The  largest  part  of 
the  wheat  raised  within  a radius  of  fifteen  miles  is 
manufactured  into  flour  at  these  two  flouring-mills. 

Dry  Measures. — Gage  & Co.  have  a large  mill 
near  Long  Pond,  at  which  a very  large  amount  of 
dry  measures,  nest  boxes,  piggins,  covers,  etc.,  are 
manufactured  yearly,  which  find  their  way  into  the 
far  West  and  South,  as  well  as  to  the  nearer  home 
markets.  The  saw-mill  attached  to  their  mill  man- 
ufactures half  a million  feet  of  lumber  annually. 

Kit  Manufactory. — George  W.  S.  Dow  has  a 
large,  first-class  mill  and  machinery,  in  which 
seventy-five  thousand  kits  are  made  yearly  ; he  also 
has  machinery  for  dressing  lumber  and  for  sawing 
shingles. 

George  E.  Barnes  has  a shingle,  clapboard  and 
cider-mill,  near  Long  Pond,  at  which  two  hundred 
thousand  shingles  and  a large  amount  of  clapboards 
are  sawed  yearly,  and  hundreds  of  barrels  of  cider 
made. 

James  Wilkins  & Daniel  E.  Putney  have 
carriage-shops,  manufacturing  and  repairing  carriages 
and  sleighs. 

C.  C.  Richards  has  an  extensive  tin,  iron  and  cop- 
per establishment. 

Traders.— William  0.  Folsom,  G.  C.  & A.  G.  Pres- 
ton, Oliver  H.  Noyes  and  Samuel  M.  Currier,  as 
traders,  dispose  of  goods  to  the  amount  of  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  thousand  dollars  yearly. 

The  several  industries  of  the  town  furnish  employ- 
ment for  a large  number  of  hands,  and  manufacture 
and  dispose  of  goods  yearly  to  the  amount  of  two 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

The  productions  of  the  soil  amount  annually  to 
one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  town  have  on  deposit  in  the 
different  saving-banks  of  the  State  two  hundred  and 


twenty-five  thousand  dollars,  are  the  owners  of  rail- 
road bonds  and  stocks  of  the  value  of  thirty  thousand 
dollars,  and  have  invested  in  government  and  State 
bonds  and  other  securities  not  mentioned  above 
fully  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  the  people 
receive  yearly  from  summer  tourists  several  thousand 
dollars. 

Any  improvements  of  the  water-power  or  any  en- 
terprise bringing  capital  and  business  into  the  town 
is  exempted  from  taxation  for  ten  years. 

Early  Families. — In  addition  to  the  early  families 
already  mentioned,  are  the  following: 

Adams,  Alley,  Bowman,  Breed,  Brown,  Chase,  Connor,  Cogswell, 
Colby,  Clough,  Dodge,  Darling,  Foster,  Tracliem,  Gove,  Gould,  Gibson, 
Goodnow,  Gordon,  Harriman,  Howe,  Huntington,  Kimball,  Livingston, 
Merrick,  Marsh,  Morse,  Morrison,  Newton,  Noyes,  Page,  Patten,  Pear- 
ley,  Pillsbury,  Proctor,  Plummer,  Ray,  Rogers,  Rice,  Sawyer,  Simmons, 
Temple,  Tucker,  Wallace,  Whitney,  Wilson,  Whitman,  Wood,  Woods. 

Cemeteries. — At  a meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of 
the  town  held  March  26,  1770,  it  was  “ Voted  that  the 
burying-place  shall  be  upon  the  Senter  lot.”  “ Voted 
that  Josiar  Ward,  Ezra  tucker,  Silas  Barns  is  a Com- 
mete  to  look  out  the  spot  of  ground  to  bury  the  Ded 
in.”  “ Voted  that  Josiar  Ward  should  Dig  the  graves 
this  year.”  The  lot  selected  was  the  only  burial-place 
for  many  years,  and  in  it  lies  a large  number  of  the 
early  settlers,  very  many  of  them  having  no  tablets 
to  mark  the  spot  where  they  are  buried.  Burial- 
yards  in  the  southeast,  southwest  and  northeast  parts 
of  the  town  were  established ; but  the  old  cemetery, 
near  the  old  meeting-house,  which  was  laid  out  in 
1810,  was  the  chief  place  of  burial  until  the  new 
cemetery  was  laid  out.  In  this  old  yard  lie  the  re- 
mains of  a larger  number  than  the  entire  population 
of  the  town  at  this  date.  The  Friends  have  a burial- 
place  near  their  meeting-house,  in  the  south  part  of 
the  town. 

New  Cemetery. — An  effort  was  made,  in  1862,  to 
enlarge  the  old  burial-yard  by  adding  to  it  a portion 
of  the  common  adjoining  it ; but  no  favorable  action 
was  taken,  and  a number  of  individuals  incorporated 
themselves  into  an  organization  known  as  the  Henniker 
Cemetery  Association,  and  purchased  several  acres  of 
land  east  of  the  main  village,  of  which  association 
Jeremiah  Foster  was  president,  George  W.  Rice  vice- 
president,  William  0.  Folsom  clerk,  James  Straw 
treasurer.  The  lot  was  laid  out  into  avenues  and 
burial-lots,  a large  proportion  of  which  have  been  sold. 
A large  receiving  vault  was  erected,  and  the  associa- 
tion voted  that  it  should  be  forever  under  the  control 
of  its  members.  The  members  of  the  association  are 
never  to  exceed  thirty.  A large  sum  of  money  has 
been  expended  in  monuments  and  improvements, 
and  it  is  indeed  a place  “ beautiful  for  situation.” 

Census. — The  first  census  of  the  town  was  taken  in 
1775,  and  the  population  was  three  hundred  and 
sixty-seven.  In  1783  another  census  was  taken,  and 
there  were  found  to  be  749;  in  1790,  1127;  in  1800, 
1476;  in  1810,  1608;  in  1820,  1900;  in  1830,  1725; 


^/L /-/, 


IIENNIKEI! 


355 


in  1835,  1709;  in  1840,  1715;  in  1850,  1690;  in  1860, 
1500;  in  1870,  1288;  in  1880,  1326. 

The  mortuary  records  of  the  town  show  the  average 
of  deaths,  yearly,  since  1775,  to  be  twenty-five;  that 
one-third  of  the  deaths  have  been  children  under  ten 
years  of  age,  and  more  than  one-half  under  thirty 
years  of  age.  Hannah  Hardy  died  at  the  age  of  one 
hundred  and  three  years;  Mrs.  Ruth  Hemphill,  one 
hundred  years  and  three  months;  Jeremiah  Crocker 
(colored),  one  hundred  years.  Nearly  or  quite  fifty 
persons  have  died  in  the  town  aged  over  ninety 
years,  and  nearly  two  hundred  persons  have  reached 
the  age  of  eighty  years  and  upwards. 

Musicians. — Christopher  C.  Gibson,  the  eminent 
violinist,  was  a native  of  this  town.  He  gave  concerts 
in  his  best  days  in  many  large  cities  of  this  country, 
and  at  the  Peace  Jubilee  held  in  Boston,  in  1872. 
Mr.  Gibson  was  the  only  American  first  violinist  re- 
tained through  its  entire  session,  receiving  many 
encomiums  for  his  wonderful  melody,  which  fully 
earned  for  him  the  title  given  him, — the  “ Ole  Bull 
of  America.” 

Emma  Abbott. — Seth  Abbott,  the  father  of  Emma 
Abbott,  the  celebrated  prima  donna,  was  born  in 
Henniker,  resided  there  many  years,  and  then  settled 
in  Illinois.  Her  grandfather,  Dyer  Abbott,  was  a 
celebrated  singer  and  teacher  of  music  and  chorister 
in  Concord  and  Henniker  very  many  years. 

Henniker  has  furnished  one  Governor  of  this  State 
— Hon.  Nathaniel  B.  Baker ; one  United  States  Sena- 
tor— Hon.  James  W.  Patterson;  two  Representatives 
inCongress  for  the  Stateof  Maine — Hons.  Rufus  King 
Goodenow,  in  the  Thirty-first  Congress  in  1849,  and 
Robert  G.  Goodenow,  in  the  Thirty-second  Congress 
in  1851.  Another  brother,  Hon.  Daniel  Goodenow, 
was  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives  in  Maine 
in  1830,  was  Attorney-General  of  the  State  in  1838,  and 
a justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State  from  1855 
to  1862.  Two  other  brothers,  John  B.  and  William 
G , were  eminent  lawyers  in  Maine.  Henniker  has 
furnished  several  State  Senators  for  other  States  ; one 
judge  for  Michigan,  and  one  for  New  York— the 
former,  Hon.  William  Conner,  and  the  latter,  Hon. 
Luther  J.  Howe.  Hon.  Robert  Wallace  was  a judge 
in  this  State  from  1803  to  1815,  and  Hon.  Joshua 
Darling  was  a judge  for  many  years,  from  1816.  Hon. 
Timothy  Gibson,  Hon.  Robert  Wallace  and  Captain 
Jonas  Bowman  were  prominent  men  in  the  councils 
of  the  town  and  the  State  during  the  Revolutionary 
war.  Hon.  Samuel  Tyler,  a son  of  Henniker,  made 
his  home  in  the  Argentine  Republic,  in  South  Amer- 
ica, and  was  the  pioneer  of  the  South  American  trade, 
and  shipped  the  first  cargo  of  wool  brought  from 
Buenos  Ayres  to  an  American  port,  amassing  a large 
fortune  in  the  trade,  and  settled  in  Portland,  Me, 
where  he  died  in  1879. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


A*BEL  CONNOR. 

William  (1),  the  original  ancestor  of  the  Connor 
family,  came  from  England  in  the  ship  “Fortune” 
in  1621.  The  Plymouth  records  mention  his  division 
of  land  in  1623.  The  name  was  then  spelled  Coner. 
Cornelius  (2),  his  son.  was  in  Exeter  in  1637.  Thence 

removed  to  Salisbury,  Mass.,  and  married  Sarah •, 

by  whom  he  had  Sarah,  born  August  23, 1656  ; John, 
born  December  8,  1660 ; Samuel,  born  February  12, 
1662;  Mary,  born  December  27, 1663;  Elizabeth,  born 
February  27,  1665;  Rebecca,  born  April  10,  1668; 
Ruth,  born  May  16,  1669  ; Jeremiah  (3),  born  No- 
vember 6,  1672;  and  a daughter,  probably  Ursula. 
Jeremiah  (3),  one  of  the  proprietors  of  Exeter,  mar- 
ried, July  3,  1696,  Ann  Gove,  daughter  of  Edmund 
Gove,  and  their  children  were  Jeremiah,  Jonathan 
(4),  Philip,  Samuel,  Benjamin,  Hannah  and  Ann. 

Jonathan  (4)  married  Mehitable  Thing,  born  July 
19,  1706,  daughter  of  John  and  Mehitable  Thing. 
Their  children  were  Anne, born  September  15,  1724; 
Mehitable,  born  December  5,  1726,  died  August  30, 
1736  ; Jeremiah,  born  February  8, 1730-31 ; Jonathan, 
born  October  14,  1737  ; Anne,  born  December  10, 
1739;  Mehitable,  born  July  27,1742;  John  Thing, 
born  July  18,  1745.  These  two  daughters  became 
Mehitable  Thing  and  Anne  Giddiugs. 

Jeremiah,  son  of  Jeremiah  the  j>roprietor,  settled 
with  his  family  in  Gilmanton,  January  19,  1763,  and 
was  the  eleventh  family  in  that  township.  Jonathan 
(4),  his  brother,  was  a practical  surveyor  of  lands, 
and  gave  much  assistance  in  surveying  the  lots  in  Gil- 
manton.  Jonathan  (4)  was  born  in  Exeter  Decem- 
ber 5,  1699.  He  was  commander  of  a scouting  com- 
pany during  the  French  and  Indian  Wars.  Thursday, 
December  4,  1746,  the  House  of  Representatives,  then 
in  session  at  Portsmouth,  passed  the  following  vote : 

“ Voted  that  there  be  allowed  eight  pounds,  eleven  shillings  & three 
pence  in  full,  to  Capt.  Jonathan  Connor  <fc  fourteen  others  under  his 
command,  scouting  at  Nottingham  ten  days  from  ye  7th  Aug.  last,  to  be 
pd  out  of  ye  money  in  ye  Treasury  for  ye  Defence  of  ye  Government.” 

John  (5)  Thing  Connor,  son  of  Captain  Jonathan 
(4),  born  in  Exeter  July  18,  1745,  married  Susanna 
Kimball,  of  Exeter,  and  removed  to  Hopkinton,  where 
his  children  were  born,  and  where  he  resided  until 
near  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  when  he  came  to 
Henniker  and  settled  upon  the  farm  where  his  grand- 
son, A.  D.  L.  F.  Connor,  now  resides.  He  was  a sol- 
dier in  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  the  powder-horn 
carried  by  him  is  in  the  possession  of  his  grandson, 
John  K.  Connor.  We  copy  his  discharge  from  the 
service, — 

“Corp.  Jn°  thing  Connor,  a soldier  of  the  first  N.  Hampshire.ltegt.,  for- 
merly an  Inhabitant  of  Hopkinton,  County  of  Hillsboro,  and  State  of  N. 
Hampshire,  having  honorably  and  faithfully  served  Three  years  in  the 
service  of  the  United  States,  being  the  term  of  his  inlistment,  is  hereby 


356 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


discharged  from  the  Army  and  is  permitted  to  return  to  the  State  of  N. 
Hampshire. 

“ Jn°.  Cilley,  Col. 

“ Camp  Danbury,  April  5,  1780.  To  whom  it  may  concern.” 

The  children  of  John  Thing  and  Susanna,  born  in 
Hopkinton,  were  Meliitable,  born  April  13,  1770 ; 
George,  born  August  9,  1773;  Anna,  born  July  9, 
1775  ; John,  born  September  28,  1779;  Abel  (6),  born 
November  23,  1782;  Susan  C.,  born  March  8, 1789,  in 
Henniker. 

Abel  Connor  married,  April  26,  1808,  Hannah, 
daughter  of  Alexander  and  Lois  Whitney,  of  Henni- 
ker, who  died  November  23,  1828,  and  he  married, 
September  27,  1830,  Martha  Greeley,  of  Hopkinton, 
who  died  November  13,  1831,  and  he  married,  May  3, 
1833,  Mary  L.  Nichols,  also  of  Hopkinton,  who  died 
July  11,  1881.  His  children  were  by  his  first  wife,  and 
were  Hannah,  born  January  18,  1809,  died  February 
9,  1809 ; John  Thing,  born  December  9,  1809,  died 
June  20,1816;  Liva,  born  June  26,  1811,  married 
Solomon  Heath,  of  Bow ; Liza,  born  April  25,  1813, 
died  September  18,  1838 ; Alexander  W.,  born  Feb- 
ruary 6,  1815,  married  Harriet  Spofford,  of  Barre,  Vt., 
died  December  11,  1880;  Alvira,  born  January  8, 
1817,  married  J.  G.  M.  Foss,  of  Hopkinton,  died 
August  9,  1882 ; Eunice  C.,  born  November  25,  1818, 
married  E.  P.  Leach,  of  Dunbarton ; John  K.,  born 
June 6,  1820,  married  Mary  J.  Darling,  of  Henniker; 
Hannah  C.,  born  March  11,  1822,  married P.  M.  Flan- 
ders, of  Hopkinton ; and  Abel  De  La  Fayette,  born 
April  16,  1824,  married,  first,  Louisa  Bacon,  of  Henni- 
ker, who  died  June  27,  1859,  and,  second,  Lucy  S. 
Goodell,  of  Hillsborough.  Daniel  Connor,  of  Exeter, 
once  warden  of  New  Hampshire  State  Prison,  was  a 
cousin  of  Abel  Connor. 

Abel  Connor  was  no  ordinary  man.  Future  genera- 
tions have  a right  to  know  what  manner  of  men  pre- 
ceded them,  who,  by  their  genius,  thrift,  energy  and 
enterprise,  gave  form  and  stability  to  the  town  in 
which  they  lived.  Henniker  has  had  many  of  these 
men,  but,  perhaps,  among  them  all,  no  name  is  more 
closely  identified  with  the  prosperity  of  the  town  than 
that  of  Abel  Connor,  who,  by  his  honesty,  energy  and 
upright  Christian  character  has  left  a history  which 
will  continue  far  into  the  future.  When  all  who  knew 
him  personally  shall  have  passed  to  the  other  shore, 
his  name  will  be  fresh  in  the  minds  of  the  generations 
left,  for  his  life  stamped  its  impress  on  the  town 
itself. 

The  youngest  son  of  the  family,  he  remained  with 
his  father  upon  the  homestead,  caring  for  his  parents 
while  they  lived,  performing  his  share  of  the  hard 
work  required  upon  the  farm  in  clearing  the  forests 
and  turning  the  land  into  fruitful  fields,  and  his 
chances  for  acquiring  much  of  an  education  from  books 
were  very  limited,  a few  weeks  at  the  district  school, 
during  the  winter  term  for  a few  winters,  being  his 
only  opportunity  ; but  his  innate  force  of  character 
early  developed  his  wonderful  observation,  and  his 
aptness  to  benefit  himself  by  what  he  saw  and  heard 
assisted  him  very  much  to  form  those  habits  and  fix 


within  him  those  principles  which  were  the  guide  of 
his  life. 

In  his  mature  years,  recognizing  his  individual  re- 
sponsibility to  God,  humbly  and  cheerfully  consecra- 
ting himself  and  all  that  he  had  to  Christ,  he,  Novem- 
ber 13,  1831,  publicly  confessed  his  faith  and  united 
with  the  Congregational  Church  in  Henniker.  For 
several  years  preceding  this  event  he  had  been  a 
strong  support  of  the  society  connected  with  this 
church,  holding  many  responsible  positions.  From 
the  time  of  his  union  with  the  church  till  the  day  of 
his  death  he  was  an  earnest  Christian  worker,  attend- 
ing the  meetings  of  the  church  punctually  upon  the 
Sabbath  and  upon  week-days,  giving  words  of  encour- 
agement and  admonition  without  stint,  often  presiding 
at  the  meetings  of  both  church  and  society,  serving 
as  collector  and  treasurer  (treasurer  seventeen  years, 
which  position  he  held  at  the  time  of  his  death). 

A man  of  strong  and  right  convictions,  he  was 
prompted  to  corresponding  actions.  His  question  al- 
ways was  “ What  is  my  duty  under  existing  circum- 
stances ? ” So  far  as  man  can,  he  marked  out  his  own 
course,  seeking  light  from  every  possible  source,  and 
then,  acting  upon  his  best  judgment,  generally  accom- 
plished his  object.  Without  seeking  to  be  popular, 
he  was  respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  He  possessed 
the  knowledge  of  human  nature  in  a marked  degree, 
and  usually  read  the  true  character  of  those  around 
him. 

His  biographer  has  said  of  him:  “Mr.  Connor 
was  not  an  isolated  man ; he  was  a citizen.  And  a man 
j of  his  promptness  and  precision  in  transacting  hisown 
private  business  would,  almost  as  a matter  of  course, 
be  called  out  from  the  retirement  of  private  life  to 
look  after  the  interests  of  others.  A very  large  pro- 
portion of  the  public  moneys  of  the  town  for  a third 
of  a century  passed  through  his  hands.  He  transacted 
the  business  of  the  public  with  such  perfect  accuracy 
as  to  secure  the  utmost  confidence  of  all.” 

Mr.  Connor  never  sought  preferment  at  the  hands 
of  his  fellow-townsmen ; but  they  knew  him  well,  and, 
because  of  this  knowledge  and  the  confidence  reposed 
in  him,  great  responsibilities,  requiring  sound  judg- 
ment, skill  and  great  executive  powers,  were  placed 
upon  him,  and  he  always  handed  back  these  trusts 
after  their  execution,  accomplished  in  so  faithful  a 
manner  that  the  only  answer  that  could  be  given  him 
by  his  fellow-citizens  was, — “ Well  done,  good  and 
faithful  servant.” 

Presiding  officers  of  town-meetings  often  called 
upon  him  to  assist  in  preserving  order,  and  he  was 
always  obeyed  promptly.  He  was  an  abiding  law  and 
order  man  ; indeed,  his  whole  life  was  one  system  of 
order.  He  did  what  his  hands  found  to  do  with  a pre- 
cision almost  remarkable,  allowing  nothing  to  swerve 
him  from  the  line  of  duty  marked  out  by  him  when 
any  responsibility  was  placed  upon  him,  and  no  obsta- 
cle was  too  great  for  him  to  overcome  when  once  he 
saw  the  end  desired. 

He  was  collector  of  the  taxes  of  the  town  for  over 


HENNIKER. 


357 


twenty  years,  and  though  the  collector’s  book  was 
never  correct  when  placed  in  his  hands,  it  was  always 
found  correct  when  he  returned  it,  and  this  position, 
at  the  time  Mr.  Connor  held  it,  was  one  of  great  re- 
sponsibility. He  ever  proved  true  in  this,  as  in  all 
other  business  intrusted  to  him. 

Though  many  people  sought  his  advice  and  as- 
sistance in  the  placing  of  money  in  safe  and  remun- 
erative investments,  and  his  advice  was  ever  freely 
given,  yet  it  is  remarkable  that  no  loan  he  advised 
proved  a poor  or  losing  investment.  To  him,  more 
than  to  any  one  else,  were  the  poor  and  unfortunate 
of  the  town  indebted  for  the  comfort  they  enjoyed  in 
their  declining  years,  for  it  was  largely  through  his 
efforts  that,  after  years  of  discussion,  it  was  finally 
voted  to  have  a town  farm,  where  all  could  he  well 
provided  for,  instead  of  being  sold  to  the  lowest  bid- 
der yearly,  as  had  been  the  custom  for  so  long  a 
time.  Mr.  Connor  was  chosen  one  of  the  committee 
to  purchase  a farm.  The  one  bought  was  objection- 
able to  some,  and  in  a few  years  it  was  thought  wise 
to  change  it.  Mr.  Connor  made  no  objection ; but 
when  it  was  suggested  that  the  committee  paid  too 
much  for  the  first  farm,  he  offered  to  take  it  at  what 
it  had  cost,  in  order  that  the  poor  could  be  better 
provided  for,  which  offer  the  town  accepted  and  re- 
ceived the  money.  He  was,  perhaps,  more  conver- 
sant with  the  landed  property  of  Henniker  than  any 
other  man,  having  assisted  in  measuring  and  lining 
a large  portion  of  the  town,  being  especially  fitted  for 
this  work  by  his  well-known  habits  of  accuracy.  His 
life  was  full  of  little  incidents  that  illustrate  the 
marked  characteristics  of  the  man  and  the  principles 
he  had  laid  down  for  the  government  of  his  life. 

Promptness  and  decision  were  two  great  traits  of 
his  daily  action.  While  collector  of  taxes  he  met  at 
one  time,  at  a store,  a strong,  stalwart  man,  who  de- 
fied his  authority  to  execute  the  law  then  existing  in 
regard  to  taking  the  body  for  taxes.  After  listening 
for  a few  moments  to  the  talk  and  threats  of  the  man, 
he  asked  all  present  to  assist  in  placing  him  in  his 
wagon,  and  in  an  almost  incredibly  short  space  of 
time  the  man  found  himself  within  the  walls  of  the 
county  jail.  In  1833,  when  some  of  Mr.  Connor’s 
friends,  earnest  workers  in  the  cause  of  temperance, 
were  endeavoring  to  persuade  some  hard  drinkers  to 
give  up  the  cup,  they  were  met  with  the  objection, 
“ If  we  had  Uncle  Abel’s  cider  orchard,  we  would  give 
up  drinking  rum.”  When  this  was  reported  to  Mr. 
Connor,  he  immediately  said : “ Does  my  cider  orchard 
stand  in  the  way  ? It  shall  be  cut  down  !”  and,  suiting 
the  action  to  the  word,  he  passed  through  his  orchard, 
marking  every  tree  whose  fruit  was  fit  only  for  cider, 
and  felled  them  all  to  the  ground,  heavily  laden  with 
half-grown  apples. 

Another  incident  illustrates  the  generosity  and  jus- 
tice that  governed  him.  He  had  many  chestnut- 
trees,  the  nuts  from  which  he  always  gathered  him- 
self; but  one  season  two  needy  young  men  applied 
23 


for  the  privilege  of  picking  them  on  equal  shares.  It 
was  granted,  and  when  all  (several  bushels)  were  gath- 
ered, Mr.  Connor  was  called  upon  to  divide  them,  and 
did  so,  giving  the  young  men  two-thirds  instead  of  one- 
half.  When  reminded  that  they  expected  only  one- 
half,  he  said:  “You  have  gathered  these  chestnuts 
and  have  requested  me  to  divide  them;  I am  satisfied 
with  the  division  and  I have  done  you  no  harm  ; you 
have  been  faithful.” 

Mr.  Connor  became  an  early  friend  of  the  cause  of 
temperance.  In  the  earliest  years  of  his  life  it  was 
the  custom  of  almost  every  one  to  indulge  in  the  use 
of  intoxicating  drinks,  and  he  was  not  an  exception  ; 
but  having  some  conversation  upon  the  matter  with 
true  and  trusted  friends,  he  resolved  to  do  what  lay  in 
his  powrer  to  stay  the  demon  of  intemperance,  and  was 
one  of  four  men  and  eight  women  who  organized  the 
first  temperance  society  in  Henniker,  July  6,  1829. 
When  the  Washingtonian  movement  swept  over  the 
land,  in  1843,  Mr.  Connor  was  among  its  earliest  and 
most  ardent  advocates,  and,  largely  through  his  un- 
bounded zeal  and  great  personal  interest  in  the  cause, 
Henniker  Avas  moved  as  never  before  in  this  work, 
and  good  effects  were  produced  that  have  never  been 
effaced.  Besides  all  he  did  for  the  church  and  Sab- 
bath-scliool,  with  which  he  was  connected,  he  Avas  a 
warm  advocate  of,  and  dispenser  of  many  gifts  to  dif- 
ferent charitable  organizations  engaged  in  missionary 
work,  both  in  this  and  foreign  lands,  and  a certain 
portion  of  the  products  of  his  farm  Avas  set  aside 
yearly  for  this  generous  purpose.  One  of  these  ob- 
jects was  the  Colonization  Society,  which  assisted 
slaves  Avho  could  obtain  their  freedom  to  establish 
homes  in  Liberia. 

As  early  as  1824  his  attention  Avas  called  to  the 
raising  of  grafted  fruit,  and  in  a few  years  his  orchards 
Avere  bending  with  their  luscious  burden,  and  Mr. 
Connor  wms  knoAvn  throughout  this  and  the  neighbor- 
ing States  as  one  of  the  first  to  introduce  grafted  fruit 
into  Central  New  Hampshire,  and  one  of  the  most 
successful  raisers  of  good  fruits  in  New  England  at 
that  time ; and  when  it  found  its  way  to  market,  it 
was  only  necessary  to  say  by  whom  it  was  raised  to 
secure  for  it  a ready  sale. 

Living  and  dying  upon  the  old  homestead,  Mr. 
Connor  Avas  a progressive,  hard-Avorking  farmer,  se- 
curing his  bountiful  harvests  by  earnest,  faithful 
labor,  and  it  Avas  in  the  privacy  of  his  OAvn  home  that 
he,  as  a husband  and  father,  was  the  best-knoAvn, 
setting  an  example  to  his  family  safe  for  them  to  fol- 
low. The  first  act  of  every  day  Avas  to  acknoAvledge 
his  dependence  upon  the  overruling  power  of  God, 
and  to  seek  His  guidance.  That  he  had  faults  need 
not  be  said ; for  had  he  not,  something  more  than  hu- 
man must  he  have  been  ; but  he  knew  them  all,  and, 
through  the  grace  of  God,  sought  to  overcome  them, 
teaching  his  children  to  shun  them,  and  by  so  doing 
became  the  loved  and  honored  head  of  the  family 
making  his  home  one  of  comfort,  peace  and  happiness. 


358 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Mr.  Connor  died  October  20,  1854.  On  the  day 
preceding  the  night  in  which  he  was  attacked  with 
his  last  illness  he  was  in  Iris  accustomed  place  in  the 
church,  and  addressed  the  Sabbath-school  in  his 
usual  earnest  manner.  The  progress  of  his  disease 
was  rapid,  and  he  passed  peacefully  away,  surrounded 
by  his  loving  family,  to  whom  he  gave  faithful  ad- 
monitions to  be  prepared  to  follow  him. 

And  not  only  in  his  own  sorrowing  family,  but 
throughout  the  town  and  community  where  he  had 
been  so  long  known  and  highly  respected,  there  was 
great  sadness  and  a feeling  that  a faithful,  affectionate 
husband  and  father,  a trusted,  reliable,  honorable 
citizen,  had  passed  on  to  his  reward. 


JOHN  GUTTERSON. 

John  Gutterson  was  born  June  16,  1832,  in  Dun- 
barton, Merrimack  County,  N.  H.  He  is  the  son  of 
Nathan  and  Sarah  (Atwood)  Gutterson,  and  grandson 
of  Josiah  and  Rachel  (Sawyer)  Gutterson.  Josiah 
was  born  in  Pelham,  N.  H.,  while  his  wife,  Rachel, 
was  a native  of  Dracut,  Mass.  He  was  by  occupa- 
tion a blacksmith.  When  a young  man,  soon  after 
his  marriage,  he  went  to  Francestown,  and  remained 
there  ten  or  twelve  years,  when  he  removed  to 
Weare,  N.  H.,  where  the  remainder  of  his  life  was 
spent.  He  died  aged  fifty-seven.  Mrs.  Gutterson 
lived  to  be  sixty-nine  years  of  age. 

Nathan  Gutterson  was  born  in  Francestown  March 
8,  1796.  He  learned  blacksmithing  with  his  father, 
and  remained  with  him  till  twenty-one  years  of  age. 
His  tastes  did  not  incline  him  to  follow  blacksmith- 
ing as  a pursuit,  and  for  some  years  after  attaining 
his  majority  he  clerked  in  a store,  and  at  intervals 
taught  school.  He  also  did  a considerable  business 
at  potash-making,  which  in  those  days  was  quite  an 
industry.  He  married,  March  25,  1821,  Sarah, 
daughter  of  Jacob  and  Sarah  (Cross)  Atwood,  of 
Atkinson,  N.  H.  In  1825  he  removed  from  Weare 
(whither  he  had  gone  with  his  parents)  to  Dunbar- 
ton, N.  H.,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  and  butch- 
ering till  1830,  when  he  took  charge  of  Stark's 
Mills,  and  continued  in  charge  till  1856,  and  from 
1844  to  1850  he  also  had  charge  of  the  Stark  farm ; 
he  then  removed  to  a farm  of  his  own,  but  still  re- 
tained charge  of  the  mills.  In  1863  he  removed  to 
Henniker,  N.  H.,  where  he  resided  in  the  village, 
and  spent  his  time — whenever  he  chose  to  be  em- 
ployed— in  tending  his  son  John’s  grist-mill.  In 
his  younger  days  he  was  a captain  of  militia,  and 
retained  the  title  among  his  acquaintances  as  long  as 
he  lived.  He  was  frequently  chosen  to  town  offices, 
and  in  1841  and  1842  was  representative  to  the  State 
Legislature.  He  was  a life-long  Democrat,  and  in 
religious  belief  was  a Universalist,  although  he  never 
united  with  any  church. 

He  had  four  children : William  W.,  resides  in 
Henniker.  Sarah  J.,  married,  first,  Alfred  L.  Boynton, 


of  Weare;  had  two  children;  married,  second,  Otis 
Hanson,  of  Henniker;  no  issue;  she  died  May  25, 
1871.  Maria  L.,  married  David  S.  Carr,  of  Goffs  town ; 
now  resides  in  Henniker ; has  three  children.  John 
whose  portrait  accompanies  this  sketch.  Nathan 
Gutterson  died  December  2,  1872.  Mrs.  Gutterson 
died  November  22,  1873. 

John  Gutterson  received  his  education  at  the  com- 
mon schools,  supplemented  by  an  attendance  of  three 
terms  at  a select  school. 

When  a lad  he  assisted  his  father  in  the  mill  and 
on  the  farm.  When  in  his  nineteenth  year  he  went 
to  Lynn,  Mass.,  to  learn  the  carpenter’s  trade,  and 
remained  there  most  of  the  time  for  about  three 
years.  In  the  spring  of  his  twenty-second  year  lie 
went  to  Goffstown,  and  engaged  in  a sash  and  blind- 
factory.  May  23d  of  this  same  year,  1854,  he  married 
S.  Frances,  daughter  of  Dr.  Isaac  Stearns,  of  Dun- 
barton. Her  mother  was  Eunice  P.  Marshall,  of  Dun- 
barton. The  following  year  Mr.  Gutterson  removed 
to  Dunbarton  and  took  charge  of  the  Stark  Mills, 
succeeding  his  father  in  their  management.  In  1860 
he  superintended  the  remodeling  and  rebuilding  of 
the  mills.  October  1,  1862,  he  removed  to  Henniker, 
having  purchased  the  property  known  as  the  old 
Howe  Mill  and  privilege  on  Contoocook  River.  This 
place  he  has  made  his  home  to  the  present  time. 
The  year  following  his  purchase  of  the  property  he 
rebuilt  the  mill  and  remodeled  it  throughout.  In 
1866  he  built  the  pleasant  and  commodious  dwelling 
in  which  he  now  resides.  In  1868  he  purchased  a 
half-interest  with  John  Gage  in  the  manufacture  of 
bent  dry  measures.  This  interest  he  retained  seven 
or  eight  years,  when  he  sold  out.  He  has  always  con- 
tinued his  grist  and  saw-mill,  and  does  quite  a con  - 
siderable  business  purchasing  grain,  grinding  it  and 
selling  the  product. 

In  politics  he  has  until  recently  affiliated  with  the 
Democratic  party;  but,  being  an  earnest  advocate  of 
temperance,  he  has  cast  his  vote  and  influence  with 
the  Prohibition  party,  and  been  somewhat  prominent 
as  a temperance  worker  in  connection  with  the  Re- 
form Club  and,  more  recently,  the  Sons  of  Temper- 
ance. 

In  the  summer  of  1862  he  received  the  Blue  Lodge 
degrees  in  Masonry  in  Blazing  Star  Lodge,  No.  11,  of 
Concord,  N.  H.,  and  that  fall  he  became  a member 
of  Aurora  Lodge,  No.  43,  of  Henniker.  A few  years 
later  he  took  the  Chaj>ter  degrees  in  Woods  Chapter, 
No.  14,  of  Henniker.  He  has  held  various  offices  in 
both,  and  was  Master  of  Aurora  Lodge,  1883-84. 

He  united  with  the  Congregational  Church  in  1870, 
and  in  1872  was  chosen  superintendent  of  the  Sunday- 
school,  which  position  he  still  holds. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gutterson  have  four  children  : Kate 
M.,  married  Richard  L.  Childs,  of  Henniker;  has 
three  children, — Anna  L.,  Emily  F.  and  Francis  L. 
Clara  C.,  unmarried,  a teacher  in  the  Francestown 
Academy.  Alice  M.,  resides  with  her  parents. 


■5 H.  W-chit 


HENNIKER. 


359 


Sarah  B.,  who  has  been  alternately  attending  and 
teaching  school. 

Mr.  Gutterson  is  one  of  the  substantial,  respectable 
and  influential  citizens  of  Henniker,  industrious, 
earnest  and  persevering,  of  genial  nature,  with  a 
pleasant  word  for  all.  He  is  of  the  type  of  man  who 
will  win  and  retain  a friendship,  let  his  lot  be  cast 
where  it  may. 


HORACE  CHILDS. 

Horace  Childs,  son  of  Solomon  Childs,  Jr.,  and 
Mary  (Long)  Child,  was  born  August  10,  1807,  in 
Henniker,  N.  H.,  and  is  a descendant  of  an  old  English 
family  of  honor,  entitled  to  bear  a coat-of-arms.  The 
first  date  we  have  of  the  appearance  of  the  family  in 
America  is  in  1630,  when  Ephraim  Child  and  his 
brother  William  emigrated  to  Watertown,  Mass. 
They  were  men  earnest  in  character,  distinguished  for 
piety,  methodical  and  exact  in  their  habits,  and  the 
American  family  bearing  the  name  of  Child  or  Childs 
has  always  taken  a prominent  part  in  the  progressive 
movements  of  the  day.  William  ( 1)  was  made  a freeman 
in  1634;  was  a man  of  note,  and  possessed  of  much 
landed  estate.  John  (2),  son  of  William,  was  born  in 
Watertown,  Mass.  He  married,  for  his  second  wife, 
May  29, 1668,  Mary  Warren,  born  November  29,1651, 
grand-daughter  of  John  Warren,  who  came  to  America 
in  the  “ Arabella”  with  Governor  Wintlirop,  in  1630 
(Mr.  Warren  was  a selectman  of  Watertown,  a man 
independent  and  eccentric  in  character).  Mr.  John 
Child,  although  dying  at  the  age  of  forty,  had  been 
representative  to  the  General  Court,  and  was  con- 
spicuous in  town  affairs.  John  (3),  born  in  Water- 
town  April  25,  1669,  married  Hannah,  daughter  of 
Captain  William  French.  He  was  an  intelligent  and 
representative  man.  Jonathan  (4),  born  in  Water- 
town  April  26,  1696,  married  Abigail  Parker,  October 
2,  1729;  they  settled  in  Grafton,  Worcester  County, 
Mass.,  where  Mr.  Child  died  September  8, 1787,  in  his 

ninety-second  year.  Josiah  (5)  married  Ruth . 

Solomon  (6)  was  born  in  Grafton  January  3,  1743. 
He  married,  April  16, 1767,  Martha,  daughter  of  Elijah 
Rice,  of  Westborougli,  Mass.,  and  sister  of  Elijah  and 
Deacon  Daniel  Rice.  Animated  by  the  restless  spirit 
and  tireless  energy  which  marks  the  pioneer,  soon 
after  his  marriage,  Solomon  left  Massachusetts,  came 
to  New  Hampshire  and  settled  in  Henniker,  when 
the  whole  northwestern  portion  of  the  town  was  a 
wilderness.  Mrs.  Martha  (Rice)  Childs  was  a woman 
of  sterling  worth,  and  well  fitted  to  be  a helpmeet  for 
this  sturdy  pioneer.  She  died  August  26,  1804,  leav- 
ing children.  Mr.  Childs  married,  second,  Mrs. 
Sarah  (Goodell)  Ward.  He  lived  to  see  the  town 
reach  its  maximum  population.  He  was  a farmer  all 
his  days,  and  his  original  farm  is  now  occupied  by  his 
grandson,  Carlos  Childs.  He  died  February  27,  1827, 
leaving  a large  family  to  honor  his  memory  and 
emulate  his  virtues,  which  gave  him  a high  place  in 


the  esteem  of  the  community.  Solomon  (7),  Jr., 
was  born  in  Henniker  July  30,  1781.  He  acquired 
the  trades  of  carpenter  and  cabinet-maker,  and  was 
prominent  'as  a builder,  and  when  the  large  factories 
in  Dover,  N.  H.,  were  being  erected  his  services  were 
in  requisition,  and  he  passed  five  years  there.  He 
married,  first,  September  21,  1806,  Miss  Mary  Long, 
of  Hopkinton,  N.  H.  She  died  in  1823,  having  been 
the  mother  of  eleven  children.  Mr.  Childs  married, 
second,  Lucinda,  daughter  of  William  and  Mary 
(Heaton)  Child.  She  died  January  20,  1852.  Mr. 
Childs  was  also  a farmer,  having  inherited  a part  of 
his  father’s  farm,  and  carried  it  on  in  connection  with 
his  other  business.  He  was  a Whig  in  politics,  a 
member  of  the  Congregational  Church  and  a very  in- 
dustrious and  worthy  citizen.  Aflable  and  courteous, 
with  a smile  and  good  word  for  all,  he  will  be  long  re- 
membered with  pleasure  by  those  who  knew  him. 
He  was  a very  vigorous  man,  and  after  he  was  eighty 
years  old  walked  from  Concord  to  Henniker,  a distance 
of  fifteen  miles.  He  died  October  19,  1865.  Horace 
Childs  (7)  passed  his  childhood,  and  until  he  was 
eighteen  years  old,  attending  school  and  assisting 
his  father  on  the  farm.  He  then  accompanied  his 
parent  to  Dover,  N.  H.,  and  engaged  in  the  carpenter- 
ing business,  remaining  there  a few  years.  At  the 
age  of  twenty-two  he  returned  to  Henniker,  and  spent 
two  years  in  house-building,  when,  on  account  of  a 
severe  illness,  he  was  compelled  to  relinquish  active 
labor  for  a time,  and  in  the  interim,  a year  or  more, 
attended  school  and  fitted  himself  for  future  work. 
At  this  time  his  cousin,  Colonel  S.  H.  Long,  who  had 
invented  a new  design  for  bridges,  prevailed  upon 
him  to  go  to  Boston,  where  he  engaged  in  building 
bridges  on  the  Boston  and  Worcester  and  Boston  and 
Providence  Railroads.  After  he  had  acquired  suffi- 
cient knowledge  of  the  business  he  engaged  as  a 
master-builder  to  superintend  the  building  of  a bridge 
across  the  Connecticut  River  at  Haverhill,  N.  H.  This 
bridge,  after  half  a century  of  constant  usage,  stands 
to-day  a testimony  of  the  fidelity  with  which  the 
work  was  done.  He  built  three  other  bridges  at  vari- 
ous places  on  the  Connecticut  River;  also  three  over 
White  River.  All  the  bridges  on  the  line  of  the 
Hartford  and  New  Haven  Railroad  were  originally 
built  under  his  supervision  and  contract,  he  paying  Col- 
onel Long  a royalty  for  the  use  of  his  patent.  The  plan 
of  Colonel  Long  was  found  to  be  deficient  in  strength 
for  heavy  railroad  bridges,  and  Mr.  Childs  studied  to 
devise  one'tliat  would  be  satisfactory.  Flis  labor  was 
successful,  and  he  patented  his  improvement,  which 
was  followed  in  nearly  all  of  his  subsequent  work, 
which  comprised  most  of  the  bridges  on  the  Northern 
Railroad  from  Concord  to  White  River  Junction,  many 
on  the  Providence  and  Worcester  Railroad,  a large 
one  on  the  Erie  Railroad  at  Port  Jervis,  N.  Y.,  and 
some  smaller  ones  on  the  same  road.  The  bridges  on 
the  New  Hampshire  Central  Railroad  also  were  of 
his  construction.  While  building  one  across  the 


360 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Merrimack  at  Manchester  he  had  a limb  broken  by  a 
falling  timber,  which  disabled  him  for  some  time,  but 
he  entirely  recovered  its  use.  During  this  period  of 
inactivity  his  brothers,  Enoch  and  Warren,  took 
charge  of  his  business,  and  were  engaged  in  the  work 
in  Maine,  on  the  Kennebeck  and  other  roads. 

In  1851  a train  from  Boston  to  Concord,  having  on 
board  President-elect  Franklin  Pierce  and  family,  was 
wrecked,  and  the  only  child  of  Mr.  Pierce  was  killed 
and  many  passengers  injured,  among  them  Air. 
Childs.  He  was  badly  hurt  about  the  head  and 
rendered  insensible  for  some  time.  For  several  years 
the  effects  of  this  accident  were  seriously  felt,  and  he 
has  never  fully  recovered  from  it.  During  all  these 
years  of  active  labor  Mr.  Childs  has  made  Henniker 
his  home,  and  after  he  gave  up  bridge-building  he 
purchased  a small  farm  on  which  to  occupy  himself, 
and  he  has  continued  until  the  present  time  to  over- 
look its  cultivation.  The  house  in  which  he  now  re- 
sides in  the  village  has  been  the  home  of  himself  and 
wife  for  nearly  fifty  years. 

Mr.  Childs  married,  January  11,  1837,  Matilda  R., 
daughter  of  John  and  Sally  (Jones)  Taylor,  of  Lemp- 
ster.  Mrs.  Childs  is  descended,  paternally,  from 
William  Taylor,  who  came  to  America  in  1642.  The 
line  is  William  (1),  Abraham  (2),  Deacon  Samuel  (3), 
Thaddeus  (4),  John  (5),  Matilda  R.  (6).  Her 
uncle,  Rev.  Oliver  Swaine  Taylor,  M.  D.,  died  in 
February,  1875,  at  Auburn,  N.  Y.,  at  the  remarkable 
age  of  over  one  hundred  years  and  four  months.  He 
was  born  December  17,  1784 ; graduated  at  Dart- 
mouth, in  1809  ; was  appointed  missionary  physician 
to  Ceylon  in  1815,  but  circumstances  prevented  his 
going  ; he  assisted  in  editing  the  Panoplist,  and  was 
ordained  as  an  evangelist  at  the  age  of  sixty-three. 
Mrs.  Childs’  father  lived  to  be  nearly  ninety-two, 
and  one  of  his  brothers  reached  the  age  of  ninety-six. 


Maternally,  she  is  descended  from  the  Lockes,  the 
first  American  ancestor  being  Deacon  William  Locke, 
who  came  from  Stepney  Parish,  London,  England,  in 
ship  “ Planter,”  and  settled  at  Woburn,  Mass.,  in 
which  place  and  Winchester  there  are  many  of  his 
descendants,  who,  at  present,  are  good  and  prosperous 
citizens. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Childs  have  had  no  children,  but  they 
have  cared  for  those  of  others. 

Mr.  Childs  has  taken  an  active  part  in  the  edu- 
cational interests  of  his  native  town,  and  has  assisted 
young  men  in  obtaining  an  education.  In  1836  he 
was  chosen  one  of  a committee  to  report  a plan  for 
locating  and  building  an  academy.  The  site  decided 
upon  was  given  by  Mr.  Childs,  and  the  academy  was 
built  by  him  under  contract.  He  was  also  one  of  its 
incorporators.  He  has  been  all  his  life  an  earnest 
advocate  of  temperance,  making  it  a point,  when  em- 
ploying men  upon  public  works,  that  no  ardent  spirits 
should  be  used  in  or  about  the  works.  He  is  a stanch 
Republican,  and  has  always  voted  that  ticket.  In 
1831  he  united  with  the  Congregational  Church  in 
Henniker,  and  has  been  one  of  the  deacons  of  the 
church  since  February  19, 1855,  and  faithfully  fulfilled 
the  duties  of  that  position.  He  has  done  much  to 
sustain  the  church  in  all  of  its  relations,  and  is  a 
valuable  member  of  the  society.  He  has  also  been 
personally  very  active  in  making  improvements  about 
the  church  and  vestry.  He  is  a life-member  of  the 
American  Board  of  Foreign  Missions. 

Mr.  Childs  is  a man  of  strict  integrity,  marked 
generosity  and  liberality  of  character.  As  a business 
man  successful,  as  a citizen  respected  and  beloved, 
and  as  one  who  has  done  much  to  further  and  pro- 
mote the  improvement  and  prosperity  of  his  native 
town,  he  stands  among  her  representative  men,  and  is 
a worthy  descendant  of  the  “old  pioneer.” 


HISTORY  OF  HOOKSETT. 


BY  SAMUEL  HEAD,  (2nd). 


CHAPTER  I. 

Hooksett  is  located  in  the  most  southerly  portion 
of  Merrimack  County,  being  bounded  on  the  north  by 
Bow  and  Allenstown,on  the  east  by  Deerfield,  Candia, 
and  Auburn,  on  the  south  by  Auburn  and  Manches- 
ter, and  on  the  west  by  Goffstown.  The  surface  is  very 
uneven  and  is  not  generally  adapted  for  agriculture, 
but  in  some  sections  of  the  town,  especially  bordering 
the  Merrimack  River,  the  soil  is  fertile,  of  an  alluvial 
and  aluminous  nature,  which  affords  some  well-culti- 
vated farms.  The  Merrimack  River  flows  in  a wind- 
ing manner  through  the  westerly  part  of  the  town 
nearly  its  entire  length  from  north  to  south.  The 
river,  from  the  early  primitive  times,  has  changed  its 
channel  in  a number  of  instances  according  to  the 
geographical  and  geological  construction  of  the  sur- 
face of  the  valley  of  the  beautiful  Merrimack.  The 
banks  of  the  river  are  high  and  dry  above  the  surface 
of  the  water  in  a large  portion  of  the  territory  that 
the  river  meanders  through,  thus  protecting  the  ad- 
joining country  from  being  overflowed  with  the  turgid 
stream  in  times  of  floods  and  high  water.  Wher- 
ever such  barriers  exist  the  land  is  of  a sandy  nature, 
which  is  not  successfully  cultivated  at  the  present 
time.  Between  the  Merrimack  River,  back  from  the 
valley,  and  the  eastern  part  of  the  town  the  soil  is 
sandy,  with  a gravelly  subsoil,  and  is  almost  entirely 
covered  with  scrub  oaks  and  underbrush  growing  into 
a slight  growth  of  woodland.  About  three-fifths  of 
the  acreage  of  the  town  of  Hooksett  is  wild,  unfit  for 
tilling  or  grazing,  and  consequently  the  land  is  de- 
voted to  growing  wood  and  timber.  Throughout  this 
whole  territory  solid  ledges  and  high  boulders  of 
granite  crop  out  in  every  direction,  giving  the  land  an 
ungaiuly  and  impracticable  appearance.  The  early 
growth  originally  cut  and  marketed  was  mostly  white 
and  hard  pine.  Most  of  the  original  territory  now 
embraced  in  the  town  of  Hooksett,  on  the  east  side  of 
the  river,  was  formerly  called  Chester  Woods.  As 
early  as  October,  1719,  about  eighty  persons,  chiefly 
from  Hampton  and  Portsmouth,  associated  for  the 
purpose  of  obtaining  a grant  of  a township  in  the 
“ Chestnut  Country.”  In  every  reference  in  early  his- 
tory made  to  the  northerly  part  of  the  old  town  of 


Chester  it  was  called  “ White  Pine  Country  ” or 
“Chester  Woods.”  Thus,  to  this  late  day,  the  country 
remains  the  same,  only  the  territory  is  at  some  points 
in  a thorough  state  of  denudation.  This  whole  coun- 
try, according  to  the  original  map  prepared  by  Benja- 
min Chase1  of  the  town  of  Chester,  places  it  in  the 
fifth  and  fourth  divisions.  The  lots  were  made  out 
running  north  and  south,  and  numbered  east  and 
west.  In  the  eastern  part  of  the  town  there  are  a 
number  of  ponds,  now  called  Lakin’s  Pond,  Clay  Pond 
and  Sawyer’s  Pond,  and  they  are  interlinked  by  brooks 
at  the  north  part,  having  their  outlet  from  Lakin’s 
Pond  through  Brown’s  Brook  into  the  Merrimack 
River,  and  in  the  southerly  part  via  Lake  Massabesic. 
In  the  early  history  of  old  Cheshire,  when  the  primeval 
forests  wyere  undisturbed,  this  part  of  the  township 
abounded  in  beavers,  that  built  dams  across  the  various 
streams,  and  the  growth  of  wood  was  destroyed  by 
constant  flowage,  but  when  the  country  became  settled 
the  beavers  were  destroyed,  and  the  land  came  into 
natural  grass,  which  was  of  great  use  to  the  early  set- 
tlers. These  meadows  extended  into  all  parts  of  the 
original  township,  including  the  territory  lying  be- 
tween the  White  Hall  Mill,  near  Rowe’s  Corner,  and 
old  Derryfield  (now  Manchester). 

Another  most  prominent  meadow  commenced  in 
what  is  now  the  village  of  Auburn,  and  extended  to 
the  Londonderry  line,  and  was  called  the  “Long 
Meadows.”  As  late  as  February  5,  1721-22,  the 
proprietors  “ Voted  that  the  Lott  Layers  survey  the 
principle  meadows  and  Reserve  them  out  of  the 
Second  Division  for  the  Publick  use  until  the  Prop" 
See  Cause  to  Divide  ’em.” 

April,  1727,  it  was  “Voted  that  the  Inhabitants, 
and  those  that  are  coming  to  Settle,  divide  ye  Cutting 
of  ye  meadows  in  Equal  Proportion  among  Them- 
selves for  ye  Year  Ensuing,  and  that  none  Cutt  any 
before  the  Last  day  of  July,  on  the  penalty  of  20s.,  to  be 
paid  by  each  person  for  every  day  yl  he  or  they  shall 
offend,  to  be  paid  to  the  Selectmen  for  ye  use  of  the 
Poor  of  the  Town.” 

March  28,  1728,  it  was  “Voted  That  there  shall  he 


1 Benjamin  Chase  is  the  author  of  “Chase's  History  of  the  Town  of 
Chester,”  published  in  the  year  of  18G9. 


3G1 


HISTORY  OF  HILLSBOROUGH  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


362 


a Division  of  meadow  to  Every  Right  according  as  it 
will  hold  out  in  quantity  & quality,  according  to  yc 
goodness  or  badness  of  ye  Meadow,  to  make  every 
man’s  share  as  Equal  as  can  be.” 

At  the  present  time,  whatever  meadow  there  is  in  the 
town  of  Hooksett  that  could  be  classed  in  the  above 
is  not  valued  so  much  for  cropping  as  then,  for  the 
farmers  now  devote  more  attention  to  English  grass, 
and  use  meadow  hay  for  cheap  foddering  purposes. 
In  a number  of  instances  the  old  original  meadows 
are  entirely  obliterated,  being  now  covered  with  a 
growth  of  trees,  and  if,  in  the  march  of  modern  prog- 
ress, the  farmers  should  improve  these  lands,  they 
would  find,  in  time,  land  of  great  natural  fertility. 
On  the  west  side  of  the  Merrimack  River  the  land  is 
very  uneven,  and  rises  to  quite  an  elevation  where 
the  boundary  line  divides  us  from  Goflfstown,  Dun- 
barton and  Bow.  The  soil  is  good  and  farming  is 
successfully  carried  on. 

The  origin  of  the  name  of  Hooksett  dates  back  to 
an  early  period  in  the  history  of  this  country.  Isaac 
W.  Hammond,  in  his  compilation  of  State  papers, 
says,  “ The  name  ‘ Isle  au  Hooksett  ’ and  ‘ Isle  au 
Hooksett  Falls’  was  attached  to  the  locality  many 
years  before  the  incorporation  and  naming  of  the 
town,  but  it  is  impossible  to  ascertain  its  derivation.” 
He  refers  to  Captain  Ladd’s  scouts,  who  camped  near 
a i)ond  in  the  north  part  of  Chester,  called  IslS  Hooks 
Pond,  which  is  now  supposed  to  be  Lakin’s  Pond. 
The  above  facts  were  gleaned  from  Abner  Clough’s 
journal,  containing  an  account  of  the  march  of  Cap- 
tain Daniel  Ladd  and  his  men,  who  were  sent  by  the 
Governor  and  Council  of  New  Hampshire  on  July 
14,  1746,— 

“ Marched  from  Exeter  to  Beach  plain,  in  Kingston.  On  the  15th  day 
marched  to  Chester  and  there  took  more  men.  On  the  16th  day  enlisted 
more  men.  On  the  17th  day  marched  from  Chester  town  to  a place 
called  Isle  Hooks  pond,  and  scouted  round  the  Pond  and  then  camped 
about  11  miles.  On  the  18th  day,  early  in  the  morning,  ranged  the 
woods  till  almost  night,  and  could  make  no  discovery  of  the  Enemy 
then  marched  to  Suncook  and  there  camped.” 

During  these  years  the  early  settlers  were  having 
much  trouble  from  the  small  bands  of  Indians  that 
were  scouting  the  entire  province.  The  French, 
through  their  mercenary  modes  of  warfare,  were  the 
instigators  of  these  scenes  of  devastation  and  cruelty, 
and  during  the  years  1745,  ’46,  ’47,  ’48  and  ’49 
a great  many  settlers  were  killed  or  taken  captives. 
These  proceedings  were  constantly  taking  place  until 
the  year  1749,  when  peace  was  declared. 

Chase,  in  his  “ History  of  Chester,”  says  that  in  the 
year  1748  there  was  a man  killed  by  the  Indians 
near  Head’s  Mill  (now  Hooksett).  This  man  was  prob- 
ably a McQuade,  who  was  going  to  mill  with  a bag  of 
corn.  He  was  shot  from  behind  a tree.  W.  H.  Otter- 
son,  of  Hooksett,  remembers  that  in  his  boyhood,  his 
mother  knew  the  location  of  the  stump  when  it  was 
called  the  McQuade  stump.  At  that  time  the  old 
Gault  house,  now  the  premises  of  Norris  C.  Gault,  was 
a garrison.  From  other  historical  sources  we  learn 


that  soon  alter  1745,  the  year  that  the  French  war 
broke  out,  a man  by  the  name  of  Buntin  was  shot 
by  the  Indians  near  Head’s  tavern,  in  Hooksett. 
He  was  a Pelham  man  and  was  on  his  way  to 
Pennacook.  According  to  Jeremy  Belknap,  D.D., 
in  his  “ History  of  New  Hampshire,”  a man  was 
killed  at  Suncook  in  the  year  1747.  Undoubtedly  the 
circumstance  to  which  Belknap  refers  is  the  same  as 
that  mentioned  by  Chase  and  other  historians,  but 
Belknap  is  more  correct  as  to  data,  etc.  In  the  year 
of  1772,  according  to  Captain  Pecker’s  journal,  who 
was  with  a surveying-party  prospecting  in  the  Merri- 
mack Valley,  after  going  up  the  Black  Brook  into 
< roffstown,  where  they  camped,  it  says, — 

‘‘On  Dec.  10th,  Marched  from  Anna  hookset  hill,  Crost  Merrimack 
River  & So,  Steering  a South  Easterly  Course,  marched  to  Great  Massce- 
pe.se et  pond,  to  the  northermost  part  of  Cheshire, — 16  miles.” 

It  seems  by  this  record  that  some  hill  now  in  Hook- 
sett, west  of  the  Merrimack  River,  had  the  appel- 
lation of  Hooksett  connected  with  its  history.  At  an 
earlier  period,  in  the  journal  kept  by  John  Wain- 
wright,  clerk  of  a committee  appointed  by  the  Great 
and  General  Court  or  Assembly  to  lay  out  a new 
township  of  seven  miles  square  at  Pennacook,  it  is 
said, — 

“May  10‘b,  1726. — This  day  the  Committee  met  at  the  House  of  Eben- 
czer  Eastman,  in  Haverhill,  in  order  to  go  to  Penny  Cook  to  lay  out  the 
Township  according  to  order. 

“ Wednesday,  May  11th. — Present,  The  Honbl*  William  Tailor,  Esqr., 
Jn°.  Wainwright,  Eeqr. , Capt.  Jn°.  Shipley,  Eleazer  Tyngs,  Esqr.,  and 
Mr.  Joseph  Wilder.  This  day  the  Committee  received,  of  several  of  ye 
Settlei-s,  forty  shillings  each,  a list  where  of  was  taken  ; being  to  defray 
the  charge  of  surveying  the  Lands,  «fcc.,  and  prepared  the  necessary  pro- 
visions for  their  Journey  and  their  Attendants  to  Penny  Cook. 

“ Thursday,  May  12. — Lowry  Weather  with  some  rain  ...  At 
Amoskeag  Falls  we  found  several  Irish  people  catching  fish,  which  that 
place  affords  in  great  abundance.  \Vb  travelled  in  a cart  path  from 
Nutfield  to  Amoskeag,  but  it  was  very  indifferent  travelling.  Cloudy 
Weather. 

“Friday,  May  13th. — This  Morniug  we  proceeded  on  our  Journey. 
Verry  Hilly  and  Mountainous  Land.  About  Eight  a Clock  we  passed  by 
a Fall  called  Onna  hookline,  in  Merrimack  River,  which  is  taken  from  a 
Hill  of  the  same  name.  About  Nine  a clock  we  forded  a pretty  deep 
Brook  or  Rivulett  called  (a  blank), 1 and  soon  after  we  came  upon  a large 
Tract  of  Intervale  Land  joining  to  Suncook  River,  where  we  baited  and 
refreshed  our  selves  and  Horses.  About  ten  or  eleven  a clock  we  forded 
Suncook  River,  which  is  a rapped  Stream,  and  many  loose  Stones,  of 
some  Considerable  Bigness  in  it,  making  it  dificult  to  pass.  One  of  our 
men  going  over,  having  a heavy  load  on  his  Horse,  was  thrown  oft'  into 
the  River  and  lost  one  of  the  Baggs  of  provisions  which  we  lost,  not  hav- 
ing time  to  look  after  it.  Another  of  our  fell  into  ye  River.  Here  we  met 
with  two  men  Col0.  Tyng  sent  up  before  us  with  stores  (Bena  Nicolls  and 
Ebenr.  Virgin,  two  of  ye  Settlers),  and  about  one  a Clock  we  passed 
Penny  Cook  River  (alias  Shin  Brook  or  Sow  Cook),  pretty  deep  and  very 
rocky.  . . .” 

We  find,  by  reading  the  above  description,  that 
the  name  Onna  Hookline  is  applied  to  the  falls,  and 
other  points  are  familiarly  described  in  this  journey. 
Again,  in  the  year  of  1638,  eighty-eight  years  before 
the  above,  and  only  nineteen  after  the  landing  of  the 
Pilgrims,  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts  or- 
dered a survey  of  the  Merrimack  River  to  be  made, 
which  was  done  by  Nathaniel  Woodward  in  the 

1 This  rivulet  is  supposed  to  be  what  is  now  called  Bown’s  Brook, 
‘ which  empties  from  Lakin’s  Pond  into  the  Merrimack. 


HOOKSETT. 


363 


spring  of  1639,  and  made  out  as  Gardner’s  map.  On 
this  map  i the  Pinnacle  or  hills  in  the  vicinity  where 
Hooksett  village  now  is  was  called  Hauna-ko-Kees 
Hills.  According  to  the  map  the  whole  country  from 
the  mouth  of  the  river  to  the  Lake  Winuipiseogee  is 
almost  a perfect  survey,  and  to  the  familiar  eye,  ex- 
cepting the  early  names,  it  looks  reasonable.  Thus 
we  find,  by  the  names  early  given  our  falls,  that  they 
were  derived  from  Hanna-ko-Kees,  a mountain  in  this 
vicinity.  The  hills  of  Hooksett  are  not  prominently 
numerous,  but  in  some  parts  of  the  town  quite  an 
elevation  can  be  reached.  In  the  early  history  of 
the  State  the  Peunacook  Indians  were  numerous  and 
powerful.  Their  hunting-grounds  were  in  the  Merri- 
mack Valley.  They  were  a very  harmless  people 
naturally,  and  friendly  to  the  settlers.  The  wrriter  of 
this  has  heard  of  some  old  people  speak  of  recollect- 
ing of  their  fathers’  telling  about  a number  of  Indian 
families  living  within  the  limits  of  Chester.  The  race 
has  become  extinct,  excepting  the  transmitted  inter- 
mixture of  Indian  and  white  blood.  There  are  a 
few  cases  in  this  State  where  families  have  multiplied 
and  become  numerous  and  noted  by  partially  spring- 
ing from  the  Pennacook  Indian  tribe. 

In  the  southeast  part  of  the  town,  near  the  boun- 
dary, is  Hall’s  Mountain,  which  is  elevated,  and  can 
be  seen  from  the  west  a great  distance.  In  the  western 
part  of  the  town  is  Hacket’s  Hill.  At  the  south,  east 
and  north  sides  a very  extended  view  can  be  obtained, 
reaching  as  far  as  Mount  Chicorua,  in  Albany,  Sand- 
wich Mountains  and  Mount  Moosilunke. 

From  an  eminence  called  the  Pinnacle  a delightful 
view  of  the  Merrimack  Valley  is  seen.  At  your  feet  is 
the  thriving  village  of  Hooksett,  which  makes  an  en- 
chanting scene.  On  the  east  side  is  an  abrupt  preci- 
pice more  than  two  hundred  feet  high.  At  the  foot 
of  the  mountain,  on  the  west  side,  is  a beautiful  sheet 
of  water,  transparent,  with  a greenish  tinge,  and  show- 
ing no  visible  outlet.  In  the  year  of  1859-60  about 
seven  thousand  dollars  was  expended  in  blasting  and 
digging  for  silver  and  gold  on  the  west  side  of  the 
hill.  Some  was  discovered,  but  not  in  such  quanti- 
ties as  to  make  it  pay.  Tradition  says  that  this  point 
was  a lurking-place  for  the  Indians,  A fine  view 
could  be  had  of  the  river  in  both  directions,  so  that 
the  approach  of  a foe  was  discerned  at  once.  Just  op- 
posite, on  the  east  side  of  the  mountain,  is  Otterson’s 
Hill.  Ou  this  elevation  a fine  northwesterly  view  is 
enjoyed.  This  point  also  was  a place  of  rendezvous  for 
signal  purposes.  On  the  plain  between  this  point  and 
the  river  Iudian  relics  of  numerous  varieties  are 
found,  and  vestiges  of  their  wigwams  are  very  evident 
at  the  present  day.  Around  Hooksett  Falls  was  a 
famous  place  for  salmon,  and  wherever  those  fish  were 
abundant  the  Indians  prevailed. 

Of  the  early  settlers  little  is  known  except  what  is 


found  in  common  with  the  towns  that  Hooksett  was 
made  from.  In  that  part  of  Chester  now  Hooksett 
one  of  the  early  settlers  was  Daniel  Martin,  who 
had  a grant  from  King  George.  His  descendants  live 
in  Hooksett  and  elsewhere  in  large  numbers.  It  is 
said  when  the  road  to  Martin’s  Ferry  was  laid  out,  in 
1776,  it  crossed  land  owned  by  “several  of  the  Mar- 
tins.” In  the  year  of  1791  there  was  a tornado,  which 
blew  down  the  buildings  of  Daniel  Martin,  carrying 
him  more  than  twelve  rods.  A large  piece  of  timber 
was  lodged  on  the  body  of  Mr.  Martin.  David  Mar- 
tin, then  a child  three  weeks  old,  was  held  between 
the  knees  of  an  aunt,  and  saved  from  being  blown 
away.  This  woman  removed . the  timber  from  the 
body  of  Mr.  Martin  by  her  herculean  strength.  In 
the  year  of  1826,  in  July,  two  girls,  daughters  of 
David  Martin,  were  drowned  from  the  Dalton  rock  in 
the  Merrimack  River.  They  followed  after  their 
father  to  get  the  cows,  but  while  playing,  they  slipped 
in,  and  the  current  carried  them  out.  Mr.  Martin 
narrowly  escaped  drowning  himself  in  trying  to  save 
them. 

Jesse  Kimball  lived  near  Martin’s  Ferry  ; had  a son 
Jedediah,  who  lived  on  lot  117,  fourth  division;  his 
descendants  are  numerous  throughout  New  England. 
John  Dustin  was  a physician  and  was  at  Martin’s 
Ferry  in  1775.  He  was  probably  the  first  doctor  that 
ever  located  within  our  territory.  Thomas  Wicom 
lived  on  the  Mammoth  road,  and  some  of  the  people 
now  living,  remember  the  old  “Smoke-house,”  so 
called.  D.  Harper,  on  lot  82,  andS.  Rowell,  on  lot  81, 
Auburn  road.  On  the  old  road  now  located  between 
the  river  and  the  present  highway  were  Dalton’s  and 
Arwine’s  taverns.  Ou  Samuel  Holland’s  map,  made 
about  the  year  of  1784,  a point  is  indicated  near  this 
location  called  Kars ; it  is  supposed  to  be  an  early  set- 
tlement where  travelers  were  put  up.  At  the  junc- 
tion of  the  White  Hall  and  Londonderry  turnpike 
was  the  .T.  Martin  settlement.  Further  on  was  the 
White  Hall,  and  Chase,  in  the  History  of  Chester, 
places  it  on  lot  No.  123,  fourth  division,  and  J.  Tal- 
ford  beyond,  on  lot  121.  According  to  investigation, 
the  location  of  the  White  Hall  was  the  original  J. 
Talford  settlement.  Chase  says  “ that  in  May,  1724, 
John  Packer,  of  Haverhill,  Mass.,  conveyed  to  John 
Talford,  of  Bradford,  the  home  lot  No.  66,  and  one- 
half  of  all  of  the  other  divisions,  on  condition  that  he 
should  make  a settlement.  He  accordingly  settled  on 
that  lot  on  Walnut  Hill.  He  was  a major  in  the 
militia  and  held  many  civil  offices.  He  became  a 
large  land  holder  and  was  an  enterprising  man.  He 
built  the  first  saw-mill  at  White  Hall,  in  Hooksett.” 
This  Talford  lot,  now  called  the  Sawyer  place,  con- 
tained eight  hundred  acres,  and  it  was  heavily  covered 
with  white  pine  timber,  and  as  Talford  in  that  day 
was  a speculator  in  land,  it  is  presumed  that  he  loca- 
ted here  for  the  attractions  it  offered  for  speculation. 

Mr.  Talford  died  May,  1790,  aged  ninety  years. 
Near  the  White  Hall  place  the  first  path  to  Penna- 


1 The  copy  of  the  original  map  is  owned  by  William  Little,  Esq.,  Man- 
chester, and  is  a great  curiosity. 


364 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


cook  was  traversed,  following  the  same  direction  from 
that  point  as  the  Concord  and  Portsmouth  Railroad 
was  laid  out.  In  the  extreme  eastern  part  of  the 
fifth  division,  on  lot  104,  was  the  Wiggins  settlement. 
On  the  old  Chester  turnpike,  on  lot  62,  was  the  toll- 
house, but  later  the  Langley  tavern,  which  was  a 
famous  stopping-point  for  the  stages.  This  building 
was  burned  in  the  year  1878.  On  lot  No.  113,  fourth 
division,  Joseph  Whittier  settled  at  what  is  now 
Clark’s  tavern,  or  Stearns’  hotel.  He  owned  a large 
tract  of  land.  Simeon  Carr  lived  on  the  Roycs  land, 
half  a mile  southeast  of  the  Head  tavern,  in  Hooksett, 
where  is  now  the  old  Ledge  boarding-house.  He  had 
a daughter  horn  about  1778,  who  married  Major  Na- 
thaniel Head,  who  sold  to  Mark  Whittier  and  moved 
West.  The  Head  tavern  was  settled  at  a later  date, 
about  the  year  1802,  and  a tavern  was  opened  soon 
after  by  Samuel  Head.  It  was  formerly  the  Boyes 
lands.  The  original  homestead  is  now  owned  by  James 
Thompson.  Just  above  was  the  Harriman  place. 
Laban  Harriman  came  from  Hampstead  about  1780 ; 
in  a few  years  went  back,  and  a brother,  Rufus  Har- 
riman took  his  place,  and  in  a few  years  sold.  After- 
wards Richard  Head  owned  it,  dying  in  1831,  leaving 
it  to  his  son,  John  Head,  who  died  about  the  year 
1850.  The  place  has  since  been  owned  by  Henry  H. 
Thompson,  and  the  buildings  were  burned  in  Sep- 
tember, 1883- 

There  was  a family  named  Abrams  that  settled  in 
this  vicinity,  of  which  little  is  known.  Then  the  R.  Gor- 
don place,  which  is  of  a later  date.  He  is  remembered 
by  many  people  living.  Hon.  Jesse  Gault  now  lives 
on  the  old  site.  The  Otterson  place  was  settled  by 
William  Otterson,  who  bought  of  Robert  Boyes  No. 
128,  fifth  division,  where  Martin  L.  Otterson  now 
lives.  William  was  drowned  while  crossing  Lake 
Champlain  in  the  year  of  1760  ; he  was  a soldier  in 
the  army.  He  left  one  son,  James,  who  served  as  a 
soldier  at  Rhode  Island  in  1778.  The  old  original 
house  was  located  a few  rods  north  of  the  present  Ot- 
terson house,  which  supplanted  one  that  was  burned 
in  the  year  1860. 

Samuel  Brown  settled  on  No.  28,  fifth  division,  which 
is  now  owned  by  Hon.  Jesse  Gault;  it  was  formerly 
the  Hooksett  poor  farm.  Joseph  Brown  settled  near 
where  is  now  Head’s  mill.  William  Brown  located 
on  lot  No.  30,  in  that  vicinity.  Nathaniel  Head  came 
from  Pembroke  about  1780,  and  built  a log  house  on 
the  same  spot  where  his  grandson,  the  late  ex-Gov- 
ernor,  lived.  He  was  an  energetic  business  man,  a 
good  counselor,  and  was  a much-respected  justice  of 
the  peace.  His  daughter  Polly  married  Thomas 
Cochrane,  of  Pembroke,  who  settled  on  Buck  Street. 
One  Sunday,  about  the  year  1800,  Thomas  said  to  his 
wife,  “ Let  us  go  and  see  father  and  mother  Head  to- 
day.” After  the  chores  were  finished  they  took  an 
infant  baby  and  crossed  the  Suncook  River,  taking  a 
footpath  through  the  woods.  When  arriving  at  the 
homestead  the  mother  greeted  them  cordially.  Mr. 


Cochrane  went  into  the  main  room  where  Esquire  Head 
sat  studiously  reading  the  Bible.  The  reception  was 
not  very  cordial,  as  he  soon  turned  his  attention  from 
the  book  and  said, — “ Thomas  I shall  be  glad  to  have 
you  come  to  our  house  on  any  week-day,  but  I do  not 
want  you  to  visit  us  on  the  Sabbath.”  Thomas  imme- 
diately notified  his  wife,  Polly,  and  they  returned  to 
their  home,  never  to  repeat  again  a visit  to  the  Head 
place  on  the  Lord’s  day.  This  characteristic  sentiment 
prevailed  to  a larger  degree  with  our  forefathers  than 
at  the  present  time.  It  is  said  that  Mr.  Head  kept  a 
public  inn  at  the  time  when  the  incident  occurred,  and 
if  any  person  called  for  spirituous  drams,  he  was  sup- 
plied and  it  was  drank  on  the  premises,  but  the  Bible- 
reading  went  right  on  with  the  same  profound  regard 
for  its  teachings  and  Puritanic  respect  for  the  Sabbath. 
Nathaniel  Head  died  October  4,  1830.  He  was  a trial 
justice,  and  many  cases  of  litigation,  etc.,  were  left  to 
him  for  decision.  Noah  M.  Coffran,  of  Pembroke, 
now  over  eighty  years  old,  relates  that  at  one  time, 
when  a mere  hoy,  he  was  drawing  logs  with  oxen  to  the 
Merrimack  River.  Esquire  Head  was  there  unload- 
ing some  logs,  but  became  greatly  troubled  about 
landing  them.  Young  Coffran  helped  him  out  of  the 
difficulty,  and  the  esquire  frankly  acknowledged  it 
was  the  first  time  in  his  life  that  he  had  learned  any- 
thing from  a boy.  Mr.  Coffran  relates  that  he  was 
surprised  in  receiving  such  a compliment  from  the 
respected,  dignified  man.  There  was  a family  by  the 
name  of  Lakin,  which  Chase,  in  his  “ History  of  Ches- 
ter,’’overlooked.  Theirsettlement  was  on  the  east  side 
of  Lakin’s  Pond.  Some  of  their  descendants  live  in 
Hooksett  at  the  present  time.  The  pond  was  a famous 
one  for  pickerel.  The  original  Lakin  always  spoke  of 
it  as  his  “ Pork  Barrel.” 

Just  above  the  Head  settlement  was  S.  Gault’s.  He 
was  born  in  Scotland ; married  Elsie  Carlton,  of  Wales. 
They  had  three  children  born  in  Scotland.  He 
moved  to  Londonderry,  Ireland,  and  had  two  children 
born  there.  He  came  to  this  country,  and  settled  on 
the  land  now  owned  by  his  great-great-grandson, 
Norris  C.  Gault. 

The  original  house  was  a garrison,  and  the  land  was 
on  the  Suncook  grant.  The  descendants  of  this  fam- 
ily are  numerous,  becoming  successful  and  noted. 
On  the  west  side  of  the  river,  which  was  formerly 
Dunbarton,  according  to  a plan  drawn  by  David  Ten- 
ney in  October,  1803,  and  one  drawn  at  Portsmouth 
in  1749,  the  lots  were  allotted  as  follows : 1st  lot, 
lltli  range,  Mark  H.  Wentworth  ; 12th  range,  lots  1 
and  2,  Jeremiah  Page;  13th  range,  lots  1 and  2,  com- 
mon lot  3,  John  Wallingford  and  John  Wentworth; 
1st  lot  sold  in  1764 to  Bond  Little;  2d  lot  sold  in  1764 
to Martin  ; 14th  range,  1st  lot  sold  to  Alexan- 

der Todd;  2d  lot,  school  lot;  3d  lot,  John  Went- 
worth ; 4th  lot,  vacant.  Lots  running  along  the  bank 
of  the  Merrimack : owners,  Jacob  Green,  Jeremiah 
Page,  Thomas  Upham;  sold  in  1795 to  Benjamin  Noyes. 
The  proprietors’  meeting  September,  1764,  “ Voted 


HOOKSETT. 


365 


Jeremiah  Page,  Thomas  Caldwell  and  John  Hogg  be 
a committee  to  plan  out  the  common  that  lays  on  the 
Merrimack  River.”  In  June,  1771,  “ Voted,  that  Caleb 
Page  go  to  Portsmouth  and  try  to  make  a settlement 
with  the  Lords  Proprietors  about  their  common  lands 
iu  Dunbarton.”  The  most  of  these  common  lands 
were  situated  in  what  is  now  Hooksett.  On  the  11th 
day  of  September  the  proprietors  of  more  than  seven 
rights  in  the  common  and  undivided  lands  in  Dun- 
barton called  a meeting  “to  see  if  the  proprietors  would 
vote  that  every  proprietor  who  is  settled  on  common 
land  in  said  town  shall  have  his  share  or  shares  laid 
out  when  they  have  done  their  work  in  quantity  and 
quality  as  said  proprietors  shall  vote,  or  that  the 
proprietors  shall  make  a division  of  the  common 
lands  as  they  shall  think  best  when  met.”  This  was 
signed  by  Thomas  Cochran,  William  Cochran,  James 
McColley,  James  Cochran  ye  3d,  James  Cochran, 
William  Page,  William  Wheeler,  Nicholas  Dodge, 
Ephraim  Kinsman,  Ebenezer  Racket.  These  men  were 
mostly  inhabitants  where  Hooksett  is  now  located. 
From  1751  to  1802  the  proprietors  were  constantly 
having  meetings,  the  records  showing  the  names  of 
those  who  were  residents  of  the  territory  of  Dunbarton 
(now  Hooksett). 

Among  the  proprietors’  rights  were  Thomas  Coch- 
ran, four  rights  of  land  where  he  lived,  near  the  river 
(supposed  Merrimack),  fifty -one  acres  each,  one  hun- 
dred and  three  acres,  two  rights  including  the  Hooksett 
Falls  ; Deacon  Cochran,  one  right  of  land  adjoining 
Thomas  Cochran’s  land,  thirty  acres  ; Farrington  and 
Abbot,  five  rights  where  Abbott  lives,  seventy  acres. 
This  was  one  of  the  original  settled  places,  called  the 
Joshua  Abbott  place,  near  the  head  of  Hooksett 
Falls,  on  the  lot  where  the  John  Prescott  place  is 
now  situated.  In  the  year  1813  the  selectmen  of 
Dunbarton  notified  Robert  Cochrane,  a surveyor  in 
what  is  now  west  village  of  Hooksett  and  outskirts, 
which  composed  Dunbarton,  to  give  notice  to  the  fol- 
lowing tax-payers  of  the  amount  of  their  highway  tax : 
Robert  Cochrane,  Richard  H.  Ayer,  Joshua  Abbot, 
Philip  Abbot,  Henry  Moulton,  Captain  John  Hoyt, 
Lieutenant  John  Baker,  Ensign  Samuel  Flanders, 
Lumau  Lincoln,  Josiah  Barnes,  Sirus  Baker,  Abel 
Dow,  Samuel  Hosmer,  Winthrop  Knight,  Samuel 
Martin,  Luther  Shattuck,  William  Otterson.  The 
whole  amount  assessed  was  $65.15. 

A valuable  collection  of  papers  that  have  been 
kept  in  good  condition,  that  belonged  to  the  Cochrane 
and  Abbot  families,  the  first  settlers  in  above  district, 
are  interesting  on  account  of  their  age  and  curiosity. 
An  original  deed  as  follows : 

“Province  of  New  Hamp.  : At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Proprietors 
of  Bow,  in  said  Province,  held  at  Stratham,  in  said  Province,  on  Tues- 
day, the  30th  Day  of  May,  1769,  By  adjournment  from  the  first  Thurs- 
day in  April  last  past,  Voted  to  Thomas  Cochran,  his  Heirs  and  assigns 
(for  and  in  Consideration  of  Thirty-six  Shillings,  Lawful  money,  paid  at 
the  meeting),  a small  Island  Lying  at  the  mouth  of  the  Suncook  River, 
in  Bow,  containing  one  acre  and  Sixty-Six  Rods,  be  it  more  or  less. 

“A  true  copy  from  said  Proprietors’  Record. 

“Attest,  Sam’l  Lane,  Prop*  Clerk.” 


“ Know  all  men  by  these  presents,  that  I,  Benj“  Harris,  of  Pembroke, 
in  the  Province  of  New  Hamp.,  in  New  England,  Gen1  Have  Rec'1  Three 
Pound  five  Shillings,  Law  full  money,  of  Thomas  Coffran,  of  Alleustown, 
in  the  Province  afforsaid,  yeoman,  in  full  Consideration  for  a pue  in  the 
Presbyterian  meeting-houss  in  Pembroke,  in  the  gallery  of  sd  meeting- 
house, it  Being  that  Perticular  Pue  that  I Purchased  of  John  Bryant, 
Daniel  moor  and  Samuell  mcConnel  at  a Publick  Vendue  at  the  house 
of  Lt.  Samuel  Conner,  in  said  Pembrook,  in  Witness  whereof  I have 
hereunto  set  my  hand  and  Seal  this  13th  Day  of  January,  17G9. 

“ Benja.  Harris.” 

“ Litchfield,  August  26,  1765. 

“Mr.  Tlios.  Coffrin,  please  to  pay  toThos.  Russ  two  Shillings,  Lawfull 
money,  and  this  shall  be  your  Discharge  of  all  Demands  from  yours,  sir, 

“ Ob adi ah  Hawse.” 

“ Allenstown,  Sept.  29,  1765. 

“ This  Day  Received  of  Thomas  Cochran  five  Shillings,  Lawfull  money, 
it  Being  in  Full  of  this  order  and  all  other  Debts  from  ye  Begining  of  ye 
World  to  this  Date. 

“ Witness  whereof, 

“ Thos.  Russ.” 

The  following  is  a copy  of  a letter  written  to  Robert 
Paterson,  of  New  Boston,  N.  H.,  from  a soldier  in  the 
Revolutionary  War : 

“ Medford,  June  ye  12,  1775. 

“ Honored  father, — I take  this  opportunity  to  let  you  know  that  I and 
brother  Samuel  is  well — Blessed  Be  God  for  it! — hoping  you  all  enjoy  the 
Same  Blessing.  I have  Reason  to  Bles  god  at  all  times  For  preserving 
Mercies,  But  especialy  in  the  Day  of  Battle,  when  I escaped  So  near.  I 
have  nothing  Remarkable  to  write  to  you,  But  I like  my  living  very  well 
and  we  enjoy  pease  and  plenty  at  present.  Remember  My  Love  to 
Thomas  Colum  and  his  Faiuely  and  all  enquiring  friends.  Not  forgeting 
The  Pretey  gearls,  So  Sad  no  more  but  Remain  you  Duty  full  Son  till 
death. 

“Alexander  Paterson.” 

The  above  papers,  consisting  of  aboxfull,  containing 
receipts,  deeds,  contracts  and  two  or  three  copies,  sys 
tematically  kept,  of  account-books,  with  dates  from 
1764  to  1800,  are  in  the  hands  of  the  writer.  They 
contain  interesting  references  to  our  early  settlers, 
which  want  of  space  will  not  allow  us  to  publish. 

The  following  documents,  which  were  found  in  the 
New  Hampshire  State  papers  compiled  by  Hamond, 
relate  to  Hooksett  anterior  to  the  organization  of 
the  town. 

PETITION  OF  JOSHUA  ABBOTT  FOR  A FERRY  IN  1782. 

“ To  the  Honorable  the  Council  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the 
State  of  New  Hampshire,  in  General  Court  Convened  at  Concord,  the 
llth  Day  of  June,  1782. 

“We,  the  Subscribers,  inhabiting  near  Isle  a Hucksett  Falls,  on  mer- 
rimack  River,  apprehend  a Ferry  is  much  wanted  at  or  near  said  Falls, 
which  would  greatly  accomodate  the  Public  ; and  Joshua  Abbott,  having 
purchased  a Piece  of  Land  and  bargained  for  a Boat,  in  order  to  keep 
said  Ferry.  Wherefore  your  petitions  humbly  pray  that  your  Honors 
would  make  a Grant  of  said  Ferry  to  said  Abbot,  and  your  Petitioners,  as 
in  Duty  bound,  shall  ever  pray  : 

“Laban  Hariman,  John  Hart,  John  Carter,  Ephraim  Kinsman,  Abner 
danders,  Moses  Moor,  Richard  danders,  Joshua  Abbott,  N.  C.  Abbott, 
David  guoge,  Stephen  farington,  Nath.  Greene,  John  Blanchard,  William 
Mestin,  Juner,  Joseph  Hazeltine,  Sam.  Davis,  Joseph  Carter,  John  Brown, 

Robert  Davis,  David  Carter,  Thomas  Cochrane,  Jonathan  , Daniel 

Brown,  Ebenr  Hall,  Timothy  Hall,  Richard  danders,  Tim0  Walker,  Junr., 

Phines  , Joseph  Abbott,  Benj.  Hanaford,  Enoch  Brown,  Enoch 

Coffin,  Nathan  Green,  Moses  Carter,  Thomas  Stickney,  Samuel  Farring- 
ton, James  Walkar,  Stephen  Kimball,  Simeon  Carr,  Sm.  Willard,  Fran- 
cis Mitchel,  Natha  Abbott,  James  Moore,  Ephraim  moor,  Luther  Clay, 
Olive  danders,  Daniel  Abbott,  Rob.  Harris,  Aaron  Stevens,  Timothy 
Bradley,  Daniel  Hall,  Richard  Ayer,  Stephen  Hall,  John  Odlin,  Bruce 
Walker,  William  Brown,  Benja.  Fifield,  Micali  Flanders,  Philip  Abbot 

Patiali , William  Fifield,  Thomas  Chandler,  Ephraim  Colby,  Stephen 

Abbott,  John  Lear,  Dan.  Stickney.” 


366 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


In  the  mean  time  Dustin  and  Martin  petitioned  for 
a ferry  about  four  miles  below  (now  called  Martin’s 
Ferry),  in  Hooksett,  as  follows: 

“To  the  Honerable,  the  Council  and  Assembly  of  the  State  of  New 
Hampshire,  now  convened  at  Concord,  in  said  State  : 

“We,  the  Petitioners,  John  Dustin  & Daniel  martin,  of  Chester,  In  the 
County  of  Rockingham,  in  said  State,  humbly  Skeweth  that  your  Peti- 
tioners has  lived  many  years  in  Said  Chester,  on  the  Bank  of  Merrimack 
River,  In  such  a situation  for  keeping  a Ferry  as  is  Very  convenient  to 
accomodate  a great  Number  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Goffstown,  Dunbarton 
and  of  many  other  towns  above  who  have  Occasion  to  travil  to  the  Lower 
Part  of  this  and  the  massachusetts  State,  that  highways  have  been  Laid 
out  by  the  town,  Joining  on  both  sides  of  the  River  to  said  Place,  aDd 
well  made  and  Repaired,  and  that  Your  Petitioners  has  been  at  a con- 
siderable Expence  In  buildingand  maintaining  of  boats  and  giving  con- 
stant attendence  to  Ferry  People  across  for  more  than  sixteen  years 
when  the  profits  was  Very  Inconsiderable  and  In  No  wise  Equal  to  the 
Expense,  and  that  there  is  now  Considerable  travilling  and  dayly  in- 
creasing, Being  found  to  be  Very  advantageous  to  the  Public,  and  that 
your  Petitioners  suspects  that  a petition  will  bo  prefered  to  your  Honors 
for  a Licence  to  Keep  a Ferry  on  said  River,  about  two  or  three  miles  up 
said  River,  from  where  your  petitioners  Keeps  their  ferry  (where  there 
is  no  Road  Laid  out  on  neither  side  of  the  River  to  the  place),  with  an 
Intent  to  prevent  your  petitioners  from  any  profit  by  their  ferry,  where- 
fore your  petitioners  humbly  prays  that  you  would  grant  them  a License 
to  Keep  a Ferry  where  they  now  Does,  and  that  if  a petition  shall  be 
prefered,  as  suspected,  that  you  would  Dismiss  the  same  or  appoint  a Com- 
mittee In  the  vicinity  to  view  the  place  proposed  for  a ferry  with  the 
phice  for  Roads  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  as  well  as  your  petitioners’  ferry 
and  the  Roads  leading  to  and  from  the  Same,  and  make  Report  that 
your  petitioners  may  have  an  opportunity  of  appearing  on  Any  future 
day  you  may  appoint  to  shew  cause,  and  your  petitioners,  as  in  duty 
bound,  will  ever  pray. 

“ John  Dustin. 

“ Chester,  June  14th,  1782.”  “ Daniel  Martin. 

In  the  House  of  Representatives,  November  19, 
1782,  a committee  having  viewed  the  premises,  re- 
ported in  favor  of  establishing  the  ferry  asked  for  by 
Dustin  and  Martin  instead  of  the  one  asked  for  by 
Abbott,  et  ah.  A vote  giving  leave  in  accordance 
therewith  passed  the  Assembly.  The  locality  is  still 
called  Martin’s  Ferry. 

The  following  is  a copy  of  the  McGregore  and  Dun- 
can petition  for  the  exclusive  privilege  of  locking 
Hooksett  Falls,  1794 : 

“ To  the  Hon1  the  Senate  and  house  of  Representatives  for  the  State  of 
New  Hampshire,  convened  at  Exeter  on  Wednesday,  the  25th  of  Dec., 
1793.  Humbly  shew  your  petitioners  that  they  conceive  the  advantages 
arising  from  canals  opened  round  the  falls  of  Rivers  in  a Country  of  such 
vast  extent  as  ours,  and  at  a great  distance  from  the  Sea  ports,  to  be 
almost  innumerable  ; that  the  enterprise  and  public  spirit  of  the  present 
age  have  afforded  ample  proofs  of  this  and  have  inspired  your  petitioners 
with  an  intention  of  commencing  a work  of  such  universal  utility  ; 
That,  should  the  River  merrimack,  as  is  projected,  be  made  navigable 
for  boats,  timber,  etc.,  from  its  mouth  round  Amoskeag  Falls,  the  benev- 
olent intention  of  the  legislature  would  be  rendered  quite  useless  unlessa 
canal  was  also  cut  for  that  purpose  by  Isle  a hooksett  Falls,  upon  the  said 
river,  and  above  the  said  Falls  of  Amoskeag.  Your  petitioners  are  sensible 
that  undertaking  of  this  nature  is  hazardous  and  expensive,  and  attended 
with  almost  insurmountable  difficulties.  But  that  the  public  may  be  ac- 
comodated with  a work  of  such  obvious  utility,  your  petitioners  have  re- 
solved, with  the  encouragement  of  the  legislature,  to  cut  and  perfect  a 
canal  round  the  said.  Isle  a hooksett  falls  with  all  possible  diligence. 
They  therefore  pray  that  this  honerable  body  would  grant  to  them  the 
exclusive  privilege  of  cutting  a canal  round  said  Isle  a hooksett  falls  for 
said  convenient  purpose  of  navigating  boats,  timber,  etc.,  by  said  falls 
with  safety  and  dispatch,  and  that  they  would  allow  them  such  reasonable 
toll  to  compensate  their  trouble  and  expence  as  they  think  proper,  and 
that  they  may  have  leave  to  bring  in  a bill  accordingly,  and,  as  in  duty 
bound,  will  ever  pray. 

“Robert  McGregore. 

“ Exeter,  January  1st,  1794.”  “ William  Duncan. 


In  the  House  of  Representatives,  January  4,  1794, 
the  petitioners  were  granted  leave  to  bring  in  a bill. 
Subsequently  the  privilege  asked  for  was  granted, 
and  the  same  was  extended  in  1797.  This  canal,  or 
“ locks,”  as  it  was  sometimes  called,  was  a very  im- 
portant enterprise  in  those  times.  It  facilitated  mer- 
chantable traffic  between  the  people  above  and  the 
country  below.  They  were  kept  iD  general  use  until 
about  1840,  when  the  railroads  commenced  to  be 
built  into  the  central  part  of  New  Hampshire. 
Hooksett  Falls,  since  the  earliest  settlements  along 
the  river,  have  been  considered  important.  They 
have  also  been  dangerous  to  boatmen  who  plied  the 
river  in  the  capacity  as  common  carriers.  The  chan- 
nel and  ragged  rocks  through  which  the  water  flows 
was  deceitful  and  very  precipitous.  About  fifteen  lives 
have  been  lost  on  these  falls.  One  of  the  saddest  ac- 
cidents that  ever  occurred  on  the  falls  was  about  the 
year  1840.  Three  children,  the  oldest  about  ten  years, 
in  the  temporary  absence  of  their  mother,  wandered 
to  the  head  of  the  falls,  finding  an  unlocked  boat, 
and  while  innocently  playing  in  the  same,  the  boat 
was  cast  upon  the  waters  and  floated  into  the  stream 
and  went  over  the  falls.  They  were  all  three  lost. 
These  children  belonged  to  Milo  L.  Whitney,  lately 
deceased.  The  annual  “drive”  of  logs,  which  at  the 
present  time  is  not  so  large,  sometimes  receives  a se- 
rious “set  back”  at  these  falls.  Huge  jams  have  oc- 
curred, when  it  would  take  weeks  to  get  them  off. 
Quite  a number  of  log-drivers  have  been  killed  and 
drowned  while  working  on  them.  The  descent  of  the 
water  is  about  eighteen  feet  in  a distance  of  thirty 
rods.  They  afford  excellent  facilities  for  additional 
manufacturing.  Only  about  two-tenths  of  the  power 
is  at  present  utilized.  The  Concord  Railroad  built, 
about  the  year  1868,  three  spans  of  bridges  over  the 
falls  to  the  east  side  of  the  river.  This  gives  to  the 
occui>ants  of  the  cars  a grand,  romantic  view. 

In  the  year  of  1799  an  attempt  to  have  the  upper 
end  of  the  town  of  Chester  annexed  to  Pembroke 
was  made  through  a petition  of  Nathaniel  Head  and 
others,  on  account  of  long  distance  from  church  and 
town  business  privileges.  In  1818  a petition  was 
presented  to  the  legal  voters  in  the  north  part  of 
Chester  and  the  east  part  of  Dunbarton  and  Allens- 
town,  but  was  not  acted  upon.  In  the  year  of  1818, 
Henry  Moulton  and  thirty  others  of  Dunbarton 
petitioned  the  Legislature  for  a new  town.  In  the 
year  of  1821,  Samuel  Head  and  thirty-two  others 
presented  a petition  ; also  Nathaniel  Head  and  seven- 
ty-two others,  inhabitants  of  Chester,  Dunbarton 
and  the  easterly  part  of  Goffstown.  These  petitions, 
so  strongly  representing  the  inhabitants  of  the  above 
locality,  were  presented  to  the  General  Court.  The 
committee  on  the  part  of  the  House  reported  to 
postpone  action  until  the  next  session,  and  the  report 
was  accepted. 

It  was  voted  by  the  House  of  Representatives,  at 
this  session,  1821,  “That  the  petitioners  be  heard  <iu 


HOOKSETT. 


3G7 


t heir  petition  before  the  standing  committee  on  in- 
corporations on  the  first  Tuesday  of  the  next  session 
of  the  Legislature,  and  that  the  petitioners  cause  the 
selectmen  of  the  towns  of  Chester,  Goffstown  and 
Dunbarton  to  be  notified  of  the  substance  of  the  peti- 
tion, etc.”  At  the  next  spring  meeting  the  towns  of 
Dunbarton  and  Chester  voted  to  grant  the  favor,  and 
Goffstown  voted  to  remonstrate,  by  a majority  of  one  j 
hundred  and  ten  legal  votes  against  twenty-two  in  fa- 
vor. The  selectmen  accordingly  sent  in  a remon- 
strance in  long  detail.  Caleb  Austin,  Caleb  Her- 
sey  and  Daniel  Straw,  of  Dunbarton,  put  in  a remon- 
stance.  Their  principal  reason  was  that  the  river 
running  through  the  town  would  be  a great  inconve- 
nience, and  that  it  would  derange  school  districts. 
Hugh  J.  Taggart  and  Andrew  Melntire,  of  Gofis- 
town,  also  sent  in  a remonstrance,  voicing,  in  the 
main,  the  same  objections  that  those  from  Dunbarton 
gave.  On  June  20,  1822,  the  standing  committee  on 
incorporations,  after  hearing  all  the  parties  interested, 
reported  favorably  to  the  project,  and  that  the  peti- 
tioners have  leave  to  bring  in  a bill.  The  following 
is  the  copy  of  the  original  bill,  as  passed  by  the  legis- 
lature,— 

“State  of  New  Hampshire. 

“ In  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  twenty-two, 
An  act  to  incorporate  the  town  of  Hooksett. 

11  Whereas  petitions  signed  by  a number  of  the  inhabitants  of  Chester, 
Dunbarton  and  Goffstown  have  been  presented  to  the  General  Court, 
praying  to  be  incorporated  into  a separate  town,  and  the  prayer  thereof 
appearing  reasonable,  Therefore,  Section  1st.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate 
and  House  of  Representatives  in  General  Court  convened  that  all  the 
lands  and  inhabitants  within  those  parts  of  the  towns  of  Chester,  Dun- 
barton and  Goffstown  herein  described,  to  wit : Beginning  at  the  north- 
easterly corner  of  Manchester  ; thence  on  a straight  line  to  the  south- 
east corner  of  lot  No.  60,  in  the  fourth  range  of  lots  in  Chester  ; thence 
on  the  easterly  line  of  said  lot  No.  60  and  lots  No.  71  and  80,  northerly 
to  the  southeast  corner  of  lot  No.  95  ; thence  across  a part  of  said  lot  No. 
95  and  lot  No.  94  south,  70  degrees  east,  to  the  south  head-line  of  said  lot 
No.  94 ; thence  north,  23  degrees  east,  to  the  southwest  corner  of  Candia ; 
thence  northerly  on  Candia  line  to  Allenstown  south  line  ; thence  west- 
erly on  Allenstown  to  Merrimack  river  ; thence  across  said  river  to  the 
southeasterly  corner  of  Bow  ; thence  by  Bow  line  to  the  southerly  cor- 
ner of  said  Bow  ; thence  running  a line  due  south  until  it  strikes  the 
northerly  line  of  Goffstown  ; thence  westerly  on  Goffstown  line  to  the 
northwest  corner  of  Hugh  J.  Taggart’s  land  ; thence  southerly  to  the 
southwest  corner  of  lot  No.  4,  in  Goffstown,  formerly  owned  by  Col. 
Robert  McGregore  ; thence  easterly  on  the  southerly  line  of  said  lot  No. 
4,  and  continuing  the  same  course,  until  it  strikes  the  highway  leading 
from  Samuel  Poor’s  to  Merrimack  river  ; thence  by  said  highway,  and 
including  the  same,  to  said  river ; thence  by  said  river  to  the  northwest 
corner  of  Manchester  ; and  thence  to  the  place  of  beginning,  be  and  the 
same  hereby  are  incorporated  into  a town  by  the  name  of  Hooksett,  and 
the  inhabitants  who  now  reside,  or  hereafter  may  reside,  within  the 
aforesaid  boundaries  are  made  and  constituted  a body  politick  and  corpo- 
rate, and  vested  with  all  the  powers,  privileges  and  immunities  which 
other  towns  in  this  State  are  entitled  to  enjoy,  to  remain  a distinct  town 
and  have  continuance  and  succession  forever. 

“Section  2d.  And  be  it  further  enacted  that  all  names  that  are 
assessed  for  schools  in  the  towns  of  Chester,  Dunbarton  and  Goffstown 
shall  be  divided  between  the  said  towns  and  the  several  parts  of  the  said 
town  of  Hooksett,  disannexed  from  said  towns,  according  to  their  pro- 
portion of  the  public  taxes,  and  all  funds  belonging  to  said  towns  of 
Chester,  Dunbarton  and  Goffstown  shall  be  in  like  manner  divided,  re- 
serving to  said  town  of  Goffstown  the  donation  given  by  James  Aiken  to 
said  Goffstown,  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Hooksett  shall  pay  as 
all  taxes  now  assessed  on  them  by  the  towns  of  Chester,  Dunbarton  and 
Goffstown  respectively,  and  the  said  town  of  Hooksett  shall,  after  the 
next  annual  meeting,  support  all  the  present  poor,  including  all  those 


who  are  supported  in  whole  or  in  part  who  have  gained  a settlement  in 
the  towns  of  Chester,  Dunbarton  or  Goffstown,  by  living  in  that  part  of 
either  of  said  towns  that  is  now  included  in  the  town  of  Hooksett,  and 
shall  support  any  poor  now  residing  in  any  other  towns,  which  by  law 
the  townsof  Chester,  Dunbarton  and  Goffstown  may  respectively  be  lia- 
ble to  relieve  or  support  that  have  gained  a settlement  in  either  of  said 
towns  by  residing  within  the  boundaries  now  constituting  the  town  of 
Hooksett,  provided,  nevertheless,  that  this  act  shall  not  effect  the  inter- 
est of  any  of  the  inhabitants  of  Chester,  Dunbarton  and  Goffstown,  or  of 
the  town  of  Hooksett,  in  any  school-house  now  erected  within  the 
same. 

“Section  3d.  And  be  it  further  enacted  that  Samuel  Head,  of  Chester, 
and  William  Hall,  of  Dunbarton,  or  either  of  them,  be  impowered  to 
call  a meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  said  town  of  Hooksett  for  the 
purpose  of  choosing  all  necessary  town  officers,  to  continue  in  office  until 
the  annual  meeting  of  said  town  in  March  next,  and  either  of  them 
may  preside  in  said  meeting  until  a moderator  shall  be  chosen  to  govern 
the  same,  which  meeting  shall  be  holden  some  time  in  the  month  of 
September  next,  and  shall  be  warned  by  pasting  up  a notification  fifteen 
days  prior  to  the  time  of  holding  the  same  at  Nathaniel  Head’s  house, 
in  Chester,  at  William  Hall’s  house,  in  Dunbarton,  and  at  David  Ab- 
bott’s house,  in  Goffstown,  provided  that  all  town  officers  residing  within 
the  limits  of  the  town  of  Hooksett,  who  were  chosen  by  the  town  of 
Chester,  Dunbarton  or  Goffstown,  shall  continue  in  their  respective  offices 
during  the  time  for  which  they  were  elected,  with  full  powers  to  execute 
the  same,  and  provided,  further,  that  all  the  public  taxes  which  the  towns 
of  Chester,  Dunbarton  and  Goffstown  shall  or  may  be  compelled  to  assess 
before  a new  act  for  proportioning  the  public  taxes  among  the  several 
towns  in  the  state  shall  pass,  may  be  assessed,  levied  and  collected  by  the 
proper  officers  of  the  said  towns  of  Chester,  Dunbarton  and  Goffstown 
upon  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Hooksett  in  case  the  selectmen  of 
said  Hooksett  neglect  to  assess,  levy  and  collect  their  proportion  of  such 
public  taxes  and  pay  the  same  seasonably  unto  the  treasurers  of  the 
towns  of  Chester,  Dunbarton  and  Goffstown  in  the  same  way  and  man- 
ner as  if  the  act  had  uot  passed,  anything  herein  to  the  contrary  notwith- 
standing. 

“Section  4th.  And  be  it  further  enacted  that  said  town  of  Hooksett 
shall  be,  and  hereby  is,  annexed  to  and  considered  a part  of  the  county 
of  Hillsborough,  and  that  said  town  be  annexed  to  Senatorial  district 
number  three  and  to  the  eleventh  Regiment  of  Militia  in  this  State. 

“State  of  New  Hampshire. 

“In  the  House  of  Representatives  June  25th,  1822  : This  bill,  having 
had  three  several  readings,  passed  to  be  enacted.  Sent  up  for  concur- 
rence. 

“Charles  Woodman,  Speaker. 

“In  Senate,  Je.  29,  1822  : The  foregoing  bill  was  brought  up,  read  a 
third  time  and  enacted. 

“Jonathan  Harvey,  President. 

“ July  2d,  1822,  Approved, 

“ Samue#  Bell. 

“A  true  copy.  Attest, 

“Samuel  Sparhawk,  Secretary .” 

The  following  is  a copy  of  the  petition  and  a list  of 
the  signers. 

“To  the  Hon.  the  Senate  and  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the 
State  of  New  Hampshire,  in  General  Court  convened,  Humbly  shew — 
The  petition  of  the  undersigned  that  they  are  inhabitants  of  the  north- 
westerly part  of  the  town  of  Chester,  in  the  County  of  Rockingham  and 
the  easterly  part  of  Dunbarton,  and  the  easterly  part  of  Goffstown,  in 
the  County  of  Hillsborough,  that  their  places  of  residence  are  at  the 
distances  of  from  ten  to  sixteen  miles  from  the  places  established  for  the 
transaction  of  town  business  and  for  holding  public  worship  in  said 
towns.  By  reason  whereof  they  are  in  a measure  deprived  of  the  com- 
mon rights  and  privileges  enjoyed  generally  by  the  good  citizens  of 
this  State.  They  therefore  pray  the  legislature,  in  their  goodness,  to 
relieve  them  of  the  inconveniences  to  which  they  are  now  subjected  by 
granting  an  act  incorporating  all  the  lands  and  inhabitants  of  said  Ches- 
ter, Dunbarton  and  Goffstown  hereinafter  described  to  wit : beginning 
northerly  and  northwesterly  of  a line  drawn  from  the  northeasterly 
corner  of  Manchester,  in  the  County  of  Hillsborough,  across  said  Chester, 
in  such  course  as  may  be  thought  most  proper,  to  the  southwesterly  cor- 
ner of  the  town  of  Candia:  thence  by  Candia  line  to  Allenstown  liDe  ; 
thence  by  Allenstown  line  to  Merrimack  river  ; thence  across  the  Merri- 
mac  river  to  the  southeasterly  corner  of  Bow  ; thence  by  Bow  line  to 
the  southerly  corner  of  said  Bow ; thence  running  a line  due  south 
until  it  strikes  Goffstown  line;  thence  through  Goffstown  southeaster!}7  till 


3G8 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


it  strikes  Merrimack  river  opposite  the  northwesterly  corner  of  the  town 
of  Manchester;  thence  from  the  northwesterly  corner  of  the  town  of 
Manchester  to  the  hounds  first  mentioned,  into  a town,  with  all  the 
powers,  privileges  and  immunities  to  which  other  towns  in  this  state  are 
liy  law  entitled,  and  to  be  annexed  to  the  County  of  Hillsborough,  and 
as  in  duty  bound,  will  ever  pray. 

“Feb.  7,  1821. 

“Nathaniel  Head,  Samuel  Head,  Henry  Moulton,  Jno.  Whipple,  Wm. 
Hall,  James  Otterson,  Jr.,  Stephen  Goodridge,  Jno.  Johnson,  Joseph 
Whittier,  Joseph  Whittier,  Jr.,  Joshua  Abbott,  Daniel  Allen,  Richard 
Straw,  David  Lakin,  Henry  Moulton,  Luther  Sliattuck,  Wm.  Otterson, 
Winthrop  Knight,  John  Welch,  Benjamin  Mitchell,  Josiali  George, 
Nath’l  Mitchell,  John  Quimby,  Joseph  Brown,  Enos  Ela,  Wells  Carter, 
James  Oughterson,  George  A.  Louchlin,  James  Brown,  Nathan  Hawse, 
Joseph  Hawse,  Richard  Head,  John  Kimball,  Simeon  Bradford,  Mark 
Whittier,  John  S.  Wheeler,  Jacob  M.  Farnum,  Joseph  Mitchell,  Janies 
Mitchell,  Mroliam  Mitchell.  James  Page,  Richard  Davis,  John  Prescott. 
Charles  Flanders,  Samuel  Thompson,  Israel  Ela,  Jr.,  John  Jenness,  Wm. 
Taggart,  Jones  Hacket,  Jr.,  Jona.  Moulton,  Samuel  Martin,  Israel  Ela, 
John  Head,  Robert  Brown,  Isaac  C.  Otterson,  Peter  C.  Rowell,  Josiuh 
Rowell,  John  Knox,  Mathew  Gault,  Asa  Gordon,  Samuel  Huston,  Ezra 
Kimball,  Roger  Dutton,  Joshua  Martin,  Jr.,  John  M.  Farnum,  Henry 
Dutton,  Elijah  Colby.” 

We  see,  by  producing  the  names  of'  the  signers  of 
the  above  petition,  who  the  principal  residents  were 
at  the  time  the  town  was  incorporated.  It  contained 
all  the  principal  real  estate  owners,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a few  living  in  these  parts  who  would  not  be  di- 
rectly benefited.  In  the  southeast  part  of  the  town  a 
few  inhabitants  were  indifferent  to  the  matter,  as  they 
were,  perhaps,  as  near  Chester  proper  as  they  would 
be  at  Hooksett  village.  Hooksett  village,  as  origi- 
nally located,  was  almost  to  the  extreme  limit  in  the 
northwest  part  of  the  town,  which,  fortunately,  ac- 
commodated the  major  part  of  the  population,  and 
since  the  formation  of  the  town,  people  in  the  remote 
sections  have  cpiite  a distance  to  travel  to  do  town 
business.  For  post-office  accommodations  and  com- 
mercial transactions  the  people  living  contiguous  to 
Manchester  patronize  that  city.  In  the  year  of  1823 
the  following  persons,  residents  in  town,  were  assessed 
for  taxes.  It  was  the  first  inventory  taken,  and  will 
show  the  complete  family  record  in  the  whole  town  at 
that  time, — 

Richard  II.  Ayer,  Joshua  Abbott,  Caleb  Austin,  David  Abbott,  Daniel 
Allen,  James  Ayer,  William  Abbott,  Dominicus  Abbott,  James  Brown, 
John  Bagley,  Hiram  Brown,  Robert  Brown,  James  Buntin,  Samuel 
Bell  Wd.  Rachael  Cochran,  Clark  Colby,  Aaron  Carter,  Wells  Carter, 
Josiah  Colby,  Walter  Clay,  John  Clay,  James  Calbert,  Moses  Collins, 
Enoch  F.  Cleasby,  Benjamin  Cushing,  Richard  Davis,  John  Davis, 
Ilazen  Davis,  Daniel  Davis,  Roger  Dutton,  Henry  Dutton,  Joshua  Dus- 
tin Israel  Ela,  Enos  Ela,  Daniel  Ela,  Stephen  Eames,  Jacob  M.  Far- 
num William  Farnum,  Nathaniel  Farnum,  Moses  Furen,  Frederick 
French,  Stephen  L.  Goodridgh,  Robert  Gordon,  Mathew  Gault,  Asa 
Gordon  Jesse,  Gault,  Joseph  Glines,  Janies  W.  Hubbard,  Nathaniel 
Head  Samuel  Head,  William  Hall,  John  Head,  Richard  Head,  Nathan- 
iel Hill,  Moses  Hill,  Caleb  Ilearsey,  Samuel  Hearsey,  James  Hacket, 
James  Hacket,  Jr.,  Moses  Hacket,  Nathan  Hawse,  Samuel  Huston, 
James  nutchison,  James  Hawse,  Benjamin  Hill,  Larheriah  Heath, 
Thomas  Johnson,  Richard  Quimby,  John  Quimby,  Samuel  Rowell, 
Josiah  Rowell,  Peter  C.  Rowell,  John  P.  Rowell,  Daniel  Rowe,  Levi 
ltowe,  William  Roach,  Benjamin  Ring,  Nathaniel  Rea,  Benjamin  Saw- 
yer, Abbott  Saltmarsh,  Thomas  Saltmarsh,  Daniel  Straw,  Daniel  Sawyer, 
Thomas  Sherman,  Aaron  Saltmarsh,  Josiah  Shipley,  Hugh  J.  Taggart, 
William  Taggart,  Thomas  R.  Taggart,  Samuel  Thompson,  Theodore 
Tarbox,  John  Whipple,  Joseph  Whittier,  Dearborn  Whittier,  James 
Whittier,  Jr.,  William  Wicom,  Enoch  G.  Wicom,  William  Wells,  Gilbert 
Walton,  John  S.  Wheeler,  William  Wiggins,  John  Welch,  Thomas 
Wicom,  Daniel  Young,  Daniel  Kittridge,  John  Kimball,  John  C.  Kim- 


ball, Jesse  Kimball,  Lehman  Lincoln,  David  Lakin,  Samuel  Murtiu, 
Samuel  Lakin,  Nathaniel  Mitchell,  Abraham  Mitchell,  James  Mitchell, 
Benjamin  Mitchell,  Joseph  Mitchell,  Relyre  Mitchell,  Henry  Moulton, 
Henry  Moulton,  Henry  Moulton,  Jr.,  Joshua  Martin,  David  Martin,  Jr., 
Josiah  Magoon,  George  W.  Martin,  Isaac  Martin,  Daniel  Moody,  James 
Otterson,  James  Otterson,  Jr.,  William  Otterson,  Isaac  Otterson.  William 
Parker,  Jonathan  Prescott,  Samuel  Poor,  John  Prescott,  James  Prescott, 
Ira  Poor,  Eri  Poor,  Jesse  Poor,  James  Putnam,  James  II.  Page,  Dnvid 
Page,  David  Page,  Jr.,  Richard  Palmer. 

CIVIL  HISTORY. 

1822.  —The  first  meeting  of  the  legal  voters  qualified  to  vote  was  held 
on  the  16th  day  of  September,  1822,  at  the  house  of  William  Wall. 
“Chose  Hon.  Richard  II.  Ayer,  moderator;  Gideon  Flanders,  town 
clerk;  chose  lion.  Richard  H.  Ayer,  Samuel  Head  and  Samuel  Poor, 
selectmen  ; chose  Captain  Daniel  Sawyer,  Colonel  John  Head,  Captain 
John  Prescott,  constables ; chose  Abram  Mitchell.  John  Clay,  hog  reefs  ; 
chose  Josiah  McGoon,  Roger  Dutton,  surveyors  of  lumber;  chose  Jacob 
T.  Wallace,  John  Begley,  cutters  of  staves;  chose  John  Whipple,  Robert 
Davis  and  Nathaniel  Mitchell,  school  committee ; chose  Robert  Brown, 
treasurer.” 

1823.  — The  first  annual  meeting  was  held  at  the  house  of  Samuel 
Head,  March  11,  1823.  Elected  Hon.  Richard  II.  Ayer,  moderator ; 
Gideon  Flanders,  clerk  ; for  Governor:  Samuel  Diusmore,  73  ; 
Levi  Woodbury,  G7 ; lion.  Richard  II.  Ayer,  representative;  Rich- 
ard H.  Ayer,  Captain  Daniel  Sawyer,  Samuel  Poor,  selectmen ; 
Samuel  Head,  treasurer;  Dr.  Samuel  Houston,  collector  of  taxes; 
Gideon  1 landers,  Dr.  Samuel  Houston,  William  Hall,  school  committee. 
“ Voted,  that  two  days'  labor  be  raised  on  a single  Poll  and  other  prop- 
erty in  proportion  for  a highway  tax,  one-half  of  which  to  be  worked 
out  in  the  winter.”  “ Voted,  to  accept  the  road  laid  out  by  the  Select- 
men from  the  South  end  of  Hooksett  Bridge  to  the  highway  that  leads 
from  James  Otterson  land  to  the  saw-millton  Hooksett  Falls.”  “Voted, 
that  the  Barn-Yards  of  Jacob  M.  Farnum  and  Richard  H.  Ayer  be  con- 
sidered as  Pounds.”  Jacob  M.  Farnum  and  Roger  Dutton  were  ap- 
pointed pound-keepers. 

1824.  — Richard  II.  Ayer,  moderator ; John  Hoad,  clerk  ; for  Governor: 
David  L.  Morrill,  71  ; Levi  Woodbury,  36;  Samuel  Head,  representative  ; 
Richard  II.  Ayer,  Daniel  Sawyer,  Samuel  Poor,  selectmen  ; Samuel 
Head,  treasurer. 

1825.  — Richard  II.  Ayer,  moderator ; John  Head,  clerk ; Richard  II. 
Ayer,  Daniel  Sawyer,  Thomas  R.  Taggart,  selectmen  ; for  Governor: 
Benjamin  Peirce,  76  ; David  L.  Morrill,  50  ; Samuel  Head,  representa- 
tive ; John  Head,  treasurer;  Dr.  Asa  Sawyer,  Henry  Moulton,  Samuel 
Head,  school  committee  ; Asa  Gordon,  tax  collector. 

1826.  — Richard  II.  Ayer,  moderator ; John  Head,  clerk  ; R.  II.  Ayer, 
Thomas  R.  Taggart,  Jonathan  Davis,  selectmen  ; for  Governor:  Benja- 
min Peirce,  86  ; David  L.  Morrill,  53 ; Dr.  Asa  Sawyer,  representative  ; 
Samuel  Head,  Thomas  R.  Taggart,  Asa  Sawyer,  school  committee  ; 
Joseph  Mitchell,  tax  collector. 

1827.  — Richard  II.  Ayer,  moderator  ; John  Head,  clerk  ; R.  H.  Ayer, 
Thomas  R.  Taggart,  Jonathan  Davis,  selectmen;  for  Governor:  Benjamin 
Peirce,  106 ; David  L.  Morrill,  5 ; Dr.  Asa  Sawyer,  representative  ; Sam- 
uel Head,  treasurer  ; Isaac  C.  Otterson,  tax  collector  ; Hiram  Brown, 
Asa  Sawyer,  Thomas  R.  Taggart,  school  committee.  “Voted,  to  lay  out 
the  public  funds  in  building  a Town-House,  and  that  the  Selectmen  re- 
ceive proposals  for  land  to  erect  said  house  on  and  lay  the  same  before 
the  Town  at  the  adjournment  of  this  meeting  that  may  adopt  the  best 
place  to  locate  the  same.”  At  the  adjourned  meeting,  April  2,  1827,  in 
the  Boston  and  Concord  Boating  Company’s  store-house,  it  was  voted  to 
locate  the  ground  on  the  west  side  of  the  river.  The  vote  stood  74  in 
favor,  47  against.  Henry  Moulton,  Samuel  Head  and  Samuel  Poor 
were  chosen  committee  to  build  the  town-house,  of  brick,  fifty  by  sixty 
feet,  and  they  were  authorized  and  empowered  to  collect  all  the  public 
money  due  the  town  to  defray  the  expense  of  said  building,  and  that 
the  said  committee  be  authorized  to  cut  wood  on  any  land  belonging  to 
the  town  to  burn  brick  for  said  house.  On  the  15tb  of  September  a 
meeting  was  held  to  see  if  the  town  would  reconsider  the  previous  vote, 
relative  to  the  location  of  the  town-house,  and  see  if  the  town  would  locate 
on  a piece  of  land,  to  be  given  by  Nathaniel  Head  to  the  town,  near  the 
south  end  of  the  Hooksett  bridge.  It  was  voted  not  to  reconsider.  It 
was  voted  that  the  committee  should  build  a town-house  not  less  than 
forty  feet  wide,  nor  less  than  fifty  feet  long.  Samuel  Head  was  excused 
from  being  one  of  the  committee  and  Asa  Sawyer  was  elected  in  his 
place. 

1828.  — Town-meeting  was  held  at  the  hall  of  Rowe  & Davis.  Richard 
II.  Ayer,  moderator;  John  Head,  clerk;  Thomas  R.  Taggart,  Hiram 


HOOKSETT. 


369 


Brown,  William  Otterson,  selectmen  ; for  Governor:  Benjamin  Peirce, 
95;  John  Bell,  78  ; John  J.  Ayer,  representative.  The  meeting  was 
adjourned  to  March  l‘2th.  Again  a motion  was  made  at  this  meeting  to 
reconsider  the  location  of  the  town-house,  and  the  vote  stood  7G  in  favor, 
82  against.  It  was  voted  to  finish  the  inside  with  pews  and  sell  them 
at  public  vendue  on  conditions  not  less  than  forty  dollars,  the  town 
reserving  the  right  for  town-meetings. 

1829.  — Thomas  R.  Taggart,  moderator  ; Mathew  Gault,  clerk  ; Thomas 
R.  Taggart,  William  Otterson,  Robert  Davis,  selectmen  ; for  Governor : 
John  Bell,  56  ; Benjamin  Peirce,  108  ; Dr.  Asa  Sawyer,  representative  ; 
Henry  Moulton,  treasurer ; Isaac  C.  Otterson,  tax  collector. 

1830.  — Enoch  B.  Barnes,  moderator  ; Mathew  Gault,  clerk  ; Hiram 
Brown,  Robert  Davis,  Henry  Moulton,  selectmen  ; for  Governor : 
Mathew  Harvey,  109 ; Timothy  Upham,  50 ; Thomas  R.  Taggart,  rep- 
resentative ; Samuel  Head,  treasurer  and  tax  collector. 

1831. — Enoch  B.  Barnes,  moderator  ; Mathew  Gault,  town  clerk  ; 
Euoch  B.  Barnes,  Henry  Moulton,  Philip  Jones,  selectmen ; for  Gov- 
ernor: Samuel  Dinsinore,  95;  (Ichabod  Bartlett,  51;  Thomas  li.  Tag- 
gart, representative  ; William  Otterson,  tax  collector. 

1832.  — Enoch  B.  Barnes,  moderator  ; Mathew  Gault,  clerk  ; Philip 
Jones,  William  Otterson,  Thomas  Shannon,  selectmen  ; for  Governor: 
Samuel  Dinsmore,  88  ; Ichabod  Bartlett,  39  ; Enoch  B.  Barnes,  repre- 
sentative ; Henry  Moulton,  treasurer;  Joseph  Poor,  tax  collector. 
“ Voted  at  this  meeting  and  chose  a committee,  consisting  of  Thomas  R. 
Taggart  and  Samuel  Head,  to  examine  the  Wicom  Farm,  or  any  other 
one  that  can  be  bought  cheaper,  for  a poor  farm,  and  report  at  an  ad- 
journed meeting.” 

1833.  — Enoch  B.  Barnes,  moderator  ; Mathew  Gault,  clerk  ; Thomas 
R.  Taggart,  Hiram  Brown,  John  P.  Rowell,  selectmen ; for  Governor : 
Samuel  Dinsmore,  104  ; and  5 scattering  ; Mathew  Gault,  representative  ; 
Inda  Gile,  tax  collector. 

1834.  — Philip  Jones,  moderator  ; Mathew  Gault,  clerk  ; Philip  Jones, 
John  P.  Rowell,  Retyre  Mitchell,  selectmen  ; for  Governor : William 
Badger,  111;  Foster  Gowns,  2;  Mathew  Gault,  representative;  Henry 
Moulton,  treasurer ; Manly  H.  Brown,  tax  collector. 

1835.  — Amos  C.  Gale,  moderator;  Seth  K.  Jones, clerk  ; Mathew  Gault, 
Retyre  Mitchell,  Hiram  Austin,  selectmen;  for  Governor:  William 
Badger,  86;  Joseph  Healey,  48  ; Mathew  Gault,  representative;  Henry 
Moulton,  treasurer;  Isaac  C.  Otterson,  tax  collector. 

1836.  — Amos  C.  Gale,  moderator  ; Seth  K.  Jones,  clerk  ; Mathew 
Gault,  Hiram  Austin,  Thomas  R.  Taggart,  selectmen  ; Thomas  R.  Tag- 
gert,  representative  ; for  Governor  : Isaac  Hill,  88  ; scattering,  11 ; Seth 
K.  Jones,  treasurer  ; Isaac  C.  Otterson,  collector. 

1837.  — Mathew  Gault,  moderator  ; Seth  K.  Jones,  clerk  ; Thomas  R. 
Taggart,  Mathew  Gault,  Hiram  Brown,  selectmen  ; for  Governor:  Isaac 
Hill,  56  ; Frederick  G.  Stark,  19  ; Thomas  R.  Taggart,  representative  ; 
Seth  K.  Jones,  treasurer ; Isaac  C.  Otterson,  collector. 

1838.  — Richard  H.  Ayer,  moderator;  Seth  K.  Jones,  clerk ; Thomas 
R.  Taggart,  William  H.  Mitchell,  Joseph  Blanchard,  selectmen;  Seth  K. 
Jones,  representative  ; Seth  K.  Jones,  treasurer ; Isaac  C.  Otterson,  col- 
lector. 

1839.  — Richard  H.  Ayer,  moderator  ; Seth  K.  Jones,  clerk  ; Thomas 
R.  Taggart,  William  H.  Mitchell,  selectmen  ; for  Governor  : John  Page, 
134;  James  Wilson,  72  ; Seth  K.  Jones,  representative  ; Richard  H.  Ayer, 
treasurer ; Isaac  C.  Otterson,  collector. 

1840.  — Richard  H.  Ayer,  moderator  ; Seth  K.  Jones,  clerk  ; Thomas 
R.  Taggart,  Isaac  C.  Otterson,  John  P.  Rowell,  selectmen  ; for  Gov- 
ernor: John  Page,  113 ; Enos  Stevens,  53  ; Richard  H.  Ayer,  repre- 
sentative and  treasurer ; Isaac  C.  Otterson,  collector. 

1841.  — Richard  H.  Ayer,  moderator  ; Seth  K.  Jones,  clerk  ; Thomas  R. 
Taggart,  Isaac  C.  Otterson,  Eri  Poor,  selectmen;  for  Governor : John 
Page,  106  ; Enos  Stevens,  62  ; Richard  H.  Ayer,  representative  ; Seth  K. 
Jones,  treasurer;  Isaac  C.  Otterson,  collector. 

1842.  — Nathaniel  Ambrose,  moderator  ; Seth  K.  Jones,  clerk  ; Isaac  C. 
Otterson,  Eri  Poor,  Henry  Saltmarsh,  selectmen  ; for  Governor:  Henry 
Hubbard,  95  ; Enos  Stevens,  52;  John  H.  White,  30;  Hiram  Austin, 
representative;  Seth  K.  Jones,  treasurer;  Isaac  C.  Otterson,  col- 
lector. 

1843. — George  W.  F.  Converse,  moderator  ; Amos  G.  Gale,  clerk  ; 
Henry  Saltmarsh,  Benjamin  J.  Gile,  William  Parker,  selectmen  ; for 
Governor  : Henry  Hubbard,  80  ; John  H.  White,  50  ; Anthony  Colby, 
68  ; Richard  H.  Ayer,  representative;  Samuel  Head,  treasurer.  “ Voted 
to  purchase  the  Jabez  Green  farm  for  two  thousand  dollars.” 

1844.  — George  W.  F.  Converse,  moderator  ; Amos  G.  Gale,  clerk  ; Thomas 
R.  Taggart,  George  W.  F.  Converse,  Samuel  Melvin,  selectmen  ; for  Gover- 
nor: John  H.  Steele,  129;  Anthony  Colby,  57 ; John  4H.  White,  14  ; 


Hiram  Austin,  representative;  Samuel  Head,  Jr.,  treasurer ; Isaac  C. 
Otterson,  collector. 

1845.  — Richard  H.  Ayer,  moderator;  Amos  G.  Gale,  clerk  ; Thomas 
R.  Taggart,  George  W.  F.  Converse,  Isaac  Lewis,  selectmen  ; for  Gov- 
ernor: John  H.  Steele,  114;  Anthony  Colby,  65  ; William  H.  Mitchell, 
representative  ; Samuel  Head,  Jr.,  treasurer  ; John  II.  Mitchell,  col- 
lector. 

1846.  — Joseph  Blanchard,  moderator  ; Mathew  Gault,  clerk  ; Eri  Poor, 
Isaac  Lewis,  Jesse  Gault,  Jr.,  selectmen ; for  Governor : Jared  W. 
Williams,  134  ; Anthony  Colby,  73  ; N.  S.  Berry,  20  ; Samuel  Head,  Jr., 
treasurer;  John  II.  Mitchell,  collector.  “ Voted  not  to  send  representa- 
tive.” 

1847.  — John  Marshall,  moderator;  for  Governor:  J.  W.  Williams, 
159;  Anthony  Colby,  84;  William  H.  Mitchell,  representative;  Seth  K. 
Jones,  clerk  ; Mathew  Gault,  Stephen  Kimball,  George  W.  Davis,  select- 
men ; Roger  Dutton,  treasurer  ; John  H.  Mitchell,  collector. 

1848.  — John  Marshall,  moderator;  for  Governor:  J.  W.  Williams, 
166;  N.  S.  Berry,  100;  John  H.  Mitchell,  representative;  Seth  K. 
Jones,  clerk  ; Mathew  Gault,  Stephen  Kimball,  George  Davis,  selectmen  ; 
Roger  Dutton,  treasurer. 

1849.  — John  Marshall,  moderator  ; Seth  K.  Jones,  clerk  ; John  Mar- 
shall, John  H.  Mitchell,  Eri  Poor,  selectmen  ; for  Governor  : Samuel 
Dinsmore,  160  ; Levi  Chamberlain,  73  ; John  H.  Mitchell,  representa- 
tive ; Seth  K.  Jones,  treasurer ; Nathaniel  Mitchell,  collector. 

1850.  — John  Marshall,  moderator  ; Jabez  Green,  representative  ; for 
Governor:  Samuel  Dinsmore,  167;  Levi  Chamberlain,  65  ; Eri  Poor, 
John  L.  Garland,  Horace  Gage,  selectmen  ; Seth  K.  Jones,  treasurer  ; 
Jesse  Gault,  Jr.,  clerk.  On  October  8,  1850,  Jesse  Gault,  Jr.,  was  elected 
a delegate  to  the  convention  to  revise  the  Constitution. 

1851.  — Joseph  Blanchard,  moderator;  for  Governor:  Samuel  Dins- 
more, 126  ; John  Atwood,  70  ; Thomas  E.  Sawyer,  69 ; George  Thomp- 
son, Matthew  Gault.  James  P.  Ela,  selectmen  ; Jesse  Gault,  Jr.,  clerk  ; 
Seth  K.  Jones,  treasurer  ; Nathaniel  Mitchell,  collector  ; John  Marshall, 
representative.  “ Voted  to  pay  the  soldiers  of  the  Eighth  Company  of 
infantry  fifty  cents,  and  as  returned  by  Captain  Converse.” 

1852.  — Joseph  Blanchard,  moderator ; for  Governor : Noah  Martin, 
133  ; Thomas  E.  Sawyer,  68  ; John  Atwood,  54  ; John  Marshall,  repre- 
sentative; Mathew  Gault,  Horace  Gage,  Francis  B.  Watson,  selectmen  ; 
Seth  K.  Jones,  clerk  and  treasurer  ; Eri  Poor,  collector. 

1853.  — Horace  Gage,  moderator  ; Nathan  W.  Gove,  clerk;  Jesse  Gault, 
Jr.,  Samuel  Head,  Jr.,  Stephen  Kimball,  selectmen  ; for  Governor:  Noah 
Martin,  123  ; John  H.  White,  49  ; James  Bell,  46  ; Joseph  T.  Goss, 
treasurer  ; Nathaniel  Mitchell,  collector  ; Eri  Poor,  representative. 

1854.  — Joseph  Blanchard,  moderator;  Savory  T.  Burbank,  represen- 
tative; for  Governor:  N.  B.  Baker,  117  ; James  Bell,  55  ; Jared  Perkins, 
65;  N.  W.  Gove,  clerk;  Joseph  T.  Goss,  N.  Head,  Hiram  Kimball, 
selectmen  ; Joseph  T.  Goss,  treasurer  ; Nathaniel  Mitchell,  collector. 

1855.  — Joseph  Blanchard,  moderator  ; Jesse  Gault,  Jr.,  clerk  ; Joseph 
T.  Goss,  Nathaniel  Head,  Hiram  Kimball,  selectmen  ; S.  T.  Burbank, 
representative;  for  Governor:  Ralph  Metcalf,  136;  Nathaniel  B.  Baker, 
103  ; James  Bell,  16  ; Asa  Fowler,  10  ; Joseph  T.  Goss,  treasurer  ; May- 
hew  Clark,  collector. 

1856. — Joseph  Blanchard,  moderator  ; Roger  A.  Dutton,  clerk  ; John 
R.  Hall,  John  W.  Prescott,  Mawhevv  Clark,  selectmen  ; Jesse  Gault, 
representative  ; for  Governor:  John  S.  Wells,  139  ; Ralph  Metcalf,  124  ; 
Joseph  T.  Goss,  treasurer;  Isaac  Lewis,  collector. 

1857.  — Joseph  Blanchard,  moderator ; John  W.  Prescott,  clerk ; 
Joseph  T.  Goss,  John  W.  Prescott,  Enoch  Johnson,  selectmen  ; voted  not 
to  send  representative;  for  Governor:  William  Haile,  138  ; JohnS. 
Wells,  117  ; J.  T.  Goss,  treasurer ; A.  H.  Converse,  collector. 

1858. — Joseph  Blanchard,  moderator ; John  W.  Prescott,  clerk  ; 
Samuel  Head,  William  Shute,  Enoch  Johnson,  selectmen  ; J.  T.  Goss, 
treasurer ; A.  H.  Converse,  collector  ; Jesse  Gault,  representative  ; for 
Governor:  William  Haile,  155  ; Asa  P.  Cate,  110. 

1859.  — Joseph  Blanchard,  moderator ; John  W.  Prescott,  clerk  ; 
Samuel  Head,  William  F.  Head,  Henry  Saltmarsh,  selectmen  ; Joseph 
T.  Goss,  representative  ; for  Governor:  Ichabod  Goodwin,  129;  Asa  P. 
Cate,  99  ; Joseph  T.  Goss,  treasurer. 

1860.  — Jesse  Gault,  moderator;  John  W.  Prescott,  clerk;  Samuel 
Head,  William  F.  Head,  Henry  Saltmarsh,  selectmen  ; Joseph  T.  Goss, 
representative  ; for  Governor  : Ichabod  Goodwin,  132  ; Asa  P.  Cate,  106  ; 
Joseph  T.  Goss,  treasurer  ; Isaac  C.  Otterson,  collector. 

1861.  — Jesse  Gault,  moderator  ; John  W.  Prescott,  clerk  ; Jesse  Gault, 
William  Sanborn,  Nathaniel  Mitchell,  selectmen ; Nathaniel  Head, 
representative  ; Joseph  T.  Goss,  treasurer ; Isaac  C.  Otterson,  collector ; 
for  Governor : N.  S.  Berry,  102 ; George  Stark,  97. 


370 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


18G2. — Joseph  Blanchard,  moderator;  George  A.  Itobie,  clerk  ; Eri 
Poor,  William  Sanborn,  Charles  W.  James,  selectmen  ; Thomas  J.  Otter- 
son,  treasurer  ; John  W.  Prescott,  collector  ; Nathaniel  Head,  repre- 
sentative ; for  Governor:  N.  S.  Berry,  117  ; George  Stark,  87. 

1863.  — .Joseph  Blanchard,  moderator  ; George  A.  Robie,  clerk ; John 
L.  Garland,  C.  W.  James,  Harvey  Dennison,  selectmen;  Thomas  W. 
Nicholson,  representative;  for  Governor:  W.  Harriman,  48;  Joseph  A. 
Gilmore  81;  Ira  H.  Eastman,  100 ; 0.  T.  Marshall,  treasurer;  Josiah 
Clark,  collector. 

1864.  — Joseph  Blanchard,  moderator  ; George  A.  Robie,  clerk  ; John 
L.  Garland,  Harvey  Dennison,  John  H.  Rand,  selectmen  ; Thomas  W. 
Nicholson,  representative;  0.  T.  Marshall,  treasurer;  JolinW.  Prescott, 
Collector;  for  Governor:  Joseph  A.  Gilmore.  126;  E.  W.  Harrington, 
73. 

1865.  —Joseph  Blanchard,  moderator  ; George  A.  Robie,  clerk  ; Harvey 
Dennison,  Martin  L.  Otterson,  David  A.  Kimball,  selectmen  ; Joseph 
Blanchard,  representative;  J.  T.  Goss,  treasurer;  II.  B.  Otterson,  col- 
lector; for  Governor:  E.  W.  Harrington,  75  ; F.  Smyth,  126. 

1866.  — Joseph  Blanchard,  moderator  ; George  A.  Robie,  clerk  ; Eri 
Poor,  M.  L.  Otterson,  David  A.  Kimball,  selectmen;  AmosG.  Prescott, 
representative;  for  Governor:  John  G.  Sinclair,  100  ; F.  Smyth,  119; 
George  H.  L.  Head,  treasurer  ; H.  B.  Otterson,  collector. 

1867.  — Joseph  Blanchard,  moderator;  George  A.  Robie,  clerk  ; Eri 
Poor,  John  W.  Prescott,  Jacob  F.  Martin,  selectmen  ; Norris  C.  Gault, 
representative  ; for  Governor : John  G.  Sinclair,  125  ; W.  Harriman, 
125;  Daniel  W.  Garland,  collector;  George  H.  L.  Head,  treasurer. 

1868.  — J.  Blanchard,  moderator ; George  A.  Robie,  clerk  ; John  W. 
Prescott,  A.  W.  Prescott,  J.  F.  Putnam,  selectmen  ; B.  J.  Gile,  repre- 
sentative ; for  Governor:  J.  G.  Sinclair,  135  ; W.  Harriman,  157  ; J.  T. 
Goss,  treasurer  ; A.  F.  Davis,  collector. 

1869.  — Joseph  Blanchard,  moderator  ; George  A.  Robie,  clerk  ; J.  F. 
Putnam,  R.  L.  Pingree,  J.  H.  Mitchell,  selectmen  ; B.  J.  Gile,  repre- 
sentative ; for  Governor:  John  Bedel,  101  ; Onslow  Stearns,  134;  H.  B. 
Otterson,  treasurer;  Henry  H.  Gile,  collector. 

1870.  — Joseph  Blanchard,  moderator;  George  A.  Robie,  clerk;  J.  F. 
Putnam,  R.  L.  Pingree,  J.  H.  Mitchell,  selectmen  ; H.  B.  Otterson, 
treasurer  ; H.  E.  Robie,  collector ; W.  F.  Head,  representative  ; for 
Governor:  John  Bedel,  77 ; OdsIow  Stearns,  142. 

1871.  — J.  H.  Mitchell,  moderator  ; George  A.  Robie,  clerk  ; R.  L.  Pin- 
gree, J.  H.  Mitchell,  A.  T.  Martin,  selectmen ; W.  F.  Head,  represen- 
tative ; for  Governor:  James  Pike,  102  ; James  A.  Weston,  125  ; H.  E. 
Robie,  collector ; H.  B.  Otterson,  treasurer. 

1872.  — Nathaniel  Head,  moderator  ; Seth  Mitchell,  clerk  ; Jesse  Gault, 
A.  W.  Prescott,  D.  A.  Kimball,  selectmen ; George  A.  Robie,  representa- 
tive ; for  Governor:  J.  A.  Weston,  122  ; E.  A.  Straw,  158  ; H.  B.  Otter- 
son, treasurer  ; H.  E.  Robie,  'collector. 

1873.  — Nathaniel  Head,  moderator;  George  A.  Robie,  clerk  ; Jesse 
Gault,  A.  W.  Prescott,  D.  A.  Kimball,  selectmen ; H.  B.  Otterson, 
treasurer  ; Henry  E.  Robie,  collector ; George  A.  Robie,  representative  ; 
for  Governor : J.  A.  Weston,  112 ; E.  A.  Straw,  142. 

1874.  — Nathaniel  Head,  moderator  ; B.  A.  Ilam,  clerk  ; George  A. 
Robie,  D.  A.  Kimball,  A.  Y.  Martin,  selectmen  ; H.  B.  Otterson,  treas- 
urer ; H.  H.  Gile,  collector ; Hiram  Kimball,  representative ; for  Gov- 
ernor : J.  A.  Weston,  117;  Luther  McCutchions,  143. 

1875.  — Nathaniel  Head,  moderator  ; for  Governor:  P.  C.  Cheney,  179  ; 
H.  B.  Roberts,  134;  H.  Kimball,  representative  ; B.  A.  Ham,  clerk  ; 
George  A.  Robie,  D.  A.  Kimball,  A.  F.  Davis,  selectmen  ; H.  H.  Gile, 
collector ; H.  B.  Otterson,  treasurer. 

1876.  — Nathaniel  Head,  moderator  ; for  Governor:  Daniel  Marcy,  122  ; 
P.  C.  Cbeney,  193  ; B.  A.  Ham,  clerk  ; Samuel  Head,  representative ; 
George  A.  Robie,  A.  F.  Davis,  M.  L.  Whitney,  selectmen  ; H.  B.  Otter- 
son, treasurer;  H.  II.  Gile,  collector. 

1877.  — Nathaniel  Head,  moderator;  James  W.  Converse,  clerk; 
Samuel  Head,  representative ; George  A.  Robie,  M.  L.  Whitney,  J.  S. 
Cole,  selectmen;  H.  B.  Otterson,  treasurer;  H.  H.  Gile,  collector;  for 
Governor:  B.  F.  Prescott,  186;  Daniel  Marcy,  95. 

1878.  — Nathaniel  Head,  moderator;  J.W.  Converse,  clerk  ; J.  S.  Cole, 
A.  T.  Martin,  B.  A.  Ham,  selectmen  ; H.  B.  Otterson,  treasurer  ; R.  B. 
Fass ; for  Governor:  B.  F.  Prescott,  181  ; Frank  A.  McKean,  117.  There 
was  no  choice  for  representative.  In  the  fall  the  first  biennial  election 
occurred.  For  Governor:  W.  G.  Brown,  31;  Frank  A.  McKean,  64 ; 
Nathaniel  Head,  193  ; D.  A.  Kimball,  representative. 

1879.  — Jesse  Gault,  moderator  ; J.  W.  Converse,  clerk  ; B.  A.  Ham, 
A.  T.  Martin,  M.  L.  Whitney,  selectmen;  II.  B.  Otterson,  treasurer; 
R.  B.  Fass,  collector. 

1880.  — Jesse  Gault,  moderator;  J.W.  Converse,  clerk  ; B.  A.  Ilam, 
A.  T.  Martin,  M.  L.  Whitney,  selectmen  ; R.  B.  Fass,  collector  ; R.  A. 


Lun try,  treasurer;  Joseph  ().  Ingalls,  representative ; for  Governor: 
George  D.  Dodge,  14  ; Frank  Jones,  120;  Charles  H.  Bell,  168. 

1881.  — Jesse  Gault,  moderator;  Richard  A.  Lantry,  clerk;  M.  L.  Ot- 
terson, R.  B.  Neal,  M.  L.  Whitney,  selectmen  ; R.  A.  Lantry,  collector. 

1882.  — Jesse  Gault,  moderator;  R.  A.  Lantry,  clerk  and  treasurer; 
George  A.  Robie,  R.  B.  Neal,  J.  Iluse,  selectmen  ; R.  A.  Fass,  collector; 
Nathaniel  Clark,  representative ; for  Governor:  Samuel  W.  Hale,  119; 
M.  V.  B.  Edgerly,  104. 

1883.  — Edwin  Pronk,  moderator;  R.  A.  Lantry,  clerk  and  treasurer; 
It.  B.  Neal,  Edwin  Pronk,  James  Iluse,  selectmen  ; R.  B.  Fass,  col- 
lector. 

1884.  — Edwin  Pronk,  moderator;  R.  A.  Lantry,  clerk  and  treasurer; 
Edwin  Pronk,  N.  C.  Gault,  E.  G.  Libby,  selectmen  ; R.  B.  Fass,  col- 
lector; Josiah  Clark,  representative;  for  Governor:  Moody  Currier, 
191  ; J.  M.  Hill,  93  ; L.  I).  Mason,  13. 

1885. — Edwin  Pronk,  moderator  ; It.  A.  Lantry,  clerk  and  treasurer; 
Edwin  Pronk,  E.  G.  Libby,  E.  J.  Robie,  selectmen  ; W.  II.  Otterson, 
col  lector. 


CHAPTER  II. 

II00KSETT — (Continued). 

ECCLESIASTICAL. 

The  Congregational  Church  was  the  first  es- 
tablished society  in  town,  but  Methodism  was  proba- 
bly preached  by  itinerant  ministers  at  as  early  a date. 
Early  in  the  history  of  the  first  settlers  of  our  locality 
church  privileges  were  enjoyed  only  by  traveling 
a long  distance  to  Chester,  Dunbarton  or  Pembroke. 
As  early  as  1770,  Samuel  Martin,  Daniel  Martin, 
John  Martin,  Caleb  Dalton  and  Daniel  Foster  had 
their  parish  rates  given  in  on  account  of  living  so 
far  from  the  meeting-house.  This  was  an  important 
reason,  prior  to  the  formation  of  the  town,  for  its 
incorporation.  Rev.  Joseph  A.  E.  Long  first  minis- 
tered to  the  people  of  Hooksett  in  the  year  1824. 
He  held  meetings  in  different  places  in  town,  at 
periods  up  to  the  year  1828.  He  then  being  called 
very  eloquent,  and  in  the  capacity  of  an  evangelist, 
was  instrumental  in  forming  a sentiment  to  organize 
a Congregational  Society.  So,  accordingly,  on  Janu- 
ary 22,  1828,  an  organization  was  perfected.  The 
following  proceedings  occurred  at  the  council : 

“Hooksett,  Jan.  22,  1828. 

“At  an  Ecclesiastical  Council,  convened  by  virtue  of  letters  from  sev- 
eral individuals  in  Hooksett  for  the  purpose  of  taking  into  consideration 
the  expediency  of  organizing  a church  of  the  Congregational  order  in 
this  place. 

“Present:  Rev.  Abraham  Burnham,  Josiah  Kittredge,  delegates 
from  church  in  Pembroke ; Rev.  Roger  C.  Hatch,  from  church  in  Ilop- 
kinton  ; Rev.  William  R.  Talbert,  Elder  Foster  Towns,  from  church  in 
Nottingham  West ; Rev.  Nathaniel  Bouton,  Rev.  Nathaniel  Abbott, 
from  church  in  Concord  ; Rev.  Henry  Wood,  Elder  Jonathan  Aiken, 
from  church  in  Goffstown. 

“The  Council  was  organized  by  choosing  Rev.  A.  Burnham,  Modera- 
tor ; Rev.  N.  Bouton,  Scribe.  The  meeting  of  the  Council  opened  with 
prayer  by  the  moderator.  Attended  to  communications  from  the  indi- 
viduals who  are  candidates  for  church  membership.  Roger  Dutton  presen- 
ted a letter  of  dismission  and  recommendation  from  the  church  in  Weld, 
Maine.  Mrs.  Zebiah  and  Miss  Mehitable  Hersey  presented  a letter  of 
dismission  and  recommendation  from  the  church  in  Dunbarton.  Sarah 
Head  and  Mary  Otterson  communicated  their  Christian  experience  in 
writing.  Susan  Moulton  expressed  the  reasons  of  her  hope  in  Christ 
and  Arria  Mitchell  did  the  same.  Whereupon,  * Voted , unanimously, 
that  it  is  expedient  to  embody  the  above  individuals  into  a church  of 
Christ.’  ” 


HOOKSETT. 


371 


Agreeably  to  the  foregoing  vote,  the  above-named 
individuals  were  acknowledged  as  a regularly  consti- 
tuted Church  of  Christ  in  connection  with  the  follow- 
ing exercises.  Hymns  were  sung  and  prayer  otfered 
by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hatch.  Sermon  preached  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Bouton  from  Acts  ii.  47.  Confession  of  faith 
and  covenant  administered  by  Rev.  Mr.  Burnham ; 
the  fellowship  of  the  church  expressed  by  him. 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Talbot  offered  the  concluding  prayer. 
“ Voted,  that  the  council  be  dissolved.”  It  was  voted 
by  the  above  council  that  J.  A.  E.  Long  act  as  modera- 
tor of  the  church.  The  following  members  composed 
the  church  at  its  organization  who  subscribed  to  the 
Articles  of  Faith  and  Covenant:  Roger  Dutton, 
Susan  Moulton,  Sarah  Head,  Zebiah  Hersey,  M.  Her- 
sev,  Mary  Otterson,  Arria  Mitchell,  Mrs.  Poor,  all  of 
whom  have  since  deceased.  The  following  have 
since  been  admitted: 

1828.  — Feb.  15,  Nancy  Towns  by  profession  ; Feb.  17,  Rachel  Dutton 
and  Rebecca  Batchelder  by  profession  ; Feb.  23,  Mary  Sawyer  by  profes- 
sion ; Mar.  29,  Hugh  Taggart,  Elizabeth  Taggart,  by  letter  ; June  21, 
Joanna  Saltmarsh,  Sally  Sawyer,  by  letter;  Aug.  30,  Rosanna  Whittier, 
Phebe  Hawes,  and  Eunice  Kimball  by  letter ; Oct.  25,  M.  Martin,  Caleb 
Johnson,  Jason  Johnson  and  Foster  Townes,  by  letter;  Dec.  28,  Marga- 
ret Brown  and  Anna  Poor  by  letter,  and  Hannah  Upham  by  profession. 

1829.  — Hannah  Taggart  by  profession;  Joseph  Blanchard,  Polly 
Blanchard,  died  July  4,  1843  ; April  26, . Dolly  Ames,  died  Aug.  3,  1829; 
June  28,  Nathan  Kimball,  excommunicated,  and  Maria  Davis,  Mary 
Abbott  Austin  and  Ann  Brown;  July  25,  John  Osgood  and  Mary 
Osgood,  by  letter. 

1830.  — April  25,  Sarah  Brown,  died  April  3,  1831,  Hiram  Brown 

and  Mary  Brown  ; June  26,  Sally  Head  ; June  27,  Ruth  Baker ; Oct.  24, 
Dolly  W liittier  and Dollof. 

1831.  — April  24,  Nancy  Bradley  C'leasby  ; Sept.  4,  Martha  Otterson. 

1832.  — Jotliam  D.  Otterson. 

1833.  — Jan.  6,  Malvina  Straw,  Sophronia  Tucker  and  Charles  Bayles 
and  Harriet  Bayles. 

1836.  — Hazen  Saltmarsh  ; Nov.  5,  Mrs.  Hazen  Saltmarsh,  died  Jan. 
17, 1855. 

1837.  — July  14,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Samuel  Simpson,  letter  from  church  in 
Dorchester,  N.  H.  ; Oct.  6,  Calvin  Guild,  Jr.,  letter  from  church  in 
Cxbridge,  Mass.,  and  Margaret  Guild,  letter  from  church  in  Ux- 
bridge, Mass  ; Oct.  13,  Parla  P.  Warren,  letter  from  church  in  Nashfta, 

N.  H. 

1838.  — June  3,  William,  Blanchard,  deceased;  John  Garland  and  Lucy 
Ann  Chase,  died  ; Aug.  5,  Chatham  Orr;  Sept.  30,  Widow  Hannah 
Parker. 

1839.  — Feb.  10,  Mrs.  Mary  Ann  Gage  ; Mar.  3,  Charles  Gault  and 
wife,  by  letter  from  church  in  West  Parish,  Concord. 

1844. — April,  Nancy  Wliittemore,  by  letter  from  Lowell,  Mass. 

1846.  — Aug.  29,  James  W.  Perkins  and  wife,  by  letter  from  Warner, 
N.  H.  ; James  Putnam  and  wife,  by  letter  from  Goffstown  ; Mrs.  Sam- 
uel Noyes,  by  letter  from  Pembroke  ; Oct.  30,  Charles  A.  Daniels,  by 
letter  from  Franklin,  Mass.  ; Mrs.  Nugul,  by  letter  from  Alexandria. 

1847.  — Jan.  1,  Mrs.  Charles  A.  Daniels,  by  letter  from  Pembroke  ; 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stephen  Ballard,  by  letter  from  Andover,  Mass. 

1848.  — Feb.  17,  Mr.  and  Mrs  Luther  Shedd,  by  letter  from  Amoskeag  ; 
31  iss  E.  Shedd,  by  letter  from  New  York;  Feb.  20,  Mrs.  Julia  Ann 
Head,  by  letter  from  Lowell,  Mass.,  Mrs.  Sarah  Saltmarsh  and  Miss 
Abigail  L.  Goss ; May  14,  Mrs.  Jabez  Green,  by  letter  from  Pembroke  ; 
Mrs.  Lydia  S.  Goss,  by  letter  from  Winchendon,  Mass.;  Mrs.  Ann 
Brown,  by  letter  from  Amoskeag  ; June  25,  Miss  Mary  Whinden  ; July 
23,  Miss  Nancy  Brown,  by  letter  from  Milton,  Vt. 

1850. — Mar.  10,  Mr.  J.  C.  Gile  ; July  14,  E.  A.  Saltmarsh. 

1852.— Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edwin  A.  Russel ; May  2,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John 
Dana,  Miss  Anna  M.  Eastman,  Jane  Whidon,  Elizabeth  B.  Saltmarsh 
and  Rebecca  W.  Saltmarsh. 

1856.  — Jan.  5,  Wm.  Forbe6  and  wife,  by  letter  from  Oakham,  Mass.  ; 
Thomas  M.  Bacon  and  wife,  by  letter  from  Franklin,  Mass.  ; July  6, 
Martha  Noyes  ; Nov.  9,  Elizabeth  Converse. 

1857. — Mary  Young,  by  letter  from  Deerfield,  N.  H. ; May  3,  Mrs. 


Hiram  Austin,  Mrs.  Plieebe  J.  Russel,  John  Austin,  Elizabeth  S. 
Noyes. 

1861.  — Mr.  and  Mrs.  S.  S.  Marden,  by  letter  from  Chichester  and 
Manchester  ; Jan.  6,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Shirley  and  Mrs.  Sarah  A. 
Dennison. 

1862. — Sept.  7,  Mrs.  Lucy  A.  Morgan. 

1863.  — Oct.  30,  Mr.  and  Mi's.  James  P.  Ela,  by  letter  from  Methodist 
Church  in  town. 

1864.  — Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  O.  Gordon,  from  church  in  Danbury. 

1866. — May  6,  A.  Burnham  and  wife,  from  Haverhill,  Mass. ; Nov.  2, 

Mrs.  Sarah  M.  Russel,  from  Chichester. 

1872. — March  18,  Mrs.  Susan  G.  Goss  and  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Otterson,  from 
church  in  Chichester. 

1880.  — July  1,  Mrs.  Persis  Church  and  Mrs.  Sarah  Pronk,  from 
Campton,  N.  H.  ; Sept.  2,  Mrs.  Eliza  Sykes,  from  Manchester,  N.  II.  ; 
Sept.  12,  Eli  Walker;  Nov.  4,  W.  H.  Otterson,  from  church  in  West 
Concord;  Mrs.  Ida  W.  Lakin,  from  church  in  Pittsfield,  N.  II.  ; Annie 
Ordway,  Nellie  Gordon,  Lucy  Hammond  and  Mrs.  J.  W.  Prescott ; Dec. 
30,  Mr.  Pierce  Porter,  Frank  II.  Colby,  Mrs.  Sarah  B.  Ordway,  Nancy  C. 
Converse,  Mary  C.  Walker,  Nettie  M.  Colby,  Nettie  R.  Jones,  Nora  M. 
Kimball  and  Lizzie  E.  Thompson. 

1881.  — March  3,  Charles  A.  Tenney,  letter  from  Nashua  ; Mrs.  Emery 
Austin,  letter  from  Henniker ; Mrs.  Lizzie  J.  Tenney,  Miss  Lydia  J. 
Wyman,  Miss  Myra  J.  Gordon  and  Miss  Nancy  C.  Rowell ; April  28, 
Eben  C.  Chase  ; July  3,  Maria  A.  Clark. 

1883.  — Mrs.  F.  E.  Stevens ; April  29,  John  C.  Rollins  and  Mis.  M.  L. 
Morse. 

1884.  — Jan.  6,  Orrin  J.  Prescott  and  wife,  Mrs.  Eben  J.  Bucket ; July 
6,  Miss  Susan  C.  Rowell  ; Sept.  7,  Rosetta  M.  Ordway  and  Angelina  D. 
Mitchell,  from  church  in  Manchester  ; Winfield  S.  Head,  Mr.  and  Mis. 
Mr.  L.  Otterson,  Mr.  and  Mi's.  F.  C.  Towle,  Mrs.  Julia  A.  Hazeltine, 
Mrs.  Ruth  Head,  Mr.  Henry  Otterson  and  Mr.  Geo.  A.  Lakin. 

All  the  above  is  a complete  record,  as  far  as  can  be 
ascertained,  of  the  membership  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Church  since  its  formation.  Of  the  clergymen 
who  have  ministered  to  the  church  a full  account 
cannot  be  given.  Sometimes,  at  periods  intervening 
between  the  resignations  and  ordinations  of  differ- 
ent pastors,  the  pulpit  was  supplied  for  a year 
or  less  by  clergymen  of  whom  there  is  no  record. 
The  first  clergyman  was  the  Rev.  J.  A.  E.  Long. 
He  was  born  in  Amesbury,  Mass.,  and  was  a son  of 
Nathan  Long.  He  graduated  at  Harvard  College  in 
1818,  and  afterwards  at  the  Cambridge  Divinity 
School;  was  ordained  as  an  evangelist  in  Kensing- 
ton, N.  H.,  in  April,  1822.  After  preaching  a year 
he  removed  and  labored  as  an  evangelist  in  different 
places,  and  quite  successfully  in  Hookset-t  a few  years 
prior  to  the  formation  of  the  Congregational  Church, 
when  he  was  accepted  as  a settled  preacher.  He 
was  in  Lyman,  Me.,  in  1836,  and  afterwards  la- 
bored a short  time  in  Kensington.  He  afterwards 
settled  in  Hooksett,  and  for  a number  of  years  was  a 
conspicuous  person,  known  as  “ Priest  Long.” 
Many  people  living  can  relate  pleasing  anecdotes 
of  his  suave  temperament,  polished  manner  and 
somewhat  eccentric  habits.  He  died  suddenly  in 
1859,  leaving  a wife,  son  and  daughter.  His  widow 
is  now  living  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven,  in  Chelsea, 
Mass.  Mr.  Long  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Charles 
Boyter.  Mr.  Boyter  was  a missionary  and  was  first 
installed  at  Springfield,  N.  H..  in  June,  1828.  After 
preaching  there  two  years,  he  preached  at  different 
parts  until  his  location  in  Hooksett,  in  1833,  where 
he  labored  until  1835.  He  afterwards  preached  in 
Acworth,  N.  H.  April  30,  1835,  Rev.  Humphrey 


372 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Moore  was  ordained  as  pastor,  and  acted  until  1836. 
He  afterwards  preached  in  Merrimack,  Amherst, 
Greenfield.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  W.  C.  Green- 
lief,  in  1837,  and  he,  in  1838,  by  Rev.  S.  E.  Jewett,  who 
preached  an  indefinite  period  with  some  other  cler- 
gymen of  whom  no  record  is  made.  On  the  last 
Sabbath  of  February,  1846,  Rev.  James  W.  Perkins 
commenced  his  labors.  August  30,  1846,  the  present 
house  of  worship  was  dedicated.  It  was  erected  this 
year  by  contributions,  the  largest  contributors  being 
Samuel  Head  and  wife.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Perkins 
labored  until  1848.  He  preached  in  Francestown  in 
1844 ; in  Alstead,  1846  ; Hillsborough  in  1852,  where 
his  health  gave  out  June  16,  1852. 

Rev.  John  Lawrence  became  pastor  in  1848.  He 
ministered  to  the  people  until  1850.  Mr.  Lawrence 
is  still  living  at  an  old  age  in  Cambridge,  Mass.  On 
December  5,  1850,  Rev.  J.  W.  Tarlton  was  ordained. 
Mr.  Tarlton  was  a son  of  William  and  Comfort 
(Wallace)  Tarlton;  was  born  in  Epsom,  N.  II. , February 
19, 1817 ; prepared  for  college  at  Homer,  N.  Y. ; gradu- 
ated at  Dartmouth  College,  1842;  teacher  in  Boston 
1842—44;  student  at  Yale  Theological  Seminary  two 
years  and  Andover  Theological  School  one  year.  He 
was  without  charge  at  Boston,  Mass.,  1855-68,  and 
Watertown,  Mass.,  from  1868  till  death.  Sometimes  en- 
gaged in  evangelistic  labors,  and  acting  pastor  at  North 
Chelsea  (Revere),  two  years.  Married,  February  3, 
1854,  Betsey  Dutton,  daughter  of  Deacon  Roger  and 
Rachel  (Sawyer)  Dutton,  of  Hooksett,  N.  II.  Died 
in  Watertown,  of  congestion  of  the  liver  and  lungs, 
February  27, 1883,  aged  sixty-six  years.  Rev.  William 
Forbes  was  ordained  November  8,  1855,  and  was 
supported  until  May  2,  1857,  when  he  sent  in  his 
resignation,  but  continued  to  serve  until  December 
23,  1858,  when  he  was  dismissed.  He  afterwards 
preached  in  Deerfield.  Mr.  Forbes  was  succeeded  by 
the  Rev.  E.  H.  Caswell,  who  occupied  the  pulpit  one 
year,  until  May  31,  1860,  when  he  ceased  his  labors. 
On  July  8,  1860,  Rev.  Marvin  Leffingwell  commenced 
to  supply  the  pulpit ; after  preaching  two  years  Sab- 
baths, was  engaged  for  one  year.  Mr.  Leffingwell 
preached  until  the  year  1865.  During  this  time  he 
strongly  advocated  the  cause  of  the  Union  in  the 
pulpit  and  out.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  A.  Burn- 
ham, who  performed  the  duties  of  pastor  from  July 
16,  1865,  until  March  31,  1872.  Mr.  Burnham  was  a 
devoted  Christian,  a thorough  scholar,  and  his  memory 
is  indelibly  imprinted  on  the  minds  of  many  who  live 
in  Hooksett.  He  died  a few  years  ago  in  West 
Stewartstown,  N.  H.  The  church  was  supplied  by 
different  preachers  until  the  year  1873,  when  the 
Methodist  and  Congregational  Churches  were  united. 
This  departure  was  followed  by  an  era  of  great  suc- 
cess, when  church  matters  and  attendance  were  greatly 
enhanced.  The  Congregationalist  members  earnestly 
acquiesced  in  supporting  Methodist  preachers.  The 
Rev.  J.  E.  Robbins  was  the  first  pastor  under  the 
new  order  of  things,  he  serving  until  1876  with  great 


success.  Mr.  Robbins  has  preached  in  Plymouth, 
Lebanon  and  Portsmouth  since,  and  is  now  presiding 
elder  in  the  Claremont  District.  The  next  was  Rev. 
B.  W.  Chase  (Methodist),  who  served  one  year,  after- 
wards preaching  in  Sunapee  and  the  West.  Mr. 
Chase  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  S.  G.  Kellogg  (Metho- 
dist), three  years.  Rev.  Mr.  Kellogg  is  a distinguished 
minister,  has  been  presiding  elder,  and  since  has 
preached  in  Marlow  three  years,  and  is  now  at  Suna- 
pee, N.  H.  The  next  call  was  made  to  Rev.  Charles 
II.  Taintor  (Congregationalist).  Mr.  Taintor  preached 
in  Weare,  N.  II.,  one  year,  before  locating  in  Hook- 
sett, and  prior  to  that  period  was  an  evangelist.  Mr. 
Taintor’s  administration,  from  1880  to  1882,  was  a 
fruitful  one.  He  labored  with  much  zeal  and  earnest- 
ness. The  records  show  more  accessions  of  new 
members  by  profession  than  under  any  administration 
of  his  predecessors.  His  estimable  wife  was  an  earnest 
colaborer  in  the  cause.  Mr.  Taintor,  after  deliberate 
consideration  was  very  pronounced  and  earnest,  and 
he  did  much  towards  shaping  and  perfecting  the 
affairs  and  records  of  the  Congregational  Church.  Mr. 
Taintor  was  called  to  Milford,  N.  H.,  where  he  labored 
with  his  usual  success  for  two  years.  He  is  now 
secretary  of  the  Congregational  Church  Building 
Society  in  the  West,  with  headquarters  at  Chicago. 
Mr.  Taintor  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  C.  Rollins,  who 
commenced  to  supply  the  pulpit  in  November,  1882. 
He  was  previously  located  in  Webster  two  years, 
supplying  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  In  June, 
1883,  he  received  a call  from  the  Union  Church  to  set- 
tle with  them  as  their  pastor,  being  ordained  and  in- 
stalled June  27,  1883.  Rev.  C.  W.  Wallace,  D.D., 
preached  the  sermon.  In  the  words  of  one  of  the 
council,  “the  examination  was  more  than  satis- 
factory. ’’  During  Air.  Rollins’  term  the  church  was 
remodeled  inside  and  out  at  an  expense  of  about 
fifteen  hundred  dollars,  and  before  the  close  of  his 
work  every  cent  of  debt  of  church,  society  and  Sunday- 
school  was  paid  in  full.  Mr.  Rollins  was  called  to  the 
pastorate  of  the  Milford  Church  December,  1884,  and 
was  installed  February  27,  1885.  Mr.  Rollins’  service 
in  Hooksett  was  successful,  displaying  rare  talent  as 
a preacher  of  power  and  worth.  His  ministrations 
in  Milford  are  successful,  and  large  congregations 
assemble  to  hear  his  brilliant  pleadings.  Since  the 
building  of  the  church  numerous  improvements  have 
been  made.  A bell  was  given  the  church  in  the 
year  1852  by  a number  of  contributors.  In  the  year 
1879,  Deacon  Hiram  Austin,  Martin  L.  Otterson  and 
Frank  C.  Towle  were  appointed  trustees  to  receive  a 
legacy  of  five  hundred  dollars  bequeathed  to  the 
church  by  Mary  Young.  In  the  year  1882,  Jabez 
Green  presented  a deed  to  the  society  of  the  parsonage 
lot  and  building,  valued  at  about  fifteen  hundred 
dollars;  also,  Mrs.  Jabez  Green,  the  same  year, 
donated  a silver  communion  service,  costing  seventy- 
five  dollars.  These  monuments  of  philanthropy  speak 
praises  to  the  noble  benefactors,  who  are  still  living 


HOOKSETT. 


373 


at  this  time.  The  following  deacons  have  served  the 
church  : Roger  Dutton,  Hugh  Taggart,  Luther  Shedd, 
Hiram  Austin,  Martin  L.  Otterson. 

Methodist  Church. — The  earliest  recollection  of 
Methodist  preaching  was  between  the  years  1820- 
30.  An  Orthodox  sentiment  had  been  established 
before  any  organization  took  place  in  the  Methodist 
creed.  Methodism,  with  its  customs  and  forms  of 
worship,  in  the  olden  times,  was  somewhat  generally 
ridiculed  by  believers  in  Orthodoxy  and  Presby- 
terianism. A healthy  sentiment  had  generally  become 
aroused  in  the  Methodist  faith,  and  a large  society 
was  organized.  The  first  preaching  that  was  regularly 
sustained  was  held  in  the  brick  building  now  owned 
by  George  A.  Colby.  It  was  then  owned  by  Hall  & 
Rowe.  Afterwards  meetings  were  held  in  the  hall  of 
the  old  tavern-stand,  now  the  residence  of  Widow 
Walter  B.  Jones.  After  the  town-house  was  built,  in 
1828,  the  inside  was  fitted  with  pews,  and  a great 
many  came  into  possession  of  members  of  the  Metho- 
dist Society.  As  there  was  no  accessible  record,  a 
complete  history  of  the  society  cannot  be  given.  In 
the  year  1831,  Rev.  Orlando  Hinds  was  the  pastor. 
In  the  year  1832,  Rev.  Nahum  Howe  supplied  the 
church.  Again,  in  the  year  1835,  Rev.  Mr.  Hinds 
supplied  the  pulpit.  The  church  was  for  a number  of 
yearssupplied  from  the  Methodist  Episcopal  College  at 
Concord.  In  the  year  1856  there  was  a great  re- 
ligious revival,  conducted  by  a man  by  the  name  of 
Fox.  Many  accessions  to  the  church  membership 
took  place  during  this  period.  In  the  early  history 
of  the  church  Rev.  James  Pike  supplied  the  pulpit  for 
two  years.  While  he  acted  as  pastor  a camp-meeting 
was  held  in  the  woods  formerly  standing  on  the  farm 
of  the  late  Thomas  N.  Head.  It  was  an  important 
event  at  that  time.  In  the  records,  of  which  there  are 
only  some  fragments  to  be  found,  the  names  of  the 
following  persons  as  “ members  of  the  board  ” appear: 
Alvah  Colby,  George  Davis,  Nathaniel  Mitchel, 
C.  H.  Wheeler,  J.  R.  Hall,  Simeon  Batchelder,  Sum- 
ner Ordway.  Josiali  Prescott.  In  1857,  Joseph  Scott 
and  Gilbert  H.  Winans  supplied  the  church  with 
forty-three  members.  In  1858,  preacher  in  charge, 
Rev.  Truman  Caster  ; membership,  sixty-three. 
In  I860,  Rev.  Charles  H.  Vinton,  pastor;  member- 
ship, sixty-seven.  In  1862,  Rev.  C.  R.  Hainan,  pastor; 
membership,  fifty-four.  In  1863,  Rev.  Jos.  T.  Hand, 
pastor;  in  1864,  S.  Donaldson, pastor;  in  1870-71,  Rev. 
H.  H.  Hartwell,  pastor ; in  1872-73,  Rev.  C.  W.  Taylor, 
pastor.  In  the  year  1873  the  Methodists  joined  with 
the  Congregationalists  and  formed  a Union  Society. 
On  May  18,  1885.  Rev.  N.  M.  Learned,  late  of  Los 
Angeles,  Cal.  (Methodist),  was  engaged  to  supply  the 
Union  Church  in  Hooksett  for  one  year.  He  is  now 
the  acting  pastor,  and  has  met  with  a kind  reception. 

Universalist  Society. — There  was  no  regular  or- 
ganized society  of  the  Universalists  until  the  year 
1858.  There  were  meetings  held  previously,  and 
such  noted  clergymen  as  Rev.  Silvanus  Cobb  and  Rev. 

24 


Philip  Brooks  have  preached  herein  Hooksettin  earlier 
days.  The  first  regular  settled  pastor  was  the  Rev. 
Samuel  Thompson.  He  was  a native  of  Nova  Scotia, 
and  was  a preacher  of  ability.  He  resided  in  town  until 
1863.  The  meetings  were  held  in  the  company’s  hall. 
The  composition  of  the  society  embraced  many  of  the 
best  people  in  town.  Mr.  Thompson  had  two  sons, 
who  enlisted  in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion,  and  were 
credited  to  this  town.  There  are  many  residents  who 
are  firm  believers  in  the  Universalist  creed,  but  wor- 
ship with  other  sectarian  denominations. 

Adventism. — The  Advent  doctrine  has  been  preach- 
ed in  town  about  thirty  years.  In  the  year  1858 
there  were  a few  people  in  town  who  prepared  for  the 
second  coming  of  Christ.  There  is  no  organized  so- 
ciety, but  preaching  has  been  held  publicly  in  halls, 
school-houses  and  groves  in  different  sections  of  the 
town.  Many  remember  the  local  expounders  of  this 
doctrine  in  the  persons  of  Enoch  Holt  and  wife,  Or- 
lando Marshall  and  wife,  and,  at  the  present  time, 
Daniel  C.  Elliott  and  others.  The  Bible  is  their  study, 
and  passage  after  passage  can  be  repeated  by  the  fol- 
lowers of  this  religious  belief. 

Catholic. — There  is  no  Catholic  Church  in  town, 
but  there  is  an  estimated  population  of  over  six  hun- 
dred whoare  followers  of  this  faith.  About  two  miles 
from  Hooksett  village  is  a Catholic  Church.  It  is  in 
the  limits  of  Allenstown,  more  properly  called  (South 
Side)  Suncook.  In  the  erection  of  this  church,  the 
expense  was  approximately  borne  by  the  Catholic 
people  in  this  town.  Since  the  establishment  of  this 
church  the  moral  standard  has  improved,  and  the 
whole  community  is  more  law-abiding. 

Physicians. — The  first  regular  doctor  who  resided 
within  our  boundaries  before  the  formation  of  the  town 
was  Dr.  John  Dustin,  who  lived  at  Martin’s  Ferry  in 
1775.  His  widow  lived  there  in  1818.  He  was  a physician 
of  some  note,  and  traveled  considerably  to  find  pa- 
tients. The  next  of  whom  there  is  any  record  was  Dr. 
Samuel  Huston.  He  located  some  time  before  the 
town  was  incorporated,  about  the  year  1817.  He  had 
an  office  in  the  house  of  Hon.  Richard  H.  Ayer,  and 
lived  in  his  family.  He  continued  to  practice,  with 
great  success,  until  1824.  After  the  town  was  incor- 
porated, in  1822,  there  arose  two  political  factions 
in  the  dominant  party,  called  the  Ayer  and  Hall 
factions.  Dr.  Huston  was  an  active  supporter  of 
Ayer,  but  through  some  family  trouble  he  left  the 
house  of  Ayer  and  went  to  William  Hall’s  to  live. 
In  the  mean  time  he  supported  Hall.  This  bitterness 
of  feeling  was  carried  into  politics  with  much  earnest- 
ness, which  created  family  feuds.  Scandalous  reports 
were  soon  circulated  about  an  irregular  intimacy  be- 
tween Huston  and  Hall’s  wife.  One  morning  the  fire  of 
the  Hall  family  became  extinguished,  and  as  it  was  the 
custom  in  those  days  to  borrow  fire,  a member  went 
to  the  house  of  Henry  Moulton  to  procure  the  same. 
A feeling  of  hatred  existed  previously  between  the 
families.  A nephew,  whose  name  was  Moulton,  who 


374 


HISTORY  OF  M Kit RI MACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


was  a blacksmith,  accosted  the  borrower  of  the  tire 
with  the  insinuation  that  l)r.  Huston  was  paying  too 
many  attentions  to  Mr.  Hall’s  wife.  This  was  immediate- 
ly reported  to  the  Hall  family.  Soon  afterwards  William 
Hall,  Dr.  Huston  and  Samuel  Roach  and  other  mem- 
bers of  the  family  repaired  to  the  Moulton  blacksmith- 
shop,  armed  with  hoop-poles,  to  castigate  him  for  cir- 
culating such  stories.  A bloody  fight  ensued,  when 
more  than  a dozen  men  became  involved.  No  lives 
were  lost,  but  some  serious  flesh-wounds  were  made. 
The  result  of  this  fight  ended  with  a complicated  law- 
suit between  the  Moultons  and  Halls.  The  Halls 
were  embarrassed  financially  by  this  litigation,  and 
quietly,  in  the  year  1824,  the  Halls,  Dr.  Huston 
and  Samuel  Roach  disappeared,  and  were  not  heard 
from  afterwards.  It  is  supposed  that  they  emigrated  to 
Ohio.  This  ended  the  most  noted  family  fight  that  has 
ever  occurred  in  Hooksett.  Dr.  Samuel  Huston  was 
called  a skillful  physician,  with  a fine  physique,  affa- 
ble in  manner,  and  in  the  prime  of  manhood  when 
living  in  town  at  that  time.  The  next  regular  physi- 
cian was  Dr.  Asa  Sawyer.  He  was  born  in  Sandown, 
N.  H.,  and  educated  at  the  Atkinson  Academy,  and 
studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Amos  Gale,  of  Kingston. 
He  commenced  to  practice  in  Dillsburg,  Pa.  He 
practiced  there  fifteen  years,  selling  out  his  practice, 
and  came  to  Hooksett  with  a competence,  and  bought 
the  McConnell  farm  in  Bow,  on  the  River  road,  after- 
wards purchasing  the  Hall  land  in  Hooksett.  He 
afterwards  purchased  the  Merrill  place,  in  Pembroke, 
where  he  moved  to  educate  his  children.  He  went 
into  business  in  Pittsfield  a short  time.  He  then 
moved  to  Keysville,  N.  Y.,  where  he  was  engaged  in 
the  brewery  business,  when  he  died  about  the  year 
1859.  Dr.  Enoch  B.  Barnes  practiced  in  Hooksett 
until  the  year  1834.  He  was  a successful  practi- 
tioner. Dr.  Barnes,  like  Dr.  Sawyer,  was  a public- 
spirited  man.  He  held  many  offices  in  the  gift  of  the 
town.  He  married  a daughter  of  Hon.  Richard  H. 
Ayer.  A complete  sketch  could  not  be  made,  as  in- 
formation regarding  him  could  not  easily  be  collected. 
Dr.  A.  B.  Story  practiced  after  Dr.  Gale,  in  the  years 
1845-46,  and  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  Horace  Gage. 

Dr.  Amos  G.  Gale  was  the  next  established  doctor. 
He  was  a son  of  l>r.  Amos  Gale,  of  Kingston,  and 
was  born  in  that  town  February  17,  1807.  He  was  a 
grandson  of  Dr.  Josiah  Bartlett,  one  of  the  signers  of 
the  Declaration  of  Independence  and  one  of  the  ear- 
liest Governors  of  New  Hampshire  after  the  adoption 
of  the  State  Constitution.  His  grandfather  on  his 
paternal  side  was  also  a physician.  For  over  one 
hundred  years  his  ancestors  were  connected  with  the 
medical  profession,  and  each  of  his  four  brothers 
were  practitioners.  The  subject  of  this  notice  studied 
medicine  with  his  brother,  Dr.  Ezra  Gale,  of  Kings- 
ton, and  Dr.  Levi  B.  Gale,  of  Boston,  and  took  the 
degree  of  M.D.  at  the  medical  school  connected  with 
Dartmouth  College.  He  commenced  practice  in 
Hooksett  in  1833  and  remained  here  until  1845. 


During  his  residence  in  town  he  married  Mary 
Greene  Ayer,  a daughter  of  Hon.  Richard  H.  Ayer. 
He  removed  to  Manchester  about  the  year  1846, 
where  he  was  in  active  practice  until  his  death.  Dr. 
Gale  while  in  Hooksett  was  beloved  by  all,  was  in- 
terested in  town  affairs,  was  postmaster  from  1833 
to  1845,  and  was  actively  engaged  in  business  with 
Mr.  Ayer.  The  following  appeared  in  the  Daily 
American  on  January  25,  1861  : 

“ As  a physician,  Dr.  dale  was  among  the  highest  in  rank,  nn<]  was  a 
very  successful  practitioner.  As  a man  and  a citizen,  he  was  upright  in 
all  his  dealings,  and  in  all  his  intercourse  with  others  he  was  remarkably 
simple  in  his  manners  and  courteous  to  all,  whatever  might  be  their 
rank  in  life.  He  was  always  ready  to  respond  to  all  reasonable  demands 
upon  his  generosity,  and  took  a lively  interest  in  the  prosperity  and  rep- 
utation of  the  city.  In  politics  he  was  a Democrat  ; though  liberal  in 
his  views  and  feelings  in  regard  to  the  abstract  ideas  of  human  rights, 
he  was  conservative  in  his  opinions  relating  to  i|Uestions  of  public  policy. 
During  the  last  few  years  of  his  life  liis  mind  was  much  occupied  with 
matters  pertaining  to  religion,  and  though  lie  was  surrounded  with 
everything  which  could  minister  to  his  personal  enjoyment,  nothing  de- 
lighted him  so  much  as  to  confer  with  his  friends  in  regard  to  the  nature 
of  the  soul  and  to  trace  the  operations  of  the  Divine  law.  Though  his 
opinions  upon  these  subjects  were  not  the  most  popular,  they,  in  no 
considerations  whatever,  could  deter  him  from  making  a candid 
avowal  of  his  convictions.  He  never  wished  to  be  esteemed  beyond 
liis  merits,  nor  sought  for  the  public  applause.  Now  that  he  is  gone, 
it  is  but  justice  to  say  that  our  city  has  lost  ono  of  its  most  worthy 
citizens,  and  the  poor  and  unfortunate  a benefactorand  friend.” 

Horace  Gage,  M.D.,  succeeded  Dr.  Gale  about  the 
year  1845.  He  was  born  in  Hopkinton,  N.  H.,  Feb- 
ruary 14,  1811.  He  was  left  an  orphan  at  the  early 
age  of  four  years.  He  was  bound  out  to  farming  a 
few  years  and  then  learned  the  wheelwright  trade. 
He  worked  at  this  business  a while  in  Lowell,  Mass., 
then  went  on  a voyage  to  the  South  ; was  on  a whale- 
ship.  He  had  then  a good  common-school  education, 
but  on  his  return  from  sea  spent  two  years  at  the 
Hopkinton  Academy  and  in  teaching  school.  In 
1835  he  commenced  the  study  of  medicine;  attended 
a course  of  lectures  at  the  Berkshire  Medical  College; 
also,  in  1837,  attended  a course  at  the  Cincinnati 
Medical  College,  and  was  in  the  hospitals  in  that 
city  one  year.  He  afterwards  returned  to  Berkshire 
College  and  took  another  course  of  lectures  and 
graduated  in  1838.  He  then  commenced  to  practice 
in  Wilmot,  N.  H. ; afterwards  settled  in  East  Weare. 
He  settled  in  Hooksett  in  the  year  1845,  where  he 
remained  until  his  death,  in  the  year  1875.  He 
married  Miss  Louise  Putney,  of  Dunbarton,  by  whom 
he  had  one  son,  Horace  P.  Gage,  now  living.  Dr. 
Gage  was  all  his  life  a close  student,  and  at  the  time 
of  his  death  there  were  few  better  read  medical  men 
in  the  State.  He  was  a sympathetic  man,  industrious, 
in  politics  a strong  Democrat,  and  acquired  a large 
practice,  leaving  a snug  little  fortune.  During  Dr. 
Gage’s  residence  in  town  a number  of  physicians 
located  for  the  purpose  of  business,  but  their  stay  was 
transient. 

On  April  7,  1872,  Dr.  Alvah  M.  Dam  opened  an 
office  in  town.  He  was  born  at  Springvale,  Me.,  on 
February  19,  1851.  Graduated  at  the  University  of 
New  York  (Medical  Department)  February  21,  1872. 


HOOKSETT. 


375 


He  continued  here  until  the  fall  of  1873.  He  was  a ; 
native  of  Maine,  and  a young  man  of  ability.  He 
moved  from  here  to  Suncook,  where  he  gained  a wide 
reputation  as  a temperance  orator  and  agitator.  He 
is  now  in  business  in  Boston  as  manager  of  a medicine 
company.  Ira  H.  Adams,  M.D.,  bought  out  the 
practice  of  Dr.  Dam,  and  commenced  to  practice  in 
Hooksett  November  17,  1874.  He  was  born  in  Pom- 
fret,  Windsor  County,  Vt.,  August  10,  184G;  attended 
the  common  schools  ; took  a course  of  study  at  the 
State  Normal  School,  Randolph,  Vt. ; was  licensed  to 
teach  in  that  State,  and  followed  the  business  five 
years.  He  again  entered  school,  as  a pupil,  at  Kim- 
ball Union  Academy,  where  he  graduated  in  the  class 
of  1872.  He  studied  medicine  with  Hubert  Sleeper, 
M.D.,  of  Meriden,  N.  H.;  also  at  the  Dartmouth 
Medical  College,  from  which  he  graduated  in  Novem- 
ber, 1874.  He  immediately  commenced  to  practice  in 
Hooksett,  where  he  remained  until  March  15, 1882, 
when  he  moved  to  Derry  Depot,  N.  H.,  where  he  is 
still  in  active  practice.  August  31,  1875,  he  was 
married  to  Louise  S.  Perley,  of  Lempster,  N.  H. 
They  have  two  children  born  to  them.  Dr.  Adams 
was  public-spirited,  took  an  interest  in  public 
schools  and  was  a valuable  man  in  the  community. 
He  has  a large  practice  in  Derry.  Dr.  Adams  was 
succeeded  by  Francis  D.  Randall,  M.D.  Dr.  Randall 
was  a native  of  Deerfield,  and  was  educated  at  the  j 
Pembroke  and  New  Hampton  Academies.  He  read 
medicine  with  Dr.  E.  S.  Berry,  of  Candia,  and  grad- 
uated from  the  Burlington  Medical  College  in  1880, 
He  practiced  in  Deerfield  one  year,  and  located  in 
Hooksett  in  March,  1882.  He  is  considered  a skillful 
physician,  and  promises  to  rank  high  in  the  medical 
fraternity.  He  married  Fannie  Prescott,  of  Deer- 
field. 

Schools. — Schools  were  supported  as  early  as  the 
exigencies  of  the  times  demanded.  Long  before  the 
incorporation  of  the  town,  Chester  amply  supplied 
the  inhabitants  within  her  jurisdiction  with  school 
privileges.  The  early  settlers  in  New  England, 
as  long  back  as  November  11,  1647,  enacted  laws 
in  the  interest  of  schooling.  In  the  year  1759 
£10.00  was  allowed  for  the  expenses  of  a school  in 
what  is  now  District  No.  1,  in  the  selectmen’s  ac-  ! 
counts  of  the  town  of  Chester.  This  was  probably 
the  first  school  established  in  our  locality.  In  1770, 
Joseph  Brown  was  paid  £10  10s.  for  services  as  school 
teacher  for  what  is  now  Hooksett  (formerly  Chester). 
In  the  year  1805  an  act  was  passed  authorizing  towns 
to  divide  into  school  districts.  In  the  town  of  Ches- 
ter (in  that  part  now  Hooksett)  Districts  No.  18,  19 
and  21  composed  the  districts  that  make  now  Nos.  1, 
2,  3 and  4 in  Hooksett.  The  first  school-house  built 
in  No.  1 was  probably  erected  in  the  year  1805,  and 
was  burned  in  1808.  A tax  was  assessed  of  two  hun- 
dred and  fifteen  dollars,  and  the  house  was  rebuilt  in 
1808.  This  building  was  burned  in  1839,  and  a good 
brick  one  was  built  in  its  place,  costing  five  hundred 


dollars.  About  the  year  1845  the  Factory  District 
was  made  from  No.  1,  and  a house  built  in  1848,  cost- 
ing over  five  hundred  dollars.  This  district  was 
called  No.  7.  In  1858  another  district  was  made 
from  No.  1,  called  No.  9,  and  a house  built  at  a cost 
of  six  hundred  dollars.  In  the  year  1872,  Nos.  7, 

9 and  5 were  united,  and  a school  building  erected  at 
a cost  of  seven  thousand  dollars.  This  includes  the 
whole  of  Hooksett  village.  The  old  buildings  were 
sold  at  auction,  and  afterwards  fitted  into  private 
houses.  The  original  school-house  of  No.  1 was 
torn  down  and  a new  one  erected  near  the  Hooksett 
Cemetery.  The  first  house  in  No.  2 was  built  in  the 
year  1808  at  a cost  of  one  hundred  and  eight  dol- 
lars. Before  that  time  there  was  a log  school-house 
near  Martin’s  Ferry  that  accommodated  that  part  of 
Chester.  In  this  district  at  the  present  time  there  is 
a convenient  new  building  recently  erected  at  a cost 
of  about  fifteen  hundred  dollars.  In  No.  3 a house 
was  built  in  1821.  There  have  been  two  buildings 
burned  in  this  district.  At  the  present  time  a conve- 
nient house  exists.  On  the  west  side  of  the  river, 
near  Hooksett  Falls,  the  first  school  was  kept  in  pri- 
vate buildings.  There  was  a school  kept  in  the  old 
“Locks”  house  a number  of  years.  The  family  of 
Joshua  Abbott,  the  first  settler  near  the  falls,  had  to 
travel  by  foot-path  thi'ough  the  woods  into  the  town 
of  Bow  for  school  privileges.  After  the  town  was  in- 
corporated, Joseph  Wilkins,  of  Suncook,  deeded  a 
piece  of  land  for  a school-house  lot  and  a building 
was  erected.  This  district  was  afterwards  consoli- 
dated with  Nos.  7 and  9,  and  formed  the  Village  Dis- 
tricts. Nos.  5,  6 and  7,  which  now  constitute  the  re- 
maining districts  of  the  town,  have  commodious 
buildings.  This  territory  was  formerly  Dunbarton  and 
Goffstown.  The  estimated  value  of  the  school-houses 
and  lots  in  town  is  thirteen  thousand  five  hundred 
dollars ; the  number  of  scholars,  two  hundred  and 
fifty;  and  about  sixteen  hundred  dollars  is  appropri- 
ated annually  for  expenses.  The  larger  portion  of 
the  school  population  in  the  village  is  made  up  of 
French  extraction.  They  are  constantly  transient  in 
a place,  utilizing  all  their  family  quota  in  the  employ 
of  factories,  and  thus  evading  the  statutes  in  regard 
to  attending  schools. 

War  of  the  Rebellion. — The  following  is  a list  of 
soldiers  who  were  mustered  into  the  service  during 
the  late  Rebellion  from  Hooksett : 

George  H.  Clay,  Company  B,  Second  New  Hampshire  Regiment, 
mustered  in  June  1,  1861  ; discharged  July  15,  1862. 

Bradley  Clay,  Company  D,  Second  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  mus- 
tered in  June  1,  1861  ; died  of  disease  October  6,  1861. 

Jerome  B.  Titus,  First  Company,  New  Hampshire  Volunteer  Cavalry, 
mustered  in  October  24,  1861  ; discharged  for  disability  May  13,  1862. 

Sidney  T.  Bates,  musician,  Fifth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mustered 
in  October  26,  1861  ; discharged  May  14,  1862. 

Warren  Clay,  Company  II,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  December  21),  1861  ; died  of  disease  June  9,  1862. 

Thomas  Clay,  Company  H,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  December  20,  1861 ; promoted  sergeant  : died  of  wounds  May 
29,  1863. 

James  Clark,  Company  H,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 


37  G 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


tered  in  December  20,  18C1  ; discharged  on  account  of  wounds  August 
24,  1863. 

Francis  Lukin,  Company  H,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  December  31,  1801  ; transferred  to  Veteran  Reserve  Corps  May, 
1864. 

James  M.  French,  Company  F,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  December  20,  1861  ; discharged  for  disability  August  22, 

1863. 

Amos  Baker,  Company  H,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  December  20,  1861  ; discharged  at  Camp  Kearney,  La.,  Septem- 
ber 12,  1862  ; also  served  in  the  Mexican  War  ; died  in  Hooksett  in 
1868. 

Joseph  St.  John,  Company  H,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  December  20,  1861. 

Samuel  Poor,  Company  II,  Second  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  June  5,  1861  ; promoted  corporal  ; captured  at  Gettysburg,  Pa., 
July  2,  1863. 

Sullivan  Silver,  wagoner,  Second  Now  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  June  1,  1861  ; discharged  for  disability  July  10,  1861. 

Charles  L.  Tabor,  Company  C,  Second  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  June  1,  1861  ; discharged  February  4,  1803. 

Horace  Dearborn,  Company  C,  Second  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  Juncl,  1801  ; dis.  on  account  of  wounds  September  20,  1862. 

Woodbury  Brooks,  Company  E,  Second  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  June  3,  1801  ; missing  in  action  February,  1863. 

Daniel  S.  Martin,  Company  B,  Second  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  August  12,  1862;  died  December  10,  1802. 

Frederick  Martin,  Company  E,  Fourth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  September  18,  1861  ; mustered  out  September  27, 1864. 

John  A.  Mason,  Company  G,  Fourth  New  Hampshire  Voluuteers, 
mustered  in  September  18,  1861 ; not  officially  accounted  for. 

Stephen  0.  Gould,  Company  H,  Fourth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  September  18,  1861  ; discharged  for  disability  July  14, 

1864. 

George  H.  Robertson,  Company  F,  Fourth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  September  18,  1801  ; re-enlisted  February  17,  1864. 

Daniel  J.  George,  Company  C,  Fourth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  September  18,  1861  ; mustered  out  October  5,  1804. 

William  D.  Baker,  Company  C,  Fourth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  September  18,  1861  ; wounded  in  action  July  20,  1863. 

George  H.  Mallard,  Company  C,  Fourth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  September  18,  1801  ; re-enlisted  February  18,  1804. 

Dennis  Keafe,  Company  G,  Fourth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  September  18,  1801  ; discharged  for  disability  March  28,  1804. 

William  Ramsey,  Company  G,  Fourth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  September  18, 1801  ; missing. 

Charles  P.  Porter,  United  States  navy. 

Charles  Robinson,  Company  F,  Fourth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  September  18, 1861 ; re-enlisted  February  17,  1804. 

Augustus  Martin,  Company  A,  Third  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  August  22,  1801  ; mustered  out  August  23,  1804. 

Joseph  Duprey,  Company  A,  Third  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  August  23,  1801  ; re-enlisted  February  12,  1804. 

Edward  Duprey,  regular  army. 

Alden  G.  George,  Company  A,  Third  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  August  23,  1801;  wounded  slightly  May  14,  1804  ; missing 
in  action  June  10, 1804. 

Joseph  Ormston,  Company  A,  Third  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  August  22,  1801  ; killed  at  Drury’s  Bluff,  Va.,  May  13,  1864. 

John  Riley,  Jr.,  Company  B,  Third  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  August  22,  1861  ; re-enlisted  January  1,  1864. 

Ransom  D.  Steavens,  Company  E,  Third  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  August  22,  1861  ; killed  at  Drury’s  Bluff,  Va.,  May  13, 
1864. 

Ameiica  Briggs,  Company  H,  Third  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  August  22,  1801  ; re-enlisted  January  1,  1804. 

Jerald  Fitts,  Company  C,  Third  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mustered 
in  August  22,  1861  ; unknown. 

Byron  Richardson,  Company  A,  Ninth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  July  10, 1862. 

Charles  W.  James,  wagoner,  Ninth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  July  9,  1862  ; discharged  for  disability  November  1,  1802. 

James  T.  Prescott,  Company  B,  Ninth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  July  9,  1862  ; wounded  May  12th  ; died  of  wounds  June  14, 
1864. 

Silas  G.  Miller,  Company  B,  Ninth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered July  9,  1862. 


Dennis  Carlin,  Company  C,  Ninth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  July  9,  1862. 

John  Quimby,  Jr.,  Company  K,  Seventh  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  December  11,  1801  ; re-enlisted  February  28,1804. 

Eli  Poor,  Jr.,  Company  A,  Seventh  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  October  29,  1861  ; re-enlisted  February  28,  1804. 

William  R.  Thompson,  Company  A,  Seventh  New  Hani|tshire  Volun- 
teers, mustered  in  October  29,  1861 ; re-enlisted  February  28,  1864. 

Parker  Carr,  Company  A,  Seventh  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  October  29,  1861  ; transferred  to  Invalid  Corps  February  6, 
1864. 

Peter  Griffin,  Seventh  New  Hampshire  Volunteers. 

Samuel  Thompson,  Seventh  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mustered  in 
August  18,  1862 ; missing  at  Fort  Wagner,  S.  C.,  July  18,  1863. 

Joseph  Verville,  Company  C,  Third  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  August  23,  1801  ; wounded  slightly  May  13,  1864  ; mustered  out 
September  27, 1864. 

Daniel  Riley,  Company  C,  Sixth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers ; missing 
at  Bull  Run,  August  29,  1862. 

George  F.  Porter,  First  Regiment,  California  Volunteers. 

Henry  Blodgett,  Twenty-Second  Massachusetts  Volunteers. 

Maylicw  Clark,  Company  C,  Eleventh  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  August  21,  1862;  wounded  slightly  December  13,  1862; 
discharged  for  disability  at  Concord. 

Philip  E.  Crooker,  Company  D,  Tenth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  September  1,  1862;  missing  in  action  June  3,  1864. 

George  II.  L.  Head,  Company  I>,  Tenth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  September  1,  1862  ; promoted  to  first  lieutenant  September 
4,  1863  ; promoted  captain  November  23, 1864. 

Erast us  W.  Farmer,  Company  D,  Tenth  New  Hampshire  Voluuteers, 
mustered  in  September  1,  1862;  died  at  Falmouth,  Va.,  January  2, 
1863. 

John  F.  Towle,  Company  D,  Tenth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  September  1,  1862. 

George  W.  Peabody,  Company  D,  Tenth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  September  1,  1862 ; promoted  corporal  ; missing  at  Fair 
Oaks,  Va.,  October  27,  1864. 

Herman  R.  Wallace,  Company  D,  Tenth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  September  1,  1862. 

Silvauus  B.  Putnam,  Company  I),  Tenth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  September  1,  1862  ; wounded  severely  June  3,  1864. 

Silas  T.  Goodale,  Company  D,  Tenth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  September  1,  1862  ; promoted  sergeant;  wounded  severely 
June  3,  1864. 

John  A.  Hall,  Company  D,  Tenth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  September  1,1862  ; promoted  to  first  sergeant;  killed  in  action 
June  27,  1864. 

Rufus  K.  George,  Company  D,  Tenth  New’  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  September  1,  1862. 

William  II.  Otterson,  Company  D,  Tenth  New  Hampshire  Volunteer!). 

W.  M.  Kelley,  Company  D,  Tenth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers;  cap- 
tain of  Company  D. 

Paul  Perica,  Teuth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  Company  I),  mustered 
in  September  1,  1862. 

Stephen  Dunbar,  Company  D,  Tenth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  September  1,  1862  ; discharged  for  disability  Nov.  27, 1862. 

Lew  is  Terrier,  Company  D,  Tenth  New’  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  September  1,  1862. 

William  R.  Eastman,  Company  D,  Tenth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  September  1,  1862;  wounded  severely  May  16,  1864. 

Morris  Mathen,  Company  D,  Tenth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  September  1,  1862. 

Richard  B.  Morris,  Company  D,  Tenth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  September  1,  1862. 

Frank  Mitchell,  Company  I),  Tenth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  September  1, 1862  ; discharged  for  disability  March  23,  1863. 

Geo.  W Towle,  Company  D,  Tenth  New’  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  September  1,  1862 ; promoted  to  quartermaster  First  New 
Hampshire  Cavalry  June  25,  1864. 

Mathew  Fanner,  Company  K,  Tenth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  September  22,  1862;  wounded  severely  June  4,  1864. 

Warren  G.  Rowell,  Company  K,  Tenth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  September  22,  1862. 

S.  Stone  Smith,  Company  II,  Twelfth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  September  22,  1862. 

Otis  B.  Lincoln,  Company  H,  Tenth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  September  4,  1862. 


HOOKSETT. 


377 


A.  Eugene  Fisk,  Thirteenth  Kegiuieut  Massachusetts  Volunteers. 

John  S.  Wattles,  Fourteenth  Regiment  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
Company  H ; died  at  Poolesville,  Md.,  January  11,  1863. 

John  Bennett,  Second  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  Company  A,  mus- 
tered in  November  13,  1863. 

John  Bartlett,  Second  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  Company  A,  mus- 
tered in  November  13,  1863  ; unknown. 

James  Bartlett,  Second  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  Company  A,  mus- 
tered in  November  13,  1863  ; recruit. 

Moses  Ducham,  Second  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  Company  D,  mus- 
tered in  November  13,  1863  ; wounded  June  3,  1864. 

Peter  Ducham,  Second  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  Company  D,  mus- 
tered in  November  13,  1663  ; missing. 

Francis  Lesciene,  Second  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  Company  II, 
mustered  in  November  13,  1863  ; missing. 

John  Lindsley,  Second  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  Company  K,  mus- 
tered in  November  13,  1863  ; missing. 

James  31.  Manger,  Second  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  Company  F, 
mustered  in  November  13,  1863  ; missing. 

William  II.  Roake,  Second  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  Company  K, 
mustered  in  November  13,  1863  ; promoted  to  corporal  ; promoted  to 
second  lieutenant  Thirty-sixth  United  States  Colored  Troops,  December 
15,  1864. 

3\  illiam  Smith,  Second  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  Company  E,  mus- 
tered in  November  13,  1863 ; discharged  for  disability  September  7, 

1864. 

Edward  D.  Bean,  Second  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  Company  C, 
mustered  in  February  2,  1861  ; promoted  to  first  lieutenant  June  24, 
1864. 

Edward  Clark,  Second  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  Company  B,  mus- 
tered in  January  1,  1804. 

Alden  G.  George,  Third  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  Company  A,  mus- 
tered in  August  23,  1861;  wounded  slightly  May  14,  1864;  missing  in 
action  June  16,  1864. 

James  S.  Wallace,  Third  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  Company  H,  mus- 
tered in  August  23,  1861. 

Joseph  Miller,  Fourth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  Company  C,  mus- 
tered in  September  16,  1861  ; not  officially  accounted  for. 

David  G.  Lillin,  Fourth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  Company  E, 
mustered  in  September  16,  1861  ; died  of  disease  December  4,  1862. 

Dennis  Mahoney,  Second  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  Company  G, 
mustered  in  November  4,  1862  ; wounded  July  25,  1864. 

James  Duvoase,  Seventh  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  Company  II,  mus- 
tered in  August  19,  1863  ; missing  at  Olustee,  Fla.,  February  20,  1864. 

Thomas  Leary,  Company  B,  Seventh  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  August  19,  1863  ; missing  at  Olustee,  Fla.,  February  20, 
1864. 

Peter  V bite,  Company  D,  Seventh  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  August  19,  1863  ; missing  at  Olustee,  Fla.,  February  20,  1864. 

Christopher  Abbott,  Company  E,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  September  1,  1863  ; captured  at  Sabine  Cross-Roads,  La., 
April  8, 1864  ; died  of  disease  in  hands  of  enemy. 

John  Howard,  Company  C,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  mus- 
tered in  August  19,  1863  ; not  officially  accounted  for. 

William  Schmidt,  Companj’  B,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers, 
mustered  in  November  12,  1863. 

James  C.  McDuftee,  First  Regiment  New  Hampshire  Cavalry,  muster- 
ed in  January  5,  1864  ; captured  at  Winchester,  Va.,  August  17,  1864. 

Chase  J.  Wentworth,  Company  A,  First  Regiment  New  Hampshire 
Heavy  Artillery,  mustered  in  July  18,  1863. 

Nathan  K.  Lawrence,  Company  K,  New  Hampshire  Volunteer  Heavy 
Artillery,  mustered  in  September  17,  1864. 

Edward  P.  Kimball,  Company  K,  New  Hampshire  Volunteer  Heavy 
Artillery,  mustered  in  September  17,  1864. 

Charles  II.  Ingalls,  Company  K,  New'  Hampshire  Volunteer  Heavy  Ar- 
tillery, mustered  in  September  17,  1864. 

Charles  N.  Dimick,  Company  K,  New  Hampshire  Volunteer  Heavy  Ar- 
tillery, mustered  in  September  17,  1864. 

Henry  Eaton,  Company  K,  New  Hampshire  Volunteer  Heavy  Artil- 
lery, mustered  in  September  17,  1864. 

Geo.  W.  Farnura,  Compan}'  K,  New  Hampshire  Volunteer  Heavy  Ar- 
tillery, mustered  in  September  17,  1864. 

Benjamin  F.  Farnum,  Company  K,  New  Hampshire  Volunteer  Heavy 
Artillery,  mustered  in  September  17,  1864. 

Clinton  Jones,  Company  K,  New  Hampshire  Volunteer  Heavy  Ar- 
tillery, mustered  in  September  17,  1864. 


Frank  C.  Jewell,  Company  K,  New  Hampshire  Volunteer  Heavy  Ar- 
tillery, mustered  in  September  17,  1861. 

John  B.  Leighton,  Company  K,  New  Hampshire  Volunteer  Heavy 
Artillery,  mustered  in  September  17,  1864. 

Charles  H.  Moulton,  Company  K,  New  Hampshire  Volunteer  Heavy 
Artillery,  mustered  iu  September  17,  1864. 

Frank  D.  Ordway,  Company  K,  New  Hampshire  Volunteer  Heavy  Ar 
tillery,  mustered  in  September  17,  1864. 

John  H.  Prescott,  Company  K,  New  Hampshire  Volunteer  Heavy  Ar- 
tillery, mustered  in  September  17,  1864. 

Franklin  Sentor,  Company  K,  New  Hampshire  Volunteer  Heavy  Ar- 
tillery, mustered  in  September  17,  1864. 

John  Lindsey,  Company  M,  New  Hampshire  Volunteer  Heavy  Artil- 
lery, mustered  in  November  13,  1863. 

Jerome  B.  Titus,  Company  M,  New  Hampshire  Volunteer  Heavy  Ar- 
tillery, mustered  in  August  20,  1863. 

Henry  A.  Lawrence,  United  States  service,  Fort  Constitution,  mus- 
tered in  July  25,  1864  ; commissioned  second  lieutenant  Heavy  Artil- 
lery September  15,  1864. 

Henry  II.  Gile,  United  States  service,  Fort  Constitution,  mustered 
in  July  25,  1864. 

Horace  I*.  Gage,  United  States  service,  Fort  Constitution,  mustered  iu 
July  25,  1864. 

Edward  A.  Robie,  United  States  service,  Fort  Constitution,  mustered 
in  July  25,  1864. 

The  following  soldiers  who  served  in  the  late  Re- 
bellion are  prominent  citizens  of  Hooksett. 

Ebenezer  II . Nutting,  Company  C,  Fourth  New  Hampshire  Volun- 
teers; enlisted  September  18,1861;  promoted  sergeant;  mustered  out 
September  27,  1864.  Mr.  Nutting  is  the  resident  agent  of  Hooksett 
Manufacturing  Company. 

Frank  Rose  enlisted  in  1861,  in  the  Fifty-seventh  New  York  Regiment 
Volunteers ; discharged  in  1864  ; lost  a leg  and  arm  in  the  battle  of 
Bristol  Station,  Va. 

Edwin  Plonk,  a native  of  Boston,  went  from  Boston  to  Oxford,  N.  H., 
when  eight  years  old  ; lived  there  twenty-five  years  ; held  a commission 
in  the  old  militia:  married  in  Oxford,  in  1852,  to  Sarah  P.  Church; 
moved  from  Oxford  to  Camptou,  N.  H.,  living  there  fifteen  years  ; held 
the  office  of  selectman  two  years  ; enlisted  in  September,  1862,  in  Com- 
pany 1,  Twelfth  New  Hampshire  Regiment;  was  sergeant,  serving  one 
year,  and  discharged  for  disability.  Moved  from  Campton  to  Hooksett  in 
1870.  Since  his  residence  in  town  has  held  all  the  important  offices  and 
is  a respected  citizen. 

Horace  II.  Parker  enlisted  September  18,  1861,  Company  K,  Fourth 
New  Hampshire  Regiment ; mustered  out  September  18,  1864.  Mr.  Par- 
ker moved  from  Bow  in  the  year  1881  ; he  represented  the  town  of 
Bow  in  the  Legislature,  and  held  other  important  offices.  He  is  an 
active  Democrat  in  politics. 

Henry  C.  Carbee  served  in  First  Company  Heavy  Artillery,  Vermont, 
through  the  war  ; is  an  active  business  man  in  town. 

Nathan  B.  Wood,  Company  G,  Thirty-sixth  Maine  Regiment  ; an 
active  farmer  in  town. 

William  II.  Robinson  enlisted  in  the  Eighteenth  Regiment  New 
Hampshire  Volunteers  in  1861,  and  was  discharged  on  the  29th  day  of 
August,  1805.  He  is  Commander  of  Geo.  W.  Gordon  Grand  Army  of 
the  Republic  Post,  Suncook. 

LIST  OF  PENSIONERS  CREDITED  TO  HOOKSETT  IN  1883. 

Ward  Messer,  wounded  in  left  knee  ; $10.00  ; Arthur  I.  Lawrence 
injury  to  abdomen,  $8.00;  Edwin  Pronk,  disease  of  heart,  liver  and 
spleen,  $8.00  ; Geo.  W.  Peabody,  chronic  diarrhoea,  $8.00  ; James  Carr, 
injury  to  left  leg,  etc.,  $6.00  ; Philip  E.  Crooker,  injury  to  abdomeu, 
$4.00  ; James  Clark,  loss  of  left  leg,  $24.00 ; Joseph  Gasset,  $6.00  ; Silas 
T.  Goodale,  $8.00  ; Frank  Rose,  loss  ot  right  leg  and  left  arm,  $36.00 ; 
Lewis  Ternier,  injury  to  abdomen  ; Nathan  B.  Wood,  chronic  diarrhoea, 
$8.00  ; Sarah  Osmore,  mother,  $8.00  ; Mary  P.  George,  mother,  $8.00 ; Sally 
A.  Ordway,  widow  of  1812,  $8.00  ; Polly  Andrews  Morgan,  widow  of  1812, 
$8.00. 

Of  the  families  in  Hooksett,  concerning  which  a 
war  record  can  be  produced,  is  the  Poor  family. 
Samuel  Poor  was  born  in  Rowley,  Mass.,  December  13, 
1758,  when  that  part  of  the  town  was  called  New 
Rowley,  and  in  1838  incorporated  with  the  name  of 


378 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Georgetown.  He  was  a brave  Revolutionary  soldier,  I 
and  served  with  General  Gates  at  Saratoga,  N.  Y., 
October  17,  1777,  when  they  took  General  Burgoyne. 
He  settled  in  what  was  originally  Gods  town,  and  his 
farm  was  in  the  southwesterly  part  of  the  town,  made, 
in  1822,  from  a portion  of  Dunbarton,  Goffstown  and 
ancient  Chester,  and  called  by  the  name  of  Hooksett. 
He  married,  October  21,  1784,  Anna  Bridges,  of  Row- 
ley,  born  February  1, 17(12  ; they  lived  together  a long 
time.  He  died  August  21,  1841.  She  survived  him 
until  she  reached  ninety-one  years,  dying  April  21, 
1853.  Mr.  Poor  was  a good  citizen  with  sound  judg- 
ment, and  honored  with  being  called  to  hold  office  in 
the  management  of  town  ad'airs.  Eri,  son  of  Samuel 
Poor,  was  born  November  21,  1800  ; married,  April 
14,  1825,  Susan  Saltmarsh,  of  Goffstown.  He  died 
January  28,  1874;  she  in  1879.  He  was  county  com- 
missioner three  years,  and  held  all  the  important 
offices  in  town.  Of  his  large  family  of  children, 
he  had  two  sons  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion. 
Samuel  Poor  enlisted  in  Company  H,  Second  Regi- 
ment, New  Hampshire  Volunteers.  He  died  in  the 
Andersonville  prison.  At  the  battle  of  Bull  Run  was 
not  wounded,  although  a man  was  shot  down  on  each 
side  of  him  and  two  bullets  passed  through  his  clothes. 

* Eri  Poor,  enlisted  in  Company  A,  Seventh  Regi- 
ment of  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  June  14,  1862- 
Only  five  men  of  his  company  of  one  hundred  and 
one  came  home,  and  he  was  one  of  those  five.  He 
was  in  the  army  four  years,  and  was  always  on  duty 
there,  excepting  when  he  received  a thirty  days’  fur- 
lough to  come  home  and  visit  his  family ; partici- 
pated in  all  the  battles  of  the  Seventh  Regiment; 
was  a bold  soldier,  and  took  the  rebel  flag  at  Fort 
Fisher ; was  commissioned  corporal,  and  advanced 
step  by  step  to  first  lieutenant  before  he  left  the  ser- 
vice. Governor  Natt.  Head,  before  and  since  the 
Rebellion,  has  employed  him  for  his  brick  burner. 
(See  Poor  genealogy.) 

Among  other  families  in  town  with  an  old  war 
record  are  the  Otterson  and  Head  families  (see  adju- 
tant-general’s report).  In  the  late  Rebellion  William 
H.  Otterson  served  in  the  Tenth  New  Hampshire 
Volunteers,  and  was  a good  soldier.  George  H.  L. 
Head  rose  to  the  rank  of  captain,  being  a brave 
officer. 

LIST  OF  SOLDIERS  THAT  ARE  BURIED  IN  IIOOKSETT. 

Hooksett  Cemetery. — GeorgeW.  Gordon,  (captain)  Second  New  Hampshire 
Volunteers,  Erastus  W.  Farmer  (Company  I),  Tenth  New  Hampshire 
Volunteers),  Ambrose  Jones,  Warren  E.  Rowell  fTentli  New  Hampshire 
Volunteers),  John  Langley,  Ellas  Taylor,  Daniel  A.  Wells,  Joseph 
Lewis,  Henry  W.  Sargent,  Augustus  P.  Emery,  John  Berry,  James 
Ordway  (1812),  Parker  Carr,  Benjamin  F.  Brown,  Amos  Baker,  Sterling 
Sargent  (1*12),  Alfred  Towns,  Nathaniel  Head  (Revolution). 

Hacket  Hill  Cemetenj.— Daniel  J.  George  and  Alonzo  1*.  Saltmarsh. 

Hirer  Hoad  in  Hooksett.  — Charles  W.  Foss  (Company  D,  Tenth  New 
Hampshire),  John  A.  Hall  (Company  D,  Tenth  New  Hampshire),  David 
P.  Stevens  (Company  K,  First  New  Hampshire). 

South  Hooksett  Cemetery. — J.  J.  OrmestoD,  Joshua  Martin  (1812),  Ed- 
ward Langley,  (Company  B,  Ninth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers). 

Clay  District  in  Hooksett.-- Walter  Clay  (1812),  George  Caswell  (Eighth 
New  Hampshire  Volunteers). 


In  the  Wars  of  the  Revolution  and  of  1812  the  true 
character  and  history  of  the  participants  can  only  be 
found  in  the  records  concerning  the  towns  from  which 
Hooksett  was  made.  Many  residents  who  live  at 
this  time  can  recall  the  names  of  ancestors  who  took 
part  in  those  struggles.  In  the  year  1840  pension- 
ers were  living  in  Hooksett  as  follows : Ebenezer 
Currier,  aged  seventy-seven  years,  living  at  home: 
James  Otterson,  aged  eighty-three;  Alice  Mitchell, 
aged  seventy-one,  living  with  Joseph  Mitchell ; 
Samuel  Poor,  eighty-two  years  old  ; Anna  Abbott, 
aged  seventy-three  years.  Currier  was  a son  of 
Thomas  Currier  and  Sarah  Coburn,  married  a Dresser 
for  first  wife,  and  for  second  wife  Nancy,  widow  of 
Eben  Blaisdcll.  James  Otterson  married  Mary 
Chase,  of  Sutton;  died  December  22,  184(5,  aged 
eighty-nine;  his  wife  died  in  1845,  aged  eighty-three. 
He  was  a soldier  in  Rhode  Island,  1778. 

Hooksett  responded  promptly  to  the  calls  for  troops 
during  the  Rebellion,  and  furnished  nearly  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty  men.  The  spirit  of  true  patriotism 
early  in  war  was  the  incentive  for  scores  to  enlist 
without  any  inducements  of  large  bounties.  The  im- 
pulse stirred  all  alike,  and  representatives  of  families 
ofboth  political  parties  who  were  the  social  and  mater- 
ial leaders  in  forming  local  history,  went  to  the  war. 
The  town  was  liberal  throughout  the  whole  war  in  pro- 
viding town  aid  to  soldiers’ families  and  in  voting  boun- 
ties. On  Augustfi,  1862,  “ Voted  that  theselectmen  be 
authorized  to  pay  one  hundred  dollars  to  each  volun- 
teer.” On  September  26,  1863,  “ Voted  to  pay  each 
drafted  man  or  his  substitute  the  sum  of  three  hun- 
dred dollars.”  On  December  22,  1863,  “Voted  to  have 
fifty-six  hundred  and  twenty-eight  dollars  to  pay  for 
our  quota  of  men.”  “ Voted  that  the  selectmen  be 
authorized  to  pay  the  recruiting  officer  four  hundred 
dollars  apiece  for  each  man  recruited.”  On  the  6th 
day  of  August,  1864,  “ Voted  that  the  selectmen  be 
authorized  to  hire  sixteen  thousand  dollars  to  fill  the 
quota  under  the  call  of  the  President  for  five  hun- 
dred thousand  volunteers,  made  July  18,1864.”  “ Voted 
that  the  selectmen  be  authorized  to  fill  the  quota 
and  act  as  agents;”  also  “ Voted  that  T.  B.  Wattles 
and  Jesse  Gault  act  with  them.”  On  September  1, 
1864,  “ Voted  to  pay  our  citizens  who  may  enlist  five 
hundred  dollars  for  one  year,  six  hundred  for  two 
years  and  seven  hundred  dollars  for  three  years.”  On 
December  28,  1864,  “ Voted  that  the  town  furnish 
volunteer  substitutes  for  any  call  that  may  be  made 
upon  said  town  for  troops.”  “ Voted,  that  the  town 
pay  one  hundred  dollars  for  one  year,  two  hundred 
dollars  for  two  years,  three  hundred  dollars  for  three 
years.”  “ Voted  to  pay  any  inhabitant  of  said  town 
who  shall  furnish  a representative  substitute  three 
hundred  dollars.”  On  March  14,  1865,  “Voted  to  pay 
Chase  Wentworth,  C.  W.  James,  Byron  Richardson 
one  hundred  dollars  as  a bounty,  if  it  be  legal.” 
“ Voted  to  pay  all  who  never  received  any  bounty  the 
sum  of  one  hundred  dollars  that  have  enlisted  from 


HOOKSETT. 


379 


Hooksett,  if  it  is  legal.”  The  town  of  Hooksett 
went  to  the  expense  of  about  twenty-five  thousand 
dollars  in  defraying  the  expense  of  bounties,  etc., 
which  incurred  a heavy  debt,  but,  by  judicious  man- 
agement, the  debt  has  since  been  wiped  out,  and  in 
the  year  1885  the  treasury  had  a balance  in  favor  of 

j j I 

the  town.  Within  a few  years  the  town  has  voted  fifty 
dollars  annually  for  the  decoration  of  the  graves  of 
soldiers  who  have  fallen  by  the  wayside  of  life’s  jour- 
ney since  the  war,  and  of  those  whose  bodies  were 
brought  from  the  scene  of  the  great  conflict.  There 
was  no  full  company  recruited  in  this  town  during 
the  Rebellion  ; but  in  September,  1862,  upon  the  call 
made  by  the  President  for  troops,  enthusiastic  pa- 
triotism pervaded  the  community  and  a great  number 
of  men  enlisted  from  Hooksett.  These  men  com- 
bined together  and  joined  the  Tenth  New  Hampshire 
Volunteers.  A company  was  formed,  and  from  the 
Hooksett  squad  a captain  was  elected,  who  was  com- 
missioned September  17,  1862.  This  officer  was  War- 
ren M.  Kelly,  captain  of  Company  D.  He  served 
throughout  the  war  and  commanded  the  regiment 
three  months  the  last  part  of  the  service.  Captain 
Kelly  was  a direct  descendant  of  fighting  stock,  with 
good  war  records.  He  was  born  in  the  town  of  New 
Hampton,  N.  H.,  in  1821 ; was  a grandson  of 
Lieutenant  Samuel  Kelly,  a Revolutionary  officer, 
and  a near  relative  of  Captain  Thomas  Sampson,  who 
commanded  a company  at  Bunker  Hill.  He  was  a 
son  of  Michael  B.  Kelly,  a member  of  Light  Artillery 
in  the  War  of  1812.  Mr.  Kelly  has  been  a citizen  of 
Hooksett  twenty-eight  years.  He  was  a brave  offi- 
cer, frank  and  generous,  and  beloved  by  all  his  com- 
panions-in-arms.  There  were  twenty-one  men  who 
enlisted  under  Captain  Kelly  from  Hooksett.  These 
men  acquitted  themselves  with  honor  to  their  country. 
On  the  10th  of  September,  1885,  the  annual  reunion 
of  the  Tenth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers  was  held  in 
Hooksett.  This  gathering  of  war-scarred  veterans, 
in  commemoration  of  the  sad  past,  and  in  exchanging 
kind  greetings  of  the  present,  was  a day  long  to  be 
remembered  by  the  people  of  Hooksett.  A kind  re- 
ception was  given  them,  which  brought  to  memory  the 
sad  “ good-byes  ” given  them  when  they  departed 
from  Manchester  on  that  bright  September  morning 
for  the  seat  of  war,  twenty-three  years  ago. 

Since  the  formation  of  the  town  of  Hooksett  the 
local  military  history  is  not  without  interest.  Hook- 
sett’s  quota  of  men  who  were  liable  to  do  military 
service  were  generally  given  opportunity  to  train  at 
the  annual  trainings.  The  last  muster  held  in  town 
was  about  the  year  1850.  It  was  held  north  of 
Hooksett  Falls,  on  the  west  side  of  the  river.  This 
was  under  the  old  military  regime.  New  Hampshire 
could  muster  then  four  brigades  of  well-drilled  militia. 
Hooksett  formerly  mustered  some  crack  companies. 
One  of  the  first  companies  which  displayed  merit 
was  the  Hooksett  Light  Infantry.  One  of  its  last 
captains  was  A.  H.  Converse;  he  was  a military 


genius  and  a thorough  disciplinarian.  This  company 
was  disbanded  before  1850.  Many  recollect  their 
gaudy  uniforms.  Another  company  was  organized 
since  the  war,  also  called  the  Hooksett  Light  Infan- 
try. It  had  for  officers:  Captain,  George  H.  L.  Head; 
First  Lieutenant,  William  H.  Otterson  ; Second  Lieu- 
tenant, Silas  T.  Goodale.  This  company  was  organ- 
ized in  1866  and  became  a part  of  the  State  militia. 
It  was  disbanded  in  the  fall  of  1869.  In  1859  an  en- 
gine company  was  organized,  called  the  Eagle  Engine 
Company.  It  was  composed  of  the  best  young  men 
in  the  village.  It  paraded  on  important  occasions 
and  did  whatever  service  it  had  occasion  to  do  at 
fires. 

About  the  year  1842  there  was  organized  a band 
called  the  Hooksett  Brass  Band.  It  had  at  one  time 
for  leader  Alonzo  Bond,  who  has  since  become  famous 
as  a band-leader  and  director  in  Boston.  Ex-Gover- 
nor Head  was  a prominent  member,  and  was  its 
leader  before  disbanding. 

In  the  year  1861,  in  September,  a band  was  or- 
ganized with  sixteen  members,  under  the  leadership 
of  Benjamin  A.  Ham.  Five  members  enlisted  in 
the  Tenth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  but  it  con- 
tinued to  play  until  1868,  when  they  disbanded.  At 
one  time  the  band  was  called  one  of  the  best  in  the 
State. 

October  6,  1884,  a band  was  again  organized,  which 
is  also  called  the  Hooksett  Cornet  Band,  with  twenty- 
two  members.  Professor  B.  A.  Ham  is  the  leader  and 
director.  The  citizens  of  the  town  contributed  a sum 
of  money  to  defray  the  cost  of  procuring  instruments, 
etc.  This  association  is  based  on  local  interest,  and 
the  instruments,  etc.,  are  always  to  be  kept  in  town, 
in  the  hands  of  the  association. 

Temperance  reform  has  more  or  less  been  agitated 
in  town  since  the  incorporation.  Early  in  the  history 
of  the  town  Hooksett  was  called  a great  place  for 
liquor.  There  was  a number  of  taverns  and  dram- 
shops. In  the  old  stage-times  from  ten  to  fifteen  stages 
arrived  every  day.  Boatmen  who  plied  the  river 
rendezvoused  at  Hooksett.  Dram-drinking,  which 
was  a custom  in  those  days,  and  gambling  was  carried 
on  to  a large  extent.  Hooksett  was  sometimes  called 
the  “ Second  Vicksburg.”  Between  the  years  of  1840 
and  1850  a Sons  of  Temperance  Society  was  formed, 
which  aroused  a temperance  sentiment.  This  or- 
ganization was  sustained  a number  of  years.  About 
the  year  1854,  when  the  Maine  Liquor  Law  created 
a wide-spread  interest,  the  sentiment  struck  this 
town.  Liquor-selling  was  indefinitely  suppressed. 
Later  on  the  matter  was  constantly  agitated.  Savory 
T.  Burbank,  a prominent  co-worker  in  the  cause,  was 
persecuted  by  having  a large,  fine  apple  orchard 
girdled  by  miscreants  of  the  opposite  belief.  This 
was  in  the  year  1861.  A large  gathering  of  people 
assembled  at  his  house  afterwards,  regaled  by  stirring 
music  from  the  Manchester  Cornet  Band,  and  re- 
placed the  orchard.  Soon  afterwards  the  interest 


380 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


waned,  and  during  the  war  reformatory  questions 
were  out  of  order.  The  suppression  of  the  Rehellion 
was  the  main  thing  in  the  minds  of  the  people. 
After  the  war  a space  of  great  business  prosperity  was 
enjoyed. 

In  the  year  1875,  December  30th,  a Reform  Club 
was  organized  in  town.  Noted  agitators  from  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  country  spoke  to  the  people.  The 
sentiment  permeated  most  every  household,  until  the 
pledge  was  signed  by  over  six  hundred.  Much  ap- 
parent good  was  accomplished.  Heads  of  families, 
who,  prior  to  the  movement,  had  not  seen  many  sober 
days  for  years,  took  the  pledge.  They  became  sober 
men,  and  from  that  time  until  now  are  respected  for 
their  sobriety.  A larger  portion  went  back  to  their 
cups,  becoming  again  intemperate.  The  club  kept  up 
their  meetings  for  about  five  years.  One  of  the  out- 
comes of  the  Reform  Club  was  the  Good  Templars' 
Lodge,  which  was  organized  April  5,  1876,  with 
Joseph  O.  Ingalls  and  wife,  C.  H.  Ingalls  and  wife, 
N.  C.  Gault  and  wife,  E.  T.  Head  and  wife,  W.  H. 
Robinson,  H.  P.  Gage  and  others  as  charter  members. 
They  increased  their  membership  up  to  one  hundred 
and  three.  This  organization  flourished  for  a number 
of  years.  They  gave  up  their  charter  in  October, 
1883. 

In  the  year  1873  a Patron  of  Husbandry  Grange  was 
instituted  with  Natt.  Head  as  Master.  This  society 
flourished  for  a season,  but  soon  became  defunct.  A 
number  of  people  who  reside  in  town  are  members  of 
this  society  in  Manchester. 

Political. — From  the  commencement  of  the  his- 
tory of  the  town  up  to  the  year  1853  the  Republican 
Democratic  party  was  in  the  ascendancy.  Since  that 
time,  for  thirty-two  years,  the  Republican  party,  de- 
rived from  the  old  Whig  and  Abolition,  has  con- 
tinually ruled  the  town.  After  the  town  was  first 
formed  there  was  not  a strong  opposing  vote  against 
the  dominant  party. 

In  the  year  1833,  Mathew  Gault  was  elected  as 
representative  without  an  opposing  vote;  William 
Badger,  candidate  for  Governor,  had  all  the  votes  but 
two.  Since  the  Republicans  have  ruled  the  town  the 
Democrats  have,  in  the  years  of  1867  and  1882,  been 
able  to  elect  representatives  in  the  persons  of  Norris 
C.  Gault  and  Nathaniel  Clark. 

In  the  year  1871,  James  A.  Weston,  Democratic 
candidate  for  Governor,  had  more  votes  than  the  Re- 
publican standard-bearer. 

Longevity. — The  following  is  a record  of  some 
of  the  people  who  have  died  at  age  above  seventy 
years : . 

Thomas  Wicom,  died  1853,  aged  101  ; Peter  Williams,  died  1853,  aged 
79  ; Samuel  Head,  died  1855,  aged  77  ; Sarah  Head,  died  1855,  aged  71  ; 
Mary  Dodge,  died  1858,  aged  73  ; John  Davie,  died  1860,  aged  80;  Sam- 
uel Piper,  died  1857,  aged  77  ; John  Prescott,  died  1861,  aged  71  ; Wil- 
liam Taggart,  died  1861,  aged  80;  Nancy  Kimball,  died  1861,  aged  74  ; 
A.  Whittemore,  died  1861,  aged  79  ; Elizabeth  Collins,  died  1862,  aged  78  ; 
Dolly  Prescott,  died  1862,  aged  75  ; Josiah  Leavett,  died  1864,  aged  80; 
Moses  Underhill,  died  1864,  aged  74  ; Moses  Collins,  died  1863,  aged  81  ; 
Hannah  Kimball,  died  1863,  aged  84  ; Anna  Kelly,  died  1864,  aged  74  ; 


Sarah  Shu  to,  died  1867,  aged  72  ; Polly  Abbott,  died  1869,  aged  81  ; Betsy 
Silver,  died  I860,  aged  77  ; Nicholas  Dollof,  died  1869,  aged  75;  Joseph 
Fuller,  died  1869,  aged  86 ; Eri  Poor,  died  1871,  aged  73  ; Susan  G.  (loss, 
died  1873,  aged  78;  Mathew  Gault,  died  1873,  aged  70;  Dolly  Gault, 
died  1873,  aged  79;  Lucy  R.  Morgan,  died  1872,  aged  73;  William 
Otterson,  died  1873,  aged  84  ; Isaac  C.  Otterson,  died  1874,  aged  76  ; Han- 
nah 0.  Colby,  died  1875,  aged  76  ; Peter  C'.  Rowell,  died  1876,  aged  83  ; 
Phoebe  Taggart,  died  1880,  aged  96  ; Joseph  Ordway,  died  1881,  aged  72  ; 
J.  Clark,  died  1881,  aged  77  ; Alden  George,  died  1882,  aged  77  ; Edwin 
E.  Goodale,  died  1883,  aged  71  ; Stephen  C.  Eastman,  died  1883,  aged  80  ; 
Recta  Wheeler,  died  1883,  aged  76  ; Janies  Fisk,  died  1884,  aged  77  ; 
Polly  0.  Morgan,  died  1884,  aged  86  ; Darius  Wilson,  died  1884,  aged  80  ; 
Joseph  Blanchard,  died  1884,  aged  87. 

Postmasters. — The  first  establishment  of  a post- 
office  in  town  could  not  easily  be  ascertained.  John 
Whipple  was  postmaster  in  1822-23;  William  Hall, 
1824;  Richard  H.  Ayer,  1825-29;  Hamlin  Davis, 

j 1830-31;  Dr.  Enoch  B.  Barnes,  1832;  Dr.  Amos  G. 
Gale,  1833  to  September  30,  1842;  Richard  H.  Ayer 
to  April  1,  1843;  Amos  G.  Gale,  1845-47;  Seth  K. 
Jones,  1848-51;  Samuel  Head,  Jr.,  August  31,  1851  ; 
Albert  S.  Rowell,  1855;  Walter  B.  Jones,  1859-61 ; 
Joseph  T.  Goss,  1861-73  ; Frank  C.  Towle,  1873-82; 
George  A.  Robie,  1882-85  ; John  Wheeler,  August  20, 
1885.  When  John  Whipple  was  postmaster,  in  1822, 
the  salary  for  services  amounted  to  $7.32,  and  in  the 
year  1884  to  between  five  and  six  hundred  dollars.  A 
post-office  was  established  at  Martin’s  Ferry  in  1883, 
with  Thomas  Blanchard  postmaster,  which  is  called 
Martin’s. 

Brick-Making. — Brick-making  in  Hooksett  is  a 
very  important  industry.  The  composition  of  the 

I clav  and  the  singular  location  of  this  aluminous  de- 

| ° 

posit  along  the  banks  of  the  Merrimack  River  make  it 
an  object  of  thoughtful  study  for  the  geologist.  The 
brick  manufactured  from  clay  in  Hooksett  has  gained 
a reputation  for  hardness  and  color  not  excelled  any- 
where in  New  England.  Early  in  the  primeval  period 
of  the  earth’s  formation  the  disintegrated  crust, 
through  the  constant  action  of  the  waters,  left  a de- 
composition of  sandstone,  mica  and  feldspar,  which 
gives  us  a rich  deposit  of  sand  and  clay.  This  valu- 
able deposit  of  clay,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Merrimack, 
was  discovered  in  the  early  settlement  of  the  town. 
About  the  year  1810  the  late  Captain  Rice  Dud- 
ley, of  Pembroke,  who  had  worked  at  brick-making 
in  Massachusetts  some,  prospected,  in  company  with 
Samuel  Head,  the  clay-banks  now  worked  by  Jesse 
Gault  and  W.  F.  Head.  Mr.  Dudley  prophesied  that 
the  banks  would  he  developed  some  time,  but  Mr. 
Head  scouted  the  idea,  for  the  reason  that  it  would  be 
difficult  to  transport  them  to  market.  Since  that 
time  the  clay-banks  have  been  utilized ; a railroad, 
with  its  side-tracks,  has  been  extended  up  near  the 
kilns,  and  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  to  see  twenty-five 
cars  of  brick  loaded  in  one  day. 

The  first  brick  made  in  town  was  about  the  year 
1820,  at  the  Ayer  brick-yard.  At  that  time  it  was 
not  a special  industry,  but  different  individuals  united 
together  to  make  for  home  use.  In  the  year  1828 
a kiln  was  made,  which  was  used  to  build  the  town- 
liouse,  and  the  town  voted  to  cut  wood  from  off  the 


HOOKSETT. 


381 


town  lots  to  burn  the  same  with.  When  the  city  of 
Manchester  commenced  to  grow,  a great  demand  for 
bricks  occurred. 

A Mr.  Saltmarsh  was  the  first  extensive  brick-maker 
in  the  Ayer  brick-yard.  Richard  H.  Ayer  was  the 
principal  pioneer  in  extensive  brick-making,  employ- 
ing David  A.  Leach  as  his  foreman.  Millions  of 
bricks  have  been  made  from  this  yard,  and  the  mills 
in  Manchester  were  erected  principally  from  material 
manufactured  in  Hooksett. 

In  the  year  1837,  Jabez  Green,  now  living  in  Allens- 
town,  was  the  pioneer  in  brick-making  in  the  Head 
brick-yard.  Mr.  Green  was  a native  of  Westford, 
Mass.,  but  came  from  Bedford,  prospecting  for  clay- 
banks.  He  had  made  a contract  with  a Mr.  Lowell, 
agent  of  the  Amoskeag  Company,  to  supply  one  hun- 
dred thousand  bricks.  The  old  Manchester  House 
was  made  that  year  with  brick  furnished  in  that  con- 
tract. These  bricks  were  boated  to  Manchester, 
loaded  above  the  falls  and  locked  over  through  the 
canal.  Charles  Stark  was  then  lock-keeper.  I’eter 
C.  Rowell  and  Henry  Saltmarsh  took  the  contract  to 
boat  them  to  Manchester.  A Mr.  Wallace  and  Sam- 
uel Prescott  made  bricks  afterwards  in  the  yard.  Mr. 
Wallace  went  to  California  during  the  gold  fever  ex- 
citement, and  since  died  there.  Mathew  Gault  and 
Philip  Sargent  also  operated  this  yard.  About  the 
year  1850  the  late  ex-Governor  Head  commenced 
to  operate,  and  since  that  time,  in  company  with  his 
brother,  W.  F.  Head,  they  have  gradually  developed 
the  capacity,  and  they  make  on  an  average  seven 
million  a year.  Jesse  Gault  commenced  about  the 
year  1842.  He  has  become  a successful  manufac- 
turer, and  makes  annually  about  six  million.  About 
three  thousand  cords  of  wood  are  now  annually  con- 
sumed in  burning  bricks.  The  large  area  of  wild 
woodland  that  a large  portion  of  Hooksett  is  made 
up  of  has  been  profitably  utilized  in  furnishing 
wood  for  this  purpose.  The  descendants  of  the  early 
settlers  who  gained  possession  of  these  tracts  of  land 
were  mostly  made  affluent  by  the  rise  in  value  of  this 
natural  growth.  Other  brick-makers  have  done  busi- 
ness rather  extensively  in  late  years, — Charles  Baily, 
Samuel  Head,  David  A.  Kimball,  John  Shirley  and 
Joseph  O.  Ingalls.  This  important  industry  furnishes 
labor  to  about  one  hundred  men  annually.  The  help 
are  mainly  French-Canadians.  In  some  seasons  it 
necessitates  sending  agents  to  Upper  Canada  to  pro- 
cure help.  Early  in  the  history  of  this  country,  when 
brick-making  was  profitably  done  in  the  vicinity  of 
Boston  and  New  York,  the  help  was  principally  fur- 
nished from  the  hardy  sons  of  our  forefathers.  At 
that  time,  as  well  as  now,  it  required  specimens 
of  vigorous  manhood  to  stand  the  strain,  and,  there- 
fore, it  is  necessary  to  procure  men  with  sound  con- 
stitutions to  do  this  work.  The  advantages  of  machine- 
work  have  weakened  the  physical  inclinations  of  the 
rising  generation  to  perform  this  service,  and  it  is 
necessary  to  look  to  Canada  for  reinforcements.  There 


are  two  men — Nathaniel  Clark,  the  foreman  of  Head’s 
yard,  and  Charles  Rowell,  of  Jesse  Gault’s  yard — 
who  have  been  constantly  making  bricks  for  over 
thirty  years. 

Mills. — The  first  mill  built  at  Hooksett  Falls  was 
about  the  year  1770, by  Thomas  Cochrane,  then  of  Dun- 
barton. Mr.  Cochrane  was  an  extensive  dealer  in 
lumber  at  that  time.  According  to  his  books,  kept 
at  that  time,  numerous  charges  for  salmon  were  made 
to  different  people.  He  caught  them  by  the  barrel 
when  they  would  come  up  into  his  sluice-way  to  the 
mill.  This  mill  was  afterwards  carried  away  by  a 
freshet.  Rufus  Harriman  afterwards  owned  the 
privilege.  William  Reside  and  Isaac  Rowell  after- 
wards built  two  mills,  one  on  each  side  of  the  river, 
which  they  owned  in  1803.  William  Reside  was 
afterward  drowned  in  the  falls.  William  Otterson 
afterwards  bought  and  sold  to  the  Hooksett  Manu- 
facturing Company,  in  1823,  when  they  built  a cotton 
and  grist-mill.  About  the  year  1790  the  Browns 
built  a mill  below  where  Head’s  mill  is  now.  In 
1790,  Nathaniel  Head  and  Dr.  James  Brown  owned 
it  together.  In  1802,  Nathaniel  Head  built  above  the 
road,  and  since  that  time  improvements  have  been  con- 
stantly made  on  it,  where  W.  F.  Head  now  owns  a 
complete  improved  lumber-mill.  Probably  the  first 
mill  built  in  town  was  by  John  Talford.  about  the 
year  of  1750.  This  is  at  what  is  now  the  Sawyer 
place,  and,  in  1834,  Captain  Asa  Sawyer  added  a 
grist  and  shingle-mill.  In  1789,  Nathaniel  Martin 
and  Laban  Harriman  built  a mill  on  Lansy  Brook. 
About  the  year  1790  there  was  a saw-mill  built  on  the 
same  stream,  near  Martin’s  Ferry,  by  a man  named 
Thompson,  for  John  Stark,  a son  of  General  Stark. 
Benjamin  Hall  had  a mill  on  the  stream  just  above 
the  Chester  turnpike  previous  to  1800.  It  passed  in- 
to the  hands  of  James  Sargent  and  went  down.  In 
1822  it  was  rebuilt  by  a Mr.  Greer  and  afterwards 
burnt.  Joseph  Whittier  built  a mill  on  Dalton’s 
Brook  about  1810.  The  most  extensive  mill  ever 
erected  in  town  was  the  steam-mill  by  Samuel  Head  ; 
it  cost  about  eight  thousand  dollars.  It  contained  a 
grist-mill.  About  the  years  1857  to  1861,  John 
Dennison  was  largely  engaged  in  kit  manufacturing 
in  this  mill.  This  mill  was  afterwards  sold  to  a Low- 
ell manufacturing  company,  which  they  operated  a 
year  or  two,  when  the  machinery,  engine,  etc.,  was 
removed,  shipped  to  Florida,  but  lost  in  the  ocean  on 
its  way. 

Manufactories. — Cotton  manufacturing  in  Hook- 
sett dates  back  to  1823,  when,  in  July  of  that  year, 
the  Hooksett  Manufacturing  Company  was  organized. 
The  original  mill  is  supposed  to  be  the  oldest  one  in 
the  State.  Among  its  grantees  were  more  eminent  men 
than  were  ever  connected  with  any  other  cotton-mill 
in  the  State.  In  the  organization  of  the  company  may 
be  found  the  names  of  Governor  John  Bell,  Isaac  Hill 
and  Samuel  Bell,  who  have  since  been  Governors,  and 
Hon.  Richard  H.  Ayer,  a former  resident ; these  men 


382 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


were  some  of  the  most  prominent  that  New  Hamp-  J 
shire  has  ever  produced.  This  mill  continued  to  run,  j 
sometimes  under  difficulties,  under  the  agency  of  Gov- 
ernor Bell  till  1834,  he  then  being  succeeded  by  Hon. 
John  Nesmith,  afterwards  Lieutenant-Governor  of 
Massachusetts.  In  1835  it  passed  into  the  hands  of 
the  Amoskeag  Company,  which  continued  to  run  it, 
excepting  a short  time  in  the  commencement  of  the 
late  Rebellion,  up  to  the  year  1865.  In  that  year  it 
was  purchased  by  Robert  M.  Bailey  and  others,  of 
Boston,  when  it  was  enlarged  and  a new  mill  was 
finished  in  1866.  This  company  has  continued  to 
run  the  mill  since,  and  now  owns  the  entire  water- 
power  at  this  point.  The  capital  of  this  company  is 
two  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  the  annual  pay- 
roll is  about  eighty  thousand  dollars.  They  manu- 
factured in  the  year  1880  about  five  million  yards 
of  cloth,  the  annual  value  of  which  is  three  hundred 
thousand  dollars.  The  company  employ  about  three 
hundred  hands.  Among  the  agents  who  have  been  res- 
idents of  the  town  and  who  deserve  mention  were  Joth- 
am  D.  Otterson,  afterward  a successful  manufacturer  in 
Nashua,  mayor  of  the  city  and  since  deceased;  Stephen 
Ballard  was  agent  from  1846  to  about  the  year  1859. 
Mr.  Ballard  is  now  a successful  business  man  in  New 
York  City.  Thomas  B.  Wattles  was  agent  afterwards 
and  continued  to  serve  until  the  company  changed 
hands,  in  1865.  Mr.  Wattles  is  now  agent  of  the 
Chicopee  (Mass.)  Manufacturing  Company.  In  1866 
Charles  Nealley  became  agent ; he  continued  to  serve 
until  about  the  year  1867.  Mr.  Nealley  was  a prac- 
tical manufacturer,  and  since  his  removal  from  town 
has  died.  Mr.  Nealley  was  succeeded  by  Eben  H. 
Nutting,  who  continues  to  act  and  is  interested  in  all 
questions  appertaining  to  the  moral  and  religious 
welfare  of  the  town.  The  company  which  operates 
the  mills  in  Hooksett  at  the  present  time  offer  flatter- 
ing inducements  to  manufacturers  to  utilize  the  un- 
improved water-power.  They  will  build  buildings 
and  furnish  power  at  low  rates  of  rentals. 

Granite  Quarries. — The  manufacture  of  cutgranite 
and  the  operation  of  quarries  was  formerly  carried  on 
to  a large  extent  in  this  town.  Previous  to  the  build- 
ing of  the  Concord  Railroad  it  was  boated  down  the 
Merrimack  River  to  all  the  large  towns  below.  Some 
of  the  old  buildings  in  Boston,  especially  the  Faneuil 
Hall,  was  partially  erected  from  granite  taken  out  of 
our  ledges.  The  most  extensive  and  successful 
dealer  was  the  late  Moses  D.  Stokes.  He  commenced 
about  the  year  1854,  and  followed  the  business  a 
number  of  years.  He  constantly  employed  a large 
number  of  men,  and  did  a business  of  many  thou- 
sand dollars  a year.  He  was  succeeded  by  a Mr. 
Gay,  who  operated  up  to  the  year  1875,  when  the  Newr 
Hampshire  Granite  Company  was  organized  with 
fifty  thousand  dollars  capital.  This  company  operated 
extensively,  with  a Mr.  Wait  as  business  manager, 
until  the  year  1878,  wrhen  it  succumbed  to  financial 
embarrassment.  The  granite  ledges  are  remaining 


unoperated  at  the  present  time.  The  Amoskeag  Com- 
pany, of  Manchester,  are  owners  of  the  principal  quar- 
ries that  have  been  worked.  On  Silver  Hill,  on  the 
west  side  of  the  river,  is  an  important  ledge,  which 
has  been  worked  up  to  within  a few  years.  The  time 
is  not  far  distant  when  again  Hooksett  granite  will  be 
sought  and  the  industry  flourish. 

Roads. — In  the  early  history  of  our  forefathers, 
when  the  settled  sections  was  sparsely  inhabited, 
highways  were  built  in  an  economical  manner,  which 
simply  answered  for  a horse  or  cart-path,  but  as  the 
population  increased,  stage  travel  was  heavier  and 
improved  roads  were  built.  Probably  the  first  road 
that  was  made  through  the  town  of  Hooksett  was  in 
the  year  1726.  At  a meeting  held  at  Ipswich, 
September  9,  1726,  John  Chandler,  John  Ayer  and 
William  Barker  were  chosen  a committee  “ to  go  out 
and  clear  a sufficient  cart-way  to  Penny  Cook  the 
nighest  and  best  way  they  can  from  Haverhill.”  Ac- 
cording to  Bouton’s  “ History  of  Concord,”  Ebenezer 
Eastman,  with  six  yokes  of  cattle  and  cart,  was  the 
first  that  crossed  the  wilderness  from  Haverhill  to 
Penny  Cook.  This  road,  in  passing  over  Hooksett’s 
territory,  passed  the  White  Hall,  following  a direct 
route  alongside  of  Lakin’s  Pond,  by  Head’s  saw-mill, 
through  Suncook,  etc.  This  was  a traveled  road  to 
Penny  Cook  up  to  1738. 

On  January  8,  1762,  at  the  request  of  Joseph  Brown 
and  others,  the  main  road  now  from  Suncook,  via 
Hind’s  tavern  to  Chester,  was  laid  out.  This  road 
went  farther  west ; and,  in  1801,  on  account  of  the 
banks  of  Peter's  Brook  being  gullied  out,  it  was  laid  out 
east  of  the  pond,  with  a direct  course  to  Lieutenant 
Joseph  Whitcher’s  house  (now  the  Stearns  Hotel). 
The  road  leading  to  Hooksett  village  from  this  road 
was  made  in  1816.  The  road  leading  from  Otterson’s 
to  the  mills  in  Hooksett  was  laid  out  April  4,  1804. 
The  White  Hall  road,  leading  from  Martin’s  Ferry  to 
Candia  High  Street,  was  laid  out  December  26,  1805. 
It  was  indicted  September,  1815,  discontinued  Sep- 
tember, 1816,  to  evade  the  indictment,  and  laid  out 
again  as  a private  way  October  13,  1820.  The  Chester 
turnpike  was  incorporated  June  19,  1804.  It  cost 
twenty-seven  thousand  dollars.  On  July  4,  1838,  the 
Legislature  passed  an  act  repealing  the  turnpike,  which 
made  a public  highway  of  it.  The  Londonderry 
turnpike  was  built  in  the  year  1806.  The  Mam- 
moth road  was  laid  out  in  the  year  1831,  and  it 
cost  the  town  of  Hooksett  between  three  and  four 
thousand  dollars.  The  road  leading  from  the  Factory 
village  to  Natt.  Head’s  was  laid  out  in  1840.  It 
was  impossible  to  get  the  dates  and  facts  concerning 
the  highways  on  the  west  side  of  the  river.  Hook- 
sett has  at  the  present  time  an  improved  system 
of  highways,  and  owns  a road-machine. 

Hooksett  Bridge. — Hooksett  bridge  was  built  about 
the  year  1805.  In  1836,  when  the  Londonderry 
turnpike  was  laid  out  as  a free  road,  Hooksett  bridge 
wras  reserved  by  them,  which  the  town  purchased,  in 


HOOKSETT. 


383 


1853,  for  sixteen  hundred  and  forty  dollars.  This 
was  a toll-bridge  up  to  that  time.  On  the  evening 
of  September  30,  1857,  this  bridge,  with  the  Concord 
Railroad  bridge,  was  consumed  by  fire.  It  also 
burned  the  store  building  occupied  by  Joseph  T. 
Goss.  This  was  the  most  extensive  conflagration  that 
ever  visited  Hooksett.  The  total  loss  was  about 
thirty  thousand  dollars.  The  bridges  were  replaced 
by  better  and  more  substantial  ones,  the  town 
bridge  costing  seven  thousand  dollars.  On  March 
20,  1859,  this  bridge  was  carried  off  by  an  ice 
freshet.  A new  one  was  built  at  a cost  of  eight  thou- 
sand dollars,  which  remains  to  the  present  time. 

Friendship  Lodge,  No.  19, 1. 0.  0.  F.,1  was  institu- 
ted September  26,  1876,  by  George  A.  Cummings,  of 
Concord,  Grand  Master,  assisted  by  his  associated 
Grand  Officers.  The  petition  for  the  charter  of  the 
lodge  contained  thirty-one  names,  the  most  of  which 
were  members  of  Howard  Lodge,  No.  31,  of  Suncook. 
The  lodge  was  instituted  in  what  was  known  as  Com- 
pany’s Hall,  and  continued  to  hold  its  meetings  there 
until  the  Odd-Fellows’  building  was  completed.  The 
first  officers  of  the  lodge  were  James  W.  Converse, 
Noble  Grand ; George  W.  Haselton,  Vice-Grand ; 
Warren  C.  Saltmarsh,  Secretary ; Daniel  W.  Peaslee, 
Treasurer.  The  first  lodge-meeting  was  held  in  the 
new  hall  January  31, 1877,  and  was  dedicated  to  the 
business  and  purposes  of  Odd-Fellowship,  February 
20th,  by  Grand  Master  A.  F.  Craig,  of  Portsmouth. 
The  present  membership  is  one  hundred  and  three. 
The  lodge  is  free  from  financial  embarrassment  and 
has  a cash  investment  of  eight  hundred  dollars,  and 
five  thousand  dollars  invested  in  lot  and  buildings. 
The  men  who  compose  the  lodge  are  properly  included 
among  the  best  citizens  of  the  town.  As  an  organi- 
zation in  the  field  of  benevolent  labor,  it  has  few 
equals,  and  perhaps  none  superior  in  the  State.  Never 
were  its  prospects  for  future  usefulness  and  honorable 
position  more  brilliant  than  at  the  present  time. 

United  Order  Golden  Cross. — On  the  evening  of 
October  28,  1881,  by  the  earnest  effort  of  C.  F.  Pres- 
sing, D.  G.  C.,  a number  of  residents  of  Hooksett  as- 
sembled in  the  Odd-Fellows’  Hall  to  listen  to  an  ex- 
planation of  the  benefits  derived  from  the  United 
Order  Golden  Cross,  from  Sir  Knight  Joseph  Kidder 
and  others,  of  Manchester.  The  result  of  the  meeting 
was  the  institution  of  a Commandery  with  eleven 
charter  members.  The  officers  elected  were  Ira  H. 
Adams,  P.  N.  C.;  John  W.  Prescott,  N.  C.;  C.  Juliette 
Colby,  V.  N.  C.;  Samuel  Head  (2d),  W.  H.;  Minnie 
M.  Head,  K.  of  R.;  David  A.  Colby,  Prelate;  W.  M. 
Davis,  F.  K.  of  R.;  Benjamin  J.  Gile,  Treasurer ; W. 
H.  Putnam,  W.  of  I.  G.;  James  B.  Ordway,  W.  of  O. 
G.  The  membership  at  the  present  time  is  twenty- 
five.  The  following  members  have  become  Past  Noble 
Commanders:  Ira  H.  Adams,  John  W.  Prescott, 
Samuel  Head  (2d),  David  A.  Colby,  Warren  M.  Davis, 


! Jacob  F.  Martin,  George  A.  Harriman,  James  B. 
Ordway.  D.  Juliette  Colby,  Minnie  M.  Head  and 
Nancy  M.  Davis  are  Emeritus  Past  Commanders. 
The  present  Noble  Commander  is  Dr.  F.  D.  Randall. 

Justices  of  the  Peace. — In  the  year  1825,  Samuel 
Head  and  Nathaniel  Head  were  justices  of  the  peace. 
In  1829,  Samuel  Head,  Foster  Towns,  Hugh  J.  Tag- 
gart, Enoch  B.  Barnes,  Thomas  R.  Taggart.  In  1833, 

I Samuel  Head,  Foster  Towns,  Hugh  J.  Taggart,  Enoch 
B.  Barnes,  Thomas  R.  Taggart.  In  1834,  Thomas  R. 
Taggart  was  justice  of  the  peace  and  quorum.  In  the 
year  1840,  Richard  H.  Ayer,  Thomas  R.  Taggart, 
Samuel  Head,  Hugh  J.  Taggart,  Nathan  Gault,  John 
Parker,  Philip  Jones,  Amos  G.  Gale,  John  P.  Rowell, 
Charles  Stark. 

Lawyer. — Hooksett  never  had  but  one  lawyer 
settled  in  town,  and  his  name  was  John  Whipple;  he 
located  in  town  prior  to  the  incorporation.  He  was 
in  Hooksett  in  1822,  '23,  ’24,  ’25.  He  afterwards 
practiced  in  Concord,  and  was  there  in  1835. 

Taverns. — Hooksett  has  been  famous  in  the  early 
days  of  this  century  as  having  a number  of  taverns. 
In  the  village  near  the  falls  were  located  a number 
which  received  considerable  patronage  from  boatmen, 
who  were  constantly  plying  the  river.  The  sale  of 
spirituous  liquors  was  one  of  the  principal  sources  of 
income.  About  the  year  1780,  Thomas  Cochrane 
lodged  people,  and  his  books  show  a systematic  list  of 
| charges  for  liquors,  etc.  Joshua  Abbot,  who  lived  at 
the  head  of  Hooksett  Falls,  entertained  strangers.  He 
afterwards  projected  the  tavern  which  came  into  the 
hands  of  John  Prescott.  One  of  the  first  tavern- 
keepers  in  the  village  was  a Mr.  Jackman.  He  kept 
in  the  house  now’  occupied  by  Mrs.  Walter  B.  Jones. 
He  was  succeeded  by  a man  named  Rix.  A man  named 
Simmons  has  kept  the  house  since  ; also,  Inda  Gile. 
William  Hall  and  Henry  Moulton  were  tavern-keep- 
ers in  the  village.  One  of  the  most  famous  tavern- 
keepers  in  town  was  Samuel  Head.  “ Head’s  tavern  ” 
was  know’ll  far  and  near  as  a model  one.  It  w’as 
opened  about  the  year  1805.  Mr.  Head  was  the 
pioneer  in  building  and  establishing  the  same.  He 
continued  to  run  the  house  until  the  year  1835.  This 
point  was  a changing-place  for  horses  on  the  Boston  and 
Concord  stage-line.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Head  were  widely 
known  as  people  of  worth  and  great  social  qualities. 
Their  extensive  acquaintance  attracted  many  visitors 
to  the  house,  and  it  wras  the  constant  scene  of  great 
activity.  Mr.  Head  was  an  active  business  man, 
dealing  in  lumber,  speculating  in  lands,  etc.,  and  when 
he  died,  in  1854,  he  was  called  one  of  the  largest  real- 
estate  ow’ners  in  Merrimack  County.  Some  time  about 
the  year  1848  he  projected  a large  steam  mill,  which 
was  completed  at  a cost  of  about  eight  thousand  dol- 
lars. He  continued  to  manage  it  until  September  29, 
1854,  when  he  was  accidentally  killed.  He  wras  in 
the  act  of  reaching  for  something  and  fell  upon  the 
circular  saw’.  His  left  hand  was  sawed  in  an  angle 
commencing  on  the  low’er  side  near  the  wrist  and  end- 


1 By  George  A.  Kobie,  P.  G.  M. 


384 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


ing  through  the  knuckle  of  the  forefinger,  which  was 
thrown  twenty  feet.  The  right  arm  was  also  com- 
pletely sawed  oft'  near  the  elbow-joint  and  his  right  leg 
cut  nearly  oft'  directly  near  the  knee-joint.  He  lived 
about  two  hours.  Drs.  Crosby  and  Gale,  of  Manches- 
ter, were  called,  but  he  was  dead  before  they  arrived. 
His  widow  survived  him  until  the  next  November, when 
she  suddenly  died  sitting  in  a chair.  She  was  seventy- 
one  years  old.  Mrs.  Head  was  a lady  of  sincere  piety, 
kind  and  generous,  with  great  conversational  gifts. 
Other  taverns  were  kept  by  William  Parker  on  the 
River  road,  also  one  by  Joseph  Mitchell. 

In  the  year  1823  the  selectmen  gave  their  approba- 
tion to  the  following  parties  to  mix  and  sell  spirituous 
liquors  at  their  places  of  business:  Captain  Aaron 
Carter,  Jacob  F.  Farnum,  Gideon  Flanders,  Josiah 
Magoon,  Benjamin  Hill,  Israel  Ela,  Jr.,  Samuel  Head, 
William  Hall,  Chase  & Rowe,  Henry  Moulton,  Robert 
Davis  was  permitted  to  mix  and  sell  spirituous  liquors, 
at  or  near  Samuel  Head’s,  on  the  9th  day  of  March. 
On  June  26, 1824,  the  selectmen  approbated  the  Hook- 
sett  Manufacturing  Company  to  sell  spirituous  liquors. 
One  of  the  prominent  taverns  of  recent  years  is  the 
Clark  tavern,  or  the  Branch  Hotel.  This  was  the 
original  Whittier  tavern.  It  has  been  kept  by  Eben- 
ezer  Clark.  Horace  Bouncy  leased  it  of  Clark  in  1858. 
It  was  kept  by  Bouncy  A Brother  up  to  1864,  when 
Mr.  Bonney  opened  the  Ayer  House,  on  February  18, 
1864.  Since,  it  was  kept  by  Clark,  and  recent  years 
by  John  Stearns,  and  called  the  Stearns  House. 

Since  the  opening  of  this  house  Mr.  Bonney  has 
continued  to  be  its  proprietor,  excepting  the  year  of 
1883,  when  it  was  leased  to  Mr.  Frank  Richards  for 
one  year.  In  the  fall  of  1882,  Mrs.  Bonney  died,  which 
directly  was  the  reason  of  the  change.  This  house 
has  gained  a reputation  which  is  wide-spread  for  its 
excellent  management,  the  cuisine  and  generous 
tables  and  the  great  hospitality  and  social  enjoyments 
that  the  surroundings  afford.  Mr.  Horace  Bonney 
was  born  in  Winthrop,  Me.,  in  1815,  which  was  a part 
of  Massachusetts  at  that  time.  He  enlisted  in  the 
United  States  army  September  26,  1833;  was  honor- 
ably discharged  in  1836  ; afterwards  went  to  Texas 
and  served  under  Sam  Houston  ; served  in  Florida 
about  two  years,  and  then  went  into  the  dragoon  ser- 
vice for  five  years,  with  headquarters  at  New  York 
most  of  the  time.  Mr.  Bonney  kept  the  American 
House  from  1855  to  1859,  in  Manchester.  The  Ayer 
House  is  the  original  homestead  of  Hon.  Richard  H. 
Ayer.  During  Mr.  Ayer’s  residence,  and  since,  it  has 
been  the  abode  of  great  social  cheer.  Many  distin- 
guished people  visited  Esquire  Ayer,  among  whom 
was  Governor  Isaac  Hill  and  family,  who  sustained 
intimate  relations.  Another  prominent  hotel  proprie- 
tor was  Edwin  E.  Goodale,  of  the  Pinnacle  House. 
Mr.  Goodale  came  to  Hooksett  in  1840.  Previous  to 
that  time  he  was  engaged  in  the  teaming  business 
between  Canada  and  Boston.  He  was  proprietor  of 
this  house  for  twenty-five  years,  and  in  1865  took  in 


his  sign.  During  the  time  between  1843  to  1858  he 
was  proprietor  of  the  stage-route  between  Pembroke 
and  Hooksett.  This  Pinnacle  House  was  the  old 
original  Hall  stand.  Mr.  Goodale  built  an  elegant 
hall  with  an  arranged  spring  floor,  which  was  con- 
stantly occupied  with  balls  and  dances,  being  well 
patronized  by  people  from  the  neighboring  towns. 
Mr.  Goodale  died  November  22, 1883,  aged  seventy- 
one  years.  In  June,  1833,  President  Andrew  Jack- 
son,  with  other  distinguished  men,  passed  through  this 
town.  He  came  direct  from  Nashua,  leaving  there  in 
the  morning  and  arriving  at  Inda  Gile’s  tavern  about 
11  A.  m.  The  party  made  a short  stop  at  Hon.  Rich- 
ard H.  Ayer’s,  who  accompanied  them  to  Concord.  At 
Gile’s  tavern  the  horses  were  changed  and  six  mag- 
nificent white  horses  were  hitched  up.  Mr.  Benjamin 
J.  Gile,  now  a successful  business  man,  was  barten- 
der at  the  time,  and  he  had  the  honor  to  make  Presi- 
dent Jackson  two  glasses  of  lemonade.  The  reception 
given  the  President  was  entirely  unconventional. 
Mr.  Jackson  stepped  into  the  kitchen,  where  the  cook 
was  frying  some  doughnuts,  and  he  asked  the  liberty 
to  eat  some.  She  offered  him  some  cheese,  which  he 
took,  and  stepped  to  the  back  side  of  the  house  to  look 
at  Hooksett  Falls.  Mr.  Jackson  was  given  a rousing 
reception  at  Concord,  and  a committee  of  reception 
met  the  party  between  Hooksett  and  Concord.  In  the 
summer  of  1877,  President  Hayes,  accompanied  by  a 
part  of  his  Cabinet,  made  a short  stop  at  Hooksett. 
A large  crowd  of  people  assembled  to  see  them. 
Mr.  Hayes  was  introduced  by  ex-Governor  Natt. 
Head,  who,  in  return,  introduced  William  M.  Evarts 
and  David  M.  Key,  members  of  his  Cabinet. 

The  resources  of  the  town  of  Hooksett  in  the  year 
1880  are  as  follows  : Agricultural  products,  $125,000 ; 
mechanical  labor,  $108, 0(H);  stocks  and  money  at  in- 
terest, $13,400;  deposit  in  savings-bank,  $116,217; 
stock  in  trade,  $52,816.  Among  the  manufactur- 
ers is  the  harness-shop  of  B.  J.  Gile.  He  established 
the  business  in  1837.  Mr.  Gile  gives  constant  em- 
ployment to  from  ten  to  fifteen  men.  His  goods  are 
sent  to  all  parts  of  the  country.  Gile’s  collars  have  a 
reputation  for  durability  that  equal  any  other  make. 
Among  the  natives  of  Hooksett  who  have  become  pro- 
minent was  the  late  Hon.  Henry  W.  Fuller,  judge  of 
the  Roxbury  Municipal  Court,  Boston  ; he  was  the  son 
of  David  G.  and  Jane  Fuller  and  was  born  in  this 
town  June  30,  1839.  He  was  a graduate  of  Dartmouth 
College,  served  during  the  war  and  was  breveted  briga- 
dier-general by  President  Lincoln.  He  was  a mem- 
ber of  the  Massachusetts  State  Senate.  He  died  in 
Boston,  in  1884,  of  pneumonia. 

Hon.  Richard  H.  Ayer  was  born  in  Concord  Janu- 
ary 12,  1778;  died  in  Manchester  February  5,  1853, 
aged  seventy-five.  He  settled  near  Isle  Hooksett 
Falls,  within  the  limits  of  Dunbarton,  in  the  year 
1807.  He  was  a man  of  great  strength  of  will  and 
force  of  character.  He  represented  the  town  of  Dun- 
barton in  the  Legislature  seven  years,  Hooksett  four 


. 


HOOKSETT. 


385 


years;  was  moderator  of  Dunbarton  from  1812  to 
1823 ; in  Hooksett  a number  of  years ; Presidential 
elector  in  1816  and  1848  ; councilor  five  years ; was 
the  first  high  sheriff  of  Merrimack  County,  from  1823 
to  1828;  naval  store-keeper  at  Portsmouth  from  1829 
to  1837;  delegate  to  the  convention  for  amending 
the  Constitution  of  New  Hampshire  in  1850.  He  was 
the  principal  agent  in  organizing  the  town  of  Hooksett, 
and  establishing  the  county  of  Merrimack.  Richard  H. 
Ayer  moved  from  this  town,  in  1845,  to  Manchester. 
He  was  a good  citizen,  generous  to  the  poor  and  public- 
spirited.  He  accumulated  a large  property,  and  was 
extensively  engaged  in  the  lumber  and  brick  business. 
He  left  a legacy  of  seven  thousand  dollars  to  the  Uni- 
tarian Society  in  Manchester,  of  which  he  was  a 
member.  While  a resident  of  Hooksett  his  house  was 
the  abode  of  good  cheer  and  hospitality.  His  wife, 
the  daughter  of  Peter  Green,  Esq.,  of  Concord, 
was  a very  superior  woman.  He  had  two  daughters, 
one  of  whom,  Susan  R.,  was  the  wife  of  Dr.  Enoch 
B.  Barnes,  and  the  other,  Mary  G.,  the  wife  of  Dr. 
Amos  G.  Gale.  Among  the  prominent  men  who  have 
resided  in  this  town,  and  become  a part  of  her  history, 
was  David  R.  Leach.  He  was  born  in  Londonderry 
August  8,  1806,  and  died  at  Manchester  April  1, 
1878.  His  great  wealth  was  founded  in  Hooksett, 
where  he  was  a number  of  years  engaged  in  business. 
He  left  a legacy  of  three  thousand  dollars  to  the  town 
of  Londonderry  for  a library.  Another  man,  Seth  K. 
Jones,  was  a prominent  merchant.  He  moved  to  Con- 
cord in  the  year  1854,  where  he  has  since  died. 
He  left  a large  fortune,  part  of  which  was  accumulated 
in  Hooksett.  Many  natives  of  the  town,  who  have 
located  in  different  sections  of  the  country,  have  be- 
come noted  and  wealthy. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


GOVERNOR  NATT  HEAD. 

New  Hampshire  has  raised  up  within  her  borders 
and  sent  abroad  many  noble  men  who,  by  their  char- 
acter and  energy,  have  reflected  honor  upon  their  na- 
tive State.  Among  those  who  have  been  thus  active 
and  deserving  and  who  attained  positions  of  promi- 
nence, the  subject  of  this  sketch  has  place.  Most  men 
have  friends,  but  few  have  gone  to  their  graves  leav- 
ing so  many  as  Natt  Head.  Wherever  he  went, 
among  all  classes  of  people,  without  effort  and  seem- 
ingly without  purpose,  he  won  the  hearty  and  lasting 
friendship  of  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact.  He 
had  a warm  heart  and  a face  always  beaming  with 
good  humor,  and  was  ever  courteous,  genial  and  gen- 
erous. 

He  was  of  Scotch  and  Welsh  ancestry,  John  and 
Nathaniel  Head,  brothers,  having  emigrated  from  j 


Wales  and  settled  in  Bradford,  Mass.,  afterwards 
moving  to  Pembroke,  N.  H. 

James  Head,  the  great-grandfather  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  became  an  influential  and  patriotic  citi- 
zen of  his  adopted  town.  Early  in  the  period  of 
trouble  with  the  mother-country  he  enlisted  in  the 
military  service,  and  served  with  fidelity  and  brayery 
through  the  war,  and  was  killed  at  Bennington  in  1777, 
holding  the  rank  of  lieutenant-colonel. 

His  son,  Nathaniel  Head,  born  in  Bradford,  Mass., 
March  6,  1754,  was  the  grandfather  of  Governor  Natt 
Head. 

When  a young  man,  the  son  paid  his  addresses  to 
Miss  Anna  Knox,  daughter  of  Timothy  Knox,  of 
Pembroke.  She  was  of  Scotch-Irish  blood,  and 
i one  day,  as  the  father  and  son  were  ploughing,  the 
former  said,  “Nathaniel,  do  you  intend  to  marry 
that  Irish  girl  ?”  The  reply  was,  firmly,  but  decidedly, 
“Yes,  sir.”  Added  the  father,  “Then  understand 
you  can  never  share  in  my  property.”  Young  Nathan- 
iel’s answer  was,  “ Very  well,  I can  take  care  of 
myself.”  And  dropping  the  goad-stick,  he  left  the 
paternal  roof  in  a few  hours  to  take  up  a farm  in  the 
wilderness  and  build  a borne  for  himself.  The  father 
made  good  his  threat,  leaving,  at  his  death,  one  dollar 
to  Nathaniel  and  to  the  other  brothers  the  remainder 
of  his  property.  Nathaniel  built  a log  house,  carry- 
ing Anna  Knox  to  it  as  his  wife.  He  soon  rose  to  po- 
sition and  influence.  The  reports  of  the  battle  of 
Lexington  show  him  to  have  been  a second  lieutenant 
in  the  Ninth  Company  of  Volunteers  from  New  Hamp- 
shire at  Winter  Hill,  in  the  cold  season  of  1775-76; 
ensign  in  Captain  Sias’  company,  Colonel  Nichols’ 
regiment,  in  the  expedition  to  Rhode  Island  in  1778, 
and  captain  in  Colonel  Reynolds’  regiment  in  1781. 
After  the  close  of  the  war  he  became  prominently 
connected  with  the  State  troops  and  was  colonel  of 
the  Eleventh  Regiment. 

His  seventh  son,  born  May  30,  1791,  was  the  father 
of  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  He  remained  at  the 
homestead,  being  associated  with  his  father  in  the 
works  of  the  farm  and  mill,  and  after  his  death,  by 
purchasing  the  interest  of  his  brothers,  succeeded  to 
the  estate.  He  inherited  the  military  spirit  of  his 
father  and  was  elected  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Sev- 
enteenth Regiment,  Colonel  Head  married  Anna 
Brown,  whose  home  was  near  his.  She  was  a woman 
of  great  energy  and  executive  ability,  a member  of 
the  Congregational  Church  in  Pembroke  and  was 
much  beloved  by  all  who  knew  her.  Her  father  was 
a sea-captain  who  made  numerous  voyages  round  the 
world. 

By  the  death  of  her  husband,  August,  1835,  the 
widow  was  left  in  the  management  of  a large  and  val- 
uable estate,  as  well  as  the  care  of  a family.  She  died 
April  3, 1849,  leaving  five  children— Hannah  A.,  Sallie 
B.,  Natt,  John  A.  and  W.  F.,  the  latter  the  business 
partner  of  Natt,  who  for  many  years  carried  on  a suc- 
cessful business  in  the  manufacture  of  bricks,  and  also 


386 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


a very  heavy  lumber  trade.  Inheriting  military  traits 
from  his  father,  we  find  Natt  following  in  the  footsteps 
of  his  distinguished  ancestors.  He  was  one  of  the  first 
members  of  the  Hooksett  Light  Infantry,  which  was 
one  of  the  best  in  the  State.  He  served  four  years  as 
drum-major  of  the  Eleventh  Regiment,  being  elected 
September  1,  1847.  He  was  an  original  member  of  the 
“ Governor’s  Horse  Guards  ” and  chief  bugler  during 
the  existence  of  the  corps.  He  was  many  years  com- 
mander of  the  Amoskeag  Veterans  of  Manchester,  an 
honorary  member  of  the  Boston  Lancers,  also  an  ex- 
sergeant of  the  Ancient  and  Honorable  Artillery.  He 
was  chief  on  the  staff  of  Governor  Joseph  A.  Gilmore 
and  the  Head  Guards  of  Manchester.  A military  or- 
ganization formed  at  the  close  of  the  war  was  named 
in  his  honor.  When  the  Soldiers’  Asylum  was  burned 
at  Augusta,  General  Head  was  appointed  to  the  charge 
of  the  institution  during  the  illness  of  the  Deputy  Gov- 
ernor, and  subsequently  he  rebuilt  the  establishment. 
He  built  several  miles  of  Concord  and  Portsmouth 
Railroad  between  Sun  cook  and  Concord  and  also  the 
branch  line  from  Suncook  to  Pittsfield.  He  was  elec- 
ted to  numerous  town  offices  and  commissioned  dep- 
uty sheriff  and  representative  in  the  Legislature  from 
Hooksett  in  1861-62. 

In  1863  he  married  Miss  AbbieM.  Sanford,  of  Low- 
ell, Mass.,  an  accomplished  and  educated  lady,  who 
ever  dispensed,  with  her  husband,  the  generous  hospi- 
tality of  their  home  and  ever  encouraged  him  in  all 
good  work.  Three  children  were  born  to  them, — 
Annie  Sanford,  Lewis  Fisher  and  Alice  Perley, — of 
whom  the  eldest  only  remains,  Lewis  having  died 
in  1870,  at  the  age  of  four  years,  and  Alice  in  1879, 
at  the  age  of  nine  years. 

In  1864  Natt  received  the  appointment  by  Governor 
Gilmore  of  adjutant  inspector  and  quartermaster- 
general  of  the  State,  which  position  he  filled  with 
acceptance  until  1870.  During  his  term  of  office  as 
adjutant-general  he  accomplished  the  work  which 
was  to  him  the  proudest  and  noblest  of  his  public  life, 
and  in  this  capacity  he  made  his  most  brilliant  and 
enduring  record.  The  w ar  had  already  lasted  three 
years  when  he  was  called  to  that  office,  and  the  nation 
was  in  one  of  the  most  important  crises  of  its  history. 
The  loyal  North  was  straining  every  nerve  to  answer 
the  President’s  proclamation  for  more  men  to  recruit 
the  depleted  ranks  of  the  Union  army.  Newr  Hamp- 
shire had  up  to  that  time  sent  to  the  front  twenty-six 
thousand  soldiers,  and  yet  not  a complete  set  of  the 
muster-rolls  of  a single  organization  could  be  found 
in  the  adjutant-general’s  office,  nor  was  there  any  rec- 
ord of  the  heroic  deeds  of  New  Hampshire’s  sons 
upon  the  battle-fields  of  the  South,  which  had  won 
for  them  and  her  imperishable  renown. 

General  Head  brought  to  his  work  a natural  love  of 
the  military  and  everything  connected  with  it,  as  well 
as  business  methods  formed  during  his  life  of  activity 
in  the  marts  of  trade,  which  he  brought  to  bear  in 
bringing  “order  out  of  chaos”  in  his  new  field  of 


labor.  Entering  at  once  upon  his  duties,  he  employed 
three  clerks  upon  his  own  responsibility,  procuring  the 
necessary  outfit,  trusting  in  the  Legislature  to  reim- 
burse him,  which  it  promptly  did,  and  made  liberal 
appropriations  for  continuing  the  work.  It  is  scarcely 
possible  to  conceive  the  magnitude  of  the  task  which 
General  Head  had  undertaken,  nor  its  apparent  hope- 
lessness. He  had  no  data  from  w hich  to  work,  no 
record,  no  files  of  correspondence.  Beginning  at  the 
very  commencement  of  the  war,  the  records  of  every 
officer  and  every  enlisted  man  was  persistently  hunted 
up,  special  clerks  were  dispatched  to  Washington,  and 
after  repeated  rebuffs,  overcome  only  by  the  persist- 
ency of  the  adjutant-general,  permission  was  obtained 
from  the  War  Department  to  copy  from  its  records  the 
needed  information,  and  for  several  weeks  these  clerks 
labered  in  season  and  out  of  season  until  they  had 
secured  the  records  sought.  This  information  vras 
compiled  in  the  office  at  Concord,  corrected  as  far  as 
possible,  and  now  appears  in  four  volumes  for  the  years 
1865  and  1866.  These  reports  give  the  name  and  the 
military  history  of  every  officer  and  soldier  who  went 
from  New  Hampshire  to  serve  in  the  Union  army 
from  1861  to  1865.  They  also  contain  biographical 
sketches  of  all  the  field  officers  from  the  State  who 
were  killed  in  service  or  who  died  from  disease  or 
wounds  during  the  war,  brief  sketches  of  all  the  regi- 
ments and  battalions  in  which  these  men  served,  their 
date  of  departure,  principal  movements,  battles  en- 
gaged in  and  date  of  return  home  and  final  “muster- 
out.”  These  reports  are  invaluable,  not  only  as  a con- 
tribution to  history,  which  the  State  could  not  afford 
to  lose,  but  also  to  the  thousands  of  soldiers,  their 
wives  and  children,  as  a positive  help  in  securing  the 
information  necessary  for  the  procurement  of  pensions 
and  bounty-money.  Had  his  labors  ended  here,  Natt 
Head  would  have  richly  earned  the  warm  feelings  of 
admiration  and  love  which  every  true  soldier  enter- 
tains for  his  memory.  But  he  supplemented  the  cler- 
ical labors  of  his  position  by  active  and  earnest  per- 
sonal work  in  behalf  of  the  soldiers  and  their  families 
during  the  latter  part  of  the  war  and  at  its  close ; and 
he  took  a pardonable  pride  in  gathering  all  the  precious 
relics  of  “ the  bitter  struggle  ” which  he  could  obtain, 
and  placed  them  under  the  dome  of  the  State-House  in 
Concord. 

The  significance  of  the  labor  of  love  was  fully  rec- 
ognized by  Governor  Smyth  at  the  time,  and  in  his 
valedictory  address  to  the  Legislature  in  1867  he  paid 
General  Head  the  following  tribute: 

“ In  the  difficult  adjustment  of  our  military  affairs, 
you  will  agree  with  me  in  a warm  approval  of  the 
energy  and  efficiency  of  the  adjutant-general,  whose 
work  has  been,  in  all  cases,  well  performed.  When  it 
has  been  my  grateful  duty  to  extend  a welcoming 
hand,  in  behalf  of  the  people  of  this  State,  to  our 
brave  returning  soldiers,  he  has  forwarded  my  purpose 
with  unflagging  interest  and  zeal.  You  will  not  for- 
get that  around  his  department  all  the  memories  of 


HOOKSETT 


387 


the  contest  now  cluster.  The  long  roll  of  honor  is 
there.  There  are  gathered  the  blood-stained  battle- 
flags  and  there  will  always  be  found  those  associations 
which  should  inspire  us  with  love  of  country  and  an 
appreciation  of  those  who  gave  their  lives  and  shed 
their  blood  for  the  blessings  which  God  bestowed  when 
he  gave  us  the  victory.” 

In  addition  to  the  compilation  of  the  Civil  War  records 
General  Head,  not  satisfied  with  what  he  had  accom- 
plished, proceeded  to  compile  the  military  records  of 
the  State  from  1823  to  1861,  and  amid  discourage- 
ments that  would  have  deterred  one  less  persistent,  the 
records  were  completed  and  published  in  the  report 
for  1866.  This  part  of  the  report  is  a valuable  con- 
tribution to  the  military  history  of  the  State  and 
nation,  and  of  priceless  worth  to  posterity.  In  1867, 
General  Head  conceived  the  idea  of  issuing  the  “Sol- 
dier’s Certificate  ” to  the  honorably  discharged  soldiers 
of  the  State,  and  to  the  families  of  those  who  had  fal- 
len, and  to-day  thousands  of  these  memorials  in 
many  homes  bear  mute  but  touching  testimony  to  the 
truth  and  earnestness  of  the  love  born  by  the  defend- 
ers of  the  flag  by  that  generous  and  patriotic  heart 
now  stilled  in  death.  Nothing  ever  pleased  him  more 
than  to  be  present  with  the  comrades  of  the  Grand 
Army  at  their  social  gatherings.  He  would  sacrifice 
every  other  engagement  to  meet  them. 

He  had  a personal  acquaintance  with  Generals 
Grant,  Sherman  and  Sheridan,  and  was  several  times 
invited  to  join  them  in  their  trips  through  the  coun- 
try. In  the  financial  world  Governor  Head  stood 
high,  and  he  had  established  for  himself  a reputation 
for  energy  and  tact  in  business  which  gave  him  at  all 
times  the  confidence  of  the  people-  Associated  with 
his  brother,  William  F.  Head,  and  Frank  Doust,  of 
Manchester,  the  firm  have  taken  some  of  the  heav- 
iest building  contracts  ever  made  in  New  Hampshire. 
In  the  financial  world  Governor  Head  was  chosen  to 
many  responsible  positions.  He  was  director  of  Sun- 
cook  Valley  Railroad,  First  National  Rank,  Manches- 
ter, also  of  Merrimack  River  Savings-Bank,  Manches- 
ter. He  was  a prominent  member  of  several  secret 
organizations  and  was  especially  active  in  Free-Ma- 
sonry,  being  a member  of  Washington  Lodge,  Mt. 
Horeb  Royal  Arch  Chapter,  Adoniram  Council  and 
Trinity  Commandery  of  Manchester. 

He  was  also  a member  of  the  Supreme  Council, 
having  received  all  the  degrees  of  the  “ Ancient  and 
Accepted  Scottish  Rite”  and  all  in  the  Rite  of  Mem- 
phis ; also  a member  of  the  Massachusetts  Consistory, 
S.  P.  E.  S.,  32°,  Boston.  He  was  a member  of  Friend- 
ship Lodge,  Hooksett,  Hildreth  Encampment,  of  Sun- 
cook,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  Oriental  Lodge,  K.  of  P.,  Alpha 
Lodge,  K.  ofH.,  of  Manchester,  and  had  been  Master 
of  Hooksett  Grange,  Patrons  of  Husbandry.  As  a 
leading  member  or  president  of  the  State  Agricultural 
Society,  he  labored  zealously  to  promote  its  interests, 
and  originated  the  plan  of  holding  farmers’  conven- 
tions, the  first  one  being  held  in  Manchester  in  1868. 


In  1875  he  was  a candidate  for  the  State  Senate,  when 
the  controversy  occurred  over  thespellingof  his  name 
upon  the  ballots.  He  was,  however,  elected  to  that 
body  in  1866-77,  in  the  latter  year  becoming  the  pre- 
siding officer,  discharging  the  duties  of  that  office  with 
admirable  tact  and  ability.  This  position  added  to 
his  popularity  and  gave  his  name  such  a prestige  that 
in  September,  1878,  at  the  Republican  Gubernatorial 
Convention,  he  was  nominated  on  the  first  ballot  by  a 
decided  majority  and  was  elected  for  two  years,  being  the 
first  Governor  to  serve  in  the  biennial  term, and  so  was 
not  a candidate  for  re-election.  During  his  term  of 
office  there  were  many  important  questions  which 
arose  whose  consideration  demanded  good  sense,  wis- 
dom and  impartial  judgment,  and  it  was  generally 
acknowledged  by  all  that  his  term  was  eminently  suc- 
cessful, creditable  alike  to  his  own  ability  and  fidelity 
and  to  the  fame  of  the  State  in  which  he  so  honorably 
served. 

The  well-known  Buzzell  murder  case,  which  finally 
became  one  of  the  most  celebrated  in  the  criminal 
records  of  the  world,  had  been  tried  twice  when  Gov- 
ernor Head  took  the  executive  chair.  His  Excellency 
gave  a long  and  patient  hearing  to  counsel  for  State 
as  well  as  defense,  and  denied  the  prayers  of  the  pe- 
titioners for  a commutation  of  his  sentence.  Buzzell 
suffered  the  “extreme  penalty  of  the  law,”  and  the 
conclusion  in  his  case  was  sustained  alike  by  legal 
and  public  opinion.  The  project  of  anew  State  prison, 
inaugurated  by  his  predecessor,  was  successfully  car- 
ried forward  to  its  completion.  The  commissioners 
selected  to  superintend  the  work  consulted  with  the 
Governor  at  every  step,  and  the  building  stands  to-day, 
in  thoroughness  of  structure  and  excellence  of  arrange- 
ments, second  to  none  in  the  country.  During  his  term 
of  office  Governor  Head  made  many  official  trips,  and 
wherever  he  traveled  he  received  marked  attentions, 
which  he  personally,  and  as  chief  executive  of  the 
State,  merited.  He  was  usually  accompanied  by  his 
staff  officers,  of  whom  he  was  justly  proud,  as  they  were 
all  gentlemen  of  high  standing  and  of  irreproachable 
character.  Their  names  were  Colonel  W.  N.  Dow, 
of  Exeter;  Colonel  D.  L.  Jewell,  Suncook;  Colonel 
Charles  E.  Balch,  Manchester  ; Colonel  F.  C.  Church- 
ill, Lebanon;  General  B.  F.  Rachley,  Dover;  Gen- 
eral J.  W.  Sturtevant,  Keene ; General  C.  H.  Burns, 
Wilton  ; General  Cruft,  of  Bethlehem ; and  Generals 
A.  D.  Ayling  and  J.  H.  Gallinger,  of  Concord.  Among 
other  occasions,  the  Governor  and  staff  were  present 
at  the  inauguration  of  President  Garfield,  the  two 
hundred  and  fiftieth  aniversary  of  Boston,  and 
military  encampments  in  different  States.  It  was 
also  his  pleasure  to  entertain  Governors  Talbot 
and  Long,  of  Massachusetts,  Governor  Van  Zandt, 
of  Rhode  Island,  as  well  as  many  other  distinguished 
persons,  being  invited  to  join  in  traveling,  at  differ- 
ent times,  Generals  Grant,  Sherman  and  Sheridan, 
Admiral  Farragut  and  others. 

And  so,  although  he  seemed  to  have  almost  every 


388 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


office  of  any  value  in  the  State,  the  work  which  he 
had  done  as  adjutant-general  seemed  to  make  him  the 
happiest,  so  dearly  did  he  love  the  soldiers.  The  many 
years  of  public  life  and  close  attention  to  business 
gradually  impaired  his  health,  and  the  last  two  years 
of  his  life  were  marked  by  weariness  and  inability  to 
attend  fully  to  business.  Physicians  of  known  ability 
were  called  to  prescribe,  kind  friends  and  loving  ones 
at  home  cared  tenderly  for  him,  but  of  no  avail.  He 
passed  away  November  12, 1883,  at  the  age  of  fifty- 
five  years.  His  funeral  was  largely  attended  by  people 
from  Concord,  Manchester  and  adjoining  towns,  and 
many  hundreds  came  to  look  for  the  last  time  upon 
the  face  of  one  “ who  had  many  friends.” 

The  most  distinguished  citizens  of  the  common- 
wealth were  present  and  joined  with  neighbors  and 
friends  in  expressions  of  sorrow  for  the  departed.  Dif- 
ferent Masonic  bodies  were  present,  and  Sir  George  P. 
Cleaves,  of  Mt.  Horeb  Commandery,  officiated  as 
funeral  director.  At  twelve  o’clock  the  sad  rites  began. 
The  remains  rested  in  a rich  casket  of  black,  stationed 
in  the  lower  hall-way.  Upon  the  casket  were  the  Tem- 
plar chapeau  and  sword  of  the  deceased.  Beautiful 
floral  offerings  were  about  the  casket.  Mrs.  Head’s 
tribute  was  a large  wreath  bearing  the  word  “ Hus- 
band ” in  the  centre,  while  from  the  daughter 
Annie,  was  a handsome  pillow  with  the  inscription 
“ Father.” 

Colonel  and  Mrs.  Balch  sent  a crescent.  General 
Sturtevant  a bouquet,  employes  of  Head  & Doust  an 
anchor  bearing  the  word  “ Rest,”  and  many  others 
from  friends. 

Rev.  Mr.  Rollins,  of  Hooksett,  performed  the  ser- 
vices, consisting  of  a touching  prayer,  and  a male 
quartet  furnished  the  music.  The  singers  were  J.  J. 
Kimball,  D.  J.  Hurlbert,  J.  F.  Gordon,  F.Y.  E.  Rich- 
ardson. The  selections  were  of  a Masonic  character: 
“Our  days  on  Earth  are  as  a shadow,”  “ Heavenly 
Father,  wilt  thou  lead  us?”  Peace  to  the  memory  of 
the  dead!  Many  Masonic  organizations  were  present 
and  delegations  from  different  parts  of  the  State 
joined  in  the  funeral  procession  to  the  cemetery,  about 
a half-mile  from  the  house.  At  the  grave  Trinity 
Commandery  conducted  the  Masonic  burial  service, 
the  office  being  performed  by  Sir  B.  G.  Cumner,  E. 
C.,  and  Sir.  L.  F.  McKinney,  Prelate.  The  pall- 
bearers were  selected  from  Trinity  Commandery,  and 
were  Sirs  Daniel  F.  Straw,  David  O.  Fernald,John 
Hosley,  George  S.  Holmes,  David  B.  Varney  and 
James  S.  Briggs. 

And  so  passed  away  one  who  had  many  friends. 
Letters  of  sympathy  and  kindly  expressions  of  the 
worth  of  the  departed  were  received  by  Mrs.  Head, 
but  space  allotted  here  will  notallow  their  publication. 
The  editorial  of  Colonel  John  B.  Clarke,  of  the  Man- 
chester Mirror,  is  perhaps  an  expression  of  the  people 
generally  throughout  the  State,  which  we  quote  below, 
— “ Other  men  may  have  been  greater  and  stronger 
than  he ; may  have  lived  longer  and  accomplished 


more;  have  died  and  been  respectfully  buried.  Their 
death  has  been  counted  a loss  to  the  State,  to  the 
profession  in  which  they  were  leaders ; but  it  caused 
no  deep  grief  among  those  who  were  not  bound  to 
them  by  family  ties.  They  are  remembered  as  Gov- 
ernors, Senators,  millionaires,  not  as  men,  and  when 
once  their  places  are  filled  and  their  estates  distributed 
they  have  been  well-nigh  forgotten.  The  hold  they 
had  was  upon  the  brain,  not  upon  the  heart.  It  was 
not  so  with  Natt  Head.  People  who  knew  him  loved 
him  while  he  lived  aud  mourn  for  him  because  he  is 
dead.” 

Colonel  Moore,  editor  of  the  Manchester  Union,  one 
of  the  leading  Democratic  organs  of  the  State,  in  al- 
luding to  his  death,  spoke  of  him  as  one  “generous  to 
a fault.”  His  life  was  flavored  with  that  quality  in  all 
those  relations  where  he  touched  the  concerns  of  oth- 
ers and  in  his  attitude  towards  all  public  institutions 
that  encompassed  the  betterment  of  society.  He 
never  did  anything  by  halves,  and  that  cause  which 
attracted  his  support  received  the  benefit  of  his  able 
and  untiring  efforts.  As  a public  officer,  he  could  say 
with  Othello,  “ I have  done  the  State  some  service  and 
they  know  it.”  No  man  in  New  Hampshire  knew  so 
many  people  personally,  and  few, if  any,  had  so  strong 
a hold  upon  the  popular  good-will.  His  word  needed 
no  writing  to  make  it  good. 

He  is  survived  by  a widow  and  one  daughter,  Annie 
S.  Head. 


WILLIAM  FERNALI)  HEAD. 

According  to  a tradition  of  the  family,  the  Heads 
are  descendants  of  Welsh  ancestry.  They  originally 
settled  in  this  country,  in  Bradford,  Mass.  Tradition 
also  asserts  that  the  pioneers  were  two  brothers,  John 
and  Nathaniel  Head.  Certain  it  is  that  at  least  two 
families  of  the  name  had  settled  in  Pembroke  some 
years  before  the  Revolution.  On  the  northerly  side 
of  Pembroke  Street,  and  to  the  west  of  a cross-road 
leading  to  the  site  of  the  old  town-house,  is  a field  on 
the  side  hill  in  which  stood  the  Head  garrison-house, 
one  of  the  four  of  the  town,  where  the  inhabitants 
sought  protection  from  marauding  bands  of  savages 
in  the  old  French  and  Indian  Wars.  James  Head 
was  in  command  of  the  post  and  was  of  a military 
turn  of  mind  ; for,  some  years  afterwards,  we  find 
him  commissioned  lieutenant-colonel  in  the  forces 
under  General  John  Stark.  He  was  killed  at  the 
battle  of  Bennington  while  doing  noble  service  for 
his  country. 

Nathaniel  Head,  son  of  Colonel  James  Head,  was 
born  in  Bradford,  Mass.,  March  fi,  1754.  On  arriving 
at  man’s  estate  he  married  Anna  Knox,  aud  settled 
in  what  was  then  a part  of  Chester,  now  in  Hooksett. 
Here  he  built  a log  house,  cleared  a farm  and  com- 
menced life’s  battle.  At  the  breaking  out  of  the 
Revolution  his  patriotic  zeal  was  aroused,  and  the  old 
muster-rolls  of  the  State-House  show  that  he  was  at 


HOOKSETT. 


389 


Winter  Hill,  as  second  lieutenant,  during  the  siege  of 
Boston ; as  ensign  in  Captain  Sias’  company,  Colonel 
Nichols’  regiment,  in  the  expedition  to  Rhode  Island 
in  1778;  and  as  captain  in  Colonel  Reynolds’  regiment 
in  1781. 

With  the  return  of  peace  his  fondness  for  military 
pursuits  led  him  to  take  a deep  interest  in  the  militia, 
and  he  rose  in  rank  to  the  command  of  a regiment. 
His  military  ardor,  however,  did  not  interfere  with 
his  business.  He  soon  became  extensively  engaged 
in  lumbering,  at  the  same  time  carrying  on  his  large 
farm.  He  was  a justice  of  the  peace,  which  in  those 
days  was  an  office  of  high  trust,  responsibility  and 
honor,  and  was  held  in  the  highest  esteem  by  his 
neighbors  and  fellow-citizens. 

John  Head,  seventh  child  of  Colonel  Nathaniel 
and  Anna  (Knox)  Head,  was  born  May  30,  1791 ; 
married  Anna  Brown,  daughter  of  William  Brown,  a 
ship-master,  famed  for  his  early  voyages.  The  mili- 
tary lever  developed  in  John  Head,  and  he,  too,  be- 
came colonel,  having  command  of  the  Seventeenth 
Regiment.  At  the  death  of  his  father  he  bought  out 
the  other  heirs,  and  carried  on  the  home  farm  and  the 
lumber  business  inaugurated  by  his  father.  He  died 
in  the  prime  of  life,  August  7, 1835,  leaving  his  family 
and  large  property  to  the  care  of  his  widow.  She 
accepted  the  responsibility,  and  with  fidelity  and 
conscientiousness  attended  to  the  duties  until  her 
death,  April  3,  1849.  She  was  a member  of  the  Con- 
gregational Church  of  Pembroke,  and  took  a deep 
interest  in  religious  and  educational  affairs. 

William  F.  Head,  son  of  John  and  Anna  (Brown) 
Head,  a brother  of  Governor  Natt.  Head,  was  born 
in  Hooksett,  on  the  old  Head  homestead,  September 
25,  1832.  In  early  childhood  the  boy  lost  his  father, 
and  was  guided  through  the  perils  of  boyhood  by  his 
mother’s  care.  Well  he  repaid  her,  for  he  was  a duti- 
ful son,  eager  to  please  her.  He  attended  the  district 
school  in  the  little  red  school-house,  and  pursued  his 
studies  for  a few  months  at  the  Pembroke  Gymnasium ; 
but  his  education  as  a man  has  been  acquired  by  con- 
tact with  men  and  reading, — a fondness  for  books  all 
through  life  being  a trait.  His  mother  died  when  he 
was  seventeen ; but  the  character  which  she  had 
moulded  was  founded  on  good  principles,  and  the 
habits  of  industry,  acquired  in  youth  under  her 
teaching,  were  well  established.  At  the  age  of  twenty 
years — in  1852 — he  went  into  business  with  his 
brother,  Governor  Natt.  Head,  and  for  over  thirty 
years  this  business  relation  existed,  or  until  the  death 
of  his  brother  and  partner. 

Mr.  Head  is  a quiet,  unostentatious  business  man, — 
a man  who  plans  great  business  enterprises  and  suc- 
cessfully executes  his  undertakings.  He  has  men  at 
work  in  his  brick-yards,  in  his  mills,  in  his  fields,  in 
his  woods  and  on  extensive  contracts  ; each  carry  out 
the  ideas  of  their  employer,  who  directs  them  for  the 
common  good ; yet,  to  meet  him  on  the  cars,  in  his 
office,  on  the  street  or  in  his  librarv,  one  would  sup- 
25 


pose  he  was  retired  from  active  business,  so  little  do 
his  cares  wear  upon  him. 

In  185!),  Mr.  Head  was  chosen  selectman,  and  was 
re-elected  the  following  year.  He  was  chosen  to 
represent  the  town  in  the  State  Legislature  in  the 
years  1859-70,  and  in  1876  was  a member  of  the  Con- 
stitutional Convention.  He  is  a director  of  the  Sun- 
cook  Valley  Railroad  Company,  and  a trustee  of  the 
Merrimack  River  Savings-Bank,  of  Manchester;  also 
trustee  of  the  New  England  Agricultural  Society. 

Mr.  Head  has  been  for  many  years  prominently 
identified  with  the  Masonic  fraternity.  He  joined 
the  Eagle  Lodge,  of  Manchester,  in  1863,  and  was  a 
charter  member  of  the  Jewell  Lodge,  of  Suucook. 
He  is  also  a member  of  the  Council,  Chapter  and  En- 
campment, at  Manchester. 

The  mansion  where  Mr.  Head  resides  occupies  the 
site  of  the  log  cabin  where  his  grandfather  settled 
with  his  bonnie  Scotch-Irish  bride.  The  home-farm, 
of  some  two  hundred  and  fifty  acres,  extends  along 
the  banks  of  the  Merrimack  River  for  about  half  a 
mile,  and  includes  rich  intervale  land  and  fertile  hill- 
side fields.  The  chief  crop  is  hay,  of  which  two 
hundred  and  fifty  tons  are  cut  annually.  There  are 
kept  on  the  farm  seventy-five  head  of  neat  stock  and 
twenty  horses. 

The  lumber  business,  commenced  many  years  ago 
by  the  grandfather,  Colonel  Nathaniel  Head,  has 
grown  to  large  proportions,  under  the  firm-name  of 
Head  & Doust.  Mr.  Head  has  been  engaged  in 
many  large  building  contracts.  In  times  past  he  has 
bought  many  hundred  acres  of  forest-land,  from 
which  he  has  cleared  the  timber  and  cord-wood,  and 
still  owns  the  land,  utilized  for  pasturage  or  for  pro- 
ducing a second  growth  of  trees. 

On  the  home-farm  are  the  celebrated  Head  clay- 
banks,  from  which  six  million  bricks  are  made  annu- 
ally. 

Mr.  Head  was  married,  November  4,  1858,  to  Mary 
H.  Sargent,  of  Allenstown,  daughter  of  Major  Ster- 
ling Sargent.  Their  children  are  Eugene  S.  Head, 
now  actively  engaged  in  business  with  his  father  and 
Sallie  Head,  who  is  being  educated  at  Lasell  Semi- 
nary in  Auburndale,  Mass. 


HON.  JESSE  GAULT.1 

Hon.  Jesse  Gault  was  born  in  Hooksett,  N.  H.,  Sep- 
tember 20, 1823,  and  is  a direct  descendant,  in  the  fifth 
generation,  of  Samuel  Gault,  who  was  born  in  Scot- 
land, and  emigrated  to  the  northern  part  of  Chester, 
now  included  in  Hooksett,  and  settled  on  the  “Sun- 
cook  Grant,”  so  called.  Matthew  Gault,  who  was 
born  in  1755,  on  the  old  Gault  homestead  in  Chester, 
and  who  married  Elizabeth  Bunton,  was  the  grand- 
father of  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  They  had 
twelve  children,  nine  living  to  be  married,  of  whom 


1 Written  by  J.  E.  Pecker. 


390 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Jesse,  the  second  son,  who  was  born  October  22, 
1790,  while  the  family  was  temporarily  residing  in 
Springfield,  N.  H.,  and  who  died  in  Hooksett  Sep- 
tember 25,  1855,  aged  sixty-five,  was  the  lather  of 
Hon.  Jesse  Gault.  He  was  a successful  farmer  and 
a man  of  property,  and  his  homestead  was  one  of 
the  finest  in  his  town  or  county.  He  married  Dolly 
Clement,  who  was  born  in  Pembroke  April  21.  1794, 
and  died  March  30,  1873,  her  father  being  Joshua 
Clement,  who  was  born  in  Goshen  June  12,  1704, 
and  died  in  Concord  December  26,  1840.  Mr. 
Clement  was  a clothier,  and  was  many  years  in 
business  in  what  is  now  Suncook,  where  he  was  a 
large  owner  of  real  estate,  including  considerable 
water-power.  He  married  Abbie  Head,  daughter  of 
General  Nathaniel  Head,  of  Pembroke,  September 
26,  1790,  and  on  the  maternal  side  was  of  English 
descent. 

Jesse  Gault,  Sr.,  had  four  children,  two  sons  and 
two  daughters.  Matthew,  the  older  son,  was  born 
September  23,  1317.  and  died  December  2,  1346.  Of 
the  daughters,  Almira  born  December  2,  1310, 
and  died  February  20,  1853,  married  Harlan  P.  Ger 
rish,  of  Koscawen.  She  left  a son,  John  C.  Gerrish, 
now  living  in  Missouri.  The  remaining  sister, 
Martha  H.,  was  born  July  3,  1323,  and  died  April 
23,  1853. 

Hon.  Jesse  Gault  was  brought  up  on  his  father’s 
farm,  and  his  opportunities  for  obtaining  an  educa- 
tion were  the  public  school  and  Pembroke  Academy. 
4t  the  age  of  sixteen  he  began  teaching  in  his  own 
district,  where  he  taught  the  winter  school  for  lour 
consecutive  years,  working  on  the  farm  in  summer. 
Subsequently  he  was  an  instructor  in  Suncook  and 
Hooksett  village.  On  reaching  twenty-two  he  left 
home  to  commence  life’s  work  for  himself,  and  went 
to  Baltimore,  Md.,  where  he  engaged  as  a book- 
keeper and  surveyor  for  the  Messrs.  Abbott  & Jones, 
ship  lumber  merchants.  His  health  becoming  im- 
paired, he  was  forced,  in  less  than  a year,  to  relin- 
quish his  situation,  which  had  already  become  a most 
promising  one,  and  returned  home.  After  regaining 
his  strength  he,  upon  the  solicitation  of  his  aged 
parents,  consented  to  remain  in  Hooksett.  April  23, 
1346,  he  married  Miss  Martha  A.,  daughter  of  Isaac 
C.  Otterson,  of  Hooksett,  whose  wife  was  Margaret 
Head,  an  aunt  of  ex-Governor  Nathaniel  Head. 
The  same  year  Mr.  Gault  opened  a brick-yard  in 
Hooksett  on  a small  scale,  which  he  has  developed 
until  its  production  is  about  six  millions  yearly, 
affording  employment  to  sixty  men.  This  extensive 
business  necessitates  the  purchase  of  large  tracts  of 


woodland  for  obtaining  fuel,  while  the  lumber  is  sold 
in  the  market.  In  this  way  he  has  bought  some  three 
thousand  acres  of  forest  domain.  In  addition, 
he  owns  several  farms,  the  one  upon  which  he 
lives  cutting  seventy-five  tons  of  hay  annually,  and 
producing  largely  of  other  crops.  His  residence  on 
the  old  stage-road  from  Concord  to  Haverhill,  Mass., 
was  built  some  five  years  ago,  and  is  one  of  the  most 
expensive  in  that  section. 

Mr.  Gault  was  early  active  in  civil  affairs.  After 
filling  various  local  positions,  including  chairman  of 
the  Board  of  Selectmen  for  many  years,  he  was 
chosen  delegate  from  Hooksett  to  the  Constitutional 
Convention  of  1851,  being  the  youngest  member  of 
that  body.  Mr.  Gault  was  then  a Whig,  and  Hook- 
sett  was  at  that  time  Democratic  by  more  than  two 
to  one.  In  1857  and  1858  he  represented  his  town  in 
the  lower  branch  of  the  Legislature,  and  in  1867  was 
elected  a railroad  commissioner  for  a triennial  term, 
being  chairman  of  the  board  the  last  year.  In  1876 
he  was  a delegate  to  the  Republican  National  Con- 
vention at  Cincinnati,  and  has,  for  many  years,  been 
a member  of  the  Republican  !8tate  Committee.  He 
was  chosen  from  the  Londonderry  Histrict  to  the 
State  Senate  in  1885,  and  was  chairman  of  the  com- 
mittee on  claims,  and  a member  of  those  on  the 
revision  of  the  statutes  and  the  asylum  for  the 
insane.  Mr.  Gault,  by  great  industry  and  persever- 
ance, has  accumulated  a large  property,  and  is  exten- 
sively interested  in  ownership  and  officially  in  rail- 
way, banking  and  other  corporations.  He  is  a regu- 
lar attendant  at  the  Union  Church  in  Hooksett,  is 
universally  respected  in  private  life  for  the  purity 
and  uprightness  of  his  character,  and  is  a member  of 
the  Masonic  fraternity.  Of  the  five  children,  (two 
sons  and  three  daughters)  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Gault,  four  have  died,  the  oldest,  a son,  reaching 
sixteen.  The  surviving  child  is  the  wife  of  Frank  C. 
Towle,  a young  business  man  of  Suncook.  Senator 
Gault  is  a gentleman  of  commanding  personal 
presence,  is  a fine  speaker,  and  often  presides  over 
public  assemblages.  Possessing  executive  abilities  of 
the  highest  order  and  excellent  judgment,  his  opin- 
ion upon  important  matters,  both  private  and  public, 
is  often  sought.  Although,  as  will  be  seen  above, 
he  has  already  filled  many  responsible  civil  offices, 
yet  his  host  of  friends  are  confident  that  higher  po- 
litical honors  will  hereafter  be  bestowed  upon  him. 
His  home,  presided  over  by  his  refined  and  accom- 
plished wife,  is  widely  known,  no  less  for  its  ele- 
gance than  for  its  generous  hospitality,  and  attracts 
many  visitors. 


HISTORY  OF  HOPKINTON. 


BY  C.  C.  LORD. 


CHAPTER  I . 

Geography  of  the  Town.  -The  town  of  Hopkin- 
tou  is  located  in  the  southern  portion  of  Merrimack 
County,  touching  its  southern  border  in  a middle  posi- 
tion. Hopkinton  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Warner  j 
and  Webster,  on  the  east  by  Concord,  on  the  south  by 
Bow,  Dunbarton  and  Weare,  and  on  the  west  by 
Henniker.  The  area  of  Hopkinton  is  said  to  be 
26,967  acres.  The  town  lies  nearly  square.  Its  sur- 
face is  irregular,  but  undulating  rather  than  rugged. 
Its  scenery  partakes  more  of  the  picturesque  than  of 
the  sublime  and  grand.  Near  the  geographical  centre 
of  the  town  is  an  elevated  ridge  of  land,  about  three 
miles  in  length,  running  somewhat  northeasterly  and 
southwesterly,  and  having  a slight  depression  in  the 
middle,  making  two  brows,  the  southerly  of  which  is 
known  as  Putney’s  Hill,  the  northerly  being  called 
Gould’s  Hill.  In  the  eastern  part  of  the  town,  and 
partly  included  in  Concord,  is  another  ridge,  some- 
what parallel  to  the  first,  and  which  is  known  as 
Beech  Hill.  These  two  ridges  atlbrd  the  highest 
elevations  of  land  in  the  town.  The  scenery  from 
many  points  of  these  elevations  is  very  attractive 
and  beautiful.  The  view  from  Putney’s  Hill,  on 
clear  day,  showing  land  in  every  county  of  the  .State, 
is  extensively  known  to  and  admired  by  tourists. 
There  are  numerous  minor  elevations  in  the  township. 

The  soil  of  Hopkinton  is  granitic,  and  for  the 
most  part  fertile.  In  the  northern  portion  of  the 
town  is  some  sandy,  plain  land  of  inferior  quality. 
The  soil  is  well  watered.  The  Contoocook  River 
enters  the  town  of  Hopkinton  near  the  middle  of 
its  western  boundary,  traversing  it  in  a tortuous 
course  and  passing  into  Concord  near  the  north- 
eastern corner  of  Hopkinton.  On  its  way,  this  river 
receives  numerous  tributaries,  the  most  important  of 
which  are  the  Warner  and  Blackwater  Rivers  on  the 
north,  and  Paul  and  Dolloff’s  Brooks  on  the  south. 
Numerous  acres  of  valuable  intervale  land  lie  on  the 
Contoocook  River  in  Hopkinton.  There  are  several 
natural  ponds  in  this  town,  as  Smith’s  Pond,  near  the 
centre,  and  Clement's  and  Clough’s  Ponds,  in  the 
northwest.  Most  of  the  natural  drainage  of  Hopkin- 
ton finds  its  way  into  the  Contoocook  River,  which, 
with  its  tributaries,  affords  a large  supply  of  water 
power.  Most  of  the  surface  of  this  town  is  under- 


laid with  a hard,  clayey  subsoil,  and  in  various  por- 
tions there  is  a small  distribution  of  granular 
iron.  There  is  much  less  solid  rock  in  Hopkinton 
than  in  many  other  New  Hampshire  towns. 

Hopkinton  is  to-day  pre-eminently  a rural  town, 
and  its  surface  is  principally  devoted  to  agricultural 
purposes,  being  divided  mainly  into  field,  pasture  and 
forest  land.  All  the  staple  crops  of  New  Hampshire 
are  raised  here.  We  shall  speak  further  of  the  in- 
dustrial and  popular  situation  of  the  town  hereafter. 

Primitive  Facts. — Previously  to  the  occupation  of 
the  territory  of  Hopkinton  by  white  settlers,  there  was 
little  primitive  life  that  was  locally  distinctive. 
There  were  heavy  forests  of  mixed  growth,  in  which 
oak,  ash,  beech,  birch,  chestnut,  maple,  pine,  hem- 
lock, spruce,  etc., — trees  everywhere  indigenous  to 
New  Hampshire, — were  in  various  degrees  of  admix- 
ture intermingled.  Upon  the  lower,  plain  lands  there 
was  a greater  predominance  of  the  softer  woods. 
There  was  also  more  or  less  wild  grasses  of  inferior 
quality.  The  streams  and  ponds  abounded  with 
fish.  The  streams  were  also  in  some  instances  larger 
than  now.  All  the  wild  beasts  and  birds  indigenous 
to  our  State  probably  roamed  more  or  less  over  this 
local  wilderness.  The  same  may  be  said  of  reptiles, 
among  which  the  rattlesnake  was  the  only  venomous 
one.1 

The  wild  red  man  was  also  here  before  the  advent 
of  civilization.  The  regular  Indian  inhabitants  of 
this  locality  appear  to  have  belonged  to  the  tribe  of 
Penacooks,  or  Pawtuckets.  They  had  their  favorite 
local  haunts.  On  the  intervale  land  of  the  Warner 
River,  near  its  entrance  into  the  Contoocook,  was  a 
famous  resort.  Numerous  Indian  relics  have  been 
recovered  from  this  locality.  On  the  northern  bank 
of  the  natural  outlet  of  Smith’s  Pond  (now  known  as 
Chase’s  Brook),  at  a point  near  the  present  main 
village  of  the  town,  was  formerly  a huge  rock,  cleft 
in  such  a manner  that  an  additional  rude  contrivance 
afforded  considerable  shelter  from  the  weather.  It 
is  said  that  here  was  a somewhat  favorite  winter  re- 


1 In  the  year  1740,  the  town  of  Hopkintown  “ Voted  that  there  be 
eight  shillings  pr.  Day  allowed  to  those  that  have  spent  their  time  in 
killing  Rattlesnakes  in  sd  Town.”  In  1782  it  “ Voted  that  every  Person 
that  is  an  inhabitant  of  this  town  that  shall  kill  a wolf  shall  have  five 
Silver  Dollars  for  every  Such  wolf  Head  that  he  Shall  Kill  Paid  By  this 
Town.” 


391 


392 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


sort  of  some  of  the  Indians  of  this  vicinity.  Scat- 
tering Indian  relics  have  been  picked  up  in  various 
parts  of  the  town,  but,  upon  the  whole,  the  local  traces 
of  the  past  uncivilized  human  life  are  meagre. 

White  Settlement  of  the  Town. — The  town  of 
Hopkinton  was  settled  hy  virtue  of  an  act  of  the 
“Great  and  General  Court  or  Assembly  for  His 
Majesty’s  Province  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  in  New 
England.”  On  Thursday,  January  15,  1736,  Edmund 
Quincy,  for  a committee  of  both  Houses,  rendered  a 
report  “on  the  Petitions  for  Townships.”  Among: 
others,  the  “ Petition  of  Hopkinton  ” is  mentioned  in 
this  report.  The  climax  of  this  matter,  so  far  as  it 
relates  to  the  township  now  known  as  Hopkinton, 
N.  H.,  is  expressed  in  an  act  of  which  the  following 
is  a record : 

“At  a Great  and  General  Court,  Held  in  Boston,  the  Twenty- 
fourth  Day  of  November,  One  Thousand  Seven  Hundred  and  Thirty- 
six,  the  following  Vote  Passed  the  Two  Houses,  and  was  consented  to 
by  the  Governor, — viz.  : 1 Voted,  That  John  Jones,  of  Hopkinton,  Esqr., 
be  and  hereby  is  fully  authorized  and  Impowered  to  Assemble  and  Con- 
vene the  Grantees,  or  Proprietors,  of  the  Township  Number  Five,  lying 
in  the  Line  of  Towns  between  the  Rivers  of  Connecticut  and  Merri- 
mack, in  such  Place  as  they  Shall  be  Notified  and  Warned  to  Convene 
and  Assemble  at,  in  Order  to  Chnse  a Moderator  and  Clerk,  and  Com- 
mittee to  Allot  and  Divide  their  Land,  and  to  Dispose  of  the  same,  and 
to  Pass  such  Votes  and  Orders  as  by  them  may  be  thought  Conducive 
for  the  Speedy  fulfillment  of  the  Conditions  of  the  Grant,  and  also  to 
Agree  upon  Methods  for  calling  of  Meetings  for  the  fut.  use;  Provided, 
none  of  their  votes  Concerning  the  Dividing  or  Disposing  of  their 
Lauds  that  shall  be  Passed  while  they  are  under  the  Direction  of  the 
Committee  of  this  Court  Shall  be  of  force  before  they  are  Allowed  of 
by  said  Committee.” 

Township  Number  Five  wasone  ofa  line  oftownships 
extending  in  a line  from  Rumford  (now  Concord), 
on  the  Merrimack  River,  to  the  Great  Falls,  on  the 
Connecticut.  Each  township  was  decreed  to  be  six 
miles  square.  Briefly  expressed,  the  conditions  im- 
posed upon  the  grantees  by  the  court’s  committee 
were  as  follows : There  were  to  be  sixty  settlers  in 
a township,  bonded  to  the  committee  for  the  perform- 
ance of  certain  conditions,  as  that  each  grantee 
build  a dwelling-house  eighteen  feet  square,  and  of 
seven  feet  stud  at  the  least,  on  his  lot,  and  fence  in 
for  plowing,  or  clear  and  stock  to  English  grass,  five 
acres  of  land  within  three  years  after  being  admitted 
to  settlement  ; and  the  grantees  together  were  to  build 
and  finish  a suitable  meeting-house,  and  settle  a 
learned  and  orthodox  minister  within  the  same  num- 
ber of  years.  In  every  sense  of  the  term,  settlements 
were  to  be  actual. 

In  pursuance  of  the  conditions  above  described,  a 
meeting  of  the  proprietors  of  Number  Five  was  held 
at  the  tavern  of  James  Morris,  in  Hopkinton,  Mass., 
on  the  14tli  day  of  February,  1837.  Captain  John 
Jones  was  chosen,  moderator ; Charles  Morris,  clerk; 
Ebenezer  Kimball,  treasurer.  It  would  seem  that  at 
this  time  the  township  had  been  surveyed  and  located  ; 
but  the  several  lots  of  the  grantees  had  not  been 
established.  The  proprietorship  was  for  some  time 
occupied  with  the  preliminaries  of  settlement.  On 
the  31st  day  of  May,  1737,  a gratuity  of  five  pounds 


each  was  voted  to  Daniel  Claflin  and  Richard  Potter, 
provided  that  they  settled  before  winter.  There  is  a 
tradition  that  Potter  was  the  first  one  of  the  grantees 
to  begin  domestic  operations  in  the  new  territory.  A 
call  for  a meeting,  dated  at  Hopkinton,  September 
30,  1738,  declares, — 

“These  are  to  Notify  all  the  Proprietors  of  the  New  Township  Num- 
ber Five,  bordering  on  Kmnford,  to  meet  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Henry 
Mellen,in  the  said  Township,  near  the  Meeting-house  Spot,  on  Thirsday, 
the  nineteenth  day  of  October  next  ensuing,  at  nine  of  the  Clock  in  the 
morning,  there  to  act  on  the  following  articles,”  etc. 

This  call  evidently  anticipates  the  first  public 
meeting  in  the  new  township  Number  Five,  which 
soon  began  to  be  euphoniously  known  as  New  Hop- 
kinton and  to  be  indicated  in  the  public  records  as 
“New  Hopkinton  (so  called).”  A prefatory  note  to 
the  incorporating  charter  declares  as  follows  : 

“This  Township  was  taken  up  to  be  settled,  after  it  was  granted  & 
laid  out  by  Order  of  the  General  Court  of  the  Province  of  Massachusetts 
Bay,  by  the  inhabitants  of  Hopkinton,  in  said  Province,  under  the  name 
of  Number  five  in  the  Line  of  Towns,  and  was  by  them  called  New 
Hopkinton.” 

The  following  is  the  list  of  the  original  bonded 
proprietors  of  Number  Five: 

John  Jones,  Jolrn  Jeffards,  Henry  Mellen,  Ebenez’r  Locke,  Elias 
Haven,  Jacob  Gibbs,  James  Lock,  John  Brew'or,  James  Nutt,  Josiah 
Watkins,  Thomas  Mellon,  Thomas  Bixbe,  Richard  Potter,  Rev.  Mr. 
Sam’l  Barret,  David  Fauster,  Nat’l  Haven,  Thomas  Walker,  Henry 
Walker,  Caleb  Clatlin,  Charles  Morris,  Jason  Walker,  John  Bowker, 
Elisha  Haden,  Ebenezer  Coller,  Samuel  Streater,  Joseph  Coller,  Matthew 
Taft,  John  Walker,  John  Weston,  Nat’l  Smith,  David  Bui  nap,  Edmund 
Bowker,  Eleazer  Gile,  Daniel  Mellen,  James  Morris,  Joseph  Haven, 
David  Woodwell,  Matthew  Lackey,  Rol>ert  Claflin,  Joseph  Gould,  James 
Wilson,  Daniel  Claflin,  Mark  Whitney,  Joshua  Claflin,  John  Quarles, 
Eben’r  Claflin,  Jedcdiah  Haven,  Benj’a  Carril,  Paul  Langdou,  George 
Carril,  Samuel  Watkins,  Samuel  Frail,  Joseph  Holton,  Peter  How, 
Simpson  Jones,  Jabez  Potter,  Daniel  Claflin,  jun.,  Cornelius  Claflin, 
Ebenezer  Kimball,  Isaac  Whitney. — GO. 

Troubles  Incident  to  the  French  Wars. — The 

new  settlement  in  Number  Five  was  early  subjected 
to  various  trials.  One  of  these  was  incident  to  the  pros- 
ecution of  the  so-called  French  Wars.  The  conflict 
known  as  King  George’s  War  lasted  from  1744  to  1748  ; 
that  sometimes  called  the  Seven  Years’  War  from  1754 
to  1763.  The  English  residents  of  the  New  England 
colonies  were  involved  in  an  interest  adverse  to  the 
French  nation,  in  common  with  the  mother-country. 
Consequently,  in  addition  to  the  liability  to  active 
military  service,  the  colonies  were  subjected  to  attacks 
from  the  Indians,  instigated  by  the  French,  in  the 
hope  of  securing  captives,  to  be  redeemed  by  their 
friends,  thus  aiding  the  treasuries  of  the  French  cap- 
tors.  The  St.  Francis  Indians  performed  an  import- 
ant part  in  the  work  of  securing  English  captives. 
These  Indians  were  located  upon  the  border  of,  or  in, 
Canada. 

In  anticipation  of  predatory  incursions  by  Indians, 
three  forts,  or  garrison-houses,  were  early  built  in 
Number  Five.  They  were  Kimball’s,  Putney’s  and 
Woodwell’s  garrisons.  The  first  of  these  was  located 
about  a mile  from  the  present  village  of  Hopkinton, 
on  the  road  to  Rumford,  near  the  present  residence 
of  Mr.  James  K.  Story,  and  was  built  by  Aaron  and 


HOPKINTON. 


393 


Jeremiah  Kimball.  The  second  stood  upon  the  top 
of  Putney’s  Hill,  near  the  present  house  of  the  de- 
scendants of  Moses  Rowell,  and  was  erected  by  Sam- 
uel and  John  Putney.  The  third  occupied  a spot 
about  half  a mile  from  the  present  village  of  Contoo- 
cook,  in  the  north  part  of  the  town,  and  near  the 
present  residence  of  Mr.  Ebenezer  Morrill,  and  was 
constructed  by  David  Woodwell.  The  situation  in 
Number  Five  during  the  period  of  the  French  Wars 
was  more  or  less  unsettled.  On  this  account,  im- 
portant changes  were  made  in  the  plans  of  some  of 
the  proprietors.  Doubtless,  some  transferred  their 
interests ; some  settled  and  then  returned  to  Massa- 
chusetts ; others  stayed  in  the  new  township.  One 
thing  is  certain  : domestic  and  social  life  were  never 
suspended  wholly  in  the  new  settlement,  though  in- 
dividual circumstances,  doubtless,  were  in  many  in- 
stances modified.  In  consequence  of  the  disturbed 
condition  of  affairs,  there  are  no  proprietary  records 
extant  for  the  years  from  1743  to  1750,  inclusively; 
nor  for  1752  ; nor  from  1754  to  1756,  inclusively  ; nor 
for  1759;  nor  for  1762  to  1764,  inclusively. 

The  inhabitants  of  Number  Five  also  suffered  per- 
sonal violence  at  the  hands  of  their  Indian  enemies. 
On  the  22d  of  April,  1746,  Woodwell’s  garrison  was 
surprised  by  a party  of  Indians  and  eight  persons 
were  taken  captive.  The  captives  were  David  Wood- 
well,  his  wife,  two  sons,  Benjamin  and  Thomas,  and  a 
daughter,  Mary ; Samuel  Burbank,  and  Caleb  and 
Jonathan,  his  sons.  Woodwell  and  three  children 
returned  to  Boston  under  a Hag  of  truce.  Mary 
Woodwell  was  held  captive  three  years  and  was  then 
redeemed,  after  spending  six  months  with  the  French, 
at  Montreal,  waiting  for  a passport.  Samuel  Bur- 
bank and  Mrs.  Woodwell  died  in  captivity.  Jonathan 
Burbank  was  redeemed,  but  was  afterwards  killed  by 
the  Indians,  who  mistook  him  for  the.  famous  Robert 
Rogers.  Mary  Woodwell,  in  1755,  married  Jesse 
Corbett,  of  Uxbridge,  Mass.,  and  they  settled  in 
Number  Five  (or  New  Hopkinton),  on  the  scene  of 
the  capture  of  1746.  In  1759,  Mr.  Corbett  was 
drowned  in  the  Warner  River,  then  called  Almsbury 
River.  In  1761,  Mary  Woodwell  Corbett  married 
Jeremiah  Fowler,  who  died  in  1802,  and  his  widow 
immediately  joined  the  Shaker  community  at  Canter- 
bury, when  she  died  in  1829,  in  the  one  hundredth 
year  of  her  age.  By  her  first  marriage,  Mary  Wood- 
well  had  two  sons,  and  by  her  second,  five  children. 
A detailed  account  of  the  capture  at  Woodwell’s  gar- 
rison was  written  by  the  late  General  Walter  Harri- 
man  and  published  in  vol.  iv.,  No.  6,  of  the  Granite 
Monthly.  On  the  10th  of  November,  1746,  a Mr. 
Estabrooks,  of  Number  Five,  was  killed  by  Indians, 
on  his  return  from  Rum  ford,  where  he  had  been  for 
the  medical  services  of  Dr.  Ezra  Carter.  Estabrooks 
was  killed  about  a mile  from  the  present  Concord 
Main  Street,  on  the  present  highway  to  Hopkinton. 

On  the  morning  of  April  13,  1753,  Abraham  Kim- 
ball and  Samuel  Putney  was  captured  by  Indians. 


Their  capture  occurred  on  the  eastern  slope  of  Put- 
ney’s Hill,  not  far  from  Putney’s  garrison.  Kimball 
and  Putney  were  both  young  men.  They  were  taken 
to  Contoocook  (afterwards  Boscawen),  on  their  way 
to  Canada,  when,  on  the  next  day  after  the  capture, 
the  Indians  were  surprised  by  some  famous  Indian 
hunters  of  the  name  of  Flanders,  and  both  the  cap- 
tives escaped.  Putney  escaped  by  the  aid  of  a dog 
that  seized  the  neck  of  an  Indian  who  attempted  to 
tomahawk  Putney.  Abraham  Kimball  was  the  first 
white  male  child  born  in  Number  Five,  he  being  a 
son  of  Jeremiah  Kimball. 

The  military  records  of  colonial  New  Hampshire, 
during  the  period  of  the  French  Wars,  contain  the 
following  names  of  residents  of  Number  Five,  though 
the  identification  of  the  parties  is  not  sure: 

Joseph  Eastman  (probably  of  Rum  ford),  Stephen  Hoyt,  Matthew 
Stanley,  Ebenezer  Eastman,  Joseph  Putney,  John  Annis,  Enoch  East, 
man,  John  Burbank,  William  Peters,  Nathaniel  Smith,  Sampson  Colby, 
Isaac  Chandler,  Thomas  Merrill,  Samuel  Barrett,  James  Lock,  John 
Nutt,  John  Jones,  Thomas  Eastman. 

The  Mason  Claim. — A second  source  of  trial  to 
the  proprietors  of  Number  Five  resulted  from  the 
Mason  claim.  The  original  royal  patent,  given  to 
Sir  Ferdinando  Gorges  and  John  Mason,  embraced 
all  the  line  of  the  Atlantic  coast  between  the  Merri- 
mack and  St.  Lawrence  Rivers,  and  extended  many 
miles  inland.  The  country  was  named  Laconia,  and 
the  patent  was  given  in  1622.  Subsequently,  Mason 
obtained  a second  patent  of  a considerable  territory 
lying  between  the  Merrimack  and  Piscataqua  Rivers, 
and  which  he  called  New  Hampshire.  Having  at- 
tempted settlement  and  a development  of  resources, 
Mason  failed,  and,  dying,  his  heirs  at  length  realized 
nothing  but  the  naked  soil.  In  the  year  1691,  the 
Mason  estate  passed  into  the  hands  of  Samuel  Allen. 
The  original  title  became  involved  in  dispute,  and 
subsequently,  by  a fiction  of  law,  that  the  estate 
might  be  under  the  command  of  the  King’s  Court,  the 
land  was  assumed  to  be  in  England,  and,  by  the  con- 
nivance of  the  Massachusetts  colonial  authorities, 
John  Tufton  Mason,  lineal  descendant  of  John  Ma- 
son, laid  claim  to  the  whole.  John  Tufton  Mason 
was  successful,  and  at  length  sold  out  to  twelve  lead- 
ing men  of  Portsmouth  for  fifteen  hundred  pounds. 

The  new'  proprietors  were  liberal  in  disposition,  and 
made  regrants  of  townships  upon  favorable  terms, 
usually  reserving  fifteen  rights  for  themselves.  The 
conditions  upon  which  Number  Five  was  regranted 
are  briefly  expressed  as  follows : 

The  township  was  granted  in  equal  shares  to  Henry  Mellen,  yeo- 
man, Thomas  Walker,  cooper,  and  Thomas  Mellen,  cordwainer,  all  of 
Hopkinton,  in  the  county  of  Middlesex. 

A reservation  of  one-fifth,  in  the  westerly  part  of  the  township,  was 
set  off  for  the  proprietors. 

One  whole  share  in  the  remaining  four-fifths  was  to  be  set  off  for  the 
first  settled  minister,  to  be  his  in  fee  simple. 

One  whole  share  of  the  said  four-fifths  was  to  be  set  off  for  the  use  of 
the  ministry  forever. 

One  whole  share  in  the  said  four-fifths  was  to  be  set  off  for  the  use  of 
a school  forever. 


394 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


That  thirty  acres  of  land,  and  the  necessary  water  privilege,  he  re- 
served for  a saw-mill,  ‘at  the  place  where  the  old  saw-mill  stood  ; ’ and 
that  the  grantees  and  their  associates  build  a saw  mill  within  two  years 
at  their  own  cost. 

That  there  be  thirty  families  in  the  township  within  three  years, 
each  house  being  at  least  sixteen  feet  square,  and  provided  with  a 
cellar  ; and  that  there  be  five  acres  of  land  cleared  and  fitted  for  mowing 
or  tillage  in  each  case. 

That  there  be  sixty  families  within  seven  years,  with  other  condi- 
tions as  before  mentioned. 

That  a meeting-house  be  built  within  three  years,  and  constant 
preaching  be  maintained  at  the  expense  of  the  grantees. 

That  all  the  suitable  pine  trees  be  reserved  for  his  Majesty’s  use. 

That  in  case  of  an  Indian  war  occurring  within  any  time  limited  for 
the  performance  of  conditions,  the  time  should  be  extended  to  the  close 
of  the  war. 

That  in  case  Bow  took  any  territory  from  the  township,  the  loss  be 
made  up  from  other  and  ungranted  lands. 

The  foregoing  conditions  were  by  an  act  of  the 
Mason  proprietors  on  the  30th  clay  of  November, 
1750.  The  reservation  of  one-fifth  in  the  western 
part  of  the  township  suggests  the  remark  that  the 
earlier  settlements  had  not  extended  far  in  that  di- 
rection. The  reservation  ultimately  reverted  to  the 
inhabitants  of  the  township,  but  upon  what  specific 
terms  the  writer  does  not  know. 

In  November,  1762,  the  following  parties  were  de- 
clared legal  grantees  under  the  conditions  of  the 
Mason  grant.  The  figures  given  indicate  instances 
of  a plurality  of  shares  in  possession  : 

John  Jones,  Esq.  (2),  Joseph  Haven,  Esq.,  Rev.  Samuel  Haven,  John 
Haven,  Thomas  Byxby,  Peter  How,  Joseph  Haven,  Timothy  Townsend, 
Elder  Joseph  Haven,  Simpson  Jones,  Esq.,  Isaac  Pratts,  Jededial) 
Haven,  Mark  Whitney,  Nathaniel  Gibbs,  Isaac  Gibbs,  John  Jones,  Jr., 
Benjamin  Goddard,  Eleazer  Howard,  John  and  James  Nutt,  Daniel 
Mellen,  James  Lock,  David  Wood  well,  Nathaniel  Chandler  (lieiis), 
Samuel  Osgood,  Daniel  and  John  Annis  (2),  Aaron  Kimball,  John  Chad- 
wick (2)  Thomas  Eastman,  Timothy  Clement,  John  Rust  (heirs),  William 
Peters,  Ebenezer  Eastman,  Jacob  Straw,  Samuel  Putney,  Joseph  Putney, 
Jonathan  Straw  (2),  Thomas  Merrill,  Joseph  Eastman,  Jacob  Potter, 
Matthew  Stanley,  Abraham  Colby,  Sampson  Colby  (2),  Isaac  Chandler, 
Jr.,  Abner  Kimball  (heirs),  John  Burbank,  Caleb  Burbank,  Samuel 
Eastman,  Peter  How,  Jr.  (2),  Enoch  Eastman  (2),  Stephen  Hoyt,  Isonc  • 
Whitney,  Enoch  and  Ezra  Hoyt,  Deacon  Henry  Mellen  (3),  Thomas  j 
Walker,  Thomas  Mellen  (4),  Isaac  Chandler,  Joseph  Eastman,  Jr. 

The  Bow  Controversy. — The  reader  will  remember 
that,  in  discussing  the  Mason  grant,  an  incidental 
mention  was  made  of  Bow.  The  Bow  controversy 
agitated  the  residents  of  Number  Five  during  a period 
of  years.  The  origin  of  the  trouble  will  be  briefly 
stated.  We  have  already  seen  that  Number  Five  was 
originally  granted  by  the  authorities  of  Massachusetts 
Bay.  Bow  was  granted  to  Jonathan  Wiggin  and 
others,  in  1727,  by  the  government  of  New  Hamp- 
shire. A conflict  of  boundaries  ensued  between  Bow 
and  Number  Five.  Bow  was  also  in  controversy  with 
several  other  townships  upon  the  subject  of  bounda- 
ries. Bow  claimed  a section  of  Number  Five  in  the 
southeast  part  of  the  township.  The  disputed  section 
was  wedge-shaped,  with  its  apex  lying  very  near  the 
present  village  of  Hopkinton. 

The  contest  between  Bow  and  Number  Five  was,  in 
a sense,  a conflict  of  colonial  governments.  It  was  but 
natural  that  both  Massachusetts  and  New  Hampshire 
should  be  zealous  of  their  prerogatives.  All  the  boun- 
daries involved  in  this  controversy  were  not  adjusted 


before  1765.  Adjudged  in  the  New  Hampshire  courts, 
the  controverted  points  seemed  to  be  decided  in  favor 
of  the  local  colonial  interest.  It  seemed  as  if  Bow 
was  to  win  her  case.  This  was  the  condition  of  things 
on  the  7th  of  May,  1761,  when  Deacon  Henry  Mellen, 
Adjutant  Thomas  Mellen  and  Timothy  Clement  were 
chosen  a committee  of  Number  Five,  “to  go  down  to 
the  land  proprietors  and  the  proprietors  of  Bow  to  see 
if  the  matter  can  be  agreed  upon.”  However,  largely 
by  the  activity  of  the  inhabitants  of  Rumford,  the. 
matter  was  brought  before  the  King's  Court.  At  the 
Court  of  St.  James,  on  the  29th  day  of  September, 
1762,  the  King  and  his  counselors  reversed  a judgment 
of  the  InferiorCourt  of  the  Common  Pleas  of  the  prov- 
ince of  New  Hampshire,  of  the  2d  of  September,  1760, 
and  also  one  of  the  Superior  Court  of  Judicature,  of  the 
second  Tuesday  in  November,  1760,  and  the  principle 
was  established  that  defeated  Bow  and  gave  the  other 
townships  their  land. 

In  1763,  on  the  13th  of  December,  an  act  of  the 
New  Hampshire  Legislature  joined  the  following  per- 
sons and  their  estates  to  the  “District  of  New  Hop- 
kinton,” thus  acknowledging  the  validity  of  their 
claim  as  residents  of  the  disputed  territory  of  Num- 
ber Five : 

Abel  Kimball,  Timothy  Kimball,  Timothy  Clements,  Eliplialet  Colby, 
Green  French,  John  Chadwick,  Abraham  Kimball,  Jeremiah  Kimball, 

1 Janies  Kimball,  Moses  Straw,  Jonathan  Straw,  John  Eastman,  William 
Peters,  Hezekiah  Foster,  Jeremiah  Kimball,  Jr.,  Thomas  Jewett,  Reuben 
Kimball,  Daniel  Watson,  Obadiali  Perry,  Joshua  Bailey,  John  Kimball, 
John  Jewett,  Parker  Flanders,  Isaac  Colby,  Thomas  Hoitt,  Widow 
Susanna  Kimball. 

In  1772,  in  consequence  of  the  incorporation  of  the 
county  of  Hillsborough,  of  which  Hopkinton  was  a 
part  till  1823,  it  became  necessary  for  the  provincial 
authority  of  New  Hampshire  to  enact  that  the  por- 
tion of  Hopkinton  formerly  claimed  by  Bow  should 
be  disannexed  from  Rockingham  County,  of  which 
Bow  was  once  a part,  and  annexed  to  the  new  county. 


CHAPTER  II. 

HOPKINTON — (Continued). 

Incorporation  of  Hopkinton  and  Incidental  Mat- 
ters.— The  legal  incorporation  of  Number  Five,  by  the 
name  of  Hopkinton,  was  effected  in  1765.  The  in- 
corporating act  passed  the  New  Hampshire  Provin- 
cial Legislature  on  the  10th  of  January.  The  ap- 
proval of  the  Council  and  the  consent  of  Governor 
Benning  Wentworth  were  given  the  next  day.  Hop- 
kinton was  a town  with  all  the  implied  legal  rights 
and  privileges.  The  subject  of  the  legal  incorporation 
of  the  township  was  agitated  as  early  as  1757.  On 
October  27th  of  that  year  a petition  for  incorporation 
was  addressed  “To  His  Excellency,  Benning  Went- 
worth, Esq.,  Captain-General  & Governor-in-Chief 
in  and  over  his  Majesty’s  Province  of  New  Hamp- 


HOPK  INTON. 


395 


shire,  and  to  the  Honble  his  Majesty’s  Council  in  the 
Province  aforesaid.”  This  petition  was  signed  by 
the  following  persons: 

“ Samuel  Pudney,  Joseph  Eastman,  Aaron  Kimball,  Joseph  Pudney, 
Enoch  Eastman,  John  Pudney,  Daniel  Anis,  Caleb  Burbank,  Peter  How, 
Joseph  Ordway,  Matthew  Stanley,  Abraham  Colbe,  David  Wood  well, 
Joseph  Eastman,  Jr.,  John  Chadwick,  John  Ordway,  John  Burbank, 
Jonathan  Ilow.” 

There  were  probably  not  more  than  a few  hundred 
people  in  Hopkinton  at  the  time  of  the  incorpora- 
tion. Let  us  consider  some  of  the  conditions  oi 
local  society  at  this  time.  Although  nearly  twenty 
years  had  passed  since  the  original  grant  of  the  town- 
ship, yet  the  originally  implied  conditions  of  the 
grant  were  not  all  fulfilled.  Part  of  the  neglect  was 
due  to  the  troublous  scenes  through  which  the  inhab- 
itants had  passed.  A minister  had  been  settled.  Rev. 
James  Scales  was  ordained  on  the  23d  of  November, 
1757. 1 No  meeting-house  had  been  built,  though 
numerous  votes  to  build  had  been  passed.  Rev.  Mr. 
Scales  was  ordained  at  Putney’s  garrison,  which  was 
a place  of  regular  public  worship.  A meeting-house 
lot  and  a minister’s  lot  had  been  located.  Land  had 
been  set  apart  for  educational  purposes,  but  there  is 
only  slight  evidence  that  a school  had  been  taught. 
In  March,  1765,  the  town  voted  to  have  a school  two 
months  of  the  ensuing  year. 

Local  society  was  in  a very  primitive  state  up  to 
the  time  of  the  incorporation  of  Hopkinton.  The 
incident  of  Mr.  Estabrooks,  in  1746,  leads  to  the  in- 
ference that  there  was  no  physician  in  this  town. 
Of  lawyers  there  were  apparently  none.  There  are 
no  data  of  the  conditions  of  trade  at  this  time.  A 
vote  of  the  early  proprietors,  passed  February  14, 1737, 
appropriating  twenty  pounds  for  clearing  a road  from 
Rumford  to  the  new  township,  and  also  for  clearing 
other  roads  as  far  as  the  sum  would  allow,  suggests 
that  Rumford  was  a dependence  for  commercial  sup- 
plies. There  was  probably  no  tavern  in  Hopkinton, 
though  there  may  have  been  people  who  had  special 
accommodations  for  travelers  or  visitors.  A hint  is 
afforded  upon  this  subject  by  the  action  of  the  town  in 
anticipation  of  the  ordination  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Scales. 
It  was  voted  to  provide  entertainment  at  six  places, — 
the  houses  of  Aaron  Kimball,  Matthew  Stanley, 
Stephen  Hoyt,  Peter  How,  Samuel  Putney  and  Joseph 
Putney.  Some  progress  had  probably  been  made  in 
the  erection  of  framed  houses.  In  1737,  the  proprietors 
voted  a gratuity  of  twenty-five  pounds  to  any  one  who 
would  build  a saw-mill  near  the  “ reservation,”  the 
mill  to  be  completed  by  the  next  December.  Subse- 
quently the  same  gratuity  was  offered  to  Henry  Mellen 
personally,  and,  still  later,  the  inducement  of  thirty 
pounds  was  made  general.  It  is  believed  that  Henry 
Mellen  erected  a saw-mill  on  Paul  Brook,  in  the 


1 A church  was  organized  at  the  same  time.  The  following  were 
the  original  members : James  Scales,  David  Wood  well,  Aaron  Kimball, 
Jonathan  Straw,  William  Peters,  Joseph  Eastman,  Jr.,  Peter  How, 
Abraham  Colebe,  Matthew  Stanley,  Enoch  Eastman.  William  Peters 
was  afterwards  made  the  first  deacon. 


westerly  part  of  the  town.  The  existence  of  such  a 
mill  provided  lumber  for  building.  The  first  framed 
house  is  said  to  have  been  built  near  Kimball’s  garri- 
son. The  ancient  Rowell  house,  now  standing  on 
Putney’s  Hill,  near  the  site  of  Putney’s  garrison,  was 
built  for  the  Rev.  James  Scales.  A grist-mill  may  or 
may  not  have  been  in  operation  in  town  previously 
to  the  incorporation,  but,  in  1765,  Nathaniel  Clement 
was  allowed  a gratuity  of  eighty  acres  of  land,  on  the 
north  side  of  the  road  to  Rumford,  so  long  as  he  kept 
a corn-mill  in  repair.  The  site  of  the  Clement  mill 
is  just  east  of  Hopkinton  village,  at  the  outlet  of 
Mills’  Pond,  so  called.  Money  was  apparently  plenty, 
though  the  currency  was  depreciated,  being  largely  in 
provincial  bills  of  credit,  sometimes  called  “old 
tenor.”  The  town  appropriated  four  hundred  and 
fifty  pounds  for  the  expense  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Scales’ 
ordination,  but  this  sum  was  probably  worth  no  more 
than  two  hundred  dollars  in  hard  money. 

Previously  to  the  incorporation,  the  township  had 
limited  political  privileges.  It  had  a representative 
power  at  the  General  Court.  In  1738,  October  23, 
Isaac  Whitney,  Thomas  Walker  and  Ebenezer  God- 
dard were  made  a committee  to  present  tbe  votes  of 
the  proprietors  at  the  seat  of  provincial  government. 
In  1740,  the  township  became  a part  of  New  Hamp- 
shire. Local  meetings  were  called  by  special  com- 
mittees. Jacob  Gibbs  and  Charles  Morris  were  the 
first  committee  to  call  meetings.  The  first  meeting 
in  the  new  territory  was  called  by  Joseph  Haven 
Isaac  Whitney  and  Thomas  Walker.  The  township 
could  not  take  its  own  inventory,  which  was  taken  by 
the  selectmen  of  some  corporate  township.  In  1761, 
the  selectmen  of  Boscawen  were  paid  five  pounds  for 
taking  the  inventory  of  Number  Five. 

The  incorporation  of  Hopkinton  gave  a decided  im- 
pulse to  local  public  enterprise.  Affairs  seemed  to  as- 
sume a new  and  substantial  basis.  Various  improved 
conditions  resulted.  A church  was  built  in  1766.  The 
edifice  was  fifty  feet  long,  thirty-eight  feet  broad  and 
the  posts  were  twenty-two  feet.  The  expense  of  its 
erection  was  five  hundred  pounds,  old  tenor.  The 
same  year  it  was  voted  to  have  two  schools  in  town. 
In  1768  it  was  decided  to  build  two  school  “housen” 
— one  near  Esquire  Townsend’s  and  the  other  in  the 
centre,  between  Jonathan  How’s  and  Moses  Gould’s, 
— but  this  act  was  afterwards  rescinded.  Educational 
matters  progressed,  however,  and,  in  1784,  a provision 
was  made  for  dividing  the  town  “ into  eight  parts  for 
schooling.”  In  1766  a vote  was  passed  to  build  a 
boat  in  the  Contoocook  River  for  the  accommodation 
of  people  passing  between  Hopkinton  and  New  Ames- 
bury  (now  Warner),  said  boat  to  be  as  large  as  Deacon 
Merrill’s  boat  in  Concord.  In  1772,  an  appropriation 
of  thirty  pounds  was  made  for  a bridge  across  the 
Contoocook.  The  same  year  the  town  obtained  pos- 
session of  two  lots  of  land  where  the  people  had  be- 
gun to  bury  their  dead,  and  public  legal  cemeteries 
were  established. 


396 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Hopkinton.  being  incorporated,  soon  became  a 
thriving  and  prosperous  town.  The  business  centre 
was  at  the  site  of  the  present  village  of  Hopkinton. 
The  church  was  built  there,  its  site  being  identical 
with  that  of  the  present  Congregational  house.  This 
was  the  situation  of  public  affairs  on  the  eve  of  the 
Revolution. 

The  first  selectmen  of  the  incorporated  township 
were  Captain  Matthew  Stanley,  Ensign  Jonathan 
Straw  and  Sergeant  Isaac  Chandler. 

The  Revolution. — The  people  of  Hopkinton  were 
alive  to  all  public  events  anticipative  of  the  great 
struggle  called  the  Revolution.  At  a town-meeting 
on  the  18th  of  July,  1774,  Captain  Jonathan  Straw 
was  chosen  a delegate  to  the  Exeter  Convention  of 
the  21st  of  the  same  month,  which  was  called  to 
succeed  the  Assembly  dispersed  by  Governor  John 
Wentworth,  and  which  also  chose  Nathaniel  Folsom 
and  John  Sullivan  delegates  to  the  Provincial  Con-  ; 
gress.  On  the  9th  of  January,  1775,  Joshua  Bailey 
was  chosen  delegate  from  Hopkinton  to  a second 
convention  at  Exeter,  which  convention  chose 
John  Sullivan  and  John  Langdon  as  delegates  to 
another  Provincial  Congress.  On  the  same  day  the 
town  voted  “to  accept  what  the  Grand  Congress  has 
resolved.”  On  the  11th  of  December,  1775,  Captain 
Stephen  Harriman  was  chosen  a representative  to 
Exeter  for  one  year,  in  anticipation  of  the  convocation 
of  the  21st  of  the  same  month,  designed  for  the 
elaboration  of  a plan  of  civil  government. 

In  1775,  in  compliance  with  the  demand  of  the 
local  colonial  authority,  an  enumeration  of  people 
and  of  war  materials  was  taken  in  Hopkinton.  The 
following  is  the  official  return  : 


the  New  Hampshire  Committee  of  Safety,  issued  a 
circular,  requesting  the  signatures  of  all  males  over 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  “ Lunaticks,  Idiots  and 
Negroes  excepted,”  to  the  “Declaration  on  this 
Paper,”  and  also  desiring  the  names  of  “ all  who 
shall  refuse  to  sign  the  same.”  This  circular  was 
dated  April  12,  1776,  and  was  presented  to  the  select- 
men of  towns.  The  selectmen  of  Hopkinton  returned 
one  hundred  and  sixty-one  names  subscribed  to  the 
declaration,  and  the  names  of  fourteen  who  “ refused 
to  sign.” 

On  the  14th  of  January,  1777,  the  town  voted  to 
procure  shovels,  spades,  one  hundred  pounds  of  gun- 
powder and  lead  and  flints.  An  existing  law  required 
each  town  to  maintain  a regular  supply  of  one  barrel 
of  gunpowder,  two  hundred  pounds  of  lead  and  three 
hundred  flints.  On  the  31st  of  March  an  appropria- 
tion sufficient  to  raise  twenty-six  men  for  the  army 
was  voted.  On  the  14th  of  April  it  was  voted  that 
service  already  done  should  be  considered  equal  to 
service  to  come;  on  the  9th  of  June,  that  militia 
should  have  the  same  pay  as  soldiers ; on  the  15th  of 
January,  1778,  that  the  selectmen  be  agents  to  pro- 
vide for  the  families  of  non-commissioned  officers 
and  soldiers;  on  the  1st  of  March,  1779,  that  the  sol- 
diers “ should  be  made  good  as  to  the  depreciation  of 
money;”  on  the  20th  of  November,  1780,  that  sol- 
diers’rates  should  be  payable  in  corn  as  will  as  in 
money;  on  the  5th  of  February,  1781,  that  Major 
Chandler  and  the  commissioned  officers  have  author- 
ity to  employ  soldiers  and  hire  money  for  the  purpose. 
The  following  votes,  passed  on  the  15th  of  May,  1777, 
shed  some  light  upon  the  price  paid  for  Revolutionary 
soldiers  from  this  town : 


“ Mai under  16  years  of  Age . . . . 332 

Males  from  16  years  of  Age  to  50  uot  in  the  Army  . . 160 

Males  above  50  years  of  Age 30 

.Persons  gone  in  the  army 42 

All  females • 519 

Negroes  and  slaves  for  Life 1 2 


1085 

“Guns  that  are  wanting  are  fifty-six. 

“ Powder,  six  pounds  in  town. 

“The  above  account  taken  by  us,  the  subscribers,  i6  true,  errors  ex- 
cepted. 

“Jonathan  Straw,  ) Selectmen 
“ Isaac  Chandler,  J for  Hopkinton.'' 

On  the  4th  of  March,  1776,  Major  Chandler,  Joshua 
Bailey  and  Moses  Hill  were  made  a local  Committee 
ofSafety.  On  the  14th  of  the  same  month,  the  Colonial 
Congress  passed  a resolution,  recommending  that  all 
assemblies,  conventions,  councils  or  Committees  of 
Safety  immediately  cause  all  persons  “notoriously 
disaffected  to  the  cause  of  America”  to  be  disarmed. 
In  view  of  compliance,  Mesech  Weare,  chairman  of 

1 There  were  never  but  two  slaves  in  Hopkinton.  One  of  these  was 
owned  by  Joseph  Barnard  ; the  other  belonged  to  Thomas  Webber. 
They  were  both  males.  Seeko  Barnard,  as  he  was  called,  on  the  event 
of  his  enfranchisement,  went  to  the  vicinity  af  A mesbury,  Mass.,  mar- 
ried and  apparently  became  settled.  Ciesar  Webber,  as  he  was  known, 
remained  in  Hopkinton  till  his  death.  He  was  a member  of  the  Congre- 
gational Church. 


*Votrd}  to  accept  the  raits  that  is  already  made  for  the  warfare. 

“Voted,  to  allow  to  those  Persons  which  hired  men  for  three  year  be- 
fore thear  was  any  Committee  Chose  in  Town  for  to  hire  men  for  three 
year  Equal  mouth  with  those  which  the  Committee  hired  at  Ninety 
Dolars  the  three  year.” 

At  home  and  in  the  field,  Hopkinton  did  her  part 
well  during  the  trying  Revolutionary  times.  A num- 
ber of  the  soldiers  from  this  town  lost  their  lives  in 
the  service.  Hopkinton  men  were  in  nearly,  or  quite, 
every  important  campaign  of  that  war.  Their  names 
are  now  only  imperfectly  remembered.  In  attempting 
to  recover  the  names  of  the  Revolutionary  soldiers  of 
Hopkinton,  we  have  been  greatly  assisted  by  Hon. 
George  W.  Nesmith,  of  Franklin,  to  whom  we  are 
indebted  for  many  of  the  particulars  given  below. 

The  following  were  at  Bunker  Hill,  June  17,  1775, 
in  Captain  Gorden  Hutchins’  company:  Nathaniel 
Clement,  Abraham  Kimball,  William  Darling,  Thomas 
Mathews,  Jonathan  Judkins.  John  Gordon,  Elisha 
Corliss,  Nath.  Perkins  and  Micha  Flanders  are  of 
doubtful  residence,  though  some  of  them  were  proba- 
bly from  Weare.  Most  of  the  Hopkinton  men  at 
Bunker  Hill  were  enrolled  in  the  company  of  Cap- 
tain Isaac  Baldwin,  of  Hillsborough,  who  was  killed 
upon  the  field,  and  whose  command  devolved  upon 


HOPKINTON. 


397 


Lieutenant  John  Hale,  of  this  town,  who  served  with 
the  following  others : Second  Lieutenant  Stephen 
Hoyt,  Sergeant  Moses  Kimball,  Corporals  Moses 
Bailey,  Moses  Connor,  Reuben  Kimball  and  Moses 
Darling;  Moses  Trussed,  John  Putney,  Samuel  Hil- 
dreth, Peter  Howe,  Timothy  Clements,  Daniel  Cressy, 
Joseph  Putney,  Clifford  Chase,  Richard  Straw,  Thomas 
Eastman,  Thomas  Hills,  Benjamin  Stanley,  John 
Stanley,  Enoch  Eastman.  Trussed  lost  an  arm  on 
this  field,  as  well  as  his  coat  and  knapsack.  Hildreth, 
Hills,  Chase  and  Thomas  Eastman  lost  a coat  each. 
Lieutenant  Hoyt  and  John  Putney  each  lost  a coat 
and  a knapsack.  Caleb  Smart  was  also  at  Bunker 
Hill,  in  Stark’s  regiment,  and  was  wounded. 

The  following  privates  were  enlisted  August  2, 
1775,  and  served  under  Captain  John  Parker,  of  Litch- 
field, in  the  northern  campaign  : Samuel  Smith,  John 
T.  Connor,  Ebenezer  Collins,  James  Judkins,  David 
Clough,  Jedediah  Jewett,  Daniel  Murray,  Joseph 
Stanley. 

In  Colonel  Benedict  Arnold’s  regiment,  that  cut 
through  the  wilderness  of  Maine  to  Quebec,  in  1775, 
in  Captain  Henry  Dearborn’s  company,  were  Lieu- 
tenant Nathaniel  Hutchins  and  a private  named 
Carr. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1775,  thirty-one  companies  of 
soldiers  were  sent  from  New  Hampshire  to  reinforce 
General  Sullivan  at  Charlestown.  The  officers  of  the 
Twentieth  Company  were  Timothy  Clements,  Hop- 
kinton,  captain;  Joseph  Chandler,  first  lieutenant; 
Amos  Gould,  second  lieutenant. 

The  following  enlisted  in  Colonel  Pierce  Long’s 
regiment  on  the  8th  of  August,  1776,  and  served  four 
months,  or  one  hundred  and  twenty-one  days:  Cap- 
tain Timothy  Clements,  Sergeant  Moses  Darling,  Dan- 
iel Blaisdell,  Isaac  Clements.  Lieutenant  Nathaniel 
Hutchins  also  belonged  to  this  regiment,  being  pro- 
moted to  captain,  and  on  the  expiration  of  the  term 
of  enlistment,  in  the  spring  of  1777,  recruited  a com- 
pany and  joined  Colonel  Joseph  Gilley’s  regiment  in 
April.  Captain  Hutchins  retired  from  service  in  Jan- 
uary, 1781. 

The  following  soldiers  were  enlisted  into  the  Con- 
tinental service  by  the  authority  of  Colonel  Stickney, 
generally  for  a service  of  three  years.  The  enlist- 
ments began  early  in  1777.  In  Scammel’s  regiment, 
in  Captain  Daniel  Livermore’s  company,  were  Sergeant 
Samuel  Smith,  Joseph  Bickford  (died  June  20, 1778), 
B. Sargent,  Samuel  Judkins;  in  Gilley’s  regiment,  in 
Captain  James  Gregg’s  company,  Ebenezer  Blaisdell, 
Jr.  (died  August  15,1777);  in  Captain  Hutchins’ 
company,  Sergeant  Eben  Collins  (wounded  October  7, 
at  Stillwater,  and  died  October  26, 1777),  Sergeant  John 
Chadwick,  Moses  Colby,  Daniel  Creasy,  John  Eastman 
(killed  July  8,  1777,  at  Hubbardton),  James  Edgerly, 
William  Hodgkins,  Jonathan  Judkins,  Samuel  Stocker, 
Enoch  Hoyt,  David  Smith  (died  August  4,  1778), 
Caleb  Smart,  Elijah  Smart,  Jonathan  Sawyer,  Benja- 
min Williams,  Joseph  Eastman  (died  October  30, 


1777,  at  Saratoga).  Most  of  these  men  were  enlisted 
in  April,  some  for  less  than  three  years. 

The  following  men  were  with  Captain  Joshua  Bai- 
ley, of  this  town,  at  Bennington,  beingenlisted  on  the 
20tli  of  July,  1777,  and  discharged  at  Stillwater  on  the 
20th  of  the  next  September  : Quartermaster  Joseph 
Stanley,  Second  Lieutenant  Timothy  Farnum,  Second 
Sergeant  Joshua  Gile,  Fourth  Sergeant  Peter  Howe, 
First  Corporal  John  Burbank,  Fourth  Corporal  Eben- 
ezer Eaton,  Christopher  Gould,  Richard  Smith, Sam- 
uel Howe,  David  Howe,  Jonathan  Straw,  Jr.,  Stephen 
Harriman,  Jr.,  Jonathan  Hunt,  Josiah  Corbet,  Moses 
Emerson,  Moses  Jones,  Daniel  French,  Abraham 
Kimball  (severely  wounded),  Caleb  Burbank,  Eben- 
ezer Rider. 

The  following  men  were  enrolled  in  Captain  John 
Hale’s  company,  Colonel  Henry  Gerrish’s  regiment, 
called  out  to  reinforce  General  Gates,  enlisted  in 
August,  1777  ; they  performed  twenty-eight  days’  ser- 
vice : Captain  John  Hale,  Sergeant  Daniel  Flanders, 
Corporal  Jacob  Straw,  Jonathan  Chase,  Stephen  Hoit, 
Philip  Greeley,  Jacob  Hoit,  Nathan  Sargent,  Richard 
Carr  Rogers,  Joseph  Chadwick,  Moses  Hills,  Thomas 
Hills,  Samuel  Farrington,  David  Fellows,  Joseph 
Corbett,  Enoch  Long,  David  Kimball,  Moses  Bur- 
bank. 

The  following  men  enlisted  in  a company  comman- 
ded by  Captain  Joshua  Bailey,  and  served  twenty-five 
days  in  August  and  September,  1778,  in  Rhode  Is- 
land : Lieutenant  Thomas  Rowell,  Sergeant  Moses 
Darling,  Sergeant  Abner  Chase,  Corporal  Reuben 
Kimball,  Corporal  Levi  Hildreth,  Oliver  Dow, 
Moses  Hills,  Joseph  Hastings,  Jacob  Choat,  Jona- 
than Straw,  Ezekiel  Straw,  Samuel  Hoit,  Timothy 
Darling,  David  Kimball,  Samuel  Chase,  Richard 
Smith,  William  Putney,  Timothy  Farnum,  David 
Howe,  William  Barnard,  Joshua  Morse,  John  Clem- 
ent, William  Ayres,  Moses  Clark,  Joseph  Currier, 
Moses  Clement,  Jacob  Tucker,  Ezekiel  Goodwin,  Ira 
Waldron.  These  men  were  in  the  regiment  of  Col- 
onel Moses  Kelley,  of  Goffstown.  Corporal  John  S. 
Farnham  enlisted  into  the  army  on  the  5th  of  May, 
1779;  John  Eaton  and  Timothy  Farnham,  on  the  5th 
of  April,  1781  ; they  were  all  discharged  in  Decem- 
ber, 1781.  Benjamin  Creasy  enlisted  on  the  6th  of 
April,  1781,  and  was  discharged  on  the  17thofMarcb, 
1782;  he  was  claimed  by  Henniker.  The  following 
men  were  new  levies  from  and  for  Hopkinton,  en- 
listed before  or  during  1781,  and  distributed  among 
different  Continental  regiments  : Sergeant  Isaac  Clem- 
ent (died  December,  1780),  Richard  Smith,  Ebenezer 
Dustin,  David  Howe,  Daniel  Eaton,  Alvaro  Currier, 
Moses  Chase,  Jonathan  Howe,  Daniel  Stickney,  Moses 
Flanders,  Benjamin  Quimby,  Samuel  Howe,  Ephraim 
Hildreth. 

The  following  are  additional  names  of  Hopkinton 
men  engaged  in  the  Revolutionary  War:  Abram 
Currier,  Samuel  French,  Michael  Stocker,  John  Rob- 
inson, Moses  Flanders,  Benjamin  Flanders,  Daniel 


398 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTV,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Kimball,  Stephen  Putney,  Jeremiah  Tyler,  William 
Stocker,  Isaac  Walker.  Captain  Jonathan  Straw 
was  at  Cambridge  in  1775,  and  drew  a pay-roll  of  £60 
17s.  9 d. 

During  the  Revolutionary  period  the  people  of 
Hopkinton  were  zealous  of  the  public  honor  and  im- 
patient of  the  conduct  of  the  Tories.  The  following 
act,  passed  in  1776,  illustrates  the  prevailing  state  of 
mind : 

“ Voted,  that  our  Representative  Should  Use  his  Enfluence  that  the 
two  Greens  Should  Be  Put  Down  from  thare  office  and  that  if  any  Per- 
son Should  go  to  Peter  Green  to  git  a Rit  he  Should  Be  Looked  upon  an 
inemy  to  h’s  Country.” 

In  common  with  the  rest  of  the  people  of  the  Amer- 
ican colonies,  the  residents  of  Hopkinton  suffered 
in  consequence  of  the  depreciation  of  the  colonial 
currency.  In  1775,  the  Continental  notes  were  nearly 
at  par  with  gold,  but  very  soon  fell  to  a most  insignifi- 
cant value.  The  effect  of  the  collapse  is  amply  attested 
in  the  records  of  this  town.  At  a town-meeting  in 
1781,  it  was  voted  that  the  price  of  a day’s  work  by  a 
man  on  the  highway  should  be  thirty  dollars ; the 
price  of  the  same,  by  a yoke  of  oxen,  also  thirty  dol- 
lars ; the  price  of  a plow  and  cart  one  day,  ten  dol- 
lars each.  The  salary  of  the  Rev.  Elijah  Fletcher, 
minister  of  the  town,  was  voted  to  be  four  thousand 
dollars  for  the  year,  but  the  reverend  gentleman  pre- 
ferred to  accept  seventy-five  dollars  in  gold.  The  suc- 
cess of  the  American  cause  and  the  establishment  of 
the  public  credit  restored  and  promoted  prosperity. 

The  Project  of  Constitutional  Government — The 
War  of  the  Revolution  was  succeeded  by  a conflict  of 
ideas.  It  is  not  difficult  to  ascribe  a cause  for  this 
conflict.  The  colonies  had  thrown  off  the  yoke  of 
Great  Britain.  Every  form  of  action  seems  to  exhibit 
a tendency  to  reaction.  Nor  is  the  whole  truth  ex- 
pressed when  we  say  that  the  dominant  sentiment  of 
the  colonists  favored  a republic.  In  casting  off  their 
allegiance  to  the  mother-country,  the  colonists  exper- 
ienced a reaction  against  monarchical  government  that 
threatened  an  abnegation  of  a necessary  constitu- 
tional political  compact.  Hence  it  became  hard  for 
the  masses  to  agree  upon  any  effective  form  of  govern- 
ment. Hopkinton  bore  its  part  in  this  exigency.  It 
is  probable  that  the  local  governmental  reactive  ten- 
dency was  gradual  in  its  manifestation.  The  colonial 
Articles  of  Confederation,  implying  a weaker  compact 
between  colonial  sections,  seems  to  have  excited  no 
special  opposition  in  this  town,  since  they  were  ac- 
cepted at  once  and  for  all  on  the  13th  of  January, 
1778  ; but,  on  the  14th  of  January,  1788,  Lieutenant 
Morse  was  chosen  a delegate  to  the  convention  de- 
signed to  consider  the  eligibility  of  the  Constitution 
of  the  United  States,  and  was  supplied  with  instruc- 
tions to  “ Regect  ” the  same,  though  on  the  14th  of 
the  following  June  the  town  formally  conceded  his 
rialit  to  act  as  he  thought  best  for  the  public  good. 
Very  much  hesitancy  was  shown  towards  the  idea  of 
accepting  a8tate  Constitution.  On  the  25th  of  May, 


1778,  Captain  Harriman  was  chosen  a delegate  to  the 
approaching  Constitutional  Convention ; but,  on  the 
22d  of  July,  1779,  the  town  “Tryed  a vote  for  receiv- 
ing the  Plan  of  Government — none  for,  but  one  hun- 
dred and  six  against  it.”  On  the  30th  of  May,  1781, 
Joshua  Bailey  was  chosen  a delegate  to  the  Constitu- 
tional Convention  of  that  year.  A number  of  attempts 
were  made  to  decide  the  attitude  of  this  town  towards 
the  work  of  the  convention  before  a final  result  was 
reached.  On  the  3d  of  June,  1782,  it  was  voted  to  pass 
over  the  article  taking  cognizance  of  the  matter.  On 
the  11th  of  November,  the  work  of  the  convention  was 
rejected.  This  action  was  reversed  on  the  23d  of  the 
next  December.  On  the  3d  of  March,  1783,  Joshua 
Bailey,  Deacon  Kimball,  Captain  Moore,  Mr.  Aaron 
Greeley  and  Mr.  Nathan  Sargent  were  chosen  a com- 
mittee to  examine  the  plan  of  government  and  report 
to  the  town,  which  accepted  the  plan  on  the  8th  of 
the  following  September.  Esquire  Greeley,  on  the  8tli 
of  August,  1791,  was  chosen  a delegate  to  the  Constitu- 
tional Convention  of  that  year,  but  the  work  of  the 
Assembly  was  rejected  in  toto  on  the  7th  of  August, 
1792.  It  is  a singular  fact  that  both  on  the  7th  of 
May  and  on  the  21st  of  the  same  month,  1792,  the 
town  appears  to  have  considered  proposed  amend- 
ments to  the  Constitution,  but  there  is  no  record  of 
the  result. 

The  Constitutional  Convention  of  1781,  which  was 
in  existence  two  years,  proposed  to  strengthen  the  arm 
of  State  government  by  creatingtbe  office  of  President. 
It  was  not  until  an  amendment  to  the  original  plan 
made  the  chief  executive  elective  by  the  people  that 
the  work  of  the  convention  was  accepted  by  the  State. 
In  1783,  under  the  new  condition  of  affairs,  Mesech 
Weare,  of  Hampton  Falls,  was  elected  President  of 
the  State  of  New  Hampshire.  The  vote  of  Hopkin- 
ton that  year  was  fifty-six  for  Josiah  Bartlett,  of 
Kingston,  two  for  Timothy  Walker,  of  Concord,  but 
none  for  Weare.  The  greatstruggle  with  the  problem  of 
local  constitutional  government  was  apparently  over. 
The  records  of  the  town  give  few  hints  of  the  actual 
objections  to  the  various  phases  of  constitutional  plans 
during  the  period  from  1778  to  1792.  Our  conclusions 
upon  this  point  are  general.  They  are  already  ex- 
pressed. 

Controversy  over  the  Meeting-House. — The  local 
events  recounted  in  the  last  division  of  this  sketch 
cover  a period  in  which  an  excited  controversy  over 
the  meeting-house  occurred.  The  meeting-house  was 
a town  institution  ; consequently,  the  entire  population 
was  interested  in  its  location,  erection  and  manage- 
ment. As  we  have  seen,  the  meeting-house  was 
erected  in  1766,  or  about  twenty  years  after  the  grant 
of  the  township  by  the  Legislature  of  Massachusetts. 
In  the  first  instance,  it  was  intended  to  locate  the 
meeting-house  as  near  the  geographical  centre  of  the 
town  as  was  practicable.  “Meeting-house  lot”  was 
laid  out  on  Putney’s  Hill.  The  “minister’s  lot” 
was  also  located  there.  The  minister’s  house  was 


HOPKINTON. 


399 


there  erected.  However,  in  the  year  176(5  the  tide  oi' 
circumstances  and  events  had  apparently  located  the 
business  centre  of  the  town  at  the  site  of  the  present 
village  of  Hopkinton,  where  the  meeting-house,  as 
we  have  seen,  was  erected. 

A public  act  often  incurs  controversy,  and  a public 
controversy  is  a hard  thing  to  quell.  The  meeting- 
house, being  erected,  became  a constant  source  of  dis- 
pute. The  subject  of  a new  location  was  at  length 
mooted.  On  the  2d  of  Febuary,  1789,  a select  com- 
mittee of  the  town  reported  upon  the  subject  in  con- 
troversy. The  committee  were  Nathan  Sargent, 
Samuel  Farrington,  John  Jewett,  John  Moore,  Isaac 
Chandler,  James  Buswell,  Benjamin  B.  Darling, 
Enoch  Eastman  and  Joshua  Morse.  The  following 
is  their  report : 

“ After  we  have  considered  the  matter  respecting  the  meeting-house 
we  have  examined  the  rates,  and  we  find  the  east  end  of  the  town  pays 
about  eight  pounds  in  fifty  in  the  minister  tax  more  than  the  west  end, 
and  is  eight  parts  in  number  more.  Also,  the  travel  is  thirty-six  miles 
farther  to  the  common  lot  on  the  hill,  so  called,  than  where  it  now 
stands,  according  to  our  computation.  As  those  two  places  are  the  only 
ones  picked  upon  by  the  committee,  therefore  we  think  the  meeting- 
house ought  not  to  be  moved.” 

Three  days  after  the  presentation  of  this  report  a 
young  man  set  fire  to  the  meeting-house  and  it  was 
burned  to  the  ground.  The  meeting-house  destroyed, 
the  old  controversy  revived  afresh.  In  three  days 
more  the  town  held  a meeting  at  the  public-house  of 
Mr.  Babson,  which  meeting,  it  is  presumed  to  accom- 
modate the  attendance,  was  adjourned  to  the  “barn- 
yard.” By  this  time  at  least  four  sites  were  proposed 
for  locations  for  the  meeting-house.  The  town  voted 
to  refer  the  matter  to  the  “ chairmen  of  the  select- 
men ” of  the  towns  of  Gilmanton,  Linesborough  and 
Washington.  These  gentlemen, — being  Peter  Clark, 
Ezekiel  Hoit  and  Jeremiah  Bacon,* 1 — on  the  20th  of 
February,  reported  that  they  had  examined  four  spots, 
— “ the  Common  near  Mr.  Burbank’s,  the  Hill,  the  Spot 
by  the  School-House  and  the  old  Meeting-House 
Spot,” — and  decided  that  they  were  “ unanimous  of 
the  opinion  that  near  the  Spot  wheare  the  old  Meet- 
ing-Hous  Stood  will  be  the  most  Convenient  Place 
for  you  to  build  a Meeting-House  upon.” 

The  meeting-house  controversy  practically  ended 
here.  The  new  building  was  promptly  erected  upon 
the  old  site.  The  edifice  was  sixty-two  feet  long  and 
forty-six  feet  wide.  A tower  twelve  feet  square  stood 
at  each  end.  There  were  seven  entrances  to  it, — two 
in  each  tower  and  three  in  front.  Inside  were  a high 
pulpit,  a sounding-board,  a gallery  on  three  sides  and 
pews  built  square.  A few  front  pews,  designed  for 
the  use  of  church  dignitaries,  were  of  better  finish 
than  the  others.  About  1811,  a belfry  and  bell  were 
added.  In  1829,  the  structure  was  remodeled  into  the 
present  church,  and  a clock  was  put  in  the  steeple. 

1 Peter  Clarke  was  from  Lyndeborough,  Ezekiel  Hoit  from  Gilmanton, 
and  Jeremiah  Bacon  from  Washington.  There  seems  to  be  a doubt  that 
in  each  particular  instance  the  numbers  of  the  committee  were  chair- 
men of  their  respective  Boards  of  Selectmen,  though  they  may  have 
been. 


During  the  time  in  which  there  was  no  meeting- 
house, on  account  of  the  fire  of  1789,  the  church  wor- 
shiped in  the  barn  of  Benjamin  Wiggin,on  the  premises 
now  between  the  Episcopal  Church  and  the  old  post- 
office  building,  and  in  front  of  which  are  the  two 
largest  elms  in  Hopkinton  village.  In  front. of  these 
premises,  in  the  open  air,  on  the  25th  of  February, 
1789,  the  Rev.  Jacob  Cram,  the  third  minister  in  the 
town,  was  ordained. 

The  meeting-house  was  used  by  the  town  for  its 
public  meetings  till  the  4th  of  March,  1799,  when  a 
meeting  was  adjourned  from  the  meeting-house  to  the 
“ upper  Part  of  the  Town-house  in  8a id  Town,  to  meet 
at  that  Place  again  in  one  hour.”  The  “ town-house  ” 
in  this  instance  is  identical  with  the  old  Hillsborough 
County  court-house. 


CHAPTER  III. 

IlO  PK  INTON — ( Continued). 

The  Beginning  of  a New  Century. — The  Uni- 
ted States  census  of  the  year  1800  found  the 
population  of  Hopkinton  to  be  two  thousand  and 
fifteen,  thus  demonstrating  a decided  advancement  in 
public  prosperity  since  the  complete  legal  establish- 
ment of  the  township.  A number  of  circumstances 
combined  to  produce  this  prosperity.  Hopkinton 
occupied  a position  upon  a great  line  of  travel.  It 
was  one  of  the  most  important  stations  between  Bos- 
ton, in  Massachusetts,  and  Montreal,  in  Canada.  It 
was  also  an  important  place  of  trade.  Besides  being 
a local  commercial  centre,  it  was  an  important  point 
of  trade  and  market  exchange  to  the  more  northern 
townships  that  were  less  advanced  in  local  privileges. 
Itwas,  further,  an  important  judicial  location.  Upon 
the  incorporation  of  Hillsborough  County,  Hopkinton 
became  one  of  its  shire-towns.  A court-house  was 
built  here,  occupying  the  site  of  the  present  town- 
house.  Hopkinton  had  also  become  a political  centre. 
When  the  State  of  New  Hampshire  had  no  fixed 
capital  town  the  Legislature  met  here  four  times, — in 
1798,  1801,  1806  and  1807.  In  anticipation  of  State 
legislative  needs,  an  addition  was  made  to  the  court- 
house. At  the  beginning  of  the  present  century  Hop- 
kinton had  become  a point  of  attraction  for  persons 
of  all  professions  and  callings,  as  it  were,  and  a fair 
number  of  them  had  here  found  a residence.  The 
local  business  enterprise  had  also  become  fairly  dis- 
tributed over  the  town.  The  present  village  of  Con- 
toocook,  once  known  as  Hill’s  Bridge,  was  in  a pro- 
gressive stage  of  growth.  Contoocook  largely  resulted 
from  the  water-power  there  afforded  by  the  river  of 
the  same  name.  About  1787,  Eliphalet  Poor  built  the 
first  mill  at  this  place.  In  time,  Poor  was  succeeded 
by  numerous  others.  Population,  trade'  and  other 

1 Ebenezer  Wyman,  now  of  Henniker,  traded  longer  in  Contoocook 

I than  has  any  other  person,  beginning  in  1831  and  continuing  almost  with- 
out interruption  for  over  forty  years. 


400 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


forms  of  enterprise  followed  as  a matter  of  conse- 
quence. Previous  to  1701,  Abraham  Rowell  had  a 
mill  on  the  Contoocook  River,  at  the  place  once  known 
as  Rowell’s  Bridge,  but  now  more  commonly  called 
West  Hopkinton,  where  there  is  a hamlet  result- 
ing from  the  continued  utilization  of  the  water- 
power at  this  point.  Lastly,  there  were  various  mills, 
taverns,  shops,  stores,  etc.,  of  greater  or  less  import- 
ance, in  various  sections  of  the  township.  Upon  the 
whole,  Hopkinton,  at  the  beginning  of  the  present 
century,  was  advancing  to  a degree  of  prosperity  of 
which  we  shall  say  more  after  noticing  an  occurrence 
of  particular  importance. 

The  War  of  1812. — The  War  of  1812  aroused  the 
patriotism  of  the  people  of  Hopkinton  to  deeds  of 
sacrifice  and  valor  that  made  the  public  record  credit- 
able. The  war  had  hardly  begun  when  public  steps 
were  taken  for  a vigorous  prosecution  of  local  warlike 
preparation.  On  the  fitli  of  July,  1812,  the  town  voted 
to  allow  a compensation  of  seven  dollars  a month  to 
all  soldiers  detached  from  their  regiments  as  a relay 
corps,  by  order  of  the  government.  It  will  be  re- 
membered that  at  this  time  all  able-bodied  males  of 
military  age  were  enrolled  and  regularly  marshaled 
and  trained  as  militiamen  of  the  State.  Ten  dollars 
of  each  man’s  wages  was  to  be  paid  in  advance  by  the 
town  to  each  detached  soldier,  who  was  to  receive  two 
dollars  upon  “signing  his  name.”  On  the  5th  of 
October,  1814,  twelve  dollars  a month  was  voted  to  all 
soldiers  put  under  special  governmental  requisition, 
with  two  dollars  upon  entering  actual  service.  The 
last  clause  of  this  provision,  however,  was  afterwards 
rescinded. 

Numerous  Hopkinton  soldiers  were  engaged  in  the 
service  during  this  war.  The  First  Regiment  of  New 
Hampshire  Infantry,  commanded  by  Colonel  Aquilla 
Davis,  of  Warner,  went  into  camp  at  Concord  early 
in  February,  1813,  and  early  in  the  spring  marched  to 
Burlington,  Vt.,  in  anticipation  of  service  on  the 
northern  frontier.  On  its  way  to  Burlington  this 
regiment  marched  through  Hopkinton.  In  this  regi- 
ment were  Hopkinton  soldiers,  as  follows: 

Thomas  Bailey,  drum-major.  In  Captain  Joseph 
Smith’s  company  were  Jeremiah  Silver  (musician), 
Charles  Colby,  Zadoc  Dow,  Stephen  G.  Eaton,  Moses 
C.  Eaton,  David  Hardy,  James  Hastings,  Richard 
Hunt,  Isaiah  Hoyt,  Ezra  Jewell,  John  Morrill, 
Samuel  G.  Titcomb,  all  enlisting  on  the  1st  of  Febru- 
ary, 1813.  In  Captain  Elisha  Smith’s  company  were 
Moses  (?)  Eastman,  Anrri  Foster,  James  Hastings, 
Samuel  Straw.  Eastman  died  in  the  service.  These 
men  were  probably  also  enlisted  on  the  1st  of  the 
same  month  of  February,  and,  like  the  others,  for  a 
service  of  one  year.  We  remark,  in  this  connection, 
that  the  above  names  of  Hopkinton  soldiers  of  Captain 
Elisha  Smith’s  company  do  not  appear  in  the  roll  of 
the  company  published  in  the  report  of  the  Adjutant- 
General  of  New  Hampshire.  The  names  were  given 
us  by  an  aged  resident  of  this  town,  Mr.  John  M. 


Bailey,  who  remembers  the  fact  of  their  enlistment 
and  the  location  of  their  command. 

The  First  Regiment  of  New  Hampshire  Volunteers 
was  soon  disbanded.  On  the  29th  of  January,  1813, 
Congress  repealed  the  Volunteer  Act,  and  the 
soldiers  enlisting  under  it  were  re-enlisted  into  the 
regular  United  States  army,  or  reformed  into  new 
regiments,  to  serve  till  the  time  of  their  enlistment 
expired.  The  soldiers  of  the  First  New  Hampshire 
Regiment  who  were  not  re-enlisted  into  the  United 
States  army  were  consolidated  in  Colonel  Denny 
McCobb’s  regiment  from  Maine.  The  following 
Hopkinton  men  were  in  this  regiment: 

In  Captain  Benjamin  Bradford’s  company  were 
Isaiah  Hoyt  and  Stephen  G.  Eaton,  corporals,  en- 
listed December  15,  1813,  for  one  year ; Jonathan 
Burbank,  April  15,  1814,  for  the  war ; Henry  T. 
Hildreth,  January  24,  1814,  one  year;  James  A. 
Hastings,  December  15, 1813,  one  year;  John  Morrill, 
December  15,  1813,  one  year;  Benjamin  Putney, 
February  28,  1814,  for  the  war,  and  died  in  service  ; 
Buswell  Silver,  March  23,  1814,  for  the  war;  Moses 
Tenney,  January  14,  1814,  one  year. 

The  record  of  enlistments  in  Colonel  McCobb’s 
regiment  appears  to  show  that  some  Hopkinton 
soldiers  renewed  their  obligations  before  their  original 
terms  had  expired,  while  others  were  recruits. 

The  operations  of  the  British  fleet  off  the  Atlantic 
coast  of  the  United  States  during  the  winter  of  1813 
and  1814  created  much  alarm.  On  the  night  of  June 
21,  1814,  an  alarm  at  Portsmouth,  occasioned  by  a 
report  that  the  British  were  lauding  at  Rye,  induced 
the  Governor  of  New  Hampshire  to  order  out  detach- 
ments from  twenty-three  regiments  for  the  stronger 
defense  of  Portsmouth,  when  the  detachments  were 
organized  into  a brigade  of  five  regiments  and  one 
battalion,  under  the  command  of  Brigadier-General 
John  Montgomery.  The  following  Hopkinton  soldiers 
were  in  Lieutenant-Colonel  Nathaniel  Fisk’s  First  Reg- 
iment, in  Captain  Jonathan  Bean’s  company:  Thomas 
Town,  first  lieutenant,  acting  quartermaster  from 
September  18th;  Moses  Gould,  sergeant ; Robert  A. 
Bradley,  Samuel  Burbank,  Barrach  Cass,  David  C. 
Currier,  Amos  Eastman,  John  J.  Emerson,  Ebenezer 
Morrill,  John  Morey,  Isaac  Pearce,  Hazen  Putney, 
Jacob  Straw,  William  Wheeler.  These  men  were  all 
enlisted  for  a term  of  ninety  days  from  September  11, 
1814. 

The  following  men  from  Hopkinton  were  in  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel John  Steele’s  Second  Regiment,  in 
Captain  Silas  Call’s  company:  Nathaniel  Morgan, 
sergeant;  Jacob  Chase,  Amos  Frye,  John  Johnson, 
John  Hastings,  Alvin  Hastings,  Francis  Stanley, 
James  Eastman,  Amos  Sawyer,  Jonathan  Gove, 
William  M.  Crillis  and  John  Burnham.  These  men 
were  all  enlisted  on  the  2d  of  October,  1814,  to  dates 
running  from  November  8th  to  November  19th. 
Stanley  died  in  service. 

None  of  the  men  ordered  from  this  town  to  Ports- 


HOPKINTON. 


401 


mouth  were  called  into  active  engagement  with  the 
enemy. 

The  Acme  of  Local  Prosperity. — We  have  already 
mentioned  the  progressive  prosperity  of  Hopkiutou 
from  the  time  of  the  complete  legal  establishment  of 
the  township  to  the  beginning  of  the  present  century. 
We  also  noted  the  causes  of  this  prosperity.  We  will 
now  observe  with  reference  to  its  culminating  point. 
Hopkinton  once  became  what  it  had  never  been,  as 
well  as  what  it  is  not  now.  In  1830,  the  United  States 
census  found  the  inhabitants  of  Hopkinton  to  be 
2774.  In  1707  there  were  only  473.  The  increase 
till  1830  appears  to  have  been  constant,  but  since 
then  there  has  been  apparently  almost  a steady  de- 
cline. In  1880  there  were  1836. 

In  the  time  of  Hopkinton’s  greatest  prosperity 
there  were  multiple  signs  of  activity  and  enterprise. 
In  the  main  village  were  as  many  as  seven  stores, 
with  a corresponding  number  of  miscellaneous  shops. 
Some  of  these  stores  were  places  of  wholesale  trade. 
Among  them  were  the  business-houses  of  Towns  & 
Ballard,  Nathaniel  Curtis  and  Thomas  Williams. 
Wholesale  trade  and  barter  were  extensively  carried 
on  in  Hopkinton  village.  The  teams  of  those  who 
came  from  other  places  to  traffic  often  tilled  the  large 
village  square.  The  position  of  Hopkinton  as  a seat 
of  county  judicature,  a position  it  held  till  the  for- 
mation of  Merrimack  County,  in  1823,  made  it  an 
important  centre  of  legal  professional  interest  and 
influence.  Here  lived  Baruch  Chase,  John  Harris, 
Matthew  Harvey  and  Horace  Chase,  lawyers.  The 
local  prosperity  also  demanded  places  of  public 
entertainment.  There  were  several  hotels  in  the  vil- 
lage, kept  by  Bimsley  Perkins,  Theophilus  Stanley  and 
others.  Bimsley  Perkins’  tavern,  which  stood  on  the 
now  unoccupied  site  just  west  of  the  village  square,  was 
one  of  the  best-known  public-houses  in  the  State. 
There  was  also  about  this  time  a tavern  in  Contoocook, 
kept  by  Daniel  Page,  and  soon  after  another  erected 
by  Sleeper  & Wheeler.  On  Putney's  Hill  was  a fam- 
ous rustic  tavern,  kept  by  Joseph  Putney.  According 
to  the  demands  of  this  busy  time,  post-offices  were 
established.  The  first  post-office  in  town  was  estab- 
lished in  1811.  John  Harris  was  the  first  post- 
master. A post-office  was  established  in  Contoocook 
in  1831.  Thomas  Burnham  was  the  first  postmaster. 
During  this  prosperous  period  a bank  existed  in  Hop- 
kinton a few  years.  This  institution  was  known  as  the 
Franklin  Bank,  and  was  incorporated  in  1833.  The 
grantees  were  Horace  Chase,  Nathaniel  Gilman,  Isaac 
Long,  Jr.,  William  Little,  Joseph  Stanwood,  Matthew 
Harvey,  Andrew  Leach,  Moses  Gould,  Ebeuezer 
Dustin,  Timothy  Chandler,  Stephen  Darling  and 
James  Huse.  The  management  of  this  bank  seems 
to  have  been  of  a bungling  character,  and  the  insti- 
tution finally  settled  with  its  creditors  at  a discount. 
The  Franklin  Bank  occupied  the  old  post-office 
building. 

At  the  time  of  which  we  speak,  there  were  three 


churches  in  existence  in  Hopkinton  village.  They 
are  also  now  in  existence.  We  have  already  given 
some  account  of  the  Congregational  Church,  which 
ceased  to  be  under  the  special  patronage  of  the  town 
about  1811.  A Baptist  Church  had  been  formed  in 
1760. 1 A meeting-house  was  partially  completed  in 
1795.  It  stood  about  a mile  southwest  of  the  village, 
near  the  present  residence  of  George  W.  French.  In 
1831,  the  present  Baptist  Church  was  built.  An 
Episcopal  Church  was  formed  here  in  1803.  It  was 
known  as  Christ’s  Church,  and  the  congregation 
worshiped  in  the  court-house.  In  1827  , a new  or- 
ganization, known  as  St.  Andrew’s  Church,  was 
formed.  The  same  year,  the  erection  of  the  present 
church  was  begun,  and  the  edifice  was  dedicated  in 
1828.  In  1823,  a Free-Will  Baptist  Church 2 was 
organized  at  Contoocook,  and  a church  was  erected 
in  1827.  About  1803,  a West  Congregational  meeting- 
house was  built  at  Campbell’s  Corner,  but  no  regular 
society  appears  to  have  been  formed.  This  meeting- 
house stood  but  a few  years.3  The  Universaiists  had 
an  active  foothold  in  Hopkinton  in  its  most  prosperous 
period.  In  1836,  a small  church  was  built  in  the  west 
part  of  the  town,  near  the  present  residence  of 
Charles  Barton.  In  1837  a second  church  was  erected 
in  Contoocook.  There  appears  to  have  been  no 
regular  church  membership  in  either  instance.4 

In  its  palmy  days,  Hopkinton  had  a creditable  edu- 
cational record.  In  the  earlier  part  of  the  present 
century,  considerable  attention  was  paid  to  improved 
public  instruction.  Select  tuitional  schools  were  fre- 
quently taught  in  the  old  court-house.  A famous 
select  school  of  about  twenty-five  years’  duration  was 
taught  in  Hopkinton  village  by  John  O.  Ballard, 
better  known  as  Master  Ballard,  who  lived  and  taught 
in  the  house  now  used  as  a Congregational  parsonage. 
Master  Ballard  was  a native  of  Warner,  who  came  to 
Hopkinton  and  engaged  in  trade,  and,  in  consequence 
of  the  war  of  1812,  failed  in  business,  and  thereafter 
devoted  himself  to  teaching.  The  branches  taught 
in  his  school  were  mostly  English,  but  something  of 
the  classics  was  introduced  in  later  years,  when  he 
wras  assisted  by  his  son,  the  Rev.  Edward  Ballard,  a 
late  widely-known  Protestant  Episcopal  clergyman  of 


1 The  Baptist  Church  was  gathered  hy  Dr.  Hozekiah  Smith,  and  was  a 
branch  of  the  Haverhill  (Mass.)  Church.  It  became  independent  in 
1771.  In  consequence  of  a laxness  of  doctrine,  it  separated  from  the 
State  Association.  In  1822,  Rev.  Michael  Carlton  became  its  pastor  and 
rallied  the  Calvinistic  element,  by  which  it  has  since  been  identified. 

2 This  church  was  the  result  of  a schism  in  the  original  Baptist  Church 
in  this  town.  The  Free-Will  Baptist  movement  was  inspired  by  Deacon 
Jonathan  Fowler,  sou  of  Mary  Woodwcll,  by  her  second  husband. 

3 In  1834,  Deacon  Amos  Bailey,  of  West  Hopkinton,  left  a legacy  to  be 
paid  to  any  Congregational  Society  worshiping  in  the  west  part  of  the 
town.  A society  was  organized  with  headquarters  at  Contoocook,  hut  it 
did  not  legally  appear  that  Contoocook  was  in  the  part  of  the  town  im- 
plied in  the  bequest.  The  Second  Congregational  Society  kept  up  a 
nominal  existence  till  about  1851. 

4 The  Rev.  J.  F.  Witherel,  a resident  Universalist  minister  at  Contoo- 
cook, in  company  with  Rev.  J.  Sargent,  of  Sutton,  for  a time  published 
the  Universalist  Family  Visitor,  a monthly  periodical  of  twelve  pages  of  a 
common  tract  6ize.  The  first  number  was  issued  in  April,  1841. 


402 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Brunswick,  Me.  Master  Ballard’s  pupils  came  from 
far  and  near,  and  his  school  was  of  repute  abroad  as 
well  as  at  home.  John  O.  Ballard  died  April  27, 
1854,  aged  eighty-six  years.  His  remains  lie  in  the 
old  village  cemetery  of  Hopkinton. 

Hopkinton  Academy  was  established  in  1827.  The 
first  organization  of  trustees  was  as  follows : Ebenezer 
Lerned,  president;  Abram  Brown,  Stephen  Sibley, 
Matthew  Harvey,  Phineas  Clough,  Roger  C.  Hatch, 
Michael  Carlton.  The  old  court-house  was  re- 
modeled and  its  upper  story  reconstructed  for  the  use 
of  the  academy.  The  first  term  of  school  began  on 
the  first  Wednesday  in  May.  Hopkinton  Academy 
was  incorporated  on  the  2tith  of  the  next  dune.  The 
first  teacher  was  George  Peck,  who  remained  but  a 
short  time.  The  catalogue  of  the  fall  term  an- 
nounced the  following  board  of  instruction  : Jeremiah 
Russell,  A.B.,  preceptor;  Mr.  Jeremiah  Gates,  as- 
sistant preceptor ; Mr.  Luther  Cross,  lecturer  on 
chemistry.  The  whole  number  of  pupils  was  seventy- 
three, — gentlemen,  forty-seven;  ladies,  twenty-six. 
The  next  year  separate  male  and  female  departments 
of  instruction  were  established.  The  catalogue  oi 
the  fall  term  then  announced  the  following  instruc- 
tors : Rev.  John  Nash,  A. M.,  preceptor ; Miss  Judith 
D.  Peabody,  preceptress.  The  students  were : Gen- 
tlemen, forty-five;  ladies,  thirty-two, — total,  seventy- 
seven.  Hopkinton  Academy  advanced  rapidly  in 
success  and  popularity.  In  1830,  there  were  one  him 
dred  and  thirteen  students;  in  1831,  one  hundred  and 
fifty-nine;  and  in  1835,  one  hundred  and  sixty-two. 
In  the  list  of  teachers  were  Enoch  Colby,  Enoch  L. 
Childs,  Moody  Currier,  Miss  Caroline  Knight,  Miss 
Mary  L.  Childs,  Miss  Lucy  Adams,  Miss  Mary  Y. 
Bean  and  many  others ; in  later  times,  M.  B.  Steb- 
bens,  Dyer  H.  Sanborn,  William  K.  Rowell  and 
others.  In  1843,  Hopkinton  Academy  experienced  a 
heavy  reverse,  its  financial  affairs  showing  a deficit  of 
over  seventeen  hundred  dollars,  arising  from  bad 
notes  and  expenditures  above  the  income.  The  in- 
stitution took  a new  lease  of  life  in  1851,  when  a new 
charter  was  secured  ; but  the  old  and  famous  institu- 
tion succumbed  again  to  modern  innovations  in  public 
educational  plans,  and  the  structure  it  occupied  went 
up  on  the  wings  of  flame  in  March,  1873. 1 

Incidents  of  the  Prosperous  Period. — For  the 
sake  of  the  convenience  of  the  narrative,  we  will  say 
that  Hopkinton  was  in  her  palmy  days  from  1790  to 
1840.  The  turning-point  of  the  tide  of  prosperity  i 
was  the  effect  of  an  act  of  the  New  Hampshire  Legis  J 
lature  of  1814,  the  progressive  result  of  which  was 
the  location  of  the  State  capital  at  Concord.  Hop- 
kinton had  hoped  for  the  honor  of  becoming  the  seat 
of  State  government.  The  organization  of  Merri- 


1 The  town-house  and  the  academy  were  burned  on  the  early  morning  | 
of  the  29th  of  March.  A new  building,  including  Lyceum  Hall,  con- 
structed by  private  contributions,  was  soon  erected  by  an  appropriation 
of  twenty-five  hundred  dollars  by  the  town.  The  new  edifice  was  dedi- 
cated on  the  evening  of  the  3d  of  March,  1874. 


mack  County,  in  1823,  and  the  location  of  the  county- 
seat  at  Concord,  was  another  blow  to  Hopkinton’s 
prosperity.  Yet  this  town  exhibited  many  of  the 
traits  of  an  active  and  prosperous  community  for 
years  after  its  population  began  to  decrease. 

One  of  the  incidents  of  the  prosperous  period  was 
the  improvement  of  the  accommodations  afforded  by 
public  highways.  In  1805,  an  important  accommoda- 
tion was  effected  by  constructing  the  present  main 
line  of  highway  from  Hopkinton  village  to  Putney’s 
Hill,  greatly  improving  the  traveling  connection  be- 
tween the  two  villages,  Hopkinton  and  Contoocook. 
In  1815,  the  so-called  turnpike  was  constructed,  being 
a part  of  a main  line  to  Concord,  avoiding  toilsome 
Dimond  Hill  on  the  east  and  north.  In  1827,  the  so- 
called  new  road  from  Hopkinton  to  Dunbarton  was 
built  to  accommodate  a stage-line  from  Boston,  Mass., 
to  Hanover,  N.  H.  The  Basset  Mill  road,  from  Con- 
toocook to  Weare,  was  made  in  1836.  The  so-called 
new  road  to  Concord  was  opened  about  1841,  to 
shorten  distance  and  also  avoid  Dimond  Hill  on  the 
south  and  west.  Hopkinton  was  upon  the  routes  of 
several  important  stages  till  the  introduction  of  the 
railroad,  of  which  we  shall  speak  hereafter,  and  many 
of  its  roads  were  projected  with  reference  to  this 
fact. 

Though  Hopkinton  has  been  a centre  of  judicial 
and  legislative  influence,  this  town  can  hardly  be 
said  to  have  had  a local  political  history  of  very  great 
importance.  In  the  early  days  of  the  independence 
of  the  United  States,  Hopkinton  conceived  a pref- 
erence for  the  Republican,  or  Jeffersonian  party,  and 
the  principles  of  that  party  were  dominant  in  all 
State  questions  till  1865,  when  a majority  vote  was 
given  to  Walter  Harriman  for  Governor.  Till  this 
time,  whether  called  Republicans,  as  at  first,  or 
Democrats,  as  in  later  times,  the  reactionary  party 
never  yielded  in  Hopkinton,  except  upon  mere  local 
or  subsidiary  questions.  The  agitation  caused  by  the 
repeal  of  the  Missouri  Compromise  seriously  affected 
the  old  Democratic  majority,  but  the  War  of  the  Re- 
bellion was  in  its  last  year  before  Hopkinton  gave  a 
majority  to  an  anti-Democratic  candidate  on  the  State 
ticket. 

Since  we  had  occasion  to  speak  of  the  part  this 
town  has  borne  in  earlier  wars,  we  may  now  say 
something  of  the  local  militia.  In  the  year  1792,  a 
State  law  was  enacted  for  the  government  of  the  State 
militia,  and,  with  some  modifications  and  amend- 
ments, it  continued  till  the  abolition  of  the  old 
inilitia  system,  in  1851.  In  1819,  the  militia  of  Hop- 
kinton was  classed  in  a Twenty-First  Regiment ; in 
1842,  in  a Fortieth  Regiment.  There  were,  in  the 
palmy  days  of  this  town,  two  companies  of  infantry, 
with  uniformed  officers.  There  was  also  a company 
of  uniformed  riflemen  and  another  of  uniformed  in- 
fantry, known  in  later  times  as  the  “ Cold  Water 
Phalanx.”  There  was  also  a section  of  uniformed 
cavalry,  known  as  “ The  Troop,”  of  the  same  regi- 


HOPKINTON. 


403 


meutal  classification  as  the  other  town  militia.  Dur- 
ing the  existence  of  the  local  militia,  training-days 
and  muster-days  were  notable  occasions  to  the  popu- 
lace. A large  number  of  military  titles  were  locally 
incurred.  Some  of  the  militia  officers  developed 
considerable  efficiency  in  a peaceful  way.  A few  of 
the  old  commanders  are  now  living.  Perhaps  the 
oldest  of  these,  is  Captain  Moses  Hoyt.  Jonah 
Campbell  was  celebrated  as  a drummer  of  the  former 
days;  he  died  in  May,  1880,  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
four  years.  George  Choat,  a celebrated  fifer,  is  now 
living  at  an  advanced  age. 

There  are  several  financial  incidents  that  may  be 
mentioned  in  this  connection.  One  of  these  was  the 
purchase  of  the  town  poor  farm,  in  pursuance  of  a 
vote  of  the  town,  in  1833.  This  purchase  was  made 
by  a committee  consisting  of  Stephen  Sibley,  John 
Silver  and  Daniel  Chase.  The  poor  farm  was  the 
former  property  of  Mr.  Chase,  of  the  committee,  and 
was  located  on  Dimond  Hill,  where  now  lives  Walter  F. 
Hoyt.  The  town  sold  the  property  in  1872.  In 
1837-38,  Stephen  Sibley,  a committee  for  the  town, 
received  the  “ surplus  money,”  being  paid  $2.17  for 
his  services  the  first  time  and  $4.31  for  the  same  the 
second.  The  sum  of  about  six  thousand  dollars  ac- 
crued from  the  two  installments. 

In  the  earlier  part  of  this  sketch,  we  mentioned  the 
appropriation  of  lands  to  religious  and  educational 
purposes.  There  was  also  a tract  near  Putney’s 
garrison  that  was  laid  out  for  a training-field.  In 
time,  all  these  lots  became  of  no  practical  utility;  but, 
since  the  town  could  not  sell  what  was  perpetually 
devoted  to  a particular  use,  each  lot  was  leased  in 
practical  perpetuity,  or  for  nine  hundred  and  ninety- 
nine  years,  or  “as  long  as  wood  shall  grow  and  water 
run.”  The  school  land  was  leased  in  178G,  the  train- 
ing-field in  1796  and  the  parsonage  land  in  1798.  In 
the  end,  the  funds  from  these  leases  worked  into  the 
public  treasury,  though,  for  a time,  the  interest  was 
devoted  to  the  respective  public  uses  indicated  by  the 
original  intention  of  the  town.  The  “literary  fund  ” 
from  the  State  accumulated  till  1857,  when  the 
schools  began  to  take  the  principal,  continuing  till  it 
was  gone. 

A great  temperance  reform  was  effected  in  Hopkin- 
ton  during  the  period  of  its  greatest  public  pros- 
perity. Drinking  had  been  an  almost  universal 
habit.  Liquor  was  sold  at  all  public  places  at  all 
times.  On  holidays  and  other  occasions  of  public 
gathering,  the  sales  were  enormous.  There  was  a 
time  when  thirty-six  hogsheads  of  rum  were  put  into 
one  store  in  Hopkinton  village  in  one  week,  but  a 
portion  of  this  quantity  was  doubtless  disposed  of  at 
wholesale  and  went  out  of  the  town  again.  A radical 
change  was  effected,  and  liquor-selling  was  abolished. 
The  conflict  was  vigorous  and  prolonged,  but  temper- 
ance principles  triumphed.1  Among  the  stanch 


i 


i 


1 Xot  far  from  184H,  a temperance  organization,  known  as  the  “Gun 


local  apostles  of  temperance  during  this  reform  were 
Rev.  Roger  C.  Hatch,  of  the  Congregational  Church, 
Rev.  Michael  Carlton,  of  the  Baptist  Church,  Rev. 
Arthur  Caverno,  of  the  Free-Will  Baptist  Church, 
and  Dr.  James  A.  Gregg. 

Hopkinton  can  hardly  be  said  to  have  ever  been  a 
manufacturing  town,  but  in  the  days  of  its  highest 
prosperity  there  were  many  mills  of  various  kinds 
within  its  limits.  The  most  important  of  these  were 
at  Contoocook,  where,  for  many  years,  Joab  & 
David  N.  Patterson  (brothers)  manufactured  woolen 
cloths.  Abram  Brown  and  John  Burnham  manufac- 
tured lumber,  and  ground  corn  and  grain.  Hamilton 
E.  Perkins  also  manufactured  lumber.  There  were 
numerous  smaller  works  at  Contoocook. 

This  town  having  been  a seat  of  county  judica- 
ture, there  are  some  interesting  penal  facts  that  may 
be  mentioned  here.  The  county  jail  was  located  on 
the  South  road,  so-called,  a short  distance  out  of  the 
village  towards  Weare.  The  same  building  is  now 
occupied  as  a residence  by  Benjamin  O.  Kimball. 
There  was  also  a stocks  and  whipping-post  on  the 
village  square  in  earlier  times.  In  1818,  Captain 
Benjamin  Pierce,  of  Hillsborough,  publicly  whipped 
a culprit  in  Hopkinton.  This  was  the  last  instance 
of  the  kind  in  town.  On  the  6th  of  January,  1836, 
Abraham  Prescott,  convicted  of  the  murder  of  Mrs. 
Chauncey  Cochran,  of  Pembroke,  was  executed  upon 
the  gallows  in  Hopkinton,  the  execution  taking  place 
on  a lot  just  north  of  the  village,  now  owned  by 
George  W.  Currier  and  occupied  by  him  as  a pasture. 
The  execution  being  public,  a large  concourse  of 
people  was  assembled. 

During  the  period  under  remark,  there  were  various 
local  enterprises  of  minor  mention.  The  Hopkinton 
Engine  Company  was  incorporated  in  1814;  it  existed 
about  fifty  years.  The  Contoocook  Village  Engine 
Company  was  incorporated  in  1831 ; this  organization 
is  still  in  existence.  The  Hopkinton  Aqueduct  As- 
sociation was  incorporated  in  1840.  The  village 
aqueduct  is  supplied  with  fresh,  pure  water  from 
several  springs  on  the  eastern  slope  of  Putney’s 
Hill. 

We  must  not  omit,  in  this  connection,  a reception 
to  General  Lafayette,  given  in  1825,  under  the  two 
huge  elms  in  Hopkinton  village  already  mentioned, 
when  the  distinguished  guest  of  the  United  States 
was  making  a tour  of  the  county.  Very  few  particu- 
lars of  this  reception  have  been  locally  preserved. 
Miss  Betsey  P.  Eaton,  a school-teacher  in  Hopkinton 
village,  is  entitled  to  credit  for  preserving  so  much  of 

Cotton  Society,”  was  effected  in  Contoocook,  Ebenezer  Dustin  was 
president  and  Lorenzo  Merrill  secretary.  Shares  were  issued  at  one 
dollar  each,  and  five  thousand  dollars  was  invested.  The  organization 
contained  members  in  Concord  and  Warner  and  perhaps  other  towns. 
Nicholas  Quimby,  of  Hopkinton,  and  Nathaniel  Davis,  of  Warner,  were 
prosecuting  officers  of  this  society,  which  was  very  effective  in  enforcing 
the  provisions  of  the  State  law  providing  for  the  suppression  of  the 
liquor  traffic.  The  Gun-Cotton  Society  died  out  after  the  local  trade  in 
liquors  was  practically  abolished. 


404 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


a relation  as  is  embodied  in  the  following  memoran- 
dum : 

“ June  22, 1825. — Keeping  school  in  this  village  this  summer,  and 
Esquire  Chase  called  at  the  door,  saying  Lafayette  was  here,  and  wished 
me  to  dismiss  the  school,  that  we  might  all  have  the  pleasure  of  shaking 
hands  with  so  distinguished  a personage.  Ilis  aids  were  Ignatius  Sar- 
gent and  Peter  C.  Brooks,  citizens  of  Boston  ” 

Miss  Eaton  afterwards  became  Mrs.  Stephen  B. 
Sargent,  and  later,  Mrs.  John  Brockway. 

The  Masonic  fraternity  was  influential  in  Hopkin- 
ton  in  the  earlier  part  of  the  present  century.  In 
1807,  Trinity  Chapter  was  formed,  being  the  second 
in  priority  in  the  State.  In  1825,  Masonic  Hall  was 
dedicated.  It  occupied  a position  on  the  corner  of 
Main  Street  and  South  Road,  its  site  being  on  the  lot 
now  occupied  by  Willard  T.  Greene.  Trinity  Chap- 
ter was  transferred  to  Concord  in  1847,  and  Masonic 
Hall  was  soon  afterwards  moved  to  Fishersville  (now 
Penacook). 

The  Railroad. — The  Concord  and  Claremont  Rail- 
road passes  through  this  town.  Its  chief  business 
station  is  at  Contoocook,  where  there  is  a junction  with 
the  Concord  and  Peterborough  line.  Cars  first  ran 
regularly  to  and  from  Contoocook  in  the  fall  of  the 
year  1850,  in  anticipation  of  a line  of  travel  that  at 
first  extended  only  to  Bradford  on  the  one  hand  and 
to  Hillsborough1  on  the  other.  There  was  a day  of 
great  festivity  in  Contoocook  on  the  opening  of  local 
railroad  travel.  A subscription  was  raised,  a public 
dinner  provided  and  music  and  artillery  employed. 
A thousand  persons  sat  down  to  eat.  The  tables  were 
spread  under  a temporary  shed.  A free  ride  to  and 
from  Concord  was  given  by  the  railroad  officials.  The 
Warner  Artillery  came  with  music  and  one  gun  to  do 
the  military  honors.  The  gun  was  posted  on  the  in- 
tervale on  the  north  side  of  the  river  and  just  below 
the  railroad  bridge.  Speeches  were  made,  the  band 
played,  the  cannon  thundered  and  people  were  happy. 

Many  people  of  this  town  paid  dearly  for  this  en- 
joyment. The  assessments  on  original  stock  made  an 
indescribable  consternation.  To  be  rid  of  their  obliga- 
tions, stock  was  disposed  of  at  ruinous  rates.  Disap- 
pointment and  chagrin  was  on  every  hand.  Yet  the 
railroad  has  been  a public  benefit,  though  a part  of  its 
introductory  management  was  disastrous. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

HOPKINTON — ( Continued). 

The  War  of  1861. — Fort  Sumter  was  bombarded 
April  18, 1801,  and  the  North  flew  to  arms  to  suppress 
the  great  Rebellion.  The  town  of  Hopkinton  sustained 
its  share  of  the  excitement  of  the  time.  Bells  were 


1 The  division  of  railroad  extending  from  Contoocook  to  Hillsborough, 
a distance  of  fifteen  miles,  was  built  by  Joseph  Barnard,  of  Hopkinton, 
now  living,  and  one  of  our  iufiueutial  citizens.  Mr.  Barnard  constructed 
this  line  in  1849. 


rung,  flags  suspended,  processions  formed  and  speeches 
weremade.  When  President  Lincoln  asked  for  seventy- 
five  thousand  volunteers,  a response  was  heard  from 
Hopkinton.  Joah  N.  Patterson,  of  Contoocook,  a 
volunteer,  soon  began  enlistments  in  town.  The  first 
man  be  enlisted  was  James  B. Silver;  he  was  enlisted 
in  Deacon  Nathaniel  Evans’  store,  where  Kimball  & 
Co.  now  trade.  One  or  more  parties  from  Hopkinton 
had  already  enlisted  in  Concord.  Patterson  enlisted  a 
considerable  number  of  men,  who  were  stationed  at 
Contoocook  till  they  were  ordered  to  the  camp  of  the 
New  Hampshire  Second  Regiment,  at  Portsmouth. 
The  Hopkinton  Cornet  Band  escorted  them  to  camp. 
Previously  to  departing  by  a special  train,  the  volun- 
teers marched  through  the  main  street  of  Contoocook 
from  the  square  to  the  Free-Will  Baptist  Church  and 
remarched  to  the  depot.  Their  departure  was  wit- 
nessed with  many  tears  by  a large  collection  of  peo- 
ple. 

During  the  progress  of  the  war,  Hopkinton  did  her 
part  towards  maintaining  the  cause  of  the  Union.  On 
the  29th  of  October,  1861,  the  town  adopted  the  pro- 
visions of  an  act  of  the  State  Legislature  of  the  pre- 
vious June,  authorizing  towns  to  assist  the  families  of 
volunteers.  On  the  26th  of  August,  1862,  the  town 
voted  to  pay  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  each  to  all 
soldiers  who  had  enlisted  for  the  war  since  the  last 
call  for  troops  ; to  all  who,  subsequently  to  the  1st  of 
August,  had  enlisted  to  till  up  the  quota,  two  hundred 
dollars  each  ; to  all  who  would  enlist  for  nine  months, 
seventy-five  dollars  each  ; and  to  all  who  would  from 
that  date  enlist  for  three  years,  or  during  the  war, 
two  hundred  dollars  each.  By  two  calls  in  July  and 
one  in  August,  the  government  had  asked  for  six 
hundred  thousand  men.  On  the  same  26th  of  August, 
a vote  was  passed  to  assist  the  families  of  soldiers  to 
an  extent  not  exceeding  twelve  dollars  a week, — a sum 
equivalent  to  four  dollars  for  a wife  and  the  same 
amount  to  each  of  not  more  than  two  children.  Soon 
after,  Patrick  11.  Stark  and  Daniel  E.  Howard  were 
made  enlisting  officers.  On  the  2d  of  October  of  the 
same  year,  another  vote  was  passed,  giving  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars  each  to  all  soldiers  enlisting  for 
nine  months,  or  two  hundred  dollars  if  the  entire 
quota  was  filled.  In  1864,  during  the  intense  con- 
cern for  the  Union  then  prevailing,  the  town  voted, 
on  the  4th  of  June,  to  raise  forty  thousand  dollars  for 
the  encouragement  of  voluntary  enlistments,  and  also 
to  pay  three  hundred  dollars  each  to  drafted  men  or 
their  substitutes.  The  last  public  action  of  the  town, 
in  anticipation  of  the  future  needs  of  the  war,  was  on 
the  8th  of  November,  1864,  when  the  town  author- 
ized the  selectmen  to  enlist  or  otherwise  procure  men 
in  prospect  of  any  call. 

The  sums  appropriated  by  this  town  during  the 
war,  excluding  benefits  to  soldiers’ families,  amounted 
to  something  over  one  hundred  thousand  dollars. 
The  report  of  the  Adjutant-General  of  New  Hamp- 
shire for  1875,  volume  ii.,  thus  states  the  summary 


HOPKINTON. 


405 


of  Hopkinton’s  war  record:  Enrollment,  April  30, 
1865,180;  total  of  quota  under  all  calls  from  July, 
1863,  86;  total  credits  by  enlistments  or  drafts,  115; 
surplus,  29. 

In  endeavoring  to  recover  the  names  of  the  actual 
residents  of  Hopkinton  who  were  engaged  in  mili- 
tary service  during  the  war  of  1861,  we  have  met 
many  difficulties.  The  imperfect  nature  of  the  rec- 
ords within  our  reach,  the  doubtful  location  of  some 
individuals,  and  the  difficulty  of  resuscitating  facts 
that  have  passed  into  only  a little  more  than  twenty 
years  of  history,  make  the  work  of  identification 
irksome  and  partially  fruitless.  The  records  of  New 
Hampshire  soldiers,  so  far  as  they  are  officially  pub- 
lished, are  found  in  the  reports  of  the  Adjutant-Gen- 
eral of  the  State,  and  these  reports  are  so  accessible 
that  we  refrain  from  the  labor  of  reproducing  per- 
sonal notes  in  full.  In  the  list  of  names  we  give,  it  is 
proper  to  remember  that  not  all  of  them  are  of  sol- 
diers officially  credited  to  Hopkinton,  nor  have  we 
admitted  into  our  list  the  names  of  non-resident  sub- 
stitutes. The  names  we  give  are  classified  with  suffi- 
cient distinctness  to  guide  the  search  of  those  wishing 
to  investigate  further  personal  histories.  The  follow- 
ing list  of  Hopkinton  soldiers  is  approximately  cor- 
rect : 

SECOND  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  VOLUNTEER  INFANTRY. 

E.  Weston  Boutwell,  Proctor  Collins,  Hiram  Cutler,  Johnson  N.  Dan- 
forth,  John  Danforth,  Charles  II.  Dnnforth,  John  S.  Daniels,  Charles  W. 
Dimond  (second  lieutenant),  Levi  W.  Dimond,  James  Foster,  William 
H.  Foster,  William  II.  Goodrich,  Alfred  S.  Hastings,  Charles  Holmes 
(second  lieutenant),1  Francis  S.  Hoyt,  Burleigh  K.  Jones,  Luther  I). 
Jones,  Willard  II.  Kempton,  Charles  A.  Milton  (sergeant),2  William 
Montgomery  (second  lieutenant),  Frank  W.  Morgan  (captain),  Timothy 

G.  Moores,  Frederick  II.  Nichols,  Lucius  P.  Noyes,  Joah  N.  Patterson 
(colonel),3  Samuel  F.  Patterson  (captain),  Thomas  W.  Piper  (sergeant), 
John  C.  Rand,  Lewis  N.  Relation,  Martin  P.  Rowell,  Abram  G.  Rowell, 
John  G.  Rowell,  Adoniram  J.  Sawyer,  James  B.  Silver  (corporal),  George 

H.  Straw,  Henry  C.  Tyler,  Moses  C.  Tyler,  Charles  Tyler,  Richard  A. 
Walker. 

SIXTH  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  VOLUNTEER  INFANTRY. 

James  M.  Hook,  Charles  II.  Smart. 

SEVENTH  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  VOLUNTEER  INFANTRY. 

Herman  Burt,  Lucius  H.  Chandler,  James  M.  Chase  (captain),  Groveuor 
A.  Curtice  (captain),  Charles  B.  Danforth,  Gilbert  F.  Dustin  (first  ser- 
geant), Jonas  Foster  (sergeant),  Thomas  Heath,  Warren  E.  Kimball, 
Warren  Lewis,  Edmund  C.  Lewis,  Joseph  C.  Lewis,  Warren  F.  Locke, 
Charles  A.  Morrill,  Joseph  C.  Relation,  Onvillo  Upton  (corporal). 

EIGHTH  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  VOLUNTEER  INFANTRY. 

James  F.  Mills,  Charles  A.  Moulton  (assistant  surgeon). 

NINTH  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  VOLUNTEER  INFANTRY. 

Martin  J.  Crowell,  Francis  R.  Moore,  Alonzo  Rowell. 

ELEVENTH  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  VOLUNTEER  INFANTRY. 

William  H.  Raymond,  George  I.  Raymond. 

THIRTEENTH  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  VOLUNTEER  INFANTRY. 

George  W.  Nichols. 

FOURTEENTH  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  VOLUNTEER  INFANTRY. 

George  INI.  Barnard  (corporal),  George  F.  Blanchard  (captain),  Henry 
H.  Blanchard,  Samuel  G.  Bradbury,  George  0.  Colby,  Daniel  Downing, 
Moses  K.  Eaton,  Arthur  T.  Goodrich  (corporal),  David  Harrington, 
Hiram  Nichols,  Marsell  Sourell. 


1 Promoted  to  captain  in  Seventeenth  United  States  Infautrv . 

2 Promoted  to  medical  cadet.  8 See  Biographical  Notices. 

26 


SIXTEENTH  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  VOLUNTEER  INFANTRY. 
Charles  Ash,  Augustus  Barnard  (sergeant),  Otis  M.  Brown  (musician), 
Orrin  Chase,  George  E.  Crowell,  George  A.  Currier,  IraK.  Dimond,  Eben 
H.  Dustin,  Hanson  D.  Emerson,  Daniel  E.  Howard  (captain),  Byron  E. 
Kempton,  Thomas  Kennistou  (corporal),  Charles  N.  Kezar,  Benjamin 
Long,  Newton  G.  McAlpine  (wagoner),  George  McKenzie,  George  W. 
Mills  (corporal),  Janies  F.  Mills,  Jacob  31.  Morrill,  Henry  E.  Moulton, 
Edward  G.  Runnels,  Horace  Smart,  George  W.  Smart,  Brackett  B. 
Weeks,  William  H.  Weeks,  N.  Cogswell  Weeks,  Jacob  Whittier  (mu- 
sician). 

EIGHTEENTH  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  VOLUNTEER  INFANTRY. 
David  M.  Chase,  Edward  F.  Chase,  Hiram  Cutler  (corporal),  Charles 
F.  Harrington  (corporal),  Clarion  H.  Kimball  (captain),  Timothy  G. 
Moores  (corporal),  John  F.  Mudgett  (musician),  Frank  Stevens,  Moses 
C.  Tyler  (corporal),  Edson  Upton  (musician),  Barlow  Upton  (musician). 
FIRST  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  CAVALRY. 

Alonzo  Burbank,  William  H.  Downing,  John  H.  Kimball,  Byron  E. 
Kempton. 

FIRST  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  HEAVY  ARTILLERY. 

Samuel  E.  Crowell,  Hanson  D.  Emerson  (corporal),  George  W.  Mills, 
Joseph  P.  Morrill,  Adoniram  J.  Sawyer  (sergeant),  Frederick  P.  Scott, 
Horace  Smart,  William  S.  Smart,  George  H.  Straw  (corporal),  Barlow 
Upton,  George  N.  Watkins  (sergeant). 

FIRST  UNITED  STATES  SHARPSHOOTERS. 

George  N.  Watkins. 

SECOND  UNITED  STATES  SHARPSHOOTERS. 

Henry  H.  Crowell,  Gilman  K.  Crowell  (corporal),  Lewis  E.  Crowell, 
William  II.  Goodrich,  Clarion  H.  Kimball,  Joseph  P.  Law,  Joseph  Mills, 
Alfred  A.  Rollins,  Joseph  S.  Thompson  (corporal),  Charles  F.  Whittier. 

FIFTH  MAINE  VOLUNTEER  INFANTRY. 

Frederick  G.  Sanborn  (See  Biographical  Notices). 

FIRST  MASSACHUSETTS  VOLUNTEER  INFANTRY. 
Horatio  E.  Clough  (sergeant). 

TWENTY-FOURTH  MASSACHUSETTS  VOLUNTEER  INFANTRY. 
Edgar  Clough  (lieutenant). 

SECOND  MASSACHUSETTS  LIGHT  BATTERY. 

Ezra  Folsom. 

ELEVENTH  MASSACHUSETTS  VOLUNTEER  INFANTRY. 
Jonathan  G.  Emerson. 

ONE  HUNDRED  AND  FORTY-SECOND  ILLINOIS  VOLUNTEER 
INFANTRY. 

Joseph  B.  Dustin  (sergeant). 

Later  Facts  and  Incidents. — The  town  of  Hop- 
kinton is  to-day,  in  an  eminent  sense,  a rural  one. 
Possessing  a soil  favorable  to  cultivation,  its  agricul- 
tural standard  is  a high  one.  The  proximity  of  the 
markets  afforded  by  Concord  and  Manchester  and 
their  suburbs  has  encouraged  specialties  in  products. 
The  dairy  interest  of  this  town  is  a prominent  one. 
The  farmers  of  Hopkinton  have  adopted  most  or  all 
of  the  improved  kinds  of  stock,  implements  and  vari- 
eties of  produce  that  are  adapted  to  this  soil. 

There  is  very  little  manufacturing  in  Hopkinton 
at  the  present  time,  if  we  exclude  the  various  mills 
and  shops  that  are  always  considered  necessary  ap- 
purtenances of  a complete  rural  community.  There 
are  a machine-shop,  a grist-mill,  a hub-factory  and  a 
lumber-mill  on  the  water-power  at  Contoocook,  and  a 
kit  and  pail  manufactory  is  there  run  by  steam. 
There  is  also  a kit-mill  and  hub-factory  on  the  water- 
power at  West  Hopkinton.  In  1873.  a fire  was  very 
disastrous  to  the  manufacturing  interests  of  Contoo- 
cook, in  burning  all  the  works  on  the  south  side  of 
the  river.  The  Contoocook  water-power  is  now  owned 


406 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


by  Colonel  Edwin  C.  Bailey,  who,  in  1883,  built  a new 
dam  across  the  river. 

The  proximity  of  Hopkinton  to  large  markets 
affects  local  trade  to  its  damage.  There  are  two  gen- 
eral stores  in  Hopkinton  village  and  four  general 
and  special  ones  in  Contoocook.  There  is  one  hotel 
in  Contoocook.  There  are  three  post-offices  in 
the  town, — Hopkinton,  Contoocook  and  West  Hop- 
kinton. There  are  three  railroad  stations  in  town, — 
Contoocook,  West  Hopkinton  and  Tyler’s.  There  is 
a telegraph-office  at  Contoocook,  first  opened  in  1866. 
There  are  two  telephone-offices, — at  Hopkinton  vil- 
lage and  Contoocook,  opened  in  1884. 

There  is  a Congregational,  a Baptist  and  an  Epis- 
copal Church  at  Hopkinton  village,  and  a Free-Will 
Baptist,  a Swedenborgiaii  and  a Methodist  at  Contoo- 
cook. A Swedenborgiaii  Church  was  organized  in  j 
Contoocook  in  1857, 1 but  it  is  not  now  active.  A j 
Methodist  Church  was  organized  in  Contoocook  in 
1871. 2 

A grange  was  organized  in  Hopkinton  in  1875  ; a 
lodge  of  Odd- Fellows  in  Contoocook  in  1876;  a lodge 
of  Good  Templars  in  Hopkinton  in  1878 ; a Grand 
Army  post  in  Hopkinton  in  1882;  a Rebecca  Degree 
lodge  in  Contoocook  in  1884.  These  societies  are  all 
now  active. 

In  June,  1880,  the  Hopkinton  Times,  a weekly  news- 
paper, was  started  in  Hopkinton  village  by  H.  Sumner 
Chase.  In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  the  office  was 
moved  to  Contoocook.  In  January,  1885,  the  paper 
was  consolidated  with  the  Kearsarge  Independent,  of 
Warner.  A job  printing  office  is  still  at  Contoocook. 

The  Contoocook  Library,  founded  in  1871,  has 
over  one  thousand  volumes.  The  Hopkinton  Village 
Library,  established  also  in  1871,  has  nearly  nine  hun- 
dred volumes.  The  New  Hampshire  Antiquarian 
Society,  incorporated  in  1875,  has  its  headquarters  in 
Contoocook,  where  it  has  very  many  thousands  of  an- 
tique and  curious  articles,  besides  numerous  volumes 
of  books  and  also  pamphlets  and  papers.  In  Jones’ 
building,  where  this  society  has  rooms,  there  are 
nearly  fifty  thousand  collected  articles  of  all  kinds. 

Among  the  present  residents  of  Hopkinton  are 
Joseph  Barnard,  commissioner  of  forestry  for  Merri- 
mack County;  Herman  W.  Greene,  solicitor  of 
Merrimack  County  from  1876  to  1881 ; Carlos  G. 
Hawthorne,  formerly  assistant  United  States  pro- 
vost-marshal and  attorney  for  the  board  of  enroll- 
ment at  Dubuque,  Iowa,  during  the  late  war ; 
John  Stevens  Kimball,  register  of  deeds  for  Merri- 
mack County  from  1879  to  1881.  In  Contoocook  are 
Colonel  Edwin  C.  Bailey,  formerly  a proprietor  and 
editor  of  the  Boston  Herald;  Edward  D.  Burnham, 

1 This  church  was  the  result  of  the  missionary  activity  of  the  Rev. 
Abiel  Silver,  a native  of  this  town,  and  the  congregation  occupied  the 
old  Union  or  Univerealist  house,  built  in  1837. 

2 There  was  a Methodist  society  operative  for  a brief  period  in  llopkin- 
ton  village.  The  academy  was  used  as  a place  of  worship.  Preaching 
w as  in  part  supplied  by  the  students  of  the  Biblical  Institute  at  Concord. 
This  society  ceased  active  work  about  1850. 


member  of  the  Executive  Council  in  1875;  Captain 
Grovenor  A.  Curtice,  State  Senator  from  1881  to  1883, 
and  member  of  the  Executive  Council  from  1883  to 
1885;  WalterS.  Davis,  State  Senator ; John  F.  Jones, 
treasurer  of  Merrimack  County  from  1881  to  1883. 

The  inventory  of  Hopkinton,  takeii  in  the  spring 
of  1885,  showed  397  horses,  177  oxen,  780  cows,  355 
neat  stock,  710  sheep.  The  total  value  of  real 
estate  was  $765,050;  of  stock  in  trade,  $12,776;  of 
mills  and  machinery,  $12,776  ; of  cash  and  miscella- 
neous investments,  $115,798.  The  total  valuation  of 
the  town  was  $1,006,335 


CHAPTER  V. 

HOPKINTON— (Concluded). 

Biographical  Sketches. — James  Scales,  being  the 
first  minister  of  Hopkinton,  is  entitled  to  further  men- 
tion. He  was  a graduate  of  Harvard  College  in  1733. 
He  came  from  Boxford,  Mass.,  to  Rumford,  where  he 
was  received  by  letter  into  the  Congregational  Church 
in  1737.  He  afterwards  became  town  clerk  of  Canter- 
bury. Being  licensed  to  preach,  in  1743,  he  was  paid 
twenty  pounds  for  preaching  in  Canterbury.  Being 
ordained  in  Hopkinton  in  1757  he  continued  here  as 
minister  till  1770,  and  is  said  to  have  died  in  1776. 
He  was  of  versatile  mind,  and  practiced,  with  greater 
or  less  regularity,  both  medicine  and  law.  Being 
public-spirited,  he  was  prominently  influential  in  se- 
curing Hopkinton’s  charter  of  incorporation,  being 
paid  twenty-five  pounds  by  the  town  for  his  services. 
In  his  later  years  he  preached  in  Henniker.  His  re- 
mains are  said  to  lie  in  the  old  cemetery  on  Putney’s 
Hill,  in  this  town. 

James  Scales  had  a wife,  Susanna.  In  the  clerk’s 
record  of  this  town  are  the  following  data  of  their 
children : 

John,  born  in  Rumford,  August  4,1737;  died  at 
Canterbury,  August  13,  1752.  Joseph,  born  in  Rum- 
ford, April  15,  1740;  died  July  10,  1740.  Stephen, 
born  in  Rumford  October  16,  1741.  Susanna,  born  in 
Canterbury,  October  26,  1744. 

Rev.  James  Scales’  first  salary  in  Hopkinton  was 
the  equivalent  of  sixty  Spanish  milled  dollars. 
While  in  Canterbury  in  1746  he  was  twenty-three 
days  in  the  colonial  military  service,  under  Captain 
Jeremiah  Clough. 

John  Clement  was  the  first  public  physician  in 
Hopkinton.  He  was  a former  resident,  and  perhaps 
a native,  of  Haverhill,  Mass.  The  site  of  his  first 
Hopkinton  home  is  on  Putney’s  Hill,  a few  rods 
south  of  the  graveyard,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
road.  It  is  indicated  by  a slight  depression  and  a 
quantity  of  stone.  Later  in  life,  Dr.  Clement,  in  con- 
nection with  a son,  built  a two-storied  house  on  the 
western  slope  of  the  hill,  on  the  road  from  Hopkin- 


HOPKINTON. 


407 


ton  village  to  West  Hopkinton,  a little  farther  north 
than  his  first  residence.  He  seems  to  have  been  a 
popular  physician,  as  his  practice  is  said  to  have  ex- 
tended to  fourteen  towns.  He  had  five  sons, — John, 
Timothy,  Phineas,  Benjamin  and  James;  also  four 
daughters, — Kuth,  Polly,  Sally  and  Betsey.  Socially, 
he  is  said  to  have  been  genial  and  mirthful.  His 
wife,  Molly,  was  probably  from  Salisbury,  Mass.  Dr. 
Clement  died  November  20,  1804,  aged  sixtv-one. 
His  wife  died  February  12,  1817,  aged  seventy-two. 
Their  remains  lie  in  the  old  cemetery  on  Putney’s 
Hill. 

Baruch  Chase  was  probably  the  first  lawyer  res- 
ident in  Hopkinton.  He  is  said  to  have  been  a native 
of  Cornish.  He  came  to  Hopkinton  before  1785.  He 
was  solicitor  of  Hillsborough  County  from  1808  to 
1817.  He  built  the  house  now  occupied  by  Mrs. 
Louisa  A.  P.  Stanwood,  next  east  of  the  Episcopal 
Church.  He  married  Ellen,  daughter  of  Benjamin 
Wiggin,  of  Hopkinton.  Two  sons  lived  to  old  age, — 
Samuel  died  March  12, 1875,  aged  seventy -one ; Ben- 
jamin Wiggin,  January  6,  1878,  aged  eighty-two. 
Baruch  Chase  was  an  uncle  of  the  late  Chief  Justice 
Salmon  P.  Chase.  He  died  March  5,  1841,  aged 
seventy-seven.  His  wife  died  March  17,  1868,  aged 
ninety-two. 

Benjamin  Wiggin  was  the  most  noted  of  theearlv 
taverners  of  Hopkinton.  His  tavern  stood  next 
building  west  of  tbe  Episcopal  Church.  He  began 
business  here  as  early  as  1744,  coming  from  Stratham. 
He  was  landlord,  merchant,  justice  and  public  servant 
generally.  He  gave  the  site  of  the  old  Hillsborough 
County  court-house,  where  now  is  the  Hopkinton 
town-house.  In  a time  of  scarcity,  he  sold  corn  cheaply 
to  favor  his  poorer  neighbors  and  townsmen.  He  was 
twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Elizabeth  Clement  ; 
his  second,  Mrs.  Sarah  Holt.  He  had  children, — 
Timothy,  Benjamin,  Mary,  Ellen,  and  Joseph  and 
Elizabeth,  twins.  He  died  October  31,  1822,  aged 
eighty;  his  first  wife,  May  24,  1782,  aged  thirty-one ; 
his  second,  October  31,  1824,  aged  sixty-five.  Mrs. 
Ellen  C.  Greene,  now  living,  is  a grandchild  of  Es- 
quire Wiggin.  Herman  W.  Greene  is  his  great- 
grandchild. 

Joshua  Bailey  has  already  been  mentioned 
as  a captain  in  tbe  Revolutionary  War.  Captain 
Bailey  was  a native  of  England,  and  was  born  about 
1738.  He  came  to  Hopkinton  from  Massachusetts, 
and  lived  about  a mile  east  of  Hopkinton  village, 
where  now  resides  Carlos  G.  Hawthorne.  He  was 
one  of  the  most  useful  citizens  of  the  early  times, 
holding  nearly  or  quite  every  important  office  within 
the  gift  of  the  town.  He  seems  to  have  been  twice 
married.  The  following  were  children  of  Joshua 
and  Anna  Bailey:  John,  born  February  23,  1769; 
Joshua,  born  November  13,  1770 ; Elijah,  born  Feb- 
uary  27,  1773;  Betty,  born  May  8,  1780;  Rachel, 
born  August  16,  1782;  Esther,  born  March  18,  1785. 

Joshua  Bailey  died  April  9,  1806,  aged  sixty-eight 


years.  Sarah,  his  wife,  died  January  29,  1816,  aged 
sixty-four  years. 

Mrs.  Seth  Webber,  now  living,  is  a grandchild  of 
Captain  Bailey. 

William  Weeks  was  a native  of  Greenland, 
where  he  was  born  in  1755,  being  a son  of  William 
and  Eleanor  Weeks.  He  was  a graduate  of  Harvard 
College,  and  adopted  the  life  of  a merchant  and 
farmer.  He  came  to  Hopkinton  about  1792  and  re- 
mained there  till  he  died,  in  1843.  He  was  a soldier  of 
the  Revolution,  entering  the  army  as  a quartermaster 
and  leaving  as  a major.  During  a considerable  por- 
tion of  the  time  he  was  an  aid-de-camp  of  General 
Washington.  In  Hopkinton  he  built  a house  that  is 
now  standing  in  the  district  known  as  Farrington’s 
Corner.  Deacon  Thomas  J.  Weeks,  a son,  is  now 
living  in  the  same  neighborhood.  Major  Weeks  was 
twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Abigail  Rogers, 
whom  he  married  in  1780 ; his  second  wife  was  Sally 
Cotta  Cotton  Weeks,  daughter  of  Dr.  Ichabod 
Weeks,  of  Greenland.  There  were  thirteen  children 
of  Major  Weeks.  Their  names  were  William,  George, 
Charles,  Abigail  Rogers,  Mary,  Jacob,  Washington, 
Thomas  Jefferson,  Sarah  Ann,  Susan,  Hannah,  Emily, 
John. 

Ebenezer  Lerned,  a native  of  Medford,  Mass., 
was  born  October  6,  1762,  being  a son  of  Thomas 
Lerned  and  Hannah  Brooks.  He  graduated  at  Har- 
vard College  in  1787 ; studied  medicine  with  Dr.  E. 
A.  Holyoke,  of  Salem,  Mass. ; received  the  degree  of 
M.D.  from  Dartmouth  College.  He  practiced  a 
short  time  in  Leominster,  Mass.;  and  then  came  to 
Hopkinton,  where  he  practiced  medicine  and  pursued 
trade.  He  was  the  first  delegate  to  Dartmouth  Col- 
lege from  the  New  Hampshire  Medical  Society,  of 
which  he  was  vice-president  at  the  time  of  his  de- 
cease, in  1831.  He  founded  the  New  Hamphire  Ag- 
ricultural Society  and  was  its  first  president.  He 
was  active  in  all  the  public  interests  of  the  town  of 
Hopkinton,  and  left  bequests  to  its  schools  and  to  its 
poor,  and  to  the  town  itself.  He  was  the  first  liber- 
ally educated  physician  in  town.  He  was  twice  mar- 
ried. His  first  wife  was  Marv  Hall,  of  Londonderry, 
whom  he  married  in  1802.  They  had  four  children, — 
Louisa,  Mary  Eliza,  Margaret,  Brooks  Holyoke.  His 
first  wife  died  November  22,  1813,  aged  thirty-two. 
His  second  wife  was  Catharine,  daughter  of  Timothy 
Perkins  and  Hannah  Trowbridge,  whom  he  married 
in  1814.  They  had  five  children, — Catharine  Crosby 
Perkins,  Edward  Augustus,  Hannah  Brooks,  Lucy 
Ann,  Elizabeth  Trowbridge.  His  second  wife  died 
September  30,  1869.  Mrs.  Mary  Eliza  Flanders,  his 
daughter,  is  living  in  this  town.  Misses  Catharine 
C.  P.,  Hannah  B.  and  Lucy  A.,  his  daughters,  occupy 
his  former  residence  in  Hopkinton  village. 

John  Harris,  a native  of  Harvard,  Mass.,  was 
born  October  13,  1769,  being  a son  of  Richard  Har- 
ris and  Lydia  Atherton.  He  graduated  at  Harvard 
College  in  1791 ; read  law  with  Simeon  Strong,  of 


408 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Amherst,  Mass.,  and  Timothy  Bigelow,  of  Groton, 
Mass.  In  1794,  he  came  to  Hopkinton  ; in  1799,  he 
married  Mary  Poor,  a native  of  Hampstead,  and 
daughter  of  Eliphalet  Poor  and  Elizabeth  Little. 
They  had  four  children, — George,  Catharine,  Eliza 
Poor,  Ann.  Catharine  became  the  wife  of  Timothy 
Wiggin  Little,  of  Hopkinton.  John  Harris  lived  in 
the  house  now  occupied  by  Reuben  E.  French.  In 
1810,  he  was  made  captain  of  the  Fourth  Company  of 
the  Twenty-first  Regiment  of  New  Hampshire  Militia. 
He  was  the  first  postmaster  in  Hopkinton,  holding 
office  from  1811  to  1825.  In  1810,  he  was  made  a 
trustee  of  Dartmouth  College.  He  was  solicitor  of 
Hillsborough  County  from  1817  to  1823,  judge  of 
probate  from  1812  to  1823  and  the  same  of  Merri- 
mack County  from  1823  to  1843.  He  was  associate 
justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  New  Hampshire 
from  1823  to  1833.  The  probate  laws  of  Hillsborough 
County  were  revised  by  Judge  Harris  and  Charles 
H.  Atherton,  the  commission  being  established  in 
1820.  In  June,  1814,  Judge  Harris  was  made  chair- 
man of  a committee  of  the  Legislature  to  locate  a 
state  capital.  He  was  a prominent  Free-Mason.  He 
was  the  founder  of  Trinity  Chapter  in  1807.  He 
was  also  founder  of  Tyrian  Council  and  of  the 
Mount  Horeb  Commandary  of  Knights  Templar. 
He  was  Grand  Master  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  Grand 
High  Priest  of  the  Grand  Chapter  at  its  formation,  in 
1819,  and  first  Grand  Master  of  the  Grand  Encamp- 
ment of  Knights  Templar  of  New  Hampshire  at  its 
formation  in  182(5.  He  was  one  of  the  subscribers 
to  the  ecclesiastical  constitution  of  Christ’s  Church 
in  1803,  and  was  one  of  the  first  wardens  of  St.  An- 
drew’s Church  in  1827.  He  was  a skillful  farmer. 
Judge  Harris  died  on  the  23d  of  April,  1845;  his 
wife  died  March  (5,  1843,  aged  sixty-four.  There  is 
no  descendant  of  theirs  living. 

Samuel  Greene,  son  of  Nathaniel,  was  born  in 
Concord,  March  7,  1 770.  He  read  law  with  his  bro- 
ther Peter,  and  began  practice  in  Concord  in  1793. 
He  was  associate  justice  of  the  New  Hampshire  Su- 
preme Court  from  1819  to  1840.  He  came  to  Hop- 
kinton about  1833  and  remained  here  till  about  1837. 
After  leaving  the  justice’s  bench  he  accepted  a clerk- 
ship in  Washington,  L>.  C.,  where  he  died  in  1851,  aged 
eighty-one.  His  remains  are  buried  in  Hopkinton 
village,  in  the  old  cemetery.  He  was  thrice  married. 
One  wife,  Ann  N.,  who  died  in  1834,  is  buried  by  his 
side.  Herman  H.  Greene  was  a son  of  Judge  Greene, 
and  was  born  in  Concord  in  1802.  In  early  life  he 
entered  the  counting-room  of  Alexander  Ladd,  of 
Portsmouth.  Soon  after  he  became  a sailor,  rising  to 
the  command  of  an  East  Indianman.  He  left  the 
sea  about  1838,  and  then  traded  in  Bangor,  Me.,  a few 
years,  and  next  came  to  Hopkinton,  where  he  died  in 
1862.  In  1851,  he  took  a company  by  sea  to  Califor- 
nia in  the  ship  “Leonora,”  also  taking  along  the  first 
steamboat  used  on  the  California  coast.  In  California, 
Captain  Greene  gave  attention  to  mining,  but  made 


one  trip  to  Australia.  He  returned  to  Hopkinton 
after  four  or  five  years.  He  married  Ellen  C.  Wiggin, 
of  Hopkinton,  in  1837,  who  is  now  living.  Herman 
W.  Greene  is  his  son. 

Matthew  Harvey,  a son  of  Matthew,  was  born 
in  Sutton,  June  21,  1781.  He  prepared  for  college 
under  the  tuition  of  Rev.  l)r.  Samuel  Wood,  of  Bos- 
cawen,  and  graduated  at  Dartmouth  in  1806.  He 
studied  law  with  John  Harris,  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1809  and  opened  an  office  in  Hopkinton.  He 
was  thirteen  years  a moderator  of  Hopkinton’s 
town-meeting.  In  1814,  he  was  elected  a State  rep- 
resentative from  Hopkinton,  and  continued  one  for 
seven  successive  years ; was  Speaker  of  the  House 
from  1818  to  1820.  In  1821,  he  was  sent  to  the 
United  States  House  of  Representatives,  where  he 
served  four  years  ; he  then  entered  the  State  Senate 
and  served  three  years,  being  president  of  that 
body  the  whole  time.  In  1828  and  1829,  he  was  a 
member  of  the  New  Hampshire  Executive  Council. 

In  1830  he  was  Governor  of  the  State,  and  was  the 
same  year  appointed  a United  States  district  judge. 
He  was  a prominent  member  of  the  Episcopal 
Church,  and  was  a trustee  of  Hopkinton  Academy. 
He  was  vice-president  of  the  New  Hampshire  His- 
torical Society  from  1829  to  1831,  and  its  president 
from  1832  to  1834.  Judge  Harvey  moved  from  Hop- 
kinton to  Concord  about  1850,  and  died  there  April 
7,  1866,  aged  eighty  five.  His  wife  was  Margaret 
Rowe,  a native  of  Newburvport,  Mass.  They  had 
two  children.  His  only  daughter,  Margaret  Elizabeth, 
died  in  183(5;  his  only  son,  Frederick,  in  Louisiana, 
in  1866. 

Grace  Fletcher,  noted  for  her  personal  beauty,  1 
and  celebrated  in  being  the  first  wife  of  Daniel  Web- 
ster, is  said  to  have  been  born  in  Hopkinton  in  1781. 
Her  Christian  name  was  Gratia.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  Rev.  Elijah  and  Rebecca  Fletcher.  Her 
father  was  a native  of  Westford,  Mass.,  and  the  pas- 
tor of  the  Congregational  Church  in  Hopkinton 
from  1773  to  his  death,  in  1786.  Grace  Fletcher’s 
Hopkinton  home  was  about  a mile  east  of  the  village, 
on  the  road  to  Concord,  the  ancient  house  being  now 
occupied  by  Mrs.  Stephen  Abbott.  Grace  was  edu- 
cated at  Atkinson  Academy,  leaving  that  institution 
in  1801,  her  mother  having  married  the  Rev.  Chris- 
topher Paige.  Grace  married  Daniel  Webster  at 
Salisbury  in  1808,  while  making  a home  with  her 
sister  Rebecca,  the  wife  of  Judge  Israel  Kelly.  Her 
monumental  record  at  Marshfield  asserts  that  she 
was  born  January  16,  1782,  and  died  January  21, 
1828. 

Horace  Chase  was  born  in  Unity,  December  14, 
1788.  He  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  1814. 
He  studied  law  with  Matthew  Harvey,  of  Hopkinton, 
and  opened  an  office  in  Goshen  in  1818.  He  returned 
to  Hopkinton  in  1821  and  formed  a law  partnership 
with  Matthew  Harvey.  He  represented  Hopkinton 
in  the  Legislature  in  1829,  and  was  assistant  clerk  of 


IIOPKINTON. 


409 


the  House  from  1830  to  1832.  He  was  postmaster  of  | 
Hopkinton  from  1829  to  1850.  He  was  judge  of 
probate  of  Merrimack  County  from  1833  to  1855,  and 
published  the  Probate  Directory  in  1845.  He  was 
cashier  of  the  Franklin  Bank.  He  was  prominent  in 
Free-Masonry ; he  was  made  a Master-Mason  in  1815, 
a Royal  Arch  Mason  in  1817  and  a Knight  Templar 
in  1820.  He  was  Grand  Recorder  of  the  Grand  Com- 
mandery  from  18G0  to  1870.  He  compiled  and  pub- 
lished the  records  of  the  Grand  Lodge  from  1789  to 
1856.  He  died  March  1,1875.  He  was  thrice  mar- 
ried. His  first  wife  was  Betsey  Blanchard,  of  Hop- 
kinton, by  whom  he  had  four  children, — a daughter 
and  three  sons.  His  second  wife  was  Lucy  Blan- 
chard, sister  of  his  first.  His  third  wife  was  Mrs. 
Ruhama  Clarke,  of  Manchester,  who  is  now  living. 
His  only  daughter,  Mary  Elizabeth,  died  in  1843, 
aged  twenty-one  years.  Samuel  B.  and  Charles  C., 
his  sons,  reside  at  Wright’s  Grove,  III. ; Horace  G., 
also  his  son,  resides  in  New  Haven,  Conn. 

Carlton  Chase,  the  son  of  Charles  Chase  and 
Sarah  Currier,  was  born  in  Hopkinton  January  20, 
1794.  He  finished  preparation  for  college  at  Salisbury 
Academy  in  1813,  and  graduated  at  Dartmouth  in 
1817.  While  in  college,  he  became  an  Episcopalian. 
After  leaving  college,  he  studied  theology  with  Bishop 
Griswold  at  Bristol,  R.  1.  In  1818,  he  was  ordained 
a deacon  at  Bristol,  and,  in  1820,  a priest,  at  New- 
port. He  first  became  rector  of  Immanuel  Church, 
Bellows  Falls,  Vt.,  in  1819,  where  he  remained  about 
twenty-five  years.  He  received  the  degree  of  D.D. 
from  the  University  of  Vermont  in  1839,  and  was 
subsequently  admitted  ad  eundem  at  Bishop’s  College, 
Lenoxville,  Canada.  In  October,  1843,  he  was  chosen 
bishop  of  New  Hampshire,  and  was  consecrated  in 
Philadelphia  in  October,  1844.  His  diocesan  resi- 
dence was  at  Claremont,  where  he  had  accepted  the 
rectorship  of  Trinity  Church,  and  which  he  held  till 
1863.  He  died  January  18,  1870.  Bishop  Chase 
married  Harriet,  daughter  of  Dr.  Cutter,  of  Bellows 
Falls,  in  1820,  by  whom  he  had  eight  children. 

Dyer  H.  Sanborn,  a native  of  Gilmanton,  was 
born  July  29,  1799,  being  a son  of  David  E.  Sanborn 
and  Hannah  Hook.  He  was  educated  at  Gilford 
Academy  and  Dartmouth  College,  from  which  he  re- 
ceived the  degree  of  A.M.  He  followed  the  profes- 
sion of  a teacher  the  larger  part  of  his  life,  assuming 
numerous  responsible  positions  in  New  Hampshire 
and  Massachusetts.  He  came  to  Hopkinton  as  the 
preceptor  of  Hopkinton  Academy  in  1854,  and  he  re- 
sided here  till  his  death,  in  1871.  He  held  numerous 
civil  offices.  He  was  commissioner  of  schools  of  Sul- 
livan County  in  1850  and  1851.  He  represented 
Sanbornton  in  the  Legislature  in  1845  and  1846, 
and  also  Washington  in  1850,  being  also  a member  of 
the  Constitutional  Convention  of  that  year.  He  was 
many  years  a local  Methodist  preacher.  He  was 
chaplain  of  the  New  Hampshire  House  of  Repre 
sentatives  in  1846.  He  was  a Royal  Arch  Mason,  and 


chaplain  of  the  Grand  Lodge  from  1849  to  1856.  In 
1836,  he  published  an  “ Analytical  Grammar,”  which 
passed  through  seven  editions  in  ten  years  ; in  1846, 
he  published  a “ Normal  School  Grammar,”  which 
passed  through  eight  editions  in  five  years.  He  was 
postmaster  of  Hopkinton  from  1858  till  his  death. 
During  the  Presidency  of  Franklin  Pierce,  he  was  for 
a time  a clerk  in  the  Interior  Department  of  the  gov- 
ernment. Professor  Sanborn  was  twice  married.  His 
first  wife  was  Harriet  W.  Tucker,  of  Deerfield  ; bis 
second,  Mrs.  Abigail  Glidden,  of  Sanbornton  Bridge 
(now  Tilton).  He  bad  one  son  by  bis  first  wife;  he 
died  at  Washington,  in  1852,  aged  ten  years. 

Franklin  W.  Fisk,  a son  of  Ebenezer  Fisk  and 
Hannah  Proctor,  was  born  in  Hopkinton  in  1820.  He 
lived  in  Hopkinton  till  the  age  of  thirteen.  From 
1835  to  1841,  he  was  a student  at  Phillips  Academy, 
Exeter,  being  at  times  a teacher.  He  was  in  Yale 
College  from  1845  to  1849  ; in  Yale  Theological  Sem- 
inary from  1849  to  1852  ; tutor  in  college  in  1851  and 
1852.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1852;  was  a stu- 
dent in  Andover  Theological  Seminary  a portion  of 
1853;  traveled  in  Europe  the  same  year.  While 
abroad  he  was  appointed  to  the  position  of  professor 
in  Beloit  College,  Wisconsin ; was  professor  of 
rhetoric  and  English  literature  from  1854  to  1859. 
He  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  in  1859.  He 
was  Wisconsin  professor  of  sacred  rhetoric  in  the 
Chicago  Theological  Seminary  from  1859  to  1869.  In 
1871-72,  he  visited  Europe  again  and  attended  lectures 
three  months  at  the  University  of  Berlin.  He  has 
the  degree  of  D.D.  from  Olivet  College,  Michigan. 
He  is  now  professor  in  the  Chicago  Theological  Sem- 
inary. Professor  Fisk  married  Mrs.  Amelia  Allen 
Austin,  of  Woodstock,  Ct.,  in  1854  ; she  died  in  1881 ; 
they  had  three  children. 

Joab  N.  Patterson,  son  of  Joab  Patterson  and 
Mary  Lovering,  was  born  in  Contoocook  January  2, 
1835.  He  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  1860. 
In  1861,  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  war,  he  enlisted 
and  took  out  papers  as  an  enlisting  officer.  He  en- 
listed a company  of  men  at  Contoocook  and  took 
them  to  Portsmouth,  where  they  were  massed  in  the 
Second  Regiment  of  New  Hampshire  Volunteers. 
Patterson  was  commissioned  a first  lieutenant;  in 
1862,  he  was  promoted  to  captain  ; in  1864  to  lieuten- 
ant-colonel ; in  1865,  to  colonel ; in  1865,  also,  he  was 
made  brevet  brigadier-general  of  United  States  Vol- 
unteers. In  1866,  he  represented  Hopkinton  in  the 
State  Legislature;  in  1867,  he  was  appointed  United 
States  marshal  of  New  Hampshire.  In  1866-67,  he 
was  colonel  of  the  First  Regiment  of  New  Hampshire 
Militia,  and  was  brigadier-general  of  the  First  Bri- 
gade from  1868  to  1870.  He  became  colonel  of  the 
First  Regiment  of  the  New  Hampshire  National 
Guard  in  1878.  General  Patterson  married  Sarah 
Cilley  Bouton,  daughter  of  Rev.  Nathaniel  Bouton, 
D.D.,  of  Concord,  in  1867,  and  by  whom  he  has  three 
children.  He  has  resided  in  Concord  since  1868. 


410 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Silas  Ketoham,  a native  of  Barre,  Vt.,  was  born 
December  4,  1835,  being  a son  of  Silas  Ketcham  and 
Cynthia  Doty.  In  1851,  his  father  moved  to  Hopkin- 
ton,  where  the  son  learned  the  trade  of  a shoemaker, 
following  it  till  1858.  He  then  entered  Hopkinton 
Academy  and  began  a course  of  intellectual  study, 
which  be  continued  till  his  death,  in  1880.  He  was 
prevented  from  entering  college  by  ill  health,  but  he 
graduated  from  Bangor  Theological  Seminary  in  1863, 
pursuing  the  full  course  and  supporting  his  family  by 
his  trade.  He  studied  higher  mathematics  and  ac- 
quired a knowledge  of  French,  Spanish  and  Italian. 
He  was  first  settled  at  Wardsborough,  Vt.,  and  also  oc- 
cupied pastoral  charges  in  Bristol,  Maplewood,  Mass., 
and  Windsor,  Ct.  He  at  one  time  resided  in  Brattle- 
borough,  Vt.,  and  was  associated  editorially  in  the 
conduct  of  the  Vermont  Weekly,  and  Semi-  Weekly 
Record,  and  the  Vermont  School  Journal,  leaving  Brat- 
tleborough  to  go  to  Bristol.  He  was  chaplain  of 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  Free-Masons  of  New  Hamp- 
shire from  1871  to  1875.  He  wasan  omnivorous  reader 
and  collected  thousands  of  books  and  pamphlets. 
He  was  connected  with  various  societies  devoted 
to  benevolence  and  the  promotion  of  historic  and 
genealogical  research,  and  published  numerous  dis- 
courses and  pamphlets.  He  was  the  founder  of  the 
New  Hampshire  Antiquarian  Society  and  was  its 
president  a short  time  before  his  death.  He  left  an 
unfinished  “Dictionary  of  New  Hampshire  Biogra- 
phy.” Rev.  Mr.  Ketcham  died  in  Boston,  Mass., 
while  on  a temporary  visit  to  his  friend,  Rev.  Harlan 
P.  Gage.  His  remains  were  buried  in  Contoocook, 
where  his  brother,  George  H.  Ketcham,  now  lives.  In 
1860,  Silas  Ketcham  married  Georgia  C.,  daughter  of 
Elbridge  Hardy,  of  Amherst,  N.  H.,by  whom  he  had 
twosons, — GeorgeC.  and  Edmund.  Mrs. Ketcham  now 
resides  in  Newport. 

Frederick  G.  Sanborn,  a native  of  Sanborton 
Bridge  (now  Tilton),  was  born  January  22,  1836,  be- 
ing the  son  of  Eliphalet  and  Abigail  Glidden.  His 
father  dying,  his  mother  afterwards  became  the  second 
wife  of  Professor  Dyer  H.  Sanborn.  Frederick  Glid- 
den received  an  academic  education  and  became  a 
clerk  in  a store  in  Hopkinton  and  afterwards  a book- 
keeper in  Chicago,  III.  Again  he  became  a clerk  in 
Sherbrook,  Ct.,  and  a commercial  agent  for  a com- 
mission-house in  Portland,  Me.  Upon  the  event  of 
the  war  of  1861,  he  enlisted  in  the  Fifth  Maine  Vol- 
unteers, and  was  promoted  through  all  the  grades  of 
non-commissioned  office  to  the  position  of  captain. 
He  wasdetailed  as  brigade  inspector  and  adjutant-gen- 
eral of  the  Second  Brigade,  First  Division,  Sixth  Corps, 
and  was  in  all  the  principal  battles  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac.  In  1864,  in  autumn,  he  bad  charge  of 
eighty  men  in  Tennessee,  getting  timber  of  the  Cum- 
berland River  for  General  Sherman’s  bridges.  He 
was  in  the  First  Battalion  of  Massachusetts  Cavalry 
in  the  winter  and  spring  of  1865,  and  was  transferred, 
by  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  to  the  United 


States  army,  and  detailed  for  duty  as  clerk  in  the 
Surgeon-General’s  office  at  Washington,  D.  C.  He 
was  wounded  at  Gaines’  Hill  and  Cold  Harbor.  Since 
the  war,  Captain  Sanborn  has  resided  much  of  the 
time  in  Hopkinton.  In  1880,  he  married  Sophia  W. 
Rogers,  of  Hopkinton. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 

CAPTAIN  PAUL  R.  GEORGE.1 

The  New  England  of  the  early  part  of  this  cen- 
tury, and  its  men  and  events,  are  naturally  subjects  of 
a sort  of  filial  regard  to  its  resident  sons,  as  well  as  to 
the  men  of  New  England  descent  in  whatever  part  of 
this  broad  land  they  may  be  citizens;  for  New  Eng- 
land, to  borrow  the  phrase  of  Hawthorne,  is  to  all 
intents  and  purposes  the  “ Old  Home  ” of  a vast 
fraction  of  the  energetic  population  of  the  Western 
and  Middle  States.  To  them  it  is  historic  soil,  in 
which  lies  the  dust  of  their  ancestors,  and  whither 
they  make  pilgrimages  of  sentiment  and  recreation. 

The  New  England  of  the  first  part  of  this  century 
was  a homogeneous  community.  Its  people  were 
mostly  of  English  stock,  but  with  such  peculiarities 
and  traits  as  generations  born  and  reared  in  a New 
World  environment  would  naturally  take  on  and  ex- 
hibit. There  was  not  then  the  constant  intercourse 
with  Europe  which  is  now  so  seriously  sophisticating 
and  affecting  a multitude  of  Americans.  In  the 
early  part  of  the  century  there  was  the  genuine  Yan- 
kee, pure  and  simple,  the  true  son  of  the  New  World 
soil.  Immigration  had  not  then  seriously  diluted  the 
population,  which  was  socially,  morally  and  intel- 
lectually of  a higher  average  than  any  other  commu- 
nity ever  attained.  It  is  no  wonder,  then,  that  this 
old-fashioned  New  England  and  its  noteworthy  men 
have  become  the  subjects  of  so  much  historic  and  bio- 
graphic thought.  They  were  then,  indeed,  New 
Englanders  who  were  racy  of  the  soil.  Every  section 
of  Yankeeland  then  produced  its  quota  of  remarkable 
characters  who  deserved  commemoration  ; for  old- 
fashioned  New  England  was  as  rich  and  fertile  in  its 
productions  of  such  original  characters  as  Scotland 
has  been  at  any  period  of  its  history. 

ft  is  the  duty  of  the  ready  writers  of  to-day  to  see 
to  it  that  every  such  character  of  native  growth  shall 
have  its  due  meed  of  biographic  notice,  so  that  future 
generations  may  know  what  manner  ofraen  preceded 
them  on  this  Novanglian  soil,  who  have  made  it 
famous  by  their  genius,  thrift,  energy  and  enter- 
prise. 

Prominent  in  this  class  of  New  England  men  was 
Captain  Paul  Rolfe  George,  who  was  born  in  Con- 
cord, N.  H.,  on  the  25th  of  August,  1807.  He  was 


1 By  Colonel  John  H.  George. 


HOPKINTON. 


411 


named  for  Paul  Rolfe,  son  of  Benjamin  Rolfe,  both 
very  prominent  citizens  in  the  early  days  of  Concord. 
The  latter  married  Sarah,  eldest  daughter  of  the  Rev. 
Timothy  Walker.  After  his  death  his  widow  mar- 
ried Benjamin  Thompson,  widely  known  as  Count 
Rum  ford. 

Captain  George’s  father,  John  George,  Esq.,  lived 
in  early  life  in  the  adjoining  town  of  Hopkinton, 
where  he  was  born  May  26,  1780.  His  grandfather 
moved  to  that  town  after  the  middle  of  the  last  cen- 
tury from  Haverhill,  Mass.,  to  which  place  his  ances- 
tors had  emigrated  from  England  in  the  preceding  j 
century.  Early  in  the  present  century  his  grand- 
father, having  in  1784  moved  to  Warner,  N.  H.,  lo- 
cated in  Topsham,  Vt.,  then  a wilderness,  with  such 
of  a large  family  as  were  then  too  young  to  be  self- 
supporting.  He  cleared  and  subsequently  cultivated 
a large  farm  on  what  is  known  as  “ George’s  Hill,”  in 
that  town,  where  he  died  February  4,  1822.  Captain 
George’s  paternal  grandmother  was  the  daughter  of 
Captain  Harriman,  a retired  sea-captain,  who  settled 
in  Hopkinton  from  Salem,  Mass.,  about  the  time  his 
father  came  from  Haverhill.  These  ancestors,  on 
both  sides,  were  noted  for  self-reliance,  persistence 
and  force  of  character. 

Captain  George’s  mother,  Ruth  Bradley,  was  a de- 
scendant of  one  of  the  representative  families  of  the 
early  settlers  of  Concord,  from  whom  he  inherited, 
with  a somewhat  delicate  constitution,  a quickness 
and  brightness  of  intellect  and  clearness  of  percep- 
tion which  became  in  after-life  his  almost  marvelous 
characteristics. 

His  father  was  from  childhood  thoroughly  self-de- 
pendent. Learning  the  hatters’  trade,  he  followed 
that  vocation  through  his  early  life.  He  was  also  for 
many  years  an  inn-keeper,  a director  of  a leading 
bank,  a deputy-sheriff,  an  administrator  of  estates 
and  a practical  farmer,  displaying  in  all  his  business 
affairs  great  energy,  fidelity  and  unswerving  integrity. 
He  had  by  his  first  wife  three  children, — Paul  Rolfe, 
the  subject  of  this  sketch  ; Clarissa  Bartlett,  wife  of 
Hon.  Hamilton  E.  Perkins ; and  Susan  Emery,  who 
died  in  early  life.  By  his  second  wife,  Mary  Hatch, 
he  had  one  son,  John  Hatch,  who  still  resides  at  the 
family  homestead.  He  died  at  Concord,  N.  H., 
where  he  had  lived  for  nearly  fifty  years,  January  9, 
1843. 

Captain  George  was  educated  in  the  public  schools 
of  Concord,  but  he  was  too  nervously  restive  in  his 
boyhood  and  early  youth  to  devote  himself  to  study. 
His  love  of  trade,  embracing  in  its  subjects  his  jack- 
knife, clothing  and  boots  in  daily  use,  as  well  as  the 
most  valuable  property  he  possessed  in  after-life,  was 
a passion  with  him.  An  intimate  friend  and  associ- 
ate of  his  youth  says  that  after  he  was  fifteen  years 
old  he  had  scarcely  ever  the  same  suit  of  clothes  or 
pair  of  boots  two  days  in  succession.  Many  ludicrous 
anecdotes  are  told  of  this  marked  peculiarity,  which 
was  apparently  founded  not  so  much  in  a desire  for 


gain  as  in  the  love  of  trade.  Among  his  purchases 
and  swappings  before  he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age 
could  be  reckoned,  besides  almost  innumerable  horses, 
carriages  and  various  kinds  of  other  property,  an  en- 
tire circus  and  its  accompanying  paraphernalia. 

Soon  after  he  came  of  age  he  leased  the  old  Co- 
lumbian, then  the  most  noted  hotel  in  Concord,  which 
be  himself  kept  for  a considerable  time.  His  clerk 
was  Nathaniel  White,  and  Charles  H.  Norton  had 
charge  of  his  stable.  The  former  subsequently  be- 
came one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  United  States  and 
Canada  Express,  distinguished  alike  for  his  great 
wealth  and  liberality,  while  the  latter  was  owner  for 
many  years  of  the  principal  livery  stable  in  Concord. 
Messrs.  White  and  Norton  were  through  life  intimate 
friends  and  neighbors,  and  it  is  not  exaggeration  to 
say  that  no  two  citizens  of  Concord  ever  died  more 
generally  beloved  or  more  sincerely  lamented.  Their 
affection  for  Captain  George  was  lifelong  and  unwa- 
vering, and  was  heartily  reciprocated. 

Soon  after  the  sale  of  his  interest  in  the  Columbian 
Hotel  he  removed  to  Lowell,  then  rapidly  growing  in- 
to importance  as  the  chief  manufacturing  locality  of 
New  England,  and  there  opened  a large  dry-goods 
store  in  company  with  his  cousin,  Charles  L.  Emery, 
under  the  firm-name  of  George  & Emery.  Subse- 
quently his  health  began  to  fail,  and  he  disposed  of 
his  store,  and  by  the  advice  of  his  physician  went 
South  to  avert  the  tendency  to  pulmonary  consump- 
tion, with  which  he  was  seriously  threatened,  and 
from  which  his  pluck  and  will-power  alone  rescued 
him.  He  spent  several  months  at  Washington, 
where  he  made  the  intimate  acquaintance  of  many 
men  of  prominence  from  all  parts  of  the  country. 
Upon  his  return  he  was  appointed  to  a position  in 
the  Boston  custom-house,  under  the  collectorship  of 
Hon.  David  Henshaw. 

Captain  George  had  a natural  taste  for  politics,  and 
a special  love  for  the  excitement  incident  to  political 
controversy  ; and  the  bitter  quarrel  which  followed 
the  veto  of  the  bank  charter  by  President  Tyler  gave 
him  the  special  opportunity  to  display  his  peculiar 
power.  He  became  an  ardent  defender  of  the  Presi- 
dent and  the  intimate  of  Caleb  Cushing,  Henry  A. 
Wise  and  other  young  and  vigorous  statesmen  who 
constituted  what  was  then  known  as  the  Tyler  Guard. 
He  was  appointed  by  the  President  naval  store-keep- 
er at  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  a position  which  he  held  until 
his  active  and  openly-expressed  sympathy  with  the 
employes  of  the  navy -yard,  in  their  opposition  to  an 
official  order  that  a government  vessel  should  be  sent 
elsewhere  for  repairs,  caused  a quarrel  with  the  de- 
partment which  resulted  in  his  removal  from  office. 
Subsequently,  in  company  with  Caleb  Cushing, 
Robert  Ran  ton  1 and  a few  other  intimate  friends,  he 
made  the  journey  up  the  Mississippi  River  to  the 
present  sites  of  St.  Paul  and  Minneapolis,  then  a 
wilderness  with  scarcely  a single  white  inhabitant. 
They  also  visited  St.  Croix  Falls,  and  continued  their 


412 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


* 


trip  across  the  country  to  Lake  Superior,  with  the 
view  of  making  Minnesota  their  future  home.  They 
made  large  investments  in  land  near  St.  Croix  Falls, 
and  sent  out  quite  a number  of  settlers  and  agents. 
The  Mexican  War  breaking  out  soon  after  their  re- 
turn to  New  England,  General  Cushing  was  appoint- 
ed colonel  of  the  Massachusetts  regiment,  and  se- 
lected Captain  George  as  his  quartermaster.  They 
both  served  during  the  war.  While  they  were  absent 
in  Mexico  their  Minnesota  property  was  sadly  ne- 
glected, and  this  neglect,  coupled  with  the  rapid  set- 
tlement of  the  territory  and  the  occupancy  by  settlers 
of  the  purchased  lands,  caused  all  sorts  of  conflicting 
claims,  and  rendered  the  investment  an  unprofitable 
one  to  all  concerned,  particularly  to  General  Cushing, 
who  retained  his  landed  interest  with  its  annoying 
burden  of  litigation  to  the  time  of  his  decease. 

After  the  Mexican  War  Captain  George  spent  sev- 
eral years  in  business  in  New  York  City.  Subse- 
quently he  published  a fine  farm  on  Contoocook 
River,  in  Hopkinton,  N.  H.,  on  the  line  of  the  Con- 
cord and  Claremont  Railroad  and  about  ten  miles 
from  Concord.  He  was  very  fond  of  horses  and  cat- 
tle, and  specially  devoted  the  next  ten  years  to  their 
care  and  to  the  cultivation  and  improvement  of  his 
farm,  which  became,  under  his  enthusiastic  manage- 
ment, one  of  the  finest  and  most  productive  in  the 
county.  He  also  took  a lively  and  continuous  interest 
in  the  material  improvement,  through  the  develop- 
ment and  utilization  of  its  water-power,  of  the  village 
near  which  his  farm  is  located,  and  in  this  respect  he 
was  doubtless  the  most  enterprising  citizen  of  the 
town. 

In  1855  he  married  Caroline,  only  daughter  of 
William  Livingston,  of  Lowell,  Mass.,  and  she  still 
remains  his  widow.  He  left  no  children.  Mr.  Liv- 
ingston, as  a merchant  and  business  man,  had  few 
equals  in  activity,  energy  and  success.  The  same 
year,  1855,  Captain  George  represented  Hopkinton  in 
the  State  Legislature,  and  later  traveled  over  Europe 
with  his  wife,  leisurely  visiting  the  principal  cities 
and  other  localities  of  special  interest. 

Upon  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War,  in  1861, 
he  brought  his  large  military  experience  in  the  Mex- 
ican War  to  the  aid  of  the  State  in  fitting  out  the 
early  New  Hampshire  regiments,  which,  it  is  believed, 
went  to  the  war  unsurpassed  in  the  thoroughness  of 
their  outfit. 

Captain  George  had  from  early  manhood  been  an 
intimate  friend  of  General  Butler’s.  They  had  for 
years  lived  side  by  side  at  Lowell,  and  years  ol 
friendship  ripened  into  mutual  confidence,  love  and 
admiration.  Captain  George  believed  unreservedly, 
with  an  unwavering  conviction,  in  General  Butler’s 
genius  and  ability  in  all  respects,  civil  and  military  ; 
and  in  General  Butler’s  view  his  friend  had  no  supe- 
rior in  brains  and  executive  force.  Captain  George 
was  especially  anxious  for  the  independent,  command 
subsequently  given  the  general  in  the  authority  to 


raise  the  New  England  division,  and  was  vigorously 
active  in  assisting,  by  suggestion  and  otherwise,  in  se- 
curing it  from  President  Lincoln.  Upon  his  appoint- 
ment as  general  of  this  division  General  Butler  se- 
lected Captain  George  as  his  quartermaster,  whose 
experience,  faithfulness  and  executive  capacity  en- 
abled him  to  fit  out  the  expedition  to  New  Orleans 
with  an  unprecedented  thoroughness  and  alacrity. 
Probably  no  disappointment  of  General  Butler’s  life 
exceeded  that  caused  by  the  personal  ill-feeling  on 
the  part  of  a prominent  politician  which  prevented 
Captain  George’s  official  confirmation,  and  thus  de- 
prived him  of  the  aid  and  services  of  the  man  whom, 
of  all  others,  he  desired  by  his  side  in  the  trying 
ordeal  through  which  he  was  passing. 

General  Butler,  in  a recent  letter  to  the  writer, 
says, — 

“ My  early  acquaintance  with  Captain  George  ripened  into  the  closest 
intimacy.  Being  some  ten  or  twelve  years  older  than  myself,  I was  ac- 
customed to  listen  to  his  suggestions  in  political  and  business  matters 
with  the  utmost  deference.  I only  enunciate  a simple  truth  when  I say 
that  during  a long  acquaintance  with  the  most  prominent  men  of  the 
country  I have  never  met  any  man  with  a mind  so  inventive,  so  full  of 
resources  as  to  every  phase  of  political  and  business  life,  so  thoroughly 
discriminating  as  to  facts  and  theories,  and  so  thoroughly  capable  of  dis- 
tinctive appreciation  of  the  capabilities,  powers  and  abilities  of  public 
men.  His  comprehension  on  all  these  subjects  was  intuitive,  and  an  ex- 
perience of  more  than  twenty  years  since  his  death  has  confirmed  his 
judgment  in  every  case  within  my  knowledge.  He  entered  the  Mexican 
War  as  a quartermaster  of  volunteers.  He  so  thoroughly  won  his  way  by 
his  business  tact  and  energy  that  upon  the  capture  of  the  city  of  Mex- 
ico General  Scott  selected  him  a*  the  controlling  quartermaster  at  his 
headquarters— a position  never  given  before  to  a volunteer  officer,  and 
hardly  since.  When  President  Lincoln  gave  me  authority  to  raise  troops 
in  New  England  to  form  part  of  the  expedition  which  resulted  in  the 
capture  of  New  Orleans,  I was  exceedingly  anxious  that  Captain  George 
should  be  its  quartermaster.  Being  then  of  independent  fortune,  and 
advanced  in  years,  I doubted  his  acceptance  of  the  position.  His  love 
of  country  and  his  personal  friendship,  at  my  earnest  solicitation,  moved 
him  so  to  do.  He  entered  upon  that  duty  with  the  vigor  and  enthusiasm 
of  youth.  From  that  hour  I had  personally  no  concern  with  any  detail 
as  to  the  supplies  of  every  description  so  important  to  the  success  of  the 
enterprise.  Captain  George  did  it  all.  He  was  60  wonderfully  faithful, 
and  had  such  comprehension  of  the  needs,  that  I venture  to  say  there 
was  never  another  military  expedition  so  thoroughly  fitted  in  every 
part  with  all  needed  supplies.  When  I sailed  for  Ship  Island  I left  Cap- 
tain George  in  New  England,  that  he  might  settle  his  numerous  accounts, 
to  come  later,  and  bring  with  him  the  remainder  of  our  supplies.  In 
my  absence  his  name  came  up  for  confirmation  before  the  Senate. 
Owing  to  some  political  feeling  between  him  ^nd  a Senator  from  his 
Stale,  he  failed  of  confirmation.  I was  therefore  left  at  Ship  Island 
w ithout  any  quartermaster,  save  a young  regimental  one,  w ho  probably 
never  had  seen  a quartermaster's  return  ; and  so  1 was  acting  quarter- 
master of  the  division  for  some  three  months,  till  after  the  capture  of 
New  Orleans.  After  Captain  George's  death  it  became  necessary  that  I 
should  take  part  in  settling  his  final  accounts  with  the  department,  and 
thus  I became  acquainted  with  the  great  accuracy  w ith  which  he  kept 
his  accounts. 

“ Captain  George  had  a very  sympathetic  heart.  He  was  greatly  be- 
loved by  all  the  fellow -mem  be  re  of  the  staff,  and  especially  by  all  the 
officers  of  the  division.  I mourned  his  death  w ith  as  deep  grief  as  any 
one  could,  save  a wife,  child  or  brother.” 

Upon  the  completion  of  the  outfit  and  the  depart- 
ure of  the  division  for  New  Orleans,  Captain  George 
returned  to  his  farm,  which  became  the  Mecca  of 
prominent  men  from  all  sections  of  the  country, 
where  he  dispensed  a lavish  hospitality. 

Early  in  the  year  1864  he  spent  several  weeks  with 
his  brother  at  the  old  family  homestead,  visiting  the 


HOPKINTON. 


413 


friends  and  associates  of  his  boyhood  and  youth.  It 
was  his  farewell  visit  to  his  birth-place.  Soon  after 
his  return  home  he  was  taken  suddenly  ill,  and  on 
the  29th  of  February  he  closed  a life  of  constant  ac- 
tivity at  his  farm  in  Hopkinton,  surrounded  by  his 
relatives  and  friends,  in  the  fifty -seventh  year  of  his 
age.  He  was  buried  in  the  family  lot,  in  Blossom 
I Hill  Cemetery,  in  Concord,  where  a fine  granite  mon- 
I ument  marks  his  resting-place. 

Such  is  a brief  account  of  the  life,  and  some  of  its 
incidents,  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  It  will  be 
seen  that  Captain  George’s  career  was  a checkered 
and  varied  one,  full  of  the  variety  of  pursuit,  specu- 
I lative  ventures  and  political  incidents  which  mark 
the  career  of  an  able  and  energetic  American  during 
the  period  in  which  he  lived.  But,  after  all,  he  was 
chiefly  ipteresting  on  his  own  personal  account,  and 
for  himself,  for  he  was,  in  his  psychological  organi- 
zation, a man  of  genius.  He  had  an  element  of 
striking  individuality  which  differentiated  him  from 
everybody  else.  There  was  no  mistaking  him  for  any 
other  person  than  himself.  His  conversational  powers 
were  remarkable,  and  as  a talker  on  the  current  men 
and  politics  of  his  time  he  could  not  be  surpassed. 
His  talk  was  like  the  effervescence  of  champagne.  It 
sparkled  with  wit,  sarcasm  and  irony. 

But  he  was  not  merely  an  eloquent  and  most  inter- 
esting talker.  He  was  full  of  practical  sense  and 
knowledge,  the  result  of  a life’s  experience  in  both 
peace  and  war.  He  was  the  intimate  friend  and  asso- 
ciate of  such  remarkable  public  men  as  Franklin 
Pierce,  William  L.  Marcy,  Caleb  Cushing,  Levi 
Woodbury,  Robert  Rantoul,  David  K.  Cartter,  Hen- 
ry A.  Wise,  Isaac  Hill  and  B.  F.  Butler,  and  it  is 
not  too  much  to  say,  that  though  they  were  his  supe- 
riors in  reputation  and  in  social  and  political  influ- 
ence, they  were  under  special  obligations  to  him  for 
suggestions  and  advice  which  his  almost  intuitive 
knowledge  of  the  state  of  public  feeling  at  any  given 
emergency  enabled  him  to  give,  and  which  they  fully 
appreciated.  He  was  in  every  way  qualified  to  be 
the  “guide,  philosopher  and  friend”  of  great  political 
and  party  leaders,  for  he  thoroughly  understood  the 
varying  moods  of  the  people,  being  a man  of  the 
people  himself.  He  was  not  debarred  from  popular 
intercourse  by  too  much  personal  greatness  and  con- 
ceit of  himself.  His  wit  and  brilliant  conversational 
powers  made  him  a favorite  in  all  places  of  popular 
resort : thus  he  knew  the  masses  from  his  own  knowl- 
edge, and  not  at  second-hand. 

A list  of  his  life-long  friends  and  associates  will 
best  convey  a proper  idea  of  the  appreciation  and  es- 
timation in  which  he  was  held  by  those  intimate  with 
him.  In  addition  to  the  distinguished  men  already 
mentioned,  the  late  Theodore  H.  Sweetser  may  be  in- 
stanced, who,  in  his  day,  had  no  superior  at  the  Massa- 
chusetts bar.  Mr.  Sweetser’s  face  was  wont  to  be 
lighted  up  with  a glow  of  pleasure  whenever  Captain 
George  was  a visitor  at  his  office.  He  would  listen 


with  delight  while  the  captain  indulged  in  his  bril- 
liant arrow-flights  of  comment  on  current  men  and 
events,  if  he  happened  to  be  in  one  of  his  effervescent 
moods,  which,  indeed,  constituted  his  normal  mental 
state. 

Richard  S.  Spofford,  of  Newburyport,  himself  also 
a man  of  brilliant  intellect,  and  therefore  well  quali- 
fied to  appreciate  intellectual  brilliancy  in  his  associ- 
ates, cherishes  the  memory  of  his  whilom  friend,  Cap- 
tain George,  with  peculiar  tenacity  and  warmth  of 
recollection  and  regard. 

Among  his  intimate  friends  still  living,  whose 
youthful  recollections  of  Captain  George  are  cher- 
ished with  special  tenacity,  the  names  of  Charles 
Levi  Woodbury,  of  Boston,  Sidney  Webster,  of  New 
York,  and  Daniel  S.  Richardson,  of  Lowell, — all 
representative  men  of  marked  capacity, — should  not 
be  omitted. 

Among  his  friends  and  associates,  who,  like  himself, 
have  departed  to  that  “ still  country  whither  all  are 
bound,”  may  be  mentioned  Charles  H.  Peaslee,  mem- 
ber of  Congress,  and  Ira  Perley,  chief  justice,  of  New 
Hampshire  ; James  S.  Whitney,  remarkable  for  his 
political  as  well  as  business  capacity ; the  genial  and 
witty  Isaac  0.  Barnes,  whose  intimacy  with  Captain 
George  left  a doubt  in  the  minds  of  their  personal 
friends  which  excelled  in  brilliancy  of  conversational 
powrers;  Tappan  Wentworth,  prominent  as  a lawyer 
and  member  of  Congress  ; and  Fisher  A.  Hildreth, 
the  cool,  philosophic  politician, — all  of  Massachu- 
setts. 

Captain  George’s  life  covered  a period  of  only  fifty- 
seven  years,  but  it  was  a most  eventful  one  in  the 
history  of  the  country.  He  was  born  in  the  adminis- 
tration of  Thomas  Jefferson,  and  died  during  that  of 
Abraham  Lincoln.  When  he  reached  his  majority 
John  Quincy  Adams  was  in  the  White  House.  Mean- 
time in  his  childhood  had  occurred  the  War  of  1812 
with  Great  Britain.  He  began  to  take  personal  in- 
terest in  political  affairs  during  the  administrations  of 
Jackson  and  Van  Buren  ; but  during  the  administra- 
tion of  John  Tyler  he  was  himself  a power  in  federal 
politics.  He  lived  to  see  the  agitation  of  the  slavery 
question  culminate  in  a gigantic  civil  war,  near  the 
close  of  which  he  ended  his  career.  The  United 
States,  as  it  was  in  the  early  part  of  his  life,  is  now  a 
tradition ; for  what  may  be  called  the  better  and 
purer  as  well  as  the  younger  days  of  the  great  repub- 
lic were  over  in  1845.  We  are  as  a nation  unspeaka- 
bly greater,  richer  and  more  populous  and  powerful 
than  we  then  were;  but  greatness  of  wealth  and 
power  is  by  no  means  synonymous  with  popular  hap- 
piness and  national  honor. 

HON.  WALTER  SCOTT  DAVIS.1 

Captain  Francis  (4)  Davis,  “The  Pioneer,”  was 
born  in  Amesbury,  Mass.,  October  26,  1723.  He  was 


1 By  Colonel  L.  W.  Cogswell. 


414 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


the  son  of  Francis  (3)  and  Joanna  Davis,  who  was 
the  son  of  Francis  (2),  who  was  the  son  of  Philip  (1), 
who,  when  a lad  of  twelve  years  of  age,  sailed  from 
Southampton,  England,  for  New  England,  April  24, 
1638,  in  the  ship  “Confidence,”  of  London,  Eng., 
John  Jobson,  master,  as  servant  of  John  Binson,  of 
Caversham,  Oxfordshire,  Eng.,  husbandman. 

Francis  (2)  Davis  took  the  oath  of  allegiance  and 
fidelity  at  Amesbury  December  20,  1677. 

Captain  Francis  (4)  Davis  married  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  Jonathan  and  Sarah  Ferrin,  who  was 
born  February  20,  1724,  and  their  children  were 
Gertrude,  born  December  22,  1746 ; Zebulon,  born 
June  2,  1748;  Jeremiah,  born  October  22,  1751; 
Wells,  born  March  22,  1753;  Ichabod,  horn  February 
21,  1755;  Francis,  born  May  27,  1757;  Elizabeth, 
born  February  1,1759;  Aquila,  June  27,  1760  ; Paine, 
born  March  28,  1762;  Nathan,  born  November  9, 
1764;  all  born  in  Amesbury,  Mass.  Captain  Francis  (4) 
cameto  Warner  amongst  the  earliest  settlers,  and  loca- 
ted at  what  is  now  known  as  Davisville,  and  was  the 
foremost  man  in  that  town  from  the  time  of  his  arrival 
to  the  time  of  his  death.  His  name  appears  upon  al- 
most every  page  of  Warner’s  history  from  1768  until 
1785,  being  prominent  in  all  town  affairs,  in  church 
matters,  and  in  all  industrial,  mechanical,  milling  and 
landed  interests.  He  was  the  foremost  military  man 
of  the  town,  his  commission  as  captain  of  the  militia 
being  dated  A. D.  1773,  and  signed  by  John  Wentworth. 
He  had  three  sons  in  the  Revolution,  two  of  whom 
were  at  Bunker  Hill. 

He  was  a man  of  the  strictest  integrity,  and  pos- 
sessed the  confidence  of  his  fellow-townsmen  in  a re- 
markable degree.  His  was  the  first  grist-mill  in  the  j 
township.  He  was  one  of  the  committee  to  secure  J 
the  incorporation  of  the  town,  which  was  incorporated  j 
in  September,  1774,  and  assisted  in  the  division  of  the 
lots  of  the  township,  and  was  chairman  of  the  Com- 
mittee of  Safety  in  1775.  In  Harriman’s  “ History  of 
Warner  ” is  this  paragraph  : “ In  this  first  legislative 
body,  chosen  by  the  suffrages  of  a free  people,  Francis 
Davis  appears  the  accredited  representative  of  the 
town  of  Warner.  It  is  a distinction  and  an  honor  to 
be  remembered  with  pride  by  his  numerous  descend- 
ants.” 

Captain  Davis  was  at  this  time  in  the  vigor  of  his 
manhood,  being  fifty-three  years  of  age.  The  Legis- 
lature was  composed  of  men  of  rare  ability,  John 
Langdon  being  Speaker  of  the  Assembly,  and  Me- 
shech  Weare  president  of  the  Council.  In  1781  he 
was  chosen  delegate  to  the  Constitutional  Convention 
which  framed  the  Constitution  which  was  in  force, 
with  slight  amendments,  until  1878,  a period  of  nine- 
ty-four years.  He  was  chosen  representative  the  last 
time  in  1784,  and  served  in  two  sessions  in  that  Leg- 
islature, one  at  Concord  in  June,  the  other  at  Ports- 
mouth the  October  following,  and  whilst  on  his  way 
home  from  this  session  he  lost  his  life,  which  date  was 
November  26,  1784.  A heavy  rain-storm  had  swolleu 


Beaver  Brook,  in  Derry,  so  much  that  the  bridge, 
which  was  safe  at  nightfall,  had  been  swept 
away  when  he  arrived,  later  in  the  evening  The 
horse  which  he  rode  plunged  into  the  stream,  and 
Mr.  Davis  was  drowned.  When  the  body  was  found, 
several  days  later,  a mark  on  the  temple  showed  that 
the  horse  had  struck  him  with  his  foot  while  strug- 
gling in  the  water ; otherwise  he  would  undoubtedly 
have  swam  ashore,  as  he  was  an  expert  swimmer.  He 
was  buried  at  Davisville,  and  just  one  hundred  years 
after  his  death  a monument  was  erected  at  his  grave, 
bearing  this  inscription,  “Captain  Francis  Davis,  the 
Pioneer,  and  Warner’s  First  Representative.  Born 
Oct.  26,  1723;  Died  Nov.  26,  1784.”  This  monument 
was  erected  by  some  of  his  great-grandchildren,  prin- 
cipally by  Walter  Scott  Davis  and  his  uncle,  Charles 
Davis,  who,  in  the  summer  of  1883,  agreed  to  erect  it 
upon  the  one  hundredth  anniversary  of  his  death. 
Charles  died  suddenly  before  the  work  was  begun, 
but  at  his  funeral  his  heirs  agreed  that  the  work 
should  be  done,  which  was  finished  agreeably  to  the 
original  design. 

Captain  Francis  Davis  had  five  sons,  amongst 
whom  was  Aquila  (5),  who  was  born  in  Amesbury, 
Mass.,  June  27,  1760,  and  came  to  Warner  with  his 
father.  He  enlisted  as  a soldier  of  the  Revolution  at 
the  age  of  seventeen  years,  and  saw  much  hard  service, 
being  present  at  the  surrender  of  Burgoyne,  and  was 
honorably  discharged  May  10,  1780.  After  the  Rev- 
olution he  took  an  active  part  in  the  State  militia, 
commanding  the  Thirtieth  Regiment  from  1799  to  1807, 
and  was  brigadier-general  of  the  Fourth  Brigade  from 
1807  to  1809,  and  in  1812  raised  the  first  regiment  of 
men  for  one  year  enlisted  in  the  State,  of  which  regi- 
ment he  was  chosen  colonel.  He  was  a man  of  sound 
judgment  and  of  marked  ability,  and  was  often  chosen 
a representative  from  his  town.  He  resided  in  the 
homestead  built  by  his  father,  his  new  brick  residence 
not  being  completed  at  the  time  of  his  death,  which 
occurred  Feburary  27,  1835,  while  on  a journey  to 
Sharon,  Me.,  where  he  had  large  landed  interests. 
He  was  buried  at  Davisville  with  Masonic  honors. 

His  wife  was  Abigail  Stevens,  daughter  of  Theodore 
and  Abigail  (Watts)  Stevens,  of  Concord.  Abigail 
Watts  was  a cousin  of  the  celebrated  Dr.  Isaac  Watts, 
and  the  general’s  wife  possessed  and  exemplified  the 
Christian  virtues  to  a degree  that  would  have  done 
honor  to  her  celebrated  relative.  Sally  Watts,  a sister 
of  Abigail,  lived  many  years  and  died  at  the  general’s. 
A brother,  John  Watts,  was  killed  in  the  Revolution. 

The  general’s  children  were  Paine,  born  1786,  died 
1822;  Sarah  A.  (married  a \Tirgin),  born  1788,  died 
1822  ; Abigail  W.  (married  a Davis),  born  1790,  died 
1869;  Theodore  S.,  born  1792,  died  1835;  Nathaniel 
A.,  born  1794,  died  1866  ; Persis  H.  (married  a Cur- 
rier), born  1796,  died  1841 ; Nathan,  born  1799,  died 
1841;  female  child,  born  and  died  1801;  Charles, 
born  1803,  died  1883;  Aquila,  born  1806,  died  1866; 
James,  born  1809,  died  1842. 


HOPKINTON. 


414  a 


Nathaniel  (6)  A.,  married  Mary  Clough,  of  Bos- 
cawen,  and  their  children  were  Stephen  C.  and 
Lucretia  A.,  born  1830  ; Walter  (7)  Scott,  born  1834; 
Gilman,  born  1836;  Lucretia  A.,  born  1842;  Mary  E., 
born  1844;  Stillman  C.,  born  1846;  Henry  C.,  born 
1850.  Lucretia  (1)  died  in  1840,  and  Gilman  who 
was  killed  in  California  in  1883 ; the  others  survive. 

Nathaniel  A.  was  of  a roving  disposition  in  his 
earlier  years,  and  having  learned  the  trade  of  a silver- 
smith, he  made  a tour  of  the  United  States,  working 
at  his  trade  in  the  largest  cities,  making  gold  beads 
and  silver  spoons.  Passing  through  Virginia,  the 
Carolinas,  Georgia,  Alabama  and  Louisiana,  as  far  as 
New  Orleans,  he  retraced  his  steps  to  Mobile,  and  then 
turned  northward  and  remained  some  time  at  Nash- 
ville, and  whilst  at  work  at  the  forge  at  this  place 
he  was  attacked  by  a drunken  half-breed  Indian,  and 
only  saved  his  life  by  using  in  his  defence  a heated 
bar  of  silver.  He  was  at  Louisville  and  Cincinnati 
several  years,  and  then  returned,  in  1824,  to  his  native 
town,  and  engaged  in  the  lumbering  business.  After 
the  death  of  his  father  the  mills  owned  by  him  were 
distributed  amongst  his  sons,  and  Nathaniel,  with 
his  brother  James,  became  owners  of  the  saw-mill. 

Amongst  the  most  interesting  and  important  sub- 
jects which  the  historian  in  New  Hampshire  is  called 
upon  to  investigate  and  chronicle  is  the  early  occu- 
pation, later  development  and  improvement  of  the 
numerous  water-powers  contained  within  the  borders 
of  the  State. 

Though  not  the  greatest,  yet,  in  some  respects,  as 
remarkable,  perhaps,  as  any  in  the  county,  is  the 
water-power  at  Davisville.  The  use,  occupation  and 
ownership  of  this  power  has  been  in  the  uninterrupted 
possession  of  the  Davis  family  for  one  hundred  and 
twenty  years,  although  portions  of  the  property  have 
at  times  been  in  the  hands  of  other  parties ; at  the 
present  time,  and  for  several  years  past,  the  whole 
falls  have  been  in  the  possession  of  this  family. 
Among  the  earliest  industries  at  these  falls  were  the 
saw-mill  erected  by  Francis  Davis  in  1763,  a grist- 
mill built  by  him  in  1768,  a clothing-mill  built  by 
Moses  Carleton  in  1796,  afterwards  occupied  by 
Nicholas  Fowler,  and  carried  away  by  the  August 
freshet  of  1826.  An  iron  foundry  was  also  carried  away 
at  the  same  time,  and  other  property  destroyed  by 
that  rise  of  water  were  the  bridge  and  the  black- 
smith-shop, and  the  lower  dam,  built  by  Charles  and 
one  other  son  of  General  Davis.  There  was  also 
a mill  for  grinding  lead,  a plaster-mill,  a brick -yard 
and  a tannery  near  by.  A woolen-mill  was  contem- 
plated at  one  time  at  the  eddy  ; a dam  was  built  and 
a canal  partly  dug,  but  upon  the  death  of  the  gene- 
ral the  scheme  was  abandoned.  The  grist-mill  was 
rebuilt,  together  with  the  old  house  erected  by  Cap- 
tain Francis  before  the  Revolution,  making  it  a tavern. 
James  died  before  the  work  was  completed,  and 
Nathaniel  took  the  whole  and  carried  on  the  work  to 
completion. 


The  grist-mill  was  a model  for  the  times,  and  its 
reputation  for  making  good  flour  wras  widespread. 

The  saw-mill  was  sold  to  Samuel  H.  Dow,  who 
operated  it  extensively  for  several  years,  and  sold  it 
to  Daniel  Milton,  who  operated  it  several  years  as 
a custom  mill,  and  finally  disposed  of  it  to  the  Messrs. 
Davis.  The  grist-mill  was  sold  to  Henry  C.  Carter 
for  a paper-mill,  who  operated  it  as  such  until  it  was 
burned,  in  1869. 

Nathaniel  A.  Davis  was  of  a judicial  mind,  and 
made  the  laws  of  the  State  a practical  study,  and  no 
man  ever  enjoyed  the  confidence  of  a community 
for  honesty  and  good  judgment  to  a fuller  extent 
than  he.  As  an  administrator  of  estates,  a justice 
in  petty  trial  cases,  a conveyancer  and  drawer  of 
legal  documents,  a guardian  of  minors  and  un- 
fortunates, and  an  adviser  in  legal  proceedings,  espe- 
cially of  the  estates  of  deceased  persons,  he  was 
largely  sought.  His  inherent  love  of  justice,  and 
belief  in  the  equality  of  all  men  before  the  law,  were 
so  outraged  by  the  barbarisms  of  slavery  which  he 
had  observed  in  his  travels  through  the  South,  that 
he  became  a pronounced  Free-Soiler  and  consistent 
Abolitionist.  His  sympathy  for  the  oppressed  rendered 
more  substantial  aid  than  cold  sentimentalism  would 
offer,  and  to  him  the  consummation  of  the  age  was 
the  proclamation  of  Abraham  Lincoln  of  January  1, 
1863.  He  moved  from  the  Fowler  house  to  the  old 
homestead  of  his  ancestors  in  1843,  and  died  there 
October  24,  1866,  from  the  effects  of  a fall  from  a 
pile  of  lumber,  which  dislocated  his  neck.  His  widow 
survives  and  lives  on  the  old  place. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  Walter  Scott  Davis,  was 
born  in  Warner  July  29,  1834.  In  his  early  boyhood 
days  he  was  a lad  of  prominence  amongst  his  associ- 
ates, full  of  life  and  good  humor,  and  became  a leader 
in  all  boyish  sports, — roguish  in  the  extreme,  without 
any  thought  of  malice,  yet  doing  many  things  that 
subjected  him  to  a free  application  of  the  birch  from 
his  ever- faithful  parents ; but  the  inbred  generosity 
and  honesty  of  his  heart  never  suffered  the  punish- 
ment to  rancor  in  his  bosom  for  a moment,  and  the 
justice  of  his  father’s  punishment  was  never  ques- 
tioned by  him.  Born  and  reared  in  close  proximity 
to  the  river,  it  was  natural  that  he  should  be  in  the 
water  about  as  much  as  out  of  it,  to  the  constant  ter- 
ror of  his  mother’s  life,  who  often  followed  him  with 
unremitting  vigilance  in  his  aquatic  sports,  securing 
his  clothes  at  one  time  and  marching  him  home  with- 
out them,  amidst  the  jeers  of  his  comrades. 

When  four  years  of  age  a circumstance  happened 
that  came  near  proving  the  fallacy  of  the  adage  “that 
a Davis  could  not  be  drowned.”  The  saw-mill  had 
been  rebuilt,  and  a plank  was  laid  to  pass  from  it  to 
the  shingle-mill,  directly  over  the  flume.  Making  an 
excuse  to  get  some  oven-wood  for  his  mother,  he 
passed  his  Uncle  Nathan,  who  was  at  work  on  the 
front  of  the  mill,  and  crossing  the  plank,  was  unseen 
1 by  him.  Shortly  after,  the  uncle  hearing  a splash  in 


414  b 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


the  water,  went  below  to  see  what  produced  it.  Seeing 
nothing,  he  returned  to  his  work  ; but,  feeling  uneasy, 
went  down  again,  and  was  just  in  time  to  see  the  boy 
fast  sinking  out  of  sight,  and  was  undoubtedly  sink- 
ing for  the  last  time  when  rescued ; and  when  taken 
to  his  home,  his  mother,  to  show  that  her  word  must 
be  obeyed,  as  he  had  already  been  in  the  river  once 
that  morning,  and  was  promised  a whipping  if  he  ven- 
tured in  again,  kept  her  promise,  though  it  seemed 
quite  hard  on  the  lad  who  had  come  so  near  drowning; 
but  he  never  laid  it  away  in  his  little  heart,  but  loved 
his  mother  all  the  more  for  her  watchful  care  over 
him. 

His  inventive  genius  began  to  develop  at  a very 
early  age,  mending  his  mother’s  dust-pan  with  a piece 
sawed  from  the  handle  of  the  barn  shovel,  for  which 
act  another  punishment  was  his.  He  was  strong, 
robust  and  healthy,  though  tall  and  slim,  and  was 
proof  against  the  usual  epidemics  so  prevalent 
amongst  children,  never  having  them  at  all ; or,  if  at 
all,  in  so  slight  degree  as  never  to  be  noticed.  In 
his  youth  he  was  a good  scholar ; not  studious,  be- 
cause his  mind  readily  retained  the  lessons  set  before 
him,  so  that  he  did  not  require  so  much  study,  but 
was  always  ready  to  do  his  part,  mindful  of  the  dis- 
cipline, assisted  in  this  to  a large  degree,  perhaps,  by 
the  admonition  of  his  father  as  to  what  would  take 
place  at  home  if  he  was  punished  at  school ; for  he 
knew  exactly  what  his  father  meant,  for  with 
“ Squire  Nat”  his  word  was  sufficient,  as  all  knew 
who  knew  him.  His  father  being  extensively  en- 
gaged in  milling  and  lumber  business,  his  sons  were 
not  kept  steadily  at  work,  hut  were  brought  up  under 
as  perfect  an  example  of  honesty,  fidelity  and  justice 
as  was  ever  set  by  a father  to  a family  of  children, 
and  not  the  least  prevarication  or  dishonesty  was  al- 
lowed, and  although  no  ceremonial  forms  of  religion 
were  inculcated,  yet  the  cardinal  virtues  of  Christi- 
anity were  rigidly  adhered  to,  as  in  the  home  of  the 
most  pharisaical,  devout  professor.  From  the  age  of 
three  to  thirteen  the  summer  and  winter  terms  of  the 
district  school  were  attended  by  Walter,  supplemented 
by  several  terms  in  the  High  School  at  Contoocook, 
after  ten  years  of  age. 

The  summer  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age  he 
worked  on  a farm  at  seven  dollars  per  month,  and 
earned  money  enough  to  pay  the  expense  of  a term  at 
Gilmanton  Academy  the  same  fall  of  1848.  Teach- 
ing school  in  winter  after  he  was  sixteen  years  of  age, 
working  at  haying  in  the  summer  and  tending  the 
grist-mill  the  balance  of  the  year,  he  was  enabled  to 
attend  school  one  term  at  Washington  Academy,  in 
1850,  a term  at  Thetford,  Vt.,  in  1852,  and  three  terms 
at  New  London  in  1853  and  1854. 

This  finished  his  schooling,  but  not  his  education. 
He  has  been  a constant  student,  as  his  Cyclopedia, 
Dictionary,  Geography  and  mathematical  books  show 
the  marks  of  every-day  usage.  He  has  a remarkble 
faculty  for  mathematics,  every  rule  and  formula  be- 


ing as  fresh  in  his  mind  as  though  he  had  the  hooks 
before  him ; and  yet,  he  cannot  repeat  a single  rule  of 
arithmetic,  and  never  wishes  a child  of  his  to  learn 
one,  his  policy  being  to  establish  the  principles  of 
analysis,  fixing  in  the  mind  the  proportions  which 
certain  things  bear  to  each  other,  storing  the  mind 
permanently  with  as  many  stubborn  facts  and  figures 
as  can  readily  be  recalled,  as,  for  instance,  the 
weight  of  a cubic  foot  of  water,  the  specific  gravity  of 
the  more  common  metals,  the  pressure  of  the  atmos- 
phere, etc.,  and  let  the  rules  be  manufactured  as  they  j 
are  needed. 

Mr.  Davis  had  excellent  success  as  a teacher,  but 
discontinued  teaching  at  the  age  of  twenty  to  enter  j 
business  for  himself,  forming  a partnership,  in  the  I 
winter  of  1854-55,  with  Samuel  H.  Dow,  under  the 
firm-name  of  Dow  & Davis,  for  the  purpose  of  carry- 
ing on  the  bark,  lumber  and  wood  business,  and 
they  were  in  partnership  ten  years,  their  business 
being  large  and  successful,  with  the  exception  of  1860, 
which  proved  disastrous.  The  general  depression 
in  business,  and  loss  incurred  from  investing  in  alarge 
tannery  in  Lowell,  Mass.,  resulting  in  a law-suit,  in 
which  B.  F.  Butler  and  William  E.  Chandler  were 
counsel,  swept  away  all  the  savings  for  the  five  years 
previous,  leaving  him  penniless,  with  a wife  and  young 
child  to  care  for;  but  without  a murmur,  and  no  one  1 
hut  himself  knowing  the  extent  of  his  loss,  he  kept 
steadily  at  work,  and  when  the  partnership  ended 
had  recovered  what  had  been  lost.  In  1865  he 
formed  a partnership  with  Paine  Davis,  under  the  < 
firm-name  of  W.  S.  Davis  & Co.,  for  the  purpose  of 
carrying  on  the  same  business,  with  farming  added. 

In  1866  the  old  mills  at  Davisville  were  taken  down, 
and  a large  circular  saw  mill  was  erected,  with  ma- 
chines for  sawing  clapboards,  shingles,  laths,  etc.  ] 
This  mill  was  burned  in  1869,  and  a new  one  was  im- 
mediately erected.  This  firm  was  dissolved  in  1872, 
W.  S.  Davis  retaining  the  mills  and  Paine  Davis  the 
farm.  In  1871,  Mr.  Davis  formed  a partnership  with 
George  W.  Dow,  of  Bristol,  under  the  name  of  Dow 
& Davis,  purchased  the  ruins  of  the  burned  paper- 
mill  at  Davisville,  and  erected  a straw-board  mill 
capable  of  making  two  thousand  five  hundred  pounds 
of  board  per  day  in  the  summer-time,  drying  it  in  ! 
the  fields  by  sunshine.  This  business,  so  depend- 
ent upon  the  season  and  the  weather,  and  requir- 
ing so  much  help  at  certain  times  and  so  little  at  ' 
others,  proved  very  unsatisfactory,  and  the  mill  was 
changed  to  a steam-dried  mill.  A Fourdrinier  ma- 
chine and  three  large  driers  were  added  in  the  fall  of 
1872;  the  machine  was  run  through  the  day,  the 
driers  during  the  twenty-four  hours.  This  was  an 
improvement  on  the  air-dried  process,  but  it  was 
slow  and  tedious  work,  only  about  one  ton  being 
manufactured  daily.  In  1873,  Henry  C.  Davis  and  ; 
Leston  Rollins  were  admitted  to  the  firm,  and  improve- 
ments made  in  the  machinery,  by  which  nearly 
double  the  amount  of  board  was  made  daily  than  ; 


HOPKINTON. 


414  c 


formerly.  In  1875,  Mr.  Davis  became  the  owner  of 
the  entire  mill,  and  formed  a partnership  with  his 
brother,  Henry  C.  Davis,  under  the  name  of  Davis 
Brothers. 

The  entire  mill  was  rebuilt,  making  of  it  a first- 
class  mill,  capable  of  making  six  tons  of  lined  straw- 
board  per  day.  The  rebuilding  was  begun  in  1879 
and  completed  in  1883,  though  the  mill  was  kept 
running  the  larger  partof  these  years,  and  so  perfectly 
has  it  been  changed  that  scarcely  a vestige  of  the  old 
mill  is  to  be  seen  save  the  foundation.  The  power  at 
the  mill  has  been  doubled  by  using  the  water  at  a 
distance  of  three  hundred  and  fifty  feet  below  the 
mill  and  connecting  it  with  a line  of  shafting.  The 
gate  of  the  water-wheel  is  operated  in  the  mill  by 
wires  as  easily  as  though  it  was  situated  there.  The 
mill  at  the  present  time  is  capable  of  making  six  tons 
of  lined  board  per  day,  consuming  ten  tons  of  straw 
and  employing  fifteen  hands.  The  lumber  business 
carried  on  by  Davis  Brothers  is  quite  large,  having 
sawed  half  a million  feet  this  year  for  their  own 
use  for  boxes,  which  is  a new  enterprise  they  are 
about  engaging  in,  hoping  to  make  employment  for 
a large  number  of  hands  in  the  near  future. 

In  Mr.  Davis  we  find  the  sterling  characteristics  of 
his  ancestors  fully  perpetuated  and  maintained.  He 
has  the  absolute  confidence  of  the  entire  community 
as  a gentleman  in  every  respect,  and  has  not  a known 
enemy  in  the  world,  and  his  business  correspondents 
all  bear  high  testimony  to  his  integrity  as  a business 
man,  and  are  unbounded  in  their  expressions  of 
pleasure  in  associating  with  him  as  a genial,  whole- 
souled,  upright  man.  He  has  unbounded  generosity 
and  kindness  of  heart;  his  patience  is  proverbial; 
no  unkind  word  or  look  ever  escapes  from  him.  No 
matter  how  great  the  provocation,  he  has  a good  word 
for  all ; is  strictly  temperate  in  all  things,  not  a glass 
of  liquor,  ale  or  beer  even,  or  the  use  of  tobacco  in  any 
form  ever  polluting  his  breath.  He  is  a consistent 
member  of  the  Swedenborgian  denomination  of  Chris- 
tians, and  carries  his  religion  into  every  transaction 
of  life. 

Amidst  all  the  cares  and  burdens  of  his  busy  life 
he  has  not  been  allowed  to  sit  idly  by  in  the  field  of 
politics,  but  has  been  sought  out  by  his  fellow-towns- 
men and  friends  for  political  promotion. 

Descended  from  Free-Soil,  Whig,  Republican  stock, 
and  from  one  of  the  most  patriotic  families  iu  New 
Hampshire,  he  has  always  been  a stanch  Republi- 
can from  principle.  Whilst  residing  in  his'native 
town  of  Warner  he  was  often  voted  for  for  prominent 
and  responsible  positions,  and,  although  the  majority 
of  the  opposite  party  was  large,  yet,  because  of  his 
great  popularity,  he  at  one  electiou  came  near  being 
elected  a representative  from  the  town.  He  held 
many  minor  offices, — was  one  of  the  committee  to 
locate  and  build  the  Kearsarge  Mountain  road;  was 
one  of  the  committee  to  locate  the  High  School  build- 
ing, and  was  one  of  the  first  prudential  committees 


in  the  High  School  District,  and  organized  and  started 
the  Symonds  High  School. 

He  was  Worshipful  Master  of  Harris  Lodge,  Free 
and  Accepted  Masons,  in  1882-3 ; E.  King  in  Wood’s 
Chapter,  No.  14,  of  which  he  has  been  a worthy  mem- 
ber for  many  years,  and  is  also  a member  of  Horace 
Chase  Council  at  Concord.  In  all  of  these  Masonic 
bodies  Mr.  Davis  is  held  in  the  highest  esteem  for 
his  exemplary  life  and  his  daily  practice  of  the  great 
tenets  of  Masonry.  Mr.  Davis  took  up  his  residence 
in  Contoocook  in  1874,  and  since  his  residence  there 
he  has  been  for  many  years  president  of  Contoocook 
Academy  and  one  of  the  property  trustees;  has  been 
curator  of  the  New  Hampshire  Antiquarian  Society 
and  is  now  its  honored  president ; has  been  the  pre- 
siding officer  in  the  town-meetings  of  Hopkinton 
many  years,  always  being  elected  without  opposition, 
and  is  an  admirable  presiding  officer,  prompt  in  his 
decisions  and  rapid  in  the  discharge  of  business.  He 
was  chosen  a representative  from  Hopkinton  iu  1878 
and  took  an  active  part  in  the  Legislature  in  revis- 
ing and  preparing  the  General  Laws ; was  chosen 
county  auditor  and  was  one  of  the  building  com- 
mittee to  rebuild  the  buildings  at  the  County  Farm, 
and  opposed  the  extravagant  plans  for  the  present 
buildings,  because  the  expense  was  unauthorized  by 
the  convention,  but  was  overruled  by  a majority  of 
the  committee. 

In  1884,  Mr.  Davis  was  placed  in  nomination  as  a 
candidate  for  State  Senator  in  the  Merrimack  District, 
and  was  handsomely  elected,  making  a net  Repub- 
lican gain  of  nearly  one  thousand  over  the  vote  of 
1882.  In  the  Senate  he  became  at  once  an  active 
member,  and  took  a prominent  part,  serving  upon 
several  important  committees,  and  was  efficient  in 
procuring  the  passage  of  several  important  measures, 
and  in  defeating  others,  and  was  the  only  Senator 
who  refused  to  vote  for  the  bill  entitled,  “Purity  of 
Elections  Bill.”  He  was  called  to  preside  over  the 
Senate  upon  several  occasions,  and  did  so  with 
marked  ability,  and  won  the  esteem  and  confidence 
of  his  associates  to  a degree  that  will  ever  be  a great 
pleasure  to  him. 

Mr.  Davis  is  a man  of  great  ingenuity  and  mechan- 
ical skill  and  engineering.  His  is  the  mind  that 
made  all  the  plans  and  laid  out  the  work  for  all  the 
mills  at  Davisville  and  for  all  that  have  been  re- 
built there  within  the  last  quarter  of  a century,  and 
has  made  many  valuable  inventions  and  improve- 
ments in  machinery.  He  invented  and  patented  an 
ingenious  and  valuable  gate-arrangement  for  turbine 
water-wheels,  and  is  now  perfecting  a complicated 
machine  for  making  paper  boxes.  He  has  spent 
many  leisure  hours  in  the  past  few  years  inventing  a 
calculating  device  composed  of  adjustable  concentric 
circles,  divided  into  nine  spaces  each,  the  spaces 
being  in  inverse  ratio  to  each  other  as  the  ratios  of 
the  nine  digits,  and  subdivided  decimally. 

The  soapstone  ledge  at  Davisville,  which  was  dis- 


414  d 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


covered  nearly  a century  ago,  but  which  has  lain  dor- 
mant or  only  been  superficially  worked  since,  is  to  be 
scientifically  investigated  with  power,  diamond  drills,  ^ 
and  if  the  stone  is  found  satisfactory,  will  be  worked, 
Mr.  Davis  having  formed  a company  for  that  pur- 
pose. 

Mr.  Davis  is  a fine  type  of  a self-made  man. 
Making  the  most  of  his  privileges  when  a young 
man,  they  have  been  of  great  assistance  in  his  ma- 
turer  years,  and  have  done  much  to  form  and  mould 
his  character.  Keen  of  instinct,  quick  of  observa- 
tion, great  readiness  of  application,  coupled  with 
those  fundamental  principles  so  often  taught  him  by 
faithful  parents,  have  been  the  forces  behind  him, 
assisting  him  to  reach  the  high  vantage  ground  he 
now  occupies,  and  fulfill  all  the  duties  of  life,  as  they 
come  to  him,  with  so  much  exactness  and  fidelity  as  | 
to  win  the  respect  and  esteem  of  all  who  have  to  do  1 
with  him,  and  of  all  who  have  the  pleasure  of  his 
acquaintance. 

Just  in  the  prime  of  his  manhood,  it  is  not  unrea- 
sonable to  hope  there  are  other  and  greater  honors  in 
store  for  him;  for  the  people  are  quick  to  discern  a 
faithful  steward  and  call  him  from  retirement. 

It  is  the  little  things  that  make  up  character, — the 
little  acts  of  kindness  that  none  know  save  the  re-  j 
cipient. 

Forgetfulness  of  self, — even  to  personal  discomfort,  ( 
in  order  to  bring  happiness  to  others, — a wise  gener- 
osity, all  go  to  make  up  a whole-souled,  large-  ! 
hearted  man  : such  a man  as  Mr.  Davis, — for  his 
genial  manner  loved,  for  his  integrity  respected  by 
all  with  whom  he  comes  in  contact. 

He  was  married,  May  3,  1857,  to  MissDollie  Jones,  j 
daughter  of  Daniel  Jones,  Sr.,  who  was  a particular  J 
friend  of,  and  at  one  time  a partner  in  the  lumber 
business  with,  General  Aquila  Davis.  They  have  had 
six  children, — W.  S.  Bertine,  born  March  3,  1860, 
died  May  19,  1860;  Horace  J.,  born  December  11, 
1862  ; Chassie  H.,  born  July  25,  1865,  died  April  25, 
1869;  Nattie  A.,  born  April  23,  1868,  died  May  5, 
1869 ; Mamie  A.,  born  August  26,  1870 ; Charles,  born 
October  14,  and  died  October  17,  1874. 

That  terrible  scourge,  scarlet-fever,  in  its  worst  form, 
invaded  this  happy  family  of  four  healthy  children  and  | 
claimed  them  all  as  its  victims.  Horace  J.  only  was 
rescued,  and  the  effects  of  the  disease  in  him  were 
not  outgrown  at  twenty  years  of  age. 


CURRIER  FAMILY. 

Richard  Currier,  born  in  1617,  was  one  of  the  j 
original  settlers  of  Salisbury,  Mass.,  his  name  appear- 
ing on  a list  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  at  the 
time  of  its  incorporation,  in  1640.  His  wife’s  name 
was  Ann,  and  they  had  at  least  two  children,  born  in 
Amesbury, — Thomas  and  Hannah.  He  died  in  1687.  ! 

Thomas,  who,  later  in  life,  was  called  deacon,  was 
born  in  Amesbury  March  8,  1646,  and  married  Mary, 


daughter  of  William  Osgood,  December  3,  1668.  He 
had  twelve  children, — nine  sons  and  three  daughters, 
— all  of  whom  were  born  in  Amesbury.  He  died  in 
1712. 

Joseph,  son  of  Thomas,  married,  December  9,  1708, 
Sarah  Brown,  and  they  had  nine  children, — four  sons 
and  five  daughters, — all  born  in  Amesbury. 

Nathan,  oldest  son  of  Joseph,  was  born  November 
16,  1710.  and,  April  14,  1736,  married  Mehitable 
Silver.  They  lived  in  Amesbury,  and  to  them  were 
born  five  sons  and  three  daughters. 

John,  the  third  son  of  Nathan,  was  born  May  1, 
1737,  in  Amesbury,  and  married,  February  21,  1761, 
Sarah  Clarke,  who  lived  until  February  12,  1815. 
They  lived  in  Amesbury  for  about  five  years  after 
they  were  married,  and  then  moved  to  Hopkinton, 
N.  H.  Their  means  of  conveyance  was  an  ox-team, 
and  their  first  stopping-place  in  Hopkinton  was  on 
that  portion  of  what  was  then  called  Putney  Hill  now 
occupied  by  George  W.  French.  The  snow  was  so 
deep  that  they  were  obliged  to  make  the  remainder 
of  their  journey  on  snow-shoes,  the  men  going  ahead, 
drawing  their  goods  on  a hand-sled,  while  Mrs. 
Currier  and  the  young  children,  she  carrying  an 
infant  in  her  arms,  followed  in  the  path  made  by  the 
men.  Their  first  shelter  was  a hut  made  of  boughs, 
until  the  men  could  clear  a suitable  spot  for  a house. 
The  men  worked  rapidly,  and  in  building  a house 
they  cut  the  timber  Monday,  drew  the  logs  together 
Tuesday,  laid  them  up  Wednesday  and  moved  in 
Thursday,  thus  constructing  a dwelling-place  and 
moving  into  it  within  four  days.  The  house  stood  on 
the  farm  now  occupied  by  Deacon  John  Currier,  and, 
in  the  midst  of  an  unbroken  forest  of  great  extent, 
constituted  a pleasant  abode  until,  in  course  of  time, 
a larger  and  better  building  could  be  constructed. 
Soon  after  their  settlement  in  Hopkinton  Baptist 
meetings  were  held  by  Rev.  Hezekiah  Smith,  D.D., 
of  Haverhill,  Mass.,  and  in  May,  1771,  the  first 
Baptist  Church  was  organized.  One  of  the  first  acts 
of  the  newly-organized  church  was  to  elect  John 
Currier  deacon,  and  he  held  the  office,  and  was  called 
by  the  title  until  he  died,  December  23,  1894. 

There  were  born  to  Deacon  John  Currier  and  his 
wife  ten  children, — six  boys  and  four  girls.  Of  these 
children,  John,  the  oldest,  married  and  went  to 
Canaan,  N.  H.,  where  he  died  May  10,  1826.  Clark, 
the  next  in  age,  also  married  and  settled  in  Canaan, 
and  died  July  6,  1813.  Seth  went  to  Maine  and  died 
January  1,  1842.  Anna  married  Moses  Flanders 
and  went  to  live  in  Enfield,  N.  H.,  where  she  died 
February  12,  1816.  Hannah  was  unmarried  and  died 
January  20,  1793.  Sarah  married  Charles  Chase,  of 
Hopkinton,  had  three  children, — Carlton,  Cyrus  and 
Sarah, — and  died  July  29,  1834.  Stephen  married 
Lucy  Story  and  had  five  children.  Priscilla,  in  1804, 
married  Abram  Davis,  of  Hopkinton,  and  had  ten 
children.  She  died  December  7,  1854,  having  sur- 
vived her  husband  for  a period  of  ten  years.  James 


HOPKINTON. 


4Ue 


married  Betsey  Gilman,  had  one  child  and  died  April 
19,  1813.  Amos,  the  fifth  child  and  the  first  one  born 
in  Hopkinton,  August  25,  1768,  married  Mary  Sar- 
gent, daughter  of  Deacon  Nathan  Sargent,  and  lived 
in  his  father’s  house  on  the  home  farm.  He  had  five 
children,  — Sarah,  Seth  Franklin,  John,  Charles 
Chase  and  Hannah  Sargent.  He  died  February  10, 
1815,  and  his  mother  two  days  later,  both  of  spotted 
fever.  His  wife  lived  until  November  29,  1846. 

Sarah,  the  oldest  of  these  children,  was  born  August 
2,  1797,  and  married,  February  10,  1817,  Benjamin 
Piper,  who  died  soon  after  their  marriage.  The  fruit 
of  their  union  was  one  child,  Mary,  who  married 
Wyer  Gove  and  had  four  children.  Mrs.  Piper, 
being  left  a widow,  married  Jonathan  Jones,  by 
whom  she  had  four  children,  of  whom  but  one,  John 
F.  Jones,  of  Contoocook,  is  now  living.  Mr.  Jona- 
than Jones  died  February  20,  1877,  aged  eighty-five 
years,  and  Mrs.  Sarah  Jones  died  February  27, 
1885,  aged  eighty-seven  years.  John  F.  Jones  mar- 
ried Maria  H.  Barnard,  of  Haverhill,  Mass.,  October 
23,  1861,  and  they  have  two  sons, — John  Arthur  and 
Charles  Currier, — both  of  whom  live  at  home.  Seth 
Franklin,  born  March  26,  1799,  was  married,  but  had 
no  children  and  died  August  8,  1834.  John  Currier 
was  born  August  12,  1802,  and,  in  1823,  married 
Mary  Morgan,  by  whom  he  had  four  children, — 
Celestia  E.,  Rosetta  C.,  Mary  L.  and  John  F., — all  of 
whom  are  now  living.  Celestia  married  Mr.  R.  T. 
Crowell  and  now  resides  in  Concord ; they  had  one 
child,  not  now  living.  Rosetta  married  Mr.  George 
Brown,  who  died  in  1879,  and  she  had  four  children, 
two  of  whom,  Henry  C-  and  Carrie  M.,  are  now  liv- 
ing. Mary  L.  married  Mr.  William  E.  Greene,  who 
died  in  1866,  and  had  two  children,  both  of  whom 
are'  dead.  She  was  married,  a second  time,  to  Mr. 
Alfred  Poor,  October  3,  1876,  and  now  lives  in  Goffs- 
town  Centre.  John  F.  married  Nellie  H.  Putney, 
and  they  have  four  children, — Mary  M.,  Charles  C., 
John  and  True  P., — all  of  whom  are  living.  They 
reside  in  Hopkinton.  Hannah  S.  Currier,  born 
August  12,  1812,  was  the  youngest  of  Amos  Currier’s 
children,  and  married,  in  1855,  Dr.  J.  G.  Brown,  who 
died  in  the  spring  of  1866.  She  is  now  living,  having 
had  no  children,  and  resides  in  Wakefield,  Mass. 

It  now  remains  to  mention  briefly  the  eventful 
career  of  the  fourth  of  this  family  of  children,  Charles 
Chase  Currier,  who  was  born  February  7,  1805.  His 
father  died  when  he  was  ten  years  old,  and  at  the  age 
of  fifteen  he  went  to  live  with  his  brother-in-law, 
Jonathan  Jones,  where  he  remained  until  he  was 
twenty-one  years  old.  During  this  period  he  lived  on 
the  farm  in  West  Hopkinton  now  owned  by  John  F. 
Jones,  and  enjoyed  the  common  privileges  of  the 
boys  of  his  day, — plenty  of  hard  work  and  a term  of 
district  school  of  six  or  eight  weeks  in  each  year. 

While  thus  employed  he  was  diligent  and  faithful 
in  whatever  he  undertook,  and  appeared  to  enjoy  the 
work  of  the  farm.  But  when  he  became  of  age,  hav- 


ing no  money  with  which  he  could  purchase  a farm, 
and  despairing  of  ever  accumulating  enough  by 
working  out  on  a farm,  he  determined  that  he  would 
start  out  in  the  world  and  see  what  he  could  find 
to  do. 

Accordingly,  in  the  spring  of  1826,  he  left  home 
for  Boston,  and  soon  found  himself  a stranger  in  a 
large  city,  having  no  recommendations  and  looked 
upon  with  indifference  by  all  whom  he  approached. 
Just  as  he  was  realizing  the  difficulties  of  his  position 
he  met  a Hopkinton  friend  who  was  well  acquainted 
in  Boston,  and  who  cheerfully  assisted  him  to  obtain 
a situation.  He  first  began  to  work  for  a Mr.  Hen- 
shaw  in  the  drug  business,  but,  June  25th,  he  left  that 
place  and  engaged  with  Messrs.  Pierce  & Goodnow 
in  a West  India  goods-store,  at  No.  29  South  Market 
Street.  He  received  for  wages  twelve  dollars  per 
month  and  his  board. 

After  he  had  been  at  work  for  two  years,  his  em- 
ployers, who  recognized  his  superior  business  qualifi- 
cations, proposed  to  assist  him  to  set  up  in  business 
for  himself.  Accordingly,  he  went  into  partnership 
with  his  cousin,  Cyrus  Chase,  and  they  opened  a 
store  in  Salem,  Mass. 

Under  date  of  August  27,  1829,  he  writes  from 
Salem  as  follows : “ Colonel  Chase  and  myself  dis- 
solved our  connection  in  business  the  first  of  July, 
and  I have  taken  the  store  and  got  a new  supply  of 
goods  from  Boston,  which  I sell  very  low  and  find 
my  sales  increasing  daily.  My  custom  at  this  season 
of  the  year  is  mostly  in  town  and  the  neighboring 
towns,  and  is  not  so  good  as  in  the  winter.  My  sales 
last  Saturday  (the  best  day  in  the  week)  amounted  to 
forty  dollars  in  cash  and  about  fifty  charged.” 

In  June,  1830,  he  made  a brief  visit  to  friends  in 
Hopkinton,  and,  though  no  one  realized  it  at  the 
time,  looked  upon  the  faces  of  many,  including  his 
mother  and  brother  Seth,  for  the  last  time. 

In  the  autumn  of  1830,  November  18th,  he  writes  : 
“ I have  bought,  in  company  with  Captain  Isaac  B. 
Shepherd,  the  schooner  ‘Rebecca,’  and  we  are  now 
loading  her  for  the  West  India  Islands.  The  ‘ Re- 
becca’ is  a schooner  of  one  hundred  and  two  tons, 
and  will  cost  us,  after  fitting  her  for  Sea,  one  thou- 
sand dollars.  Her  cargo  will  amount  to  about  twenty- 
five  hundred  dollars.  Captain  Shepherd  goes  in  her 
as  master;  he  disposes  of  the  cargo  in  the  West 
Indies  and  buys  her  cargo  home.  We  have  her  in- 
sured in  Boston  to  the  amount  of  three  thousand  five 
hundred  dollars.” 

In  a letter  written  to  his  brother  John,  February 
27,  1831,  he  says  : “Knowing  your  anxiety  about  my 
vessel,  I have  improved  the  first  opportunity  and 
must  give  you  a brief  sketch  of  her  voyage.  She 
arrived  at  Boston  February  22d  ; I went  to  Boston  the 
same  day,  and  in  the  three  following  days  unloaded 
her  and  sold  her  cargo,  which  consisted  of  more  than 
twelve  thousand  gallons  of  molasses.  I then  bought 
my  outward  cargo  and  have  just  got  her  almost 


414  f 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


loaded  for  another  voyage.  All  this  I have  done  in 
four  days,  during  which  time,  you  will  allow,  I must 
have  been  very  busy.  Our  returns  are  molasses  and 
specie ; my  sales  of  molasses  amount  to  over  three 
thousand  dollars,  besides  what  I want  to  retail ; I had 
returned  in  specie  one  thousand  five  hundred  and 
seventy  five-franc  pieces,  amounting,  in  our  money, 
to  one  thousand  four  hundred  and  sixty  dollars, 
which  gives  us  a very  good  profit,  amounting  to 
something  like  one  thousand  dollars  each.” 

In  1832  he  changed  his  place  of  business  and  took 
a store  at  the  wharf,  where  he  continued  to  do  a 
profitable  business  for  several  months;  but,  early  in 
1834,  he  writes  of  misfortunes  in  business;  the  last 
voyages  of  his  vessels  proved  unprofitable,  so  that, 
owing  to  these  losses,  the  scarcity  of  money  and  the 
depression  of  business,  he  was  compelled  to  make  an 
assignment  of  his  property  for  the  benefit  of  his 
creditors.  He  writes  : “ Mother  must  not  be  anxious 
on  my  account,  for  I am  as  happy  as  ever,  and  shall 
have  the  same  courage  to  commence  again  as  if  I had 
met  with  no  misfortunes.” 

In  April,  1834,  he  writes  that  he  never  saw  business 
so  dull;  people  are  failing  every  day,  so  that  he  is  not 
alone  in  his  misfortunes,  and  he  has  no  desire  to 
engage  in  business  immediately ; he  also  refers  to 
offers  to  send  him  as  supercargo,  and  wants  to  know 
what  his  mother  and  other  friends  think  of  his  going 
to  sea  for  a voyage  of  six  months.  He  thus  briefly 
defines  the  duties  of  a supercargo : “ My  duty  would 
be  to  dispose  of  the  outward  cargo  and  purchase  a 
homeward  cargo;  on  the  voyage  I should  have  no- 
thing to  do,  but  could  carry  books  and  amuse  myself 
in  reading.” 

In  May,  1834,  he  sailed  as  supercargo  on  a voyage 
of  seven  months,  and  his  first  letter  on  his  return 
refers  to  his  good  health  during  the  entire  voyage 
and  to  his  grief  at  hearing  of  the  death  of  his  brother 
Seth. 

About  the  middle  of  1835  he  is  fearing  a war  be- 
tween France  and  the  United  States,  and  says  no  in- 
surance on  vessels  can  at  present  be  secured.  He 
writes  a little  later,  that  when  he  goes  to  sea  again 
he  intends  to  be  owner  of  the  ship  and  cargo.  Still 
later  in  the  year,  he  considered  a proposition  from 
Mr.  David  Pingree  to  go  to  the  Bay  of  Bengal  and, 
locating  at  Madras,  to  buy  goods,  consisting  of  goat- 
skins, cow  and  buffalo-hides,  cloths  and  silk  goods, 
different  kinds  of  gums,  etc.,  and  ship  them  to  this 
country.  December  23,  1835,  when  about  to  sail  for 
Calcutta,  he  writes  that  Mr.  Pingree  agrees  to  insure 
his  expenses  from  the  time  of  leaving  until  his  return, 
and  to  give  him  a good  share  of  the  commissions,  and 
adds : “ I shall  carry  with  me,  in  specie  and  bills  on 
.London,  about  fifty  thousand  dollars,  and  he  is  to 
send  me  more.” 

After  a voyage  of  almost  five  months  he  arrived 
safely  in  Calcutta,  and  found  the  city  much  more  im- 
pressive in  its  size  and  splendor  than  he  had  antici- 


pated ; to  him  it  seemed  “ well  worthy  of  the  ancient 
appellation,  the  City  of  Palaces.” 

The  thermometer  ranged  from  eighty  to  eighty-six 
degrees  above  zero,  but  in  an  airy  house  and  with 
plenty  of  servants,  he  managed  to  keep  comfortable, 
never  going  out  except  in  a carriage  or  palanquin. 
He  was  much  interested  in  the  manner  of  living  made 
necessary  by  the  climate,  the  superstition  of  the  native 
servants  and  the  beautiful  country-seats  of  English 
i noblemen.  He  found  several  Americans,  agents  of 
merchants  in  the  United  States,  and  soon  became 
well  acquainted  with  them.  When  he  arrived  there 
were  four  American  vessels  in  the  harbor  which  were 
soon  to  sail  for  the  United  States. 

The  observance  of  the  Sabbath  was  as  strict  as  could 
be  expected  among  such  people,  and  he  was  told  by 
Euglish  gentlemen  that  our  missionaries  stood  in  very 
good  repute  in  India.  He  soon  become  absorbed  in 
business  and  enjoyed  his  new  life,  the  climate  thor- 
oughly agreeing  with  him.  The  expense  of  living  at 
this  time,  including  servants  and  table,  with  house- 
rent,  palanquin,  etc.,  he  estimated  at  not  more  than 
eighty-seven  dollars  per  month.  He  was  much  im- 
pressed by  the  contrast  between  the  condition  of  the 
rich  and  poor,  the  former  princely  in  their  living  and 
the  latter  miserable  in  their  poverty,  with  no  possible 
chance  of  improving  their  condition.  He  described 
a visit  he  made  upon  invitation  of  one  of  the  rich 
natives.  “ It  was,”  he  wrote,  “ a splendid  place  in  all 
respects  ; the  floors  of  his  house  were  all  of  marble, 
and  his  rooms  were  furnished  in  a costly  manner.  He 
had  for  natural  curiosities  four  rhinoceroses,  which 
were  tame  and  feeding  about  his  house,  one  elephant, 
one  ostrich,  one  ourang-outang  and  numerous  other 
small  animals.”  The  wages  of  the  coolies  or  laborers 
who,  in  crowds,  were  to  be  found  in  the  bazaars  beg- 
ging for  work  in  weighing  or  transporting  goods, 
amounted  to  nine  cents  a day.  He  attended  the 
Scotch  Church,  so  called  there,  and  found  all  the 
churches  fitted  up  so  as  to  be  comfortable,  each  one 
having  punkas  in  all  parts  of  the  house.  “ These  are 
machines  fitted  above  the  heads  of  the  congregation, 
throwing  the  air  upon  them,  and  answering  instead 
of  fans.”  October  18,  1836,  he  sailed  from  Calcutta 
to  Madras,  where  he  remained  less  than  six  months, 
the  facilities  for  business  not  suiting  him.  While 
there,  however,  he  made  a visit  which  he  believed 
would  greatly  interest  his  mother.  “Tell  her,”  he 
wrote  to  his  brother,  “ that  there  is  no  doubt  but 
what  I have  stood  upon  the  very  spot  where  Saint 
Thomas  of  old  was  crucified.  It  is  a small  mountain, 
about  ten  miles  from  Madras,  called  Saint  Thomas 
Mount,  said  to  have  derived  its  name  from  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  crucifixion.  The  place  is  made  of 
great  account  by  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  as  a 
place  of  worship,  and  they  have  an  old  cathedral  on 
the  pinnacle  of  the  mount.”  He  described  Madras  as 
“crowded  to  overflowing  with  the  natives ; the  streets 
are  common  thoroughfares  for  loaded  elephants, 


HOPKINTON. 


414  g 


camels  and  the  natives  riding  on  bullocks  and  in 
carriages  drawn  by  bullocks,  all  of  which  presents  a 
very  ludicrous  appearance  to  the  eye  of  one  who  has 
been  in  the  habit  of  viewing  the  clean-swept  and 
open  streets  in  the  cities  of  the  United  States.”  After 
his  return  to  Calcutta  he  availed  himself  of  an  oppor- 
tunity to  visit  the  interior  of  the  country,  and  in 
three  months  traveled  seven  hundred  and  fourteen 
miles  on  the  river  Ganges,  as  far  as  the  celebrated 
city  of  Benares.  In  1839,  in  response  to  an  inquiry 
of  his  sister,  he  gave  the  following  description  of  his 
manner  of  life : “ I am  at  present  living  with  an 
American  from  Philadelphia,  each  paying  one-half  of 
all  the  expenses;  our  house  is  comfortable  and  airy, 
built  of  brick,  two  stories  high,  with  good  verandah, 
one  large  dining-room,  two  large  sleeping-rooms,  one 
sitting-room  and  other  convenient  apartments;  rent, 
eighty  rupees,  or  forty  dollars  per  month.  Our  ser- 
vants consist  of  one  head  man  (native  title,  khan- 
sumer),  who  purchases  all  our  daily  provisions  and 
superintends  all  concerns  about  the  house;  one  cook, 
one  butler,  one  sweeper,  two  boys  to  wait  upon 
the  table,  two  bearers  or  servants  to  do  errands  and 
have  the  charge  of  our  sleeping-rooms  and  wearing 
apparel.  All  our  servants  are  males,  no  females  about 
our  establishment,  and  each  has  his  regular  daily 
work  allotted  him.  We  keep  one  horse  and  chaise, 
and  every  afternoon,  about  sunset,  we  ride  two  or 
three  hours  upon  the  strand,  a fashionable  resort  for 
all  European  ladies  and  gentlemen.  It  is  a beautiful 
road  along  the  bank  of  the  river  Hoogly,  commanding 
a fine  view  of  the  water  on  one  side  and  the  city  on  the 
other.  One  or  two  hundred  carriages  usually  assemble 
here  about  one  hour  before  sunset  and  drive  up  and 
down  along  the  river  until  dark,  this  being  the  most 
pleasant  recreation  we  have  in  this  country.”  In  the 
latter  part  of  1839  he  went  to  Singapore,  and  on  his  re- 
turn stopped  at  the  island  of  Penang,  where  he  made 
arrangements  to  join  the  firm  of  Revely  & Co.  as  soon 
as  he  could  close  up  his  business  at  Calcutta.  The 
contract  was  for  two  years,  with  the  provision  that  if 
either  partner  died,  the  other  was  to  have  full  control  of 
the  business.  He  thus  describes  Pulo  Penang : “ Pen- 
ang is  a delightful  little  island  near  the  coast  of  Malac- 
ca. All  the  level  land  upon  the  island  is  cultivated  by 
Europeans  with  nutmegs.  These  nutmeg  orchards 
are  inclosed  by  a green  hedge,  which  makes  the 
scenery  beautiful,  and  the  high  mountain  in  the 
centre  of  the  island,  with  a road  winding  around  it  to 
the  top  (sufficiently  good  to  enable  a little  Burmese 
pony  to  carry  a man  with  ease),  makes  a fine  retreat 
in  hot  weather.  The  roads  about  the  island  are  very 
good,  and  every  European  keeps  his  carriage  and 
lives  in  the  same  style  as  in  Calcutta.  The  climate 
is  the  most  healthy  of  all  India,  and  much  more  so 
than  that  of  the  United  States.  I am  altogether  much 
pleased  with  the  place.”  He  went  to  Penang  early 
in  February,  1840,  and  his  only  partner,  Mr.  John 
Revely,  with  his  family,  sailed  immediately  for  Eng- 


I 

land  on  board  the  ship  “ Embassador;  ” nothing  was 
ever  afterwards  heard  of  the  vessel  or  any  one  on 
board.  After  a sufficient  time  had  elapsed  Mr. 
Revely’s  will  was  opened  and  his  estate  administered 
upon,  and  from  that  time  the  whole  business,  with  its 
cares  and  profits,  came  into  Mr.  Currier’s  hands. 

During  the  next  few  years  his  life  was  uneventful, 
except  that  his  business  steadily  increased,  so  that  he 
constantly  had  in  his  care  from  three  to  five  English, 
French  or  American  vessels.  His  old  friend,  David 
Pingree,  began  to  send  his  vessels  to  Penang,  and 
that  business  continued  to  increase  until  it  attained 
to  large  proportions. 

Upon  the  increase  of  his  American  shipping  busi- 
ness he  received  the  appointment  of  United  States 
consul  at  Penang,  which  office  he  held  until  his  re- 
turn to  the  United  States. 

In  the  summer  ol  1847  he  received  the  sad  news  of 
his  mother’s  death,  and  wrote  a very  tender  and  ap- 
preciative letter  in  return.  April  8,  1849,  he  writes  a 
bit  of  interesting  news  concerning  himself,  as  follows  : 
“ I have  just  received  a present  from  the  king  of  Den- 
mark of  a very  valuable  gold  snuff-box,  with  the  royal 
cipher  set  in  diamonds.  It  is  the  most  beautiful  thing 
I ever  saw,  and  all  who  have  seen  it  say  the  same.  It 
was  presented  to  me  by  the  king,  through  his  Minister 
of  Commerce,  as  a token  of  His  Majesty’s  approbation 
of  my  conduct  as  agent  for  his  ships  engaged  here  in 
the  establishment  of  a colony  at  the  Nicobar  Islands 
during  the  last  three  years.  The  colony  is  now  given 
up  and  his  ships  called  back  to  Denmark.” 

The  following  is  an  exact  copy  of  the  paper  which 
accompanied  the  gift : 

“Sir:  In  presenting  to  me  a report  respecting  the  settlement  at  the 
Nicobar  Islands,  now  given  up,  and  the  temporary  Danish  naval  station 
at  Penang  connected  with  it,  Captain  Aschlund  has  expressed  himself  in 
the  most  favorable  terms  of  the  zeal  and  disinterestedness  with  which 
you  have  rendered  valuable  services  to  him  in  your  capacity  of  agent  to 
the  ship  under  his  command. 

“Considering  the  claim  which  particular  zeal  in  the  public  service  has 
to  the  attention  of  the  King’s  Government,  I have  most  humbly  sub- 
mitted a proposition  to  His  Majesty,  that  a token  of  His  august  appro- 
bation of  your  conduct  might  be  conferred  upon  you,  and  His  Majesty 
has  been  most  graciously  pleased  to  resolve  that  a gold  snuff-box,  bearing 
the  royal  cipher,  should  be  presented  to  you  as  a mark  of  the  satisfac- 
tion which  your  exertions  in  His  service  have  afforded  Him. 

“ By  remitting  to  you  the  annexed  box,  I am  happy,  Sir,  to  have  an 
opportunity  of  congratulating  you  on  a distinction  so  well  deserved,  and 
expressing  to  you  the  feelings  with  which  I appreciate  the  zeal  evinced 
by  you  in  His  Majesty’s  service. 

“Minister  of  Commerce,  Copenhagen,  the  16th  October,  1848. 

“ Bluhme, 

“SCHNEIDEB  PhBODECK. 

“To  C.  C.  Cckeiee,  Esq1'.,  Consul  of  the  United,  States  at  Penang .” 

The  royal  cipher  is  mounted  upon  an  oval,  elliptical- 
shaped stone,  resembling  an  amethyst,  set  into  the 
gold  cover  of  the  box.  This  stone  is  about  two  and  a 
half  inches  long.  On  the  lower  portion  is  a monogram 
containing  the  letters  F and  R,  with  the  number  VII. 
in  the  lower  part,  and  above  is  a diadem.  The  sur- 
face of  the  gold  cover  around  the  stone  is  studded 
with  fourteen  large  diamonds,  while  in  the  monogram 


414  h 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


and  diadem  are  eightv-six  small  diamonds.  The 
King  of  Denmark,  at  this  time,  was  Frederick  VII. 

For  a period  of  twelve  or  fifteen  years  he  wrote  in 
almost  every  letter  that  in  one  or  two  years,  he  hoped 
to  revisit  the  United  States;  but  his  business  was  so 
large  and  so  exacting  in  all  respects,  that  he  could 
find  no  one,  for  a long  time,  sufficiently  acquainted 
with  the  details,  and  at  the  same  time  possessing  the 
necessary  executive  ability  to  carry  on  the  business  in 
his  absence.  Several  times  he  thought  he  had  found 
the  right  man,  but  in  each  case  some  accident  or  fail- 
ure in  some  important  requirement  prevented  his  con- 
fiding the  important  interests  to  other  hands. 

His  letters  were  always  cheerful,  however,  and  fre- 
quently, indeed,  contained  numerous  pleasantries. 
After  an  absence  of  more  than  twenty  years  he  com- 
pares himself  to  Rip  Van  Winkle,  and  gives  a very 
interesting  description  of  his  personal  appearance. 

His  simplicity  of  character  is  seen  in  his  constant 
references  to  the  surroundings  of  his  early  days,  and 
in  his  deep  interest  concerning  every  member  of  his 
family  and  every  change  in  his  native  town. 

Not  a word  of  impatience,  or  of  unkind  criticism 
concerning  any  one,  is  to  be  found  in  his  letters,  and 
yet,  judging  from  his  oft-repeated  anticipations  of  re- 
visiting his  family  in  his  native  land,  his  disappoint- 
ments must  have  been  many.  His  letters,  also,  are 
distinguished  for  their  reverent  and  tender  spirit,  and 
the  impression  left  by  them,  individually  and  collec- 


tively, is  that  they  were  written  by  a man  of  marked 
nobility  of  character. 

His  anticipation  of  a return  to  the  United  States 
were  not  realized  until  the  summer  of  1859,  when 
after  suffering  several  months  from  asthma,  he  com- 
pleted arrangements  for  embarking  on  board  ship  to 
London  and  thence  to  New  York. 

When  about  to  sail  he  wrote : “ I am  very  anxious 
to  be  with  you  as  soon  as  possible.  As  the  time  of  my 
departure  draws  near,  I feel  that  every  day  I am  de- 
tained here  is  encroaching  on  the  time  I should  spend 
with  you.”  He  arrived  in  New  Yrork  September  27, 

1859,  and  proceeded  as  soon  as  possible  to  Hopkinton, 
where  he  received  a cordial  greeting  on  all  sides.  He 
was  much  amused  on  the  journey  from  Concord  to 
Hopkinton,  by  the  manifest  curiosity  with  which  the 
people  along  the  road  regarded  him.  He  was  obliged 
by  his  business  to  be  in  New  York  much  of  the  time 
during  the  winter,  but  was  anticipating  much  pleasure 
in  traveling  over  the  country  during  the  next  sum- 
mer. 

Early  in  March,  however,  he  was  taken  down  with 
the  measles  in  Hopkinton,  and  after  less  than  a week’s 
illness  died  suddenly  on  the  morning  of  March  13, 

1860. 

During  a very  successful  business  career  of  a quarter 
of  a century,  he  had  accumulated  a large  property 
which  was  equally  divided  among  the  three  surviving 
members  of  his  family,  his  brother  and  two  sisters. 


HISTORY  OF  NEWBURY. 


BY  NATHANIEL  C.  LEAR. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Newbury  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  New  Lon- 
don, east  by  Sutton,  south  by  Bradford  and  west  by 
Goshen  and  Sunapee.  Its  area  is  19,332  acres.  Dis- 
tance from  Concord,  the  county-seat,  thirty-four  miles. 
This  town  was  first  settled  in  1762  by  Zephaniali 
Clark,  in  that  part  of  the  town  now  called  Chandler- 
ville,  Deacon  Joseph  Chandler  being  his  first  neigh- 
bor in  town.  The  township  was  granted  by  the  Ma- 
sonian  proprietors,  February,  1772,  to  John  Fisher,  of 
Portsmouth,  and  called  Dantzick1  until  November  27, 
1778.  The  population  in  1775  was  one  hundred  and 
thirty. 

In  1778,  February  3d,  the  inhabitants  of  Dantzick 
petitioned  the  General  Court  for  an  incorporation  of 
the  town.  The  namesofthe  petitioners  were  as  follows : 
Joseph  Chandler,  Charles  Emerson,  Eliphalet  Chand- 
ler, Zephaniah  Clark,  Ephraim  Bradbury,  William 
Emery,  John  Clark,  James  Muchmore,  William  Em- 
ery, Jr.,  Jonas  Hastings,  Oliver  Emerson,  George 
Hadley,  Paul  Towle,  Samuel  Gunnison,  Nicholas 
Dodge. 

The  act  of  incorporation  was  passed  November  27, 
1778,  and  the  town  took  the  name  of  Fishersfield 
from  John  Fisher,  above  named,  and  was  annexed  to 
Hillsborough  County. 

Zephaniah  Clark  was  the  first  town  recorder,  being 
authorized  by  the  General  Court  to  call  the  first  town- 
meeting,  the  annual  town-meetings  being  held  on  the 
third  Monday  of  March  until  1803,  when  they  were 
changed  to  the  second  Tuesday  of  March. 

CIVIL  HISTORY. 

1778.  —The  first  town-meeting  was  held  in  1778.  Jonas  Hastings  was 
chosen  town  clerk ; Zeph.  Clark  and  Jonas  Hastings,  selectmen. 

1779.  — On  the  third  Monday  in  March,  1779,  Zeph.  Clark,  town  clerk  ; 
Jonas  Hastings,  Zeph.  Clark,  Joseph  Chandler,  selectmen. 

1780. —  John  Russ,  town  clerk  ; John  Lane,  Joseph  Webster,  Cornelius 
Bean,  selectmen.  At  this  meeting  the  town  “ Voted  to  work  at  the  high- 
way for  fifteen  dollars  per  day  each  man.”  At  a subsequent  meeting 
“ Voted  to  recind  the  above  vote,  and  voted  to  work  at  the  highway  for 
fifty  dollars  per  day  each  man.” 

1781.  — Paul  Towle,  town  clerk  ; Timothy  Clement,  William  Gunnison, 
Paul  Towle,  selectmen. 

1782.  — Paul  Towle,  town  clerk  ; John  Harvey,  Joseph  Webster,  William 
Dodge,  selectmen. 

1 Dantzick  is  also  said  to  have  been  the  original  name  of  New  London. 
See  “History  of  Now  London.” 

27 


1783.  — Paul  Towle,  town  clerk  ; Zebulon  Getchel,  John  Cutler,  William 
Dodge,  Paul  Towle,  Joseph  Webster,  selectmen. 

1784.  — David  Webster,  town  clerk  ; Jonas  Hastings,  William  Dodge, 
Joseph  Webster,  selectmen. 

1785.  — William  Dodge,  town  clerk  ; selectmen  not  changed.  William 
Dodge  held  the  office  of  town  clerk  to  1794. 

178G. — William  Dodge,  William  Gunnison,  Thomas  McWilliams,  select- 
men ; Zephaniah  Clark,  representative  ; the  first  6ent  by  this  town. 

1787.  — Jonas  Hastings,  William  Gunnison,  William  Dodge,  select- 
men. 

1788.  — Jonas  Hastings,  William  Dodge,  Paul  Towle,  selectmen. 

1789.  — Samuel  Gunnison,  Joseph  Webster,  David  Webster,  selectmen. 

1790.  — William  Dodge,  Paul  Towle,  Joseph  Webster,  selectmen.  Pop- 
ulation in  this  year  was  three  hundred  and  thirty-one. 

1791.  — Bond  Little,  William  Leach,  Joseph  Chandler,  selectmen. 

1792.  — William  Dodge,  Joseph  Webster,  Paul  Towle,  selectmen. 

1793.  — John  Hogg,  Bond  Little,  Phineas  Batchelder,  selectmen. 

1794.  — Paul  Towle,  town  clerk  (Mr.  Towle  held  this  office  until  1810, 
being  elected  annually) ; Joseph  Webster,  Bond  Little,  Paul  Towle,  select- 
men. This  year  there  were  eighty-seven  persons  paying  a poll  tax  to  the 
town. 

1795.  — Paul  Towle,  Samuel  Gunnison,  Joseph  Webster,  selectmen. 

179G. — Timothy  Morse,  Paul  Towle,  Joseph  Webster,  selectmen. 

1797.  — Samuel  Gunnison,  Timothy  Morse,  Phineas  Batchelder,  select- 
men. 

1798.  — John  Burns,  Paul  Towle,  Joseph  Webster,  selectmen. 

1799.  — Samuel  Gunnison,  John  Burns,  Timothy  Morse,  selectmen  ; 
John  Burns,  representative. 

1800.  — Samuel  Gunnison,  Timothy  Morse,  Paul  Towle,  selectmen.  In 
this  year  seventy  polls  were  taxed. 

1801.  — Paul  Towle,  Samuel  Gunnison,  Jonas  Hastings,  selectmen  ; 
John  Burns,  representative. 

1802.  — Paul  Towle,  William  Gunnison,  Samuel  Gunnison,  selectmen. 

1803.  — Paul  Towle,  William  Gunnison,  John  Baker,  selectmen  ; Samuel 
Gunnison,  representative. 

1804.  — William  Gunnison,  William  Leach,  William  Rowe,  select- 
men. 

1805.  -Paul  Towle,  Samuel  Gunnison,  Timothy  Morse,  selectmen  ; 
Samuel  Gunnison,  representative. 

180G  and  1807. — Paul  Towle,  John  Baker,  John  Morse,  selectmen  ; 
Enoch  Hoyt,  representative  in  1807. 

1808.  — Paul  Towle,  John  Baker,  Daniel  Cheney,  selectmen.  Front 
178G  to  1808  this  town  was  classed  with  Perrystown  (now  Sutton)  and 
Bradford  in  choosing  representatives  to  the  General  Court. 

1809.  — Paul  Towle,  William  Gunnison,  Daniel  Cheney,  selectmen  ; 
Samuel  Gunnison,  representative. 

1810.  — John  Baker,  town  clerk  from  1810  to  1815  ; Samuel  Gunnison, 
Elijah  Peaslee,  James  Gillingham,  selectmen  ; Samuel  Gunnison,  repre- 
sentative. 

1811. — Elijah  Peaslee,  Jacob  Carr,  Daniel  Cheney,  selectmen  ; Samuel 
Gunnison,  representative. 

1812.  — Elijah  Peaslee,  Jacob  Carr,  William  Gunnison,  selectmen  ; 
Jacob  Carr,  representative.  Number  of  polls  taxed,  one  hundred  and  two. 

At  a special  meeting  in  July  the  town  “ Voted  ten  dollars  per  month 
in  addition  to  the  Soldiers’  wages  while  in  actual  service.”  “ Voted  to 
appropriate  eight  dollars  as  a bounty  to  those  who  have  enlisted.”  The 
following  are  the  names  of  a part  of  the  enlisted  men  from  this  town  in 
the  War  of  1812  : Authornial  Cross  (lost  one  arm  at  Plattsburg,  N.  Y., 

415 


416 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Moses  H.  Ring,  Daniel  Morse,  Alpheus  Cross,  Israel  Merrill,  Edmund  P. 
Dodge,  John  Eaton,  Jonathan  Collins,  Samuel  Morgan,  Obadiah  Wells, 
John  Stevens,  Amos  Emery,  Hezekiah  Thissell.  Total  number,  eighteen  ; 
the  names  of  the  others  I am  unable  to  furnish. 

1813.  — John  Baker,  Paul  Towle,  William  Gunnison,  selectmen  ; Samuel 
Gunnison,  representative. 

1814.  — John  Baker,  Daniel  Gillingham,  Jonathan  Perkins,  select- 
men ; no  representative  sent  this  year. 

1815.  — Ebenezer  Chase,  town  clerk  ; Timothy  Morse,  Daniel  Gilling- 
ham, Jonathan  Perkins,  selectmen ; Timothy  Morse,  representative. 

1816.  — The  same  as  in  1815. 

1817. — Simon  Ayer  was  elected  town  clerk  and  held  the  office  for  tweuty 
years,  until  1837  ; Timothy  Morse,  Elijali  Peaslee,  Simon  Ayer,  select- 
men ; T.  Morse,  representative. 

1818.  — Timothy  Morse,  Daniel  Gillingham,  Ebenezer  Chase,  selectmen; 
T.  Morse,  representative. 

1819.  — Daniel  Gillingham,  Jonathan  Perkins,  John  Baker,  selectmen; 
John  Baker,  representative. 

1820.  — Daniel  Gillingham,  Elijah  Peaslee,  Caleb  Twiss,  selectmen  ; 
Timothy  Morse,  representative.  Polls  taxed  this  year  were  one  hundred 
and  twenty-one  ; population  eight  hundred  and  seventy-four. 

1821.  — Daniel  Gillingham,  John  Baker,  James  Gillingham,  selectmen; 
Timothy  Morse,  representative. 

1822.  — Elijah  Peaslee,  Daniel  Morse,  Simon  Ayer,  selectmen  ; Elijah  1 
Peaslee,  representative. 

1823.  — Elijah  Peaslee,  ’Jonathan  1\  Dodge,  John  Stevens,  selectmen; 
Elijah  Peaslee,  representative. 

1824.  — Jonathan  P.  Dodge,  James  Gillingham,  Cyrus  Bailey,  select- 
men ; no  representative. 

1825.  — J.  P.  Dodge,  Cyrus  Bailey,  Daniel  Morse,  selectmen  ; J.  P. 
Dodge,  representative. 

1826.  — Elijah  Peaslee,  Joseph  Marshall,  Simeon  Stevens,  selectmen ; 
Elijah  Peaslee,  representative. 

1827.  — Jonathan  P.  Dodge,  Joseph  Marshall,  Nathan  Baker,  Jr.,  select- 
men ; Jonathan  I*.  Dodge,  representative. 

1828 — John  Baker,  Cyrus  Bailey,  Nathaniel  Chandler,  selectmen  ; 
Israel  Putnam,  representative. 

1829.  — John  Baker,  Cyrus  Bailey,  Joseph  Marshall,  selectmen  ; 
Israel  Putnam,  representative. 

1830.  — Nathan  Baker,  Joseph  Marshall,  MoeesBly,  selectmen  ; Israel 
Putnam,  representative  ; one  hundred  and  fifty-one  polls  taxed.  Popu- 
lation at  this  time  was  seven  hundred  and  ninety-eight. 

1831.  — Nathan  Baker,  Moses  Bly,  Jeremiah  Morse,  selectmen;  Israel 
Putnam,  representative. 

1832.  — Jonathan  P.  Dodge,  Jeremiah  Morse,  Stephen  B.  Peaslee,  select- 
men ; Israel  Putnam,  representative. 

1833.  — Officers  the  same  as  previous  year  except  representative,  who 
was  Jeremiah  Morse. 

1834 — Selectmen  same  as  previous  year  ; Simeon  Stevens,  representative. 

1835.  — Selectmen  the  same  ; Simeon  Stevens,  representative.  The  town 
voted  not  to  be  annexed  to  Sullivan  County. 

1836.  — Jonathan  P.  Dodge,  Moses  Eaton,  Joseph  Farmer,  selectmen  ; 
Jeremiah  Morse,  representative. 

1837.  — Ezra  Cilley,  town  clerk,  and  held  the  office  three  years  ; select- 
men same  as  in  1836  ; Jonathan  P.  Dodge,  representative.  The  town 
<c  Voted  to  petition  the  Legislature  for  a new  name.”  “ Voted  the  name 
be  Madison,”  but  it  was  finally  called  Newbury. 

1838.  — Jonathan  I*.  Dodge,  Joseph  Farmer,  Isaiah  Bailey,  selectmen  ; 
Simeon  Stevens,  representative.  This  year  the  town  “ Voted  to  make 
town  clerk’s  register  of  deeds:  yeas,  one  hundred  and  twenty-one  ; nays 
seven. 

1839.  — Daniel  Morse,  Isaiah  Bailey,  Nathan  Baker,  selectmen  ; Simeon 
Stevens,  representative. 

1840.  — Eli  Dodge  was  elected  town  clerk  ; held  the  office  three  years  ; 
Jonathan  P.  Dodge,  Moses  Bly,  Jesse  Carr,  selectmen  ; Simeon  Stevens, 
representative. 

1841.  — Selectmen  same  as  above  ; Jacob  Gibson,  representative. 

1842.  — Moses  Bly,  Jesse  Carr,  Moody  Gillingham,  selectmen  ; Jacob 
Gibson,  representative. 

1843.  — Lucas  Nelson,  town  clerk  ; Jesse  Carr,  Paul  Sawyer,  Cyrus  B. 
Leach,  selectmen  ; Stephen  B.  Peaslee,  representative. 

1844.  — Lucas  Nelson,  town  clerk  ; Jeremiah  Morse,  Joseph  Farmer, 
Joseph  Morse,  selectmen  ; S.  B.  Peaslee,  representative. 

1845.  — Arnold  Ellis  was  elected  town  clerk,  and  continued  in  that 
office  for  seven  years ; Jeremiah  Morse,  Joseph  Morse,  S.  B.  Peaslee, 
selectmen  ; Jacob  Gibson,  representative. 


1846.  — John  Cutler,  Reuben  G.  Andrew,  Giles  Bartlett,  selectmen  ; 
Jesse  Carr,  representative. 

1847.  — Officers  same  as  previous  year. 

1848.  — John  Cutler,  Eli  Dodge,  Jesse  Carr,  selectmen ; Reuben  G. 
Andrews,  representative. 

1849.  — Jesse  Carr,  Moses  Purington,  Giles  Bartlett,  selectmen  ; Eli 
Dodge,  representative. 

1850. — Moody  Gillingham,  Moses  Purington,  Giles  Bartlett,  selectmen  ; 
Joseph  Morse,  representative.  Population  at  this  time  was  seven  hun- 
dred and  thirty-eight,  and  one  hundred  and  seventy-two  paid  poll- 
tax. 

1851. —  Moody  Gillingham,  Eli  Dodge,  Benjamin  Chandler,  selectmen  ; 
Joseph  Morse,  representative. 

1852.  — John  W.  Morse,  town  clerk  ; Benjamin  Chandler,  Giles  Bartlett, 
Curtis  Messer,  selectmen  ; Jesse  Carr,  representative. 

1853.  — J.  W.  Morse,  town  clerk  ; Curtis  Messer,  JohD  Cutler,  James  M. 
Cilley,  selectmen  ; Moses  Purington,  representative. 

1854.  — J.  W.  Morse,  town  clerk  ; Eli  Dodge,  William  II.  Sawyer,  Os- 
man Bailey,  selectmen  ; Moses  Purington,  representative. 

1855.  — Lyman  Colburn,  town  clerk  ; Osman  Bailey,  William  H.  Saw- 
yer, Nathaniel  C.  Savory,  selectmen  ; Eli  Dodge,  representative. 

1856.  — Lyman  Colburn,  town  clerk  ; Nathaniel  C.  Savory,  Silas  W. 
Dana,  Giles  Bartlett,  selectmen  ; Eli  Dodge,  representative. 

1857.  — Sprague  A.  Morse,  town  clerk  (and  holds  the  office  at  the  pres- 
ent time,  having  been  elected  annually  for  twenty-eight  years)  ; Silas 
W.  Dana,  James  M.  Saw'yer,  Curtis  Messer,  selectmen;  Giles  Bartlett, 
representative. 

1858.  — J.  M Sawyer,  Curtis  Messer,  Joseph  Bean,  selectmen ; Giles 
Bartlett,  representative. 

1859.  — S.  W.  Dana,  N.  C.  Savory,  Giles  Bartlett,  selectmen  ; Benjamin 
Chandler,  representative. 

1860.  — N.  C.  Savory,  S.  W.  Dana,  Giles  Bartlett,  selectmen  ; Benjamin 
Chandler,  representative. 

1861.  — Benjamin  Chandler,  Ezra  Cilley  (second),  Joshua  II.  Blodgett, 
selectmen  ; William  II.  Sawyer,  representative. 

1862.  — Ezra  Cilley  (second),  S.  W.  Dana,  Giles  Bartlett,  selectmen  ; 
William  H.  Sawyer,  representative. 

1863. — Ezra  Cilley  (second),  Giles  Bartlett,  Joshua  II.  Blodgett,  select- 
men ; Silas  W.  Dana,  representative. 

1864.  — Ezra  Cilley  (second),  Joshua  II.  Blodgett,  Harvey  C.  Morse, 
selectmen  ; Silas  W.  Dana,  representative. 

1865.  — Curtis  Messer,  Harvey  C.  Morse,  J.  H.  Blodgett,  selectmen; 
Nathaniel  C.  Savory,  representative. 

1866.  — Silas  W.  Dana,  James  M.  Sawyer,  Frederick  S.  Muzzey,  select- 
men ; N.  C.  Savory,  representative. 

1867  — Ezra  Cilley  (second),  Frederick  S.  Muzzey,  Harvey  C.  Morse, 
selectmen;  Curtis  Messer,  representative. 

1868.  — Ezra  Cilley  (second),  H.  C.  Morse,  Jonathan  Rowe,  selectmen  ; 
Curtis  Messer,  representative. 

1869. — S.  W.  Dana,  Jonathan  Rowe,  Benjamin  R.  Morse,  selectmen  ; 
James  M.  Sawyer,  representative. 

1870.  — Ezra  Cilley  (second),  Giles  Bartlett,  Edmund  P.  Dodge,  select- 
men ; John  K.  Gillingham,  representative.  Population  this  year  was 
six  hundred  and  one. 

1871.  — Ezra  Cilley  (second),  E.  P.  Dodge,  Benjamin  F.  Gillingham, 
selectmen  ; James  M.  Sawyer,  representative. 

1872.  — Curtis  Messer,  Benjamin  F.  Gillingham,  Ezekiel  Barnard, 
selectmen  ; Ezra  Cilley  (second),  representative. 

1873.  — Curtis  Messer,  William  H.  Sawyer,  Carlos  F.  Bartlett,  select- 
men ; Ezra  Cilley  (second),  representative. 

1874.  — Ezra  Cilley  (second),  William  H.  Sawyer,  C.  F.  Bartlett,  select- 
men ; Sprague  A.  Morse,  representative. 

1875.  — Ezra  Cilley  (second),  C.  F.  Bartlett,  B.  R.  Morse,  selectmen  ; 
Sprague  A.  Morse,  representative. 

1876.  — Benjamin  R.  Morse,  Daniel  M.  Perkins,  Thomas  J.  Leach, 
selectmen  : Harvey  C.  Morse,  representative. 

1877.  — All  the  same  officers  as  1876. 

1878.  — Ezra  Cilley  (second),  William  Ayer,  Milton  H.  Clark,  select- 
men : Osman  Bailey,  representative.  In  November  of  this  year  Benja- 
min F.  Gillingham  was  chosen  representative. 

1879.  — Ezra  Cilley  (second),  William  Ayer,  M.  II.  Clark,  selectmen. 

1880.  — Daniel  M.  Perkins,  C.  F.  Bartlett,  Charles  C.  Messer,  selectmen; 
Frederick  S.  Muzzey,  representative.  Population  this  year  was  five  hun- 
dred and  ninety. 

1881.  — Daniel  M.  Perkins,  C.  F.  Bartlett,  Charles  C.  Messer,  select- 
men. 


NEWBURY 


417 


1882. — Jouathan  Rowe,  B.  R.  Morse,  Orin  J.  Blodgett,  selectmen  ; 


b.  Substitutes  were  furnished  for  enrolled  men  as  fol- 


K.  Morse,  representative. 

1883. — Jonathan  Rowe,  0.  J.  Blodgett,  Wesley  E.  Cilley,  selectmen. 

1884. — Same  as  in  1883  ; Daniel  M.  Perkins,  representative. 

1885. — Ezra  Cilley  (second),  Charles  C.  Messer,  George  J.  Messer, 

selectmen. 

War  of  the  Rebellion.— The  town  of  Newbury 
furnished  volunteers  for  the  War  of  the  Rebellion, 
from  1861  to  1865,  as  follows: 

David  Cross,  Fifth  Regiment,  New  Hampshire  Volunteers  ; destiny  un- 
known. 

Horace  Clark,  Company  F,  Eighth  Regiment,  New  Hampshire  Volun- 
teers. 

Francis  Dodge,  Company  F,  Eighth  Regiment,  New  Hampshire  Volun- 
teers ; died  at  Ship  Island,  Louisiana. 

Enoch  C.  Gillingham,  Company  F,  Eighth  Regiment,  New  Hampshire 
Volunteers. 

Ira  Gillingham,  Company  F,  Eighth  Regiment,  New  Hampshire  Volun- 
teers ; died  in  La. 

Elbridge  F.  Smith,  Company  F,  Eighth  Regiment,  New  Hampshire 
Volunteers  ; died  at  Ship  Island,  La. 

George  H.  Dodge,  Company  G,  Ninth  Regiment,  New  Hampshire  Volun- 
teers. 

Albert  B.  Cressey,  Company  G,  Ninth  Regiment,  New  Hampshire  Volun- 
teers; died  in  hospital  at  Pa. 

Wellman  M.  George,  Company  K,  Ninth  Regiment,  New  Hampshire 
Volunteers. 

Elijah  T.  Grace,  Company  H,  Tenth  Regiment,  New  Hampshire  \plun- 
teers. 

John  A.  Eaton,  Company  II,  Tenth  Regiment,  New  Hampshire  Volun- 
teers ; lieutenant. 

Alfred  S.  Eaton,  Co.  II,  Tenth  Regiment,  New  Hampshire  Volunteers. 
David  B.  Fellows,  Company  F,  Eleventh  Regiment,  New  Hampshire 
Voluuteers;  destiny  unknown. 

Captain  Nathaniel  L.  Chandler,  Company  I,  Fourteenth  Regiment,  New 
Hampshire  Volunteers  ; died  at  Bradford,  N.  H.,  in  18G4. 

Simeon  S.  Dodge,  Company  I,  Fourteenth  Regiment ; New  Hampshire 
Volunteers. 

Winthrop  C.  Dudley,  Company  I,  Fourteenth  Regiment,  New  Hampshire 
Volunteers. 

Walter  F.  Coburn,  Company  I,  Fourteenth  Regiment,  New  Hampshire 
Volunteers. 

Jason  A.  Perkins,  Company  I,  Fourteenth  Regiment,  New  Hampshire 
Volunteers. 

Mark  W.  Cheney,  Company  II,  Sixteenth  Regiment,  New  Hampshire 
Volunteers. 

Luke  Cheney,  Company  H,  Sixteenth  Regiment,  New  Hampshire  Volun- 
teers ; died  in  the  army. 

William  N.  Dunfield,  Company  H,  Sixteenth  Regiment,  New  Hampshire 
Volunteers. 

Israel  Adams,  Co.  II,  Sixteenth  Regiment,  New  Hampshire  Volunteers. 

The  following  is  a list  of  volunteers  not  residents 
of  Newbury  to  fill  the  quota  of  Newbury: 

John  Willson,  William  Brown,  Michael  Willson,  William  C.  Leeds, 
Michael  0.  Brine,  William  Crawther,  George  Gray,  William  Magoon, 
Thomas  Green,  James  Emery,  John  Clark,  John  Ralealm,  Calvin  Kent, 
John  Doneley. 

Substitutes  were  furnished  for  conscripts  as  follows  : 


Conscript*.  Substitutes. 


Ezra  Cilley  (second). 

Alfred  Elson. 

Addison  Ayer. 

Andrew  Tucker. 

Page  Blake. 

Hugh  Murphy. 

Benjamin  F.  Peasley. 

James  Carroll. 

Virgil  C.  Brock  way. 

William  Fayau. 

Charles  Davis. 

David  Jackson. 

Austin  Goings. 

William  Smith. 

Joel  Bagley. 

John  Willson. 

Obadiah  C.  Bartlett. 

John  Griffin. 

Albert  S.  Eaton. 

John  Small. 

Frederick  S.  Morse. 

Dennis  Lynch. 

Joshua  II.  Blodgett. 

Lemuel  C.  Twiss,  paid  commutation. 

Richard  Wall. 

lows : 

Enrolled  Men. 
Richard  T.  Muzzey. 
Lorenzo  D.  Muzzey. 
Auren  Peaslee. 
Fredericks.  Muzzey 
Alfred  II.  Nichols. 
Sprague  A.  Morse. 
Joseph  E.  Muzzey. 
George  W.  Blodgett. 
Silas  W.  Dana. 


Substitutes. 
Henry  Thomas. 

John  A.  Brocklebank. 
Charles  F.  Foster. 
John  O.  Day. 

Albert  C.  Brown. 
William  Spencer. 
Thomas  Cummings. 
Henry  Mansargh. 
Michael  Fanagan. 


The  total  number,  including  one  paying  commuta- 
tion during  the  late  war,  from  1861  to  1865,  was  fifty- 
eight. 

Churches. — At  the  present  time  there  is  only  one 
organized  church  in  town  ; that  is  of  the  Free-Will 
Baptist  denomination.  One  Union  Church  edifice  at 
Newbury  and  one  at  South  Newbury. 

Industries. — They  are  mostly  farming.  S.  L.  Lowe 
lias  a mill  for  the  manufacture  of  lumber;  also  the 
Fowler  Brothers  have  a very  fine  mill,  where  they 
manufacture  all  kinds  of  lumber  ; also  clothes-pins, 
pail-handles,  etc.  In  the  year  1883  they  manufactured 
3,640,000  pail-handles ; in  1885  they  make  about 
1,000,000. 

There  are  three  general  country  stores  in  town  and 
three  post-offices  in  town  ; Newbury,  South  Newbury 
audChandlerville  are  the  addresses.  The  first  postmas- 
ter in  town  was  Jolm  Burns ; second,  Samuel  Jones  ; 
third,  John  Straw;  fourth,  John  Kelley  ; fifth, Moses 
Cilley;  sixth,  Eli  Dodge;  seventh,  Esek.  Young; 
eighth,  Mary  Lear;  ninth,  N.  C.  Lear,  who  is  the 
present  incumbent.  In  the  year  1850  the  post-office 
was  established  at  South  Newbury,  with  Josiah  Morse, 
postmaster;  second,  John  Cutler;  third,  Eli  Dodge; 
fourth,  Darius  Kidder  ; fifth,  Jeremiah  Morse  ; sixth, 
Mary  P.  Morse ; seventh,  Wesley  E.  Cilley;  eighth, 
F.  A.  Messer.  In  1871  the  post-office  was  established 
at  Ckandlerville,  with  Benjamin  Chandler  postmaster ; 
Mr.  Chandler  is  the  present  postmaster,  and  is  a 
grandson  of  Deacon  Joseph  Chandler,  who  was  horn 
in  1747  and  settled  in  the  town  in  early  life;  had  a 
family  of  fourteen  children, — seven  sous  and  seven 
daughters, — and  educated  them  in  the  evenings  by  the 
light  of  burning  pitch-pine  knots. 

The  surface  of  this  town  is  generally  hilly,  the  soil 
hard  and  rocky.  Sunapee  Mountain  extends  through 
the  western  part  of  this  town,  the  range  running 
nearly  north  and  south.  Near  the  base  of  the  mountain 
the  land  is  well  adapted  to  grazing.  This  mountain 
is  about  two  thousand  seven  hundred  feet  above  tide- 
water. There  are  no  noticeable  streams  in  this  town, 
but  many  small  ones  that  take  their  rise  on  the  eastern 
slope  of  the  mountain,  forming  at  Bradford  a large 
tributary  of  the  Warner  Branch  of  the  Contoocook 
River. 

Chalk  Pond,  lying  in  the  northeast  part  of  this  town, 
is  about  one  hundred  and  twenty- five  rods  long  and 
fifty  rods  wide.  It  takes  its  name  from  being  under- 
laid with  a very  fine  quality  of  white  chalk.  The 


418 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


waters  from  this  pond  run  intoSunapee  Lake,  thence  to 
the  Connecticut.  Todd  Pond,  in  the  southeast  part 
of  the  town,  is  about  three  hundred  rods  long  and 
ninety  rods  wide.  Gillingham  Pond,  in  the  south  part 
of  the  town,  is  perhaps  seventy-five  rods  long;  and 
last,  but  not  least  in  note,  is  a pond  nearly  on  the  sum- 
mit of  Sunapee  Mountain  that  is  sixty  rods  long  by 
thirty  rods  wide,  with  clear  water  and  no  visible  out-  i 
let  except  in  high  water.  It  is  not  inhabited  by  any 
of  the  finny  tribe,  as  all  our  other  ponds  are. 

Sunapee  Lake. — This  lake  lies  within  the  limits  of 
the  town  to  the  extent  of  five  miles.  Its  water  is  pure 
and  clear,  and  it  is  inhabited  by  land-lock,  salmon, 
trout,  black  bass,  pickerel  and  many  other  kinds  of 
fish,  which  afford  great  pleasure  to  the  tourists  dur- 
ing the  summer  months.  There  are  two  steamboats 
plying  between  Sunapee  and  Newbury, — one  the  “Ed- 
mund Burke,”  is  about  eighty-five  feet  over  all  and 
eighteen  feet  beam,  rated  to  carry  four  hundred  per- 
sons ; the  other,  “ Lady  Woodsum,”  which  is  about 
forty-eight  feet  long  and  carries  about  one  hundred 
persons. 

These  boats  run  regular  trips  between  Newbury  and 
Sunapee  Harbor  and  other  points  around  the  lake, 
connecting  with  trains  at  Newbury  Station  three  times 
a day.  On  leaving  the  station,  the  first  point  or  land- 
ing made  by  the  steamers  is  at  Pine  Cliff,  one  mile 
distant,  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  lake.  This  place  is 
situated  on  a slight  eminence  and  in  a beautiful 
grove,  and  commands  a fine  view  of  the  lake  for  about 
three  miles.  This  is  a place  of  summer  resort,  and 
some  very  fine  residences  have  been  erected  here. 
Among  those  who  occupy  their  cottages  during  the 
warm  season  are  Colonel  John  A.  White,  of  Concord  ; 
Charles  It.  Corning,  Esq.,  of  Concord  ; James  H. 
Chase,  of  Concord;  widow  of  the  late  Nathaniel 
White,  of  Concord ; Mrs.  B.  P.  Cunningham,  of  Bos- 
ton, Mass.;  Hon.  M.  W.  Tappan  and  M.  E.  Gould, 
Esq.,  Bradford. 

The  next  stopping-place  is  called  Rowe’s  Landing, 
two  and  one-half  miles  distant,  where  N.  S.  Brockway, 
of  Bellows  Falls,  Vt.,  occupies  his  cottage  during  his 
vacation.  This  is  a very  desirable  location  for  camp- 
ing-parties, as  it  is  in  close  proximity  to  the  best  fish- 
ing-grounds and  plenty  of  good  spring-water.  The 
next  place  of  note  is  four  and  one-half  miles  to  Blod- 
gett’s Landing.  At  this  place  is  a hotel  with  accommoda- 
tions for  about  one  hundred  persons,  and  in  connection 
is  a large  hall  used  by  dancing-parties  and  for  lectures, 
etc.  It  is  situated  in  a fine  grove  with  an  eleva- 
tion of  fifteen  to  twenty-five  feet  above  the  surface  of 
the  lake.  There  are  at  this  place,  beside  the  buildings 
connected  with  the  hotel,  about  thirty  cottages. 

At  this  place  is  held  the  Sunapee  Lake  Spiritualist 
Camp-Meeting.  The  New  Hampshire  Spiritualist 
Association  held  here  their  eighth  annual  camp- 
meeting, commencing  July  25th  and  ending  Septem- 
ber 5th.  The  meetings  had  a very  large  attendance, 
especially  on  Sundays,  as  excursion  trains  were  run 


from  Concord  and  from  Claremont  occasionally.  The 
steamers  also  made  regular  trips  from  Sunapee  Har- 
bor and  Lake  View  Landing  to  this  place  on  Sundays 
during  camp-meeting.  There  is  a pleasant  grove  ex- 
tending from  the  hotel  to  the  steamboat  wharf,  a dis- 
tance of  about  seven  hundred  feet,  with  plank  walks 
and  fine  drive-ways,  which  makes  the  situation  very 
pleasant. 

The  Masonic  fraternity  hold  their  annual  festivals 
at  this  place,  also  Posts  No.  10  and  58,  G.  A.  R.,  and 
two  or  three  other  Posts  hold  their  annual  reunion 
here,  besides  Odd-Fellows’  picnics  and  reunion  of 
bands,  etc. 

Sunapee  Mountain  House  is  situated  on  the  north- 
ern slope  of  Sunapee  Mountain,  about  two  thousand 
feet  above  sea-level  and  about  six  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  above  the  waters  of  the  Lake  Sunapee.  The  host 
is  Nathan  S.  Johnson,  Esq.,  whose  farm  contains  about 
two  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  excellent  land,  and  is 
one  of  the  best  producing  farms  in  town.  The  sur- 
rounding scenery  is  grand  and  the  view  of  the  lake 
the  best  to  be  had  anywhere,  while  the  near  moun- 
tainj  west,  north  and  east  and  the  cone  of  Mt.  Wash- 
ington are  in  full  view.  At  Newbury  Station,  very 
near  the  steamboat  wharf,  is  the  boarding-house  of 
Albert  A.  Durgin.  This  cottage  is  new,  with  all  the 
modern  improvements  in  style  and  finish,  and  accom- 
modates from  six  to  twelve  boarders. 

Several  of  the  farmers  of  this  town,  especially  in 
the  north  part,  on  the  eastern  shores  of  the  lake,  take 
boarders,  more  or  less,  during  the  summer  months. 
Among  these  are  Jonathan  Rowe,  J.  H.  Farmer,  S.  W. 
Dana,  J.  H.  Blodgett  and  others. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


JAMES  M.  CILLEY. 

Among  the  early  settlers  in  that  portion  of  Hamp- 
ton, now  Seabrook,  N.  H.,  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
seventeenth  century  (1694),  lived  Thomas  Cilley,  the 
emigrant,  who  married  Anne,  daughter  of  John  and 
Mary  (Bradbury)  Stangan.  His  descendants  have 
been  marked  for  their  strong  qualities,  many  having 
distinguished  themselves  in  various  ways.  Among 
these  may  be  mentioned  General  Joseph  Cilley,  of 
Revolutionary  fame;  Bradbury  Cilley,  member  of 
United  States  Congress;  and  Jonathan  Cilley,  also  a 
member  of  Congress,  who,  in  the  early  battles  with 
the  slave  oligarchy,  in  1838,  was  killed  in  the  historic 
duel  with  Graves.  One  of  the  descendants  of  Thomas, 
Benoni,  was  born  in  Seabrook,  and  passed  his  life 
there.  He  also  had  descendants,  one  of  whom,  Ben- 
jamin, was  a native  of  Seabrook,  and  married  Betsey 
Edmunds,  made  his  home,  after  marriage,  in  Weare, 
and  here  his  son,  Benjamin,  Jr.,  was  born.  Benjamin 
Cilley,  Jr.,  married  Polly  Emerson.  She  was  of  good 


NEWBURY. 


419 


stock,  descending  from  the  Emerson  family,  whose 
progenitors  came  from  England  and  settled  in  Amer- 
ica at  an  early  date.  Some  gained  distinction  in  the 
War  of  the  Revolution,  and  the  Emersons  of  every 
generation  have  been  known  to  the  public  as  individ- 
uals of  activity  and  usefulness.  Benjamin  came  to 
Newbury,  N.  H.,  and  became  an  agriculturist.  He 
was  a sturdy,  industrious  man,  of  a healthy  physique, 
and  lived  to  the  advanced  age  of  ninety -two,  and  was 
a fair  type  of  the  good  old  New  England  farmer,  now 
almost  extinct.  The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cilley 
were  Stephen,  Ezra,  Moses,  Benjamin,  James  M.  and 
Sally.  Of  this  family,  only  two  survive;  Ezra  and 
Moses;  they  reside  in  Newbury. 

James  M.  Cilley,  fifth  son  of  Benjamin  and  Polly 
(Emerson)  Cilley,  was  born  in  Newbury,  N.  H.,  Oc-  1 
tober  23,  1808.  As  his  father  was  a farmer,  James  was 
taught  all  the  practical  details  of  farm-life,  and  ren- 
dered his  father  able  assistance  in  his  youth,  and  re- 
mained on  the  homestead,  with  the  exception  of  a 
short  period,  which  time  he  was  engaged  in  teaching- 

He  married,  December  16,  1835,  Sarah  B.,  daughter 
of  Henry  and  Charlotte  (Batchelder)  Richardson,  of 
Corinth,  Yt.  The  Richardson  family  was  among  the 
early  settlers  of  Massachusetts,  and  has  numerous  de- 
scendants in  New  England.  The  name  of  Batchelder 
is  well  known  in  New  Hampshire  as  that  of  a good 
and  honorable  family. 

Mr.  Cilley  always  remained  on  the  homestead,  and, 
after  the  death  of  his  father,  he  continued  to  be  a 
farmer.  His  health  was  not  robust:  nevertheless,  he 
was  a man  of  industry  and  enterprise.  The  stern  vir- 
tues, the  rigid  frugality  and  the  unflagging  industry 
always  insisted  on  in  the  home-life  of  the  plain  farm- 
houses, supplemented  by  the  limited,  but  intensely 
practical,  learning  gained  in  the  district  school,  have 
furnished  many  generations  of  men  of  firm,  clear  and 
vigorous  mind.  These  men  have  been  a permeating 
force  for  good  through  all  classes  of  our  population. 
Mr.  Cilley  was  a good  representative  of  this  class,  a 
man  of  sound  judgment  and  clear  understanding,  and 
he  took  a prominent  part  in  matters  pertaining  to  his 
native  town.  He  held  a commission  of  justice  of 
peace  for  many  years,  besides  serving  as  selectman 
and  in  other  minor  offices;  all  of  the  duties  were  done 
with  the  fidelity  and  faithfulness  which  characterized 
all  his  acts.  He  was  a zealous  and  efficient  member 
of  the  Free-Will  Baptist  Church,  and  was  its  clerk  for 
over  forty  years.  He  was  a Republican  in  politics. 

True  to  his  ancestral  instincts,  the  military  also  had 
a charm  for  Mr.  Cilley,  and  he  became  commander  of 
the  organization  known  as  the  Newbury  Rifle  Corps 
in  the  old  militia  days,  thus  obtaining  the  title  of 
“Captain.” 

In  the  discharge  of  all  the  relative  duties  of  life 
he  was  governed  by  a fixed  determination  to  do  what 
his  conscience  should  dictate  to  be  right.  He  died  in 
Manchester,  N.  H.,  August  14,  1882,  in  the  seventy- 
fourth  year  of  his  age.  Mrs.  Cilley  survives  him, 


keeps  her  residence  on  the  farm  where  they  lived  so 
pleasantly  for  so  many  years,  and  contributes  this 
tribute  to  her  husband’s  memory. 


MOODY  GILLIXGHAM. 

The  first  ancestor  of  the  American  branch  of  the 
Gillingham  family  was  James,  who  emigrated  to 
Salem,  Mass.,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  and  May  22,  1692,  he  married  Rebecca, 
daughter  of  John  Bly,  of  Salem.  They  had  a large 
family  of  children, — Rebecca,  born  February  10, 1693; 
Hannah,  born  July  22,  1694;  James,  born  February 
2,  1696;  Benjamin,  born  September  7,  1697;  Martha, 
born  January  13,  1699;  Deborah,  born  July  28,  1700; 
John,  born  January  19,  1704;  Mary,  born  August  31, 
1705;  William,  born  December  26,  1706;  Jonathan, 
born  October  9,  1709;  and  David,  born  December  7, 
1711. 

James,  son  of  James  and  Rebecca  (Bly)  Gillingham, 
came  to  Newbury,  N.  H.,  where  he  settled,  and  had 
several  children.  His  oldest  son,  James,  was  twice 
married, — first,  to  Polly  Little,  of  Sutton,  who  had 
three  children,  James,  Daniel  and  Ruth;  second, 
Betsey  Lane,  of  Newbury.  They  had  fourteen  child- 
ren, namely, — John,  Huldali,  Joseph  L.,  Sally,  Madi- 
son, Moody,  Sally,  Ruth,  Soranus,  Triphena  C., 
Triphosa  J.,  Alzina  E.,  Oliver  P.  and  Bainbridge. 

Moody  Gillingham,  son  of  James  and  Betsey  (Lane) 
Gillingham,  was  born  in  Newbury,  January  21,  1811, 
on  the  old  homestead.  Being  one  of  a large  family 
of  children,  he  was  early  accustomed  to  labor,  and  for 
the  first  twenty-five  years  of  his  life  he  was  engaged 
in  the  quiet  domestic  scenes  of  agriculture  on  his 
father’s  farm.  About  this  time  he  married  Julia, 
daughter  of  Jeremiah  and  Marion  (Peaslee)  Twiss, 
of  Newbury.  She  was  born  October  4,  1815,  and 
died  June  11,1869.  The  children  of  Moody  and  Julia 
(Twiss)  Gillingham  were, — Charles  H.,  born  March 
7,  1843;  Albert  L.,  born  September  14,  1846;  Free- 
man H.,  born  July  26,  1850;  Clara  I.,  born  March  14, 
1853.  Charles  H.,  married  Elinda,  daughter  of  John 
and  Mary  (Marriott)  Maud,  a native  of  England. 
They  have  had  five  children, — Maud  C.,  Annie  E., 
Mary  A.,  Moody  and  Ralph  B.  Albert  L.,  married, 
September  29,  1876,  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Robert 
Robertson  ; they  have  one  child,  Lena  M.  Freeman 
H.,  married,  October  29,  1877,  Annie,  daughter  of 
Cumming  and  Caroline  (Dowlin)  Peirce,  (the  Peirce 
family  is  of  English  descent,  and  many  of  its  members 
have  attained  honorable  distinction ; Mr.  Peirce,  al- 
though eighty-four  years  old,  is  yet  an  active  man). 
Clara  I.,  married,  February  4,  1883,  Jesse  P.,  son  of 
Prescott  and  Helen  M.  (Hanks)  Colby. 

After  Mr.  Gillingham’s  marriage  he  left  Newbury, 
and  went  to  Warrensburg,  N.  Y.,  where  he  purchased 
a farm  and  remained  for  two  years,  devoting  himself 
to  its  cultivation,  when,  the  death  of  his  father  occur- 
ring, he  returned  to  Newbury,  and  was  a resident  of 


420 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


the  town  until  his  death,  October  16,  1882,  in  the 
seventy-second  year  of  his  age. 

Mr.  Gillingham’s  political  views  were  those  of  the 
Republican  party,  but  he  was  so  universally  esteemed 
by  his  townsmen  that,  although  the  town  was  largely 
Democratic,  he  was  elected  selectman,  and  held  the 
office  for  three  years.  He  was  strong,  mentally  and 
physically,  took  a deep  and  intelligent  interest  in 
public  affairs,  and  exerted  a great  influence  for  good 
in  the  community,  and  his  word  and  counsels  were 
listened  to  with  respect.  He  was  a man  of  keen  and 
quick  intellect,  of  great  ability  in  argument,  in  which 
he  was  rarely  worsted. 

He  was  broad  and  liberal  in  all  his  views,  and,  al- 
though not  a member  of  any  religious  denomination, 
was  favorably  inclined  toward  the  Universalist  faith. 
From  his  ancestors,  among  whom  were  many  good, 
men  and  true,  there  descended  to  him  many  of  the 
qualities  that  go  to  make  up  the  sum  of  good  citizen- 
ship and  true  manhood. 


JOSEPH  MORSE. 

The  name  of  Morse  is  one  not  unknown  to  the 
public,  as  many  of  that  family  have  been  prominent 
men  of  their  day,  and  stood  high  in  the  realms  of 
science  and  literature.  Nearly  a century  ago  a little 
band  of  brave-hearted  pioneers  left  their  homes  in 
Newbury,  Mass.,  and  settled  in  Fishersfield,  N.  H., 
now  known  as  Newbury.  This  was  in  February, 
1795,  and  the  coldest  month  usually  of  our  New 
England  winters.  Among  these  first  settlers  were 
the  Rev.  Timothy  and  Sally  (Farmer)  Morse,  a worthy 
couple,  who  have  left  numerous  descendants.  They  j 
had  eight  children,  several  of  them  being  born  in  ] 
Fishersfield, — Susannah  B.,  Moses,  Daniel,  Joseph, 
Timothy,  Stephen,  Sally  (1st)  and  Sally  (2d).  Susan- 
nah married  Moses  Morse,  and  had  eleven  children  ; \ 
Moses  married  Betsey  Cheney,  they  had  six  chil-  ' 
dren  ; Daniel  married  Hannah  Gillingham,  and  was 
a prominent  man  in  Newbury,  and  their  children  were 
Almira,  Huldah,  Sarah  .1.  and  Sprague  A. ; Timothy 
married  Eliza  Adams ; Stephen  married  Lydia  Gil-  j 
lingham,  by  whom  he  had  six  children,  three  of  whom 
survive,  namely,  David  M.,  Charles  M.  and  Sarah  E.  ; 
Sally  (1st)  died  in  infancy;  Sally  (2d)  married  Ste- 
phen Emerson  and  had  several  children. 

Joseph  Morse,  the  third  son  of  Rev.  Timothy  and 
Sally  (Farmer)  Morse,  was  born  in  Fishersfield,  Sep-  j 
tember  11,  1795,  and  died  November  1,  1871,  aged 
seventy-six  years.  His  childhood  and  early  life  were 
passed  in  the  home  of  the  pioneer,  assisting  in  the 
sturdy  labors  of  the  farm,  by  which  he  acquired  j 


a healthy  physique  and  well-developed  muscular 
strength.  He  cleared  the  timber-land,  and  by  hard 
labor  brought  the  rough  soil  into  a good  state  of  culti- 
vation, and  built  a log-house  near  where  the  home- 
stead now  stands,  which  he  erected  many  years  after. 

He  married  Sarah,  daughter  of  William  Sargent,  of 
a reputable  New  England  family.  They  had  six 
children,— Joseph,  Jr.,  Timothy,  Harvey  C.,  Mary  J. 
(died  young),  Seth  A.  and  Laura  L. 

Joseph,  Jr.,  married  Seba  A.  Thissell;  they  had 
two  children — Sarah  C.  and  Mary  J.  Timothy  mar- 
ried, first,  Mary  Bly  and  had  two  children,  one  of 
whom  is  now  living,  John  W. ; second,  Hannah  Peas- 
lee;  they  have  one  daughter,  Etta.  Harvey  C.  mar- 
ried Helen  M.,  daughter  of  Stephen  Emerson;  their 
children  were  Sarah  L.  (deceased),  Frank  P.,  Almira 
J.,  Elmer  E.  (deceased),  Anna  G.,  Page  C.  (deceased). 
Seth  A.  married  Mary  A.  Hoag;  they  have  had  six 
children — viz.,  Sarah  O.,  Marshall  W.,  George  M., 
Laura  V.,  Lilia  B.  and  Forestall.  Laura  L.  married 
Ezra  Cilley  (2d) ; their  children  were  Joseph  E. 
(deceased),  Wesley  E.,  Sarah  C.  B.  (deceased)  and 
Almon  B. 

Mr.  Morse  was  a man  who  was  much  esteemed  by 
his  townsmen.  He  was  selectman,  and  represented 
Newbury  in  the  State  Legislature  two  terms,  and  was 
also  a member  of  the  Constitutional  Convention  in 
1850,  which  was  held  for  the  purpose  of  amending 
the  Constitution  of  the  State. 

Mr.  Morse  was  a man  of  decidedly  positive  charac- 
ter, and  possessed  an  unusual  degree  of  pluck,  per- 
sistency and  push,  and  usually  accomplished  what- 
ever lie  undertook  to  do.  He  was  a fine-looking  man, 
of  large  stature,  weighing  over  two  hundred  pounds, 
and  of  remarkable  strength.  An  old  friend  of  his, 
Jeremiah  Morse,  says:  “No  man  could  hew  as  much 
timber  as  Joseph  Morse.”  He  was  born  at  a period 
in  our  country’s  history  when  the  principal  and  the 
best  thing  to  do  was  to  clear  the  land  and  bring  it  in 
subjection,  and  he  did  a great  work  in  this  way  for 
the  town.  He  cut  a large  amount  of  timber,  and  the 
framework  of  many  of  the  old  houses  was  hewn  by 
him.  But  clearing  and  tilling  of  the  land  and  hew- 
ing of  timber,  while  it  strengthens  and  develops  the 
physical  nature,  tends  in  no  way  to  dwarf  the  mental 
powers.  On  the  contrary,  to  have  strength  to  work 
with  the  brain  without  injury,  we  must  have  a strong, 
healthful  body,  and  many  of  the  successful  sons  of  the 
old  Granite  State  owe  an  imperishable  debt  of  grati- 
tude to  their  pioneer  ancestors  for  the  health  and 
strength  they  have  inherited.  In  his  strong  and  useful 
way  Mr.  Morse  contributed  much  to  the  town  that 
will  last,  and  his  descendants  are  worthily  proud  of 
his  accomplishments. 


HISTORY  OF  NEW  LONDON. 


BY  HON.  J.  EVERETT  SARGENT. 


CHAPTER  I. 

On  the  25tli  of  June,  1779,  the  Great  and  General 
Court  of  the  State  of  New  Hampshire  passed  an  act 
incorporating  the  town  of  New  London  out  of  a tract 
of  land  that  had  previously  been  known  as  “ Alexan- 
dria Addition.”  The  town,  as  at  first  incorporated, 
contained  much  territory  that  does  not  now  belong  to 
it ; and,  also,  it  did  not  contain  considerable  territory 
which  now  constitutes  a part  of  it. 

But  although  the  town  was  not  incorporated  until 
1779,  it  had  been  inhabited  several  years  previous 
to  that,  and  in  giving  a historical  sketch  of  the 
town  it  will  be  not  only  interesting,  but  proper 
and  necessary,  to  go  back  as  far  as  we  can  trace 
any  step  of  the  white  man  ; and  it  would  be  in- 
teresting also,  had  we  the  means  of  doing  so,  to  go 
even  back  of  that,  and  to  describe  what  savage  tribes, 
what  sons  of  the  forest,  what  race  of  the  red  men  for- 
merly frequented  these  hills  and  mountains,  and 
tracked  their  devious  ways  through  the  dense  forests 
that  then  covered  these  hills  and  valleys ; who  hunted 
their  game  in  these  regions  while  the  woods  were  yet 
unbroken  ; and  sailed  upon  our  glassy  lakes  and 
ponds  in  their  bark  canoes,  when  as  yet  their  waters 
had  never  mirrored  forth  the  forms  or  the  features 
of  any  of  the  race  of  pale-faces,  the  descendants  of  the 
English.  But  all  the  facts  in  relation  to  these  times 
have  perished  from  human  memory,  and  all  the  tra- 
ditions in  regard  to  former  races  of  men  who  may 
have  once,  in  the  ages  of  the  past,  inhabited  these  re- 
gions, are  forgotten  and  have  passed  away  forever; 
and  we  can  only  draw  upon  our  imaginations  to  pic- 
ture the  races  of  men,  the  modes  of  living,  the  habits, 
pursuits  and  characteristics  of  the  people  who  may, 
at  some  distant  day  in  the  far  past,  have  lived  and 
labored,  loved  and  hated,  enjoyed  and  suffered,  in 
these  places  which  we  now  occupy. 

Indian  settlements  in  this  town  were  far  back  be- 
fore any  white  man  had  knowledge  of  these  localities. 
The  Indian  wars  were  over  and  the  few  scattering 
remnants  of  the  race  that  remained  had  retired  from 
the  unequal  contest,  had  ceased  their  depredations 
and  left  the  State  (except  perhaps  in  the  extreme 
northerly  portion)  before  this  town  was  settled,  and 
we  look  almost  in  vain  for  any  trace  of  them  in  this 


region.  The  only  name  I found  anywhere  in  the 
neighborhood  that  indicates  that  the  Indians  ever 
dwelt  here  is  the  name  of  “ Sunapee  ” Lake.  That 
name  is  unmistakably  Indian.  It  means  in  plain 
English  “Goose,”  and  Sunapee  Pond  meant  simply 
Goose  Pond.  The  theory  is  that  at  some  time  in  the 
past  this  lake  was  found  to  be  a favorite  resting-place 
for  the  Canadian  wild  geese,  as  they  migrated  from 
the  regions  of  Hudson  Bay  southward  at  the  approach 
of  winter,  Hying,  as  they  always  do,  at  a great  height, 
and,  like  a well-trained  military  company,  following 
their  leader  in  such  a way  as  to  describe  the  sides  of 
a triangle  with  the  angle  in  front,  or,  as  our  farmers 
would  familiarly  express  it,  in  the  shape  of  a harrow. 

The  size  of  the  lake  would  cause  it  to  be  seen  from 
a great  distance  on  either  side,  and  thus  it  would  be 
sure  to  be  sought  as  a place  of  rest  and  refreshment 
for  a time  by  the  wild  geese,  as  they  went  southward 
in  the  autumn  and  northward  in  the  spring,  and  we 
infer  that  the  Indians  were  familiar  with  this  fact, 
and  hence  the  name  “ Sunapee,”- — Goose  Pond. 

Doubtless  the  Indians  were  also  familiar  with  the 
Little  Sunapee  Pond,  in  the  northwesterly  part  of  the 
town,  and  Messer’s  and  Clark’s  or  Harvey’s  Ponds,  in 
the  southerly  part,  and  crossed  the  height  of  land 
and  descended  to  Pleasant  Pond,  in  the  northeasterly 
part  of  the  town.  But,  however  that  may  be,  one 
fact  remains,  which  is  that  New  London  is  the  high- 
est land,  or  furnishes  the  dividing  line  between  the 
Connecticut  and  the  Merrimack  Rivers,  and  it  is  said 
there  are  buildings  in  town  from  the  roofs  of  which 
the  water  descends  from  one  side  to  the  Merrimack 
and  from  the  other  side  to  the  Connecticut  River. 

I find  this  account  of  traces  of  the  Indians  in  Sut- 
ton, near  Kezar’s  Pond,  in  the  northerly  part  of  the 
town  and  not  far  from  the  line  of  New  London. 
Sutton  was  then  known  as  Perrystown  and  was  settled 
first  in  1767,  some  eight  years  before  this  town  was 
settled,  and  it  was  stated  of  the  early  settlers  there, 
that  though  no  Indian  was  seen  by  them,  yet  it 
seemed  as  though  he  had  just  put  out  his  fire  and 
gone  away  as  the  white  man  came.  His  track  was 
still  plain  and  visible.  On  the  west  bank  of  Kezar’s 
Pond  were  several  acres  of  land  which  appeared  to 
have  been  cleared  by  them  of  their  original  forests. 
Here  were  found  several  Indian  hearths  built  with 

421 


422 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


stone,  with  much  skill  and  ingenuity.  Here  was 
found  an  Indian  burying-place.  Gun-barrels  and 
arrows  have  also  been  found  here,  and  near  the  pond 
were  found  stone  mortar-pestles  and  tomahawks. 

It  is  certain  that  these  regions  were  once,  and 
that  not  long  before  the  advent  of  the  pale-faces, 
inhabited  by  the  red  man  ; he  hunted  his  game 
over  these  hills  and  encamped  and  lived  on  the 
banks  of  our  Great  Lake — Sunapee — and  of  our 
smaller  ponds,  nestling  as  they  do  in  beauty  among 
our  hills.  Large  numbers  of  Indian  utensils  and 
arms  have  been  found  by  Mr.  James  M.  Pike  and 
Mr.  Amos  Currier  in  the  west  part  of  the  town  near 
Sunapee  Lake,  leading  us  to  believe  that  the  Indians 
had  a settlement  on  the  border  of  the  lake  in  that 
neighborhood,  and  that  they  had  a track  or  path 
from  such  settlement  down  by  Harvey’s  Pond  to 
North  Sutton,  to  lvezar’s  Pond.  They  also  visited 
Little  Sunapee  Pond  and  had  a settlement  in  the 
summer  season  on  its  easterly  shore,  and  had  a track 
or  path  from  thence  easterly  over  the  height  of  land 
to  the  upper  end  of  Pleasant  Pond,  where  they  also 
had  another  settlement,  and  where  they  had  cleared 
up  the  forests  on  the  intervale;  and  this  clearing 
was  the  first  place  occupied  by  the  white  man  in 
that  part  of  the  town.  They  were  in  the  habit  of 
hunting  in  summer  all  over  our  hills,  and  their 
arrow-heads  of  stone  have  been  found  by  General 
McCutchins,  by  Mr.  Nathan  Pingree,  Mr.  Ransom 
Sargent  and  others,  and  a few  years  since  Mr.  Asa 
Ray  plowed  up  an  Indian  gouge  in  the  path  leading 
from  Little  Sunapee  to  Pleasant  Pond,  which  is  now 
in  possession  of  Mr.  S.  I).  Messer. 

New  London  was  first  settled  in  1775,  some  four 
years  before  it  was  incorporated.  James  Lamb  and 
Nathaniel  Merrill  were  the  first  settlers,  and  they 
were  soon  followed,  in  the  same  season,  by  Eliphalet 
Lyon  and  Ebenezer  Hunting.  The  next  year,  1776, 
the  first  child  was  born  within  the  limits  of  the  town, 
a son  of  James  Lamb,  and  they  called  his  name  John. 
James  Lamb  is  said  to  have  made  the  first  settlement 
on  the  farm  known  as  the  Ezekiel  Knowlton  farm. 
It  is  also  related  that  Moses  Trussell  came  up  from 
Hopkinton  in  1774,  and  camped  in  the  wilderness 
and  felled  several  acres  of  trees  on  the  Morgan  farm, 
so-called,  adjoining  the  Knowlton  farm ; that  he 
burned  off  the  land  and  planted  it  with  corn;  that 
in  the  autumn  he  returned  again  to  harvest  his  crop, 
but  finding  that  he  had  been  anticipated  by  the 
hedge-hogs  and  other  wild  animals,  he  returned  to 
Hopkinton,  and  the  next  spring,  instead  of  coming 
to  New  London,  he  went  to  Bunker  Hill,  where  he 
lost  an  arm  and  did  not  get  back  to  New  London 
until  1804,  just  thirty  years  after  his  first  visit.  Soon 
after  1775  came  also  Mr.  Samuel  Messer,  Benjamin 
Eastman,  Nathaniel  Everett,  Nathaniel  Goodwin, 
Ephraim  Guile  and  John  Austin,  with  Jedediah 
Jewett  and  Thomas  Whittier  and  others,  and  in 
March,  1779,  these  citizens  petitioned  “the  Honor- 


able General  Court  of  the  State  of  New  Hampshire, 
then  sitting  at  Exeter,”  that  they  might  be  incorpo- 
rated into  a town. 

The  following  is  a copy  of  the  petition  : 

“ To  the  Hono11  Council  and  house  of  Representatives  Convened  at  Exe- 
ter the  Secont  Wednesday  of  inarch  Next 


“ The  humble  Portion  of  a number  of  inhabitetants  of  a Tract  of  land 
in  the  State  of  Newhampshire  Known  by  the  name  of  Alaxandria  addi- 
tion or  newlondon  Sitivat  Between  old  Alaxander  and  fishers  field  and 
Parrytown  : humbly  Sheweth  that  your  Portisherners  Labour  under  a 
Grat  Disadvantage  Being  Joyined  to  Old  Alaxander  on  the  accontof  Tax 
Sation  the  Distance  being  Seven  or  Eight  miles  threw  the  Woods  whare 
there  is  no  Road,  nor  Cannot  be  aney  Easley  had  the  Ground  Being  so 
Ruff'  and  mountanies,  and  your  Portisherners  being  Wholy  Deprived  of 
anney  Privilege  of  assessing  ower  Selves  as  Selectmen  Can  be  Expected 
in  the  Sitcvation  we  are  in  at  Present  among  us  Tharefore  your  Portish- 
erners Prayer  is  that  we  may  be  incorporated  into  a Town  and  have  the 
Same  Privileges  that  other  Towns  in  this  State  have  your  Portisherners 
ar  willing  Cheerefully  to  Pay  ower  EquillPorportion  of  Taxes  with  aney 
other  Town  in  this  State  Provided  we  are  in  Capasety  to  assess  ower 
Selves  and  like  wise  your  Portisherners  at  Present  Laboure  under  Grat 
Disadvantages  Concurning  Clearing  and  Repairing  highways  among  us, 
as  your  Portisherner  in  Duty  Bound  Doth  Ever  Pray — 

“January  ye  22  : 1779 — 


“ Samuel  Messer 
Nathan  Goodwin 
Noah  Kidder 
James  Lam 
Ebnr  Huntting 
Benja  Eastman 


Ephraim  Gile 
Jedidiah  Jewett 
Israel  Huntting 
Jacob  Hadley 
Nathaniel  Stevins. 


The  act  of  incorporation  was  as  follows  : 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  seventy- 
nine. 

“State  of  New  Hampshire. 


“An  act  to  incorporate  a place  called  Addition  of  Alexandria,  in  the 
county  of  Hillsborough. 

“ Whereat,  a petition  has  been  prefered  to  the  General  Court  in  behalf 
of  the  inhabitants  of  a tract  of  land  called  Addition  of  Alexandria,  in 
the  county  of  Hillsborough,  setting  forth  that  they  labor  under  great  in- 
conveniences for  want  of  incorporation,  and  praying  that  they  may  be 
incorporated,  of  which  public  notice  has  been  given  and  no  objection  has 
been  given. 

“ Be  it  therefore  enacted  by  the  Council  and  House  of  Representatives 
in  general  court  assembled,  and  by  authority  of  the  same,  that  there  be 
and  hereby  is  a township  erected  and  incorporated  by  the  name  of  New 
London  within  the  following  bounds,  viz.  : Beginning  at  the  south- 
westerly corner  of  Alexandria,  aforesaid,  on  the  patent  line,  and  running 
on  said  patent  line  to  Fishersfield  Corner  in  Great  Sunapee  Pond  ; from 
thence  east  on  the  northerly  side  line  of  Fishersfield  four  hundred  and 
aeventy-two  rods,  to  Perrystown  Corner;  then  north,  eighty-five  de- 
grees east,  about  four  miles  to  a beech  tree  marked  on  Perrystown  line  ; 
from  thence  north,  thirty-nine  degrees  east,  about  sixteen  hundred  and 
seventy-two  rods  to  a beech  tree  marked  in  Alexandria  Corner ; from 
thence  north,  twelve  degrees  west,  to  the  patent  line  aforementioned  on 
the  westerly  side  of  Alexandria. 

“ And  the  inhabitants  of  said  township  are  hereby  erected  into  a body 
politic  and  corporate,  to  have  continuance  and  succession  forever,  and 
invested  with  all  power,  and  enfranchised  with  all  the  rights,  privileges 
and  immunities,  which  any  town  in  the  state  holds  and  enjoys,  to  hold 
to  the  said  inhabitants  and  their  successors  forever. 

“Mr.  Samuel  Messer  is  hereby  authorized  to  call  a meeting  of  said  in- 
habitants, to  choose  all  necessary  and  customary  town  officers,  giving 
fourteen  days’  notice  of  the  time  and  place  and  design  of  such  meeting 
and  the  officers  then  chosen  shall  hereby  be  invested  with  all  the  power 
of  such  officers  in  any  other  town  in  the  state,  and  every  other  meeting 
which  shall  be  annually  held  in  said  town  for  that  purpose  shall  be  on 
the  second  Tuesday  of  March  forever. 

“State  of  New  Hampshire.  In  the  House  of  Representatives,  June 
24th,  1779.  The  foregoing  bill  having  been  read  a third  time,  ‘ voted 
that  it  pass  to  be  enacted.’ 

“Sent  up  for  concurrence. 

(Signed) 

“John  Langdon,  Speaker. 


NEW  LONDON. 


423 


“In  Council  June  25th,  1779.  This  bill  was  read  a third  time,  and 
‘ voted  that  the  same  be  enacted.’ 

(Signed) 

“ M.  Ware,  President. 

“ Copy  examined  by  E.  Thompson,  Secretary.” 

Mr.  Samuel  Messer  called  a meeting  of  the  free- 
holders and  other  inhabitants  qualified  by  law  to 
vote  in  town  affairs,  on  Tuesday,  the  3d  day  of 
August,  1779,  of  which  he  gave  due  notice,  for  the 
following  purposes,  viz. : 

“ Firstly — To  choose  a Town  Clerk. 

“ Secondly — To  choose  Selectmen. 

“ Th irdltj—  To  choose  a Constable  and  such  other  officers  as  shall  be 
thought  proper  in  town. 

“ Fourthly — To  see  what  method  the  town  will  take  to  have  roads. 

“ Fifthly — To  know  what  sums  of  money  shall  be  granted  to  pay  the 
town  charges  for  the  present  year. 

“ Sixthly — To  see  if  the  town  will  vote  to  hire  preaching. 

“ Seventhly — To  see  if  the  town  will  hire  any  school  for  children.” 

In  compliance  with  said  warrant,  the  inhabitants  of 
New  London  met  at  the  dwelling-house  of  Mr.  Samuel 
Messer,  at  which  time  was  read  the  copy  of  the  act  of 
incorporation  of  this  town,  Mr.  Messer’s  power, 
given  him  by  said  honorable  court,  to  call  said  meet- 
ing, after  which  was  read  the  notification  for  said 
meeting,  of  which  Mr.  Messer  was  considered  as 
moderator,  and  then  proceeded  to  act  on  the  business 
of  the  day. 

Town  officers  chosen  by  written  votes : Ebenezer 
Hunting,  town  clerk;  Mr.  Samuel  Messer,  Mr.  Ben- 
jamin Eastman  and  Mr.  Nathaniel  Everett,  for  select- 
men ; and  Mr.  Nathaniel  Goodwin,  for  a constable ; 
Mr.  Nathaniel  Everett,  for  town  treasurer;  and  Mr. 
Benjamin  Guile  and  Mr.  John  Austin,  for  surveyors. 
All  of  whom  were  duly  sworn. 

“ Voted,  To  choose  a committee  to  lay  out  roads  where,  at  present, 
necessary. 

“ Voted,  That  Mr.  Samuel  Messer,  Mr.  Benjamin  Eastman  and  Mr. 
Nathaniel  Everett  serve  as  a committee  to  lay  out  roads  this  year. 

“ Voted,  That  roads  be  laid  out  three  rods  wide. 

“ Voted , To  purchase  the  land  for  said  roads. 

“ Voted,  That  four  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  be  raised  for  clearing 
roads,  and  that  labor  shall  be  three  pounds  per  day. 

“ Voted,  That  one  hundred  and  eighty  pounds  be  raised  to  pay  town 
charges. 

“ Voted,  Not  to  hire  any  preaching  this  year. 

“ Voted,  To  hire  three  months’  schooling  this  year.” 

The  meeting  dissolved. 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  act  of  incorporation  of 
this  town  was  passed  about  midway  during  the  time 
of  the  Revolutionary  War.  The  first  settlements 
were  made  in  the  year  1775,  the  same  year  that  wit- 
nessed the  commencement  of  the  war  at  Lexington, 
Concord  and  Bunker  Hill.  The  first  child  was  born 
here  in  1776,  the  year  in  which,  upon  the  4th  of  July, 
the  ever-memorable  Declaration  of  American  Inde- 
pendence was  adopted  by  the  Continental  Congress. 
This  year  was  also  noted  for  another  event  which  no 
son  of  New  Hampshire  should  forget, — that  is,  that  on 
the  5th  day  of  January  of  that  year  a temporary 
constitution  was  adopted  by  this  State,  which  was  the 
first  written  Constitution  adopted  by  any  of  the  States 
now  constituting. the  American  Union.  Under  this 


constitution  the  State  was  prosperously  governed  for 
eight  years,  and  until  the  new  Constitution  of  1784 
went  into  effect.  The  form  of  government  was  not 
much  changed  by  the  Constitution  of  1776. 

Before  that  the  government  of  the  State  consisted 
of  a Royal  Governor,  appointed  and  commissioned 
by  the  King  of  England,  with  a Council,  also  ap- 
pointed by  the  King,  and  an  Assembly  elected  by  the 
people  of  the  several  towns  in  the  province.  After 
the  separation  from  the  mother-country  the  State 
elected  their  Council  and  also  their  Assembly  or 
House  of  Representatives,  and  the  Council  elected 
their  presiding  officer,  who  acted  for  the  time  being 
as  Governor ; hence  the  act  of  incorporation  was 
passed  by  the  House  of  Representatives,  then  by  the 
Council,  and  was  signed  by  M.  Ware,  president. 
This  was  the  form  of  government  until  the  new  Con- 
stitution of  1784,  when  we  had  a president  and  an 
advisory  Council,  with  a Senate  and  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives, all  elected  by  the  people.  Meshecli 
Ware  was  president  of  the  Council  for  the  eight  years 
that  the  temporary  constitution  continued,  and  one 
year  under  the  new  Constitution.  It  will  also  be  ob- 
served that  the  town  was  incorporated  some  two 
years,  nearly,  after  the  Articles  of  Confederation  had 
been  adopted  by  the  American  Congress,  that  having 
been  done  November  15,  1777. 

By  examining  the  boundaries  of  the  town  as  incor- 
porated, we  see  that  it  was  of  very  ample  proportions 
as  compared  with  its  present  size.  It  began  at  the 
southwesterly  corner  of  Alexandria,  on  the  patent 
line,  etc.  Alexandria  was  formerly  much  larger  than 
it  now  is ; for,  besides  several  other  pieces  that  have 
been  taken  off’  from  it,  the  whole  township  of  Dan- 
bury was  incorporated  June  18,  1795,  out  of  territory 
that  before  was  the  southwesterly  portion  of  Alex- 
andria, so  that  when  New  London,  in  1779,  began  at 
the  southwest  corner  of  Alexandria  it  would  be  the 
same  now  as  beginning  at  the  southwest  corner  of 
Danbury  on  the  patent  line. 

But  what  was  this  patent  line?  New  Hampshire, 
as  it  seems,  was  granted  by  the  Council  of  Plymouth, 
England,  to  one  John  Mason  in  1629.  This  patent 
included  the  land  “from  the  middle  of  the  Pascataqua 
River,  and  up  the  same  to  the  farthest  head  thereof, 
and  from  thence  northwestward  until  sixty  miles 
from  the  mouth  of  the  harbor  were  finished ; also 
through  Merrimack  River  to  the  farthest  head  thereof, 
and  so  forward  up  into  the  land  westward,  until  sixty 
miles  were  finished;  and  from  thence  to  cross  over- 
land to  the  end  of  the  sixty  miles  accounted  from 
Pascataqua  River,  together  with  all  islands  within 
five  leagues  of  the  coast.”  This  tract  of  land  was 
called  New  Hampshire.  In  1768  the  Masonian  pro- 
prietors procured  one  Robert  Fletcher,  as  a surveyor, 
to  run  out  their  territory,  claiming  that  their  line 
should  be  a curve  line  drawn  from  the  point  on  the 
south  line  of  the  State  sixty  miles  west  from  the  sea- 
coast,  to  a point  on  the  east  line  of  the  State  sixty 


424 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


miles  north  of  the  sea-coast,  in  such  a way  that  it 
should,  at  every  point,  be  sixty  miles  from  the  coast. 
This  claim  of  Mason,  and  after  him  of  the  Masonian 
proprietors,  to  this  curve  line  had  never  been  dis- 
puted by  the  government  of  England,  and  so  Fletcher 
run  the  line  as  requested,  starting  on  the  south,  on 
the  west  of  the  town  of  Fitzwilliam,  and  so  running 
northerly  and  northeasterly  through  Marlow,  Sulli- 
van, Goshen,  and  so  on  what  was  afterwards  the 
northwest  line  of  New  London  and  Wilmot,  and 
thence,  through  Hebron,  Plymouth,  Campton  and 
Sandwich,  to  the  town  of  Conway.  This  was  known 
as  the  westerly  line  of  the  Mason  patent,  and  is  hence 
called  the  patent  line. 

So  New  London,  after  starting  at  the  corner  of 
Alexandria  (now  Danbury),  on  this  patent  line,  was 
to  run  on  this  patent  line  to  Fishersfield  Corner.  Fish- 
ersfield  had  been  incorporated  the  year  before  New  Lon- 
don (November  27, 1778),  and  is  bounded  on  the  north- 
west by  thesame  patent  line.  Its  name  was  changed  to 
Newbury  in  1837.  Then  the  line  of  the  town  runs 
easterly  on  the  north  line  of  Fishersfield  to  the  corner 
of  Perrystown  (now  Sutton),  thence  on  Perrystown 
north  line  a given  number  of  rods  to  a marked  tree, 
and  there  turning  off  and  running  north,  thirty-nine 
degrees  east,  to  Alexandria  corner  (now  Danbury 
south  corner),  and  thence  on  Alexandria  (now  Dan- 
bury) to  the  place  of  beginning. 

This  patent  line  remained  unchanged,  though  un- 
decided, marking  the  claim  of  the  Masonian  proprie- 
tors, until  after  the  termination  of  the  Revolutionary 
War,  in  1783,  when,  various  disputes  arising  relating 
to  the  titles  to  the  land,  several  parties  petitioned  the 
Legislature  to  locate  and  establish  this  line.  Where-  j 
upon,  by  an  act  of  1787,  the  bound  on  the  south  line 
of  the  State  was  fixed  near  the  southwest  corner  of 
Rindge,  and  thence  running  a straight  line  instead  of 
a curved  line  to  the  bound  on  the  easterly  side  of  the 
State.  This  line  run  through  Peterborough,  Frances- 
town,  Hopkinton,  Concord,  Gilmanton,  and  so  across 
the  lake  through  Ossipee,  making  a difference  here  in 
the  centre  of  the  line  of  some  thirty  miles  between 
the  two  lines. 

Having  thus  ascertained  what  was  meant  bv  the 
patent  line,  the  next  question  that  arises  is,  How  came 
the  territory  now  known  as  New  London  to  have  been 
called  “Alexandria  Addition?”  or  the  addition  of 
Alexandria?  It  is  so  called  in  the  petition  of  the  in- 
habitants for  their  act  of  incorporation,  and  is  so  des- 
ignated in  said  act  of  incorporation.  But  why  was  it 
so  called?  I have  looked  in  vain  for  an  answer  to 
that  question  among  all  the  books  of  charters  and 
acts  of  incorporation  and  other  records  in  the  office  of 
the  Secretary  of  State  at  Concord,  where  such  records 
should  be  found.  Upon  going  to  the  records  of  the 
town  of  Alexandria,  we  found  that  the  town  had  been 
granted  by  the  Masonian  proprietors  to  Joseph  But- 
terfield, Jr.,  and  others,  March  13,  1767,  including 
much  of  what  is  now  Alexandria  and  all  of  Danbury.  * 


i 

But  the  conditions  upon  which  this  grant  was  made 
were  not  performed  by  the  grantees,  and  so  the  grant- 
ors, the  Masonian  proprietors,  re-entered  upon  the 
land,  and  thus  became  legally  seized  and  possessed 
again  of  the  lands. 

On  the  7th  day  of  July,  1773,  the  Masonian  pro- 
prietors, at  a meeting  held  at  Portsmouth,  issued  a 
new  grant  of  Alexandria,  including  the  same  land 
which  had  been  included  in  the  former  grant,  to  Jo- 
nas Minot,  Matthew  Thornton  and  others.  This  grant 
was  described  as  bounded  on  the  northwest  by  Mason’s 
patent  line.  The  said  Masonian  proprietors,  at  the 
same  time,  July  7,  1773,  voted  that,  there  be,  and  there 
hereby  is  granted  unto  the  before-named  Jona  Minot, 
and  others,  upon  the  terms,  conditions,  limitations 
and  reservations  hereinafter  mentioned, 

“ Voted  that  there  be,  and  there  hereby  is,  granted  to  the 
before-named  Jona  Minot,  and  others,  upon  the  terms,  condi- 
tions, limitations  and  reservations  hereinafter  mentioned  : A 

certain  tract  of  land  situated  in  the  county  of  Hillsborough  and 
Province  of  New  Hampshire,  bounded  as  follows,  viz.:  beginning  at  the 
southwesterly  [coi  ner  of  Alexandria,  aforesaid,  on  the  patent  line,  and 
running  on  said  patent  line  to  Fishersfield  Corner  in  Great  Sunapee 
Pond;  from  thence  east  on  the  northerly  side  line  of  Fishersfield,  472 
rods,  to  Perrystown  Corner ; thence  north  eighty-five  degrees  east 
about  four  miles,  to  a beech  tree  marked  on  the  Perrystown  line  ; from 
thence  north,  thirty  nine  degrees  east,  about  1C72  rods,  to  a beech  tree 
marked  in  Alexandria  Corner;  from  thence  north,  12  degrees  west,  to  the 
patent  line  aforementioned  on  the  westerly  side  of  said  Alexandria.” 

One  of  the  terms  and  conditions  of  the  grant  was, 
that  “ within  ninety  days  from  this  date  the  lots  of 
said  grantees  shall  be  drawn  or  divided,  and  a sched- 
ule of  the  numbers  returned  to  the  said  grantors  within 
that  time,  with  the  list  of  the  settling  lots  and  the  lots 
thereto  belonging ; and  that  said  grantees,  within  said 
ninety  days,  shall  vote  an  acceptance  of  both  said 
grants,  and  make  a record  of  such  acceptance.” 

There  was  a meeting  of  the  grantees  of  these  lands 
holden  at  Londonderry  September  7,  1773,  at  which 
it  was  voted  “that  the  proprietors  accept  of  the  grant 
agreeably  to  the  condition  of  the  charter  granted  to 
them  by  the  proprietors  of  Mason’s  patent,  bearing 
date  July  7th,  1773,  which  grant  includes  the  town- 
ship called  Alexandria,  in  the  county  of  Grafton,  and 
the  land  called  the  ‘Addition  of  Alexandria,’  lying 
in  the  county  of  Hillsborough,  both  in  the  Province  of 
New  Hampshire.” 

Here  we  have  the  origin  of  the  term  Addition  of 
Alexandria , which  addition  was  bounded  precisely  as 
the  town  of  New  London  was  when  first  incorporated. 
We  also  find  that  all  the  lands  in  the  town  of  New 
London  and  much  of  Wilmot  were  lotted  and  drawn 
to  the  proprietors  while  it  was  thus  known  as  the 
Addition  of  Alexandria,  and  probably  within  the 
ninety  days  after  the  date  of  the  grant,  for  the  records 
of  Alexandria  show  the  drawing  of  these  lots,  and 
among  the  different  lots  drawn  by  one  Robert  McMur- 
phv  was  lot  No.  108,  and  at  the  end  of  his  drawing 
it  says,  “ and  all  the  common  land  adjoining  the  lot 
108,  by  Little  Sunapee  Pond.”  The  records  of  the 
proprietors  of  Alexandria,  to  whom  this  addition  was 


NEW  LONDON. 


425 


also  granted,  have  been  destroyed  by  tire,  from  1779, 
the  year  New  London  was  chartered,  down  to  1793. 
After  this  latter  date  I find  that  the  Addition  is  often 
spoken  of  as  the  Alexandria  Addition,  alias  New 
London,  and  a number  of  meetings  of  these  proprie- 
tors were  held  in  New  London,  after  1793,  at  the 
house  of  Joseph  Colby,  Esq. 

Thus  we  see  that  the  lands  in  New  London  were 
originally,  and  are  still,  held  under  this  grant  of  the 
Masonian  proprietors  to  Jonas  Minot  and  others,  of 
this  territory  as  an  addition  to  the  town  of  Alexan- 
dria, and  all  the  plans  of  the  town  are  based 
upon  that  grant,  and  upon  the  allotments  and 
drawings  or  purchase  of  lots  under  that  title.  But 
these  grants  of  the  territory  gave  only  the  title  to 
the  lands,  and  did  not  give  any  political  or  municipal 
rights,  and  hence,  when  the  inhabitants  desired  to 
act  as  a body  politic,  to  lay  out  highways  and  build 
the  same,  to  elect  town  officers,  to  impose  taxes  for 
town  purposes,  for  schools  or  for  preaching,  they 
needed  an  act  of  incorporation  by  the  State  govern- 
ment, which  was  obtained  in  1779,  as  has  been  seen, 
and  the  town  organized  and  making  progress  under 
the  same. 

I find  a difference  of  opinion  in  regard  to  the  original 
name  of  New  London.  Some  say  its  first  name  was 
Dantzick,  others  that  it  was  first  called  Heidleburg. 
Which  are  right  ? The  earliest  writer  I have  been  able 
to  find  on  that  subject  is  Dr.  Belknap,  the  author  of  the 
early  history  of  New  Hampshire.  In  the  third  volume 
of  his  history  of  this  State  he  gives  us  a table  of  statis- 
tics, in  which,  on  page  235,  he  mentions  Fishersfield 
(now  Newbury),  and  says  of  it  “First  called  Dant- 
zick,” and  on  page  236  he  mentions  New  London, 
and  says  of  it,  “ First  called  Heidleburg.”  He  men- 
tions these  both  as  facts  that  were  to  his  mind  well 
authenticated,  and  concerning  which  there  was  no 
dispute  or  doubt. 

The  “ New  Hampshire  Gazetteer”  of  1823  (Farmer 
& Moore’s)  says  that  Fishersfield  was  first  called 
Dantzick,  according  to  Dr.  Belknap,  and  that  New 
London’s  “first  name  was  Dantzick;  Dr.  Belknap 
says  Heidleburg.”  But  they  give  us  no  reasons  why 
they  differ  in  opinion  from  Dr.  Belknap  in  this  re- 
gard. Dr.  Bouton  follows  Farmer  & Moore  and  says 
that  New  London  was  first  called  Dantzick,  but  says 
nothing  of  Fishersfield.  Fogg,  in  his  “Gazetteer,” 
says  that  Newbury  (formerly  Fishersfield)  was  orig- 
inally called  Dantzick,  and  says  the  same  of  New 
London.  No  one  of  them,  subsequent  to  Dr.  Belk- 
nap, has  given  any  reason  for  differing  from  him,  nor 
do  they  refer  us  to  any  books,  maps  or  records  to 
substantiate  their  claim.  I have  been  able  to  find 
nothing  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  State  bear- 
ing upon  the  question.  In  the  State  Library  are 
many  maps  and  charts,  which  I have  consulted. 
Carrigain’s  Map  of  New  Hampshire,  published  in 
1816,  shows  nothing  on  this  point,  but  it  shows  the 
curve  line  which  was  for  many  years  claimed  as  the 


western  and  northwestern  boundary  of  the  Masonian 
grant.  Neither  does  Dr.  Belknap’s  map,  in  the  first 
volume  of  his  history  show  anything  upon  the  point 
in  controversy,  while  it  does  show  the  straight  line, 
that  was  established  in  1787  by  the  Legislature,  as 
the  northwestern  boundary  of  said  Masonian  grant. 
Holland’s  Map  of  New  Hampshire,  published  in 
London,  Eng.,  in  1784,  from  a survey  made  about 
1775,  gives  us  no  aid  in  this  matter. 

But  I find  a large  Atlas  of  Maps  in  the  State  Li- 
brary, published  in  London,  Eng.,  in  1768,  in  which  is 
a map  of  New  Hampshire,  which  is  said  to  have  been 
made  from  surveys  of  the  State,  made  by  Mitchell 
and  Hazzen  in  1750.  Upon  this  map  we  find  put 
down  Protectworth  (now  Springfield),  Alexandria, 
Hcidelburg,  Dantzick  and  Perrystown  (now  Sutton), 
and  judging  from  that  map,  and  comparing  it  with 
our  modern  maps,  it  would  seem  to  leave  no  doubt 
that  Dr.  Belknap  is  right.  Dantzick,  on  the  map, 
covers  nearly  all  the  territory  now  covered  by  New- 
bury, and  extends  easterly  so  as  to  cover  a consider- 
able part  of  what  is  now  Sutton  ; but  it  does  not  ex- 
tend farther  north  than  the  north  line  of  Newbury 
and  Sutton,  and  Heidleburg  lies  north  of  Dantzick, 
and  covers  very  nearly  the  ground  afterwards  covered 
by  New  London. 

I also  find  another  map  of  New  Hampshire  in  the 
same  atlas,  prepared  by  Colonel  Joseph  Blanch- 
ard and  Rev.  Samuel  Langdon,  at  Portsmouth,  N.  H., 
in  1761,  and  engraved  and  published  in  London  with 
the  rest,  in  which  the  curve  indicating  the  claim  of 
Mason  on  the  west  and  northwest  is  well  marked, 
and  showing  ail  the  towns  in  the  vicinity  within  that 
curve  line,  and  scarcely  anything  outside  of  it,  show- 
ing New  Chester,  Alexandria,  Heidleburg,  Dantzick, 
Perrystown  and  other  towns  around  it  on  the  east 
and  south ; from  all  which  I am  led  to  the  same 
conclusion,  as  to  the  location  of  Heidleburg,  as 
before. 

There  is  one  other  circumstance  which  has  great 
weight  with  me.  My  father  was  born  in  Hopkinton 
in  1768,  and  removed  thence  to  New  London  in  1781, 
when  thirteen  years  old,  and  he  was  eleven  years  old 
when  the  town  was  incorporated  as  New  London. 
He  used  to  tell  me  often  about  his  moving  to  New 
London  with  his  father;  that  his  father  had  been 
talking  of  moving  there  several  years  before  he  did 
go,  and  that  this  tract  of  land  was  known  in  Hopkin- 
ton as  Heidleburg  until  the  time  of  its  incorporation, 
and  that  in  1781,  when  he  moved  there,  the  name  of 
Heidleburg  was  quite  as  frequently  applied  to  it  as 
New  London,  though  both  were  used  indiscriminately 
in  common  conversation ; that  Dantzick  was  the 
name  applied  to  the  region  round  the  south  end  of 
Sunapee  Lake,  while  Heidleburg  was  to  the  northeast 
of  it. 

The  only  trouble  with  these  old  maps  is  that  Suna- 
pee Lake,  being  put  down  without  regard  to  any  ac- 
tual survey,  is  often  represented  on  them  as  extending 


426 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


much  farther  south  than  it  should  be,  as  compared 
with  the  surrounding  territory.  All  the  authorities 
agree  that  Newbury  (formerly  Fishersfield)  was  orig- 
inally called  Dantzick ; and  I think,  upon  investiga- 
tion, it  is  equally  well  settled  that  the  original  name 
of  New  London  was  Heidleburg.  I have  no  parti- 
ality for  one  name  more  than  the  other,  and  have 
only  endeavored  to  get  at  the  truth  in  this  matter. 
I am  inclined  to  think  that  the  first  settlers  were 
wise  in  selecting  the  plain  English  name  of  New 
London  in  preference  to  either  of  them. 


CHAPTER  II. 

NEW  LONDON — (Continued). 

Let  us  now  return  to  the  records  of  the  town  and 
see  what  progress  our  new  municipal  corporation 
has  been  making.  They  held  their  meetings  an- 
nually for  the  choice  of  town  officers,  and  many  spe- 
cial meetings  were  also  liolden  ; one  was  notified  and 
held  February  12, 1781,  “to  see  what  method  the  town 
will  take  to  procure  a man  for  the  Continental  Army,” 
and  it  was  “ Voted,  That  some  man  be  procured  for 
the  Continental  Army,”  also  that  “the  selectmen  be 
a committee  to  hire  a man  for  this  town  to  serve  in 
the  Continental  Army  for  three  years.” 

Also,  at  a meeting  held  September  24, 1781,  “ Voted, 
to  raise  silver  money  to  pay  for  beef  purchased  for 
this  year,  and  to  pay  the  soldier  hired  for  this  year.” 

At  the  annual  town-meeting,  held  in  March,  1782, 
after  choosing  town  officers,  etc.,  they 

“ Voted,  Twenty  hard  dollars  to  be  raised  for  town  charges. 

“ Voted,  To  grant  money  for  school,— twelve  hard  dollars  granted. 

“ Voted,  Seventy-five  dollars  for  highways  ; work  to  be  three  shillings 
per  day. 

“ Voted , To  do  something  towards  the  support  of  Mr.  Ambrose, 
preacher.  Cho9e  a committee  to  inquire  into  his  wants,  and  supply  ac- 
cording to  our  proportion,  and  that  an  average  of  the  same  be  made. 
The  committee  was  Nathaniel  Everett  and  Mr.  Samuel  Messer. 

“ Voted,  To  join  Perrystown  and  Fishersfield,  and  petition  the  General 
Court  that  these  towns  may  be  joined  in  representation.’ * 

We  find  nothing  to  show  that  New  London  was 
ever  classed  with  Perrystown  and  Fishersfield  to  send 
a representative,  hut  it  was  soon  classed  with  Perrys- 
town, which  was  incorporated  as  Sutton  in  the  year 
1784,  April  13th. 

The  town  records  do  not  show  who  was  procured 
as  the  soldier  in  the  Continental  army ; but  I find  in 
the  Adjutant-General’s  office,  among  a mass  of  old 
papers  and  records,  one  with  the  following  heading  : 
“Return  of  Soldiers  mustered  in  the  yea#6  1781 
and  1782,  to  fill  up  the  Continental  Army,  with  the 
towns  and  places  they  engage  for,  and  time  when 
mustered  in,  for  each  of  which  a bounty  of  twenty 
pounds  was  promised  by  the  acts  and  resolves  of  the 
General  Court.” 

Upon  this  paper  the  names  of  the  different  towns 
are  entered,  with  the  names  of  the  soldiers  and  the 


date  of  their  mustering  in.  Under  the  heading  “New 
London”  is  the  name  “Francis  Coums,  1781,  April 
23.”  The  town  is  also  credited  in  another  place  on 
this  paper  with  one  man  for  the  year  1781,  £60; 
one  man  for  the  year  1782,  £60;  one  man  for  the 
year  1783,  £54  12s.  We  find  that  the  army  was  dis- 
banded November  3,  1783,  our  independence  having 
been  secured  by  treaty  before  that  time. 

At  the  annual  town-meeting  in  March,  1783,  held 
at  the  house  of  Lieutenant  Levi  Harvey,  at  the  mills 
in  said  town,  said  Harvey  was  chosen  moderator,  Eben- 
ezer  Hunting,  town  clerk;  Samuel  Brocklebank,  Levi 
Harvey  and  Ebenezer  Hunting,  selectmen;  Peter 
Sargent,  constable;  John  Morgan  and  others,  sur- 
veyors of  highways.  “ Voted,  To  concur  with  the 
Council  and  House  of  Representatives  for  this  State 
that  the  present  government  be  continued  in  full  force 
until  the  10th  day  of  June,  1784,  according  to  their 
resolve  passed  the  27th  of  February,  1783.” 

Our  Constitution  was  adopted  only  to  continue  dur- 
ing the  war  with  England.  The  war  had  virtually 
ceased  in  January,  1783,  but  our  State  recommended 
that  the  government  be  continued  until  the  meeting 
of  the  Legislature  in  1784,  when  the  new  Constitution 
took  effect. 

“ Voted,  To  Mr.  Nathaniel  Everett  one  pound,  five 
shillings  and  six  pence,  it  being  for  expense  in  removing 
Mr.  Ambrose  from  New  Plymouth  to  Perrystown ;”  also> 
“ Voted  that  the  selectmen  give  security  to  Levi  Harvey 
for  the  purchase  of  land  and  defending  of  privileges 
for  a mill,  according  to  former  bond;”  and  also,  that 
“grinding  days  this  year  be  Tuesdays  and  Fridays  of 
each  week.” 

Thus  we  see  that  at  first  the  only  currency  was  the 
depreciated  Continental  money,  a pound  of  which  was 
only  equal  to  a shilling  in  silver,  and  three  of  either 
were  equal  to  a bushel  of  corn  or  a day’s  work. 

Peter  Sargent,  grandfather  of  Judge  Sargent,  who 
was  first  elected  constable  in  1783,  was  born  in  Ames- 
bury,  Mass.,  married  Ruth  Nichols,  of  Amesbury  or 
Newbury,  and  removed  to  Hopkinton,  N.  H.,  before 
1760,  where  he  had  a large  family,  and  then  removed 
to  New  London  with  his  family  in  1781.  Most  of  his 
children  settled  in  New  London. 

We  find  that  the  Rev.  Samuel  Ambrose,  who  had 
been  living  at  Plymouth  (then  called  New  Plymouth), 
had  visited  Perrystown  in  1781,  and  preached  to  them 
a while,  and  that  he  finally  removed  there  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1782,  and  that  he  preached  to  the  people  in 
New  London  a portion  of  the  time,  in  connection  with 
the  people  of  Sutton,  for  several  years,  the  town  con- 
tributing something  annually  towards  his  support, 
until  they  were  able  to  settle  a minister  for  themselves. 
It  appears,  also,  that  Levi  Harvey  had  built  a grist- 
mill at  the  outlet  of  Harvey’s  Pond,  being  the  only 
grist-mill  in  town,  and  that  two  days  in  each  week 
were  assigned  as  grinding  days. 

In  1784,  the  town  “ Voted  to  raise  twenty-five  dollars 
for  Mr.  Ambrose  for  his  services  the  year  past;”  also, 


NEW  LONDON. 


427 


“ to  open  a road  from  Kearsarge  Gore  to  Proctectworth^ 
upon  the  request  of  the  latter  place;”  also,  “Voted  to  lay 
out  one  hundred  days’  work  in  opening  said  road  tliis 
season,”  and  also  to  “raise  ten  gallons  of  rum,  on  the 
town’s  cost,  for  the  opening  of  the  road  before  men- 
tioned.” This  was  the  main  road  from  Sutton  to 
Springfield,  as  it  used  to  come  up  by  Esquire  Jona- 
than Harvey’s,  in  Sutton,  to  the  Daniel  Woodbury 
place,  thence  over  the  hill  where  the  meeting-house 
now  is,  and  by  Little  Sunapee  Pond,  and  thence  over 
Addison  Hill,  as  it  was  termed,  to  Springfield. 

This  year  the  town  first  voted  for  President  of  the 
State,  as  the  Governor  was  called,  under  the  new  Con- 
stitution of  1784,  and  they  all  voted  for  Colonel  Jo- 
siah  Bartlett,  of  Kingston,  for  President,  he  having 
twenty-four  votes;  in  1785,  John  Langdon,  of  Ports- 
mouth, had  twenty -five  votes  for  President. 

In  March,  1786,  the  town 

“ Voted  to  build  a meeting-house  fifty  feet  long,  and  height  and  width 
in  proportion. 

“Voted  to  set  the  meeting-house  not  more  than  40  rods  distant  from 
the  mouth  of  Hutchins’  road,  so  called. 

“ Voted , Samuel  Messer,  Nath’l  Goodwin  and  Samuel  Brocklebank  a 
committee  to  pitch  the  place  to  6et  the  meeting-house,  sell  the  pews,  and 
go  forward  with  the  same  as  far  as  the  money  that  the  pews  are  sold  for 
will  forward  the  building  of  said  meeting-house. 

“ Voted  to  have  a burying-yard  near  where  said  meeting-house  is  to 
stand.” 

This  meeting  was  adjourned  several  times,  and  the 
committee  appointed  had  located  the  house  and  sold 
the  pews  and  provided  that  those  who  bought  them 
might  pay  for  the  same  in  corn  at  four  shillings  and 
rye  at  five  shillings  per  bushel. 

“ Voted  to  raise  twenty  dollars  for  preaching  this  year,  and  that  Levj 
Harvey  see  the  same  expended,  and  that  the  selectmen  should  settle  with 
Mr.  Ambrose  and  pay  any  balance  due  him  for  preaching  out  of  the 
town’s  stock.” 

In  these  votes  of  1786  originated  the  old  meeting- 
house (which  was  located  on  the  ground  which  now 
constitutes  the  southerly  part  of  the  cemetery)  and 
also  the  burying-ground  which  adjoined  it,  and  which 
has  since  been  enlarged  and  improved.  The  Hutch- 
ins road,  referred  to  in  the  location  of  the  meeting- 
house, was  the  road  that  led  across  from  the  four 
corners  to  the  other  road  on  which  the  cemetery  is 
now  located. 

In  this  year,  also,  1786,  a census  was  ordered  by  the 
Legislature  of  the  State,  by  a resolution  passed  March 
3d.  New  London  responded  to  this  call,  which  is  the 
first  census  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town.  The  re- 
turn is  as  follows : 

The  number  of  inhabitants  of  New  London  in  1786 


is  as  follows : 

“ Males  21  years  of  age  and  upwards 46 

Males  under  21  years  of  age 66 

Females  18  years  of  age  and  upwards 46 

Females  under  18  years  of  age 61 

Total 219 

“ The  above  is  a true  account,  as  witness  our  hands. 

“Levi  Harvey,  1 Selectmen 
“John  Adams,  for 


“John  Morgan,  J New  London. 

“New  London,  June  5,  1786.” 


In  1787,  at  the  request  of  many  of  the  people  who 
had  come  here  from  Attleborough,  Mass.,  and 
had  there  known  Elder  Seamans,  he  visited  New 
London  and  preached  here  June  24,  1787.  That 
autumn  the  town 

“ Voted  To  give  Elder  Seamans  a call  to  settle  in  this  town  as  a minis- 
ter of  the  gospel. 

“ Voted  To  give  him  forty  pounds  yearly  as  a salary,  three  pounds  in 
cash  and  thirty-seven  pounds  in  labor  and  grain  and  other  produce  that 
he  may  want,  all  to  be  paid  at  the  common  price,  and  all  ministerial 
privileges  in  town  except  one  half  the  parsonage  lot.” 

In  February,  1788,  Elder  Seamans  visited  New 
London  again  and  spent  some  two  months  there  in 
preaching  from  house  to  house  and  in  visiting  the 
people,  and  it  seems  that  he  concluded  to  accept  the 
call,  for  in  March  of  that  year  the  town  instructed  a 
committee  to  engage  Mr.  Seamans’  salary  to  him ; 
that  in  paying  the  part  to  be  paid  in  corn  and  grain, 
corn  should  be  reckoned  at  three  shillings  and  rye  at 
four,  and 

“ Voted  To  remove  Mr.  Seamans’  family  from  Attleborough  to  New 
London  on  the  cost  of  the  town,  and  that  his  salary  begin  on  the  24th 
day  of  February  last  and  that  the  selectmen  do  forward  the  moving  of 
Mr.  Seamans’  family.” 

On  the  20tli  day  of  June  of  that  year  the  arrange- 
ments for  moving  had  been  completed,  and  he  started 
with  his  family  for  New  London,  where  he  arrived 
July  1st,  and  as  he  says  in  his  diary  “went  into  a very 
poor  house  of  Mr.  James  Brocklebank.” 

He  commenced  his  labors  at  once,  working  on  his 
farm  through  the  week  and  preaching  on  Sunday  ; he 
studied  his  sermons  while  engaged  in  manual  labor. 

A church  of  eleven  members  was  formed  October 
23,  1788,  over  which  he  acted  as  pastor,  and  on  the 
25th  day  of  November  of  the  same  year,  at  a town- 
meeting  called  for  the  first  time  at  the  meeting-house, 
the  town  voted  to  unite  with  the  church  in  the  call 
they  had  given  Mr.  Seamans,  and  arrangements  were 
made  for  his  reinstallment  as  pastor  of  the  church  and 
minister  of  the  town.  At  this  town-meeting  the  town 
also  elected  singers  to  sing  at  their  public  religious 
meetings,  as  follows : 

“ Voted,  For  singers,  Ebenezer  Hunting,  Lieutenant 
Samuel  Messer,  Nathaniel  Fales,  Asa  Burpee,  Moses 
Hill,  Jonathan  Adams  and  Captain  Samuel  Brockle- 
bank.” The  time  for  the  reinstalment  was  fixed  for 
the  21st  of  January,  1789. 

On  the  13th  of  December,  1788,  Elder  Seamans 
gave  his  final  answer  to  the  town,  approving  of  their 
arrangements  and  consenting  to  the  reinstallment  as 
proposed,  and  the  same  came  off,  with  all  proper  cer- 
emonies, on  the  day  appointed.  Mr.  Ebenezer  Hun- 
ting had  been  elected  by  the  church  as  deacon  Janu- 
ary 8,  1789. 

At  the  reinstallment  of  Mr.  Seamans,  on  January 
21st,  the  exercises  were  held  in  the  meeting-house,  on 
which  occasion  Rev.  Amos  Wood,  of  Weare,  preached 
the  sermon ; Rev.  Thomas  Baldwin,  of  Canaan,  gave 
the  charge  to  the  candidate  ; and  Rev.  Samuel  Am- 
brose, of  Sutton,  announced  the  fellowship  of  the 


428 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


churches.  On  the  next  Sunday,  January  25th,  the  1 
church  and  their  new  pastor  had  their  first  commu- 
nion season  together. 

The  meeting-house  in  which  these  exercises  were 
held  was  only  partly  finished,  being  without  pews  or  J 
seats  (except  such  as  were  extemporized  for  the  occa- 
sion) and  mostly  without  floors,  but  there  was  a large  1 
gathering  of  the  people,  and  everything  passed  off'  in 
a satisfactory  manner. 

In  1790  the  census  taken  in  the  State  shows  that 
New  London  had  three  hundred  and  eleven  inhabi- 
tants,— a gain  of  ninety-two  in  four  years.  I find  the 
first  mention  made  of  Joseph  Colby,  as  a citizen  of 
New  London,  in  March,  1788,  when  he  was  elected  as  ; 
a surveyor  of  highways.  In  1792  the  town  voted 
against  adopting  the  amendments  to  the  Constitution 
proposed  by  the  convention  of  that  year,  seventeen 
votes  being  recorded  in  the  negative  and  none  in  the 
affirmative. 

The  church,  which  commenced  with  eleven  mem- 
bers, October  23,  1788,  had  gained  but  seven  members 
up  to  1792,  consisting  then  of  eighteen  members,  and 
there  were  then  about  fifty  families  in  town.  An  ex- 
tensive revival  broke  out  that  year  under  the  preach- 
ing of  Elder  Seamans,  and  in  that  year  there  were 
about  fifty  conversions,  and  the  work  continued  through 
the  years  1793  and  1794,  so  that  in  the  last  year  the 
members  of  the  church  had  increased  to  one  hundred  j 
and  fifteen,  the  additions  having  been  made  from  all 
classes  and  of  all  ages,  from  seventy  down  to  eight  or 
ten,  and,  what  was  quite  remarkable,  there  were  thirty- 
seven  men  who,  with  their  wives,  were  members  of 
the  church, — the  united  heads  of  thirty-seven  out  of 
the  fifty  families  in  town. 

In  1795  they  had  got  their  meeting-house  so  far 
completed  that  the  town  voted  to  hold  their  meetings 
in  it  for  the  future.  They  had  but  recently  built  the 
pulpit  and  got  the  floors  laid  in  the  porches  above  and 
below,  but  it  was  only  partially  glazed  and  not  painted 
at  all,  and  the  singing-pew,  as  they  called  it,  was  not 
completed,  nor  was  the  house  finished  without  or 
within.  During  this  year,  also,  the  town  appointed  a 
committee  to  confer  with  Elder  Seamans,  and  see 
upon  what  terms  he  would  give  up  the  bond  he  held 
from  the  town,  to  ensure  his  annual  salary.  The  town 
had  already  got  in  arrears,  and  were  largely  indebted 
to  him,  and  they  evidently  desired  to  close  up  their 
contract  with  him  as  a town,  and  leave  it  for  the 
church  and  for  voluntary  contributions  to  supply  his 
salary.  The  committee  waited  upon  the  elder,  and 
he,  after  due  consideration,  made  the  town  a proposi- 
tion in  writing,  giving  them  a choice  of  three  alterna- 
tives, as  follows: 

“1st.  That  he  receive  a dismission  from  liis  pastoral  and  ministerial 
office  in  church  and  town,  together  with  such  a recommendation  as  he 
brought  to  them  from  Attleborough  ; that  his  salary  should  cease  from 
the  date  of  such  dismission,  and  he  to  give  up  said  bond  when  his  salary 
should  be  paid  up  to  such  dismission. 

“2d.  The  church  and  town  should  wholly  surrender,  give  up  and  re- 
linquish bis  ministerial  services  in  church  and  town,  and  he  would  sur- 


render, give  up  and  relinquish  his  salary,  so  that  it  shall  be  a matter  of 
judgment  and  conscience  between  them,  hetoserve  them  as  much  in  the 
work  of  the  ministry  as  his  judgment  and  conscience  should  dictate,  and 
they  on  their  part  to  communicate  of  their  temporal  good  things  toward 
the  support  of  himself  and  his  family,  as  much  as  their  judgment  and 
conscience  should  dictate  to  them,  and  that,  too,  in  such  a way  as  they 
might  choose. 

“3d.  But  if  neither  of  these  offers  should  prove  satisfactory,  then  he 
requests  the  town  to  unite  with  him  in  calling  a mutual  council  to  look 
into  any  matters  of  dissatisfaction  between  them  on  either  6ide,  and  de- 
cide upon  the  whole  whether  it  was  not  best  for  him  to  ask  and  for  them 
to  give  him  such  a dismission  and  recommendation  as  above  mentioned  ; 
and  if  such  council  should  be  in  favor  of  such  dismission,  then  that  they 
should  also  settle  the  conditions,  after  being  informed  what  the  town  had 
done  for  him,  and  of  his  services  in  return,  whether  the  town  should  pay 
him  his  salary  in  part  or  in  full  or  give  him  something  more,  or  whether 
he  should  relinquish  his  salary,  which  shall  be  then  due  either  in  part  or 
in  whole,  or  shall  give  the  town  something  more,  for  reasons  which  to 
the  council  may  appear.” 

It  was  very  evident  that  it  was  of  no  use  to  seek  a 
controversy  with  a man  who  was  so  willing  to  settle 
in  any  way,  and  the  town,  by  vote,  accepted  of  his 
second  offer,  by  which  the  town  gave  up  all  claim  to 
his  ministerial  services  and  he  gave  up  all  legal  claim 
to  his  salary,  and  after  that  his  support  was  derived 
mainly  from  the  church  and  from  voluntary  contribu- 
tions. The  town  at  the  same  time  voted  not  to  unite 
with  him  in  calling  a council. 

In  1797  they  also  voted  that  those  inhabitants  of 
the  town  that  do  not  belong  to  the  Baptist  Society,  so 
called,  have  aright  to  invite  preachers  of  the  gospel 
into  the  meeting-house  to  preach  such  part  of  the  time 
as  shall  be  in  proportion  to  the  interest  they  own  in 
the  meeting-house,  and  this  was  so  voted  for  several 
years.  Almost  every  year  there  was  an  article  in  the 
warrant  to  see  about  finishing  the  singing-pew  or  to 
see  about  finishing  off  the  meeting-house,  but  there 
seemed  a great  reluctance  to  complete  the  house,  and 
the  town  refused  to  act. 

Thus  we  come  down  to  the  year  1800,  the  close  of 
the  eighteenth  century.  By  the  census  of  that  year 
it  appears  thatNew  London  then  had  six  hundred  and 
seventeen  inhabitants,  having  gone  from  three  hundred 
and  eleven  to  six  hundred  and  seventeen  in  ten  years. 
But  while  they  had  been  thus  prosperous  in  that  par- 
ticular, their  meeting-house  was  still  unfinished.  It 
was  only  partially  glazed,  the  gallery  was  not  comple- 
ted, the  singing-pew  was  not  built,  nor  was  it  plastered 
or  painted  at  all.  A controversy  between  Levi  Har- 
vey and  the  town  had  arisen  about  his  mills,  which 
was  still  undisposed  of,  and  many  were  the  articles  in 
the  warrants  for  town-meetings,  and  many  were  the 
special  town-meetings  called  to  consider  and  act  upon 
these  two  subjects,  but  the  town  never  seemed  ready 
to  finish  either  the  meeting-house  or  this  controversy. 

Captain  John  Mason,  of  London,  to  whom  the  grant 
of  New  Hampshire  was  made  in  1629,  as  we  have 
seen,  died  in  1635,  and  his  heirs  held  and  tried  to  en- 
force his  claims  to  the  land  till  about  1692,  when  they 
sold  and  conveyed  the  same  to  one  Samuel  Allen,  of 
the  same  London,  who  came  to  this  country  to  enforce 
his  claims.  But  Allen  died  in  1705,  and  the  lands  de- 
scended to  his  heirs,  who  prosecuted  his  claims  vigo- 


NEW  LONDON. 


429 


rously  for  a time,  until  the  heirs  of  Mason  found 
some  defect,  either  real  or  pretended,  in  Allen’s  title 
to  the  lands,  and  set  up  a claim  to  them  for  them- 
selves. 

One  John  Tufton  Mason,  a descendant  of  Captain 
John,  the  first  grantee,  came  to  this  country,  claiming 
to  own  the  Masonian  patent,  and  sold  his  rights  to 
certain  parties  in  Massachusetts  and  New  Hampshire, 
and  conveyed  to  them  by  deed  in  174(5.  The  names 
of  these  purchasers  were  as  follows:  Theodore  Atkin- 
son, Mark  H.  Wentworth,  Richard  Wibird,  John 
Wentworth  (son  of  the  Governor),  George  Jaffrey,  Na- 
thaniel Meserve,  Thomas  Packer,  Thomas  Walling- 
ford, Jotham  Odiorne,  Joshua  Pierce,  Samuel  Moore 
and  John  Moffat.  Atkinson  had  three-fifteenths,  M. 
H.  Wentworth  had  two-fifteenths  and  all  the  rest  one- 
fifteenth  each.  These  men  were  afterwards  known  as 
the  Masonian  proprietors. 

The  persons  to  whom  they  granted  the  town  of  Al- 
exandria and  also  the  Addition  were  as  follows  : Jonas 
Minot,  of  Concord,  in  the  county  of  Middlesex,  gen- 
tleman ; Jonathan  Bagley,  Esq.,  and  William  Bailey, 
gentleman,  both  of  Amesbury,  in  the  county  of  Essex 
and  all  in  the  province  of  Massachusetts  Bay ; 
Matthew  Thornton,  Esq.,  and  Robert  McMurphy, 
gentlemen,  both  of  Londonderry  ; John  Talford,  Esq., 
and  William  Talford,  gentlemen,  both  of  Chester;  and 
Daniel  Rindge,  ot  Portsmouth,  all  in  the  county  of 
Rockingham  and  province  of  New  Hampshire;  and 
Joshua  Talford,  of  New  Chester,  in  the  county  of 
Grafton,  and  province  last  mentioned,  husbandman. 

In  the  deed  of  the  Addition  of  Alexandria  the 
original  grantors,  the  Masonian  proprietors  reserved 
one-third  part  of  said  land  to  themselves,  their  heirs 
and  assigns  forever;  one-half  of  the  balance,  or  one- 
third  of  the  whole,  was  conveyed  to  said  Minot;  and 
the  other  half  of  the  balance,  or  third  of  the  whole, 
was  conveyed  to  the  remaining  grantees  in  the  following 
proportions,  viz. : To  Matthew  Thornton,  twelve  forty- 
ninths  ; to  said  J.  Bagley,  five  forty-ninths ; to  the 
said  W.  Bailey,  five  forty-ninths ; to  the  said  John 
Talford,  seven  forty-ninths  and  one-third  ; to  the  said 
William  Talford,  eight  forty-ninths  and  one-third  ; to 
said  Robert  McMurphy,  eight  forty-ninths  and  one- 
third;  to  the  said  Daniel  Rindge,  two  forty-ninths  ; 
and  to  the  said  Joshua  Talford,  one  forty-ninth.  The 
grant  to  said  William  Bailey  was  conditional  upon 
his  accepting  the  rights  granted  him  in  the  new  char- 
ter of  the  town  of  Alexandria  in  full  for  his  claims 
under  the  old  charter,  which  he  refused  to  accept,  and 
therefore  he  drew  no  lots  in  the  Addition,  which  was 
afterwards  New  London. 

The  addition  was  surveyed  and  laid  out  in  one 
hundred  and  thirty-seven  lots  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  acres  each.  Certain  lots  were  reserved  for  schools, 
for  the  first  settled  minister,  etc.  There  were  reserved 
for  the  Masonian  proprietors  forty-five  lots  and  two 
fractions  ; and  drawn  to  Captain  Joseph  Minot,  forty- 
four  lots  and  two  fractions ; to  Colonel  Matthew 


Thornton,  ten  lots  and  a fraction;  to  Robert  McMur- 
phy, seven  lots  and  two  fractions;  to  Deacon  William 
Talford,  seven  lots  and  a fraction ; to  Major  John 
Talford,  six  lots  and  a fraction  ; to  Jonathan  Bagley, 
Esq.,  five  lots  and  a fraction ; to  Hon.  Daniel 
Rindge,  two  lots;  and  to  Joshua  Talford,  Esq.,  one 
■ lot. 

These  lots  were  drawn  September  7,  1773.  I have 
a plan  of  the  drawing,  with  the  numbers  of  the  lots 
drawn  to  each  owner. 

Having  gone  along  in  the  order  of  time  for  the  first 
twenty-one  years’  of  the  town’s  history,  up  to  the  year 
1800,  let  us  now  go  forward  for  a similar  period  of 
twenty-one  years,  to  the  year  1821,  and  there  make  a 
stand  and  from  that  stand-point  look  back  over  the  space 
of  time, — that  second  period  of  twenty-one  years  of  the 
town’s  history.  Let  us  select  our  time  now  with  some 
particularity — well,  suppose  we  call  it  the  9tli  day  of 
September,  1821.  It  is  one  of  the  earliest  days  that  I 
can  remember,  and,  yet.  though  I was  then  only  five 
years  of  age,  I shall  never  forget  it.  The  day  was 
Sunday.  The  morning  was  bright  and  sunny.  The 
air  was  soft  and  balmy.  The  day  was  hot,  and  espe- 
cially in  the  afternoon  was  still  and  sultry.  About  five 
o’clock  there  were  signs  of  a thunder-shower:  dark 
clouds  gathered  in  the  west  and  soon  overcast  the 
sky.  The  stillness  that  precedes  the  storm  was  soon 
interrupted  by  the  mutterings  of  the  distant  thunder, 
the  clouds  grew  darker  and  blacker,  until  presently  a 
strange  commotion  was  seen  among  them  in  the  west ; 
vivid  lightnings  light  up  the  dark  and  angry  masses, 
the  roaring  of  the  distant  tornado  is  heard  as  it  ap- 
proaches, and  anon  the  most  terrible  whirlwind  ever 
known  in  the  State  burst  upon  the  terror-stricken  in- 
habitants of  New  London. 

I gather  the  following  facts  from  a description  of 
the  great  whirlwind  of  1821,  as  found  in  the  “ Collec- 
tions of  the  New  Hampshire  Historical  Society,” 
volume  1,  page  241.  The  whirlwind  entered  the  State 
in  Cornish,  and  moving  easterly  through  Croyden, 
demolished  the  house  and  barn  of  Deacon  Cooper, 
thence  through  Wendell  (now  Sunapee)  to  near  Sun- 
apee  Lake,  where  it  blew  to  pieces  the  house,  barn 
and  out-buildings  of  Harvey  Hun  toon,  destroying 
and  blowing  away  all  the  furniture  and  other  property 
in  his  house  and  the  contents  of  his  barns  and  other 
buildings,  and  blowing  an  infant  nearly  a year  old, 
that  was  lying  on  a bed  in  the  house,  away  into  the 
lake,  where  the  mangled  body  was  found  the  next 
Wednesday,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  lake,  and  the 
feather-bed  on  which  the  child  was  sleeping  was  found 
in  Andover  by  a Mr.  Durgin  and  restored  to  Mr.  Hun- 
toon.  A horse  was  blown  up  a hill  a distance  of  forty 
rods,  and  so  injured  that  it  was  necessary  to  kill  him. 
No  human  lives  were  lost  in  that  town  except  the 
child,  though  the  other  seven  members  of  Mr.  Hun- 
toon’s  household  were  injured,  and  some  of  them  very 
severely.  From  Wendell  the  hurricane  passed  across 
Lake  Sunapee  in  a most  terrific  manner,  assuming  the 


430 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


form  of  an  inverted  pyramid  in  motion,  and  drawing 
up  into  its  bosom  vast  quantities  of  water.  Its  appear- 
ance on  the  lake  wras  in  the  highest  degree  sublime 
and  terrible : apparently  about  twenty  rods  in  diame- 
ter at  the  surface  of  the  water,  it  expanded  on  each 
side  towards  the  heavens,  its  vast  body  as  dark  as 
midnight,  but  occasionally  illuminated  by  the  most 
vivid  flashes  of  lightning. 

From  the  lake  it  passed  into  New  London  and 
through  the  southerly  part  of  the  town,  destroying 
property  to  the  estimated  value  of  nine  thousand 
or  ten  thousand  dollars.  But  fortunately  no  per- 
son in  the  town  was  killed.  The  house  and  other 
buildings  of  John  Davis,  standing  directly  in  the  path 
of  the  tornado,  were  entirely  demolished.  Not  a tim- 
ber nor  a board  was  left  upon  the  ground  where  the 
house  had  stood,  and  not -a  brick  in  the  chimney  re- 
mained unmoved.  A huge  hearth-stone  weighing 
some  seven  or  eight  hundred  pounds,  was  removed 
from  its  bed  and  turned  up  on  one  edge  ; all  the  fur- 
niture of  the  house,  beds,  bedding  and  clothing  was 
swept  away,  and  not  the  value  of  five  dollars  of  it  was 
ever  found.  The  family  chanced  to  be  absent  from 
the  house.  Three  barns  belonging  to  Josiah  Davis, 
with  their  contents,  were  blown  entirely  away,  and 
his  house  much  shattered  and  damaged.  A house  be- 
longing to  Jonathan  Herrick  was  unroofed,  the  win- 
dows broken  out  and  much  furniture  and  clothing 
blown  away,  but  fortunately  none  of  the  family  were 
injured.  A new  two-story  house  frame,  nearly  cov- 
ered, belonging  to  Nathan  Herrick,  and  two  barns, 
were  blown  down.  A house  and  barn  of  Asa  Gage 
were  unroofed,  and  two  sheds  carried  away.  Anthony 
Sargent  had  one  barn  demolished,  another  unroofed 
and  two  sheds  blown  away.  Deacon  Peter  Sargent 
had  a barn  blown  down,  another  unroofed  and  a shed 
blown  away.  A barn  of  J.  P.  Sabin  was  torn  to 
pieces ; another  barn  of  Levi  Harvey  was  blown  to 
pieces,  his  saw-mill  demolished  and  some  twelve 
thousand  feet  of  boards  in  the  mill-yard  carried  away  ; 
his  grist-mill  was  moved  some  distance  whole,  and  was 
left  standing  on  dry  land,  and  a hog-house,  containing 
a hog  weighing  from  three  to  four  hundred  pounds, 
was  carried  away  whole  several  rods  and  dropped  on 
the  top  of  a stone  wall, w here  it  fell  into  fragments,  and 
the  hog,  released  from  his  prison,  walked  away  unhurt. 
A pair  of  cart-wTheels,  strongly  bound  with  iron  and 
nearly  new,  with  the  spire  and  axle,  were  carried  ten 
rods,  the  spire  broken  off  in  the  middle,  all  the  spokes 
but  two  broken  out  of  one  wheel  and  more  than  half 
out  of  the  other.  All  the  trees  in  an  orchard  of  one 
hundred,  without  a single  exception,  were  prostrated, 
and  one-half  of  them  were  wrenched  up  by  the  roots 
and  carried  entirely  away,  root  and  branch.  The  trunk 
of  one  of  these  trees,  divested  of  its  principal  roots 
and  branches,  was  found  half  a mile  distant  and  at 
the  top  of  a long  hill ; near  the  top  of  this  hill  was 
an  excavation  some  forty  feet  long,  and  in  places  two 
to  three  feet  deep,  partly  filled  with  mangled  boards 


and  broken  timbers,  apparently  made  by  the  perpen- 
dicular fall  of  the  side  of  a barn,  which  must  have 
been  blown  whole  at  least  eighty  rods. 

The  track  or  path  of  the  whirlwind  in  Newr  Lon- 
don was  some  four  miles  long,  and  varied  in  width 
from  one-fourth  to  one-half  a mile,  as  the  column 
rose  and  fell,  and  passed  off  upon  the  north  side  of 
Kearsarge  Mountain.  In  passing,  it  seemed  to  hug 
to  the  mountain,  so  that  its  course  was  changed  more 
to  the  south,  and  it  passed  down  the  mountain  on  the 
easterly  side  into  the  Gore,  touching  a corner  of  Sal- 
isbury, and  into  Warner,  and  finally  terminated  in 
the  woods  of  Boscawen.  A great  amount  of  property, 
many  buildings  and  several  lives  were  destroyed  in 
the  Gore  and  in  Warner. 

The  track  of  the  whirlwind  is  thus  described  : “ It 
appeared  as  if  a rushing  torrent  had  been  pouring 
down  for  many  days ; the  dwellings,  buildings,  fences 
and  trees  were  all  swept  off  in  its  course.  The  earth 
was  torn  up  in  places,  the  grass  withered,  and  nothing 
fresh  or  living  was  to  be  seen  in  the  path  of  the  desola- 
tion.” It  is  difficult  for  us  to  conceive  the  horrors  of 
that  instant — for  it  was  but  an  instant — when  horses, 
barns,  trees,  fences,  fowls  and  other  movable  objects 
were  all  lifted  from  the  earth  into  the  bosom  of  the 
whirlwind,  and  anon  dashed  into  a thousand  pieces. 
Probably  no  event  has  occurred  in  this  town  during 
the  hundred  years  of  its  existence  that  was  so  well 
calculated  to  teach  man  his  utter  impotence,  and  to 
impress  upon  his  mind  the  awful  sublimity,  the  terri- 
ble grandeur  of  the  scene,  where  the  hand  of  Omnip- 
otence, even  for  a moment,  displays  its  power,  as  the 
great  whirlwind  of  September  9,  1821. 

Let  us  now  look  back  and  briefly  review  the  events 
that  have  occurred  since  the  year  1800.  June  9, 
1801,  the  Social  Library  was  incorporated,  which  had 
about  one  hundred  volumes  of  very  valuable  books. 

The  library  was  kept  at  the  house  of  Josiah  Brown, 

Esq.  I recollect  that  from  about  the  year  1825  to 
1833  I obtained  most  of  my  reading-matter  from  this 
library,  and  found  it  very  profitable  and  interesting.  i 
Whether  this  institution  yet  remains  I do  not  know. 

In  1803  the  town  first  had  the  necessary  number  of 
ratable  polls  to  entitle  it  to  send  a representative 
alone,  and  Joseph  Colby,  Esq.,  was  elected  as  the  first 
representative  of  the  town,  and  he  was  re-elected 
every  year  until  1816. 

In  1817  there  was  a political  revolution  in  the 
town,  and  everything  was  changed.  Daniel  Wood- 
bury, Esq.,  was  the  moderator,  first  selectman  and 
representative  for  that  and  several  succeeding  years  ; 
and  the  dominant  party  held  a celebration  over  their 
victory  in  the  spring  of  1817,  at  which,  as  I am  in- 
formed, the  liberty-pole  was  erected,  w'hich  used  to 
stand  in  front  of  the  old  meeting-house,  around 
which  the  people  in  the  olden  time  used  to  congre- 
gate and  spend  their  intermissions  between  the  fore- 
noon and  afternoon  services  on  Sunday.  My  first 
recollections  of  attending  church  are  associated  with 


NEW  LONDON. 


431 


hearing  Elder  Seamans  preach  and  Elder  Ambrose 
pray;  of  riding  to  church  in  the  wagon  with  father 
and  mother, — standing  lip  behind  and  holding  on  to 
the  back  of  the  seat  in  order  to  preserve  my  perpen- 
dicular equilibrium.  This  I did  until,  growing 
older,  I preferred  to  walk  rather  than  to  ride  in  that 
way.  It  was  the  fashion  in  those  days  for  the  whole 
family  to  go  to  church  as  soon  as  the  children  were 
large  enough  to  be  carried. 

In  1804  a committee  was  appointed  to  cause  an  ac- 
curate survey  of  the  town  to  be  made.  This  was  in 
pursuance  of  a law  requiring  each  town  in  the  State 
to  make  a plan  of  the  same  and  return  it  to  the  Sec- 
retary of  State,  with  a view  to  the  making  of  a State 
map,  which  was  afterward  published  by  Philip  Carri- 
gain.  This  committee  consisted  of  Green  French, 
Levi  Harvey,  Jr.,  and  Anthony  Sargent. 

The  meeting-house  was  still  asubject  of  contention. 
Articles  were  frequently  inserted  in  the  warrants  for 
town-meeting  to  see  if  the  town  would  vote  to  finish 
glazing  the  house,  or  to  plaster  the  house,  or  to 
paint  the  house,  or  to  finish  off'  the  house,  but 
the  town  uniformly  voted  in  the  negative  upon 
them  all.  Probably  some  of  this  work  was  done 
by  voluntary  subscription  or  contributions,  and 
the  house  was  occupied  for  all  purposes.  Finally,  in 
1818,  at  a special  meeting  holden  for  that  purpose, 
J une  1st,  it  was  voted  to  raise  three  hundred  dollars 
for  the  purpose  of  repairing  and  finishing  the  outside 
of  the  meeting-house  in  this  town,  and  Joseph  Colby, 
Esq.,  was  appointed,  as  agent  of  the  town,  to  see  to 
repairing  and  finishing  the  outside  of  the  meeting- 
house, and  I find  no  further  articles  in  the  warrants 
for  their  town-meetings  relating  to  finishing  the 
meeting-house.  Thus,  the  house  which  was  com- 
menced in  1786  was  finished  in  1818,  having  been 
thirty-two  years  in  building. 

The  controversy  concerning  Levi  Harvey’s  mill 
privilege  and  flowage  rights  arose  in  this  way : Away 

back  in  1780  an  article  was  inserted  in  the  warrant  to 
see  if  the  town  would  adopt  any  method  to  build 
mills  in  said  town,  but  the  vote  was  that  as  a town 
they  could  not  do  anything  as  to  building  mills.  But 
it  seems  that  some  individuals  gave  said  Harvey  a 
bond  that  they  would  purchase  the  land  on  which  he  was 
to  set  the  mill,  and  would  defend  him  against  claims 
for  flowage  by  the  owners  of  land  around  and  above  his 
mill-pond,  if  he  would  erect  a saw  and  grist-mill  upon 
a certain  lot  of  laud  owned  by  some  absent  propri- 
etor; and  in  1783  the  town,  at  their  annual  meeting, 
voted  to  clear  those  men  that  were  bound  in  a bond 
to  Levi  Harvey  to  purchase  land  and  for  defending 
of  privileges,  as  mentioned  in  said  bond ; also,  that 
the  present  selectmen  be  empowered  to  give  security 
to  said  Harvey  for  the  purchase  of  land  and  the  de- 
fending of  privileges  as  mentioned  in  the  former 
bond.  The  selectmen  for  that  year  were  Samuel 
Brocklebank,  Levi  Harvey  and  Ebenezer  Hunting. 
In  compliance  with  this  vote  of  March,  1783,  said 
28 


Brocklebank  and  Hunting  gave  to  said  Harvey  a bond 
conditioned  like  the  previous  one,  and  the  former 
bond  was  canceled.  The  mill  and  the  dam  were 
built  and  everything  went  on  smoothly  for  several 
years. 

But  after  a time  a controversy  arose  about  the  land 
where  the  mill  was  located,  and  the  owners  of  lots 
above  the  mill  began  to  claim  damages  for  flowage  by 
the  dam,  and  Harvey  appealed  to  the  town,  and 
Brocklebank  and  Hunting  also  claimed  to  have  the 
town  act  in  the  premises,  but  the  town  declined,  and, 
upon  one  excuse  and  another,  refused  to  act.  In  1802 
the  town  appointed  a committee  to  act  in  the  prem- 
ises and  to  make  a final  settlement  between  said 
Harvey  and  the  town;  but  in  1804  they  again  voted 
to  let  the  matter  take  its  due  course  in  law.  An  ar- 
ticle was  inserted  in  the  annual  warrants  for  town- 
meetings  on  this  subject,  and  special  meetings  were 
called  to  act  upon  it,  but  the  town  would  not  act. 

Finally,  suits  were  brought  by  the  parties  aggrieved 
against  Harvey,  as  of  course  they  must  be,  and  dam- 
ages recovered  against  him  for  flowage  by  the  owners 
of  lands  above  his  mill  and  by  the  claimant  of  the 
land  where  his  mill  was  located.  These  damages 
were  collected  of  Harvey,  and  then  he  called  on  his 
bondsmen,  Hunting  and  Brocklebank,  to  respond. 
They  called  on  the  town,  but  the  town  was  still  deaf 
to  the  call ; so,  after  various  town-meetings,  Harvey 
sued  Hunting  and  Brocklebank  on  their  bond.  The 
town  still  refusing  to  come  to  their  rescue,  they 
defended  themselves  as  best  they  could  in  the 
suit,  but  were  finally  beaten  and  a judgment  recov- 
ered against  them  for  the  whole  amount  that  Harvey 
had  been  obliged  to  pay.  Then  there  were  more 
town-meetings,  but  the  town  was  still  persistent  in 
doing  nothing. 

Probably  in  the  mean  time  Brocklebank  had  be- 
come irresponsible,  and  as  Hunting  was  good, 
Harvey  at  length  arrested  Deacon  Hunting  and 
lodged  him  safely  in  jail  for  the  non-payment  of  the 
debt.  Hunting  was  stubborn,  and  Harvey  was  reso- 
lute ; so  Hunting  laid  in  jail  over  a year;  but  finding 
that  Harvey  would  not  yield,  he  finally  paid  the 
money  and  went  home  to  his  family.  Then  he  called 
on  the  town,  and  the  town  refusing  to  act,  he  brought 
his  suit  against  the  town,  and  then  more  town-meet- 
ings followed  ; Dut  the  suit  went  along,  and  the  town 
in  the  end  was  beaten,  as  it  deserved  to  be,  and  a 
judgment  was  recovered  against  the  town. 

On  the  24th  day  of  May,  1808,  a special  meeting 
was  called  on  that  matter,  and  the  town  ‘‘  Voted,  that 
there  be  assessed  upon  the  polls  and  estate  in  this 
town,  and  that  part  of  Wilmot  which  was  taken  from 
this  town  in  June  last,  a sum  of  money  sufficient  to 
satisfy  the  judgment  rendered  against  the  town  in 
favor  of. Deacon  Ebenezer  Hunting,  at  the  last  term 
of  the  Supreme  Court  in  this  county.”  They  do  not 
state  how  large  the  sum  thus  raised  was ; but  it  is 
reported  that  the  amount  of  his  claim  had  by  this 


432 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


time,  with  all  the  costs  of  the  various  suits,  reached 
the  sum  of  nearly  fifteen  hundred  dollars,  which 
for  those  times  was  a large  amount. 

In  1809  there  was  an  article  in  the  warrant  “ to  see 
if  the  town  will  pay  Deacon  Ebenezer  Hunting  the 
amount  of  interest  which  he  has  been  obliged  to  pay 
on  the  execution  which  Levi  Harvey,  Esq.,  obtained 
against  him.”  But  the  town  passed  over  the  article. 
Again,  on  the  13tli  January,  1812,  a special  meeting 
was  called  “to  see  if  the  towrn  will  pay  to  Deacon 
Ebenezer  Hunting  a sum  of  money  equal  to  the 
amount  of  interest  which  he  paid  on  the  Harvey 
execution,  and  also  to  see  what  compensation  the 
town  will  make  Deacon  Ebenezer  Hunting  for  dam- 
ages he  sustained  by  being  imprisoned  on  said  execu- 
tion.” But  the  town  made  quick  work  of  it  by  voting 
at  once  not  to  do  anything  about  it.  This  ended  the 
controversy,  which  had  been  in  agitation  more  than 
twenty  years  in  town. 

Let  us  now  look  for  a moment  at  the  boundaries  of 
the  town  at  different  periods  of  its  history.  When 
the  town  was  incorporated  it  was,  as  you  have  seen, 
in  very  regular  shape,  extending  from  Alexandria  to 
Fisherfield  and  Sutton  in  length,  and  of  about  equal 
width  between  the  patent  line  and  Ivearsarge  Gore. 
June  19,  1793,  the  Legislature  disannexed  lots  No. 
19,  20,  21,  22,  23,  24  and  25  from  the  northwesterly 
part  of  Kearsarge  Gore,  and  annexed  the  same  to 
New  London.  By  this  change  the  southerly  line  of 
New  London  was  extended  east  to  the  northeast 
corner  of  Sutton.  The  piece  thus  annexed  was  a 
triangle,  with  its  base  resting  on  Sutton  north  line. 
December  11,  1804,  the  Legislature  disannexed  a 
large  number  of  lots  from  Wendell  and  annexed  the 
same  to  New  London  ; and  on  the  19th  of  June,  1817, 
another  tract  was  taken  from  Wendell  and  annexed 
to  New  London,  so  that  the  line  between  these  towns 
was  described  as  follows  : Beginning  at  a point  in 
Sunapee  Lake,  which  is  described,  “ thence  running 
north,  16°  east,  108  rods  to  Otter  Pond,  and  thence  on 
the  same  course  across  said  pond  to  Springfield  south 
line.”  By  these  two  additions  to  New  London,  it 
was  intended  to  make  the  line  between  Sunapee  and 
New  London  one  continuous  straight  line  from  Fish- 
erslield  (now  Newbury)  northwest  corner  through 
Otter  Pond  to  Springfield  line.  The  old  patent  line 
run  over  the  top  of  Burpee  Hill,  a little  above  the 
house  where  Nathaniel  Messer  and  his  son  lived  and 
died. 

The  old  school-house  that  used  to  sit  there  on  the 
top  of  the  hill,  on  a ledge  of  rock,  was  on  the  patent 
line  which  originally  divided  this  town  from  Wen- 
dell. By  these  additions  another  triangle  was  added 
to  the  town  on  that  side,  with  its  base  resting  on  the 
old  patent  line,  and  bounded  west  by  Wendell  and 
north  by  Springfield. 

On  the  18th  of  June,  1807,  the  town  of  Wilmot 
was  incorporated  out  of  the  northeasterly  part  of  Newr 
London,  a part  of  New  Chester  and  all  that  part  of 


Kearsarge  Gore  that  laid  northerly  of  the  summit  of 
Kearsarge  Mountain. 

The  part  taken  otf  from  New  London  was  described 
as  follows : “ Beginning  at  the  southeasterly  corner 
of  lot  No.  22,  and  southwesterly  corner  of  lot  No. 
21,  on  the  southeasterly  line  of  said  New  London  ; 
thence  running  westwardly  across  said  New  London 
on  the  northerly  sides  of  lots  numbered  22,  35,  54,  70, 
78,  90,  112  and  130,  over  to  Springfield  line,”  so 
taking  all  the  land  that  lay  northeasterly  of  that 
line  in  New  London.  This  part  of  the  town  thus 
set  off  to  Wilmot  contained  about  nine  thousand 
acres  of  land. 

From  1812  to  1815  the  country  was  engaged  in  its 
second  war  with  England,  which  was  substantially 
closed  by  General  Andrew  Jackson,  at  New  Orleans, 
on  the  8th  of  January,  1815. 

In  1819  the  Toleration  Act,  as  it  was  called,  was 
passed  by  the  Legislature  and  became  a law,  which 
separated  the  civil  and  religious  elements  in  our 
organization,  so  to  speak.  It  took  from  the  towns,  in 
their  corporate  capacity,  the  powrer  to  raise  money 
for  the  support  of  preaching  of  any  kind,  or  to  build 
meeting-houses,  or  for  other  religious  purposes,  leav- 
ing it  to  religious  societies  to  do  this  work,  each  to 
suit  its  own  views  of  propriety  and  duty.  But  this 
act  did  not  affect  religious  matters  in  New  London  at 
all.  The  town  had,  in  fact,  anticipated  the  law  many 
years.  They  had  raised  no  money  as  a town,  for 
preaching,  since  1795,  as  I can  find,  and  they  had 
voted  to  let  each  denomination  in  town  occupy  the 
meeting  house  according  to  their  interest  therein, 
each  sect  being  thus  left  free  to  advance  their  own 
views  in  their  own  way,  and  at  their  own  expense. 
This  has  been  the  policy  of  the  law  ever  since,  and 
was  the  policy  of  the  town  long  before  the  law  was 
passed. 

From  this  time  forth  we  shall  find  the  history  of 
the  town  and  the  history  of  the  church  entirely 
separate  and  distinct.  Yet  every  one  knows,  whether 
he  believes  in  the  doctrines  of  a church  or  not,  that 
wherever  a church  has  been  long  established  and 
has  been  made  up  of  any  considerable  portion  of 
the  people,  it  has  and  will  have  its  influence  upon 
the  community  to  such  an  extent  that  no  his- 
tory of  the  town  would  be  complete  without  a 
history  of  its  church,  or  its  churches,  where  there 
are  more  than  one.  Particularly  is  that  true  of  a 
country  town  like  New  London,  where  there  has  been, 
from  the  earliest  times,  a leading  and  influential 
church,  which  has  taken  the  lead  in  all  moral  ques- 
tions and  reforms. 

The  church  had,  in  this  period  of  twenty-one  years 
seen  two  seasons  of  revival  under  the  preaching  of 
Elder  Seamans.  In  1809  some  forty  were  added  to 
the  church,  and  in  1818  and  1819  occurred  what  was 
long  known  as  the  great  reformation,  in  which  be- 
tween eighty  and  ninety  were  added  to  the  church. 

But  during  all  these  years  there  was  much  hard 


NEW  LONDON. 


433 


and  disagreeable  work  to  be  done ; many  labors  with 
the  brethren  were  instituted,  and  many  were  the 
letters  of  admonition  and  expulsion  that  were  issued 
and  recorded  on  the  church  records. 

In  the  year  1801  the  first  Baptist  society  was  formed 
in  town,  which  was  kept  up  and  had  its  annual 
meetings  down  as  late  as  1846,  when  its  records  cease, 
and  the  church  has  gone  along  so  far  as  appears, 
without  the  aid  of  the  society. 

Within  this  period,  too,  the  institution  of  Free- 
Masonrv  had  arisen  and  flourished  in  this  town  quite 
extensively.  King  Solomon’s  Lodge  of  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons,  No.  14,  was  chartered  and  located  at 
New  London,  in  the  county  of  Hillsborough,  on  Jan- 
uary 27,  1802,  by  the  Most  Worshipful  Grand  Lodge  of 
the  State  of  New  Hampshire.  The  lodge  flourished 
well  here  for  many  years,  and  had  become  quite 
numerous  previous  to  the  anti-Masonic  wave  that 
swept  over  the  Eastern  and  Middle  States  about  1826, 
when  the  excitement  ran  so  high  and  the  opposition 
was  so  strong  that  the  Masons,  thinking  that  discre- 
tion was  the  better  part  of  valor,  suspended  their  meet- 
ings for  a time  altogether,  and  the  lodge,  in  fact,  never 
did  much  more  work  in  its  old  locality;  but  in  June, 
1851,  it  was  removed  to  Wilmot,  where  it  remained  in 
good  working  order  until  1878,  when  it  again  removed 
and  located  at  Scytheville,  in  New  London,  where  it 
now  remains,  enjoying  a fair  share  of  prosperity. 

The  population  had  gone  on  increasing  since  1800, 
though  somewhat  irregular.  Id  1810  the  census 
showed  six  hundred  and  ninety-two,  gaining  only 
seventy-five  in  that  decade  ; but  in  1820  there  were 
uine  hundred  and  twenty-four,  a gain  of  two  hundred 
and  thirty-two  in  that  decade,  and  the  town  had  also 
made  rapid  progress  in  education,  wealth  and  posi- 
tion, and  was  now  enjoying  a large  share  of  the  com- 
forts and  conveniences  of  life  for  that  day. 

The  county  of  Merrimack  was  incorporated  July 
23,  1823,  and  consisted  of  twenty-six  towns  from 
Rockingham  and  Hillsborough  Counties.  New  Lon- 
don, which  had  been  a part  of  Hillsborough  County 
hitherto,  now  became  a part  of  Merrimack,  of  which 
it  still  forms  a part. 

On  July  4,  1826,  the  new  meeting-house  was  raised. 
The  corner-stone  had  been  placed  with  appropriate 
ceremonies  before  that,  at  a public  gathering,  with  a 
procession,  music  and  religious  ceremonies.  The 
Fourth  of  July  was  a pleasant  day,  and  at  sunrise  the 
work  of  raising  was  commenced,  and  it  was  substan- 
tially finished  the  same  day,  except  what  could  be 
done  with  the  force  that  was  to  be  permanently  em- 
ployed upon  it.  From  that  time  forward  the  work 
was  prosecuted  with  vigor,  so  that  before  the  winter 
closed  in  it  was  completed,  with  steeple  and  bell ; the 
slips  were  disposed  of  and  the  house  ready  for  use, 
and  all  that  I find  in  the  records  concerning  it,  any- 
where, in  either  church  or  society,  is  the  following 
vote  by  the  society  at  their  regular  meeting,  on  the 
third  Monday  of  December,  1826,  viz. : 


“Voted,  to  accept  of  the  new  meeting-house,  built 
by  David  Everett  and  Anthony  Colby,  and  the  com- 
mon around  the  same.  Chose  Joseph  Colby  and 
Jonathan  Greeley  to  take  a conveyance  of  said 
meeting-house  and  common.” 

It  seems  that  it  had  been  arranged  that  the  house 
should  be  appraised  so  as  to  cover  expenses,  and  a 
sufficient  number  of  the  society  had  subscribed,  or  in 
some  way  became  responsible  to  take  the  slips  at  the 
appraised  value,  so  as  to  secure  those  who  did  the 
work  in  the  first  instance  ; and  then  those  two  built 
the  house  and  conveyed  it  to  the  society. 

After  it  was  completed  the  people  used  to  alternate 
between  the  new  house  and  the  old,  one  Sunday  at 
each  in  turn  for  many  years.  In  the  old  meeting- 
house were  the  square  pews,  with  the  seats  on  all  four 
sides  of  them,  with  the  high  pulpit  and  the  great 
sounding-board  over  it,  which  would  be  sure  to  fall 
upon  the  minister’s  devoted  head  should  he  depart 
but  the  breadth  of  a single  hair  from  the  truth.  In 
the  new  meeting-house  there  was  some  improvement: 
the  slips  were  all  facing  the  same  way  and  towards 
the  pulpit,  which  originally  was  at  the  other  end  of 
the  house,  directly  in  front  of  the  singing  gallery, 
and  but  little  lower  than  that. 

On  May  30,  1830,  Rev.  Samuel  Ambrose  died.  He 
had  for  several  years  been  a member  of  this  church, 
the  original  church  at  Sutton  having  become  at  one 
time  nearly  or  quite  extinct ; and  on  October  4th  in 
the  same  year  Elder  Seamans  died.  Thus  these  two 
men,  who  had  labored  side  by  side  so  long  in  the 
cause  of  the  Master,  were  called  very  nearly  together 
to  their  reward. 

In  1830  the  population  was  only  nine  hundred  and 
thirteen,  a loss  of  eleven  from  1S20. 

In  1831  and  1832  the  church  was  visited  by  one  of 
its  most  remarkable  revivals,  under  the  preaching  of 
the  Rev.  Oren  Tracy.  The  whole  town  seemed  to  be 
reached  and  affected  by  it.  During  the  fall  of  1831, 
and  the  next  winter,  evening  meetings  were  kept  up 
in  the  different  parts  of  the  town,  in  the  school-houses 
and  in  private  houses,  on  Sundays  and  on  week-days,  to 
which  large  numbers  were  drawn,  and  the  interest  in 
religious  matters  was  deep  and  wide-spread.  On  the 
first  Sunday  of  January,  1833,  which  was  the  first 
day  of  the  week  and  of  the  month  and  of  the  year, 
an  addition  of  forty-three  was  made  to  the  church ; 
on  the  first  Sunday  of  March  thirty-six  more  were 
added,  and  during  the  following  summer  several  more, 
making  between  eighty  and  ninety  in  all. 

In  the  fall  of  1832  another  event  took  place  which 
was  at  the  time  of  great  interest  to  the  people  of  New 
London.  During  that  autumn  the  first  stage-coach 
took  its  regular  trip  through  New  London,  upon  the 
route  from  Hanover  to  Lowell.  This  new  road  had 
been  before  the  public  for  several  years  in  one  form 
and  another,  and  was  strongly  favored  by  one  party 
and  opposed  by  another.  But  it  had  finally,  through 
the  efforts  of  Colonel  Anthony  Colby  more  than  of 


434 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


any  other  man,  probably,  been  laid  out  and  built,  and 
a stage  company  bad  been  formed,  horses  and  coaches 
purchased  and  arrangements  made  for  staging. 

This  fall  of  1832,  J.  Everett  Farnum  was  teaching  a 
private  school  for  a term  in  the  red  school-house  at 
the  four  corners,  and  it  was  announced  that  on  a cer- 
tain day  in  October  the  stage-coach  would  make  its 
appearance.  It  was  to  go  through  here  in  the  after- 
noon to  Hanover,  and  start  the  next  morning  early 
for  Lowell.  As  the  expected  event  drew  nigh,  study 
was  out  of  the  question,  and  the  teacher  gave  all  per- 
mission to  gaze  for  a time  for  the  long-expected 
stage-coach  with  its  four  horses  in  hand.  It  finally 
came  and  went,  as  all  things  come  and  go  ; but  it  took 
some  time  to  fully  comprehend  and  realize  the  im- 
portance of  the  fact  that  New  London  was  henceforth 
to  have  a daily  stage  and  a daily  mail  both  ways. 

In  1837  the  New  London  Academy  was  incorpor- 
ated and  went  into  successful  operation,  and  continued 
prosperous  under  different  teachers  for  several  years, 
up  to  about  1850,  when  its  operations  were  suspended 
for  a time.  It  commenced  in  1837  as  a ladies’  school, 
with  Miss  Susan  F.  Colby  as  principal.  In  the  au- 
tumn of  that  year  Professor  Dyer  H.  Sanborn  became 
principal  and  Miss  Colby  continued  as  principal  of 
the  ladies’  department.  After  some  years  Mr.  San- 
born resigned,  and  Truman  K.  Wright  succeeded  him 
as  principal ; after  Mr.  Wright,  a Mr.  Meserve,  a Mr. 
Averhill  and  a Mr.  Comings  followed.  Then  Mr. 
Alvah  Hovey,  now  president  of  Newton  Theological 
Institution,  taught  one  year;  then  Mr.  Joseph  B. 
Clarke,  now  of  Manchester,  followed  for  a year ; then 
a Mr.  Y.  J.  Walker  followed,  who  was  the  last,  or 
among  the  last,  who  taught  under  this  arrangement. 

In  1840  the  population  of  New  London  reached 
one  thousand  and  nineteen, — a gain  of  one  hundred 
and  six  in  the  hist  ten  years,  and  this  was  the  largest 
number  that  were  ever  in  the  town  at  the  time  of  any 
census,  and  the  town  was  in  a condition  of  prosperity, 
wealth  and  influence  perhaps  equal  to  that  of  any 
other  period  in  its  history. 


CHAPTER  III. 

NEW  LONDON — ( Continued). 

In  1843  Joseph  Colby,  Esq.,  died.  He  had  passed 
most  of  his  life  in  New  London,  and'  few  men  have 
had  a wider  or  a better  influence  in  the  town  than  he 
had.  He  was  born  in  Plaistow,  N.  H.,  March  24, 
1762 ; moved  to  Hopkinton,  N.  H.,  about  the  time  he 
became  twenty-one  years  old,  and  lived  there  a few 
years;  while  there  he  was  married  to  Miss  Anna 
Heath,  of  Hampstead,  N.  H.,  December  21,  1785. 
They  moved  to  New  London  March  10,  1786,  and  at 
first  lived  in  a log-house  on  the  shore  of  Pleasant 
Pond,  at  the  upper  end,  near  where  Stephen  Sargent 


now  lives,  where  the  Indians  had  formerly  cleared  up 
a few  acres  of  the  intervale,  to  raise  their  corn  and 
beans.  He  enlarged  this  clearing  and  made  a valua- 
ble farm.  He  moved  from  there  and  lived  at  other 
places  in  town ; built  the  house  on  the  Elder  Sea- 
mans’ place,  opposite  where  the  buildings  now  stand, 
which  has  since  been  burnt  down  ; then  moved  on  to 
the  road  that  leads  from  here  directly  to  the  low 
plains,  where  Anthony  and  the  youngest  daughter, 
Mrs.  Burpee,  were  born  ; and  then  moved  to  the  farm 
on  Main  Street,  in  the  year  1800,  where  he  ever  after 
lived,  and  where  he  died  April  19, 1843. 

He  was  for  many  years  the  agent  of  Jonas  Minot, 
one  of  the  original  and  the  largest  of  the  proprietors 
of  the  grant,  and  in  that  way  he  had  opportunities 
for  learning  more  of  the  situation  and  value  of  the 
land  in  the  different  localities  than  most  other  men. 
He  dealt  largely  in  real  estate  in  the  town.  He  served 
the  town  well  in  various  capacities  : for  many  years 
as  one  of  the  selectmen,  and  was  its  first  representa- 
tive to  the  General  Court,  and  was  re-elected  every 
successive  year  from  1803  to  1816,  inclusive.  He  was 
early  a member  of  the  church,  and  I think  the  records 
will  show  that  he  acted  on  more  committees  in  the 
church  than  any  other  man  during  the  same  period  of 
time.  He  was  also  a leading  magistrate  in  the  town 
for  many  years. 

In  1846  Anthony  Colby,  of  New  London,  was  elected 
Governor  of  the  State.  He  was  a native  of  this  town, 
the  son  of  Joseph  and  Anna  Colby,  born  November 
13,  1792.  He  received  his  education  mainly  in  the 
common  schools  of  his  native  town.  But  he  had  a 
wonderful  capacity  for  business,  and  was  always  active 
in  matters  of  a public  character.  He  built  the  original 
stone  dam  at  the  outlet  of  Pleasant  Pond,  and  built  a 
grist-mill  there,  which  was  a great  public  benefit.  He 
was  largely  instrumental  in  getting  the  new  road  laid 
out  and  built,  and  started  the  line  of  stages  upon  it, 
that  for  a long  time  ran  through  from  Hanover  to 
Lowell  in  a day,  a distance  of  one  hundred  miles  or 
more;  and  he  readily  lent  a helping  hand  to  the  en- 
terprise, started  by  another  son  of  New  London,  of 
establishing  the  business  of  manufacturing  scythes, 
where  the  same  has  been  so  successfully  carried  on 
ever  since.  He  was  one  of  the  two  men  who  built  the 
new  meeting-house ; in  fact,  few  men  have  ever  lived 
a more  active  life  than  he  did. 

He  was  a friend  of  education  and  of  the  common 
school,  and  for  a long  time  was  one  of  the  superin- 
tendents of  the  schools  in  town,  and  was  among  the 
earlier  advocates  of  the  temperance  reform.  He  went 
through  all  the  grades  of  military  promotion,  from 
captain  to  major-general,  and  had  represented  the 
town  in  the  Legislature  in  the  years  1828,  1829,  1830, 
1831,  1832,  also  in  1837,  1838,  1839 ; and  in  1846  was 
the  chief  magistrate  of  the  State.  His  administration 
of  the  affairs  of  the  State  government  was  character- 
ized for  integrity,  true  economy  and  a spirit  of  pro- 
gress and  reform.  In  the  position  in  which  the  politi- 


NEW  LONDON. 


435 


cal  parties  then  stood  it  was  simply  impossible  that 
he  could  be  re-elected. 

He  was  again  elected  to  the  Legislature  in  1860, 
from  New  London,  and  was  appointed  by  Governor 
Berry,  in  1861,  as  adjutant-general  of  the  State,  at  a 
time  when  the  best  man  in  the  State  was  needed  for 
that  responsible  positition,  made  so  responsible  by  the 
great  importance  of  the  struggle  in  which  the  coun- 
try was  then  engaged.  He  performed  the  duties  of 
this  office  in  a manner  entirely  satisfactory  to  tliegov- 
ernment  and  the  people,  and  resigned  in  1863.  He 
was  long  an  active  and  influential  member  of  the 
church  here,  as  well  as  a leading  member  in  the  de- 
nomination in  the  State.  He  died  July  20,  1873.  He 
always  lived  in  this  town,  and  always,  except  the  first 
eight  years  of  his  life,  in  the  house  into  which  his 
father  moved  in  1800,  and  where  both  father  and  son 
have  died.  No  man  ever  devoted  himself  more  fully 
and  constantly  to  the  building  up  of  what  he  believed 
to  be  the  best  interest  of  his  native  town  than  he  did. 
He  married  for  his  first  wife,  Miss  Mary  Everett,  of 
New  London,  and  for  his  second,  Mrs.  Eliza  Richard- 
son, of  Boston,  who  survived  him. 

In  1847  the  union  meeting-house,  sometimes  called 
the  Free  Church,  was  built  at  the  Four  Corners.  This 
remained  for  several  years,  but  was  finally  sold,  and 
removed  and  converted  to  other  uses,  it  being  wisely 
concluded  that  one  good,  strong  church  in  a place  is 
far  better  than  two  or  three  feeble  ones,  and  that  one 
meeting-house  well  filled  is  far  better  than  several 
empty  ones. 

In  1850  the  population  was  nine  hundred  and  forty- 
five,  being  a loss  of  seventy-four  from  1840.  Benja- 
min R.  Andrews  was  the  delegate  from  New  London 
to  the  Constitutional  Convention  of  that  year  in  this 
State. 

In  1853  the  new  town-house  was  built  near  the  new 
meeting-house.  There  was  quite  a struggle  upon  the 
question  of  removal,  the  subject  having  been  voted  on 
at  no  less  than  three  town-meetings,  held  in  rapid 
succession,  in  the  spring  and  summer  of  that  year. 

In  1853,  when  the  academical  and  theological  school, 
under  the  patronage  of  the  Calvinist  Baptist  denomi- 
nation, was  removed  from  New  Hampton  to  the  State 
of  Vermont,  it  left  the  denomination  without  a school 
in  this  State.  They  soon  resolved  that  this  state  of 
things  ought  not  to  be,  and  they  at  once  looked  about 
for  the  best  place  to  locate  their  seminary  of  learning. 
The  friends  at  New  London  offered  to  give  the  de- 
nomination their  academy,  and  put  it  in  good  repair, 
and  build  a ladies’  boarding-house,  and  furnish  vari- 
ous other  accommodations.  This  proposition  was  fav- 
orably considered  by  the  denomination,  and  the 
preference  was  given  to  New  London.  Accordingly  a 
new  act  of  incorporation  was  obtained  in  1853,  and 
“The  New  London  Literary  and  Scientific  Institute  ” 
was  incorporated  that  year,  and  the  school  put  in  suc- 
cessful operation  that  fall,  and  in  course  of  its  first 
year  enrolled  upon  its  catalogue  some  three  hundred 


and  thirty-five  scholars.  The  property  of  the  New 
London  Academy  was  transferred  to  the  Institute.  In 
1855  an  alteration  was  made  in  its  name,  changing  the 
word  Institute  to  Institution  and  modifying  some  of 
the  provisions  of  its  charter,  and  its  name  has  re- 
mained unchanged  from  that  time  to  the  year  1878, 
when  it  was  changed  to  that  of  “ The  Colby  Academy  ” 
at  New  London,  which  name  it  now  holds. 

In  1854  the  old  town  meeting-house  was  sold,  by 
vote  of  the  town,  and  removed  to  this  neighborhood 
and  converted  into  a boarding-house  for  the  use  of  the 
academy. 

Benjamin  P.  Burpee,  of  New  London,  was  elected  a 
county  commissioner  for  Merrimack  County  for  the 
years  1852, 1853  and  1854.  He  was  also  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  town  for  the  years  1853  and  1854. 

In  1856  George  W.  Everett,  of  this  town,  was  ap- 
pointed solicitor  of  Merrimack  County,  which  office 
he  held  for  five  years,  until  1861.  He  was  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  town  in  the  years  1852  and  1856. 

Richard  H.  Messer  was  elected  a member  of  the 
Governor’s  Council  for  the  years  1857  and  1858.  He 
was  a native  of  the  town,  the  son  of  Isaac  and  Mar- 
tha Messer,  born  October  20,  1807.  He  received  a 
common-school  education  only,  and  when  of  age  he 
went  to  Massachusetts  and  learned  the  trade  of  manu- 
facturing scythes;  he  then  came  back  to  New  Lon- 
don, and  uniting  himself  with  Mr.  Phillips  and  An- 
thony Colby,  introduced  the  business  here,  at  the 
place  where  Colby  had  early  built  the  second1 
grist-mill  in  town,  and  where  the  enterprising  village 
of  Scvtheville  has  since  grown  up.  The  town  is 
greatly  indebted  to  Mr.  Messer  as  being  the  origina- 
tor and  the  active  agent  in  introducing  and  building 
up  this  great  industry  in  the  town,  and  the  gen- 
tlemen who  first  were  associated  with  him  in  the 
business  were  also  benefactors  of  the  place.  He  was 
elected  to  the  Legislature  in  the  year  1858.  He  con- 
tinued in  his  favorite  occupation,  devoting  himself  to 
business  with  all  his  energies,  until  he  died,  May  15, 
1872,  aged  sixty-five  years. 

In  1860  the  population  of  the  town  was  nine  hun- 
dred and  fifty-two,  a gain  of  only  seven  in  ten 
years. 

In  1860,  Governor  Colby  was  again  elected  repre- 
sentative, and  in  1861  he  was  appointed  adjutant- 
general  of  the  State,  which  place  he  held  until  1863, 
when  he  resigned,  and  his  son,  Daniel  E.  Colby,  was 
appointed  to  the  same  place  in  August,  and  held  the 
place  till  March,  1864,  when  he  resigned  the  position. 
He  had  been  representative  of  the  town  in  the  Legis- 
lature in  1857,  and  was  afterwards  a member  of  the 
Constitutional  Convention  of  1876,  and  still  resides 
upon  the  old  homestead  of  his  father  and  grand- 
father. 


1 It  lias  been  said  that  some  one  had  built  a small  grist-mill  here  on 
this  site  before  that  time,  but  it  was  of  no  account.  Colby’s  mill  was 
from  the  first,  and  is  to-day,  substantially  the  mill  of  the  town. 


436 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


The  academy,  as  organized  in  1873,  had  been  doing  a 
good  work  and  doing  it  well,  and  had  been  prospered. 
At  first  a fund  of  $25,000  was  raised,  which  for  a time 
seemed  to  meet  the  demand  of  the  institution,  but 
presently  the  need  was  felt  of  more  ample  accommo- 
dations and  a better  location ; and  it  was  a grave 
question  where  the  funds  were  to  be  obtained  to  meet 
this  new  want,  this  growing  necessity.  In  1866,  Mrs. 
James  B.  Colgate,  a daughter  of  Governor  Colby,  of- 
fered $25,000  towards  establishing  the  necessary  fund, 
provided  that  the  amount  should  be  made  up  to 
$100,000  within  a given  time.  This  was  accomplished 
by  the  aid  of  the  Rev.  W.  H.  Eaton,  D.D.,  who  had 
assisted  in  raising  the  previous  fund  of  $25,000,  and 
at  the  anniversary  in  1867  the  subscription  was  filled 
and  the  object  secured. 

The  present  site  was  then  obtained  and  the  present 
buildings  were  erected,  and  in  1870  they  were  com- 
pleted and  dedicated,  upon  which  occasion  Rev.  Dr. 
Cummings,  of  Concord,  the  president  of  the  institu- 
tion, delivered  an  able  and  interesting  historical  ad- 
dress. 

This  school  has  been  placed  under  great  obligations 
to  Mrs.  Colgate,  of  New  York ; ex-Governor  Colby, 
of  New  Loudon;  John  Conant,  Esq,  of  Jaffrey; 
Messrs.  H.  H.  & J.  S.  Brown,  of  Fisherville  ; Nahum 
T.  Greenwood,  Esq.,  of  New  London,  and  many 
others,  bv  their  liberal  contributions  to  its  fund. 

In  1853,  George  W.  Gardner  was  appointed  princi- 
pal, who  continued  in  that  place  seven  years,  and 
was  followed  by  Rev.  George  B.  Gove,  for  three 
years,  who  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  A.  W.  Sawyer,  who 
remained  about  seven  years,  to  1870.  Then  Horace 
M.  Willard  was  appointed  principal,  who  was  fol- 
lowed in  1872,  by  Laban  E.  Warren,  who  was  suc- 
ceeded by  A.  L.  Lane  in  1875,  who,  in  turn,  gave  place 
to  J.  F.  Morton  in  1876,  who  remained  two  years,  till 
1878,  when  E.  J.  McEwan  was  elected.  The  present 
principal  is  James  P.  Dixon. 

Several  have  held  the  place  of  lady  principal. 
Miss  Mary  J.  Prescott,  from  1853  to  1857,  Miss  Har- 
riet E.  Rice,  Miss  Julia  A.  Gould,  Miss  Adelaide  L. 
Smiley,  Miss  Lucy  Flagg,  Miss  Mary  A.  Davis,  Miss 
Mary  O.  Carter  (who  became  Mrs.  Warren  in  1872), 
Miss  Hannah  P.  Dodge,  and  in  1877,  Miss  Smiley 
was  again  appointed,  and  holds  the  position  at  the 
present  time. 

Mr.  Ephraim  Knight  was  appointed  associate  prin- 
cipal and  professor  of  mathematics  at  the  commence- 
ment in  1853,  which  place  he  held  down  to  1873,  a 
period  of  twenty  years,  when,  in  consequence  of 
declining  health,  he  resigned  the  post,  and  died  here 
March  4,  1878. 

In  1870  the  population  of  the  town  was  nine  hun- 
dred and  fifty-nine,  a gain  of  seven  from  1860,  and 
just  the  same  made  in  the  last  previous  decade. 
Since  1870  but  few  matters  of  general  interest  have 
occurred  in  New  London. 

In  1874  the  town  came  very  near  furnishing  another 


Governor  for  the  State.  General  Luther  McCutchins 
was  born  in  Pembroke,  N.  H.,  in  1809;  first  came  to 
New  London  in  1837,  and  remained  two  years  ; then 
went  to  Connecticut  for  some  four  years,  returning  to 
New  London  in  1843,  where  he  has  since  lived.  He 
received  the  Republican  nomination  for  Governor  in 
1874,  and  received  the  full  strength  of  his  party,  and 
a vote  very  complimentary  to  him,  and  only  failed 
because,  as  the  issues  were  then  made  up  and  the 
parties  were  then  organized,  the  Republicans  could 
not  elect  anybody  that  year.  He  has  been  your  rep- 
resentative in  the  Legislature  in  1850,  1851,  1873, 
1878  and  1879.  He  is  a practical  farmer,  who  takes  a 
deep  interest  in  whatever  is  calculated  to  advance  the 
agricultural  interests  of  the  State. 

In  1875,  George  M.  Knight,  Esq.,  of  this  town, 
was  elected  county  commissioner  for  the  county  of 
Merrimack,  which  office  he  held  for  the  term  of  three 
years, — 1875,  1876  and  1877. 

Of  the  facts  of  the  first  century  of  New  London’s 
history  we  have  endeavored  to  give  you  a fair 
and  impartial  statement,  wuthout  any  attempt  at 
embellishment.  There  are  a few  other  facts  that 
may  properly  be  alluded  to  before  we  close,  and 
first,  the  patriotism  of  the  town.  We  have  seen 
that  the  town  voted  at  once,  after  it  was  incorporated, 
to  furnish  a soldier  for  the  Continental  army  ; this 
they  did  furnish,  and  paid  him,  as  we  have  seen, 
through  the  war  until  its  close.  We  have  no  evidence 
that  the  Mr.  Coums  who  wrent  from  the  town  was  an 
inhabitant  of  the  town  : our  impression  is  that  he 
probably  was  not,  but  was  a substitute,  or  a man  hired 
by  the  town  to  fill  the  place.  But  New  London  had 
its  Revolutionary  heroes  in  abundance.  Iu  fact,  it 
seemed  a favorite  resort  for  those  soldiers  who  had 
gone  from  other  places  and  served  through  the  war, 
and  then  looked  about  for  the  most  desirable  places 
for  settlement  in  the  new  country.  The  fresh  breezes 
of  its  hills,  and  the  view's  of  the  noble  mountains 
in  its  neighborhood,  are  all  congenial  to  a love  of 
freedom  and  independence.  Hence  we  find  that  im- 
mediately after  the  war  many  w'ho  had  been  in  the 
Continental  army  came  at  once  to  Newr  London  and 
settled  here ; others  came  later.  There  was  Thomas 
Currier  (knowrn  as  Captain  Kiah),  Edmund  Davis,  Jo- 
siah  Davis,  John  Dole,  Jesse  Dow',  Levi  Everett,  Pen  - 
uel  Everett,  Eliphalet  Gav,  Zebedee  Hayes,  Ezekiel 
Knowlton,  Thomas  Pike,  David  Smith,  Moses  Trussell 
and  Eliphalet  Woodward.  Most  of  them  came  from 
Massachusetts,— from  Attleborough,  Dedham,  New' 
Rowley  (now  Georgetown),  and  Bradford  ; but  Moses 
Trussell  came  from  Hopkinton,  N.  H.,  in  year  1804. 

Captain  Currier  not  only  served  through  the  Revo- 
lutionary War,  but  no  sooner  was  the  War  of  1812 
declared  than  he  entered  the  regular  army.  He  went 
through  the  war,  fought  in  several  battles  and  came 
safely  home  when  the  wrar  was  over.  I remember 
him  as  he  used  to  come  to  church  on  Sunday  and 
other  days,  for  he  was  a man  who  loved  his  God 


NEW  LONDON. 


437 


as  well  as  his  country,  and  he  knew  no  fear  in 
the  service  of  either.  Levi  Everett  was  another 
man  whom  I well  remember.  He  lived  near  my 
father,  and  I never  wearied  of  listening  to  him  when 
he  was  telling  his  stories  about  the  wars  and  the  bat- 
tles be  had  seen.  Then  there  was  Moses  Trussed, 
with  one  arm  gone  from  below  the  elbow.  I knew 
him  well.  I understood  that  he  lost  his  arm  in  the  war, 
but  did  not  know  where  or  when  or  how  ; but  a paper 
has  recently  been  found  that  explains  these  matters. 
(This  paper  is  published  at  length  in  the  second 
volume  of  the  Granite  Monthly,  page  270.)  Such 
were  some  of  the  men  of  those  days.  Mr.  Trussed, 
you  will  remember,  was  here  in  1774  and  cleared  a 
piece  of  land;  the  next  year  he  went  to  Bunker  Hid, 
and  in  thirty  years  from  his  first  visit  he  returned  to 
live  and  spend  the  rest  of  his  days  here,  and  died  in 
New  London. 

So  in  the  War  of  1812  New  London  did  her  full 
proportion.  At  the  first  alarm  of  war  many  left  and 
joined  the  regular  army  and  followed  its  fortunes 
through  the  war,  like  Captain  Currier,  of  whom  I 
have  spoken.  But  few,  comparatively,  were  called 
into  active  service  from  this  State  in  that  war;  but 
whenever  the  cad  came  the  men  were  ready.  I find 
that  among  the  companies  that  were  called  out  and 
ordered  to  Portsmouth  there  were  in  Captain  Jonathan 
Bean’s  company,  one  sergeant,  Robert  Knowlton  from 
New  London,  and  four  privates, — John  Davis,  David 
Marshall,  Nathaniel  Messer  and  David  Gile;  and 
that  in  Captain  Silas  Call’s  company,  Stephen  Sargent 
was  first  lieutenant,  and  Captain  Cad  having  died 
before  his  term  was  out,  Sargent  was  in  command 
of  the  company  for  a time.  There  were  in  the  same 
company,  as  privates,  Samuel  Messer,  Zenas  Herrick 
and  Nathan  Smith,  all  from  New  London. 

And  in  the  late  War  of  the  Rebellion  New  London 
did  not  falter,  but  promptly  met  the  cad  of  the 
country  and  sent  her  sons  to  the  conflict  without  re- 
serve, as  they  were  needed,  furnishing  such  officers  as 
Captain  Andrew  J.  Sargent,  Major  George  W.  Everett, 
of  the  Ninth  Regiment,  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  J.  M. 
Clough,  of  the  Eighteenth  Regiment,  who,  since  the 
war  was  over,  is  doing  good  service  in  our  State 
militia  as  a brigadier-general.  The  town  also  fur- 
nished men  for  the  ranks  in  the  various  stations  and 
places  where  they  were  needed,  who  were  true  as  steel 
and  faithful  unto  death  to  the  trust  reposed  in  them. 
The  reputation  of  the  town  for  patriotism  is  estab- 
lished beyond  a peradventure. 

That  the  town  is  a place  of  good  morals  would 
follow  almost  naturally  from  the  fact  that  the  people 
of  the  town  are  an  agricultural  people,  who  have 
always  believed  that  a good  education  is  of  the 
highest  consequence,  and  have  had  good  schools,  and 
for  the  last  forty  years  a very  good  academy.  These 
facts,  in  connection  with  the  religious  training  of  the 
people  under  such  men  as  Elder  Seamans  and  his 
successors,  could  hardly  fail  to  make  the  population 


what  it  has  been, — an  industrious,  intelligent,  patri- 
otic, moral  and  happy  people.  Wherever  the  crimi- 
nals come  from  that  fill  our  jails  and  prisons,  very 
few  of  them  have  ever  come  from  New  London,  or 
ever  will,  until  the  town  forgets  the  lessons  of  the 
first  hundred  years  of  its  history. 

There  are  a few  more  general  facts  and  a few  more 
individual  notices  that  I desire  to  refer  to. 

The  following  persons  have  graduated  from  college, 
who  were  natives  or  residents  of  New  London  at  the 
time,  with  the  year  of  graduation  : 

John  H.  Slack,  Dartmouth  College,  1811. 

Benjamin  Woodbury,  Dartmouth  College.  1817. 

J.  Everett  Farnum,  Waterville  College  (now  Colby  University),  1833. 

Daniel  P.  Woodbury,  West  Point,  1833. 

Francis  A.  Gates,  Waterville  College,  1836. 

Daniel  E.  Colby,  Dartmouth  College,  183G. 

J.  Everett  Sargent,  Dartmouth  College,  1840. 

Robert  Colby,  Dartmouth  College,  1845. 

Edward  B.  Knight,  Dartmouth  College,  18  il . 

Dura  P.  Morgan,  Brown  University,  1869. 

Carl  Knight,  Dartmouth  College,  1873. 

William  Knight,  Brown  University,  1877. 

Charles  M.  Sargent,  Bates  College,  1879. 

Physicians  in  New  London. — Samuel  Flagg 
was  a traveling  doctor,  whose  route  extended  from 
Pembroke  and  Dunbarton  to  Enfield,  through  Hop- 
kinton  and  New  London,  usually  coming  this  way 
two  or  three  times  a year,  but  irregularly.  He  al- 
ways traveled  on  foot  and  carried  bis  saddle-bags  of 
medicine  over  his  shoulder.  He  had  no  fixed  resi- 
dence, but  wandered  from  place  to  place ; a man  of 
considerable  skill,  but  intemperate,  and  took  great 
delight  in  making  himself  a terror  to  children.  He 
was  found  dead  in  a mud-hole,  into  which  he  was 
supposed  to  have  faljen  in  a fit  of  intoxication. 

John  Cushing  was  a resident  of  New  London  for 
many  years;  came 'here  before  the  year  1800;  was  a 
skillful  physician,  and  for  a time  was  quite  popular 
here.  He  was  engaged  to  be  married  to  Phete 
Messer,  the  daughter  of  Samuel  Messer.  The  day 
was  appointed  for  the  wedding;  the  friends  were  in- 
vited ; the  guests  came;  the  bride,  in  expectancy, 
was  attired,  and  the  waiting-maids  in  attendance. 
The  only  absent  one  was  the  bridegroom  that  was  to 
be,  who  did  not  put  in  an  appearance,  and  as  there 
could  not  be  much  of  a wedding  without  a bridegroom, 
the  result  was  that  the  wedding  did  not  come  off  ac- 
cording to  programme.  This  was  in  1802  or  1803. 
But  this  disappointment  proved  a blessing  in  disguise 
to  the  intended  bride,  for  Cushing,  who  was  then 
somewhat  given  to  drink,  went  on  from  bad  to  worse 
and  became  very  intemperate;  lost  his  practice  and 
the  confidence  of  the  community,  and  finally  moved 
to  Fisherfield  and  died  there  in  poverty.  He  always 
rode  on  horseback  to  visit  his  patients.  He  never 
married. 

Robert  Lane  came  to  New  London,  from  New- 
port, about  the  year  1808,  after  Cushing  had  lost  his 
practice  and  moved  from  town.  He  lived  here  some 
two  or  three  years,  then  moved  to  Sutton,  where  he 


438 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


was  living  and  in  practice  in  1811,  and  remained 
there  a few  years.  He  then  returned  to  New  Lon- 
don, where  I find  that  he  was  residing  in  1814,  and 
he  remained  in  town  through  1815-16,  for  he  was  one 
of  the  selectmen  of  the  town  in  these  latter  years. 
After  this  he  went  to  Mobile,  Ala.,  and  was  absent  a 
year  or  two,  when  he  returned  and  stopped  a short 
time  at  New  London,  and  then  took  up  his  perma- 
nent residence  in  Sutton,  at  the  north  village,  where 
he  ever  afterwards  lived.  He  had  an  extensive  prac- 
tice ; became  quite  distinguished  in  his  profession ; 
was  much  respected,  and  died  a few  years  ago  at  a 
good  old  age. 

Charles  Pjnney  came  to  New  London  about 
1810,  when  Dr.  Lane  first  went  to  Sutton.  I find 
that  Pinuey  was  here  and  in  full  practice  in  1811, 
when  Lane  was  also  in  full  practice  in  Sutton.  Pin- 
ney  married  a daughter  of  Mr.  Edmund  Davis. 
After  Dr.  Lane  returned  to  New  London  they  both 
remained  awhile,  and  then  Pinney  moved  away.  He 
returned  to  live  here  again  after  several  years,  and 
remained  here,  I think,  till  his  death;  at  least  he  is 
buried  in  our  cemetery.  I knew  him  well  after  his 
return,  but  he  was  not  then  in  practice  as  a physician. 

Isaac  Colby  followed  Dr.  Lane,  coming  soon  after 
lie  left,  in  1817  or  1818,  and  remained  till  about  1821, 
when  he  removed  to  Hopkinton. 

Herbert  Foster  was  here  in  the  year  1822  ; may 
have  come  in  1821,  but  did  not  remain  but  a year  or 
two. 

Jonathan  Dearborn  came  soon  after  this,  per- 
haps in  1823  or  a little  later  ; was  a skillful  physician, 
but  left  town  suddenly  in  1829. 

SAMUEL  Little  followed  Dr.  Dearborn,  coming 
about  1830,  and  remained  till  1838,  or  thereabouts; 
was  town  clerk  several  years;  then  moved  to  Tliet- 
ford,  Vt.,  thence  to  Lebanon,  and  thence  to  Rumney, 
N.  H.,  where  I used  to  see  him  frequently  when  I 
lived  at  Wentworth.  He  afterwards  moved  West, 
where  he  died  a few  years  ago. 

Robert  Copp  was  here  for  a few  years,  during  the 
time  that  Dr.  Little  was  here.  I remember  him  well.  ! 
He  was  here  in  1836,  but  left  soon  after;  may  have 
been  here  some  three  or  four  years  in  all. 

Reuben  Hosmer  followed  Dr.  Little  in  1839,  and 
remained  till  1848,  some  ten  years. 

Hezekiah  Bickford  came  back  in  1848.  for  he 
was  a native  of  this  town,  and  remained  till  1851, 
some  four  years. 

S.  M.  Whipple  came  into  town  in  1849,  and  re- 
mained longer  in  town  than  any  other  physician.  He 
was  a native  of  Croydon.  N.  H. ; attended  medical  lec- 
tures at  Dartmouth  College,  and  commenced  practice 
at  New  London  in  the  year  1849.  Since  he  came  to 
New  London  several  others  have  been  here  for  short 
periods,  as  follows: 

Otis  Ayer,  from  1855  to  1857,  three  years. 

Levi  Pierce  (homoeopathic),  from  1861  to  1864, 
four  years. 


N.  T.  Clark,  from  1870  to  1871,  two  years. 

R.  A.  Blood,  from  1871  to  1873,  three  years. 

J.  P.  Elkins  (at  Scytheville),  from  1878  to  present 
time. 

There  have  also  been  several  physicians  raised  up 
in  town,  from  its  native-born  or  adojited  citizens, 
who  have  gone  to  other  places. 

Jonathan  E.  Herrick,  son  of  Esquire  Jonathan 
and  Rhoda  Herrick,  who  is  now  in  practice  in  New 
York. 

George  H.  W.  Herrick,  son  of  Deacon  Joseph 
C.  Herrick,  who  was  in  practice  at  Charlestown, 
Mass.,  and  who  died  abroad  in  1877. 

Charles  Pike,  in  practice  in  Peabody,  Mass. 

Ashley  Whipple,  son  of  S.  M.  Whipple,  of  New 
London,  now  at  Ashland,  N.  H. 

Ministers  of  New  London.  — Job  Seamans  was 
born  in  Rehoboth,  Mass.,  May  24,  1748;  was  the  son 
of  Deacon  Charles  Seamans  and  Hannah,  his  wife. 
His  father  was  a farmer  at  Rehoboth;  moved  to 
Swansea,  Mass.,  when  Job  was  about  a year  old,  re- 
siding there  about  four  years;  then  removed  to  Provi- 
dence, R.  I.,  where  he  lived  about  ten  years.  He 
then  moved  to  Sackville,  Cumberland  County,  Nova 
Scotia,  where  he  lived  about  eight  years,  and  where 
he  died  in  the  year  1771,  aged  seventy-one  years. 
Job,  the  son,  followed  the  farm  until  the  father  died. 
He  was  about  fifteen  years  old  when  he  moved  from 
Providence  to  Sackville;  and  on  August  10,  1769,  he 
married,  at  Sackville,  Miss  Sarah  Esterbrooks,  a 
daughter  of  Valentine  Esterbrooks,  Esq.,  and  who 
was  born  at  Johnson,  R.  I.,  April  14,  1750.  He  began 
to  preach  at  Sackville,  having  united  with  the  Bap- 
tist Church  there,  when  about  twenty  years  of  age, 
and  about  one  year  before  his  marriage.  Soon  after 
his  father  died,  in  1771,  he  returned  to  New  England, 
and  in  1772  he  was  preaching  to  the  church  at  North 
Attleborough,  Mass.,  and  on  the  15tli  of  December, 
1772,  he  was  ordained  as  its  pastor.  He  continued  a 
successful  ministry  there  for  about  fifteen  years.  In 
1787  he  first  came  to  New  Hampshire.  The  entry  in 
his  diary  is  as  follows:  “Lord’s  day,  June  17,  1787,  I 
preached  in  Sutton,  in  the  State  of  New  Hampshire.” 
The  next  entry  is, — “ Lord’s  Day,  June  24, 1 preached 
in  New*  London,  in  the  same  State.”  He  came  to 
New  London  again  in  February,  1788,  arriving  on 
the  22d  at  Deacon  Hunting’s,  and  remained  some 
two  months,  preaching  from  house  to  house.  Many 
of  the  early  settlers  of  New  London  were  from  Attle- 
borough, Mass.,  and  the  towns  in  that  neighborhood, 
who  had  long  been  acquainted  with  him  there,  and 
it  is  not  strange  that  they  should  be  anxious  to  ob- 
tain him  for  their  minister  here,  and  so  we  find  him 
listening  to  their  call,  and  willing  in  the  end  to  cast 
in  his  lot  with  these  old  friends;  and  after  consider- 
ing the  subject  fully,  he  started,  with  his  family,  for 
New  London,  June  20,  1788,  and  arrived  there  July 
1st,  and  he  says  in  his  diary:  “Went  into  a very  poor 
house  of  Mr.  James  Brocklebank.  The  same  night 


NEW  LONDON. 


439 


our  youngest  child  (Manning)  was  taken  sick.”  He 
was,  as  you  see,  twelve  days  in  moving  from  Attle- 
borough to  New  London,  a distance  of  one  hundred 
and  thirty  or  one  hundred  and  forty  miles  perhaps; 
as  long  a time  as  would  be  necessary  to  go  to  San 
Francisco  and  back  again, — time  enough  now  to  go 
to  London  or  Paris. 

His  first  work  here  was  to  found  a church.  This 
was  done  October  23,  1788,  the  churches  from  Sutton 
and  Wendell  being  present,  by  their  ministers  and 
delegates,  to  counsel  and  assist.  The  church  con- 
sisted at  first  of  eleven  members,  and  Mr.  Seamans 
was  installed  as  pastor  of  the  church  and  minister  of 
the  town  January  21,  1789.  Of  the  exercises  at  his 
installation,  the  gathering  at  the  unfinished  meeting- 
house, and  the  salary  paid  him  by  the  town,  we  have 
already  spoken;  also  of  the  seasons  of  reformation  in 
the  church  from  time  to  time  under  his  preaching. 

The  church  records  also  show  a vast  amount  of 
labor  done  in  the  church.  Those  were  days  for  lay- 
ing foundations,  and  Elder  Seamans  laid  his  founda- 
tions for  church  order  and  discipline  deep,  broad  and 
permanent.  Were  members  guilty  of  any  immoral- 
ity, they  were  dealt  with.  Did  they  absent  them- 
selves from  the  communion  of  the  church,  that  wTas 
cause  for  labor.  All  members  were  required  to  do 
their  share,  according  to  their  means,  for  the  support 
of  the  gospel.  Many  were  the  labors,  frequent  the  let- 
ters of  admonition,  and  not  unfrequent  the  final  let- 
ters of  expulsion  sent  to  members  of  the  church  for 
the  sole  reason  that  they  were  unwilling  to  pay  their 
due  proportion,  according  to  their  ability,  for  minis- 
terial support. 

While  all  the  poor  were  welcomed  to  the  privileges 
of  the  gospel,  without  money  and  without  price,  yet 
it  was  held  to  be  the  duty  of  those  church-members 
who  were  known  to  be  able,  and  could  not  deny  the 
fact  of  their  ability,  to  pay  accordingly;  and  if  they 
would  not,  no  amount  of  profession,  no  quantity  of 
apparent  sanctity  and  long-facedness,  was  sufficient  to 
screen  the  delinquent  miser  from  merited  expulsion. 

The  Christian  of  those  days  evidently  believed 
that  no  amount  of  grace  was  sufficient  to  save  a man, 
unless  it  was  sufficient  to  sanctify  his  love  of  gain  as 
well  as  his  other  affections,  and  that  a man’s  conver- 
sion, in  order  to  be  genuine,  must  reach  not  only  his 
head,  but  also  his  heart,  and  not  only  his  head  and 
heart,  but  also  his  pocket-book.  For  the  last  years 
of  his  life  he  was  not  able  to  preach,  except  occasion- 
ally; he  did  not  preach  much  after  the  year  1824, 
though,  so  far  as  I can  find,  his  pastoral  relation  to 
the  church  continued  up  to  1828,  some  forty  years. 
That  year  Mr.  Tracy  was  ordained  as  his  successor  in 
that  office.  Elder  Seamans  died  October  4,  1830, 
aged  eightv-two  years,  four  months  and  ten  days, 
among  the  people  with  whom  and  for  whom  he  had 
labored.  He  married,  for  his  second  wife,  November 
30,  1819,  Mrs.  Mary  Everett,  widow  of  Jonathan 
Everett. 


Elder  Seamans  was  a man  of  medium  stature,  light 
complexion,  marked  features,  and  in  advanced  life 
had  a commanding  and  venerable  appearance.  It  is 
said  that  he  never  wrote  a sermon  in  his  life.  Yet 
he  always  preached  his  two  sermons  on  Sunday,  and 
frequently  a third,  besides  many  on  week-days,  and 
was  always  acceptable  and  interesting,  and  an  earnest 
preacher  of  the  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God.  His  long 
ministry  in  this  town  was  no  insignificant  element  in 
advancing  the  temporal  and  spiritual  welfare  of  the 
people  and  the  church  of  New  London. 

Joseph  Davis  moved  into  town  in  November, 
1824,  and  commenced  preaching  at  once.  He  re- 
mained in  town  about  three  years,  as  a stated  supply. 
Then  Oren  Tracy  was  called;  but  having  some  en- 
gagements that  detained  him  for  a while,  his  brother, 
Leonard  Tracy,  preached  here  one  season,  and  until 
his  brother  was  prepared  to  come. 

Oren  Tracy  was  born  at  Tunbridge,  Vt.,  June  18, 
1798  ; was  the  son  of  Cyrus  and  Hannah  Lillie  Tracy. 
He  was  educated  at  Waterville  College,  Maine,  but 
did  not  graduate.  He  took  what  was  then  termed  the 
short  course  in  theology,  and  was  ordained  at  East 
Stoughton,  Mass.,  in  October,  1825.  He  was  married 
there  during  the  first  year  of  his  ministry  to  Miss 
Marcia  Billings,  of  Royalton,  Vt.  After  remaining 
there  some  two  years  or  more,  very  pleasantly  located, 
his  physician  recommended  his  removal  from  the 
sea-board,  and  he  accepted  the  call  from  New  London 
and  moved  there  in  the  fall  of  1827,  and  was  ordained 
as  the  successor  of  Elder  Seamans,  January  30,  1828, 
and  remained  there  till  1836,  a period  of  about  nine 
years.  Under  him  the  cause  of  education  received  a 
new  impetus  in  town.  Teachers  were  more  thoroughly 
and  systematically  examined,  and  a higher  standard 
in  our  common  school  education  was  at  once  at- 
tained; all  our  schools  seemed  to  catch  an  inspiration 
from  his  spirit  and  efforts.  He  had  great  sympathy 
with  and  great  influence  over  young  people.  All  the 
children  loved  Elder  Tracy.  I was  twelve  years  old 
when  he  came  here,  and  no  man  did  so  much  as  he 
to  arouse  in  me  a love  of  learning  and  a determina- 
tion to  obtain  a liberal  education,  at  whatever  cost. 
Mr.  Tracy,  I need  not  say,  was  my  favorite  minister ; 
and  Mrs.  Tracy  was  a good,  kind,  pleasant,  motherly 
woman,  who  seemed  to  take  as  much  interest  in  the 
people  and  in  the  children  as  he  did. 

He  was  also  a pioneer  in  the  cause  of  temperance. 
When  he  came  here  it  was  the  fashion  to  set  out  the 
decanter  of  liquor,  with  sugar  and  water,  whenever 
the  minister  made  a friendly  call.  It  would  have 
been  considered  almost  disrespectful  not  to  have  done 
so.  This  fashion  was  soon  changed  under  his  admin- 
istration, for  he  would  not  taste  of  distilled  spirits  at 
all,  not  even  wine  or  cider,  as  a beverage.  I remem- 
ber that  he  delivered  a course  of  lectures  on  temper- 
ance on  Sundays,  at  the  intermission  between  the 
forenoon  and  afternoon  service ; and,  besides,  he 
usually  held  his  third  meeting  on  Sunday,  also.  I 


440 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


have  spoken  of  the  revival  of  1831  and  1832  under 
his  preaching,  when  nearly  a hundred  were  added  to 
the  church. 

Many  who  are  here  to-day  will  never  forget  that 
first  Sunday  in  January,  1832,  and  also  the  first  Sun- 
day in  March  of  the  same  year,  upon  each  of  which 
occasions  about  forty,  standing  on  both  sides  of  the 
broad  aisle  in  the  old  meeting-house,  received  the 
right  hand  of  fellowship  from  Mr.  Tracy,  on  being  re- 
ceived as  members  of  the  church.  On  these  occa- 
sions Mr.  Tracy  seemed  to  be  inspired.  I was  absent 
at  school  for  the  last  year  or  two  of  his  residence 
here,  and  entered  college  in  1836,  the  year  he  moved 
away.  I have  never  found  and  never  expect  to  find 
another  minister  who,  in  all  respects,  would  quite  fill  j 
Mr.  Tracy’s  place  with  me. 

From  New  Lone  on  he  went  to  Newport,  N.  H., 
thence  to  Townsend,  Mass.,  afterwards  to  Fitchburg, 
Athol  and  Greenfield,  in  that  State.  From  1847  to 
1849  he  was  agent  of  the  American  Baptist  Mission- 
ary Union  in  New  England,  residing  at  Springfield, 
Mass.,  and  Hartford,  Conn.  From  1851  to  1862  he 
was  agent  of  the  American  Baptist  Home  Missionary 
Society,  residing  at  Concord,  X.  H.  From  Concord 
he  went  to  Greenfield.  Mass.,  where  he  died  Septem- 
ber 6,  1863,  aged  sixty-five.  Mrs.  Tracy  still  survives 
him,  residing  with  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Elliott,  of  Bos- 
ton. 

Reuben’  Sawyer  was  born  in  Monkton,  Vt., 
March  11,  1798;  was  married  to  Laura  Wyman,  at 
West  Haven,  Vt.,  in  1819.  After  this  he  was  con- 
verted and  baptized  by  his  father,  Rev.  Isaac  Saw- 
yer, of  Brandon,  Vt.  In  1822  he  entered  the  Theo- 
logical Seminary  at  Hamilton,  N.  Y. ; but  owing  to 
failing  health  he  did  not  complete  his  course.  He 
was  ordained  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  in  West 
Haven,  Vt.,  in  1824.  He  remained  there  as  pastor 
until  he  came  to  New  London,  early  in  1836,  where 
he  became  a member  of  the  church,  and  was  received 
as  its  pastor  July  3d,  which  place  he  held  until  April 
8,  1844,  when  he  resigned  his  pastoral  charge,  but  re- 
mained with  the  church  in  the  service  of  the  New 
Hampshire  Baptist  Convention  until  autumn,  when 
he  removed  to  Chester,  Vt.,  where  he  was  pastor  of 
the  church  for  some  ten  years.  From  there  he  re- 
moved to  Leyden,  N.  Y.,  where  he  remained  as  pastor 
of  the  church  for  some  ten  years,  when  he  returned  to 
Vermont  for  a few  years,  at  Hinesburg  and  in  that 
vicinity,  when  he  returned  to  Leyden,  where,  after  a 
protracted  illness,  he  died  June  29,  1869,  in  the 
seventy-second  year  of  his  age. 

He  gave  the  prime  of  his  life,  the  vigor  of  his  man- 
hood, to  the  church  here.  Large  additions  were  made 
to  it  during  his  stay.  The  demands  upon  his  time  and 
strength  were  such  as  in  these  days  would  be  deemed 
severe,  with  three  preaching  services  on  the  Sabbath 
most  of  the  time,  and  two  or  three  other  meetings 
during  the  week.  In  speaking  of  these  arduous  du- 
ties, his  son,  Rev.  A.  W.  Sawyer,  D.D.,  president  of 


Acadia  College,  N.  S.,  in  a letter  to  me,  says:  “ But 
he  was  strengthened  by  the  sympathy  and  affection  of 
his  people.  The  memory  of  the  kindness  he  there 
experienced  and  the  friendships  he  there  formed  were 
cherished  by  him  to  the  last,  and  lightened  the  bur- 
dens of  his  declining  years.  His  last  year  in  New 
London  was  less  pleasant  to  him  because  of  his  oppo- 
sition to  the  anti-slavery  agitation ; but  his  views 
afterwards  changed  somewhat,  so  that  he  firmly  held 
the  conviction  that  the  United  States  should  be  a land 
of  freedom.”  He  took  an  interest  in  whatever  bene- 
fited the  people  with  whom  he  lived.  He  was  one  of 
the  founders  of  the  original  New  London  Aca'demy, 
and  always  was  deeply  interested  in  the  school.  But 
first  of  all  he  felt  that  he  was  called  to  preach  the 
gospel.  This  work  he  loved.  He  enjoyed  most  the 
presentation  of  those  doctrines  termed  evangelical. 
Feeling  the  strength  and  comfort  of  these  truths  in 
his  own  soul,  his  presentation  of  them  to  his  people 
was  often  with  remarkable  clearness  and  power. 

The  ministers  who  have  followed  Mr.  Sawyer  are 
as  follows : 

Mark  Carpenter,  came  in  1844,  left  in  1849,  six 
years. 

Ebenezer  Dodge,  came  in  1849,  left  in  1853,  five 
years. 

Peter  M.  Hersey  (Christian),  came  in  1849,  left  in 
1853,  five  years. 

II.  F.  Lane  (C.  B.),  came  in  1854,  left  in  1857,  four 
years. 

Lucien  Hayden,  came  in  1857,  left  in  1869,  twelve 
years.  - 

Asa  Randlet  (F.  W.  B.),  came  in  1859,  left  in  1861, 
three  years. 

F.  D.  Blake  (C.  B.),  came  in  1870,  left  in  1873,  four 
years. 

S.  C.  Fletcher,  came  in  1874,  and  still  remains. 

The  church  frequently,  and  I think  generally,  de- 
pends as  much  upon  the  character  and  conduct  of 
its  deacons  for  its  standing  and  reputation  with  the 
world  as  it  does  upon  its  ministers  ; so  I have  exam- 
ined your  church  records  to  see  who  have  been  the 
deacons  in  New  London,  and,  so  far  as  I know,  the 
church  has  been  very  fortunate  in  the  selection  of 
its  deacons. 

Ebenezer  Hunting,  elected  January  8,  1789. 

Matthew  Harvey,  Zebedee  Hayes,  elected  July  5, 
1793. 

Jonas  Shepard,  Peter  Sargent,  Jr.,  elected  April  3, 
1812. 

David  Everett,  Dexter  Everett,  elected  June  16, 
1825. 

Joseph  C.  Herrick,  Micajah  Morgan,  elected  April 
21,  1849. 

Hunting  was  alone  for  about  four  and  a half  years, 
then  Deacons  Harvey  and  Hayes  for  nineteen  years, 
then  Deacons  Shepard  and  Sargent  for  thirteen  years, 
then  the  two  Deacons  Everett  for  twenty-four  years, 
and  last,  Deacons  Herrick  and  Morgan  for  thirty  years. 


Et>-$  ‘tyAHRltchie 


NEW  LONDON. 


441 


Ministers  who  have  gone  out  from  New  London  : 

Enoch  Hunting  (C.  B.),  ordained  March  15,  1814. 

Benjamin  Woodbury  (Cong.),  ordained  about  1820. 

Theophilus  B.  Adams  (C.  B.),  ordained  May  29, 
1821. 

Joshua  Clement  (C.  B.),  ordained  about  1834. 

Valentine  E.  Bunker  (C.  B.),  licensed  April  8, 
1836. 

Francis  A.  Gates  (C.  B. ),  licensed  May,  1837. 

RobertStinson  (Universalist),  ordained  about  1840. 

Sylvan  Hunting  (Unitarian). 

James  Phillips  (Methodist). 

Lewis  Phillips  (Christian). 

Dura  P.  Morgan  (C.  B.),  ordained  about  1872. 

Lawyers  of  New  London. — Stephen  C.  Badger, 
a native  of  Warner,  N.  II.,  graduated  at  Dartmouth 
College  in  1823;  studied  law  with  Henry  B.  Chase,  of 
Warner;  commenced  practice  in  New  London  in 
1826,  where  he  remained  until  1833,  a period  of  eight 
years,  when  he  removed  to  Concord  ; was  clerk  of  the 
courts  for  Merrimack  County;  police  justice  for  Con- 
cord ; a civil  engineer;  died  at  Concord  October  29, 
1872.  He  married  Miss  Sophronia  Evans,  of 
Warner. 

Walter  P.  Flanders,  also  a native  of  Warner, 
N.  H.,  graduated  at  Dartmouth,  1831;  studied  law  with 
Hon.  John  D.  Willard,  of  Troy,  N.  Y.,  and  Hon. 
George  W.  Nesmith,  of  Franklin,  N.  H. ; commenced 
practice  in  New  London  in  1834;  was  a member  of 
the  New  Hampshire  Legislature  from  New  London 
in  1841  and  1842,  and  in  1849  he  removed  to  Mil- 
waukee, Wis.,  where  he  still  resides.  He  married 
Miss  Susan  E.  Greeley,  of  this  town,  youngest  daugh- 
ter of  Jonathan  Greeley,  Esq. 

George  W.  Everett,  a native  of  N e w London,  born 
November  19,  1819;  was  educated  at  the  public 
school  and  academy  of  this  town ; studied  law  with 
Walter  P.  Flanders,  of  this  place;  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1847,  and  soon  began  practice  here.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Legislature  from  this  town  in  the  years 
1852  and  1856,  and  was  solicitor  for  Merrimack  County 
for  five  years,  from  1856  to  1861.  In  1862  he  received 
a commission  as  major  of  the  Ninth  Regiment  of 
Volunteer  Militia,  which  was  ordered  to  the  South- 
west ; remained  with  the  regiment  one  year,  showing 
himself  a brave  and  faithful  officer.  In  August, 
1863,  as  his  regiment  was  coming  up  the  Mississippi 
River  from  Vicksburg,  Miss.,  he  was  taken  danger- 
ously ill,  and  stopping  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  he 
sank  rapidly  and  died  on  the  27th  of  August,  1863, 
just  one  year  and  a day  from  the  date  of  his  commis- 
sion. His  remains  were  brought  to  his  native  town 
and  buried  with  Masonic  honors.  He  married  Miss 
Ellen  T.  Lane,  of  Gloucester,  Mass. 

Edward  B.  Knight,  who  was  a brother  of  Profes- 
sor Ephraim  Knight,  of  this  town,  graduated  at  Dart- 
mouth in  1861 ; studied  law  with  George  W.  Everett, 
of  this  place ; was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1864,  and 
commenced  practice  at  Dover,  N.  H.,  but  soon  re- 


moved to  Virginia,  where  he  still  resides  in  the 
practice  of  his  profession. 

Hon.  J.  Everett  Sargent.  (See  chapter  on 
Bench  and  Bar.) 

May  peace  and  prosperity  forever  dwell  in  the 
midst  of  this  people,  and  may  the  God  of  the  fathers 
of  this  goodly  town  be  the  children’s  God  and  portion 
forever. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH. 


HEZEKIAH  C.  BICKFORD. 

Hezekiah  Cook  Bickford,  M.D.,  was  born  in  New 
London,  N.  H.,  April  27,  1817.  He  was  one  of  six 
children,  having  four  sisters  and  one  brother,  and 
later  two  step-brothers. 

His  father’s  name  was  Daniel  Bickford.  We  have 
been  unable  to  trace  the  Bickford  family  back  any 
farther  than  to  New  Durham,  N.  H.,  from  whence 
the  doctor’s  grandfather  went  to  Wheeloek,  Vt.,  and 
upon  his  death  his  father  came  to  New  London,  N.  Id. 

From  his  grandmother  he  obtained  his  middle 
name,  Cook,  that  being  the  name  of  her  family. 

His  mother  was  Martha  Adams,  who  died  when  he 
was  but  five  years  old,  in  1822,  being  forty-one 
years  of  age. 

With  this  Adams  family  local  tradition  connects 
some  of  those  characteristic  stories  of  the  hardships 
endured  by  our  New  England  ancestors.  It  is  related 
that  when  she  was  but  three  months  old  her  father 
took  her  with  her  mother,  on  horse-back,  and  jour- 
neyed from  their  then  home  in  Rowley,  Mass.,  to 
New  London,  N.  H.,  and  built  him  a log  house,  thus 
becoming  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  the  town.  This 
sturdy  perseverance  and  endurance  of  hardship 
flowed  undiluted  in  the  blood  of  their  grandson,  as  he 
encountered  and  overcame  obstacles  both  of  circum- 
stances and  of  physical  suffering  and  arrived  at  em- 
inence in  his  profession. 

Very  early  indeed  did  this  stern  battle  of  life  begin 
with  him,  for,  on  account  of  the  family’s  straitened 
circumstances,  he  was  able  to  go  to  school  but  very 
little  during  all  his  childhood.  The  little  work  his 
hands  could  do  was  sorely  needed  at  home. 

About  a year  after  his  mother’s  death  the  family 
moved  to  Springfield,  N.  H.  As  he  became  older  he 
‘‘worked  out,”  as  the  old  phrase  has  it,  and  gave  his 
earnings  to  his  father. 

When  fifteen  or  sixteen  years  of  age  he  took  his 
little  bundle  of  worldly  goods  and  walked  to  Stoneliam, 
Mass.,  where  he  found  work  for  the  summer  with  a 
family  by  the  name  of  Richardson.  When  fall  came 
he  went  into  the  Suffolk  Mills,  at  Lowell,  Mass , 
where  he  remained  for  about  seven  years. 

During  his  last  year  in  the  mill  he  obtained  work 
for  his  evenings  as  a clerk  in  a store,  receiving  there 


442 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


for  a shilling  a night — about  one  dollar  a week. 
But  after  the  toil  of  the  day  and  the  work  of  the 
evening  he  would  go  home,  not  to  idle  fun,  nor  in- 
dulgence, nor  even  to  sleep,  but  to  some  hour  or  two 
of  hard  study  into  midnight, — not  reading,  but  study, 
— beginning  thus  early  that  life  in  earnest  which 
characterized  his  later  years. 

When  hardly  twenty-one,  and  before  he  had  finally 
done  with  work  in  the  mill,  he  taught  school  on 
“ Burpee  Hill,”  in  New  London,  N.  H.  It  must 
have  been  about  this  time  that  he  taught  one  winter 
in  Dracut,  Mass.,  a town  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the 
river  from  Lowell;  and  of  whatever  means  he  could 
avail  himself  for  self-improvement,  whether  by  the 
hard  work  of  teaching,  or  by  the  lyceum,  or  in  any 
other  way,  he  was  quick  to  seize  the  opportunity  and 
persist  in  making  it  as  profitable  as  possible  for  self- 
culture. 

After  leaving  the  mill  he  went  to  Boston,  into  bus- 
iness with  a man  whose  name  we  do  not  give.  Though 
he  had  put  in  his  little  savings,  the  profits  which  the 
business  was  evidently  rendering  to  somebody  did  not 
come  at  all  to  him.  So  he  withdrew  and  went  to 
work  for  a business  man  named  H.  Parmenter,  on 
Washington  Street,  of  the  same  city. 

In  course  of  time  this  man  established  a store  in 
Newport,  R.  I.,  and  so  great  was  his  confidence  in 
this  young  clerk  of  his  that  he  entrusted  him  with  the 
management  of  this  new  enterprise. 

It  was  during  his  residence  at  Newport  that  he  be- 
came acquainted  with  Dr.  Butler  and  began  the  study 
of  medicine.  He  left  the  store  and  devoted  a year  to 
study  with  Dr.  Butler.  He  then  pursued  his  course 
with  Dr.  Ayer,  of  New  Hampton,  N.  H.,  taking  also 
one  term  of  lectures  at  Dartmouth  Medical  School. 
From  Dr.  Ayer  he  went  to  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  for 
six  months,  and  was  graduated  from  Jefferson  Col- 
lege, taking  his  degree  March  20,  1845.  In  April, 
1845,  he  began  the  practice  of  medicine  in  New  Lon- 
don, N.  H.  After  a year  he  was  married  to  Paulina 
A.  Coburn,  of  Dracut,  Mass.,  June  17,  1846.  For 
six  years  they  lived  in  New  London  and  had  born  to 
them  two  sons, — George  Coburn,  born  March  25, 1847, 
and  John  Truman,  born  in  1849.  The  former  son, 
now  living  in  New  London,  married  Florence  Stet- 
son, of  Charlestown,  Mass.,  February  28,  1877,  and 
to  them  have  been  born  four  children, — Alice  Florence, 
born  October  30,  1878 ; Horace  Stetson,  born  Mai'ch 
3,  1880;  George  Owen,  born  July  26,  1881,  died  Au- 
gust 25,  1881 ; Walter  Howard,  born  August  4,  1884, 
died  October  9,  1884. 

The  latter  son,  John  Truman,  died  in  Billerica, 
Mass.,  when  hardly  four  years  old. 

On  June  15,  1851,  he  moved  to  Billerica,  Mass., 
where  he  remained  ten  years  and  established  his  rep- 
utation as  a successful  practitioner,  which  he  had 
already  acquired. 

It  was  during  this  period  that  his  daughter,  Har- 
riet Augusta,  was  born,  June  20,  1853.  She  married, 


May  10,  1883,  Rev.  Frank  Houghton  Allen,  pastor 
of  the  Congregational  Church,  Shrewsbury,  Mass., 
where  was  born  to  them  a son,  Harold  Bickford,  May 
29,  1884.  He  began  practice  in  Charlestown,  Mass., 
September  16,  1861,  xvhere  he  remained  for  nearly 
fifteen  years  and  attained  high  eminence  and  success. 

Here  died,  after  a lingering  illness,  the  wife  who 
had  shared  the  struggles  of  his  youth,  just  as  they 
were  beginning  to  realize  their  fondest  hopes ; and  in 
the  family  Bible  he  pays  her  this  tender  tribute : “Died 
November  29,  1867,  aged  49  years.  Gone  to  her  rest. 

A kind  and  devoted  wife,  an  affectionate  and  tender 
mother,  a faithful  and  consistent  Christian.” 

The  years  at  Charlestown  were  filled  with  inces- 
sant activity,  for  which  all  his  previous  persevering 
and  energetic  life  had  prepared  him.  His  well-bal- 
anced judgment  made  him  widely  sought  by  his 
medical  associates  in  consultation  on  difficult  cases. 
His  warm  sympathies  and  wise  words  fitly  spoken 
endeared  him  to  the  hearts  and  homes  of  a large  cir- 
cle of  friends. 

On  April  22,  1869,  he  married  Maria  Richardson, 
daughter  of  the  late  Wm.  Gray,  of  Billerica,  where 
she  was  born  June  25,  1847.  To  them  were  born  two 
children, — Gertrude  Maria,  June  9,  1870,  and  Lucy 
Gray,  July  15,  1873.  The  latter  died  in  Woburn, 
Mass.,  October  3,  1881. 

But  disease  compelled  him  to  relinquish  practice, 
and  he  was  succeeded  by  his  nephew,  Dr.  Robert  A. 
Blood,  who  had  also  been  his  medical  student. 

In  May,  1876,  he  moved  to  his  new  home  in  Wo- 
burn, Mass.  The  change  of  scene,  the  quiet  life  with 
his  family,  the  beautiful  surroundings  of  his  home, 
all  had  an  influence  temporarily  to  recuperate  the  ex- 
hausted energies.  Here  came  rest  and  the  looking 
back  over  a fruitful  life  and  the  realization  of  well- 
earned  happiness.  But  the  weakness  returned,  and 
after  a long  and  distressing  illness,  serenely  borne,  he 
passed  away  March  26,  1878.  The  disease  which 
terminated  his  life  was  a chronic  ulcer  of  the  duode- 
num, from  which,  for  twenty  years,  he  had  suffered 
occasional,  often  severe,  attacks,  followed  by  extreme 
prostration  ; but  as  often  would  he  rise,  with  almost 
incredible  energy,  by  what  seemed  sheer  force  of  will, 
and  plunge  into  his  w-ork.  It  was  this  trait  of  his 
character  which  gave  him  success.  It  wras  his  stanch 
Christian  manhood  that  won  him  so  large  a circle  of 
friends,  who  spoke  the  sincere  tributes  paid  to  his 
memory  as  the  “beloved  physician.” 

He  joined  the  Winthrop  (Congregational)  Church, 
of  Charlestown,  May  4, 1862,  and  was  known  as  a 
consistent  Christian  in  his  conduct,  always  in  his  place 
in  church  on  the  Sabbath,  even  in  his  busiest  years. 

He  became  a member  of  the  Joseph  Warren  Lodge  i 
of  Masons,  of  Boston,  Mass.,  January,  1872,  and  was 
also  a member  of  the  Waverly  Royal  Arch  Chapter,  : 
and  of  the  Hugh  De  Pavens  Commandery  of  Knights 
Templar,  of  Melrose,  Mass.  His  remains  were  in- 
terred in  Woodlawn  Cemetery,  Mass. 


HISTORY  OF  EPSOM. 


BY  JOHN  H.  DOLBEER. 


CHAPTER  I. 

This  town  derives  its  name  from  a market-town  in 
the  county  of  Surry,  England,  about  sixteen  miles 
from  London.  It  is  bounded  north  by  Pittsfield, 
south  by  Allenstown,  east  by  Deerfield  and  North- 
wood,  and  west  by  Chichester  and  Pembroke,  and  is 
twelve  miles  easterly  from  Concord. 

There  are  no  records  to  be  found  which  show  the 
precise  time  when  the  first  settlement  was  commenced, 
but  it  appears  from  various  facts  that  there  was  a 
number  of  families  in  town  a considerable  time  be- 
fore its  incorporation. 

Among  the  first  who  began  settlements  in  the  town 
were  Charles  McCoy,  from  Londonderry ; William 
Blazo,  a Frenchman;  Andrew  McClary,  from  Lon- 
donderry, in  Ireland ; and  a family  by  the  name  of 
Blake. 

McCoy  built  a house  on  the  north  side  of  what  is 
now  called  Sanborn’s  Hill,  and  thence  extended  his 
farm  by  spotting  the  trees  round  upon  the  mountain, 
which  will  probably  always  bear  his  name.  A 
daughter  of  his  was  the  first  white  child  born  in  the 
town,  and  she  was  presented  by  the  proprietors  with 
a tract  of  land,  a portion  of  which  is  now  owned  by 
her  grandson,  Lemuel  B.  Towle.  She  married  a Mr. 
Wood  and  lived  to  an  extreme  old  age. 

Samuel  Blake,  commonly  known  as  Sergeant  Blake, 
was  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers,  coming  into  town 
when  but  fifteen  years  of  age,  and  began  a settlement 
near  where  Mr.  John  Chesley  now  lives.  He  purchased 
his  land,  more  than  one  hundred  acres,  near  the 
centre  of  the  town,  for  ten  shillings,  and  turned  in  his 
jack-knife  for  one  shilling  of  that  sum.  Mr.  Blake 
had  a large  family  of  children,  who  grew  up  and 
married ; but  at  the  present  writing  none  of  the  name 
remain  in  town,  and  but  few  of  his  descendants. 

As  will  be  seen  by  the  following  document,  the 
town  was  granted  to  the  tax-payers  of  Rye,  New 
Castle  and  Greenland,  in  1727,  according  to  the 
amount  of  their  respective  taxes  : 

“George,  By  the  Grace  of  God,  of  Great  Britain,  France  and  Ireland, 
King,  Defender  of  the  Faith. 

“To  all  People  to  whom  these  presents  shall  come  : Greeting  : 

“ Know  ye,  we,  of  our  especial  knowledge  and  meer  motion,  for  the  due 


encouragement  of  settling  a new  plantation,  by  and  with  the  advice  and 
consent  of  our  council,  have  given  & Granted,  and  by  these  Presents,  i s 
far  as  in  us  lies,  do  give  and  grant  unto  all  such  of  our  loving  subjects  as 
were  inhabitants  and  free  holders  in  the  year  one  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred and  twenty-three,  in  our  town  of  New  Castle  and  in  the  Parish  of 
Greenland,  both  within  our  Province  of  Newliampshire,  in  New  Eng- 
land, to  be  divided  among  them  in  proportion  to  their  Respective  Rates, 
which  they  paid  in  the  year  1723  aforesaid,  one  tract  of  Laud  to  be  laid 
out  at  the  head  of  Nottingham  and  Northward  of  land  formerly  granted 
to  the  children  of  Sami.  Allen,  decsd.,  the  same  to  be  six  miles  in  Breadth 
and  four  miles  in  Depth,  or  in  such  other  form  as  the  land  ungranted  in 
that  place  will  admit,  so  as  it  contains  the  same  Quantity  of  Land,  and 
the  same  to  be  a town  corporate  by  the  name  of  Epsom  to  the  Pursons 
aforesaid  forever.  To  Have  and  to  Hold  the  said  Tract  of  Land  to  said 
Grantees  and  their  heirs  and  assigns  forever  upon  the  following  con- 
ditions : 

“1st.  That  they  build  twenty  Dwelling  Houses  and  settle  a Family  in 
each  within  the  term  of  four  years,  and  break  up  three  acres  of  Ground 
for  each  Settlement,  and  plant  or  sow  the  same  within  four  years. 

“2d.  That  a house  be  built  for  the  Publick  worship  of  God  within  the 
term  of  six  years. 

“3d.  That  One  Hundred  acres  of  Land  be  Reserved  for  a parsonage, 
one  hundred  acres  for  the  first  minister  of  the  Gospell  and  one  hundred 
acres  for  the  Benefit  of  a School.  Provided,  Nevertheless,  that  the 
Peace  with  the  Indians  continue  during  the  aforesd  term  of  four  years. 

“But  if  it  should  happen  that  a war  with  the  Indians  should  com- 
mence before  the  aforesd  term  of  four  years  be  expired,  there  shall  be  al- 
lowed to  the  aforesd  Proprietors  the  term  of  four  years  after  the  expira- 
tion of  the  War  to  perform  the  aforesd  conditions. 

“ Rendering  and  paying  therefor  to  us,  our  heirs  and  successors,  or 
such  other  officer  or  officers  as  shall  be  appointed  to  Receive  the  same, 
the  annual  quit  rent  or  acknowledgement  of  one  pound  of  good  merch- 
antable Hemp  in  sd  town,  on  the  first  day  Decembr  yearly,  for  ever,  if  de- 
manded. 

“ Reserving  also  unto  us,  our  heirs  and  successors,  all  mast  trees  grow- 
ing on  said  Laud,  according  to  an  act  of  Parliment  made  and  provided 
I in  that  case. 

‘And  for  the  better  order,  Rule  and  Government  of  the  said  Town, 
we,  by  these  Presents,  Grant  for  us,  our  heirs  & successors,  unto  the 
aforesd  Proprietors,  and  those  that  shall  inhabit  the  said  Towd,  that 
yearly  and  every  year,  upon  the  first  Wednesday  in  May,  they  may  meet 
at  any  place  within  our  Province  of  Newliampshire  aforesd  until  the 
settlement  of  the  aforesd  Town  is  perfected,  and  afterward  in  the  said 
town,  to  elect  and  chuse  by  the  Major  part  of  them  constables,  Select  men 
and  all  other  Town  officers,  according  to  the  Laws  and  usage  of  our 
aforesd  Province,  with  such  power,  priviledges  and  authority  as  other 
tow'ns  and  town  officers  within  our  aforesd  Province  have  & enjoy,  and 
we  appoint  our  Loving  Subjects,  Theodore  Atkinson,  Joshua  Foss&Capt. 
Samuel  Weeks  to  be  the  selectmen  to  manage  the  affairs  of  the  said  towrn 
for  the  Present  year  and  untill  others  are  chosen  in  their  Room  by  the 
aforesd  Propri18. 

“ In  Testimony  whereof  we  have  caused  the  seal  of  our  said  Province 
to  be  herewith  annexed. 

“Witness,  John  WentwTorth,  Esq.,  our  L*.  Governor  and  Commander 
in  Chief  in  and  over  our  said  Province,  at  our  town  of  Portsmouth,  the 
eighteenth  day  of  May,  in  the  Thirteenth  year  of  our  Reign,  anno 
Domini  1727. 

“J.  Wentworth. 

443 


444 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


“ By  order  of  his  II011.  the  Lt.  Gov.,  with  advice  of  the  counsel. 

“Richd.  Waldron,  Clerk. 


“Province  of  N Hampshire : Recorded  in  y®  18th  Book,  pages  479  A 
480,  this  29th  of  June,  1732. 

“JosPh  Pierce,  Recorder. 

“Pd.  2s.  6 d” 


“ Laid  out  and  bounded  this  first  and  Second  day  of  May,  one  thousand 
Seven  hundred  & twenty-nine,  by  us, — 

“Joshua  Foss,  1 

“Daniel  Lunt,  j-  Committee. 

“ Jediath  Weeks,  j 
“Edward  Hall,  Surveyor .” 


By  an  act  of  the  Provincial  Legislature,  passed 
February  21,  1778,  the  time  for  holding  the  annual 
meeting  was  changed  from  the  first  Wednesday  of 
May  to  the  third  Wednesday  of  March. 

First  Meeting  of  the  Proprietors.— At  a meet- 
ing held  by  the  proprietors  of  the  town  of  Epsom,  at 
the  ferry-house  in  New  Castle,  on  Monday,  Decem- 
ber 4th,  according  to  notification  in  1727, — 

“ Notification  being  read,  it  was  put  to  vote  whether  the  Moderator 
should  be  chosen  by  holding  of  the  hands. 

“ Voted  in  the  affirmative,  the  place  not  being  convenient  to  write 
votes  in  accordingly. 

“Voted,  Col°.  Shad.  Walton  be  moderator  for  this  meeting. 

“Voted,  Theodore  Atkinson  be  a clerk  of  the  sd  Proprietors  until 
another  be  Chosen  and  Sworn  in  his  Room  to  the  faithful  discharge  of 
which  office  he  was  sworn  by  Justice  Foss. 

“3d.  That  there  be  Raised  thirty  pounds  in  an  equal  proportion  upon 
the  Proprietors  according  to  their  Several  Rates  in  1723. 

“41y.  Voted,  that  Wilm.  Haines  be  the  Parson  appointed  to  collect 
the  money  thar  shall  be  Raised  in  Greenland  Parish  for  the  sd  service. 

“ Voted  that  Will®.  Berry  be  appointed  for  sd  service  at  Rye. 

“ Voted  that  Joshua  Simpson  be  appointed  collct.  for  New  Castle. 

“ Voted  that  Mr.  John  Sharborn  be  Treasurer  to  the  sd  ProPra4.,  and 
have  Power  to  Receive  the  money  that  shall  be  collected,  and  to  Dis- 
charge the  several  charges,  Rendering  an  act  to  the  proprit.  when  Re- 
quired, and  that  the  selectmen’s  order  be  sufficient  to  call  for  any  sum,* 
and  to  discharge  him  therefrom. 

“ Voted , that  Mr.  ltichd.  Goss,  George  Welch,  James  Pliilpot,  John 
Blake  be  a committee  to  Run  the  Line  of  the  sd  town,  and  to  have  five 
shillings  per  day  while  in  the  service. 

“The  Propra4.  of  Epsom  Notified  by  the  Selectmen  to  meet  to  Chose 
town  officers,  and  to  do  any  other  business  for  settlement  of  sd  town  Ac. 
Dated  May  y®  1th,  1728. 

“The  Propria4.  mett  according  to  Notification  at  the  ferry-house  in 
New  Castle  the  15th  day  of  May,  1728. 

“ Voted  Capt.  Jotham  Odiorne  Modratr. 

“ Voted  Theo'1.  Atkinson  continue  Clerk  for  this  year. 

“ Voted  Joseph  Simpson  Clerk  for  this  meeting. 

“ Voted  Theod.  Atkinson  Selectman  for  the  Parish  of  New  Castle. 

“ Voted  Sam1.  Weeks  for  Greenland,  Joshua  Foss  for  Rye. 

“ Voted  Joseph  Simpson  collector  of  Rates  for  New  Castle,  Will®. 
Harris  for  Greenland,  Sand.  Rand  for  Rye. 

“ Voted  James  Randall,  Danel  Lunt  and  James  Seavey  be  a committee 
to  Run  out  the  Bounds  of  the  town  of  Epsom. 

“ If  one  or  more  of  them  fayl,  the  Selectmen  Hire  in  their  Rooms,  and 
the  Charge  to  be  paid  by  the  town,  and  that  the  Selectmen  are  to  Raise 
thirty  pounds  on  the  Propria1,  of  the  town  of  Epsom,  to  Defray  the 
charges. 

“ Voted  That  the  Selectmen  may  Hire  2 or  3 chain  men,  if  need  be, 
A that  they  Du  it  as  soon  as  Possible. 

“ Town  meeting  ended. 

“Jotham  Odiorne,  Mod.” 

FIRST  SURVEY  OF  THE  TOWN. 

“We  whose  names  are  under  writen,  being  appointed  and  hired  by 
the  Selectmen  of  Epsom  town  to  Lay  out  the  sd  township  of  Epsom  ac- 
cording to  the  Charter,  have  Laid  it  out  A Bounded  it  as  follows,  viz., 
Beginning  at  Notingliam  head  Line  four  miles  nor  westward  from 
Chester  Line,  at  a maple  tree  marked  with  Letter  N,  on  the  est  side  for 
Notingham  and  Ep8.,  on  the  west  side  for  Epsom  ; from  thence  Runing 
West  North  West  four  miles  to  a Pitch  pine  tree,  which  is  one  mile  west 
from  Sun  Cook  River ; from  thence  Runing  North  Est  A By  North  six 
miles  to  a tree  westward  of  Sun  Cook  River  ; from  thence  runing  east 
South  east  four  miles  to  a Hemlock  tree  standing  by  Notingham  head 
Line  by  a pond  called  Epsom  Pond,  with  several  trees  marked  by  it ; 
from  thence  Runing  South  West  and  by  South  by  Notingham  head 
Line  six  miles  to  the  Maple  tree  first  mentioned. 


A meeting  notified  to  meet  at  the  ferry-house  in 
New  Castle  on  May  26,  1729,  met,  and  because  the 
proprietors  of  Epsom  who  lived  in  the  parish  of 
New  Castle  had  not  been  properly  notified  of  the 
meeting,  it  was  adjourned  to  the  court-house  in 
Portsmouth,  June  3d  following,  at  eight  o’clock  in  the 
forenoon. 

“ Voted  Jotham  Odiorne,  Moderator. 

“ Voted  Joseph  Simpson,  Selectman  for  New  Castle  ; Jotham  Odiorne, 
Esq.,  for  Rye  ; Joshua  Brackett  for  Greenland. 

“ Upon  consideration  that  sundry  persons  concerned  in  the  sd  town  of 
Epsom  hath  Refused  to  pay  his  Proportion  to  the  Charges  a Rising  in 
Giting  the  Charter  and  the  sd  town  surveyed  A Layd  out  for  preven- 
tion whereof,  Voted , that  any  persons  that  shall  Refuse  or  Neglect  to  pay 
their  proportion  to  the  charge  already  due,  or  that  shall,  Hereafter,  be 
allowed  by  the  Selectmen  and  committee  to  the  collectors  for  the  time 
being,  Every  such  Person  shall  forfeit  his  or  their  Rights,  which,  when 
forfeited,  shall  be  exposed  to  Sail  by  publick  Vandue,  after  stoping  the 
charges  A the  sum  which  ought  to  be  paid  by  the  Parson  to  the  col- 
lector according  to  his  List,  then  the  over  Plush  shall  be  returned  to 
the  Origenell  Proprietor. 

“ Voted  That  the  Selectmen  chosen  at  this  meeting  be  Powered  A 
Directed  to  call  the  Last  Selectmen  to  acc4,  and  to  settle  the  same. 

“ Voted  That  the  Selectmen  procure  some  Idustrus  Person  to  View 
the  sd  Land,  and  to  see  whare  and  in  what  method  to  lay  out  their  Lots, 
and  whare  to  settle  the  town,  and  to  du  what  they  shall  think  proper  for 
the  advancing  the  settling  of  the  town  aforesaid,  and  to  raise  money 
Sufficient  to  Defray  the  Charges  thereof  upon  the  Propra4. 

“ Town  meeting  ended. 

“Jotham  Odiorne,  Mo  dr  at.” 

At  a meeting  held  at  Rye  on  the  21st  of  January, 
1729,  the  proprietors 

“ Voted,  That  James  Randall,  Thomas  Berry  and  L4.  Sam1.  Wallis  be 
a committee  to  view  and  make  choice  of  a place  for  the  senter  of  the 
town,  and  to  lay  out  high  ways  and  the  Lotts  according  to  the  Rates  that 
the  Proprietors  paid,  conformable  to  the  charter.” 

May  22,  1732,  at  the  court-house,  Portsmouth, — 

“ Voted.  That  there  be  laid  out,  at  some  convenient  place  in  the  town 
suitable  for  Building  a Meeting  house  A for  settling  the  twenty  fam- 
ilies accordingly,  one  thousand  acres  in  fifty-acre  Lotts,  one  Lott  to  be 
given  to  any  Person  that  will  settle  A will  fulfill  the  Charter  so  far  as  re- 
lates to  building  a house  and  clearing  three  acres  of  Land  ; and  L4. 
Sam1.  Wallis,  Daniel  Lunt,  Thomas  Berry,  Richd.  Goss  and  Will®. 
Haines  be  a committee  to  a Gree  with  such  Parsons  as  they  shall  think 
Proper,  to  settle  on  the  said  Lotts.  And  ’tis  hereby  determined  A 
voted  in  the  Meeting  that  the  Propria4  shall  have  the  Refusall  of  those 
Lotts ; and  if  there  is  not  twenty  of  them  appears  to  take  up  with  those 
Lotts,  on  the  consideration  above,  then  to  be  offered  and  Laid  out  to  any 
other  person  that  will  except  the  same  on  the  6d  consideration. 

“ Voted,  That  thirty  acres  be  added  to  each  of  the  twenty  men  men- 
tioned in  the  above  vote,  to  be  Laid  out  in  some  other  part  of  the  town, 
as  the  Proprietors  shall  think  best,  beside  the  fifty  acres  above  men- 
tioned, to  make  up  each  man  eighty  acres. 

“ Voted,  That  each  Propria4,  pay,  at  the  drawing  his  Lott,  five  shillings 
and  what  he  is  behind  in  his  a Rearages  in  the  Rates  formerly  Raised.” 

At  a proprietors’  meeting,  held  June  12,  1732,  at 
the  house  of  Daniel  Lunt,  in  Greenland,  it  was 

“ Voted , James  Marden  one  of  the  committee  in  the  Room  of  Daniel 
Lunt,  who  Rufuseth  to  serve. 

“ Voted,  That  the  selectmen  purches  a town  Book  to  enter  the  Rec- 
ords in. 

“ Voted,  that  the  twenty  men  draw  the  20  fifty-acre  Lotts.  Now,  at 
this  meeting,  the  twenty  men  drew  accordingly, — James  Sevev,  No.  1 ; 


EPSOM. 


445 


Richd.  Goss,  2;  Thos.  Berry,  3 ; Daniel  Lunt,  4;  Noah  Sevey,  5 ; Will™. 
Luck,  6;  Sam1.  Dowst,  7 ; Zach.  Berry,  8 ; Eben.  Berry,  9 ; Solo.  Dowst, 
In ; Sam1.  Wallis,  11  ; Will®.  Wallis,  12  ; John  Black,  13  ; Josiali  Foss, 
14  ; Simon  Knowles,  15  ; Paul  Chapman,  10  ; Joseph  Lock,  17  ; Jotham 
Foss,  18  ; Jediah  Weeks,  19  ; James  Harden,  20.” 

The  above-mentioned  lota  are  what  were  for  many 
years  known  as  the  “home-lots,”  upon  the  road  leading 
from  Deerfield  to  Epsom  Station,  by  way  of  the  old 
Centre.  The  lots  were  upon  either  side  of  the  road,  and 
were  one  hundred  and  sixty  rods  in  length  and  fifty 
rods  wide,  containing  fifty  acres. 

It  is  noticeable  that  none  of  that  land  is  owned  at 
this  time  by  any  of  the  same  name  as  the  original 
proprietors ; neither  is  it  by  any  of  their  descendants. 

At  a proprietors’  meeting,  at  the  house  of  Christo- 
pher Fredericks,  in  New  Castle,  July  4,  1732,  it  was 

“ Voted , That  there  be  a committee  chosen  to  Goe  to  Hampton  to  see 
how  their  Charter  is,  and  to  Discorse  them  about  the  same. 

“ Voted , Cap1.  Odiorne  and  Will®.  Haines  the  committee  to  goe  to 
Hampton  & Discorse  with  Chichester  Propria*.  & see  their  charter  & to 
make  a Return,  and  to  call  on  the  Sec*J  to  know  the  Date  of  our  Grant  of 
our  Charter.” 


East  & by  North  six  miles  to  a tree  westward  of  Suucook  River;  from 
thence  Runing  East,  South  East  four  miles,  to  a Hemlock  tree,  standing 
by  Notingham  head  Line,  by  a pond  called  Epsom  pond,  with  several 
trees  marked  by  it ; from  thence  Runing  South  west  & by  South,  by 
Notingham  head  Lino,  six  miles,  to  the  maple  tree  first  mentioned. 
Perambulated  this  twenty-third  day  of  Septe**r,  one  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  thirty -two. 

By  us, 


“ SamueLj Wallis,  j 
“ Rich’d  Goss,  v Committee. 

“Saml.  Weeks,  J 

“ Walter  Bryant,  Survey  or." 


At  a proprietors’  meeting,  held  the  Gtli  of  Novem- 
ber, 1732,  a committee  was  chosen  to  take  a list  of 
the  proprietors  of  Epsom,  then  living  in  New  Castle, 
Rye  and  Greenland,  the  committee  consisting  of  three 
persons,  one  in  each  of  the  above  places. 

Upon  the  9th  of  the  same  month  the  above  com- 
mittee reported  forty-seven  proprietors  in  New  Cas- 
tle, thirty-three  in  Rye  and  sixty-three  in  Greenland  ; 
in  all,  one  hundred  and  forty-three. 

The  proprietors  then  proceeded  to  draw  their  sev- 
eral lots,  as  follows: 


At  a proprietors’  meeting,  at  the  court-house, 
Portsmouth,  October  16,  1832,  it  was 

“ Voted,  That  there  be  Reserved  for  the  use  of  the  Propriators,  to  be 
Divided  and  Disposed  of  as  the  Propria*  shall  hereafter  think  proper, 
viz.  : all  the  Land  on  the  North-West  side  of  Suncook  River. 

“ Voted,  That  the  sd  town  shall  be  first  Laid  out  in  to  four  Rahges, 
«ach  one  mile  deep,  Reserving  a Road  of  Four  Rods  wide  between  the 
first  and  second  Range,  & between  the  third  and  fourth,  the  Ranges  to 
run  the  whole  Length  of  the  town,  the  first  Range  to  begin  at  the 
south  corner. 

“ Voted,  That  all  the  Land  not  before  Reserved  and  Granted  be  Laid 
out  on  the  account  of  the  Propria*,  and  that  they  Draw  Lotts  therefor, 
the  method  for  the  same  thus,  viz.  : Number  one  to  begin  at  the  South 
ond  of  the  first  Range,  & to  be  be  numbered  and  Laid  out  to  the  North- 
ward till  the  whole  Range  be  finished  ; and  then  to  begin  at  the  North 
end  of  the  Second  Range,  & to  be  numbered  to  the  Southward  till  the 
Second  Range  is  finished  ; and  then  to  begin  at  the  3d  Range  at  the 
South  end  & Run  toward  the  North  till  that  Range  be  finished  ; and 
then  to  begin  at  the  North  of  the  fourth  Range  and  Run  to  the  South- 
ward, still  Reserving  Roads  between  as  many  of  the  Lotts  as  may  be 
tho*  convenient. 

“ Voted,  That  there  be  a meeting-house  of  thirty  foot  Long  and 
twenty-four  feet  wide,  Imediately  Built  at  the  charge  of  the  Propria*,  & 
that  Mr.  Joshua  Brackett,  Mr.  Will®  Lock  <fc  Theod.  Atkinson,  Esq.,  be 
a committee  to  a Gree  for  the  same  with  any  Parson  or  Parsons  shall 
do  it  soonest  and  cheapest. 

“ Voted,  Each  Propria*,  before  he  Draws  his  Lott,  pay  into  the  Select- 
men as  much  money  as  their  several  Rates  are,  by  which  the  town  is  to 
be  Divided,  & likewise  to  pay  all  their  arearages;  other  ways  they  shall 
not  be  allowed  to  Draw. 

44  Town-meeting  ended. 

“ J.  Simpson,  Clerk." 

In  1732  the  selectmen  of  Epsom  received  a notice 
from  the  selectmen  of  Nottingham  of  a desire  to 
“ perambulate  the  bounds.”  Accordingly,  Lieutenant 
Samuel  Wallis,  Mr.  Richard  Goss  and  Mr.  Samuel 
Weeks  were  appointed  a committee  to  act  with  the 
committee  from  Nottingham. 

COMMITTEE’S  11ETURN. 

‘‘We,  whose  names  are  under  writen,  being  appointed  and  hired  by 
the  selectmen  of  the  town  of  Epsom  to  perambulate  the  line,  according 
to  bounds,  viz.  : Begining  at  Notingham  head  Line,  four  miles  North 
east  ward  from  Chester  Line,  at  a maple  tree  marked  with  the  letter  N, 
on  the  East  side  for  Notingham,  & Ep.  on  the  West  side  for  Epsom  ; from 
thence  runing  West,  North  West  four  miles,  to  a large  pine  tree,  which 
is  one  mile  Westward  from  Suncook  River  ; from  thence  Runing  North 


No.  1,  Nathaniel  White  ; 2,  James  Seavey  ; 3,  John  Odiorne  ; 4,  Ben- 
jamin Ball ; 5,  Israel  Mark  ; 6,  Samuel  llaines ; 7,  John^Toss;  8,  Joshua 
Biackett;  9,  Zachariah  Foss;  10,  Jonathan  Dockam  ; 11,  Richard  Jor- 
dan; 12,  Samuel  Weeks;  13,  John  Underwood;  14,  Robert  Avery  ; 15, 
John  Rindge  ; 1G,  Richard  Tarleton  ; 17,  Henry  Trefethen  ; 18,  Thomas 
Manneren  ; 19,  John  Wilson  ; 20,  James  Harden  ; 21,  John  Othow  ; 22, 
Samuel  Seavey  ; 23,  John  Johnson  ; 24,  John  Brackett ; 25,  Thomas 
Rand;  2G,  Alse  Clark  ; 27,  Walter  Philbrook  ; 28,  Joseph  Weeks  ; 29, 
Robert  Coats  ; 30,  George  Wallis  ; 31,  Samuel  Haines  ; 32,  Joshua  Foss  ; 
33,  Mary  Randall  ; 34,  Joshua  Berry;  35,  William  Berry;  30,  Jeremiah 
Walford ; 37,  Samuel  Chapman,  Samuel  Neale,  John  Hinckson,  Samuel 
Ring;  38,  John  Card;  39,  John  Tuckerman;  40,  James  Berry;  41, 
Christopher  Amazeen ; 42,  Samuel  Berry;  43,  William  Haines;  44, 
Reuben  Mace;  45,  John  Leach  ; 46,  Nathaniel  Berry  ; 47,  Samuel  Rand  ; 
48,  John  Blake  ; 49,  John  Philbrook  ; 50,  James  Johnson,  Ebeuezer 
Johnson  ; 51,  John  Yeaton  ; 52,  Elias  Philbrook  ; 53,  George  Keneston  ; 
54,  Joseph  Jackson;  55,  John  Trundy  ; 56,  John  Bryant;  57,  Jonathan 
Philbrook;  58,  William  Wallis,  Jim.  ; 59,  Edward  Martin  ; 60,  Daniel 
Lunt;  61,  Sampson  Shiefe ; G2,  William  Seavey,  Jun.  ; 63,  Joseph 
timpson,  Robert  Lear,  Thomas  Marshall  ; 64,  Nehemiah  Berry  ; 65, 
Joshua  Seavey  ; 66,  Samuel  Brackett ; 67,  Robert  Goss,  Robert  Goss, 
Jun.  ; 68,  Samuel  Wallis;  69,  Samuel  Doust ; 70,  John  Johnson;  71, 
James  Chadwick  ; 72,  Christopher  Treadwick ; 73,  Richard  Goss  ; 74, 
Joshua  Weeks  ; 75,  John  Frost ; 76,  Solomon  Doust ; 77,  Baruaby  Cruse  ; 
78,  James  Whiden ; 79,  James  Philpot;  80,  Joseph  Maloon ; 81,  John 
Stevens  ; 82,  Widow  Hitches  ; 83, -Nathaniel  Rand  ; 84,  Benjamin  Parker  ; 
85,  Philip  Pane;  86,  William  Kelly  ; 87,  Richard  Neale;  88,  William 
Bucknell,  Thomas  Berry,  Isaac  Foss;  89,  William  Perkins,  John  Berry; 
90,  Thomas  Rand,  Jr.  ; 91,  John  Youren  ; 92,  Samuel  Huggins,  Nathaniel 
Huggins  ; 93,  Foster  Trefethen  ; 94,  Colonel  Shadracli  Walton  ; 95, Nathan- 
iel Johnson  ; 96,  Benjamin  Seavey,  Jr.  ; 97,  Joseph  Youren  ; 98,  Mathias 
Haines  ; 99,  Samuel  Frost ; 100,  Deacon  John  Cate,  William  Cate  ; 101, 
William  Seavey;  102,  Ebenezer  Berry;  103,  Mathias  Haines;  104, 
Benjamin  Muserve  ; 105,  John  Whiden  ; 106,  Henry  Pain;  107,  Jonathan 
Odiorne,  Esq.;  108,  Walter  Abbot ; 109,  Jolin^Sherborn  ; 110,  Joseph  Hill  ; 
111,  William  Wallis  ; 112,  Jonathan  Weeks  ; 113,  John  Brackett ; 114, 
William  Jones;  115,  Widow  Folsom  ; 116,  William  Maiden  ; 117,  Naw 
thaniel  W atson  ; 118,  Samuel  Davis  ; 119,  Daniel  Greenough  ; 120,  Joshua 
Haines  ; 121,  Samuel  Seavey  ; 122,  Hugh  Reed  ; 123,  Benjamin  Seavey  ; 
124,  Captain  Samuel  Week6  ; 125,  Theodore  Atkinson,  126,  James  Ran- 
dall ; 127,  John  Neale  ; 128,  Nathaniel  Morrell. 

The  lots  numbered  1 to  41,  inclusive,  are  in  the  first 
range  upon  the  easterly  side  of  the  town,  beginning  at 
Allenstown  line;  Nos.  42  to  73  are  in  the  second 
range,  beginning  at  North  wood  line;  74  to  107  are  in 
the  third  range,  beginning  at  the  southerly  end  of  the 
town,  and  the  remainder  in  the  fourth  range,  num- 
bering from  the  north. 


446  HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


It  appears  that  there  was  left  after  the  above  lots 
were  laid  out  two  thousand  acres  in  the  southerly  end  i 
of  the  fourth  range,  which,  with  some  smaller  lots  at 
either  end  of  the  twenty  lots  that  were  first  laid  out 
and  known  as  the  “ home-lots,”  were  known  as 
common  lands. 

In  response  to  a petition  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
town,  the  General  Assembly  of  the  province  of  New 
Hampshire,  in  the  year  1765,  by  a special  enactment 
made,  gave  the  town  the  privilege  to  sell  all  the  com- 
mon or  undivided  land  in  the  town,  and  the  money 
arising  from  such  sale  was  to  be  applied  to  the  build- 
ing of  the  meeting-house,  and  John  McClary,  George 
Wallis  and  Ephraim  Locke  were  appointed  by  said 
Assembly  to  advertise  and  sell  the  same  at  public 
auction,  which  was  done  Monday,  August  19,  1783. 

This  common  land  at  the  southwestern  part  of  the 
town  was  laid  out  differently  from  the  original  lots, 
being  only  one-half  as  long  and  wide  enough  to  con- 
tain one  hundred  acres.  Lot  No.  1,  in  the  south- 
west corner,  was  sold  to  John  Follensbee;  No.  2,  the 
next  nortl^  to  John  Blake;  No.  3,  Reuben  Sanborn; 
No.  4,  Reuben  Sanborn  ; No.  5,  John  Hubbard;  No. 
6,  Ephraim  Locke;  No.  7,  Andrewr  McGaffey;  No.  8, 
Andrew  McClary;  No.  9,  Andrew  McClary;  No.  10, 
Amos  Morrill. 

No.  1,  in  the  second  range  of  common  lands,  being 
the  most  southerly  lot,  was  sold  to  John  Follensbee; 
No.  2,  John  Follensbee;  No.  3,  Thomas  Bickford; 
No.  4,  Abraham  Wallis;  No.  5,  Nathan  Marden ; 
No.  6,  Nathan  Marden;  No.  7,  Israel  Gilman;  No.  8, 
John  McGaffey;  No.  9 and  No.  10,  Amos  Morrill; 
but  I find  no  account  of  the  amount  that  was  received 
by  the  town  from  such  sales. 

“Voted,  January  17.  1733.  that  the  name  of  the  Street  from  the  Meet- 
ing-House upward  West  Street  & Down  ward  to  Notingliam  from  8d 
Meeting-house  East  Street. 

“July  y*  16tb,  1733,  The  Propria401  meet  acording  to  Notification. 

“ Poterf  Theodore  Atkinson,  Esq.,  Moderator. 

“ Voted  Joseph  Simpson,  Esq.,  Messrs.  Charles  Frost,  Rich**  Goss,  Sam1 
Wallis,  Joshua  Brackett,  Will®  Haines  a Committee  to  Lay  out  to  each 
Propria'  his  Lott  or  Shier  of  Land  in  the  town  of  Epsom  according  to  the 
Kate  he  paid  in  the  year  1723,  and  if  one  or  more  of  the  6d  committee 
fail,  the  selectmen  to  appoint  others  in  their  Room. 

Voted  that  the  committee  Doe  the  BesinesS  above  s*  by  the  first 
Novem'  and  make  Return  by  that  time. 

“ Voted  that  the  committee  afore  sd  be  Directed  & Impowered  to  Re- 
serve out  of  the  sd  township  as  much  Land  as  will  be  sufficient  for  the 
twenty  settlers  acording  to  the  Vote  of  the  Propriators  & to  Lay  the 
same  out  in  thirty  acre  Lotts,  Viz.,  Each  of  the  twenty  Settlers  thirty 
acres.  Such  Reservation  to  be  made  where  the  said  Committee  shall 
think  proper. 

- “ Voted  that  the  Propria'  of  Canterbury  be  allowed  a Road  according 

to  the  Request  of  the  sd  Propriators  made  to  the  meeting  by  Mr  Walter 
Bryant  in  behalf  of  the  propriators,  which  Road  is  to  be  Laid  out  four 
Rods  wide  thro  the  s'1  town  of  Epsom  as  near  West  North  West  as  con- 
veniently as  may  be  to  avoid  unpasable  places,  the  Propria1  of  Sd  Canter- 
bury to  be  at  the  Charge  of  Laying  out  said  Way. 

“December  18, 1733:  Voted  that  the  Return  of  the  committee  for  Lay- 
ing out  the  Said  Town  be  axcepted,  and  that  the  Town  Remain  Laid  out 
according  to  said  Direction. 

“ Voted  that  the  above  Committee  be  allowed  and  paid  the  sum  of  ten 
shillings  p.  Day  for  the  time  they  were  Laying  out  the  said  town,  and 
the  surveyor  twelve  shillings  pr.  day  for  his  plot. 

“Dec.  19,  1734:  Voted  that  where  as  Sundry  Persons,  without  the 
Leave  or  License,  got  in  upon  Sundry  tracts  of  Laud  within  this  town 


ship,  and  have  committed  Sundry  Tresspases  upon  Sundry  of  the  Pro-  | 
j pria1  perticular  shears,  which  may,  if  not  Prosecuted,  prove  Detrymen-  j 
I tell  to  the  said  town  ; and  whereas  it  will  be  attended  with  some  consul-  I 
| erable  charge  to  Prosecute  on  any  one  of  them,  which  at  Present  would 
be  to  great  Burthen  for  the  Prosecutors ; therefore  voted  that  in  case  any  ' 
of  the  Prop'9  in  whose  Shear  any  trespass  is  committed  will  prosecute  ] 
such  trespassers  in  an  action  of  trespass  that  it  shall  be  at  the  charge  of  I 
the  Propria'3  in  proportion  to  the  Land  or  Shier  each  Propritor  hath  in 
sd  town  A'  the  Select  men  for  the  time  being  are  hereby  impowered  and  | 
Disired  to  furnish  the  prosecutor  with  money  for  that  end. 

“ Voted,  May  2G,  1736,  That  Mr.  Joshua  Brackett,  Willm  Haines,  Will“ 
Wallis  and  Elia3  Philbrook  a committee  to  agree  with  one  or  more  per- 
sons to  build  a saw  mill  at  Epsom,  the  undertakers  to  have  the  privi-  ! 
ledge  of  supplying  the  town's  people  with  boards  for  ten  years,  who  are 
not  to  buy  of  any  others  till  the  ten  years  are  expired,  and  the  owners  of 
the  mill  are  to  sell  the  boards  at  the  price  they  are  sold  at  in  other 
new  towns,  provided  they  keep  boards  to  supply  the  towu's  people.” 

The  following  is  a full  copy  of  the  record  of  the 
only  meeting  of  the  proprietors  for  the  year  1749 : 

“ The  Selectmen  having  notified  the  propritors  And  free  Holders  of  II 
the  Town  of  Epsom  In  the  $d  Province  of  Newhampshire,  to  meet  at  the 
Corthouse,  In  Porsmoutb,  in  Sd  province,  on  Wednesday,  the  third  Day 
of  May,  1749. 

“The  Proprieters  mett  according  to  notifycation  and  Thare  * Voted  j 
Isaac  Libbe,  moderator;  Joseph  Haines,  Clark;  francis  Lock,  John 
Weeks,  Samuel  Libbe,  Selectmen  ; William  Berry,  Surver  of  Hywaes. 

“Town  meeting  ended. 

“Joseph  Haines,  Clark. 

“ Isaac  Libbe,  Modern  r. 

“Aug.  30,  1730:  Voted  That  Doct.  John  Weeks  And  Francis  Lock 

Bee  a Committe  To  See  whather  The  men  That  had  the  Twenty  And  30-  | 

Akers  Lotes  Have  Fulfiled  Acording  to  Charter  and  agreement.” 

The  following  is  from  the  “ Historical  Sketch  of  Ep- 
som,” by  Rev.  Jonathan  Curtis,  published  in  1823: 

“ Incursions  of  the  Indians. — Iu  the  early  days  of  the  town  the  in-  i 
habitants  were  kept  in  a state  of  almost  continual  alarm  by  the  incur- 
sions of  the  Indians.  For  a considerable  time  after  this  settlement  was 
commenced  only  the  men  ventured  to  remain  in  the  place  during  the 
summer  season,  and  then  they  must  keep  their  arms  by  them  while  they 
labored  on  their  lands.  During  the  winter  there  was  much  less  danger 
from  the  Indians.  Even  long  after  the  men  had  removed  their  families 
into  the  place,  so  feeble  was  their  defense  against  the  attacks  of  their 
savage  neighbors,  that,  whenever  any  immediate  danger  was  appre- 
hended, they  either  sent  their  families  away  or  tied  with  them  to  the 
garrison  at  Nottingham.  At  length  a house  was  erected  by  Captain 
Andrew  McClary  within  the  limits  of  the  town,  and  near  the  present 
residence  of  Mr.  Joseph  Lawrence,  which  was  made  proof  against  the 
assaults  of  the  Indians,  being  surrounded  by  a high,  wooden  wall,  en-  i 
tered  by  a heavy,  well-secured  gate.  Thither  the  inhabitants  fled  at 
night,  whenever  danger  was  apprehended. 

“Captivity  or  Mrs.  McCoy. — The  Indians  were  first  attracted  to  the 
new  settlements  in  the  town  by  discovering  McCoy  at  Suncook  (now 
Pembroke).  Th  is.  as  nearly  as  can  be  ascertained,  was  in  the  year  1747. 
Reports  were  spread  of  the  depredations  of  the  Indians  in  various  places, 
and  McCoy  had  heard  that  they  had  been  seen  lurking  about  the  woods 
at  Penacook,  (now  Concord).  He  went  as  far  as  Pembroke  : ascertained 
that  they  were  in  the  vicinity  ; was  somewhere  discovered  by  them  and 
followed  home.  They  told  his  wife,  whom  they  afterwards  made  prison- 
er, that  they  looked  through  cracks  around  the  house  and  saw  what 
they  had  for  supper  that  uight.  They,  however,  did  not  discover  them-  j 
selves  till  the  second  day  after.  They  probably  wished  to  take  a little 
time  to  learn  the  strength  and  preparation  of  the  inhabitants.  The  next 
day  Mrs.  McCoy,  attended  by  their  two  dogs,  went  down  to  see  if  any  of 
the  other  families  had  returned  from  the  garrison.  She  found  no  one. 

On  her  return,  as  she  was  passing  the  block-house,  which  stood  near  the 
present  site  of  the  meeting-house,  the  dogs,  which  had  passed  around  it, 
came  running  back  growling  and  very  much  excited.  Their  appearance 
induced  her  to  make  the  best  of  her  way  houie.  The  Indians  afterwards 
told  her  that  they  then  lay  concealed  there  and  saw  the  dogs  when  they 
came  round. 

“ McCoy,  being  now  stroug’v  suspicious  that  the  Indians  were  actually 
in  town,  determined  to  set  off  the  next  day  with  his  family  for  the  gar- 
rison at  Nottingham.  His  family  now  consisted  of  himself,  his  wife  and 


EPSOM. 


447 


son  John.  The  younger  children  were  still  at  the  garrison.  They  ac- 
cordingly secured  their  house  as  well  as  they  could  and  all  set  oft'  next 
morning — McCoy  and  his  son  with  their  guns,  though  without  ammu- 
nition, having  tired  away  what  they  brought  with  them  in  hunting. 

“As  they  were  traveling  a little  distance  east  of  the  place  where  the 
meeting-house  now  stands,  Mrs.  McCoy  fell  a little  in  the  rear  of  the 
others.  This  circumstance  gave  the  Indians  a favorable  opportunity  for 
separating  her  from  her  husband  and  son.  The  Indians — three  men 
and  a boy — lay  in  ambush  near  the  foot  of  Maiden's  hill,  not  far  from 
the  junction  of  the  mountain  road  with  the  main  road.  Here  they  suf- 
fered McCoy  and  his  son  to  pass,  but  as  his  wife  was  passing  them  they 
reached  from  the  bushes  and  took  hold  of  her,  charging  her  to  make  no 
noise,  and  covering  her  mouth  with  their  hands,  as  she  cried  to  her  hus- 
band for  assistance.  Her  husband,  hearing  her  cries,  turned,  and  was 
about  coming  to  her  relief,  but  he  no  sooner  began  to  advance  than  the 
Indians,  expecting  probably  that  he  would  fire  upon  them,  began  to 
raise  their  pieces,  which  she  pushed  one  side  and  motioned  to  her  friends 
to  make  their  escape,  knowing  that  their  guns  were  not  loaded,  and  that 
they  would  doubtless  be  killed  if  they  approached.  They  accordingly 
ran  into  the  woods  and  made  their  escape  to  the  garrison.  This  took 
place  August  21,  1747. 

“The  Indians  then  collected  together  what  booty  they  could  obtain, 
which  consisted  of  an  iron  trammel,  from  Mr.  George  Wallace’s,  the  . 
apples  of  the  only  tree  which  bore  in  town,  which  was  in  the  orchard 
now  owned  by  Mr.  David  Griffin,  and  some  other  trifling  articles,  aud 
prepared  to  set  off  with  their  prisoner  for  Canada. 

“Before  they  took  their  departure  they  conveyed  Mrs.  McCoy  to  n 
place  near  the  little  Suncook  River,  where  they  left  her  in  the  care  of  the 
young  Indian,  while  the  three  men,  whose  names  were  afterwards 
ascertained  to  be  riausawa,1  Sabatis  and  Christi,  went  away,  and  were 
for  some  time  absent.  During  their  absence  Mrs.  McCoy  thought  of 
attempting  to  make  her  escape.  She  saw  opportunities  when  she  thought 
slio  might  dispatch  the  young  Indian  with  tin;  trammel,  w hich,  with 
other  things,  was  left  with  them,  and  thus  perhaps  avoid  some  strange 
and  barbarous  death  ora  long  and  distressing  captivity.  But,  on  the 
other  hand,  she  knew  not  at  w hat  distance  the  others  were.  If  she  at- 
tempted to  kill  her  young  keeper  she  might  fail.  If  she  effected  her 
purpose  in  this  she  might  be  pursued  and  overtaken  by  a cruel  and  re- 
vengeful foe,  aud  then  some  dreadful  death  would  be  her  certain  portion. 
On  the  whole,  she  thought  best  to  endeavor  to  prepare  her  mind  to  bear 
what  might  be  no  more  than  a period  of  savage  captivity.  Soon,  how- 
ever, the  Indians  retured  and  put  an  end,  for  the  present,  to  all  thoughts 
of  escape.  From  the  direction  in  which  they  went  and  returned,  and 
from  their  smutty  appearance,  she  suspected  what  their  business  had 
been.  She  told  them  ‘ she  guessed  they  had  been  burning  her  house.’ 
Plausawa,  who  could  speak  some  broken  English,  informed  her  they 
had. 

“They  now  commenced  their  long  and  tedious  journey  to  Canada,  in 
which  the  poor  captive  might  well  expect  that  great  and  complicated 
suffering  would  be  her  lot.  She  did,  indeed,  find  the  journey  fatiguing, 
and  her  fare  scant  and  precarious.  But,  in  her  treatment  from  the 
Indians,  she  experienced  a very  agreeable  disappointment.  The  kind- 
ness she  received  from  them  was  far  greater  than  sin;  had  expected  from 
those  who  were  so  often  distinguished  for  their  cruelties.  The  apples 
they  had  gathered  they  saved  for  her,  giving  her  one  every  day.  In 
this  way  they  lasted  her  as  far  on  t he  way  as  Lake  Champlain.  They  gave 
her  the  last  as  they  were  crossing  that  lake  in  their  canoes.  This  circum- 
stance gave  to  the  tree  on  which  the  apples  grew  the  name  of  ‘Isabella’s 
;reo,”  her  name  being  Isabella.  In  many  ways  did  they  appear  desirous 
of  mitigating  the  distresses  of  their  prisoner  while  on  their  tedious  jour- 
ney. When  night  came  on,  and  they  halted  to  repose  themselves  in  the 
dark  wilderness,  Plausawa,  the  head  man,  would  make  a little  couch  in 
the  leaves  a little  way  from  theirs,  cover  her  up  w ith  his  own  blanket, 
and  there  she  was  suffered  to  sleep  undisturbed  till  morning.  When 
they  came  to  a river  which  must  be  forded  one  of  them  would  carry  her 
over  on  his  back.  Nothing  like  insult  or  indecency  did  they  ever  offer 
her  during  the  whole  time  she  was  with  them.  They  carried  her  to 
Canada  and  sold  her  as  a servant  to  a French  family,  whence,  at  the  close 
of  that  war,  she  returned  home.  But  so  comfortable  was  her  condition 
there,  and  her  husband  being  a man  of  rather  a rough  and  violent  tem- 
per, she  declared  she  never  should  have  thought  of  attempting  the  jour- 
ney home  wore  it  not  for  the  sake  of  her  children. 

“ After  the  capture  of  Mrs.  McCoy  the  Indians  frequently  visited  the 
town,  but  never  committed  any  very  great  depredations.  The  greatest 

1 These  were  of  the  Arosaguntacook  or  St.  Francis  tribe.  (See  Belknap’s 
“Hist.  N.  II.,”  vol.  ii.,  p.  278). 

29 


damage  they  over  did  to  the  property  of  the  inhabitants  was  the  spoiling 
of  all  the  ox-teams  in  town.  At  the  time  referred  to  there  were  but  four 
yoke  of  oxen  in  the  place,  viz. : McCoy’s,  Captain  McClary’s,  George 
Wallace’s  and  Lieutenant  Blake’s.  It  was  a time  of  apprehension  from 
the  Indians,  and  the  inhabitants  had  therefore  all  tied  to  the  garrison  at 
Nottingham.  They  left  their  oxen  to  graze  about  the  w'oods,  with  a bell 
upon  one  of  them.  The  Indians  found  them,  shot  one  out  of  each  yoke, 
took  out  their  tongues,  made  a prize  of  the  bell  and  left  them. 

“ The  ferocity  and  cruelty  of  the  savages  w ere  doubtless  very  much 
averted  by  a friendly,  conciliating  course  of  conduct  in  the  inhabitants 
towards  them.  This  was  particularly  the  case  in  the  course  pursued  by 
Sergeant  Blake.  Being  himself  a curious  marksman  and  an  expert  hun- 
ter— traits  of  character,  in  their  view  , of  the  highest  order — he  soon  se- 
cured their  respect ; and,  by  a course  of  kind  treatment,  he  secured  their 
friendship  to  such  a degree  that,  though  they  had  opportunities,  they 
would  not  injure  him  even  in  time  of  war. 

“The  first  he  ever  saw  of  them  was  a company  of  them  making  towards 
his  house  through  the  opening  from  the  top  of  Sanborn’s  Hill.  He  lied 
to  the  woods  and  there  lay  concealed  till  they  had  made  a thorough 
search  about  his  house  and  inclosures  and  had  gone  off.  The  next  time 
his  visitors  came  he  was  constrained  to  become  more  acquainted  w ith 
them  and  to  treat  them  w ith  more  attention.  As  he  was  busily  engaged 
towards  the  close  of  the  day  in  completing  a yard  for  his  cow,  the  de- 
clining sun  suddenly  threw  several  long,  enormous  shadows  on  the 
ground  before  him.  lie  had  no  sooner  turned  to  see  the  cause  than  he 
found  himself  in  the  company  of  a number  of  stately  Indians.  Seeing 
his  perturbation,  they  patted  him  on  the  head  and  told  him  ‘ not  to  be 
afraid,  for  they  would  not  hurt  him.’  They  then  went  with  him  into 
his  house,  and  their  first  business  was  to  search  all  his  bottles  to  see  if  he 
had  any  ‘occapee’ — rum.  They  then  told  him  they  were  very  hungry, 
and  wanted  something  to  eat.  He  happened  to  have  a quarter  of  a bear, 
which  he  gave  them.  They  took  it  and  threw  it  whole  upon  the  fire, 
and  very  soon  began  to  cut  and  eat  from  it  half  raw.  While  they  were 
eating  he  employed  himself  in  cutting  pieces  from  it  and  broiling  upon 
a stick  for  them,  which  pleased  them  very  much.  After  their  repast 
they  wished  for  the  privilege  of  lying  by  his  fire  through  the  night,  which 
he  granted.  The  next  morning  they  proposed  trying  skill  with  him  in 
firing  at  a mark.  To  this  he  acceded.  But  in  this,  finding  themselves 
outdone,  they  were  very  much  astonished  and  chagrined  ; nevertheless 
they  highly  commended  him  for  his  skill,  patting  him  on  the  head  and 
telling  him, — ‘if  he  would  go  off  with  them  they  would  make  him 
their  big  captain.’  They  used  often  to  call  upon  him,  and  his  kindness 
to  them  they  never  forgot,  even  in  time  of  war. 

“ Plausawa  had  a peculiar  manner  of  doubling  his  lip  and  producing 
a very  shrill,  piercing  w histle,  which  might  be  heard  at  a great  distance. 
At  a time  when  considerable  danger  was  apprehended  from  the  Indians 
Blake  went  off  into  the  woods  alone,  though  considered  hazardous,  to 
look  for  his  cow  that  was  missing.  As  lie  was  passing  along  by  Sinclair’s 
Brook,  an  unfrequented  place,  northerly  from  McCoy’s  Mountain,  a very 
loud,  sharp  whistle,  which  he  knew  to  be  Plausawa'8  suddenly  passed 
through  his  head  like  the  report  of  a pistol.  The  sudden  alarm  almost! 
raised  him  from  the  ground,  and,  with  a very  light  stop,  he  soon  reached 
home  without  his  cow.  In  more  peaceable  times  Plausawa  asked  him  if 
he  did  not  remember  the  time,  and  laughed  very  much  to  think  how  he 
ran  at  the  fright,  and  told  him  the  reason  for  his  whistling.  ‘ Young 
Indian,’  said  he,  ‘put  up  gun  to  shoot  Englishman  ; me  knock  it  down 
and  whistle  to  start  you  off,’ — so  lasting  is  their  friendship  when  treated 
well.  At  the  close  of  the  wars  the  Indians  built  several  wigwams  near 
the  confluence  of  Wallace’s  Brook  with  the  Great  Suncook.  On  a litt  le 
island  in  this  river,  near  the  place  called  ‘Short  Falls,’  one  of  them 
lived  for  a considerable  time.  Plausawa  and  Sabatis  were  finally  both 
killed  in  time  of  peace  by  one  of  the  whites,  after  adrunkeii  quarrel,  and 
buried  near  a certain  brook  in  Boscawcn. 

“ Mountains. — The  surface  of  the  town  is  generally  uneven,  the  laud 
frequently  rising  into  considerable  hills.  Four  of  the  highest  eminences 
have  received  the  name  of  mountains. 

“ McCoy’s,  named  after  Charles  McCoy,  one  of  the  first  settlers,  lies 
about  one  mile  and  a half  south  from  the  centre  of  the  towm. 

“Fort  Mountain,  probably  so  called  from  having  an  eminence  near 
the  summit  resembling  a fort,  lies  about  one  mile  farther  in  a southwest 
direction,  and  is  the  highest  of  the  four.  This  is  probably  the  highest 
land  in  the  same  parallel  of  latitude  between  the  ocean  and  Merrimack 
River.  From  its  summit,  in  a clear  atmosphere,  the  ocean  may  be  dis- 
tinctly seen,  though  distant  about  thirty  miles,  in  a direct  line,  and  for 
fifteen  or.twonty  miles  the  beholder  hasavery  full  view'  of  the surround- 
ing  country. 

“Nat’s  Mountain  is  situated  about  half  a mile  south  of  the  last-men- 


448 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


tinned  one.  It  was  so  named  from  the  circumstance  that  Nathaniel,  one 
of  McCoy’s  children,  who  had  been  lost  in  the  woods  while  searching 
for  the  cows,  was  found  upon  it.  It  is  said  he  was  absent  several  days, 
ami  subsisted  during  that  time  upon  berries;  and  that,  when  first  dis- 
covered, he  was  disposed  to  llee  from  those  who  came  to  his  relief. 

‘•Nottingham  Mountain,  so  named  from  its  being  crossed  by  the  an- 
cient Nottingham  (now  Deerfield)  line,  lies  about  half  a mile  easterly 
from  Fort  Mountain.  In  this  mountain,  on  the  Deerfield  side,  is  said 
to  be  a small  cave  capable  of  containing  twenty  or  thirty  persons  at  the 
same  time. 

“ Divers. — The  Great  and  Little  Suncook  are  the  oidy  streams  which 
deserve  the  name  of  rivers.  These  seldom  fail  to  afford  abundant  water 
for  the  various  kinds  of  machinery  that  is  situated  upon  them.  The 
Great  Suncook  never  fails,  though  the  other  does,  in  very  dry  seasons. 
The  Great  Suncook  enters  the  town  from  the  north,  and,  bending  its 
course  southwesterly,  unites  with  the  Merrimack  at  Pembroke.  The 
Little  Suncook  enters  the  town  from  the  east,  a few  rods  below  the  pond 
of  the  same  name,  from  which  it  runs  ; and,  proceeding  in  a pretty  di- 
rect course  westward,  near  the  centre  of  the  town,  unites  with  the  river 
first  mentioned. 

“Ponds. — There  are  but  three  in  the  town,  and  these  are  small.  Their 
names  are  Chestnut,  .Kound  and  Odiorne’s  Pond.” 

The  following  is  found  in  the  Records  of  the  Leg- 
islature of  17(12 : 

“ Province  of  New  Hampshire. 

“ To  his  Exelency  Penning  Wentworth,  Esq.,  Capt.  General,  Gove- 
iiour  & Commander  in  Chief  in  and  over  his  Majesty’s  Province  of 
New  Hampshire,  and  to  the  Ilonable  Counceill  & house  of  Representa- 
tives now  Convened  in  General  Assembly  at  Portsmouth. 

“ the  Petition  of  his  Majesty’s  Good  Subjects,  inhabitants  of  the  town- 
ship of  Epsom,  in  said  Province,  humbly  beg  leave  to  remonstrate  our 
Very  Poor  Distressing  circumstances  to  your  Compassion,  & Most 
Earnstly  Crave  your  Pity,  and  pray  your  Honours  to  Relieve  us  from 
our  unsuportable  Burden  of  Province  tax  under  which  we  are  made  to 
Grom*,  and  Which  we  think  we  Cannot  Possibly  survive  Under  unless 
your  Honours  will  be  Pleased  to  Mitigate  ami  free  us  from. 

“Gentlemen  our  Numbers  are  Very  Small  & we  are  very  much  Exposed 
to  Losses;  our  young  Cattle,' Sheep  and  Swine  are  often  Destroyed  by 
Wild  beasts,  and,  further,  we  have  Lately  Selected  a minister  among  us 
which  we  are  afraid  we  shall  not  be  able  to  Support ; by  Reason  of  the 
Poor  circumstances  we  are  now  under  we  are  notable  to  Build  a Meet- 
ing Hous ; that  our  Minister  is  obliged  to  Preach  in  some  of  our  Dwell- 
ing houses  ; the  tax  which  was  Laid  on  us  the  Last  year  many  of  us 
were  obliged  to  hire  the  money  to  Pay  ; our  Necessities  are  very  Grate  by 
Reason  of  the  Scarcity  of  Provisions  wo  have  been  obliged  to  Lay  out  all 
that  we  have  got  for  years  Past  <fe  are  now  much  in  debt.  this  is  to  en- 
treat your  Honours  to  take  of  the  heavy  tax  which  we  now  Labour 
under,  «fc  Restore  us  the  money  we  Paid  Last  year,  & your  Petitioners 
Shall  ever  Pray  as  in  Duty  Bound  : 

“John  McClary,  George  Walles,  Nathan  Maiden,  John  Black, 
Ephraim  Lock,  Reuben  Sanborn,  Jun.,  Eliphlet  Sanborn,  Reuben  San- 
born, James  Wood,  Abraham  Lebbee,  Abraham  Walles,  Benjamin 
lilake,  Thomas  Blake,  Isaac  Lebbee,  Isaac  Lebbee,  Jun.,  Reuben  Leb- 
bee, Amos  Blaeo,  Samul  Bickford,  Samuel  Black,  Thomas  II ins,  John 
Illaso,  Ephraim  Bery,  William  Blake,  Benson  Ham,  John  McGaffey, 
Andrew  McClary,  Abner  Evuns. 

“ In  Council,  June  24th,  1702:  Read  A ordered  to  be  sent  down  to  the 
Houbl°  Assembly. 

“Theodore  Atkinson,  Jun.,  Sec.” 

At  a meeting  called  January  7,  1781,  to  consult  in 
regard  to  adopting  the  plan  or  form  of  government 
that  had  been  prepared  by  Congress  for  the  govern- 
ment of  the  people,  the  matter  was  referred  to  a 
committee  consisting  of  Major  Morrill,  Mr.  Francis 
Lock,  Captain  Gray,  Lieutenant  Locke  and  Thomas 
Babb,  to  make  such  amendments  as  they  should 
deem  necessary  in  said  plan  and  report  at  an  ad- 
journed meeting,  at  which  time  they  presented  the 
following  objections,  which  were  adopted  by  the 
town  : 


“ 1st.  The  twenty-third  article  of  the  bill  of  rights,  as  exhibited  in 
said  plan,  is  objected  to  and  inadmissible  Because  such  Laws  have 
been  necessary  in  the  present  revolution,  & may  be  in  the  future  ; There- 
fore, we  submit  the  making  of  such  Laws  to  the  Legislative  power. 

“2d  article  of  objection  is  respecting  the  qualification  of  a senator  as 
to  estate.  Because  Interest  or  Estate,  not  being  the  most  essential  quali- 
fication, Therefore  a person  possessed  of  Intellectual  abilities,  which 
we  humbly  conceive  is  most  essential,  and  having  a free  hold  in  his  own 
right  of  one  hundred  pounds,  ought  not  to  be  excluded  of  the  privi- 
ledge  of  being  elected  into  office  as  senator. 

“3d  article  of  objection  is  that  of  the  Delegate  or  representative  se- 
lected from  the  Delegated  body  as  to  estate.  For  the  same  reason 
offered  to  the  qualifications  of  a Senator  as  proposed  in  the  plan,  and 
that  a pei’son  possessed  of  a visible  estate  of  sixty  pounds,  shall  be 
Capable  of  being  Elected  into  office  as  Delegate  or  representative. 

“4th  Article  of  objection  is  to  a Governor’s  not  being  eligible  of 
being  elected  into  office  for  more  than  three  years  in  seven,  according 
to  the  proposed  plan.  Because  that  a person  elected  into  office  for  three 
years  successively,  whose  service  shall  be  found  salutary  to  the  puhlirk 
Weal,  is  the  most  Capable  of  serving  as  long  as  he  may  be  found  ser- 
viceable to  the  State  in  said  office. 

“5th  article  of  Objection  is  to  a person’s  not  having  a Voice  in  the 
Choice  of  a Delegate,  Representative,  Senator  or  Governor  unless  pos- 
sessed of  a Free  hold  in  his  own  right  of  one  hundred  pounds,  accord- 
ing to  the  proposed  plan.  Because,  according  to  the  first  article  in  the 
declaration  of  the  rights  of  flic  people  of  the  State  of  New  Hampshire, 
all  men  are  born  equally  free  and  Independent.  Therefore,  all  Govern- 
ment of  right  Originates  from  the  people,  and  is  founded  in  consent. 
Therefore,  the  freeman,  with  ever  so  small  pecuniary  abilities,  ought  to 
have  an  equal  Voice  in  the  legislative  Choice  with  him  who  is  possessed 
of  the  most  accumulated  fortune.” 

There  was  a lengthy  contest  with  Chichester  rela- 
tive to  the  boundary  line  between  the  towns,  which 
was  finally  settled  by  arbitration. 

At  the  annual  meeting  held  March  13,  1810,  it 
was  “Voted  to  accept  Joshua  Lane,  of  Sanboruton  ; 
Samuel  Shepherd,  of  Gilmanton  ; and  John  Lane, 
of  Candia,  a committee  to  settle  the  contested  line 
between  Epsom  and  Chichester.”  And  at  the  follow- 
ing March  meeting  it  was  voted  to  accept  the  report 
of  the  above  committee,  which  established  the  line 
as  it  now  is. 

Before  the  building  of  railroads  there  was  a large 
amount  of  travel  and  teaming  through  this  town  from 
the  northern  part  of  New  Hampshire  and  Vermont  to 
Portsmouth,  Newburyport  and  other  sea-board  towns, 
and,  consequently,  a number  of  inns  or  taverns  were 
required  for  the  accommodation  of  the  travelers. 

The  selectmen  of  the  town  for  1827  gave  license  to 
the  following  persons  to  keep  an  open  tavern  for  one 
year,  each  paying  two  dollars  for  the  privilege: 
William  Yeaton,  Jr.,  Colonel  Daniel  Ci  1 ley,  Abel 
Brown,  Samuel  Whitney,  Robert  Knox,  Captain  Ben- 
jamin L.  Locke,  Captain  Simon  A.  Heath,  Joseph 
Lawrence  and  Abram  AY.  Maiden. 

There  is  no  tavern  or  public-house  kept  in  town  at 
the  present  time. 

Mr.  Curtis  says:  ‘‘The  hilly  surface  of  the  town 
and  numerous  streams  rendered  it  very  favorable  for 
that  kind  of  machinery  which  requires  the  power  of 
water.  Within  the  limits  of  the  town  are  eight  grist- 
mills with  twelve  runs  of  stones,  ten  saw-mills,  three 
carding-machines,  three  clothiers’  shops,  and  four 
bark-mills.” 

At  the  present  time  there  are  two  saw-mills,  three 


EPSOM. 


44!) 


grist-mills,  one  sash  and  door  manufactory,  one  box 
factory  and  the  shoe-factory,  all  situated  upon  the 
Great  and  Little  Suncook  Rivers. 

In  the  spring  of  1881  the  matter  of  building  up 
some  kind  of  a business  that  would  be  of  a benefit  to 
the  inhabitants  of  the  town  was  discussed,  and  on  t he 
4th  day  of  May  of  that  year  a company  was  organ  - 
ized, called  the  Epsom  Shoe-Factory  Company,  with 
a capital  stock  of  three  thousand  dollars,  divided  into 
shares  of  twenty-five  dollars  each.  The  stock  was 
soon  taken  and  operations  at  once  begun. 

A dam  was  made  across  the  little  Suncook  River, 
near  the  Free  Baptist  Church,  and  a two-story 
building  erected. 

The  fall  of  that  year  the  factory  was  rented  to  llill 
& Puffer,  of  Lynn,  Mass.,  who  at  once  commenced 
the  making  of  shoes.  Their  practice  was  to  take 
stock  from  Lynn  or  other  manufacturing  towns  that 
was  partially  fitted  and  make  the  shoes. 

In  1883,  Mr.  Hill  left  the  firm,  and  Mr.  Nathan 
Goss  was  associated  with  Mr.  Puffer  in  the  business. 

In  the  spring  of  1885  they  sold  out  to  parties  from 
Haverhill,  Mass.,  and  a new  firm  went  into  the  busi- 
ness, known  as  Mitchell,  Finney  & Co. 

They  are  now  manufacturing  shoes,  cutting  and 
making  entire. 

At  present  they  employ  about  seventy-five  hands 
and  make  six  cases  per  day.  Their  pay-roll  for  labor 
is  about  one  hundred  dollars  per  day. 

School  and  Parsonage  Lots. — In  accordance  with 
the  requirements  of  the  grant  of  the  town,  two  lots 
were  set  apart  and  known  as  the  school  and  parsonage 
lots.  The  school  lot.  was  located  at  the  westerly  end 
of  the  “ home  lots,”  running  from  the  turnpike  up 
on  Sanborn  Hill,  and  was  sold  June  10,  1815,  Cap- 
tain Gray,  B.  M.  Towle  and  others  being  purchasers. 
The  amount  realized  from  such  sale,  as  nearly  as  can 
be  ascertained  from  the  records,  was  about  twelve 
hundred  dollars,  which  the  town  kept  as  a school 
fund  and  divided  the  interest  of  it  annually  among 
the  several  school  districts  according  to  their  valua- 
tion. 

The  parsonage  lot  was  near  the  “Old  Centre,”  on 
the  southerly  side  of  the  highway, on  which  the  build- 
ings now  occupied  by  Addison  Davis  are  situated, 
and  was  formerly  known  as  the  “ Dr.  Dickey  place.” 
The  lot  was  sold  by  vote  of  the  town  about  1817,  and 
the  Rev.  Jonathan  Curtis  was  the ' purchaser,  for  one 
thousand  and  five  dollars,  which  sum  was  invested  by 
the  town  as  a parsonage  fund,  the  interest  thereof 
being  annually  distributed  among  the  several  reli- 
gious societies  in  town,  in  proportion  to  the  taxable 
property  of  its  members. 

This  was  done  until  about  1848,  when  the  select- 
men, first  obtaining  counsel,  decided  the  same  to  be 
unnecessary  and  refused  to  distribute  the  interest  of 
said  funds,  and  they  were  appropriated  to  the  general 
expenses  of  the  town. 

Soon  after  this  the  “ Esq.  Hersey  ” farm  was  pur- 


chased for  a poor  farm.  Prior  to  this  the  keeping 
and  care  of  the  paupers  was  annually  sold  to  the  per- 
son who  would  do  it  for  the  smallest  sum.  The  farm 
was  kept  until  18fi5,  when  the  county  built  an  alms- 
house and  took  all  the  paupers  chargeable  to  them 
that  could  conveniently  be  moved,  which  left  but  few 
to  be  supported  by  the  town,  and  the  farm  was  sold 
to  James  Yeaton  and  is  now  owned  by  Daniel 
Yeaton. 

The  first  assessment  or  inventory  that  we  find  re- 
corded was  made  in  1793,  and  contains  the  names  of 
one  hundred  and  seventy-eight  persons  that  were 
rated  as  residents  and  fifty-nine  that  were  non- 
residents, in  which  list  there  were  only  three  that 
contained  any  middle  letter,  although  there  were 
several  that  had  Jun.,  or  2d  or  3d  attached  to  their 
names. 

The  land  being  classed  according  to  its  various 
uses,  we  find  that  year  fifteen  acres  of  orcharding, 
one  hundred  and  fifty-one  and  one-fourth  acres  of 
tillage,  five  hundred  and  fifty-eight  acres  of  mowing 
and  eight  hundred  and  nineteen  acres  of  pasture,  the 
remainder  being  rated  as  unimproved  lands.  There 
were  taxed  that  year  sixty-five  horses,  one  hundred 
and  thirty  oxen  and  two  hundred  and  five  cows. 

At  a town-meeting  held  March  12,  1839,  a resolu- 
tion was  introduced  by  Jonathan  Steele,  Esq.,  which 
was  adopted, — “ that  an  agent  be  chosen  by  the 
town  to  receive  from  the  town  treasurer  and  select- 
men all  the  permanent  funds  belonging  to  the  town, 
and  invest  them  in  some  safe  institution  for  the 
benefit  of  the  town,  and  pay  the  interest  annually  to 
such  parties  as  the  town  might  direct,  viz.  : the 
interest  from  the  parsonage  to  authorized  agents  of 
the  several  religious  societies,  and  the  interest  from 
the  school  fund  to  the  several  prudential  com- 
mittees.” 

Frederick  Sanborn  was  chosen  agent,  as  above  re- 
quested, and  gave  a bond  in  the  sum  of  twelve  thou- 
sand dollars  for  the  faithful  performance  of  the  trust, 
Thomas  D.  Merrill  and  Samuel  Cate  being  his 
sureties. 

The  bond  stated  the  several  permanent  funds  to  be 
as  follows:  School  fund,  $1958.28;  parsonage  fund, 
$1005;  and  the  surplus  revenue,  $3079.05, — total, 
$6042.33. 

Canterbury  Bridge.— In  the  journal  of  the  House 
of  the  Provincial  Legislature,  February  23,  1744,  is 
the  following: 

CANTERBURY  PETITION. 

“The  within  Petition  read  & voted:  Provided  The  Proprietors  of  the 
Town  of  Canterbury  Build  a Bridge  tins  year  sutlicient  for  carts  & car- 
riages to  pass  A repass  on  over  Suncook  River  where  the  way  is  now  cut  to 
travel  from  Durham  to  Canterbury  A will  warrant  to  maintain  the  same 
Bridge  for  tun  years  ; that  then  there  be  paid  the  said  Proprietors  the  sum 
of  fifty  pounds  Bills  . f credit  out  of  the  Interest  money  arising  on  the 
*25,000  £ Loan,  out  of  that  part  of  the  Interest  appropriated  for  Highways 
& Discovery  oftbe  Country,  when  so  much  shall  be  in  tile  Treasury.” 

It  is  supposed  that  the  above  must  have  reference 
to  the  first  bridge  over  the  Suncook  River  in  Epsom, 


450 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


which  was  a few  rods  southwesterly  from  Charles  W. 
Rand’s  house,  as  the  road  from  there  westward  has 
always  been  known  as  the  Canterbury  road.  After  the 
Portsmouth  turnpike  became  a public  road  the  above 
bridge  and  the  road  from  the  “ Goboro  road”  (so 
called),  to  the  Pittsfield  road,  were  discontinued. 

Ministerial. — May  20,  1742,  it  was  “ Voted  That 
there  shall  be  thirty  pounds  money  Raised  by  the 
Proprietors  & inhabitants  for  the  highering  of  a min- 
ister, that  the  Gospel  may  be  promoted  in  the  afore  s'1 
town  of  Epsom.” 

June  S,  1743,  “ A vote  past  by  the  proprietors  and 
Inhabitants  of  Epsom  to  Raise  forty  Pounds  Monney 
for  the  Support  of  a minister,  that  the  gospel  might 
be  promoted  among  us.” 

May  2,  1750,  it  was  “ Voted  There  should  be  money 
Raised  for  the  supportof  the  Gospel  Fifty  Pounds,  old 
tennor.” 

April  23,  1760,  it  was  “ Voted  one  hundred  pounds, 
old  tenor,  in  money  be  raised  to  hire  minister  or  de- 
fray charges.” 

“Province  of  New  Hampshire. 

“ Epsom,  June  25,  1761. 

“ At  a legal  meeting  held  in  Epsom  at  tho  house  of  Capt.  Andrew  Me 
Clary,  on  thursday,  the  twenty-fifth  of  this  1701  instant  June,  according 
to  notification  dated  June  the  20,  the  free  holders  met  according  to  noti- 
fication and  thus 

“1.  Voted  ('apt.  John  McClary  moderator. 

“ 2.  Voted  Mr.  John  Tucke  to  be  their  gospel  minister. 

“3.  Voted  one  hundred  acres  of  Land  as  a settlement  as  the  charter 
allowed  50  acres  laid  out  and  the  other  50  in  some  Convenient  place,  re- 
serving the  priviledge  for  seting  of  a meeting  house  and  what  of  this  Lot 
is  taken  for  seting  the  meeting  Ik*  made  up  in  the  other  Lot. 

“4.  Voted  thirty  pounds  starling  as  a salary  for  the  first  two  years, 
reckoning  dolors  at  the  Rate  of  a 0 pt  dolor. 

“5.  Voted  That  an  adition  of  five  pounds  he  made  to  sd  minister  next 
after  the  first  two  years  are  expired. 

“6.  Voted  That  thirty  cords  of  wood  he  annually  cut  and  hauled  to  his 
house. 

“7.  Voted  abraham  lebee,  Isaac  lelieesen.,  John  Blake,  george  wallis, 
cap.  John  incclary,  ephraim  Locke,  Samuel  hlakc,  Left.  El iph let  Sanborn, 
nathan  niarden  Ik*  a committee  to  present  a rail  to  Mr.  John  tucke. 

“ K.  Voted  six  hundred  pounds,  old  tenor,  towards  building  a minister's 
house,  to  be  paid  in  Labour  if  he  accepts  the  call. 

“ Town  meeting  ended. 

“Nathan  Mardf.n,  Clark." 

August  14,  1861,  it  was  “ Voted  That  t lie  meeting 
house  shall  stand  on  the  same  Lot  where  the  old 
meeting  house  formerly  stood,  at  or  near  the  Burying 
place.” 

August  12,  1761,  it  was 

“ Voted  Nathan  Marden,  George  Wallis,  ens.  Thomas  Blake,  Ephraim 
Locke  he  a committee  to  provide  for  the  ordernation  and  to  render  ac- 
count of  the  same  to  the  Select  men. 

*•  Voted  that  the  charge  of  the  onlernation  he  paid  by  the  town. 

“ Voted  Beni  man  Blake,  benson  ham,  amos  blazo  lte  a committee  to  as- 
sist the  constable  anti  tithing  men  in  keeping  order  on  the  onl*  matiou 
day.” 

The  following  is  a copy  of  Rev.  Mr.  Tucke’s  accept- 
ance of  the  call  to  be  their  first  minister : 

“ To  the  Inhabitants  of  Epsom  : 

“ Grace,  mercy  and  peace  from  God,  the  Father,  and  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  be  multiplied  among  you. 

“ Brethren  : It  is  some  time  since  you  gave  me  a call  to  the  sacred 

work  of  the  ministry  among  yon  in  this  place,  and  now  I understand  by 
the  committee  sent  to  me  by  yon,  that  you  have  l>otli  renewed  and  rati- 


fied that  call  and  confirmed  further  offers.  And  now,  after  a very 
serious,  mature  and  most  deliberate  consideration,  and  fervent  looking- 
up  to  Heaven  for  direction,  assistance  and  God's  blessing,  and  hoping 
that  there  is  a good  prospect  of  doing  good  service  among  you,  and  in 
building  you  up  in  His  most  lioly  faith;  I now,  confiding  in  ami  rely- 
ing on  the  strength  of  divine  grace  for  assistance,  as  God  hath  graciously 
promised  His  ministers,  accept  your  call  to  me. 

“ But,  Brethren,  I now  must  say  to  you,  as  in  1st.  Cor.  14  : ‘So  hath 
the  Lord  ordained,  that  they  which  preach  the  Gospel  shall  live  of  the 
Gospel.'  Now  the  very  same  I expect  of  and  from  you  as  long  as  God 
shall  be  pleased  to  continue  me  among  you.  And  while  I am  with 
you  I earnestly  desire  and  crave  your  prayers  for  me  as  you  pray  for 
yourselves.  Tho  apostle  says,  1st  Tlioss.  5,  25  : * Brethren  pray  for  us,’ 
and  I hope  my  prayers  to  Almighty  God  will  not  he  wanting  for  you 
while  T minister  among  you,  in  holy  things.  I hope  by  God’s  grace,  on 
which  I wholly  rely  and  depend,  to  say  with  the  apostle  in  C’olos.  1,  9 : 

‘ I do  not  cease  to  pray  for  you,  and  to  desire  that  we  might  he  filled 
with  the  knowledge  of  His  will  in  all  wisdom  and  spiritual  understand- 
ing.' 

“ I do  now  subscribe  myself, — Yours,  to  serve  in  the  Gospel  of  our 
Blessed  Lord  and  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ, 

“John  Tucke. 

“ Epsom,  August  17, 1761  ” 

April  lb,  1764,  it  was 

“ Voted , that  a meeting-house  be  built  in  Epsom,  the  length  fifty  feet 
and  the  bredtli  forty  feet.” 

“ Voted , Isaac  Libby,  Sen.,  Thomas  Blake,  John  McClary,  George 
Wallace  and  Nathan  Maiden  In*  a committee  to  carry  on  the  work  of 
said  building,  and  they  shall  have  full  power  to  act  ami  do  in  behalf  of 
the  town  in  the  best  manner  they  can,  and  take  and  render  accounts  to 
such  jus  shall  have  authority  to  demand  the  same. 

“ Also,  sd  committee  to  vandue  of  the  pews  in  s*l  meeting-house  or  the 
privilege  for  sJ  pews  A to  take  the  security  for  the  same.” 

“ Voted , one  thousand  pounds,  O.  T.,  to  be  paid  when  s*1  committee 
shall  call  for  the  same.’' 

We  are  unable  to  find  any  report  or  account  from 
the  above  committee. 

There  was  a meeting  at  the  house  of  Captain  An- 
drew McClary  on  the  15th  day  of  May,  1764,  when 
twenty-one  privileges  for  pews  were  sold  by  auction. 
We  also  find  that  the  annual  meeting,  agreeable  to 
the  charter,  for  the  year  1766  was  held  in  the  meeting- 
house, and  for  the  greater  part  of  the  time  thereafter, 
while  the  same  remained  standing. 

It  was  occupied  l>y  the  Congregational  Church  and 
Society  for  religious  purposes  until  about  1820,  when, 
other  denominations  having  been  organized  in  town, 
who  claimed  the  right  to  hold  their  meetings  there  a 
part  of  the  time;  the  following  votes  were  passed  by 
the  town:  November  15,  1819,  it  was  “ Voted,  that 
the  Toleration  Society  in  Epsom  have  the  use  of  the 
meeting-house  in  said  town  one-half  the  time  on 
Sundays  until  the  next  annual  meeting.” 

March  14,  1820,  it  was  “ Voted,  that  the  town  oc- 
cupy the  meeting-house  one-half  the  time  on  Sun- 
days, and  the  Congregational  Society  the  other  half, 
until  some  accommodation  he  made  respecting  the 
same,  the  Congregational  Society  to  occupy  the 
meeting-house  the  next  Sabbath.” 

There  seems  to  have  arisen  a difficulty  between 
Rev.  Mr.  Tucke  and  his  people,  for  in  the  records  of 
a meeting  held  at  the  meeting-house  on  Monday,  the 
13th  day  of  December,  1773,  the  following  vote  was 
passed : 

“ Voted t that  there  should  be  a committee  chosen  to  treat  with  Mr. 
Tucke,  our  minister,  respecting  some  of  his  proceedings. 


EPSOM. 


451 


“ \ oted.  Cap1.  Andrew  McClary,  Doetr Obediali  Williams  and  Jeremiah 
Prescott  to  he  a committee  for  that  purport.” 

At  a meeting  held  January  3,  1774,  it  was 

“ Voted,  that  there  should  be  a counsel  called  to  Judge  upon  and  set- 
tle the  Difficulties  Subsisting  between  the  Rev.  John  Tuck  and  the 
Inhabitants  of  the  Town  of  Epsom. 

“ Voted,  that  thr  Should  he  a committee  Chosen  to  act  and  transact  in 
Behalf  of  the  Inhabitants  of  said  town,  Relating  to  the  Difficulties  above 
menchoned,  till  there  is  a final  Decision  and  Determination  of  the  above 
controversies. 

“ Voted,  Op1.  Andrew  McClary,  Dr.  Obediali  Williams  and  Amos  Morrill 
should  be  committee  for  that  purpose.” 

June  18,  1774,  at  a meeting  called  “to  see  if  the 
Town  when  assembled  will  pass  a vote  to  dismiss  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Tuclce  from  his  Pastoral  and  Ministerial 
Relation  to  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Town  of  Epsom, 
agreeable  to  the  Result  of  the  Counsel  Convened  in 
said  Epsom,  March  15,  1774,  by  the  request  of  the 
pastor,  church  and  people,”  it  was 

“ Voted , the  Rev.  John  Tucke  a Dismission  from  liis  Pastoral  and 
Ministerial  Relation,  agreeable  to  the  foregoing  Notification. 

“ Voted , that  the  Meeting-House  shall  be  shut  up  till  the  town  Sees 
Cause  to  open  the  Said  House  again.” 

July  25,  1774,  at  a meeting  of  the  inhabitants  and 
voters  called  for  that  purpose, — 

“ Voted,  there  shall  be  Money  raised  for  preaching. 

“ Voted,  there  shall  be  Six  pounds,  Lawful  Money,  raised  for  preach- 
ing. 

“ Voted,  Lieutenant  Ephraim  Lock  to  provide  a Minister  for  Said 
Town,  so  far  as  Six  pounds  will  go.” 

Rev.  Benjamin  Thurston  preached  in  town  about 
1779. 

On  the  19th  of  July,  1779,  the  town  voted  to  give 
him  a call,  and  provided  that  his  salary  should  be 
sixty  pounds,  lawful  money,  for  the  first  year,  sixty- 
five  pounds  for  the  second  year,  and  seventy  pounds 
for  the  third  year,  with  the  use  of  parsonage  and  the 
usual  supply  of  wood,  etc.  But  for  some  reason  Mr. 
Thurston  declined  the  call. 

March  21,  1781,  it  was  “ Voted  to  raise  money 
enough  to  Hire  eight  days’  preaching.” 

After  the  call  had  been  given  Mr.  Thurston  to 
settle  in  the  town  as  their  minister  it  was 

11  Voted  that  there  be  a Parsonage  bouse  and  barn  built  upon  the  Par- 
sonage lands,  where  it  shall  lie  thought  most  proper,  of  the  following  Di- 
mensions, viz.  : the  House  tube  40  by  JO  feet,  and  2 story  high  ; the  barn 
to  be  .'15  by  30  feet,  and  our  elected  Pastor  to  be  consulted  as  to  the  fin- 
ishing the  Parsonage  House  as  to  convenience. 

“ Voted  that  Mr.  Thurston  be  allowed  by  the  town  the  keeping  of  one 
horse,  two  cows  and  eight  sheep,  from  the  time  of  his  settlement  until 
the  Parspnage  land,  wherever  lie  shall  live,  will  produce  hay  and  grass 
sufficient  for  said  stock  at  the  expense  of  the  town,  allowing  six  and  ono- 
half  tons  of  good  English  hay  to  winter  the  same. 

“ Voted  that  Mr.  Thurston’s  salary  (provided  he  accept  the  call)  he 
sixty  pounds,  Lawful  money,  for  the  first  year,  sixty-five  pounds  for  the 
second  year  and  seventy  pounds  for  the  third  year,  and  that  to  be  his 
stated  salary.  Computing  marchantahle  Indian  corn,  @ .'Is.  pr.  Bushel  ; 
Rye,  (8>  4«. ; and  wheat,  (tfi  Gs. ; Grass-fed  beef  (ft  t wo  pence  per  lb.,  and 
stall-fed  beef  at  3d.  per  lb;  Pork  weighing  five,  ten  or  twelve  score,  at 
4d.  per  lb.  ; Ditto,  from  twelve  score  and  upward,  5 d.  per  lb. 

“ Voted  that  Mr.  Thurston’s  salary  be  paid  annually,  after  the  follow- 
ing manner,  viz. : the  full  one-half  in  corn,  wheat,  Rye,  beef  and  Pork, 
according  to  the  foregoing  stipulated  prices;  the  other  half  to  be  paid  in 
the  Currency  of  the  United  States,  which  sum  shall  he  computed  and 
allowed  annually,  according  to  the  prices  of  Provisions  in  Gen1  in  Epsom 
when  said  salary  is  to  be  paid  in,  which  shall  be  by  the  twenty-fifth  day 


of  December,  annually,  as  long  as  he  shall  continue  in  the  ministry  in 
Epsom.” 

In  1784,  Rev.  Ebenezer  Haseltine  accepted  a call 
of  the  church  and  town  and  was  ordained. 

Mr.  Haseltine  was  a native  of  Methuen,  Mass., 
a graduate  of  Dartmouth  College,  took  license  to 
preach  from  the  Grafton  Presbytery  .1  tily  24,  1779. 
He  remained  in  town  till  his  death,  November  10, 
1813. 

Of  him  it  is  said  : “ He  was  a man  of  great  mod- 
esty and  diffidence,  unassuming  in  his  carriage  among 
his  own  people  and  others;  a man  of  strict  integrity, 
and  uprightness  in  all  li is  dealings  ; a man  of  a quiet 
spirit,  a promoter  of  peace  and  love  among  all;  a 
man  of  hospitality  and  charity  so  far  as  his  ability 
permitted,  kind  and  friendly  to  all  mankind,  and  in 
consequence  of  his  virtues  was  respected  by  all  his 
acquaintances.” 

After  his  death  the  town  “ Voted  to  bear  the  funeral 
expense  and  also  pay  to  his  widow  his  salary  for  the 
remainder  of  the  year,  and  the  privileges  of  the  par- 
sonage.” 

About  a year  after  the  death  of  Rev.  Mr.  Haseltine 
the  church  gave  Rev.  Jonathan  Curtis  a call  to  be- 
come its  pastor,  but  the  town  refusing  to  unite,  an 
organization  was  formed  and  chartered  known  as  the 
“Congregational  Religious  Society  of  the  Town  of 
Epsom.” 

The  following  is  a copy  of  the  papers  presented  to 
the  ordaining  council,  embracing  the  call  of  the 
church  and  congregation  to  Rev.  Mr.  Curtis,  and  his 
answer : 

“ At  a meeting  of  the  Congregational  religious  Society,  in  the  Town 
of  Epsom,  duly  holden  agreeably  to  adjournment,  on  Saturday,  the  1st 
day  of  October,  Anno  Domini  1814,  the  following  votes  were  passed  : 

•“  Voted , Jpsiah  Sanborn,  Moderator,  Pro.  Tern. 

“ Voted,  Unanimously,  to  give  Mr.  Jonathan  Curtis  a Call  to  settle  in 
said  Society  in  the  work  of  the  Gospel  Ministry. 

“ Voted,  Thomas  I>.  Merrill,  Sam1.  Morrell,  Moses  Osgood,  Joseph 
Lawrence  and  Josiali  Sanborn  a Committee  to  draught  proposals  for  the 
temporal  support  of  Mr.  Jonathan  Curtis,  and  present  the  same  to  the 
society  for  their  acceptance. 

“The  Committee  made  a report,  which  was  unanimously  adopted. 

“Same.  Mo  reel,  Clerk. 

“Epsom,  Oct.  5th,  1814.” 

“ To  Mr.  Jonathan  Guv  t is : 

“Sir, — The  Church  and  Congregation  in  the  Town  of  Epsom,  em- 
braced by  the  congregational  religious  Society  in  said  Town,  being  ear- 
nestly desirous  to  re-settle  the  preached  Gospel  in  said  Town,  and  hav- 
ing for  some  time  had  an  opportunity  of  acquainting  themselves  (in 
some  good  measure)  with  your  Ministerial  and  Christian  qualifications, 
are  well  satisfied  that  you  are  possessed  of  those  qualifications  which 
are  indispensably  necessary  in  the  important  Work  of  the  Gospel  Minis- 
try. And  after  mature  deliberation,  and,  as  we  trust,  earnest  supplica- 
tions to  Great  Head  of  tlie  Church  for  divine  direction  in  such  an  im- 
portant and  interesting  transaction,  have,  without  a dissenting  voice, 
voted  an  Invitation  to  you  to  settle  with  them  in  said  Town  as  their  Gos- 
pel Minister;  and  have  also  voted  the  Subscribers  a Committee  to  present 
you  a Call  to  that  Sacred  Office,  which  we  do  by  these  presents,  together 
with  the  annexed  proposals  for  your  temporal  support  should  yon  accept 
this  Call.” 

“At  a Meeting  of  the  Congregational  religious  Society,  in  the  Town 
of  Epsom,  duly  holden  agreeably  to  adjournment,  on  Saturday,  the  1st 
day  of  October,  Anno  Domini  1814,  the  following  votes  were  unani- 
mously passed  : 


452 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


“1st.  Voted , That  if  Mr.  Jonathan  Curtis  should  accept  a Call  to  settle  in 
Epsom  as  the  Gospel  Minister  of  the  Congregational  religious  Society  in 
said  Town,  his  stated  salary  shall  he  four  hundred  dollars,  to  be  paid  an- 
nually from  the  date  of  his  acceptance  of  the  Call. 

“2d.  Voted,  That  the  Parsonage  Land  and  Buildings  which  were  oc- 
cupied by  the  late  llev.  Ebenezer  Basel  tine  shall  be  occupied  by  M r. 
Jonathan  Curtis,  should  he  settle  in  Epsom  during  his  Ministry  in  sd 
Town. 

“.'Id.  Vi  ted.  That  Parsonage  Buildings  be  put  and  kept  in  decent  re- 
pair at  the  expense  of  the  Society. 

“4th.  Voted,  That  Mr.  Jonathan  Curtis  he  further  allowed  twenty 
cords  of  good  hard  tire  Wood  annually,  to  be  delivered  at  his  House 
sunn*  time  in  the  Fall  and  Winter. 

“Epsom,  October  3d,  1H14. 


“ Sami..  Osgood, 

“ Levi  Brown, 
“Sami..  Mohhii., 

“ Bknj.  Moody, 

“ J osi a ii  Sanborn, 

“ Thos.  I>.  Mekkii.i., 
“ David  Locke, 


Committee  in  behalf 
o f the  Ch.  d' 
Con  grey  a t io  mil 
religions  Society 
in  Epsom." 


“Epsom,  Jauy.  14th,  1815. 

“ To  the  Committee  for  the  Congregational  Religions  Society  in  Epsom: 

“Gentlemen, — A considerable  time  has  elapsed  since  I had  the  honor 
to  receive  from  you  an  invitation  to  settle  in  your  Society  in  the  work  of 
the  Gospel  Ministry. 

“The  undertaking  presents  a situation  the  most  arduous,  responsible 
and  important.  In  this  view  of  it,  I hope  1 have  not  occupied  an  un- 
necessary length  of  time  in  consideration.  Your  proposals  I have  care- 
fully and  seriously  considered.  The  unanimity  of  your  Society,  and 
their  arrangements  for  my  support,  present  a prospect  of  usefulness 
which  duty  forbids  me  to  disregard. 

“I  accept  of  your  invitation  to  settle  with  you  in  the  work  of  the 
Gospel  Ministry.  And  if  it  shall  he  the  appointment  of  Providence  to 
establish  me  in  that  Sacred  Profession,  let  our  united  prayers  ascend  to 
that  God  who  is  the  great  fountain  of  all  wisdom  and  goodness,  that  His 
blessing  may  attend  such  a connection, 

“ With  high  consideration,  I am,  Gentlemen, 

“ Your  obedient  ami  bumble  servant, 


“ Messrs : 


“ Jonath  \n  Curtis 


“Saml.  Osgood, 
“Sami..  Mokuil, 

“ J osi  ah  Sanborn, 

“ Levi  Brown, 

“ Benj.  Moody, 
“Thos.  I).  Merrili 
“David  Locke, 


Com.  in  behalf  of 
the  Church  dm  ( \mg.  • 

I Religious  Society 
in  Epsom." 

j 


Until  about  1820  the  Congregational  Church  and 
Society  had  the  free  and  undisputed  use  of  the  meet- 
ing-house that  was  built  by  the  town ; but  at  this 
time  other  denominations  had  made  their  appearance 
in  the  town,  and  demanded  and  obtained  the  privilege 
of  occupying  the  meeting-house  a portion  of  the 
time,  so  that  the  Congregationalists  were  obliged  to 
provide  themselves  with  some  other  place  for  wor- 
ship. 

Accordingly,-  a meeting  of  the  society  was  called 
April  10,  1820,  at  the  house  of  Simon  A.  Heath, 
when  a committee,  consisting  of  Ira  Sanborn,  Thomas 
1).  Merrill  and  .Tames  Brown,  were  appointed  “to 
provide  a suitable  place  to  assemble  for  public  wor- 
ship the  ensuing  season.” 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  society,  held  May  1, 
18*20,  the  above  committee  reported  “that  Captain 
Heath’s  Hall  is  the  most  proper  place  for  public 
worship  for  the  present  season.” 

At  the  same  meeting  it  was  also  “ Voted,  that  it  is 


expedient  to  erect  a meeting  house  in  the  town  of 
Epsom  for  the  Congregational  Society.” 

At  a meeting  held  the  7th  day  of  May,  1821,  the 
society  chose  Josiah  Sanborn,  Thomas  1).  Merrill  and 
John  Cate  a committee  to  meet  a committee  ap- 
pointed by  the  town  to  effect  a settlement  of  the 
existing  difficulties  between  the  Congregational 
Society  and  the  town,  which  committee  presented 
the  following  report  at  a meeting  of  the  society  held 
the  27th  of  April,  1822,  which  was  accepted : 

“We,  the  undersigned  committee  appointed  by  the  Town  of  Epsom 
and  the  Congregational  Society  in  said  Epsom  to  settle  all  disputes  Ire- 
txveen  said  Town  and  Society  respecting  the  appropriation  of  the  interest 
arising  from  the  sale  of  the  parsonage  in  said  Town,  agree  to  report 
and  do  hereby  report  that  from  and  after  the  expiration  of  six  years 
from  the  sale  of  the  parsonage  aforesaid  the  said  town  of  Epsom  shall, 
at  the  expiration  of  each  and  every  year  from  and  after  said  time,  pay 
to  the  wardens  of  the  society  aforesaid  their  just  and  equal  proportion 
of  the  interest  aforesaid,  according  to  the  inventories  of  the  members 
thereof,  and  we  do  hereby  further  report  that  the  manner  of  ascertain- 
ing those  who  for  the  purpose  aforesaid  shall  he  considered  members  of 
said  society  shall  be  forever  after  as  follows,  to  wit  : The  Clerk  of  said  so- 
ciety shall,  on  or  before  the  first  day  of  April,  a.  n.  1822,  and  each  and  every 
succeeding  year,  furnish  the  selectmen  of  said  Town  a certificate  under 
the  signature  of  each  individual,  who  for  that  year  wishes  that  liis  pro- 
portion of  the  interest  aforesaid  should  he  paid  to  the  wardens  of  said 
society  certifying  that  such  is  their  wish,  and  all  individuals  so  certify- 
ing being  residents  in  said  Town  of  Epsom  and  liable  to  be  and  are  taxed 
in  said  Town,  shall  be  considered  members  of  said  society  for  the  purpose 
aforesaid,  and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Selectmen  of  said  Town,  each 
and  every  year  from  and  after  the  expiration  of  the  term  aforesaid,  to 
make  an  aggregate  of  the  inventories  of  all  the  persons  so  certifying  as 
aforesaid  and  make  a dividend  of  the  interest  of  the  parsonage  fund 
aforesaid  in  the  proportion  which  the  aggregate  hears  to  the  inventory  of 
the  whole  Town,  and  at  or  before  the  expiration  of  each  year  pay  the 
same  to  the  wardens  aforesaid  and  take  their  receipt  for  the  same  and  the 
same  shall  he  allowed  them  by  the  town.  And  the  said  Town  of  Epsom 
shall  and  does  forever  hereafter  relinquish  all  claims  upon  the  said 
society  or  the  wardens  thereof  for  any  interest  of  said  fund  which  they 
have  heretofore  received,  and  the  said  society  shall  and  does  forever 
hereafter  relinquish  all  claim  upon  said  Town  for  any  interest  which 
said  Town  may  have  or  shall  have  received  prior  to  the  expiration  of 
the  six  years  aforesaid,  and  both  of  said  parties  shall  forever  hereafter 
be  bound  to  divide  said  interest  in  the  manner  aforesaid,  and  said  society 
shall  not  at  any  time  hereafter  claim  or  he  entitled  to  receive  any  more 
than  their  proportion  in  the  manner  aforesaid,  and  this  agreement, 
when  ratified  by  said  Town  of  E|x*om  ami  said  Society,  shall  then,  and 
not  till  then,  Ite  binding  on  the  parties  aforesaid. 

“ Resisting  the  difficulty  between  said  Town  and  the  said  Society 
about  the  meeting-house  in  said  Town,  the  committee  have  been  unable 
to  agree  to  any  arrangement  consistent  with  the  rights  of  the  several 
pew-owners  in  said  meeting-house  ; we  have  therefore  agreed  to  recom- 
mend to  the  pew-owners  to  meet  and  endeavor  to  make  some  compro- 
mise, if  possible,  among  themselves  and  report  to  the  town. 

“Josiah  Sanborn,  j Committee 
“Thomas  I).  Merrill,  J-  of 
“John  Cate,  J Society. 

“ Hanover  Dickey,  ) (hrm.  of 
“Jonathan  Stf.ele,  i Town." 

The  Congregationalists  continued  to  oceupy  the 
old  meeting-house  a portion  of  the  time  until  184f>, 
when  they  built  a church  at  what  was  known  as  Slab 
City,  and  the  old  meeting-house  was  sold  and  re- 
moved to  Concord. 

The  Rev.  Jonathan  Curtis  remained  with  the 
church  until  January  1,  1825,  when  t lie  Rev.  A.  D. 
Smith  was  employed  as  a stated  supply  for  a year, 
respecting  whose  labors  among  them  the  society 
passed  a vote  of  high  commendation. 


EPSOM. 


453 


The  Rev.  A.  Burbank  was  here  for  a short  time  in 
1827,  but  on  the  1st  day  of  November,  1829,  Rev. 
John  M.  Putman  was  installed  pastor  of  the  chureh, 
and  sustained  that  relation  some  two  and  a hall 
years,  when  he  was  dismissed  at  his  own  request. 

Following  Mr.  Putman,  the  Rev.  Abel  Manning 
was  here  some  two  years  and  the  Rev.  Francis  R. 
Smith  a little  longer  period,  with  occasional  supplies 
by  different  ministers. 

January  1,  1837,  Rev.  Winthrop  F.ifield  commenced 
preaching  here,  and  so  well  was  he  liked  by  the 
church  and  people,  that  a call  was  given  -him  to  settle 
with  them,  which  he  accepted  and  was  ordained  the 
10th  of  May,  1837. 

Mr.  Fifield  remained  with  the  church  nearly  ten 
years,  through  the  trying  period  of  locating  and 
building  a new  house  of  worship,  but  left  very  soon 
after  the  church  was  dedicated. 

Rev.  Rufus  A.  Putman,  a native  of  Sutton,  Mass., 
and  a graduateof  Harvard  College,  was  the  next  minis- 
ter, being  here  from  September,  184(1,  to  May,  1852. 

The  following  two  years  the  church  was  occupied 
only  a portion  of  the  time,  Revs.  M.  B.  Angier  and 
C.  C.  Durgin  being  the  supplies. 

R.  A.  Putman  and  E.  H.  Blanchard  then  supplied 
the  pulpit  for  one  year  each. 

February  22,  1850,  a call  was  given  the  Rev.  J. 
Ballard  to  settle  with  them,  which  he  declined,  and 
the  Rev.  Charles  Willey  was  engaged  as  a stated 
supply.  He  remained  about  three  years,  and  was 
succeeded  by  Rev.  A.  B.  Peffers,  who  remained  until 
1800,  and  was  followed  by  Rev.  George  Smith  for 
three  years. 

Rev.  Charles  Peabody  was  the  next  preacher,  and 
his  stay  was  but  three  years. 

During  the  following  four  years  there  was  only 
occasional  preaching,  largely  by  students  from  the 
Theological  Seminary. 

December  1,  1870,  Rev.  E.  C.  Cogswell,  of  North- 
wood,  commenced  preaching  here  Sundays  and  con- 
tinued until  June,  1881,  since  which  time,  with  the 
exception  of  six  months  of  the  summer  of  1882,  when 
Rev.  E.  G.  Chase  supplied,  the  church  has  been  with- 
out regular  Sabbath  services.  The  removals  from 
town  and  by  death  have  nearly  depleted  the  church 
membership. 

There  is  a fund  of  one  thousand  dollars  given  by 
the  widow  of  the  late  Thomas  D.  Merrill,  the  interest 
of  which  is  to  be  useil  for  the  support  of  Congrega- 
tional preaching  in  the  town  of  Epsom. 

The  Free-Will  Baptist  Church  of  Epsom.1 — This 
church  was  organized  June,  1824,  by  Rev.  E.  Knowl- 
ton,  of  Pittsfield,  and  Rev.  Arthur  Coverno,  of  Straf- 
ford, consisting  of  eight  persons,  the  same  number 
that  entered  into  the  Ark  of  old,  and  these  arc  their 
names, — Rev.  Arthur  Coverno,  Nathan  Bickford, 
Daniel  Philbriek,  Ephraim  Locke,  Lucretia  Tarlton, 


Mary  Marden,  Elizabeth  Currier  and  Sally  Osgood. 
Rev.  Arthur  Coverno,  under  God,  was  its  founder  and 
first  pastor,  and  by  his  earnest  and  faithful  labors  this 
little  band  of  disciples  continued  to  grow,  and  its 
membership  increased  to  fifty  that  season,  it  was 
like  Joseph’s  fruitful  bough  by  a well,  whose  branches 
run  over  the  wall.  Union  has  very  generally  pre- 
vailed, and  the  church  has  been  ready  to  co-operate 
with  the  pastor  in  revival  effort  and  benevolent  work, 
and  the  Lord  has  often  blessed  his  people  with  re- 
freshing showers  of  grace  and  precious  accessions  to 
her  numbers.  The  church  has  been  enterprising  and 
energetic  in  her  labors.  She  has  built  two  houses  of 
worship, — the  first  in  1833,  the  latter,  larger  and 
more  commodious,  in  1861.  She  has  a nice  country 
parsonage,  with  two  acres  of  land,  where  the  pastor 
finds  a pleasant  home.  The  church  has  taken  high 
ground  on  the  great  moral  questions  of  the  age.  The 
cause  of  missions,  Sunday-schools,  education,  freedom, 
temperance  and  moral  reform  have  received  due  at- 
tention and  encouragement.  Some  “born  in  Zion  ” 
have  been  called  to  preach  the  everlasting  gospel, 
— the  Rev.  Daniel  P.  Cilley,  of  Farmington,  long  a 
successful  preacher  and  pastor,  now  venerable  with 
years;  the  Rev.  James  McCutcheon,  deceased,  for  six 
years  pastor  of  the  church  ; the  Rev.  John  Malvern, 
of  Lynn,  Mass.,  an  able  and  successful  minister  of 
Christ;  and  the  Rev.  Augustus  Towle,  Congregatiou- 
alist,  and  now  in  the  West,  who  has  worthily  magni- 
fied the  office  of  the  gospel  ministry.  The  church 
has  a fund  of  eight  hundred  dollars.  Mrs.  Mercy, 
widow  of  Deacon  Thomas  Bickford,  gave  four  hun- 
dred dollars,  and  David  Marden  gave  three  hundred 
dollars,  the  annual  interest  of  which  is  to  be  used  in 
the  support  of  preaching.  The  Rev.  B.  Van  Dame, 
a former  pastor  of  the  church,  gave  one  hundred  dol- 
lars, the  interest  of  which  is  to  be  used  to  purchase 
books  for  the  Sunday-school,  his  name  to  be  placed  in 
the  books. 

The  statistics  of  the  church  are  as  follows  : Entire 
membership,  157  ; number  iu  the  Sunday-school,  125; 
number  of  volumes  in  the  Sunday-school  library,  200. 

Since  the  organization  fifteen  brethren  have  been 
called  to  the  pastorate  of'  the  church,  and  most  of 
these  were  young  men  when  they  were  settled  over 
the  church.  Their  names  and  order  of  service  are  as 
follows:  Rev.  Arthur  Coverno,  James  McCutcheon, 
B.  Manson,  B.  Van  Dame,  (!.  1’.  Ramsey,  K.  R. 
Davis,  Tobias  Foss,  M.  A.  Quimby,  Horace  Webber, 
E.  Knowles,  J.  H.  Brown,  C.  E.  Haskell,  Uriah 
Chase,  Joel  Baker  and  N.  A.  Avery.  The  average 
length  of  their  pastorates  has  been  three  years  and 
eight  months,  and  only  short  intervals  have  occurred 
between  the  dismission  and  settlement  of  each  pastor, 
and  often  one  has  immediately  succeeded  the  other. 
The  present  pastor,  Rev.  M.  A.  Quimby,  has  been 
settled  over  the  church,  iu  all,  nearly  thirteen  years, 
and  the  spring  of  1885  is  the  fourth  time  that  he  has 
been  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  church. 


1 Prepared  by  Rev.  M.  A.  Quimby. 


454 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


The  Christian  Society. — Many  of  the  inhabitants 
who  lived  in  the  southerly  part  of  the  town  were  in 
the  habit  of  attending  church  at  Allenstown,  where 
there  was  a church  of  the  Christian  denomination. 

About  the  year  1860,  Edwin  T.  Philbriek,  then 
living  in  that  part  of  Epsom  familiarly  known  as 
“ New  Rye,”  left  his  forge  and  anvil,  reorganized  the 
old  church  and  was  ordained  its  pastor  in  the  month 
of  August,  1859. 

As  the  larger  portion  of  the  attendants  at  the  Sab- 
bath services  came  from  Epsom,  and  the  conveni- 
ences at  the  old  Allentown  Church  were  very  poor,  it 
was  decided  to  build  a new  church  edifice,  and  the 
summer  of  1801  witnessed  the  building  of  the  Chris- 
tian meeting-house  and  the  organization  of  “The 
First  Christian  Society  of  Epsom.” 

The  church  was  dedicated  September  8,  1861,  the 
Rev.  A.  G.  Comings,  of  Lee,  N.  H.,  preaching  the 
dedicatory  sermon. 

From  that  time  the  Christian  Church  of  Allens- 
town  became  the  First  Christian  Church  of  Epsom, 
with  the  Rev.  E.  T.  Philbriek  as  its  pastor,  who  con- 
tinued in  that  relation  for  several  years,  during 
which  time  many  additions  were  made  to  the  church 
and  society.  Following  Mr.  Philbriek,  the  Rev.  J. 
P.  Stiuehfield,  a Methodist  minister,  supplied  the 
pulpit  for  one  year,  from  April,  1869. 

Rev.  Benjamin  Dickson,  of  Wolf  borough  was  the 
next  supply,  preaching  to  them  two  or  three  years,  and 
was  followed  by  Rev.  M.  M.  Cleverly,  of  Lynn,  Mass., 
and  he  by  Rev.  George  D.  Garland,  and  after  him, 
Rev.  James  Philipps. 

Between  the  services  of  the  above-named  clergy- 
men the  pulpit  was  frequently  occupied  by  ditferent 
persons  for  a few  Sabbaths  at  a time. 

Since  1881  there  has  been  but  little  preaching  in 
this  church  by  ministers  of  the  Christian  denomina- 
tion, but  the  summers  of  1881,  1888  and  1884,  Rev. 
E.  C.  Cogswell,  of  Northwood,  a Congregational 
minister,  occupied  the  pulpit,  and  the  services  were 
attended  by  many  who  formerly  attended  the  Congre- 
gational Church  in  the  other  part  of  the  town. 

Physicians.— Rev.  Mr.  Curtis  mentions  Stephen 
Swett  and  J . S.  ( )sborn  among  the  first  doctors  in  town. 

We  find  thatObadiah  Williams,  from  this  town,  was 
a surgeon  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  the  records 
of  the  town  for  1773  show  that  Dr.  Obadiah  Williams, 
with  others,  was  appointed  a committee  to  treat  with 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Tucke. 

Daniel  Lawrence  Morrill  was  in  practice  here  in 
1799  and  1800;  went  from  here  to  Gotfstown,  and  in 
1825  was  Governor  of  the  state. 

Samuel  Morrill  was  the  next  doctor,  coming  here 
about  1800,  and  remaining  twenty  years,  when  he 
removed  to  Concord.  N.  H.  Dr.  Morrill,  :is  will  be 
seen  by  the  list  of  officers  of  the  town,  was  prominent 
in  the  affairs  of  the  town,  having  been  its  clerk  nine- 
teen years  in  succession,  and  was  also  clerk  of  the 
Congregational  Society  nearly  as  long. 


Dr.  Josiah  Crosby  came  into  town  upon  the  re- 
moval of  Dr.  Morrill,  and  remained  here  four  or  five 
years,  and  was  afterwards  in  practice  in  Manchester, 
where  he  died  a few  years  since. 

He  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  John  Proctor,  who  was 
here  until  about  1840,  when  Dr.  Hanover  Dickey,  Jr., 
a native  of  the  town,  entered  into  practice  and  con- 
tinued it  until  1845,  when  he  removed  to  Lowell, 
Mass. 

Dr.  Leonard  \Y.  Peabody  succeeded  Dr.  Dickey, 
and  remained  here  twenty-six  years;  was  town  clerk 
one  year,  and  postmaster  ten  years,  lie  is  now  in 
practice  in  Henniker,  and  represents  all  that  town  in 
the  Legislature  of  1885. 

Dr.  Sullivan  A.  Taylor  came  into  town  in  1871, 
and  remained  here  some  five  years  and  removed  to 
Concord,  but  has  since  located  at  Gilmanton  Iron- 
Works.  Dr.  Albon  H.  French  took  Dr.  Taylor’s 
practice  and  continued  it  until  1882,  when  he  sold 
(tut  to  Dr.  M.  F.  Smith,  who  still  remains  in  town. 

Schools. — At  a meeting  held  at  the  house  of  Cap- 
tain Andrew  McClary,  inn-holder,  on  the  18th  day  of 
June,  1765,  agreeably  to  a notification  by  the  select- 
men, to  consult  about  the  building  of  a school-house, 
it  was 

“1.  Voted , .loll ti  McClary,  Esq.,  Moderator. 

“2.  Voted  that  the  bigness  of  sJ  house,  twenty-one  in  Length  <fc  seven- 
teen in  bred th.” 

The  meeting  then  adjourned  to  the  25tli  ol  June 
inst.,  at  the  same  place,  at  which  time  the  following 
votes  were  passed : 

“ 1.  Voted  that  the  school-house  be  built  on  the  Lot  comonly  called  the 
Scool  Lot,  whare  the  Select  men  think  proper. 

”2.  Voted  that  the  cost  of  s'1  house  be  paid  in  Land  or  money. 

“3.  Voted  that  s'1  house  he  bid  of  at  vando. 

‘ • Voted  Nathan  Maiden,  Vando  master,  s'1  house  bid  of  to  Eus.  Mega- 
fey,  at  312  O.  T.,  to  raise  bord,  shingle,  clabord  & flore.” 

A complaint  being  made  to  Lieutenant  Ephraim 
Lock,  grand  juror,  that  the  town  had  neglected  to  keep  a 
stated  school,  a meeting  of  the  inhabitants  was  called 
May  22,  1780,  at  which  it  was  “ Voted  that  the  second 
article  in  the  warrant  respecting  a school  shall  be  left 
to  the  discretion  of  the  selectmen  (that  is)  to  raise 
what  money  they  may  judge  necessary  for  the  support 
of  schools  the  ensuing  year.”  March,  1781,  it  was 
“ Voted  to  raise  one  thousand  pounds,  Lawful  money, 
in  the  present  currency,  for  the  support  ol  a school 
the  year  ensuing.”  March  26,  1781.  it  was  “ Voted 
That  the  school  House  which  stands  near  the  meeting 
house  in  said  Epsom  be  this  day  sold  at  publick 
vendue  to  the  Highest  Bidder,  & the  purchased  sum 
be  appropriated  to  the  use  of  the  town.” 

“ To  the  Selectmen  of  the  To  ten  of  Epnom  : 

“ A number  of  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Western  district  in  Ejisom  hum- 
bly shew — 

“That  we  ever  have  been  Sc  still  are  desirous  to  promote  public  schools 
in  said  Town  for  the  Instruction  of  our  children,  ami  ol  late  we  have 
used  every  exertion  in  our  power  to  have  a suitable  school  house  in  the 
district  completed  for  that  design,  lmt  every  such  effort  proves  abortive, 
Owing  (as  we  humbly  concieve)  to  some  among  us,  who,  Irom  their 
conduct,  seem  to  demonstrate  a total  disregard  to  the  best  Interests  ot 


EPSOM. 


455 


their  families,  by  depriving  their  children  of  the  means  of  Instruction 
and  thereby  rendering  them,  in  a great  degree,  useless  members  of  So- 
ciety, and  by  such  conduct  of  theirs,  we  being  classed  with  them,  are 
debared  of  that  for  our  children,  which  we  esteem  an  inestimable  bless- 
ing. 

“ This  is  our  greviance,  and  in  this  situation  we  cannot  rest  easy,  to 
see  our  numerous  offspring,  which  we  are  Instrumental  of  bringing  into 
existancc,  trained  up  like  so  many  heathen  or  brutes  in  a civilized  world. 
<fc  for  such  neglect  we  cannot  answer,  neither  to  God  nor  our  conscience, 
and  for  which  they  will  have  good  reason  to  curse  rather  than  bless  us. 
Wo  Therefore  Seek  to  the  Town  for  redress,  as  we  know  no  other  remedy, 
and  pray  that  a meeting  of  said  Town  may  be  warned  as  soon  as  may  be, 
that  this  our  greviance  may  be  considered,  and  some  method  adopted  & 
put  in  Execution  that  shall  remove  the  Achan  out  of  the  camp  and  give 
us  speedy  relief  in  finishing  the  School-house  already  begun,  that  a 
school  may  be  had  seasonably  for  the  purpose  aforesaid. 

“ Epgom,  15th  of  July,  1793. 

“James  Gray,  Geo.  Yewrin,  Reuben  Yewrin,  Thomas  Bickford,  Simeon 
Towle,  Sam1  Bickford,  Sylvanus  Moses,  Richard  Rand,  John  Prescott, 
Jere*  Prescott,  Jr.,  Abraham  Wallace.” 

In  response  to  the  foregoing  petition  the  selectmen 
called  a meeting  at  the  meeting-house  in  said  town, 
the  5th  day  of  August,  at  four  o’clock  in  the  afternoon, 
the  second  article  of  the  warrant  being  as  follows: 
“ To  see  what  method  the  Town  will  take  to  remove 
the  Achan  out  of  the  camp,”  which  article  was 
dismissed  at  the  meeting,  and  ten  pounds  voted  to 
be  raised  from  the  inhabitants  of  the  western  district, 
to  be  expended  in  finishing  the  school-house  in  said 
district.  “And  should  there  be  a surplusage,  the 
same  shall  be  laid  out  for  school-keeping  for  the  ben- 
efit of  said  district  the  year  present.” 

The  division  of  the  town  into  districts  for  school 
purposes  was  by  common  consent  or  an  occasional 
vote  of  the  town  until  May  19,  1808,  when  the  se- 
lectmen were  instructed  to  make  such  division,  “and 
affix  metes  and  bounds  to  the  same,  and  make  a re- 
turn thereof  to  the  clerk,  to  be  by  him  recorded,”  and 
was  substantially  as  follows: 

District  No.  1 contained  all  that  is  now  comprised 
within  its  limits;  also  that  portion  of  District  No.  7 
on  the  turnpike,  below  Warren  Yeaton’s,  and  from 
Yeaton’s  to  Deerfield  line. 

District  No.  2 contained  all  on  the  turnpike  from 
the  east  side  of  the  New  Orchard  road  to  Chichester 
line,  and  all  north  of  the  turnpike;  also  from  the 
shoe-factory  to  “ Cyder  Brook  ” (so  called),  just  south 
of  the  house  of  John  Spurlin. 

District  No.  3 was  composed  of  what  is  now  Districts 
Nos.  3 and  9 (New  Rye  and  the  Mountain),  and  ex- 
tended to  the  corner  at  Short  Falls. 

District  No.  4 contained  all  on  the  west  side  of  the 
Suncook  River  lying  southerly  of  the  turnpike,  and 
from  Short  Falls  bridge  to  the  Mountain  District, 
near  the  Short  Falls  post-office. 

District  No.  5 contained  that  portion  of  the  “ North 
Road”  District  northerly  from  the  turnpike,  and  on 
the  turnpike  from  the  Northwood  road  to  the  mile- 
post near  Henry  Knowles’  house,  and  also  what  is 
now  united  with  Pittsfield  in  forming  No.  6. 

District  No.  6 was  the  New  Orchard  District,  very 
nearly  as  it  now  exists. 

“Whereas,  the  undersigned  were,  on  the  first  day  of  November,  1821, 


appointed  by  a vote  of  the  town  of  Epsom  a committee  to  examine  into 
the  propriety  of  altering  the  school  districts  in  said  town,  and  report 
thereon  to  said  town  at  their  annual  meeting,  in  March  next ; We,  there- 
fore, report  that  in  our  opinion  many  individuals  are  not  well  convened, 
and  do  not  have  their  proportion  of  the  benefit  of  the  school  in  said 
town  as  it  is  now  districted,  and  that  the  time  may  come  when  an  alter- 
ation will  remedy  such  evil,  but  at  present  we  consider  it  inexpedient  to 
make  any  alteration. 

“ Epsom,  February  19th,  182.3. 

“Josiah  Sanboun,  'I 

“ IlANOVP.it  Dickkv,  l Committee." 

“WlNTlIBOP  Fowi.ee, 

In  January  of  1833  the  school-house  in  District 
No.  3 was  burned,  and  the  following  season  the  dis- 
trict was  divided,  forming  the  New  Rye  and  Moun- 
tain Districts,  the  former  taking  No.  9,  the  “Fowler 
District”  having  been  taken  off  of  No.  4 a few  years 
before,  and  numbered  eight.  In  1851  District  No.  10, 
“ Marden’s,”  was  taken  from  No  2,  and  there  are  two 
union  districts, — one  with  Pittsfield,  No.  (>,  and  one 
with  Chichester,  known  :is  the  Union  District. 

Three  new  school-houses  have  been  built  within 
the  last  few  years,  and  the  others  repaired,  so  at 
the  present  there  are  nine  very  good  school-houses  in 
the  town. 

March  15,  1820,  it  was 

“ Voted  that  the  money  due  tlio  Town  of  Epsom  from  the  Itevd  Jona- 
than Curtis,  together  with  all  the  interest  which  has  accrued  on  said  sum 
since  said  debt  was  contracted,  and  all  the  money  which  is  due  the  Town 
aforesaid  from  the  several  purchasers  of  the  School  lot,  so  called,  together 
with  all  the  interest  on  the  same  not  heretofore  appropriated,  and  all 
other  moneys  due  said  Town  from  the  sale  of  any  property  belonging  to 
the  same,  not  heretofore  appropriated  by  said  Town  to  a different  use,  be 
forever  hereafter  appropriated  for  the  use  and  support  of  a free  English 
Grammar  school  in  said  Epsom. 

“ Voted  that  Jonathan  Steele,  Hanover  Dickey,  Richard  Tripp,  Thomas 
D.  Merrill  and  John  Chesly  be  a committee  to  carry  the  above  vote  into 
effect.’  ’ 

There  is  no  evidence  that  the  above  vote  was  ever  car- 
ried out. 

Although  the  scholars  of  the  town  have  never  been 
favored  with  any  special  advantages  for  an  education, 
yet,  during  the  summer  of  1854,  the  town  hall  was 
fitted  for  a school-room  by  certain  interested  citizens 
purchasing  the  scats  that  had  been  removed  from 
Pittsfield  Academy  to  make  room  for  more  modern 
furniture,  and  the  3d  day  of  August,  of  that  year, 
Samuel  G.  Lane,  now  a prominent  lawyer  of  Concord, 
began  a school  which  proved  to  be  both  interesting 
and  profitable ; and  for  the  next  six  years  a school 
was  kept  there  every  autumn,  taught  by  the  following 
persons : 

James  Webster,  now  one  of  the  leading  teachers  of 
Boston,  taught  two  terms,  and  the  following  persons 
taught  one  term  each : Cyrus  O.  Brown,  George  W. 
Morrill  and  Thomas  M.  Chase. 

Since  then  there  has  occasionally  been  a school 
taught  by  some  of  our  local  teachers. 

Of  the  early  teachers  it  is  impossible  to  got  any 
accurate  information.  Among  some  old  papers  we 
find  the  following  receipt: 

“Received  two  pound  Eight  Nullings  for  Eight  weeks’  School  keeping 
Over  the  river,  in  1784,  by  me, 

“ Joseph  Goss. 

“Epsom,  March  8th,  1785.” 


156 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY.  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


James  Gray  is  said  to  have  been  a school-teacher 
here  before  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  tradition 
tells  of  School- masters  Sutton  and  Casey,  and  the 
same  authors  tell  that  the  former  became  impoverished 
in  his  declining  years,  and  was  assisted  by  the  town, 
and  the  latter,  for  some  unlawful  act,  was  obliged  to 
leave  the  town. 

At  a later  period  we  learn  of  Thomas  D.  Merrill, 
for  many  years  a leading  man  in  town  affairs  and  a 
successful  trader,  as  a school-master ; also  “ Master 
Batclielder,”  noted  for  the  severity  of  his  punish- 
ments; “ School-master  Ham,”  “Gen.  Locke,”  John 
Chesley,  the  Dickeys  (Hanover,  David  and  Abram), 
James  Hersey,  Esq.,  Andrew  M.  Heath  and  many 
others. 

The  following  list  comprises  those  sons  of  Epsom 
who  have  received  a college  education  or  have  be- 
come professional  men  : 

Dr.  James  Babb  studied  with  Dr.  Josiah  Crosby 
and  succeeded  him  in  his  practice.  He  lived  for  a 
time  in  the  parsonage  house  on  the  hill,  and  then 
built  the  house  now  owned  by  Hosea  L.  Hilliard,  in 
“ Slab  City.”  He  left  town  about  1840,  and  moved 
to  Manchester.  He  married  Maria,  daughter  of 
Captain  Bickford  Lang. 

David  Dickey  graduated  from  Dartmouth  College, 
and  studied  law. 

Hanover  Dickey  graduated  from  the  medical  college 
at  Hanover,  and  practiced  in  his  native  town  until 
1845,  when  he  went  to  Lowell,  Mass.,  where  he  died 
in  1873,  and  was  brought  back  here  for  burial. 

Abram  Dickey,  also  a graduate  of  Dartmouth 
Medical  School,  studied  dentistry  also,  and  practiced 
in  Lyme  several  years,  and  then  removed  to  Wor- 
cester, Mass.  While  on  a visit  to  Lyme,  in  1882,  he 
rode  with  Dr.  Marshall,  of  that  town,  into  Vermont, 
and  both  of  them  were  found  drowned  in  a jiond, 
their  team  being  also  in  the  water. 

John  M.  Steele  graduated  from  Dartmouth,  elass  of 
1844,  became  a minister  and  went  West.  He  died  in 
New  York  in  1857. 

Joseph  W.  Tarletou  graduated  from  Dartmouth  at 
about  the  same  time  as  Mr.  Steele,  and  adopted  the 
same  profession,  and  preached  several  years  at  Hook- 
sett  and  afterwards  in  Massachusetts.  He  died  at 
Waverly,  Mass.,  February  27,  1883,  aged  sixty-six 
years. 

Daniel  P.  Cilley  became  a Free-Will  Baptist  minis 
ter,  and  now  lives  at  Farmington,  N.  H.,  suffering 
from  diseases  incident  to  old  age. 

Jonathan  A.  Knowles,  after  farming  several  years 
upon  the  old  homestead,  felt  it  his  duty  to  preach  the 
gospel ; so  he  fitted  himself  at  the  Methodist  Biblical 
School,  at  Concord,  and  was  ordained  a Free-Will 
Baptist  minister,  and  preached  at  Lake  village,  Man- 
chester, Danbury  and  other  places  in  New  Hamp- 
shire. 

Silas  Green  was  a prominent  minister  in  the 
Methodist  denomination,  and  was  located  at  Man- 


chester, Rochester,  Salmon  Falls  and  Candia,  where 
he  died  November  10,  1874. 

John  Malvern  came  into  town  from  England  when 
a hoy.  After  working  at  shoemaking  a few  years  lie 
attended  school  and  entered  the  ministry.  He  is  now 
settled  over  the  Free  Baptist  Church  of  Lynn,  Mass. 

Orren  S.  Sanders,  at  present  one  of  the  leading 
physicians  of  Boston,  Mass.,  and  Henry  Sanders,  of 
Chicago,  sons  of  Colonel  Job  Sanders,  will  he  remem- 
bered by  the  older  residents  of  the  town.  They  at- 
tended school  at  Pembroke  Academy.  The  former 
began  his  practice  in  Chichester.  The  latter  was  for 
several  years  a school-teacher,  but  afterward  studied 
medicine  and  went  West. 

Frank  H.  Wallace  and  Andros  P.  Chesley,  both 
graduates  of  Dartmouth  College,  are  both  in  medical 
practice,  the  former  in  Boston,  Mass.,  and  the  latter 
in  Concord,  N.  H. 

Edwin  B.  Harvey,  a graduate  of  Wesleyan  College, 
of  Middletown,  Conn.,  is  a practicing  physician  of 
Westboro’,  Mass.  He  has  been  a member  of  the 
Massachusetts  Legislature  from  Westboro’. 

Charles  W.  Tarleton,  a graduate  from  Brown  Uni- 
versity, Providence,  R.  I.,  after  teaching  a few  years 
in  Worcester,  Mass.,  was  obliged  to  come  home  to 
care  for  his  parents,  where  he  still  resides. 

Andrew  J.  Goss,  class  of  1861,  Dartmouth  College, 
became  afflicted  with  asthmatic  troubles  and  went  to 
Florida,  and  from  thence  to  San  Diego,  Cal.,  where 
he  still  lives,  a great  sufferer. 

Charles  A.  Towle  graduated  from  Dartmouth  in 
1864;  studied  theology  at  Andover  and  Chicago; 
preached  at  Sandwich  and  South  Chicago,  111. ; at 
present  at  Monticello,  Iowa. 

Walter  H.  Sanborn,  class  of  1867,  Dartmouth, 
taught  school  at  Milford,  N.  H.,  then  went  to  St. 
Paul,  Minn.,  studied  law  and  entered  practice  with 
his  uncle,  John  B.  Sanborn. 

Almon  F.  Cate,  of  the  same  class,  taught  school  in 
the  West  several  years,  then  went  to  Manchester, 
N.  H.,  where  he  now  lives.  He  is  now  in  business 
as  an  architect,  contractor  and  builder. 

Harry  F.  Towle  and  Edward  P.  Sanborn  graduated 
from  Dartmouth  in  1876.  The  latter  went  to  St. 
Paul  and  entered  the  law-firm  with  his  uncle  and 
brother.  The  former  has  been  a public  teacher.  He 
taught  at  Hollis,  N.  H.,  Abington,  Mass.,  and 
Yonkers,  N.  Y.  At  present  he  is  teaching  in  Brook- 
lyn, N.  Y. 

Samuel  O.  Griffin  became  a successful  physician  in 
Pascoag,  R.  I.,  but  died  suddenly  while  on  a visit  to 
his  parental  home. 

John  M.  Moses  graduated  from  Dartmouth,  and 
divides  his  time  between  teaching  and  farming.  He 
lives  in  Northwood,  N.  H. 

John  B.  Tarleton  graduated  from  Cornell  Institute, 
studied  architecture  and  is  in  business  in  Detroit, 
Mich. 

Thomas  L.  Steele  graduated  from  Dartmouth  in 


EPSOM. 


457 


1847,  studied  law,  practiced  in  New  York  and  is  now 
at  Montreal,  Canada. 

Albert  L.  Harden  graduated  from  the  Medical 
School  at  Dartmouth  and  practices  his  profession  in 
V ermont. 

Summer  D.  Harden  graduated  from  the  same 
school  and  is  in  practice  in  Concord,  N.  H. 

Daniel  Lincoln  Locke,  son  of  Captain  A.  C.  Locke, 
took  his  degrees  from  a medical  school  in  Vermont 
and  is  practicing  in  his  native  town. 

Willie  F.  Wallace,  son  of  William  Wallace,  went 
West  in  early  life,  became  a teacher  and  editor,  and 
afterward  returned  East  and  practiced  medicine  at 
Epsom,  Loudon  and  Hilton. 

Henry  F.  and  John  B.  Sanborn,  sons  of  Deacon 
Frederick  Sanborn,  entered  college,  but  did  not  finish 
the  course.  The  former  returned  to  the  old  home- 
stead, became  a successful  farmer  and  prominent  in 
town  affairs,  having  represented  the  town  in  the 
Legislature  and  a member  of  the  State  Senate  two 
years;  was  superintending  school  committee  a long 
time,  and  taught  several  terms  of  school.  He  re- 
moved to  Princeton,  Mass.,  in  1882.  John  B.  studied 
law,  went  West,  and  settled  at  St.  Paul,  Minn., 
where,  with  his  two  nephews,  he  has  an  extensive 
and  profitable  practice. 

Charles  H.  Griffin,  son  of  Nathan  Griffin,  and  Ed- 
ward H.  Sanders,  son  of  Edward  T.  Sanders,  both 
died  while  pursuing  their  studies  at  Dartmouth  Col- 
lege. 

Edward  J.  Burnham  entered  Bates  College,  of 
Maine,  but  circumstances  prevented  his  graduating. 
He  learned  the  printer’s  trade  and  now  has  an  im- 
portant position  on  the  editorial  staff  of  the  Man- 
chester Union. 

Military  History. — The  patriotism  of  the  citizens 
of  the  town  has  never  been  called  in  question. 

Tbe  events  that  made  the  War  of  the  Revolution 
necessary  had  aroused  the  people,  and  when  the  bat- 
tle at  Lexington  was  announced  “ by  a swift  rider, 
blowing  a horn,  who  passed  through  Nottingham  am’, 
reached  Epsom,  it  found  Captain  Andrew  McClan 
plowing  in  the  ‘old  muster-field.’  Like  Cincinnatus 
of  old,  he  left  the  plow  in  the  furrow,  and  hastened  to 
obey  the  summons.  With  little  preparation,  he  seized 
his  saddle-bags,  leaped  into  the  saddle,  swearing  a? 
he  left  that  he  would  kill  one  of  the  devils  before  he 
came  home  l ” 

“Jocky  Fogg,”  who  was  his  servant  in  the  army, 
used  to  speak  of  his  horse  as  “a  large,  powerful  iron- 
gray,  four-year-old  stallion,  so  exceedingly  vicious 
that  no  one  could  mount  or  govern  him  except  the 
captain.  He  could  spring  upon  his  back,  and,  by  the 
power  of  his  arm,  govern  him  with  the  greatest  ease.” 

He  was  accompanied  by  his  nephew,  the  young  and 
chivalrous  Michael  McClary,  who  served  with  credit 
four  years ; Amos  Morrill,  the  first  selectman  of  the 
town,  lieutenant,  then  captain,  then  major,  serving 
iu  the  army  four  years,  with  honor  to  himself  and 


town  ; also  James  Gray  and  Andrew  M (Galley,  who 
became  officers  of  distinction,  and  many  more  of 
the  sturdy  yeomanry  of  the  town. 

It  is  impossible  to  give  a correct  list  of  the  men 
that  went  from  this  town  into  the  Revolutionary 
Army,  as  the  town  records  give  no  account  of  them, 
and  the  rolls  do  not  in  every  case  give  the  residence; 
while  if  we  depend  upon  the  memory  of  our  oldest 
inhabitants,  we  find  them  unreliable,  because  some 
who  were  in  the  army  went  from  other  places  and 
moved  here  after  the  war  closed. 

The  following  is  as  nearly  correct  as  we  have  been 
able  to  obtain  : 

Major  Andrew  McClary,  killed  at  battle  of  Bunker  Hill. 

William  McCrillis,  killed  at  battle  of  Bunker  Hill. 

John  Wallace,  killed  at  battle  of  Bunker  Hill. 

Lieutenant  Andrew  McGaffey,  wounded  at  battle  of  Bunker  Hill. 
Weymouth  Wallace,  wounded  at  battle  of  Bunker  Hill. 

Adjutant  John  McClary,  died  of  a wound  at  Albany. 

O/om  Lock,  killed  at  Bennington. 

Francis  Locke,  died  at  Chimney  Point. 

Peter  Pomp  (an  African),  died  at  Valley  Forge. 

Simon  Sanborn,  died  at  Chimney  Point. 

Noah  St.  Clair,  wounded  at  St.  John’s. 

Captain  Amos  Morrill.  Captain  James  Gray. 

Captain  Michael  McClary.  Ensign  Jonathan  Chase. 

Benjamin  Berry,  enlisted  in  Captain  Drew’s  company. 

Theophilus  Cass,  enlisted  in  Captain  Morrill’s  company. 

Kichard  Drowt,  enlisted  in  Captain  Morrill’s  company. 

John  Dwyer,  enlisted  in  Captain  Morrill’s  company. 

Solomon  Chapman,  enlisted  in  Captain  Morrill's  company. 

Moses  Lock,  enlisted  in  Captain  Morrill's  company. 

Samuel  Lock,  enlisted  in  Captain  Morrill’s  company. 

Benjamin  Pettingill,  enlisted  in  Captain  Morrill’s  company. 

Abraham  Pettingill,  enlisted  iu  Captain  Morrill's  company. 

Neal  McGaffey,  enlisted  in  Captain  McClary’ s company. 

John  Mason. 

Jethro  Pettengill,  enlisted  in  Captain  Frye’s  company. 

John  Bickford.  Samuel  Goss. 

Samuel  Bickford.  Eliphalet  Sanborn. 

James  Blake.  Samuel  Lear. 

John  Jenness. 

The  following  is  a copy  of  votes  passed  by  the 
town  relative  to  the  men  in  the  Revolutionary  War. 
March  21,  1781,  it  was 

“ Voted,  a Gift  or  Consideration  to  each  of  those  soldiers  who  are  en- 
gaged during  the  war  in  the  Continental  service  for  the  town  of  Epsom, 
five  Heifers  on  the  following  conditions,  according  to  their  continuance 
in  the  service  of  the  States,  viz.  : for  three  years’  service  from  this  date, 
five  of  three-year-old  heifers  ; for  two  years’  service,  five  of  two-vear- 
old  Heifers,  and  for  one  year’s  service,  five  yearlings.  But  should  any 
or  either  of  these  soldiers  die  or  be  killed  in  the  service  within  the  term 
of  three  years,  the  heirs  of  such,  upon  producing  a certificate  of  the 
death  or  deaths  of  such  to  the  selectmen  of  Epsom  for  the  time  being, 
shall  receive  fiom  said  town  the  aforesaid  consideration,  computed  ac- 
cording to  the  time  of  service.” 

A meeting  was  called  by  the  selectmen,  to  be  held 
at  the  meeting-house  the  30th  of  July,  1781, 

“ To  see  what  steps  the  Town  will  take  to  procure  the  remainder  of 
the  Town's  proportion  of  Beef  for  the  Continental  Army  this  present 
year.  Whereas,  the  present  selectmen  find  from  experience  that  the 
sum  already  raised  in  Continental  currency  for  that  purpose  is  altogether 
insufficient  to  answer  the  end  ; 

“Therefore,  it  is  expected  that  every  voter  will  come  properly  pre- 
pared and  be  ready  to  give  instructions  to  the  selectmen  how  to  proceed 
in  procuring  the  residue  of  s1'  beef.  Experience  has  taught  that  silver 
money  is  the  principle  object  of  those  persons  that  have  beef-cattle  to 
dispose  of.” 


458 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


At  a meeting  the  following  vote  was  passed  : 

“ Tliis  Town’s  proportion  of  beef,  not  yet  furnished  for  the  use  of  the 
Continental  Army  for  the  year  current  shall  be  bought  on  the  following 
conditions,  viz. : 

“ That  the  present  selectmen  for  the  Town  be  & are  hereby  Ini  pow- 
ered to  buy  the  same,  and  engage  therefore  Silver  money,  Indian  corn, 
rye,  wheat  or  Continental  currency  at  the  common  exchange  ; and  also 
it  is  hereby  voted  That  the  price  by  them  given  for  s'1  Beef  shall  be 
agreeable  to  the  minds  of  the  Town  Universal.” 

At  a meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of  Epsom,  duly 
warned  and  held  November  3,  1794, — 

“ Voted , That  the  Town  of  Epsom  make  up  to  those  soldiers  belong- 
ing to  said  Town  who  are  required  to  goe  into  the  Service  of  the  United 
States,  agreeably  to  a late  requisition  of  Congress,  the  sum  of  eight  dol- 
lars pr.  month,  with  what  is  or  shall  be  given  by  the  United  States  for 
their  actual  services. 

“ That  for  further  encouragement  to  said  soldiers  to  Inlist,  Voted  to 
give  to  each  soldier  that  shall  inlist  the  sum  of  two  dollars,  to  be  paid  at 
the  expiration  of  eight  months  from  this  date,  unless  they  should  be 
called  to  march  sooner  ; then  to  be  paid  the  time  of  marching.” 

May,  1776,  it  was 

“ Voted,  That  all  the  men  in  this  Town  that  went  Down  to  Cambridge 
when  the  Battle  was  at  Concord  shall  be  paid  a half  a dollar  pr.  Day 
while  gone.” 

The  following  are  the  men  from  this  town  who 
served  in  the  War  of  1812 : 

Captain  Jonathan  Godfrey,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
Lieutenant  Eleck  Brown,  enlisted  September  2f>,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
Ensign  Daniel  Goss,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 

Paul  P.  Do.wner,  sergeant,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
John  Slierburn,  sergeant,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
James  Sanborn,  sergeant,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
John  Fales,  drummer,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 

Ezra  Allen,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
Benjamin  Brown,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
Green  leaf  Brackett,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
Samuel  P.  Cilley,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
Jonathan  Bartlett,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
David  Chapman,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
Samuel  (-ass,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 

Samuel  Goss,  Jr.,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
Isjvac  S.  Greene,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
John  S.  Haynes,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
Daniel  Locke,  Jr.,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
Daniel  Locke,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
Ebenezer  Barton,  private,  enlisted  September  29, 1814,  for  sixty  days. 
Moses  Hanson,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
Robert  Coleman,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
Aiuos  Langley,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 

John  Rand,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 

Webster  Salter,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 

John  Sanders  (-‘Id),  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days 
Job  Sanders,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 

Reuben  Sanborn,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
Levi  Brown,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 

Berk  ins  Pliilbrick,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
Thomas  Grant,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
Simon  Pliilbrick,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
Samuel  D.  Page,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
Samuel  H&zeltine,  private,  enlisted  September  29, 1814,  for  sixty  days. 
Charles  Barton,  private,  enlisted  September  *29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 
Samuel  Yeaton,  private,  enlisted  September  29,  1814,  for  sixty  days. 

In  Captain  Samuel  Collins'  Company. 

Beckford  Lang,  first  lieutenant,  enlisted  September  12,  1814,  for  three 
months. 

James  Haynes,  musician,  enlisted  September  12,  1814,  for  three  months. 
Samuel  Chapman,  private,  enlisted  September  12,  1.^14,  for  three 
months. 

Benjamin  Clarke,  private. 

Samuel  Davis.  John  Ham,  waiter. 

Alexander  Lear.  John  Lang,  waiter. 

David  Tandy. 


In  Captain  Bradbury  Bartlett's  Company. 

John  Griffin  and  Jonathan  Goss. 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  men  from  Epsom  who 
served  in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  : 

FIRST  REGIMENT  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  VOLUNTEERS. 
Joseph  R.  Cilley,  Company  H. 

SECOND  REGIMENT  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  VOLUNTEERS. 
William  II.  Weeks,  Company  C;  discharged  and  re-enlisted  in  Eigh- 
teenth Regiment. 

William  Wallace,  Company  B ; discharged  August  5,  1802. 

N.  Dana  Wallace,  Company  B ; captured  at  Gettysburg. 

THIRD  REGIMENT  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  VOLUNTEERS. 
Andrew  J.  Pettengill,  Company  E. 

Andrew  M.  Weeks,  Company  E ; died  of  wounds  August  2,1804. 

FOURTH  REGIMENT  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  VOLUNTEERS. 

John  T.  Buzzcll,  Company  E. 

George  S.  Bixby,  Company  II. 

John  II.  Goodhue,  Company  II  ; missing  at  Deep  Run,  Va. , August  10, 
18G4. 

George  H.  Hoyt,  Company  II  ; missing  at  Deep  Run,  Va.,  August  10, 
1804. 

Albert  Hoyt,  Company  II. 

Joseph  E.  Ham,  Company  E. 

FIFTH  REGIMENT  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  VOLUNTEERS. 

James  Dowst,  Company  I ; killed  at  Antietam,  September  17,  1802. 

SIXTH  REGIMENT  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  VOLUNTEERS. 
Charles  J.  Brown,  Company  I. 

Robert  Crawford,  Company  I ; died  of  disease  December  11,  1803. 
William  T.  Grant,  Company  I. 

Hiram  B.  Haynes,  Company  I ; died  of  disease  December  11,  1802. 
Ambrose  D.  Haynes,  died  of  disease  January  23,  1802. 

James  W.  Harden. 

William  B.  Perkins,  Company  T ; died  of  disease  December  25,  1802. 
Benjamin  F.  Robinson,  Company  I. 

Edwin  M.  Sherburne,  Company  I. 

Joseph  Seley,  Company  I ; died  of  wounds  received  May  6,  1804. 

John  If.  F.  Pliilbrick,  Company  I. 

John  S.  Ham,  Company  I. 

John  M.  Weeks,  Company  I. 

SEVENTH  REGIMENT  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  VOLUNTEERS. 
William  Yeaton,  Company  II. 

NINTH  REGIMENT  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  VOLUNTEERS. 
Thomas  W.  Emerson,  Company  F ; captured  May  12,  18(»4  ; paroled 
December  1,  1804. 

ELEVENTH  REGIMENT  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  VOLUNTEERS. 

I Captain  A.  C.  Locke,  Company  E. 

Benjamin  Bickford,  Company  E. 

, Samuel  Bickford,  Company  E. 

Thomas  E.  Bickford,  Company  E ; died  of  wounds  November  23,  18G4. 

, Rufus  Baker,  Company  E ; wounded  December  13,  1802. 

| El  bridge  Bachelder,  Company  E ; wounded  October  1,  18f.4. 
i David  Brown,  Company  E ; died  of  disease  September,  ’803. 

Jeremiah  Burnham,  Company  E. 

; William  Burnham,  Company  E. 

| Charles  A.  Chapman,  Company  E;  wounded  December  13,  1802. 

John  Cotterell,  died  of  disease  March  26,  1863. 

! John  D.  Dow,  Company  E. 

Jefferson  A.  Edmunds,  Company  E. 
j John  H.  Fife,  Company  E. 

diaries  E.  Flower,  Company  E ; wounded  severely  June  12,  1804. 
Charles  Gordon,  Company  E ; wounded  September  30,  1864. 

Charles  A.  Giles,  Company  E;  wounded  November  20,  1863. 

Charles  H.  Hall,  Company  E;  wounded  December  13,  1862. 

Daniel  Hall,  Company  E. 

Ebenezer  B.  Hoyt,  Company  E. 

Henry  G.  Lake,  Company  E. 

Josiah  D.  Langley,  Company  E ; wounded  December  13, 1862. 

Lauren  A.  Leighton,  Company  E ; died  of  disease  November  25,  1802. 
Charles  W.  Leighton,  Company  E ; wounded  slightly  May  0,  1804. 
Charles  Lamprey,  Company  E ; died  of  disease  March  2,  1863. 
j William  S.  Morrill,  Company  E. 


EPSOM. 


459 


Willard  B.  Moore,  Company  E;  died  of  wounds  May  2ft,  1804. 

Charles  Quimby,  Company  E. 

Lucius  B.  Smith,  Company  E ; died  of  disease  March  17,  1803. 

Charles  W.  Tarleton,  Company  E. 

Edwin  A.  White,  Company  E. 

Benjamin  B.  Yeaton,  Company  E. 

Levi  G.  Young,  died  of  disease  December  19,  1802. 

Samuel  T.  Bickford,  Company  F. 

FIFTEENTH  REGIMENT  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  VOLUNTEERS. 
Charles  A.  Towle,  Company  D. 

Thomas  J.  Ames,  Company  1). 

John  C.  Brown,  Company  1). 

Charles  A.  Brown,  Company  D. 

Walters.  Brackett,  Company  D ; died  on  his  way  home. 

Calvin  I).  Johnson,  Company  1). 

George  II.  Rand,  Company  1>. 

EIGHTEENTH  REGIMENT  NEW  HAMPSHIRE  VOLUNTEERS. 
Benjamin  C-arson,  Company  1>. 

Jeremy  II.  Nute,  Company  D. 

William  II.  Weeks,  Company  D. 

Life  Wiggin,  Company  I). 

Stephen  B.  Bartlett,  Company  A. 

Rufus  S.  Maiden,  Company  A. 

James  M.  Clark,  Company  A. 

Diah  Lovejoy,  Company  A. 

Moses  Chamberlain,  Company  B. 

Henry  C.  Lovejoy,  Company  E. 

Abraham  Bickford,  in  First  New  Hampshire  Cavalry. 

Warren  W.  Lovejoy,  in  New  England  Cavalry. 

George  W.  Ham,  First  Regiment,  Heavy  Artillery. 

August  25,  1862,  at  a special  town-meeting,  called 
for  that  purpose,  it  was  “ Voted  that  the  town  pay  a 
bounty  of  three  hundred  dollars  to  each  of  those  vol- 
unteers that  may  hereafter  be  mustered  into  the 
United  States  service  to  complete  the  quota  of  three 
years’  men  for  the  town  of  Epsom ; also  Voted  one 
hundred  dollars  to  each  nine  months’  man.”  Septem- 
ber 17th,  of  the  same  year,  a bounty  of  three  hundred 
dollars  was  paid  for  nine  months’  men. 

May  31,  18G4,  a bounty  of  one  thousand  dollars  was 
paid  to  volunteers  for  one  year. 

PROPRIETORS  AND  TOWN  CLERKS. 

1727,  Theodore  Atkinson  ; 1728-29,  Theodore  Atkinson  ; 1730,  no  record 
1731-40,  Joseph  Simpson  ; 1741,  no  record;  1742,  Paul  Chapman  ; 1743, 
Fennel  Chapman;  1744,  William  Haines;  1745-48,  James  Berry  ; 1749— 
51,  Joseph  Haines  ; 1752-53,  Samuel  Libbee  ; 1754-70,  Nathan  Marden  ; 
1771,  James  Gray;  1772,  Nathan  Marden;  177:’.,  Eliphalet  Sanborn, 
1774,  Andrew  McClary ; 1775-78,  Eliphalet  Sanborn ; 1779,  Michael 
McClary  ; 1780-84,  John  Casey  ; 1785,  James  Gray  ; 1780-94,  Michael 
Clary;  1795,  Solomon  Sutton;  1796-98  Michael  McClary;  1799-1800, 
Daniel  L.  Morrill ; 1801-19,  Samuel  Morrill  ; 1820-21,  John  McClary;  1822 
-23,  Michael  McClary;  1824-27,  James  Babb ; 1828-33,  Benjamin  L. 
Locke;  1834-35,  Thomas  D.  Merrill;  1836-39,  Benjamin  L.  Locke; 
1840-47,  William  Ham,  Jr. ; 1848-50,  Robert  Knox,  Jr.  ; 1851-53,  Robert 
Knox;  1854,  John  Wallace;  1855,  John  C.  Morrill ; 1856-58,  Alonzo 
Wallace  ; 1859-61,  William  McMurphy  ; 1862-63,  John  W.  Heath  ; 1864, 
Enoch  Fogg;  1865-66,  Daniel  G.  Chesley  ; 18(7-69,  Henry  Knox;  1870, 
Dr.  L.  W.  Peabody;  1871-72,  James  Yeaton;  1873-76,  Paran  Philbrick ; 
1877-78,  Goram  R.  Worth  ; 1879-80,  Jacob  F.  Robinson  ; 1881-82,  Henry 
S.  Knowles  ; 1883-84,  George  E.  Warren;  1885,  Dr.  M.  F.  Smith. 

SELECTMEN. 

1727.  — Theodore  Atkinson,  Joshua  Foss,  Samuel  Weeks. 

1728.  — Theodore  Atkinson,  Joshua  Foss,  Samuel  Weeks. 

1729.  — Joshua  Simpson,  Jotham  Odiorne,  Joshua  Brackett. 

1730.  — No  record. 

1731.  — Jotham  Odiorne,  Joseph  Simpson,  Samuel  Weeks. 

1732.  — John  Willson,  Daniel  Lunt,  Samuel  Wallis. 

1733.  — John  Willson,  Richard  Goss,  Thomas  Berry. 

1734.  — John  Willson,  William  llaiues,  Samuel  Wallis. 

1735.  — John  Willson,  William  Haines,  Samuel  Wallis. 


1736.  — John  Willson,  William  Haines,  Samuel  Wallis. 

1737. — John  Willson,  Samuel  Wallis,  John  Blake. 

1738.  — Samuel  Wallis,  Henry  Pain,  Ensign  Haines. 

1739.  — Samuel  Wallis,  Henry  Pain,  Ensign  Haines. 

1740.  — Thomas  Berry,  Samuel  Wallis,  John  Yeaton. 

1741.  — No  record. 

1742.  — Andrew  McClary,  John  Blake,  Enoch  Clark. 

1743.  — Andrew  McClary,  John  Blake,  Penuel  Chapman. 

1744.  — No  record. 

1745.  — Daniel  Lunt,  Samuel  Libbee,  Francis  Lock. 

1746.  — Francis  Lock,  Samuel  Libbee,  Robert  Goss. 

1747.  — Francis  Lock,  Samuel  Libbee,  Robert  Goss. 

1748.  — Francis  Lock,  Samuel  Libbee,  Robert  Goss. 

1749.  — Francis  Lock,  John  Weeks,  Samuel  Libbee. 

1750.  — Andrew  McClary,  John  Blake,  Samuel  Libbee. 

1751. — Andrew  McClary,  Nathan  Marden,  John  Blake. 

1752.  — John  Libbee,  Joshua  Berry,  Nathan  Marden. 

1753.  — John  Blake,  John  Libbee,  Nathan  Marden. 

1754.  — Andrew  McClary,  Ephraim  Locke,  Samuel  Libbee. 

1755.  — Andrew  McClary,  Samuel  Libbee,  Ephraim  Locke. 

1750. — Andrew  McClary,  John  Blake,  John  McClary. 

1757.  — No  record. 

1758.  — Samuel  Blake,  Ephraim  Locke,  Ebenezer  Barton. 

1759.  — John  McClary,  Thomas  Blake,  Nathan  Marden. 

1760.  — John  McClary,  Nathan  Marden,  Thomas  Blake. 

1761.  — Ephraim  Locke,  Nathan  Marden,  John  McClary. 

1762.  — Nathan  Marden,  Benjamin  Blake,  George  Wallis. 

1763.  — John  McClary,  Ephraim  Locke,  Nathan  Marden. 

1764- — Isaac  Libbee,  Jr.,  Andrew  McClary,  Samuel  Libbed. 

1765.  — A mire  w McClary,  Isaac  Libbee,  Samuel  Jackson. 

1766.  — Andrew  McClary,  Samuel  Jackson,  Reuben  Sanborn. 

1767.  — Andrew  McClary,  Samuel  Jackson,  Reuben  Sanborn. 

1768.  — Andrew  McClary,  Samuel  Jackson,  Reuben  Sanborn. 

1769.  — Andrew  McClary,  Samuel  Jackson,  Benjamin  Shepard. 

1770. — Samuel  Jackson,  John  Cass,  Ephraim  Locke. 

1771.  — John  McClary,  Ephraim  Locke,  John  Cass. 

1772.  — Jeremiah  Prescott,  Eliphlet  Sanborn,  Benjamin  Gooding. 

1773.  — Jeremiah  Prescott,  Eliphlet  Sanborn,  Amos  Morrill. 

1774. — Eliphlet  Sanborn,  Jeremiah  Prescott,  Amos  Morrill. 

1775.  — John  McClary,  Ephraim  Locke,  Jeremiah  Prescott. 

1776.  — Jeremiah  Prescott,  Ephraim  Locke,  John  McClary. 

1777.  — Jeremiah  Prescott,  John  Cate,  Benjamin  Goodin. 

1778.  — Jeremiah  Prescott,  James  Marden,  John  Cate. 

1779.  - Jeremiah  Prescott,  John  Casey,  Samuel  Osgood. 

1780.  — John  Casey,  Thomas  Babb,  Benjamin  Goodin. 

1781. — Benjamin  Goodin,  Thomas  Babb,  John  Casey. 

1782.  — Benjamin  Goodin,  Thomas  Babb,  John  Casey. 

1783  —Tli  III1IU8  Babb,  Jeremiah  Prescott,  Michael  McClary. 

1784.  — Thomas  Babb,  Jeremiah  Prescott,  Michael  McClary. 

1785. — Thomas  Babb,  Jeremiah  Prescott,  Michael  McClary. 

1786.  — Michael  McClary,  Thomas  Babb,  James  Gray. 

1787. — Michael  McClary,  Thomas  Babb,  James  Gray. 

1788. — George  Sanders,  James  Gray,  Michael  McClary. 

1789.  — Theophilus  Cass,  George  Sanders,  Thomas  Babb. 

1790.  — Thomas  Babb,  George  Sanders,  Amos  Morrill. 

1791.  — Thomas  Babb,  Amos  Morrill,  Josiah  Sanborn. 

1792.  — Thomas  Babb,  Amos  Morrill,  Josiah  Sanborn. 

1793.  — Amos  Morrill,  Josiah  Sanborn,  Levi  Brown. 

1794.  — Levi  Brown,  Josiah  Sanborn,  Nicholas  Dolbeer. 

1795.  — Solomon  Sutton,  Levi  Brown,  Nicholas  Dolbeer. 

1796.  — Solomon  Sutton,  Josiah  Sanborn,*  James  II.  McClary. 

1797. — James  II.  McClary,  Josiah  Sanborn,  George  Sanders. 

1798.  — James  II.  McClary,  Josiah  Sanborn,  George  Sanders. 

1799.  — James  If.  McClary,  Josiali  Sanborn,  Richard  Tripp,  Jr. 
18(H). — James  H.  McClary,  Josiah  Sanborn,  Thomas  Babb. 

1801.  — James  II . McClary,  Josiah  Sanborn,  Thomas  Babb. 

1802.  — James  II.  McClary,  Josiali  Sanborn,  Levi  Brown. 

1803. — Josiah  Sanborn,  James  II.  McClary,  Levi  Brown. 

1804.  — Thomas  I>.  Merrill,  James  H.  McClary,  John  Dolbeer, 

1805.  — Josiah  Sanborn,  Thomas  Babb,  Levi  Brown. 

1806.  — Josiah  Sanborn,  Thomas  Babb,  Levi  Brown. 

1807.  — Josfcih  Sanborn,  Thomas  Babb,  Levi  Brown. 

1808. — Josiah  Sanborn,  Levi  Brown,  Thomas  D.  Merrill. 

1809.  — Josiah  Sanborn,  Levi  Brown,  Richard  Tripp,  Jr. 

1810.  — Josiah  Sanborn,  Levi  Brown,  Richard  Tripp,  Jr. 

1811.  — Josiali  Sanborn,  Thomas  D.  Merrill,  Richard  Tripp,  Jr. 

1812. — Thomas  D.  Merrill,  Richard  Tripp,  Bickford  Lang. 


4G0 


IITSTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


1813.  — Samuel  Morrill,  Richard  Tripp,  Bickford  Lang. 

1814.  — Samuel  Morrill,  Richard  Tripp,  Levi  Brown. 

1815.  — Samuel  Morrill,  Richard  Tripp,  Levi  Brown. 

1816.  — Samuel  Morrill,  Richard  Tripp,  Bickford  Lang. 

1817.  — Thomas  D.  Merrill,  Samuel  Morrill,  Hanover  Dickey. 

1818.  — Thomas  D.  Merrill,  Samuel  Morrill,  Bickford  Lang. 

1819.  — Hanover  Dickey,  Thomas  D.  Merrill,  Samuel  Morrill. 

1820.  — Hanover  Dickey,  Thomas  I).  Merrill,  Samuel  Morrill. 

1821.  — Hanover  Dickey,  Richard  Tripp,  John  Bachelder. 

1822.  — Hanover  Dickey,  Levi  Locke,  William  Ham,  Jr. 

1823.  — Hanover  Dickey,  William  Ham,  Jr.,  John  Cliesley. 

1824.  — Hanover  Dickey,  Josiah  Sanborn,  Winthrop  Fowler. 

1825.  — Hanover  Dickey,  Thomas  D.  Merrill,  Josiah  Sanborn. 

1826.  — William  Ham,  Jr.,  Winthrop  Fowler,  Hanover  Dickey. 

1827.  — Winthrop  Fowler,  John  Cate,  William  Tarleton,  Jr. 

1828.  — Winthrop  Fowler,  Eliphlet  Wiggin,  William  Tarleton,  Jr. 

1829.  — Winthrop  Fowler,  Eliphlet  Wiggin,  William  Hum,  Jr. 

1830.  — Winthrop  Fowler,  Eliphlet  Wiggin,  Robert  Knox. 

1831.  — Eliphlet  Wiggin,  William  Ham,  Jr.,  Frederick  Sanborn. 

1832. — Eliphlet  Wiggin,  Nathan  Bickford,  Frederick  Sanborn. 

1833.  — Eliphlet  Wiggin,  Nathan  Bickford,  Thomas  I).  Merrill. 

1834. — Thomas  D.  Merrill,  William  Ham,  Jr.,  Jeremiah  Tripp. 

1835. — Thomas  D.  Merrill,  John  Gridin,  Jr.,  Eliphlet  Wiggin. 

1836.  — Thomas  D.  Merrill,  Samuel  W.  Bickford,  Greenleaf  Brackett. 

1837. — Thomas  D.  Merrill,  Samuel  W.  Bickford,  Greenleaf  Brackett. 

1838.  — Winthrop  Fowler,  Samuel  Wells,  Jonathan  L.  Cilley. 

1839.  — Thomas  D.  Merrill,  Samuel  Wells,  John  Gridin. 

1840.  —Eliphlet  Wiggin,  Jeremiah  Tripp,  James  Critohet. 

1841. — Thomas  I).  Merrill,  Jeremiah  Tripp,  Simeon  C.  Goes. 

1842.  — Nathan  Bickford,  Simeon  C.  Goss,  James  Sanborn. 

1843.  — Thomas  D.  Merrill,  Thomas  Tripp,  John  Wallace. 

1844.  — Thomas  D.  Merrill,  John  Wallace,  Newell  Brown. 

1845.  — Thomas  D.  Merrill,  Newell  Brown,  James  Martin. 

1846.  — Eliphlet  W iggin,  John  Gridin,  Jr.,  Joseph  S.  Dulbeer. 

1*47. — James  Martin,  Ephraim  Locke,  Jr.,  William  Fowler. 

1848.  — James  Martin,  Ephraim  Locke,  Jr.,  William  Fowler. 

1849.  — William  Ham,  Jonathan  L.  Cilley,  George  Sanders. 

1850.  — William  Ham,  Jonathan  L.  Cilley,  George  Sanders. 

1851. — Jeremiah  Tripp,  Nathan  Gridin,  Henry  F.  San  horn. 

1852.  — Ephraim  Locke,  Jr.,  Robert  Knox,  Benjamin  L.  Locke. 

1853.  — Ephraim  Loeke,  Jr.,  Henry  F.  Sanborn,  David  M.  Knowles. 

1854.  — Ephraim  Locke,  Jr.,  Henry  F.  Sanborn,  David  M.  Knowles. 

1855.  — John  Gridin,  Jr.,  James  W.  Towle,  Joseph  S.  Dolbeer. 

1856.  — Ephraim  Locke,  Jr.,  Jonathan  C.  Sanders,  William  Goss. 

1857.  — Ephraim  Locke,  Jr.  Jonathan  0.  Sanders,  Samuel  Fowler,  Ji 

1858.  — Samuel  Fowler,  Jr.,  James  Wiggin,  Charles  C.  Doe. 

1859.  — Samuel  Martin,  William  Yeaton,  Charles  C.  Doe. 

1860.  — Samuel  Martin,  William  Yeaton,  Franklin  Robinson. 

1861. — Henry  Knox,  George  Sanders,  Jr  , Franklin  Robinson. 

1862.  — Jonathan  C.  Sanders,  Arthur  C.  Locke,  John  II.  Dolbeer. 

1863.  — Jonathan  C.  Sanders,  George  Sanders,  Jr.,  John  H.  Dolbeer. 

1864. — Ephraim  Locke,  Samuel  Martin,  WArren  Tripp. 

1865.  — Henry  F.  Sanborn,  Benjamin  G.  Howe,  Warren  Tripp. 

1866.  — Samuel  Martin,  Samuel  Fowler,  David  M.  Philbrick. 

1867.  — Samuel  Martin,  Samuel  Fowler,  David  M.  Philbrick. 

1868. — Daniel  G.  Cliesley,  Daniel  T.  Cilley,  Hanover  0.  Wells. 

1869. -  Daniel  G.  Cliesley,  James  Yeaton,  Hanover  O.  Wells. 

1870.  — Ephraim  Locke,  Henry  F.  Sanborn,  James  Yeaton. 

1871.  — Ephraim  Locke,  Henry  F.  Sanborn,  Oliver  Brown. 

1872.  — Samuel  Martin,  Andrew  M.  Heath  (2d),  Hanover 0.  Wells. 

1873.  — Samuel  Martin,  Andrew  M.  Heath  (2d),  Hanover  0.  Wells. 

1874.  — Samuel  Martin,  Andrew  S.  Eviins,  David  M.  Knowles. 

1875.  — Samuel  Martin,  Andrew  S.  Evans,  David  M.  Knowles. 

1876. — Samuel  Martin,  David  M.  Knowles,  Walter  Cliesley. 

1877. — George  Sanders,  Jr.,  Warren  Tripp,  Walter  Cbesley. 

1878.  — George  Sanders,  Jr.,  Warren  Tripp,  Robert  C.  Brown. 

1879.  — George  Sanders,  Jr.,  Robert  C.  Brown,  James  W.  Fowler. 

1S80. — Robert  C.  Brown,  Janies  W.  Fowler,  James  Yeaton. 

1881.  — James  W.  Fowler,  Janies  Yeaton,  Samuel  Quimby. 

1882.  — James  W.  Fowler,  James  Yeaton,  Samuel  Quimhy. 

1883.  — Samuel  Martin,  Samuel  Quimhy,  Janies  II.  Tripp. 

1884.  — Samuel  Martin,  James  II.  Tripp,  Jackson  C.  Philbrick. 

1885.  — Hanover  0.  Wells,  Jackson  C.  Philbrick,  Christopher  S. 
Heath. 

REPRESENTATIVES. 

1775,  Andrew  McClary  and  John  McClary  ; 1776-89,  John  McClary  ; 


1782,  James  Gray  ; 1790-97,  Michael  McClary  ; 1798-1803,  Josiah  San- 
born ; 1804,  Daniel  Cilley  ; 1805-8,  Josiah  Sanborn  ; 1809,  Thomas  1). 
Merrill;  1810-18,  John  McClary;  1819-21,  Hanover  Dickey;  1822-23, 
Richard  Tripp;  1824-26,  William  Ham,  Jr. ; 1827,  Thomas  D.  Merrill; 
1828,  William  Ham,  Jr.  ; 1829,  Hanover  Dickey  ; 1830,  William  Ham, 
Jr.;  1831,  Richard  Tripp  ; 1832-33,  Eliphlet  Wiggin;  1834-35,  William 
Ham,  Jr.  ; 1836,  Nathan  Bickford  ; 1837,  voted  not  to  send  ; 1838-40, 
James  Martin  ; 1841,  Eliphlet  Wiggin  ; 1842,  Hanover  Dickey  ; 1843, 
John  Griflin  ; 1844,  James  Martin  ; 1845,  John  Wallace  ; 1846,  Eliphlet 
Wiggin;  1847,  John  Wallace;  1848-49,  James  Martin;  1850,  Ephraim 
Locke,  Jr.  ; 1851,  John  Griffin  ; 1852,  Ephraim  Locke,  Jr.  ; 1853,  Robert 
Knox;  1854,  Greenleaf  Brackett;  1855,  Henry  F.  Sanborn;  1856-57, 
Gardner  W.  Piper;  1858,  voted  not  to  send  ; 1859,  Samuel  Fowler,  Jr. ; 
1860,  Samuel  Fowler;  1861,  Edward  H.  Goodhue;  1862-63,  Henry 
Knox  ; 1864-65,  Charles  C.  Doe;  18G6-67,  George  W.  Bachelder;  1868- 
69,  Samuel  Martin;  1870-71,  Alonzo  Wallace;  1872-73,  William  Goss; 
1874-75,  George  Sanders,  Jr.  ; 1876-77,  David  M.  Philbrick  ; 1878,  An- 
drew J.  Silver;  1878,  November  election,  A.  J.  Silver;  1880,  Jacob  F. 
Robinson  ; 1882,  David  M.  Knowles  ; 1884,  Morrill  D.  Bickford. 

DELEGATES  TO  CONSTITUTIONAL  CONVENTIONS. 

1788,  Captain  James  Gray  ; 1791-92,  John  McClary ; 1850,  James  Mar- 
tiu  ; 1876,  Paran  Philbrick. 

The  following  residents  of  Epsom  have  been  mem- 
bers of  the  New  Hampshire  Senate:  John  McClary, 
three  years  (president  of  the  Senate,  1784)  ; Michael 
McClary,  five  years;  James  H.  McClary,  one  year; 
Josiah  Sanborn,  three  years ; John  McClary,  one  year; 
Henry  F.  Sanborn,  two  years. 

Population.—  The  number  of  inhabitants  in  the 
town  the  several  years  when  the  census  was  taken 
by  the  United  States  were  sis  follows:  1707,  194; 
1791,  799;  1800,  1 084;  1810,1156;  1820,1336;  1830, 
1418;  1840,  1205;  1850,  1366;  1860,  1216;  1870,  993  ; 
1880,  909. 

Postmasters. —James  H.  McClary  was  postmaster 
in  1809;  Samuel  Morrill,  1813;  Josiah  Crosby,  1819; 
James  Babb,  1824:  Robert  Knox,  1840;  Benjamin 
L.  Locke,  1844;  Robert  Knox,  1846;  John  Wallace 
1853;  Leonard  W.  Peabody,  1862;  Captain  A.  C. 
Locke,  1869;  Dr.  L.  W.  Peabody,  1870;  John  T. 
Cotterell,  1872;  Henry  S.  Knowles,  1885. 

The  post-office  was  established  at  Short  Falls  in 
1871  with  James  B.  Tennant  postmaster. 

Another  office  was  established  in  town  in  1882,  at 
Gossville,aud  Andrew  J.  Silver  appointed  postmaster. 

Secret  Societies. — It  is  reported  that  several  of 
the  leading  men  of  the  town  in  the  early  part  of  the 
present  century  were  members  of  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity, and  we  find  that  Michael  McClary  was  Mas- 
ter of  the  lodge  at  Nottingham.  But  we  can  learn  of 
no  such  secret  organization  in  the  town  until  about 
1854,  when  the  “Americans,”  or  “Know-Nothings,” 
began  to  hold  their  mysterious  gatherings  in  the  hall 
over  Major  Griffin’s  store,  the  result  of  which  gather- 
ings was  that  the  town  was  captured  by  them  at  the 
election  in  the  spring  of  1855,  electing  all  the  officers; 
hut  its  life  and  strength  were  transient,  for  at  the 
election  the  following  year  they  were  defeated,  and  the 
Democrats  successful. 

Evergreen  Lodge,  No.  53,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  was  or- 
ganized in  the  New  Rye  Church,  Friday  evening, 
May  10, 1872,  by  a delegation  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
the  State,  Amos  Jones,  Grand  Master. 


EPSOM. 


401 


The  charter  members  of  the  lodge  were  Paran 
Philbrick,  Warren  Tripp,  James  B.  Tennant,  John 
H.  Fife  and  Charles  A.  Chapman. 

It  held  its  meetings  in  a hall  over  the  store  of 
James  B.  Tennant  for  a few  years,  but  finding  them- 
selves outgrowing  their  accommodations,  they  built 
the  commodious  and  convenient  building  that  they 
now  occupy,  which  was  dedicated  to  the  purposes 
and  uses  of  Odd-Fellowship  Tuesday  evening,  Sep- 
tember 5,  1876,  by  the  officers  of  the  Grand  Lodge, 
George  A.  Cummings,  Grand  Master. 

The  lodge  has  received,  during  the  thirteen  years 
of  its  existence,  one  hundred  members,  and  lost  by 
death  six  ; has  paid  more  than  one  thousand  dollars 
for  relief,  and  received  upwards  of  three  thou- 
sand dollars  in  the  way  of  fees  and  dues.  The  lodge 
has  held  a levee  every  year,  which  has  been  fully  at- 
tended, and  has  always  been  a success  financially. 

The  officers  of  the  lodge  for  the  term  beginning 
July  4,  1875,  were  as  follows:  James  F.  Towle,  No- 
ble Grand;  Morrison  S.  Bachelder,  Vice-Grand; 
John  H.  Dolbeer,  Recording  Secretary  ; Samuel  Mar- 
tin, Per.  Secretary;  George  W.  Lane,  Treasurer; 
William  H.  Straw,  Junior  Past  Grand.  Its  meetings 
are  held  every  Saturday  evening. 

Goon  Templars. — There  have  been  various  tem- 
perance organizations  in  the  town  from  time  to  time, 
but  their  existence  has  been  brief  until,  on  the  22d 
day  of  February,  1882,  Grand  Worthy  Chief  Templar 
of  the  State,  George  A.  Bailey,  of  Manchester,  as- 
sisted by  officers  from  Catamount  Lodge,  of  Pittsfield, 
instituted  Linwood  Lodge,  No.  62, 1.  0.  G.  T.,  and  in- 
stalled the  following  persons  as  officers  for  the  first 
term.  John  T.  Winslow,  Worthy  Chief  Templar; 
Mrs.  Mary  C.  Swain,  Vice-Templar;  Mrs.  Emily 
G.  Bickford,  Secretary;  John  T.  Cotterell,  Financial 
Secretary;  Mrs.  Emma  L.  Robinson,  Treasurer  ; Rev. 
N.  A.  Avery,  Chaplain  ; Albert  L.  Sanders,  Marshal  ; 
Lilia  A.  Robinson,  Deputy  Marshal  ; Mrs.  Emma 
F.  Winslow,  Inside  Guardian;  Fred.  Maiden,  Out- 
side Guardian;  Sadie  D.  Swain,  Right  Supporter; 
Annie  M.  Marden,  Left  Supporter;  Dr.  William  Wal- 
lace, Past  Worthy  Chief  Templar 

They  held  their  meetings  in  the  town  hall  until 
July,  1883,  when  they  moved  to  Grand  Army  Hall  at 
Gossville,  where  they  now  meet  Wednesday  evenings. 

The  lodge  has  been  sucessful  in  point  of  member- 
ship; atone  time  their  roll  contained  the  names  of 
over  eighty  active  members,  but  in  the  report  for  the 
quarter  ending  August  1,  1885,  there  were  only  forty. 

Two  members  only  have  died  since  its  organiza- 
tion,— Goram  R.  Worth  and  Willie  Edmunds. 

George  H.  Hoyt  Post,  No.  66,  G.  A.  R.,  was  or- 
ganized March  14,  1883,  by  Department  Commander 
John  Linnihau,  assisted  by  Assistant  Quartermaster 
General  J.  H.  French,  and  Officer-of-the-Day  Hol- 
brook, all  of  Pennacook,  and  by  the  George  W.  Gor- 
don Post  of  Suncook.  The  following  officers  were 
installed,  viz.:  Charles  W.  Leighton,  Commander; 


George  S.  Sanders,  Senior  Vice-Commander;  James 
W.  Marden,  Junior  Vice-Commander;  George  H. 
Haynes,  Adjutant;  Christopher  T.  Heath,  Quar- 
termaster; Joseph  Roderick,  Surgeon;  Henry  E. 
Dotey,  Chaplain;  Thomas  J.  Ames,  Outer  Guard; 
George  H.  Rand,  O.  M. ; Samuel  T.  Bickford,  Quarter- 
master-Sergeant. 

Its  first  meetings  were  held  in  the  town  hall,  but 
in  the  summer  of  1883,  Silver  Robinson  enlarged 
their  store  building,  and  finished  a hall,  which  is 
known  as  Grand  Army  Hall,  and  was  dedicated  by 
the  post  September  20,  1883,  in  which  they  have 
since  held  their  meetings. 

The  post  has  had  fifty-six  different  members,  and 
lost  only  one  by  death,  Comrade  Elbridge  Bachelder. 

It  has  observed  Memorial  Day,  having  public  ser- 
vices in  their  post-room,  and  the  memorial  services 
in  the  cemetery  at  Gossville,  which  have  been  very 
generally  attended  by  the  citizens  of  the  town. 

At  the  March  meeting,  1885,  the  sum  of  fifty  dol- 
lars was  donated  by  the  town  to  the  post  for  the 
expenses  of  Memorial  Day.  The  services  of  the 
Gossville  Cornet  Band  were  obtained  for  this  day, 
and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hillman,  of  Concord,  was  the  orator. 

The  Relief  Corps  was  organized  in  April,  1884, 
by  Mrs.  Foster,  of  Milford,  Mrs.  Deering,  of  Chiches- 
ter, and  Mrs.  Greene,  of  Pittsfield,  and  the  following 
officers  installed:  Mrs.  R.  W.  Heath,  President; 
Mrs.  Jennie  Leighton,  Senior  Vice-President;  Miss 
Lizzie  Roberts,  Junior  Vice-President;  Miss  Grace 
Edmonds,  Secretary;  Miss  Ida  Leighton,  Treasurer ; 
Mrs.  Oldis  Dotey,  Chaplain  ; Miss  Carrie  Yeaton, 
Conductor;  Mrs.  Mary  Hill,  Guard. 

McClary  Grange,  No.  102,  Patrons  of  Hgs- 
iiandry,  was  instituted  at  Short  Falls  by  George  R. 
Drake,  of  Pittsfield,  District  Deputy,  October  10, 
1884,  and  the  following  officers  installed:  Warren 
Tripp,  Master  ; George  Sanders,  Jr.,  Overseer  ; Hor- 
ace Fowler,  Secretary ; William  Fowler,  Treasurer; 
William  Goss,  Chaplain. 

They  meet  in  Odd-Fellows’  Hall  the  second  and 
fourth  Tuesdays  of  each  month. 

No  historical  sketch  of  Epsom  would  be  complete 
or  satisfactory  without  more  than  a passing  notice  of 
a family  that  figured  so  conspicuously  in  its  early 
history  as  did  that  of  the  McClarys.  From  a sketch 
of  the  family,  printed  in  the  Suncook  Valley  Times  in 
1868,  the  following  has  been  selected  by  permission 
of  the  author,  John  C.  French,  Esq. : 

Historical  Notes — The  McClary  Family. — The 
old  town  of  Epsom  has  furnished  many  worthy  men 
during  the  past  hundred  and  fifty  years,  who  have 
held  prominent  positions  of  trust  and  honor  in  the 
State  and  nation ; but  none  stand  out  in  so  bold  relief, 
or  are  more  worthy  of  remembrance,  than  the  Mc- 
Clarys. 

In  fact,  no  family  in  the  Suncook  Valley  fills  so 
large  a space  in  its  history  or  the  hearts  of  the  people. 
For  nearly  a century  the  McClarys  were  the  lead- 


462 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


ing,  influential  men  in  all  our  civil,  political  and  mili- 
tary affairs,  and  were  identified  with  all  the  important 
events  and  measures  that  received  the  attention  and 
governed  the  acts  of  the  successive  generations  during 
that  long  period  of  time. 

There  is  something  mournful  in  the  thought,  how- 
ever, that  a family  and  name  once  so  familiar  in  our 
midst  is  but  a record  of  the  past,  and  that  no  lineal 
male  descendant  is  living  to  inherit  the  honors  so 
dearly  won  by  a noble  ancestry,  or  to  transmit  the 
name  to  a grateful  posterity. 

And  it  is  passing  strange  that  so  little  has  been 
written  or  preserved  concerning  their  noble  deeds 
and  many  years’  service  in  public  life,  and  that  no 
testimonials  are  in  existence,  except  public  records, 
to  aid  in  preserving  their  memories. 

We  know  of  no  instance  in  our  State,  where  history 
has  so  sadly  neglected  to  do  justice  to  a family  which 
has  rendered  so  efficient  service  in  defending  the 
rights,  and  promoting  the  interests  of  our  common- 
wealth and  nation,  as  in  this  instance. 

The  only  official  effort  made  to  perpetuate  the  name, 
as  of  national  interest,  has  been  to  honor  one  of  the 
fortifications  of  Portsmouth  harbor  with  the  name, — 
Fort  McClary, — and  a privateer,  which  had  but  a 
short  existence.  The  name  of  only  one,  Major  An- 
drew McClary,  appears  in  our  printed  histories,  while 
several  others  of  the  family  are  equally  deserving  of 
mention. 

The  early  proprietors  and  settlers  of  Epsom  were  of 
good  English  stock,  though  there  was  a small  com- 
pany of  Scotch- Irish  from  Londonderry  who  bought 
lands  here  about  1738. 

Among  the  number  were  the  McClarys,  McCoys, 
McGaffeys,  Dickeys,  Wallaces,  Knoxs  etc. 

Among  the  number  who  felt  the  wrongs  and  oppres- 
sions, and  sought  an  asylum  for  himself  and  children 
in  the  wilderness  at  Londonderry,  was  Andrew  Mc- 
Clary. He  soon  died,  but  two  of  his  sons,  Andrew 
and  John,  grew  to  manhood  and  settled  in  Epsom, 
where  they  carved  for  themselves  a farm  and  for- 
tune. 

By  the  records,  wTe  find  that  Andrew  McClary  held 
town  office  in  1739,  and  for  eighty-three  successive 
years  some  members  of  the  family  were  promoted  to 
positions  of  trust  and  power  by  their  townsmen. 

This  forcibly  illustrates  the  popularity  and  apprecia- 
tion of  this  family  by  their  kinsmen  and  townsmen. 

Epsom,  at  that  time,  was  a frontier  town,  with  a 
few  scattering  pioneers,  striving  to  find  a “ local  habi- 
tation and  a name”  in  the  unbroken  forests. 

Theodore  Atkinson,  a wealthy  land-holder,  was  the 
leading  spirit,  among  the  proprietors,  in  inducing  a 
few  families  to  push  a settlement  so  far  into  the  woods. 
None  of  the  adjoining  towns  were  settled  till  many 
years  afterward.  This  was  nearly  thirty  years  before 
Chichester,  Pittsfield  or  Barnstead  were  settled,  twenty 
years  before  Concord  received  its  present  name, 
twenty  years  before  North  wood  and  Deerfield  were 


incorporated  and  thirty-six  years  before  the  Revolu- 
tion. 

The  first  settlement  in  the  Suncook  Valley  was  here, 
and  not  a tree  was  cut  between  this  and  the  Canadas, 
and  not  a clearing,  or  friendly  smoke,  or  any  signs  of 
civilization  to  break  the  monotony  of  the  unbounded 
forest  or  cheer  the  loneliness  of  the  early  settlers. 
The  sentiment  that  prompted  the  line, 

“ Oh  ! for  a lotlgt*  in  some  vast  wilderness, ” 

could  have  been  here  gratified.  Meagre,  indeed,  are 
the  records  and  traditions  concerning  these  hardy  for- 
esters during  their  many  years  of  border-life,  before 
the  Revolution. 

Nottingham  fort  was  the  nearest  neighbor  and  the 
asylum  for  safety. 

The  Indians  frequented  the  valley,  and  bears,  wild- 
cats, deer  and  catamounts  roamed  through  the  forest 
undisturbed. 

The  proprietors  built  a block-house,  or  garrison,  for 
refuge  in  case  of  danger.  It  was  built  near  Andrew 
McClary’s,  and  the  old  foundation  was  disturbed  last 
summer  by  building  the  new  house  for  Augustus 
Lord,  Esq.  Mrs.  McCoy  and  family  were  hastening 
to  and  had  nearly  reached  this  garrison,  when  cap- 
tured by  the  Indians  in  1754. 

Though  the  Indians  were  generally  friendly,  the 
inhabitants  were  greatly  annoyed,  and  the  growth  of 
the  settlement  slow  and  difficult. 

Andrew  and  John  McClary  were  the  leading  iu- 
| fluential  men  in  all  town  or  military  affairs. 

During  the  French  aifd  Indian  War,  commencing 
in  1756,  Epsom  was  one  of  the  frontier  towns;  the 
people  lived  in  fear  of  the  scalping-knife  and  toma- 
hawk, and  suffered  by  the  incursions  of  the  prowling 
! savages. 

Garrisons  were  established  at  Epsom,  Buck  Street, 
Pembroke,  and  a fort  at  Canterbury.  Government 
frequently  sent  small  detachments  of  troops  up 
through  this  section  scouting  for  the  enemy  and  to 
protect  and  encourage  the  settlers.  Captain  Andrew 
McClary  was  the  leading  man  in  this  region  in  all 
military  matters,  and  rendered  the  colony  efficient 
service  during  these  perilous  times.  He  had  the  per- 
sonal acquaintance  of  the  highest  officials  of  the  col- 
ony, and  such  noted  fighters  and  rangers  ;is  Stark, 
Goffe,  Rogers,  etc. 

His  name  frequently  appears  on  the  State  records. 
In  1755  he  applied  to  Governor  Wentworth  and  ob- 
tained a company  of  troop  to  go  in  search  of  the 
Indians  that  committed  the  massacre  and  captured 
the  McCall  family  at  Salisbury.  At  another  time  he 
obtained  a small  company  to  aid  in  doing  garrison 
duty  at  Epsom  while  the  Indians  were  seen  lurking 
about.  As  an  officer,  he  was  ever  ready  for  any  ex- 
posure or  danger,  while  his  men  had  the  most  implicit 
confidence  in  his  ability  and  integrity.  His  com- 
mand was  authoritative,  and  no  man  refused  obedience. 
In  case  of  an  emergency  lie  could  swear  enough  for  a 


EPSOM. 


463 


battalion,  enough  to  frighten  the  Penacooks  out  of 
the  Suncook  Valley  and  cause  the  Old  Scotch  Cov- 
enanters to  hold  up  their  hands  in  holy  horror.  He 
built  a one-story  frame  house,  and  kept  tavern  on  the 
height  of  land  on  the  road  leading  from  Epsom  village 
to  Pleasant  Pond.  The  place  is  now  owned  by  Jo- 
seph Lawrence,  better  known  as  Lawrence’s  “muster- 
field.”  His  home  was  the  common  resort  of  the  set- 
tlers, proprietors  and  scouts,  and  all  who  had  occasion 
to  travel  in  this  direction.  Town-meetings  were  held 
here  until  the  “new  meeting-house”  was  built,  jurors 
were  drawn  here  for  His  Majesty’s  Court,  training  of 
His  Majesty’s  soldiers,  and  many  rude  frolics  and 
exciting  incidents  which  have  long  since  passed  into 
oblivion,  never  to  be  recalled.  His  wealth  increased 
as  well  as  his  popularity.  He  owned  all  the  land  on 
the  north  side  of  the  road  to  Deerfield  line.  He  had 
the  advantages  of  a fair  English  education.  He  served 
as  town  clerk,  and  his  records  on  the  town-books 
indicate  a thorough  knowledge  of  business,  a good  use 
of  language  and  a style  and  beauty  of  penmanship 
seldom  found  at  the  present  day.  His  last  writing  on 
the  town-books,  the  year  before  he  was  killed,  evinced 
care,  accuracy  and  precision. 

He  took  a lively  interest  in  the  affairs  of  the  colo- 
nies, and  early  espoused  the  cause  of  the  people 
against  the  arbitrary  encroachments  of  the  mother- 
country  before  the  commencement  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary War. 

His  ancestry,  education  and  experience  would 
naturally  lead  him  to  take  sides  with  the  people  in 
defending  their  liberties  when  assailed  by  British 
oppression.  Frequent  meetings  were  held  at  his  house, 
and  measures  taken  to  co-operate  with  adjoining  towns 
for  mutual  rights  and  protection. 

The  Seven  Years’  War,  which  closed  in  1760,  had 
completely  aroused  the  military  spirit  of  the  province, 
and  organizations,  with  experienced  officers,  had  been 
maintained  up  to  the  time  of  the  Revolution.  A new 
regiment  was  then  formed,  the  Twelfth,  comprising  the 
towns  of  Nottingham,  Deerfield,  Epsom,  Northwood, 
Chichester  and  Pittsfield.  “ Coming  events  cast  their 
shadows  before.”  The  people  were  expecting  a serious 
conflict. 

The  location  of  McClary’s  tavern  made  it  a common 
resort  for  the  rustic  foresters  to  meet  and  talk  of  the 
difficulties,  while  the  popularity  and  ability  of  the 
jovial  landlord  rendered  him  the  political  and  military 
oracle  of  the  Suncook  Valley. 

The  battle  of  Lexington,  on  the  19th  of  April,  1775, 
sounded  the  tocsin  to  arms.  Signals  flamed  from  the 
hill-tops,  and  fleet  messengers  transmitted  news  from 
town  to  town. 

The  sturdy  yeomanry  of  the  Suncook  Valley 
snatched  their  trusty  firelocks  and  powder-horns,  and 
started  for  the  scene  of  hostilities  with  spirits  as  brave 
as  ever  animated  a soldier,  and  with  hearts  as  noble 
and  honest  as  ever  throbbed  in  the  cause  of  liberty 
and  freedom. 

30 


They  were  governed  by  one  common  impulse,  and 
came  from  blazed  paths  and  crooked  roads  that  wound 
through  the  forests  and  thickets.  They  were  all 
known  to  each  other  as  brothers  and  townsmen. 
Each  soldier  represented  a household,  and  they  and 
their  cause  were  commended  to  the  protection  of 
heaven  at  the  morning  and  evening  devotions,  and  in 
the  service  of  the  Sabbath;  donations  of  food  and 
clothing  were  freely  sent  to  them  by  the  families  at 
home. 

The  men  from  this  section  reached  Nottingham 
Square  about  one  o’clock,  where  they  found  Captain 
Cilley  and  Dr.  Dearborn,  with  a company  of  about 
sixty  men,  making,  with  themselves,  about  eighty  men. 

Who  would  not  like  to  see  those  men — some  with 
broad-tailed  black  coats,  worsted  stockings,  three-cor- 
nered hats;  others  in  coarse  homespun;  all  with 
long  stockings,  knee  and  shoe  buckles,  and  thick  cow- 
hide shoes?  Their  guns  and  equipments  were  as 
various  as  their  costumes.  Some  had  the  old  Queen 
Anne  that  had  doneservice  in  the  French  War;  some, 
long  fowling-pieces;  some,  a fusee;  only  one  had  a 
bayonet.  Powder-horn  and  shot-pouches  took  the 
place  of  cartridge-box. 

If  we  were  to  choose  a subject  for  a historical  paint- 
ing, we  would  prefer  the  scene  on  Nottingham  Square, 
April  29th,  where  were  paraded  the  noblest  band  of  pa- 
triots that  ever  left  New  Hampshire  to  vindicate  her 
honor  and  protect  her  liberties.  We  would  like  to 
hear  the  roll-call,  and  see  a photograph  of  these  heroes. 

Captain  Andrew  McClary  was  by  common  consent 
the  leading  spirit  of  this  noble  band  of  patriots, 
though  there  was  no  previous  organization. 

There  is  much  to  be  written  concerning  the  achieve- 
ments and  adventures  of  this  distinguished  company, 
and  many  of  the  able  men  composing  it,  but  the  most 
remarkable  and  thrilling  incident  in  this  connection 
was  their  famous  march  to  Cambridge. 

There  is  not  a parallel  in  the  annals  of  all  the  wars 
in  our  country,  and  such  wonderful  powers  of  endur- 
ance by  a whole  company  of  men  excites  our  surprise, 
as  their  patriotism  does  our  pride  and  admiration. 
No  other  locality  can  boast  of  sending  braver  hearts 
or  tougher  men  to  aid,  by  their  valor  and  persever- 
ance, in  establishing  the  noblest  republic  that  ever 
cheered  and  blest  a prosperous  people.  This  noble 
Spartan  band  opened  a series  of  brilliant  exploits  by 
performing  one  of  the  most  remarkable  physical  feats 
ever  recorded  in  our  nation’s  history.  Dr.  Dearborn 
gives  an  account  of  it,  and  Bancroft  a passing  notice, 
and  tradition  relates  it  from  generation  to  generation, 
but  it  should  be  familiar  to  every  son  and  daughter 
of  New  Hampshire  as  one  of  the  brightest  testimonials 
of  our  devotion  to  the  cause  of  freedom  and  inde- 
pendence. 

Accustomed  as  they  were  to  life  in  the  open  air, 
and  trials  of  strength  by  long  journeys,  hunting,  trap- 
ping and  scouti  ng,  they  knew  little  of  fear  and  fatigue 

Leaving  Nottingham  Square  at  one  o’clock  in  the 


464 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


afternoon,  they  pushed  on  at  a rapid  pace,  as  if  the 
destiny  of  the  province  or  hopes  of  the  nation  de- 
pended upon  their  alacrity  and  speed.  At  Kingston 
they  took  a double-quick  or  “ dog-trot,”  and  followed 
it  without  a halt  to  Haverhill,  crossing  the  Merrimack 
River  in  a ferry-boat  at  sunset,  having  made  twenty- 
seven  miles  in  six  hours. 

But  this  is  not  all, — they  halted  at  Andover  for 
supper,  and  then  started  for  a night  march,  and  on 
the  morning  of  the  21  at  sunrise,  they  were  paraded  on 
Cambridge  Common,  “spiling  for  a fight.”  Those 
from  Epsom  had  traveled  seventy  miles  in  less  than 
twenty-four  hours,  and  the  whole  company  from 
Nottingham  fifty-seven  miles  in  less  than  twenty 
hours. 

Did  bone  and  muscle  ever  do  better  ? That  was 
the  “ spirit  of  76  ; ” that  was  the  kind  of  stuff  the  men 
were  made  of  who  lived  in  the  Suncook  Valley  one 
hundred  and  ten  years  ago. 

Upon  the  organization  of  the  New  Hampshire 
troops  John  Stark  was  unanimously  chosen  colonel 
and  Andrew  McClary  major.  Conspicuous  for  his 
coolness  and  bravery,  Major  McClary  moved  among 
the  men  encouraging  and  calming  them  by  his  own 
example  and  word. 

When,  after  a hard  fought-battle  and  their  ammu- 
nition all  gone,  the  American  forces  were  compelled 
to  leave  the  field,  the  New  Hampshire  troops  retired 
in  excellent  order.  They  were  the  last  to  leave  the 
field,  and  Major  McClary  was  in  the  rear  maintaining 
order  and  discipline. 

As  the  Americans  retreated  across  the  neck  Major 
McClary  was  remarkably  animated  with  the  result  of 
the  contest.  That  day’s  conflict,  and  the  glorious 
display  of  valor  which  had  distinguished  his  country- 
men, made  him  sanguine  of  the  result.  Having 
passed  the  last  place  of  danger,  he  went  back  to  see  if 
the  British  were  disposed  to  follow  them  across  the 
neck,  thus  exposing  himself  to  danger  anew.  His 
men  cautioned  him  against  his  rashness.  “The  ball 
is  not  yet  cast  that  will  kill  me,”  said  he,  when  a 
random  shot  from  one  of  the  frigates  struck  a button- 
wood  tree  and,  glancing,  passed  through  his  abdomen. 
Throwing  his  hands  above  his  head,  he  leaped  several 
feet  from  the  ground  and  fell  forward  upon  his  face — 
dead. 

Thus  fell  Major  Andrew  McClary,  the  highest 
American  officer  killed  at  the  battle,  the  handsomest 
man  in  the  army  and  the  favorite  of  the  New  Hamp- 
shire troops.  His  dust  still  slumbers  where  it  was 
lain  by  his  sorrowing  comrades  in  Medford,  unhonored 
by  any  adequate  memorial  to  tell  where  lies  one  of 
the  heroes  that  ushered  in  the  Revolution  with  such 
auspicious  omens.  Major  McClary  had  a splendid 
physique  and  soldierly  appearance. 

With  all  the  bravery  of  Stark,  he  possessed  greater 
mental  endowments  and  culture.  With  the  natural 
ability  of  Sullivan,  he  possessed  the  magic  power  to 
incite  his  men  to  nobler  deeds.  With  the  popularity 


of  Poor,  he  was  more  cool  and  discreet.  In  fact,  he 
combined  more  completely  than  either  the  elements 
that  tend  to  make  a popular  and  successful  com- 
mander, and  had  his  life  been  spared,  he  would  doubt- 
less have  ranked  among  the  most  able  and  noted 
officers  of  the  Revolution.  He  married  in  early  life 
Elizabeth  McCrillis,  a strong-minded,  resolute  Scotch- 
Irish  girl,  who  proved  a valuable  help-meet  and 
capable  mother  to  his  seven  children.  After  her 
husband’s  death  she  kept  the  farm,  tavern  and  store 
alone,  assisted  at  first  by  her  husband’s  partner  in 
business,  John  Casey,  and  afterwards  by  her  eldest 
son,  James  Harvey.  Rumor  says  she  was  at  one  time 
published  to  be  married  to  the  above-named  John 
Casey,  but  the  match  was  prevented  by  the  interfer- 
ence of  a younger  rival  and  the  advice  of  her  friends. 
After  the  children  had  grown  up  and  nineteen  years 
of  widowhood,  she  married  Colonel  Samuel  Osgood  in 
1794.  She  died  in  1800,  aged  sixty-seven.  The  oldest 
son,  James  Harvey,  was  born  in  1762,  and  as  he  grew 
to  manhood,  continued  the  business  of  his  father  and 
rendered  valuable  service  to  the  family.  He  prose- 
cuted an  extensive  business  for  those  times,  having 
two  stores  and  a potash-factory,  besides  the  farm  and 
tavern. 

He  was  highly  respected,  exemplary  in  his  habits, 
early  promoted  to  offices  of  public  trust  and  honor, 
which  he  held  for  a series  of  years.  He  was  one  of  the 
leading  spirits  in  the  organization  of  the  Eighteenth 
Regiment,  and  one  of  its  first  commanders,  afterwards 
promoted  to  a brigadier-general  of  the  militia. 

He  married  Betsey  Dearborn,  of  North  Hampton, 
an  estimable  lady,  in  1789,  by  whom  he  had  six  chil- 
dren, but  the  whole  family  have  gone  to  their  long 
home  except  one  daughter. 

The  second  son,  Andrew,  born  in  1765,  was  smart 
and  active ; he  received  a good  education,  but  had  a 
wild,  roving  inclination.  He  entered  the  regular 
army,  was  soon  promoted  to  the  rank  of  captain, 
served  for  a time  on  the  frontier,  and  for  several  years 
was  clerk  in  the  War  Department  at  Washington, 
where  he  died  in  middle  life.  The  third  son,  John, 
born  in  1767,  a man  of  fine  abilities  and  credit, 
followed  his  brother  into  the  regular  army,  and  also 
rose  to  the  rank  of  captain,  served  on  the  frontier  and 
died  at  Fort  Gibson.  He  married  Abigail  Pearson,  of 
Epsom,  in  1791  ; they  had  one  son,  Charles,  who  went 
to  Stanstead,  Canada. 

The  fourth  son,  William,  was  a blacksmith  by 
trade;  he  married  Isabel  Dickey  in  1795,  and  in 
company  with  quite  a number  of  young  men  from 
Epsom  first  settled  in  Stanstead,  Canada. 

There  were  also  three  daughters, — Elizabeth  mar- 
ried Captain  Simon  Heath,  well-known  in  Epsom  and 
vicinity  ; Margaret  married  Rev.  Mr.  Haseltiue,  who 
was  the  pastor  of  the  Congregational  Church  in  Ep- 
som for  thirty  years ; Nancy,  the  youngest  daughter, 
married  John  Stevens.  No  family  record  or  papers 
have  been  found  to  aid  in  this  humble  sketch,  but  we 


EPSOM. 


465 


have  given  many  official  and  well-authenticated  facts 
which  are  rescued  from  oblivion,  and  may  be  inter- 
esting to  some  of  the  readers  of  the  times,  and  may  aid 
the  future  historian  in  giving  this  family  more  ex- 
tended mention  than  they  have  yet  received  in  our 
written  histories. 

But  in  this  connection  we  earnestly  desire  to  call 
attention  to  one  great  duty  yet  to  be  rendered  to 
Major  Andrew  McClary.  The  family,  town  or  State 
have  shown  little  patriotism,  gratitude  or  affection  in 
neglecting  to  erect  some  monument  or  stone  to  mark 
his  burial-place.  He  was  buried  near  the  encampment 
of  the  New  Hampshire  Brigade  at  Medford,  near  some 
two  hundred  New  Hampshire  soldiers  who  died  of 
disease  and  wounds. 

John  McClary  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1719,  and 
emigrated  with  his  family  to  America  when  he  was 
thirteen  years  old,  A.  D.  1733.  His  father  and  the 
family  settled  in  Epsom  in  the  year  1738. 

John  became  industrious,  methodical  and  exacting, 
a stern  Presbyterian,  as  rigid  as  the  old  Scotch  Cov- 
enanters,— very  different  from  his  jovial,  rough,  im- 
pulsive, convivial  brother,  Major  Andrew. 

He  had  no  advantages  of  schooling;  still  he  pos- 
sessed a large  share  of  common  sense,  a strong  mind 
and  good  judgment. 

He  early  became  one  of  the  leading  men  in  Ep- 
som, was  chosen  moderator  and  for  over  forty  years 
was  one  of  the  principal  officers  and  advisers  in  town 
affairs. 

He  was  justice  of  the  peace  under  the  provincial 
government,  and  all  cases  of  litigation  in  this  vicinity 
came  before  Esquire  John  McClary  for  trial. 

He  was  well  versed  in  Indian  affairs,  was  called 
out  to  do  scouting  duty  in  the  French  and  Indian 
War,  was  a captain  of  the  militia  at  that  time  and 
rose  to  the  rank  of  colonel  before  the  Revolution. 

Though  closely  connected  with  the  Royal  govern- 
ment, he  took  a decisive  stand  with  the  colonists  to 
resist  British  oppression  ; and  while  his  brother  rep- 
resented the  military  spirit  of  the  Suncook  Valley, 
Esquire  John  represented  the  civil  authority  both  un- 
der monarchical  and  republican  rule. 

The  towns  of  Epsom,  Allentown  and  Chichester 
(including  Pittsfield)  were  classed  together,  and  Es- 
quire John  McClary  was  annually  chosen  to  repre- 
sent them  at  the  convention  at  Exeter.  With  such 
men  as  Colonel  Joseph  Badger,  of  Cfilmanton,  Es- 
quire John  Cram,  of  Pittsfield,  and  Hall  Bergen,  of 
Allenstown  as  leading  spirits,  the  hardy  settlers  of 
the  Suncook  Valley  were  true  to  the  cause  of  inde- 
pendence. 

Not  a single  instance  of  Toryism  is  recorded.  Es- 
quire John  McClary  was  a prominent  member  of  the 
first  convention  to  organize  a colonial  government 
and  afterwards  in  framing  our  State  government,  and 
was  an  active  member  nearly  twenty  years. 

He  held  the  responsible  office  as  one  of  the  Com- 
mittee of  Safety  from  1777  to  1783.  This  committee 


had  power  to  call  out  troops  at  such  time  and  in  such 
numbers  as  they  deemed  necessary  and  expedient. 

In  1780  he  was  elected  to  the  Council,  and  annually 
for  the  four  succeeding  years.  In  1784  he  was 
chosen  to  the  Council  and  also  to  the  Senate,  and 
served  as  member  of  that  honorable  body  three  years. 

He  was  tall,  erect,  commanding,  dignified  and 
made  an  excellent  presiding  officer. 

In  early  life  he  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Harvey, 
of  Nottingham.  She  was  also  born  in  Ireland,  and 
came  to  this  country  in  the  same  ship  with  the  Mc- 
Clarys.  They  had  four  children.  The  oldest  son, 
John  McClary,  Jr.,  who  had  many  of  the  character- 
istics and  promising  qualities  of  his  father,  entered 
the  army  of  the  Revolution  and  w'as  killed  at  the  bat- 
tle of  Saratoga  in  1787,  while  serving  as  lieuten- 
ant in  General  Whipple’s  brigade  (“  Adjutant-Gen- 
ral’s  Report  ” says  Lieutenant  Michael,  which  is  au 
error).  The  second  son,  Michael,  will  be  the  subject 
of  another  sketch.  The  third  son,  Andrew,  was  sent 
to  Dummer  Academy  to  be  educated,  and  died  there 
during  the  war,  aged  sixteen.  He  w'as  buried  at 
Medford,  by  the  side  of  his  uncle,  Major  Andrew 
McClary 

They  had  but  one  daughter,  Mollie,  who  married 
Daniel  Page,  of  Deerfield. 

Captain  John  McClary  had  three  sisters,  who  set- 
tled in  Epsom,  besides  his  parents  and  brother  An- 
drew. The  eldest,  Margaret,  married  Deacon  Samuel 
Wallace.  The  second,  Jane,  married  John  McGaffy, 
and  the  third,  Ann,  married  Richard  Tripp. 

After  a long  and  useful  life,  he  died  at  the  green 
old  age  of  eighty-two,  a.d.  1801. 

The  McClarys  owned  a very  large  landed  estate, 
which  was  divided  into  several  valuable  farms  for  the 
sons  and  daughters.  They  are  of  good  soil  and  loca- 
tion, commanding  a fine  prospect.  Esquire  John 
built  a oue-story  house  on  the  south  side  of  the  road. 
The  house  was  enlarged  at  various  times  and  be- 
came a venerable-looking  mansion.  It  is  now  owned 
by  Michael  McClary  Steele,  of  the  fifth  generation  of 
the  McClarys  and  great-grandson  of  Esquire  John. 

The  old  mansion  is  a place  of  peculiar  interest. 
Here,  for  many  years,  Esquire  John  received  the 
friendly  and  official  visits  of  the  leading  men  of  the 
province.  Here  civil  courts  and  military  tribunals 
were  held,  and  here,  for  half  a century  following,  his 
son,  General  Michael,  dispensed  his  hospitalities  to 
his  townsmen  and  the  distinguished  men  of  the  times. 
Among  the  number  were  such  as  Generals  Sullivan, 
Dearborn,  Stark,  Governors  Gilman,  Langdon,  Plum- 
mer, Smith,  etc. 

That  honorable  and  distinguished  body,  the  New 
Hampshire  Branch  of  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati, 
held  three  of  its  annual  meetings  at  this  house. 

Near  by,  the  huge  liberty-pole  was  erected  in  1783, 
at  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  on  the  declaration  of 
j peace,  when  the  scattered  settlers  of  the  Suncook 
I Valley  met  to  celebrate  the  happy  event  which  they 


466 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


had  so  nobly  strove  to  win.  Good  speeches,  good- 
cheer  abounded;  but  “tell  it  not  in  Gath,”  publish  it 
only  in  the  local  “Times,”  the  glorious  occasion 
wound  up  in  a glorious  drunk. 

In  fact,  no  house  in  the  valley,  or  all  the  section 
around,  has  so  many  rich  historical  associations  con- 
nected with  it  as  the  old  McClary  homestead. 

The  arrangement  of  the  interior  is  reverently  pre- 
served, and  as  one  passes  through  its  spacious  rooms, 
viewing  the  relics  of  the  past,  and  reflects  upon  the 
large  number  of  honorable  and  distinguished  men 
who  have  met  within  its  walls,  reason  seems  to  lose 
its  bounds,  and  one  fancies  he  is  wandering  through 
some  ancient  baronial  hall  or  old  Scottish  castle 
built  in  the  age  of  chivalry,  rather  than  viewing  a 
spacious  farm-house  in  the  dull,  quiet,  old  farming 
town  of  Epsom. 

General  Michael  McClary,  second  son  of 
Esquire  John  McClary,  was  born  in  Epsom  in  1758. 
He  received  the  advantages  of  a fair  education,  was  a 
smart,  active  lad,  and,  in  common  with  other  members 
of  the  family,  had  very  decidedly  a military  turn. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-three  he  joined  the  army,  at 
the  breaking  out  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  was 
appointed  ensign  in  Captain  Henry  Dearborn’s  com- 
pany, in  Stark’s  regiment.  His  company,  mostly 
from  the  Suncook  Vailey,  rendered  heroic  service  at 
the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill.  In  1777  he  was  promoted 
and  made  captain  in  Colonel  Scammel’s  regiment! 

He  served  four  years  in  the  army,  taking  part  in 
some  of  the  most  decisive  engagements  of  the  war, 
and  suffered  with  his  men  some  of  the  severest  priva- 
tions and  fatigues.  Many  interesting  incidents  per- 
taining to  his  company  ought  to  be  published.  His 
soldierly  qualities,  engaging  manners  and  family  con- 
nection gave  him  the  acquaintance  and  friendship  of 
the  leading  officers  of  the  Revolution,  and  by  a severe 
experience  in  the  army  he  gained  a thorough  knowl- 
edge of  men  and  national  affairs,  which  proved  of 
great  practical  advantage  in  after-years. 

On  returning  from  the  army  he  at  once  took  a prom- 
inent position  in  social  and  political  life,  which  he 
held  for  half  a century.  He  took  an  active  part  in 
the  organization  of  the  State  government,  and  being 
well  versed  in  military  affairs  and  of  good  executive 
ability,  he  was  appointed  adjutant-general  for  the 
State  of  New  Hampshire.  He  organized  that  depart- 
ment, and  held  the  office  twenty-one  consecutive 
years.  In  1796  he  was  elected  Senator,  and  was  a 
member  of  that  body  seven  years,  and  such  was  his 
popularity  that  the  votes  in  Epsom  were  unanimously 
in  his  favor,  and  nearly  so  in  the  adjoining  towns. 

He  was  United  States  marshal  for  a long  time, 
which,  during  the  last  war  with  England,  with  the 
large  amount  of  privateering  prosecuted  at  Portsmouth, 
was  a very  responsible  office.  He  was  tendered  the 
nomination  as  candidate  for  Governor,  but  declined 
to  accept. 

Though  well  known  throughout  the  State,  and  with 


positions  of  honor  and  trust  at  his  command,  his  pop- 
ularity, power  and  influence  in  his  native  town  was 
the  most  remarkable.  He  seemed  to  control  the 
affairs  of  Epsom  with  almost  universal  consent.  For 
over  fifty  years  he  served  his  townsmen  in  some  ca- 
pacity, either  moderator,  town  clerk,  representative 
or  auditor.  He  was  decidedly  the  most  popular  and 
influential  man  that  ever  lived  in  town.  Said  an  old 
Federalist:  “ If  I had  a family  of  children  who  would 
obey  me  as  well  as  the  people  of  Epsom  do  General 
McClary,  I should  be  a happy  man.” 

Though  once  a Federalist,  he  cast  his  lot  with  the 
Democratic  party  and  carried  the  town  with  him  al- 
most unanimously.  One  year,  only  one  Federal  vote 
was  thrown. 

During  the  last  war  writh  England  party  feeling  ran 
high,  and  party  lines  were  clearly  drawn.  Governor 
Plummer,  through  Adjutant-General  McClary,  called 
out  detachments  of  the  militia  without  calling  together 
the  Council  or  Legislature,  which  provoked  a great 
deal  of  controversy.  General  McClary  procured  sup- 
plies for  the  troops,  made  preparations  for  the  defense 
of  Portsmouth,  purchased  cannon  and  munitions  of 
war,  but  in  1814,  when  the  Federalists  rallied  and 
elected  John  T.  Gilman  as  Governor,  General  McClary 
resigned  with  virtuous  indignation  his  office,  which 
he  had  filled  with  credit  and  ability,  and  in  which 
capacity  he  had  reviewed  every  regiment  in  the  State. 
The  town  of  Epsom  strongly  supported  the  war.  A 
full  company,  under  Captain  Jonathan  Godfrey,  volun- 
teered for  the  defense  of  Portsmouth. 

Michael  McClary  also  did  much  business  as  justice 
of  the  peace  and  probate  judge.  Most  of  the  court 
business  for  this  vicinity  was  done  at  Epsom,  and 
most  cases  of  litigation  were  brought  before  him  for 
trial. 

He  took  an  active  part  in  organizing  the  New 
Hampshire  Branch  of  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati  ; 
he  was  the  first  treasurer,  and  held  the  office  twenty- 
five  years.  This  honorable  body  of  Revolutionary 
officers  met  annually  on  the  4th  of  July;  three  of 
their  annual  meetings  were  held  at  the  house  of  Gen- 
! eral  3IcClary.  This  society  is  worthy  of  more  ex- 
tended mention,  and  their  annual  meetings  probably 
called  together  more  noted  men  than  ever  assembled 
on  any  other  occasion  in  the  Suncook  Valley.  He 
was  also  a zealous  Free-Mason.  As  is  well  known, 
many  of  the  officers  of  the  Revolution  were  Masons. 
While  in  the  army  young  McClary  had  met  in  secret 
conclavesuch  men  as  Washington,  Lafayette,  Sullivan 
and  other  brothers  of  the  mystic  order,  and  became 
an  earnest  worker  in  the  craft.  In  connection  with 
other  ex-officers,  he  was  instrumental  in  organizing  a 
lodge  at  Deerfield,  and  in  honor  of  General  Sullivan, 
it  was  named  Sullivan  Lodge.  He  was  the  first 
Senior  Warden  of  this  lodge,  and  afterwards  Worship- 
ful Master. 

In  appearance  General  McClary  was  tall,  command- 
ing, well-proportioned  and  prepossessing.  He  made 


EPSOM. 


4G7 


a tine  appearance  as  a military  officer,  either  on  foot 
or  in  the  saddle,  which,  with  his  position,  means  and 
hospitality,  rendered  him  exceedingly  popular.  He 
was  remarkably  affable  and  engaging  in  his  manners, 
interesting  in  conversation,  graceful  in  his  movements, 
convivial  in  his  habits,  generous,  hospitable  and  pub- 
lic-spirited, possessing  the  elements  of  popularity, 
though  fond  of  power,  and  when  opposed,  displayed 
some  traits  not  recorded  among  the  Christian  graces. 
His  acquaintance  and  correspondence  was  remarka- 
bly extensive,  embracing  many  of  the  most  distin- 
guished men  of  the  country.  He  married,  in  1779, 
Sally  Dearborn,  an  intelligent,  interesting  and  accom- 
plished lady,  daughter  of  Dr.  Dearborn,  of  Northamp- 
ton. The  marriage  was  a happy  one.  They  entered 
company  with  style  and  grace,  and  around  their  fes- 
tive board  have  been  many  happy  meetings  of  the 
prominent  men  of  the  times. 

They  had  five  children  that  survived  the  perils  of 
childhood.  The  oldest  son,  John,  born  in  1785,  was  of 
great  personal  beauty  and  accomplishments.  He  was 
early  promoted  to  offices  of  trust, — Representative, 
Senator  and  a clerkship  at  Washington.  He  was 
killed  by  a falling  building  when  but  thirty-six.  He 
was  the  most  popular  and  promising  young  man  in 
this  region,  and  his  death  caused  great  demonstra- 
tions of  grief.  The  funeral  was  the  largest  ever  held 
in  the  Suncook  Valley,  and  was  attended  by  Rev.  Jon- 
athan Curtis,  an  able  divine,  especially  on  funeral 
occasions. 

The  second  son,  Andrew,  born  in  1787,  was  also 
unusually  smart  and  prepossessing,  but  was  wild  and 
roving.  He  entered  the  army  in  the  War  of  1812,  and 
served  as  captain.  He  married  Mehitable  Duncan, 
of  Concord,  in  1813,  and  had  one  daughter.  Shortly 
after  this  event  he  sailed  for  Calcutta,  and  was  lost 
at  sea. 

General  McClary  also  had  three  daughters  of  rare 
attractions.  The  oldest,  Nancy  Dearborn,  born  in 
1789,  married  Samuel  Lord,  of  Portsmouth,  whose 
ability  and  wealth  are  well  known.  One  of  his  sons, 
Augustus,  has  purchased  a large  part  of  the  old 
McClary  estate.  The  second  daughter,  Elizabeth 
Harvey,  born  in  1791,  married  Jonathan  Steele,  a 
lawyer  from  Peterborough.  They  settled  on  the  home- 
stead now  owned  and  occupied  by  their  son,  Michael 
McClary  Steele.  The  third  daughter,  Mary,  born  in 
1794,  married  Robert  Parker,  and  is  still  living  in 
Fitzwilliam. 

General  McClary  and  wife  both  lived  to  a good  old 
age.  The  sad  fate  of  their  sons  fell  with  crushing 
and  disastrous  weight  upon  the  parents,  wearing 
away  by  inches  their  life  and  vitality,  and  their  poig- 
nant grief  was  only  assuaged  by  the  grave. 

He  died  in  1825,  aged  seventy-two,  and  was  buried 
with  his  ancestors  in  the  old  burying-ground  in  Ep- 
som, where  rests  the  dust  of  many  heroic  dead,  whose 
lives  and  deeds  are  fast  fading  from  the  memory  of 
passing  generations. 


The  papers  following  are  copies  of  votes,  receipts 
and  other  papers  that  are  interesting  as  curiosities  : 

“ To  the  Honorable  Genl  Assembly  Convened  at  Exeter  19 th  April , 1780: 
“The  petition  of  Michael  McClary  Humbly  Sheweth  that  your  peti- 
tioner was,  by  the  authority  of  the  State,  appointed  to  the  Command  of  a 
Company  (in  Defence  of  his  Country)  the  eighth  of  November,  177G, 
Continued  in  his  command  till  Sept.,  1778.  Then,  by  reason  of  a bad  State 
of  Health,  was  obliged  to  resign  his  command.  And  Notwithstanding 
the  many  Fatigues  & hardships  he  has  been  obliged  to  encounter  (which 
has  ruined  his  Constitution),  he  is  by  a late  resolve  of  the  Genl  Assembly 
deprived  of  having  the  depreciation  of  his  wages  made  good.  Therefore 
prays  you  would  take  the  matter  under  your  wise  Consideration  and 
make  the  depreciation  of  his  wages  good  up  to  the  time  he  left  the  ser- 
vice. 

“ And  your  petitioner  as  in  duty  bound  will  ever  pray. 

“ Michl  McClary.” 

The  above  request  was  granted  April  25,  1780. 

A warrant  beginning  “State  of  New  Hampshire  : 
The  Government  and  People  of  said  State:  To  the 
Selectmen  of  Epsom,  in  the  County  of  Rockingham,  in 
said  State,”  and  issued  by  M.Weare,  President  of  Coun- 
cil, and  John  Langdon,  Speaker  of  the  House,  requir- 
ing the  said  selectmen  to  notify  the  legal  inhabitants 
paying  taxes  in  the  towns  of  Epsom,  Chichester  and 
Allenstown,  to  meet  at  the  meeting-house  in  said  Ep- 
som, on  Monday,  the  8th  day  of  December,  1777,  for 
the  purpose  of  electing  one  person  having  a real  estate 
of  two  hundred  pounds,  lawful  money,  to  represent 
them  in  the  General  Assembly  to  be  held  at  Exeter  in 
said  State,  on  the  third  Wednesday  of  the  same  De- 
cember, was  signed  by  ’‘John  Cate,  selectman,  in  be- 
half of  the  others,  who  are  absent  in  the  service.” 

At  the  meeting  called  as  above,  Ede  Hall  Bergen, 
of  Allenstown,  was  chosen  moderator  and  Colonel 
John  McClary  representative. 

May  11,  1778,  Colonel  John  McClary  was  chosen  to 
convene  at  Concord  on  the  10th  day  of  June  follow- 
ing “ for  the  purpose  of  forming  and  laying  a per- 
manent plan  or  system  of  Government  for  the  future 
Happiness  ajid  well-beingof  the  good  people  of  this 
State.” 

March  17,  1779,  “Rased  $600  for  the  repair  of  High- 
ways in  labor  at  three  Dollars  per  day.” 

August  23,  1779,  it  was  “ Voted  to  send  a man  to 
Concord,  in  this  State,  to  meet  in  convention  in  order 
to  regulate  the  prices  of  the  Necessaries  of  Life ; “also 
“ Voted  Lieut.  Samuel  Osgood  be  appointed  for  the 
above  purpose.” 

May  22, 1780,  it  was  “ Voted  that  a committee  of 
safety  be  chosen  for  the  town  of  Epsom  the  ensuing 
year,  whose  business  it  shall  be  at  all  times  to  consult 
the  good  and  welfare  of  this  Town.  Said  committee 
shall  consist  of  the  five  following  persons,  viz. : Lieut. 
Benj1.  Goodwin,  John  Casey,  Capt.  Jerem'1  Prescott, 
Thomas  Babb  and  Ebenr  Wallis.” 

“State  of  New  Ham*,  Rockingham,  S.S  : 

“This  may  certify  that  Amos  Morrill  has  within  twelve  months  past 
wrought  in  his  own  Blacksmith  Shop  in  Epsom  one  Hundred  Thousand 
of  Ten  penny  nails,  and  that  he  is  Intittled  to  a bounty  agreeable  to  a law 
of  this  State. 

“ Thomas  Babb,  ) Select  Men 
“ George  Sanders,  / of  Epsom.' 

“ Epsom,  16th  March,  1791.” 


468 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


“ Rockingham,  S.S.,  March  10,  1791: 

“ This  May  Certify  that  Amos  Morrill  lias  made  it  appear  to  me  that 
he  has  within  twelve  months  past  wrought  one  Hundred  Thousand  of 
Ten  penny  Nails  in  his  own  Blacksmith  Shop  in  Epsom. 

‘ Attest:  Michl  McClary,  J.  P." 

“ Aug.  12,  1791. 

“ Recieved  an  order  on  the  Treasurer  for  five  pounds. 

“ A.  Morrill.” 


“ Recieved  of  the  Selectmen  Seven  pounds  Eight  Shillings,  it  being  in 
full  for  Seventeen  Thousand  of  Shingles  and  twenty-three  hundred  of 
Boards  Delivered  att  the  meeting-house  in  Jany.  13,  1785. 

“John  Cass. 

“ Epsom,  March  15,  1785.” 

“ Recd  of  the  Selectmen  of  Epsom  an  Order  on  Tho8.  Babb  for  one 
pound  Eight  Shillings,  which  order  when  paid,  will  be  in  full  for  three 
thousand  of  board  nails  which  I Obligated  to  purchase,  and  did  purchase 
for  said  Town. 

“Moses  Lock. 

“tEpsom,  8th  March,  1785.” 

“ Epsom,  October  2,  1783. — Recieved  of  Michael  McClary  the  sum  of 
five  hard  dollars  for  preaching  one  Sabbath. 

“ By  me  Oliver  Noble.” 

“ Epsom,  March  13, 1789. 

“ Received  of  Mr.  Josiali  Sanborn,  Agent  for  the  town  of  Epsom  for  ye 
year  1788,  eight  Bushels  of  Wheat,  thirty-nine  Bushels  & % of  Rye  Jk 
thirty  Bushels  of  Potatoes, 

“ Recd  per  me 

“ Ebenezer  Haseltink. 

£.  s.  d. 


“ 8 bushels  wheat  (&  5 s 2 0 0 

39V^  bushels  Rye  (2,  ’.is.  fid 6 17  4 

30  bushels  potatoes  @ 10<2 1 5 0 


10  2 4 *' 


8.  d. 


“ Moses  Locke,  a Soldier  in  the  Cont.  Army  for  the  town  of  Epsom,  Dr. 
1781  £. 

March.  To  cash  advanced  for  sundry  supplies  for 
the  support  of  your  family  during  the  year  1780.  819 

March  19,  By  Cash  recd  of  Mrs.  Locke 12 

“Epsom,  April  18,  1781. 

“ John  Casey, 

“ Benja.  Goodwin, 

“Thomas  Babb. 

“ To  the  Committee  on  Claims  at  Exeter.” 


) Select  Men 
C for  Epsom. 


March  19,  1783,  it  was  “ Voted  that  the  boards  that 
are  due  from  individuals  in  this  town  shall  he  recov- 
ered and  disposed  of  to  the  best  advantage,  and  the 
money  converted  to  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  for 
the  year  current.” 

March  17,1784,  it  was  “ Voted  to  raise  forty-five 
pounds  for  the  support  of  a school.” 

March,  1787,  it  was  “ Voted  that  the  town  ofEpsom 
purchase  a cow  and  lend  her  to  Israel  Clifford.”  A 
few  years  later,  the  town,  by  vote,  ordered  the  select- 
men to  sell  said  cow  and  use  the  proceeds  towards 
paying  the  debts  of  the  town. 

March,  1782,  it  was  “ Voted  to  raise  one  hundred 
silver  dollars  for  the  support  of  schools.” 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


NOAH  MARTIN,  M.D. 

The  active  and  energetic  family  of  Martin  has  im- 
pressed itself  on  many  nationalities,  and  those  bearing 
that  name  have  attained  eminence  in  various  fields  of 
honor  and  usefulness.  The  American  family  goes 


back  through  the  Seoteh-Irish  stock  to  the  time  when 
France  and  Scotland  were  so  intimately  connected, 
and,  perhaps,  to  the  time  when  William,  the  Con- 
queror, marshaled  his  adherents  and  retainers  for 
the  bloody  battle  of  Sanguelac  or  Hastings,  which 
decided  the  fate  of  England  and  changed  the  course 
of  civilization,  for  on  the  list  of  those  who  accompa- 
nied him  were  several  of  the  name.  In  France  it  has 
been  an  illustrious  name  in  law,  science  and  litera- 
ture. Five  of  the  Popes  have  borne  the  name. 
Everywhere  we  find  among  the  members  of  the  Mar- 
tin family  ambitious  hard-working,  successful,  men  of 
more  than  ordinary  ability. 

Early  in  the  eighteenth  century,  when  the  stalwart 
and  freedom-loving  defenders  of  Londonderry,  Ireland, 
emigrated  to  America  to  found  a new  Londonderry  in  a 
land  where  religious  persecution  should  not  seek  their 
blood,  Nathaniel  Martin,  the  earnest  man,  with  Marga- 
ret Mitchell,  his  wife,  and  son  William,  were  among 
the  early  settlers  who  made  a home  in  this  wild  and 
strange  country.  Nowhere  in  America  have  been 
found  more  honest  virtues  or  more  sterling  qualities 
than  were  in  this  notable  settlement,  and  the  descend- 
ants of  these  people  may  well  look  with  pride  upon 
their  Scotcli-Irish  ancestry. 

William  (2)  was  born  in  1712;  married  Hannah 
Cochrane.  Their  children  were  Mary,  James,  Na- 
thaniel, William,  Robert,  Samuel  and  Hannah. 

Samuel  (3),  horn  May  26,  1762 ; married  Sally,  el- 
dest daughter  of  Major  James  Cochrane,  of  Pem- 
broke, N.  H.,  and  had  Polly,  Thomas,  James,  Noali 
and  Nancy. 

Noah  (4),  born  in  Epsom,  N.  H.,  July  26,  1801  ; 
married,  October  25,  1825,  Mary  Jane,  daughter  of 
Dr.  Robert  Woodbury,  of  Barrington,  and  had  two 
daughters, — Elizabeth  A.  and  Caroline  M.  He  died 
May  28,  1863,  of  apoplexy.  Mrs.  Martin  died  June 
30,  1880. 

Noah  Martin,  M.D.,  was  studious  from  early  life, 
and,  his  tastes  leading  him  in  that  direction,  he 
elected  to  follow  the  study  of  medicine,  and  perse- 
vered through  many  difficulties  until  he  had  acquired 
a thorough  classical  and  professional  education. 
After  the  usual  attendance  at  the  district  schools  and 
private  tuition  of  Rev.  Jonathan  Curtis,  he  became  a 
pupil  at  Pembroke  Academy,  where  he  had  the  ben- 
efit of  instruction  from  those  able  preceptors,  the 
Rev.  Amos  Burnham  and  Professor  John  Vose.  His 
professional  studies  were  commenced  in  the  office  of 
Dr.  Pillsbury,  of  Pembroke,  with  whom  he  remained 
one  year,  and  he  finished  his  preparatory  medical 
education  with  Dr.  Graves,  of  Deerfield,  being  with 
him  two  years.  He  then  entered  the  Medical  De- 
partment at  Dartmouth  College,  and  was  graduated  in 
the  class  of  1824,  and  soon  after  was  associated  with 
Dr.  Graves  and  in  practice  in  Deerfield  one  year. 
In  1825,  Dr.  Martin  removed  to  Great  Falls,  and, 
being  a thorough  student,  he  felt  that  to  keep  abreast 
of  his  profession  he  must  have  a catholicity  of  thought 


Eng  ibyAKRvtcUe 


L_ 


EPSOM. 


469 


that  would  allow  him  to  discriminate  and  use  those 
discoveries  in  medical  science  which  could  be  made 
beneficial  to  his  fellow-men,  and  he  soon  showed  that 
skill  and  energy  which  is  the  key-note  of  success,  ac- 
quired a large  and  lucrative  practice,  and  was  a leading 
member  of  the  medical  fraternity.  After  nine  years’ 
residence  in  Great  Falls  he  removed  to  Dover.  His 
established  reputation,  both  as  a physician  and  sur- 
geon, brought  him  at  once  into  the  confidence  of  the 
people  in  Dover.  And  now,  after  ten  years  of  pro- 
fessional life,  Dr.  Martin  was  considered  one  of  the 
best  physicians  and  surgeons  in  the  State ; in  fact, 
the  leading  physician  in  that  section,  and  the  con- 
sulting physician  in  cases  requiring  superior  medical 
skill.  His  natural  dignity  of  mien  and  courteous 
bearing,  united  with  his  social  qualities,  pleasing  ad- 
dress and  sympathetic  heart,  made  him  very  popular. 
Generous  in  the  matter  of  his  services,  prompt  to 
answer  the  call  of  those  from  whom  no  remuneration 
could  come  as  well  as  that  of  the  wealthiest  man,  all 
who  sought  his  counsel  found  him  faithful  and  sure, 
always  ready  with  kind  words  of  advice  and  encour- 
agement, and  in  the  many  delicate  offices  connected 
with  his  profession  he  displayed  that  discriminating 
sense,  judgment  and  tact,  conjoined  with  a nice  ob- 
servance of  a tender  and  scrupulous  confidence,  which 
were  among  his  characteristics,  and  endeared  him  to 
the  hearts  of  his  patients.  He  was  deeply  devoted  to 
his  profession,  pursuing  it  with  ceaseless  ardor,  giv- 
ing it  his  greatest  thought  and  study,  making  many 
sacrifices  of  a personal  nature  for  its  benefit,  keeping 
thoroughly  informed  regarding  all  matters  pertain- 
ing to  it  and  calling  to  his  aid  its  most  advanced 
thought.  His  career  was  an  eminently  successful  one, 
and  he  demonstrated  what  determination,  perse- 
verance, untiring  application  and  love  for  his  noble 
art  could  do,  and  filled  an  honorable  and  high  posi- 
tion. 

In  politics  Dr.  Martin  was  Democratic,  of  that 
honest  and  stable  Jacksonian  type  which  holds  the 
object  of  the  nation  to  be  the  paramount  good  of  the 
people.  With  but  little  ambition  for  political  pre- 
ferment, he  was  not  always  able  to  resist  the  impor- 
tunities of  political  and  personal  friends,  and  was 
often  brought  forward  for  political  office.  He  was 
elected  to  the  New  Hampshire  House  of  Representa- 
tives in  1830,  1832  and  1837 ; to  the  New  Hampshire 
Senate  in  1835  and  1836 ; and  in  1852  and  1853  he 
was  elected  to  the  highest  office  of  the  State,  that  of 
Governor. 

Dr.  Martin  was  elected  a member  of  the  Strafford 
District  Medical  Society  in  1835,  and  was  chosen  its 
president  in  1841  and  1842;  a member  of  the  State 
Medical  Society  in  1836,  and  its  president  in  1858 ; 
aud  a member  of  the  American  Medical  Association 
in  1849.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Dover 
Medical  Association,  and  its  first  president  in  1849, 
and  re-elected  in  1850.  He  was  elected  a member  of  the 
New  Hampshire  Historical  Society  in  1853,  also  New 


England  Historical  Genealogical  Society  thesame  year, 
and  vice-president  of  the  same,  for  New  Hampshire, 
in  1855.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Dover 
Library,  and  its  president  in  1851, 1852  and  1853.  He 
was  a member  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  New 
Hampshire  Asylum  for  the  Insane  in  1852,  and  1853, 
and  member  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  House 
of  Reformation  for  Juvenile  and  Female  Offenders  in 
1855.  He  was  one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  State 
Agricultural  Society,  and  was  elected  vice-president 
of  the  same  in  1851.  He  was  chosen  president  of  the 
Savings-Bank  for  the  County  of  Strafford  in  1844, 
holding  the  office  until  1852,  when  he  declined  a re- 
election  ; was  a leading  director  of  the  Dover  Bank 
from  1847  to  1855,  when  he  resigned ; also  a director 
of  the  Strafford  Bank  from  1860  to  the  time  of  his 
death.  He  also  held  various  other  offices  of  trust. 
He  was  a member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  of 
the  Order  of  Odd-Fellows. 

In  all  the  various  relations  of  life,  the  kindliness  of 
heart  of  Dr.  Martin,  his  gentlemanly  and  unostenta- 
tious manner  and  his  pre-eminent  abilities  won  him 
warm  friends  and  admirers.  Never  was  a man  more 
conscientious  in  the  discharge  of  official  duties  or 
private  trusts,  and  never  could  the  evil-minded  find 
aught  against  his  integrity  or  the  purity  of  his  mo- 
tives. 


SAMUEL  MARTIN. 

Prominent  among  the  families  dating  back  to  the 
pioneer  settlements  of  this  section  of  the  State,  and 
members  of  which  have  in  every  generation  been 
agriculturists,  is  that  from  which  Samuel  Martin 
traces  his  ancestry.  This  branch  of  the  Martin  fam- 
ily is  “Scotcli-Irish,”— that  is,  they  were  of  Scotch  lin- 
eage, born  on  Irish  soil, — and  it  was  necessary  that  a 
people  of  one  nationality  and  born  on  alien  soil  should 
have  a distinctive  name,  hence  the  appellation  of 
“Scotch-Irish.” 

The  line  of  descent  to  Samuel  is  Nathaniel  (1), 
William  (2),  Samuel  (3),  James  (4),  Samuel  (5).  Wil- 
liam (2),  born  in  1712,  the  great-grandfather  of  Sam- 
uel, accompanied  his  parents  to  America  when  very 
young,  and  his  childhood  was  passed  amid  the  pri- 
vations incident  to  the  pioneer  life  of  the  new  country, 
and  in  the  labor  of  converting  the  wilderness  and 
rough,  stony  soil  into  fruitful  fields.  His  father, 
Nathaniel  Martin  (1),  was  a robust,  persevering  and 
adventurous  man,  of  sterling  worth,  and  much  es- 
teemed. His  mother,  Margaret  (Mitchell)  Martin, 
was  a true-hearted  woman,  who  did  not  hesitate  to 
follow  her  husband  into  a new  and  almost  uninhabited 
region,  and  to  brave  the  hardships  appertaining,  if 
there  they  could  only  find  that  which  their  firmly- 
fixed  faith  so  strongly  desired:  “ Freedom  to  worship 
God.”  William  (2)  attained  manhood,  inherited  the 
qualities  of  his  parents,  became  “a  tiller  of  the  soil,” 
and,  in  due  time,  married  Sally,  eldest  daughter  of 


470 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Major  James  Cochrane,  of  Pembroke.  He  followed 
the  occupation  of  his  father,  that  of  farming,  and  also 
learned  the  shoemaker’s  trade.  He  made  his  home 
in  Pembroke,  and  was  an  industrious  and  honored 
citizen.  He  died  July  6,  1828.  His  children  were 
Polly,  Thomas,  James  (4),  Noah  (see  biography  of 
Dr.  Martin)  and  Nancy.  James  (4)  was  born  in 
Pembroke,  N.  H.,  July  1,  1799.  He  was  a resident 
of  Epsom,  where  he  had  a large  farm,  which  he  culti- 
vated. Intelligent  and  thoughtful,  he  kept  himself 
cognizant  of  matters  pertaining  to  public  affairs,  held 
numerous  town  offices  and  also  served  as  representa- 
tive for  the  town  of  Epsom.  He  married  Elsie  Bailey. 
Their  children  were  Sally  (born  December  25,  1822, 
now  Mrs.  Sleeper ; has  four  children),  Samuel,  James 
(born  January  5,  1830;  now  residing  in  St.  Louis;  has 
three  children),  and  Thomas  (born  July  1,  1832  ; has 
three  children,  and  is  living  in  Wisconsin.) 

Samuel  Martin,  eldest  son  of  James  and  Elsie 
(Bailey)  Martin,  was  born  in  Epsom  January  28, 
1828.  From  a mere  lad  until  he  was  fourteen  years 
of  age  Samuel  worked  at  farming,  assisting  his  father 
in  his  labors.  He  then  went  to  Dover,  N.  H.,  and 
made  his  home  for  three  years  with  his  uncle,  Dr. 
Noah  Martin,  afterwards  Governor,  who  kindly  gave 
him  the  opportunity  of  availing  himself  of  the  valua- 
ble instruction  of  the  eminent  John  R.  Varney,  whose 
enthusiasm  in  this  calling  was  such  as  to  inspire  his 
pupils  to  laudable  endeavor  and  friendly  rivalry,  and 
of  whom  the  historian  writes  : “ He  left  a record  of  a 
life  of  true  manliness,  consistency  and  purity.”  Im- 
proving these  favorable  circumstances,  the  young 
man  acquired  quite  a proficiency  in  the  studies  pur- 
sued. Returning  to  Epsom,  he  remained  a year,  and 
then,  like  many  New  England  boys,  he  thought  he 
would  try  his  fortune  in  another  field  of  labor,  and 
went  to  Boston,  where  he  entered  the  employ  of  S.  T. 
Parker,  dealer  in  West  India  goods.  He  continued 
with  this  firm  about  two  years;  then  made  a change 
of  employers  and  business,  engaging  with  Cutler  & 
Co.,  furniture  dealers,  to  whom  he  gave  faithful  ser- 
vice for  several  more  years,  until,  in  1851,  he  returned 
to  his  native  place,  preferring  its  pure  air,  pleasant 
surroundings  and  quiet,  rural  occupations,  and  com- 
menced farming  and  lumbering  in  company  with  his 
father.  Since  his  death  Mr.  Martin  has  added  one 
hundred  and  sixteen  acres  to  his  farm,  while  he  has  a 
large  holding  of  real  estate  (two  hundred  acres)  in 
Allenstown. 

Mr.  Martin  is  a consistent  and  unswerving  Demo- 
crat, and  as  such  represented  his  town  in  the  Legis- 
lature of  1868-69.  He  is  an  honorable  and  estimable 
citizen,  and  has  been  elected  to  many  offices  of  trust; 
lias  served  as  selectman  for  twelve  years  and  town  I 
treasurer  nine  years,  faithfully  performing  the  duties 
entrusted  to  him. 

Inheriting  a strong  physique  from  his  sturdy  Scotch 
ancestry,  together  with  many  excellent  characteris- 
tics of  heart  and  mind,  Mr.  Martin  is  a representa- 


tive farmer  and  worthy  descendant  of  those  men  of 
activity,  earnest  labor  and  endurance  who  were  im- 
portant factors  in  the  formation  of  the  American 
character. 


WILLIAM  GOSS. 

William  Goss  was  born  in  Epsom,  N.  H.,  July  13, 
1820.  His  grandfather,  Samuel  Goss,  came  to  Epsom 
from  Greenland,  N.  H.,  and  was  one  of  the  pioneers 
of  the  town.  Like  most  frontiersmen,  he  possessed  a 
rugged  frame  and  strong  constitution,  fitted  to  battle 
with  the  hardships  and  privations  of  life  in  the 
wilderness.  He  lived  to  be  seventy-five  years  of  age. 
He  was  a soldier  in  the  War  of  the  Revolution,  as 
was  Mr.  Goss’  maternal  grandfather,  Yeaton,  who 
was  a sea-faring  man,  and  served  on  the  water  in  his 
country’s  struggle  for  independence. 

Jonathan  Goss,  the  son  of  Samuel,  was  a native  of 
Epsom  ; was  by  occupation  a blacksmith  and  farmer, 
and  was  a soldier  in  the  War  of  1812.  He  married 
Sally  Yeaton,  aud  had  a family  of  seven  children  : 
Noah,  died  in  infancy.  William,  the  subject  of 
this  writing.  Hannah  Y.  married  Nathaniel  Ed- 
munds, of  Chichester;  died,  leaving  five  children. 
Nancy  L.  married,  first,  Edward  Edmunds,  by  whom 
there  is  one  living  child ; second,  Jeremiah  Mack,  by 
this  marriage  there  is  no  offspring;  and,  third,  Jona- 
than Marden,  both  are  yet  living,  no  issue.  Sally 
married  Jefferson  Edmunds;  they  have  six  children 
living.  Mary  C.,  now  Mrs.  George  Morse,  of  Loudon  , 
they  have  no  children.  Andrew  J.,  now  residing  in 
Santiago,  Cal.  He  was  for  many  years  collector  of 
customs  at  Saint  Augustine,  Fla.  He  was  a 
graduate  of  Dartmouth  College,  and  afterward  studied 
medicine,  but  declining  health  forbade  his  choosing 
medicine  as  his  profession. 

Jonathan  Goss  was  a strong,  vigorous,  active  man 
of  untiring  energy,  indomitable  courage,  and  for 
those  times  a successful  man.  He  was  an  ingenious 
man  of  inventive  turn,  and  originated  many  new  de- 
vices, some  of  which  are  in  use  at  the  present  day. 
He  possessed  wonderful  muscular  strength,  and  many 
extraordinary  feats  of  his  are  remembered  by  the 
older  inhabitants  of  the  community.  One,  related 
by  his  son,  is  that  when  more  than  fifty  years  of  age, 
he  lifted  with  one  hand  a forty-gallon  cask  of  cider. 
He  was  a man  of  broad  and  liberal  views,  and  gave 
his  children  what  educational  advantages  his  circum- 
stances in  life  would  afford. 

William  Goss  inherited  his  father’s  qualities  of  ac- 
tivity and  energy,  and  was  early  taught  to  labor. 
When  not  at  work  on  the  farm  he  assisted  his  father 
in  the  shop,  and  remained  at  home  with  his  parents 
until  about  twenty-five  years  of  age.  He  married, 
June  2,  1846,  Maryett,  daughter  of  William  and 
Esther  (Fowler)  Abbott,  of  Pembroke,  N.  H.  He 
then  went  upon  a farm  adjoining  his  father’s,  and  re- 
sided there  until  March,  1855,  when  he  sold  this  farm 
and  purchased  the  place  where  he  now  resides,  within 


Eng  3iyAKBUChve 


/ <7//7'77^ 


S'?  Sy  t/fyo.  /St , Qj  , 


EPSOM. 


471 


a few  rods  of  the  present  railroad  station  at  Epsom. 
Since  that  time,  owing  chiefly  to  Mr.  Goss’ enterprise, 
a village  has  grown  up  around  him  and  bears  his 
name,  being  called  Gossville  in  his  honor.  He  has 
been  a prudent  and  industrious  farmer,  making  a 
stock-farm  of  his  acreage,  trading  a great  deal  in 
cattle,  dealing  considerably  in  real  estate  and  in 
various  ways  adding  to  his  income.  He  has  built 
most  of  the  houses  in  the  village  of  Gossville.  He 
purchased  the  house  in  which  his  father  was  born, 
and  also  the  one  in  which  he  himself  was  born,  moved 
them  over  to  Gossville,  fitted  them  up,  and  they  are 
still  used  as  residences.  He  bought  the  old  Baptist 
Church  building,  moved  it  into  the  village  and  con- 
verted it  into  a store.  In  this  way  he  has  constantly 
and  assiduously  labored  to  build  up  a prosperous 
village  around  his  chosen  abode. 

In  the  building  of  the  new  church  in  Gossville  too 
much  credit  cannot  be  given  Mr.  Goss  for  the  energy, 
perseverance  and  persistence  with  which  he  advocated 
and  assisted  the  enterprise.  When  others  were  dis- 
couraged and  ready  to  abandon  the  matter  altogether 
he  took  the  leadership  and  bore,  for  the  time  being, 
the  burdens  himself,  and  carried  it  forward  to  com- 
pletion, and  this  same  spirit  has  characterized  him 
through  life. 

Like  other  men  who  undertake  and  achieve  diffi- 
cult enterprises,  he  has  met  opposition,  and  borne 
heavy  burdens, — burdens  under  which  one  less  res- 
olute would  have  faltered  ; hut  being  of  stern  stuff, 
with  vigorous  mind  and  body,  Mr.  Goss  kept  up 
courage  and  endeavor,  and  has  lived  to  see  the  “waste 
places  made  glad,”  and  the  barren  hills  dotted  with 
comfortable  and  cozy  homes.  They  have  now  in  the 
village  a shoe-factory,  which  has  employed  as  many 
as  sixty  or  sixty-five  hands.  This  was  built  by  astock 
company,  but  Mr.  Goss  was  the  prime  mover  in  the 
enterprise,  and  now  owns  more  than  half  the  stock. 
His  son,  Nathan  J.,  is  the  agent  and  manager  of  the 
shop. 

Mr.  Goss  has  twice  represented  his  town  in  the 
State  Legislature,  and  has  been  a selectman  of  Ep- 
som. 

Mrs.  Goss  died  May  3,  1873.  She  was  the  mother 
of  four  children:  John  Abbott, born  August  26,1847, 
married  Electa  Ann,  daughter  of  Charles  H.  Car- 
penter, of  Chichester.  They  have  two  children, — 
Charles  C.,  born  February  9,  1871,  and  Clara  II.  M., 
horn  July  11,  1874.  Mr.  Goss  is  cashier  of  the  Pitts- 
field, N.  H.,  National  Bank,  and  manager  of  the 
Opera-House  in  that  town ; also  treasurer  of  the 
Farmers’  Savings-Bank,  and  also  treasurer  of  the 
Pittsfield  Aqueduct  Company.  Elizabeth  J.,  born 
September  2,  1849,  married  Alfred  Porter  Bickford,  of 
Epsom,  January  2,  1870.  They  have  four  children, 
—William  P.,  born  February  15,1871;  Nathan  A., 
born  July  17,  1872;  Alfred G., born  February  4, 1875; 
and  Harry,  born  May,  1883.  Noah  William,  born 
July  12,  1861,  now  in  the  grain  and  grocery  trade  at 


Pittsfield.  Nathan  Jonathan,  born  September  13, 
1863. 

Mr.  Goss  married,  as  his  second  wife,  December  23, 
1873,  Mrs.  S.  Ilebecca  Crockett  («<?e  Randall)  ; no 
issue.  Mrs.  Goss  had  by  her  first  husband  one 
daughter, — Annie  R.,  who  married  James  Yeaton,  of 
Epsom.  She  has  three  children, — John  C.,  Helen  E. 
P.  and  George  II.  Mrs.  Goss  is  a native  of  Deerfield, 
but  most  of  her  life  has  been  spent  in  Concord. 

In  politics  Mr.  Goss  is  a Democrat,  as  were  his 
father  and  grandfather.  He  is  a member  of  the  Bap- 
tist Society.  In  all  the  relations  ol  life,  as  son, 
husband,  father,  neighbor  or  citizen,  Mr.  Goss  has 
been  a true  man,  and  probably  no  man  in  the  com- 
munity is  more  highly  respected  by  his  fellow-towns- 
men. 


ORREN  STRONG  SANDERS. 

Orren  Strong  Sanders,  M.D.,  Boston,  Mass.,  was 
born  in  Epsom,  Merrimack  County,  N.  H.,  September 
24,  1820.  He  is  the  eldest  son  of  Colonel  Job  and 
Pollie  Sanders,  being  the  senior  of  four  sons.  The 
palms  of  his  hands  were  hardened  before  he  reached 
his  teens  in  handling  the  implements  of  an  industrious 
farmer. 

At  the  age  of  thirteen  years  and  a half  he  went  to 
live  with  General  Joseph  Low,  Concord,  N.  H.,  for 
one  year  as  a servant,  receiving  for  his  services  two 
months’  schooling  and  fifty  dollars,  the  whole  of 
which  sum,  with  the  exception  of  five  dollars,  he  gave 
to  his  father. 

The  succeeding  year  he  served  seven  months  as  a 
farm-hand  with  Judge  Whittemore,  Pembroke,  N.  H., 
for  nine  dollars  a month,  rising  early  and  working 
late.  During  the  following  winter  lie  attended  the 
town  school  in  his  father’s  district. 

In  April,  when  fifteen  years  and  a half  old,  he  went 
to  Northwood,  N.  H.,  to  learn  the  trade  of  a carpenter 
with  the  late  Luther  and  William  Tasker,  receiving 
fifty  dollars  and  three  months’  schooling  that  year. 

In  March,  1836,  as  soon  as  the  district  school  closed 
in  Epsom,  he  decided  to  change  his  purpose  in  life, 
and,  with  his  neighbor  and  friend,  Henry  F.  Sanborn, 
went  on  foot,  with  a bundle  of  clothes,  a few  books 
in  hand  and  seventeen  dollars  in  his  pocket,  seven- 
teen miles  to  Gilmanton,  N.  IL,  where  he  commenced 
in  earnest  to  obtain,  in  the  middle  of  the  spring  term, 
an  education.  In  the  summer  term  he  again  went  to 
Gilmanton,  boarding  himself,  with  three  other  stu- 
dents, for  ninety  cents  each  a week. 

In  the  autumn  of  the  same  year,  a younger  brother 
desiring  to  attend  school,  he  changed  his  plan,  and 
went  to  Pembroke,  N.  H.,  it  being  less  than  half  the 
distance  to  “Old  Gilmanton,”  and  there  he  continued 
his  studies  for  several  successive  terms,  practicing 
the  economical  method  of  “playing  house-keeping.” 

Shortly  after  he  had  attained  his  sixteenth  birth- 
day lie  commenced  his  first  school  in  Chichester, 
N.  H.,  known  as  the  Meeting-House,  or  Reed  District, 


472 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


for  the  sum  of  eight  dollars  a month  and  “boarded 
round.”  This  school  had  about  thirty  scholars  en- 
rolled, and  the  sixteen  dollars  appropriated  to  the 
object  of  education  for  the  winter  months  secured  for 
them  the  benefit  of  young  Sanders’  earnest  efforts  to 
stimulate  them  to  increased  mental  activity,  to  make 
up  for  brevity  of  opportunity. 

The  following  winter  this  persevering  youth  was  re- 
engaged to  instruct  in  the  same  district,  and  at  the 
termination  of  this  school  term  he  commenced  teach- 
ing the  school  in  Bear  Hill  District,  and  at  the  end  of 
twelve  weeks  closed  his  efforts  with  a brilliant  ex- 
hibition. 

In  the  following  autumn  he  spent  fourteen  weeks 
in  North  wood,  teaching  in  the  lower  part  of  the  town ; 
following  this  school,  he  served  as  teacher  in  the 
“Young  District,”  in  Barrington,  returning  to  North- 
wood  the  succeeding  winter,  and  gave  another  term 
of  service  in  the  same  locality  as  before. 

His  last  and  final  experience  as  “school-master” 
was  in  the  C’illey  District,  in  his  native  town,  where 
he  was  favored  with  a large  attendance  and  secured 
a successful  result. 

Six  months  after  he  had  passed  his  nineteenth  birth- 
day he  commenced  the  study  of  medicine  with  Dr. 
Han  over  Dickey,  Epsom.  In  the  autumn  of  1841  he 
attended  his  first  course  of  medical  lectures  at  Dart- 
mouth College,  after  which  he  pursued  his  medical 
studies  in  the  anatomical  laboratory  with  Dr.  Haynes, 
Concord.  When  he  had  completed  his  studies  in  an- 
atomy, physiology  and  hygiene  with  Dr.  Haynes  he 
entered  the  office  of  Drs.  Chadburne  and  Buck,  with 
four  other  students,  forming  an  interesting  class,  with 
daily  recitations,  taking  up  several  branches  of  the 
medical  course. 

In  the  spring  of  1843  he  went  to  Lowell,  Mass.,  and 
entered  the  office  of  Drs.  Wheelock,  Graves  and  Allen. 
In  this  new  relation  he  had  not  only  the  assistance  of 
Dr.  Allen  as  a private  medical  tutor,  but  saw  much 
practice  with  Dr.  Graves.  In  the  fall  of  1843  he  grad- 
uated at  the  then  very  popular  medical  college,  Castle- 
ton,  Yt. 

On  the  27th  of  November,  1843,  he  united  in  matri- 
mony with  his  present  wife,  Miss  Drusilla,  eldest 
daughter  of  S.  M.  Morse,  Esq.,  Effingham,  N.  H.  In 
December  following  he  commenced  the  practice  of 
medicine  in  Centre  Effingham,  where  he  remained  till 
June,  1847.  He  then  moved  to  Chichester,  where  he  | 
entered  upon  a large  and  lucrative  practice;  but  in  i 
the  autumn  of  1848  he  became  interested  in  the  sci-  j 
ence  of  homoeopathy,  as  best  embodying  the  true  prin-  ! 
ciples  of  healing.  At  this  time  he  disposed  of  medi- 
cines and  equipments,  and  went  to  Boston,  entering 
the  office  of  Dr.  Samuel  Gregg,  a distinguished  homoeo- 
pathic physician  ; remaining  with  him,  investigating, 
by  study  and  observation,  this  new  method  of  the 
healing  art,  for  eighteen  months;  and  from  that  time  j 
to  the  present  Dr.  Sanders  has  followed  his  profes-  ! 
sion  in  Boston,  and  has  been,  from  the  first,  conspicuous 


among  the  physicians  of  that  city  for  his  extensive 
and  lucrative  practice  and  his  successful  treatment  of 
disease. 

The  habits  of  industry  and  frugality,  formed  in  youth 
and  student-life,  not  only  gave  to  I )r.  Sanders  a vigorous 
constitution,  but  laid  a broad  foundation  for  that 
power  of  endurance  so  essential  to  enable  him  to  bear 
that  long,  continuous  professional  strain  which  has 
secured  him  unparalleled  success  and  a high  profes- 
sional reputation. 

While  he  is  a “medical  winner”  in  every  sense  of 
the  term,  with  aspirations  ever  for  the  right,  he  has 
enjoyed  the  confidence  of  his  numerous  friends,  not 
only  in  the  city  government  and  Masonic  fraternities, 
but  also  of  the  members  of  the  church  to  which  he  has 
so  long  been  attached. 

His  generosity  has  been  equal  to  his  success,  and 
he  has  contributed  with  no  stinted  hand  to  public  in- 
stitutions, and  freely  given  aid  to  the  deserving  poor. 
He  is  ever  ready  to  give  his  support  to  any  worthy 
object;  and  if  his  large-hearted  charities,  for  the 
most  part  secretly  performed,  find  no  place  in  news- 
paper reports,  they  are  written  in  letters  of  light  by 
the  recording  angel  in  the  Book  of  Life. 

His  munificence  in  establishing  the  “Home  for  Lit- 
tle Wanderers”  is  but  one  of  the  many  grand  and 
noble  acts  of  his  life. 

For  several  terms  Dr.  Sanders  was  a member  of  the 
Boston  School  Board,  and,  despite  the  exigent  de- 
mands made  upon  his  time  by  his  extensive  practice, 
he  was  unfailing  in  his  attendance,  and  his  utterances 
were  always  valued  for  their  suggestiveness  and  prac- 
ticability. In  fact,  industrial  education  has  long  been 
with  the  doctor  a favorite  study,  and  he  has  written 
some  excellent  essays  on  the  subject. 

He  is  not,  in  any  sense  of  the  term,  a politician, 
and  yet  he  has  always  endeavored,  from  a considera- 
tion of  the  duties  of  citizenship,  to  make  himself 
familiar  with  the  ever-varying  phases  of  political  life, 
to  thoroughly  comprehend  the  tendency  of  each  polit- 
ical movement  and  to  give  his  intelligent  support 
to  every  measure  which  he  has  regarded  as  conducive 
to  the  public  welfare.  His  judgment  has  frequently 
been  appealed  to,  his  influence  solicited  and  nom- 
inations to  office  have  been  tendered  him  by  apprecia- 
tive friends;  but  hitherto  his  professional  tastes  and 
duties  have  led  him  to  decline  to  have  his  name  ap- 
pear in  the  list  of  political  aspirants. 

Within  the  pale  of  his  profession,  however,  honors 
have  been  thrust  upon  him,  and  on  the  medical  plat- 
form he  has  been  a frequent  and  eloquent  speaker. 

In  1872  he  delivered,  before  the  Massachusetts 
Homoeopathic  Medical  Society,  a masterly  oration  on 
“Progress  without  Change  of  Law.”  In  1875,  before 
the  same  body,  his  address  on  “Dynamizatiou”  was 
pronounced  to  be  an  able  production ; and  in  1878, 
when  elected  president  of  the  society,  his  oration  on 
“ Homoeopathy,  the  Aggressive  Science  of  Medicine,” 
was  received  by  the  audience  as  a new  revelation  ol 


EPSOM. 


473 


the  triumphant  progress  of  similia  similibus  eurantur. 
He  has  frequently  lectured  before  the  Ladies’  Boston 
Physiological  Society,  and  his  lucid  expositions  of  hy- 
gienic law  were  always  listened  to  with  marked  appre- 
ciation ; and  the  records  of  other  medical  societies 
will  bear  witness  to  his  readiness  to  contribute  his 
quota  of  original  thought  to  the  medical  knowledge 
of  the  day.  His  article  on  cholera,  which  appeared 
in  the  Boston  Globe  July  5,  1885,  is  exhaustive  of  the 
subject  and  has  attracted  much  attention. 

As  a speaker,  he  is  forcible  and  earnest,  and  his 
appearance  on  a platform  is  such  as  to  at  once  win 
the  sympathies  of  an  audience.  As  a writer,  his  style 
is  vigorous  and  terse;  and  his  clear-cut  sentences 
make  it  peculiarly  attractive.  If  his  studies  had  been 
so  directed,  he  might  have  excelled  as  an  orator  or 
obtained  a conspicuous  place  in  the  ranks  of  literature. 

We  give  an  engraving  of  his  present  commodious 
residence,  at  511  Columbus  Avenue,  Boston,  w'hich 
was  finished  in  1872.  This  house,  which  is  his  own 
property,  and  which  was  erected  at  a cost  of  some 
hundred  thousand  dollars,  was  designed  throughout 
by  himself,  and  seems  to  indicate  that,  if  he  had  not 
been  a doctor,  he  might  have  become  eminent  as  an 
architect.  The  sanitary  appliances  are  perfect,  the 
decorations  in  excellent  taste,  the  arrangements  for 
comfort  and  convenience  the  best  possible,  and  from 
basement  to  attic  it  bears  testimony  to  the  high  devel- 
opment of  the  doctor's  constructive  faculties. 

The  lion,  life-size,  which  is  placed  in  couchant  atti- 
tude on  the  corner  of  the  house,  and  is  a conspicuous 
ornament  to  the  avenue,  was  carved  from  a block  of 
granite  selected  by  the  doctor  himself,  and,  as  a work 
of  art,  may  compare  favorably  with  the  famous  lions 
of  Landseer,  which  adorn  Trafalgar  Square,  in  London. 

To  my  own  knowledge,  the  benevolent  deeds  done 
by  this  physician  during  his  residence  in  the  city  of 
his  adoption  are  sufficiently  numerous  to  fill  a volume, 
but  in  such  an  outline  sketch  as  this  it  would  be  im- 
possible to  enumerate  them,  and  I can  only  say,  in 
closing,  that  what  Dr.  Sanders  has  done  for  God  and 
humanity  is  but  an  example  of  what  other  young  men 
may  accomplish,  if  they  will  only  model  their  lives 
after  his  perseverance,  self-denial  and  unblemished 
habits.  “ M.” 


GEORGE  SANDERS,  JR. 

One  of  the  representative  agriculturists  of  this 
section,  whose  keen  practicality,  industry  and  devo- 
tion to  that  science  well  deserves  more  than  a mere 
mention,  is  George  Sanders,  Jr.  He  is  a son  of 
George  and  Polly  (Twombly)  Sanders,  and  was  born 
in  Epsom,  N.  H.,  November  6,  1832.  The  ancestor 
of  the  American  family  of  Sanders  was  Christopher 
Sanders,  who  came  from  England  prior  to  1<371.  We 
cannot  fully  trace  the  line  to  George,  nor  tell  from 
which  one  of  the  sons  of  Christopher  he  is  descended. 

The  great-grandfather  of  the  one  of  whom  we  now 


write  was  George  Sanders,  a resident  of  Rye,  N.  II., 
where  he  passed  his  days,  a quiet  and  useful  citizen. 
His  son  John,  the  pioneer  of  the  family  in  this  town, 
was  born  in  Rye,  and  when  a young  man  came  to 
Epsom,  married  and  became  a resident.  He  was  a 
stalwart  man,  vigorous  and  energetic,  and  devoted  him- 
self to  his  farm  with  all  the  force  of  his  strong  nature, 
and  as  a citizen  was  much  respected.  About  1850 
he  removed  to  Concord,  where  he  resided  until  his 
death,  Maj-ch  13,  1870,  aged  nearly  eighty-nine  years. 
George  Sanders,  Sr.,  son  of  John  and  Anna  Sanders, 
married  Polly  Twombly,  of  Barrington.  They  have 
had  three  children, — George  and  Mary  (twins),  and 
John.  Mr.  Sanders,  inheriting  the  strong  physique 
and  hardy  nature  of  his  father,  became  a farmer,  and 
in  1832,  shortly  after  his  marriage,  he  purchased  a 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  and  by  his 
unremitting  labors  and  constant  care  he  brought  the 
laud  into  such  a state  of  cultivation  that  it  soon 
became  remunerative,  and  he  was  able  to  increase  his 
first  ownership  in  land  some  hundreds  of  acres  by 
adding  to  it  at  various  times,  and  at  present  the 
Sanders  family  have  five  hundred  and  thirty  acres  in 
their  possession.  It  is  located  in  different  tracts,  but 
the  home-farm  is  considered  one  of  the  best  farms  in 
the  town  of  Epsom.  Mr.  Sanders,  Sr.,  has  been 
selectman,  and  held  some  minor  town  offices.  His 
religious  convictions  are  in  accord  with  the  Free- 
Will  Baptists,  of  which  church  he  has  been  a mem- 
ber about  twenty  years.  He  is  now  living,  at  the  age 
of  eighty-one.  Mrs.  Sanders  died  December  22, 
1884,  aged  eighty- one. 

George  Sanders,  Jr.,  could  hardly  have  consistently 
followed  any  other  vocation  than  that  of  the  farmer, 
having  been  born  and  passed  his  childhood  days 
where  everything  about  him  revealed  the  bounteous 
gifts  of  Mother  Nature,  and  also  inheriting,  in  some 
measure,  from  his  father  and  grandfather  the  charac- 
teristics of  a good  agriculturist.  He  received  a good 
common-school  education,  supplemented  by  a term  at 
Pembroke  Academy.  He  has  always  resided  on  the 
old  place.  He  married,  January  5,  1875,  Nancy  A., 
daughter  of  David  and  Mary  Ann  (Carr)  White,  of 
Antrim,  N.  IL,  a descendant  in  the  fifth  generation 
from  John  White  (I),  of  Ireland,  whose  son,  Patrick 
(2),  studied  for  the  priesthood;  but  renouncing  his 
faith  in  the  doctrine  of  the  Catholic  Church,  he  was 
obliged  to  fiee  to  this  country,  where  he  made  a 
home.  David  (3),  son  of  Patrick,  married  Sarah 
Dutton,  of  Peterborough,  and  when  the  clarion  notes  of 
the  trumpet  called  the  brave  and  the  willing  to  their 
country’s  defense,  he  responded  and  proved  a faith- 
ful soldier  to  his  father’s  adopted  land.  David  (4) 
married  Mary  Ann  Carr,  a descendant  of  William 
Carr,  a prominent  man  in  the  early  days  of  Goffis- 
town.  Mr.  Carr,  in  1787,  went  to  Antrim  and  built 
the  house  and  settled  on  a farm  which  is  now  occu- 
pied by  David  White.  He  married  Ann  Boyce,  of 
Bedford,  and  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-three  years ; 


474 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


his  wife  lived  to  be  ninety-three.  Mary  Sanders, 
(twin  sister  of  George)  married  Nathaniel  Twombly, 
of  Barrington.  They  have  four  children. 

George  Sanders.  Jr.,  lias  always  pursued  that  oldest 
and  most  honorable  calling  among  men,  farming,  and 
has  proved  himself  the  right  man  in  the  right  place. 
To  be  convinced  of  his  wisdom  and  care,  you  have 
only  to  look  on  his  fields  and  meadows,  his  walls  and 
buildings,  his  barns  and  stalls,  his  stacks  and  cribs. 
But,  with  all  these  cares,  he  has  identified  himself 
with  the  civil  and  religious  interests  of  the  town,  has 
been  selectman  for  several  years,  and  is  an  earnest 
and  liberal  member  of  the  Free-Will  Baptist  Church. 
Democratic  in  politics,  he  represented  Epsom  in  the 
Legislature  of  1874-75. 

This  family,  for  several  generations,  have  been 
mostly  “ tillers  of  the  soil,”  industrious,  careful,  prac- 
tical working  people,  doing  their  duties  well  in  the 
sphere  of  life  to  which  they  were  called.  They  have 
been  men  of  good  judgment,  active  temperament, 
strong  physique,  and  have  performed  their  share  of 
the  public  matters  of  the  town,  and  discharged  their 
social,  public  and  religious  duties  conscientiously. 


CHARLES  CURRIER  I>OE. 

Charles  Currier  Doe  was  born  in  Durham,  N.  H., 
July  21,  1823.  He  is  the  son  of  James  and  Patience 
(Langley)  Doe,  and  grandson  of  John  Doe.  His  fa- 
ther, James  Doe,  was  a farmer,  and  when  Charles  C. 
was  but  two  years  of  age  removed  to  the  town  of 
Lee,  in  Strafford  County,  where  he  resided  ten  years. 
He  then  spent  about  a year  each  in  Newmarket  and 
Nottingham,  when  he  removed  to  Barrington,  where 
he  made  his  home  for  several  years.  He  then  moved 
to  Grafton,  and  there  his  wife  died  (1845).  Mr.  Doe 
continued  to  reside  there,  making  his  home  with  his 
eldest  son,  till  1856,  when  he  came  to  Pittsfield, 
where  he  died  (1862). 

He  reared  a family  of  eight  children, — 

John,  married  Abby  Davis  and  resides  in  Pittsfield; 
has  two  children,  a son  and  daughter. 

Nancy,  married  John  Garland,  of  Nottingham. 
They  have  one  daughter. 

Drucilla  married,  first,  L.  Kimball;  no  issue.  Sec- 
ond, Moses  Brown,  of  Andover.  By  this  marriage 
she  had  two  children.  She  is  now  deceased. 

Abigail,  married  John  T.  Gilman ; resides  in  Deer- 
field ; has  two  sons. 

Charles  C.,  subject  of  this  sketch. 

Gilman  L.,  married  Nancy  Ellenwood.  They  reside 
in  Iowa  ; have  three  sons. 

Mary  J.,  married  David  Garland,  of  Nottingham. 
They  have  one  son. 

Hezekiah  H.,  married Sleeper;  had  one  son. 

He/.ekiah  enlisted  in  Company  B,  Ninth  Regiment 
New  Hampshire  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  died  in 
hospital  at  Nicholasville,  Ky.,  August  31,  1803. 

Charles  C.  Doe,  like  so  many  of  the  sons  of  the 


yeomanry  of  New  England,  had  but  limited  facilities 
for  obtaining  an  education,  the  public  school  of  the 
town  in  which  his  father  chanced  to  reside  affording 
the  only  opportunity  he  enjoyed.  Being  one  of  a 
somewhat  numerous  family,  in  very  moderate  circum- 
stances, he  had  to  contribute  his  share  of  labor  to  the 
support  of  the  family  as  soon  as  he  was  old  enough 
for  his  services  to  be  of  any  avail.  When  he  was  six- 
teen years  of  age  he  hired  out  away  from  home  to 
work  on  a farm,  and  from  that  time  till  he  attained 
his  majority  his  wages  went  to  the  support  of  his  par- 
ents. December  15,  1845,  he  married  Mehitable  P., 
daughter  of  Amos  and  Nancy  (Libby)  Davis,  of  Ep- 
som, N.  H.,  and  went  to  reside  with  his  father-in-law 
and  manage  the  farm.  Mr.  Davis  lived  hut  a few 
months  after  his  daughter’s  marriage.  There  still  re- 
mained, however,  three  old  people  in  the  family, — 
Mrs.  Davis,  her  mother  (Mrs.  Libby)  and  a bachelor 
brother  of  Mrs.  Davis.  Mr.  Doe  took  charge  of  the 
farm  and  assumed  the  care  of  the  old  people,  a trust 
which  he  most  faithfully  performed  to  the  time  of 
their  death. 

He  has  followed  farming  as  his  chief  occupation 
through  life,  and  has  been  successful.  In  addition 
to  farm  labor,  however,  he  has  usually  employed  the 
winter  months  in  teaming  and  lumbering;  and  for 
many  years,  while  his  sons  were  growing  up  to  man- 
hood, they  employed  their  time  at  shoemaking  and 
thus  added  to  the  family  exchequer. 

Mr.  Doe  represented  his  town  in  the  Legislature 
during  the  two  years  of  1865  and  1866.  He  has  been 
selectman  of  his  town  and  has  been  a member  of  the 
Christian  Church  for  more  than  forty  years. 

Mrs.  Doe’s  ancestors,  both  on  the  paternal  and  ma- 
ternal sides,  came  from  Rye.  N.  H.,  to  Epsom,  about 
a century  ago,  when  this  country  was  almost  an  un- 
broken wilderness.  Her  grandfather,  Davis,  settled 
on  the  spot  where  Mrs.  Doe  now  resides.  The  old 
homestead  has  never  been  out  of  the  possession  of 
the  family.  Her  grandfather,  Libby,  was  a soldier  in 
the  War  of  the  Revolution,  and  her  uncle  was  in  the 
War  of  1812. 

The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Doe  are, — 

Walter  C.,  born  November  12,  1846;  married  Elva 
Cass,  of  Epsom;  resides  in  Lynn,  Mass.;  is  a shoe- 
maker by  trade. 

Amos,  born  September  11,  1849;  married  Mellie 
Holman,  of  Dixfield,  Me. ; resides  in  Boston ; is  by 
trade  a carpenter. 

James  A.,  born  March  7,  1852;  married  Augusta 
Ladd,  of  Deerfield,  N.  H. ; resides  in  Manchester ; is 
a surveyor  of  lumber,  etc.,  in  a large  sash  and  blind- 
factory  and  lumber-yard. 

Sarah  A.,  born  November  1, 1854  ; married  Calvin 
D.  Clark,  of  Barnstead,  N.  H.  He  was  for  four  years 
engaged  in  the  grocery  trade  in  Pittsfield,  N.  H.,  but 
in  1884  he  sold  out  his  business  and  went  to  reside 
with  his  father-in-law  on  the  farm. 

George  W.,  the  youngest  of  the  family,  was  born 


EPSOM. 


475 


August  24,  1857 ; died  December  17,  18S3 ; unmar- 
ried. He  always  resided  with  bis  parents.  He  was  a 
young  man  of  bright  intelligence  and  more  than 
ordinary  ingenuity  in  mechanical  matters. 

Mr.  Charles  C.  Doe  is  an  honest,  upright,  sincere 
man;  unobtrusive,  attending  strictly  to  bis  own  af- 
fairs, and  of  a generous,  manly,  frank  disposition. 
The  world  would  be  better  for  more  such  men. 


DAVID  MORRILL  PHILBRICK. 

D.  M.  Philbrick  was  born  August  26,  1823,  in  the 
north  part  of  the  town  of  Epsom,  N.  H.  He  is  the 
son  of  Daniel  and  Polly  (Locke)  Philbrick,  and 
grandson  of  Daniel  and  Ruth  (Morrill)  Philbrick. 
His  paternal  grandfather  was  a native  ot  Hampton, 
Rockingham  County,  N.  H.,and  moved  to  Epsom  when 
a young  man,  and  when  the  virgin  forest  of  the 
“ Catamount”  and  surrounding  bills  was  almost  un- 
broken. 

The  Philbricks  belong  to. that  sturdy,  self-reliant 
and  self-contained  class  of  men  who  have  played  so 
important  a part  in  the  rise  and  progress  of  civiliza- 
tion in  New  England.  In  the  county  of  Rocking- 
ham, and  in  other  parts  of  Eastern  New  Hampshire, 
the  name  is  a frequent  one,  and  all  bearing  it  show 
unmistakable  evidence  of  descent  from  the  same  com- 
mon progenitors.  They  are  calm,  earnest,  industri- 
ous, persevering  men  and  women,  with  the  reputation 
of  being  law-abiding  and  just,  useful  citizens.  Daniel 
Philbrick,  Sr.,  became  quite  a large  land-holder  in 
Epsom.  He  had  a family  of  twelve  children,  of 
whom  Daniel  was  one.  Daniel  settled  on  a part  of 
his  father’s  farm,  where  his  son  David  M.  now  re- 
sides, and  was  a tiller  of  the  soil  all  his  life.  He  had 
a family  of  eight  children,  of  whom  David  M.  was  the 
only  son.  The  names  of  the  children  were  Abigail, 
died  in  childhood.  Ruth,  married  first  a Mason ; 
second  a Merrill ; has  four  children.  Mary,  unmar- 
ried, resides  with  David  M.  Asenatli,  unmarried,  re- 
sides with  David  M.  Abigail  (2d),  married  E.  B. 
Sargent ; has  four  children.  Betsy,  married  Stephen 
F.  Ring;  no  issue.  David  M.,  subject  of  this  biog- 
raphy. Peggy  Almira,  married  George  Buffum  ; has 
one  child. 

David  M.  Philbrick  may  be  fairly  said  to  stand  as 
a representative  farmer  of  his  town  and  section.  He 
has  all  bis  life  made  agriculture  his  chief  pursuit, 
and  by  constant  and  intelligently  directed  effort  he 
has  made  it  a success.  He  owns,  in  various  tracts, 
about  six  hundred  acres  of  land,  a very  large  farm  for 
New  Hampshire.  He  is  probably  the  largest  land- 
owner  in  town.  In  the  winters,  after  work  on  the 
farm  is  impracticable,  he  has  employed  his  time  in 
cutting  and  hauling  wood  and  lumber. 

He  is  a man  who  is  respected  and  confided  in  by 
his  neighbors  and  townsmen,  and  was  chosen  to  rep- 
resent them  in  the  Legislature  in  1876  and  1877.  He 
has  been  selectman  of  Epsom  two  years,  and  sur- 


veyor of  highways  twenty-five  years.  In  politics  he 
is  a Democrat. 

He  married,  November  27, 1850,  Sarah  A.,  daughter 
of  John  and  Margaret  (Wallace)  Stearns,  of  Deerfield, 
N.  H.  Their  children  are:  A babe  (unnamed),  died 
in  infancy.  Clara  I .,  married  Frank  BufTum,  of  Ber- 
wick, Me.;  has  five  children.  Daniel.  David  F., 
died  aged  seventeen.  Mary  A.,  married  George  Giles, 
of  Pittsfield,  N.  H.  ; no  offspring.  John  S.,  Susan  M., 
George  H.  and  Augustus  T. 

M rs.  Philbrick’s  grandparents  were  John  and  Ruth 
Stearns,  both  natives  of  New  Hampshire,  and  de- 
scended from  the  early  Pilgrim  stock. 


NATHAN  BICKFORD. 

Nathan  Bickford  was  born  in  Epsom,  N.  H.,  De- 
cember 2,  1-797.  He  was  the  son  of  Thomas  and 
Olive  (Haynes)  Bickford.  Thomas  was  a farmer, 
shoemaker  and  tanner,  and  at  one  period  of  his  life 
was  quite  a prosperous  and  successful  man;  but  most 
of  bis  substance  was  spent  before  bis  death.  4fe  had 
a family  ot  seven  children,  viz., — John,  Mehitable, 
Samuel,  Nathan,  Daniel,  Olive  and  Dearborn. 

Nathan  was  born  at  the  old  Bickford  homestead, 
near  the  present  village  of  Gossville.  When  he  was 
a lad  of  sufficient  age  he  went  to  serve  an  apprentice- 
ship as  clothier  with  a Mr.  Currier.  His  service  ex- 
pired when  he  was  nineteen,  and  he  then  went  to  Bos- 
ton, where  he  remained  till  bis  twenty-third  year, 
when  be  returned  to  his  native  town  and  bought  out 
a clothing  and  carding-mill  on  Suncook  River.  He 
met  with  success  in  this  enterprise  and  continued  it 
for  more  than  a dozen  years,  when,  leasing  his  mill 
business  to  another  party,  he  embarked  in  the  lumber 
trade.  At  this  lie  did,  for  a period  of  about  ten 
years,  quite  a large  business,  rafting  down  the  Sun- 
cook  and  Merrimack  Rivers.  In  the  mean  time  he 
conducted  farming  on  a considerable  scale,  having 
purchased,  about  1830,  a farm  lying  adjacent  to  his 
mill. 

After  he  relinquished  the  lumber  business  he  gave 
bis  entire  attention  to  his  farm,  and  added  to  the 
original  tract  at  intervals  during  his  life.  He  was  a 
man  who  was  held  in  high  esteem  by  his  fellow- 
townsmen,  and  he  had  ample  proof  of  their  confidence 
by  the  various  positions  of  office  and  trust  in  which 
they  placed  him.  He  was  selectman  of  his  town  for 
many  years  and  held  various  minor  offices.  He  was 
a member  of  the  State  Legislature  in  1836,  and 
throughout  a long  and  busy  life  he  retained  the  im- 
plicit confidence  and  sincere  respect  of  those  who 
knew  him. 

In  politics  he  was  an  advocate  of  the  Free-Soil 
party,  and  upon  the  organization  of  the  Republican 
party  and  up  to  t he  time  of  his  death  he  affiliated  with 
that  party. 

In  religious  matters  he  was  a Free-Will  Baptist, 
and  contributed  largely  to  the  support  of  that  church. 


476 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


He  was  a man  of  large  benevolence  and  generosity, 
and  gave  of  his  means  freely  and  with  unstinted  hand 
to  all  worthy  charities. 

He  married,  May  12,  1823,  Eliza  W.,  daughter  of 
Robert  and  Hannah  (Osgood)  Dickey,  of  Epsom. 
They  had  five  children, — 

Susan  G.,  born  February  25,  1824 ; married  Rev. 
Jonathan  A.  Knowles.  They  have  two  children  and 
reside  in  Manchester,  N.  H. 

Salina  O.,  born  August  5,  1829;  married  Captain 
Arthur  C.  Locke.  One  child  living.  She  died  June 
2,  1877. 

Eliza  A.,  born  July  25,  1833;  died,  unmarried,  De' 
cember,  1878. 


Morrill  I).,  born  October  3,  1836;  married  Eliza  J. 
Hoyt,  of  Epsom,  November  28,  1862.  They  have  two 
bright  and  accomplished  daughters, — Susie  A.  and 
Addie  E.  He  was  elected  Representative  of  Epsom 
to  the  State  Legislature  in  1885.  He  has  always 
kept  up  the  lumber  trade  which  was  started  by  his 
father. 

Alfred  P.  married  Lizzie  J.,  daughter  of  William 
and  Maryett  Goss,  of  Epsom.  They  have  four  chil- 
dren,— William  P.,  Nathan  A.,  Alfred  G.  and  Harry 
M.  He  has  always  conducted  the  farm  of  his  father. 

Nathan  Bickford  died  January  15,  1879,  aged 
eighty-one.  Mrs.  Bickford  still  survives  (1885),  aged 
seventy-six. 


HISTORY  OF  LOUDON. 


BY  HENRY  J.  OSGOOI). 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  name  Loudon  is  of  Scotch  origin,  and  means 
“Low  Hills.”  The  hills  in  this  town  are  but  a few 
hundred  feet  in  height,  and  the  general  configuration 
of  the  surface  suggests  that  it  is  a hilly  town.  Bear 
Hill  in  the  southerly,  Oak  Hill  in  the  westerly  and 
Brown’s  Hill  in  the  northerly  are  the  highest,  with 
Clough’s  Hill  in  the  centre  of  the  town.  Brown’s  Hill 
is  the  highest  of  all,  and,  a few  years  since,  the  United 
States  Signal  Service  erected  upon  it  a signal,  to  be 
used  in  the  survey  of  the  State ; but  its  height  was  not 
sufficient  to  be  of  practical  use. 

Another  reason  why  it  was  so  called  is  given  as 
follows:  A Scottish  landlord,  called  Lord  of  Loudon, 
meaning  a low,  hilly  country  in  Scotland,  was  one  of 
the  grantors  of  the  town  of  Canterbury  in  the  year 
1727,  and  when  the  town  was  divided,  it  was  suggested 
that  the  new  town  be  called  Loudon,  from  the  circum- 
stance that  it.  resembled  the  land  in  the  dominion  of 
this  lord.  The  town  of  Canterbury  originally  in- 
cluded all  that  tract  or  territory  now  known  as  Loudon, 
Canterbury  and  Northfield,  and  was  named  for  the 
Lord  of  Canterbury. 

Loudon  lies  upon  the  northwesterly  line  of  the 
city  of  Concord;  is  bounded  by  Canterbury  westerly, 
by  Gilmanton  northerly,  and  by  Pittsfield  and  Chi- 
chester easterly.  It  is  largely  an  agricultural  town, 
and  ranks  as  the  third  in  the  county  in  the  value  of 
its  agricultural  products.  But  two  towns  in  the  county 
raise  as  many  bushels  of  corn,  and  none  as  much 
wheat  or  produce  as  many  pounds  of  maple  sugar. 
It  is  also  an  excellent  grazing  town. 

Soucook  River,  running  in  a southeasterly  direc- 
tion through  the  town,  is  the  principal  stream, 
and  affords  water-power,  which  is  improved  to  some 
extent  by  mills  at  both  the  north  and  southerly  parts 
of  the  town. 

The  population  of  the  town  at  the  present  time  is 
about  1200,  having  decreased  since  1800  from  1(338 
to  1224  in  1880.  It  has  an  area  of  28,257  acres,  two- 
thirds  of  which  is  improved  land.  A large  amount  of 
lumber  has  been  taken  from  the  remaining  land  within 
a few  years. 

Indian  Tribes. — Sabatis,  an  Indian  chief,  occu- 
pied Sabatis  Heights  (now  called  Loudon  Ridge)  from 


1740  to  1 750,  and  it  was  the  capital  of  the  tribe.  Individ- 
uals of  this  tribe  exist  in  the  vicinity  at  the  present 
time,  although  the  race  is  nearly  extinct.  They  are 
known  by  the  name  of  Battis,  and  present  the  com- 
plexion ami  cast  of  the  Indian,  greatly  modified  by 
intercourse  with  the  white  race.  This  tribe  lived 
near  the  “ Great  Rock”  in  the  pasture  of  Levi  F. 
Sleeper. 

There  was  another  tribe,  called  the  Soucooks,  who 
made  their  headquarters  at  the  ridge  near  the  “ Great 
Rock”  in  the  field  of  David  .1.  French,  according  to 
the  best  legendary  history  to  be  obtained.  Two  arrow- 
heads and  a stone  pestle  have  been  turned  up  by  the 
plow  upon  the  farm  of  Mr.  French,  and  kept  as  relics. 
About  the  year  1750  the  chiefs  of  these  tribes  were 
followed  and  killed  while  intoxicated,  for  offenses 
committed  by  their  tribes  upon  the  white  settlers  at 
different  times.  The  persons  concerned  in  this  matter 
were  arrested  and  carried  to  Portsmouth  and  lodged 
in  jail.  A mob  followed,  beat  down  the  door  of  the 
jail,  and,  liberating  the,  men,  carried  them  triumphant 
to  their  homes. 

CHARTER  OF  THE  TOWN  BY  THE  KING. 

[L.  S.] 

“ George , by  the  Grace  of  God , of  Great  Britain , France  and  Ireland , 
King,  Defender  of  the  faith — 

“ To  all  the  people  to  whom  these  presents  shall  come,  Greeting. 

“ Know  ye,  that  of  our  special  knowledge,  for  the  encouragement  of 
settling  a plantation,  by  and  with  consent  of  our  Council — have  given, 
and  by  these  presents  do  give  and  grant  in  equal  shares,  unto  our  be- 
loved subjects,  whose  names  are  entered  in  a schedule,  that  inhabit  or 
shall  inhabit  within  the  said  grant,  all  that  tract  of  laud  within  the 
following  bounds:  Beginning  at  the  head  of  the  town  of  Chichester, 
and  to  run  Northwest  by  the  town  of  Gilmanton  to  the  Winuipiseogee 
Pond;  then  from  the  first-mentioned  place,  southwest,  seven  miles  on 
the  head  of  the  aforesaid  Chichester;  thence  Northwest  to  the  river 
that  comes  out  of  the  great  Pond  aforesaid  ; then  by  the  river  to 
the  second-mentioned  bound.  That  the  same  be  a town  corporate  by 
the  name  of  Canterbury.  To  have  and  to  hold  the  said  land  forever, 
upon  the  following  conditions : First.  That  the  Proprietors,  within  three 
years,  build  seventy  dwelling-houses  and  settle  a family  in  each,  and 
clear  three  acres  of  land  fit  for  planting  or  sowing.  Second.  That  a 
meeting-house  be  built  within  four  years.  Third.  If  any  Proprietor 
neglect,  he  shall  forfeit  his  share  of  the  land.  Fourth.  That  a share  be 
reserved  for  the  Ministry  of  the  Gospel,  another  for  a Parsonage,  and 
another  for  the  benefit  of  the  schools  in  the  town. 

Provided , that  if  war  break  out  with  the  Indians  within  three  years, 
then  three  years  shall  be  allowed  them  after  the  war,  rendering  there- 
fore to  us  or  our  officers  the  Annual  Kent  of  one  pint  of  corn  in  the 
said  town  on  the  first  Thursday  in  March  yearly  forever,  reserving  also 
all  mast  trees  growing  on  said  laud,  according  to  the  Act  of  Parliament 
in  that  case  made  and  provided.  For  the  calling  of  the  first  meeting, 

477 


473 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


we  do  appoint  Paul  Gerrieh,  Paul  Wentworth  and  John  Smith,  Select- 
men ot  said  town,  and  that  they  continue  in  said  office  until  the  third 
Thursday  of  March,  1728,  when  others  shall  be  chosen  in  their  stead. 
In  testimony  whereof,  we  have  caused  the  seal  of  our  Province  to  be 
affixed. 

“Witness  John  Wentworth,  Lieut.  Governor. 

“Given  the  twentieth  day  of  May,  in  the  fourth  year  of  our  reign, 
Anno  Domini  1728. 

“By  order  of  his  Honor  Lieut.  Governor, 

“Richard  Waldron,  Clerk  of  Council .” 

The  Town  incorporated  in  1773. — The  following 
is  a copy  of  an  act  to  set  olf  part  of  the  town  of 
Canterbury  into  a distinct  parish  by  the  name  of 
Loudon,  as  passed  in  the  House  of  Representatives, 
January  22,  1773: 

“ Whereas,  a number  of  the  inhabitants  of  Canterbury,  in  the  county 
of  Rockingham  in  this  Province,  have  petitioned  the  General  Assembly 
to  be  set  oft'  and  erected  into  a distinct  Parish  agreeable  to  a vote  of 
said  town  set  forth  in  said  petition,  and  after  due  notice  thereof  being 
given,  no  person  hath  appeared  to  oppose  the  same,  and  the  same  ap- 
pearing for  the  public  good.  Therefore,  be  it  enacted  by  the  Governor, 
Council  and  Assembly,  that  all  that  part  of  the  town  of  Canterbury, 
beginning  at  the  northeast  corner  thereof,  at  the  Buckhorn  Beech-tree; 
thence  southwest  on  the  head  line  of  Chichester  eight  miles  to  the  line 
between  Canterbury  and  Bow  ; thence  on  the  line  between  said  Canter- 
bury and  Bow,  five  miles;  thence  across  said  Canterbury,  northeast 
eight  miles,  to  Gilmanton  line  ; and  by  that  to  the  hounds  first  men 
tinned,  be  and  is  hereby  set  off  from  said  town  of  Canterbury,  and 
erected  into  and  established  to  bo  a distinct  and  separate  parish  by  the 
name  of  Loudon,  and  that  the  Inhabitants  thereof  be  invested  with  all 
powers  and  privileges  by  law  invested  in  any  Parish  within  this  Prov- 
ince, and  are  fully  exempt  from  paying  further  tax  to  the  town  of 
Canterbury. 

“And  Nathan  Bach  elder  of  said  Parish,  is  hereby  Authorized  and  em- 
powered to  call  the  first  meeting  of  said  Parish  of  Loudon  for  the 
choice  of  Parish  Officers,  by  setting  up  a notification  thereof  in  some 
public  place  in  said  Parish  fourteen  days  beforehand,  and  to  govern 
said  meeting  until  a Moderator  be  chosen,  and  then  they  are  to  proceed 
t j the  choice  of  officers  as  the  law  directs. 

“Province  of  New  Hampshire  : In  the  House  of  Representatives, 
January  22nd,  1773.— This  Bill  having  been  read  three  times,  Voted , 
That  it  pass  to  be  enacted. 

“J.  Wentworth,  Speaker. 

“ In  Council  January  22d,  1773.— This  Bill  was  read  a third  time  and 
passed  to  be  enacted. 

“Theodore  Atkinson,  Secretary. 

“ Consented, 

“J.  Wentworth. 

“Copy  examined  by 

“Geo rub  King,  Depy.  Secretary." 

First  Meeting1. — The  first  meeting  of  inhabitants 
of  the  parish  of  London  was  called  and  held  at  the 
house  of  Abraham  Bachelder,  Jr.,  on  the  23d  day  of 
March,  1773,  by  a warrant  under  the  hand  and  seal 
of  Nathan  Bachelder.  The  business  to  be  transacted 
was  as  follows : 

“ 1st.  To  choose  a Moderator  for  said  Meeting. 

“2nd.  To  choose  a Parish  Clerk,  Selectmen,  Constable  and  all  other 
Parish  officers  as  the  law  directs  for  the  ensuing  year. 

“ 3rd.  To  see  if  the  said  Freeholders  and  Inhabitants  w ill  agree  upon 
and  vote  to  raise  a sum  of  money  this  present  year  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Gospel  in  said  Parish. 

“4th.  To  see  if  said  Freeholders  and  Inhabitants  will  vote  to  raise  a 
sum  of  money  for  schooling  the  present  year  in  said  Parish. 

“5th.  To  see  if  the  said  Freeholders  and  Inhabitants  w ill  vote  that 
the  charges  in  getting  the  said  Parish  of  Loudon  set  oft"  from  Canterbury 
shall  be  collected  by  a rate,  according  to  the  Polls  and  Estates  in  said 
Parish. 

“6th.  To  see  if  the  said  Freeholders  and  Inhabitants  will  vote  the 
sum  of  tli irty-t wo  dollars,  which  his  Excellency  John  Wentworth  was 
pleased  to  give  in  when  signing  the  charter  of  the  Parish  of  Loudon, 
the  same  having  been  worked  outou  some  highway  in  said  Parish. 


“7th.  To  agree  upon  and  see  how  much  money  shall  be  raised  this 
present  year  for  highways  in  said  Parish. 

“8th.  To  see  if  the  Freeholders  and  Inhabitants  will  agree  upon  and 
vote  to  fall  Twenty  acres  of  trees  on  the  Parsonage  lot  this  present  year 
in  said  Parish. 

“9th.  To  see  if  said  Freeholders  and  Inhabitants  will  agree  upon  and 
vote  to  build  two  school-houses  the  present  year. 

“ Kith.  To  see  if  the  Freeholders  and  Inhabitants  will  agree  upon  and 
choose  one  set  day  to  hold  the  Annual  Meeting  iu  said  Parish,  and  to 
transact  any  other  matter  or  thing  that  may  he  thought  advisable  for  the 
interest  of  said  Parish.” 

The  proceedings  were  as  follows: 

“ Chose  Mr.  Jethro  Bachelder  Moderator  for  said  meeting. 

“ Chose  Nathan  Bachelder  Parish  Clerk. 

“ Chose  Jethro  Bachelder,  Moses  Holman  and  Jacob  Towle  Selectmen. 

“ Chose  Moses  Ordway  Constable. 

“ Chose  Abraham  Bachelder,  Gershoin  Mat  lies,  lit.  Benjamin  Sias, 
Jethro  Bachelder  Surveyors  of  Highways. 

“ Chose  Samuel  French  and  Dudley  Sweasy  as  Tything  men. 

“ Chose  Samuel  Carter  and  Stephen  Perkins  Hog  reeves. 

“ Chose  Gershom  Mathes  and  Samuel  Locke  as  Field  drivel’s. 

“ Chose  Eliphalet  Raw  lings,  Daniel  Ladd,  Fence  Viewers. 

“ Chose  Joseph  Smith,  John  Hoyt,  surveyors  of  Lumber. 

“ ( 'hose  John  Sanborn,  Daniel  Bachelder,  Deer  keepers. 

“ Chose  Abraham  Bachelder  sealer  of  weights  and  measures. 

“ Chose  Joseph  Smith  sealer  of  Leather. 

“C hose  Nathaniel  Bachelder  and  John  Sanborn  to  settle  the  Select- 
men’s accounts. 

"Voted  To  raise  fifty  dollars  for  the  benefit  of  the  gospel  in  the  Parish 
of  Loudon  the  year  ensuing. 

“ Voted  That  the  thirty-two  dollars  given  by  his  Excellency  John 
Wentworth  ho  laid  out  on  the  highway  that  leads  from  Gilmanton  to 
Jethro  Bachelder’s. 

“ Voted  To  raise  forty-five  pounds  to  amend  the  highways  the  ensuing 
year. 

“ Voted  To  fall  twenty  acres  of  trees  on  the  Parsonage. 

"Voted  To  give  Benjamin  Sias  twenty-two  dollars  to  fall  twenty-two 
acres  of  trees  on  the  Parsonage,  to  be  paid  iu  Corn  at  Christmas  at  mar- 
ket price. 

“ Voted  That  the  Selectmen  be  a Committee  to  lay  out  the  money  lor 
the  benefit  of  the  gospel. 

“ Voted  To  buy  two  Books  for  the  benefit  of  the  Parish,  one  for  the 
Clerk  and  the  other  for  the  Selectmen.” 

A meeting  was  held  tlii.s  same  year  at  the  house  of 
Stephen  Perkins,  and  it  was 

“ Voted  That  Nathan  Bachelder  and  Jethro  Bachelder  lie  a Committee 
to  fix  upon  a place  for  a Buryi ng-ground. 

“ Voted  That  the  Meeting  House  stand  on  the  Southeast  corner  of  the 
School  ltd,  part  or  all  ill  the  road,  as  the  laud  may  be  thought  best.” 

The  First  Tax-List  Committed. — The  following 
province,  county  and  parish  rate  was  committed  to 
Jethro  Bachelder,  constable  for  said  parish,  lor  the 


year  1774: 

£ *.  ,1.  f. 

Jethro  Bachelder,  Esq 0 15  5 6 

Thomas  Ward 0 15  It)  1 

Abraham  Bachelder,  Jr 0 14  7 2 

John  San  Ik)  rn n 22  1 2 

Abraham  Bachelder ....  0 14  5 5 

Joseph  Tilton 0 13  4 2 

Thomas  Drake o 7 7 0 

Stephen  Perkins 0 13  8 1 

Joseph  Smith o 10  II  2 

Eliphalet  Rawlings I o 8 2 

Daniel  Ladd 0 14  1 2 

Samuel  French 0 14  0 5 

Moses  Morrill 0 7 7 4 

James  Lyford . . .. 0 12  5 2 

John  Drew 0 13  8 3 

Gershom  Mathes 0 11  9 2 

Abel  French 0 12  4 2 

Timothy  Tilton  ..  ....1  3 83 


LOUDON. 


479 


£ s.  d.  f. 


Nathaniel  Bachelder 

0 

11 

10 

0 

Josiah  Rines 

9 

4 

3 

Jonathan  Smith 

0 

10 

5 

3 

John  Sargent 

0 

9 

4 

0 

Thomas  Sweat 

0 

8 

8 

2 

John  Stephens 

0 

6 

6 

0 

Samuel  Carter 

0 

9 

4 

3 

Samuel  Locke 

0 

12 

11 

0 

Jonathan  Clough 

0 

13 

3 

5 

Hannah  Magoon 

0 

1 

0 

2 

Samuel  Dow 

0 

6 

6 

0 

Jacob  Towle 

0 

17 

4 

2 

Edward  Moulton 

7 

7 

0 

Ezekiel  Morrill 

0 

16 

7 

0 

Masten  Morrill 

0 

5 

1 

3 

James  Sherburne 

0 

6 

6 

0 

Dudley  Sweasy 

8 

8 

2 

Benjamin  Sias 

0 

17 

7 

i 

William  Davis 

0 

12 

5 

3 

William  Boyenton 

0 

8 

8 

0 

Jethro  Bachelder,  Jr 

2 

10 

2 

Paul  Morrill 

0 

1 

6 

2 

Samuel  Morrill 

14 

3 

3 

Isaac  Morrill 

0 

6 

8 

2 

Charles  Sias 

0 

14 

7 

0 

John  Glines 

12 

5 

2 

Thomas  Clough 

0 

5 

ii 

2 

John  Hoit 

0 

6 

0 

Samuel  Banforth 

0 

1 

6 

0 

Samuel  Chamberlin,  Jr  . . . . . 

0 

10 

ii 

0 

Samuel  Chamberlin 

2 

0 

2 

Jethro  Bachelder 

1 

4 

8 

2 

Daniel  Bachelder 

10 

n 

0 

Stephen  Kimball 

2 

7 

0 

William  Knox 

0 

1 

0 

2 

Moses  Ordway  

15 

11 

2 

Moses  Ordway,  Jr 

0 

9 

5 

2 

George  Barnes  

14 

4 

3 

Thomas  Magoon 

1 

3 

0 

Nathaniel  Moor 

2 

6 

0 

Oliver  Blaisdel 

0 

6 

0 

0 

Moses  Holman 

0 

4 

10 

0 

Moses  Rawlings 

8 

8 

0 

Stephen  Gilman 

0 

13 

i 

0 

Amount 

£31 

5 

0 

0 

1774. — This  meeting  was  called  at  the  house  of 
Nathan  Bachelder,  Esq.,  March  20th,  at  twelve 

o’clock,  noon. 

“ Article  Second,  was  to  choose  a clerk  and  other  parish  officers. 

“ Article  Third,  to  see  if  the  Inhabitants  will  raise  a sum  of  money 
this  year  for  the  benefit  of  the  Gospel  in  said  parish  and  for  schooling. 

“ Article  Fourth  wa6  to  see  how  much  shall  be  raised  for  highways. 

“ Article  Fifth,  to  see  whether  the  officers  of  the  parish  shall  be  allowed 
anything  for  their  services. 

“ Article  Sixth,  to  see  if  the  town  will  vote  to  build  two  school-houses 
and  do  any  other  thing  thought  advisable.” 

At  this  meeting  John  Hoit  was  chosen  moderator, 
Nathan  Bachelder,  clerk ; Jonathan  Clough,  Moses 
Holman  and  Nathan  Bachelder,  selectmen;  Jethro 
Bachelder,  constable;  Samuel  Carter  and  Samuel 
Lock  were  chosen  tythingmen. 

“ Voted  to  raise  fifty  dollars  for  the  gospel  and  none  for  schooling. 

“ Voted  to  raise  sixty  pounds,  to  be  laid  out  on  the  highways  at  three 
shillings  a day  for  man  and  beast. 

“ Voted , the  Constable  is  to  have  five  pence  per  pound  for  gathering 
the  rates. 

“ Voted  that  Lieut.  Benjamin  Sias  and  Lieut.  Daniel  Ladd  be  a com- 
mittee to  lay  out  the  money  for  preaching. 

“ Voted  to  build  a Pound  this  present  year,  and  to  set  it  before  Abra- 
ham Bachelder,  Jr.’s,  door. 

31 


“ Voted  to  lend  Mr.  Ephraim  Blunt  six  thousand  feet  of  pine  boards, 
if  he  will  give  from  under  his  hand  that  the  parish  may  have  the  use  of 
his  chamber  to  hold  meetings  in  when  wanted. 

“ Voted  that  the  boards  be  four  dollars  a thousand,  and  that  the  select- 
men take  security  for  them. 

“ Voted  to  hike  three  and  one-half  dollars  from  the  minister’s  money 
for  Congress. 

1775.  — The  meeting  was  held  at  Colonel  Joseph 
Tilton’s.  Jonathan  Clough  was  chosen  clerk,  John 
Hoit,  moderator;  Jonathan  Clough,  Nathan  Bach- 
elder and  Timothy  Tilton,  selectmen ; John  Hoit, 
constable;  Thomas  Ward  and  Charles  Sias,  tything- 
men ; Moses  Morrill,  Jacob  Tole  and  Thomas  Drake 
Howards. 

“ Voted  to  raise  money  to  buy  a book  for  the  selectmen  to  keep  their 
accompts  in. 

“ Voted  to  take  the  money  for  preaching  and  schooling  to  defray  the 
expenses  of  the  war. 

“ Voted  that  fifty  shillings  be  laid  out  in  provision  for  the  use  of  the 
war. 

“ Voted  to  buy  thirty  pounds  of  powder  and  sixty  pounds  of  ball  out  of 
said  money. 

“ Voted  that  Abraham  Bachelder,  Jr.,  and  Mr.  Ward  be  a committee 
to  provide  the  provisions  that  was  voted,  and  keep  the  same  until  called 
for. 

“ Chose  Nathan  Bachelder  to  go  to  Exeter  and  stand  six  months  if 
wanted. 

“ Chose  a Committee  of  Safety  for  said  parish  as  follows:  Ephrahim 
Blunt,  Abraham  Bachelder,  Nathan  Bachelder,  Esq.,  John  Hoit,  E.iph- 
alct  Rollins,  Abiah  Chamberlin  and  Jonathan  Clough  as  the  com- 
mittee. 

“ Chose  as  a Committee  of  Correspondence, — Jethro  Bachelder  and 
Gershom  Mathes.” 

1776.  — The  meeting  was  held  at  Joseph  Tilton’s. 
Samuel  Chamberlain,  moderator;  Jonathan  Clough, 
clerk;  Nathan  Bachelder,  Samuel  Chamberlain  and 
John  Drue,  selectmen;  Jonathan  Clough,  constable. 

“ Voted  to  pay  the  soldiers  that  went  part  of  the  way  to  the  Concord 
fight  from  Loudon  two  shillings  a day. 

“ Voted  to  take  the  money  out  of  the  minister’s. 

“ Chose  Nathaniel  Bachelder  to  collect  the  last  year’s  rates  by  reason 
of  the  old  constable  being  gone  in  the  service. 

“ Voted  to  raise  money  to  buy  hay-seed  to  sow  on  the  Parsonage.” 

1777.  — Abraham  Bachelder  was  chosen  moderator 
of  this  meeting;  Jonathan  Clough,  clerk;  Nathan 
Bachelder,  Esq.,  Abraham  Bachelder  and  John  Hoit, 
selectmen;  Nathan  Bachelder,  constable;  William 
Boyenton,  tythingman. 

The  following  order  for  men  was  received  by  Mr. 
Clough : 

‘ ‘ To  Mr.  Clough , Constable: 

“ Sir  : This  day  received  orders  from  Col.  Stickney  forthwith  to  warn 
a parish  meeting  to  call  upon  the  train  Board  and  alarm  List  to  raise 
eleven  able-bodied,  effective  men,  the  same  to  be  engaged  three  years  or 
during  the  war.  This  is  to  warn  you  to  immediately  warn  the  train 
Board  and  alarm  List  to  meet  at  the  house  of  Joseph  Tilton,  in  Loudon, 
on  Thursday,  the  seventh  instant,  at  nine  o’clock  in  the  forenoon,  to  con- 
sult the  best  way  in  order  to  raise  the  aforesaid  eleven  men. 

“Nathan  Bachelder,)  c . . 

’ V Selectmen. 

“John  Drew.  ) 

“March  24,1777.” 

The  parish  voted  to  accept  the  two  men  that  Na- 
than Bachelder  and  Captain  Sias  hired  at  Epsom. 

“ Voted  To  pay  the  expense  they  were  at  in  hireing  said  Soldiers. 

“ Chose  the  Selectmen,  Capt.  Benjamin  Sias  and  Lieut.  John  Sanborn, 
as  a committee  to  raise  the  men. 

“ Voted  to  pay  all  the  cost  the  committee  may  be  at  in  raising  said 
Soldiers. 


4 SO 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


“ Voted  Five  pounds  per  month,  with  the  State  Wages,  for  a certain 
number  of  men  that  started  out  for  Ticonderoga. 

“ Voted  fifteen  dollars  per  month  for  the  men  that  went  to  Saratoga. 

“ Voted  that  those  men  who  went  to  Bennington  be  brought  into  a 
rate. 

“ Voted  to  give  each  man  that  went  to  Bennington  last  year  forty  dol- 
lars, with  paying  back  the  money  they  have  received. 

“ Voted  that  William  Chamberlin’s  and  Henry  Tebbetts’  rate  for  1777 
be  taken  off  for  their  going  to  Cambridge. 

“ Voted  not  to  give  Ezra  Blaisdell  the  money  he  lost  when  he  was 
taken  prisoner  at  Bennington. 

“ Voted  to  give  the  Volunteers  that  goto  Rhode  Island,  if  they  should 
not  receive  enough  from  the  State,  sufficient  to  make  them  whole,  both 
in  horse-flesh  and  other  ways.’* 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  names  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary soldiers  who  went  from  Loudon  : 

David  Greely,  Lieutenant  Samuel  Chamberlin,  Eliphelet  Rawlings, Dud- 
ley Sweasey,  William  Chamberlin,  Abial  Chamberlin,  Moses  Morrill, 
Ensign  Ezekiel  Morrill,  George  Barns,  Joseph  Tilton,  Ensign  Bachel- 
der,  Libby  Bachelder,  Jere.  Abbott  Blunt,  Capt.  Benjamin  Sias,  Thomas 
Drake,  John  Sanborn,  Caleb  Pillsbury,  Jacob  Sherburne,  Thomas  Haines, 
Thomas  Bachelder,  Henry  Tebbetts,  John  Davis,* William  Boyington, 
Isaac  Morrill,  Moses  Ordway,  Timothy  French,  Ezra  Blaisdell,  John 
Hoit,  Phineas  Bachelder,  Richard  Bachelder,  Nathaniel  Bachelder,  Jon- 
athan Clough. 

Beside  those  who  went  as  volunteers,  several  oth- 
ers furnished  substitutes  to  fill  the  places  of  themselves, 
as  they  were  liable  to  be  called  out  as  soldiers  in  the 


war. 

£.  i. 

“ Paid  Ensign  Morrill  in  part  fori  soldier 9 0 

Paid  Nathaniel  Rawlings  in  part  for  1 soldier  ....  3 0 
Paid  William  Chamberlin  in  part  for  1 soldier  ....  3 11 
Paid  Samuel  Chamberlin  in  part  for  1 soldier  ....  3 0 

Paid  Jacob  Towle  in  part  fori  soldier 10  12 

Paid  Libby  Bachelder  in  part  for  1 soldier 2 5 

Paid  George  Sherburne  in  part  for  1 soldier  . • . . . 4 10  ” 


1779.  — The  annual  meeting  for  this  year  was  held 
at  Ephraim  Blunt’s  house.  Nathan  Bachelder  was 
chosen  moderator  of  this  meeting;  chose  Jonathan 
Clough  clerk,  and  Nathan  Bachelder,  Jonathan  Clough 
and  Ephraim  Blunt,  selectmen  ; Joseph  Tilton,  con- 
stable ; Lieutenant  John  Sanborn  and  Thomas  Bach- 
elder, tythingmen. 

“ Voted  four  thousand  dollars  be  raised  to  be  laid  out  on  the  highways 
the  present  year,  at  eight  dollars  a day. 

“ Voted  three  hundred  dollars  for  preaching. 

“ Voted  two  hundred  pounds  for  schooling. 

“ Voted  to  give  Nathan  Bachelder,  Esq.,  fifteen  dollars  for  his  services 
at  the  convention  at  Exeter.” 

1780.  — The  selectmen  for  this  year  posted  up  a war- 
rant notifying  the  inhabitants  to  meet  at  the  meeting- 
house, to  act  in  conjunction  with  the  towns  of  North- 
field,  Canterbury  and  Loudon  in  choosing  one  suitable 
person  for  the  term  of  one  year  to  represent  these 
towns  in  the  General  Assembly  at  Exeter,  to  vote  for 
delegates  in  the  Continental  Congress,  and  “it  is  also 
recommended  to  empower  such  person  to  join  in  call- 
ing a convention  to  settle  a plan  of  government  for 
the  State.  Each  voter  to  bring  in  five  votes  upon  one 
piece  of  paper.”  Abial  Foster,  Esq.,  was  chosen  as 
delegate. 

The  town  was  required  to  furnish  to  the  soldiers 
necessary  clothing  and  provisions  for  their  subsist- 
ence, which  consisted  of  Indian  corn,  beef  and,  in 


some  instances,  wheat.  The  town  chose,  at  a town- 
meeting, several  persons,  living  in  the  different  sec- 
tions of  the  town,  to  receive  and  convey  all  such 
articles  to  the  army.  The  record  contains  the  follow- 
ing : 

“The  quantity  of  Indian  Corn  to  be  raised  by  the  Parish  of  Loudon, 
for  Soldiers  going  in  the  present  war,  and  to  buy  Beef-Cattle  for  said 


Parish  for  the  year  1780. 

“John  Sinclair  Gibson  to  furnish  corn 150  Bushels. 

Merrill  Clements  “ “ 132  “ 

William  Forrest  72  Bushels  Wheat  equal  to  . . 180  of  Corn. 
A.  Potter  48  of  Indian  & 24  of  Wheat  “ . . 108  “ 

Peter  Blaisdell  to  furnish  of  corn 60  Bushels. 

Enoch  Bagley  “ “ 90  “ 

Levi  Shaw  “ “ 90  “ 

Timothy  Bachelder  “ “ 50  “ 

Dudley  Swain  “ “ 50  “ 

“ Beef  Cattle  to 

Isiah  Harvey  1 Yoke  of  Oxen,  equal  to  ...  . 120  of  Corn. 

Joseph  Moulton  “ “ “ ....  120  “ 

John  Sanborn  “ “ “ ....  118  “ 

Capt.  Tilton  “ “ “ ....  100  “ 

Jere  Abbott  Blunt  “ “ “ ....  90  “ 

Paul  Morrill  Yoke  Cattle,  equal  to  corn  ...  80  Bushels. 


“ To  pay  all  expense  of  getting  said  Beef  to  Soldiers,  for  getting  them 
to  the  collector  and  shortage  on  measure,  and  collecting  loss,  or  of  any 
being  over  rated.” 

Mr.  Samuel  Chamberlin,  who  was  constable  and 
collector  for  1780,  is  credited  by  the  selectmen  as  fol- 
lows : 

Bush.  Qts. 


“ Paid  to  Captain  Tilton  com  for  beef 100  0 

“ Enoch  Bayley,  soldier 20  0 

“ Joseph  Moulton,  for  beef 35  0 

“ Joseph  Moulton  “ “ 14  20 

“ John  Sanborn,  by  order  of  “Tanner 

John” 22  0 

“ Peter  Blaisdell,  a soldier 5 0 

“ Timothy  French,  for  fish 15  0 

“ Captain  Tilton,  for  service  getting  beef 
cattle  and  soldiers,  and  keeping  beef 

cattle 16  0 

“ For  collecting  the  corn  tax 36  0 

“ Eliphalet  Rawlings  for  keeping  oxen  . . 4 0 

“ John  Sinclar  Gibson,  com 97  0 

“ Daniel  Feasher’s  tax  given  in 6 0 

“ Charles  Sargent’s  “ “ 12  0 

“ Isiah  Harvey  “ M 10  0 

“ Tanner  John  Sanborn  by  Lieutenant 

Chamberlin 11  0 


“ Paid  Nine  Hundred  dollars  by  Samuel  Chamberlin,  it  being  for 
Obadiah  Clough's  corn  tax.” 

“ Received  of  Lieutenant  Samuel  Chamberlin  twenty-six  dollars  of 
the  New  Emission  in  lieu  of  fifteen  bushels  of  corn.” 


The  selectmen  paid  for  soldiers  and  expense  of 
getting  them  as  follows: 


£ $. 

Paid  Ephraim  Blunt  for  going  to  Epsom  to  hire 

soldiers 0 12 

Paid  Abraham  Bachelder,  Jr.,  for  horse  two  jour- 
neys after  soldiers 0 6 

Paid  for  one  Continental  soldier 21  10 

Paid  Nathan  Bachelder  for  four  journeys  to  Epsom 

to  hire  soldiers 2 1 

Paid  Nathan  Bachelder  for  four  and  a-half  days 
self  and  horse  to  Exeter  to  hire  soldiers  ....  1 17 

Paid  same  to  Pembroke  two  days 0 9 

Paid  Abraham  Bachelder  one  day 0 6 

Paid  John  Hoit  for  one  day  hiring  soldiers  ...  0 9” 


The  selectmen  paid  soldiers  that  went  to  Rhode 
Island  forty-nine  pounds. 


LOUDON. 


481 


£ 8.  ll. 

Paid  iu  part  for  Continental  soldiers  ....  62  14  0 

“ in  part  “ “ “ ....  32  14  0 

Paid  Captain  Sias  for  soldiers 34  16  0 

Paid  cash  to  soldiers 49  4 5 

Paid  Lieutenant  Sanborn  for  two  days  after 

soldiers 1 4 0 

Paid  Timothy  Tilton  for  money  hired  for  sol- 
diers   30  0 0 

Paid  Stephen  Webster  for  the  soldiers  ....  60  0 0” 


So  far  as  is  knowu,  but  one  draft  of  soldiers  ever 
took  place  in  Loudon.  Mr.  Philip  Brown  (now  de- 
ceased) related  the  circumstance,  he  then  being  a 
small  boy,  which  took  place  in  the  following  manner: 
The  men  were  drawn  up  in  single  rank,  and  each  sol- 
dier took  from  a hat  a ticket,  upon  which  was  written 
the  word  “go  ” or  “stay.” 

Continental  Money. — The  first  issue  of  this  paper 
as  currency  was  dated  April  10,  1775,  and  the  notes 
went  into  circulation  in  August  following.  The  bills 
passed  at  their  nominal  value  till  the  issue  exceeded 
nine  million  dollars.  By  the  end  of  the  year  1777  sev- 
enty-five million  dollars  had  been  issued,  and  the  value 
of  the  paper  dollar  had  fallen  to  twenty-five  cents  in 
coin.  In  February,  1779,  the  quantity  issued  reached 
nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty  million  dollars,  and  the 
value  had  fallen  to  ten  cents  on  the  dollar.  On  May  31, 
1779,  after  three  hundred  and  fifty  million  dollars  had 
been  issued,  the  Continental  bills  ceased  to  circulate 
as  money,  their  value  having  fallen  to  one-quarter  of  a 
cent  in  specie  for  a dollar  in  paper,  and  shortly  be- 
came worthless,  or  nearly  so.  The  tax  for  the  year 
1780  was  made  payable  in  corn,  as  there  was  no  cur- 
rency in  existence  for  the  purpose  of  paying  bills  of 
any  amount,  save  a small  quantity  of  silver,  which 
was  hoarded  by  those  who  held  it  in  their  possession. 

The  warrant  and  tax- committed  to  the  constable 
for  collection  were  as  follows : 

“ To  Samuel  Chamberlain , Constable  of  the  town  of  Loudon  for  the  year 

1780  : 

“ Greeting. — In  the  name  of  the  Government  of  New  Hampshire — 
You  are  required  to  levy  and  collect  the  sum  set  down  in  the  foregoing 
list,  each  man  his  respective  proportion,  the  sum  total  being  £29,574, 
lawful  money. 

“ But  if  either  of  the  Inhabitants  or  Proprietors,  as  they  are  set  down 
in  the  foregoing  list,  will  pay  their  respective  proportion  in  Indian  corn 
at  sixty  dollars  per  Bushel,  to  be  delivered  to  Timothy  Tilton,  Captain 
Joseph  Tilton,  Captain  Benjamin  Sias,  Joseph  Moulton,  Thomas  Bacli- 
elder  and  Samuel  Chamberlin’s,  in  Loudon,  at  or  before  the  first  day  of 
January  next,  it  is  to  be  received  in  lieu  of  said  money.  But  if  any  of 
the  foregoing  persons  in  the  foregoing  list  shall  refuse  or  neglect  to  pay 
the  sums  set  down  to  them,  you  are  to  make  distraint  as  the  law  directs, 
and  deliver  the  same  to  us,  the  Selectmen  of  said  town,  by  the  15th  day 
of  January  next.  For  your  so  doing  this  shall  be  your  sufficient  War- 
rant 

‘‘Given  under  our  hands  and  seal  this  5th  day  of  December,  1780. 

“Joseph  Tilton,  i Selectmen  of 
“Benjamin  Sias,  J Loudon .” 

The  following  list  shows  the  names  and  amount  of 
tax  assessed  against  several  of  the  tax-payers,  as 
committed  to  the  constable  for  the  year  1780. 


£ s.  d.  Bush.  Qts. 

“Joseph  Tilton 377  19  0 or  corn  21  3 

Thomas  Sargent 211  17  8 “ 11  27 

Stephen  Perkins 335  14  7 “ 18  24 


£ 

N. 

d. 

Bush. 

Vf 

Nathan  Bachelder,  Esq.  . . 

385 

14 

6 

21 

18 

Abraham  Bachelder,  Jr.  . 

254 

2 

11 

14 

8 

Lieut.  John  Sanborn  . . . 

606 

1 

0 

32 

17 

Eliphalet  Rawlings  .... 

558 

7 

0 

30 

6 

Timothy  Tilton 

502 

7 

10 

27 

0 

Nathan  Tilton 

13 

3 

7 

20 

William  Tilton 

157 

3 

1 

8 

24 

Nathaniel  Bachelder  . . . 

302 

17 

8 

16 

26 

Lieut.  Daniel  Ladd  .... 

403 

11 

3 

22 

19 

John  Drew 

462 

12 

0 

22 

9 

Samuel  French 

*140 

6 

9 

23 

26 

Moses  Rawlings 

310 

14 

2 

21 

9 

Abraham  Bachelder,  Esq. 

387 

10 

0 

21 

20 

Benjamin  Sias 

511 

18 

0 

27 

17 

Timothy  French 

286 

18 

4 

15 

30 

Archelaus  Moore,  Esq.  . . 

160 

14 

1 

8 

30 

John  Moore 

192 

17 

4 

10 

25 

Jonathan  Clough 

435 

15 

0 

23 

7 

John  Sanborn 

313 

4 

3 

20 

21 

Ezekiel  Morrill 

601 

17 

3 

32 

9 

Jacob  Towle 

419 

7 

0 

23 

14 

Mr.  Ephraim  Blunt  . . . 

279 

2 

6 

15 

22 

Samuel  Chamberlin  . . . 

382 

2 

8 

20 

11 

Jethro  Bachelder,  Jr.  . . . 

309 

0 

3 

17 

7 

Moses  Ordway 

246 

8 

3 

13 

26 

John  Hoyt 

483 

6 

8 

25 

29 

Mr.  Jethro  Bachelder  . . 

357 

3 

12 

19 

30 

Thomas  Clough 

650 

13 

6 

35 

2 

The  sum  total  to  be  raised  in  money  . . . £29,574 

But  in  corn 1643  bushels.” 


1781. — The  tax  for  this  year  was  to  be  paid  in 
three  payments, — the  State  tax  to  be  paid  in  specie, 
the  parish  and  minister  to  be  paid  in  Continental 
money. 

“Paid  Samuel  Chamberlin  fifty-four  new  emission  dollars,  it  being  for 
eleven  silver  dollars  lent  the  Parish. 

“ Paid  John  Drew  for  a wolf’s  head,  ten  dollars 

“ Voted,  To  lay  two  days’  work  upon  a single  poll  and  the  Estates  in 
proportion  and  labor  at  $40.00  per  day. 

“ Voted  five  thousand  dollars  for  schooling. 

“ Voted , To  let  out  the  school  and  parsonage  lots  for  hard  money.” 

The  constable  sold  thirty-two  lots  of  land  for 
taxes.  The  conditions  of  the  sale  were, — 

“ If  any  person  refuses  to  pay  down  his  money  that  said  land  is  struck 
off  for,  he  is  not  to  be  deemed  to  be  the  purchaser  ; and,  furthermore,  it 
is  expected  that  every  purchaser  will  pay  for  one  mug  ofyfipforthe 
encouragement  of  the  vaudue.” 

1783.  — At  a parish  meeting  held  at  the  meeting- 
house on  the  19th  of  May,  Thomas  Bachelder  was 
chosen  moderator.  Article  2d  reads, — “ To  see  if  the 
Inhabitants  will  vote  to  choose  a man  to  set  in  Con- 
vention at  Concord  in  June  next,  and  Chose  Capt. 
Benjamin  Sias.”  Also,  “ To  see  if  the  said  Parish 
will  vote  to  receive  the  Plan  of  Government  as  it  now 
stands,  with  the  Amendment  made  at  the  Convention 
at  Concord,  or  reject  any  article  or  the  whole.” 
Upon  this  article  the  meeting  voted  not  to  receive  it, 
“ As  it  gives  great  liberty  for  Popery  and  Vice,” 
four  voting  in  favor  and  fourteen  against  it. 

The  article  for  having  a Governor  was  voted  down, 
eighteen  voting  against  and  not  one  in  favor  of  it. 
“ Voted  to  choose  Ezekiel  French  as  Constable  in  room 
of  Ezekiel  Morrill,  and  to  give  him  seven  dollars  for 
the  service  of  said  office.” 

1784.  — At  the  annual  meeting  in  March,  Nathan 
Bachelder,  Esq.,  was  chosen  moderator,  and  Jonathan 


482 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Clough,  clerk;  John  Sanborn,  Joseph  Tilton  and 
Samuel  Chamberlin,  Jr.,  selectmen. 

“ Chose  Nathan  Bachelder  for  Representative. 

“ Voted  two  days  upon  a poll  and  other  property  in  proportion  to  be 
laid  out  on  the  highways. 

“ Voted  to  give  ten  pounds  for  every  wolf’s  head  trapped  and  killed  in 
Loudon  the  present  year. 

“ Voted  to  receive  Eliphalet  Rollins  for  Coustahle  in  the  room  of 
Daniel  Ladd. 

“ Voted  to  petition  the  General  Court  for  relief  for  the  want  of  money 
to  pay  our  taxes.” 

1785. — Nathan  Bachelder,  Esq.,  was  chosen  mod- 
erator of  the  meeting;  Jonathan  Clough,  clerk  and 
Nathan  Bachelder,  Esq.,  representative;  Benjamin 
Sias,  Joseph  Tilton  and  John  Sanborn,  selectmen. 

“ Voted  to  give  Jacob  Osborne  the  road  that  lays  between  him  and 
Watson’s  corner,  and  the  reserve  to  the  brook  aud  one  rod  over  said 
brook,  four  rods  wide,  by  his  giving  the  town  a receipt  in  full. 

“ Voted  to  choose  two  selectmen  more,  to  join  the  former  selectmen, 
(’hose  Joseph  Smith  for  the  fourth  and  John  Drew  for  the  fifth. 

“ Voted  to  choose  a Town  Treasurer,  and  chose  Capt.  John  Sanborn  as 
the  man.” 

1780. — Nathan  Bachelder,  Esq.,  was  chosen  mod- 
erator; Jonathan  Clough,  clerk;  John  Drew,  con- 
stable; John  Sanborn,  James  Thompson  and  Jo- 
seph Smith,  selectmen  ; Stephen  Wells  aud  Moses 
Lovering,  tytliingmen.  Abraham  Bachelder,  Esq.,  and 
Nathaniel  Hill  were  chosen  as  “a  committee  to  meet 
at  Concord  in  June  with  other  town  committees  to 
join  in  a petition  to  General  Court  for  our  ports  to  be 
opened  for  a free  trade.  Also,  for  a Bank  of  money 
so  large  as  to  pay  our  State  War  debt  and  the  Conti- 
nental loan  office  debt,  and  also  to  see  if  there  can’t 
be  a cheaper  way  for  court  charges,  or  a new  method 
for  sueing  of  debts,  and  to  see  about  the  claims  for 
sixty  miles  from  the  sea  and  General  Stark’s  Petition. 
Voted  that  any  private  man  may  have  a quarter  of 
an  acre  of  Land  upon  the  School  Lot  to  build  a house 
upon,  for  a number  of  years,  if  they  see  fit.” 
ADVERTISEMENT. 

“Taken  up  on  the  highway  leading  from  Jethro  Bachelder’s  Mills,  in 
Loudon,  to  Canterbury,  a dark  bay  mare  with  a long  tale  and  maen , nine 
hands  high,  about  five  years  old  ; the  owner  may  have  her  again  by  ap- 
plying to  me,  the  subscriber,  proving  his  property  and  paying  charges. 

“Taylor  Lovering. 

“ Loudon,  April,  23, 1787.” 

*•  A Petition  having  been  presented  us,  the  Selectmen  of  said  Parish, 
by  a number  of  the  Inhabitants  of  said  Parish,  representing  our  public 
affairs,  calls  for  strict  attention  in  trifling  away  our  privileges  for  the 
sake  of  a little  cost,  you  are  hereby  notified  to  meet  on  the  twenty-fourth 
day  of  March  to  See  if  the  Parish  will  choose  a suitable  man  from  said 
Parish  to  represent  us  in  the  General  Court  this  present  year.” 

It  was  “ Voted  to  buy  about  thirty  acres  of  Land  of 
Ephraim  Blunt,  and  chose  as  a committee  for  this 
purpose  Timothy  French  and  Caleb  Pillsbury,”  and 
they  were  to  report  to  the  selectmen.  The  thirty 
acres  afterwards  purchased  was  that  land  used  by 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Tucker  as  a parsonage. 

1788. — Abraham  Bachelder,  Esq.,  was  chosen  as 
moderator  of  a meeting  held  to  choose  a delegate  to 
sit  in  the  convention  at  Exeter,  by  order  of  the 
General  Court;  and  John  Drew  was  chosen.  Na- 
thaniel Bachelder,  Samuel  Piper,  Esquire  Cliamer- 


lain,  Nathaniel  Hill,  Jethro  Bachelder,  Jonathan 
Joseph  Smith,  Moulton,  Joseph  Tilton  and  Moses 
Rawlings  were  chosen  as  a committee  to  overhaul 
the  new  plan  of  government,  and  give  the  delegate 
his  instructions. 

“ Voted  at  an  adjourned  meeting  that  Jonathan  Smith  be  the  delegate 
in  the  room  of  John  Drew. 

“ Voted  to  have  a fast  the  12th  day  of  February  next. 

“ Voted  that  the  Rev.  Mr.  Smith  of  Gilmanton,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hasel- 
ton  of  Epsom,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Upton  of  Deerfield,  and  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Colby  of  Pembroke  be  chosen  to  carry  on  the  fast. 

“ Chose  as  a committee  to  invite  the  ministers — Samul  Piper,  William 
Boyingtonand  Nathaniel  Bachelder.” 

1789.  — At  the  annual  meeting,  Nathaniel  Bacli- 
clder,  Esq.,  was  chosen  moderator  ; chose  Jonathan 
Clough,  clerk;  Chose  Jonathan  Smith  as  constable; 
Chose  Joseph  Smith,  John  Moore  and  Timothy  Glea- 
son, selectmen. 

“ Voted  to  give  eight  dollars  for  wolves’  heads  killed  and  trapped  in 
Loudon. 

“ Voted  that  the  road  may  be  turned  through  Esq.  Jeremiah  Clough’s 
land,  going  down  the  hill,  without  any  cost  to  the  town. 

“ Voted  to  let  Jeremiah  Sanborn  and  all  his  way  of  thinking  have 
their  School-money  to  lay  out  for  Schooling  by  themselves. 

“ Chose  Jonathan  Smith  and  William  Boynton  delegates  to  meet  in 
Convention  at  Concord.” 

1790.  — At  a meeting  held  in  February,  1790,  Na- 
than Bachelder,  Esq.,  was  chosen  moderator;  John 
Sanborn,  parish  clerk ; and  Capt.  John  Sanborn, 
Daniel  Ordway  aud  John  Moor,  selectmen.  Jona- 
than Smith  was  chosen  representative  by  a majority 
of  eight  votes.  Jonathan  Smith,  Esq.,  was  chosen 
constable.  George  King,  of  Portsmouth,  Col. 
Nicholas  Gilman,  of  Exeter,  Colonel  Bartlet,  ot 
Kingston,  and  Colonel  Walker,  of  Concord,  were 
chosen  to  serve  as  members  of  the  council. 

In  the  year  1790  the  voters  were  required  to  ballot 
for  two  persons  to  represent  this  State  in  the  Congress 
of  the  United  States  for  the  term  of  two  years. 
Jeremiah  Smith  had  81  votes;  John  S.  Sherburne, 
74;  Abial  Foster,  51 ; aud  Nicholas  Gilman.  3. 

The  constable  also  sold  twelve  lots  of  land  for 
taxes.  Nathan  Bachelder  was  vendue-master,  and 
Joseph  Tilton  clerk.  The  last  condition  in  the  sale 
reads  as  follows  : “ The  Collector  gives  one  mug  ot 
toddy  on  each  Lot  Sold,  and  the  purchaser  one  mug 
more.” 

“ Article  b . To  See  if  said  Parish  will  take  into  consideration  the 
damage  done  in  said  Parish  by  letting  Rams  run  at  large  at  unseasonable 
times  in  the  year  and  pass  a vote  against  the  same. 

“ Voted , that  Rams  6hall  not  run  at  large  from  the  first  day  of  Septem- 
ber next  to  the  loth  of  November,  and  if  any  person  within  said  term 
of  time  take  up  any  Rome,  Running  at  large,  he  shall  advertise  said 
Ram  three  weeks  in  some  public  place,  and  if  the  owner  appears  within 
said  term  of  time,  he  is  to  receive  one-half  the  value ; otherwise  the 
whole  belongs  to  the  person  who  took  him  up.” 

ADVERTISEMENT  OF  A STRAY  HOG. 

“Taken  up  by  me,  the  Subscriber,  a Barrow  Hog,  Supposed  to  have 
been  Wintered  one  Winter.  He  has  the  top  of  his  right  ear  cut  off,  and 
a piece  cut  off  the  end  of  his  tail.  The  owner  may  have  said  hog  by 
applying  to  the  Subscriber  and  proving  his  property  and  paying  the 
charge.  “Samuel  Piper. 

“Loudon,  Oct.  8th,  1788. 

“October  10,  1788. —Then  Nathan  Bachelder,  Esq.,  and  John  Webster, 


LOUDON. 


483 


being  appointed  by  me  to  appraise  a stray  stvine,  made  Solemn  oatli  to 
act  faithfully  and  impartially. 

“ Before  me 

“Benjamin  Sias,  Justice  Peace. 

“Loudon,  October  10th,  1788.— We,  the  Subscribers,  being  appointed 
by  the  Justice  above-named,  and  having  appraised  the  Stray  Swine, 
taken  up  by  Samuel  Piper  at  one  pound  lawful  money. 

“Justice  feas,  7s.  Gd. ; Prisers'  feas,  2s.  (id. ; Clerk’s  feas,  Gd. 

“ Nathan  Bachelder, 
“John  Webster.” 

1791. — 

“ Voted  to  let  out  the  constableship  to  the  lowest  bidder,  and  struck  off 
to  Lieut.  Thomas  Sargent  for  £4  15s. , with  his  warning  out  the  poor  of 
said  town  without  cost. 

“ Chose  Enoch  Wood  delegate  to  meet  in  the  Convention  at  Concord. 
“Toted  the  Selectmen  call  upon  Col.  Tilton  to  settle  his  taxes  imme- 
diately. 

“ Voted  that  the  Selectmen  send  a petition  to  general  court  in 
order  to  obtain  some  relief  for  Col.  Tilton  on  account  of  his  certificate 
rate  for  1788. 

“ Chose  Lieut.  Thomas  Sargent  Collector,  with  Col.  Tilton’s  consent, 
to  gather  the  Co13  back  rates  for  the  years  1777  & 1778,  and  he  is  to 
receive  for  collection  one  shilling  and  eleven  pence  on  a Pound.” 

Samuel  Chamberlin,  Esq.,  was  chosen  moderator  of 
this  meeting,  and  John  Sanborn  parish  clerk.  John 
Sanborn,  Jonathan  Smith  and  Samuel  Cham- 
berlin were  chosen  selectmen  ; William  Boynton, 
Moses  Rollins,  Daniel  True  and  Isaac  Dimond, 
hog-reeves. 

1792.  — The  annual  meeting  was  held  March  12tli. 
Nathan  Bachelder,  Esq.,  was  chosen  moderator,  and 
John  Sanborn  clerk  ; John  Sanborn,  John  Drew  and 
Samuel  Piper,  selectmen ; Jonathan  Smith,  representa- 
tive. The  number  of  votes  cast  for  Governor,  then 
styled  President,  was  eighty- four, — Josiali  Bartlet  had 
seventy-five  votes  and  Timothy  Walker  had  nine 
votes.  “ Voted,  that  David  Hutchins  have  four 
dollars  for  taking  care  of  the  meeting-house,  and  his 
daughter  six  shillings  for  washing  the  same.”  A 
meeting  was  held  in  May  “ to  see  if  said  town  will 
accept  the  constitution  with  the  amendments,  or  re- 
ject any  part  thereof.”  This  article  was  given  to  a 
committee,  consisting  of  Jonathan  Smith,  John  San- 
born, Abial  Chamberlin,  John  Clough,  Mr.  Thomas 
Bachelder,  Captain  Samuel  Piper  and  Ensign  Natha- 
niel Bachelder,  for  consideration,  and  adjourned  for 
three  weeks.  At  the  adjourned  meeting  some  of  the 
amendments  were  rejected. 

A third  meeting  was  held  in  June  to  choose  a con- 
stable in  the  place  of  Hanson  Hoit,  who  refused  to 
sign  the  bond  to  secure  the  town,  and  chose  Joseph 
Moulton,  and  voted  him  five-pence  a pound  for 
collecting  the  tax.  A fourth  meeting  was  held  in 
August  to  choose  electors  of  President  and  Vice- 
President;  also  to  vote  on  the  amendments  to  the 
Constitution.  The  vote  for  electors  was, — Joseph 
Cilley,  forty-three;  Thomas  Cogswell,  forty-six; 
William  Page,  forty-three ; William  Simpson,  forty- 
six  ; and  Daniel  Warren,  forty-six.  The  vote  on  the 
amendments  was  thirty-eight  votes  for  and  fourteen 
against  them.  Archelaus  Moore  was  moderator  of 
this  meeting.  A fifth  meeting  was  held  in  November 
to  vote  for  a representative  to  Congress.  The  vote 


was, — for  Pain  Wingate,  eighteen  votes ; for  Abiel 
Foster,  two  votes. 

1793.  — The  town-meeting  was  called  this  year  by 
the  constable,  under  a warrant  from  the  selectmen. 
Nathan  Bachelder,  Esq.,  moderator ; John  San- 
born town  clerk;  Enoch  Wood,  John  Sanborn 
and  Samuel  Piper,  selectmen.  “ Voted,  to  let  out  the 
Constable’s  birth  to  the  lowest  bidder,  and  it  was  struck 
off  to  Nathaniel  Rawlings  for  eight  pounds  and  fifteen 
shillings,  and  Doctor  Silver  and  Moses  Rawlings 
signed  as  his  bondsmen  to  the  selectmen.”  The 
tythingmen  chosen  were  Timothy  Gleason,  Oliver 
Blaisdell,  Zebulon  Winslow  and  Dimond  Furnald  ; 
pound-keeper,  David  Hutchins.  “ Voted  for  Roads, 
one  and  one-half  day  on  ye  head  and  estates  in  pro- 
portion.” 

1794.  — Nathan  Bachelder,  Esq.,  was  chosen  moder- 
ator; John  Sanborn,  clerk;  John  Sanborn,  Joseph 
Clough  and  Charles  Sargent,  selectmen.  Mr.  Enoch 
Wood  was  chosen  as  representative.  Three  town-meet- 
ings were  held  this  year.  At  the  third  it  was  “ Voted  to 
make  up  the  wages  of  ye  minute-men  to  seven  dollars 
per  month,  with  what  Congress  voted  them,  while  in 
actual  service,  and  each  soldier  a good  Blanket  when 
called  to  march,  and  to  each  soldier  two  dollars  upon 
enlistment,  also  one-quarter  of  a dollar  per  day  when 
in  exercise,  which  is  expected  to  be  once  in  a month.” 

1795 — Nathan  Bachelder  was  chosen  moderator; 
Joseph  Clough  clerk  ; Captain  John  Sanborn,  Samuel 
Piper,  Esq.,  and  John  Clough,  selectmen.  The  con- 
stableship was  struck  off  to  Hanson  Hoit,  Esq.,  for 
fourteen  dollars.  The  town  accepted  of  Enoch  Wood 
and  Eliphlet  Rawlings  as  his  bondsmen.  The  Hon. 
J.  Taylor  Gilman  received  eightv-one  votes  for 
Governor. 

No  other  person  was  voted  for. 

“ Voted  to  build  a Bridge  below  the  mills  of  Jethro  Bachelder,  agree- 
able to  the  report  of  the  committee  chosen  to  examine  the  case. 

“ Voted  to  give  Enoch  Wood  one  hundred  dollars  to  build  the  stone- 
work of  the  bridge,  and  to  give  Caleb  Pillsbury  tifty-eight  dollars  for  the 
wood-work  and  graveling.” 

1796.  — Nathan  Bachelder,  Esq.,  was  chosen  moder- 
ator ; Samuel  Piper,  town  clerk  ; Samuel  Piper,  John 
Drew  and  John  Clough  selectmen;  Enoch  Wood,  rep- 
resentative. The  constableship  was  bid  off  by 
Thomas  Sargent,  at  eighteen  dollars  and  eighty-three 
cents.  For  a representative  to  Congress,  Jonathan 
Freeman,  Esq.,  had  twenty -six  votes. 

1797.  — Nathan  Bachelder,  Esq.,  was  chosen  mode- 
rator, Enoch  Wood  clerk.  “Voted  to  let  the  Con- 
stableship to  the  lowest  bidder.  Struck  off  to  Caleb 
Pillsbury  for  seven  dollars  and  fifty  cents.”  John 
Drew,  John  Clough  and  Charles  Sargent  were  chosen 
selectmen.  The  vote  for  Governor  was:  For  John  T. 
Gilman,  seventy-five;  Timothy  Walker,  Esq.,  eight. 
Enoch  Wood  was  chosen  representative;  Timothy 
French,  Zebulon  Winslow,  Caleb  Pillsbury  and  Josiah 
Watson,  tythingmen:  Dr.  William  Tenney,  Samuel 
Rollins,  John  Clark,  Nathaniel  Smith  and  Philip 


484 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Brown,  hog-reeves.  The  meeting  adjourned  to  the 
house  of  Samuel  Piper,  at  seven  o’clock  p.  M.  It 
met  accordingly,  and  as  Captain  Caleb  Pillsbury 
failed  of  procuring  bondsmen,  the  collection  of  taxes 
was  again  put  up  and  struck  off  to  Stephen  Perkins, 
.Tr.,  for  $11.83.  “Voted  to  accept  of  Thomas  Moore 
and  Samuel  Ayer  as  bondsmen.’’  “ Voted  to  dissolve 
the  meeting.” 

The  following  is  an  account  of  the  money  raised  on 
the  polls  and  estates  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town 


of  Loudon  for  the  year  1795  : 

“ For  the  Eev.  Jedediah  Tucker $250.00 

“ Schooling 200.00 

“ Building  a School-House 60.83 

“ Collecting  the  taxes 14.00 

“ Taking  care  of  Aaron  Stevens 26.00 

“ David  Hutchens,  for  care  of  the  meeting-house..  3.00 

To  defray  town  charges,  Drawbacks,  Ac 60.00 

“ State  and  County  taxes 212.00 


$824.83  ” 

Assessed  for  the  year  1797. 


“ For  the  Rev.  Mr.  Tucker $250.00 

“ School  money 250.00 

“ taking  care  of  Meeting-house 3.33 

“ Collecting  of  Taxes 7.83 

“ County  Tax 22.49 

*•  The  Burying-Cloth 12.00 

“ To  Defray  charges 33.33 

'*  Poundage  agreeable  to  law 46.92 

$570.50  ” 

The  year  1800. 

“ For  the  State  and  County  tax $263.22 

“ Collecting  taxes 13.50 

“ Care  of  the  meeting-house 3.33 

“ Schools 272.00 

“ Care  of  James  Thompson's  child 12.00 

“ Town  charges 50.00 

“ Rev.  Mr.  Tucker 250.00 

“ other  charges 18.87 


$882.92  V 


1798. — Nathan  Bachelder,  Esq.,  was  chosen  mode- 
rator ; Enoch  Wood,  clerk;  Samuel  Piper,  Charles 
Sargent  and  Moses  Chamberlin,  selectmen ; John 
Drew,  representative.  Stephen  Cate  bid  off  the  con- 
stableship  for  thirteen  dollars. 

“ Voted  not  to  raise  any  money  to  defray  town  charges  the  present 
year. 

“ Voted  to  give  Edward  Sands  five  dollars  to  hire  a cow  for  him  the 
present  year. 

“ Voted  to  make  up  the  wages  of  the  minute-men  to  ten  dollars  a 
month,  provided  they  are  called  into  actual  service.” 

1800. — The  selectmen  for  this  year  were  Samuel 
Piper,  Moses  Flanders  and  Stephen  Clark,  Jr.  Each 
of  the  four  school  classes  received  $58.39  each.  The 
selectmen  bought  two  record-books  for  the  use  of  the 
clerk  and  selectmen,  and  paid  for  them  fifteen  dollars. 
They  also  paid  Samuel  Piper  for  rum  on  bridge  $1.58, 
and  Lieutenant  Abner  Clough  for  a gallon  of  rum 
while  repairing  the  bridge  near  Nathaniel  Maxfield’s 
01.59. 

Town  Officers  and  their  Bills  for  Service  to 
1800. — John  Sanborn  was  chosen  as  the  first  clerk 
and  served  for  two  years.  Jonathan  Clough  was 
chosen  in  1775  and  served  as  clerk  fourteen  years  in 


succession.  He  charged  for  services  twelve  shillings 
a year,  with  the  exception  of  1776,  when  his  bill  was 
eighteen  shillings.  During  this  time  he  also  was 
chosen  selectman  for  four  years.  Nathan  Bachelder ^ 
Esq.,  was  chosen  selectman  for  five  years. 


The  selectman  charged  for  services  in  1776 
In  the  year  1777  the  charges  were  .... 

“ “ 1778  “ “ .... 

“ “ 1779  “ “ 

“ “ 1780  “ “ .... 

In  the  year  1783  Capt.  John  Sanborn  charged 
“ “ “ Joseph  Tilton 

In  the  year  1787  James  Thompson 
“ “ 1785  Joseph  Tilton 

“ “ “ Benjamin  Sias 

In  the  year  1786  James  Thompson 
“ “ “ Joseph  Smith 

In  the  year  1787  Samuel  Piper 
“ “ “ Joseph  Smith 

In  the  year  1788  Joseph  Smith 
“ “ “ John  Moore 

In  the  year  1789  Joseph  Smith 
“ “ 1790  John  Moore 

“ “ “ John  Sanborn 

In  the  year  1791  John  Sanborn 
“ “ “ Jonathan  Smith 

In  the  year  1792  Samuel  Piper 
“ “ “ John  Sanborn 

“ “ “ John  Drew 

In  the  year  1793  Samuel  Piper 
“ “ “ John  Sanborn 

In  the  year  1794  John  Sanborn 
“ “ Joseph  Clough 

In  the  year  1795  John  Sanborn 

“ “ “ John  Clough 

In  the  year  1796  Samuel  Piper 
“ “ “ John  Clough 

In  the  year  1797  Charles  Sargent 
“ *•  “ John  Clough 

“ “ “ John  Drew 

In  the  year  1798  Charles  Sargent 
“ “ “ Moses  Chamberlin 

“ “ “ Samuel  Piper 

In  the  year  1799  James  Thompson 
“ “ “ Stephen  Wells 

11  “ “ David  Eastman 

In  the  year  1800  Stephen  Clark 
“ “ “ Moses  Flanders 

“ “ “ Samuel  Piper 


£.  s.  d. 
6 7 0 
1 11  0 
28  7 0 
38  0 0 
52  0 0 
2 18  0 
3 16  0 
0 12  2 
2 3 6 
2 3 6 
13  7 
2 17  3 
0 9 2 

0 17  8 

2 13  6 
2 12  6 

3 0 0 
2 18  0 
0 8 0 

1 4 0 
1 16  0 

4 17  7 
3 9 0 
3 9 0 

2 4 1 
2 5 0 
2 19 
2 5 0 

. $12.95 
. 4.49 

. 12.50 

8.15 

. 10.00 
. 10.30 

. 10.04 

. 14.33 

8.02 

. 12.20 
3.83 
. 11.15 

. 3.00 

. 14.39 

. 14.43 

. 18.44 


The  number  of  taxable  polls  in  the  town  in  1800 
was  two  hundred  and  forty.  As  the  business  of  the 
town  increased,  the  expense  of  transacting  the  same 
was  larger;  consequently  town  officers’  bills  continued 
to  increase  in  amount  after  the  year  1800. 

1801. — The  selectmen  were  Samuel  Piper,  Moses 
Flanders  and  Stephen  Clark  ; Jonathan  Rollins  col- 
lector. Amount  of  tax  commited,  $779.09.  Paid  for 
services  of  collector,  $12.50.  Paid  Samuel  Piper, 
services  as  selectman,  $6.30.  Paid  Moses  Flanders, 
services  and  agent,  $18.60.  Paid  Stephen  Clark, 
services,  $26.51. 

HIGHWAY  TAX  FOR  1801. 


Xathaniel  Max  field's  List. 


Nathaniel  Maxfield $4.15 

John  Clark 2.50 

Abner  Clough 9.58 

Samuel  Hill 6.27 

.Tames  Chase 4.57 

Joshua  Wells 2.50 

Noah  Wiggins 4.37 


David  Smith 

. . .*2. 

79 

Benjamin  Smith  . . . , 

,02 

Samuel  Piper  . . . . , 

02 

John  Sanborn  . . . . 

...  2. 

.00 

Jedediah  Danforth  . . 

.68 

Stephen  Maxfield  . . , 

. . . 1. 

.50 

Nai.  Wiggins  . . . . , 

. . . 1. 

.37 

LOUDON. 


485 


Stephen  Cate's  List. 


Jacob  Osborn's  List. 


Stephen  Cate $4.49  , Samuel  Cate,  Jr. 

Jonathan  Lougee 2.97  | Abigail  Sleeper . 

Josiah  Watson 2.55  I Nat.  Smith  . . 

Ezekiel  Clough 2.18  ' Mathias  Haines 


Libbey  Bachelder' s List. 


Libbey  Bachelder 
William  Bachelder 
Abram  Bachelder 
Zebulen  Lovering 
Moses  Lovering  . 
Abraham  Holden . 


, $2.41 
. 2.82 
. 4.39 
. .79 

. 5.83 
. .93 


John  Lovering  . . 
Timothy  Gleason  . 
Joseph  Kenniston 
Jonathan  Davis  , 
Leavitt  Clough . 
William  Clifford  . 


$3.90 

4.22 

3.94 

2.83 


$ .75 
2.8G 
1.90 
2.04 
1.87 
.75 


Jacob  Osborn 

. . $5.87 

Benjamin  Kelley  . . . 

Elijah  Osborn 

Mathias  Haines.  . . 

. . . 1.82 

Jacob  Osborn,  Jr.  . . . 

. . .75 

Moses  Rollins  .... 

. . . 4.11 

Elliott  Carr 

. . 5.71 

Samuel  Hollins .... 

John  Carr 

. . 1.49 

Nat.  Wells 

Moses  Caverly' s List. 

Moses  Caverly 

. . $3.10 

Jonathan  Cha6e  . . . 

Dimond  Furnald  . . . . 

. . 4.19 

Levi  Chase 

Nathan  Bachelder,  Esq  . 

. . 1.98 

Abner  Clough  .... 

Ebenezer  Bachelder  . . 

. . .89 

Archelaus  Moore's  List. 


David  Eastman's  List. 


David  Eastman  . . 

. . $4.19  1 

Richard  Patten 

. $1.37 

Daniel  True 

. . . 3.49 

Joshua  Berry 

. 4.08 

Edmund  Tenney  . . 

Josiah  Glines 

. 2.72 

Taylor  Lovering  . . 

Thomas  Stevens 

. 1.26 

David  Stevens  . . . 

. . . 1.38  l 

Chandler  Glines 

. 1.02 

Jacob  Merick' 8 List. 

Jacob  Merick.  . . . 

. . . $1.8(1 

Moses  Morse 

. ?1.34 

Thomas  Bachelder  . 

. . . 1.29 

Jonathan  Morse 

. .75 

Philip  Brown  . . . 

. . . 1.53 

Joses  Ordway 

Joseph  Baker  . . . 

Samuel  Ayer 

. 3.17 

Joseph  Dearborn  . . 

. . . 5.93 

Samuel  Wales 

James  Talmer  . . . 

. . . . 1.30 

John  Kenney 

. 2.39 

Lieutenant  Jonathan  Clouyh's  List. 

Jonathan  Clough . 

Thomas  Emery 

. $4.87 

Daniel  Ordway  . . . 

. . . . 5.51 

Stephen  Clark 

. 1.43 

Lemuel  Ordway  . . 

Nathaniel  Emery 

. 4.26 

Daniel  Ordway,  Jr.  . 

. . . 1.96 

Davis  Bachelder 

. 2.85 

Amos  Currier  . . . 

. . . . 2.69 

Elijah  Moulton 

Nathan  Clough  . . 

. . 4.93 

Levi  French,  Jr 

. 2.40 

Jeremiah  Bennett  . 

. . . 2.89 

John  Emery 

Thomas  Moore's  List. 

Thomas  Moore  . . . 

. . . . $5.17 

Willabee  Lovering  . . . 

. $2.37 

William  Wheeler . . 

Moses  Lovering 

. 2.32 

Noah  Sinclair  . . . 

. . . . 1.41 

Osgood  Lovering 

. 2.68 

Joseph  Palmer  . . . 

John  Fletcher 

George  Peverly  . . 

Joshua  Fletcher 

. 3.18 

Jesse  Lovering  . . . 

. . . . 2.47 

Samuel  Neal 

. 2.31 

Isaiah  Harvey's  List. 

Isaiah  Harvey  . . . 

. . . . $3.62 

Samuel  Currier  . ... 

. $4.70 

Moses  Rowell  . . . 

. . . . 4.68 

Bart  Winslow 

Joseph  Blaisdell  . . 

. . . . 2.22 

Jacob  Bachelder 

Oliver  Blaisdell,  Jr  . 

75 

Samuel  Currier,  Jr  . . . . 

. .92 

Joseph  Clough's  List. 

Joseph  Clough  . . . 

Joshua  Sargent 

Moses  Ordwav,  Jr.  . 

. . . . 7.35 

John  Sanborn  

. 2.00 

Moses  Ordway  (3d)  . 

. . . . 1.16 

David  Bachelder 

. .75 

Jethro  Bachelder  . . 

Willard  Fifield 

Jonathan  Brown  . . 

John  Hoit 

Theophilus  Sanborn's  List. 

Theophilus  Sanborn 

. . . . $4.19 

William  Gibson 

Oliver  Morrill  . . . 

. . . . 1.94 

John  Pliilbrick 

. 1.08 

Josiah  Bachelder  . . 

Chase  Osgood 

Jeremiah  Brown  . . 

. . . . 2.80 

Samuel  Osgood 

Jesse  Sanborn  . . . 

. . . . 2.57 

Thomas  Sargent 

Jonathan  Rowell  . . 

. . . . 2.44 

Captain  Thomas  Sargent  . 

. 5.09 

Enoch  Rowell  . . . 

. . . . 1.82 

Charles  Sargent,  Jr  . . . 

. 1.96 

Stephen  Perkins  . . 

Daniel  Tilton 

. 2.64 

Jonathan  Gove  . . 

. . . . 2.69 

Captain  John  Sanborn's  List. 

John  Sanborn  . . . . 

. . . $14.83 

Stephen  Jacobs 

. $1.69 

Samuel  Drew  . . . . 

. . . .93 

Stephen  Pickering  . . . . 

. 1.35 

Abraham  Bachelder, 

Esq.  . 1.26 

James  Palmer 

Thomas  Bachelder . 

. . . 2.51 

Samuel  Haines 

. 1.22 

Abel  Bachelder  . . 

1 Samuel  Jacobs 

. .93 

Samuel  French's  List. 

Samuel  French  . . 

James  Thompson  .... 

. $2.22 

Samuel  French,  Jr 

. . . 1.41 

John  Mathes 

. 4.46 

John  L.  French  . . 

. . . 3.61 

Ebenezer  Lowell 

. 4.75 

John  Drew  .... 

...  9.40 

Joseph  Drew 

Archelaus  Moore $3.64 

John  Moore 8.29 

Elkins  Moore 3.21 

Nathaniel  Hill 3.80 

John  Hill 2.34 

Richard  Bachelder 3.27 

Josiah  Bachelder 77 

Cornelius  Buswell 1.12 

William  Buswell 1.53 


Moses  Flanders $4.73 

Daniel  Lowell 3.04 

Moses  Stevens 3.92 

Caleb  Sleeper 3.31 

Benjamin  Shaw,  Jr 1.27 

John  Stevens 3.52 

Samuel  Bagley 1.30 

Gould  Dimond 91 

Phineas  Bachelder  . . . . 4.74 


Enoch  Wood's  List. 


Enoch  Wood 

. . $10.46 

John  Ladd  

John  Sargent 

John  Sargent,  Jr  . . . 

. . 1.31 

Isaac  Sargent 

. . 1.69 

Jonathan  Smith  .... 

. . 10.13 

Elisha  Buswell  .... 

. . 2.74 

William  Tilton  .... 

Eliphlet  Wood  .... 

. . 5.73 

Isaac  Smith 

Thomas  Sweatt  .... 

. . 5.34 

Elisha  Sweatt 

. . .75 

John  Rollins,  Jr  . . . . 

. . 5.30 

Charles  Sargent  .... 

. . 4.62 

William  W.  Berry  . . . 

. . 2.02 

Daniel  Lane 

John  Osgood 

. . 4.81 

Abraham  Bachelder  . . 

. . 5.74 

Zebulon  Winslow  . . . 

. . 1.12 

True  Palmer 

William  Tenney $3.07 

Jonathan  Perkins 4.17 

Abraham  Bachelder,  Jr.  . . 1.12 
Jonathan  Bachelder  ....  1.12 

Jeremiah  Clifford 1.12 

Thomas  Proctor 6.61 

Samuel  Carter 3.74 

Nathan  Tilton 4.03 

Abel  French 4.02 

Jonathan  Smith,  Jr 75 

John  Carter 2.72 

Timothy  French 0.75 

Joshua  French 2.44 

Nat.  Weeks 1.69 

Stephen  Wells 6.55 

Eliphalet  Rollins 3.48 

Jonathan  Rollins 2.90 

Moses  Morrill 4.09 

John  Morrill 1.73 

Daniel  Ladd  Estate 5.71 


1802.  — Samuel  Piper,  John  Kenney  and  Eliphlet 
Wood,  selectmen;.  Samuel  Neall,  collector  of  taxes. 
Paid  John  Ladd  for  rum  at  Bennett  Bridge,  $1,622  ; 
collector’s  services,  $15.50. 

1803.  — Charles  Sargent,  Moses  Chamberlin  and 
John  Ladd,  selectmen;  Jonathan  Rollins,  collector. 
Amount  of  money  raised,  $878.78.  The  town  at  this 
time  became  involved  in  several  lawsuits  in  attempt- 
ing to  collect  the  tax  raised  in  previous  years  for  the 
minister’s  salary,  the  last  one  being  assessed  in  1801, 
when  the  law  was  repealed.  Paid  this  year  for  carry- 
ing on  lawsuit,  $92.  Paid  selectmen  for  services, 
$42.80.  Paid  Jonathan  Rollins  for  service  in  collect- 
ing tax,  $16.  Paid  for  two  quires  of  paper,  forty-six 
cents.  Paid  for  a chest  for  use  of  the  town,  $2.50. 

1804.  — The  same  selectmen  were  chosen,  with 
Thomas  Sargent  for  collector.  Amount  of  money 
raised,  $1229.40.  Paid  for  carrying  on  lawsuits  with 
Smith,  Bachelder  and  Sleeper,  $92.40.  The  bill  for 
collecting  taxes  was  $26.  Selectmen’s  services, — 
Charles  Sargent,  $17.20 ; John  Ladd,  $23.33  ; Captain 
Chamberlin,  $16.45.  Money  in  the  town  chest, 
$35.20.  Received  on  Isaac  Smith’s  execution,  after 
paying  Esquire  Piper’s  bill,  $23.60. 


486 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


1805.  — Stephen  Wells,  Samuel  French,  Jr.,  and 
David  Eastman,  selectmen ; Thomas  Sargent,  collector. 
Paid  Stephen  Wells,  services,  $12.80  ; Samuel  French, 
Jr.,  $13;  David  Eastman,  $11.44. 

1806.  — Paid  David  Eastman  for  service  as  select- 
man, $16.06.  Paid  Samuel  French,  Jr.,  for  services, 
$15.84 ; Elkins  Moore,  $10.72.  Thomas  Sargent 
collector.  Amount  raised,  $1170.37.  Paid  Captain 
Chamberlin  for  examining  selectmen’s  accounts,  .50. 
Money  in  chest,  $2.80. 

1807.  — Samuel  French,  Jr.,  Thomas  Brown  and 
Elkins  Moore,  selectmen ; IsaacS.  Sargent,  collector. 
Money  raised,  $1012.46.  Paid  Levi  Brown  for  rum 
drank  while  repairing  Dearborn  bridge,  $1.25. 

1808.  — Samuel  French,  Jr.,  Thomas  Brown  and 
Moses  Flanders,  selectmen ; Stephen  Ordway,  collector. 
Money  raised,  $1399.92.  Paid  Jonathan  Rollins  for 
providing  for  soldiers,  $5.78.  Paid  Enoch  Wood  for  a 
burying-cloth,  $7.75.  Paid  Joseph  Baker,  for  provid- 
ing for  soldiers,  $4.08.  Paid  for  powder,  $14.40.  Paid 
Enoch  Wood  for  a gallon  of  rum,  $1.34.  Paid  Esquire 
Piper  for  carrying  on  lawsuit  with  Isaac  Smith,  $78.- 
86.  Paid  Esquire  Brown  for  service  as  selectman, 
$20.29.  Paid  for  paper,  .25.  Paid  Samuel  French  for 
providing  meats  and  drink  and  five  pounds  powder 
for  soldiers,  $34.92.  Paid  for  weights  and  measures, 
$47.90.  Paid  Moses  Flanders,  services,  and  Samuel 
French  as  selectmen,  $34.54.  Paid  Stephen  Ordway 
for  collecting  tax,  $8.  Paid  Esquire  Piper  for  expense 
when  settling  public  accounts,  $7.21.  Paid  Captain 
Ladd  for  carrying  on  lawsuit  with  Oliver  Morrill, 
$25.  Paid  Lieutenant  Stephen  Wells  and  Dr.  Tenney 
as  witnesses  in  the  Smith  case,  $24.64. 

1810. 

TAX  ASSESSED  FOK  BUILDING  THE  MIDWAY  SCHOOL-HOUSE. 


Samuel  Ayer 

. $8.38 

Jethro  Bachelder  . . 

David  Bachelder 

. 1.87 

Joseph  Blaisdcll  . . 

. 5.12 

Natkau  Backelder  (3d)  . 

. 2.90 

Oliver  Blaisdell  . . . 

. 2.86 

Jeremiah  Bennett .... 

. 6.66 

Amos  Currier  . . . 

. 8.01 

David  Clough 

. 5.48 

Jeremiah  Clough  . . 

. 13.95 

Samuel  Clifford 

. 16.96 

John  Emery  .... 

. 5.63 

Dr.  J.  Eastman 

. 3.33 

Thomas  Emery  . . . 

. 7.74 

Isaiah  Harvey 

. 8.45 

Samuel  Ilaines  . . . 

David  Harvey 

. 1.99 

John  Kennev  . . . 

. 4.21 

Jacob  Mirick 

. 5.26 

Jonathan  Morse  . . 

. 5.52 

Moses  Morse 

.43 

Daniel  Ordway  . . . 

. 7.97 

Daniel  Ordway,  Jr  . . 

. 7.09 

Lemuel  Ordway  . . 

Joses  Ordway 

Moses  Ordway  . . . 

Stephen  Ordway  .... 

. 1.89 

Moses  Ordway,  Jr 

. 6.03 

Enoch  Osgood 

. 9.72 

Capt.  Moses  Bowel  1 . 

. 17.17 

Josiah  Osgood 

. 1.89 

Charles  Sargent,  Jr  . 

. 7.52 

Bart.  Winslow 

. 9.74 

William  Stevens  . . 

Enoch  Wood,  John  Ladd  and  Samuel  Elliott,  se- 
lectmen ; Jonathan  Rollins,  collector.  Money  raised, 
$1526.28.  Paid  Captain  Samuel  Osgood  for  providing 
for  his  company  on  muster-day,  $19.52.  Paid  Joseph 
Baker  for  same,  $5.  Paid  Samuel  Elliott  for  powder, 
$45.51.  Paid  Enoch  Wood  for  powder,  $13.33.  Paid 
for  lawsuits,  $147.58.  Cash  in  town  chest,  $9.59. 
Paid  Jonathan  Rollins  for  building  a stone  pound, 
$71.50. 


TAX  ASSESSED  FOR  BUILDING  A SCHOOL-HOUSE  IN  DISTRICT 
NO.  4 (CLOUGH’S  HILL). 


Ebenezer  Bachelder  . 

$1.35 

Moses  Caverly  .... 

$6.61 

John  Clough  . . . . 

8.04 

Levi  Chase 

15.15 

Abner  Clough  . . . 

19.42 

Leavitt  Clough  .... 

4.37 

Samuel  Cate,  Jr  . . 

7.23 

Jonathan  Clough,  Jr  . 

21.46 

Nathan  Clough  . . . 

9.78 

Nathan  Clough,  Jr  . . 

1.17 

Stephen  Clark  . . . 

1.17 

Josiah  Emery 

7.52 

John  Far nu m . . . 

8.80 

Levi  French,  Jr  . . . 

5.63 

John  Gilman  .... 

3.74 

John  Haines 

4.00 

Mathias  Haines  . . 

1.17 

Mathias  Haines,  Jr  . . 

3.97 

Samuel  Haines  . . . 

1.39 

Nathaniel  Martin  . . 

7.56 

Moses  Morse,  Jr  . . 

1.17 

Jonathan  Merrill  . . . 

1.39 

Enoch  Morse  .... 

2.47 

Samuel  Piper 

6.41 

Jonathan  Piper  . . . 

3.78 

Benjamin  Piper  . . . 

6.34 

Elisha  Sanborn  . . . 

12.90 

John  Sanborn,  Jr  . . . 

1.17 

TAX  ASSESSED  FOR  REPAIRING  HOUSE  IN  DISTRICT  NO.  0. 

Richard  Bachelder  . 

$8.02 

William  Bachelder  . . 

$3.71 

Peter  Bragg  .... 

6.69 

William  Bragg  .... 

1.47 

Robert  Bragg  .... 

2.02 

Ephraim  Currier  . . . 

2.28 

Jeremiah  Clifford  . . 

1.38 

Isaac  Dimond  .... 

Gould  Dimond  . . . 

4.64 

Reuben  Dearborn  . . . 

2.30 

Nathaniel  Flanders  . 

7.00 

Moses  Flanders  .... 

2.02 

Thomas  Furnald  . . 

8.19 

David  Furnald  .... 

1.20 

Lewis  Flanders  . . . 

.35 

John  Hill 

1.84 

Dudley  Leavitt  . . . 

6.74 

John  Moore 

5.66 

Jacob  Moore  .... 

4.42 

John  Moore,  Jr  . . . . 

1.20 

Archelaus  Moore  . . 

7.19 

Elkins  Moore 

5.21 

John  Neal 

2.81 

Caleb  Sleeper 

Moses  Stevens  . . . 

7.01 

Isaac  Smith 

6.96 

Jonathan  Smith,  Jr  . 

6.42 

Theophilus  Shaw  . . . 

1.56 

Charles  Sargent  . . 

7.03 

Benjamin  Wells  . . . 

7 77 

Cash  in  tow 
teen  cents. 


n chest  for  the  year  ending  1810,  thir- 


1811.  — Samuel  French,  Jr.,  Nathaniel  Martin  and 
Isaac  S.  Sargent,  selectmen  ; Jacob  Perkins,  collec- 
tor. Money  raised,  $1460.46.  Paid  for  carrying  law- 
suit with  Isaac  Smith,  $58.26.  Paid  for  powder,  and 
delivering  it  to  soldiers  in  quarters,  $33.00.  Paid  for 
soldiers’  rations  on  muster-day,  $36.18.  Paid  Enoch 
Wood  for  services  as  town  clerk,  and  for  horse  lost, 
$5.68.  Paid  Nathaniel  Martin  for  services,  $16.55.  Paid 
Samuel  French,  $15.95.  Paid  Isaac  S.  Sargent, 
$12.40.  Cash  in  town  chest,  $97.34. 

1812.  — Jedediah  Tucker,  John  Ladd  and  Samuel 
Elliott,  selectmen  ; Jacob  Perkins,  collector.  Money 
raised,  $1234.05.  Paid  Samuel  Elliott  for  powder, 
$53.67.  Paid  Enoch  Wood  for  services  as  town  clerk, 
and  for  a book,  $10.00.  Paid  Jacob  Perkins,  services 
as  collector,  $4.00.  Paid  Samuel  Elliott,  services  se- 
lectman, $12.53.  Paid  John  Ladd,  $14.67.  Paid 


Jedediah  Tucker  $12.40. 


1813  — Selectmen,  Jedediah  Tucker  and  John  Ladd. 
Stephen  Cate,  Jr.,  collector.  Amount  of  money 
raised,  $1377.28.  Paid  Captain  Cate  for  his  services 
as  collector,  $6.36.  Paid  Esquire  Wood  for  his  ser- 
vices as  clerk,  and  for  a chest,  $9.75.  Paid  Mr.  Tuck- 
er, services,  $17.54.  Paid  John  Ladd  for  money  and 
services,  $140.22. 

1814. — Selectmen,  Jedediah  Tucker,  Captain  Shad- 
rach  Cate  and  Nathaniel  Martin ; Collector,  Stephen 
Cate.  Amount  of  taxes,  $991.64.  Master  Henry  Jack- 
son  was  chosen  town  clerk,  and  was  jiaid  for  services, 
$5.00.  Paid  for  twenty-nine  soldiers  at  Portsmouth, 
$100.62.  Paid  Eliphlet  Wood,  as  agent  in  the  Smith 


LOUDON. 


487 


cause,  $18.00.  Paid  Isaac  Sargent  for  spirit  for  his 
soldiers  at  Canterbury,  $1.07.  Paid  John  Kenney 
for  services  in  the  Smith  cause,  $14.67.  Paid  for  six 
soldiers  at  Portsmouth,  $21.65.  Paid  Captain  Shad- 
rach  Cate  for  services  as  selectman,  $7.84.  Paid  Na- 
thaniel Martin,  $15.25.  Paid  Jedediali  Tucker, 
$18.67.  Paid  Stephen  Wells,  services  in  the  Smith 
cause,  $20.40.  Paid  George  B.  Johnson  and  Nathan 
Tilton,  services  as  soldiers  at  Portsmouth,  $6.66.  Paid 
Daniel  J.  Smith  and  Jonathan  Smith,  Jr.,  services  as 
soldiers,  $5.59. 

1815.  — Jonathan  Rollins,  Joseph  Baker,  John 
Ladd,  selectmen  ; Henry  Jackson,  town  clerk  ; Thom- 
as Sargent,  collector.  Amount  of  tax,  $1606.11.  Paid 
Captain  Cate  for  meats  and  drinks  for  soldiers, 
$34.48.  Paid  expenses  in  the  Smith  cause,  $81.20. 

1816.  — John  Ladd,  Jonathan  Rollins  and  David 
Clough,  selectmen  ; Jonathan  Baehelder,  collector  of 
taxes.  Money  raised,  $2269.  Paid  Joseph  Baker 
for  meats  and  drinks  for  soldiers,  $28.64.  Paid  for 
expenses  in  the  Smith  lawsuit,  $48.  Paid  Henry 
Jackson,  services  as  town  clerk,  $10.  Paid  Jede- 
diah  Tucker,  for  note  against  town,  in  part,  $663.68. 

1817.  — Jonathan  Rollins  and  Samuel  French,  Jr., 
selectmen ; Jonathan  Baehelder,  collector  of  taxes. 
Tax  raised,  $1384.08.  Paid  the  collector  for  serving 
two  years,  and  summons  for  jurymen  and  other  ser- 
vices for  the  town,  $9.75.  Cash  in  town  chest,  $19.10. 

“ We,  the  subscribers,  having  been  appointed  a committee  to  examine 
tile  selectmen’s  accompts,  find  them,  in  our  opinion,  correct. 

(Signed)  “ John  Sanborn, 

“ William  Texnf.v, 

“ Caleb  Sleeper.” 

1818.  — Isaac  S.  Sargent,  collector.  Amount  of  tax 
committed,  $1470.81.  Selectmen,  Jonathan  Rollins, 
Isaac  Smith.  Paid  Jonathan  Rollins  for  plank,  sur- 
veyors’ warrants,  paper,  quills,  etc.,  $6.84.  Paid 
Samuel  French,  Jr.,  for  services  as  selectman,  $25. 
Paid  collector’s  services,  $5.50.  Paid  Nathaniel  Mar- 
tin for  services  as  town  clerk,  $10. 

1819.  — Jonathan  Rollins  and  Samuel  French,  Jr., 
selectmen  ; Isaac  S.  Sargent,  collector.  Amount  of 
taxes,  $1591.14.  Paid  Captain  Sargent  for  providing 
for  soldiers,  $33.  Paid  Samuel  French,  Jr.,  for  ser- 
vices as  selectman,  $23.25.  Paid  same  for  services  as 
town  clerk,  $6. 

1820.  — Israel  Davis,  collector.  Money  raised, 
$1518.77.  Nathaniel  Martin,  Richard  Brown  and 
Philip  Brown,  selectmen.  Paid  Major  Zephaniah 
Baehelder  for  victualing  soldiers,  $12.  Paid  Cyrus 
Tucker  for  services  as  town  clerk,  $6.  Paid  Richard 
Brown  for  services  as  selectman,  $28.14.  Paid  Philip 
Brown,  $23.94. 

1821.  — Jonathan  Rollins,  Philip  Brown  and  Rich- 
ard Brown,  selectmen  ; Israel  Davis,  collector;  Cyrus 
Tucker,  town  clerk.  Money  raised,  $1401.68.  Paid 
town  clerk’s  services,  $5.  Paid  for  victualing  sol- 
diers, $28. 

1822.  — Josiah  Sargent,  collector;  Eliphlet  Wood, 


John  Rowell  and  Jonathan  Rollins,  selectmen.  Voted 
to  raise  in  money  this  year  $1736.84.  Paid  Gideon 
Ladd,  for  making  a coffin  for  Samuel  Johnston,  $1.25. 
Paid  Jonathan  Rollins  for  doctoring  the  town  poor, 
$8.50. 

1823.  — Nathan  Baehelder,  Eliphlet  Wood,  select- 
men ; Josiah  Sargent,  collector.  Paid  Cyrus  Tucker, 
for  services  as  town  clerk,  expense  at  his  house  while 
settling  accounts,  and  for  two  days  on  west  of  Oak 
Hill  road,  $11.  Paid  selectmen  for  services,  $70.55. 
Paid  collector  for  service,  $5.91.  Paid  for  doctoring 
the  poor  in  town,  $6.  Whole  amount  of  money  paid 
out,  $1957.27. 

1824.  — The  same  officers  were  chosen  as  last  year. 
Paid  Colonel  Rollins  for  building  Wales  bridge,  $200. 
Paid  Jonathan  Wood  for  spirit  on  Oak  Hill,  70  cents. 
Paid  selectmen  for  services,  $108.27. 

1825.  — John  Rowell,  Eliphlet  Wood  and  Samuel 
French,  Jr.,  selectmen.  Paid  for  services,  $91.38. 
Paid  Jonathan  Baehelder  for  supporting  the  town 
poor  which  were  sold  at  auction,  $150.  Paid  Ira  Os- 
good, lor  teaching  school  in  No.  1,  $81.22.  Captain 
John  Carr  was  chosen  collector.  The  whole  amount 
of  tax  committed  was  $1951.63.  Paid  for  his  services, 
$6.80. 

1826.  — John  Rowell,  Nathaniel  Martin  and  Lewis 
Flanders,  selectmen;  Thomas  Sargent,  collector; 
Cyrus  Tucker,  town  clerk.  Paid  Jonathan  Rollins 
for  supporting  the  poor,  $119.78. 

1827.  — Jonathan  C.  Perkins,  collector.  Amount  of 
tax,  $1759.23.  Lewis  Flanders,  Jonathan  Rollins 
and  Russel  Wheeler,  selectmen.  Paid  John  L. 
French,  Jr.,  for  keeping  school  in  No.  5,  $29.83. 
Paid  Jeremiah  Kenney,  for  keeping  school  in  No.  1, 
$73.76.  Paid  Israel  Davis,  for  supporting  the  poor, 
$107.60.  Paid  for  one  quire  of  paper,  used  in  settling 
with  collector,  25  cents. 

1828.  — Jonathan  Baehelder,  collector.  Amount  of 
tax,  $1580.  Selectmen  same  as  last  year.  Paid 
Philip  Brown,  Jr.,  as  school  committee,  $13.50.  Paid 
Eliphlet  Wood,  for  same,  $13.50.  Collector’s  ser- 
vices, $13.40. 

1829.  — Richard  Brown,  Philip  Brown,  Jr.,  and  Moses 
Rowell,  selectmen  ; Thomas  Sargent,  collector.  Se- 
selctmen’sbill  of  service,  $95.37.  Paid  David  Clifford, 
for  supporting  the  poor,  $100. 

1830.  — The  Rev.  Enoch  Courser  and  Elder  Dyer 
were  chosen  as  school  committee.  Bill  for  services, 
$25.00.  Richard  Potter  was  chosen  as  the  third  com- 
mittee, and  charged  for  services,  $10.  Stephen 
Cate,  chosen  collector;  Richard  Brown,  Philip  Brown 
and  Moses  Rowell,  Jr.,  selectmen.  Bill  for  services, 
$96.65. 

1831.  — Philip  Brown,  Jr.,  Richard  Brown  and 
John  Clough  were  the  selectmen  ; Moses  Morse,  col- 
lector. Services,  $18.75.  Paid  David  Clifford,  for 
support  of  the  poor,  $177.18,  in  1830.  Paid  Samuel 
French,  Jr.,  for  same,  in  1831,  $284.62.  Paid  Nathan- 
iel Martin,  services  as  town  clerk,  $6.  Paid  Samuel 


488 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


French,  Jr.,  for  betterments  of  the  poor’s  clothing, 
$6.01.  Paid  Enoch  Courser,  services  as  school  com- 
mittee, $16.  Paid  selectmen’s  services,  $83.75. 

1832.  — Nathaniel  Flanders,  Ira  Osgood  and  Je- 
remiah Kenney  were  the  selectmen ; Zephaniah 
Bachelder,  collector.  Paid  soldiers’  rations,  one  hun- 
dred and  forty-eight  men,  31  cents  each,  $45.88.  Paid 
James  B.  Abbott  and  Jonathan  Garland  $5  each 
for  services  as  school  committee.  Jonathan  Garland, 
town  clerk.  The  parsonage  and  school  lots  were  sold 
this  year,  and  the  interest  of  the  money  divided 
among  the  Congregational,  Free-will  Baptist,  and 
Methodist  societies  in  the  town,  amounting  to  $64.46. 
Paid  selectmen  for  services,  $76.25. 

1833.  — Jonathan  Bachelder,  collector;  selectmen 
same  as  last  year.  The  town  purchased  the  Eliphalet 
Wood  farm  for  a town  farm,  and  paid  as  the  first  pay- 
ment, $519.30.  Elijah  Osborn,  Colonel  Zephaniah. 
Bachelder  and  Nathaniel  Martin  were  chosen  as  the 
committee  to  purchase  the  same.  John  L.  French  was 
school  committe.  Bill  for  services,  $5. 

1834.  — Ira  Osgood,  Nathaniel  Martin  and  Moses 
Rowell,  Jr.,  selectmen  ; Jonathan  Bachelder, 
collector.  Paid  the  second  payment  for  the  town 
farm  of  $565.  Gardner  T.  Barker  and  John  L.  French, 
school  committee.  Bill  for  services,  $21. 

1835.  — Moses  Rowell,  Jr.,  Jonathan  Garland  and 
Solomon  Caverly  were  the  selectmen  ; Miles  H.  Cate, 
collector.  Paid  Ebenezer  Bachelder  for  two  barrels 
of  cider  for  the  poor,  $3.50.  To  cash  paid  for  testa- 
ments for  poor  on  the  town  farm,  86  cents.  Collec- 
tor’s services,  $23.  Selectmen’s  services,  $126.  John 
L.  French,  school  committee.  Services,  $6. 

1836.  — Jonathan  Garland,  Solomon  Caverly  and 
Luther  Haines,  selectmen  ; Gideon  L.  Sargent,  col- 
lector. Paid  Clial  1 is  D.  Carr  for  support  of  Widow 
Nancy  Rollins  and  funeral  charges,  $24.50.  Paid 
Jeremiah  Wilson  for  the  privilege  of  burying  same 
on  his  land,  $1. 

1837.  — John  Bachelder,  Luther  Haines  and  Ruel 
Walker,  selectmen.  Services,  $96.75.  Paid  Rev. 
Henry  White,  services  as  school  committee,  $6.50. 
Paid  John  K.  Cate  for  same,  $2.  Paid  the  Boston 
and  Concord  Boating  Co.,  $14.20. 

1838.  — Joseph  Clough  (3),  Gideon  L.  Sargent  and 
Stephen  Chase,  selectmen.  Services,  $112.50.  Brad- 
ley H.  Kenney,  collector.  Taxes  committed,  $2589.34. 
Theophilus  B.  Martin,  town  clerk.  Paid  John  P. 
Hale  for  services  in  road  matters,  $16.66.  Paid  Cyrus 
Tucker,  as  agent  for  the  surplus  revenue  money  re- 
ceived, $14.  Paid  Samuel  I).  Bell  for  counsel  in  road 
matters,  $10.  Paid  Daniel,  Tilton,  Jr.,  for  damage 
done  by  boys  belonging  to  the  town  to  syrup  and  ket- 
tles, $4.  Paid  for  four  barrels  of  cider  for  the  poor, 
$7.17. 

1839.  — Ira  Osgood,  Gideon  L.  Sargent  and  Ste- 
phen Chase,  selectmen ; Jonathan  Bachelder,  col- 
lector. Amount  of  taxes,  $1903.32.  Theophilus  B. 
Martin,  clerk.  Selectmen’s  services,  $121.92.  Bal- 


ance of  money  on  hand  at  the  close  of  the  year  1839, 
$33.74. 

1840.  — Stephen  Chase,  John  L.  French  and  Win- 
throp  True,  selectmen.  $128.25  charged  for  services. 
Elliott  Carr,  collector  of  taxes.  Amount,  $2207.12. 
Services  for  collecting,  $19.25.  Paid  Ira  Osgood’s 
services  and  expenses  as  town  agent,  $90.91.  Paid 
Ira  A.  Eastman,  Amos  P.  Tuck  and  Samuel  D. 
Bell  as  counsel  for  the  town,  $93. 

1841.  — John  L.  French,  Winthrop  True  and  John 
K.  Cate,  selectmen ; Elliott  Carr,  collector.  Select- 
men’s services,  $104.  Paid  John  L.  French  for  two 
barrels  of  cider  for  town  farm,  $3. 

1842.  — Ira  Osgood,  John  K.  Cate  and  John 
Bachelder,  selectmen  ; Jonathan  Bachelder,  collector. 
Amount  of  taxes,  $2405.17.  Services  for  collecting, 
$20.  Jonathan  Chase,  town  clerk.  Selectmen’s  ser- 
vices, $115.42.  Paid  Theophilus  B.  Martin  and 
Abial  M.  Caverly,  services  as  school  committee,  $9. 
Balance  of  money  on  hand,  $65.55. 

1843.  — John  Bachelder,  John  L.  French  and  The- 
ophilus B.  Martin,  selectmen.  Services,  $88.50.  Jon- 
athan Chase,  town  clerk.  Ira  Osgood  and  John  K. 
Cate,  school  committee.  Services,  $10.  Zepha- 
niah Bachelder,  collector.  Services,  $19.75.  Money 
on  hand,  $275.99. 

1844.  — Ira  Osgood,  Theophilus  B.  Martin  and  Hi- 
ram Ordway,  selectmen.  Services,  $111.75.  John 
S.  Rollins,  collector.  Paid  Franklin  Pierce,  services 
as  counsel,  $5. 

1845.  — Ira  Osgood,  Hiram  Ordway  and  Benjamin 
Cate,  selectmen.  Services,  $110.  John  S.  Rollins, 
collectoi-.  Amount  of  tax  committed,  $3352.41.  Jon- 
athan Chase,  town  clerk.  Ezekiel  Dow  and  Jere- 
miah Clough,  school  committee.  Services,  $19.50. 
Cash  on  hand,  $99.82. 

1846.  — Moses  Rowell,  Benjamin  Cate  and  Joshua 
Emery  were  chosen  selectmen;  John  S.  Rollins,  col- 
lector of  taxes.  Amount  of  money  committed,  $2470. 
Paid  John  L.  French,  True  Brown  and  John  K.  Cate, 
services  as  school  committee,  $21.50.  Joseph  C.  Har- 
per, town  clerk.  Services,  $10.  Paid  selectmen,  ser- 
vices, $135. 

1847.  — Moses  Rowell,  Joshua  Emery  and  John  S. 
Rollins,  selectmen.  Paid  for  services,  $120.  John 
S.  Rollins,  collector  of  taxes.  Services, $22.  Amount 
of  tax  committed,  $3254.  Joseph  C.  Harper,  clerk. 
Services,  $14.  True  Brown  and  J.  T.  Clough,  school 
committee.  Paid  services,  $20.75.  Paid  Pierce  & 
Fowler  for  counsel,  $117.  Received  for  sale  of  old 
pulpit  in  meeting-house,  $3.02. 

1848. — Theophilus  B.  Martin,  John  S.  Rollins  and 
Joshua  Emery,  selectmen.  Services,  $143.  Joseph 
C.  Harper,  clerk.  Services,  $12.  True  Brown,  T.  B. 
Martin,  school  committee.  Services,  $29.  Harmon  E. 
Bachelder,  collector.  Money  committed,  $2818. 

1849.  — Theophilus  B.  Martin,  Joseph  C.  Harper  and 
Samuel  P.  Calef,  selectmen.  Services,  $126.  School 
committee,  Zebina  C.  Perkins,  J.  T.  Clough  and 


LOUDON. 


489 


Henry  J.  Osgood.  Services,  $80.  Benjamin  F.  Neal, 
collector.  Amount  of  tax  committed,  $2782.  Paid 
for  collecting,  $20. 

1850.  — Joseph  C.  Harper,  Elliot  Carr  and  William 
K.  Holt,  selectmen.  Services,  $97.  John  Fellows, 
clerk.  Services,  $10.  School  committee,  E.  F.  Ab- 
bott, T.  N.  Jones,  William  A.  Sargent.  Charges,  $30. 
Gould  Dimoud,  collector.  Tax  committed,  $2550. 

1851.  — John  L.  French,  William  K.  Holt  and  Gould 
Dimond,  selectmen.  Services,  $106.  John  Fellows, 
clerk  ; Gould  Dimond,  collector.  Tax  committed, 
$2709.  Services,  $30.  E.  F.  Abbott,  T.F.  Jones  and 
William  A.  Sargent,  school  committee.  Services,  $38. 
Indebtedness  of  town,  $178.49. 

1852.  — Ira  Osgood,  Luther  Haynes  and  George  W. 
Neal,  selectmen.  Services,  $155.  Joseph  B.  Sanborn, 
clerk.  Services,  $11.  Jeremiah  Clough,  collector. 
Tax  committed,  $2776.  Cash  on  hand,  $336.28. 

1853. — Ira  Osgood,  Benjamin  F.  Neal  and  Ozni  P. 

Hainblet,  selectmen.  Services,  $128.  Joseph  B.  San- 
born, clerk.  Services,  $13.  School  committee,  Tlieo. 
B.  Martin,  True  Brown  and  Henry  .T.  Osgood.  Ser- 
vices, $40.  Jonathan  Bachelder,  collector.  Tax 

committed,  $2045.  Cash  on  hand,  $48.85. 

1854.  — Hiram  French,  Elliot  Carr  and  Harmon  E. 
Bachelder,  selectmen.  Services,  $157.  David  Putnam, 
clerk.  Services,  $15.  School  committee,  T.  B.  Martin, 
True  Brown  and  Henry  J.  Osgood.  Services,  $49. 
Collector,  Jonathan  Bachelder.  Amount  committed, 
$3395. 

1855.  — Luther  Haynes,  Jeremiah  Clough  and  Jos- 
eph C.  Ordway,  selectmen.  Services,  $219.  School 
committee,  Zebina  C.  Perkins,  Nathaniel  Shannon 
and  John  B.  Moore.  Services,  $53.  Theo.  B.  Martin, 
collector.  Tax  committed,  $3361.  Cash  on  hand, 
$247. 

1856.  — Selectmen,  Benjamin  Cate,  Jeremiah  Clough 
and  Joseph  C.  Ordway.  Services,  $200.  Robert  S. 
Perkins,  clerk.  Services,  $20.  Theo.  B.  Martin,  col- 
lector. Tax  committed,  $3732. 

1857.  — Benjamin  Cate,  Joseph  B.  Sanborn  and  E. 
H.  Robinson,  selectmen.  Services,  $176.  Henry  J. 
Osgood,  clerk.  Services,  $15.  Nathaniel  Shannon, 
school  committee.  Services,  $45.  Jeremiah  Clough, 
collector.  Tax  committed,  $3977.  Cash  on  hand, 
$7.96. 

1858.  — Benjamin  Cate,  Joseph  B.  Sanborn  and  E. 
H.  Robinson,  selectmen.  Services,  $167.  Henry  J. 
Osgood,  clerk.  Services,  $15.  Nathaniel  Shannon, 
school  committee.  Services,  $45.  Collector,  Jere- 
miah Clough.  Tax  committed,  $3882.  Indebtedness, 
$586.64. 

1859.  — Joseph  B.  Sanborn,  E,  H.  Robinson  and 
Timothy  F.  Smith,  selectmen.  Services,  $150.  Orrin 

D.  Kimball,  clerk.  Services,  $15.  John  W.  Morrill, 
collector.  Amount  committed,  $3524.  Silas  Green, 

E.  G.  Knowles,  school  committee.  Services,  $46.  In- 
debtedness of  town,  $271.15. 

1860.  — Ira  Osgood,  Timothy  F.  Smith  and  Samuel 


B.  Lovering,  selectmen.  Services,  $164.  Orrin  D. 
Kimball,  clerk.  Services,  $23.  School  committee, 
Silas  Green,  E.  G.  Knowles  and  John  B.  Moore.  Ser- 
vices, $53.  Indebtedness  of  town,  $58.83.  John  W. 
Morrill,  collector.  Amount  committed,  $4217. 

1861.  — Ira  Osgood,  Perley  W.  Rowell  and  Levi  P'. 
Sleeper,  selectmen.  Services,  $153.  J.  T.  Clough, 
clerk.  Services,  $16.  John  W.  Morrill,  collector. 
Amount  committed,  $4367.  Cash  on  hand,  $183.50. 

1862.  — Ira  Osgood,  Levi  P\  Sleeper  and  Samuel  D. 
Morrill,  selectmen.  Services,  $146.  Abraham  B.  San- 
born, clerk.  John  B.  Moore  and  William  Emery, 
school  committee.  Services,  $55.  John  W.  Morrill, 
collector.  Amount  committed,  $4082.  War  account : 
the  town  borrowed  money  to  hire  soldiers  amounting 
to  $14,792.79,  which  is  indebtedness. 

1863.  — Theophilus  B.  Martin,  Samuel  D.  Morrill 
and  Jeremiah  Blake,  selectmen.  Services,  $159.  Wil- 
liam W.  Cate,  Moses  C.  Stevens  and  Alvah  H.  Bach- 
elder, school  committee.  Services,  $51.  Levi  F. 
Sleeper,  collector.  Amount  committed,  $5864.  Cash 
on  hand,  $2124.07. 

1864.  — Theophilus  B.  Martin,  Jeremiah  Blake  and 
John  Wheeler,  selectmen.  Services,  $277.  William 
W.  Cate  and  Moses  E.  Stevens,  school  committee. 
Services,  $56.  Collector,  Levi  P\  Sleeper.  Tax  com- 
mitted, $8094.  Whole  indebtedness  of  town,  $47,780.- 
10. 

1865.  — Jeremiah  Blake,  John  Wheeler  and  Henry 
J.  Osgood,  selectmen.  Services,  $311.  Alvah  H. 
Bachelder,  clerk.  Services,  $30.  William  S.  Col- 
lins, Moses  E.  Stevens  and  C.  Frank  Cate,  school 
committee.  Services,  $74.  Elijah  B.  French,  col- 
lector. Tax  committed,  $10,367.32.  Actual  indebt- 
edness, $46,232.61. 

1866.  — Jeremiah  Blake,  John  Wheeler  and  Henry 
J.  Osgood,  selectmen.  Services,  $308.  C.  Frank 
Cate,  clerk.  Services,  $25.  Actual  debt  of  town, 
$46,283.85. 

1867.  — Jeremiah  Blake,  John  Wheeler  and  Henry 
J.  Osgood,  selectmen.  Services,  $327.  C.  Frank 
Cate,  school  committee.  Services,  $26.75.  Elijah  B. 
PTencli,  collector.  Amount  committed,  $9749.38. 
Actual  debt,  $38,714.29. 

1868.  — Benjamin  Cate,  Alvah  H.  Bachelder  and 
E.  B.  French,  selectmen.  Services  $286.  True 
W.  Center,  town  clerk.  Services,  $30.  Tax  com- 
mitted, $9956.90.  Actual  debt,  $38,679.73. 

1869.  — Benjamin  Cate,  Alvah  H.  Bachelder  and 

E.  B.  French,  selectmen.  Services,  $315.  True 
W.  Center,  clerk;  Samuel  Neal,  collector.  Amount 
committed,  $9248.33.  Actual  debtof  town,  $39,775.18. 

1870.  — Jeremiah  Clough,  John  Jones  and  Jacob 
D.  Osgood,  selectmen.  Services,  $219.  William 
S.  Collins,  school  committee.  Services,  $75.  James 

F.  Nelson,  clerk.  Services,  $35.  Samuel  Neal, 
collector.  Amount  of  tax,  $8916.63.  Actual  debt, 
$41,720.25. 

1871.  — Selectmen,  Jeremiah  Clough,  John  Jones 


490 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


and  Jacob  D.  Osgood.  Services,  $230.  Charles 
E.  Sanborn,  school  committee.  Services,  $82.75.  Sam- 
uel Neal,  collector.  Amount  of  tax,  $7738.58.  Debt, 
$39,710.54. 

1872.  — Jeremiah  Blake,  Nathan  C.  Clough  and 
Samuel  Neal,  selectmen.  Services,  $265.  Na- 
thaniel D.  Clough,  collector.  Tax  committed, $9120.78. 
Actual  debt,  $30,74.63. 

1873.  — Jeremiah  Blake,  Nathan  C.  Clough  and  Sam- 
uel Neal,  selectmen.  Services,  $296.  Abial  H.  Clough, 
clerk,  $35.  William  W.  Cate,  school  committee. 
Service,  $40.  Collector,  Nathaniel  D.  Clough.  Tax 
committed,  $8629.53.  Actual  debt,  $30,366.85. 

1874.  — Henry  J.  Osgood,  Cyrus  Bachelder  and 
Nathaniel  D.  Clough,  selectmen.  Services,  $281. 
Albert  A.  Adams,  collector.  Tax  committed,  $8411.- 
84.  Actual  debt,  $31,202.13. 

1875.  — Henry  J.  Osgood,  Cyrus  Bachelder  and 
Nathaniel  D.  Clough,  selectmen.  Services,  $271.80. 
Samuel  Neal,  collector.  Tax  committed,  $9202.19. 
Actual  debt,  $30,175.77. 

1876.  — Moses  E.  Stevens,  Abial  H.  Clough  and 
James  F.  Nelson,  selectmen.  Services,  $235.80. 
John  Jones,  collector.  Tax  committed,  $9042.44. 
Debt,  $29,039.36. 

1877.  — Moses  E.  Stevens,  Abial  H.  Clough  and 
James  F.  Nelson,  selectmen.  Services,  $233.  John 
Jones,  collector.  Tax  committed,  $8545.67.  Actual 
debt,  $27,736.65. 

1878.  — Abial  H.  Clough,  Cyrus  Bachelder  and 
John  L.  Buswell,  selectmen.  Services,  $246.  John 
Jones,  collector.  Tax  committed,  $8584.21.  Actual 
debt,  $26,058.76. 

1879.  — Cyrus  Bachelder,  John  L.  Buswell  and 
Ilinaldo  B.  Foster,  selectmen.  Services,  $221.75. 
John  Jones,  collector.  Tax  committed,  $7463.59. 
Actual  debt,  $25,346.89. 

1880.  — John  L.  Buswell,  Rinaldo  B.  Foster  and 
Jeremiah  A.  Clough,  selectmen.  Services,  $228. 
Charles  D.  Carr,  collector.  Amount  committed, 
$6670.64.  Actual  debt,  $25,748.62. 

1881.  — Rinaldo  B.  Foster,  Frederick  E.  Copp  and 
Jeremiah  A.  Clough,  selectmen.  Services,  $225. 
Challis  D.  Carr,  collector.  Tax  committed,  $8911.49. 
Actual  debt,  $22,453.74. 

1882.  — Rinaldo  B.  Foster,  Frederick  E.  Copp  and 
Jeremiah  A.  Clough,  selectmen.  Services,  $246. 
Newell  W.  Lovering,  school  committee.  Services,  $35. 
Frank  E.  Robinson,  clerk.  Services,  $35.  Challis 
D.  Carr,  collector.  Tax  committed,  $9450.33.  Actual 
debt,  $18,485.57. 

1883.  — Rinaldo  B.  Foster,  Jeremiah  A.  Clough 
and  William  W.  Cate,  selectmen.  Services,  $285. 
Nathaniel  D.  Clough,  collector.  Tax  committed, 
$8077.55. 

1884.  — William  W.  Cate,  John  F.  Ordwav  and 
Elbridge  G. Sargent, selectmen.  Services, $280.  Alvab 
L.  Morse,  clerk ; Annie  M.  Osgood,  school  committee. 
Services,  $55.  Nathaniel  D.  Clough,  collector. 


1885.— William  W.  Cate,  Horace  F.  Fletcher  and 
Elbridge  G.  Sargent,  selectman ; Alvah  L.  Morse, 
town  clerk ; Henry  J.  Osgood,  school  committee ; 
Nathaniel  D.  Clough,  collector. 

The  Religious  History  of  Loudon. — The  same 
year  in  which  the  town  was  incorporated  measures 
were  taken  for  the  building  of  a meeting-house.  At 
a meeting  of  the  parish  held  in  November,  1773,  it 
was  “ Voted  to  build  a meeting-house,  and  that  it  stand 
upon  the  southeast  end  of  the  school  lot,  part  or  all 
in  the  road,  if  the  land  is  best.”  At  a meeting  held 
November  10,  1777,“  Voted  to  setup  a meeting-house 
by  a rate  or  tax  also  “ Voted  to  get  the  timber  and 
haul  it  to  the  spot  this  winter,  and  that  labor  be  three 
shillings  per  day.”  Eliphalet  Rawlings,  Abraham 
Bachelder,  Nathaniel  Bachelder,  Ezekiel  Morrill, 
Jethro  Bachelder,  Moses  Ordwav  and  Jonathan 
Clough  were  chosen  for  the  committee  to  build  the 
house.  “ Voted  to  have  the  house  the  same  size  of  the 
Epsom  house;”  also  “ Voted  seven  hundred  dollars  to 
get  the  frame  to  the  spot,  and  frame  it.”  December 
4,  1778,  “ Voted  to  add  six  feet  in  length  and  two  feet 
in  width.”  In  the  year  1779,  “ Voted  to  raise  one 
thousand  dollars  and  lay  it  out  in  labor  at  eight  dol- 
lars per  day,”  also  “ Voted  to  sell  the  pew  privileges 
at  auction  to  the  highest  bidder,  and  that  the  pur- 
chasers of  the  privileges  be  allowed  twelve  months 
after  the  house  is  raised,  boarded,  shingled  and  clap- 
boarded,  and  the  lower  floor  is  laid,  to  build  their 
pews  in,  and  that  those  who  do  not  build  in  that  time, 
their  privilege  shall  return  to  the  parish.”  “ Voted 
to  buy  two  barrels  of  rum  for  the  raising.”  The  se- 
lectmen’s account  shows  that  they  paid  Josiah  Bach- 
elder for  rum  one  hundred  and  eight  dollars,  and  paid 
Reuben  Greeley  for  two  quarts  of  snake-root,  for  the 
raising,  twelve  dollars.  “ Voted  to  leave  the  finding 
of  the  supper  to  the  committee.”  “ Paid  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Noble,  for  ministerial  services  at  the  raising,  one 
dollar  and  fifty  cents  ; also  paid  Mr.  Blunt,  who  lived 
in  the  old  “Martin  house,”  for  the  trouble  to  him  at  the 
raising.”  The  parish  bought  of  Mr.  Blunt  a strip 
of  land  in  front  of  the  meeting-house  in  order  to 
have  better  accommodation.  The  first  meeting  held 
in  the  house  was  a parish-meeting  for  town  busi- 
ness. August,  1789,  “ Voted  to  build  two  porches,  one 
on  the  east  and  one  on  the  west  end  of  the  house ;” 
also  “ Voted  to  put  in  joist,  lay  a rough  floor  and  put 
up  the  finish  in  front  of  the  gallery  before  the  ordina- 
tion of  Mr.  Tucker.”  The  house  was  lathed  by  Jona- 
than Smith,  plastered  by  John  Sargent  and  finished 
in  the  year  1797  ; the  posts  in  the  lower  part  still  bear 
the  figures  on  the  top  as  painted  in  1797.  An  article 
was,  in  1795,  inserted  in  the  warrant  to  paint  the  out- 
side, but  failed  to  pass  in  the  meeting.  The  house  ap- 
pears to  have  been  used  for  religious  meetings  as  soon 
as  it  was  boarded  and  shingled.  The  plan  of  the  house 
was  very  peculiar.  The  pulpit  was  built  upon  the 
back  side  of  the  house  and  was  elevated  at  least  six  or 
seven  feet  from  the  floor  of  the  room,  and  was  reached 


LOUDON. 


491 


by  ascending  a flight  of  eight  or  nine  stairs.  It  was 
finished  with  pine  wood  and  displayed  the  best  of 
skill  and  workmanship.  The  minister,  while  speak- 
ing, stood  upon  an  elevation  of  about  seven  inches, 
and  the  Bible  in  front  of  him  was  at  that  height,  that 
lie  could  swing  his  arms  above  it  when  speaking  with 
earnestness.  Above  the  pulpit  and  over  the  minister 
hung  the  sounding-board,  which  was  built  in  an  oc- 
tagonal shape,  and  was  at  least  six  feet  across  it,  and 
was  suspended  from  a large  beam  in  the  roof  by  an 
iron  rod,  one  and  one-half  inches  square.  The  work- 
manship displayed  in  the  finish  of  this  sounding- 
board  was  of  the  highest  order.  When  taken  down 
at  the  time  of  making  the  alteration,  in  1845,  it  re- 
quired the  strength  of  about  ten  men  to  lift  it.  The 
deacon’s  seat  or  pew  was  directly  beneath  and  in  front 
of  the  pulpit,  with  a half-round  table  at  his  right, 
constructed  in  such  a manner  that  when  not  in  use  it 
dropped  down,  and  was  held  by  hinges  to  the  top  rail 
of  the  pew.  Upon  the  left  of  the  pew  was  a smaller 
stand  or  table  of  the  same  form  and  supported  the 
same,  which  was  used  to  hold  the  tankard  of  wine 
and  the  wine-cups.  The  pulpit  and  surroundings 
were  painted  of  a lead  color,  while  the  tables  were 
painted  a dark  brown. 

The  pews  were  square  in  form,  and  the  outside  row 
next  the  wall  around  the  house  were  elevated  to  the 
height  of  three  steps  from  the  floor.  Seats  were 
placed  upon  the  four  sides  and  were  hung  with 
hinges,  and  during  prayer  were  turned  up  to  prevent 
any  one  from  sitting  during  that  very  important  part 
of  the  service.  A walk  extended  in  front  of  each 
around  the  house.  Upon  the  floor  below  this  row 
were  placed  four  other  groups  of  pews  with  four  in  a 
group,  with  an  entrance  from  the  walk  mentioned. 
Upon  the  right  and  left  wings,  and  almost  in  front  of 
the  pulpit;  were  built  long,  narrow  seats,  which  were 
used  and  known  as  the  “ anxious  ” seats  in  time  of 
revival.  When  not  thus  used,  they  were  occupied  by 
persons  who  were  unable  to  purchase  or  own  pews. 
One  side  of  the  aisle  was  used  only  by  the  men, 
the  other  by  females. 

The  gallery  extended  around  three  sides  of  the 
room,  with  pews  corresponding  in  form  and  location 
to  those  beneath.  The  singers’ seats  were  in  the  gal- 
lery, and  wer^e  situated  directly  in  front  of  the  pulpit. 
The  entrance  to  the  gallery  was  only  by  the  porches 
upon  either  end  of  the  house,  which  consisted  of  sev- 
eral flights  of  stairs,  winding  around  upon  each  of 
the  four  sides.  The  frame  -was  of  the  strongest  and  best 
of  timber,  the  posts  being  of  white  oak  ; the  beams 
are  of  old  growth  pine,  and  were  hewed  fourteen 
and  sixteen  inches,  while  the  roof  is  self-support- 
ing, the  rafters  being  double-trussed.  In  the  year 
1845  two  stories  and  two  rooms  were  made  by  ex- 
tending the  gallery  over  the  whole  of  the  upper 
story,  which  is  used  for  a meeting-house,  while  the 
lower  story  is  used  for  town  and  other  purposes.  A 
belfry  was  added,  in  which  hangs  a bell,  the  gift  of 


Captain  Solomon  Caverly  to  the  society  worshiping 
in  the  upper  story. 

For  a long  time  this  house  convened  all  the  people 
in  the  town.  There  was  but  one  creed  and  belief  in 
religious  matters  in  all  the  town,  and  that  was  known 
as  Congregationalism.  The  church  and  state  were 
one  and  inseparable.  The  laws  of  the  State  com- 
pelled people  to  support  the  gospel  and  the  ministry, 
and  the  selectmen  of  the  town  raised  and  assessed 
upon  property  of  the  inhabitants  sums  as  large  as 
were  thought  to  be  expedient  and  necessary.  In  the 
year  1774  there  was  raised  by  the  town  the  sum  of 
fifty  dollars,  and  the  same  in  the  years  177(1 ; and  in 
1777,  “ Voted  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.”  In  1779, 
“ Voted  three  hundred  dollars  for  preaching.”  In 
the  year  1780  the  article  in  the  warrant  was,  “ To  see 
if  said  Parish  will  vote  to  raise  a sum  of  money  for 
the  use  of  preaching  and  how  much:  and  if  voted,  to 
see  if  they  will  vote  to  pay  it  in  corn  or  grain  next 
fall.”  And  it  was  “ Voted,  to  take  the  money  the  Par- 
sonage was  let  for  preaching.”  In  1781,  “ Voted 
to  hire  preaching  for  only  eight  Sabbaths.”  In 
1782,  “ Voted  not  to  raise  any.”  In  1788,  “ Voted  to 
raise  thirty  pounds.”  Previous  to  this  year  no  per- 
son had  been  settled  as  minister.  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Blydenburg  had  preached  more  than  any  other  one, 
he  at  that  time  being  the  owner  of  a lot  of  land 
lying  and  adjoining  the  parsonage  and  school  lot 
upon  the  north.  A minister  tax  was  assessed  for  the 
first  time,  the  list  embracing  the  names  of  ninety-one 
of  the  tax-payers  of  the  town. 

The  Rev.  Israel  Day  was  given  a call  to  settle  with 
the  people  at  this  time ; but,  upon  examination,  his 
belief  upon  certain  doctrinal  points  was  notin  accord- 
ance with  that  of  several  of  the  people,  and  he 
declined  the  call.  The  following,  taken  from  the 
records  of  the  town,  had  some  effect  upon  the  matter, 
probably : 

“ Loudon,  March  15,  1784. 

“ By  these  Lines,  we,  the  subscribers,  do  enter  our  dissent  against  Mr. 
Israel  Day  being  settled  as  a preacher  in  Loudon. 

“ Garshom  Mathes,  Abel  French,  Joshua  (his  X mark)  Rawlings, 
End"  Josiah  (his  X mark)  Rines,  Philip  Brown,  Nathan  Bachelder,  John 
Drue,  Moses  Morrill,  Daniel  Ladd,  James  Silver,  Joseph  Smith,  Charles 
Sargent,  Jr.” 

Mr.  Day,  in  his  letter,  says, — 

“ Another  difficulty  that  is  flung  in  my  way  in  this  affair  is  the  church 
to  which  I belong  have  declined  to  give  me  a dismission  and  recommen- 
dation, for  sufficient  reasons,  as  they  suppose. 

“ Dated  this  first  day  of  May,  1784. 

(Signed)  “ Israel  Day.” 

In  the  year  1785  thirty  pounds  was  raised.  In 
1786,  “ Voted,  to  lay  out  the  back  money,  and  to  hire 
tlie  Rev.  Mr.  Cummings  three  Sabbaths.”  In  1787 
no  money  was  raised,  as  appears  by  the  town  records. 
Several  difficulties  arose  within  the  parish  upon  local 
matters,  which  divided  the  people,  and  from  the  fre- 
quency of  holding  town-meetings  it  may  be  con- 
cluded that  much  unpleasantness  of  feeling  existed. 
These  difficulties  were,  in  part,  the  feeling  caused  by 
the  letter  and  course  pursued  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Day, 


492 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


and  a further  division  came  up  in  regard  to  the 
location  of  the  meeting-house.  Several  meetings 
were  held  in  order  to  change  the  location  and  build 
the  house  near  the  south  part  of  the  town,  but  all 
such  propositions  were  voted  in  the  negative.  Then 
a meeting  was  called  “ To  see  if  the  town  will  vote  to 
Set  off  all  the  southwest  corner  of  the  town,  and  have 
the  same  annexed  to  Concord  or  Canterbury,  as  may 
be  most  convenient,  commencing  at  the  town  line  and 
running  southeasterly  to  the  mouth  of  Pine  Island 
Brook,  and  then  follow  the  river  to  Bow  line.”  This 
was  voted  in  the  negative.  In  the  year  1788  the  Rev. 
Jedediah  Tucker  commenced  preaching  to  the  people 
of  the  parish.  At  a town-meeting  held  the  17th  day 
of  January,  it  was  “ Voted  to  give  the  llev.  Mr.  Tucker 
a call,  and  chose  a committee,  consisting  of  Joseph 
Tilton,  Nathaniel  Bachelder,  Stephen  Wells,  Jeremiah 
Clough  and  Daniel  Ordway,  to  agree  with  Mr.  Tucker 
and  report  at  the  next  meeting.” 

At  a meeting  of  the  parish,  held  on  the  14th  day  of 
February,  “ Voted  to  give  the  Rev.  Mr.  Tucker  that 
piece  of  land  bought  of  Mr.  Blunt  for  a settlement  in 
Loudon.”  Also,  “ Voted  to  give  him  the  income  of 
the  parsonage  during  his  ministry  in  Loudon,  with 
the  privilege  of  cutting  his  wood  with  prudent  usage.”  j 
Also  “ Voted  to  give  him  sixty  pounds  for  the  first  j 
year,  sixty-five  for  the  second,  seventy  for  the  third, 
and  seventy-five  for  the  fourth  year  of  his  ministry.” 
Also,  “ Voted  that  he  shall  have  three  Sabbaths  yearly 
to  visit  his  friends.” 

“ Loudon,  June  22nJ,  1789. 

“ By  these  lines,  we,  the  subscribers,  do  enter  our  dissent  against  Mr. 
Tucker  being  settled  in  the  ministry  in  Loudon. 

'*  Daniel  Smith,  Levi  Chase,  Dimon  Furnald,  James  Morrill,  Nathaniel  j 
Rawlings,  Isaac  Lowell,  Samuel  Jacob,  Joseph  Drue,  Robert  Drue,  Abial 
Chamberlin,  Nathan  Clough,  Ebenezer  Parker,  Jonathan  Wiggins,  Jona- 
than Clough,  Jonathan  Chase,  Moses  Rawlings,  John  Clough,  Samuel  1 
Morrill,  Samuel  French,  Captain  John  Sanborn,  John  Drue,  Jacob  Tole, 
Samuel  Mill,  Reuben  Collings,  Stephen  Cate.” 

At  a meeting  in  September,  1789,  “ Voted  to  choose 
a Committee  of  seven  to  join  Mr.  Tucker  in  ap- 
pointing a day  for  Ordination.  And  chose  Nathan 
Bachelder,  Esq.,  Moses  Ordway,  Thomas  Bachelder, 
Abraham  Bachelder,  Joseph  Moulton,  Timothy 
French  and  Nathaniel  Bachelder.”  This  committee 
appointed  the  21st  day  of  October  following,  to  be 
the  day.  Also,  this  committee  chose  the  following 
gentlemen  to  compose  the  council : 

Rev.  Mr.  Adams,  of  Stoughton,  Second  Church ; 
Rev.  Mr.  Howard,  of  Stoughton,  First  Church  ; Rev. 
Mr.  Robins,  of  Milton  ; Rev.  Mr.  Tucker,  of  Loudon  ; 
Rev.  Mr.  Thatcher,  of  Dedham  ; Rev.  Mr.  Upliam, 
of  Deerfield;  Rev.  Mr.  Colby,  of  Pembroke;  Rev. 
Mr.  Evans,  of  Concord;  Rev.  Mr.  Smith,  of  Gilman- 
ton;  Rev.  Mr.  French,  of  Andover;  Rev.  Mr.  Bab- 
cock, of  New  Andover;  and  Rev.  Mr.  Merrill,  of 
Plaistow. 

The  selectmen  paid  the  expenses  of  the  ordination, 
and  Mr.  Tucker  continued  to  preach  for  nearly  thirty 
years.  He  also  was  the  practicing  physician  and 


surgeon  for  the  parish,  making  no  charge  for  such 
service  within  its  limits. 

“ We,  the  Subscribers,  Inhabitants  of  Loudon,  hereby  notify  the  Con* 
gational  Society  in  said  Loudon  that  we  consider  it  both  illegal  and 
unconstitutional  for  any  society  whatever  to  lay  a tax  on  any  person  or 
persons  by  the  authority  of  a majority  of  a Town  or  Society  vote.  And 
we,  the  undersigned,  hereby  give  notice  that  we  are  determined  to 
pay  no  more  ministerial  taxes  for  the  purpose  of  the  support  of  any 
preaching  or  minister  whatever  in  that  way  after  this  date. 

“Loudon,  March  14,  1803. 

(Signed) 

‘‘Stephen  Pickering,  James  Palmer,  Isaac  Smith,  Archelaus  Moore, 
Jonathan  Smith,  Jr.,  Eliphalet  Swain,  Thomas  Bachelder,  John  Carter, 
Elisha  Sweatt. 

“A  true  copy.  Attest. 

“ Enoch  Wood,  To  ten  Clerk." 

Mr.  Tucker,  as  minister  of  the  gospel,  united  nearly 
all  the  people  in  town  who  were  married,  commenc- 
ing in  1795.  The  records  of  the  town  show  that  he 
married  two  hundred  and  thirty-two  couples,  with  one 
or  both  of  the  parties  living  in  Loudon. 

In  the  years  1812  and  1813  he  also  served  as  chair- 
man of  the  Board  of  Selectmen  for  the  town.  In 
looking  at  the  record  books  of  the  town,  one  may 
gaiu  an  impression  of  the  man,  particularly  in  the 
boldness  of  the  signature  of  his  name,  which  is  imi- 
tated by  no  other  person.  It  seems  that  after  his 
dismissal  he  gave  his  attention  more  to  public  busi- 
ness and  to  the  practice  of  medicine.  The  reason 
for  the  vote  of  dismissal  is  unknown.  It  might 
have  been  at  his  own  request  or  from  other  causes. 
Just  before  the  vote  of  dismissal  the  following  dis- 
sents  are  recorded  : 

“ This  is  to  let  you  know  that  I do  not  believe  in  paying  minister 
rates  to  Mr.  Tucker. 

(Signed)  “ Daniel  Lovering. 

“March  19,  1804.” 

“I  do  enter  my  dissent  against  paying  taxes  to  Mr.  Tucker,  as  I do 
not  belong  to  his  Society. 

(Signed)  “John  Cate. 

“ March  9,  1804.” 

“ I do  hereby  enter  my  dissent  against  paying  a Minister  tax  to  Mr. 
Tucker. 

(Signed)  “Jonathan  Lougee. 

“ April  15,  1805.” 

“ I do  hereby  enter  my  dissent  against  paying  a Minister  tax  to  Mr. 
Tucker. 

(Signed)  “Nathan  Maxfield. 

“March  31,  1808.” 

After  the  dismissal  of  Mr.  Tucker,  in  1810,  by  vote  of 
the  town,  the  Rev.  Enoch  Courser  was  ordained  as 
minister,  in  1816,  and  continued  as  such  for  a num- 
ber of  years.  The  Rev.  Samuel  B.  Dyer  and  the  Rev. 
Enoch  Courser  both  continued  to  preach  to  the 
churches  of  Loudon  for  nearly  thirty  years.  They 
lived  in  the  same  neighborhood,  and  as  the  sectarian 
strife  which  had  grown  up  in  the  parish  continued 
to  increase,  unkind  feelings  existed  between  the  two 
men.  Both  were  strong  and  powerful  men,  of  large 
and  well-proportioned  bodies,  unyielding  in  disposi- 
tion, and  the  consequent  result  was  that  feelings  of 
the  most  bitter  animosity,  as  individuals,  existed  be- 
tween them,  which  extended  to  the  churches  over 


LOUDON. 


493 


which  they  were  the  pastors.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Dyer  was  a 
member  of  the  Legislature  from  the  town  of  Loudon 
in  the  year  1818.  While  at  Concord  he  boarded  with 
one  Mr.  Davis,  with  fifteen  others,  four  of  whom  were 
ministers.  On  Friday  noon  a convention  was  held  at 
the  boarding-house,  Mr.  Dyer,  chairman,  and  it  was 
“ Voted  that  we  will  not  drink  any  ardent  spirits  till 
the  session  closes.” 

The  law  which  authorized  the  selectmen  to  tax  the 
citizens  for  the  support  of  the  minister  was  very  dis- 
tasteful to  many  of  the  tax-payers.  The  town  became 
involved  in  lawsuits  in  consequence  of  it.  The  case 
of  Isaac  Smith  was  one  of  expense.  The  largest  tax 
assessed  against  him  in  any  year  was  $1.60,  which  he 
positively  refused  to  pay  in  any  manner.  He  was 
arrested  and  put  in  jail  for  one  day  and  released.  The 
town  carried  on  the  lawsuit  for  some  years,  until  the 
expenses  in  the  case  amounted  to  two  hundred  and 
seventy-five  dollars,  after  which  the  law  was  repealed. 

The  hardness  of  feeling  growing  out  of  the  work- 
ings of  this  law  led  several  persons  to  organize  a so- 
ciety, to  be  known  as  the  first  Free-Will  Baptist  Society 
in  Loudon,  which  was  done  by  John  Sanborn,  Jona- 
than Clough,  Abner  Clough  and  Nathaniel  Martin,  in 
the  year  1807,  and  held  meetings  one-fourth  part  of  the 
time  in  the  old  meeting-house,  with  the  Rev.  Sam- 
uel B.Dver  as  minister. 

In  May,  1823,  one-half  of  the  old  meeting-house 
was  given  up  to  the  Free-Will  Baptist  people.  The 
Congregational  Society  made  a renewed  effort  in 
,(<26  to  build  a new  house,  to  be  located  nearer  the 
south  part  of  the  town,  and  the  following  year  erected 
a new  one  at  the  village.  This  led  to  an  unhappy 
division.  Mr.  Courser  preached  the  dedicatory  sermon, 
but  declined  further-services.  In  1837  the  condition 
of  the  society  became  discouraging  ; he  was  dismissed 
and  left  the  town  after  twenty  years  of  labor.  The 
rapid  rise  of  the  Free-Will  Baptists  was  its  first 
shock.  A severer  one  was  from  its  own  division, 
attended  by  the  personal  difficulties  of  Mr.  Courser 
with  some  of  his  church  members.  Both  the  churches 
for  several  years  were  supplied  by  several  preachers 
for  short  periods  of  time.  In  the  year  1839  a new 
church  edifice  was  erected  near  the  old  one,  at  a cost 
of  sixteen  hundred  dollars.  The  Rev.  Cyrus  W. 
Wallace  was  the  first  minister.  The  church  and 
society  failed  in  settling  him,  for  want  of  pecu- 
niary means.  Parker  Pillsbury  followed,  and  further 
divided  the  church  upon  the  question  of  slavery.  He 
was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  John  Le  Bosquet,  followed 
by  Rev.  Ezekiel  Dow,  Jonathan  Ayres,  E.  F.  Abbott, 
Jarius  Ordway,  Rev.  Mr.  Caswell  and  finally  the  ven- 
erable Rev.  Mr.  Courser  returned  and  preached  for 
one  year  or  more,  which  was  the  close  of  his  life-work 
in  the  gospel  ministry.  The  Second  Church  at  the  vil- 
lage has  had  but  two  ordained  pastors, -the  Rev.  Henry 
White  and  the  Rev.  Thomas  N.  Jones.  Othersupplies, 
such  as  Calvin  White,  Henry  Wood  and  the  Rev. 
Charles  Willey,  have  preached  to  this  people.  In  the 


year  1883  the  Rev.  C.  Roper  was  the  pastor  of  this 
people,  and  largely  by  his  efforts  the  church  was  re- 
paired. The  Methodists  have  had  a church  for  sev- 
eral years  in  this  place,  and  the  Rev.  Silas  Green, 
during  some  years,  was  the  preacher  of  both  the  Meth- 
odist and  Congregational  Churches.  Since,  the  preach- 
ers have  been  of  the  Methodist  order,  and  at  this 
time,  1885,  no  preaching  is  sustained  by  either. 

About  the  year  1847  the  Free-Will  Baptists,  by  a 
vote  of  the  town,  obtained  control  of  the  old  meeting- 
house for  meeting  purposes,  by  altering  and  making 
an  upper  story,  which  they  have  occupied  as  a place  of 
worship,  at  a cost  of  one  thousand  dollars.  The  Rev. 
John  Norris  was  called  as  the  pastor  of  this  people 
after  the  alteration.  He  was  succeeded  by  William  A. 
Sargent,  who  was  ordained  as  a minister.  During  the 
stay  of  Mr.  Sargent  a meeting  was  held  for  several 
weeks  under  the  labor  of  Elder  Pliinnev,  of  Maine,  in 
which  the  Rev.  E.  F.  Abbott,  of  the  Congregational 
Church,  joined,  which  resulted  in  large  accessions  to 
either  church.  Elder  Sargent  was  followed  by  the 
Rev.  E.  G.  Knowles,  Rev.  Josiah  P.  Stinchfield,  Rev. 
S.  S.  Brooks  ; and  the  Rev.  John  George  was  ordained 
and  remained  three  years.  After  his  removal  the 
church  was  thoroughly  repaired,  and  alterations  made 
upon  the  inside,  a new  pulpit  and  furniture  purchased. 
At  the  same  time  Captain  Solomon  Caverly,  a former 
citizen  of  the  town,  presented  the  society  with  a 
church-bell.  The  house  was  rededicated,  and  Carter 
E.  Cate,  a townsman  and  graduate  from  Dartmouth 
College,  was  engaged  and  ordained  as  a minister  of 
the  gospel  by  the  Free-Will  Baptist  denomination,  and 
remained  for  one  year.  He  was  followed  by  the  Rev. 
Charles  E.  Hurd,  who  remained  four  years,  and  was 
succeeded  by  Rev.  D.  I.  Quint,  who  is  the  present 
minister  in  the  year  1885. 

MARRIAGES  BY  REV.  JEDEDIAH  TUCKER. 

1790.  — Abicl  Wood  and  Sarah  Moulton,  Benjamin  Prescott  and  Sail}' 
Cate,  Benjamin  Hall  and  Lydia  Chesley. 

1791.  — William  MoultOn  ami  Judith  Ladd,  Samuel  Crossman  and  Lois 
Chamberlain,  Caleb  M.  Sanborn  and  Judith  Ingalls,  Nathaniel  Greek 
and  Dorothy  Smith,  Christopher  Rowell  and  Merriam  Lovering. 

1792.  — John  Rawlings  and  Sarah  Sargent,  Janies  Thomson  and  Anna 
Bennett,  Janies  Rawlings  and  Sarah  Palmer,  John  Sargent  and  Polly 
Sanborn,  Daniel  Smith  and  Mary  Winslow. 

1793.  — Enoch  Moore  and  Judah  Moulton. 

1794.  — Samuel  Jacobs  and  Abigail  Sanborn,  Jonas  Ames  and  Jemima 
Stevens. 

1795.  — Edward  Knight  and  Betsy  Worth,  William  Horn  and  Susannah 
Worth,  Willard  Fifield  and  Rebecca  Drew,  Trueworthy  Palmer  and 
Love  Perkins,  Daniel  Lowell  and  Betsy  Tilton. 

1796.  — Jeremiah  Bennett  and  Alice  Currier,  Simeon  Cass  and  Nancy 
Flanders,  Joshua  Ingalls  and  Sukey  Sleeper. 

1797.  — James  Ware  and  Polly  Ladd,  Jonathan  Rawlings  and  Judith 
Palmer,  Daniel  Moulton  and  Merriam  Taylor,  Pearl  Kimball  and  Dolly 
Eastman,  John  Carter  and  Mary  Busell,  James  Thompson  and  Sally 
Smith,  John  Thompson  and  Lois  Palmer,  Josiah  Bachelder  and  Polly 
Blake,  Abiel  Eastman  and  Sally  Thompson. 

1798.  — John  Randlet  and  Rose  Rogers,  John  L.  French  and  Sally 
Clough,  Samuel  Clough  and  Rhoda  Carr,  Thomas  Bachelder  and  Martha 
Tilton,  Jonathan  Sanborn  and  Dolly  Winslow,  John  Boulton  and  Betsy 
Tilton,  Isaac  Smith  and  Nelly  Bolton,  Asa  Kimball  and  Polly  Gibson, 
Joshua  French  and  Rachel  Sargent. 

1799.  — Chase  Milliard  and  Hannah  Sanborn.  William  Bennett  and 
Olive  Mirick,  Elisha  Buswell  and  Abigail  Perkins,  Charles  Sargent  and 


494 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Sally  Osgood,  Joseph  Baker  and  Anna  Bachelder,  William  Brown  and 
Huldah'Bachelder,  Dudley  Chase  and  Sukey  Bachelder,  Nathaniel  Ingalls 
and  Polly  Haines,  George  Peverly  and  Sally  Sherburn,  Isaiah  Dow  and 
Anna  Osborn,  Benjamin  Thompson  and  Eunice  Sargent,  Joshua  Seavey 
and  Nancy  Stevens,  John  Briar  and  Berthia  Garland,  Winthrop  Bagley 
and  Sally  Bayley,  John  Morrill  and  Nancy  Yell,  Love  French  and  Hitty 
Maxfield,  William  Lougee  and  Peggy  Cate,  William  Bussell  and  Eliza- 
beth Rawlings,  Joshua  Fletcher  and  Betsey  Chase,  Isaiah  Chase  and 
Nabby  Bachelder,  Harvey  Blaisdell  and  Anna  Winslow,  Thomas  Brown 
and  Sukey  Emery. 

1800. — Reuben  French  and  Ruth  Maxfield,  Samuel  Neal  and  Bitty 
Perkins,  Nicholas  Smith  and  Sally  Berry,  John  Carr  and  Sally  Brown, 
John  Ladd  ami  Lydia  Sanborn,  Thomas  Sargent  and  Polly  French, 
Stephen  Hall  and  Nancy  Lougee,  Josiali  James  and  Sarah  Tilton,  Samuel 
Mudgett  and  Mary  Morrill,  Jonathan  C.  Bean  and  Judith  Thompson, 
John  Leavitt  and  Polly  Emery,  Valentine  Hill  and  Polly  Thompson,  Na- 
thaniel Morrill  and  Hannah  Rowell. 

1801.  — Nathan  Bachelder  and  Nancy  Rollins,  Byley  Lyford  and  Lois 
Lyford,  Henry  Tehbetts  and  Polly  Beck,  Lemuel  Hill  and  Betsey  Drew, 
Benjamin  Fifield  and  Sally  Bachelder,  Mathias  Haines  and  Polly  Fur- 
nald,  Benjamin  Brown  and  Peggy  Beck,  Chandler  Glines  and  Betsey 
Davis,  Abraham  Bachelder  and  Hannah  Kelley,  Jeremiah  Clifford  and 
Nancy  Rollins. 

1802.  — Levi  French  and  Betsey  Clough,  John  B.  Blake  and  Polly  Max- 
field,  Jacob  Carter  and  Betsey  French,  David  Ingalls  and  Sally  Furnald, 
Charles  Glidden  and  Ruthy  Hall,  Jonathan  Worth  and  Eliza  Taylor,  j 
Charles  Cate  and  Dolly  Bachelder,  William  Sanborn  and  Peggy  Cross, 
Peter  Wadleigli  and  Alice  Smith,  Levi  Chase  and  Sukey  Clough,  Benja-  I 
min  Wells  and  Abia  Moore,  John  Glines  and  Sukey  McDaniels. 

1803.  — Daniel  Perkins  and  Hannah  Davis,  Josiah  Sargent  and  Hannah  I 
Smith,  Josiah  Bachelder  and  Dolly  Sargent,  Caleb  Gilman  and  Judith 
Harvey,  Samuel  Haines  and  Hannah  Bachelder,  Benjamin  Thompson  and 
Abigail  Rollins,  Stephen  Gale  and  Abigail  Dimond,  Jonathan  Greely 
and  Hannah  Bachelder,  Jacob  Gerrish  and  Sally  Ames,  Samuel  Odiorne 
and  Comfort  Tasker,  Benjamin  Palmer  and  Polly  Jacobs,  Thomas  Hol- 
den and  Eleuor  Willey,  Daniel  Jones  and  Sophia  Parkinson,  Daniel 
Blanchard  and  Ester  Parkinson,  JosephjGreely  and  Nancy  Wells,  Samuel  I 
Moor  ami  Rachael  Briar,  Samuel  Perkins  and  Sally  Bennett,  David 
Foster  and  Sally  Dearborn,  David  Bachelder  and  Hitty  Lang,  Samuel 
Currier  and  Sally  Bias. 

1804. — John  Clark  and  Polly  Currier,  Samuel  French  and  Sukey  Til- 
ton, Charles  Beck  and  Sally  Sargent,  Joshua  Wallard  and  Polly  Lang- 
maid,  John  Peverly  and  Betsey  Sanborn,  Samuel  Elliot  and  Eunice  Sar- 
gent, Stephen  Hobbs  and  Lydia  Perkins. 

1805.  — Joseph  Thomas  and  Polly  Osgood,  Joshua  Thompson  and  Fannie  j 
Bachelder,  Richard  Palmer  and  Susannah  Perkins,  Daniel  Iloitand  Sally  j 
Flanders,  Shadrach  Cate  and  Rebecca  Chamberlin,  Benjamin  Rowell 
and  Merriam  Clifford,  John  Philbrick  and  Nancy  Avery,  Aaron  Stevens 
and  Sally  Glines,  Joseph  Hoit  and  Betsy  Buswell,  James  Ingalls  and 
Louisa  Wheeler,  Josiah  Emery  and  Betsey  Osgood,  William  Munsey  and 
Jemima  Barton. 

1S0G. — Samuel  Follinsbee  and  Kitty  Clifford,  John  Hill  and  Rachel  I 
Haines,  Theodore  Ring  and  Betsy  Blake,  Nathaniel  Greeley  and  Sally  ! 
Holden,  John  Avery  and  Hannah  Eaton,  James  Bachelder  and  Polly  j 
Wheeler,  David  Harvey  and  Nancy  Thompson,  William  Tenney  and  j 
Peggy  Flanders,  Ebenezer  Bean  and  Deborah  Dow,  Josiah  James  and 
Deborah  Goss. 

1807. —  Benjamin  Munsey  and  Sally  Haines,  John  Moore  and  Catha-  ! 
rine  Blaisdell,  James  Maxfield  and  Hannah  Bachelder,  Dodavah  Bunker  j 
and  Mary  Bachelder,  William  Berry  and  Abigail  Brown,  Charles  Fur-  j 
nald  and  Statira  Ayers,  Samuel  Elliott  and  Judith  Chamberlin,  Jona- 
than Morse  and  Theodate  Emery,  Joshua  Berry  and  Polly  Bachelder,  I 
Phineas  Danforth  and  Nabby  Grant. 

1808. — Anthony  Sherman  and  Sally  Piper,  Benjamin  Jones  and  Sophia 
Gleason,  Phineas  Weeks  and  Lydia  Rogers,  Moses  Kimball  and  Cynthia  , 
Eastman,  Jonathan  Cate  and  Charlotte  Blanchard,  Samuel  Carter  and 
Rachel  French. 

1809.  — Timothy  French  and  Polly  Towle,  Paul  Twombly  and  Sally  ^ 
Weeks,  Daniel  Colby  and  Sally  Bachelder,  James  Osgood  and  Sally 
Bachelder,  Ebenezer  Parker  and  Abigail  Fernald,  Paul  Winkley  and 
Abigail  Rollins,  Thomas  Marstin  and  Polly  Rowell,  Moses  Morrill  and 
Eleaner  Osgood,  Zebulon  Winslow  and  Patience  Brown,  Jacob  Bacliel- 
der  and  Dorothy  Garland,  William  Jackman  and  Debby  Osgood,  Timo-  , 
thy  Hilliard  and  Anna  Sleeper,  Gideon  Ladd  and  Polly  Osgood,  Samuel 
Morrill  and  Sally  French. 

1810. — Levi  Brown  and  Polly  Morse,  Jonathan  Hutchinson  and  Su- 

8 innah  Kenney,  Nathaniel  Flanders  and  Polly  French,  Joshua  Sargent  ! 


and  Betsy  French,  Enoch  Gerrish  and  Ruth  Clough,  Josiah  Drake  and 
Nancy  C.  Winslow,  Jeremiah  Emery  and  Lydia  Morse,  Joseph  Bachelder 
and  Sukey  Tilton. 

1811.  — David  Rollins  and  Lydia  Stevens,  Timothy  Mireck  and  Judith 
Wells,  Thomas  Potter  and  Susannah  Tilton,  Stephen  Wells  and  Eliza 
Tilton,  Bennett  Ackerman  and  Eunice  Ring,  David  Sargent  and  Polly 
Page,  Abraham  Bean  and  Sally  Clough. 

1812.  — Lewis  Flanders  and  Betsy  Piper,  John  Emery  and  Abigail  Os- 
born, John  Cummings  and  Mary  Lovering,  Reuben  Lovering  and  Betsy 
Bachelder,  Tlieophilus  Norris  and  Rhoda  Dimond,  John  Sargent  and 
Betsy  Brown,  Isaac  Virgin  and  Susannah  Bachelder,  Timothy  Brown 
and  Dorothy  Bachelder,  Levi  Swain  and  Rachel  Bennett. 

1813.  — Philip  Brown  and  Sally  True,  Nathaniel  Sherburne  and  Jane 
Piper,  Alexander  Bragg  and  Sally  Eaton,  John  Merrill  and  Hannah  Os- 
born, Thomas  Hackett  and  Sarah  Lovering,  Timothy  Tilton  and  Susan- 
nah Osgood, Richard  Brown  and  Mehitable  S.  Rollins,  Joshua  Dwinell  and 
Comfort  Durgin,  Bradley  Shackford  and  Betsy  Barter,  Daniel  J.  Smith 
and  Joanna  French,  Johnson  Lovering  and  Mary  Ruord,  John  Lougee 
and  Lucy  Wells,  Ambrose  Starbird  and  Eunice  Berry. 

1814.  — Benjamin  Winslow  and  Betsy  French,  Theodore  Ring  and 
Betsy  Maxfield,  Philip  Brown  and  Anna  Wedgwood,  Jewett  Sanborn 
and  Judith  Bachelder,  Joseph  Tasker  and  Polly  Quint,  Jesse  Sanborn 
and  Charlotte  Bachelder,  John  Messer  and  Sally  Stevens,  Manly  Bachel- 
der and  Nancy  Gleason,  Jonathan  Bachelder  and  Lois  Wells. 

1815.  — Jeremiah  Towle  and  Susannah  Maxfield,  Phineas  Healy  and 
Polly  Barter,  Nathan  Clough  and  Hannah  Kenney,  Osgood  Ring  and 
Sally  Brown,  John  Moore  and  Betsey  Holman,  Peter  French  and  Lydia 
Starbird,  Ephraim  Huse  and  Sally  Runnells. 

The  foregoing  were  all  married  by  the  Rev.  Jede- 
diah  Tucker,  from  1790  to  1815,  amounting  to  two 
hundred  and  thirty-two  marriages. 

Schools. — The  town  voted  to  raise  for  schooling,  in 
the  year  1776,  ten  pounds,  lawful  money.  From  1776 
to  1779  the  school  money  was  used  for  war  purposes. 
In  1779,  “ Voted  to  raise  two  hundred  pounds  for 
schooling.”  In  1781,  “ Voted  to  hire  a school-master 
for  six  months,  and  voted  to  raise  five  thousand  dol- 
lars for  schooling.”  In  1782  no  money  was  raised.  In 
1786  it  was  “ Voted  to  raise  forty  pounds  for  schools.” 
Also  Voted  to  build  four  school-houses  by  a Parish 
rate  to  be  paid  in  specie,  and  that  said  houses  shall 
stand,  one  about  half-way  between  the  pound  and  Mr. 
Caleb  Pillsbury’s  ; the  second  to  stand  at  the  mouth  of 
Esq.  Sias’  mill-road  ; the  third  to  stand  at  the  mouth  of 
Rear  Hill  road  ; the  fourth  to  stand  near  Isaac  Pills- 
bury’s house.”  These  divisions  were  known  as 
classes.  It  was  also  “ Voted  that  the  four  classes 
have  the  privilege  of  sending  scholars  from  one  class 
to  another  upon  town  money.”  For  a number  of 
years  the  town  voted  sixty  pounds  annually  for 
schooling.  In  1792  one  of  the  school-houses  was 
burned,  and  the  parish  voted  to  build  a new  one,  and 
for  the  selectmen  to  build  it  at  vendue. 

In  the  year  1796  “ Voted  two  hundred  dollars  for 
schooling.”  About  1780,  Timothy  Gleason  came  to 
this  country  from  Scotland,  he  being  of  Irish  descent, 
and  followed  the  occupation  of  school-teaching.  It 
seems  that  he  taught  the  four  classes  in  town  for  a 
number  of  years.  He  was  a most  excellent  penman, 
and  was  employed  by  the  selectmen  to  make  the 
record  of  taxes  and  town  proceedings,  aud  for  a 
century  no  person  has  equaled  him  in  skill,  clear- 
ness and  beauty  in  this  tine  art.  Mr.  Philip  Brown 
taught  school  for  a number  of  years  after  Mr.  Glea- 
son ; also  Dr.  Benjamin  Kelley,  of  Gilmanton,  Henry 


LOUDON. 


495 


Jackson,  John  Baehelder  and  others.  In  1809  the 
town  “ Voted,  to  number  the  school  districts.  The 
easterly  class  to  be  No.  1 ; the  class  near  Moses  Ord- 
way’s  to  be  No.  2 ; the  new  south  district  to  be  No.  3; 
the  class  near  Samuel  Piper’s  to  be  No.  4 ; the  Timothy 
French  class  to  be  No.  5 ; the  class  near  John  Moore’s 
to  be  No.  6;  Thomas  Moore’s  to  be  No.  7;  Elliot 
Carr’s  to  be  No.  8.”  Amount  of  money  raised  this 
year  for  schooling,  five  hundred  and  thirty-two  dollars. 

In  the  year  1810  a school-house  tax  of  $56.23  was 
raised  in  No.  1 for  repairs ; also  in  No.  2,  $52.41  was 
raised  for  the  same  purpose.  The  school  money  con- 
tinued to  be  more  each  year,  until  at  the  present  time 
the  selectmen  raise  and  pay  to  the  different  school  dis- 
tricts about  fourteen  hundred  dollars.  School-teachers 
formerly  were  males.  It  was  the  custom  for  young 
men  to  attend  school  until  they  were  twenty-four 
and  twenty-five  years  of  age,  and  it  was  not  uncommon 
in  some  of  the  largest  districts  for  as  many  as  ten  or 
fifteen  of  this  class  of  scholars  to  attend  school,  the 
teacher  having  no  laws  or  regulations  to  aid  but  his 
own.  The  labors  of  all  such  were  heavy,  requiring 
men  of  strength  and  power  to  meet  the  emergencies 
required.  Those  who  followed  the  business  soon 
became  tyrants  to  an  extent  in  their  school  duties, 
and  often  made  them  irritable  and  vexatious  in 
other  duties.  The  school  laws  of  our  State  are  an- 
cient as  they  now  exist.  The  school -district  system 
is  the  same  as  nearly  a hundred  years  ago.  At  dif- 
ferent times  efforts  have  been  made  to  revise  and 
change  them  in  some  of  their  aspects,  but  nothing 
has  been  effected  until  the  present  year. 

Intoxicating  drinks. — The  custom  of  drinking 
liquor  was  in  practice  for  many  years,  and  was  common. 
The  records  state  several  instances  where  rum  was  fur- 
nished by  the  selectmen  upon  different  occasions.  At 
the  raising  of  the  meeting-house  a barrel  of  rum  was 
bought,  and  paid  for  by  the  selectmen.  The  selectmen 
also  paid  for  the  rum  used  when  bridges  were  built.  Con- 
stables advertised  that  at  the  sale  of  land  for  taxes 
each  sale  would  be  followed  by  a drink  of  flip  or 
toddy.  It  was  considered  as  one  of  the  important 
things  in  settling  the  township,  to  setout  an  orchard  of 
apple-trees,  which  soon  produced  fruit  bountifully. 
The  chief  use  of  them  was  to  make  cider.  Almost 
every  farm  had  its  cider-mill,  and  large  quantities  of 
it  were  made  and  placed  in  the  cellars,  to  be  drank. 
Not  unfrequently  fifty  barrels,  and  sometimes  more, 
were  made  in  a single  year.  The  custom  of  using 
liquor  was  so  general  that  it  was  not  regarded  as 
among  the  bad  habits  indulged  in.  Ministers  drank 
it,  and  the  old  decanter  was  placed  upon  the  table 
whenever  they  visited  their  parishioners.  Fast  days, 
Thanksgiving  days,  the  birth  of  children  and  the  visits 
of  relatives  were  some  of  the  great  occasions  when  it 
was  used,  and  often  to  excess.  It  is  said  that  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Tucker,  by  this  habit,  lost' his  usefulness  as  a min- 
ister, and  that  it  was  one  of  the  causes  of  his  leaving 
the  ministry  in  town. 


In  the  year  1795  a law  was  enacted  requiring  any 
person  that  sold  liquor  to  obtain  a license  from  the 
selectmen  of  the  town.  In  this  year  Jonathan  C.  Per- 
kins, Enoch  and  Abner  Wood,  Philip  Brown,  Nathan- 
iel Baehelder,  Jr.,  and  Nathaniel  Rollins  were  licensed. 
In  1797,  Samuel  Piper,  Daniel  Lowell  and  Wm.  Stev- 
ens were  licensed.  In  1800,  J.  Baehelder,  Wm.  Stevens, 
J.  Dearborn,  Moses  Rollins,  Philip  Brown,  David  East- 
man, Nathaniel  Hill,  William  Brown,  Daniel  Lowell, 
Benjamin  Kelly  and  Stephen  Perkins  were  licensed. 
In  1801,  Joseph  Dearborn,  Jethro  Baehelder,  Samuel 
Piper,  Philip  Brown,  Samuel  Osgood,  Enoch  Wood, 
Brown  & Ladd  and  Daniel  Lowell  were  licensed.  In 
1803,  Philip  Brown,  Timothy  Barnard,  Samuel  Osgood, 
David  Eastman,  Moses  Chamberlin,  Samuel  Piper, 
John  Ladd,  Moses  Flanders  and  Samuel  Elliott  were 
licensed.  In  1805,  Philip  Brown,  Samuel  Osgood, 
David  Eastman,  Levi  Dearborn,  Daniel  Lowell,  Enoch 
Wood,  Samuel  Wales,  Samuel  Elliott  and  Gould  Di- 
mond  were  licensed  to  sell  at  their  dwelling-houses 
by  the  one-half  pint  and  gill.  Several  of  these  men 
were  licensed  as  inn-holders,  or  taverners,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  putting  up  and  providing  food  and  all  the 
accommodations  for  the  large  teams  which  were  em- 
ployed in  drawing  goods  and  groceries  from  Ports- 
mouth and  Newburyport  to  towns  north  as  far  as 
Laconia.  Large  teams  of  oxen,  as  well  as  horses, 
were  used  in  the  transportation,  and  the  amount 
thus  drawn  was  large. 

As  early  as  the  year  1777  the  parish  took  some 
action  in  relation  to  the  use  of  liquor.  At  a parish- 
meeting, held  to  vote  for  five  persons  as  members  of 
the  council,  the  following  resolution  was  passed: 

“ Resolved,  That  no  person  be  allowed  a seat  in  the  council  or  assembly 
who  shall,  by  himself  or  any  other  person  for  him,  before  said  choice, 
treat  with  Liquor  any  Elector  with  the  apparent  view  of  gaining  their 
vote,  or  afterwards  on  that  account.  Elected  Mr.  Samuel  Chamberlin 
as  Representative  of  said  Parish  for  one  year,  and  he  is  to  vote  for  dele- 
gates to  the  Continental  Congress.” 

It  is  generally  conceded  that  the  use  of  alcoholic 
drink  as  a.  beverage  has  decreased  since  the  organi- 
zation of  the  township,  in  1773. 

Carriages  and  Customs.  — The  introduction  of 
carriages  with  wheels  was  of  a more  recent  date.  At 
first  journeys  were  made  on  horseback.  A family  of 
four  could  comfortably  ride  in  this  manner,  the  hus- 
band and  father  sitting  in  the  saddle,  with  the  wife 
upon  a pillion  behind,  carrying  a child  in  her  arms, 
while  the  father  took  one  before  him  in  front  of  the 
saddle.  The  wife  maintained  her  position  by  holding 
with  one  arm  the  body  of  her  husband.  Horseback- 
riding was  the  custom  in  practice  by  all  who  owned  a 
horse.  Women  in  1700  rode  with  skill  and  grace, 
and  were  more  healthy  and  robust  than  at  the  present 
time.  Horse-blocks  were  placed  at  public  places  for 
the  purpose  of  mounting  the  horse.  In  front  of  the 
meeting-house  one  was  made  of  a large  log,  hewed 
square,  and  elevated  sufficiently  so  that  one  could 
mount  with  ease.  At  the  White  School-House,  which 
was  used  largely  for  meetings  on  the  Sabbath,  there 


49G 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


was  a large  stone  placed  at  the  southeasterly  corner 
of  the  house,  which  was  known  and  used  as  a horse- 
block. The  first  vehicle  used  for  riding  was  seen  on 
the  old  Canterbury  road,  and  consisted  of  two  poles 
fastened  to  the  saddle  or  girt  of  the  horse,  while  the 
large  ends  dragged  upon  the  ground,  and  were  fast- 
ened together  by  a cross-piece,  upon  which  a seat  was 
fastened  for  those  who  rode.  Sleighs  were  made  and 
used  in  the  winter,  and  were  of  wood  principally, 
heavy  and  cumbrous  to  the  horse,  and  affording  but 
little  style  to  the  rider. 

The  fiist  chaise  used  iu  Loudon  was  bought  in 
Newburyport,  Mass.,  by  Mr.  Enoch  Wood.  It  is  re- 
lated, in  regard  to  this  chaise,  that  upon  its  first 
appearance  on  the  Sabbath,  as  Mr.  Wood  and  his 
family  rode  to  the  meeting-house,  the  people  came  out 
and  gazed  with  astonishment  as  it  was  driven  up  to 
the  door.  Afterwards  Mr.  William  Tilton  and  Mr. 
Stephen  Wells  each  bought  and  used  one,  and  in  a 
few  years  they  became  quite  common.  Their  cost  was 
nearly  two  hundred  dollars  each.  Carriages  with  four 
wheels  soon  afterwards  came  into  use,  they  being 
made  without  springs,  with  the  body  setting  directly 
upon  the  axle.  The  seat  was  movable,  and  was  so 
arranged  upon  wooden  springs  that  the  force  of  the 
jolt  of  the  rough  ways  and  roads  was  somewhat  modi- 
fied to  the  rider.  A great  improvement  was  made  iu 
the  use  of  a leather  thorough  brace,  as  it  was  called, 
and  a still  greater,  when  the  steel  elliptic  spring  was 
invented  and  became  general  upon  nearly  all  car- 
riages. Cart-wheels  were  made  largely  of  wood,  the 
rims  or  felloes  being  wide  and  heavy,  and  at  first  with 
no  iron  or  tire.  Later,  strip  or  streaked  tire  was  used. 
This  was  wide  iron  cut  into  strips  and  spiked  upon 
the  outside  of  the  rim.  It  was  claimed  that  tire  thus 
used  was  more  durable  than  when  used  whole. 

Other  implements  used  in  farming  have  greatly  im- 
proved, while  some  have  become  obsolete  ; new  and 
better  inventions  have  taken  their  place.  Mr.  Elkins 
Moore,  of  Loudon  Ridge,  was  a plow-maker ; also  Oliver 
W.  Morrill  and  Mr.  James  Osgood.  These  men  built 
wood  plows,  with  the  plow-share  of  iron.  The  mould- 
board  was  worked  out  from  a tree  with  a winding  or 
twisting  grain  in  order  to  give  the  furrow  taken  and 
cut  a right  turn.  Cast-iron  plows  have  been  in  use 
for  nearly  fifty  years,  and  have  superseded  the  wood- 
plow  entirely.  Like  every  invention,  the  cast-iron 
plow  had  its  opposers,  who  thought  it  would  prove 
worthless  from  the  great  liability  to  break.  Shovels 
have  been  changed  from  wood  with  an  iron  edge  to 
cast-steel ; hoes  from  iron  with  a steel  edge  to  all 
steel.  Forks  of  all  kinds  have  changed  in  the  form 
and  material  from  which  they  were  formerly  made. 
Mowing-machines  take  the  place  of  the  hand-scythe, 
and  horse-rakes  have  taken  the  place  of  the  old  hand- 
rake. 

Buildings. — The  old  proprietors,  when  settling  in 
town,  built,  generally,  very  large,  two-storied,  double 
dwelling-houses;  and,  in  most  instances,  upon  the 


toj)  of  some  eminence  or  high  hill,  and  then  made  a 
way  or  road  to  the  same,  so  that  the  old  highways 
were  mostly  very  hard  and  hilly.  Many  of  these 
large  houses  were  built  at  the  close  of  the  year  1790, 
and  up  to  1800.  It  was  a very  popular,  as  well  as  a 
fashionable  idea,  to  build  a large  house,  and  if  the 
expense  was  too  heavy,  a two-story  half-house,  as 
they  were  called,  was  built  first,  and  the  other  half 
added  whenever  able.  There  are  now  standing  about 
thirty  of  these  ancient  and  honorable  landmarks. 
These  large  houses  required  a large  amount  of  lum- 
ber to  finish  them,  while  the  timber  in  the  frames  is 
very  large  and  heavy.  Most  of  them  had  but  one 
chimney,  which  was  in  the  centre,  resting  upon  a 
strong  foundation  of  stone-work  beneath,  which  was 
often  ten  feet  square  at  the  base.  The  old-fashioned 
barns  were  built  long  and  narrow,  with  two  floors, 
and  were  cold  and  inconvenient  to  both  the  farmer 
and  his  cattle.  No  cellars  were  ever  built,  and 
probably  were  never  thought  of.  Mr.  Joseph  B. 
Sanborn  has  recently  built,  at  a great  expense,  the 
most  thorough  and  best  constructed  barn  now  in 
town,  and  it  is  a marked  contrast  to  those  of  1700. 

About  the  year  1820  the  stove  in  the  meeting- 
house was  purchased,  and  was  the  first  one  ever  used 
in  the  town.  This  stove  remained  in  the  town- 
house  and  was  in  use  until  the  winter  of  1884 — a 
period  of  over  sixty  years.  There  was  no  way  of 
warming  this  large  house  for  thirty  years  previous, 
upon  any  occasion  or  in  any  weather,  save  a small 
box  or  foot-stove,  as  it  was  called,  which  was  about 
seven  by  eight  inches,  and  was  made  of  tin,  and  in- 
closed in  a wood  frame,  with  a bail  or  handle  for 
carrying,  and  inside  was  placed  a basin  which  was 
filled  with  hot  coals  from  the  fire.  This  utensil  was 
used  more  especially  to  give  warmth  to  the  feet,  and 
was  used  chiefly  by  the  women.  Cooking-stoves 
were  introduced  several  years  later.  There  was  at 
first  a strong  feeling  against  the  use  of  them,  and  it 
required  much  effort  and  persuasion  to  induce  a per- 
son to  buy  one.  The  kind  first  in  use  was  called 
the  “ Moore  Cooking-Stove.”  After  several  years 
the  prejudice  existing  against  their  use  subsided,  and 
they  gradually  came  into  use. 

All  cooking  had  previously  been  done  over  the 
fire-place  and  in  the  large  brick  oven.  A change 
took  place  in  both  the  manner  and  kind  of  food  used. 
Indian  corn  and  rye,  which  had  been  chiefly  used 
for  bread,  were  used  in  less  quantities,  and  wheat 
became  more  common.  Potatoes  were  but  seldom 
used,  and  but  few  were  raised.  The  large  families 
of  children  were  fed  largely  upon  the  old-fashioned 
dish  of  bean  porridge,  which  was  both  palatable  and 
healthy.  The  olden-time  utensils  in  use  were  the 
heavy  iron  pots  and  kettles  and  the  long-handled 
frying-pan,  in  which  pancakes  and  flap-jacks  were 
fried.  Much  skill  and  labor  was  practiced  in  frying  for 
a large  family  of  children.  These  cakes  were  made  of 
rye  meal  which  had  been  bolted  or  sifted,  and  made 


LOUDON. 


497 


into  a thin  batter  and  poured  into  the  pan  until  the 
bottom  was  well  covered,  when  it  was  placed  over 
the  fire  and  well  shaken  to  prevent  burning.  When 
ready  to  turn,  a smart  shake  and  a toss  did  the  busi- 
ness without  taking  the  pan  from  the  fire,  and  the 
skill  consisted  in  tossing  over  the  crane  while  being 
turned. 

Cloth  and  its  Manufacture. — In  connection  with 
the  subject  of  food  and  the  different  methods  of 
raising  and  preparing  the  same  for  use,  may  prop- 
erly be  mentioned  the  mode  of  manufacturing  cloth 
and  some  other  of  the  most  necessary  articles  which 
were  used  and  especially  needed.  Wool  and  flax  were 
the  chief  resources  from  which  the  people  made  all 
kinds  of  cloth.  Wool  was  raised  by  the  farmer,  and 
it  was  carded  and  spun  by  the  housewife,  and  wove 
in  a hand-loom,  colored  and  made  ready  for  use  by 
the  same  person.  Cotton  was  used  but  very  little, 
the  cost  of  goods  manufactured  from  it  being  so 
great  that  but  few  purchased  it  when  first  introduced. 
A calico  dress  was  a fashionable  fit-out  for  any  woman, 
and  was  prized  nearly  as  high  as  silk.  Articles  of 
bedding,  table  linen  and  clothing  were  made  from  flax, 
eveiy  farmer  sowing  the  seed  and  raising  his  required 
amount.  The  process  of  getting  the  linen  from 
the  raw  material  was  one  requiring  much  care  and 
hard  labor.  After  the  process  of  rotting  it,  certain 
men  used  to  make  it  their  business  in  the  winter  sea- 
son to  go  from  place  to  place  and  work  the  flax  into 
tow  and  linen,  ready  to  be  spun.  Most  of  the  farmers 
had  in  their  barn  an  apartment,  or  room,  called  the 
flax-room,  and  in  it  were  placed  the  flax,  break, 
swingle-block  and  flax-comb.  The  process  was  ex- 
tremely dusty  and  disagreeable  to  the  person  engaged 
in  it.  The  article  called  tow  was  the  coarser  part  of 
the  material,  and  was  spun  upon  the  large  wheel, 
while  the  linen  was  that  part  saved  by  combing 
thoroughly  upon  the  flax-comb,  and  was  spun  upon 
thesmall  wheel  and  made  into  thread,  table-cloths  and 
other  articles  which  were  necessary.  It  was  not  un- 
common for  women  to  spend  the  afternoon  in  visit- 
ing each  other,  carrying  their  small  wheel  with  them, 
and,  while  talking,  spin  a quantity  of  linen  for  some 
family  use.  These  linen  wheels  are  now  but  seldom 
seen  ; if  one  is  found,  it  is  preserved  as  a curiosity 
and  a relic  of  “ ye  olden  time.” 

Boots  and  shoes  were  made  by  hand  also,  and  from 
stock  which  required  a year  at  least  to  properly  tan 
the  same.  It  was  called  a good  day’s  work  for  one  to 
make  a pair  of  shoes,  and  it  took  two  days  to  make  a 
good  pair  of  boots.  In  almost  every  neighborhood  some 
one  made  and  mended  boots  and  shoes,  which  was,  of 
course,  his  trade.  In  the  easterly  part  of  the  town 
Newell  Sanborn  was  the  shoemaker;  in  the  other 
parts  were  Samuel  Haynes,  William  Rines,  Daniel 
Blaisdell,  Deacon  Tilton,  with  some  others  who  were 
the  shoemakers  of  the  town. 

The  Town  Constable  was  an  officer  of  great  im- 
portance. His  duties  consisted  in  collecting  the 


State,  town  and  minister  taxes,  which  were  com- 
mitted to  him  for  that  purpose,  and  he  also  paid  out 
all  the  money  received.  The  selectmen’s  account 
upon  the  record-books  was  made  through  the  consta- 
ble, he  being  credited  with  the  bills  paid  and 
charged  with  all  money  received.  In  all  the  records 
of  the  town,  only  one  person,  while  performing  the 
duties  of  constable,  was  in  any  manner  found  to  be 
dishonest.  In  the  year  1795,  Ensign  Hanson  Hoit 
was  chosen  to  the  office  of  constable,  and  an  entry 
appears  for  that  year,  under  the  form  of  a certificate, 
signed  by  the  selectmen,  John  Sanborn,  Samuel 
Piper  and  John  Clough,  that  the  said  Hanson  Hoit 
refused  to  account  for  .$375.54,  which  was  in  his  pos- 
session as  money  belonging  to  the  town. 

The  town  purchased,  for  one  dollar,  a cane,  which 
was  known  as  the  Constable’s  Cane,”  which  was  car- 
ried by  each  successively,  during  their  term  of  office,  as 
the  ensign  of  their  authority,  and  the  pointing  of  it 
to  any  disorderly  person  upon  public  occasions  pro- 
duced quiet  and  order  at  once.  The  duties  of  tyth- 
ingman  were  somewhat  similar  to  those  of  constable, 
so  far  as  disorder  was  concerned.  Their  duties  were 
upon  the  Sabbath-day.  and  they  often  removed  from 
the  house  persons  who  disturbed  the  meeting  by 
whispering  or  laughing  ; also,  they  were  required  to 
arrest  any  one  seen  traveling,  if  he  were  a stranger, 
upon  the  Sabbath,  and  have  him  fined. 

Respect  for  Titles  and  Titled  Men. — In  all  the 
records  of  the  town,  for  a period  of  more  than  fifty 
years,  it  is  a very  noticeable  fact  that  great  respect 
was  shown  the  business  men  of  the  town,  as  well  as 
all  who  were  connected  with  the  militia,  and  the  title 
was  invariably  used  in  addressing  them,  and  also  in 
writing  their  names  upon  the  tax-list  and  all  matters 
of  town  affairs.  The  following  instances  are  exam- 
ples : Esquire  Ephraim  Blunt,  Captain  John  Sanborn, 
Ensign  Samuel  Piper,  Quartermaster  Smith,  Lieuten-. 
ant  Ladd,  Colonel  Jonathan  Rollins,  General  Richard 
Brown,  Major  Bachelder,  Esquire  Archelaus  Moore. 
This  respect  and  honor  given  and  practiced  by  these 
ancient  worthies  toward  each  other  was  intended  as  a 
mark  of  true  worth  to  the  individual  thus  addressed, 
as  everything  to  them  partook  of,  and  was  built  upon 
that  noble  and  great  characteristic  and  principle  of 
their  nature, — honesty  of  purpose.  This  feeling  of 
respect  was  taught  to  their  children,  and  when  they 
arrived  at  manhood  the  parental  restraint  and  advice 
often  continued  for  a long  time  afterwards.  The  boys 
were  taught  to  take  off  their  hats  and  make  their  bow 
to  respected  men  whenever  they  chanced  to  meet  in 
the  street.  Scholars  were  taught  to  rise  in  their  seats 
and  stand  during  the  entrance  of  the  committee,  or 
minister,  and  to  perform  the  same  act  of  courtesy  upon 
their  departure. 

Burying-Grounds. — The  first  person  who  died 
in  Loudon  was  a man  who  was  a stranger,  and  being 
taken  suddenly  sick,  died,  and  was  buried  iu  front 
of  the  old  Dr.  Tenney  house.  The  building  used 


498 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE 


as  the  office  of  Dr.  Tenney,  when  he  resided 
in  town,  covers  the  grave.  At  that  time  no 
burying-ground  was  laid  out.  In  the  year  1773, 
Mr.  Nathan  Bachelder  and  Mr.  Jethro  Bachelder 
were  chosen  as  a committee  to  lay  out  the  burying- 
ground.  Two  and  one-half  acres  were  laid  out  at  the 
southeast  corner  of  the  parsonage  lot,  and  some  years 
afterward  it  was  inclosed  with  a stone  wall,  and  upon 
the  front  side  long  hewed  timber  was  laid  upon  the 
wall,  and  covered  with  boards,  which  were  painted 
black.  There  was  but  one  entrance  to  the  ground, 
and  that  was  through  a door  about  six  feet  wide,  in 
front.  This  door  was  painted  black,  and  was  hung 
upon  stone  posts  upon  either  side,  with  a stone  cap- 
piece  connecting  them  at  the  top.  The  first  person 
buried  in  theyard  was  a very  tall  man,  the  grave  being  at 
the  right  hand  of  the  entrance  and  is  now  visible. 
The  name  of  the  man  is  not  known. 

One  acre  was  reserved  in  the  original  laying  out  for 
future  use,  which  was  inclosed  recently. 

A few  years  after  the  laying  out  of  the  ground  at 
the  Centre,  the  town  bought  of  Philip  Brown  a piece 
of  land  at  the  village,  for  the  burial  of  any  who  might 
wish,  in  that  part  of  the  town.  This  land  was  con- 
veyed to  the  town  for  a public  burying-ground  by  a 
deed  from  Philip  Brown  to  the  town  of  Loudon,  which 
is  recorded  at  the  register  of  deeds’  office  at  Concord. 
These  are  the  only  public  grounds  in  the  town,  and 
are  repaired  at  the  expense  of  the  same.  These  two 
grounds  contain  the  remains  of  nearly  all  the  first  and 
oldest  settlers  of  the  parish,  several  of  whom  were 
noted  townsmen.  Mr.  Stephen  Moore  has  recently 
given  attention  to  the  convenience  and  care  of  the 
dead,  by  laying  out  a ground  at  the  village  and  the 
building  of  a tomb.  Mr.  Moore  has  made  a very  de- 
sirable and  pleasant  location,  which  in  after-years  will 
be  filled,  probably,  with  those  of  the  present  generation. 
There  is  also,  besides,  the  Wells  burying-ground.  At 
the  northerly  part  of  the  town  is  a new  one,  in  a 
pleasant  location  and  tastefully  laid,  and  it  contains 
some  costly  and  elegant  monuments. 

There  are  at  least  twenty-three  burial-grounds 
in  the  town,  and  a large  part  of  them  are  in  the  west- 
erly portion.  The  public  ground  at  the  Centre  was 
originally  one  of  the  most  gloomy  and  dreaded 
places  in  town.  The  high  stone  wall  on  the  front, 
and  made  still  higher  with  large  timber  lain  on  the 
top,  and  painted  black,  with  its  high,  gallows-like 
posts,  and  narrow,  black  door  through  which  no  car- 
riage ever  entered  for  more  than  fifty  years,  certainly 
made  it  a terror  to  the  children  by  day,  as  well  as  to 
men  by  night.  The  custom  of  beautifying  these  an- 
cient “ cities  of  the  dead”  is  most  excellent  and  com- 
mendable. At  the  village  there  is  also  a new  and  very 
pleasantly  laid-out  ground,  adjoining  that  of  Stephen 
Moore,  which  contains  many  valuable  and  costly  mon- 
uments of  marble,  among  which  are  several  of  the 
Bachelder  family,  the  descendants  of  Jethro  Bachelder, 
one  of  the  original  settlers  of  the  parish. 


The  Laying  of  the  Lots  in  Loudon. — The  lots  in  the 
town  were  laid  in  two  divisions,  called  first  and  sec- 
ond division  of  hundred-acre  lots.  The  first  division 
includes  that  part  of  Loudon  taken  from  Canterbury, 
and  contains  forty  whole  hundred-acre  lots.  The  sec- 
ond division  includes  the  north  and  easterly  parts,  and 
contains  one  hundred  lots  of  one  hundred  acres  each, 
besides  several  parts  of  lots.  These  lots  were  laid  one 
hundred  and  sixty  rods  long  and  one  hundred  rods 
wide,  and  each  contained  one  hundred  acres  of  land. 
The  settlers  who  first  came  into  the  town  pitched  up- 
on certain  lots  for  their  farms,  and  such  lots  were  called 
pitched  lots.  There  arc  thirty-two  of  this  descrip- 
tion, and  they  were  situated  near  the  White  School- 
house  and  upon  Clough’s  Hill,  and  are  those  now 
owned  by  J.  T.  Sanborn,  Benjamin  Bachelder,  C.  H. 
Osgood,  C.  B.  Green,  G.  Mason,  J.  M.  Ladd,  H.  John- 
ston, Abner  Clough,  H.  J.  Osgood  and  others.  Be- 
sides these,  there  were  several  granted  lots  (so  called), 
which  were  given  for  some  service  rendered  in  the 


laying  of  lots  or  highways.  In  the  southerly  part  of 
the  town  the  lots  were  laid  smaller,  and  contained  hut 
thirty-eight  acres,  and  were  called  common  lots.  The 
laying  of  the  lots  were  full  measure,  and  most  of  them 
include  one  or  more  ranges,  either  upon  the  side  or 
end,  and  if  it  were  not  for  the  pitched  lots,  would  be 
j parallel  and  regular  in  form. 

Highways. — In  the  year  1761  a committee  was 
! chosen  from  the  town  of  Canterbury  to  lay  out  a road 
from  the  Canterbury  meeting-house  the  nearest  way 
to  some  sea-port  town.  This  was  the  first  road  laid, 
and  was  called  the  old  Canterbury  road.  In  the  year 
1774,  Jethro  Bachelder  and  Jacob  Towle,  selectmen, 
laid  the  road  from  Moses  Ordway’s,  over  Bear  Hill,  to 
Chichester  line.  The  same  year  the  road  from  the 
meeting-house  to  Samuel  Morrill’s  corner  was  laid; 
also  one  leading  from  Captain  Sias’  mill  to  John 
Moore’s  corner.  In  1778,  Nathan  Bachelder  and 
Ephraim  Blunt,  selectmen,  laid  the  road  from  Gilman- 
ton  line  to  Quartermaster  Jonathan  Smith’s.  March 
22,  1774,  Jethro  Bachelder  and  Jacob  Towle,  select- 
men, laid  the  road  leading  from  the  meeting-house 
southeasterly  to  the  Raccoon  road  (so  called). 


“ Durham,  July  26,  1779. 

“This  may  sartify,  boom  it  may  concern,  that  I have  given  a road 
the  Selectmen  have  laid  out  throw  one  corner  of  my  huudred-acre  lot, 
No.  109,  by  mo,  in  Loudon,  per  me. 

“Jonathan  Woodman,  Juner." 

“Loudon,  June  24,  179G. 

“This  day  received  a range-way  at  the  west  end  of  Lot  No.  200,  the 
whole  width  of  said  Lot  and  no  further,  in  full  satisfaction  for  the  road 
that  leads  from  my  house  to  Bacbelder's  mills. 

(Signed)  “Libbe  Bachelder.” 

“ August  24,  1796.— Samuel  Piper  and  John  Clough,  Selectmen,  this 
day  laid  out  a road  from  Lieut.  Abner  Clough’s  corner,  by  John  Clough’s, 
to  John  Moore’s.  TI7ie»ea*-,  the  above  road  runs  through  land  of  Jona- 
than Chase,  John  Clough,  Moses  Caverly,  Dimond  Furnald,  we,  the 
selectmen,  agree  to  give  them  in  compensation  the  following  Ranges : 
Jonathan  Chase  to  have  the  Range  across  his  Lot,  and  no  further ; also, 
one  half  of  the  Range  across  his  Lot  No.  137.  John  Clough  to  have  the 
other  half  of  the  range  across  Lot  No.  137.  Moses  Caverly  to  have 
I the  range  across  his  Lot  No.  129,  and  no  further.  Dimond  Furnald  to 


LOUDON. 


499 


have  the  range  across  his  Lot  No.  128,  and  no  further.  In  witness 
whereof  wo  have  hereunto  set  our  hands. 


(Signed)  “Jonathan  Chase, 

“John  Clough, 

“Moses  Oaverly, 
“Dimond  Furnald. 

“Samuel  Piper,  ) , „ 

_ _ (Selectmen. 

“John  Clough,  j 

“June  17,  1704. — This  day  we,  the  Selectmen,  laid  out  a road  begin- 
ning a little  northerly  from  the  crotch  of  the  road  that  leads  from  Bach- 
elder's  mills  to  Moses  Lovering's  and  Canterbury  line. 

(Signed)  “John  Sanborn,  ) _ , ,, 

„ _ ( Selectmen 

“Charles  Sargent,  > 


‘ ‘ Whereat,  a number  of  persons  have  signified  their  desire  to  have  a 
public  Itoad  laid  out  and  established  from  Loudon  to  Canterbury 
meeting-house,  which  will  not  only  convene  the  public  in  general,  but 
will  be  much  shorter  than  the  other  south  road  ; Now,  for  the  encour- 
agement of  the  same,  and  that  so  good  an  undertaking  may  not  be  frus- 
trated, but  pursued,  We,  whose  names  are  underwritten,  do  severally 
promise  to  yield  up,  surrender,  and  forever  quit-claim  three  rods  of  land 
for  said  road  in  width,  Said  road  to  begin  at  the  Crotch  of  the  road  west  of 
Bachelder’s  mills,  running  through  part  of  Lieut.  Abraham  Bachelder’s 
land,  Noah  Sinclair’s  and  Mr.  Philbrick's,  and  north  of  Mr.  Durgin’s, 
as  the  Selectmen  may  think  best. 

“November  27,  1797. 

(Signed)  “Abraham  Bachelder  (3d), 

* ‘ George  Peverly, 

“Joseph  Palmer, 

“Edward  Philbrick, 

“ Thomas  Moore. 

“ A true  copy.  Attest : 

“Enoch  Wood,  Town  Clerk” 


“ March  9, 1796. — John  Sanborn  and  Samuel  Piper,  selectmen,  this 
day  laid  out  a road  beginning  at  Loudon  line  a little  easterly  from  Lea- 
vitt Clough’s  dwelling-house ; thence  running  to  Moses  Lovering’s 
house,  laid  three  rods  wide.” 

“September  9, 1799. — Stephen  Wells  and  David  Eastman  this  day  laid 
out  a road  three  rods  wide  leading  from  Stephen  and  Nathaniel  Max- 
field’s  to  the  road  that  leads  from  Henry  Beck’s  to  Samuel  llill's.” 


The  return  of  this  road  reads  as  follows : 


“ We  allow  this  road  to  be  as  much  profit  as  it  is  damage  to  the  owners 
of  the  land  it  goes  through.” 

“Loudon,  July  28,  1779. — This  day  the  Selectmen  laid  out  a road 
through  my  hundred-acre  lot,  No.  109,  and  X,  the  subscriber,  have  given 
said  road  to  the  parish  of  Loudon,  per  me. 

(Signed)  “ Abraham  Bachelder,  Esq.” 

“ Loudon,  July  28, 1779. — This  day  received  fifty  dollars  for  a road  the 
Selectmen  laid  out  through  my  land  from  Abraham  Bachelder’s  to  the 
Voted  road.  I say  received  in  full  by  me. 

(Signed)  “ Left.  John  Sanborn.” 

“July  8,  1779. — Ephraim  Blunt  and  Jonathan  Clough,  Selectmen, 
laid  out  the  road  from  Canterbury  line  to  Otis  Hills.” 

“November  16,  1784. — John  Sanborn,  Samuel  Chamberlin  and  Joseph 
Tilton  laid  out  the  road  from  Jacob  Osborn’s  to  Gilmanton  road.” 

“June  17,  1790. — John  Sanborn  and  John  Moore  laid  the  road  from 
Canterbury  line,  by  William  Wheeler’s,  to  the  road  leading  from  Lover- 
ing’s mill  to  Libbe  Bachelder’s  house.” 

“Loudon,  March  21,  1800. — We,  the  present  Selectmen  of  Loudon, 
agree  with  Leavitt  Clough,  of  Canterbury,  to  give  the  said  Clough  the 
range  at  the  west  end  of  the  Lot  No.  100,  beginning  at  the  lower  end  of 
the  pond,  and  to  extend  northerly  to  the  line  between  Loudon  and  Can- 
terbury, in  exchange  for  the  road  that  goes  by  said  Clough's  house,  and 
I,  the  said  Leavitt  Clough,  do  agree  to  take  the  above  range  as  full  com- 
pensation for  said  road. 

(Signed)  “ Leavitt  Clough. 

“Stephen  Wells,  ] 

*■  David  Eastman,  }■  Selectmen .” 
“James  Thompson,  J 

“June  23,  1806. — Samuel  French,  Jr.,  David  Eastman  and  Elkins 
Moore,  Selectmen,  laid  out  a road  beginning  two  rods  6outh  from  Mr. 
Philip  Brown's  Well,  southerly  to  Mr.  Dearborn's  house  ; thence  north 
to  the  easterly  abutment  of  the  stone  Bridge  over  the  Soucook  river, 
near  the  tail  of  said  Dearborn’s  saw-mill,  to  the  road  that  leads  to  Con- 
cord and  Canterbury.” 


The  highway  leading  from  Buswell’s  corner  to 
Howarth  Mills  was  laid  as  follows:  One  of  the  own- 
ers of  the  land  through  which  ihis  road  was  to  he 


laid  became  offended  at  the  proceedings  of  some 
neighbor  who  was  interested,  and,  as  a matter  of  re- 
venge, gave  the  selectmen  one  gallon  of  rum  to  lay  it 
in  the  worst  place  they  could  find  ; and  they  did  ac- 
cordingly. 

The  laying  out  of  most  of  the  highways  in  town  is 
generally  on  record,  giving  the  location,  distance  and 
width  laid  out. 


CHAPTER  II. 

LOUDON  — ( Continued). 

THE  GENEALOGY  AND  BIOGRAPHY  OF  MANY  OF 
THE  CITIZENS  AND  FAMILIES  OF  THE  TOWN. 

The  Bachelder  Family.— Rev.  Stephen  Bach- 
ilor,1  the  founder  of  the  family  in  this  country, 
was  probably  from  the  southern  part  of  England,  as 
he  certainly  preached  at  a village  a few  miles  north 
of  South  Hampton,  in  the  county  of  Hants,  England. 
The  town  of  Hampton,  N.  H.,  was  so  named  at  his 
request.  Rev.  Stephen  lived  in  Holland  a number 
of  years,  and  sailed  from  London  to  Boston,  Mass.,  in 
1632,  and  went  directly  to  Lynn,  wrhere  he  planted 
the  first  church.  His  daughter,  Theodate,  wife  of 
Christopher  Hussey,  also  lived  at  that  place.  He 
lived  at  Lynn  until  1636,  and  went  from  there  to 
Newbury,  Mass.,  and  from  there  to  Hampton,  in 
1638,  and  then  to  Portsmouth,  about  1647  ; lived  there 
until  1650,  and  went  back  to  England  about  1655,  and 
died  at  Hackney  (now  London),  in  1660,  in  his  one 

hundredth  year.  His  third  wife,  Mary -,  whom 

he  married  in  1650,  was  a bad  investment,  and  he 
could  not  live  with  her.  She  was  a widow,  whose 
real  character  he  did  not  understand.  This  third 
wife,  Mary,  petitioned  court  for  a divorce  soon  after, 
upon  the  ground  that  he  had  married  a fourth  wife, 
which  there  is  no  evidence  of  whatever,  as  he  was 
ninety-four  or  ninety-five  years  of  age  when  he  went 
back.  His  son  Nathaniel  had  three  wives  and  seven- 
teen children ; was  a man  of  prominence  for  many 
years;  in  fact,  he  held  a leading  position  until  his 
death,  in  1710.  The  woman  whom  Mr.  Bachilor 
was  justified  in  leaving  was  soon  convicted  of  immor- 
ality that  brought  a sentence  of  thirty  lashes  and 
marking  her  with  the  letter  A. 

There  were  at  least  six  Bachelders  who  settled  in 
Loudon,  and  with  families,  and  were  descendants  of  the 
Rev.  Stephen  Bachilor,  of  England,  — 1st,  Josiah, 
born  in  January,  1767,  who  was  son  of  Deacon  David, 
of  Hampton  Falls  ; Deacon  David  was  son  of  Josiah, 
of  Hampton  Falls;  Josiah  was  son  of  Nathaniel,  Jr., 
of  Hampton  ; Nathaniel,  Jr.,  was  son  of  Nathaniel, 
Sr.,  of  Hampton;  and  Nathaniel,  Sr.,  was  a grandson 
of  the  Rev.  Stephen  Bachilor. 

1 The  name  Bachilor  was  changed  to  Bachelder  in  spelling  it  by  all 
the  descendants  of  the  Kev.  Stephen,  who  settled  and  have  since  lived 
in  Loudon. 


500 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Major  Nathan  Bachelder  was  born  October  25, 
1734,  and  was  son  of  Deacon  Ebenezer,  of  East 
Kingston.  Deacon  Ebenezer  was  son  of  Deacon 
Nathaniel,  Jr.,  of  Hampton.  Nathaniel,  Jr.,  was  son 
of  Nathaniel,  Sr.,  the  grandson  of  Rev.  Stephen 
Bachilor.  Major  Nathan  was  a brother  to  Rich- 
ard. Richard  was  born  October  5,  1736.  Nathaniel, 
brother  to  Major  Nathan,  was  born  February  21, 
1740.  Abraham  and  Jethro  were  sons  of  Jethro, 
Sr.;  Jethro  was  the  son  of  Nathaniel,  Jr.,  who 
was  the  son  of  Nathaniel,  Sr.,  who  was  grandson 
of  the  Rev.  Stephen  Bachilor.  Abraham  and  Jethro 
were  cousins  of  Major  Nathan,  Richard  and  Nath- 
aniel. Major  Nathan  settled  at  Loudon  Ridge, 
N.  H.,  where  are  living  some  of  the  descendants  of 
this  line.  After  the  Major  came  to  Loudon  he  took 
the  name  of  Esquire  Nathan  in  all  the  business  mat- 
ters of  the  town.  The  descendants  of  the  Bachelders 
who  reside  in  Loudon  are  noted  for  being  good  citi- 
zens, are  public-spirited,  firm  in  their  principles  and 
honest  in  their  purposes  and  aims. 

Abraham  Bachelder,  Esq.,  and  Jethro,  his 
brother,  came  to  Loudon  (then  Canterbury)  near  the 
year  1760,  as  Abraham  Bachelder  was  chosen  as 
constable  in  1765  in  the  town  of  Canterbury. 

Abraham  Bachelder,  Esq.,  was  a man  of  large  busi- 
ness capacity  ; was  a surveyor  of  land  and  was  engaged 
in  laying  out  the  town  of  Loudon  in  lots.  Also,  he 
served  as  one  of  the  selectmen  of  the  town,  and  laid 
out  and  made  the  return  of  a large  number  of  the 
highways.  Abraham  Bachelder  settled  on  land  near 
the  White  School-house,  he  having,  while  traveling 
in  the  locality  and  looking  for  meadow-land  with  his 
son  Abraham,  Jr.,  found  the  swell  of  land  bordering 
upon  the  pond,  covered  with  a most  beautiful  growth 
of  birch,  oak  and  white  ash,  and,  at  the  earnest  request 
of  his  son,  concluded  to  settle  at  this  place.  They 
built  a log  house  just  north  of  the  one  upon  the  Ira 
Osgood  farm,  and  the  land  in  the  southeasterly  direc- 
tion towards  the  school-house,  was  the  first  cleared. 
Afterwards  Abraham,  Jr.,  built  the  northeasterly  half 
of  the  old  red  Bachelder  mansion,  as  it  now  stands. 

This  lot  of  land  was  called  a pitched  lot,  and  con- 
tained one  hundred  acres.  It  was  afterwards  divided 
by  the  highway  leading  to  Gilmanton,  and  that  part 
lying  westerly  of  said  road  passed  into  the  ownership 
of  another  person.  The  irregularity  of  the  line  of  the 
boundary  of  some  of  the  adjoining  lots  is  caused  by 
the  pitching  of  the  owner.  Several  other  lots  were 
pitched  upon  in  the  same  manner.  During  the  first 
years  of  clearing  the  land  many  privations  had  to  be 
endured.  In  the  first  year  they  were  short  of  food  for 
bread,  and  Mr.  Bachelder  was  obliged  to  cut  some  of 
his  rye  before  it  was  ripe,  dry  it  as  much  as  possible, 
and  carry  it  upon  his  shoulder  to  Canterbury  for  grind- 
ings distance  of  several  miles.  The  corn  raised  and  used 
for  bread  was  pounded  in  a wooden  mortar  into  meal. 
This  same  mortar  is  still  in  existence,  and  consists  of 
a maple  log  about  two  feet  long,  with  the  bark  still 


on,  standing  upon  one  end,  while  in  the  other  is  a 
cavity,  made  by  burning  out  the  wood  by  fire,  in 
which  corn  or  salt  was  placed  and  pounded  with  a 
wooden  pestle.  The  mortar  may  be  seen  by  examin- 
ing the  attic  of  the  old  mansion. 

Jethro  Bachelder  located  at  the  village  then 
known  as  Bachelder  Mills.  He  was  a large  land-owner, 
the  proprietors  giving  him  four  hundred  acres  as  an 
inducement  for  him  to  build  mills  upon  the  privilege 
at  that  place.  The  land  given  embraced  that  tract  now 
owned  by  Joseph  P.  Bachelder,  and  also  the  Cate 
farm.  Mr.  Bachelder  built  the  first  house  at  the  vil- 
lage, and  it  is  known  as  the  Captain  P.  Robinson 
house.  He  was  the  ancestor  of  the  race  of  Bachel- 
ders at  the  south  part  of  the  town,  and  Abraham  was 
that  of  the  line  living  at  the  Centre.  The  line  of  de- 
scent from  Abraham  was  Abraham  Bachelder,  Jr., 
born  in  1744.  His  wife,  Anna  Judkins,  was  born  in 
1750,  married  in  1772.  Their  children  are  Nathan 
Bachelder,  born  in  1773;  Abraham  and  Josiah 
Bachelder  (twins),  born  in  1775;  Hannah  Bachelder, 
born  in  1776;  Josiah  Bachelder  (2d),  born  in  1779; 
Philip  Bachelder,  born  in  1781 ; James  Bachelder, 
born  in  1783  ; John  Bachelder,  born  in  1785;  Sally 
Bachelder  ; Jonathan  Bachelder,  born  in  1790 ; Judith 
Bachelder. 

Jonathan  Bachelder  married  Lois  Wells  and 
had  a family  of  twelve  children, — Abraham,  Mary 
Ann,  Stephen  W.,  True,  William  T.,  Nathan,  Nancy 
G.,  Sarah  S.,  Hannah  E.,  H.  John,  John  (2d)  and 
Benjamin. 

Benjamin  Bachelder  married  Mary  E.  Bachelder, 
ofMeredith,  N.  H.,  and  has  a family  of  two  children, 
named  Martha  E.  and  John.  He  resides  upon  the 
farm  and  occupies  the  original  house  in  part  that  was 
built  by  Abraham  Bachelder,  Esq.,  his  great-great- 
grandfather.  He  has  held  the  office  of  postmaster  at 
Loudon  Centre,  N.  H.,  for  a number  of  years. 

Cyrus  Bachelder,  who  was  the  son  of  James, 
brother  of  Jonathan,  lived  in  Loudon,  and  had  two 
children,  named  James  K.  P.  and  Georgia,  who  mar- 
ried the  Rev.  Warren  Applebee.  Mr.  Bachelder  has 
been  elected  to  the  office  of  selectman,  has  held  that 
of  town  treasurer  and  has  represented  the  town  in  the 
Legislature. 

Jethro  Bachelder  was  born  in  1723,  married 
Abigail  Lovering  and  had  a family  of  eight  children, 
named  William,  Abram,  Jethro,  Daniel,  Libby,  Na- 
thaniel, Jacob  and  Aaron. 

Mr.  Bachelder  was  at  one  time  the  largest  tax-payer 
in  the  town,  but  from  some  reason  lost  and  consumed 
his  property,  until  he  was  in  his  old  age  provided  for 
by  his  children,  who  built  a small  house  upon  the  hill 
near  Mr.  Abram  Bachelder’s,  where  he  died,  and 
was  buried  in  the  old  village  burying-ground. 

Libby  Bachelder  and  Esquire  Nathaniel  lived  in 
Loudon  and  had  large  families,  and  were  men  of  note 
in  their  day. 

Captain  Abraham  married  Betsy  Bachelder.  She 


LOUDON. 


501 


was  born  in  1759,  and  they  had  a family  of  eleven 
children,  named  Smith,  born  1785  ; Zephaniali,  horn 
1786;  Olive,  born  1788  ; Nathaniel,  born  1790 : Gard- 
ner, born  1792;  Betsy,  born  1793;  Asa,  born  1795; 
Lois,  born  1797;  Enoch  W.,  born  1798;  Joseph,  born 
1800;  and  Clarisa,  born  1802. 

Zephaniah  Bachelder  married  Mary  Eastman 
and  had  seven  children,  named  Harmon  E.,  Abraham 
G.,  Mary,  Arvilla,  Genette,  Martha  and  Louisa. 

Abraham  G.  Bachelder  married  Rebecca  Fi- 
field,  and  had  five  children,  named  Fred.,  Frank, 
Charles,  Asa  and  Frank.  Mr.  Bachelder  is  a good 
representative  of  the  family  ; is  a man  of  ability  and 
judgment,  and  is  often  applied  to  for  advice  and  as- 
sistance in  public  as  well  as  private  life.  He  has 
acquired  a good  property,  and  has  been  successful  in 
the  profession  which  he  has  chosen  for  a living. 

Deacon  Harmon  E.  Bachelder  married  Clarisa 
Sanborn  and  has  one  daughter,  who  married  Samuel 
M.  True,  and  she  has  three  children,  named  Nellie, 
Blanche  and  Mary.  Mr.  Bachelder  resides  upon  the 
homestead  of  his  father,  Colonpl  Zephaniah,  and  is  a 
large  farmer,  and  is  deacon  of  the  Congregational 
Church  at  Loudon  village. 

Genette  Bachelder,  daughter  of  Zephaniah, 
married  William  T.  Wheeler  and  has  no  children. 
Mr.  Wheeler  is  engaged  extensively  in  farming,  and 
has  been  successful  in  his  avocation. 

Gardner  Bachelder  married,  first,  Clarisa  Brad- 
ley, and,  second,  Nancy  Young,  and  had  a family 
of  sixteen  children,  named  Nathaniel  S.,  Emory  B., 
Judith,  Stephen,  William,  Abby,  Henry  F.,  William, 
Wintbrop,  Abram  and  other  infant  children. 

Henry  F.  Bachelder  married  Lydia  S.  Rogers, 
and  has  three  children,  naixied  Marion,  Emma  and 
Hcllen.  Marion  married  Fred.  Lawrence  and  has 
one  son,  named  Henry  B.  Emma  married  Frank  E. 
Robinson.  Hellen  died  in  1883.  Henry  F.  Bach- 
elder has  been  a trader  in  groceries  and  dry-goods  for 
a large  number  of  years  and  has  acquired  a good 
property.  He  has  held  the  office  of  postmaster  at 
Loudon  for  twenty-four  years.  His  life  has  been 
marked  in  his  dealings  with  others  by  integrity  and 
uprightness,  and  he  is  a inspected  citizen  of  his  town. 
His  business  is  now  carried  on  under  the  firm-name 
of  Bachelder  & Robinson,  and  they  are  extensively 
engaged,  in  addition  to  their  trade,  in  lumber  busi- 
ness, and  at  present  are  the  largest  business  firm  in 
the  town. 

Abram  Bachelder  married  Whitney,  of 

Canterbury,  and  they  have  one  child,  named  Ivy. 

Asa  Bachelder,  brother  of  Zephaniah,  married, 
in  1795,  Rachel  True,  and  had  a family  of  seven  chil- 
dren,  named  Augustine,  Abram,  Roscoe  G.,  Ancie 
and  three  others,  who  died  in  infancy. 

Ancie  Bachelder  married  Joseph  Wiggin,  and 
had  two  children,  named  Nattie  and  Gertrude.  Mr. 
Wiggin  married,  first,  Eliza  Walker,  daughter  of  Ruel 
Walker,  and  had  four  children,  named  Eddie,  Willie, 


Gertrude  and  . Mr.  Wiggin  commenced  the 

business  of  a tanner  when  a young  man  with  Mr. 
Walker,  and  afterwards  married  his  daughter.  He 
soon  became  the  owner  and  has  since  carried  on  an 
extensive  business,  and  is  a prominent  and  valuable 
citizen. 

Asa  C.  Bachelder,  son  of  Abraham  G.,  married 
Jennie  Badger  and  has  a family  of  five  children, 
named  Edwin,  Emory,  Kate,  Genette  and  Lillian. 

Nathan  Bachelder  married  Margaret  Bean, 
April  8,  1756,  and  had  a family  of  seven  children, 
named  Richard,  born  December  8,  1756;  Phineas, 
born  November  16,  1760;  William,  born  March  19, 
1762;  Joseph,  born  January  2,  1764;  Ebenezer,  born 
October  2,  1769;  Dolly,  born  February  13,  1772; 
Josiah,  born  January  24,  1775.  Esquire  Nathan 
settled  at  Loudon  Ridge. 

William  Bachelder,  son  of  Richard  and  grand- 
son of  Esquire  Nathan,  married  Mary  Sargent,  of 
Canterbury,  N.  H.,  and  had  a family  of  six  children, 
named  Mary  E.,  Jeremiah,  Nettie  P.,  William  N., 
Sarah  A.  and  Park  B. 

Nathaniel  Bachelder  had  the  following  chil- 
dren; Betty,  born  February  10,  1783;  Sally  and 
Fanny  (twins),  born  November  23,  1784;  True,  born 
July  20,  1794. 

Libbe  Bachelder  had  the  following  children  : 
Nabby,  born  June  19,1779;  Peter,  born  August  2, 
1781;  Dolly,  born  March  23,1784;  Polly,  born  Sep- 
tember 28,  1786  ; Sukey,  born  March  8,  1790;  Manly 
and  Betsey  (twins),  born  August  10,  1793. 

William  Bachelder  bad  the  following  children  : 
James,  born  March  18,  1784;  John,  born  July  25, 
1786  ; William,  Jr.,  born  May  28,  1791 ; Hazen,  born 
April  16,  1793.  (See  Biographical  Department  for 
Joseph  Batchelder). 

Moses  Lovering  came  from  Exeter,  N.  H.,  and 
settled  in  Loudon  in  1787.  He  married  Nellie 
Taylor,  of  Exeter,  and  had  a family  of  thirteen  chil- 
dren,  named  Willabee,  Nellie,  Osgood,  Taylor,  Nancy, 
Moses,  Jesse,  Mary,  Zebulon,  John,  Daniel,  William 
and  Sarah,  all  of  whom  lived  till  from  forty-five  to 
ninety  yeai’s  of  age,  and  were  married  and  raised 
families  of  children.  He  came  with  nine  children  on 
horseback,  and  drove  one  cow,  upon  which  depended 
the  sustenance  of  the  family  in  a large  degree.  The 
country  through  which  he  had  to  travel,  when  near 
Loudon,  was  a wilderness,  and  the  settlers  in  those 
towns  below  furnished  him  aid  in  getting  through. 
He  moved  into  a log  house  between  the  dwelling  of 
S.  B.  Lovei'ing  and  the  highway  near  the  saw-mill. 
Zebulon  had  a family  of  eleven  children ; nine  ot 
them  lived,  and  were  named,  Samuel  B.,  Time,  Almira, 
Annis  J.,  Sarah  B.,  Louisa,  Laui-a  L.,  Abigail  and 
Alonzo  B. 

Samuel  B.  Lovebing  married  three  times  and 
had  a family  of  ten  children,  named  Nancy  A.,  James 
B.,  Harlan  P.,  Abigail  M.,  Clara  A.,  Frank  O.,  Clara 
A.  (2d),  Frank  O.  (2d)  and  Edward  E. 


502 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


The  Lovering  families  settled  the  adjoining 
land,  and  owned  at  one  time  nearly  five  hundred 
acres.  Samuel  B.  Lovering  married,  first,  Mary  S. 
Rogers;  second,  Lucy  Grace;  third,  Lavina  Hoyt. 
He  owns  and  has  run  a saw-mill  for  fifty  years,  be- 
sides being  a thrifty  farmer.  He  has  represented  the 
town  in  the  Legislature  in  the  years  1866-67,  and  been 
a justice  of  the  peace  for  forty  years. 

Eliphalet  Wood  married  Elizabeth  Tilton  in 
1788.  Their  children  were  named  Eliphalet,  Betsey, 
William,  Sophia,  Harry,  Mary,  Jonathan  and  Julia. 
The  Rev.  Harry  Wood  was  a minister  of  the  gospel 
and  editor  of  the  Congregational  Journal  at  Concord, 
N.  H.  During  the  administration  of  President 
Pierce  he  received  an  appointment  as  minister  to  one 
of  the  eastern  countries. 

Enoch  Wood,  brother  of  Eliphalet,  was  a trader 
at  the  old  Wood  place,  near  the  Dr.  Tenney  corner. 
He  was  a fine  penman,  and  was  chosen  to  the  office 
of  selectman  and  clerk  for  several  years.  The  records 
of  the  town,  while  kept  by  him,  present  a hand- 
writing that  is  very  plain  and  distinct. 

Samuel  Moore  was  born  in  Canterbury,  and  had 
two  wives  and  a family  of  ten  children,  among  whom 
was  Thomas,  who  was  born  in  Canterbury,  and  mar- 
ried Comfort  Perkins,  and  had  a family  of  nine  chil- 
dren, named  Polly,  Samuel,  Joanna,  Alexander, 
Samuel,  Sophronia,  Comfort,  Thomas  and  Myra. 
Thomas  Moore  was  chosen  constable  for  the  town, 
and  was  chosen  as  one  of  the  committee  to  form 
school  districts. 

Stephen  Moore  was  born  in  Loudon  in  1799  and 
married  Mary  Q.  Greeley,  of  Gilmanton,  and  had  a 
family  of  eight  children,  named  Joseph,  Albert,  Ann 
Maria,  Andrew  G.,  George  L.,  infant  son,  Caroline 
A.  and  Mary  R.  Mr.  Moore  married  for  his  second 
wife  Mary  Bean,  of  Deerfield,  by  whom  he  had  no 
children.  Mr.  Moore  has  devoted  the  last  years  of 
his  life  in  fitting  up  a new  cemetery,  he  having  pro- 
vided a suitable  spot  and  expended  a large  amount  of 
labor  and  money  in  improving  the  same. 

Andrew  G.  Moore  married  Laura  A.  Bachelder, 
daughter  of  Colonel  Zephaniah,  and  had  a family  of 
two  children,  named  Charles  L.  and  Herbert  G.  A. 
G.  Moore  resides  upon  the  farm  owned  by  his  father, 
Stephen,  and  is  the  one  cleared  by  Thomas  Moore. 
Charles  L.  Moore  married  Ida  Jameson,  of  Fisher- 
ville,  N.  H.,  and  has  no  children.  Herbert  G.  died 
in  1S84. 

Lieutenant  Abner  Clough  came  from  Epping, 
N.  H.,  and  settled  first  in  Canterbury.  He  married 
Sally,  daughter  of  Leavitt  Clough,  of  that  town,  and 
had  a family  of  three  sons,  named  Leavitt,  Abner 
and  Jeremiah.  Lieutenant  Abner  soon  afterward 
exchanged  land  with  the  Shakers,  who  then  owned 
the  land  upon  Clough’s  Hill,  where  Mr.  Clough’s  de- 
scendants now  reside.  The  Shakers  located  first  in 
Loudon,  and  held  meetings  upon  this  hill,  they  being 
few  in  numbers  at  that  time. 


Leavitt  Clough  married  Hannah  Sargent,  and 
had  three  children,  named  Leavitt,  Jr.,  David  S.  and 
Sally. 

Abner  Clough  married  Sarah  Haselton,  and  had 
three  children,  named  Lucy,  Abial  H.  and  Jeremiah 
A. 

Jeremiah  Clough  married  Polly  Hook  and  had 
one  daughter,  named  Adaline.  He  married  the 
second  time  and  had  no  children. 

General  Richard  Brown  was  born  in  Gilman- 
ton in  1787,  and  was  the  youngest  child  of  Job 
Brown,  of  that  town.  Richard  was  a descendant  of 
John  Brown,  who  was  born  in  Hampton  in  1589,  and 
is  of  the  sixth  generation.  He  married  three  times, 
and  had  a family  of  seven  children,  named  Sarah  A., 
John  S.  R.,  Jane  S.  R.,  Mehitable,  Elvira  W.,  Adeliza 
and  Huldah  31.  General  Brown  was  a distinguished 
military  man  in  Loudon,  in  which  he  took  much 
pride.  He  was  a strong  and  respected  citizen,  and 
was  esteemed  for  his  great  force  of  character  and 
firmness  of  principle. 

Deacon  John  S.  Jt.  Brown  was  born  in  Loudon 
in  the  year  1819,  and  married  Achsa  A.  Mills,  and 
had  a family  of  seven  children,  named  Anna  E., 
Clara  J.,  Abby  31.  P.,  Richard  H.  P.,  Hamlin  D., 
John  P.  31.  and  31ary  A.  Deacon  Brown  was  the 
only  son,  and  upon  the  decease  of  his  father  came  in 
possession  of  the  homestead  farm,  where  he  has  re- 
sided and  given  his  attention  largely  to  that  branch 
of  business.  He  is  a man  of  a deep  religious  cast  of 
mind,  and  at  one  time  in  his  life  was  chosen  as  col- 
porteur for  the  American  Bible  Society.  He  was 
chosen  as  one  of  the  deacons  of  the  First  Congrega- 
tional Church,  which  office  he  has  filled  acceptably 
and  discharged  the  duties  with  fidelity.  He  is 
strongly"  identified  with  the  common-school  interests 
and  is  a citizen  much  respected,  and  is  found  upon 
the  side  of  progress  and  reform.  His  Christian  life 
and  example  is  undoubted  by  his  townsmen.  3Irs. 
Brown  is  an  educated  and  intelligent  woman,  and  is 
the  author  of  several  poems,  which  have  been  read 
in  public  frequently  and  were  well  received  and  com- 
mended. 

The  Osgood  Family. — William  Osgood,  of  the 
first  generation,  was  born  in  England  in  1609,  and 
came  to  this  country  in  the  year  1638.  He  sailed 
from  Southampton,  in  the  ship  “Confidence,”  April 
11th. 

Captain  Chase  Osgood  came  to  Loudon  from 
Epping  in  1794.  He  had  a family  of  twenty  children. 
He  died  in  1807  at  the  age  of  eightv-eight,  and  was 
interred  in  the  burying-ground  at  the  Centre. 

Ebenezer  Osgood,  Esq.,  came  from  Raymond  in 
1803,  and  had  a family  of  eight  children,  named 
Enoch,  James,  Pollyq  Bradley,  Ira,  Lamila,  Nancy 
and  Ebenezer. 

Ira  Osgood,  Esq.,  was  born  in  Raymond,  N.  H., 
in  1799,  and  came  to  Loudon  when  four  years  of  age. 
He  married  Sally  B.  Parsons,  and  had  a family  of 


LOUDON. 


503 


seven  children,  named  Henry  J.,  Ebenezer  P.,  Wil- 
liam P.,  Charles  H.,  Annie  M.,  Mary  E.  and  Martha 
E.  Ira  Osgood  was  fitted  for  college  at  the  Gilmanton 
Academy,  after  which  he  commenced  teaching  school, 
and  taught  a large  number  of  terms  both  in  and  out 
of  town.  He  was  chosen,  and  served  for  several 
years,  as  one  of  the  selectmen  of  the  town,  and  after- 
wards was  chosen  representative  for  two  years.  He 
was  a man  of  great  firmness  in  all  his  undertakings 
and  prosecuted  them  to  the  end.  He  devoted  several 
of  the  last  years  of  his  life  in  compiling  the  genealogy 
of  the  Osgood  family,  which  consisted  of  the  descend- 
ants of  eight  generations.  He  died  in  April,  1877. 

Henry  J.  Osgood  married  Hannah  E.  H..  Bach- 
elder,  and  had  a family  of  three  children,  named 
Mabel,  Herbert  and  Henrietta,  and  was  born  in  1825, 
and  by  whom  the  present  history  has  been  written. 

Ebenezer  P.  Osgood  married  Ann  Randall,  of 
Laconia,  and  has  one  child,  named  Charles  H. 

William  P.  Osgood  married  Paulina  R.  Clifford, 
of  Loudon,  and  has  two  children,  named  Jennie  M. 
and  George  B. 

Charles  H.  Osgood  married,  first,  Augusta  A. 
Clough,  of  Loudon,  and  the  second  time,  Ann  Lam- 
prey, of  Gilmanton,  and  has  no  children. 

Annie  M.  Osgood  (unmarried)  is  a school  teacher 
of  considerable  note  and  lives  at  the  homestead. 

Mary  E.  Osgood  married,  first,  Charles  C.  Clough, 
of  Canterbury,  and  the  second  time,  Rev.  A.  D.  Smith, 
of  Laconia. 

Martha  E.  Osgood  married  Charles  H.  Bean,  of 
Lawrence,  Mass.,  who  is  a large  and  extensive  dealer 
in  lumber  in  that  city. 

John  Moore  came  to  Loudon  from  Canterbury  and 
bought  several  lots  of  land  at  the  Ridge.  lie  was  one 
of  the  selectmen  of  the  town  for  several  years,  and  as- 
sisted in  the  laying  out  of  the  town  into  lots  and  also 
several  of  the  highways.  He  had  a family  of  eleven 
children,  named  Hannah,  Jacob,  Archelaus,  Elkins, 
John,  William,  Abia,  Betsey,  Patty,  Polly  and  Sally. 

Archelaus  Moore,  Esq.,  son  of  John,  had  a 
family  of  ten  children,  named  Abigail,  Archelaus,  Jr., 
Lucinda,  Abia,  Climena,  Hannah,  Lydia,  David,  Ju- 
lia and  Jefferson.  The  Hon.  Joseph  Moore,  editor  of 
the  Manchester  Union,  is  the  son  of  David,  and  was 
born  in  Loudon. 

Archelaus  Moore,  Jr.,  married  a daughter  of 
Joseph  Clifford,  of  Gilmanton,  N.  H.  His  son,  Dan- 
iel L.  Moore,  resides  upon  the  homestead  of  his 
father,  and  has  been  married  twice,  having  two  chil- 
dren living.  Mr.  Moore  married,  last,  Mariana 
Sleeper,  of  Loudon,  and  has  one  child.  He  has  a 
large  interest  in  the  new  cemetery  at  Loudon  Ridge, 
in  which  he  has  erected  a family  monument  which  is 
both  costly  and  beautiful  in  appearance  and  design. 
Mr.  Moore  has  added  many  improvements  to  his 
farm  and  buildings,  and  is  a man  of  fine  culture  and 
taste.  He  devotes  his  time  and  attention  largely  to 
farming,  and  is  very  successful.  He  is  a prominent 


and  respected  citizen,  and  possesses  the  characteristics 
which  have  made  the  Moore  family  somewhat  noted 
throughout  each  generation,  one  of  which  is  an  apt- 
ness for  action  upon  any  sudden  emergency,  without 
any  elfort  or  apparent  consideration. 

The  Carr  Family  descended  from  Robert  Carr, 
who  lived  in  Salisbury,  Mass.,  and  had  a family  of 
fourteen  children,  named  John,  Sylvanus,  Joseph, 
Benjamin,  Nathan,  Joanna,  Abigail,  Martha,  Elliott, 
Susanna,  Nancy,  Betty  and  Mary. 

Elliott  Carr  married  Hannah  Dow,  and  had  a 
family  of  seven  children,  named  John,  Nathan,  Han- 
nah, Betty,  Nancy,  Rhoda  and  Sally. 

Nathan  Carr  married  Elizabeth  Chase  in  1812, 
and  was  born  in  Salisbury,  Mass.,  in  1781,  and  came 
to  Loudon,  in  1790,  with  his  father,  Elliott  Carr,  and 
settled  upon  the  farm  now  owned  by  Challes  D.  Carr, 
and  afterwards  bought  the  adjoining  farm  of  Henry 
T.  Carr.  This  tract  of  land  was  part  of  the  five-hun- 
dred-acre lot  laid  out  and  given  to  His  Excellency 
Governor  John  Wentworth,  and  is  called,  in  the  return 
of  the  laying  of  lots,  the  Governor  Wentworth  farm . 

Nathan  Carr  had  five  children,  named  Challes  D., 
Elizabeth,  Nancy,  Martha  J.  T.  and  Sarah  M. 

Challes  D.  Carr  was  born  in  1813,  and  married 
Hannah  B.  Prescott.  He  had  a family  of  three  chil- 
dren, named  Georgiana  F.,  Challes  F.  and  Samuel  M. 
Challes  D.  Carr  was  born,  and  lives  upon,  the  home- 
stead of  the  Carr  family.  He  is  a thorough  and 
practical  farmer,  has  been  successful  in  acquiring 
property  and  is  an  honorable  and  respected  citizen 
of  the  town. 

Captain  John  Carr  was  the  brother  of  Nathan, 
and  married  Sally  Brown  in  1800,  and  had  eleven 
children,  named  Edmund,  Elliott,  Jemima,  Clarissa, 
John,  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Henry  T.,  Hannah  and 
Mary. 

Henry  T.  Carr  married  Jemima  Osborn,  and  had 
a family  of  five  children,  named  Ann  Genette,  John, 
Mary,  Jane  and  Sarah.  This  branch  of  the  Carr  fam- 
ily retain  all  the  strong  and  substantial  traits  of  their 
ancestor,  and  are  very  firm  and  sanguine  in  all  their 
undertakings  and  principles.  John  Carr  has  been 
engaged  at  the  New  Hampshire  Insane  Asylum  for 
several  years,  holding  a position  of  trust  and  responsi- 
bility, and  is  held  in  high  esteem  by  the  institution. 

The  Sanborn  Family. — The  ancestor  of  this  family 
was  Captain  John  Sanborn,  who  married  Ruth  Rand, 
1774,  and  was  born  in  1747.  His  wife  was  born  in 
1751. 

Captain  Sanborn’s  ancestry  is  unknown,  and  the 
foregoing  is  from  the  town  record.  He  was  among 
the  distinguished  citizens  of  the  town,  and  took  an 
active  part  in  the  organization  of  the  same,  and  held 
several  offices  of  importance  at  several  times.  He  had 
a family  of  eight  children,  named  Elisha,  born  No- 
vember 1,  1775;  Lydia,  born  June  3, 1777;  Betty,  born 
March  24,  1779;  Thomas,  born  June  8,  1781  ; Sarah, 
born  July  17,1783;  John,  Jr.,  born  August  29,  1785; 


5U4 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Edmund,  born  July  21,  1788;  and  William,  born  June 
5,  1791. 

Elisha  Sanborn  married Ladd,  of  Epping, 

N.  H.,  and  had  a family  of  seven  children,  named  James, 
John,  Nathaniel,  Eliza,  Sally,  Mary  and  Ruth.  Of 
this  family,  James  went  to  Iowa,  John  to  Massachusetts, 
and  Nathaniel  settled  in  Loudon.  He  married  Nancy 
Lougee,  and  had  one  child,  named  Charles  E. 

John  Sanborn  married  Judith  Blake,  and  had  a 
family  of  six  children,  named  Stephen,  Jane,  Judith, 
Edmund,  Almira  and  Joseph  B.  Stephen  Sanborn 
wentSouth  and  died.  Joseph  B.  resides  in  Loudon,  upon 
the  homestead  of  his  father,  and  is  a citizen  of  influence 
in  his  native  town,  having  held  the  important  offices 
of  the  town.  He  is  a thorough  and  practical  fanner, 
has  acquired  a good  property  and  succeeded  well  in 
his  purposes  and  efforts.  He  married  Sarah  Ann 
Sanborn,  the  grand-daughter  of  Jesse  and  daughter 
of  Jonathan  Sanborn,  and  has  two  children,  named 
Joseph  E.  and  Jennie  M.  His  sou,  Joseph  E.,  married 
Lizzie  Adams,  of  Pittsfield,  N.  H. 

Edmund  Sanborn  married  Ruth  Griffin,  and  had 
a family  of  nine  children,  named  William,  Sally, 
Daniel  L.,  Clarissa,  James  S.,  Jeremiah  C,.  Eliza  J., 
John  and  True  H.  The  sons  of  Edmund  nearly  all 
settled  in  Loudon. 

Daniel  L.  Sanborn  married  Ada  Moore,  and  had 
a family  of  five  children,  named  Jacob  0.,  Ruth  J., 
Joseph  T.,  Charles  E.  and  Mary  E.  Of  Captain  Daniel 
Sanborn’s  family,  Jacob  0.  is  a graduate  of  Dartmouth 
College,  and  has  become  an  eminent  school-teacher ; 
Joseph  T.  married  Fanny  Peverly,  of  Canterbury, 
X.  H.,  and  resides  upon  his  father’s  farm,  having  no 
children.  He  is  an  important  and  respected  citizen 
of  the  town,  having  held  important  offices  in  the  same. 

William  Sanborn  married  Susan  Haines,  and  had 
two  sons,  named  Richard  P.,  who  resides  in  Concord, 
and  William  H.,  a resident  of  Loudon. 

James  S.  Sanborn  married  Mary  E.  Yeaw,  of 
Rhode  Island,  and  has  three  children,  named  John  B., 
Hattie  B.  and  Byron.  He  has  represented  the  town 
in  the  Legislature,  and  is  a man  of  wealth.  He 
resides  upon  the  homestead,  which  was  given  him  by 
his  father. 

Jeremiah  C.  Sanborn  married  Betsy  French,  of 
Gilmanton,  and  has  one  daughter,  named  Ida  B.,  who 
married  James  S.  Tilton,  son  of  Daniel  Tilton,  and 
has  one  daughter,  named  Maud. 

John  Sanborn  married  — Thorndike,  of  Pitts- 
field, N.  H.,  and  resides  at  Laconia,  N.  H. 

True  H.  Sanborn  married  Adaline  Green,  and 
has  a family  of  five  children. 

The  Sanborn  family  have  been  among  the  most 
numerous  of  all  the  families  of  the  town.  They  have 
been  successful  in  the  acquisition  of  property,  and 
have  principally  settled  in  their  native  town ; are 
good  citizens,  and  largely  a religious  and  devoted 
people. 

Moses  Morse,  Sr.,  was  born  in  Methuen,  Mass., 


in  1749,  and  married  Abigail  Lovejoy,  of  Andover, 
Mass.,  who  was  born  in  1755  and  came  to  Lou- 
don in  1787.  Mr.  Morse  bought  this  laud  of  Ezra 
Blaisdel,  which  has  always  remained  in  the  Morse 
name  to  the  present  time.  They  had  a family  of  ten 
children,  named  Abigail,  Jonathan,  Persis,  Moses, 
Lydia,  Moses,  (2.)  Deborah,  Persis,  (2.)  Levi  and 
Isaac.  Mr.  Morse  endured  many  of  the  hardships,  in 
common  with  other  settlers  who  came  to  Loudon. 

Moses  Morse,  Jr.,  was  born  April  13,  1788;  mar- 
ried Sally  Emery  in  1815,  and  had  three  children, 
named  Harris  E.,  Alvah  L.  and  Julianna  P.  Mr. 
Morse  learned  the  trade  of  carpenter  and  wheel- 
wright, at  which  he  worked  in  connection  with  farm- 
ing. He  held  several  important  offices  in  the  town. 

Harris  E.  Morse  married  Sarah  A.  Eaton  in 
1842,  and  had  five  children,  named  Mary  A.,  Sarah 
A.,  Harris  F.,  Mary  E.  and  Alvah  L.  Mr.  Morse 
has  filled  positions  of  honor  and  trust — represented 
the  town  in  the  Legislature  and  served  as  sheriff  for 
a number  of  years. 

Alvah  L.  Morse  married  Della  M.  Pritchard,  and 
has  one  child,  named  Myrtie  M.  He  resides  upon 
the  Morse  homestead,  and  is  of  the  fourth  generation. 
He  has  held  positions  of  trust. 

Elisha  Buswell  was  born  November  10,  1757 ; 
married,  January  15,  1799,  Abigail  Perkins,  born 
March  10, 1762,  and  had  a family  of  four  children, 
named  William,  Moses,  John  and  Nancy.  Moses 
Buswell  married  Betsey  Jones,  and  had  three  chil- 
dren,— John  L.  and  two  others  who  died  in  youth. 

John  L.  Buswell  married  Mary  E.,  daughter  of 
Captain  Daniel  L.  Sanborn,  and  has  a family  of  two 
children,  named  Frank  J.  and  Abby  J.  Mr.  Buswell 
has  held  important  town  offices  and  is  a respected 
citizen  in  the  town.  He  is  a practical  farmer  and 
has  secured  a fine  property,  with  a pleasant  location. 

Isaac  Dimond  was  born  in  1767,  and  married  Sally 
Shaw,  and  had  a family  of  ten  children,  named 
Betsy,  Isaac,  Sally,  Polly,  John,  Abigail,  Andrew, 
Gould  and  Ruth. 

Gould  Dimond  married  Sally,  daughter  of  Jona- 
than Rollins,  of  Loudon,  and  had  a family  of  four 
children,  named  Isaac  P.,  Lucy  M.,  Mary  E.  and 
Jonathan  M. 

Jonathan  M.  Dimond  married  Maria  Peaslee, 
and  had  three  children,  named  Ardena  M.,  Saddie  B. 
and  Inez  P. 

Lucy  M.  Dimond  married  John  B.  Moore,  of  Gil- 
manton, N.  H.,  and  had  a family  of  four  children. 

Mary  E.  Dimond  married  Nathan  C.  Clough,  and 
had  a family  of  two  children,  named  Minnie  E.  and 
Alice.  Mr.  Clough  is  located  at  the  north  part  of 
the  town,  and  has  been  a resident  of  the  same  for 
twenty  or  more  years.  He  has  held  the  office  of  se- 
lectman and  has  represented  the  town  in  the  Legis- 
lature. He  is  a firm  and  reliable  citizen,  as  well  as  a 
man  of  excellent  judgment. 

Nathan  Tilton,  born  February  2,  1755,  married 


LOUDON. 


505 


Susannah  Gail,  born  March  8, 1761,  and  had  nine  chil- 
dren,— Betty,  born  June  30,  1781;  Timothy,  born 
May  3,  1783;  Susannah,  born  September  4,  1785; 
Daniel,  born  November  14,  1787  ; Nathan,  born  July 
15,  1791 ; Stephen,  born  September  29,  1793  ; Newell, 
born  October  20,  1795;  David,  born  July  1,  1798; 
Joseph,  born  March  4,  1801. 

Joseph  Tilton,  Sr.,  married,  the  second  time, 
Coziah  Bagley,  October  20,  1783,  and  had  three 
children, — Anna,  born  October  3,  1784;  Dolly,  born 
August  6,  1787;  Timothy,  born  November  6,  1791. 
His  first  wife  died  April  20,  1783.  She  had  two  chil- 
dren— Joseph  born  April  19,  1781,  and  Martha, 
born  March  6,  1783. 

William  Tilton’s  Family. — Eliza  Tilton,  born 
July  24,  1788 ; William  J.,  born  May  9,  1790;  Tim-  I 
othy,  born  July  22,  1792;  Hannah,  born  August  9, 
1794;  Patty,  born  December  17,  1796  ; Amos. 

William  Tilton,  Jk.,  married  Abigail  Brown, 
and  had  a family  of  two  children,  named  Louisa  A. 
and  Charles  S.  Louisa  A.  Tilton  married  Jeremiah 
Blake,  Esq.,  son  of  Enoch  Blake,  of  Pittsfield,  N.  H., 
and  had  a family  of  four  children,  named  Mary,  El- 
len, Warren  and  Alvah.  Mr.  Blake  is  a prominent 
man  in  the  town,  and  has  been  extensively  engaged 
in  managing  and  executing  the  business  of  the  town 
for  many  years,  and  his  counsel  and  advice  is  often 
sought  and  followed.  He  has  held  several  offices  in 
the  town  and  commands  the  respect  and  esteem  of 
its  citizens. 

Major  Daniel  Tilton  had  a family  of  eight 
children,  named  Sally,  Nathan,  Harriett,  Newell, 
Joseph,  Mary  A.,  John  S.  It.  and  Samuel. 

Deacon  Daniel  Tilton  had  a family  of  five  chil- 
dren, named  Nathan  F.,  born  April  20,  1797 ; Shuali, 
born  May  28,  1779  ; Abigail,  born  August  19,  1801 ; 
Betsey,  born  May  13,  1804;  Daniel,  born  July  26, 
1805. 

Daniel  Tilton,  Jr.,  married  Olive  Sargent,  and 
had  a family  of  five  children,  named  Charles  S., 
Daniel,  John,  James  S.  and  Olive  E.  James  S.  married 
Ida  B.  Sanborn,  daughter  of  Jeremiah  C.  Sanborn,  of 
Loudon. 

Philip  Brown  married  Elizabeth  Bachelder,  Janu- 
ary 16,  1775,  and  had  a family  of  nine  children, — 
Thomas,  born  November  27,  1775 ; William,  born 
January  7,  1778;  David,  born  December  3,  1779; 
Joanna,  born  April  30,  1782 ; Levi,  born  No- 

vember 7,  1784 ; Philip,  Jr.,  born  April  8,  1787;  Tim- 
othy, born  October  17,  1789 ; Asa,  born  July  22, 1793  ; 
Eliphalet,  born  December  31,  1796.  Philip  Brown, 
Jr.,  married  Abigail  True,  and  had  a family  of  two 
children,  named  True,  and  a daughter  who  married 
David  Putnam,  of  Penacook,  N.  H. 

True  Brown  married  Eliza  C.  Kelly,  and  had 
three  children,  named  Charles  K.,  Nellie  S.  and 
Mabel  T.  Charles  K.  resides  upon  the  homestead  of 
his  grandfather,  Philip  Brown. 

Thomas  Sargent,  Sr.,  married  Abigail  Blaisdel 


in  1772,  and  had  nine  children,  named  Dolly,  born 
October  28,  1772;  Charles,  born  September  2,  1774; 
Thomas,  born  September  18,  1778;  Josiah,  born  No- 
vember 7,  1780;  Sarah,  born  February  11,  1782; 
Susannah,  born  February  12,  1785;  Timothy,  born 
November  27,  1786;  David,  born  January  11,  1789; 
John,  born  December  5,  1791. 

Thomas  Sargent,  Jr.,  had  a family  of  five  chil- 
dren,— Hannah.  Amos,  Maria,  Susan  and  John. 

Amos  Sargent  married Beck,  and  had  a family 

of  four  children,  named  Elbridge  G.,  David  S.,  Albert 
B.  and  Mary  A.  Elbridge  G.  has  acquired  a good 
property,  and  has  been  chosen  to  the  office  of  select- 
man of  the  town. 

Dr.  Nathaniel  T.  Clark  came  to  Loudon  in 
1828,  married  Clara  L.  Bond,  and  had  one  child, 
named  C.  Blanche.  He  studied  medicine  at  Brook- 
line, N.  Y.,  and  has  had  practice  in  New  London, 
Bradford  and  Manchester,  N.  H. 

Dr.  William  Tenney  came  to  Loudon  in  the 
year  1793,  and  married  Abigail  Rollins ; married, 
the  second  time,  Peggy  Flanders,  and  had  four  chil- 
dren, named  Abigail,  Richard  P.  J.,  William  D.  B. 
and  Joseph  J.  M.  Dr.  William  Tenney  practiced 
medicine  for  a long  time  in  town,  and  at  his  decease 
Richard  P.  J.,  having  studied  medicine,  commenced 
his  practice  in  his  father’s  place,  and  continued  until 
the  year  1846,  when  he  located  at  the  enterprising 
village  of  Pittsfield,  N.  H.  He  had  a large  practice 
and  was  extensively  known  as  a physician.  After 
his  removal  he  was  chosen  as  a member  of  the  Gov- 
ernor’s Council,  and  filled  other  places  of  honor  and 
trust,  and  died  at  Pittsfield  in  1879.  He  married 
Hannah  A.  Sanborn,  and  had  one  daughter,  named 
Abby. 

J.  J.  M.  Tenney,  after  having  spent  some  years  in 
travel,  settled  upon  the  Tenney  homestead  and  devo- 
ted the  last  of  his  life  to  agriculture,  and  died  in  1876. 

Moses  Rowell,  Sr.,  was  the  son  of  Christopher 
Rowell,  of  Amesbury,  Mass.,  and  was  born  June  11, 
1764.  He  married  Alice  Currier,  of  Amesbury,  and 
moved  to  Loudon  in  1791,  and  located  upon  Bear 
Hill  (so  called),  where  he  died  November  4,  1846. 
He  married,  the  second  time,  Nancy  Leavitt,  of  Chi- 
chester, N.  H.,  and  had  a family  of  ten  children, 
named  Captain  John,  Moses,  Jr.,  Nancy,  Micajah, 
Ruth,  Asa  T.,  Harris,  Cyrus,  Rufus  and  Sally  L. 
Mr.  Rowell  was  engaged  for  some  length  of  time  in 
teaming  from  Newburyport,  Mass.,  to  Salisbury,  N.  H. 

Moses  Rowell,  Jr.,  was  born  March  21,  1793, 
and  married  Sophia  French,  daughter  of  John 
Leavitt  French,  of  Loudon,  and  had  three  children, 
named  Perley  W.,  John  F.  and  Sarah  Ann. 

Perley  W.  Rowell  was  born  December  22,  1823, 
and  married  Caroline  Clark,  of  Pittsfield,  N.  H., 
March  28,  1869,  and  have  a family  of  two  children, 
named  Sarah  W.  and  George  W.  Mr.  Rowell  lives 
upon  the  homestead  of  his  father,  and  is  a useful  and 
highly-respected  citizen  of  his  native  town. 


506 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


John  F.  Rowell  was  born  January  6,  1826,  and 
is  unmarried.  He  commenced  bis  education  at  the 
common  school  in  Loudon,  and  afterwards  attended 
at  Weare,  Lee  and  Pembroke,  N.  H.,  and  graduated  at 
Haverford  College,  Pennsylvania.  He  was  eminently 
fitted  for  a teacher,  which  avocation  he  successfully 
followed  for  many  years  in  his  immediate  locality. 
Afterwards  he  was  called  to  the  Friends’  School  in 
Providence,  R.  I..  and  remained  for  twenty  years.  In 
1875  he  retired  from  this  school,  and,  wearied  with  the 
duties  of  a teacher's  life,  went  to  California,  and  is 
extensively  engaged  in  agriculture,  together  with  the 
manufacture  and  sale  of  lumber,  of  which  he  has 
purchased  a large  and  valuable  tract.  He  is  an  en- 
terprising and  deserving  man,  and  has,  by  his  own 
efforts  largely,  acquired  the  position  which  he  has  so 
ably  filled.  The  Rowell  family  are  noted  for  intel- 
lect, ability  and  great  firmness  of  principle,  and  are 
citizens  who  are  interested  and  active  in  everything 
that  advances  and  elevates  the  human  race. 

Nathaniel  Martin,  Esq.,  came  to  Loudon  and 
was  first  taxed  in  1808.  He  wTas  twice  married  and 
had  a family  of  nine  children,  named  Rue,  Jane, 
Elizabeth  and  Hannah  (twins),  Mary,  Abigail,  Nancy, 
Sally  and  Theophilus  B.  Esquire  Martin  was  en- 
gaged often  in  town  business,  and  was  an  important 
and  useful  man  of  the  day  in  which  he  lived.  His 
name  appears  often  upon  the  town  records  as  having 
been  chosen  to  discharge  some  public  duty,  which 
w'as  carefully  and  satisfactorily  performed. 

Theophilus  B.  Martin,  Esq.,  married  Sally  L. 
Rowell,  and  had  a family  of  four  children,  named 
Nathaniel  (who  died),  Mary  E.,  Abby  and  Nathaniel 
E.  But  few  men  have  ever  lived  in  town  who  have 
been  so  frequently  chosen  to  positions  of  trust  as 
Esquire  Martin.  He  has  represented  the  town  in 
the  Legislature,  and  been  chosen  as  county  treasurer, 
besides  performing  a large  amount  of  probate  and 
private  business  as  a justice  of  the  peace.  He  early 
engaged  in  the  calling  of  a school-teacher,  and  con- 
tinued in  it  until  the  middle  age  of  life  with  success. 
He  was  a member  of  the  church,  and  was  deeply  in- 
terested in  all  matters  pertaining  to  the  welfare  and 
best  interest  of  the  public.  He  moved  with  his  fam- 
ily to  Concord,  N.  H.,  where  he  died. 

Nathaniel  E.  Martin,  his  son,  obtained  his  edu- 
cation at  the  Concord  High  School,  and  afterwards 
studied  law  with  William  E.  Chase,  Esq.,  after  which 
he  opened  an  office  in  Concord,  and  is  now  connected 
with  the  firm  of  Albin,  Tappan  & Martin.  That 
success  has  attended  his  efforts  which  is  always  the 
reward  of  labor  and  diligence  in  every  calling  in  life. 

The  Cate  Family  in  Loudon  descended  from  Ste- 
phen Cate,  who  came  from  Deerfield,  N.  H..  in  1784. 
He  had  seven  children,  named  Shadracli,  born  August 
10,  1779;  Charles,  born  January  2,  1781;  John,  born 
March  29,  1783 ; Stephen  and  Jonathan  (twins),  born 
March  3,  1785  ; Sally,  born  April  1,  1787 ; Meshach, 
born  July  6,  1789. 


Stephen  Cate  settled  upon  the  farm  now 
owned  by  William  W.  Cate,  where  he  built  a log 
house  for  himself  and  family  of  two  children,  the 
eldest  being  two  and  one-half  years  and  the  young- 
est but  eighteen  months  old.  He  rode  from  Deer- 
field, N.  H.,  on  horseback  with  his  wife,  each  carrying 
one  of  the  children  in  their  arms  as  they  rode  upon 
the  same  horse.  The  following  year  Mrs.  Cate, 
whose  name  was  Anna,  gave  birth  to  the  twins,  Ste- 
phen and  Jonathan,  whose  weight  at  birth  was 
twenty-two  pounds,  who  lived  and  grew  to  very 
large  and  strong  men,  looking  so  nearly  alike  as 
hardly  to  he  distinguished  from  each  other.  Three 
i of  these  boys  settled  in  Loudon, — Sliadrach,  John  and 
Stephen. 

Shadrach  Cate  had  a family  of  eleven  children, 
of  wh  m eight  lived,  named,  Hiram  and  Hannah 
(twins),  Rebecca,  Eliza,  Sally,  Judith,  Shadrach  and 
Moses.  He  married  Rebecca  Chamberlin,  an  intelli- 
gent and  estimable  woman.  Ofthis  family,  Shadrach 
studied  medicine  and  is  a skillful  practitioner  as  well 
as  a gentleman  of  influence  and  culture,  in  the  city  of 
Washington,  I).  C. 

John  Cate  settled  upon  the  home  farm  ; married 
and  had  a family  of  four  children  ; the  eldest  died  at 
birth.  The  others  were  named  Nancy,  Miles  and 
Benjamin.  At  the  birth  of  Nancy  Cate,  John,  her 
father,  planted  an  elm-tree,  which  has  been  growing 
seventy  six  years  and  measures  seventeen  feet  in  cir- 
cumference at  the  base. 

Benjamin  Cate  was  born  March  23,  1814,  and 
married  Eliza  A.  Wells,  daughter  of  Stephen  Wells, 
of  Loudon,  and  has  two  sons,  named  William  W.  and 
Carter  E.  Cate. 

He  was  a man  of  large  ability  and  when  a young 
man  was  often  given  places  of  trust.  His  public  life 
and  influence  were  extensive,  and  he  became  one  of 
the  leading  men  of  the  town  in  which  he  resided. 
He  was  chosen  to  various  town  offices  and  represented 
the  same  in  the  Legislature.  He  was  a man  of  genial 
turn  and  manner  to  every  one,  and  his  assistance  and 
counsel  were  sought  and  obtained  by  his  neighbors 
and  friends  in  time  of  need.  He  was  every  man’s 
friend.  His  life  was  noted  for  the  integrity  and  up- 
rightness of  character  which  he  ever  maintained. 
His  religious  principles  were  firm  and  deeply  fixed, 
from  which  there  spread  an  influence  that  shaped  and 
guided  the  thoughts  and  acts  of  those  with  whom  he 
associated. 

William  W.  Cate  lives  upon  the  homestead  of 
his  father,  and  he  is  of  the  fourth  generation  of  the 
Cate  family.  His  early  life  was  largely  devoted  to  the 
cause  of  education,  and  he  engaged  in  school-teaching 
to  quite  an  extent,  his  efforts  being  attended  with 
good  success.  After  the  death  of  his  father  he  en- 
gaged in  agriculture,  and  sustains  a high  and  influen- 
tial position  as  such  among  the  citizens  of  his  native 
town. 

He  has  been  elected  to,  and  discharged  the  duties 


LOUDON. 


507 


of, several  offices  in  town  with  care  and  fidelity.  His 
advice  and  assistance  are  largely  sought  in  matters  of' 
probate,  and  heisaman  of  strong  influence  in  private 
and  public  business.  His  religious  principles  are 
strongly  fixed,  and  his  life  thus  far  well  marked  by 
exemplary  conduct  and  sincerity  of  purpose. 

Carter  E.  Cate  was  born  August  26, 1852.  He  fitted 
for  college  at  Tilton,  N.  H.,  and  entered  the  Wesleyan 
University,  at  Middletown,  Conn.,  in  1872.  After  two 
years  lie  went  to  Dartmouth  College,  New  Hampshire, 
where  he  graduated  in  1876.  He  afterwards  attend- 
ed the  Boston  University,  and  in  June,  1878,  was  or- 
dained as  a minister  of  the  gospel  by  the  Free-Will 
Baptist  denomination,  at  Loudon,  N.  H.,  where  he 
engaged  as  pastor  and  remained  one  year.  During 
his  stay  with  this,  his  own  church  and  native  town, 
an  unusual  and  deep-felt  interest  was  manifest 
throughout  the  whole  town  in  attending  divine  wor- 
ship upon  the  Sabbath,  such  as  had  not  been  expe- 
rienced for  a generation.  His  preaching  was  marked 
with  great  simplicity  and  sincerity,  which  held  the. 
mind  and  attention  of  his  audience  from  the  begin- 
ning to  the  end  of  his  discourse.  He  engaged  at 
Lake  Village,  N.  H.,  afterwards,  and  remained  three 
years;  then  went  to  Lowell,  Mass.,  and  remained  one 
year ; then  married  Electa  Dunavan,  and  moved  to 
Lewiston,  Me. 

Mr.  Cate  inherits  from  the  Cate  family  the  charac- 
teristics which  are  so  noticeable  in  the  biography  of 
the  family.  He  is  pleasant  and  affable  in  appearance, 
firm  in  his  principles,  deeply  imbued  with  respect  for 
Christianity  and  all  its  ennobling  and  elevating  prin- 
ciples. 

His  success  in  life  has  been  most  excellent,  and  a 
brilliant  future  seems  to  await  him  in  the  choice  of 
the  great  calling  that  he  has  engaged  in  as  a life- 
work. 

The  Stevens  Family. — Moses  Stevens,  Sr.’s, 
family  of  six  children  were  named  Joseph,  Jonathan 
C.,  Elizabeth,  Hannah,  Eliza  and  Andrew. 

Andrew  Stevens  married  Lucinda  Sargent,  and 
had  a family  of  three  children,  named  Moses  E., 
John  and  Hannah. 

Moses  E.  Stevens  married  Nettie  P.  Baehelder, 
daughter  of  William  Baehelder,  and  has  a family  of 
two  children,  named  Winnie  M.  and  William  G. 

Mr.  Stevens  is  the  last  representative  of  the  large 
Stevens  family  in  Loudon  and  possesses  the  strong 
characteristics  which  have  made  them  so  useful  as 
citizens  in  the  town.  He  is  a man  of  ability  and  in- 
fluence, and  has  held  positions  of  trust  conferred  upon 
him  by  the  citizens  of  the  town. 

The  Ordway  Family  in  Loudon  descended  from 
Abner  and  James  Ordway,  who  came  from  Tower 
Hill,  in  England,  to  Newbury,  Mass.,  about  1640. 
Abner  settled  in  Watertown,  Mass.,  and  James  in 
Dover,  N.  H.  Abner  married,  August  15, 1656,  Sarah, 
daughter  of  Stephen  Brown,  of  Newbury,  Mass.,  she 
being  the  widow  of  Edward  Dennis,  of  Boston,  Mass. 


No  descendants  of  Abner  are  found.  James  married, 
November  23,  1648,  Ann  Emery,  whose  father  came 
from  England  some  years  before,  and  had  a family  of 
ten  children,  named  Ephraim,  James,  Edward,  Sarah, 
John,  Isaac,  Jane,  Hannaniah,  Annie  and  Mary, 
which  were  the  second  generation.  The  third  gener- 
ation descended  from  John,  son  of  James.  The 
fourth  from  James,  son  of  John,  whose  children  were 
Moses  and  James. 

Moses  Ordway  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  in  the 
town,  and  married  Anna  Huntington.  He  was  born 
in  Amesbury,  Mass.,  April  11,  1721.  His  wife  was 
born  March  16,  1716,  and  they  settled  near  the  Yel- 
low School-house,  where  some  of  their  descendants 
have  resided  Irom  that  time.  One  of  the  attractions 
to  this  locality  were  the  meadows  in  the  immediate 
vicinity,  from  which  they  cut  hay  for  their  cattle. 
Moses,  Jr.,  married  his  cousin  Persis,  the  sister  of 
Joses,  and  had  eight  children,  named  Persis,  born 
June  1,  1776;  Moses  (3d),  born  January  1,  1779; 
Betsey,  born  March  1,  1781  ; Stephen,  born  August 

24,  1784;  Betsey  (2d),  born  March  12,1787;  Amos, 
born  January  15,  1790  ; Aaron,  born  February  19, 
1792  ; Hammond,  born  June  10,  1795. 

Daniel  and  Joses  Ordway  were  descendants  of 
James.  Daniel  Ordway  married,  first  time,  Deborah 
Lougee,  and  came  from  Andover,  Mass.,  where  he 
had  two  children  born, — Daniel,  born  September  2, 
1773;  and  Isaac,  born  February  6,  1775.  There  were 
born  at  Loudon, — Lemuel,  October  12,  1776;  Alse, 
born  November  12,  1778;  Isaac  (2d),  born  December 

25,  1780;  Hazen,  born  April  15,  1783;  Polly,  born 
May  21,  1785.  He  married,  the  second  time,  Ruth 
Moulton,  and  had  Hiram,  Chlora,  Statira,  Eneas,  Jus- 
tus, Jairus  and  Ruth  Ann,  making  a family  of  four- 
teen in  all. 

Joses  Ordway^,  brother  of  Daniel,  had  a family  of 
seven  children, — Lucy,  born  January  1,1795;  Lois, 
born  October  1,  1796;  Sophia,  born  January  1,  1799; 
Abial,  born  May  3,  1800;  John  C.,  born  November  3, 
1801 ; Sukey,  born  February  21, 1803;  Harriett,  born 
April  10,  1808. 

Abial  Ordway  married  Clarissa  French,  and  had 
four  children, — Martha  S.,  Abial  C.,  John  F.  and 
Mary  J. 

John  F.  Ordway  married  Georgianna,  the  only 
daughter  of  Samuel  Huckins,  of  Loudon,  and  had  a 
family  of  four  children,  named  Della  P.,  Effie  L., 
Lillian  M.  and  Cora  F. 

Hiram  Ordway  married  Sally  Blaisdell,  and  had 
one  child,  named  Myra  E.,  who  married  Joseph  W. 
Blaisdell. 

Captain  Hiram  Ordway  was  an  important  and 
respected  citizen  of  his  town.  He  was  a carpenter  by 
trade,  which  avocation  he  followed  for  several  years. 
He  held  important  offices  in  the  town  and  was  elected 
to  the  Legislature.  He  was  of  a most  genial  and 
quiet  disposition,  and  his  influence  was  large  in  his 
native  town,  in  religious  as  well  as  in  public  matters. 


508 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Joseph  C.  Ordway  married  Martha  S.  Ordway 
and  had  a family  of  seven  children,- — Nellie,  Grace, 
Walter,  Henry,  Georgianna,  Lilia  and  one  infant  that 
died. 

Joel  S.  Okdway  married  M.  Jane  Wiggins.  He 
resides  upon  the  farm  of  his  father,  Lemuel  Ordway, 
and  has  one  child,  named  Horace  F. 

Daniel  and  Joses  Ordway  were  soldiers  of  the 
Revolutionary  War.  Joses  served  in  Captain  John 
Abbott’s  company,  in  Major  Gage’s  regiment,  and 
Daniel  in  the  foot  company  raised  in  Methuen  and 
Andover,  Mass.  After  the  war  they  came  to  Loudon, 
and  settled  with  their  cousin,  Moses  Ordway. 

Stephen  Ordway  married  Rachel  Clifford,  and 
had  three  children,  named  Mary,  Joseph  C.  and 
Benjamin  (twins). 

John  Cassey  Ordway  was  the  son  of  Moses  Ord- 
way (3d),  and  married  Ruth  Sanborn.  He  had  three 
children,  named  Eliza,  Augusta  A.  and  Benjamin  F. 
Ordway. 

The  trials  and  suffering  of  the  lirst  of  the  Ordway 
settlers  were  the  same  as  those  of  others.  Upon  one 
occasion  Mr.  Moses  Ordway,  Jr.,  went  to  Amesbury, 
Mass.,  and  brought  home  one  bushel  of  corn  upon  his 
back,  it  being  a year  when  the  crops  were  cut  off  by 
frost,  and  his  family  subsisted  upon  the  ground-nut 
while  he  was  gone.  A glass  bottle  of  curious  device 
was  brought  from  England  by  one  of  the  two  brothers 
that  first  came,  and  bequeathed  to  one  Moses,  upon 
the  condition  that  it  remain  in  the  family  of  some 
descendant  whose  name  was  Moses  throughout  all 
succeeding  years.  Moses  Ordway,  the  third,  was  the 
last  Moses,  and  it  is  now  in  the  possession  of  John  C., 
whose  father  was  the  last. 

The  number  of  children  in  some  of  the  families  who 
have  lived  in  Loudon  is  here  given,  with  their  names  : 

Moses  Rollins  had  a family  of  eleven,  named  Samuel, 
Anna,  Thomas,  Moses,  William,  Eliza,  Sarah,  Abi- 
gail, Jonathan,  John  and  Dorothy. 

Deacon  Samuel  Sleeper  had  a family  of  fourteen, 
named  Hannah,  Susannah,  Elizabeth,  Molly,  Molly 
(2d),  Anna,  Stephen,  Samuel,  Chase,  Gilman,  Sarah, 
Sarah  (2d),  Maliala  and  Abigail. 

Timothy  Gleason  had  a family  of  ten,  named  John, 
Edmund,  Polly,  Timothy,  Sophia,  Moses,  Nancy, 
Charlotte,  Jeremiah  and  Warren. 

Timothy  French  had  a family  of  seven,  named 
Betty,  Joshua,  Betty  (2d), Mary, Timothy,  Rachel  and 
Joanna. 

Enoch  Osgood  had  a family  of  eleven,  named  Sally, 
Molly,  Nabby,  Deborah,  Elanor,  Josiah,  Dolly,  Nancy, 
Samuel,  Clarissa  and  Betsey. 

Zebulon  Winslow  had  a family  of  eleven, — Moses, 
George,  David,  Sleeper,  Elizabeth,  Lucy,  Mary, 
Zebulon,  Clarissa,  Almira  and  Ann. 

John  Stevens  had  a family  of  ten,  named  Edna, 
Abel,  Elizabeth,  Martha,  Dolly,  John,  Charity,  Rich- 
ard, Jesse  and  David. 

Isaiah  Harvey  had  a family  of  nine,  named  Molly, 


Judith,  David,  Hannah,  Sally,  Jonathan,  Susannah, 
Patty  and  Chase. 

Colonel  Jonathan  Rollins  had  a family  of  ten, 
named  Joanna,  Huldah,  Sophronia,  Judith,  John, 
Sally,  Jeremiah,  Ai,  Judith  (2d),  and  Trueworthy. 

Joshua  French  had  a family  of  seven,  named  Sally, 
John,  David,  Timothy,  Sally,  Daniel  and  Charles. 

Nathaniel  Martin  had  a family  of  nine,  named  Rue, 
Jane,  Elizabeth,  Hannah,  Mary,  Abigail,  Nancy, 
Sally  and  Theophilus. 

John  Stevens  had  a family  of  nine,  named  Harriet, 
Polly,  William,  John,  Jonas,  Parmelia,  Betsey,  Ruth 
and  Jemima. 

Thomas  Proctor  had  a family  of  eleven,  named 
Lydia,  Fanny,  Sally,  Thomas,  Rebecca,  Peter,  Joseph, 
William,  James,  Benjamin  and  Priscilla. 

Nathaniel  Maxfield  had  a family  of  twelve,  named 
Betsey,  Stephen,  Eliplialet,  Mehetable,  Ruth,  Na- 
thaniel, James,  Joseph,  Nathan,  Elle,  Hannah  and 
Samuel. 

Isaac  Dimond  had  a family  of  ten,  named  Isaac, 
Betsey,  Isaac  (2d),  Sally,  Polly,  John,  Abigail,  Andrew, 
Gould  and  Ruth. 

Samuel  Drew  had  a family  of  nine,  named  Hitty, 
Joseph,  Judith,  John,  Stephen,  Samuel,  Sally,  Nathan 
and  Altazera. 

Caleb  Pillsbury  had  a family  of  nine,  named 
Nathan,  Ruth,  Sarah,  Judith,  Elizabeth,  Mary,  Caleb, 
Benjamin  and  Martha. 

Thomas  Sargent  had  a family  of  nine,  named  Dolly, 
Charles,  Thomas,  Josiah,  Sarah,  Susannah,  Timothy, 
David  and  John. 

Philip  Brown  had  a family  of  nine,  named  Thomas, 
William,  David,  Joanna,  Levi,  Philip,  Jr.,  Timothy, 
Asa  and  Eliphalet. 

Samuel  Piper  had  a family  of  nine,  named  Jona- 
than, Benjamin,  Sally,  Jane,  Betsey,  Samuel,  David, 
Elisha  and  Enoch. 

Jeremiah  Bennett  had  a family  of  nine,  named 
William,  Betsey,  Elsa,  Sally,  Rachel,  Jeremiah, 
Leavitt,  Mary  and  Amos. 

Dimond  Furnald  had  a family  of  fifteen,  named 
Sarah,  Polly,  Nabby,  Thomas,  David,  Robert,  Josiah, 
Comfort,  Rachel,  Eunice,  Susa,  John,  Dimond,  Chase 
and  Charlotte. 

The  change  of  the  name  and  absence  of  many  of 
the  old  residents  is  a very  noticeable  fact  in  the  history 
of  the  town.  The  large  families  of  the  name  of  French, 
Wood,  Rollins,  Tucker,  Martin,  Clifford,  Furnald, 
Moulton,  Hutchins,  Proctor,  Lowell,  Gleason,  Holt, 
Tenney,  Sweatt  and  Matlies,  none  are  living  in 
towui ; and  instances  might  be  mentioned  among 
some  of  them  where  there  is  no  heir  to  their  honored 
and  respected  names.  Others  of  equal  importance, 
such  as  Busw'ell,  Sleeper,  Morrill,  Dimond,  Stevens 
and  Young,  have  but  one  left  in  each  family  to  per- 
petuate the  name.  The  interest  which  these  families 
manifested,  and  the  labor  performed  by  them,  both 
in  establishing  and  providing  for  their  descendants  a 


Eng  '‘'by  A H 


/ 


LOUDON, 


509 


government  political  and  religious,  as  well  as  educa- 
tional, which  might  be  perpetuated  to  all  succeeding 
generations,  was  worth  enduring  the  toil  and  hardship 
through  which  they  lived  and  labored. 

War  of  the  Rebellion.— The  following  is  a list  of 
the  names  of  those  who  served  in  the  War  of  the 
Rebellion : 

Jeremiah  Brown,  Jr.,  Roswell  M.  C.  Hilliard,  Moses  Sargent,  Tristram 
B.  Stevens,  Orrin  Ray,  James  H.  Berry,  Nathan  Brew,  Charles  H.  Sar- 
gent, Charles  \V.  Smith,  David  B.  Mason,  Andrew  M.  Heath,  Frank  L. 
Hillsgrove,  John  F.  Hillsgrove,  Justin  S.  Bachelder,  Charles  H.  Willard, 
Joseph  S.  True,  Warren  Lamprey,  Augustus  M.  Westcott,  Hiram  W. 
French,  John  E.  Locke,  James  A.  Pettengill,  Benjamin  H.  Ordway,  Na- 
thaniel Copp,  John  T.  Bachelder,  Harrison  B.  Berry,  George  W.  Wliid- 
den,  Stephen  W.  Newton,  Samuel  Small,  George  H.  Abbott,  John  H. 
Willey,  Roby  M.  True,  Samuel  Runnels,  George  W.  F.  Goldsmith, 
Stephen  M.  Maxfield,  Luther  C.  Copp,  Charles  E.  C.  Tucker,  Joseph  E. 
Clifford,  Jr.,  Charles  A.  Locke,  Benjamin  F.  Wells,  Albert  H.  Hillsgrove, 
Joseph  M.  Hillsgrove,  Joseph  W.  Dickerman,  Erlon  V.  Dillingham, 
Charles  U.  Abbott,  Amos  K.  Copp.  Ransom  D.  Pettengill,  Asahel  G. 
Whidden,  Luther  C.  Whidden,  John  Q.  A.  Sargent,  John  C.  Whidden, 
Samuel  C.  Whidden,  Charles  C.  Rogers,  Henry  I.  Sargent,  Caleb  Brown, 
Frederick  S.  Morse,  Lyman  A.  Hamblet,  Alfred  W.  Maxfield,  Asahel 
Burnham,  Abial  B.  Brown,  George  L.  Moore,  Ira  J.  Hutchinson,  Alfred 
Dearborn,  James  T.  Minard,  James  II.  Chase,  Frank  M.  Gay,  Daniel  F. 
Moses,  Charles  F.  Mason,  Charles  F.  Smith,  Horace  B.  Carr,  Francis 
Henshaw,  Reuben  B.  Haynes,  Charles  II.  Leavitt,  John  A.  Cutler,  John  1 
Nixon,  John  H.  Pingree,  Seth  W.  Saltmarsh,  Amos  C.  Dickerman,  John 
Hastings,  George  Strong,  Joseph  S.  True,  Jefferson  Rogers,  Wyman  Pet- 
tengill, Joseph  A.  Sweatt,  William  Sanborn  (second),  Charles  Nixon, 
Samuel  E.  Johnstou,  Frederick  E.  Copp,  True  C.  Brown,  Edward  Smith, 
William  H.  H.  Watson,  Hiram  F.  Flanders,  Stephen  W.  Bachelder, 
Zara  V.  Hilliard,  John  A.  Smith,  Oliver  Hutchinson,  George  W.  Smith, 
George  H.  Johnston,  Joseph  C.  Haynes,  George  E.  Leavitt,  Joseph  W. 
Blaisdell,  Frank  Locke,  Jeremiah  H.  Smith,  Samuel  A.  Holt,  Albert  L. 
Bachelder,  William  E.  P.  Willey,  John  0.  Connell,  Alexander  Morse, 
Arthur  Burns,  John  A.  Kimball,  Harrison  Griffin,  Stephen  Sweatt. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


DEACON  STEPHEN  WEEKS. 

Deacon  Stephen  Weeks  was  the  son  of  Stephen 
and  Betsey  (Weed)  Weeks,  of  Gilmanton,  N.  H. 
and  came  to  Loudon  near  1843.  He  married,  first, 
Mary  A.  Stevens,  who  died  in  a short  time  after  her 
marriage.  Mr.  Weeks  married,  the  second  time, 
Elizabeth  W.  Haines,  of  Canterbury,  who  was  an  in- 
telligent and  accomplished  woman.  The  second 
marriage  of  Deacon  Weeks  resulted  in  a family  of 
six  children,  named  Adaline,  William  H.,  Martha, 
Abby,  Mary  J.  and  Dora  V. 

Deacon  Weeks,  during  his  early  life,  taught  several 
terms  of  school  during  the  winter,  while  in  other 
seasons  of  the  year  he  bought  and  sold  cattle.  After- 
wards he  bought  a farm  and  gave  his  attention  to 
farming  as  a pursuit.  Having  been  successful  in  this 
calling,  several  years  ago  he  purchased  the  farm  upon 
which  his  family  reside,  refitted  the  buildings  and 
prepared  it  for  his  permanent  home.  During  his 
residence  of  about  forty  years  in  the  town  he  suc- 
ceeded in  laying  up  property  amounting  to  over 


twenty  thousand  dollars  by  diligence,  labor  and 
economy.  He  regarded  the  interest  of  the  town  as 
a citizen,  and  gave  his  iniluence  always  in  that  di- 
rection which  he  considered  as  right  and  just.  He 
was  liberal  in  his  charity  to  others,  whenever  called 
upon  for  aid  and  assistance,  often  bestowing  without 
invitation  whenever  and  wherever  his  feelings 
prompted,  and  never  was  known  to  turn  one  away 
empty.  His  advice  was  safe  and  well  matured 
whenever  applied  for.  He  was  of  a dee])  religious 
cast  of  mind,  a member  of  the  Free  Baptist  Church 
and  for  many  years  was  one  of  its  deacons.  His  interest 
in  his  church  was  large  and  sincere,  for  which  he 
labored  ardently  and  constantly,  being  one  of  the 
large  and  ready  supporters  of  the  gospel  in  all  its 
wants.  He  was  a constant  attendant,  with  his  family, 
upon  public  worship  and  the  Sabbath-school.  His 
last  acts  in  life  were  of  beneficence.  He  died  in 
January,  1885,  a worthy  and  esteemed  citizen  of  the 
town,  and  will  be  cherished  in  the  memory  of  many 
for  the  good  which  he  has  accomplished. 

REV.  JEREMIAH  CLOUGH. 

Rev.  Jeremiah  Clough  was  born  in  Loudon,  N.  H., 
February  3,  1792,  and  was  the  eldest  of  the  five  chil- 
dren of  Jonathan  and  Betsey  Clough.  His  grand- 
father, Jonathan  Clough,  Sr.,  moved  from  Salisbury, 
Mass.,  to  Loudon  about  the  year  1771,  with  five  chil- 
dren, and  located  on  that  tract  which  has  been  known 
as  “Clough’s  Hill,” — then  a wilderness.  He  was 
born  in  1724,  and  married  Elizabeth  Thompson  in 
1756.  His  children  were  named  Joseph,  Nathan, 
Sarah,  Jonathan,  Jr.,  and  Love.  Mr.  Jonathan 
Clough,  Sr.,  was  a man  of  large  business  capacity, 
and  was  chosen  clerk  of  the  parish  for  seventeen 
years  and  selectman  for  four  years.  He  was  a black- 
smith by  trade,  working  both  iron  and  steel.  He 
married  three  times,  but  had  no  children  that  lived 
by  either  of  the  last  two  marriages.  Jonathan 
Clough,  Jr.,  married  Betsy  Clough,  of  Epping,  N.  IF. 
and  had  five  childreu,  named  Jeremiah,  Joseph  and 
Benjamin  (twins),  Jonathan  and  Sally. 

Rev.  Jeremiah  Clough  married  Sabrina  Clough, 
daughter  of  Leavitt  Clough,  of  Canterbury,  in  1813, 
by  whom  he  had  a family  of  eight  children.  Six  of 
them  died  in  infancy  and  before  maturity.  The  two 
youngest  were  named  Jeremiah  L.  and  Charles  C. 
Mr.  Clough  married,  the  second  time,  Deliverance 
Hodgdon,  of  Northfield,  N.  H.,  September  10,  1840. 
They  had  one  daughter,  named  Christiana,  who  is 
the  only  living  representative  of  the  nine  children 
born  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Clough.  After  his  first  mar- 
riage he  moved  to  Canterbury,  with  his  wife’s  father, 
and  was,  for  several  years,  a large  and  successful 
farmer.  He  acquired  a large  property,  and  was  an 
industrious  and  robust  man.  He  was  early  taught 
to  labor,  and  during  his  whole  life  was  industrious 
and  economical  in  all  his  purposes. 


510 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


In  1819  lie  professed  religion,  and  was  licensed  as 
a preacher  of  the  gospel  in  1835.  He  was  ordained 
in  1838.  and  preached  as  an  evangelist,  for  ten  years, 
the  doctrine  of  the  Free-Will  Baptist  denomination. 
He  was  chosen  pastor  of  his  own  church  in  Canter- 
bury in  1848,  and  continued  in  this  relation  until  the 
year  1872,  when  he  suffered  a partial  shock  of  par- 
alysis, and  retired  from  the  active  labors  of  the 
ministry.  • During  his  labors  with  this  church  a 
large  number  were  added  to  it,  and  it  became  one  of 
the  strongest  in  the  Quarterly  Meeting.  In  the  mean 
time  a new  and  commodious  church  edifice  was 
erected,  to  which  Mr.  Clough  was  a large  contributor. 
It  was  dedicated  about  the  year  1853,  Rev.  Mr. 
Clough  preaching  the  ordination  sermon.  He  was  a 
most  devout  man,  and  his  life-work  was  full  of  suc- 
cess as  a gospel  minister.  He  was  a man  of  great 
natural  ability,  and  possessed  fully  the  character- 
istics required  in  a man  of  so  strong  purposes.  He 
was  widely  known  as  an  humble  and  Christian  man. 
devoid  of  all  ostentation  and  display.  His  Christian 
life  was  above  reproach,  while  he  had  the  most 
profound  reverence  for  the  house  of  God  and  all  its 
ordinances,  making  his  worship  at  all  times  spiritual 
and  full  of  devotion.  He  was  full  of  Christian 
charity,  zeal  and  unending  love  for  his  church  in 
Canterbury ; for  Christian  ministers,  making  large 
donations  to  destitute  churches,  aiding  in  building 
houses  of  worship ; thecause  of  education  and  missions ; 
and  was  always  a true  friend  of  the  destitute  and  needy. 
His  word  was  never  doubted  or  his  veracity  ques- 
tioned. 

He  was  a man  of  large  social  qualities,  pos- 
sessing true  affability  of  manners,  which  made  his 
home  social,  agreeable  and  always  pleasant  to  his 
family,  and  full  of  hospitality  to  friends  and  strangers. 
The  words  of  advice  and  counsel  which  fell  from  his 
venerable  lips  were  wise,  safe  and  full  of  consolation, 
especially  in  times  of  affliction  and  trouble.  His 
services  were  largely  sought  in  affliction  by  death  of 
friends,  to  which  his  words  were  as  “ healing  balm.” 
He  always  refused  remuneration  for  all  religious  ser- 
vice throughout  his  entire  life. 

His  family  trials  were  severe  in  the  loss  of  his 
children,  but  were  borne  with  Christian  fortitude. 
One  of  the  greatest  questions  of  his  life  was  to  de- 
cide whether  to  devote  his  life-work  to  the  ministry 
or  not.  This  he  decided  upon  his  knees  in  the  pas- 
ture, beneath  a tree,  which  still  lives,  and  spreads  its 
few  branches  over  the  monument  of  stones  which  he 
erected,  as  a seal  of  the  vow  of  consecration  which 
he  made  to  his  God  more  than  fifty  years  since. 
His  last  act  of  baptism  was  performed  at  the  age  of 
eighty-two  years.  The  Rev.  Jeremiah  Clough  re- 
ceived the  honors  of  his  town  by  being  chosen  to 
office  and  representing  it  in  the  Legislature.  About 
twenty-five  years  since  he  moved  from  Canterbury  to 
his  native  town  of  Loudon,  where  be  died  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty-seven  years. 


His  photograph,  from  which  this  portrait  is  made, 
was  taken  at  the  age  of  eighty-four  years. 

Jeremiah  L.  Clough  married  Clara  Clough,  daugh- 
ter of  the  Hon.  Joseph  Clough,  of  Loudon,  and  had 
two  children,  named  Lucy  S.  and  Jeremiah  J. 

Charles  C.  Clough  married  Mary  E.  Osgood,  daugh- 
ter of  Ira  Osgood,  Esq.,  of  Loudon,  and  had  one  child, 
named  Charla  E.,  who  lives  at  the  old  Clough  home- 
stead in  Canterbury.  Charles  C.  Clough  died  in  July, 
1861,  a noble  and  highly-esteemed  citizen  and  Chris- 
tian man.  His  widow  married,  the  second  time,  the 
Rev.  A.  D.  Smith,  of  Laconia,  who  succeeds  the  Rev. 
.J.  Clough  in  the  ministry  at  Canterbury. 


JOSEPH  BACHELDER. 

Joseph  Bachelderwas  t he  son  of  Captain  Abraham 
Bachelder  (3),  and  was  born  in  Loudon  in  1800.  He 
is  the  descendant  of  Jethro,  and  is  in  the  direct  line 
from  the  Rev.  Stephen  Bachelder,  from  England.  He 
married  Hannah  H.  Hill,  by  whom  he  had  a family 
of  six  children, — John  Q.  A.,  born  March  10,  1826  ; 
Otis  H.,  born  January,  1828,  died  November  17, 
1859;  {Clarissa,  born  {January  6,  1830;  Joseph  P., 
born  October  21,  1835;  Elvira  A.,  born  June  4,  1839; 
Roseltha,  born  April  17,  1845,  died  September  20, 
1860. 

John  Q.  A.  married  Eliza  J.  Sanborn,  daughter 
of  Edmund  Sanborn  ; has  lived  in  Massachusetts 
since  twenty-five  years  of  age ; has  no  children. 

Otis  H.  married  Maria  Howard,  of  Lawrence.  Mass., 
where  he  was  in  trade  until  his  death,  and  left  no 
children. 

Clarissa  married  Cyrus  T.  Bachelder,  and  resides 
in  Peabody,  Mass.,  and  is  engaged  in  trade. 

Joseph  P.  married  Elvira  A.  Whitney,  of  Canter- 
bury, and  had  one  child,  named  Alfred  P. 

Mr.  Bachelder  married,  the  second  time,  Abby  J. 
Demeritt.  Mr.  Bachelder  resides  upon  the  home- 
stead and  occupies  the  pleasant  mansion  of  his 
father.  He  is  a most  thorough  and  practical  farmer 
and  an  honored  and  respected  citizen  of  the  town. 
His  son,  Alfred  T.,  married  Nellie  M.  Brown,  of  Can- 
terbury, and  has  one  child,  named  Ernest  L.,  which 
constitutes  the  sixth  generation  of  Bachelders  that 
have  been  born  in  this  Bachelder  mansion  and  have 
lived  in  the  same,  beginning  with  Jethro. 

Joseph  Bachelder  died  in  Loudon  March  29,  1877. 
He  was  an  able,  upright  and  a respected  citizen  of 
the  town,  and  was  always  interested  deeply  in  the 
cause  of  education,  the  progress  of  science  and  reli- 
gion. He,  with  his  wife,  were  members  of  the  Con- 
gregational Church  at  the  village  in  Loudon  for 
many  years.  He  was  an  excellent  and  practical  far- 
mer, having  one  of  the  finest  situatious  in  the  town, 
upon  which  he  has  made  extensive  improvements.  He 
was  firm  and  decided  in  his  opinions,  and  unyielding 
in  the  principles  which  he  believed  to  be  right.  He 
did  not  interest  himself  in  political  matters  to  any 


LOUDON. 


511 


extent,  and  was  never  elected  to  any  of  the  ordinary 
offices  of  the  town.  He  was  successful  in  the  acqui- 
sition of  property,  and  at  his  death  possessed  a large 
and  valuable  estate.  A relic  is  retained  in  posses- 
sion of  the  family,  which  is  the  wig  worn  by  Jethro, 
Sr.,  who  was  a bald-headed  man.  An  interesting  inci- 
dent is  related  at  his  birth,  which  is,  that  while  going  for 
the  necessary  assistance  in  the  case,  to  a neighbor’s, 
the  person,  in  crossing  a brook,  caught  by  an  elm-tree 
for  support,  which  uprooted  and  was  transplanted  af- 
terward near  the  residence,  and  which  measured,  in 
July,  1885,  seventeen  feet  in  circumference.  In  the 
year  1800  a bear  was  killed,  which  had  two  young 
cubs.  The  oil  was  taken  from  the  old  one. 
Some  of  it  was  sealed  up  in  a small  bottle,  some  ol 
which  was  shown  the  writer  in  1885,  it  being  eighty- 
five  years  old.  One  of  the  cubs  was  killed  with  its 
mother  ; the  other  was  taken  to  the  breast  of  a wo- 
man who  had  lost  a new-born  babe. 

Mr.  Bachelder,  upon  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  his 
marriage,  was  presented,  by  his  connection  and 
friends,  with  a valuable  gold-headed  cane,  which  is 
kept  in  the  family  and  highly  prized. 


SAMUEL  B.  LOVERINO. 

The  first  of  the  Lovering  family  of  whom  we  have 
any  authentic  record  was  Moses  Lovering,  of  Exeter, 
N.  H.  He  married  Nelly  Taylor,  of  Exeter,  by  whom 
he  had  a family  of  thirteen  children, — nine  boys  and 
four  girls,  viz. : Willerby,  Nelly,  Osgood,  Taylor, 
Nancy,  Moses,  Jesse,  Mary,  Zebulon,  John,  Daniel, 
William  and  Sarah.  Of  these,  the  first  eleven  were 
born  in  Exeter,  the  latter  two  in  Loudon.  One  re- 
markable fact  in  a family  so  large  was  that  they  all 
lived  to  be  from  forty  to  ninety  years  of  age.  They 
were  all  married  and  had  families  ; two  of  them,  Moses 
and  William,  were  twice  married ; Mary  was  the  first 
who  died  (about  1815),  and  William  died  in  Spring- 
field  (1865). 

Tn  the  year  1787,  Moses  Lovering,  with  his  family, 
left  Exeter  to  make  his  home  in  the  then  sparsely-set- 
tled region  now  the  populous  and  thrifty  town  of 
Loudon.  Their  household  goods  were  brought  in  an 
ox-team,  while  the  ladies  rode  on  horseback  about 
fifty  miles  along  a forest  pathway  over  the  hills  to 
their  future  home,  a hundred-acre  lot  on  the  site  of 
Mr.  S.  B.  Lovering’s  present  abode.  There  was  a 
primitive  affair  dignified  by  the  title  of  a mill  on  the 
place,  in  which,  by  diligence  and  patience,  they  could 
grind  a bushel  or  so  of  corn.  There  were  none  of  the 
comforts,  or  what  would  be  considered  at  the  present 
day  the  necessities,  of  civilized  life,  surrounding  them 
in  their  frontier  home  ; but  with  the  resolute  will 
which  characterized  the  grand  old  pioneers  of  our 
American  civilization,  they  went  earnestly  and  hope- 
fully to  work  and  soon  converted  the  forest-clad  hills 
into  smiling  fields  teeming  with  cereal  productions, 
and  gradually  gathered  around  them  property  and  con- 
33 


veniences.  They  from  time  to  time  added  to  the  original 
hundred  acres  till  they  possessed  a landed  estate  of 
over  five  hundred  acres.  The  boys  were  ingenious  as 
well  as  industrious;  all  of  them  could  skillfully  handle 
carpenter’s  tools,  and  possessed  the  various  requisite 
qualities  and  accomplishments  for  successful  pio- 
{ neers. 

In  course  of  time  all  the  brothers  married  and  set- 
tled in  Loudon,  and  as  each  one  took  to  himself  a 
companion,  the  other  brothers  would  all  join  together 
and  build  for  the  newly-wedded  couple  a house  to  live 
in.  In  that  early  day  there  was  no  public-school  sys- 
tem in  vogue,  there  were  no  school-houses,  and  the 
only  tutorship  the  children  of  the  neighborhood  could 
obtain  was  when  occasionally  an  itinerant  teacher 
would  come  into  a community  and  teach  for  a few 
months  at  a private  house,  when  those  children  who 
lived  near  enough  and  whose  parents  were  able  to  pay 
for  their  tuition  were  privileged  to  attend.  Moses 
Lovering,  with  a family  of  thirteen  children  to  rear 
and  support,  and  poor  in  purse,  could  not  afford  to 
send  his  children  away  to  school  and  so  they  were 
comparatively  uneducated.  Some  of  the  boys  so  far 
educated  themselves  as  to  be  able  to  attend  to  their 
I business  affairs  without  outside  aid  in  such  matters  as 
required  record  or  correspondence,  but  they  all  felt 
severely  the  need  of  better  education.  They  were  very 
steadfast  in  their  affection  for  each  other,  and  each 
I frequently  visited  the  other  at  their  respective  homes  ; 
and  thus  the  long  winter  evenings  were  spent  in  so- 
cial converse  around  the  hearth-stones  of  those  huge 
old  fire-places,  where  roared  and  crackled  the  blazing 
i wood-fires  of  our  grandsires’  days. 

About  1816,  William  and  Osgood  moved  to  Stew- 
artstown,  N.  II.,  Taylor  to  Canada,  Daniel  and  Wil- 
liam to  Springfield,  N.  H.  From  there  Daniel  went 
to  the  West  and  died.  The  others  died  in  Loudon 
and  vicinity.  The  boys  were  all  Democrats  in 
politics. 

Zebulon  Lovering,  the  father  of  Samuel  B.,  was  born 
in  Exeter,  N.  H.,  July  15,1777.  He  married,  January 
21,  1807,  Abigail  Buswell,  who  was  born  in  Kingston, 
N.  H.  (1787).  Upon  the  death  of  his  father,  Moses, 
Zebulon  inherited  the  homestead  in  Loudon  and  re- 
sided there  till  the  close  of  his  life.  They  had  ten 
children, — Samuel  B.  (portrait  in  this  volume) ; Al- 
mira, born  September  10,  1811,  married  Kinsley  Ma- 
son; Anis  J.,  born  February  12, 1814,  married  George 
W.  Neal;  Sarah  B.,  born  August  14,  1816,  married 
James  McAustin;  Louisa,  born  February  17,  1819, 
married  Aaron  B.Young;  Laura  L.,  born  February  27, 
1822,  married  Rev.  Stephen  Eastman ; Abigail,  born 
August  11,  1824,  married  Osni  P.  Hamblet;  and 
Alonzo  B.,  born  April  13,  1827,  married  Sarah  Davis. 
Zebulon  died  December  21,  1830;  Mrs.  Lovering, 
August  21,  1861. 

Samuel  B.  Lovering,  the  eldest  child  of  Zebulon, 
was  born  April  13,  1808.  In  his  boyhood  days  the 
district  schools  were  usually  kept  about  three  months 


512 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


in  the  year.  He  began  attendance  at  these  when 
about  eight  years  of  age,  and  continued  till  he  was 
eighteen.  After  this  he  took  lessons  of  Master  Tim- 
othy Gleason  in  writing  and  arithmetic.  He  was 
brought  up  to  work  on  the  farm  and  at  the  mill.  The 
year  he  attained  his  majority  his  father  died,  and  the 
care  of  his  widowed  mother  and  the  smaller  children 
devolved  upon  him.  His  father  left  the  farm  to  him 
upon  the  decease  of  his  mother.  Soon  after  his 
father’s  death  he  rebuilt  the  old  mill,  converting  it 
into  a saw-mill,  and  it  has  been  run  as  such  ever 
since,  sawing  lumber,  boards,  shingles  and  laths, 
averaging  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  per 
year.  He  has,  from  time  to  time,  made  additions  to 
the  real  estate  he  inherited  from  his  father,  and  now 
owns  about  four  hundred  acres  of  land.  He  has 
been  a successful  and  prosperous  farmer.  He  united 
wdth  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  when  he  was 
about  thirty  years  of  age,  and  from  that  time  to  the 
present  he  has  been  a consistent  member.  He  is 
fond  of  music  and  accomplished  as  a singer  and  instru- 
mental performer.  He  led  the  choir  in  his  church  for 
twenty  years,  and  in  old  militia  days  he  played  the 
clarionet  at  the  muster-grounds  for  fifteen  years.  He 
has  served  his  town  as  selectman  and  representative 
to  the  Legislature.  He  has  been  justice  of  the 
peace  for  nearly  forty  years,  and  has  been  in  Probate 
Court  business  since  his  first  appointment,  and  has 
settled  many  estates  and  held  other  positions  of  trust. 

He  married,  December  18,  1834,  Mary  S.  Rogers,  of 
Nortlifield;  she  was  born  April  22,  1811,  and  was  a 
lineal  descendant  of  John  Rogers,  the  martyr.  Their 
children  were, — 

Nancy  A.,  born  January  31,  1836;  married  Josiali 
Young,  and  lives  at  Clarksville,  N.  H. 

James  B.,  born  March  7,  1838;  married  Jennie 
Hamilton,  a school-teacher,  of  Brookline,  N.  Y.  He 
was  for  several  years  manager  of  the  Joseph  Dixon 
Crucible  Company,  at  Jersey  City ; now  lives  at 
Webster,  Fla. 

Harleu  P.,  born  June  12,  1843;  married  Eliza 
Wentworth,  of  Boston  ; resides  at  Tampa,  Fla. 

Abigail  M.,  born  May  14,  1845  ; married  Augustus 
A.  Arling,  a farmer  in  Canterbury.  He  died,  and  she 
married  George  Simmons,  of  Boston,  Mass. 

Clara  A.,  born  November  18,  1848  ; died  November 
5,  1855. 

Frank  0.,  born  June  1,  1856;  died  July  7,  1862. 

Mrs.  Lovering  died  November  11,  1858. 

Mr.  Lovering’s  second  wife  was  Lucy  Grace,  of 
Hillsborough,  N.  H.  They  were  married  September 
4,  1859.  She  was  born  February  10,  1826.  Their 
children  were, — 

Clara  A.,  born  July  19,  1860  ; married  Herman  W. 
Mudgett,  M.D. ; now  resides  at  Moore’s  Forks,  N.  Y. 

Frank  0.,  born  April  2,  1863. 

Edwin  E.,  born  April  7,  1865.  Both  the  latter  are 
at  the  old  homestead,  assisting  their  father  in  the 
conduct  of  the  mill  and  farm. 


Mrs.  Lovering  died  March  17,  1878. 

Mr.  Lovering  married  in  Concord,  N.  H.,  Novem- 
ber 11,  1880,  his  present  wife,  Lavina  Hoyt,  of 
Fisherville  (now  Pennacook).  She  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 26,  1832.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Deacon 
Benjamin  Hoyt,  deacon  of  the  First  Baptist  Church 
of  Pennacook  from  its  organization  till  his  death, 
September  6,  1864.  Mrs.  Lovering  has  been  a member 
of  the  same  church  since  her  nineteeth  year.  She 
for  many  years  taught  a class  of  girls  in  the  Sabbath- 
school  there,  and  all  of  them  have  subsequently 
united  with  the  church. 

Deacon  Benjamin  Hoyt  was  noted  for  his  moral 
integrity  and  strict  piety.  He  was  a successful 
farmer  and  a highly-respected  citizen  of  his  town.  He 
was  descended  from  John  Hoyt,  one  of  the  original 
settlers  of  Salisbury,  Mass.  (For  a more  extended  an- 
cestral history  of  the  Hoyt — or  Hoitt — family  see 
biography  of  Thomas  L.  Hoitt,  in  this  volume.) 

Mrs.  Lovering’s  mother  was  Hannah  Eastman,  a 
descendant  of  Captain  Ebenezer  Eastman,  who  in 
early  life  followed  the  seas,  and  was  one  of  the  pio- 
neer settlers  of  ancient  Pennacook  (now  Concord), 
N.  H.  Another  of  her  ancestors  was  Captain  Joseph 
Eastman,  who  figured  in  the  French  and  Indian  War. 
Mrs.  Hoyt  wras  a very  pious  woman,  and  when  her 
husband,  the  deacon,  was  absent  from  home,  attend- 
ing evening  meetings,  she  would  talk  and  pray  with 
her  children,  and  teach  them  the  importance  of  God’s 
word  ; all  of  them  have  since  become  members  of  the 
church. 


DAVID  J.  FRENCH. 

David  J.  French  was  born  in  Loudon  September 
2,  1805.  He  was  the  great-grandson  of  Timothy 
French,  who  came  from  Salisbury,  Mass.,  about  the 
year  1773,  and  settled  in  the  northeast  part  of  Lou- 
don, and  was  among  the  first  who  settled  in  that  local- 
ity. At  that  time  there  was  no  road  leading  from  the 
old  Dr.  Tenney  corner  northwesterly  to  Loudon  Ridge, 
save  a sled-path  used  in  the  wdnter  season.  Hecleared 
the  land  for  his  farm,  which  was  a wilderness;  built  a 
house  and  drew  the  boards  from  Cram’s  mill,  in  Pitts- 
field, to  board  it,  upon  w'heels  as  far  as  the  Tenney 
corner,  and  then  upon  a sled  in  the  month  of  July  to 
his  future  residence.  His  father  was  Joshua  French, 
who  lived  upon  the  farm  which  has  always  been  occu- 
pied in  the  French  name.  David  J.  French  lived 
with  his  father  until  about  twenty-six  years  of  age, 
when  he  married  and  soon  after  purchased  the  farm 
where  he  now  resides,  and  commenced  for  himself  and 
family  a farmer’s  life,  about  the  year  1832,  which  avo- 
cation he  has  followed  to  the  present  time,  and  at  the 
age  of  eighty  years  was  found  in  his  field  with  a scythe 
in  his  hand,  able  to  cut  and  put  into  his  barn  one 
acre  of  grass  a day.  He  is  a man  of  robust  form,  and 
possesses  a strong  and  iron  constitution,  for  which 
the  French  family  have  ever  been  noted.  He  has 


LOUDON. 


51-3 


been  very  successful  in  acquiring  property;  commenc- 
ing with  an  indebtedness  of  five  hundred  dollars,  he 
is  now  the  owner  of  several  tracts  of  land,  besides 
several  thousand  dollars  in  banks  and  upon  loan, 
which  he  has  earned  by  hard  labor,  and  not  by 
speculation  or  intrigue.  Mr.  French  received  only  a 
common-school  education,  but  possesses  large,  native 
abilities,  which,  being  well  cultivated,  have  enabled 
him  by  persistent  effort  to  hew  his  way  successfully 
through  life.  As  a politician  he  is  a most  thorough 
Republican,  always  attending  the  annual  meetings  of 
the  town  and  manifesting  a great  interest  in  every 
matter  that  pertains  to  the  highest  and  best  interest 
of  his  native  town,  and  acting  at  all  times  in  his  polit- 
ical life  as  though  conscious  of  his  accountability  to  a 
power  which  is  infinite  and  supreme. 

He  is  a man  of  strong  religious  feeling,  and  has  for 
many  years  led  a life  of  daily  and  family  prayer.  Be- 
ing retiring  in  his  manner  in  public  religious  duties 
and  profession,  he  lias  never  connected  himself  with 
any  church,  but  is  a constant  attendant  upon  worship 
at  the  house  of  God  whenever  practicable.  Mrs. 
French  died  January  22,  1872.  Since  her  death  and 
that  of  his  son  Isaac,  Mr.  French  has  lived  at  the  old 
home  alone,  patiently  waiting  the  summons  that  shall 
call  him  to  meet  the  loved  ones  who  have  gone  before. 

Dr.  Isaac  S.  French  was  the  only  child  of  David  J. 
French,  and  died  in  the  year  1878.  He  married  Au- 
gusta French  and  had  no  family.  Dr.  French  in- 
herited from  his  father  characteristics  that  were 
strongly  marked  in  boyhood,  and  being  well  culti- 
vated, enabled  him  to  become  an  eminent  and  useful 
man,  although  young.  He  was  well  educated  by  his 
father  at  Gilmanton  Academy,  and  studied  medicine 
with  the  venerable  Dr.  Nahum  Wight;  he  attended 
college  at  Pittsfield,  Mass.,  and  at  the  medical  college 
at  Hanover,  N.  H.,  from  which  he  graduated  as  a 
physician.  He  commenced  practice  in  Salisbury, 
Mass.,  and  remained  one  year,  and  then  returned  to 
bis  native  town  and  engaged  actively  in  his  profes- 
sion with  success.  His  business  relations  were  exten- 
sive, and  he  occupied  positions  of  trust.  He  held  the 
situation  of  assessor  of  the  internal  revenue  for  the 
Congressional  district  in  which  he  resided,  under 
the  administration  of  President  Lincoln,  besides  doing 
a large  local  business  as  a justice  of  the  peace  in  his 
own  town  and  surroundings.  He  acquired,  by 
economy,  frugality  and  labor,  in  a few  years  a hand- 
some property,  and  had  well  established  himself 
among  his  townsmen  in  bis  calling  and  profession. 
He  died  in  the  prime  of  his  life  and  in  the  midst  of 
his  usefulness,  having  large  “ honor  in  bis  own  coun- 
try.” 


STEPHEN  MOORE. 


Stephen  Moore  is  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Comfort 
(Perkins)  Moore,  and  grandson  of  Captain  Samuel 
Moore,  who  was  twice  married  and  had  a family  of 
ten  children.  He  was  a native  of,  and  resided  in  Can- 


terbury, where  bis  father  was  town  clerk.  He  held  a 
commission  as  captain  under  King  George  III.  but 
when  the  Revolutionary  struggle  began  he  resigned 
his  commission,  and,  casting  his  fortunes  with  the 
colonies,  fought  during  the  war  on  the  American  side. 
He  died  just  before  independence  was  established, 
and  his  son  Thomas,  then  a lad  of  fifteen,  was  bound 
out  to  a farmer  at  old  Hampton,  but,  becoming  dis- 
satisfied with  his  new  home,  and  fired  with  the  martial 
spirit  of  the  times,  be  ran  away  and  enlisted  in  the 
army,  serving  about  six  mouths. 

Captain  Samuel  was  by  occupation  a farmer  and 
inn-keeper.  He  kept  the  hostelry  known  for  many 
years  as  the  McCrillis  tavern,  about  a mile  south  of 
Canterbury  Centre. 

Thomas  Moore  was  brought  up  on  the  farm,  to  the 
time  of  his  father’s  death.  In  1785  he  first  began  im- 
proving the  tract  of  land,  in  what  is  now  the  town  of 
Loudon,  where  he  subsequently  made  his  home.  Jan- 
uary 11,  1787,  he  married  Comfort  Perkins,  and,  hav- 
ing previously  built  a small  house  on  bis  Loudon  land, 
the  young  couple  at  once  went  there  and  began  house- 
keeping, and  there  the  remainder  of  their  lives  were 
passed.  The  part  of  Loudon  in  which  lie  located  was 
then  an  unbroken  forest ; he  was  the  first  settler  in 
that  part  of  the  town. 

He  was,  by  natural  gifts,  a bright,  intelligent  man, 
but  had  no  educational  advantages  in  bis  youth. 
When,  in  after-years,  he  had  gathered  a little  property 
around  him,  and  had  a child  large  enough  to  receive 
instruction,  he  aud  a neighbor  named  Wheeler  hired 
a private  tutor  to  come  to  their  homes,  who,  spending 
his  time  alternately  between  the  two  houses,  taught 
both  parents  and  children.  Thomas  Moore  was  always 
a friend  of  education,  and  when  the  town  began  to 
appropriate  money  for  school  purposes,  but  bad  as 
yet  no  school  building,  he  tendered  the  use  of  his 
dwelling,  and  the  school  was  kept  in  summer-time  in 
bis  barn,  and  in  the  winter  months  in  bis  residence. 
He  was  one  of  the  committee  who  first  districted  the 
town  for  school  purposes,  aud  lie  held  various  minor 
offices  in  the  town.  Their  family  consisted  of  nine 
children,  seven  of  whom  reached  maturity,  viz. : 

Polty,  died  unmarried. 

Samuel,  married  Charlotte  Foster,  of  Canterbury, 
and  had  one  child,  now  Mrs.  Kate  Rowe,  of  Rochester, 
N.  Y. 

Joanna,  died  unmarried. 

Alexander,  married  Mary  Page,  of  New  Hampton  ; 
had  a family  of  several  children,  who  grew  up  to  ma- 
turity. 

Stephen,  subject  of  sketch. 

Sophronia,  married  Jacob  A.  Potter,  of  Concord, 
and  had  a family  of  four  children. 

Comfort,  married  William  A.  W.  Neal,  of  Concord, 
and  had  one  son. 

Thomas,  died  young. 

Myra,  married  Joseph  N.  Wadleigh,  of  Loudon, 
and  had  four  children. 


514 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Of  these  nine  children  of  Thomas  and  Comfort 
Moore,  Stephen  is  the  only  one  now  (1885)  surviving. 

Thomas  Moore  was  an  industrious  and  enterprising  , 
farmer,  and  did  much  toward  improving  the  tract  of 
land  on  which  he  had  made  his  home.  In  religious 
belief  he  was  a Congregationalist,  and  his  wife  was  a 
Free-Will  Baptist. 

Stephen  Moore,  like  others  of  his  time  and  locality, 
had  very  limited  advantages  in  the  way  of  schooling. 
Brought  up  on  the  farm,  he  worked  hard  in  his  boy- 
hood, but  improved  what  little  time  he  had  for  study 
as  best  he  could,  studying  nights  and  at  leisure  times, 
and  thus  obtained  a fair  English  education.  Upon 
his  father’s  decease  the  property  was  divided  among 
seven  children,  but  Stephen  purchased  the  interest, 
from  time  to  time,  of  the  other  heirs,  until  he  finally 
became  the  possessor  of  the  home  farm  and  adjacent 
wild  lands,  and  here,  for  more  than  half  a century, 
he  toiled  and  labored  and  reared  a family  of  children. 
Like  his  father,  he  was  hardy,  industrious  and  frugal, 
and  he  gradually  improved  the  farm  and  buildings 
thereon,  and  gathered  property  around  him,  until  he 
became  in  very  comfortable  circumstances,  and  was 
the  proprietor  of  one  of  the  best  kept  farms  in  his 
town. 

In  April,  1809,  the  barn  on  the  home  farm  of 
Thomas  Moore  was  burned,  together  with  four  oxen, 
four  cows,  ten  tons  of  hay  and  farming  implements. 
Supposed  to  be  the  work  of  an  incendiary.  There 
was  no  insurance. 

The  esteem  in  which  Mr.  Moore  was  held  by  his 
neighbors  was  evidenced  by  numerous  small  presents, 
such  as  lumber,  labor,  etc. ; also  a cow  given  by  the 
Shakers.  Within  six  weeks  after  his  barn  was  burned, 
he,  with  the  help  of  his  neighbors,  had  taken  from 
the  woods  the  lumber,  and  built  the  barn  Avhich  at 
present  stands  there.  He  also  built  a shed  and  car- 
riage-house connected  with  the  barn,  and  dug  a well. 
In  1822-23,  Samuel,  Alexander  and  Stephen  Moore 
erected  a saw-mill  on  a small  stream  running  through 
the  home  farm,  for  the  purpose  of  sawing  their  own 
lumber.  A few  years  later  the  mill  came  into  the 
possession  of  Stephen.  Samuel  and  Stephen  also 
bought  and  used  the  first  shingle-mill  which  was 
brought  into  the  town.  It  cost,  with  right  to  use  the 
same,  one  hundred  and  forty  dollars.  They  used  it 
twenty  years. 

In  1840,  Stephen  Moore  dug  a well  fifty  rods  from 
the  buildings,  laid  pipes  and  brought  the  water  to  his 
house  and  barn.  He  also  built  a small  barn,  thirty 
by  thirty-six  feet,  for  sheep,  on  the  northeast  side  of 
the  large  barn.  In  1848  he  built  an  ell  to  the  dwell- 
ing-house, forty  by  twenty  feet,  consisting  of  kitchen, 
pantry  and  wood-shed.  In  1850  he  divided  the  large 
barn  in  the  middle,  moved  one  part  back,  put  in  an 
addition  of  twenty  feet,  making  it  seventy-six  by 
forty-four  feet.  He  also  built  a shed,  thirty  by  sixteen 
feet,  connected  with  the  small  barn.  In  1850-51  he 
raised  six  hundred  and  fifty  bushels  of  rye  on  outlands, 


where  he  had  cut  wood  and  timber,  and  cleared  for 
pasture.  In  1860  he  sowed  four  bushels  of  wheat  on 
, two  and  a half  acres  of  land,  and  harvested  therefrom 
a crop  of  one  hundred  bushels. 

In  September,  1866,  Mr.  Moore  removed  from  the 
home  farm  to  the  village  of  Loudon  Mills,  and  the 
homestead  came  into  the  possession  of  his  son,  A.  G. 
Moore,  who,  in  1868,  raised  the  barn  and  put  in  a 
cellar,  seventy-six  by  twenty-four  feet,  with  walls  of 
split  granite.  In  1869  he  built  a carriage-house  and 
stable,  thirty-six  by  twenty-six  feet.  In  1874  he  put 
new  wheels  and  gearing  in  the  saw-mill,  and  in  1884 
he  took  up  the  lead  pipes  laid  by  his  father,  Stephen, 
and  in  their  place  laid  cement-lined  iron  pipes  to  the 
house  and  barn.  He  has  also  continued  in  various 
ways  to  improve  the  farm,  and  has  been  very  success- 
ful in  conducting  it. 

Stephen  Moore  married,  January  31, 1827,  Mary  L., 
daughter  of  Joseph  and  Nancy  (Wells)  Greeley,  of 
Gilmanton,  N.  H.  They  had  eight  children, — 

Joseph  G.,  born  December  12, 1827. 

Albert,  born  February  21,  1831 ; died  in  infancy. 

Anne  Maria,  born  July  17,  1833;  died  September 
20,  1881. 

Andrew  G.,  born  January  12,  1836;  married  Laura 
A.,  daughter  of  Zephaniah  and  Mary  Batchelder;  has 
one  child  living. 

George  L.,  born  March  8,  1838  ; enlisted  in  Union 
army  and  died  in  hospital,  July  12,  1864. 

Infant  son,  unnamed,  died  in  infancy. 

Mary  R.,  born  September  14,  1842 ; died  October 
10,  1876. 

Caroline  A.,  born  November  23, 1848;  died  January 
1,  1852. 

Joseph  G.,  married  first  Mary  A.  Arlin,  and  second 
Anne  Nichols.  He  has  five  children,  all  sons,  and 
resides  in  Dubuque,  Iowa,  where  he  is  at  present  en- 
gaged in  the  wood  and  coal  business.  He  has  been, 
however,  for  about  thirty  years,  a railroad  engineer. 

Anne  M.,  married  John  O.  Hobbs,  of  Deerfield.  He 
removed  to  Newport,  N.  H.,  and  was  a merchant  tailor 
there  to  the  time  of  his  death.  His  only  child,  Miss 
Kate  Hobbs,  graduates  from  the  academy  there  in 
the  class  of  1886. 

Mrs.  Moore  died  March  31,  1854.  Mr.  Moore  mar- 
ried, as  his  second  wife,  Mrs.  Mary  Berry,  widow  of 
Alanson  Berry,  of  Loudon,  a daughter  of  Levi  Bean, 
of  Brentwood,  N.  H.  Mr.  Moore  has  given  all  of  his 
children  an  academical  education,  at  the  various 
academies  of  Gilmanton,  Pittsfield,  Sanbornton  and 
Loudon. 

Since  Mr.  Moore’s  residence  at  the  village  he  has 
accomplished  a work  at  once  unique  and  interesting. 
He  owned  a tract  of  woodland  lying  adjacent  to  the 
church  and  bordering  on  the  village,  which  he  made 
overtures  to  the  village  to  assist  in  converting  into  a 
cemetery;  not  meeting  with  a satisfactory  response, 
he  conceived  the  idea  of  himself  beautifying  and 
adorning  the  grounds  and  preparing  it  for  future  use 


LOUDON. 


515 


as  a restiug-place  for  the  dead.  With  characteristic 
energy,  he  at  once  set  about  carrying  his  plans  into 
execution,  and  here,  toiling  day  after  day,  to  accom- 
plish his  cherished  purpose,  the  last  twenty  years  of 
his  life  have  been  spent.  Beginning  this  enterprise 
at  an  age  when  most  men  are  ready  to  retire  from  ac- 
tive life,  it  is  astonishing  to  see  what  he  has,  unaided 
and  alone,  accomplished. 

The  tract  of  land  selected  was,  by  nature,  well 
adapted  to  the  use  to  which  he  has  applied  it.  It  is 
peculiar  in  its  topographical  conformation,  there 
being  a deep  basin  in  the  centre,  with  level-topped 
ridges  surrounding  it  on  three  sides,  with  a slight  de- 
pression or  hollow  leading  off  on  the  third.  It  is  a 
beautifully  wooded  tract,  not  dense,  but  nicely  dis- 
tributed over  almost  the  entire  surface.  This  tract, 
consisting  of  about  six  acres,  Mr.  Moore  has  fenced 
in  with  split  granite  posts,  set  about  eighteen  inches 
apart,  around  three  sides  of  the  inclosure  and  a part 
of  the  fourth.  The  posts  stand  about  three  feet  and 
half  above  ground  and  about  eighteen  inches  under 
the  surface.  This  fence  is  to  be  completed  by  an  iron 
rod  traversing  the  top  of  the  posts  and  fastened  to 
each,  the  holes  being  already  drilled  for  the  purpose. 

In  the  valley,  in  the  centre  of  the  cemetery,  Mr. 
Moore  has  leveled  off  the  land  and  walled  the  edges 
of  the  basin  with  split  granite.  In  the  centre  of  this 
beautiful  little  plot  is  a miniature  lake,  with  water 
clear  as  crystal,  to  which  there  is  no  visible  inlet  or 
outlet;  and  in  the  centre  of  this  lake  Mr.  Moore  has 


constructed  a little  island  and  planted  it  with  flowers. 
He  has  also  constructed  a beautiful  drive  around  the 
park  or  basin,  and  built  a receiving  vault  in  the  hill- 
side, near  the  entrance  to  the  valley.  He  has  cleared 
the  underbrush  from  most  of  the  tract,  and  contem- 
plates laying  out  drives  around  and  through  it.  In 
doing  this  work,  Mr.  Moore  has  built  to  himself  a 
monument  that  will  not  only  serve  to  keep  imperish- 
able his  own  memory,  but  he  has  prepared  a resting- 
place  for  the  generations  that  will  succeed  him,  credit- 
able to  himself,  ornamental  to  the  town  and  of  service 
to  the  community  at  large. 

Mr.  Moore  took  an  active  part  in  building  the  Con- 
gregational Church  in  Loudon  village  and  in  supply- 
ing the  same  with  a bell.  He  is  a member  of  the 
Congregational  Society. 

He  has  never  been  an  oftice-seeker,  but  has  preferred 
the  quiet  walk  of  the  private  citizen.  In  militia  days, 
before  the  war,  however,  he  took  an  interest  in  mili- 
tary matters  and  held  the  rank  of  captain. 

Through  a long  life  he  has  been  an  earnest,  honest, 
industrious,  hard-working  and  successful  man.  Pos- 
sessed of  a strong  physique,  lie  still  bids  fair  to  survive 
many  years.  He  began  life  prior  to  the  present  cen- 
tury, being  born  June  29,  1799.  He  has  outlived  all 
of  his  immediate  family,  and  most,  if  not  all,  of  his 
schoolmates  and  boyhood  companions.  His  hearing 
is  defective,  but  with  that  exception,  his  senses  are 
remarkably  well  preserved,  and  his  general  health 
exceptionally  good. 


HISTORY  OF  NORTHFIELD. 


BY  LUCIAN  HUNT,  A.M.. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Geography. — Northfield,  in  Merrimack  County, 
was  so  named,  it  is  said,  because  lying  north  of  Can- 
terbury, from  which  it  was  set  off  by  the  act  of  incor- 
poration in  1780. 

It  contains  about  twenty-seven  square  miles,  or 
seventeen  thousand  acres,  and  is  bounded  on  the 
north  by  the  Winnipisaukee 1 River,  east  by  Gilman- 
ton  and  Canterbury,  south  by  Canterbury  and  west 
by  Franklin  and  the  Merrimack  River.  Once  North- 
field  was  bounded  by  the  Merrimack  along  its  whole 
western  border,  but  its  northwest  corner,  embracing 
what  is  now  Franklin  Falls,  sloped  so  lovingly 
towards  Franklin,  and  Franklin  looked  so  longingly 
towards  the  corner,  that  they  became  united  in  the 
year  1858  by  act  of  Legislature. 

Northfield,  like  many  other  New  Hampshire  towns, 
has  a diversified  aspect.  It  has  hill  and  vale,  upland 
and  low  plain,  waving  woods,  smooth,  rolling  fields, 
rich  intervale,  and  beyond  question  belongs  to  the 
Granite  State,  as  that  mineral  abounds  in  all  its  varied 
forms — sands,  pebbles,  bowlders,  ledges  and  the  bare 
mountain  peak. 

The  general  appearance  of  the  town,  however,  is 
that  of  a trough-like  valley  running  north  and  south, 
with  a parallel  ridge  of  hills  ou  each  side, — the  west- 
ern called  Oak  Hill,  and  the  northeastern  Bay, 
which,  extending  southward,  culminates  in  the 
mountain  peak  of  Beau  Hill. 

Of  the  three,  Oak  Hill  is  more  smooth  and  regular, 
and  presents  a longer  succession  of  excellent  farms, 

1 We  propose  that  this  spelling  be  adopted.  The  common  method  ! 
misleads  as  regards  the  pronunciation.  Were  the  g pronounced  hard, 
giving  the  Indian  guttural , as  the  original  spellers  intended,  thus — “Win- 
nipissoggy  ” — it  might  do;  but  g followed  bye  is  expected  to  be  pro-  i 
n ou need  soft,  which  here  would  be  “sodgy,”  of  course  wrong.  Spelled 
with  a k does  not  exactly  give  the  proper  sound,  but  approximates  ; it  is 
much  better  than  the  ordinary  spelling.  And  k is  very  frequently  sub- 
stituted for  g in  Indian  names  ; for  instance,  Nantucket  for  Nantugget , j 
though  the  latter  gives  more  correctly  the  Indian  guttural.  So,  Paw-  j 
tucket,  not  Pawtugget.  Our  two  brooks  give  the  true  Indian  gutturals 
— Sondogardy  and  Skenduggardy — not  dodgeardy  or  dudgerdy.  Winni-  | 
pisaukee,  so  spelled,  look s more  like  an  Indian  name,  sounds  more  like 
an  Indian  name  ; it  is  an  Indian  name.  Also,  let  there  be  a double  e at 
the  end  ; otherwise  a stranger  would  be  sure  to  pronounce  the  last  two 
syllables,  sawk. 

516 


and  Bay  Hill,  with  equally  good  farms,  though  less  in 
number,  has  more  charming  scenery — indeed,  few 
places  in  New  England  can  surpass  it  in  that  respect — 
and  is  nearer  the  privileges  of  the  flourishing  village 
of  Tilton,  while  Bean  Hill  is  by  far  the  most  con- 
spicuous, being,  in  fact,  the  highest  elevation  between 
this  part  of  the  Merrimack  Valley  and  the  Atlantic  ; 
but  the  many  goodly  farms  on  its  broad  shoulders, 
though  well  rewarding  the  true  farmer,  are  not,  on 
the  whole,  considered  so  attractive  as  those  of  her 
sister  hills,  being  too  much  lifted  up  and  too  near 
the  primitive  rock  of  the  summit. 

Bay  Hill  derived  its  name  from  the  fine  view  it 
affords  of  Sanhornton  Bay,  so  called,  which  is,  in 
reality,  the  lower  part  of  the  lake,  with  a slight  inter- 
vening fall.  We  challenge  New  Hampshire,  south 
of  Red  Hill,  to  produce  a scene  of  quiet,  rural 
beauty,  with  a touch  of  the  grand,  equal  to  the  pros- 
pect from  Bay  Hill,  looking  north. 

Before  you  is  spread  the  valley  of  the  Winnipisau- 
kee, with  its  lake  of  that  name;  and  flowing  from  it, 
with  its  succession  of  bays  and  rapids,  comes  the 
river,  dancing  onward  to  bathe  Nortlifield’s  northern 
boundary,  and  to  blend  with  her  sister,  Pemigewasset, 
on  its  western  border.  The  valley  is  oval,  and  look- 
ing over  its  largest  diameter,  you  see  it  encircled  by 
Gunstock,  Belknap,  Blue  Mountain,  Ossipee,  Red  Hill 
and  others,  keeping  watch  and  ward,  as  it  were,  over 
the  beautiful  valley  they  inclose;  while  over  their 
heads,  in  the  far  distance,  we  espy  Chocorua,  Cardi- 
gan, Mount  Washington  and  his  brothers,  while  di- 
rectly west,  on  our  left,  like  a pyramid,  rises  Kear- 
sarge,  and  nestled  below,  amid  green  foliage  and 
sparkling  waters,  within  a mile’s  distance,  lies  the 
bustling,  romantic,  growing  village  of  Tilton,  with 
its  river,  its  fairy  isle,  its  busy  factories,  pleasant 
residences,  Roman  arch,  college  buildings  and  Til- 
ton mansion,  and  surrounding  these  on  all  sides 
stretch  away,  mile  upon  mile,  substantial  upland 
farms.  Oak  Hill  also  has  a tine  view  of  Tilton  on 
the  one  side  and  Franklinward  down  into  the  valley 
of  the  Merrimack  on  the  other. 

Bean  Hill  owes  its  name,  presumably,  not  to  that 
esculent  prized  so  highly  as  a dish  indispensable  to  a 


NORTH  FIELD. 


517 


New  England  Sunday  dinner,  but  to  a man  of  that 
name;  but  how,  when  or  where,  we  have  been  able 
to  find  no  record.  It  throws  forward  a broad  spur  to 
the  north  and  another  to  the  east  into  Canterbury, 
and  on  these  are  its  most  valuable  farms.  Its  summit 
is  divided  into  three  peaks,  and  corresponding  to  these 
are  two  narrow  parallel  valleys  on  the  southern  slope, 
shedding  their  waters  into  a pond  just  beyond  the 
line  in  Canterbury.  The  view  from  the  summit  is 
far  more  widely  extended  than  elsewhere  in  town,  but 
loses  much  of  the  scenic  beauty  of  the  Bay  Hill  pros- 
pect, which  latter  is  literally  picturesque, — a picture 
set  in  a mountain  frame. 

Besides  these,  two  smaller  elevations  claim  a 
moment’s  attention. 

One  is  the  bold  bluff  opposite  the  Tilton  bridge, 
on  which  the  granite  arch  is  erected,  sometimes  called 
Mount  Griswold,  from  a legend  I dimly  remember 
to  have  heard  many  years  since,  to  the  effect  that 
Fort  Griswold  once  stood  on  its  summit,  as  a defense 
against  the  Indians.  How  much  truth  there  is  in  the 
tradition  we  cannot  say,  but  we  think  now  would  be  a 
good  time  to  christen  it  with  some  permanent  appella- 
tion. What  say,  Nortlifielders,  shall  it  be  Mount  Gris- 
wold, or  Monument  Mount,  or  Arch  Hill,  or  River 
Ridge,  or  Bridge  Bluff,  or  Tiltonberg? 

Mount  Tugg,  as  the  other  elevation  is  called,  stands 
not  far  from  the  highway,  as  you  approach  Bean  Hill. 
There  is  some  doubt  about  the  origin  of  the  name, 
but  it  might  have  come  from  the  following  incident, 
to  which  the  writer  was  a witness,  at  just  about  the 
year  when  he  was  entering  his  teens : 

One  glorious  Fourth  in  that  long-ago  time,  several 
boys  from  the  Bridge  took  it  into  their  heads  to  cele- 
brate the  day  by  taking  a quiet  stroll  through  the 
woods  and  pastures.  About  the  noontide  hour  they 
halted  on  the  summit  of  the  hill  in  question  for  rest 
and  to  enjoy  the  prospect.  At  the  foot  of  the  hill  was 
a fence,  and  beyond  the  fence  a beautiful  field  of 
grain,  with  the  owner’s  house  close  by.  Now  it 
happened,  as  mischief  would  have  it;  that  a large 
bowlder  was  standing  at  that  time  near  the  edge  of 
the  summit,  only  waiting  apparently  for  a little 
friendly  help  to  make  a gymnastic  journey  below. 
This  was  the  glorious  Fourth — a day  gotten  up  to 
honor  the  Revolution ! Why  not  have  a revolution 
of  their  own?  Agreed ; they  would  revolutionize  that 
bowlder ! So  with  sticks  and  stakes  and  hands  they 
pushed  and  pried  and  tugged, — especially  the  latter. 
They  tugged  above,  and  they  tugged  below,  and  they 
tugged  till  the  sweat  streamed  from  their  faces,  and 
finally  giving  a huge  tug,  and  a tug  altogether,  it  top- 
pled, and  was  soon  making  as  satisfactory  revolu- 
tions as  they  could  desire.  These  young  revolutionists 
had  calculated  that  on  reaching  the  fence  it  would 
stop,  as  a well-behaved  bowlder  ought, — but,  alas,  for 
youthful  calculations ! for  they  were  now  to  learn  that 
revolutions  of  masses,  whether  of  men  or  stones,  when 
once  set  well  in  motion,  are  to  be  guided  or  checked 


by  no  fence,  whether  fence  of  field,  or  the  defence  of 
society  ; for,  crashing  through  the  obstacle,  as  though 
it  were  made  of  straw,  it  rushed  revolving  along  till 
it  had  ploughed  a road  through  the  grain  nearly  to 
the  farther  side.  At  this  juncture,  as  was  proper, 
from  the  house  appeared  the  owner.  And  then  and 
there,  we  will  venture  to  say,  was  delivered  the  most 
impassioned  Fourth  of  July  oration  ever  heard 
within  the  bounds  of  Northfield.  It  was  impromptu 
— without  notes,  without  circumlocution,  direct, 
to  the  point,  in  choicest  Saxon,  and  the  man 
evidently  meant  business,  for  the  word  gun  occurred 
in  it  several  times,  and  the  name  of  a place  hotter 
than  where  they  were,— by  the  way,  it  was  a very  hot 
day, — and  closed  by  expressing  the  wish  that  they 
were  obliged  to  roll  that  stone  up  the  hill  again  with 
the  stimulus  of  the  lash  on  their  bare  backs.  On 
being  kindly  reminded  by  the  boys  that  revolutions 
never  went  backwards,  he  responded  emphatically  that 
they  would  speedily  be  ti’ansferred  to  another  locality 
by  a shot-gun  conveyance  if  they  ever  started  an- 
other revolution  on  his  grounds.  The  audience  then 
dispersed.  And  whether  the  patriotism  of  those 
boys  was  the  more  firmly  fixed  in  after-years  by  the 
eloquence  then  poured  forth  I know  not ; but  this  I 
know, — that  ever  since  that  day  the  hill  has  been 
called  Mount  Tugg.  The  revolution  is  ended,  the  grain 
cut,  the  reaper  gone;  but  the  bowlder  lies  there 
still, — a stubborn  witness  to  the  truth  of  my  words. 

Rivers. — The  principal  rivers,  I believe,  wholly 
within  the  limits  of  the  town  are  two,  of  which  one 
is  the  Skenduggardy, — remember,  that  is  the  correct 
name,  for  it  was  always  so  called  by  the  older  inhabi- 
tants and  by  the  younger  generation  till  an  ill-in- 
formed Gazetteer  gave  it  another  title.  Sondogardy 
belongs  by  right  to  the  brook  that  flows  from  Sondo- 
gardy Pond,  a mile  or  two  away,  which  now  goes  by 
the  name  of  Cross  Brook.  Call  things  by  their  right 
names,  Gentlemen  Gazetteermen,  and  let  us,  fellow- 
Northfielders,  lead  back  with  due  honor  the  beauti- 
ful and  original  Indian  titles  to  our  two  little  rivers. 

The  first-named  is  formed  by  the  union  of  a branch 
flowing  from  Chestnut  Pond  with  another  from  the 
heights  of  Bean  Hill,  and  empties  into  the  Winnipi- 
saukee.  It  was  once  something  of  a manufacturing 
stream,  as  it  carried  two  saw-mills,  and  more  anciently 
by  flowage,  and  with  the  assistance  of  those  primitive 
dam-builders,  the  beavers,  manufactured  the  valuable 
Smith  and  Thurston  meadows ; but  of  late  it  has 
given  up  the  sawing  and  flowage  business,  and  seems 
to  have  enough  to  do  to  work  its  way  to  the  Wiuni- 
pisaukee,  to  afford  drink  to  a thirsty  beast  or  bird 
now  and  then,  and  to  give  sustenance  at  long  inter- 
vals to  a lilliputian  trout. 

Its  sister-river  flows  into  the  Merrimack  and  was 
once  noted  for  manufactures.  Indeed,  the  first  man- 
ufacturing in  town  was  done  on  the  Cross,  or,  as  we 
ought  to  call  it,  the  Sondogardy  Brook.  Here,  and 
near  the  Intervale  and  Oak  Hill,  were  made  earthen 


518 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


and  wooden-ware,  lumber,  jewelry,  and  especially  the 
old-fashioned  gold  beads.  They  had  there  a grist- 
mill, a fulling-mill  and  carding-machine, — the  first  in 
use, — a grocery,  jeweler’s  shop  and  tailor’s  shop. 
The  father  of  Mr.  William  G.  Hannaford  had  a shoe- 
shop,  and  some  one  had  a blacksmith,  or,  as  it  was 
then  called,  a shoeing-shop.  In  fact,  almost  every 
branch  of  industry  was  carried  on  there  in  the  very 
first  decade  of  the  town’s  history. 

The  Winnipisaukee  River,  which  bathes  North- 
field’s  northern  border,  is  said  to  fall  two  hundred  and 
thirty-two  feet  before  meeting  the  Pemigewasset.  At 
the  confluence  of  the  two,  in  Franklin,  the  united 
streams  take  the  name  of  Merrimack,  a river  believed 
to  give  employment  to  a greater  number  of  operatives 
than  any  other  on  the  face  of  the  globe.  Authorities 
say  the  name  of  the  latter  river — an  Indian  w'ord — 
signifies  a sturgeon. 

Marvelous  tales  were  told  by  the  fathers  concern- 
ing the  fish  in  the  Merrimack  and  its  two  head- 
branches.  Not  the  degenerate  specimens  of  dace, 
chubs,  perch,  minnows,  with  now  and  then  a solitary 
pickerel,  which  we  now'  get  a peep  of  at  long  intervals, 
but  shad  and  salmon — fat,  luscious  and  huge — and 
moving  up-stream  in  such  vast  numbers  in  spring  or 
spawning-time,  as  to  blacken  the  river  with  their 
backs.  And  what  was  singular  in  their  habits  was, 
that  though  they  migrated  from  the  ocean,  through 
the  whole  length  of  the  Merrimack,  in  company,  yet, 
on  reaching  the  fork  of  the  two  rivers,  in  Franklin, 
they  invariably  separated — the  shad  passing  up  the 
Winnipisaukee  to  deposit  their  spawn  in  the  lake, 
and  the  salmon  up  the  Pemigewasset.  Thus  the  in- 
habitants of  one  valley  feasted  on  salmon,  those  of 
the  other  on  shad.  Now  the  story  runs,  or  did  run, 
that  each  kind  of  fish  gave  its  own  peculiarly  charac- 
teristic expression  to  its  eaters,  so  that  you  could  tell, 
as  far  as  you  could  see  a man,  whether  he  were  a 
shad  eater  or  a salmon  consumer,  and  that  this  line 
of  demarkation  between  the  Pemigewasseters  and  the 
Winnipisaukeeites  has  flowed  in  the  blood  of  their 
descendants  down  to  the  present  day,  so  that  seldom 
or  never  does  an  intermarriage  take  place  between 
Tilton  and  Franklin.  I care  not  to  hold  myself  re- 
sponsible for  the  truth  of  this  legend — it  may  be 
false;  but  folks  will  talk.  It  is  certain,  however, 
that  the  two  villages  have  been  somewhat  exclusive 
as  regards  each  other  in  past  years,  each  having  its 
own  river,  its  own  fish,  its  own  railroad,  its  own 
politics.  We  trust  all  barriers  will  be  removed  when 
the  new  railroad  crosses  from  Franklin  to  Tilton. 

The  favorers  of  the  theory  that  fish  is  a brain-food 
and  an  intellectual  stimulant  may  find  comfort  in  the 
fact  that  the  immortal  Webster  was  born  and  passed 
his  boyhood  near  the  confluence  of  the  two  rivers, 
and  the  two  varieties  of  fish,  and  shad  and  salmon 
combined,  must  have  formed  his  sustenance  mainly 
during  the  period  of  his  growth;  and  in  mature  life, 
we  know  what  an  unequaled  piscator  and  mighty 


ichthyophagist  he  became,  and  a big  brain  was  the 
physiological  result — perhaps. 

Ponds. — There  are  but  two  ponds  worthy  of  men- 
tion, Sondogardy  and  Chestnut,  each  containing  fifty 
or  sixty  acres;  so  say  their  nearest  neighbors,  Mr. 
Winslow  and  Mr.  Knowles.  The  former  is  situated 
on  the  level  plain,  within  sight  of  the  railroad,  and 
contains  the  fish  usually  found  in  such  ponds— pick- 
erel, suckers,  pouts,  eels,  perch,  shiners,  etc.,  and  of 
late  years  a great  quantity  of  chubs,  coming,  it  is 
thought,  from  the  river.  The  outlet  at  the  southern 
part  is  the  Cross  or  Sondogardy  Brook,  running  in  a 
southwesterly  direction  into  the  Merrimack.  Of  the 
several  mills  once  working  on  the  banks  of  this 
stream,  one  solitary  sliingle-mill  alone  remains. 

Chestnut  Pond — we  regret  it  didn’t  retain  its  Indian 
name — lies  down  deep  in  the  bottom  of  a cavity,  like 
the  crater  of  a volcano.  In  some  places  it  is  sixty  feet 
deep,  water  cold,  no  inlet  visible,  supposed  to  be  fed 
by  springs  at  the  bottom.  Its  outlet — an  unfailing 
one — is  the  north  branch  of  the  Skenduggardy  Brook, 
which  it  meets  about  two  miles  from  the  pond.  A 
pond  like  this  would  seem  to  be  exactly  fitted  for 
land-locked  salmon,  and  so  the  commissioners  seemed 
to  think;  for  Mr.  Wesley  Knowles  writes  that  they 
placed  several  thousand  there  in  1879.  Again  he 
writes  “that  not  one  of  those  fish  has  been  heard  of 
from  that  time  to  this  (1885),  to- his  knowledge.” 
Why  is  this?  All  the  conditions  seemed  favorable, 
cold,  pure,  spring  water,  great  depth,  a continual 
outlet;  let  some  naturalist  study  the  problem.  Our 
own  private  opinion  is  that  the  pickerel  devoured 
them. 

Remarks.— The  whole  Winnipisaukee  Valley  prob- 
ably was  once  filled  by  the  waters  of  the  lake,  Bay 
Hill  reaching  over  to  and  connecting  with  a similar 
elevation  on  the  Sanbornton  side,  till  worn  down  by 
the  river  which  drained  the  valley.  Dividing,  one 
branch  passed  on  to  Franklin  and  the  other  through 
the  middle  of  Northfield,  making  Oak  Hill  an  island. 
Possibly  a branch  passed  still  farther  east,  converting 
Bean  Hill  into  another  island  much  larger.  Thus 
Northiield  at  one  time  probably  consisted  merely  of 
two  island  hill-tops;  and  later,  by  the  addition  of 
Mount  Griswold,  of  three. 

Plains  are  scarce  in  Northfield,  as  the  whole  town 
almost  appears  to  be  tilted  in  one  direction  or  another. 
There  is  some  level  land  in  the  southwestern  part, 
and  near  Tilton  is  a tract  of  about  a half-mile  in 
extent,  anciently  called  the  Colony,  where  for  a long 
series  of  years  seemed  to  be  gathered  the  dregs  of  the 
town,  noted  for  drunkenness  and  other  bad  deeds,  and 
many  a wild  tale  might  be  told  of  their  lawlessness  in 
days  of  old.  But  this  gypsy-like  race  has  passed 
away,  and  the  most  level  portion  of  the  tract  is  being 
prepared  for  the  purposes  of  a beautiful  trotting  course 
by  the  Hon.  Charles  E.  Tilton,  to  whom  both  the 
towns  of  Northfield  and  Tilton  are  already  indebted 
for  many  improvements  of  usefulness  and  beauty. 


NORTHFIELD. 


519 


History. --Benjamin  Blanchard  is  generally  credited 
as  being  the  founder  of  Northfield,  though  two  years 
earlier  Jonathan  Heath  is  said  to  have  built  a log  hut 
on  the  Gerrish  intervale,  which  was  once  included 
within  the  limits  of  old  Northfield,  but  now  belongs 
to  Franklin.  However  that  may  be,  by  common 
consent,  Blanchard  was  the  first  settler  within  the 
present  limits  of  the  town. 

“He  was  a lineal  descendant  of  the  English  family 
which  very  early  emigrated  to  New  England.  Colonel 
Joseph  Blanchard,  so  distinguished  as  an  officer  in  the 
early  French  and  Indian  Wars  of  New  England,  and 
who,  in  1754,  marched  at  the  head  of  his  regiment  of  six 
hundred  men  up  the  Merrimack  to  the  Salisbury  fort, 
at  what  is  now  the  orphan  asylum,  in  Franklin,  and 
thence  through  the  unbroken  wilderness  to  Crown 
Point  and  Canada,  belonged  to  the  same  lineage. 
The  annals  of  Charlestown  and  Boston  show  the 
Blanchard  -name  in  their  earliest  emigration.  The 
name  of  Joseph  Blanchard  appears  in  the  death 
records  of  Boston  for  1637.” 

Benjamin  Blanchard,  in  company  with  his  father  and 
mother,  emigrated  to  Canterbury  perhaps  about  the 
year  1736  or  1737,  from  Hamstead,  N.H.,  it  is  supposed, 
where  he  found  his  wife,  Tuba  Keizer,  represented  as 
a most  excellent  wife  and  mother.  Benjamin’s  father 
was  killed  by  the  Indians  soon  after  their  settlement 
in  Canterbury,  or  twenty-two  years  before  the  son 
took  up  his  march  for  Northfield,  and  in  1752  his 
mother,  who  was  a lady  of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  by 
the  name  of  Bridget,  was  captured  by  the  Indians 
while  out  from  the  Canterbury  fort  at  night  driving  up 
the  cows,  according  to  one  account;  another  tradition 
has  it  that  she  escaped  from  the  Indians  by  fleetness 
of  foot,  and,  rousing  the  garrison,  saved  the  fort  from 
capture.  Both  accounts,  however,  agree  that  “she  was 
a very  corpulent  woman,  and  in  her  attempt  to  escape 
capture  by  running  she  amused  the  Indians,  who 
shook  their  sides  with  laughter,  and  cried  out, 
‘ poochuck,  pooch uck  !’  which  is  the  Indian  name 
for  hog.” 

She  possessed  great  courage,  tradition  says,  and  in 
other  respects  was  a very  superior  woman. . For  most 
of  the  above  facts  in  regard  to  the  Blanchard  family 
we  are  indebted  to  Mr.  M.  B.  Goodwin,  of  Franklin, 
and  to  the  Merrimack  Journal  of  date  July  14,  1882. 

From  what  little  I can  gather,  I should  judge  that 
his  mother  died  before  he  left  Canterbury;  and  then 
Benjamin,  feeling,  perhaps,  that  the  only  ties  that 
bound  him  to  the  old  fort  were  broken,  his  father 
having  been  killed  twenty-two  years  before,  and 
whether  his  worldly  prospects  looked  too  discourag- 
ing for  him  to  remain  where  he  was,  the  first  comers 
having  selected  the  best  lands  and  places,  or  whether 
a certain  restlessness  incident  to  the  times,  or  ambi- 
tion, or  desire  of  change  impelled  him,  whatever  the 
motive,  Benjamin  now  determined  to  strike  out  a 
new  path,  and  found  a new  settlement  for  himself. 
He  was  forty-two  years  of  age,  in  the  prime  of  his 


manhood.  His  oldest  boys  must  have  grown  toman’s 
• estate,  especially  Edward,  who  was  destined  in  after- 
years to  surpass  his  father  in  enterprise,  capacity  for 
business  and  worldly  success;  and  it  is  not  unlikely, 
when  he  bade  adieu  to  the  old  fort  one  fine  summer’s 
morn,  to  seek  his  fortune  further  north,  leaving  Tuba 
in  charge  of  the  home  department,  including  the 
younger  children,  that  he  went  forth  accompanied  by 
one  at  least,  Edward,  and  probably  by  several,  of  his 
older  boys.  In  1760,  says  the  account,  he  cut  his 
way  through  an  unbroken  wilderness  from  an  old  fort 
in  Canterbury,  and  settled  on  what  is  now  known  as 
Bay  Hill.  How  interesting  to  read  now,  could  we 
have  a diary  of  that  exploring  tour.  Of  course, 
there  were  good  luck  and  mishap,  complaining  and 
glee,  tumbles,  thirst,  hot  and  wet  days  and  much 
else  intermingled.  Perhaps  to-day  a bear  is  killed 
or  a wolf  shot;  to-morrow,  a catamount  or  a rattle- 
snake, with  fearful  suspicions  of  Indians  lurking 
around.  Very  likely  one  of  the  boys  carried  the 
guns  while  the  others  “cut.”  And  he  wouldn’t  be  a 
boy,  at  least  of  the  modern  style,  if,  towards  evening, 
he  didn’t  complain  of  his  unwieldy  burden,  such  as 
two  or  three  guns  would  be  sure  to  become  in  the 
after-part  of  the  day. 

We  wish  it  were  in  our  power  to  follow  step  by  step 
the  course  taken  by  our  pioneers.  We  cannot.  The 
track  has  been  obliterated  forever  by  nature  and  for- 
getfulness. We  can  only  surmise  that  Blanchard 
would  be  likely  to  take  a direct  course  north  or  nearly 
so,  and  in  that  case  he  probably  came  over  the  western 
spur  of  Bean  Hill,  perhaps  by  Mount  Tugg— moun- 
tain then  unnamed — over  the  Rogers  farm ; but  more 
likely  over  what  is  now  the  Gardner  S.  Abbott  farm, 
and  the  farm  once  owned  by  Mills  Glidden,  and  later 
by  Anthony  C.  Hunt;  then  skirting  by  the  great 
Smith  meadow,  which  meadow  was  then  a pond — 
thanks  to  the  beavers — then  over  the  Smith  farm  it- 
self, till  they  finally  reached  what  proved  to  be  their 
destined  point,  which  point  was  on  the  modern  farm 
of  Ephraim  S.  Wadleigh,  just  back  of  his  orchard. 

Nor  are  we  to  suppose  that  this  spot  was  instantly 
selected  the  moment  they  arrived.  No  doubt,  many 
long  and  anxious  deliberations  were  held  over  the 
subject;  and  there  might  have  been  much  difference 
of  opinions.  It  would  not  be  strange  if  the  boys  pre- 
ferred to  settle  near  the  river,  where  they  could  fish 
and  swim  and  paddle  the  canoe.  It  would  be  natural 
for  them  to  explore  Bay  Hill  in  all  directions  before 
the  final  selection  of  that  location.  What  influenced 
the  decision  it  were  hard  to  guess.  Perhaps  the  slope 
riverward  in  those  days  was  too  wet  or  marshy ; farther 
up  on  the  summit  of  the  hill  they  might  think  too 
bleak,  while  lower  down  in  the  valley  the  trees  would 
show  a poorer  soil— in  part  marshy.  But  their  choice 
was  a happy  medium — neither  too  high,  nor  too  low; 
and,  doubtless  owing  to  a favorable  soil,  the  trees  there 
were  higher,  larger  and  consequently  farther  apart, 
with  less  underbrush. 


520 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


The  choice  once  made,  it  only  remains  to  provide  a 
shelter  for  those  left  behind.  In  this  the  father  and 
hoys  engage  with  zeal,  till  after  a few  days  a small 
clearing  is  made  and  a substantial  structure  of  logs, 
the  first  house  in  Northfield,  has  arisen  among  the 
tall  trees  on  the  after-styled  Wadleigh  farm.  A log 
house! — a dwelling  not  to  be  sneered  at  or  ridiculed 
by  the  present  fortunate  possessors  of  Northfield’s 
smiling  farms  and  beautiful  homes.  A log  house  was 
a convenient,  substantial,  roomy  structure,  firm, 
proof  against  Indian  bullets,  wolf’s  claws,  the  stormy 
wind  or  winter’s  cold.  Its  arrangement  was  the  per- 
fection of  simplicity;  its  architecture  was  neither 
composite  or  complicated ; while,  if  the  bark  re- 
mained unremoved,  as  was  undoubtedly  the  case  with 
this  pioneer  hut,  with  moss  inserted  between  the  logs 
on  sides  and  roof,  a touch  of  the  picturesque  would 
be  added,  quite  in  harmony  with  the  surrounding 
forest. 

Benjamin  Blanchard’s  log  hut  is  finished,  destined  to 
be  famous  through  the  ages,  as  long  as  Northfield’s 
sons  and  daughters  retain  a spark  of  love  for  their 
hills  and  homesteads.  And  now,  to  crown  the  work, 
the  boys  must  have  a holiday — a hath  and  a day’s 
fishing  in  the  Winnipisaukee, — then  ho!  for  a return 
to  the  old  Canterbury  fort,  to  see  mother  and  the  little 
ones,  and  to  bring  them  the  glad  tidings  of  a home 
found  and  founded  in  the  wilderness  and  waiting  for 
them. 

Well,  the  holiday  is  over  and  the  next  day  sees 
them  returned  in  good  season  to  their  old  home,  laden 
literally  with  the  fat  of  the  land,  and  waters,  too,— 
with  fish  and  venison,  of  which,  you  may  be  sure,  a 
grand  feast  was  made  that  night,  to  which  friends  were 
invited,  where  their  adventures  were  described,  the 
shad  was  dissected,  the  whiskey  tested,  the  laugh 
burst  forth  and  good  cheer  prevailed  till  the  old  fort 
rang. 

After  a few  days  spent  in  settling  his  affairs  and 
making  what  preparations  his  scanty  means  afforded, 
Blanchard  took  his  permanent  departure  from  the 
friendly  fortress  which  had  sheltered  and  protected 
him  and  his  so  long.  Let  us  picture  to  ourselves  the 
procession.  The  time  is  early  sunrise,  for  they  must 
finish  the  journey  that  day,  since  it  will  not  do  to  risk 
his  all  to  wild  beasts  and  perhaps  Indians  by  exposure 
in  the  open  forest  through  the  night.  Their  friends, 
up  to  see  them  off,  cheer  as  they  pass  through  the 
gate;  a parting  dram  circulates  around,  good  wishes 
are  shouted,  guns  give  their  parting  reverberations, 
and  the  little  company  of  eleven — parents  and  nine 
children — march  quickly  over  the  narrow,  open  space 
around  the  fort  into  the  path  they  had  cut  a few 
weeks  before  leading  to  Bay  Hill.  It  was  a narrow 
highway  they  had,  admitting  the  passage  of  a single 
file  only ; for  the  little  boys  and  girls  of  the  present 
day  must  understand  that  they  didn’t  take  the  cars 
at  Canterbury  depot  and  land  at  Tilton  and  thence  to 
Bay  Hill  by  team,  or  on  foot,  as  people  are  wont  to 


do  nowadays.  No;  they  probably  all  walked — young 
and  old — the  whole  distance,  and  that,  too,  barefooted, 
the  most, — if  not  all. 

At  the  head,  with  pack  on  back,  axe  in  hand  and 
musket  on  shoulder,  would  naturally  march  the  father 
and  next  him  one  of'  the  older  boys,  also  with  gun 
and  otherwise  freighted,  then  the  mother  and  smaller 
children;  after  them  the  horse — if  they  had  a horse 
— loaded  down  to  his  utmost  capacity  ; then  the  family 
cow  with  calf  following;  while  at  some  distance  in 
the  background,  led  by  a raw  hide  cord,  trotted  and 
darted  and  scampered  and  retreated  the  clown  of  the 
company,  the  most  amusing  and  at  the  same  time 
the  most  vexations  of  the  whole, — the  well-to-do  pig, 
which  seemed  to  have  an  invincible  repugnance  to 
leaving  its  comfortable  Canterbury  quarters,  and  kept 
up  an  incessant  soliloquy,  doubtless  about  the  restless- 
ness of  mortals,  who  couldn’t  be  satisfied  to  let  well 
enough  alone.  Whether  there  was  a eat  or  dog  in  the 
cavalcade,  I can’t  say,  but  should  think  a cat  a super- 
fluity, except  for  company;  for  neither  rat  nor  mouse 
had  as  yet  tasted  the  good  cheer  of  the  Wadleigh  farm, 
and  so  grimalkin’s  occupation  would  be  gone  till  the 
happy  coming  days,  when  rats  and  mice  could  be  had 
for  the  catching.  Finally,  Edward  brought  up  the 
rear. 

At  first  they  moved  along  in  the  highest  spirits, 
though  their  way  was  in  a sort  of  twilight,  for  this 
was  the  primeval  forest  through  which  they  were 
journeying  amid  trees  tall  and  gloomy,  which  only  at 
rare  intervals  permitted  a peep  of  the  sun.  Still,  at 
the  start  they  journeyed  with  laugh  and  joke  and 
chiding  of  the  animals,  or  perchance  each  other,  and 
then  bursting  into  singing  and  shouting  till  “the  dim 
woods  rang.”  This,  however,  gradually  died  away, 
but  revived  slightly  at  their  noon-day  rest.  Their  af- 
ternoon march  was  performed  mostly  in  silence.  They 
toiled  slowly  along,  the  day  and  the  way  seeming  to 
be  endless,  till,  crossing  the  Abbott  and  the  Glidden 
and  Smith  farms,  halting  a few  minutes  at  the  Smith 
Meadow  Pond  to  relieve  the  thirst  of  all — animal  and 
human — the  long  train  defiled  at  last  into  Blanchard’s 
little  clearing  just  as  the  sun  was  sinking  behind 
Kearsarge.  The  animals  were  speedily  tied  to  trees 
and  fed  on  such  scanty  forage  as  leaves  could  supply  ; 
boughs  were  cut  and  spread  over  the  ground  in  the 
hut,  and  these,  again,  partially  overspread  with  bear, 
deer  and  wolf-skins;  a fire  was  built  in  the  open  air 
by  means  of  a flint,  powder  and  tinder;  a supper  pre- 
pared and  thankfully  partaken  of;  all  retired  to  their 
skin  or  leafy  couches;  the  stars  looked  brightly  down, 
and  all  were  soon  wrapped  in  slumber  and  silence, 
even  the  pig  forgetting  its  sorrows  and  ceasiug  its 
complaints. 

Thus  passed  the  first  night  of  the  first  settlers  in 
Northfield.  The  settlement  was  begun. 

For  several  years,  so  far  as  we  can  learn,  Benjamin 
Blanchard  and  family  were  the  only  people  in  North- 
field.  There  was  no  settlement  in  New  Hampshire 


NORTH  FIELD. 


521 


north  of  him,  for  Tilton  or  Sanboruton  was  as  yet 
without  inhabitants.  What  were  their  feelings,  ad- 
ventures, sufferings,  pleasures,  no  record  tells.  Cut  off 
by  many  miles  of  intervening  forest  from  all  neigh- 
borly society  and  sympathy,  they  must  have  felt  lonely 
at  times,  especially  in  the  gray,  dripping  days  of  the 
first  autumn  which  followed,  with  its  succeeding  win- 
ter ; but  if  so,  the  effect  would  be  brief,  for  the  hut 
was  full ; there  was  always  work  enough  to  do  ; their 
mode  of  life  gave  to  one  and  all  perfect  health  in  all 
probability  ; they  had  appetites  wonderful  to  see,  so 
that  there  was  an  exquisite  delight  in  the  mere  act  of 
eating,  far  beyond  what  their  descendants  know,  and, 
what  was  better,  they  had  the  means  of  gratifying 
their  healthy  cravings  with  luxuries  of  which  those 
of  this  day  are  sadly  deficient, — wild  meat  in  all  its 
varieties,  bear,  deer,  rabbit,  wild  fowl,  such  as  ducks, 
geese,  partridges  in  the  greatest  profusion,  shad,  river- 
trout  and  eels  from  the  river,  and  the  Skenduggardy 
was  swarming  with  the  delicious  brook-trout. 

Besides,  the  farm  began  ere  long  to  show  the  capa- 
bilities of  newly-improved  land  and  a virgin  soil, 
under  the  energetic  hands  of  Benjamin  and  his  stal- 
wart boys,  aided,  within  doors,  by  the  co-operation  of 
the  tireless  Tuba.  It  had  chanced,  through  accident 
or  shrewdness,  that  Blanchard  had  pitched  upon  one 
of  the  best  spots  in  town  for  the  manufacture  of  a good 
farm,  and  every  year  saw  his  clearing  grow  wider,  the 
forest  recede,  the  fields  grow  greener,  crops  of  pota- 
toes, such  as  only  new  soil  can  produce,  corn  and  grass 
increased;  his  herd  received  fresh  additions  on  each 
returning  spring;  his  buildings  improved,  until,  no 
doubt,  he  began  to  consider  himself  a well-to-do  farmer. 

Hardships  were  unavoidable,  of  course.  All  pio- 
neer settlers  had  to  undergo  them.  Many  luxuries  of 
modern  days  they  must  forego — some,  perhaps,  to 
which  they  had  been  accustomed  at  the  old  fort. 
Woodchucks,  porcupines,  squirrels  and  pole-cats  rav- 
aged his  garden,  foxes  and  hawks  stole  his  chickens, 
and  bears  and  wolves  sometimes  destroyed  a pig  or  a 
calf;  an  unpleasant  accident  might  now  and  then 
occur  from  a falling  tree  or  an  erring  axe;  a drought, 
or  wind,  or  hail,  or  lightning  might  be  troublesome; 
and  then  it  was  such  a long,  weary  way  to  mill;  and 
what  was  very  hard,  there  was  no  housewife  neighbor 
for  mistress  Tuba  to  gossip  with  in  regard  to  all  these 
trials  and  afflictions.  No  tea  to  drink,  no  cider  bar- 
rel to  tap;  the  cows  would  get  lost  in  the  woods,  and 
the  boys,  perchance,  take  a holiday  in  the  busiest 
time,  and  go  a-fishing. 

Such,  and  many  more  trials  of  a like  nature,  very 
probably  hovered  over,  and,  at  times,  settled  down 
upon  the  farm  and  family  of  Benjamin  Blanchard  as 
the  seasons  went  by  ; but  stout  hearts  did  Benjamin 
and  Tuba  bear,  and  bravely  did  they  face  every  trial 
as  it  arose,  till  in  time  they  reaped  their  reward. 

A musical  vein  has  existed  in  the  Blanchard  family, 
evidently  from  the  first  pioneer  to  the  present  time, 
as  will  be  readily  credited  by  those  who  heard  old 


Northfield’s  woods  echo  the  notes  of  the  cornet  and 
song  poured  forth  on  her  Centennial  Day  by  Miss 
Fannie  C.  Rice,  one  of  the  latest  representatives  of 
the  original  settler’s  descendants.  And  what  com- 
panionship this  talent  of  his  must  have  afforded 
Benjamin  at  times  in  his  isolated  condition!  and  oft, 
when  assailing  the  giants  of  the  forest,  would  he  be 
likely  to  burst  forth  into  singing,  the  rythm  of  his 
voice  keeping  time  with  the  whick-whack  of  his  axe, 
and  ever  and  anon,  an  answering  note  would  ring  out 
from  the  matron  of  the  cabin,  and  be  echoed  by  the 
boys  and  girls  in  other  directions,  till,  with  the  sing- 
ing of  the  birds,  the  whole  woods  seemed  bursting  into 
melody.  Ah!  think  not  there  were  no  jovial  times 
there ! 

And  so  the  years  came  and  went,  until,  encouraged 
by  his  success,  the  solitude  of  Blanchard  began  to  be 
broken  by  the  arrival  of  neighbors.  The  first  to  fol- 
low him  was  William  Williams,  whose  daughter, 
Widow  George  Hancock,  died  at  the  residence  of  her 
son,  William  Hancock,  in  Canterbury,  January  14, 
1860,  aged  one  hundred  years,  eleven  months  and  four 
days.  Let  her  be  remembered  as  the  oldest  person 
that  Northfield  has  as  yet  produced.  Afterwards 
came  Nathaniel  and  Reuben  Whitcher,  Captain  Sam- 
uel and  Jonathan  Gilman  and  Linsey  Perkins,  and 
settled  on  the  farm  where  Warren  H.  Smith,  Esq.,  now 
resides.  On  the  Perkins  place,  opposite  Mr.  Wad- 
leigh’s,  was  a log  hut  used  for  school  purposes,  the 
cellar  of  which  is  still  to  be  seen. 

A little  further  south,  down  by  the  Smith  meadow, 
was  a log  hut  in  which  lived  a Mr.  Colby.  His  wife 
was  a weaver,  and,  for  want  of  bars,  was  accustomed 
to  warp  her  webs  on  the  apple-trees.  Compare  the 
result  of  her  manufactory  with  those  now  on  the  river 
turning  out  their  thousands  of  yards  at  short  intervals. 

Mr.  William  Gilman,  a gentleman  now  of  about 
eighty-five,  the  most  of  his  life  a resident  of  Bay  Hill, 
and  his  brother  Charles,  now  in  Illinois,  are  sons  of 
Jonathan  Gilman,  who  himself,  or  his  father,  was,  I 
suppose,  one  of  the  original  settlers.  1 1 is  great-grand- 
father on  the  mother’s  side  came  from  Lee,  bought 
five  hundred  acres  of  wild  land  on  and  around  Bay 
Hill,  on  which  he  settled  his  sons — Reuben,  Nathan- 
iel, William  and  Jonathan  Whitcher, — many  of  whose 
descendants  are  now  in  town.  The  grandfather  of 
Mr.  Wesley  Knowles  bought  his  farm  of  Nathaniel 
Whitcher,  paying  for  it,  so  the  story  goes,  with  a two- 
vear-old  heifer. 

Captain  Samuel  Gilman,  Joseph  Knowles  and  Dr. 
Keyscr  were  also  among  the  first  settlers  on  Bay  Hill. 

Another  of  the  pioneers  of  Northfield  was  Jonathan 
Wadleigh,  who  was  a native  of  Kingston,  N.  H., 
served  in  the  Revolutionary  army,  lived  for  a while  at 
Bean  Hill,  settled  on  the  south  side  of  Bay  Hill  on 
what  was  afterward  called  the  Ambrose  Woodbury 
farm,  and  finally  died  in  Gilmanton.  He  was  the 
father  of  Judge  Wadleigh,  whose  son,  Ephraim  S., 
still  lives  on  the  first  opened  farm  in  town,  and  of 


522 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Mrs.  Captain  S.  Glines,  who,  after  having  lived  half 
a century  or  more  at  the  Centre,  returned  to  her  fath- 
er’s homestead  on  Bay  Hill,  now  in  possession  of  her 
son,  Smith  W.  Glines,  and  died  at  the  age  of  eiglity- 
two  in  the  same  room  in  which  she  vras  born. 

Some  twenty  years  after  the  settlement  of  Bay  Hill, 
perhaps,  Lieutenant  Charles  Glidden  moved  to  Bean 
Hill  from  Nottingham,  built  a log  hut,  left  his  wife 
and  two  children  and  went  into  the  Revolutionary 
army.  In  his  absence  she  tilled  the  soil,  felled  the 
trees  and  hauled  her  wood  with  the  help  of  oxen. 
After  his  return  he  bought  Nehemiah  McDonald’s 
farm  near  the  old  meeting-house.  Mr.  Glidden,  his 
wife  and  some  of  the  children  were  buried  on  said 
farm.  His  wife  was  a Mills,  and  her  mother,  Alice 
Cilley.  John  Cilley,  Robert  Evans,  John  Cofran 
(father  of  Colonel  James  Cofran),  Gideon  Sawyer  and 
brother,  Solomon  French  and  brother,  were  early  set- 
tlers of  this  region,  and  William  Smith,  the  grand- 
father of  Warren  Smith,  who  was  moved  from  Old 
Hampton  by  Mr.  Glidden.  Perhaps  his  son  Jere- 
miah came  with  him,  as  he  left  Old  Hampton,  where 
he  was  born,  when  a boy,  and  went  to  live  in  Can- 
terbury. 

In  those  early  times  there  was  no  house  between 
Glidden’s  and  what  is  now  called  the  Rand  school- 
house — several  miles.  Ensign  Sanborn,  whose  wife 
was  a Harvey,  lived  not  far  from  there.  He  probably 
served  in  the  army  for  a while. 

Mrs.  William  Gilman,  to  whom  I am  indebted  for 
many  of  the  above  facts,  relates  that  woods,  wolves 
and  bears  were  plenty  in  those  times,  and  carriages 
very  scarce;  so  that  when  Esquire  Samuel  Forrest’s 
mother  died,  her  corpse  was  carried  on  a bier,  laid  on 
poles  between  two  horses,  to  the  graveyard,  by  the 
brick  meeting-house,  some  three  or  four  miles  dis- 
tant. 

She  further  says  that  “ old  General  Dearborn  drove 
the  first  double  sleigh  into  Nortlifield  on  a visit  to 
her  grandfather.” 

A short  account  of  the  Forrest  family  has  been 
furnished  me  by  Mr.  John  Sanborn,  which  I give 
in  nearly  his  own  words : “ John  Forrest  came  from 
Ireland  when  eighteen  years  of  age,  and  settled 
finally  in  Canterbury.  Of  his  four  sons,  Robert 
settled  in  the  same  town,  and  the  others  in  North- 
field — John  on  the  Leighton  place,  William  in  the 
Centre  District  and  James  on  the  farm  now  owned 
by  James  N.  Forrest,  his  grandson.  Two  of  his 
daughters  married  Gibsons,  and  the  other  one  Mr. 
Clough,  and  all  settled  in  Nortlifield.  William 
Forrest  settled  in  the  Centre  District,  or  rather  com- 
menced clearing  the  timber,  in  1774,  just  before  the 
War  of  the  Revolution  broke  out.  He  enlisted  in  the 
war,  and  served  his  country  with  credit.  He  was  the 
father  of  fourteen  children,  of  whom  thirteen  lived 
to  grow  up,  and  all  except  one  attended  school  near 
the  old  meeting-house.”  To  this  sketch  Mr.  James 
N.  Forrest  adds  : “ My  grandfather,  James,  came  here 


on  the  farm  where  I now  live  in  1784,  and  subdued 
the  forest,  erected  buildings,  built  roads  and  left 
a worthy  son  to  inherit  his  property  and  do  honor  to 
his  name.  My  father,  who  was  an  only  son,  named 
me  for  his  father,  and  I have  named  one  of  my  sons 
(Samuel)  for  him.  How  long  the  names  will  rotate, 
only  the  destiny  of  the  family  will  reveal.” 

I understand  that  this  family  lues  furnished  more 
teachers  and  held  more  official  positions  than  any 
other  in  town.  The  late  Samuel  Forrest,  Esq.,  was 
long  a prominent  citizen  there,  having  been  superin- 
tending school  committee  many  years,  as  well  as 
treasurer,  representative  (two  years),  town  clerk  (two 
years)  and  selectman  (twelve  years).  He  was  a man 
of  decided  convictions,  with  the  courage  to  maintain 
his  convictions;  an  unflinching  anti-slavery  man  at  a 
time  when  it  required  a stout  heart  to  confess  it;  and 
a man  who  possessed  the  confidence  of  his  fellow- 
citizens  in  all  the  public  and  private  relations  of 
life.  He  married  Agnes  Randall,  of  North  Conway, 
who  was  born  August  22,  1800,  and  still  survives, 
Esquire  Forrest  having  died  in  1867,  lacking  sixteen 
days  of  being  eighty-one  years  of  age.  His  son, 
James  N.,  has  also  served  his  native  town  as  select- 
man for  several  years. 

John  E.  Forrest,  the  third  of  the  three  Nortlifield 
brothers,  lived  till  the  close  of  life  on  his  well-culti- 
vated farm,  raised  a family  of  several  chidren, — all 
or  nearly  all  now  deceased, — and  died  in  extreme  old 
age,  the  last  of  the  three,  leaving  a respectable 
property  and  a worthy  name. 

Charles  G.  Forrest,  the  son  of  William,  was  a 
farmer  in  Nortlifield,  living  on  the  farm  in  the  west 
part,  now  in  the  possession  of  Major  Otis  C.  Wyatt,  for 
many  years,  where  all  his  children  were  born  ; re- 
moved to  New  London  for  a time,  and  finally  settled 
in  Tilton,  where  he  resided  till  his  death,  in  1882, 
aged  seventy-five  years.  He  was  an  industrious 
farmer  and  conscientious  in  the  discharge  of  all  the 
duties  of  a citizen.  He  married  Mrs.  Sally  T.  Mead. 
His  children  are  Almeda  M. ; Honoria  A.,  an  artist ; 
Martha  J.,  a painter  and  teacher;  and  George  F.  D. 

Oak  Hill  proper,  I am  informed,  was  for  the  most 
part  originally  in  the  possession  of  Obed  Clough, 
who  was  succeeded  by  the  French  and  Batchelor 
families,  the  latter  being  still  represented  there. 

I quote  from  Mr.  Goodwin,  who  says:  “Ensign 
Sanborn,  Gideon  Sawyer,  the  brothers  Archelaus, 
Samuel  and  Abner  Miles,  John  and  Jeremiah  Mc- 
Daniel, Nathaniel  and  William  Wliitcher,  Captain 
Thomas  Clough,  George  and  Joseph  Hancock  and 
the  four  brothers  by  the  name  of  Cross  were  in  town 
very  early.”  These,  I suppose,  mostly  settled  in  the 
western  part.  “ The  Crosses  had  a sort  of  village 
down  at  their  place  on  the  intervale,  opposite  the 
Webster  farm.  They  had  a coopering  establishment, 
a store  and  a tavern  there,  and  it  was,  in  fact,  a busi- 
ness emporium  for  all  that  region.” 

Steven  Cross,  the  great-grandfather  of  0.  L.  Cross 


NORTIIFIELD. 


523 


Esq.,  married  Peggy  Bowen,  and  settled  near  Indian 
Bridge,  and  raised  a family  of  thirteen  children,  who 
were  all  living  when  the  youngest  was  forty  years  old. 
The  oldest,  Abraham,  married  Ruth  Sawyer,  daughter 
of  old  Deacon  Sawyer,  of  Canterbury,  who  was  a 
soldier  in  both  the  French  and  Revolutionary  Wars, 
and  who  had  two  sons  killed  at  the  surrender  of 
Burgoyne,  where  the  father  was  also  a soldier.  Dea- 
con Sawyer  owned  the  ferry  two  miles  below  the 
Cross  ferry,  and  always  attended  to  it  himself  to  the 
last  year  of  his  life,  he  being  within  two  months  and 
three  days  of  one  hundred  years  at  his  death.  He 
was  the  father  of  twenty-two  children,  twenty  of 
whom  grew  up.  Abraham  Cross  settled  near  his 
father,  Sawyer,  and  there  Jeremiah  was  horn  in  1805; 
but  the  year  before,  the  family  bad  settled  on  the 
Winnipisaukee  and  built  a saw-mill,  ever  after  known 
as  the  Cross  mill.  Jeremiah  married  Sarah  Lyford, 
of  Pittsfield,  settled  near  the  Cross  mill,  and  about 
thirty-five  years  ago  built,  on  a beautiful  elevation, 
overlooking  the  mill,  a fine  mansion,  in  which  a few 
years  since  he  died,  leaving  behind  an  enviable  char- 
acter for  honor,  integrity  and  business  enterprise. 
He  was  buried  with  Masonic  honors. 

Among  the  early  settlers  were  also  the  names  of 
William  Kenniston  and  a Mr.  Danforth.  The  latter 
was  a soldier  of  the  Revolution,  and  having  been 
wounded,  always  persisted  in  the  statement  that  he 
carried  the  ball  still  imbedded  in  his  shoulder.  The 
statement  was  not  credited,  however,  till,  years  after 
his  death,  upon  the  removal  of  bis  remains,  it  was 
found  that  the  old  soldier  was  right,  for  there,  firmly 
fixed,  so  that  a hammer  was  required  for  its  extrica- 
tion, was  found  the  bullet  embedded  in  the  solid 
bone. 

The  three  Miles  brothers  came  into  town  in  1769  or 
1770,  and  settled  on  one  farm ; lived  on  it  six  or 
seven  years,  then  sold  it  to  Reuben  Kimball,  of  Con- 
cord, in  1776.  This  farm  has  been  kept  in  the  Kim- 
ball name  to  the  present  time,  Reuben  giving  it  to 
his  son  Benjamin,  who  sold  it  to  his  brother  David, 
whose  descendants  are  still  there.  Reuben  Kimball 
was  a soldier  of  the  Revolution,  and  in  the  battle  of 
Bunker  Hill  was  hit  by  musket-balls  three  times — 
once  in  the  crown  of  his  hat,  once  on  the  powder-horn 
which  hung  at  his  side  (which  horn  is  now  in  the 
possession  of  the  present  occupant  of  the  farm),  and 
once  in  the  leg,  which  wound  never  healed  to  the  day 
of  his  death,  June  12,  1815. 

It  has  happened,  a little  queerly,  perhaps,  that  the 
last  possessor  of  that  farm,  that  is,  the  present  posses- 
sor, Mr.  J.  A.  Kimball,  has  married  a direct  descend- 
ant of  Abner  Miles,  the  first  possessor  of  said  farm ; 
and  it  must  be  a pleasant  thought  to  all  concerned 
that  the  descendants  of  the  seller  and  the  descendants 
of  the  purchaser  both  now  share  equally  in  its  bless- 
ings. 

Another  excellent  farm  in  western  Northfield,  which 
is  as  well  cultivated  as  any  upland  farm  in  town,  or 


perhaps  in  the  county,  is  the  one  owned  and  occupied 
by  Mr.  John  S.  Dearborn,  which  was  deeded  to  his 
grandfather,  Shuball  Dearborn,  in  1779,  by  his  great- 
grandfather, who  then  lived  on  the  Edmund  Dear- 
born place,  where  he  had  settled  in  1770,  being  then 
fifty-one  years  of  age.  The  deed  is  still  preserved  in 
the  old  family  chest.  Shuball  was  married  in  home- 
spun,  at  twenty-six  years  of  age,  and  commenced 
housekeeping  without  bed  or  crockery,  and  in  a house 
containing  only  one  pane  of  glass.  He  was  obliged 
to  haul  his  building  material  from  Portsmouth  with 
an  ox-team.  But  frugality  and  industry  overcame  all 
obstacles  in  time,  and  Mr.  Dearborn  lived  to  see  him- 
self in  comfortable  circumstances,  with  a good  house 
to  shelter  him  and  well  furnished  for  the  times.  He 
died  at  the  age  of  fifty-eight.  The  farm  has  been  in  the 
family  name  ever  since,  passing  from  Shuball  to  his 
son  of  the  same  name,  and  thence  to  his  son,  the  pres- 
ent possessor,  John  S.  Dearborn. 

Another  branch  of  the  same  family  was  represented 
by  Edmund  Dearborn,  born  in  1789,  who  remained 
on  the  ancestral  homestead  of  his  grandfather,  the 
original  Shuball,  raised  a large  and  promising  family, 
and  died  at  hit?  birth-place  in  1845.  His  three  sons, 
Samuel  G.,  Henry  G.  and  Thomas  H.  B.,  were  all 
physicians  eminent  in  their  profession.  The  latter 
died  in  Milford  in  1879.  The  two  elder  reside  at 
Nashua,  blessed  with  a competency,  the  respect  of 
their  fellow-citizens  and  a lucrative  professional 
practice. 

Among  the  various  names  which,  at  this  stage  of  its 
settlement,  were  rapidly  increasing  the  population  of 
the  new  town,  the  Simonds  family  seems  to  stand 
forth  as  prominent  and  influential  as  any  ; and  luckily 
there  exists  a more  complete  and  extended  record  of 
this  family  than  of  any  other  of  the  early  settlers,  not 
even  excepting  that  of  the  first  pioneer,  perhaps, 
searched  out  and  arranged  by  the  late  Hon.  John  W. 
Simonds,  of  Franklin,  and,  by  the  politeness  of  Mrs. 
Simonds,  loaned  to  the  writer;  but  instead  of  pub- 
lishing them  complete  he  finds  himself  compelled,  by 
the  brief  space  allotted  him,  to  make  selections,  omit 
and  condense. 

Joseph  Simons  was  born  in  England  in  1688,  an 
only  son  and  in  comfortable  circumstances.  At  the 
age  of  twenty-two,  contrary  to  the  wishes  of  his 
parents,  he  emigrated  to  America  and  located  in  Con- 
necticut. Here  he  married  a Miss  Knox,  and  in  1735 
removed  to  Canterbury,  settling  on  the  “ Intervale,” 
about  a mile  and  a half  above  Boscawen  bridge.  We 
have  an  account  of  only  two  children,  William  and 
John,  though  probably  there  were  more.  William 
moved  to  Thornton,  and  died  there. 

The  other  son,  John,  of  whom  mention  is  often 
made  in  the  earlier  town  records,  was  born  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1739.  He  was  chosen  surveyor  in  1768,  1770 
and  1773.  In  1774  he  was  taxed  for  town,  colony, 
school  and  minister  tax,  one  pound.  Previous  to  the 
incorporation,  in  1780,  he  had  located  himself  in 


524 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Northfield,  about  fifty  rods  south  of  where  the  old 
meeting-house  afterwards  stood.  He  was  well-pro- 
portioned, stalwart,  six  feet  in  height  and  weighed 
two  hundred  pounds.  He  made  hunting  his  business, 
attaching  himself  to  the  party  under  the  leadership 
of  the  famous  hunter,  Captain  Miles,  for  trapping 
beaver  in  Lower  Cohos.  These  expeditions  lasted 
three  months  in  the  spring  and  three  in  the  fall.  He 
purchased  his  one  hundred  acre  lot  with  the  proceeds 
of  a three  months’  tour  on  the  Kennebec  River, 
Maine.  He  married  Miss  Dorothy  Bachelder,  of  Canter- 
bury, who  died  in  1824,  aged  eighty.  The  first  town- 
meeting  after  the  incorporation  was  held  at  his  house 
November  21,  1780,  when  he  was  chosen  moderator; 
and  for  several  years  after  the  town-meetings  were  held 
there,  he  being  repeatedly  chosen  “sarvair,”  pound- 
keeper,  auditor  of  accounts  and  assessor  until  1800. 

Once,  on  returning  from  a hunting  expedition,  he 
broke  through  the  ice  into  the  Winnipisaukee,  and 
only  escaped  by  being  buoyed  up  by  the  pack  of  furs 
on  his  back. 

His  death  occurred  September  11,  1825,  Elder 
Crockett,  of  Sanbornton,  preaching  his  funeral  dis- 
course. His  and  his  wife’s  remains  lie  in  the  grave- 
yard by  the  brick  church,  slate-stones  marking  the 
graves. 

John  Simons  was  a quiet  and  peaceable  man,  of 
good  habits,  sound  judgment,  and  left  a fair  property, 
for  the  times. 

His  children  were  James,  Nathaniel,  John,  Sarah 
(Mrs.  Forrest),  Dorothy  (Mrs.  Foss),  Abram,  Thomas, 
Comfort  (Mrs.  Abbott). 

James  Simons,  born  in  1763,  the  oldest  of  eight 
children,  was  tall,  strong,  six  feet  high,  as  were  the 
most  of  the  family.  When  fourteen  he  enlisted  in 
the  Revolutionary  army,  served  a short  time  and  was 
discharged.  In  1782  he  married  Lydia  Morrison,  of 
Northfield,  and  instead  of  becoming  a hunter,  like 
his  father,  settled  down  into  a hard-working  farmer. 
In  17110  he  removed  to  Andover,  whence,  after  a few 
years,  he  transferred  his  home  to  the  head  of  Web- 
ster Pond,  where  he  worked  hard,  lived  plain, 
carrying  his  corn  to  mill  on  his  shoulders,  get- 
ting in  his  hay  on  poles,  and  in  time  prospered. 
Moved  thence  to  an  intervale  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  acres,  in  1800,  and  was  honored  with 
town  offices,  more  or  less,  for  nearly  twenty  years 
thereafter.  For  fifty  years  he  and  his  wife  were  mem- 
bers of  Elder  Crockett’s  Baptist  Church,  both  walk- 
ing six  miles  to  church,  fording  the  river,  and  Mrs. 
Simons,  on  one  occasion,  carrying  her  babe  in  her 
arms  ; had  a family  of  eight  children,  of  whom  John 
Simonds  was  one,  the  father  of  the  Hon.  John  Wes- 
ley Simonds,  of  Franklin,  lately  deceased,  president 
of  the  State  University  at  Vermillion,  Dakota,  and 
formerly  superintendent  of  schools  for  the  State  of 
New  Hampshire  for  several  years. 

He  died  August  15,  1842,  she  surviving  him  thir- 
teen years  longer,  till  August  30,  1855. 


Sarah  Simons,  born  August  13, 1770,  married  John 
Forrest,  of  Northfield,  and  became  the  mother  of  a 
large  family  of  children.  She  lived  and  died  in  her 
native  town. 

Abram  Simons  was  born  in  Northfield  in  1774 ; 
lived  and  died  there,  1836,  aged  sixty-one.  This 
was  the  first  death  in  his  father’s  family  of  eight 
children.  He  lived  upon  the  place  his  father  bought 
when  he  left  Canterbury.  At  the  present  day  there 
is  no  Simons  of  that  family  in  Northfield.  Mar- 
ried Nancy  Forrest,  who  died  in  1815.  He  left 
one  sou,  Joseph  Simons,  who  died  in  Northfield  in 
1868,  leaving  one  son,  Joseph  M.  Simonds,  now  in 
Boston.  Second  wife,  Mrs.  Lucy  Rundlett,  who  died 
in  1845. 

He  was  quiet,  sensible,  industrious,  temperate, 
honest  and  provident,  so  that  at  his  death  he  left  his 
son  and  widow  one  of  the  best  properties  in  town  at 
the  time.  Was  selectman  eight  and  town  clerk  fif- 
teen years.  Tradition  says  that  Abram  Simons  was 
one  of  the  most  learned  men  in  town. 

Thomas  Simons  was  born  in  1783  ; lived  in  North- 
field  ; died  in  1872,  and  was  buried  in  the  Brick 
Church  graveyard.  His  first  wife  was  a Miss  Han- 
cock, of  Northfield.  AVas  married  twice.  Had  one 
daughter,  Eliza.  He  was  kind-hearted,  jolly,  famous 
in  early  years  as  a wrestler  and  runner,  and  at  one 
time  was  captain  of  a military  company. 

Old  Uncle  Thomas  Simons,  as  he  was  familiarly 
called  in  later  days,  was  a famous  story-teller;  but, 
when  old  and  forgetful,  not  wholly  reliable.  One  of 
his  favorite  stories  was  about  a notable  snow-storm, 
which  came  the  last  of  April,  so  that  the  1st  of  May 
found  an  inch  of  snow  on  theground,  with  an  inch  of 
hail  on  the  top  of  that.  As  lie  grew  older,  the  inch 
changed  to  a foot  of  snow  and  hail ; and,  at  last,  he 
would  occasionally  blunder  into  saying  there  was  a 
rod’s  depth  of  snow,  with  a rod  of  hail  on  top  of  it. 
He  was  a great  student  of  the  almanac,  and  would 
predict  a storm  whenever  he  found  the  moon  was 
“apodging,” — that  is,  in  apogee.  AVas  alsoastentorian 
sneezer,  and  his  sternutations  could  be  easily  heard 
a mile  or  more,  as  the  story  is  told. 

Comfort  Simons  was  born  in  1786;  married  Ebon 
Abbot ; became  a widow  and  died  in  Northfield  in 
I860,  at  the  home  of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Joseph  M. 
Simons. 

Daniel  Hill  and  his  four  sons  and  two  daughters 
lived  in  Salisbury,  Mass.,  where  they  worked  at  shoe- 
making and  shod  the  soldiers  of  the  Revolution  to 
such  good  purpose  that  they  gained  a comfortable 
support  and  a goodly  pile  of  Continental  money, 
or  script,  which,  however, — like  the  money  in  the 
Arabian  tale  that  changed  to  leaves  when  wanted  for 
use,— by  depreciation,  turned  to  almost  worthless 
paper,  so  that  at  one  time  their  bill  for  a cow  was  no 
less  than  fifteen  hundred  dollars. 

Two  of  the  boys  afterward  became  coopers,  and 
started  north  to  mend  their  fortunes.  Reaching 


NORTH  FIELD. 


525 


Concord,  Captain  Blanchard  (probably  Captain  Ed- 
ward) told  them  of  a delectable  hill  a few  miles  far- 
ther on,  with  scenery  unequaled,  and  where  land 
could  be  bought  for  a song,  as  there  were  no  meeting- 
houses in  town  to  give  it  value. 

And  so  they  came  to  Bay  Hill,  whither,  in  after- 
time, they  brought  their  parents,  brothers  and  sis- 
ters. This  took  place  about  the  close  of  the  Revo- 
lution. 

Of  the  four  brothers,  John  was  a giant,  strong  as  a 
horse ; indeed,  it  was  said  that  he  preferred  to  carry 
his  corn  a mile  away  to  mill,  on  his  back,  to  taking 
the  trouble  to  harness  his  horse.  Timothy  was  an- 
other strong  man.  After  bargaining  for  his  farm,  he 
walked  to  Salisbury,  got  his  purchase-money  in  hard, 
silver  dollars,  saw  a certain  lady  and  walked  back  the 
following  day,  and  all  without  havingstopped  to  sleep 
a wink  ; and,  as  if  in  reward  for  his  endurance,  that 
certain  lady  (Miss  Betsey  Lapham),  a year  or  two 
after,  came  to  live  in  his  Bay  Hill  dwelling, — a dwell- 
ing that  still  stands,  alone  of  the  original  four,  and 
that  still  remains  in  the  family.  After  marriage  he 
learned  penmanship  and  book-keeping,  and,  in  pro- 
cess of  time,  became  a justice  of  the  peace. 

Daniel’s  wife  was  Abi  Amblet.  He  was  a feeble, 
quiet  man,  but  his  wife  had  a tongue  like  an  electric 
telegraph,  and,  on  a certain  occasion,  utterly  con- 
founded judge  and  lawyers  in  open  court  by  her 
volubility. 

Of  the  present,  or  fourth,  generation  of  Hills,  only 
four  or  five  of  the  name  still  reside  in  town, — Daniel 
E.,  the  postmaster  at  Tilton  from  1877  to  the  present 
time  ; Charles  E.,  a printer ; and  Smith  M.  and  Willie, 
who  still  cultivate  the  original  farms  on  Bay  Hill. 

The  first  settler,  Daniel  Hill,  married  an  Emery, — 
hence  Daniel  Emery,  the  name  of  the  present  post- 
master, the  fourth  or  fifth  in  descent  from  the  original 
Daniel.  His  father  and  grandfather  were  named 
John  ; his  mother  was  Mahala  Rollins.  His  sister, 
Mary  C.,  married  Liha  C.  Morrison,  who  owns  and 
cultivates  one  of  the  original  Hill  farms. 

Mrs.  O.  L.  Cross’  father’s  name  was  David  Hill  ; 
her  mother,  a Forrest.  Has  a brother,  Solon,  for- 
merly a teacher  and  efficient  superintendent  of  the 
Northfield  schools  for  several  years ; at  present  a 
farmer. 

Daniel  Hill,  nephew  of  the  original  Daniel,  had 
two  sons,  William  and  Daniel  A.,  who  displayed  con- 
siderable mechanical  skill,  constructing,  when  mere 
lads,  a small  steam-engine,  which  worked  admirably 
in  connection  with  the  tea-kettle,  with  a whistle  that 
could  be  heard  at  the  Bridge.  William  promised  fair 
as  a portrait-painter  ; Daniel  Adams  invented  a popu- 
lar adhesive  fly-paper. 

Warren  Hill  is  now  the  oldest  person  living  in 
Northfield. 

The  Rogers  family  of  Northfield  claim  to  be  direct 
descendants  of  the  martyr,  John  Rogers,  burnt  at  the 
stake  in  the  reign  of  Queen  Mary. 


Deacon  Samuel  Rogers,  born  about  the  year  1745, 
moved  from  Bow  to  Northfield  while  yet  a young 
j man,  and  died  there  about  1835,  aged  ninety.  From 
him  have  sprung  all  of  the  name  who  ever  resided  in 
town.  He  was  a Revolutionary  soldier,  of  marked 
ability,  energetic,  and,  by  good  management  as  a far- 
mer, was  enabled,  during  the  hist  half  of  his  life,  to 
enjoy  a dignified  leisure  on  his  farm,  situated  about  a 
mile  from  Northfield  Centre,  between  Bean  Hill  and 
Mount  Tugg.  His  children  were  Enoch,  Samuel, 
John,  Benjamin,  Jesse,  Rebecca  and  Mehitable. 

Enoch  became  a blacksmith;  settled  in  Northfield 
and  afterwards  removed  to  Columbia;  had  seven 
children.  C.  C.  Rogers,  Esq.,  attorney  at  Tilton,  is 
his  grandson. 

Samuel  (2d),  brother  of  Enoch,  was  a tailor,  noted 
for  wit.  One  of  his  children  was  Deborah,  who  mar- 
ried Thomas  Haynes  and  died  in  Northfield.  One  of 
her  children  married  John  S.  Dearborn,  of  North- 
field,  and  another,  Cutting  Follansby,  a merchant. 

John,  third  son  of  Samuel  (1st),  married  Sally  Cof- 
ran  ; settled  upon  one  of  his  father’s  farms  ; lived  and 
died  in  Northfield  ; was  a man  of  ability  and  filled 
various  town  offices ; had  four  children,  of  whom  Jo- 
anna married  Walter  Bailey,  arid  Jeremiah  inherited 
his  father’s  farm  and  died  in  Northfield. 

Benjamin,  fourth  son  of  Samuel  (1st),  was  born  in 
1780  and  died  in  1825;  was  a farmer,  and  spent  his 
life  upon  the  farm  given  him  by  his  father,  three- 
fourths  of  a mile  from  Northfield  Centre;  married 
Lucy  Hoegg,  of  Bow,  and  through  life  they  were 
prominent  members  of  the  Methodist  Church.  Their 
children  were  Fannie,  afterwards  Mrs.  Simeon  Kim- 
ball, of  Sanbornton  Bridge ; Betsy  R.,  who  married 
John  T.  Gilman,  of  Columbia,  and  who,  at  eighty, 
still  survives  her  husband ; Lucy  H.,  wife  of  Gilbert 
L.  Frizzell,  who  died  in  Wisconsin  ; Rebecca  L.,  who 
married  Thomas  J.  Emertou,  and  now  survives  him 
in  Wisconsin ; Sally  K.,  the  wife  of  Ebenezer  Thurs- 
ton, who  died  upon  the  old  homestead  in  Northfield ; 
Abigail,  who  died  in  infancy  ; Samuel  B.,  who  married 
Susan  K.  Forrest,  and  was  for  many  years  a merchant 
at  Sanbornton  Bridge, — a man  of  integrity  and  ability, 
and  who  died  in  Northfield  from  the  effects  of  lead- 
poison  ; and  Benjamin  A.,  who  was  born  September 
10,  1823. 

Benjamin,  after  being  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1845, 
practiced  law  two  years  in  Gilmanton,  thirteen  at 
Sanbornton  Bridge, — nearly  five  years  of  which  he 
was  solicitor  of  Belknap  County, — establishing  a repu- 
tation as  a skillful  attorney,  a ready  speaker  and  for 
sharp  wit.  Owing  to  a lung  trouble,  he  went  South 
and  settled  in  Texas  in  1860;  came  North  during  the 
war,  and  in  1863  entered  the  ministry  of  the  Protest- 
ant Episcopal  Church. 

Since  then  he  has  been  rector  of  churches  in  Penn- 
sylvania, Austin,  Chicago,  Waco,  and  is  now  rector  of 
Grace  Church,  Georgetown,  Texas,  near  which  place 
he  resides,  on  a valuable  stock  farm,  which  he  owns 


526 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


and  manages.  During  these  years  he  has  held  many 
offices  of  trust  and  honor  in  church  and  State;  has 
been  married  four  times,  and  six  children  have  been 
born  to  him,  of  whom  only  one,  a daughter,  sur- 
vives. 

Jesse  Rogers,  fifth  son  of  Samuel  (1st), was  a black- 
smith and  lived  and  died  in  Northfield. 

Rebecca  and  Mehitable,  daughters  of  Samuel  (1st), 
married  and  left  town. 

Of  the  great  number  of  the  Rogers  name  once  liv- 
ing in  Northfield,  it  is  believed  not  one  now  remains 
there. 

The  ancestors  of  Wesley  Knowles  were  among  the 
original  settlers  of  Northfield,  coming  in  1791  from 
Chester,  N.  II.,  settled  on  the  David  Brown  place,  on 
Bean  Hill,  and  moved  from  there  to  Bay  Hill  in 
1799. 

The  Ambrose  family  came  from  Concord. 

John  Cofran  was  a native  of  Pembroke,  and  was 
settled  for  a time  in  Canterbury,  near  the  Shakers, 
whom  his  wife  had  a great  desire  to  join  on  accouut  of 
a twin-sister  living  there,  to  the  great  disgust  of  her 
husband,  who  vowed  he  would  wean  her  from  that 
notion,  and  accordingly  sold  out,  removed  to  Notting- 
ham, whence,  after  a year  or  two,  he  came  to  North- 
field,  in  1787,  and  bought  his  Bean  Hill  farm,  where 
he  remained  till  his  death.  His  grandson,  Benjamin 
F.,  still  has  the  original  deed  of  the  place  in  his  pos- 
session, the  consideration  in  it  being  given  in  pounds. 
His  son  James,  born  in  1782,  commonly  called  Col- 
onel Cofran,  married  Ruth  Hersey,  inherited  the 
farm,  living  there  the  life  of  a prosperous  farmer  and 
drover  till  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  when  he  moved 
to  the  Northfield  side  of  Sanbornton  Bridge,  assisted 
largely  in  building  the  seminary  and  died  in  1861,  in 
his  seventy-ninth  year  ; had  a brother,  Israel  Cofran, 
who  lived  in  West  Northfield.  His  son,  James  H., 
remained  on  the  homestead,  married  Eliza  B.  Hall, 
and  died  in  1868,  aged  fifty.  His  widow  now  resides 
near  Tilton. 

Anotherson,  Benjamin  Franklin,  lives  on  the  North- 
field  side  of  the  river  near  Tilton,  a well-to-do  farmer 
and  respected  citizen.  He  married  Priscilla  C.  Chase, 
daughter  of  Benjamin  A.  Chase,  who,  with  his  father, 
carried  on  the  fulling  and  carding  business  just  by 
the  corner  of  the  old  bridge.  Mr.  Chase  built  the 
house  now  occupied  by  Mrs.  Asa  I*.  Cate,  and  his  farm 
included  all  of  Mount  Griswold  and  the  Joseph  Hill 
stand.  His  father,  whose  name  was  Stephen,  kept 
tavern  where  Benjamin  Hill  used  to  live, — in  the  cor- 
ner where  the  Bay  Hill  road  branches  from  the  main 
road. 

Mr.  Cofrau’s  house  was  burned  in  1875,  but  rebuilt 
the  next  year. 

We  have  thus  brought  these  brief  sketchy  memoirs 
of  the  earlier  families  who  emigrated  to  the  hills  of 
Northfield  down  to  the  close  of  the  century,  or  to  the 
year  1800.  We  think  we  have  noted  the  greater  num- 
ber of  those  who  came  during  that  time  from  abroad. 


If  any  have  been  overlooked,  our  excuse  must  be  the 
difficulty  of  acquiring  accurate  information  at  this  late 
day,  the  old  people — the  connecting  links  between 
that  period  and  this — having  all  passed  away,  and  the 
shortness  of  the  time  allowed  us  in  the  preparation  of 
this  article.  We  have  done  the  best  our  limits  and 
circumstances  permitted,  and  it  only  remains  for  us 
in  this  connection  to  record  the  arrival  of  two  individ- 
uals under  essentially  different  auspices.  Aaron  Col- 
lins and  Ebenezer  Blanchard  were  the  first  two  chil- 
dren born  in  the  new  settlement.  That’s  all  we  know 
of  the  entrance  of  Aaron  into  a participation  of  North- 
field’s  joys  and  woes ; but  of  Ebenezer  we  can  say  that 
he  was  born  in  1768,  and  that  the  attendant,  Mrs.  Jo- 
seph Simons,  who  in  those  years  was  the  doctress,  or 
midwife,  for  Canterbury  and  her  colony,  made  them 
her  last  professional  visit,  her  own  exit  following 
closely  upon  Ebenezer’s  advent,  as  she  died  within 
the  year, — a sore  loss  in  those  days,  when  the  growth 
of  families  kept  pace  with  the  growth  of  other  pro- 
ductions of  a new  land. 

What  with  native  and  foreign  arrivals,  the  popula- 
tion increased  to  such  an  extent  that  they  came  to 
the  conclusion  that  the  colony  no  longer  needed  Can- 
terbury’s protecting  hand,  and  that  it  was  old  and 
able  enough  to  set  up  for  itself. 

Accordingly,  in  1780,  twenty  years  after  the  first 
clearing  was  made,  the  inhabitants  secured  an  act  of 
incorporation,  and  the  offshoot  of  Canterbury  became 
the  independent  and  stalwart  town  of  Northfield. 
We  have  no  account  of  the  preliminary  measures 
taken,  public  meetings,  speeches  for  or  against,  de- 
lays, expenses,  etc., — nothing,  except  that  we  may 
judge,  from  a vote  in  their  first  town-meeting,  that 
Nathaniel  Whitcher  was  the  agent  appointed  to  at- 
tend to  that  business. 

Hereafter  we  must  speak  of  Northfield  in  her  cor- 
porate capacity,  and  we  will  commence  by  giving  a 
specimen  of  her  early  town-meetings. 

“ KEIGHCORD  OF  MEETINGS,  ETC. 

“At  a meeting  held  in  Northfield,  tucsday  yc  21  Nov’r,  1780. 

“ 1.  Voted  Mr.  John  Simons  Moderator. 

“2.  Voted  to  a Low  Mr.  Nathauil  wichers  acoiupt  in  Gifting  ye  in  Cor- 
poration. 

“ 3.  Voted  to  Rais  Monny  to  Buy  a parrish  Book. 

“4.  v.  to  Kais  Nineteen  hundred  Dollars  to  Defray  Parrish  Chargis. 

“ 2d  meeting. 

“At  a Meeting  held  in  Northfield  on  Tuesday,  ye  first  of  March,  1781, 
at  the  hous  of  Mr.  John  Simons. 

“ 1.  voted  Oapt.  Ednor  (Edward  probably)  Blanchard  Moderator. 

“2nd.  Voted  Arche  (Archelaus)  Miles  Clerk. 

“3rd.  Voted  Reuben  Witcher,  John  McDaniel,  Thomas  Clough,  Se- 
lect Men. 

“ 4.  Voted  Ebeuesor  Kimbal  Constabel. 

“5.  Voted  Joseph  Car,  David  Blanchard,  Charles  Glidden,  Matthew 
hains  & Peter  hunniford,  Scrvayers  of  hiwais. 

“ 6.  Voted  Edward  Blanchard,  David  Morrison,  hog-Refs. 

“7.  voted  Aaron  Stevens  Sealer  of  Measur. 

“8.  voted  the  Select  Men  be  a Committy  to  git  the  Monny  and  Beef 
Cauld  for  By  the  Cort. 

“0.  voted  to  Raise  Six  thousand  Dollars  to  Repir  high  ways  in  labour 
at  forty  dollars  per  day. 

“ Said  Meeting  adjurned  to  the  firs  of  Apr.  at  two  of  the  Clock  in  the 
After  Noon  at  the  Saim  plais.” 


NORTH  FIELD. 


527 


In  1780  the  town  tax  was  sixty  bushels  of  corn. 
But  it  will  be  noticed  that  at  the  November  meeting 
they  voted  nineteen  hundred  dollars  to  pay  parish 
charges,  and  the  ensuing  March  voted  the  enormous 
sum  of  six  thousand  dollars  to  repair  highways,  and 
to  pay  labor  forty  dollars  a day. 

The  wonder  ceases  when  we  remember  that  the 
“ money”  spoken  of  was  Continental  currency,  which 
had  then  depreciated  to  perhaps  one-fortieth  or  one- 
fiftieth  of  its  first  value,  so  that  the  discrepancy  be- 
tween the  first  tax  and  the  others  will  not  appear  to 
be  so  great. 

It  was  also  voted,  as  regards  the  corn,  that  those  not 
bringing  in  their  tax,  that  is,  their  corn,  briskly,  must 
pay  “ Colector  for  Colecting.” 

In  1782,  P.  Morrison  was  chosen  “Tithing  Man,” 
and  it  was  voted  to  “ rais  ” two  days’  work  on  roads. 

In  1783,  John  Simons  was  appointed  “Sairvaior,” 
as  he  was  for  four  succeeding  years;  also  for  1789  and 
1790. 

D.  Morrison  chosen  “ hog-reef.” 

Jeremiah  Blanchard  was  born  January  10th.  Mr. 
Diah’s  name  is  mentioned. 

1784,  John  Simons’  taxes  on  a valuation  of  £40 
were  £1 17s.  6 d. 

1785,  town-meeting  at  John  Simons’,  who  next 
year  was  appointed  pound-keeper  and  assessor. 

1789,  the  Forrest  name  mentioned  in  records. 

1791,  “Voted  to  build  a meeting-house,  to  be  framed 
and  raised  by  September,  1792.” 

This  vote  of  the  town-meeting,  it  seems,  was  not 


ing-house,  and  voted  a committee  of  three  men,  namely 
Colonel  Greeley,  Squire  Harper  and  Captain  Mc- 
Crillis,  to  pitch  upon  a place  for  the  meeting-house, 
and  a committee  of  five  to  see  about  size,  etc.,  of 
house. 

Old  Meeting-House. — We  come  now  to  chronicle 
an  important  event  in  Northfield’s  history, — one  of 
her  two  great  public  days, — the  raising  of  what  at 
present  is  called  the  “ Old  Meeting-House,”  only  to 
be  paralleled  eighty-six  years  after,  in  1880,  by  the 
centennial  observance  of  her  incorporation.  It  is 
singular  that  she  should  have  remained  without  a 
house  for  public  worship  so  long.  Sanbornton  Square, 
though  settled  considerably  later,  nevertheless,  for 
nineteen  years  or  thereabouts,  had  possessed  a meet- 
ing-house. Gilman  ton,  Canterbury,  Boscawen  and 
Salisbury  were  likewise  thus  favored,  and  there  was  no 
place  for  public  worship  anywhere  nearer  than  those 
towns. 

Since  the  incorporation  Northfield  had  been  stead- 
ily and  rapidly  gaining  in  population.  Roads  had 
been  laid  out  to  the  Bridge,  to  Canterbury  and  to  Bay, 
Bean  and  Oak  Hills  from  the  Centre,  with  increasing 
settlements  on  all ; and  as  families  in  those  days  were 
proverbially  large,  it  is  not  improbable  that  a greater 
crowd  of  old  and  young,  especially  of  the  latter,  on 
34 


any  given  occasion,  could  be  called  together  in  that 
day  from  the  three  hills  mentioned  and  the  central 
valley  than  it  would  be  possible  to  assemble  from  the 
same  places  now. 

What  kept  the  energetic  Northfielders  so  far  be- 
hindhand in  getting  for  themselves  a capacious  house 
for  public  business  and  public  worship  we  are  not 
prepared  to  say,  but  Rev.  Mr.  Curtice  says  that  there 
was  but  little  of  the  Puritan  element  in  town  at  first, 
as  compared  with  its  neighbors ; then  it  is  possible 
there  was  some  rivalry  as  to  location.  Besides,  there 
seems  to  have  been  an  increased  influx  of  new  set- 
tlers during  these  years,  and  time  was  needed  to  assim- 
ilate them  with  the  old,  and  the  attention  of  many 
was  directed  to  the  opening  of  new  farms,  and  with 
the  older  settlers,  to  the  exchanging  of  their  log  huts 
for  framed  dwellings,  and  it  is  possible  that  these  set- 
tlers were  a trifle  poorer,  as  a whole,  than  those  of  the 
neighboring  towns.  No  doubt  the  matter  was  dis- 
cussed every  year  since  the  incorporation,  but  with- 
out action.  But  during  the  winter  of  1792-93  the 
subject  seems  to  have  been  taken  up  in  earnest.  Their 
increased  population  forced  them  to  action.  No  pri- 
vate house  was  equal  to  the  demands  of  the  public 
business.  At  private  parties,  at  husking  frolics, 
hunting-jiarties,  house-raisings,  logging  bees,  at  all 
gatherings,  very  likely  it  was  the  chief  topic  ; so  that 
when  they  met  at  their  next  annual  March  meeting  in 
1793  all  the  elements  were  favorable  for  action.  They 
voted  to  build  said  house,  and,  to  prevent  any  occasion 
for  disagreement,  they  chose  their  committee  of  loca- 
tion from  out  of  town.  That  committee  reported  March 
28,  1793,  at  an  adjourned  meeting  held  for  that  especial 
purpose  presumedly,  as  follows  : 

“We,  the  Subscribers,  being  appointed  by  the  Parish  of  Northfield  as  a 
Committee  to  agree  upon  a certain  spot  of  ground  for  them  to  build  a 
Meeting-House,  we  have  carefully  examined  the  situation  of  Sd  Parish 
and  find  the  most  convenient  Spot  to  be  Esqr. Charles  Glidden’sland  near 
his  gate,  a little  north  ofCapt.  Stephen  Haines’  dwelling-House,  on  said 
ground;  we  have  Set  two  Stakes  for  the  front  of  Said  house,  or  as  near  as 
is  most  convenient. 

“Samuel  Greeley. 

“David  McCrillis. 

“William  Harper.” 

December,  1793,  “ Voted  that  the  meeting-house 
should  be  completed  by  the  1st  of  October,  1794.” 

By  this  time  considerable  enthusiasm  appears  to 
have  been  aroused  on  the  subject,  and  it  is  allowable 
to  suppose  that  measures  were  soon  taken  to  carry  the 
vote  of  the  town  into  effect.  Much  of  the  lumber  for  the 
frame,  which  was  of  the  best  quality,  was  contributed  by 
individuals.  The  spot  chosen,  with  the  land  adjoining, 
was  in  after-years  famous  for  the  stories  told  of  its  huge 
growth  of  pines.  One  that  grew  on  theoppositesideof 
the  road  afterwards,  when  felled,  was  left  in  its  pros- 
trate position  along  the  road  to  serve  for  a fence,  which 
it  did  completely,  as  the  trunk  was  so  thick  thatsteps 
had  to  be  cut  in  the  side  to  allow  one  to  climb  over. 
It  remained  a source  of  wonder  till  within  a few  years. 
Another  stood  close  to  the  meeting-house  whose 
stump,  when  afterwards  cut,  was  so  large  that  a yoke 


528 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


of  six-feet  oxen  was  driven  upon  it  and  turned  around 
without  stepping  off ; so  says  a trustworthy  citizen  of 
the  town,  he  having  seen  it  done.  At  the  time  of  the 
raising  all  the  space  on  the  north  of  the  road,  from  the 
meeting-house  up  the  hill  east  to  Squire  Glidden’s, 
was  covered  with  primeval  forest,  and  it  is  but  fair  to 
presume  that  the  meeting-house  lot  was  so  covered 
when  the  selection  was  made. 

If  so,  the  most  of  that  summer  must  have  been  spent 
in  preparing  the  ground.  This  was  probably  done  at 
certain  intervals  by  bees, — i.  e.,  a gathering  of  the  peo- 
ple to  work  in  company  according  to  the  custom  of  the 
times;  on  one  day  a tree-felling  and  tree-chopping 
bee,  on  another  a burning  bee,  on  another  a stump 
pulling  bee,  with  the  united  force  of  all  the  oxen  in 
town  perhaps,  and  finally  a levelling  and  smoothing 
bee.  And  then  the  spot  was  ready. 

William  Durgin,  the  third  of  that  name,  sometimes 
styled  Lieutenant  Durgin,  and  more  familiarly  “Mas- 
ter Bill  Durgin,”  was  chosen  to  superintend  the  work. 
He  lived  at  Tin  Corner,  Sanbornton  ; was  then  in  his 
best  years — aged  forty-four — and  had  acquired  con- 
siderable reputation  as  a head  carpenter,  having  al- 
ready framed  the  meeting-house  in  Sanbornton,  one  in 
Portsmouth,  and  other  buildings,  and  now  undertook 
what  was  to  be  his  master-work,  we  think;  surpass- 
ing all  buildings  in  the  neighboring  towns,  so  far  as 
we  know,  proving  that,  though  late  to  begin,  the 
Northfielders  when  they  did  build  were  not  to  be  out- 
done. At  any  rate,  Master  Durgin  accepted  the  in- 
vitation, and  soon  commenced  operations.  Every- 
thing was  to  be  as  near  perfection  as  the  skill  then 
available  could  make  it. 

Nail-makers  from  abroad  brought  a forge  and 
manufactured  the  nails — all  first-class — on  the  spot. 
None  but  first-class  pine  was  used  for  the  boards.  The 
shingles  and  clapboards  were  split  and  shaved  by 
hand,  and  in  the  latterthe  holes  for  the  nails  were  made 
by  gimlets,  as  a safeguard  against  splitting. 

Busily  the  carpenters  plied  their  tools  through  the 
long,  hot  days;  busily  the  nailers  wrought;  busily 
the  shingle  and  clapboard-makers  rived  and  shaved, 
till,  just  as  summer  was  drawing  to  a close,  Master 
Durgin  made  proclamation  that  everything  was  pre- 
pared for  the  raising,  and  the  time  set  was  the  second 
week  in  September.  The  day  of  the  week  we  are  un- 
able to  name.  The  news  spread  in  all  directions,  and 
on  the  appointed  morning  there  was  a general  turn- 
out from  all  quarters  of  the  town  of  every  age,  and  of 
both  sexes.  Some  came  with  ox-teams  loaded  to  their 
utmost  capacity ; some  women  on  horseback  with  babes 
in  their  arms,  and  iron  kettles  tied  behind  to  assist  in 
the  cooking.  Provisions  in  great  profusion  were  con- 
veyed to  the  ground,  the  Hill  women,  of  Bay  Hill, 
contributing  a cart-load  of  wheaten  bread,  which  a 
Mr.  Hill,  ox-goad  in  hand,  hauled  with  oxen  to  the 
place  of  assemblage,  and,  having  backed  the  cart  to 
the  edge  of  the  wood,  where  the  pound  is  now  seen, 
stood  there  the  live-long  day,  valiantly  guarding  with 


his  trusty  ox-goad  the  wheaten  treasures  entrusted  to 
his  care  against  marauding  boys  that  swarmed  on 
every  side.  Benjamin  Blanchard,  the  original  first 
settler,  was  still  living,  and,  you  may  be  sure,  was 
there,  and  how  it  must  have  made  his  brave,  old  eyes 
sparkle — he  was  then  seventy-five — to  behold  on  this 
day  the  magnificent  results  of  his  log-hut  raising 
thirty-four  years  before ! “ He  builded  better  than 

he  knew,”  or  expected  ; and  if  a man  on  that  ground 
had  a right  to  be  proud  that  day,  it  was  Benjamin 
Blanchard.  And  the  progenitors  of  most,  and  proba- 
bly all,  of  the  long-standing  family  names  in  town  at 
the  present  day,  and  of  some  now  extinct  or  removed, 
all  were  there.  Nor  must  the  historian  forget  to  men- 
tion that  the  barrel  of  rum  was  there — genuine,  true 
New  England  ; Jersey  lightning  was  as  yet  unknown 
— setup  in  great  state  in  the  basement  of  the  old 
Gline’s  building  opposite,  so  we  are  told.  And  not 
only  from  Northfield  did  visitors  and  assistance  come, 
but  great  numbers  from  Sanbornton,  Gilmanton,  Can- 
terbury, Boscawen,  Salisbury, — in  some  cases  whole 
families,  and  remained  on  the  ground  till  the  third 
day.  Elder  John  Crocket,  for  forty  years  pastor  of 
the  First  Baptist  Church  at  Sanbornton — his  pastorate 
having  commenced  only  the  year  before,  in  1793— had 
responded  to  an  invitation  to  be  present  and  intro- 
duce the  ceremonies  with  prayer.  He  took  his  station 
on  the  sill  at  the  southeast  corner  of  the  building, 
with  Master-Builder  Durgin  on  his  right,  and  the 
master  of  ceremonies,  with  a glass  and  bottle  in  his 
hand,  on  the  left.  Order  is  proclaimed.  The  prayer 
is  made.  Then  the  master  of  ceremonies,  turning  and 
pouring  out  a glassful  of  New  England,  presented  it 
with  due  respect  to  the  minister,  who,  taking  it  slowly, 
poured  a portion  of  the  contents  on  the  ground,  as  a 
libation  or  drink  offering  ; then  with  somewhat  less 
deliberation  poured  the  remainder  in  another  direc- 
tion. The  glass  was  then  refilled  and  passed  to  the 
master-builder,  who  drained  the  contents,  and  was 
followed  by  the  master  of  ceremonies.  Then  the 
crowd  was  treated,  and  it  was  remarked  that  this  part 
of  the  ceremony  was  conducted  with  much  greater 
rapidity  than  the  preliminary  exercises  had  been. 

After  having  been  thus  fortified,  the]  signal  was 
given.  At  once  a hundred  hands  spring  to  the  work. 
The  huge,  oaken  timbers  are  seized  and  raised  on 
high.  Long  do  they  tug  and  push  and  lift  and  pant 
an'd  shout,  and  finally  grow  thirsty,  and  a halt  is 
called,  and  again  the  friendly  glass  goes  its  rounds, 
whispering  courage  to  one  and  all ; and  again,  with 
•strength  renewed,  they  hoist  the  timbers.  And  so  the 
work  moves  on  until  the  dinner-hour  proclaims  an- 
other halt,  when,  seated  by  hundreds,  on  timbers, 
boxes,  fences  and  ground,  they  wait  impatiently  while 
the  cart,  laden  to  its  utmost  capacity  with  the  wheaten 
loaves  fashioned  so  well  by  the  hands  of  the  domestic 
Hills  of  Bay  Hill,  is  driven  forward  by  ox-driver 
Hill,  goad  in  hand.  Others  bring  on  huge  piles  of 
brown  bread.  Another  company  advances,  with  Mrs. 


NORTHFIELD. 


529 


Knowles,  from  Bay  Hill  Pinnacle,  at  the  head,  who 
had  been  superintending  the  hissing  masses  of  fisli- 
hasli  and  fish-chowder  which  had  been  stewing 
throughout  the  forenoon  in  huge  iron  kettles  sus- 
pended from  horizontal  poles  laid  on  upright  crotched 
posts,  set  in  the  ground  near  the  edge  of  the  wood, 
and  between  which  the  flames  had  been  roaring  since 
morning.  The  steaming  results  were  now  brought 
forward  by  the  tugging  assistants.  Beans  and  bean- 
porridge  were  there,  we  know  not  whence;  but  if 
there’s  anything  in  a name,  Bean  Hill  must  have  fur- 
nished the  supply. 

After  dinner,  a good  afternoon’s  work  succeeded,  so 
that  the  body  of  the  church  was  raised  the  first  day. 
The  next  forenoon  they  put  on  the  roof,  and  finished 
up  the  second  day  with  games  of  various  kinds, — as 
foot-races,  trials  of  strength,  such  as  running  up  the 
hill  to  the  east  with  two  bushels  of  wheat  or  rye  on 
their  backs.  Then  succeeded  a wrestling-match  for 
the  “Honors,”  the  Northfield  men  being  pitted 
against  the  champion  wrestlers  from  Boscawen,  Salis- 
bury, Gilmanton  and  the  other  towns  represented. 
Two  captains  chose  their  men  and  the  contest  began, 
and  was  kept  up  with  varying  success  till,  narrowing 
down  to  a few  wrestlers,  it  began  to  look  as  though 
Northfield  must  be  driven  from  the  ground  by  a pow- 
erful man  from  Boscawen  by  the  name  of  Elliott, 
when  the  Northfield  captain,  as  bis  last  man,  said  he 
would  bring  forward  a boy,  and  accordingly  led  in 
young  Abram  Simons,  eighteen  years  old.  Elliott 
scorned  the  encounter  at  first  with  one  so  youthful, 
but  saw  his  mistake  after  having  been  thrown  twice 
by  Simons, — once  at  “ arms’  length,”  the  other  at 
“ side  hugs,” — and  the  “ Honors  ” remained  with 
Northfield.  And  there  may  the  honor  and  “ Honors  ” 
ever  remain. 

Other  matches  were  tried  for  fun  or  for  the  rum. 
Thomas  Simons,  with  a bushel  of  rye  on  his  shoul- 
ders, outran  a man  without  any  load.  Again,  he  won 
a race  on  “all  fours,”  so  many  rods  out  and  back,  over 
a man  on  horseback. 

In  Rev.  Mr.  Runnels’  “ History  of  Sanbornton”  I 
find  this  account  of  a reading-match  at  the  same  time 
and  place,  written  by  Mr.  Jacob  N.  Knapp  when 
eighty-six  years  of  age.  Mr.  Knapp,  then  in  his 
seventeenth  year,  was  teaching  in  Sanbornton  at  six 
dollars  a month  and  board.  Says  he, — 

“ Soon  after  I began  my  school  1 went  to  Northfield.  an  adjoining 
town,  to  see  a meeting-house  raised.  There  I met  three  other  school- 
masters. One  of  them,  an  Englishman,  had  in  his  hand  a copy  of  Ad- 
dison’s ‘Cato.’  He  proposed  a trial  of  reading  among  us  four  instructors. 
The  multitude  heard  the  challenge,  and  formed  a ring  round  us.  The 
Englishman  selected  as  the  trial  passage  the  last  part  of  the  first  scene 
between  Marcus  and  Portius,  and  read  it  with  theatrical  tone  and  em- 
phasis. Next  came  Master  Fuller,  then  Master  Clark  ; then  came  my 
turn.  The  ring,  probably  in  sympathy  for  my  youth,  declared  loudly  in 
my  favor.” 

To  conclude  the  whole  in  a befitting  manner,  Aa- 
ron Collins,  the  first  born  in  town,  who,  as  he  had 
already  immortalized  himself  once  by  becoming  its 


first  native,  determined  now  to  do  it  again  by  per- 
forming what  has  never  been  attempted  before  or 
since, — namely,  as  they  had  neglected  to  place  a steeple 
on  the  house  he  enacted  the  part  of  one  by  climbing 
to  the  ridgepole  and  standing  on  his  head,  being  posi- 
tively the  first  and  only  example  of  a man’s  immor- 
talizing twice  in  the  town  of  Northfield. 

And  so  the  “ Old  Meeting-House  ” was  raised.  It 
was  not  completely  finished  and  painted  till  1800,  as  a 
date  in  the  roof,  by  a painter’s  brush,  still  testifies. 
At  first  there  were  no  means  of  warming  the  build- 
ing, yet  in  early  times  this  large  house  used  to  be 
completely  filled  with  hearers  from  back  gallery  to 
pulpit. 

Master  Durgin  did  his  work  well,  and  the  carpen- 
ters and  nailers  and  rivers  and  shinglers  needed  not 
to  fear  in  after-years  the  memory  of  slighted  work  ; 
and  old  Father  Knowles,  who  turned  the  banisters, 
turned  them  well.  But  its  work  is  done.  Its  mission 
is  accomplished.  No  more  within  its  walls  will  be 
heard  the  mild  tones  of  its  first  pastor,  Rev.  Liba 
Conant,  nor  the  sounding-board  echo  the  thunders  of 
Father  Corser.  It  stands  to-day  a battered  hulk,  still 
spacious  indeed,  with  galleries  and  pulpit  sounding- 
board  intact,  and  with  timbers  as  sound  as  they  were 
ninety-one  years  ago,  yet  a shell, — windowless,  door- 
less, floorless, — soon  to  be  torn  down  and  removed. 

After  the  completion  of  the  great  church  and  town- 
house,  as  above  described,  we  meet  with  nothing 
of  especial  importance  to  describe  for  many  years. 
The  town  still  continued  to  grow  and  prosper,  owing 
to  the  good  management  of  its  public  officials,  the 
industry  of  its  inhabitants  and  the  arrival  of  new 
settlers,  among  whom  we  briefly  note  the  following : 

Elias  Abbott  moved  from  Concord,  N.  H.,  in  May, 
1801,  and  settled  and  died  on  the  farm  at  Bean  Hill, 
occupied  so  long  in  after-years  by  his  grandson, 
Gardner  S.  Abbott. 

Deacon  G.  S.  Abbott  now  resides  on  the  Northfield 
side  of  the  river,  near  Tilton,  in  a pleasant  grove 
overlooking  the  village.  He  has  held  office  in  the 
church  and  town. 

G.  A.  Gorrell  came  to  town  not  far  from  1810  and 
settled  on  the  farm  next  west  of  that  of  James  N. 
Forrest,  where  his  son  Albert  now  lives. 

Deacon  Jeremiah  Hall,  the  son  of  Obadiah,  came 
to  Northfield  from  Canterbury  in  1801 ; had  several 
children,  among  them  Dr.  Adino  B.  and  Eliza  B. 
(Cofran),  and  two  at  the  West;  died  at  Bean  Hill, 
not  far  from  ninety  years  of  age.  He  had  a younger 
brother  Obadiah,  who  lived  in  West  Northfield  ; had 
several  children,  one  of  whom — Obadiah,  Jr. — was  a 
physician,  and  died  in  Southern  Ohio  a few  years 
ago,  aged  about  forty. 

The  excellent  and  very  pleasant  farms  at  present 
owned  and  occupied  by  Messrs.  Munroe  and  William 
Clough  were  purchased  from  Captain  Samuel  Gil- 
man about  the  year  1802  by  their  grandfather,  Jona- 
than Clough,  who  emigrated  thither  from  Salisbury, 


530 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Mass.,  and  died  in  1830,  aged  eighty-six,  leaving  the 
farms  to  his  two  sons,  Jonathan  and  Samuel— the 
former  the  father  of  William,  the  latter  of  Munroe. 
There  was  quite  a rivalry  in  barn-building  in  that 
neighborhood  at  one  time.  Captain  Gilman  built  a 
barn — the  first  in  town — a wonderful  barn,  so  con- 
sidered at  the  time,  which  barn  still  stands  on  the 
old  place.  The  owner  of  W.  H.  Smith’s  farm  de- 
termined to  surpass  it,  and  the  next  year  built  a barn 
twenty-five  feet  longer;  whereupon  Esquire  Glid- 
den  built  another  with  a still  further  addition  of 
twenty-five  feet,  which  gave  him  the  superiority.  It 
may  be  of  interest  to  state  that  the  first  Methodist 
sermon  in  town  was  preached  in  William  Clough’s 
dining-room,  and  that  his  ancient  Gilman-built  barn 
was  used  as  a Methodist  Church  for  quite  a while, 
later  meetings  being  held  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Knowles 
and  the  school-house,  and  baptism  was  administered 
in  Chestnut  Pond.  Martin  Rutter  was  the  first 
pastor. 

Thomas  S.  Clough,  a younger  brother  of  Munroe, 
is  now  a resident  of  Paw  Paw  Grove,  Lee  County,  111. ; 
has  a son  and  daughter,  and  is  a successful  farmer; 
but  his  fertile  Western  farm  has  not  had  the  power  to 
banish  from  his  memory  Bay  Hill,  the  beautiful  home 
of  his  earlier  years.  He  was  the  first  Republican 
representative  Northfield  ever  sent  to  the  Legislature. 

Captain  Isaac  Glines  came  to  town  in  1813  from 
Salem,  Mass.,  and  bought  a farm  at  the  Centre,  where 
he  lived  till  his  death,  at  the  age  of  eighty-four. 

In  the  fall  of  1813  Benjamin  Winslow,  born  in 
Caudia,  N.  H.,  emigrated  hither  from  Loudon;  mar- 
ried Miss  Betsy  French,  also  from  Loudon,  the  next 
year;  bought  and  cleared  the  land  and,  after  four  or 
five  years,  erected  the  buildings  of  the  farm  now 
occupied  by  Mr.  John  S.  Winslow;  died  in  1840. 
Mr.  Winslow,  the  present  occupant,  has  been  a 
teacher  here  for  several  years  and  has  held  many  and 
varied  offices  in  town. 

The  intervale  upon  which  the  Crosses  and  Joseph 
Hancock  settled  (once  a part  of  old  Northfield,  but 
now  included  within  the  limits  of  Franklin)  is  one 
of  the  largest  and  richest  on  the  Merrimack.  Here 
Joseph  Gerrisli,  Esq.,  settled  in  the  year  1804.  He 
was  a native  of  Boscawen,  born  in  1784,  and  was 
the  son  of  Colonel  Henry  and  grandson  of  Captain 
Steven  Gerrish,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Boscawen 
and  a native  of  Newbury,  Mass. 

Joseph  Gerrish  was  a man  of  great  shrewdness, 
business  tact  and  enterprise,  hospitable  and  genial. 
After  the  War  of  1812  he  bought  the  George  Han- 
cock farm  on  an  adjoining  ridge,  and  thus  enlarged 
his  domains  to  ample  size,  with  due  proportions  of 
upland  for  grazing  and  intervale  for  tillage.  He  had 
thirteen  children,  and  was  respected  as  one  of  North- 
field’s  most  substantial  farmers.  His  wife  was  Susan 
Hancock,  of  Northfield.  At  his  death,  in  1851,  his 
broad  acres  were  divided  among  his  three  sons,  Mil- 
ton,  Leonard  and  Steven,  the  two  former  taking  the 


intervale,  the  latter  the  upland  farm.  Milton  and 
Leonard  still  cultivate  their  ancestral  fields,  but 
Steven,  a few  years  ago,  sold  his  patrimony  to  John 
Kelley,  Esq.,  the  present  possessor  and  well-to-do 
farmer. 

The  Foss  family,  in  two  divisions,  appeared  in 
town  in  its  early  days,  and  settled  one  on  the 
main  road  and  one  on  Oak  Hill,  owning  a very  large 
tract  there,  which  for  a long  time  was  called  Foss 
Hill.  Jason  is  the  only  surviving  male  descendant; 
has  been  selectman  for  several  years,  and  has  sisters 
living  in  Sanbornton. 

Dr.  Keyser  was  one  of  the  early  settlers,  but  very 
little  about  him  have  I been  able  to  learn ; but  he 
had  a son,  Joseph  Smith  Keyser,  of  general  intelli- 
gence, a close  observer,  a good  citizen,  industrious, 
frugal  and  acquired  a good  property,  but  the  embodi- 
ment of  eccentricity,  a determined  old  bachelor, 
shunned  womankind,  and  finally  turned  hermit, 
raised  but  little  from  his  land,  would  sell  nothing, 
i and,  as  far  as  the  writer  knows,  was  induced  to  break 
through  this  custom  in  only  one  instance  on  any  con- 
siderable scale.  He  had  kept  his  barn  full  of  hay 
! for  over  thirty  years,  refusing  all  applications  to  buy, 
till,  at  a time  of  great  scarcity,  an  offer  of  thirty  dol- 
lars, or  more,  a ton  broke  down  his  obstinacy;  and 
the  swallows  that  haunted  the  ancient  building  saw 
with  astonishment  something  never  seen  by  them 
before — the  old  barn  empty.  He  died  alone,  and  the 
fact  was  not  discovered  for  several  days.  The  filth 
of  his  dwelling  showed  the  want  of  woman’s  hand, 
and  his  gun  was  found  filled  to  the  top  with  silver 
dimes. 

A Miss  Sally  Thornton  used  to  teach  and  preach  in 
town,  but  when,  nobody  knows,  so  far  as  I have  been 
able  to  learn. 

Ebenezer  Morrison  settled  in  Northfield  in  1814. 
Had  the  following  children  : Thomas  L.  Morrison, 
now  living  in  Northfield  ; Robert  G.,  organ  manu- 
facturer in  Concord ; Amos  H.,  a blacksmith  in  Con- 
cord ; Obadiah  H.,  book  merchant,  Washington, 
D.  C.,  died  1875,  aged  fifty-two ; Liba  C.,  a farmer 
on  one  of  the  original  Hill  farms  in  Northfield  ; 
Ebenezer,  paper  merchant  in  Washington,  D.  C. 

Probably  no  individual  has  exercised  so  strong  and 
decided  an  influence  on  the  policy  and  politics  of 
Northfield  as  the  late  Judge  Asa  Piper  Cate. 

Judge  Cate  was  the  son  of  Simeon  and  Lydia  Dur- 
gin  Cate,  born  June  1,  1813,  in  Sanbornton  (now 
Tilton),  whence,  in  his  early  childhood,  his  parents 
removed  to  Northfield,  where  he  passed  the  remainder 
of  his  life.  He  was  educated  at  the  academies  at 
Sanbornton  Square,  Sanbornton  Bridge  and  Boscawen ; 
read  law  with  Judge  Nesmith,  of  Franklin;  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  August,  1838,  and  opened  an  office 
at  Sanbornton  Bridge.  He  was  colonel  of  a regiment 
of  militia  for  several  years  ; was  elected  moderator  at 
the  annual  elections  from  1838  to  1874,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  two  years ; represented  the  town  of  North- 


NORTH  FIELD. 


531 


field  in  the  Legislature  five  years, — 1839,  ’40,  ’(14,  ’05, 
’06;  was  State  Senator  two  years,  1844—45,  the 
second  year  president  of  the  Senate ; was  solicitor 
for  Merrimack  County  from  1845  to  1851 ; judge  of 
probate,  1871,  ’72,  ’73  and  ’74,  when  he  resigned  a few 
weeks  previous  to  his  death.  He  was  candidate  for 
Governor,  1858,  ’59  and  ’60 ; railroad  commissioner 
three  years;  member  and  secretary  of  the  board 
of  trustees  of  the  New  Hampshire  Conference  Semi- 
nary ten  years,  and  an  active  member  and  senior 
warden  of  the  Trinity  Protestant  Episcopal  Church 
at  Tilton.  He  was  president  of  the  Citizens’  National 
Bank  at  Tilton  ; a director  of  the  B.,  C.  and  Montreal 
Railroad,  and  a liberal  investor  in  its  property.  His 
fondness  for  agriculture  was  shown  by  his  well-culti- 
vated farm,  his  choice  fruit,  his  well-filled  and  well- 
ordered  garden.  A fine  specimen  of  the  country 
gentleman,  genial,  social,  highly  respected  by  his 
fellow-citizens,  of  all  degrees  and  politics.  He  died 
December  12,  1874,  aged  sixty-one  years,  leaving  a 
wife  (formerly  Miss  Clara  Proctor)  and  two  children, 
Clara  Moulton  and  Abbie  Josephine. 

Morrill  S.  Moore  was  born  in  Canterbury  in  1798; 
married  Sally  Hancock,  of  Northfield,  and  removed 
to  his  wife’s  native  town,  and  settled  on  the  main 
road,  somewhere  near  the  Alvah  Hannaford  place; 
afterwards  lived  on  the  Bean  Hill  road,  where  his 
five  children  were  born.  Both  houses  have  since  been 
burned.  He  died  at  his  son’s  residence,  in  Sanborn- 
ton,  in  1860. 

His  son  Morrill  married  Laviua  A.  Huse,  a native 
of  Campton,  and  daughter  of  Daniel  M.  Huse,  a 
native  of  Sanbornton,  who,  after  several  removals, 
finally  settled  on  a pleasant  farm  in  West  Northfield, 
where  he  died  in  1883. 

Here  Mr.  Morrill  Moore  now  resides,  seemingly 
enjoying  himself  as  a substantial  farmer  ought. 

Dr.  Enos  Hoyt  was  a native  of  Sandwich,  N.  H., 
and  came  to  town  immediately  after  the  death  of  Dr. 
Alexander  T.  Clark,  which  took  place  March  10, 1821, 
Dr.  Hoyt  resided  in  Northfield  many  years;  had  an 
extensive  practice,  and  finally  removed  to  Framing- 
ham, Mass.,  where  he  died. 

Daniel  Sanborn  settled  on  the  Hall  place  in  1836. 
His  sons  were  Josiah  Sullivan,  Braley,  Janies, 
Daniel,  Samuel  C.  and  John,  of  whom  Daniel  clings 
to  the  old  homestead. 

Joseph  Clisby  came  to  town  in  1826  ; married,  the 
next  year,  Sally  Hill,  of  Bay  Hill ; built  a very  pleas- 
ant cottage  home,  surrounded  by  trees;  set  up  a 
blacksmith’s  shop  ; hammered  iron  and  shod  horses 
for  many  years,  till,  compelled  by  rheumatism,  he 
left  the  shop  for  the  open-air  work  of  farming.  He 
had  four  daughters, — Mandana  F.,  Maria  D.,  Sarah 
C.  and  Clara  A., — all,  with  their  mother,  deceased,  ex- 
cept Mandana.  Mr.  Clisby  states  that  there  is  not  a 
person  living  in  District  No.  1 (that  is  the  Centre) 
that  was- there  when  he  came,  the  last  one  dying  in 
1881. 


John  Copp  arrived  at  Bay  Hill,  perhaps,  about  the 
year  1825,  and  settled  next  east  of  John  Hill’s  farm. 
His  own  farm  was  not  so  extensive  or  valuable  as  his 
neighbor’s,  but  it  has  one  of  the  most  charming  out- 
looks in  the  State.  He  married  Ruama  Rollins  and 
had  two  children,  Evelina  and  John  G. ; all  now 
deceased.  Mr.  Copp  was  a good  farmer,  fond  of  sport 
and  a great  mimic,  so  much  so  that  had  he  followed 
an  actor’s  calling,  his  mimetic  ability  must  have  given 
him  a high  reputation  on  the  stage.  Many  probably 
still  remember  his  “ Raising  of  the  Barn,”  and 
various  comic  imitations  of  other  people.  His  farm, 
since  his  death,  has  passed  into  the  possession  of 
Daniel  E.  Hill. 

Next  beyond  Ibis  is  the  farm  where  Henry  Tebbett, 
Sr.,  lived  to  an  advanced  age,  and  whose  son  Henry 
studied  medicine  and  died  elsewhere  after  a few 
years’  practice. 

Among  the  later  arrivals  was  that  of  John  Mooney, 
who  transferred  his  residence  from  Loudon  to  the  Cen- 
tre in  1834.  Kind  and  social,  and  of  a stirring  nature, 
his  person,  perhaps,  was  the  most  familiarly  known 
among  his  fellow-citizens ; careful  and  economical,  he 
accumulated  a handsome  property,  becoming,  accord- 
ing to  my  impression,  the  wealthiest  man  in  the 
town ; strictly  temperate  and  regular  in  his  habits, 
he  enjoyed  good  health  to  nearly  the  close  of  an  ex- 
treme old  age,  dying  at  Nashua,  April  5,  1878,  at  the 
age  of  eighty-seven  years  and  five  months,  leaving  a 
large  charitable  and  educational  fund  to  the  town,  of 
which  the  schools  and  individuals  are  now  reaping 
the  benefits.  Mrs.  Mooney’s  maiden-name  was  Susan 
Chase.  Her  death  occurred  several  years  previous  to 
that  of  her  husband. 

Celestia  S.  was  his  only  child. — a woman  highly 
esteemed  for  her  many  virtues ; brilliant,  scholarly, 
refined,  of  quick  wit,  a fine  writer,  with  a mind 
stored  with  the  rich  results  of  extensive  and  varied 
reading.  She  married  Hon.  John  H.  Goodale,  at 
present  of  Nashua,  and  died  October  12,  1863,  in  the 
thirty-third  year  of  her  age. 

Let  us  now  return  to  Benjamin  Blanchard,  whom 
we  have  left  so  long — forty  years  or  more — in  his 
solitary  cabin  on  the  Wadleigh  farm,  but  whom  we 
have  not  forgotten,  though  our  attention  has  been 
called  away  for  a time  by  public  transactions,  and  we 
have  been  kept  so  busy  in  introducing  the  new-comers  to 
the  notice  of  the  reader.  Mr.  Blanchard  has  prospered, 
as  his  enterprise  and  perseverance  deserved.  His 
buildings  are  improved,  his  farm  productive  and  he 
free  from  debt,  all  encumbrance  having  been  re- 
moved from  his  land  by  his  services  in  running  out 
the  boundaries  of  the  town,  and  by  the  payment  of 
seven  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  in  furs.  He  was  a 
man  of  strong  judgment,  decided  purpose  and  untiring 
industry,  and,  as  was  natural,  had  great  influence  in 
directing  the  destiny  of  the  colony  and  town. 

But  a change  now  took  place  in  his  affairs.  He  was 
eighty,  or  thereabouts,  and  Old  Age  began  to  whisper 


532 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


tb at  it  was  time  to  release  himself  from  the  burden 
of  hard  labor  to  which  he  had  been  subject  during 
the  most  of  his  fourscore  years.  He  transferred  his 
farm  to  his  eldest  son,  Edward,  whom  we  recollect  as 
probably  bringing  up  the  rear  during  the  family 
march  from  the  Canterbury  fort  to  the  wilds  of  Bay 
Hill.  What  was  the  nature  of  the  transaction  we 
are  unable  to  say, — whether  he  sold  the  farm  to  his 
son  outright,  or  gave  it  up  to  him  on  condition  of 
receiving  a support  during  the  remainder  of  his  life  ; 
probably  the  latter,  as  he  lived  with  his  son  ever 
after.  Besides  this,  he  had  settled  his  other  chil- 
dren in  good  circumstances  around  him.  Edward 
was  destined  to  have  a more  commanding  influ- 
ence in  town  than  his  father  ever  had.  He  served 
and  was  captain  through  the  Revolutionary  War, 
was  twenty-five  years  a selectman  and  was  often 
chosen  moderator  of  their  town-meetings.  “ His 
wife  was  Isabella  Wasson,  a native  of  Scotland, 
and  one  of  the  early  emigrants  to  Londonderry,  N.  II 
They  reared  a large  family  of  children,  nine  sons 
and  one  daughter,  all  of  whom  the  parents  contrived 
to  settle  well  in  life,  the  most  of  the  sons  on  good 
farms  in  Northfield.  One  son,  John,  was  an  emi- 
nent school-teacher  in  Philadelphia,  and  over  his 
remains  in  a cemetery  in  that  city  is  a monument 
erected  by  his  grateful  pupils.  Elizabeth,  the  only 
daughter  of  Captain  Edward,  became  the  wife  of 
Thomas  Chase,  Sr.,  of  Northfield,”  to  whom  his 
father-in-law  gave  a tract  of  land  in  a pleasant  loca- 
tion, still  well  known  as  the  Tom  Chase  place.  Captain 
Edward  sold  the  paternal  farm  on  Bay  Hill  to  ! 
“Squire”  Charles  Glidden,  Sr.,  for  two  thousand 
dollars,  about  the  year  1805,  and  bought  a large  tract 
of  land  in  West  Northfield;  afterwards  sub-divided 
into  several  homesteads,  on  one  of  which  Edward 
built  a substantial  dwelling,  planted  apple-trees, 
many  of  which  still  bear  bountifully,  and,  accompanied 
by  his  father,  whose  wife  had  previously  died  on  Bay 
Hill,  he  settled  for  life  on  what  was  to  be  known  in  after- 
years, down  to  the  present  time,  as  the  Uncle  Daniel 
Blanchard  farm.  Here  Benjamin,  the  aged  father, 
the  patriarch,  the  pioneer,  glided  quietly  along  through 
the  remainder  of  a peaceful  and  honored  old  age ; | 
freed  from  the  necessity  to  labor,  but  still  busy. 
His  favorite  occupation  seemed  to  be  the  manufac- 
ture of  white-oak  ox-goads,  which  he  used  to  whittle 
out  deftly  and  neatly  with  his  knife  down  to  his  last 
days,  protecting  his  pantaloons  by  a casing  of  tanned 
woodchuck -skin,  while  at  work.  He  was  short  and 
stout,  wore  his  long,  thick,  white  locks  floating  over  | 
his  shoulders,  imparting  to  him  a truly  venerable 
aspect.  “ Benjamin  Blanchard  died  in  the  ‘ west-fore- 
room’ of  the  ‘Uncle  Daniel’  homestead,  and  it  is 
interesting  to  add  that  Captain  Edward  and  Uncle 
Daniel,  great-grandfather,  grandfather  and  father,  all 
in  successive  generations,  passed  their  last  years 
and  ended  the  final  scene  peacefully  in  the  same 
home.”  Benjamin  was  buried  with  his  wife  on  Bay  1 


Hill,  it  is  supposed,  under  a large  sweet  apple  tree  in 
the  old  orchard,  known  as  the  “ Granny  Tree.” 
Years  after,  the  old  lady’s  gravestone  was  found 
among  some  stones  hauled  to  repair  the  well,  and  it 
was  said  that  at  the  building  of  the  chimneys  of  the 
Wadleigh  house,  in  1812,  the  stone  erected  at  the 
grave  of  Benjamin  Blanchard,  and  marked  B.  B.,  was 
found  among  the  bricks  in  the  ruins  of  the  old  cellar. 

Captain  Edward,  after  reserving  the  “Uncle  Dan 
iel”  farm  as  his  homestead,  gave  to  his  son  Richard 
what  is  now  the  Abram  Brown  place,  to  his  daughter 
Elizabeth  the  Tom  Chase  farm,  a tract  to  Daniel,  and 
had,  besides,  the  tract  now  known  as  the  Gile  farm, 
and  another,  the  Jason  Foss  place. 

The  Uncle  Daniel  homestead,  which  at  present 
comprises  about  two  hundred  acres,  “ located  upon  an 
eminence  commanding  picturesque  beauty  and  grand- 
eur, views  of  diversified  mountain  and  water  scenery, 
far  and  near,  a spot  of  unrivaled  attractions  for  a 
summer  home,”  is  now  in  possession  of  Mr.  Edward 
C.  Rice,  a retired  and  successful  man  of  business, 
whose  wife — formerly  Miss  Ianthe  Blanchard — is  the 
daughter  of  Daniel,  and  the  fourth  in  direct  descent 
from  the  original  pioneer,  Benjamin.  It  must  be  a 
source  of  great  satisfaction  to  be  thus  able  to  retire  to 
one’s  ancestral  home,  so  beautiful,  and  which  has 
been  an  heirloom  in  the  family  so  long.  Her  eldest 
daughter,  Laura,  is  a fine  artist  in  oils  and  crayon 
portraits,  and  has  published  several  works,  and 
among  them  a gracefully-written  little  book,  called 
“Sunshine  and  Shade.”  Another  daughter  is  Mrs. 
Fannie  Purdy,  the  opera-singer  and  cornetist,  whose 
songs  and  music  at  the  Northfield  Centennial  are  so 
well  remembered  still.  The  youngest,  Miss  Inez,  was 
married  within  the  past  year,  at  the  ancestral  mansion, 
to  Mr.  Artemas  Tirrell  Burleigh.  No  one  of  the 
name  of  Blanchard  is  left  in  Northfield.  One  sur- 
vivor, John,  resides  in  California. 

The  “ commission  ” of  her  grandfather,  Captain 
Edward  Blanchard,  is  still  in  the  possession  of  Mrs. 
Rice,  framed  and  well  preserved.  He  was  appointed 
“captain  of  the  Fourteenth  Company  of  the  Four- 
teenth Regiment  of  Militia  in  the  Colony  of  New 
Hampshire,  by  order  of  Congress,  September  5,  1775. 
E.  Thompson,  Secretary ; Matthew  Thornton,  Presi- 
dent.” 

“’Squire”  Charles  Glidden,  Sr.,  who  bought  the 
Bay  Hill  Blanchard  farm  of  Captain  Edward  some 
eighty  years  ago,  was  a leading  man  in  his  day,  who 
died  in  1811,  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven.  Mrs.  Judge 
Wadleigh  was  a daughter  of  “’Squire”  Glidden,  and 
inherited  the  Blanchard  place  from  her  father,  which, 
at  that  time,  was  much  improved,  and  the  house  re- 
built and  enlarged.  Mrs.  Jeremiah  Smith,  known  to 
the  people  of  Northfield  so  long,  was  also  his  daugh- 
ter. She  died  at  the  ripe  age  of  ninety-one;  and  her 
husband,  whose  prosperous  and  useful  life  three  ad- 
ditional years  would  have  rounded  out  to  a century, 
after  a union  with  her  of  seventy-three  years,  all  of 


NORTHFIELD. 


533 


which  were  passed  on  the  old  homestead,  and  having 
voted  for  every  President  from  Washington  to  Lin- 
coln, at  last  sunk  to  rest  like  a patriarch  of  old, 
crowned  with  length  of  days,  and,  like  a shock  of 
corn,  fully  ripe.  He  left  three  children,  viz.,  Mrs. 
Mills  Glidden,  for  many  years  a resident  of  Ohio; 
Mrs.  William  Gilman,  now  of  Lexington,  Mass.,  but 
for  the  most  of  her  life  an  inhabitant  of  Northfield,  a 
lady  of  culture,  of  vigorous  intellect,  a graduate  of 
the  Boston  College  of  Medicine,  whose  influence  has 
long  been  fearlessly  exerted  and  felt  for  good  on  the 
moral  questions  of  the  time  in  her  native  town  and 
elsewhere;  and  Warren  H.  Smith,  Esq.,  now  leading 
the  life  of  a prosperous  farmer,  and  who  maintains 
the  honor  of  the  patrimonial  estate  with  becoming 
dignity  in  the  old  family  mansion,  which  has  been 
renovated,  modernized,  improved  and  beautified. 

Ephraim  S.  Wadleigh,  the  son  of  Judge  Peter 
Wadleigh,  is  still  the  fortunate  possessor  of  the  first 
opened  farm  in  town,  which  his  father  bought  of 
Captain  Edward  three-fourths  of  a century  ago,  and 
resides  thereon,  a prosperous  farmer  and  exemplary 
citizen.  The  old  mansion  was  burned  a few  years 
since,  but  was  promjitly  rebuilt  and  improved. 

Captain  Ebenezer  Blanchard,  the  son  of  Captain 
Edward,  did  not  appear  to  inherit  that  zest  for  agri- 
cultural pursuits  that  was  a characteristic  attribute 
of  his  father  and  grandfather,  as  he  was  engaged  in 
other  business  during  most  of  his  days,  beginning 
life  with  keeping  tavern  or  a store  on  Bay  Hill,  or 
both,  which  he  abandoned  after  the  sale  of  the  farm 
by  his  father,  and  removed  to  Sanbornton  Bridge, 
and  opened  a store  on  the  Northfield  side;  and  soon 
after  buying  the  old  brown  two-story  house  which 
still  stands  opposite  the  southern  end  of  the  iron 
bridge,  now  more  than  a century  old,  he  converted  it 
into  a family  residence,  and  built  a large  store  oppo- 
site, in  which  he  traded  till  about  the  year  1808, 
when  he  removed  to  Franklin,  or  what  was  then  Sal- 
isbury, where  he  resided  and  traded  during  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life, — a period  of  forty  years, — pros- 
pered and  died.  Mrs.  West,  his  oldest  daughter, 
died  in  Franklin  some  three  or  four  years  ago.  Mrs. 
Kenrick,  his  youngest  daughter,  still  survives  in 
Franklin.  A Mrs.  Herrick  is  still  living  there, 
daughter  of  Richard,  another  son  of  Captain  Ed- 
ward. 

Now,  having  tarried  so  long  among  the  earls 
fathers  and  gathered  together  the  various  items  we 
could  pick  up  here  and  there  of  their  settlement, 
families,  modes  of  life  and  manner  of  building  and 
governing,  with  something  of  their  official  record,  let 
us  take  a leisurely  walk  downwards,  in  company, 
through  two  or  three  scores  of  years,  till  we  reach 
the  middle  of  the  century,  and  strive  to  catch  a 
glimpse  of  the  social  life  of  our  people  during  that 
intermediate  period,  and  then,  by  easy  transfers, 
work  our  way  into  the  confines  of  the  last  thirty 
years,  and  note  the  progress  of  Canterbury’s  humble 


offshoot,  religiously,  educationally,  industrially,  and 
close  by  a review  of  the  great  family  gathering  of 
Northfield’s  sons  and  daughters  in  1880.  The  present 
year  is  a very  appropriate  one  in  which  to  take  a 
backward  look  over  our  little  commonwealth’s  past 
history,  as  1885  marks  just  a century  and  a quarter 
since  Benjamin  Blanchard  lighted  his  first  cabin-fire 
back  of  the  old  orchard  on  Ephraim  S.  Wadleig’n’s 
farm. 

And  first  I would  say,  that  from  twenty-five  to 
seventy-five  years  after  the  incorporation  the  rural 
portion  of  the  town  appears  to  me  to  have  been  in 
its  most  prosperous  state.  Village  life  had  not  grown 
to  such  proportions  then;  the  majority  of  farmers 
were  in  middle  life,  with  iron  frames,  strong  arms 
and  stronger  hearts,  with  stout  boys  ready  to  assist 
and  plenty  of  them,  with  buxom  girls  in  equal  num- 
bers, to  card,  spin,  weave,  help  mother  generally, 
and  even  to  rake  hay,  when  occasion  called,  so  that 
those  freshly-opened  farms  stinted  not  their  produc- 
tions,— filling  the  barns  with  hay  to  bursting,  and 
the  garners  with  grain.  The  school-houses,  too, 
though  not  boasting  architectural  beauty  or  modern 
conveniences,  nevertheless  held  what  constitutes  the 
prime  element  of  good  schools, — an  abundance  of 
scholars,  filled,  crammed  to  overflowing,  as  they 
sometimes  were. 

In  the  second  place,  our  fathers  were  less  depend- 
ent upon  the  outside  world  for  their  sources  of  hap- 
piness and  support  than  their  descendants  of  the  pres- 
ent day.  No  importations  then  of  flour  and  corn 
from  the  great  West,  but  bountiful  supplies  of  wheat 
and  maize  were  extracted  from  their  own  soil ; no 
need  to  send  to  Manchester  or  Lowell  for  their  cloth- 
ing, for  the  whir  of  the  wheel  and  the  music  of  the 
shuttle  were  heard  in  every  house,  and  the  home-made 
blue  frock  of  the  farmer  was  the  right  royal  badge  of 
his  profession.  And  then  for  social  enjoyments  they 
were  not  forced  to  tramp  abroad  to  some  other  State 
or  city  to  attend  some  formal  convention  or  associa- 
tion ; but  instead,  they  had  their  own  town  or  neigh- 
borhood gatherings,  whether  for  work  or  good  cheer  ; 
but  in  either  case  they  calculated  to  have  a “ high  old 
time,”  and  they  generally  had  it.  Indeed,  it  was  a 
general  custom  to  make  work  or  play  a social  affair — 
the  more  the  merrier — when  hilarity  prevailed,  and 
good  cheer  was  in  the  ascendant.  The  men  would 
“ change  works,”  the  matrons  would  meet  with  their 
spinning  wheels,  and  through  the  long  summer  after- 
noons would  spin  their  thread  and  their  gossip  at  an 
equally  rapid  rate.  Then  there  were  the  house  raisings, 
the  shooting  matches,  wrestling  matches,  apple  par- 
ings, quilting  bees,  sleigh  ride  parties  and  coasting  par- 
ties. Spelling  schools  were  an  established  institution 
then,  when  two  rows  of  combatants  stood  unflinchingly 
and  pelted  one  another  with  big  or  knotty  words  till  the 
warriors  upon  the  one  side  or  the  other  were  all  slain. 
Then,  merriest  and  most  truly  enjoyable  of  all,  were 
the  young  people’s  parties  of  a winter’s  night,  when 


534 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


“button,”  “Copenhagen,”  “bean  porridge,”  “hot 
and  cold  ” and  other  games  made  the  long  nights 
short,  and  the  chat,  and  the  march,  and  the  song  to 
grow  fast  and  furious.  The  husking  parties  were  not 
among  the  least  of  these  festive  occasions,  when  the 
farmer  would  have  the  whole  of  his  corn  harvest 
husked  in  one  night,  followed  by  a rich  repast,  in 
which  the  golden  pumpkin  pie  held  the  place  of 
honor. 

The  trainings,  the  militia  musters  and  many  other 
frolicsome  times  might  be  mentioned,  but  space  is 
wanting.  It  is  true,  strong  waters  were  sometimes 
too  prevalent  on  these  occasions,  but  it  must  be  re- 
membered, as  some  excuse,  that  the  article  then  was 
genuine,  not  the  modern  adulterated  liquors, — blue 
ruin  with  its  villainous  compounds  had  not  yet  raised 
its  accursed  head  to  consume  with  henbane  and  other 
poisons  man’s  vitals. 

The  aged  Joseph  Harden,  of  Lowell,  writes, — 

“I  attended  a town-meeting  in  Northfield  in  1818.  Funny  time  ! 
Hum  on  both  sides  of  the  door, — three  cents  a glass  ! Men  made  some 
noise  about  4 o’clock  ! I and  Daniel  Herrick  put  those  old  benches  in 
the  Hand  school-house. 

“ One  time  we  had  a snow-storm.  Our  District  went  down  to  the  Meet- 
ing-House, and  there  met  the  Bean  Hill  team  and  the  Main  road  team. 
All  made  up  their  minds  to  go  up  to  the  Bridge.  So  went  to  Capt. 
(iline’s  fence,  got  a pole,  tied  a red  tlag  on  top,  hitched  on  20  yoke  of 
oxen,  and  to  the  Bridge  we  went ; took  a little  blackstrap,  and  the  oxen 
hauled  us  back.  Going  down  we  all  stood  on  the  sled,  but  coming  back,” 
he  slyly  adds,  “some  had  to  sit  down.” 

Churches. — In  this  place  it  will  be  appropriate, 
perhaps,  to  introduce  a brief  account  of  the  religious 
privileges  of  Northfield. 

The  Old  Meeting-House  was  originally  free  to 
all  sects,  but  in  later  years  was  occupied  exclusively 
by  the  Congregationalists,  who  abandoned  it  in  1841  ( 
since  which  it  was  used  for  many  years  only  for  town- 
meetings,  and  is  now  past  its  usefulness  altogether. 

The  following  sketch  of  the  Congregational  Church 
of  Northfield  and  Tilton  was  prepared  by  Rev.  Cor- 
ban  Curtice,  a long  time  pastor  of  the  church  : 

“The  town  of  Northfield  was  settled  in  1760,  and  incorporated  in 
1780.  The  old  meeting-house  was  built  in  1704.  The  Methodist  Church 
was  organized  in  1806.  The  Rev.  John  Turner  was  the  first  Congrega- 
tional minister  who  preached  in  town.  Rev.  Jotham  Sewell  and  the 
Rev.  Samuel  Sewell  preached  a number  of  Sabbaths  each  in  town. 

“ The  Congregational  people  for  many  years  worshiped  with  other 
denominations  and  aided  in  supporting  the  preaching,  but  they  sought 
church  privileges  at  Sanbornton  Square  and  at  Canterbury.  . . . 

“On  May  29,  1823,  Mr.  Liba  Conant,  a young  minister,  was  ordained 
as  the  first  pastor  of  the  Northfield  Congregational  Church.  He  labored 
faithfully,  and  with  a good  measure  of  success,  for  about  fourteen  years, 
or  till  September,  1836. 

“The  Rev.  Hazael  Lucas  then  supplied  the  church  one  year,  or  till 
September,  1837. 

“Rev.  Enoch  Corse r,  for  twenty  years  pastor  of  the  Congregational 
Church  at  Loudon,  was  then  engaged  to  supplj'  this  church,  who  re- 
mained from  September,  1839,  through  April,  1843.  His  labors  were 
abundant  and  very  successful.  In  1837,  and  during  his  ministry,  the 
present  Congregational  meeting-house  was  built  and  dedicated,  the 
Society  being  free  from  debt.  . . . 

“ Mr.  C.  Curtice  commenced  preaching  here  May  1,  1843,  and  remained 
through  April,  1870,  just  twenty-seven  years. 

“ Rev.  T.  C.  Pratt  commenced  his  labors  here  May  1,  187<>,  and  closed 
(hem  in  June,  1876. 

“ Rev.  F.  T.  lVrkins  commenced  his  ministry  here  September,  1873. 


“A  Sabbath-school  was  organized  in  Northfield  in  1821,  which  has 
continued  to  the  present  time,  and  has  been  the  source  of  great  good  to 
the  church  and  community.” 

The  majority  of  the  deacons  of  the  church  and  of 
the  superintendents  of  the  Sabbath-schools  were  from 
Northfield,  and  of  the  original  members,  every  one 
was  from  this  town,  and  all  are  now  dead,  Dr.  Enos 
Hoyt  being  the  last. 

Present  Officers  (August,  1885). — Pastor,  C.  C.  Samp- 
son ; Deacons,  J.  W.  Hunkins,  Oscar  P.  Sanborn ; 
Clerk,  G.  S.  Abbott ; Treasurer,  J.  W.  Hunkins ; 
Superintendent  of  Sabbath-School,  E.  G.  Philbrick. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organ- 
ized about  1804,  says  another  authority.  Joseph 
Knowles  and  wife,  their  sou,  Joseph,  Josiah  Am- 
brose and  wife,  Zilpha,  were  among  the  first  mem- 
bers ; also,  Mr.  Warren  Smith’s  grandmother,  Mrs. 
Glidden,  who  was  baptized  at  the  time  that  Lottie 
Ellis  was,  who  then  lived  with  Mrs.  Glidden,  and 
afterwards  became  the  mother  of  Benjamin  F.  Butler; 
also  Mrs.  Fullerton.  They  were  all  baptized  at 
Chestnut  Pond.  Mr.  B.  Rogers  and  wife,  parents  of 
B.  A.  and  S.  B.  Rogers,  were  early  members.  In 
1826  there  was  an  extensive  revival  of  religion. 
Among  the  converts  were  Jonathan  Clough,  Wesley 
Knowles  and  Betsey  C.  Knowles.  The  brick  church 
was  built  about  this  time.  Samuel  Forrest  was  con- 
verted under  the  labors  of  Rev.  George  Storrs,  and 
became  an  official  member.  The  old  brick  church 
was  given  up,  and  a new  house  built  on  the  Tilton 
side  in  1856.  Among  the  prominent  ministers  of 
that  church  were  Revs.  L.  D.  Barrows,  D.D.,  O.  H. 
Jasper,  D.  P.  Leavett,  Moses  Chase,  M.  Newhall  and 
George  Storrs.  Rev.  Mr.  Nutter  is  the  present  min- 
ister. 

The  Trinity  Episcopal  Church,1  was  organized 
in  1860.  Rev.  Marcellus  A.  Herrick,  D.D.,  was  its 
first  pastor,  and  continued  such  for  nearly  fifteen 
years,  and  to  his  unwearied  efforts  much  of  its  pros- 
perity is  due.  The  society  worshiped  in  the  brick 
meeting-house,  Northfield,  till  1873,  when  services 
were  held  in  their  new  and  beautiful  brick  church, 
erected  in  Tilton,  at  a cost  of  about  fifteen  thousand 
dollars.  To  this  church  Mrs.  Eames,  of  Concord, 
presented  a beautiful  chancel  window,  and  Walter 
Ingalls  a large  painting.  Dr.  Herrick  was  a fine 
scholar,  and  possessed  a library  rich  in  early  editions 
of  classical  works,  and  black-letter  tomes,  which  the 
present  writer  has  taken  great  interest  in  examining 
during  the  life  of  the  Doctor.  He  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  Frank  S.  Harraden,  Rev.  Henry  H.  Haynes, 
Rev.  Lucius  Waterman,  the  present  incumbent. 

Union  Church. — The  Northfield  Union  Sunday- 
school,  at  present  doing  good  service,  was  organized 
in  1875,  through  the  efforts  of  Mrs.  James  Thomp- 
son, Willie  Keniston  and  Moses  Batchelder,  who  was 
its  superintendent  till  his  death.  The  library  was 


Condensed  from  Rev.  Mr.  Runnels’  “ History  of  Sanbornton.” 


NORTHFIELD. 


535 


enlarged  and  an  organ  purchased.  Deacon  Charles  | 
Ayers  is  its  present  superintendent. 

A few  years  after  the  last  organization  mentioned, 
the  inhabitants  of  Northfield  Depot  village  and  vi- 
cinity, finding  they  had  outgrown  their  school-house 
capacity  for  religious  and  other  public  occasions,  be- 
stirred themselves  to  obtain  more  fitting  accommo- 
dations. 

They  selected  a site  near  the  Picnic  Grove.  Messrs. 
0.  L.  Cross,  Esq.,  W.  A.  Canfield,  Esq.,  and  Hon. 
C.  E.  Tilton  donated  the  land ; the  citizens  raised 
seven  hundred  dollars  in  money,  one  hundred  dollars 
in  labor,  and  Mr.  Tilton  assumed  the  responsibility  of 
completing  the  enterprise.  The  work  rapidly  pro- 
gressed. The  corner-stone  was  laid  the  24tli  of  July, 
1883,  under  which  was  placed  a leaden  casket  fur- 
nished by  Mrs.  C.  French,  containing  over  fifty  me- 
mentoes of  the  past  and  present,  for  the  edification 
of  future  generations. 

The  enterprise  was  carried  to  a successful  termina- 
tion and  met  the  approval  of  its  most  sanguine 
friends.  “ A convenient  hitching-place  of  ample  ca- 
pacity, water-closets,  a well  of  cool  water  and  a pump, 
a weather-vane  and  lightning-rods  and  bell  were  the 
extras  to  a nicely-arranged  and  finished  church  of 
proper  size  for  the  place,  and  one  that  would  be  an 
ornament  to  any  street  in  Laconia.”  This  property, 
with  a beautiful  grove  of  several  acres,  with  stands 
and  seats,  were  all  conveyed  by  Mr.  Tilton  to  the 
town  of  Northfield,  to  be  held  in  trust  for  all  time. 
“That  town,  we  venture  to  say,  is  the  only  one  that 
owns  a church,  and  one  of  the  few  that  excludes  rum 
from  its  limits.”  The  exercises  of  dedication  that 
followed  were  eminently  satisfactory,  occurring  on  a 
beautiful  day,  with  no  defect  in  carrying  out  the  pro- 
gramme. 

A beautiful  Bible  was  presented  to  the  church  by 
Miss  Jane  Corser,  of  Boscawen;  a handsome  commu- 
nion table,  by  Mrs.  Eliza  Hall  Cofran  ; and  a cloth 
and  napkins,  by  Mrs.  Deacon  McQuestion. 

Schools. — The  first  school-houses,  of  course,  were 
made  of  logs,  of  which  an  example  has  been  given 
on  Bay  Hill,  and  were  generally  private  dwelling- 
houses.  Female  teachers  began  to  be  employed 
about  1806,  and  were  considered  competent  if  they 
had  mastered  the  first  four  rules  in  arithmetic.  In 
illustration  of  the  great  advance  made  in  female  ed- 
ucation since  that  time,  it  is  only  necessary  to  point 
to  the  many  young  ladies  graduating  each  year  from 
our  female  colleges  and  other  higher  institutions,  of 
which  we  have  had  a brilliant  example  in  the  Tilton 
Seminary  near  by. 

The  Bay  Hill  School,  which  formerly  contained  up- 
wards of  fifty  pupils,  has,  during  the  past  twenty 
years,  often  been  reduced  to  less  than  half  a dozen. 
During  last  year  the  number  was  eleven. 

The  Centre  School  in  former  days  numbered  sixty, 
sometimes  reaching  eighty.  Here  Master  Gleason 
taught  when  Mr.  John  E.  Forrest  was  a boy  and  at- 


tended school,  and  of  which  teacher  many  laughable 
anecdotes  were  told. 

Other  early  teachers  of  the  Centre  were  Master 
Morrill,  of  Concord;  Master  Bowles,  Solomon  Sutton, 
of  Canterbury;  Josiah  Ambrose,  of  Northfield; 
Phinehas  Thorn  and  Edmund  Dearborn.  Miss  Mor- 
rill and  Nancy  Glidden  were  among  the  female 
! teachers.  It  numbered  last  year  seventeen. 

In  early  times  the  school  in  the  Hodgdon  District 
numbered  from  seventy  to  one  hundred,  and  John 
Cate,  an  old  teacher,  took  oath  in  a certain  suit  that 
he  had  one  hundred  and  ten  scholars.  Yet  in  that 
district,  strange  as  it  may  appear,  for  several  years 
past  there  have  been  no  scholars  large  enough  to  at- 
tend and  no  school, — one  of  the  greatest  changes  in 
a school  district  that  I have  known.  Now,  however, 
it  is  rising  somewhat  in  the  scale  of  youthful  popula- 
tion, as  last  year  it  numbered  nineteen. 

Among  the  oldest  teachers  were  Masters  Knapp, 
Parkinson,  Meshech  Cate,  John  Blanchard  and  Ed- 
mund Dearborn.  Among  the  female  teachers  were 
Nabby  Abbott,  Sally  Hazelton  and  Esther  Parkin- 
son. Dudley  Leavitt,  the  astronomer,  also  taught 
there. 

In  regard  to  our  common  schools,  the  one  remark- 
able fact  is  the  strange  diminution  in  the  number  ol 
children  attending  them  since  earlier  times.  Why  is 
it  ? The  population  of  the  town  is  now  larger.  This  may 
be  accounted  for  in  various  ways.  First,  the  young 
people  leave  at  an  earlier  age  to  obtain  a more  ad- 
vanced education  in  the  higher  schools;  second,  fam- 
ilies are  smaller;  and  third,  the  young  grown-up  peo- 
ple and  young  families  leave  town.  Again,  there  is 
really  a decrease  in  the  population  of  the  rural,  that 
is,  in  the  greater  part  of  the  town,  the  increase  being 
only  felt  in  the  village  of  Tilton. 

Still,  we  are  glad  to  believe  that  those  children  who 
do  remain,  though  fewer  in  number,  have  far  better 
school  privileges  than  their  predecessors,  owing  to 
better  school-houses,  better  books,  modern  methods  ot 
teaching,  more  school  money,  a more  thorough  super- 
vision and  a more  convenient  division  of  the  town 
for  school  purposes. 

There  were  formerly  eleven  school  districts  in 
Northfield,  but  in  1877  the  town  was  redistricted,  by 
which  three  districts  were  discontinued,  one  set  off  in 
part  to  Franklin  and  one  merged  in  the  Union  Dis- 
trict at  Tilton. 

All  the  school-houses  are  modern,  in  good  repair, 
and  well  adapted  to  their  object  ; furnished  with  good 
apparatus  given  by  Messrs.  Cass  and  Goodale  from 
the  John  Mooney  fund,  and  each  school  supplied  with 
a copy  of  Webster’s  Unabridged,  contributed  by  former 
pupils,  some  five  hundred  in  number,  as  a centennial 

gift- 

Whole  number  of  pupils  last  year,  one  hundred  and 
two,  and  about  sixty  in  addition  from  this  town  in 
the  Union  District  Schools  at  Tilton,  making  an  aggre- 
gate of  one  hundred  and  sixty-two. 


536 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Northfield  has  patronized  the  seminary  well,  in 
proportion  to  her  population,  and  furnished  many 
teachers,  who  have  done  good  service,  the  Centre 
District  alone  having  sent  into  the  field,  between  the 
years  1840  and  1855,  between  thirty  and  forty 
teachers. 

Many  of  the  improvements  in  the  Northfield  schools 
must  be  ascribed  to  the  tireless  industry,  unflagging 
interest  and  literary  influence  of  the  present  highly- 
eflieient  superintendent  of  schools,  Mrs.  Lucy  R.  H. 
Cross,  to  whose  skillful  management  the  present  high 
standing  of  the  schools  in  her  native  town  is  to  a 
great  extent  due.  A teacher  herself,  and  well  posted 
in  her  duties  from  an  experience  of  eight  years, — from 
1878  to  the  present  time, — she  has  been  enabled  to  do 
a good  work  for  Northfield,  which,  we  trust,  the  citi- 
zens appreciate. 

The  Seminary. — The  New  Hampshire  Conference 
Seminary  and  Female  College,  once  the  pride  of  North- 
field,  as  it  is  now  of  Tilton,  was  opened  to  students  in 
the  fall  of  1 845. 

On  the  separation  of  the  New  Hampshire  and  Ver- 
mont Conferences,  the  former  was  left  destitute  of  a 
school  of  its  own,  and  measures  were  soon  taken  to 
supply  the  deficiency,  resulting  in  the  establishment 
of  the  seminary  at  Sanbornton  Bridge,  on  the  North- 
field  side  of  the  river,  a few  rods  west  of  Colonel  Cate’s 
dwelling,  and  opposite  the  present  Methodist  Church. 
It  was  a plain,  unpretending  brick  building,  forty  feet 
wide,  seventy  in  length,  and  two  stories  high.  Hon. 
Samuel  Tilton,  Colonel  Asa  P.  Cate,  Colonel  James 
Cofran,  Rev.  William  Cass  and  others  were  influen- 
tial promoters  of  the  enterprise.  Warren  S.  Hill 
made,  and  Colonel  Cofran  burned  the  brick  in  the  old 
yard  north  of  the  Granite  Mills.  Darius  Dockum 
superintended  the  wood-work  and  Isaac  Bodwell  the 
laying  of  the  brick.  Chartered  in  1852. 

The  first  principal  was  Rev.  J.  A.  Adams,  who  was 
succeeded  by  Rev.  Richard  S.  Rust , John  C.  Clark,  Rev. 
James  E.  Latimer  and  Rev.  C.  S.  Harrington ; and, 
under  their  popular  management,  the  school  entered 
upon  a prosperous  career  which  continued  until  1857, 
when  their  accommodations  were  found  to  be  too 
small  to  meet  the  wants  of  their  ever-increasing  num- 
bers. 

East  and  west  wings  were  then  added,  and  the  for- 
mer building  increased  by  the  addition  of  a third 
story,  thus  furnishing  a spacious  hall  for  general  or 
public  exercises. 

The  charter  of  1852  authorized  a ladies’  collegiate 
course  and  the  title  of  Female  College,  supple- 
mentary to  the  former  title  of  Seminary  and  its  aca- 
demic studies. 

Five  more  years  of  successful  progress  had  passed 
away,  when,  one  cold  November’s  night  in  1862,  the 
whole  structure  was  destroyed  by  fire,  and  the  school 
left  without  a home. 

Its  Northfield  location  was  then  abandoned,  and 
another  adopted  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river. 


Since  then,  with  new  and  enlarged  buildings,  a numer- 
ous corps  of  tried  and  popular  teachers,  it  has  been 
carrying  on  the  good  work  of  education  with  ever-con- 
tinued success  for  over  twenty  years,  each  year  send- 
ing forth  its  graduates,  who  have  made  their  mark  for 
good  in  every  quarter  of  our  land.  It  is  under  the 
control  of  the  Methodist  denomination,  but  has  never 
exercised  any  restraint  over  the  church  preferences  of 
its  students. 

The  principals  within  these  latter  years  have  been 
Rev.  R.  M.  Manley,  Rev.  Henry  Lummis,  Rev.  L. 
D.  Barrows,  D.D.,  Rev.  G.  J.  Judkins,  Rev.  J.  B. 
Robinson  and  Rev.  Silas  E.  Quimby.  No  one  of  its 
teachers  can  give  the  record  of  so  long  a term  of  ser- 
vice as  Rev.  Sylvester  Dixon,  professor  of  mathematics, 
who,  for  above  twenty-five  years,  has  been  a member 
of  the  faculty. 

The  seed  sown  in  1845  has  borne  good  fruit.  What 
may  we  not  expect  when  the  fifty  thousand  dollar 
building  fund,  now  nearly  complete,  shall  have  been 
transformed  to  a collegiate  structure  superior  to  any 
in  the  State,  with  its  educational  fund  available,  with 
its  charming  location  and  increased  patronage, — in 
short,  with  all  the  omens  favorable? 

All  things  promise  fair  for  extended  usefulness 
under  the  new  principal,  Rev.  D.  C.  Knowles. 

Union  Picnic  Association. — A custom  prevails  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Northfield  Depot  which  might 
be  imitated  with  advantage  in  other  rural  portions  of 
the  State.  In  the  summer  of  1875,  W.  C.  French  and 
Willie  Keniston  initiated  the  formation  of  a society, 
which  has  been  the  source  of  great  pleasure  and  profit 
to  all  concerned  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  town 
and  places  adjacent.  This  was  the  origin  of  the  Union 
Picnic  Association,  which  meets  yearly  at  Hannaford’s 
Grove  for  the  enjoyment  of  social  intercourse,  literary 
exercises,  singing  and  a collation.  The  experiment 
has  met  with  abundant  success,  attracting  crowds  as 
often  as  the  occasion  comes  round,  and  has  become  so 
interwoven  in  the  pleasant  diversions  of  their  life  that 
young  and  old  look  forward  to  these  meetings  as  the 
great  social  event  of  the  year. 

Manufactures. — We  will  here  introduce  a brief 
account  of  the  manufacturing  interests  on  the  North- 
field  side  of  the  river. 

Beginning  at  the  upper  dam,  we  come  first  to 
Warren  Hill’s  brick-yard,  bought  of  Deacon  An- 
drew Gilman,  where  he  often  made  two  hundred 
thousand  bricks  a year,  those  for  the  first  seminary 
building  having  been  produced  here.  It  was  finally 
purchased  by  the  railroad,  and  the  business  stopped. 

The  Tilton  mill  was  owned  and  operated  by  Jere- 
miah Tilton,  Esq.,  who  for  fifty  years  manufactured 
in  it  satinet  for  the  Boston  market.  He  was  a native 
of  Sanbornton  Bridge;  learned  his  trade  at  Franklin ; 
married  Nancy  Carter,  of  Sanbornton,  in  1816.  He 
bought  the  Chase  carding  and  clothing-mill  in  1820, 
paying  for  stand  and  four  acres  of  land  and  water 
privilege  four  hundred  dollars.  He  lived  in  the 


NORTIIFIELD. 


537 


upper  story,  was  burned  out  twice,  and  each  time  re- 
built aud  enlarged;  was  associated  for  many  years 
with  his  son,  Jeremiah  C.,  the  two  conducting  a 
business  of  ten  thousand  dollars  a year. 

He  sold  to  James  Bailey  about  1860,  two  years  before 
his  sudden  death  in  Boston.  The  property  then 
passed  into  the  hands  of  Messrs.  Ballantyne  and 
Fletcher,  the  former  a son-in-law  of  Mr.  Tilton,  Sr., 
who  has  added  a third  story  to  main  building,  with 
various  other  extensions  and  out-buildings,  and 
changed  the  name  to  Granite  Mills,  where  a business 
amounting  to  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  annually 
is  now  being  carried  on,  ladies’  dress-goods  being 
the  chief  articles  manufactured. 

Deacon  Jeremiah  Hall  moved  to  a place  near  Til- 
ton in  1829,  and  for  many  years  carried  on  the  tan- 
nery business  near  his  house,  which  was  burned, 
leaving  the  tannery,  which  for  many  years  was  used 
as  an  ice-house,  just  below  the  old  Chase  tavern  ; 
built  a new  steam-mill  below  the  freight-depot,  near 
where  Buel’s  hosiery-mill  now  stands ; was  associated 
with  his  son,  Ebenezer,  who  eventually  sold  out  to 
Ebeuezer  Morrison  & Sons.  This  tannery  was  after- 
wards burnt  aud  never  rebuilt. 

A few  rods  west,  towards  the  bridge,  Joseph  Wad- 
leigh,  son  of  Esquire  Wadleigh,  of  Bay  Hill,  carried 
on  the  tin  business  till  his  death.  Almost  adjoining 
was  the  building  long  known  as  the  “Seven  Nations,” 
in  one  section  of  which  a store  was  often  kept  by 
William  Follansbee  and  others. 

A building  was  erected  at  the  entrance  of  the 
bridge  and  occupied  as  a drug  and  book-store,  with 
offices  above.  James  H.  Brown,  of  Andover,  traded 
there.  Burned  about  1858. 

A long,  two-story  building  stood  for  many  years 
opposite  the  entrance  of  the  bridge,  owned  and  occu- 
pied by  Isaac  Whittier,  Esq.,  as  a store.  The  upper 
story  was  used  for  a while  by  a Miss  French,  a 
famous  instructor  of  those  times,  who  taught  a young 
ladies’  school,  at  which  attended  the  elite  of  San- 
bornton  Bridge  and  Northfield,  and  into  which,  by 
especial  favor,  a class  of  boys  and  young  men  was 
admitted.  The  town  clerk’s  office  for  many  years 
was  kept  here. 

This  store  was  burned  and  rebuilt  by  Thomas 
Chase  and  sold  to  Warren  Hill,  and  occupied  by 
Deacon  Peabody  until  succeeded  by  J.  F.  Taylor  & 
Hill.  This  was  also  burned. 

At  the  west  entrance  to  the  bridge  stood  for  many 
years  the  carding  and  fulling-mill  established  and 
owned  by  Benjamin  Chase,  who  also  owned  the  farm 
and  built  the  buildings  so  long  occupied  by  Hon. 
Asa  P.  Cate,  and  still  held  by  his  heirs.  This  was 
for  many  years  the  only  establishment  of  the  kind 
for  fifteen  or  twenty  miles.  Farmers  came  from 
Loudon,  Canterbury,  etc.,  often  on  horseback,  with 
their  wool  to  be  carded.  This  business  declined  after 
the  factories  were  established,  aud  after  being  carried 
on  for  several  years  by  Moses  Morrill,  the  manufac- 


ture of  shoddy  was  begun  there  by  James  Earnshaw 
and  continued  till  the  building  was  burned.  A new 
grist-mill  took  its  place,  which  was  also  burned 
several  years  after.  On  this  site — dam  No.  2 — Hazen 
Copp,  in  1872,  built  a large  mill,  one  hundred  feet 
long,  and  leased  it  to  Richard  Firth,  who  is  now  run- 
ning it  with  three  sets  of  cards,  producing  ladies’ 
dress-goods.  Annual  production,  about  seventy-five 
thousand  dollars. 

On  dam  No.  3 is  the  hosiery-mill  erected  by  George 
S.  Buel  & Co.,  who  in  1880  built  a three-set  mill,  and 
are  now  running  a hosiery  mill.  Annualjproduetion, 
about  seventy-five  thousand  dollars. 

The  saw-mill  in  which  Joseph  Dearborn  manufac- 
tured lumber  for  many  years,  standing  by  the  lower 
dam  and  old  bridge,  has  been  torn  away. 

The  Chase  tavern,  still  standing  at  the  entrance  to 
the  Bay  Hill  road,  was  kept  for  many  years  by  Esquire 
Chase,  who,  with  his  son,  owned  the  hill  on  which 
now  stands  the  Tilton  Memorial  Arch,  also  the  resi- 
dence of  Joseph  Hill. 

At  Northfield  Centre  for  many  years  there  was 
a post-office.  A store  also  was  kept  by  Squire  Glid- 
den.  This  was  a jolly  place,  indeed,  where,  during 
the  long  winter  evenings,  his  many  customers  gath- 
ered; for  the  barrel  of  New  England  in  those  days 
was  ever  on  tap.  It  was  here  that  the  corpse  of  old 
Mr.  Danfortli  was  taken,  after  having  been  exhumed 
from  his  grave  by  lawless  medical  students,  set  up- 
right in  a chair  and  an  ox-goad  put  into  his  hand. 
Here  practical  jokes  were  perpetrated  enough  to  fill 
volumes. 

Northfield  Depot  has  also  boasted  of  a store  and 
post  and  telegraph  facilities  nearly  all  the  time  since 
the  opening  of  the  Montreal  Railroad ; the  former 
having  been  kept  by  A.  & Charles  Ayers,  Amos 
Cogswell,  Merrill  Moore  and  at  present  by  'William 
Keniston.  The  post-office  was  for  several  years  dis- 
continued, but  afterwards  re-established  through  the 
efforts  of  S.  A.  Dow,  who  still  holds  the  office. 

The  part  of  Northfield  now  constituting  Franklin 
Falls  village  was  also  well  supplied  with  shops, 
stores,  a paper-mill  and  factory. 

The  manufacture  of  palm-leaf  hats  was  for  many 
years  an  almost  universal  occupation  of  the  women 
and  children  of  the  town,  many  families  supporting 
themselves  by  this  branch  of  industry  and  increasing 
greatly  the  business  of  the  merchants.  The  leaf  for 
some  time  was  brought  in  the  rough  and  split  and 
otherwise  prepared  at  the  old  store-room  of  Captain 
Glines  opposite  the  old  meeting-house.  This  in- 
dustry has  been  almost  wholly  superseded  by  the 
seaming  sent  out  by  the  many  hosiery-mills. 

General  Remarks. — In  old  times  it  seems  to  have 
been  an  article  of  implicit  belief  that  roads  must  be 
laid  out  at  right  angles  with  each  other,  never  avoid- 
ing a hill  however  steep.  An  innovation  was  made 
on  this  custom  in  after-time,  when  the  new  road  to 
Bay  Hill  was  opened  and  which  recently  was  ex- 


538 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


tended  by  private  enterprise  to  Bean  Hill.  Another 
road  was  opened  from  the  lower  part  of  Tilton  village 
past  the  freight  depot  towards  the  Centre,  thus  open- 
ing up  a large  tract  for  settlement  which  is  fast  being 
occupied  by  fine  residences,  near  which,  on  the  one 
side,  is  the  trotting  park,  and  on  the  other,  a little 
farther  away,  is  the  Memorial  Arch. 

Witches  were  never  abundant  in  Northfield,  only 
two  being  mentioned  as  decidedly  belonging  to  that 
profession,  whose  names  we  hardly  dare  mention,  lest 
they  avenge  themselves  by  making  the  writer  a visit 
in  their  old  familiar  guise  of  a large  white  cat,  and 
pass  an  interdict  on  the  appearance  of  the  butter  at 
his  weekly  churning.  Old  Mr.  Danforth,  to  be  sure, 
did  appear  to  his  boon  companions  after  death,  at  the 
Glidden  store,  but  that  was  hardly  in  the  nature  of 
witchcraft,  and  I can  say  this  in  good  old  Northfield’s 
favor,  that,  notwithstanding  all  my  researches  on  the 
subject,  I have  never  been  able  to  discover  that  a 
witch  has  ever  been  hung  within  her  bordei's. 

There  are  now  twelve  persons  in  town  over  eighty 
years  of  age. 

The  original  Oak  Hill  School-house  was  entirely 
without  windows, — no  glass  to  be  had. 

In  old  times  the  big  boys  had  a custom,  on  the  last 
day  of  school,  of  selling  the  school-ashes  and  invest- 
ing the  proceeds  in  rum,  and  having  a high  time,  and 
many  a story  might  be  told  of  the  result. 

Many  laughable  things  might  also  be  said,  had  we 
space,  about  the  catching  of  eels,  the  stealing  of  eels, 
and  the  catching  of  the  stealers. 

Edward  Blanchard  was  the  first  selectman  of  North- 
field  and  the  first  captain.  Esquire  Glidden  was  the 
first  representative. 

Northfield’ s Overflow. — During  the  first  sixty 
years  of  Northfield’s  existence  its  population  steadily 
and  rapidly  increased,  owdng  to  the  income  of  new 
settlers  and  the  advent  of  new  children,  and  the  in- 
crease was  more  largely  due  to  the  second  cause  than 
to  the  first  during  the  latter  part  of  that  period. 
Families  were  families  in  those  days.  In  proof,  let 
us  introduce  a few, — 

Joseph  Gerrisli  had  13  children;  Charles Keniston, 
15;  Isaac  Glines,  13;  William  Davis,  16;  William 
Forrest,  14;  Steven  Cross,  13;  Benjamin  Blanchard, 
9 ; Deacon  Sawyer,  22. 

What  family  in  town  can  now  produce  the  smallest 
of  these  numbers?  No  wonder  our  schools  dwindle, 
when  a family  of  one  is  considered  a curiosity,  three 
a wonder,  and  half  a dozen  an  unheard-of  thing. 
And  there  has  been  a steady  decrease  in  the  popula- 
tion, except  in  the  village,  during  the  last  half-cen- 
tury; so  much  so,  that  we  are  tempted  to  believe  that 
the  strictly  rural  districts  of  our  little  commonwealth 
contain  not  more  than  half  the  people  they  once  did. 
On  every  old  road  buildings  have  been  removed  or 
torn  down,  but  in  most  cases  burned  and  never  re- 
built, traces  of  which  are  scattered  all  over  town. 
Not  to  speak  of  the  cellars  of  the  old  settlers,  on  Bay 


Hill,  which  are  still  to  be  seen,  there  are  on  the  road 
leading  from  the  Centre  to  Bean  Hill — a mile  and  a 
half — nine  cellar-holes,  all  the  dwellings  connected 
therewith  having  been  burned  and  not  rebuilt  ; 
twelve  cellar-holes  in  Oak  Hill  District,  and  no  less 
than  eighteen  on  the  main  road  from  Canterbury  to 
Tilton,  including  Windfall  road  and  others  else- 
where. 

Every  farm  but  three  in  No.  1 (that  is,  the  Centre) 
has  passed  from  its  owner  of  twenty  years  ago,  and 
the  same  is  true,  to  some  extent,  in  other  portions  of 
the  town,  notably  so  on  the  road  from  the  Hodgdon 
School-house  to  Northfield  Depot. 

A greater  loss  than  that  of  buildings,  or  of  the 
territory  which  Franklin  has  taken,  and  one  far  more 
to  be  deplored,  has  been  the  constant  drain  for  the 
last  half-century  of  our  young  men,  notably  of  our 
young  farmers,  to  the  cities,  and  especially  to  the  far 
West. 

Some  of  the  town’s  best  life-blood  has  been  lost 
in  this  way.  Had  all  remained,  and  divided  and 
subdivided  her  large  farms  into  smaller  ones,  and 
employed  on  them  the  same  energy  they  have  dis- 
played elsewhere,  what  a garden  Northfield  might 
have  been,  and  what  full  school-houses  in  this  year 
of  1885 ! Her  capabilities,  for  sure  and  profitable 
farming  are  not  yet  exhausted.  Her  upland  is  among 
the  best  in  New  Hampshire,  and  we  predict  a time 
will  come  when  a return  tide  will  set  in  towards  our 
beautiful  hills,  and  their  productive  resources  de- 
veloped in  a tenfold  degree. 

Yet  to  the  professional  man,  or  those  following 
other  vocations  than  farming,  this  place  might  not 
offer  so  desirable  a field  of  action.  Accordingly,  some 
of  Northfield’s  talented  sons  have  sought  other  fields 
of  labor,  and  there  achieved  success  and  a name. 

Dr.  Richard  Malone  emigrated  to  Illinois  years  ago 
and  became  a member  of  Congress,  with  a full 
measure  of  success  in  other  respects,  we  presume. 

One  of  Northfield’s  worthy  sons  who  sought  a home 
in  a neighboring  State  was  Dr.  Adino  B.  Hall,  son  of 
Deacon  Jeremiah  Hall,  who,  after  having  completed 
a medical  course,  and  practiced  for  a time  in  Natick, 
Mass.,  studied  a year  in  Paris,  and  finally  settled 
in  Boston,  where  he  soon  obtained  a large  and  lucrative 
practice ; was  a member  of  the  School  Board  for  many 
years,  delivered  an  address  on  music  on  the  occasion 
of  a children’s  festival  in  Faneuil  Hall,  acquired  a 
respectable  competency,  and  died  April  21, 1880,  aged 
sixty,  respected  and  regretted  by  all  who  knew  him, 
and  leaving  behind  a reputation  for  geniality,  kind- 
ness and  professional  skill  that  would  place  him 
among  the  foremost  in  the  city. 

His  accomplished  lady  (now  Mrs.  Cummings)  has 
decided  to  devote  a portion  of  the  property  left  by 
him  to  the  literary  benefit  of  the  people  of  his  native 
town  and  Tilton  by  the  erection  to  his  memory  of  an 
elegant  library  building,  at  a cost  of  some  fifteen 
thousand  dollars,  to  be  located  on  the  Northfield  side 


NORTHFIELD. 


539 


and  not  far  from  the  banks  of  the  beautiful  river  he 
knew  so  well. 

Another  of  Northfield’s  worthies  is  Charles  G. 
Chase,  son  of  Benjamin  Chase,  who,  after  reaching 
maturity,  removed  to  Boston,  engaged  in  the  whole- 
sale mercantile  business,  acquired  wealth,  and  then 
like  a wise  man  placed  himself  beyond  the  reach  of  the 
fluctuations  and  risks  of  trade  by  withdrawing  from 
the  business,  and  is  now  leading  the  life  of  a retired 
gentleman  of  leisure  on  his  estate  near  Boston.  Ac- 
companied by  his  wife,  a lady  of  culture  and  literary 
tastes,  he  has  made  the  tour  of  Europe,  we  think, 
twice  and  has  donated  to  the  Union  Church  at 
Northfield  Depot  a well-selected  library  of  nearly  two 
hundred  volumes.  Long  may  his  banner  wave  ! 

Still  another  of  our  town’s  enterprising  sons,  who 
went  abroad  to  seek  his  fortune,  is  William  F. 
Knowles,  born  on  the  pinnacle  of  Bay  Hill,  the  son 
of  Father  Knowles,  who  turned  the  old  meeting-house 
banisters  so  well.  He  was  in  the  employ  of  the 
wealthy  firm  of  Beebe  & Co.,  Boston,  twelve  years, 
and  is  now  New  England  agent  of  the  Western  Trunk 
Line  Association,  and  chairman  of  the  New  England 
Agents’  Committee. 

Centennial. — June  19,  1880,  was  a proud  day  for 
Northfield ; perhaps  her  proudest.  The  ouly  day 
that  could  possibly  rival  it  was  that  of  the  old  meet- 
ing-house raising,  four-score  and  six  years  before. 
But  the  crowd  on  that  distant  day  was  composed 
largely  of  visitors  from  the  neighboring  towns  ; and  of 
the  inhabitants  of  Northfield  at  that  time,  not  many 
were  born  there ; so  that  of  all  the  multitude  that 
saw  the  huge  timbers  of  the  frame  go  up,  puobably  not 
one-tenth  were  natives  of  the  town;  whereas,  on  her 
glad  memorial  day  of  five  years  ago,  not  only  was 
the  gathering  greater,  but  to  a large  extent  was  com- 
posed of  natives  or  the  descendants  of  natives.  It 
was  Northfield’s  centennial  birth-vear,  she  having 
begun  her  corporate  existence  just  one  hundred  years 
before  by  the  act  of  incorporation,  June  19,  1780. 

The  day  was  auspicious  ; all  that  could  be  desired, 
warm  and  cloudless. 

The  executive  committee,  which  was  composed  of 
the  following,  viz.,  J.  E.  Smith  (chairman),  O.  L. 
Cross  (secretary),  F.  J.  Eastman  (treasurer),  William 
C.  French,  James  N.  Forrest,  Mrs.  John  S.  Winslow, 
Mrs.  William  H.  Clough,  Mrs.  William  C.  French, 
Mrs.  Lowell  M.  French,  and  Mrs.  John  S.  Dearborn, 
had  perfected  the  arrangements  of  their  programmeso 
thoroughly  in  all  its  details  that  the  exercises  were 
carried  to  a very  successful  termination. 

“ At  an  early  hour  the  place  of  meeting,  Hanna- 
ford’s  Grove,  at  Northfield  Depot,  assumed  its  festal 
attire  under  the  direction  of  those  skillful  decorators, 
Hiram  Streeter  and  Mrs.  D.  C.  Tibbets.”  The  people 
began  to  assemble  about  eight  o’clock,  and  kept  in- 
creasing in  numbers  until  the  afternoon.  Trains  from 
above  and  below  brought  crowded  cars,  and  over  six 
hundred  carriages,  it  was  said,  reached  the  grounds 


from  the  adjoining  towns  and  portions  of  Northfield, 
and  between  three  thousand  and  four  thousand  souls 
were  supposed  at  one  time  to  be  present.  The  exer- 
cises were  conducted  in  accordance  with  the  follow- 
ing 

PROGRAMME. 

Invocation llev.  J.  W.  Adams. 

Music Belknap  Cornet  Band. 

Historical  Address Professor  Lucian  Hunt. 

Song Miss  Fanny  C.  Rice. 

Music By  the  Band. 

Poem Mrs.  L.  R.  II.  Cross. 

Song Miss  Rice. 

COLLATION. 

Cornet  Solo •..*....  Miss  Rice. 

SENTIMENTS. 

“The  Methodist  Church” Rev.  J.  W.  Adams. 

“ The  Military  ” Captain  Otis  C.  Wyatt. 

Reading  of  Letters  from  Former  Residents  ...  0.  L.  Cross,  Esq  , Secre- 
tary Town  Com. 

Music By  the  Band. 

Then  followed  the  presentation  of  a copy  of  Web- 
ster’s Unabridged  Dictionary  to  each  school  dis- 
trict in  town,  by  Mrs.  Cross,  through  whose  efforts 
the  funds  for  that  purpose  had  been  raised,  by  solicit- 
ing contributions  from  former  pupils.  Next  followed 
short  speeches  by  former  residents,  the  most  prom- 
inent of  which  were  those  by  Hon.  Jeremiah  Hall, 
of  Portsmouth,  Marshall  P.  Hall,  of  Manchester, 
and  Hon.  Daniel  Barnard,  of  Franklin  ; also,  Mrs. 
Nancy  Smith  Gilman  gave  a characteristic  and  ring- 
ing speech  about  the  olden  times.  President  of  the 
day,  A.  S.  Ballantyne ; J.  E.  Smith,  marshal. 

It  is  safe  to  say  that  representatives  of  most,  and, 
perhaps,  every  family  of  early  times  were  present, — 
the  Blanchard,  Glidden,  Hancock,  Smith,  Forrest, 
Hall,  Chase,  Conant,  Simonds,  Gerrish,  Rogers,  Cate, 
Clough,  Hill,  Haines,  Dearborn,  Foss,  Brown,  Win- 
slow, Eastman,  Hannaford,  Cross,  Iveniston,  Gilman, 
Sawyer,  Sanborn,  Hodgdon,  Cofran,  Glines,  Wad- 
leigli,  French,  Gile,  Moore  and  others  which  we  do 
not  now  recollect. 

On  reviewing  the  proceedings  of  the  day,  it  is 
interesting  to  note  the  difference  in  the  modes  of 
enjoyment  adopted  on  the  first  great  public  occasion 
and  the  last — the  raising  and  the  Centennial.  At 
the  former  the  chief  amusements  were  games,  betting, 
trials  of  strength  or  skill,  as  running  or  wrestling, 
with  frequent  applications  to  the  barrel  of  New  Eng- 
land; while  at  the  latter  they  were  mostly  literary  or 
musical.  And  though  no  Collins  was  found,  as  on 
the  former  occasion,  to  stand  on  the  ridgepole  of  the 
highest  house  in  town  on  his  head , yet,  when  night 
approached,  it  was  certain  that  all  could  stand  firmly 
on  their  feet.  Indeed,  a more  orderly  company  of 
equal  numbers  was  never  gathered  together  on  any 
public  occasion.  It  is  our  firm  belief  that  there  was 
not  a tipsy  person  on  the  grounds  during  the  day. 
In  Northfield,  to  her  credit  be  it  said,  the  ardent  is 
not  to  be  had. 

In  only  one  thing  did  the  two  gatherings  agree, — 


540 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


there  was  a dinner  in  both  cases;  for  the  wants  of 
the  body  are  the  same  at  all  times,  and  man  must  eat 
in  whatever  age  he  lives.  On  which  of  these  par- 
ticular occasions  the  prize  of  superior  excellence  in 
cookery  should  be  awarded,  it  would  now  be  hard  to 
tell;  but  of  their  extra  skill  in  the  culinary  art  in 
modern  times,  the  writer  claims  to  be  a reliable 
witness,  he  having  had  the  honor,  when  young,  of 
teaching  no  less  than  five  winters  in  the  good  old 
town,  and  during  a portion  of  the  time  enjoyed  the 
delights  of  “ boarding  round.” 

Finally,  the  long,  eventful  day  came  to  an  end,  as 
all  days  must ; and  as  the  sun  approached  his  setting, 
the  tired  participants  in  a festival,  the  like  of 
which  they  would  never  see  again  in  their  native 
town,  began  quietly  to  depart  singly  or  in  parties. 
Old  acquaintances  separated,  many  never  to  meet 
again,  the  sounds  died  away,  the  crowd  grew  less,  and 
when  night  threw  her  dark  mantle  over  the  Hanna- 
ford  Grove  it  was  entirely  deserted.  The  few  inhab- 
itants left  at  the  Depot  village  were  soon  and  gladly 
buried  in  slumber,  and  the  stars  shone  brightly  down, 
as  once  they  shone  one  hundred  and  twenty  years 
before  on  the  slumbers  of  the  family  of  the  first 
settler  during  their  first  night’s  rest  in  the  narrow 
clearing  and  lonely  cabin  of  Benjamin  Blanchard. 

Friends  of  Northfield,  my  work  is  done;  would  it 
were  better  done.  But  the  application  to  write  came 
late,  and  the  time  was  limited.  Acknowledgments 
are  due  to  Mrs.  L.  R.  H.  Cross  for  assistance  in  gath- 
ering historic  material;  to  the  Merrimack  Journal  for 
information  respecting  the  Blanchard  family;  and  to 
many  friends  who  have  furnished  for  me  important 
facts. 

That  prosperity  may  attend  good  old  centenarian 
Northfield,  and  her  worthy  sons  and  daughters,  even 
to  the  dawn  of  her  next  centennial,  is  the  fervent 
wish  and  confident  expectation  of  their  humble 
servant, 

The  Author. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


LUCIAN  HUNT,  A.M. 

Once  on  a time  three  brothers  migrated  from 
Amesbury,  Mass.,  and  settled  in  New  Hampshire. 
Two  of  these,  Humphrey  and  William  Hunt,  went 
to  Guilford,  while  the  third,  Philip,  Sr.,  removed 
to  Sanbornton,  into  what  was  afterwards  called  the 
“Hunt  Neighborhood,”  about  midway  between  the 
Square  and  Union  Bridge.  He  had  twelve  children. 
Of  these,  the  oldest,  Philip,  Jr.,  remained  on  the 
homestead  till  his  death.  Eleven  children  were  born 
to  him,  of  whom  Anthony  Colby,  the  father  of  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  was  the  seventh.  When  only 
eighteen  yqars  of  age  he  married  Mary  Chase,  of 


Deerfield,  N.  H.,  about  two  months  younger  than 
himself — a woman  of  strong  character,  industrious, 
careful  and  conscientious.  This  union  lasted  above  1 
half  a century,  he  surviving  to  the  seventy-fifth  year 
of  his  age,  and  she  to  the  eighty-seventh.  After  re-  I 
siding  in  Gilmanton,  Sanbornton  and  the  Wiers — I 
a year  or  two  in  each, — the  family,  with  others,  took  j 
up  its  march  in  quest  of  a home  in  a neighboring  j 
State. 

Between  two  ranges  of  the  Green  Mountains,  in  the 
northern  part  of  Vermont,  lies  the  romantic  town  of  j 
Woodbury,  sparsely  settled,  full  of  ponds,  hilly,  yet 
with  an  excellent  soil  wherever  the  rocks  allow  it  to  j 
be  reached.  Near  the  southern  border,  some  four  i 
hundred  feet  in  height,  rises  a perpendicular  cliff  1 
called  Nichols’  Ledge.  Between  this  and  Cabot  ex-  j 
tends  a plain  about  a mile  in  width,  then  covered 
with  primeval  forest,  whither  emigrated  from  San- 
bornton and  vicinity,  about  the  year  1815,  a colony  of 
from  twenty-five  to  thirty  persons,  and  among  them 
Anthony  C.  Hunt  and  wife,  with  several  of  his  wife’s 
relatives. 

Mr.  Hunt  at  first  built  a log  house,  in  which 
Lucian  was  born,  a few  rods  south  of  the  big  ledge,  I 
and  a few  years  later,  a framed  house,  still  nearer  the  i 
mountain,  the  birth-place  of  his  daughter,  Almira. 

His  eldest  daughter,  Sarah,  and  his  eldest  son,  Lucian, 
who  died  in  his  fifth  year,  before  the  birth  of  his 
second  son,  were  both  natives  of  Sanbornton. 

Their  life  here  was  such  as  was  generally  experi- 
enced by  first  settlers  in  New  England.  Trees  were 
felled  and  burned  on  the  ground,  and  from  their 
ashes  a kind  of  potash — or  salts,  as  it  was  called — 
was  manufactured.  This  and  maple  sugar  were  the 
principal  exports,  and  their  backs  the  only  means  of  ' 
transportation. 

The  settlement  seemed  to  flourish  for  a time,  but 
what  with  hard  labor,  few  and  distant  markets,  the 
want  of  the  necessaries — to  say  nothing  of  the  •' 
luxuries — of  life,  discouragement  crept  in,  and  one 
by  one  the  settlers  sought  other  homes,  until  Mr. 
Hunt  and  family  were  left  alone.  He  struggled 
manfully  a few  years  longer,  but  finally  yielded,  like 
the  rest,  and  removed  to  Cabot,  whence,  after  having 
passed  seventeen  years  in  Vermont,  lie  returned  to 
Sanbornton.  Thus  ended  the  Sanbornton  exodus. 
Not  a house,  no  memento,  except  the  old  cellars, 
scattered  over  what  is  now  a broad  pasture,  remains 
to  tell  of  the  once  bustling  little  New  Hampshire 
colony  of  Woodbury,  Vt. 

On  leaving  Cabot,  Mr.  Hunt  went  first  to  Union 
Bridge  (now  East  Tilton),  whence,  after  a residence  of 
four  years,  he  removed  to  Sanbornton  Bridge,  where 
Lucian,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  eagerly  availed 
himself  of  the  advantages  there  afforded  for  acquiring 
an  education.  He  was  an  incessant  reader,  and  long 
before  he  had  fairly  settled  himself  down  to  a regular 
course  of  school  study  had  acquired  a very  respect- 
able fund  of  information  in  regard  to  history  and 


oHyWJL AXVW  ^1414 


NORTHFIELD. 


541 


general  literature.  At  school,  or  privately,  he  was 
fond  of  taking  up  one  study  or  branch  at  a time,  and 
pursuing  it  till  his  curiosity  or  ambition  was  satisfied 
in  that  particular  direction.  Thus  he  commenced 
Latin  one  Spring,  and,  confining  himself  to  that, 
finished  Virgil  during  the  ensuing  autumn.  He  also 
became  somewhat  noted  in  those  days  as  a swimmer, 
in  which  noble  art  he  used  to  consider  himself  a 
match  for  any  in  the  State,  and  by  which  accomplish- 
ment he  has  had  the  good  fortune  to  save  several 
persons  from  drowning  in  the  course  of  his  life.  His 
favorite  mode  of  exercise  has  ever  been  walking,  and 
this  at  times  has  carried  him  considerable  distances. 
The  walk  which  seems  to  have  afforded  him  the  most 
pleasure  was  one  from  the  Bridge  to  the  top  of  Mount 
Washington  and  back,  which  he  took  in.  company 
with  a fellow-teacher,  calling  from  time  to  time  at 
farm-houses  for  rest  and  refreshment,  at  one  of  which 
the  mistress  would  take  nothing  for  payment,  as  she 
said,  “She  never  lost  anything  by  giving  to  the 
poor.”  At  another  they  were  each  charged  twelve 
cents  for  a good  supper,  lodging  and  breakfast. 
Verily  that  was  the  day  of  small  prices.  They 
stopped  one  night  at  Centre  Harbor,  another  at  the  foot 
of  Chocorua  Mountain,  and  the  good  part  of  a day 
on  the  Sandwich  Plains,  among  the  blueberry  pickers 
who  had  come  from  far  and  wide  with  their  families 
— and  some  were  pretty  large, — ox-teams,  bushel  bas- 
kets, and  where  they  remained  day  after  day,  many 
of  them,  till  the  berry  season  was  over.  Proceeding 
they  reached  the  Notch  just  at  dusk,  amid  a fearful 
thunder-storm,  which  served  as  a grand  introduction 
to  this  gate  of  the  mountains,  and  which  attended 
them  with  its  lightnings  and  crashings  till  they 
reached  the  hotel,  at  ten  o’clock. 

Lucian  once  had  the  right  side  of  his  face  filled 
with  gunpowder  from  a horse-pistol  at  short  range, 
which  powder  employed  a doctor  one  long  summer 
afternoon  to  extract,  kernel  by  kernel.  While  still 
young,  a boy,  he  received  a commission  in  a some- 
what notable  military  company  of  the  time — “ The 
Phalanx” — with  Willis  Russell,  commander.  To 
this,  one  fine  day,  the  ladies  of  Sanborntou  Bridge,  in 
long  procession,  presented  a beautiful  flag  through 
the  hands  and  voice  of  Miss  Betsy  Kelley,  then  pre- 
ceptress of  the  academy.  Lucian  was  appointed  to 
receive  the  same,  and  to  respond  in  behalf  of  the 
company,  all  which  was  duly  published  in  the  local 
papers  of  the  time,  from  the  pen  of  the  Hon.  Asa  P. 
Cate. 

Lucian  commenced  teaching  when  sixteen  years  o! 
age  in  the  Bay  Hill  District,  Northfield.  After  a 
second  winter  here,  he  taught  in  succession  one 
winter  at  Webster,  three  in  Centre  Northfield,  three 
in  Natick.  Mass.,  and  one  at  Kingston.  During  all 
this  time  he  was  ardently  prosecuting  his  studies. 
He  had  read  Latin,  his  favorite  study,  far  beyond  the 
college  course,  a suitable  amount  of  Greek,  many 
volumes  of  French  and  German,  besides  most  of  the 


English  branches  required  by  the  college  curriculum. 
He  attained  to  this  mostly  by  his  own  private 
efforts,  without  pecuniary  assistance  from  any  quarter, 
paying  his  way  as  he  went  along,  and  thus  keeping 
entirely  clear  of  debt.  When  the  funds  from  his 
winter’s  teaching  gave  out,  he  went  to  Boston  in  the 
summer  and  earned  enough  to  float  him  over  the  rest 
of  the  year  ; so  that,  when  he  started  in  his  profes- 
sion, he  was  even  with  the  world,  with  no  debts  to 
harass,  or  interest  to  eat  up  his  earnings.  This  road 
to  an  education  is  longer,  indeed,  as  it  proved  to  be 
in  his  case ; but  it  was  sure  and  safe.  He  received 
his  degree  from  the  Wesleyan  University,  Middle- 
town,  Conn.,  in  1863. 

About  this  time  Mr.  Hunt  was  invited  to  take 
charge  of  the  Marlow  (N.  H.)  Academy.  This  school, 
which  had  become  much  reduced — the  pupils  at  the 
start  barely  amounting  to  twenty — after  passing  into 
his  hands,  increased  rapidly  and  steadily,  till,  at  the 
close  of  the  second  year,  it  numbered  one  hundred 
and  forty  members,  mostly  adults,  as  a large  class  of 
smaller  scholars  were  necessarily  refused  admittance 
from  the  want  of  accommodations.  The  third  year 
was  also  one  of  continued  prosperity.  Such  and  so 
rapid  a revival  of  a run-down  academy  we  believe  to 
be  unexampled  in  the  record  of  New  Hampshire 
schools. 

This  unexpected  success  and  liberal  addition  to  his 
exhausted  finances  determined  Mr.  Hunt’s  vocation, 
and  in  the  following  spring  he  accepted  an  invitation 
to  the  High  School  of  Castine,  one  of  the  oldest  and 
most  romantic  little  seaports  on  the  coast  of  Maine, 
where  he  remained  two  years,  receiving  a generous 
increase  of  salary  the  second. 

Next  succeeded  a two  years’  principalship  of  the 
academy  in  Standish,  Me.,  where  Mr.  Hunt’s  good 
fortune  was  crowned  by  securing  as  a partner  of  his 
joys  and  sorrows  Miss  Caroline  Higgins,  one  of  the 
noble  women  for  which  that  region  is  famous — social, 
kind,  cheerful  and  generous. 

After  a two-years'  rest  Mr.  Hunt  became  seated  in 
the  principal’s  chair  of  Powers  Institute,  Bernards- 
ton,  Mass.,  where  his  predecessor  had  sunk  the  school 
to  less  than  a dozen  pupils.  At  the  close  of  his  five 
years’  engagement  he  could  point  to  nearly  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  members  then  belonging  to  the 
institute.  Though  strongly  urged  by  the  trustees  to 
continue  his  engagement  for  another  five  years,  he 
preferred  to  heed  a louder  call  from  Falmouth,  Mass. 
Here,  as  principal  of  Lawrence  Academy,  he  re- 
mained twelve  years,  where  he  introduced  improved 
educational  methods,  and,  in  fact,  effected  a revolu- 
tion in  the  old  academy,  and  with  beneficial  effect  on 
the  public  schools  of  the  town. 

Yielding  to  the  urgent  request  of  the  trustees  of 
McCollom  Institute,  Mount  Vernon,  N.  H.,  Professor 
Hunt  took  charge  of  their  institution,  which,  after 
pursuing  his  vocation  two  years  longer,  he  recently 
resigned,  in  order  to  carry  out  a purpose  of  his,  formed 


542 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


many  years  ago,  to  devote  what  might  be  left  of  his 
life  to  literary  pursuits. 

He  is  a trustee  of  McCollom  Institute,  and  of  the 
New  Hampshire  Conference  Seminary  at  Tilton.  In 
1880  he  delivered  an  historical  address  at  the  North- 
field  Centennial,  which  was  published  in  the  Granite 
Monthly.  Also,  in  June,  1885,  he  gave  an  address 
before  the  alumni  of  the  Conference  Seminary  at 
Tilton. 

Professor  blunt  furnishes  an  example  of  the  teacher, 
student  and  financier  combined,  and  in  all  has 
achieved  success.  His  favorite  studies  have  been  the 
ancient  and  modern  languages — especially  the  Latin, 
French  and  German — ancient  and  modern  history, 
English  literature  and  elocution. 

And  now,  having  wielded  the  pedagogue’s  sceptre 
for  a third  of  a century,  blessed  with  good  health  and 
a competency,  and  possessing  one  of  the  most  valu- 
able private  libraries  in  New  Hampshire,  containing 
nearly  three  thousand  volumes  of  well-selected  works, 
and  among  them  several  hundred  in  the  French  and 
German  languages,  he  proposes  to  realize  his  long- 
cherished  design  to  retire  and  pass  the  remainder  of 
his  days  in  rural  employments  and  the  companion- 
ship of  his  books,  where  himself  and  lady  would  be 
most  happy  to  receive  the  visits  of  their  many  friends 
in  Maine,  New  Hampshire  and  Massachusetts.  May 
the  blessing  of  heaven  rest  upon  them  in  their  re- 
tirement! 


DR.  A.  B.  HALL. 

Adino  Brackett  Hall  was  born  in  Northfield,  N.  H., 
October  17,  1819.  He  was  the  son  of  Jeremiah  and 
Hannah  (Haines)  Hall,  and  the  seventh  in  descent 
from  Richard  Hall,  of  Dorchester,  whose  son  Richard 
settled  in  Bradford,  Mass.,  in  1673,  and  was  made  free- 
man in  1676  ; he  was  chosen  one  of  the  first  deacons 
of  the  church  of  Bradford,  and  held  that  office  till  his 
death,  March  9,  1730.  His  son  Joseph,  born  Feb- 
ruary 19, 1680,  was  a deacon  of  the  church  in  West  Brad- 
ford, and  had  nine  children,  of  whom  Ebenezer,  born 
1721,  removed  to  Concord,  N.  II.;  was  a farmer  and 
selectman,  and  married  Dorcas  Abbott,  the  first  white 
girl  born  in  Concord. 

Of  Ebenezer  Hall’s  twelve  children,  Obadiah,  born 
October  13,  1748,  married  Mary  Perham,  of  New  Ips- 
wich, N.  H , November  3,  1770,  and  had  seven  chil- 
dren. Jeremiah  Hall,  their  fourth  child,  born  Octo- 
ber 18,  1777,  married,  September  15,  1801,  Hannah 
Haines,  of  Northfield,  N.  H. ; was  forty  years  a deacon 
in  the  Congregational  Church,  and  had  six  children. 
Adino  Brackett  Hall  was  the  youngest  of  this  family. 

Dr.  Hall  was  also  seventh  in  descent  from  George 
Abbott,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Andover  in  1643. 
George  Abbott  lived  and  died  on  the  farm  owned  now 
by  John  Abbott.  “His  son,  Thomas  Abbott,  (born 
May  6,  1666,  died  April  28,  1728),  lived  on  the  west 
side  of  Shawshene  River.  The  farm  remained  in  the 
family  a century.  He  taught  his  children  to  rever- 


ence the  Sabbath  and  keep  it  holy,  and  make  the  Bible 
their  only  rule  of  faith  and  practice. 

“ Edward  Abbott,  son  of  Thomas,  was  one  of  the  ' 
proprietors  of  Pennacook,  now  Concord,  N.  H.,  one  of  , 
the  first  selectmen  and  useful  in  town  business.  His  j 
house  was  a garrison,  and  stood  on  the  west  side  of  1 
Main  Street,  south  of  the  brook  that  runs  between  the  I 
State-house  and  court-house.  The  first  white  female  1 
and  the  first  white  male  born  in  town  were  his  chil- 
dren.”1 Of  these  children,  Dorcas,  born  February  15,  ] 
1728,  married,  June  17,  1746,  Ebenezer  Hall,  and  be-  ! 
came  the  mother  of  Obadiah  Hall,  grandmother  of 
Jeremiah,  and  great-grandmother  of  Dr.  Hall,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch. 

Dr.  Hall  was  educated  at  the  academy  of  Dyer  H. 
Sanborn  and  at  Dartmouth  College.  After  leaving  j 
the  medical  school  he  began  directly  to  look  for  a 
place  to  begin  practice,  and  used  often  in  later  years  j 
to  tell,  with  infinite  relish,  the  difficulties  attending  j 
his  first  settlement.  He  had  heard  of  an  opening  in 
Kingston,  Mass.,  for  a young  physician,  and,  taking  a j 
sleigh,  he  proceeded,  with  a friend,  to  investigate  the  J 
town.  Half-way  on  their  journey  they  came  to  bare  I 
ground;  but,  borrowing  a buggy,  they  went  on.  Ar-  1 
riving  at  Kingston,  they  called  on  the  various  poten-  I 
[ tates,  and  met  the  eucouraging  response  that  if  the  j 
I new  doctor  could  practice  homoeopathy,  he  might  ] 
succeed.  Nevertheless,  he  settled  there,  and,  though 
he  remained  but  three  years,  he  won  such  confidence  j 
that  critical  cases  in  Kingston  were  submitted  to  his  I 
care  until  the  close  of  his  life.  His  desire  to  relieve  I 
suffering  gave  him  courage  to  allow  cold  water,  in 
teaspoonfuls,  to  his  first  case  of  typhoid  fever.  The  I 
older  doctors  were  aghast  at  such  frightful  presump-  j 
tion,  and  said  he  had  killed  the  patient;  but  the  man 
recovered,  and  the  comfort  of  the  new  treatment  was  I 
so  great  that  he  was  called  to  all  the  typhoid  cases  j 
the  next  year.  He  was  also  one  of  the  first  to  admin-  1 
ister  ether,  and  he  was  never  afraid  of  anything  be- 
cause it  was  new.  From  Kingston  he  went  to  Natick,  ] 
where  he  had  previously  taught,  and  in  1852  he  be-  I 
gan  study  in  the  hospitals  of  Paris.  For  two  years  he 
followed  Nelaton,  Roux,  Rostau, — those  great  physi- 
cians and  surgeons  who  have  made  this  century  illus- 
trious by  their  services  to  mankind. 

October  7,  1854,  Dr.  Hall  settled  in  Boston,  where,  1 
for  twenty-six  years,  he  lived  the  active  and  self-deny- 
ing life  of  a physician  in  full  practice.  He  was  born 
for  a doctor,  his  uncles  were  doctors,  his  older  brother 
was  of  the  same  profession,  and  he  himself,  in  his 
childish  plays,  was  always  beside  a sick-bed.  Joined 
to  this  love  of  medicine,  he  had  courage,  good  sense, 
great  kindness  of  heart,  a genial  presence  and  unfail- 
ing courtesy.  He  was  destitute  of  that  quality  which 
bears  the  name,  in  America,  of  “brass,”  and  one  of 
his  brother  physicians  said  of  him  that  “he  didn’t 
know  what  conceit  was.”  He  was  satisfied  to  be 


•Register  of  the  Abbott  family,  1847. 


NORTHFIELD. 


543 


quietly  and  continually  doing  good,  and  receiving  the 
constant  love  and  trust  of  many  whose  dearest  friend 
he  was.  None  but  a physician  can  know  the  toil  of 
such  a life;  and  perhaps  no  one  else  can  know  such 
a reward. 

Dr.  Hall  volunteered  to  go  to  McClellan’s  army  be- 
fore Richmond,  when  surgeons  were  needed  in  the 
spring  of  1862.  He  contracted  malarial  fever  in  those 
swamps,  from  which  he  was  never  entirely  free.  He 
served  the  Massachusetts  Medical  Society  as  councilor 
for  twenty-five  years,  and  the  same  length  of  time  he 
was  an  active  member  of  the  school  committee.  Dr. 
Hall  married,  in  1864,  Mary,  eldest  daughter  of  Rev. 
J.  P.  Cowles,  of  Ipswich. 

Friday,  April  16,  1880,  he  attended  three  cases  of 
labor,  leaving  the  last  one  at  5.30  p.m.  Heated  and 
fasting  since  morning,  the  east  wind  gave  him  a fatal 
chill.  He  died  of  pneumonia  the  following  Wednes- 
day, April  21st.  His  fatal  illness  made  apparent 
the  sense  of  what  he  was,  and  what  was  lost  by  his 
death.  Dr.  Hall,  like  his  mother,  was  proverbial 
for  his  kindness  to  the  poor;  it  is  still  told  of  her 
that  the  saddest  sight  at  her  funeral  was  the  group  of 
poor  women  looking  into  her  open  grave.  Each  morn- 
ing of  Dr.  Hall’s  illness  a crowd  gathered  on  the  side- 
walk, and  refused  to  move  on  at  the  policeman’s  bid- 
ding till  he  had  asked  how  the  doctor  was.  Some 
waited  patiently,  like  beggars,  before  the  back  win- 
dows, only  to  say,  “My  wife  wants  to  know  how  the 
doctor  is.” 

“And  after  he  had  served  his  generation,  by  the 
will  of  God,  he  fell  on  sleep.” 


JEREMIAH  SMITH,  ESQ.1 

Probably  no  name  is  more  familiarly  known  among 
English-speaking  people  than  that  of  Smith ; and 
poor  indeed  is  that  town,  especially  in  the  United 
States,  that  cannot  number  one  or  more  among  its 
inhabitants.  It  also  has  the  flavor  of  antiquity  about 
it,  since  it  must  have  sprung  into  being  while  the 
Teutonic  race  was  as  yet  undivided,  perhaps  before  it 
left  the  heights  of  Armenia,  as  it  is  found  in  a direct 
or  modified  form  in  all  the  various  subdivisions  of 
that  most  energetic  of  the  national  families  of  the 
world.  If  Darwin’s  theory  of  the  survival  of  the 
fittest  be  correct,  it  follows  that  the  originators  of  the 
name  Smith  must  have  been  not  only  the  fittest,  but 
the  strongest  among  all  who  have  been  honored  as 
founders  of  family  appellations,  as,  so  far  as  we  know, 
the  name  is  more  common  than  any  other  among 
the  whole  Caucasian  race. 

New  Hampshire  is  no  less  favored  than  her  sister- 
States  with  a generous  sprinkling  of  the  time- 
honored  name,  more  or  less  abundant  in  nearly  every 
town  within  her  borders. 


1 By  Prof.  Lucian  Hunt. 


But  among  them  all,  no  one  is  more  deserving  of 
mention  by  the  town  historian,  or  more  worthy  of 
remembrance  in  an  especial  degree  by  the  citizens  of 
Northfield,  as  one  of  its  model  farmers,  earlier  set- 
tlers, its  oldest  inhabitant,  an  upright  cititzen  and 
one  whose  official  record  in  town  was  second  to  none, 
than  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

Jeremiah  Smith  was  the  son  of  William  and  Dilly 
(Clough)  Smith,  and  born  in  Old  Hampton,  N.  H., 
March  10,  1770.  His  father  originated  in  Canterbury, 
N.  H.,  and  mother  in  Kingston,  N.  IT. , so  that  the 
family  is  of  true  New  Hampshire  stock  several  de- 
grees back. 

He  came  to  Canterbury  when  a boy,  and  lived  with 
Colonel  Jeremiah  Clough  till  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
when,  having  reached  his  majority,  and  consequently 
become  his  own  master,  he  concluded  to  follow  the 
example  set  by  so  many  other  Canterbury  people, 
and  seek  his  fortune  further  north,  in  what  then 
seemed  to  be  the  land  of  promise  to  the  Canter- 
buryites, — the  sunny  and  bonny  hills  of  Northfield. 
This  was  in  1792,  two  years  before  the  great  raising  of 
the  old  meeting-house,  in  1794,  of  which  a full  ac- 
count is  given  in  the  history  of  Northfield. 

Northfield  then  was  in  the  full  flowing  tide  of  grow- 
ing prosperity,  and  no  doubt  held  out  great  attractions 
to  the  young  adventurer;  but  little  did  he  imagine,  I 
surmise,  when  his  walk  from  Canterbury  had  brought 
him  to  Bay  Hill,  that  he  had  so  soon  found  his  life- 
haven,  where  he  was  to  be  anchored  safely  and  hap- 
pily for  seventy-seven  long  years  additional  to  those 
with  which  his  manhood  began.  And  little  did  he 
guess,  when  he  called  at  Squire  Glidden’s,  and  en- 
gaged to  work  for  him  at  seven  dollars  a month,  and 
saw  the  sprightly  Betsy  of  thirteen,  that  he  had 
found  his  life  companion,  who  for  nearly  three- 
quarters  of  a century  was  to  share  with  him  whatever, 
weal  or  woe,  Northfield  had  to  bestow.  But  so  it 
was  to  be.  She  was  born  February  17,  1778,  and 
after  five  years  of  faithful  service  on  his  part,  when 
she  was  eighteen  and  he  twenty-six,  the  father, 
Squire  Glidden,  and  his  daughter,  Betsy,  were  so  well 
satisfied  with  him  and  his  work  that  the  latter  and  he 
were  united  in  marriage  in  the  year  1797. 

They  first  established  their  home  at  Bean  Hill,  on 
the  farm  afterwards  owned  by  Messrs.  Mills  Glidden, 
Anthony  C.  Hunt,  Morrill  Moore,  and  which  at 
present  is  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Clark.  It  was  a 
rugged  farm  of  about  sixty  acres,  with  a hard  wood 
and  hard,  compacted  soil,  with  a plentiful  sprinkling 
of  rocks,  a rather  steep  slope  to  the  north,  and  in  a 
region  of  powerful  thunder-storms.  Neighbors  were 
few  and  far  between,  for  this  was  in  the  earlier  days, 
and  the  roads  were  rough  and  the  passers-by  few. 
But  Mr.  Smith  and  his  young  wife  had  two  talismanic 
virtues,  which,  ever  since  man  learned  the  art  to  accu 
mulate,  have  been  powerful  agents  to  evoke  wealth 
from  the  hardest  soil,  and  amid  the  most  forbidding 
circumstances, — industry  and  economy. 


35 


514 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


They  worked  early  and  late,  reduced  expenses, 
saved  the  pennies,  enjoyed  perfect  health,  and,  as  a 
consequence,  rose  slowly,  it  may  be,  but  surely,  in  the 
scale  of  social,  financial  and  political  importance  as 
the  years  went  by.  Would  that  the  young  of  the 
present  day — alas ! too  many  there  are  who  need  it — 
might  profit  by  the  very  worthy  example  set  before  us 
by  our  hard-working  and  closely-saving  ancestors!  His 
was  one  of  the  big  barns  of  the  town, — an  aristocratic 
barn  for  the  times, — and  yet  the  writer  has  been  told, 
that  this  barn  used  to  be  filled,  year  after  year,  to  the 
very  eaves  with  hay  and  grain ; and  it  is  but  fair  to 
presume  that  a rich  herd  of  stately  oxen,  cows,  young 
cattle  and  sheep  filled  the  spacious  south-side  yard, 
and  were  bountifully  fed  from  its  high-heaped  con- 
tents. At  Bean  Hill  all  their  children  were  born, 
except  Warren  H.  and  Mary  Elizabeth. 

Here  they  lived  about  sixteen  years,  till  the  death 
of  Esquire  Glidden,  when,  the  homestead  falling  to 
Mrs.  Smith  by  inheritance,  they  transferred  their 
residence  from  Bean  to  Bay  Hill,  built  a new  house, 
made  additions  to  the  already  extended  barn,  and 
there,  on  the  ancestral  fields,  passed  their  years  of 
strength  and  decline,  prolonged  to  a period  vouch- 
safed to  few,  enjoying  in  full  measure  the  blessings 
that  flow  from  agricultural  pursuits,  the  hopes  and 
fruition  of  seed-time  and  harvest,  pride  in  their  grow- 
ing family,  and  the  increasing  respect  and  town- 
honors  bestowed  by  their  fellow-citizens.  The  farm, 
— formerly  called  the  Robert  Perkins  farm,  as  he  was 
its  first  settler  and  the  first  clearing  on  it  was  made 
by  him,  still  in  possession  of  the  family, — with  its 
abundant  timber  and  wood  and  extensive  meadow, 
is,  I suppose,  considered  the  most  valuable  within  the 
present  limits  of  the  town,  and  in  those  early  days 
must  have  poured  forth  overflowing  harvests. 

Though  Mr.  Smith,  through  mistaken  kindness  or 
friendship,  by  becoming  bondsman,  lost  all  his  prop- 
erty at  two  separate  periods  of  his  life,  yet,  by  the 
force  of  a strong  will  and  unflinching  perseverance, 
assisted  by  conjugal  energy,  he  rallied,  regained  the 
lost  ground,  and  at  the  end  of  life  left  a handsome 
property  to  his  children.  The  confidence  of  his  fel- 
low-townsmen in  his  integrity  and  business  capacity 
is  shown  by  his  election  as  selectman,  year  after  yearj 
and  representative,  and  to  other  offices. 

Mr.  Smith,  as  we  remember  him,  was  rather  strik- 
ing in  his  personal  appearance,  with  a presence  well 
calculated  to  arrest  the  attention  of  the  most  casual 
observer, — stalwart  in  form,  with  marked  features, 
and  an  expression  pleasant,  yet  showing  a decided 
character.  He  was  a man  of  excellent  habits  in 
every  respect,  and  never  knew  the  meaning  of sickness, 
as  he  lived  straight  along,  from  childhood  to  old  age, 
without  the  least  interference  from  the  thousand  ails 
and  ills  that  harass  ninety-nine-hundredths  of  the 
human  race.  He  never  was  obliged  to  call  in  the  aid 
of  an  M.D.,  and,  in  short,  enjoyed  perfect  health  to 
the  very  last. 


Over  and  above  the  treasure  of  health,  moreover, 
he  was  blessed  with  a cheerful  disposition,  which 
rendered  him  a favorite  with  rich  and  poor,  and 
made  him  delight  in  hearing  and  telling  merry 
stories  ; and,  with  the  rich  fund  of  anecdote  and  story, 
gathered  in  a long  and  active  life,  and  held  fast  in  a 
retentive  memory,  he  could  not  be  otherwise  than  an 
entertaining  talker.  The  writer  remembers  well,  when 
Mr.  Smith’s  age  was  among  the  nineties,  that  an  old 
Revolutionary  soldier — we  think  his  name  was  Dan- 
forth — from  a distant  part  of  the  town,  used  to  make 
him  an  occasional  visit,  for  the  express  purpose,  it 
would  seem,  of  reviving  memories  of  the  olden  times, 
when  both  were  in  their  prime.  And  they  succeeded 
thoroughly.  The  past  lived  again.  The  Revolu- 
tionary War  was  a fruitful  theme,  and  especially 
the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  in  which  the  old  soldier 
had  been  a participant.  At  such  times  their  warlike 
enthusiasm  would  be  roused  almost  to  a white  heat. 
Once,  when  the  question  of  the  emancipation  of  the 
slaves  was  pending  during  our  last  war,  Mr.  Danforth, 
— if  that  was  his  name, — at  one  of  these  meetings, 
while  the  writer  was  at  the  house,  asserted  stoutly, 
that  the  negroes  made  as  good  soldiers  as  the  whites; 
said  there  were  several  at  Bunker  Hill,  and  their 
bullets  dropped  the  red  coats  as  fast  as  anybody’s. 
One  stood  near  himself,  and  “ liis  gun  went  bang l as 
loud  as  the  best.” 

Mr.  Smith’s  opportunities  for  acquiring  an  educa- 
tion were,  of  course,  very  limited ; yet  he  seems  to 
have  had  a natural  turn  for  mathematics,  arithmetic 
especially,  of  which  a convincing  proof  exists  in  the 
form  of  an  old  blank-book  with  sheepskin  covers,  still 
treasured  in  the  family,  into  which  his  examples 
were  copied,  some  of  which  are  “ exceedingly  diffi- 
cult.” 

He  had  decided  views  in  regard  to  his  duty  as  a 
citizen,  and  voted  for  every  President  from  Washing- 
ton to  Lincoln. 

No  kinder  man  in  his  family  ever  lived,  and,  as  an 
unfailing  consequence,  the  respect  paid  to  him  per- 
sonally by  his  children  during  life,  and  to  his  memory 
since  he  passed  away,  has  been  of  the  tenderest  and 
most  devoted  kind.  The  last  day  he  lived,  he  said  to 
his  two  daughters,  who  were  present, — “ My  family  I 
have  governed  by  love;  never  struck  but  one  blow, 
and  that  was  an  accident.” 

The  years  moved  on,  and  Mr.  Smith  became  old 
and  “ well  stricken  in  years,”  but  for  a long  period 
Providence  kindly  withheld  the  stroke.  Generations 
passed  away,  but  still  his  gait  was  erect  and  his  eye 
strong.  The  writer  has  his  autograph  attached  to  a 
legal  instrument,  firm  and  legible,  written  when  he 
was  approaching  a hundred.  Old  acquaintances 
dropped,  one  by  one,  from  sight,  till,  of  all  who  began 
with  him  the  journey  of  life,  not  one  man  or  woman 
remained.  And  still  his  health  was  good.  Much 
of  this  was  due  in  his  later  years  to  the  excellent 
care  and  unflagging  attention  of  his  daughter,  Mrs. 


NORTH  FIELD. 


545 


Nancy  C.  Gilman,  who,  with  her  husband,  ministered 
to  every  want  of  her  parents,  watching  every  phase 
of  health, — all  to  such  good  effect  that  Time’s  fingers 
seemed  to  lose  their  power  as  the  years  went  by. 
And  thus  her  father’s  life  was  lengthened  out  to 
within  three  years  of  a century  before  he  was  laid  to 
rest, — the  oldest  man  that  Northfield  has  as  yet  pro- 
duced. 

Mrs.  Smith,  whose  birth  took  place  February  17, 
1778,  survived  her  husband  nearly  a year,  dying  at 
the  age  of  ninety-one,  January  1,  1868.  She  was  a 
woman  of  strong  mind,  great  independence,  deter- 
mined will,  one  who  ruled  her  household  well,  “mov- 
ing therein  as  queen,”  and  whose  orders  were  obeyed  ; 
and  to  her  energetic  assistance  and  inherited  prop- 
erty, no  doubt,  much  of  Mr.  Smith’s  financial  pros- 
perity was  due.  Their  remains  lie  in  the  new  ceme- 
tery in  Tilton. 

Mr.  Smith  had  nine  children,  of  whom  five  are  still 
living  or  recently  deceased. 

1st.  His  oldest  daughter,  Alice  G.,  born  March 
19,  1804 ; married  Mr.  Charles  M.  Glidden,  and  re- 
sided many  years  in  Southern  Ohio,  dying  December 
28,  1873.  She  had  a daughter,  Mary  Y.,  and  a son, 
Steven  S.,  now  living.  The  former  married  George 
Crawford,  of  Portsmouth,  Ohio,  and  has  two  sons  and 
one  daughter, — namely,  George  W.,  who,  after  gradu- 
ating at  West  Point,  studied  law  and  is  now  practic- 
ing in  Minnesota ; John  G.,  who,  after  studying  in 
Germany,  settled  in  Portsmouth,  Ohio,  and  is  now  a 
leading  physician  there;  and  Minnie  Alice,  who,  after 
graduating  at  the  Boston  Conservatory  of  Music, 
spent  three  years  in  study  at  Ann  Arbor,  and  received 
a diploma  of  M.D.  Mrs.  Glidden’s  son,  Steven  S., 
married  Susan  Gannet,  of  Ironton,  Ohio,  and  has  five 
children, — namely,  Aingia  A.,  a graduate  of  the  New 
England  Conservatory  of  Music,  Boston  ; Jesse,  a 
graduate  of  College  Hill,  Cincinnati,  both  married  ; 
two  sons  now  in  a military  school ; and  Susan  G.,  an 
infant. 

2d.  Mr.  Smith’s  second  daughter,  Nancy  C.,  mar- 
ried Mr.  William  Gilman,  of  Northfield,  whose  only 
daughter,  Joan  D.,  married  Mr.  H.  A.  Morse,  a lead-  J 
ing  shipper  and  commission  merchant  of  Boston. 
They  have  three  daughters, — two,  Ruth  and  E.  Ger- 
trude, brilliant  scholars  and  accomplished  musicians; 
and  Abba  C.,  recently  returned  from  Europe,  an  ama- 
teur artist  of  much  promise. 

Mrs.  Gilman  was  born  May  2,  1806.  At  an  early 
age  she  engaged  in  teaching,  for  which  she  had  a 
great  liking  and  special  aptitude, — teaching  private 
schools  in  her  own  house,  having  charge  of  a select 
school  in  Ohio,  with  one  season  in  the  seminary, 
making  in  all  some  twenty  years  in  the  profession. 
She  studied  medicine  at  the  Boston  Female  Medical 
College,  and  has  been  in  its  practice  more  or  less  for 
thirty  years.  But  beyond  her  reputation  as  a teacher 
or  physician,  she  is  better  known  as  a philanthropist,  a 
pioneer  in  all  the  most  prominent  moral  questions  of 


the  day.  She  has  ever  been  a thorough-going  tem- 
perance advocate,  a whole-souled  champion  of  the 
anti-slavery  cause,  has  lectured  on  the  social  vices 
and  virtues,  and  is  a stanch  supporter  of  woman’s 
enfranchisement,  and  through  a long  life  the  powers 
of  her  mind  have  been  exerted  and  her  influence  felt 
for  good,  both  in  her  native  town  and  abroad. 

3d.  Joseph  M.  G.  Smith,  a retired  iron-master, 
born  December  28,  1807  ; has  four  children, — two  sons 
and  two  daughters.  The  oldest,  Joseph  W.,  is  con- 
nected with  steamboating  on  the  Ohio  River.  Jacob 
H.,  second  son,  with  his  two  cousins,  raised  and 
equipped  a company  of  soldiers,  and  served  during 
the  Rebellion  ; was  once  dangerously  wounded  by  a 
ball,  which  struck  his  watch,  and,  glancing,  entered 
his  hip ; and  is  now  major,  and  stationed  at  some 
frontier  fort  on  the  borders  of  Mexico.  His  oldest 
daughter,  Mary  E.,  married  a prominent  lawyer,  who 
is  now  a judge  in  Portsmouth,  Ohio.  Josephine,  the 
youngest,  married  Orin  Murfin,  a young  man  of  much 
promise,  and  holding  a responsible  position,  who, 
while  conducting  the  funeral  of  a brother-Mason, 
dropped  dead  in  front  of  the  altar. 

4th.  Warren  H.  Smith,  the  youngest  son,  a shrewd 
and  energetic  man  of  business,  born  April  6,  1817,  in 
his  earlier  days  was  actively  engaged  in  railroad- 
building, having  been  a prominent  contractor  on  the 
Boston,  Concord  and  Montreal  Railroad,  when  in 
process  of  construction,  and  afterwards  on  Southern 
railways — we  think  in  Kentucky.  These  and  othersimi- 
lar  stirring  enterprises  ended,  he  considered  himself 
entitled  to  a more  quiet  life,  and  accordingly  has  set  an 
excellent  example  to  other  Nortlifielders  in  settling 
down  permanently  on  the  paternal  acres.  While  too 
many  natives  of  the  good  old  town  have  deserted  it 
for  the  West  or  the  city,  he  has  chosen  to  make  his 
father’s  home  his  own  home  and  that  of  his  children, 
and  has  increased  its  attractions  in  many  ways.  He 
has  remodeled  the  ancestral  house,  built  a new  and 
capacious  barn,  beautified  and  improved  the  grounds, 
so  that  this  historic  farm,  originally  a part  of  the 
Blanchard  lot,  we  believe,  in  pleasantness  and  value 
combined,  has  not  its  equal  on  Bay  Hill  certainly, 
and  perhaps  not  in  town ; and  here  Mr.  Smith  has 
wisely  decided  to  pass  the  evening  of  his  days,  as  a 
prosperous  farmer  and  retired  country  gentleman ; 
and  here  may  his  age  be  prolonged  till  it  shall  reach 
or  excel  “ the  days  of  the  years  of  his  father.” 

The  maiden-name  of  his  wife  was  Miss  Elizabeth 
Glines,  one  of  Northfield’s  noble  women,  an  excellent 
scholar,  successful  teacher  and  a lady  of  rare  executive 
ability,  well  known  for  her  labors  of  love  in  her  neigh- 
borhood and  church.  Mr.  Smith  has  two  sons, — Charles 
Glidden  and  Jeremiah  Eastman.  Charles  manages 
the  farm.  Jeremiah  has  been  in  business  at  the 
White  Mountains  the  past  five  years,  employing 
some  fifty  horses ; is  very  popular  in  town,  having 
been  representative  two  years  without  any  opposi- 
tion. 


546 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


5th.  Mary  Elizabeth,  boru  November  6,  1822 ; 
married  Ephraim  S.  Wadleigh,  the  fortunate  pos- 
sessor of  the  original  farm  of  Benjamin  Blanchard, 
the  earliest  pioneer,  and  first  settler  of  Northfield. 
She  died  two  years  since,  leaving  one  son  and  four 
daughters,  who  are  all  interested  and  actively  engaged 
in  agricultural  pursuits.  Three  of  the  daughters — Ad- 
die  P.,  Annie  E.  and  Charlotte  B. — reside  at  home; 
Olive  A.  married  Peter  Gile,  of  Franklin  Falls  ; and 
Smith  G.  is  married  and  living  at  Tilton. 

Such,  in  brief,  is  the  imperfectly  written  sketch  of 
Jeremiah  Smith,  Esq.,  and  his  descendants,  whose 
lives,  independent  thought  and  energy  have  had  a 
marked  influence  on  the  policy  and  fortunes  of  the 
pleasant  and  prosperous  township  of  the  children’s 
nativity  and  their  father’s  adoption.  May  North- 
field  in  the  future  produce  many  such. 


WILLIAM  F.  KNOWLES,  ESQ.1 

Among  the  prominently  worthy  and  enterprising 
sons  of  Northfield  is  the  subject  of  the  following 
sketch. 

His  grandfather,  Joseph  Knowles,  was  born  June 

15,  1758,  and  his  grandmother,  Sarah  (Lock)  Knowles, 
December  13,  1761.  His  death  occurred  February 

16,  1815,  when  he  was  fifty-six  years  of  age,  and 
that  of  his  wife  August  30,  1841,  in  her  eightieth 
year. 

They  are  deserving  of  remembrance  by  the  citizens 
of  Northfield,  not  only  for  being  the  first  of  the 
name  within  its  precincts,  but  as  two  among  the 
earliest  settlers  of  the  good  old  town,  having  emi- 
grated thither  from  Wilmot,  N.  H.,  about  the  year 
1775,  and  located  themselves  on  the  Bean  Hill  road, 
not  far  from  the  Colonel  Cofran  farm  ; at  which  time 
his  son  William,  the  father  of  William  F.,  was  about 
six  years  old.  Joseph  was  a carpenter  as  well  as 
farmer,  and  worked  at  his  trade  more  or  less  through 
life,  as  the  wants  of  the  community  might  require,  to 
the  great  advantage  of  his  neighbors,  as  a workman 
of  that  class  must  always  be  in  great  request  in  a 
growing  town.  And  that  he  was  a good  w'orkman  is 
proved  by  the  banisters  of  the  Old  Meeting-House, 
still  in  existence,  which  he  turned  in  after-years,  and 
as  the  History  of  Northfield  says,  “ he  turned  them 
well.”  Indeed,  a conscientious  thoroughness  has 
ever  been  the  characteristic  of  him  and  his  descend- 
ants. They  “ do  their  work  well.”  His  wife,  Sarah 
Lock,  before  her  marriage,  lived  in  Chester,  N.  H.,  of 
which  town  her  father  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers. 
At  first,  there  was  much  trouble  from  the  Indians  ; 
and  in  after  years  Mrs.  Knowles  used  to  relate  with 
great  glee  to  her  grandchildren  the  story  of  her 
father’s  encounter  with  one  of  that  race.  Her  father, 
it  appears,  was  at  work  in  his  field,  when  he  was 
suddenly  confronted  and  assaulted  by  an  Indian.  Mr. 


Lock,  though  unarmed  except  with  a sickle,  made  a 
stout  fight,  wielding  his  reaping  hook  with  such  effi- 
ciency, that  he  soon  reduced  his  opponent’s  face  to  a 
dead  level,  that  is,  cut  off  his  nose,  which  so  discon- 
certed poor  Lo,  that  he  retreated  with  great  precipi- 
tation. When  asked,  in  after-time,  what  became  of 
his  nose,  he  used  to  reply,  “ Old  Lock  cut  it  off.” 

Grandfather  Knowles,  after  residing  several  years 
on  his  Bean  Hill  farm,  according  to  the  more  proba- 
ble account — though  there  is  a little  difference  of 
opinion  on  this  point — exchanged  it  for  one  on  Bay 
Hill,  where  he  remained  till  his  death. 

Those  were  the  days,  as  everybody  knows,  of  large 
families;  and  Joseph  Knowles  formed  no  exception 
to  the  ancestral  rule.  His  family  consisted  of  ten 
children,  namely : 

1.  William,  whose  birth  took  place  April  6,  1781. 
Married,  in  1805,  Zilplia  Thorn,  who  was  born  Janu- 
ary 1,  1782.  His  death  occurred  May  26, 1864,  at  the 
age  of  eighty-three ; and  his  wife’s  December  26, 
1876,  aged  ninety-four. 

William  was  the  father  of  five  children,  whose 
names  are  1,  Wesley,  born  October  6,  1806;  married 
Jane  W.  Gilman,  October  3,  1832,  who  was  born 
October  6,  1805,  and  died  September  20, 1857. 

For  his  second  wife,  he  married,  June  26,  1860, 
Sophronia  Clement  Johnson,  born  October  9,  1817. 
His  four  children  were  named, — 

(a)  Charles  W.,  born  May  29,  1835;  (b)  George  C., 
born  November  24,  1838;  died  May  16,  1858;  (c) 
Lucian  E.,  born  March  22,  1842;  died  September  2, 
1864 ; (d)  Laura  J.  C.,  born  October  4,  1843,  married 
to  Marcus  A.  Hardy  May  29,  1866,  and  died  March 
20,  1885. 

2.  Betsey  C.,  born  March  11,  1808;  died  May  3, 
1882. 

3.  Cyrene,  born  January  21, 1813  ; died  August  11, 
1815. 

4.  Josej  h,  born  July  29,  1817  ; died  September  17, 
1852. 

5.  William  F.,  born  April  24,  1822  ; married  Sarah 
Pratt  Robinson  January  1,  1850.  Her  birth-place 
was  Boston,  and  date,  November  4, 1827.  They  have 
three  children,  two  daughters  and  one  son,  all  born  in 
Cambridge  and  all  living.  Their  names  are  as  fol- 
lows,— 

(a)  Addie  Viola,  boru  January  14, 1854 ; (b)  Carrie 
Way,  born  February  5,  1857 ; (c)  William  Fletcher 
Knowles,  Jr.,  born  February  19,  1861.  Is  a graduate 
of  Harvard  Medical  College,  and  is  soon  to  proceed 
to  Germany  to  study. 

II.  Joseph  Knowles,  Jr.,  born  April  1,  1783,  who, 
after  marriage,  settled  in  Piermont,  N.  H.,  had  a 
large  family,  removed  about  forty-five  years  ago  to 
Illinois,  and  finally  made  his  home  in  Iowa. 

III.  and  IV.  Christian  and  Sarah,  twins,  born  Oc- 
tober 7,  1786. 

V.  Sally,  birth  April  11,  1789;  married  Josiah 
Bachelder,  of  Andover,  N.  H.,  and  lived  and  died 


1 By  Professor  Lucian  Hunt. 


NORTHFIELD. 


546a 


there.  Their  son,  William  A.  Bachelder,  now  lives 
on  the  old  farm,  and  his  son,  Nahum,  is  writing  a 
History  of  Andover,  so  report  says. 

VI.  Hannah,  born  February  9,  1792;  married  Mr. 
Haines,  and  lived  for  many  years  in  Versliire,  Vt., 
but  after  her  husband’s  death  removed  to  Exeter, 
N.  H. 

VII.  John,  born  Oetober  10,  1794.  Never  mar- 
ried. Died  May  29,  1853. 

VIII.  Polly,  born  August  6,  1797.  Married  Josiah 
A.  Woodbury,  of  Northfield,  in  which  town  she 
passed  her  life  and  died.  Had  three  children, — Mary, 
Cyrene  and  William. 

IX.  and  X.  A son  and  daughter, — January,  1800. 

Having  thus  given  a brief  analysis  of  the  Knowles 

family,  and  traced  back  its  genealogy  so  far  as  our 
data  permitted,  we  will  devote  our  remaining  space 
to  a hasty  glance  at  the  principal  events  in  the  life 
of  that  member  of  it  whose  portrait  is  given  with  this 
sketch. 

On  the  highest  pinnacle  of  Bay  Hill,  looking  almost 
perpendicularly  down  upon  Chestnut  Pond  nestling 
at  its  eastern  base,  with  the  triple-peaked  Gilmanton 
Mountains  in  the  distance  beyond,  at  a height  per- 
haps of  two  or  three  hundred  feet  above  the  famous 
first  settled  farm  of  the  pioneer,  Benjamin  Blanchard, 
on  the  west,  with  Kearsarge  towering  above  it  and 
far  away ; with  Bean  Hill’s  broad  shoulders  confront- 
ing the  view  on  the  south, — while  northward  stands 
the  giant  sentinels  of  the  White,  Franconia  and 
Sandwich  Ranges,  with  the  Winnipisaukee  Valley  in 
the  foreground, — is  situated  the  pleasant,  productive 
and  romantic  ancestral  homestead  of  Wesley  Knowles, 
Esq.,  where  his  brother,  William  I'.  Knowles,  son  of 
William  and  Zilpha  Knowles,  first  saw  the  light  on  the 
24th  of  April,  1822,  as  we  have  already  stated,  the 
same  year  which  gave  to  our  country  Ulysses  S.  Grant, 
with  but  a few  days’  difference  between  their  ages. 

Like  many  other  New  Hampshire  boys  who  have 
made  their  mark,  William  passed  his  boyhood  at 
home,  under  the  eye  of  a careful,  industrious  and 
much  respected  Christian  father  and  mother,  aiding 
in  cultivating  the  well-tilled  fields,  laying  the  foun- 
dations by  temperance,  pure  air  and  hard  work,  for 
that  stock  of  good  health  and  strength  which  were  to 
serve  him  so  wrell  in  after-life,  and  acquiring  those 
habits  of  industry  upon  which  his  future  success  has 
so  much  depended. 

The  winter  district-school  was  his  only  source  of 
education  till  he  was  sixteen,  when  he  attended  two 
terms  at  the  Franklin,  N.  H.,  Academy,  and  the  fol- 
lowing winter  made  his  first  essay  in  teaching  in 
the  Sanborn  district,  in  Sanborntou,  in  the  years 
1839-40. 

The  next  winter  he  was  a pupil  in  the  New  Lon- 
don, N.  H.,  Literary  Institution,  and  the  ensuing 
fall  of  the  Academy  at  Newbury,  Vt.,  and  the  winter 
after,  taught  in  Haverhill,  N.  H.,  always  working  on 
the  farm  during  the  summer. 


The  Academical  School  of  Professor  Dyer  H.  San- 
born, a noted  teacher  of  those  times,  was  then  in  the 
flood-tide  of  its  prosperity,  at  Sanbornton  Bridge 
(now  Tilton)  and  thither  William  wended  his  way  in 
the  fall  of  1842. 

The  writer  attended  the  school  at  the  same  time, 
and  remembers  him  well  as  a hard  worker,  a close 
student  and  unexceptionable  in  his  observance  of 
the  school  regulations,  while  in  scholarship  he  stood 
in  the  front  rank, — his  tastes  and  strength  seeming 
to  lie  more  particularly  in  mathematics.  In  the  sub- 
sequent winter  he  taught  with  general  acceptance  in 
his  home-district  of  Bay  Hill. 

He  was  now  twenty-one,  and  knowing  he  must 
work  his  way  through  the  world  by  his  own  unaided 
efforts,  like  many  other  young  men  of  his  native 
town,  he  determined  to  leave  the  paternal  fields  and 
seek  his  fortune  elsewhere;  and, accordingly,  in  May, 
proceeded  to  Boston.  Here  engaging  in  the  grocery 
business  till  September,  1844,  he  then  entered  the 
wholesale  dry-goods  store  of  the  wealthy  firm  of 
James  M.  Beebe  & Co.,  where  he  remained  fourteen 
years, — a length  of  time  sufficient  to  prove  most  de- 
cidedly his  faithfulness  to  his  duties  and  consequent 
acceptability  to  his  employers. 

On  the  termination  of  this  engagement,  he  con- 
cluded to  make  still  another  change  in  his  business, 
— the  fourth, — having  already  tried  farming,  teaching 
and  storekeeping.  He  engaged  in  the  transportation 
business,  which  has  been  his  employment  down  to 
the  present  time;  first,  with  the  Commercial  Steam- 
boat Company,  and  the  Boston  and  Providence 
R.  R.  Company,  between  Boston  and  New  York  and 
the  South.  Subsequently,  he  accepted  an  offer  to  go 
o New  York  in  the  interest  of  the  N.  Y.  C.  R.  R. 
Company,  and  afterwards  was  engaged  by  the  Penn- 
sylvania R.  R.  Lines. 

After  continuing  in  New  York  three  years,  he  was, 
on  the  completion  of  the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  and 
Pacific  R.  R.  to  Council  Bluffs,  engaged  to  represent 
their  road  in  Boston  and  New  England.  Continuing 
in  this  agency  several  years,  until  the  Chicago  and 
Northwestern,  the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  and  Pacific, 
and  the  Chicago,  Burlington  and  Quincy  Railroads, 
had  completed  an  arrangement  for  pooling  their 
through  business,  which,  by  the  way,  was  the  first 
pooling  arrangement  made  by  any  railroad,  he  was 
appointed  Pool  Agent  for  their  New  England  busi- 
ness. 

At  the  present  time  he  is  the  New  England  Agent 
of  the  California  Fast  Freight  Line,  which  line  is 
owned  and  operated  by  the  Chicago,  Northwestern, 
the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  and  Pacific,  the  Chicago, 
Milwaukee  and  St.  Paul,  and  the  Union  Pacific  Rail- 
ways. 

His  office  is  at  211  Washington  Street,  Boston. 

Mr.  Knowles  is  a prominent  member  of  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity,  having  been  made  a Master  Mason 
in  1857,  received  the  Royal  Arch  Mason’s  Degree,  in 


54(5  b 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


1858,  soon  followed  by  the  Cryptic  Degrees  of  the 
order,  and  a little  later  was  created  a Knight  Tem- 
plar and  Knight  of  Malta ; is  at  present  a permanent 
member  of  the  Grand  Council  of  Royal  and  Select 
Masters  of  Massachusetts,  and,  on  the  21st  day  of 
November,  1862,  received  the  Grade  of  Sov.-.  Gr.\ 
Ins.-.  Gen.-,  of  the  Thirty-third  and  last  Degree,  and 
was  admitted  an  honorary  member  of  the  Supreme 
Grand  Council  A.  A.  Scottish  Rite  for  the  northern 
Masonic  jurisdiction  of  the  United  States,  and  is  to- 
day among  its  oldest  members  residing  in  Massachu- 
setts. 

Owing  to  the  nature  and  locality  of  his  employ- 
ment, Mr.  Knowles  has  found  it  convenient  to  make 
his  home  in  or  near  the  New  England  metropolis 
during  the  most  of  his  adult  years.  After  marriage 
he  lived  in  Boston  till  1852,  when  he  changed  his 
residence  to  Cambridge,  where  he  remained  twenty- 


four  years,  till  1876.  That  his  executive  ability  was 
appreciated  in  some  degree  by  his  fellow-citizens  at 
this  time  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  he  was  called  to 
serve  in  the  city  government  of  Cambridge  two 
years,  having  been  elected  to  the  Council  for  1861 
and  unanimously  re-elected  for  the  following  year. 
After  a few  months’  stay  in  Medford,  he  finally  re- 
moved to  Somerville,  where  he  now  resides,  still  in 
the  full  vigor  of  life,  blessed  with  health  and  a com- 
petency, possessed  of  a spacious  and  pleasant  home, 
a charming  family,  with  the  retrospect  of  a life  of 
earnest  and  honest  striving  rewarded  and  rounded 
out  by  the  successful  accomplishment  of  the  mission 
assigned  him.  As  we  said  of  his  grandfather,  so  we 
say  of  him, — “ he  has  done  his  work  well.”  May  pros- 
perity still  further  attend,  and  a ripe  old  age  await 
this  characteristic  son  of  Northfield,  William  F. 
Knowles. 


HISTORY  OF  HILL 


BY  F.  R.  WOODWARD. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  township  of  New  Chester,  as  originally  granted, 
embraced  a large  amountof  territory,  containing  that 
which  is  now  occupied  by  Hill,  Bristol,  Bridgewater, 
a portion  of  Wilmot  and  Danbury.  Hill,  at  this  date 
(1885),  contains  only  a small  part  of  the  original  grant 
of  New  Chester,  bearing  this  original  title  until  Jan- 
uary 14,  1837,  when,  in  honor  of  Governor  Isaac  Hill, 
it  received  its  present  name.  The  old  Masonion  pro- 
prietors granted  this  territory  to  eighty-seven  propri- 
etors September  14,  1753 ; being  mostly  men  from 
Chester,  the  new  grant  was  called  New  Chester.  The 
original  proprietors  were  not  all  actual  settlers,  but 
many  afterwards  transferred  or  sold  their  claims  to 
actual  settlers. 

As  early  as  1767  two  settlements  were  made  within 
the  present  limits  of  Hill,  by  Carr  Huse,  Esq.  and 
Captain  Cutting  Favour.  The  former  came  from 
Newbury,  Mass.,  and  settled  on  a fine  intervale  farm 
in  the  village,  that  has  been  held  by  the  family  name 
to  this  date  (1885). 

The  latter  selected  a good  location  on  the  Pemi- 
gewasset  River,  about  two  miles  north  of  the  village, 
towards  Bristol,  at  the  present  residence  of  Frank 
Foster.  At  first  these  men  did  not  spend  their  winters 
among  the  snow-clad  hills  and  frosty  valleys  of  their 
new  homes,  surrounded  by  beasts  of  the  forests  and 
more  deadly  foes,  their  copper-colored  enemy.  In  1770 
they  made  their  residence  here  permanent.  During 
the  same  year  other  settlements  were  made  in  that 
part  of  New  Chester  which  is  now  embraced  in  other 
towns.  Certain  names  must  necessarily  appear  in 
this  history  of  men  who  were  then  residents  of  these  sur- 
rounding towns,  as  petitioners  and  officers.  The  town 
was  incorporated  November'20,  1778,  in  answer  to  a 
petition  from  the  inhabitants,  and  named  New  Chester 
at  their  request.  A manifest  desire  existed  very  early 
among  the  inhabitants  of  this  large  territory  for  a di- 
vision of  the  town,  and  petitions  were  presented  to 
the  General  Court  for  that  purpose  in  1774,  as  is 
shown  by  the  records, — 

“ At  a town-meeting  held  upon  the  20th  day  of  January,  1774,  upon 
the  third  article,  voted  that  the  Township  of  New  Chester  shall  be  In- 
corporated into  Two  Townships  or  parrishes. 

“ Upon  the  fourth  article,  Voted  that  what  money  was  voted  at  the 


last  meeting  to  be  raised  for  preaching  Shall  be  applied  towards  getting 
the  Town  of  New  Chester  Incorporated  into  Two  Townships,  or  par- 
rishes, as  aforesaid,  so  much  of  it  as  is  nessary  for  that  Servis. 

“ Voted , that  Samuel  Livermore,  Stephen  Holland  and  John  Tolford, 
Esqr.,  they  or  either  of  them  are  here  by  empowered  to  git  the  Town- 
ship of  New  Chester  incorporated  in  to  two  Townships  or  parrishes 
aforesaid.” 

PETITIONS  TO  BE  INCORPORATED  INTO  TWO  TOWNS  IN  1776. 

“ To  the  Honorable  Council  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  Colony 
of  New  Hampshire  : 

“The  Humble  Petition  of  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Township  of  New 
Chester.  Wee,  the  Inhabitants  of  Sd  N.  Chester,  Do  Labour  under  many 
Grievances  and  disadvantages  for  want  of  an  In  Corporation,  whereby 
wee  might  have  officers  Endowed  with  Powers  and  Authority  as  other 
Towns  in  this  Colony  I)o  Enjoy.  We  therefore  Humbly  Pray  Your 
Honours  to  Grant  us  a Charter  of  In  Corporation — Investing  us  with  the 
Powers,  Priviledges  and  Authorities  as  other  Towns  within  this  Colony 
have.  It  is  the  Desire  of  your  Humble  Petitioners  that  the  Sd  Township 
may  Be  In  Corperated  into  two  Distinct  Towns,  if  your  Honours  Please, 
By  Reason  of  the  Township  Being  Very  Long,  which  will  abundantly 
Best  Acommodate  the  Inhabitants  of  Sd  Town  Ship,  it  is  desired  that  Sd 
Towns  may  Be  Divided  at  New  Found  River,  So  Called,  Allowing  the 
upper  Town  to  In  elude  the  priviledges  for  mills  upon  Sd  River  within 
the  Limits  of  Sd  Town  and  your  Humble  Petitioners,  as  in  Duty  Bound, 
shall  Ever  Pray. 

“ N.  Chester,  Decembr  24th,  1776. 

“Jonathan  Crawford,  Josiah  heath,  Thomas  Crawford,  Junr,  John 
Clark,  Cutting  favour,  Jonathan  Ingall6,  Joseph  Sanborn,  Jacob  wells, 
Robert  Crawford , Nason  Cass,  John  Mitchell,  Gideon  Sleeper,  Reuben 
Wells,  John  Smith,  Nathaniel  Sanborn,  John  Bussell,  Benj.  McAllester, 
Rob4  Forsith,  Beniemin  Emery,  Carr  Huse,  David  Emerson,  Joshua  Tol- 
ford, Tilton  Bennet.” 

This  petition  not  being  granted,  nearly  two  years 
later  the  following  was  presented : 

“ To  the  General  Court  of  the  State  of  New  Hampshire  : 

“The  Humble  Petition  of  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Township  of  New 
Chester.  Wee,  the  Inhabitants  of  Sd  Township,  Do  Labour  under 
Many  Grievances  and  Disadvantages  for  Want  of  an  Incorporation 
whereby  wee  might  have  officers  indowed  with  Power,  authority,  and 
that  wee  might  Lay  out  our  highways  So  that  wee  Might  make  and  Re- 
pair them  So  that  travilers  might  Safely  travel  or  pass  through  the 
Town  Ship  Safely,  for  want  of  which  wee  are  Sensible  ; Some  of  your 
Honours  are  Sensible  of  and  many  more  Dificulties  which  wee  Labour 
under  ; wee,  therefore,  Humbly  Pray  your  Honours  to  Grant  us  a Char- 
ter of  Incorporation  Investing  us  with  the  Powers,  Priviledges  and  au- 
thorities as  other  Towns  within  the  State  Do  Injoy,  and  your  Humble 
Petitioners,  as  in  Duty  Bound,  Shall  Ever  Pray. 

“New  Chester,  October  15th,  1778. 

“ It  is  Desird  that  the  Town  May  Be  Incorperated  By  the  name  of 
New  Chester. 

“ Carr  Huse,  Cutting  favour,  Chase  fuller,  Jonathan  Crawford,  tliomas 
Lock,  moses  Worthen,  Gideon  Sleeper,  John  Russell,  Jacob  Wells,  Til- 
ton Bennet,  John  Emery,  Beniamin  Emons,  Simeon  Cross,  Samuel  wor- 
then, Abner  fellows,  Theophilus  Sanborn,  John  Cleveland,  Nathaniel 
Sanborn,  Ebenr  Ingalls,  Josiah  heath,  Jonathan  Ingalls,  Peter  Sleeper, 
John  Kidder.” 


547 


548 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


In  answer  to  the  above  petition,  the  town  was  in- 
corporated by  the  Legislature  November  20,  1778. 

At  the  time  of  its  incorporation  the  shape  of  the 
town,  as  they  claimed,  was  indeed  inconvenient  for 
the  transaction  of  business,  as  was  evidently  true, 
being  shown  by  the  following  petition,  that  was  sent 
to  the  Legislature  nine  years  after  the  towu  was  in- 
corporated : 

“To  the  Honourable  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  said  State, 

to  be  convened  at  Charlestown  on  the  Second  Wednesday  of  Septem- 
ber, A.D.  1787. 

“The  Petition  of  the  inhabitants  of  New  Chester,  in  said  State,  Hum- 
bly Sheweth,  Wee,  your  Petitioners,  Labouring  under  many  Difficulties 
and  disadvantages  in  our  present  Circumstances  by  Reason  of  the  Town 
Being  Exceedingly  Long  and  in  one  place  but  a very  little  more  than 
one  mile  wide,  which  makes  it  very  Difficult  for  the  Major  part  of  the 
people  to  attend  Public  Worship,  when  we  have  preaching  in  Town  and 
like  wise  to  Attend  Town  Meeting,  as  it  is  Commonly  bad  traveling 
when  wee  have  our  Annual  Meeting,  the  Town  is  more  than  Nineteen 
miles  in  Length.  Wee,  your  Humble  Petitioners,  Earnestly  Request 
that  your  Excellency  and  Honours  would  Divide  the  Town  of  New 
Chester  into  two  Towns,  and  that  it  may  be  Divided  at  Newfound  River, 
So  Called  (vs.),  Begining  at  the  mouth  of  Newfound  River,  running  up 
said  river  untill  it  comes  to  New  found  pond  ; then  running  on  the  east- 
erly Shore  of  said  pond  untill  it  comes  to  the  Town  line  between  New 
Chester  and  Plymouth,  and  your  petitioners,  as  in  Duty  Bound,  will  ever 
Pray. 

“ New  Chester,  August  23d,  1787. 

“Carr  Huse,  Reuben  Wells,  john  Russell,  Nathan  Colby,  Peter  heath, 
Jonathan  Ingalls,  Jun.,  Elias  Boardman,  Jon*  Ingalls,  Nathaniel  San- 
born, Ephm  Webster,  Cutting  favour,  Michael  Mosher,  Thomas  Huse, 
John  fellows,  Jonathan  Holt,  Josiah  Brown,  David  Emerson,  Thomas 
Rowell,  Joseph  Johnson,  Thomas  Locke,  Samuel  worthen,  Benj* 
Boardman,  John  Mitchel,  Jacob  Fellows,  Joseph  Marshall,  Joseph  Em- 
ons,  Moses  Fellows,  Simeon  Cross,  Daniel  Heath  James  heath,  Jonathan 
heath,  David  powell,  Alexander  Craig,  Jonathan  Carlton,  Ephraim 
Clark,  John  Mitchell,  Junr,  Ziba  Townsend,  Chase  Fuller,  John  Ladd, 
Samuel  Drew,  David  Craig,  Robert  Craige,  Seth  Spencer,  Isaac  Senter, 
Jonathan  Crawford,  Beniamin  Emons,  William  Powell,  Josiah  heath, 
John  heath,  James  Craige.” 

February  12,  1788,  the  north  part  of  this  town  was 
incorporated  into  the  town  of  Bridgewater,  and 
Thomas  Crawford  was  authorized  to  call  the  first 
town-meeting. 

By  an  act  of  the  Legislature,  approved  June  24. 
1819,  that  part  of  the  town  “ which  lies  northerly  of 
Smith’s  river,”  with  a part  of  Bridgewater,  was  made 
into  a new  town  (now  Bristol). 

December  21,  1820,  the  town  was  enlarged  by  the 
annexation  of  a small  portion  of  Alexandria. 

By  an  act  of  the  Legislature,  approved  December 
21,  1832,  a small  tract  of  land  was  taken  from  New 
Chester  and  annexed  to  Wilmot. 

On  the  26th  day  of  June,  1858,  a certain  tract  of 
land  was  taken  from  Hill  and  joined  to  Danbury. 

The  town  was  in  Grafton  County  until  July  1, 
1868,  at  which  time  it  was  annexed  to  Merrimack 
County. 

LIST  OF  RATABLE  POLLS,  1775. 

Carr  Huse,  Esq.,  Cutting  Favour,  David  Emerson,  Nathaniel  Sanborn, 
Henry  Wells,  Jacob  Wells,  Tilton  Bennet,  Benjamin  Straw,  Nason  Cass, 
Jeremiah  Quimby,  Joseph  Sanborn,  Reuben  Wells,  John  Smith,  Na- 
thaniel Bartlet,  Robert  Forsaitli,  Joshua  Tolford,  Esq.,  Peter  Sleeper, 
Gideon  Sleeper,  John  Kidder,  Samuel  Worthan,  Moses  Worthan,  Ebene- 
zer  Ingalls,  Thomas  Lock,  Eben  Fellows,  Beniamin  Emmons,  Chase 
Fuller,  Edmund  Eastman,  Gersliam  Fletcher,  John  Mitchel,  Thomas 
Crawford,  Thomas  Crawford  (2d),  Peter  Heath,  John  Clark,  Jonathan 


Ingalls,  Josiah  Heath,  Andrew  Craige,  Benjamin  McCollester,  Jonathan 
Crawford. 

RATABLE  POLLS,  1783. 

“State  of  New  Hampshire. 

New  Chester,  Dec.  12th,  1783. 

“A  return  of  the  Number  of  Male  Polls  from  Twenty-one  years  of 
Age  & upwards  paying  for  themselves  within  the  Town  of  New  Chester. 
No  6G. 

“CarkHvsf.,  1 Sdeci  Men  For 
“Peter  Sleeper,  i N.  Cluster .” 

“Groton,  ss.,  Alexandria,  Dec.  12th,  1783. 

“Then  the  above-Named  Carr  Huse,  Esq.,  and  Peter  Sleeper,  Men 
New  Chester,  Made  Oath  to  the  Truth  of  the  above  Return  By  them 
Signed  Before  me. 

“Josiah  Tolford,  Just.  Peace.” 


Number  of  ratable  polls  in  1885  1G7 

Value  of  real  estate Si  27,832 

Amount  in  savings  banks $50,733 

Money  at  interest  on  notes 61 G4 

Railroad  bonds 10U0 


Early  Proprietors. — The  following  is  a schedule 
of  the  proprietors’  names  ol  New  Chester,  with  the 
number  of  each  proprietor’s  lots  as  they  were  drawn  : 


DRAUGHT  OF  LOTS  IN  NEW  CHESTER. 


First 

Second 

Third 

Fourth 

Proprietors'  Names. 

Div’n, 

Div’n, 

Div’n, 

Div’n, 

No. 

No. 

No. 

No. 

Matthew  Thornton,  Esq  . , 

. . 22 

71 

90 

51 

Archabld  Dunlap  . . . . , 

. . 55 

34 

0 

93 

John  Tolford,  Esq 

. . 38 

22 

66 

24 

Matthew  Thornton,  Esq  . , 

. . 40 

7 

42 

8 

Joseph  Clark 

. . 35 

8 

10 

11 

Ensign  William  Tolford  . . 

. . 9 

20 

5 

3 

John  Tolford,  Esq  . . . . , 

. . 57 

57 

7 

69 

John  McMurphv,  Esqr . . 

. . 74 

61 

52 

37 

John  Gordon 

. . 24 

32 

2 

18 

Matthew  Thornton,  Esqr  . , 

. . 10 

13 

88 

6 

John  Tolford,  Esqr 

, . 48 

45 

45 

39 

Robert  McMurphy  . . . 

94 

55 

70 

65 

Matthew  Thornton,  Esqr.  . 

, . 59 

92 

39 

70 

Ens“  Henry  Hall 

67 

16 

31 

Thomas  Shirley 

. . i 

37 

23 

14 

John  Tolford,  Jr 

. . 45 

40 

80 

91 

John  Durham 

. . 91 

84 

92 

57 

Lieu1  Robert  Fletcher  . . , 

. . 31 

41 

27 

19 

nngh  Tolford 

. . 7 

18 

3 

12 

Ensn  James  Quinton  . , . 

. . 78 

59 

53 

42 

Col1  Josiah  Willard.  . . . , 

. . 46 

30 

84 

90 

Matthew  Thornton,  Esqr . 

. . G 

1 

87 

4 

Stephen  Feirington  . . . 

. . 23 

74 

76 

28 

Robert  Craige 

. . 70 

56 

79 

22 

Jeremiah  Colburn 

. . 49 

25 

20 

82 

John  Tolford,  Esqr . . . . 

16 

28 

29 

James  Shirley,  Junr.  . . . 

. . 89 

79 

32 

G4 

Matthew  Livermore,  Esqr 

. . 60 

93 

38 

75 

Matthew  Thornton,  Esqr . 

72 

• ' 86 

78 

87 

55 

12 

66 

45 

Mark  II.  J.  Wintworth.  . . 

. . 52 

27 

46 

84 

John  Mills 

. . 56 

39 

50 

v 80 

Samuel  Moores,  Esqr . . . 

. . 8 

19 

67 

13 

Timothy  Ingals 

. . 75 

64 

54 

39 

James  White 

. . 62 

90 

40 

85 

Cap*  John  Underhill  . . . 

. . 41 

69 

83 

34 

Cap*  Thomas  Wells.  . . . 

. . 90 

83 

33 

GO 

Joshua  Tolford 

. . 66 

52 

68 

74 

Nathanael  Ingals 

. . 15 

12 

25 

55 

Samuel  Searls 

. . 47 

23 

43 

92 

Cap*  James  Shirley.  . . . 

. . 88 

77 

31 

56 

John  Kelsay 

. . 85 

88 

11 

81 

Jotham  O’Diorn,  Esqr . . 

. . 83 

33 

• 69 

49 

Co11  Theodore  Atkinson.  . 

. . 30 

46 

63 

21 

Lieu*  Thomas  Craige  . . . 

. . 27 

2 

21 

25 

HILL. 


519 


First 

Second 

Third 

Fourth 

Proprietors’  Names. 

Div'n. 

Div'n. 

Div’n. 

Div’n. 

No. 

No. 

No. 

No. 

Co11  Joseph  Blanchard  . . . 

. 42 

3 

85 

35 

Lieu*  Ebenezer  Dearbon  . . 

. 81 

80 

60 

59 

James  McFarson 

. 32 

14 

29 

48 

Jeremiah  Colburn 

. 28 

42 

61 

27 

Samuel  Gault 

. 82 

81 

35 

47 

Samuel  Sear  Is 

. 5 

44 

82 

5 

John  Mail 

. 92 

85 

44 

15 

Peirce  & Moore 

. 34 

38 

93 

40 

Robert  White 

. 53 

29 

47 

88 

Cap1  John  Moffatt  .... 

. 80 

86 

59 

61 

Jeremiah  Colburn 

. 69 

62 

13 

76 

Matthew  Thornton,  Esqr  . . 

. 63 

60 

51 

79 

Thomas  Wallingsford,  Esq  . 

. 68 

63 

56 

78 

Matthew  Thornton,  Esqr  . . 

. 58 

82 

41 

87 

George  Jaffrev,  Esqr  . . . . 

. 16 

6 

89 

54 

Johu  Aikin 

. 18 

50 

17 

32 

William  Parker,  Esqr.  . . . 

. 54 

35 

49 

68 

Joshua  Peirce,  Esq 

. 43 

28 

81 

36 

John  Kinge 

. 64 

73 

58 

61 

Jacob  Sargent  

. 77 

66 

48 

62 

Matthew  Thornton,  Esqr  . . 

29 
* 67 

9 

89 

62 

14 

26 

77 

Co11  Masurve  & others.  . . . 

. 36 

5 

64 

10 

James  Wadwell 

. 93 

36  & 68 

58 

Thomlenson  & Mason.  . . . 

. 44 

24 

75 

44 

Orlando  Colby 

. 51 

26 

74 

86 

Henry  Herring 

15 

8 

67 

Samuel  Searls 

• 37 

21 

65 

7 

Co11  Josiah  Willard 

. 19 

51 

36 

43 

William  Graham 

. 14 

11 

24 

17 

Alexander  McClure.  . . . 

. 70 

58 

72 

50 

Solly  & March 

. 21 

70 

26 

30 

John  Wentworth,  Esqr  . . . 

. 65 

54 

57 

72 

Timothv  Favour 

. 4 

43 

21 

2 

Matthew  Thornton,  Esq  . . 

. . 39 

4 

19 

9 

John  Hazeltine 

. 12 

47 

78 

1 

Co11  Thomas  Parker 

. 2 

17 

4 

16 

Archabald  Dunlap 

. 33 

31 

15 

46 

Richard  Wibird,  Esqr.  . . . 

. 13 

10 

91 

20 

Co11  Josiah  Willard 

. 87 

76 

30 

41 

Richard  Pearl 

. 84 

91 

34 

38 

James  Moores 

. 79 

65 

9 

52 

Archabald  Dunlap 

. 17 

49 

86 

53 

Mark  Karr 

. 11 

48 

18 

33 

Samuel  Emerson,  Esqr  . . . 

. 50 

53 

73 

83 

‘‘Portsmouth,  September  8th,  1806. 

“Copy  Examined. 

“Jeremiah  Libbey,  Prop™  Clerk.” 

In  the  Masonian  proprietors’  five  hundred  acre 
lots  drawD  December  24,  1781,  as  follows: 


“ Tkomlenson  & Mason No.  1 

Meserve  & Co No.  2 

Theadore  Atkinson No.  3 

Thomas  Parker . . No.  4 

John  Moffatt No.  5 


“ New  Chester,  Oct.  3d,  1806. 

“ Copy  Examined. 

“Carr  Huse,  Prop™  Clerk.” 

Boundary  Lines. — Considerable  difficulty  was  ex- 
perienced by  the  early  settlers  in  fixing  the  boundary 
lines  of  the  township,  and  at  several  different  times 
committees  were  appointed  by  the  Legislature  to 
settle  the  troubles. 

REPORT  OF  COMMITTEE  ON  RUNNING  LINES,  1763. 

“ We,  the  subscribers,  being  chosen  by  the  Proprietors  of  the  Town- 
ships of  New  Briton  and  New  Chester,  so  called,  a committe  to  settle 
the  Boundaries  between  said  Townships,  we  have  as  follows  (viz.)  ; 
we  have  begun  at  the  Northerly  line  Stevens’  Farm,  and  have  measured 
acrost  the  lower  end  of  New  Briton  by  the  River  on  a strait  line  four 
miles  to  a Crotched  white  Birch  tree  standing  upon  the  bank  of  the 


River,  Marked  with  T,  S,  W,  T,  R,  S,  I,  L,  T,  and  together  with  the 
Date  of  the  year,  which  Tree  wee  have  made  and  Established  as  a Bound 
Between  the  Two  afforesaid  Townships,  Togather  with  an  Elm  Standing 
Down  the  Bank,  about  half-way  to  the  water,  which  is  spotted  and 
Marked  with  B.  T.;  from  thence  wee  have  Run  part  of  the  line  Between 
Said  Townships  one  mile  to  a great  Red  Oak  Tree  Standing  in  the  line, 
Marked  with  a great  M,  Cut  out  with  an  axe,  and  one  notch  cut  in  it ; 
from  thence  said  line  is  to  run  the  same  course  as  wee  have  run  this,  one 
mile,  which  is  South,  Seventy  three  Degrees  west,  according  to  the 
Charters,  which  Bounds  is  to  be  a final  Settlement  of  the  lower  Bound 
Between  said  Township  and  line  so  far  as  it  is  run. 

“ Boscawen,  June  10th,  1763. 

“Richard  Wason,  'I 
“Richard  Smith, 

“ Benjamin  Tilton, 

“Jeremiah  Lane, 

“Thomas  Wells, 

“John  Tolford, 

“ William  Tolford, 

In  answer  to  a petition  from  the  selectmen,  an  act 
was  passed  by  the  Legislature,  June  11,  1808,  appoint- 
ing William  Webster,  Bradstreet  Moody  and  Enoch 
Colby  “to  determine  the  jurisdictional  lines  between 
the  Towns  of  New  Chester,  Alexandria  and  Danbury 
and  report  to  the  Legislature.” 

This  committee,  after  considerable  annoyance,  set- 
tled the  question  of  the  boundary  between  said  towns. 

“Alexandria,  Oct.  28,  1808. 

“Agreeable  to  a law  of  this  state,  we,  the  Subscribers,  have  preambu- 
lated the  line  between  the  Towns  of  Alexandria  and  New  Chester,  be- 
ginning at  a beach  tree  marked  & stones  around  it  (a  little  north  of  a 
beach  tree  which  is  marked  W,  P,  S,  W,  S,  which  is  the  south  westerly 
corner  of  Alexandria  ; then  runing  north  about  Fifty  degrees  East,  to  a 
large  beach,  marked  and  spoted,  on  the  southerly  bank  of  Smith’s  River. 

“in  the  month  of  December  following  begun  at  a stake  and  stones 
known  by  the  name  of  the  Hemlock  Corner,  then  South,  about  47^  De- 
grees West,  to  Smith’s  River,  to  a Red  oak  tree  standing  on  the  east  bank 
of  said  River,  marked  M,  W,  S,  and  S,  D. 

“ W.  W.  Sari; ent,  } /or  the  Selectmen 
1 of  New  Chester. 

“ Wm.  Pattee,  l J°r  tlie  Selectmen 
) of  Alexandria." 

“Andover,  Oct.  26,  1808. 

“Agreeable  to  a law  of  this  state,  we,  the  subscribers,  have  preambi- 
lated  the  line  between  the  Town  of  Alexandria  and  New  Chester,  begin- 
ning at  a hemlock  tree  on  the  wTest  bank  of  Pemgewasset  River,  said  to 
bee  the  corner  of  said  Town,  marked  with  the  letters  S,  G,  M,  C,  W,  S, 
& J,  W,  then  Runing  south  about  seventy  three  degrees  west,  to  a White 
Maple  tree,  said  to  be  the  South  west  corner  of  New  Chester,  and  then 
north  western  of  Andover,  marked  with  the  letters  S,  G,  C,  M and  W, 
S,  we  have  spotted,  renewed,  numbers  and  respoted  from  the  hemlock  to 
the  maple,  and  each  Town  pays  its  own  expeuces. 

1 Select  Men 

“ W.  W.  Sargent,  of 

“ Samuel  Graves,  r New  Chester 
“ Caleb  Marston,  j and 

J Andover." 

“ Bridgewater,  Oct.  29th,  1808. 

“this  day  we,  the  subscribers,  have  preambilated  the  line  between 
New  Chester  and  Bridgwater,  begining  at  _ the  outlet  of  New-Found 
pond,  from  there  southly  by  the  west  bank  of  New  found  River,  so 
Called,  to  the  west  end  of  the  Bridge  across  said  River,  near  where  Dr. 
Samu1  Kelly  formerly  lived  ; then  by  the  south  Branch  of  sd  River  to  a 
spruce  tree  marked,  near  the  place  now  contemplated  on  for  the  westerly 
end  of  the  new  Bridge,  now  in  building  across  said  River  ; from  there 
by  said  Bank  to  the  back  side  of  Co11  Lewis’  Coal  shed  ; from  there  by 
said  bank  too  feet  to  the  East  of  the  front  or  southerly  part  in  the  grist 
or  corn  Mill,  to  the  junction  of  said  River  with  the  Pemegewasset  River. 

'‘Robert  Cbaice,  a M Select  Men 

“Eben  Kelley,  (■ 

) Bridgwater. 

“Moses  Sleeper,  1 Select  Men  of 

“John  Wadleigh,  j New  Chester." 


Committee 

Men." 


550 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


“Sew  Chester,  Oct.  20th,  1815. 


“We,  the  subscribers,  agreeable  to  the  laws  of  this  State,  have  pre- 
ambalated  the  line  between  the  town  of  New  Chester  and  Danbury,  be- 
ginning at  the  old  beach  Corner  at  the  North  west  corner  of  New  Ches- 
ter and  the  South  west  corner  of  Danbury,  marked  with  different  letters, 
then  running  North,  about  fifty  degrees  East,  to  dead  Beech  tree,  the 
South  East  Corner  of  said  Danbury,  just  by  which  is  a large  beach  tree 
marked  with  the  letters  W,  S,  A.  T,  and  dated  Oct.  20th,  1815.  We  have 
spotted,  renewed  bounds  and  re-spoted,  lettered  and  dated  from  the  one 
corner  to  the  other,  and  each  town  pays  its  own  cost. 

. for  the 

“ W.  W.  Sargent,  v Select  Men  of 
) New  Chester. 

-|  for  the 

“Amos  Tateor,  - Select  Men 
) Danbury. 


“A  true  copy.  Attest, 


Daniel  Favoir,  Town  Clerk. 


“Oct.  30th,  1815.” 


Hill  is  bounded  north  by  Danbury,  Alexandria  and 
Bristol;  east  by  New  Hampton  and  Sanbornton — 
Pemigewasset  River  flowing  between ; south  by  Frank- 
lin and  Andover,  and  west  by  Andover,  Wilrnot  and 
Danbury.  Area,  about  fifteen  thousand  acres.  Pop- 
ulation, six  hundred  and  sixty-seven. 

Distance  from  Concord  by  rail,  twenty-five  miles 
north,  reached  by  a branch  of  the  Northern  Railroad 
running  from  Franklin  to  Bristol.  Rugged  Mountain, 
situated  partly  in  this  town,  is  justly  entitled  to  its 
name,  as  it  is  one  of  the  most  rugged  elevations  in 
Central  New  Hampshire.  Many  have  supposed  the 
town  received  its  name  from  the  very  uneven  nature 
of  the  country,  but  such  is  not  the  case.  There  are 
many  fine,  well  cultivated  farms  in  this  town  upon 
which  have  been  reared  large  families  of  boys  and 
girls,  many  of  whom  have  gone  forth  to  make  their 
mark  in  the  world. 

W.  W.  Sargent  was,  during  his  day,  one  of  the  lead- 
ing men  in  town,  held  the  oflices  of  representative, 
selectman  and  town  clerk  at  one  time  during  the  years 
1807,  ’08,  ’09,  TO,  besides  being  justice  of  the  peace 
and  on  nearly  all  the  committees  appointed  to  advance 
the  interest  of  the  town.  He  was  chairman  of  the 
Board  of  Selectmen  for  six  years  and  town  clerk  for 


many  years. 

Carr  Huse  was  another  man  of  rare  ability  who  was 
thought  much  of  by  his  townsmen,  and  was  continued 
in  places  of  trust  for  a long  time.  He  had  a family 
of  thirteen  children. 

Among  the  number  of  Hill’s  sons  who  have  ranked 
high  in  their  sphere  may  be  mentioned  Gilman  Kim- 
ball, son  of  Ebenezer  and  Polly  Kimball,  born  De- 
cember 8,  1804. 

Mr.  Kimball,  being  possessed  of  ample  means, 
spared  no  pains  in  the  care  and  education  of  his 
children.  Gilman  received  private  instruction  and 
afterward  entered  Dartmouth  College,  from  which  he 
graduated  in  1827.  He  studied  medicine,  and  to  per- 
fect himself  in  his  profession  he  traveled  extensively, 
and  practiced  abroad  with  some  of  the  most  noted 
physicians  and  surgeons.  He  has  performed  some 
very  wonderful  operations  in  surgery,  among  which 
are  several  successful  cases  of  amputation  at  the  hip- 


joint,  which  for  centuries  had  been  supposed  to  be  an 
operation  almost  impossible  to  perform  and  save  the 
life  of  the  patient.  At  present  he  resides  at  Lowell, 
Mass.,  and  is  a shining  light  in  his  profession. 

Joseph  Huse,  grandson  of  the  original  settler, 
Carr  Huse,  and  son  of  John  and  Betsy  Huse,  born 
May  9,  1806,  is  another  of  Hill’s  sons  of  whom  the 
townspeople  should  be  proud.  Reared  a sturdy  far- 
mer, he  went  forth  to  battle  with  the  world  well  pre- 
pared to  win  in  that  conflict  which  requires,  chiefly, 
pluck  and  integrity  for  its  weapons.  Amid  the  vicis- 
situdes of  a great  city — Boston — he  has  succeeded 
in  building  up  a business,  fortune  and  reputation, 
to  which  we  refer  with  pride.  We  are  indebted  to 
him  for  much  information  in  regard  to  early  settle- 
ments of  New  Chester. 

Charles  M.  Winchester,  publishing  agent  of  the 
Christian  Publishing  House,  Dayton,  Ohio,  is  a man 
who  has  risen  to  eminence,  and  in  his  prosperity  he  is 
not  ashamed  to  own  that  he  is  a “ Hill  man.” 

Gilman  Currier,  who  left  his  native  place  to  make 
a business  and  home  for  himself,  settled  in  Haverhill, 
Mass.,  and  engaged  in  the  shoe  business  with  suc- 
cess ; but  death  claimed  him  for  its  victim  in  1847, 
and  his  business  passed  into  the  hands  of  his  brother, 
Samuel  M.  Currier,  who  has  succeeded  in  establish- 
ing an  enviable  reputation  by  his  honest  and  fair 
dealing,  and  at  the  same  time  has  succeeded  in 
amassing  a liberal  amount  of  this  w'orld’s  goods.  He 
is  one  of  those  genial,  kind-hearted  men  that  it  gives 
us  pleasure  to  meet.  This  is  a peculiar  trait  of  the 
entire  family.  These  brothers  were  children  of  Moses 
and  Nancy  Currier. 

Augustus  B.  Johnson,  ,son  of  Samuel  and  Mary 
Johnson,  is  a man  of  energy  and  perseverance  (in- 
herited from  his  father),  and,  by  exercising  these  qual- 
ities, has  risen  to  be  one  of  the  leading  business  men 
of  the  West  (although  he  does  not  make  his  per- 
manent home  in  the  West).  He  is  engaged  exten- 
sively in  stock-raising  in  the  State  of  Kansas,  and  is 
eastern  manager  of  the  Johnson  Loan  and  Trust  Com- 
pany, of  Arkansas  City. 

W.  W.  Currier,  son  of  Jonathan  and  Nancy  Cur- 
rier, is  a successful  business  man,  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  shoe  stock  in  Haverhill,  Mass. 

There  are  many  others  we  would  be  glad  to  mention 
if  space  would  allowr.  We  will,  however,  give  only  a 
slight  sketch  of  two  of  the  old  residents. 

Carr  Huse  was  born  in  Newbury,  Mass.,  in  1740, 
and  moved  his  family  to  New  Chester  in  1770.  Pre- 
vious to  this  time  he  would  go  up  to  New  Chester  in 
the  spring  and  spend  his  summers,  and  return  in  the 
fall  to  his  native  place.  He  was  the  first  settler,  with 
one  exception,  and  in  his  new  home  experienced 
many  hardships  and  privations,  and  his  nearest  neigh- 
bor north  was  two  and  a half  miles,  and  south, 
Franklin  Lower  village,  where  he  was  obliged  to 
go  to  get  his  grain  ground,  and  this  he  had  to  do 
in  winter  with  a hand-sled  and  snow-shoes.  The 


HILL. 


551 


nearest  meeting-house  (and  that  made  of  logs)  was 
twenty-two  miles,  at  Plymouth,  where  he  went  on 
horseback,  having  only  a bridle-road  with  trees 
spotted  to  direct  him.  He  took  a deep  interest  in  the 
prosperity  and  welfare  of  the  town.  He  occupied  al- 
most every  position  in  town  requiring  ability,  respon- 
sibility and  faithfulness  in  the  discharge  of  his  vari- 
ous duties.  He  was  town  clerk  thirty-three  years  in 
succession,  one  of  the  selectmen  many  years,  and  filled 
many  other  offices,  and  among  them,  representative  to 
the  State  Legislature  for  many  years,  which  met  dur- 
ing that  time  at  Portsmouth  and  Exeter.  He  held  a 
justice’s  commission  for  forty  years,  and,  as  there  was 
no  lawyer  in  town,  he  made  a specialty  of  writing 
deeds,  etc.,  which  the  law  required.  As  there 
was  no  minister  in  town,  he  solemnized  marriages  and 
performed  not  a few,  but  at  a low  price  compared  with 
the  present  time.  In  the  organization  of  the  Con- 
gregational Church  he  was  the  only  male  member, 
with  one  exception,  and  he  was  chosen  deacon,  and 
remained  such  for  forty  years.  He  had  two  wives. 
For  the  first  he  married  Sarah  Wells,  in  1761,  who 
was  the  mother  of  seven  children  ; and  for  the  other, 
Joanna  Buswell,  in  1775,  who  was  the  mother  of 
six  children.  He  died  in  1833,  aged  ninety-two 
years  and  nine  months,  having  twelve  children  and 
forty-four  grandchildren. 

Geo.  W.  Sumner  was  born  at  Deering,  N.  H.,  Feb- 
ruary 9,  1792 ; assisted  his  father  in  clearing  and 
cultivating  a large  farm.  At  the  age  of  nineteen 
(the  time  of  his  mother’s  death)  he  left  home,  studied 
grammar  and  geography  six  weeks  with  Rev.  E.  P. 
Bradford,  served  two  years’  apprenticeship  in  the 
clothier  business  at  Weare  and  Hillsborough,  and  in 
March,  1816,  moved  to  Hill  and  built  a dam  and  shop, 
and  commenced  carding  wool  July  6,  1816.  He 
carded  eight  thousand  pounds  that  season. 

He  continued  in  the  business  of  carding  wool  and 
dressing  cloth  during  the  summer  months  for  about 
forty  years.  During  this  time  he  often  taught  school 
winters,  and  held  every  important  office  in  and  for 
the  town  of  Hill,  and  for  many  years  he  was  a justice 
of  the  peace ; was  an  excellent  writer  of  prose  and 
verse,  and  a member  of  the  Congregational  Church. 

December  19,  1822,  he  married  Hannah  Abrams,  oi 
Saubornton,  who  died  August  30,  1847.  In  Septem- 
ber, 1848,  he  married  A.  S.  Pratt ; he  died  July  20, 
1876.  His  children  by  first  wife,  were  Mary  H.,  Mar- 
tha, Ellen  S.,  Catharine  M.,  Jane  W.,  George  A.  and 
Sarah  G.  All  but  the  two  last  mentioned  died  before 
reaching  twenty-five  years  of  age.  George  A.  Sumner 
is  still  living  at  Hill;  born  June  27,  1839;  married 
Angie  Montague,  of  Springfield,  Mass.,  April  28, 

1868.  Their  children  are,  Anna  G.,  born  April  3, 

1869,  and  George  Willis,  born  January  5,  1875. 

Sarah  G.  Sumner,  born  June  7,  1844;  married  Ed- 
mund S.  Vail,  of  Blooming  Grove,  N.  Y.,  October 
25,  1879.  Now  living  in  Detroit,  Kan.  Their  chil- 
dren are  Alice  M.,  Raymond  S.  and  Florence  H. 


Manufactories. — The  proprietors  of  New  Chester 
seemed  alive  to  the  importance  of  having  grist  and 
saw-mill  accommodations. 

When  the  township  was  laid  out,  two  lots  were  set 
off  to  be  used  “for  the  encouragement  of  building 
Mills.”  The  proprietors  also  voted  mill  privileges, 
and  appointed  men  to  see  that  mills  were  erected. 

“PROPRIETORS’  MEETINGS. 

“May  the  6th,  1766. — Voted  Major  Emerson,  Major  Tol ford  & Cap 
John  Underhill  a committee  to  Treat  with  any  person  or  persons  to  Build 
a Saw-mill  and  Grist-mill  upon  New  Found  River.  The  above  Commit- 
tee is  impowered  to  give  away  the  said  privilege  to  any  person  that  will 
undertake  to  Build  said  Mills,  and  no  More  till  they  have  given  their  Re- 
ceipt to  the  Proprietors. 

“Feb.  17th,  1767. — At  a Proprietors’  Meeting  of  New  Chester,  Voted 
two  Dollars  upon  each  Right  for  Building  Mills  in  said  Township. 

“May  19,  1767. — Meeting  opened  according  to  adjournment.  Whereas 
the  purchasers  of  Land  Contained  in  John  Tafton  Mason’s  Patent,  Prov- 
ince of  New  Hampshire,  by  their  agents,  Joseph  Blanchard,  Esq.,  Im- 
powered the  Grantees  of  the  new’  Township  of  New  Chester,  in  said 
Patent,  to  Dispose  of  twro  Certain  Lots  of  Land  to  Build  Mills  for  the 
Benefit  of  sd  Township;  whereas,  John  Tolford,  Esq.,  has  this  day  agreed 
to  Build  two  Saw-mills  & two  grist-mills  in  said  New  Chester  (viz),  one 
grist-mill  and  one  Saw-mill  on  the  river  known  by  the  name  of  Newfound 
River,  and  have  the  one  fit  for  grinding  and  the  other  fit  for  saw  ing  by 
the  first  Day  of  November  next ; and  one  grist-mill  and  one  Saw-mill  on 
the  River  known  by  the  name  of  Smith’s  River,  within  six  years  from 
this  Date,  and  to  keep  all  the  said  Mills  in  good  order  forever  thereafter, 
and  to  grind  and  saw  for  the  inhabitants  of  said  Town,  as  stipulated  in  a 
Bond  Signed,  and  by  said  Tolford  Delivored  to  Samuel  Emerson  Sc  Ma- 
thew Thornton,  Esquarres,  & Mathew  Forsaith,  yoeman,  Agents  for  and 
in  Behalf  of  the  grantees  of  said  New  Chestor.  Therefore,  Voted , that 
the  Lots  of  Land  adjoyning  to  Newfound  Pond  River,  including  the 
stream  and  falls,  and  the  Lot,  Stream  and  falls  on  Smith’s  River,  both  in 
Said  Newr  Chester,  Laid  out  b}r  the  Committee  of  the  grantees  aforesaid 
for  the  use  aforesaid,  be,  and  Hereby  is  given  & granted  to  the  Said  John 
Tolford,  his  heirs  & assignes  forever,  and  two  Dollars  to  be  paid  from 
each  Grantee  of  said  Tow  nship,  one-half  to  be  paid  by  the  first  Day  of 
May  next,  the  Remainder  when  the  first  two  mills  is  finished,  he  per- 
forming as  mentioned  in  Said  Bond. 

“Also  voted  that  the  above-named  Samuel  Emerson,  Mathew  Thornton- 
Esquires,  & Mathew’  Forsaith,  be,  and  thereby  are  authorised  Sc  Em- 
powered to  give  Security,  & Deliver  in  the  Capacity  aforesaid,  a good  war- 
rantee Deed  of  the  above  premises  to  the  above  Said  John  Tolford.’’ 

This  mill  was  probably  built  in  1767,  as  per  arrange- 
ment. 

“Chester,  March  27th,  1769. 

“At  a meeting  of  the  Proprietors  of  New  Chester  by  adjournment, 
Voted  that  Maj°r  John  Tolford  Shall  be  obliged  to  Tend  his  grist-mill  in 
New  Chester  for  the  Proprietors  every  first  Monday  in  each  Mouth  for 
the  year,  and  no  more  other  days  in  said  year.” 

It  cannot  be  said  that  the  town  of  Hill  has  ever 
been  noted  as  a manufacturing  town,  except  its  repu- 
tation as  having  the  largest  establishment  for  the 
manufacture  of  glass-cutters  in  the  world,  and  a fine 
latch-needle  manufactory.  The  first  manufacturing 
of  importance  was  that  of  wool-rolls  for  spinning, 
and  also  cloth  dressing,  started  in  July,  1816,  by  Geo. 
W.  Sumner,  and  continued  for  nearly  forty  years, 
Geo.  A.  Sumner  afterwards  occupied  the  same  mill  as 
grist-mill  and  carriage-shop  for  several  years. 

About  the  year  1825  a Mr.  Moseley  engaged  quite 
extensively  in  the  tannery  business  near  the  Sumner 
mill.  Thomas  Heath  afterwards  ran  the  business 
until  about  the  year  1855.  During  this  time  B.  C. 
Batchelder  manufactured  carriages  in  a building  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  stream,  and  his  brother,  Asa- 
hel  Batchelder,  made  axe-handles  and  spoke-shaves 


552 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


in  the  Sumner  mill.  Mr.  Batchelder  was  the  first 
person  to  make  the  improved  turned  handles  which 
have  been  so  popular. 

James  Glines  carried  on  the  hatters’  business,  and 
John  W.  Sargent  manufactured  shoes  for  several 
years  previous  to  1845.  Afterwards  the  shoe  busi- 
ness was  carried  on  by  John  Tucker  and  Elcaner 
Everett,  until  large  manufacturers  obtained  control  of 
the  shoe  business  and  made  their  production  on  a 
small  scale  unprofitable.  These  establishments  were 
all  on  a small  scale  compared  with  works  of  the  same 
class  in  later  times. 

David  Shaw,  S.  H.  Long  and  Albert  Blake  com- 
menced the  manufacture  of  friction  matches  about 
the  year  1855,  and  did  quite  an  extensive  business 
for  several  years.  August  23,  1862,  M.  F.  Little  pur- 
chased the  match-factory,  stock  and  tools,  and  con- 
tinued the  business  with  good  success  until  the  tax 
on  matches  made  it  an  undesirable  business,  when  it 
was  abandoned  and  the  mill  sold  to  be  used  as  a saw- 
mill. 

In  the  year  1874,  A.  A.  Williams  and  F.  W.  Eaton 
formed  a copartnership  for  the  manufacture  of  cabinet 
organs,  and  employed  several  men  in  the  Sumner  mill. 
They  made  some  very  fine  instruments;  but,  owing  to 
the  sharp  competition  in  the  business  caused  by  other 
large  manufacturers  making  very  cheap  and  some 
nearly  worthless  instruments,  which  they  put  upon  the 
market  at  a very  low  price,  this  company  were  unable 
to  sell  their  instruments  at  a remunerative  price,  and 
after  running  the  business  three  years,  closed  it  out.  We 
should  not  do  justice  to  the  business  of  the  town  if  we 
failed  to  mention  our  sturdy  blacksmith,  Harrison 
Morrill,  who,  for  more  than  a quarter  of  a century,  did 
service  at  the  anvil  in  our  village,  and  was  ever  ready, 
with  a smile  and  good  word  for  all,  to  do  the  bidding 
of  his  patrons,  until,  from  the  infirmities  of  age,  he 
felt  compelled  to  give  up  the  business  to  younger 
hands  in  1882. 

In  the  spring  of  1872  several  parties  interested  them- 
selves in  the  matter  of  inducing  some  manufacturers 
to  locate  in  town.  A town-meeting  was  called,  and 
the  town  voted  to  exempt  from  taxation,  for  a termol 
years,  any  manufacturing  business  of  iron,  wood, 
steel  or  the  fabrics  that  might  be  located  in  town. 
This  action  was  taken  to  encourage  F.  R.  Woodward, 
who  was  then  doing  business  in  Manchester,  to 
move  his  business,  the  manufacturing  of  latch- 
needles,  to  Hill,  which  he  did  in  July  of  that 
year,  leasing  the  mill  and  power  on  Mill  Brook  ot 
Mr.  George  W.  Dearborn,  for  a term  of  years.  Mr. 
Woodward  was  at  this  time  experimenting  with  the 
idea  of  making  a glass-cutting  tool  that  would  com- 
bine the  qualities  of  cheapness,  simplicity  and  dura- 
bility, and  having  attained  quite  satisfactory  results, 
the  following  winter  he  disposed  of  the  needle  busi- 
ness to  a firm  consisting  of  his  brother,  S.  Wood- 
ward, G.  H.  Adams,  H.  Adams  and  P.  C.  Shaw,  and 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  his  improved  glass- 


cutting tools.  The  business  increased  so  rapidly  that 
in  1876  he  erected  a shop  near  the  railroad,  in  the 
rear  of  his  residence,  and  put  in  a steam-engine  for 
power.  This  shop  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  August, 
1879.  In  six  weeks  another  building  was  erected  and 
ready  to  be  occupied ; this  building,  with  steam  for 
motive  power,  was  used  until  1882,  when  both  the 
building  and  power  were  found  too  small,  and  Mr. 
Woodward  purchased  the  farm  and  water-power 
of  G.  A.  Sumner,  and  the  water-power  owned  by  Mrs. 
C.  W.  Huse,  on  Mill  Brook,  and  proceeded  to  erect 
a dam  and  buildings.  The  building  near  the  railroad 
which  was  three  stories  high,  was  then  moved  and 
joined  to  the  one  already  built,  making  a fine  build- 
ing, sixty-six  feet  in  length,  exclusive  of  saw-mill  and 
store-house,  which  are  in  a separate  building.  This 
is  the  largest  manufactory  of  Rotary  Steel  Glass- 
Cutters  in  the  world,  employing  about  thirty  opera- 
tives. 

The  latch-needle  works  owned  and  operated  by  G.  H. 
Adams  & Co.  occupies  the  same  building  leased  by 
Mr.  Woodward  for  this  business,  and  now  owned  by 
the  firm.  They  employ  about  fifteen  operatives,  and 
manufacture  a large  quantity  of  latch-needles  for 
knitting-machines,  of  superior  quality,  which  are  sent 
to  all  parts  of  the  United  States. 

Churches,  Ministers,  etc. — Churches. — From  the 
first  settlement  of  the  town  there  seems  to  have  been 
a desire,  on  the  part  of  the  settlers  and  also  the  pro- 
prietors, to  establish  a place  of  worship,  as  we  find 
by  the  votes  taken  at  different  times  in  regard  to 
hiring  a minister  and  building  a house  of  worship. 

At  a meeting  of  the  proprietors  of  New  Chester, 
held  at  the  house  of  Samuel  Emerson,  Esq.,  in  Ches- 
ter, on  Tuesday,  the  2d  day  of  April,  1771,  it 
was, — 

"Voted,  lialf  a Dollar  on  each  grantee’s  Right  to  hire  preaching  in 
New  Chester  the  present  year. 

“ Voted,  John  Tolford,  Samuel  Emerson.  Jethro  Sanborn,  Esq.,  & 
Cap1.  John  Underhill  and  Henry  Hall  be  a Conimitte  to  hire  Such  Min 
ister  of  the  gospel  as  they  shall  think  Fit  to  preach  to  the  inhabitants 
of  New  Chester,  and  some  of  said  Conimitte  is  to  Arompany  any  such 
preacher  to  New  Chester  without  any  pay  for  their  Time.” 

At  a town-meeting,  on  Tuesday,  the  10th  day  of 
March,  1807,  it  was, — 

“ Voted,  to  Raise  a tax  of  twenty  cts.  upon  a pole  and  other  Estate  in 
equal  proportion  to  all  those  who  give  their  free  Consent  when  the  In- 
ventory is  taken  for  a minister  of  the  Congregational  or  Presbyterian 
order.” 

At  a town-meeting,  held  on  April  1,  1773,  it 
was, — 

"Voted,  that  one  Dollar  be  paid  upon  each  payable  Right  for  the 
present  year  to  hire  preaching  in  said  New  Chester. 

“ Voted,  that  there  shall  be  a Meeting  house  built  in  said  New  Chester 
Equal  to  thirty  Five  feet  square,  one  story  high,  the  present  year.” 

At  a meeting  of  the  proprietors  of  New  Chester,  at 
the  house  of  Samuel  Emerson,  Esq.,  on  Tuesday,  the 
27th  day  of  April,  1773,  it  was, — 

"Voted,  that  Carr  Huse,  Nason  Cass,  Robert  Forseth,  Joshua  Taiford 
& Peter  Sleeper  shall  be  a Conimitte  to  Build  a Meeting-House  in  New 
Chester,  agreable  to  a vote  pased  at  the  Last  Meeting. 


HILL. 


553 


“ Voted,  that  those  that  Labour  at  Building  the  aforesaid  meeting 
House  in  s*1  New  Chester  shall  have  allowed  to  them  two  Shillings  and 
sixpence  pr  day  for  tlieir  Labour.” 

At  a meeting  of  the  proprietors  of  New  Chester, 
held  at  Chester,  at  the  house  of  Samuel  Emerson, 
Esq.,  on  Wednesday,  t lie  20th  day  of  January,  1774, — 

“Whereas,  at  their  last  Meeting  their  was  a Vote  passed  that  there 
I should  be  two  Do  Hal's  raised  on  each  payable  Bight  to  build  one  Meeting- 
House  in  said  town,  it  is  now  Voted  that  sd  money  shall  be  Equally  Di- 
vided and  applied  toward  Building  two  Meeting-Houses,  one  in  the 
lower  part  of  the  town  and  the  other  in  the  upper  part  of  the  Town, 

< and  Build  the  same  on  the  parsonage  lots. 

“ Voted,  John  Talford,  Esq.,  Robert  Forsith,  Carr  H use,  Nason  Cass, 
Cutting  Favour,  those  be  a Committe  to  see  that  the  aforesaid  Ten  acres 
of  Land  shall  be  Cleared  upon  the  aforesaid  parsonage  lots  in  the  lower 
parrish  in  New  Chester  agreeable  to  the  above  votes,  Sc  see  that  it  be 
' Done  sis  soon  sis  Conveniantly  may  be  ; also  Voted  that  the  same  persons 
be  a Committe  to  see  that  the  Meeting-IIouse  be  Built  in  said  parrishes 
as  soon  as  Conveniantly  may  be. 

“Voted,  that  John  Miteliel,  Thomas  Crawford,  Jr.,  Andrew  Craige, 
Benjamin  Emmons  & Ebenezer  Ingals  shall  be  a Committe  to  see  that 
the  aforesaid  Ten  acres  of  Land  shall  be  Cleared  upon  the  parsonage  Lot 
in  the  uper  parish  in  New  Chester  agreeable  to  the  above  vote,  and  See 
that  it  be  done  as  soon  as  Conveniantly  may  be  ; also  voted  the  aforesaid 
persons  be  a Committe  to  see  that  the  Meeting-IIouse  be  built  in  said 
purrish  as  soon  as  Conveniantly  may  be. 

“Voted,  that  two  Dollars  shall  be  raised  on  each  payable  Right  in  New 
Chester  toward  Clearing  the  land  on  the  parsonage  Lots  in  New  Chester, 
and  Building  the  Meeting-IIouses  agreeable  to  the  aforesaid  Votes.” 

At  a town-meeting,  second  Tuesday  of  March,  1824, 
it  was, — 

“Voted,  To  give  the  Directors  of  the  West  Meeting-House  in  said 
Town  one  Hundred  & fifty  dollars,  to  he  paid  yearly,  in  case  they  secure 
the  use  of  the  house  to  the  town  for  public  Meetings  of  business  so  long 
as  the  continuance  of  said  House.” 

No  records  can  be  found  by  which  the  exact  dates 
of  the  building  of  the  first  house  of  worship  can  be 
established;  but,  according  to  the  best  authority,  it 
was  built  or  finished  in  the  year  1800  or  1801.  A 
town-meeting  for  Danbury  and  New  Chester  was 
called  at  this  meeting-house  in  1802.  It  is  situated 
near  the  centre  of  the  town,  is  a wooden  structure 
heavily  timbered,  painted  white,  has  been  kept  in 
good  repair  by  the  enterprising  citizens  at  the  “Cen- 
tre,” and  presents  a neat  and  attractive  appearance. 

There  is  a Christian  Church  organization  here, 
over  which  Rev.  E.  H.  Wright  has  been  pastor  for 
i several  years.  This  has  always  been  known  as  the 
West  Meeting-House. 

Early  in  the  nineteenth  century  a hall  was  finished 
in  a barn  owned  by  Major  Ebenezer  Kimball,  at  the 
village,  and  in  this  meetings  were  held  summers  and 
winters,  without  any  means  of  heating,  except  the 
stones  carried  there  hot  from  the  fire-place,  until  the 
present  church  was  built.  This  hall  was  in  existence 
until  1839,  when  the  partitions  were  taken  out  by  its 
present  owner,  David  Fowler,  and  it  reverted  back 
to  its  former  use,  storage  for  hay  and  grain. 

The  church  at  the  village,  or  the  East  Meeting- 
House,  was  commenced  in  the  year  1819,  and  finished 
in  January,  1822.  February  5th  of  this  year  the  pews 
were  sold,  and  soon  after  the  house  was  dedicated  as 
a Congregational  Church.  It  was  owned  by  individ- 
uals, each  proprietor  owning  one  or  more  pews,  and 


entitled  to  as  many  votes  in  the  management  of  its 
affairs  as  they  owned  pews.  It  has  since  been  re- 
modeled, and  at  this  writing  is  as  fine  a house  of 
worship  as  is  often  found  in  a country  village. 

The  Congregational  Church  was  organized,  Febru- 
ary 19,  1815,  by  the  assistance  of  the  Rev.  William 
Rolfe,  of  Groton.  The  church  consisted  of  but  two 
members,  Carr  Huse  and  Israel  Adams.  This  church 
was  supplied  with  the  public  ministration  of  the  gos- 
pel, but  did  not  have  a settled  minister  until  January 
6,  1831,  when  Rev.  Isaac  Knight  was  ordained  pas- 
tor, and  remained  such  seven  years. 

In  the  year  1817,  two  years  after  its  formation,  this 
church  numbered  twenty-seven  members,  and  for 
nearly  half  a century  was  a great  power  for  good  in 
the  community.  By  death  and  removal  the  organ- 
ization became  so  reduced  that  it  became  inoperative 
and  remained  so  for  several  years,  until  the  spring  of 
1884,  when  it  was  revived  by  the  assistance  of  Rev. 
S.  F.  Lougee,  of  New  Hampton,  who  was  engaged  as 
pastor.  Whole  number  admitted  to  the  church  from 
the  time  of  its  organization  to  1884,  one  hundred  and 
sixty-three;  number  of  children  baptized,  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty-two. 

In  the  year  1870,  Rev.  E.  H.  Wright,  learning  from 
members  of  the  Congregational  Church  that  it  was 
not  expected  this  church  would  be  revived,  and  de- 
siring a home  for  the  converts  who  were  gathered 
under  his  preaching,  formed  a Christian  Church, 
over  which  he  was  the  able  and  acceptable  pastor 
most  of  the  time  (except  when  in  Manchester,  where 
he  went  to  assist  in  building  up  a church)  till  1884, 
when  the  Congregationalists  claimed  the  right  to  the 
church  for  the  purpose  of  having  a minister  of  that 
denomination  preach,  and  the  right  was  accorded  to 
them  by  the  committee  chosen  to  provide  a preacher. 

Schools. — -The  people  of  the  town  gave  early  atten- 
tion to  the  establishment  of  schools,  and  for  this 
purpose  lots  were  set  off  to  be  used  “ only  for  school 
purposes.”  W e copy  a vote  of  the  proprietors’  meet- 
ing of  May  9,  1775, — 

“At  a meeting  of  the  Proprietors,  held  at  the  house  of  Jonathan 
Ingals,  on  May  the  ninth,  at  one  o’clock,  Voted,  that  the  Timber  on  the 
School  Lot  No.  37,  in  the  third  Division,  ho  sold  as  soon  as  may  be  and 
the  money  of  such  sale  to  be  for  the  Benefit  of  Schools,  and  that  Robert 
Forsaith,  Cutting  Favour  and  Peter  Sleeper  be  a committee  to  sell  said 
Timber,  and,  till  such  Sale,  see  that  no  waste  be  made  on  Said  Lots.” 

In  1777  forty  dollars  was  raised  to  be  used  for 
schooling.  At  the  present  day  this  seems  a meagre 
sum,  but  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  wages  of 
teachers  at  this  time  was  very  small  compared  with 
that  paid  to-day. 

In  1778  it  was  voted  that  Joshua  Tolford  should 
have  the  privilege  of  plowing  the  school  lot  by  his 
giving  an  obligation  not  to  “Damnify”  the  same. 

In  1786  a school-tax  of  £13  5s.  Id.  1/.,  and  in  1788 
a tax  of  £23  14s.  lOd.  were  levied,  showing  that  each 
year  brought  an  increasing  interest  in  the  important 
subject  of  education. 

Thomas  Huse  (son  of  Carr  Huse)  and  James  Karr 


554 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


kept  school  in  1793.  Mr.  Huse’s  school  was  styled  a 
boarding-school.  The  schoolmaster  boarded  around, 
and  his  board  was  paid  by  the  town  at  the  rate  of 
three  shillings  per  week. 

In  1800,  Betsy  Sleeper  received  twelve  dollars  for 
three  months’  teaching,  and  the  sum  of  seven  dollars 
and  thirty-four  cents  was  paid  for  boarding  “ Said 
mistress.” 

“ Master  Bowers,”  who  was  quite  a noted  teacher  in 
those  days,  received  sixteen  dollars  for  teaching  two 
months  the  same  year. 

In  1802  the  school-house  in  District  No.  1 was 
either  built  new,  or  the  old  one  built  over,  and  sixty- 
seven  cents  per  day  was  paid  for  labor,  four  dollars 
per  thousand  for  hoards,  and  one  dollar  and  eightv- 
three  cents  per  thousand  for  nails. 

Among  those  who  have  taught  in  town  and  since 
become  noted  may  be  mentioned  Henry  P.  Kolfe  and 
the  late  Anson  S.  Marshall,  of  Concord;  L.  P.  Town- 
send, professor  of  theology  in  Boston  University; 
Rev.  William  Sleeper,  of  Maine,  and  many  others. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  E.  Adams  have  taught  school  and 
acted  as  superintending  school  committee  many  years, 
and  doubtless  have  the  best  qualifications  for  the  latter 
office  of  any  person  in  town.  Mrs.  Adaijis  was  the 
author  of  the  history  of  schools  in  this  town  in  the 
reports  of  1876. 

For  many  years  after  the  foundation  of  schools  in 
town  the  people  considered  the  qualifications  for 
teaching  to  consist  chiefly  in  the  muscle  and  nerve  of 
the  teacher.  A person  with  good  common  sense  and 
able  to  read  and  write  fairly,  if  endowed  with  courage 
and  strength  sufficient  to  cope  with  the  powers  of  the 
“ big  boys,”  were  considered  good  teachers ; and  it 
was  not  an  uncommon  occurrence  for  boys  of  sixteen 
to  eighteen  years  of  age  to  receive  severe  floggings. 
With  the  appointment  of  superintending  school  com- 
mittees the  qualifications  of  teachers  became  more 
exalted,  and  at  this  advanced  age  the  rod  is  seldom 
resorted  to,  even  in  the  rural  districts,  while  our  vil- 
lage school  will  compare  favorably  with  some  of  the 
academies  of  our  State  in  proficiency  and  deport- 
ment. 

Cemeteries. — The  cemetery  at  the  village  was  laid 
out  in  1773,  on  land  cleared  by  Carr  Huse,  on  his  in- 
tervale, about  forty  rods  from  his  house. 

This  comprises  about  one  acre  of  land,  laid  out  in 
such  manner  as  to  give  the  most  possible  room  for 
burial  purposes,  regardless  of  the  rules  that  are  ob- 
served in  the  plans  of  modern  cemeteries.  There  is 
one  soldier  of  the  Indian  War,  Carr  Huse,  and  one  of 
the  Revolution  buried  here. 

The  Ferrin  Cemetery,  so-called,  is  situated 
about  one  mile  west  of  the  West  Meeting-House,  was 
opened  to  the  public  in  1845,  and  is  superior,  as  re- 
gards location,  to  the  village  ground,  as  it  is  on  high 
land,  and,  if  properly  cared  for,  would  be  a very  fine 
cemetery  for  the  country.  It  has  several  very  neat 
monuments. 


The  Bunker  Hill  Cemetery,  which  was  laid  out 
in  1846,  is  the  last  and  best  of  the  public  cemeteries. 
It  is  well  laid  out,  is  kept  in  good  condition,  is  in  a 
good  location  and  lias  some  very  fine  monuments  and 
tablets  erected.  These  are  all  public  cemeteries. 

Pleasant  Hill  Cemetery. — In  the  winter  of 
1884,  the  writer,  seeing  the  need  of  a more  respectable 
place  at  the  village  for  interment  of  the  dead,  offered 
to  present  to  any  number  of  individuals,  who  would 
form  a cemetery  association  and  guarantee  to  properly 
fence  and  fit  up  and  ever  keep  so  fenced  and  properly 
cared  for,  a tract  of  land  on  the  hill  near  his  mill, 
which  was  considered  by  all  interested  to  be  the  best 
location  for  a cemetery  in  town.  The  offer,  however, 
was  not  accepted,  as  the  expense  of  so  fitting  it  up 
would  be  so  great  that  it  was  thought  sufficient  could 
not  be  realized  from  the  sale  of  lots  to  pay  the 
same. 

May  20th  of  this  year  May  F.,  oldest  daughter  of 
the  writer,  died,  and  he  at  once  had  the  ground  laid 
out  according  to  a plan  which  he  had  previously 
made,  and  she  was  laid  away  beneath  the  ground 
where  she  had  so  often  walked  and  gathered  wild 
flowers  with  her  father  and  sister. 

This  is  pronounced  by  those  who  have  visited  it  to 
be  the  most  lovely  cemetery,  for  a new  one,  they  have 
ever  seen. 

It  is  laid  out  with  drive-ways  between  every  row  ot 
lots  lengthwise,  and  walks  between  each  double  lot 
crosswise;  the  two  main  drive-ways  are  twenty-four 
feet  wide,  the  others  twelve  feet,  and  the  walks  six 
feet.  The  soil  is  taken  from  the  drive-ways,  which 
are  level  and  well  graded ; the  lots  are  nicely  graded 
and  sown  to  grass,  and  present  a very  neat  and 
attractive  appearance. 

The  writer  has  fitted  up  the  ground  at  his  own  ex- 
pense, and  sells  lots  to  any  who  are  able  to  buy ; those 
not  able  to  buy  are  given  the  right  of  free  burial. 

A large  lot  is  given  in  the  best  locality  for  the  erec- 
tion of  a soldiers’  monument  and  the  burial  of  sol- 
diers, and  it  is  hoped  in  the  near  future  a monument 
will  be  erected  to  the  memory  of  the  brave  boys  who 
so  valiantly  fought  in  defense  of  their  country’s 
honor. 

Civil  History. — New  Chester  and  Danbury  were 
classed  for  the  election  of  representatives  from  1800 
to  1806,  after  which  time  New  Chester  was  declared 
entitled  to  a representative  of  its  own. 

No  record  of  any  town  officers  can  be  found  previous 
to  1802.  In  1800,  New  Chester  and  Danbury  elected 
Edward  Blodgett  representative  for  the  two  towns. 
No  record  of  any  election  in  1801  can  be  obtained. 

1802.  — Carr  Huse,  town  clerk ; Ebenezer  Kimball,  Edward  Blodgett, 
William  W.  Sargent,  selectmen  ; Ebenezer  Kimball,  representative  for 
New  Chester  and  Danbury. 

1803.  — Carr  Huse,  town  clerk  ; Jonathan  Dickerson,  James  Karr, 
John  Brown,  selectmen  ; Ebenezer  Kimball,  representative  for  New 
Chester  and  Danbury. 

1804.  — Carr  Huse,  town  clerk  ; James  Karr,  John  Brown,  William  W. 
Sargent,  selectmen  ; Ebenezer  Kimball,  representative  for  New  Chestei 
and  Danbury. 


HILL. 


555 


1805.  — Carr  Huse,  town  clerk ; John  Wadleigh,  William  Whittier  Sar- 
gent, Moses  Sleeper,  selectmen  ; Ebebezer  Kimball,  representative  for 
New  Chester  and  Danbury. 

1806.  — Carr  Huse,  town  clerk  ; James  Karr,  John  Wadleigh,  William 
W.  Sargent,  selectmen  ; Major  Ebenezer  Kimball,  representative  for 
New  Chester  and  Danbury. 

1807.  — W.  W.  Sargent,  town  clerk  ; W.  W.  Sargent,  James  Karr, 
Moses  Sleeper,  selectmen  ; W.  W.  Sargent,  representative. 

1808.  — W.  W.  Sargent,  town  clerk  ; W.  W.  Sargent,  Moses  Sleeper* 
Captain  John  Wadleigh,  selectmen  ; W.  W.  Sargent,  representative. 

1809.  — W.  W.  Sargent,  town  clerk  ; W.  W.  Sargent,  John  Wadleigh, 
Jonathan  Dickerson,  selectmen;  W.  W.  Sargent,  representative. 

1810.  — W.  W.  Sargent,  town  clerk  ; W.  W.  Sargent,  Jonathan  Dick- 
erson, Moses  W.  Sleeper,  selectmen;  W.  W.  Sargent,  representative. 

1811.  — W.  W.  Sargent,  town  clerk  ; W.  W.  Sargent,  Jonathan  Dicker- 
son,  Samuel  Sleeper,  selectmen  ; Jonathan  Dickerson,  representative. 

1812.  — W.  W.  Sargent,  town  clerk  ; W.  W.  Sargent,  Samuel  Sleeper* 
Moses  Wells,  selectmen ; Jonathan  Dickerson,  representative. 

1813.  — W.  W.  Sargent,  town  clerk  ; W.  W.  Sargent,  Samuel  Sleeper, 
John  Huse,  selectmen  ; Sethus  B.  Forbes,  representative. 

1814.  — W.  W.  Sargent,  town  clerk  ; Caleb  Sargent,  Captain  John  Wad- 
leigh, Jonathan  Dickerson,  selectmen  ; W.  W.  Sargent,  representative. 

1815.  — Daniel  Favor,  town  clerk  ; W.  W.  Sargent,  Esq.,  John  Huse* 
Isaac  Dodge,  selectmen  ; W.  W.  Sargent,  representative. 

1816.  — Daniel  Favor,  town  clerk;  John  Huse,  David  Boswell,  Bitfield 
Sawyer,  selectmen  ; Sethus  B.  Forbes,  representative. 

1817.  — Daniel  Favor,  town  clerk  ; W.  W.  Sargent,  Caleb  Aldrich,  John 
Gale,  selectmen ; W.  W.  Sargent,  representative. 

1818.  — Daniel  Favor,  town  clerk  ; W.  W.  Sargent,  Samuel  Sleeper, 
Samuel  Hoit,  selectmen ; W.  W.  Sargent,  representative. 

1819.  — Daniel  Favor,  town  clerk ; W.  W.  Sargent,  Robert  Smith, 
Jonathan  Dickerson,  selectmen  ; W.  W.  Sargent,  representative. 

1820.  — Daniel  Favor,  town  clerk  ; Captain  John  Searl,  John  Iluse, 
Levi  Cole,  selectmen  ; Daniel  Favor,  representative. 

1821.  — Daniel  Favor,  town  clerk  ; John  Dickerson,  David  Boswell,  John 
Searl,  selectmen  ; Daniel  Favor,  representative. 

1822.  — Daniel  Favor,  town  clerk  ; David  Boswell,  John  Searl,  John 
Dickerson,  selectmen  : Daniel  Favor,  representative. 

1823.  — Daniel  Favor,  town  clerk  ; David  Boswell,  Samuel  Murray, 
George  W.  Sumner,  selectmen  ; L.  K.  Madison,  representative. 

1824.  — S.  B.  Forbes,  town  clerk  ; John  Searl,  George  W.  Sumner, 
Samuel  Underhill,  selectmen  ; John  Searl,  representative. 

1825.  — S.  B.  Forbes,  town  clerk;  G.  W.  Sumner,  Benjamin  Emmons, 
Samuel  Underhill,  selectmen  ; Daniel  Favor,  representative. 

1826.  — S.  B.  Forbes,  town  clerk  ; Dr.  Daniel  Favor,  George  W.  Sum 
ner,  Benjamin  Emmons,  selectmen  ; Samuel  Murry,  representative. 

1827.  — S.  B.  Forbes,  town  clerk  ; John  Wells  (2d),  G.  W.  Sumner, 
John  Searl,  selectmen  ; Dr.  Daniel  Favor,  representative. 

1828.  — S.  B.  Forbes,  town  clerk  ; John  Wells  (2d),  Samuel  Murray, 
Benjamin  Emmons,  selectmen  ; Daniel  Favor,  reptesentative. 

1829.  — J.  W.  Sweatt,  town  clerk  ; Sewall  Dickerson,  John  Dickerson, 
Jonathan  Hunkings  (2d),  selectmen  ; Samuel  Murray,  representative. 

1830.  — John  W.  Sweatt,  town  clerk;  John  Wells  (2d),  John  Sargent, 
Benjamin  Emmons,  ’electmen  ; John  W.  Sweatt,  representative. 

1831.  — J.  W.  Sweatt,  Esq.,  town  clerk;  Benjamin  Emmons,  John 
Wells  (2d),  John  Sargent,  selectmen  ; J.  W.  Sweatt,  Esq., representative. 

1832.  — Daniel  Favor,  town  clerk  ; John  Wells  (2d),  Benjamin  Em- 
mons, John  Sargent,  selectmen  ; no  representative. 

1833.  — Daniel  Favor,  town  clerk;  John  Wells  (2d),  John  Sargent, 
Benjamin  Emmons,  selectmen  ; Samuel  Murray,  representative. 

1834.  — Daniel  Favor,  town  clerk  ; John  Wells  (2d),  John  Sargent, 
Benjamin  Emmons,  selectmen  ; George  M.  Phelps,  representative. 

1835.  — Horatio  H.  Blake,  town  clerk ; John  Wells  (2d),  Jonathan 
Weeks,  Jesse  Livingston,  selectmen  ; Abraham  Gates,  representative. 

1836.  — H.  II.  Blake,  town  clerk  ; Jonathan  Weeks,  Jr.,  Jesse  Living- 
ston, Benjamin  Emmons,  selectmen  ; Abraham  Gates,  representative. 

1837.  — Horatio  H.  Blake,  town  clerk  ; Ezekiel  G.  Bartlett,  Thomas  J. 
Heath,  Sewall  Dickerson,  selectmen  ; George  M.  Phelps,  representative. 

1838.  — William  W.  Proctor,  town  clerk  ; Jonathan  Weeks,  Jr.,  Ben- 
jamin Emmons,  Thomas  J.  Heath,  selectmen  ; George  M.  Phelps,  rep- 
resentative. 

1839.  — William  W.  Proctor,  town  clerk  ; Jonathan  Weeks,  Jr.,  Sewall 
Dickerson,  Isaac  T.  Parker,  selectmen  ; George  M.  Phelps,  representa- 
tive. 

1840.  — William  W.  Proctor,  towu  clerk  ; Sewall  Dickerson,  Isaac  T. 
Parker,  John  Wadleigh,  selectmen  ; Jonathan  Dickerson,  representa- 
tive. 


1841.  — William  W.  Proctor,  town  clerk  ; John  Wadleigh,  Jr„  David 
Burleigh,  Jr.,  John  Huse,  selectmen  ; Jonathan  Weeks,  Jr.,  represen- 
tative. 

1842.  — William  W.  Proctor,  town  clerk  ; Franklin  Moseley,  Ezekiel 
G.  Bartlett,  John  Huse,  selectmen  ; Jonathan  Weeks,  Jr.,  representa- 
tive. 

1843.  — William  W.  Proctor,  town  clerk  ; Ezekiel  G.  Bartlett,  Frank- 
lin Moseley,  John  Huse,  selectmen  ; Darwin  Forbes,  representative. 

1844. — William  W.  Proctor,  town  clerk  ; Ezekiel  G.  Bartlett,  Thomas 
J.  Heath,  Samuel  D.  Johnson,  selectmen  ; Darwin  Forbes,  representa- 
tive. 

1845.  — Darwin  Forbes,  town  clerk ; Samuel  D.  Johnson,  Darwin 
Forbes,  Jonathan  Dickerson,  selectmen ; Sewall  Dickerson,  repre- 
sentative. 

1846.  — Darwin  Forbes,  town  clerk;  Jonathan  Dickerson  (2d),  Isaac 
T.  Parker,  Sewall  Dickerson,  selectmen ; Darwin  Forbes,  representative. 

1847.  — Darwin  Forbes,  town  clerk  ; E.  G.  Bartlett,  Peter  Hersey, 
Carr  Huse,  selectmen  ; Isaac  T.  Parker,  representative. 

1848.  — Franklin  Moseley,  town  clerk  ; Peter  Hersey,  Carr  Huso,  Amos 
Dickerson  (2d),  selectmen  ; Isaac  T.  Parker,  representative. 

1849.  — Franklin  Moseley,  town  clerk  ; Carr  Huse,  Amos  Dickerson, 
Samuel  M.  Currier,  selectmen  ; Franklin  Moseley,  representative. 

1850.  — Wells  Forbes,  town  clerk  ; Amos  Dickerson  (2d),  S.  M.  Currier, 
J.  L.  Mead,  selectmen  ; Franklin  Moseley,  representative. 

1851.  — Wells  Forbes,  town  clerk  ; S.  M.  Currier,  J.  L.  Mead,  Jonathan 
Dickerson  (2d),  selectmen  ; Gilman  Hersey,  representative. 

1852.  — Franklin  Moseley,  town  clerk;  Albert  Blake,  M.  J.  Morrill, 
John  Wadleigh,  selectmen  ; Gilman  Hersey,  representative. 

1853.  — Rufus  Fellows,  town  clerk;  Albert  Blake,  M.  J.  Morrill,  John 
Flanders,  selectmen  ; Amos  Dickerson  (2d),  representative. 

1854.  — Rufus  Fellows,  town  clerk  ; Can*  Huse,  Wells  Forbes,  Gilman 
Hersey,  selectmen  ; Amos  Dickerson  (2d),  representative. 

1855.  — Rufus  Fellows,  town  clerk  ; Carr  Huse,  Ebenezer  W.  Mason, 
Moses  Favor,  selectmen  ; David  Fowler,  representative. 

1856.  — Rufus  Fellows,  town  clerk  ; Madison  J.  Morrill,  Ezekiel  G. 
Bartlett,  Bradford  C.  Bachelder,  selectmen  ; Carr  Huse,  representative. 

1857.  — Rufus  Fellows,  town  clerk  ; Carr  Huse,  John  II.  Emmons, 
Samuel  Wells,  selectmen  ; Harrison  Adams,  representative. 

1858.  — Joseph  P.  Ladd,  town  clerk  ; Carr  Huse,  Moses  Favor,  Timothy 
Stevens,  selectmen  ; James  II.  Brown,  representative. 

1859.  — J.  P.  Ladd,  town  clerk  ; Carr  Huse,  Timothy  Stevens,  Charles 
M.  Cilley,  selectmen  ; Joseph  Nichols,  representative. 

1860. — C.  M.  Cilley,  town  clerk  ; Albert  Blake,  Milton  Mason,  William 
II.  Straw,  selectmen  ; Ezekiel  G.  Bartlett,  representative. 

1861.  — Charles  M.  Cilley,  town  clerk  ; Carr  Huse,  Ebenezer  W.  Ma- 
son, William  C.  Goodwin,  selectmen  ; Albert  Blake,  representative. 

1862.  — Moses  F.  Little,  town  clerk  ; Albert  Blake,  Milton  Mason,  John 
L.  Mead,  selectmen  ; Madison  J.  Mornll,  representative. 

1863.  — Moses  F.  Little,  town  clerk  ; Carr  Huse,  Jonathan  R.  Rowell, 
John  Peaslee.  selectmen  ; William  T.  Yail,  representative. 

1864.  — Moses  F.  Little,  town  clerk  ; Carr  Huse,  Jonathan  R.  Rowell, 
John  Peaslee,  selectmen  ; Ebenezer  W.  Mason,  representative. 

1865.  — George  A.  Sumner,  town  clerk  ; Jonathan  R.  Rowell,  Orrin  Le 
Barron,  Isaiah  II.  Fowler,  selectmen  ; Geo.  W.  Sumner,  representative. 

1866.  — George  A.  Sumner,  town  clerk  ; Carr  Huse,  Ebenezer  W.  Ma- 
son, William  C.  Kelley,  selectmen  ; Amos  K.  Davis,  representative. 

1867.  — Isaiah  M.  Bishop,  town  clerk  ; Carr  Huse,  Moses  Favor,  Amos 
D.  Caswell,  selectmen  ; Charles  M.  Cilley,  representative. 

1868.  — Isaiah  M.  Bishop,  town  clerk  ; Carr  Huse,  Moses  Favor,  A.  D. 
Caswell,  selectmen;  Jonathan  R.  Rowell,  representative. 

1869.  — Edwin  W.  Lane,  town  clerk  ; Carr  Huse,  John  Flanders,  Wil- 
bur II.  Morrill,  selectmen;  Moses  Favor,  representative. 

1870.  — Edwin  W.  Lane,  town  clerk  ; John  Flanders,  Wilbur  II.  Mor- 
rill, Charles  M.  Cilley,  selectmen  ; Joseph  II.  Brown,  representative. 

1871.  — Charles  F.  Young,  town  clerk  ; Charles  M.  Cilley,  John  Em- 
mons, Horace  P.  Eaton,  selectmen  ; Orrin  Le  Barron,  representative. 

1872.  — Charles  F.  Young,  town  clerk  ; Horace  P.  Eaton,  Madison  J. 
Morrill,  Moses  F.  Little,  selectmen  ; Thomas  C.  Boswell,  representative. 

1873.  — Charles  F.  Young,  town  clerk  ; John  II.  Emmons,  Asa  I).  Pres- 
cott, Moses  F.  Little,  selectmen  ; Thomas  C.  Boswell,  representative. 

1874.  — Frank  W.  Eaton,  town  clerk  ; Orrin  Le  Barron,  Moses  F.  Lit- 
tle, George  C.  Mason,  selectmen  ; Nathan  Mason,  representative. 

1875.  — Frank  W.  Eaton,  town  clerk  ; Orrin  Le  Barron,  George  C.  Ma- 
son, George  A.  Sumner,  selectmen  ; Richard  Calley,  representative. 

1876.  — Joseph  W.  Favor,  town  clerk  ; George  A.  Sumner,  Harrison 
Adams,  Luther  L.  Mason,  selectmen  ; John  W.  Chapman,  representa- 
tive. 


556 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE, 


1877.  — Joseph  W.  Favor,  town  clerk  ; Madison  J.  Morrill,  Willard 
B.  Cowley,  Frank  B.  Shaw,  selectmen  ; William  C.  Kelley,  representa- 
tive. 

1878. — Gideon  C.  Hilpent,  town  clerk  ; Willard  B.  Cawley,  John  H. 
Hunt,  Daniel  Wiser,  selectmen  ; Asa  D.  Prescott,  representative. 

1879.  — Moses  F.  Little,  town  clerk  ; John  II.  Hunt,  Daniel  WTiser, 
Moses  F.  Little,  selectmen  ; Willard  B.  Cawley,  representative. 

1880.  — Moses  F.  Little,  town  clerk  ; Asa  D.  Prescott,  Frank  G.  Dick- 
inson, Joseph  W.  Favor,  selectmen  ; Willard  B.  Cawley,  representative. 

1881.  — Moses  F.  Little,  town  clerk  ; Asa  D.  Prescott,  Frank  G.  Dick- 
orson,  Joseph  W.  Favor,  selectmen ; Horace  P.  Eaton,  representative. 

1882.  — Moses  F.  Little,  town  clerk  ; Frank  G.  Dickerson,  Joseph  W. 
Favor,  James  E.  Newton,  selectmen  ; Horace  P.  Eaton,  representative. 

1883. — Moses  F.  Little,  town  clerk  ; Joseph  W.  Favor,  James  E.  New 
ton,  Asa  D.  Prescott,  selectmen  ; Erastus  M.  Foss,  representative. 

1884.  — Frank  P.  Parker,  town  clerk  ; James  E.  Newton,  Asa  D.  Pres- 
cott, Luther  L.  Mason,  selectmen  ; Erastus  M.  Foss,  representative. 

1885.  — Frank  P.  Parker,  town  clerk  ; Asa  I).  Prescott,  Luther  L.  Ma- 
son, George  W.  Dearhon,  selectmen  ; Frank  It.  Woodward,  representa- 
tive for  1885  and  1886. 

Soldiers,  etc.— The  people  of  this  town  have  not 
been  backward  whenever  danger  threatened  their 
country,  hut  have  shown  their  patriotism  by  con- 
tributing its  full  quota  of  men.  Whenever  a call  was 
made,  and  it  became  necessary  to  resort  to  a draft  to 
obtain  men,  the  town  voted  liberal  sums  to  pay  for 
substitutes  to  take  the  place  of  her  sons. 

The  following  petition  and  votes  will  show  the  dis- 
position of  the  people : 

“New  Chester,  June  y®  29th,  1776. 

“ To  the  Ho  nor  aide  Colon//  Committee: 

“ We,  the  Subscribers,  being  A Majority  of  the  Select  Men  and  Com- 
mittee of  Safety  for  the  Township  of  New  Chester,  being  willing  to  De- 
fend ourselves  and  fellow-Conntrymen  to  the  utmost  of  our  Power,  But 
finding  ourselves  Destitute,  in  A Great  Measure,  of  Arms  and  Amu- 
nition,  Humbly  beg  you  would  use  your  Interest  to  procure  About  56  lbs. 
of  Powder  and  112  lbs.  of  Lead,  and  about  150  Flints  and  Fifteen  Guns, 
which  wo  Bind  ourselves  to  the  Honest  payment  of,  as  witness  our 
hands. 

“ A It  NEK  FELLOWS, 

“Joshua  Tolpoud, 

“ Thos.  Crawford, 

“Jonathan  Ingalls, 

“ ClJTTINU  FAVOUR, 

“ Ehener.  Ingalls, 

“Benjamin  Emons, 

“Carr  Huse, 

“ Whereas,  We  have  received  a vote  of  Congress  which  hath  excused 
all  non-Commissioned  ollicers  and  Soldiers  who  served  in  the  Continental 
Army,  and  shall  enlist  there  for  the  year  coining,  from  paying  any  j»oll 
Tax  ; ami  an  account  being  exhibited,  under  oath,  by  the  Select  men,  of 
the  numl>er  of  such  Soldiers  in  their  Respective  Towns,  and  the  amount 
of  their  poll  Tax  to  the  Colony  Treasurer,  in  obcdiance  thereunto  we 
have  Returne'1  their  names  and  the  amount  of  their  poll  Tax. 

.£  s.  d.  q. 

“ Nathaniel  Bartlett  0 2 4 3 

“John  Crawford 0 2 4 3 

“Joseph  Davis 0 2 4 3 

“ Totals £0  7 2 1 

“Carr  Huse,  \ Selectmen 
“ Hurt.  Forsith,  / for  N.  Chester.'' 

At  a legal  town-meeting  holden  at  New  Chester, 
July  13,  1812,  agreeable  to  notice,  it  was 

“ Voted,  To  pay  each  soldier  who  shall  be  called  for  by  law,  from  this 
town,  as  our  quota  of  the  one  hundred  thousand,  ten  dollars  per  month, 
with  what  the  Government  pays  them.’* 

At  a legal  town-meeting  in  New  Chester,  March 
14,  1839,  it  was 

“ Voted , That  each  soldier  take  care  of  himself.’* 


At  a legal  town-meeting  holden  at  New  Chester, 
December  26,  1861,  it  was 

“ Voted,  That  article  second  be  left  discretionary  with  the  selectmen, 
to  pay  soldiers’  families,  as  directed  in  a law  approved  July  4th,  1861.” 

At  a legal  town-meeting,  duly  notified  and  holden 
at  Hill,  in  the  county  of  Grafton,  on  the  9th  day  of 
August,  1862,  the  legal  voters  of  said  town,  by  major 
vote  and  by  ballot, 

“ Voted , To  pay  all  those  who  volunteer  to  enlist  in  the  first  quota  of 
volunteers,  on  or  before  the  15th  day  of  August  inst.,  the  sum  of  two 
hundred  dollars  as  a bounty.. 

“ Voted.  To  pay  said  bounty  when  the  volunteers  are  mustered  into 
the  United  States  service. 

“ Voted,  That  the  selectmen  be  authorized  to  borrow  the  money  to  pay 
the  volunteers  their  bounty. 

“ Voted , To  adopt  the  following  resolution  : 

“ Resolved,  That  the  selectmen  be  instructed  to  call  another  meeting 
to  consider  what  bounty,  if  any,  shall  be  paid  to  volunteers  under  the 
second  call  for  300,000  men,  as  soon  as  the  quota  for  the  first  call  was 
filled,  or  sooner,  if  the  demand  for  drafting  is  made  before  that  time. 

“ Voted , That  every  person  who  volunteers  for  this  town  before  the  20th 
day  of  August  inst. — the  number  not  exceeding  forty -four — shall  receive 
two  hundred  dollars  bounty  ; that  sum  to  be  paid  when  mustered  into  the 
United  States  service.” 

At  a legal  town-meeting,  duly  notified  and  holden 
at  Hill,  September  6,  1862,  it  was 

“ Resolved,  That  the  selectmen  be  instructed  to  pay  all  who  shall  vol- 
unteer into  the  United  States  service  for  nine  months,  agreeable  to  a call 
of  the  President,  August  4tli,  1862,  for  drafted  men  not  exceeding  our 
quota,  the  sum  of  one  hundred  dollars  each.  And  tin*  selectmen  be  fur- 
ther instructed  to  borrow  money  or  give  their  notes  to  pay  the  same,  when 
they  are  mustered  into  service. 

“ Voted , To  accept  the  following  resolution  : 

At  a legal  town-meeting,  duly  notified  and  holden 
at  Hill,  December  20, 1862,  it  was 

“ Voted,  To  accept  the  following  resolution  : 

“ Resolved,  To  pay  one  hundred  dollars,  in  addition  to  the  one  hun- 
dred dollars  voted  to  be  raised  at  a former  meeting,  to  every  volunteer 
who  may  enlist  from  this  town  and  who  is  a resident  of  the  town  at  the  time 
of  enlistment ; and  to  pay  a sum  not  exceeding  two  hundred  dollars  to 
each  person  who  may  enlist  from  any  other  town  to  fill  our  quota,  said 
sum  to  be  paid  when  mustered  into  the  United  States  service. 

“ Voted,  That  the  selectmen  he  authorized  to  act  as  agents  to  procure 
the  substitutes  for  th$  above  quota. 

“ Fote<Z,To  adjourn  the  meeting  till  one  week  from  next  Saturday,  at 
two  o’clock  in  the  afternoon, January  3,  1863.*’ 

On  January  3, 1863, — 

“2  of  the  clock,  afternoon. 

“ Met  according  to  adjournment  and  heard  the  report  of  the  select- 
men. 

“They  report  that  there  was  no  volunteers  to  be  had  out  of  town. 

“That  the  Governor  and  Council  had  concluded  to  dissolve  the  Sev- 
enteenth (17)  Regiment,  and  that  there  would  not  be  any  drafting  for 
the  present. 

“ Moses  F.  Little,  Town  Clerk." 

At  a legal  town-meeting  in  Hill,  December  5, 
1863,  the  following  resolution  was  handed  in  by  Wil- 
liam T.  Vale : 

“ Resolved,  That  the  selectmen  he  instructed  to  pay  a town  bounty, 
not  exceeding  150  dollars  for  volunteers  or  substitutes  sufficient  to  fill 
the  quota  of  the  town  of  Hill,  under  the  late  call  of  the  President  for 
300, 000  volunteers,  having  the  matter  of  advancing  the  National  and 
State  bounty  or  not  discretionary  with  them,  and  that  the  selectmen  be 
authorized  to  borrow  the  money  on  the  credit  of  the  town,  to  carry  out 
the  purpose  of  this  resolution,  and  that  the  selectmen  be  authorized  to 
act  as  agents.” 

The  above  resolution  was  passed. 

**  Resolved,  That  the  selectmen  be  authorized  to  procure  the  men.” 


for 

Com  /nil tee. 


Select  Men 
For 

New  Chester." 


HILL. 


557 


Passed. 

At  a legal  town-meeting,  holden  at  Hill,  on  Thurs- 
day, March  31,  1864,  it  was 

“ Voted , to  pay  a bounty,  not  to  exceed  150  dollars,  to  any  person  who 
has  re-enlisted,  or  may  re-enlist,  or  to  any  person  who  may  enlist  to  fill 
any  quota  of  this  town  not  already  filled,  hereafter  made  by  the  Presi- 
dent. for  volunteers,  or  t<>  fill  any  quota  of  the  town  under  any  new  call 
of  the  President  for  volunteers,  made  previous  to  March  1st,  1865,  and 
that  the  selectmen  be  authorized  to  procure  the  men  and  borrow'  the 
money  upon  the  credit  of  the  town  to  carry  out  the  object  of  this  vote. 

“ Voted,  To  leave  it  discretionary  with  the  selectmen  to  increase  the 
above  bounty,  if  necessary.” 

At  a legal  town-meeting,  duly  notified  and  holden 
at  Hill,  on  Wednesday,  August  10,  1864,  the  follow- 
ing resolution  was  brought  forward  and  acted  upon  : 

“ llanlved,  Tliat  the  town  raise,  and  the  selectmen  be  instructed  to 
hire,  on  the  credit  of  the  town,  the  sum  of , fifteen  thousand  dollars  for 
the  purpose  set  forth  in  the  second  article  in  the  warrant,  and  that  said 
selectmen  be  instructed  to  pay  over  said  sum  of  money  to  the  agent  for 
filling  the  town’s  quota,  upon  his  demand,  and  take  his  receipt  therefor ; 
and  that  said  agent  be  instructed  to  fill  the  quota  in  the  best  manner 
possible. 

“ Voted , That  the  above  resolution  be  adopted. 

“ Voted , That  Jonathan  R.  Rowell  be  the  agent.” 

At  a legal  town-meeting  holden  at  Hill  on  the 
second  Tuesday  of  March,  1884,  it  was 

“Voted,  to  raise  twenty-five  dollars  for  Decoration  Day,  to  be  paid  to 
a committee  appointed  by  the  members  of  the  Grand  Army  Post.” 

At  a legal  town-meeting  held  on  the  second  Tues- 
day of  March,  1885,  it  was 

“ Voted,  to  raise  twenty -five  dollars  for  Memorial  Day.” 

Soldiers  in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion. — The  fol- 
lowing is  a list  of  the  volunteer  soldiers  from  the 
town  of  Hill  in  the  late  Rebellion : 

FOURTH  REGIMENT. 

George  W.  Davis,  Company  II,  mustered  in  September  18,  1861  ; died 
of  disease  at  Morris  Island  April  6,  1864. 

Richard  E.  Davis,  Company  II,  mustered  in  September  18,  1861  ; dis- 
charged October  18,  1863,  for  disability. 

D.  B.  Sanborn,  Company  H,  mustered  in  September  18,  1861  ; died  of 

disease  September  12,  1862,  at  Fernandina,  Fla. 

Way  land  Ballou,  Company  II,  mustered  In  September  18,  1861;  wounded 
July  13,  186*1;  promoted  to  second  lieutenant  Sixth  United  States 
Colored  Troops  February  28,  1865. 

Moses  E.  Southworth,  Company  II,  mustered  in  September  18,  1861; 
mustered  out.  September  26,  1864. 

Weston  Ballou,  Company  II,  mustered  in  September  18,  1861  ; mustered 
out  September  26,  1864. 

John  C.  Smith,  Company  II,  mustered  in  September  18,  1861  ; promoted 
to  corporal  ; wounded  July  30,  1864;  promoted  to  sergeant  March 
1,  1865  ; mustered  out  September  26,  1865. 

Arthur  L.  Smith,  Company  II,  mustered  in  September  18,  1861  ; mus- 
tered out  September  26,  1865. 

FIFTH  REGIMENT. 

E.  B.  Cilley,  Company  E,  mustered  in  October  19,  1861  ; died  at  Gettys- 

burg July  3d  (no  year). 

Daniel  Bartlett,  Company  E,  mustered  in  October  19, 1861  ; died  at  Camp 
California,  near  Alexandria,  Va.,  January  23,  1862. 

SEVENTH  REGIMENT. 

Parker  Conner,  Company  E,  mustered  in  November  7,  1861  ; died  of 
disease  at  St.  Augustine,  Fla.,  December  26,  1862. 

EIGHTH  REGIMENT. 

Erasmus  Clark,  Company  T,  mustered  in  December  20,  1861 ; died  of 
disease  at  Camp  Parapet,  La.,  July  6,  1862. 

Alvin  II.  Tyrrel,  Company  I,  mustered  in  December  20,  1861  ; died  of 
disease  at  Manchester,  N.  H.,  January  26,  1862. 

Twombly  (no  initial),  Company  D,  mustered  in  December  2o,  1801  ; mus- 
tered out  January  18,  1865. 


G.  W.  Colby,  Company  D,  mustered  in  December  20,  1861 ; corporal ; 
wounded  April  8,  1864  ; died  of  wounds  at  New  Orleans  April 
30,  1864. 

Daniel  W.  Colby,  Company  D,  mustered  in  December  20,  1861  ; ser- 
geant ; promoted  to  first  sergeant ; transferred  to  Company  A,  Vet- 
eran Battalion,  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  June  1,  1865  ; promoted 
t o second  lieutenant  October  28,  1865. 

Asahel  II.  Quimby,  Company  I,  mustered  in  December  20,  1861  ; mus- 
tered out  June  18, 1865. 

Benjamin  Haselton,  Company  D,  mustered  in  December  20,  1861  ; died 
of  disease  at  Baton  Rouge,  La.,  March  12,  1863. 

G.  W.  Corliss,  Company  D,  mustered  in  December  20,  1861  ; died  ot 
disease  at  Boston  Harbor,  Mass.,  February  20,  1862. 

TWELFTH  REGIMENT. 

Hiram  Brown,  Company  C,  mustered  in  September  5,  1862  ; promoted  to 
corporal  ; captured  at  Bermuda  Hundred,  Va.,  November  4,  1864  ; 
exchanged  March  2,  1865  ; mustered  out  May  31,  1865. 

Luther  II.  Parker,  Company  D,  mustered  in  September  5,  1862;  promo- 
ted to  sergeant  (no  month)  6,  1863  ; died  of  wounds  at  Gettysburg, 
Pa., July  24,  1863. 

Frank  Ferren,  Company  D,  mustered  in  September  5,  1862  ; corporal  ; 
promoted  to  sergeant  September  6,  1862  ; discharged  by  order  at 
Baltimore,  Md.,  March  5,  1863. 

William  II.  Straw,  Company  D,  mustered  in  September  5,  1862  ; cor- 
poral ; died  of  disease  at  Alexandria,  Va.,  February  5,  1863. 

Robert  Martin,  Company  D,  mustered  in  September  5,  1862  ; musician  ; 
mustered  out  June  21, 1865. 

Orrin  G.  Colby,  Company  D,  mustered  in  September  5,  1862 ; promoted 
to  corporal  May  1,  1864  ; wounded  June  3,  1864  ; mustered  out  June 
21,  1865. 

Evans  J.  Davis,  Company  D,  mustered  in  September  5,  1862  ; discharged 
by  order  at  Falmouth,  Va.,  April  15,  1863  ; died  at  Regimental  Hos- 
pital, Falmouth,  Va. , April  20,  1863. 

F.  G.  Fowler,  Company  D,  mustered  in  September  5, 1862  ; wounded  at 
Chancellorsvillc  May  3,  1863  ; died  of  wounds  at  David’s  Island, 
N.  Y.,  April  4, 1864. 

Patrick  Hickey,  Company  I),  mustered  in  September  5,  1862  ; wounded 
at  Chancellorsville  May  3, 1863  ; died  at  Potomac  Creek,  Va. , May  30 
1863. 

William  C.  Kelley,  Company  D,  mustered  in  September  5,  1862  ; promo- 
ted to  corporal  June  1,  1865  ; mustered  out  June  21,  1865. 

J.  Frank  Marshall,  Company  D,  mustered  in  September  5, 1862  ; wounded 
at  Cold  Harbor  June  3,  1864;  promoted  to  corporal  November  1, 
1864  ; mustered  out  June  21,  1865. 

D.  Russell  Smith,  Company  D,  mustered  in  September  5, 1862  ; discharged 
by  order  at  Falmouth,  Va.,  February  12,  1863. 

George  W.  Twombly,  Company  I),  mustered  in  September  5,  1862  ; 
wounded  at  Chancellorsville  May  3,  1863  ; transferred  to  Veteran 
Reserve  Corps  September  2,  1863  ; mustered  out  July  14,  1865. 

John  Twombly,  Company  D,  mustered  in  September  5,  1862  ; wounded 
at  Chancellorsville  May  3, 1863  ; discharged  at  Portsmouth  Grove 
R.  I.,  October  26,  1863,  for  disability. 

Joseph  Young,  Company  I),  mustered  in  September  5,  1862  ; wounded 
at  Chancellorsville  May  3,  1863 ; discharged  on  account  of  wounds 
at  Concord,  August  12, 1863. 

George  M.  Sargent,  Company  D,  mustered  in  September  5,  1862 ; pro- 
moted to  corporal  June  1,  1865  ; mustered  out  June  21, 1865. 

C.  T.  Smith,  Company  D,  mustered  in  September  5,  1862 ; wounded  at 
Chancellorsville  May  3, 1863  ; died  of  wounds  at  Potomac  Creek,  Va., 
June  6, 1863. 

A.  J.  Small,  Company  D,  mustered  in  September  5,  1862;  wounded  at 
Gettysburg  May  14,  1864  ; mustered  out  June  21,  1865. 

FIRST  CAVALRY. 

Benjamin  F.  Marshall,  Troop  K,  mustered  in  February  25,  1864  ; mus- 
tered out  July  15,  1865. 

Edward  I>.  Phelps,  Troop  K,  mustered  in  October  24,  1861  ; promoted  to 
quartermaster-sergeant  October  28, 1861  ; discharged  for  disability 
January  28,  1863. 

The  following  is  a list  of  substitutes  and  volunteers 
who  were  not  residents  of  Hill,  but  enlisted  under 
Hill’s  quota : 

FOURTH  REGIMENT. 

Thomas  Down,  Company  C,  mustered  iu  October  20,  1863  ; mustered  out 
August  23,  1863. 


558 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Frank  Wilson,  Company  D,  mustered  in  October  21,  1863  ; unknown. 

John  Brown,  Company  C,  mustered  in  January  25, 1804. 

FIFTH  REGIMENT. 

Charles  Gardner,  Company  C,  mustered  in  September  1G,  1804  ; substi- 
tute for  George  I.  Greeley  ; supposed  to  have  deserted  en  route  to 
regiment. 

William  McGregor,  Company  I,  mustered  in  September  21,  18G4  ; substi- 
tute for  David  G.  Mowe ; absent,  sick,  since  October  6,  1804 ; no 
discharge  furnished. 

James  Riley,  Company  E,  mustered  in  September  13,  1804;  deserted 
April  17,  1805. 

Ilenry  Snow,  Company  II,  mustered  in  September  9,  1854 ; substitute 
for  George  W.  Dearborn  ; promoted  to  corporal  April  18,  1805  ; mus- 
tered out  June  28,  1865. 

William  Simpson,  Company  II,  mustered  in  September  16,  1804;  substi- 
tute for  Calvin  Campbell  ; died  in  rebel  prison,  North  Carolina,  Feb- 
ruary 6,  1865. 

James  Simmons,  Company  B,  mustered  in  January  18,  1804  ; transferred 
from  Second  United  States  Sharpshooters  January  30,  1805  ; absent, 
sick,  since  March  23,  1804  ; no  discharge  furnished. 

James  Watkins,  Company  I,  mustered  in  September  9,  1804  ; mustered 
out  June  28,  18G5. 

SIXTH  REGIMENT. 

George  Lainey,  Company  B,  mustered  in  June  9,  1804 ; not  officially 
accounted  for. 

Joseph  MeCroy,  Company  C,  mustered  in  June  25,  1804;  substitute  for 
Timothy  Stevens;  corporal  ; transferred  from  Company  C,  Eleventh 
New  llami>shire  Volunteers,  June  1,  1805;  mustered  out  July  17, 
1865. 

John  Raimbart,  Company  B,  mustered  in  June  8,  1804;  substitute  for 
John  G.  Eastman  ; deserted  near  Pegran  House,  Va.,  October  15, 
1865. 

Thomas  Silver,  Company  C,  mustered  in  June  11,  1864 ; wounded  Sep- 
tember 30,  1864  ; promoted  to  corporal  July  1,  1805;  mustered  out 
July  17,  1805. 

William  Taylor,  Company  E,  mustered  in  March  12,  1804  ; wounded  July 
12,  1804  ; promoted  to  sergeant  July  1,  1805  ; mustered  out  July  17, 
1865. 

James  Maniey,  Company  I,  mustered  in  December  30, 1803  ; not  officially 
accounted  for. 

Joseph  Davis,  Company  B,  mustered  in  December 30,  1803;  not  officially 
accounted  for. 

Lorenc  McDermott,  Company  A,  mustered  in  January  0, 1864  ; not  offi- 
cially accounted  for. 

Steren  I*.  Smith,  Company  C,  mustered  in  January  11,  1864;  wounded 
September  30,  1864  ; mustered  out  duly  17,  1805. 

SEVENTH  REGIMENT. 

Richard  Grace,  Company  G,  mustered  in  September  22,  1804  ; promoted 
to  corporal  February  8, 1865  ; mustered  out  July  30,  1865. 

NINTH  REGIMENT. 

Calvin  Golden,  Company  I),  mustered  in  July  12,  1802;  not  officially 
accounted  for. 

ELEVENTH  REGIMENT. 

M.  S.  Maxwell,  Company  C,  mustered  in  June  25,  18(‘»4  ; substitute  for 
Warren  Sawyer  ; supposed  to  have  deserted  en  route,  to  regiment. 

William  Murphy,  Company  B,  mustered  in  July  2,  1864;  mustered  out 
May  25,  18G5. 

William  Patterson,  Company  B,  mustered  in  July  30,  1804;  substitute 
for  Jonathan  It.  Rowell ; supi»o8ed  to  have  deserted  en  route  to  reg- 
iment. 

FOURTEENTH  REGIMENT. 

James  Hall,  Company  K,  mustered  in  September  6,  1864 ; not  officially 
accounted  for. 

George  Hallman,  Company  Iv,  mustered  in  September  20,  1864  ; not  offi- 
cially accounted  for. 

Janies  Jones,  Company  D,  mustered  in  September  20,  1804;  not  offi- 
cially accounted  for. 

FIRST  REGIMENT  OF  HEAVY  ARTILLERY. 

David  J.  Moore,  mustered  in  September  14,  1804;  transferred  from 
Company  II  June  10,  1865  ; mustered  out  September  11, 1865. 

The  following  men  are  not  officially  accounted  for: 

Charles  Raymond,  Reuben  Shirk,  Charles  Ames,  Hutchinson  Allen, 

Daniel  Lowell. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH. 


FRANK  R.  WOODWARD.1 

The  first  American  ancestor  of  Mr.  Woodward,  his  I 
great-great-grandfather,  came  to  this  country  from  Ire-  I 
land  prior  to  1750  and  settled  in  Maine,  and  was  a 
soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  War.  He  had  a son, 
Stephen,  who  served  his  country  in  the  War  of  1812.  I 
These  were  brave  and  patriotic  men,  proud  of  the  dis- 
tinction of  being  descendants  of  Hannah  Dustin,  of  j 
Indian  fame. 

Stephen  had  a son,  Jesse,  who  had  a son,  Daniel  S.,  j 
the  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  He  married 
Dorcas,  daughter  of  Enoch  Adams,  and  lived  in  Salis- 
bury, N.  H.,  and  was  a stone-mason. 

Frank  R.  was  born  in  Salisbury  February  9,  1845, 
and  when  three  years  of  age  his  parents  moved  to 
Fisherville  (now  Penacook),  where  they  lived  four 
years  and  then  moved  to  Franklin,  N.  H.,  where  they  f 
kept  the  old  “ Hotel  Boarding-House  ” for  several 
years.  The  boyhood  of  Frank  R.  was  passed  with  his 
parents,  and  his  early  educational  advantages  were 
limited  to  the  district  school,  which  he  attended  win- 
ters, and  assisted  his  father  in  his  wrork  in  the  sum- 
mer. His  mother,  a devoted  Christian  woman,  much 
desired  that  he  should  be  educated  for  the  ministry, 
but  circumstances  directed  him  otherwise.  After  a 1 
course  of  study  at  the  old  Franklin  Academy  he  com- 
menced work  in  the  mill,  and  with  his  wages  assisted  i 
in  the  support  of  the  family.  This  he  continued  to 
do  until  18G8,  when  he  went  to  Manchester,  N.  H.,  \ 
where  he  was  employed  in  H.  Forsaith’s  needle-fac- 
tory.  Here  he  shortly  became  so  efficient,  and  showed 
such  an  aptness  to  comprehend  all  the  details  of  the 
work,  that  he  was  appointed  superintendent,  which 
position  he  filled  with  credit  to  himself  and  with  profit 
to  his  employer.  Under  his  management  the  business 
increased  steadily,  and  in  1870  hebouglit  out  Mr.  For- 
saith  and  moved  the  enterprise  to  Hill,  N.  H.,  and 
there  did  a thriving  business.  Mr.  Woodward,  being 
of  an  inventive  turn  of  mind,  and  desiring  to  develop 
plans  that  he  had  in  mind,  sold  out  his  needle-works 
and  commenced  the  manufacture  of  novelties  in  hard- 
ware, notably  a rotary  steel  glass-cutter,  which  he  had 
brought  to  perfection.  In  this  branch  of  manufac- 
ture Mr.  Woodward  has  been  very  successful,  and  the 
business  in  it  has  so  increased  that  his  works  are  the 
largest  in  the  world,  and  there  is  not  a civilized  nation 
on  the  globe  where  his  name  is  not  familiar  among 
the  hardware  trade  and  his  goods  are  taken  as  the  j 
standard  of  excellence.  From  small  beginnings  this 
business  has  grown  to  a prominence  that  insures 
ample  reward  as  a tribute  to  the  peculiar  skill  and 
sagacity  of  its  originator  and  proprietor. 

In  religion  Mr.  Woodward  is  a Free  Baptist.  He 


1 By  George  B.  Hilliard. 


HILL. 


559 


takes  a . 1 ively  interest  in  educational  matters,  and, 
while  disinclined  to  hold  otlice,  has  served  on  the 
Board  of  Education  of  his  town  as  superintending 
school  committee,  and  is  active  and  earnest  in  the 
support  of  measures  intended  to  benefit  the  young. 

In  politics  Mr.  Woodward  is  a Democrat,  although 
prior  to  1884  he  was,  in  some  respects,  independent, 
voting  for  men  and  measures  that  he  thought  most 
worthy  of  support.  That  he  has  the  confidence  of 
his  fellow-townsmen  of  different  political  views  from 
his  own  is  attested  by  the  fact  that  he  is  the  present 
representative  of  the  town  of  Hill,  N.  H.,  in  the  Gen- 
eral Court,  although  the  town,  on  political  matters,  is 
Republican  by  a decided  majority. 

Mr.  Woodward  has  been  once  married,  and  his 
children  are  Edwin  Chase,  born  February  11,  1867, 
died  in  infancy;  May  F.,  born  February  17,  1871, 
died  May  20,  1884;  Flora  A.,  born  June  5,  1874  ; Lil- 
lia  Gordon,  born  November  5,  1875,  died  in  infancy; 


Eugene  S.,  born  September  20,  1878,  died  in  in- 
fancy. 

May  F.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  thirteen,  was  a 
beautiful  child,  and  greatly  beloved  by  all  who  knew 
her.  She  was  laid  to  rest  in  Pleasant  Hill  Cemetery, 
which  was  laid  out  by  her  father  as  a public  cemetery 
after  her  death,  and  is  dedicated  to  her  memory.  The 
other  children,  who  were  buried  in  the  cemetery  at 
Franklin,  have  been  removed  and  rest  beside  her  in 
this  lovely  spot. 

Mr.  Woodward  is  a member  of  the  Masonic  frater- 
nity, also  an  Odd-Fellow,  Knight  of  Pythias,  Knight 
of  Honor  and  a Good  Templar.  He  is  also  postmaster 
at  Hill,  having  been  appointed  in  August,  1885. 

Mr.  Woodward  is  an  enterprising  citizen,  a leader 
in  town  and  village  improvements,  has  the  most  beau- 
tiful residence  in  his  town,  and  is  respected  and  es- 
teemed by  all  with  whom  he  is  in  any  way  associated 
as  a liberal  citizen,  a true  friend. 


HISTORY  OF  PEMBROKE. 


BY  JOHN  N.  MCCLINTOCK,  A.M. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Pembroke  lies  iii  the  southeastern  part  of  the 
county,  and  is  bounded  as  follows  : 

The  longitude  of  the  spire  of  the  Cougregational 
meeting-house,  which  stands  like  a sentinel  on  the 
east  side  of  the  elevated  main  street,  and  commands  a 
most  extended  prospect  of  hill  and  valley,  has  been 
computed  as  71°  27'  34.6"  west  of  Greenwich;  the 
latitude  as  43°  8'  54.8"  north  of  the  equator.  The 
base  of  the  spire,  where  it  joins  the  roof,  is  four  hun- 
dred and  forty-six  feet  above  the  ocean  at  mean  high- 
water  at  Portsmouth.  The  United  States  Coast  Sur- 
vey has  given  their  authority  for  the  above  figures, 
and  reasonable  dependence  may  be  placed  upon  them. 

Pembroke  joins  Concord,  the  capital  of  the  State, 
on  the  northwest,  the  centre  of  the  Suncook  River  form- 
ing the  line.  It  is  bounded  on  the  west  by  Merri- 
mack River,  which  separates  it  from  How,  of  ancient 
controversy,  and  which  flows  calmly,  with  unbroken 
surface,  by  the  town,  resting  from  its  plunge  at  Gar- 
vin’s Falls,  and  preparing  for  another  fall  at  Hooksett. 
At  this  point  the  Merrimack  has  descended  three  hun- 
dred feet  from  its  chief  fountain,  Lake  Winnipiseogee, 
and  has  two  hundred  feet  more  to  fall  before  its  waters 
mingle  with  the  ocean.  On  the  south,  the  town  is 
bounded  by  the  south  bank  of  the  Suncook  River,  and 
joins  Allenstown.  This  stream  takes  its  rise  among 
the  Belknap  Mountains,  affords  many  valuable  water 
privileges  in  its  course,  flows  through  a charming 
valley,  and,  near  its  junction  with  the  Merrimack, 
falls  rapidly  over  one  hundred  feet,  affording  motive- 
power  to  one  of  the  richest  manufacturing  corpora- 
tions in  New  England,  and  fostering  the  village  of 
Suncook,  partly  in  Pembroke  and  partly  in  Allens- 
town. On  the  east  or  northeast  side  the  town  joins 
Epsom,  Chichester  and  Loudon,  maintaining,  with 
Chichester,  the  old  provincial  township  line  of  Bow. 

The  town  contains  ten  thousand  two  hundred  and 
forty  acres.  From  the  intervals  along  the  three  rivers, 
which  nearly  surround  the  town,  the  land  rises  grad- 
ually toward  the  centre,  attaining  a height  of  some 
four  hundred  feet  above  the  Merrimack  at  the  greatest 
elevation  near  the  centre,  and  several  hundred  feet 
higher  on  the  Chichester  line. 

The  surface  is  generally  undulating.  Near  the 
560 


mouth  of  theSuucook  are  some  of  those  peculiar  hills, 
called  dunes,  rising  seventy  feet  above  the  river 
terrace,  which  mark  the  retreating  line  of  some  an- 
cient glacier,  or  something  of  the  kind.  About  one 
hundred  feet  above  the  Merrimack  is  exposed,  for  sev- 
eral miles  on  the  side  hill,  a bed  of  clay,  from  twenty 
to  thirty  feet  in  thickness,  the  upper  part  hard,  com- 
pact and  gray,  the  lower  part  soft,  plastic  and  blue, 
the  whole  covered  by  a few  feet  of  sand.  This  whole 
bed  is  an  unfailing  source  of  wealth  to  its  owners,  and 
is  largely  worked  for  bricks,  bringing  more  money 
into  circulation  for  honest  labor  than  a successful 
gold-mine. 

Hut  the  chief  attraction  of  Pembroke  is  its  soil. 
This  first  attracted  the  hardy  pioneers  in  the  early 
part  of  the  last  century.  For  a hundred  and  fifty 
years  it  has  been  cultivated,  and  still  yields  a rich 
return  to  the  husbandman.  Like  the  hill-sides  of 
France,  Italy  and  Syria,  it  bids  fair  to  last  a thousand 
years  to  come.  All  the  fruits  and  grains  of  our  tem- 
perate zone  can  be  cultivated  within  the  town,  and 
cattle,  horses  and  sheep  thrive  upon  the  rich  pastur- 
age of  the  fields.  The  fathers  of  the  town  were 
thoughtful  of  coming  generations,  and  noble  old  elms 
and  oaks,  with  their  grateful  shade,  delight  the  eye. 

There  are  to  be  found  to-day,  within  the  town, 
many  lineal  deseendents  of  the  early  proprietors, 
while  every  year  there  has  been  an  exodus  of  sons 
and  daughters,  wandering  from  the  home  hive  to  the 
commercial  and  manufacturing  centres  in  search  of 
fame  and  fortune — to  the  far-away  prairies  of  the 
West,  or  the  more  distant  mining-fields,  for  new  homes, 
carrying  with  them  an  indelible  memory  of  Pembroke 
and  the  loved  scenes  of  youth. 

The  first  settlers,  both  the  children  of  the  Massachu- 
setts Pilgrims  and  the  sons  and  daughters  of  the 
defenders  of  Londonderry,  were  pious,  brave,  indus- 
trious, law-abiding  citizens,  quick  to  respond  to  the 
call  of  duty,  just  to  their  neighbors  and  tenacious  of 
their  rights.  Their  successors  have,  in  the  several 
generatious,  inherited  the  virtues  of  their  fathers. 
The  good,  brave,  honest  and  industrious  have  always 
been  welcome  to  their  midst  and  have  found  congenial 
homes;  the  idle  and  vicious  have  never  been  counted 
as  part  of  their  community. 

The  incidents  in  the  history  of  a people  of  this 


PEMBROKE. 


class  are  not  of  a thrilling  nature ; no  iierce  outbreaks, 
no  family  feuds  and  no  crimes,  except  those  committed 
I by  aliens,  will  mar  the  pages  of  its  history.  It  is  the 
record  of  a town  started  amidst  difficulties,  overcom- 
ing natural  and  artificial  impediments,  winning  its 
| way  slowly  to  assured  wealth,  liberal  means  of  educa- 
' tion,  broad  fields,  comfortable  homes  and  a high  rank 
among  its  neighbors  for  intelligence  and  public  spirit. 

Lovewell’s  township,  or  Suncook,  was  a frontier 
| town  for  many  years  after  its  settlement.  That  it  suf- 
i fered  no  more  during  the  contest  was  owing  to  the 
fact  that  its  young  men  were  constantly  on  the  scout 
toward  the  enemy. 

In  1729  the  town  began  to  be  settled.  And  here  let 
us  glance  at  the  different  elements  that  combined  to 
form  the  town  of  Pembroke, — there  were  the  Puritans, 
from  the  old  Bay  Colony;  the  Scotch-Irish  Presby- 
terians, from  the  settlement  of  Londonderry ; and, 
lastly,  the  New  Hampshire  settlers  from  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Exeter,  Dover  and  Kingston,  who  came  in 
later  under  Bow  titles.  Truly  the  town  was  not 
homogeneous.  A French  family  was  the  first  to  locate 
in  town,  and  several  Welsh  families  settled  there 
later. 

To  fully  understand  the  early  history  of  Pembroke, 
it  will  be  necessary  to  examine  the  records  of  the 
province  of  New  Hampshire  and  of  the  province  of 
Massachusetts  Bay.  Originally  settled  at  about  the 
same  period,  1620-23,  the  progress  of  the  Bay  Colony 
had  been  more  rapid  than  that  of  the  settlements 
upon  the  Piscataqua.  For  a long  period,  1640-80, 
Massachusetts  assumed  jurisdiction  over  the  territory 
of  New  Hampshire.  By  her  charter  she  claimed, 
as  a northern  boundary,  a line  three  miles  north  of 
the  Merrimack  River,  from  its  outlet  to  its  source ; 
New  Hampshire  claimed,  as  a southern  bound, 
a line  from  a point  three  miles  north  of  the  mouth 
of  the  Merrimack,  extending  due  west.  The  greater 
part  of  the  present  town  of  Pembroke  was  thus 
debatable  ground,  claimed  by  each  party.  The 
Indians,  the  rightful  claimants,  were  ignored  by  both 
parties  until  their  claims  were  set  aside  by  the  fate  of 
war.  Their  last  and  most  cruel  punishment  in  this 
region  was  administered  by  Captain  John  Lovewell, 
and  the  company  under  his  command,  May  8,  1725, 
near  Fryeburg,  Me.,— a defeat  from  which  the  New 
Hampshire  Indians  never  recovered,  and  which  led 
directly  to  the  granting  and  settlement  of  the  town 
of  Suncook  (now  Pembroke). 

In  September,  1724,  two  men  disappeared  from 
Dunstable.  A scouting-party  was  immediately  raised 
to  search  for  them,  but  were  surprised  by  the  Indians. 
Nine  of  their  number  were  killed  and  only  two 
escaped — one  badly  wounded.  Another  party  fell 
into  their  ambush.  One  was  killed,  four  were  wounded 
and  the  rest  escaped.  The  number  of  the  attacking 
Indians  was  estimated  at  thirty. 

Aroused  by  these  depredations,  John  Lovewell, 
Josiah  Farwell  and  Jonathan  Robbins  petitioned  the 
36 


561 


provincial  government  of  Massachusetts  for  authority 
to  raise  and  equip  a company  of  scouts  to  “kill  and 
destroy  ” their  enemy,  the  Indians.  Receiving  proper 
encouragement,  Captain  Lovewell,  with  a company 
of  men  zealous  to  revenge  their  injuries,  carried  the 
war  into  the  country  of  the  enemy,  ranged  up  the 
Merrimack  Valley  and  to  the  northward  of  Lake  Win- 
nipiseogee,  and  succeeded  in  obtaining  one  captive 
and  slaying  one  Indian.  On  their  second  expedition, 
the  following  January,  they  surprised  and  killed  ten 
Indians  in  the  neighborhood  of  Tamworth.  The  third 
expedition,  of  forty-six  men,  left  Dunstable  April  16, 
1725.  On  the  morning  of  the  engagement  at  Pig- 
wacket  only  thirty-four  men  were  in  the  command, 
the  rest  having  been  detached  for  various  reasons,  and 
the  attacking  party,  under  Paugus,  was  more  than 
double  that  number.  The  fight  commenced  in  the 
morning  and  lasted  until  after  sunset,  when  the 
Indians  withdrew,  leaving  the  field  to  the  scouts. 
The  survivors  of  this  daring  band,  after  encountering 
great  hardships,  arrived  at  the  settlements.  Captain 
John  Lovewell  was  among  the  first  to  fall  on  that 
unhappy  day. 

The  General  Court  of  Massachusetts  received,  May 
31,  1727,  a petition  from  the  survivors  and  the  heirs 
of  those  killed,  who  were  with  Captain  John  Love- 
well on  his  several  expeditions  against  the  Indians, 
for  the  grant  of  a township  adjoining  and  south  of 
Penacook,  to  repay  them  for  their  services  in  hehalf 
of  the  colony.  The  petition  was  taken  into  consid- 
eration June  27,  1727,  and  the  township  of  Suncook, 
or  Lovewell’s  township,  was  granted. 

There  is  reason  to  believe  that  the  first  movement 
toward  a settlement  of  Suncook  was  in  the  summer 
of  1728.  It  was  the  custom  for  the  young  men  to 
start  early  in  the  spring  for  the  newly-granted  wild 
lands,  build  a rude  log  shanty  for  temporary  shelter, 
and  proceed  at  once  to  clear  away  the  forest  growth 
from  their  lots.  The  axe  and  firebrand  were  the 
means  employed.  Not  unfrequently  the  crop  of  the 
first  season  nearly  paid  for  the  land.  After  the  har- 
vest the  toilers  would  return  to  a more  settled  com- 
munity in  which  to  pass  the  winter. 

Tradition  asserts  that  Francis  Doyne  and  wife  were 
the  first  white  inhabitants  who  ever  wintered  in  the 
township  (1728-29),  and  they  may  be  said  to  have  been 
the  first  permanent  settlers.  Their  log  hut  is  said  to 
have  been  located  about  in  the  middle  of  the  field 
west  of  Pembroke  Street,  just  north  of  the  road  lead- 
ing toward  Garvin’s  Falls.  After  a severe  snow- 
storm they  were  visited  by  a party  from  Penacook, 
who  were  anxious  as  to  their  safety,  and  were  found 
in  a ronghly-built  cabin,  comfortable,  contented  and 
protected  against  the  inclemency  of  the  weather. 
Doyne  was  one  of  Captain  Lovewell’s  soldiers.  Dur- 
ing the  same  summer,  1728,  the  property  was  proba- 
bly visited  both  by  many  of  the  original  grantees, 
their  heirs  and  others  wanting  to  purchase.  The 
amount  of  work  accomplished  during  this  first  year 


562 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


toward  effecting  a permanent  settlement  is  unknown, 
but  in  the  following  spring  (1729)  the  ingress  of  set- 
tlers was  rapid. 

Besides  James  Moor  and  Francis  Doyne,  there  is 
reason  to  believe  that  the  township  was  occupied  in 
the  summer  of  1729  by  James  Mann,  Samuel  Gault, 
Thomas  Cunningham  and  Noah  Johnson.  Contem- 
porary or  a very  little  later  came  Benjamin  Holt, 
Richard  Eastman,  David  Lovejov,  Abner  Gordon, 
Benjamin  Chandler,  David  Chandler,  Stephen  Holt 
and  Dudley  Broadstreet. 

In  a general  sense,  the  settlers  of  the  township  dis- 
placed the  Indians,  but  no  particular  tribe  is  known 
to  have  occupied  the  territory  save  as  a hunting- 
ground  and  fishing  rendezvous.  The  name  of  one 
Indian  only  has  come  down  to  us  as  having  any  con- 
nection with  the  place,  and  his  record  is  very  tradi- 
tional and  vague.  Plausawa,  in  whose  honor  the  hill 
in  North  Pembroke  is  named,  is  said  to  have  had  his 
wigwam  in  that  locality.  With  his  comrades,  Sabatis 
and  Christi,  he  was  frequent  visitor  to  this  and  neigh- 
boring sections  until  war  was  declared,  when  he  cast 
his  lot  with  the  St.  Francis  tribe.  The  three  are 
charged  with  having  led  or  instigated  the  attack  upon 
Suncook  and  Epsom  in  after-years.  During  a cessa- 
tion of  hostilities  Plausawa  and  Sabatis  were  killed 
while  on  a friendly  visit  to  Boscawen,  in  1753. 

At  a meeting  of  the  grantees  or  proprietors  of  the 
township  of  Suncook,  held  at  Chelmsford,  December 
10,  1729,  Lieutenant  David  Melvin,  Mr.  Eleazer 
Davis  and  Lieutenant  Jonathan  Hubbard,  unani- 
mously, and  Dr.  William  Ayer  and  William  Cum- 
mings, by  a majority,  were  chosen  a committee  of  five 
to  order  the  affairs  of  the  new  settlement,  and  to 
admit  the  thirteen  men  of  Captain  Lovewell's  early 
command  who  would  actually  settle  upon  their  rights. 
At  an  adjourned  meeting  the  next  day,  December  11th, 
it  was  voted  that  the  committee  of  five  already  chosen 
should  view  the  lands  in  the  township,  and,  with  the 
assistance  of  an  able  surveyor,  lay  out  sixty  lots, 
“ the  least  to  contain  forty  acres  if  the  land  will  con- 
veniently allow  thereof ; . . . the  lots  to  be  qualified 
by  adding  a larger  quantity  of  land  where  the  land 
shall  appear  to  be  of  less  value  than  the  best,  so  that 
the  lots  be  all  equal  in  value  in  the  judgment  of  the 
committee.”  It  was  also  ordered  that  the  intervale 
land,  which  was  of  especial  value  to  new  settlers, 
being  already  cleared  of  forest,  should  be  equitably 
divided  ; that  a plat  of  these  lots  should  be  made  and 
distinctly  numbered ; and  that,  at  a convenient  time 
after  this  survey  had  been  accomplished,  the  pro- 
prietors should  be  notified  to  meet  and  draw  lots. 
The  committee  were  enjoined  to  lay  out  an  additional 
lot,  “ as  conveniently  as  may  be,”  for  the  first  settled 
minister,  and  a “ convenient  portion  of  land  reserved 
for  the  ministry.” 

A list  of  the  first  forty-seven  grantees  or  proprietors 
of  the  township  of  Suncook,  together  with  the  thir- 
teen who  were  admitted  as  equal  sharers,  taken 


December  11,  1729,  is  here  given,  together  with  the 
number  drawn  by  each  proprietor  in  the  first  division 
of  lots  subsequently  made, — 


Upland  Inter- 

FIRST  DIVISION  OF  LOTS. 

lots. 

val  lots. 

Captain  John  Lovewell  (d.)1.  . . 

. 55 

33 

Lieutenant  Josiah  Farwell  (d.)1. 

. 34 

26 

Lieutenant  Jonathan  Robbins  (d.)1 

. . 31 

44 

Ensign  John  Harwood  (d.)1  . . . . 

25 

Noah  Johnson.1 

. 40 

27 

Of  Dunstable  . . . 

Robert  Usher  (d.)1 

52 

Samuel  Whiting1 

. 17 

0 

Jonathan  Cummings 

. 27 

18 

William  Cummings 

. 4 

21 

Benjamin  Hassel 

. 10 

51 

Edward  Lingfield1 

. 16 

— 

Nathaniel  Woods,  Jr 

38 

Daniel  Woods  (d.)1 

56 

John  Jefts  (d.)> 

. 48 

29 

Thomas  Woods  (d.)1 

13 

Of  Groton  . . . . 

Joseph  Gilson,  Jr. 1 

9 

John  Gilson 

5 

John  Chamberlain.1 

. 42 

19 

Isaac  Lakin1 

. 43 

20 

John  Stevens 

. 38 

58 

Benjamin  Parker 

. 21 

10 

Of  Chelmsford  . . 

Ebenezer  Wright 

32 

Moses  Graves 

28 

Of  Dracut  .... 

Joseph  Wright 

42 

Of  Stowe 

Jacob  Gates 

. 57 

35 

Robert  Phelps 

. 7 

54 

Of  Lancaster  . . . ^ 

Jonathan  Houghton 

59 

Joseph  Wheelock 

57 

John  Pollard 

60 

Of  Billerica.  . . . 

Jeremiah  Hunt 

* Jonathan  Kittredge  (d.)1 

. 14 

— 

. 29 

46 

Captain  Seth  Wyman1 

14 

Thomas  Richardson 1 

. 30 

45 

Of  Woburn.  . . . 

Josiah  Johnson  1 

— 

. 

Ichabod  Johnson  (d.)1 

31 

Timothy  Richardson  1 

. 22 

11 

Of  Andover  . . . 

Mr.  Jonathan  Frye  (d.)> 

. 12 

49 

Of  Penacock  . . . 

Francis  Doyen 

. 11 

50 

Dr.  William  Ayer 

. 8 

53 

Of  Haverhill.  . . • 

Ebenezer  Ayer 1 

. 52 

30 

Abiel  Austin 1 

. r>3 

40 

Zebadiah  Austin 

. 62 

41 

Of  Weston  .... 

Jacob  Fullain  (d.)1 

23 

Of  Londonderry.  . « 

Benjamin  Kidder 

. 26 

16 

JohnGoffe 

. 18 

6 

Of  Marlborough.  . 

Solomon  Keyes1 

12 

Of  America.  . . . 

Toby,  Indian 

36 

Edward  Spooney ■ 

• 20 

8 

Of  Dunstable.  . . -< 

Ebenezer  Halburt 

. 32 

43 

- Samuel  Moore 

. 47 

47 

Lieutenant  David  Melvin 1 . . . . 

. 41 

55 

Isaac  Whitney • 

. 61 

39 

Zachariah  Parker 

. 28 

17 

Joseph  Farrar1 

. 13 

48 

Of  Concord  . . . • 

Elias  Barron  (d.)1 

. 61 

15 

Eleazer  Melvin1 

37 

Josiah  Davis  (d.)1 

. 44 

22 

Eleazer  Davis1 

. 6 

61 

Josiah  Jones  1 

. 56 

34 

Jacob  Farrar  (d.)1 

. 2 

7 

The  inroad  of  settlers  in  1730  was  probably  rapid. 
The  giants  of  the  forest  fell  before  the  woodman’s  axe, 
and  the  log  cabin  was  rendered  homelike  by  the 
presence  of  women  and  children.  The  few  scattering 
Indians  remaining  in  the  neighborhood  were  indiffer- 


i In  the  figlit  at  Pigwacket,  Fryeburg.  (d.)  deceased. 


PEMBROKE. 


563 


1 ent  or  friendly,  and  doubtless  the  settlers  received 
occasional  calls  from  them. 

The  log  houses  built  by  the  pioneers  of  the  last 
century  are  unknown  to-day  in  this  vicinity,  but 
their  type  may  still  be  seen  iu  the  logging  camps  of 
Graftou  and  Coos  Counties,  and  in  all  new  countries. 
In  summer  the  life  was  not  unpleasant, — the  river 
teemed  with  shad,  salmon,  and  trout ; the  deer  and  the 
bear  wandered  in  the  neighboring  forests ; the  virgin 
soil  yielded  wonderful  harvests.  Their  fare  was  simple, 
but  with  prudence  and  foresight  one  could  provide  for 
the  family  during  the  long  winter  months  with  ordi- 
nary exertion.  Fuel  was  at  their  very  doors,  to  be 
had  for  the  chopping,  and  pitch  pine  knots  answered 
for  candles  and  gas. 

Wolves,  lean  and  hungry,  might  howl  about  their 
i safely-barred  windows,  but  could  not  enter  their 
dwellings;  nor  could  the  cold  affect  them,  with  logs 
: hospitably  piled  in  the  open  fire-place.  The  Bible 
i and  New  England  Primer  might  form  their  thoroughly 
read  library,  but  tradition  was  a never-failing  source 
of  interest  to  them. 

James  Moore  probably  erected  his  house  this  year, 
said  to  have  been  the  first  framed  building  in  the 
township,  and  the  frame  to-day  forms  a part  of 
Samuel  Emery  Moore’s  house.  Neighbors  from  Buck- 
street  and  Concord  assisted  at  the  raising,  and  a few 
Indians  are  said  to  have  helped.  Tradition  asserts 
that  one  of  the  latter  was  worsted  in  a friendly  con- 
test and  trial  of  strength,  usual  from  time  immemorial 
on  such  occasions,  and  became  very  angry  at  his  over- 
throw, threatening  vengeance.  His  wrath  was  ap- 
peased by  a potation  from  a brown  jug  which  had 
already  come  into  use.  Moore  was  very  sagacious  in 
his  treatment  of  the  Indians,  and  gained  their  friend- 
ship ; his  place  was  avoided  by  them  in  after-years 
during  hostilities,  though  fortified  to  repel  an  attack. 

In  April,  1733,  it  was  “ Voted  that  a meeting-house, 
twenty-four  feet  wide  and  thirty  feet  long,  be  built  as 
soon  as  may  te,  and  set  upon  or  near  a lot  of  land, 
No.  3,  the  said  house  to  be  of  good  hewn  logs,  ten  or 
eleven  feet  stud,  the  roof  to  be  well  covered  with 
long  shingles,  well  laid  and  nailed,  and  one  door  well 
made  and  hung,  ye  ends  of  ye  house  to  be  closed  with 
good  clapboards  or  boards,  all  to  be  done  sufficiently 
workmanlike  by  the  last  day  of  June  ” ensuing. 

The  contract  for  erecting  this  structure  was  awarded 
to  Timothy  Richardson  for  the  sum  of  “fifty-five 
pounds,  in  good  bills  of  credit,”  provided  he  found  all 
the  nails  and  gave  bonds  for  the  faithful  performance 
of  the  work. 

This  church,  which  was  built  in  accordance  with 
the  above  vote,  stood  at  the  northeast  corner  of  the 
graveyard,  on  Main  Street,  near  the  residence  of  Hon. 
Aaron  Whittemore,  not  far  from  the  Meeting-House 
Brook,  to  which  it  gave  the  name.  It  answered  the 
purpose  for  which  it  was  built  for  more  than  a dozen 
years,  when  it  was  replaced  by  a more  pretentious 
framed  building  occupying  the  same  site. 


At  a subsequent  meeting,  at  the  same  place,  Septem- 
ber 19th,  a grant  of  fifty  acres  of  land  and  a sum  of 
money  not  to  exceed  sixty  pounds,  was  voted  to  en- 
courage the  person  or  persons  who  should  build  a good 
and  suitable  saw-mill  and  corn-mill  in  some  conve- 
nient place  in  the  township,  acceptable  to  the  pro- 
prietors’ committee. 

In  1737  the  first  road  to  Rumford  was  laid  out.  It 
led  diagonally  across  the  lots  very  directly  from  the 
first  meeting-house,  at  the  northeast  corner  of  the 
cemetery,  over  intervening  land  to  the  bridge; 
thence  by  the  river-bank  to  the  great  bend  in  the  Mer- 
rimack, where  a ferry  was  early  established,  about  a 
mile  below  the  lower  bridge  in  Concord,  and  nearly 
as  far  above  the  railroad  bridge. 

At  this  period  the  township  of  Suncook  included  a 
part  of  the  present  towns  of  Pembroke,  Hooksett, 
Allenstown  and  Bow,  as  may  be  seen  by  consulting 
the  plan.  Buck-street  and  North  Pembroke  were  not 
included.  The  former  was  probably  settled  by  the 
Cochran,  McLucas,  Sinckler,  Martin,  McGaff'ey, 
Fullerton  and  other  families.  The  north  and  east 
parts  of  the  town  were  then  a wilderness,  covered  by 
the  primeval  forest.  The  Suncook  settlers,  for  the 
most  part,  were  on  the  home  lots,  which  were  on  each 
side  of  what  is  now  Pembroke  Street.  Their  meadow 
lots,  on  the  Suncook  and  Soucook  Rivers,  were 
reached  by  winding  paths  through  the  forest,  and 
were  valuable  to  the  pioneers  from  the  wild  grass  that 
grew  upon  them.  The  interval  lots  along  the 
Merrimack  are  said  to  have  been  open  at  the  first 
settlement,  from  inundation  of  the  river,  or  kept  so 
by  the  former  occupants  of  the  land,  the  Indians,  as 
corn-fields. 

An  old  man  once  said  that  the  pioneers  settled  on 
high  land,  not  on  account  of  its  fertility,  but  to  avoid 
the  trails  of  the  savages,  which  were  made  by  the  river- 
bank  ; that  the  Indians  would  never  turn  from  their 
march  to  do  malicious  injury,  except  when  on  the 
war-path ; and  because  from  an  elevation  the  clear- 
ings could  be  better  protected  by  a stockade  and 
garrison-house. 

Mention  has  been  made  of  the  dispute  between  the 
provinces  of  Massachusetts  and  New  Hampshire  as  to 
their  boundary  line.  To  settle  the  conflicting  claims, 
an  appeal  was  made  to  the  King,  who  appointed  a 
board  of  commissioners,  selected  from  the  councilors 
of  Nova  Scotia,  Rhode  Island,  New  York  and  New 
Jersey,  with  power  to  settle  the  question.  This  com- 
mission first  met  at  Hampton,  August  1,  1737.  A 
few  days  later  the  Assembly  of  New  Hampshire  met 
in  the  same  town,  while  in  the  neighboring  town  of 
Salisbury,  across  the  line,  the  Assembly  of  Massa- 
chusetts was  gathered.  Jonathan  Belcher  was  the 
Royal  Governor  of  both  provinces ; David  Dunbar 
was  Lieutenant-Governor  of  New  Hampshire.  This 
Assembly  of  the  Great  and  General  Courts  was  at- 
tended with  much  pomp  and  ceremony.  Evidently 
the  legislators  were  acting  the  part  of  lobbyists  on  a 


564 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNT F,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


grand  scale.  The  decision  of  the  commissioners 
was  not  satisfactory  to  either  party,  and  they  had  to 
again  refer  the  subject  to  the  King. 

In  this  appeal  New  Hampshire  had  the  advantage 
of  the  most  skillful  advocates,  who  represented  the  | 
“ poor,  little,  loyal,  distressed  province  of  New  j 
Hampshire  ” as  crowded  and  oppressed  by  the  “ vast, 
opulent,  overgrown  province  of  Massachusetts ; ” and 
New  Hampshire  won  the  case.  The  question  was 
settled  by  His  Majesty,  in  council,  March  5,  1740, 
and  the  present  southern  boundary  of  New  Hamp- 
shire was  established.  With  many  other  townships 
granted  by  Massachusetts,  Suncook  was  found  to  be 
without  the  jurisdiction  of  the  province  that  had 
granted  the  charter,  and  within  a province  governed 
by  different  laws,  and  under  a proprietary  system 
where  the  wild  land  was  owmed  by  individuals  and 
not  by  the  State. 

This  was  the  more  hitter  to  the  inhabitants  of  Suncook 
because  of  the  Masonian  claim.  This  hung  over  their 
heads  and  affected  their  ownership  in  the  lands  which 
they  had  recovered  from  a wilderness  by  years  of  toil 
and  exposure.  They  had  become  attached  to  the 
beautiful  locality,  and  would  not  give  it  up,  at  least 
without  a struggle.  They  stood  in  the  places  of  those 
heroes  who  had  dislodged  the  Indians  from  this  region 
and  rendered  the  whole  habitable.  Some  of  the  num- 
ber were  in  their  midst,  and  they  clung  to  their  lands 
and  hoped  for  the  best.  This  act  of  the  King  led  to 
a more  serious  contest,  which  lasted  a score  of  years, 
to  the  detriment  of  all  engaged.  In  Suncook  and 
Rumford  it  was  generally  known  as  the  Bow  contro- 
versy. 

To  certain  of  the  settlers,  whose  families  for  over  a 
century  had  shared  the  fortunes  of  Massachusetts  and 
imbibed  its  prejudices,  this  change  in  jurisdiction 
must  have  been  unwelcome.  To  the  Presbyterians  it 
was  objectionable  only  so  far  as  it  affected  their  prop- 
erty rights.  As  individual  preferences  were  not  re- 
garded, all  had  to  submit  to  the  inevitable. 

In  1744  the  long-expected  war  between  France  and 
England  was  declared,  and  the  New  England  settle- 
ments were  exposed  to  the  merciless  and  treacherous 
attacks  of  the  Indians  along  the  whole  frontier.  These 
foes  were  armed  and  rewarded  by  the  French  author- 
ities in  Canada.  Four  block-houses  were  erected  in 
Suncook, — one  where  Mr.  Moody  K.  Wilson  lives,  one 
on  the  farm  of  Mr.  Edward  Elliot  (formerly  occupied 
by  Colonel  James  Head,  and  later  by  Deacon  Hazel- 
tine),  one  where  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Yose  lives  (formerly 
occupied  by  Rev.  Aaron  Whittemore)  and  one  where 
M r.  Samuel  E.  Moore  lives, — as  places  of  refuge  in 
case  of  an  attack.  These  block-houses,  or  forts,  were 
constructed  of  green  logs,  two  stories  in  height,  the 
upper  story  projecting,  and  affording  port-holes  through 
which  the  sides  of  the  structure  could  be  protected  by 
those  within.  Moore’s  house  was  protected  by 
a stockade.  Aware  of  the  danger  which  surrounded 
them,  arms  were  carried  on  every  occasion,  even  to  i 


the  meeting-house,  where  they  were  stacked,  ready 
for  instant  use,  in  case  of  a surprise. 

The  New  Hampshire  Assembly  was  petitioned  in 
June,  by  Moses  Foster,  in  behalf  of  the  inhabitants, 
for  a garrison  of  soldiers  to  act  as  a protection.  The 
whole  province  was  in  arms  all  through  the  year. 

The  good  people  of  Suncook  became  dissatisfied 
with  their  log  meeting-house  in  1746,  and  resolved  to 
replace  it  with  a frame  structure  better  adapted  to 
their  wants.  The  frame  of  timber  was  accordingly 
prepared,  and  the  whole  town  turned  out  to  the  rais- 
ing. So  important  was  the  movement  that  citizens 
from  the  neighboring  townships  gave  their  presence 
and  assistance  to  the  work,  and  tradition  affirms  that 
among  others  were  the  Bradleys,  from  Concord,  who, 
within  a short  time  after,  perished  by  the  hands  of 
the  Indians. 

The  building  was  interfered  with  by  the  Indian  dis- 
turbances, but  at  length  it  was  finished,  and  answered 
for  a meeting-house  and  town-house  for  over  half  a 
century.  It  stood  at  the  northeast  corner  of  the 
cemetery,  on  Main  Street,  until  about  1806,  when  it 
was  moved  to  its  present  position.  Its  solid  frame, 
having  been  converted  into  a barn,  is  now  owned  by 
Hon.  Aaron  Whittemore,  a great-grandson  of  the  first 
settled  minister  in  town. 

In  August  the  Indians  made  a successful  attack 
upon  a party  of  seven  men  in  the  neighboring  settle- 
ment of  Rumford,  killed  five  and  carried  two  captives 
to  Canada.  The  inhabitants  of  Suncook  were  justly 
alarmed,  and  took  extra  precautions  to  escape  a sur- 
prise. The  firing  of  three  guns  in  quick  succession 
was  the  signal  of  alarm,  when  men,  women  and  chil- 
dren would  hasten  to  the  garrison-houses  as  places  of 
safety.  A commissioned  officer  was  stationed  in  each 
of  these  for  command  in  its  defense.  Rev.  Aaron 
Whittemore,  who  occupied  one  of  the  block-houses, 
was  thus  commissioned.  The  planting  and  harvesting 
were  attended  with  peculiar  danger,  yet,  as  they  were 
necessary  exposures,  these  hardy  pioneers  ventured 
all  rather  than  desert  their  new  homes.  Companions 
of  the  dreaded  Captain  John  Lovewell  or  their 
descendants,  they  kept  their  foes  at  a respectful  dis- 
tance by  fear  of  their  unerring  rifles  and  attested 
bravery. 

The  following  petition  is  of  interest: 

“To  his  Excelency  Benning  Wentworth,  Esq.,  Governor  and  Com- 
mander-in-Chief  in  and  over  His  Majesty’s  Province  of  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  to  the  Ilon’bl  Majesty’s  Council  and  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives of  said  Province,  in  General  Court  assembled  : 

“ The  humble  petition  of  the  inhabitants  of  Suncook,  in  Said  Prov 
ince  humbly  6heweth, 

“ That  on  Monday  the  twentieth  of  this  instant  May,  about  two  hours 
after  sun  rise,  the  Indians  set  on  two  men  in  ye  lower  part  of  this  town, 
and  killed  one  of  them,  and  the  other  narrowly  escaped,  and  they  fired 
at  a house  but  was  repulsed,  and  toward  evening  of  the  same  day,  the 
Sun  about  two  hours  high,  they  robbed  two  or  three  houses  and  fired  on 
four  men  going  to  the  pasture  for  their  cows,  within  about  half  a mile 
from  the  meeting  house,  a considerable  number  of  the  enemy,  we 
believe  they  intend  to  destroy  ye  place,  and  ever  since  we  have  been 
penned  close  in  our  garrisons  and  can  do  no  work  abroad,  so  that  with- 
out speedy  help  we  must  all  move  off. 

“May  it  therefore  please  your  excelency  and  honors,  in  your  great 


PEMBROKE.  • 


565 


wisdom,  to  send  us  such  such  speedy  help  and  protection  as  in  your  great 
wisdom  you  shall  think  tit,  and  your  Petitioners,  as  in  duty  bound,  shall 
ever  pray. 

“Dated  at  Suncook  this  26  of  May,  1747. 

“ Moses  Foster,  Benjamin  Holt,  Elias  Whittemore,  Richard  Eastman, 
Caleb  Lovejoy,  Moses  Tyler,  Joseph  Baker,  David  Abbott,  John  Noyes, 
Robert  White,  John  Fife,  John  McNeil,  Thomas  Russ,  David  Lovejoy, 
John  Man,  John  Knox,  Samuel  Gault,  Patrick  Gault,  Andrew  Gault, 
Andrew  Ocherson,  James  Ocherson,  Samuel  Smith,  Janies  Moor,  James 
Rogers,  Joseph  Brown,  Francis  Doyen,  William  Moor,  James  Man,  Wil- 
liam Ivnox,  John  Coffrin,  William  Knox,  Thomas  Cunningham,  James 
White.” 

The  Indians  who  led  the  attack  are  supposed  to 
have  been  Sabitas,  Plausawa  and  Christi,  who  were 
familiar  with  the  localities. 

After  this  event  the  General  Court  of  New  Hamp- 
shire were  pleased  to  order  a garrison  of  eight  good 
men  to  be  stationed  at  Suncook  through  the  summer 
and  fall  for  the  protection  of  the  settlement. 

The  three  assessors  appointed  by  the  proprietors 
have  left  on  record  a document  of  considerable  inter- 
est, as  it  gives  the  name  and  residence  of  each  of  the 
possessors  or  claimants  of  the  several  original  rights 
January  30,  1748.  Each  right  was  assessed  twenty- 
two  pounds. 


The  Original  Grantees.  Possession  Januai'y  30,  1748. 


John  Chamberlain, 
Edward  Spooney, 

John  .lofts’, 

Isaac  Whitney, 
Eleazer  Davis, 
Joseph  Wheelock, 

Jonathan  Kitteridge 


Mr.  Jonathan  Frye, 
Abial  Austin, 

John  Goffe, 

Zebediah  Austin, 

Josiah  Davis, 

Ebenezer  Halbert, 
Robert  Usher, 

Jonathan  Cummings, 
William  Cummings, 
John  Pollard, 

Joseph  Gilson, 

John  Stevens, 

David  Melvin, 

Elias  Barron, 

Jacob  Farrar, 

Joseph  Wright, 

Noah  Johnson, 

Ensign  John  Harwood, 
John  Gilson, 

Daniel  Wood, 

Isaac  Lakin, 

Benjamin  llassel, 

Toby,  Indian, 

Zachariah  Parker, 
Thomas  Richardson, 
Ebenezer  Ayer, 

Moses  Graves, 

Captain  John  Lovewell, 
Jeremiah  Hunt, 

Samuel  Whitney, 


Mr.  Samuel  Phillips,  of  Andover. 

Mr.  John  Barnard,  of  A'  dover. 
f William  McLaughlin  and 
'James  Man,  of  Suncook. 

Jonathan  Abbot,  of  Andover. 

Stephen  Holt,  of  Andover. 

Josiah  Chandler,  of  Andover. 
r Nathan  Holt,  of  Andover, 

< James  Kitteridge,  of  Tewksbury,  and 
'-William  Kitteridge,  “ 
f Captain  William  Lovejoy  and 
'Captain  James  Stevens,  of  Tewksbury. 

Henry  Lovejoy,  of  Tewksbury, 
f Oliver  Holt  and 
' Braviter  Gray,  of  Billerica. 

( Stephen  Merrill,  of  Andover,  and  the  heirs  of 
l Richard  Hardy,  of  “ 

John  McNiel,  of  Amoskeag. 

James  Burbeen,  of  Boston. 


John  Pollard,  of  Billerica. 

( Samuel  Hardy,  of  Bradford. 

'Joseph  Jackson,  of  Boxford. 

( Joseph  Mullikin,  “ 

' Robert  Mullikin,  “ 

Joshua  Andros  and  others,  of  Boxford. 
Elias  Barron’s  heirs,  of  Concord. 

Jacob  Farrar’s  heirs,  “ 

Joseph  Wood’s  “ “ 

Deacon  Noah  Johnson,  of  Dunstable. 


Josiah  Santle,  of  Groton. 

Captain  Peter  Ayer,  of  Haverhill. 

Benjamin  Gale,  of  Haverhill. 

Benjamin  Chandler,  of  Haverhill. 
Thomas  Richardson,  of  Malden. 

Ebenezer  Ayer,  of  Methuen. 

Lieutenant  Nathan  Adams,  of  Newbury. 
Joseph  Baker,  of  Suncook. 

Captain  Moses  Foster,  of  Suncook. 


David  Abbott,  of  Suncook. 

Samuel  Gault,  of  Suncook. 

Thomas  Russ,  of  Suncook. 

James  Moore,  of  Suncook. 
f Thomas  Cunningham,  of  Suncook,  and 
'•James  Burbeen,  of  Boston. 

Moses  Tyler,  of  Suncook. 

( Robert  White,  of  Suncook,  and 
l James  White,  of  Suncook. 

(Deacon  Elias  Whittemore,  of  Suncook,  and 
' Thomas  Richardson,  of  Malden. 

Heirs  of  Timothy  Knox,  of  Suncook. 
Benjamin  Holt,  of  Suncook. 

Ephraim  Blunt,  of  Suncook. 

( Thomas  McConnell,  of  Suncook,  and 
' Benjamin  Johnson,  of  Woburn. 

Francis  Doyen,  of  Suncook. 

Richard  Eastman,  of  Suncook. 

Andrew  Otterson,  of  Suncook. 

William  Knox,  of  Suncook. 

Lieutenant  Josiah  Farwell,  Captain  John  Chamberlain,  ofSouhegau  East. 

Jeremiah  Swain,  of  Roding.  (?) 

Timothy  Richardson’s  heirs,  of  Woburn. 

( Jacob  Fullam,  of  Needham,  and 
l Elisha  Fullam,  of  Weston,  and  others. 

It  was  voted  in  the  General  Court  of  New  Hamp- 
shire, January  31,  1753,  that  “ Whereas  there  are  sun- 
dry persons  inhabiting  within  the  province  of  New 
Hampshire  upon  a tract  of  land”  called  Suncook, 
who  were  “within  no  township,”  they  should  be,  with 
a part  of  Pennycook,  in  one  district,  and  be  com- 
pelled to  pay  their  proportion  of  the  province  tax. 

Rev.  Timothy  AValker,  as  agent  for  Rumford  and 
Suncook,  crossed  the  ocean  to  lay  the  case  of  these 
two  townships  before  the  King  in  Council  in  1754. 
It  may  be  here  stated  that  Mr.  Walker  was  eminently 
successful  in  his  mission,  when  it  came  to  a final 
hearing,  and  the  claims  of  the  proprietors  of  Rumford 
and  Suncook  were  supported  against  those  of  Bow, 
and,  behind  them,  the  officials  of  the  provincial  gov- 
ernment of  New  Hampshire.  This  decision  was  not 
reached,  however,  until  1762,  too  late  to  be  of  ad- 
vantage to  the  inhabitants  of  Suncook,  who  had  en- 
tered into  a compromise  before  that  time  with  the 
proprietors  of  Bow. 

War  with  France  was  again  declared  in  1754, 
which  involved  a war  with  the  Canadians  and  their 
Indian  allies.  In  the  previous  war  the  people  of 
New  Hampshire  had  depended  upon  block-houses  for 
a defense  against  their  savage  foes,  were  constantly 
surprised,  and  paid  dearly  for  their  want  of  care  and 
watchfulness.  They  had  been  goaded  to  desperation, 
and  resolved  to  carry  the  war  into  the  country  of 
the  enemy,  and  inflict  some  of  those  cruelties  to 
which  they  had  been  subjected.  From  the  first  it 
was  a terribly  offensive  war  on  the  part  of  New  En- 
glanders. They  aimed  at  the  conquest  of  Canada, 
and  its  reduction  to  a royal  province.  Robert  Rogers 
and  his  trusted  lieutenant,  John  Stark,  with  their 
fearless  rangers,  became  a terror  to  the  Canadians  and 
a scourge  to  the  Indians. 

The  terms  of  settlement  between  the  proprietors  of 
the  township  of  Suncook  and  the  proprietors  of  the 


Jacob  Gates, 

Timothy  Richardson, 
Edward  Linkfield, 

Jacob  Fullam, 


. Nathaniel  Wood, 

' Thomas  Wood, 

Seth  Wyman, 
Benjamin  Parker, 
Joseph  Farrar, 

Eleazer  Melvin, 
Josiah  Jones, 
Ebenezer  Wright, 

Samuel  Moore, 

Robert  Phelps, 
Jonathan  Houghton, 
Josiah  Johnson, 

Ichabod  Johnson, 

Francis  Doyen, 
William  Ayer, 
Benjamin  Kidder, 
Solomon  Keyes, 


566 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


township  of  Bow  is  known  from  the  petition  which 
•was  presented  by  it  committee  of  the  latter  to  the  Gen- 
eral Court  of  New  Hampshire,  dated  January  1,  1757. 

This  petition,  presented  by  Daniel  Pierce,  Esq., 
Thomas  Wiggin  and  Daniel  Marston,  gentlemen) 
William  Pottle,  blacksmith,  and  Benjamin  Norris, 
yeoman,  in  behalf  of  the  proprietors  of  Bow,  repre- 
sented that  many  persons  claimed  a right  to  lands  in 
the  township  by  titles  not  derived  from  the  proprie- 
tors of  Bow,  who  had  made  considerable  improve- 
ments, and  with  whom  many  expensive  suits  at  law 
had  been  had.  which  impeded  the  settlement  of  the 
township  ; that  many  of  the  claimers  and  settlers,  par- 
ticularly those  who  held  their  title  from  the  proprietors 
of  Suncook,  were  desirous  of  an  accommodation  and 
settlement  of  the  disputes,  and  were  willing  to  be- 
come not  only  inhabitants  of  Bow,  but  to  hold  their 
title  from  the  proprietors  of  Bow ; that  the  proprie- 
tors of  Bow  were  desirous  of  having  the  question  set- 
tled without  further  expensive  lawsuits  by  reason- 
able concessions  on  their  part.  Notwithstanding  the 
amicable  and  peaceable  disposition  of  the  parties 
concerned,  certain  impediments  existed  to  the  solu- 
tion of  the  question,  which  the  General  Court  was 
called  upon  to  remove,  the  most  important  of  which 
were  the  conflicting  plans  of  the  two  townships. 

The  proprietors  of  Bow  were  willing  that  those 
who  had  made  improvements  should  enjoy  the  fruit 
of  their  labor  ; and,  accordingly,  they  asked  the  court 
to  annul  and  vacate  the  survey  of  the  home-lots  of 
Bow,  so  far  as  they  interfered  with  the  divisions  of 
land  already  executed  in  the  township  of  Suncook, 
and  that  a new  survey  of  the  undivided  lands  in  the 
township  should  be  ordered. 

This  petition  was  favorably  received,  and,  no  one 
objecting  at  the  hearing  ordered,  the  petitioners  were 
given  liberty  to  introduce  a bill  in  accordance. 

The  inhabitants  thus  gave  up  the  struggle,  and  be- 
came, for  the  time  being,  citizens  of  Bow,  having  ef- 
fected a compromise  by  which  they  retained  their 
homes  and  cultivated  fields,  but  sacrificed  the  un- 
divided lands  of  the  old  grant,  curtailing  their  re- 
spective rights  more  than  one-half. 

So  the  township  of  Suncook,  or  Lovewell’s  town- 
ship, ceased  to  have  an  existence  save  in  the  memory 
of  gallant  men  and  women  who,  for  thirty  years,  had 
braved  the  hardships  of  frontier  life  to  secure  homes 
for  themselves. 

John  Noyes,  in  behalf  of  the  inhabitants  of  Bow 
living  on  the  east  side  of  the  Merrimack  River,  peti- 
tioned the  General  Court  for  parish  privileges,  and 
were  granted  the  liberty  of  bringing  in  a bill  April 
25,  1758. 

Pembroke  was  incorporated  a parish  November  1, 
1759,  by  the  General  Court  of  New  Hampshire,  the 
agents  of  the  town  of  Bow  not  making  any  objection, 
but  favoring  the  charter,  claiming  that  it  would  be 
to  the  advantage  of  both. 

People  are  naturally  curious  as  to  the  origin  of  the 


name  of  their  native  town.  The  name  of  Pembroke 
was  bestowed  upon  the  township  by  Governor  Ben- 
ning  Wentworth,  probably  in  honor  of  the  Earl  of 
Pembroke,  an  influential  member  of  the  Court  of  St. 
James  at  that  period.  The  word  is  derived  from  the 
Welsh,  penbroch,  signifying  head  of  the  foam.  The 
old  town  of  Pembroke  is  situate  in  Pembrokeshire,  the 
southwest  county  in  Wales.  The  town  is  of  great 
antiquity,  and  is  on  a peninsula  extending  into  one  of 
the  bays  of  Milford  Haven.  A part  of  the  walls  which 
once  surrounded  the  town  still  remain. 

The  charter  of  Pembroke  included  that  part  of  Bow 
east  of  the  Merrimack  River,  between  the  Soucook 
and  the  Suncook  Rivers,  a place  called  Suncook  and 
a place  called  Buck  Street. 

Rev.  Daniel  Mitchell  was  ordained  pastor  over  the 
Presbyterian  Church  December  3,  1760. 

The  Presbyterian  meeting-house,  which  stood  on 
the  west  side  of  Main  Street,  opposite  C.  L.  Dow’s 
house,  was  probably  erected  this  year. 

Tbe  Scotch-Irish,  so-called  in  New  England  history, 
were  of  the  purest  Saxon  lineage,  with  their  blood 
unmixed,  in  the  seventeenth  century,  with  the  half 
barbaric  Scotch  highlanders,  or  their  more  rude  cous- 
ins, the  Irish  Celts.  They  were  rigid  Presbyterians, 
followers  and  admirers  of  Oliver  Cromwell,  enemies 
of  Popery  and  the  Established  Church  of  England, 
brave,  zealous  lovers  of  learning  and  liberty,  and 
withal,  bigoted  in  their  advanced  notions.  Cromwell 
had  peopled  the  wasted  districts  of  northern  Ireland 
with  these,  his  most  trusted  and  reliable  troops,  to 
pacify  that  land  most  effectually. 

They  could  present  a brave  front  to  an  open  attack, 
but  they  were  not  equal  to  withstanding  the  petty  en- 
croachments of  the  Established  Church  insidiously 
undermining  their  beloved  Kirk.  The  Pilgrims  had 
found  religious  freedom  in  a new  and  undeveloped 
country,  and  thither  the  Scotch-Irish  sent  agents  to 
spy  out  and  report  the  condition  of  the  land  and  its 
fitness  for  occupation.  The  Irish  had  not  intimidated 
them ; they  scorned  the  untutored  Indian.  Like  a 
horde  they  flocked  to  the  sea-board  and  poured  into 
New  England,  Pennsylvania  and  the  southern  {prov- 
inces, pushing  the  frontiers  rapidly  into  the  untrodden 
wilderness,  and  settling  the  fertile  valleys  and  hill- 
sides far  in  advance  of  their  predecessors.  One  stream 
striking  Boston  was  diverted  to  Londonderry.  In 
1719  a Scotch-Irish  colony  located  there  to  stay. 
Hundreds  followed  in  their  footsteps,  tarried  awhile 
with  their  friends  so  happily  settled,  and  pressed  on 
into  the  wilderness,  over  the  hills  to  the  Falls  of 
Amoskeag,  up  the  Merrimack,  by  Hooksett  Falls,  to 
the  fertile  valley  of  the  Suncook,  still  farther  to  the 
blooming  intervals  of  Pennycook  and  the  wide  mead- 
ows of  the  Contoocook.  Early  in  the  records  of  this 
township  we  find  the  Scotch-Irish  holding  “original 
rights,”  admitted  as  proprietors  and  freeholders,  and 
even  as  early  as  1737  claiming  a majority.  Being  in 
a majority,  they  claimed  a voice  in  the  settlement  of 


PEMBROKE. 


567 


a minister  to  preach  the  gospel,  but  were  “counted 
out,”  and  paid  their  rates  toward  the  support  ot  a 
minister  not  to  their  liking  with  evident  disrelish. 

The  Presbyterians  were  exempted  from  paying  to- 
ward the  support  of  the  Congregational  minister,  and 
were  incorporated  a distinct  parish  by  a special 
act  of  the  General  Assembly,  passed  December  16, 
1763.  It  was  enacted  that  all  persons  living  in  the  par- 
ish of  Pembroke,  who  belonged  to  the  Presbyterian  con- 
gregation and  assembly,  or  should  join  that  society, 
should  be  included  in  the  new  parish,  and  Lieuten- 
ant Thomas  McLucas  was  authorized  to  call  the  first 
meeting. 

The  breach  between  Great  Britain  and  the  colonies 
was  widened  during  1766,  although  Parliament  re- 
pealed the  odious  Stamp  Act.  Peace  prevailed  in 
Pembroke,  for  not  a ripple  of  trouble  has  reached  us 
from  that  remote  year.  The  Congregationalists  and 
Presbyterians  had  agreed  to  disagree,  and  pursued 
their  respective  ways  with  outward  amity.  There  is  a 
tradition  that  the  families  ostracized  each  other,  for- 
bidding the  young  people  to  associate  or  mingle 
together,  and  absolutely  prohibiting  intermarriage 
with  those  of  the  other  sect,  under  pain  of  disin- 
heritance. At  this  day  the  difference  between  the 
two  denominations  is  so  small  that  the  common 
reader  could  hardly  comprehend  it  were  some  one  to 
fully  explain. 

Rev.  Aaron  Whittemore  died  November  16,  1767. 

The  first  census  of  the  town  on  record  was  taken 
this  year,  from  which  it  appears  that  there  were  49 
unmarried  men  from  sixteen  to  sixty,  85  married 
men  from  sixteen  to  sixty,  134  boys  under  sixteen,  16 
men  over  sixty,  169  unmarried  females,  97  married 
women,  5 widows,  2 slaves, — a total  of  557  souls. 

In  1774,  Dr.  Richard  Eastman  and  Captain  An- 
drew Buntin  were  chosen  a committee  to  run  the  lines 
of  the  new  township  granted  by  the  General  Court  of 
the  Massachusetts  Bay  to  the  “sufferers  of  Suncook.” 
The  following  January,  Captain  Joseph  Baker  was 
directed  to  deposit  the  plan  in  the  office  of  the 
Secretary  of  State,  which  he  accordingly  did.  This 
township  was  located  in  the  State  of  Maine,  called 
Sambrook,  and  is  now  known  as  Lovell  and  New  j 
Sweden,  on  the  banks  of  the  Saco. 

At  Pembroke  the  people  were  up  with  the  times. 
A Mr.  Dix  persisted  in  selling  tea  in  town ; but  a 
company  of  “Sons  of  Liberty”  from  the  adjacent 
towns,  under  the  command  of  Andrew  McClary,  made 
him  a visit,  and  taking  the  tea  from  the  store,  made  a 
bonfire  of  it  in  the  public  street. 

Nearly  a century  had  elapsed  after  the  landing  of 
the  Pilgrims  before  the  settlement  of  Pembroke ; a 
half-century  more  had  passed,  and  the  descendants  of 
the  early  pioneers,  who  had  fled  from  persecution  in 
the  mother-country,  had  become  accustomed  to  self- 
government  in  the  vast  wilderness  of  America,  and 
more  and  more  alienated  from  the  dominion  of  the 
King.  They  had  been  joined  by  the  discontented 


spirits  from  Great  Britain,  notably  the  Scoteh-Irish, 
and  were  ready  to  resist  any  and  all  encroachments 
upon  their  rights,  and  were  ripe  for  rebellion. 

A foolish  King  and  a stubborn  ministry  at  home 
hastened  the  catastrophe — along  and  exhaustive  war, 
which  resulted  gloriously  for  the  United  Colonies, 
and  gave  birth  to  a great  nation. 

Before  this  date  Pembroke  had  been  a parish  with- 
out a representative, — a part  of  a royal  province 
without  a representative  in  the  home  government, 
ruled  by  a royal  Governor.  From  this  time  the  town 
was  a republic,  soon,  with  other  towns,  to  be  united  in 
a great  and  free  State,  which,  in  turn,  was  to  become, 
a few  years  later,  one  of  the  United  States  of 
America. 

The  first  overt  act  of  open  rebellion  had  been  com- 
mitted in  December  of  1774,  in  the  attack  upon  and 
dismantling  of  Fort  William  and  Mary,  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Piscataqua,  by  the  people  of  New  Hampshire, 
and  the  citizens  of  Pembroke  seemed  alive  to  the 
importance  of  the  crisis  upon  them.  With  the  rest 
of  New  England,  they  sprang  to  arms  to  resist  the 
invasion  of  their  soil  by  British  troops,  and  to  drive 
them  from  their  borders.  The  differences  of  creeds 
were  forgotten  in  planning  and  doing  against  the 
common  enemy.  The  veterans  of  the  French  War 
flocked  to  the  standard  of  the  intrepid  Stark,  fought 
by  his  side  at  Bunker  Hill,  hemmed  the  British  within 
the  limits  of  Boston  and  helped  to  force  them  to 
evacuate  the  town.  From  that  time  onward,  through 
the  darkest  days  of  the  unequal  struggle  until  the 
disbandment  of  the  victorious  army,  Pembroke  did 
her  share  in  achieving  our  independence,  and  in 
caring  for  the  dependent  families  of  those  who  were 
absent  in  the  field. 

In  the  city  of  Paris,  September  3, 1783,  David  Hart- 
ley, for  the  King  of  England,  Benjamin  Franklin, 
John  Adams  and  John  Jay,  for  the  United  States, 
signed  their  names  to  a treaty  of  peace  between  Great 
Britain  and  the  United  States,  making  the  thirteen 
States  forever  independent. 

This  war,  as  it  affected  Pembroke,  should  be  con- 
sidered as  a whole. 

It  was  the  struggle  of  a small  body  of  free,  poor, 
liberty-loving  and  unorganized  patriots  against  the 
land  and  sea  forces  of  the  most  powerful  nation  of 
modern  times.  That  the  contest  was  finally  decided 
for  the  weaker  party  was  owing  to  their  perfect  unan- 
imity of  sentiment,  their  bravery,  their  endurance 
and  the  opportune  assistance  given  by  France,  Eng- 
land’s great  rival.  Eight  years  of  warfare  had  disci- 
plined the  raw  troops,  who,  by  their  bravery  and  zeal, 
had  hemmed  the  British  within  the  limits  of  Boston, 
until,  when  disbanded  by  General  Washington,  they 
were  war-scarred  veterans  of  whom  any  commander 
might  be  proud  and  of  whom  any  enemy  might 
stand  in  dread. 

With  the  close  of  the  war  came  the  complete  col- 
lapse of  the  Continental  currency.  It  disappeared 


568 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


from  commerce  as  worthless.  But  the  rich  land  was 
left,  with  its  abundant  crops ; freedom  had  been 
assured,  and  barter  answered  for  currency. 

In  1792  there  were  licensed  six  tavern-keepers. 
Two  years  later  occurs  the  first  record  of  a post-rider 
through  the  town  and  a weekly  line  of  stages. 

The  charter  for  the  first  New  Hampshire  turnpike 
was  granted  in  1796. 

Mr.  Stickney  was  the  first  postmaster,  appointed  in 
1806,  and  from  this  date  Pembroke  became  a post- 
town. 

The  establishment  of  a post-oflice  in  Pembroke  was, 
without  doubt,  very  welcome  to  the  inhabitants,  and 
may  be  justly  considered  an  important  event  in  its 
history. 

In  earlier  times  it  was  customary  to  intrust  to  some 
friend  or  acquaintance  who  might  be  traveling  in  the 
right  direction  a missive  for  an  absent  friend  or  rela- 
tive. Doubtless  the  post-rider,  in  his  journeying 
through  the  town,  accommodated  those  living  on  his 
immediate  route,  and  the  blowing  of  his  horn  an- 
nounced his  welcome  approach.  As  a matter  of 
course,  few  letters  were  written  in  those  days,  so  that 
high  rates  of  postage  were  not  onerous. 

It  was  decided  to  erect  a town-house  in  1811,  and 
Isaac  Morrison,  John  Knox,  Jr.,  Jacob  Emery,  Jr., 
Robert  Martin,  James  Cochran,  Jr.,  Asa  Robinson 
and  Timothy  Barnard  were  chosen  a committee  to 
determine  the  “center  of  money  and  travel,”  and 
report  at  an  adjourned  meeting.  Their  report  was 
accepted  ; the  site  of  the  town-house  was  located  near 
the  pound.  The  sum  of  four  hundred  dollars  was 
voted  toward  building  it.  The  sum  was  afterward 
increased  to  five  hundred  dollars,  and  the  construction 
was  entrusted  to  John  Knox,  Jr.,  Samuel  Cochran, 
Jr.,  and  Robert  Martin. 

An  effort  was  made  to  have  the  town  accept  the 
use  of  the  north  meeting-house  for  public  meetings, 
but  it  failed. 

A meeting  was  called  in  the  new  town-house  in 
October,  when  enough  money  and  labor  was  voted  to 
thoroughly  repair  the  various  bridges  in  town. 

Manufacturing  of  cotton  into  cloth,  which  has 
since  become  an  industry  of  great  importance  in  the 
village  of  Suncook,  was  first  undertaken  in  1812,  by 
Major  Caleb  Stark,  a Revolutionary  soldier  and  a son 
of  General  John  Stark.  He  purchased  the  establish- 
ment known  as  Osgood’s  Mills,  which  was  being 
enlarged  or  rebuilt  by  a company,  and  introduced 
machinery  lately  invented. 

In  July,  1813,  Christopher  Osgood  contracted  to 
build  a stone  pound  “in  the  corner  of  Mr.  Lakeman’s 
pasture,  by  the  town-house,”  for  one  hundred  and 
thirty-five  dollars. 

The  act  of  incorporation  of  Pembroke  Academy 
was  dated  June  25, 1818.  The  building  for  the  school 
was  erected  by  subscriptions  raised  among  the  inhab- 
itants of  Pembroke.  The  trustees  of  the  corporation 
were  Rev.  Abraham  Burnham,  A.M.,  Hon.  Boswell 


Stevens,  A.M.,  Daniel  Knox,  Esq.,  John  H.  Merrill, 
Timothy  Barnard,  Deacon  Moses  Haseltine,  William 
Haseltine,  Captain  Jacob  Elliot  and  Rev.  Jonathan 
Curtis,  A.M. 

John  Farmer  wrote  of  the  town,  in  the  year 
1823,— 

“ There  are  many  water  privileges,  four  paper-mills,  the  cotton-fac- 
tory of  Major  Stark  and  several  mills,  together  with  a flourishing  village. 
The  main  street  extends  nearly  on  a parallel  with  Merrimack  River  in  a 
straight  course  about  three  miles,  and  is  very  pleasant.  On  this  a»e 
situated  the  academy,  one  of  the  meeting-liouses  and  the  principal 
village.” 

The  visit  of  General  Lafayette  to  Pembroke  in 
1825  shall  be  described  in  the  words  of  his  youthful 
companion,  Colonel  A.  A.  Parker,  aide-de-camp  of 
Governor  David  L.  Morril,  now  living  at  a venerable 
old  age  and  in  the  full  possession  of  his  faculties,  in 
Glastonbury,  Conn.  (1883), — 

“ Our  route  lay  through  Suncook  village,  at  the  south  end  of  Pem- 
broke. There  Major  Caleb  Stark,  son  of  Major-General  John  Srark, 
lived  ; and,  as  lie  had  a slight  acquaintance  with  General  Lafayette  in 
the  Revolutionary  War,  had  written  him  a request  that  he  would  call  at 
his  house,  as  he  very  much  wished  to  see  him  and  introduce  him  to  his 
family.  We  called,  and,  on  introducing  him  to  the  general,  he  seized 
his  hand  and  began  an  animated  speech  about  Revolutionary  times, 
which  did  not  seem  soon  to  terminate.  His  family  were  standing  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  room,  waiting  to  be  introduced,  but  he  seemed 
to  have  forgotten  them. 

“ I was  acquainted  with  the  major,  but  not  with  his  family,  and  could 
not  introduce  them  myself.  In  this  dilemma  the  spirited  Miss  Harriet 
Stark,  no  longer  able  to  brook  delay,  came  forward,  seized  General  La- 
fayette's hand  and  said  : ‘ Permit  me  to  introduce  myself  to  you  as  the 
eldest  daughter  of  Major  Caleb  Stark,  with  whom  you  are  talking,  and 
the  granddaughter  of  Major-General  John  Stark,  the  hero  of  Benning- 
ton ; aud  now  permit  me  to  introduce  you  to  my  mother,  brothers  and 
sisters,’  which  she  did,  with  her  usual  promptness  and  energy. 

“When  we  were  seated  in  the  carriage,  General  Lafayette  said, — 

‘ Miss  Harriet  Stark  does,  indeed,  inherit  all  the  fire  and  spirit  of  her 
grandfather,  and  would  have  been  a heroine  had  she  lived  in  the  excit- 
ing scenes  of  the  Revolutionary  times.’ 

“ Near  the  close  of  a beautiful  summer  day  (Tuesday,  June  21st),  one  of 
the  longest  in  the  year,  we  entered  upon  the  long,  main  street  of  Pem- 
broke. The  sun,  having  moved  round  his  long  circle  in  the  sky,  was 
resting  in  crimson  robes  on  the  western  hills,  and  soon  retired  for  the 
night.  Not  so  Pembroke  village  ; that  was  wide-awake  and  gave  the 
general  as  enthusiastic  a welcome  as  he  had  received  anywhere  on  the 
route.  Sometimes,  it  seemed,  the  less  the  numbers  the  greater  the  zeal. 

“ We  had  used  due  diligence  and  had  traveled  rapidly  when  not  hindered ; 
but  our  coming  had  been  so  well  advertised  by  the  well-known  Walker,  the 
stage-driver  on  the  route,  that  it  was  known  to  all  people,  far  and  near. 
And  so  it  was,  that  we  were  not  only  detained  at  villages,  hotels  and 
cross-roads,  but  even  at  a single  cottage.  Our  approach  seemed  to  have 
been  watched ; and,  at  the  report  of  a musket  or  bugle-blast,  people 
would  rapidly  appear  from  their  lounging -places  where  none  were  visi- 
ble before  ; and  the  general  must  needs  pause  a moment,  hike  by  the 
hand  those  near  by  and  speak  a few  words.  Infancy  and  age  were  alike 
presented,  and  the  halt  and  the  lame  were  sitting  in  easy-chairs  before 
the  cottage  doors.  At  one  of  these  cottages  an  invalid  old  lady,  ‘ cadav- 
erous and  pale,’  was  brought  by  two  men,  in  her  arm-chair,  to  the  car- 
riage ; she  seized  the  general’s  hand  with  both  of  hers,  and  with  tear- 
ful eyes  exclaimed,  ‘ Bless  the  Lord  ! * 

“ At  Fiske’s  hotel,  on  the  main  street  of  Pembroke,  five  miles  from 
Concord,  we  rested  for  the  night.  A large  concourse  of  people  gave  the 
general  a hearty  welcome  and  shook  hands  with  him,  and  he  made  a 
short  speech.  On  my  suggesting  to  the  most  active  men  that  the  gen- 
eral had  had  a long  and  fatiguing  day  aud  needed  rest,  the  people 
promptly  retired  and  Pembroke  village  could  never  have  been  more 
quiet.” 

After  supper  the  general  leaned  back  in  his  easy 
chair,  and  carried  on  a long  and  agreeable  conversa- 
tion with  his  escort  before  retiring. 


PEMBROKE  ST.,  PEMBROKE, 


PEMBROKE. 


569 


The  next  day  (June  22,  1825)  a committee  of  the 
Legislature,  then  in  session  at  Concord,  consisting  of 
Hon.  Stephen  P.  Webster,  of  the  Senate,  and  four 
members  of  the  House,  came  down  in  a coach-and-six 
to  escort  the  general  to  Concord.  Six  white  horses 
were  attached  to  the  barouche,  in  which  were  General 
Lafayette  and  Mr.  Webster,  and  the  procession,  made 
up  of  a long  line  of  carriages,  proceeded  on  their 
way,  being  met  on  the  Concord  line  by  twenty  inde- 
pendent companies  of  the  New  Hampshire  militia, 
under  the  command  of  General  Bradbury  Bartlett. 

The  town  was  shocked,  on  Sunday,  June  23,  1833, 
by  the  rapidly-spread  intelligence  that  Sally,  wife  of 
Chauncy  Cochran,  had  been  murdered  by  Abraham 
Prescott,  a boy  of  eighteen,  who  had  been  living  with 
the  family. 

Prescott  accompanied  Mrs.  Cochran  into  a field 
near  the  house  to  pick  strawberries,  and  struck  her 
the  fatal  blow,  in  a secluded  spot,  with  no  motive  that 
w»s  ever  known.  From  the  testimony  at  the  trial,  it 
was  evident  that  he  was  of  weak  mind. 

He  was  lodged  in  jail  at  Hopkinton,  and  was  al- 
lowed two  trials,  in  which  he  was  ably  defended  by 
Hon.  Ichabod  Bartlett,  of  Portsmouth,  and  Charles 
H.  Peaslee,  Escp,  of  Concord,  who  firmly  believed  in 
his  moral  irresponsibility.  At  this  period  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  town  the  farmers  were  simply  farmers  and 
nothing  more.  They  raised  nearly  all  the  supplies 
for  their  own  tables,  and  largely  for  their  cloth- 
ing, which  was  manufactured  from  the  raw  materials 
in  their  homes.  Wheat  was  much  more  generally 
grown  then  than  now,  but  not  in  sufficient  quantities 
to  furnish  bread  for  the  household.  Flour  was  rarely 
bought  by  the  barrel,  and  barley,  rye  and  Indian  corn 
were  extensively  used.  In  those  earlier  days  flour 
bread  was,  with  large  numbers  of  families,  dignified 
with  the  name  of  “cake,”  and  considered  a luxury  for 
use  on  extra  occasions,  when  company  was  entertained. 
A story  is  told  in  one  of  our  old  Rockingham  County 
towns  which  illustrates  this  fact.  A high-toned  gen- 
tleman, known  as  the  “ ’Squire,”  called  at  a farm-house 
one  day  on  some  business,  and  when  he  had  finished 
his  errand  and  had  remounted  at  the  door,  the  good 
house-wife,  wishing  to  impress  the  ’squire  with  the 
dignity  and  thrift  of  her  family,  said  to  him : “ Squire, 
won’t  you  stop  and  have  some  flour  bread  and  butter?  ” 
thinking  it  now  too  late  for  him  to  accept  her  invita- 
tion. To  her  chagrin  the  doughty  ’squire  replied : 
“Thank  you,  marm,  I don’t  care  if  I do,”  and 
promptly  dismounted  and  entered  the  house.  The 
poor  woman  could  only  explain  that,  to  her  surprise, 
she  found  the  flour  bread  all  out,  and  offered  him  the 
best  she  had,  some  Indian  bannock.  When  a boy, 
the  writer  had  often  seen  at  the  neighbors’  a string 
of  these  bannocks,  eight  or  ten  in  number,  set  upon 
tins  in  front  of  the  fire  in  the  broad  fire-place,  there 
being  room  then  left  in  the  corner  for  him  to  sit  and 
look  straight  up  the  chimney  into  the  blue  heavens,  j 
There  was  very  little  market  for  farm  produce  in  those  ' 


days,  except  in  the  larger  towns ; long  journeys  had 
to  be  made,  mostly  to  such  as  were  known  as  “sea- 
ports,” as  there  were  no  interior  towns  of  sufficient 
population  to  be  centres  of  such  trade.  Every  farmer 
kept  a flock  of  sheep,  and  wool  constituted  a large  por- 
tion of  the  clothing.  It  was  carded,  spun  and  woven 
at  home,  and  made  into  garments  for  both  sexes.  The 
best  clothes  for  men  and  boys  were  made  of  what  was 
called  “fulled  cloth.”  This  was  made  at  home,  of  the 
finest  material,  and  taken  to  the  mills  known  as  “full- 
ing-mills,” where  it  was  put  through  a process  of  thick- 
ening, dyeing  and  finishing.  The  women  used  to  wear 
gowns  of  cloth  which  was  called  “pressed  woolen.” 
This  was  simply  home-made  flannel,  taken  to  the  mills 
above  named,  and  pressed,  so  as  to  present  a glossy 
surface. 

Every  farmer  had  a small  patch  of  flax.  This  was 
pulled  and  spread  out  in  rows  on  the  ground,  “ rotted,” 
and  then  “ broken ” and  “swingled,”  and  was  pre- 
pared for  the  combing,  carding  and  the  “little  wheel,” 
as  the  machine  was  called,  on  which  the  flax  was  spun 
to  distinguish  it  from  the  larger  machine  for  spinning 
wool.  It  was  woven  into  cloth  for  table-covers,  towel- 
ing, sheeting  and  shirting.  The  “tow,”  which  was 
the  coarse  portion  combed  out  on  the  “hatchel,”  was 
spun  into  a coarse  yarn,  of  which  a cloth  was  made 
for  summer  suits  for  men  and  boys.  The  tow  shirt, 
so  commonly  worn,  was,  when  new,  an  instrument  of 
torture  to  the  wearer,  as  it  was  full  of  prickling  spines 
left  from  the  woody  part  of  the  stalk. 

Pembroke  Academy. — From  the  first,  New  En- 
gland has  been  noted  for  her  regard  for  the  intellec- 
tual welfare  of  her  people.  Not  to  be  behind  others, 
the  people  of  New  Hampshire  early  made  provision 
for  the  mental  and  moral  instruction  of  their  chil- 
dren. In  1647  the  first  law  establishing  town  schools 
was  enacted.  In  1693  an  act  was  passed  requiring 
the  different  towns  to  raise  money,  by  assessment  on 
the  inhabitants,  for  building  and  repairing  school- 
houses  and  for  providing  a school-master.  In  1719 
every  town  of  fifty  house-holders  or  upwards  was  re- 
quired to  provide  a school-master  to  teach  children 
to  read  and  write,  and  every  town  of  one  hundred 
house-holders  to  have  a grammar  school,  kept  by 
“some  discreet  person  of  good  conversation,  well  in- 
structed in  the  tongues.”  In  1805  the  district  sys- 
tem was  established.  In  1807  the  assessment  for 
school  purposes  was  increased  and  the  law  requiring 
grammar  schools  to  teach  Latin  and  Greek  was  re- 
pealed. From  that  time  to  the  present,  laws  have 
with  great  frequency  been  passed  regulating  educa- 
tional matters.  The  act  repealing  the  law  requiring 
towns  to  have  instructions  given  in  Latin  and  Greek 
was  probably  owing  to  the  fact  that  previous  to  this 
time  nine  academies  had  been  incorporated.  What- 
ever may  have  been  the  influence  operative  in  the 
abolition  of  such  instruction,  it  is  evident  that  the 
class  of  work  attempted  by  the  grammar  school 
was  now  left  to  the  academies.  It  appears,  then, 


570 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


that  very  early  was  felt  the  need  of  a classical  educa- 
tion, and  so  the  same  spirit  which  had  originated  the 
previous  enactments  led  to  the  founding  of  institu- 
tions of  a higher  grade.  In  accordance  with  the  law 
referred  to  above,  there  was  formerly  in  this  town  a 
grammar  school,  the  house  being  located  on  land 
between  the  dwelling-house  of  Mr.  William  Fife  and 
the  Ferry  road,  so  called,  there  being  but  one  house 
to  accommodate  the  people  of  Suncook  and  Pem- 
broke Street.  Thus  early,  then,  was  evinced  in  the 
history  of  this  town  a desire  to  give  to  the  youth  a 
higher  education.  It  was  about  this  time  (1807) 
that  there  came  to  this  town  three  men,  who,  no 
doubt,  had  the  shaping  of  Pembroke  Academy, — Dr. 
Abel  Blanchard,  Rev.  Abraham  Burnham  and  Bos- 
well Stevens,  Esq. ; physician,  clergyman  and  law- 
yer. Dr.  Blanchard  was  born  in  Wilton,  October  10, 
1782.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  was  a clerk  in  a 
store  in  Concord,  where  he  remained  two  or  three 
years.  He  afterwards  studied  medicine  in  the  same 
city.  In  October,  1805,  he  commenced  practicing  at 
Pittsfield.  Here  he  showed  an  interest  in  education, 
as  he  conceived  the  idea  of  establishing  an  academy. 
He  made  certain  proposals  to  the  town,  but  they 
were  rejected.  In  1808  he  removed  to  this  town. 

Rev.  Mr.  Burnham  was  born  in  Dunbarton  No- 
vember 18,  1775,  graduated  with  honor  at  Dartmouth 
College  in  the  class  of  1804  and  was  ordained  pastor 
of  the  Congregational  Church  in  this  town  in  1808. 

Boswell  Stevens,  Esq.,  was  born  in  Pomfret,  Conn., 
in  1782,  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  the  same 
class  with  Rev.  Mr.  Burnham  and  established  him- 
self in  the  practice  of  law  in  this  town  in  1807. 

Fortunate  indeed  was  it  for  Pembroke  that  three 
such  men  as  these  should  become  identified  with 
its  interests. 

Dr.  Blanchard  was  not  a man  of  vigorous  con- 
stitution. His  health  began  to  fail  him  about  the 
year  1817.  It  seems  that  during  his  last  illness  he 
had  conversation  with  Mr.  Burnham  about  the  dis- 
position of  his  property,  and  that  it  was  at  Mr. 
Burnham’s  suggestion  that  in  his  will,  which  was 
dated  January  15,  1818,  Dr.  Blanchard,  after  making 
bequests  to  his  friends  (he  was  an  unmarried  man), 
left  the  residue  of  his  property  to  found  a “Public 
School  or  Academy  in  Pembroke.”  This  amounted 
to  about  two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  The  school 
was  incorporated  as  Pembroke  Academy  June  25, 
1818.  The  first  board  of  trustees  appointed  by  Dr. 
Blanchard  consisted  of  Rev.  Abraham  Burnham, 
Boswell  Stevens,  Esq,,  Daniel  Knox,  Esq.,  John  H. 
Merrill,  Timothy  Barnard,  Deacon  Moses  Haseltine, 
William  Haseltine,  Capt.  Jacob  Elliot  and  Rev.  Jon- 
athan Curtis.  In  his  will  Dr.  Blanchard  expressed 
the  desire  that  the  people  of  the  town  raise  the  funds 
and  erect  the  school  building. 

On  the  Fast  Day  subsequent  to  Dr.  Blanchard’s 
decease  Rev.  Mr.  Burnham  preached  a sermon  on 
the  text,  “ Behold,  I have  set  before  you  an  open 


door,  and  no  man  can  shut  it;”  and  a subscription 
at  that  time  was  taken  amounting  to  eight  hundred 
dollars. 

The  foundation  was  laid  in  October,  1818,  and 
the  building  was  dedicated  on  the  25th  of  May,  1819. 
Rev.  Jonathan  Curtis,  of  Epsom,  preached  the  ser- 
mon. The  school  opened  the  following  day  under 
the  instruction  of  Mr.  Amos  W.  Burnham  and  Miss 
Frances  Newell,  with  an  attendance  of  forty-eight 
students.  Thus,  with  much  devotion,  was  instituted 
a school  which,  with  varied  success,  has  never  failed 
to  open  its  door  regularly  to  welcome  those  who  have 
sought  its  instruction.  Its  stated  object  is  “ for  the 
purpose  of  improving  the  rising  generation  in  science, 
morality  and  religion  ;”  also,  “ for  the  education  of 
youth  in  the  English,  Latin  and  Greek  languages, 
writing,  arithmetic  and  other  branches  of  literature 
commonly  taught  in  the  public  schools.” 

The  aim  of  the  founder  has  been  in  the  main  the 
aim  of  the  trustees  and  teachers.  It  will  not  be  out 
of  place  to  say  that  Dr.  Burnham  ever  looked  ujmn 
the  school  as  his  child,  for  which  he  cared  until  his 
death  in  1852.  He  was  president  of  the  board  of 
trustees  from  the  establishment  of  the  school. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  principals,  with 
time  of  service  : 

1819,  Rev.  Amos  Burnham,  D.D.;1  1819,  Rev.  Thomas  Jameson;1 
1820,  Hon.  John  Vose;1  1831,  Rev.  E.  D.  Eldridge  ; 1 1833,  Joseph 
Dow,  A.M.  ; 1837,  Isaac  Kinsman,  A.M.  j1  1840,  Charles  G.  Burnham, 
A.M.  ; 1 1844,  Jonathan  Tenney,  A.M.,  Ph.D.  ; 1849,  Nathaniel  Hills, 
A.M.  j1  1851,  Rev.  Silas  Blanchard;  1852,  John  W.  Ray,  A.M.  ; 1853, 
Rev.  John  D.  Emerson  ; 1855,  Rev.  Henry  L.  Boltwood  ; 1857,  Wm.  K. 
Rowell,  A.M.  ; 1858,  Rev.  Sylvauus  Hayward  ; 1859,  Charles  H.  Stan- 
ley 1860,  Charles  G.  Burnham,  A.M.  j1  1861,  Rev.  S.  L.  Blake, 
D.D.  ; 1862,  James  H.  Mills  ; 1863,  Isaac  Walker,  A.M. ; 1868,  L.  R. 
Levitt;  1869,  L.  P.  Blood;  1870,  Wm.  H.  Hubbard;1  1871,  Wm.  M. 
Sawin  ; 1872,  Martin  W.  Hoyt,  A.B.  ; 1873,  Isaac  Walker,  A.M. 

It  has  a long  list  of  gentlemen  and  lady  assistants, 
who  have  shown  themselves  “ worthy  of  the  vocation 
wherewith  they  were  called.”  There  is  a strong  in- 
clination on  the  part  of  the  writer  to  mention  by 
name  some  of  its  alumni;  but  since  there  are  so 
many,  it  would  be  invidious  to  give  way  to  that  incli- 
nation. 

From  its  halls  have  gone  forth  Governors,  Lieuten- 
ant-Governors, United  States  and  State  Senators  and 
Representatives,  judges,  physicians,  clergymen,  teach- 
ers, and,  in  fact,  its  alumni  have  graced  all  the  walks 
of  life.  The  building  first  erected  in  1818-19  was 
enlarged  in  1841,  and  in  1866  remodeled  and  fitted 
up  with  modern  furniture,  and  from  time  to  time  ha 
been  repaired,  and  at  present  writing  (1885)  is  in  good 
condition.  The  original  fund  at  present  amounts  to 
two  thousand  three  hundred  dollars.  In  1836,  Hon. 
Boswell  Stevens  left  a legacy  of  one  thousand  dollars. 
In  1865,  Mrs.  Mary  Tt  Wilkins,  of  Suncook,  widow 
of  the  late  J.  H.  Wilkins,  Esq.,  a former  treasurer, 
made  a donation  of  one  thousand  dollars.  In  1866, 
Mr.  John  C.  Knbx,  a former  trustee,  made  the  acad- 


deceased. 


PEMBROKE  ACADEMY, 


PEMBROKE. 


571 


emy  residuary  legatee.  There  were  received  two 
thousand  five  hundred  and  forty-four  dollars.  In 
1874,  Mrs.  Betsey  Whiteliouse  made  a donation  of 
one  thousand  dollars,  and  in  1877  left  by  will  two 
thousand  dollars.  Samuel  P.  Langmaid,  Esq.,  of 
Somerville,  Mass.,  a native  of  Chichester,  left  by 
will  five  thousand  dollars. 

In  1885,  Hon.  Asa  Fowler,  of  Concord,  a native  of 
this  town,  left  by  will  one  thousand  dollars.  The 
institution  has  lately  had  several  thousand  dollars 
bequeathed  to  it  by  Mr.  Guy  T.  Little,  a former 
student,  residing  at  the  time  of  his  death  at  Bis- 
marck, D.  T.,  but  it  has  not  yet  come  into  possession 
of  the  bequest.  The  library  is  not  large,  yet  of  late 
t he  number  of  books  has  been  steadily  increasing. 
In  1879  a room  was  fitted  up  as  an  art  gallery,  in  which 
already  are  several  portraits  of  the  alumni.  The 
students  publish  monthly,  during  term-time,  a school 
journal  called  The  Acaclemian,  devoted  to  the  in- 
terests of  the  school.  The  present  condition  of  the 
school  is  encouraging  and  its  future  hopeful.  The 
sixty-sixtli  annual  catalogue  (1884-85)  gives  an  at- 
tendance of  one  hundred  and  eighty-three  for  the 
year.  It  has  three  courses  of  study;  viz.,  classical, 
academic  and  English,  fitting  students  for  college  as 
well  as  for  a business  life.  Since  1877  classes  have 
regularly  graduated.  Previously,  a few  young  ladies 
had  secured  diplomas.  Its  present  board  of  trustees 
is  as  follows:  Hon.  William  Haseltine,  president; 

Hon.  Aaron  Whittemore,  secretary  ; Solomon  White- 
house,  Esq.,  treasurer ; George  P.  Little,  Esq.,  Henry 
T.  Simpson,  Esq.,  George  O.  Locke,  Esq.,  executive 
committee ; Martin  H.  Cochran,  Esq.,  Trueworthy  L. 
Fowler,  Esq.,  William  Thompson,  Esq.  The  in- 
structors are  Isaac  Walker,  A.M.,  principal;  Mary 
Ella  Rowe,  preceptress. 

In  connection  with  this  sketch  of  the  academy  it 
would  be  well  to  say  that  from  1841  to  1863  there 
existed  another  school,  known  as  the  People’s  Lit- 
erary Institute  and  Gymnasium.  Isaac  Kinsman, 
A.M.,  a former  principal  of  Pembroke  Academy,  was 
its  first  principal.  This  was  not  intended  to  be  a school 
preparatory  to  college,  but  one  where  the  student 
might  obtain  a thorough  education,  preparing  him 
for  the  general  duties  of  life  rather  than  for  any  par- 
ticular profession.  Mr.  Kinsman  died  October  26, 
1843,  aged  thirty-one  years.  He  was  succeeded  by 
Messrs.  Wright,  Jewell,  Anderson,  Sippitt  and  others. 
It  has  quite  a noted  alumni.  In  1863  it  was  united 
with  Pembroke  Academy,  being  represented  on  the 
present  board  of  trustees.  The  history  of  the  town 
for  the  past  half-centurv  is  still  fresh  in  the  memory 
of  living  witnesses.  For  many  years  there  has  been 
an  exodus  of  families  from  the  old  farms  to  more 
promising  sections  in  the  Middle  and  Western  States. 

In  1842  the  Concord  Railroad  was  opened,  and  soon 
boating  on  the  river  became  a tradition  of  the  past. 
A few  years  later  the  Concord  and  Portsmouth  Rail- 
road was  built  through  the  town. 


At  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion  Pembroke 
responded  to  the  call  for  patriotic  volunteers,  and 
many  went  to  the  war  never  to  return.  The  village  of 
Suncook  received  an  impetus  during  the  season  of 
high  prices,  and  in  spite  of  severe  losses  by  fire,  it 
has  become  a village  of  much  wealth  and  importance. 
Although  situated  at  the  extreme  southern  limit  of 
the  township,  it  already  has  a commanding  influence. 
Here  are  located  the  mills  of  the  Webster,  Pembroke 
and  China  corporations. 

As  will  be  noted  from  the  preceding  annals,  there 
was  originally  but  one  church  in  town  and  one 
meeting-house.  In  1760  the  Presbyterians  were  or- 
ganized into  a parish.  In  1790  the  two  parishes  were 
united  under  Rev.  Zacclieus  Colby,  and  a few  years 
later  two  meeting-houses  were  built,  one  on  the  site 
of  the  present  Congregational  Church,  the  other  on 
the  Third-range  road,  near  the  pound. 

The  last  was  taken  down  about  1840  and  rebuilt  on 
the  street  as  the  Gymnasium,  now  the  town-house. 
A Methodist  society  was  gathered  about  1805.  Some 
twenty  years  later  the  denomination  built  a meeting- 
house on  the  hill,  on  the  Third-range  road,  which  at 
present  is  fast  going  to  ruin. 

Of  late  years  the  tendency  has  been  to  desert  the  farms 
in  the  outlying  districts,  and  to  congregate  in  neigh- 
borhoods. Most  of  the  people  of  the  town,  outside  of 
the  village  of  Suncook,  live  on  three  sides  of  a square 
or  rectangle  formed  by  Pembroke  Street,  Buck  Street 
and  the  Eighth-range  road,  although  there  are  many 
families  on  the  Third-range  road  and  on  the  Borough 
road. 

In  early  times  there  was  a considerable  variety  in 
the  manufactured  products  of  the  towrn,  including 
glassware,  leather,  musical  instruments  and  woolen 
cloth.  Now  the  three  great  mills  are  devoted  to  the 
manufacture  of  cotton  cloth,  while  not  a little  capital 
is  invested  in  saw-mills  and  grist-mills. 


CHAPTER  II. 

PEMBROKE  — ( Continued). 

CHURCH  HISTORY. 

In  the  grant  of  the  tow'nship  of  Suncook  was  the  fol- 
lowing provision  : “ And  that  the  Petitioners  and  their 
associates,  within  the  space  aforesaid,  settle  a learned 
Orthodox  Minister,  and  Build  a Convenient  House 
for  the  Public  worship  of  God.” 

October  13th,  of  the  same  year,  a call  was  extended 
to  Rev.  Aaron  Whittemore  to  settle  in  the  ministry. 

Rev.  Aaron  Whittemore  was  ordained  to  the  work 
of  the  ministry  March  1,  1737-38,  with  appropriate 
ceremony.  The  church  is  believed  to  have  been 
organized  at  that  time  with  nine  male  members, 
beside  the  pastor, — Aaron  Whittemore,  pastor;  Elias 
Whittemore,  Noah  Johnson,  deacons ; Abner  Gordon, 


572 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


David  Lovejoy,  Benjamin  Chandler,  David  Chandler, 
Stephen  Holt,  Richard  Eastman,  Dudley  Broadstreet. 

There  were  in  the  settlement  at  the  time  certain 
dissenters,  most  of  whom  were  probably  Presbyteri- 
ans. They  were  Andrew  McFarland,  Timothy  Knox, 
Patrick  Garvin,  James  Moore,  Nathan  Mann,  William 
Dinsmore,  Robert  White,  James  Neil,  James  White, 
Thomas  McConnell,  James  Mann,  William  Lafliu, 
Hugh  Young,  Thomas  Cunningham,  Samuel  Gault. 

Rev.  Daniel  Mitchell  was  ordained  pastor  over  the 
Presbyterian  Church  December  3,  1760. 

The  Presbyterian  meeting-house,  which  stood  on 
the  west  side  of  Main  Street,  opposite  C.  L.  Dow’s 
house,  was  probably  erected  this  year. 

The  Presbyterians  were  exempted  from  paying  to- 
ward the  support  of  the  Congregational  minister,  and 
were  incorporated  a distinct  parish  by  a special  act  of 
the  General  Assembly,  passed  December  16,  1763.  It 
was  enacted  that  all  persons  living  in  the  parish  of 
Pembroke,  who  belong  to  the  Presbyterian  congre- 
gation and  assembly,  or  should  join  that  society, 
should  be  included  in  the  new  parish,  and  Lieutenant 
Thomas  McLucas  was  authorized  to  call  the  first 
meeting. 

Rev.  Mr.  Whittemore  was  an  able  and  learned 
divine,  a graduate  of  Harvard  College,  and  settled  in 
the  town  as  a young  man.  He  lived  but  a few  years 
after  this  controversy,  dying  in  1767. 

Rev.  Jacob  Emery  was  ordained  August  3,  1768. 

Rev.  Jacob  Emery  resigned  his  ministerial  charge 
March  23,  1775,  on  account  of  failing  health. 

Rev.  Daniel  Mitchell  died  the  following  December, 
at  the  age  of  sixty-nine.  From  the  Presbyterian 
church  records  we  learn  that  Andrew  Robertson 
received  from  the  parish  five  shillings  for  his  expenses 
on  a journey  “to  Derry  for  the  ministers  to  Mr. 
Mitchell’s  funeral ; ” Richard  Bartlett,  Esq.,  two 
pounds,  ten  shillings  and  eight  pence  for  rum  and 
gloves  for  the  funeral;  and  Nathaniel  Ambrose,  seven 
shillings  for  the  coffin.  Rev.  Mr.  Miltemore  probably 
preached  the  funeral  sermon,  as  Robert  Moor  received 
ten  shillings  and  sixpence  for  entertaining  him. 

For  the  next  four  years,  or  until  1780,  there  was  no 
regularly  ordained  minister,  Congregational  or  Presby- 
terian, settled  in  Pembroke. 

A parish-meeting  of  the  Congregationalists,  in 
which  the  Presbyterians  were  invited  to  participate, 
was  called  January  17, 1780.  Mr.  Aaron  Whittemore 
was  chosen  moderator.  It  was  voted  to  give  Rev. 
Zaccheus  Colby  a call  to  settle  in  the  work  of  the 
ministry  in  Pembroke,  to  give  one  hundred  pounds  of 
lawful  money,  as  valued  in  1774,  for  a settlement,  and 
to  give  a salary  of  seventy  pounds  and  furnish  twenty 
cords  of  wood  yearly. 

Caleb  Foster,  Richard  Bartlett,  Joseph  Emery,  John 
Ayers  and  David  Kimball  were  chosen  a committee 
to  treat  with  Mr.  Colby.  The  meeting  was  adjourned 
to  February  8th,  when  Rev.  Mr.  Colby’s  acceptance  of 
the  call  was  read.  He  was  ordained  March  22,  1780. 


Rev.  Zaccheus  Colby  gave  up  bis  ministerial  office 
in  Pembroke  May  11,  1803. 

The  churches  also  agreed,  in  1788,  on  occasional 
communion  together,  yet  remained  distinct  bodies  for 
nine  years.  After  this,  as  it  is  added  in  the  language 
of  Mr.  Colby,  “on  the  first  of  June,  1797,  the  respec- 
tive churches,  after  months  of  consideration,  did  vote 
themselves  into  one  church.”  This  was  called  the 
consociated  church. 

Two  houses  of  worship  were  erected  in  1804,  the 
one  on  the  hill,  and  the  other  on  the  street,  where  the 
present  house  now  stands.  In  the  location  of  these 
houses,  as  we  have  been  informed,  there  was  not  a 
little  difference  of  opinion  and  some  strong  feeling 
manifested. 

After  the  depature  of  Rev.  Mr.  Colby  the  town  was 
destitute  of  a settled  ministry  for  nearly  five  years. 
It  appears  from  the  records  that  the  Presbyterian  soci- 
ety continued  to  raise  money  by  a small  tax  upon  one 
hundred  and  thirty  or  more  tax-payers ; that  different 
men  were  employed  to  preach  more  or  less  of  the 
year. 

A call  was  extended  to  Mr.  Abraham  Burnham  to 
settle  in  the  ministry  in  the  place,  proposing  to  him  a 
salary  of  five  hundred  dollars  per  annum,  and  two 
hundred  dollars  as  a settlement.  This  proposal  was 
accepted,  and  Mr.  Burnham  was  ordained  to  the  work 
of  the  ministry  in  this  place  March  2,  1808. 

In  1812  there  was  a marked  and  striking  manifes- 
tation of  Divine  power,  when  the  Holy  Spirit  came 
down  in  gentle  but  copious  showers  of  grace.  Revivals 
also  occurred  in  1814,  ’16,  ’19,  ’26,  ’31,  ’32,  ’33  and  ’35, 
each  revival  exceeding,  in  interest  and  power,  its  pre- 
decessor, till  the  number  of  the  church  had  increased 
from  fifty  to  two  hundred  and  forty. 

Rev.  Dr.  Burnham  continued  his  labors  to  Novem- 
ber, 1850.  He  died  September  21,  1852. 

At  the  time  Rev.  Mr.  Burnham  was  dismissed,  Rev. 
John  H.  Merrill  was  installed  pastor  of  the  church, 
November  20,  1850.  Mr.  Merrill  had  been  pastor  of 
the  church  in  Falmouth,  Me.  He  came  here,  it  is 
said,  with  high  hopes  of  usefulness.  His  ministry, 
however,  was  short — less  than  three  years ; but  long 
enough  for  him  and  his  family  to  become  endeared  to 
many  of  the  people.  Observation,  we  think,  shows 
that  a long  ministry  is  quite  often  followed  by  an  un- 
settled state  of  the  pastoral  relation.  Mr.  Merrill 
was  dismissed  August  7,  1853. 

Rev.  Robert  Crossett  succeeded  Mr.  Merrill.  He 
commenced  his  labors  in  July,  1853,  and  was  installed 
pastor  of  this  church  March  16,  1854.  At  this  time 
a pleasing  religious  revival  existed  in  the  place.  Mr. 
Crossett  continued  his  labors  until  October  8,  1855, 
when,  on  account  of  a failure  of  health,  he  sought  a 
release  from  his  engagements  here,  for  a warmer 
climate  and  a more  competent  salary. 

Rev.  Lewis  Goodrich,  from  Dedham,  Me.,  came 
to  this  place  May  24, 1856,  and  commenced  his  labors 
in  the  ministry.  He  was  installed  pastor  of  the 


PEMBROKE. 


573 


church  May  13,  1857.  A revival  of  religion  was  in 
progress  at  the  time  of  his  installation,  which  con- 
tinued more  than  a year.  Many  were  interested,  in 
both  the  academies  and  in  the  town.  During  the 
nine  years  of  Mr.  Goodrich’s  labors,  as  he  states,  over 
one  hundred  indulged  the  Christian’s  hope,  and  some 
fifty  of  them  united  with  the  Congregational  Church. 
His  pastorate  ended  in  18G5. 

Following  Rev.  Mr.  Goodrich,  Rev.  Nathan  F. 
Carter  spent  one  year  in  the  work  of  the  ministry. 

Rev.  Benjamin  Merrill  commenced  his  labors  here 
November  25,  1806, — an  earnest,  Christian  man  of 
much  skill  and  efficiency  in  his  work.  He  labored 
directly  for  the  conversion  and  salvation  of  souls,  and 
was  happy  in  enlisting  a portion  of  the  church  to  do 
the  same.  A revival  of  religion  was  experienced, 
and  a quickening  influence  was  felt  by  the  church 
during  his  ministry  of  three  and  a half  years. 

Rev.  Lyman  White,  from  Phillipston,  Mass.,  and 
formerly  pastor  of  the  church  in  Epping,  in  this 
State,  commenced  his  labors  as  acting  pastor  of  this 
church  in  April,  1871,  and  continued  until  the  fall  of 
1875. 

Rev.  C.  C.  Sampson  was  settled  in  the  ministry  in 
October,  1879,  was  ordained  May  18,  1881,  and  was 
dismissed  in  March,  1885. 

The  society  now  worship  in  a commodious  meet- 
ing-house on  Pembroke  Street. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church.— The  first  Method- 
ist preaching  in  Pembroke  was  by  Rev.  James 
Cofran,  a local  preacher  from  Readfield,  Me.  Some 
years  before,  Mr.  Cofran  left  Pembroke  to  seek 
his  fortmie  in  the  East,  and  being  a wild  and 
thoughtless  young  man,  celebrated  his  departure  at 
a tavern  with  his  gay  friends  by  drinking  and  danc- 
ing till  a late  hour  at  night.  Going  into  Maine,  he 
happened  to  hear  Jesse  Lee  preach,  and  became 
convicted  of  sin  and  was  converted  to  God.  In  1804 
he  sent  word  to  Colonel  Cofran,  of  Buck  Street,  his 
brother,  that  he  was  coming  to  Pembroke  and  would 
preach  to  the  people  if  he  would  cause  a notice  to  be 
given.  Colonel  Cofran  remarked  to  his  family  that 
he  would  have  the  meeting  at  his  own  house,  and 
then,  if  his  brother  should  prove  to  be  one  of  the 
bawling  Methodists  that  he  had  heard  tell  of,  he 
could  bawl  as  loud  as  he  chose,  and  it  would  be 
nobody’s  business.  The  preacher  came ; the  house 
was  filled ; he  preached  with  power,  and  several 
were  convicted  and  converted,  among  whom  was 
Robert  Martin.  Mr.  Cofran  left,  but  Mr.  Martin 
was  so  much  interested  that  he  attended  the  next 
Quarterly  Meeting  and  requested  George  Pickering, 
presiding  elder,  to  include  Pembroke  in  a circuit. 
This  was  done,  and  David  Batchelder  was  the  first 
minister  to  preach  regularly.  Mr.  Batchelder 
formed  the  first  class,  of  which  Robert  Martin  was 
leader.  Their  names  were  as  follows: 

Robert  Martin,  Benjamin  Fowler,  Abigail  Martin, 
Mehitable  Fowler,  John  Kelley,  Joshua  Phelps, 


Rachel  Kelley,  Hannah  Phelps,  Lydia  Abbott, 
Nancy  Sargent,  Mrs.  Head,  Elizabeth  Frye.  These 
events  occurred  in  1804.  In  1805  Pembroke  was 
connected  with  the  Northfiekl  Circuit,  and  Caleb 
Dustin  was  the  preacher.  This  year  the  first  Quar- 
terly Meeting  was  held  in  town,  at  the  old  Presby- 
terian meeting-house,  at  which  John  Broadhead 
presided.  Great  interest  was  awakened,  and  the 
church  grew  in  numbers.  In  1806,  James  Young 
was  the  preacher;  in  1807  and  1808,  Thomas  Peck  : 
in  1810,  Abner  Clark;  in  1811,  Hezekiah  Field;  in 
LS12,  Jacob  Sanborn;  in  1813,  Richard  Emery;  in 
1814,  Anson  Summers;  in  1815,  James  Jaques;  in 
1816,  Noah  Bigelow.  Abner  Clark  formed  a small 
class  in  Suncook  in  1810,  of  which  Nathaniel  Nutting 
was  the  leader.  This  class  did  not  long  survive,  and 
another  was  not  formed  until  about  1840.  The 
record  from  1816  to  1825  is  not  easily  accessible.  At 
the  latter  date  the  Pembroke  Society,  numbering 
one  hundred  and  forty-four  members,  was  a part  of  a 
circuit,  and  the  preachers  were  Moses  Sanderson 
and  William  R.  Stone;  in  1826,  Janies  B.  Norris 
and  R.  Newhall;  in  1830,  James  G.  Small  and 
Ezekiel  W.  Smith ; in  1832,  when  there  were  two 
hundred  and  twenty-one  members,  Orlando  Hinds, 
R.  II.  Spaulding  and  Caleb  Beede;  in  1833,  R.  II. 
Spaulding  and  Orlando  Hinds. 

The  society  was  joined  to  the  Concord  Conference 
in  1836,  and  the  preachers  were  William  J.  Kidder 
and  D.  Jones,  the  former  continuing  in  1837 ; in 
1838,  B.  D.  Brewster  and  J.  C.  Cromack;  in  1839,  S. 
Norris  ; in  1840,  A.  Folsom  ; in  1841,  L.  Howard;  in 
1842,  A.  II.  Worthing;  in  1843  and  1844,  James 
Pike ; in  1845  and  1846,  Warren  F.  Evans ; in  1847, 
A.  II.  Fullerton;  in  1848  and  1849,  A.  Folsom ; in 
1850,  when  first  mention  is  made  of  preaching  in 
Suncook,  James  Thurston,  who  was  returned  in 
1851;  in  1852,  Elijah  Mason;  in  1853  and  1854, 
William  Hawes;  in  1855  and  1856,  O.  II.  Jasper;  in 
1857  and  1858,  George  S.  Barnes ; in  1859  and  1860, 
C.  M.  Dinsmore;  in  1861  and  1862,  Nelson  Green; 
in  1863,  L.  Howard;  in  1864  and  1865,  C.  II.  Chase ; 
in  1866  and  1867,  N.  Culver;  in  1868,  J.  W. 
Guernsey;  in  1869,1870  and  1871,  A.  C.  Manson ; 
in  1872  and  1873,  J.  Noyes;  in  1874,  C.  W.  Miller; 
in  1875  and  1876,  Henry  Dorr;  in  1877,  1878  and 
1879,  S.  C.  Keeler;  in  1880  and  1881,  George  W. 
Roland;  in  1882,  1883  and  1884,  Otis  Cole;  in  1885, 
James  Cairns. 

The  first  meeting-house  built  by  the  society,  about 
1828,  still  stands  on  the  hill,  but  it  has  not  been  used 
for  many  years.  The  meeting-house  in  Suncook, 
built  in  1849,  was  burned  October  10,  1882,  and  was 
rebuilt  the  next  year  and  the  year  following,  and  was 
dedicated  July  6,  1884.  It  cost  about  fifteen  thousand 
dollars,  and  is  located  very  centrally  in  Suncook. 

The  Baptist  Society. — It  was  organized  April  21, 
1869.  At  first  its  growth  was  fostered  by  Rev.  Drs. 
David  Gage,  E.  E.  Cummings  and  Rev.  J.  M.  Coburn. 


574 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


In  1872,  Rev.  T.  H.  Goodwin  was  settled  in  the 
ministry.  He  was  succeeded  in  1877  by  Rev.  H.  W. 
Tate;  in  1880  by  Rev.  N.  D.  Curtiss;  in  1885  by 
Rev.  II.  A.  Stetson. 

The  meeting-bouse  was  built  in  1871  at  a cost  of 
three  thousand  dollars,  and  is  located  in  Suncook 
village. 


CHAPTER  III. 

PEMBROKE — ( Coh  tiam  d). 

MILITARY  HISTORY. 

The  military  history  of  Pembroke  lias  been  es- 
pecially honorable  and  creditable  to  the  citizens  of 
the  town.  The  original  grant  was  made  to  the  brave 
men  who  served  with  Captain  John  Lovewell. 

In  Captain  Daniel  Ladd’s  company,  scouting  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Pembroke,  in  the  summer  of  1746, 
are  the  familiar  Pembroke  names, — 

William  Knox,  William  Moore,  John  Moore,  Jamea  Moore,  William 
Moore  Jr.,  Joseph  Mann,  Samuel  Moore,  Joseph  Eastman,  Jacob 
Doyen. 

The  muster-roll  of  the  company  in  His  Majesty’s 
service,  under  command  of  Moses  Foster,  captain, 
has  been  preserved,  dated  November  1,  1752, — 

Moses  Fostei,  captain  ; Rev.  Mr.  Whittemore,  Luther  Morgan,  lieu- 
tenants ; Benjamin  Cram,  Edward  Bean,  William  Fowler,  Ezekiel  Flan- 
ders, Samuel  Lovering,  Abner  Goodwin,  Henry  Trussel,  Abraham  Rowel, 
Timothy  Blake,  Ephraim  Philbrick,  Daniel  Blake,  James  French,  Jona- 
than Heath,  John  Cooper,  Jeremiah  Allen,  John  Moore,  Samuel  Fifieid, 
Theophilus  Griffin,  Jonathan  Swain,  John  Calef,  Edward  Beau,  Derby 
Kelley,  Samuel  Abbott,  John  Carr. 

At  this  time,  or  a little  later,  there  was  a garrison 
on  Buck  Street,  under  command  of  Captain  Thomas 
Lucas,  the  muster-roll  of  which  has  been  preserved, — 

Thomas,  Lucas,  captain  ; Joseph  Gale,  Thomas  Lucas,  Jr.,  sentinels; 
Jonathan  Ingalls,  Thomas  Thompson,  John  Fuller. 

In  the  expedition  against  Forts  DuQuesne,  Niagara 
and  Crown  Point,  Noah  Johnson  was  ensign  in  Rob- 
ert Rogers’  company  of  rangers.  In  Captain  John 
Goffe’s  company,  in  the  same  expedition,  appear  the 
names  of  Samuel  Moore,  Nathaniel  Martin,  Samuel 
Martin,  John  Moore,  Joshua  Martin,  Benjamin  East- 
man, Thomas  McLaughlin.  In  other  companies — 
Enoch  Noyes,  Stephen  Hazeltine,  Christopher  Love- 
joy,  Seth  Richardson,  Jonathan  Fowler,  Francis 
Doyen,  John  Fowler.  In  Captain  John  Moore’s  com- 
pany— James  Moore,  Robert  Cochran,  John  Cunning- 
ham, James  Otterson. 

In  an  expedition  against  Crown  Point,  in  1758,  the 
company  under  command  ofXehemiali  Lovewell,  son 
of  Captain  John  Lovewell,  contained  the  following, 
probably  all  from  Pembroke  : 

Frauds  Doyen,  Janies  Mann,  John  Fife,  James  Garven,  Stephen  Mc- 
Connell, Henry  Hemphill,  Timothy  Knox,  Jonathan  Eastman. 

The  Pembroke  company,  at  the  battle  of  Bunker 
Hill,  was  in  Colonel  John  Stark’s  regiment,  and  was 


under  the  command  of  Captain  Daniel  Moore,  Lieu- 
tenant Ebenezer  Frye  and  Second  Lieutenant  John 
Moore. 

MUSTER  ROLL. 

William  Fowle,  Moses  McConnell,  Thomas  Baker,  sergeants  ; Nathan 
Batchelder,  Moses  Merrill,  Christopher  Bartlett,  Noah  Dollar,  Noah 
Emery,  George  Evans,  William  Fraser,  Jonathan  Fifieid,  Benjamin  Fol- 
som, Josiah  Gordon,  Timothy  Gordon,  Ezekiel  Gilman,  Thomas  Hoyt, 
Jeremiah  Homan,  corporals;  Zebadiali  Lovejoy,  drummer;  James 
Moore,  fifer  ; John  Buswell,  Josiah  Batchelder,  Samuel  Lawrence,  Na- 
thaniel Martin,  Isaac  Moore,  Caleb  Morse,  Theodore  Marston,  William 
Morrill,  Nathaniel  Moulton,  Benjamin  Norris,  Moses  Noyes,  Moses 
Page,  Insley  Brown,  Paul  Blake,  Joseph  Broderick,  Daniel  Cass,  Andrew 
Cunningham,  Eliplialet  Connor,  Dudley  Clifford,  Samuel  Cate,  Moses 
Roberts,  Robert  Stinson,  Lemuel  Stickney,  JobSherburn,  Jacob  Sinkler, 
John  Thing,  Thomas  Towle,  William  Towle,  Jr.,  Jeptha  Tyler,  Samuel 
Wells,  Nathan  Holt,  William  Harper,  Jonathan  Judkins,  Samuel  Kelley, 
Moses  Kelsey,  Oliver  Lytord,  Samuel  Piper,  James  Quimby,  Joseph  Raw- 
lins, John  Rawlins,  Jeremy  Rollins,  Richard  Robinson,  John  Wadleigh, 
Andrew  Wiggin,  Abraham  Brown,  William  Doe,  James  Robinson,  John 
Wilson,  privates. 

In  December,  General  Sullivan  appealed  to  the  citi- 
zens of  New  Hampshire  to  recruit  his  forces  on  Win- 
ter Hill,  and  two  companies  were  raised  in  Pembroke. 

Of  one  company  Andrew  Bunten  was  captain  ; 
Samuel  McConnell,  first  lieutenant;  Peter  Robinson 
second  lieutenant. 

Of  the  other  company  Samuel  Conner  was  captain, 
Matthew  Pettingill,  first  lieutenant ; Nathaniel  Head, 
second  lieutenant. 

In  July  and  August,  1776,  a New  Hampshire  reg- 
iment was  raised  for  service  in  Canada  and  on  the 
northern  frontier,  and  placed  under  command  of  Col- 
onel Joshua  Wright. 

Second  Lieutenant  Stephen  Bartlett  was  from  Pem- 
broke, as  were  the  following  soldiers,  all  in  Company 
Nine. 

Samuel  Kimball,  Nathaniel  Lakeman,  David  Frye,  Benjamin  Haggett, 
William  Knox,  James  Knox,  John  Knox,  Nathaniel  Smith,  Eliphalet 
Connor,  Samuel  McConnell,  Levi  Carter,  Asa  Foster,  Jr.,  James  Head, 
Jonathan  Elliot,  John  Lander,  Eliphalet  Norris,  Phedris  McCutchin, 
John  Beten,  John  Quimby,  Joseph  Cochran,  Ephraim  Garvin,  Samuel 
Kelly,  Thomas  Stickney,  Jeremiah  Abbot,  Nathaniel  Martin,  Benjamin 
Norris,  John  Cook,  John  Cochran,  James  Martin,  John  Jennes. 

Captain  Benjamin  Frye  became  disaffected  with 
the  management  of  public  affairs,  complained  of  the 
court  publicly  and  asserted  that  he  should  not  go 
into  the  service  until  he  was  paid  his  dues.  As  it  ap- 
pears from  the  town  records  that  he  had  a wife,  at 
least,  dependent  upon  him,  and,  from  the  complaint 
of  the  zealous  patriot  who  reported  him,  was  without 
an  estate  and  dependent  upon  his  pay,  at  this  distance 
of  time  his  fault-finding  seems  not  unreasonable,  but 
justifiable.  During  his  absence  his  wife  was  admitted 
to  the  privileges  enjoyed  by  the  families  of  non-com- 
missioned officers  and  privates  by  a special  vote  of  the 
town.  It  evidently  required  wealth  for  a man  to  hold 
a commission  during  the  Revolution,  for  the  money 
received  for  pay  from  the  Continental  authorities  had 
very  little  purchasing  power  compared  to  its  face 
value. 

“ A MUSTER-ROLL  of  Capt.  Samuel  McConnell’s  Comp1  in  Col1 
Stikney’s  Regiment  Belonging  to  Brigadier-General  Starke’s  Brigade  of 
the  State  of  New  Hampshire,  Pembroke,  July  18,  1777.  Raised  for  the 


PEMBROKE. 


575 


Defence  of  AMERICAN  Liberty,  against  the  Unconstitutional  Acts  of 
BRITAIN.” 

Samuel  McConnell,  captain  ; Robert  Gilmore,  first  lieutenant ; John 
Orr,  second  lieutenant  ; Thomas  Hoit,  ensign  ; Jeptha  Tyler,  first  ser- 
geant ; Robert  Burns,  second  sergeant;  Ebenezer  Ferren,  third  sergeant ; 
James  Gay,  fourth  sergeant ; James  Knox,  first  corporal ; Robert  Spear, 
second  corporal  ; Samuel  Huston,  third  corporal  ; Enoch  Sergent,  fourth 
corporal  ; Matthew  Gault,  drummer ; Patrick  Roach,  fifer ; Enoch 
Eaton,  Eliphalet  Richards,  Benjamin  Stevens,  Jr.,  Samuel  Ames,  Amos 
Richards,  David  McCluer,  Jr.,  Nicholas  Felch,  Jonathan  ('illey,  Isaac 
Sargent,  Joseph  Colbey,  Daniel  Hadley,  Stephen  Mors,  Charles  McCoy, 
Jeremiah  Abbot,  Ephraim  Garven,  John  Moor,  John  Robinson,  Samuel 
Piper,  James  Alexander,  Fry  Holt,  Solomon  Ames,  George  Evans,  John 
Wallace,  John  Bell,  William  McLaughlin,  James  Walker,  Isaac  Huston, 
Robert  Matthews,  Adam  Smith,  Samuel  Remick,  Samuel  Carr,  Samuel 
Hoit,  Benjamin  Stevens  (3d),  Nathan  Haws,  Samuel  Dunlap,  Malachi 
Davis,  John  Astor,  David  McCluer,  John  Rowell,  Reuben  Wells,  Samuel 
Eaton,  Caleb  Page,  Jr.,  Thomas  Mills,  Jr.,  William  Holmes,  Jr.,  John 
Church,  David  Morrison,  William  Wheeler,  Jr.,  Archibald  McCurdy, 
David  Farmer,  Theophilus  Griffin,  Zachariah  Holden,  Enoch  Harvey, 
John  Nutt,  Jacob  McQuaid,  John  Morrison,  John  Aiken,  John  Barret, 
Hugh  Riddle,  John  Gilmor,  Reuben  Trussed,  John  Huntington,  Joshua 
Willet,  Benjamin  Betle,  Ebenezer  Hacket,  Daniel  Collins,  James 
Wallace,  Solomon  Whitehouse,  Zebulon  Davis,  Joseph  Norris,  William 
Moor,  Samuel  McDuffee,  Daniel  Story,  Samuel  Kelly,  Obadiah  Hadley, 
Hezekiah  Colbey,  William  Emerson,  John  Abbot,  Gershom  Durgin, 
James  Barker,  privates. 

This  company  was  with  General  Stark  at  the 
battle  of  Bennington,  and  did  good  service.  Major 
James  Head  was  mortally  wounded  in  the  battle,  and 
was  buried  in  the  village  of  Bennington. 

In  1777,  Ebenezer  Frye  was  captain  and  John 
Moore  was  first  lieutenant  of  a company  in  the  First 
New  Hampshire  Regiment  iu  the  Continental  army. 

The  training-band  “ was  constituted  of  all  the 
able-bodied  male  persons  in  the  State,  from  sixteeen 
years  old  to  fifty,  excepting  certain  persons  in  position 
and  employment  specified,  and  negroes,  Indians  and 
mulattoes.”  The  alarm-list  “ included  all  male  per- 
sons from  sixteen  to  sixty-five  not  included  in  the 
training-band,”  not  specially  exempted,  and  was 
organized  in  a separate  corps. 

The  militia  of  each  county  was  organized  in  regi- 
ments and  companies,  the  field  officers  being  chosen 
by  the  Council  and  House  of  Representatives.  The 
companies  consisted  of  about  sixty-eight  privates, 
who  elected  their  company  officers. 

Pembroke  during  these  dark  days,  like  all  other 
towns  in  the  American  colonies,  was  an  armed  camp, 
every  citizen  under  military  orders. 

In  1781,  Major  McConnell,  Lieutenant  Samuel 
Daniell  and  Lieutenant  Samuel  Noyes  were  chosen 
a committee  to  divide  the  parish,  and  to  give  to  each 
company  their  quota  of  men  required  from  the  town 
for  the  army.  Major  McConnell  was  also  empowered 
to  purchase  the  quantity  of  beef  required  of  the 
parish  by  the  State  authorities.  In  March  the  com- 
mittee reported  that  Captain  J.  Cochran’s  company 
should  furnish  six  men,  and  Captain  N.  Head’s  com- 
pany five  men,  to  fill  the  quota  of  the  town.  Every 
able-bodied  man,  liable  to  serve,  was  enrolled  a militia 
or  minute-man.  While  the  actual  fighting  had  been 
progressing  no  draft  had  been  required  to  fill  Pem- 
broke’s quota.  Volunteers  were  willing  and  ready. 
Now  that  the  powerful  aid  of  France  had  been  suc- 


cessfully sought  and  obtained,  and  the  British  were 
acting  on  the  defensive,  and  peace  seemed  probable, 
the  enthusiasm  had  in  a measure  subsided.  Yet 
Pembroke  again  willingly  did  her  duty,  and  the  men 
were  furnished. 

The  extreme  poverty  of  the  people  was  very  dis- 
tressing after  the  war,  and  the  Legislature  was  impor- 
tuned to  issue  a fiat  money  to  an  unlimited  extent  to 
relieve  the  wants  of  the  most  needy,  and  finally  did 
emit  fifty  thousand  dollars  ; but  this  did  not  suit  the 
most  clamorous,  and  it  was  determined  to  coerce 
the  authorities.  Runners  were  acccording  seut  into 
the  most  disaffected  towns,  calling  upon  the  people  to 
arm,  go  to  Exeter  and  demand  an  emission  of  paper 
money,  and  other  enactments  to  suit  their  views. 
September  20tli,  about  two  hundred  young  and 
thoughtless  insurgents  entered  the  town  of  Exeter, 
some  ou  foot,  some  mounted,  armed  with  every  variety 
of  weapon,  from  a musket  to  a staff’.  Of  the  military 
men  in  this  insurrection  are  handed  down  the  names 
of  Major  James  Cochran,  Captain  James  Cochran, 
and  Lieutenant  Asa  Robinson,  of  Pembroke,  and 
probably  a large  part  of  their  following  were  from 
the  young  men  of  the  town.  The  dispersion  of  the 
mob  is  a matter  of  history, — how  General  Cilley 
arrested  with  his  own  hands  Major  Cochran  ; how  the 
rash  men  were  dragged  from  their  homes  and  brought 
to  trial  at  Exeter,  plead  guilty  and  were  discharged 
with  a reprimand.  Major  Cochran  was  cashiered,  but 
was  restored  on  account  of  former  good  conduct, — 
more  fortunate  than  Captain  Cochran  and  Lieutenant 
Robinson,  whose  sentences  were  not  revoked,  and 
they  lost  their  military  rank. 

Under  the  military  organization  of  the  State  in 
1812,  Asa  Robinson  was  brigadier-general  of  the  Third 
Brigade;  Samuel  Cofrau,  lieutenant-colonel  Eleventh 
Regiment;  David  Norris,  major  First  Battalion;  Asa 
Foster,  major  Second  Battalion. 

In  a company  sent  for  the  defense  of  Portsmouth, 
in  July,  were  Moody  Dustin,  Edla  Foster  and  Wil- 
liam Abbot,  of  Pembroke. 

The  following  Pembroke  men  were  called  into 
active  service  in  the  summer  and  fall  of  1814,  under 
the  command  of  Captain  William  Marshall : Samuel 
Ames,  Samuel  Evans,  Joseph  Emery,  Edmund  Holt 
and  Richard  Morse. 

September  26th  the  company  under  command  of 
Captain  Edward  Fuller  was  called  out  for  sixty 
days ; the  following  were  all  or  in  part  from  Pem- 
broke : 

Edward  Fuller,  captain  ; Asa  Head,  lieutenant ; Samuel  Wbite- 
liouse,  ensign  ; Abel  Read,  William  Knox,  sergeants  ; Aaron  Martin, 
Reuben  Osgood,  corporals ; Samuel  S.  Moulton,  Stephen  Hayes,  John 
Conner,  Jeremiah  Edmunds,  George  Wheeler,  Samuel  Kelley,  John 
Davis,  Robert  Moor,  Jr.,  Isaac  Knox,  John  Nickson,  Seth  Baker,  Stephen 
( 'bickering,  William  Fife;  David  Brown,  Robert  Knox,  Hillary  Knox, 
John  Morrison,  Thomas  Knox,  Charles  Rowell,  Levi  Baker,  Thomas 
Martin,  Chase  Prescott,  George  French,  Richard  Welch,  Joseph  Knox, 
Nathaniel  Lakcman,  \\  illiarn  Roach,  Daniel  Kimball,  Samuel  Robinson, 
privates. 


576 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


The  company  was  stationed  at  Portsmouth  on  gar- 
rison duty. 

Lieutenant  Head  seems  to  have  been  on  detached 
s ervice,  for  the  pay-roll  of  his  company,  all  Pembroke 
men,  has  been  preserved. 

Asa  Head,  second  lieutenant ; Samuel  Whitehouse,  ensign  ; William 
Ham,  John  Palmer,  Jr.,  William  Knox,  sergeants ; Aaron  Martin,  cor- 
poral ; Peter  Tucker,  Andrew  Gault,  musicians  ; Prescott  Kendall,  Seth 
Baker,  Levi  Baker,  John  Conner,  Stephen  Chickering,  Jeremiah  Edmunds, 
George  Freneh,  Samuel  Kelley,  Joseph  Knox,  Nathaniel  Lakeman, 
Robert  Moore,  Jr.,  John  Morrison,  Isaac  Knox,  John  Nickson,  Charles 
Rowell,  Samuel  Robinson.  Isaac  C.  Swan,  Joseph  Seavey,  John  Phillips, 
Edmund  Whitcher,  John  Sargent,  Jr.,  privates  ; Tim  Lyndstone,  waiter 

PEMBROKE’S  ROLL  OF  HONOR  DURING  THE  REBELLION. 
Samuel  0.  Burnham,  Edward  Clark,  M.  X.  B.  Davis,  L.  H.  Dearborn, 
Henry  C.  Fife,  George  W.  Nixon,  Woodbury  Brooks,  Frank  Daniels, 
Pierre  Francois,  Thomas  Gardner,  John  J.  Jackson,  Edward  Levy,  John 
I).  Wolfe,  Wm.  M.  Edmunds,  Duncan  Kennedy,  George  Barney,  George 

F.  Smith,  Jos.  B.  Connor,  Henry  Quimby,  Wm.  Zanes,  Harrison  Zaues, 
Thomas  Haslin,  Lucian  B.  Smith,  M.  C.  Richardson,  John  Sweeney, 
Carl  Weisman,  Charles  L.  French,  John  Frederick,  Alvin  H.  Stevens, 
John  Baclielder,  Henry  Brown,  William  Burson,  George  Burney,  John 

G.  Gillis,  Michael  Hall,  William  Lynch,  Henry  A.  Mann,  Daniel  W. 
Knox,  James  Toben,  George  H.  Gilley,  Benj.  A.  Brown,  Benj.  F.  Messer, 
Alfred  Towns,  Wm.  Gray,  James  Crowley,  D.  M.  Leighton,  Joseph 
Lewis,  John  Fredericks,  Henry  Hashoff,  Marshall  Field,  J.  M.  Prentiss, 
Benj.  White,  C.  M.  Cofran,  A.  T.  Dolby,  G.  N.  Glidden,  B.  B.  Haggett, 
J.  W.  Nelson,  J.  D.  Swett,  T.  Sullivan,  II.  II.  Sargent,  G.  F.  Smith,  A. 
Bickford,  Jabez  Chickering,  A.  J.  Abbott,  W.  L.  Robinson,  Leon  Ban- 
ford,  J.  F.  Kennedy,  Francis  Henshaw,  Daria  Shillard,  Daniel  Lebelle, 
Chas.  Kohlman,  Solomon  P.  Gale,  Hazen  0.  Baker,  II.  F.  Black,  Simon 
Drew,  T.  II.  Fife,  W.  A.  Glidden,  S.  H.  Haggett,  F.  P.  Robinson,  S.  D. 
Robinson,  W.  E.  Morse,  Gain  Burpee,  Henry  Johns,  C.  H.  Kelley,  B.H. 
Payne,  J.  M.  Abbott,  D.  K.  Richardson,  Alvin  Holt,  Alex.  Shandon,  John 
Coyle,  G.  W.  Oliver,  A.  L.  Gale,  Benj.  Baker,  G.  W.  Stone,  Geo.  B. 
Cofran,  Henry  Durkee,  Trueworthy  Fowler,  L.  D.  Haggett,  E.  A.  Kelley, 
Wm.  Simpson,  Jas.  Brady,  P.  C.  Savory,  E.  P.  Kimball,  Richard  Shannon, 
Barney  Spelman,  John  Colby,  G.  E.  Gay,  II.  Prescott,  T.  A.  Gorman,  C. 
A.Brickett,  Wm.Aurccy,  T.  Ogle,  Alvin  H.  Stevens,  J.  B.  Edgerly, Thomas 
Gardner,  Carl  Weisman,  C.  L.  French,  Henry  Brown,  E.  Seavey, 
Michael  Hall,  D.  W.  Knox,  James  Tobin,  Lewis  Covert,  John  Sullivan, 
Henry  Miller,  Richard  Condon,  Chas.  Lewis,  Wm.  Shehan,  James  Cam- 
mell,  P.  Francois,  John  Fife,  Frank  Daniels,  John  Sweeney,  G.  W. 
Nixon,  John  G.  Giles,  J.  D.  Wolfe,  J.  Donavan,  Wm.  M.  Edmunds, 
Robt.  Latimer,  Joseph  Howland,  Geo.  W.  Smith,  James  Collins,  G.  C. 
Edmunds,  Frank  Gilt,  John  Wallson,  John  Gibbons,  C.  A.  Moore,  Ed- 
ward Clark,  J.  J.  Jackson,  Edwin  Chickering,  John  Harrington,  Geo. 
Barney,  Wm.  Lynch,  Wm.  Burson,  Duncan  Kennedy,  Wm.  Buchar, 
John  Hart,  G.  II . Cilley,  B.  Dolan,  R.  Liblance,  James  Boyer,  John 
Clark,  Chas.  Mansfield. 

Of  course,  many  never  returned  from  the  war. 
There  is  in  Suncook  a branch  of  the  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic,  and  a flourishing  Masonic  lodge. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


COL.  DAVID  LYMAN  JEWELL.1 

The  chief  industry  of  the  flourishing  village  of 
Suncook  is  the  manufacture  of  cotton  cloth.  The 
China,  the  Webster  and  the  Pembroke  Mills  are 
three  great  establishments  under  one  mangement, 
built  on  the  banksof  the  Suncook  River  and  operated 


principally  by  its  power,  where  print  cloths  are  made. 
About  these  mills,  which  give  steady  employment  to 
over  fifteen  hundred  operatives,  has  grown  up  a sub- 
stantial village,  with  fine  public  buildings,  spacious 
stores,  elegant  private  residences  and  long  blocks  of 
neat  tenement-houses,  inhabited  by  a liberal  and  pub- 
lic-spirited class  of  citizens,  and  governed  by  a wise 
and  judicious  policy  which  renders  this  community 
comfortable,  attractive  and  law-abiding.  The  man 
to  whose  clear  head  and  skillful  hand  is  entrusted  the 
management  of  this  great  corporation,  of  such  vital 
importance  to  the  village  of  Suncook,  is  a genial  gen- 
tleman of  forty -five,  Colonel  David  L.  Jewell,  a brief 
outline  of  whose  life  it  is  my  purpose  to  sketch. 

David  Lyman  Jewell,  son  of  Bradbury  and  Lucinda 
(Chapman)  Jewell,  was  born  in  Tamworth,  N.  H., 
January  26,  1837.  In  the  midst  of  the  grandest 
scenery  of  New  England,  under  the  shadows  of  the 
Ossipee  Mountains,  and  in  view  of  hold  Chocorua, 
our  friend  was  ushered  to  this  earthly  pilgrimage. 

Colonel  Jewell  is  a descendant  of  Mark  Jewell, 
who  was  born  in  the  north  of  Devonshire,  England, 
in  the  year  1724,  and  died  in  Sandwich,  N.  H.,  the 
19th  of  February,  1787.  He  descended  from  the  same 
original  stock  as  Bishop  John  Jewell,  of  Devonshire. 
Mark  Jewell  came  to  this  country  in  1743,  married 
and  located  in  Durham,  N.  H.,  and  was  the  father  of 
three  sons,  Mark,  Jr.,  Bradbury  and  John.  Mark, 
Jr.,  was  the  first  white  man  who  settled  in  Tam- 
worth, in  1772,  on  what  is  now  called  “ Stevenson’s 
Hill,”  removing  soon  after  to  “ Birch  Interval,” 
as  known  at  the  present  time.  He  married  Ruth 
Vittum,  of  Sandwich,  in  1776  ; they  were  the  parents 
of  sixteen  children.  He  was  prominent  in  all 
town  affairs,  and  sometimes  preached,  and  was  fa- 
miliarly called  among  his  fellow-townsmen  “ Elder  ” 
or  “Priest”  Jewell. 

Bradbury,  son  of  Elder  Jewell,  married  Mary 
Chapman,  in  1806,  by  whom  he  had  two  sons, — Brad- 
bury and  David.  Bradbury  Jewell,  a pupil  of  Samuel 
Hidden,  was  a teacher  of  considerable  note,  and  his 
memory  is  tenderly  cherished  to-day  by  many  of  his 
pupils  throughout  the  State.  While  engaged  in 
teaching  he  pursued  a course  of  medical  studies  and 
in  1839,  having  completed  them,  collected  his  worldly 
goods  and  removed  to  Newmarket,  a place  presenting 
a larger  field  for  practice.  There  he  commenced  in 
earnest  his  chosen  profession  ; but  being  of  a delicate 
constitution,  the  exposure  incident  to  a physician’s 
life  soon  told  upon  his  limited  strength  ; he  sickened 
and  died  “ere  the  sun  of  his  life  had  reached  its  me- 
ridian,” leaving  his  widow,  with  two  little  children,  in 
indigent  circumstances,  to  combat  with  a cold  and 
selfish  world.  A wealthy  merchant  of  the  place,  hav- 
ing no  children,  wished  to  adopt  young  David,  offer- 
ing to  give  him  a college  education  and  leave  him 
heir  to  his  worldly  possessions ; but  with  a mother’s 
love  for  her  offspring,  Mrs.  Jewell  refused  the  offer, 
and  resolved  to  rear  and  educate  her  children  as  well 


1 By  J.  N.  McClintock. 


PEMBROKE. 


577 


as  her  limited  means  would  allow.  Being  a woman 
of  undaunted  spirit,  she  opened  a hoarding-house  for 
factory  operatives,  when  factory  girls  were  the  intelli- 
gent daughters  of  New  England  farmers,  who  re- 
garded this  new  industry  as  a most  favorable  opportu- 
nity for  an  honorable  employment. 

Having  brothers  in  Massachusetts,  and  thinking  to 
better  sustain  herself  and  children,  Mrs.  Jewell  re- 
moved to  Newton  Upper  Falls,  Mass.,  following  there 
the  same  occupation.  In  that  village  young  Jewell 
first  attended  school,  the  teacher  of  which  was  a 
former  pupil  of  his  father.  To  render  his  mother 
more  substantial  assistance  than  he  could  afford  her 
by  doing  irksome  chores,  he  went  to  work  in  the  fac- 
tory when  but  nine  years  of  age,  receiving  for  a day’s 
work — from  quarter  of  five  in  the  morning  until  half- 
past seven  in  the  evening — the  very  munificent  sum 
of  sixteen  cents  a day,  or  one  dollar  a week.  He 
worked  nine  months  and  attended  school  three,  every 
year,  until  he  was  nearly  thirteen  years  of  age,  when 
the  close  confinement  was  found  detrimental  to  his 
health,  and  he  was  taken  from  the  mill  and  placed  on 
a farm.  The  next  three  years  he  passed  in  healthful 
happy,  out-door  work.  Returning  home  from  the 
farm,  strong,  robust  and  vigorous,  he  re-entered  the 
mill,  where  he  was  variously  occupied,  becoming  fa- 
miliar with  the  operations  of  the  numerous  machines 
in  each  department,  but  more  particularly  those  per- 
taining to  the  carding-room,  where  his  step-father, 
Thomas  Truesdell  (his  mother  having  married  again), 
was  an  overseer,  learning  as  he  pursued  his  work, 
gradually  and  insensibly,  things  that  to-day  are  of 
incalculable  benefit  for  the  business  in  which  he  is 
now  engaged.  He  little  thought,  however,  when 
moving  his  stool  from  place  to  place,  in  order  to  facili- 
tate his  labor,  he  would  some  day  be  at  the  head  of 
similar  works,  many  times  greater  in  magnitude  than 
those  in  which  he  was  then  engaged. 

His  inherited  mechanical  taste  was  developed  by 
his  life  among  machinery,  and  when  he  was  seventeen 
years  of  age  he  gladly  entered  a machine-shop.  Here 
his  ready  perception  of  form  rendered  his  work  at- 
tractive and  his  improvement  rapid.  Before  com- 
pleting his  apprenticeship  he  felt  keenly  the  want  of 
a better  education,  and  determined  to  obtain  it.  His 
exchequer  was  very  low,  but  having  the  confidence  of 
friends,  he  readily  obtained  a loan,  and  in  the  spring 
of  1855  entered  the  Wesleyan  Academy,  at  Wilbra- 
ham,  Mass.  The  principal,  after  a casual  examina- 
tion, said,  “Well,  you  don’t  know  much,  do  you?” 
Being  quick  at  repartee,  young  Jewell  replied : “No, 
sir.  If  I did,  I would  not  be  here.”  This  brief  sip 
at  the  fountain  of  knowledge  only  increased  his  thirst 
for  more,  and  in  September  of  the  same  year  he  en- 
tered the  State  Normal  School,  Bridgewater,  Mass., 
under  the  regime  of  Marshall  Conant,  a life-long 
friend  and  counselor. 

Mr.  Jewell  from  the  first  was  a favorite  among  his 
class-mates,  courteous,  genial,  pleasant  in  disposition, 
37 


somewhat  careless  withal,  but  physically  vigorous  and 
always  the  first  at  athletic  sports  when  relieved  from 
study.  Mathematics,  of  which  he  was  very  fond,  and 
natural  philosophy,  were  his  favorite  branches  of 
study,  and  free-hand  drawing  liis  delight,  as  slates, 
book-covers  and  albums  attested.  While  in  school  he 
made  rapid  progress  and  graduated  in  the  spring  of 
1857,  having  acquired,  as  his  diploma  reads,  “ a very 
creditable  degree  of  knowledge  of  the  several 
branches  taught  therein.  Besides  these  attainments, 
Mr.  Jewell  possesses  tact  and  skill  for  rapid  sketch- 
ing and  delineation,  which  give  life  to  his  black-board 
illustrations.” 

To  show  the  forethought  possessed  by  him  in  a 
marked  degree,  before  graduating  he  had  secured  a 
school  to  teach  in  New  Jersey,  and  the  day  after  the 
closing  exercises  were  over  he  started  for  his  new 
field  of  labor.  He  taught  with  great  success  in  New 
Jersey  and  also  in  New  York,  some  three  years.  One 
school,  of  which  he  was  principal,  numbered  three 
hundred  scholars,  and  employed  five  assistant  teach- 
ers, all  of  whom  were  his  seniors  in  years.  Like  his 
father,  he  gained  an  enviable  reputation  as  a teacher, 
and  his  credentials  speak  of  him  in  the  highest  terms 
as  a competent,  faithful  and  pleasing  instructor  and 
most  excellent  disciplinarian.  One  superintendent 
of  schools  remarks : “ He  was  the  best  teacher  who 
had  been  employed  in  the  town  for  thirty  years.” 
While  engaged  in  teaching  Mr.  Jewell  pursued  a 
course  of  study  in  engineering  and  surveying,  and 
finally  determined  to  follow  engineering  as  a profes- 
sion. He  gave  up  school-teaching,  left  the  “ foreign 
shores  of  Jersey,”  and  entered  the  office  of  R.  Morris 
Copeland  and  C.  W.  Folsom,  of  Boston.  His  first 
work  was  the  resurvey  of  Cambridgeport.  He  after- 
wards worked  in  Dorchester  and  on  Narragansett  Bay. 
He  had  just  commenced  this  new  occupation  when 
“ the  shot  heard  round  the  world  ” was  fired  on  Sum- 
ter, and  the  tocsin  of  war  sounded  the  alarm. 

Surveying,  like  all  other  business,  came  to  a stand- 
still; the  compass  was  changed  for  a musket;  dis- 
tances were  measured  by  the  steady  tramp  of  the  sol- 
diery, and  the  weary  flagman  became  the  lonely 
sentinel.  About  this  time  the  owners  of  the  Pem- 
broke Mill  and  property  connected  there  in  Pembroke 
and  Allenstown,  N.  H.,  decided  to  increase  their  busi- 
ness by  building  a new  mill  twice  the  capacity  of  the 
one  then  owned  by  them.  Knowing  Mr.  Jewell  to  be  a 
good  draughtsman,  having  employed  him  during  the 
construction  of  the  Pembroke  Mill,  they  again  en- 
gaged him.  Consulting  with  their  then  resident 
agent,  he  prepared  the  required  working  plans  and 
drawings  for  the  Webster  Mill.  The  work  of  the 
building  was  soon  under  way  and  rapidly  pushed  to 
completion.  While  thus  engaged  the  agent  at  New- 
ton died,  and  the  immediate  care  of  the  mills  was 
given  to  Mr.  Jewell,  until  (as  the  treasurer  said)  he 
could  find  a competent  man  for  the  position.  Fin- 
ishing his  work  at  Suncook,  and  having  conducted 


578 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


the  affairs  of  the  company  at  Newton  in  a very  satis- 
factory manner,  the  treasurer  tendered  him  the 
agency  of  the  mills.  In  accepting  the  position,  his 
career  as  agent  began,  where,  fifteen  years  before,  he 
commenced  the  work  that  fitted  him  so  thoroughly 
for  the  successful  management  of  the  same.  The 
mills  were  in  a bad  condition,  the  machinery  old  and 
run  down,  and  the  owners  impatient  and  anxious. 
Nothing  daunted,  however,  Mr.  Jewell  entered 
heartily  into  the  business,  making  such  changes  that 
at  the  time  he  tendered  his  resignation  he  had 
doubled  the  production  and  greatly  improved  the 
quality  of  the  goods  manufactured.  Looms  built 
more  than  fifty  years  before,  and  improved  by  Mr. 
Jewell,  are  still  running  and  producing  nearly  as 
many  yards  per  day,  and  of  as  good  quality,  as  those 
made  at  the  present  time.  These  mills  were  run 
throughout  the  war,  paying  for  cotton  as  high  as  one 
dollar  a pound,  and  selling  the  cloth  for  thirty-five 
cents  a yard.  Mr.  Jewell  was  very  anxious  to  enlist 
during  the  exciting  times  of  war,  but  was  prevailed 
upon  by  the  owners  to  continue  in  charge  of  their 
works,  and  by  the  entreaties  of  his  wife,  who  was 
hopelessly  ill,  to  remain  at  her  side. 

The  treasurer  and  part  owner  of  the  mills  at  New- 
ton Upper  Falls  was  also  treasurer  and  large  owner 
of  the  mills  at  Suncook.  The  Suncook  Company, 
seeing  a brighter  future  before  them,  agitated  the 
project  of  enlarging  their  plant,  and,  in  1867,  active 
operations  were  commenced  upon  the  China  Mill, 
which  was,  when  completed,  the  largest  works  of  the 
kind  contained  under  one  roof  in  the  State.  Mr. 
Jewell  again  fulfilled  the  office  of  engineer  and 
draughtsman.  The  company’s  agent  at  Suncook,  wish- 
ing to  devote  his  time  exclusively  to  the  construction 
of  the  new  mill,  desired  that  Mr.  Jewell  should  come 
from  Newton  several  days  each  week  to  look  after  the 
manufacturing  in  the  two  mills  then  running.  Thus 
for  more  than  two  years  he  acted  as  agent  at  Newton 
and  as  superintendent  of  the  Webster  and  Pembroke 
Mills.  In  1870,  before  the  China  Mill  had  fairly  com- 
menced operations,  the  agent  resigned  his  position. 
Mr.  Jewell,  having  at  Newton  proved  diligent,  faith- 
ful and  capable,  was  appointed  in  his  stead.  Resign- 
ing his  position  at  Newton,  he  moved  with  his  family  to 
Suncook,  and  assumed  the  management  of  the  trium- 
virate corporation  June  1,1870.  He  was  obliged  to 
go  through  nearly  the  same  routine  here  as  at  New- 
ton. The  machinery,  however,  was  more  modern,  but 
had  been  neglected,  and  the  power  was  inadequate  to 
the  demand.  With  indomitable  perseverance  he  has 
remedied  these  defects, — by  providing  reservoirs,  and 
more  thoroughly  utilizing  the  water-power,  adding 
new  and  valuable  improvements,  putting  in  powerful 
steam-engines,  so  that  now  the  mills  are  able  to  run 
during  the  most  severe  droughts,  and  the  amount 
produced  has  been  increased  from  twelve  millions  of 
yards  in  1874  to  twenty-nine  millions  of  yards  in 
1885,  with  substantially  the  same  machinery,  showing 


what  tireless  perseverance  and  devotion  to  duty  can 
accomplish,  when  impelled  by  men  actively  schooled 
from  boyhood  in  practical  manufacturing. 

Mr.  Jewell  is  a member  of  the  New  England  Cot- 
ton Manufacturers’  Association,  and  of  the  New 
Hampshire  Club.  Mr.  Jewell  was  honored  by  being 
appointed  aide-de-camp,  with  the  rank  of  colonel,  on 
Governor  Head’s  staff,  and  speaks,  with  a merry 
twinkle  in  his  eye,  of  turning  out  officially  more  times 
than  any  other  member.  He  is  a member  of  the 
Governor  Head  Staff  Association  ; an  active  member 
of  the  Ancient  and  Honorable  Artillery  Company,  of 
Boston  ; a member  of  the  Amoskeag  Veterans,  of 
Manchester,  of  which  he  was  elected,  in  1885,  com- 
mander, but  declined  on  account  of  the  press  of  duty  ; 
a member  of  the  New  Hampshire  Veteran  Officers’ 
Association ; and  an  honorary  member  of  the  Old 
Twelfth  New  Hampshire  Regiment.  He  was  elected 
captain  of  the  Jewell  Rifles,  a military  company 
named  for  him,  but  graciously  declined,  and  was 
made  an  honorary  member.  The  Masonic  fraternity 
also  claims  him,  being  an  active  member  of  “Jewell” 
Lodge,  Suncook,  named  in  his  honor,  and  of  the 
Trinity  Royal  Arch  Chapter,  Horace  Chase  Council, 
R.  and  S.  M.,  and  Mount  Horeb  Commandery,  Con- 
cord. He  is  a member  of  the  Supreme  Council, 
having  taken  all  the  Scottish  Rites  up  to  the  thirty- 
third  degree,  and  is  an  active  member  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Consistory,  S.\  P.-.  R.'.  S.\  32°,  Boston,  and 
a member  of  Connecticut  River  Valley  Masonic  As- 
sociation. 

Colonel  Jewell  is  a public-spirited  citizen.  To 
him  Suncook  is  largely  indebted  for  its  material  ad- 
vancement since  his  residence  in  that  community. 
Three  times  has  his  presence  of  mind  and  mechani- 
cal skill  been  the  means  of  saving  the  village  from 
entire  destruction  by  fire.  To  him  is  the  place  in- 
debted for  its  very  effective  water-works,  to  guard 
against  fires  in  the  future.  In  private  life  Colonel 
Jewell  is  genial,  affable  and  approachable.  His  home 
is  embellished  by  his  artistic  tastes,  and  his  private 
library  is  rich  in  works  of  standard  merit  and 
art.  In  happy  combination  with  the  great  executive 
ability  of  the  subject  of  our  sketch  is  a fine  literary 
taste  and  a decided  artistic  talent,  the  former  shown 
by  his  architecture  in  exterior  decoration  and  by  his 
household  embellishments. 

Colonel  Jewell  affiliates  with  the  Congregational- 
ists,  hut  the  Sahbath  with  him  is  a day  of  rest.  His 
first  wife  was  Mary  A.  Grover,  daughter  of  Ephraim 
Grover,  of  Newton,  Mass.,  to  whom  he  was  married 
in  August,  1860.  She  died  October  16,  1862.  He 
was  again  married,  May  31, 1865,  to  Ella  Louise  Sum- 
ner, daughter  of  Lewis  Sumner,  of  Needham,  Mass., 
and  a near  relative  of  the  late  Senator  Charles  Sum- 
ner. Mr.  Jewell  has  kept  out  of  politics,  but  is  a 
good  Republican,  and  should  he  be  the  standard- 
bearer  of  the  party  in  any  future  contest,  he  would 
probably  lead  its  forces  to  victory. 


PEMBROKE. 


579 


EDMUND  ERSKIXE  TRUESDELI,.1 

The  subject  of  the  following  sketch,  as  the  name 
indicates,  is  of  Scotch  descent.  Scottish  surnames 
originated  in  divers  ways,  and  their  significance  is 
as  varied, — some  being  derived  from  locations,  others 
from  trades,  offices,  professions,  peculiarities  of  ar- 
morial bearings  and  from  many  other  sources.  The 
name  “Truesdell”  is  said  to  have  originated  as  fol- 
lows : During  the  troubles  and  vicissitudes  of  the 
early  days  of  Scotland  some  of  her  people  were  more 
loyal  than  others  to  the  government.  In  a particular 
hamlet  or  “daile”  they  were  unusually  faithful  to  the 
laws,  so  much  so  that  they  gained  the  envious  ap- 
pellation of  the  “true  daile”  people.  Usage  has 
changed  and  time  softened  the  pronunciation  to 
Truesdell  instead  of  “ true  daile.” 

Edmund  Erskine  Truesdell,  son  of  Thomas  and 
Mary  (Boydon)  Truesdell,  was  born  in  Jewett  City, 
Conn.,  March  3, 1845.  He  is  a descendant  of  Ichabod 
Truesdell,  who  came  from  Scotland  about  1700  and 
settled  in  South  Woodstock,  Conn.  He  had  four 
sons, — Asa,  Darius,  Thomas  and  John.  Asa  was  taken 
prisoner  while  on  a merchantman  by  the  French 
during  the  reign  of  Napoleon  the  First.  Darius, 
great-grandfather  of  Edmund  E.  Truesdell,  partici- 
pated in  the  War  of  the  Revolution,  and  was  at 
Valley  Forge  during  the  terrible  winter  of  1777. 
He  was  wounded  in  the  side,  narrowly  escaping 
death  by  the  ball  providentially  striking  a large,  old- 
fashioned  jjocket-book,  which  he  carried  in  his 
vest-pocket,  containing  valuable  papers.  He  died  a 
few  years  after  the  war  from  the  effects  of  the  wound. 
Soon  after  Edmund’s  birth  his  mother  died  at  Newton 
Upper  Falls,  Mass.,  where  his  father  had  removed  and 
was  connected  with  cotton  manufacturing.  Edmund 
attended  the  common  schools  from  the  age  of  five  years 
until  he  was  fifteen,  after  which,  for  a time,  he  worked 
in  the  cotton-mill,  becoming  familiar  with  the  vari- 
ous operations  of  the  many  machines  required  in  the 
manufacture  of  cotton  cloth  from  the  raw  material. 
While  attending  school,  to  help  eke  out  his  scanty 
supply  of  ready  money,  he  delivered  daily  papers, 
when  delivering  papers  to  subscribers  was  in  its  in- 
fancy. This  proved  very  successful.  Disposing  of 
the  same,  he  entered  Comer’s  Commercial  College,  in 
Boston,  to  better  prepare  himself  for  the  various 
duties  of  life.  After  taking  a regular  course  there 
and  graduating,  he  re-entered  the  cotton-mill  as 
second  overseer  in  the  carding  department,  where  he 
remained  two  years.  The  owners,  seeing  in  him  the 
qualities  required  for  a successful  man,  promoted 
him  from  second  overseer  of  carding  to  overseer  of 
the  cloth-room,  at  the  same  time  adding  the  duties  of 
shipping  clerk  and  assistant  superintendent. 

When  the  Webster  Mill,  at  Suncook,  N.  H.,  was 
started,  the  owner  of  the  Newton  Mills,  Newton 
Upper  Falls,  Mass.,  being  treasurer  of  the  Suncook 


i Mills,  knowing  Mr.  Truesdell’s  capabilities,  induced 
him  to  accept  a like  position — on  a much  larger 
scale — at  the  Webster  and  Pembroke  Mills,  in  Sun- 
cook, N.  H.  Accepting  the  position,  he  entered  upon 
the  duties  October  20,  1866.  The  changes  he  made  to 
cheapen  and  facilitate  the  work  proved  his  previous 
good  training  and  that  the  treasurer  was  not  mis- 
taken in  the  selection.  His  record  shows  that  his 
judgment  was  well  founded.  When  the  China  Mill  was 
started,  in  1869,  Mr.  Truesdell's  duties  were  greatly 
increased ; but  with  a method  reduced  to  its  minimum 
he  was  enabled,  without  much  extra  exertion,  to  carry 
the  work  incident  to  the  three  corporations — pro- 
ducing twenty-nine  million  yards  of  cloth  per  year — 
with  as  little  effort,  apparently,  as  he  did  the  two. 

In  1870  the  former  agent  of  the  China,  Webster 
and  Pembroke  Mills  resigned  his  position,  and  the 
then  acting  superintendent  was  appointed  to  fill  the 
vacancy.  Mr.  Truesdell  being  the  most  available 
man  for  a superintendent,  he  was  again  promoted 
from  the  cloth-room  to  superintendent  and  paymaster 
of  the  above  named  corporation — a position  he  has 
ably  and  successfully  filled  to  the  present  time. 

Mr.  Truesdell  is  an  earnest  and  active  Repub- 
lican, and  has,  for  many  years,  been  accorded  the 
leadership  of  his  party  in  the  town.  He  was  chosen 
town  treasurer  of  Pembroke  in  1878,  1879,  1880  and 
1881.  He  was  elected  a member  of  the  Legislature 
from  Pembroke  in  1879  and  again  in  1880,  serving 
both  terms  with  credit  as  member  of  the  committee 
on  manufacturing.  The  following,  in  the  “Notes 
from  the  Capital,”  published  during  the  session  in 
the  Manchester  Daily  Mirror,  speaks  thus  of  him : 
“ From  a poor  boy,  earning  a living  by  selling  papers 
at  a profit  of  half  a cent  each,  to  the  superintendent 
of  three  corporations,  employing  two  thousand  op- 
eratives, is  a long  journey,  and  the  man  who,  at 
thirty-two  years  of  age,  has  made  it  does  not  need  a 
certificate  to  his  ability ; but  it  is  a pleasure  to  say  that 
one  of  the  best  members  of  this  house  is  the  genial, 
broad-shouldered,  big-hearted  member  from  Pem- 
broke. He  is  a Republican  every  day  and  a very 
lively  one  election  days.  He  does  his  own  thinking, 
has  the  courage  of  his  convictions  and  fights  like  a 
Trojan  for  any  cause  or  man  he  believes  in.” 

Mr.  Truesdell  is  the  senior  member  of  the  firm  or 
Truesdell  & Blodgett,  one  of  the  finest-stocked  and 
best-conducted  clothing-stores  in  the  town.  Mr. 
Truesdell  belongs  to  the  Masonic  fraternity,  being 
an  active  member  of  “Jewell”  Lodge,  which  he 
was  instrumental  in  forming,  and  of  which  he  is 
Past  Master.  Of  his  work  in  this  respect  the  Sun- 
cook Journal  had  the  following : “ Especial  credit 
is  due  to  the  chairman,  E.  E.  Truesdell,  wrho,  without 
delay,  secured  the  dispensation,  conducted  nearly  all 
the  correspondence  and  was  largely  the  head  and 
front  of  the  wdiole  work  from  its  inception  to  its 
consummation.”  He  is  a member  of  the  Trinity 
Royal  Arch  Chapter,  Horace  Chase  Council,  R.  and 


1 By  Colonel  D.  L.  Jewell. 


580 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


S.  M.,  ancl  Mount  Horeb  Commandery,  at  Concord, 
N.  H.  He  is  a member  of  the  Supreme  Council, 
having  taken  all  the  Scottish  Rites  up  to  the  33d 
degree,  and  is  an  active  member  of  the  Massachusetts 
Consistory,  S.\  IV.  R.\  S.\  32d°,  Boston.  He  is  a mem- 
ber of  the  New  England  Cotton  Manufacturers’  As- 
sociation and  a member  of  the  New  Hampshire  Club. 

Mr.  Truesdell  is  six  feet  one  inch  in  height,  weighs 
two  hundred  and  seventy-eight  pounds,  and  of  good 
proportion  and  fine  physique.  His  habits  are  simple, 
though  a good  dinner  is  not  objectionable  to  him  at 
any  time.  He  hates  spirituous  liquors  and  tobacco  in 
all  their  forms,  as  those  who  smoke  in  his  presence 
know.  His  home  is  a neat,  pretty  place,  filled  with 
all  that  makes  a home  pleasant  and  attractive ; it  is 
finely  situated  on  Broadway,  in  the  village  of  Sun- 
cook,  and  was  the  first  house  built  and  occupied  on 
this  street. 

He  married  Mary  Wilkins  Austin,  daughter  of 
David  Austin,  June  11,  1872,  who  is  connected  with 
one  of  the  oldest  families  of  the  town.  By  this 
union  they  have  one  child — a son.  Mr.  Truesdell  is 
not  a member  of  any  church,  but  attends  the  Baptist 
with  his  family,  where  he  is  a liberal  giver.  He 
takes  a warm  interest  in  all  that  pertains  to  the 
moral  welfare  of  the  village  in  which  he  resides. 


GEORGE  PEABODY  LITTLE. 

George  Peabody  Little  was  the  son  of  Elbridge 
Gerry  and  Sophronia  Phelps  Peabody  Little.  His 
father  was  born  in  Bradford,  Mass.,  and  his  mother 
in  Danvers,  Mass.  His  mother  was  a sister  of  the 
late  George  Peabody,  the  distinguished  Loudon 
banker  and  philanthropist,  from  whom  the  son  re- 
ceived his  name  and  to  whom  he  is  indebted  for  his 
property.  Mr.  Little  was  born  in  Pembroke,  Genesee 
County,  N.  Y.,  June  20,  1834.  His  early  life  was 
passed  in  that  town  and  in  Lewiston,  N.  Y.,  where 
he  attended  Lewiston  Academy.  He  came  with  his 
mother  to  Pembroke,  N.  H.,  at  about  the  age  of  thir- 
teen. He  attended  Pembroke  Academy  and  the 
People’s  Gymnasium  and  Literary  Institute.  He 
taught  one  term  of  district  school  at  the  age  of  eigh- 
teen. When  nineteen  years  old  he  wrent  to  Portland, 
Me.,  as  clerk  in  a store.  It  was  here  that  he  cast  his 
first  vote,  the  same  being  for  Neal  Dow  as  mayor. 
The  next  ten  years  he  spent  in  Palmyra,  N.  Y.  He 
held  the  office  of  United  States  deputy  collector,  and 
assisted  in  the  formation  of  the  first  Republican  Club 
in  Western  New'  York.  In  1868  he  returned  to  Pem- 
broke, N.  H.,  buying  the  farm  and  buildings  formerly 
belonging  to  the  late  Hon.  Boswell  Stevens,  where  he 
had  lived  when  a boy.  The  same  year  (1868)  he 
erected  his  present  substantial  and  elegant  residence, 
and  from  time  to  time  has  enlarged  the  farm  until 
now  it  comprises  about  one  thousand  acres,  lying  in 
Pembroke  and  adjoining  towns.  In  1871  he  w’as 
elected  a member  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  Pem- 


broke Academy,  and  from  about  the  first  has  been 
chairman  of  the  executive  committee,  and  the  school 
has  always  found  in  him  a firm  friend  and  supporter. 
He  has  twice  been  elected  representative  to  the 
Legislature.  At  present  he  is  one  of  the  selectmen 
and  also  county  treasurer,  this  being  his  second  term 
of  office.  He  is  a Mason,  being  a member  of  the 
Mount  Horeb  Commandery  of  Concord,  N.  H.,  and 
the  De  Witt  Clinton  Consistory  of  Nashua,  N.  H.,  to 
the  thirty-second  degree ; also  a member  of  the  Odd- 
Fellows’  Encampment.  Although  belonging  to  these 
secret  societies,  he  is  loyal  to  the  church  (Congrega- 
tional) of  w’hich  he  is  a member,  always  showing 
himself  ready  to  bear  his  part  in  every  good  work. 
For  many  years  he  has  been  superintendent  of  the 
Sabbath-school.  In  1854  he  married  Miss  Elizabeth 
A.  Knox,  daughter  of  Daniel  M.  Knox,  of  Pembroke, 
N.  H.  Their  children  are  George  William,  w'ho  died 
at  the  age  of  three  and  a half  years,  Clarence  Belden,. 
Mary  Georgianna,  Lizzie  Ellen,  Nettie  Knox,  Lucy 
Bow'inan  and  Clara  Frances. 

Clarence  is  a resident  of  Bismarck,  Dakota.  He  is 
judge  of  Probate  for  Burleigh  County,  a member  of 
the  Governor’s  staff  and  a director  in  the  National 
Bank.  Lizzie  married  Lester  Thurber,  of  Nashua, 
N.  H.,  and  Nettie  is  a student  at  Smith  College, 
Northampton,  Mass.  The  others  remain  at  home 
I with  their  parents. 


GEORGE  H.  LARABEE,  M.D.1 

The  ancestors  of  Dr.  Larabee  were  French  and 
English.  On  the  mother’s  side,  four  brothers,  by  the 
name  of  Sawyer,  came  from  England,  and  settled  in 
different  parts  of  the  United  States.  The  Larabees 
originated  from  the  Huguenots.  One  of  the  descend- 
ants, Horace  Larabee,  w7as  a farmer  and  settled  in 
the  northern  part  of  Vermont,  and  married  Wealthy 
Howard.  One  of  their  sons  wTas  Stephen  C.  wTho  w7as 
born  December  10, 1813.  He  was  a carriage-trimmer 
and  harness-maker,  and  married  Cynthia  Sawryer,  of 
Orford,  N.  H.,  and  settled  in  Bradford,  Vt.  From 
this  union  were  two  boys,  George  H.  and  Edward  E., 
w’hose  parents  died  while  they  were  very  young — the 
mother  June  12,  1844,  and  the  father  May  8,  1845. 
The  younger  of  these  children  was,  when  an  infant, 
adopted  by  the  Emerson  family,  wrho  gave  him  their 
name.  He  W'as  educated  at  Tilton,  N.  H.,  and  is 
now'  a law'yer  in  Marshall,  111. 

George  H.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  in 
Bradford,  Vt.,  September  15, 1840,  and  on  the  death  of 
his  parents  was  adopted  and  reared  by  Elisa  E.  Sawyer, 
a sister  of  his  mother,  who  took  entire  care  of  him 
in  his  childhood,  and  w’hen  he  was  four  years  old 
went  to  Edgartown,  Mass.,  where,  by  teaching  school, 
she  earned  support  for  herself  and  her  little  charge. 
For  tw'elve  years  she  thus  taught,  and  it  was  under 
her  tuition,  and  the  High  School  of  Edgartown  and 

1 By  Granville  P.  Conn,  M.D. 


» 


PEMBROKE 


581 


Dukes  County  Academy,  that  young  Larabee  was 
fitted  for  a teacher.  At  the  age  of  thirteen  he  became 
a member  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  Edgartown,  and 
was  afterwards  superintendent  of  the  Sabbath-school 
and  clerk  of  the  church  for  several  years.  At  the 
early  age  of  seventeen  he  commenced  teaching  in  the 
public  schools  of  the  same  town,  for  the  support  of 
himself  and  his  foster-mother,  who  at  this  time  be- 
came an  invalid,  and  remained  so  until  her  death,  in 
1880.  The  occupation  of  teaching,  Dr.  Larabee  suc- 
cessfully followed  for  six  years.  It  was  while  teaching 
school  in  the  town  of  his  adoption  that  he  chose  for 
a calling  the  medical  profession,  and  during  these 
years  of  teaching  availed  himself  of  every  oppor- 
tunity to  study  his  chosen  profession.  He  studied 
medicine  with  Drs.  I.  H.  Lucas  and  Edwin  Maybury, 
of  Edgartown.  The  first  course  of  medical  lectures 
he  attended  at  Bowdoin  College,  Brunswick,  Me.  The 
following  year  he  attended  Harvard  Medical  College, 
from  which  he  graduated  in  March,  1864,  and  at  a 
time  when  the  government  was  calling  upon  her  sons 
to  defend  her  integrity  and  maintain  her  rights. 
The  same  week  in  which  he  graduated  Dr.  Larabee 
volunteered,  and,  upon  examination,  receiving  a com- 
mission as  assistant  surgeon,  was  assigned  to  the 
First  Massachusetts  Heavy  Artillery,  and  immediately 
joined  his  regiment,  and  was  in  active  service  until 
near  the  close  of  the  war,  when  he  was  honorably  dis- 
charged for  disability.  He  was  with  his  regiment  in 
their  engagements  at  Spottsyl vania,  North  Anna,  Cold 
Harbor,  Deep  Bottom  and  Petersburg,  and  was  on 
detail  duty  at  City  Point  General  Hospital.  In  the 
fall  of  1865,  Dr.  Larabee  located  in  the  manufacturing 
village  of  Suncook,  N.  H.,  for  the  practice  of  his 
profession,  and  being  a thoroughly  competent  phy- 
sician and  surgeon,  devoted  to  his  profession,  he  soon 
had  an  extensive  and  lucrative  practice. 

Dr.  Larabee  became  a member  of  the  New  Hamp- 
shire Medical  Society  in  1867,  and  has  been  a member 
ofthe  Centre  District  Medical  Society  since  its  reorgani- 
zation in  1872;  in  both  of  which  he  has  been  honored 
with  appointments  on  committees  and  as  delegate  to 
various  medical  organizations,  which  he  has  always 
filled  with  signal  ability  and  with  honor  to  himself 
and  the  Association.  He  is  a self-made  man  ; in 
social  life  a genial  gentleman,  a friend  of  the  poor  and 
always  ready  and  liberal  in  the  support  of  every  good 
work.  He  is  a prominent  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  an  Odd-Fellow,  a Knight  of  Pythias,  and  a 
member  of  Louis  Bell  Post,  No.  3,  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic,  of  Manchester. 


TEUEWOKTHY  LADD  FOWLER. 

In  the  memoirs  of  the  Fowler  family  the  name  is 
found  to  go  back  into  the  eleventh  century,  and  was 
prominent  in  the  political  and  literary  history  of 
England.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a direct  de- 
scendant therefrom,  through  Philip  Fowler,  one  of 


1 the  founders  of  New  England,  who  came  over  in  the 
ship  “Mary  and  John,”  in  May,  1634.  The  line 
of  ancestors  is  Philip,  Joseph,  Philip,  Philip  and 
Symonds  to  Benjamine. 

Benjamine,  the  father  of  Trueworthy  Ladd,  was  bora 
in  Newmarket,  N.  H.,  June  10,  1769;  removed  to 
Epsom,  N.  H.,  with  his  father  in  1778,  and,  January 
15,  1795,  married  Mehitable  Ladd,  born  in  Pembroke 
March  9,  1776,  daughter  of  John  and  Jerusha 
(Lovejoy)  Ladd.  After  his  marriage  he  settled  in 
Pembroke  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  the  subject 
of  this  sketch,  and  died  there  July  24,  1832.  His 
wife  died  in  Pembroke  September  9,  1853.  This 
marriage  was  a singular  coincidence.  Each  was  the 
sixth  generation  in  America  of  their  respective  fami- 
lies, and  Philip,  the  ancestor  of  Benjamine  Fowler, 
and  Daniel,  the  ancestor  of  Mehitable  Ladd  (the 
line  being  Daniel,  Nathaniel,  John,  Trueworthy  and 
John),  both  came  to  this  country  in  the  “ Mary  and 
John,”  at  the  same  time,  from  the  same  town.  The 
descendants  of  these  two  neighbors,  after  pursuing 
different  courses  under  the  vicissitudes  of  a century 
and  a half,  were  united  in  Benjamine  and  Mehitable. 
From  this  fusion  of  two  hardy  stocks  sprang  the 
subject  of  our  sketch.  He  was  the  youngest  of 
eleven  children,  eight  of  whom  lived  to  mature  age, 
and  was  born  in  Pembroke  December  21,  1816,  and, 
August  29,  1847,  married  Catharine  L.,  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Abigail  (Hutchins)  Sargent,  by  whom 
he  has  four  children  living, — Henry  Thomas,  born 
November  30,  1849  ; Adin  Gilbert  and  Charles  Mar- 
tin (twins),  bora  June  19,  1855  ; and  Lillie  Blanche, 
born  February  29, 1860.  His  education  was  obtained 
at  the  district  school,  supplemented  by  attending,  for 
a few  terms,  Pembroke  Academy  and  the  Gymnasium, 
a rival  school,  under  the  instruction  of  Professor  Isaac 
Kinsman.  While  at  these  schools  he  supported  him- 
self by  his  own  labor,  being,  at  the  age  of  fifteen, 
thrown  upon  his  own  resources,  with  no  provision  for 
his  education,  by  his  father’s  death. 

He  commenced  to  teach  a district  school  at  eigh- 
teen, and  continued  to  teach  during  some  portions  of 
each  year  for  eighteen  years.  During  this  time  he 
managed  the  family  homestead,  which  had  come  into 
his  possession  part  by  the  will  of  his  father  and  part 
by  purchase.  He  now  resides  on  the  old  homestead, 
which,  by  improvements  and  additions,  has  been 
made  to  rank  among  the  largest  and  most  productive 
farms  in  town. 

Although  always  ready  to  devote  his  time  to  the 
interests  of  his  fellow-townsmen,  he  has  never  been 
an  office-seeker,  and  the  honors  bestowed  upon  him 
by  the  public  must  yield  sweeter  pleasure  to  his  mind 
when  he  contemplates  that  they  were  won  not  by  so- 
licitation, but  came  as  a recognition  of  his  usefulness. 
Always  enjoying  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his 
townsmen,  he  was  called  upon  to  serve  them  in  nearly 
all  the  offices  in  the  gift  of  the  town.  For  years  his 
was  the  familiar  face  and  voice  that  presided  over 


582 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


their  town-meetings  for  town,  State  and  national 
elections. 

Besides  holding  the  offices  of  collector,  auditor  and 
treasurer,  he  served  as  selectman  eleven  years,  eight 
of  which  as  chairman,  and  superintending  school 
committee  twelve  years.  He  was  elected  to  the  Leg- 
islature in  1858  and  1859,  and  in  1876  was  chosen  a 
delegate  to  the  Constitutional  Convention  of  that  year. 
In  1878  he  was  elected  county  commissioner,  and 
served  as  chairman  during  the  term  of  two  years, 
from  June  1,  1879,  to  July  1,  1881.  In  1870  he  was 
appointed  United  States  deputy  marshal,  and  took 
the  census  of  Allenstown,  Bow,  Hooksett  and  Pem- 
broke. 

For  many  years  he  has  been  a trustee  of  Pembroke 
Academy,  the  survivor  of  the  two  schools  at  which 
his  education  was  completed. 

For  many  years  he  has  done  a large  probate  busi- 
ness in  the  capacity  of  administrator  and  guardian, 
his  judgment  and  experience  recommending  him  to 
all  who  knew  him. 

Brought  up  a Democrat,  yet  convictions  of  right 
and  duty  have  always  controlled  his  political  acts 
and  affiliations.  He  voted  the  last  time  with  that 
party  in  1844.  His  repugnance  to  the  institution  of 
slavery  and  its  extension  brought  him  to  the  support 
of  John  P.  Hale  in  1845  for  representative  to  Con- 
gress; and  he  has  had  the  satisfaction  of  living  to  see 
Hale  United  States  Senator,  and  the  weakening  and 
discordant  element  of  slavery  wiped  out  of  our  gov- 
ernment. From  the  Free-Soil  party  he  followed  the 
lead  of  Seward  and  Lincoln,  and  has  since  been  a 
supporter  of  Republican  measures  and  principles. 

Of  liberal  religious  sentiments  and  opinions, 
though  pledged  to  no  creed  and  identified  with  no 
denomination,  Mr.  Fowler  has  always  revered  the 
Scriptures  as  the  inspired  word  of  God,  and  has  en- 
deavored to  guide  his  conduct  by  their  precepts. 

Mr.  Fowler  is  known  throughout  the  county  as  a 
man  of  good  executive  ability,  upright  integrity, 
sound  judgment,  rare  good  sense  and  of  large  prac- 
tical experience  in  business  affairs;  and  these  he  has 
always  been  ready  to  devote  to  the  service  of  the 
public  and  of  his  townsmen  when  required. 

Now  (1885)  he  has  retired  from  public  affairs,  with 
the  exception  of  acting  as  one  of  a committee  of 
three  to  procure  the  writing  and  publishing  of  the 
history  of  his  native  town,  and  can  be  found  at 
his  home  in  North  Pembroke,  which  his  thrift  and 
economy  has  established  and  maintained,  where  his 
counsel  is  much  sought  by  his  townsmen  and  friends, 
and  where,  together  with  his  amiable  and  estimable 
wife,  he  dispenses  a liberal  hospitality  to  all  who 
have  occasion  to  visit  his  home. 


WINTHROP  FOWLER. 

The  family  name  of  Fowler  received  prominent 
mention  in  the  annals  of  the  literature  and  govern- 
ment of  England  as  far  back  as  1191.  Richard 
Fowler,  of  Foxley,  fought  under  Richard  Cceur  de 
Lion  in  the  war  of  the  Crusades,  and  was  knighted  by 
him  on  the  field  of  battle  for  having  repulsed  a night 
attack  by  the  Infidels  on  the  Christian  camp,  with  a 
body  of  bowmen  made  up  entirely  of  his  own  ten- 
ants. From  him  descended  Sir  William  in  the  fourth 
generation,  and  his  son,  Sir  Richard,  was  knighted 
by  Edward  IV.  and  created  chancellor  of  the  duchy 
of  Lancaster. 

In  1514,  Catharine  of  Arragon  was  entertained  by 
Edward  Fowler,  and  at  his  castle  received  the  joyful 
news  of  the  defeat  of  the  Scottish  army  at  Flodden 
Field.  John  Fowler,  in  1547,  was  a member  of  the 
household  of  Edward  VI.,  and  it  was  through  his  in- 
fluence that  the  royal  assent  was  given  to  the  mar- 
riage of  Lord  Seymour  to  the  Princess  (afterwards 
Queen)  Elizabeth.  William,  who  died  1614,  was  one 
of  the  poets  to  the  court  of  James  VI.  Christopher 
was  a prominent  English  clergyman;  born  in  1611; 
left  the  Established  Church  in  1641  to  join  the  Pres- 
byterians. Edward  was  made  bishop  of  Gloucester  in 
1691.  John  and  Robert  were  among  the  great  land- 
owners  of  Great  Britain.  Philip,  one  of  the  first  set- 
tlersof  New  England,  born  about  1590,  came  to  Amer- 
ica, with  his  family,  in  the  “Mary  and  John,” 
Robert  Sayers,  master.  Arriving  in  May,  1634,  and 
receiving  a grant  of  land  in  Ipswich,  Mass.,  the  same 
year,  settled  there  and  resided  until  his  death,  June 
24,  1697.  The  line  of  descent  to  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  is  through  Philip  (1),  Joseph  (2),  Philip  (3), 
Philip  (4),  Symonds  (5).  Winthrop  (6)  was  born  in 
Epsom,  X.  H.,  April  19,  1788.  In  1810,  he  married 
Abigail,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Abigail  (Brown) 
Davis,  who  was  born  in  Epsom  April  19,  1790,  and 
died  October  27,  1859.  He  filled  many  public  offices 
in  his  native  town  and  was  distinguished  for  the  clear- 
ness and  soundness  of  his  judgment  and  for  the  strict 
integrity  and  uprightness  of  his  conduct.  He  was  a 
man  whose  practice  through  life  was  in  exact  conform- 
ity with  his  profession.  He  was  one  of  the  selectmen 
of  Epsom  in  1824,  ’26,  ’28,  ’30,  ’38  ; auditor  in  1843- 
44.  He  died  in  Pembroke,  N.  H.,  September  22, 
1861. 

The  children  of  Winthrop  and  Abigail  (Davis) 
Fowler  were  Hannah,  born  September  5,  1810,  died 
April  7,  1821 ; Abigail,  born  July  4,  1812,  died  July 
16,  1814;  Abigail,  born  March  16, 1815,  died  Novem- 
ber 13,  1867 ; Betsey,  born  July  10, 1818,  lives  in  Pem- 
broke, X.  H.;  Samuel,  born  May  8, 1821,  lives  in  Ep- 
som, X.  H.;  Symonds,  born  March  20, 1823,  died 
December  23,  1827  ; Winthrop,  born  June  28,  1825, 
died  July  21,  1825;  Winthrop,  born  January  20, 1827, 
lives  in  Pembroke,  X.  H.;  Xancy,  born  December  17, 
1830,  lives  in  Pembroke,  X.  H. 


PEMBROKE. 


583 


WINTHROP  FOWLER,  JR. 

Winthrop  Fowler,  Jr.,  son  of  Winthrop  and  Abigail 
(Davis)  Fowler,  was  born  in  Epsom,  N.  H.,  January 
20,  1827,  and  lived  with  his  father  on  the  farm  until 
1845,  when  they  moved  to  his  present  situation  in 
Pembroke.  May  16,  1860,  he  married  Ann  L., 
daughter  of  Ephraim  and  Sarah  (Dyer)  Locke,  of 
Epsom,  N.  H.  From  this  union  there  were  three 
boys, — Minot  Locke,  born  February  5,  1863;  George 
Winthrop,  born  November  1,  1864;  and  Edward  Mar- 
tin, born  September  27,  1868.  Mr.  Fowler  always 
had  a firm  belief  in  thorough  education,  and,  by  his 
industry  and  economy,  was  able  to  provide  means  for 
his  boys  obtaining  such,  the  foundation  of  which  was 
laid  in  the  old  Pembroke  Academy,  justly  celebrated 
in  the  history  of  this  county.  Although  of  the  minor- 
ity party,  and  far  from  being  an  office-seeker  or  de- 
sirous of  public  distinction,  Mr.  Fowler  has  been 
prominent  in  the  civil  affairs  of  the  town  of  Pem- 
broke, having  held  the  position  of  moderator  in  the 
town-meetings  of  the  years  1869,  ’71,  '72,  ’73,  ’74,  ’77, 
’78  and ’84;  member  of  the  Board  of  Selectmen  in 
1872,  ’73  and  ’74;  auditor,  1878-84.  continuously, 
which  position  he  still  holds.  In  politics  Mr.  Fowler 
has  always  been  a firm  Democrat,  interested  and  earn- 
est for  the  advancement  of  the  plans  and  purposes  of 
his  party.  He  was  in  early  manhood  commissioned  a 
justice  of  the  peace  by  the  Governor,  which  position 
he  continues  to  hold.  He  owns  one  of  the  finest 
farms  in  Pembroke;  he  has  led  a hard-working  life, 
and  one  of  decided  success.  He  has  in  an  unusual 
degree  the  confidence  and  respect  of  all  as  a valued 
citizen  of  sound  judgment,  having  the  best  interests  of 
his  fellow-men  at  heart,  and  is  decidedly  one  of  the 
leading  men  of  his  town. 


ADDISON  NEWTON  OSGOOD. 

For  three  generations  the  Osgood  family  have 
been  prominent  in  the  manufacturing,  business  and 
social  circles  of  Pembroke  and  Allenstown,  finding  a 
sphere  for  activity  and  a home  in  the  village  of  Sun- 
cook. 

The  family  is  of  English  descent,  the  ancestor 
having  cast  in  his  lot  with  the  Puritans  of  the  Mas- 
sachusetts Bay  colony  some  time  in  the  seventeenth 
century.  One  of  the  forefathers  followed  up  the 
valley  of  the  Merrimack  with  the  company  who  set- 
tled at  Penacook  and  laid  the  foundations  of  the 
fair  city  which  later  was  to  become  the  capital  of  the 
State.  Many  of  his  descendants  may  be  found  to-day 
in  Concord  and  adjoining  townships,  wliileone  branch 
sought  a home  in  North  Conway  and  adjacent  towns, 
in  the  State  of  Maine. 

Some  time  before  the  year  1800,  Christopher  Os- 
good and  his  wife,  Annie  (Abbott)  Osgood,  from 
Concord,  settled  in  the  village,  and  he  soon  became 
one  of  the  leading  men  in  Pembroke. 

One  of  their  sons,  Ira  B.  Osgood,  married  Alice 


Prescott,  settled  in  town  and  maintained  the  reputa- 
tion for  business  activity  established  by  the  father. 

Addison  N.  Osgood,  in  the  third  generation,  the 
son  of  Ira  B.  and  Alice  (Prescott)  Osgood,  was  born 
in  Allenstown  March  16,  1836. 

His  education  was  acquired  at  the  common  schools 
of  the  village  and  at  Pembroke  Academy.  In  early 
manhood  he  left  home,  and  for  several  years  was  em- 
ployed in  Boston  and  vicinity.  In  1860,  Mr.  Osgood 
returned  to  his  native  village,  formed  a partnership 
with  James  Tennant,  which  continued  until  Mr. 
Tennant’s  death,  in  1873,  and  settled  down  to  the  re- 
sponsibilities of  a business  career.  For  twenty-five 
years  Mr.  Osgood  has  enjoyed  the  confidence  and  re- 
spect of  his  fellow-townsmen,  which  has  been  mani- 
fested by  their  frequent  calls  upon  him  to  “manage 
the  affairs  of  the  township”  and  represent  them  at 
the  General  Court. 

He  was  a member  of  the  Board  of  Selectmen  in 
1869,  1870  and  1871 ; representative  in  1878  and 
1879;  a supervisor  in  1879;  chairman  of  the  Board 
of  Supervisors  from  1880  until  the  spring  of  1885, 
when  he  was  elected  chairman  of  the  Board  of  Se- 
lectmen. 

Mr.  Osgood  is  an  advocate  of  the  advantages  of 
secret  societies.  He  was  a charter  member  of  the 
D.  L.  Jewell  Lodge  of  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  at 
Suncook,  and  is  a member  of  the  Mount  Horeb  Coni- 
mandery,  Knights  Templar.  He  is  a member  of  the 
fraternity  known  as  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  is 
prominent  in  Odd-Fellow  circles. 

In  creed,  Mr.  Osgood  is  a Methodist  and  is  a mem- 
ber and  regular  attendant  of  the  Met  hodist  Episcopal 
Church  of  Suncook. 

He  was  married,  December  17,  1865,  to  Mary 
Emma,  daughter  of  William  A.  and  Julia  (Upliam) 
Phelps,  once  of  Haverhill,  N.  H.,  and  later  of  Ames- 
bury,  Mass.,  and  Suncook,  N.  H.  No  children  have 
blessed  their  home. 

Mr.  Osgood  is  still  in  active  business  (wood  and 
lumber),  and  is  interested  in  every  public  enterprise  cal- 
culated to  beautify  and  improve  the  village  of  his 
choice.  He  is  a builder  and  owner  of  comfortable 
homes  for  workingmen.  He  is  the  owner  of  a farm 
of  some  thirty  acres  and  a desirable  house  on  Glass 
Street,  near  his  mill. 

Mr.  Osgood  enjoys  to  an  eminent  degree  the  respect 
of  his  fellow-citizens.  He  is  considered  upright  and 
honorable  in  every  relation  of  life,  and  by  honest  la- 
bor is  accumulating  a comfortable  fortune  to  secure 
his  old  age  from  want. 


CAPTAIN  WILLIAM  FIFE. 

We  are  able  to  trace  the  ancestors  of  this  family 
on  the  maternal  side  back  to  Joseph  Holt,  who  was 
born  in  the  north  of  England  March  5,  1738.  He 
married  Elizabeth  Widdrington,  who  was  born  in  the 
north  of  England  May  25,  1739.  They  were  mar- 


584 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


ried  in  1760,  and  emigrated  to  this  country,  stopping 
in  one  of  the  seaport  towns  for  a few  years,  then  came 
to  New  Hampshire.  On  the  paternal  side  we  can 
trace  the  ancestors  back  to  William  Fife,  who  was 
horn  in  the  north  of  Scotland  May  16,  1746 ; he 
married  Phebe  White,  born  in  1745.  Mr.  Fife  emi- 
grated to  this  country  in  1768,  and  they  were  married 
after  coming  here,  in  1772,  and  settled  in  North  Pem- 
broke, on  a lot  of  land  bought  of  James  Bartlett, 
who  lived  on  Pembroke  Street  at  the  time.  They 
built  a log  house  and  bought  a tract  of  land  adjoin- 
ing the  one  already  purchased.  They  built  a new 
frame  house,  and  about  the  time  it  was  finished 
while  the  carpenters  were  at  supper,  it  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire.  Mr.  Fife,  not  being  easily  dis- 
couraged, built  a two-story  frame  house  upon  the 
same  place,  which  is  standing  yet.  The  only  children 
of  Joseph  and  Elizabeth  Hoyt  of  whom  we  have 
any  account  were  Nathan,  born  December  2 1762, 
and  married  Sarah  Black,  born  February  1,  1762, 
and  settled  on  a farm  in  North  Pembroke.  Abigail, 
the  only  member  of  their  family  mentioned  in  this 
sketch,  was  born  February  1,  1777.  Jeremiah  Fife, 
son  of  William  and  Phebe,  was  born  December  5, 
1779,  married  Abigail  Holt,  November  20,  1803,  and 
settled  in  the  north  part  of  Pembroke,  where  they 
lived  for  about  fifty  years.  He  was  a carpenter  and 
builder  by  trade,  and  he  died  February  22,  1852. 
They  had  ten  children, — Thursay,  born  March  15, 
1805,  married  Benjamin  Hagget;  Nathan  H.,  horn 
December  6,  1807,  married  Abbie  Brooks,  and  died 
December  19,  1839  ; Sarah,  born  November,  1809, 
married  Samuel  Worth ; Abigail,  born  March  18, 
1811,  married  John  Hagget,  and  died  December  28, 
1861 ; Jeremiah,  born  August  10,  1813,  died  Novem- 
ber 1,  1845  ; James,  born  May  16, 1816,  died  July  22, 
1817 ; William,  born  April  20,  1821 ; Rhuhamah, 
born  December  8,  1824,  died  May  21,  1854;  Noah, 
horn  July  15,  1827,  married  Mary  Wilson;  Elcy, 
born  February  9,  1830,  married  John  Spurlin.  Cap- 
tain William  Fife,  the  principal  subject  of  this  sketch, 
lived  with  his  father  upon  the  farm  until  he  was 
nineteen  years  of  age.  He  then  began  working  at 
the  carpenter  business,  which  he  has  continued  since. 
He  is  a successful  contractor  and  -builder;  during 
the  last  few  years  has  been  engaged  in  farming.  He 
was  made  captain  in  the  Eleventh  Regiment  New 
Hampshire  State  Militia  in  1847.  which  office  he  held 
for  two  years. 

He  built  a house  on  Pembroke  Street  in  1840,  using 
a part  of  the  old  James  Bartlet  tavern,  which  was 
built  more  than  one  hundred  years  ago.  Captain  Wil- 
liam Fife  married  Mary  D.,  daughter  of  Andrewand 
Sarah  (Dudley)  Gault,  October  19,  1843.  She  was 
born  February  25,  1820,  and  died  August  14,  1875, 
and  they  had  the  following  children : Helen  A., 
horn  May  24,  1S43,  married  Joseph  J.  Rand,  who  was 
horn  October  12,  1844  (they  were  married  May  28. 
1874,  and  settled  in  Rye,  N.  H.;  they  have  one  child, 


Mary  A.,  born  June  29, 1875);  William  W.,  horn  July 
15,  1848,  married  Louisa  H.  Blake  (she  was  born 
February  27,  1840,  married  March  4,  1871,  settled  in 
North  Pembroke,  and  they  had  four  children, — 
Henry  W.,  born  November  28,1871  ; Frank  D.,born 
March  12,  1874;  Horace  E.,  born  June  24,  1880; 
Sarah  A.,  born  April  29,  1882) ; Edwin  H.,  born 
January  16,  1851,  married  Lizzie  Alden,  April  28, 
1885,  and  settled  in  Springfield,  Mass. ; Sarah  F., 
born  December  23,  1853  and  died  July  14,  1880. 


MCCONNEL  MOORE. 

Rev.  Daniel  Mitchell,  born  in  the  north  of  Ireland 
in  1697,  is  the  first  person  on  the  maternal  side  of  this 
family  of  whom  we  have  any  knowledge.  Upon  ar- 
riving in  this  country,  he  was  licensed  to  preach  by 
the  Boston  Presbytery,  and  first  entered  the  pulpit  in 
Georgetown,  Me. ; December  3,  1760,  he  was  or- 
dained over  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Pembroke, 
N.  H. ; was  the  first  minister  of  that  denomination 
in  the  place.  He  married  Martha  White,  and  to 
them  were  born  two  children, — Ruhamah  and  Martha. 
On  the  paternal  side  we  are  able  to  trace  the  line  of 
ancestry  back  to  Deacon  James  Moore,  born  in  the 
north  of  Ireland.  Before  leaving  his  native  country 
he  married  Agnes  Coolbrath,  and  in  1713  or  ’14,  upon 
their  arrival  in  this  country,  they  went  directly  to 
Concord,  Mass.,  remaining  one  year;  from  there  they 
went  to  Londonderry,  N.  H.,  but  not  liking  the  out- 
look, went  to  Pennacook,  (now  Concord),  N.  H. ; his 
next  move  was  to  Suncook  (now  Pembroke),  where  he 
bought  a tract  of  land,  paying  about  four  hundred 
dollars.  They  found  upon  their  arrival  but  one  white 
family  in  this  town.  Mr.  Moore  built  the  first  frame 
house  there,  and  during  the  French  and  Indian  War 
it  was  used  for  a garrison.  A part  of  the  same  house 
is  now  owned  by  Samuel  E.  Moore,  one  of  the 
descendants.  Deacon  James  died  March  11,  1773. 

Robert,  son  of  Deacon  James,  married  Ruhamah, 
daughter  of  Daniel  and  Martha  (White)  Mitchell, 
and  they  had  ten  children.  Major  Daniel  Mitchell 
Moore,  son  of  Robert  and  Ruhamah,  and  the  father  of 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  in  Pembroke 
April  25,  1777.  He  married  Sally  McConnel,  April 
9 1809,  and  died  December  29,  1848.  They  had  four 
children,  viz. : McConnel,  Samuel  E.,  Sally  C.  and 
Betsey  T.  McConnel,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was 
born  in  this  town  October  10,  1809,  and  spent  his  life 
upon  the  farm.  He  was  educated  at  Pembroke 
Academy.  December  20,  1837,  he  married  Sarah  J., 
daughter  of  John  and  Judith  (Blake)  Sanborn,  of 
Loudon,  N.  H.  Mr.  Moore  was  a Whig  in  his  earlier 
days,  but  voted  the  Democratic  ticket  later  in  life. 
He  has  never  held  any  office,  not  having  any  aspira- 
tions in  that  direction.  He  was  a member  of  the 
Congregational  Church  for  nearly  fifty  years,  and 
always  a supporter  of  church  and  schools.  He  was 
a kind  friend  and  neighbor.  McConnel  Moore  died 


% 


PEMBROKE. 


585 


in  this  town  December  12,  1878,  leaving  liis  wife  with 
ample  means  for  support  in  her  old  age. 


AARON  WHITTEMORE. 

The  Whittemore  family  originated  with  Sir  John, 
who  was  knighted  on  the  battle-field  for  valorous 
conduct  in  the  year  1230,  and  received  a tract  of  land 
called  “ Whytemere,”  or  White  Meadow,  whence  he 
received  the  title  Lord  John  de  Whytemere. 

Thomas  Whittemore  emigrated  to  this  country  in 
the  year  1642,  and  settled  in  that  part  of  Charlestown 
now  known  as  Malden.  He  died  in  1660.  His  son 
John,  who  came  over  with  his  father,  was  born  in 
Kitchen  Parish,  Hertfordshire,  England,  February 
1,  1638;  was  baptized  February  11th  of  the  same 
year.  He  married,  first,  Mary  Upham,  of  Weymouth, 
who  died  June  27,  1677 ; he  married,  second,  Mary 
Miller,  in  October,  1677.  Children, — Thomas,  born 
1664;  Joseph,  born  1666;  Benjamin,  born  1669;  Na- 
thaniel, born  1673 ; Joel,  born  1677 ; Mary,  born 
1678,  died  young;  Pelatiah,  born  1680;  Amos,  born 
1681;  Mary,  born  1683 ; Daniel,  born  1685 ; Rebecca, 
born  1687 ; Hannah,  born  1689. 

Benjamin  Whittemore,  son  of  John  and  Mary 
(Upham)  Whittemore,  was  born  in  Cambridge,  Mass., 
September  1,  1669 ; married  Esther  Brooks,  August 
17,  1692;  settled  in  Concord,  Mass.,  and  died  Septem- 
ber 8,  1734 ; his  wife  died  September  16,  1742. 
Children  of  Benjamin  and  Esther  (Brooks)  Whitte- 
more,— Mary,  born  July  12,  1694;  Benjamin,  born 
April  9,  1696,  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-nine,  was  a 
representative  from  Concord  six  years ; Nathaniel, 
born  November  23,  1698 ; Grace,  born  March  20, 
1700 ; Esther,  born  May  3,  1707 ; Aaron,  born  Decem- 
ber 11,  1711. 

Rev.  Aaron  Whittemore,  third  son  of  Benjamin 
and  Esther  (Brooks)  Whittemore,  was  born  in  Con- 
cord, Mass.,  December,  1711 ; graduated  at  Har- 
vard College  in  1734;  resided  three  years  at  Groton, 
Mass. ; was  settled  over  the  Congregational  Church 
in  Suncook,  or  Lovell’s  township  (now  Pembroke),  as 
the  first  minister,  March  1,  1737.  During  the  French 
and  Indian  Wars  his  house,  which  stood  just  south 
of  the  cemetery  on  Pembroke  Street,  was  a garrison- 
house,  and  he  held  the  commission  of  first  lieutenant 
from  the  provincial  authorities  of  New  Hampshire, 
and  was  in  command  of  the  post.  The  house  forms 
a part  of  the  present  residence  of  Mrs.  Vose.  He 
married,  February  2,  1743,  Abigail  Coffin,  of  New- 
bury, Mass.,  whom  he  met  while  visiting  her  relatives 
in  Rumford.  He  died  November  16,  1767.  His 
wife,  born  November  18,  1718,  died  May  11,  1803. 
Children, — John,  born  1744,  died  January  20,  1746 ; 
Aaron,  born  April  9,  1746,  married  Sarah  Gilman ; 
Judith,  born  November  6,  1748,  died  February  13, 
1755;  Benjamin,  born  December  4,  1750,  married 
Abigail  Abbot;  Esther,  born  August  12;  1752,  mar- 
ried, first,  Jeremiah  Hall,  married,  second,  Rev.  Jos- 


eph Woodman  ; Sarah,  born  May  18,  1754,  died  June 
15,  1759 ; Ruth,  born  April  12, 1756,  married  Deacon 
David  Kimball ; Peter,  born  April  7,  1758,  married, 
February  25,  1783,  Elizabeth  Baker,  settled  in  Salis- 
bury, N.  H. 

Aaron  Whittemore,  son  of  Rev.  Aaron  Whittemore, 
born  April  9,  1746  ; married,  January  11, 1770,  Sarah, 
daughter  of  Peter  Gilman,  of  Exeter.  She  was  born 
October  27,  1745,  died  October  14,  1823;  he  died 
May  1,  1817.  Settled  on  his  father’s  farm,  served 
honorably  through  one  campaign  during  the  Revolu- 
tion, and  was  prominent  in  town  affairs  for  many 
years. 

Children  of  Aaron  and  Sarah  (Gilman)  Whitte- 
more,— child,  born  October  21,  1770,  died  young; 
Judith,  born  November  5,  1771,  married,  November 
14,  1793,  James  Baker,  of  Bow;  John,  born  October 
14,  1772,  died  October  30,  1772;  child,  born  October 
23,  1773,  died  young;  Aaron,  born  November  28, 
1774,  married  Lydia  Fisk,  of  Derry  ; Richard,  born 
January  16,  1776,  married  Nancy  Brickett;  Sarah, 
born  September  16,  1777,  married,  November  15, 
1796,  Jesse  Baker,  settled  in  Shiptou,  P.  Q. ; Abigail, 
born  November  17,  1781,  died  unmarried  May  29, 
1861 ; Peter,  born  January  6,  1783,  a physician,  mar- 
ried, went  West;  Polly,  born  April  16,  1785,  died 
February  25,  1788. 

Hon.  Aaron  Whittemore,  son  of  Aaron  and  Sarah 
(Gilman)  Wdiittemore,  grandson  of  Rev.  Aaron 
Whittemore,  was  born  November  28,  1774;  married, 
October  23,  1800,  Lydia  Fisk,  of  Derry,  born  Febru- 
ary 28,  1776,  died  March  9,  1862.  He  settled  on  the 
farm  and  built  the  house  now  occupied  by  his  son, 
Hon.  Aaron  Whittemore.  He  was  representative, 
Senator  and  judge.  Died  April  26,  1850,  at  the  age 
of  seventy-six.  Children  of  Aaron  and  Lydia  (Fisk) 
Whittemore, — Benjamin,  born  March  20,  1801,  died 
in  Philadelphia  in  1833  ; Louisa,  born  September  21, 
1802,  married,  September  23,  1847,  Charles  P.  Hay- 
ward (residence,  Pembroke,  N.  H.) ; Mary  F.,  born 
August  13,  1804,  married,  May  15,  1820,  Daniel  Par- 
ker (residence,  San  Francisco,  Cal.) ; Adaline,  born 
September  28,  1806,  died  December  28,  1821 ; Aaron, 
born  November  4, 1808,  married  Ariannah  S.  Barstow, 
of  Exeter;  Hiram,  bom  March  31,  1811,  married, 
first,  November  26,  1828,  Elizabeth  J.  Hoit,  of  Exe- 
ter, married,  second,  August  27,  1856,  Alma  M.  Pug- 
alls;  Lydia,  born  June  28,  1813,  unmarried;  Sarah, 
born  November  24,  1815,  married  Jacob  Sawyer,  died 
September  9,  1845;  Dolly  D.,  born  February  13, 
1819,  married  David  H.  Burnham,  died  April  18, 
1843. 

Hon.  Aaron  Whittemore,  son  of  Hon.  Aaron 
Whittemore,  grandson  of  Aaron  Whittemore,  and 
great-grandson  of  Rev.  Aaron  Whittemore,  was  born 
November  4,  1808;  married,  December  13,  1840,  Ari- 
anuah  S.  Barstow  (born  in  Exeter  February  20, 1821)  ; 
settled  in  Pembroke  on  his  father’s  farm.  He  gained 
his  education  at  the  academy,  principally  under  the 


586 


H [STORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


instruction  of  Hon.  John  Yose.  He  taught  school 
successfully  for  several  years  in  Pembroke  and  other 
towns. 

He  has  been  elected  at  various  times  to  the  most 
important  offices  in  the  gift  of  the  people  of  the  town, 
and  held  the  offices  of  moderator,  selectman  and 
town  treasurer  for  several  years  in  succession. 

He  represented  the  town  two  years  in  the  State 
Legislature,  and  was  a member  of  the  Constitutional 
Convention  of  1850,  and  also  of  1876.  He  was  ap- 
pointed postmaster  at  Pembroke  in  1829,  and  held 
the  office  for  about  sixteen  years.  He  was  interested 
in  the  establishment  of  the  People’s  Literary  Insti- 
tute and  Gymnasium  of  Pembroke,  in  1840,  and 
was  chosen  the  first  secretary  of  its  board  of  directors, 
and  afterwards  served  for  several  years  as  its  president. 
He  was  elected  one  of  the  trustees  of  this  academy  in 
1863,  and  at  the  same  time  their  secretary,  and  has 
held  said  office  to  the  present  time. 

He  was  connected  with  the  militia  of  the  State  for 
some  years;  was  appointed  ensign  of  the  Second 
Company  of  infantry  in  the  Eleventh  Regiment  June 
14,  1828 ; promoted  lieutenant  September  6,  1832 ; 
captain  April  29,  1833;  lieutenant-colonel  of  the 
Eleventh  Regiment  June,  27,  1839,  and  colonel  of 
the  same  July  6,  1846.  He  was  promoted  brigadier- 
general  of  the  Third  Brigade  June  4,  1851. 

He  represented  his  native  town  in  the  Legislature 
in  1849  and  1850,  and  also  was  a member  of  the  Con- 
stitutional Convention  of  1850. 

He  was  appointed  associate  justice  of  the  Court  of 
Common  Pleas  for  Merrimack  County  July  1,  1853. 
General  Whittemore  is  a successful  farmer  upon  the 
homestead  of  his  father  and  grandfather.  He  was 
also,  for  a number  of  years,  a member  of  the 
Merrimack  County  Agricultural  Society,  of  which 
he  served  as  president.  Mr.  Whittemore  is  one 
of  the  oldest  and  most  highly  respected  citizens  of 
the  town,  looked  to  by  all  classes  as  a wise,  most 
prudent  and  confiding  counselor.  From  the  fore- 


going sketch  it  will  be  seen  it  has  pleased  his  fellow- 
men  to  place  the  utmost  confidence  in  him,  and  to 
confer  upon  him  all  the  honors  they  could  bestow, 
which  is  too  apparent  a token  of  their  esteem  to  pass 
unnoticed.  The  influence  and  benefit  of  such  a 
citizen  is  not  easily  estimated. 

Children  of  Aaron  and  Ariannah  (Barstow)  Whitte- 
more,— Sophia  F.,  born  August  1,  1842;  married, 
June  2,  1861,  Charles  C.  Shaw.  Ariannah  B.,  born 
April  23,  1844;  married,  April  5,  1870,  John  H.  Sulli- 
van. Aaron,  born  May  22, 1846;  died  April  3,  1849. 
Aaron  born  January  18,  1849;  married;  lawyer  in 
Pittsfield.  AdalineG.,  born  October  13, 1850 ; married, 
February  2,  1870,  John  G.  Tallant;  died  October  11. 
1875.  John  Cambridge,  born  August  8, 1852;  married ; 
residence,  Cambridge,  Mass.  Charles  Barstow,  born 
September  28,  1854;  married;  residence,  Pembroke, 
N.  H.  Arthur  Gilman,  born  July  26,  1856;  lawyer; 
residence,  Dover,  N.  H.  Frederick  B.,  born  Septem- 
ber 12,  1857 ; residence,  Kansas.  Annie  Brewster, 
born  April  15,  1859.  Elizabeth  M.  (Bessie),  born 
February  21,  1861. 

Hon.  Aaron  Whittemore,  Jr.,  who  died  in  Pittsfield 
May  4,  1885,  at  the  age  of  thirty-six  years,  was  the 
oldest  son  of  General  Aaron  Whittemore.  of  Pem- 
broke, and  in  many  respects  one  of  the  representative 
men  of  his  State,  being  a lawyer  of  extensive  practice, 
a State  Senator,  judge  advocate  on  the  brigade  staff 
with  the  rank  of  major,  and  continually  laboring  for 
the  best  interests  of  the  town,  of  the  surrounding 
communities  of  his  own  immediate  neighborhood 
and  all  his  fellow-men. 

As  a lawyer  and  military  officer,  as  well  as  a prom- 
inent member  of  the  Democratic  party,  he  was  a man 
of  marked  influence,  while  in  private  life  he  was 
honored  for  his  nobility  of  character  and  uprightness. 
Although  he  has  fallen  in  the  midst  of  his  usefulness, 
in  the  full  vigor  of  a still  brighter  future,  yet  he 
accomplished  much,  and  his  death  is  greatly 
lamented. 


HISTORY  OF  PITTSFIELD. 


CHAPTER  I. 


Geographical — The  First  Settlement— Esquire  John  Cram — The  Pioneer 
Mills — The  First  Frame  House — The  First  Town-Meeting — Names  of 
Pioneers— Pittsfield  Village  in  1812. 

The  town  of  Pittsfield  lies  in  the  eastern  part  of 
the  county,  and  is  bounded  as  follows : 

On  the  northeast  by  Belknap  County;  northwest 
by  Loudon  and  Chichester,  and  on  the  south  by  Ep- 
som. 

One  hundred  and  seventeen  years  ago  (17G8)  a 
solitary  traveler  came  wending  his  way  through  the 
wilderness,  up  the  valley  of  the  Suncook,  to  the  spot 
where  now  stands  the  flourishing  village  of  Pittsfield. 
This  solitary  traveler  was  Esquire  John  Cram,  who 
came  as  a representative  of  the  original  proprietors  of 
the  town,  most  of  whom  resided  in  Hampton.  They 
were  anxious  that  the  grant  should  be  developed,  and 
they  were  wise,  as  the  sequel  proved,  in  selecting  John 
Cram  as  the  pioneer.  He  examined  the  mill  priv- 
ileges at  the  falls,  and  finally  agreed  with  the  pro- 
prietors to  commence  a settlement  on  the  receipt  of 
fifteen  pounds  and  a deed  of  the  mill  privilege  with 
the  mill  lot  of  one  hundred  acres. 

In  the  following  year  he  came  up  and  built  a tem- 
porary dam  across  the  Suncook,  by  felling  a large  tree 
on  each  side  of  the  river,  the  butts  resting  on  the 
stumps,  and  the  tops  meeting  on  the  ledge  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  river,  and  by  setting  posts  against  the  trunks 
of  these  trees,  and  throwing  in  brush,  stones  and  gravel, 
a rude  dam  was  constructed.  He  then  built  a log 
mill,  and  by  means  of  this  rude  dam  and  rickety  mill, 
timber  and  plank  were  sawed,  with  which  buildings 
were  erected  and  a substantial  dam  built,  and  in  the 
following  year  he  removed  his  family  to  the  place,  and 
to  him  is  ascribed  the  honor  of  having  made  the  first 
permanent  settlement  within  the  bounds  of  the  present 
town  of  Pittsfield. 

The  proprietors  were  indeed  fortunate  in  selecting 
Esquire  Cram  to  commence  the  settlement.  He  not 
only  brought  the  land  into  market,  but  proved  a most 
excellent  citizen.  He  took  an  active  interest  in  the 
new  settlement,  and  for  nearly  forty  years  he  was  in 
public  office,  and  did  most  of  the  town  business  and 
fairly  earned  the  appellation  of  “father  of  the  town.” 
He  was  a native  of  Hampton.  In  addition  to  the 
mill  privilege,  he  bought  eleven  hundred  acres  of  land 
for  ten  cents  per  acre,  which  included  most  of  the 
present  village.  He  built  the  first  frame  house  in  the 


town  in  1770.  In  all  local  enterprises  he  was  a lead- 
ing spirit.  He  gave  the  land  for  the  meetiug-liouse 
and  burying-ground. 

“Cram’s  Mill”  was  a common  centre  and  resort 
for  the  early  settlers  to  talk  over  the  affairs  of  the 
country,  the  town,  the  laying  out  of  roads  and  the 
building  of  bridges. 

The  first  town-meetings  were  held  at  his  house,  and 
here,  also,  the  first  settlers  would  gather  on  foot,  com- 
ing along  blazed  paths  through  the  woods  from  their 
Little  clearings,  dressed  in  their  sheep’s  gray  frocks 
and  brown  tow  trousers,  to  elect  officers  and  take  such 
measures  as  would  result  in  the  promotion  of  the  best 
interests  of  the  town.  Religious  meetings  were  also 
held  at  his  house,  or  in  his  corn  barn.  Here,  also, 
the  first  religious  society  in  the  town  was  organized 
and  a public  school  occasionally  kept. 

At  the  breaking  out  of  the  War  of  the  Revolution 
he  was  chosen  captain,  and  every  man  in  town  was  a 
member  of  his  company.  With  a large  family,  and 
fifty  years  of  age,  it  was  not  expected  of  him  to  go  in- 
to the  army,  but  during  the  long  seven  years’  war  he, 
with  John  McClary,  of  Epsom,  rendered  efficient  ser- 
vice in  furnishing  men  and  means  for  the  prosecution 
of  the  war.  His  large  family  of  children  all  settled 
near  him.  During  his  forty  years  of  service  as  town 
clerk,  selectman,  representative,  etc.,  he  made  no 
charge  for  his  services,  only  expenses. 

The  early  settlers  were  all  from  Hampton,  and  most  of 
the  names  in  each  town  are  common  to  both,  as  Drake, 
Leavitt,  Cram,  Green,  Norris,  Dow,  Jones,  Marston, 
Gove,  Greenleaf,  Perkins,  Tilton,  Lane,  Jenness, 
Swett,  Ring,  Sargent,  Shaw,  Tucker,  Fogg,  Eaton, 
Hilliard,  French,  Philbrick,  Towle,  Brown,  Blake, 
Knowlton,  Smith,  Davis,  Sanborn,  Clifford,  Page,  Gar- 
land, Mason,  Hoag,  Moulton,  Chase,  Brackett,  True, 
Morrill,  Prescott,  etc. 

The  rich  soil,  favorable  location  and  heavy  growth 
of  timber  induced  rapid  emigration.  The  early  set- 
tlers were  young  men  of  pluck  and  strength,  who 
came  up  to  hew  peaceful  homes  and  fruitful  farms 
from  the  wilderness,  and  provide  a competence  for 
their  families  by  honest  toil  and  rigid  economy. 
They  were  lineal  descendants  of  the  colony  of  Puri- 
tans who  settled  at  “ Old  Newbury.”  They  were  of 
the  same  stock  that  Cromwell  chose  for  his  Ironsides, 
“who  feared  God  and  kept  their  powder  dry,”  and 
possessed  the  same  leading  traits  of  character. 
Pittsfield  Village  in  1812. — In  1812  the  centre  of 

587 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


•688 


the  town  was  not  called  the  village,  but  “the  city,” 
which  consisted  of  the  meeting-house  and  four  or  five 
dwellings.  Dr.  Thomas  Shannon  lived  in  the  “ Lang 
house,”  opposite  the  meeting-house.  Mr.  T.  Clark 
lived  at  the  corner  of  the  road  east.  W.  Butters, 
Esq.,  lived  a few  rods  west  of  this  ancient  building. 
A store  was  kept  by  Esquire  Butters  in  one  part  of 
his  dwelling,  and  another  store  was  kept  by  Jonathan 
Clark  in  the  west  end  of  the  next  house, — the  tavern 
and  residence  of  D.  Fogg,  subsequently  known  as  the 
“ Carroll  house.”  Opposite  was  a small  tenement. 
The  next  dwelling  in  a westerly  direction  was 
that  of  John  Cram,  with  a large  mill-yard  between 
his  house  and  the  river,  and  the  saw-mill  and  grist- 
mill near  the  bridge.  Turning  the  corner  and  cross- 
ing the  bridge  on  the  Concord  road,  two  small  dwell- 
ings were  passed,  the  first  known  as  the  Hilliard 
house,  the  other  as  the  David  Smith  house.  This 
was  the  last  house  till  the  top  of  the  long  hill  was 
reached,  and  there  was  the  house  of  old  Mr.  Prescott, 
and  near  by,  that  of  his  son,  S.  W.  Prescott.  On  the 
Gilmanton  road  was  a blacksmith-sliop,  and  the  high 
ledge  overlooking  the  mill-dam,  an  old  fulling-mill 
on  its  opposite  corner,  a carding-mill  close  by,  and 
then  Lyford’s  tannery  filled  up  the  space  to  the 
river. 

The  old  River  School-house  stood  at  the  corner  of 
the  River  road,  with  just  room  enough  between  it  and 
the  mill-pond  for  the  road  to  Barnstead.  By  the 
hill-road  lived  Colonel  Lyford,  and  at  the  corner  be- 
yond, where  the  road  branched,  was  the  house  of 
Moses  Kenney.  A few  rods  above  was  the  Jenkins 
house,  which  in  1800  was  used  as  store,  tavern  and 
dwelling-house. 

One  of  the  earliest  school-teachers  was  Joseph 
Odiorne.  For  twenty-eight  years  he  was  annually 
chosen  town  clerk.  At  the  bottom  of  the  page,  in 
the  year  1810,  is  the  following  memorandum : “Writ- 
ten with  a metalic  pen.”  His  first  record  as  clerk 
was  in  1802. 

Hon.  Moses  Norris,  Jr.,  was  a prominent  citizen  of 
Pittsfield  His  father,  Moses  Norris,  was  an  early 
settler  here  and  served  in  the  Revolutionary  War. 
Moses,  Jr.,  graduated  at  Dartmouth  in  1828,  the  first 
graduate  from  Pittsfield.  He  pursued  his  studies 
with  Isaac  O.  Barnes,  of  Barnstead,  and  commenced 
practice  in  that  town.  In  1834  he  removed  to  Pitts- 
field and  soon  acquired  a large  practice,  rising  to  an 
eminent  position  at  the  bar,  ranking  with  the  Bells, 
Atherton,  Woodbury,  Pierce,  Perley,  etc.  He  repre- 
sented the  town  in  the  Legislature  in  1837,  ’38,  ’39 
and  ’40,  and  the  latter  year  was  Speaker  of  the  House. 
He  was  member  of  the  State  Council  several  years; 
was  elected  member  of  Congress  in  1843  and  re- 
elected in  1845.  He  was  chosen  United  States 
Senator  in  1848,  and  died  while  a member  of  that 
body  in  January,  1855. 

Eighty  years  ago  the  “ Upper  City  ” was  a place  of  j 
more  business  than  the  present  village,  or  “Lower  I 


City  ” as  it  was  then  called.  Near  the  “ Upper  City’ 
was  a store  kept  by  William  Simpson,  and  latei 
one  by  Job  Demerit. 

The  village  of  Pittsfield  is  beautifully  located  on 
both  sides  of  the  river,  and  the  hills,  covered  with 
innumerable  farms,  rise  around  it  like  a mighty 
amphitheatre,  while  in  the  background  are  seen  lofty 
mountain  peaks,  the  principal  ones  being  the  famous 
Kearsarge,  the  Belknap  and  Gunstock,  and,  taken  all 
in  all,  no  town  in  New  Hampshire  surpasses  it  in 
beauty,  breadth  and  variety  of  its  prospects. 


CHAPTER  II. 

PITTSFIELD — ( Continued). 

The  Cotton-Factory — The  S uncook  Valley  Railroad — Its  Inception- 
Road  Completed — Celebration  at  Opening — Effect  of  . the  Railroad — 
Shoe  Manufacturing — Morgan,  Doit  & Libby. 

Cotton-Factory. — The  cotton-factory  was  erected 
in  1827,  and  after  the  first  impetus  had  been  ex- 
pended the  place  went  on  in  a steady,  old-fashioned 
sort  of  way  for  nearly  forty  years.  During  all  this 
time  four  and  six-horse  teams  Avent  plodding  aAvay 
towards  Concord  in  the  morning  and  came  wearily 
home  at  night,  Avliile  the  stage-coach  rattled  busily 
about  at  an  early  hour  gathering  up  its  load  of 
passengers  and  freight.  Pittsfield  stood  entirely  by 
itself  in  those  days.  Then,  as  now,  there  Avas  no 
place  of  equal  importance  within  a radius  of  fifteen 
miles.  It  was  Avithout  a rival,  and  has  remained  so 
ever  since.  Stages  went  out  to  Concord,  Gilmanton, 
Alton,  Dover  and  NortliAvood,  and  heavy  team  horses 
were  a familiar  feature  of  the  village.  It  was  during 
this  period  that  Pittsfield  Academy  Avas  founded,  and 
grew  up  to  be  the  foremost  institution  of  learning  in 
that  section  of  the  State,  sending  out  pupils  Avho 
have  since  made  their  mark  in  business,  in  medicine, 
in  laAv,  in  the  pulpit  and  in  the  school-room.  It  was 
in  this  time,  too,  that  the  various  church  edifices  were 
erected,  the  Pittsfield  Library  was  established  and 
that  the  lyceum  flourished  in  the  hearty  fashion 
which  men  still  delight  to  recall.  Many  substantial 
buildings  Avere  erected  and  some  goodly  estates  were 
built  up  by  industry  and  judicious  trade.  But  the 
time  came  Avhen  Pittsfield  people  realized  that  they 
Avere  standing  still,  if  not  positively  retrograding,  and 
the  effort  to  shake  off  the  lethargy  into  which  the 
village  was  falling  led  to  the  building  of  the  Suncook 
Valley  Railroad. 

Suncook  Valley  Railroad. — The  building  of  this 
road  opened  anew  era  in  the  history  of  this  toAvn  and  the 
charming  valley  through  Avhich  it  passes.  The  first 
movement  for  connecting  Pittsfield  by  rail  Avith  the 
outer  Avorld  Avas  begun  about  the  year  1850.  It  Avas 
conceiA’ed  by  “Uncle  John  Berry,”  who,  with  others, 
procured  a charter  and  a survey  was  made.  The  strug- 
I gle  for  the  road  was  a long  and  arduous  one.  Ground 


PITTSFIELD. 


589 


was  first  broken  April  26,  1869,  at  Pittsfield  and  Sun- 
cook.  The  event  was  duly  celebrated,  and  the  build- 
ing of  the  road  was  rapidly  pushed  forward,  and  the 
last  rail  was  laid  November  27, 1869.  The  first  train  went 
over  the  road  with  passengers  December  6th,  leaving 
Pittsfield  at  8.45  a.m.  The  road  wTas  formally  opened 
with  a great  demonstration  at  Pittsfield,  December 
10th.  F.  B.  Berry  was  marshal  of  the  day.  The  wel- 
coming address  was  made  by  Hon.  R.  P.  J.  Tenney, 
An  eloquent  address  was  made  by  Hon.  Lewis  W. 
Clark.  Addresses  were  also  made  by  S.  N.  Bell,  Hon. 
Isaac  W.  Smith,  “Uncle”  John  Berry,  Benjamin 
Emerson,  Hon.  Daniel  Clark,  Colonel  John  B.  Clarke, 
Joseph  Kidder,  Governor  Nathaniel  Head,  P.  K. 
Chandler,  John  C.  French  and  others. 

Pittsfield  contributed  liberally  to  the  building  of  the 
railroad,  the  town  voting  the  full  sum  allowed  by  law 
and  the  citizens  subscribing  heavily  for  the  stock.  It 
wras  in  operation  before  the  close  of  1869,  and  in  the 
spring  of  1870  a new  order  of  things  began.  Situated 
as  Pittsfield  is,  remote  from  the  cities  and  larger  vil- 
lages of  the  State,  with  thrifty  farming  towns  on  every 
side,  it  only  needed  railroad  facilities  to  become  the 
centre  of  a large  and  steadily-increasing  trade.  The 
effect  of  the  railroad  in  this  respect  was  realized  at 
once,  but  a fewr  leading  citizens  were  not  content  with 
this  alone,  and  looked  about  for  some  business  that 
might  be  induced  to  locate  among  them  and  bring 
ca  dtal  and  industry  to  the  place.  Lynn  parties  of- 
fered to  come  and  engage  in  the  manufacture  of  shoes 
if  sufficient  encouragement  could  be  secured.  As  the 
result,  a building  two  hundred  and  ten  feet  long, 
thirty-five  feet  wide  and  three  stories  high,  with  a 
basement,  was  erected  in  1870,  furnished  with  abund- 
ant steam-power,  and  three  firms,  each  taking  a third 
of  the  factory  and  power,  began  the  manufacture  of 
shoes  on  quite  an  extensive  scale.  The  shop  had  capacity 
for  three  hundred  and  fifty  or  four  hundred  hands,  and 
for  several  years  a large  business  was  carried  on. 
This  was  Pittsfield’s  second  period  of  growth,  and  the 
village  changed  as  in  a transformation  scene.  New 
streets  were  laid  out,  building  was  pushed  rapidly 
forward,  and  the  stores  increased  in  number  as  well  as 
in  the  amount  of  business  done.  Some  fine  business 
blocks  were  erected,  the  population  increased,  and  a 
brilliant  future  was  confidently  predicted  for  the  vil- 
lage. But  five  or  six  years  later  there  began  to  be  a 
feeling  of  uncertainty  in  the  very  air.  The  firms  en- 
gaged in  making  shoes  at  the  big  shop  had  trouble 
with  their  help,  grew  dissatisfied,  and  one  by  one 
took  their  departure,  leaving  the  men  who  had  done 
the  most  for  the  general  growth,  and  who  had  in- 
vested heavily  in  real  estate,  in  the  most  critical  posi- 
tion possible.  It  was  a time  of  great  depression  and 
general  discouragement.  Tenements  stood  empty, 
some  traders  moved  away  and  others  were  undecided 
what  to  do.  It  was  a terrible  experience  for  the  bus- 
iness men  of  Pittsfield  and  is  often  spoken  of  by 
them  as  the  most  trying  period  of  their  lives.  It  was 


more  imperatively  necessary  that  something  should 
be  done  than  it  was  in  1869. 

Shoe  Manufacturing.— In  1879,  C.  B.  Lancaster, 
an  extensive  and  successful  shoe  manufacturer  and 
dealer,  offered  to  establish  a part  of  his  business  in 
Pittsfield  and  make  no  fewer  than  five  thousand  cases 
annually,  if  the  citizens  would  build  him  such  a 
shop  as  he  desired  and  exempt  him  from  taxation  for 
a term  of  years.  An  arrangement  was  quickly  ar- 
rived at  and  the  work  of  building  was  begun  at  once 
under  the  personal  supervision  of  Mr.  Ira  N.  Blake, 
who  has  from  the  first  had  charge  of  the  firm’s  busi- 
ness in  Pittsfield.  It  was  Mr.  Blake’s  idea  to  locate 
the  factory  on  the  river  in  order  that  the  water-power 
might  be  utilized  a great  part  of  the  year,  and  to  use 
steam  only  in  case  the  water-power  should  fail.  Ac- 
cordingly, the  building,  as  well  as  another  erected  by 
the  company  itself  two  years  later,  was  equipped  for 
both  steam  and  water-power  and  the  establishment 
enjoys  immunity  from  stops  through  lack  of  motive- 
power.  Work  was  begun  in  the  shop  before  the  car- 
penters had  fairly  left  the  building,  and  has  contin- 
ued with  but  slight  interruptions  ever  since.  Mr. 
Blake  himself  added  greatly  to  the  confidence  of  bus- 
iness men  by  purchasing  the  farm  formerly  owned  by 
the  late  Jeremiah  Clark,  which  stretches  down  the 
hillside  from  Main  Street  to  the  river,  opening  up  a 
new  street,  putting  up  no  fewer  than  seven  new  cot- 
tage houses  for  his  workmen  and  erecting  an  elegant 
residence  for  himself  at  the  corner  of  Main  and 
Blake  Streets.  Nothing  better  calculated  to  revive 
the  courage  of  the  citizens  could  have  occurred.  It 
was  evident  that  the  new  firm  had  come  to  stay,  and 
its  representative  was  a man  who  would  take  some 
interest  in  the  village  beyond  the  number  of  dollars 
he  might  be  able  to  remit  to  the  headquarters  of  the 
firm  in  Boston.  Building  was  begun  anew,  business 
revived  and  Pittsfield  entered  upon  a period  of  de- 
velopment and  general  prosperity. 

In  the  six  years  that  the  firm  of  C.  B.  Lancaster 
& Co.  has  been  established  here  it  has  distributed 
in  Pittsfield  between  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
thousand  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars 
yearly  and  has  done  an  annual  business  averaging 
more  than  half  a million.  It  has  given  almost 
steady  employment  to  from  three  hundred  to  five 
hundred  hands,  has  cut  up  thirty  thousand  sides  of 
leather  yearly,  and  in  its  largest  year  did  a business 
amounting  to  seven  hundred  and  eighty  thousand 
dollars. 

Morgan,  Dorr  & Libby. — When  the  original  shoe 
firm  left  Pittsfield  the  old  shop  remained  empty  on 
the  hands  of  the  Pittsfield  Shoe  Factory  Association, 
which  offered  the  free  use  of  the  building,  with  ample 
steam-power,  machinery,  etc.,  to  any  concern  that 
would  come  and  do  business  in  it.  Accordingly, 
Morgan  & Dorr,  a firm  doing  business  in  Lynn,  formed 
a new  partnership  with  E.  A.  Libby,  a gentleman  of 
twenty  years’  practical  experience  in  the  business, 


590 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


and  who  had  been  for  a long  time  previous  in  their 
employ  as  foreman  and  superintendent,  and  began 
operations  here  under  the  firm-name  of  Morgan,  Dorr 
& Libby.  The  business  was  practically  a new  venture, 
it  being  the  purpose  of  the  firm  to  manufacture  a su- 
perior quality  ot  ladies’  goods  and  build  up  a trade 
on  the  merits  of  the  work  accomplished.  The  new 
firm  began  work  here  in  September,  1881,  and  in 
three  years’  time  had  established  a business  of  about 
two  hundred  thousand  dollars  annually,  employing 
in  flush  times  two  hundred  and  fifty  hands.  In  Septem- 
ber, 1884,  the  partnership  expired  by  limitation,  but  the 
business  is  continued  under  the  supervision  of  Mr. 
Libby,  who  was  retained  as  superintendent. 

The  Pittsfield  Manufacturing  Company  manu- 
facture cotton  goods.  It  is  a large  establishment.  Geo. 
E.  Kent,  agent. 


CHAPTER  III. 

PITTSFIELD — (Continued). 

The  Pittsfield  Bank — The  Pittsfield  Savings-Bank — The  Farmers'  Sav- 
ings-Bank— The  Aqueduct  Company — The  Analecta — Corinthian 
Lodge,  F.  and  A.  M. 

The  Pittsfield  Bank  was  organized  as  a State 
bank  March  18,  1851.  The  first  board  of  directors 
were  Benjamin  Emerson,  Jacob  Perkins,  John  L. 
Thorndike,  Jeremiah  Clough,  William  Jenkins,  Jr., 
John  S.  Osborne  and  S.  M.  D.  Perkins. 

The  officers  have  been  as  follows  : Presidents,  John 
L.  Thorndike,  James  Drake  and  Charles  H.  Carpen- 
ter; Cashiers,  Charles  H.  Carpenter,  John  L.  French, 
Josiah  Carpenter  and  John  A.  Goss. 

Present  board  of  directors, — Charles  H.  Carpenter, 
Hiram  A.  Tuttle,  Thomas  H.  Thorndike,  John  A. 
Goss  and  Nathaniel  M.  Batchelder. 

It  was  organized  as  a national  bank  February  13, 
1885.  Capital,  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

The  Pittsfield  Savings-Bank  was  incorporated  in 
1855,  with  the  following  incorporators:  James  A. 
Treat,  John  Berry,  Benjamin  Emerson,  Reuben  L. 
French,  James  Drake,  Charles  H.  Carpenter,  Syl- 
vester H.  French,  G.  L.  Remick,  Lowell  Brown, 
Jeremiah  Clough,  William  G.  French,  Walter  B. 
Drake  and  R.  P.  J.  Tenney. 

The  first  officers  were  John  Berry,  president ; Lowell 
Brown,  treasurer  and  secretary. 

The  first  board  of  trustees  were  James  A.  Treat, 
William  G.  French,  G.  L.  Remick,  Charles  H.  Car- 
penter, Isaiah  Berry,  Sylvester  H.  French,  Louis  W. 
Clark,  Reuben  L.  French,  Peter  J.  Hook  and  Lowell 
Brown. 

The  present  officers  are  R.  L.  French,  president, 
and  G.  F.  Berry,  treasurer. 

Present  trustees, — R.  L.  French,  S.  H.  French,  J. 
W.  Johnston,  Lowell  Brown,  B.  F.  Kaime,  A.  B. 
Taylor,  John  J.  Jenness,  T.  H.  Thorndike,  Jeremiah 


Clough,  H.  A.  Tuttle,  William  G.  French,  P.  J.  Hook, 
B.  G.  Parsons,  E.  L.  Carr  and  G.  F.  Berry. 

The  present  amount  of  deposits  is  $259,206;  num- 
ber of  depositors,  twelve  hundred  and  seventeen. 

The  bank  was  first  located  in  John  Berry’s  store, 
and  was  afterwards  removed  to  the  second  floor  of 
Tuttle’s  Block,  which  was  burned  with  the  Congrega- 
tional Church,  February  14,  1876.  The  safe  was 
taken  from  the  burning  building  uninjured,  and  Union 
Block  was  soon  erected  on  the  vacant  spot,  the  bank 
taking  one-third  interest  in  it  and  occupying  spacious 
and  convenient  quarters  on  the  first  floor,  where  it 
still  remains.  The  present  treasurer,  Mr.  George  F. 
Berry,  assumed  the  duties  of  his  position  in  July,  1880, 
upon  the  resignation  of  his  brother,  William  H.,  and 
has  had  charge  of  the  business  since  that  time. 

Of  the  sixty-seven  savings-bank  treasurers  in  New 
Hampshire,  three  were  natives  of  Pittsfield,  viz.:  J. 
W.  White,  of  Nashua;  George  F.  Berry,  of  Pittsfield  ; 
and  William  Yeaton,  of  Farmington.  Two  others — 
Josiah  Carpenter,  of  Manchester,  and  George  A. 
Fernald,  of  Concord — have  been  residents  of  the  town. 

The  Farmers’  Savings-Bank  was  organized  Octo- 
ber 13,  1883,  and  commenced  business  December  1, 

1883.  The  officers  have  been  as  follows:  Ira  N. 

Blake,  president ; John  A.  Goss,  treasurer ; Ira  N. 
Blake,  Peabody  H.  Adams,  Nathaniel  S.  Drake, 
James  Griffin,  Edwin  A.  Libby,  George  N.  Foss, 
Charles  H.  Carpenter,  Thomas  H.  Thorndike,  True 
H.  Mansfield,  John  J.  French,  Charles  M.  Bailey, 
John  A.  Goss,  Aaron  Whittemore,  Jr.,  trustees. 
Amount  of  deposits  May,  1885,  nineteen  thousand 
dollars. 

The  Aqueduct  Company  was  organized  June  1, 

1884,  with  the  following  officers : R.  L.  French,  presi- 

dent ; S.  J.  Winslow,  superintendent;  R.  L.  French, 
Charles  H.  Carjienter,  Hiram  A.  Tuttle,  S.  J. 
Winslow,  Aaron  Whittemore,  Jr.,1  board  of 
directors;  John  A.  Goss,  treasurer;  N.  S.  Drake, 
clerk.  The  officers  have  not  been  changed. 

The  Analecta,  published  by  0.  H.  A.  Chamberlin 
in  his  elegantly  appointed  office  in  Opera  Block, 
has  a unique  and  interesting  history.  Mr.  Chamber- 
lin began  printing  at  his  home  in  Dunbarton  as  an 
amateur  in  April,  1877,  when  seventeen  years  of  age, 
and  in  December  of  the  same  year  the  first  issue  of 
the  Snow  Flake — now  the  Analecta — appeared.  It 
consisted  of  twelve  pages,  six  by  nine  inches,  and 
was  to  be  published  monthly,  and  was  offered  to  the 
public  at  thirty  cents  a year.  After  three  issues  it 
was  enlarged  to  a four-column  quarto  with  patent 
inside,  the  outside  being  printed  on  a small  job 
press,  one  page  at  a time.  After  October,  1879,  the 
printing  was  all  done  at  home,  and  for  the  first  two 
years  Mr.  Chamberlain  did  all  the  work  alone.  Its 
circulation  reached  over  eight  hundred  at  this 
time.  January  1,  1880,  it  was  issued  as  a four- 


1 Deceased 


PITTSFIELD. 


591 


column  folio,  semi-monthly,  and  in  the  May  follow- 
ing the  Pittsfield  department  was  added,  over  four 
hundred  subscribers  being  received  from  that  and 
other  adjoining  towns  in  the  first  eight  months  after. 
January,  1881,  the  subscription  price  was  increased 
to  fifty  cents,  and  in  the  winter  of  1882-83  a Cot- 
trell cylinder  press  and  other  machinery,  with  a 
large  amount  of  type,  etc.,  was  purchased,  and 
January  1,  1883,  the  paper  was  published  as  a seven- 
column  folio  weekly  at  seventy-five  cents  a year. 
The  success  of  the  venture  was  complete  and  the 
circulation  rapidly  increased.  In  June  following  a 
Hopkinton  department  was  added,  and  an  increase 
of  nearly  two  hundred  was  secured  by  that  means. 
January  1,  1884,  the  paper  was  enlarged  to  an  eight- 
column  folio,  the  subscription  price  placed  at  one 
dollar  a year,  as  at  present,  and  the  name  was 
changed  to  the  Analecta.  In  April,  1884,  the  subject 
of  removal  to  Pittsfield  began  to  be  discussed,  and  al- 
though no  special  inducement  was  offered  by  the 
citizens,  it  was  finally  decided  to  take  the  step. 
September  18,  1884,  the  material  was  on  the  road 
from  Dunbarton  to  Pittsfield,  and  the  paper  was 
issued  from  the  new  home  with  only  one  day’s  delay. 
Such,  in  brief,  is  the  history  of  the  growth  of  a news- 
paper from  the  smallest  beginning  to  a nicely- 
printed,  well-conducted  sheet,  creditable  to  the  vil- 
lage and  a source  of  honest  pride  to  its  projector.  It 
has  reached  a circulation  of  two  thousand  copies,  has 
a good  advertising  patronage  and  one  of  the  best 
equipped  country  offices  in  the  State.  Power  is  sup- 
plied by  a water-motor  and  the  rooms  are  lighted 
with  gas.  The  facilities  for  job  work  are  excellent, 
and  in  its  new  home  the  Analecta  should  continue  to 
be  what  it  has  already  become,  a successful  and 
prosperous  newspaper  in  a broadened  field. 

Corinthian  Lodge  F.  and  A.  M.,  No.  82.1— On  the 
10th  day  of  January,  a.l.  5867  (a.d.  1867),  the 
most  Worshipful  Grand  Master  of  Masons  of  New 
Hampshire,  John  H.  Rowell,  granted  a dispensation 
to  Brothers  Henry  H.  Huso  as  Master,  Daniel  F. 
Smith  as  Senior  Warden,  W.  Henry  Berry  as  Junior 
Warden,  together  with  their  associates,  Bros.  R.  P. 
J.  Tenney,23  J.  C.  French,  E.  B.  Hazzen,  C.  P.  San- 
derson2 C.  W.  Ranlet,2  S.  A.  Trask,  J.  P.  Stinchfield, 
Harrison  Elliott,2  J.  H.  Hill,  Nathaniel  Blaisdell,2 
George  E.  Pendergast,2  J.  H.  Jenkins,  J.  P.  Roby, 
Benjamin  Emerson, 2 J.  J.  M.  Tenney,2  to  assemble 
and  work  as  a regular  lodge.  Agreeably  to  the  pro- 
visions of  this  dispensation,  they  met  in  the  old 
lodge-room  of  the  then  defunct  Suncook  Lodge, 
1. 0. 0.  F.,  in  the  Thorndike  building,  on  the  evening 
of  January  30, 5867,  with  the  above-named  Masters  and 
Wardens,  and  H.  A.  Tuttle  as  Treasurer,  J.  G.  Ladd 
as  Secretary,  J.  P.  Roby  as  Senior  Deacon,  0.  S. 
Roby  as  Junior  Deacon,  Sylvanus  Smith  as  Senior 
Steward,  C.  W.  Ranlet  as  Junior  Steward,  Sumner  A. 


1 By  Henry  W.  Osgood,  P.  M.  3 Member  of  Governor's  Council. 


Trask  as  Tyler,  Harrison  Elliott  as  member.  At  the 
regular  communication,  June  11th  of  this  year,  the 
lodge  voted  to  petition  for  a charter. 

On  July  24th  the  “Lodge  met  in  special  communi- 
cation at  2.30  p.  m.,  for  constitution  and  installment 
of  its  officers.  The  following  officers  were  duly  in- 
stalled and  the  lodge  constituted  by  the  Most  Wor- 
shipful Grand  Master  John  H.  Rowell,  assisted  by 
Right  Worshipful  District  Grand  Master  Alexander 
M.  Winn  : Henry  H.  Huse,  W.  M. ; John  G.  Ladd, 
S.  W. ; Oliver  S.  Roby,  J.  W. ; William  Yeaton, 
Treas. ; N.  M.  Rollins,2  Sec. ; J.  P.  Roby,  S.  D. ; N. 
G.  Foote,  J.  D. ; 2 Sylvanus  Smith,  S.  S. ; G.  W. 
Roby,  J.  S. ; Sumner  A.  Trask,  Tyler. 

Rev.  Bro.  L.  Z.  Ferris  preached  an  installation 
sermon  in  the  Congregationalist  Church  ; refresh- 
ments were  served  in  the  old  Washington  House  hall. 
The  lodge  held  their  communications  in  the  old 
hall  until  a.  l.  5870,  when  the  building  was  re- 
modeled. Plans  were  submitted  to  the  brethren  for 
a new  and  commodious  lodge-room,  for  an  annual 
rental  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  So  rapidly 
was  the  work  pushed  forward  that  the  lodge  was 
enabled  to  hold  its  communications  within  its  own 
walls  with  one  exception.  The  record  reads : “ Met  in 
regular  communication  in  May,  5870,  at  the  house  of 
Brother  Smith  and  opened  on  the  third  degree,  waiv- 
ing all  ceremonies.”  At  the  regular  communication 
in  June  we  find  them  in  their  new  quarters,  which 
they  occupied  until  the  14th  of  February,  1876,  when 
the  building  was  destroyed  by  fire.  The  lodge  lost 
its  charter,  jewels  and  furniture ; the  records  and 
seal  the  secretary,  fortunately,  had  at  his  home. 

Williard  K.  Cobb  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  tendered  the 
lodge  Hie  use  of  their  hall,  which  was  accepted  at  a 
rental  of  three  dollars  a communication.  Wednesday 
evening,  March  8,  5876,  we  find  a goodly  number  of 
the  brethren  present,  ready  and  anxious  to  do  with 
all  their  might  for  the  good  of  the  order.  They  voted 
to  purchase  a solid  silver  set  of  jewels  and  a set  of 
working  tools.  They  remained  here  until  Thursday, 
November  29,  5881,  when  they  removed  to  their  new 
and  beautiful  lodge-rooms  in  Masonic  Hall,  built  by 
the  Masonic  Hall  Association  over  the  old  town 
hall. 

The  rooms  are  furnished  in  the  very  best;  the  lodge- 
room  proper  is  carpeted  ; the  chairs,  altar,  pedestals 
and  settees  of  solid  black  walnut;  an  elegant  Bible, 
presented  by  the  ladies,  rests  upon  the  altar;  the 
solid  silver  jewels  hang  pendant  from  a beautiful 
and  costly  set  of  regalias  of  blue  silk  velvet,  em- 
broidered and  bordered  with  heavy  silver  bullion 
fringe,  made  and  presented  to  the  lodge  by  their 
ladies. 

The  lodge  has  funds  at  interest,  the  brethren  are 
in  harmony,  and  everything  points  to  increasing 
prosperity  and  usefulness. 


2 Dead. 


592 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


The  lodge  had  nine  Masters,  all  of  whom  are  living. 
Brother  H.  H.  Huse  has  been  elected  Speaker  of  the 
House  of  Representatives  of  New  Hampshire.  Of  its 
charter  members,  eight  have  died,  one  was  a member 
of  Governor  Gilmore’s  Council,  and  one  is  at  present 
the  popular  and  efficient  secretary  of  the  New  Hamp- 
shire Fire  Insurance  Company. 

Of  its  members,  seven  have  died,  sixteen  have 
been  demitted  ; the  present  number  is  seventy-seven. 
The  following  is  a list  of  its  Past  Masters,  the  order 
and  years  in  which  they  served:  Brother  H.  H. 
Huse,  5867 ; Brother  J.  P.  Roby,  5868,  ’69,  ’71  ; 
Brother  W.  H.  Berry,1  5870 ; Brother  C.  H.  Lane, 
5872.  ’73,  ’74,  ’75;  Brother  L.  A.  Hodgdon,  5876; 
Brother  E.  J.  Aiken,1  5877 ; Brother  John  Waldo, 
5878;  Brother  H.  W.  Osgood,  5879,  ’80,  ’81,  ’84; 
Brother  Josiah  Gove,  5883,  and  at  present  its  Master. 

Masonic  Hall  Association,  Pittsfield.2 — Feeling 
and  knowing  the  want  of  a lodge-room  in  which  the 
brethren  could  meet  and  feel  at  home,  a few  of  the 
brethren  of  Corinthian  Lodge  formed  themselves  into 
the  “ Masonic  Hall  Association,”  agreeable  to  the  laws 
of  the  State  of  New  Hampshire. 

Its  capital  stock  was  fifteen  hundred  dollars,  divi- 
ded into  shares  of  twenty  dollars  each,  which  was 
readily  taken  up  by  members  of  the  lodge.  The  as- 
sociation leased  the  upper  story  of  the  old  town  hall 
and  built  thereon  a French  roof,  and  finished  the  ele- 
gant suite  of  rooms  rented  and  occupied  by  Corinthian 
Lodge,  No.  82,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.  At  its  first  meeting  it 
elected  Amos  H.  Messer,  president ; Henry  W.  Os- 
good, treasurer;  Clarence  Johnson,  clerk;  Josiah 
Gove,  William  B.  Hartwell, trustees;  Amos H.  Messer, 
William  B.  Hartwell,  Clarence  Johnson,  Charles  M. 
Bailey,  H.  W.  Osgood,  building  committee. 



CHAPTER  IV. 

PITTSFIELD — (Continued). 

Incorporation  of  Town — First  Town-Meeting — Documentary  History — 
Representatives— Town  Clerks. 

The  township  was  taken  from  Chichester  and  in- 
corporated by  its  present  name  March  27, 1782.  John 
Cram  was  authorized  to  call  the  first  meeting  of  the 
inhabitants  to  choose  town  officers,  etc. 

The  meeting  was  held  as  follows  : 

“State  of  Newhampshire  j 

Rockingham,  Ss.  / Chichester,  December  20*^781  at  a Leagal  • 
meeting  of  the  Inhabitance  of  the  town  of  Chichester  met  according  to  I 
notifi  cation  Date  of  warrant  Deem  the  12th  1781. 

“ILy  Voted  John  Cram  Esqr  be  a moderator  to  govern  said  meeting — 
4i2Ly  Voted  that  there  Be  a Commity  Chosen  on  both  Sids  of  the  town 
to  Divide  said  town. 

“ Voted  that  william  Chase  John  Cram  Esqr  Joseph  morril  Simeon  Hil- 
yard  Dyer  Hook  Elijah  Ring  and  Cap*0  jonathan  Leavitt  be  a 
Commitee  to  Divide  the  town  of  Chichister — 


“ Chichister  Deer  20th — 1781  then  we  the  Subscribers  a Commitee  have 

agreed  in  Dividing  the  town  into  two  Parishes. 

“ILy  that  the  whole  of  the  Land  in  the  Second  and  third  Divisions  be- 
low the  River  and  all  the  third  Division  above  sd  River  Shall  be 
to  the  north  Side  of  the  town. 

“ 2Ly  that  the  South  Side  and  north  Side  of  the  town  Shall  Prefix  the 
Centers  for  their  meeting  houses  within  three  weaks  from  this 
Date. 

“3Ly  that  those  People  that  Live  on  Either  Side  of  the  Dividing  Line 


Shall  have  Liberty  to  Poal  themselves  and  their  Estates  into 
Either  Side  of  the  Dividing  Line  that  they  Shall  think  best  any 
time  within  three  months  after  that  the  Centers  are  to  be  Per- 
fixMn  the  South  and  north  parts  of  the  town  as  above  Dated. 

..  T ~ 1 Committee 

“ John  Cram  , 

_ to  Divide 

“ will®  Chase 

« o ,,  l the  town 

“ Simeon  Hilyakd  | 

..  T T T i into  two 

Jonathan  Leavitt  Jun  I . , 

J Parishes 


“ 2Ly  Put  to  vote  to  see  if  the  town  will  Except  of  what  the  Committee 
hath  agreed  upon  and  Signed  in  Dividing  of  the  town  and  Past 
as  a vote. 

“3Ly  Voted  that  the  Second  Division  of  Land  beloo  Suncook  River  in 
Sd  Chichester  with  that  Part  of  the  third  Division  beloo  Sd  River 
and  the  Six  Ranges  in  Said  third  Division  above  Said  Suncook 
River  with  the  privileges  and  Preportion  of  Publick  Lands  be- 
longing to  Said  Divisions  may  be  incorporated  into  a Town  or 
Parrish  by  themselves  and  invested  with  all  town  Priviliges  as 
other  towns  in  this  State — 

“4Ly  Voted  that  their  may  be  three  months  Liberty  alowed  for  any  Per- 
son or  Persons  to  Pool  themselves  and  their  Estates  Either  side 
of  the  Dividing  Line  that  way  they  shall  see  best  after  the  Cen- 
ters are  Prefixed — 

“oLy  Voted  that  John  Cram  Esqur  william  Chase  and  Captn  Jonathan 
Leavitt  a Committee  to  Prefer  a Petition  to  the  General  Court  of 
Said  State  to  confirm  the  above  votes. 

“ A true  Coppy  from  the  minutes 

“per  Dyer  Hook  town  Clerk.” 


PETITION  CONCERNING  A DIVISION  OF  THE  TOWN. 

“To  the  Honble  the  Council  and  House  of  Representatives  for  the  State 
of  New  Hampshire,  in  General  Assembly  convened  at  Exeter  Janu- 
ary A Dom.  1782 — 

“The  Petition  of  the  Inhabitants  freeholders,  residing  in  the  first  & 
fourth  Divisions  in  the  Township  of  Chichester  Humbly  Sheweth — That 
a meeting  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Chichester  was  called  by  the  Select  Men 
of  said  Town  in  consequence  of  a petition  of  the  Inhabitants  who  reside 
in  the  Second  and  third  Divisions  in  said  Town  for  the  purpose  of  sev- 
ering or  dividing  the  said  Town  into  two  distinct  Parishes — That  at  said 
Meeting  a Major  vote  was  obtained  in  favour  of  said  Petition — That  for 
the  conveniency  of  the  Town,  your  Petitioners  humbly  conceived  and  do 
conceive  that  an  equal  division  of  the  Town  into  two  Parishes  would  be 
necessary  if  the  same  could  be  properly  effected — That  those  said  Peti- 
tioners have  obtained  by  the  aforesaid  vote  more  than  an  equal  division 
without  the  voice  of  the  Propriety  of  said  Township  who  have  never  been 
consulted  thereon,  and  have  not  as  yet  given  up  the  reins  of  Government 
into  the  hands  of  said  Town — 

“ That  if  a petition  should  be  preferred  to  your  Honours  in  order  to 
confirm  the  aforesaid  Vote,  that  your  Honours  would  take  this  our  Peti- 
tion under  your  wi6e  consideration  and  direct  Such  Measures  as  shall  be 
most  conducive  to  the  interest  and  welfare  of  said  Town — And  your  Pe- 
titioners as  in  duty  bound  will  ever  Pray  &c. 

“John  Worth,  Levi  Stanyan,  Jonathan  Edmunds,  Joseph  morrill, 
Peter  Hook,  Paul  morrill,  Samuel  Langmaid,  Samuel  James,  Edmund 
Rand  Leavitt,  John  Langmaid,  Smith  Morrill,  william  moses,  Ezekiel 
morrill,  Jonathan  Leavitt,  William  Seavey,  Edmund  Rand,  Nathan  3Iar- 
den,  Simeon  Loverin,  Dyer  Hook,  Daniil  Sanborn,  william  Langmaid, 
James  morrill,  Samuel  Daves. 

PETITION  CONCERNING  DIVISION  OF  THE  TOWN. 

“To  the  Honble  Council  & House  of  Representatives  of  the  State  of  New 
Hampshire  in  General  Assembly  Convened  at  Exeter  Jan*!  3d  1782. 

“ Humbly  Sheweth  John  Cram  Esqr  William  Chase  and  Jonathan 
Leavitt  a Committy  for  and  in  behalf  of  the  Freeholders  and  Inhabi- 
tants of  the  Town  of  Chichester  in  the  County  of  Rockingham  in  Said 
State — 

“ That  the  Said  Freeholders  and  Inhabitants  of  Chichester  have  at  a 
Legal  Town  meeting  Voted  that  the  Second  Division  of  Lands  in  Said 


1 Withdrawn  from  Edge  fellowship. 


2 By  II.  W.  Osgood. 


PITTSFIELD. 


593 


Township  below  Suncook  river  with  That  part  of  the  third  Division  be- 
low Said  river  and  the  Six  ranges  in  Said  Third  Division  above  Said  Sun- 
cook  river  with  the  Priviledges  & Proportion  of  Public  Lands  belonging 
to  Said  Divisions  may  be  Incorporated  into  a town  or  Parish  by  them- 
selves, and  Invested  with  all  Town  Priviledges  as  other  towns  in  this 
State,  and  that  there  may  be  allowed  three  months  Liberty  for  any  Per- 
son or  Persons  to  Poll  themselves  & their  Estates  to  Either  Side  of  the 
Dividing  Line  that  way  they  Shall  Se  best  after  the  Centres  of  Each  Town 
or  Parish  are  Prefixed  Wherefore  Your  Petitioners  Humbly  Pray  your 
Hon"  to  Pass  an  Act  to  Incorporate  the  Said  Lands  and  Inhabitants 
thereof  into  a Distinct  Town  or  Parish  by  the  Name  of  Pittsfield— and 
to  Invest  & Enfranchise  them  with  all  the  Powers,  Priviledges  and  Im- 
munities that  any  other  town  or  Parish  in  this  State  Have  Hold  and  En- 
joy, with  the  Liberty  of  Polling  as  aforesaid  ; and  Your  Petitioners  as  in 
Duty  bound  Shall  Ever  pray  Jtc. 

“John  Cram 
“William  Chase 
“Jonathan  Leavitt  J unt 

l In  the  House  of  Representatives  March  22'1 : 

New  Hampr  > 

1782— 

“ Upon  hearing  and  considering  the  foregoing  Petition 

“ Voted  that  the  prayer  thereof  be  granted  with  the  following  altera- 
tions and  amendments  (viz)  instead  of  Six  ranges  in  the  third  Divi- 
sion above  Suncook  River  to  allow  only  five  ranges  in  said  third  Division 
and  that  no  polling  shall  be  allowed  and  that  the  Tract  of  Land  which 
they  Petitioned  to  have  set  off  by  the  name  of  Pittsfield  be  sett  off  as  a 
Separate  Town  and  called  by  that  name  and  to  have  all  Town  priviledges 
distinct  from  Chichester  except  in  the  Choice  of  Representatives,  and  that 
the  Petitioners  have  leave  to  bring  in  a Bill  accordingly. 

“ Sent  up  for  Concurrence 

“ John  Langdon  Speaker. 

“ In  Council  the  same  day  read  & concurred 

“J  Pearson  D Secy.” 


The  result  of  the  controversy  was  the  setting  off 
the  northern  part  of  the  town,  and  incorporating  the 
same  into  the  town  of  Pittsfield,  by  an  act  passed 
March  27,  1782. 

REQUEST  TO  BE  CLASSED  WITH  RITTSFIELD  FOR  REPRESEN- 
TATIVE. 


“State  of  New  hampshire. 


“Rockingham  Ss — 


“To  the  Honorable  Counsel  and  general  Court  of  Sad  State  the  Hum- 
ble Petition  of  us  the  Subscribers  Selectmen  for  Chichester  and  Pittsfield 
whereas  according  to  the  establishment  of  the  new  Constitution  or  Plan 
of  Government  it  was  agreed  upon  that  the  town  that  hath  one  hundred 
and  fifty  Leagal  votters  Should  have  the  Liberty  of  Choosing  and  sending 
a member  to  the  general  Court  and  whar  one  town  hant  that  number  of 
Leagal  voters  it  was  agreed  upon  that  two  towns  Shall  be  Cuppled  together 
we  your  Humble  Pettisonars  Select  men  for  the  townes  of  Said  Chiches- 
ter and  Pittsfield  humbley  Desire  according  to  the  Desire  of  the  inhabi- 
tance  of  Said  towns  that  we  may  be  Joyned  together  and  have  the  Lib- 
erty of  Choosing  and  sending  one  member  for  both  towns  and  your 
Petitioners  as  in  Duty  bound  Shall  Ever  Pray  and  So  forth. 

“ Chichester,  December  the  30  Day,  ye  1783. 


“ William  Seavey, 

“ Dyer  Hook, 
“Jonathan  Perkins, 
“James  Drake, 


Select- 
men for 
Chichester 
and 

Pittsfield. 


In  House  of  Representatives,  Jan?  2d,  1784. 

New  IIamp8rc  > 

u Upon  Reading  & Considering  the  foregoing  petition, 

“ Voted , That  the  prayer  thereof  be  granted,  that  Nortbwood  pro- 
posed to  be  joined  to  Pittsfield  be  Class'1  to  Epsom  & Allenstown. 

“ Sent  up  for  Concurrence. 

“John  Dudley.  Speaker. 
“In  Council  the  same  day  read  & Concurred. 

“E.  Thompson,  Secy.” 


CHAPTER  V. 

PITTSFIELD — ( Continued). 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

Congregational  Church.1 — On  the  3d  of  June, 
1782  (the  same  year  in  which  the  town  of  Pittsfield 
was  inaugurated),  the  town  voted  to  build  a house 
of  worship  and  locate  the  same  where  the  present 
town  hall  now  stands.  At  the  next  town-meeting, 
held  January  (5,  1783,  it  was  voted  that  the  meeting- 
house should  he  built  “of  the  same  bigness  of  Hamp- 
ton Falls  meeting-house.”  The  building  was  not 
completed  before  the  spring  of  1789,  although  the 
frame  was  raised  in  the  summer  of  1787. 

Where  was  the  customary  place,  or  places,  for  re- 
ligious gatherings,  previous  to  this,  does  not  appear ; 
hut,  in  the  month  of  September,  1787,  the  Congre- 
gational Society  met  at  the  corn-harn  of  Colonel 
John  Cram.  Colonel  Cram’s  house  was  the  old  Mc- 
Crillis  tavern-stand,  and  his  corn-harn  stood  op- 
posite, on  land  now  belonging  to  the  late  S.  Tenney’s 
estate. 

In  1788  the  town  voted  to  hire  a Congregational 
minister  for  three  months. 

In  November  of  the  year  following, — the  year 
which  witnessed  the  inauguration  of  Geo.  Washing- 
ton as  the  first  President  of  the  United  States, — this 
church  was  duly  organized  with  ten  members. 

The  council  was  convened  November  17,  1789,  at 
the  house  of  Colonel  John  Cram,  “in  compliance,” 
as  the  old  record  reads,  “ with  the  request  of  this  peo- 
ple by  letters-inissive.” 

The  following  Congregational  Churches  were  repre- 
sented by  their  pastors  and  delegates : Pastors,— 
Deerfield,  Rev.  Timothy  Upham  ; Loudon,  Rev.  Jede- 
diah  Tucker ; Hopkinton,  Rev.  Jacob  Cram  ; Epsom, 
Rev.  Ebeuezer  Hazeltine;  Gilmanton,  Rev.  Isaac 
Smith  ; Pembroke,  Rev.  Zaccheus  Colby  ; Hardwick, 
Rev.  Mr.  Holt. 

The  council  at  the  same  time  ordained  Mr.  Chris- 
topher Paige,  a graduate  of  Dartmouth  College,  as 
pastor  of  the  church,  the  society  having  given  him  a 
call,  with  a settlement  of  sixty  pounds  and  a 
salary  of  sixtv-six  pounds,  annually,  one-third 
to  he  paid  in  cash,  one-third  in  good  corn  at  three 
shillings  per  bushel  and  good  rye  at  four  shillings 
per  bushel,  and  the  remaining  third  in  good  beef  at 
twenty  shillings  the  hundred-weight. 

Originally  the  society  received  a tract  of  fifty  acres 
of  land,  lying  upon  the  south  side  of  Catamount,  not 
far  from  the  old  Major  William  Berry  place.  In 
1779,  at  the  suggestion  of  Colonel  Cram,  this  land 
was  exchanged  for  land  belonging  to  him  in  the 
village  near  the  old  parsonage  house. 

Mr.  Paige’s  ministry  continued  for  a little  over  six 
years.  Fourteen  were  received  into  the  church, — 


1 Compiled  by  Rev.  George  E.  Hill. 


594 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


making,  with  the  ten  original  members,  a membership 
of  twenty- four. 

After  Mr.  Paige’s  dismission,  in  January,  1796,  there 
appears  to  have  been  but  little  Congregational  preach- 
ing till  the  year  1800.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  Rev. 
Benjamin  Sargent,  a Calvinistic  Baptist,  came  to  sup- 
ply the  pulpit  for  some  one  else.  His  preaching  was  so 
acceptable  that  he  was  invited  to  come  again,  and  in 
December  following  he  received  a call  to  supply  the 
pulpit  for  a year.  Mr.  Sargent,  it  would  seem,  was 
considerably  exercised  in  mind  over  this  unusual  call 
from  a Congregational  Church  to  one  professing  close- 
communion  sentiments,  and  the  result  was  a renun- 
ciation on  his  part  of  those  peculiar  views  held  by  his 
denomination,  and  he  became  an  open-communionist. 

Mr.  Sargent  commenced  his  labors  as  pastor  in  the 
beginning  of  the  year  1801.  In  the  spring  of  this 
year  there  was  a revival  of  religion  in  town.  This 
revival  gave  three  additional  members  to  the  church. 
There  were,  however,  twenty-one  other  converts. 
These  were  baptized  by  immersion,  and  on  the  29th 
of  October  were  gathered  into  an  open-communion 
Baptist  Church.  Six  months  after  this  new  Baptist 
Church  was  organized,  April  29,  1802,  it  met,  with 
the  Congregational  Church,  at  the  meeting-house. 
The  old  record  reads  as  follows:  “1802,  April  29th. 
At  a church-meeting  at  the  meeting-house,  the  two 
churches  in  Pittsfield,  the  Congregational  Church 
and  Calvinistic  Baptist  Church,  mutually  agreed  and 
passed  a vote  to  commune  together  at  the  table  of 
the  Lord,  and  each  church  to  discipline  their  own 
church.  Attest,  Jonathan  Perkins,  Moderator.” 

Mr.  Sargent  continued  to  supply  the  two  churches 
during  the  remainder  of  his  ministry,  and  for  sixteen 
years  the  two  churches  regularly  sat  around  the 
Lord’s  table,  Deacon  Perkins,  of  the  one  church,  and 
Deacon  James,  of  the  other,  officiating  as  deacons  ; 
thus  realizing  “ how  good  and  how  pleasant  it  is  for 
brethren  to  dwell  together  in  unity!”  Forty-four 
united  with  the  churches  during  Mr.  Sargent’s  min- 
istry,— sixteen  with  the  Congregational  Church  and 
twenty-eight  with  the  Baptist  Church.  On  the  after- 
noon of  the  Sabbath,  March  15,  1818,  he  went  into 
his  pulpit,  and  while  preaching  was  seized  with  a fit 
of  palsy,  which  soon  deprived  him  of  speech  and 
reason.  He  died  the  following  Thursday. 

On  October  29,  1818,  the  Calvinistic  Baptists  with- 
drew from  fellowship  with  this  church  and  organized  a 
close-communion  church.  There  was  at  first  no 
little  trouble  as  to  which  society  should  occupy  the 
meeting-house, — both  churches  at  one  time  occupy- 
ing it  alternately,— but  this  matter  was  afterwards 
adjusted,  the  Baptists  yielding  their  claim. 

In  October,  1818,  Mr.  Abel  Manning  commenced 
his  labors  as  stated  supply,  and  continued  for  some 
time  into  the  following  year.  During  his  ministry 
fourteen  were  admitted  to  the  church. 

Different  persons  supplied  the  pulpit  after  Mr. 
Manning,  until  the  year  1827,  during  which  time  the 


church  became  so  weak  financially  that  it  received 
aid  from  the  Home  Missionary  Society,  and  even 
then  preaching  could  be  secured  for  but  a few  months 
of  each  year. 

In  October,  1827,  a call  was  extended  to  Mr.  Ezra 
Scoville,  who  was  ordained  and  installed  November 
21,  1827.  His  ministry,  owing  to  a lack  of  pecuniary 
support,  was  short,  but  successful, — twenty-three  unit- 
ing with  the  church  under  his  pastorate.  He  was 
dismissed  September  14,  1829.  For  two  years  and  a 
half  there  is  a break  in  the  records.  At  the  end  of 
this  period  Mr.  Preserved  Smith  was  ordained  to  per- 
form the  work  of  an  evangelist  with  this  church,  June 
12,  1832.  He  remained  less  than  two  years,  but  his 
labors  were  greatly  blessed,  thirty-seven  being  received 
during  his  ministry,  and  all  but  four  on  profession. 

In  October,  1834,  Rev.  Jonathan  Curtis,  of  Sharon, 
Mass.,  having  accepted  a call  to  the  pastorate,  was 
installed  by  council,  Rev.  Dr.  Bouton,  of  Concord, 
preaching  the  installation  sermon.  Mr.  Curtis’  min- 
istry extended  over  a period  of  nearly  eleven  years. 
He  was  an  able  and  devoted  pastor.  Under  his 
ministrations  one  hundred  and  sixty-eight  united 
with  the  church.  There  were  several  revivals  of 
great  power.  The  largest  addition  in  one  year  was 
in  1838,  when  forty-four  united, — all  but  one  on  con- 
fession of  faith. 

On  the  18th  of  December,  1838,  Edward  Berry, 
Colonel  Nathaniel  Bachelder,  Samuel  White,  Thomas 
Berry,  William  Berry,  Jr.,  Enoch  French,  John  L. 
Thorndike,  John  Berry,  Isaiah  Berry  and  John  Pot- 
ter associated  themselves  together  for  the  purpose  of 
purchasing  land  and  erecting  upon  the  same  a new 
meeting-house.  A contract  was  then  made  to  build 
a house  sixty  feet  long  and  forty-one  feet  wide  for  the 
sum  of  one  thousand  nine  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 
The  new  building  was  completed  in  1839.  The  old 
meeting-house,  where  worship  had  been  sustained 
for  fifty  years,  was  purchased  by  the  town  for  a town- 
house.  For  about  thirty -seven  years  the  church  con- 
tinued to  worship  in  the  new  building,  which  received, 
in  the  mean  time,  enlargement  and  improvements. 

Rev.  Mr.  Curtis  was  dismissed  July  1,  1845,  and  on 
the  19th  of  November  of  the  same  year  Mr.  Moses 
II.  Wells  was  ordained  pastor.  During  his  eight 
years  of  faithful  service  forty  were  added  to  the 
church, — fourteen  by  profession  and  twenty-six  by 
letter.  On  account  of  feeble  health  Mr.  Wells  re- 
signed his  charge  in  December,  1853. 

December  12,  1854,  Rev.  .1.  A.  Hood,  of  Salem, 
Mass.,  was  installed  pastor.  His  ministry  extended 
over  a period  of  seven  and  a half  years,  during  which 
time  seventy-seven  were  added  to  the  church, — fifty- 
four  on  confession  of  faith.  A revival  in  the  latter 
part  of  1856  brought  thirty-five  into  the  church  at 
one  time.  To  Mr.  Hood  we  are  indebted  for  the  his- 
torical sketch  in  the  “Church  Manual”  and  other 
matters  of  historic  interest  which  appear  in  the 
records  kept  by  him. 


PITTSFIELD. 


595 


In  1861,  Thomas  Berry  presented  the  society  with 
.a  tower  clock  and  R.  L.  French  with  a bell. 

Mr.  Hood’s  labors  terminated  in  July,  1862.  On 
the  30th  of  November,  1865,  Mr.  L.  Z.  Ferris,  who 
had  previously  supplied  the  pulpit,  was  ordained  and 
installed  pastor.  His  ministry  covered  a period  of 
nearly  five  years,  during  which  twenty-one  united 
with  the  church.  He  was  dismissed  in  February, 
1870,  and  on  the  21st  of  December  of  the  same  year 
Rev.  H.  A.  Hazen  was  installed  pastor.  During  this 
year  the  house  of  worship  was  repaired,  and  the  next 
year  the  Ladies’  Sewing  Society  took  measures  to 
build  a vestry,— a praiseworthy  undertaking,  which 
drew  about  a thousand  dollars  from  their  treasury. 

Mr.  Hazen’s  pastorate  of  nearly  two  years  termi- 
nated in  November,  1872. 

For  more  than  a year  following  the  church  had  no 
regular  supply.  In  the  middle  of  the  year  1874,  Rev. 
S.  S.  N.  Greeley,  of  Gilmanton,  supplied  the  pulpit 
a few  Sabbaths,  and  his  preaching  gave  such  satis- 
faction that  his  services  were  continued  for  four  and 
a half  years.  He  neither  assumed  nor  prosecuted  the 
distinctive  work  of  a pastor,  residing  as  he  did  out  of 
town  and  giving  his  efforts  mainly  to  the  special 
work  of  preaching.  This  work  he  enjoyed,  not  caring 
in  his  later  years  to  take  upon  himself  the  responsi- 
bilities and  burdens  of  a parish. 

In  the  fall  of  the  year  1875  the  Young  Men’s 
Christian  Association  commenced  a good  work  in  the 
village,  followed  by  Mr.  Fowler,  the  evangelist.  A 
powerful  revival  attended  his  labors  and,  as  a result, 
forty-two  were  added  to  the  church. 

During  Mr.  Greeley’s  ministry  forty-nine  united 
with  the  church,  all  but  seven  by  profession. 

The  church,  so  richly  blessed  spiritually,  soon  met 
with  a heavy  loss.  A great  fire  broke  out  on  the 
night  of  February  14,  1876,  and  on  the  morning  of 
the  next  day  the  house  wherein  fathers  and  children 
for  three  generations  had  worshiped,  and  about  which 
clustered  so  many  precious  memories,  was  destroyed. 

There  was  deep  sorrow  over  the  loss,  but  there  was 
also  a resolute  determination  to  make  good  the  same; 
and  with  courage  and  faith  the  people  at  once  ad- 
dressed themselves  to  the  work  of  building  a new 
house  of  worship.  A warrant  was  posted  on  the  28th 
of  February,  out  of  the  very  ashes,  as  it  were,  calling 
the  society  together,  March  13th,  when  it  was 
promptly  voted  “to  build  on  the  old  site,”  and  a 
building  committee  was  appointed,  consisting  of 
Messrs.  W.  H.  Berry,  R.  L.  French,  W.  C.  Adams,  J. 
IV.  Johnston  and  John  Waldo.  Subsequently,  May 
4,  1876,  this  committee  were  instructed  “ to  build  a 
new  church  and  vestry.”  At  this  very  meeting  it  was 
voted  to  raise  one  thousand  dollars  for  preaching  the 
ensuing  year.  That  was  a time  of  pluck  and  of 
consecration. 

Soon  the  debris  of  the  ruins  was  cleared,  the 
foundations  were  laid  and  the  walls  began  to  rise,  the 
•church  in  the  mean  time  worshiping  in  the  Grand 


Army  Hall,  kindly  tendered  them  by  the  W.  K.  Cobb 
Post  29.  How  well  the  committee  executed  their 
trust,  let  the  building  itself  tell, — substantial  and  con- 
venient as  it  is  in  its  arrangements,  harmonious  in  its 
proportions,  and  with  its  commodious  chapel  and  ladies’ 
room,  leaving  scarcely  anything  to  be  desired,  at  a 
cost  of  a little  over  thirteen  thousand  dollars  they 
erected  one  of  the  most  comely  church  edifices  in  the 
State.  The  money  was  raised  from  the  insurance  on 
the  old  house,  by  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  of  pews  and 
by  generous  subscriptions,  two  members  of  the 
church  and  society  giving  one  thousand  dollars  each, 
namely,  John  L.  Thorndike  and  John  True.  The 
beautiful  and  sweet-toned  organ,  as  well  as  the  car- 
pet and  cushions,  was  procured  through  the  efforts  of 
the  Ladies’  Benevolent  Society.  The  clock  on  the 
tower  was  the  gift  of  John  L.  French,  Esq.,  and  the 
bell,  recast  from  the  metal  of  the  old  bell  melted  in 
the  fire,  was  presented  by  the  original  donor,  Hon.  R. 
L.  French. 

On  the  13th  of  February,  1878,  just  two  days  less 
than  one  year  from  the  destruction  of  the  old  meet- 
ing-house, the  newr  building  was  dedicated  free  from 
debt  to  the  worship  of  the  Triune  God.  The  sermon 
was  preached  by  Rev.  Mr.  Greeley  and  the  dedicatory 
prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  S.  L.  Blake,  of  Con- 
cord. 

On  the  2d  of  May,  1879,  Rev.  John  W.  Colwell  be- 
came acting  pastor  of  the  church,  and  continued  till 
January  30,  1881,  during  which  period  the  spiritual 
life  of  the  church  was  steadily  and  healthfully  devel- 
oped, twenty  having  been  received  into  the  church, — 
ten  on  confession  of  faith  and  ten  by  letter. 

In  the  month  of  June,  1879,  there  was  a great  tem- 
perance awakening  throughout  the  town,  as  a result 
of  which  nearly  a thousand  persons  signed  the  pledge. 

The  ninetieth  anniversary  of  the  church,  which 
took  place  November  16,  1879,  was  an  enjoyable  and 
memorable  occasion.  A discourse  was  preached  in 
the  morning  by  Rev.  Mr.  Colwell,  followed  by  a 
union  communion  service  in  the  afternoon  and  a 
union  praise  service  in  the  evening.  All  of  these  meet- 
ings were  largely  attended.  On  the  following  Mon- 
day evening  there  was  a social  gathering  of  the  church 
and  congregation  in  the  chapel,  a bountiful  enter- 
tainment being  provided  by  the  ladies.  (To  Mr. 
Colwell’s  excellent  anniversary  sermon  on  that  occa- 
sion we  are  indebted  for  the  greater  part  of  the  mater- 
ials for  this  sketch.) 

On  the  29th  of  June,  1881,  Rev.  Geo.  E.  Hill, 
the  present  pastor,  was  duly  installed  by  council ; the 
sermon  preached  by  Rev.  W.  Y.  W.  Davis,  of  Man- 
chester ; installing  prayer  by  Rev.  Jeremiah  Blake  ; 
charge  to  the  pastor  by  Rev.  Lyman  White  ; right 
hand  of  fellowship  by  Rev.  C.  E.  Harrington  ; and 
address  to  the  people  by  Rev.  S.  S.  N.  Greeley. 

During  Mr.  Hill’s  ministry,  up  to  the  present  time 
of  writing,  twenty  persons  have  united  with  the 
church, — thirteen  by  profession  and  seven  by  letter. 


596 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


The  total  membership  of  the  church  from  its  or- 
ganization to  this  date,  July  1,  1885,  is  five  hundred 
and  twenty.  The  present  membership  is  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty-one, — males,  forty-eight ; females,  one  ! 
hundred  and  three.  One  hundred  and  eighty-one 
children  have  received  Christian  baptism. 

The  names  of  the  several  deacons  of  the  church 
are  as  follows  : Jonathan  Perkins,  who  was  chosen  in 
1789  and  served  forty  years ; Edward  Berry  and  Eb- 
enezer  Prescott,  chosen  in  1828 ; Dr.  Jonathan  C. 
Prescott  in  1839;  John  L.  Thorndike  in  1844;  Reu- 
ben L.  French  in  1855 ; William  C.  Adams  in  1856; 
Edward  J.  Aiken  in  1877  ; John  W.  Johnston  in 
1881;  Stephen  R.  Watson  and  M.  Harvey  Nutter  in 
1885.  Deacon  Adams,  the  present  senior  deacon, 
has  served  in  this  capacity  nearly  thirty  years. 

The  Sabbath-school  was  organized  about  the  year 
1818.  John  L.  Thorndike  was  its  first  superinten- 
dent and  held  the  office  for  sixteen  years.  He  was 
succeeded  by  Dr.  Jeremiah  Blake.  Since  then  the 
successive  superintendents  have  been  as  follows  : Ne- 
hemiah  Berry,  Dr.  Charles  T.  Berry,  Rev.  J.  A. 
Hood,  R.  L.  French,  William  P.  Adams,  J.  W. 
Johnson,  M.  Harvey  Nutter  and  John  S.  Rand. 

The  number  of  scholars  and  teachers  registered 
during  the  present  year  is  two  hundred.  The  Sun- 
day-school has  proved  a powerful  auxiliary  to  the 
church,  and  many  from  its  ranks  have  entered  the 
fold  of  the  Good  Shepherd. 

The  church  has  been  liberal  in  its  contributions  to 
the  support  of  home  and  foreign  missions  and  the 
general  Christian  work  at  home  and  abroad.  Dur- 
ing the  ninety-six  years  of  its  history  it  has  given 
over  eighty  thousand  dollars  for  cliurch-buildiug  pur- 
poses, for  preaching  and  benevolent  objects.  The 
Ladies’  Benevolent  Society  deserves  honorable  men- 
tion in  this  connection  for  its  warm  sympathy  and 
self-sacrificing  devotion  to  the  church  and  for  its  ef- 
forts in  helping  the  poor  and  needy. 

This  church  has  ever  been  Congregational  in  its 
spirit  and  practice,  managing  its  own  affairs  without 
dictation  from  any  extraneous  human  authority  and 
governed  by  the  will  of  the  majority  of  its  mem- 
bers, who  look  to  Christ  alone  as  their  head. 

Weekly  devotional  meetings  have  been  sustained 
from  the  beginning  almost  without  interruption,  and 
though  the  spiritual  life  of  the  church  has  fluctuated 
at  times,  the  fire  on  the  altar  has  never  been  suffered 
to  go  out. 

May  its  future  be  even  more  bright  than  the  past ! 

“ Peace  be  within  her  walls  and  prosperity  within 
her  palaces.” 

Free-Will  Baptist  Church.1 — From  the  earliest 
records  of  this  church  now  extant  we  learn  that  prior 
to  February  3,  1791,  “the  people  who  called  them- 
selves Free-Will  Baptists  formally  covenanted  with 
God  and  one  another  to  accept  Christ  as  their  own 


‘By  John  T.  Hill. 


Lord  and  Law-giver,  and  they  were  worshiping  in  two 
places  as  two  bodies ; but  on  the  above  date  repre- 
sentatives of  the  two  bodies  met  in  council  and  agreed 
to  write  a new  church  covenant  or  spiritual  agree- 
ment, to  which  the  following  persons  subscribed 
their  names : Robert  Dickey,  Thomas  Blake,  Joseph 
Towle,  David  Knowlton,  Joseph  Mason,  Mary  Knowl- 
ton, Elizabeth  Towle,  and  from  this  date  and  meet- 
ing the  church  dates  its  birth.”  Immediately  preced- 
ing this  date  there  was  an  extensive  reformation  in 
and  around  the  town  of  Pittsfield,  in  which  Benjamin 
Randall,  Joseph  Bovely,  David  Knowlton,  Isaac 
Townsend  and  John  Buzzell  were  the  principal 
workers. 

On  October  15,  1791,  at  an  adjourned  monthly 
meeting,  the  church  voted  to  donate  to  Benjamin 
Randall  one  pound  and  four  shillings  in  money  or 
corn. 

The  first  record  of  administering  the  Lord’s  Sup- 
per was  on  the  Lord’s  Day  following  December  10, 
1791,  Daniel  Philbrick  officiating. 

The  first  record  of  delegates  to  New  Durham  Quar- 
terly Meeting  were  David  Knowlton,  Daniel  Phil- 
brick  ; meeting  held  at  Barnstead. 

June  3,  1792,  David  Knowlton,  Thomas  Blake,  Na- 
thaniel Chase  and  Perkins  Philbrick  were  chosen  to 
attend  as  delegates  the  New  Hampshire  Y early  Meet- 
ing at  New  Durham. 

August  12,  1795,  David  Knowlton  was  ordained  to 
preach  the  gospel  by  a council  consisting  of  John 
Buzzell,  Daniel  Lord,  Joseph  Bovelv  and  Beniamin 
Randall. 

Among  the  ministers  who  labored  for  this  church 
in  its  early  history  we  find  the  following  names: 

David  Knowlton,  Samuel  B.  Dyer,  Bickford, 

Ezekiel  True,  Silas  Bean,  Ebenezer  Knowlton  and 
John  Knowles. 

May  7,  1831,  David  Marks  being  present  at  the 
regular  monthly  meeting,  preached  a sermon. 

On  May  2,  1838,  another  church  was  organized 
and  known  as  the  Second  Free-Will  Baptist  Church 
of  Pittsfield,  until  a.  d.  1840,  October  18th,  when,  the 
First  Church  having  lost  its  visibility,  by  a vote  of  the 
church,  its  title  was  changed  and  called  the  First 
Free-Will  Baptist  Church.  It  was  organized  in  the 
hall  of  Stephen  W.  Libbey.  The  council  consisted  of 
Elders  Enoch  Place  and  Daniel  P.  Cilley,  who 
adopted  a constitution  and  church  covenant,  which 
was  signed  by  the  following-named  persons,  viz.: 
Stephen  W.  Libbey,  Levi  True,  True  Norris,  Thomas 
Smith,  Nehemiah  Chase,  Shurburne  Greene,  Newell 
Brown,  Enoch  Page,  Josejdi  D.  Emerson,  Solomon 
Sanders,  John  D.  Hillierd,  Belinda  A.  Savory,  Eliza 
Smith,  Abigail  Green,  Dorothy  Blake,  Mary  J.  Chase, 
Mary  T.  Brown,  Lucy  Page,  Judith  Chase,  Nancy 
Dennett,  Rebecca  B.  Langly,  Lois  B.  Langly,  Me- 
hitable  L.  Dow  and  Hannah  Morrill.  All  of  the 
above-named  persons  have  gone  to  their  reward,  ex- 
I cept  Elder  Daniel  P.  Cilley  and  Dorothy  Blake  (now 


PITTSFIELD. 


597 


Mrs.  Andrew  J.  Young),  Mrs.  Hannah  Morrill  hav- 
ing died  in  1884. 

The  whole  number  of  members  of  this  church  from 
its  organization  in  1838  is  live  hundred  and  tort_\ 
three;  present  membership,  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
live  ; well  united  and  enjoying  a healthy  and  strong- 
growth;  at  peace  with  all  the  other  churches  and 
pastors  of  the  town  and  desiring  the  prosperity  of 
all. 

This  church  became  a member  of  the  New  Durham 
Quarterly  Meeting  May  25,  1838. 

First  pastor  was  Rev.  D.  P.  Gilley,  Irom  March  2, 
1839,  to  March,  1843.  He  was  followed  by  Rev.  J . E. 
Davis,  May,  1843,  to  October,  1846;  Rev.  Ezekiel 
True,  July,  1847,  to  May,  1851 ; Rev.  Silas  Curtis, 
November  5,  1852,  to  November,  1856 ; Rev.  Hosea 
Quinby,  February,  1857,  to  September,  1860;  Rev. 
J.  B.  Davis,  October  4,  1862,  to  June  6,  1863;  Rev. 

H.  F.  Snow,  February,  1864,  to , ; Rev.  15. 

F.  Pritchard,  August  7,  1866,  to  July,  1867;  Rev. 

E.  A.  Stockman,  May  2,  1868,  to  September  25, 1870 ; 

Rev.  A.  Deering,  April  1,  1871,  to , 1874;  Rev. 

Hosea  Quinby,  January  9,  1875,  to  April,  1876;  Rev. 
George  S.  Hill,  July,  1876,  to  December,  1876 ; Rev. 

F.  E.  Davison,  March  7,  1877, to  January,  1878;  Rev. 
J.  C.  Osgood,  April  1,  1878,  to  April  1,  1882;  Rev. 
A.  J.  Eastman,  May  1,  1882,  to  May  1,  1885;  Rev. 
E.  P.  Moulton,  May  1, 1885,  the  present  pastor. 

The  meeting-house  now  occupied  was  completed  in 
1838  and  dedicated  December  12,  1838.  Dedicatory 
sermon  by  Elder  Daniel  P.  Gilley. 

The  house  was  enlarged  and  remodeled  in  1852  at 
an  expense  of  twelve  hundred  dollars.  Re-dedicated 
August  4,  1853.  Sermon  by  Elder  Silas  Curtis. 

The  Free-Will  Baptist  Sunday-School  was  organ- 
ized November  20,  1853,  by  Rev.  Silas  Curtis,  John 
S.  Osborne  and  others. 

Ezra  C.  Willard  was  the  first  superintendent  of  the 
school ; John  S.  Osborn  the  first  clerk,  holding  the 
office  twenty  years  and  for  many  years  a teacher  in 
the  school,  deacon  and  church  clerk;  John  Smith 
was  an  active,  earnest  laborer  in  the  Sunday-school, 
also  deacon  and  church  clerk.  The  last  two  brethren 
have  gone  to  their  long  home, — Brother  Smith  hav- 
ing died  January  2,  1884;  Brother  Osborn,  June  22, 
1885. 

The  whole  number  of  superintendents  to  date, 
eleven;  the  present  incumbent,  John  T.  Hill,  having 
served  nine  years.  Dudley  B.  S.  Adams  served  as 
clerk  seven  years  and  is  now  at  rest.  L.  D.  Much- 
more  is  the  present  clerk. 

The  average  number  of  scholars  during  its  exist- 
ence is  eighty-two  and  a half;  present  number,  one 
hundred  and  ninety.  It  has  a library  of  four  hun- 
dred volumes.  Within  its  wheel  is  a “ Band  of  Hope” 
(little  missionary  workers),  who  are  contributing 
twenty-five  dollars  toward  supporting  a school  in 
India. 

An  Episcopal  Mission  was  established  here  some 
38 


years  since,  but  has  been  practically  abandoned. 
There  is  also  a Baptist  Church  and  an  Advent  Church 
here,  but  we  have  been  unable  to  secure  any  infor- 
mation concerning  them. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


HON.  HIRAM  A.  TUTTLE.1 

Hon.  Hiram  A.  Tuttle  was  born  in  Barnstead  Oc- 
tober 16,  1837,  being  the  elder  of  a family  of  two 
sons.  His  father,  George  Tuttle,  and  his  grandfather, 
Colonel  John  Tuttle,  were  also  natives  of  the  same 
town.  His  great-grandfather,  John  Tuttle,  settled  in 
Barnstead  in  1776,  coming  there  from  that  locality  in 
Dover  known  as  “ Back  River,”  where  a part  of  the 
Tuttle  family  had  resided  since  the  settlement  there 
of  their  emigrant  ancestor,  John  Tuttle,  who  came 
from  England  before  1641. 

His  mother,  Judith  Mason  (Davis)  Tuttle,  is  a de- 
scendant from  Samuel  Davis,  a soldier  of  the  Revo- 
lution, and  one  of  the  primeval  settlers  of  Barnstead. 
Brave  soldiers  of  the  Davis  family  from  four  genera- 
tions have  represented  that  town  in  the  four  great 
wars  in  which  the  country  has  been  engaged. 

When  Mr.  Tuttle  was  nine  years  of  age  he  moved 
with  his  father’s  family  to  the  adjoining  town  of 
Pittsfield,  where  he  attended  the  public  schools  and 
Pittsfield  Academy,  while  the  latter  was  under  the 
charge  successively  of  I.  F.  Folsom,  Lewis  W.  Clark 
and  Professor  Dyer  H.  Sanborn. 

After  having  been  engaged  in  several  vocations,  in 
all  of  which  he  showed  industry  and  faithfulness,  at 
the  age  of  seventeen  years  he  became  connected  with 
the  clothing  establishment  of  Lincoln  & Shaw,  of 
Concord,  where  he  remained  several  years.  The 
ability  and  zeal  which  he  exhibited  while  there  won 
for  him  the  confidence  and  respect  of  his  employers, 
who  established  him  in  the  management  of  a branch 
store  in  Pittsfield,  of  which  he  soon  became  the  pro- 
prietor. His  business  increased,  gradually  at  first 
and  then  rapidly,  till  his  establishment  had  gained  an 
extensive  patronage,  and  ranked  among  the  largest 
clothing  houses  in  the  State.  It  is  so  favorably  re- 
membered by  former  residents  and  patrons  that  orders 
are  received  for  goods  from  distant  States  and  Terri- 
tories. Mr.  Tuttle  has  also  been  interested  in  real 
estate.  He  has  built  many  dwelling-houses,  includ- 
ing a fine  residence  for  himself,  and  the  best  business 
buildings  in  the  village.  He  was  one  of  the  prime 
movers  in  organizing  the  Pittsfield  Aqueduct  Com- 
pany, which  furnishes  an  abundance  of  pure  water  to 
the  village  for  domestic  and  fire  purposes,  and  sub- 
scribed for  a large  part  of  its  capital  stock.  In  many 
ways  he  has  promoted  the  growth,  social  and  business 

1 By  John  Wheeler,  M.D. 


598 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


interests  and  general  prosperity  of  his  adopted  town. 
He  is  a trustee  of  the  Savings  Bank,  a director  of 
the  National  Bank  and  a trustee  of  the  academy  in 
Pittsfield. 

When  he  had  attained  his  majority,  in  1859,  he  ex- 
pressed his  intention  of  casting  his  first  vote  with 
the  Republicans,  although  all  his  relatives  belong  to 
the  Democratic  party.  The  Democrats  of  Pittsfield 
had  been  victorious  and  powerful  since  the  days  of 
Jackson,  under  such  distinguished  leaders  as  Moses 
Norris,  Jr.,  Charles  H.  Butters  and  Lewis  W.  Clark, 
all  being  able  lawyers,  impressive  public  speakers 
and  having  popular  manners.  Mr.  Norris,  a native 
of  the  town,  represented  it  repeatedly  in  the  Legis- 
lature, was  Speaker  of  the  House  twice,  a councilor, 
representative  in  Congress  four  years,  and  was  elected 
to  the  United  States  Senate  for  six  years  while  resid- 
ing here.  The  ability  and  courteous  manners  of  Mr. 
Clark  (now  Judge  Lewis  W.  Clark)  made  him  no  less 
popular  than  Mr.  Norris  with  all  classes,  during  the  \ 
shorter  time  he  was  in  business  life  in  town.  Seeing 
in  young  Tuttle  qualities  that  might  make  him  trou- 
blesome  if  opposed  to  them,  but  useful  if  in  accord 
with  their  party,  the  Democrats  used  their  most  emi- 
nent persuasive  powers  to  induce  him  to  cleave  to 
the  party  of  all  his  kindred  and  vote  with  the  hitherto 
victorious ; but  he  obeyed  his  convictions,  and  re- 
mained true  to  the  Republican  party.  In  1860  the 
Republicans,  though  so  long  hopelessly  beaten,  made 
a sharp  contest.  When  the  day  of  election  came 
Mr.  Clark  was  elected  moderator,  having  been  a most 
acceptable  presiding  officer  for  several  years.  The 
election  of  town  clerk  was  made  the  test  of  the 
strength  of  the  two  parties.  After  a very  exciting 
ballot,  Mr.  Tuttle  was  elected  town  clerk,  and  the 
Democrats  were  beaten  for  the  first  time  in  thirty- 
three  years. 

Although  Pittsfield  has  a Democratic  majority 
under  normal  circumstances,  Mr.  Tuttle  has  received 
the  support  of  a large  majority  of  its  vote<5  at  times 
when  his  name  has  been  presented  for  position.  In 
1873  and  1874  he  was  representative  to  the  Legisla- 
ture. In  1876  he  received  an  appointment,  with  the 
rank  of  colonel,  on  the  staff  of  Governor  Cheney, 
and  with  the  Governor  and  staff  visited  the  Centen- 
nial Exposition  at  Philadelphia.  He  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  Executive  Council  from  the  Second 
District  in  1878,  and  was  re-elected  in  1879,  under  the 
new  Constitution,  for  the  term  of  two  years. 

Mr.  Tuttle  has  been  very  successful  in  all  that  he 
has  undertaken ; but  his  thrift  has  never  made  him 
arrogant  or  indifferent.  He  has  cheerfully  shared 
with  others  the  results  of  the  good  fortune  that  Provi- 
dence has  granted  him.  He  is  an  agreeable  and 
companionable  gentleman  in  all  the  honorable  rela- 
tions of  life. 

As  a citizen,  neighbor  and  friend  he  is  held  in  the 
highest  estimation. 

He  has  furnished  employment  for  many  and  ,has 


been  kind  to  the  poor,  very  respectful  to  the  aged, 
charitable  to  the  erring  and  a sympathizing  helper 
of  the  embarrassed  and  unfortunate.  Few  men  have 
more  or  firmer  personal  friends,  whose  friendship  is 
founded  on  kindness  and  substantial  favors  received. 
He  gives  with  remarkable  generosity  to  all  charitable 
objects  presented  to  him,  and  is  very  hospitable  in 
his  pleasant  home.  Mr.  Tuttle  accepts  the  Christian 
religion  and  worships  with  the  Congregational 
Church.  While  he  contributes  very  liberally  for  the 
support  of  the  denomination  of  his  choice,  he  does 
not  withhold  a helping  hand  from  the  other  religious 
sects  in  his  town. 

In  his  domestic  relations  he  has  been  very  for- 
tunate. He  married,  in  1859,  Miss  Mary  C.  French, 
the  only  child  of  John  L.  French,  Esq.,  formerly 
cashier  of  the  Pittsfield  Bank.  Their  only  child — 
Hattie  French  Tuttle — born  January  17,  1861,  was 
educated  at  Wellesley  College. 


I)R.  RICHARD  PERLEY  JEWETT  TENNEY. 

Dr.  R.  P.  J.  Tenney  was  born  in  Loudon,  N.  H., 
August  18,  1810.  His  father,  Dr.  William  Tenney, 
was  a native  of  Rowley,  Mass.,  and  a descendant  of 
Thomas  Tenney,  a member  of  one  of  the  forty  Puritan 
families  who,  with  their  pastor,  Rev.  Ezekiel  Rogers, 
came  from  Rowley,  Yorkshire,  England,  in  1639,  and 
settled  that  ancient  town.  After  studying  medicine 
with  Dr.  Amos  Spofford,  of  Rowley,  he  settled  in 
Loudon,  N.  H.,  about  1790,  where  for  more  than 
thirty  years  he  was  a popular  and  prominent  phy- 
sician. 

Dr.  Tenney,  the  younger,  was,  at  the  age  of  four- 
teen years,  deprived  by  the  death  of  his  father  of 
that  paternal  counsel  and  guidance  so  necessary  in 
that  critical  period  of  life  when  the  foundation  of 
moral  and  business  habits  is  laid,  and  called  to  assist 
a widowed  mother  in  the  care  of  two  brothers  and  a 
sister,  all  younger  than  himself.  He  discharged  his 
increased  filial  and  fraternal  duties  in  a commendable 
manner. 

Although  it  had  been  the  often-expressed  design 
of  his  father  that  neither  of  his  sons  should  encoun- 
ter the  hardships  incident  to  the  life  of  a country 
physician,  after  a preparatory  course  at  Gilmanton 
Academy,  he  studied  medicine  at  Gilmanton  under 
the  direction  of  Dr.  Asa  Crosby,  founder  of  that  dis- 
tinguished medical  family  whose  labors  have  re- 
flected so  much  of  honor  on  society,  college  and 
! State.  He  attended  medical  lectures  at  Harvard  in 
1829;  at  Dartmouth,  1830  and  1831,  and  took  his 
medical  degree  from  the  latter  college  at  the  close  of 
the  lecture  term  of  1831,  being  then  but  twenty-one 
years  of  age.  He  soon  after  settled  in  Loudon,  where, 
with  earnest  devotion  to  his  profession,  and  aided  by 
the  prestige  of  his  father,  he  rapidly  acquired  a good 
practice. 

After  sixteen  years  of  his  professional  life  being 


PITTSFIELD 


599 


spent  in  the  town  of  his  nativity,  he  moved  to  the  j 
neighboring  town  of  Pittsfield,  and  immediately  en- 
tered upon  a large  business  there,  still  retaining  most 
of  his  former  patrons.  With  duties  thus  augmented, 
the  remainder  of  his  life  was  exceedingly  busy  and 
laborious. 

Dr.  Tenuey  became  a Fellow  of  the  New  Hamp- 
shire Medical  Society  in  1836,  and  was  the  oldest  liv- 
ing member,  except  Dr.  Ezra  Carter,  of  Concord, 
who  was  admitted  in  1826.  He  was  called  to  various 
positions  of  honor  in  the  society.  With  Dr.  C.  P. 
Gage,  he  represented  it  in  the  convention  held  in  New 
York  City  in  1846,  at  which  the  American  Medical 
Association  was  formed.  He  was  elected  president 
of  the  society  in  1867. 

As  a physician,  Dr.  Tenney  was  successful,  whether 
his  professional  labor  be  judged  by  the  amount  per- 
formed, methods  used  or  results  obtained.  He  was 
in  the  habit  of  taking  charge  of  patients  in  more 
than  a dozen  towns.  We  have  the  best  authority  for 
the  statement  that  his  average  time  of  sleep  did  not 
exceed  five  hours  in  the  twenty-four,  and  he  was 
never  idle.  It  would  seem  almost  impossible  for  one 
to  do  more  than  he  did  during  a large  part  of  his 
business  life. 

One  of  the  earliest  to  discard  that  treatment  known 
as  heroic,  which  prevailed  when  he  began  to  pre- 
scribe, he  adopted  milder  means,  which  were  cer- 
tainly very  acceptable  to  his  patients,  and  which  soon 
became  reasonable  to  his  medical  associates. 

He  had  a very  happy  manner  in  dealing  with  his 
patients,  and  wonderful  power  to  inspire  confidence 
in  them.  “ The  way  he  entered  my  sick-room  was 
medicine  to  me,”  said  an  intelligent  lawyer,  whose 
family  physician  he  had  been  during  his  whole  medi- 
cal career.  Often  called  as  consulting  physician,  he 
was  faithful  and  assuring  both  to  patients  and  phy- 
sicians— especially  to  young  physicians.  He  never 
affected  superior  knowledge  or  experience ; never  ob- 
truded his  opinions ; never  boasted  and  seldom  men- 
tioned his  fortunate  cases,  but  frankly  gave  such 
clear  and  practical  advice  as  made  his  counsel  very 
desirable.  Attending  to  all  branches  of  the  profes- 
sion, and  answering  calls  at  all  times,  he  shirked  no 
duty,  however  disagreeable,  and  seldom  excused 
himself,  but  treated  each  case  conscientiously,  using 
his  utmost  ability.  The  rich  and  the  poor,  the  thank- 
ful and  the  ungrateful,  seemed  to  receive  uniform  con- 
sideration and  kindness  at  his  hands. 

While  he  preferred  the  practice  of  medicine,  he 
never  avoided  surgical  cases  when  duty  or  humanity 
called,  but  did  many  creditable  things  in  this  branch. 
He  would  generously  share  the  difficult  and  legally 
dangerous  surgical  responsibilities  of  other  physicians 
which  he  might  well  have  avoided.  In  obstetric 
practice  he  was  singularly  fortunate.  He  stated,  a 
few  weeks  prior  to  his  death,  that  he  had  attended 
two  thousand  four  hundred  births.  His  records  were 
carefully  kept.  For  many  years  he  held  the  position 


of  pension  surgeon  and  examined  applicants  from  a 
large  territory. 

As  a citizen,  Dr.  Tenney  was  justly  esteemed  and 
beloved  by  all  classes,  for  he  was  always  ready  to 
lend  a helping  hand  to  any  movement  that  tended  to 
relieve,  reclaim  or  elevate  his  fellow-men. 

The  prominent  traits  of  his  character  were  indus- 
try, courtesy  and  generosity.  Though  so  busy,  he 
never  was  in  such  haste  that  he  would  not  give  at- 
tentive audience  to  all  who  approached  him,  and  care- 
ful consideration  to  wants  expressed.  Those  who 
knew  him  confidently  counted  before-hand  on  a liberal 
donation  to  any  benevolent  or  worthy  object  presen- 
ted to  him.  None  who  came  to  him  for  assistance 
went  away  with  empty  hand.  With  his  numerous 
debtors  he  dealt  in  the  most  indulgent  manner.  He 
acted  as  though  he  fully  believed  the  Divine  declara- 
tion, “ It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive.” 
Although  his  time  was  so  fully  occupied  with  profes- 
sional engagements,  yet  he  faithfully  discharged  the 
duties  of  every  public  trust  which  he  assumed.  He 
was  connected  with  both  the  banks  in  Pittsfield,  was 
president  of  the  trustees  of  Pittsfield  Academy,  and 
also  for  many  years  president  of  the  Suncook  Branch 
of  the  New  Hampshire  Bible  Society. 

During  the  eventful  years  of  1861,  ’62  and  ’63  he 
was  a member  of  the  Executive  Council  in  the  admin- 
istration of  Governor  Berry.  Dr.  Tenney  was  very 
happy  in  his  domestic  relations.  He  was  married 
(1834)  to  Hannah  A.  Sanborn,  of  Gilmanton,  N.  H., 
a sister  of  Professor  E.  D.  Sanborn,  of  Dartmouth 
College.  She,  with  their  only  child,  a widowed 
daughter,  survives  him. 

Soon  after  commencing  the  practice  of  medicine 
Dr.  Tenney  made  a public  profession  of  religion,  and 
united  with  the  Congregational  Church,  in  which  he 
was  an  active  worker,  and  to  the  support  of  which  he 
contributed  liberally  of  his  means  for  many  years. 
During  the  last  fifteen  years  of  his  life  he  was  of  the 
Episcopal  communion,  and  was  one  of  the  chief  mov- 
ers in  erecting  the  chapel  and  establishing  the  parish 
of  St.  Stephen  in  Pittsfield,  of  which  he  was  a gener- 
ous supporter  and  a warden  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

Dr.  Tenney  loved  peace,  and  would  make  great 
personal  sacrifice  to  avoid  contention  or  controversy. 
Although  extremely  sensitive  to  unkindness,  he 
seemed  almost  incapable  of  retaliation,  or  even  resent- 
ment. He  had  an  easy  and  becoming  dignity,  and 
was  a thorough  gentleman  in  all  his  words  and  acts,  a 
position  from  which  he  could  not  be  surprised. 

Though  his  thoughts  were  carefully  expressed,  he 
was  not  a great  talker,  but,  what  is  much  more  rare,  a 
patient  and  excellent  listener.  He  dispensed  a lib- 
eral hospitality,  and  delighted  in  entertaining  his 
guests. 

He  was  so  healthy  and  vigorous  that  he  took  no  va- 
cation for  one  period  of  twenty  years;  and  he  was 
detained  from  business  but  very  little  by  accident  or 
illness  until  the  last  few  weeks  of  his  life. 


600 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


He  died  June  16,  1876,  after  a painful  illness  of 
some  weeks’  duration.  He  looked  certain  death  in 
the  face  for  weeks,  with  unimpaired  reason,  thought- 
fully and  trustingly.  While  passing  through  this 
terrible  ordeal  he  seemed  to  comprehend  his  situation 
as  fully  as  it  is  given  to  mortals  to  ween,  without  show- 
ing fear  or  mental  agitation. 

His  manner  was  calm  and  manly.  “Waiting  for 
Jesus,”  was  his  frequent  reply  to  salutation  and 
inquiry.  After  more  than  forty  days  of  severest  suf- 
fering his  prostration  had  become  so  great  that 
evidence  of  pain  ceased,  reason  left  its  seat,  and, 
he  lay  many  hours  in  a quiet,  unconscious  state,  and, 
without  a struggle,  passed  calmly  away. 

“ Ilis  sufferings  ended  with  the  day  ; 

Yet  lived  he  at  its  close, 

And  breathed  the  long,  long  night  away, 

In  statue-like  repose. 

“ But  e’er  the  sun  in  all  his  state 
Illumed  the  eastern  skies, 
lie  passed  through  glory’s  morning  gate, 

And  walked  in  Paradise.”  1 


BENJAMIN  EMERSON,  ESQ. 

In  the  days  long  gone,  when  the  courts  held  their 
terms  in  Gilmanton,  there  were  lawyers  toward  whom 
the  eyes  of  the  children  turned  with  wondering  in- 
terest. They  contended  one  against  another  with 
force  and  eloquence,  and  carried  “green  bags,”  in 
which  our  childhood  imagined  was  deposited  their 
ammunition.  Later  knowledge  discovers  they  were 
“briefs,”  undoubtedly  of  precious  worth;  “skeletons” 
of  their  “ sermons,”  or  pleadings,  and  to  be  found  of 
solid  worth  to  their  clients  before  their  causes  were  ad- 
justed. Well  we  remember  the  giant  form  and  tower- 
ing intellect  of  Jeremiah  Mason,  the  profound  lawyer ; 
the  keen,  logical  Ichabod  Bartlett;  and  the  strong 
man,  deeply  read  and  of  high  standing  in  the  profes- 
sion, Daniel  Christie.  Then  there  were  the  acute 
lawyers,  Stephen  Moody,  Lyman  B.  Walker,  Ben- 
jamin Emerson,  and  younger  men  who  were  seeking 
after  the  success  and  fame  of  their  elder  brethren. 

Benjamin  Emerson  was  born  in  Alfred,  Me.,  March 
20,  1792.  He  was  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Lydia 
(Durrell)  Emerson,  who  was  daughter  of  Benjamin 
and  Judith  Durrell,  and  was  born  December  26, 
1748.  Benjamin  was  educated  at  the  common  schools 
of  his  native  village,  and  then  fitted  for  college  at 
Berwick  Academy,  South  Berwick,  Me.  He  entered 
Dartmouth  College  and  graduated  from  that  institu- 
tion in  the  class  of  1816.  Many  of  the  members  of 
this  class  became  eminent  men  in  after-years,  and  of 
twenty-four  who  composed  the  graduating  class  that 
year,  ten  were  still  living  when,  in  1866,  they  held  a 


i The  above  sketch  of  Dr.  Tenney’s  life  is  abridged  and  adapted  from 
a memoir  by  Dr.  John  Wheeler,  of  Pittsfield,  and  contributed  by  him  to 
the  New  Hampshire  Medical  Society  at  its  annual  meeting  June  19, 
1877. 


semi-centennial  reunion,  and  among  the  number  was 
Esq.  Benjamin  Emerson. 

He  married,  first,  Mrs.  Rebecca  (Story)  Porter,  a 
daughter  of  Rev.  Isaac  and  Rebecca  Bradstreet 
Story,  of  Marblehead,  Mass.,  and  widow  of  Emerson 
Porter.  They  were  married  June  6,  1845.  He  mar- 
ried his  second  wife  January  31,  1847,  Miss  Frances 
Leighton,  daughter  of  General  Samuel  and  Frances 
Leighton,  of  Eliot,  Me.,  but  at  that  time  resident  of 
Alfred,  Me.  Esq.  Emerson  lived  through  busy  years  1 
to  an  advanced  age,  from  an  early  life  of  bodily  feeble- 
ness. Immediately  after  his  graduation  at  Dart- 
mouth he  went  to  Gilmanton  and  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  law. 

He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1822;  was  repeatedly 
moderator  of  the  town-meeting;  was  four  sessions 
representative  of  the  town ; was  one  of  the  select- 
men, and  in  a variety  of  positions  was  prominent  and 
useful.  A year  or  so  after  his  second  marriage  he 
removed  to  Pittsfield,  where  his  subsequent  life  was  |! 
spent. 

As  a business  man  he  was  successful,  and  accu-  1 
mulated  a handsome  property,  continuing  his  legal 
practice,  more  or  less,  nearly  to  the  time  of  his  death,  j 
He  was  selectman  and  held  various  town  offices  in 
Pittsfield;  was  a director  of  the  Pittsfield  Bank  for  ( 
many  years.  The  Suncook  Valley  Railroad  had  in  < 
him  a strong  advocate,  so  also  the  Pittsfield  Water-  * 
works — a late  grand  improvement  in  the  town.  Mr.  | 
Emerson  was  an  able  speaker,  and  his  powerful  words 
were  ever  ready  in  behalf  of  every  cause  or  enterprise  ]] 
for  the  good  of  the  people.  Politically,  he  was  an  ■ 
Old-Line  Whig,  and  upon  the  organization  of  the 
Republican  party  he  gave  to  that  his  earnest  and 
hearty  support.  Mr.  Emerson  was  a member  of  the  I 
Congregational  Church  at  Gilmanton  Iron-Works;  ] 
afterward  of  the  church  in  Pittsfield.  In  the  little  i 
meetings  for  social  worship,  and,  at  times,  in  crowded 
assemblies,  his  utterances  for  truth  and  righteousness 
were  bold  and  impressive.  Mr.  Emerson  was  a 
studious,  thoughtful  man,  possessed  a remarkable 
memory,  and,  by  a varied  course  of  reading  and 
study,  kept  himself  always  abreast  of  the  times. 

It  was  by  the  unanticipated  Sabbath  supply  of  the 
church  in  Pittsfield  for  four  years,  and  occasional 
tarrying  among  its  pleasant  families,  that  the  writer 
of  this  sketch  had  renewal  of  knowledge  of  Esq. 
Emerson.  He  was  frequently  with  him  in  his  last 
brief  sickness,  and  with  him  when  his  feet  were 
stepping  down  into  the  cold  river.  There  was  no- 
ticeable the  lawyer’s  critical,  searching  investigation 
of  the  “evidence,”  the  characteristics  and  valid 
grounds  of  a genuine  faith  and  hope,  and  of  reading  “ a 
title  clear  ” to  a heavenly  inheritance.  Mr.  Emerson 
was  long  a Free  and  Accepted  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity.  His  death  took  place  at  his  home  in  Pitts- 
field, January  23,  1878,  and  his  interment  in  the  an- 
cient cemetery  in  Gilmanton,  at  the  “ old  Smith 
Meeting-House.” 


PITTSFIELD. 


601 


Mrs.  Emerson’s  brother,  Dr.  Usher  P.  Leighton, 
became  a celebrated  physician  in  Ohio,  and  “ was  one 
of  the  most  noble  and  generous  of  men.”  The  Leigh- 
tons of  this  country  are  descended  from  three  brothers 
who  came  from  England  in  1650.  Two  of  them 
settled  on  the  Piscataqua  and  the  other  at  Plymouth. 


From  these  all  of  the  Leightons  are  descended.  Sam- 
uel Leighton,  the  progenitor  of  this  branch,  was  an 
officer  in  the  Revolutionary  army.  His  son,  General 
Samuel  Leighton,  of  militia  fame,  was  several  terms  a 
member  of  the  Legislature  of  Massachusetts. 


HISTORY  OF  SALISBURY. 


BY  JOHN  J.  DEARBORN,  M.D.,  TOWN  HISTORIAN. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  name  (Salisbury  is  derived  from  the  Latin 
salus,  which  signifies  safety,  or  health,  and  the 
Anglo-Saxon  “bury,”  or  “burgh,”  a corporate  town, 
— hence,  the  town  of  health  and  safety.  It  was  named 
directly  from  Salisbury,  Mass.,  which  was  so  called 
from  Salisbury,  England. 

It  is  situated  in  latitude  43°  23',  on  the  west  bank 
of  the  Merrimack  and  Pemigewasset  Rivers,  sixteen 
miles  north  of  Concord  and  eighty  miles  from  Boston. 
It  was  originally  bounded  north  by  Andover,  east  by 
the  rivers,  above  named,  south  by  Boscawen  and 
Warner,  west  by  Warner  and  what  was  Kearsarge 
Gore,  and  contains  twenty-eight  thousand  six  hun- 
dred acres. 

The  town  has  produced  more  brains  than  any  other 
municipality  in  New  Hampshire,  other  things  being 
equal.  There  are  three,  perhaps  four,  hamlets  in  the 
town,  but  the  main  dependence  of  her  people  has 
always  been  upon  the  native  products  of  the  soil. 

For  many  years  her  hardy  and  fearless  settlers  were 
the  pioneers  of  civilization,  repelled  the  assaults  of 
savage  beasts  and  more  savage  men,  defended  their 
rude  dwellings  “from  violence  and  destruction,”  and 
bared  their  brows  to  the  tomahawk  and  scalping-knife 
and  their  breasts  to  the  Indian  bullet.  “Through  the 
fire  and  blood  of  a seven  years’  Revolutionary  war  ” 
her  sons  shrank  from  “no  toil  and  no  danger”  that 
they  might  establish  a free  country.  For  several 
years  after  its  settlement  there  rose  no  smoke  from 
the  habitation  of  any  white  man  between  Salisbury 
and  the  settlements  on  the  rivers  of  Canada.  Her 
women  were  slain  by  the  tomahawk,  and  her  men  and 
maidens  ambushed,  seized,  made  to  run  the  gauntlet 
and  carried  away  into  captivity ; while  the  inhabitants 
of  other  towns  were  obliged  to  abandon  their  recently- 
made  homes,  the  stalwart  inhabitants  of  Salisbury 
stood  firm,  built  their  cabins  and  defended  them. 

When  Philip  Call,  Nathaniel  Maloon,  Jacob 
Morrill,  Ephraim  Collins,  Samuel  Scribner,  Robert 
Barber,  John  Bowen,  Jonathan  Greeley,  John  and 
Ebenezer  Webster,  Andrew  Bohonon  and  Edward 
Eastman  and  their  associates  built  their  rude  dwell- 
ings in  Salisbury  (then  Stevenstown)  they  formed  the 
exposed  picket-line  in  this  State,  and  they  maintained 
it  till  the  peace  of  1763,  notwithstanding  Nathaniel 
602 


Maloon,  his  wife  and  three  children  were  seized  by 
the  Indians  and  carried  to  Canada  and  sold  into  cap- 
tivity, and  the  wife  of  Philip  Call  was  murdered,  and 
Samuel  Scribner  and  Robert  Barber  were  also  cap- 
tured and  sold  into  captivity. 

In  the  cause  of  religion  Salisbury  was  equal  to  any 
other  town  in  the  State,  and  in  1773,  Rev.  Jonathan 
Searle  settled  over  the  Congregational  Church,  which 
church  has  continued  to  this  day.  Long  before  Concord 
made  a move  Salisbury  had  established  an  academy, 
which  was  one  of  the  noted  institutions  of  learning 
in  the  State.  When  the  Merrimack  County  Agricul- 
tural Society  was  formed,  in  1824,  Salisbury  furnished 
more  members  than  any  other  town,  and  their  first 
gathering  was  at  Salisbury. 

When  we  speak  of  great  men,  how  illustrious  does 
this  noble  old  town  appear!  what  a roll  of  honor  does 
she  furnisli.!  The  Websters,  the  Bartletts,  the 
Pettengills,  the  Eastmans,  the  Haddocks,  the 
Pingrees,  the  Smiths,  the  Gales,  the  Sawyers  and  the 
Greeleys.  Thomas  W.  Thompson,  Richard  Fletcher, 
Parker  Noyes,  Israel  W.  Kelley,  George  W.  Nesmith, 
Samuel  I.  Wells  and  Thomas  Worcester  became  her 
citizens  by  adoption.  There  has  been  but  one  man 
who  gained  the  title  of  “ Defender  of  the  Constitution,” 
and  he  was  born  and  reared  in  Salisbury.  Hon. 
Ichabod  Bartlett,  Ezekiel  Webster,  Charles  B. 
Haddock,  Joel  Eastman,  Samuel  C.  Bartlett  (the 
learned  president  of  Dartmouth  College),  William  H. 
Bartlett,  Samuel  E.  Pingry  (present  Governor  of 
Vermont),  all  were  natives  of  the  town,  and  for  a list 
of  other  noted  men  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  col- 
legiate record. 

Natural  Description.— The  original  growth  of 
wood  on  land  adjacent  to  the  rivers  was  pitch,  Norway 
and  white  pine,  with  occasional  elms,  maples  and 
birches;  on  the  uplands  all  the  native  hard  woods 
were  found.  The  soil  is  strong,  deep  and  loomy,  with 
a substratum  of  pan. 

Rivers. — The  east  part  of  the  town  is  watered  by 
the  Pemigewasset  and  Merrimack.  Blackwater  passes 
through  the  western  part  of  the  town,  from  north  to 
south,  forming  a large  bay  which  abounds  with  a vari- 
ety of  fish. 

A considerable  portion  of  Kearsage  Mountain  is 
within  the  bounds  of  Salisbury. 

Hills. — Searle’s  (and  called  “Mount  Pisgah”  by 


SALISBURY. 


603 


Daniel  Webster)  is  near  the  centre  ot‘  the  old  town. 

I On  its  top  was  located  the  first  church,  and  its  top  was 
the  scene  of  the  alarm-fires  kindled  as  signals  in  the 
perilous  days  of  the  pioneers.  The  other  hills  are 
Loverin’s,  Calef,  Bean,  Bald,  Smith’s  and  Raccoon. 

Ponds  and  Brooks. — Tucker’s  Pond  is  the  largest 
body  of  water  within  the  limits  of  the  town.  Green- 
| ough’s  and  Wilder’s  Ponds  complete  the  list.  Bog  or 
Banley,  Chance  Pond,  Stirrup  Iron,  Punch  and  Wig- 
wag Brooks  are  the  principal  small  streams. 

Minerals  and  Rocks. — The  rocks  are  mostly 
Montalban  and  Simonite.  A species  of  bog-ore,  con- 
taining iron,  also  exists.  The  mineralogy  of  Kearsarge 
is  Andalusite  and  tourmaline.  Tripoli  is  found  in 
large  quantities.  Plumbago  exists  in  several  sections 
of  the  town.  Silver  exists  in  small  quantities.  There 
is  also  a huge  boulder  foreign  to  this  section.  Its 
dimensions  are  fifty-seven  feet  in  length,  twenty-six  in 
height,  and  a circumference  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
feet. 

Bakerstown. — It  was  the  policy  of  Massachusetts, 
during  the  pendency  of  the  boundary  question,  to 
confer  grants  in  the  disputed  territory  on  soldiers  who 
had  been  engaged  in  the  French  and  Indian  Wars. 
The  records  of  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts 
indicate  that  John  Tyler,  Joseph  Pike  and  others 
presented  a request  “ for  two  townships  to  be  granted 
to  the  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  companies  under 
command  of  the  late  Captain  John  March,  Captain 
Stephen  Greenleaf  and  Captain  Philip  Nelson  (de- 
ceased).” 

The  General  Court  answered  their  petition  by  grant- 
ing them  two  tracts  of  land,  one  of  which  included 
the  town  of  Salisbury,  and  it  is  not  known  where  the 
other  was  located. 

The  date  of  the  grant  was  February  3,  1736.  Rich- 
ard Hazen,  as  surveyor,  laid  out  the  township  to  con- 
tain six  squares  miles,  which  was  divided  between 
fifty-nine  grantees  or  proprietors.  It  does  not  appear 
that  the  charter  was  accepted  so  far  as  Bakerstown 
was  concerned.  The  grant  was  named  Bakerstown 
in  honor  of  Captain  Thomas  Baker,  who,  in  1720, 
killed  the  Sachem  Waternumus  by  the  rapid  stream 
now  called  Baker’s  River,  at  Plymouth. 

Stevenstown. — -As  we  have  seen,  the  grantees  of  Ba- 
kerstown failed  to  comply  with  the  terms  of  their  grant. 
The  boundary  question  had  been  settled  and  Massa- 
chusetts had  no  title  to  the  territory,  and  the  Mason- 
ian  proprietors  were  the  rightful  possessors.  In  the 
month  of  December,  1748,  these  proprietors  granted 
the  same  territory  to  other  parties  than  the  original 
grantees,  as  appears  by  the 
Proprietors’  Records.— 

“Province  of  New  Hampshire. 

“At  a meeting  of  the  Proprietors  of  Lands  purchased  of  John  Tufton 
Mason,  Esq.,  in  the  Province  of  New  Hampshire,  held  at  the  dwelling- 
house  of  Sarah  Priest,  widow,  in  Portsmouth,  in  s’d  Province,  on  Wednes- 
day the  seventh  day  of  December,  1748,  by  adjournment, 

“Voted,  That  Ebenezer  Stevens,  Esq.,  & associates  have  a Township 
equal  to  six  mile6  square,  beginning  on  the  north  of  Contoocook  [Bosca- 


wen],  in  the  most  convenient  form,  without  interfering  with  the  Town- 
ship called  No.  One  [Warner],  as  the  Grantors  shall  think  proper.  . . . 

“Geo.  Jeffery,  Proprietors'  Clerk.” 

Following  are  the  names  of  the  grantees.  A copy 
of  this  grant  and  the  grant  of  Massachusetts,  by  the 
name  of  Bakerstown,  and  other  matters  pertaining  to 
this  subject  will  be  found  in  J.  J.  Dearborn’s  “ His- 
tory of  Salisbury,”  now  in  press.  The  grant  bears 
date  of  Wednesday,  the  26th  day  of  October,  1749. 

“Ebenezer  Stevens,  Ebenezer  Page,  Samuel  Bean,  Benjamin  Stevens, 
Nathan  Sweatt,  Elisha  Winslow,  Moses  Quimby,  Joshua  Woodman, 
John  Ilunton,  Jedediah  Philbrick,  Thomas  Newman,  Samuel  Colcord, 
Jonathan  Greeley,  Jr.,  Joseph  Eastman,  Jr.,  John  Fifield,  Jr.,  Henry 
Morril,  William  Calfe,  John  Hunton,  Jr.,  John  Ladd,  Jr.,  Benjamin 
Wadleigh,  Nathaniel  Ladd,  Ebenezer  Stevens,  Jr.,  Elisha  Sweat,  Samuel 
Sanborn,  John  Darling,  Jr.,  Samuel  Webster,  John  Currier,  Samuel 
Winslow,  Jr.,  Humphrey  Hook,  Jacob  Quimby,  Jonathan  Greeley, 
Tristram  Sanborn,  Jr,  Ebenezer  Long,  Abraham  Greene,  Joseph  Bean, 
Jr.,  Tristram  Quimby,  Benjamin  Ladd,  Jeremiah  Philbrick,  The  Rev. 
Joseph  Secombe,  James  Tappan,  Tristram  Sanborn,  tertius,  Peter  San- 
born, Captain  Joseph  Greeley,  William  Buswell,  tertius,  Nathaniel 
Hunton,  Samuel  Eastman,  Jr.,  Samuel  Fifield,  Joseph  Clifford,  Ebenezer 
Eastman,  Jeremiah  Webster,  Jonathan  Sanborn,  Ephram  Collins,  Joshua 
Webster,  Samuel  Stevens,  all  of  Kingston  in  said  Province  ; Peter  Ayer, 
of  Haverhill ; Jabez  True  and  David  Greeley,  both  of  Salisbury  [Mass.]  ; 
Benjamin  Sanborn,  of  Kingston  afores’d  ; Philip  Call  being  in  on  part 
of  the  land  hereinafter  mentioned  ; and  Peter  Derborn,  of  Chester.” 

The  grantees  were  in  earnest  to  commence  a settle- 
ment, and  on  October  25,  1749,  issued  a call  for  their 
first  meeting,  at  which  time  all  the  necessary  officers 
were  chosen.  Meetings  were  held  as  occasion  re- 
quired, and  annually  town  officers  were  elected  until 
the  incorporation  of  the  town.  In  1752  it  was  voted  to 
“plow  twelve  acres  of  land,”  and  in  the  year  follow- 
ing (1753)  the  proprietors  voted  to  build  four  houses. 
This  year  the  Indian  depredations  were  such  as  to  call 
on  the  State  for  a guard  to  protect  the  inhabitants. 

In  the  year  1759  land  was  granted  to  Captain  John 
Webster  for  building  a saw-mill. 

Major  Ebenezer  Stevens,  for  whom  the  town 
was  named,  was  the  first  grantee  and  a prominent 
man  in  Kingston,  where  he  died  November  1,  1749. 
He  was  for  several  years  a member  of  the  Assembly, 
and  four  or  five  years  Speaker  of  that  body,  from  1743 
to  1747.  It  was  through  his  influence  that  Ebenezer 
Webster,  the  father  of  Daniel,  located  here. 

In  addition  to  the  early  settlers  on  page  602,  we  find 
Benjamin  Sanborn,  William  Silloway,  Henry  Morrill, 
Tristram  Quimby,  Jacob  Quimby,  James  Tappan, 
William  Newton,  John  Jemson,  John  Bawley  (Bur- 
leigh), David  Hall,  John  Fifield,  Jr.,  John  Huntoon, 
Joseph  Bean,  Jr.,  Jabez  True,  Daniel  Greeley  and 
Tristram  Sanborn. 

Incorporation  of  the  Town. — Immediately  after 
the  passage  of  the  act  of  1766  to  enable  the  propri- 
etors of  Stevenstown  to  raise  money  by  a direct  tax, 
to  carry  on  the  settlement  of  the  town  and  defray  the 
necessary  expenses,  a petition  was  presented  by 
residents  in  the  township  to  His  Excellency  the  Gov- 
ernor for  an  act  of  incorporation. 

On  the  1st  day  of  March,  1768,  Governor  Went- 
worth, in  the  name  of  King  George  the  Third,  declared 
and  ordained  the  township  called  Stevenstown  to  be 


604 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


a town  corporate,  vested  and  incorporated  into  a body 
politic  by  the  name  of  Salisbury.  The  first  town-meet- 
ing, held  on  the  first  Tuesday  in  April,  chose  officers 
and  transacted  all  necessary  business. 

The  Association  Test. — The  articles  of  which  we 
trust  all  the  readers  are  sufficiently  acquainted  with; 
therefore  will  not  enter  into  detail.  The  signers  are: 

“ Ebenezer  Johnson,  Reuben  Greeley,  Job  Heath,  Samuel  Scribner, 
William  Suton,  Phineas  Bean,  John  Collins,  Benjamin  Bean,  John  Jem- 
son,  John  Sanborn,  Moses  Elkins,  Robert  Smith,  Leonard  Judkins,Shubael 
Greeley,  David  Pettengill,  William  Webster,  John  Fifield,  Jeremiah 
Webster,  Ephraim  Heath,  Nathaniel  Maloou,  Iddo  Scribner,  Benj.  Scrib- 
ner, John  Scribner,  John  Challis,  Ephraim  Colby,  Andrew  Bohonon, 
Moses  Selley,  Joseph  French,  John  Bowen,  Daniel  Scamell,  Robert  Barber, 
Ebenezer  Clifford,  Abel  Elkins,  Dan.  Warren,  Jacob  True,  Rev.  Jonathan 
Searle,  Andrew  Pettengill,  Jonathan  Fifield,  Benjamin  Iluntoou,  Joseph 
Bartlett,  Jacob  Garland,  William  Searle,  Edward  Fifield,  Ezra  Tucker, 
Hezekiali  Foster,  John  Bean,  Edward  Scribner,  Joseph  Marston,  Ben- 
jamin Greeley,  John  Webster,  Jr.,  Annaniah  Bohonon,  Gideon  Dow, 
Stephen  Call,  Benjamin  Sanborn,  John  Webster,  Nathaniel  Marston, 
Reuben  Hoyt,  Abraham  Fifield,  Cutting  Stevens,  John  Gale,  Ebenezer 
Webster,  William  Calef,  Edward  Eastman,  Jonathan  Cram,  John  Row, 
William  Eastman,  Abel  Tandy,  Moses  Garland,  Eben  Tucker,  Nathaniel 
Maloon,  Jr.,  Obediah  Peters  Fifield,  Edward  Scribner,  Jr.,  Moses  Sawyer, 
John  Fellows,  Daniel  Huntoon,  Andrew  Bohonon,  Jr.,  Nathan  Colby, 
Jacob  Bohonon,  Joseph  Basford,  Israel  Webster,  Matthew  Pettengill, 
Joseph  Fifield,  Richard  Purmont. 

“ This  may  certify  to  the  General  Assembly  or  Committee  of  Safety  of 
the  Colony  of  New  Hampshire,  That  we,  the  subscribers,  have  offered 
the  within  Declaration  to  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Town  of  Salisbury  and 
they  sign  freely. 

“Sinclair  Bean  and  Joseph  Bean  excepted. 

“ Ebenezer  Webster,  | Selectmen 
“Jonathan  Fifield,  j for  Salisbury." 

Nathaniel  Maloou,  Jr.,  was  the  third  selectman, 
and,  with  two  exceptions,  the  test  was  signed  by 
every  male  adult  in  the  spring  of  177G. 

It  does  not  appear  that  the  two  who  refused  to  sign 
were  unfriendly  to  the  cause  of  the  colonies.  They 
were  trusted  with  town  business,  and  aided  in  supply- 
ing the  demands  of  the  army.  Sinclair  Bean  was  a 
Quaker  in  his  religious  belief,  and  the  other  a justice 
of  the  peace  under  royal  authority. 

In  1817,  President  Monroe  made  his  tour  through  j 
New  England,  arriving  at  Concord  on  the  18tli  of 
July,  where  he  was  received  with  the  most  genial 
hospitality,  and  every  evidence  of  high  personal  re- 
gard was  shown  him.  On  Monday,  the  21st,  he  arrived 
at  Salisbury  South  Road,  stopping  at  the  residence  of 
Mr.  Andrew  Bowers,  now  the  Congregational  Church 
parsonage.  His  visit  was  unexpected,  and  no  prep- 
arations had  been  made  for  his  reception.  Samuel 
Greeley,  as  chairman  of  the  committee,  waited  upon 
President  Monroe,  tendering  him  the  hospitality  of 
the  town  in  a neat  and  appropriate  speech,  to  which 
the  President  responded,  and  many  of  the  inhabitants 
were  introduced  to  the  chief  magistrate  of  the  United 
States. 

Formation  of  State  Government. — On  the  14th  of 

November,  1775,  in  accordance  with  a recommenda-  | 
tion  of  the  Continental  Congress,  the  Fourth  Pro- 
vincial Congress  of  New  Hampshire  adopted  a plan 
of  representation,  upon  which  an  election  of  delegates 
was  held.  In  this  plan  Boscawen  and  Salisbury  were 


entitled  to  one  delegate.  Henry  Gerrish,  of  Boscawen, 
represented  the  towns  in  this  Assembly.  At  the  first 
Constitutional  Convention,  which  was  held  at  Concord 
June  10,  1778,  Salisbury  was  represented  by  Captain 
Ebenezer  Webster  and  Captain  Matthew  Pettengill. 
At  the  second  Constitutional  Convention,  held  at 
Concord  on  the  second  Tuesday  of  June,  1781,  Cap- 
tain Ebenezer  Webster  was  the  delegate.  In  June, 
1783,  the  same  convention  met  and  agreed  upon 
another  form  for  a Constitution,  Jonathan  Cram  hav- 
ing been  chosen  a delegate. 

Federal  Constitution.— The  first  session  of  the 
convention  to  consider  the  subject  met  at  Exeter 
February  13,  1788.  Salisbury  sent  as  delegate 
Colonel  Ebenezer  Webster,  who,  at  the  first  meeting 
of  the  convention,  opposed  the  Constitution,  under  in- 
structions from  his  town.  In  the  mean  time  Colonel 
Webster  conferred  with  his  constituents,  asked  the 
privilege  of  supporting  the  Constitution,  and  he  was 
instructed  to  vote  as  he  might  think  proper.  When 
the  convention  reassembled,  in  June,  1788,  Colonel 
Webster  made  the  following  speech.  It  did  great 
credit  to  the  head  and  heart  of  the  author. 


SPEECH  OF  COLONEL  EBENEZER  WEBSTER. 

“ Mr.  President : I have  listened  to  the  arguments  for  and  against  the 
Constitution.  I am  convinced  such  a government  as  that  Constitution 
will  establish,  if  adopted, — a government  acting  directly  on  the  people 
of  the  States, — is  necessary  for  the  common  defense  and  the  general 
welfare.  It  is  the  only  government  which  will  enable  us  to  pay  off  the 
national  debt,  the  debt  which  we  owe  for  the  Revolution,  and  w'hich  we 
are  bound  in  honor  fully  and  fairly  to  discharge.  Besides,  I have  fol- 
lowed the  lead  of  Washington  through  seven  years  of  war  and  I have 
never  been  misled.  His  name  is  subscribed  to  this  Constitution.  He 
will  not  mislead  us  now.  I shall  vote  for  its  adoption.” 


The  first  convention  for  the  revision  of  the  State 
Constitution  was  convened  at  Concord  on  the  7th 
of  September,  1791.  Salisbury  sent  as  delegate 
Rev.  Jonathan  Searle.  The  second  convention  for 
the  revision  of  the  Constitution  met  at  Concord  on  the 
8th  of  October,  1850.  Salisbury  selected  as  delegate, 
Abraham  H.  Robinson,  a practicing  physician  in  the 
town  and  a graduate  of  Yale  College.  In  1876  the 
State  Constitution  was  revised  for  the  third  time, 
which  made  the  fifth  Constitutional  Convention.  The 
delegate  from  Salisbury  to  this  convention  was 
Nathaniel  Bean. 

Vote  for  State  President,  from  1784  to  1791,  in- 
clusive.— In  the  lists  below  the  successful  candidate 
is  indicated  by  an  asterisk  (*), — 


1784.  *Meshecli  Weare,  28. 

1785.  Col.  Josiah  Bartlett,  30. 
*John  Laugdon,  0. 

1786.  John  Langdon,  29. 
George  Atkinson,  2. 

*John  Sullivan,  0. 

1787.  John  Langdon,  27. 
*John  Sullivan,  24. 


1788.  *Jolin  Langdon,  33. 

John  Sullivan,  15. 
Josiah  Bartlett,  5. 

1789.  *John  Sullivan,  23. 

John  Pickering,  15. 

1790.  John  Pickering,  G2. 
*Josiah  Bartlett,  0. 

1791.  *Josiah  Bartlett,  78. 


Vote  for  Governor,  from  1792  to  1885,  inclusive. 

— Successful  candidates  indicated  by  an  asterisk  (*), — 

1792.  *Josiah  Bartlett,  86.  1795.  *John  T.  Gilman,  86. 

1793.  *Josiah  Bartlett,  100.  1796.  *John  T.  Gilman,  103. 

Timothy  Walker,  1.  Abiel  Foster,  1. 

1794.  *John  T.  Gilman,  106.  1797.  *John  T.  Gilman,  110. 


SALISBURY. 


605 


1798.  ♦John  T.  Gilman,  82. 

Oliver  Peabody,  22. 

1799.  ♦John  T.  Gilman,  72. 

Oliver  Peabody,  6. 

1800.  ♦John  T.  Gilman,  134. 

Timothy  Walker,  40. 
Philip  Carrigan,  1. 

1801.  ♦John  T.  Gilman,  103. 

Timothy  Walker,  50. 
Scattering,  5. 

1802.  ♦John  T.  Gilman,  133. 

John  Langdon,  44. 

1803.  *John  T.  Gilman,  157. 

John  Langdon,  G6. 

1894.  John  T.  Gilman,  135. 

John  Langdon,  79. 

1805.  John  T.  Gilman,  144. 

*Johu  Langdon,  127. 

180C.  ’’’John  Langdon,  122. 

John  T.  Gilman,  73. 
Scattering,  58. 

1807.  ♦John  Langdon,  111. 
Timothy  Farrar,  33. 
Scattering,  18. 

18  >8.  ♦John  Langdon,  6G. 

Thomas  W.  Thompson,  22. 

1809.  ♦Jeremiah  Smith,  1G8. 

John  Langdon,  121. 

1810.  Jeremiah  Smith,  158. 
♦John  Langdon,  144. 

1811.  ♦John  Langdon,  16G. 

Jeremiah  Smith,  154. 

1812.  John  T.  Gilman,  162. 
♦William  Plumer,  145. 

Scattering,  2. 

1813.  William  Plumer,  17G. 

John  T.  Gilman,  173. 

1814.  *John  T.  Gilman,  207. 

William  Plumer,  149. 
Scattering,  3. 

1815.  ♦John  T.  Gilman,  183. 

William  Plumer,  145. 
Scattering,  1. 

1816.  James  Sheafe,  176. 
♦William  Plumer  172. 

Scattering,  3. 

1817.  ♦William  Plumer,  170. 

James  Sheafe,  147. 
Scattering,  4. 

1818.  ♦William  Plumer,  173. 

Jeremiah  Mason,  145. 

1819.  ♦Samuel  Bell,  161. 

William  Hale,  135. 
Scattering,  2. 

1820.  ♦Samuel  Bell,  295. 

Scattering,  8. 

1821.  ♦Samuel  Bell,  215. 

Jeremiah  Mason,  3. 

1822.  ♦Samuel  Bell,  209. 

Jeremiah  Mason,  1. 

1823.  Samuel  Dinsmore,  148. 
♦Levi  Woodbuiy,  135. 

Scattering,  2. 

1824.  ♦David  L.  Morrill,  135. 

Levi  Woodbuiy,  38. 
Scattering,  75. 

1825.  ♦David  L.  Morrill,  273. 

Scattering,  4. 

182G.  Benjamin  Pierce,  153. 
♦David  L.  Morrill,  63. 
Scattering,  4. 

1827.  ♦Benjamin  Pierce,  212. 

Scattering,  16. 

1828.  Benjamin  Pierce,  193. 
♦John  Bell,  167. 

Scattering,  1. 


1829.  ♦Benjamin  Pierce,  159. 

John  Bell,  78. 

1830.  ♦Matthew  Harvey,  150. 

Timothy  Upham,  68. 

1831.  ♦Samuel  Dinsmore,  157. 

Ichabod  Bartlett,  81. 
Scattering,  1. 

1832.  ♦Samuel  Dinsmore,  134. 

Ichabod  Bartlett,  60. 

1833.  ♦Samuel  Dinsmore,  164. 

Author  Livermore,  29. 

1834.  ♦William  Badger,  23G. 

Scattering,  9. 

1835.  ♦William  Badger,  138. 

Joseph  Healey,  61. 
183G.  *Isaac  Hill,  135. 

William  Badger,  5. 
Scattering,  4. 

1837.  ♦Isaac  Hill,  156. 

1838.  ♦Isaac  Hill,  154. 

James  Wilson,  99. 

1839.  *Jolin  Page,  158. 

James  Wilson,  102. 
Scattering,  1. 

1840.  *John  Page,  159. 

Enos  Stevens,  77. 

1841.  *John  Page,  160. 

Enos  Stevens,  94. 
Scattering,  1. 

1842.  ♦Henry  Hubbard,  192. 

Enos  Stevens,  59. 
Scattering,  4. 

1843.  Anthony  Colby,  39. 
♦Henry  Hubbard,  113. 

Scattering,  9. 

1844.  ♦John  H.  Steele,  128. 

Anthony  Colby,  72. 
Scattering,  14. 

1845.  ♦John  H.  Steele,  128. 

Anthony  Colby,  69. 
Scattering,  13. 

1846.  Jared  W.  Williams,  141. 
♦Anthony  ColbjT,  79. 

Nathaniel  S.  Berry,  20. 

1847.  ♦Jared  W.  Williams,  173. 

Anthony  Colby,  87. 
Nathaniel  S.  Berry,  16. 

1848.  ♦Jared  W.  Williams,  180. 

Nathaniel  S.  Bern*,  77. 
Anthony  Colby,  1. 

1849.  ♦Samuel  Dinsmore,  163. 

Levi  Chamberlin,  56. 
Nathaniel  S.  Berry,  17. 

1850.  *Samuel  Dinsmore,  165. 

Levi  Chamberlin,  62. 
Nathaniel  S.  Berry,  17. 

1851.  ♦Samuel  Dinsmore,  159. 

Thomas  E.  Sawyer,  54. 
John  Atwood,  18. 

1852.  *Noah  Martin,  163. 

Thomas  E.  Sawyer,  64. 
Scattering,  16. 

1853.  *Noali  Martin,  147. 

James  Bell,  51. 

John  H.  White,  17. 

1854.  *Natlianiel  B.  Baker,  153. 

James  Bell,  51. 

Jared  Perkins,  13. 

1855.  Nathaniel  B.  Baker,  144. 
♦Ralph  Metcalf,  131. 

Scattering,  2. 

1856.  John  S.  Wells,  150. 
♦Ralph  Metcalf,  126. 

Ichabod  Goodwin,  4. 

1857.  John  S.  Wells,  149. 
♦William  Haile,  135. 


1858.  Asa  P.  Cate,  154. 

♦William  Haile,  120. 

1859.  Asa  P.  Cate,  152. 

♦Ichabod  Goodwin,  118. 

1860.  Asa  P.  Cate,  159. 

♦Ichabod  Goodwin,  127. 

18G1.  George  Stark,  152. 

♦Nathaniel  S.  Berry,  94. 

1862.  George  Stark,  138. 
♦Nathaniel  S.  Berry,  95. 

Taul  R.  Wheeler,  13. 

1863.  Ira  A.  Eastman,  147. 
♦Joseph  A.  Gilmore,  52. 

Walter  Harriman,  31. 

1864.  Edvv.  W.  Harrington,  152. 
♦Joseph  A.  Gilmore,  108. 

1865.  Edw.  W.  Harrington,  146. 
♦Frederick  Smyth,  108. 

1866.  John  G.  Sinclair,  156. 
♦Frederick  Smyth,  102. 

1867.  John  G.  Sinclair,  139. 
♦Walter  Harriman,  99. 

1868.  John  G.  Sinclair,  153. 
♦Walter  Harriman,  94. 

1869.  John  Bedel,  122. 

♦Onslow  Stearns,  87. 

Scattering,  1. 

1870.  John  Bedel,  83. 

♦Onslow  Stearns,  82. 

Samuel  Flint,  38. 

Lorenzo  D.  Barrows,  11. 


1871.  *James  A.  Weston,  127. 

James  Pike,  94. 
Scattering,  7. 

1872.  James  A.  Weston,  115. 
♦Ezekiel  A.  Straw,  115. 

Lemuel  P.  Cooper,  7. 

1873.  James  A.  Weston,  113. 
♦Ezekiel  A.  Straw,  107. 

Scattering,  9. 

1871.  ♦James  A.  Weston,  123. 
Luther  McCutchins,  75. 
Scattering,  1. 

1875.  Hiram  R.  Roberts,  129. 
Person  C.  Cheney,  89. 
Scattering,  1. 

1876.  Daniel  Marcy,  137. 
♦Person  C.  Cheney,  80. 

1877.  Daniel  Marcy,  118. 
♦Benjamin  F.  Prescott,  90. 

1878.  Frank  McKean,  124. 
♦Benjamin  F.  Prescott,  80. 

Scattering,  5. 

1879- 81.  Frank  McKean,  108. 

♦Natt.  Head,  75. 
Warren  G.  Brown,  16. 

1880- 81.  Frank  Jones,  128. 

♦Charles  H.  Bell,  110. 
1882-83.  M.  V.  B.  Edgerly,  113. 

♦Samuel  W.  Hale,  103. 
1884-85.  ♦Moody  Currier,  111. 

John  M.  Hill,  103. 


CHAPTER  II. 

SALISBURY — ( Continued ). 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

The  Maaonian  proprietors  exercised  great  discre- 
tion when,  in  giving  grants  of  land,  they  provided 
that  the  ordinances  of  religion  should  be  maintained. 
One  of  the  essential  duties  of  the  grantees  was  to 
provide  “ a place  of  public  worship”  and  maintain*  a 
learned  and  “ orthodox  minister.” 

In  the  grant  to  Stevenstown,  1749,  a right  of  land 
equal  in  amount  to  each  of  the  other  shares  was 
assigned  to  the  first  minister,  which  he  was  not  only 
at  liberty  to  use  while  he  continued  to  preach  the 
gospel  to  the  people,  but  on  his  settlement  the  share 
became  his  property.  Another  share  was  “ set  apart 
for  the  support  of  the  gospel  ministry  for  ever.”  Ten 
acres  of  land  were  to  be  laid  out  “ in  some  convenient 
place,  as  the  major  part  of  said  grantees  shall  deter- 
mine, for  a meeting-house,  a school-house,  a muster- 
field,  a buryiug-place  and  other  public  uses.” 

This  ten  acres  of  land  was  situated  on  the  north 
side  of  Searle’s  Hill,  about  midway  of  the  town.  The 
earliest  record  we  have  of  a meeting-house  is  from  an 
early  map  of  the  Merrimack  Valley,  rvhich  shows  the 
location  of  a meeting-house  in  the  vicinity  of  the  old 
Salisbury  fort.  If  this  building  ever  existed,  it  must 
have  been  erected  by  the  first  grantees  (Bakerstown). 

In  the  spring  of  1768,  the  frame  was  erected, 
boarded,  shingled  and  the  lower  floor  laid.  The  7th 


606 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


of  April  of  that  year  two  pews  were  sold,  and  on 
the  following  25th  of  May  sixteen  pews.  Among 
these  first  purchasers  was  Hon.  Josiah  Bartlett, 
Governor  of  the  State  in  1790.  The  highest  priced 
pew  brought  £6  3s.  The  meeting-house  was  used 
until  the  summer  of  1790,  when  the  town  voted  to 
sell  it  at  auction,  the  sum  realized  to  satisfy  the  de- 
mands of  the  pew-owners  and  the  rest  to  be  used  for 
schooling.  Some  time  between  this  date  and  the  ; 
next  ensuing  April  the  present  Congregational 
Church  was  erected  at  South  Road  village. 

In  1835  changes  were  made  in  the  church,  which 
have  been  mainly  acceptable  to  the  present  day. 

The  Rev.  John  Elliot  was  the  first  minister  invited 
to  settle  in  the  town,  January  14,  1771,  at  a salary  of 
forty  pounds  a year,  increasing  five  pounds  a year 
until  it  reached  fifty  pounds,  and  there  remain  for 
three  years.  Preparations  were  made  to  ordain  Mr. 
Elliot  the  following  September,  but  before  the  time 
arrived  he  asked  for  a dismission,  and  on  July  8, 
1771,  his  request  was  granted. 

The  Rev.  Jonathan  Searle,  the  first  settled  minister, 
preached  in  Salisbury  in  the  summer  of  1768.  At  a 
town-meeting  held  October  11,  1773,  it  was  voted  to 
accept  Mr.  Searle’s  letter  “ of  acceptance,”  and  Cap- 
tain Ebenezer  Webster,  John  Collins  and  Captain  Mat- 
thew Pettengill  were  chosen  to  call  a council.  It  was 
“ Voted,  to  give  Mr.  Searle  fifty  pounds,  L.  M.,  for 
two  years,  and  then  rise  four  pounds,  L.  M.,  a year 
till  it  comes  to  sixty  pounds,  and  there  stand  during 
his  labor  in  the  work  of  the  ministry  in  said  town ; 
also  twenty-five  cords  of  wood  at  his  house  yearly.” 

Twenty  dollars  were  devoted  to  defray  the  ordina- 
tion expenses;  the  ordination  occurring  on  the  17th  of 
November,  1773,  Rev.  Mr.  Jewett,  of  Rowley,  Mass., 
preaching  the  sermon  from  1 Corinthians,  chap,  iv., 
verse  1.  After  a pastorate  of  nearly  twenty  years, 
May  31,  1790,  a church-meeting  was  called  by  the 
pastor  to  act  on  the  question  of  his  dismission.  A 
settlement  was  made  agreeable  to  all  parties,  and  he 
was  freed  from  his  ministerial  work  August  15,  1790. 

Eleven  persons  signed  the  covenant  on  the  forma- 
tion of  the  church,  and  thirty-three  united  with  the 
church  under  his  pastorate. 

Rev.  Mr.  Searle  was  born  in  Rowley,  Mass.,  No- 
vember 16,  1746,  and  graduated  at  Harvard  College 
in  1765 ; married  Mrs.  Margaret  Tappan  (nee)  Sanborn, 
He  died  December  2,  1818. 

Rev.  Thomas  Worcester  was  employed  three 
months  on  trial  in  the  spring  of  1791,  and  in  the 
following  September  was  invited  to  settle.  One  hun- 
dred and  twenty  pounds  was  voted  him  as  a settle- 
ment and  eighty  pounds  yearly.  This  was  quite  a 
salary  at  that  time  for  a young  man  only  twenty- 
three  years  of  age.  He  was  ordained  November  9, 
1791,  by  the  same  council  which  had  dismissed  Mr. 
Searle  on  the  day  previous.  The  congregation  which 
attended  upon  his  preaching  was  for  many  years  very 
large.  He  was  a faithful  and  laborious  pastor ; his 


pulpit  addresses  were  attractive,  earnest  and  direct. 
During  his  ministry  there  were  several  seasons  of  the 
special  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  An  extensive 
revival  occurred  soon  after  his  settlement,  and  over 
eighty  were  received  into  the  church.  In  December, 
1792,  thirty  young  converts  made  public  profession 
of  their  faith.  His  brother,  Samuel  Worcester,  united 
with  the  church  February  13,  1793.  William 
Webster,  uncle  to  Daniel,  united  with  the  church 
September  8,  1796.  Daniel  Webster  united  with  the 
church  September  13,  1807.  Another  revival  oc- 
curred about  1815,  when  more  than  sixty  persons 
made  public  profession  of  their  faith. 

Under  his  pastorate  268  united  with  the  church; 
he  administered  the  sacrament  of  baptism  to  322 
children,  solemnized  307  marriages  and  attended  25 
ecclesiastical  councils. 

He  was  dismissed  by  a mutual  council  April  23, 
1823,  and  continued  to  reside  in  Salisbury  until  his 
death,  December  24, 1831,  aged  sixtv-tliree  years.  In 
1806  he  received  the  honorary  degree  of  Master  of 
Arts  from  Dartmouth  College. 

Rev.  Mr.  Worcester  was  a son  of  Noah  and  Lydia 
(Taylor)  Worcester;  born  in  Hollis  November  22, 
1768,  and  was  one  of  five  brothers,  all  distinguished 
as  orators  and  writers  for  the  religious  press.  March 
11,  1792,  he  married  Miss  Deborah  Lee. 

Rev.  Abijah  Cross  settled  over  the  church  Decem- 
ber 23,  1823.  At  the  time  of  his  settlement  there 
were  one  hundred  and  eleven  resident  members  and 
thirty-nine  non-resident,  making,  at  the  time  of  Mr. 
Worcester’s  dismission,  a total  number  of  onehundred 
and  fifty.  Under  Mr.  Cross’  pastorate  there  were 
added  to  the  church  seventeen  members  and  nine 
dismissed.  He  administered  the  sacrament  of  bap- 
tism to  fifteen.  He  was  dismissed  April  1,  1829. 

It  was  during  his  ministry  that  an  effort  was  made 
by  Rev.  Benjamin  Huntoon,  a native  of  Salisbury,  to 
organize  a Unitarian  Society  in  town  ; but,  not  find- 
ing a very  large  congregation,  he  continued  in  town 
but  one  year. 

Rev.  Andrew  Rankin  was  settled  over  the  church 
July  11,  1830,  and  dismissed  in  October,  1832.  Dur- 
ing his  pastorate  seventeen  were  added  to  the  church 
by  profession,  eleven  by  letter  and  about  twenty  con- 
, verted  by  his  preaching. 

Rev.  Benjamin  F.  Foster  was  settled  Nov.  13,  1833, 
and  dismissed  July  23, 1846.  Eighty  members  were  ad- 
mitted to  the  church  during  his  ministry  in  Salisbury. 

Rev.  E.  II.  Caswell  succeeded  Mr.  Foster,  June  28, 

1848,  and  was  dismissed  the  following  February. 
Four  were  admitted  to  the  church  under  his  pastorate. 

Rev.  Erasmus  D.  Eldridge  was  settled  January  12, 

1849,  and  was  dismissed  November  1,  1854.  During 
his  ministry  twenty-six  were  received  into  the  church. 

Rev.  Thomas  Rhatrav  was  installed  May  7,  1856, 
and  dismissed  April  15,  1857. 

Rev.  Horatio  Merrill  was  installed  March  17,  1858, 
and  dismissed  March  15,  1864. 


SALISBURY. 


607 


Rev.  Usal  W.  Condit  was  installed  March  14,  1864, 
and  dismissed  January  13,  1869.  During  his  minis- 
try nineteen  united  with  the  church. 

Rev.  Joseph  B.  Cook  was  installed  January  13, 
1869,  and  dismissed  May  19,  1876. 

Rev.  William  C.  Scofield  came  to  Salisbury  in  the 
fall  of  1875,  continuing  until  1877. 

Rev.  George  W.  Bothwell  spent  five  months,  be- 
tween his  junior  and  senior  year  (1879)  in  Yale 
Theological  Seminary,  at  Salisbury,  in  which  time 
five  were  added  to  the  church.  He  is  now  supplying 
the  Congregational  Church  in  Portland,  Mich. 

Rev.  Samuel  H.  Barnum  graduated  from  Yale 
College  in  1875,  and  from  Yale  Theological  Seminary 
in  1879,  removing  to  Salisbury  November  9,  1879, 
where  he  remained  until  May,  1882,  when  he  received 
a call  to  go  to  Durham,  where  he  was  ordained  and 
installed  April  24,  1883,  and  still  continues. 

Rev.  Chas.  E.  Gordon  removed  to  Salisbury  in  Nov., 
1882,  and  supplied  the  pulpit  in  Salisbury  and  Webster, 
only  a few  miles  apart,  and  Oct.  4,  1883,  was  installed 
pastor  over  both  churches.  The  installation  took  place 
at  the  Webster  Church.  He  resides  at  Salisbury. 

The  Baptist  Societies.— The  earliest  information 
we  have  of  the  Baptist  faith  in  the  town  was  on  May 
25,  1789,  when  a meeting  was  held  at  the  school- 
house  at  the  Centre  Village,  and  the  society  organ- 
ized by  the  choice  of  Daniel  Brottlebank  moderator, 
and  Jonathan  Cram  clerk.  Lieutenant  Joseph  Sev- 
erance, Jonathan  Cram  and  Lieutenant  Moses  Clough 
were  chosen  a committee  to  procure  preaching.  On 
the  23d  of  the  following  June  seventy-six  persons 
adopted  and  signed  a covenant. 

For  a time  the  society  held  meetings  at  private 
houses  and  in  a school-house  which  they  had  bought 
of  the  town.  The  congregation  rapidly  increasing, 
on  the  9th  of  October,  1790,  it  was  “ Voted  to  build  a 
meeting-house.” 

March  17,  1791,  it  was  “ Voted  to  build  the  meet- 
ing-house 52  feet  long  and  40  feet  wide,  and  to  be 
finished  throughout  as  early  as  1794.  Chose  Jona- 
than Fifield,  Joseph  Fifield,  John  Clement,  Benjamin 
Pettengill  and  Abel  Elkins  a committee  to  erect  the 
frame,  and  Benjamin  Pettengill,  Jr.,  Abraham  Fifield, 
Samuel  Beau,  David  Pettengill,  Edward  Fifield,  Wil- 
liam Eastman,  Benjamin  Pettengill,  Reuben  True  and 
Bailey  Chase  a committee  to  sell  pews.”  The  house 
was  erected  within  the  specified  time,  and  stood  just 
north  of  the  present  location,  the  main  entrance  be- 
ing on  the  east  side.  On  each  end  was  a porch, 
supporting  small  steeples  similar  to  the  one  standing 
on  the  north  end,  but  not  so  high.  In  each  of  these 
porches  was  an  entrance.  In  the  north  tower  was  a 
bell.  The  interior  was  like  most  of  the  churches  at 
that  time, — box  pews,  a large  pulpit  on  the  west  side 
of  the  house,  a gallery  opposite  and  on  the  two  sides. 
An  upper  and  lower  set  of  windows  furnished  light. 
In  1839,  Deacon  William  Parsons  remodeled  the 
church  to  its  present  general  style. 


Elder  Elias  Smith,  was  the  first  settled  minister, 
and  preached  the  first  sermon  in  the  new  church  in 
the  spring  of  1791,  taking  his  text  from  1 Kings  viii. 
27.  In  November,  1792,  he  again  visited  Salisbury 
and  baptized  nine  persons.  January  7,  1793,  he  re- 
turned, and  in  February  was  invited  to  become  the 
pastor  of  the  church.  Accepting  the  invitation,  he 
permanently  remained  until  1796,  when  the  enthusi- 
asm began  to  abate  and  new  doctrines  were  accepted 
by  some  of  the  members.  In  the  latter  part  of  the 
year  he  left  his  Salisbury  pulpit  and  preached  at 
Woburn,  Mass.;  but  in  February,  1798,  he  returned, 
remaining  until  the  following  January,  when,  with 
his  family,  he  returned  to  Woburn.  As  early  as 
1801  he  opened  a store  in  Salisbury,  which  did  not 
prove  of  pecuniary  benefit.  In  1808  he  began  the 
publication  of  the  Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty,  the  first 
religious  newspaper  published  in  the  United  States. 
He  died  at  Lyme,  Conn.,  June 29, 1846,  aged  seventy- 
seven  years. 

Rev.  Otis  Robinson,  the  second  settled  pastor,  was 
invited  to  settle  in  the  fall  of  1809,  and  was  ordained 
in  the  spring  of  1810,  and  continued  for  sixteen 
years.  In  1826,  after  a very  gratifying  revival  of  re- 
ligion, in  which  many  were  added  to  his  church,  Mr. 
Robinson  was  dismissed  from  his  pastoral  charge  at 
his  request  and  continued  to  reside  in  town  until  his 
death,  March  1,  1835. 

Rev.  Ebenezer  E.  Cummings,  D.D.,  was  ordained 
and  installed  September  17, 1828.  Old  church  troubles 
existed  among  the  members  of  the  church.  The 
pastor  labored  assiduously  for  the  union  and  har- 
mony of  his  people,  and  knowing  that  no  good  could 
come  of  a church  which  was  divided  against  itself, 
he  refused  to  longer  remain.  He  asked  a dismission, 
which  was  granted  January  5,  1831.  The  leading 
members  of  the  two  churches  which  then  existed 
met  in  consultation,  decided  to  forget  the  past  and  to 
go  on  together  in  a Christian  life.  A new  church 
was  formed  January  19,  1831,  and  an  invitation  ex- 
tended to  Mr.  Cummings  to  become  its  pastor.  In  a 
letter,  bearing  date  June  4,  1831,  he  consented  to  re- 
main, but  was  not  installed.  In  the  spring  of  1832 
he  removed  to  Concord,  where  he  was  settled  over 
the  First  Baptist  Church,  March  2,  1832,  continuing 
till  January  11,  1854.  Still  resides  at  Concord.  The 
records  of  the  society  have  not  been  kept  in  a man- 
ner to  afford  reliable  information ; consequently  we 
shall  give  only  the  following: 

Rev.  John  Learned,  installed  in  September,  1838,  remaining  one  year  ; 
Rev.  John  Burden,  came  in  the  fall  of  1839  ; Rev.  Stephen  Coombs, 
occupied  the  pulpit  from  July,  1853,  to  January,  1856  ; Rev.  Samuel  H. 
Amsden,  installed  in  1856  ; Rev.  Joseph  B.  Damon  ; Rev.  Thomas  B. 
Joy,  1863  ; Rev.  Albert  A.  Ford,  1864-66  ; Rev.  Joshua  Clement,  1866-67  ; 
Rev.  Joseph  Storer  ; Rev.  J.  Q.  Sinclair,  one  year ; Elder  Hiram  Stevens; 
Elders  Boswell  and  Elias  Dane  ; Elder  Peter  SI.  Hereey  ; Rev.  A.  II. 
Martin,  1869-75. 

% 

Union  Meeting-House  is  located  at  the  south- 
west part  of  the  town  and  west  of  Blackwater  River. 

As  early  as  1791  the  residents  of  the  west  part  of 


608 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


the  town  had  their  share  of  the  minister  fund  paid  to 
them,  which  they  used  towards  defraying  the  expenses 
of  a minister.  In  1832  they  decided  to  erect  a union 
house  of  worship,  each  denomination  to  occupy  the 
pulpit  one  Sunday  in  succession  through  the  year. 

February  26,  1834,  a meeting  was  held  to  “take 
action  in  relation  to  the  erection  of  a place 
of  worship.”  A committee,  consisting  of  John  Couch, 
Paul  True,  David  Hobbs,  David  Stevens,  Benjamin 
Scribner,  Israel  B.  Bean,  William  Couch,  Daniel  Wat- 
son and  David  Harvey,  was  appointed  to  confer  upon 
the  most  judicious  ways  and  means  of  building  the 
house.  They  selected  the  present  site.  Forty-two 
persons  pledged  themselves  twenty  dollars  each  to- 
wards building  and  finishing  the  house.  Joshua  S. 
Bean,  Caleb  Smith,  John  S.  Eaton  and  John  Couch 
(3d)  were  the  church  committee.  The  house  was  com- 
pleted and  dedicated  at  once. 

So  far  as  known,  each  denomination  has  had  the 
following  permanent  ministers  : Christian,  10 ; Meth- 
odists, 11;  Cougregationalists,  2;  Universalists,  2. 

East  Village  (or  Franklin)  Church. — For  years  there 
was  no  church  in  Pemigewasset,  East  Republican  vil- 
lage or  Salisbury  ville,  in  that  part  of  Salisbury  now  in- 
cluded in  Franklin.  To  attend  religious  services  the 
people  were  obliged  to  go  to  Searle’s  Hill,  subsequently 
to  South  road,  or  to  Sanbornton  or  Northfield.  As  the 
village  increased  in  population  and  wealth,  the  neces- 
sity of  permanent  ministrations  of  the  gospel  was 
plainly  seen.  In  Feb.,  1820,  it  was  decided  to  establish 
a Congregational  Church,  and  erect  a meeting-house. 
The  lot  on  which  the  house  now  stands  was  selected. 

A subscription  paper  was  circulated  for  the  purpose 
of  raising  money  to  build  the  house.  On  this  paper 
were  the  names  of  the  most  active  citizens  of  that 
village,  and  over  four  hundred  dollars  were  subscribed. 
The  lot  was  given  by  Ebenezer  Eastman,  one  of  the 
most  influential  men  in  the  place.  The  organization 
was  effected  March  20,  1820.  Parker  Noyes,  Esq., 
was  chosen  clerk ; Captain  Blanchard  and  Messrs. 
Hale,  Ladd,  Clark,  Haddock,  Sanborn  and  Samuel 
George  were  chosen  a committee  to  construct  the 
house.  The  work  of  completing  the  house  after  the 
erection  of  the  frame  was  awarded  to  Benjamin  Rowe 
for  three  hundred  and  sixty  dollars.  He  did  not  fin- 
ish his  contract,  and  Captain  Blanchard,  James  Gar- 
land and  Richard  Peabody  were  appointed  to  finish 
the  house.  On  three  sides  of  the  interior  of  the 
church  galleries  were  built,  which  contained  thirty- 
two  pews.  The  pews  were  sold  July  4,  1820.  The 
Rev.  Thomas  Worcester,  then  pastor  of  the  church  at 
South  Road,  delivered  a patriotic  oration  which  was 
received  with  great  enthusiasm.  William  Haddock 
sold  by  auction  the  choice  of  pews,  as  represented  on 
a plan  which  he  held  in  his  hand.  The  sum  received 
from  the  sale  was  $2202.25.  The  church  was  com- 
pleted by  November  25,  1820,  and  dedicated  Decem- 
ber 13tli,  Rev.  Asa  McFarland,  of  Concord,  preaching 
the  dedication  sermon. 


The  church  was  organized  June  11,  1822,  under  the 
advice  and  direction  of  Rev.  Samuel  Wood  and  Rev. 
Mr.  Price,  of  Boscawen  ; Rev.  Thomas  Worcester,  of 
Salisbury;  and  Rev.  Abram  Bod  well,  of  Sanbornton. 

A church  covenant  and  confession  of  faith  was 
adopted  and  signed  by  fourteen  persons.  Paul  Noyes 
was  the  first  deacon.  The  church  had  no  settled 
pastor  before  the  organization  of  Franklin. 

Rev.  William  T.  Savage,  D.D.,  for  a long  time 
pastor,  in  his  twenty-third  aniversary  sermon,  deliv- 
ered in  1872,  said, — 

“In  the  department  of  preaching,  the  church  and  society  for  some 
six  years  from  the  beginning  seems  not  to  have  had  a regular  pastor.  In 
formal  documents  and  loose  papers  allusion  to  the  following  ministers  as 
having  occupied  the  pulpit  for  one  or  more  Sabbaths  are  found  : Rev.  D. 
Dana,  Rev.  M.  B.  Murdock,  Rev.  Abel  Wood,  of  Warner ; Robert  Page, 
missionary  ; Rev.  David  McRitchie  ; Steader  and  Holt,  missionaries ; and 
Rev.  Moses  Bradford,  of  Francistown.  In  1826,  Rev.  Abijah  Cross,  I 
pastor  of  the  church  at  South  Road,  preached  fifteen  Sabbaths.  In  1827,  1 

Rev.  George  Freeman  officiated  eleven  Sabbaths,  and  in  1828,  Rev.  Reu- 
ben Farley  sixteen  Sabbaths.” 

County  Conference. — The  Merrimack  County  Con- 
ference of  Congregational  Churches  was  an  outgrowth 
of  the  Hopkinton  Association,  and  was  the  result  of 
a special  meeting  held  at  the  dwelling-house  of  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Wood,  of  Boscawen,  April  4,  1827.  Among 
the  articles  presented  was  the  following : “ This  Con- 

ference shall  be  composed  of  pastors  and  delegates 
from  the  Congregational  Churches  within  the  bounds 
of  the  Hopkinton  Association.  It  shall  assume  no 
control  over  the  faith  or  the  discipline  of  the  church.” 

The  first  meeting  was  held  on  the  fourth  Tuesday 
of  June,  1828,  at  ten  o’clock  in  the  forenoon,  in  the  ' 
Congregational  Church  at  Salisbury,  the  Rev.  ; 
Abijah  Cross,  then  pastor.  In  1838  the  Association 
again  met  at  Salisbury,  and  June  10,  1884,  the  Con-  j 
ference  again  assembled,  Rev.  C.  E.  Gordon,  pastor,  j 
eleven  churches  being  represented  by  their  pastors 
and  delegates,  the  session  continuing  two  days. 

Educational. — At  the  first  town-meeting  it  was 
voted  “ to  raise  some  money  for  school  purposes.”  In  i 
1772  twelve  dollars  was  voted  to  support  a school;  it  I 
was  also  voted  “ to  raise  half  a day’s  work  on  the  sin- 
gle head,  to  be  done  on  the  south  end  of  the  sixty-  I 
acre  lot,  which  was  laid  out  for  the  school.”  This  i 
lot  was  situated  on  Searle’s  Hill,  on  the  centre  range- 
way, opposite  the  ten-acre  meeting-house  lot.  The  i 
school-house  was  built  in  the  summer  of  1772  and  was 
the  first  in  town. 

In  1778  the  town  was  divided  into  four  school  dis-  < 
tricts.  The  school-houses  were  wooden-framed, 
boarded  and  shingled  and  furnished  with  windows 
and  fire-places.  One  was  located  near  Smith’s  Cor- 
ner. It  was  built  by  Beniah  Bean  for  three  hundred 
and  ninety-eight  dollars.  The  second  at  South  Road,  I 
built  by  Deacon  John  Collins  for  six  hundred  and 
eighty  dollars.  Another  was  situated  at  the  Centre 
Road,  nearly  opposite  F.  W.  Fifield’s  present  resi- 
dence, built  by  Edward  Fifield  for  six  hundred  and 
seventy-eight  dollars  ; and  the  last  was  at  North  Road, 
Mr.  Andrew  Pettingell  receiving  four  hundred  and 


SALISBURY. 


609 


ninety-four  dollars  for  building  it.  Such  buildings 
soon  after  could  have  been  completed  for  less  than 
half  the  cost  of  these.  But  money  was  so  much  de- 
preciated that  labor  commanded  eight  dollars  per 
day.  The  amount  raised  annually  for  schools  at  this 
time  was  about  five  hundred  dollars,  while  three  thou- 
sand dollars  were  appropriated  for  the  improvement 
of  roads. 

In  March,  1784,  it  was  “ Voted  to  sell  all  the  school 
lands  and  put  the  principal  in  the  bank  and  use  the 
interest  for  the  support  of  schools  in  the  town  annu- 
ally.” It  was  also  voted  at  the  same  meeting  “ to 
sell  the  school-houses  belonging  to  the  sd  town  and 
the  money  be  contributed  to  the  use  of  the  town.” 

The  sale  of  the  school-houses  brought,  in  the  aggre- 
gate, $63.75  each,  and  the  land  was  sold  to  Ephraim 
Colby  for  three  pounds,  fifteen  shillings  and  three  pence 
per  acre.  In  1786  the  town  raised  two  hundred  and  ten 
dollars,  in  lawful  money,  for  the  support  of  schools, 
and  ordered  each  district  to  provide  its  own  school- 
rooms. 

In  1791  a school-house  was  built  at  the  Lower  vil- 
lage (now  the  Orphans’  Home  District  in  Franklin). 
In  this  building  Daniel  Webster  attended  school  and 
later  in  life  taught.  The  second  school-house,  at  the 
South  road,  was  built  by  subscription  in  1787.  After 
the  academy  was  removed  from  its  original  location 
to  South  road  the  school  was  transferred  to  one  por- 
tion of  it  and  has  since  continued. 

In  1819  the  town  was  divided  into  eleven  school 
districts  and  there  were  school-houses  in  nine  of 
them.  Changes  were  subsequently  made,  increasing 
the  number  to  fourteen. 

No.  1,  located  at  South  road,  was  organized  in  1820. 

No.  2,  known  as  Centre  Road  District,  was  formed 
April  2,  1823. 

No.  3,  called  “Sawyer’s,”  organized  in  1820. 

No.  4,  located  at  Scribner’s  Corner,  at  the  west 
part  of  the  town. 

No.  5,  at  the  North  road. 

No.  6,  the  Mills  District ; school  located  there  as 
early  as  1806.  In  1884  a new,  commodious  building 
was  erected. 

No.  7,  at  “ Smith’s  Corner,”  at  the  west  part  of  the 
town.  The  first  school-house  was  erected  in  1782. 
The  second  was  twenty  by  twenty-five  feet,  erected  in 
1789.  In  1825  the  district  was  reorganized  and  a 
new  school-house  erected. 

No.  8,  located  at  “ Thompson’s  Corner.”  The  first 
school-house  in  town  was  on  a site  included  within 
the  limits  of  this  district. 

No.  9,  on  Lovering’s  Hill.  Established  in  1826. 

No.  10,  “ Watson  District,”  on  the  southern  spur 
of  Kearsarge  Mountain.  A school-house  was  built 
here  as  early  as  1812. 

No.  11  is  on  Raccoon  Hill,  known  as  the  “Shaw 
District.”  The  school-house  was  built  in  1847  and 
thoroughly  repaired  in  1876. 

No.  12,  located  at  “ Shaw’s  Corner.”  The  second 


school-house  was  erected  in  1820  and  the  third  in 
1881. 

No.  13,  situated  at  the  Lower  village  (now  the  Or- 
phans’ Home  in  Franklin).  The  present  building  is 
of  brick. 

No.  14,  at  the  East  village  in  Franklin.  Ebenezer 
Eastman  gave  the  land  for  “ educational  purposes  ” 
in  1816.  The  first  school-house  in  that  part  of  Salis- 
bury was  built  in  1805-6. 

Salisbury  Academy. — At  the  close  of  the  last 
century  Salisbury  was  the  residence  of  an  unusually 
number  of  prudent,  intellectual  and  scholarly  men. 
They  had  pride  in  the  good  name  of  the  town,  and 
looked  forward  with  cheerful  anticipation  to  a higher 
position  which  it  might  hold  in  the  State,  and  saw 
the  advantages  which  would  result  from  a permanent 
institution  of  learning,  and,  at  length,  united  in  the 
establishment  of  an  academy.  The  petition  was  pre- 
sented to  the  Legislature  for  an  act  of  incorporation 
at  the  winter  session,  in  January,  1795,  and  the  act 
of  incorporation  was  granted  December  22,  1795. 

The  board  of  trustees,  by  authority  of  the  Legisla- 
ture, had  the  charge  of  the  institution.  The  academy 
was  erected  on  the  ridge  of  Garland’s  Hill,  and  was 
two  stories  high.  Soon  after  its  erection  the  Fourth 
New  Hampshire  turnpike  was  built,  which  prac- 
cally  left  the  academy  on  an  old  road  and  away  from 
the  business  portion  of  the  town.  It  was  proposed  to 
move  the  building  to  South  Road  village  and  open  it 
under  new  management,  and  for  that  purpose  contri- 
butions were  solicited,  the  removal  taking  place 
April  29,  1805. 

In  January,  1806,  the  district  school  began  on  the 
lower  floor,  the  upper  room  being  reserved  for  academ- 
ical purposes.  Extensive  repairs  have  been  made 
as  needed,  and  in  1883  a projection  was  added  to  the 
south  end  of  the  upper  story,  new  floor  laid,  the  stair- 
way made  more  convenient  and  the  room  fitted  up 
into  a fine  hall.  The  academy  has  had  three  char- 
ters. For  a long  period  it  gained  and  sustained  a rep- 
utation for  good  scholarship  and  excellence  in  all  its 
departments.  Its  standing  was  not  inferior  to  the 
best  institutions  of  its  kind  in  the  State.  Follow- 
ing are  the  list  of  teachers,  so  far  as  known : 

Thomas  Chase  was  the  first  instructor  when  it  was 
located  on  Garland  Hill.  He  was  succeeded  bv  James 
Tappan,  Rev.  Samuel  Worcester,  Rev.  Noah  Worces- 
ter, D.D.,  Ichabod  Bartlett,  1804;  Hon.  Richard 
Fletcher,  1809;  Samuel  I.  Wells,  Esq.,  1813-16;  Na- 
thaniel H.  Carter,  A.M.,  1811 ; Lamson  Carter,  1815 ; 
Stephen  Bean,  Rev.  Benjamin  Huntoon,  1817-19 ; 
Rev.  Daniel  Fitts,  D.D.,  1819-22;  Zachariah  Batch- 
elder,  1822;  W.  Bailey,  1813;  Henry  Greenleaf,  1822; 
Caleb  Stetson,  1825-26 ; Henry  Fitts,  William  Clag- 
gett,  1826-27 ; Alfred  Kittredge,  1828;  Caleb  B.  Kitt- 
redge,  1829-32;  Rev.  B.  F.  Foster,  1838-39;  Charles 
T.  Berry,  1840;  Elbridge  G.  Emery,  1842—43  ; David 
Dimond,  1843 ; Caleb  P.  Smith,  William  S.  Spauld- 
ing, A.M.,  1814  15;  S.  C.  Noyes,  J.  H.  Upton, 


610 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Clark,  Hun.  William  M.  Pingree,  Rev.  E.  S.  Little, 
Dr.  J.  Q.  A.  French,  Dr.  Crockett,  D.  B.  Penticost, 
Rev.  E.  D.  Eldredge,  John  A.  Kilburn,  1851 ; John 
W.  Simonds,  John  R.  Eastman. 

Social  Library. — Early  in  the  year  1794  several  of 
the  citizens  of  Salisbury  agreed  to  organize  a volun- 
tary association  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  and 
maintaining  a library.  The  first  regular  meeting 
was  held  March  27th.  Colonel  Ebenezer  Webster 
was  chosen  chairman  and  Andrew  Bowers  clerk.  An 
act  of  incorporation  was  granted  in  1798.  Rules  and 
regulations  were  adopted  in  March,  1799.  In  1859  there 
were  four  hundred  and  ninety-six  volumes  in  the 
library.  It  was  this  library  that  Daniel  Webster 
referred  to  when  he  said  that  his  early  reading  was 
gathered  from  a small  circulating  library. 

Literary  Adelphi. — This  society  was  organized 
June  25,  1813,  when  the  academy  was  at  the  height 
of  its  prosperity.  It  was  composed  largely  of  mem- 
bers of  the  academy,  who  generally  conducted  its  lit- 
erary exercises.  The  last  meeting  of  the  society  was 
held  in  June,  1819. 


CHAPTER  III. 

S A LfSBURY — ( Continued). 

INDIAN  HISTORY. 

As  there  has  been  so  much  written  about  the  killing 
of  Sabatis  and  Plausawa,  by  the  Bowens,  and  the 
trouble  which  arose  from  it,  we  will  not  burden  this 
volume  with  a repetition  of  it,  but  refer  the  inter- 
ested reader  to  the  New  Hampshire  State  Papers,  or 
Dearborn’s  “ History  of  Salisbury,”  pp.  225-239,  in- 
clusive. 

For  several  years  previous  to  1754  Indian  depre- 
dations had  been  committed  in  the  vicinity.  On  the 
11th  of  May,  1754,  the  Indians  made  their  attack 
on  Nathaniel  Maloon  and  family,  who  had  some 
time  previously  removed  to  Stevenstown  (Salisbury). 
Maloon  was  captured  in  Coutoocook  (Boscawen).  He 
was  taken  to  his  home,  where  they  took,  as  prisoners, 
his  wife,  his  children  (Mary  and  Rachel,  John  and 
David ; also  Sarah,  then  an  infant  of  thirteen 
months).  The  eldest  son,  Nathaniel  P.,  was  at  work 
in  a field  a short  distance  from  the  house,  planting 
corn.  The  father  was  ordered  to  call  him,  which  he 
did  ; but  the  son  saw  the  Indians,  and,  understanding 
by  the  signification  of  his  father’s  voice  that  he 
wished  him  to  escape,  he  dropped  his  hoe,  fled  to  the 
woods,  swam  the  Blackwater  and  reached  the  fort  at 
Contoocook. 

The  Indians  plundered  the  house  and  then  returned 
to  St.  Francis,  Canada,  with  their  captives.  After 
suffering  great  indignities  they  were  shipped  in  a 
French  vessel  for  France.  The  ship  was  captured  by 
a British  man-of-war.  Maloon  and  his  family  were 


landed  at  Portland,  and  from  that  place  they  returned 
to  their  former  home,  having  been  gone  nearly  four 
years. 

Rachel  was  not  redeemed  until  1763,  and  David  not 
until  1761. 

On  the  16th  of  August,  1754,  an  attack  was  made 
on  Philip  Call’s  house,  which  stood  near  the  Salis- 
bury fort.  Mr.  Call,  his  son  Stephen  and  Timothy 
Cook  were  at  work  on  the  farm.  The  savages  sud- 
denly appeared  at  the  door  of  the  dwelling-house, 
and  as  Mrs.  Philip  Call  opened  it  she  was  struck 
down,  killed  and  scalped.  Stephen  Call’s  wife,  being 
within,  concealed  herself  and  infant,  John,  behind 
the  chimney  and  was  not  discovered.  Both  Philip 
and  Stephen  escaped.  Timothy  Cook  was  pursued, 
and,  in  crossing  the  Merrimack  River,  was  fired  upon 
and  killed. 

Samuel  Scribner  and  Robert  Barber  had  located  with- 
in half  a mile  of  our  northern  boundary  line,  near  Em- 
erystown  (Andover),  and  were  then  our  most  northern 
settlers.  They  had  got  out  the  timber  to  build  a house, 
and  at  the  time  of  their  capture  were  mowing  in  the 
meadow  now  owned  by  Elbridge  Shaw.  Scribner’s 
back  was  to  the  Indians.  Barber  saw  them  coming 
and  shouted  out  to  Scribner,  “Run,  Scribner;  run, 
for  God’s  sake ! Run  ! the  Indians  are  upon  us  ! ” But 
he  did  not  hear  him,  and  he  was  grasped  from  behind 
by  an  Indian.  Barber  ran,  but  went  directly  into  an 
ambush  of  the  savages.  An  Indian,  holding  up  a 
scalp  before  Barber,  asked  him,  in  broken  English,  if 
he  knew  it.  He  said,  “ Yes  ; Mrs.  Call’s.”  The  In- 
dians took  them  along  as  prisoners,  and,  after  a jour- 
ney of  thirteen  days,  reached  St.  Francis,  Canada. 
Scribner  was  sold  to  a Frenchman  at  Chamblee. 
Barber  was  sold  to  a Frenchman  about  a mile  from  St. 
Francis,  and  on  the  26th  of  September,  1775,  made 
his  escape.  After  Scribner’s  return  he  built  the 
large  two-story  house  at  North  road. 

Early  in  the  winter  of  1755,  Governor  Wentworth 
ordered  Colonel  Joseph  Blanchard,  of  Dunstable,  to 
raise  a regiment  of  six  hundred  men,  and  to  rendez- 
vous at  the  Salisbury  fort.  It  is  impossible  to  state 
when  this  fort  was  built,  but  it  was  between  1746  and 
1750.  It  was  located  about  forty  rods  southerly  of 
the  cemetery  on  the  Webster  intervale,  and  sur- 
rounded by  eight  acres  of  cleared  land  which  was 
early  cultivated.  It  is  quite  evident  that  the  regiment 
arrived  in  April,  1755,  and  Blanchard  spent  about  six 
weeks  in  preparing  boats  for  transporting  his  troops 
up  the  river.  Before  they  left,  the  State  author- 
ities ordered  the  enlistment  of  three  hundred  men  to 
take  their  place.  They  were  mustered  into  service 
about  the  20th  of  September,  1755,  and  were  dis- 
charged at  the  end  of  three  months. 

In  these  regiments  we  find  many  of  our  early  pio- 
neers who  settled  in  the  town,  viz. : Benjamin  San- 
born, Benjamin  Baker,  Samuel  Judkins,  John  Bean, 
Robert  Smith,  Tristram  Sanborn,  Andrew  Bohonon, 
Henry  Ad.  Elkins,  John  Webster,  Thomas  Welch, 


SALISBURY. 


611 


I 4 — 

Jacob  Hancock,  Nekemiah  Heath,  Ebenezer  John- 
son, Tristram  Quimby,  Samuel  Lovering,  Iddo  Web- 
ster, Benjamin  Huntoon,  B.  Clifford,  Edward  East- 
man, John  Wadleigh,  Jeremiah  Quimby  and  John 
Fellows. 

In  1756,  Colonel  Meserve  raised  a regiment  for  the 
Crown  Point  expedition,  among  his  men  being  found 
j the  following,  who  located  in  the  town:  Jonathan 
Fifield,  John  Ash,  Samuel  Scribner,  J.  Blaisdell  and 
Daniel  Stevens. 

In  Meserve’s  regiment,  raised  in  1757,  we  find  the 
following  soldiers,  who  afterwards  became  residents  in 
Salisbury:  J.  Merrow,  Joseph  Webster,  Benjamin 
Pettengill,  John  Sanborn  and  Stephen  Webster. 

In  1757,  Major  Thomas  Tash  enlisted  a battalion  of 
two  and  three  months’  men.  We  append  the  follow- 
ing names  found  in  this  battalion  : John  Cross, 
Samuel  Scribner,  Robert  Barber  and  Matthew  Pet- 
tengill. 

In  1758,  Colonel  John  Hart  raised  a regiment  of  six 
hundred  men  for  the  Crown  Point  expedition.  Upon 
the  roll  appears  the  names  of  the  following,  who  set- 
tled in  Salisbury : Moses  Garland,  Moses  Sanborn, 
Benjamin  Shaw,  Samuel  Scribner,  James  Johnston, 
William  Hoyt  and  Nathaniel  Nelson. 

In  Captain  Truewortliy  Ladd’s  company  we  find 
the  names  of  Joseph  Bean,  Ebenezer  Webster,  Philip 
Flanders,  Onesiphorus  Page,  Iddo  Webster,  John 
Wadleigh  and  Moses  Tucker. 

In  Colonel  John  Goff’s  regiment  we  find  Ebenezer 
Webster,  orderly  sergeant;  Tristram  Quimby  and 
Stephen  Webster,  corporals;  privates,  Rowell  Colby, 
Robert  Smith,  Benjamin  Webster,  Elisha  Quimby, 
Richard  Tucker,  D.  Rowe,  Moses  Tucker,  Benjamin 
Collins  and  Jonathan  Roberts,  all  settled  in  Salisbury. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

SALISBURY — ( Continued). 

« 

MILITARY  HISTORY. 

The  Revolution. — The  people  of  Salisbury  caught 
the  first  echo  of  the  shot  at  Lexington,  and,  although 
not  in  season  to  participate,  they  were  at  Bunker 
Hill.  They  went,  too,  uninvited  to  that  banquet  of 
death  and  fame  which  was  celebrated  on  the  17th  of 
June,  1775. 

When  hostilities  commenced  at  Lexington  there 
were  but  five  hundred  inhabitants  in  Salisbury. 
There  was  one  company  of  militia,  consisting  of 
about  seventy-five  men,  organized  and  officered,  be- 
tween the  ages  of  sixteen  and  sixty  years.  This  com- 
pany was  commanded  by  Captain  Ebenezer  Webster, 
who  had  first  received  his  commission  in  1774. 
Robert  Smith  was  his  lieutenant,  Moses  Garland,  for 
a short  time,  and  then  Andrew  Pettengill  was  the 
ensign. 


Upon  the  alarm  of  the  Lexington  conflict,  without 
any  authority  from  the  State,  they  repaired  to  Cam- 
bridge. They  there  met  the  Massachusetts  Com- 
mittee of  Safety,  also  John  Stark,  James  Reed  and 
Paul  Dudley  Sargent.  These  three  men  received 
colonels’  commissions  from  the  State  of  Massachusetts. 
Stark  enlisted  eight  hundred  men,  or  fourteen  com- 
panies, while  Reed  and  Sargent  had  enlisted  four 
companies  each.  The  regiments  were  Nos.  1,  2 and 
3.  Colonel  Stark  had  command  of  the  First,  Enoch 
Poor  of  the  Second  and  James  Reed  of  the  Third. 
The  First  and  Third  Regiments  were  engaged  in  the 
battle  of  Bunker  Hill. 

Salisbury  men  enlisted  into  three  or  more  of  the 
companies  of  Stark’s  regiment.  Among  the  early 
enlistments  are  the  names  of  Peter  Severance,  Jona- 
than Cram  and  Jacob  Morrill;  in  Captain  Henry 
Dearborn’s  company,  Abraham  Fifield,  John  Bean, 
Joseph  Lovering,  Samuel  Lovering,  Moses  Welch,  E. 
Raino,  Daniel  Stevens,  Edward  Evans,  Moses  Gar- 
land, Moses  Fellows,  John  Bowen,  John  Jemson,  Ben- 
jamin Howard,  Reuben  Greeley  and  Samuel  Scribner. 
Two  of  these  men,  John  Bowen  and  Moses  Fellows, 
joined  Captain  Dearborn’s  company,  and,  in  the 
autumn  of  1775,  made  a part  of  Arnold’s  regiment, 
that  marched  through  the  wilderness  of  Maine  to 
Quebec.  Twelve  of  the  above  number  enlisted  for 
the  term  of  six  months  and  encountered  the  perils 
of  the  siege. 

Of  the  Salisbury  men  who  participated  in  the  aid 
to  Connecticut,  we  have  been  unable  to  obtain  their 
names.  Certainly  there  was  quite  a number. 

Our  next  enlistment  for  1776  was  for  the  relief  of 
the  northern  army.  In  Captain  Osgood’s  company 
we  find  the  name  of  Captain  John  Webster,  of  Salis- 
bury, as  his  lieutenant,  and  Edward  Sawyer,  as 
private. 

Upon  the  evacuation  of  Boston  by  the  British,  part 
of  their  army  soon  after  invaded  New  York.  Another 
portion,  commanded  by  Burgoyne,  invaded  Canada,  by 
way  of  Quebec.  The  New  Hampshire  regiments 
which  had  been  at  the  siege  were  ordered  to  New 
York,  and  thirteen  Salisbury  men  were  in  Colonel 
Stark’s  regiment,  viz. : 

John  Bosford,  James  Bosford,  John  Bayley,  Wells  Burbank,  Rowell 
Colby,  Reuben  Hoyt,  Jr.,  Jonathan  Huntoon,  Philip  Huntoon,  Samuel 
I.overin,  Joseph  Loverin,  Ebenezer  Scribner,  Simon  Sanborn  and  Israel 
Webster. 

Another  regiment  was  raised  for  six  months,  to 
reinforce  Washington  at  New  York.  Salisbury  fur- 
nished ten  men  for  James  Shepard’s  company  of 
Canterbury, — 

John  Bean,  ensign  ; BenjaVnin  Huntoon,  orderly  sergeant;  Privates, 
Cutting  Stevens,  Stephen  Call,  James  Johnson,  Samuel  Scribner,  Philip 
Flanders,  Jonathan  Scribner,  Jonathan  Foster,  Robert  Wise. 

After  the  disastrous  battle  of  Long  Island,  Wash- 
ington again  appealed  to  New  Hampshire  for  aid. 
Salisbury  had  furnished  her  full  quota.  Captain  Ebe- 
nezer Webster  was  appealed  to  furnish  men.  Ten 


612 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


men  holding  militia  commissions,  and  some  others, 
volunteered  to  serve  as  privates,  and  were  mustered 
into  service  September  20,  1776.  They  were  Lieu- 
tenant Robert  Smith,  Ensign  Moses  Garland,  Orderly 
Sergeant  Andrew  Pettengill,  Ensign  Andrew  Boho- 
non,  Edward  Eastman,  Joseph  Fifield,  Edward  Fi- 
field,  Joshua  Morse  and  Stephen  Bolionon.  Captain 
Webster  resigned  the  office  of  selectman  to  take  a 
private’s  place  in  this  campaign.  Joseph  Bean  and 
Nathaniel  Huntoon  enlisted  in  Captain  Goff’s  com- 
pany of  the  same  regiment.  Thejr  participated  in 
the  battle  of  White  Plains. 

In  1777  the  town  was  obliged  to  offer  bounties  of 
seventy  dollars  each  to  meet  its  quota.  John  Ash, 
who  had  enlisted  March  8,  1777,  to  serve  during  the 
war,  was  discharged  December  31,  1781,  and  Ananiah 
Bolionon,  Philip  Flanders  and  John  Bowen,  who  had 
enlisted  March  13, 1781,  were  discharged  the  following 
December. 

The  following  men  enlisted  for  three  years  in  Col- 
onel Alexander  Scammell’s  regiment: 

Moses  Fellows,  orderly  sergeant ; Ephraim  Heath,  Reuben  Greeley, 
Reuben  Hoit,  Matthew  Greeley,  Philip  Lufkin,  William  Bayley,  Daniel 
Felch,  Benjamin  Howard,  Joshua  Snow,  as  privates. 

These  fourteen  men  were  our  quota  of  Continental 
soldiers  for  three  years,  and  were  mustered  into 
service  in  March,  1777. 

The  following  is  the  list  of  soldiers  from  Salisbury 
who  were  in  Captain  Ebenezer  Webster’s  company, 
which  fought  in  the  battle  of  Bennington,  on  the  16th 
of  August,  1777 : 

Edward  Evans,  one  of  the  staff  officers  of  Colonel  Stickney's  regiment  ; 
Captain,  Ebenezer  Webster ; Lieutenants,  Robert  Smith,  Andrew  Boho- 
non ; Fourth  Sergeant,  Abraham  Fifield  ; Third  Corporal,  Samuel  Lov- 
ering ; Fourth  Corporal,  Joshua  Morse  ; Drummer,  John  Sanborn ; 
Fifer,  Jonathan  Foster  ; Privates,  Elder  Benjamin  Huntoon,  William 
Searle,  Richard  Piermout,  Iddo  Scribner,  Benjamin  Scribner,  Peter 
Severance,  Rowell  Colby,  John  Fifield,  Joseph  Fifield.  Edward  Fifield, 
Jonathan  Fifield,  Jacob  Bolionon,  William  Calef,  Edmund  Sawyer, 
John  C.  Gale,  Jacob  True,  John  Jemson,  Robert  Barber,  Joseph 
Tucker,  Moses  Elkins,  John  Smith,  William  Newton,  Israel  Webster, 
David  Pettengill,  Abel. Elkins,  James  Johnson,  Jacob  Garland,  George 
Bayley,  Moses  Welch,  Daniel  Brottlebank,  Matthew  Pettengill,  Edward 
Eastman,— rank  and  file  from  Salisbury,  forty-one  men. 

To  this  number  add  Ensign  Andrew  Pettengill,  who 
served  in  the  Concord  and  Boscaweu  company.  We 
also  had  three  other  men  in  Colonel  George  Reed’s 
regiment,  viz. : Samuel  Saunders,  Jacob  Morrill  and 
Joseph  Maloon,  making,  of  the  Continental  and 
militiamen  in  actual  service  in  the  summer  of  1777, 
forty-five  militiamen  and  seventeen  regular  troops,  a 
total  of  sixty-two  men. 

Though  the  Salisbury  men  wTere  largely  exposed, 
and  though  Saunders  was  reported  among  the  missing 
at  Hubbardton,  Pettengill  wounded  at  Stillwater,  yet 
no  death  resulted  except  that  of  Andrew'  Pettengill. 
Early  in  1778  disease  began  to  thin  the  ranks  of  our 
veterans,  and  in  March  and  April  we  lost  four  of  our 
men  in  camp  at  Valley  Forge,  viz. : Ephraim  Heath, 
Reuben  Greeley,  Philip  Lufkin  and  William  Bayley. 

In  August,  1778,  the  expedition  to  Rhode  Island 


was  organized  and  executed  under  the  command  of 
General  Sullivan.  Colonel  Moses  Nichols  raised  a 
regiment  to  serve  about  a month  in  General  Whipple’s 
brigade.  Captain  Ebenezer  Webster  commanded 
the  Third  Company  in  this  regiment.  Elder  Benjamin 
Huntoon  was  his  orderly  sergeant  and  Edward  East- 
man corporal.  The  following  Salisbury  men  were 
privates  in  his  company : 

Lieutenant  Robert  Smith,  Ensign  Andrew  Bolionon,  Joseph  Fifield, 
Samuel  Scribner,  Benjamin  Pettengill,  James  Johnson,  William  Calef, 
Jonathan  Fifield,  Shubael  Fifield,  Joseph  Hoit,  Winthrop  Fifield,  Ensign 
Moses  Garland,  Jeremiah  Bowen,  John  Sanborn,  Moses  Welch,  Ben- 
jamin Eastman  and  Phineas  Bean.  Also  in  Colonel  Center’s  regiment, 
Joseph  Bean,  Joseph  Webster  and  Daniel  Gilman, — total,  twenty-two 
rank  and  file. 

In  July,  1779,  Stephen  Bolionon  and  James  Johnson 
enlisted  for  six  months  to  serve  in  the  Rhode  Island 
campaign.  In  June,  1780,  George  Hackett,  David 
Greeley,  Jonathan  Fifield  and  Joseph  Webster  were 
mustered  into  the  Continental  army  to  serve  during 
the  war.  Duriug  the  year  1779,  John  Bean,  of  Salis- 
bury, uras  wounded  at  Newton,  N.  Y.,  and  afterwards 
received  half-pay. 

In  1780,  Captain  Ebenezer  Webster  commanded 
the  Fourth  Company  in  Colonel  Moses  Nichols’  regi- 
ment, raised  for  the  defense  of  West  Point,  and  was 
stationed  there  for  eight  months.  From  Salisbury 
we  recognize  Captain  Webster’s  old  companions, 
Robert  Wise,  Stephen  Bolionon,  Jethro  Barber,  Joseph 
Hoit,  Benjamin  Eastman,  S.  Fifield,  Winthrop  Fi- 
field, Benjamin  Ingalls  and  Joseph  Welch. 

In  1780  the  term  of  service  of  the  three  years’  men 
expired,  and  it  became  necessary  to  re-enlist  some 
fifteen  men,  to  take  the  places  of  those  discharged. 
Iu  addition  to  the  four  men  who  took  the  places  of 
those  who  died  at  Valley  Forge,  the  following  men 
were  secured.  They  enlisted  for  three  years  from  the 
spring  of  1780 : 

Joshua  Snow,  John  Smith,  Moses  Fellows,  John  Fellows,  Jr.,  John 
Ash,  George  Nichols,  Josiah  Mason,  Benjamin  Howard,  William  Lufkin, 
Ananiah  Bohonon,  Josiah  Smith  and  Thomas  Cross. 

For  Colonel  George  Reed’s  regiment  the  following 
men  were  obtained:  Samuel  Saunders,  Edward  Scrib- 
ner, Jethro  Barber,  Joseph  Maloon  and  S.  Fifield. 

The  following  men  were  enlisted  from  Salisbury  to 
reinforce  the  army  in  New  York,  and  served  in  various 
companies  in  Colonel  D.  Reynolds’  regiment: 

Moses  Webster,  Peter  Whittemore,  J.  Judkins,  Peter  Severance,  Ed- 
ward Eastman,  Thomas  Cliallis,  J.  Fifield,  Benjamin  Sanborn,  Abel 
Morrill,  Jacob  Morrill,  Henry  Elkins,  Samuel  Maloon,  S.  French. 

In  November,  1781,  the  following  soldiers  enlisted 
for  three  months,  and  were  returned  to  Colonel 
Stickney’s  regiment  : 

Moses  Fellows,  Matthew  Greelej',  Benjamin  Sanborn,  Elisha  Shepard, 
Levi  Lufkin.  John  Smith  and  Samuel  Saunders. 

In  1782,  Captain  Ebenezer  Webster  performed  a 
six  months’  service  in  the  north  part  of  this  State. 
Jeremiah  Bowen  was  the  only  private  from  the  town. 

The  War  of  1812. — One  of  our  active  officers  in 
the  army  of  the  United  States  during  the  war,  and  in 


SALISBURY. 


013 


the  campaign  against  the  Western  Indians  antecedent 
to  this  war,  was  Captain  John  Smith.  His  brother, 
Jabez  Smith,  had  the  rank  of  major  in  the  First 
Regiment  of  the  United  States  Volunteers. 

In  1814  our  seaport,  Portsmouth,  was  threatened 
by  the  British  navy,  and  our  militia  were  called  upon 
more  than  once  to  defend  this  port. 

Those  who  mustered  from  Salisbury  for  three 
months  from  the  11th  day  of  September,  1814,  were 
the  following,  viz. : 

Captain  Jonathan  Bean  and  his  son,  Phineas  Bean,  as  waiter ; Pri- 
vates, Benjamin  Fifield,  Moses  Fifield,  Enoch  Fitield,  Samuel  Fifield, 
Jonathan  P.  Sanborn,  Nehemiah  Lowell,  Matthew  T.  Hunt,  William 
Johnson,  John  Johnson,  Nathaniel  Stevens,  John  Webster,  Jesse  Ward- 
well,  Moses  Osgood,  Jr.,  enlisted  in  the  United  States  service. 

Of  the  sixty  days’  men  who  enlisted  October  2, 
1814,  in  the  company  commanded  by  Captain  Silas 
Call,  of  Boscawen,  we  find  the  following  Salisbury 

men : 

Lieutenant,  Samuel  Quimby ; Orderly  Sergeant,  Timothy  Hoit ; Cor- 
poral, Thomas  Chase ; Musician,  A.  B.  Bohonon ; Privates,  Nathan 
Tucker,  Jabez  True,  Theodore  George,  Samuel  Webster,  Jonathan  3101- 
rill,  Isaac  Proctor,  Joseph  Fifield  and  Joseph  Adams. 

In  Colonel  Davis’  regiment,  in  the  company  com- 
manded by  Captain  Thomas  Currier,  we  recognize 
the  following  soldiers,  who  served  one  year,  as 
belonging  to  Salisbury : 

Daniel  Woodard,  Sergeant  Jeremiah  Bean,  Samuel  Fifield,  William 
Frazier,  Amos  George  and  Jeremiah  Gove.  In  Captain  Mason’s  com 
pany,  Joel  Judkins,  Jonathan  Johnson,  John  Sanborn,  J.  Quimby,  Ed- 
ward West,  Ebenezer  Webster  Bohonon,  Ithamar  Watson  (was  a captain 
of  Miuute-3Ien). 

The  following  soldiers  are  credited  to  Salisbury : 

James  Currier,  Joseph  Stevens,  Moses  3Iorse,  Abel  Wardwell,  Samuel 
Kezir,  Matthew  Sanborn,  Paul  Greeley  and  Richard  Greeley. 

War  of  the  Rebellion. — On  the  27th  day  of  De- 
cember, 1860,  the  Confederates  seized  Forts  Moultrie 
and  Pickens.  On  the  9th  day  of  January,  1861,  they 
fired  their  first  shot,  from  Fort  Moultrie  and  Morris 
Island,  into  a government  vessel  carrying  troops  and 
supplies  to  Major  Anderson,  who  had  transferred  his 
entire  force  to  Fort  Sumter.  In  accordance  with 
the  requirements  of  law,  the  selectmen  for  1861 
transmitted  to  the  Secretary  of  State  a list  of  the 
names  of  men  liable  to  do  military  duty,  numbering 
one  hundred  and  two.  Accepting  this  basis,  Salis- 
bury furnished  not  only  the  required  number,  but  a 
small  surplus.  Salisbury  furnished  no  soldiers  until 
the  Tenth  Regiment  was  raised  under  the  call  of 
1862.  Michael  T.  Donalioe,  of  Manchester,  was  ap- 
pointed colonel.  Company  E was  raised  at  An- 
dover, and  was  commanded  by  Captain  Aldrich  B. 
Cook,  who  was  succeeded  by  Captain  Thomas  C. 
Trumbull,  who,  in  turn,  was  succeeded  by  Captain 
James  A.  Sanborn.  The  following  men  enlisted  from 
Salisbury : 

Sergeant,  John  C.  Carter ; Privates,  William  C.  Heath,  Calvin  Hoyt, 
Anson  W.  Glines,  Willis  W.  Kenniston,  Alfred  Sanborn,  Harry  Scott, 
William  Whittemore,  Nathaniel  Hodge,  Henry  M.  French,  George  At- 
wood, George  W.  Chase. 

39 


In  the  Sixteenth  Regiment,  Company  E,  enlisted 
the  following  men  from  Salisbury: 

Sergeant,  Benjamin  Gale  ; Corporals,  Alonzo  D.  Davenport,  Georg© 
F.  Smith  ; Privates,  Evan  M.  Heath,  Harrison  Y.  Heath,  3Ioses  Colby, 
William  R.  Dimond,  Ferdinand  31.  Daysburg,  Benjamin  L.  Frazier, 
Charles  E.  Heath,  Albert  A.  S.  French,  Henry  C.  George,  Charles  Colby, 

' Meshech  W.  Blaisdell.  • 

3IISCELLANEOUS. 

Corporal  3Iadison  B.  Davis,  enlisted  in  Troop  I,  First  New  England 
Cavalry. 

Bugler  Cyrus  C.  Huntoon,  enlisted  in  Troop  I,  First  New  England 
Cavalry. 

William  Bayley  and  Andrew  J.  Colby,  enlisted  in  Company  H,  Eighth 
Regiment. 

John  3Ieller,  enlisted  in  Company  F,  Second  Regiment. 

Lieutenant  Joseph  C.  Clifford,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  First  Regiment. 
Jonathan  J.  Bayley,  enlisted  in  Company  K,  Fourth  Regiment. 

M.  H.  Whitmore,  enlisted  in  Company  G,  Fifth  Regiment. 

Clinton  A.  Shaw,  enlisted  in  Company  G,  Twelfth  Regiment. 

John  G.  3Iaxfield,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Seventh  Regiment. 

Henry  Sanborn,  enlisted  in  Company  F,  Second  Regiment  United  States 
Sharpshooters  ; re-enlisted  September  12, 1862,  in  Company  E,  Tenth 
Regiment. 

Frank  Stevens,  enlisted  in  Eighteenth  Regiment  New  Hampshire  In- 
fantry. 

The  following  residents  of  the  town  were  also  in 
service,  but  we  have  little  knowledge  concerning 
their  record  beyond  the  fact  of  enlistment : 

Frank  D.  Kimball,  Company  E,  Fourth  Regiment ; John  Woodard, 
Ebenezer  Farnum,  James  Farnum,  Charles  Bruce,  Caleb  B.  Smith, 
Henry  3Ioores,  Benjamin  S.  Heath,  Joseph  Ladd,  Read  Huntoon,  James 
I W.  Gardner,  Daniel  W.  Shaw,  C.  0.  Wheeler,  George  H.  Whitman,  W. 

I C.  Whitman. 

The  following  soldiers  were  either  natives  or  resi- 
I dents  of  the  town  of  Salisbury  at  the  time  of  their 
j enlistment,  but  enlisted  out  of  the  town  or  State: 

Amos  S.  Bean,  credited  to  and  enlisted  from  3Ianchester,  in  Company  A, 
Heavy  Artillery. 

! George  E.  Bean,  credited  to  and  enlisted  from  3Iancliester,  Companj'  A, 
Tenth  Regiment. 

Albert  Kilburn,  enlisted  in  Boston  in  the  Fifth  3Iassachusetts  Regiment 
of  three  months’  men  ; re-enlisted  at  3Iinneapolis,  Minn.;  afterwards 
in  the  employ  of  the  government  as  a carpenter ; died  at  Vicksburg, 
Miss. 

Abraham  S.  Sanborn,  credited  to  3Ianchester,  Company  G,  Fourth  Reg- 
iment. 

Samuel  Sleeper,  credited  to  Canaan,  Company  D,  Fourth  Regiment. 
Rufus  Emerson,  enlisted  in  Company  C,  Second  Vermont  Regiment. 
Elbridge  G.  Emerson,  enlisted  in  Company  C,  Second  Vermont  Regiment. 
Nathan  S.  Corser,  enlisted  in  Twenty-second  Massachusetts  Infantry. 
Charles  W.  Corser,  enlisted  in  Sixth  3Iassacliusetts  Infantry. 

George  (or  Henry)  Elkins,  enlisted  in  Second  Regiment. 

Silas  Holmes,  enlisted  in  Sixth  3Iassachusetts. 

John  Shaw. 

David  F.  Bacon,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Second  Vermont. 

Charles  H.  Bacon. 

Daniel  R.  Calef. 

John  Alfred  Calef. 

Substitutes. — The  following  substitutes  performed 
their  engagements  with  the  town  of  Salisbury  ; they 
honored  themselves  and  the  cause  they  supported  : 

Thomas  Fleming,  Company  G,  Fourth  Regiment ; Hamilton  Carr, 
Company  C,  Fourth  Regiment;  Octave  Vezina,  Company  B,  Ninth 
Regiment ; John  Robinson,  Company  B,  Ninth  Regiment ; James 
Dolan,  Company  A,  Ninth  Regiment ; Robert  Brown,  Company  A, 
Ninth  Regiment ; James  McDonald,  Company  E (or  D),  Seventh  Regi- 
ment; Daniel  P.  Morrison,  Company  D,  Seventh  Regiment;  James 
Carroll,  Joseph  Storms,  Henry  Miller,  Jerry  Potter,  Charles  Sutton, 
Peter  Carroll,  William  Loverin,  James  Meamix,  John  Murphy,  Warren 
Dinslow,  Nathan  Lackey,  Michael  Conners,  James  Moran,  George  Perry, 
James  Durgin,  Corporal  Nelson  Davis,  M iUiam  B.  Winsbip,  J.  F. 
Coburn,  William  Williams,  Robert  Allen,  II.  C.  Rock,  Henry  McCarty. 


614 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Twenty-two  additional  substitutes  were  enlisted  in 
1863  and  1864,  but  are  recorded  as  deserters.  Having 
degraded  themselves  as  soldiers,  we  shall  not  allow 
them  to  disgrace  the  town  that  employed  them,  by 
publishing  their  names. 

In  1680  a militia  company  was  organized  in  this 
State,  consisting  of  one  company  of  foot  in  each  of  the 
four  towns  of  Portsmouth,  Dover,  Exeter  and  Hamp- 
ton, one  company  of  artillery  at  the  fort  and  one  “ troop 
of  horse.” 

After  the  Declaration  of  Independence  a new 
militia  system  became  necessary,  and  we  will  only 
follow  its  history  so  far  as  it  relates  to  Salisbury, 
which  was  one  of  the  towns  that  helped  form  the  Twen- 
ty-first Regiment,  the  regimental  officers  being  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Philip  Greeley,  commander ; Major 
Joseph  Gerrish,  First  Battalion;  Major  Timothy  Dar- 
ling, Second  Battalion.  The  following  list  comprises 
colonels  of  the  Twenty-first  Regiment,  so  far  as 
known,  who  resided  in  Salisbury : 

17X7,  Ebenezer  Webster ; 1802,  John  C.  Gale  ; 1813,  Benjamin  Swett ; 
1819-20,  Jonathan  Bean;  1821-23,  John  Greeley;  1824,  Cyrus  Chase; 
1848,  John  C.  Smith  ; 1851-53,  Gustav  us  V.  Webster. 

Roads,  Turnpikes,  Bridges  and  Ferries.— The 

earliest  highway  in  the  town  was  one  along  the 
west  bank  of  the  Merrimack  River,  which  was  in- 
tended to  open  communication  with  the  Coos  country. 
The  three  rangeways  of  the  town  extended,  in  an  east- 
erly and  westerly  direction,  nearly  the  entire  length 
of  the  town. 

The  South  Rangeway  extended  from  Shaw’s  Corner, 
through  the  location  of  South  Road  village,  and  con- 
tinued westerly  over  Kearsarge  into  Warner.  It  was 
surveyed  in  1763  by  William  Calef. 

The  Centre  road,  occupying  the  rangeway  limits 
very  fully,  was  surveyed  by  Mr.  Calef  in  1768.  It 
commenced  by  the  Webster  Cemetery,  at  the  river, 
extended  over  Searle’s  Hill,  crossed  the  turnpike  road 
a little  southeast  of  Centre  Road  village  and  extended 
to  the  western  boundary. 

The  road  corresponding,  in  part,  with  the  North 
Rangeway  was  surveyed  in  1763  by  Mr.  Calef.  Only 
a few  sections  of  it  were  ever  built.  As  early  as 
1 774  a road  commenced  at  the  eastern  bound  of  Dr. 
Joseph  Bartlett’s  home-lot,  east  of  South  Road  vil- 
lage, and  continued  northward  to  the  Centre  road, 
just  west  of  the  old  meeting-house  on  Searle’s  Hill. 

North  road  was  constructed  in  1770,  between 
Shaw’s  Corner  and  Benjamin  Huntoon’s.  It  was 
soon  after  extended  to  Andover  line. 

Bog  road  was  built  as  a substitute  for  the  Dr. 
Bartlett  road  already  referred  to.  Raccoon  Hill 
road  extends  the  whole  length  of  Raccoon  Hill,  and 
was  built  iu  1781.  Mill’s  road  extends  westerly  from 
the  Centre  Road  village,  continuing  to  Prince’s  Mill, 
where  it  then  turns  slightly  and  terminates  at  the 
foot  of  the  hill  west  of  Frank  Whittemore’s.  A 
branch  of  this  road  turns  south  at  Prince’s  Mill,  con- 


tinues south  j>ast  the  Union  Meeting-House  and  leads 
into  Webster.  Another  branch  of  this  road  passes 
the  Glines  place  and  comes  out  at  the  South  Range 
road  east  of  Blackwater  River  bridge. 

A road  begins  west  of  Alpheus  B.  Huntoon’s,  and 
continues  over  Beach  Hill  into  Andover.  Bay’s  road 
extends  from  Shaw’s  mill,  in  West  Salisbury,  around 
the  eastern  shore  of  “ the  Bays  ” and  intersects  the  Col- 
lege road.  A cross-range  road  extends  from  D.  C. 
Stevens’  to  Centre  Range  road  at  Harrison  V.  Heath’s. 
New  road  to  Franklin  begins  on  the  Bog  road,  one 
half-mile  north  of  Thompson’s  school-house,  turn- 
ing eastward  to  the  North  road,  which  it  intersects 
south  of  the  “ Birth-place.”  It  was  laid  out  in  1869. 
Cross-Range  road,  the  northern  terminus  of  which  is 
at  Centre  Road  village,  continues  southerly  and  in- 
tersects Brattle  Street,  its  northern  extension  leads 
to  Raccoon  hill.  Mutton  road  extends  south  from 
South  Road  village  to  Corser  Hill,  in  Webster.  It  was 
built  in  1819.  Water  Street  commences  near  the 
Academy  and  continues  southerly  to  Boscawen.  The 
new  road  to  North  Boscawen,  where  it  connects  with 
the  River  road,  was  built  in  1849.  The  new  road 
from  Shaw’s  Corner  to  Franklin  was  built  in  1823-24.  ; 
The  petition  for  the  College  road  was  presented  to  the  j 
General  Court  in  1784,  and  an  act  was  passed  author- 
izing a committee  to  lay  it  out.  It  was  not  built  just 
where  the  court  ordered  it.  The  route  through  Salis-  ] 
bury  was  circular,  and  we  will  not  follow  its  windings,  1 
as  most  of  the  road  has  become  continuous  with  other 
roads. 

The  Fourth  New  Hampshire  turnpike  charter  was 
granted  at  the  fall  session  of  the  General  Court  in 
1800.  It  extended  from  the  northwest  corner  of  the 
bridge  just  north  of  the  mouth  of  the  Contoocook 
River  to  the  Connecticut  River  in  Lebanon,  and  had  a 
branch  to  Hanover.  There  was  a toll-house  in  nearly 
every  town,  the  gate  in  Salisbury  being  kept  by  Dea- 
con Daniel  Parker.  Amos  Pettengill,  of  Salisbury, 
carried  this  corporation,  by  his  personal  influence, 
through  many  a dark  day.  He  invented  a snow-plow 
that  was  often  drawn  through  the  deep  snow  by  thirty 
yoke  of  oxen,  cutting  a path  a rod  wide. 

In  1840  an  order  was  issued  by  the  court  declaring 
the  southern  portion  of  it  free  to  public  travel,  Salis- 
bury paying  the  corporation  six  hundred  dollars  as 
its  share  of  indemnity  to  the  stockholders. 

The  first  important  bridge  in  the  town  was  built 
over  the  Blackwater  River  in  1776,  and  was  probably 
on  the  line  of  the  south  rangeway  where  it  crosses 
the  stream.  The  second  bridge  was  over  the  same 
stream,  but  on  the  centre  rangeway.  It  cost  thirty- 
nine  dollars,  and  was  built  in  1777. 

The  first  bridge  over  the  Pemigewasset  River  was 
built  in  1802,  thereby  affording  the  means  of  commu- 
nicating with  Sanbornton . Previous  to  this  the  stream 
was  crossed  either  by  ferries  or  by  fording  the  stream 
with  teams,  the  crossing  being  just  north  of  the  Re- 
publican bridge. 


SALISBURY 


G15 


An  act  of  incorporation  was  obtained  in  1800  for 
building  a bridge  over  the  Pemigewasset  River,  which, 
in  later  years,  was  called  Republican  bridge.  Eben- 
ezer Webster  was  authorized  to  call  the  first  meeting, 
and  the  bridge  was  built  at  the  above  date  (1802).  The 
bridge  was  carried  away  by  the  great  February  freshet 
of  1824,  and  the  great  winter  freshet  of  1839  again  de- 
molished it.  The  following  summer  the  present 
bridge  was  erected  at  a cost  of  seven  thousand  dollars. 
It  continued  a toll-bridge  until  1845. 

In  1800  there  were  two  ferries  over  the  Merrimack, 
— the  upper  one  known  as  Wise’s,  and  farther  down 
stream  was  Cross’s.  They  furnished  communication 
with  this  town,  Northfield  and  Canterbury. 

It  is  generally  understood  that  the  first  saw-mill  in 
the  town  was  the  Webster,  or  proprietors’  mill, 
located  on  Punch  Brook.  At  a meeting  of  the  propri- 
etors held  March  22,  1759,  a committee  was  chosen 
to  lay  out  one  hundred  acres  of  land  to  Captain  John 
Webster  for  building  a saw-mill.  The  site  was 
located  and  the  mill  completed  by  the  1st  of  October, 
1761.  The  mill  was  erected  on  land  belonging  to 
Ebenezer  Webster. 

One-half  the  use  of  the  mill  was  voted  to  Captain 
John  Webster  for  three  years,  he  to  saw  the  proprie- 
tors’ lumber  at  the  halves,  keep  the  mill  in  good 
repair,  and,  at  the  expiration  of  three  years,  to  leave 
the  mill  in  good  repair.  Ebenezer  Webster  and 
Eliphalet  Gale  were  each  voted  a quarter-share  of  the 
saw-mill  on  the  same  conditions  as  given  Captain 
John  Webster.  November  3,  1764,  it  was  voted  to 
give  Ebenezer  Webster  the  use  of  the  mill  for  three 
years  from  date,  he  to  saw  the  proprietors’  lumber  at 
the  halves.  Mr.  Webster  continued  to  conduct  the 
mill  until  his  removal  to  his  interval  farm,  when 
Stephen  Sawyer,  conducted  it  in  connection  with  the 
grist-mill,  and,  in  addition,  put  in  a clothing-mill. 

In  1764  efforts  were  made  to  build  a grist-mill,  and 
the  year  following  two  hundred  acres  of  land  were 
voted  to  the  projectors  (who  were  Benjamin  Sanborn 
and  Ebenezer  Webster)  to  put  in  a mill.  This  mill 
was  built  in  one  end  of  the  proprietors’  saw-mill, 
and  for  many  years  did  all  the  grinding,  not  only  for 
the  settlers  of  this  lot,  but  the  surrounding  towns, 
people  bringing  their  corn  from  Perrystown  (now 
Sutton)  on  their  backs.  It  is  said  the  mill-stones 
were  drawn  up  from  below  on  an  ox-sled  in  the  win- 
ter of  1765. 

Andrew  Pettengill  was  the  first  blacksmith  in  the 
settlement,  his  shop  standing  just  east  of  Thomas  D. 
Little’s  residence. 

The  first  hotel  in  town  was  erected  at  the  South 
Road  as  early  as  1768,  and  was  owned  by  Lieutenant 
Andrew  Pettengill.  The  first  one  at  the  Centre  Road 
was  built  by  Abel  Elkins,  and  is  now  occupied  as  a 
residence  by  Caleb  E.  Smith. 

The  first  hotel  at  the  East  village  (now  Franklin) 
was  built  by  Ebenezer  Eastman  on  the  site  of  the 
present  “ Webster  house.” 


It  is  traditional  that  Major  Stephen  Bohonon  had 
the  first  store  in  town,  it  being  situated  in  one  of  the 
front  rooms  of  his  dwelling,  which  stood  on  the  site 
now  occupied  by  the  Congregational  parsonage.  He 
sold  out  to  Andrew  Bowers. 

The  first  store  at  East  village  (now  Franklin)  was 
erected  by  Ebenezer  Eastman  previous  to  1803. 

William  Hoyt  had  the  first  store  at  the  Lower  vil- 
lage (now  Orphans’  Home,  Franklin). 

The  above  were  the  first  stores  in  the  several  parts 
of  the  town,  but  the  principal  store,  and  the  one 
which  continues  to  do  the  largest  business,  is  the 
old  Greenleaf  store  at  South  Road,  owned  by  David 
G.  Bean,  and  conducted  by  Andrew  E.  Quimby.  In 
1793  there  were  five  merchants  scattered  throughout 
the  town,  who  paid  the  following  taxes  on  stock  in 
trade : John  C.  Gale,  £300  ; William  Hoit,  £130  ; 
Luke  Wilder,  £250;  Andrew  Bowers,  £180;  Nath- 
aniel Noyes,  £50. 

The  following  list  contains  the  names  and  short 
notices  of  gentlemen  who  have  practiced  their  pro- 
fession in  the  town. 

Lawyers. — Hon.  Thomas  W.  Thompson  com- 
menced practice  in  Salisbury  in  1790,  continuing  till 
1810. 

Parker  Noyes,  Esq.,  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1801, 
and,  with  the  exception  of  two  years,  continued  in 
practice  until  his  death,  in  1852. 

Hon.  Moses  Eastman,  A.M.  (see  biography). 

Thomas  H.  Pettengill,  Esq.,  practiced  at  the  Cen- 
tre village  from  1822  until  his  death. 

Hon.  Richard  Fletcher,  A.M.,  LL.D.,  continued 
in  practice  from  the  time  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
till  1819. 

Samuel  I.  Wells,  Esq.,  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1819, 
began  practice  in  Salisbury,  continuing  until  1836. 

Hon.  Geo.  W.  Nesmith,  LL.D.,  read  law  with 
Parker  Noyes,  Esq.;  admitted  to  the  bar  in  August, 
1825,  continuing  in  town  till  Franklin  was  formed, 
when  he  became  a resident  there. 

Physicians. — Dr.  Joseph  Bartlett,  the  first  physi- 
cian in  Salisbury,  was  born  at  Amesbury,  Mass.,  Janu- 
ary 14,  1751 ; read  medicine  with  his  uncle,  Governor 
Josiah  Bartlett ; removed  to  Salisbury  about  1772, 
continuing  until  his  death,  September  20,  1800. 

Dr.  Joseph  Bartlett,  born  in  Salisbury,  1775,  read 
medicine  with  and  succeeded  his  father  in  practice. 
He  died  1814. 

Dr.  Peter  Bartlett,  brother  to  Dr.  Joseph,  Jr.,  at- 
tended lectures  at  Dartmouth  Medical  School;  re- 
ceived his  degree  in  1829;  began  practice  in  Salisbury 
as  early  as  1818;  continued  until  1836;  removed  to 
Peoria,  111.;  died  1868. 

Dr.  Jonathan  Kittredge,  of  Canterbury,  began 
practice  in  Salisbury  about  1810,  continuing  until 
his  death,  1819. 

Dr.  Job  Wilson,  of  Gilmanton,  located  at  Salis- 
bury previous  to  1814,  remaining  till  1834,  when  he 
removed  to  Franklin. 


616 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Dr.  Thomas  W.  Wilson,  born  in  Salisbury,  1806; 
attended  lectures  at  Dartmouth,  continuing  in  prac- 
tice at  Salisbury  until  bis  death,  in  1861. 

Dr.  Moses  Hill,  of  Warner,  began  practice  in  Salis- 
bury in  1836,  remaining  one  year. 

Dr.  Benjamin  E.  Woodman,  of  Salem,  N.  H.,  re- 
moved to  Salisbury  in  1836,  remaining  one  year. 

Dr.  Jesse  Merrill,  F.M.,  M.S.,  of  Peacbam,  Vt., 
began  practice  in  that  part  of  Salisbury  now  Frank- 
lin about  1819,  remaining  quite  a period. 

Dr.  John  Proctor  was  in  town  and  practicing  bis 
profession  in  1820. 

Dr.  John  Baker,  born  in  Salisbury,  1792;  began 
practice  previous  to  1841,  continuing  until  1851. 

Dr.  Calvin  Bacbelder  was  here  a short  time  about 
1842. 

Dr.  Abraham  H.  Robinson,  born  in  Concord,  grad- 
uated at  Yale  College;  removed  to  Salisbury  early  in 
1839 ; removed  to  Concord  in  1859. 

Dr.  Charles  B.  Willis,  1859-63. 

Dr.  Charles  H.  Towle  came  to  Salisbury  in  1865, 
remaining  until  December,  1868;  removed  to  Deer- 
field, and  there  continues. 

Dr.  Warren  W.  Sleeper,  of  New  Hampton,  1853 
till  1875;  continues  at  Franklin  Falls. 

Dr.  Edward  B.  Buxton,  born  in  Dunbarton, — 1875- 
’78. 

Dr.  George  P.  Titcomb,  of  Boscawen,  removed  to 
Salisbury  in  1868,  where  be  still  continues. 

Dr.  John  J.  Dearborn,  of  Concord,  removed  to 
Salisbury  in  the  spring  of  1878,  continuing  till  De- 
cember, 1884,  when  he  removed  to  Tilton. 

Biographical  Sketches. — The  following  sketches 
are  of  natives  of  the  town,  unless  the  place  of  birth  j 
is  given  different.  (See  also  Physicians.) 

Joseph  Beau,  son  of  the  grantee  Joseph,  born  at 
Kingston;  commissioned  justice  by  the  crown  pre- 
vious to  his  removal  here.  He  was  the  wealthiest  J 
and  most  important  man  in  the  early  settlement,  the 
first  town  treasurer,  and  held  all  the  town  offices  at 
different  periods.  He  died  June  1,  1804;  married  I 
Betsey  Fifield.  She  died  June  25,  1812. 

Nathaniel  Bean,  grandson  of  Joseph,  born  in  Sal- 
isbury, March  5,  1796;  always  remained  in  town, 
taking  a prominent  interest  in  its  affairs.  He  was 
the  oldest  delegate  to  the  Constitutional  Convention 
in  1876,  and  was  a man  of  wealth  and  sociability. 
He  died  January  18,  1877,  leaving  a widow. 

Sinclair  Bean,  a native  of  Brentwood,  removed  to  the 
west  part  of  Salisbury  in  1766,  and,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  Maloons,  was  the  first  settler  at  that  part 
of  the  town.  He  was  the  town’s  first  clerk,  holding 
the  office  four  years,  and  was  an  elder  in  the  church. 
He  died  February  21,  1798;  married,  July  18,  1739, 
Sbuab  Fifield. 

Rev.  James  Morey  Bean,  born  in  Salisbury,  No- 
vember 18, 1833;  great-grandson  of  Sinclair;  attended 
the  New  Hampshire  Conference  Seminary  and  the 
Theological  Seminary  now  located  at  Boston ; began 


preaching  in  1862,  and  since  continued ; married  Mary 
Trussell. 

Rev.  John  Wesley  Bean,  born  in  Salisbury,  June 
17,  1836 ; brother  to  the  former ; attended  the  Meth- 
odist Biblical  Institute;  was  made  elder  in  1875,  con- 
tinuing in  the  ministry.  Both  are  meeting  with  good 
success  in  their  calling;  married  (second)  Sarah  B. 
Saunders,  of  Grafton. 

Rev.  Julius  Ctesar  Blodgett,  born  in  Salisbury, 
March  6,  1806 ; completed  his  education  at  the  Salis- 
bury Academy;  ordained  a minister  of  the  Christian 
denomination  at  Sanbornton,  in  January,  1830.  In 
1845  he  became  editor  of  the  Christian  Herald,  then 
published  at  Exeter.  He  spoke  with  great  force  and 
energy,  and  was  a very  efficient  revivalist.  His  ac- 
tive labors  covered  a period  of  forty-three  years.  He 
died  at  Kensington,  March  26,  1878.  Married,  Sep- 
tember 3,  1837,  Abigail  C.  Shaw,  youngest  daughter 
of  Rev.  Elijah,  Shaw. 

Joseph  Bartlett,  M.D.  (see  Physicians),  born  at 
Amesbury,  Mass.,  January  14,  1751 ; married,  Decem- 
ber 16,  1773,  Hannah  Colcord,  of  Kingston.  He  was 
the  first  of  the  family  that  settled  here  and  his  de- 
scendants have  been  among  the  most  prominent  men 
of  the  State.  He  died  September  20,  1800;  she  died 
August  29,  1839. 

Joseph  Bartlett,  M.D.  (2d),  read  medicine  with  his 
father,  whom  he  succeeded  in  practice,  and  died  No- 
vember 6,  1806,  aged  thirty-one  years. 

Hon.  Ichabod  Bartlett,  A.M.,  son  of  Dr.  Joseph  (1st), 
born  in  Salisbury  January  24,  1786. 

Peter  Bartlett,  M.D.,  son  of  Dr.  Joseph  (1st),  born 
October  18,  1788  (see  Physicians).  A writer  says  : 
“ He  was  a physician  of  large  practice,  a man  of  bright 
and  genial  spirit  and  one  of  the  most  active  members 
of  the  community  and  of  the  religious  society  in  Sal- 
isbury. His  removal  to  the  West  was  with  the  great- 
est regret  of  his  townsmen,  by  whom  he  was  held  in 
the  highest  esteem.”  He  died  at  Peoria,  111.,  1838 ; 
married,  August  1,  1816,  Ann Pettin gill;  she  died  Oc- 
tober 1,  1837. 

Hon.  James  Bartlett,  A.M.,  son  of  Dr.  Joseph  (1st), 
born  August  14,  1792 ; graduated  from  Dartmouth  Col- 
lege in  1812;  began  to  study  law  with  Moses  Eastman 
at  Salisbury  and  completed  with  his  brother  Ichabod 
at  Portsmouth  ; beg  an  practice  at  Durham ; removed 
to  Dover,  where  he  died  in  1837.  He  represented  Dover 
in  the  General  Court  a number  of  years  and  was  State 
Senator.  From  1819  to  1836  he  was  register  of  Probate 
for  Strafford  County.  He  was  regarded  as  a sound 
and  able  lawyer,  characterized  more  by  strength  and 
clearness  than  brilliancy.  Twice  married. 

Daniel  Bartlett,  born  Aug.  25,1795,  established  him- 
self in  trade  at  Grafton,  representing  the  town  in  the 
Legislature  at  the  time  when  these  four  brothers  were 
members,  viz. : Samuel  C.,  from  Salisbury,  James  from 
Durham,  Ichabod  from  Portsmouth  and  Daniel  from 
Grafton.  He  removed  to  Boston,  where  he  died,  un- 
married, August,  1877. 


SALISBURY. 


617 


Samuel  C.  Bartlett,  son  of  Dr.  Joseph  (1st),  born  in 
Salisbury  January  16,  1780.  In  1805  he  opened  a store 
at  Centre  Road  (Salisbury),  which  he  kept  for  a long 
period,  and  by  frugality,  industry  and  enterprise  ac- 
quired a large  property.  Esquire  Bartlett  was  liberal- 
minded,  public-spirited  and  generous,  and  in  his  bus- 
iness and  social  relations  universally  respected.  He 
frequently  represented  the  town  in  her  business  af- 
fairs, and  did  a large  justice  business.  He  retained 
his  bright  mental  faculties  to  the  time  of  his  death, 
March  31,  1867,  aged  eighty-seven  years  ; married, 
July  31,  1810,  Eleanor  Pettengill,  who  died  March  7, 
1861. 

Rev.  Joseph  Bartlett,  A.M.,  son  of  Samuel  C.,  born 
January  5,1816;  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College, 
1835;  taught  at  Phillips  Academy,  Andover,  Mass., 
1837-38;  tutor  at  Dartmouth  College,  1838-41 ; and 
graduated  at  Andover  Theological  Seminary  in  1843, 
and  ordained  at  Buxton,  Me.,  October  7,  1847  ; died 

Samuel  C.  Bartlett,  A.M.,  D.D.  LL.D. 

James  R.  Cushing,  born  in  Salisbury  November  24, 
1800,  completed  his  ministerial  studies  at  the  Bangor 
(Me.)  Theological  Seminary  in  1825;  immediately 
licensed  to  preach  and  labored  as  city  missionary  at 
Boston  ; pastor  at  Boxboro’,  Taunton,  East  Haverhill, 
Mass.,  and  after  fifty  years  spent  in  the  ministry  died 
at  Haverhill,  April,  1880 ; married,  first,  HannahLaw- 
rence,  by  whom  he  had  four  children ; married,  second, 
Charity  M.  Daniels ; she  died  1879. 

Elder  John  Couch,  born  August  4,  1814,  received 
his  schooling  at  the  old  Noyes  School,  under  Benjamin 
Tyler.  In  1842,  Mr.  Couch  felt  himself  called  to 
preach  the  gospel  as  an  Adventist  and  has  since 
labored  with  great  success.  In  1870  he  was  chosen 
senior  editor  of  the  Bible  Banner , published  in  New 
York.  In  1873  he  was  elected  editor  of  the  World’s 
Crisis,  an  eight-page  weekly  paper  published  at  Boston  ; 
married,  first,  1855,  Almeda  Greeley ; she  died  May 
17, 1870;  married,  second,  Maria  G.  Pickering. 

Hiram  Morrill  Couch,  M.D.,  born  February  16, 
1818  ; educated  at  the  Salisbury  Academy  and  War- 
wick (Vt.)  University;  read  medicine  with  Dr.  A.  H. 
Robinson,  at  Salisbury,  and  Dr.  Timothy  Haynes,  at 
Concord;  graduated  at  Dartmouth  Medical  School  in 
1847  ; began  practice  at  Georgetown,  Mass.,  where  he 
died  December  22,  1862 ; married  Mahala  Tilton. 

Hon.  Joel  Eastman,  born  February  22,  1798,  and 
was  the  son  of  Joel  and  Betsey  (Pettengill)  Eastman  ; 
fitted  for  college  at  Salisbury  Academy  and  graduated 
at  Dartmouth,  1824;  read  law  with  Samuel  I.  Wells, 
at  Salisbury,  and  Hon.  William  C.  Thompson,  at 
Plymouth.  After  being  admitted  to  the  bar,  in  1827, 
he  located  at  Conway.  The  same  ability  and  studious 
habits  which  caused  him  to  rank  second  in  his  class 
at  Dartmouth  soon  gave  him  success  as  an  eminent 
lawyer  throughout  the  State.  In  politics  he  was  a 
Whig,  and  was  a clear,  eloquent  and  persuasive  stump- 
speaker.  He  was  elected  to  the  Legislature  in  1836, 


I ’37,  ’38,  ’53,  ’54,  and  ’55.  In  1839  he  was  delegate  to 
the  Harrisburg  National  Convention,  and  on  his  return 
he  took  the  stump  for  the  ticket ; appointed  United 
States  district  attorney  in  1841,  and  was  succeeded 
by  Hon.  Franklin  Pierce,  judge  of  Probate  for  Carroll 
County,  in  1856,  continuing  until  disqualified  by  age, 
in  1868.  In  1861  he  was  a candidate  for  the  Repub- 
lican nomination  to  Congress,  but  on  account  of  a se- 
vere storm  and  the  non-arrival  of  his  friends,  Hon. 
Gilman  Marston  received  the  nomination  and  was 
elected.  In  1863  he  was  nominated  for  Congress,  but 
was  defeated  by  Hon.  Daniel  Marcy,  the  Democratic 
candidate. 

He  was  a man  of  vigorous  mental  and  physical  con- 
stitution, and  at  the  age  of  eighty-five  had  not  retired 
from  practice.  He  died  at  Conway,  March  16,  1885  ; 
married,  December,  1832,  Ruth  G.  Odell,  of  Conway ; 
she  died  April  8,  1880. 

Hon.  Moses  Eastman,  born  August  1,  1770 ; grad- 
uated at  Dartmouth  College  in  1794,  receiving  the  de- 
gree of  A. M.;  read  law  and  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
1797,  opening  an  office  in  his  native  town  ; was  post- 
master some  thirty  years ; was  clerk  of  the  Circuit 
Court,  filling  the  same  position  in  the  Superior  Court 
after  the  formation  of  Merrimack  County  ; in  1847 
removed  to  Waltham,  Mass.;  died  April  19,  1848; 
married,  first,  Sukey  Bartlett ; second,  Eliza  Sweetser. 

Joseph  Bartlett  Eastman,  A.M.,  son  of  Hon.  Moses 
and  Sukey  (Bartlett)  Eastman,  born  February  4, 
1804;  graduated  at  Dartmouth,  1821;  read  law  with 
his  father;  then  studied  medicine  with  his  uncle,  Dr. 
Peter  Bartlett,  and  practiced  medicine  until  1831  at 
Waterford,  Me.;  taught  the  Salisbury  Academy  ; stud- 
ied divinity  at  the  Andover  Theological  Seminary  in 
the  class  of  1837 ; licensed  to  preach  by  the  Addison 
Association  of  Vermont.  He  continued  preaching 
and  died  at  Windsor,  N.  Y.,  December  31,  1861 ; 
married  Mary,  daughter  of  John  Huse,  of  Hill.  His 
sons  became  celebrated  in  their  chosen  professions, 
but  none  of  them  were  born  in  Salisbury. 

Elbridge  G.  Eastman,  son  of  Hon.  Moses,  graduated 
at  West  Point  Military  School.  He  was  a liiglily-re- 
spected  officer  in  the  army,  and  died  at  Fort  Gibson, 
Ark.,  in  1834,  unmarried. 

Adjutant  Edward  Evans,  a native  of  Ireland,  set- 
tled at  Chester,  N.  H.,  about  1760  and  removed  to 
Salisbury  previous  to  1775.  He  was  known  as  “ Mas- 
ter Evans,”  and  was  a most  successful  school-teacher. 
It  is  said  he  and  Carrigan  were  the  best  penmen  in 
the  province.  For  a time  he  served  as  secretary  for 
Generals  Washington  and  Sullivan.  He  was  com- 
missioned adjutant  of  the  Second  Regiment  of  militia. 
He  was  at  Bunker  Hill,  Bennington,  and  served  in 
the  New  Jersey  and  New  York  campaigns.  He  died 
1818;  married  Sarah  Flagg.  She  died  1831,  aged 
seventy-nine. 

James  L.  Foote,  Esq.,  son  of  Thomas  and  Lydia 
(Taber),  born  April  15,  1856;  read  law  with  Hon.  J. 
M.  Shirley,  at  Andover,  and  Hon.  E.  B.  S.  Sanborn, 


618 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


ofFrankliu  Falls;  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1877,  and 
opened  an  office  at  Manchester. 

Jonathan  French,  M.D.,  son  of  Lieutenant  Joseph, 

born  in  Salisbury,  October  5,  1777 ; married  

Shaw  ; practiced  his  profession  at  Hampton  ; removed 
to  Amesbury,  Mass.;  died. 

John  Q.  A.  French,  M.D.,  son  of  Captain  Nathaniel 
and  Phebia  (Wells)  French,  born  in  Salisbury  ; 
practices  his  profession  at  Washington,  N.  H. 

Rev.  Winthrop  Fifield  read  medicine  with  Dr. 
Jesse  Merrill,  of  Salisbury;  attended  medical  lectures 
at  Dartmouth,  and  for  three  years  practiced  at  Pitts- 
field, at  which  place  he  began  theology  under  Rev. 
Jonathan  Curtis,  and  completed  at  Andover  Theolog- 
ical Seminary;  ordained  at  Epsom,  May  10,  1837; 
died  at  South  Newmarket,  May  9,  1802,  aged  fifty- 
six  ; married,  first,  Sophia  Garland ; second,  Sarah  A. 
0.  Piper. 

Ebenezer  O.  Fifield,  son  of  Jonathan  and  Dorcas 
(Pearson)  Fifield,  born  in  Salisbury;  entered  Dart- 
mouth College  with  Ezekiel  Webster;  graduated  in 
1804;  read  medicinewith  Dr.  Nathan  Smith,  of  Han- 
over. When  Daniel  Webster  went  to  Boston,  to  open 
his  law-office,  Mr.  Fifield  went  with  him,  and  completed 
his  studies  under  Dr.  Asa  Ballard.  Began  practice  in 
, Me.  In  the  1812  War  he  entered  the  army  as  sur- 
geon ; captured  by  the  French  and  was  a prisoner  in 
France  for  eight  months.  Shattered  in  health,  he  be- 
came a principal  of  the  Alexandria  (Va.)  Academy ; 
then  in  the  old  State  Bank  at  Boston;  eyesight  fail- 
ing, he  removed  to  Lowell,  where  he  died  October  22, 
1859  ; married  Anna  G.  Gough,  of  Boston.  She  died 
1875. 

John  L.  Fifield,  M.D.,  read  medicine  with  Dr.  El- 
kins at  Andover,  and  is  a successful  practitioner  at 
Victoria,  111.;  married  Laura  Cushman. 

James  Fifield,  M.D.,  practiced  medicine  at  Clare- 
mont ; died  April  30,  1827,  aged  thirty-three  years ; 
married  Lucinda  Talmer,  of  Claremont.  She  died 
August  22, 1881,  aged  seventy-eight  years. 

Jesse  Fifield,  M.D.,  settled  at  Waterloo,  N.  Y.; 
married  Sarah  Burnham. 

Rev.  Amos  Foster,  A.M.,  born  March  30,  1797  ; 
graduated  at  Dartmouth,  1822;  studied  theology  and 
was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  Windsor  Association  in 
February,  1824;  ordained  pastor  of  the  Congregational 
Church  at  Canaan,  which  he  served  eight  years; 
installed  at  Putney,  Vt.,  and  with  a few  changes 
settled  there  as  his  home,  and  died  September  21, 
1884,  aged  eightv-seven  years,  five  months,  twenty- 
two  days  ; married,  June  29,  1825,  Harriet  A.  White. 
His  publications  were  quite  numerous  and  eagerly 
sought  after. 

Rev.  Benjamin  F.  Foster  (see  church  record),  born 
June  16,  1803  ; graduated  at  Amherst  College  in  1829; 
studied  divinity,  was  ordained  in  March,  1832  ; 
died  November  2,  1868 ; married,  first,  April  19, 
1832,  Ruth  H.  Kimball ; second,  Mary  C.  Perry. 

John  M.  Fitz,  M.D.,  born  October  19,  1820 ; read 


medicine  with  Dr.  C.  P.  Gage,  of  Concord ; attended 
medical  lectures  at  Harvard,  and  graduated  from  Dart- 
mouth Medical  College;  eventually  settled  at  Brad- 
ford; died  February  8,  1883;  an  active  member  of  the 
New  Hampshire  Medical  Society  ; a man  of  great  per- 
severance, possessing  a quick  perception,  he  arrived  at 
a diagnosis  seemingly  by  intuition  ; married  Nancy 
Chase,  of  Warner. 

Andrew  L.  Greeley,  born  September  10,  1835 ; ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  1859,  and  is  now  district  attorney 
of  Esmeralda  County,  Nev.  He  was  a member  of 
the  first  Legislature  which  met  in  that  State.  Mar- 
ried Mrs.  Mary  A.  Osborne. 

Luther  J.  Greeley,  a brother  of  the  previous,  born 
February  5,  1840 ; read  law  with  Hon.  John  M_ 
Shirley  at  Andover;  admitted  to  the  bar  in  October^ 
1863,  and  practices  his  profession  at  Bodie,  Col. 

Carlos  S.  Greeley,  one  of  the  self-made  men  of  our 
times,  born  July  11,  1811  (see  Daniel  B.  Gale). 
Messrs.  Greeley  and  Gale  built  up  a large  business, 
which  has  continued  to  increase  until  at  the  present 
time  Mr.  Greeley  is  at  the  head  of  the  firm  which  has 
built  the  largest  grocery-store  and  do  the  largest 
business  in  their  line  of  any  store  in  the  United  States. 
He  has  ever  been  connected  with  public  enterprise; 
his  keen  business  qualities  place  his  name  as  a finan- 
cier in  such  a high  rank  that  it  stands  as  president 
of  numerous  institutions  of  philanthropy,  learn- 
ing, charity  and  financial  enterprise.  He  possesses 
a benevolent  heart,  a sympathetic  nature,  and  with 
his  wealth  renders  his  acts  of  kindness  truly  noble. 
Married,  1841,  Emily  R.  Robbins,  of  Hartford,  Conn.; 
j died  1878;  one  child. 

J Henry  Greenleaf,  A.M.,  born  May  15,  1797,  grad- 
uated at  Dartmouth  1823.  He  read  law,  was  admit- 
ted to  the  bar  and  practiced  for  a period.  Died  No- 
j vember  27,  1832,  unmarried. 

Charles  F.  Greenough,  son  of  Eldridge  F.  and  Eliz- 
abeth R.  (Eastman)  Greenough,  born  July  29,  1849; 
read  law  with  his  father  (D.  C.  1828) ; admitted  to 
the  bar,  and  practices  at  Wauseon,  Ohio. 

Hon.  Jacob  Gale,  born  February  22,  1814;  grad- 
uated at  Dartmouth,  1833,  removing  to  Peoria,  111., 
the  year  following,  where  he  still  resides  ; admitted  to 
the  bar ; in  1844  elected  clerk  of  Circuit  Court,  holding 
the  position  twelve  years;  judge  of  Judicial  Court  in 
1856,  and  through  his  personal  efforts  has  made  the 
present  school  system  of  that  city  what  it  is  ; has  been 
mayor  two  terms  and  filled  many  offices  of  trust,  with 
great  ability ; married  Charlotte,  daughter  of  Dr. 
Peter  Bartlett;  she  died  1871. 

Daniel  B.  Gale,  a brother  of  the  preceding,  born 
March  30,  1816.  Although  not  a professional  man, 
yet  he  should  receive  notice;  fitted  for  college,  but  at 
the  last  moment  decided  to  become  a merchant ; a 
great  student  and  one  who  always  did  what  he 
could  in  the  cause  of  education.  Purchasing  a stock 
of  goods  in  Boston,  he  shipped  them  by  the  way  of 
I New  Orleans,  and,  in  company  with  Carlos  Greeley, 


SALISBURY. 


619 


began  business  in  1838  at  St.  Louis,  which  partner- 
ship continued  thirty-six  years.  During  that  period 
no  partnership  papers  were  ever  made  out  and  they 
never  had  a word  of  disagreement.  Mr.  Greeley  says 
Mr.  Gale  was  a good,  honest,  working  man,  always 
ready  to  do  his  share  of  hard  work — and  there  was  plen- 
ty of  it  for  many  long  years.  For  many  years  Mr.  Gale 
was  a director  in  several  banks  and  a large  stock- 
holder of  the  Kansas  and  Pacific  Railroad.  In  char- 
itable organizations  and  in  the  cause  of  education  he 
gave  liberally.  He  died  September  23,  1874.  Mar- 
ried Charlotte  E.  Pettengill,  of  Salisbury. 

Rev.  Benjamin  Huntoon,  born  November  28,  1792; 
married,  first,  Susannah  Pettengill;  second,  Lydia 
Bowman ; third,  Mrs.  Ann  Payson.  He  died  April 
19,  1864  ; graduated  at  Dartmouth,  1817  ; began  the 
study  of  divinity  at  Andover  Theological  Seminary 
in  1819  ; ordained  over  the  Congregationalist  Church 
at  Canton,  Mass.,  in  1822.  Later  in  life  he  be- 
came one  of  the  most  noted  of  the  Unitarian 
ministers  and  acquired  a prominent  position  in  the 
Masonic  fraternity  ; an  active  and  zealous  laborer  in 
the  cause  of  human  brotherhood  and  an  uncompro- 
mising opponent  of  every  form  of  oppression. 

Palmetus  Hunton,  Esq.,  son  of  Dr.  Arial  and 
Polly  (Pingry)  Hunton,  born  November  30,  1809; 
studied  law  and  admitted  to  the  bar  at  Hyde  Park, 
Vt.,  1837 ; married  Louisa  Parsons.  He  died  at 
Charleston,  S.  C.,  August  4,  1839. 

Sylvanus  Hunton,  M.D.,  brother  of  the  former, 
born  June  2, 1811 ; read  medicine  ; graduated  at  Cas- 
tleton  Medical  College  in  1836 ; died  at  Carrol- 
ton,  Ga.,  February  26,  1847 ; married  Clarissa  M. 
Baily. 

Charles  B.  Haddock,  A.M.,  D.D.,  born  June  20, 
1796,  entering  Dartmouth  College  in  1812,  possess- 
ing marked  mental  qualities.  His  natural  endow- 
ments and  diligence  of  application  at  once  made 
him  the  best  scholar  of  his  class.  After  graduating, 
in  1816,  he  entered  the  Theological  Seminary  at  An- 
dover, Mass. ; impaired  health  prevented  him  from 
completing  his  studies  and  he  made  the  tour  of  the 
Southern  States.  On  his  return,  in  1819,  he  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  chair  of  rhetoric  at  Dartmouth,  con- 
tinuing till  1838.  As  an  instructor  he  was  thorough; 
as  a critic,  discriminating  ; as  a writer,  fertile ; and 
as  a speaker,  graceful  and  attractive.  He  was  popu- 
lar with  the  students,  endearing  them  to  him  by  his 
dignity  and  that  thoughtful,  manly  kindness  which 
improves  and  gives  charm  to  every  form  of  inter- 
course. After  resigning  his  position  he  was  made 
professor  of  intellectual  philosophy  and  civil  policy. 
While  holding  this  position  he  was  chargt  d’affaires 
of  the  United  States  at  Portugal,  from  1850  to  1854. 
On  his  return  to  his  Alma  Mater  he  resigned  the 
chair.  Professor  Haddock  never  sought  the  fame 
of  authorship,  but  in  1846  he  published  “ Addresses 
and  Miscellaneous  Writings.”  They  were  produc- 
tions of  rare  merit,  showing  the  same  finish  of  style, 


purity  of  diction  and  richness  and  practicability 
of  suggestion  which  characterized  all  his  intellectual 
efforts.  He  subsequently  published  a number  of  val- 
uable works.  The  last  of  his  life  was  spent  at  West 
Lebanon,  where  he  died  January  15,  1861.  Married, 
first,  Susan  Saunders,  daughter  of  Richard  Lang, 
of  Hanover;  second,  Mrs.  Caroline  (Kimball)  Young. 

William  T.,  A.M.,  although  a brother  of  Charles 
B.  Haddock,  spelled  and  pronounced  his  name  Hey- 
dock;  born  April  4,  1798;  graduated  at  Dartmouth, 
1819;  read  law  with  his  uncle,  Daniel  Webster,  at 
Boston;  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1822  ; began  practice 
at  Hanover.  Two  years  later  removed  to  Concord, 
where  he  published  the  Probale  Directory ; re- 
moved to  Boston  in  1829  and  took  the  editorial  chair 
of  the  Jurisprudence,  a law  journal  published 
weekly.  In  1831  removed  to  Lowell,  and  died  No- 
vember 6, 1835,  unmarried. 

Lorenzo  Haddock,  M.D.,  a younger  brother,  was  a 
physician  at  Buffalo,  N.  Yr.,  where  he  died. 

George  H.  Hutchings,  M.D.,  born  at  Charlestown, 
Mass.,  February  3,  1840,  and  was  very  small  when  his 
parents  removed  to  Salisbury.  He  received  his  edu- 
cation in  Salisbury,  and  until  after  marriage  his  home 
was  among  us.  He  entered  Harvard  Medical  Col- 
lege in  1857,  and  graduated  at  the  Eclectic  Medical 
Institute  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  1861,  eventually  set- 
tling at  Woburn,  Mass.,  where  he  continues  engaged 
in  a large  and  lucrative  practice.  He  is  connected 
with  several  medical  societies  and  has  published  a 
number  of  works  on  special  diseases.  Married  Emily 
M.  Lathrope;  two  children. 

Albert  L.  Kelly,  son  of  Hon.  Israel  W.  and  Rebecca 
(Fletcher)  Kelly,  born  August  17,  1802 ; graduated 
at  Dartmouth  in  1822 ; read  law  and  began  practice 
at  Frankfort;  resides  at  Wintersport,  Me. ; married 
Caroline  Pierce. 

Israel  W.  Kelly,  a brother  of  the  former,  born  Janu- 
ary 1, 1804 ; graduated  at  Dartmouth  in  1825  ; he  was 
known  as  Webster  Kelly;  read  law  with  Hon. 
Joseph  Bell  at  Haverhill,  Mass.;  practiced  for  a time 
at  Boston ; married  Lucella  S.  Pierce,  of  Frankfort, 
Me.,  in  which  State  he  continued  to  practice;  died 
July  5,  1855. 

Benjamin  Loverin,  M.D.,  born  June  1,  1786  ; mar- 
ried Abigail  Greeley;  practiced  his  profession,  and 
died  at  Sutton  July  25,  1825. 

John  Webster  Little,  M.D.,  D.D.S.,  born  April  7, 
1818;  read  medicine  and  graduated  at  Dartmouth 
Medical  College  in  1845.  Impaired  health  prevented 
him  from  riding,  and  he  turned  his  attention  to 
dentistry,  which  he  practiced  at  Concord,  winning 
an  enviable  reputation.  Died  December  21,  1877  ; 
married,  first,  Sarah  P.  White ; married,  second,  Eliza- 
beth J.  Goodwin. 

Rev.  Valentine  Little,  A.B.,  a brother  of  the  former, 
born  February  21,  1790;  graduated  at  Dartmouth  in 
1811 ; studied  divinity  with  Rev.  Joseph  Dodge,  of 
Haverhill,  Mass. ; served  on  a mission  and  supplied 


620 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


'vacancies  until  he  was  ordained  pastor  of  the  Con- 
gregational Church  at  Lowell,  Me.,  in  1826;  returned 
to  his  place  of  nativity  (Salisbury),  in  1836,  where 
he  died  June  4,  1852;  married,  first,  Mary  Clark,  of 
Maine;  married,  second,  Miranda  C.  Church. 

Rev.  Ebenezer  L.  Little,  A.B.,  born  April  30, 1837  ; 
took  a course  of  study  at  the  University  of  Michigan 
in  1861,  and  completed  at  the  Theological  Seminary 
at  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  in  1866  ; was  ordained  pastor  of 
the  Baptist  Church  at  Clifton,  N.  Y.,  in  1866.  In 
July,  1871,  he  accepted  a call  from  the  Baptist  Church 
at  Lapeer,  Mich.,  remaining  six  years.  In  1878  became 
pastor  at  Alpena,  Mich.,  and  continues;  married, 
Susan  C.  Lamson. 

Rev.  Frank  R.  Morse,  A.M.,  D.D.,  graduated  at 
Dartmouth,  1861 ; immediately  entered  the  Newton 
(Mass.)  Theological  Institute,  from  which  he  gradu- 
ated in  1865.  Dr.  Morse  is  a brilliant  and  easy  speaker 
and  a laborious  worker  in  Christ’s  vineyard.  At 
2>resent  pastor  of  the  Tabernacle  Baptist  Church  at 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y. ; one  of  the  professors  in  the  Brook- 
lyn Lay  College  and  Bible  Institute ; one  of  the 
owners  and  editors  of  the  Watch  Tower.  Married 
Emma  B.  Giles,  of  New  York. 

Thomas  J.  Noyes,  M.D.,  son  of  Joseph,  born  No- 
vember 20, 1805. 

Hon.  Moses  Pettengill,  born  April  16,  1802;  one  of 
Salisbury’s  self-made  men;  began  mercantile  busi- 
ness at  Rochester,  N.Y.,  in  1827  ; thence  to  Brockport, 
N.  Y.  In  1834  removed  to  Peoria,  111.,  and  in  com- 
pany with  Jacob  Gale  opened  the  first  hardware-store 
at  that  place,  where  he  continued  in  a number  of 
enterprises.  He  held  a large  number  of  city  offices, 
and  was  a member  of  the  State  Senate.  He  was  one  of 
the  originators  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Peoria, 
and  gave  largely  of  his  time  and  funds  for  the  support 
of  Christianity,  being  a trustee  and  deacon  of  the 
church  since  1834-35.  He  gave  princely  sums  in  aid 
of  the  negro  and  the  soldiers,  and  was  one  of  the  sup- 
porters of  Wheaton  College.  He  built  a day  and 
boarding-school,  costing  some  thirty  thousand  dollars, 
which  is  meeting  with  good  success.  He  died  No- 
vember 9, 1883  ; married,  first,  Lucy,  daughter  of  Amos 
Pettengill ; died  February  29,  1864;  married,  second, 
Mrs.  Hannah  W.  (Bent)  Tyner. 

Hon.  James  O.  Pettengill,  born  April  17,  1810; 
early  removed  to  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  and  there  con- 
tinues. Married,  first,  Emaline  Woodbury ; married, 
second,  Mrs.  Harriet  B.  Howard.  She  died  October 
13,  1882.  A man  of  great  business  capacity,  highly 
respected,  and  has  held  many  offices  of  public  trust 
and  of  private  corporations  with  fidelity;  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  Rochester  Theological  Seminary,  and 
established  the  chair  of  church  history. 

Thomas  Hale  Pettengill,  Esq.,  born  November  20, 
1780 ; married  Aphia  Morse ; she  died  at  Portland, 
Me.,  November  10,  1861.  He  died  at  Salisbury; 
graduated  at  Dartmouth  College,  1804;  read  law  and 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1808,  opening  an  office  at 


Canaan,  where  he  remained  until  1822,  when  he  re- 
turned to  Salisbury  and  continued  in  the  practice  of 
his  profession,  in  which  he  sustained  an  enviable 
reputation. 

Benjamin  Pettengill,  A.M.,  born  September  17, 
1789;  graduated  at  Middlebury  College  in  1812  ; was 
a merchant  and  hotel  proprietor,  remaining  in  his 
native  town.  He  could  only  be  induced  to  hold  the 
office  of  representative  for  three  years ; married 
Betsey,  daughter  of  Lieutenant  Benjamin  Pettengill. 

Hon.  John  W.  Pettengill,  son  of  the  above,  born 
November  12,  1835;  entered  Dartmouth  College  in 
1852;  began  the  study  of  law  under  Hon.  Asa  Fowler 
at  Concord ; health  failing,  he  returned  home,  and  in 
the  spring  of  1858  removed  to  Charlestown,  Mass., 
completed  his lawstudies  under  Hon.  J.  Q.  A.  Griffin, 
and  at  the  April  term  in  1859  was  admitted  to  the 
bar,  opening  an  office  at  Charlestown  immediately 
after,  and  for  three  years  was  city  solicitor,  during 
which  time  he  lost  but  three  cases.  In  1874  he  re- 
moved to  Boston.  Under  the  administration  of  Gov- 
ernor Talbot  he  was  made  judge  of  the  District  Court, 
having  jurisdiction  over  nine  towns,  and  is  assistant 
judge  of  the  Charlestown  Police  Court.  Married,  first, 
Margaret  W.  Dennitt ; married,  second,  Emma  M. 
Tilton;  married,  third,  Mary  Dennitt. 

Solomon  M.  Pingrey,  born  November  12,  1820 ; 
graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  1840  and  died 
the  following  October. 

Hon.  William  M.  Pingrey,  A.M.,  born  May  28, 
1806 ; read  law  with  Samuel  I.  Wells  (see  Lawyers) 
and  with  Shaw  & Chandler  at  Danville;  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  June,  1832,  and  the  following 
month  opened  an  office  at  Weathersfield,  remaining 
nine  years  ; removed  to  Springfield,  thence  to  Perkins- 
ville.  While  at  Weathersfield  he  held  the  office  of 
town  clerk,  treasurer,  selectman  and  county  surveyor ; 
a member  of  the  Constitutional  Convention  in  1850; 
county  commissioner  and  State  auditor  from  1853  to 
1860;  a member  of  the  Legislature  in  1860,  ’61,  ’68; 
a member  of  the  Senate  in  1869,  ’70,  ’71,  and  later  as- 
sistant judge  of  Windsor  County  Court,  and  for  forty- 
five  years  deacon  of  the  Baptist  Church.  He  died 
May  1,  1885.  Married,  first,  Lucy  G.  Brown ; second, 
Mrs.  Lucy  C.  Richardson. 

Colonel  Samuel  E.  Pingrey,  A.M.,  born  August  2, 
1832;  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  1857 ; read 
law  and  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Windsor  County, 
Yt.,in  1859;  began  practice  at  Hartford,  Yt. ; enlisted 
in  the  United  States  service  in  1861  and,  at  the  ex- 
piration of  three  years,  returned  as  colonel ; resides 
at  Hartford,  where  he  enjoys  a large  and  lucrative 
practice ; has  been  county  solicitor  two  terms ; elected 
Lieutenant-Governor  in  1883  and  chosen  Governor 
the  following  year. 

Colonel  Stephen  M.  Pingrey,  a brother  to  the 
former,  was  born  March  21,  1835 ; read  law  with 
Hon.  A.  P.  Hun  ton  at  Bethel,  Vt.,  where  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  1860 ; enlisted  as  a private  in 


SALISBURY. 


621 


1861  and  came  home  in  command  of  his  regiment  at 
the  end  of  three  years ; resides  and  practices  his 
profession  at  Hartford;  married  Mary  Foster,  of 
Bethel,  Vt. 

William  W.  Proctor,  M.I).,  born  May  9,  1807 ; 
read  medicine  with  Dr.  Bartlett ; graduated  at  Dart- 
mouth Medical  College  in  1833 ; began  practice  at 
Hill ; removed  to  Pittsfield,  where  he  died  April  23, 
1861 ; married  Mary  Hale. 

Hon.  Nathaniel  Parker,  born  January  31,  1807;  re- 
moved to  Williston,  Vt.,  and  represented  that  town 
in  the  Legislature  in  1839-42  ; removed  to  Burlington, 
Vt.,  where  he  was  appointed  deputy  collector, 
serving  six  years  ; a director  of  the  Merchants’  and 
Commercial  Banks  ; he  held  the  same  position  in  the 
Vermont  Life  Insurance  Company  since  its  organiza- 
tion ; president  of  the  Burlington  Glass  Company. 
He  was  appointed  assistant  judge  of  the  County 
Court  in  1870,  holding  the  office  six  years.  Married, 
first,  Cynthia  L.  Haines;  second,  Julia  B.  Hoswell. 

Rev.  Moses  Sawyer,  A.M.,  born  March  11,  1776; 
graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  1799,  taking  first 
honors;  studied  theology  with  Rev.  Asa  Burton  at 
Tliedford,  Vt.,  until  1801 ; ordained  pastor  of  the 
Congregational  Church  at  Henniker  May  21,  1802 ; 
dismissed  in  1826;  installed  at  Scarborough,  Me., 
Gloucester,  Mass.  ; preached  at  Saugus  and  Ipswich, 
Mass.,  where  he  died  August  26,  1847.  Married 
Fanny,  daughter  of  Captain  Peter  Kimball,  of  Bos- 
cawen. 

Nathaniel  Sawyer,  A.M.,  brother  of  the  former, 
born  April  10,  1784;  graduated  at  Dartmouth  Col- 
lege in  1805;  read  law  at  Concord  and  at  Salem, 
Mass. ; began  practice  at  Newburyport,  Mass.;  thence 
went  to  Boston,  where  he  enjoyed  a large  and  lucrative 
practice.  Removed  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where  he 
died,  October  3,  1853.  Married  at  Frankfort,  Kv., 
Palemia  Bacon. 

Colonel  George  W.  Stevens,  A.M.,  born  November 
16,  1814 ; read  law  with  Hon.  G.  W.  Nesmith  and 
practiced  at  Lebanon.  Married  Sarah  A.  Daven- 
port. He  died  October  2,  1877. 

Elder  Hiram  Stevens,  born  December  12,  1803;  a 
preacher  of  the  Free-Will  Baptist  Church  in  Salis- 
bury, Meredith,  Ohio,  and  several  other  places.  He 
was  an  eloquent,  powerful  speaker.  Died  June  6, 
1880.  He  married  three  times. 

Lieutenant  Robert  Smith  removed  to  Salisbury  pre- 
vious to  1768,  and  was  one  of  the  town’s  most  prominent 
men,  serving  throughout  the  Revolutionary  War  and 
was  one  of  her  prominent  churchmen.  Married,  1768, 
Sarah  Eaton.  He  died  November  11,  1801. 

Robert  Smith,  M.D.,  grandson  of  the  former, 
studied  medicine  at  Dartmouth  Medical  College,  re- 
ceiving his  degree  in  1847.  Married,  first,  Susan, 
daughter  of  Joshua  Fifield;  second,  Hannah  Mars- 
ton ; third,  Abigail  Pettengill.  He  practiced  his 
profession  at  Amesbury,  Mass.,  and  Hampton,  N.  H. 
Died  in  Salisbury,  April  13,  1873. 


Hon.  Peter  Swett,  born  March  27,  1801;  removed 
to  Brockport,  N.  Y.,  in  1830,  and  for  six  years  was 
engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits;  removed  to  Peoria, 
111.,  and  became  extensively  engaged  in  vintage  busi- 
ness, where  he  died  in  1868.  He  served  in  the  State 
Senate,  was  postmaster,  and  reappointed  by  Presi- 
dent Buchanan,  and  served  as  city  treasurer ; married 
Frances  Trumbull.  She  died  in  1872. 

John  P.  Townsend,  living  in  New  York  City  since 
1850 ; vice-president  of  the  Bowery  Savings-Bank, 
the  largest  institution  of  the  kind  in  the  country 
having  assets  of  over  forty  millions  ; president  of  the 
Municipal  Gas-Light  Company,  of  Rochester;  vice- 
president  of  the  Maritime  Exchange  ; director  of  the 
Long  Island  Railroad  Company ; secretary  and  man- 
ager of  the  Hospital  for  the  Ruptured  and  Crippled, 
and  a trustee  and  manager  in  a number  of  other  be- 
nevolent and  charitable  institutions.  Married  Eliza- 
beth A.  Baldwin. 

Patrick  Henry  Townsend,  born  October  20,  1823; 
entered  Phillips  Exeter  Academy.  In  the  fall  of 
1848  he  entered  the  junior  class  at  Bowdoin  College 
and  graduated  with  honor  in  1850 ; read  law  with 
Hon.  Amos  Tuck,  Hon.  E.  B.  Washburn  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar.  His  was  a very  eventful  and 
noted  life.  He  died  very  suddenly  at  Washington 
in  May,  1864. 

Dr.  John  True,  A.B.,  son  of  Deacon  Jacob  True, 
born  April  9,  1789;  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College 
in  1806  ; read  medicine  at  Concord  and  at  Dartmouth 
Medical  School ; began  practice  at  Haverhill,  Mass.; 
thence  removed  to  Tennessee,  where  he  died  in  1815. 

Walter  Wells,  son  of  Samuel  I.  Wells,  Esq.,  born 
in  1830  ; graduated  at  Bowdoin  College  in  1852  with 
high  honors;  died  at  Portland,  Me.,  April  21,  1881; 
married  Mary  Sturdivant.  He  was  a teacher  and 
lecturer  on  educational  topics,  particularly  of  a scien- 
tific nature.  In  1867  he  took  charge  of  the  hydro- 
graphic  survey  of  Maine.  He  wrote  a work  entitled, 
“ Water-Power  of  Maine : an  Elementary  Physical 
Geography,”  an  elaborate  and  exhaustive  report  on 
the  relation  of  the  tariff’  to  the  growth  and  manufac- 
ture of  cotton  in  the  United  States. 

William  Coombs  Thompson,  son  of  Hon.  Thomas 
W.  Thompson,  born  March  17,  1802;  graduated  at 
Dartmouth  in  1820;  read  law  aud  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1824,  beginning  practice  at  Concord;  removing 
to  Plymouth  in  1826.  In  1852  he  removed  to  Worces- 
ter, Mass.,  where  he  died  April  27, 1877.  Married, 
first,  Martha  H.  Leavett;  second,  Susan  B.  Nelson. 

Charles  E.  Thompson,  a brother  of  the  former, 
born  June  19,  1807 ; graduated  at  Dartmouth  College 
in  1828  ; read  law  one  year ; traveled  in  South  Amer- 
ica and  the  South  Seas  for  three  years ; returned  to 
Mobile,  Ala.,  where  he  was  in  trade;  completed  his  law 
studies  with  his  brother  at  Plymouth  and  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  1838 ; began  practice  at  Haverhill,  con- 
tinuing till  1854 ; resides  at  Cresskill,  N.  Y. ; mar- 
ried Mary,  daughter  of  Hon.  Miles  Olcott. 


022 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Henry  Lyman  Watson,  M.D.,  read  medicine  with 
Hon.  Leonard  Eaton,  M.D.,  at  Warner;  graduated 
from  the  Vermont  Medical  School  in  1848  ; has  prac- 
ticed at  Stewartstown,  Guildhall,  Vt.,  and  for  the  last 
fourteen  years  at  Littleton ; has  been  a member  of 
the  Legislature  and  postmaster  ; also  filled  numerous 
positions  of  honor  and  trust,  both  public  and  private; 
married,  first,  Roxana  Hughes ; married,  second,  Mary 
J.  Hardy. 

Irving  A.  Watson,  M.D.,  born  September  6,  1849; 
read  medicine  and  graduated  from  the  Vermont  Med- 
ical University  in  1871;  practiced  at  Northumberland 
ten  years,  representing  that  town  in  the  Legislature. 
In  1881  he  removed  to  Concord,  where  he  was  made 
permanent  secretary  of  the  State  Board  of  Health, 
filling  the  position  with  great  satisfaction;  married 
Lena  A.  Farr,  of  Littleton. 

Hon.  Ebenezer  Webster,  also  known  as  Captain, 
Colonel  and  Judge;  son  of  Ebenezer  Webster;  born 
at  East  Kingston,  April  22, 1739(0.  S.) ; married,  first, 
Mehitable  Smith;  married,  second,  Abigail  Eastman, 
a woman  of  clear  and  vigorous  understanding,  of  more 
than  ordinary  common  sense,  and  took  great  delight 
in  debating  any  subject ; a woman  of  high  spirit, 
proud  of  her  children  and  ambitious  of  their  future 
distinction.  Young  Webster,  like  many  young  men, 
was  bound  out  to  learn  a trade,  but  his  master  prov- 
ing a tyrant  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  young  Web- 
ster ran  away  and  went  to  live  in  the  family  of 
Colonel  Ebenezer  Stevens,  for  whom  the  town  was 
named  (Stevenstown).  Mr.  Stevens  dying  soon  after, 
Webster  continued  in  the  son’s  (Major  Ebenezer  Ste- 
vens’) family.  When  Webster  became  of  age  (1760) 
he  located  in  the  town  and  built  him  a log  house; 
marrying  in  1761,  he  brought  his  wife  to  the  new  set- 
tlement, where  they  continued  to  reside,  and  eventu- 
ally became  the  owner  of  some  two  hundred  and 
twenty-five  acres  of  land.  About  1785-86  he  removed 
to  the  Lower  village  and  built  a two-story  tavern,  with 
a two-story  ell ; here  he  remained  till  1799,  when  he 
exchanged  his  tavern  with  William  Haddock  for  the 
latter’s  dwelling  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street, 
where  he  died  in  1806,  and  now  known  as  part  of  the 
Orphans’  Home  at  Lower  Franklin.  The  first  saw 
and  grist-mill  was  located  on  Mr.  Webster’s  land, 
just  east  of  his  log  house.  On  the  expiration  of  the 
proprietors’  lease,  Mr.  Webster  became  the  owner,  and 
conducted  them  a number  of  years.  He  held  his  first 
public  office  in  1764.  At  the  first  meeting  after  the 
town’s  incorporation  he  was  chosen  moderator,  hold- 
ing the  office  forty-three  times.  In  1769  he  was 
chosen  selectman,  and  held  the  office  nine  years. 
In  1778-80  he  was  elected  representative  of  the 
classified  towns  of  Salisbury  and  Boscawen,  and  from 
Salisbury  in  1790-91,  and  Senator  for  the  years  1785, 
’86,  ’87,  ’88,  ’89,  ’90,  ’91 ; judge  of  the  Court  of  Com- 
mon Pleas  from  1791  until  the  time  of  his  death,  in 
1806.  He  was  one  of  the  delegates  to  Exeter  to  the 
convention  which  met  to  form  a permanent  plan  of 


government,  and  at  the  second  convention  voted  for 
its  adoption,  prefacing  his  vote  by  a speech  charac- 
teristic of  the  man.  He  was  the  town’s  first  justice 
of  the  peace.  In  church  matters  he  exercised  great 
influence,  and  was  a member  in  good  standing.  No 
citizen  of  the  town  did  more  valiant  fighting  or  was 
in  the  service  longer  than  Colonel  Webster.  As  an 
officer,  he  was  beloved  by  his  soldiers,  and  set  the  good 
example  of  being  found  in  the  front  of  his  men,  and 
in  the  thickest  of  the  fight.  He  was  born  to  com- 
mand, of  cool,  steady  nerve,  and  possessing  good 
judgment.  Many  pages  might  be  written  of  the 
doings  of  this  noble  man. 

Hon.  Ezekiel  Webster,  son  of  Colonel  Ebenezer, 
born  March  11,  1780.  The  first  nineteen  years  of  his 
life  were  spent  upon  the  farm.  When  it  was  decided 
that  he  should  enter  Dartmouth,  two  terms  were  spent 
at  the  Salisbury  Academy ; thence  to  Dr.  Wood’s,  where 
in  nine  months  he  fitted  for  college,  entering  Dart- 
mouth in  1801  and  graduating  in  1804.  Read  law 
with  General  Sullivan  and  Parker  Noyes,  entering  the 
profession  in  September,  1807,  at  Boscawen,  where  he 
continued.  He  was  finely  proportioned,  six  feet  tall, 
and  of  light  complexion.  As  a lawyer  he  possessed 
few  equals.  A wise  counselor  and  an  able  advocate. 
In  debate  he  was  dignified  and  courteous.  His  weapons 
were  strong  arguments  clothed  in  simple  yet  elegant 
language.  While  arguing  a case  in  court  at  Concord, 
he  suddenly  fell  back  and  immediately  expired,  April 
10, 1829 ; married,  first,  Alice  Bridge ; married,  second, 
Achsali  Pollard,  who  still  resides  at  Concord. 

Hon.  Daniel  Webster,  born  in  Salisbury  January  8, 
1782,  brother  of  the  former.  So  many  volumes  have 
been  printed,  orations  and  memoirs  delivered  on  this 
great  man,  that  we  do  not  feel  competent  to  say  any- 
thing farther.  As  a child  Daniel  was  weak,  and  it  was 
thought  by  his  parents  that  he  never  would  be  able 
to  perform  manual  labor ; consequently,  from  the  first 
his  education  was  begun ; his  first  public  instructor 
was  Master  Robert  Hoag;  his  second,  James  Tappan. 
When  fourteen  years  of  age  he  spent  six  months  at 
Phillips  Academy,  Exeter;  after  his  return  he  went 
to  Dr.  Wood’s,  at  Boscawen  ; here  he  fitted  for  Dart- 
mouth College,  entering  in  1788  and  graduating  in 
1801,  with  high  honors.  After  teaching  at  Fryeburg, 
Me.,  be  returned  to  Salisbury  in  September,  1802,  and 
began  the  study  of  law  with  Hon.  Thomas  Wj 
Thompson,  continuing  till  July  1804,  when  he  went  to 
Boston,  completing  his  studies  under  Hon.  Christopher 
Gore,  and  in  the  following  March  (1805)  was  admitted  to 
the  bar;  he  immediately  returned  to  Boscawen,  ojiened 
an  office,  continuing  till  September,  1807 ; turning  his 
business  over  to  his  brother  Ezekiel,  he  removed  to 
Portsmouth,  and  was  admitted  to  the  Superior  Court 
of  New  Hampshire.  Continuing  at  Portsmouth  until 
1816-17,  he  removed  to  Boston,  Mass.,  where  he  con" 
tinued.  In  1822  he  was  elected  to  Congress  from  the 
Boston  District,  and  re-elected  in  1824.  In  1827  sent 
l to  Congress,  remaining  till  1840,  resigning  the  office 


SALISBURY. 


623 


to  accept  that  of  Secretary  of  State  under  General 
Harrison ; this  office  he  filled  with  marked  ability 
until  1843,  when  he  resigned.  In  1845  he  was  again 
chosen  Senator.  In  1850,  on  the  death  of  President 
Taylor  he  resigned  the  Senatorship  and  became  Sec- 
retary of  State  under  President  Fillmore,  continuing 
until  his  death,  in  1852.  His  public  life  may  thus  be 
summarized, — Representative  in  Congress  eight  years, 
a Senator  in  Congress  nineteen  years,  a member  of  the 
Massachusetts  Constitutional  Convention,  and  five 
years  in  the  President’s  Cabinet  as  Secretary  of  State. 
During  most  of  this  time  his  party  was  in  the 
minority.  In  the  spring  of  1839  he  visited  England, 
Scotland  and  France.  Dartmouth  College  conferred 
the  degree  of  LL.  D.  He  united  with  the  Congre- 
gational Church  at  Salisbury  September  13,  1806; 
married,  first,  May  26,  1808,  Grace  Fletcher,  died 
January  21,  1828;  married,  second,  1832,  Caroline 
Bayard  Le  Roy. 

Captain  John  Webster,  a cousin  of  Hon.  Ebenezer 
Webster,  born  1710;  a very  prominent  man  of  the 
town,  to  which  he  removed  very  early;  he  kept 
the  fort  at  Boscawen,  the  principal  owner  of  the  first 
mill  erected  in  Salisbury  and  procured  the  town’s  char- 
ter; he  was  very  closely  connected  with  the  town’s 
affairs,  a man  universally  respected  and  honored.  He 
died  April  29,  1788;  married  Susannah  Snow  (?),  died 
1801,  aged  ninety-one  years. 

Humphrey  Webster,  born  December  12, 1789 ; grad- 
uated at  Middlebury  College  (?) ; served  in  the  War  of 
1812;  removed  to  Virginia,  where  he  practiced  law 
and  died  in  1820  (?) 

Humphrey  Webster,  born  February  19,  1821 ; grad- 
uated at  Dartmouth  College,  1844;  became  a teacher 
at  Springfield,  Mass.,  then  at  Worcester,  then  in  North 
Carolina.  Previous  to  the  war  he  took  a plantation 
in  that  State  and  died  there  in  1866;  married  Eliza 
Hamilton,  daughter  of  Lucius  A.  Emery. 

Rev.  David  R.  Whittemore,  born  July  31, 1819  ; at- 
tended school  at  Dracut  Academy.  In  1842  he  re- 
moved to  Rhode  Island,  where  he  was  ordained  and 
became  pastor  of  the  Free  Baptist  Church  at  North 
Providence.  In  1846  he  filled  the  same  position  for 
the  South  Free  Baptist  Church,  at  Newport.  Resides 
at  Providence.  He  is  extensively  known  as  a great 
Christian  worker  and  has  formed  a number  of  churches. 
Brightness  of  intellect,  correctness  of  judgment  and 
positiveness  of  opinion  are  traits  which  make  him  a 
wise  counselor  and  a bold  leader ; married  Eliza  J. 
Gilbert. 

Rev.  Joseph  Whittemore,  M.D.,  born  in  1813,  was 
ordained  pastor  of  a Baptist  Church  in  Rhode  Island, 
but  for  twenty  years  he  has  practiced  medicine  at 
Osage,  Iowa. 


Jeremiah  W.  Wilson,  M.D.,  son  of  Dr.  Job  Wil- 
son, born  January  11,  1816  ; read  medicine  and  grad- 
uated at  Castleton  (Vt.)  Medical  School;  locating  in 
the  village  of  Contoocook,  at  Hopkinton,  where  he 
continues  in  a large  and  successful  practice. 

Ephraim  F.  Wilson,  M.D.,  born  October  30,  1817  ; 
read  medicine  and  graduated  at  Castleton  (Vt.)  Medi- 
cal School  in  1845  ; opened  an  office  at  Sanbornton  ; 
removed  to  East  Concord  in  1849 ; in  1854  removed 
to  Rockville,  Conn.,  where  he  enjoyed  a large  and 
lucrative  practice ; married  Rhoda  Barnard. 

Thomas  W.  Wilson,  M.D.,  born  February  16, 1806  ; 
married  Amanda  M.  Sawyer ; he  died  in  1861 ; he  com- 
pleted his  medical  education  at  the  Dartmouth  Medi- 
cal School ; returned  to  Salisbury  and  had  a large 
and  extensive  practice.  He  first  joined  the  Baptist 
Church,  later  the  Congregational  Church,  and  was 
highly  respected. 

Moses  S.  Wilson,  M.D.,  read  medicine  with  his 
father,  Dr.  Thomas  W. ; attended  medical  lectures  at 
Dartmouth,  Castleton,  Vt.,  and  Harvard  Medical 
Schools,  where  he  graduated  in  1849.  Opening  an 
office  at  Warner,  he  continued  until  the  death  of  his 
father,  in  1861,  when  he  returned  to  Salisbury,  re- 
maining until  his  appointment  as  assistant  surgeon  of 
the  Seventh  New  Hampshire  Regiment;  resigning  in 
the  summer  of  1864,  he  removed  to  Galesburg,  111., 
where  he  died  in  1873.  Married  Mary  S.  Harvey. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 

THOMAS  DEARBORN  LITTLE. 

Thomas  Dearborn  Little  was  born  in  Salisbury, 
N.  H.,  August  14,  1823.  He  is  a son  of  Thomas 
Rowell  Little,  a native  of  Newburyport,  Mass.,  and 
Nancy  (Webster),  daughter  of  John  Webster,  one  of 
the  early  settlers  of  Salisbury. 

He  married,  first,  November  27,  1851,  Susan  E., 
daughter  of  Robert  Smith,  M.D.  She  was  born  Oc- 
tober 2,  1828,  in  Amesbury,  Mass.,  and  died  January 
31,  1875. 

He  married,  second,  Lucy  L.,  daughter  of  Andrew 
Davis,  of  Rutland,  Vt.  She  was  born  December 
26,  1844. 

Mr.  Little  received  his  education  principally  at 
Salisbury  Academy,  and  he  subsequently  taught 
school  in  winter  for  ten  years. 

Having  a liking  for  mathematical  studies,  he 
studied  surveying  with  his  uncle,  Rev.  Valentine 
Little,  and  assisted  in  the  preliminary  survey  and 


624 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


location  of  the  Northern  New  Hampshire  Railroad,  in 
1845.  He  has  continued  the  practice  of  surveying 
since  that  time,  as  his  services  have  been  required. 

Although  he  desired  to  enter  college  and  get  a 
more  liberal  education,  he  yielded  to  the  wish  of  his 
parents  and  remained  at  the  old  homestead  as  a 
farmer  and  mechanic. 

He  was  appointed  postmaster,  under  President  Lin- 
coln, in  1861,  and  held  the  office  until  he  resigned, 
in  1869. 

In  1864  he  spent  some  time  in  Virginia,  in  the 
service  of  the  United  States  Christian  Commission, 
having  charge  of  Christian  Commission  headquarters 
of  the  Tenth  Army  Corps,  being  located  on  the  Ber- 
muda Hundred,  about  two  miles  southeast  of  Dutch 
Gap. 

He  has  served  on  the  Board  of  Selectmen  several 
times.  In  1860  he  was  chosen  a deacon  of  the  Congre- 
gational Church,  which  office  he  continues  to  hold, 
and  has  identified  himself  with  the  moral  and  re- 
ligious interests  of  the  community. 

Mr.  Little’s  home  is  the  same  that  was  occupied  by 
his  father  and  grandfather,  who  came  here  from  New- 
buryport,  Mass.,  in  1801.  It  is  pleasantly  located  in 
the  South  village,  near  the  Congregational  Church 
with  which  Daniel  Webster  united  in  1807,  and  was 
near  the  old  academy  in  which  Mr.  Webster  at- 
tended school.  Such  a location,  amid  the  varied 
and  beautiful  scenery  of  these  hill-tops,  is  a fit  place 
for  the  development  of  physical  and  mental  powers. 
They  had  the  following  children: 

I.  Thomas  llowell,  born  September  19,  1853 ; 
married,  April  29,  1876,  Carrie  B.,  daughter  of  Lewis 
A.  Hawkins. 

II.  Charles  Webster,  born  December  20,  1855; 
died  May  6,  1870. 

III.  Susan  Paulina,  born  July  8,  1858;  married, 
July  13,  1882,  Rev.  Samuel  H.  Barnum,  son  of 
Rev.  S.  W.  Barnum,  of  New  Haven,  Conn. 

IV.  John  Webster,  born  January  21,  1861 ; mar- 
ried, November  26, 1884,  Hannah  M.,  daughter  of  the 
late  H.  C.  W.  Moors. 

V.  Alice  Maria,  born  June  4,  1866. 

VI.  Robert  Smith,  born  May  7,  1870. 

VII.  William  Dearborn,  born  January  11,  1874; 
died  November  15,  1874. 

VIII.  Edwin  Dearborn,  born  September  14,  1778. 


1 HENRY  PEARSONS  ROLFE. 

Henry  Pearsons  Rolfe  was  born  in  Boscawen  Febru- 
ary 13,  1821.  His  father,  Benjamin  Rolfe,  was  also  a 


native  of  Boscawen.  His  grandparents,  on  his  father’s 
side,  Benjamin  and  Lydia  Pearsons  Rolfe,  came  from 
Newbury,  Mass.,  immediately  after  the  close  of  the 
French  War,  and  settled  on  the  frontier  in  Bosca- 
wen, near  the  Salisbury  line. 

His  mother,  Margaret  Searle  Rolfe,  was  the 
daughter  of  Rev.  Jonathan  Searle,  the  first  settled 
minister  of  Salisbury.  Hi3  grandmother,  on  the  ma- 
ternal side,  was  the  daughter  of  Jethro  Sanborn,  a 
sea-captain,  of  Sandown,  who,  to  feed  our  suffering 
soldiers  at  Valley  Forge,  gave  a large  share  of  his  for- 
tune in  exchange  for  depreciated  Continental  money, 
which  became  worthless,  and  for  which  thegovernment 
never  made  any  return  to  him  or  his  heirs.  Several 
thousand  dollars  of  this  irredeemable  scrip  came  into 
the  possession  of  the  mother  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  Margaret  Searle. 

The  mother  of  Mr.  Rolfe  and  Daniel  Webster 
were  both  pupils  of  Master  Tappan,  and  for  a 
time  were  schoolmates.  She  graduated  from  Atkin- 
son Academy  when  it  was  in  charge  of  the  then 
famous  Professor  Vose,  and  after  that  was  a teacher 
for  nine  years.  She  was  teaching  in  Mr.  Webster’s 
school  district  when  he  returned  from  his  school  in 
Fryeburg.  A friendship  sprang  up  between  them, 
and  she  loved  to  rehearse,  in  later  years,  to  her  chil- 
dren, how  Webster  unfolded  to  her  all  his  struggles 
and  ambitions  and  his  fixed  purpose  never  to  be 
guilty  of  an  unworthy  act. 

Mr.  Rolfe  was  raised  on  a farm,  and  his  parents  be- 
ing poor,  his  education,  till  his  tenth  year,  was  limited 
to  six  months  yearly  in  the  district  school.  From  ten 
to  sixteen  he  was  allowed  only  three  months  of  school- 
ing during  the  winter  terms.  The  winter  of  his  six- 
teenth and  seventeenth  year  he  spent  in  the  woods 
with  his  father,  driving  a lumber  team.  From  that 
time  till  he  was  twenty  years  of  age  he  enjoyed  only 
nineteen  weeks  of  schooling, — five  at  Franklin  and 
fourteen  at  Salisbury  Academy. 

Such  privileges  seem  scanty  in  our  day,  and  yet 
such  were  his  powers  of  acquisition  that  at  eighteen 
we  find  young  Rolfe  teaching  his  first  district  school, 
an  employment  which  he  followed  for  nine  suc- 
cessive winters  with  unvarying  and  ever-growing 
success. 

When  nineteen,  the  family  moved  to  Hill,  in  this 
State.  In  1841,  when  twenty  years  of  age,  he  began 
his  preparation  for  college  at  New  Hampton.  He 
spent  three  years  in  the  preparatory  course,  and  en- 
tered Dartmouth  College  in  1844.  Being  obliged  to 
depend  upon  his  own  efforts  to  secure  the  necessary 
means  to  defray  the  expense  of  his  education,  he 
taught  school  during  the  winters  of  his  preparatory 
and  collegiate  courses.  For  several  successive  seasons 


1 By  Rev.  James  W.  Patterson. 


SALISBURY. 


625 


lie  was  employed  upon  Cape  Cod,  but  during  his 
sophomore  and  junior  years  he  taught  for  five  months 
each  year  at  Dartmouth,  Mass.,  and  three  months  of 
his  senior  year  in  the  same  school. 

When  in  attendance  upon  the  college,  Mr.  Rolfe 
was  exceptionally  punctual  in  the  discharge  of  all 
his  duties.  During  his  senior  year  he  was  never 
absent  from  a recitation,  lecture  or  other  exercise. 
He  asked  for  no  excuse,  and  met  every  requisition. 
Such  a record  is  unusual  in  college  classes,  and  per- 
haps stood  alone  in  his  own.  Mr.  Rolfe’s  student- 
life  was  eminently  successful,  both  in  the  acquisition 
of  mental  discipline  and  scholarly  attainments.  In 
1848  he  graduated  from  Dartmouth  with  the  highest 
xespect  of  the  faculty  and  the  warmest  attachment  of 
his  class-mates. 

Although  compelled  to  be  absent,  teaching,  five 
months  during  the  first  three  years  of  his  collegiate 
course,  upon  his  graduation  he  received  this  special 
commendation  from  the  president  of  the  institution, — 

“Dartmouth  College,  July  25,  1848. 

“ This  may  certify  that  Mr.  Henry  P.  Kolfe  is  a graduate  of  the 
present  year  at  this  college.  He  is  a highly-respected  student.  His 
course  has  been  remarkably  correct  and  exemplary.  It  gives  me 
pleasure  to  commend  him  as  a good  scholar  and  an  upright  man.  He  is 
a well-qualified  teacher,  and  worthy  of  the  confidence  and  patronage  of 
any  who  may  have  occasion  for  his  services.’’ 

After  a few  weeks  of  rest  he  entered  the  law-office 
of  Hon.  Asa  Fowler,  of  Concord,  on  the  21st  of  Sep- 
tember, and,  after  two  years  and  a half  of  study,  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  May,  1851.  On  admission  to 
the  bar  he  immediately  opened  an  office  in  Concord, 
and  step  by  step  advanced  in  professional  strength 
and  standing  till,  in  1869,  he  was  appointed  United 
States  attorney  for  the  district  of  New  Hampshire 
by  President  Grant,  and  discharged  the  responsible 
and  exacting  duties  of  the  office  vigorously,  ably  and 
conscientiously  for  five  years. 

During  the  years  1852  and  1853  he  was  a member 
of  the  Board  of  Education  for  Concord,  and  served  as 
chairman  of  the  board  the  last  year.  He  was  also 
elected  as  a Democrat  to  represent  the  town  in  the 
Legislature  of  1853.  He  was  again  sent  to  the  Legis- 
lature as  a Republican  to  represent  Ward  5 in  the 
city  of  Concord,  during  the  stormy  years  of  1863  and 
1864.  This  was  during  the  period  of  war,  when  the 
government  called  for  the  services  of  its  ablest  and 
most  trusted  citizens. 

In  1859  and  1860  he  was  the  Democratic  candidate 
for  State  Senator  from  his  district,  and  during  the 
latter  was  candidate  for  Presidential  elector  for  the 
same  party  on  the  Douglas  ticket.  In  1866  he  was 
appointed  postmaster  of  Concord  by  Andrew  John- 


son, but  his  commission  was  withheld  because  he  re- 
fused to  assist  in  electing  Democrats  to  Congress. 

In  1878,  Governor  Prescott  made  Mr.  Rolfe  a mem- 
ber of  the  commission  to  take  testimony  and  report  to 
the  Legislature  what  legislation  was  necessary  to  pro- 
tect the  citizens  in  the  vicinity  of  Lake  Winnipi- 
seogee  against  the  encroachments  of  the  Lake  Com- 
pany. 

An  investigation  was  had  and  a report  made  by 
the  commission,  and  where  constant  complaint  had 
been  made,  not  a murmur  of  dissatisfaction  has  since 
been  heard. 

This  is  no  ordinary  record  and  is  the  evidence  of 
solid  merit.  Mr.  Rolfe  has  been  a patient  student,  a 
sound  lawyer  and  a strong  advocate.  A good  cause 
is  safe  in  his  hands,  if  a suit-at-law  can  be  said  to  be 
safe  in  any  hands. 

He  has  often  been  called  to  speak  before  assemblies 
of  his  fellow-citizens,  political  and  otherwise.  On 
such  occasions  he  always  impresses  his  hearers  with 
the  extent  and  accuracy  of  his  information,  and  with 
his  strong  and  sterling  good  sense.  Mr.  Rolfe  be- 
lieves what  he  says,  and  says  what  he  believes.  His 
friendships  are  strong,  and  he  is  slow  to  see  faults  in 
those  whom  he  loves. 

On  the  22d  of  November,  1853,  he  married  Mary 
Rebecca  Sherburn,  daughter  of  Robert  H.  Sherburn, 
of  Concord,  by  whom  he  has  had  five  children,  as 
follows : 

Marshall  Potter  Rolfe,  born  September  29,  1854, 
died  August  6,  1862. 

Margarett  Florence,  born  January  12,  1858,  died 
May  2,  1858. 

Henrietta  Maria,  born  January  17,  1861,  died  Sep- 
tember 22, 1862. 

Robert  Henry,  born  October  16,  1863. 

George  Hamilton,  born  December  24,  1866. 

The  fourth  child,  Robert  Henry,  is  now  a graduate 
of  Dartmouth  College,  class  of  1884 ; and  George 
Hamilton,  a lad  of  eighteen,  is  pursuing  his  studies 
at  the  Holderness  School  for  Boys,  in  Holderness, 
N.  H. 

In  the  spring  of  1882,  Mr.  Rolfe  nearly  lost 
his  life  from  the  kick  of  a vicious  horse.  The 
result  of  this  terrible  accident  has  been  the  loss  of 
his  right  eye  and  a complete  prostration  of  the  ner- 
vous system,  from  which  he  has  been  slowly  recover- 
ing. He  has  not  yet  regained  his  former  vigor  and 
elasticity,  but  the  original  forceof  his  constitution  and 
the  sleepless  care  of  his  most  estimable  wife  are  grad- 
ually bringing  him  back  to  his  professional  duties 
and  power.  He  is  resuming  his  practice,  which,  at 
the  time  of  his  injury,  was  quite  lucrative. 

This  brief  sketch  of  life  and  character  has  been 


620 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


drawn  by  an  impartial,  though  friendly  hand,  and  it  in  the  judgment  of  the  writer,  has  never  yet  brought 
gives  us  no  ordinary  man.  the  full  strength  of  his  faculties  into  action.  He  has 

Mr.  Rolfe  is  a man  of  large  frame  and  unusual  a reserve  of  power  which,  it  is  hoped,  the  future  may 
gifts  of  mind.  He  has  led  an  active,  successful  life,  but,  j give  him  an  opportunity  to  use. 


OF  SUTTON. 


HISTORY 


BY  MRS.  AUGUSTA  HARVEY  WORTHEN. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Sutton  was  first  granted  by  the  Masonian  pro- 
prietors of  New  Hampshire  lands  November  30,  1749, 
at  Portsmouth.  It  was  called  Perrystown,  from  Cap- 
tain Obadiah  Perry,  of  Haverhill,  Mass.,  whose  name 
heads  the  list  of  the  sixty  persons  receiving  the 
grant,  the  most  of  whom  were  inhabitants  of  Haver- 
hill, Newbury  and  Bradford. 

Of  Perry  it  is  known  that  he  had  served  in  the  War 
of  1744-48,  against  the  Eastern  Indians,  his  name 
being  on  record  as  corporal  of  the  nine  men  sent  by 
Haverhill  at  the  call  of  the  provincial  government. 

At  a later  period,  being  engaged  in  Indian  warfare, 
Perry  was  killed  by  Indians,  and  Colonel  Josiali 
Bartlett  (Governor  Bartlett)  became  the  purchaser  of 
his  right  in  Perrystown. 

In  the  charter  the  granted  township  is  described  as 
lying  west  of  Iviahsarge  Hill  (so  called),  containing 
the  extent  and  quantity  of  six  miles  square,  adjoin- 
ing No.  1 (Warner)  and  No.  2 (Bradford)  to  the 
north  of  said  numbers. 

No  settlement  was  made  in  Perrystown  till  the  au- 
tumn of  1767,  when  David  Peaslee,  from  Sandown, 
moved  in  with  his  family. 

With  all  this  delay  the  charter  was  forfeited  and 
renewed  twice.  As  late  as  1773,  the  conditions  re- 
maining unfulfilled,  the  Masonians  demanded  of  the 
town  a sum  of  money  to  prevent  its  being  declared 
forfeited  again,  which  the  town  agreed  to  pay,  Colonel 
Josiah  Bartlett  and  his  brother,  Major  Enoch  Bart- 
lett, being  security  for  the  town,  and  using  their  in- 
fluence with  the  Masonians  in  favor  of  the  town 
proprietors.  Important  as  was  the  service  he  ren- 
dered, Governor  Bartlett  appears  not  to  have  been  a 
gainer  himself  by  his  Sutton  transactions.  An  auto- 
graph letter  from  him  to  the  proprietors’  clerk  of 
Perrystown,  under  date  of  1786,  requests  that  a meet- 
ing of  proprietors  be  called  to  ascertain  why  the 
money  has  not  been  paid  by  the  town,  and  that  se- 
curity taken  up,  adding,  “ I am  unwilling  to  have  it 
lay  any  longer  against  me.” 

He  seems  to  have  been  unfortunate  in  the  quality 
of  the  lands  of  which  he  became  possessor  in  Perrys- 
town. Under  date  of  1773,  the  year  he  assisted  in 


obtaining  the  new  grant,  the  proprietors,  moved 
probably  by  considerations  of  good  policy,  “ Voted 
that  if  there  is  not  upon  the  original  Right  of  Obadiah 
Perry,  now  Colonel  Josiah  Bartlett’s,  lands  fit  for 
settlement,  he  shall  have  other  lands  fit  for  it, 
of  the  undivided  lands  in  town.”  The  committee 
chosen  to  examine  report  that  “ the  First  Division 
Lot  is  but  ordinary,  but  some  lots  in  town  have  been 
settled  on  meaner  land  than  that,  but  that  the  Second 
Division  Lot,  we  think,  will  do  for  a pretty  good 
settlement.” 

In  the  charter  the  Masonians  reserve  for  themselves 
eighteen  rights  or  shares,  which  are  to  be  exempt 
from  taxation  till  sold.  The  remainder  of  the  land 
is  divided  into  sixty-three  shares, — one  each  for  the 
support  of  a minister,  for  a parsonage  and  for  a 
school,  the  remaining  sixty  shares  to  be  drawn  for  by 
the  sixty  proprietors  of  Perrystown.  Very  few  of 
these  proprietors  ever  became  settlers  in  town,  and 
many  of  their  rights  were  sold  for  non-payment  of 
taxes. 

SETTLERS  IN  PERRYSTOWN  PREVIOUS  TO  1780. 

17G7. — David  Peaslee  and  family. 

1770.  — Cornelius  Bean,  Samuel  Bean,  Jacob  Davis,  Ephraim  Gile, 
Jonathan  Stevens. 

1771.  — Benjamin  Wadleigh,  Jonathan  Davis. 

1772.  — Matthew  Harvey,  Ebenezer  Kezar. 

1773.  — Silas  Russell,  Benjamin  Philbrick,  Jr.,  Phineas  Stevens,  Capt. 
William  Pressey,  Jeremiah  Davis. 

# 

The  other  settlers  previous  to  1780  were, — 

Pain  Tongue,  Daniel  Messer,  Benjamin  Mastin,  Jacob  3Iastin,  David 
Eaton,  Samuel  Andrew,  Benjamin  Critchett,  Jonathan  Wadleigh,  Joseph 
Wadleigh,  Captain  George  Marden,  Jonathan  Roby,  Samuel  Roby,  Jona- 
than Nelson,  Philip  and  Asa  Nelson  (sons  of  Jonathan),  Moses  Quimby 
James  King,  Ezra  Jones,  Francis  Como,  Peter  Peaslee,  Abraham  Peaslee, 
Joseph  and  Jonathan  Johnson  (brothers),  Caleb  Kimball,  Thomas  Wad- 
leigh, Nathaniel  Cheney,  Thomas  Walker,  Amos  Mills,  Joseph  Youring, 
Jonathan  Page,  Hezekiah  Parker,  Leonard  Colburn,  Benjamin  Ileath, 
Robert  Heath,  John  Davis,  Samuel  Peaslee,  Jacob  Peaslee,  David  Peas- 
lee, Jr.,  Ezra  Littlehale. 

POPULATION  AT  DIFFERENT  EPOCHS. 

In  1773  there  were  12  tax-payers  in  Perrystown. 

In  1775  Sutton  and  Fishersfield,  together,  had  130  inhabitants. 

In  1779  Sutton  had  50  tax-payers,  49  legal  voters. 

In  1790  the  population  of  Sutton  was  520. 

In  1800  the  population  of  Sutton  was  878.  Polls,  112. 

In  1810  the  population  of  Sutton  was  1328.  Polls,  203. 

In  1820  the  population  of  Sutton  was  1573,  greatest  ever  reached* 

In  1850  the  population  of  Sutton  was  1387. 


627 


628 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


In  I860  the  population  of  Sutton  was  1431. 

In  1870  the  population  of  Sutton  was  1155.  Polls,  330. 

In  1880  the  population  of  Sutton  was  993. 

Sutton  is  estimated  to  contain  23,000  acres. 

In  1798  there  were,  of  pasturing,  359  acres. 

In  1798  there  were,  of  mowing,  263  acres. 

In  1798  there  were,  of  tillage,  39  acres. 

In  1798  there  were,  of  orcharding,  7 acres. 

This  was  about  30  years  after  the  first  settlement. 

Municipal  Organization  Previous  to  Incorpora- 
tion.—There  is  nothing  to  show  that  any  attempt  at 
organization  was  made  previous  to  1777,  when,  “ by 
order  of  the  Court,  Captain  John  Putney  being  em- 
powered to  call  the  meeting,”  the  voters  met  and 
chose, — 

Ebenezer  Kezar,  moderator;  Benjamin  Wadleigh,  clerk:  Benjamin 
Wadleigh,  David  Eaton,  Samuel  Peaslee,  selectmen  ; Samuel  Peaslee, 
constable. 

1778.  — Benjamin  Wadleigh,  clerk  ; Daniel  Messer,  Matthew  Harvey, 
Benjamin  Wadleigh,  selectmen  ; Ebenezer  Kezar,  constable. 

1779.  — Daniel  3Iesser,  moderator ; Ephraim  Gile,  clerk  ; Matthew 
Harvey,  Joseph  Johnson,  Benjamin  Wadleigh,  selectmen ; Daniel 
Messer,  constable  ; Jacob  Davis,  treasurer. 

1780.  — Silas  Bussell,  moderator  ; Ephraim  Gile,  clerk ; Matthew 
Harvey,  Benjamin  Wadleigh,  William  Pressey,  selectmen ; David 
Eaton,  constable. 

1781.  — Ebenezer  Kezar,  moderator;  Ephraim  Gile,  clerk;  Jacob 
Davis,  George  Marden,  Samuel  Peaslee,  selectmen ; Peter  Peaslee,  con- 
stable. 

1782.  — David  Eaton,  moderator ; Ephraim  Gile,  clerk  ; George  Marden, 
Benjamin  Philbrick,  David  Eaton,  selectmen  ; David  Eaton,  constable. 

1783.  — Ebenezer  Kezar,  moderator;  Ephraim  Gile,  clerk;  Matthew 
Harvey,  William  Pressey,  Ephraim  Gile,  selectmen  ; Matthew  Harvey, 
constable. 

INCORPORATION. 

“ The  Bill  for  incorporation  of  Perrystown,  under  the  name  of  Sutton, 
passed  the  House  of  Rep’s  April  9, 1784. 

“John  Dudley,  Speaker. 

“Read  in  Council  three  times,  and  voted  that  the  same  be  enacted 
April  13,  1784. 

“M.  Weare,  Pres. 

“ Copy  examined  by 

“ E.  Thompson,  Secretary .” 

In  the  act  of  incorporation  Ebenezer  Kezar  was 
empowered  to  call  the  first  town-meeting,  which  was 
held  at  the  house  of  Pain  Tongue,  May  20,  1784, 
Thomas  Wadleigh  was  chosen  town  clerk ; Jonathan 
Johnson,  Caleb  Kimball,  Phineas  Stevens,  selectmen  ; 
James  King,  constable;  Silas  Russel,  Daniel  Messer, 
Benjamin  Wadleigh,  David  Eaton,  commissioners  to 
lay  out  roads;  Benjamin  Philbrick,  Joseph  Wadleigh, 
William  Pressey,  Asa  Nelson,  Ephraim  Gile,  Matthew 
Harvey,  Jacob  Mastin,  surveyors  of  highways. 

“ Voted  60  Lbs.  to  repair  roads,  20  Lbs.  to  defray 
Town  Charges.” 

It  seems  remarkable,  at  first  thought,  that,  while  the 
new  township  was  yet  in  it  infancy,  and  all  its  affairs 
but  a series  of  experiments,  the  early  settlers  should 
not  only  have  proceeded  to  organize  a sort  of  home 
government  by  calling  a town-meeting,  but  that  they 
should  have  shown  themselves  so  capable  and 
judicious  in  the  management  of  town  business.  It 
would  almost  appear  that  they  brought  with  them  the 
result  of  actual  knowledge  and  experience  in  the  older 
and  more  thickly-settled  towns  whence  they  came. 
Perhaps  a few  of  them  did,  they  serving  as  the  little 
leaven  that  leavened  the  whole  lump.  Yet,  such  are 
not  the  men  most  likely  to  emigrate.  If  a man’s  am- 


bition is  gratified  at  home,  he  is  not  apt  to  seek  out  new 
fields  for  its  exercise.  Therefore,  it  is  to  be  presumed 
that  our  fathers,  if  they  had  held  the  “ bird  in  the  hand  ” 
in  the  good  old  orthodox  town  of  Haverhill,  would  have 
valued  it  more  than  any  possible  “bird  in  the  bush” 
of  Perrystown.  It  is  probable  of  most  of  these  men, 
and  certain,  of  course,  of  the  sons  who  came  of  age 
after  settling  here,  that  here  was  their  first  awakening 
to  the  duties  of  citizenship ; that  those  who,  if  they 
had  remained  at  home  in  a quiet,  prosperous  com- 
munity, would  have  been  content  to  be  governed, 
now  felt  that  the  needs  of  the  times  required  them  to 
govern  and  manage.  So  they  stepped  forward  and 
found,  or  made  themselves,  equal  to  the  demands  of 
the  hour  and  occasion.  It  is  certain  that  one  man, 
who,  in  affixing  his  signature  to  an  important  docu- 
ment, was  compelled  to  “ make  his  mark,”  also  man- 
aged to  make  his  mark  most  effectually  and  beneficially 
on  the  interests  of  this  town. 

All  qualities,  tendencies  and  capacities  the  human 
soul  ever  exhibits  are  inherent  in  the  soul  itself,  and, 
more  than  anything  else,  great  occasions  make  great 
men. 

It  is  not  possible  for  us  at  this  day  to  properly  esti- 
mate the  hardships  and  inconveniences  endured  by 
the  early  settlers  in  Perrystown,  so  remote  from 
settled  towns  and  so  destitute  of  roads  leading 
thither.  Let  one  try  to  picture  for  himself  the  dis- 
comfort of  a house  made  of  rough,  or  even  of  hewn 
logs,  with  no  floor  but  bare  earth,  or,  at  best,  pieces 
of  bark  laid  down,  and  he  will  probably  be  willing  to 
own  that  the  mightiest  of  all  civilizing  agents  in  a 
cold,  wilderness  country  is  the  saw-mill.  Without  it 
the  church,  the  school  and  the  influx  of  fairly-edu- 
cated people  cannot  show  their  power  nor  fully  wield 
their  rightful  influence,  since  constant  bodily  discom- 
fort works  against  us  spiritually  and  intellectually. 
It  was  not  till  the  latter  part  of  the  decade  between 
1780  and  1790  that  mills  were  in  operation,  so  that 
people  began  to  exchange  their  log  dwellings  for 
framed  houses.  Rough  logs  laid  one  upon  another 
did  not  very  effectually  keep  out  the  cold  or  keep  in 
the  heat,  even  when  people,  as  they  usually  did  on 
the  approach  of  the  inclement  season,  took  the  hint 
conveyed  in  the  construction  of  a bird’s  nest,  and 
“caulked”  their  houses  with  tow  or  even  moss  and 
clay.  The  chimneys  were  made  of  stone  and  clay, 
topped  out  with  logs.  Yet  in  these  rude  dwellings 
the  early  settlers  lived,  and  the  older  children  of 
most  of  them  were  born  and  cradled  there. 

Mrs.  John  Pillsbury,  daughter  of  Benjamin  Wad- 
leigh, Sr.,  several  years  since  supplied  the  following 
reminiscences : 

“ The  Sutton  Wadleighs  came  from  Hampstead.  My  father’s  family 
was  the  seventh  that  moved  into  Perrystown.  They  made  a log  house 
and  we  lived  in  it,  but  it  was  cold,  and  the  snow  would  blow  between  the 
logs.  So  much  work  was  needed  on  the  land  that  it  was  more  than  a 
year  before  there  was  time  to  dig  a well,  and  we  depended  on  catching 
rain  or  melting  snow  for  water.  More  children  were  born  before  we  ex- 
changed the  log  house  for  a good  one,  and,  in  process  of  time,  my  parents 
had  twelve. 


SUTTON. 


629 


“ When  the  men  went  to  the  lower  towns  to  trade  their  furs,  their  fami- 
lies used  to  get  together  fcrsafetj  and  companionship— two  or  three  fami- 
lies in  a house — and  so  live  till  the  men  returned.  Often  people  gathered 
in  each  others’  houses  and  held  religious  meetings.  There  was  then  no 
saw-mill  or  grist-mill  nearer  than  Ilopkintou,— twenty  miles — and  my 
father  used  to  take  his  bag  of  corn  on  his  back  and  go  thither  to  get  it 
ground.  When  we  could  do  no  better,  we  used  to  pound  our  corn  in 
great  wooden  mortars.  The  log  houses  were  poorly  lighted,  of  course, 
on  account  of  the  extreme  difficulty  of  procuring  and  transporting  glass, 
plates  of  mica,  when  they  could  be  found  of  sufficient  size,  or  even  oiled 
paper  being  sometimes  used  as  its  ineffectual  substitute.” 

This  lady  was  mother  of  John  S.  Pillsbury,  who  in 
1855  emigrated  to  Minnesota.  From  1863  to  1875  he 
served  in  the  State  Senate,  and  was  elected  Governor 
of  Minnesota  in  1875  and  re-elected  in  1877  and 

1879. 

The  first  framed  houses  in  town  were  built  by 
James  King  and  William  Pressey,  on  the  road  from 
King’s  Hill  to  Mill  village.  The  third  was  built  by 
Jonathan  Stevens,  of  Warner,  on  the  Littlehale 
place.  The  first  horse  in  town  was  brought  thither 
by  Ebenezer  Kezar,  who  lived  uear  where  the  brook 
enters  Kezar’s  Pond.  He  was  a blacksmith,  as  was 
also  his  son  Simon,  who,  with  his  family,  followed 
his  father,  coming  from  Londonderry. 

Ephraim  Gile  was  a tanner, — probably  the  first. 

There  was  no  physician  within  twenty  miles  for 
many  years.  For  more  than  a quarter  of  a century 
Mrs.  Cornelius  Bean  and  Mrs.  Moses  Quirnby  per- 
formed the  duties  of  physicians  very  successfully. 

The  first  saw-mill  in  town  was  built  by  Ezra  Jones 
about  half  a mile  below  the  South  village,  which  was 
knowTn  as  Jones’  Mill.  He  afterwards  built  a grist- 
mill near  the  same  spot,  and  lived  close  by,  attending 
both  mills. 

Moses  Quimby  came  to  Perrystown  from  Hawk. 
He  cut  the  first  tree  in  the  hollow  above  Mill 
village,  and  built  the  first  grist-mill  there,  carrying 
on  the  business  till  his  death,  when  it  passed  into  the 
hands  of  his  son-in-law,  Daniel  Andrew.  In  process 
of  time  they  had  carding,  saw  and  grist-mills. 

A saw-mill  was  erected  by  Jacob  Davis,  Samuel 
Beau  and  others,  a little  above  where  has  since  been 
William  Little’s  clothes-pin  building. 

Public  Roads. — Previous  to  1784  no  roads  had 
been  laid  out,  except  from  house  to  house.  The  need 
of  public  roads  had  been  sadly  felt,  and  formed  a 
considerable  impediment  to  speedy  settlement  and 
progress.  The  first  public  road  built  in  town  of 
which  any  authentic  record  can  be  found  was  laid 
out  in  1784,  commencing  at  Fishersfield  town  line 
and  on  by  Samuel  Peaslee’s  house ; thence  over  Burnt 
or  Chellis  Hill  to  the  bridge  at  South  village;  thence 
on  by  Ezra  Littlehale’s  and  Ezra  Jones’  to  the  foot  of 
Kimball  Hill ; thence  over  the  hill  to  Warner,  passing 
through  the  whole  width  of  Sutton  diagonally.  This 
became  the  main  traveled  road  from  Warner  to 
Fishersfield  and  towns  above. 

About  the  same  time  a road  wras  made  from  New 
London  line  on  by  Deacon  Matthew  Harvey’s  to 
Kezar’s  Pond ; thence  on  by  Daniel  Messer’s  to  foot 


of  Gile  Hill;  thence  to  the  foot  of  Kimball  Hill  to 
intersect  with  the  road  before  named.  This  road  was 
the  outlet  of  the  town. 

Deacon  Harvey  kept  a tavern  on  a hill  north  of 
the  j)ond.  Caleb  Kimball  kept  tavern  at  the  same 
time  in  the  southeast  part  of  the  town  on  Kimball 
Hill,  the  newly-opened  public  roads  having  made 
taverns  a necessity.  Up  to  1790  no  wheeled  carriages 
had  been  used,  nor  were  the  roads  suitable  for  such. 
Most  burdens  were  carried  on  sleds  or  drays,  or  on 
horseback.  At  that  date  there  were  no  traders  in 
town,  trading  being  done  chiefly  at  Warner,  Salisbury 
and  Hopkiuton. 

Oxen  and  Spotted  Trees. — When  they  commenced 
bringing  oxen  into  Sutton  there  -were  not  many  roads. 
In  most  cases  the  way  wras  indicated  by  marked  trees. 
When  going  through  a clearing,  a man  drove  his  oxen 
yoked  together,  and,  when  they  came  to  woods  again, 
he  would  take  off  the  yoke  and  carry  it,  and  let  the 
oxen  go  singly  through  the  forest.  It  was  noticed 
that  the  oxen  soon  became  expert  in  finding  their 
way  along,  turning  their  eyes  in  all  directions  in 
search  for  the  spots  on  the  trees,  and  following  the 
path  thus  indicated  as  well  as  the  men  themselves 
could  do. 

Representation  in  the  Legislature. — The  Con- 
vention or  Congress  of  the  Province  of  New  Hamp- 
shire, assembled  at  Exeter  August  25,  1775,  issued  an 
order  to  the  several  towns  and  places  in  the  province 
for  taking  a census  or  “enumeration”  of  the  people, 
classifying  the  inhabitants,  so  as  to  secure  the  neces- 
sary data  whereon  to  base  an  adequate  representation 
of  them  in  the  Legislature.  This  census  revealed  the 
fact  that  Sutton  and  Fishersfield  together  had  only 
one  hundred  and  thirty  inhabitants,  as  sworn  to  by 
Benjamin  Wadleigh,  who  was  appointed  by  the  Pro- 
vincial Congress  to  take  the  census.  Towns  not  hav- 
ing enough  of  ratable  polls  to  entitle  them  to  a repre- 
sentative were,  by  the  Legislature,  formed  into  a class 
or  representative  district,  contiguous  towns,  of  course, 
forming  the  district.  In  this  way  Sutton  and  Fish- 
ersfield were,  in  1775,  classed  together,  and  in  1777 
Warner,  Fishersfield,  Sutton  and  Andover. 

This  class  remained  unchanged  till  1785,  when 
Andover  was  left  out,  and  Sutton,  Warner  and  Fish- 
ersfield constituted  the  class.  In  1789,  some  dissatis- 
faction having  arisen  between  Warner  and  the  other 
towns,  the  class  ceased  altogether.  From  that  time 
till  1793  Sutton  and  Fishersfield  appear  to  have  had 
no  representation,  as  they  so  state  in  a petition  to  the 
Legislature  in  that  year,  they  uniting  with  Bradford 
in  asking  to  be  classed  together  for  that  purpose. 

Another  petition  of  similar  purport  the  same  year 
includes  New  London  in  the  request  to  be  classed 
with  the  foregoing  and  is  signed  by  the  selectmen  of 
the  four  towns.  These  selectmen,  in  behalf  of  their 
several  towns,  “humbly  show  that  our  situation  is 
such  that  there  is  not  a conveniency  in  being  classed 
with  any  other  towns  for  representation,  we  being 


630 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE 


about  three  hundred  and  sixteen  ratable  polls  in 
number  in  the  whole.  Therefore,  we  pray  that  we 
may  have  liberty  to  send  two  Representatives  to  the 
■General  Court.” 

The  General  Court,  however,  sent  an  order,  about 
the  1st  of  March,  1794,  that  New  London  and  Sutton 
were  classed  together  to  send  one  representative  and 
directing  the  selectmen  to  warn  a meeting  for  that 
purpose.  This  class  continued  till  1803,  when,  by 
increase  of  population,  each  town  was  entitled  to  its 
own  representative. 

Ebenezer  Kezar,  of  Perrystown,  represented  the 
classified  towns  in  1778;  Matthew  Harvey,  of  Sutton, 
represented  the  class  of  Warner,  Sutton  and  Fishers- 
field  in  1785 ; Zephaniah  Clark,  of  Fishersfield,  in 
1786.  With  these  three  exceptions  the  class,  while  it 
continued,  was  represented  by  Warner  men. 

COPY  OF  A RETURN  OF  TOWN-MEETING  IN  1796. 

“ At  a legal  meeting  holden  at  the  dwelling  of  Matthew  Ilarvey,  in 
Sutton,  by  the  inhabitants  of  New  London  and  Sutton.  March  30,  1796, 
notified  for  the  same  purpose.  Samuel  Messer  chosen  moderator.  The 
votes  being  called  for  a Representative  to  represent  said  towns  in 
General  Court  for  the  present  year,  it  appeared  they  were  unanimously 
for 

“ Dead  Matthew  Harvey. 

“David  Eaton,  Clerk. 

“ Attest : 

“ Levi  Harvey,  ) Selectmen  for 

“ Levi  Everett,  ) New  London .” 

Matthew  Harvey  was  again  elected  in  1798.  He 
died  the  following  year. 

From  1803  to  1810,  including  both  years,  Sutton 
was  represented  by  Thomas  Wadleigh  and  again  in 
1821-22,  ten  years  in  all;  Jonathan  Harvey  was  rep- 
resentative from  1811  to  1815,  inclusive,  and  five 
years  at  a later  period,  also  ten  years  in  all ; Moses 
Hills,  from  1816  to  1820,  inclusive;  Benjamin  Wad- 
leigh, in  1823, ’24, ’25 ; Reuben  Porter,  in  1826, ’27, 
’28;  John  Pressey,  1829-30. 

Sutton  has,  down  to  the  present  time,  been  singu- 
larly fortunate  in  her  choice  of  able,  honorable  and 
sagacious  men  for  representatives,  of  whom  lack  of 
space  alone  prevents  especial  mention.  They  have, 
perhaps,  served  the  town  quite  as  effectually,  while 
their  period  of  service  continued,  as  did  those  we  have 
named,  but  have  not  been  made  so  conspicuous  in 
the  history  of  the  town  by  the  repeated  re-elections 
for  many  successive  years,  which  were  customary 
early  in  the  century  and  which  will  probably  never 
again  be  in  vogue. 

STATE  SENATORS,  RESIDENTS  OF  SUTTON  WHEN  ELECTED. 

Jonathan  Harvey,  in  1816,  ’17,  ’18,  ’19,  ’20,  ’21,  ’22  ; Asa  Page  in  1846 
-47  ; Reuben  Porter,  1834-35. 

Mails. — The  following  is  a list  of  subscribers  to  the 
New  Hampshire  Gazette,  dated  1803 : 

“We,  the  subscribers,  agree  to  take  the  New  Hampshire  Gazette  for 
the  term  of  one  year  at  12*.  per  annum,  one  quarter  to  be  paid  in  advance. 
Papers  to  be  left  weekly  at  Mr.  Ezra  Flanders’  store,  in  Warner: 

“ Daniel  Page,  Amos  Pressey,  Jonathan  Harvey,  Benjamin  Evans, 
Henry  Oarleton,  Joseph  Greeley,  Thomas  Wadleigh,  Thomas  G.  Wells, 
Jesse  King,  Ephraim  Hildreth,  Daniel  Robinson,  Philemon  Hastings, 
Isaac  Peaslee  and  Moses  Hills,  of  Sutton  ; Dow  & Harvey,  J.  & D.  Wood- 
bury and  Thomas  Pike,  of  New  London  ; Samuel  Rogers,  of  Wendell.” 


It  will  be  observed  that  the  papers  were  to  be  left 
at  Warner,  by  which  it  appears  that  the  mail  was 
not  extended  into  Sutton  at  that  early  date. 

Of  the  four  post  routes  established  by  the  Legisla- 
ture of  New  Hampshire  in  1791,  two  lay  through  the 
western  part  of  the  State,  but  the  nearest  point  of 
approach  to  Sutton  on  any  route  was  Andover,  nine 
miles  distant.  For  the  transmission  of  their  letters, 
Sutton  people  depended  much  on  chance  conveyance, 
being  thus  compelled  to  trust  to  the  honor  and  kind 
good-will  of  irresponsible  persons.  Most  store-keepers 
kept  an  open  rack  in  iilain  sight  in  their  .stores,  in 
which  letters  could  be  deposited.  Teamsters  and 
travelers,  calling  to  take  a drink, — for  all  stores  in 
those  years  had  ardent  spirit  for  sale, — would  examine 
the  direction  on  the  letters  in  the  rack,  take  such  as 
were  directed  to  any  place  through  which  or  near 
which  their  route  lay,  and  deliver  as  directed,  or 
else  at  some  other  store  near  by.  For  those  who  did 
not  wish  to  trust  their  mail  matter  to  chance  convey- 
ance, there  remained,  of  course,  tne  alternative  of 
sending  it  to  Andover,  or  elsewhere  on  the  route  of 
the  post-rider,  there  to  await  his  coming ; for  these 
carriers  were  empowered  to  collect  as  well  as  deliver. 
They  accomplished  their  circuitous  route  to  and  from 
Concord  every  week,  going  out  one  way  and  return- 
ing another  to  accommodate  as  many  towns  as  possible. 

The  first  mail  carrier  in  Sutton,  of  whom  we  have 
certain  knowledge,  was  a man  named  Dimond,  whose 
house  and  pottery,  where  he  at  one  period  manufac- 
tured brown  earthen-ware,  were  situated  on  the  War- 
ner road.  He  performed  his  journeys  on  horseback, 
carrying  the  mails  in  saddle-bags,  and  it  was  his 
custom  on  entering  a village  to  summon  the  people 
out  to  the  road  to  receive  their  papers,  by  blowing  a 
horn. 

There  was  established  at  the  South  village  a post- 
office  previous  to  1820,  Enoch  Bailey  being  the  post- 
master. At  that  period  one  post-office  and  one 
weekly  mail  sufficed  for  the  whole  town.  The  mail 
at  that  time  was  brought  by  one  Thomas  Hacket,  of 
Warner,  a lame  man,  who  used  to  ride  in  a gig.  Af- 
terwards Smith  Downing  brought  the  mails. 

Not  long  after  1825  a post-office  was  established  at  , 
the  North  village.  Benjamin  B.  French,  afterwards 
so  well  known  as  editor,  poet,  politician,  and  in  vari- 
ous high  positions  of  public  trust  in  Washington 
City,  but  then  a young  lawyer,  having  recently  come 
to  Sutton  to  open  a law-office  (the  first  in  town),  was 
appointed  postmaster. 


CHAPTER  II. 

SUTTON — ( Continued). 

Religious  History — School  History — Military  History. 

First  Baptist  Church. — Not  far  from  the  year 
1780,  Rev.  Samuel  Ambrose,  from  Exeter,  came  to 


SUTTON. 


631 


Sutton  (then  Perrystown),  sent  probably  by  the  Warren 
Baptist  Association,  in  response  to  a call  they  had  re- 
ceived the  year  previous  for  missionaries  to  labor  in 
this  section  of  the  State.  He  located  in  Sutton,  be- 
coming the  recipient  of  the  lot  of  land  which,  by  a 
stipulation  of  the  charter,  the  town  was  to  give  to 
its  first  settled  minister.  He  gathered  a church  here 
in  1782 ; but  of  its  constituent  members  there  is  no 
record,  nor  of  its  formation  or  dissolution.  It  is  only 
known  that  Matthew  Harvey  was  its  first  deacon. 

The  labors  of  Elder  Ambrose  were  not  confined 
entirely  to  Sutton.  He  gathered  a church  in  Henni- 
ker,  which  was  considered  a branch  of  the  Sutton 
Church,  not  very  numerous  as  to  membership,  but  which 
existed  for  many  years,  and  maintained  public  worship 
on  the  Sabbath,  the  members  meeting  where  they 
could,  in  private  houses  and  school-houses;  but  no 
records  of  its  existence  were  kept.  The  church  in 
Sutton  certainly  did  a noble  work,  and  became  a 
highly  favored  body,  being  especially  favored  in  the 
work  it  was  permitted  to  do. 

For  many  years  it  represented  the  almost  entire 
religious  sentiment  of  the  town.  It  served  as  a bond 
to  draw  the  scattered  families  together,  and  showed 
them  that  Sunday  was  something  better  than  simply 
a day  of  rest, — that  it  was  indeed  the  Sabbath  of  the 
Lord  their  God. 

This  organization,  which  passed  away  without  leav- 
ing any  written  trace  of  its  existence,  was  really  the 
nursery  of  the  first  germs  of  spiritual  life  in  the 
wilds  of  Perrystown.  Peace  and  tender  love  be  to  its 
memory ! 

The  people  had  not  been  able  to  provide  themselves 
with  a house  of  worship;  they  met  in  each  other’s 
houses  in  winter,  and  in  warm  weather  sometimes  in 
barns,  often  traveling  many  weary  miles  for  the 
privilege  of  hearing  “ the  preached  word  ” and 
strengthening  their  faith  in  the  better  life  to  come. 
In  all  the  record  of  their  hard  experience  which  has 
come  down  to  us  there  is,  perhaps,  nothing  more 
touching  than  these,  their  early  efforts  to  find  God  in 
the  wilderness. 

Many  of  the  Sunday  meetings  of  the  church  were 
held  at  Elder  Ambrose’s  own  house,  and  not  unfre. 
quently  people  used  to  come  up  from  Warner  on 
ox-sleds  to  attend  them.  Elder  Thomas  Baldwin, 
then  of  Canaan,  but  afterwards  the  widely-known  Dr. 
Baldwin,  of  Boston,  was  a friend  and  associate  of 
Elder  Ambrose,  and  occasionally  stayed  all  night  at 
his  house,  where,  with  next  to  nothing  between  him 
and  the  heaven  he  aspired  to,  he,  according  to  his 
own  account,  found  delight  in  counting  the  stars 
through  the  chinks  in  the  roof  as  he  lay  in  bed.  The 
house  accommodations  of  the  minister  were  at  that 
early  epoch  no  better  than  all  others ; but  still  he  was 
quite  proud  to  call  the  attention  of  the  Association 
to  this  church  that  he  had  gathered  in  the  wilderness, 
and  on  one  occasion  he  induced  that  body  to  hold 
their  anniversary  at  his  own  premises.  The  reli- 


gious services  were  held  in  his  barn.  On  this  occa- 
sion there  were  present  Elder  Job  Seamans,  of  New 
London,  Elder  Baldwin,  Elder  Otis  Robinson  and 
others,  perhaps,  quite  as  worthy,  though  less  noted. 
On  the  night  succeeding  this  meeting  twenty-five 
persons  who  could  not  reach  their  homes  spent  the 
night  in  the  elder’s  barn. 

Near  the  close  of  the  century  Mr.  Ambrose  request- 
ed and  received  dismission  from  the  town  as  its  min- 
ister, though  he  continued  a resident  of  Sutton  till  his 
death,  in  1831,  at  the  age  of  seventy-six  years.  He 
was  considered  sound  in  doctrine,  and  an  able  and 
energetic  man  in  the  field  as  well  as  the  pulpit,  labor- 
ing with  his  own  hands  on  his  farm  as  long  as  he 
lived. 

After  the  dismissal  of  Mr.  Ambrose,  the  church  was 
at  times  supplied  by  preachers  from  abroad,  “ itin- 
erants,” as  they  were  termed.  Says  Belknap,  in  his 
“ History  of  New  Hampshire,” — 

“In  some  of  the  new  towns,  where  the  people  were  notable  to  support 
a minister,  it  was  the  custom  for  clergymen  of  the  older  towns  to  make 
itinerant  excursions  of  several  weeks  to  preach  and  baptize.  Such 
itinerations  have  always  been  acceptable  and  served  to  keep  up  a sense 
of  religion  in  the  scattered  families.” 

Of  this  class,  probably,  was  Rev.  Samuel  Appleby, 
who  is  known  to  have  labored  here  some  time  prior  to 
the  formation  of  the  now  existing  church,  probably 
not  far  from  the  year  1800.  About  the  same  date, 
also,  Elder  Rand  and  Elder  Ledoyt,  who  located  for 
a short  time  in  Newport,  are  known  to  have  made 
such  “ itinerations  ” to  Sutton. 

The  present  Calvinistic  Baptist  Church  in  Sutton  was 
formed  November  24,  1803,  its  constituent  members 
being  Joseph  Greeley,  Jonathan  Eaton,  Jonathan 
Roby,  John  Phelps,  Gideon  Wilkins,  Reuben  Gile, 
Elijah  Eaton,  James  Taylor,  Benjamin  Fowler,  Hep- 
sibah  Gillingham,'  Lucy  Davis,  Jane  Eaton,  Sally 
Fowler,  Sarah  Parker,  Judith  Como,  Amos  Parker, 
Frederic  Wilkins. 

Benjamin  Fowler  was  chosen  deacon. 

This  church  was  the  largest  in  the  years  1823  and 
1824,  when  the  whole  number  was  one  hundred  and 
nine.  Since  that  time  there  has  been  a gradual  de- 
crease in  its  membership,  as  the  population  of  the  town 
has  diminished  and  other  religious  bodies  have  arisen. 

The  following  is  a list  of  some  of  the  ministers  of 
the  Baptist  Church:  Nathan  Champlin,  commenced 
1808 ; Pelatiah  Chapin,  1811 ; William  Taylor  (native 
of  Sutton),  1814;  Reuel  Lothrop,  ordained  1816- 
Nathan  Ames,  1820;  Edward  Mitchell,  1826;  Stephen 
Pillsbury  (native  of  Sutton),  1830;  H.  W.  Strong, 
1837;  Henry  Archibald,  1841— 48 ; Charles  Newhall, 
1848;  Valentine  E.  Bunker,  1857;  Elder  Coombs; 
Elder  Eastman,  1873-80;  Elder  Libbey,  present  pas- 
tor. 

Free-Will  Baptists. — Organized  in  1801,  and  have 
maintained  their  organization  ever  since,  though  for 
many  years  they  did  not  increase  rapidly.  They  are 
now  a large,  respectable  and  growing  body. 


632 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Methodists  are  the  least  in  number  of  any  society 
in  town,  though  they  were  in  existence  as  a body 
since  early  in  the  present  century. 

Adventists. — There  were  some  in  town  as  early  as 
1841.  They  organized  in  1847.  Their  number  in- 
creased steadily  for  several  years. 

Spiritualists. — Organized  in  1858,  and  for  several 
years  their  increase  drew  largely  from  the  Universal- 
ists. 

Universalists. — The  earliest  attempt  at  association 
for  the  purpose  of  securing  liberal  preaching  seems 
to  have  been  made  in  1817.  At  that  time  a few  in- 
dividuals met  and  formed  themselves  into  a society 
to  be  known  as  the  “Universal  Friendly  Society.” 
They  drew  up  and  signed  their  names  to  a constitu- 
tion, the  preamble  of  which  declared  their  belief  in 
the  final  salvation  of  all  men.  It  was  signed  by 
Thomas  Pike,  John  Harvey,  Jr.,  Joseph  Pike,  Gordon 
Huntley,  William  Bean,  Amos  Pressey,  James 
Brocklebank,  James  Brocklebank,  Jr.,  and  Eliphalet 
Gay.  This  association  formed  the  nucleus  around 
which  gathered  what  afterwards  became  the  Univer- 
salist  Society  and  Church. 

Since  their  existence  as  a society  the  Universalists 
have  maintained  a respectable  rank,  numerically  and 
morally.  Whittemore,  Streeter,  Ballou  and  A.  A. 
Miner  in  earlier  years  preached  here  occasionally. 

Ministerial  Fund  of  the  Town.— Sutton  has  a 
fund  arising  from  the  sale  of  lands,  which,  by  charter, 
were  reserved  for  support  of  the  gospel,  the  interest  of 
which  amounts  to  sixty  dollars  a year.  Each  relig- 
ious body  in  town  draws  annually  from  this  interest 
a sum  proportionate  to  its  numbers.  The  following 
table,  made  out  for  the  year  1868,  shows  what  was  at 
that  time  the  relative  strength  of  each: 


Free-Will  Baptists  drew $22.51 

Calvinistic  Baptists  drew 4.37 

Universalists  drew 14.72 

Adventists  drew 10.35 

Spiritualists  drew 4.83 

Methodists  drew 3.22 


The  Meeting-Houses.— By  a provision  of  the 
charter  the  proprietors  of  Perrystown  were  bound  to 
erect  a meeting-house  in  town  within  a specified 
time,  but  this  they  never  did.  Their  “ Book  of  Rec- 
ords ” shows  that  the  subject  was  considered  in  their 
meetings  several  times,  but  the  last  mention  of  it  is 
as  follows:  “ Voted  that  building  a meeting-house  for 
the  present  is  let  alone.” 

A rude  structure  was  erected  not  far  from  the  brook 
in  what  is  now  the  Mill  village  by  some  of  the  early 
inhabitants,  which  accommodated  a few  of  them,  but 
it  was  not  till  1794  that,  by  concerted  action  and  sub- 
scription of  the  people,  two  meeting-houses  were 
built,  one  at  the  North  village  and  one  at  the  South, 
four  miles  apart,  being  constructed  alike  and  of  the 
same  size,  forty  by  fifty  feet,  with  porches  at  the 
ends  giving  admission  to  the  galleries  and  other  parts 
of  the  house,  and  the  whole  handsomely  underpinned 


with  hewn  stone.  The  gallery  pillars  and  front  of 
the  gallery,  the  communion  table,  deacon’s  seat,  the 
pulpit  and  also  the  mighty-looking,  but  deceitful 
“sounding-board”  above  it,  depending,  bell-shaped, 
from  the  ceiling,  were  painted  a brilliant  green.  The 
pews  were  square,  with  the  seats  hung  on  hinges  for 
convenience  of  standing  during  praver-time.  These 
meeting-houses  were  completed  in  about  two  years 
from  the  time  of  commencement. 

Daniel  Page  framed  the  South  Meeting-House ; 
John  Harvey  the  North. 

It  is  said  that  the  North  Meeting-House  was 
framed  from  timber  that  grew  on  the  spot  where  the 
house  stands.  When  this  house  was  renewed  in  1855 
the  frame  was  found  to  be  as  sound  as  when  the 
house  was  first  built.  A belfry  was  added  to  this 
church  and  a bell  hung  therein,  which  was  rung  for 
the  first  time  on  the  morning  of  the  4th  of  July, 
1869. 

As  is  well  known,  about  the  close  of  the  last  cen- 
tury much  inconvenience  was  suffered  on  account  of 
the  scarcity  of  money,  there  being  no  banks  and  very 
little  coin  in  circulation.  Nearly  all  trade  and  busi- 
ness had  to  be  conducted  by  barter.  In  this  way 
were  the  two  newly-built  meeting-houses  paid  for, 
each  subscriber  to  the  fund  bringing  to  the  building 
committee  a quantity  of  grain  or  corn  equal  in  value 
to  the  amount  of  his  subscription,  and  for  which  he 
had  given  his  note  of  hand  at  the  time  of  his  sub- 
scribing. The  following  are  copies  of  two  of  these 
notes : 

“Sutton,  Sept.  22,  1794. 

“ Upon  demand,  for  value  received,  I promise  to  pay  twelve  shillings  to 
the  Committee  : in  Rye  at  4s.  or  Corn  at  3s.  per  bushel  ; or  work  at  3s. 
if  called  for  building  a meeting-house  at  the  lower  end  of  Kesar's  pond 
so  called,  as  witness  my  hand, — 

“ Thomas  Walker.” 

“ For  value  received  I promise  to  pay  to  the  committee — Samuel  Bean, 
Mathew  Harvey  and  John  King— The  sum  of  Four  Pounds  lawful  money 
to  be  paid  in  Ne«at  Stock,  or  good  merchantable  Rye  or  Indian  Corn.  To 
be  paid  the  first  day  of  October,  1795. 

“ Benjamin  Wells,  Jr.” 

Minister’s  Salary.— The  following  is  a copy  of  an 
ancient  paper,  entitled  “A  Rate  List,”  containing 
what  the  inhabitants  agreed  to  give  Rev.  Mr.  Ambrose 
for  the  year  1788.  The  fractional  sums  set  against 
each  man's  name  seem  at  first  thought  almost  whim- 
sical ; but,  without  doubt,  the  amount  of  the  subscrip- 
tion was  to  be  paid  in  a specified  number  of  pounds, 
gallons  or  bushels  of  farm  produce,  and  that  its  esti- 
mated value  was  put  upon  the  paper : 

£.  s.  d. 


“ Jacob  Davis 0 12  9 

Jona  Davis 0 12  9 

Ephraim  Gile 0 19  4 

Reuben  Gile 0 11  10 

Daniel  Messer 118  8 

Thomas  Messer  0 5 8 

Jacob  Mastin 0 14  6 

Stephen  Nelson 0 6 9 

Robert  Heath • 0 11  4 

Samuel  Bean 1 2 4 

Bond  Little 1 2 4 

Philip  Nelson 1 4 0 


SUTTON. 


633 


£.  s.  d. 


Asa  Nelson 0 14  4 

Samuel  Peaslee 0 10  0 

Joseph  Wadleigh 1 2 0 

Thomas  Wadleigh 1 2 4 

Isaac  Peaslee 0 10  10 

Hezekiali  Parker 0 8 0 

Benjamin  Wadleigh 1 1 10” 


Peculiar  Use  of  the  Word  “Gift.”  — In  town- 
meeting in  1804,  “Voted  to  pay  Benjamin  Fowler 
Three  Dollars,  it  being  for  procuring  a Gift  to 
preach  the  gospel.”  “ Gift  ” meant  a gifted  brother 
or  preacher. 

Taxing  the  Proprietors’  Lands  to  assist  in  paying 
for  the  Meeting-Houses. — An  attempt  to  compel  the 
owners  of  reserved  rights  of  land  to  assist  in  this  work 
was  made  by  petition  to  the  Legislature  in  1795,  to 
empower  the  town  to  assess  a tax  on  the  same  for 
that  purpose.  This  was  probably  the  origin  of  “ the 
Cent  Tax,”  occasionally  referred  to  in  the  town 
records  of  the  early  part  of  this  century.  The  petition 
is  inserted  verbatim  in  this  sketch,  because  it  contains 
a good  description  of  the  “ broken  and  mountainous” 
town  of  Sutton,  and  of  the  struggles  of  its  early  set- 
tlers, who  can  tell  their  own  story  better  than  any- 
one living,  as  we  do  now,  nearly  a century  later, — 


“ To  the  Honorable  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  at  Concord , con- 
vened January  1«£,  1795 : 

“Your  petitioners  humbly  show,  in  behalf  of  the  town  of  Sutton,  that 
they  labor  under  many  great  inconveniences  by  not  having  a Meeting- 
House  in  Sutton.  We  would  beg  leave  to  inform  your  Honors  that  the 
Proprietors  of  said  town  obligated  themselves  to  build  a Meeting-House 
in  a certain  time,  which  contract  was  never  done  in  the  least  tittle.  And,  | 
our  town  being  seven  miles  and  eighty  rods  in  length,  and  but  five  miles  ■ 
in  width,  being  mountainous  and  extremely  broken,  which  causes  the  i 
repair  of  our  roads  to  be  a great  cost ; And,  the  centre  of  said  town  being  | 
so  inconvenient,  the  laDd  poor  and  broken  for  two  miles  each  way— not 
tit  for  settlements — and  no  leading  road  by  said  center,  so  that  a meeting- 
house there  would  be  useless  for  a great  part  of  the  year.  There  are  two 
main  roads  already  laid  out,  leading  through  each  end  of  the  town, 
which  serve  the  country  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  better,  to  build 
two  meeting-houses — one  on  each  main  road — which,  we  think,  will  bet- 
ter accommodate  the  inhabitants.  Upon  this  consideration  we  have 
gone  forward  to  build  two  small  meeting-houses ; and  we  think  when 
they  are  completed  they  will  raise  a higher  value  on  all  the  lands  in  said 
town.  Therefore  we  beg  leave  to  inform  your  honors  that  whereas  there 
are  some  gentlemen  that  own  large  tracts  of  land  in  said  town  who  never 
gave  away  any  part  of  their  lands  for  settling,  who  are  non-residents, 
and  the  inhabitants  have  been  making  farms  by  their  lands,  and  roads 
through  their  lands,  raising  the  value  of  their  interest  by  our  industry, 
and  have  undergone  great  fatigues  and  distress  in  settling  said  town, 
being  poor.  Therefore,  we  pray  your  honors  would  take  into  your  wise 
and  prudent  consideration  our  case,  and  empower  said  town  to  lay  a tax 
upon  all  the  non-improved  lands  of  three  pence  per  acre,  to  be  laid  out 
in  building  said  Meeting-Houses,  to  be  equally  divided  between  them, 
or  any  Sum  you,  in  your  wisdom,  shall  think  proper.  And  your  hum- 
ble petitioners,  &c. 


“Thomas  Wadleigh, 
“ Moses  Hills, 

“ Asa  Nelson. 


Selectmen  for 
Sutton .” 


Schools. — By  charter,  the  proprietors  of  the  town- 
ship of  Perrystown  were  required  to  reserve  one  right 
(that  is,  one  one  hundred  acre  lot,  and  one  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acre  lot)  of  land  for  the  support  of 
schools,  but  there  was  no  stipulation  made  regarding 
the  establishing  of  the  same,  and  there  is  nothing  on 
their  book  of  records  to  show  that  they,  as  proprietors, 
ever  made  any  effort  to  do  so.  Their  burdens  were 


40 


very  great.  Although  their  land  had  been  granted  to 
them  on  favorable  terms,  their  outlay  far  exceeded 
their  income,  and  many  of  the  proprietors,  weary  of 
paying  money  where  there  was  no  prospect  of  return, 
suffered  their  proprietary  rights  to  be  sold  for  taxes, 
and,  therefore,  it  is  not  probable  that  they  taxed  them- 
selves to  maintain  public  schools. 

The  settlers,  also,  had  many  hardships  to  bear, 
many  and  heavy  labors  to  perform,  but  having  been, 
most  of  them,  reared  in  the  lower  and  longer-settled 
towns,  where  they  had  opportunity  to  acquire,  at  least, 
enough  of  education  to  know  its  value,  they  would 
not  let  their  children  grow  up  in  ignorance. 

The  first  instruction  the  children  received  was,  with- 
out doubt,  from  their  parents;  but,  a few  years, 
after  the  settlements  commenced,  individual  effort 
and  private  subscription  accomplished  something  in 
the  way  of  establishing  schools. 

Very  few  school-houses  were  built  before  the  close 
of  the  last  century,  schools  being  “kept”  in  apart- 
ments in  private  houses,  the  scholars’  seats  being 
simply  boards  resting  on  blocks  of  wood,  without 
backs  or  desks.  The  first  school  in  the  South  District 
was  kept  in  a chamber  in  the  house  of  Esquire  Thomas 
Wadleigh,  the  teacher  being  Master  Garvin,  perhaps 
from  Lempster,  and  the  school  being  composed  of  all 
grades  and  ages  from  little  children  to  young  men 
fitting  for  college.  Matthew  Harvey,  afterwards 
Judge  Harvey  and  Governor  of  the  State,  attended 
that  winter,  1798,  he  being  then  about  sixteen  years 
of  age.  The  next  winter  the  South  School-house  was 
in  existence,  and  Master  Garvin  taught  there.  Dil- 
worth’s  Spelling-Book  was  used,  “The  Young  Ladies’ 
Accidence ” for  grammar,  and  the  “Third  Part”  for 
reading;  the  best  readers  read  in  Morse’s  Geography, 
and  the  teacher  questioned  them  afterwards.  One 
authority  says, — 

“ I know  something  regarding  the  books  used  at  that  period  and  some 
years  later,  having  often  seen  them  in  the  old  homes  where  I have 
visited.  There  was  Webster’s  Spelling-Book,  Alexander’s  Grammar, 
Pike’s  Arithmetic,  Perry’s  Dictionary.  For  reading-books  prior  to  the 
days  of  the  English  Reader  were  The  American  Preceptor,  Morse’s 
Geography,  and  The  Third  Part,  though  of  what  or  whom  it  bore  that 
proportion  I do  not  know.” 

The  first  school-master  of  whom  we  can  glean  any 
account,  through  either  tradition  or  written  record, 
was  Robert  Hogg,  a Scotchman  by  birth.  Whatever 
attracted  him  to  Sutton  is  not  known,  but  being  here, 
and,  finding  in  the  untaught  condition  of  the  children 
of  the  settlers  a favorable  opening  for  the  school-mas- 
ter, he  turned  his  “ wee  bit  of  learning”  to  account 
for  his  and  their  profit.  His  stock  of  books  consisted 
of  a spelling-book,  a Bible  and  an  old  catechism. 
Arithmetic  he  taught  verbally,  and  demonstrated  it 
by  the  use  of  the  fingers,  kernels  of  corn  and  a piece 
of  chalk. 

But  if  the  teacher  had  few  books,  the  scholars  had 
fewer ; none,  in  fact,  unless,  as  a special  indulgence, 
they  were  allowed  the  use  of  the  family  Bible  or  rude 
psalm-book  of  the  day  in  the  exercises  of  the  school. 


634 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


A stray  leaf  from  au  old  volume,  or  even  a piece  of  a 
torn  newspaper,  often  did  duty  in  place  of  the  modern 
invention  of  school-books.  He  was  a severe  disciplin- 
arian, and  the  slightest  infraction  of  the  laws  of  the 
school  was  visited  upon  the  offender  with  as  severe  a 
punishment  as  birch  could  inflict  with  safety,  causing 
the  offender  to  feel  that  knowledge  is  indeed  bought 
with  suffering,  and  almost  forcing  him  to  believe  that 
the  cautionary  threat  given  to  the  dwellers  in  Eden, 
“In  the  day  that  thou  eatest  of  the  tree  of  knowledge 
thou  shalt  surely  die”  would  be  literally  fulfilled  in 
his  individual  experience. 

The  following  is  an  exact  copy  of  one  of  Master 
Hogg’s  receipts: 

“ March  21,  1792. 

“ Then  my  son  RoKrt  Hogg  received  seventeen  bushels  of  Rie  from 
Simon  Kezar,  of  Sutton,  which  was  due  to  me  for  teaching  schooling  | 
two  months  in  Sutton. 

“ Per  me,  Robert  Hogg.” 

The  following  is  a school-mistress’  receipt : 

“ Methuen,  Feb.  1,  1791. 

“ Received  of  Jacob  Mastin  and  Ile/.ekiah  Parker  six  bushels  of  Rye,  ! 
it  being  in  full  for  my  keeping  school  for  them  and  others  last  fall  six  j 
weeks  in  Sutton. 

“ Lydia  Parker.” 

In  1786,  two  years  after  incorporation,  Sutton,  in 
its  corporate  capacity,  made  its  first  appropriation, 
twelve  pounds,  for  support  of  schools.  Of  this  sum, 
each  school,  of  course,  received  its  proportionate 
share ; but  it  is  evident  that  private  subscription  was 
still  needed  to  make  the  school  terms  long  enough  to 
he  of  much  profit,  and  not  unfrequently  they  were 
lengthened  in  this  way.  The  “ six  weeks  ” and  “ two 
mouths  ” specified  in  the  above  receipts  might  have 
been  additional  to  the  time  already  paid  for  by  the 
town  appropriation.  No  district  lines  had  been  as  yet  J 
established.  The  few  school-houses  that  were  built 
previous  to  1808,  had  been  placed  where  they  would 
accommodate  the  most  families.  The  first  permanent  J 
division  of  the  town  into  school  districts  was  made  by  j 
a committee  chosen  by  the  town  for  that  purpose  in  j 
1808,  in  obedence  to  the  new  school  law  passed  by  the 
Legislature  that  year.  The  law  also  provided  for  the 
establishment  of  a superintending  school  committee, 
which,  with  the  more  liberal  appropriations  by  the 
town  for  support  of  schools,  produced  decided  advance- 
ment in  discipline  and  acquirements  of  the  scholars. 

The  right  of  land  reserved  by  the  proprietors  for 
school  purposes,  according  to  a stipulation  in  their  i 
grant  of  the  town,  was  sold  under  the  direction  of  the 
town,  and  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  constitute  the  orig- 
inal school  fund. 

Some  teachers  who  are  remembered  were  Benja- 
min Colby,  Esq.,  late  of  Springfield  ; Deacon  Benja-  I 
min  Fowler,  late  of  Orange  ; Hon.  Jonathan  Harvey;  { 
Colonel  Philip  S.  Harvey ; Rev.  Stephen  Pillsbury,  1 
late  of  Derry  ; Captain  John  Pillsbury,  late  of  Sutton  ; 
Judge  MosesS.  Harvey,  late  of  Painesville,  Ohio ; Hon. 
Charles  Hudson,  a late  member  of  Congress  from 
Massachusetts. 

The  first  female  school-teacher  in  Sutton  was  Olive 


Whitcomb,  afterwards  wife  of  George  Walker.  She 
taught  school  in  Deacon  Asa  Nelson’s  barn  about  the 
year  1788. 

Deacon  Benjamin  Fowler  taught  school  in  a room 
in  the  house  of  Samuel  Bean,  an  early  settler. 

For  many  years  after  the  settlement  of  the  town 
teachers’  wages  were  from  six  to  eight  dollars  per 
month,  besides  their  board,  which  was  given  in  by  the 
families,  each  one  giving  according  to  the  number  of 
scholars  sent,  and  the  teacher  “ boarding  around  ” 
among  them. 

Female  teachers  received  from  fifty  cents  to  one 
dollar  per  week,  which  amount  they  sometimes  added 
to  by  spinning  between  school-hours  for  the  families 
where  they  boarded,  often  in  this  way  earning  another 
half-dollar  a week. 

The  catechism  spoken  of  as  being  in  use,  both  in 
schools  and  in  families,  was  the  “ Shorter  Catechism  of 
the  Westminster  Assembly  of  Divines,”  and  was 
found  in  the  “ New  England  Primer.” 

“The  Young  Ladies’  Accidence”  was  a grammar 
prepared  by  the  Rev.  Caleb  Bingham,  a graduate  of 
Dartmouth  College  in  1782.  He  established  a school  for 
young  ladies  in  Boston  in  1785,  soon  after  which,  see- 
ing the  great  need  of  such  a book,  he  prepared  and 
issued  this  one,  which  had  an  immense  sale,  passed 
through  twenty  editions,  one  hundred  thousand  copies 
being  sold.  He  also  was  author  of  “The  American 
Preceptor,”  “The  Columbian  Orator”  and  other 
school-books;  one  million  two  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  copies  of  his  books  were  sold. 

Thomas  Wadleigh  Harvey,  son  of  Moses  S.  Har- 
vey, who  emigrated  from  Sutton  to  Painesville,  Ohio, 
was  for  several  years  superintendent  of  schools  for 
the  State  of  Ohio. 

Lydia  Wadleigh,  daughter  of  Judge  Benjamin 
Wadleigh,  eminent  as  a teacher  during  many  years 
of  her  life,  has,  for  a long  period,  held  the  position  of 
superintendent  of  the  Female  Normal  College  in 
New  York  City. 

General  John  Eaton,  son  of  John  Eaton,  was  for 
some  time  superintendent  of  education  in  Tennessee, 
and  was  subsequently  appointed  by  General  Grant 
superintendent  of  the  National  Board  of  Education, 
which  post  he  still  holds. 

Adelaide  Lane  Smiley,  daughter  of  Dr.  James 
R.  Smiley  and  granddaughter  of  Dr.  Robert  Lane, 
has  been  for  many  years  the  honored  lady  principal  at 
Colby  Academy,  in  New  London. 

William  Taylor,  a Baptist  clergyman,  and  son  of 
Captain  James  Taylor,  of  Sutton,  was  largely  instru- 
mental in  the  establishment  of  the  New  Hampton 
Baptist  Institution,  and,  at  a later  period,  of  a similar 
institution  in  Michigan. 

Singing-School. — Captain  Matthew  Buell,  of  New- 
port, taught  singing-schools  in  Sutton  many  years, 
about  the  close  of  the  last  century  and  afterwards.  He 
used  to  teach  three  afternoons  and  three  evenings  in  a 
week  while  the  term  continued — one  day  at  Matthew 


SUTTON. 


635 


Harvey’s  tavern,  one  day  at  Enoch  Page’s  tavern  and 
one  day  at  Caleb  Kimball’s  tavern. 

His  schools  became  one  of  the  greatest  social  in- 
stitutions of  the  winter  season,  and  were  looked  for- 
ward to  with  much  interest,  at  a period  when 
young  people  in  Sutton  were  so  numerous  that  some 
school  districts  which  are  now  so  reduced  as  to  be 
merged  into  others  numbered  one  hundred  scholars 
every  winter. 

The  recess  between  the  afternoon  and  evening 
school  afforded  a fine  opportunity  for  the  young 
men  to  display  their  gallantry  to  the  girls  by  treating 
them  to  a supper  of  such  good  things  as  the  tavern 
afforded.  “On  one  occasion,”  says  our  informant, 
“Captain  Buell’s  Newport  school,  by  special  invita- 
tion, came  down  to  visit  the  Sutton  school ; had  a 
supper  together,  and  a fine  entertainment,-  every 
way.” 

Military  History  — The  Militia.  — When  the 
new  State  Constitution  was  adopted,  in  1792,  it  con- 
tained important  provisions  for  regulating  the  mil- 
itia. At  its  next  session  the  Legislature  passed  an  act, 
December  27,  1792,  for  arranging  it  into  companies, 
regiments,  brigades,  divisions,  and  these  were  to  drill 
two  days  in  a year.  Each  regiment  was  composed  of 
two  battalions,  the  regiment  being  commanded  by  a 
lieutenant-colonel  and  the  battalions  by  majors.  The 
Twenty-first  Regiment  was  thus  constituted : First 
Battalion, — Boscawen,  Salisbury,  Andover,  New  Lon- 
don, Kearsarge  Gore  (Wilmot) ; Second  Battalion, — 
Hopkinton,  Warner,  Sutton,  Fishersfield,  Bradford. 

As  the  population  of  the  towns  increased,  a differ- 
ent arrangement,  of  course,  became  desirable.  In 
1797  the  inhabitants  of  Sutton  united  with  the  in- 
habitants of  the  towns  of  Warner,  Bradford,  Kear- 
sarge Gore,  Fishersfield  and  New  London  in  a 
petition  to  the  Legislature,  showing  that  they  all 
labored  under  many  and  great  disadvantages  by  rea- 
son of  the  Twenty-first  Regiment  being  so  extensive, 
and  asking  relief.  The  petition  states  that  they 
are, — 

“By  law  obliged  to  meet  a number  of  times  every  year,  and  once  in 
battalion  or  regiment,  which  makes  fatiguing  journeys  and  hardships 
for  soldiers,  and  great  expense  for  officers,  to  march  to  and  from  the  cen- 
tre of  said  regiment  or  battalion,  and  much  time  is  spent  and  lost  by  rea- 
son of  the  Parade  being  at  such  a distance.  Therefore,  your  petitioners 
humbly  pray  your  honors  to  take  this  their  hard  case  into  your  wise 
consideration,  and  grant  them  relief  by  making  a division  of  said  regi- 
ment in  the  following  manner  : 1st.  That  the  companies  of  the  towns  of 
Warner,  Bradford  and  Kearsarge  Gore  make  the  first  battalion.  2d. 
That  the  companies  of  the  towns  of  Sutton,  Fisherfield  and  New  London 
make  the  second  battalion.  So  that  the  above  said  companies  may  con- 
stitute and  make  one  regiment.  Or  relieve  your  petitioners  in  some 
other  way,  as  your  honors,  in  your  great  wisdom,  shall  think  best.  And 
as  in  duty  bound,  etc.” 

Here  follow,  in  the  Sutton  petition,  the  names  of 
eighty-four  men,  most  of  whom  were  probably  of 
suitable  age  to  be  enrolled  (between  sixteen  and 
forty  years),  according  to  the  modification  of  the  mil- 
itia law,  made  June  19,  1795.  In  their  petition,  how- 
ever, they  style  themselves  simply  “inhabitants  of 
Sutton.”  Some  of  the  petitioners  may  have  been  too 


old  to  be  liable  to  do  military  duty,  except  in  case  of 
alarm ; but  no  one  of  them,  of  course,  could  have 
been  less  than  sixteen  years, — 

Benjamin  Philbrick,  Nathaniel  Cheney,  Henry  Dearborn,  John  Adams, 
Samuel  Kendrick,  Joseph  Adams,  William  Lowell,  Jonathan  Colburn, 
David  Colburn,  Nathaniel  Cheney,  John  Philbrick,  Moses  Nelson, 
Thomas  Peaslee,  John  King,  George  King,  Moses  Davis,  Joseph  Clough, 
Samuel  Peaslee,  Amos  Prfessey,  Samuel  Bean,  Silas  Russell,  Joseph  Bean, 
Isaac  Wells,  Ezekiel  Flanders,  John  Emerson,  Philip  Nelson,  Isaac  Peas- 
lee, Jesse  Peaslee,  John  Pressey,  Simon  Kezar,  Jr.,  Willard  Emerson, 
George  Walker,  Joshua  Philbrick,  Ezekiel  Davis,  Dudley  Kendrick, 
David  Davis,  Caleb  Kimball,  Benjamin  Williams,  Philip  Sargent,  Joseph 
Greeley,  John  Peaslee,  Joseph  Chadwick,  William  Pressey,  Ezra  Little- 
hale,  Peter  Peasley,  Reuben  Gile,  Ephraim  Hildreth,  Abraham  Peasley, 
Enoch  Page,  John  Harvey,  Jonathan  Roby,  Phineas  Stevens,  Seth  Rus- 
sell, Joseph  Youring,  Joseph  Johnson,  Benjamin  Stevens,  Asa  Stevens, 
Peter  Cheney,  Joseph  Stevens,  Jonathan  Eaton,  Theophilus  Cram,  Eli- 
phalet  Woodward,  Benjamin  Wells,  Joseph  Flanders,  Stephen  Wood- 
ward, Jonathan  Harvey,  Matthew'  Harvey,  Jr.,  Joseph  Woodward,  David 
Flanders,  Zachariah  Cross,  Oliver  French,  David  Eaton,  Daniel  Messer, 
Joseph  Pearson,  Jacob  Mastin,  Hezekiali  Parker,  John  Pearson,  Samuel 
Ambrose,  Jr.,  Theophilus  Cram,  Eliphalet  Woodward,  Stephen  Wood- 
ward, Matthew  Harvey,  Jonathan  Davis,  Josiah  Nichols,  William 
Hutchins. 

Soon  after  this  petition,  and  probably  as  a result  of 
it,  a division  of  the  regiment  was  made,  and  then  and 
afterwards  Sutton  constituted  a part  of  the  Thirtieth 
Regiment  till  the  disbanding  of  the  militia,  in  1851. 

The  “ Grenadiers  ” were  organized  by  Captain 
John  Harvey,  perhaps  about  1810,  and  until  his 
promotion  commanded  by  him,  when  his  first  lieu- 
tenant, Daniel  Woodward,  took  the  command.  Their 
uniform  consisted  of  white  pants,  scarlet  coats  and 
tall,  conical-shaped,  black,  shiny,  leather  caps. 

The  uniform  of  the  cavalry  of  the  Thirtieth  Regi- 
ment consisted  of  white  pants,  red  coats  with  bell- 
buttons,  a black  leather  cap  ornamented  with  an 
eagle  on  a white  shield,  with  chains  and  tassels,  and 
a red  and  black  plume. 

For  many  of  the  first  thirty  years  of  this  century 
musters  were  held  at  Jonathan  Harvey’s,  in  his  field 
opposite  his  house, — a level  field  of  twenty  acres  in 
extent,  a high  table-land,  with  not  another  possess- 
ing its  peculiar  characteristics  in  our  hilly  town,  per- 
haps not  in  any  town  embraced  in  the  regiment,  or 
even  the  brigade,  of  which  Sutton  constituted  a 
part. 

At  a later  period  some  musters  were  held  in  the 
Wadleigh  field,  south  of  Kezar’s  Pond. 

Militia  Officers. — As  is  well  known,  the  rolls  of 
the  State  militia  are  imperfect.  The  following  list 
was  furnished  by  Colonel  Asa  Page  from  his  own 
recollection,  he  being  at  the  time  of  his  death — which 
occurred  recently  at  Newbury — eighty-six  years  of  age. 
His  eyesight  was  entirely  gone,  but  he  retained  his 
mental  faculties  to  a wonderful  degree.  He  possessed 
the  highest  integrity  of  character,  and  was  universal- 
ly esteemed.  Reference  to  the  record  of  town-meet- 
ings shows  him  to  have  served  as  moderator  for  twenty- 
one  different  years;  selectman,  twelve  years  ; represen- 
tative, three  sessions  (1843,  ’44,  ’45) ; Senator,  two 
sessions  (1846-47). 

The  first  company  organized  in  Sutton  was  about 


636 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE 


the  year  1800.  Thomas  Wadleigli  chosen  captain  and 
Joseph  Wadleigh  lieutenant. 

LIEUTENANT-COLONELS  FURNISHED  BY  SUTTON. 

Philip  S.  Harvey,  commissioned  about  1818. 

John  Harvey,  commissioned  June  29,  1822  (date  of  John  Harvey’s 
commission  as  ensign  of  the  Seventh  Company,  in  the  Thirtieth  Regi- 
ment, December  24,  1805). 

Asa  Page,  commissioned  lieutenant-colonel  September  6,  1827. 

Nathaniel  A.  Davis,  commissioned  lieutenant-colonel. 

Nehemiah  Emerson,  commissioned  major. 

CAPTAINS. 

Thomas  Wadleigli  (1800),  Daniel  Page  (1803),  Enoch  Page,  James 
Minot,  William  Kendrick,  Joseph  Pillsbury,  John  Pillsbury,  Daniel 
"Woodward,  Asa  Nelson (181G),  Levi  Fowler,  Amos  Pressey,  Nathan  Champ- 
lin  (1820),  Nathaniel  Ivnowlton  (1827),  Samuel  Dresser,  Jr.  (1827),  Levi 
Gile,  Jacob  Harvey,  Thomas  Walker,  Aaron  Russell,  John  Pressey, 
Thomas  Wadleigh,  Jr. 

NAMES  OF  REVOLUTIONARY  SOLDIERS. 

(Most  of  these  served  for  other  towns  before  they  became  residents  of 
Sutton.) 

Samuel  Ambrose,  Benjamin  Colby,  Daniel  Messer,  Philip  Nelson, 
Daniel  Emery, .Jacob  Mastin,  David  Peaslee,  Nathaniel  Cheney,  Benja- 
min Critchett,  Simeon  Stevens,  Philemon  Hastings,  Thomas  Walker, 
George  Walker,  Francis  Como,  Silas  Russell,  Thomas  Wadleigh,  John 
Palmer,  Joseph  Chadwick,  Anthony  Clark,  Jonathan  Roby,  Plummer 
Wheeler,  Sen.,  Dudley  Kendrick,  James  Harvey,  Aquilla  Wilkins,  Jona- 
than Nelson,  Solomon  Austin,  John  Putney,  Abraham  Peaslee  (first), 
David  Peaslee  (second),  Cornelius  Bean,  Nathaniel  Morgan,  James 
Brocklebank,  Jonathan  Nelson. 

Of  the  foregoing,  Silas  Russell  and  Benjamin 
Critchett  are  known  to  have  served  for  Perrystown 
(Sutton),  as  it  is  found  on  the  record  of  the  town  that 
a committee  was  appointed  at  a town-meeting  to  look 
after  their  families  during  their  absence  in  the  service. 

NAMES  OF  SOLDIERS  IN  WAR  OF  1812. 

Moses  Woodward,  Caleb  Kimball,  Jr.,  John  Kimball,  Daniel  Emery, 
James  Morgan,  James  Buswell,  Hazen  Putney,  Thomas  Cheney,  John 
Peaslee,  Timothy  Chellis,  James  Philbrook,  Moses  Davis,  Samuel  Roby, 
Thomas  Davis,  Gideon  Wells,  Joshua  Flanders,  Thomas  Walker  (second 
of  the  name),  Levi  Fowler,  John  McWilliams,  Jacob  Harvey  (died  in 
service),  Daniel  Woodward,  Isaac  Littlehale,  Ephraim  Fisk,  Benaiah 
Woodward,  James  Wheeler  (died  in  service),  Plummer  Wheeler,  Jr., 
Samuel  Wheeler,  Amos  Jones  (died  in  service),  John  French,  Daniel 
Muzzy,  John  Colby,  Daniel  Cheney,  James  Minot  (officer),  Benjamin 
Wells,  John  Philbrook,  Jr.,  Frederick  Wilkins. 

In  1812  Sutton  offered  a bounty  of  two  dollars  per 
month,  and  if  called  into  actual  service  ten  dollars 
per  month,  from  the  time  of  being  called  into  service, 
additional  to  what  they  received  of  the  State  or  gov- 
ernment, to  be  paid  to  the  soldiers  on  demand  after 
their  return. 

The  War  of  the  Rebellion. — The  following  sta- 
tistics regarding  the  men  and  money  furnished  by 
Sutton  during  the  last  war  were  supplied  by  Moses 
Hazen,  Esq.,  several  years  since,  and  are  reliable. 


Sutton  furnished  for  the  last  war  in  all  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty-four  men.  This  number  includes  the 


as  no  men  were  credited  by  the  government  till  they 


commenced  paying  bounties,  the  number  credited  to 
this  town  is  reduced  to  one  hundred  and  thirty-two 


men. 

Sutton  paid  in  bounty $33,512.00 

Average  per  man 253.80 

Recruiting  expenses 327.44 

Recruiting  expenses  per  man 2.48 

Total §34,095.72 


In  1868  the  town  debt  was  $37,029.80. 

In  1883  this  war  debt  of  nearly  forty  thousand  dol- 
lars was  all  paid. 


CHAPTER  III. 

SUTTON — ( Continued ). 

The  Social  Library. — This  association  was  formed 
in  1796,  men  from  Sutton,  New  London  and  Fishers- 
field  uniting  for  the  purpose.  By  the  payment  of 
$2.50  a man  could  purchase  a share,  and  thus  become 
entitled  to  the  use  of  the  books  in  the  library.  The 
money  paid  for  the  shares  purchased  the  books. 
Sixty-nine  names  of  original  proprietors  appear  on 
the  record,  which  indicates  that  they  had  less  than 
two  hundred  dollars  to  commence  with.  All  inter- 
ested in  the  library  were  warned  to  meet  at  the  house 
of  Matthew  Harvey. 

“ Met  and  chose  Levi  Harvey,  moderator ; Dr. 
John  Cushing,  clerk;  and  Matthew  Harvey,  libra- 
rian. 

A committee  of  nine  was  chosen  to  draft  a consti- 
tion, — viz. : Captain  Jonas  Hastings,  Fishersfield  ; 
Elder  Job  Seamans,  Dr.  John  Cushing,  Levi  Harvey, 
Esq.,  and  Lieutenant  Thomas  Pike,  for  New  London  ; 
Benjamin  Wadleigh,  Captain  Thomas  Wadleigh,  Mr. 
David  Eaton,  Lieutenant  Asa  Nelson,  for  Sutton. 

The  following  directors  were  chosen, — viz. : Levi 
Harvey,  New  London  ; Jonas  Hastings,  Fishersfield ; 
David  Eaton,  Sutton. 

“ Voted  to  pay  in  the  money,  what  the  proprietors 
can,  a fortnight  from  next  Saturday.”  “ Voted,  that 
the  Directors  shall  purchase  the  books  and  open  the 
library  as  soon  as  $30  are  paid  in.” 

This  association  was  incorporated  by  the  Legisla- 
ture in  1799,  and  existed  till  1868,  when  the  proprie- 
tors gave  up  their  rights  to  the  town  to  help  form  a 
town  library. 

This  Social  Library  contained  between  three  hun- 
dred and  four  hundred  volumes,  and  was  of  immense 
benefit  to  the  people,  the  books  being  well  selected, 
eagerly  sought  for  and  thoroughly  read. 

Books  were  scarce  at  that  day,  but  there  were  not  a 
few  men  and  women  who  knew  how  to  appreciate 
their  contents.  Many  a hard-working  man  was  glad 
to  walk  weary  miles,  and  then  climb  the  steep  hills 
to  Deacon  Harvey’s  house  for  the  privilege  of  having 
a book  to  read. 

None  can  tell  the  influence  that  the  perusal  of 
those  volumes  has  had  in  developing  and  shaping 
the  minds  and  characters  of  Sutton’s  noblest  sons 
and  daughters. 

King  Solomon’s  Lodge,  No.  14,  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted Masons. — Date  of  its  charter,  January  27, 
1802.  First  meeting  in  New  London,  June  16,  1802, 
at  the  hall  of  Jonathan  and  Daniel  Woodbury  : John 
Woodman,  Worshipful  Master,  pro  tem.;  Levi  Harvey, 


SUTTON. 


637 


Jr.,  Secretary  ; Daniel  Woodbury,  Treasurer  ; Richard 
Cressey,  Senior  Deacon;  Moses  Hills,  Junior  Dea- 
con; Enoch  Hoyt,  Steward;  Joseph  Harvey,  Tyler ; 
Stephen  Hoyt,  Benjamin  Swett,  Ezra  Marsh,  Thomas 
G.  Wells,  John  King,  Caleb  Lovering,  Ebenezer 
Cressey,  members. 

Removed  to  Wilmot  Flat  December  3,  1851.  Re- 
moved to  Scytheville  September  4, 1878. 

The  Great  Tornado,  September  9,  1821. — The 
following  description  of  the  tornado  was  written  by 
the  late  Erastus  Wadleigh,  of  Sutton: 

“Standing  on  the  front  of  my  father’s  house,  Benjamin  Wadleigh’s, 
the  day  being  Sunday,  about  5 o’clock  p.m.,  we  observed  black  clouds 
rising  rapidly,  bearing  southeasterly,  in  the  vicinity  of  Sunapee  Lake, 
accompanied  with  continuous  lightning  and  roaring.  Above  and  below 
every  thing  seemed  in  frightful  commotion. 

“ The  tornado  struck  Sutton  westerly  of  Harvey’s  Mills,  near  the 
White  Lot,  passing  through  Dea.  Josiah  Nichols’  farm,  prostrating  his 
entire  wood  lot,  southeast  of  his  buildings,  and  a short  distance  to  the 
south,  where  resided  Stephen  Woodward  and  son.  After  it  had  passed 
here,  Mr.  Woodward  and  family,  to  their  surprise,  were  in  plain  sight  of 
New  London  Hills,  which  had  ever  been  hid  from  them  by  the  interven- 
ing woods.  From  Dea.  Nichols’  it  passed  by  the  south  end  of  Chad- 
wick’s meadow,  near  the  bridge,  thence  a little  south  of  Ira  Rowell’s, 
near  Critchett’s  Hill,  destroying  all  the  wood  on  the  Edmund  Chadwick 
farm.  From  Critchett’s  Hill  it  passed  through  the  large  dense  pine 
forest  of  Hon.  Jonathan  Harvey,  above  North  Sutton  village,  to  the  ad- 
joining farms  of  Dea.  Benjamin  Fowler  and  Elder  Elijah  Watson.  At 
the  residence  of  the  latter  was  a religious  meeting,  and  the  room  was 
filled,  with  worshipers.  The  north  door  was  wide  open.  Elbridge  G. 
King,  then  a young  man  of  twenty-two  years,  sat  near  the  door,  and 
feeling  the  force  of  the  wind,  sprang  with  almost  lightning  speed,  and 
with  tremendous  effort  closed  the  door,  and  thus,  in  all  probability, 
saved  the  house  and  its  inmates  from  harm.  The  adjoining  barn  and 
out-buildings  were  entirely  demolished  and  thrown  in  every  direction. 
Fences,  forests  and  all  movable  matter  were  scattered  promiscuously. 
Dea.  Fowler  resided  about  50  or  60  rods  south.  His  was  a large  double 
two-story  house,  fronting  to  the  west  with  an  ell  on  the  east. 

“ The  tornado  crashed  a hole  through  the  north  end  of  the  front  cham- 
bers, tearing  away  the  partitions  between  the  chambers,  passing  out  at  the 
south  end,  taking  all  the  furniture  and  movables  from  them.  Some  of 
the  furniture  was  afterwards  found  in  the  towns  of  Andover  and  Salis- 
bury. The  family  were  in  the  ell  part  and  were  not  injured.  Near  by 
were  the  large  barn,  cider-mill  and  other  buildings,  which  were  blown 
down  and  scattered  in  every  direction;  only  a portion  of  the  hay  in  the 
great  bay  was  left.  The  forest,  fences  and  implements,  and  all  kinds  of 
personal  property  were  destroyed  or  blown  away.  The  adjoining  or- 
chards of  Dea.  Fowler  and  Isaac  Mastin,  near  by,  were  blown  over, 
cattle  and  other  stock  were  damaged,  and  everything  lay  exposed.  The 
tornado  then  passed  to  the  valuable  and  extensive  wood-lots  of  Isaac  and 
Jacob  Mastin,  prostrating  as  it  went  forests,  fences  and  everything  in 
its  way.  Thence  it  went  near  the  Parker  farm,  thence  southerly  near 
Warner  line,  east  of  Daniel  Mastin’s,  through  Benjamin  Wadleigh’s 
mountain  lot,  near  the  ‘Gore  Road,’  at  Warner  line.  We,  at  home,  had 
no  intimation  of  all  its  disastrous  consequences  till  Monday  morning. 
A military  training  was  to  take  place  at  North  Sutton  that  day,  at  1 
■o’clock  p.m.  The  writer  of  this,  then  a boy  of  thirteen  years,  attended 
with  his  father  who  was  a soldier.  After  the  company  was  brought  into 
line,  Capt.  Levi  Fowler,  son  of  Dea.  Benj.  Fowler,  informed  them  of  the 
great  need  of  help  that  the  sufferers  by  the  tornado  were  experiencing, 
and  said  that  there  would  be  no  military  duty  required,  and  such  as 
chose  could  go  to  their  relief.  The  soldiers,  boys  and  all,  hastened  to 
the  place  of  distress,  rendering  such  aid  as  they  could.  One  party,  of 
which  the  writer  was  a member,  set  to  work  to  right  up  the  apple-trees. 
Some  of  these  trees  are  yet  standing  in  a bearing  condition,  slanting  to 
the  southeast,  in  the  direction  in  which  they  were  blown. 

“ The  area  passed  over,  doing  damage  in  Sutton,  was  about  ten  thou- 
sand acres,  extending  from  near  the  northwest  corner  of  the  town,  pass- 
ing almost  the  entire  width  diagonally,  striking  Warner  line  a little 
south  of  the  centre  of  the  eastern  line  of  Sutton,  a distance  of  about  six 
miles,  which  was  the  centre  of  the  tornado.  The  damage  done  in  this 
town  could  not  be  less  than  from  six  to  ten  thousand  dollars. 


“We  have  merely  referred  to  this  remarkable  tornado  or  cyclone 
through  Sutton.  Other  portions  of  its  course  have  often  been  described 
more  accurately  than  we  are  able  to  do.  Dea.  Fowler,  the  one  of  all 
others  who  suffered  most  by  the  tornado,  was  then  past  the  meridian  of 
life,  and,  becoming  disheartened,  soon  after  disposed  of  his  remaining 
property,  and,  leaving  the  scene  of  his  great  misfortune,  removed  to 
Orange  with  his  son,  Micajah,  where  he  had  several  married  daughters, 
and  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days.  By  his  departure  the 
town  lost  one  of  its  noblest  citizens,  and  the  Baptist  Church  a strong 
right  arm. 

“ Governor  Harriman,  in  his  ‘ History  of  Warner,’  says, — ‘ The  tornado 
passed  across  the  northerly  part  of  Sutton,  cutting  a swath  through  the 
forests  which  is  visible  to  this  day.’  The  woods  where  this  hurricane 
did  its  worst  damage  have  to  this  day  been  known  as  ‘ The  Hurricane 
Woods.’  ” 

The  Great  August  Freshet  of  1826.1 — The  sum- 
mer of  1826  had  been  very  dry.  With  the  drought 
came  innumerable  grasshoppers,  which  were,  however, 
swept  away  by  the  freshet.  On  Monday,  August  28th, 
rain  began  to  fall  in  the  forenoon, — occasional  showers, 
accompanied  by  thunder.  From  three  o’clock  till  ten 
p.m.  it  fell  in  a continuous  torrent,  and  did  great 
damage  to  roads  and  bridges.  At  the  White  Moun- 
tains occurred  the  land-slide  whereby  the  Willeys 
lost  their  lives.  This  freshet  made  great  havoc  in 
Sutton,  especially  in  places  near  the  foot  of  the  moun- 
tain. The  rain-storm  lasted  but  a few  hours,  but  it 
was  more  violent  than  any  ever  before  known.  It 
came  dowii  in  sheets  and  floods.  The  grass  and 
potato-fields  in  the  intervales  were  quickly  covered 
with  water  four  feet  deep,  and  so  great  a deposit  of 
gravel-stones  and  rocks  was  left  that  the  fields  were 
then  supposed  to  be  ruined,  and  many  of  them  were 
not  cultivated  for  twenty  years  after. 

A torrent  came  roaring  down  Kearsarge  Mountain, 
bearing  along  whole  trees  and  rocks  weighing  tons, 
tearing  out  a channel  as  wide  as  Connecticut  River, 
and  depositing  all  its  frightful  burdens  in  the  valleys 
and  intervales  below.  It  changed  the  course  of  one  of 
the  main  tributaries  of  Stevens  Brook  from  the  War- 
ner to  the  Blackwater  River.  It  carried  away  a log 
house  and  a saw-mill  from  the  base  of  the  mountain 
so  entirely  that  no  vestige  of  them  met  the  owner’s 
eyes  next  morning.  It  filled  Merrill  Roby’s  yards 
with  stones,  washed  away  every  part  of  the  founda- 
tion stones  of  his  house,  and  deposited  a pair  of  cart 
wheels  in  place  of  them.  The  awful  gulfs  and  ra- 
vines created  by  this  freshet  are  not  even  now  obliter- 
ated. 

Centenarians  of  Sutton. — Francis  Como  (a  native 
of  Canada),  supposed  to  be  aged  100;  Mrs.  Mary 
Bean,  wife  of  Samuel,  died  in  1811,  aged  100;  Mrs. 
Sally  Philbrook,  mother  of  Benjamin,  Sr.,  died  in 
1813,  aged  100;  Jacob  Davis,  died  in  1819,  aged  105; 
Thomas  Walker,  died  in  1822,  aged  103;  Nathaniel 
Eaton,  died  in  1875,  aged  100;  Cesar  Lewis,  died  in 
1862,  aged  100;  Anthony  Clark,  aged  107;  Benjamin 
Philbrook,  Sr.,  aged  99;  Mrs.  Jacob  Davis,  died  in 
1819,  aged  99;  Sally,  wife  of  Thomas  Burpee,  died  in 


1 Most  of  the  details  of  this  freshet  were  furnished  by  the  recollections 
of  Jacob  Mastin  (2d). 


638 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


1859,  aged  99;  Joseph  Johnson,  aged  98;  Mrs.  Jesse 
Fellows,  aged  97;  Samuel  Dresser,  Sr.,  aged  97 ; Mrs. 
Thomas  Peaslee,  aged  96 ; wife  of  Samuel  Dresser, 
Sr.,  aged  95;  Joseph  Wells,  aged  95;  Nathaniel 
Cheney,  aged  93 ; Edmund  Richardson,  92  ; widow  of 
Henry  Dearborn,  aged  91 ; Jane,  wife  of  Jonathan 
Eaton,  aged  91 ; Sarah,  widow  of  Daniel  Messer, 
aged  91 ; Mrs.  Nathan  Andrew,  aged  91 ; widow  of 
Joseph  Wells,  aged  91 ; Sarah,  widow  of  Reuben 
Gile,  aged  90 ; David  Davis,  aged  90 ; Martha,  wife 
of  Abraham  Peaslee,  aged  90;  Cornelius  Bean,  son  of 
Samuel  and  Mary, — the  centenarian, — aged  90;  wife 
of  Cornelius  Bean  aged  95;  Jonathan  Stevens  and  wife 
died  within  a few  days  of  each  other  about  1840,  aged 
one  96,  the  other  97.  Their  daughter,  wife  of  Jacob 
Osgood,  of  Warner,  was  aged  about  100.  Jonathan 
Johnson,  died  in  1844,  aged  90 ; Ephraim  Gile,  aged 
90;  widow  of  Daniel  Dane,  aged  90  ; widow  of  Jona- 
than Davis,  aged  90 ; Mrs.  Lovejoy,  sister  to  Mrs. 
Philbrook,  above-named,  aged  over  90;  the  wife 
of  Thomas  Walker,  was  a Philbrook  of  the  same  long- 
lived  family.  She  died  at  a very  great  age,  supposed 
by  some  to  be  100  years.  Phineas  Stevens,  aged  90. 

Some  of  the  Earliest  Physicians.— Dr.  William 
Martin  came  to  Sutton  to  practice  his  profession  about 
1793,  being  the  first  regular  physician  in  Sutton.  Mar- 
ried Sally  Andrews.  Lived  in  town  till  he  died. 

The  four  following  practiced  in  town  about  1800:  Dr. 
Ezra  Marsh,  who  married  Sally,  sister  to  Daniel 
Page.  Dr.  Thomas  Wells,  who  came  to  Sutton  from 
Hanover.  Dr.  Arnold  Ellis,  who  came  from  Newport. 
Dr.  Crosman,  who  was  preacher  as  well  as  physician. 

Dr.  Lyman  practiced  some  in  town  in  the  early 
years  of  this  century  ; was  among  the  best  of  his  time. 
Dr.  Benjamin  Lovering  came  about  1816;  resided 
here  till  his  death,  in  1824.  Dr.  John  A.  Clark  suc- 
ceeded him  ; was  popular  as  citizen  and  physician ; 
was  chosen  town  clerk.  (For  Dr.  Robert  Lane  see 
biographical  sketches.) 

The  following  is  a list  of  some  of  the  earliest  mag- 
istrates, with  date  at  which  they  received  their  com- 
missions : 

Benjamin  Wadleigh,  Sr.,  1786;  Matthew  Harvey, 
1798;  Moses  Hills,  1804;  Thomas  Wadleigh,  1805;  Jon- 
athan Harvey,  1809  ; Joseph  Pillsbury,  1820  ; Benja- 
min Wadleigh,  Jr.,  1823;  Enoch  Page,  Sr.,  many 
years,  date  of  first  commission  not  known. 

The  Samuel  Peaslee  Lawsuit. — In  1804  the  town 
votes  to  assist  Samuel  Peaslee  in  an  action  commenced 
by  Dr.  Haven  against  him  for  the  recovery  of  certain 
lands  sold  by  him,  as  collector  for  the  town,  for  non- 
payment of  taxes.  This  affair  takes  us  back  to  1777, 
at  which  time  several  of  the  non-resident  proprietors 
being  delinquent  of  paying  their  taxes,  Samuel  Peas- 
lee, by  right  of  his  office  as  collector,  sold  these  delin- 
quent rights,  and  gave  titles  defending  the  same 
against  the  claims  of  the  former  owners.  The  lots 
were  sold  entire  to  the  highest  bidder  at  public  ven- 
due. The  buyers  afterwards  sold  off  parcels  of  these 


lands  to  accommodate  settlers,  who  made  settlements 
and  improvements,  and,  of  course,  greatly  increased 
their  value. 

About  1803  the  original  proprietors  commenced 
action  for  the  recovery  of  these  lauds,  claiming  that  the 
sale  was  illegal ; that  due  notice  thereof  wasi  not  given, 
and,  in  fact,  that  it  was  not  legally  advertised.  The 
town  chose  a committee— Benjamin  Wadleigh,  Sr., 
and  others — to  assist  Peaslee  in  defending  the  claims 
of  those  to  whom  he  had  sold  the  lands.  The  settlers 
meantime  were  suffering  the  greatest  alarm  lest  they 
should  lose,  not  only  their  original  purchase,  but  all 
their  buildings  and  improvements  thereon. 

The  case  was  not  decided  until  1808, — a long  time 
to  be  in  suspense  about  one’s  homestead. 

It  is  probable  that  the  proprietors  felt  confident 
that  at  that  late  day — nearly  thirty  years  after  the 
sale — there  was  not  in  existence  a copy  of  the  news- 
paper containing  the  advertisement  of  the  vendue, 
and  they  were  even  suspected  of  having  bought  up 
and  destroyed  all  the  copies  thereof  themselves.  But 
the  committee  spared  no  pains  to  find  the  necessary 
proof.  They  rode  day  and  night  and  searched  the 
whole  State  through.  They  even  offered  fifty  dollars 
for  a copy  of  the  paper.  At  last,  when  they  had  al- 
most abandoned  hope,  they  succeeded  in  finding  one 
paper  containing  the  advertisement,  in  the  possession 
of  a former  Governor  of  the  State.  This  was  enough. 
The  whole  case  turned  on  that  one  point,  of  evidence 
of  the  sale  being  legally  advertised.  The  court  im- 
mediately decided  in  favor  of  Peaslee.  The  great 
joy  of  the  settlers  may  well  be  imagined. 

Natural  Features  of  Sutton. — Surface.— Sutton  is 
a rocky,  uneven  township,  on  the  heightof  land  between 
the  Merrimack  and  Connecticut  Rivers.  Along  Mill 
Brook,  from  New  London  to  Kezar’s  Pond,  except 
where  there  are  falls,  are  valuable  meadow  lands. 
From  Kezar’s  Pond  to  the  falls  above  Mill  village  is 
a large  body  of  meadow  and  plain  land  of  even  sur- 
face, and  free  from  stone.  From  Mill  village  to  the 
falls  below  the  South  village  are  valuable  meadow 
l lands  and  also  near  Roby’s  Corner.  On  Stevens’ 
Brook  are  meadows  and  other  natural  mowing  lands, 
valuable  for  the  hay  they  produce.  On  Fowler’s 
Brook  and  its  tributaries  are  productive  intervale  and 
meadow  lands. 

Streams.— On  the  east  side  of  the  town  is  Stevens’ 
Brook,  running  southerly  nearly  half  the  length  of 
the  town,  entering  Warner  River  a little  below  War- 
ner village.  The  main  branch  of  Warner  River  from 
Sutton  rises  in  the  northwest  part  of  New  London, 
near  Sunapee  Lake,  passing  through  Harvey’s  and 
Minot’s  or  Messer’s  Ponds  and  Kezar’s  mill-ponds 
to  Kezar’s  Pond  or  Lake;  thence  by  Mill  village  and 
South  village  to  Roby’s  Corner,  where  it  joins  War- 
ner River.  Most  of  the  mills  in  town  are  on  this 
stream.  Jones’  mill,  the  first  made  in  town,  was  be- 
low the  South  village.  Quiraby’s  mill  was  next 
made  at  Mill  village.  Fowler’s  Brook,  a branch  of 


SUTTON. 


639 


the  Blackwater,  is  in  the  northeast  part  of  the  town, 
where  were  formerly  Fowler’s  and  Roby’s  saw-mills. 
A stream  passes  from  Long  Pond  to  Warner  River, 
where  have  been  mills. 

Ponds. — Kezar’s  Pond,  a beautiful  body  of  water, 
containing  about  two  hundred  acres,  is  in  North 
Sutton.  Early  settlers  in  the  vicinity  of  this  pond 
were  Ebeuezer  Kezar  and  his  son  Simon,  David 
Eaton,  Matthew  Harvey,  Samuel  Bean,-  Benjamin 
Wadleigh,  Esq. 

Gile’s  Pond  is  on  a level  with  Kezar’s  Pond,  about 
half  its  size,  and  not  far  distant  from  it.  Appearances 
indicate  that  they  both  at  some  time  formed  one  body 
of  water.  Ephraim  Gile,  Jonathan  Davis  and  Daniel 
Messer  early  settled  near  Gile’s  Pond. 

Billings’  Pond  is  in  the  southwest  part  of  Sutton ; 
also  Russell’s  Pond,  and  Peasley’s  or  Long  Pond, 
the  latter  being  about  one  and  one-half  miles  long. 
Isaac  Peasley,  Hezekiah  Blaisdell  and  Jonathan  John- 
son settled  near  it  previous  to  this  century.  Russell’s 
Pond,  near  Captain  Aaron  Russell’s,  contains  but  a 
few  acres.  There  are  other  smaller  ponds  in  town. 

Hills. — King’s  Hill  is  about  two  thousand  feet 
high,  being  the  highest  land  in  town,  the  very  top- 
most point  of  Sutton.  A part  of  Kearsarge  Mountain 
lies  within  the  limits  of  the  town,  but  not  its  highest 
point,  the  town  line  crossing  the  mountain  at  an  alti- 
tude lower  than  two  thousand  feet.  Kezar  Lake,  or 
Pond,  as  it  is  usually  termed,  is  noted  for  the  beauti- 
ful scenery  around  it.  This  lake  lies  west  of  North 
Sutton  village.  Approaching  King’s  Hill  from  North 
Sutton,  the  excursionist  passes  Kezarville,  on  the 
north  end  of  the  lake.  Here  is  one  of  the  most  lovely 
and  picturesque  places  in  Central  New  Hampshire, 
its  natural  beauties  increased,  its  attractions  added  to 
manifold,  through  the  artistic  eye  and  liberal  hand 
of  Jonathan  Harvey  Kezar,  aided  by  his  sons.  These 
men  are  descendants,  in  the  fourth  and  fifth  genera- 
tions, of  Ebenezar  Kezar,  who  early  settled  here,  and 
from  whom  the  lake  takes  its  name.  From  Kezarville 
the  base  of  King’s  Hill  is  soon  reached  by  a good  car- 
riage road;  thence  by  the  Samuel  Kezar  and  Benjamin 
Wells  farms  (anciently  known  as  such)  to  the  old 
school-house  of  District  No.  5;  thence  by  Kezar’s 
road  to  the  granite  ledge  near  the  top  of  the  hill.  To 
accommodate  the  workers  on  the  ledge,  Mr.  Kezar 
has  here  built  a temporary  house,  which  is  on  a level 
with  the  Winslow  House  on  Kearsarge  Mountain. 

On  the  top  of  King’s  Hill  is  a large  rock  of  forty  or 
fifty  tons’  weight  resting  on  the  ledge,  but  not  a part 
of  it,  so  evenly  balanced  as  to  be  readily  moved  by 
hand.  From  the  top  of  this  balance-rock,  as  it  is 
termed,  the  rain  that  falls  there  may  be  conveyed  to 
either  the  Merrimack  or  the  Connecticut,  it  being  on 
the  height  of  land  between  the  two  rivers.  From  the 
top  of  the  hill  is  an  enchanting  view  of  Kezar  Lake, 
and  Gile  Pond  and  the  pleasant  village  of  North  Sut- 
ton on  the  east,  of  Sunapee  Lake  on  the  west,  and  the 
Sunapee  Mountain  range  near  by,  with  Ascutney  and 


the  Green  Mountains  in  Vermont  farther  on  in  the 
west.  On  the  north  are  the  Grantham,  Croydon  and 
Cardigan  Mountains,  and  also  on  the  north  and  north- 
east are  Bald,  Rugged  and  Kearsarge  Mountains.  On 
the  south  are  the  Mink  Hills,  in  Warner,  Lovewell 
Mountain,  in  Washington,  Monadnock  and  other 
mountains  and  hills. 

The  western  view  from  King’s  Hill  is  better  than 
from  Kearsarge,  while  in  another  direction  may  be 
seen  in  the  distance  the  White  Hills.  On  the  north 
are  Harvey’s  Pond  and  Messer’s  Pond  and  the  vil- 
lages of  Scytheville,  Low  Plains  and  WilmotFlat. 

King’s  Hill  contains  an  inexhaustible  quarry  of 
excellent  granite,  easily  wrought  and  extensively 
used  in  this  part  of  the  country.  Formerly,  near  the 
top,  bricks  were  made  extensively,  and  here  are 
numerous  living  springs  of  good  water. 

King’s  Hill  was  early  settled  by  John  King,  Wil- 
liam Beau,  Amos  Pressey,  Moses  Hills,  Esq.,  Joseph 
and  David  Chadwick  and  Hugh  Jameson. 

In  the  vicinity  of  the  entrance  of  the  stream  into 
Kezar’s  Pond  and  along  the  western  shore  were  found 
many  Indian  relics,  among  which  were  hearths  or 
fire-places,  skillfully  made,  arrows,  gun-barrels,  toma- 
hawks, pestles  and  mortars,  etc.  There  was  also  an 
Indian  burial-ground  where  the  original  forest  had 
been  cleared. 

On  the  road  passing  over  the  southeastern  portion 
of  King’s  Hill  is  a beautiful  rivulet  and  cascade,  run- 
ning over  solid  rock,  through  a gorge  or  ravine  and  a 
primeval  grove. 

It  will  perhaps  be  a convenience  to  the  reader  if 
the  following  table  of  altitudes  above  mean  tide- 
water at  Boston  be  inserted  here  : 


Ascutney  Mountain 3186  feet 

Kearsarge  “ 2942  “ 

Croydon  “ 2789  “ 

Sunapee  “ 2683  “ 

King’s  Hill 2000  41 


Sunapee  Lake  is  eleven  hundred  and  three  feet 
above  mean  tide-water  at  Boston,  and  by  a survey 
made  in  1816  it  was  found  to  be  more  than  eight 
hundred  and  twenty  feet  above  Merrimack  and  Con- 
necticut Rivers. 

Fellow’s  Hill  is  a little  south  of  King’s  Hill,  ad- 
joining Newbury  line.  First  settled  by  Jesse  Fellows 
and  Ensign  Jacob  Bean.,  Burnt  or  Chellis  Hill  is  in 
the  westerly  part  of  the  town,  south  of  Mill  village 
and  east  of  South  village.  The  early  settlers  in  its 
vicinity  were  Lieutenant  Joseph  Wadleigh,  Samuel 
Andrew,  Thomas  Wadleigh,  Esq.,  Samuel  Peaslee  and 
Leonard  Colburn. 

Kimball  Hill  is  in  the  southeast  part  of  the  town 
and  was  early  settled  by  Caleb  Kimball.  The  locality 
is  now  known  as  Eaton  Grange,  being  owned  by  the 
Eaton  descendants  of  Caleb  Kimball,  one  of  the  most 
remarkably  honorable  and  justly  successful  families 
Sutton  has  ever  produced. 

• Birch  Hill  is  west  of  Kimball  Hill  and  was  the 


640 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


former  residence  of  Ichabod  Roby,  James  Roby,  Jon- 
athan Roby  and  other  early  settlers. 

Meeting-House  Hill,  northeast  of  the  South  Meet- 
ing-House, is  noted  for  the  large  quantity  of  plumbago 
found  there.  The  surface  of  this  hill  is  remarkably 
rough,  steep  and  uneven,  which  is  a great  hindrance 
to  the  obtaining  of  the  plumbago. 

Easterly  of  this  last  hill  is  Peaslee  or  Dresser  Hill. 
The  early  settlers  here  were  John  Peaslee,  Ezra  Jones 
and  son,  Ezra  and  Samuel  Dresser.  Mr.  Dresser  and 
wife  both  died  at  great  age,  ninety-seven  and  ninety- 
five  years,  being,  with  one  exception,  the  oldest  couple 
who  have  died  in  town. 

Nelson  Hill,  on  Newbury  line,  was  early  settled  by 
Philip  and  Moses  Nelson. 

Pound  or  Hildreth  Hill  is  in  the  centre  of  the 
town.  Ephraim  Hildreth  and  Jeremiah  Davis  were 
early  settlers  there. 

Davis  or  Wadleigh  Hill  is  where  Milton  B.  Wad- 
leigh  lives  and  was  early  settled  by  Benjamin  Wad- 
leigh, Esq.,  Rev.  Samuel  Ambrose,  Jacob  and  John 
Davis. 

Kearsarge  Hill  extends  more  than  half  the  length 
of  the  town,  adjoining  and  embracing  a part  of 
Kearsarge  Mountain.  The  early  settlers  here  were 
Hezekiah  Parker,  Jacob  Mastin,  George  Walker, 
Jonathan  Phelps,  Nathan  Phelps,  Aquilla  Wilkins. 

Gile’s  Hill  was  formerly  owned  by  Captain  Levi 
Gile.  It  was  once  a great  impediment  to  teamsters. 

Porter  Hill,  for  many  years  owned  by  Reuben  Por- 
ter, Esq.,  is  on  the  west  side  of  Kezar’s  Pond,  and 
from  it  may  be  obtained  a beautiful  view  of  North 
Sutton  and  surrounding  scenery. 

Oak  Hill,  east  of  the  North  Meeting-House,  is  a 
noble  eminence,  almost  a mountain,  and  the  views  to  ! 
be  obtained  by  ascending  it  more  than  repay  the  dif-  j 
ficulty  of  the  steep  ascent. 

Many  more  lofty  elevations  merit  especial  mention,  ] 
but  enough  have  been  named  to  convince  the  reader  j 
that  Sutton  not  only  is  located  in,  but  forms  a part  of  [ 
the  Central  Ridge  of  New  Hampshire. 

Kearsarge  Mountain.— No  sketch  of  Sutton  would  j 
be  complete  without  some  description  of  Kearsarge,  [ 
since  a large  portion  of  the  body  and  foot  of  this  no- 
ble eminence  lies  within  the  town  limits,  though  not 
its  head  and  crown.  King’s  Hill,  the  highest  land  in 
town  (two  thousand  feet),  whose  regal  title  chances 
to  be  so  appropriate,  being  the  only  representative  of 
royalty  in  which  Sutton  claims  absolute  proprietor- 
ship. No  municipal  limitations,  however,  hold  with 
regard  to  the  landscape  view  of  Kearsarge.  From 
most  of  our  hills,  from  many  points  in  the  lowlands, 
can  be  obtained  an  unobstructed  view  of  its  whole 
magnificent  proportions.  No  point  of  observation 
in  Sutton,  perhaps,  is  better  than  Harvey’s  Hill,  in  the 
north  part  of  the  town. 

Both  Kearsarge  and  Sunapee  Mountains  show  evi- 
dence of  glacial  action  of  the  ice  period,  though  in 
different  ways.  Sunapee,  with  its  broad  base  and 


blunted  cone,  owns  up  to  having  lost  its  crown  by 
the  scraping  of  icebergs  over  it,  while  Kearsarge,  which 
yet  holds  its  bare  head  nearly  three  hundred  feet 
higher  in  the  air  than  the  Sunapee  of  this  age,  escaped 
with  many  scratches,  its  top  being  much  scarred  and 
striated. 

The  highest  part  of  Kearsarge  is  now  bare  rock, 
though  it  was  once  covered  with  soil  which  supported 
a rather  stunted  growth  of  forest-trees.  In  the  early 
part  of  the  present  century  a fire  ran  over  it,  burning 
not  only  the  woods,  but  the  soil  itself.  Since  that  time 
its  granite  top,  forever  wind-swept,  has  been  as  bare 
of  soil  and  vegetation  as  are  the  sea-shore  rocks  washed 
by  daily  tides. 

Slowly,  slowly,  in  the  long  ages  to  come,  by  imper- 
ceptible accumulations,  soil  will  gather  again,  and  the 
forests  that  now  cover  the  mountain-sides  will  creep 
timorously  upward  till  the  top  of  Kearsarge  shall  be 
again  a mass  of  waving  woods.  So  much  will  the  far- 
remote  future  accomplish  ; but  that,  in  past  ages,  the 
mountain  has  been  sending  down  more  of  value  than 
it  has  carried  up  needs  no  better  evidence  than  the  fact 
that  the  Lord  Proprietors,  when  they  granted  the  char- 
ter of  Perry  stown,  selected  for  their  own  eighteen  re- 
served shares  the  lands  lying  where  they  get  the  wash 
of  the  mountain.  These  lands  have  not  yet  lost  their 
richness.  They  were  often  termed  the  Lord  Proprietors’ 
Lots,  and  were  all  laid  out  one  mile  long  and  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty-five  rods  wide,  containing  two  hun- 
dred and  seventy  acres. 

As  to  the  question  of  priority  of  right  to  the  name 
of  Kearsarge,  the  question  that  caused  some  discussion 
between  those  who  favor  the  Conway  Kearsarge  and 
those  who  favor  the  Merrimack  County  Kearsarge,  it 
would  seem  to  be  settled  by  the  fact  that,  in  the  char- 
ter of  Perrystown,  the  date  of  which  was  1749,  the 
tract  of  land  is  described  as  lying  to  the  west  of  Kear- 
sarge Hill,  while  the  claim  of  the  Conway  Kearsarge 
is  of  a recent  date. 

Geology  of  Sutton. — For  the  convenience  of 
those  readers  who  may  not  always  have  at  hand 
Hitchcock’s  “ Geology  of  New  Hampshire,”  the  fol- 
lowing, descriptive  of  Sutton’s  geological  character- 
istics, is  here  copied  from  that  noble  work : 

“ Sutton  is  nearly  all  underlaid  by  porphyritic  gneiss.  Near  the  north 
line,  by  C.  A.  Fowler’s,  the  dip  is  75°  N.,  75°  W.  The  main  road  through 
the  hamlets  of  North  Sutton , Sutton  Mills  and  South  Sutton  abounds 
with  porphyritic  ledges.  At  the  Mills  the  descent  is  considerable.  Be- 
tween Kezar  and  Gile  ponds  there  is  an  extensive  meadow,  and  also 
below  Sutton  Mills. 

“ About  South  Sutton  are  steep,  conical  hills,— steepest  on  their  South 
side — as  seen  from  the  Northeast.  At  the  head  of  Long  pond  is  a 
mass  of  compact,  flinty  rock,  dipping  80°  N.,  25°  E.,  girt  by  the  por- 
phyritic rock  on  both  sides.  On  Stevens’  brook  this  rock  begins  at  the 
town  line,  and  for  two  miles  the  ledges  are  continuous. 

“Sand  obscures  the  ledges  in  the  northern  half  of  the  town,  on  the 
road  to  Wilmot  Flat,  from  Stevens’  brook.  It  was  surprising  to  us  to 
find  such  a level  road  between  Warner  and  Potter  Place,  through  the 
Stevens’  brook  valley,  in  this  mountainous  region.” 

Davis’  Mineral  Springs. — Ezekiel  Davis  was 
for  several  years  the  owner  of  the  meadow  wherein 
these  springs  are  found  ; whence  their  name.  They 


SUTTON. 


641 


are  not  far  from  the  base  of  Kearsarge  Mountain,  be- 
tween which  and  the  springs  the  possibility  of  a secret 
understanding  has  been  suggested.  Were  we  able  to 
interpret  the  hints  which  these  springs  are  continu- 
ally throwing  out  they  might  perhaps  give  us  some 
valuable  information  respecting  the  structure,  nature 
and  disposition  of  the  inner-man  of  the  mountain. 
Not  far  from  the  base  of  Mt.  Monadnock,  issues  a 
spring  of  similar  character  to  these  in  Sutton.  Here 
is  a fact  for  the  geologist  to  inquire  into. 

It  appeared  that  Davis’  Springs  were  not  discov- 
ered, at  least  by  white  people,  till  soon  after  the  be- 
ginning of  the  present  century,  as  is  shown  by  the 
following  notice  copied  from  The  Farmer’s  Cabinet, 
printed  at  Amherst,  N.  H.,  October  21,  1800  : 

“A  mineral  spring  has  lately  been  discovered  in  Sutton,  which,  from 
its  medicinal  qualities,  promises  to  be  of  great  utility.  Many  persons  of 
respectability  have  drank  of  the  water  and  have  uniformly  experienced 
very  sensible  effects.  Its  taste  is  slightly  alkaline,  and  appears  to  con- 
tain a large  quantity  of  Sulphuric  Acid  and  Fixed  Air.  Gentlemen  who 
have  visited  Stafford  springs  the  present  season  are  decidedly  of  opinion 
that  the  use  of  this  will  be  attended  with  similar  success.  It  is  situated 
in  a pleasant,  shady  vale,  the  property  of  Lieutenant  Hutchins,  which 
might  be  made  an  elegant  place  of  retreat.” 

Cooking-stoves  began  to  be  introduced  soon  after 
1830.  Friction  matches  began  to  be  introduced  soon 
after  1834.  Metal  pens  began  to  be  introduced  soon 
after  1834.  At  first  these  pens  were  not  well  re- 
ceived, the  paper,  as  it  was  then  finished,  not  being 
well  adapted  to  their  use.  This  defect  was  perceived 
and  remedied  by  a different  finish,  and  then  the  steel 
and  copper  pens  found  universal  favor  and  their  use 
became  general. 

The  first  carding-machine  in  the  United  States 
was  set  up  by  Arthur  Scolfield,  from  England,  in 
Pittsfield,  Mass.,  in  1801.  These  machines  found 
their  way  into  Central  New  Hampshire  soon  after 

1810. 

The  first  stage  making  regular  trips  through  Sutton 
was  about  1830.  On  its  appearance  the  post-rider 
disappeared. 

Biographical. — Deacon  Matthew  Harvey  was 
born  in  1750  in  Amesbury,  Mass.,  where  his  ances- 
tors had  resided  since  they  came  first  to  this  country 
from  England,  a century  before.  He  was  son  of 
Jonathan,  who  removed  to  Nottingham,  N.  H.,  where 
he  died  about  the  year  1760.  From  thence,  in  1772, 
Matthew  removed  to  Suttou,  where  he  purchased  a 
farm,  he  being  then  in  his  twenty-third  year.  Like 
all  the  early  settlers,  his  wealth  consisted  in  his  men- 
tal and  physical  powers.  He  remained  unmarried 
till  1779,  when  he  married  Hannah  Sargent,  of 
Weare.  Soon  purchased  more  land  and  employed 
help,  and  took  the  lead  in  farming.  He  was  a man 
of  sound  judgment,  industrious  and  sagacious  in  his 
financial  affairs,  and  died  at  the  age  of  forty-nine,  the 
wealthiest  man  in  town.  He  was  a man  of  piety, 
and  upon  the  formation  of  a church  in  town  was  its 
first  deacon ; was  active  and  prominent  in  all  town 
and  public  business;  was  a wise  and  influential 


magistrate,  and  was  the  first  representative  of  Sut- 
ton under  our  State  Constitution  of  1793,  and  held 
this  office  by  annual  re-election  till  his  death,  in  1799. 
He  left  five  sons — Jonathan,  Matthew,  Philip  S., 
John,  Benjamin — and  two  daughters — Susan,  who 
married  Joseph  Emerson,  of  Hopkinton,  and  Han- 
nah, who  married  Dr.  Dinsmore,  of  Henniker. 

Hon.  Matthew  Harvey,  second  son  of  Deacon 
Matthew  Harvey,  was  born  in  Sutton  June  21,  1781, 
in  the  log  house  which  Deacon  Harvey  did  not  ex- 
change for  a frame  house  till  1787. 

Matthew  fitted  for  college  under  the  instruction  of 
Rev.  Dr.  Wood,  of  Boscawen;  graduated  at  Dart- 
mouth College  in  1806  and  immediately  commenced 
the  study  of  the  law  in  the  office  of  Judge  Harris  at 
Hopkinton.  Having  assiduously  pursued  his  studies 
during  the  required  period  of  three  years,  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  1809  and  opened  an  office  in 
Hopkinton,  where  he  successfully  conducted  the  busi- 
ness of  his  profession  till  the  year  1830,  when  his 
election  to  the  chief  magistracy  removed  him  from 
the  scenes  and  duties  of  professional  life.  His  pro- 
fessional course  was  marked  by  that  honesty  and  up- 
rightness which  many  men  have  been  led  to  suppose 
is  incompatible  with  success  at  the  bar.  It  is  too 
often  considered  that  a person  cannot  be  a good 
lawyer,  in  a worldly  sense,  and  at  the  same  time  a 
good  man,  in  a Christian  sense — an  error  which  such 
an  example  as  Judge  Harvey  gave  to  the  community 
ought  to  have  duelled ; for,  while  clients  found  him 
always  true  to  their  cause,  and  learned  that  they 
might  safely  rely  upon  his  industry,  judgment  and 
discretion,  they  also  learned  that  they  might  never 
hope  for  success  through  the  suggestion,  or  sufferance 
by  him,  of  any  compromise  with  justice  and  truth. 
A trick,  a quibble,  a subterfuge  or  an  evasion  he 
scorned.  Whatever  was  unmanly  or  dishonorable 
was  intolerable  to  him  ; and,  observing  the  undiverg- 
ing path  of  his  rectitude,  people  were  insensibly  led 
to  respect  the  honest  lawyer  and  to  confide  in  the 
discreet  and  faithful  counselor.  In  the  later  years 
of  his  life  especially  he  was  often  the  guardian  by 
choice  or  appointment,  the  administrator,  the  execu- 
tor by  testamentary  creation,  the  adviser  of  those  who 
sought  counsel  with  regard  to  the  disposition  of  their 
worldly  estates,  and  the  depositary  of  their  wills, 
many  of  which  were  found  among  his  papers  after 
his  death. 

Judge  Harvey  was  chosen  to  represent  the  town  of 
Hopkinton  in  the  Legislature  of  1814,  and  was  an- 
nually re-elected  to  the  same  office  seven  successive 
years,  during  the  last  three  of  which  he  was  Speaker 
of  the  House. 

He  was  then  elected  a member  of  Congress,  where 
he  served  four  years,  or  until  1825,  when  he  was  suc- 
ceeded in  the  same  office  by  his  elder  brother,  Jona- 
than, who  represented  the  same  constituency  six 
years  successively. 

Retiring  from  Congress,  Judge  Harvey  was  imme- 


642 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


diately  chosen  a State  Senator,  in  which  office  he 
continued  three  years,  being  during  all  that  time 
president  of  the  Senate. 

In  1828  and  1829  he  was  a member  of  the  Execu- 
tive Council,  and  in  1830  he  was  elected  Governor. 
Before  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  office  he  was 
appointed  by  President  Jackson  United  States  judge 
for  the  district  of  New  Hampshire,  which  position  he 
held  for  more  than  thirty-five  years,  and  until  the 
day  of  his  death,  which  occurred  April  7,  1866. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  for  more  than  fifty-two 
consecutive  years  Judge  Harvey  occupied  official 
position  in  the  State.  Probably  no  other  person  in 
New  Hampshire  ever  received  so  many,  such  contin- 
ued and  so  well-merited  tokens  of  public  confidence. 
Judge  Clifford  said  of  him,  on  the  reception  of  reso- 
lutions of  respect  for  his  memory,  presented  by  the 
bar  of  the  Circuit  Court:  “Few  men  of  this  State 
have  enjoyed  greater  honors,  and  none  have  gone  to 
the  grave  with  a more  general  acknowledgment  of 
their  integrity  and  purity  of  life.”  This  sentence 
contains  the  key  and  explanation  of  Judge  Harvey’s 
worldly  success, — his  integrity  and  purity  of  life.  It 
was  known  and  observed  of  all  men,  and  it  was 
adorned  and  made  attractive  by  its  combination  with 
an  unvarying  demeanor  of  kind  and  gentle  courtesy. 

The  foregoing  eulogy  of  Judge  Harvey  is  copied 
verbatim,  from  “A  Sketch  of  the  Life  and  Character 
of  Hon.  Matthew  Harvey,”  by  William  L.  Foster; 
read  before  the  New  Hampshire  Historical  Society, 
June  13,  1866. 

Governor  Harvey  is  his  own  authority  for  the 
statement  that  the  suggestion  for  the  State  to  furnish 
the  State  prisoners,  on  their  release,  with  at  least 
enough  of  money  to  save  them  from  being  driven  into 
immediate  crime  to  satisfy  immediate  wants,  origin- 
ated with  him,  in  his  message  to  the  Legislature. 

Judge  Harvey’s  mental  and  physical  powers  were 
faithful  to  duty  till  almost  the  last  possible  demand 
for  their  use.  The  day  before  his  death  he  walked 
about  the  street,  came  home,  lav  down  and  passed 
into  an  unconscious  state,  from  which,  in  this  mortal 
life,  he  never  awakened.  In  twenty  hours  afterwards 
he  ceased  to  breathe,  dying  without  the  least  evi- 
dence of  pain  or  suffering  of  any  kind,  being  in  his 
eighty-fifth  year. 

Matthew  Harvey  (3d). — The  following  is  an  ex- 
tract from  the  Boston  Journal,  of  February  2,  1885: 

“ Matthew  Harvey,  whose  death  occurred  at  Newport,  N.  H.,  Saturday 
night,  January  31,  1885,  was  horn  in  Sutton,  January  14,  1815.  He  be- 
longed to  one  of  the  most  distinguished  and  scholarly  families  of  the 
State.  He  was  a son  of  Colonel  John  Harvey,  a grandson  of  Matthew 
Harvey,  Sr.,  and  nephew  of  Matthew  Harvey,  Jr.,  who  was  Governor, 
Representative  to  Congress,  and  a judge  of  the  United  States  District 
Court,  and  of  Jonathan  Harvey,  who  was  also  Representative  to  Congress. 
He  received  a common  school  education  and  went  to  Newport  in  1831, 
where  he  served  a full  apprenticeship  in  the  Argus  and  Spectator  office, 
under  Benjamin  B.  French  and  Simon  Brown.  Then  he  came  to  Bos- 
ton, where  he  worked  several  years  as  a journeyman  printer.  Returning 
to  Newport  in  1837,  he  became  a compositor  in  the  Argus  office.  In  1840, 
in  company  with  Mr.  Carleton,  he  purchased  the  establishment,  and  for 


forty  years  the  firm  published  the  Argus  and  Spectator , Mr.  Harvey  being, 
during  that  time,  the  leading  editor.  In  1880  the  deceased  retired  from 
business  to  private  life  with  a competence.  Mr.  Harvey  was,  from  1846 
to  1852,  register  of  deeds  of  Sullivan  County,  assistant  marshal  for  tak- 
ing the  census  in  1860,  and  was  four  times  a Democratic  candidate  for 
Representative  to  the  Legislature  from  Newport,  but  his  party  was  in  the 
minority.  He  was  a gentleman  of  decided  poetical  ability,  and  was  the 
author  of  many  most  creditable  compositions,  written  by  request  for 
special  occasions.  He  had  been  a prominent  Free-Mason  for  many  years, 
and  had  been  twice  elected  Worshipful  Master  of  Mt.  Vernon  Lodge  of 
Newport.  In  private  life  Mr.  Harvey  was  a man  of  the  highest  purity  of 
character.  As  a citizen  he  was  liberal  in  his  views,  popular,  generous 
and  public-spirited,  and  was  a gentleman  of  the  old  school.” 

This  Matthew  Harvey  (3d)  was  the  only  brother  of 
Mrs.  Augusta  Harvey  Worthen,  author  of  this  sketch 
of  Sutton. 

Hon.  Jonathan  Harvey  was  the  oldest  son  of 
Deacon  Matthew  Harvey,  being  born  at  Sutton  Feb- 
ruary 25,  1780.  Immediately  after  becoming  of  age 
he  took  the  lead  in  the  political  affairs  of  the  town, 
being  repeatedly  chosen  town  clerk  and  selectman  ; 
was  a civil  magistrate  from  1810  till  his  death,  August 
23,  1859.  A brief  reference  to  his  long  career  of  pub- 
lic service  will  show  how  deeply  he  shared  the  con- 
fidence of  his  fellow-citizens.  He  made  his  first  ap- 
pearance in  the  House  of  Representatives  in  1810, 
and  to  this  body  he  was  annually  re-elected  till  1815  ; 
he  then  represented  his  district  in  the  State  Senate 
from  that  date  till  1823,  and  was  president  of  that 
body  during  the  five  last  years  of  his  connection  with 
it.  By  reference  to  dates  it  will  be  seen  that  the  two 
branches  of  the  Legislature  were,  from  1819  to  1821, 
three  years,  presided  over  by  the  brothers  Jonathan 
and  Matthew  Harvey, — Jonathan  being  President  of 
the  Senate  at  the  time  Matthew  was  Speaker  of  the 
House. 

In  1823  and  1824  Jonathan  Harvey  was  a member 
of  the  Executive  Council.  In  1825  he  was  elected  a 
member  of  Congress,  as  the  successor  of  his  brother, 
Hon.  Matthew  Harvey,  then  of  Hopkinton. 

He  was  in  Congress  six  years,  at  the  expiration  of 
which  time  he  was  again  elected  to. the  Legislature  of 
this  State,  where  he  served  two  years,  thus  completing 
an  unbroken  term  of  twenty-three  years  of  public 
service.  He  was  again  returned  to  the  Legislature  in 
1838  and  re-elected  in  1839,  when  he  finally  retired 
to  private  life,  after  leaving  a spotless  record  upon 
the  journals  of  his  State  and  nation  and  securing 
those  enviable  tokens  of  approbation  which  but  few 
unprofessional  men  have  either  merited  or  received. 
He  filled  all  the  places  of  trust  within  the  gift  of  his 
townsmen. 

He  was  never  defeated  at  the  polls  in  the  election 
to  any  office  for  which  he  was  a candidate. 

But  little  need  be  said  of  the  virtues  that  adorned 
the  private  life  and  character  of  Jonathan  Harvey, 
because  the  public  needs  no  information  upon  those 
points.  His  social  and  genial  nature  made  his  ever- 
hospitable  home  the  abode  of  cheerful  hearts  and  the 
resort  of  numerous  friends. 

These  prominent  characteristics  of  the  man  shed  a 


SUTTON. 


643 


bright  halo  of  light  around  his  declining  years  and 
illumined  his  path  to  the  grave. 

But  few  men  have  been  permitted  to  complete  the 
entire  circle  of  eighty  years  and  die  upon  the  soil  of 
their  ancestral  homes ; yet  such  a life  and  such  a 
death  was  reserved  for  the  well-known  subject  of  this 
notice. 

The  above,  extracted  from  one  of  the  public  prints 
issued  a few  days  after  his  decease,  is  only  one  notice 
among  many  of  similar  date  and  character. 

This  record  of  his  public  services  is  known  to  be 
correct,  having  been  carefully  gleaned  from  the  rec- 
ords at  Concord  by  the  writer  of  the  sketch  above- 
copied. 

George  A.  Pillsbury  was  born  in  Sutton 
August  29,  1816.  (For  sketch  of  Mr.  Pillsbury,  see 
“History  of  Concord,”  in  this  volume.) 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


WADLEIGH. 

On  the  town  records  of  Sutton,  as  well  as  on  the 
proprietary  records  of  Perry stown,  the  name  of  Wad- 
leigh  occurs  so  frequently  in  connection  with  town 
affairs  as  to  demand  some  special  notice  of  the  family. 

Several  years  prior  to  any  settlement  in  Perrys- 
town  Thomas  Wadleigli,  of  Hampstead,  became  a 
proprietor  by  the  purchase  of  a right,  and  consequent- 
ly used  his  efficient  endeavors  to  promote  its  interest, 
and  occasionally  resided  here  with  the  earliest  set- 
tlers. From  the  record,  as  well  as  from  some  known 
facts,  it  is  to  be  inferred  that  he  was  possessed  of 
much  practical  ability,  good  sense  and  judgment.  He 
was  also  a man  of  immense  bodily  strength — double 
that  of  average  men — which  was  in  itself  about  as 
desirable  capital  as  could  be  had  to  invest  in  an 
enterprise  so  full  of  hardship  as  the  settlement  of 
Perrystown.  This  Thomas  Wadleigh  had  nine  sons 
and  three  daughters.  Several  of  the  sons  settled 
early  in  town,  the  father  being  at  one  time  the 
possessor  of  a thousand  acres  of  land  in  one  tract. 
His  deed  to  his  son  Benjamin,  conveying  to  him  a lot 
of  land,  No.  68,  in  the  first  division,  in  Perrystown, 
is  yet  preserved  and  bears  date  November  11,  1777. 
This  lot,  unimpaired  and  undivided,  is  now  possessed 
by  Milton  B.  Wadleigh,  one  of  the  fifth  generation 
from  him,  counting  himself  one. 

This,  with  two  exceptions  (the  Johnson  estate,  and 
Caleb  Kimball  estate,  owned  by  his  descendants,  the 
Eatons,  of  whom  General  John  Eaton,  so  long  United 
States  commissioner  of  education,  is  one),  is  the  only 
instance  in  Sutton  of  an  entire  lot  remaining,  un- 
changed and  undivided,  in  the  same  family. 

This  Benjamin,  coming  here  as  a settler,  at  the  age 
of  twenty-one,  became  one  of  the  leading  men  of  the 


town.  Mr.  Dresser,  who,  many  years  ago,  prepared  a 
brief  sketch  of  some  of  the  most  prominent  early 
settlers,  says  of  him, — “He  was  firm  and  uncompro- 
mising, a wise  counselor  to  the  town,  church  and 
society.  His  wife,  Hannah,  a daughter  of  Ebenezer 
Kezar,  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  came  with  him  to  live 
on  Wadleigh  Hill,  and  had  there  her  home  till  the 
end  of  her  long  and  useful  life.  She  died  in  1836, 
aged  eighty-six.  He  died  in  1817,  aged  sixty-eight, 
his  death  being  occasioned  by  an  accidental  slight  in- 
jury to  the  knee,  resulting  in  mortification.” 

Much  of  the  town  business  was  transacted  by  the 
two  noble  brothers,  Benjamin  and  Thomas  Wadleigh. 
The  latter,  however,  did  not  settle  here  till  after  the 
close  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  in  which  he  had 
served  six  years  and  seven  months;  was  at  the  battle  of 
Bunker  Hill,  and  fought  side  by  side  with  his  brother 
John.  The  main-spring  of  the  gun  that  John  carried 
broke  at  the  first  discharge,  rendering  the  weapon 
useless;  but  telling  Thomas  he  would  load  while  the 
other  fired,  he  did  this  so  quickly  that  the  piece 
became  too  hot  for  holding.  But  the  two  brothers 
with  one  gun  were  able  to  load  and  fire  all  the  ammuni- 
tion of  both  before  they  left  their  position. 

Thomas  Wadleigh  was  very  highly  esteemed  in  his 
day  by  the  citizens  of  Sutton  for  capacity,  integrity 
and  patriotism ; was  the  first  town  clerk  after  incor- 
poration, and  every  year  afterwards  till  1806,  a period 
of  twenty -two  years;  selectman  and  representative, 
as  elsewhere  stated  in  this  sketch. 

Benjamin  presided  over  town-meetings  thirteen 
years  in  succession.  Both  brothers  were  civil  magis- 
trates. The  commission  of  Benjamin  is  dated  Sep- 
tember 16,  1786. 

At  this  time  it  can  hardly  fail  to  seem  to  us  that 
the  distinction  of  being  justice  of  the  peace  was  worth 
something  a century  ago,  when  Benjamin  Wadleigh, 
Sr.,  received  his  commission,  signed  by  John  Sullivan, 
“President,” — i.  e.,  Governor  of  New  Hampshire;  while 
in  the  list  of  those  justices  who  were  contemporary 
with  him  we  find  such  names  as  Samuel  Livermore, 
Josiah  Bartlett,  Matthew  Thornton,  John  Langdon, 
etc. 

Erastus  Wadleigh  was  made  a civil  magistrate  in 
1857,  and  so  continued  till  his  death,  in  1881,  he  be- 
ing the  third  “Esq.  Wadleigh”  in  regular  line  of 
descent  from  Benjamin  Wadleigh,  Sr.,  who  received 
his  commission — the  first  in  town — in  1786  ; his  son 
Benjamin,  Jr.  (the  judge),  in  1823.  It  will  thus  be 
seen  that  the  time  covered  by  their  several  commis- 
sions is  but  little  short  of  a century,  and  includes  al- 
most the  entire  corporate  existence  of  the  town. 

The  Thomas  J.  Wadleigh  whose  name  appears 
on  the  town  record  as  selectman  in  1857  and  1858, 
and  as  representative  in  1865,  who,  in  1858,  received 
his  commission  as  justice  of  the  peace,  was  son  of 
Moses  Wadleigh,  brother  to  Thomas  and  Benjamin, 
Srs. 

Hon.  Bainbridge  Wadleigh,  of  Milford,  N.  H. 


644 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


(since  of  Boston),  six  years  United  States  Senator 
from  New  Hampshire,  is  grandson  of  Moses,  being 
son  of  John  D.  Wadleigh,  of  Bradford. 


JUDGE  BENJAMIN  WADLEIGH,  JR. 

Benjamin  Wadleigh,  Jr.,  was  horn  in  Sutton  in 
1783.  He  was  the  youngest  son  of  Benjamin  Wad- 
leigh, Sr.,  and  succeeded  to  the  homestead  of  his  fa- 
ther, who  died  October  8,  1817.  The  mother  of 
Judge  Wadleigh  survived  her  husband  more  than 
twenty  years,  and  it  was  this  period  of  her  long  wid- 
owhood which  gave  room  and  opportunity  for  the 
manifestation  of  that  filial  devotion,  on  his  part, 
which  was  so  noticeable  in  him  continuously,  and  up 
to  the  last  day  of  this  venerated  lady’s  life.  She  died 
in  1836,  aged  eighty-six. 

Judge  Wadleigh  married,  early  in  life,  Polly  Mars- 
ton,  daughter  of  Jacob,  a native  of  Sutton,  a woman 
whose  kind  and  unselfish  nature  is  still  reverently 
remembered. 

As  a wife  and  mother,  she  was  ever  ready  to  sur- 
render every  thought  of  self  to  the  welfare  of  her 
family.  She  died  December  17,  1857,  aged  seventy-six 
years. 

The  product  of  this  union  was  six  sons  and  two 
daughters,  and  two  children  who  died  in  infancy. 

Eliphalet  was  born  November  21,  1804 ; died  in 
Illinois  about  the  year  1866. 

Luther,  born  July  11,  1806;  married  and  settled  in 
East  Corinth,  Me.,  where  he  died  in  1873.  Dur- 
ing all  his  life  there  he  occupied  positions  of  trust 
and  responsibility. 

The  resolutions  passed  by  the  town  at  his  death 
testify  to  the  esteem  in  which  he  was  held.  These 
resolutions  speak  of  him  “ as  a municipal  officer  com- 
petent and  faithful ; as  a citizen,  he  was  unpretend- 
ing, yet  at  all  times  ready,  by  fitting  words  and  timely 
deeds,  to  help  the  needy ; a consistent  lover  of  his 
country  and  his  home  and  those  virtues  so  pleasing 
to  the  patriot  and  the  parent ; an  unobtrusive  worker ; 
a doer  of  the  word  ; steadfast ; a keeper  at  home,  med- 
dling never  with  that  which  did  not  concern  him, 
but  faithful  in  all  life’s  duties.” 

Erastus,  whose  biography  is  elsewhere  given,  was 
the  third  son. 

Milton,  the  fourth  son,  graduated  from  Norwich  Uni- 
versity, Vermont,  as  civil  engineer,  in  1837.  Subse- 
quently he  went  West  and  engaged  in  railroad  engineer- 
ing ; located  at  Galena,  Jo  Daviess  County,  111.,  then 
distinguished  for  its  mines,  and  the  most  flourishing 
and  promising  place  in  the  State.  For  many  years 
he  filled  the  office  of  city  engineer.  At  the  present 
time  he  is  surveyor  of  Jo  Daviess  County,  an  office  to 
which  he  has,  for  many  consecutive  years,  been 
elected,  irrespective  of  political  ascendancy. 

Hannah,  the  fifth  child,  born  November  23,  1814; 
married  Nathaniel  A.  Davis;  died  November  8,  1853, 
lovingly  remembered  by  her  surviving  family. 


Lydia  F.  was  educated  at  New  Hampton  Institu- 
tion, where  she  remained  as  teacher  three  years.  For 
the  past  thirty  years  she  has  been  engaged  in  teach- 
ing in  New  York  City, — first,  as  organizer  and  princi- 
pal of  the  Senior  Public  School,  in  Twelfth  Street ; 
and,  since  1870,  as  superintendent  of  the  Normal 
College  in  that  city. 

Benjamin,  the  seventh  child,  was  engaged  in  mer- 
cantile business  in  Newport  and  elsewhere.  Died  in 
Newport,  N.  H.,  November  8,  1868. 

Gilbert,  the  youngest  son,  graduated  at  Dartmouth 
College  in  1847 ; studied  law  and  settled  in  practice 
at  Milford,  N.  H.,  where  he  now  resides.  During 
the  Civil  War  he  was  paymaster  in  the  army. 

Judge  Wadleigh  was  born  and  spent  his  life,  mar- 
ried and  reared  his  family,  on  the  same  farm.  He  is 
remembered  as  being  of  fine  personal  appearance, 
gentlemanly  in  manner  and  possessed  of  a pleasant, 
genial  nature,  which  was  very  attractive  to  young  and 
old. 

He  was  an  earnest  promoter  of  education,  and  no 
sacrifice  was  deemed  too  great  to  afford  the  educa- 
tional advantages  of  the  times  to  his  children. 

Through  life  he  commanded  the  confidence,  re- 
spect and  friendly  regard  of  his  fellow-townsmen  ; 
while,  as  a citizen  and  the  leader  of  a party,  no  man’s 
views  had  more  weight  than  his. 

His  sound  judgment  and  recognized  integrity 
caused  his  opinions  and  advice  to  be  much  sought  in 
controversies,  not  only  between  his  own  townsmen, 
but  by  those  of  neighboring  towns,  and  for 
many  years  no  inconsiderable  part  of  his  time  was 
devoted  to  the  settlement  of  such  controversies  in 
which  he  acted  as  arbitrator — sometimes  with  associ- 
ates, but  frequently  alone — by  mutual  consent  of 
parties. 

Judge  Wadleigh  has  now  been  dead  more  than 
twenty  years,  but  within  a few  days  one  man,  a law- 
yer, who  used  frequently  to  act  with  him  in  reference 
cases,  has  volunteered  this  testimony  to  his  uprightness, 
— “I  remember  him  well;  I remember  his  unflinching 
honesty ;”  and  he  added,  “ If  I were  his  worst  enemy, 
or  if  he  were  mine,  I would  trust  him  for  honest  deal- 
ing. He  never  gave  opinions  at  random.” 

Judge  Wadleigh  was  active  in  the  public  service 
during  most  of  his  life.  His  name  appears  on 
the  record  as  selectman  in  1809,  1810,  1813.  1814, 
1815,  1817,  1820  and  1822 ; as  moderator  in  1822, 
1823  and  1824;  as  representative  in  1823,  1824  and 
1825 ; as  town  clerk  in  1825,  1826,  1827,  1828  and 
1829. 

He  was  justice  of  the  peace  from  1823  till  his  death. 

He  was  judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  from 
1833  till  his  age  (seventy  years)  disqualified  him. 

He  died  June  24,  1864,  aged  eighty-one  years. 


ERASTUS  WADLEIGH,  ESQ. 

Erastus  Wadleigh,  Esq.,  was  the  third  son  of  the 


{/y-OjC^d  t 


SUTTON. 


G45 


late  Hon.  Benjamin  Wadleigh,  and  was  born  April 
27,  1808;  died  May  21,  1881. 

A high-minded,  honorable  gentleman,  scholarly, 
courteous  and  hospitable,  he  was  one  of  those  men 
whose  presence  gives  character  and  dignity  to  the 
community  in  which  they  make  their  life-long  abid- 
ing-place. 

Possessed  of  superior  intellectual  powers,  cultivated 
and  strengthened  by  the  habit  of  study  and  investi- 
gation, with  much  natural  sagacity,  quickened  by 
thorough  acquaintance  with  men  and  practical  ex- 
perience in  the  managing  of  pmblic  affairs,  his  in- 
fluence was  strongly  felt.  As  a politician  he  was 
conservative  enough  for  safety,  yet  not  too  timid  to 
adopt  new  measures  in  place  of  the  old  when  the 
new  seemed  founded  injustice. 

In  his  young  manhood,  as  teacher  and  as  superin- 
tending school  committee,  he  was  the  means  of  giv- 
ing to  the  cause  of  education  in  Sutton  a decided 
impulse  forward,  being  among  the  foremost  of  those 
who  substituted  emulation  to  excel  in  scholarship  for 
the  old  fashion  of  seeking  to  govern  by  authority 
founded  on  the  rod  and  ferule. 

No  man  who  ever  lived  in  Sutton  has  a clearer 
right  to  the  favorable  remembrance  of  his  fellow- 
townsmen  than  Erastus  Wadleigh,  since  no  man  ever 
did  so  much  as  he  has  done  to  rescue  from  oblivion 
the  names  and  memories  of  others.  He  prepared 
many  biographical  sketches  of  deceased  citizens, 
which  found  their  way  into  the  journals  of  the  day, 
and  copies  of  which  are  still  preserved.  In  this  work 
he  spent  many  laborious  days,  but  it  was  his  favorite 
employment,  and  many  of  the  latter  years  of  his  life 
were  largely  devoted  to  the  early  history  of  his  na- 
tive town.  No  one  so  well  as  the  writer  of  this 
sketch,  who  labored  jointly  with  him  on  that  work, 
can  testify  to  the  enthusiastic  interest,  the  study, 
the  faithful  accuracy  and  patience  which  he  brought 
to  bear  upon  it. 

Both  authors  were  descended  from  original  settlers 
prominent  and  active  in  the  earlier  years  of  the 
town, — -the  one  from  Benjamin  Wadleigh,  Sr.,  and 
the  other  from  Matthew  Harvey,  Sr.,— and  both  hav- 
ing access  to  the  papers  and  records  of  their  respec- 
tive ancestors,  much  valuable  matter  was  thus  col- 
lected and  recorded.  Selections  from  this  unpub- 
lished history  have,  to  some  extent,  formed  the  basis 
of  the  present  work.  By  his  separate  and  individual 
efforts  Mr.  Wadleigh  added  greatly  to  that  which  is 
the  chief  merit  of  those  historical  collections,  as  in- 
deed it  is  of  all  historical  works, — their  reliability. 

He  left  no  means  untried  for  obtaining  correct  infor- 
mation. By  many  letters  of  inquiry,  by  conversation 
with  aged  persons,  and  by  carefully  consulting  burial- 
stones  in  ancient  grave-yards  he  compelled  both  the 
living  and  the  dead  to  add  their  testimony  to  the  writ- 
ten record.  No  part  of  the  town  was  left  un visited,  and 
from  every  part  he  gathered  something.  In  reponse 
to  his  close  questioning,  “North”  Sutton  “gave  up” 


all  it  ever  knew  about  itself,  and  “South  ” Sutton 
“ kept  not  back.”  He  left  nothing  for  guess-work  ; 
accepted  no  statement  unless  supported  by  other  and 
well-known  facts. 

He  was,  perhaps,  at  first  led  into  this  pursuit  by  the 
strong  love  and  interest  he  always  felt  for  the  scenes 
and  localities  amid  which  his  infancy  and  boyhood, 
his  young  manhood  and  mature  life  had  been  spent. 
To  him  every  hill  and  valley,  every  lake  and  stream 
had  a history  of  its  own,  suggestive  of  the  toils,  the 
alternate  successes  and  defeats  of  the  men  of  the 
preceding  generations;  of  their  continuous  conflict 
with  the  very  roughest  side  of  nature;  of  the  cold 
and  hardships,  sometimes  even  hunger,  that  they 
braved ; of  the  rocks  that  they  blasted,  the  stone 
walls  they  built,  the  swamps  they  filled  up  and  the 
hills  they  laid  low  to  make  passable  roads;  of  the 
forests  their  determined  arms  converted  into  fields 
and  farms.  Occasionally,  too,  there  bubbled  up  in 
his  memory,  like  a living  spring  in  the  dense  forest, 
some  jest  or  joke,  some  anecdote  of  fun  or  frolic,  that 
had  its  origin  among  those  hardy  pioneers,  and  which, 
having  served  its  refreshing  purpose  of  making  an 
hour  or  a day  of  their  toilsome  life  more  endurable, 
had  reached  down  to  our  time. 

Kezar’s  Pond  was  to  him  an  object  of  especial  love 
and  admiration  ; there  was  no  sheet  of  water  so  beau- 
tiful, no  sandy  beach  so  white  and  smooth  as  that 
on  its  south  and  southeastern  shore.  For  more  than 
seventy  years  he  had  watched  its  face,  playful  or 
frowning,  as  it  lay  nestled  at  the  foot  of  the  noble 
eminence  on  which  stood  his  ancestral  home. 

Following  with  his  eye  the  hills  beyond,  and  in 
every  direction,  the  desire  grew  upon  him  to  repeople 
them  all ; not,  like  the  novelist,  with  creatures  of 
his  own  imagination,  but  with  those  to  whom  these 
localities  had  been  the  theatre  on  which  they  had 
acted  their  part  in  the  drama  of  real  life. 

The  history  of  Sutton  was  commenced,  but  the 
work  had  not  proceeded  far  before  the  discovery  was 
made  that  it  is  one  thing  to  put  on  record  facts  al- 
ready within  reach,  and  quite  another  to  find  right 
answers  to  all  questions  of  genealogy  and  descent  to 
which  those  facts  gave  rise. 

(And  here,  perhaps,  is  as  good  a place  as  any  other 
to  state,  for  the  benefit  of  all  those  who  are  ambitious 
of  entering  the  field  of  antiquarian  and  genealogical 
research,  that  no  one  ever  yet  entered  that  field  with 
any  adequate  conception  of  the  amount  of  labor  in- 
volved in  the  attempt  to  operate  there.  Why,  then, 
does  not  the  aspirant  quickly  .abandon  a work  the 
proportionate  results  of  which  are  so  small?  Simply 
because  he  cannot.  His  interest  in  the  work  grows 
with  his  constantly-enlarging  conception  of  its  mag- 
nitude and  its  importance.  He  soon  becomes  thor- 
oughly identified  with  it,  or  rather  the  work  has 
mastered  him,  and  he  has  become  subordinated  to  it. 
For  genealogical  research,  apparently  so  dry,  once 
entered  upon,  becomes  the  most  fascinating  of  all 


646 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


literary  work,  becomes  magnetic  even  in  its  attrac- 
tiveness to  its  pursuer.  Very  unwillingly,  and  only 
under  pressure  of  strong  necessity,  will  the  genealo- 
gist suspend,  even  temporarily,  his  work  while  search- 
ing for  “missing  links”  in  some  family  chain.  The 
clue  he  may  chance  to  hold  in  his  hand  is  so  slight, 
so  elusive,  has  been  so  difficult  to  attain,  and  yet  is 
of  such  value  if  it  leads  to  the  result  he  is  working 
for;  with  the  conviction  that,  if  he  lets  it  slip,  it  is 
lost  forever,  and  no  future  genealogist  will  be  able  to 
reach  it,  and  yet  will  blunder  for  lack  of  it, — all  this 
makes  him  cling  to  it  with  a miser-like  tenacity  till 
he  rinds  the  desired  link  and  has  got  it  fairly  riveted 
in  its  proper  place.  Not  only  does  the  genealogist 
feel  compelled  to  do  his  work,  but  he  must  do  it 
aright.  An  assertion  based,  for  lack  of  proof,  upon 
supposition  or  even  upon  probability  may  prove  to 
be  a misstatement,  which  will  fatally  bewilder  and 
mislead  the  future  historian.  For  history  is  forever 
going  on,  and  the  record  is  by  no  means  completed 
when  the  writer  of  our  day  lays  aside  his  pen  forever.) 

Mr.  Wadleigh,of  course,  realized  that  in  succeeding 
years  some  other  would  take  up  the  work  where  he 
dropped  it,  and  would  make  this,  his  early  work,  the 
foundation  on  which  to  build  his  own.  It  was  this 
sense  of  double  responsibility  to  the  past  which,  to 
his  ear,  clamored  for  remembrance,  for  recognition 
and  historical  justice,  at  his  hands,  as  well  as  to  the 
future,  which  was  to  sit  in  judgment  upon  his  work, 
united  with  a natural  honesty  and  conscientiousness 
which,  if  a man  possess  it,  enters  as  closely  into  his 
literary  work  as  into  his  business  dealings, — it  was 
all  this  which  urged  him  to  use  the  strictest  accuracy 
of  statement  rather  than  fullness  of  detail.  Through- 
out his  entire  work  there  is  no  possibility  of  miscon- 
struction through  diffuseness  or  carelessness. 

When,  with  advancing  age,  the  hand  of  disease 
was  laid  heavily  upon  him,  it  was  with  deepest  re- 
gret that  he  yielded  to  the  conviction  that  he  was  no 
longer  able  to  continue  his  chosen  work.  And  yet 
he  could  not  fail  to  view  with  satisfaction  that  which 
was  already  accomplished.  He  had  brought  the 
thirty  years  succeeding  the  first  settlement  out  of 
the  region  of  fog  and  fable  in  which  the  antiquarian 
usually  finds  such  years,  when  searching  for  material 
for  the  centennial  address,  long  before  the  town  had 
seen  its  hundredth  birthday. 

In  the  followdng  brief  words  he  explains  his  aims 
and  object,  and  gives  bis  moderate  estimate  of  what 
he  had  accomplished.  He  says : 

“ Fellow-Citizens  of  Sulion  : I submit  to  you  the  following  early  his- 
tory of  the  town  and  a sketch  of  the  settlers  previous  to  1800,  and  some 
of  their  descendants,  taken  from  the  records  of  the  original  grantees, 
town  records  and  information  preserved  by  some  of  the  settlers  them- 
selves, together  with  personal  knowledge  of  a large  number  of  the 
persons  referred  to.  It  is  believed  by  the  writer,  so  far  as  his  knowledge 
extends,  to  be  materially  correct,  although  deficient  in  other  respects — 
not  embracing  all  that  is  desirable.  It  is  designed  to  be  a record  of  mere 
facts,  as  far  as  it  goes,  without  embellishment  or  exaggeration.  If  the 
writer  has  been  able  to  make  himself  understood,  he  will  feel  that  he 
has  done  something  towards  rescuing  the  memory  of  our  forefathers 
from  immediate  oblivion,  which  is  his  principal  design.” 


The  love  of  kindred,  always  so  noticeable  a charac- 
teristic of  Mr.  Wadleigh,  became  much  more  marked 
towards  the  last  of  his  days.  This  peculiar  feature, 
which  not  unfrequently  manifests  itself,  is  always 
gratifying,  yet  painful  for  relatives  to  observe,  indi- 
cating, as  it  does,  this  return  to  our  earliest  affec- 
tions, this  coming  back  to  where  we  started  from, 
that  our  life-circle  is  nearly  completed.  Whenever 
we  shall  detect  this  change  in  ourselves,  it  will  not 
require  the  knowledge  that  our  seventy  allotted  years 
are  already  past  to  tell  us  that  the  end  of  our  life  is 
near. 

With  a modesty  remarkable  in  a man  of  his  ac- 
knowledged and  recognized  ability,  Erastus  Wadleigh 
never  sought  distinction  or  preferment.  Here,  in 
our  quiet  town,  he  was  content  to  pass  his  whole  life; 
here  he  gave  his  interest,  and  here  he  gained  what 
so  many  sons  and  daughters  of  Sutton  have  sought 
elsewhere,  and  some  have  failed  to  find, — competence, 
influence,  friendship,  true  regard. 

He  was  married  three  times.  His  first  wife,  who 
was  the  mother  of  his  children,  was  Almira  Challis, 
married  Feb.  21,  1839,  daughter  of  Timothy  Challis; 
born  October  15,  1815,  and  died  July  14,  1842.  His 
only  surviving  child  is  Milton  B.  Wadleigh,  who  lives 
on  and  owns  the  old  Wadleigh  homestead,  which  re- 
mains unimpaired  and  undivided,  though  greatly  en- 
larged, and  is  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  Sutton.  His 
second  wife  was  Mary  W.  Flanders,  who  died  May  4, 
1865.  His  third  wife  was  Olive  Holmes,  widow  of 
Dr.  Dimond  Davis.  She  died  November  1,  1880. 


TRUMAN  PUTNEY. 

It  is  valuable  to  preserve  for  coming  generations, 
in  connection  with  the  history  of  events,  something 
of  the  personality  of  those  who,  at  various  times  and 
in  various  ways,  have  been  representative  men,  and 
have  taken  their  part  as  actors  in  those  occurrences 
which,  when  recorded,  become  to  future  readers  the 
history  of  the  past,  and  the  history  of  Sutton  would  be 
incomplete  without  a record  of  the  life  of  Truman 
Putney. 

Hazen  Putney,  the  son  of  Joseph  Putney,  of  Hop- 
kinton,  married  Susan  Page.  He  was  a farmer  and 
tanner,  and  also  added  harness-making  to  his  other 
trades,  and  was  a respected  and  industrious  citizen. 
The  children  of  this  worthy  couple  were  Mary  N., 
who  married  Carlos  G.  Pressey,  and  had  one  child, 
George  H.;  Lydia  E.,  married  Walter  W.  Stone  (chil- 
dren,— Edwin  C.  and  Charles  H.) ; Almira  M.,  mar- 
ried Jacob  S.  Harvey  (their  children  are  Walter, 
Fred.  P.  and  Albert)  ; and  Truman. 

Truman  Putney,  the  youngest  child  of  Hazen  and 
Susan  (Page)  Putney,  was  born  in  Sutton,  N.  H., 
July  4,  1828.  Like  most  of  the  sons  of  New  England 
farmers,  he  attended  the  district  schools  of  his  native 
town,  and  also  endeavored  by  his  assistance  to  aid  his 
father  in  his  labors.  His  education  was  supplemented 


SUTTON. 


647 


by  the  advantages  of  a school  at  Washington,  N.  H., 
where  he  was  for  a short  time.  The  young  man  made 
the  most  of  his  opportunities,  and,  before  reaching 
his  majority,  he  commenced  business-life  by  serving 
as  clerk  for  his  brotliers-in-law,  C.  G.  Pressey  & Jacob 
S.  Harvey,  who  were  merchants.  After  a few  years 
Mr.  Harvey  sold  out  his  share  of  the  business  to  Mr. 
Putney  and  went  to  Texas,  and  later  Mr.  Putney  pur- 
chased Mr.  Pressey’s  interest  and  continued  merchan- 
dising in  his  own  name  for  some  years. 

Mr.  Putney  married  Lydia  A.  Woodward,  of  Sut- 
ton, daughter  of  Jonathan  Woodward.  They  had  two 
children, — Cora  Belle,  who  died  at  the  age  of  seven 
years,  and  Fred.,  who  was  born  September  4,1855. 
Mrs.  Putney  died  March  2,  1875,  and  he  married 
Frances  E.,  daughter  of  P.  S.  H.  Gile.  She  died 
February  8,  1879,  and  Mr.  Putney  married,  February 
28,  1880,  Mrs.  Lydia  M.  Nelson,  daughter  of  Emery 
Bailey. 

In  April,  1878,  Mr.  Putney  took  his  son,  Fred.,  into 
partnership,  under  the  hrm-name  of  Truman  Put- 
ney & Son. 

About  1881,  Mr.  Putney’s  health  becoming  impaired 
from  his  long-continued  devotion  to  business,  and  ob- 
taining no  relief  from  medical  aid,  and  believing  that 
a change  of  climate  might  accomplish  the  desired 
result,  accompanied  by  his  wife,  he  went  to  Colorado 
Springs,  where  he  rapidly  grew  worse,  and  died  Sep- 
tember 30,  1882.  His  body  was  interred  in  Sutton. 
The  funeral  services  were  conducted  in  exact  accord- 
ance with  his  previously  made  arrangements. 

Entering  into  trade  early  in  life,  Mr.  Putney  devel- 
oped a manhood  well  worthy  the  imitation  of  young 
men.  For  nearly  thirty-five  years  he  continued  the 
same  business  in  the  same  place.  He  had  a natural 
aptitude  for  commercial  transactions,  and  by  honesty, 
perseverance  and  industry  he  was  prospered.  By  in- 
tegrity, years  of  fair  dealing  and  a strict  adherence 
to  his  word  he  built  up  a character  of  solidity,  and 
never  dared  malice  or  envy  whisper  aught  against  his 
name  or  his  broad  Christian  charity.  In  his  business 
relations  he  was  widely  known,  and  his  uniform 
courtesy  and  kindly  manners  won  for  him  many 
friends,  both  in  financial  and  social  circles.  He  was 
a leading  man  in  the  town,  and  many,  among  all 
classes,  sought  his  counsel  and  advice,  and  he  was 
ever  ready  with  his  generous  aid  for  any  good  object, 
and  for  a long  period  took  an  active  part  in  every- 
thing tending  to  promote  the  growth  and  prosperity 
of  the  town. 

Politically,  he  affiliated  with  the  Republican  party, 
and  represented  Sutton  in  the  New  Hampshire  Legis- 
lature. He  was  appointed  postmaster  in  1861,  and  held 
the  office  until  his  death.  For  many  years  he  held  the 
office  of  town  treasurer,  and  other  official  positions 
within  the  gift  of  his  fellow-citizens,  and  all  these 
duties  he  discharged  with  his  characteristic  fidelity. 

Mr.  Putney  was  not  a member  of  any  church,  but 
his  religion  was  exemplified  in  his  life.  His  principles 


were  Christian,  and  his  sympathy,  kindness  and 
accord  with  the  people  of  Christ  were  shown  by  his 
liberal  contributions  for  the  support  of  the  gospel. 
His  temperament  was  cheerful  and  sunny,  always 
seeing  the  silver  lining  of  the  dark  cloud. 

By  his  death  Sutton  lost  a valued  citizen,  and  all 
who  knew  him  cherish  his  memory  with  reverent 
regard. 


DR.  ROBERT  LANE. 

Dr.  Robert  Lane  was  born  at  Newport,  N.  H., 
April  2,  1786.  He  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Tru- 
man Abel  at  Claremont.  He  first  settled  in  the  prac- 
tice of  his  profession  in  New  London,  moving  to 
Sutton  about  1810.  He  married  Mary  Kelsey,  of 
Newport,  January,  1807.  They  had  three  children, — 
Elizabeth,  who  married  Dr.  James  R.  Smiley,  of 
Grafton ; Mary,  who  died  when  two  years  old ; and 
Adelaide,  who  married  George  W.  Ela,  of  Concord. 
June  10,  1812,  his  wife  died,  and  Dr.  Lane  returned  to 
New  London  for  residence,  but  continued  to  occupy 
the  same  field  of  practice.  During  the  first  years  of 
his  practice  he  spent  the  winter  months  in  attend- 
ing medical  lectures  at  Harvard  and  Dartmouth, 
and  in  1814  received  his  degree  of  M.D.  from  the 
latter  college. 

Close  application  to  the  study  and  practice  of  his 
profession,  continued  through  several  years,  told  up- 
on his  health,  and  in  1817  he  gave  up  practice 
for  a season  of  rest.  He  went  South,  and,  after  visit- 
ing most  of  the  Southern  States,  accepted  an  appoint- 
ment as  surgeon  in  the  expedition  of  General  Jack- 
son  against  the  Indians  and  Spaniards  in  Florida. 
After  the  capture  of  Pensacola  he  was  stationed  there 
for  a short  time  and  then  was  ordered  to  Mobile,  Ala., 
and  placed  in  charge  of  the  military  hospital 
at  that  post.  In  the  summer  of  1820  he  resigned 
his  position  in  the  army  and  returned  to  Sutton  to 
settle  permanently.  He  bought  a farm  near  the 
North  village  and  the  rest  of  his  life  was  spent  in 
the  routine  work  of  a country  physician  and  in  farm- 
ing. 

The  breaking  out  of  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  re- 
awakened his  military  ardor,  and  it  was  with  keen 
regret  that  he  felt  the  infirmities  of  age  bearing  too 
heavily  upon  him  to  permit  his  acceptance  of  the 
responsible  position  in  the  service  which  was  tend- 
ered him.  Towards  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  ap- 
pointed by  the  Governor  an  examining  surgeon  in 
the  preparation  of  the  draft  rolls,  and,  as  it  did  not 
take  him  from  the  State,  he  was  able  to  perform 
the  duties  of  the  office.  He  continued  in  active  prac- 
tice until  he  was  eighty  years  old.  In  the  spring  of 
1872  he  fell  upon  the  floor,  crushing  the  bones  of  one 
hip,  from  the  effects  of  which  accident  he  died  May 
3d,  aged  eighty-six  years. 

For  more  than  fifty  consecutive  years  Dr.  Lane 
was  an  influential  citizen  of  Sutton.  As  a physician, 


648 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


he  stood  in  the  first  rank  among  his  contemporaries. 
He  loved  his  profession  and  gave  to  it  the  best  efforts 
of  a clear  and  vigorous  intellect.  Beginning  prac- 
tice with  a better  preparation  than  was  common  at 
that  day,  he  was  a life-long  student,  both  of  books 
and  in  the  line  of  original  investigation.  He  re- 
garded his  profession  as  a field  for  unlimited  research 
and  study  and  held  it  to  be  the  physician’s  first 
duty  to  be  always  learning.  He  was  gifted  by  na- 
ture with  the  special  qualifications  of  a good  surgeon, 
and  the  circumstances  of  his  army  connection  gave 
him  unusual  facilities  for  the  study  of  surgery.  Up- 
on his  return  to  New  Hampshire  he  gave  special  at- 
tention to  that  branch  of  his  profession,  and  soon 
became  widely  known  as  one  of  the  best  surgeons  of 
the  State.  His  reputation  as  a physician  was  also 
far  more  than  local ; and,  in  addition  to  his  home 
practice,  which  embraced  all  the  towns  adjoining 
Sutton,  he  almost  always  had  patients  under 
his  care  in  more  distant  towns.  Professionally,  he 
may  be  said  to  have  belonged  to  the  county  rather 
than  to  the  town  of  his  residence. 

In  the  midst  of  his  professional  work,  Dr.  Lane 
found  time  for  the  watchful  supervision  of  his  farm. 
He  was  a devoted  lover  of  New  Hampshire  soil,  and 
stoutly  maintained  that  it  was  the  equal  of  any  as  a field 
for  progressive  and  profitable  agriculture.  In  this  pur- 
suit, also,  he  was  a close  student  of  books  and  of  nature, 
and  in  his  efforts  to  harmonize  book  farming  and  prac- 
tical farming  he  was  a generation  in  advance  ofhis  time. 
He  was  fond  of  experiments  and  held  many  pecu- 
liar theories ; but  these  were  the  result  of  a careful 
study  of  the  soil  and  the  crops  with  which  he  had  to 
do,  and  for  the  most  part  experience  proved  them 
correct.  At  a time  when  New  Hampshire  farming 
was  generally  the  practice  of  a blind  routine,  his 
work  was  based  upon  an  intelligent  study  of  the  nat- 
ural laws  which  governed  it. 

In  politics,  Dr.  Lane  was  an  Old-time  Whig  and  in 
later  years  a Republican.  Sutton  was  a stanch 
Democratic  town,  only  three  Whig  votes  being  cast 
at  its  polls  for  several  years.  After  awhile  the  num- 
ber of  Whigs  increased  to  thirteen,  and  so  remained 
until  the  little  band,  known  as  “ Dr.  Lane  and  his 
twelve  disciples,”  became  politically  famous  in  the 
region  round  about.  In  politics,  as  in  all  things,  his 
opinions  were  sharply  defined  and  tenaciously  held, 
and  he  was  always  well  informed  upon  current  polit- 
ical ideas  and  events.  He,  however,  had  no  wish  for 
official  position  and  little  time  or  taste  for  political 
controversy ; but  it  was  with  pardonable  pride  that 
he  at  last  saw  his  faith  triumphant  at  home  as  well 
as  in  the  country  at  large.  In  1866  the  Democrats 
failed  of  a majority  at  the  annual  election,  and  Dr. 
Lane  was  chosen  the  first  Republican  representative 
from  Sutton  to  the  State  Legislature.  He  was  then 
eighty  years  old  and  the  oldest  member  of  that  Leg- 
islature. 

The  mental  characteristics  of  Dr.  Lane  were 


strength  and  breadth  of  view  united  with  accuracy 
and  minuteness  in  the  notice  of  details.  Aside  from 
his  profession,  he  was  self-educated,  but  his  educa- 
tion was  broad  and  thorough.  He  had  marked  lit- 
erary tastes  and  was  especially  devoted  to  the  study 
of  the  English  classics.  When  wearied  with  profes- 
sional work  he  habitually  found  rest  in  the  reading 
of  standard  English  literature.  But  he  took  nothing 
for  granted.  Everything  he  read  must  pass  the  or- 
deal of  his  independent  judgment.  His  books — 
medical,  agricultural  and  literary — were  dotted  along 
their  margins  with  his  comments  and  notes  of 
approval  or  dissent.  He  possessed  rare  conversational 
gifts  and  a great  store  of  anecdotes ; and,  having  a 
, retentive  and  exact  memory,  his  talk  was  an  in- 
structive and  interesting  mingling  of  facts  and  quo- 
tations with  his  own  argument.  He  was  always  em- 
ployed, finding  his  recreation  in  study  or  a change  of 
work  rather  than  in  rest  or  sport.  Thus  the  meas- 
ure of  his  long  life  was  filled  with  useful  activity. 

The  genealogy  of  the  Lane  family  may  be  traced 
for  several  generations  until  lost  in  the  traditions  of 
the  seventeenth  century.  The  ancestors  of  Dr.  Lane 
were  prominent  among  the  early  settlers  of  Con- 
necticut and  New  Hampshire.  His  father,  Jesse 
Lane,  was  born  at  Lebanon,  Conn.,  December  1, 

! 1746,  and  removed  to  Newport,  N.  H.,  in  June, 
1766.  February  22,  1770,  he  married  Hester  Wright, 
j of  Killingworth,  Conn.,  who  was  born  October  31, 
1750.  He  was  a leading  citizen  among  the  first 
settlers  of  Newport,  serving  as  representative  three 
years  and  selectman  eight  years.  He  died  at  the 
age  of  seventy-two  years.  His  family  consisted  of 
eleven  children,  of  whom  Robert  was  the  fifth  son 
and  eighth  child.  Jesse  Lane  was  the  second  son 
of  Robert  Lane,  who  was  born  at  Killingworth,  Conn., 
in  November,  1713.  He  married  Mary  Thatcher, 
of  Lebanon,  Conn.,  July  4,  1744,  and  moved  to  New- 
port, N.  H.,  about  1770.  He,  too,  was  active  in 
the  early  history  of  that  town,  holding  various  town 
offices  for  many  years.  He  was,  perhaps,  a son  of 
the  Robert  Lane  who  lived  in  Stratford,  Conn., 
from  1665  to  1685,  and  who  is  probably  the  same 
mentioned  by  Field  as  coming  from  Derbyshire, 
England,  and  making  one  of  the  first  settlers  of 
Killingworth,  Conn.  Tradition  connects  him  with 
the  loyalist  Lane  who  aided  Charles  the  Second. 

ENOCH  PAGE. 

The  Page  family  were  of  the  pioneers  of  Rocking- 
ham County,  and  among  the  first  settlers  of  the  town 
of  Atkinson,  N.  H.,  we  find  the  name  of  Edmund 
Page.  He  was  a man  of  note,  and  his  descendants 
are  among  the  brave  and  good  men  of  their  day  and 
generation;  some  served  their  country  in  the  dark 
days  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  many  have  served 
their  God,  living  worthy  and  honorable  lives.  July 
17,  1772,  there  was  recorded  the  birth  of  one  Captain 


SUTTON. 


649 


Enoch  Page,  in  Atkinson,  and  about  the  year  1795 
he  married  Sarah  Noyes,  who  was  born  March  12, 
1774.  Enoch  was  a carpenter  by  trade,  and  remark- 
ably skillful  in  the  use  of  tools,  besides  possessing  an 
unusual  amount  of  energy  and  enterprise,  and  soon 
after  his  marriage  he  moved  to  Sutton,  of  which  place 
he  continued  to  be  a resident  during  his  life.  He 
carried  on  farming,  was  also  an  “ inn-keeper,”  keep- 
ing the  old  tavern  located  at  the  corner  of  the  road 
leading  to  Sutton’s  Mills.  In  those  early  days  the 
inn-keeper  was  looked  upon  as  one  of  the  “ solid  men  ” 
of  the  town,  and  was  elected  to  and  served  in  many 
town  offices.  Whatever  Mr.  Page  did,  he  did  well ; 
his  farm  was  productive,  his  other  business  prospered 
and  from  an  humble  beginning  he  gained  a com- 
petency by  his  own  unaided  exertions.  He  died 
October  31,  1828. 

The  children  of  Enoch  and  Sarah  (Noyes)  Page 
were  Susanna,  born  April  21,  1797  (she  marrried 
Hazen  Putney,  October  24,  1816,  and  had  four  chil- 
dren,— Mary,  Lydia,  Almira,  Truman),  and  Enoch. 
Mrs.  Page  died  August  8,  1855,  aged  eighty-one. 

Enoch  Page  was  born  in  Sutton  October  2,  1804, 
and  died  January  14, 1882,  in  the  seventy-eighth  year 
of  his  age.  He  received  his  early  education  in  Sut- 
ton, and  afterwards  attended  Pembroke  and  Meriden 
Academies. 

Mr.  Page  married,  December  2,  1846,  Hannah  C. 
Colby,  of  Warner,  N.  H.  They  had  six  children, — 

1.  Daniel,  died  in  infancy. 

2.  Josephine,  born  August  1, 1848,  and  married,  De- 
cember 31,  1868,  George  Roby,  the  fourth  in  descent 
from  Samuel  Roby  (1),  Ichabod  (2),  Samuel,  Jr.  (3). 
The  Roby  family  were  among  the  early  settlers  of 
New  Hampshire.  George  Roby  was  born  in  Sutton 
September  21,  1834,  and  at  the  commencement  of  the 
war  he  enlisted  in  the  Eleventh  New  Hampshire 
Volunteers,  Company  D.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Roby  have 
one  child,  Eva  B.,  born  September  14,  1870. 

3.  Eugene,  born  May  16,  1851  ; died  August  19, 
1851. 

4.  Martha  C.,  born  December  12,  1852,  and  married, 
May  9,  1882,  George  H.  Littlehale,  a native  of  Sutton, 
and  son  of  Henry,  and  grandson  of  Isaac  Littlehale, 
an  old  resident  of  Sutton. 

5.  Sarah,  born  February  24,  1856;  died  August  23, 
1856. 

6.  Mary,  born  May  4,  1860;  died  July  29,  1860. 

Mr.  Page  was  a farmer,  and  took  pride  in  the  im- 
provement and  cultivation  of  his  farm,  and  was 
interested  in  the  affairs  of  the  town  to  a large  extent. 
He  was  postmaster  for  a great  many  years,  the  post- 
office  being  in  the  old  tavern,  the  latter  of  which  his 
father  had  remodeled  into  a private  residence,  and  in 
this  house,  which  is  now  occupied  by  his  daughter, 
Mrs.  George  H.  Littlehale,  both  Enoch  Page,  Sr.,  and 
Enoch  Page,  Jr.,  died. 

In  politics  Mr.  Page  was  first  a Democrat  and 
afterwards  a Republican,  and  was  always  found  in 
41 


accord  with  progress,  and  served  his  native  town 
faithfully  in  all  the  various  offices  to  which  he  was 
elected  by  his  townsmen,  by  whom  he  was  universally 
esteemed.  He  was  a leader  in  town  matters  and  was 
honored  with  many  public  trusts.  He  held  a com- 
mission of  justice  of  the  peace,  and  was  a captain  in 
the  militia;  he  was  town  clerk  from  1831  to  1838,  and 
for  the  years  1843,  1852  and  1853;  town  treasurer  for 
1839,  1852,  1853,  1860,  1861  and  1862 ; representative 
for  the  years  1840,  1841  and  1842 ; county  com- 
missioner for  1870  and  1873.  Mr.  Page  also  attended 
to  probate  business  and  settled  a great  many  estates. 
He  was  a man  of  good  judgment,  unimpeached  in- 
tegrity, unassuming  and  unostentatious  in  his  manners, 
kind  and  benevolent,  doing  many  an  act  of  charity 
known  only  to  the  recipient,  and,  although  not  a 
member  of  any  particular  religious  denomination,  yet 
he  believed  in  the  principles  of  that  charity  which 
never  faileth— -love  and  good-will  to  all — and  left  to 
his  descendants  the  record  of  an  honorable  and  well- 
spent  life. 


CONVERSE  GAGE. 

The  Gage  family  is  of  old  and  honorable  English 
lineage.  It  is  also  of  historical  interest,  as  one  of  its 
members  was  the  last  royal  Governor  of  Massachu- 
setts,— General  Thomas  Gage.  He  planned  the  ex- 
pedition to  Concord  which  resulted  in  the  battle  of 
Lexington,  April  19,  1775,  where  the  initial  struggle 
of  the  Revolutionary  War  took  place. 

Phineas  Gage  emigrated  from  Haverhill,  Mass.,  and 
became  one  of  the  first  settlers  and  pioneers  in  the 
town  of  Enfield,  N.  H.,  and  married  a New  Hamp- 
shire girl,  Pliebe  Eaton,  who  bore  him  twelve  chil- 
dren,— Jesse  married  Hannah  Swetland ; William 
(deceased)  married  Eliza  Sanborn  ; Samuel  (deceased) 
married,  first,  Rosamond  Alden,  second,  Nancy  Lit- 
tle; George  married  Mary  Whitford  and  resides  in 
Waterford,  N.  Y. ; Calvin  (deceased)  married  Abigail 
Prescott;  Hiram  (deceased)  married  Elizabeth  Green- 
dell,  of  Maine ; Harry  married,  first,  Mary  Goss,  sec- 
ond, Susan  Fuller  (they  reside  in  Royalton,  Vt.,  and 
have  one  son,  Henry) ; Converse ; Eliza  married,  first, 
Benjamin  Collins,  second,  Benjamin  Perley  ; Amelia 
(deceased) ; Abigail  married  Francis  Robbins,  she  re- 
sides in  Warner,  N.  H. ; Nancy  (deceased)  married 
Aaron  Wells. 

Phineas  Gage  was  a good,  old-fashioned  farmer, 
toiling  early  and  late,  striving  to  care  for  a large  fam- 
ily from  the  avails  of  his  farm.  He  died  September 
1,  1849,  in  the  seventy-seventh  year  of  his  age.  His 
wife,  Pliebe,  who  was  born  July  4,  1776,  died  March 
7,  1860,  aged  eiglity-three. 

Converse  Gage,  the  youngest,  son  of  Phineas  and 
Phebe  (Eaton)  Gage,  was  born  in  Enfield,  N.  H.,  June 
17,  1817,  and  died  in  Sutton  April  20,  1882.  He  was 
one  of  a family  of  eight  sons  and  four  daughters.  His 


G50 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


father  being  an  early  settler,  his  acres  were,  like  many 
others  common  to  New'  England,  well  fitted  to  de- 
velop both  mind  and  muscle.  The  constant  problem 
to  be  solved  by  their  owner  is  how  to  extort  from  the 
stony  soil  the  necessaries  of  life.  This  problem  has 
been  solved  by  many,  and  the  earth  made  to  yield  to 
those  engaged  in  its  cultivation  something  more  than 
a subsistence,  and  developing  in  many  instances  both 
physical  as  well  as  intellectual  growth.  Farming  is 
an  old  and  honorable  calling,  dating  back  to  the  time 
of  Adam,  and  at  the  present  day,  if  more  of  our  young 
men  would  adopt  agriculture  as  their  work,  there 
wrould  be  more  honest  and  vigorous  manhood  and  truer 
patriotism. 

Converse  passed  the  early  part  of  his  life  assisting 
his  father  on  the  farm,  and  availing  himself  of  the 
opportunities  afforded  by  the  district  schools.  He 
married,  November,  17,  1844,  Cerlania,  daughter  of 
John  P.  and  Rachel  (Powers)  Carroll,  of  Croyden,  N. 
H.  Carroll  is  an  old  and  respected  name.  Mrs.  Gage’s 
grandfather  Powers  was  one  of  the  old  residents  of 
Croyden. 

The  children  of  Converse  and  Cerlania  (Carroll) 
Gage  were  Susan  E.,  born  December  13,  1847  (she 
married  Charles  W.  Purmort,  of  Enfield  ; they  have 
had  four  children, — -Frank  M.,  Herbert  C.,  George  C. 
(deceased)  and  Mabel  M.) ; George,  who  died  in  in- 
fancy ; and  George  W.,  born  December  12,  1853,  un- 
married, and  who, with  his  mother,  carries  on  the  place 
at  Sutton. 

Mr.  Gage  remained  in  Enfield  for  ten  years  after  his 
marriage,  leading  the  life  of  the  hard-working  farmer, 
which  means  unwearied,  unremitting  industry  and 
patience  ; but  assisted  by  the  sympathy,  encourage- 
ment and  aid  of  his  wife,  wdthout  which  many  men 
with  the  brightest  of  prospects  for  future  success  have 
utterly  failed,  he  was  prospered. 

About  1854  he  removed  to  Sutton,  where  he  con- 
tinued to  be  a “ tiller  of  the  soil,”  and  for  nearly 
thirty  years  was  a resident,  taking  pride  in  the  culti- 
vation and  improvement  of  his  land.  Here  he  became 
interested  in  town  affairs,  identifying  himself  to  such 
an  extent  that  he  w-as  elected  to  office,  and  was  a se- 
lectman for  nine  years,  and  proved  a man  of  under- 
standing and  intelligence  in  public  business.  Repub- 
lican in  politics,  he  represented  Sutton  in  the  Legis- 
lature two  years.  In  religious  belief  he  was  a Uni- 
versalist,  trusting  rather  to  the  God  of  love  than  the 
God  of  fear.  His  religion  was  exemplified  more  by 
practice  than  preaching.  He  was  a man  of  genial 
and  cheerful  nature,  a kind  neighbor,  a good  citizen 
and  enjoyed  the  respect  and  esteem  of  a large  range  of 
acquaintance. 


JAMES  It.  SMILEY,  M.D. 

William  Smiley,  the  grandfather  of  Dr.  Smiley, 
was  of  Scotch-Irisli  origin,  born  in  the  north  of 
Ireland  in  1728.  He  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  of 


Jaffrey,  N.  H.,  in  1758.  He  had  ten  children,  two  of 
whom,  David  and  Robinson,  were  the  first  college 
graduates  from  the  town.  David  became  a lawyer. 
He  married  Mary  Harkness,  whose  mother,  Eliza- 
beth Putnam,  was  a relative  of  General  Israel  Put- 
nam, of  Revolutionary  fame.  They  had  five  children, 
only  two  of  whom  lived  beyond  infancy, — Mary 
Harkness,  born  July  5, 1806,  married  October  9,  1834, 
to  Deacon  David  Fosdick,  died  June  25,  1864;  and 
James  Robinson,  born  in  Bristol,  N.  H.,  June  17, 
1808. 

When  about  eight  years  old  he  moved,  with  his 
parents,  to  Plymouth,  and  two  years  later  to  Graf- 
ton. He  graduated  in  1826  from  Kimball  Union 
Academy,  and  entered  Dartmouth  the  same  year. 
In  his  sophomore  year  he  left  college  and  began  the 
study  of  medicine  under  Dr.  Reuben  Muzzey,  of 
Hanover.  His  studies  were  interrupted  by  ill  health, 
but  he  resumed  them  later  with  Dr.  Robert  Lane, 
of  Sutton,  and  received  his  degree  from  the  Dart- 
mouth Medical  School  in  1833.  He  practiced  medi- 
cine four  years  with  Dr.  Lane,  and  in  1837  married 
Elizabeth  Lane,  and  removed  to  Grafton.  Here  he 
lived,  with  two  short  interruptions,  for  nearly  thirty 
years,  building  up  a large  and  successful  practice, 
which  commanded  the  whole  of  Grafton,  and  por- 
tions of  Danbury,  Springfield,  Canaan,  Orange  and 
Alexandria. 

He  was  a thorough  medical  scholar,  a close  ob- 
server of  diseases  and  their  causes,  careful  and 
judicious  in  his  treatment  of  them.  He  was  earn- 
estly devoted  to  his  profession,  making  himself,  liter- 
ally, the  servant  of  all,  if  only  he  might  save  life  or 
relieve  suffering.  He  received  in  return,  to  an  unu- 
sual degree,  the  love  and  confidence  of  the  people 
| whom  he  served. 

In  Grafton  all  his  children  were  born, — Adelaide 
Lane,  Mary  Elizabeth,  Frances  Farley,  Susan  Ela, 
Pamelia  Tarbell,  Robert  Lane. 

Dr.  Smiley  began,  at  length,  to  suffer  from  the 
labors  of  his  profession,  and  a change  became  neces- 
sary. At  the  same  time  the  failing  health  of  Dr. 
Lane  required  the  presence  of  Mrs.  Smiley,  his  only 
surviving  child.  In  1866,  therefore,  he  returned  with 
his  family  to  Sutton,  where  he  has  since  lived,  doing 
some  business  as  a physician,  but  giving  most  of  his 
attention  to  farming. 

In  1828,  Dr.  Smiley  received  an  appointment  to 
the  office  of  deputy  sheriff  of  Grafton  County,  and 
to  the  horseback  riding  which  its  duties  involved  in 
those  days  he  always  attributed  his  restoration  to 
health.  He  was  also,  about  the  same  time,  an  officer 
in  the  old  State  militia,  ranking  up  from  ensign  until 
he  held  a colonel’s  commision.  While  in  active 
practice  he  was  a member  of  the  New  Hampshire 
Medical  Society,  and  he  has  been  a justice  of  the 
peace  for  over  forty  years.  He  was  an  early  member 
of  the  Christian  Church,  organized  in  Grafton  in 
1855,  and  for  many  years  the  superintendent  of  pub- 


Eng  hryAK^Uc^- 


% 


i 


SUTTON. 


651 


lie  schools  in  that  town.  In  his  later  life  he  has 
helped  establish  a Division  of  the  Sons  of  Tem- 
perance, and  he  is  one  of  the  charter  members  of 
the  Sutton  Grange.  An  Old-Line  Whig  and  a stanch 
Republican,  he  has  held  intelligent  and  decided  views 
upon  all  the  great  public  issues  which  have  entered 
into  the  history  of  the  country  for  the  last  half- 
century. 


FREDERICK  EATON. 

Sutton  has  been  honored  by  her  sons  who  went 
from  her  rocky  farms  into  the  business  sphere  as  well 
as  by  those  who  engaged  in  the  professions  and  in  the 
affairs  of  state.  Frederick  Eaton,  of  Toledo,  Ohio, 
is  one  of  her  sons  who,  at  the  age  of  seventeen, 
went  out  from  his  father’s  farm  on  Kimball  Hill  to 
begin  a remarkable  career  as  a merchant.  His  edu- 
cation was  limited  to  what  the  old  red  school-house 
in  his  district  had  furnished  and  to  one  term’s  attend- 
ance at  an  academy  in  Thetford,  Vt.  But  the  Sutton 
rocks  are  disciplinarians  as  well  as  are  the  teachers 
in  her  schools.  No  lad  can  haul  lumber  and  logs  out 
of  her  woods  in  the  deep  snow  and  drive  loaded  carts 
over  her  side-hill  pastures  and  swing  the  scythe  in 
her  stony  fields  without  having  his  mind  trained  to 
alertness,  concentration  and  nice  discernment.  In 
this  vigorous  schooling,  where  the  pitiless  rocks  held 
the  ferule,  young  Fred  put  in  early  and  late  hours 
summer  and  winter.  He  was  born  February  10, 
1835.  His  first  continuous  service  in  merchandising 
was  as  a clerk  to  Messrs.  Daniel  & William  A.  Carr, 
in  Bradford.  With  them  he  served  three  years,  his 
salary  for  the  first  year  being  a little  less  than  one 
dollar  a week  and  his  board.  From  there  he  went  to 
Manchester  and  engaged  in  the  dry-goods  store  of  Mr. 
Otis  Barton.  In  the  mean  time  his  brother,  now  Gen- 
eral John  Eaton,  United  States  commissioner  of 
education,  had  become  the  superintendent  of  the 
Toledo  public  schools.  In  1856  he  joined  his  brother 
in  that  city,  where  he  has  ever  since  resided.  He 
found  employment  as  a dry-goods  clerk  at  ten  dollars 
a week  and  continued  to  work  in  that  capacity  a few 
months.  In  August,  1857,  having  received  the  loan 
of  six  hundred  dollars  from  his  father,  he  engaged  in 
the  retail  dry-goods  business  on  his  own  account,  with 
the  exception  of  a silent  interest  his  brother  John 
had  in  the  enterprise.  His  opening  stock  of  goods 
amounted  to  only  three  thousand  dollars  in  value  and 
his  first  year’s  sales  to  only  twelve  thousand  dollars. 
The  financial  crash  of  1857  came  the  very  month 
his  store  was  opened,  and  hard  was  the  fate  of  all  the 
merchants  throughout  the  country.  Toledo’s  popu- 
lation was  then  between  six  thousand  and  eight  thou- 
sand. But  the  new  enterprise  weathered  the  storm. 
Mr.  Eaton  has  battled  with  all  the  calamities  which, 
in  war  and  peace,  in  the  past  twenty-eight  years  have 
at  times  crushed  commerce  and  manufacture  and 
agriculture  and  sent  giant  millionaires  to  poverty;  but 


he  has  never  taken  shelter  under  insolvency  or  bank- 
ruptcy laws ; and,  what  is  wonderful,  his  own  note  has 
never  gone  to  protest.  He  has  pushed  his  business 
so  vigorously  that  some  years  his  sales  have  exceeded 
one  million  dollars, — a sum  which  but  few  Boston 
merchants  outran  twenty-five  years  ago.  As  indica- 
ting the  expense  of  doing  business  in  the  West  within 
his  experience,  it  should  be  recorded  that  the  interest 
on  money — bank  discounts — was  fifteen  and  eighteen 
per  cent,  for  several  years  and  never  less  than  ten  per 
cent,  up  to  1879.  New  York  exchange  cost  in  the 
earlier  years  from  a quarter  of  one  per  cent,  to  five 
per  cent.  Freight  from  New  York  and  Boston  to 
Toledo  has  been  as  high  as  one  dollar  per  hundred 
pounds.  Mr.  Eaton  does  his  business  in  two  immense 
double  stores  situated  a square  apart  on  Toledo’s  main 
street.  He  has  given  to  his  city’s  prosperity  a great 
share  of  his  generous  heart  and  immense  energy. 
He  is  a stockholder  in  thirteen  of  her  manufactories, 
a director  in  the  Merchants’  and  Clerks’  Savings-Bank 
and  vice-president  of  the  Merchants’  National  Bank 
and  a like  officer  in  the  Toledo  Mower  and  Reaper 
Company,  which  is  the  owner  of  the  wonderful  plat- 
form grain  self-reaper  and  binder.  His  money  has 
helped  build  nearly  all  the  churches  in  the  city  and 
he  is  a liberal  supporter  of  her  charities.  He  has 
been  a member  of  the  First  Congregational  Church 
since  1858  and  is  a trustee  of  the  same.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  advisory  board  of  managers  of  the 
Protestant  Orphans’  Home.  In  politics  he  has  always 
been  a Republican.  On  March  8,  1861,  Mr.  Eaton 
married  Miss  Mary  H.,  daughter  of  R.  M.  and  Sophia 
Shirley,  of  Goffstown.  The  only  child  (a  daughter) 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Eaton  died,  in  1876,  at  the  age 
of  ten. 

Kimball  Hill  is  five  or  six  miles  directly  south  of 
Kearsarge  Mountain.  It  receives  its  name  from 
Caleb  Kimball,  who  settled  there  from  Hamstead 
with  his  wife— Miss  Sarah  Sawyer — about  one  hundred 
years  ago.  His  children  were  Mrs.  John  Eaton,  the 
grandmother  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  ; Jacob 
Kimball,  of  Montpelier,  Vt. ; Mrs.  Moore,  mother  of 
the  Moores  of  Canterbury ; Mrs.  Adams,  mother  of 
the  Adamses  of  Highgate,  Vt. ; Mrs.  John  Adams,  of 
Sutton,  mother  of  a large  family ; Mrs.  Haddock,  of 
Franklin,  mother  of  the  Haddocks  of  Chicago  ; Mrs. 
Pinkerton,  of  Boscawen;  and  Mrs.  Dr.  McCrillis,  of 
Sandwich,  mother  of  Hon.  W.  H.  McCrillis  and  of 
Mrs.  Dr.  Griswold,  of  Bangor,  Me. 

John  Eaton,  the  grandfather  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  settled  on  this  hill  a short  distance  east  of 
the  Kimball  mansion.  On  a ledge  near  this  point 
the  school-house  stood.  He  was  a silversmith  and 
for  a time  kept  a store  of  general  merchandise.  Over 
this  hill  was  the  main  road  south  of  Kearsarge,  for 
the  travel  north  and  south  to  Concord,  and  Kimball’s 
mansion  became  a tavern.  On  Kimball’s  broad  field 
east  of  the  house  the  militia  had  their  annual  muster. 
Indeed,  the  business  of  Sutton  first  centred  on  and 


652 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


around  this  hill.  On  the  western  spur  of  this  I 
hill,  called  Potash  Hill,  because  a potash  establish- 
ment flourished  there,  was  reared  the  family  of  Tay- 
lors, three  of  whom  became  clergymen,  one  of  whom, 
William,  was  one  of  the  founders  of  a Baptist  college 
in  Kalamazoo,  Mich. 

John  Eaton’s  father,  Nathaniel,  was  a native  of 
Haverhill,  Mass.,  and  commanded  a company  at 
Bunker  Hill  and  served  through  the  Revolutionary 
War.  He  married  Mary  Dodge,  of  Lunenburg,  Mass., 
and  first  settled  on  the  bank  of  the  Merrimack,  where 
are  still  the  remains  of  the  chimney  of  his  house  by  a 
brook  of  his  name  near  Pennycook,  not  far  from  the 
spot  where  Mrs.  Dustin  killed  her  Indian  captors. 
Two  brothers  of  John  Eaton,  Elijah  and  Nathaniel, 
joined  him  in  Sutton  and  settled  easterly  on  the  same 
road,  where  they  also  reared  large  families.  Carlos 
Eaton,  son  of  Elijah,  still  occupies  the  homestead. 
Nathaniel  lived  to  celebrate  his  one  hundredth  birth- 
day, and  wTas  the  father  of  George,  who  still  occupies 
the  homestead. 

John  Eaton,  the  grandfather  above  mentioned,  is 
described  by  the  venerable  Levi  Bartlett,  of  Warner, 
and  others  who  remember  him,  as  a man  above  the 
usual  stature,  of  fine  physique  and  strong  mind  and 
a leader  of  men.  He  was  convivial,  and  though  full 
of  vigor  and  activity,  was  not  thrifty. 

Mary  Kimball  Eaton,  his  wife,  was  a woman  of 
rare  powers  and  extraordinary  Christian  faith  and 
piety.  Eleven  of  the  children  of  John  and  Mary 
Eaton  survived  to  active  life,  as  follows : 


Frederick;  Ruth  (Mrs.  Robert  Sherburn,  of  Con- 
cord) ; Rebecca,  unmarried,  teacher;  John,  father  of 
the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Sarah  (Mrs.  Samuel 
Dresser) ; Hiram,  unmarried  ; Lucretia  K.  unmarried  ; 
Jacob  S.,  M.D.,  still  resident  of  Harvard,  Mass. ; 
Charles,  unmarried ; Lucien  B.,  now  living  in  Fre- 
mont, Ind. ; Rev.  Horace,  D.D.  (see  memorial  by 
his  wife,  Mrs.  Anna  R.  Eaton,  of  Palmyra,  New 
York). 

John  Eaton,  the  father  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  married  Janet  Cole  Andrews,  of  whose  chil- 
dren there  survive : 

John  Eaton,  born  December  5,  1829;  Caroline, 
born  July  10,  1831 ; Nathan  Andrew,  born  April  11, 
1833;  Frederick,  born  February  10,  1835;  Lucien 
Bonaparte,  born  March  8,  1837 ; Christina  Landon, 
born  August  23,  1839 ; James  Andrew,  born  Sep- 
tember 30, 1841 ; Charles,  born  on  the  28tli  of  August, 
1843. 

John  Eaton,  the  father  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  became  possessed  of  the  estate  of  his  mother’s 
father,  Caleb  Kimball,  and  to  the  same  he  added  farm 
after  farm  till  he  owned  at  one  time  eighteen 
hundred  acres.  He  inherited  the  sturdy  frame 
and  stronger  mental  characteristics  of  his  father. 
His  children  above  named  still  retain  the  greater  por- 
tion of  his  Sutton  lands  and  have  enlarged  and 
improved  the  old  mansion  on  Kimball  Hill  and 
occupy  it  as  a summer  resort.  Being  owned  and 
enjoyed  by  them  in  common,  they  call  the  mansion 
Eaton  Grange. 


HISTORY  OF  WARNER. 


BY  FRED.  MYRON  COLBY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  Grant  and  the  Settlement. — The  township  of 
Warner  is  situated  in  the  western  portion  of  Merri- 
mack County  and  is  bounded  as  follows:  North,  by 
Sutton,  Wilmot,  Andover  and  Salisbury ; east,  by  Sal- 
isbury and  Webster;  south,  by  Hopkinton  and  Hen- 
uiker ; west,  by  Bradford  and  Sutton.  The  area  of 
the  town  comprises  thirty-one  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred and  fifty-one  acres  ; the  number  of  acres  of  im- 
proved land  is  about  twenty-one  thousand.  The 
centre  of  the  town  is  eighteen  miles  from  the  State- 
House  at  Concord  in  a northwesterly  direction. 

The  territory  now  embraced  in  the  present  limits  of 
the  town  of  Warner  was  granted  in  1735,  by  the  Gen- 
eral Court  of  Massachusetts,  to  Thomas  Stevens  and 
sixty  other  inhabitants  of  Amesbury  and  Salisbury  of 
that  province,  under  the  name  of  “ Number  One.” 
The  terms  of  this  grant  were  that  each  grantee  should, 
within  three  years,  clear  and  fence  in  five  acres  of 
land  and  build  a house  thereon,  erect  a church  and 
“settle  a learned  orthodox  minister;”  otherwise  it 
would  revert  to  the  province  of  Massachusetts. 

In  April,  1737,  the  several  grantees  met.  The 
township  was  rechristened  “ New  Amesbury,”  in 
honor  of  the  home  of  the  larger  number  of  the  pro- 
prietors, and  by  June  of  the  following  year  the  allot- 
ments had  been  made  and  sixty-three  house-lots,  con- 
taining about  five  acres  each,  had  been  laid  out. 
These  lots  were  near  the  extreme  southeast  part  of 
the  town,  at  what  is  now  called  Davisville,  where  are 
located  several  excellent  mill  privileges.  On  March 
21,  1739,  the  proprietors  “ Voted  to  pay  Orlando  Col- 
by, Joseph  Jewell  and  John  Challis,  Jr.,  £120  in 
Province  bills  of  the  old  tenor  to  build  a good  saw- 
mill.” The  mill  was  erected  in  1740.  It  was  at 
Davisville.  The  men  who  built  it  camped  near  the 
stone  watering-trough  below  that  village  In  the 
hut  which  they  used  as  a camp  the  proprietors  held 
their  first  meeting  in  town,  May  28,  1740.  At  this 
meeting  Joseph  Jewell  was  chosen  moderator  and 
Ezekiel  Morrill  clerk.  These  were  the  first  men 
elected  to  office  in  Warner. 

Strong  inducements  were  held  forth  to  colonists, 
twenty  pounds  being  offered  by  the  proprietors  to 


each  man  who  would  settle  upon  the  conditions  of  the 
grant.  As  late  as  1749,  however,  only  four  houses  had 
been  built  on  the  five-acre  building  lots  in  Davisville. 
These  houses  stood  some  distance  west  of  the  store  at 
the  corner,  stretching  along  on  the  five-acre  lots.  The 
persons  who  built  them  were  Thomas  Colby,  Moses 
Morrill,  Jarvis  Ring  and  Gideon  Straw.  The  begin- 
ning of  the  French  and  Indian  War  put  an  end  for 
the  time  to  all  projects  for  settlement.  The  saw- 
mill and  the  cabins  were  destroyed  by  the  Indians 
and  the  progress  of  civilization  was  stayed  fora  dozen 
years. 

During  the  time  that  this  first  settlement  was  going 
out  in  smoke  and  ashes  the  Masonian  proprietors 
granted  the  territory  to  seventy-six  men,  mostly  res- 
idents of  Rye  and  Newcastle.1  Many  of  these  gran- 
tees bore  the  name  of  Jenness,  and  the  town  was  ac- 
cordingly sometimes  called  Jennesstown.  A sharp 
controversy  now  arose  between  the  Amesbury  pro- 
prietors and  the  inhabitants  of  Rye,  which  assumed 
at  one  time  a serious  aspect.  The  question  was  final- 
ly settled  by  arbitration  in  1769,  the  Amesbury  pro- 
prietors agreeing  to  pay  a certain  sum  for  a quit- 
claim. Controversy  still  continued  as  to  the  sum  to 
be  paid,  but  it  was  ended  in  1773  by  the  decision  of 
the  arbitrators,  who  awarded  one  hundred  and  forty 
pounds.  The  General  Court  of  Massachusetts,  to  re- 
munerate the  Amesbury  proprietors  for  their  loss, 
gave  them  one-half  of  the  townships  of  Solon  and 
Poland,  in  Maine. 

The  terms  of  this  grant  from  the  Rye  proprietors 
to  the  Amesbury  proprietors  indicate  the  same  care 
for  religion  and  education  which  was  noticed  in  the 
charter  granted  by  Massachusetts.  Some  of  these 


1 RECORD  OF  THE  PROPRIETORS’  MEETING,  1741. 

“att  a meeting  of  the  Propritors  of  the  Township  No.  one,  in 
the  line  of  towns  held  by  an  Adjurnment  from  the  18th  day  of  January, 
1741,  for  first  day  of  february  folowing  and  then  met  att  the  house  of 
Jonathan  Barnard,  Inholder  in  Almsburey. 

“Att  the  Same  meeting  voted  That  Thomas  Rowel,  Esq.,  and  Joseph 
Juell  Be  a Committee  to  prefer  a Petition,  in  the  name  of  the  proprietors, 
to  the  Governour  and  Council,  in  the  province  of  New  Hampshire,  in 
order  to  obtain  orders  and  directions  therefrom  to  bringe  foward  the  Set- 
tlement of  Sd  Township. 

“A  true  coppy,  as  attst.  by  me, 

“Jonathan  Barnard, Proprietors'  Clark." 

653 


654 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


terms  were  that  the  grantees  “lay  out  three  rights  or 
shares  of  land — one  for  the  use  of  the  first  minister  of 
the  gospel  who  should  be  ordained  or  settle  there; 
one  for  the  use  of  the  ministry  in  the  town  forever; 
and  one  for  the  use  of  a school,  for  and  towards  the 
support  thereof  forever ; each  of  said  rights  to  be 
laid  out  in  lots  as  the  grantees  manage  the  other 
rights,  and  to  be  free  from  the  charge  of  settlement  or 
any  public  taxes  to  that  end.”  Also,  “that  they 
build  a meeting-house  and  maintain  constant  preach- 
ing there  from  and  after  the  term  of  three  years  from 
the  date  thereof.” 

The  first  permanent  settlement  was  made  in  1762 
by  Daniel  Annis  and  his  sons-in-law,  Reuben  Kim- 
ball and  Daniel  Floyd.  Mr.  Annis’  house  was  in  Di- 
mond’s  Corner  District,  on  the  north  side  of  the  high- 
way, a little  west  of  the  Paine  Davis  buildings.  Reu- 
ben Kimball  at  first  lived  near  by,  on  the  south  side  of 
the  highway,  some  twenty  rods  from  where  it  now 
runs.  Daniel  Floyd  (or  Flood),  afterwards  known  as 
Captain  Floyd,  lived  on  what  is  now  Denny  Hill. 
Annis,  Kimball  and  Floyd  all  came  in  under  the  Rye 
proprietors  and  had  probably  lived  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Rye.  Hannah,  daughter  of  Daniel  Annis 
and  wife  of  Reuben  Kimball,  came  into  Warner  in 
1762.  She  was  the  first  English  female  who  ever 
lived  here,  and  her  son  Daniel,  born  October,  1762, 
was  the  first  English  child  born  in  town.  Mrs.  Kim- 
ball died  in  Warner  February  23,  1823,  aged  eightv- 
three.  Daniel  Kimball  died  in  Enfield  July  29,  1843, 
aged  eighty  years. 

In  1763  the  proprietors  voted  to  give  each  of  the 
first  ten  settlers  a forty-acre  lot  of  upland  and  five 
acres  of  intervale.  Some  engaged  to  settle  on  these 
on  similar  conditions.  Igfiac  Waldron,  his  two  sons, 
Isaac,  Jr.,  and  Theodore,  and  Paskey  Pressey,  came  in 
early  in  1763.  We  cannot  name  the  exact  order  in 
which  the  settlers  came  afterwards.  At  the  end  of 
1763  those  named  above  and  the  following  persons, 
withtheir  families,  constituted  the  population:  Thomas 
Annis  (from  whom  Lake  Tom  took  its  name),  Moses 
Annis,  Solomon  Annis,  David  Bagley  (who  was  town 
clerk  thirty-nine  years,  holding  office  for  a longer 
period  than  any  other  man  in  town),  Enoch  Blaisdell, 
Elijah  Blaisdell,  Isaac  Chase,  Daniel  Chase,  Abner  j 
Chase,  Joseph  Currier,  Daniel  Currier,  Theophilus 
Currier,  Moses  Clark,  Hubbard  Carter,  Moses  Colby, 
Francis  Davis,  Daniel  Flanders,  Ebenezer  Eastman, 
Stephen  Edmunds,  Eliphalet  Danforth,  James,  Chris- 
topher and  Philip  Flanders,  Jeremy  Fowler,  Joseph 
Foster,  Jonathan  Fifield,  Seth.  Richard  and  Ezekiel 
Goodwin,  Robert  Gould,  Nehemiah  Heath,  Barnard 
Hoyt,  David  Gilmore,  Samuel  Roby,  Theodore  Ste- 
vens, Thomas  Rowell,  Jos.  Sawyer,  Jonathan  Smith, 
Jacob  Tucker,  Nathaniel  Trumball,  Parmenas  Wat- 
son, Daniel  Young  and  Abner  Watkins. 

These  settlers,  so  far  as  we  are  able  to  ascertain,  re- 
sided as  follows  : Davis  and  Gilmore  lived  at  Davis- 
ville ; Th.  Annis,  Moses  Annis,  Solomon  Annis 


and  Fifield,  at  Dimond’s  Corner ; Smith  and  Bagley, 
at  Bagley’s  Bridge ; Heath,  Hoyt,  Joseph  Currier, 
Daniel  and  Christopher  Flanders,  at  the  Lower  vil- 
lage; Watson  Fowler,  Moses  Clark  and  Daniel  Cur- 
rier, at  Joppa ; Roby,  Trumball,  Philip  Flanders  and 
Seth  Goodwin,  at  Schoodach ; Joseph  Sawyer,  Abner 
Chase  and  Richard  Goodwin,  on  Kelly  Hill;  Joseph 
Foster,  in  the  Kimball  District ; Gould,  Stevens,  Row- 
ell, Theodore  Currier  and  Ezekiel  Goodwin,  on  Wal- 
dron’s Hill ; Moses  Colby  and  James  Flanders,  on 
Burnt  Hill;  Isaac  Chase,  on  Pumpkin  Hill ; Edmunds 
and  Carter,  on  Tory  Hill ; Abner  Watkins,  in  the 
Gore ; Daniel  Young,  at  the  Levi  Bartlett  place,  on  the 
Joppa  road;  and  Jacob  Tucker,  near  thesite  of  the 
Kearsarge  Hotel,  at  the  Centre  village.  By  1770 
about  fifty-five  families  were  settled  in  Warner,  or 
New  Amesbury,  as  it  was  then  called. 

The  habits  of  the  early  settlers,  their  privations, 
sufferings  and  endurance,  possess  a fascinating  inter- 
est. Their  first  dwellings  were  rude  and  simple.  As 
late  as  1773  there  were  none  hut  log  houses.  David 
Bagley  built  the  first  frame  house  at  Bagley’s  Bridge, 
a little  after  this  date.  Francis  Davis  and  Reuben 
Kimball  built  the  next  earliest ; Mr.  Kimball  also  built 
the  first  frame  barn.  Rev.  William  Kelley,  the  first 
settled  minister,  erected  the  first  two-story  frame  house 
in  1774.  Money  was  scarce;  watches  and  clocks  were 
few.  IV’ hen  houses  were  built,  compasses  were  set  to 
square  them  by,  so  that  the  sun  might  shine  in  at  the 
front  doors  when  it  was  noon.  They  had  also  nine 
o’clock  marks,  one  o’clock  marks  and  others.  These 
rude  time-pieces,  of  course,  were  available  only  on 
sunny  days. 

The  fare  of  the  first  inhabitants  was  plain  and  simple. 
Bean  porridge,  Indian  corn,  rye,  pumpkins,  turnips, 
fish  and  game  were  the  most  common  articles  of  food. 
One  barrel  of  potatoes  was  considered  a large  quan- 
tity' for  one  family'  to  store  for  winter  use.  Sometimes, 
when  provisions  were  scarce  in  the  summer-time,  boiled 
beech-leaves  were  substituted.  For  a number  of  years 
after  the  place  was  settled  the  people  went  to  Concord 
to  grind  their  corn,  drawing  it  upon  hand-sleds  or  car- 
rying it  upon  their  shoulders.  Captain  Daniel  Floyd 
used  to  carry  two  bushels  at  a time  on  his  shoulders 
to  that  place,  and  bring  it  back  in  the  same  way. 
Another  settler,  Jacob  Collins,  carried  the  boards  of 
which  to  build  his  rye-bins  on  his  shoulders  from 
Waterloo,  through  the  woods  and  over  the  hills,  to 
the  edge  of  Bradford,  because  no  team  could  go  by  the 
wood-path.  The  first  grist  and  saw-mills  were  erected 
| in  1765,  and  they  stood  at  Davisville. 

Some  of  the  first  roads  laid  out  in  town  were  the 
main  road  to  Perrytown  (now  Sutton),  which  ran  over 
Denny  Hill  and  south  of  Frank  Bartlett’s,  crossing 
the  Tory'  Hill  road  about  a third  of  a mile  up;  the 
road  to  the  North  village,  by  the  first  meeting-house 
and  Levi  Bartlett’s ; the  one  from  the  first  meeting- 
house, by  Kimball’s  Corner  and  the  Major  Hoy't  place, 
to  Henniker;  the  one  through  Joppa;  the  one 


WARNER, 


655 


through  Schoodacli,  which  crossed  the  river  at  Bag- 
ley’s  Bridge ; and  the  Pumpkin  and  Burnt  Hill  roads. 
The  first  bridge  built  in  town  was  across  the  river  at 
the  Lower  village.  It  was  built  in  the  autumn  of 
1774,  and  a part  of  its  cost — forty  dollars — was  contrib- 
uted by  Councilors  Daniel  and  Jonathan  Warner,  of 
Portsmouth. 

The  first  public  meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
town  was  held  December  27,  1770.  At  another  meet- 
ing held  July  14,  1774,  among  other  actions  it  was 
“ Voted  that  Captain  Francis  Davis  shall  go  and  get 
the  town  incorporated,  if  the  Proprietors  will  find  the 
money  to  do  it  with.”  The  proprietors  were  accord- 
ingly consulted,  who  found  the  necessary  funds,  and  a 
petition  was  drawn  up  asking  for  a charter  and  pray- 
ing that  the  town  be  named  Amesbury.  Ezekiel 
Evans,  of  Salisbury,  Mass.,  agent  for  the  proprietors, 
and  Captain  Davis,  who  was  also  a proprietor,  together 
journeyed  to  Portsmouth  and  presented  their  petition 
to  Governor  Wentworth  and  his  Council.  They  se- 
cured a charter,  but  the  Governor  and  Council  named 
the  new  borough  Warner.  This  was  by  no  means  an 
exceptional  case,  as  Governor  Wentworth  named  sev- 
eral other  towns  to  please  himself  and  honor  his  friends, 
regardless  of  the  wishes  of  the  inhabitants  or  pro- 
prietors. The  town  was  incorporated  September  3, 
1774,  receiving  its  name  in  honor  of  Hon.  Jonathan 
Warner,  of  Portsmouth,  the  Governor’s  most  intimate 
friend,  his  cousin  by  marriage  and  a member  of  the 
Royal  Council. 

The  Corporate  Town. — The  first  town-meeting  of 
the  legal  town  of  Warner  was  called  a month  later, 
October  4,  1774.  The  first  civil  officers  of  the  town 
as  elected  that  day  were  as  follows,  viz. : Moderator, 
Isaac  Chase;  town  clerk,  Daniel  Flanders;  selectmen, 
Daniel  Floyd,  Jacob  Waldron  and  Isaac  Chase.  Tbe 
number  of  voters  at  that  time  was  forty-eight ; the 
population  was  probably  in  the  vicinity  of  two  hun- 
dred and  thirty  souls.  The  records  of  the  Committee 
of  Safety,  published  December,  1775,  furnish  some 
interesting  facts  as  to  the  population  at  the  breaking 
out  of  the  Revolution.  By  the  census  ordered  to  be 
taken  by  the  Provincial  Convention  held  at  Exeter, 
August  25th  of  that  year,  Warner  had,  of  white  males, 
78  under  sixteen  years  of  age,  45  between  the  ages  of 
sixteen  and  fifty  not  in  the  army,  and  6 above  fifty, 
126  females  and  one  negro, — total,  262.  Ten  men 
from  Warner  had  joined  the  patriot  army  before  Bos- 
ton. The  town  reported  twenty-one  fire-arms  fit  for 
service,  and  twenty-six  instances  in  which  fire-arms 
were  wanting.  At  a town-meeting  held  that  summer 
the  inhabitants  had  “ Voted  that  the  selectmen  should 
provide  powder,  lead  and  flints  for  a town  stock,  and 
as  many  fire-arms  as  should  be  found  wanting  in 
town.”  At  another  meeting  held  at  the  meeting- 
house on  the  old  parade,  August  3,  1775,  Captain 
Francis  Davis,  Captain  Daniel  Floyd  and  Daniel  An- 
nis,  Sr.,  were  chosen  a Committee  of  Safety. 

Warner  sent  no  representatives  to  the  General  As- 


sembly of  the  province  or  the  State  until  1776,  the 
first  election  for  that  purpose  being  held  November 
19th  of  that  year.  Captain  Francis  Davis  was  then 
chosen  ; in  1777,  Daniel  Morrill ; and  in  1778,  Cap- 
tain Daniel  Floyd.  The  General  Assembly  met  in 
those  days  at  Exeter.  Representatives  to  that  body 
were  required  by  law  to  possess  real  estate  to  the  value 
of  two  hundred  pounds,  lawful  money.  The  following 
is  a list  of  those  who  have  served  as  representatives 
of  the  town  from  1779  to  1885 : 

Thomas  Rowell,  1779  ; Isaac  Chase,  1780 ; Captain  Tappan  Evans, 
1781  ; Nathaniel  Bean,  1782-83;  Captain  Francis  Davis,  1784;  Warner, 
Sutton  and  Fishersfield  elected  Mathew  Harvey,  of  Sutton,  representa- 
tive in  1785  ; the  same  towns  elected  Zephaniah  Clark,  of  Fishersfield,  in 
1786 ; the  three  towns  elected  James  Flanders,  of  Warner,  in  1787-89 
(this  was  the  end  of  the  class  representative  business  ; hereafter  Warner 
elected  and  sent  her  own  ^representative,  as  before)  ; James  Flanders, 
1790-94 ; Aquilla  Davis,  1795-98  ; Joseph  Bartlett,  1799-1801  ; Aquill  t 
Davis,  1802-5  ; James  Flanders,  1806-7  ; Richard  Bartlett,  1808-11 ; Ben- 
jamin Evans,  1812 ; Richard  Bartlett,  1813 ; Benjamin  Evans,  1814  ; 
Philip  Flanders,  1815  ; Henry  B.  Chase,  1816-17  ; Benjamin  Evans,  1818 
-19  ; Richard  Bartlett,  1820;  Janies  Bean,  1821  ; Benjamin  Evans,  James 
Bean,  1822  ; Benjamin  Evans,  Henry  B.  Chase,  1823  ; Henry  B.  Chase, 
Abner  B.  Kelley,  1824 ; Timothy  Flanders,  Caleb  Buswell,  1825 ; Benja- 
min Evans,  Daniel  George,  1826  ; Benjamin  Evans,  Abner  B.  Kelley, 
1827-28  ; Abner  B.  Kelley,  Nathan  S.  Colby,  1829 ; Nathan  S.  Colby, 
Zebulon  Davis,  1830;  Zebulon  Davis,  Benjamin  E.  Harriman,  1831 ; Ben- 
jamin E.  Harriman,  Daniel  Jones,  1832;  Daniel  Jones,  Nathan  S Colby, 
1833 ; Nathan  S.  Colby,  Timothy  Davis,  1834 ; Timothy  Davis,  Philip 
Colby,  Jr.,  1835  ; Philip  Colby,  Jr.,  Mitchell  Gilmore,  Jr.,  1836  ; Mitchell 
Gilmore,  Jr.,  Nathan  Davis,  1837  ; Nathan  Davis,  Abner  Woodman, 
1838;  Abner  Woodman,  Abner  Watkins,  1839;  Abner  Watkins,  Ata 
Pattee,  1840 ; Asa  Pattee,  Robert  Thompson,  1841  ; Robert  Thompsou, 
John  Stewart,  1842  ; H.  D.  Robertson,  Robert  Thompson,  1843 ; H.  D. 
Robertson,  Enos  Collins,  1844;  Enos  Collins,  Daniel  Bean,  Jr.,  1845  ; 
none  elected,  1846  ; James  31.  Harriman,  Daniel  Bean,  Jr.,  1847  ; J.  31 
Harriman,  Franklin  Simonds,  1848;  Franklin  Simonds,  Walter  Harri- 
man, 1849;  Walter  Harriman,  George  A.  Pillsbury,  1850;  George  A. 
Pillsbury,  Leonard  Eaton,  1851 ; Leonard  Eaton,  H.  II.  Harriman,  1852  ; 
H.  D.  Robertson,  Ira  Harvey,  1853;  H.  D.  Robertson,  Levi  Collins,  1854; 
Levi  Collins,  Benjamin  C.  Davis,  1855;  Benjamin  C.  Davis,  Lewis 
Holmes,  1856  ; Lewis  Holmes,  Samuel  W.  Colby,  1S57  ; Samuel  W.  Colby, 
Walter  Harriman,  1858;  Cummings  Marshall,  Ephraim  31.  Dunbar, 
1859 ; C.  Marshall,  E.  31.  Dunbar,  1860 ; Augustine  N.  Harriman, 
Stephen  C.  Pattee,  1861-62 ; John  P.  Colby,  Hezekiah  B.  Harriman, 
1863-64 ; Elijah  R.  Gilmore,  John  Rogers,  1865-66  ; Samuel  Davis, 
3Ioses  J.  Collins,  1867-68;  Christopher  G.  3IcAlpine,  Lemuel  W.  Collins, 
1869-70 ; Charles  Currier,  3Ioses  D.  Wheeler,  1871-72  ; John  E.  Robert- 
son, John  W.  Clement,  1873-74;  John  II.  Dowlin,  Nehemiah  G.  Ordway, 
1875-76  ; N.  G.  Ordway,  Henry  C.  Davis,  1877  ; Henry  C.  Davis,  1878  ; 
Augustus  R.  Putnam,  1880  ; Harlan  S.  Willis,  1882  ; none  elected,  1884. 

Of  the  value  of  money,  land  and  labor  during  the 
early  history  of  the  town,  a few  facts  gleaned  from 
the  town  records  and  other  sources  will  give  one  a 
good  understanding.  It  should  be  premised  that  the 
“pounds”  spoken  of  in  the  early  records  was  in  the 
“new  tenor”  currency,  which  was  six  shillings  to  a 
dollar.  A pound,  therefore,  was  equal  to  $3.33,  and 
a shilling  to  sixteen  and  two-thirds  cents.  One  stipula- 
tion made  in  regard  to  Rev.  Mr.  Kelley’s  salary  in  1771 
was  to  give  him  one  hundred  dollars  in  labor,  at  two 
shillings  and  six-pence  (forty-one  and  two-thirds  cents) 
per  day,  or,  if  dinners  were  found,  then  two  shillings 
(thirty-three  and  one-third  cents)  per  day.  Work  on 
the  highways  was  reckoned  at  three  shillings  (fifty 
cents)  per  day  in  1785.  March  22,  1791,  the  town 
voted  to  reckon  work  on  the  highways  as  follows : 

“From  the  first  of  June  to  the  last  of  August,  three  shillings  per  day  ; 


656  HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


from  the  last  of  August  to  the  last  of  September,  two  shillings  ami  six- 
pence per  day  ; from  the  last  of  September  to  the  first  of  November,  two 
shillings  per  day  ; from  that  to  the  first  of  April,  one  shilling  and  six- 
pence (25  cts.)  per  day  ; and  from  then  to  the  first  of  June,  two  shillings 
■and  six-pence  per  day.” 

December  28, 1797,  the  town  voted  to  allow  men  for 
work  in  building  bridges  two  shillings  per  day  till 
April  1st  and  after  that  three  shillings  per  day  until 
the  bridges  were  finished.  February  8,  1798,  it  was 
voted  to  pay  minute-men  enlisted  by  the  town  enough 
to  make  up  to  them  ten  dollars  per  month  while  they 
did  duty,  including  what  they  were  allowed  by  Con- 
gress. 

Several  lots  of  land,  varying  from  forty  to  eighty 
acres,  were  sold  at  public  auction  for  non-payment  of 
taxes  in  1784,  for  which  prices  were  paid  varying 
from  six-pence  to  one  shilling  per  acre,  with  taxes 
and  costs. 

At  a similar  sale,  in  1797,  different  lots  were  sold  at 
five  cents,  seventeen  cents,  thirty-one,  forty-one, 
sixty  and  a dollar  and  fifty-four  cents  per  acre. 
Twenty  lots  were  sold  in  the  same  way  in  January 
and  February,  1812,  the  average  price  per  acre  being 
twenty  cents.  In  1782  the  furnishing  of  the  twenty 
cords  of  wood,  which  were  a part  of  Rev.  William 
Kelley’s  salary,  was  struck  off  to  the  lowest  bidder,  as 
follows:  Ten  cords  to  Esq.  Joseph  Sawyer,  at  four 
shillings  and  six-pence  (seventy-five  cents)  per  cord; 
five  to  Francis  Ferrin  at  four  shillings  and  five-pence ; 
and  five  to  the  same  at  five  shillings  (or  eighty-three 
and  a half  cents). 

When  the  first  pound  was  huilt,  in  1798,  which,  by 
popular  vote,  was  to  be  thirty  feet  square  and  seven 
feet  high,  of  green  white-pine  logs,  with  the  bark 
taken  off,  with  a white-oak  door  and  a heavy  lock,  its 
building  and  providing  all  the  materials  was  struck  off  to 
Tappan  Evans  for  ten  dollars  and  a half,  all  of  a quarter 
less  for  what  it  could  he  built  for  now.  At  the  close  of 
the  last  century  a girl’s  wages  were  two  shillings  a 
week  and  board.  The  commonest  quality  of  calico 
was  four  shillings  a yard,  so  that  a woman  could  no 
more  than  pay  for  a dress  by  three  months  of  hard 
labor.  In  the  year  1788  wheat  was  rated  in  Concord 
at  seven  shillings  per  bushel,  Indian  corn  at  four 
shillings,  potatoes  at  one  shilling,  cheese  at  six-pence 
per  pound  and  stall-fed  beef  at  four-pence. 

The  census  statistics  of  Warner  from  the  close  of 
the  Revolution  to  the  census  of  1880  will  show  the 
period  of  its  greatest  growth  and  likewise  of  its  de- 
cline. The  increase  for  the  first  decade  was  remark- 
able, and  that  of  the  second  as  much  so,  the  popula- 
tion nearly  doubling  in  each  instance.  The  large  in- 
crease between  1810  and  1820  must,  in  part,  be  at- 
tributed to  the  annexation  of  the  Gore  in  1818,  the 
population  of  that  territory  being  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  persons  by  the  census  of  1810.  The  pop- 
ulation of  the  town  has  been  constantly  decreasing 
since  1825,  though  at  the  present  time  there  are  more 
voters  than  at  any  previous  period.  Population  in 
1783  was  458;  1790,  863;  1800,  1569;  1810, 1838;  1820, 


2446;  1830,  2221;  1840,  2139;  1850,  2038;  1860,  1970; 

1870,  1667;  1880,  1537. 

Upon  looking  at  the  map  of  Warner  one  will  see  a 
narrow  neck  of  land  stretching  northward,  like  a 
mason’s  apron,  between  Sutton  and  Salisbury,  till  it 
reaches  the  Wilmot  and  Andover  lines.  This  terri- 
tory constitutes  the  famous  Kearsarge  Gore.  It  orig- 
inally stretched  over  the  mountain  northward  to  the 
present  site  of  Wilmot  Centre.  Up  to  the  year  1807 
this  Gore  was  a sort  of  a town  hy  itself,  the  inhabit- 
ants holding  their  own  town-meetings  and  electing 
officers  like  any  corporate  organization.  When  Wil- 
mot was  incorporated,  in  June,  1807,  the  new  town- 
ship took  a third  of  its  territory  from  the  Gore.  The 
description  of  its  boundaries  on  this  side  reads  as  fol- 
lows in  the  charter  of  incorporation : “Also  all  the 
lands  and  inhabitants  within  said  Kearsarge  Gore, 
north  of  a straight  line  beginning  at  the  southwest 
corner  of  Andover;  thence  running  westerly  to  the 
highest  part  of  said  mountain;  thence  westerly  to 
Sutton  line.”  The  territory  on  the  south  side  of  the 
mountain  continued  separate  until  1818,  when,  by  an 
act  of  the  State  Legislature,  approved  June  13tli,  the 
Gore,  with  the  inhabitants  thereof,  was  annexed  to 
Warner.  By  this  the  fine  mountain  of  Kearsarge,  its 
glorious  bold  summit,  overlooking  the  whole  central 
and  southern  part  of  the  State,  became,  to  all  intents 
and  purposes,  our  mountain. 

The  first  post-office  was  established  in  Warner  in 
1813,  at  the  Lower  village,  then  the  chief  business 
centre  of  the  town.  Henry  B.  Chase,  who  was  ap- 
pointed postmaster  at  that  time,  held  the  office  till 
1817,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  Henry  Lyman. 
Levi  Bartlett  was  appointed  to  succeed  Dr.  Lyman  in 
1825  and  held  the  office  until  1830,  when  it  was  dis- 
continued. An  office  meanwhile  had  been  instituted 
at  Waterloo,  with  Philip  Colby,  Jr.,  as  postmaster.  In 
1830  this  office  and  the  one  at  the  Lower  village  were 
consolidated  and  established  at  the  Centre  village, 
when  Harrison  D.  Robertson  was  made  postmaster. 
Mr.  Robertson  was  succeeded  as  follows:  George  A. 
Pillsbury,  1844;  William  Carter,  Jr.,  1849;  Gilman 
C.  Sanborn,  1851;  Abner  B.  Kelley,  1855;  Hiram 
Buswell,  1861;  E.  H.  Carroll,  1877;  E.  C.  Cole,  1884; 
Lloyd  II.  Adams,  1885.  In  1865  a post-office  was  re- 
established at  Waterloo,  which  was  discontinued  after 
two  years.  Walter  H.  Bean  and  T.  Leavitt  Dowlin 
served  successively  as  postmasters.  In  1885  another 
office  was  established  at  the  same  place,  with  Roger 
Gage  as  postmaster.  In  1871  an  office  was  established 
at  Roby’s  Corner  and  Moses  H.  Roby  was  appointed 
postmaster.  In  1884  offices  were  established  at  Mel- 
vin’s Mills,  W.  Tappan  Melvin  as  postmaster,  and  at 
Bagley’s  Bridge,  Fred.  H.  Savory  as  postmaster.  In 
1885  an  office  was  also  established  at  Davisville,  with 
Moses  Twitehell  as  postmaster,  making  six  post- 
offices  in  town. 

The  Simonds  Free  High  School  was  established  in 

1871.  It  received  its  name  from  Hon.  Franklin 


WARNER. 


657 


Simonds,  who  left  the  bulk  of  his  property  for  this 
purpose.  Mr.  Simonds  died  in  1869  and  Mrs.  Simonds 
the  following  year. 

At  a legal  meeting  of  the  inhabitants  at  the  town 
hall,  March  18,  1871,  the  following  resolution  was 
adopted  by  unanimous  vote : 

“ Resolved , That  the  Town  of  Warner,  in  view  of  the  bequests  of  Frank- 
lin Simonds,  late  of  Warner,  of  twenty  thousand  dollars,  and  of  Abigail 
K.  Simonds,  late  of  Warner,  of  five  thousand  dollars,  as  a fund,  the  in- 
come to  be  applied  for  the  purpose  of  a high  school,  establish  a high 
school,  and  that  said  town  be  and  hereby  is  constituted  a high  school 
district,  including  the  whole  territory  of  said  town.” 

The  following  summer  a brick  school  building  was 
erected  on  a pleasant  site,  and  in  December  the  school 
was  opened.  The  building  cost  about  ten  thousand 
dollars.  The  succession  of  principals  have  been  as 
follows:  E.  C.  Cole,  1871;  N.  N.  Atkinson,  1874; 
William  Goldthwaite,  1876;  E.  H.  Farnsworth,  1880; 
Charles  A.  Strout,  1881 ; H.  S.  Roberts,  1884. 

A home  fair  was  inaugurated  in  Warner,  in  1871, 
by  several  of  the  leading  farmers  During  two  years 
the  exhibitions  were  at  the  town  hall  and  in  the 
street.  In  1873,  Hon.  N.  G.  Ordway  laid  out  twelve 
acres  of  land  near  the  village  for  a fair-ground,  erec- 
ted buildings  and  stalls  and  made  a race-course. 
River  Bow  Park  Association  was  incorporated  by  the 
Legislature  in  1875.  The  association,  which  em- 
braces a dozen  or  fourteen  towns  around  Kearsarge 
Mountain,  purchased  the  grounds  and  buildings  in 
1876  and  have  held  several  successful  fairs  at  the 
place.  In  the  summer-time  the  park  is  open  and  is 
used  as  a driving  resort  by  the  citizens. 

The  Kearsarge  Mountain  Road  Company  was  char- 
tered in  1866.  For  several  years  the  company  endeav- 
ored to  secure  the  co-operation  of  the  town  in 
building  a road  to  the  summit  of  the  mountain,  but 
unsuccessfully.  At  the  Presidential  election  in  No- 
vember, 1872,  a resolution  was  introduced  by  S.  C. 
Pattee,  authorizing  and  instructing  the  selectmen 
to  subscribe  for  and  hold,  in  the  name  of  the 
town,  twenty  shares,  of  the  value  of  one  hundred 
dollars  each,  of  the  stock  of  the  Kearsarge  Road  Com- 
pany, provided,  however,  that  the  foregoing  resolu- 
tion shall  not  be  binding  on  the  town  until  said 
road  is  completed,  or  until  responsible  parties 
shall  furnish  a bond  to  the  satisfaction  of  the 
selectmen,  to  build  said  road,  without  further  assist- 
ance from  the  town.  An  amendment  proposed  by 
Major  Samuel  Davis,  providing  “ that  the  town  have 
two-fifths  of  the  five  directors,  and  that  the  first  and 
second  selectmen  shall  be  ex-officio  said  directors,” 
was  adopted.  The  resolution,  thus  amended,  passed. 
Subsequently  N.  G.  Ordway  and  William  E.  Chand- 
ler furnished  a bond  in  the  sum  of  four  thousand  dol- 
lars to  complete  the  mountain  road,  without  expense 
to  the  town  beyond  the  appropriation  of  two  thou- 
sand dollars,  and  binding  themselves  to  finish  the 
road  on  or  before  the  1st  day  of  June,  1874,  to  a 
point  some  eight  rods  below  the  summit  of  Mount 
Kearsarge,  the  selectmen  for  the  town  coming  under 


obligation  to  pay  over  the  two  thousand  dollars  on 
these  conditions. 

Work  was  begun  on  the  new  road  in  the  fall  of 
1873,  and  by  June,  1874,  the  five  miles  were  completed, 
a wide  roadway  being  made  from  Hurricane  Gate  to 
i the  top  of  the  mountain.  July  4th  of  the  same  year 
the  road  was  formally  opened,  a large  crowd  being 
present,  and  addresses  being  made  by  Hon.  N.  G. 
Ordway,  Hon.  W.  E.  Chandler,  Hon.  M.  W.  Tappan, 
Robert  Thompson,  Esq.,  and  Hon.  Walter  Harriman. 

In  1876  there  was  a decisive  change  of  political 
opinion  in  the  town.  Warner  had  always  been  a 
Democratic  town,  and  in  some  years  had  been  the 
banner  town  of  the  Democracy  in  New  Hampshire. 
In  1838  the  town  gave  a majority  of  311  votes  for 
Isaac  Hill,  which  was  the  largest  given  him  by 
any  town  in  the  State.  From  the  beginning  of  the 
century  the  Democratic  vote  of  the  town  had  averaged 
150  in  excess  of  the  opposite  party,  sometimes  no 
opposition  being  recorded.  But  after  the  formation 
of  the  Republican  party  the  Democratic  majority 
was  constantly  reduced.  In  1854,  the  vote  for  Gov- 
ernor was  as  follows : For  N.  B.  Baker,  Democratic, 
257;  Jared  Perkins,  75;  James  Bell,  24.  In  1874 
the  vote  stood  as  follows:  James  A.  Weston,  Demo- 
cratic, 242;  Luther  McCutchins,  172.  In  1875,  Hiram 
R.  Roberts,  Democratic,  had  238  votes ; Person  C. 
Cheney,  202.  In  1876,  Person  C.  Cheney  had  253 
votes;  Daniel  Marcy,  222;  giving  the  Republican 
candidate  a majority  of  31.  For  the  first  time  in  the 
history  of  the  town  the  Board  of  Selectmen  was 
Republican,  and  one  of  the  representatives  to  the 
General  Court  was  also  a Republican.  In  1878  the 
Democrats  regained  the  Board  of  Selectmen,  and  at 
the  gubernatorial  election  Frank  McKean,  Demo- 
crat, received  247  votes,  while  Natt  Head  received 
272  votes.  Since  then  the  Democrats  have  carried 
all  the  town  elections,  though  most  of  the  biennial 
elections  have  gone  Republican  by  a small  majority. 

Warner  being  such  a Democratic  stronghold,  it  was 
perfectly  natural  that  her  leading  citizens  should 
play  prominent  parts  in  the  politics  of  the  county 
and  the  State.  We  wish  to  notice  a few  who  in  their 
day  and  generation  “ strutted  upon  the  stage,”  acting 
a part  at  home  and  abroad  that  recalls  the  Scriptural 
statement, — “ There  were  giants  in  those  days.” 
One  of  the  most  prominent  men  of  the  last  century 
was  Hon.  James  Flanders,  who  lived  on  Burnt  Hill, 
between  the  Clough  and  Bartlett  places,  the  buildings 
having  long  since  been  taken  down.  He  was  a native 
of  Danville,  N.  H.,  and  came  to  Warner  about  the  close 
of  the  Revolutionary  War.  He  was  by  occupation  a 
farmer  and  cordwainer,  but  was  almost  constantly  in 
public  life.  He  was  repeatedly  moderator  of  the  town- 
meetings,  was  representative  several  years  to  the 
General  Court,  both  of  Warner  alone  and  of  the  three 
classified  towns — Warner,  Sutton  and  Fishersfield  (now 
Newbury).  Beginning  with  1794  and  ending  with 
1803,  he  was  State_Senator  from  his  district  every 


658 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


year  excepting  1799,  when  Colonel  Henry  Gerrish,  of 
Boscawen,  was  elected,  and  during  all  this  time  was 
a leading  man  in  the  councils  of  the  State.  His  large 
natural  abilities,  his  sound  judgment,  his  talent  as  a 
speaker,  gave  him  an  influence  much  greater  than 
that  exercised  by  men  of  larger  culture  and  educa- 
tion. 

The  man  of  the  most  commanding  influence  in 
town  during  the  first  of  the  present  century  was  Hon. 
Henry  B.  Chase,  who  came  to  Warner  from  Cornish, 
N.  H.,  in  1805,  and  practiced  law  at  the  Lower  vil- 
lage. He  represented  Warner  several  years  in  the 
Legislature  of  the  State,  and  in  1817  was  the  Speaker 
of  the  House.  He  was  the  first  postmaster  of  the 
town,  and  in  1823  was  elected  the  first  register  of 
Probate  for  Merrimack  County,  serving  in  that  office 
until  1840.  His  reputation  as  a sound  lawyer  was 
second  to  none  in  the  State.  Mr.  Chase  died  in  1854, 
aged  seventy-seven  years.  Another  of  the  “ giants  ” 
of  that  period  was  Hon.  Benjamin  Evans,  son  of  Tap- 
pan  Evans,  one  of  the  early  proprietors  of  the  town. 
He  was  born  in  Newburyport,  Mass.,  but  was,  during 
the  greater  part  of  his  life,  a citizen  of  Warner. 
He  was  a man  of  the  Benjamin  Pierce  stamp,  and, 
like  him,  was  a power  in  his  own  town  and  in  the 
State.  He  had  great  business  capacity,  and  though  his 
education  was  limited,  his  energy,  penetration  and 
sound  judgment  were  untiring  and  unerring.  The 
town  elected  him  its  representative  several  times  ; in 
1830  he  was  elected  Senator  in  old  District  No.  8,  and 
in  1836  and  1837  he  was  in  the  Council  of  Governor  I 
Hill.  In  1838  he  was  solicited  to  run  as  Democratic 
candidate  for  Governor  of  the  State,  but  because  of  , 
his  advanced  age  he  refused  the  honor,  at  a time 
when  a nomination  was  practically  an  election.  f 
From  1838  to  1843  he  held  the  office  of  sheriff  of 
Merrimack  County,  resigning  the  same  a few  months 
before  his  death.  Hon.  Reuben  Porter,  the  son-in- 
law  of  “ Squire  Evans,”  was  a man  of  influence  in 
hi»  day ; served  as  selectman  in  both  Warner  and 
Sutton  (he  resided  at  the  latter  place  a few  years);  I 
was  representative  from  Sutton,  and  was  elected  Sena- 
tor in  District  No.  8 in  1834  and  1835.  Robert 
Thompson,  Esq.,  has  been  a prominent  man  in  the 
county  for  many  years,  and  Major  Samuel  Davis  is 
a marked  man  in  his  party  in  the  State. 

The  era  of  greatest  prosperity  in  Warner  was  un- 
doubtedly from  1820  to  1850.  The  town  had  reached 
the  acme  of  its  populousness  at  the  beginning  of  this 
period,  and  that  enterprise  and  activity  which  make  | 
the  prosperity  of  a municipality  was  just  then  begin- 
ning to  operate  in  a large  measure.  There  was  more 
wealth  then  in  the  town,  although  that  fact  is  not 
shown  by  the  amount  of  valuation  as  recorded  in  the 
town-books.  We  must  remember  that  one  dollar  in 
1825  was  certainly  worth  two  at  the  present  day. 
There  were  not  so  many  horses  in  town  in  1820  as 
now,  but  there  was  a greater  number  of  oxen,  cows 
and  sheep.  Farms  were  more  productive.  Every 


farmer  raised  his  own  corn,  flour  and  hay.  There 
was  a greater  number  of  useful  industries.  Every 
brook  turned  one  or  more  water-wheels,  and  there 
were  sixteen  mills  and  factories  on  Warner  River  and 
its  tributaries.  More  money  was  brought  into  the 
town  than  was  carried  out;  the  stores  and  taverns  did 
a prosperous  business,  and  everything  was  “rushing.” 

That  was  the  age  of  style  and  aristocracy.  The 
village  ’squire,  physician,  lawyer  and  minister  lived 
in  a more  expensive  way  than  their  neighbors.  Their 
houses  were  statelier,  they  wore  richer  clothes,  had 
the  foremost  seats  in  public  places  and  were  recog- 
nized as  beings  of  a superior  order.  These  old  patri- 
cians, like  Dr.  Lyman,  Hon.  Henry  B.  Chase,  Major 
George  and  “Squire  Evans,”  constituted  a class  by 
themselves.  Their  influence  was  great,  and  they 
practically  ruled  the  town.  They  expended  liberally 
of  their  means  for  the  good  of  the  town,  and  they  set 
the  tide  a-flowing  toward  a better  and  more  elegant 
way  of  living.  The  first  piano  in  town  was  brought 
in  by  Mrs.  Herman  Foster  in  1832.  The  first  two 
stoves,  of  the  James  patent,  were  introduced  and 
used  by  H.  G.  Harris,  Esq.,  and  Elliot  C.  Badger,  in 
1825.  The  first  brass  door-knocker  was  put  on  the 
residence  of  Rev.  Jubilee  Wellman,  about  the  year 
1830.  A few  of  the  “best  families”  used  carpets  as 
early  as  1836. 

One  of  the  causes  which  operated  to  develop 
Warner  industries  and  stimulate  activity  was  the 
building  of  several  new  roads.  Highways  may  be 
considered  as  an  excellent  standard  of  civilization. 
In  fact,  there  is  no  better  physical  sign  or  symbol  by 
which  to  understand  an  age  or  people  than  the  road. 
The  savage  has  no  roads.  His  trails  through  the  for- 
est, where  men  on  foot  can  move  only  in  single  file, 
are  marked  by  the  blazing  of  trees.  In  half-civilized 
lands,  where  law  is  weak  and  society  insecure, 
wheeled  vehicles  are  seldom  seen,  and  roads  are  ob- 
structed, rather  than  opened.  The  strength  and 
enterprise  of  men  are  utilized  in  fortifying  themselves 
against  the  invasion  of  danger.  Huge  castles  are 
built  on  inaccessible  rocks,  walled  cities  cover  the 
plain,  and  horses  and  mules  offer  the  only  means  of 
transportation  and  communication,  by  which,  along 
rude  bridle-paths,  the  traveler  and  the  merchant  are 
conveyed  from  one  country  to  another.  It  is  only 
civilized  art  that  constructs  a royal  highway  or  a 
magnificent  railroad,  and  bv  these  means  offers  con- 
veyance for  men  and  goods  over  rugged  steeps  and 
along  frightful  precipices  by  routes  once  deemed  in- 
superable. Roads  are  the  ducts  of  trade,  and  com- 
merce is  one  of  the  pillars  of  a civilized  State.  No 
nation  can  become  great  without  intercourse  with  its 
surrounding  States,  and  necessarily  roads  must  be 
built.  Something  can  be  learned  of  the  status  of 
society,  of  the  culture  of  a people,  of  the  enlighten- 
ment of  a government,  by  visiting  universities  and 
libraries,  churches,  palaces  and  the  docks  of  trade ; 

I but  quite  as  much  more  by  looking  at  the  roads.  For, 


WARNER. 


659 


if  there  is  any  material  or  art  enterprise  in  a nation, 
or  any  vitality  to  a government,  it  will  always  be  in- 
dicated by  the  highway, — the  type  of  civilized  motion 
and  prosperity.  All  creative  action,  whether  in 
government,  industry,  thought  or  religion,  constructs 
roads. 

Prior  to  1820  Warner  had  no  highway  leading 
directly  west ; consequently  no  great  degree  of  travel 
passed  through  the  town.  Reposing  in  the  deep 
valley,  shut  in  almost  on  all  sides  by  high  hills,  War- 
ner seemed  to  be  cut  adrift  from  the  rest  of  the  world. 
It  was  distant  from  all  the  great  lines  of  travel,  and, 
in  fact,  the  travel  that  might  naturally  have  come  to 
the  town  was  diverted  from  it  by  those  very  lines. 
The  turnpikes  had  been  the  exciting  topic  for  several 
years,  the  craze  in  this  State  beginning  in  1795  and 
culminating  twenty  years  afterwards.  Fifty-three 
turnpike  companies  were  incorporated  in  this  State, 
and  the  enterprise  wrought  a revolution  in  public 
travel,  relatively,  nearly  as  great  as  that  brought 
about  by  the  railroad  system  between  1840  and  1850. 
The  second  New  Hampshire  turnpike  road,  which  was 
incorporated  December  26,  1799,  ran  from  Claremont 
through  Unity,  Lempster,  Washington,  Marlow, 
Hillsborough,  Antrim,  Deering,  Francestown,  Lynde- 
borough,  New  Boston,  Mont  Vernon  and  to  Am- 
herst. It  was  fifty  miles  in  length,  and  took,  of 
course,  all  the  travel  that  passed  west  and  south  of 
our  town.  The  following  year  the  fourth  New  Hamp- 
shire turnpike  was  incorporated  and  laid  out.  (The 
third  New  Hampshire  turnpike  road,  running  from 
Bellows  Falls  and  Walpole,  through  Westmoreland, 
Surry,  Keene  and  .Taffrey,  towards  Boston,  was  incor- 
porated December  27,  1799.)  This  turnpike  was  at 
the  north  and  east  of  Warner,  and  extended  from 
Lebanon,  through  Enfield,  Andover,  Salisbury  and  - 
Boscawen,  to  the  Merrimack  River,  thus  opening  the 
means  of  communication  between  the  two  great  river 
valleys. 

It  will  be  seen  that  these  two  routes  combined  to 
turn  the  public  travel  directly  from  Warner.  The 
condition  of  affairs  aroused  the  attention  of  certain  of 
the  enterprising  business  men  of  the  town,  and  they 
devised  a way  to  remedy  it.  The  only  road  leading 
any  way  west  was  the  old  Perrytown  highway,  laid 
out  in  the  early  period  of  the  settlement,  which  went 
over  Kimball’s  Hill  (now  Eaton  Grange)  to  South 
Sutton  and  Sunapee  and  Claremont,  and  thence  into 
Vermont.  Just  beyond  Eaton  Grange,  at  what  was 
called  the  old  Potash,  a road  branched  off  from  the 
Perrytown  highway  which  led  to  North  Sutton, 
Springfield,  Hanover  and  White  River  Junction. 
Both  of  these  roads  were  indirect  and  exceedingly 
hilly,  and  consequently  not  very  inviting  to  the 
traveler.  A committee  of  the  leading  citizens  of 
Warner,  Bradford  and  Fishersfield  (now  Newbury) 
met  in  consultation,  and  after  a thorough  examination 
of  the  ground,  decided  to  layout  and  construct  a road 
from  the  head  of  Sunapee  Lake  to  Bradford,  thus 


opening  a convenient  route  from  Windsor,  Vt., 
through  the  Sugar  and  Warner  River  valleys  to 
Concord.  There  was  one  obstacle  in  the  way : the 
people  of  Fishersfield  were  so  poor  that  they  did  not 
feel  able  to  construct  their  part  of  the  road.  What 
was  to  be  done?  Warner  necessarily  would  be  bene- 
fited more  than  any  other  town  by  this  new  road. 
Our  citizens  saw  this,  and  a number  of  them  took  hold 
of  the  affair  of  their  own  free  .will,  and  without  any 
vote  of  the  town  or  any  help  from  the  municipality. 
Several  of  the  most  able  and  enterprising  men,  inclu- 
ding Benjamin  Evans,  Daniel  Beau,  Sr.,  and  John  E. 
Kelley,  accordingly  drove  to  Fishersfield,  took  their 
families  and  plenty  of  provisions,  and  boarding  in  an 
old  school-house,  labored  there  for  weeks,  giving  their 
labor  and  “ finding  themselves.”  Before  the  autumn 
of  1821  the  road  was  completed. 

The  result  was  all  that  its  designers  could  wish.  It 
turned  a portion  of  the  travel  which  had  formerly 
passed  around  Warner  on  either  side  along  this  new 
thoroughfare.  It  became  a stage-route,  connecting 
Western  New  Hampshire  with  Concord  and  Boston  by 
the  shortest  and  most  easily  accessible  way.  Travel 
poured  in  abundantly,  and  Warner  became  a grand 
centre  and  halting-place  for  the  caravans  of  people 
and  merchandise.  During  nearly  a decade  of  years 
the  travel  was  unchecked,  and  the  individuals  who 
had  labored  so  hard  and  expended  so  liberally  of  time 
and  money  found  themselves  amply  recompensed 
both  in  the  increased  prosperity  of  the  town  and  in 
their  own  natural  share  of  the  general  prosperity. 

In  1830  the  adjacent  town  of  Henniker  on  the 
south  went  to  road-building,  and  constructed  a good 
highway  from  Bradford  to  Weare,  thus  devising  a 
nearer  cut  from  the  west  to  Nashua  and  Lowell  on 
the  south.  This  as  effectually  diverted  the  travel  from 
Warner  as  water  would  be  turned  from  a barrel  by 
knocking  out  its  head.  Warner  people  did  not,  how- 
ever, give  up  the  battle,  but  went  to  work  to  tap  the 
channel  of  travel  from  the  west,  higher  up  on  the 
Connecticut.  To  do  this,  it  was  necessary  to  construct 
a new  highway  through  Sutton,  New  London  and 
Springfield,  to  intercept  the  stream  of  travel  that 
naturally  poured  along  the  fourth  New  Hampshire 
turnpike.  The  road  was  laid  out  in  1831,  a serpent's 
trail  from  Hanover,  through  Springfield,  New  London, 
Sutton,  Warner  and  Hopkinton,  to  Concord.  The 
town  of  Hopkinton  shortened  the  line  by  building 
the  Bassett  Mill  road.  Springfield  and  New  London  did 
their  part,  but  Pike’s  Ledge  in  Sutton  was  so  formid- 
able that  the  people  of  that  town  refused  to  take  hold 
of  the  enterprise.  Again  the  spirit  and  the  enterprise 
of  the  citizens  of  Warner  met  and  overcame  the 
dilemma.  These  citizens  met  the  authorities  of  the 
town  of  Sutton,  and  gave  a bond  holding  them  to  the 
building  of  two  hundred  and  nine  rods  of  their  part 
of  the  road,  if  the  town  would  do  the  rest.  So  the 
work  went  on.  The  first  ten  rods  were  built  by 
Henry  B.  Chase,  the  second  ten  rods  by  Harrison  G. 


660 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Harris.  Benjamin  Evans  built  forty  rods,  and  his 
son-in-law,  Nathan  S.  Colby,  built  forty  rods.  Robert 
Thompson  built  five  rods.  Levi  Barlett  four  rods. 
Zebulon  Davis  two  rods.  Daniel  Runels  two  rods, 
and  Daniel  and  Stephen  George  constructed  the  road 
over  the  formidable  Pike’s  Ledge.  The  road  was  fin- 
ished that  fall,  and  Robert  Thompson,  Esq.,  of  Warner, 
was  the  first  person  to  drive  over  it  in  a carriage. 

A route  was  now  established  as  the  shortest  and  1 
most  feasible  from  the  north  and  northwest  to  the 
growing  cities  of  Massachusetts ; but  Warner  was  not 
yet  satisfied.  To  still  further  increase  the  tendency 
of  travel  in  this  direction,  it  was  determined  to  put  on 
a flying  stage-coach  line  which  would  carry  passen- 
gers from  Hanover  to  Lowell  in  one  day.  Many  said 
it  could  not  be  done ; others  thought  differently. 
Nathan  Walker,  an  “old  whip,”  subsequently  the 
second  landlord  of  the  Warner  and  Rearsarge  Hotel, 
made  one  trip,  going  through  in  the  time  specified,  j 
but  concluded  he  did  not  care  for  the  job.  The  next  ! 
year  the  route  was  purchased  by  Major  Daniel  George, 
and  his  son  Henry  drove  the  stage  for  a number  of 
years.  Afterwards  Moses  E.  Gould,  of  Bradford,  took  j 
the  reins,  and  continued  the  business  until  the  open- 
ing of  the  Concord  and  Claremont  Railroad  in  1849. 

This  stage-route  was  one  of  the  best  and  most  suc- 
cessful lines  in  the  country.  It  became  the  main 
thoroughfare  of  travel  from  the  Canadas  to  Boston,  and 
the  stream  of  business  that  poured  along  the  road  was 
enormous.  Every  town  along  the  route  was  benefited 
by  it.  Stores  sprung  up  and  hotels  were  built,  for 
where  there  is  travel  and  motion  there  must  be  life. 
In  Warner  alone  there  were  eight  licensed  taverns 
doing  business  at  one  time.  Those  were  busy,  pros-  j 
perous  days. 

Public-Houses  in  Warner. — Washington  Irving, 
in  his  ever-delightful  “Sketch-Book,”  tells  the  story  | 
of  his  quest  for  the  immortal  Boar’s  Head  Tavern, 
East  Cheap,  London,  where  Shakespeare  made  his 
“ roystering  crew”  to  gather, — Falstaff,  Prince  Hal, 
Bardolph,  Dame  Quickly,  Ancient  Pistol  and  their 
memorable  confreres  in  the  drunken  bout  and  social  j 
strife.  The  history  of  the  first  inn  or  hostelry  in 
Warner  would  be  nearly  as  interesting  as  the  story  of  j 
the  Boar’s  Head  told  by  this  inimitable  sketch-writer. 
The  town  had  been  settled  four  years  when  it  was 
built.  It  was  made  of  logs  and  combined  the  uses  of 
a tavern  and  dwelling-house.  Jacob  Hoyt  was  the 
pleasant  Boniface  of  this  early  hostelry.  In  1775 
Landlord  Hoyt  erected  a frame  house  in  place  of  the 
one  of  logs,  and  this,  in  turn,  was  displaced  in  the  be- 
ginning of  this  century  by  a large  two-story  house, 
which  had  all  the  appointments  of  a country  hotel. 
The  successors  of  Mr.  Hoyt,  as  taverners  at  this  place, 
were  Dr.  John  Currier,  Richard  Pattee  and  William 
Carter.  The  old  stand  was  finally  sold  to  Samuel  i 
Brooks,  who  took  down  the  sign  and  made  it  a private  j 
residence.  It  was  removed  about  1862,  and  not  even  j 
the  cellar  remains  to  show  the  spot  where  the  first  I 


travelers  through  Warner  were  hospitably  enter- 
tained. 

The  first  hotel  was  built  at  the  Lower  village ; the 
second  stood  at  the  Centre.  It  was  built  by  Captain 
Asa  Pattee,  of  Haverhill,  Mass.,  who  settled  in  War- 
ner directly  after  the  close  of  the  Revolution.  It  was 
the  first  frame  house  erected  in  that  village.  Captain 
Pattee  sold  the  stand  to  Daniel  Whitman,  who  kept 
open  house  here  until  after  1812.  Captain  Joseph 
Smith  purchased  it  for  a private  residence,  and  it  has 
been  occupied  since  his  day  successively  by  Dr.  Caleb 
Buswell  and  Dr.  Leonard  Eaton.  While  the  Lower 
village  was  still  the  “ Centre”  of  the  town,  another 
hotel  was  opened  at  the  opposite  end  from  the  old 
Hoyt  tavern.  It  stood  a little  below  the  John  Tewks- 
bury place,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  highway,  and 
was  kept  by  John  E.  Kelley,  a nephew  of  the  first 
minister.  A store  occupied  one  end.  The  whole 
stand  was  burned  January  16,  1828. 

At  Waterloo  stood  the  fourth  house  used  as  a 
tavern  in  town.  The  leading  family  at  this  flourish- 
ing borough  were  the  Beans.  They  owned  the  mills 
there  and  carried  on  a large  farm.  Daniel  Bean,  a 
son  of  Nathaniel  Bean,  who  was  prominent  as  an 
early  settler,  built  a commodious  mansion  about  1804, 
which  was  kept  open  for  a tavern  near  a score  and  a 
half  of  years.  It  is  now  occupied  by  a son  of  the 
founder,  Dolphus  8.  Bean. 

In  the  fall  of  1828,  Major  Daniel  George,  who  had 
purchased  the  timber  procured  to  rebuild  the  Kelly 
house,  erected  a building  for  a hotel  at  the  lower  end 
of  the  North  Lower  village.  This  was  kept  by  Major 
George  for  a number  of  years,  and  subsequently  by 
Ebenezer  Watson.  This  hotel  and  two  or  three  ad- 
joining buildings  were  destroyed  by  fire  near  the  year 
1846.  Colonel  Richard  Straw,  who  lived  in  that  sec- 
tion of  the  town  called  Schoodach,  was  for  many 
years  one  of  the  most  prominent  citizens  of  Warner, 
one  of  the  largest  land-holders,  selectman  for  several 
years,  colonel  in  the  State  militia,  prosperous  yeoman 
and  farmer,  also  kept  a hotel,  and  was  a “ licensed 
taverner.”  His  large  mansion-house  and  inn  still 
stands  and  is  owned  and  occupied  by  John  Jones. 

About  1833,  General  Aquilla  Davis,  who  had  been 
occupying  the  old  family  mansion  at  Davisville,  erec- 
ted a stately  brick  residence  on  a fine  site  near  his 
former  home,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
days.  His  son,  Nathaniel  A.  Davis,  then  converted 
the  old  family  mansion  into  a hotel,  which  he  kept 
open  as  long  as  the  public  travel  required  it.  At 
present  it  is  a private  residence,  the  home  of  Mrs.  N.  A. 
Davis.  At  Dimond’s  Corner,  Hiram  Dimond,  son  of 
Israel,  who  was  farmer,  potter  and  store-keeper,  also 
kept  a public-house.  It  is  still  standing,  a large,  old- 
fashioned,  red-painted  structure,  but  the  tavern  sign 
has  long  since  been  taken  in. 

The  ninth  tavern  came  into  existence  owing  to 
changes  of  travel  and  the  building  of  the  road  from 
Bradford  to  Henniker.  On  that  road,  one  mile  and  a 


WARNER. 


661 


half  from  Bradford  Pond,  and  in  the  limits  of  Warner,  | 
Joel  Howe,  somewhere  about  1831  or  1832,  built  a 
tavern,  which  he  kept  open  until  the  opening  of  the 
railroad,  in  1849.  Most  of  these  hotels  did  a lucrative  J 
business  until  the  introduction  of  railroads  and  the 
consequent  change  of  travel  in  this  section. 

The  tenth  hotel  had  a longer  and  more  eventful 
history  than  any  other  in  the  town.  It  stood  in  the 
Centre  village,  at  the  corner  of  Main  Street  and  the 
road  that  leads  to  North  village  and  the  south  part 
of  the  town.  The  house  was  built  by  Nathan  S.  Col- 
by, a prominent  citizen,  in  1832.  It  was  a large,  two- 
story  building,  with  an  ell  and  pleasant  piazzas  and 
hall  in  the  second  story,  which  was  often  used  by  the 
public.  It  was  a central  stopping-place,  and  always 
very  popular  with  the  traveling  public.  The  follow- 
ing is  the  list  of  gentlemen  who  have  entertained  the 
public  at  the  Warner  Kearsarge  House  since  Mr.  Col- 
by’s regime:  Nathan  Walker,  Messrs.  Nevins  & Bar- 
bour, Joseph  Ferrin,  Dudley  Bailey,  George  & 
Charles  Rowell,  Thomas  Tucker,  Geo.  D.  Chadwick, 
P.  B.  Putney,  Martin  Bartlett,  Fred.  Smith,  A.  C. 
Carroll,  E.  P.  Hutchinson  and  T.  B.  Underhill.  In 
1875,  Hon.  N.  G.  Ordway  purchased  the  property  and 
enlarged  and  remodeled  it.  Thursday  morning,  Jan- 
uary 29,  1885,  the  house  and  its  contents  were  de- 
stroyed by  fire.  To-day  the  town  is  in  the  same  con- 
dition that  it  was  in  1765,  in  having  no  public-house. 
Plans  are,  however,  maturing  for  the  erection  of  a 
first-class  hotel  on  the  site  of  the  one  recently  destroyed. 

Warner  Village  in  1825. — Future  generations 
may  like  to  know  how  our  main  village  looked  and 
who  were  the  dwellers  therein  sixty  years  ago.  In 
this  year  of  grace  1885  there  are  one  hundred  alid 
forty  buildings  in  Warner  main  village,  exclusive  of 
barns;  in  1825  there  were  just  forty.  Of  those  who  were 
inhabitants  at  that  time,  only  four  are  living  to-day, 
namely,  Abel  Waldron,  Mrs.  Abner  Woodman,  Mrs. 
Harrison  Robertson  and  Mrs.  Ira  Harvey.  There 
were  no  public  buildings  then  on  the  street,  except 
the  school-house  ; no  bank,  no  church,  no  post-office, 
no  hotel,  no  depot,  and  only  one  store.  The  Lower 
village  was  still  the  principal  place  of  business,  and 
there  all  public  interests  centred. 

Beginning  at  the  lower  end  of  the  street,  where 
School  District  No.  13  commences,  and  where  John 
Tewksbury  now  lives,  resided  Deacon  David  Heath, 
a prominent  citizen  and  a deacon  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Church,  which  edifice  stood  a few  rods  below, 
on  the  same  side  of  the  road.  The  house  this  side, 
afterwards  occupied  by  “Parson  Wellman,”  and  now 
by  Moses  Johnson,  was  owned  by  Daniel  Young,  the 
son  of  a Revolutionary  soldier.  Mrs.  French’s  house, 
at  the  corner,  was  the  home  of  Widow  Judith  Hoyt 
and  her  two  daughters,  one  of  whom  went  as  a mission- 
ary to  Honolulu.  After  this  there  was  no  house  west- 
erly for  a quarter  of  a mile,  until  we  arrive  at  what 
is  now  the  McAlpine  house.  Here  lived  Thomas 
Hackett.  Almost  opposite,  on  the  site  of  Hiram  Pat- 


ten’s house,  stood  a vine-covered  cottage,  the  home  of 
Abraham  Currier. 

On  the  site  of  the  John  Savory  stand  was  a low,  un- 
painted dwelling,  where  a Mrs.  Folsom  lived.  Abel 
Waldron’s  house,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  way,  re- 
remains unchanged,  the  home  sixty  years  ago  of  his 
father.  Where  Mrs.  H.  H.  Harriman  now  re- 
sides lived  Captain  Safford  Watson,  who  had  a wheel- 
wright-shop near  by,  which  was  afterwards  moved  on 
to  School  Street,  the  residence  of  Zebulon  Currier. 
Just  beyond  Captain  Watson’s,  where  the  Kearsarge 
Hotel  stood,  lived  Dudley  Bailey.  Ira  Harvey’s 
house  was  then  the  residence  of  Isaac  Annis,  “the 
village  blacksmith,”  whose  shop  stood  under  the 
large  elm-tree  in  front  of  where  Louis  Chase  now  lives. 
Going  back,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street,  to 
the  dwelling-house  of  Deacon  J.W.  Clement,  we  find 
Benjamin  Evans  living  there  sixty  years  ago.  The 
large  mansion  that  is  now  the  residence  of  Gilman  C. 
George  was  then  occupied  by  Nathan  S.  Colby.  Mr. 
Colby  was  a “store-keeper,”  and  his  “shop”  was  just 
above  his  dwelling-house,  the  same  building  now  used 
by  B.  F.  Heath.  The  Uptons  lived  where  P.  C. 
Wheeler  resides,  and  Joseph  True  in  the  house  Mrs. 
H.  D.  Robertson  occupies.  The  Dr.  Eaton  homestead 
was  then  owned  and  occupied  by  Dr.  Caleb  Buswell, 
who  was  at  that  time  surgeon  of  the  Fortieth  Regi- 
ment of  New  Hampshire  militia. 

Union  Block  occupies  the  site  where  stood  a long, 
low  cottage,  a part  of  which  was  remodeled  into  the 
old  post-office  building,  now  the  office  of  the  Kear- 
sarge Independent.  Here  lived  Isaiah  Flanders  and 
his  daughter,  who  was  familiarly  known  as  “Aunt 
Anna.”  In  the  broad  hall  which  ran  through  the 
centre  of  the  house  the  songs  of  the  “ Osgoodites  ” 
might  have  been  heard  every  Sunday  morning,  for 
“Uncle  Isaiah ” was  a devoted  disciple  of  that  sect. 
Mr.  Flanders’  barn  stood  where  Shepard  Diinond  now 
lives.  The  Harris  mansion,  now  owned  by  the  Misses 
Harris,  has  remained  in  the  family  all  these  long 
years.  Harrison  G.  Harris  was  the  owner  sixty  years 
ago,  the  lawyer  of  the  place,  and  who  had  been  select- 
man the  preceding  year.  In  the  George  Upton 
house,  above,  where  Erastus  Wilkins  lived  a number 
of  years,  there  lived  Deacon  Barrett,  who  carried  on 
a large  scythe-snath  manufactory.  Where  the  Arthur 
Thompson  house  stands  on  the  hill  was  a small,  un- 
painted house  belonging  to  Nathaniel  Treadwell. 
The  house  now  owned  and  occupied  by  Joseph  Rogers 
then  stood  on  the  site  of  the  Baptist  parsonage  and 
was  the  home  of  Josiah  Colby. 

Moses  Colby  lived  at  the  place  now  owned  by  Hiram 
Buswell,  and  Ezekiel  Flanders  lived  where  Jacob 
Rodney  resides.  Where  Leonidas  Harriman  lives  was 
the  home  of  the  Widow  Pattee,  and  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  street,  in  W.  C.  Johnston’s  house,  lived 
Paine  Badger.  James  Bean,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Ira 
Harvey  and  Mrs.  George  Rowell,  lived  at  the  Uriah 
Pearson  place.  In  the  A.  P.  Davis  house,  now  oc- 


662 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


cupied  by  Rev.  Smith  Norton,  lived  Ezra  Buswell,  | 
who  had  a tannery  by  the  brook  just  beyond. 

Ezekiel  Evans  owned  the  house  now  occupied  by 
S.  T.  Stanley,  and  Daniel  Morrill  lived  somewhere 
near  where  his  grandson,  Samuel,  now  resides.  George 
Savory’s  house,  the  farthest  on  “the  plain,”  was  then 
owned  by  Jonathan  Emerson. 

Over  the  river,  at  the  Robbins  place,  lived  David 
Colby,  the  road  to  his  place  running  nearly  where 
the  present  Fair-Ground  road  is.  Where  the  saw- 
mill now  stands  stood  a grist-mill,  the  owner,  Stephen 
Badger,  residing  in  the  little  red  house  near  by.  The 
road  running  to  it  was  across  the  land  owned  by  W. 
C.  Johnson  and  through  Pine  Grove  Cemetery,  ter- 
minating at  the  mill.  The  district  school-house,  a 
wooden  building,  stood  where  the  brick  structure 
now  is,  and  between  it  and  A.  D.  Farnum’s  place 
there  was  but  one  dwelling-house,  occupied  by  Ben- 
jamin Waldron,1  where  P.  M.  Wheeler  resides.  Rich- 
ard Morrill,  who  lived  at  the  Farnum  place,  owned  a 
saw  and  grist-mill  on  Willow  Brook,  somewhere  near 
where  the  Clark  Brothers  have  their  mill.  On  Denny 
Hill,  at  the  old  Floyd  place,  lived  Capt  Denuv,  and 
where  Frank  Bartlett  lives  resided  Simeon  Sargent. 


CHAPTER  II  . 

WARNER — ( Continued). 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

Congregationalists. — For  more  than  half  a cen- 
tury the  only  active  evangelical  denomination  in 
town  was  the  Congregationalist  (orthodox).  The 
history  of  this  church  begins  with  the  history  of  the  j 
town. 

One  of  the  conditions  of  the  grant,  as  we  have  no- 
ticed, was  that  the  grantees  should,  “ within  the  space 
of  three  years  from  the  time  of  their  being  admitted, 
build  and  furnish  a convenient  meeting-house  for 
the  public  worship  of  God  and  settle  a learned  or- 
thodox minister.”  Before  the  actual  settlement  of  a 
minister  the  proprietors  paid  considerable  sums  for 
the  maintenance  of  preaching  in  the  town.  The 
earliest  ministers  who  are  known  to  have  preached 
in  Warner  are  Timothy  Walker  and  Nehemiah  Ord- 
way,  Jr.  The  proprietors’  records  contain  mention 
of  sums  paid  them  for  their  services  in  preaching  in 
1767,  1769  and  1770.  In  1771,  Rev.  Rohie  Morrill,  of 
Epping,  preached  several  Sabbaths  and  a little  later 
a Mr.  Farrington. 

Timothy  Walker  was  the  son  of  Rev.  Timothy 
Walker,  the  first  minister  of  Concord.  He  was  a 

1 This  Mr.  Waldron  was  the  first  man  in  Warner  to  use  a wood- 
saw.  Robert  Thompson  brought  the  first  wood-saws  to  town  aDd  sent 
for  Mr.  Waldron  to  come  and  saw  wood.  He  replied  that  “ he  knew 
nothing  about  saws  ; ” but  on  Squire  Thompson  agreeing  to  teach  him 
the  art,  he  consented,  and  was  soon  initiated  into  the  mysteries  of  wood- 
sawing. 


graduate  of  Harvard  College,  and  being  licensed  to 
preach  in  1759,  preached  in  several  places  a num- 
ber of  years,  but  was  never  settled.  He  was  prominent 
afterwards  in  civil  life  : was  councilor,  chief  justice 
of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  and  several  times 
was  the  candidate  of  the  Democratic  party  for  Gov- 
ernor of  New  Hampshire. 

Nehemiah  Ordway,  Jr.,  was  the  son  of  Nehemiah 
Ordwav,  of  Amesbury,  one  of  the  proprietors  of 
Warner.  He  graduated  at  Harvard  in  1764,  and  af- 
ter his  preaching  in  Warner  was  settled  a number  of 
years  over  the  church  at  Middleton,  N.  H.  Of  the 
other  itinerants  little  is  known. 

The  Congregational  Church  was  formally  organized 
February  5,  1772,  and  Rev.  William  Kelley,  the  first 
settled  minister,  was  ordained  the  same  day.  Mr. 
Kelley  had  been  preaching  in  town  since  the  first  of 
1771.  He  was  born  at  Newbury,  Mass.,  October  31, 
1744.  He  graduated  at  Harvard  in  1767  ; studied  di- 
vinity with  Rev.  Henry  True,  of  Hampstead,  and 
married  Miss  Lavinia  Bayley,  daughter  of  Rev.  Ab- 
ner Bayley,  of  Salem,  N.  H.  He  belonged  to  the  old 
style  of  ministers,  had  the  manners  of  a Chesterfield 
and  the  theology  of  the  moderate  Calvinists.  His 
prayers  and  sermons  are  said  to  have  been  not  so 
wearisomely  long  as  were  most  of  that  day.  He  was 
the  pastor  of  his  people  no  less  than  the  minister  of 
I his  church. 

The  little  church  thus  organized  in  the  wilderness 
was  weak  in  numbers  and  wealth.  The  covenant 
was  signed  and  assented  to  by  only  eight  of  the  cit- 
izens, although  there  was  a larger  number  of  women. 
Everybody,  however,  attended  meeting,  and  each  cit- 
izen of  the  town  paid  a proportionate  part  of  the  tax 
for  support  of  preaching,  for  church  and  State  w’ere 
then  one.  The  church  building  was  a rude,  barn-like 
structure,  with  rough  board  benches  for  seats,  and  the 
pulpit  was  perched  like  a bird’s  nest  high  up  on  the  wall. 
The  first  two  deacons  of  the  church  were  Parmenas 
Watson  and  Nehemiah  Heath,  who  served  the  church 
in  this  office,  the  first  for  a period  of  fifty-eight  years, 
the  latter  forty-eight  years. 

Mr.  Kelley  was  continued  in  his  pastorate  until 
March  11,  1801,  when  he  was  dismissed.  He  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  life  in  town,  and  was  never  set- 
tled over  any  other  church.  He  was  elected  the 
moderator  of  the  church,  and  the  people  continually 
gave  proof  of  their  affection  for  their  former  pastor. 
Very  often  he  occupied  his  old  pulpit  Sundays,  and 
he  went  down  to  his  grave  honored  and  revered. 
After  his  dismissal  the  church  was  without  a regular 
pastor  for  thirteen  years.  There  had  been  dissension 
in  the  church.  It  was  divided  and  weakened  by  the 
location  of  the  meeting-house  “ under  the  ledge,”  and 
by  other  causes.  The  wounds  were  slowly  healed  by 
time. 

In  June,  1814,  Rev.  John  Woods,  of  Fitzwilliam, 
was  settled  over  the  church.  He  was  a young  man 
of  great  intellectual  strength,  but  lacked  the  courtly 


WARNER. 


663 


manners  of  his  predecessor.  His  preaching,  how- 
ever, stirred  up  the  dry  bones,  and  there  was  a won- 
derful revival.  A new  church  building  was  erected, 
in  1819,  by  twenty-nine  individuals  of  the  society. 
It  stood,  first,  a little  west  of  the  Lower  village,  but 
was  removed  to  its  present  location  at  the  Centre  in 
1845.  Mr.  Woods  was  dismissed,  at  his  own  request, 
June,  1823. 

From  1823  to  1827  the  church  was  without  a pas- 
tor. Rev.  Henry  C.  Wright  preached  about  two 
years,  and  several  others  a few  months.  September, 
1827,  Rev.  Jubilee  Wellman  was  installed,  remain- 
ing ten  years,  during  which  time  the  church  was 
strong  and  prosperous.  Mr.  Wellman  was  followed 
by  Rev.  Amos  Blanchard,  who  was  settled  over  the 
church  February,  1837.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Nathan  Lord, 
president  of  Dartmouth  College,  preached  the  ser- 
mon, and  Mr.  Wellman  gave  the  charge  to  the  pas- 
tor. Mr.  Blanchard  remained  over  the  church  only 
two  years,  accepting  the  pastorate  of  the  church  at 
Meriden,  N.  H.,  in  1839,  where  he  remained  more 
than  twenty-five  years.  The  next  pastor,  Rev.  James 
W.  Perkins,  was  installed  March  4,  1840,  and  dis- 
missed in  1846.  He  was  an  earnest,  laborious,  effi- 
cient pastor.  Rev.  Robert  W.  Fuller  was  settled 
over  the  church  from  1846  to  1850.  He  was  a man 
of  strong  will  and  active  habits.  The  church  flour- 
ished during  his  stay.  In  1853,  Rev.  Harrison  O. 
Howland,  who  had  been  preaching  for  the  society 
more  than  a year,  was  settled  over  the  church.  Mr. 
Howland  remained  here  until  1857,  when  Rev.  Daniel 
Warren  was  installed  pastor.  In  1863  he  was  dis- 
missed, and  for  three  years  the  pulpit  was  supplied 
chiefly  by  Rev.  Henry  S.  Huntington,  of  Norwich, 
Conn.  In  1866,  Mr.  Huntington  was  settled  over  the 
church.  He  resigned,  in  the  fall  of  1872,  to  accept 
the  pastorate  of  a church  at  Galesburg,  111.  The  one 
hundredth  anniversary  of  its  organization  was  cele- 
brated by  the  church  in  June,  1872. 

Rev.  Matthew  M.  Gates  immediately  followed  Mr. 
Huntington  as  pastor  of  the  church.  He  closed  his 
connection,  after  four  years  of  service,  in  1876,  since 
which  time  there  has  been  no  settled  pastor.  The 
following  are  the  names  of  those  who  have  preached 
for  the  church  during  periods  of  more  than  one  year : 
Rev.  George  A.  Beckwith,  Rev.  George  J.  Pierce, 
Rev.  George  E.  Foss,  Rev.  George  W.  Savory.  Rev. 
Smith  Norton,  the  present  pastor,  commenced  his 
services  with  the  church  April  1,  1885. 

Baptists. — In  1793  the  religious  affairs  of  Warner 
were  considerably  agitated.  A large  body  of  citizens 
separated  themselves  from  the  orthodox  church  and 
established  another  religious  society.  The  cause  of 
the  schism  was  a diversity  of  opinion  regarding  the 
baptism  of  infants,  the  separatists  declaring  them- 
selves Anti-Pedobaptists.  The  new  church  began  a 
meeting-house,  but  never  finished  it,  and  no  settled 
minister  ever  presided  over  the  society.  It  gradually 
weakened,  and  in  a few  years  was  practically  extinct. 


The  present  Baptist  Church  was  organized,  in  1833, 
by  twenty-two  citizens  of  the  town,  who  built  a 
church  building,  and  dedicated  it  in  September  ot 
that  year.  The  dedicatory  sermon  was  preached  by 
Rev.  Ira  Person,  of  Newport.  The  first  settled  pastor 
of  this  church  was  Rev.  George  W.  Cutting,  a native 
of  Shoreham,  Vt.,  who  remained  from  January,  1835, 
to  September,  1848,  when  he  accepted  a call  from  the 
Baptist  Church  in  Lyme.  He  was  a popular  citizen 
and  an  able  preacher.  Rev.  John  M.  Chick,  of 
Maine,  began  his  ministry  over  this  church  in  1840, 
and  continued  his  services  until  1846,  when  Rev.  J. 
S.  Herrick  succeeded  him,  who  remained  five  years. 
The  fourth  pastor,  Rev.  Lorenzo  Sherwin,  who  began 
his  labors  with  this  church  in  February,  1852,  was 
obliged  to  resign  his  charge,  the  following  year,  on 
account  of  failing  health. 

In  April,  1853,  Rev.  N.  J.  Pinkham,  of  Dover,  be- 
gan to  preach,  and  retained  his  connection  with  the 
church  until  February,  1857.  Rev.  Henry  Stetson 
succeeded  bim,  and  was  the  pastor  from  1860  to  1864. 
From  1865  to  1870,  Rev.  Albert  Heald  was  over  this 
church,  and  from  1873  to  1881,  Rev.  William  H. 
Walker.  Mr.  Walker  resigned  in  May,  1881,  and  in 
the  fall  of  that  year  Rev.  N.  M.  Williams,  of  Lowell, 
was  installed  as  pastor,  which  position  he  continues 
to  hold.  In  1883  the  church  had  existed  fifty  years, 
and  on  the  13th  of  September  its  semi-centennial 
j took  place. 

At  times  during  the  last  eighty  years  there  has 
been  an  organization  of  Free-Will  Baptists  in  town, 
though  they  never  have  had  a church  edifice  nor  a 
settled  minister.  For  many  years  they  used  the  old 
school-house  of  District  No.  8 as  a sanctuary,  hav- 
ing regular  preaching  and  observing  the  church 
ordinances  in  the  building. 

Methodists. — This  denomination  at  one  time  had 
quite  an  organization  in  Warner.  The  church  built 
a meeting-house  at  the  Lower  village  somewhere 
about  1835,  and  maintained  public  worship  until  1870, 
since  which  time  it  has  not  been  regularly  occupied. 
Rev.  William  Abbott,  Rev.  Charles  Knott  and  Rev. 
M.  V.  B.  Knox  were  pastors  of  this  church  at  various 
periods. 

TJniversalists. — In  1844  a Universalist  Church 
organized  in  Warner,  and  a meeting-house  was  built. 
Regular  preaching  was  sustained  during  twenty 
years  or  more.  Walter  Harriman,  Rev.  J.  F.  Weth- 
erell  and  Rev.  Lemuel  Willis  occupied  the  pulpit  the 
larger  part  of  this  time.  The  meeting-house  was 
purchased  by  N.  G.  Ordway  in  1865,  moved  from  its 
old  site  and  remodeled.  The  portion  used  as  a 
church  is  now  Union  Hall. 

Osgoodites.— The  religious  sect  known  by  this  name 
first  made  themselves  prominent  about  the  year  1814. 
The  founder  was  one  Jacob  Osgood,  son  of  Philip 
Osgood,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  the  town.  He 
was  an  enthusiast,  a powerful  singer  and  of  much 
skill  in  repartee.  In  the  early  part  of  this  century 


664 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


he  took  an  active  part  with  the  Free-Will  Baptists. 
Naturally  ambitious  and  headstrong,  he  was  disposed 
to  be  autocratic,  and  as  some  of  his  religious  views 
were  not  strictly  conservative,  he  was  not  approved 
by  them  as  a leader.  He  then  opposed  them,  claim- 
ing special  power  from  the  Almighty,  and  announc- 
ing that  he  was  a prophet,  and  could  heal  the  sick, 
and  was  a sort  of  vice-gerent.  He  was  opposed  to 
going  to  law,  performing  military  duty  and  sup- 
porting preachers.  For  some  time  his  followers  in- 
creased about  Mink  Hill,  the  Gore,  Sutton  and 
vicinity.  There  were  also  about  thirty  families  in 
Canterbury  led  by  Josiali  Haynes.  During  two  or 
three  years  subsequent  to  1830  the  Osgoodites  held 
great  revival  meetings,  one  of  which  was  on  Kear- 
sage  Mountain.  Their  singing  and  peculiar  service 
attracted  many  hearers.  The  hymns  sung  by  them 
were  usually  of  their  own  composition.  Songs, 
prayers  and  exhortations  were  intermixed  in  their 
services  without  any  regularity.  Osgood’s  custom 
was  to  sit  in  his  chair  and  preach,  with  two  eyes 
shut  and  one  hand  on  the  side  of  his  face.  He  was  a 
very  large  man  physically,  weighing  over  three  hundred 
pounds.  He  died  in  1844,  and  Nehemiah  Ordway 
and  Charles  H.  Colby  became  the  ruling  elders. 
There  are  but  few  of  the  sect  left.  They  were  an 
honest,  upright  people  in  their  dealings  with  others, 
and  sometimes  dishonorably  treated  by  the  officers  of 
the  lawr. 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  names  of  the  natives 
of  Warner  who  have  gone  out  and  taken  a position 
in  the  ministry : Hosea  Wheeler,  son  of  Daniel 

Wheeler,  graduated  from  Dartmouth  in  1811,  and  be- 
came a minister  in  the  Baptist  denomination.  Asa 
Putney,  son  of  Asa  Putney,  Sr.,  graduated  at  Amherst 
in  1818,  and  became  a Congregationalist  minister.  John 
Gould,  son  of  John  and  grandson  of  Jonathan,  one  of 
the  first  settlers,  was  for  a long  time  connected  with  the 
Methodist  denomination.  Daniel  Sawyer,  son  of  Ed- 
mund and  grandson  of  Joseph,  studied  at  Gilmanton 
Seminary,  and  was  settled  over  several  Congrega- 
tional societies.  Reuben  Kimball,  son  of  Jeremiah 
and  grandson  of  Reuben,  the  first  settler,  studied  at 
Gilmanton,  and  entered  the  Congregational  minis- 
try. Mrs.  Lois  S.  Johnson,  daughter  of  John  and 
Judith  Hoyt,  educated  herself  for  the  work  of  a mis- 
sionary, and  went  with  her  husband  to  the  Sandwich 
Islands  about  1831.  Richard  Colby,  son  of  Jonathan 
Colby,  of  the  Congregational  Church,  went  in  1830  as 
a missionary  among  the  Western  Indians.  John 
Morrill  pursued  his  studies  at  Amherst  College  and 
Andover  Theological  Seminary,  and  became  a home 
missionary  in  the  West.  Joseph  Sargent,  son  of  Zeb- 
ulon,  born  in  1816,  entered  the  ministry  of  the 
Universalist  denomination,  and  during  the  war  was 
the  chaplain  of  a Vermont  Regiment.  Alvah  Sar- 
gent, brother  to  Joseph,  is  a minister  in  the  Free- 
Will  Baptist  denomination.  Samuel  Morrill,  son  of 
Daniel  and  grandson  of  Zebulon,  graduated  at  Dart- 


mouth College  in  1835,  and  died  while  a member  of 
Bangor  Seminary.  James  Madison  Putney,  son  of 
Amos  and  grandson  of  Asa,  Sr.,  studied  at  Dart- 
mouth and  entered  the  Episcopal  ministry.  Isaac 
D.  Stewart,  son  of  John  Stewart  and  grandson  of 
Deacon  Isaac  Dalton,  entered  the  ministry  of  the 
Free-Will  Baptist  denomination  in  1843.  Marshall 
G.  Kimball,  son  of  John  Kimball  and  grandson  of 
Daniel  Bean,  Sr.,  studied  at  Dartmouth  and  Cam- 
bridge Divinity  School,  and  entered  the  ministry  of 
the  Unitarian  denomination  in  1855.  Elliot  C.  Cogs- 
well, sou  of  Dr.  Joseph  Cogswell  and  grandson  of 
Elliot  Colby,  entered  the  Congregational  ministry 
about  1822.  John  C.  Ager,  son  of  Uriah,  horn  in 
1835,  is  settled  over  the  New  Jerusalem  Church  at 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y".  John  George,  son  of  Charles  and 
grandson  of  Major  Daniel,  is  in  the  ministry  of  the 
Free-Will  Baptist  denomination.  Rev.  George  W. 
Savory,  son  of  Cyrus  Savory  and  grandson  of  Ben- 
jamin E.  Harriman,  was  ordained  in  the  Congrega- 
tionalist ministry,  and  is  settled  over  the  church  at 
Stratham,  N.  H. 


CHAPTER  III. 

A 

WARNER — ( Conti  n tied). 

MILITARY  HISTORY. 

Warner  did  not  participate  in  the  old  French 
and  Indian  Wars,  for  the  township  was  not  then  set- 
tled. When  the  War  of  the  Revolution  commenced 
she  was  not  behind  her  neighbors  in  patriotic  ardor 
and  enterprise.  Upon  the  first  alarm  at  Lexington 
and  Concord  ten  of  the  citizens  seized  their  arms  and 
hurried  to  the  scene  of  action.  Among  these  were 
James  Palmer,  John  Palmer,  Richard  Bartlett,  Jona- 
than Roby,  Francis  Davis  and  Wells  Davis.  These 
men  were  never  organized  into  any  regiment  and 
probably  returned  home.  The  State  allowed  the  town 
for  their  services  as  follows  : “ Lexington  ten  men, 
1775,  £22  10s,”  which  was  about  S7.50  to  each  man. 

Five  Warner  men  were  in  the  battle  of  Bunker 
Hill,  namely, — William  Lowell,  Amos  Floyd,  Fran- 
cis Davis,  Wells  Davis  and  Jonathan  Roby.  In  the 
same  year  Richard  Bartlett  and  Charles  Barnard  (the 
latter  settled  in  Warner  after  the  war)  participated 
in  a skirmish  with  the  British  near  New  Brunswick. 

ROLL  OF  DANIEL  FLOYD’S  COMPANY,  177C. 

“ Daniel  Floyd,  captain  ; Thomas  Rowell,  first  lieutenant : Philip  Flan- 
ders, second  lieutenant ; Joseph  Currier,  ensigu  ; Privates,  Abner  Chase, 
Abner  Watkins,  Christopher  Flanders,  David  Bagley,  Daniel  Currier, 
David  Annis,  Ebenezer  Eastman,  Ezra  Flanders,  Edmund  Sawyer,  Fran- 
cis Davis,  Jr.,  James  Palmer,  Isaac  Chase,  Isaac  Waldron,  Jr.,  Jonathan 
Gould,  Joseph  Foster,  Jonathan  Fifield,  James  Flanders,  Jonathan  Smith, 
John  Palmer,  Moses  Call,  Moses  Clement,  Nathaniel  Trumbull,  Richard 
Goodwin,  Robert  Gould,  Stephen  Edmunds,  Samuel  Trumbull,  Thomas 
Annis,  Wells  Davis,  Zebulon  Davis,  Theophilu6  Currier. 

“ Gone  Into  the  Service. 

“ Jacob  Waldron,  Jacob  Tucker,  Isaac  Walker,  David  Gilmore,  Dan- 
iel Young,  Hubbard  Carter,  Moses  Clark,  Paskey  Pressy. 


WARNER. 


665 


“ Alarm- List  Men. 

“ Daniel  Annis,  Daniel  Flanders,  Daniel  Annis,  Jr.,  Francis  Davis, 
Isaac  Waldron,  Joseph  Sawyer,  Jonathan  Palmer,  Jacob  Hoyt,  Neliemiah 
Heath,  P&rmenas  Watson,  William  Kelley,  Benjamin  Currier,  Samuel 
Roby,  Seth  Goodwin. 

“ Sir, — I have  sent  you  a return  of  my  company  according  to  your  or- 
ders wee  mustered,  and  Can  not  make  out  to  Chuse  any  Serjantsas  yet ; 
as  for  fire-arms  wee  have  not  got  half  enough,  and  where  to  get  them 
wee  know  not.  Our  men  Saith  they  Cannot  get  guns  for  they  are  not  in 
the  Country  and  shall  see  you  next  week. 

“This  from  you  to  serve, 

“Daniel  Floyd. 

“ To  Major  Chandler,  in  Hopkinton .” 

Of  these  men,  Hubbard  Carter  enlisted  for  the  war 
and  Isaac  Walker,  Paskey  Pressey,  Daniel  Young  and 
John  Palmer  as  militiamen.  Three  Warner  men — 
Aquil la  Davis,  Amos  Floyd  and  Philip  Rowell — en- 
listed for  a term  of  three  years.  At  the  expiration  of 
the  service  of  these  men,  William  Lowell,  Isaac  Low- 
ell, Stephen  Colby  and  Ichabod  Twilight,  a mulatto, 
were  enlisted  to  succeed  them.  During  Burgoyne’s 
campaign  several  of  our  citizens  were  in  service  at 
Bennington  and  Saratoga.  Elliot  Colby,  Francis  Da- 
vis, John  Palmer,  Ezekiel  Goodwin.  Samuel  Trum- 
bull, Paskey  Pressey,  Robert  Gould,  Abner  Watkins 
and  perhaps  others  took  the  field  at  that  time. 

We  copy  the  following  from  Hammond’s  “ Town 
Papers : ” 

SOLDIERS’  DEPOSITION  RELATIVE  TO  BACK  PAT. 

“ November  ye  8,  1777. — Then  Paskey  Pressey,  Ezekiel  Goodwin, 
Samuel  Trumbul,  Francis  Davis,  all  of  Warner,  in  the  State  of  New 
Hampshire,  in  ye  county  of  Hillsborough,  yeomen,  personallyappeared, 
and  Being  Duly  Examined  and  Corshened  made  Solemn  Oath  that  they 
Sarved  as  Soldiers  in  Capt.  William  Stillson  Company,  in  Colo.  Wyman’s 
Regiment,  at  Mount  Independence  in  the  year  1776,  for  five  months,  and 
Rec’d  ower  Pay  until  the  month  of  November,  and  never  Rec'd  any  Pay 
for  said  November,  not  by  ower  Selves  nor  orders,  direct  nor  inderact, 
and  that  they  never  Rec’d  any  Travelling  Money  nor  aney  Saus1  Money 
During  Said  Sarves  Except  ower  Travelling  Money  from  hom  to  said 
Mount  Independence,  which  we  rec’d,  and  tharefore  Prays  that  Honora- 
ble house  of  Representatives  or  Committee  of  Safety  of  Said  State  would 
Said  Month  Pay  and  the  Remaining  Part  of  ower  travelling  money  and 
Saus  money. 

“ Examined  and  sworn  before  me, 

“Coram  Jeremiah  Page,  Justice  of  Peace.'* 

RETURN  OF  SOLDIERS,  1780. 

“ Warner,  June  the  30,  1780. 

“ Agreeable  to  an  act  passed  June  the  sixteenth,  for  raising  Six  hun- 
dred Good,  able-bodied  men  out  < f this  State  for  to  fill  up  the  battalion 
of  this  State  in  the  Continental  Army,  in  Compliance  thereto,  wee  have 
raised  said  men,  which  two  was  on  proportion,  as  followeth : Isaac 
Dalton,  James  Pressey.” 

“ This  is  the  return  of  Capt.  Daniel  Floyd  : 

“ Colo.  Stickney , — I am  afraid  Said  men  Cannot  get  ready  So  Soon  as  is 
required  of  them  by  reason  of  having  my  orders  so  late.” 

“State  of  New  Hampshire. 

“ Warner,  July  the  8,  1780. 

“ Persuant  to  orders  Dated  July  the  first  for  to  raise  five  men  out  of 
my  Companv,  and  according  to  orders,  I have  proceeded,  have  raised  four 
men  for  to  joyn  the  anney  at  Amherst  by  the  12  Day  of  this  month,  as 
follows  : John  Palmer,  Nathaniel  Trumbull,  Israel  Rand,  Simon  Palmer. 

“ I have  alSo  Draughted  EbenEzar  Eastman  for  to  go  to  Haverhill,  in 
Coos,  and  ordered  him  to  be  at  Concord  by  the  tenth  of  this  Instant  to 
pass  muster  and  then  to  proceed  on  to  Coos,  there  to  remain  till  further 
orders. 

“ Daniel  Floyd. 

“To  Colo.  Thomas  Stickney , in  Concord . ° 


1 Money  was  furnished  soldiers,  sometimes,  to  purchase  vegetables, 
which  was  called  by  them  “sauce-money.” 

42 


Ebenezer  Eastman  was  not  the  only  Warner  man 
who  was  raised  for  the  defense  of  Coos.  When,  in 
October,  1780,  an  eruption  of  British  and  Canadian 
Indians  swept  over  the  eastern  part  of  Vermont,  plun- 
dering and  destroying  the  settlements,  New  Hampshire 
was  alarmed  for  the  safety  of  her  own  soil,  and  raised 
a volunteer  force  to  proceed  to  the  threatened  locality. 
Warner  furnished  fifteen  men  for  the  expedition,  the 
greater  number  being  old  men  and  boys  under  age. 
Jacob  Hoyt,  mine  host  of  the  first  hotel,  was  one  of 
these  volunteers.  The  names  of  the  others  are  not 
known,  as  there  are  no  rolls  of  these  men  in  existence. 
Their  term  of  service  was  short,  for  the  invading  army 
took  the  alarm  and  made  a hasty  retreat.  They  were 
allowed  by  the  State  the  sum  of  £12  17s.,  or  $2.62 
each. 

CERTIFICATE  OF  SIMON  WARD’S  SERVICE. 

“ This  may  certify  that  Simon  Ward  has  served  the  United  States  in 
Capt.  Chase’s  Company,  Second  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  one  year 
being  the  time  he  engaged  for.  And  is  hereby  discharged  the  service. 

“ West  Point  June  25,  1780. 

“ Caleb  Robinson,  Capt.  Commanding  'Id  N.  H.  Eegt. 

“ Whom  it  concerns , civil  or  military.*' 

“Warner,  Jan’y  23rd,  1789. 

“ We  do  hereby  relinquish  all  our  right  and  title  to  any  emolument 
that  may  be  due  to  Simon  Ward  for  doing  a short  turn  of  service  in  the 
late  American  army,  for  this  town,  of  about  nine  or  12  months,  in  the 
year  '79  or  ’80. 

“ Benjamin  Sargent,  i Selectmen  of 
“Richard  Bartlett,/  Warner."* 

Warner  Soldiers  in  the  War  of  1812. — There 
were  two  hundred  and  sixty  men  enrolled  in  the 
town  in  1812  as  capable  of  doing  military  duty.  Of 
these,  between  eighty  and  ninety  did  service  at  one 
time  or  another  during  this  second  war  with  the 
mother-country.  The  following  is  the  muster: 

ROLL  OF  CAPTAIN  JOSEPH  SMITH’S  COMPANY. 

Enlisted  February  1,  1813,  for  one  year. 

Joseph  Smith,  captain  ; Daniel  George,  fiirst  lieutenant ; James  Bean, 
second  lieutenant ; Richard  Patter,  ensign  ; Stephen  George,  sergeant ; 
Philip  Osgood,  sergeant ; David  Straw,  sergeant ; Daniel  Floyd,  sergeant ; 
Benjamin  Evans,  corporal  ; Daniel  Bean,  corporal  ; John  Barnard,  pro- 
moted to  corporal ; Ezekiel  Roby,  promoted  to  corporal  ; Samuel  Roby, 
promoted  to  corporal ; Jeremiah  Silver,  musician ; William  Barnard 
Walker,  musician  ; David  Bagley,  Robert  Bailey,  Timothy  B.  Chase, 
Timothy  Chandler,  Moses  F.  Colby,  Charles  Colby,  Pliineas  Danforth, 
Zadoc  Dow,  John  Davis,  Jesse  Davis,  Joshua  Elliott,  Stephen  G.  Eaton, 
Moses  C.  Eaton,  Enoch  French,  Amos  Floyd,  Mariner  Floyd,  Thomas  W. 
Freelove,  David  Hardy,  James  Hastings,  Richard  Hunt,  Isaiah  Hoyt, 
David  E.  Harriman,  Ezra  Jewell,  Winthrop  M.  Lowell,  William  Little, 
James  Little,  Joseph  Maxfield,  John  Morrill,  Neliemiah  Osgood,  Ebon 
Stevens,  Royal  W.  Stanley,  Samuel  G.  Titcomb,  Abraham  Waldron, 
Plumer  Wheeler,  Samuel  Wheeler,  James  Wheeler,  Ebenezer  Woodbury, 
Humphrey  Bursiel,  John  Smith,  Ambrose  C.  Sargent,  Jonathan  Stevens, 
privates. 

In  Captain  Jonathan  Bean’s  company  of  Salisbury 
Warner  had  fifteen  men,  as  follows: 

Nicholas  Evans,  sergeant ; Joel  B.  Wheeler,  corporal  ; Isaiah  S.  Colby, 
Mariner  Eastman,  Joseph  Goodwin,  Seth  Goodwin,  John  Goodwin,  Na- 
thaniel Hunt,  David  H.  Kelley,  James  G.  Ring,  James  II . Stevens, 
Stephen  Sargent,  Thomas  Thurber,  Abner  S.  Colby,  Jacob  Harvey,  pri- 
vates. 

In  Captain  Silas  Call’s  company  of  Boscawen  there 
were  six  Warner  soldiers,  who  enlisted  October  2, 
1814,  for  forty  days.  They  were  Reuben  Clough,  en- 
sign ; Christopher  Sargent,  musician  ; Harden  Seavev, 


GG6 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


sergeant;  John  Hall,  Simeon  Bartlett  and  Jacob 
Colby,  privates.  There  were  four  Warner  men  in  Cap- 
tain Josiali  Bellows’  company  of  Walpole,  who  were 
enlisted  September  26,  1814,  for  sixty  days,  namely: 
David  Ilarvey,  Samuel  Page,  Benjamin  Spalding 
and  Daniel  Wheeler.  Other  Warner  men  served  in 
various  companies.  The  following  are  their  names  : 

Winthrop  D.  Ager,  sergeant-major  in  the  regular  army  ; Daniel  Pilto- 
bury,  corporal ; Obadiah  Whittaker,  corporal ; Dudley  Trumbull,  Na- 
thaniel Jones,  Benjamin  C.  Waldron,  Joseph  Burke,  privates. 

In  conformity  to  the  suggestion  of  the  Governor, 
the  Legislature,  December  22,  1812,  passed  an  act 
establishing  the  pay  of  men  detached,  or  to  be  de- 
tached, including  the  pay  from  the  general  govern- 
ment, at  the  following  rates : Sergeant-major,  $13  per 
month  ; quartermaster-sergeant,  $13  per  month  ; prin- 
cipal musician,  $12  per  month ; sergeant,  $12  per 
month;  corporal,  $11  per  month;  private,  $10  per 
month ; and  it  was  also  provided  that  the  towns  that 
had  paid,  or  should  pay  their  detached  soldiers  extra 
pay  to  the  amount  paid  by  the  general  government, 
should  be  refunded  by  the  State  to  the  amount  per 
month  for  each  soldier,  as  specified  above. 

The  citizen  of  Warner  most  prominent  in  this  war 
was  General  Aquilla  Davis,  son  of  Captain  Francis, 
the  first  representative,  and  a large  mill-owner  and 
lumberman.  In  1812  he  raised  the  First  Regiment 
of  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  enlisted  for  one 
year,  and  was  chosen  and  commissioned  its  colonel. 
The  law  for  raising  volunteers  having  been  re- 
pealed January  29,  1813,  by  Congress,  the  First  New 
Hampshire  Regiment  of  Volunteers  was  mostly  trans- 
ferred to  and  formed  the  Forty-fifth  Regiment  of 
United  States  Infantry,  and  Colonel  Davis  was  com- 
missioned its  lieutenant-colonel.  It  is  related  of 
Colonel  Davis  that,  while  stationed  on  an  island  in 
Lake  Champlain,  he  mounted  a battery  of  huge  guns, 
and  kept  the  British  at  a respectful  distance  from  the 
shore  by  his  formidable  battery.  The  chagrin  of  the 
British  officers  was  not  small  when,  too  late  to  profit 
by  the  knowledge,  they  discovered  that  the  Yankee  in 
command  had  exercised  his  mechanical  skill,  and 
had  improvised  a battery  of  huge  guns  from  pine  logs, 
hewn,  fashioned  and  painted  in  imitation  of  “the 
real  article.”  General  Davis  retired  after  the  war  to 
his  mills,  and  spent  the  rest  of  his  life  in  his  avocation. 
He  died  February  27,  1835,  while  on  a journey  to 
Sharon,  Me.,  aged  seventy-four  years.  He  was 
prominent  in  the  old  State  militia,  was  lieutenant- 
colonel  commandant  of  the  Thirtieth  Regiment  from 
1799  to  1807,  and  brigadier-general  of  the  Fourth 
Brigade,  from  1807  to  1809. 

The  first  man  to  hold  a military  commission  in 
Warner  was  Francis  Davis,  father  of  General  Aquilla, 
who  was  commissioned  a captain  by  His  Excellency, 
John  Wentworth,  in  1773.  The  earliest  military 
trainings  in  town,  were  at  the  Parade,  near  the  First 
Church.  Here,  in  the  last  days  before  the  Revolution, 
Captain  Davis  used  to  call  together  the  Twenty- 


second  Company  of  Foot,  in  the  Ninth  Regiment  of 
militia.  Here,  for  years  and  years,  those  liable  to 
military  duty  were  warned  to  appear  “ armed  and 
equipped  as  the  law  directs.”  There  were  two  train- 
ings, generally,  each  year,  in  May  and  in  September. 

The  militia  laws  of  the  State,  passed  in  1792  and 
remodeled  in  1808,  remained  the  laws  of  the  State, 
without  any  very  essential  modification,  nearly  forty 
years;  and  perhaps  our  militia  was  never  better  organ- 
ized or  in  a more  flourishing  condition  than  for  the 
twenty  years  succeeding  the  War  of  1812-15.  But 
innovation  and  change  are  natural  laws.  Forty  years 
of  peace  made  men  forgetful  of  that  truth  embodied 
in  our  Bill  of  Rights,  that  a “ well-regulated  militia  is 
the  proper,  natural  and  sure  defense  of  a State.”  Our 
militia,  by  legislative  enactment  of  July  5,  1851, 
became  a mere  skeleton,  and  that  existing  only  upon 
paper.  The  days  of  the  old-fashioned  musters  were 
over. 

The  following  is  a partial  list  of  general  and  field 
officers  which  Warner  furnished  the  State  militia  from 
1792  to  1851 : 


Brigadier-General,  Aquilla  Davis ; Colonels,  Bichard  Straw,  Simeon 
Bartlett,  Isaac  Dalton,  Jr.,  James  31.  Harriman,  John  C.  Ela  ; Lieuten- 
ant-Colonels, Hiram  Dimond,  Timothy  D.  Bobertsou,  William  G.  Flan- 
ders, John  A.  Hardy,  Calvin  A.  Davis,  Bartlett  Hardy;  Majors,  Daniel 
Bunnels,  Joseph  B.  Hoyt,  William  H.  Ballard,  Joseph  Burke,  Daniel 
George,  Joseph  S.  Hoyt,  Eliezar  Emerson,  Stephen  K.  Hoyt;  Captains, 
Jacob  Davis,  Timothy  Flanders,  David  Harriman,  Nathaniel  Flanders, 
Nicholas  Evans,  William  Currier. 

Warner  in  the  Civil  War.— When  the  Rebellion 
broke  out,  in  1861,  and  New  Hampshire  raised  a regi- 
ment to  proceed  to  Washington,  this  town  sent  seven 
men  who  were  mustered  May  2,  1861.  This  first  regi- 
ment were  three-months’  men,  and  were  discharged 
August  9th  of  the  same  year.  Five  of  the  Warner 
men  enlisted  again  in  other  regiments.  New  Hamp- 
shire raised,  from  first  to  last,  seventeen  regiments  of 
infantry,  two  battalions  of  cavalry,  a regiment  of 
artillery  and  one  of  sharpshooters,  embracing  in  all 
thirty-four  thousand  five  hundred  men.  Warner  had 
men  in  most  of  these  organizations.  The  whole  number 
furnished  by  the  town  was  two  hundred,  of  which  one 
hundred  and  twenty-four  were  citizens  and  seventy- 
six  were  recruited  abroad.  Three  Warner  men  were 
mustered  in  the  Second  Regiment  of  New  Hampshire 
Volunteers,  of  three-years’  men ; one  in  the  Filth 
Regiment;  two  in  the  Seventh  Regiment;  forty -six 
in  the  Eleventh  Regiment ; thirty-one  in  the  Sixteenth 
Regiment,  nine  months;  eight  in  the  Eighteenth 
Regiment,  nine  months;  two  in  New  Hampshire  Bat- 
talion, First  New  England  Cavalry;  six  in  the  First 
Regiment  New  Hampshire  Volunteer  Cavalry ; three 
in  the  First  Regiment  Heavy  Artillery ; eleven  men 
in  the  First  Regiment  United  States  Sharpshooters; 
four  others  served  in  various  organizations  out  of  the 
State. 

Of  the  citizens  who  held  jirominent  positions  in  the 
service  during  the  War  of  the  Rebellion,  was,  first, 
Walter  Harriman,  who  was  commissioned  colonel  of 


WARNER. 


667 


the  Eleventh  Regiment  August  26,  1862.  He  fought 
with  his  regiment  in  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness, 
and  entered  Petersburg  iu  command  of  a brigade  of 
nine  regiments.  March  13,  1865,  he  was  appointed 
brigadier-general  by  brevet,  for  gallant  conduct 
during  the  war.  General  Harriman  subsequently 
went  into  civil  life,  became  Secretary  of  State,  1865 
and  1866,  and  was  elected  Governor  of  the  State  in 
1867  and  1868. 

Samuel  Davis,  who  served  as  major  of  the  Six- 
teenth New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  was  born  in 
Bradford,  but  has  been  a citizen  of  Warner  since 
1859.  He  was  educated  at  the  military  academy  at 
West  Point,  and  in  1853  and  1854  he  was  in  the 
North  Pacific  Railroad  exploration  and  survey,  under 
the  late  General  I.  I.  Stevens  as  engineer,  and  for 
one  thousand  miles  had  charge  of  the  meteorological 
department.  He  studied  law  in  the  office  of  Hon. 
Herman  Foster,  of  Manchester,  and  is  now  engaged 
iu  the  practice  at  Warner. 

David  C.  Harriman,  a brother  of  General  Walter, 
both  sons  of  Benjamin  E.  Harriman,  Esq.,  was  com- 
missioned second  lieutenant  September  4,  1862  ; pro- 
moted to  first  lieutenant  February  27,  1863  ; resigned 
July  1,  1863  ; appointed  first  lieutenant  of  the  Eigh- 
teenth Regiment  October  6,  1864;  mustered  out  as 
captain  June  10,  1865.  Charles  Davis,  Jr.,  enlisted 
as  first  sergeant  September  2,  1862;  promoted  to 
second  lieutenant,  and  then  to  first ; appointed  cap- 
tain September  20,  1864.  Philip  C.  Beau  was  com- 
missioned second  lieutenant  November  4,  1862. 

Manufacturing  Interests. — The  inhabitants  of 
W arner  are  principally  employed  in  farming,  but 
manufacturing  is  an  important  and  growing  interest. 
The  town  is  watered  by  Warner  River,  a pleasant 
and  rapid  stream,  which  takes  its  rise  in  Sunapee 
Mountains  and  in  Todd  Pond,  Newbury.  From 
Newbury  it  passes  through  Bradford  and  enters  War- 
ner at  the  northwest  corner;  thence  running  in  a 
northeasterly  direction  through  the  town,  separating 
it  in  nearly  two  equal  parts,  and  uniting  with  the 
Contoocook  River  in  Hopkinton.  In  its  passage 
through  Warner  it  receives  a considerable  stream 
coming  from  Sutton.  This  river  affords  abundant 
water-power  in  its  jmssage  through  the  town,  and 
during  two  or  three  miles  of  its  course  the  water  can 
be  used  over  every  thirty  rods.  At  Melvin’s  Mills, 
at  Waterloo,  and  at  Davisville  there  are  excellent 
privileges,  which  have  been  utilized  more  or  less 
since  the  first  settlement  of  the  town.  More  than  a 
hundred  years  ago  there  were  saw  and  grist-mills  at 
Waterloo  (Great  Falls),  and  atone  time  since  the  little 
borough  could  boast  of  a tannery,  a clothing-mill,  a 
trip-hammer  and  a paper-mill.  The  latter  factory 
was  in  operation  from  1816  to  1840,  manufacturing 
all  grades  of  paper  from  the  finest  note  to  the  coarsest 
wrapping. 

At  Melvin’s  there  was  also  a saw  and  a grist-mill, 
a bedstead-factory,  a chain-factory  and  a woolen 


cloth  factory,  all  of  which  did  considerable  business. 
The  grist  and  saw-mill  are  still  in  operation,  the 
woolen-factory  was  destroyed  by  fire,  the  others  have 
discontinued  business.  At  Davisville  there  was  an 
iron  foundry,  at  which  clock-weights,  hand-irons  and 
like  articles  were  manufactured.  Old  iron  was  run 
up  and  used  for  these  purposes  instead  of  ore.  The 
business  was  discontinued  about  the  year  1830. 
There  was  also  a woolen-factory  at  the  same  place, 
but  the  cloth-mill  was  washed  away  by  the  great 
freshet  of  1826. 1 

Notwithstanding  the  decay  and  suspension  of  sev- 
eral manufactures,  it  is  believed  that  the  manufac- 
turing which  is  done  in  town  at  present  will  equal,  if 
not  surpass,  that  of  any  previous  period.  The  lead- 
ing manufacturing  industry  is  probably  at  Davisville. 
Here  the  Davis  Brothers  are  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  straw-board.  The  firm  consists  of  Walter 
S.  Davis  and  Henry  C.  Davis,  grandsons  of  General 
Aquilla  Davis.  They  began  business  in  1871,  and  at 
present  employ  about  forty  hands.  They  manufac- 
ture some  seven  hundred  tons  of  straw-board  annually, 
amounting  in  value  to  seventy-five  thousand  dollars. 
The  firm  also  own  a grist-mill  and  a saw-mill,  and 
this  very  year  have  commenced  the  manufacture  of 
boxes.  Five  hundred  thousand  feet  of  pine  timber 
is  now  lying  in  their  yard  for  this  purpose. 

At  the  Centre  village  the  Merrimack  Glove  Com- 
pany has  established  a very  thriving  business.  The 
company  procured,  on  favorable  terms,  the  commo- 
dious building  near  the  freight  and  passenger  depots 
of  the  Concord  and  Claremont  Railroad,  which  had 
been  erected  by  the  defunct  Boston  Boot  and  Shoe 
Company,  and  established  its  business  in  the  early 
part  of  1883.  Late  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  a 
large  tannery  was  erected  in  connection  with  the  fac- 
tory. During  the  year  1883  the  factory  was  run 
eight  months,  turning  out  some  twenty-five  hundred 
dozens  of  different  kinds  and  qualities  of  buckskin 
gloves,  which  were  sold  to  the  largest  jobbing-houses 
from  Maine  to  California,  giving  perfect  satisfaction 
and  finding  no  superior  in  the  market.  The  man- 
agers, having  perfect  confidence  in  the  success  of 
their  enterprise,  in  1884  increased  the  business  more 
than  one  hundred  per  cent.,  and  manufactured  five 
thousand,  employing  some  thirty-five  hands.  The 
amount  paid  for  help  during  the  year  was  fifteen 
thousand  dollars.  The  company  purchased,  during 
the  time,  eighty-five  thousand  pounds  of  deer-skins ; 
and  the  entire  product  of  the  factory,  five  thousand 
dozen  gloves  and  mittens,  were  sold  to  different  par- 
ties throughout  the  country.  A cash  dividend  of 
six  per  cent,  was  paid  the  stockholders  January  1, 
1885.  The  stockholders  of  the  company  are  as  fol- 
lows: A.  C.  Carroll,  W.  H.  H.  Cowles,  George  Savory, 

1 This  was  the  same  freshet  that  destroyed  the  Willey  family  at  the 
White  Mountain  Notch.  All  the  bridges  of  Warner  were  carried  off  by 
the  flood,  and  the  crops  on  the  lowlands  were  entirely  destroyed.  Au- 
gust 28th  is  still  remembered  as  the  day  of  the  “ Great  Freshet.” 


668 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


B.  F.  Heath,  L.  W.  Chase,  E.  H.  Carroll,  Ira  Har- 
vey, J.  R.  Cogswell,  R.  S.  Rogers  and  A.  G.  Marsh. 
The  directors  are  A.  C.  Carroll,  W.  H.  H.  Cowles, 
George  Savory,  L.  N.  Chase  and  E.  H.  Carroll. 

The  Warner  Glove  Company,  located  on  Depot 
Street,  are  doing  a large  and  increasing  business. 
The  company  employ  about  fifteen  operatives,  and 
do  an  annual  business  of  ten  thousand  dollars.  The 
stockholders  are  A.  P.  Davis,  P.  C.  Wheeler  and  H. 
M.  Giffin.  Another  enterprising  firm  is  that  of 
Bartlett  Brothers,  who  manufacture  coarse  and  fine 
excelsior  at  Melvin’s  Mills.  This  firm  began  busi- 
ness in  1871.  They  have  six  thousand  dollars  in- 
vested, and  do  a business  amounting  to  seven  thousand 
dollars  annually.  Number  of  employes,  seven. 

At  Roby’s  Corner  O.  P.  & C.  W.  Redington  are 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  hubs.  They  have  a 
large  establishment,  employing  some  ten  or  a dozen 
men,  and  do  a business  of  fifteen  thousand  dollars 
annually.  The  Kearsarge  Fruit  Evaporating  Com- 
pany have  erected  two  large  buildings  at  the  centre 
village,  containing  five  evaporators  of  the  capacity  of 
five  hundred  bushels  of  apples  per  day.  They  em- 
ploy between  fifty  and  sixty  operatives  during  three 
months  of  the  year,  and  sometimes  evaporate  forty 
thousand  bushels  of  apples  per  year.  Arthur  Thomp- 
son is  general  manager.  The  total  value  of  manu- 
factured goods  annually  produced  in  town  is  not  far 
from  four  hundred  thousand  dollars. 

An  article  of  this  description  would  hardly  be  com- 
plete without  some  allusion  to  the  more  interesting 
features  of  Warner.  The  main  street  is  situated  in 
a valley,  through  which  flows  the  Warner  River 
with  graceful,  sinuous  curves,  while  on  either  side 
the  hills  rise  grand  and  green  and  beautiful,  towering  ( 
far  above  the  spires  of  the  churches.  There  is  not,  j 
of  a verity,  a pleasanter  or  a more  picturesque  ham-  * 
let  in  the  county  of  Merrimack.  The  streets  are  wide 
and  beautifully  shaded  by  maple  and  elm.  Neatness 
and  thrift  characterize  the  whole  surroundings.  It 
is  only  eight  miles  to  the  summit  of  Kearsarge  Moun- 
tain, which  affords  some  of  the  finest  scenery  in  New 
Hampshire.  Summer  tourists  have  had  their  atten-  i 
tion  attracted  by  the  fine  scenery  of  the  adjacent  j 
country,  and  have  visited  the  town  in  large  numbers. 
The  income  from  this  class  amounts  to  more  than 
three  thousand  dollars. 

Warner  is  famous  for  its  picturesque  nooks  and  J 
rural  drives.  One  of  the  most  charming  drives  in 
Merrimack  County  is  on  the  road  from  Warner  vil-  | 
lage  to  Bradford.  The  distance  is  about  nine  miles,  | 
following  the  river  valley  and  crossing  the  stream 
several  times.  Three  little  hamlets  are  passed  on  the 
route,  each  dignified  on  the  map  as  railroad-stations, 
namely:  Waterloo,  Roby’s  Corner  and  Melvin’s  Mills. 
The  former  contains  some  twenty  or  twenty-five 
houses,  a saw-mill,  depot,  post-office  and  school- 
house.  Ex-Governor  N.  G.  Ordway,  of  Dakota, 
and  ex-Secretary  of  State  William  E.  Chandler  have 


very  fine  summer-residences  at  this  place.  The  name 
Waterloo  was  bestowed  upon  this  little  rural  neigh- 
borhood in  honor  of  that  great  battle  whose  issue 
decided  Napoleon’s  career  forever.  When  the  result 
of  that  conflict  was  announced,  most  of  the  citizens 
were  collected  at  a mill-raising.  The  victory  of  the 
Allies  was  pleasing  to  those  few  individuals,  and  one, 
in  the  excitement  of  the  moment,  broke  a bottle  of 
rum  (they  drank  liquor  in  those  days),  and  chris- 
tened the  mill  and  the  village  with  it, — Waterloo. 
The  name  has  “stuck.” 

Two  miles  beyond  Waterloo  is  Roby’s  Corner  sta- 
tion, the  residence  of  M.  H.  Roby  and  George  C. 
Eastman.  A beautiful  scene  lies  here.  A broad 
intervale  stretches  to  the  south;  green  sloping  pas- 
tures are  on  the  west,  and  the  east  and  north  are 
bounded  by  high  hills,  covered  with  sombre  pines 
and  gnarled  oaks  that  have  bid  defiance  to  the  storms 
of  years.  Between  Roby’s  and  Melvin’s  Mills  there 
is  a gorge  of  wonderful  beauty  and  wild  grandeur. 
The  river,  bound  in  by  a narrow  defile,  dashes  and 
foams  and  roars,  so  as  to  be  heard  many  rods  away. 
Several  dwelling-houses  and  a busy  factory  nestle 
below  in  the  valley,  and  the  railroad,  with  its  high 
grade  and  trestle-work  over  the  river,  carries  the 
steaming  iron  horse  high  above  the  chimney-tops.  It 
is  a wild  and  picturesque  scene. 

Melvin’s  Mills  was  so  named  after  the  Melvin 
brothers,  who  built  a saw  and  grist-mill  there  as 
early  as  1825.  The  Melvins  were  large,  muscular 
men,  and  their  feats  of  strength  are  still  the  wonder- 
tales  of  many  a rural  neighborhood.  To  the  genera- 
tions that  have  passed  away  Melvin’s  Mills  and  the 
Calico  school-house  were  landmarks  of  particular  in- 
terest. Davisville,  in  the  southeasterly  part  of  the 
town,  is  a beautiful  and  busy  little  village.  It  has 
the  finest  water-power  to  be  found  on  the  Warner 
River,  and  from  the  time  the  first  mills  were  built 
here  until  the  present  time,  it  has  been  taken  advan- 
tage of  in  every  possible  way.  Most  of  the  manufac- 
turing interests  of  the  place  are  controlled  by  various 
members  of  the  Davis  family,  who  have  given  their 
name  to  the  little  hamlet  which  has  grown  up  around 
this  valuable  water-power.  There  is  a small  store  at 
the  place,  a post-office  and  some  fine  farms  in  the 
adjacent  section. 

“North  village,”  so  called,  is  one  of  the  pleasant 
little  neighborhoods  of  Warner.  The  name  has  been 
in  use  during  more  than  a hundred  years.  In  the 
early  days  of  the  settlement  there  was  quite  a far- 
mers’ village  on  the  Gould  road  and  over  Waldron’s 
Hill.  Between  Bartlett’s  Brook  and  “ Iviah  Corner,” 
a dozen  deserted  building-sites  can  be  counted  where 
families  once  resided.  These,  with  the  buildings 
that  still  stand,  made  a lively,  bustling  street,  the 
first  of  the  century.  At  the  north  of  this  line  of 
dwellings  extended  another  cluster  of  farm-houses, 
taking  in  the  Elliots,  at  the  J.  O.  Barnard  place,  and 
Isaac  Dalton  and  his  tannery,  at  the  Levi  0.  Colby 


WARNER. 


669 


place.  The  people  of  the  South  road  called  this 
settlement  of  the  North  road  the  North  village. 

It  is  not  strictly  a village  or  hamlet  now,  the  houses 
being  too  scattered  to  allow  such  a dignified  appel- 
lation, but  within  the  radius  of  a mile  are  some  twen- 
ty-five houses,  principally  the  homes  of  hard-work- 
ing and  prosperous  yeomen.  The  surface  of  the  land 
is  uneven  and  somewhat  rocky,  but  the  soil  is  strong 
and  fertile  and  large  crops  are  raised.  A wild,  dash- 
ing little  stream,  called  Silver  Brook,  having  its  sources 
among  the  eastern  slopes  of  the  Minks,  flows  down 
through  the  valley  and  joins  the  Warner  River  near 
River  Bow  Park.  Along  the  banks  of  this  rivulet 
the  highway  leads,  lined  on  either  side  by  the  farm- 
houses, the  shops  and  the  ample  barns  of  the  rural 
populace.  Graceful  willows  and  birches,  with  here 
and  there  a maple  or  an  elm,  throw  their  branches  out 
on  the  breeze  and  make  a grateful  shade  in  the  warm 
summer-time.  A drive  through  this  neighborhood 
on  a still,  hushed  noon  or  at  the  sunset  hour  is  per- 
fectly enchanting ; and  if  one  drives  round  by  “Kiah 
Corner,”  he  will  view  a scene  that  is  not  easily  sur- 
passed in  New  England.  Another  beautiful  drive  is 
through  the  Kimball  District.  A view  from  Kelley 
Hill,  looking  to  the  north  and  west,  at  the  sunset 
hour,  the  whole  Warner  Valley,  with  the  village  in 
the  foreground  and  Kearsarge  Mountain  standing  as 
a sentinel  in  the  background,  is  worth  going  miles 
to  see. 

Six  ponds  are  within  the  limits  of  the  township, 
namely : Tom,  Bear,  Pleasant,  Bagley’s,  Simmonds 
and  Day’s.  The  largest  of  these  is  Tom  Pond,  or, 
rather,  as  it  is  now  called  “ Lake  Tom.”  This  is  a 
beautiful  sheet  of  water  half  a mile  long  and  a quar- 
ter of  a mile  wide.  Its  shores  are  attractive,  its 
waters  clear  as  crystal.  During  the  last  few  years  it 
has  become  quite  a summer  resort.  A company  has 
erected  a commodious  pavilion  on  its  western  shore, 
improved  the  adjacent  grounds  and  built  a fleet  of 
boats  for  aquatic  and  piscatorial  purposes.  The  pa- 
vilion and  grounds  were  formally  opeued  and  dedi- 
cated on  July  4,  1884. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

WARNER — ( Continued). 

MEMORABLE  EVENTS,  NATURAL  AND  SOCIAL. 

The  Old  Meeting-House  Fight. — The  quarrel  in 
which  Warner  was  involved  over  the  question  of  the 
location  of  the  meeting-house,  from  1783  to  1790,  was 
one  which  was  fought  out  to  the  bitter  end  with  intense 
feeling,  and  has  probably  never  been  equaled  by 
anything  which  has  occurred  since  in  the  history  of 
the  town. 

Prior  to  1819,  when  the  State  Legislature  passed 
the  “Toleration  Act,”  by  which  the  building  of 


churches  and  the  support  of  preaching  was  divorced 
from  the  State  and  the  meeting-houses  and  the  min- 
isters were  remanded  to  the  support  of  those  only  of 
the  citizens  who  were  voluntarily  disposed  to  give 
their  aid,  it  was  binding  on  every  tax-payer  to  con- 
tribute his  share,  according  to  his  means,  to  build 
meeting-houses  and  to  pay  the  minister’s  salary. 
Therefore,  it  followed  that  every  voter  had  a personal 
and  direct  interest  in  churches  and  ministers. 

In  our  review  of  the  evangelical  history  of  the 
town  we  had  something  to  say  about  the  first  church. 
This  structure,  which  was  built  at  the  South  Lower 
village,  was  small  and  rude,  and  was  in  use  only  four 
years.  In  1770  it  was  superseded  by  another  of  lar- 
ger proportions  and  superior  architectural  design, 
erected  on  the  same  site.  This,  too,  in  process  of 
time,  became  too  small  for  the  needs  of  the  citizens, 
and  the  question  of  a new  one  was  agitated.  Mean- 
while the  population  had  been  increasing  on  the 
north  side  of  the  river,  and  they,  for  reasons  of  the 
greater  convenience  to  themselves,  wished  a meeting- 
house built  on  their  side  of  the  river.  The  town 
could  support  but  one  church,  and  as  the  people  on 
the  east  side,  for  similar  reasons,  wished  the  new  build- 
ing to  be  erected  on  the  old  site,  a sharp  controversy 
grew  out  of  the  matter.  Innumerable  town-meet- 
ings were  held,  and  votes  for  and  against  a new  house 
and  against  changing  the  location  were  passed  in  al- 
ternate confusion  for  several  years. 

Finally,  at  a town-meeting  held  in  May,  1788,  the 
town  voted  both  to  build  and  not  to  build,  and,  in 
hopes  of  a final  adjustment  of  the  vexed  question, 
voted,  according  to  the  record,  “to  petition  the  General 
Court  for  a committee  to  appoint  a place  where  to  set 
a meeting-house  in  this  town.”  In  June  of  that 
summer  Benjamin  Sargent  and  Richard  Bartlett, 
two  of  the  selectmen,  appeared  before  a committee  of 
the  Legislature  with  a formal  petition,  and  the  court 
accordingly  appointed  a trustworthy  committee  to 
decide  on  the  location  of  the  meeting-house.  This 
committee  was  composed  of  Col.  Ebenezer  Webster, 
of  Salisbury ; Robert  Wallace,  of  Henniker  ; and  Jo- 
seph Wadleigh,  of  Sutton ; and  their  report  was  as 
follows : 

“ The  committee,  having  attended  to  the  business  referred  to,  and  after 
viewing  the  greater  part  of  the  town,  with  the  situation  of  the  inhab- 
itants thereof,  agree  to  report  as  their  opinion  that  the  spot  of  ground 
where  the  old  meeting-house  now  stands  is  the  most  suitable  place  to  set 
the  new  meeting-house  on. 

“Warner,  Sept.  12,  1788.” 

This  did  not,  however,  end  the  fight,  for  at  a meet- 
ing in  October  and  at  another  in  November  the  town 
repudiated  the  decision  of  the  committee  and  voted 
not  to  build  on  that  site.  At  last,  April  25,  1789,  it 
was  voted  to  build  between  Ensign  Joseph  Currier’s 
and  Mr.  Isaac  Chase’s,  on  the  north  side  of  the  road, 
under  the  ledge,  at  the  northwest  end  of  what  is 
now  the  Lower  village.  A building  committee  was 
appointed  at  the  same  time,  consisting  of  Joseph 
Sawyer,  Tappan  Evans,  Richard  Straw,  Jacob  Wal- 


670 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


dron,  Benjamin  Sargent,  Reuben  Kimball  and  Wil- 
liam Morrill. 

In  the  face  of  a protest  of  forty-six  of  the  promi- 
nent men  of  the  town,  headed  by  Aquilla  Davis,  tbe 
committee  proceeded  about  their  work,  and  before 
the  end  of  the  summer  erected  a church,  which  was 
called  “The  House  under  the  Ledge.”  But  this  did 
not  soothe  the  spirit  of  discord,  and  the  evil  results 
of  this  division  lasted  for  some  time,  as  is  shown  by 
the  vote,  which  was  passed  at  the  November  town 
election  not  to  meet  in  the  new  house,  and  that 
preaching  should  not  occur  there.  There  was  even 
an  effort  on  the  part  of  some  to  get  a vote  to  move 
the  house  over  to  the  south  side  of  the  river.  Oppo- 
sition, however,  gradually  died  away,  and  in  August, 
1790,  it  was  “ Voted  That  Mr.  Kelley  should  preach  in 
the  new  meeting-house  for  the  future,  and  the  inhab- 
itants meet  there  for  public  worship.”  In  March  of 
the  next  year  a vote  was  passed  to  take  down  the  old 
meeting-house  and  appropriate  the  stuff  towards 
fencing  the  burying-ground. 

A Day  of  Terror. — The  19th  of  January,  1810, 
was,  in  the  central  part  of  New  Hampshire  at  least, 
a day  of  terror,  one  never  to  be  forgotten  in  the  an- 
nals of  the  “hill  towns”  of  this  beautiful  State. 
The  afternoon  of  the  18th  was  unusually  warm  and 
mild  ; the  thermometer  indicated  forty-three  degrees, 
or  eleven  degrees  above  freezing.  Before  light  the 
next  morning  a winter  hurricane  was  sweeping  over 
the  mountains,  hills,  plains  and  valleys,  snapping  off 
good-sized  pine-trees,  in  its  extended  path,  as  if  they 
were  but  fragile  reeds.  Great  oaks  were  twisted  by 
the  force  of  the  wind  like  withes  in  the  hands  of  a 
giant.  Barns  were  swept  to  ruin,  and  sheds  of  lighter 
construction  were  carried  away  by  the  storm  of  wind 
like  chaff.  This  horrible  blizzard  continued  during 
nearly  a whole  day.  Nearly  all  the  while  the  air  was 
filled  with  fine,  hail-like  particles  of  snow,  caught  up 
by  the  gale,  so  that  it  was  impossible  to  see  more  than 
a few  rods  away.  To  add  to  the  gloom  of  the  occa- 
sion and  its  deathly  danger,  the  mercury  of  the  ther- 
mometer sank,  in  the  sixteen  hours  following  the 
previous  day’s  thaw,  to  twenty-five  degrees  below  zero. 
The  mercury  runs  as  low  every  winter  as  it  did  that 
day,  but  mortal  man  has  never  known  a severer  day 
in  this  New  England.  Thousands  of  fowl  were 
blown  away  and  never  seen  by  their  owners  again  ; 
rabbits,  partridges  and  crows  were  frozen  in  the 
thickest  woods ; young  cattle  were  frozen  solid  as  they 
huddled  together  in  the  half-open  barn-yard  sheds, 
some  of  which  withstood  the  force  of  the  wind ; 
many  cattle  perished  where  they  were  tied  in  their 


stalls. 

The  heavens  roared  like  the  sea  in  a cyclone. 
Branches  of  trees,  hay  from  demolished  barns,  loos- 
ened clapboards  and  shingles  from  such  houses  as 
had  great  oaken  frames  and  immense  chimneys  to 
hold  the  structures  in  place,  rose  in  the  air  and 
mingled  together  in  terrifying  confusion.  The  loss 


of  live  stock  and  buildings  in  Merrimack  County 
aggregated  scores  of  thousands  of  dollars.  The 
“cold  Friday”  was  known  and  is  remembered 
throughout  the  New  England  States. 

A Year  without  a Summer.— The  year  1816  is 
known  among  the  few  old  men  who  remember  it  as 
“ the  year  without  a summer.”  In  every  month  there 
was  a severe  frost,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  crops 
were  substantially  destroyed.  There  are  old  farmers 
living  in  Warner  who  remember  it  well.  It  was 
often  referred  to  as  “ eighteen  hundred  and  starve  to 
death.”  January  was  mild,  as  was  also  February, 
with  the  exception  of  a few  days.  The  greater  part 
of  March  was  cold  and  boisterous.  April  opened 
warm,  but  grew  colder  as  it  advanced,  ending  with 
snow  and  ice  and  winter  cold.  In  May  ice  formed 
half  an  inch  thick,  buds  and  flowers  were  killed  and 
corn  frozen.  Frost,  ice  and  snow  were  common  in 
June.  On  inauguration  day,  in  June,  there  was  snow 
to  the  depth  of  four  inches  on  a level  in  Warner  ; in 
Maine  the  snow  was  ten  inches  deep.  Almost  every 
green  thing  was  killed,  and  the  fruit  was  nearly  all 
destroyed.  July  was  accompanied  with  frost  and  ice. 
On  the  5th  ice  was  formed  of  the  thickness  of  win- 
dow-glass in  New  YTork  and  all  the  New  England 
States.  In  August  ice  formed  half  an  inch  thick.  A 
cold  northern  wind  prevailed  nearly  all  summer. 

Corn  was  so  damaged  that  a great  deal  was  cut  and 
dried  for  fodder.  Very  little  ripened  in  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  even  in  the  Middle  States  the  crop  was 
small.  Farmers  were  obliged  to  pay  four  dollars,  and 
even  five  dollars,  a bushel  for  corn  of  1815  harvest 
for  seed  for  the  next  spring’s  planting.  The  first 
two  weeks  of  September  were  mild  ; the  rest  of  the 
month  was  cold,  with  frost,  and  ice  formed  a quarter 
of  an  inch  thick.  October  was  more  than  usually 
cold,  with  frost  and  ice.  November  was  cold  and 
blustering,  with  snow  enough  for  good  sleighing. 
December  was  quite  mild  and  comfortable. 

The  Tornado  of  1821. — Warner  has  not  often  been 
visited  by  great  and  noteworthy  disasters,  either 
natural  or  otherwise.  The  great  whirlwind  or  tor- 
nado of  1821  was  the  most  terrible  of  the  kind  that 
ever  visited  this  section.  Many  of  the  older  inhabit- 
ants of  the  town  still  remember  the  catastrophe, 
and  the  path  of  the  tempest  is  visible  in  several 
places  after  the  passage  of  more  than  sixty  years. 

The  month  of  September,  1821,  according  to  the 
testimony  of  those  who  were  living  at  the  time,  was 
eminently  a season  of  uncommon  storms  and  tem- 
pests. But  the  most  of  them,  severe  as  they  were, 
produced  little  injury  in  comparison  with  the  whirl- 
wind of  the  9th  of  the  same  month.  The  tornado  is 
said  to  have  commenced  near  Lake  Champlain,  gath- 
ering in  violence  as  it  went  along.  It  passed  over 
Lake  Sunapee  and  through  a portion  of  New  Lon- 
don and  Sutton,  and  entered  that  part  of  Warner 
called  the  Gore  not  far  from  the  base  of  Kearsarge 
Mountain.  The  tempest  carried  away  the  barn  of 


WARNER. 


171 


William  Harwood,  injured  the  houses  of  M.  F.  Good- 
win, J.  Ferrin  and  Abner  Watkins,  completely  de- 
stroying Ferrin’s  barn  and  unroofing  Watkins’. 
Next  in  the  path  of  the  wind  stood  the  dwelling  of 
Daniel  Savory.  Apprehending  a storm,  Samuel  Sa- 
vory, aged  seventy-two,  the  father  of  the  proprietor, 
who  was  himself  absent,  went  up -stairs  to  fasten  a 
window  that  was  open.  The  women  went  to  assist 
him,  but  all  were  too  late.  The  tornado  seized  the 
house  in  its  giant  grip,  lifted  it  and  whirled  it  around, 
burying  six  of  the  family  in  its  ruins.  The  body 
of  the  aged  Samuel  Savory  was  found  six  rods  away, 
his  brains  dashed  out  against  a stone.  Elizabeth,  his 
wife,  was  badly  injured  by  the  falling  timbers.  Mary, 
the  wife  of  Daniel  Savory,  was  severely  bruised,  and 
an  infant  that  she  had  in  her  arms  was  killed.  The 
others  escaped  with  slight  wounds. 

The  house  of  Robert  Savory  was  also  demolished. 
The  family,  consisting  of  eight  persons,  were  all 
wounded,  but  not  seriously.  John  Palmer,  who  lived 
half  a mile  away,  saw  the  cloud  coming,  in  shape,  as  he 
represented  it,  like  an  inverted  funnel,  the  air  filled 
with  leaves,  limbs  of  trees  and  pieces  of  timber.  Before 
he  could  enter  to  give  an  alarm,  the  house  came  down 
over  his  head.  Mrs.  Palmer  was  considerably  hurt, 
but  the  rest  of  the  family  were  not  sensibly  injured. 

Between  Savory’s  and  Palmer’s  the  wind  tore  up 
everything  in  its  course.  Whole  acres  of  corn  and 
grain  were  swept  off  clean,  trees  were  uprooted,  stones 
half-buried  in  the  earth  were  overturned ; one  stone 
weighing  six  hundred  pounds  was  moved  several 
feet. 

From  this  place  the  tornado  passed  two  and  a half 
miles,  sweeping  away  the  buildings  of  Peter  Flan- 
ders, killing  a Miss  Anna  Richardson  and  injuring 
the  infant  child  of  Mrs.  Flanders  so  severely  that  for 
several  days  her  life  was  despaired  of.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Flanders  testified  that  no  sound  of  wind  was  heard, 
although  some  might  have  observed  the  cloud,  until 
the  crash  of  the  building  took  place,  and  then  all 
was  over  in  an  instant. 

The  buildings  of  Deacon  Joseph  True,  in  the  cor- 
ner of  Salisbury,  were  next  swept  away.  The  whole 
family  was  buried  in  the  ruins.  Mr.  True  was  saved 
by  a huge  timber,  which  fell  endways  into  the 
ground,  within  two  feet  of  the  place  where  he  stood, 
and  the  other  timbers  falling  upon  that  one  pro- 
tected him  from  injury.  By  almost  superhuman 
exertions  he  dug  Mrs.  True  and  four  children  out 
from  beneath  the  bricks,  where  they  were  actually 
buried  more  than  a foot.  The  oven  had  just  been 
heated,  and  the  bricks  were  so  hot  that  in  removing 
them  from  his  children  the  deacon  burned  his  fin- 
gers to  the  bone.  Mrs.  True  was  badly  hurt.  The 
youngest  child,  an  infant,  seven  weeks  old,  was 
found  at  the  distance  of  one  hundred  feet  under  the 
bottom  of  a sleigh,  the  top  of  which  could  not  be 
found.  After  this  the  tornado  passed  into  Warner 
again,  tearing  down  a barn  and  passing  over  a pond, 


the  waters  of  which  were  drawn  up  in  its  centre,  and 
finally  terminated  its  ravages  in  this  quarter  in  the 
woods  bordering  on  what  is  now  Webster. 

Lafayette’s  Visit. — In  1825  the  Marquis  of  Lafay- 
ette made  his  famous  journey  through  the  United 
States.  In  the  course  of  fourteen  months  he  trav- 
ersed the  whole  country,  visiting  every  State  in  the 
Union  and  all  the  leading  cities,  and  was  received 
everywhere  with  sincere  tokens  of  reverence  and  affec- 
tion. June  22,  1825,  he  was  at  Concord,  where 
a grand  reception  was  given  him.  Among  the  mili- 
tary companies  of  the  State  that  were  in  attendance 
at  that  time  was  the  Warner  Light  Infantry,  under 
the  command  of  Captain  William  Currier.  Monday, 
the  27th  of  June,  the  Marquis  proceeded  westward  to 
Vermont,  going  through  Warner.  When  he  reached 
the  Warner  line  an  escort  of  our  citizens  met  him,  and 
Dr.  Moses  Long  made  an  address  of  welcome.  The 
party  then  marched  in  a formal  procession  to  Captain 
Kelley’s  tavern,  where  the  old  veteran  alighted  from 
his  carriage  and  was  conducted  to  the  church  near  at 
hand.  It  was  now  noon,  and,  in  front  of  the  church, 
on  the  level  green,  stood  a long  table  spread  with 
choice  refreshments.  The  general  partook  lightly  of 
these,  being  waited  upon  by  several  of  the  beautiful 
young  ladies  of  the  village.  One,  who  remembered 
, how  he  looked  at  this  time,  says  that  his  appearance 
surprised  every  one.  He  presented  a fine,  portly  fig- 
ure, nearly  six  feet  high,  and  his  weight  of  years  was 
lightly  worn,  his  only  apparent  infirmity  being  a 
slight  lameness  resulting  from  his  old  wound  at 
Brandywine. 

After  the  collation  was  served,  and  Lafayette  had 
shaken  hands  with  every  man,  woman  and  child,  the 
distinguished  visitor  remounted  his  carriage  and  con- 
| tinued  his  way  through  Warner,  the  old  and  young 
thronging  the  door-yards  to  catch  a glimpse  of  the 
great  man’s  face.  As  he  passed  out  of  sight  the  old 
brass  cannon  was  fired  repeatedly,  awaking  the  echoes 
of  the  hills  around  him.  And  so  the  “Nation’s  guest” 
passed  from  Warner. 

Citizens  of  Note. — Warner  has  raised  her  share  of 
noted  characters.  Near  the  northeastern  border  of 
the  town  still  stands  the  birth-place  and  early  home 
of  ex-Governor  Ezekiel  Straw.  At  the  opposite  ex- 
tremityof  the  town  are  the  ruins  of  the  old  home- 
stead where  ex-Governor  Walter  Harriman  was  born 
and  brought  up.  Half-way  between  these  extrem- 
ities, and  under  the  very  shadows  of  the  Minks,  was 
the  early  home  of  ex-Governor  N.  G.  Ordway. 

Hon.  John  Pillsbury,  ex-Governor  of  Minnesota, 
spent  a part  of  his  boyhood  here,  and  his  brother, 
Hon.  George  A.  Pillsbury,  mayor  of  Minneapolis,  was 
once  a trader  in  the  store  now  occupied  by  B.  F.  Heath 
More  extended  notices  will  be  found  of  these  men  in  an- 
other portion  of  this  volume. 

A short  distance  from  the  road  leading  from  War- 
ner to  Henniker  is  an  old  ruined  cellar,  all  that  now 
remains  of  what  was  once  the  habitation  of  Prince 


t»72 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Hastings.  Prince  was  a negro,  who,  for  many  years, 
lived  in  the  Warner  woods,  enjoying  a local  reputa- 
tion not  below  that  of  many  better  men.  Yet  Prince 
was  no  ninuy.  He  was  a great  jokist,  and  could  sing 
songs  aud  play  on  the  bones.  Many  stories  are  re- 
lated of  him,  but  none,  perhaps,  better  than  the  one 
told  of  his  being  discovered  in  the  mill  stealing  meal, 
when  he  explained,  “It  is  not  I ; it’s  Tony  Clark.” 
Tony,  or  Anthony  Clark,  was  another  negro,  who  was 
quite  a character  fifty  or  sixty  years  ago.  He  was  a 
fiddler  and  dancing-master,  and  probably  did  more  to- 
wards instructing  the  young  folks  in  the  arts  and 
graces  of  politeness  than  any  other  man  of  his  day  or 
generation.  He  was  born  a slave,  served  in  the  Rev- 
olutionary army,  was  a waiter  for  several  years  to 
General  Washington,  and  finally  was  manumitted 
and  came  to  Warner  to  live.  Prince  Hastings  was 
born  free,  and,  consequently,  always  regarded  Tony 
with  contempt.  So,  when  caught  in  the  flagrant 
dereliction  before  alluded  to,  it  was  natural  that  he 
should  charge  the  deed  to  his  rival,  though  the  man- 
ner in  which  he  did  it  did  not  materially  serve  to  ex- 
culpate himself.  Prince  died  in  1846  at  or  about, 
the  age  of  seventy-five.  Tony  Clark  also  lived  to  a 
great  age,  dying  in  1854,  aged  one  hundred  and  four 
years.  In  honor  of  his  Revolutionary  service,  they 
gave  him  a military  funeral,  which  was  a splendid 
affair. 

In  1876  (centennial  year)  a little  excitement  arose 
over  the  matter  of  changing  the  town’s  name  from 
Warner  to  Georgetown.  A petition,  backed  by  the 
names  and  influence  of  a number  of  the  prominent 
citizens,  was  presented  to  the  General  Court  for  this 
purpose.  Buta  counter  petition,  containing  the  names 
of  three-quarters  of  the  citizens  of  the  town,  several  of 
whom  had  signed  the  first,  was  also  presented,  and, 
after  a protracted  discussion  by  the  representatives  of 
both  parties,  the  committee  decided  not  to  change  the 
name ; so  Warner  it  is  to-day,  bearing  the  noble  cog- 
nomen of  the  patrician  councilor  whose  very  name 
recalls  all  that  wealth  and  ease  and  almost  baronial 
greatness  that  is  associated  with  the  great  crown  offi- 
cers of  colonial  times. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


GENERAL  WALTER  HARRIMAN.1 

The  name  of  no  New  Hampshire  man  of  the  pres- 
ent generation  is  more  broadly  known  than  that  of 
Walter  Harriman.  His  distinguished  services  to  the 
State,  both  in  the  Legislature  and  in  the  executive 
chair,  his  honorable  service  as  an  officer  of  the  Union 
army,  the  important  trusts  he  held  at  the  hands  of 
one  and  another  of  our  national  administrations,  and, 


not  least,  his  brilliant  gifts  as  an  orator,  which  made 
him  always  welcome  to  the  lyceum  platform,  and 
caused  him  to  be  widely  and  eagerly  sought  for  in 
every  important  election  campaign  for  many  years, 
combined  to  make  him  one  of  the  most  conspicuous 
men  in  our  commonwealth. 

The  Harriman  family  is  of  English  origin. 

Rev.  Ezekiel  Rogers,  a man  of  eminence  in  the 
church,  was  born  in  Yorkshire,  England,  in  1590. 
He  graduated  at  the  University  of  Cambridge  in 
1610.  Becoming  a dissenter  from  the  Church  of 
England,  after  twenty-five  years  of  faithful  service, 
his  ministerial  functions  were  suspended.  He  says 
of  himself, — “ For  refusing  to  read  that  accursed  book 
that  allowed  sports  on  God’s  holy  Sabbath,  I was  sus- 
pended, and  by  it  and  other  sad  signs  driven,  with 
many  of  my  hearers,  into  New  England.”  This 
stanch  Puritan  arrived  on  these  shores  in  1638.  In 
his  devoted  flock  there  was  an  orphan  lad,  sixteen 
years  of  age,  named  Leonard  Harriman,  and  from 
this  youthful  adventurer  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
descended,  being  of  the  seventh  generation. 

Rogers  selected  for  his  colony  an  unoccupied  tract 
of  country  between  Salem  and  Newburyport,  Mass., 
to  which  he  gave  the  name  of  Rowley,  that  being 
the  name  of  the  parish  in  Yorkshire  to  which  he  had 
long  ministered. 

The  oldest  son  of  Leonard  Harriman  was  massa- 
cred, with  ninety  of  his  comrades, — “the  flower  of 
Essex  County,” — in  King  Philip’s  War,  September 
18,  1675,  at  Bloody  Brook.  The  great-grandfather  of 
Walter  Harriman  saw  eight  years  of  hard  service  in 
the  French  and  Revolutionary  Wars.  His  grand- 
father settled  in  the  wilds  of  Warner,  N.  H.,  at  the 
foot  of  the  Mink  Hills,  but  lost  his  life  by  an  acci- 
dent at  the  early  age  of  twenty-eight.  His  father, 
the  late  Benjamin  E.  Harriman,  was  a man  of 
character  and  influence  through  an  honorable  life. 
He  reared  a large  family  at  the  ancestral  home  in 
Warner,  where  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  being  a 
third  son,  was  born,  April  8,  1817. 

Muscle  and  intellect  and  the  heroic  virtues  can 
have  no  better  nursery  than  the  rugged  farm-life  of 
New  England,  and  the  Warner  homestead  was  a 
challenge  and  stimulus  to  the  qualities  that  were 
needed  in  the  future  man  of  affairs.  This  child  of 
the  third  generation  that  had  occupied  the  same  home 
and  tilled  the  same  soil  grew  up  with  a stalwart 
physical  organization  and  a fine  loyalty  to  his  native 
town,  a deep  interest  in  its  rude  history  and  tradi- 
tions, and  a sympathy  with  the  common  people, 
which,  in  turn,  made  him  a favorite  with  all.  To 
him  there  was  no  spot  to  be  compared  with  his  birth- 
place, and  there  were  no  people  so  interesting  and 
endeared  as  his  old  neighbors  in  the  rugged  hill-town. 
A few  years  before  his  death  he  wrote  a “ History  of 
Warner,”  which  is  regarded  as  “ one  of  the  most  syste- 
matic, comprehensive  and  generally  interesting  works 
of  the  kind  yet  given  to  the  public  in  the  State.” 


From  a sketch  by  Rev.  S.  C.  Beane,  with  some  additions. 


WARNER. 


673 


His  “schooling”  was  obtained  at  the  Harriman  dis- 
trict school  and  at  the  academy  in  the  adjoining  town 
of  Hopkinton. 

When  hardly  more  than  a boy,  he  made  a success- 
ful trial  of  the  excellent  self-discipline  of  school- 
teaching, and  at  different  times  taught  in  New 
Hampshire,  Vermont,  Massachusetts  and  New  Jersey. 
While  in  the  latter  State,  at  the  age  of  twenty-two, 
he  became  deeply  interested  in  the  principles  of 
Liberal  Christianity  (the  form  of  religious  faith  to 
which  he  always  held),  and  occasionally  wrote  ser- 
mons, which  were  well  received  from  the  pulpit,  and 
some  of  which  found  their  way  into  print.  It  was 
certain,  from  his  early  youth,  that  nature  designed 
him  for  a public  speaker,  the  rare  oratorical  gifts 
which  afterwards  distinguished  him  having  shown 
themselves  gradually  and  prophetically  in  the  district 
school-house  and  the  village  academy.  This  tenta- 
tive experience  in  preaching,  undertaken  of  his  own 
motion  and  without  conferring  with  flesh  and  blood, 
resulted  in  his  settlement,  in  1841,  over  the  Univer- 
salist  Church  in  Harvard,  Mass.,  where  he  remained 
in  active  service  four  years.  Returning  now  to 
Warner,  and  soon  leaving  the  pulpit  altogether,  he 
became  the  senior  partner  in  trade  with  John  S. 
Fillsbury,  late  Governor  of  Minnesota,  probably  the 
only  instance  in  our  history  where  two  young  busi- 
ness partners  in  a retired  country  town  have  after- 
wards become  the  chief  executives  of  different  States. 

In  1849,  Mr.  Harriman  was  elected  by  his  towns- 
men to  the  New  Hampshire  House  of  Representa- 
tives, where  he  almost  immediately  became  promi- 
nent as  a leader  in  debate  on  the  Democratic  side. 
Of  his  record  as  a party  man  little  needs  to  be  said, 
except  that  from  first  to  last,  and  whatever  his  affilia- 
tions, he  displayed  great  independence  in  espousing 
measures  and  principles  which  commended  them- 
selves to  his  judgment  and  conscience,  even  when  it 
put  him  in  a minority  with  his  political  associates. 
In  his  first  legislative  term,  on  the  question  of  com- 
muting the  death  sentence  of  a woman  who  was  sen- 
tenced to  be  hung  for  murder,  he  not  only  advocated 
such  commutation,  but  was  a leader  in  the  movement 
for  the  abolition  of  capital  punishment  altogether,  to 
which  purpose  he  always  stood  committed.  In  the 
Legislature  of  1850  he  was  the  leading  advocate  of 
the  Homestead  Exemption  Law.  at  which  time  a reso- 
lution was  adopted  submitting  the  question  to  the 
people.  The  voters  of  the  State  gave  their  approval 
at  the  next  March  election,  and  in  the  following 
June  the  act  was  consummated.  No  Legislature  has 
dared  to  repeal  it,  and  the  foresight  and  courage  of 
its  authors  and  earliest  advocates  have  been  so 
approved  by  thirty  years  of  experience  that  it  is 
doubtful  if  a single  citizen  can  be  found  to-day  who 
would  desire  to  undo  their  work. 

It  was  no  accident  or  trifling  smartness  that  could 
give  a man  prominence  in  those  two  Legislatures  of 
a third  of  a century  ago.  Among  the  men  of  marked 


ability,  now  deceased,  who  held  seats  in  those  years 
were  Horton  D.  Walker,  Samuel  H.  Ayer,  Lemuel 
N.  Pattee,  Edmund  Parker,  Samuel  Lee,  John  Pres- 
ton, William  Haile,  Richard  Jenness,  William  P. 
Weeks,  Thomas  E.  Sawyer,  W.  PI.  Y.  Hackett,  Na- 
thaniel B.  Baker,  Charles  F.  Gove,  Thomas  M.  Ed- 
wards, Josiah  Quincy  and  scores  of  others,  now  living, 
of  equal  merit.  In  this  galaxy  of  brilliant  minds  it 
is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that,  young  as  he  was,  Mr. 
Harriman  was  an  honored  peer  in  legislative  duty 
and  debate.  Besides  the  two  years  named  he  repre- 
rented  Warner  again  in  the  House  in  1858,  when  he 
was  his  party’s  candidate  for  Speaker.  He  also  rep- 
resented District  No.  8 in  the  State  Senate  in  1859 
and  1860.  In  1853  and  1854  he  held  the  responsible 
position  of  State  treasurer.  Appointed,  in  1856,  by 
the  President  of  the  United  States,  on  a board  of 
commissioners,  with  ex-Congressmon  James  H.  Relf, 
of  Missouri,  and  Colonel  William  Spencer,  of  Ohio, 
to  classify  and  appraise  Indian  lands  in  Kansas,  he 
spent  a year  of  official  service  in  that  inviting  terri- 
tory, then  turbulent  with  ruffianism.  Border  raids, 
burnings  and  murder  were  daily  occurrences;  but 
the  duties  of  this  office  were  faithfully  attended  to, 
and  no  breath  of  complaint  was  ever  heard  against 
the  delicate  work  of  the  board. 

During  the  reign  of  that  un-American  political 
heresy  popularly  called  Know-Nothingism,  in  1854, 
1855  and  1856,  Mr.  Harriman  was  its  firm  and  un- 
yielding enemy.  In  a discussion  of  this  question 
with  Hon.  Cyrus  Barton,  at  Loudon  Centre,  Mr. 
Harriman  had  closed  his  first  speech,  and  Mr.  Barton 
has  just  begun  a reply,  when  he  dropped  dead  upon 
the  platform,  a tragedy  which  lingered  sadly  in  the 
memory  of  his  friendly  antagonist  of  that  day. 

The  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War  began  an  era  in  the 
life  of  every  public  man  in  the  nation.  It  projected 
issues  which  made  party  allegiance  a secondary  affair. 
It  sent  many  earnest  and  honest  men  across  the  party 
line,  while  some  of  our  best  citizens  simply  took  their 
stand  for  the  time  being  outside  all  political  folds, 
independent  and  ready  for  whatever  calls  the  ex- 
igencies of  the  country  might  give  forth.  In  that 
fateful  spring  of  1861,  Mr.  Harriman  became  the 
editor  and  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  Weekly  Union 
at  Manchester,  which  heartily  espoused  the  war 
policy  of  Mr.  Lincoln’s  administration  for  the  preser- 
vation of  the  republic,  and  thus  found  himself  the 
leader  and  spokesman  of  what  were  known  as  the 
“ War  Democrats.”  He  was  placed  in  nomination  as 
a candidate  for  Governor  of  the  State  at  a large  mass 
convention  of  this  class  of  voters,  held  at  Manchester 
in  February,  1863,  and  the  movement  resulted  in 
defeating  a choice  by  the  people  and  throwing  the 
election  into  the  Legislature. 

No  man  uttered  braver  or  more  eloquent  words  for 
the  Union  cause  than  Mr.  Harriman,  and  his  tongue 
and  pen  were  an  important  element  in  the  rousing  of 
the  citizens  of  New  Hampshire  to  the  graver  duties 


674 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


of  the  hour.  In  August,  1862,  he  was  made  colonel 
of  the  Eleventh  New  Hampshire  Regiment  of  Volun- 
teers. He  led  his  regiment  to  the  field,  and  was  at 
its  head  most  of  the  time  until  the  close  of  the  war, 
except  the  four  months,  from  May  to  September,  1864, 
when  he  was  an  inmate  of  Confederate  prisons.  With 
some  other  captured  Union  officers,  he  was  for  seven 
weeks  of  this  time  imprisoned  in  that  part  of  Charles- 
ton, S.  C.,  which  was  most  exposed  to  the  fire  of  the 
Union  guns  from  Morris  Island;  but,  providentially, 
though  that  part  of  the  doomed  city  was  destroyed,  no 
harm  came  to  him  from  the  guns  of  his  fellow-loyal- 
ists. 

The  first  set  battle  in  which  the  Eleventh  Regiment 
bore  a part  was  that  of  Fredericksburg,  in  December, 
1862,  when,  with  unflinching  courage,  Colonel  Har- 
riman  and  his  men  faced  the  dreadful  carnage  of  that 
long  day  before  Marye’s  Heights,  less  than  three 
months  after  their  arrival  in  the  field.  The  loss 
of  the  regiment  in  this  engagement  was  terrific. 
Passing  over  much  (for  want  of  space)  that  is  thrill- 
ing and  praiseworthy,  we  find  the  Eleventh,  under 
their  colonel,  at  the  front  in  the  battle  of  the  Wilder- 
ness, May  6,  1864,  where  they  made  a daring  and 
stubborn  onset  on  the  Confederate  entrenchments, 
carrying  before  them  two  successive  lines  of  the 
enemy’s  works.  But  among  the  five  thousand  Union 
men  that  were  captured  in  that  bloody  engagement, 
the  commander  of  the  Eleventh  New  Hampshire 
was  included.  Colonel  Harriman  and  the  survivors 
of  his  charge  were  present  at  the  final  grapple  of  the 
war,  before  Petersburg,  and  on  the  3d  day  of  April, 
1865,  he  led  a brigade  of  nine  regiments  (a  force  three 
times  as  great  as  the  whole  American  Army  at  Bun- 
ker Hill)  into  that  fated  city  on  the  heels  of  Lee’s 
fleeing  command.  The  war  was  now  virtually  ended ; 
the  surrender  of  Lee  at  Appomattox  followed  six  - 
days  afterward,  and  the  Eleventh  Regiment,  of  proud 
and  honorable  record,  was  mustered  out  of  service 
the  following  June.  Their  commander  was  appointed  j 
brigadier-general  United  States  Volunteers,  by 
brevet,  “ for  gallant  conduct  during  the  war,”  to  date  j 
from  March  13,  1865. 

On  his  arrival  home,  at  the  close  of  the  war,  Gen- 
eral Harriman  was  elected  to  the  office  of  Secretary 
of  State  by  the  Legislature  then  in  session,  and  he 
at  once  entered  upon  the  duties  of  the  office,  which  ! 
he  held  two  years,  and  until  his  promotion  to  the  J 
gubernatorial  chair.  In  the  large  Republican  Con- 
vention, consisting  of  six  hundred  and  seventy-five 
delegates,  and  held  at  Concord  in  1867,  he  was  nomi- 
nated on  the  first  ballot  as  candidate  for  Governor  of 
the  State.  One  of  the  most  salient  and  memorable  inci- 
dents connected  with  this  period  was  the  joint  canvass, 
made  by  amicable  arrangement  between  General  Har- 
riman and  the  Hon.  John  G.  Sinclair,  the  Democratic 
candidate.  Such  canvasses  are  not  uncommon  in  the  I 
West  and  South  ; but  in  New  England,  and  with  men  ! 
of  such  forensic  ability  as  the  distinguished  nominees  i 


posessed,  it  was  an  event  fraught  with  great  popular 
interest,  and  which  drew  forth,  possibly,  the  most 
earnest  and  eloquent  discussions  of  questions  to  which 
a New  England  people  has  ever  listened.  Many 
flattering  notices  were  given  of  these  discussions ; 
there  were  thirteen  in  all.  Commenting  on  one  of 
the  number,  a leading  newspaper  said  of  General 
Harriman:  “Soaring  above  all  petty  personal  allu- 
sions, he  held  the  audience  as  if  spell-bound,  and 
made  all  his  hearers,  for  the  time  being,  lovers  of 
the  whole  country — of  the  Union,  of  liberty  and  inde- 
pendence throughout  the  world.  He  spoke  not  as  a 
politician,  but  as  a patriot,  a statesman,  a philan- 
thropist, and  his  noble  sentiments  had  such  power  of 
conviction  that  it  was  impossible  to  ward  off  the 
results  by  argument.”  His  election  followed  by  a 
decisive  majority. 

The  campaign  of  1868  occurred  at  a time  when  a 
strong  reaction  was  setting  against  the  Republican 
party  throughout  the  country.  Fresh  candidates  for 
the  Presidency  were  about  to  be  nominated ; the  im- 
peachment of  Andrew  Johnson  was  in  progress; 
military  rule  had  been  established  in  the  South  ; utter 
financial  ruin  was  hotly  foretold  ; and  the  dominant 
party  was  suffering  crushing  reverses  in  many  of  the 
States.  To  add  to  the  discouragements  of  this  party 
in  New  Hampshire,  when  the  municipal  election 
came  on,  in  December,  Portsmouth  and  Manchester 
rolled  up  adverse  majorities,  and  the  tide  was  tending 
strongly  in  one  direction.  Encouraged  by  such 
promising  signs  the  Democratic  party  held  its  State 
Convention  at  the  early  day  of  the  14tli  of  November. 
Their  old  and  tried  war-horse,  John  G.  Sinclair,  was 
again  put  upon  the  track,  and  his  election  was,  by 
that  party,  deemed  a foregone  conclusion.  A long 
and  fierce  contest  ensued.  Governor  Harriman  met 
his  fellow-citizens  face  to  face  in  every  section  of  the 
State.  He  addressed  immense  meetings,  holding  one 
every  secular  day  for  six  weeks,  and  failing  to  meet 
no  appointment  on  account  of  weariness,  storms  or 
any  other  cause.  He  was  triumphantly  re-elected, 
obtaining  a larger  vote  than  any  candidate  for  office 
had  ever  before  received  in  New  Hampshire. 

Of  Governor  Harriman’s  administration  of  the  af- 
fairs of  the  State,  in  its  principal  features,  with  the 
exacting  duties  and  the  keen  prudence  required  of 
the  chief  executive  in  those  days  of  large  indebted- 
ness, unbalanced  accounts  and  new  legislation  to 
meet  the  new  and  unprecedented  demands,  his  con- 
stituents seem  to  have  been  hearty  and  unanimous  in 
their  approval.  Their  feelings  may  be  summed  up 
and  expressed  in  the  words  of  the  Boston  Journal 
when  it  said  : “The  administration  of  Governor  Har- 
riman will  take  rank  among  the  best  that  New  Hamp- 
shire has  ever  had.” 

General  Harriman  was  appointed  naval  officer  of 
the  port  of  Boston  by  President  Grant  in  April,  1860, 
which  office  he  accepted  after  the  expiration  of  his 
gubernatorial  term,  in  June  following.  He  was  re- 


WARNER. 


675 


appointed  in  1873  for  a term  of  four  years.  The  affairs 
of  this  office  were  conducted  in  such  a manner  as  to 
preclude  any  word  of  criticism. 

General  Harriman  engaged  in  political  canvasses 
repeatedly  in  most  of  the  Northern  States,  and  in  1872 
he  participated  extensively  in  the  State  campaign  in 
North  Carolina.  In  this  later  canvass  the  key-note 
of  the  national  campaign  was  pitched,  and  the  result 
of  the  desperate  contest  there  in  August  made  the  re- 
election  of  General  Grant  in  November  a certainty. 

Thousands  have  warmly  testified  to  the  rare  ora- 
torical powers  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  the  1 Meri- 
den (Connecticut)  Recorder  being  one  of  the  number. 
That  paper  says  of  him  : “Asa  platform  speaker  we 
never  heard  his  equal.  His  delivery  is  fine,  his  logic 
clear  as  a crystal,  his  manner  easy  and  natural  and 
his  physical  force  tremendous.  With  a voice  clear 
and  distinct  as  a trumpet,  of  immense  compass,  vol- 
ume and  power,  his  influence  over  an  audience  is 
complete.  He  affects  nothing,  but  proceeds  at  once 
to  the  work  in  hand,  and  from  the  very  outset  carries 
his  hearers  with  him,  rising  at  times  with  the  in- 
spiration of  his  theme  to  the  loftiest  flights  of  elo- 
quence.” 

In  1881,  General  Harriman  was  chosen  to  the  Leg- 
islature from  Concord,  and  in  the  Hall  of  Represent- 
atives, where  he  had  stood  over  thirty  years  before, 
he  took  a fearless  and  independent  position  on  the 
great  questions  that  were  agitated  at  that  session.  In 
1882  he  made  an  extended  tour  through  Europe  and 
portions  of  Asia  and  Africa,  visiting  London,  Paris, 
Rome,  Athens,  Alexandria,  Cairo,  Jerusalem  and 
many  other  places  of  note,  going  to  the  heart  of  the 
great  j:>yramid  and  bathing  in  the  Dead  Sea  and  the 
waters  of  Jordan.  On  his  return  he  wrote  a book  of 
his  travels,  which  was  his  last  work,  entitled  “ In  the 
Orient.”  The  book  is  characteristic  of  the  author, 
who  saw  much  in  a short  time,  and  taking  one  rapidly 
through  that  interesting  country,  on  foot  and  horse- 
back, where  brave  armies  fought  and  where  patri- 
archs, prophets  and  Apostles  went.  The  book  was 
published  by  Lee  & Shepard,  of  Boston,  and  two 
editions  have  been  sold. 

General  Harriman  was  twice  married : first,  in  1841, 
to  Miss  Appliia  K.  Hoyt,  daughter  of  Captain  Ste- 
phen Hoyt,  of  Warner,  who  died  two  years  afterwards  ; 
and  again,  in  1844,  to  Miss  Almira  R.  Andrews, 
of  Warner,  who  survives  him.  By  the  latter  marriage 
he  had  three  children, — Georgia,  the  only  daughter, 
is  the  wife  of  Joseph  R.  Leeson,  an  importer,  of  Bos- 
ton; Walter  C.,  the  oldest  son,  a lawyer  in  Boston; 
the  younger  son,  Benjamin  E.,  having  prepared  him- 
self for  the  medical  profession  at  some  of  the  best 
schools  in  the  land,  took  his  degree  at  Dartmouth 
College  in  1877  and  began  practice  in  Manchester, 
N.  H. ; but  his  health  soon  failing,  after  patient  and 
determined  efforts  for  its  recovery,  and  after  attempt- 
ing, in  Troy,  N.  H.,  to  follow  his  profession,  where,  in 
a short  space  of  time,  he  acquired  a large  practice  and 


aroused  the  strongest  feelings  of  friendship  and  sym- 
pathy of  the  people,  he  returned  to  his  father’s  home 
in  Concord,  where  he  died  of  consumption  and  a heart 
difficulty  May  23,  1880,  lamented  not  only  by  his  own 
family,  but  by  a large  circle  of  devoted  and  enthusi- 
astic friends.  His  wife,  so  early  bereaved,  was  Miss 
Jessie  B.,  only  daughter  of  the  late  Colonel  Isaac  W. 
Farmer,  of  Manchester. 

A biographical  paper,  read  before  the  New  Hamp- 
shire Medical  Society  by  Dr.  A.  H.  Crosby,  a phy- 
sician of  wide  reputation,  and  printed,  portrays  the 
character  of  Dr.  Harriman  in  generous  outline  and 
fine  and  tender  tinting.  He  was  a young  man  of  a 
keen  mind  and  of  high  integrity,  large  capacities  for 
friendship  and  superior  equipment  for  his  life-work. 
There  are  two  grandsons  and  one  granddaughter  of 
General  Harriman’s  surviving  children  to  represent 
the  family. 

In  the  month  of  July,  1883,  General  Harriman  was 
prostrated,  although  apparently  in  his  usual  health, 
with  cerebral  embolism,  resulting  in  aphasia,  and  al- 
though he  made  a wonderful  and  unexpected  recov- 
ery therefrom,  it  was  evident  that  his  days  on  earth 
were  hastening  to  a close.  Early  in  the  spring  of 
1884  he  became  confined  to  his  home.  Calmly  he 
awaited  the  great  transition,  as  the  shadows  gathered 
about  him,  with  the  oft-expressed  wish  that  it  might 
come  suddenly  and  that  his  days  of  weariness  might 
not  be  prolonged. 

Like  passing  into  a deep  sleep,  he  died  on  the 
morning  of  July  25th.  His  remains  repose  in  Pine 
Grove  Cemetery,  beneath  a tall  granite  shaft,  among 
his  kindred,  where  the  waters  of  the  river  ripple  be- 
low and  in  full  view  of  the  hills  that  overshadow  the 
place  of  his  birth. 


BENJAMIN  EVANS. 

Benjamin  Evans,  son  of  Tappan  Evans,  was  born 
at  Newburyport  in  1772,  but  was  brought  to  Warner 
with  the  family  before  1780.  His  mother  was  called 
the  “ handsomest  woman  in  Newburyport,”  and  the 
son  was  a man  of  striking  personal  appearance.  The 
writer  has  been  unable  to  gather  many  facts  in  rela- 
tion to  the  early  life  of  this  noted  man.  His  educa- 
tion was  limited,  but,  having  commanding  natural 
abilities,  he  wielded  a large  influence  in  Warner  and 
in  the  State  for  many  years.  He  married  a Miss 
Wadleigh  (an  aunt  of  the  late  Judge  Wadleigh,  of 
Sutton)  and  commenced  life  at  Roby’s  Corner.  There 
he  had  a farm  and  saw-mill,  the  mill  being  a few 
rods  below  the  present  river  bridge.  In  1803  he  went 
into  mercantile  business  at  South  Sutton  and  at  once 
became  a prominent  and  influential  man  in  the  town. 
Though  he  only  remained  at  Sutton  four  years,  he 
served  several  times  as  moderator  at  town-meetings 
and  several  times  as  selectman.  In  1807  he  returned 
to  Warner  and  made  his  home  from  that  time  through 
life  at  the  village. 


676 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


He  was  the  leading  business  man  in  town  for  a 
long  period  of  time;  besides  carrying  on  his  country 
store,  he  dealt  largely  in  cattle. 

He  lived  some  twenty-five  or  thirty  years  in  what 
is  now  known  as  the  Bates  house,  and  the  remainder 
of  his  life  at  the  Porter  house.  He  was  a soldier  in 
the  War  of  1812.  He  knew  every  man  in  town  and 
could  readily  call  each  man  by  name.  He  served  as 
moderator  of  town-meetings,  as  selectman  and  as 
representative  to  the  General  Court  a great  many 
years. 

He  was  elected  Senator  in  old  District  No.  8 in 
1830,  and  was  in  the  Governor’s  Council  in  1836  and 
1837.  He  was  appointed  sheriff  of  Merrimack  County 
in  1838  and  held  this,  his  last  office,  till  1843,  the 
year  before  his  decease. 

His  children  were  Abigail,  married  Reuben  Porter; 
Susan,  died  in  infancy;  Susan  (2d)  married  Dr. 
Eaton;  Lucinda, married  NathanS. Colby ; Sophronia, 
married  Stephen  C.  Badger;  Sarah,  married  H.  D. 
Robertson;  Hannah  M.,  married  Abner  Woodman 
(he  was  a farmer  and  did  considerable  justice  business 
in  settling  estates  in  the  town  of  Warner) ; Benja- 
min, the  last  child,  died  at  the  age  of  six  years.  Mrs. 
Hannah  M.  Woodman1  is  the  only  surviving  child  of 
the  late  Benjamin  Evans,  and  furnishes  this  illustra- 
tion as  a tribute  to  her  father’s  memory. 


LEVI  BARTLETT. 

Levi  Bartlett,  oldest  son  of  Joseph  Bartlett,  was 
born  in  Warner,  N.  H.,  April  29,  1793,  and  is,  there- 
fore, at  this  date,  ninety-two  years  of  age. 

His  grandfather,  Simeon  Bartlett,  of  Amesbury, 
Mass,  (a  brother  of  Governor  Josiah  Bartlett,  of 
Kingston,  N.  H.,  who  was  first  after  General  Han- 
cock to  vote  for  and  to  sign  the  “ Declaration  of  In- 
dependence ”),  was  one  of  the  original  proprietors  of 
the  town  of  Warner,  and  he  gave  to  his  three  sons, 
Joseph,  Richard  and  Simeon,  valuable  tracts  of  land 
in  the  then  newly-settled  township. 

The  Bartlett  family  are  from  Stopham,  Sussex 
County,  England.  John  and  Richard,  progenitors  of 
most  of  the  name  in  this  country,  came  over  in  1634 
and  1635,  and  settled  at  Newbury.  They  trace  back 
their  family  for  over  eight  hundred  years  of  unbroken 
pedigree.  Sir  Walter  B.  Barttelot,  a lineal  descendant 
of  Adam  Barttelot,  who  came  over  with  William,  the 
Conqueror,  now  inherits  the  old  family  estate,  con- 
sisting of  some  seven  or  eight  thousand  acres. 

Sir  Walter  is  member  of  Parliament,  a Conserva- 
tive and  a stanch  supporter  of  the  Queen. 

The  subject  of  the  present  sketch,  Levi  Bartlett,  of 
Warner,  was  early  employed  in  his  father’s  store,  at 
the  Lower  village.  A country  store  was  then,  even 


1 Since  the  above  was  written  Mrs.  Woodman  has  passed  away.  She 
died  May  26,  1885. 


more  than  now,  the  centre  of  all  masculine  gather- 
ings for  the  interchange  of  news  and  political  and  re- 
ligious ideas.  The  incidents  of  the  Revolutionary 
War  were  still  fresh  in  the  minds  of  the  old  habitues 
of  the  place,  and  the  lad,  always  eager  for  informa- 
tion, listened  with  breathless  interest  to  tales  of  daring 
and  heroic  deeds,  and  gazed  with  flashing  eye  as  some 
old  veteran  of  the  war  “ shouldered  his  crutch  and 
showed  how  fields  were  won.”  Added  to  the  history 
of  his  country  they  orally  delivered  were  the  contents 
of  the  town  library,  kept  at  his  father’s  store,  and  sup- 
plied, among  other  works,  with  copies  of  most  of  the 
popular  histories  then  extant, — Hume,  Gibbon,  Gold- 
smith, etc., — and  while  the  rest  of  the  family  were 
gathered  of  an  evening  in  the  “ east  room  ” for  social 
and  neighborly  converse,  the  young  man,  stretched  on 
the  old-fashioned  kitchen  settle,  read,  by  the  light  of  a 
tallow  candle,  or  possibly  by  a blazing  pine-knot,  his- 
tory, Shakesjreare,  translations  of  Virgil  and  Homer, 
or  whatever  else  of  poetry  or  romance  those  early  times 
afforded.  His  extreme  predilection  for  agriculture 
was  fostered,  if  not  induced,  by  the  “ Georgies,”  read 
at  that  susceptible  age.  Opportunities  for  education 
were  very  limited  in  those  days,  and  the  common  dis- 
trict school  did  not  set  ordinary  pupils  very  far  on  the 
road  to  knowledge.  Private  instruction,  through  a 
couple  of  winters,  by  Hon.  Henry  B.  Chase,  then  a 
rising  young  lawyer  of  the  town,  and  a “ finishing 
term  ” at  Amesbury  Academy  were  all  the  additional 
scholastic  advantages  enjoyed  by  Mr.  Bartlett.  This 
rather  meagre  training  was,  however,  largely  supple- 
mented in  his  case  by  constant,  varied  and  extensive 
reading,  and  by  a critical  study,  in  later  years,  of 
geology,  chemistry  and  other  works  connected  with 
what  was  then  dubbed,  rather  sneeringly,  by  the  pop- 
ular voice  as  “ scientific  farming.”  He  was  sent  early 
to  Newburyport  to  the  book-store  of  Thomas  & Whip- 
ple, and  later  to  the  store  of  his  uncle,  James  Thorn- 
dike, of  Salem,  Mass.,  with  the  expectation  that  he 
would  engage  in  mercantile  pursuits.  But  he  had 
little  taste  for  “ trade  ” and  the  embargo  and  non- 
intercourse with  foreign  nations,  owing  to  the  un- 
friendly and  exasperating  conduct  of  England,  which 
worked  so  disastrously  upon  the  fortunes  of  those 
once  opulent  merchants  in  the  “ City  by  the  Sea,” 
completed  the  disgust  of  young  Bartlett  for  that  oc- 
cupation. The  trade  of  tanner  and  currier  appeared 
to  him  the  only  safe  and  lucrative  business,  and  his 
father  arranged  to  set  him  up  accordingly. 

He  pursued  this  avocation  for  several  years,  but  the 
passion  for  agriculture,  which  had  all  this  time  found 
vent  in  the  cultivation  of  fruits  and  flowers,  grew  too 
powerful  to  be  resisted,  and  he  left  what  was  fast  be- 
coming a lucrative  employment  for  the  pursuit  of 
farming,  which  he  has  since  followed. 

He  began  at  once  to  write  for  agricultural  papers, 
experimented  largely  in  different  ways  of  managing 
crops,  adopted  most  of  the  new  theories  of  scientific 
men  in  relation  to  the  constitution  of  the  soil  and  its 


WARNER. 


077 


adaptation  to  certain  growths,  etc.  His  opinions  and 
writings  were  favorably  received,  and  he,  as  pioneer 
in  a new  field,  since  pretty  thoroughly  investigated, 
was  considered  “ authority  ” on  most  points  relating 
to  improved  agriculture. 

In  1834,  Mr.  Bartlett  was  invited  to  become  a regu- 
lar contributor  to  the  New  England  Farmer,  and  from 
that  date  till  after  he  had  passed  his  eightieth  year  he 
wrote  regularly  for  various  agricultural  periodicals. 
He  was  special  correspondent  and  associate  editor  of 
the  Boston  Journal  of  Agriculture  during  its  brief  life. 
He  wrote  constantly  for  the  Country  Gentleman,  oc- 
casionally for  the  Farmer’s  Monthly  Visitor,  The 
Statesman  and  Manchester  Mirror  and  many  other 
papers.  He  was  for  a time  associate  editor  of  the  Bos- 
ton Cultivator.  His  writings  have  been  published  in 
various  States  of  the  Union,  and  not  unfrequently 
copied  into  English  papers. 

When  an  Advisory  Board  of  Agriculture  met  at 
the  Patent  Office,  Washington,  D.  C.,  in  1859,  Mr. 
Bartlett  was  selected  by  a committee  of  that  board  to 
represent  New  Hampshire,  and  he  was  present  during 
its  session  of  eight  days. 

A year  later,  when  a series  of  important  lectures  on 
scientific  agriculture  was  to  be  given  at  Yale  College, 
Hon.  Henry  B.  French,  then  of  Exeter,  late  Assistant 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  at  Washington,  and  Mr. 
Bartlett  were  invited  from  this  State  to  be  present. 


After  he  had  passed  his  eightieth  birthday  he  began 
and  completed  a “Genealogy  of  the  Bartlett  Family,” 
which  has  been  largely  called  for  all  over  the  country. 

The  work  cost  a vast  amount  of  labor  and  research, 
and  proved  a very  trying  labor  for  the  aged  com- 
piler . 

In  politics  Mr.  Bartlett  has  been  an  “ old-time 
Whig,”  and  in  a town  which  was  for  many  years  the 
very  “ keystone  of  the  Democratic  arch  ” in  New 
Hampshire,  was  seldom  troubled  with  offers  of  office, 
but  held  the  office  of  postmaster  for  five  years  imme- 
diately preceding  General  Jackson’s  term  at  the 
White  House. 

It  is  curious  to  note  the  difference  in  that  “ institu- 
tion” between  those  years  and  the  present  time.  Mr. 
Bartlett  declares  that  more  papers  and  letters  are  re- 
ceived in  a single  day  now  at  our  office  than  he  dis- 
tributed in  the  course  of  a whole  year. 

Mr.  Bartlett  married,  June  1,  1815,  Hannah  Kelly, 
only  daughter  of  Rev.  William  Kelly,  the  first  minister 
of  Warner.  They  had  two  children,  who  lived  to 
mature  age, — William  K.,  who  married  Harriet  N., 
daughter  of  Nathan  Walker;  Lavinia  K.,  the  daugh- 
ter, married  Dr.  Dana  D.  Davis,  who  died  soon  after 
of  yellow  fever  in  Baton  Rouge,  La.,  where  he  was  in 
the  practice  of  his  profession.  Their  only  child,  Wil- 
liam D.  Davis,  married  Louise  Harding,  of  Virginia, 
and  is  a clerk  in  the  Custom-House,  New  York  City. 


[A  difference  of  opinion  seems  to  exist  concerning  the  derivation  of  the  name  of  this  town.  Hon.  Walter 
Harriman  claimed  that  it  was  named  in  honor  of  Seth  Warner,  of  Bennington,  Vt.,  while  others  claim  that 
it  derived  its  name  from  Hon.  Daniel  Warner,  of  New  Hampshire.  Isaac  W.  Hammond,  however,  author  of 
“ Town  Papers,”  and  an  indefatigable  searcher  in  matters  relating  to  the  early  history  of  New  Hampshire, 
says  he  “ finds  himself  of  the  opinion  that  Governor  Wentworth  named  the  town  for  his  intimate  friend, 
Colonel  Jonathan  Warner,  of  Portsmouth,  who  married  a cousin  of  the  Governor,  and  was,  at  the  time  of  the 
incorporation  of  Warner,  a member  of  the  Governor’s  Council.” — Publishers.] 


HISTORY  OF  WEBSTER. 


BY  MISS  E.  M.  BUXTON. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Introductory — Description — Industries — Early  Settlements — Incorpora- 
tion. 

Introductory. — The  historical  instinct,  if  we  may 
use  the  expression,  is  not  strong  in  Americans.  We 
have  been  too  intensely  busy  with  the  present  to 
spend  much  time  in  gathering  up  the  story  of  the 
past.  But  we  are  beginning  to  realize  the  great  value 
of  our  heritage  of  history.  States, couu ties,  towns  and 
families  are  searching  among  records  and  traditions, 
trying  to  weave  the  scattered  and  broken  threads  into 
something  like  continuous  narrative.  The  sketch 
here  presented  in  behalf  of  the  town  of  Webster  is 
exceedingly  fragmentary,  having  been  prepared  un- 
der great  disadvantages.  This  word  of  apology  is 
due,  not  to  the  writer,  hut  to  the  citizens  of  Webster. 
Much  of  the  material  used  has  been  drawn  from  the 
“ History  of  Boseawen,”  by  Rev.  Ebenezer  Price, 
published  in  1823,  and  from  the  “History  of  Bos- 
cawen  and  Webster,”  by  Charles  Carleton  Coffin, 
published  in  1878.  The  writer  would  acknowledge 
also  assistance  furnished  by  Messrs.'  W.  W.  Burbank 
and  Sherman  Little.  Another  esteemed  citizen  of 
Webster  should  also  be  named  here,  whose  record 
henceforth  is  on  high— Mr.  Ephraim  Little.  He  was 
familiar  with  the  history  of  his  native  town,  and  was 
greatly  interested  in  gathering  materials  for  this 
work,  but  died  before  he  had  put  them  in  shape  to  be 
used. 

Webster  looks  back  with  a just  pride  upon  her  past. 
Those  early  settlers  who  gave  character  to  the  town 
were  men  of  sturdy  natures,  courageous,  persevering, 
clear  in  their  perceptions  of  right  and  of  duty,  posi- 
tive in  their  opinions,  abounding  more  in  solid  sense 
than  in  refinement.  These  qualities  have  appeared 
in  a marked  degree  in  all  the  subsequent  history  of 
the  town.  The  institutions  of  the  gospel  and  of  edu- 
cation were  among  the  first  cares  of  those  who  came 
to  the  wilderness,  and  these  have  exercised  their  own 
softening  and  refining  influence  on  the  generations 
who  have  succeeded.  The  results  of  this  influence 
have  been  felt,  not  only  within  the  limits  of  Webster, 
hut  wherever  the  migratory  spirit  has  led  her  sons 
and  daughters.  These  are  filling  honorable  positions 
on  the  Pacific  slope,  in  the  great  Northwest  and  in 
the  Mississippi  Valley.  Such  men  as  Jacob  Little,  in 
678 


Ohio,  and  Henry  Little,  in  Indiana,  have  laid  a 
strong  molding  hand  on  thousands  of  the  inhabitants 
of  those  and  other  States,  and  have  helped  to  make 
the  interior  of  our  country  what  it  is  to-day. 

In  common  with  many  of  the  country  towns  of 
New  England,  Webster  has  decreased  in  population 
within  the  last  forty  years,  and  the  present  inhabit- 
ants speak  with  a shade  of  sadness  of  the  large 
families  and  the  crowded  school-houses  of  a half- 
century  ago.  But  the  fountain  does  not  complain 
because  it  cannot  keep  all  its  waters  at  home.  It 
sends  them  forth  in  streams  which  carry  life  and 
verdure  hither  and  thither  until  at  last  the  clouds 
bring  them  back  again.  So  to  the  country  hill- 
sides of  New  England  come  back  the  blessings  and 
prayers  of  those  who  have  gone  forth  to  other  homes. 

Description.  — More  than  a century  and  a half 
have  passed  away  since  John  Coffin  and  eighty  other 
citizens  of  Newbury  petitioned  the  General  Court  of 
Massachusetts  Bay  for  “a  grant  of  land  situated  on 
the  west  side  of  the  Merrimack,  adjoining  Penacook 
plantation.”  The  grant,  which  was  obtained  the  fol- 
lowing year,  lays  down  the  boundaries  of  the  pro- 
posed township  as  follows : 

“A  plot  of  township  of  land  granted  at  [by]  the  Court  to  John  Coffin 
and  others,  lying  on  Merrimack  river,  above  Penacook,  surveyed  by 
Richard  Hazen  and  two  chain  men  on  oath,  being  bounded  as  follows, 
viz. : beginning  at  the  middleof  Contoocook  river,  when  it  empties  into 
! the  Merrimack,  where  it  joins  the  Penacook  Plantation;  thence  running 
west,  15°  South,  adjoining’Penacook  line,  four  miles,  to  a white  pine 
tree,  marked  for  Penacook  corner  bound  ; thence,  further  on,  the  same 
line  three  miles  and  eight  poles  to  a Norway  pine  marked  for  the  corner 
bounds:  thence  turned  at  right-angles  and  running  North  15°  west  seven 
miles  and  eight  poles,  to  a crotched  white  birch  lettered  and  standing  on 
the  southeast  side  of  a hill,  which  is  the  North  west  corner  ; thence 
turned  at  right-angles  and  run  east  15  deg.  north,  near  seven  .miles  and 
a half,  to  a white  oak  aDd  two  white  pines  marked,  by  Merrimack  river, 
and  by  said  river  as  it  runs  to  Contoocook  River.” 

This  was  known  by  the  Indian  name  of  Contoo- 
cook, until  the  formal  incorporation  of  the  town,  in 
1760,  when  it  took  the  name  of  Boseawen,  in  honor 
of  Admiral  Boseawen,  who  distinguished  himself  in 
the  British  navy  during  the  French  and  Indian  War 
and  at  its  close.  The  present  article  has  to  do  only 
with  the  western  part  of  this  tract,  which,  in  1860, 
became  a separate  town,  bearing  the  name  of  Web- 
ster. The  account  of  the  division  of  the  old  town 
will  be  given  more  at  length  hereafter. 

Webster  is  an  agricultural  town,  possessing  a var- 


WEBSTER. 


679 


iety  of  soil  adapted  to  farming  and  grazing,  with  a 
good  proportion  of  forest  growth.  Oak  and  maple, 
pine  and  hemlock  are  abundant.  The  Blackwater 
River  runs  through  from  north  to  south,  affording 
several  good  water  privileges.  The  surface  is  diver- 
sified with  hill  and  dale,  abounding  in  bits  of  the 
most  picturesque  scenery.  The  chief  eminences  in 
the  town  are  Little  Hill  and  Cook’s  Hill  in  the  north 
part,  Corser  Hill  in  the  east,  Pond  Hill  in  the  west, 
and  Rattlesnake  Hill  southwest  of  the  centre.  Long 
Pond  is  a beautiful  sheet  of  water,  nearly  two  miles 
long  and  from  one-half  to  three-fourths  of  a mile 
wide,  towards  the  west  part  of  the  town,  at  the  foot 
of  Pond  Plill ; while,  on  the  east,  Great  Pond  lies  on 
the  boundary  between  Webster  and  Boscawen. 

From  various  points  in  the  town  commanding  views 
may  be  obtained  of  landscapes  presenting  an  endless 
variety  of  feature.  One  of  these  “ mounts  of  vision  ” 
is  on  Little  Hill.  Looking  toward  the  southwest  in  a 
summer  morning,  one  sees  Long  Pond  nestling  among 
the  surrounding  hills,  reflecting  in  its  glassy  surface 
every  line  of  their  contour  with  wonderful  clearness. 
The  farm-houses  of  White  Plain  can  be  seen  here  and 
there,  almost  hidden  among  the  trees,  until  the  nar- 
row valley  broadens  out  into  a vista  of  sunny  slopes, 
blending  at  lasc  with  the  sky. 

The  highest  land  in  Webster  is  the  hill  west  of  the 
house  of  Captain  William  D.  George,  which  probably 
has  an  elevation  of  between  nine  hundred  and  one 
thousand  feet.  Mount  Washington  is  plainly  visible 
from  that  point  in  a clear  atmosphere.  The  elevation 
of  Corser  Hill  Meeting-House  is  seven  hundred  and 
eighty -six  feet.  Mount  Kearsarge,  with  its  graceful 
outline,  is  seen  to  fine  advantage  from  Corser  Hill, 
while  from  the  height  of  land  south  of  the  house  of 
Mrs.  John  Sanborn  a rare  view  may  be  enjoyed  in  a 
clear  day  eastward,  westward  and  northward,  includ- 
ing some  of  the  White  Mountain  peaks. 

From  Sanborn  Hill,  in  the  west  part  of  the  town, 
the  eye  sweeps  over  an  extensive  landscape,  by  no 
means  inferior  in  its  varied  beauty  to  those  already 
mentioned. 

A small  village  clusters  about  the  Congregational 
Church  on  Corser  Hill,  and  a mile  southwest  of  that 
is  the  larger  village  of  Sweatt’s  Mills,  containing  the 
Methodist  Church,  post-office  and  the  Blackwater 
Mills,  which  are  at  present  closed.  There  are  two 
stores  in  town,  one  kept  by  George  Little  on  Corser 
Hill,  and  the  other  by  Arthur  C.  Call  at  Sweatt’s 
Mills. 

The  location  of  the  town  is  a healthy  one  and  peo- 
ple grow  old  here.  At  the  opening  of  the  present 
year  (1885)  there  were  fifteen  individuals  in  town 
over  eighty  years  of  age  and  two  of  these  were  upwards 
of  ninety, — Mr.  Jacob  Waldron,  ninety-four,  and  Mrs. 
Amos  Corser,  ninety-two.  Both  have  died  since  the 
beginning  of  the  year. 

The  population  of  the  town,  according  to  the  cen- 
sus of  1880,  is  six  hundred  and  forty-seven. 


Industries. — Lumbering  has  always  been  predomi- 
nant among  the  industrial  interests  of  Webster.  The 
first  saw-mill  was  built  by  Henry  Gerrish  in  1779,  on 
the  Blackwater,  a little  above  the  mill  now  owned  by 
W.  W.  & I.  A.  Burbank.  That  at  the  outlet  of  Long 
Pond  was  built  about  1800  by  Jeremiah  Gerrish,  and 
somewhat  later  the  mill  on  the  Blackwater,  a little 
north  of  Dingit  Corner,  and  the  Danforth  and  Jack- 
man  Mills  farther  down  the  river.  Pillsbury’s  mill 
was  built  about  1809.  The  mill  on  Knight’s  Meadow 
Brook  was  built  by  Henry  Little  about  1825.  The 
first  clapboard-mill  was  below  the  Pillsbury  mill  and 
was  built  by  Colonel  John  Farmer.  The  second  was 
built  in  1834  aud  is  still  in  use,  being  owned  at 
present  by  W.  W.  & I.  A.  Burbank.  The  first  grist- 
mill was  the  Norris  Mill,  at  Sweatt’s  Mills.  There 
was  also  one  run  of  stones  in  Pillsbury’s  mill. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  century  there  were  two 
fulling-mills  in  town,  one  at  Sweatt’s  Mills  and  the 
oilier  at  Burbank’s  Mills.  Both  were  run  at  one 
time  by  Paul  Pearson.  At  Sweatt’s  Mills,  when 
the  river  was  low,  the  fulling-mill  and  grist-mill 
were  run  alternately,  one  by  day,  the  other  by  night. 

Coopering  was  carried  on  by  Captain  Boyden, 
Jabez  Abbott  and  Benjamin  Sweatt.  At  Sweatt’s 
Mills  a building,  put  up  originally  for  a carding-mill, 
was  used  for  a long  time  as  a match-mill.  The 
manufacture  of  hats  was  carried  on  by  Mr.  Columbus 
George,  on  White  Plain.  Cut  nails  were  made  by 
Jeremiah  Gerrish,  on  the  place  now  owned  by 
Charles  D.  Glitten.  They  were  cut  out  of  hoop-iron 
with  large  shears,  driven  by  horse-power. 

At  the  present  time  the  manufacture  of  shingles, 
broom-handles,  chair-stock,  etc.,  is  carried  on  by 
James  Snyder,  on  the  mill-site  on  Blackwater  River, 
near  the  residence  of  Samuel  Little.  Box-making  is 
a special  branch  of  business  at  Burbank’s  Mills,  to- 
gether with  general  lumber  business  and  making  of 
chair-stock.  In  1881  between  five  aud  six  thousand 
dollars  were  paid  out  by  F.  L.  Burbank  & Son  for 
labor,  including  teaming. 

Early  Settlements. — In  1745,  Thomas  Cook  built 
a log  cabin  in  the  northeast  part  of  what  is  now  Web- 
ster, near  “Mutton  Road,”  and  not  far  from  the  swell 
of  land  which  bears  his  name.  This  was  probably 
the  first  house  built  in  the  town.  Upon  the  breaking 
out  of  Indian  hostilities  in  the  following  year,  he 
deemed  it  prudent  to  leave  his  cabin,  but  was  killed 
at  Clay  Hill  in  May,  1746.  During  the  peace  which 
followed  the  first  outbreak  of  Indian  warfare,  Edward 
Emery  built  a house  at  the  foot  of  Corser  Hill,  on  the 
south  side  of  Long  Street,  on  land  now  owned  by 
Miss  Nancy  Couch.  He  moved  his  family  thence 
to  the  fort,  upon  the  second  Indian  attack,  and  the 
house  was  rifled  by  the  savages.  It  is  not  known 
that  he  ever  occupied  it  afterward.  In  1756  he,  with 
Ezekiel  Flanders,  was  killed  by  the  Indians  at 
Newfound  Lake,  whither  they  had  gone  to  hunt 
beavers.  Permanent  settlements  began  about  1763. 


680 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Benjamin  Day  was  probably  the  first  settler.  He  built 
a house  on  land  now  owned  by  Mr.  John  Dodge. 
About  the  same  time  Jonathan  Cass  built  a house 


mittee  of  non-residents  was  chosen  to  select  a site  for 
a new  meeting-house.  One  of  this  committee  was 
Judge  Ebenezer  Webster,  of  Salisbury,  father  of  Hon. 


by  Long  Pond,  near  the  house  lately  owned  by  Mr. 
David  Sweatt,  the  foundations  of  which  may  still  be 
seen.  These  two  were  the  only  houses  west  of  the 
Blackwater  when,  in  1774,  Enoch  Little  built  his 
house  on  Little  Hill.  The  first  framed  house  in  Web- 
ster was  built  by  Mr.  David  Corser,  on  Corser  Hill, 
and  is  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Tilton. 

Not  far  from  1795,  Mr.  Stephen  Putney  bought  and 
cleared  the  farm  in  the  south  part  of  the  town,  on 
which  his  son,  Mr.  Charles  E.  Putney,  now  lives. 
A little  later,  William  Clough  settled  on  Sanborn 
Hill,  west  of  Pond  Hill,  and,  shortly  after,  Mr. 
Tristram  Sanborn  built  a house  near  where  his 
son,  Jesse  Sanborn,  lives  at  present.  In  Bashan, 
Moses  Gerrish  and  William  Danfortli  settled,  per- 
haps a little  earlier.  From  1775  to  1800,  settle- 
ments rapidly  increased.  “ In  the  year  1777  there 
were  probably  not  more  than  ten  legal  voters  west  of 
Beaver  Dam.  In  thirteen  years  the  number  had  in- 
creased to  seventy-one.”  From  this  time  until  1860 — 
the  date  of  the  incorporation  of  Webster — its  civil 
history  is  hardly  separable  from  that  of  Boscawen. 
Mr.  Coffin,  in  his  excellent  “History  of  Boscawen  and 
Webster,”  gives  a variety  of  facts  in  regard  to  the 
“west  end  of  the  town,”  some  of  which  will  be  given 
nearly  in  a chronological  order. 

Up  to  1791  there  was  no  meeting-house  in  the  ter- 
ritory now  called  Webster,  the  only  place  of  worship 
in  Boscawen  being  at  the  northwest  corner  of  the 
cemetery  west  of  Woodbury’s  Plain.  This  was  a long 
way  off  for  the  residents  west  of  Blackwater,  and  the 
question  of  a new  meeting-house  was  agitated  in  1784, 
but  without  result.  In  1791  they  presented  the  fol- 
lowing petition  to  the  General  Court: 

“ To  the  Honorable  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  State 
of  New  Hampshire  in  General  Court  Assembled: 

“ The  subscribers,  Inhabitants  of  the  westerly  half  of  the  town  of  Bos- 
cawen, in  said  state,  Humbly  beg  leave  to  show  that  the  easterly  half  of 
6aid  Town  was  first  settled,  & that  the  meeting-IIouse  built  to  accommo- 
date that  part  of  the  town  only,  giving  the  westerly  part,  which  was 
then  thinly  inhabited,  encouragement  for  a pariah,  when  their  numbers 
were  sufficient,  but  as  it  is  not  agreeable  to  the  laws  of  the  state,  your 
petitioners  are  exposed  to  great  inconvenience  and  hardship  in  attending 
public  worship,  town  meetings  & especially  in  the  winter  season,  it  being 
more  than  five  miles  from  the  Meeting-House  to  the  Centre  of  the  west- 
erly half  of  said  Town  & that  from  the  combination  of  Ponds  Hills  <fe 
Swamps  Jtc.,  which  lie  between  the  easterly  & westerly  half,  will  ever 
render  it  inconvenient  to  remain  in  our  District  <fe  in  our  present  situa- 
tion we  have  no  redress  without  the  aid  of  this  court. 

“Your  petitioners,  therefore,  pray  that  the  westerly  half  of  said  Town 
may  be  set  off  from  the  easterly  half,  and  incorporated  into  a separate 
Town  by  the  name  of  Bristol,  with  the  same  privileges  as  other  Towns 
in  this  6tate  or  otherwavs  relieved,  as  your  Honors,  in  your  wisdom,  shall 
see  meet,  & your  petitioners,  as  in  Duty  bound,  shall  ever  pray. 

“Boscawen,  June  1,  1791.” 


This  was  signed  by  seventy-one  names, — that  is,  by 
all  the  legal  voters  west  of  Beaver  Dam.  This  alarmed 
the  citizens  of  the  east  section,  who  did  not  wish  the 
town  divided,  and,  at  a special  town-meeting,  a com- 


Daniel  Webster.  It  was  voted  that  the  frame  be  raised 
and  the  pews  sold  during  the  year.  This  building  is 
now  the  town-house  of  Webster. 

In  1793  the  first  store  was  opened  in  Webster  by 
Samuel  Gookin,  in  a house  that  stood  on  the  site  now 
occupied  by  the  residence  of  George  Little,  Esq.,  on 
Corser  Hill. 


“ In  1812,  Colonel  John  Farmer,  Abraham  Burbank,  Moses  Gerrish, 
William  Danfortli,  Moses  Tyler,  of  Hopkintou,  Little  Burbank,  Moses 
Little  and  other  citizens,  formed  an  association  known  as  the  Bashan 
Mining  Co.  It  was  thought  that  lead  and  silver  would  be  found  on  land 
owned  by  William  Danfortli.  Extravagant  stories  were  current  in  regard 
to  lead  mines  known  to  the  Indians.  It  was  currently  reported  that  the 
Indians  knew  a place  where  they  could  cut  out  the  lead  with  their  knives, 
and  thus  obtain  bullets.  If  the  citizens  had  known  ought  of  mineral- 
ogy, they  would  have  rejected  such  fictions  at  once,  for  lead  never  exists, 
in  its  native  state,  in  such  a form. 

“The  first  meeting  of  the  association  was  at  the  house  of  Abraham 
Burbank,  October  27,  1812.  Moses  Gerrish  was  chosen  moderator  and 
John  Farmer  clerk. 

“At  a second  meeting  it  was  ‘ Voted  that  John  Holmes  shall  have  a 
share  in  said  mine,  providing  that  he  will  show  the  company  where  the 
real  substance  of  lead  is,  and  not  without.1  ‘ Voted,  that  application  be 
made  to  Israel  Diamond,  of  Goffstown,  for  the  discovery  of  the  mine,  if 
Holmes  should  fail.’  ‘ Voted , that  application  be  made  to  Doctor  Withs 
[Withem],  of  Plymouth,  if  Holmes  and  Diamond  should  fail.’ 

“These  gentlemen — Holmes,  Diamond  and  Withem — were  supposed  to- 
be  able  to  locate  a mine  by  the  use  of  witch-hazel  rods,  which,  when 
carried  in  the  hand,  would  point  to  the  precious  metal. 

“ Which  of  these  located  the  mine  is  not  known,  but  operations  began 
near  William  Danforth's  house.  A hole  thirty  or  forty  feet  deep  was 
dug,  but  no  silver  or  lead  was  found,  and  the  mine  was  soon  aban- 
doned.” 

In  February,  1824,  and  August,  1826,  great  freshets 
occurred,  the  latter  having  been  known  ever  since  as 
“ the  great  August  freshet.”  More  than  twelve  inches 
of  rain  fell  in  six  hours.  “ Every  bridge  across  the 
Blackwater  was  swept  away  with  the  exception  of  that 
at  Sweatt’s  Mills.  The  water  ran  through  the  ravines 
west  of  the  village  at  Sweatt’s  Mills  and  also  took 
the  short  cut  from  the  bend  near  the  residence  of 
Mr.  Orlando  Fittz  to  the  mills  near  Samuel  Little’s. 
The  roads  were  very  much  washed.  The  damage  in 
other  towns  was  equally  great.  At  the  White  Moun- 
tains occurred  the  slide  by  which  the  Willey  family 
lost  their  lives.” 

A post-office  was  established  at  Sweatt’s  Mills  in 
1830  and  the  mail  was  carried  once  a week  to  Hopkin- 
ton.  Most  of  the  citizens,  however,  received  their 
mail  from  Concord,  and,  in  1841,  a petition  was  en- 
tered for  a new  post-route  to  Boscawen,  with  a mail 
service  twice  a week,  which  was  granted.  In  1851  a 
tri-weekly  mail  was  obtained,  and  since  1881  the  mail 
I has  been  delivered  daily. 

The  Granite  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company  was 
organized  in  1841.  S.  B.  Little  was  president,  and 
Rev.  Ebenezer  Price  secretary.  This  association 
gave  place,  in  1877,  to  the  Merrimack  County  Mutual 
Fire  Insurance  Company,  with  the  following  directors : 
Francis  B.  Sawyer,  president ; Friend  L.  Burbank, 


WEBSTER. 


081 


Joseph  L.  Couch,  Cyrus  Fittz,  Ephraim  Little  sec- 
retary and  treasurer. 

Incorporation. — lu  1791,  as  has  already  been  seen, 
the  people  of  West  Boscawen  petitioned  for  a division 
of  the  town,  that  they  might  secure  a meeting-house 
for  themselves.  This  was,  however,  prevented  by  the 
■citizens  of  the  east  part  of  the  town,  who  agreed  to 
the  building  of  the  desired  place  of  worship.  In 
course  of  time  other  causes  conspired  to  bring  about 
a permanent  separation  between  the  two  sections. 
The  Northern  and  Concord  and  Claremont  Railroads 
had  changed  the  currents  of  trade  to  Concord,  Warner 
andContoocook  instead  of  Boscawen  Plain,  as  formerly. 
The  lack  of  a central  town-house  furnished  another 
reason  for  discontent.  Town-meetings  had  been  held 
at  the  east  and  west  ends  of  the  town  alternately ; but, 
in  1840,  the  meeting-house  on  the  Plain  being  re- 
modeled, the  meeting  was  at  West  Boscawen  two  years 
in  succession,  and  this  raised  the  question  of  division 
again.  Some  of  the  voters  at  the  west  end  com- 
plained of  unfair  dealing  in  the  application  of  public 
funds,  being  aggrieved  by  the  purchase  of  a fire-engine 
for  Fisherville  (now  Penacook),  which,  they  affirmed, 
had  been  voted  upon  after  the  majority  had  gone 
home.  On  the  other  hand,  taxable  property  at  the 
east  end  was  rapidly  increasing,  and  the  citizens  of 
that  section  retorted  that  they  had  heavy  taxes  of 
their  own  to  pay  without  being  obliged  to  keep  so 
many  Blackwater  bridges  in  repair.  Political  jeal- 
ousies naturally  arose  between  the  two  parts  of  the 
town,  and  at  length,  in  18(30,  the  centennial  year  of 
the  town  of  Boscawen,  a petition  was  presented  to  the 
Legislature,  signed  almost  entirely  by  the  citizens  of 
the  east  part  of  the  town  (but  one  name  having  been 
obtained  from  the  other  part),  praying  that  the  town 
might  be  divided,  the  east  section  retaining  the  name 
and  records.  This  roused  strong  and  indignant  feel- 
ings among  the  people  of  West  Boscawen.  In  spite 
of  all  causes  of  discontent,  they  were  proud  of  the 
past  history  of  the  noble  old  town,  and  were  unwilling 
to  be  thus  thrust  out  from  their  inheritance  in  its  name 
and  fame.  They  opposed  the  division  stoutly ; but 
stronger  influences  were  brought  to  bear  upon  the 
legislative  body  by  the  other  side,  and  on  July  4, 1860) 
the  Governor  approved  the  act  of  imcorporation,  the 
first  section  of  which,  defining  the  boundaries  of  the 
new  tow'll,  is  as  follows  : 

“ That  all  that  part  of  the  town  of  Boscawen  lying  westward  of  the 
following  described  line,  to  wit : beginning  at  the  centre  of  Beaver-Dam 
Brook,  so  called,  on  the  northerly  boundary  line  of  said  town,  and  run- 
ning thence  southerly  along  the  centre  of  said  brook  to  Couch  Pond,  so 
called  ; thence  in  a straight  line  across  said  pond  to  the  brook  connecting 
the  same  with  Great  Pond,  so  called  ; thence  along  the  centre  of  said  last- 
mentioned  brook  to  said  Great  Pond ; thence  in  a straight  line  across 
said  Great  Pond  and  the  brook  running  therefrom,  at  the  southerly  end 
thereof ; thence  along  the  centre  of  said  brook  until  it  strikes  the  south- 
erly side  of  the  highway,  near  Burbank’s  Mills,  so  called,  leading  from 
Ephraim  Plumer’s  to  Dodge’s  Mills,  so  called  ; thence  easterly,  along 
the  southerly  side  of  said  highway  to  a point  in  a line  with  the  westerly 
side  line  of  the  fifth  range  of  the  forty-five  acre  lots  in  the  fourth  division, 
as  originally  laid  out ; thence  southerly  to  and  along  said  westerly  line  of 
said  fifth  range,  and  in  continuation  of  the  same  direction,  to  the  south- 

43 


erly  boundary  line  of  said  Boscawen,  be,  and  the  same  hereby  is,  severed 
from  said  town  and  made  a body  politic  and  corporate,  by  the  name  of 
Webster.”* 

Great  dissatisfaction  was  felt  in  regard  to  the  name. 
It  was  claimed  that  it  had  been  given  in  honor  of  Daniel 
! Webster ; but  the  people  of  the  town  believed  it  to 
have  been  given  out  of  “ malice  prepense'’  as  a last- 
ing sarcasm  upon  the  relations  of  certain  men  promi- 
nent in  both  towns.  Moreover,  they  claimed  that, 
even  if  given  in  good  faith  and  in  honor  of  the  great 
statesman,  it  wras  the  east  end,  where  he  had  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  law  from  March,  1805,  until  Septem- 
ber, 1807,  which  should  have  the  name,  rather  than 
the  west,  with  which  he  had  no  connection  whatever. 
They  petitioned  the  Legislature  for  the  name  West 
Boscawen,  but  were  refused.  This,  however,  was  re- 
tained as  the  post-office  address  until  a later  period, 
and  the  name  of  Webster  was  rarely  used,  save  in  legal 
matters. 

Probably  the  true  explanation  of  the  origin  of  the 
name  is  to  be  found  in  the  following  extract  from  a 
letter  written  by  Judge  Smith,  of  Manchester,  in 
reply  to  inquiries  addressed  to  him  by  Sherman  Lit- 
tle, Esq. : 

“ The  bill  to  divide  the  town  was  reported  favorably  by  some  commit- 
tee, probably  by  the  committee  on  division  of  towns.  The  bill,  as 
reported,  gave  the  new  town  the  name  of  West  Boscawen.  I knew  no- 
thing about  the  merits  of  the  bill,  or  of  the  feeling  that  had  arisen  be- 
tween the  people  of  the  east  and  west  parts  of  the  old  town.  When  the 
bill  was  reported  and  read,  it  occurred  to  me  that  it  would  be  in  better 
taste,  as  well  as  more  convenient,  to  give  the  new  town  a distinctive 
name,  rather  than  a name  not  differing  from  that  of  the  old  town,  except 
by  the  geographical  prefix.  Accordingly,  I cast  my  ©ye  over  a township 
map  of  New  England  in  search  of  an  appropriate  name.  Almost  the 
first  name  that  caught  my  attention  was  Webster.  It  immediately  oc- 
curred to  me  that  it  would  be  peculiarly  appropriate  to  name  one  of  the 
towns  Webster,  for  that  distinguished  son  of  New  Hampshire,  Daniel 
Webster.  ...  I at  once  suggested  the  matter  to  the  counsel  who 
represented  the  old  and  new  towns,  and  they  both  assented  that  I migh* 
make  the  motion  to  amend  the  bill  in  the  particular  mentioned,  or  made 
no  objection  to  it.  . . . 

“When  the  bill  next  came  up  in  the  House,  I moved  to  amend  by 
striking  out  the  words  West  Boscawen,  wherever  they  occurred,  and  in- 
serting the  word  Webster,  and  stated  briefly  my  reasons  for  so  doing. 

. . . My  recollection  is  that  no  one  said  a word  against  the  change  of 

name,  and  the  motion  was  adopted  without  dissension  or  opposition.” 

The  first  town  meeting  was  held  August  11th,  S.  B. 
Little,  Esq.,  being  elected  moderator,  and  D.  E.  Bur- 
bank town  clerk. 

It  was  expected  that  the  new  town  would  return  a 
Democratic  majority,  but,  in  its  first  town-meeting 
and  ever  since,  Republican  principles  have  prevailed. 
In  1866,  fifteen  ballotings  for  representative  resulted 
in  no  choice,  and  the  town  was  unrepresented  for 
that  year. 

Before  the  first  year  of  the  incorporate  existence  ot 
Webster  had  passed,  the  cloud  of  Civil  War,  which 
had  been  slowly  gathering  over  the  land,  burst  in  all 
its  fury.  There  was  a diversity  of  feeling  among  the 
inhabitants  of  the  town,  some  believing  the  war  to  be 
unnecessary,  a few  sympathizing  openly  with  the 
South,  while  the  larger  part  were  ready,  with  heart, 
hand  and  purse,  to  sustain  the  administration  in  its 
efforts  to  put  down  rebellion. 


682 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


January  15,  1862,  it  was  voted  to  support  the  fami- 
lies of  those  who  had  enlisted,  and  the  selectmen 
were  authorized  to  raise  money  for  that  purpose. 

August  7tli,  “ Voted,  that  the  town  pay  one  hundred 
dollars  to  each  recruit  who  is  an  inhabitant  of  this 
town,  who  will  enlist  before  the  18th  of  the  present 
month,  for  the  term  of  three  years,  not  to  exceed  the 
quota  required  of  this  town,  to  be  paid  when  mus- 
tered into  the  service.”  “ Voted,  that  the  selectmen 
be  authorized  to  hire  a sum  not  exceeding  three 
thousand  dollars,  to  meet  the  expense  of  paying  the 
above  bounty  to  volunteers.” 

September  3d,  “ Voted,  that  the  town  pay  to  volun- 
teers for  nine  months  in  the  army  of  the  United 
States  one  hundred  dollars  each,  upon  their  being 
mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States,  and 
the  selectmen  are  empowered  to  hire  money  suffi- 
cient to  pay  the  same. 

January  7, 1863,  “ Voted,  that  the  selectmen  procure 
men  to  fill  the  town’s  quota  on  the  best  terms  they 
can,  and  pay  from  any  money  belonging  to  the  town 
not  otherwise  appropriated.” 

September  7th,  “ Resolved,  that  the  town  of  Web- 
ster pay  to  its  drafted  men,  and  all  those  that  may  be 
drafted,  or  their  substitutes,  the  sum  of  three  hun- 
dred dollars,  in  accordance  with  an  act  of  Legislature 
passed  June  session,  1863,  and  approved  July  10, 
1863.” 

March  8,  1864,  “ Voted,  that  a bounty  of  three  hun- 
dred dollars  he  paid  to  its  veteran  volunteers,  who 
have  or  may  re-enlist  to  the  credit  of  the  town,  and 
authorize  the  selectmen  to  raise  the  sum.” 

August  16,  1877,  the  ninety-ninth  anniversary  of 
the  battle  of  Bennington  was  celebrated  in  the  Con- 
gregational meeting-house  with  appropriate  exer- 
cises. Sherman  Little,  Esq.,  was  president  of  the 
day.  A historical  oration  was  delivered  by  C.  C. 
Coffin,  Esq.,  of  Boston.  This  was  followed  by  ad- 
dresses by  Rev.  Edward  Buxton,  Rev.  Arthur  Little, 
of  Fond  du  Lac,  Wis.,  and  others,  with  music  by  a 
select  quartette  and  an  original  song  by  Major  Alfred 
Little. 

November  7th,  the  State  having  voted  a convention 
for  the  revision  of  the  Constitution,  Rev.  Edward 
Buxton  was  chosen  delegate  from  Webster. 

August  16,  1883,  the  town  of  Boscawen  celebrated 
the  one  hundred  and  fiftieth  anniversary  of  its  settle- 
ment, and  proposed  to  Webster,  as  having  been  for- 
merly a part  of  its  territory,  to  unite  in  the  celebra- 
tion and  preparations  therefor.  The  town  in  its  official 
capacity  did  not  respond  to  the  invitation  ; but  the 
sum  of  $50.50  was  contributed  by  individuals  towards 
the  expenses  of  the  occasion,  and  Webster  ladies,  with 
their  usual  liberality  and  housewifely  skill,  furnished 
generous  baskets  of  provisions  for  the  tables. 


CHAPTER  II. 

WEBSTER— ( Continued). 

Military  History — Ecclesiastical  History — Educational  History. 

Military  History. — The  history  of  the  Revolution 
has  been  written  over  and  over  again.  Some  writers 
have  wearied  themselves  and  their  readers  with  their 
careful  detail  of  the  causes  that  led  to  the  glorious 
struggle.  Others  have  lavished  their  powers  of  de- 
scription upon  the  brilliant  battle-scenes  of  the  war, 
while  others  still  have  devoted  their  pens  to  the 
character  and  achievements  of  their  favorite  heroes. 
But  a large  part  of  that  history  can  never  be  written 
by  human  pen.  The  struggles  between  love  and 
patriotism,  the  hand-to-hand  fights  with  poverty,  the 
heroism  that  nerved  the  hearts  of  wives  and  mothers 
to  bid  God-speed  to  their  husbands  and  sons,  and 
then  turn  back  without  flinching  into  their  lonely 
homes  to  do  as  best  they  could  the  work  that  belonged 
to  stronger  hands — these  can  be  found  only  in  the 
records  kept  above.  Webster  has  her  full  share  in 
this  unwritten  history,  though  there  may  be  little 
which  can  be  put  upon  paper.  Her  adult  citizens  in 
1776  were  not  more  than  thirty  in  number,  but  these 
all  signed  the  Articles  of  Association,  by  which  they 
did  “solemnly  engage  and  promise  that  we  will,  to 
the  utmost  in  our  Power,  at  the  Risque  of  our  Lives 
and  Fortunes,  with  Arms,  oppose  the  Hostile  Pro- 
ceedings of  the  British  Fleets  and  Armies  against  the 
United  Colonies.”  “ This  was  the  people’s  Declara- 
tion of  Independence,  agreed  to  before  the  signing  of 
that  document  by  the  Continental  Congress  on  July 
4th.  They  put  their  names  boldly  to  the  paper,  there- 
by declaring  themselves  rebels.”  Such  men  were  not 
slow  to  answer  their  country’s  call  to  active  service. 
They  were  found  at  Bunker  Hill  and  on  the  field  of 
Bennington,  undaunted  by  perils,  not  shrinking  from 
hardship,  always  proving  themselves  sturdy  patriots. 

The  military  spirit  seems  to  have  been  active  in 
Webster  even  after  the  emergencies  of  war  had 
passed  by.  Two  companies  of  the  volunteer  militia 
of  Boscawen,  the  Light  Infantry  and  the  Rifle  Com- 
pany, were  formed  almost  entirely  of  men  residing 
in  the  westerly  part  of  the  town.  Both  these  com- 
panies were  well  organized,  well  officered  and  well 
drilled. 

The  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion,  in  1861,  roused 
the  citizens  of  the  newly-formed  town  to  a higher 
appreciation  than  ever  of  the  “Union  one  and  indi- 
visible.” The  following  is  the  list  of  soldiers  from 
Webster  as  given  in  Mr.  Coffin’s  history  and  drawn 
from  the  papers  in  the  town-clerk’s  office  and  from 
the  reports  of  the  adjutant-general,  neither  of  them 
giving  in  full  the  company  and  regiment : 

Calvin  M.  Burbank,  enlisted  in  Company  B,  Second  Regiment. 
Lieutenant  David  E.  Burbank,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Sixteenth  Regi- 
ment. 

Ezekiel  W.  Burbank,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Sixteenth  Regiment. 

Carter  F.  Blanchard,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Tenth  Regiment. 


WEBSTER. 


683 


George  Call,  enlisted  in  Fourteenth  Regiment. 

Hamilton  P.  C'urser,  enlisted  in  Fourteenth  Regiment. 

David  S.  Corser,  enlisted  in  Fourteenth  Regiment. 

George  C.  Chase,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Sixteenth  Regiment. 

Calvin  P.  Couch. 

John  B.  Chase,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Sixteenth  Regiment. 

George  W.  Fisk. 

George  S.  Fellows,  enlisted  in  Eighth  Regiment. 

Daniel  F.  Flanders,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Sixteenth  Regiment. 

James  L.  Gerrisli,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Sixteenth  Regiment. 

Charles  X.  Heath,  enlisted  in  Company  B,  Second  Regiment. 

Edward  F.  Jaffers,  enlisted  in  Company  H,  Fourteenth  Regiment. 

Hiram  A.  Jack,  enlisted  in  Company  H,  Sixteenth  Regiment. 

Willard  W.  Jones,  enlisted  in  Company  H,  Sixteenth  Regiment. 

Jesse  SI.  Jackman,  enlisted  in  Company  H,  Sixteenth  Regiment. 

Daniel  P.  Kilburn,  enlisted  in  Company  C,  Sharpshooters. 

Andrew  J.  Kelley,  enlisted  in  Company  C,  Sharpshooters. 

Lucien  M.  Kilburn,  enlisted  in  Company  C,  Sixteenth  Regiment. 

W.  H.  Libbe,  enlisted  in  Company  H,  Fourteenth  Regiment. 

Frank  Libbe,  enlisted  in  Heavy  Artillery. 

George  W.  Ladd,  enlisted  in  Company  H,  Fourteenth  Regiment. 

Joseph  M.  Ladd. 

Warren  F.  Tiock. 

Charles  Little,  Surgeon,  Navy. 

Captain  David  A.  Macurdy,  enlisted  in  Company  H,  Fourteenth  Regi- 
ment. 

Matthew  Macurdy,  enlisted  in  Company  H,  Fourteenth  Regiment. 
Tristram  S.  Page,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Sixteenth  Regiment. 

Gardiner  Roby. 

George  S.  Roby,  enlisted  in  Fourteenth  Regiment. 

Henry  A.  Sanders. 

Sumner  J.  Sweatt. 

Blaisdell  Sweatt,  enlisted  in  Company  H,  Fourth  Regiment. 

Lieutenant  Frederic  P.  Stone,  enlisted  in  Cavalry. 

Jefferson  Searles,  enlisted  in  Seventh  Regiment. 

Joseph  0.  Sanborn,  enlisted  in  Fourth  Regiment. 

Joseph  E.  Sanders,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Sharpshooters. 

Lieutenant  Walter  H Sargent,  enlisted  in  Company  H,  Fourteenth 
Regiment. 

Isaac  P.  Sargent,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Sixteenth  Regiment. 

John  Sargent,  enlisted  in  Heavy  Artillery. 

Warren  A.  Story,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Sixteenth  Regiment. 

Hiram  Thompson,  enlisted  in  Fourteenth  Regiment. 

Luther  C.  Titcomb,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Sixteenth  Regiment. 

Joseph  Thurber,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Sixteenth  Regiment. 

John  Whittier. 

David  J.  Whittier,  enlisted  in  Company  E,  Sixteenth  Regiment. 

These  did  their  duty  nobly.  Some  fell  on  the  field 
of  battle,  others  were  slain  by  the  malarious  atmos- 
phere of  the  South,  and  some  of  those  who  came 
home  bore  honorable  scars. 

The  Webster  enrollment  is  given  as  follows  : 


Citizens  liable  to  do  military  duty  April  3,  1865 63 

Total  quota  under  all  calls 36 

Soldiers  in  service 46 

Surplus 10 


Ecclesiastical  History. — The  “old  meeting-house” 
stands  on  Long  Street,  not  far  from  the  Blackwater, 
keeping  guard  over  the  “ old  graveyard,”  where  two 
whole  generations  lie  buried.  The  house  was  built 
in  1791,  but  the  burial-ground  was  not  laid  out  until 
1813.  This  was  the  first  meeting-house  built  in  Web- 
ster, and  was  occupied  as  a place  of  worship  by  the 
Congregational  denomination  until  the  erection  of 
the  meeting-house  on  Corser  Hill,  in  1823.  In  1804 
the  “Westerly  Religious  Society”  was  formed,  com- 
posed of  seventy  members,  including  the  citizens 
west  of  Beaver  Dam,  together  with  some  from  Water 
Street,  in  Boscawen.  The  society  was  incorporated  in 


1810.  The  “Second  Congregational  Church  in  Bos- 
cawen” was  organized  September  26,  1804,  and  at  the 
same  time  Rev.  Ebenezer  Price  was  installed  as  its 
pastor.  He  continued  in  the  sacred  office  until  1837, 
when  he  was  dismissed  by  mutual  consent,  and  Rev. 
Edward  Buxton  was  installed  as  pastor  December  13, 
1837.  With  the  exception  of  a few  months  in  1875- 
76,  when  the  church  was  served  by  Rev.  William 
Schofield,  he  was  in  active  service  until  1882,  when 
Rev.  Charles  E.  Gordon  began  his  labors  as  stated 
supply.  In  October,  1883,  he  was  installed  as  pastor, 

“ Father  Buxton  ” being  at  the  same  time  dismissed. 
For  a period  of  seventy-nine  years  this  church  had 
had  but  two  pastors,  a record  which  is  seldom  sur- 
passed. 

Deacons  have  been  elected  as  follows : Benjamin 
Sweatt,  Eliphalet  Kilburn,  1805;  Enoch  Little,  1811; 
James  Kilburn,  1825;  George  T.  Pillsbury,  1831; 
Jeremiah  Gerrisli,  1836;  Enoch  Little,  Eldad  Austin, 
1843 ; Henry  Gerrisli,  Henry  Pearson,  1874.  Since 
the  formation  of  the  church,  four  hundred  and  thirty- 
four  members  have  been  added  to  its  fellowship, — 
one  hundred  and  seventy-five  males  and  two  hundred 
and  fifty-nine  females;  sixty-five  of  these  were 
received  by  letter ; four  hundred  and  ninety-nine 
children  and  one  hundred  and  six  adults  have  been 
baptized.  The  name  of  the  church  was  changed, 
December  20, 1868,  from  “Tbe  Second  Congregational 
Church  in  Boscawen”  to  “The  First  Congregational 
Church  in  Webster.” 

The  forty-fifth  anniversary  of  Father  Buxton’s 
settlement  over  the  church  was  celebrated  December 
13,  1882.  Invitations  were  sent,  as  far  as  possible,  to 
all  who  had  ever  been  members  of  the  church.  The 
day  proved  unpropitious,  one  of  the  heaviest  snow- 
storms of  the  year  filling  the  sky  ; but  the  meeting- 
house was  filled  with  a happy  throng  of  friends,  old 
and  new.  There  were  beautiful  decorations  of  ever- 
green, while  on  the  pulpit  and  platform  bouquets  and 
fiowering  plants  were  tastefully  arranged.  The  ven- 
erable pastor  gave  a retrospective  address,  recalling 
briefly  and  vividly  the  circumstances  of  his  installa- 
tion and  the  men  who  took  part  in  it,  all  of  whom 
had  now  finished  their  earthly  labors.  C.  C.  Coffin, 
Esq.,  of  Boston,  a former  member  of  the  church,  then 
gave  a historical  address,  throwing  the  strong  light 
of  his  graphic  style  over  the  manners  and  customs  of 
the  olden  time.  Rev.  J.  H.  Hoffman,  of  Henniker, 
N.  H.,  spoke  in  behalf  of  the  pastors  of  neighboring 
churches.  A purse  of  three  hundred  dollars  was 
presented  to  Father  Buxton  by  Deacon  H.  H.  Ger- 
rish,  in  behalf  of  his  friends.  After  a generous  sup- 
per, served  in  the  gallery,  which  has  been  fitted  up  as 
a “sociable-room,”  the  evening  was  spent  in  listening 
to  letters  from  absent  friends  and  in  social  converse, 
interspersed  with  music.  Poems  written  by  Mrs. 
James  B.  Goodhue  and  by  Mr.  Luther  B.  Little  were 
read.  Another,  written  by  Miss  Getchell,  of  New- 
buryport,  was  received  too  late  for  reading,  and  was 


684 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


inserted  in  the  pamphlet  containing  the  published 
account  of  the  day.  The  occasion  was  declared  by 
all  who  participated  to  be  a rare  success. 

In  1820  the  “ Christian  Union  Society”  was  formed, 
the  reasons  for  which  are  thus  stated  in  the  preamble 
to  the  constitution, — 

“ Whereas,  Religion  and  morality,  grounded  on  Evangelical  principles, 
lays  the  firmest  foundation  for  happiness  here  and  hereafter,  and  in  order 
to  inculcate  and  support  this  grand  principle,  it  becomes  necessary  that 
men  associate  together  and  form  themselves  into  societies  for  the  mutual 
support  and  happiness  of  each  other  ; and  such  is  the  lot  of  human  na- 
ture in  this  imperfect  state  that  it  becomes  necessary  for  every  society  to 
form  and  adopt  certain  rules  of  government  for  the  mutual  happiness  of 
the  whole  ; Therefore,  w ith  these  views  and  impressions,  we,  the  sub- 
scribers, agree  to  form  ourselves  into  a society  under  the  above  pre- 
amble.” 

The  society  was  composed  of  fifty  members. 

They  voted,  in  the  next  year,  to  lay  claim  to  “their 
privilege  in  the  West  meeting-house”  and  also  their 
equal  share  of  the  parsonage  money.  They  believed 
this  to  he  legal  from  the  fact  that  the  town  had 
erected  the  frame  of  the  house  and  had  sold  the  pews 
for  raising  money  to  finish  it.  Some  of  the  members 
of  the  society  were  pew-owners  and  the  rest  held 
that,  on  the  ground  of  citizenship,  they  had  a right 
to  a share  in  the  house.  Various  negotiations  passed 
between  the  two  societies,  but  without  reaching  any 
settlement,  until  at  last  the  Christian  Union  Society 
“ Resolved  to  occupy  the  house.”  “ This  was  done  June 
loth  and  16th,  in  connection  with  a session  of  the 
Christian  General  Conference.  The  Christian  Union 
Society  took  possession  of  the  meeting-house  at  an 
early  hour  on  Sunday  morning,  and  Elder  Peter 
Young  was  occupying  the  pulpit  when  Rev.  Mr.  Price 
entered  the  house  at  the  usual  hour  for  public  service. 
The  assessors  of  the  Westerly  Religious  Society  made 
a formal  demand  for  the  house.  There  was  some 
confusion,  but  no  breach  of  the  peace.  The  time  had 
gone  by  for  a compromise  between  the  two  societies, 
and  the  Westerly  Religious  Society  resolved  to  erect 
a meeting-house  for  themselves,  thus  leaving  the 
Union  Society  in  undisturbed  and  peaceable  pos- 
session of  the  old  house.” 

“In  1844  the  Christian  Union  Society  voted  to  re- 
model the  meeting-house — flooring  over  the  galleries, 
removing  the  east  and  west  porches  and  making  a 
convenient  chapel  of  the  upper  story,  the  lower  floor  J 
being  reserved  fora  town-house.  All  the  slips — fifty- 
two  in  number — with  the  exception  of  two,  were  sold.” 

The  society  was  vigorous  and  flourishing  for  several 
years ; but  emigration  thinned  its  membership  and 
since  1869  no  regular  service  has  been  held. 

The  Christian  Baptist  Church  was  formed  in  1808, 
consisting  of  five  male  and  seven  female  members. 
It  was  organized  June  16th  under  the  following  com- 
pact : 

“This  church  have  agreed  to  lay  aside  all  the  party  names  by  which 
professors  are  called,  with  all  such  things  as  are  called  creeds,  covenants, 
platforms  and  articles  of  faith,  with  all  the  commandments  of  men  ; and  to 
consider  Christ  their  only  Master  and  the  New  Testament  their  only 
rule,  and  to  be  known  by  the  name  given  at  Antioch  — which  is  Chris- 
tian.” 


At  the  close  of  the  year  1808  the  church  numbered 
twenty-five  members.  It  is  now  virtually  extinct. 

The  Methodist  Church  of  Webster  was  formed  in 
1839,  having  its  place  of  worship  at  Sweatt’s  Mills. 
At  that  time  the  Methodist  Biblical  Institute  was  at 
Concord  and  the  church  was  supplied  by  its  students. 
At  a subsequent  period,  the  institute  was  removed 
from  Concord,  and,  as  a result,  preaching  has  not 
been  regularly  sustained. 

Sabbath-schools  have  been  maintained  in  Webster 
more  than  sixty  years.  At  first  they  were  holden  in 
the  different  districts,  in  the  school-houses  or  at  private 
residences.  In  1824  the  number  of  scholars  was 
ninety-seven  ; these  recited  twenty-nine  thousand  nine 
hundred  and  fifty-seven  verses  of  Scripture  during 
the  six  months  ending  October  24th.  Mr.  Coffin  tells 
of  “ one  scholar  of  retentive  memory,  who  tired  out 
the  patience  of  his  teacher,  reciting  chapter  after 
chapter,  and  was  told  that  he  might  finish  the  recita- 
tion on  the  next  Sunday.” 

In  1831  the  schools  were  organized  into  one,  and 
the  sessions  held  on  Sabbath  noon  at  the  meeting- 
house. Sabbath-schools  are  at  present  maintained  by 
both  Methodist  and  Congregational  Churches,  includ- 
ing all  ages. 

Educational  History. — No  picture  of  New  Eng- 
land life  is  considered  complete  without  its  church 
and  school-house.  These  are  not  always  found  in 
close  proximity,  it  is  true ; nevertheless,  religion  and 
education  lay  very  near  the  hearts  of  the  early  set- 
tlers. To  be  sure,  they  sometimes  lost  sight  of  the 
distinction  between  religion  and  theology,  and  were 
more  zealous  for  orthodoxy  than  for  holy  living;  and 
we,  in  the  late  afternoon  of  the  nineteenth  century, 
smile  at  their  narrow  views  of  education.  But  the 
church  of  to-day  owes  them  sincere  gratitude  for  their 
stanch  adherence  to  the  principles  of  the  Bible ; 
and  many  a man  among  the  mature  scholars  of  the 
present  age  looks  back  with  a wholesome  respect  to 
the  humble  school-house  and  the  stern  school-master 
with  whom  his  childhood  had  an  acquaintance,  feel- 
ingly remembered,  even  now.  The  sum  total  of  in- 
formation which  those  ancient  schools  afforded  was 
very  small,  and  their  appliances  for  education  and 
mental  culture  were  exceedingly  few  ; but  they  kept 
alive  and  stimulated  a love  of  learning,  and,  by  their 
very  deficiencies,  prepared  the  way  for  better  things. 

In  1787,  if  we  could  have  looked  into  the  southwest 
corner  room  of  the  house  in  Webster  now  occupied 
by  Mrs.  S.  B.  Little,  we  should  have  found  forty  or 
fifty  large  boys  and  girls  assembled  for  school.  The 
seats  are  benches  of  plank  without  backs.  The  only 
window  is  a half-sash  of  six  lights.  The  teacher  is 
Enoch  Little,  a young  man  of  shrewd  common 
sense  and  ready  mother-wit,  both  of  which  stand  him 
in  good  stead  in  the  possible  emergencies  which  may 
arise  out  of  his  uncouth  surroundings.  He  is,  per- 
haps, as  fond  of  argument  and  as  decided  in  his  opin- 
ions as  when,  sixty  years  later,  he  used  to  settle,  with 


WEBSTER. 


685 


calm  authority  and  to  his  own  entire  satisfaction,  the 
interpretation  of  prophecy.  He  has  a turbulent  set 
to  deal  with,  but  he  is  master  of  the  situation  and 
impresses  upon  his  pupils,  from  his  own  personality, 
lessons  far  more  valuable  than  the  reading,  writing 
and  arithmetic  which  they  receive. 

Another  man,  famous  among  the  schools  of  the 
olden  time,  was  Moses  Thurston,  then  and  through 
his  long  life  known  as  “ Master  Thurston.” 

“He  was  a severe  disciplinarian.  One  of  his  instruments  for  main- 
taining discipline  was  a leather  ferule,  composed  of  two  pieces  of  ham- 
mered sole-leather,  with  sheet  lead  stitched  between  them.  On  one  side 
he  punched  four  holes,  on  the  other,  five.  He  usually  asked  a culprit 
which  he  would  have — four  holes  or  five.  If  the  trembling  urchin  said 
four,  Master  Thurston  usually  gave  this  reply:  ‘For  fear  of  making  a 
mistake,  I will  give  you  both.’  Each  stroke  left  an  array  of  blisters  the 
size  of  the  holes,  on  the  aching  palm.  He  taught  several  years  in  West 
Salisbury.  It  was  a turbulent  school,  and  it  used  to  be  jocosely  said  that 
the  surrounding  farms  never  would  have  been  cleared  of  alders  if  Master 
Thurston  had  not  been  employed  as  teacher.” 

The  writer’s  most  vivid  recollection  of  him  is  as  he 
sat  in  church  in  a pew  at  the  north  end  of  the  gallery, 
on  the  east  side  of  the  meeting-house  on  Corser  Hill. 
He  always  sat  in  the  same  seat,  in  the  same  position, 
looking  down  from  his  serene  height  upon  the  minis- 
ter, attentive,  but  otherwise  apparently  unmoved  by 
pathos  or  eloquence.  He  was  a regular  attendant  un- 
til advancing  years  rendered  him  too  infirm.  He 
died  in  1881,  aged  eighty-eight  years. 

The  first  “ school-dame  ” whose  name  appears  on 
the  records  of  Webster  was  Phebe  Knight,  who  kept 
school  on  Little  Hill  in  1791,  and  afterwards  on 
White  Plain.  We  find  no  further  record  of  her  as  a 
teacher;  but  she  was  a poetess  as  well,  and  perhaps 
some  of  her  instructions  to  her  pupils  were  softened 
and  blended  into  rhymes.  The  following  fragment 
might  well  cheat  a boy  into  learning  a good  lesson 
without  knowing  it : 

“A  FRAGMENT. 

“ The  Pen. 

44  ‘ How  great  is  my  use  ! ’ cries  the  quill  of  a go"s»*  ; 

‘ Who  duly  my  merits  appraise? 

My  praises  resound  the  world  all  around — 

I make  even  fools  to  be  wise.’ 

“ The  Needle. 

“*  Hold  ! hold  ! prating  goose,  for  I’m  of  most  use, 

Although  I am  shorter  and  slimmer  ; 

By  my  little  head  many  thousands  are  fed, 

Whilst  your  scribble  won’t  purchase  a dinner.’ 

“ The  meet. 

“ 4 And  what  were  your  head  were  it  not  for  my  thread  ? — 

So,  then,  independent  Miss  Steel, 

Just  acknowledge  thy  due  to  the  wheel.’ 

44  The  Loom. 

“ 4 And  what  were  your  worth  were  it  not  for  my  cloth  ? ’ 

The  loom,  looking  largely,  replied. 

4 Both  needle  and  thread  might  beg  for  their  bread 
If  I did  not  keep  them  employed.’ 

44  The  Are. 

“Mr.  Axe  raised  his  head  and  to  them  he  said,— 

4 Come,  yield  the  precedence  to  me, 

For  to  me,  you  must  know,  your  being  you  owe, 

For  I lie  wed  you  out  of  the  tree.’ 


44  In  this  dispute  among  the  tools 
We  see  how  much  we  look  like  fools, 

When  pride  begins  to  swell  and  rise. 

And  makes  us  great  in  our  own  eyes 
Shall  human  tools  contend  with  God, 

And  boast  as  if  they  were  no  wood  ? 

We  are  His  clay,  formed  by  His  hand 
For  His  own  use,  at  His  command. 

Let  not  curst  pride  our  hearts  deceive, 

For  what  have  we  we’ve  not  received  ? ” 

Miss  Knight  was  afterwards  married  to  Mr.  Nicho- 
las Moody,  and  lived  to  a good  old  age.  The  mantle 
of  the  teacher  and  poetess  has  fallen  upon  her  grand- 
daughter, Miss  Ellen  K.  Abbot,  who  was  for  a long 
time  a very  successful  teacher  among  the  schools  of 
Webster,  and  for  some  years  a member  of  the  super- 
intending committee,  and  whose  pen  runs  naturally 
to  rhymes. 

Mary  and  Phebe  Thurston,  sisters  of  Moses,  were 
also  among  the  schoolma’ams  of  early  days.  The 
former  taught  on  Little  Hill  in  1792  and  1793.  8he 
was  married  afterwards  to  Mr.  Ephraim  Noyes,  but 
kept  school  in  her  own  house,  the  same  now  occupied 
by  her  daughter,  Miss  Edna  Noyes.  Miss  Noyes 
remembers  that  on  one  occasion  her  mother  saw  fit  to 
correct  a girl  in  school,  but  administered  chastise- 
I inent  lightly.  The  mother  of  the  child  was  weaving 
' in  the  “ shed-room,”  and  apprehensive  that  Mrs. 

Noyes  was  not  severe  enough,  she  appeared  upon  the 
| scene  and  proceeded  to  carry  out  Solomon’s  precept, 
“Withold  not  thou  correction — spare  not  for  his  cry- 
ing.” The  teacher’s  authority  was  vindicated,  nor 
was  it  disputed  again  by  that  child.  Truly,  parental 
good  sense  was  not  unknown  in  those  days. 

Phebe  Thurston  continued  teaching  until  the  de- 
mand for  “ higher  education  ” left  her  modest  attain- 
ments in  the  back-ground.  She  was  a woman  of 
natural  dignity  of  manner  and  of  firm  will.  On  being 
asked  what  wages  she  used  to  receive  in  school,  she 
answered,  “Seventy-five  cents  a week  and  boarded 
round.”  She  died  in  1867,  at  the  ripe  age  of  eighty- 
nine  years. 

The  list  of  studies  in  those  days  was  very  brief,  for 
books  were  few.  The  Bible  and  Catechism  were  dili- 
gently studied,  and  the  girls  carried  their  sewing  and 
knitting  to  school,  in  which  important  branches  of 
domestic  economy  the  teacher,  if  a woman,  was  ex- 
pected to  be  proficient.  The  grand  problem  of  edu- 
cation is  not  yet  fully  solved  even  by  the  school  sys- 
tem of  our  own  country,  of  which  we  are  justly  so 
1 proud.  Between  the  limited  curriculum  and  bare 
practicality  of  the  schools  at  the  opening  of  this  cen- 
tury and  the  extended  courses  of  study  and  infinite 
amount  of  general  information  about  everything 
! which  scholars  of  the  present  are  expected  to  absorb 
there  is  a golden  mean,  which,  perhaps,  will  be  found 
to  be  nearer  a true  solution  of  the  problem  than 
either  extreme. 

In  1809  a new  school  law  was  passed.  The  dis- 
tricts were  re-established  and  a superintending  com- 
mittee appointed,  consisting  of  Rev.  Ebenezer  Price, 


686 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Rev.  Samuel  Wood  and  the  selectmen.  It  must  be 
remembered  that  this  committee  supervised  the  whole 
town  of  Boscawen,  including  Webster.  Rev.  Mr. 
Price  took  a lively  interest  in  all  the  educational 
affairs  of  the  town,  and  his  influence  was  deeply  and 
widely  felt  among  teachers  and  pupils.  From  this 
time  there  w'as  a marked  improvement  in  the  schools. 
It  was  found  that  strength  of  nerve  and  muscle  was 
not  the  only  qualification  needful  for  the  teacher, 
and  the  absolute  despotism  of  the  ferule  passed  away. 

The  committee  voted  to  visit  the  schools  “the 
second  Tuesday  after  their  commencement  and  the 
Tuesday  preceding  their  close,  and  to  this  end  public 
notice  shall  be  given  the  Sabbath  before  such  visit.” 

The  following  is  Mr.  Price’s  report  of  the  first  visi- 
tation of  the  committee  under  the  new  law: 

“1809,  May  16,  No.  1. — Tuesday  the  committee,  according  to  public 
notice,  visited  the  school  district  No.  6,  Little  Hill,  under  the  care  of 
Miss  Mary  Gerrish, — 32  children.  Books,  Spelling  book,  Preceptor, 
Geography,  Grammar,  Bible  & Catechism. 

“ May  30,  No.  7. — Tuesday  a.m.  visited  School  at  White  Plain  under 
the  care  of  3Iiss  Sally  Pillsbury, — 25  children.  Books,  Spelling  book, 
Testament  & Catechism.  The  scholars  young,  but  ambitious  and  very 
observant  of  order. 

“No.  3. — Same  day  a.m.  visited  School  on  Corsei  Hill  under  the  care 
of  Miss  Phebe  Thurston — 50  children,  35  girls.  Books,  Columbian 
Orator,  Geography,  Testament,  Catechism.  Some  writers,  but  none  in 
Grammar. 

“June  13,  No.  9. — Visited  Long  Pond  School,  under  the  care  of  Miss 
Mary  Parker, — 37  children.  Books,  Selling  B.,  one  in  Webster’s  3d  P. 

one  in  the  Bible.  No  Grammar,  Geog’y  or  Catechism,  or  writers.  A 
pleasant  number  of  schollars  who  have  been  under  the  disadvantages  of 
poor  instructors,  a miserable  government  & want  of  books. 

“Same  day,  p.m.,  No.  8. — Visited  Bashan  School,  under  the  care  of 
Miss  Abigail  Allen, — 13  children.  Books,  Spelling  Bo.,  Webster’s  3 P.  & 
Catechism.  None  in  Grammar,  Geog’y  or  writing ; the  School  well- 
governed  & the  children  ambitious. 

* * * # * * * 

“We  found  in  the  several  schools  268  children,  as  yet  not  accommo- 
dated with  suitable  school-books ; but  generally  well  provided  with 
capable  Instructresses  & under  that  order  & tuition  which  promises  much 
advantage  to  the  children  & great  satisfaction  to  their  Parents,  «fc  at  once 
shews  a very  wise  appropriation  of  property  for  the  education  of  children 
tinder  the  sanction  of  law. 

“ Eben'  Price, 

“Scribe." 

In  this  report  of  summer  schools,  arithmetic  does 
not  appear  in  the  list  of  text-books.  “ Mental  arith- 
metic was  not  introduced  until  about  1830.  Its  in- 
troduction produced  great  excitement.  Many  of  the 
parents  opposed  it  on  the  ground  that  it  would  con- 
fuse the  minds  of  the  children  and  produce  insanity.” 

Reports  of  two  of  the  winter  schools  will  be  sub- 
joined, and  then  we  will  pass  on  to  a later  period, — 

“Jan.  15,  No.  3. — Visited  School  Corser  Hill, — 61  children:  20  girls, 
41  boys.  Benjamin  Gookin,  Master. 

1st  Class.  15  in  Geog. 

2d  C.  6 in  Webster  3 P. 

3d  C.  12  in  Preceptor. 

4th  C.  4 in  Testament. 

5th  C.  11  in  Spelling,  4 Syl.  well. 

6th  C.  9 in  4 sylables. 

1 in  2 sylables. 

2 in  letters. 

“ 20  writers,  10  in  arithmetic  & 3 in  Grammar.  School  well  arranged 
& governed. 

“ Feb.  14th.  No.  6. — Visited  School  Little  Hill, — 52  Schol.  Well  ar- 
ranged in  a new  and  commodious  School-house,  under  the  care  of  Mr. 
Smith. 


1 class.  3 in  2 sylables. 

2 “ 4 in  3 “ 

3 “ 4 in  Poetical  lessons,  Spell.  B.  well. 

4 “ 10  in  Preceptor. 

5 “ 4 in  English  Reader,  well. 

6 “ 27  in  Geog. ; some  too  fast,  others  slow. 

17  parsed  grammar. 

33  Spelt  in  Dict’y — Girls  better  than  boys. 

4 in  Arithmetic. 

26  in  writing. 

“This  School  promises  fair.” 

. For  many  years  Rev.  Edward  Buxton  was  a mem- 
ber of  the  superintending  committee  of  the  town  and 
labored  indefatigably  for  the  improvement  of  the 
schools.  He  did  much  to  secure  a uniformity  of  text- 
books throughout  the  town.  Under  the  direction  of 
Mr.  Price,  select  schools  had  been  kept  on  Corser 
Hill,  taught  by  students  from  Dartmouth  College. 
Mr.  Buxton  revived  this  practice,  and  for  a long 
series  of  years  a flourishing  school  was  held  every 
autumn.  These  schools  did  not  a little  toward  raising 
the  standard  of  attainments  among  the  scholars  of 
Webster,  putting  within  reach  of  many,  advantages 
which  otherwise  they  could  not  have  enjoyed. 

In  many,  if  not  all,  of  the  districts  of  the  town, 
some  weeks  of  private  school  are  often  added  to  the 
term  of  public  instruction.  Some  of  the  districts 
show  their  appreciation  of  a good  teacher  by  securing 
the  same  one  for  several  terms  in  succession. 

In  1867  the  town  voted  to  raise  one  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars,  in  addition  to  the  amount  required  by 
law,  for  educational  purposes. 

A word  is  due  in  this  connection  to  the  musical 
culture  of  Webster.  Deacon  Enoch  Little  taught  the 
first  singing-school  not  far  from  the  beginning  of  this 
century,  in  the  house  now  owned  by  Henry  L.  Dodge. 
He  said  of  himself,  “I  knew  but  little  about  music, 
but  I guess  I knew  more  at  that  time  than  any  other 
man  in  town.”  He  was  leader  of  the  choir,  which 
numbered  about  sixty  persons.  His  son  Enoch  was 
afterwards  a successful  teacher  and  leader. 

Twenty-five  or  thirty  years  ago  Webster  numbered 
among  its  musicians  many  of  rare  excellence  and 
sweetness  of  voice.  Notable  among  these  were  Mrs. 
F.  B.  Sawyer,  Mrs.  George  Little,  Mrs.  Moses  Trus- 
sell,  E.  W.  Burbank,  all  of  whom  have  joined  the 
choir  above.  Others  who  have  taken  deep  interest  in 
music,  or  have  been  'teachers  of  singing-schools,  are 
J.  P.  Farmer,  now  of  Glyndon,  Minn.;  D.  E.  Bur- 
bank, now  of  Norwich,  Vt. ; C.  C.  Coffin,  Esq.,  of 
Boston ; J.  L.  Gerrish,  H.  F.  Pearson,  J.  B.  Chase 
and  Mrs.  H.  H.  Gerrish. 


CHAPTER  III. 

WEBSTER — ( Continued). 

Biographical — List  of  Town  Officers  from  1860  to  1885. 

Biographical. --The  following  biographical  sketches 
are  prepared,  to  a great  extent,  from  Mr.  Coffin’s  his- 
tory, with  his  permission. 


WEBSTER. 


U87 


Abraham  Burbank,  eldest  sou  of  David  Bur- 
bank, and  grandson  of  Captain  Moses  Burbank,  one 
of  the  early  settlers  of  Boseawen,  was  one  of  the 
prominent  business  men  of  Webster.  He  was  born 
November  16,  1781;  learned  the  trade  of  blacksmith 
of  his  father,  and  carried  on  blacksmitliing  with  .Tesse 
Little,  on  Little  Hill.  He  was  an  adept  in  making 
axes,  giving  them  a shape  much  liked  by  the  wood- 
choppers  at  the  beginning  of  the  century,  and  of  such 
keen  temper  that  “Abe  Burbank’s  axes”  were  widely 
known  and  had  a ready  sale. 

With  his  son,  Friend  L.  Burbank,  he  became  pro- 
prietor of  the  mills  on  Blackwater  River,  of  a mill  on 
Knight’s  Meadow  Brook  and  of  one  on  Pond  Brook. 
At  one  time  nearly  every  mill  in  Boseawen  was  em- 
ployed in  sawing  his  lumber,  which  was  sent  down 
the  Merrimack  River  to  Lowell  and  Boston.  He  wras 
greatly  respected  by  his  fellow-citizens  and  was  re- 
peatedly elected  to  represent  them  in  the  Legislature. 
He  was  a cheerful  supporter  of  religious  and  chari- 
table organizations,  and  alive  to  all  interests  affecting 
the  public  welfare.  He  died  in  1836,  aged  seventy- 
five  years,  an  active,  energetic,  honored  citizen  to  the 
last  year  of  his  life. 

Rev.  Edward  Buxton,  the  youngest  son  of  Cap- 
tain Benjamin  and  Hannah  (Flint)  Buxton,  was  born 
in  New  Boston,  N.  H.,  August  17,  1803.  His  early 
educational  advantages  were  very  limited.  The  dis- 
trict school,  a little  study  of  Latin  with  his  beloved 
old  pastor,  Rev.  E.  P.  Bradford,  a term  at  Frances- 
town  Academy,  another  at  Exeter  (Phillips)  Academy 
comprised  the  whole  of  his  opportunities  of  school. 
But  up  to  the  very  end  of  his  long  life  he  was  a close 
student.  He  was  a good  Greek  and  Latin  scholar, 
and  late  in  life  he  engaged  with  much  zest  in  the 
study  of  Hebrew.  A young  lady  who  was  visiting  in 
his  family,  on  going  into  his  study  one  Monday 
morning,  found  him  seated  at  his  table  with  pencil 
and  paper  before  him,  deeply  engaged  in  study.  He 
said  he  was  trying  to  see  if  he  could  construct  a table 
of  logarithms  if  he  had  none  to  refer  to.  and  that  he 
thought  he  could  do  it.  He  added,  half  apologeti- 
cally, that  he  allowed  himself  to  be  idle  on  Monday 
and  to  indulge  in  recreation  a little  after  the  labors 
of  the  Sabbath.  She  declared  she  wras  afraid  of  a 
man  who  found  his  recreation  in  the  construction  of 
logarithmic  tables. 

His  father  said  of  him.  in  his  early  childhood: 
“Edward  must  be  my  minister;”  but  a habit  of  stam- 
mering developed  itself,  which  was  greatly  aggrava- 
ted by  a fright  received  in  early  life ; and  though  he 
himself  desired  to  carry  out  his  father’s  wish,  the 
impediment  in  his  speech  seemed  to  interpose  an 
insuperable  obstacle.  He  turned  his  attention  to  the 
study  of  medicine ; but  a severe  illness  cut  short  his 
studies  just  before  the  completion  of  his  last  course 
of  lectures.  About  this  time  he  fell  in  with  Barber’s 
“Grammar  of* Elocution,”  which  gave  him  valuable 
hints  in  regard  to  the  training  of  the  voice,  and  he 


became  convinced  that  he  could,  in  time,  entirely 
overcome  his  impediment.  He  succeeded  so  fully 
that,  in  later  life,  he  was  remarkable  for  his  clear 
enunciation  and  for  perfect  control  of  his  voice. 

He  took  charge  of  the  academy  in  Greenland, 
N.  H.,  when  he  read  and  talked  theology  with  his 
friend,  Rev.  Samuel  Wallace  Clark,  pastor  of  the 
Congregational  Church  in  that  place.  He  assisted 
in  pastoral  duties,  and,  in  the  absence  of  the  pastor, 
conducted  Sabbath  services.  He  was  sometimes 
called  to  supply  vacant  pulpits  in  adjoining  towns, 
and,  almost  unconsciously,  found  himself  performing 
ministerial  duties.  In  1836  he  was  ordained  as  an 
evangelist,  and  preached  in  Rochester,  N.  H.,  and 
afterwards  in  Lancaster,  Dalton  and  Whitefield.  In 
1837  he  received  a call  from  the  church  in  Webster, 
and  was  installed  December  13th  of  that  year.  The 
celebration  of  the  forty-fifth  anniversary  of  his  in- 
stallment occurred  December  13,  1882.  At  this  time 
he  ceased  from  active  pastoral  duty,  but  was  not  dis- 
missed until  the  installment  of  his  successor,  Rev. 
C.  E.  Gordon,  October  4,  1883.  He  died  May  27, 
1885,  aged  eiglity-one  years. 

Mr.  Buxton  was  a man  of  singular  simplicity  and 
sincerity  of  character,  of  uniform  kindness  of  heart 
and  of  ready  sympathy.  The  testimony  of  those 
who  knew  him  best  w'as  that  he  lived  habitually 
above  the  world.  He  was  a faithful  pastor,  thor- 
oughly devoted  to  his  wTork,  patient  and  self-denying 
in  labor,  availing  himself  of  all  means  in  his  power 
for  doing  good.  His  sermons  combined  the  doctrinal 
and  practical  elements,  and  were  clear  and  forcible 
in  style,  with  but  little  of  mere  rhetorical  orna- 
ment. 

He  watched  over  the  schools  of  the  town  with  a 
fatherly  solicitude,  and,  when  he  was  superintending 
committee,  knew  the  name  of  every  child  in  town. 
In  the  earlier  years  of  his  pastorate  many  of  the 
young  people  of  the  town  were,  at  different  times, 
members  of  his  family  and  under  his  private  tuition. 

He  inherited  from  his  mother  a love  for  music, 
amounting  almost  to  a passion,  which  continued  till 
his  death.  When  he  was  a young  man  he  played 
the  violin ; but,  after  entering  the  ministry,  he  laid 
it  aside,  fearing  it  might  lessen  his  chances  of  useful- 
ness. In  his  old  age  he  took  it  up  again,  playing 
with  much  skill,  but  confining  himself  almost  exclu- 
sively to  sacred  music.  When  flesh  and  heart  began 
to  tail  under  the  pressure  of  disease,  he  often  resorted 
to  his  violin,  for  the  sake  of  the  spiritual  stimulus 
which  it  afforded  him;  for,  in  his  hands,  it  was  a 
sacred  instrument,  and  his  spirit,  perhaps  uncon- 
sciously to  himself,  plumed  her  wings  for  a heaven- 
ward flight  as  he  played. 

A letter  read  on  the  occasion  of  his  forty-fifth  anni- 
versary, speaks  of  him  on  this  wise  : 

“ Tho  more  I reflect  on  the  history  of  his  life,  so  far  as  I know  it,  the 
more  I feel  that  he  has  been,  in  many  ways,  a remarkable  man.  His 
purity  of  motive,  his  loftiness  of  purpose,  his  singleness  of  aim,  his 
patient  persistence  in  striving  against  obstacles,  his  constant  determina’ 


688 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


tiou  to  make  the  most  of  himself  in  body  and  son  1,  and  his  consequent  | 
scholarly  attainments,  all  the  result  of  his  own  unaided  efforts,  these  | 
things  reveal  a nature  of  more  than  ordinary  firmness  and  evenness  of  ! 
fibre.” 

Mr.  Buxton  was  married,  first,  June  12,  1838,  to 
Miss  Elizabeth  McFarland,  of  Concord,  who  died  Sep- 
tember 11,  1842 ; second,  September  27,  1843,  to  Miss 
Lois  Jewett,  of  Gilford,  who  died  November  20, 1870; 
third,  December  29,  1871,  to  Mrs.  Louisa  F.  Pillsbury, 
of  Londonderry  (formerly  of  Webster),  who  survives 
him. 

Charles  Carletox  Coffix  was  born  in  Bos- 
cawen  July  26,  1823,  and  was  the  youngest  child  of 
Thomas  and  Hannah  (Kilburn)  Coffin.  His  education, 
beyond  the  advantages  of  the  district  school,  was  ob- 
tained at  the  academy  on  Boscawen  Plain  and  at  the 
Blanchard  Academy,  Pembroke,  N.  H.,  where  he  re- 
mained only  one  term.  But  he  was  a lover  of  books, 
and  read  all  that  came  in  his  way.  In  the  westerly 
part  of  the  town  (now  Webster)  was  a circulating 
library  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  well-worn  volumes, 
gathered  about  1816.  Among  these  were  sundry  books 
of  history  and  travels,  which  the  boy  devoured  eagerly  | 
and  which  may  have  had  no  small  part  in  giving  di- 
rection to  his  literary  tastes  and  labors  in  after-years. 
His  great  ambition  was  to  go  to  college,  but  ill  health 
rendered  this  impracticable.  During  the  winter  of 
1842,  more  for  pastime  than  from  any  plan  for  the 
future,  he  studied  land  surveying  and  the  rudiments 
of  civil  engineering.  He  afterwards  joined  the  engi- 
neers’ corps  in  the  preliminary  survey  of  the  Northern 
Railroad  in  1845,  and  was  employed  upon  its  construc- 
tion in  1846  ; also  in  the  preliminary  survey  of  the 
Concord  and  Portsmouth  road,  and  later  on  the  Con- 
cord and  Claremont. 

He  was  married,  February  18,  1846,  to  Miss  Sallie  R. 
Farmer,  of  Webster,  sister  of  Professor  M.  G.  Farmer. 
He  purchased  a farm  in  Webster,  but  his  health  failed 
and  he  decided  to  turn  to  other  pursuits.  In  1849  he  j 
constructed  a telegraph  line  between  Harvard  Obser- 
vatory and  Boston,  by  which  uniform  time  was  given 
to  railroads  leading  out  of  Boston.  In  1851  he  had 
charge  of  the  construction  of  the  telegraphic  fire- 
alarm  in  Boston,  under  the  care  of  Professor  Farmer, 
and  gave  the  first  alarm  ever  given  by  that  system 
April  29,  1852. 

Before  that  time  his  fugitive  contributions  to  the 
newspapers  of  the  day  had  been  received  with  much 
favor,  and  some  of  them  had  been  republished  in 
“ Littell’s  Living  Age.”  His  tastes  led  him  towards 
journalism.  From  1854  to  1860  he  was  employed 
on  several  of  the  newspapers  in  Boston, — the  Journal, 
Atlas,  Traveler,  Bee  and  Transcript,  and  during  the 
winter  of  1860-61  was  night  editor  of  the  Journal. 
The  Southern  States  were  then  seceding ; the  Peace 
Congress  was  in  session,  and  Mr.  Coffin  saw,  what  all 
men  did  not  see,  that  a conflict  of  arms  was  approach- 
ing. He  was  then  a resident  of  Malden,  and  the 
morning  after  the  surrender  of  Sumter  took  measures 
for  the  calling  of  a public  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  1 


that  town  to  sustain  the  President, — one  of  the  first 
of  the  meetings  held  throughout  the  country.  Upon 
the  breaking  out  of  the  war  Mr.  Coffin  became  a cor- 
respondent of  the  Journal,  writing  over  the  signature 
I of  “ Carleton.” 

During  the  entire  war  he  was  an  indefatigable  cor- 
respondent, ever  on  the  alert,  noted  for  his  prompt- 
ness and  for  his  lively  narrative,  and  for  his  vivid 
description  of  the  scenery  of  war.  During  the  twelve 
days  of  the  Gettysburg  campaign  he  rode  between 
two  hundred  and  fifty  and  three  hundred  miles  in  the 
saddle,  nine  hundred  miles  in  the  cars,  was  on  the 
battle-field  three  days  and  nights,  and  wrote  a full 
and  elaborate  account,  which  was  republished  in 
many  papers  throughout  the  country,  and  translated 
and  copied  by  the  press  of  Berlin  and  Paris.  When 
General  Sherman  reached  the  sea-coast  Mr.  Coffin 
hastened  south,  and  the  information  that  the  flag  of 
the  Union  once  more  floated  over  Sumter  was  given 
to  the  world  through  the  Journal,  and  was  telegraph- 
ed over  the  country  before  any  paper  in  New  York 
had  possession  of  the  intelligence.  His  letters  were 
regularly  read  by  more  than  a fourth  of  a million  of 
i people. 

Upon  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  between  Austria 
on  the  one  side  and  Prussia  and  Italy  on  the  other,. 
Mr.  Coffin,  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Coffin,  sailed  for 
Europe,  but  Austria  having  been  crippled  by  the 
single  battle  of  Konigratz,  a truce  was  declared. 
Mr.  Coffin  remained  abroad,  however,  writing  a 
series  of  letters  on  current  events.  He  was  absent 
two  years  and  five  months,  traveled  extensively 
in  Europe  and  Asia,  and  made  the  acquaintance  of 
many  of  the  public  men  in  the  countries  visited. 

Mr.  Coffin’s  published  books  are  “My  Days  and 
Nights  on  the  Battle-field,”  “ Following  the  Flag,” 
“Winning  his  Way,”  “Four  Years  of  Fighting,” 
“Our  New  Way  Round  the  World,”  “The  Seat  of 
Empire,”  “Caleb  Krinkle,”  “The  Boys  of  ’76,” 
“Story  of  Liberty,”  “Old  Times  in  the  Colonies,” 
“ Building  the  Nation,”  “ Life  of  Garfield,”  “ History 
of  Boscawen  and  Webster,”  and  he  has  in  preparation 
a volume  on  the  battle-fields  of  the  war. 

He  has  given  many  addresses  before  teachers’  asso- 
ciations, and  a course  of  lectures  before  the  Lowell 
Institute.  During  the  winter  of  1878-79  a movement 
was  made  by  the  Western  grangers  to  bring  about  a 
radical  change  in  the  patent  laws.  Mr.  Coffin  appeared 
before  the  committee  of  Congress  and  presented  an 
address  so  convincing  that  the  committee  ordered  its 
publication.  He  also  appeared  before  the  committee 
on  labor  and  made  an  argument  on  the  “ Forces  of  Na- 
ture as  Affecting  Society,”  which  won  high  encomiums 
from  the  committee,  and  which  was  ordered  to  be 
printed.  The  honorary  degree  of  A.M.  was  conferred 
on  Mr.  Coffin  in  1870  by  Amherst  College. 

He  is  a resident  of  Boston,  and  was  a member  of 
the  Legislature  for  1884  and  ’85,  and  served  on  the 
committees  on  education,  civil  service,  the  liquor  law 


WEBSTER. 


689 


and  the  special  committee  for  a metropolitan  police 
for  the  city  of  Boston.  \ 

Mr.  Coffin  possesses,  in  an  eminent  degree,  the  re- 
spect and  confidence  not  only  of  the  citizens  of  Boston, 
but  of  thousands  throughout  the  land  who  know  him 
through  his  books. 

Moses  Gerrish  Farmer,  eldest  child  of  Colonel 
John  and  Sally  (Gerrish)  Farmer,  was  born  in 
Webster  (then  Boscawen)  February  9,  1820.  In  early 
life  he  attended  the  district  school  and  the  academy 
on  Boscawen  Plain.  He  entered  the  Phillips  Academy, 
in  Andover,  Mass.,  in  1837,  and  in  1840  he  entered 
Dartmouth  College,  where  he  remained  three  years, 
and  then  was  obliged  to  leave  on  account  of  ill 
health.  (The  degree  of  A.M.  was  conferred  on  him 
by  the  faculty  of  Dartmouth  in  1853.)  After  leaving 
college  he  became  preceptor  of  Elliott  (Me.)  Academy, 
and  was  married  in  that  town,  December  25,  1844,  to 
Miss  Hannah  T.  Shapleigli,  of  Berwick,  Me.  After 
this  he  taught  in  Dover,  N.  H.,  until  1847,  when  he 
turned  his  attention  wholly  to  scientific  pursuits, 
which  were  much  more  congenial  to  his  tastes  than 
school-teaching. 

He  began  his  experiments  in  electricity  in  1845, 
inventing  at  that  time  an  electro-magnetic  engine. 
In  1846  he  constructed  a small  electro-magnetic 
engine,  also  a small  railroad  track,  and  exhibited  the 
same  in  various  towns  and  cities,  lecturing  upon  the 
subject  of  electro-magnetism  and  its  applications,  , 
showing  also  how  it  could  be  adapted  to  the  use  of 
torpedoes  and  submarine  blasting.  His  first  lecture 
was  given  in  Dover,  and  one  of  his  experiments  was 
made  with  a miniature  ship  placed  in  a wash-bowl  of 
water.  The  ship  was  blown  up  by  electricity,  and, 
coming  down,  struck  on  the  top  of  the  lecturer’s 
head.  This  was,  perhaps,  the  reason  why  the  experi- 
ment was  never  repeated  before  another  audience; 
but  the  circumstance  is  often  recalled  now  as  ships 
may  so  quickly  be  turned  into  kindling-wood  by  the 
torpedoes  which  he  uses  at  the  present  day. 

In  1848,  Mr.  Smith,  president  of  the  Portland  Line 
of  telegraph,  and  Mr.  L.  L.  Sadler,  superintendent 
of  the  Boston  and  New  York  Line,  were  one  day  I 
talking  over  the  possibilities  of  the  telegraph  system 
and  the  uses  to  which  it  could  be  applied,  and  Mr. 
Smith  suggested  that  an  alarm  of  fire  might  be  given 
by  it.  They  agreed  that  Mr.  Farmer  could  devise 
the  machinery  necessary  to  do  it,  if  any  one  could. 
They  laid  the  matter  before  him,  and,  at  the  end  of  a 
week,  he  had  constructed  the  first  machine  in  the 
world  for  giving  an  alarm  of  fire  by  electricity,  con- 
sisting of  the  striking  part  of  an  old  clock  and  a 
miniature  electrical  machine.  The  matter  was 
dropped  at  that  time,  but  Mr.  Farmer  continued  his 
investigations,  and,  in  1851,  he  was  summoned  to 
Boston  to  superintend  the  construction  of  the  tele- 
graphic fire-alarm.  Great  difficulties  were  to  be  over- 
come, and  fresh  inventions  were  needed  at  every  step 
until,  on  April  29,  1852,  the  first  alarm  was  given,  ■ 


and  for  the  next  three  or  four  years  Mr.  Farmer 
was  untiring  in  his  labors  and  watchings.  During 
the  first  fifteen  months  after  it  went  into  operation 
he  spent  forty-three  nights  in  the  fire-alarm  office  in 
Boston,  considering  it  unsafe  to  leave  it  long  enough 
to  return  to  his  home  in  Salem.  In  1859  he  gener- 
ously gave  the  system  to  the  city,  waiving  all  his 
rights  under  the  patent  law. 

His  investigations  have  been  unceasing  in  the  de- 
partments of  electro-metallurgy,  multiplex  telegraphy 
and  the  electric  light,  and  his  inventions  are  mani- 
fold. 

In  October,  1872,  Mr.  Farmer  accepted  the  pro- 
i fessorship  of  electrical  science  at  the  United  States 
Naval  Torpedo  Station,  established  in  1869  at  New- 
port, R.  I.,  for  the  instruction  of  the  officers  of  the 
navy  in  electricity  and  chemistry  as  applied  to  the 
arts  of  war;  and  since  his  connection  with  the  de- 
partment the  station  has  been  supplied  with  the  best 
known  magneto-electric  machines  and  appliances  to 
be  found  in  this  or  any  other  country. 

“ He  stands  in  the  foremost  ranks  of  scientific  men  ; and  it  may,  per- 
haps, be  truthfully  said  that,  as  an  electrician,  he  is  without  a peer  on 
this  side  of  the  Atlantic,  while  among  the  scientists  of  Great  Britain, 
France  and  Germany,  his  opinions  are  quoted  as  authority.  His  reputa- 
tion is  world-wide  and  his  inventions  are  everywhere  known.  He  is 
often  called,  as  an  electrical  expert,  in  the  United  States  courts,  where 
his  statements  are  never  questioned. 

“ An  eminent  electrician  said  of  him  recently, — ‘ Mr.  Farmer  has  un- 
doubtedly done  more  real  and  lasting  good  to  the  world  through  his  aban- 
doned inventions  than  through  those  which  he  has  perfected,  for  the 
former  are  seed-thoughts,  scattered  over  the  world,  which  many  will 
gather  up,  and  from  them  reap  a harvest  after  his  life-work  is  over.* 

“ Unlike  many  scientists  of  the  day,  whose  speculations  lead  them  to 
doubt  the  existence  of  a Deity  and  of  a Divine  revelation,  Prof.  Farmer 
sees  in  all  the  works  and  laws  of  nature  a Divine  mind.  Each  new  dis- 
covery to  him  is  one  of  God's  thoughts,  and  with  him  religion  and  science 
go  hand  in-hand.” 

Hezekiah  Fellows  was  born  in  Salisbury,  De- 
cember 22,  1782,  but  settled  in  Webster  and  engaged 
in  trade  on  Corser  Hill  with  his  brother  Moses.  For 
many  years  he  was  a prominent  citizen  of  the  town, 
and  a man  of  too  much  individuality  to  be  unnoticed 
or  easily  forgotten.  From  1816  until  1855,  he  was 
town  clerk,  losing  his  office  when  the  Know-Nothing 
or  Native  American  party  rose  to  its  brief  eminence. 
He  was  in  the  Legislature  in  1820,  ’24,  ’25. 

He  was  a man  of  remarkable  independence  of 
character,  which  manifested  itself  in  dress  and 
manner,  as  well  as  in  opinion.  His  integrity  was 
unimpeachable.  Everybody  trusted  him.  In  trade 
he  was  strictly  honest  and  impartial.  He  always  ad- 
hered to  the  old  currency,  marking  his  prices  in  shil- 
lings and  pence.  His  face  would  sometimes  relax 
into  the  semblance  of  an  amused  smile  at  the  puzzled 
look  of  some  customer  better  versed  in  the  new 
arithmetic  than  the  old. 

Under  an  apparent  gruffness  was  hidden  a kindly 
heart  and  a love  for  children.  Perhaps  his  most 
marked  characteristic  was  his  shrewd,  strong  common- 
sense. 

In  1817  he  presented  the  Congregational  Church 


690 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


and  Society  with  a large  Bible,  which  was  used  in  their 
pulpit  for  many  years.  He  was  a constant  attendant 
at  church,  occupying  the  pew  nearest  the  pulpit  on 
the  right  hand. 

“ Prior  to  1835  it  was  the  custom  of  town  clerks  to  make  public  an- 
nouncement of  those  intending  marriage,  which  was  done  by  Esquire  Fel- 
lows, after  the  benediction,  at  the  close  of  the  afternoon  service.  The 
congregation  waited  to  hear  the  ‘crying,’  as  it  was  termed,  and  possibly 
allowed  the  publishing  of  the  bans  to  usurp  the  place  of  the  sermon  in 
their  minds,  as  they  smiled  and  nodded  one  to  another.” 

He  died  October  10,  1861,  honored  and  respected 
by  all. 

Major  Alfred  Little  was  born  in  Webster,  June 
3,  1823,  and  was  the  son  of  Henry  and  Susan  Little. 
He  became  crippled  in  early  life  through  severe  ill- 
ness, and  was  obliged  ever  afterwards  to  use  crutches. 

He  was  noted  from  childhood  for  his  musical  talent 
and  for  his  correct  ear,  which  had  much  to  do  with 
shaping  his  career  in  after  life.  In  1840  he  began  to 
work  in  the  melodeon  and  seraphine  shop  of  Charles 
Austin,  in  Concord,  N.  H.  He  soon  became  tuner  of 
these  instruments,  and  succeeded  to  a great  degree  in 
overcoming  the  slowness  of  speech  and  reedy  quality 
of  tone,  which  had  been  serious  defects  in  them.  He 
invented  and  manufactured  for  his  own  use  an  or- 
chestral melodeon,  an  instrument  of  considerable 
power,  and  yet  of  remarkable  sweetness,  unsurpassed 
for  its  versatility  of  musical  effects,  its  inimitable 
tremolo  and  its  power  of  dynamical  expression.  He 
attained  wonderful  skill  in  the  manipulation  of  this 
instrument,  and,  as  a player  of  the  round-keyed 
melodeon,  was  without  a peer  in  the  world. 

He  began  giving  concerts  in  1846,  the  first  one 
being  in  Fisherville  (now  Penacook).  His  musical 
entertainments  were  full  of  variety,  for  he  possessed 
a rare  gift  of  improvising  and  an  extensive  acquaint- 
ance with  popular  music,  old  and  new,  and  a voice  of 
great  sweetness  and  pathos.  He  excelled  as  a ballad- 
singer,  and  knew  how  to  unlock  the  fountain  of  tears 
as  well  as  to  touch  the  springs  of  laughter. 

“ Ever  ready  to  respond  with  voice  and  instrument  to  the  calls  of 
charity  and  patriotism,  cheering  the  patient  on  his  bed  of  suffering  or 
teaching  a Sabbath-school  song  to  children,  he  made  friends  everywhere  ; 
and  many  a wayfarer  was  aided  by  his  helping  hand  or  cheered  by  his 
buoyant  sympathy. 

“He  was  appointed  fife-major  of  the  Twenty-first  New  Hampshire 
Regiment  by  Colonel  Joseph  L.  Pillsbury,  receiving  the  honorary  com- 
mission at  the  hands  of  Governor  N.  B.  Baker.” 

Although  music  was  his  special  delight,  Major  Lit- 
tle was  a man  of  varied  tastes  and  culture,  a poet  as 
well  as  a musician. 

He  died  suddenly  in  West  Concord,  December  27, 
1880.  Few  carry  with  them  “beneath  the  low  green 
tent  ” more  blessings  of  the  poor  or  more  heartfelt 
love  of  friends  than  did  Alfred  Little. 

Arthur  Little,  D.D.,  was  the  son  of  Simeon  B. 
and  Harriet  (Boyd)  Little,  and  was  born  in  Webster 
May  24,  1837.  His  boyhood  was  spent  on  his  father’s 
farm  where  he  acquired  that  invaluable  and  yet  indefi- 
nable development  of  mind  and  body  which  the  boys 
of  well-ordered  New  England  homes  gain  from  nature 


and  domestic  surroundings.  He  prepared  for  college 
at  the  Kimball  Union  Academy,  Meriden,  N.  H.,  and 
graduated  from  Dartmouth  College  in  1860.  He 
studied  theology  at  Andover  and  Princeton.  Before 
the  completion  of  his  studies, he  received  tlieappoint- 
mentof  chaplain  of  the  First  Vermont  Heavy  Artil- 
lery, and  was  ordained  for  this  office  at  Webster, 
March  16,  1863.  He  was  mustered  out  of  seryice  July 
7,  1865.  In  October  of  the  same  year,  he  was  settled 
over  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Bedford,  N.  H.,  where 
he  remained  three  years.  He  then  received  a call  to 
Fonddu  Lac,  Wis.,  where  he  was  settled  over  the  First 
Congregational  Church  in  November,  1868.  In  1878 
he  was  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  New  England 
Church  in  Chicago,  where  he  still  remains.  He  was 
elected  moderator  of  the  National  Congregational 
Council,  in  Concord,  N.  H.,  in  1883,  and  performed 
the  duties  of  that  office  with  great  acceptance. 

Dr.  Little  is  a man  of  genial  temperament  and  pos- 
sesses rare  tact  in  winning  the  esteem  of  all  classes. 
He  is  a good  speaker,  having  something  of  the  strength 
and  depth  of  voice  which  many  will  remember  as  hav- 
ing belonged  to  his  father.  His  sermons  are  charac- 
terized by  earnestness  and  practicality.  His  style  is 
clear  and  vigorous.  He  married,  August  15,  1863, 
Miss  Laura  E.  Frost,  of  Thetford,  Vt.,  who  died  in 
January,  1883. 

Deacon  Enoch  Little  (2d)  was  the  son  of  Deacon 
Enoch  Little  and  the  grandson  of  Enoch  Little,  one  of 
the  early  settlers  of  Webster.  He  was  educated  at  Pem- 
broke Academy  and  taught  school  in  Boscawen  and 
other  towns.  He  gave  much  attention  to  music  and 
was  a member  of  the  Martin  Luther  Musical  Society, 
of  the  Central  Musical  Society,  and  of  the  Bos- 
ton Academy  of  Music.  He  did  much  to  cultivate 
a taste  for  sacred  music  in  his  native  town, 
having  been,  for  a long  time,  leader  of  the  choir 
in  the  Congregational  Church,  as  well  as  a successful 
teacher  of  singing-schools.  He  took  great  interest, 
also,  in  the  advancement  of  agriculture  and  of  sheep- 
husbandry. 

He  was  a man  of  vigorous  mind,  of  strong  convic- 
tions, a diligent  student  of  the  Bible,  a constant  at- 
tendant upon  church  services,  and  for  thirty  years  an 
officer  of  the  church.  From  early  life  he  was  an  ac- 
tive member  of  the  Sabbath-school,  both  as  teacher 
and  pupil.  He  was  ever  ready  to  give  to  objects  of 
benevolence  and  was  a strong  pillar  in  the  church. 
He  died  in  the  full  hope  of  Christian  immortality, 
honored  and  respected  by  all,  October  13,  1875. 

Ephraim  Little  was  the  son  of  Richard  and  Pris- 
cilla (Plumer)  Little,  and  was  born  in  Webster,  April 
14,  1820.  He  was  married,  December  22,  1847,  to 
Jane  G.  Farmer,  sister  of  Professor  M.  G.  Farmer, 
He  purchased  the  farm  on  Pleasant  Street,  now 
owned  by  Plumer  Kilburn,  and  built  a house  on  it, 
where  he  resided  until  the  feebleness  of  his  wife’s 
health  made  a change  of  residence  desirable,  when  he 
sold  his  farm.  Mrs.  Little  died  June  27,  1867.  He 


WEBSTER. 


691 


afterwards  purchased  the  farm  formerly  owned  by 
Nathan  Pearson,  near  the  Blackwater,  where  he  lived 
until  his  death,  April  23, 1885. 

Mr.  Little  was  a man  of  quiet  tastes,  but  intelligent 
and  thoroughly  informed  on  all  subjects  of  current  in- 
terest. He  was  for  some  years  a member  of  the  super- 
intending committeee  of  schools.  He  also  held  the 
position  of  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Merrimack 
County  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company  from  its 
organization  until  his  death. 

Rarely  have  we  met  with  one  who  realized  more 
fully,  in  his  life  and  character,  David’s  description  of 
a citizen  of  Zion,  in  Psalm  xv.  His  unselfish  kind- 
ness and  ready  sympathy  won  for  him  the  sincere  love 
and  respect  of  all  who  knew  him. 

Henry  Little,  D.D.,  son  of  Jesse  and  Martha 
(Gerrish)  Little,  was  born  in  Webster,  March  23, 
1800.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  united  with  the  Con- 
gregational Church,  and  from  that  time  was  an  ac- 
tive Christian.  When  he  was  nineteen,  he  taught 
school  in  Boscawen,  where  fourteen  of  his  scholars  be- 
came Christians.  He  visited  from  house  to  house, 
and  helped  twelve  men  to  begin  family  worship. 

He  fitted  for  college  with  Rev.  Dr.  Wood  of  Bos- 
cawen, at  Salisbury  Academy  and  at  Hanover.  He 
graduated  from  Dartmouth  College  in  1826,  and  from 
Andover  Theological  Seminary  in  1829,  and  was  at 
once  ordained  as  an  evangelist  in  Park  Street  Church, 
Boston,  with  fifteen  other  home  and  foreign  mission- 
aries. While  a senior  at  Andover,  Dr.  Porter  gave 
him  the  credit  of  bringing  twenty  from  the  two 
classes  below  him  in  college  to  the  seminary.  This 
fact  led  to  his  being  chosen  agent  for  the  American 
Education  Society,  a position  which  he  filled  for  two 
years  in  New  England  and  the  West. 

In  June,  1831,  he  accepted  a call  from  the  Presby- 
terian Church  in  Oxford,  Ohio,  where,  in  less  than 
two  years,  two  hundred  and  ninety-seven  were  added 
to  its  membership.  In  1833  he  was  appointed  secre- 
tary and  agent  of  the  American  Home  Missionary 
Society,  having  the  whole  country  west  of  the  Alle- 
ghanies  for  his  field,  in  which  his  labors  were  crowned 
with  success.  He  was  pastor  of  a church  for  two 
years  in  Madison,  Ind.,  during  which  time  sixty  were 
added  to  the  church.  His  main  life-work  was  that 
of  home  missions ; but  he  was  an  earnest  Sabbath- 
school  worker,  and  was  active  in  promoting  the  cause 
of  general  education.  He  is  said  to  have  been  the 
originator  of  the  first  graded  school  in  Indiana. 

An  article  in  the  Independent  of  May  9,  1867,  by 
Rev.  Dr.  Tuttle,  of  Wabash  College,  sets  forth  the 
labors  of  Dr.  Little  : 

“From  Marietta  to  Evansville,  from  Cleveland  to  La  Porte,  this  man 
has  gone,  planting  churches,  building  up  waste  places,  encouraging 
home  missionaries,  searching  out  the  scattered  sheep,  holding  protracted 
meetings,  everywhere  welcomed,  honored  and  loved.  Thirty-six  years 
has  he  been  at  this  work,  until  he  has  publicly  addressed  more  audiences, 
visited  more  churches,  worked  directly  in  more  revivals  iu  Ohio  and  In- 
diana, talked  to  more  people,  seen  more  changes  in  communities  and  per- 
sons than  any  other  man  that  can  be  named. 


“Go  where  he  will,  he  meets  those  who  owe  everything  to  him  as 
God's  instrument — those  who  have  been  encouraged  by  him,  those  who 
have  caught  the  best  impulses  of  life  from  him,  and  now,  in  this  year, 
18G7,  this  blessed  man  has  preached  fourteen  times  in  eight  days,  in  one 
pulpit,  preaching  the  gospel  in  such  a cheerful  light  that  his  hearers  ex- 
claim,— ‘ Would  to  God  we  could  love  it  as  he  does  ! ’ ’’ 

He  died  February  25,  1883.  He  married,  Septem- 
ber 19,  1831,  Miss  Susan  Morton  Smith,  of  Hatfield, 
Mass. 

Of  his  eight  children,  four  are  sons,  all  of  whom  are 
in  the  gospel  ministry. 

Jacob  Little,  D.D.,  son  of  Jesse  and  Martha  (Ger- 
rish) Little,  was  born  in  Webster,  May  1,  1795.  At 
the  age  of  eleven  years  he  became  a Christian  and 
united  with  the  Congregational  Church.  He  fitted 
for  college  with  Samuel  Wood,  D.D.,  and  at  Meriden 
Academy,  graduated  at  Dartmouth  in  1822,  and  at 
Andover  in  1825.  He  was  ordained  as  an  evangelist 
at  Goffstown,  N.  H.,  and  first  preached  six  months  at 
Hoosick,  N.  Y.  In  1826  he  went  to  Ohio  and  spent 
a year  in  home  missionary  work  in  Belpre  and  neigh- 
boring towns. 

In  1827  he  was  settled  over  the  Congregational 
Church  in  Granville,  Ohio,  where  he  remained  until 
1864.  An  unhappy  quarrel  had  divided  the  church, 
but,  with  consummate  tact,  Mr.  Little  brought  the  dif- 
j ferent  factions  together,  and  became  pastor  of  the  re- 
united organization.  He  was  an  indefatigable  worker, 
exceedingly  systematic,  not  at  all  bound  by  conven- 
tional rules  or  methods,  but  eminently  successful  in 
attaining  results.  His  parish  was  six  miles  square, 
but  he  regularly  visited  every  family  belonging  to  his 
congregation,  organizing  Conference  and  prayer-meet- 
ings, as  well  as  Bible  classes  in  every  district,  which 
were  conducted  with  astonishing  efficiency.  He  had, 
also,  the  rare  faculty  of  setting  everybody  at  work. 
He  soon  became  known  as  “ the  plain  preacher,”  the 
man  who  dared  to  speak  boldly  in  condemnation  of 
vice. 

His  New  Year’s  sermons  were  always  reviews  of  the 
year,  and  proved  him  to  have  a genius  for  sta- 
tistics, as  will  be  shown  by  an  extract  from  the  one 
for  1849 : 

“ This  township  has  411  families  and  1376  adults.  It  has  37  drinking 
families,  119  drinking  adults,  21  drunkards,  and  during  the  past  year  has 
consumed  4153  gallons  of  intoxicating  liquors.  The  families  having  no 
altar  are  219  ; reading  no  religious  papers,  223  ; children  between  six 
and  twenty-one  attending  no  Sabbath-school,  179;  adults  who  visit* 
! work  or  journey  on  the  Sabbath,  183  ; neglect  public  worship,  113  ; can- 
not read,  22  ; use  profane  language,  189  ; use  tobacco,  364  ; play  cards 
83  ; attend  balls,  40 ; supposed  to  be  impenitent,  777.  The  sending  of 
150  persons  to  Botany  Bay  would  blot  from  our  history  most  of  the  above 
number.” 

During  Dr.  Little’s  pastorate  at  Granville  there 
were  added  to  his  church  one  thousand  and  forty-one 
members,  of  whom  six  hundred  and  sixty-four  were 
received  upon  profession  of  their  faith.  In  these 
years  he  preached  about  five  thousand  sermons,  and 
more  than  one  thousand  persons  are  supposed  to  have 
been  led  to  a religious  life  through  his  ministry. 

Besides  his  pastoral  labors,  he  was  a frequent  and 
a valuable  contributor  to  the  religious  press.  The 


692 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


academy  for  young  men  and  the  seminary  for  young 
women  in  Granville  both  owed  their  existence  and 
much  of  their  prosperity  to  his  efforts,  and  of  the  lat- 
ter he  was  a trustee.  At  different  times  he  was  a 
trustee  of  Western  Reserve,  Central  and  Marietta 
Colleges. 

In  1864  he  resigned  his  pastorate  at  Granville  and 
removed  to  Warsaw,  Ind.,  where  he  lived  until  1874, 
preaching  occasionally.  Thence  he  removed  to  the 
home  of  his  son,  Rev.  Charles  Little,  in  Wabash, 
Ind.,  where  he  died  December  17,  1876,  aged  eighty- 
one  years. 

He  married,  first,  Lucy  Gerrish,  of  Canterbury, 
N.  H.,  June  1,  1826,  who  died  October  5,  1834;  sec- 
ond, Ann  Dorothy  Thompson,  March  23,  1836.  His 
three  sons  are  all  in  the  gospel  ministry. 

Simeon  Barti.ett  Little  was  born  in  Webster 
December  16,  1797,  and  was  the  son  of  Benjamin 
Little,  Esq.  His  education  was  acquired  at  the  com- 
mon school.  In  early  life  he  was  a news-carrier,  sup- 
plying the  people  of  Hopkinton,  Boscawen,  Salis- 
bury and  Andover  with  the  Concord  Gazette.  Be- 
sides carrying  papers,  he  executed  errands.  By  this 
means  he  acquired  his  first  money. 

Mr.  Little  was  a born  leader,  and  was  recognized 
as  such  by  his  fellow-citizens  without  any  effort  of 
his  own.  He  was  selectman  ten  years,  two  years  a 
member  of  the  legislature  and  a delegate  to  the  con- 
vention for  the  revision  of  the  Constitution.  Be- 
tween the  years  1839-1858,  inclusive,  with  but  two 
exceptions,  he  was  elected  moderator  at  the  annual 
town-meeting.  He  was  endowed  with  a judicial  mind, 
and  held  through  the  active  years  of  life  a magis- 
trate’s commission.  He  was  administrator  of  between 
thirty  and  forty  estates  and  was  concerned  in  the  set- 
tlement of  nearly  as  many  more.  He  received  near- 
ly twenty  appointments  as  guardian  for  minors  or 
insane  persons,  and  held  a large  amount  of  funds 
in  trust.  His  business  as  a conveyancer  of  deeds 
was  very  large, — nearly  one  thousand.  Men  who 
wished  to  make  their  last  wills  and  testaments  called 
upon  him  for  counsel,  and  he  wrote  a large  number. 
He  was  for  about  fifteen  years  president  or  director 
of  the  Granite  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company, 
and,  for  fifteen  years  or  more,  director  and  secretary 
of  the  same.  In  speaking  of  the  part  he  had  taken 
in  public  life,  he  once  said, — “ I have  been  elected 
more  times  to  some  responsible  office  in  town  by 
ballot,  from  1828  to  1860,  than  there  are  years,  and  I 
can  say  what  many  cannot, — that  I never,  directly  or 
indirectly,  solicited  a nomination  or  vote.”  He  was 
one  of  the  leading  men  of  the  church  and  religious 
society.  He  was  a frequent  contributor  to  the  press, 
writing  on  a great  variety  of  subjects  and  always  in 
a clear,  vigorous,  incisive  style.  Mentally  and  physi- 
cally, he  was  sturdy  and  honest.  He  was  naturally 
conservative,  a Puritan  of  the  eighteenth  century  and 
opposed  to  all  innovation  ; but  those,  even, who  opposed 
him  politically,  ever  acknowledged  his  integrity,  the 


honesty  of  his  intentions  and  his  sterling  worth. 
He  died  December  29,  1874.  His  first  marriage  was 
September  16,  1824,  to  Miss  Harriet  Boyd,  of  An 
trim,  N.  H.,  who  died  October  3,  1850.  His  second 
marriage  was  to  Miss  Phebe  Kilburn,  of  Webster, 
October  20.  1851,  who  survives  him. 

Rev.  Ebenezer  Price,  first  pastor  of  the  Congre- 
gational Church  in  Webster,  was  born  in  Newbury  - 
port,  Mass.,  September  14,  1771.  He  began  his 
preparation  for  college  at  the  age  of  seventeen  in 
Moore’s  Charity  School  in  Hanover,  entered  Dart- 
mouth College  in  1789,  and  graduated  in  1793.  He 
studied  theology  with  Rev.  Elisha  Thayer,  D.D.,  of 
Kingston.  He  was  first  settled  in  Belfast,  Me.,  in  1796, 
where  he  remained  for  six  years.  He  was  married 
in  1799  to  Lucy  Farrar,  of  Hanover,  N.  H. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  first  meeting-house 
in  Webster  was  built  in  1791.  At  that  time  there 
was  no  organization,  either  of  church  or  society. 
The  town  owned  the  frame  of  the  meeting-house, 
and  individuals  owned  the  pews.  In  this  state  of 
affairs  Mr.  Price  was  invited  by  the  citizens  of  the 
town  to  labor  among  them,  and  his  preaching  was 
followed  by  manifest  increase  of  religious  interest. 
The  Westerly  Religious  Society  was  organized  in 
January,  1804,  and  a church  of  eight  members  was 
formed  in  September  following,  when  Mr.  Price  was 
installed  pastor.  The  whole  number  added  to  the 
church  during  his  pastorate  of  thirty-three  years 
was  two  hundred  and  sixty-two.  The  greatest  number 
added  in  any  one  year  was  sixty  in  1838.  The  great- 
est number  on  the  church  rolls  at  any  one  period  was 
one  hundred  and  ninety-eight.  After  his  dismissal, 
May  10,  1837,  he  continued  to  reside  in  town,  and  be- 
came superintendent  of  the  Sabbath -school,  which 
position  he  held  for  eleven  years. 

Upon  the  formation  of  the  Granite  Mutual  Fire 
Insurance  Company  he  was  elected  secretary.  In 
1859  he  went  to  Boston  to  live  with  his  eldest  son, 
Ebenezer  Sewall  Price.  He  died  in  Boston,  Febru- 
ary 19,  1864,  aged  ninety-two  years. 

Father  Price  was  a perfect  gentleman  and  noted 
for  his  dignified  courtesy.  He  was  fond  of  riding  on 
horseback,  and  sat  upon  his  old  black  horse  with  a 
stately  grace  not  often  seen  at  this  day. 

He  took  a lively  interest  in  all  benevolent  or  phil- 
anthropic movements.  He  was  a faithful  minister, 
an  exemplary  Christian,  respected  even  by  the  irre- 
ligious, and  greatly  beloved  by  those  who  could  appre- 
ciate godliness  of  life  and  character. 

He  was  twice  chosen  to  represent  the  town  in  the 
Legislature.  In  1830  he  collected  materials  for  a 
chronological  history  of  the  town,  which  was  pub- 
lished by  private  subscription  in  1823. 

“His  sermons  preached  at  the  funeral  of  Deacon  Benjamin  Sweatt 
and  upon  the  death  of  Kev.  Dr.  Wood,  were  published  by  request.  He 
was  the  author  of  the  letter  to  lion.  Daniel  Webster,  which  elicited  his 
reply  to  his  New  Hampshire  neighbors. 

“ His  relations  to  the  church  and  society,  and  especially  to  his  succes- 
sor in  the  ministry,  Rev.  Edward  Buxton,  were  always  fraternal  and 


WEBSTER. 


fi93 


helpful.  As  a pastor  he  was  ever  mindful  of  the  wants  of  his  people, 
sympathizing  with  them  in  their  bereavements  and  afflictions,  and  enter- 
ing as  heartily  into  all  their  joys.  He  was  so  mindful  of  all  classes  that  > 
in  his  public  prayers,  the  aged,  the  middle-aged,  the  young,  the  youth, 
the  infants  were  all  remembered.  His  desire  to  leave  nothing  undone,  | 
to  neglect  no  class,  to  till  the  full  measure  of  his  responsibility,  not  in- 
frequently made  his  prayers  and  sermons  of  undue  length,  occupying 
from  fifty  to  seventy  minutes. 

“ In  this  respect  he  did  not  stand  alone.  In  the  ministry  at  that  period 
brevity  was  the  exception,  length  the  rule.  At  the  beginning  of  the 
century  people  expected  a service  to  occupy  at  least  two  hours.  During 
the  short  days  of  winter  those  who  lived  farthest  from  meeting  some- 
times saw  the  sun  disappear  behind  the  Warner  hills  before  they  reached 
home.  Nor  were  they  restless  under  a sermon  that  occupied  an  hour  in 
the  delivery.  They  expected  a long  sermon,  and  would  have  found  fault 
with  the  brevity  of  the  sermons  of  the  present  day. 

“ His  last  years  were  marked  by  serene  peace  and  composure.  He  was 
an  attendant  at  Mount  Vernon  Church,  in  Boston,  and  listened  with  de- 
light to  the  preaching  of  Rev.  Dr.  Kirk,  who  looked  upon  him  as  a 
father  in  the  ministry.  His  influence  never  can  be  measured,  for  under 
his  preaching  such  men  as  Enoch  Corser,  Jacob  and  Henry  Little  were 
led  to  enter  the  ministry,  and  through  their  instrumentality  thousands 
have  been  brought  to  a religious  life.” 

On  being  asked  by  his  son  how  he  felt  in  regard  to 
death,  he  answered,  “Oh!  that  was  all  fixed  years 
and  years  ago.  I committed  myself  into  the  hands 
of  my  Maker : He  has  taken  care  of  me  hitherto, 
and  I have  no  fears  for  the  future.” 

He  was  buried  in  Webster,  almost  under  the 
shadow  of  the  old  meeting-house  where  he  began  his 
labors,  and  among  the  graves  of  his  old  people. 

There  are  many  other  citizens  of  Webster,  in  the 
past  and  in  the  present,  who  deserve  record  here. 
Every  shade  of  character,  every  variety  of  talent  has 
been  developed  on  the  hillsides  of  this  quiet  country 
town.  Poetry,  romance  and  tragedy,  written  and  un- 
written, have  been  lived  in  these  valleys.  Neither  is 
the  history  of  Webster  without  its  comic  side.  It 
has  had  its  full  share  of  odd  characters,  whose  names 
and  sayings  have  come  down  to  us  by  tradition. 

James  Corser  was  one  of  these  men, — an  eccentric 
genius,  fond  of  puzzling  answers.  His  neighbors 
on  either  side  bore  the  names  of  Knight  and  Day. 
Mr.  Corser  was  asked  where  he  lived,  and  answered, 
“ In  Twilight.”  Being  asked  still  further  where 
Twilight  was,  he  replied,  “Between  Knight  and 
Day.” 

Obadiah  Elkins  was  a man  whose  natural  oddities 
may  have  beeu  intensified  by  disappointed  love  in 
his  youth.  It  is  not  strange,  then,  that  his  stream  of 
domestic  bliss  did  not  always  flow  smoothly.  But, 
unlike  most  aggrieved  or  aggrieving  husbands,  he 
usually  left  his  better-half  iu  peaceable  possession  of 
the  fireside,  and  sought  another  spot  whereon  to 
build  his  cabin  and  and  set  up  his  individual  house- 
hold gods.  By  the  time  this  was  accomplished 
the  quarrel  would  be  over,  and  he  would  take  his 
wife  to  the  new  house  and  begin  over  again.  At 
last,  having  built,  so  tradition  runs,  twenty-eight 
houses,  he  grew  tired  of  moving,  and  resolved  to  build 
a house  for  his  sole  possession.  This  was  not  au  im- 
possible thing,  for  he  was  a man  of  slender  propor- 
tions, while  his  wife  was  a woman  of  majestic  stature. 
So  he  built  a house  of  but  one  room,  with  one  door, 


so  narrow  that  only  himself  could  enter,  and  here  he 
could  retire  to  dwell  in  peace  until  the  storm  of 
feminine  wrath  should  blow  over,  or  his  own  fit  of 
sulks  should  clear  away. 

Once  he  made  his  way  to  Pillsbury’s  mill-pond, 
resolved  to  commit  suicide;  but  after  holding  his 
head  under  water  for  a while,  he  waded  back  to 
shore  to  take  up  the  burden  of  life  again,  complain- 
ing that  he  “couldn’t  hold  his  breath  long  enough  to 
drown.” 

One  night,  when  the  moon  was  at  its  full,  a passer- 
by found  Mr.  Elkins  busy  with  a burning-glass,  try- 
ing, as  he  said,  “ to  light  a fire  by  moonlight,”  adding 
that  he  “ had  often  done  it  with  sunlight,  and  did 
not  know  but  he  could  with  the  moon.” 

James  Fellows  was  another  man  of  pronounced  in- 
dividuality, whose  words  and  actions  ran  in  diametri- 
cally opposite  directions,  and  who  must  always  be 
interpreted  by  the  law  of  contrariety.  No  man  ever 
was  a kinder  neighbor  than  he ; neither  was  there 
ever  a man  who  could  be  more  surly  and  gruff.  At 
one  time  a neighbor  was  in  want  of  hay.  He  went 
to  beg  Mr.  Fellows  to  sell  him  some,  knowing  that 
he  had  an  abundance  in  his  barn,  but  met  with  a flat 
refusal.  He  urged  the  matter,  but  Mr.  Fellows  de- 
manded gruffly,  “ what  he  was  hanging  about  there 
for?”  and  ordered  him  off.  The  would-be  purchaser 
obeyed,  and  turned  reluctantly  homeward  ; but  before 
he  had  reached  the  road,  Mr.  Fellows  called  out 
imperiously,  “ What  are  you  going  away  for?  Come 
back!  I’ve  got  hay  enough!  Why,  I’ll  give  you 
five  hundred  ! ” 

David  Heath  was  a living  illustration  of  the  gro- 
tesque in  speech,  look  and  manner.  He  earned  the 
sobriquet  of  Jester  by  his  fondness  for  jokes.  In  those 
days  hoop-poles  were  an  article  of  commerce,  and  Mr. 
Heath  was  more  solicitous  about  securing  his  desired 
complement  of  hoop-poles  than  regardful  of  bounda- 
ries between  his  own  and  his  neighbors’  wood-lots.  At 
last  Captain  Little  Burbank,  tired  of  a commerce  so 
unprofitable  to  himself,  said  to  Mr.  Heath,"  If  you  will 
agree  never  to  cut  any  more  poles  on  my  landl’ll  give 
you  a pig.”  “All  right,”  was  the  answer,  “ I’ll  prom- 
ise.” In  due  time  Captain  Abraham  Burbank,  hear- 
ing of  his  brother’s  success,  resolved  to  make  a bar- 
gain for  himself  with  the  Jester,  and  offered  him  a 
sheep  if  he  would  resign  all  claims  to  hoop-timber  on 
his  land  thenceforth  and  forever.  “Ah-h-h!”  he  re- 
plied, shaking  his  gray  head,  “ t’won’t  do  to  sell  all 
out,  Captain  Burbank.” 

Moses  Jackman  was  drafted  for  military  service  dur- 
ing the  war  of  1812,  but  when  he  presented  himself 
for  examination  he  was,  to  all  appearance,  blind. 
Various  expedients  were  resorted  to  by  the  examin- 
ing surgeons  to  ascertain  whether  his  blindness  was 
real,  but  his  eyes  showed  no  symptoms  of  seeing.  He 
was  retained  for  further  trial.  While  the  matter  was 
pending  he  astonished  those  about  him  by  exclaim- 
ing, as  a mouse  appeared  upon  the  scene,  “Oh!  see 


694 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


that  mouse.”  “ What ! do  you  see  him  ?”  asked  some- 
one. “ No,”  was  the  quick  reply ; “ but  I smell  him.” 
At  last  a plank  was  laid  over  the  edge  of  a boat,  and  he 
was  placed  upon  it  and  ordered  to  walk  over  it.  He 
obeyed  and  walked  off  the  end  into  the  water. 
Whereupon  he  was  adjudged  stone-blind  and  sent 
home.  A guide  went  with  him,  but  after  they  had 
gone  a few  miles  Mr.  Jackman  said  he  “ thought  he 
could  find  the  way  now,”  and  nothing  more  was  ever 
heard  of  his  blindness. 

TOWN  OFFICERS  FROJI  1860  TO  1885. 

1860. — Simeon  B.  Little,  moderator ; David  E.  Burbank,  clerk ; Na- 
than Pearson,  Jeremiah  S.  Webber,  Albert  Runnels,  selectmen. 

1861.  — Simeon  B.  Little,  moderator  ; David  E.  Burbank,  clerk  ; Jere- 
miah S.  Webber,  Albert  Runnels,  George  Little,  selectmen  ; Albert  Run- 
nels, representative. 

1862.  — Simeon  B.  Little,  moderator;  David E.  Burbank,  clerk  ; George 
Little,  William  D.  Call,  David  A.  Macurdy,  selectmen.1 

1863.  — Simeon  B.  Little,  moderator ; Atherton  Sweatt,  clerk  ; George 
Little,  William  D.  Call,  John  C.  Pearson,  selectmen;  Jeremiah  S. 
Webber,  representative. 

1864.  — Simeon  B.  Little,  moderator  ; Atherton  Sweatt,  clerk  ; William 
D.  Call,  John  C.  Pearson,  Hiram  G.  Stone,  selectmen  ; George  Little, 
representative. 

1865.  — Simeon  B.  Little,  moderator ; Atherton  Sweatt,  clerk  ; John  C. 
Pearson,  Hiram  G.  Stone,  Henry  H.  Gerrish,  selectmen  ; George  Little 
representative. 

1866. — Simeon  B.  Little,  moderator  ; Atherton  Sweatt,  clerk ; Hiram 
G.  Stone,  Henry  H.  Gerrish,  Sherman  Little,  selectmen  ; no  representa- 
tive. 

1867. — Joseph  L.  Couch,  moderator ; Atherton  Sweatt,  clerk  ; John 
Colby,  John  Sanborn,  D.  C.  Hubbard,  selectmen  ; William  D.  Call,  rep- 
resentative. 

1868.  — David  A.  Macurdy,  moderator  ; Atherton  Sweatt,  clerk ; Sher- 
man Little,  William  W.  Austin,  Atherton  Sweatt,  selectmen  ; William 

D.  Call,  representative. 

1869.  — David  A.  Macurdy,  moderator  ; Atherton  Sweatt,  clerk  ; Sher- 
man Little,  William  W.  Austin,  Atherton  Sweatt,  selectmen  ; David  A 
Macurdy,  representative. 

1870.  — David  A.  Macurdy,  moderator  ; Atherton  Sweatt,  clerk  ; Charles 

E.  Kimball,  Joseph  L.  Couch,  Atherton  Sweatt,  selectmen. 

1871.  — David  S.  Corser,  moderator  ; Atherton  Sweatt,  clerk  ; Charles 
E.  Kimball,  P.  F.  S.  Clark,  Albe  C.  Sweatt,  selectmen  ; John  C.  Pearson, 
representative. 

1872.  — David  S.  Corser,  moderator  ; Atherton  Sweatt,  clerk  ; Albe  C. 
Sweatt,  P.  F.  S.  Clark,  W.  W.  Burbank,  selectmen  ; John  C.  Pearson, 
representative. 

1873.  — Sherman  Little,  moderator ; Atherton  Sweatt,  clerk  ; Atherton 
Sweatt,  P.  F.  S.  Clark,  W.  W.  Burbank,  selectmen  ; Albe  C.  Sweatt, 
representative. 

1874.  — Sherman  Little,  moderator ; Atherton  Sweatt,  clerk  ; W.  W. 
Burbank,  Charles  C.  Kimball,  George  Little,  selectmen  ; Albe  C.  Sweatt, 
representative. 

1875.  — Sherman  Little,  moderator ; Atherton  Sweatt,  clerk;  Charles 
C.  Kimball,  Hiram  G.  Stone,  James  L.  Gerrish,  selectmen  ; Sherman 
Little,  representative. 

1876.  — Sherman  Little,  moderator ; Atherton  Sweatt,  clerk  ; Charles 
C.  Kimball,  James  L.  Gerrish,  James  M.  Snyder,  selectmen  ; Sherman 
Little,  representative. 

1877.  — Sherman  Little,  moderator  ; Atherton  Sweatt,  clerk  ; James 

L.  Gerrish,  James  M.  Snyder,  William  W.  Austin,  selectmen;  Charles 
C.  Kimball,  representative. 

1878.  — Sherman  Little,  moderator;  Atherton  Sweatt,  clerk;  James 

M.  Snyder,  William  W.  Austin,  Moody  A.  Pillsbury,  selectmen  ; Charles 
C.  Kimball,  representative.* 


1 After  many  ballots  for  representative,  without^  a choice,  the  town 
voted  not  to  send. 


1879. — Sherman  Little,  moderator  ; Atherton  Sweatt,  clerk  ; William 
W.  Austin,  M.  A.  Pillsbury,  James  H.  Trumball,  selectmen  ; John  B. 
Chase,  representative. 

1880.  — Sherman  Little,  moderator;  Atherton  Sweatt,  clerk;  M.  A. 
Pillsbury,  James  H.  Trumball,  Sherman  Little,  selectmen. 

1881.  — Sherman  Little,  moderator;  Atherton  Sweatt,  clerk ; James  H. 
Trumball,  Sherman  Little,  George  Sanborn,  selectmen  ; William  W. 
Burbank,  representative. 

1882.  — Sherman  Little,  moderator  ; Atherton  Sweatt,  clerk  ; Sherman 
Little,  George  Sanborn,  Daniel  G.  Holmes,  selectmen. 

1883.  — Sherman  Little,  moderator  ; Atherton  Sweatt,  clerk  ; George 
Sanborn,  Daniel  G.  Holmes,  W.  W.  Burbank,  selectmen  ; James  L.  Ger- 
rish, representative. 

1884. — Thomas  J.  Corser,  moderator  ; Atherton  Sweatt,  clerk  ; Daniel 
G.  Holmes,  W.  W.  Burbank,  Joseph  B.  Thurber,  selectmen. 

1885.  — W.  W.  Burbank,  moderator ; Atherton  Sweatt,  clerk  ; W.  W. 
Burbank,  Joseph  B.  Thurber,  Moody  A.  Pillsbury,  selectmen  ; W.  W. 
Austin,  representative. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH. 


ENOCH  COUCH. 

Enoch  Couch  was  born  in  Boscawen  (now  Web- 
ster), N.  H.,  April  12,  1793,  on  the  old  place  where 
two  generations  had  preceded  him.  He  received  his 
education  at  the  district  school,  and,  like  all  farmers’ 
boys,  assisted  in  required  duties  at  home.  Upon  the 
death  of  his  father,  in  1821,  the  responsibility  of  the 
farm  devolved  entirely  upon  him.  He  was  a man 
of  strong  physique  and  very  active,  adding  largely  to 
the  home-farm  by  industry  and  hard  work.  He  was 
shrewd  and  far-seeing  in  business  affairs,  yet  strictly 
honest  and  upright  in  his  dealings.  He  was  firm  in 
his  convictions,  conscientious  in  his  adherence  to 
principles,  and  willing  to  give  the  credit  of  like  hon- 
esty where  it  belonged.  He  was  greatly  respected 
in  the  community,  and  was  regarded  by  those  who 
knew  him  as  a Christian,  although  he  never  con- 
nected himself  with  any  church.  He  died  April  23, 
1867. 

He  married,  first,  Nancy  Eastman  ,who  died  without 
children ; second,  JaneO.  Stickney,  of  Brownfield,  Me., 
who  died  July  30,  1877.  By  this  union  he  had  three 
children, — Nancy  E.,  born  February  12,  1835,  who 
occupies  the  old  homestead  ; Joseph,  born  March 
22,  1837  ; Mary  S.,  born  June  12,  1844.  She  married 
Orlando  Whitney,  and  died  April  17,  1876,  leaving 
one  son,  Herbert  C. 

Joseph,  the  son  of  Enoch  Couch,  was  also  a man 
highly  respected  in  his  native  town.  In  early  man- 
hood he  was  a successful  teacher,  and,  after  the  death 
of  his  father,  assumed  entire  charge  of  the  farm. 
He  died  of  quick  consumption  March  14,  1872. 

Miss  Nancy  Couch,  the  only  surviving  member  of 
his  family,  furnishes  this  portrait  as  a tribute  to  her 
father’s  memory. 


HISTORY  OF  WILMOT. 


BY  W.  W.  FLANDERS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  present  century  the 
territory  which  now  constitutes  the  town  of  Wilmot 
belonged  to  and  was  a part  of  New  London,  Kearsarge 
and  New  Chester.  New  London  bordered  on  Spring- 
field,  Danbury,  New  Chester,  Kearsarge,  Sutton, 
Fishersfield  and  Wendell. 

The  most  thickly-settled  parts  of  New  London  at 
that  time  were  in  the  extreme  southerly  part  of  said 
town,  on  Colby  Hill,  Burpee  Hill,  Morgan  Hill  and 
Leper  Hill.  There  town-meetings  were  held  and 
town  affairs  were  managed. 

In  the  northerly  part,  near  Danbury  line,  in  the 
vicinity  of  what  is  now  known  as  the  Hobbs  neigh- 
borhood, was  the  most  considerable  settlement  of  that 
part  of  the  town — a region,  also,  of  hills  and  elevated 
laud.  There  were  settlements  on  Prescott  Hill,  and 
along  down  the  slopes  toward  the  swamps,  valleys  and 
water-courses.  Between  these  settlements  in  the  north 
and  in  the  south  there  was  an  extensive  forest-land 
situated  in  the  valley  of  the  outlet  of  Pleasant  Pond, 
and  its  water-shed  on  either  side,  tenanted  by  a few 
in  log  cabins  and  humble  residences,  scattered  and 
isolated  in  small  openings,  many  of  them  spending 
much  of  their  time  in  fishing  and  hunting. 

The  most  direct  and  shortest  way  of  communicating 
between  these  settlements  at  the  north  and  south 
ends  was  over  foot-paths,  private  cart-ways  and 
other  private  ways,  meandering  from  settlement  to 
settlement,  a distance  of  about  twelve  miles.  But  to 
reach  one  of  these  settlements  from  the  other  by  a 
continuous  open  public  highway,  the  travel  must 
have  been  north  through  Springfield  to  Colby  Hill, 
or  south  through  Andover,  Kearsarge  and  Sutton  to 
Colby  Hill  and  a distance  of  about  twenty  miles. 

The  two  ends  had  no  occasion  to  meet  except  for 
town  purposes,  and  to  vote  for  State  and  county 
officers.  In  politics,  Federalism  prevailed  at  the 
south,  and  ever  controlled  the  town  by  a large  and 
reliable  majority,  while  Republicanism  was  the  pre- 
vailing and  almost  unanimous  political  sentiment  at 
the  north. 

Were  it  not  for  voting  the  State  and  county  ticket, 
and  for  electors,  a general  meeting  of  the  citizens 


would  never  have  occurred,  or  of  any  considerable 
portion  of  those  in  the  north  with  those  in  the  south, 
except  casually  and  by  accident. 

Between  these  sections  there  was  no  business  con- 
nection to  call  them  together.  Agriculture  was  then 
the  vocation  of  all.  Whatever  was  done  by  way  of 
manufacturing  lumber  was  for  local  use  in  building 
residences  and  stables;  none  for  transportation  or  for- 
eign market.  The  mercantile  business  consisted 
wholly  in  exchanging  farm  products  for  groceries  and 
other  necessaries.  This  was  accomplished  by  the 
farmer  himself,  who,  in  early  winter,  transported  with 
their  own  teams,  generally  horses,  but  sometimes 
oxen,  “below,”  as  it  was  generally  termed,  their  pro- 
ducts, and  brought  back  in  exchange  a yearly  stock 
of  goods  for  family  use  and  a little  cash.  From  a 
common  knowledge  of  the  varying  energy  and  en- 
terprise of  individuals  in  all  communities,  it  is  easy 
to  perceive  how  readily  the  business  of  teaming  and 
of  a country  merchant  spring  into  a regular  and  con- 
stant business. 

Whatever  progress  may  have  been  made  in  produc- 
ing the  teamster  and  merchant  at  this  time,  one  thing  is 
certain  : the  surplus  products  of  the  north  went  down 
through  Andover  to  Salisbury,  from  whence  came 
their  groceries  in  return,  while  those  of  the  south  went 
down  through  Warner  to  Hopkinton,  and  onward. 
Thus  the  business  relations  of  our  section  extended 
down  the  east  side  of  Kearsarge  Mountain,  and  that 
of  the  other  down  the  east  side,  making  the  two  sec- 
tions isolated  and  independent,  in  respect  to  each 
other,  so  far  as  the  business  of  gaining  a livelihood 
was  concerned. 

The  history  of  civilized  communities  shows  that  a 
community  of  business  interests,  though  varied  and 
branching  out  in  different  kinds  and  channels,  when 
co-operating,  so  as  to  build  up  and  encourage  each 
other  by  creating  and  extending  a market  for  the 
various  products,  enhancing  the  value  and  increasing 
the  demand  for  each  kind  of  labor,  thus  promoting  the 
wealth  of  the  community,  has  an  element  of  power  to 
maintain  and  perpetuate  itself,  through  local  attach- 
ment and  aspiration  for  gain  it  would  foster  and 
gratify. 

Yet,  from  the  same  source  it  appears,  in  distinct 
and  emphatic  lines,  that,  while  an  important  and  nec- 

695 


696 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


essary  ligament  in  holding  and  perpetuating  com-  j 
munities  in  prosperity  and  union,  it  is  of  itself  and  J 
alone,  the  weakest  of  the  necessary  bonds  for  that  great 
end.  The  sentiment  of  reverence  for  a Supreme  Being 
and  of  worship  for  such  Being,  is  as  universal  in  man 
as  his  selfishness,  and  stronger  than  all  other  senti- 
ment. Honest,  sincere  devotions  of  a religious  faith 
and  worship,  common  to  them  all,  are  bound  to- 
gether by  ties  that  can  be  severed  only  by  death.  To 
maintain  and  enjoy  the  inestimable  privilege  of  com- 
munion and  worship,  they  will  sacrifice  comfort,  con- 
venience and  property  ; will  break  the  fires  of  perse- 
cution and  wade  through  seas  of  blood  to  the  fagot, 
the  stake  and  to  martyrdom. 

This  strength  of  conviction  and  purpose  applied  to 
the  great  leading  doctrines  of  the  Bible,  in  which  all 
religious  denominations  agree,  has  brought  inestima- 
ble blessings  to  man.  Whenever  the  differences 
which  distinguish  religious  denominations  enter  and 
become  an  element  of  this  conviction  and  purpose, 
exerting  equal  power  and  influence  over  the  believer’s 
conduct,  it  brings  mischief  only.  Unfortunately,  j 
there  was  not  a common  religious  sentiment  and  wor- 
ship at  the  north  and  the  south ; unfortunately 
their  differences  became  the  leading  and  foremost 
thought  in  the  presence  of  each  other ; unfortu- 
nately, there  was  apparently  greater  zeal  manifested 
and  greater  sacrifices  made  to  promulgate  a partisan 
and  sectarian  religion  than  in  promulgating  those 
great  and  all-important  truths  in  which  all  agreed. 
It  is  conceived  that  this  zeal  and  effort  was  not  so 
much  on  account  of  the  importance  given  to  the 
point  of  difference  between  the  sects  as  from  a sense 
of  wrong  done  to  each  from  a misconception  and  [ 
statement  of  their  view's  and  reasoning. 

The  prevailing  religion  and  only  organized  church 
at  the  south  was  that  of  the  Calvinistic  Baptists, 
w'ho  were  close  communionists  and  believed  in  the 
doctrine  of  election  and  fore-ordination. 

In  the  north  there  were  Free-Will  Baptists,  with  j 
some  Congregationalists.  The  burden  of  their  ser-  j 
moils,  exhortations  and  sacred  songs  wras  the  free 
moral  agency  of  man  ; his  power,  privilege  and  duty 
to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  and  escape  eternal  , 
misery,  denouncing  bitterly  the  doctrine  of  election  j 
and  fore-ordination  as  wholly  irreconcilable  with  that 
of  the  free  moral  agency  of  man.  They  charged 
the  Calvinistic  Baptists  with  preaching  and  pro-  j 
•claiming  from  the  pulpit  infant  damnation,  and  that  j 
the  spirits  of  eternal  misery  were  suffering  by  the 
predetermined  will  of  Jehovah.  And  thus  the  very 
•excellent,  moral,  religious,  patriotic  and  enterprising 
people  of  the  south  were  regarded  by  the  equally 
worthv  people  of  the  north  as  Federalists  favoring 
an  aristocratic  and  monarchical  form  of  government; 
as  religious  exclusionists,  who  claimed  to  believe  in 
the  saved,  to  be  such  by  election.  Such  were  some  of  j 
the  diverse  and  inharmonious  relations  in  the  year 
1800. 


Kearsarge  Gore  at  this  time  embraced  a large  tract 
of  land  lying  on  the  north  and  south  sides  of  Kear- 
sarge Mountain.  It  wras  an  unincorporated  place, 
paid  a public  tax  and  had  town  privileges.  Its  pop- 
ulation was  one  hundred  and  seventy-nine.  In  poli- 
tics and  religion  they  agreed. ' Their  town-meetings 
were  held  on  the  north  and  south  sides  of  said  moun- 
tain alternately. 

Nothing  existed  among  them  in  the  way  of  con- 
tention, except  it  might  be  in  the  selection  of  local 
officers  and  matter  of  highways.  Whichever  side  of 
the  mountain  election  was  held,  they  were  sure  to 
carry  the  day.  This  wras  accounted  for  by  the  incon- 
venience in  getting  over  the  mountain. 

At  this  time  the  construction  of  a road  leading 
from  Concord  to  Vermont,  at  the  White  River  Junc- 
tion, leading  through  what  is  now  the  town  of  Wil- 
mot,  and  then  the  northern  part  of  New  London  and 
Kearsarge,  became  an  important,  if  not  the  leading, 
enterprise  with  the  people  of  New  Hampshire  along 
the  line  of  the  proposed  route. 

The  settlements  in  New  Hampshire  and  Vermont 
had  become  numerous  and  extensive  enough  to  re- 
quire more  direct  and  feasible  roads  to  accommodate 
the  increasing  demands  of  an  increasing  interest  in 
Northern  New  Hampshire  and  Vermont.  The  old 
rough  and  hilly  roads  winding  high  up  mountain- 
sides and  over  hill-tops,  in  diverse  ways,  to  accommo- 
date hill  settlements,  could  no  longer  serve  the  long 
travel  and  freight  seeking  the  sea-board  for  the  nec- 
essaries and  luxuries  desired  for  home  comfort. 

Tramways  had  been  made  to  accommodate  through 
travel  and  freight,  but  only  so  far  as  they  would 
accommodate  the  local  settlements,  which  were  uni- 
versally upon  the  hills  and  elevated  lands,  as  such 
were  more  easily  reduced  to  cultivation,  all  such 
local  improvements  still  left  the  ways  for  any  and  all 
travel  unnecessarily  steep,  tedious  and  dangerous. 

At  that  time  local  means  were  too  limited  to  open 
up  and  put  in  safe  condition  roads  on  the  most  feasi- 
ble route  for  through  travel  by  taxation.  The  business 
enterprise  of  traffic  and  travel  sought  accommodation 
and  relief  through  its  own  resources,  and  in  1800 
applied  to  the  New  Hampshire  Legislature  for  an  act 
of  incorporation,  authorizing  certain  persons  to  build 
the  Fourth  New  Hampshire  turnpike  road,  on  the 
most  feasible  route,  leading  from  Concord,  N.  H.,  to 
Connecticut  River,  at  White  River  Junction,  in 
Lebanon,  N.  1L,  which  enterprise  resulted  in  making 
the  Fourth  New  Hampshire  turnpike  and  putting  it 
in  running  order,  in  the  year  1806.  This  enterprise 
opened  a new  channel  of  business,  new  and  better 
ways  of  communication,  new  business  relations  and 
better  outlook  to  those  living  and  located  along  this 
Fourth  New  Hampshire  turnpike.  This  change  in- 
duced the  inhabitants  [in  North  New  London  and 
Kearsarge  to  apply  to  the  Legislature  for  an  act  to 
incorporate  the  northerly  part  of  New  London  and 
that  part  of  Kearsarge  Gore  north  of  Kearsarge 


WILMOT. 


697 


Mountain  into  a town  by  the  name  of  Wilmot.  This 
act  was  obtained  in  1807.  This  act  authorized  Sam- 
uel Messer,  Jr.,  and  Benjamin  Cass  to  call  a meeting 
of  the  inhabitants  for  the  purpose  of  choosing  all 
necessary  town  officers.  Agreeably  to  said  act,  Samuel 
Messer  warned  a town-meeting  for  the  inhabitants  to 
meet  at  the  dwelling  of  James  Philbrick  on  the 
second  Tuesday  in  March,  1808. 

At  this  meeting  they  elected  Samuel  Messer,  Jr., 
moderator ; William  Johnson,  town  clerk ; Insley 
Greeley,  Eliphalet  Gay  and  Jabez  Morill,  selectmen. 
In  the  vote  for  State  and  county  officers  at  this  meet- 
ing, it  appears  that  John  Langdon  had  twenty-nine 
votes  for  Governor  and  John  T.  Gilman  two  votes ; 
Benjamin  Pearce  thirty  votes  for  councilor ; James 
Flanders  twenty-two  for  Senator,  Benjamin  Phil- 
brick  had  one  vote  for  Senator,  John  Moody  one 
vote,  Samuel  Prescott  one  vote ; for  register,  Isaac 
Brooks,  twenty-two ; for  treasurer,  Joseph  Town,  twen- 
44 


ty-one.  There  were  votes  taken  also  for  other  minor 
officers. 

At  said  town-meeting  they  voted  to  raise  two  hun- 
dred dollars  for  schooling  and  voted  the  town  be 
divided  into  three  school  districts — North,  Centre  and 
South  Districts  ; also  voted  to  raise  twenty  dollars  for 
defraying  town  charges.  In  the  year  1808  there  were 
forty-six  resident  tax-payers;  twenty-four  of  these 
resided  in  that  part  known  as  Kearsarge  Gore,  and 
twenty-two  in  the  part  formerly  New  London. 

The  Kearsarge  Gore  and  the  northerly  part  of  New 
London  constituted  the  town  of  Wilmot  till  the  year 
1832,  at  which  time,  by  an  act  of  the  Legislature,  a 
certain  tract  of  land  then  a part  of  New  Chester,  on 
the  northerly  side  of  Ragged  Mountain  (so  called), 
and  separated  from  the  main  part  of  New  Chester  by 
Ragged  Mountain,  was  severed  from  New  Chester 
and  annexed  to  Wilmot,  and  at  the  present  writing 
(1885)  constitutes  the  town  of  Wilmot. 


• 

\ 


HISTORY 


OF 


BELKNAP  COUNTY, 


NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


HISTORY 


OF 


BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


=^r=@=4<5= 


CHAPTER  I. 

ORGANIZATION  OF  COUNTY— BENCH  AND  BAR. 


BY  JOHN  N.  MCCLINTOCK  A.  M. 


Belknap  County,  named  in  honor  of  Rev.  Hr. 
Jeremiah  Belknap,  the  earliest  historian  and  annalist 
of  New  Hampshire,  occupies  the  geographical  centre 
of  the  State,  and,  with  the  adjoining  county  of  Mer- 
rimack, is  entirely  surrounded  by  other  counties.  It 
does  not  come  in  contact  with  any  territory  outside 
of  New  Hampshire.  Its  surface  is  considerably  above 
the  level  of  the  ocean,  five  hundred  feet  at  the  shore- 
line of  Lake  Winnipiseogee,  and  is  diversified  by 
mountain,  hill  and  valley,  rivers  and  lakes.  Gilman- 
ton  Mountain  is  the  highest  elevation.  Its  area  of 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty-five  thousand  acres  of 
improved  land  is  very  fertile,  and  the  soil  produces 
good  crops  of  wheat,  corn,  potatoes,  hay  and  other 
products  of  a temperate  climate. 

Politically,  it  came  into  existence  December  20, 
1840 ; before  that  it  had  formed  a part  of  Strafford 
County.  It  is  divided  into  ten  townships,  one  of 
which  was  incorporated  during  the  reign  of  George 
I.,  two  in  the  reign  of  George  III.  and  seven  since 
the  organization  of  the  State  government.  It  began 
to  be  settled  at  the  close  of  the  French  and  Indian 
War.  Laconia  is  the  sliire-town. 

Its  chief  sources  of  wealth  now  are  the  manufac- 
turing industries  mostly  located  along  the  Winni- 
piseogee River,  which,  in  its  course  through  the 
county,  falls  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet. 

The  scenery  is  very  pleasing  and  annually  attracts 
a large  number  of  visitors  during  the  summer. 

The  Bench  and  Bar. — The  legal  fraternity  of  the 
towns  comprised  within  the  limits  of  Belknap  County 
have  always  held  a high  social  position  in  the  com- 


munity, and  would  compare  favorably  with  the  same 
class  in  any  other  county  in  the  State.  They  have 
been  called  upon  to  occupy  the  highest  offices  within 
the  gift  of  the  people,  and  have  honored  the  confi- 
dence reposed  in  them.  At  no  time  in  the  history  of 
the  State  have  they  stood  higher  in  the  esteem  of  the 
people  than  at  present. 

The  record  of  the  early  lawyers  in  many  cases  is 
lost — a name  only  being  handed  down  by  tradition. 
In  1794  Eben  Smith  was  practicing  law  in  Meredith. 
In  1814  John  Mooney  and  Jonathan  C.  Everett  were 
in  practice  there.  In  1820  John  Thompson  was  in 
practice  at  Centre  Harbor.  In  1832  W.  G.  "Webster 
was  at  New  Hampton.  S.  W.  Rollins,  of  Meredith 
village,  has  been  county  solicitor,  and  later  judge  of 
Probate  for  many  years. 

William  Harper,  the  first  lawyer  of  Sanbornton, 
came  from  Deerfield  before  1785,  was  a member  of  the 
convention  which  framed  the  State  Constitution,  was 
representative  from  1791  to  1800,  was  frequently  mod- 
erator at  town-meetings,  and  was  a land-owner.  He 
died  December  31,  1809. 

John  A.  Harper,  son  of  William  and  Mary  (Lane) 
Harper,  of  Sanbornton,  was  born  in  Deerfield  Novem- 
ber 2,  1779,  was  the  first  postmaster  of  Sanbornton, 
was  colonel  in  the  militia,  member  of  the  Eleventh 
Congress  (1811),  settled  at  Meredith  Bridge  and  died 
June  18,  1816. 

Daniel  C.  Atkinson,  son  of  Simeon  and  Phebe 
(Clark)  Atkinson,  was  born  in  Boscawen  September 
8,  1784-85,  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  1806, 
studied  law  with  Parker  Noyes  and  Daniel  Webster, 
settled  at  Sanbornton  Bridge  in  1810.  He  was  Sena- 
tor, councilor  and  judge  of  Probate  (1824)  and  mod- 
erator of  town  meetings.  He  married,  first,  Mahala 
Tilton;  second,  Mehetable  Tilton  (sisters).  He  died 
April  5,  1842. 


701 


702 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Matthew  Perkins,  born  in  Sanbornton  June  17, 
1788,  married  Jane  Little,  was  a lawyer  of  decided 
talent,  and  an  orator.  Settled  at  Sanbornton  Square, 
and  died  August  17,  1826. 

Charles  J.  Stuart,  born  in  Peterborough  Septem- 
ber 20,  1788,  of  Scotch-Irisb  parentage;  graduated  at 
Dartmouth  College  in  1809,  and  commenced  practice 
at  Sanbornton  Square.  He  was  a famous  singer  and  of  I 
large  size.  He  married  Eliza  Austin  and  finally  moved 
to  Lancaster,  where  he  died  May  17,  1836. 

Charles  Gilman  studied  law  with  Matthew  Per- 
kins, and  succeeded  to  his  practice  at  Sanbornton, 
where  he  remained  from  1826  to  1833.  He  is  said  to 
have  died  in  Baltimore  in  1878. 

Benjamin  Boardman,  born  in  South  Reading, 
Mass.,  February  15,1798;  studied  law  with  Samuel 
Fletcher,  of  Concord ; was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1825; 
married  Anne  Stickney,  of  Concord;  practiced  law 
in  Sanbornton  from  1833  to  1836,  when  he  removed 
to  Meredith  Bridge ; in  1847  he  moved  to  Lawrence, 
Mass.,  where  he  remained  until  1867  ; he  died  in 
Concord  April  3,  1871 ; his  house  in  Laconia  was 
the  pleasant  home  of  the  judges  during  the  sessions 
of  the  court ; he  was  the  last  lawyer  settled  at  San- 
bornton Square. 

Asa  P.  Cate,  born  in  Northfield  June  1,  1813; 
read  law  with  Judge  Nesmith;  married  Clara  Proc- 
tor, and  commenced  to  practice  about  1843.  Although 
his  residence  was  in  Northfield,  his  office  was  on  the 
Sanbornton  side  of  the  river;  he  was  several  times 
representative,  president  of  the  State  Bank,  candidate 
for  Governor,  president  of  a national  bank,  and  judge 
of  Probate  of  Merrimack  County ; he  died  December 
12,  1874. 

Benjamin  A.  Rogers,  a native  of  Northfield; 
practiced  law  at  Sanbornton  Bridge  from  about  1840 
to  1858  ; he  married,  first,  Viola  E.  Rundlet ; second, 
Adeliza  S.  Rundlet  (sisters) ; he  afterwards  studied 
for  the  Episcopal  ministry  and  is  settled  in  Texas. 

Charles  C.  Rogers,  born  in  Bloomfield,  Vt., 
August  19,  1834;  read  law  with  Benjamin  A.  Rogers 
and  succeeded  to  his  practice  in  Tilton  in  1858 ; he 
married  Sophia  T.  Curry,  and  is  still  in  practice. 

Francis  R.  Chase,  born  in  Gilmanton  April  5, 
1818;  studied  law  with  Judge  Dana,  of  Fryeburg, 
Me. ; married  Huldah  P.  Fessenden ; settled  in 
Conway;  was  representative  in  1852;  Speaker  of 
the  House  of  Representatives  in  1855;  settled  in 
Northfield  in  1866,  and  practiced  in  Tilton;  repre- 
sented the  town  in  1871-72;  was  a prominent  Episco- 
palian and  died  March  12,  1876. 

James  0.  Lyford,  born  June  28,  1853,  in  Boston; 
moved  to  Canterbury  in  1866  ; read  law  in  Concord  ; 
opened  a law-office  in  Tilton  in  1880;  he  holds 
a clerkship  in  the  War  Department,  at  Washing- 
ton. 

Stephhn  Moody,  born  in  West  Newbury,  Mass., 
January  21,  1767 ; graduated  at  Harvard  College  in 
1790;  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1793,  and  settled 


the  same  year  in  Lower  Gilmanton ; he  was  the  first 
lawyer  of  Belknap  County ; he  married  Frances  Cof- 
fin ; was  repeatedly  moderator  of  town-meetings,  and 
died  April  21,  1842. 

John  Ham,  born  in  Dover  December  30,  1774; 
graduated  at  Dartmouth  College,  1797 ; was  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  1800,  and  a year  later  settled  in  Lower 
Gilmanton  ; he  was  frequently  chosen  selectman  and 
representative;  he  married  Wealthy  C.  Brigham, 
and  died  March  7,  1837. 

Benjamin  Emerson,  born  in  Alfred,  Me.,  March 
20,  1792 ; graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  1816 ; 
married  Rebecca  S.  Porter  and  settled  in  Gilmanton, 
where  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1822;  he  was 
repeatedly  moderator  and  representative. 

Nathaniel  Cogswell,  born  January  19,  1773; 
j graduated  at  Dartmouth  College,  1794;  commenced  to 
practice  in  Gilmanton  in  1805  ; he  was  afterwards  a 
general  in  the  Mexican  army  and  died  August,  1813. 

Nathan  Crosby,  born  February  12,  1798;  gradu- 
ated at  Dartmouth  College  in  1820  ; read  law  with 
Stephen  Moody ; was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1824, 
practiced  a short  time  in  Gilmanton.  and  finally  set- 
tled in  Lowell,  where  he  died  in  1884. 

James  Bell,  son  of  Governor  Samuel  Bell;  gradu- 
ated at  Bowdoin  College  in  1822;  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1825;  married  Judith  Upham,  and  opened  an 
office  at  Gilmanton  Iron- Works;  he  afterwards  re- 
I moved  to  Exeter. 

George  Minor,  a graduate  of  Dartmouth  Coliege 
in  1828;  was  admitted  to  practice  in  1831 ; he  opened 
an  office  at  Gilmanton  Iron- Works,  but  soon  removed 
to  Concord. 

Arthur  Livermore,  a graduate  of  Dartmouth 
College  in  1829;  was  admitted  to  practice  in  1833; 
opened  an  office  in  Gilmanton  and  afterwards  moved 
to  Bath. 

Ira  A.  Eastman.  (See  Merrimack  County  Bench 
and  Bar  History). 

Edward  St.  Loe  Livermore  practiced  law  for  a 
short  time  at  Gilmanton. 

William  Butterfield  graduated  at  Dartmouth 
College  in  1836;  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1840;  mar- 
ried Rosamond  Robinson  and  practiced  a few  years  at 
Gilmanton  Centre;  he  afterwards  moved  to  Concord 
and  for  many  years  was  editor  of  the  Patriot. 

George  G.  Fogg,  a native  of  Meredith ; graduated 
at  Dartmouth  College  in  1839;  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1842,  and  settled  at  Gilmanton  Iron- Works; 
he  was  afterwards  an  editor,  minister  to  Switzerland 
and  United  States  Senator. 

General  Joseph  Badger,  for  many  years  judge 
of  Probate  of  Strafford  County,  was  born  in  Haver- 
hill, Mass.,  January  11,  1722;  married  Hannah  Pear- 
son and  moved  to  Gilmanton  in  1763.  He  was  a 
prominent  citizen;  a member  of  the  Provincial  Con- 
gress and  the  first  Constitutional  Convention.  He 
was  several  times  a member  of  the  Governor’s  Coun- 
cil. He  died  April  4, 1803. 


BENCH  AND  BAR. 


Thomas  Cogswell,  from  1784  to  1810  chief  jus- 
tice of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  was  born  in 
Haverhill,  Mass.,  August  14,  1746 ; married  Ruth, 
daughter  of  General  Badger ; served  in  the  army 
during  the  whole  Revolutionary  War ; won  the  rank 
of  colonel ; settled  in  Gilmanton  on  return  of  peace. 
He  died  September  3, 1810. 

Thomas  Cogswell,  son  of  William  and  Judith 
(Badger)  Cogswell,  a nephew  of  Thomas  Cogswell, 
was  born,  December  7,  1798,  in  Atkinson ; lived  in 
Gilmanton.  He  was  a judge  of  the  Court  of  Common 
Pleas  for  Belknap  County  from  1841  to  1855;  was 
justice  of  the  peace  for  over  forty  years  and  a coun- 
cilor in  1856  ; married  Mary  Noyes  and  died  August 
8,  1868.  His  son,  Thomas  Cogswell,  is  a prominent 
lawyer  of  Gilmanton. 

William  Badger,  a grandson  of  General  Joseph 
Badger,  was  born  in  Gilmanton  January  13,1779; 
married  Martha  Smith ; was  representative,  Senator, 
president  of  the  Senate,  Governor  of  New  Hampshire 
two  years.  From  1816  to  1821  he  was  associate  jus- 
tice of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas. 

Lyman  B.  Walker  was  an  attorney  at  Gilford 
for  many  years.  For  five  years  he  was  Attorney-Gen- 
eral of  the  State.  He  was  a brilliant  man,  and  a man 
of  much  influence.  He  frequently  encountered  Frank- 
lin Pierce  in  the  court-room. 

Stephen  C.  Lyford,  at  Laconia  for  many  years, 
was  a lawyer  of  large  practice ; esteemed  to  be  a good 
lawyer  and  stood  well  in  the  profession.  He  went 
South  late  in  life  and  died  there. 

Warren  Lovell,  from  Vermont,  settled  at  Went- 
worth, in  1830.  He  soon  after  came  to  Meredith, 
where  he  built  up  an  extensive  practive  and  accumu- 
lated a large  property.  He  was  appointed  judge  of 
Probate  and  moved  to  Laconia,  where  he  died  shortly 
before  1876. 

George  W.  Stevens,  a native  of  Salisbury ; was 
educated  at  Meriden  Academy ; read  law  with  John 
P.  Hale  and  settled  in  Laconia,  where  he  married ; 
represented  the  town  several  years ; a smart  lawyer 
and  a good  advocate;  did  a large  business.  He  died 
at  Concord. 

Benjamin  Morgan  and  E.  S.  Moulton  were  prac- 
ticing law  at  Laconia  in  1854. 

Wm.  N.  Blair,  a cousin  of  H.  W.  Blair,  was  a na- 
tive of  Campton  ; was  practicing  law  in  Laconia  in 
1861 ; was  county  solicitor  for  five  years.  He  re- 
turned to  Campton,  where  he  died. 

B.  M.  Colby,  a native  of  Colebrook,  was  in  prac- 
tice at  Tilton  from  1854  to  1861. 

I.  F.  Folsom  was  in  practice  at  Meredith  Bridge 
in  1854. 

O.  A.  J.  Vaughan,  a native  of  Hanover;  read  law 
with  Judge  Jonathan  Kittredge,  of  Canaan;  admit- 
ted to  the  bar  about  1846 ; first  settled  at  Gilmanton 
Iron  Works,  succeeding  G.  G.  Fogg  in  practice.  He 
soon  settled  in  Laconia,  where  he  married  and  died. 

Jeremiah  Elkins  was  a well-educated  lawyer; 


703 

born  at  Andover,  N.  H.,  August  31,  1795 ; graduated 
at  Dartmouth  College  in  1817 ; died  at  Meredith 
February  24, 1854;  settled  in  Meredith  in  1847 ; was 
clerk  of  New  Hampshire  House  of  Representatives  ; 
register  of  Probate  of  Stratford  and  solicitor  of  Bel- 
knap County;  married,  first,  Sarah  G.  Emerson; 
second,  Mary  A.  Bunker. 

George  T.  Sawyer,  afterwards  of  Nashua,  prac- 
ticed law  a number  of  years  at  Laconia. 

Horace  L.  Hazelton  was  practicing  law  in  Gil- 
ford in  1844.  He  was  a lawyer  and  advocate  of  good 
reputation,  and  moved  to  Boston,  where  he  became 
distinguished. 

Joseph  Ela  was  a statute  lawyer  at  Meredith ; a 
sharp,  shrewd  practitioner,  who  had  considerable 
success. 

Henry  T.  Simpson,  of  New  Hampton,  was  an  as- 
sociate justice  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas;  noted 
for  his  corpulence  and  good  sense. 

Hon.  Ellery  A.  Hibbard,  born  in  St.  Jobnsbury, 
Vt.,  July  31,  1826;  was  educated  at  Derby  Acad- 
emy ; read  law  with  Nathan  B.  Felton,  of  Haverhill, 
Charles  R.  Morrison,  of  Manchester,  and  Henry  F. 
French,  assistant  secretary  United  States  Treasury; 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1849  and  settled  in  Ply- 
mouth ; he  came  to  Laconia  in  1853.  He  has  served 
one  term  in  United  States  House  of  Representatives, 
and  has  been  a member  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  New 
Hampshire.  He  is  a strong,  level-headed,  evenly- 
balanced  and  safe  lawyer. 

Col.  Thomas  Jefferson  Whipple  was  born 
January  30,  1816,  in  Wentworth,  N.  H. ; educated 
at  New  Hampton,  Bradford,  Vt.,  and  at  Norwich 
University  ; read  law  with  Josiah  Quincy  and  Sal- 
mon Wires,  of  Johnson,  Vt. ; admitted  to  the  bar  in 
1840,  at  Plymouth,  and  settled  in  Wentworth.  He 
raised  an  independent  company — the  Wentworth  Pha- 
lanx— before  1840,  and  was  aide-de-camp  of  General 
Cook  when  seventeen  years  of  age ; commissioned 
first  lieutenant  in  Ninth  New  England  Regiment; 
adjutant  of  Colonel  Pierce’s  (afterwards  Colonel 
Ransom’s  Regiment,  of  Norwich,  Vt.)  in  the  spring 
of  1846,  at  Fort  Adams,  R.  I.  He  was  in  the  Mex- 
ican War,  and  was  taken  prisoner  at  Vera  Cruz,  and 
exchanged  at  Jalapa  ; was  adjutant-general  of  Gen- 
eral Lewis’  staff.  He  returned  and  settled  in  Laco- 
nia. 

During  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  he  served  as 
lieutenant-colonel  of  the  First  New  Hampshire  Regi- 
ment, colonel  of  the  Fourth,  and  was  chosen  colonel 
of  the  Twelfth.  Col.  Whipple  has  been  assistant 
clerk  and  clerk  of  House  ; secretary  of  1850  Constitu- 
tional Convention ; member  of  1876  Constitutional 
Convention,  and  has  been  attorney  for  the  Boston, 
Concord  and  Montreal  Railroad,  since  1870.  He  has 
also  been  attorney  for  the  Lake  Company  since  the 
death  of  Senator  J.  D.  Bell.  Col.  Whipple  is  an  able, 
eccentric  lawyer  and  a powerful  advocate. 

Jotham  Patten  Hutchinson,  born  February  29, 


’I 


704  HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


1824,  at  Sidney,  Me.;  studied  law  with  Colonel  Thomas 
J.  Whipple,  of  Laconia;  was  admitted  February 
term,  1853  ; settled  in  Laconia ; in  1862  settled  in 
Nashua.  In  April,  1872,  he  was  agent  of  the  Lake 
Company,  and  in  1873  settled  in  Lake  village.  He 
resigned  March,  1883.  He  married,  in  June,  1851, 
Abigail  Elizabeth  Hadley,  of  Rumney.  One  son, 
Frederick  J.  Hutchinson,  born  November  27,  1853  ; 
graduated  from  Dartmouth  College,  1878,  and  Boston 
Law  School,  1882  ; married  and  settled  in  the  practice 
of  his  profession  in  Boston. 

Samuel  C.  Clark,  Esq.,  born  in  Lake  village 
January  9,  1832  ; was  educated  at  Gilford  and  New 
Hampton  Academy  and  fitted  for  sophomore  class  in 
college;  read  law  with  Hon.  Stephen  C.  Lyford,  of 
Laconia,  and  Hon.  Asa  Fowler,  of  Concord  ; was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1854 ; practiced  law  in  Lake 
village  till  1857,  when  he  was  admitted  clerk  of  the 
courts  for  Belknap  County  until  1874,  since  which 
date  he  has  followed  the  profession  in  Lake  village. 
He  was  a member  of  the  Legislature  in  1867-68  and 


again  in  1878.  For  two  years  he  was  assistant  clerk 
of  the  House  of  Representatives,  1870  and  1872,  and 
for  two  years  he  was  clerk,  1873  and  1875. 

During  the  war  he  was  deputy- provost  marshal,  and 
a director  of  the  Laconia  National  Bank  and  the 
Lake  Village  Savings-Bank  since  their  organization. 
He  was  a promoter  and  is  a director  of  the  Laconia 
and  Lake  Village  Horse  Railroad.  He  is  a Royal 
Arch  Mason  and  attends  the  Baptist  Church.  He  mar- 
ried Clara  E.,  daughter  of  Captain  Josiah  Hale,  of 
Dover,  and  has  two  children,  Samuel  C.  Clark,  Jr., 
and  Clara  Belle  Clark. 

Erastus  P.  Jewell,  forty-eight  years  of  age,  is  a 
native  of  Sandwich  ; studied  at  New  Hampton  ; read 
law  with  Colonel  Thos.  J.  Whipple ; was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  1859,  and  has  since  practiced  in  Laconia. 

Charles  F.  Stone,  forty-two  years  of  age ; was 
born  in  Cabot,  Vt. ; He  graduated  at  Middleton 
College  in  1869 ; and  read  law  with  Governor  Stuart 
and  Judge  Hibbard  ; He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
1872,  and  in  practice  in  Laconia. 


HISTORY  OF  ALTON. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  town  of  Alton  lies  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
county  and  is  bounded  as  follows : North  by  Lake 
Winnipiseogee,  east  by  Strafford  County,  south  by 
Barnstead  and  west  by  Barnstead,  Gilmanton  and 
Gilford. 

This  town  was  originally  called  New  Durham  Gore. 
It  was  first  settled  about  1770  by  Jacob  Chamberlain 
and  others.  In  the  petition  of  1794,  for  incorpora- 
tion, the  citizens  asked  that  it  might  be  called  Rox- 
bury,  but  it  was  finally  named  Alton,  after  a town  in 
Southamptonshire,  England.  Barndoor  Island  was 
annexed  to  the  town  in  1799.  A portion  of  the  town 
was  annexed  to  Barnstead  in  1840,  and  a portion  to 
Wolfborough  in  1849. 

Incorporation  of  Town. — The  following  is  the 
petition  of  the  first  inhabitants  to  have  New  Durham 
Gore  incorporated,  1794: 

“To  the  Honorable  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives,  for  the 
State  of  New  Hampshire,  to  be  convened  at  Amherst  in  said  State 
on  the  first  Wednesday  in  June  next. 

“The  petition  of  us,  the  subscribers,  Freeholders  and  Inhabitants  of  a 
place  called  New  Durham  Gore,  in  the  County  of  Strafford  and  State 
aforesaid. 

“ Humbly  Slieweth — That  your  petitioners  have  a long  time  labored 
under  many  inconvenieneies,  for  want  of  an  incorporation,  in  their  not 
having  legal  power  to  lay  out  and  make  roads  for  the  accommodation  of 
the  Inhabitants  and  public,  to  build  a meeting-house  for  public  worship, 
settle  a minister  of  the  Gospel,  raise  money  for  the  maintenance  of 
schools,  and  to  transact  and  do  many  other  things  relative  to  town  af- 
fairs, which  the  Inhabitants  of  incorporated  towns  in  this  State,  by  law, 
exercise  and  do,  notwithstanding  which  difficulties  they  have  always 
cheerfully  contributed  their  full  proportion  towards  the  support  of 
Government,  and  been  firmly  attached  to  the  Laws  of  the  State.  Your 
Petitioners  therefore  pray  that  the  above-mentioned  Tract  of  Land,  now 
called  New  Durham  Gore,  and  bounded  as  follows — to  wit — Beginning 
at  the  southwesterly  corner  of  New  Durham,  and  running  north  by  the 
side  line  thereof,  about  nine  miles  and  three-quarters,  to  the  north- 
westerly corner  of  said  New  Durham,  then  running  North  forty-eight 
degrees  East,  by  said  New  Durham  line  about  two  miles  and  three- 
quarters  to  the  southerly  corner  of  Wolfborough,  then  running  north- 
west to  winnipeseoke  pond,  then  running  by  the  shore  of  said  pond,  as 
that  runs  a westerly  course  as  far  as  Gilmantown  line,  then  southerly 
upon  said  Gilmantown  line  as  far  as  the  line  of  the  town  of  Barnstead, 
then  running  southeast  or  as  said  Barnstead  line  runs  to  the  Bounds  first 
mentioned, — may  be  erected  and  incorporated  into  a township  by  the 
name  of  Roxbry,  and  that  the  inhabitants  thereof  may  be  erected  into  a 
Body  politic- and  corporate,  to  have  continuance  and  succession  forever, 
and  invested  with  all  the  powers  and  enfranchised  with  all  the  rights 
privileges  and  immunities  which  other  towns  in  this  State  hold  and  en- 
joy, to  hold  to  said  inhabitants  and  their  successors  forever.  And  that 
Mr.  Eleazer  Davis  may  be  authorized  to  call  a meeting  of  said  inhabi- 
tants to  choose  all  necessary  and  customary  town  officers,  giving  such 


notice  and  under  such  regulations  as  your  110001*8  may  deem  necessary, 
and  that  the  officers  then  chosen  may  be  invested  with  all  the  powers  of 
such  officers  in  other  towns  in  this  State.  And  that  every  other  meeting 
which  shall  be  annually  held  in  said  Gore  for  that  purpose  may  be  on 
the  second  Monday  of  March  forever,  or  otherwise  point  out  any  other 
mode  of  relief  to  your  petitioners  in  the  premises,  as  your  honors  in  your 
wise  consideration  shall  think  best,  and  your  petitioners  as  in  duty  bound 
will  ever  pray — 

“ New  Durham  Gore,  March  the  318t,  Anno  Domini  1794. 

“ Lem1  B.  Mason,  Micajah  Hanson,  James  McDuffee,  Ebenezer  Went- 
worth, Jim.,  Joseph  Roberts,  Thomas  Edgerley,  Jona  McDuffee,  Ephraim 
Chamberlain,  Jr.,  John  Rawlings,  Thomas  Dutton,  Silas  Buzzell,  Aaron 
Allard,  David  Glidden,  Moses  Gilman,  Samuel  me  cluer,  Ebenezer  Place, 
Jr.,  Stephen  Fall,  Jonathan  Molton,  Moses  Meader,  Jr.,  Nicholas  Glid- 
den, Thos.  Bennett,  Samuel  Elkins,  Eleazer  Davis,  Beuja  Bennett,  Dan1 
McDuffee,  Jr.,  Robert  E.  Buzzel,  William  McDuffee,  Lemuel  Durrell, 
Ephraim  Chamberlain,  Jonathan  Laigliton,  Jr.,  Charles  Rogers,  Jona- 
than Coffin,  Samuel  Rogers,  Simon  damp,  Thomas  Handers,  Thomas 
Lanclilen,  George  Walker,  Ebenezer  Wentworth,  Elisha  Drew,  Israel 
Stockbridge  (name  illegible',  Jacob  Chamberlain,  Jr.,  Richard  flanders, 
John  Folsom,  Benjamin  Shepard,  Jonathan  Leighton,  Thomas  Edgerly, 
Jr.,  James  Roberts,  Joseph  Chamberlin,  Joseph  Buzzell,  Andrew  Edgerly, 
Anthony  Rawlings,  Ichabod  Rawlings,  Jonathan  Laighton  (3d),  Ithamar 
Buzel  [?],  James  Rogers,  paul  Leathers,  Paul  Chamberlin,  Ephra  Roberts, 
Tristram  Hurd,  Stephen  Drew,  James  Woster,  Theoder  Richards,  Jere- 
miah Woodman,  Reuben  Smith/’ 

The  following  is  the  petition  of  Joseph  Pierce, 
1794: 

“State  of  New  Hampshire ) To  the  Honble  the  Senate  and  House  of  Rep- 

County  of  Strafford.  j resentatives  in  Gen1  Court  to  be  convened 
at  Amherst  in  said  State.  The  Petition  of  Joseph  Pierce,  of  New  Dur- 
ham Gore  in  said  County 

“ Humbly  Shews — That  a petition,  signed  by  sundry  of  the  Inhabit- 
ants of  said  New  Durham  Gore,  has  been  presented  to  the  General 
Court,  praying  that  the  Tract  of  Land  called  New  Durham  Gore  in  said 
County  might  be  incorporated,  and  have  such  Privileges  as  other  towns 
of  said  State  enjoy.  That  it  is  not  convenient  said  Tract  should  be  in- 
corporated as  the  form  of  the  same  is  such  that  the  Inhabitants  never 
can,  without  much  difficulty,  meet  together  for  public  worship,  for  the 
doing  the  necessary  town  business,  or  for  any  other  p ublic  or  social  pur- 
poses, as  said  Tract  is  not  six  miles  wide  in  the  widest  part,  and  that 
Part  is  separated  and  divided  for  several  miles  together  by  a large  Arm 
of  Winnepisiokee  pond  called  merry  meeting  bay,  that  said  tract  is  nearly 
sixteen  miles  in  extent  from  the  most  southeasterly  to  the  most  north- 
westerly part  of  the  same,  and  the  difficulty  of  passing  from  one  to  the 
other  is  greatly  increased  by  the  intervention  of  large  and  almost  im- 
passable Mountains,  low,  wet  grounds  and  swamps  that  the  most  south- 
easterly part  of  said  Gore  is  an  acute  angle,  and  your  petitioner’s  farm  is 
so  situated  as  to  make  said  Angle,  and  is  removed  further  from  the 
Centre  of  said  Gore  than  any  other  farm  in  the  same  is  or  can  be.  That 
your  Petitioner’s  said  farm,  which  contains  about  fifteen  hundred  Acres, 
is  about  seven  miles  from  said  Centre,  and  the  roads  leading  to  the  same 
go  over  very  high  hills  and  are  in  general  very  rough,  and  ever  will  be 
very  uneven.  That  your  Petitioner  has  left  the  employments  he  for- 
merly pursued,  and  has  for  several  years  last  past  engaged  himself  in 
cultivating  waste  Lauds,  making  public  roads  and  advancing  the  general 
good  of  said  State.  That  your  Petitioner  never  had  any  thought  that, 
said  Tract  of  Land  would  be  incorporated,  more  especially  as  said  In. 

705 


706 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


habitants  have  heretofore,  at  a public  meeting  held  for  that  purpose, 
voted  that  they  would  not  petition  the  Legislature  for  such  Incorpora- 
tion. That  such  incorporation,  if  had,  would  evidently  lessen  the  value 
of  your  Petitioner's  Interest  in  said  Gore,  and  would  place  him  in  a sit- 
uation much  worse  than  he  now  is.  Therefore  your  Petitioner  asks  of 
your  honours  that  if  the  Legislature  should  pass  an  Act  incorporating 
said  New  Durham  Gore,  that  the  said  farm  of  your  Petitioner  may  not 
be  included  in  said  Incorporation,  or  that  his  said  farm  may  be  made 
into  a separate  corporation,  or  that  your  honours  would  take  such  other 
order  thereon,  as  you  in  your  great  wisdom  shall  think  fit. 

“New  Durham  Gore,  May  27tb,  1794. 

“Joseph  Peirce.” 

The  following  memorial  is  relative  to  incorporating 
the  town,  1794: 

“To  the  honorable  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives of  the  State 
of  New  Hampshire,  to  be  convened  at  Amherst  in  and  for  said  State 
oil  the  first  Wednesday  in  June  next. 

“ The  petition  of  the  Subscribers,  freeholders  and  Inhabitants  of  a 
certain  tract  or  parcel  of  land  called  New  Durham  Gore,  Humbly 
Sheweth  That  whereas  we  understand  sundry  Inhabitants  of  said  Gore 
are  about  petitioning  the  General  Court  of  said  State  for  an  incorpora- 
tion, which,  if  granted  without  the  liberty  herein  after  exprest,  will 
greatly  distress  the  undersigned  petitioners  as  well  as  the  Inhabitants  of 
the  other  remote  and  attenuated  parts  of  said  Gore,  by  reason  of  its 
being  so  extensive  in  length  and  running  into  sharp  peaks  and  narrow 
corners,  which  lap  over,  cover  and  lye  behind  almost  impassable  Moun- 
tains—and  your  petitioners  living  in  the  southerly  peak  of  said  tract,  and 
so  tar  distant  from  the  intended  center  as  to  render  it  utterly  incon- 
venient for  them  to  be  connected  or  embodied  with  the  aforesaid  appli- 
cants and  would  greatly  lessen  their  property.  But  they  are  of  opinion 
that  a town  or  parish  might  be  formed  and  erected  out  of  the  middle  of 
said  tract  of  land  by  cutting  off  the  several  cornel's  of  it  agreeably  to  a 
plan  thereof  herewith  exhibited. 

“ Your  petitioners  therefore  pray,  that  in  case  said  incorporation 
should  take  place,  your  honors  would  reserve  liberty  for  your  petitioners 
and  such  others  as  now  do  or  may  hereafter  live  in  the  aforesaid  extreme 
parts  or  corners  of  said  tract  of  land,  at  any  time  when  either  of  them 
may  think  it  convenient  to  be  set  of  with  their  estate  and  be  annexed  to 
any  other  towns  adjoining,  as  they  may  see  fit,  and  which  shall  be  will- 
ing to  receive  them  in  such  way  and  manner,  and  under  such  regulations 
as  your  honors  shall  think  fit — otherwise  we  shall  forever  be  debarred 
from  town  privileges,  merely  because  it  has  been  our  misfortune  to  settle 
in  this  tract  of  land,  which  was  left  out  in  the  running  the  other  towns 
adjacent,  for  the  owners  of  Masons  right,  ami  which  we  never  expected 
would  bo  incor|>orated  in  its  present  form,  but  would  be  annexed  toother 
tow  ns,  which  might  have  been  obtained  without  difficulty  or  objection 
had  it  been  seasonably  requested,  but  we  are  sorry  to  say  that  we  have 
every  reason  to  believe  our  Brethren  are  too  much  biased  to  consult  the 
Benefit  of  their  Neighbours  as  well  as  themselves  ; but  we  are  convinced 
that  a bare  suggestion  of  our  situation  to  your  honors,  to  whom  we  look 
up  for  protection  as  to  our  Fathers,  will  be  sufficient. 

“New  Durham  Gore,  May  the  27th,  A. I).  1794. 

“ Timothy  Davis,  Nicholas  Glidden,  Gideon  Davis,  Zebulou  Glidden, 
Zebulon  Davis,  Thomas  Norton,  John  Penny,  3Ioses  Meder.” 

The  following  is  :i  copy  of  the  petition  for  an  act 
of  incorporation,  1796 : 

‘To  the  honorable  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Court,  convened  at  Exeter  in  & for  the  State  of  New  Hampshire,  on 
the  first  Wednesday  of  June,  Anno  Domini  1790 — Humbly  Shew 
“The  subscribers,  your  petitioners,  inhabitants  of  a place  called  and 
known  by  the  name  of  New  Durham  Gore,  in  the  County  of  Strafford 
in  said  State.  That  your  petitioners  are,  by  means  of  tlicir  present 
situation,  subjected  to  many  disagreeable  inconveniences,  being  unin-  | 
eorporated,  and,  of  course*,  deprived  of  those  privileges  and  immunities  | 
enjoyed  by  the  neighboring  towns.  That  the  land  on  which  your  peti-  1 
tioners  are  settled,  and  that  w hich  remains  as  yet  in  a state  of  nature,  is  ; 
good  and  capable  of  rapid  improvement,  was  settlement  further  en-  I 
eouraged  by  au  incorporation. 

“ That  we  are  already  more  numerous  than  many  places,  within  our  j 
knowledge,  which  have  been  admitted  to  the  enjoyment  of  town  privi- 
leges, and  that  a speedy  augmentation  of  numbers  can  only  be  retarded 
by  the  want  of  an  incorporation.  That  we  are  deprived  of  the  speediest 
and  most  eligible  method  of  raising  money  for  the  support  of  the  Gospel 


ministry,  schools  and  for  the  laying  out,  making  and  repairing  high- 
ways. That  your  petitioners  conceive  an  incorporation  would  remedy 
many  evils  besides  those  above  enumerated  ; be  a means  of  disseminating 
knowledge  and  contentment  among  the  inhabitants,  conduce  to  a speedy 
settlement  of  unimproved  lands,  and  finally  add  a respectable  town  to 
the  State  of  New  Hampshire. 

“ Your  petitioners  therefore  pray  your  honors  that  they  may  be  ranked 
among  the  happy  citizens  of  this  State  by  being  admitted  to  au  incorpo- 
ration, and  as  in  duty  bound  will  ever  pray. 

“June  0th,  1790. 

“ Jacob  Chamberlin,  j 

“ James  McDuffee,  j.  Selectmen. 

“ Daniel  McDuffee,  j 

“Jonathan  Leighton,  Jr.,  Jonathan  Leighton  (3d),  James  Rogers, 
Ebeuezer  Wentworth,  Benj.  Bennet,  Thomas  Edgerley,  Junr.,  George 
Walker,  Paul  Chamberlin,  David  McDuffee,  Jacob  Chamberlin,  Jr.,  Lenn 
B.  Mason,  John  Rawlings,  John  Plumer,  Thomas  Jewett,  Silas  Roberts, 
Thomas  Lanchlen,  Oliver  Peavey,  Ebenezer  Wentworth,  Jr.,  Joseph 
Roberts,  Esqr.,  Thomas  Edgerley,  Samuel  Rogers,  Wm  McDuffee,  An- 
thony Rawling,  Charles  Rogers,  Joseph  Chamberlin,  Hezekiah  Davis, 
Jonathan  Leighton,  David  Hayes,  Aaron  Allard,  David  Wentworth, 
Tlios.  Bennett,  Andrew  Edgerley,  James  Roberts,  Ephm  Chamberlin, 
Junr.,  Jona  McDuffee,  Ichabod  Rawlings.” 

The  foregoing  petition  was  before  the  House  of 
Representatives  June  13th,  and  a vote  passed  grant- 
ing the  petition  ; the  Senate  concurred,  and  an  act  of 
incorporation  received  the  approval  of  the  Governor 
June  16,  1796. 

The  following  is  the  petition  of  Jacob  Chamberlin 
relative  to  the  election  of  representatives  in  1778  : 

“ To  the  Honorable  the  House  of  Representatives  for  the  State  of  New 
Hampshire. 

“ Gentlemen : 

“I,  who  am  an  Inhabitant  of  the  Gore,  have,  by  accident,  heard  your 
Honours  had  sent  a precept  to  Wolfborough,  the  gore  and  New  Durham, 
requiring  these  three  towns  to  meet  and  make  choice  of  some  man  to 
Represent  them  att  the  next-general  Court,  and  sis  the  Inhabitants  of  the 
gore  had  no  Kind  of  notice  or  warning  that  there  w-as  to  be  such  a choice, 

I applied  to  one  of  the  select  men  of  said  New  Durham  to  know'  the  Rea- 
son why  we  were  not  notified,  and  he  told  me  it  was  no  matter  whether 
we  knewr  it  or  not,  as  there  would  be  no  choice,  though  I thought  it  Very 
unreasonable  that  a New  Durham  selectman  should  Determine  whether 
we  in  the  gore  should  be  represented  or  not  I cannot  think  why  we  were 
not  notified,  unless  it  was  for  this  Reason — that  as  they  know  Wolf- 
borough  never  attends  the  meetings  they  might  chuse  whome  they 
pleased,  and  it  seems  they  think  they  have  no  one  in  their  town  fit  they 
must  pitch  upon  a man  near  forty  miles  Distaut,  who,  we  think,  very 
little  acquainted  with  the  Circumstances  of  the  gore,  what  ever  he  may 
be  with  Wolfborough,  and  we  Desire  to  submit  it  to  your  honours 
whether  such  a person,  chosen  in  such  an  illegal  manner — and,  as  I have 
been  informed,  only  by  5 or  0 men— is  a suitable  person  to  Represent 
three  tow  ns.  If  we  have  no  man  among  us  fit  for  a Represe nt at ive  we 
had  much  rather  confide  in  the  wisdom  and  justice  of  your  honours  to 
Represent  us  than  that  any  person,  chosen  in  an  illegal  manner,  should 
presume  to  Do  it.  We,  upon  the  whole,  think  we  are  slighted  and  very 
' ill  treated  in  this  mater,  and  hope  that  your  honours,  in  your  great 
I goodness,  will  see  we  have  Justice  Done  us.  I am,  in  behalf  of  the  gore, 
your  most  humble  Servant, 

“Jacob  Chamberlin. 

“ Gore,  December  the  lltb  1778.” 

The  following  is  the  petition  of  the  inhabitants 
concerning  the  same  matter: 

“State  of  New  Hamfsiiike. 

“ To  tlie  HonM'  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  State  of  New  Hamp- 
shire. 

“ Tlie  Humble  Petition  of  us,  the  Subscribers,  Inhabitants  of  the  Gore, 
in  the  County  of  Strafford,  in  Said  State,  Sheweth 

“ That  we  have  been  informed  their  Honours,  the  Late  General  Court, 
had  Sent  a precept  to  the  Select  Men  of  New  Durham,  Directing  them  to 
Notify  the  Inhabitants  of  Wolfborough  and  the  Gore  to  Meet  at  Said 
New  Durham,  for  the  Choice  of  a Representative  to  attend  this  present 


ALTON. 


707 


General  Court  ; and  that,  notwithstanding  the  Same  Direction,  we  never 
had  any  kind  of  Notice  or  warning  of  such  Meeting,  but  the  Inhabitants 
of  said  New  Durham  met  and  Chose  a Representative,  which  appears  to 
us  to  be  illegal,  and  Pray  the  Said  Choice  may  be  set  aside,  that  we  may 
have  the  priviledgeof  Voting  at  any  future  Meeting  for  the  Choice  of 
Representatives,  which  we  think  we  have  a just  Right  to  Claim;  And 
that  the  Inhabitants  of  Wolf  borough  have  never  atteuded  Such  Meet- 
ings, on  account  of  the  Great  Distance  they  are  from  New  Durham  Meet- 
ing-House. 

•*  That  they  have  intimated  to  us  their  Great  Desire  to  be  present  at 
Such  Meetings,  if  the  Place  appointed  was  such  as  would  Be  Convenient 
for  the  three  tow  ns,  and  That  Lieut.  Charles  Rogers,  at  Merrymeeting 
Bay,  would  be  the  most  suitable,  at  which  Place  they  would  punctually 
attend.  And  your  Petitioners,  as  in  Duty  Bound,  will  Ever  Pray, 
♦fee. 

“Joseph  Roberts  \ 

“Charles  Rogers,  > Selectmen. 

“ Timothy  Davis,  ) 

“George  Horn,  Jacob  Chamberlin,  Eleazer  Davis,  Olivah  Reave,  Eph- 
raim Chamberlin,  John  Barker,  Benj111  Bennett,  Ephraim  Roberts.” 


“Gore,  adjoining  New  Durham,  March  20th,  1781. 


“At the  anual  meating,  held  in  said  Town  by  the  inhabitants,  by  law 
Qualified  to  vote  in  town  affairs. 

“ Voted  that  the  said  meating  stand  adjourned  to  monday,  30tb  Day  of 
Apl,  to  see  if  the  Honbl«  Court  will  consider  ous  in  our  Proportion  of 
Taxes  for  the  present  year  ; we,  the  s'1  inhabitants,  think  we  are  agreved, 
therefore  beg  your  Honours  would  consider  ous,  being  but  few  in  Num- 
ber, <fc  Likewis  Poor,  & it  is  out  of  Power  to  get  those  men  sent  for  to 
serve  in  the  Continental  servis  as  being  more  than  our  proportion,  ac- 
cording to  other  Towns. 

“ attes 


“Joseph  Roberts,  Town  Clark. 


“Joseph  Roberts,  Nathaniel  Smith,  Josiah  Smith,  John  Glidden,  Wm. 
more  (his  X mark),  Daniel  Rogers,  Eleazer  Davis,  Oliver  Pevey  (his  X 
mark),  Jonas  thanlallin,  James  Dudley,  George  Horn,  Eph™  Roberts, 
Silas  Buzzell,  Robert  Buzell,  Moses  Gilman,  Charles  Rogers.” 


The  following  relates  to  the  inability  to  furnish 
men  for  the  army  : 


Colonel  Thomas  Tash  was  the  man  elected.  The 
matter  was  before  the  House  of  Representatives 
March  10,  1779,  and  a hearing  ordered  for  the  24th  ; j 
but  in  the  journal  of  the  House  for  that  day  no  men- 
tion is  made  of  the  matter,  and  probably  it  was 
dropped. 

The  following  is  the  petition  relative  to  roads 
through  the  Gore : 

“ State  of  New  Hampr  \ To  the  IIonblc  Council  and  House  of  Repre- 
Strafford  as.  j sentatives  in  General  Assemby  convened. 

“ The  Petition  of  the  Subscribers,  Inhabitants  of  a Place  called  the 
Gore,  adjoining  New  Durham  and  Wolfborougli,  Humbly  Shew  that  upon 
a certain  Petition  preferred  to  the  General  Court,  prayinga  Waggon  Road 
should  be  made  & repaired  from  New’  Durham,  by  Merry  Meeting,  to 
Wolfborough,  through  said  Gore,  & another  Road  from  said  Merry  meet- 
ing to  Gilmanton,  at  the  Cost  of  the  owners  of  the  Laud  through  which 
said  Road  should  run  ; upon  w’hich  Petition,  on  the  23d  day  of  June, 
1780,  it  w'as  enacted  that  said  Road  should  be  made  & repaired  as  afore, 
said  at  the  Cost  of  the  Inhabitants  & owners  of  said  Gore,  in  the  same 
Proportion  as  the  State  Tax,  and  that  the  said  Inhabitants  & owners  shall 
be  liable  to  the  same  Pains  and  Penalties  as  any  Town  in  the  State  for 
not  repairing  Highways,  by  which  act  your  Petitioners,  the  Inhabitants 
of  said  Gore,  humbly  conceive  that  they  are  laid  under  greater  Inconveni- 
ences & Disadvantages  than  any  other  Inhabitants  of  this  State  by  being 
subjected  to  large  Costs,  or  to  Pains  and  Penalties,  for  large  Tracts  of 
Laud  that  your  Petitioners  never  had  any  the  least  civil  or  political  Con- 
nection with  ; Your  Petitioners,  the  said  Inhabitants,  being  few  in  num- 
ber, living  upon  the  Borders  of  said  Gore,  owners  only  of  the  small  Par- 
cels of  Laud  they  severally  live  upon  w ithout  the  Benefit  of  any  Incor- 
poration, being  obliged  to  make  all  necessary  Roads  to  their  own  abodes, 
esteem  it  a great  Hardship  which  they  are  unable  to  go  through  in  being- 
obliged  to  make  and  maintain  Roads  through  Land  of  others,  that  your 
petitioners  can  receive  no  Benefit  by.  If  such  part  of  said  Gore  as  would 
accommodate  your  Petitioners  was  luce rporated  into  a Town  or  Parish, 
your  Petitioners  would  then  esteem  it  reasonable  to  be  made  liable,  with 
the  owners  of  Land  within  such  Incorporation,  to  perform  everything 
necessary  for  Highway*  ; or  as  that  is  not  the  Case,  your  Petitioners  are 
willing  that  their  Lands  should  berated  in  common  with  other  Lands  in 
said  Gore,  to  all  Necessary  Highways,  in  which  Sense  your  Petitioners 
humbly  conceive  to  he  the  Prayer  of  the  first  Petition,  upon  which  the 
aforesaid  act  was  made,  otherwise  your  present  Petitioners  would  have 
taken  Benefit  in  shewing  Cause  why  the  Prayer  of  the  same  ought  not 
to  have  been  granted.  Wherefore  your  Petitioners  humbly  pray  your 
IIonble  Court  to  take  under  Consideration  their  present  Circumstances  & 
inability  to  fulfil  the  Requisitions  of  said  Act,  & to  order  that  the  Lands 
only  in  said  Gore  be  taxed  towards  said  Roads,  and  your  Petitioners  shall 
ever  pray. 

“ October  12‘b,  1780. 

“Joseph  Roberts,  . 

i Selectmen. 

“Eleazer  Davis,  ) 

The  following  is  relative  to  procuring  men  for  the 
army  : 


“State  of  New  Hampshire. 


“To  the  Honble  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  State  of  New 
Hampshire,  or,  in  their  Recess,  To  the  IIonblc  the  Committee  of 
Safety  of  said  State.  The  Representation  of  the  Select  Men  for  them- 
selves and  other  inhabitants  of  the  Gore,  in  the  County  of  Strafford. 
Shevveth, — 


“That  there  is  no  more  than  thirty -seven  rateable  Poles  in  the  Gore,  and 
those  in  general  very  poor  and  necessitous,  and  dispersed  over  a large 
Tract  of  rough,  wild  Land  ; that  we  are  much  in  Arrears  for  our  Beef 
aud  men  supplied  last  year  & the  year  before,  & that  but  a small  propor- 
tion of  the  Inhabitants  have  paid  their  last  year’s  taxes,  and  say  they  are 
not  able  to  do  it. 

“That  there  1ms  been  demanded  from  us,  by  the  Ho nblt  Court,  four 
Men  to  6erve  in  the  Continental  Army  for  three  years,  or  during  the  War, 
when  it  is  a common  thing  in  other  Towns  for  forty  Men,  much  more 
able  than  we  are,  to  be  classed  in  one  Class,  to  get  one  Man. 

“That  we  have,  as  we  conceive,  been  always  much  over  rated,  and 
altho’  the  IIonble  Court  have  ordered  a considerable  Abatement  in  our 
Taxes,  yet  the  Treasurer  constantly  sends  his  precept  to  us  for  the  whole 
Sum  demanded,  and  we  are  this  year  charged  a high  price,  for  the  Defi- 
ciency of  Beef  not  supplied  last  year,  which  we  suppose  ought  not  to  be 
the  case,  as  it  is  contrary  to  a Resolution  of  the  Honble  Court. 

“ And  that  notwithstanding  we  Labour  under  so  many  peculiar  Dis- 
advantages, we  have  exerted  ourselves  to  the  utmost  to  get  two  Men, 
hoping,  if  we  could  have  succeeded  in  the  Attempt,  we  might  have  been 
favored  as  to  the  other  two,  hut  we  are  sorry  to  say  that  after  spending  a 
great  deal  of  Time  and  Money,  we  have  not  been  able  to  get  one  Man  at 
any  Rate;  we  have  offered  our  Cattle,  part  of  our  Lands,  or  any  other 
Thing  within  our  Reach,  to  no  purpose. 

“ We  thought  it  our  Duty  to  make  this  Representation,  hoping  that  we 
might  be  alleviated  of  some  of  our  Difficulties,  and  that  you  might  take 
such  further  order  herein,  as  you  in  your  great  Wisdom  should  think 
fit. 


“Gore,  July  8th,  1782. 


“Joseph  Roberts,  ) 
“Jonathan  Coffin,/ 


Selectmen. 


“ The  Select  Men  beg  leave  to  note  further  That  if  their  whole  pro- 
portion of  Men  are  four,  the  number  now  required  of  them,  allowing  the 
above-mentioned  abatement,  their  just  proportion  would  be  but  about 
three,  altho’  they  have  heard  that  the  Sheriff' has  a precept  for  the  whole 
Sum  in  Lieu  of  the  four  Men.” 


The  following  is  a certificate  of  the  number  of 
ratable  polls,  1783: 

“Strafford  ss.  Pursuant  to  A Vote  of  the  General  Court,  This  may 
Certify  that  there  is  forty  Rateable  Pools,  From  Twenty-One  years  Old 
and  Upward,  Living  In  New  Durham  Gore. 

“ Taken  by  Order  of  the  Select  men. 

“Gore,  December  3d,  1783. 

“Joseph  Roberts,  Town  Clerk. 

“ Strafford  ss. 

“New  Durham  Gore,  Decr.  3d,  1783.  Then  the  above-named  Joseph 
Roberts  made  Solemn  Oath  to  the  above  Certificate  by  him  signed  that  it 
Contained  the  full  number  of  Rateable  Polls  living  in  Town. 

“Coram  Matth"  T.  Parker,  Jus.  Peace." 


708 


HISTOllY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


The  following  is  the  copy  of  a petition  asking  to 
have  the  annual  meeting  held  in  March,  1784,  legal- 
ized : 

“State  of  New  Hampshike. 

“To  the  HonM«  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  New  Hampshire  : 

“ The  petition  of  the  Subscribers  chosen  Select-men  of  the  Gore,  in  the 
County  of  Strafford,  in  said  State,  Humbly  Shews, — 

“ That  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Gore  aforesaid  held  an  annual  Meeting 
in  March  last  past,  when  they  chose  Select-men,  Collector,  Ac.,  as  usual 
at  such  meetings,  hut  as  their  power  of  holding  meetings  ceased  with  the 
late  proportion  Act,  their  transactions  were  void,  of  Course. 

“ Wherefore  your  petitioners  pray  that  the  Choice  of  the  Town  Offi- 
cers, and  other  proceedings  at  said  annual  Sleeting  may  be  established, 
and  the  trouble  and  expense  of  another  prevented. 

“ Joseph  Roberts. 

“Joseph  Pierce. 

“Eleazer  Davis.” 

This  petition  resulted  in  the  passage  of  the  follow- 
ing resolution,  legalizing  annual  meeting  : 

“State  of  New  Hampshire. 

“ In  the  House  of  Representatives,  Octo.  29,  1784. 

“ Whereas  the  Selectmen  of  the  Gore  (so  called),  in  the  County  of  Straf- 
ford, have  petitioned  the  General  Court,  setting  forth  that  the  inhabit- 
ants of  said  Gore,  in  March  last,  held  a meeting  Sc  chose  all  officers  as 
usual  to  assess  & collect  their  Taxes,  but  as  their  power  of  holding  meet- 
ings ceased  with  the  late  proportion  act,  their  proceedings  were  void ; 
wherefore  they  prayed  that  the  choice  of  officers  & other  proceedings  at 
said  Annual  Meeting  might  be  established. 

“ Therefore  Resolved,  That  the  meeting  held  in  said  Gore,  in  March 
last,  be  established,  and  the  officers  chosen  to  assess  & collect  their  Taxes 
are  hereby  fully  authorized  Sc  empowered  to  transact  the  necessary  busi- 
ness of  their  respective  offices  as  fully  as  if  said  Proportion  Act  had  con- 
tinued in  force  through  the  current  year. 

“ And  the  officers  chosen  at  said  meeting  are  hereby  empowered  to  call 
a meeting  for  the  purposes  aforesaid,  sometime  in  March  next ; And  the 
officers  for  the  respective  years  to  call  meetings  annually  to  choose  such 
necessary  officers  until  a new'  proportion  of  the  State  Taxes  shall  be  made. 
Sent  up  for  Concurrence. 

“Geo.  Atkinson,  Speaker. 

“ In  Senate,  October  30, 1784,  read  Sc  Concurred, 

“M.  Weare,  President." 

At  the  first  town-meeting  after  the  town  was  incor- 
porated it  was  voted  to  build  an  “ Orthodox  Con- 
gregational Meeting-House/’  The  frame  of  this 
church  was  raised  in  the  fall  of  1797,  but  it  was  never 
entirely  finished.  Meetings  were  held  in  it,  however, 
more  or  less,  until  about  1840,  when  it  was  sold  for  a 
town-house. 

In  1798  the  town  voted  to  raise  one  hundred  and 
sixty-six  dollars  for  the  support  of  the  gospel  minis- 
try, and  about  this  time  the  Rev.  Mr.  Whipple  was 
employed  to  preach,  and  remained  here  two  years. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


MAJOR  GEORGE  D.  SAVAGE. 

Major  George  D.  Savage  was  born  in  New  Durham, 
N.  H.,  March  7,  1818.  His  father,  Captain  Benja- 
min Savage,  was  one  of  the  sturdy  pioneer  yeo- 
manry of  the  State,  and  his  mother  was  descended 
from  a like  ancestry.  Major  Savage  was  the  oldest 
of  ten  children,  eight  of  whom  lived  to  adult  life. 


His  boyhood  and  youth  and  part  of  his  early  man- 
hood were  spent  on  his  father’s  farm.  After  he  had 
attained  sufficient  age,  the  winter  months  were  spent 
in  teaching  school.  He  early  evinced  great  ardor  for 
military  life,  and  as  a boy  and  young  man,  took  much 
interest  in  the  militia  trainings  and  musters  of  half 
a century  ago.  As  soon  as  old  enough  he  enlisted 
in  the  State  militia  and  gradually  rose  to  the  rank 
of  major,  and  served  in  that  capacity  a number  of 
years.  The  title  thus  obtained  clung  to  him  through 
life,  and  he  was  known  far  and  near  till  the  time  of 
his  death  as  Major  Savage,  notwithstanding  the  fact 
that  he  was  promoted  to  a higher  rank  during  the 
War  of  the  Rebellion. 

In  1849  he  moved  to  Alton,  N.  H.,  and  engaged 
successfully  in  shoemaking,  merchandising  and  ho- 
tel-keeping, being  proprietor  of  the  Cocheco  House 
about  twenty-five  years,  where  he  achieved  the  rep- 
utation of  being  one  of  the  most  genial  and  popular 
Bonifaces  in  the  State.  He  was  active,  generous- 
hearted  and  public-spirited,  and  was  held  in  the 
highest  esteem  by  those  who  knew  him  best.  The 
projection  and  building  of  the  Cocheco  Railroad  was 
largely  due  to  his  enterprise  and  influence.  In  pol- 
itics he  was  a prominent,  active  Republican,  saga- 
cious in  council,  hold  in  utterance  and  uncompro- 
mising in  his  political  principles. 

When  war  sounded  its  dread  alarums,  and  the  call 
came  for  more  troops  to  defend  the  nation’s  flag,  the 
old  military  ardor  was  once  more  aroused,  and  with 
theory  of  “Come,  boys!”  Major  Savage  offered  his 
services  in  his  country’s  cause.  Says  one  writer, 
“The  history  of  the  raising  of  the  Twelfth  New 
Hampshire  Regiment  is  too  well  known  to  be  re- 
peated. The  fabled  Cadmus  sowed  dragon’s  teeth 
and  raised  a crop  of  men,  but  we  are  ignorant  of 
the  time  it  took  to  mature  that  crop.  Colonel  Whip- 
ple, Colonel  Stevens  and  Major  Savage  sowed  the 
seeds  of  patriotism  and  loyalty,  and  in  four  days  a 
thousand  men,  as  loyal  as  ever  stood,  was  the  result.” 

Mythology  was  eclipsed  by  reality.  The  major  of 
militia  was  commissioned  major  of  volunteers.  They 
were  enlisted  September  17,  1862,  and  went  at  once 
to  the  front.  His  regiment  went  into  action  in  the 
battle  of  Fredericksburg,  and  at  Chancellorsville, 
May  3,  1863,  as  Major  Savage  was  repeating  orders 
from  the  colonel,  he  was  shot  through  the  jaw  by  a 
sharp-shooter,  which  shot  nearly  cost  him  his  life. 
After  partially  recovering  from  the  wound  he  re- 
turned to  the  regiment  and  remained  until  honor- 
ably discharged,  May  28,  1864.  He  was  promoted  to 
a lieutenant-colonelcy  February  5,  1864.  At  the 
same  time  he  was  wounded  at  Chancellorsville,  his 
brother  Henry,  captain  of  Company  A,  in  the  same 
regiment,  was  killed.  The  military  career  of  Major 
Savage  was  perhaps  not  distinguished  by  superior 
generalship  or  his  knowledge  of  correct  military 
manoeuvres  or  tactics,  hut  many  a sick  and  weary 
soldier  was  cheered  by  his  kind  words  and  hearty 


ALTON. 


709 


sympathy,  he  often  dismounting  from  his  horse  to 
give  such  one  a ride  or  carry  his  knapsack.  He 
possessed  in  an  eminent  degree  those  qualities  of 
heart  that  served  to  endear  him  to  the  members 
of  his  regiment,  and  his  memory  is  tenderly  cher- 
ished by  every  surviving  comrade. 

After  returning  to  private  life  (1864)  he  was  ap- 
pointed a deputy  sheriff,  which  position  he  held  to 
1880.  In  1861-62  he  was  a member  of  the  State 
Legislature.  In  1866  he  was  elected  railroad  com- 
missioner for  three  years.  He  was  a member  of  the 
Masonic  order  and  the  first  Commander  of  the  (x.  A. 
R.  Post  at  Alton.  Few  men  were  better  known  in 
the  State,  and  perhaps  none  had  more  friends.  He 
died  of  consumption  at  his  home  in  Alton,  Febru- 
ary 17, 1883,  leaving  five  children  who  still  survive 
(1885), — Mrs.  John  W.  Currier,  Mrs.  George  F.  Jones, 
Mrs.  Charles  H.  Downing,  George  Frank  (who  is  pro- 
prietor of  the  Cocheco  House,  so  long  kept  by  his 
father)  and  Miss  Jessie  Savage. 


AMOS  L.  ROLLINS. 

Amos  L.  Rollins  was  born  in  the  town  of  Alton, 
N.  H.,  December  11,  1826.  His  father,  Ichabod  Rol- 
lins, Jr.,  was  a farmer  and  died  when  Amos  was 
but  nineteen  years  of  age.  His  grandfather,  also 
named  Ichabod,  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  in 
the  town  of  Alton,  whither  he  came  from  Newing- 
ton, N.  H. 

Amos  L.  was  brought  up  as  a farmer’s  son,  receiv- 
ing only  such  educational  advantages  as  were  to  be 
obtained  at  the  common  schools  of  the  village.  He 
has  done  more  or  less  at  husbandry  all  his  life ; but 
for  many  years  his  time  has  been  chiefly  taken  up 
with  the  public  business  of  the  town. 

The  first  official  duty  to  which  he  was  chosen 
was  that  of  town  clerk,  which  position  he  held  five 
years.  In  1862  he  was  elected  second  selectman  of 
Alton,  and  in  1864  was  chosen  chairman  of  the  board, 
and  that  position  he  has  held  each  consecutive  year 
to  the  present  writing  (1885).  He  has  also  held  the 
office  of  moderator  for  twenty-one  years  in  succes- 
sion, and  the  office  of  town  treasurer  seventeen  years, 
He  was  chosen  a member  of  the  Constitutional  Con- 
vention which  met  at  Concord,  1876.  He  has  been 
county  commissioner  three  years,  and  has  been  treas- 
urer of  the  Alton  Five-Cents  Savings-Bank  from  its 
organization  to  the  present  time. 

He  has  been  a member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity 
since  1866,  and  was  secretary  of  the  order  four  years. 

In  political  affiliation  he  is  a Republican,  and  in 
religion  a Free-Will  Baptist,  and  has  been  superin- 
tendent of  the  Sunday-school  three  years. 

He  married,  in  Alton,  December  25,  1851,  Sarah 
E.  Kimball.  They  had  five  children, — three  sons  and 
two  daughters.  In  1866  he  lost  two  of  his  sons  aged 
nine  and  one  years  respectively,  by  diphtheria. 
Mrs.  Rollins  died  April  23, 1871,  leaving  Mr.  Rollins 


with  a family  of  three  children.  His  second  mar- 
riage was  to  Permelia  A.  Pendergast,  of  Barnstead, 
N.  H.,  June  14,  1872.  March  29,  1875,  he  lost  his 
only  remaining  son  by  consumption.  At  present  his 
family  consists  of  wife  and  two  daughters,  one  of 
whom,  the  elder,  is  married  and  lives  in  Manchester, 
N.  H.;  the  younger  resides  with  her  father. 

The  best  evidence  of  the  esteem  in  which  Mr.  Rol- 
lins is  held  by  his  neighbors  and  townsmen  is  shown 
by  the  various  positions  of  office  and  trust  in  which 
they  have  placed  him.  Probably  no  man  who  has 
ever  lived  in  the  town  of  Alton  has  filled  so  long  and 
ably  the  various  offices  of  the  town,  or  made  more  per- 
sonal sacrifices  for  the  welfare  of  its  people.  In  what- 
ever position  he  has  been  placed  he  has  sought 
neither  personal  emolument  or  aggrandizement,  but 
simply  and  solely  to  do  his  whole  duty. 

His  advice  and  counsel  aresought  constantly  in  the 
multiform  perplexities  that  arise  in  the  course  of 
daily  life  and  business,  and  is  candidly  and  freely 
given.  There  is,  probably,  no  one  who  knows  Mr. 
Rollins  who  would  for  one  moment  doubt  his  sin- 
cerity or  candor  in  any  opinion  he  might  express. 
He  is  widely  known  and  highly  respected  through- 
out the  State.  The  family  from  which  he  sprang  is 
an  ancient  and  honorable  one  in  the  annals  of  New 
England.  It  has  furnished  men  who  have  filled  ably 
the  public  trusts  of  our  land,  men  who  have  worn 
with  credit  and  ability  the  judicial  ermine,  men  who 
have  stood  high  in  the  councils  of  the  nation  ; but  it 
has  furnished  no  better  representative  of  the  pure, 
high-minded,  useful  and  honorable  citizen  than  Amos 
L.  Rollins.  The  value  of  such  men  in  a community 
is  best  known  and  appreciated  when  their  career  has 
closed,  and  their  neighbors  seek,  too  often,  alas  ! in 
vain  for  some  one  to  ably  fill  their  places  in  all  the 
duties  of  citizenship. 


ALONZO  HAVINGTON  SAWYER. 

The  Sawyer  families  of  New  England  trace  their 
lineage  to  Thomas  Sawyer,  who  emigrated  from  Lin- 
colnshire, England,  to  America  in  1635  or  1636.  He 
was  about  twenty-one  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his 
immigration,  and  settled  first  at  Rowley,  Mass.,  but  in 
1647  he  went  with  the  first  proprietors  to  settle  the 
town  of  Lancaster,  Mass.  He  was  married  to  Mary 
Prescott.  They  had  a family  of  eleven  children,  and 
from  them  are  descended  most,  if  not  all,  of  the  Saw- 
yers of  this  country. 

Alonzo  H.  Sawyer  was  born  May  17, 1827,  in  Alton, 
N.  H.  He  was  the  son  of  Hon.  Daniel  and  Tamson 
(Walker)  Sawyer,  of  that  place.  His  grandfather, 
Enoch  Sawyer,  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Alton,  be- 
ing the  second  who  built  a house  in  what  is  now  the 
village.  Years  later,  as  the  village  grew  and  pros- 
pered, he  kept  an  inn  and  a general  store,  and  was 
one  of  the  substantial  men  of  the  town.  His  son,  Hon. 
Daniel  Sawyer,  was  one  of  Alton’s  principal  towns- 


710 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


men,  his  time  being  almost  wholly  employed  in  pub- 
lic affairs.  He  was  counselor  on  the  staff  of  Ichabod 
Goodwin,  New  Hampshire’s  famous  war  Governor, 
represented  his  town  in  the  General  Court,  and  held 
repeatedly  the  various  offices  in  the  gift  of  his  towns- 
men. He  had  but  one  brother,  Seth,  who  was  a 
Free-Will  Baptist  minister.  There  were  two  sisters, 
one  of  whom  became  the  wife  of  Judge  Ira  Mooney, 
of  Belmont ; the  other  married  a Mr.  Cate,  of  Alton. 
Hon.  Daniel  Sawyer  was  easily  the  leading  citizen  of 
his  town  ; a man  of  strong  physical  and  mental  or- 
ganization, pronounced  in  his  views  and  opinions  and 
not  easily  swayed  in  his  judgments.  An  ardent  Whig 
in  politics,  he  was  particularly  strong  in  his  anti- 
slavery views,  and  also  an  earnest  advocate  of  the 
temperance  cause.  In  religion  he  was  a Free-Will 
Baptist.  Public-spirited,  and  with  broad  views  for 
the  welfare  of  his  towns-people,  he  was  a man  whose 
loss  was  severely  felt  in  the  community.  He  died  ^ 
September  13,  1869,  aged  sixty-eight  years.  His 
children  were  Alonzo  H.,  Ellen  (afterwards  Mrs.  Jer- 
emiah Jones,  of  Alton)  and  Frank  P.f  who  married  j 
Jennie  Farnham,  and  resides  in  Lynn,  Mass. 

Alonzo  H.  was  educated  at  New  Hampton  and  Gil- 
manton  Academies.  He  then  taught  school  at  various 
places  in  New  Hampshire  and  Maine  till  his  twenty- 
third  year,  when  he  married  (November  7,  1850) 
Martha  J.  Shapleigh,  of  Lebanon,  Me.  She  was  the  | 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Eunice  Shapleigh.  After 
his  marriage  he  went  to  Great  Falls,  N.  H.,  and  en- 
gaged in  merchandising.  Continuing  there  four  years, 
he  returned  to  his  native  town  of  Alton  ; established 
himself  there  as  a merchant  and  continued  that  avo- 
cation till  within  two  years  of  his  death,  part  of  the 
time  alone  and ’part  of  the  time  in  connection  with 
his  brother-in-law,  Mr.  Jones,  who  succeeded  him  in 
the  business. 

They  had  one  child,  a son,  Fred.  Shapleigh  Sawyer, 
born  July  20,  1853;  died  May  9,  1872. 

Mr.  Sawyer  was  appointed  postmaster  of  Alton  du- 
ring Lincoln’s  administration,  and  held  the  office  un- 
interruptedly a period  of  twenty-two  years.  He  was 
a member  of  the  Winnipesaukee  Lodge,  1'.  and  A.  M. 
He  was  town  treasurer  several  years,  holding  that  office  | 
at  the  time  of  his  death.  He  was  a member  of  the 
Provident  Mutual  Relief  Association,  and  one  of  the  | 
trustees  of  the  same.  He  was  an  ardent  lover  of  mu-  1 
sic  and  possessed  a good  voice,  well  cultivated,  and  [ 


was  for  more  than  twenty  years  leader  of  the  choir  in 
the  Free-Will  Baptist  Church,  of  which  he  was  a 
member. 

He  held  for  many  years  a commission  as  justice  of 
the  peace,  and  only  for  his  position  as  postmaster 
under  the  government  he  might  have  held  at  any 
time  any  office  in  the  gift  of  his  townsmen.  He  was 
a director  in  the  Alton  Savings-Bank  and  a share- 
holder in  the  Dover  and  Winnipesaukee  Railroad. 
He  died  of  heart  disease  July  17,  1885.  His  widow 
survives  him,  and  resides  at  the  homestead  in  Alton. 

At  the  close  of  his  funeral  services  the  following 
lines,  from  the  pen  of  his  fellow-townsman,  John  W. 
Currier,  were  read  by  Rev.  W.  S.  Packard,  the  offici- 
ating minister : 

“ Toll  the  bell  softly,  toll  the  bell  low, 

Ringing  out  gladness,  ringing  in. woe 
Telling  of  anguish,  blinding  my  eyes; 

Breaking  my  heart-strings,  sundering  such  ties  ; 

Earthly  hopes  blasting,  cherished  dreams  fled, 

Hearthstone  so  lonely,  he  being  dead. 

Nothing  to  live  for,  of  him  bereft. 

Nothing  remaineth,  nothing  is  left; 

Constantly  asking— Can  it  be  so? 

Yes,  answers  Reason— my  poor  heart— no. 

Reason  be  gone ! — It  cannot  be  so, 

Husband  is  sleeping— toll  the  bell  low. 

Thus,  brother,  sister,  kindred  and  friends, 

Neighbors  and  townsmen,  life’s  chapter  ends. 

One  of  our  number  just  stepped  before, 

Into  the  unseen,  shutting  the  door, 

Into  the  realms  of  unending  day, 

Into  the  mansion  over  the  way, 

Leaving  a record  for  us  to  read, 

Teaching  us  lessons  worthy  of  heed. 

Diligent  in  business,  honest  and  true, 

Giving  to  each  his  merited  due. 

Sincere  in  purpose,  noble  of  mind, 

Simple  in  manners,  neighborly,  kind, 

Seeking  no  honors,  wishing  no  fame, 

Character  umiuestioued,  unsullied  name, 

Loyal  to  country,  sturdy  for  right, 

Battling  for  justice  with  all  his  might, 

Honored  by  office,  trusted  in  such, 

Faithful  in  little,  faithful  in  much, 

Loving  the  Sabbath,  keeping  its  laws, 

Liberally  giving  to  every  good  cause. 

Others  might  travel,  others  might  roam  ; 

Best  of  all  places  he  loved  his  home. 

Loathing  the  false  and  shunning  parade. 

Such  is  the  record  our  friend  has  made. 

Take  him  up  gently,  bear  him  away, 

Lay  him  down  softly  in  the  clay, 

Under  the  green  grass,  under  the  skies  ; 

Cover  with  flowers  the  spot  where  he  lies, 

Leaving  him  there  sleeping  under  the  sod, 

Angels  to  watch  him — trusting  to  God.” 


y ••• 


HISTORY  OF  BARN STEAD. 


CHAPTER  I. 

j Geographical — Original  Grant — The  First  Settlements — Names  of  Set- 
tlers— The  First  Town-Meeting — Initial  Events— Educational— Law- 
yers— Physicians — The  French  War — War  of  the  Revolution — List  of 
Soldiers — War  of  1812 — War  of  the  Rebellion — List  of  Soldiers— Ec- 
clesiastical— Civil  History — Representatives — Town  Clerks — The  Barn- 
stead  Reunion. 

This  town  lies  in  the  southern  part  of  the  county, 
and  is  bounded  as  follows:  North  by  Gilmanton  and 
Alton;  east  by  Alton  and  Strafford  County. 

This  town  was  granted  by  Lieutenant-Governor 
John  Wentworth,  May  20,  1727,  to  Rev.  Joseph 
Adams,  of  Newington,  and  one  hundred  and.  five 
others,  with  the  following,  hounds  : 

“To  begin  on  the  Head  of  the  Town  of  Barrington  on  the  South  West 
side  of  the  Town  of  Coulraine  and  running  by  the  said  Town  of  Coul- 
raine  eight  miles  & from  the  said  Town  of  Coulraine  to  run  on  the 
Head  of  Barrington  Line  South  West  forty  Two  Deegrees  six  miles  & 
then  North  West  eight  miles,  then  on  a straight  Line  to  the  head  of  the 
first  eight  miles.” 

It  was  impracticable  at  that  time  to  fulfill  the  con- 
ditions of  the  grant,  and  but  few  settlements  were 
made  until  1767. 

Among  the  early  settlers  were  the  following:  Ebe- 
nezer  Adams,  Colonel  Richard  Sinclair,  James  Deal- 
ing, John  Bickford,  Arthur  Bickford,  Charles  Hodg- 
don,  John  Elliott,  John  Nutter,  Joseph  Bunker,  Moses 
Dennett,  John  Bunker,  Eli  Bunker,  Jacob  Pickering, 
John  Peavey,  Isaac  Garland,  John  Keniston,  Pitt 
Lougee,  P.  Daniels,  Samuel  Caswell,  Captain  John 
Drew,  Aaron  Chesley,  John  Tasker,  Moses  Rand, 
William  Lord,  Lemuel  Hayes,  John  Pitman,  E.  Nut- 
ter. 

The  First  Town-Meeting  was  held  November  22, 
1775,  with  Gilmanton.  The  first  grist-mill  was  erect- 
ed by  John  Bunker,  about  1769.  He  also  built  the 
first  saw-mill  in  town. 

The  first  postmaster  was  Charles  Hodgdon,  Jr., 
and  the  first  mail-carrier  was  John  S.  Shannon,  of 
Gilmanton. 

The  first  reference  in  the  town  records  to  schools  is 
dated  March  15,  1792,  when  it  was  voted  “to  have 
agents  in  each  school  district  to  build  a school-house 
in  each  district,”  and  the  following  were  chosen : 
Samuel  Nelson,  Dependence  Colbath  and  Charles 
Hodgdon. 


The  first  settled  teacher  was  Cornelius  Kirby  and 
his  school  was  in  the  south  part  of  the  town.  Money 
was  first  raised  for  school  purposes  in  1785, — thirty 
pounds. 

The  first  lawyer  in  Barnstead  was  Caleb  Merrill,  in 
1811.  Among  the  other  lawyers  who  have  practiced 
here  may  be  mentioned  Isaac  O.  Barnes,  Moses  Nor- 
ris, J.  Elkins,  A.  E.  Hodgdon,  Benjamin  Winckley, 
Charles  S.  George,  Charles  R.  Rogers  and  H.  B. 
Leavitt. 

The  first  physician  was  Dr.  Joseph  Adams,  in  1792. 
Dr.  Jeremiah  Jewett,  Sr.,  also  settled  here,  in  1792. 
He  died  in  1836.  Among  other  physicians  have  been 
Noah  J.  T.  George,  S.  P.  Woodward,  William  Grover, 
Charles  Whittle,  John  Wheeler,  William  Walker, 
George  W.  Garland,  Mark  Walker,  B.  W.  Sargent, 
A.  G.  Weeks,  Alvin  Jenkins,  S.  S.  Wentworth,  Jere- 
miah Blake,  Dana  Buzzell,  J.  P.  Elkins,  James  Em- 
erson. The  present  physicians  are  G.  H.  Hawley  and 
William  H.  Nute. 

The  following  citizens  of  this  town  were  in  the  old 
French  War : John  Aiken,  Colonel  Joseph  Sinclair 
and  Joseph  Bunker. 

War  of  the  Revolution. — The  town  responded 
nobly  to  the  colonial  cause.  In  1775  the  population 
was  two  hundred  and  fifty-two.  The  first  reference 
to  this  war  found  on  the  old  town  records  is  under 
date  of  April  26,  1775,  when  Captain  Richard  Sin- 
clair was  paid  £1  11s.  6cl.  for  “ going  down  below 
for  the  defence  of  our  country.” 

The  following  is  a list  of  Revolutionary  soldiers 
from  this  town  : 

Ebenezer  Nutter,  John  Clark,  Major  John  Nutter,  Jeremiah  Jewett, 
Anthony  Nutter,  Joseph  Place,  Valentine  Chapman,  Joseph  Taker, 
William  Nutter,  Thomas  Welch,  Peletiah  Penny,  J.  P.  Dame,  James 
Davis,  Samuel  Davis,  E.  Adams,  David  Jacobs,  J.  Young,  E.  Tebbetts, 
H.  Nutter,  Captain  Jonathan  Chesley,  Captain  John  Drew,  Thomas 
Brown,  William  Lord,  Joseph  Sanborn,  Captain  Joseph  Kaime,  Samuel 
Eastman,  Colonel  Nath.  Pease,  Robert  Tebbetts,  Samuel  Jenness, 
Ralph  Hall,  Joseph  Huckins,  John  Welch,  Richard  Sinclair,  Nathan 
Nutter,  Eli  Ham,  John  Pitman,  Perry  Hixon,  W.  Ayres,  John  AikeD, 

Avery,  William  Hill,  Thomas  Ayres,  James  Marden,  John  Emerson, 

Samuel  Pitman. 

War  of  1812  . — The  following  men  from  Barnstead 
were  in  the  War  of  1812  : 

Captain  John  Peavey,  J.  Davis,  F.  Chesley  (died),  D.  Bunker.  P.  G. 

711 


712 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Hoit,  Joseph  Foye,  John  Rand,  W.  Rand,  John  Kaime,  C.  Peavey,  Silas 
I Junker,  T.  Bunker,  Janies  Davis,  G.  T.  Barker,  John  Place,  W.  Rand 
and  T.  Conner. 

Nicholas  Kenison  and  Alfred  T.  Munsey  served  in 
the  Mexican  War.  Kenison  was  killed  in  battle. 

War  of  the  Rebellion. — Barnstead  responded 
promptly  to  the  call  of  her  imperiled  country,  both 
in  men  and  money.  The  following  is  a list  of  sol- 
diers from  the  town  : 

William  B.  Aiken,  Frank  Sleeper,  G.  II.  Bridges,  Dudley,  Wil- 

liam Brimage,  E.  G.  Hodgden  (killed),  Captain  and  Major  H.  H.  Huse 
Lieutenant  J.  H.  Greenwood  (killed),  Lieutenant  S.  J.  Smart  (died),  D 
D.  Hanscom,  L.  W.  Jackson  (mortally  wounded),  Rufus  Clark,  J.  E- 
Bunker,  Smith  Davis,  T.  M.  JIuse,  J.  S.  Hill.  Daniel  Lewis,  J.  E’ 
Moores,  B.  R.  Munsey  (died),  J.  T.  G.  Smart  (died),  S.  G.  Shackford,  C 
II.  Williams,  Albert  Davis,  W.  B.  Aiken,  D.  A.  Littlefield,  J.  M.  Smart 
(died),  Colonel  Thomas  E.  Barker,  B.  F.  Chesley,  Calvin  Pitman,  John 
Me  Neal,  W.  P.  Huntress  (killed),  J.  W.  Hill  (mortally  wounded),  Assis- 
tant Surgeon  A.  C.  Newell,  Thomas  Moore,  J.  L.  Garland  (killed),  C. 
Chesley,  G.  W.  Pitman,  J.  L.  Piper,  G.  W.  Aiken  (died),  J.  N.  Bunker, 
(killed),  T.  J.  Pierce  (mortally  wounded),  J.  Pendergast  (died),  A.  D. 
Hall,  S.  W.  Young,  W.  T.  Knight  (killed),  Moses  Bickford,  J.  M.  Tasker, 
Lieutenant  David  Sackett,  II.  H.  Emerson,  M.  Jenkins,  J.  H.  Edgerly 
H.  M.  Parshley,  A.  L.  Bickford,  George  Jones,  Solomon  Clark,  J.  C. 
Russell,  W.  H.  Berry  (mortally  wounded),  G.  T.  Munsey  (mortally 
wounded),  Noble  Sackett,  C.  H.  Pickering,  C.  H.  P.  Young,  W.  U. 
Shaw,  Lieutenant  H.  Edgerly,  Horace  Munsey  (died),  L.  Place,  W.  A. 
Frye,  George  W Blake,  J.  E.  Emerson,  G.  H.  Emerson,  II.  II.  Young, 
J.  M.  Jones,  J.  F.  Chesley,  John  Hill  (died),  D.  L.  Huse  (died),  Charles 
W.  Adams,  0 F.  Chesley,  J.  F.  Parker,  Royal  Boynton,  A.  S.  Bu/./.elb 
Timothy  Blake,  Jr.,  W.  A.  Chesley,  Jacob  Lord,  J.  C.  Mason  (died),  II. 
D.  Nutter  (died),  H.  G.  Shackford,  Samuel  11.  Clark,  G.  W.  Blake,  Eli 
II.  Foss,  A.O.  Adams,  W.  F.  Ilanscomb,  C.  Kaime,  Horace  Cough,  J.  C. 
Kaime,  N.  Sackett,  N.  Blaisdell,  J.  C.  Ham,  J.  S.  Hayes  (mortally 
wounded),  Charles  Hill  (navy)  ; Surgeons,  John  Wheeler,  T.  H.  Wheel- 
er and  L.  M.  Sanders. 


The  first  meeting-house  in  Barnstead  was  erected 
about  the  year  1700,  and  the  first  preacher  was  Rev. 
Joseph  Adams.  The  “Parade  Meeting-House”  was 
built  about  the  year  1788,  and  was  the  first  frame 
church  in  town.  It  was  not  completed  until  1799. 

The  Second  Congregational  Church  building  was 
erected  in  1808.  It  was  demolished  in  1848.  The 
North  Meeting-House  was  erected  in  1820,  and  re- 
paired in  1853.  The  Centre  Church  was  erected  in 
1830.  There  are  at  present  five  churches  in  town. 

Representatives. — The  following  is  a list  of  repre- 
sentatives from  1797  to  1885: 


Charles  Hodgdon,  1797-09,  1804- 
14,  ’20-21. 

John  Nutter,  1800,  ’02,  '03. 

Nath.  Wilson,  1815-17. 

Wm.  Walker,  Jr.,  1819, '22, ’24, ’27. 
John  Peavey,  1823-26,  ’28. 

Charles  Hodgdon,  1823, ’-15. 

John  Kaime,  1825-26. 

John  Kent,  1828. 

Isaac  O.  Barnes,  1829-30. 

Samuel  Webster,  1829-30. 

George  Nutter,  1831-32. 

W.  H.  Newall,  1831-32. 

T.  P.  Hodgdon,  1833-34. 

Samuel  Kaime,  1833-34. 

S.  G.  Berry,  1835-36. 

W.  S.  Hill,  1835-36. 

Timothy  Dow,  1837-38. 

R.  Garland,  1837-38. 

Joseph  A.  Walker,  1839-40. 
Joseph  Jenkins,  1839-40. 


Stephen  Young,  1841-42. 
Samuel  Rollins,  Jr.,  1841-42. 
John  Walker,  1843-44. 

Enos  George,  1813-44. 

Charles  Hodgdon,  Jr.,  1845-46. 
J.  II.  Collins,  1845-46. 

William  Grover,  1847-48. 
Charles  Dudley,  1847-48. 

R.  S.  Webster,  1849-50. 

Enoch  Clark,  1849-50. 

J.  B.  Merrill,  1851-53. 

M.  Jenkins,  Jr.,  1852. 

Thomas  Proctor,  1851-52. 

I.  Garland,  Jr.,  1853-54. 

J.  L.  Nutter,  1854-55. 

Seth  Shackleford,  1855-56. 

J.  M.  Babcock,  1856-57. 

Joseph  Nutter,  1857-58. 

A.  Bunker,  1858-59. 

J.  B.  Locke,  1859-60. 

C.  S.  George,  1860-61. 


John  McNeall,  1861-62. 

George  W.  Emerson,  1862-63. 

John  Dorr,  1863-64. 

H.  N.  Colebath,  1864. 

D.  F.  Davis,  1865-66. 

Charles  H.  Dorr,  1865-6G. 

Mark  Walker,  1867-68. 

J.  M.  Tasker,  1867-68. 

William  Procktor,  1869. 

J.  W.  Evans,  1869. 

(No  election  in  1870). 

Town  Clerks. — The  fc 

clerks  from  1775  to  1885  : 


John  F.  Holmes,  1871-72. 

I).  E.  Tuttle,  1871-72. 

Joshua  W.  Ayres,  1873-74. 

Joshua  W.  Pickering,  1873-74. 
Joseph  P.  Blaisdell,  1875-76. 
Martin  Y.  B.  Nutter,  1875-76. 
George  W.  Emerson  (2d),  1877-78. 
Samuel  A.  Hodgdon,  1877-78. 
Charles  E.  Walker,  1880. 

Jacob  W.  Evans,  1882. 

George  H.  Hawley,  1884. 

awing  is  a list  of  town 


Benjamin  Nutter,  1775-81. 

Samuel  Nelson,  1781-85. 

John  Bunker,  1785-87. 

Benjamin  Hodgdon,.  1787-1800. 
Charles  Hodgdon,  Jr.,  1800-5, 
1807-15. 

J.  Jewett,  1806. 

Enos  George,  1816-59. 

C.  S.  George,  1859. 


II.  N.  Colebath,  1860. 

C.  W.  Blanchard,  1861. 

Charles  E.  Walker,  1862-64. 

L.  C.  Scrutton,  1865. 

John  H.  Hill,  1866. 

J.  E.  Pendergast,  1867-68. 

George  Emerson,  1869-73. 

Albert  F.  Shackford,  1874  to  pres- 
ent time. 


The  Barnstead  Reunion. — One  of  the  most  inter- 
esting events  in  the  history  of  Barnstead  was  the 
Barnstead  reunion,  held  August  30,  1884.  The  fol- 
lowing is  a condensed  description  of  the  celebration, 
taken  from  the  history  of  the  reunion  by  Horace  N. 
Colebath  : 

Barnstead,  N.  H.,  situated  in  the  southwestern 
part  of  Belknap  County,  northeast  from  Concord 
twenty  miles,  and  bordering  on  the  counties  of  Mer- 
rimack and  Strafford,  contains  thirty-six  square 
j miles  of  territory;  was  chartered  by  Governor 
Wentworth,  May  20,  1727,  containing,  in  1880,  one 
| thousand  three  hundred  and  seventeen  inhabitants. 

On  the  east  lie  the  Blue  Hills,  on  the  north  are  the 
Alton  and  Gilmanton  Mountains,  and  on  the  south 
lies  the  Catamount,  looking  down  on  the  valley  of 
the  Suncook  River  as  it  passes  the  westerly  boundary 
of  the  town.  It  is  a region  of  hill  and  valley,  ot 
beautiful  rivers  and  ponds  and  laughing  brooks. 

A community  born  and  educated  amid  such  scenery, 
breathing  the  air  of  its  hills  and  drinking  the  waters 
that  flow  in  hundreds  of  rills  down  its  hillsides,  till 
they  form  the  Suncook,  must  love  their  childhood 
home.  For  the  past  fifty  years  Barnstead  has  been 
sending  out  her  sons  and  daughters  to  other  parts  of 
the  land  to  find  new  homes.  Its  first  emigrants  found 
homes  in  Massachusetts,  Vermont  and  New  York,  and 
afterwards  they  sought  Ohio,  Illinois,  Michigan  and 
Wisconsin.  As  new  territory  was  opened,  they  helped 
swell  the  mighty  stream  of  emigration  that  has  peopled 
the  great  West. 

To-day  they  may  be  found  in  twenty-eight  States 
and  Territories.  Some  of  its  sons  and  daughters 
are  looking  out  on  the  Pacific,  others  are  in  the 
valley  of  the  Father  of  Waters  or  are  fanned  by  the 
soft  winds  of  the  Gulf. 

Scattered  over  the  land  these  emigrants  have  ever 
yearned  for  the  home  of  their  fathers,  while  those 
who  remained  around  the  old  hearth-stones  were  eager 
to  once  more  clasp  the  hands  of  loved  ones,  look 
once  more  into  long-remembered  faces,  and  hear  once 


BARNSTEAD. 


713 


again  the  voices  that  were  music  to  their  youthful 

ears. 

This  was  especially  true  of  those  who  had  passed 
the  meridian  and  were  nearing  the  sunset  of  life. 

By  a sort  of  common  consent,  residents  and  emi- 
grants seemed  ready  for  a reunion  of  the  children  of 
old  Barnstead. 

The  question  has  been  asked,  Where  did  the  idea 
of  this  reunion  originate?  This  may  be  a fitting 
place  for  answering  that  question.  During  the  winter 
of  1877-78  a few  of  the  sons  and  daughters  of  Barn- 
stead, residing  in  Concord,  N.  H.,  prominent  among 
whom  were  Colonel  E.  S.  Nutter,  J.  L.  Pickering,  Esq., 
George  W.  Drew,  Esq.,  Mrs.  James  R.  Hill  and  Laura 
Garland  Carr  determined  to  hold  a reunion  of  the 
sons  and  daughters  of  Barnstead  living  in  Concord, 
with  invited  guests  from  the  mother-town  and  other 
places  in  New  Hampshire  where  Barnstead  sons  had 
located. 

Such  a reunion  was  held  on  the  evening  of  Feb- 
ruary 28,  1878,  at  the  Phenix  Hotel,  in  Concord. 
There  were  present  from  Barnstead  a delegation  of 
sixty  citizens,  led  by  the  Barnstead  Brass  Band. 

Colonel  E.  S.  Nutter  presided  and  made  the  recep- 
tion address.  Laura  Garland  Carr  read  an  original 
poem.  Short  addresses  were  made  by  J.  G.  Sinclair, 
Lewis  W.  Clark,  J.  Horace  Kent,  J.  P.  Newell  and 
Charles  S.  George.  This,  with  a supper  such  as  that 
famous  hotel  can  provide,  made  the  occasion  a most 
enjoyable  one. 

The  resident  sons  of  Barnstead  returned  home 
feeling  that  some  day  the  wanderers  from  the  old 
town  should  be  invited  home  to  the  old  domain,  and 
here,  amid  the  scenes  of  childhood,  hold  a grand 
family  reunion. 

The  subject  was  talked  of  from  time  to  time,  but, 
from  various  causes,  no  decided  action  was  taken 
until,  at  the  annual  town-meeting  in  March,  1882,  it 
was  voted  to  hold  a reunion  the  coming  autumn. 

Subsequently  the  following  officers  were  chosen: 

President,  Charles  S.  George ; Vice-Presidents,  John  Walker,  John 
Pendergast,  Joseph  Jenkins,  Caleb  Willey,  John  B.  Garland,  John  L. 
Nutter,  Seth  Shackford  ; Recording  Secretary,  John  H.  Jenkins;  Corre- 
sponding Secretary,  Horace  N.  Colbatli  ; Treasurer,  John  Franklin  Gar- 
land; Executive  Committee,  John  Waldo,  Thomas  L.  Hoitt,  Ira  L.  Berry/ 
Horatio  G.  Willey,  Horace  Walker  ; Town  Committee,  George  A.  Hall, 
Albion  P.  Nutter,  Thomas  K.  Proctor,  Smith  W.  Locke,  Seth  Shackford, 
E.  Frank  Jones,  Lewis  Clark,  Albert  F.  Shackford,  Charles  F.  Emerson, 
Daniel  E.  Tuttle,  Hiram  Rand,  Frank  S.  Jenkins,  John  Pendergast,  Ja- 
cob W.  Evans  ; Auxiliary  Committee,  E.  S.  Nutter,  Concord,  N.  II.,  J. 
L.  Pickering,  Concord,  N.  H.,  H.  A.  Tuttle,  Pittsfield,  N.  11.,  J.  P.  New- 
ell, Manchester,  N.  II.,  C.  M.  Murphy,  Dover,  N.  H.,  J.  Horace  Kent, 
Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  George  S.  Pendergast,  Boston,  Mass.,  Joseph  R. 
Hayes,  Low’ell,  Mass.,  George  F.  Knowles,  Lynn,  Mass.,  Chaplain,  Rev. 
William  0.  Carr ; Marshal,  Timothy  Emerson  ; Assistant  Marshals, 
Frank  0.  George,  Henry  0.  Huntress,  John  Rand ; Superintendent  of 
Halls,  Tents  and  Grounds,  Dr.  George  W.  Emerson  ; Committee  to  pre- 
pare Sentiments,  Horace  N.  Colbath,  Charles  S.  George ; Committee  to 
arrange  Programme,  Dr.  George  W.  Emerson,  Horace  N.  Colbath,  Frank 
S.  Jenkins,  Thomas  L.  Hoitt  ; Committee  on  Music,  Charles  E.  Walker, 
Thomas  L.  Hoitt ; Commissary,  Frank  S.  Jenkins  ; Quartermaster,  John 
Waldo  ; Toast-Master,  Rev.  John  George. 

Thus  organized,  the  work  of  preparation  began. 

45 


Meetings  of  committees  and  sub-committees  followed 
in  rapid  succession,  until  a week  before  the  day  of 
reunion,  when  officers,  committees  and  citizens, 
uniting,  made  it  their  special  business. 

The  arrangements  as  finally  made  were  as  follows : 

The  reunion  to  be  held  on  Wednesday,  August  30, 
1882,  at  ten  o’clock  a.m. 

The  president  to  make  the  welcoming  address. 

Rev.  A.  H.  Quint,  D.D.,  to  deliver  an  oration. 

Laura  Garland  Carr  to  read  a poem. 

Dinner,  free  to  all,  in  the  tent. 

Speeches,  sentiments,  and  responses  at  the  stand. 

Music  through  the  day  by  the  Barnstead  Brass 
Band, — the  oldest  band  in  the  United  States,  organ- 
ized February  22,  1837. 

A tent,  seventy-eight  by  one  hundred  and  sixty 
feet,  was  placed  on  the  grounds  of  Seth  Shackford, 
Esq.,  adjoining  the  town  hall  and  Congregational 
Church,  and  both  these  buildings  were  opened  to  the 
public.  The  speaker’s  stand  was  placed  between  the 
hall  and  church  ; fronting  it  was  the  band-stand. 

Under  the  direction  of  the  superintendent,  Dr. 
Emerson,  the  tent  was  beautifully  decorated  with 
flags,  bunting,  etc.,  and  tables  were  arranged  in  the 
tent  to  seat  one  thousand  and  fifty  persons  at  one 
sitting. 

Such  were  the  measures  adopted  to  welcome  home 
those  whose  hearts  had  been  throbbing  at  the 
thoughts  of  the  reunion. 

In  every  part  of  the  town  little  plans  had  been 
laid  to  bring  families  and  friends  together.  It  was  to 
be  the  gathering  of  a great  family. 

The  number  in  attendance  was  estimated  to  be  five 
thousand,  over  half  that  number  having  partaken  of 
the  dinner. 

The  best  order  prevailed.  It  was  a meeting  of 
well-dressed,  orderly  and  respectable  men  and 
women,  whom  any  town  might  be  proud  to  own  as 
her  children. 

Owing  to  the  prevailing  heat  and  dust,  some  things 
were  omitted  in  the  reception,  and  others  might  have 
been  changed  for  the  better.  Yet,  on  the  whole,  we 
can  say,  what  every  visitor  did  say,  “Well  done,  old 
Barnstead !” 

The  following  is  a list  of  toasts  proposed  : 

“1.  ‘Old  Barnstead — A good  town  to  go  from,  a better  one  to  return 
to.’  Responded  to  by  Hon.  H.  A.  Tuttle. 

“2.  ‘A  kind  remembrance  to  the  sons  and  daughters  of  old  Barnstead 
providentially  detained  from  our  Reunion.’  Response  by  Colonel  E.  S. 
Nutter,  Concord,  N.  H. 

“3.  ‘Old  Barnstead — Her  fair  fame  a 6ure  passport  for  her  sons 
wherever  they  go,  her  principles  a guarantee  of  success.’  Responded  to 
by  Colonel  M.  B.  V.  Edgerly,  of  Manchester,  N.  H. 

“4.  ‘The  adopted  sons  of  Barnstead — They  have  honored  her  name, 
and  she  rejoices  in  their  success.’  Hon.  C.  M.  Murphy,  of  Dover,  N.  H., 
responded. 

“5.  ‘The  emigrant  sons  and  daughters  of  Barnstead — Wherever  may 
be  their  abiding-place,  or  whatever  their  duties,  let  them  never  forget 
that  they  cannot  be  delinquent  without  being  degenerate.’  Hon.  John 
P.  Newell,  of  Manchester,  N.  H.,  eloquently  responded. 

“ 6.  ‘ The  town  of  Barnstead — She  loves  her  hills  and  beautiful  yalleys, 
but  feeling  the  sentiment  and  borrowing  the  language  of  the  Roman 


T14 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


mother,  she  points  to  her  children  and  exclaims,  “ These  are  my  jewels/’  ’ 
Rev.  Frank  H.  Lyfort  responded. 

“7.  ‘ The  annual  crop  produced  in  Barnstead — judges,  clergymen,  phy- 
sicians, merchants,  mechanics  and  farmers— may  the  crop  increase  until 
she  has  enough  for  home  consumption  and  a large  surplus  for  exporta- 
tion.’ Response  by  JohnD.  Nutter,  Esq.,  of  Montreal,  Canada. 

“8.  ‘The  friends  and  scenes  of  our  childhood.’  Colonel  J.  Horace 
Kent  had  been  invited  to  respond  to  this  sentiment,  and  had  written  his 
acceptance  ; but  at  the  last  moment  was  detained  bjr  imperative  business, 
and  was  unable  to  be  present  at  the  Reunion,  much  to  his  regret,  as  well 
as  to  the  regret  of  his  many  early  friends.  Colonel  Kent,  however,  sent 
an  address,  delivered  at  the  Barnstead  Reunion  in  Concord,  N.  H.,  Feb- 
ruary 28,  1879,  in  response  to  a similar  sentiment. 

“9.  * The  soldier  sons  of  Barnstead— The  fathers  in  the  Revolution, 
the  sons  in  1812,  the  grandsons  in  the  Rebellion— the  love  of  liberty  con- 
strained them.’  Responded  to  by  letters  from  Colonel  Jas.  S.  Hoitt,  of 
Laconia,  N.  H.,  a native  of  Barnstead  and  a veteran  of  1812  ; from  Col- 
onel Thos.  E.  Barker,  of  Boston,  Mass.,  a native  of  Barnstead  and  col- 
onel of  the  Twelfth  Regiment  in  the  Rebellion  ; from  Hon.  Henry  H. 
Huse,  of  Manchester,  a former  resident  of  Barnstead,  who  served  in  the 
Eighth  Regiment  as  captain  and  major. 

“10.  ‘ The  birth-place  of  our  fathers — Portsmouth  and  Newington — 
names  as  familiar  as  household  words  to  every  child  of  Barnstead — may 
peace  and  prosperity  be  in  their  borders.’ 

“11.  ‘The  host  of  men  whose  lives  have  been  made  better  and  happier 
by  choosing  for  wives,  daughters  of  old  Barnstead.’  Responded  to  by 
Howard  A.  Dodge,  Esq.,  of  Concord,  N.  H. 

“12.  ‘The  social  history  and  reminiscences  of  old  Barnstead.’  Hon. 
John  G.  Sinclair  eloquently  and  wittily  responded  to  this  sentiment. 

“13.  ‘ The  resident  sons  and  daughters  of  Barnstead— May  they  pre- 
serve unsullied  its  ancient  reputation,  keep  sacred  the  memory  of  the 
fathers,  and  be  always  ready  to  welcome  its  wandering  children  to  the  old 
domain.'  John  B.  Garland,  Esq.,  of  Barnstead,  was  invited  to  respond 
to  this  sentiment,  but  on  account  of  ill-health  and  the  infirmities  of  age 
was  obliged  to  forego  that  pleasure,  but  answered  by  letter.’’ 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


HON.  JOHN  G.  SINCLAIR. 

Perhaps  the  grandest  feature  of  American  civiliza- 
tion and  the  highest  tribute  to  American  institutions, 
is  the  opportunity  and  facility  offered  her  sons  to  rise 
from  the  lowest  to  the  highest  rank,  whether  wealth, 
power,  fame,  or  all  these  united,  be  the  ambition  of 
the  aspirant.  There  is  probably  no  country  on  the 
globe  where  the  results  are  so  entirely  in  the  hands 
of  the  individual,  and  so  wholly  commensurate  with 
the  ability,  energy  and  merit  displayed  in  the  prose- 
cution of  the  end  desired.  And  it  is  to-day  America’s 
proudest  boast  that  her  sons  have  proved  worthy  the 
unusual  advantages  offered  them. 

Of  the  various  sections  of  our  land,  New  England 
has,  perhaps,  been  most  prolific  in  the  production  of 
what  are  popularly  known  as  “ self-made  men ; ” 
men  whose  childhood  and  youth  were  passed  amid 
scenes  of  privation  and  poverty,  and  who,  without  the 
advantages  that  wealth  alone  can  secure,  have  risen 
by  dint  of  their  own  industry  and  ability,  and  the 
innate  heroism  of  their  natures,  to  the  highest  posi- 
tions of  honor,  power  and  achievement. 

Hon.  John  G.  Sinclair  is  a fair  representative  of 
that  type  of  New  Englander  who,  throughout  the 
length  and  breadth  of  our  land,  may  be  found  ever  in 


the  vanguard  of  progress — leaders  in  the  struggle 
for  success  in  whatever  special  field  they  may  have 
chosen.  Starting  in  life  under  more  than  usual  dis- 
advantages and  discouragements,  he  has  achieved  an 
honorable  success,  of  which  he  and  his  posterity  may 
be  justly  proud. 

He  was  born  at  Barnstead  Parade,  in  the  town  of 
Barnstead,  N.  H.,  March  25,  1826.  He  is  the  only 
child  of  Charles  G.  and  Martha  G.  (Norris)  Sinclair 
of  that  town. 

His  ancestors  were  of  a martial  spirit,  and  for  three 
generations  did  military  duty  iu  their  country’s  serv- 
ice. One  of  the  pioneers  of  the  town  of  Gilmanton, 
N.  H.,  was  Richard  Sinclair,  and  it  is  claimed  that 
he  erected  the  first  frame  house  in  the  town.  He 
was  a soldier  in  the  French  and  Indian  wars,  and  also 
in  the  War  of  the  Revolution.  In  the  latter  war,  he 
attained  the  rank  of  captain,  though  in  the  locality 
where  he  lived  he  was  generally  known  as  Colonel 
Sinclair.  He  married  Polly  Cilley,  a sister  of  Colonel 
Joseph  Cilley,  and  a descendant  of  one  of  the  oldest 
and  proudest  families  of  New  Hampshire.  Their 
eldest  son,  Richard  Sinclair,  Jr.,  was  one  of  the  ear- 
liest settlers  of  the  towm  of  Barnstead.  Like  his 
father,  he  was  a soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  army, 
and  was  an  ensign  in  his  father’s  company.  His  wife 
was  Betsey  Hodgdon,  and  Charles  G.  Sinclair  (father 
of  Hon.  John  G.)  was  their  only  son,  who,  at  the  age 
of  seventeen,  enlisted  as  a soldier  in  the  war  of  1812, 
and  for  a time  was  clerk  for  General  Ripley.  At  the 
sortie  on  Fort  Erie  he  received  a gunshot  wound  near 
the  right  lung,  which  disabled  him  for  life.  He  died 
July,  1884,  leaving  his  wife  and  only  child  (then  a 
lad  but  eight  years  of  age,)  in  destitute  circumstances. 
Mrs.  Sinclair  was  a woman  of  true  Spartan  heroism 
and  courage.  She  set  bravely  to  work  with  her  nee- 
dle to  support  herself  and  son.  With  true  motherly 
pride  and  a confidence  in  her  boy’s  ability,  which  has 
since  been  eminently  justified,  she  determined  to  do 
all  in  her  power  to  give  him  an  education,  and  so  kept 
him  at  school  at  Pittsfield  Academy  till  he  was  thir- 
teen years  of  age.  He  then  entered  the  employ  of 
Webster  & Peavey,  merchants  at  Landaff,  N.H.  The 
firm  consisted  of  Hon.  Samuel  Webster  of  North 
Barnstead,  and  Samuel  P.  Peavey,  a former  resident 
of  Barnstead,  who  had  married  a sister  of  Mrs.  Sin- 
clair. 

He  remained  at  Landaff  six  years,  and  during  the 
time  attended  five  terms  at  Newbury  Seminary  in 
Vermont,  where  he  fitted  for  college  under  the  tui- 
tion of  Bishop  Baker  and  Rev.  Clark  T.  Hinman. 
Ambitious  as  he  was  to  enter  college  and  acquire  a 
liberal  education,  yet  a fear  lest  he  might  die  and  his 
mother  be  left  destitute  induced  him  to  forego  his 
desires  in  that  regard  and  bend  his  energies  to  busi- 
ness pursuits.  His  first  venture  was  a restaurant  at 
the  corner  of  Hanover  and  Elm  Streets,  Manchester, 

. N.  H.  This  not  proving  consonant  with  his  tastes 
I was  soon  abandoned,  and  he  established  an  auction 


BARNSTEAD. 


715 


and  commission  business  at  Lawrence,  Mass.  He 
was  fairly  successful  in  this,  and  having  acquired 
limited  means,  he  returned  to  his  native  State  and 
established  a country  store,  and  also  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  starch  in  Bethlehem,  N.  H.  Here 
he  soon  won  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  the  com- 
munity, as  was  evidenced  by  the  fact  that  in  1852, 
’53.  ’54,  ’55,  and  in  1862,  and  ’63,  and  again  in  1876, 
’77  and  ’78  he  represented  Bethlehem  in  the  State 
legislature,  and  served  as  its  member  in  the  last  Con- 
stitutional Convention.  In  1873,  he  represented  Lit- 
tleton in  the  legislature,  being  then  a resident  of  that 
town.  He  was  appointed  Bank  Commissioner  by 
Governor  Baker,  and  served  until  the  American  party 
came  into  power.  In  1858  and  ’59  he  was  elected 
Senator  from  the  Twelfth  Senatorial  district,  composed 
of  Grafton  and  Coos-  Counties.  He  was  the  demo- 
cratic candidate  for  Speaker  of  the  House,  and  demo- 
cratic candidate  for  Governor  in  1866,  ’67  and  ’68.  In 
1868,  he  was  chairman  of  the  New  Hampshire  dele- 
gation to  the  National  Convention,  and  in  1876  was 
democratic  candidate  for  United  States  Senator, 
against  Edward  H.  Rollins,  republican. 

During  all  of  his  connection  with  the  political 
affairs  of  New  Hampshire  he  was  considered  one  of 
the  safest,  shrewdest  and  most  efficient  party  leaders. 
The  estimation  in  which  he  was  held  as  a public 
speaker  and  debater,  finds  illustration  in  the  fact  that 
the  convention  which  nominated  him  for  Governor 
in  1867,  instructed  him  to  invite  General  Walter 
Harriman,  the  republican  candidate  (New  Hamp- 
shire’s most  eloquent  champion  of  the  republican 
party),  to  a public  discussion  of  the  issues  involved 
in  the  campaign,  the  result  of  which  was  thirteen 
joint  discussions  at  principal  points  in  the  State,  (the 
first  of  the  kind  ever  held  in  New  England,  though 
quite  common  West  and  South,  for  many  years). 
Although  so  frequently  elected  to  offices  of  trust  and 
responsibility,  Mr.  Sinclair  has  never  been  an  office- 
seeker,  and  when  he  left  his  native  State  in  1879,  he 
made  a public  avowal  that  he  would  never  again 
be  a candidate  for  a political  office,  a resolution  to 
which  he  has  rigidly  adhered. 

In  1879,  Mr.  Sinclair  removed  to  Orlando,  Orange 
County,  Florida,  where  he  has  established  a large  and 
lucrative  real  estate  business,  and  is  also  engaged  in 
the  cultivation  of  oranges  and  other  semi-tropical 
fruits. 

Though  he  has  chosen  his  abode  in  the  land  of 
flowers,  yet  he  cherishes  an  abiding  love  for  the  snow- 
clad,  rock-ribbed  hills  of  the  land  of  his  birth,  and  is 
keenly  alive  to  all  that  affects  her  prosperity,  perpe- 
tuity or  interests.  His  recent  speech  before  the  New 
Hampshire  Club  in  Boston  fully  sustains  his  reputa- 
tion as  a most  gifted  post-prandial  orator.  He  is  vig- 
orous in  mind  and  body,  giving  promise  of  many 
future  years  of  usefulness. 

Mr.  Sinclair  has  been  twice  married ; first  in  1847, 
to  Tamar  M.,  daughter  of  Colonel  Daniel  Clark  of 


Landaff.  By  this  marriage,  there  were  three  chil- 
dren— Charles  A.,  Emma  S.  and  Martha  A.  His  first 
wife  dying,  he  married  in  1872,  Mary  E.  Blandin, 
daughter  of  John  Pierce,  Esq.,  of  Littleton,  N.  H. 


THOMAS  L.  HOITT. 

Graceful  versatility  is  generally  a marked  trait  in 
the  character  of  the  New  England  man.  When 
promising  prospects  invite  he  will  promptly  change 
his  home  and  business  for  another  location  and  un- 
tried occupation.  While  he  readily  conforms  and 
adapts  himself  to  changed  circumstances  and  customs 
in  a new  situation,  he  still  holds  in  sweet  remem- 
brance the  home  and  scenes  of  his  youth,  for  no  land 
affords  homes  with  dearer  childhood  associations  than 
New  England. 

Thomas  Lewis  Hoitt  was  born  in  Barnstead,  near 
the  Parade-Ground,  April  1,  1827,  being  the  seventh 
in  a family  of  five  sous  and  seven  daughters,  children 
of  Benjamin  Hoitt,  a respectable  farmer,  who  was 
born  in  Hampstead,  N.  H.,  in  1790.  His  grand- 
father, Thomas  Hoitt,  born  in  Chester  about  1750, 
was  a gentleman  of  fine  education  for  his  time,  espe- 
cially in  mathematics,  and  in  his  younger  days  was 
engaged  in  teaching  and  land-surveying.  The  late 
Rev.  Enos  George,  of  Barnstead,  was  one  of  his  pupils. 
His  name  appears  on  the  roll  as  ensign  in  the  com- 
pany of  Captain  Samuel  McConnel  at  the  battle  of 
Bennington.  He  subsequently  joined  the  United 
States  navy,  and  rose  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant,  and 
was  serving  in  that  capacity  on  a vessel  of  war  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  of  yellow-fever,  in  Surinam,  in  1796. 
He  was  honored  by  burial  in  the  garden  of  the 
Governor  of  that  colony. 

Mr.  Hoitt  traces  the  lineage  of  his  family  to  John 
Hoyt,  who  came  from  England  and  was  living  in  1639 
at  Salisbury,  Mass.,  of  which  town  he  was  one  of  the 
original  settlers.  His  name  appears  on  all  the  earlier 
records  of  the  town,  and  he  is  almost  the  only  indi- 
vidual who  received  all  his  earlier  grants  of  land  at 
the  first  division.  With  thirty  other  families,  he 
moved  west  of  Powow  River  in  1645,  and  formed  the 
West  Parish,  which,  in  1668,  became  Amesbury. 
Frequent  mention  is  made  of  him  on  records  of  that 
town  as  selectman,  constable,  juryman,  moderator 
and  committee  to  settle  a minister. 

The  mother  of  Mr.  Hoitt  was  Mehitable  (Babson) 
Hoitt,  daughter  of  Isaac  Babson,  of  Dunbarton,  a 
graduate  of  Harvard  College,  in  the  class  of  1779,  and 
Nelly  (Stark)  Babson,  daughter  of  Major-General 
John  Stark,  of  the  Continental  army,  and  of  illustri- 
ous memory. 

This  family  of  Babsons  descended  from  James 
Babson,  who,  with  his  mother,  Isabel,  a widow,  came 
from  England  to  Salem,  Mass.,  where  they  were  resid- 
ing in  1644.  Isabel  moved  to  Gloucester  and  died  in 
1661,  aged  eighty-four.  James  settled  at  Little  Good 
Harbor  and  died  December  21,  1683. 


716 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Mr.  Hoitt  remained  at  home  attending  the  public 
and  select  schools  and  assisting  in  farm-work  till 
1842,  when,  at  fifteen  years  of  age,  he  entered  the 
employ  of  Mr.  Baily  Parker,  a careful  and  successful 
merchant  of  Pembroke,  N.  H.,  and  for  several  years 
received  the  advantages  of  that  excellent  preparatory 
school  for  business-life, — the  training  of  clerk  in  a 
country  store. 

After  leaving  the  service  of  Mr.  Parker  he  was 
employed  in  a woolen-factory  by  the  husband  of  his 
eldest  sister,  J.  B.  Merrill,  Esq.,  and  also  became 
associated  with  him  in  the  ownership  of  a general 
store  in  his  native  place.  In  1855  he  located  at 
Salmon  Falls,  where  for  several  years  he  did  a brisk 
and  large  business  in  the  dry -goods  trade,  from  which 
ill  health  compelled  him  to  retire.  At  the  breaking 
out  of  the  War  of  the  Rebellion,  in  1861,  moved  by 
the  patriotic,  martial  and  heroic  example  of  his  an- 
cestors, he  promptly  supported  the  war  measures  of 
President  Lincoln,  and  by  voice  and  example  en- 
couraged enlistments  for  the  Union  army,  although 
he  was  not  in  sympathy  with  the  new  administration, 
having  been  a decided  and  active  Democrat.  He 
joined  the  “ Fighting  Fifth”  Regiment  New  Hamp- 
shire Volunteers,  and  followed  its  fortunes  till  the 
close  of  McClellan’s  Peninsula  campaign,  when  he 
was  discharged.  He  is  pensioned  for  injury  received 
during  the  famous  retreat.  After  leaving  the  army 
he  engaged  in  trade  for  a while  at  North  Berwick, 
Me.  He  next  took  charge  of  business,  which  required 
him  to  travel  much  of  the  time,  and  traversed  a large 
part  of  the  United  States,  taking  ample  time  and 
pains  to  examine  and  inform  himself  as  to  objects 
and  places  of  interest.  It  has  been  the  fortune  of  Mr. 
Hoitt  to  happen  to  be  present  on  many  remarkable 
occasions,  and  to  witness  many  striking  and  peculiar 
transactions.  For  instance,  while  traveling  between 
Washington  and  the  army  on  business,  he  arrived  at 


the  scene  just  in  time  to  be  a witness  of  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  frigates,  “ Cumberland  ” and  “ Congress,”  by 
the  rebel  iron-clad  “ Merrimac,”  and  the  terrible  con- 
test of  the  latter  vessel  with  the  “ Monitor.”  Mr.  Hoitt 
was  the  first  postal  agent  between  Boston  and  Portland, 
Me.,  and  when  others  were  appointed  he  was  made 
chief.  For  several  years  he  owned  and  managed  a 
shoe  manufactory  in  Lynn,  Mass.  After  passing 
through  many  changes,  reverses  and  successes,  in 
1880  he  did,  what  he  had  long  desired  to  do,  returned 
to  his  native  town,  and,  with  two  widowed  sisters, 
established  a pleasant  home  at  the  Parade,  on  the 
bank  of  the  Suncook  River,  where  he  enjoys  the 
scenes  and  associations  of  his  boyhood  and  the  so- 
ciety of  his  neighbors.  The  old  Congregational 
Church,  near  his  home,  the  place  of  his  early  reli- 
gious teachings,  and  where  he  now  is  a constant 
attendant  on  public  worship,  has  been  an  object  of 
peculiar  regard  with  him.  Once  it  was  saved  from 
destruction  by  his  efforts.  Extensive  improvements 
of  it  have  been  mostly  paid  for  by  himself  and  sisters. 
His  wife  was  Miss  Martha  Seavey,  of  Saco,  Me.  They 
have  a daughter,  Henrietta  Babson  Hoitt,  born  No- 
vember 26,  1876,  and  lead  a very  pleasant  domestic 
life.  Imitating  the  example  of  his  uncle,  Colonel 
James  S.  Hoitt,  of  Laconia,  soon  after  attaining  his 
majority,  Mr.  Hoitt  became  an  enthusiastic  member 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  rose  rapidly  to  the 
degree  of  Knight  Templar.  He  is  a skillful  vocal  and 
instrumental  musician,  and  has  freely  used  his  talent 
for  the  entertainment  of  his  friends  and  for  the  pro- 
motion of  benevolent  objects.  He  may  frequently 
be  seen  enjoying  a part  with  Barnstead  Brass  Band, 
which  is  almost  fifty  years  old,  and  of  which  he  be- 
came a member  nearly  forty  years  ago. 

Mr.  Hoitt  has  seen  much  of  the  world,  mingled 
with  all  classes  of  society  and  remains  a kind-hearted., 
generous  and  friendly  man. 


HISTORY  OF  BELMONT. 


BY  ALLAN  J.  HACKETT. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Previous  to  1859  the  section  comprising  the  pres- 
ent town  of  Belmont  was  a part  of  Gilmanton.  In 
1761  the  proprietors  of  Gilmanton  laid  oft'  a tract, 
six  miles  square,  on  the  Barnstead  line.  This  sec- 
tion was  thereafter  known  as  the  Lower  Parish.  The 
rest  of  the  town  was  divided  into  two  parts, — Gunstock 
Parish  on  the  northeast,  and  Upper  Gilmanton,  or,  as  it 
was  called  later,  the  Upper  Parish,  on  the  southwest. 
In  June,  1812,  Gunstock  Parish  was  severed  from  Gil- 
manton and  incorporated  as  a town  under  the  name  of 
Gilford.  Previous  to  this  time  the  term  Upper  Parish 
appears  to  have  been  applied  to  the  whole  section 
of  the  town  lying  north  of  the  Lower  Parish  ; subse- 
quently, it  was  employed  to  describe  what  is  now  the 
town  of  Belmont.  It  will  be  so  used  in  this  article. 

Previous  to  the  division,  in  1859,  the  political  and 
general  history  of  the  section  comprising  the  present 
town  of  Belmont  was  so  closely  identified  with  that 
of  the  rest  of  the  town  of  Gilmanton  that  it  is  ob- 
viously impossible,  at  this  late  day,  to  separate  the 
one  from  the  other.  The  Upper  Parish  does  not  ap- 
pear to  have  been  a very  important  part  of  the  town. 
The  Lower  Parish  (now  Gilmanton)  was  settled  at  an 
earlier  date,  and,  in  addition  to  this  advantage,  the 
founding  of  the  academy,  in  1794,  formed  a nucleus 
around  which,  or,  at  least,  in  whose  near  vicinage, 
was  gathered  by  far  the  greater  proportion  of  the 
wealth,  culture,  enterprise  and  social  distinction  of 
the  town.  In  those  old  days,  before  the  advent  ofthe 
manufacturing  genius  induced  settlement  on  the 
banks  of  the  streams,  the  pioneers  of  civilization 
courted  the  liill-tops  and  piously  shunned  the  valleys. 
As  Mr.  Howells’  Lady  of  the  Aroostook  “ wanted  to 
know,”  so,  evidently,  these  early  settlers  “ wanted  to 
see.”  They  made  their  homes,  for  the  most  part,  on 
the  high,  sightly  ridges,  and  this  habit  doubtless  ex- 
plains the  otherwise  inexplicable  fact  that  nearly  all 
the  old  highways  of  the  town  fully  merit  the  name, 
being  constructed  over  the  loftiest  hills,  in  utter  dis- 
regard of  all  questions  of  economy,  with  sublime  con- 
tempt for  the  consideration  of  mere  distance,  and  to 
the  annoyance  and  serious  detriment  of  modern 
travel. 


The  settlement  of  the  Upper  Parish  progressed  but 
slowly.  The  site  of  the  present  village  of  Belmont 
remained  an  unbroken  forest  for  many  years  after  the 
“ Corner,”  as  theAcademy  village  is  still  called,  had 
become  a thriving  and  somewhat  noted  settlement. 
The  first  store  was  opened  in  1820.  In  1834  an 
association  of  public-spirited  citizens,  foremost  among 
whom  was  Governor  Badger,  built  a brick  factory  for 
the  manufacture  of  cotton  cloth.  This  building  is 
still  standing,  and  is  used  by  the  Gilmanton  Mills 
Company,  to  which  reference  will  be  made  further  on. 
Previous  to  the  building  of  the  factory,  the  village,  if 
it  may  be  dignified  by  that  name,  had  been  known  as 
“Fellows’  Mills,” — the  ambitious  plural  being  pos- 
sibly justified  by  the  fact  that  the  one  building  was 
used  both  as  a grist-mill  and  as  a saw-mill.  This 
building,  long  ago  destroyed,  is  said  to  have  been 
located  on  the  right  bank  of  the  river,  below  the 
bridge,  and  not  far  from  the  dam  of  the  present  Gil- 
manton Mills.  After  the  building  of  the  Badger  fac- 
tory, the  village  grew  quite  rapidly,  and  was  called 
“Factory  Village,”  as  a compliment  to  the  new 
industry.  This  name  is  still  frequently  heard.  About 
the  time  that  the  factory  was  built,  Governor  Badger 
also  built  a saw-mill  and  a grist-mill,  at  the  upper 
dam,  a few  rods  above  the  bridge.  The  saw-mill  was 
situated  on  the  right  bank  of  the  stream ; the  grist- 
mill on  the  left  bank,  and  nearly  opposite.  In  the 
spring  of  1852  there  was  a great  freshet.  The  dam 
at  the  reservoir,  five  miles  up  the  stream,  was  broken 
through,  and  the  flood  wrought  sad  havoc  iu  the  little 
village.  Several  buildings  were  swept  away,  and 
among  them  the  grist-mill.  The  other  mill  escaped. 
In  1876,  it  was  purchased  by  the  Gilmanton  Mills 
Company,  enlarged  and  altered,  and  used  in  the 
manufacture  of  cases.  It  was  burned  in  May,  1885. 

The  freshet  entailed  a severe  pecuniary  loss  upon 
Governor  Badger,  and  that  gentleman  dying  a few 
months  later,  the  village  experienced  no  considerable 
growth,  either  in  size  or  in  general  prosperity,  for 
several  years. 

But  the  devout  settlers  did  not  await  the  slow 
development  of  worldly  prosperity  before  erecting 
houses  of  worship.  Perhaps,  no  other  feature  of 
the  early  history  of  New  Englaud  is  so  striking 

717 


718 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


and  impressive  as  the  religious  zeal  of  its  people. 
Notwithstanding  the  bigotry,  fanaticism  and  harsh- 
ness which  so  largely  characterized  the  religion  of 
the  Puritans,  one  cannot  but  admire  their  devotion, — 
a devotion  so  intense,  so  imperious  and  so  despotic, 
even,  that  it  subordinated  to  itself  all  other  emotions 
and  passions,  and  not  only  became  the  controlling 
influence  in  their  own  lives,  but  was  also  transmitted, 
almost  as  a part  of  their  being,  to  their  descendants. 
In  this  respect,  the  history  of  one  is  the  history  of  all, 
the  history  of  each  community,  the  history  of  every 
other  community.  Worship  was  as  truly  a necessity 
as  food  or  raiment.  In  none  was  the  religious  spirit 
stronger  than  among  the  settlers  of  the  old  township 
of  Gilmanton,  whose  grant  was  signed  by  the  hand  of 
a Wentworth.  They  brought,  unimpaired,  to  the 
wilds  of  this  frontier  town  that  same  brave  and  per- 
fect faith  which,  a century  before,  had  guided  the 
Pilgrim  fathers  to  the  frozen  fastnesses  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts coast.  In  the  charter  of  the  town,  grants  of 
land  were  reserved  for  a parsonage  and  for  “ the  first 
settled  minister.”  For  several  years  there  was  no 
meeting-house,  the  religious  services  being  held  in 
private  houses  and  in  barns.  The  first  church  in  the 
Upper  Parish  was  erected  at  the  Province  road  (so 
called)  in  1792.  The  members  of  this  church  adopted 
the  tenets  of  the  Free-Will  Baptist  denomination  in 
1816. 

In  1835,  it  was  incorporated  by  the  name  of 
the  “Third  Free-Will  Baptist  Meeting-House' Society 
in  Upper  Gilmanton.”  Soon  after,  the  society  low- 
ered its  meeting-house  to  one  story,  removed  the  gal- 
lery-pews,  and  made  other  alterations.  So  far  as  the 
writer  can  learn,  this  building,  still  in  use  and  in  a 
good  state  of  preservation,  is  the  one  that  was  erected 
in  1792.  If  so,  it  is  the  second  oldest  building  of  the 
kind  in  this  section  of  the  State.  There  are  no 
church  records  to  be  found  previous  to  1835;  but  it 
would  appear,  from  Lancaster’s  “History  of  Gilman- 
ton” (1845),  that  “Elder  John  Knowles,”  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  church,  was  its  pastor  from  1816  until 
his  death,  in  1837.  At  this  time  the  church  was  re- 
organized. Following  is  the  list  of  pastors  from  1837 
to  the  present  time:  Samuel  P.  Fernald,  1837-38; 
John  G.  Tuttle,  1838;  Hugh  Beede,  1845—48;  Lem- 
uel Mason,  1848-50;  E.  G.  Knowles,  1850-52;  H.  F. 
Dickey,  1852-55;  W.  A.  Sargent,  1855-57;  Uriah 
Chase,  1857-61;  H.  F.  Dickey,  1861-65;  J.  B.  Leigh- 
ton, 1865-68;  O.  F.  Russell,  1869-70;  John  Davis, 
1871;  G.  B.  Blaisdell,  1872-75;  C.  M.  Emery,  1876- 
79;  S.  J.  Gould,  1880-83,  and  J.  C.  Waldron,  the 
present  pastor,  who  came  to  the  church  in  April, 
1883.  The  present  membership  is  forty-four. 

In  1810,  a church,  composed  of  persons  who  had 
previously  constituted  the  “ Third  Monthly  Meet- 
ing,” was  established  at  what  is  now  Belmont  village. 
Lancaster's  “ History  of  Gilmanton  ” states  that  the 
meeting-house  was  built  in  1811,  but  private  informa- 
tion puts  the  date  of  its  erection  at  1815.  In  1835 


the  society  was  incorporated  by  the  name  of  the  First 
Free  Baptist  Society  in  Gilmanton  Upper  Parish. 
Rev.  Peter  Clark  was  the  first  pastor,  and  officiated 
for  more  than  thirty  years’.  He  was  a man  of  very 
considerable  ability,  intense  convictions  and  com- 
manding personal  appearance.  He  was  one  of  the 
most  widely-known  clergymen  in  this  part  of  the 
State,  and  probably  performed  more  marriage  cere- 
monies than  any  other  man  in  the  history  of  the 
town.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  David  Moody, 
about  1841,  but  continued  to  preach  occasionally  af- 
ter that  time.  Mr.  Moody,  who  is  still  living  at  an 
advanced  age  in  Sutton,  N.  H.,  finally  severed  his- 
connection  with  the  church  in  1851.  Other  pastors 
have  been,  L.  S.  Wells,  J.  M.  Bedell,  1854-55 ; H.  S. 
Sleeper,  1856-61 ; W.  H.  Yeoman,  1861-64  ; Almon 
Shepard,  1864—65  ; M.  Cole,  1865-68  ; Hosea  Quinby, 
1869 ; A.  K.  Moulton,  W.  G.  Willis  and  J.  Walker,. 
1870;  M.  Henderson,  1871;  J.  L.  Sinclair,  1872-76  ;. 
M.  A.  Quimby,  1876-81 ; and  T.  G.  Wilder,  the  pres- 
ent pastor,  whose  connection  with  the  church  began 
in  1881.  The  present  edifice  was  built  in  1852.  The 
membership  in  1884  was  one  hundred  and  six. 

A Christian  Baptist  Church  was  established  at  the 
village  in  1839.  It  was  incorporated  in  1841.  A 
meeting-house  was  built  in  1840,  and  was  burned  in 
1867.  The  present  building  was  erected  in  1868. 
The  following  have  been  the  pastors : Richard  Davis,. 
1839-42;  Josiah  Knight,  1842—43;  John  Burden, 
1843  ; John  Gillingham,  1844—47;  Samuel  Nutt,  1851; 
Moses  Polley,  1852-56;  George  Osborn,  1858;  Abiah 
Kidder,  1860-72;  E.  S.  Moulton,  1879-81.  There  is 
at  present  no  pastor,  and  the  membership  is  small. 
These  three  are  the  only  churches  that  have  ever 
been  organized  in  the  town. 

The  most  distinguished  citizen  in  the  history  of  the 
town  was  Hon.  William  Badger,  who  was  born  in 
1779.  He  was  the  son  of  Hon.  Joseph  Badger  and 
the  grandson  of  General  Joseph  Badger.  Both  these 
gentlemen  were  distinguished  soldiers  in  the  Revolu- 
tion. Joseph  Badger  (2d)  removed  from  the  Lower  to- 
the  Upper  Parish  in  1784  and  settled  upon  the  farm 
which  has  ever  since  been  owned  by  the  Badger  family. 
His  son,  William  Badger,  received  his  education  in 
the  common  schools  and  at  Gilmanton  Academy.  He 
was  an  active  Democrat,  and  early  became  prominent 
in  political  life.  He  was  representative  in  1810,  ’ll, 
’12 ; State  Senator  in  1814,  ’15,  ’16,  and  president  of 
the  Senate  in  the  year  last-named;  justice  of  the  Court 
of  Common  Pleas  from  1816  to  1820 ; sheriff  of  Straf- 
ford County  from  1820  to  1830;  Governor  of  the  State 
in  1834-35;  and  Presidential  elector  in  1836  and  1844. 
He  was  also  for  a long  time  president  of  the  board  of 
trustees  of  Gilmanton  Academy,  and  filled  other 
places  of  trust.  As  has  already  been  stated,  he  was 
chiefly  instrumental  in  building  the  cotton-factory 
and  other  mills  at  the  village,  and  he  may  be  said  to 
have  been  the  founder  of  the  manufacturing  industry 
in  Belmont.  He  was  a gentleman  of  great  business. 


BELMONT. 


719 


sagacity  and  enterprise,  an  honest  man  and  a public- 
spirited  citizen.  He  died  in  September,  1852. 

Governor  Badger’s  first  wife  was  the  daughter  of 
Rev.  Isaac  Smith,  the  first  settled  pastor  of  Gilman- 
ton.  She  died  in  1810,  leaving  a son  and  a daughter, 
both  of  whom  died  a few  years  later. 

In  1814,  Mr.  Badger  married  Hannah  Pearson 
Cogswell,  daughter  of  Dr.  William  Cogswell,  of  At- 
kinson. She  was  a woman  of  great  ability,  highly 
accomplished,  and  distinguished  for  her  benevo- 
lence and  public  spirit.  She  came  of  a family  that 
is  very  prominent  in  the  history  of  New  England. 
Among  her  numerous  relatives  now  living  and 
eminent  in  political  circles,  may  be  mentioned  her 
nephews,  John  B.  Clarke,  of  the  Manchester  Mirror, 
Colonel  Thomas  Cogswell,  of  Gilmanton,  and  General 
J.  B.  D.  Cogswell,  of  Massachusetts,  and  her  cousin, 
“Long  John”  Wentworth,  of  Illinois.  She  died  in 
February,  1869.  Her  two  sons  are  living, — Colonel 
Joseph  Badger,  who  lives  at  the  old  homestead,  and 
Captain  William  Badger,  U.  S.  A.,  at  present  stationed 
at  Salt  Lake  City. 

Houses,  like  faces,  are  either  passed  heedlessly  by, 
or  impress  upon  the  mind  a sense  of  their  indivi- 
duality. Of  the  latter  kind  is  the  old  Badger  man- 
sion. It  needs  hut  a glance  at  its  generous  propor- 
tions, its  wide  grounds,  its  grand  old  shade-trees  to 
enable  one  to  realize  that  it  has  a history.  It  is 
situated  on  a high  hill,  at  a right  angle  in  the 
road  from  Belmont  to  Gilmanton,  midway  between 
the  two  villages.  The  present  building  is  a large  two- 
story  wooden  house,  fronting  the  southwest,  and  was 
erected  by  Governor  Badger,  in  1825.  The  Badgers 
have  lived  on  this  farm  for  more  than  a hundred 
years.  In  Governor  Badger’s  time  it  was  the  most 
noted  and  valuable  country-estate  in  this  part  of  New 
Hampshire ; but  the  farm  has  since  been  somewhat 
reduced  in  size. 

The  house  contains  many  objects  of  historic  inter- 
est, but  the  limits  of  this  article  admit  only  of  the 
briefest  reference  to  a few  of  them.  In  the  west 
parlor  are  the  oil  portraits  of  Governor  and  Mrs. 
Badger,  painted  in  the  early  days  of  their  married 
life.  It  would  be  difficult  to  find  a more  comely  pair. 
The  portrait  of  the  Governor  represents  a handsome 
gentleman,  with  a large,  florid,  open  face,  and  a sug- 
gestion of  portliness  that  gives  promise  of  the  three 
hundred  pounds  to  which  he  attained  later  in  life. 
That  of  Mrs.  Badger  is  one  of  unusual  beauty,  and  is 
said,  by  those  who  remember  her  in  her  youth,  to  be 
a faithful  likeness.  On  a table  near  by,  lies  the  sam- 
pler which  her  young  hands  wrought  eighty-five 
years  ago. 

Across  the  wide  hall  is  the  family  sitting-room. 
The  walls  are  hung  with  paper  in  rich  brown  and 
wood  tints,  representing  a variety  of  Eastern  pic- 
tures, comprising  street  scenes,  landscapes  and  sea- 
views.  This  paper  cost  one  hundred  dollars  in 
Portsmouth  sixty  years  ago.  It  is  in  an  excellent  state 


of  preservation,  and  its  like  is  probably  not  to  be 
found  anywhere  in  the  country.  Suspended  from 
the  wall  are  the  Governor’s  sword  and  horse-pistols. 
The  sword  was  taken  from  a British  soldier  near 
Crown  Point,  in  1777,  by  General  Joseph  Badger,  the 
Governor’s  father.  It  has  an  ornamental  silver  hilt, 
and  its  faded  scabbard  attests  its  age.  Adjoining  this 
room  is  the  china  closet,  in  which  are  to  be  seen  the 
old  family  china,  that  was  brought  from  Portsmouth 
in  saddle-bags,  and  which  is  excellently  well  pre- 
served, and  the  silver  tea-service.  The  latter  is  mas- 
sive, and  of  a beautiful  unique  pattern.  It  would 
tempt  the  collector  of  antiques  to  break  one  of  the 
commandments,  and  it  is  by  no  means  certain  that 
the  sin  would  not  be  forgiven  him. 

Ascending  to  the  chambers,  the  visitor  finds  in  one 
of  them  the  canopy  bedstead  and  quaint,  high-backed 
chairs,  which  Mrs.  Badger  brought  from  her  girlhood’s 
home  in  Atkinson  three-quarters  of  a century  ago. 
The  view  from  these  upper  windows  is  wide  and 
beautiful,  ending,  as  do  all  westerly  views  in  this 
part  of  the  town,  in  the  majestic  outlines  of  “lone 
Kearsarge.”  Among  the  objects  of  interest  in  the 
great  roomy  attic,  may  be  mentioned  several  tall,  stiff 
military  caps,  relics  of  the  old  “ training  ” days, 
and  a venerable  poke-bonnet,  that  is  a prodigy  of 
size  and  a marvel  of  ugliness.  It  is  at  least  two  feet 
deep.  The  carping  critic,  who  is  wont  to  declaim 
against  the  foibles  of  the  feminine  mind  of  to-day, 
should  peer  into  the  unfathomable  depths  of  this 
ancient  monstrosity,  and  “ ever  after  hold  his  peace.” 

Descending  by  another  stairway,  the  visitor  enters 
the  dining-room.  The  dining-hall  of  an  old  mansion 
is  frequently  the  room  richest  in  historic  associations. 
Here,  in  this  room,  the  largest  in  the  house,  have 
been  entertained  a President,  a member  of  the  Cabi- 
net, Senators,  members  of  Congress,  Governors  and 
State  functionaries  almost  without  number.  Such  a 
royal  banquet-hall  would  be  incomplete  without  its 
great  clock,  and  there  it  stands,  a grand  old  time- 
piece, aged  but  not  defaced  by  the  more  than  a hun- 
dred years,  whose  flight  it  has  faithfully  recorded, 
the  while  its  solemn  moon-face  looked  down  upon 
the  revelers,  and  its  deep  voice,  like  that  of  the  now 
silent  poet’s  never  silent  horologe,  kept  on  repeat- 
ing— 

“ Forever,  Never  ! 

Never,  Forever  ! ” 

A few  rods  south  of  the  Badger  mansion,  is  the 
early  home  of  the  late  Hon.  W.  H.  Y.  Hackett,  a 
distinguished  lawyer,  banker  and  legislator  of  Ports- 
mouth. Mr.  Hackett  was  born  at  the  Academy  vil- 
lage, September  24,  1800,  but  his  parents  removed  to 
this  part  of  the  town  nine  years  later.  He  received 
his  early  education  in  the  common  schools,  and  at 
the  academy,  walking  daily  to  and  from  the  latter 
institution.  He  began  the  study  of  law  in  the  office 
of  Matthew  Perkins,  Esq.,  of  Sanbornton,  and  re- 
mained there  a year  and  a half.  In  1822  he  went  to 


720 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Portsmouth  and  continued  his  studies  in  the  office  of 
Hon.  Ichabod  Bartlett.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
1826,  and  immediately  entered  upon  the  practice  of 
his  profession  in  Portsmouth.  In  the  same  year  he 
married  Olive,  daughter  of  Joseph  W.  Pickering  of 
that  city. 

Mr.  Hackett  was  assistant  clerk  of  the  Senate  in 
1824—25;  clerk  of  the  Senate  in  1828;  representative 
in  1850,  ’51,  ’52,  ’57,  ’60,  ’67,  ’68,  ’69;  Senator  in 
1861-62,  and  president  of  the  Senate  the  latter  year; 
Presidential  elector  in  1864;  member  of  the  Consti- 
tutional Convention  in  1876.  He  was  president  of 
the  First  National  Bank  of  Portsmouth  (which  was 
the  first  national  bank  organized  in  the  country) ; 
president  of  the  Piscataqua  Savings-Bank,  and  trustee 
of  the  Portsmouth  Savings-Bank.  He  also  held 
many  other  positions  of  honor  and  trust  in  the  city 
which  was  his  home  for  more  than  fifty  years. 

Originally  a Whig,  he  naturally  joined  the  Repub- 
lican party,  and  for  years  he  was  one  of  its  acknowl- 
edged leaders.  He  ranked  among  the  ablest  lawyers 
and  most  successful  financiers  of  the  State,  and  was 
a man  of  strict  integrity. 

He  always  retained  an  active  and  affectionate  in- 
terest in  his  native  town.  Indeed,  so  warmly  was  he 
attached  to  “old  Gilmanton,”  that  when  the  bill  to 
change  the  name  of  Upper  Gilmanton  to  Belmont 
was  introduced  in  the  Legislature,  in  1869,  he  voted 
against  it. 

Mr.  Hackett  died  August  9,  1878,  and  was  buried 
in  the  South  Cemetery,  at  Portsmouth.  His  brother, 
Charles  A.  Hackett,  occupies  the  old  homestead. 
A short  distance  to  the  east  of  the  house,  is  the  high- 
est hill  in  this  section  of  the  town.  The  view  is 
beautiful  and  extensive,  and,  a few  years  ago,  a signal 
was  placed  here  for  use  in  the  triangulation  of  the 
State. 

Belmont  owes  its  existence  as  a separate  town  to  a 
combination  of  political  convenience  and  partisan 
advantage.  The  political  convenience  subserved  by 
the  separation  of  the  town  from  Gilmanton,  is  ex- 
plained by  the  fact  that  the  elections  were  held  at  the 
Academy  village,  and  the  voters  in  the  upper  part  of 
the  town  were  forced  to  travel  a tediously  long  dis- 
tance, amounting,  in  many  cases,  to  eight  or  nine 
miles.  How  serious  an  affliction  this  really  was,  needs 
not  to  be  explained  to  the  country  voter,  who  has  had 
a personal  experience  of  the  difficulties  of  going  to 
the  “ March  meeting,”  over  roads  either  blocked  by 
snow-drifts  or,  rendered  equally  impassable  by  the 
spring  “ thaw.” 

The  partisan  advantage  secured  by  the  division  of  j 
the  town,  consisted  in  the  gain  of  two  Republican  j 
representatives  in  the  Legislature.  Under  the  old 
apportionment,  Gilmanton  was  entitled  to  three  repre- 
sentatives. For  a long  time  political  honors  were 
about  equally  divided.  Victory  perched  with  ap- 
proximate impartiality  upon  the  banner  of  either 
party.  But  about  the  time  of  the  formation  of  the  1 


Republican  party,  the  Democrats  had  gained  a per- 
manent control  of  town  affairs.  They  were  in  an 
overwhelming  majority  in  the  northern  section  of 
the  town,  while  the  Republicans  outnumbered  them 
in  the  southern  part.  A careful  analysis  of  the  vote 
showed  that  a division  of  the  town  on  the  old  parish 
line,  would  give  the  lower  section  two  representatives 
and  the  upper  section  one.  The  subject  was  con- 
sidered for  some  time,  and,  in  1859,  it  took  the 
definite  form  of  a petition  to  the  Legislature  for  a 
division  on  this  basis.  The  bill  was  introduced  into 
the  House  by  A.  H.  Cragin,  of  Lebanon,  afterwards 
United  States  Senator  from  New  Hampshire.  The 
representatives  from  Gilmanton  were  Abraham  S. 
Gale,  Joshua  B.  Pulcifer  and  Enoch  Brown,  all  of 
them  Democrats,  and  all  opposed  to  the  division.  The 
bill  was  warmly  contested,  almost  wholly  on  partisan 
grounds.  It  was  put  upon  its  passage  June  24th.  The 
minority  filibustered  persistently.  Motions  to  post- 
pone, to  adjourn  and  to  lay  on  the  table,  were  suc- 
cessively made,  the  roll-call  being  demanded  upon 
each  motion.  But  the  bill  passed  by  a vote  of  one 
hundred  and  seventy-four  to  one  hundred.  An 
equally  vigorous,  but  equally  futile  opposition  was 
met  in  the  Senate,  and  the  bill  was  approved  June 
28th.  Following  is  the  first  section  of  the  act,  de- 
fining the  limits  of  the  town  : 

“All  that  part  of  the  town  of  Gilmanton  contained  within  the  follow- 
ing described  limits,  to  wit : Beginning  at  the  northeasterly  corner  of 
said  town,  where  its  easterly  line  is  met  and  intersected  by  the  south- 
erly line  of  the  town  of  Gilford  ; thence  running  in  a northwesterly  di- 
rection, following  the  division  line  between  said  towns  of  Gilford  and 
Gilmanton,  until  said  division  line  is  met  by  the  parish  line,  so  called,  as 
the  same  is  laid  out  and  described  upon  the  original  plan  of  lots  in  said 
town  of  Gilmanton  ; thence  running  southwesterly,  follow  ing  said 
parish  line,  until  6aid  parish  line  meets  and  intersects  the  westerly  line  of 
said  town  of  Gilmanton,  as  the  same  now  is  ; thence  southerly  on  said 
westerly  boundary  line  of  said  town  of  Gilmanton  to  its  southwesterly 
corner;  thence  easterly  on  the  southerly  line  of  said  town  of  Gilmanton 
to  its  southeasterly  corner  ; thence  northerly  on  the  easterly  line  of  said 
Gilmanton,  as  said  line  now'  runs,  until  it  arrives  at  the  point  begun  at, 
be  and  the  same  hereby  is  severed  from  said  tow  n of  Gilmanton,  and 
made  a new  body  politic  and  corporate  under  the  name  of  Gilmanton  ; 
and  that  all  the  territory  remaining,  which,  together  with  the  part 
severed,  constituted  the  town  of  Gilmanton,  as  the  same  was  before  the 
passage  of  this  act,  shall  be  called  by  the  name  of  Upper  Gilmanton.” 

The  act  further  provided  that  all  demands,  dues 
aud  funds  should  be  divided  between  the  two  towns  in 
the  proportion  of  $6.50  to  Gilmanton  and  $3.50  to 
Upper  Gilmanton.  It  is  suggestive  of  the  change  in 
the  relative  wealth  of  the  towns,  that  in  the  apportion- 
ment of  public  taxes  in  1883,  Gilmanton  was  assess- 
ed only  one  cent  per  thousand  dollars  more  than 
Belmont. 

The  first  meeting  for  the  choice  of  town  officers  in 
Upper  Gilmanton,  was  called  by  John  E.  Page  and 
Isaiah  Piper,  August  6,  1859.  In  the  following 
October  the  line  between  the  two  towns  was  drawn. 

But  there  was  soon  developed  a considerable  dis- 
satisfaction with  the  name  of  the  town.  Its  length 
was  found  to  be  quite  formidable  by  those  who  had  to 
write  it  often,  and  as  there  were  three  post-offices  in 
the  town  of  Gilmanton,  there  was  much  confusion  in 


BELMONT. 


721 


the  delivery  of  the  mails.  Therefore,  in  1869,  ten 
years  from  the  division,  the  citizens  of  Upper  Gil- 
manton  petitioned  the  Legislature  to  have  the  name 
of  the  town  changed  to  Belmont.  There  was  no  con- 
siderable opposition  to  the  proposed  change,  the  bill 
passed,  and  the  rechristening  of  the  town  was  cele- 
brated by  a picnic  held  in  Sawyer’s  Grove,  July  otli, 
the  day  when  the  act  went  into  effect. 

An  amusing  incident  in  connection  with  this 
change  of  name,  is  to  be  found  in  the  town  records. 
It  appears  that  a meeting  was  called  on  the 
second  Tuesday  of  November,  1869,  “ to  see  if 
the  town  would  vote  to  notify  Hon.  August  Bel- 
mont, of  New  York,  that  the  town  had  been  named 
Belmont,  as  a mark  of  honor  to  him,  and  invite 
him  to  make  a donation  to  the  town  as  a token 
that  he  appreciates  this  action  of  the  town.” 
It  further  appears  from  the  records  that  “ the 
prayer  of  the  petitioners  was  granted.”  But  this 
language  applies  only  to  the  action  of  the  meeting. 
The  prayer  for  a donation  has  never  been  granted. 
The  great  banker  has  shown  himself  surprisingly 
indifferent  to  the  high  honor  thus  conferred  upon 
him,  not  having  acknowledged  the  compliment  even 
< by  the  inexpensive  formality  of  a coui'teous  letter. 
Perhaps  he  did  not  fully  realize  how  great  the 
distinction  really  was.  Perhaps  it  occurred  to  him 
that  the  name,  not  having  begun  with  him,  was  not 
likely  to  die  with  him.  Possibly  he  suspected  that 
the  idea  that  the  town  was  named  for  him,  was  only 
an  afterthought  of  the  tax-payers.  Possibly,  he  had 
received  similar  letters  before.  But  whatever  the 
reason,  the  hard  fact  remains  that  he  has  never  sent 
his  expectant  namesake  so  much  as  a godfather’s 
blessing,  but  continues  to  enjoy  and  profit  by  the 
honor  so  trustingly  conferred  upon  him,  without  ren- 
dering therefor  any  equivalent  whatsoever  ! 

It  should  be  added,  for  the  good  name  of  the  town, 
that  only  fifty-eight  voters  were  present  at  the  meet- 
ing in  question,  to  share  the  responsibility  for  this 
mendicants’  appeal. 

The  Belmont  of  to-day  is  a thriving  farming  and 
manufacturing  town.  By  “ Fogg’s  Statistical  Gazet- 
teer” (1874),  it  ranks  twenty-first  among  the  towns 
of  the  State  in  the  value  of  its  agricultural  products. 
The  assessors’  valuation  for  1884  was  as  follows: 
Polls,  $31,100 ; real-estate,  $324,874 ; stock  in  banks 
and  other  corporations,  $21,060 ; stock  in  public  funds, 
$1,000;  money  on  hand,  at  interest,  or  on  deposit, 
$16,452;  stock  in  trade,  $8,042 ; mills,  factories  and 
machinery,  $21,600 ; carriages,  $918 ; live-stock,  $39,- 
463;  total,  $464,509.  The  population  in  1880  was 
1226;  it  has  probably  increased  somewhat  since  that 
date.  Belmont  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Laconia 
and  Gilford  ; east,  by  Gilford  and  Gilmanton  ; south, 
by  Gilmanton  and  Canterbury ; west,  by  Northfield 
and  by  the  Winnipesaukee  River  and  its  line  of 
lakes,  which  separate  the  town  from  Tilton  and  San- 
bornton.  The  surface  of  the  town  is  broken,  hills 


abounding  everywhere  except  in  the  southwestern 
part,  where  the  land  is  low  and  level. 

The  scenery  of  Belmont  is  exceptional,  even  in  a 
section  so  justly  celebrated  for  its  beautiful  views. 
Only  the  unfortunate  lack  of  railroad  facilities  can 
explain  the  fact  that  the  town  is  so  little  frequented 
by  tourists.  The  western  and  northern  parts  of  the 
town  do  not  suffer  from  this  lack,  and  so  boast  of  sev- 
eral houses  for  the  accommodation  of  summer  guests, 
the  largest  and  best-known  being  the  “ Bay  View,” 
near  the  Laconia  line.  The  views  from  “Ladd  Hill,” 
“Gale  Hill”  and  “Prescott  Hill,”  all  within  two 
miles  of  Laconia,  cannot  easily  be  surpassed.  No 
element  of  a jrerfect  landscape  is  wanting.  In  the  fore- 
ground lies  the  embryo  city  of  Laconia  and  Lake 
Village,  flanked  on  the  one  hand  by  the  fair  lesser 
lakes  of  the  Winnipesaukee,  and  on  the  other  by  a 
rugged  hill  country  that  finds  its  fitting  climax  in  the 
bold  outlines  of  the  Belknap  Mountains ; while  to 
the  northward,  a beautiful  diversity  of  hill,  field 
and  forest,  stretches  away  to  meet  the  great  blue 
mountains,  the  advance  guard  of  the  White  Hills, 
whose  higher  peaks  can  be  faintly  discerned  in  the 
far  distance.  Other  exceptionally  fine  prospects  are 
gained  from  the  summit  of  “Bean  Hill,”  two  miles 
from  Belmont  village,  and  from  the  hill  in  “James- 
town,” near  the  village  of  East  Tilton.  There  are 
many  pleasant  drives,  the  most  attractive  being  the 
“Province  road,”  the  road  from  Belmont  village  to 
Laconia,  that  to  Gilmanton  Academy,  and  the 
shadowy,  leafy  “ Hollow  Route,” — always  pronounced 
“holler  out”  in  the  local  vernacular.  Indeed,  beau- 
tiful views  abound  on  every  hand,  and  it  is  the  judg- 
ment of  experienced  tourists  that  the  scenery  of  Bel- 
mont is  surpassed  by  that  of  few  towns  in  the  State. 

The  air  is  dry  and  bracing.  In  point  of  healthful- 
ness, the  town  will  compare  favorably  with  any  in 
the  State.  Instances  of  great  longevity  are  common. 
Mrs.  Eunice  Swain  Sweatt,  who  died  in  1881,  at  the 
age  of  one  hundred  and  five,  was,  just  prior  to  her 
death,  the  oldest  person  in  the  State. 

The  most  notable  natural  curiosity  in  town,  is  “ Por- 
cupine Ledge,”  one  and  one-half  miles  southeast  of 
the  village.  The  name  carries  its  own  explanation. 
Porcupines  are  seldom  seen  at  this  time,  but  quills  are 
frequently  found.  The  “Ledge”  is  really  a remark- 
able place,  and  well  repays  the  slight  trouble  which  a 
visit  to  it  involves.  Situated  in  the  mountain  or  lake 
region,  or  in  any  other  place  largely  frequented  by 
tourists,  it  would  long  ago  have  become  famous.  It  con- 
sists of  a mass  of  great  rocks,  roughly  tumbled  upon 
each  other,  and  is  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in 
height.  Either  the  ascent  or  descent  is  considerably 
laborious,  but  entirely  devoid  of  danger.  The  summit 
of  the  cliff  is  formed  by  the  great,  overhanging  “ Table 
Rock,”  which  is  not  unlike  in  appearance  to  its  Niag- 
ara namesake,  and  whose  shape  suggests  the  probabil- 
ity that  the  other  rocks  were  torn  from  its  side  by 
some  natural  convulsion.  Directly  below  is  “ Pulpit 


722 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Rock,”  the  largest  of  the  number.  It  is  about  seven- 
ty-five feet  high  on  its  lower  side,  and  almost  per- 
fectly perpendicular.  The  main  rock  is  surmounted 
by  a smaller  one,  whose  fancied  resemblance  to  a pul- 
pit doubtless  explains  the  name.  Other  points  of  , 
interest  are  the  “ Kitchen,”  the  “Arch,”  “ Devil’s  i 
Den”  and  the  “ Bottomless  Pit,” — the  last  two  having 
no  known  diabolical  associations  that  would  seem  to 
justify  their  unfortunate  names.  Local  tradition  has 
it  that  many  years  ago  a gang  of  counterfeiters  here 
made  their  rendezvous.  The  place  has  long  been  a 
favorite  resort  for  those  who  have  known  of  its 
charms.  It  enjoys  high  favor  among  the  students  of  J 
Gilmanton  Academy,  who  come  hither  en  masse  at 
least  once  each  year.  Indeed,  the  “ Ledge  ” appears 
always  to  have  had  a subtle  but  strong  attraction  for 
all  love-sick  youths  and  maidens,  whether  fresh  from 
academic  halls,  or  escaping  for  an  hour  from  the  din 
of  factory  life.  The  well-worn  path  down  its  steep 
side  is  a veritable  “ Lovers’  Lane.”  The  great  rocks, 
could  they  speak,  might  repeat  many  an  amorous 
tale  whispered  within  their  inviting  shade.  For  a 
hundred  years  Cupid  has  shared  with  the  fretful  por- 
cupine the  possession  of  the  miniature  caverns,  and 
worked  far  sadder  havoc  with  his  rankling  arrows 
than  his  bristling  cohabitant  with  his  more  visible 
darts.  The  scarred  trunks  of  the  old  trees  bear  the 
illegible  outlines  of  many  a pair  of  initials  carved  in 
close  and  suggestive  propinquity.  Let  us  trust  that 
the  early  love,  thus  rudely  expressed,  has  more  sueces- 
fully  withstood  the  ravages  of  time. 

The  only  village  in  Belmont,  the  “ Factory  Village” 
of  a half-century  ago,  and  the  “ Fellows’  Mills  ” of  a 
still  more  remote  period,  is  situated  five  and  one-half 
miles  east  of  Tilton,  six  miles  south  of  Laconia  and 
eighteen  miles  north  of  Concord,  and  occupies  both 
banks  of  the  Belmont  River,  or  Great  Brook,  as  it  was 
formerly  called.  The  village  has  a population  of  be- 
tween five  hundred  and  six  hundred,  or  nearly  one- 
half  the  entire  population  of  the  town.  Most  of  the 
houses  are  new  and  freshly-painted,  and  the  general 
appearance  of  the  village  is  singularly  thrifty  and  at- 
tractive. The  principal  business  block  is  (he  building 
erected  by  Geo.  W.  Riley  in  1874,  and  now  owned  by 
Haven  Grant.  This  buildiug  is  forty  by  sixty  feet; 
the  lower  part  is  used  for  the  post  office,  a store  and 
tenements,  the  second  story  for  tenements,  and  in 
the  third  is  the  principal  hall  of  the  town.  The 
First  Free-Will  Baptist  and  Christian  Churches, 
referred  to  elsewhere,  are  handsome  buildings.  In 
connection  with  the  former  is  a beautiful  cemetery, 
the  largest  in  town.  Among  the  more  attractive  res- 
idences may  be  mentioned  those  of  M.  Sargent,  Jr., 
J.  P.  Cillev  and  T.  E.  Clough.  The  business  directory 
is  as  follows:  Postmaster,  C.  0.  Judkins;  groceries 
and  dry  goods,  D.  S.  Hoyt  & Co.  and  Bean  & Smith ; 
watches  and  jewelry,  F.  K.  Johnson  ; meats  and  pro- 
visions, A.  T.  Bean ; papers  and  periodicals,  G.  W. 
Hunt;  millinery,  Mrs.  R.  G.  Hoyt;  confectionery 


and  cigars,  C.  O.  Judkins ; drugs,  E.  C’.  Bean ; hotels. 
Brown’s  Hotel  (A.  W.  Brown),  Belmont  House  (Ira 
Mooney);  Gilmanton  Mills,  hosiery,  M.  Sargent,  Jr., 
agent,  D.  W.  Gale,  clerk ; lawyer,  E.  P.  Thompson ; 
physician,  S.  A.  Merrill;  justices,  W.  C.  Wells,  C.  A. 
Hackett,  A.  P.  B.  Currier,  I.  Piper,  J.  W.  Wells,  E. 
P.  Thompson,  D.  W.  Judkins,  I.  Mooney,  A.  J.  Hac- 
kett, E.  C.  Bean,  C.  E.  Moody,  J.  B.  Matthews,  M.  H. 
Philbrick,  F.  K.  Johnson ; livery  stable,  C.  H.  Aikens ; 
lumber,  J.  L.  Allen,  J.  M.  Folsom,  N.  D.  Garmon; 
blacksmiths,  Abbott  & West;  builders,  Cyrus  Norris, 
Edgar  Willard,  Andrew  Phillips,  Dayton  Hunkins; 
barbers,  G.  Woodward,  H.  J.  Fuller. 

Belmont  has  no  railroad,  but  excellent  mail  and 
passenger  facilities  are  afforded  by  the  Tilton  and 
Gilmanton  line  of  stages,  Davis  & Son,  proprietors. 
The  first  stage  leaves  the  post-office  at  8 A.  M.,  and 
connects  at  Tilton  with  the  9.30  train  for  Boston  over 
the  White  [Mountains  Division  of  the  Boston  and  Low- 
ell Railroad ; returning,  leaves  Tilton  on  the  arrival 
of  the  noon  train  from  Boston,  and  reaches  Belmont 
at  1.30  p.m.  The  second  stage  leaves  Belmont  at  1 
p.m.,  connects  with  the  2.30  train  for  Boston,  leaves 
upon  the  arrival  of  the  up  train,  about  4 and  arrives 
at  Belmont  at  5.30. 

A charter  for  a railroad  between  Tilton  and  Bel- 
mont was  granted  by  the  Legislature  of  1883,  but 
work  upon  it  has  not  yet  been  begun. 

A branch  line  of  the  Winnipesaukee  Bell  Tele- 
phone Company  runs  through  the  town  to  Gilrnau- 
ton  Corner  and  Gilmanton  Iron-Works,  the  central 
office  in  Belmont  being  at  the  post-office. 

It  will  doubtless  surprise  not  a few  of  the  readers 
of  this  article  to  learn  that  here,  in  this  little  inland 
village,  far  removed  from  any  railroad,  and  but  little 
known  to  the  general  public,  is  located  the  largest 
manufactory  of  hosiery  in  New  Hampshire.  Such, 
nevertheless,  is  the  case.  The  Gilmanton  Mills,  of 
Belmont,  turn  out  a larger  annual  product  than  any 
other  hosiery-mill  in  the  State.  These  mills  are  situ- 
ated on  the  west  side  of  the  principal  street  of  the  vil- 
lage, just  south  of  the  road  to  Tilton.  They  occupy  the 
site  of  the  old  Badger  mill,  and  this  building,  erected 
in  1834,  is  still  standing  and  forms  one  of  the  group. 
After  Governor  Badger’s  death,  in  1852,  the  mill 
property  was  successively  owned  by  several  parties, 
and  the  business  conducted  with  indifferent  success. 
Previous  to  1865,  the  mill  was  used  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  cotton  sheeting.  At  that  time,  M.  Sargent, 
Esq.,  of  Lake  village,  bought  it,  put  in  new  machin- 
ery, and  began  to  manufacture  hosiery.  In  1870,  Hon. 
Amos  Lawrence,  of  Boston,  became  the  owner,  and 
from  this  date  the  mill  entered  upon  a new  era  of 
prosperity.  In  1875.  a joint-stock  corporation  was 
formed,  with  a capital  stock  of  one  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars,  Mr.  Lawrence  being  elected  president, 
and  M.  Sargent,  Jr.,  clerk  of  the  corporation.  Mr. 
Sargent  has  been  the  local  agent  for  twenty  years, 

I and  ranks  among  the  most  successful  and  efficient 


BELMONT. 


723 


mill  managers  in  New  England.  As  has  been  al- 
ready intimated,  at  the  time  of  Mr.  Lawrence’s  pur- 
chase there  was  but  one  building,  the  old  Badger 
mill.  This  is  a brick  building,  eighty  feet  by  forty, 
and  three  stories  high.  Since  1870  several  buildings 
have  been  added.  These  are  a brick  factory,  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty-five  feet  by  sixty ; dye-house,  one 
hundred  and  ten  feet  by  thirty;  three  large  store- 
houses, a machine-shop  and  the  office.  There  is  also 
a library  connected  with  the  corporation  for  the  use 
of  the  operatives.  The  water  is  carried  to  the  mills 
in  a canal  one  thousand  feet  long,  ten  feet  wide  and 
five  feet  deep,  and  is  conducted  on  to  a giant  turbine- 
wheel,  through  an  iron  penstock  one  hundred  feet 
long,  with  a head  of  thirty-three  feet,  furnishing  one 
hundred  horse-power.  There  is  also  a steam-engine 
of  fifty  horse-power,  for  use  as  an  auxiliary,  there 
being  about  two  months  in  each  year  when  the  water 
supply  is  insufficient. 

The  average  number  of  operatives  at  the  Gilman- 
ton  Mills,  is  two  hundred,  most  of  whom  are  of  Ameri- 
can birth.  The  annual  product  is  two  hundred 
thousand  dozen ; annual  consumption,  six  hundred 
bales  of  cotton,  and  one  hundred  thousand  pounds 
of  wool.  There  are  also  used  twelve  hundred  cords 
of  wood,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  feet  of 
lumber,  each  year.  The  power  is  supplied  by  the 
Belmont  River,  a small  stream  rising  in  Gilmanton, 
and  tributary  to  the  Winnipesaukee.  The  supply  of 
water  is  carefully  husbanded  in  three  reservoirs,  situ- 
ated three-quarters  of  a mile,  three  miles  and  five 
miles  from  the  mills,  and  called,  respectively,  the 
Badger,  Sargent  and  Sawyer  reservoirs.  The  Saw- 
yer reservoir  was  constructed  by  Governor  Badger, 
and  contains  fifty  acres ; the  Badger  reservoir  was 
built  by  the  immediate  successors  of  Governor  Bad- 
ger in  the  ownership  of  the  mill,  about  1854,  and 
contains  twelve  acres  ; the  Sargent  dam  was  built  by 
the  present  company  in  1871,  at  a cost  of  three  thou- 
sand dollars,  and  the  flowage  is  seventeen  acres. 

A freight  team  is  kept  constantly  on  the  road  be- 
tween the  mills  and  East  Tilton.  There  are  eight 
very  good  tenement-houses  owned  by  the  corpora- 
tion. 

It  hardly  needs  to  be  added  that  the  Gilmanton  Mills 
constitute  the  leading  industry  of  the  town,  nor  can 
it  be  estimated  how  great  a proportion  of  Belmont’s 
prosperity  is  due  to  the  presence  and  existence  of  this 
thriving  corporation.  Its  owners  and  managers  are 
courteous  and  public-spirited  gentlemen,  and  their 
relations  both  with  their  employes  and  with  the  peo- 
ple of  the  town  in  general,  have  always  been  most 
cordial  and  friendly. 

Farrarville  is  a small  collection  of  houses,  situated 
on  the  river,  one  and  a half  miles  northeast  of  the 
village.  Formerly,  there  was  a mill  here  for  the  man- 
ufacture of  cotton  batting.  The  site  is  at  present 
occupied  by  N.  D.  Garmon’s  lumber  mill. 

Following  is  a complete  list  of  the  officers  of  the 


town  from  the  division,  in  1859,  to,  and  including,  the 
present  year : 

1859. , representative  ; John  L.  Keasor,  Lyman  B.  Fel- 

lows, Jeduthan  Farrar,  selectmen ; N.  D.  Garmon,  clerk  ; John  W. 
Wells,  treasurer  ; S.  Lowell  French,  school  committee. 

18G0. — Morrison  Rowe,  representative  ; Lyman  B.  Fellows,  Perley  Far- 
rar, Stephen  L.  Taylor,  selectmen  ; N.  D.  Garmon,  clerk  ; John  W.  Wells* 
treasurer  ; S.  Lowell  French,  school  committee. 

1861.  — Morrison  Rowe,  representative  ; Stephen  L.  Taylor,  Perley  Far- 
rar, John  W.  Wells,  selectmen  ; N.  1).  Garmon,  clerk  ; John  W.  Wells* 
treasurer  ; Daniel  M.  Page,  school  committee. 

1862.  — Joseph  Badger,  representative ; John  W.  Wells,  James  S.  Wey- 
mouth, Isaac  Bennett,  selectmen  ; N.  D.  Garmon,  clerk;  John  W.  Wells* 
treasurer ; Daniel  M.  Page,  school  committee. 

1863.  — Joseph  Badger,  representative  ; John  W.  Wells,  Isaac  Bennett* 
John  M.  Roberts,  selectmen  ; N.  D.  Garmon,  clerk  ; John  W.  Wells* 
treasurer;  Joseph  Plumer,  school  committee. 

1864.  — Joseph  M.  Folsom,  representative ; Isaac  Bennett,  John  M. 
Roberts,  James  C.  Gilley,  selectmen  ; N.  D.  Garmon,  clerk  ; John  W. 
Wells,  treasurer  ; Joseph  Plumer,  school  committee. 

1865.  — Joseph  M. Folsom, representative  ; Isaac  Bennett,  James  C.  Gil- 
ley, John  M.  Roberts,  selectmen  ; N.  D.  Garmon,  clerk  ; John  W.  Wells,, 
treasurer  ; Edgar  A.  Rowe,  school  committee. 

1866.  — No  representative  ; Joseph  Y.  Weymouth,  James  S.  Weymouth, 
Henry  W.  Gilman,  selectmen ; N.  D.  Garmon,  clerk  ; John  W.  Wells* 
treasurer  ; William  A.  Bucklin,  school  committee. 

1867.  — Napoleon  B.  Gale,  representative;  Joseph  Y.  Weymouth,  James 
S.  Weymouth,  Henry  W.  Gilman,  selectmen;  N.  D.  Garmon,  clerk; 
John  W.  Wells,  treasurer  ; William  A.  Bucklin,  school  committee. 

1868.  — Napoleon  B.  Gale,  representative  ; James  S.  Weymouth,  Henry 
W.  Gilman,  Joseph  Y.  Weymouth,  selectmen  ; N.  D.  Garmon,  clerk  ; 
John  W.  Wells,  treasurer  ; Charles  W.  Knowles,  school  committee. 

1869.  — Benjamin  B.  Lamprey,  representative  ; James  S.  Weymouth, 
Daniel  T.  French,  James  G.  Cate,  selectmen  ; William  M.  Leonard,  clerk  ; 
John  W.  Wells,  treasurer  ; Charles  W.  Knowles,  school  committee. 

1870.  — George  W.  Rundlett,  representative  ; Daniel  T.  French,  Nicho- 
las D.  Gannon,  James  G.  Cate,  selectmen;  William  31.  Leonard,  clerk  * 
Daniel  E.  Batchelder,  treasurer  ; Elbridge  G.  Ladd,  school  committee. 

1871.  — 3Iose8  Sargent,  representative;  Nicholas  D.  Garmon,  Daniel  T. 
French,  James  G.  Cate,  selectmen  ; William  31.  Leonard,  clerk;  John 
W.  Wells,  treasurer ; Elbridge  G.  Ladd,  school  committee. 

1872.  — Charles  B.  Gile,  representative  ; Nicholas  D.  Garmon,  Edgar  A. 
Rowe,  Dudley  W.  Judkins,  selectmen  ; Ira  3Iooney,  clerk  ; John  W. 
Wells,  treasurer  ; Herman  C.  Weymouth,  school  committee. 

1873.  — Joseph  Sanborn,  representative  ; Edgar  A.  Rowe,  Dudley  W. 
Judkins,  Charles  E.  3Ioody,  selectmen  ; Charles  E.  Clough,  clerk ; John; 
W.  Wells,  treasurer;  George  B.  Blaisdell,  school  committee. 

1874.  — Langdon  Ladd,  representative;  Edgar  A.  Rowe,  Dudley  W. 
Judkins,  Charles  E.  3Ioody,  selectmen  ; Charles  E.  Clough,  clerk  ; John 
W.  Wells,  treasurer ; George  B.  Blaisdell,  school  committee. 

1875.  — Nathan  Chase,  representative  ; Charles  E.  3Ioody,  Charles  H. 
Rowe,  Jewett  E.  3Iaxfield,  selectmen  ; Charles  E.  Clough,  clerk  ; Timo- 
thy E.  Clough,  treasurer  ; Charles  E.  Clough,  school  committee. 

1876. — Jesse  S.  Towle,  representative  ; Jewett  E.  3Iaxfield,  Charles  H. 
Rowe,  Nicholas  D.  Garmon,  selectmen  ; Charles  E.  Clough,  clerk ; Tim- 
othy E.  Clough,  treasurer  ; Solon  F.  Hill,  school  committee. 

1877.  — Arthur  W.  Brown,  representative  ; Charles  H.  Rowe,  Nicholas* 
D.  Garmon,  Jewett  E.  3Iaxfield,  selectmen  ; Charles  E.  Clough,  clerk  ; 
Timothy  E.  Clough,  treasurer  ; Solon  F.  Hill,  school  committee. 

1878.  — William  A.  Bucklin,  Joseph  Plumer  (November),1  representa- 
tives ; Calvin  J.  Sanborn,  Dudley  W.  Judkins,  James  G.  Cate,  select- 
men ; Charles  E.  Clough,  clerk  ; Isaiah  Piper,  treasurer;  Allan  J.  Ilack- 
ett,  school  committe  ; Charles  A.  Hackelt,  Charles  W.  Knowles,  Solon  F. 
Hill,  supervisors. 

1879.  — Calvin  J.  Sanborn,  Dudley  W.  Judkins,  James  G.  Cate,  select- 
men ; Walter  C.  Wells,  clerk  ; Isaiah  Piper,  treasurer ; Allan  J.  Hack- 
ett,  school  committee. 

1880.  — Elbridge  G.  Folsom,  representative  ; Dudley  W.  Judkins,  James 
G.  Cate,  Calvin  J.  Sanborn,  selectmen  ; Walter  C. Wells,  clerk  ; Isaiah  Pi- 


1 The  first  election  under  the  biennial  system  was  holden  in  No- 
vember, 1878,  necessitating  the  choice  of  two  representatives  that 
year.  Also,  the  lawT  providing  for  the  choice  of  supervisors  went  into- 
effect  that  year. 


724 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


per,  treasurer ; Edmund  S.  Moulton,  school  committee ; Charles  A. 
Hackett,  John  C.  Pearsons,  John  S.  Young,  supervisors. 

1881.  — Isaiah  Piper,  Horace  C.  Woodward,  James  G.  Cate,  selectmen  ; 
Edwin  C.  Bean,  clerk  ; William  U.  Shepard,  treasurer  ; Selden  J.  Gould, 
school  committee. 

1882.  — Allan  J.  Hackett,  representative;  Isaiah  Piper,  Horace C.  Wood- 
ward, Alpheus  L.  Bean,  selectmen  ; Edwin  C.  Bean,  clerk  ; William  H. 
Shepard,  treasurer ; Selden  J.  Gould,  school  committee  ; Charles  A. 
Hackett,  John  S.  Young,  A.  P.  B.  Currier,  supervisors. 

1883.  — Isaiah  Piper,  Horace  C.  Woodward,  Alpheus  L.  Bean,  select- 
men ; Frank  K.  Johnson,  clerk;  William  H.  Shepard,  treasurer;  Wal- 
ter H.  Philbrick,  school  committee. 

1884.  — Allan  J.  Hackett,  representative;  Isaiah  Piper,  Pike  Davis^ 
Samuel  N.  Jewett,  selectmen  ; Frank  K.  Johnson,  clerk  ; Edwin  P 
Thompson,  treasurer  : Walter  H.  Philbrick,  school  committee  ; Charles 
A.  Hackett,  John  S.  Young,  A.  P.  B.  Currier,  supervisors. 

1885.  — Pike  Davis,  Samuel  N.  Jewett,  William  H.  Shepard,  selectmen  ; 
Frank  K.  Johnson,  clerk  ; Daniel  W.  Gale,  treasurer  ; John  M.  Sargent, 
school  committee. 

But  few  of  the  present  citizens  of  Belmont  have 
held  important  offices  outside  of  the  town,  or  can  be 
said  to  have  become  especially  prominent  in  public 
life.  Joseph  M.  Folsom  was  appointed  bank  com- 
missioner by  Governor  Weston  in  1871,  and  again 
in  1874.  John  W.  Wells  was  county  commissioner 
from  1871  to  1874.  Charles  A.  Hackett  has  several 
times  been  the  Republican  candidate  for  Councilor 
and  Senator;  but, living  in  a Democratic  district,  has 
failed  of  an  election.  Moses  Sargent,  Jr.,  was  the 
Republican  candidate  for  Senator  in  1880 ; but  for 
the  same  reason  was  defeated.  Napoleon  B.  Gale, 
president  of  the  Belknap  Savings-Bank,  of  Laconia, 
and  representative  from  Laconia  the  present  year, 
is  a native,  and,  until  lately,  a resident  of  Belmont. 
His  brother,  Hazen  Gale,  who  died  in  1882,  was  a 
man  of  marked  eccentricities.  It  is  related  of  him 
that  he  somehow  acquired  a strong  aversion  to  La- 
conia, and  declared  that  he  would  never  visit  that 
town  again.  Although  living  within  a few  minutes’ 
walk  of  the  town  line,  he  faithfully  kept  his  promise 
until  his  death,  more  than  thirty  years  later,  except 
on  one  occasion,  when  his  presence  was  required  as  a 
witness  at  court,  and  the  sheriff'  would  not  respect  his 
scruples.  Captain  William  Badger,  to  whom  brief 
reference  has  already  been  made,  was  born  in  1826, 
graduated  from  Dartmouth  College  in  1848,  and  for 
several  years  was  engaged  in  manufacturing.  At  the 
outbreak  of  the  Rebellion  he  joined  the  Fourth  New 
Hampshire  Regiment,  served  as  captain  of  Company 
D,  and  was  honorably  discharged  in  June,  1864.  In 
February,  1865,  after  the  death  of  Colonel  Bell,  he 
was  appointed  colonel  of  the  Fourth  Regiment.  At 
the  close  of  the  war  he  joined  the  regular  army,  and 
still  remains  in  the  service,  with  the  rank  of  captain. 
He  is  an  accomplished  soldier  and  a gentleman  of 
ability  and  culture.  He  is  engaged  upon  a history,  of 
the  towns  of  Gilmanton  and  Belmont,  which  promises 
to  be  one  of  the  most  valuable  and  complete  works 
of  the  kind  in  the  State. 


Such,  in  brief,  are  some  of  the  more  salient  fea- 
tures of  the  past  and  present  life  of  the  town  of 
Belmont.  No  attempt  has  been  made  to  give  a de- 
tailed biographical  history.  The  narrow  limits  of 
this  article  have  precluded  such  an  attempt,  and,  even 
with  a broader  opportunity,  the  task  would  be  neither 
easy  nor  grateful.  The  story  of  the  simple  daily  life 
of  a small  country  town  is  of  little  interest  to  the 
great,  bustling  outer  world.  Its  local  celebrities,  its 
personal  achievements,  its  struggles,  its  hopes,  its 
disappointments,  the  thousand  nameless  factors  in  its 
existence, — these  must  therefore  be  found  in  home 
traditions  and  fireside  legends,  not  in  the  printed 
page. 

The  local  Warwicks,  that  have  played  upon  this 
lesser  stage  the  self-same  dramas  of  political  strategy 
and  intrigue,  which,  cast  in  larger  parts,  have  shaken 
nations ; the  village  Hampdens,  who  were  wont,  on 
a summer  eve,  to  discuss  the  great  questions  of  the 
day,  with  a fire,  vigor  and  rugged  eloquence  that 
might  well  be  transferred  to  a wider  forum ; the  mute, 
inglorious  Miltons,  who  have  thought  the  poems 
they  could  not  put  in  words,  as  they  followed  the 
plow  in . its  rocky  course  through  the  autumn  fields ; 
the  hoary  Nestors,  that,  on  winter  nights,  stirred  the 
young  blood  to  quicker  throbs,  as  they  told  of 
thrilling  deeds  in  the  olden  time, — who  shall  write 
the  history  of  these?  And  there  is  that  other  and 
still  more  sacred  history,  common  to  every  town, 
but  all  the  more  pathetic  because  so  common  : those 
never-to-be-forgotten  summer  days,  when  nameless 
heroes,  soon,  alas!  to  sleep  in  nameless  graves, 
rushed,  heedless  of  the  whitening  fields,  to  fill  the 
“quota”  of  the  town;  and  those  weary  months  that 
followed,  when  the  lonely  and  heart-sick  wives  and 
mothers,  sisters  and  daughters,  waited  and  ever  waited, 
longing  for  the  tidings  they  might  better  never  hear, 
— who  may  write  such  history  as  this,  or  who  would 
write  it  if  he  might  ? 

Loyal,  honest,  faithful,  earnest  people,  patiently 
filling  up  the  measure  of  their  uneventful  lives,  nei- 
ther squandering  nor  wanting,  sparing  in  the  midst 
of  plenty,  but  having  abundance  in  their  rigid  econ- 
omy, bound  together  in  that  unspeakably  close  fra- 
ternity which  characterizes  every  rural  community, 
rejoicing  in  each  other’s  joys  and  grieving  in  each 
other’s  griefs,  mutually  helpful  and  sympathetic, 
alike  ready  to  attend  the  marriage-feast  or  to  go 
forth  under  the  cold  winter  stars  to  perform  for  the 
dead  those  last  offices  which  here  are  never  left  to 
stranger  hands, — their  history,  like  that  of  the  people 
of  every  other  New  England  country  town,  lives  in 
the  hearts  of  those  who  know  their  worth. 


HISTORY  OF  CENTRE  HARBOR. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  town  of  Centre  Harbor  lies  in  the  northern 
part  of  the  county,  and  is  bounded  as  follows: 

On  the  North  west  and  North,  by  Grafton  County; 
Northeast,  by  Carroll  County;  South,  by  Meredith 
and  New  Hampton. 

This  town  was  incorporated  December  17,  1797, 
having  been  set  off  from  New  Hampton. 

For  several  years  previous  to  the  incorporation  of 
the  town  the  locality  of  the  present  village  was 
known  as  “Centre-harbour.”  Moultonborough  harbor 
being  east  and  Meredith  harbor  west,  made  this  the 
centre  harbor,  and  from  this  source  the  town  de- 
rived its  name. 

The  village  of  Centre  Harbor  is  located  on  Lake 
Winnipiseogee,  and  commands  a charming  view  of 
the  lake  and  neighboring  hills.  It  is  somewhat  cel- 
ebrated as  a watering-place.  There  are  two  churches 
in  this  town — Congregational  and  Free  Baptist. 

The  first  petition  for  the  incorporation  of  this  town 
was  made  in  June,  1788,  and  signed  by  Benning 
Moulton  and  fifty  others.  This  petition,  however, 
was  not  granted,  and,  in  1797,  a second  petition  was 
presented  to  the  General  Court,  which  was  granted, 
and  the  town  incorporated,  as  mentioned  above,  De- 
cember 7,  1797.  The  signers  of  this  petition  were, — 
Ezekiel  Morse,  C.  Sturtevant,  John  Pain,  John 
Hawkins,  Chase  Robinson,  Jesse  Sturtevant,  John 
Sturtevant,  Hosea  Sturtevant,  Amos  Pain,  Jr.,  Stephen 
Hawkins,  John  Knowles,  A.  B.  Glines,  NeliemiahLee, 
Benning  Moulton,  Daniel  Page,  Moses  Morse,  Hugh 
Kelsea,  Joseph  Kenney,  Daniel  Norris,  Robert  Kelsea, 
James  Tebbets,  Caleb  Towle,  Perez  Sturtevant,  James 
Little,  W.  Robinson,  W.  Pain,  William  Berry,  Jona- 
than Robinson,  Joshua  Pain,  Jeremiah  Towle,  Pelham 
Sturtevant,  Joseph  Moulton,  J.  M.  Pain,  Abel  Morse, 
Moses  Kelsea,  Smith  Cram,  Joshua  Norris,  Benjamin 
Sturtevant,  John  Pain,  Jr.,  Isaac  Morse,  James 
Towle,  Wadleigh  Cram,  Jos.  Senter,  E.  Chamberlain, 
C.  Hawkins,  Stephen  Kenney,  Amos  Pain. 

The  First  Town-Meeting  was  held  March  12, 
1798,  and  the  following  officers  were  elected:  Win- 
throp  Robinson,  Captain  Jesse  Sturtevant  and  Hugh 
Kelsea,  selectmen  ; Winthrop  Robinson,  clerk. 


The  following  is  a list  of  clerks,  selectmen  and 
representatives  to  1886 : 

1799.  — Hugh  Kelsea,  James  M.  Greenleaf,  Pelham 
Sturtevant,  selectmen  ; Hugh  Kelsea,  clerk. 

1800.  — Hugh  Kelsea,  Pelham  Sturtevant,  Daniel 
Norris,  selectmen  ; Hugh  Kelsea,  clerk. 

1801.  — Moses  Morse,  Charles  Little,  selectmen  ; 
Moses  Morse,  clerk. 

1802. — Hugh  Kelsea,  Benning  Moulton,  Daniel 
Norris,  selectmen  ; Moses  Morse,  clerk. 

1803.  — Benning  Moulton,  David  Norris,  John 
Clement,  selectmen  ; Moses  Morse,  clerk. 

1804.  — Benning  Moulton,  Hugh  Kelsea,  Daniel 
Norris,  selectmen  ; Moses  Morse,  clerk. 

1805.  — David  Norris,  Charles  Little,  Moses  Morse,, 
selectmen  ; Moses  Morse,  clerk. 

1806.  — David  Norris,  Charles  Little,  Moses  Morse, 
selectmen  ; Moses  Morse,  clerk. 

1807.  — David  Norris,  Charles  Little,  Moses  Morse,, 
selectmen  ; Moses  Morse,  clerk. 

1808.  — Hugh  Kelsea,  Charles  Little,  Joshua  Norris, 
selectmen  ; Moses  Morse,  clerk. 

1809.  — Hugh  Kelsea,  Jonathan  S.  Moulton,  Joshua 
Norris,  selectmen  ; Moses  Morse,  clerk. 

1810.  — Hugh  Kelsea,  Jonathan  S.  Moulton,  Jona- 
than M.  Pain,  selectmen  ; Moses  Morse,  clerk. 

1811.  — J.  S.  Moulton,  Jonathan  M.  Pain,  Hugh 
Kelsea,  selectmen  ; J.  S.  Moulton,  clerk. 

1812.  — Hugh  Kelsea,  J.  S.  Moulton,  Richard  C. 
Wiggin,  selectmen  ; J.  S.  Moulton,  clerk. 

1813.  — J.  S.  Moulton,  John  Knowles,  James  Hunt- 
ress, selectmen ; J.  S.  Moulton,  clerk. 

1814.  — J.  S.  Moulton,  Jonathan  M.  Pain,  William 
Clark,  selectmen  ; J.  S.  Moulton,  clerk. 

1815.  — J.  S.  Moulton,  Jonathan  M.  Pain,  William 
Clark,  selectmen  ; J.  S.  Moulton,  clerk. 

1816.  — J.  S.  Moulton,  Jonathan  M.  Pain,  William 
Clark,  selectmen  ; J.  S.  Moulton,  clerk. 

1817.  — J.  S.  Moulton,  Jonathan  M.  Pain,  William 
Clark,  selectmen ; J.  S.  Moulton,  clerk. 

1818.  — J.  S.  Moulton,  Daniel  Norris,  William  Clark, 
selectmen  ; J.  S.  Moulton,  clerk. 

1819.  — J.  S.  Moulton,  Daniel  Norris,  John  H.  Moul- 
ton, selectmen;  J.  S.  Moulton,  clerk. 


726 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


1820.  — J.  S.  Moulton,  William  Clark,  Daniel  Norris, 
selectmen  ; J.  S.  Moulton,  clerk. 

1821.  — Hugh  Kelsea,  William  Clark,  John  Coe, 
selectmen  ; John  Coe,  clerk. 

1822.  — Hugh  Kelsea,  William  Clark,  John  Coe, 
selectmen  ; John  Coe,  clerk. 

1823.  — Hugh  Kelsea,  John  Coe,  William  Clark, 
selectmen;  John  Coe,  clerk;  Hugh  Kelsea  chosen 
first  representative. 

1824.  — Hugh  Kelsea,  John  Coe,  William  Clark, 
selectmen ; John  Coe,  clerk ; Hugh  Kelsea,  repre- 
sentative. 

1825.  — John  Coe,  Hugh  Kelsea,  John  H.  Moulton, 
selectmen;  John  Coe,  clerk;  Jonathan  S.  Moulton, 
representative. 

1826.  — John  Coe,  Daniel  Norris,  John  H.  Moulton, 
selectmen;  John  Coe,  clerk;  John  Coe,  representa- 
tive. 

1827.  — John  H.  Moulton,  Timothy  Perkins,  Gil- 
man Fox,  selectmen;  Gilman  Fox,  clerk  ; J.  S.  Moul- 
ton, representative. 

1828.  — John  H.  Moulton,  Gilman  Fox,  Timothy 
Perkins,  selectmen  ; Gilman  Fox,  clerk  ; J.  S.  Moul- 
ton, representative. 

1829.  — Gilman  Fox,  Josiah  C.  Sturtevant,  William 
•Clark,  selectmen  ; Simon  Drake,  clerk  ; J.  S.  Moul- 
ton, representative. 

1830.  — John  H.  Moulton,  Simon  Drake,  William 
Clark,  selectmen;  Simon  Drake,  clerk;  Josiah  C. 
Sturtevant,  representative. 

1831.  — Gilman  Fox,  Timothy  Perkins,  J.  C.  Stur- 
vant,  selectmen ; Simon  Drake,  clerk  ; J.  C.  Sturte- 
vant, representative. 

1832.  — John  H.  Moulton,  J.  C.  Sturtevant,  Timothy 
Perkins,  selectmen  ; Simon  Drake,  clerk ; Simon 
Drake,  representative. 

1833.  — John  H.  Moulton,  J.  C.  Sturtevant,  Timothy 
Perkins, selectmen ; Gilman  Fox,  clerk ; Simon  Drake, 
representative. 

1834.  — Gilman  Fox,  James  M.  Pain,  Timothy  Per- 
kins, selectmen;  Gilman  Fox,  clerk;  Gilman  Fox, 
representative. 

1835.  — James  M.  Pain,  Simon  Drake,  David  Blake, 
selectmen;  Gilman  Fox,  clerk ; Gilman  Fox,  repre- 
sentative. 

1836. — T.  Perkins,  John  H.  Kelsea,  Ebenezer  L. 
Sturtevant,  selectmen ; Gilman  Fox,  clerk  ; Gilman 
Fox,  representative. 

1837.  — T.  Perkins,  John  H.  Kelsea,  Ebenezer  L. 
Sturtevant,  selectmen ; Simon  Drake,  clerk ; Timothy 
Perkins,  representative. 

1838.  — John  H.  Kelsea,  T.  Perkins,  E.  L.  Sturte- 
vant, selectmen ; Simon  Drake,  clerk;  Timothy  Per- 
kins, representative. 

1839.  — Timothy  Perkins,  E.  L.  Sturtevant,  John 
W.  Clark,  selectmen  ; James  M.  Pain,  clerk ; Tim- 
othy Perkins,  representative. 

1840.  — Levi  Bean,  Enoch  True,  Jas.  M.  Pain,  select- 
men ; Jas.  M.  Pain,  clerk ; Jacob  Libby,  representative. 


1841.  — Timothy  Perkins,  E.  L.  Sturtevant,  Benjamin 
Perkins,  selectmen  ; Isaac  Knowles,  clerk;  James  M. 
Pain,  representative. 

1842.  — Timothy  Perkins,  Benjamin  Perkins,  J.  C. 
Sturtevant,  selectmen ; Isaac  Knowles,  clerk;  James 
M.  Pain,  representative. 

1843.  — Timothy  Perkins,  John  Smith,  Daniel  S. 
Follett,  selectmen;  John  Canney,  clerk;  Timothy 
Perkins,  representative. 

1844.  — James  M.  Pain,  John  Smith,  D.  W.  Follett, 
selectmen;  James  Jackson,  clerk;  Timothy  Perkins, 
representative. 

1845.  — Timothy  Perkins,  J.  M.  Pain,  Ira  Davis, 
selectmen ; J ohn  Canney,  clerk ; David  Blake,  repre- 
sentative. 

1846.  — T.  Perkins,  J.  M.  Pain,  Ira  Davis,  selectmen  ; 
John  Canney,  clerk;  David  Blake,  representative. 

1847.  — James  M.  Pain,  T.  Perkins,  William  P. 
Sturtevant,  selectmen  ; John  Canney,  clerk;  John 
H.  Moulton,  representative. 

1848.  — James  Jackson,  T.  Perkins,  Wm.  P.  Sturte- 
vant, selectmen  ; John  Canney,  clerk ; John  H.  Moul- 
ton, representative. 

1849.  — James  M.  Pain,  Thomas  Webber,  Jonathan 
P.  Norris,  selectmen;  John  Canney,  clerk;  James 
M.  Pain,  representative. 

1850.  — James  M.  Pain,  Thomas  Webber,  Jonathan 
P.  Norris,  selectmen;  James  Jackson,  clerk;  John 
B.  Dow,  representative. 

1851.  — J.  M.  Pain,  Harrison  C.  Smith,  J.  H.  Moul- 
ton, selectmen  ; James  Jackson,  clerk;  John  B.  Dow, 
representative. 

1852.  — T.  Perkins,  J.  H.  Moulton,  Harrison  C. 
Smith,  selectmen;  John  Canney,  clerk;  John  H. 
Moulton,  representative. 

1853. — J.  M.  Pain,  J.  C.  Sturtevant,  Samuel  S. 

Plaisted,  selectmen ; John  Canney,  clerk ; James  H. 
Clark,  representative.  > 

1854.  — J.  M.  Pain,  Samuel  S.  Plaisted,  J.  C.  Stur- 
tevant, selectmen;  John  Canney,  clerk;  James  H. 
Clark,  representative. 

1855.  — J.M.  Pain,  Rufus  Say  ward,  J.  C.  Sturtevant, 
selectmen;  John  Canney,  clerk;  James  M.  Pain, 
representatative. 

1856.  — J.  M.  Pain,  Rufus  Sayward,  J.  C.  Sturte- 
vant, selectmen;  John  Canney,  clerk  ; John  H.  Moul- 
ton, representative. 

1857.  — James  M.  Pain,  Noah  Smith,  Wm.  P.  Stur- 
tevant, selectmen  ; John  Canney,  clerk ; Rufus  Say- 
ward,  representative. 

1858.  — J.  M.  Pain,  Noah  Smith,  W.  P.  Sturte- 
i vant,  selectmen ; John  Canney,  clerk ; Rufus  Say- 

ward,  representative. 

1859.  — J.  M.  Pain,  Samuel  S.  Plaisted,  James  H. 
Clark,  selectmen  ; J.  Canney,  clerk ; William  P.  Stur- 
tevant, representative. 

1860.  — J.  M.  Pain,  S.  S.  Plaisted,  James  H.  Clark, 
selectmen  ; John  Canney,  clerk ; Wm.  P.  Sturtevant, 
representative. 


CENTRE  HARBOR. 


727 


1861.  — J.  M.  Pain.  Noah  Smith,  Amos  S.  Davis, 
selectmen;  John  Canney,  clerk;  there  is  no  record 
■of  any  representatives  being  elected  in  1861,  although 
there  was  an  article  in  the  warrant  to  elect  one. 

1862.  — J.  M.  Pain,  N.  Smith,  A.  S.  Davis,  select- 
men ; J.  Canney,  clerk ; S.  S.  Plaisted,  representative. 

1863.  — John  H.  Moulton,  Jonathan  P.  Norris, 
■George  Fogg,  selectmen ; John  Canney,  clerk ; Jacob 
D.  Reynolds,  representative. 

1864.  — John  H.  Moulton,  Jonathan  P.  Norris, 
George  Fogg,  selectmen  ; Charles  H.  Canney,  clerk; 
Jacob  D.  Reynolds,  representative. 

1865.  — J.  H.  Moulton,  J.  M.  Pain,  Jesse  Eaton, 
selectmen  ; Charles  H.  Canney,  clerk ; J.  C.  Sturte- 
vant,  representative. 

1866.  — J.  H.  Moulton,  J.  M.  Pain,  Jesse  Eaton, 
selectmen ; C.  H.  Canney,  clerk ; J.  C.  Sturtevant, 
representative. 

1867.  — J.  H.  Moulton,  J.  M.  Pain,  Otis  F.  Haw- 
kins, selectmen ; C.  H.  Canney,  clerk ; Levi  W.  Wat- 
son, representative. 

1868.  — Arthur  L.  True,  William  J.  Perkins,  James 
Bartlett,  selectmen  ; William  C.  Clifton,  clerk  ; Har- 
rison C.  Smith,  representative. 

1869.  — Arthur  L.  True,  James  Bartlett,  Curtis  S. 
Coe,  selectmen  ; William  C.  Clifton,  clerk  ; Harrison 

C.  Smith,  representative. 

1870.  — Curtis  S.  Coe,  George  M.  Pain,  Jacob  L. 
Merrill,  selectmen ; W.  C.  Clifton,  clerk ; John  R. 
Buzzell,  representative. 

1871.  — Curtis  S.  Coe,  George  M.  Pain,  Jacob  L. 
Merrill,  selectmen  ; William  C.  Clifton,  clerk ; John 
R.  Buzzell,  representative. 

1872.  — Ira  Davis,  Jonathan  P.  Norris,  Hiram  S. 
McCrillis,  selectmen ; W.  C.  Clifton,  clerk ; Abner  C. 
True,  representative. 

1873.  — Jonathan  P.  Norris,  H.  S.  McCrillis,  Smith 
F.  Emery,  selectmen ; W.  C.  Clifton,  clerk ; A.  C. 
True,  representative. 

1874.  — Smith  F.  Emery,  Arthur  L.  True,  Alonzo 
W.  Canney,  selectmen  ; William  C.  Clifton,  clerk  ; 
Almon  Benson,  representative. 

1875.  — J.  M.  Pain,  Daniel  B.  Smith,  Simeon  Batch- 
-elder,  selectmen  ; Charles  H.  Canney,  clerk  ; Almon 
Benson,  representative. 

1876.  — J.  M.  Pain,  Benjamin  F.  Wentworth,  Amos 

D.  Webster,  selectmen;  David  W.  Cram,  clerk; 
Gharles  H.  Canney,  representative. 

1877.  — J.  M.  Pain,  B.  F.  Wentworth,  A.  D.  Web- 
ster, selectmen  ; David  W.  Cram,  clerk ; C.  H.  Canney, 
representative. 

1878.  — Charles  H.  Canney,  J.  C.  Sturtevant,  Perkins 
F.  Mclntire,  selectmen ; W.  C.  Clifton,  clerk ; Ran- 
dall S.  Kenerson,  representative. 

1879.  — Charles  H.  Canney,  J.  C.  Sturtevant,  Perkins 
F.  Mclntire,  selectmen  ; W.  C.  Clifton,  clerk. 

1880.  — C.  H.  Canney,  James  H.  Clark,  Frederick  T. 
Hawkins,  selectmen;  W.  C.  Clifton,  clerk;  George 
Fogg,  representative. 


1881.  — C.  H.  Canney,  Frederick  T.  Hawkins,  James 
H.  Clark,  selectmen  ; W.  C.  Clifton,  clerk. 

1882.  — J.  C.  Sturtevant,  Charles  C.  Cook,  Lester 
Plaisted,  selectmen  ; W.  C.  Clifton,  clerk. 

1883.  — J.  C.  Sturtevant,  Charles  C.  Cook,  Lester 
Plaisted,  selectmen  ; W.  C.  Clifton,  clerk ; George 
Fogg,  representative. 

1884.  — J.  C.  Sturtevant,  Alonzo  Perkins,  Meltheno 
C.  Clark,  selectmen  ; George  H.  Piper,  clerk. 

1885.  — J.  C.  Sturtevant,  Alonzo  Perkins,  Meltheno 
C.  Clark,  selectmen  ; George  H.  Piper,  clerk  ; George 
L.  Mason,  representative. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


COL.  JOHN  HALE  MOULTON. 

History  is  the  resume  of  the  lives  and  events  which 
are  to-day  among  the  things  ot  the  present,  to-mor- 
row those  of  the  past,  and  in  history  mention  should 
be  made  of  those  whose  personal  qualities,  business 
enterprise  and  moral  worth  have  contributed  in  some 
way  to  the  wealth,  knowledge  and  welfare  of  the 
community  in  which  they  lived,  and  to  this  number 
belongs  Colonel  John  Hale  Moulton,  who  was  born 
at  Centre  Harbor,  N.  H.,  June  24,  1795,  and  died  at 
his  residence,  Moulton  House,  June  3,  1885,  aged 
ninety  years. 

Colonel  John  Hale  Moulton  was  of  the  sixth  gen- 
eration in  descent  from  the  emigrant  John  and  grand- 
son of  General  Jonathan  and  son  of  Benning  and 
Sally  (Leavitt)  Moulton.  (See  biography  of  Hon. 
John  C.  Moulton.)  After  a common-school  educa- 
tion, he  entered  his  brother’s  store  in  his  native 
town  and  continued  with  him  until  1812,  when  he 
was  employed  as  a clerk  in  Hampton  for  three  years. 
Returning  to  Centre  Harbor,  he  resumed  his  old  po- 
sition in  his  brother’s  employ,  and  also  had  the  op- 
portunity of  adding  to  his  education  by  receiving 
instruction  from  that  able  teacher,  “ Master  ” Dudley 
Leavitt,  and  of  that  period  of  school-time  he  ever 
retained  pleasant  memories.  Three  years  after,  1818, 
he  established  himself  in  trade  and  continued  mer- 
chandising for  ten  years.  Naturally  energetic  and 
enterprising,  he  sought  other  channels  of  business, 
and,  in  1828,  purchased  a mill  privilege  in  an  adjoin- 
ing town,  erected  a saw,  grist  and  shingle-mill,  and 
also  owned  and  conducted  a freighting-boat  on  Lake 
Winnipesaukee,  with  which  he  conveyed  his  lumber 
to  market.  In  1836,  Colonel  Moulton  again  estab- 
lished himself  in  Centre  Harbor  as  a merchant,  and, 
in  1848,  he  purchased  the  hotel  which  has  for  so 
many  years  borne  his  name.  Assuming  the  duties  of 
its  landlord,  for  many  years  he  was  known  to  the 
community  and  elsewhere  as  an  active  and  popular 
host,  possessing  the  courteousness  and  affability  of 


728 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


the  inn-keeper  of  the  old  school.  As  an  evidence  of 
his  active  and  enterprising  spirit,  when  he  was  over 
seventy  years  old,  he  rebuilt  the  hotel  in  a style  com- 
mensurate with  the  increasing  demands  of  summer 
travel.  He  continued  in  business,  managing  his  store 
and  farm  in  connection  with  other  labors,  until  1880, 
when  he  retired  from  active  life. 

In  1832,  Colonel  Moulton  married  Susan  Sargent, 
daughter  of  Rev.  Huntington  Porter,  of  Rye,  N.  H. 
Mrs.  Moulton  is  a descendant  of  two  old  colonial 
families  of  consequence,  Huntington  and  Porter,  and 
is  a lady  of  winning  personal  presence  and  amiable 
character.  Her  father,  Rev.  Mr.  Porter,  was  an  able 
and  noted  minister  of  the  gospel,  and  one  whose 
counsel  was  often  called  upon  in  important  affairs 
Colonel  and  Mrs.  Moulton  had  three  children — Frank- 
lin Hale  (died  aged  two  years),  Oliver  Porter  (died, 
in  infancy)  and  Susan  Huntington,  who  married 
Smith  F.  Emery.  They  have  two  children — Caroline 
Porter  Emery  and  Alice  Huntington  Emery.  The 
family  resident  the  Moulton  House,  which  Mr.  Emery 
has  conducted  for  some  years. 

Before  he  attained  his  majority,  in  1815,  Colonel 
Moulton  enlisted  in  the  New  Hampshire  Light  In- 
fantry. He  was  much  interested  in  the  service,  and, 
with  his  directness  and  ambition  to  excel,  attracted 
the  attention  of  his  superior  officers,  and  he  was  pro- 
moted, successively,  as  captain,  major  and,  in  1832, 
received  his  commission  as  colonel,  and  was  con- 
sidered an  able  officer. 

In  politics  he  was  an  uncompromising  Democrat, 
and  always  manifested  a lively  interest  in  party 
affairs,  and  he  performed  the  duties  of  the  many 
public  offices  to  which  he  was  called  with  credit  to 
himself  and  honor  to  his  constituents.  He  repre- 
sented Centre  Harbor  in  the  General  Court  in  1847 
and  1848,  and  again  from  1852  to  1856,  and  was 
county  commissioner  from  1858  to  1861.  In  1819, 
when  comparatively  a young  man,  he  was  chosen 
selectman,  and  was  often  re-elected,  until  1862,  when 
he  was  made  chairman  of  the  board  and  retained  the 
position  until  1868.  He  was  moderator  for  years,  and 
repeatedly  served  as  town  treasurer,  and  for  over 
half  a century,  from  1824  to  1881,  he  held  a commis- 
sion as  justice  of  the  peace.  He  also  held  the  office 
of  deputy-sheriff  of  Strafford  County  for  five  years. 

In  early  life  Colonel  Moulton  was  a believer  in 
Universalism,  but,  later,  changed  his  views  and  sub- 
scribed to  the  “Articles  of  Faith”  adopted  by  the 
Congregational ists,  although  he  never  became  a com- 
municant with  the  church  in  Centre  Harbor.  A 
prayer  written  by  him  was  found  among  some  of  his 
papers  in  his  store  in  1864,  which  breathes  the  true 
spirit  of  Christianity. 

Colonel  Moulton  possessed  a strong  and  vigorous 
mind,  a very  retentive  memory  and  great  firmness  of 
character.  His  intellect  remained  clear  and  his  facul- 
ties almost  unimpaired,  so  that  he  took  an  active 
interest  in  public  affairs  until  within  a few  days  of 


I 


his  death.  He  was  fond  of  reminiscences,  and  his 
vivid  portraitures  of  the  manners  of  other  days  gave 
enjoyment  and  profit  to  many.  He  had  a kind  greet- 
ing and  pleasant  word  for  everyone,  and  in  the  deeper 
and  holier  relations  of  the  home  circle  he  exempli- 
fied the  highest  elements  of  a Christian  nature,  and 
he  left  an  impress  by  his  strong  character  on  his  na- 
tive town  that  shall  not  speedily  be  effaced. 


JOHX  COE. 

The  Coe  family  came  to  this  country  from  8uffolk- 
shire,  England,  where  they  had  resided  for  many 
generations.  The  earliest  notice  of  them  which  can 
now  be  found  is  in  Fox’s  “Book  of  Martyrs,”  which 
states  that  “Roger  Coo,”  of  Milford,  Suffolkshire,  was 
burned  by  Queen  Mary,  September,  1855,  at  Texford, 
in  that  shire.  Little  is  known  of  the  family  till 
the  removal  of  Robert  Coe  to  this  country.  In  the 
authentic  family  record  he  belongs  to  the  first  gener- 
ation. In  the  records  of  the  custom-house,  preserved 
in  the  State  Papers  Office,  Westminster  Hall,  Lon- 
don, the  name  is  written'  “ Cooe.”  The  oldest  origi- 
nal signature  found  in  America  is  in  the  town  rec- 
ords of  Jamaica,  L.  I.,  and  was  written  February  14, 
1663,  “ Robart  Coe.”  Robert  Coe  was  born  in  Suf- 
folkshire, England,  in  1596.  With  his  wife,  Anna, 
and  their  three  sons,  he  sailed  from  Ipswich,  Suffolk- 
shire, April  10,  1634.  They  reached  Boston  the  fol- 
lowing June,  only  six  years  from  the  date  of  the  first 
settlement  in  the  Massachusetts  colony.  Robert  Coe 
settled  in  Watertown,  near  Boston,  and  in  1635  he 
moved  to  Wethersfield,  Conn.  On  the  30th  of  Octo- 
ber, 1640,  Mr.  Andrew  Ward  and  Mr.  Robert  Coe, 
with  about  twenty  other  planters,  commenced  a set- 
tlement in  Stamford,  Conn.  In  1644,  Robert  Coe 
and  several  others  formed  the  first  settlement  at 
Hampstead,  L.  I.  In  1652  he  made  a settlement  at 
Middlebury,  (now  Newton),  L.  I.  In  1656  he,  with 
others,  commenced  a settlement  in  Jamaica,  L.  I. 
He  continued  to  be  one  of  the  most  active  and  prom- 
inent men  in  public  affairs  till  about  1672,  at  which 
time  he  was  seventy-six  years  old.  The  time  of  his 
death  is  not  known. 

John  Coe,  of  the  seventh  generation  from  the 
above-named  Robert  Coe,  was  the  son  of  Rev.  Cur- 
tis Coe  and  Annie  Thompson,  and  was  born  at  Dur- 
ham, N.  H.,  January  15,  1797.  His  father  moved  to 
Newmarket,  N.  H.,  with  his  family  when  John  was 
about  nine  or  ten  years  old.  A few  years  thereafter 
John  engaged  as  clerk  in  a store  kept  by  his  brother 
Ebenezer,  at  North  wood,  N.  H.  After  faithful  ser- 
vice for  several  years,  gaining  the  confidence  of  all 
who  knew  him,  he  became  acquainted  with  a gentle- 
man who  owned  an  unoccupied  store  at  Centre  Har- 
bor, N.  H.  Mr.  Coe  visited  the  place,  then  very 
thinly  settled,  leased  the  store  and,  returning,  bought 
at  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,a  stock  of  general  merchandise, 
ordering  it  shipped  to  Dover,  thence  to  Alton  Bay 


r 


6UX 


CENTRE  HARBOR. 


729 


by  teams,  thence  to  Centre  Harbor  by  boat  propelled 
by  oars  and  sails.  On  his  arrival  at  Centre  Harbor, 
soon  after,  he  found  bis  goods  at  his  store.  He  at 
once  began  to  take  an  interest  in  public  affairs  of  the 
town,  holding  in  succession  nearly  all  the  offices  of 
trust.  Being  town  clerk  at  the  time  of  his  marriage, 
he  was,  according  to  the  law  at  that  time,  obliged  to 
rise  in  church  and  declare  his  own  intentions  of  mar- 
riage. He  married  Lavinia  T.  Senter,  eldest  daugh- 
ter of  Samuel  M.  Senter,  one  of  the  first  settlers  in 
the  town  which  afterward  took  his  name. 

After  about  eight  years  of  active,  successful  busi- 
ness as  a country  merchant,  he  removed  to  Durham, 
N.  H.,  where  he  engaged  extensively  in  ship-build- 
ing. During  his  stay  at  Centre  Harbor  he  became 
convinced  of  the  need  of  a temperance  reform,  and 
banished  from  his  table  and  places  of  business  all  in- 
toxicants. Upon  entering  his  new  business  of  ship- 
building at  Durham,  he  found  that  it  was  a long  es- 
tablished custom  for  the  men  employed  in  the  ship- 
yards to  have  liquor  dealt  out  to  them  at  regular 
hours  of  each  day.  True  to  his  convictions,  he  de- 
termined to  break  up  that  custom  in  his  yard,  and 
gave  notice  that  no  more  “grog”  would  be  furnished 
or  allowed  on  the  premises.  His  men  all  refused  to 
work  without  it,  knowing  that  he  had  a large  amount 
of  work  that  must  be  finished  at  a given  time  or  he 
would  lose  heavily.  Not  heeding  the  advice  of  his 
friends,  he  stood  firm  on  the  side  of  temperance,  go- 
ing in  the  night  to  Dover  and  engaging  a new  crew 
of  men,  who  came  to  his  yard  at  sunrise  the  next 
morning.  His  work  went  on  and  no  more  intoxica- 
ting liquor  was  ever  allowed  on  his  premises. 

About  1832  he  moved  to  Dover,  there  residing 
till  1835,  when  he  came  back  to  Centre  Harbor,  where 
he  still  owned  much  real  estate,  and  bought  the 
“Senter  House”  of  its  first  proprietor,  Samuel  M. 
Senter,  and  began  a very  successful  career  as  a hotel 
proprietor,  and,  with  his  estimable  wife,  enjoyed  a 
reputation  as  landlord  and  landlady  second  to  none 
in  the  State.  As  the  business  increased,  he  made  ad- 
ditions to  the  hotel  until,  instead  of  forty  feet  front- 
age, he  had  a house  with  one  hundred  and  twenty 
feet  front,  and  comparatively  large  additions  in  the 
rear.  In  1846,  leaving  his  son  Curtis  S.  in  charge  of 
the  “ Senter  House,”  be  removed  to  Boston  and  leased 
the  Marlboro  Hotel,  on  Washington  Street,  which  he 
kept  four  years.  Returning  to  Centre  Harbor,  he 
sold  the  “Senter  House”  to  his  son,  C.  S.  Coe,  and 
repaired  and  modernized  the  house  he  built  when  he 
first  came  to  Centre  Harbor,  thinking  to  retire  from 
, active  business  ; but,  being  largely  interested  in  real 
estate  at  Jamaica  Plain  and  Newton,  for  several 
years  he  spent  most  of  his  time  in  Boston,  returning 
to  his  family  and  country  home  to  spend  the  Sabbath, 
which  he  always,  during  his  whole  busy  life,  regarded 
as  a day  of  worship.  In  early  manhood  he  made  a 
public  profession  of  religion  and  united  with  the 
Congregational  Church  at  Centre  Harbor,  bearing 
46 


his  full  share  of  the  expenses  of  the  church  and  so- 
ciety and  then  making  up  all  deficiencies  in  the 
finances  at  the  close  of  each  year. 

During  most  of  his  life  he  was  much  interested  in 
agriculture,  owning  and  tilling  several  large  farms. 
It  has  been  aptly  said : “ He  is  a public  benefactor 
who  makes  two  blades  of  grass  to  grow  where  but  one 
grew  before ; ” so  will  the  main  street  of  Centre  Harbor 
village,  bordered  on  either  side  by  its  fine  elms  and 
maples,  render  praise  to  Mr.  Coe,  who  planted  them. 

In  1860  Mr.  Coe  visited  the  South  on  business, 
spending  several  weeks  in  and  around  Natchez,  Miss., 
and  was  much  pleased  with  the  hospitality  of  the 
Southern  people.  Returning  home,  he  was  taken  ill 
and  died,  April  2,  1861. 

The  children  of  John  and  Lavinia  S.  Coe  were, 
Curtis  S.,  Annie  L.  (Mrs.  Charles  P.  Towle),  John  L., 
Ellen  L.  (Mrs.  Dr.  S.  J.  Quinby),  Rufus  L.,  and 
Daniel  W. 


RANDALL  S.  KENESON. 

Randall  Seavey  Keneson,  son  of  John  and  Polly 
(Jackson)  Keneson,  was  born  in  that  part  of  Eaton 
now  Madison,  N.  H.,  December  14,  1811.  John 
Keneson  was  a man  of  great  versatility  of  talent,  of 
much  mechanical  ability,  and,  with  his  trade  of  watch 
and  clock  making,  carried  on  a boot  and  shoe  manu- 
factory in  Eaton,  his  native  place.  He  married, 
February  8,  1804,  Polly,  daughter  of  Phillip  and  Mary 
(Place)  Jackson.  They  had  nine  children, — two  sons 
and  seven  daughters.  Mr.  Keneson  was  a Whig  in 
his  political  views, .and,  although  the  town  was  largely 
Democratic,  he  often  received  more  than  the  vote  of 
his  party  when  nominated  for  office.  He  was  a man 
worthy  of  the  confidence  and  esteem  which  he  re- 
ceived in  a large  degree  from  his  fellow-townsmen. 
He  was  town  clerk  for  twenty-five  years,  and  also  held 
a commission  as  justice  of  the  peace  for  along  period, 
and  served  in  various  minor  offices.  He  was  a Free- 
Will  Baptist  in  religion,  and  an  active  and  uniform 
member  of  that  church.  He  was  of  medium  size, 
social,  made  many  friends,  and  always  took  an  intel- 
ligent interest  in  the  welfare  and  growth  of  his  native 
town.  He  was  born  May  18,  1784,  and  died  March 
24,  1838. 

Randall,  from  his  earliest  childhood,  had  a great 
aptitude  for  mechanics,  “had  rather  frame  a slate  at 
home  than  use  it  at  school,”  and,  not  altogether 
willingly,  received  the  instruction  which  was  given 
him  for  several  years  at  the  public  schools,  and 
learned  the  jeweler’s  trade  and  custom  boot  and  shoe 
making,  remaining  with  his  father  until  he  was  twenty 
years  of  age.  His  mechanical  skill  soon  made  him 
more  than  ordinarily  proficient  in  these  avocations, 
so  he  went  to  Haverhill  and  worked  at  custom  shoe- 
making with  good  success  for  one  season.  His  health 
failing,  he  was  obliged  to  give  up  labor  for  a year. 
After  the  recovery  of  his  health  he  went  to  Dedham, 
Mass.,  where  he  was  employed  in  a broadcloth-factory 


730 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


for  four  years.  He  was  diligent  and  industrious,  de- 
voted the  time  not  required  in  his  duties  at  the  fac- 
tory in  repairing  clocks,  watches,  etc.,  and  in  this 
way,  as  his  habits  were  good  and  his  manner  of  living 
prudent  and  economical,  he  was  enabled  to  save 
enough  money  for  a capital  for  future  business  opera- 
tions. He  then  returned  to  Eaton,  and  went  to  work 
on  his  father’s  farm,  and  also,  in  connection  with  his 
agricultural  labors,  fitted  up  a small  shop  and  estab- 
lished himself  as  a jeweler. 

Mr.  Keneson  married,  first,  January  9,  1838,  Al- 
mira, daughter  of  Moses  Morse,  of  Centre  Harbor. 
She  died  August  9,  1842.  They  had  two  children, — 
Elvira  (Mrs.  George  B.  Blake)  and  Newell,  who  died 
when  an  infant.  He  married,  second,  Miranda  S., 
daughter  of  Isaiah  and  Deborah  (Mason)  Forest,  of 
Eaton  where  she  was  born,  April  8,  1816.  They  had 
one  child,  Adelaide  H.  (Mrs.  Lewis  R.  Veasey). 

Mr.  Keneson  continued  in  business  in  Eaton  until 
August,  1852,  when  he  removed  to  Centre  Harbor, 
and  has  since  been  a resident  of  that  town.  Here  he 
devoted  himself  exclusively  to  his  jewelry  trade,  and 
carried  it  on  until  1880,  when  he  retired  from  com- 
mercial transactions,  having,  by  his  frugality  and 


honest  endeavors,  acquired  a competency.  His  me- 
chanical ingenuity  has  always  been  of  good  service  to 
him;  for  instance,  when  needing  any  work  done,  he 
could  do  it  himself  and  in  the  best  manner.  His  uni- 
form kindness  and  pleasant  manners  have  won  for 
him  many  friends.  His  faithfulness  in  the  perform- 
ance of  his  work  has  secured  for  him  the  respect 
and  esteem  of  all.  Democratic  in  politics,  he  represent- 
ed Centre  Harbor  in  the  legislative  term  of  1878-79, 
and  has  also  served  in  town  offices.  A plain  and 
unassuming  man,  he  has  not  sought  official  position, 
and  such  offices  as  have  been  conferred  upon  him 
have  been  given  without  his  solicitation,  he  having 
never  asked  a man  for  his  vote. 

Mr.  Keneson  is  a member  of  the  Congregational 
Church,  and  is  always  in  accord  with  everything 
tending  to  improve  and  elevate  the  community  in 
which  he  resides,  while  his  conservative  nature  pre- 
vents him  from  going  precipitately  into  the  advocacy 
or  support  of  any  measures  which  are  not  grounded  in 
reason  and  practicality.  Kind  in  his  domestic  rela- 
tions, a valued  friend  and  a prized  and  estimable 
citizen,  he  worthily  stands  high  in  the  esteem  of  his 
townsmen. 


HISTORY  OF  GILFORD.1 


BY  REV.  J.  P.  WATSON. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  historical  matter  connected  with,  and  the 
•occurrences  that  have  taken  place  in,  the  territory 
included  at  different  periods  within  the  limits  of  the 
town  of  Gilford  largely  mingle  with  those  of  other 
towns  associated  and  near,  and  of  other  civil  organi- 
zations remote  and  seemingly  dissociated. 

The  continuous  and  complete  course  of  the  annals 
of  the  town  will  cover  some  of  the  early  records  of 
Gilmanton,  from  which  it  was  detached,  and  preface 
largely  the  history  of  the  recent  town  of  Laconia, 
increased  by  detached  portions  herefrom,  and  also 
supplement  that  of  Meredith,  which  has  contributed 
to  the  domain  of  both.  The  boundary  line  of  Gil- 
ford has  been  so  frequently  changed  for  enlargement 
and  diminution  that  it  shares  with  other  towns  much 
of  their  enterprise  and  honor  and  history.  Its  loca- 
tion on  or  near  an  important  river  and  other  waters 
gives  it  special  importance,  not  only  as  the  centre  of 
various  industrial  enterprises  and  professional  prac-  j 
tice,  but  as  related  to  older  divisions,  involving  ques- 
tions of  rightful  possession  and  jurisdiction. 

By  the  charter  from  King  James,  in  1606,  Virginia 
extended  from  the  thirty-fourth  to  the  forty-fourth 
parallel  of  north  latitude,  and  hence  included  the 
greater  part  of  New  Hampshire  territory,  and  com- 
prehended that  part  in  which  Gilford  is  situated.  By 
a subdivision  of  this  grant  into  North  and  South  Vir- 
ginia, the  former  was  limited  by  the  fortieth  and 
forty-eighth  degrees  of  north  latitude,  and  hence 
included  all  of  New  Hampshire  territory,  and  Gilford 
was  in  North  Virginia.  This  division  of  the  territory 
granted  by  the  royal  patent,  which  at  first  was  assigned 
to  certain  dignitaries  of  Bristol,  Exeter  and  Plymouth, 
England,  was  subsequently  committed  to  forty  men 
of  distinction  and  means,  who  constituted  the  Council 
of  Plymouth,  whose  official  business  was  the  “ Plant- 
ing, Ruling  and  Governing  of  New  England  in  Amer- 
ica.” This  council  was  constituted  November  3, 
1620,  and  they  made  grants  of  minor  sections  to  other 
particular  parties  and  organizations  in  subsequent 
years. 

1 This  article  is  an  abridgment  of  a more  extended  work,  “ A Histori- 
cal Sketch  of  the  Town  of  Gilford,  N.  H.,”  in  preparation,  and  soon  to 
•be  published  by  the  writer. 


Though  the  Duke  of  Lenox  was  the  first-named  of 
the  Council,  and  though  there  were  also  several  others 
higher  in  the  list,  yet  Sir  Ferdinando  Gorges,  Governor 
of  Plymouth,  in  Devonshire  County,  England,  after 
1604,  appears  to  have  been  the  most  active  and  the 
leading  man  of  the  Council,  and  was  elected  their  first 
president.  Also  Captain  John  Mason,  of  London, 
and,  after  the  peace  of  1604,  Governor  of  Newfound- 
land, as  well  as  of  Portsmouth,  Hampshire  County, 
England,  was  elected  to  fill  a vacancy  in  the  mem- 
bership, and  made  secretary  of  the  Council. 

He  made  the  first  purchase  from  the  Council  March 
9,  1621.  It  was  a tract  of  land  thence  known  as 
Mariana,  and  impossible  of  boundary.  It  was  to  ex- 
tend from  theNaumkeagto  the  Merrimack  River,  and 
from  their  mouths  to  their  head- waters,  and  to  be 
inclosed  by  a straight  line  from  the  source  of  the  one 
to  that  of  the  other  river,  which  line  would  cut  the 
whole  grant  asunder,  and  at  the  same  time  both 
include  and  exclude  certain  territories  or  portions. 
August  10,  1622,  Mason  and  Gorges  jointly  made  a 
purchase  of  land,  supposed  to  be  directly  and  contig- 
uously on  the  north  of  Mariana,  or  Mason’s  first 
purchase,  and  extending  from  the  Merrimack  to  the 
Sagadehock,  and  back  to  the  “Great  Lakes  and  the 
River  of  Canada  ” (i.  e.,  Winnipesaukee,  Champlain 
and  the  St.  Lawrence). 

This  was  termed  Laconia ; and  this  was  the  first 
conveyance  of  the  territory  of  Gilford.  The  Company 
of  Laconia,  consisting  of  Mason,  Gorges  and  others, 
was  formed,  and  endeavored  to  effect  settlements  on 
the  tract  purchased,  which  they  did  at  Dover  in  1623. 
That  part  of  Laconia  bordering  on  Lake  Winnipesau- 
kee was  not  reached  and  settled  at  this  time,  though 
considered  as  the  most  desirable  and  valuable  on 
account  of  its  supposed  mineral  deposits.  Seven 
years  later,  John  Wheelwright  and  others  took  a 
deed  from  four  Indian  sagamores  of  land  bounded 
by  the  “ Merrimack  and  Piscataqua,  extending  back 
to  the  falls  of  Nuichawannock,  in  the  Piscataqua,  and 
to  the  Pawtucket  falls,  in  the  Merrimack,  and  thence 
20  miles  N.  W.  into  the  woods;  and  thence  N.  E.  to 
the  first-mentioned  point,  Nuichawannock  Falls.” 
This  deed  evidently  did  not  comprehend  Gilford  ter- 
ritory ; but  on  November  7,  the  same  year,  1629, 
Mason  took  a new  grant  of  territory,  less  iu  extent, 

731 


732 


HISTORY  OR  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


but  more  definitely  bounded, — viz.  : “ From  the 

mouth  of  the  Piscataqua  to  60  miles  in  the  course  of 
the  river ; and  from  the  mouth  of  the  Merrimack  to 
its  farthest  head-waters  ; and  so  forward  up  into  the 
land  westward  until  60  miles  were  finished,  and 
thence  to  cross  overland  to  the  end  of  the  60  miles 
accounted  from  the  Piscataqua  River,  including  the 
Islands  within  15  leagues  of  the  shore.”  This  evi- 
dently included  the  territory  of  Gilford  ; though  it 
was  not  certain  whether  the  line  connecting  the 
points  designated  on  the  rivers  should  be  a straight 
line  or  a curve  line,  maintaining  at  all  parts  a dis- 
tance of  sixty  miles  from  the  sea.  The  lauds  included 
between  the  arc  and  chord  thus  drawn  were  in  dis- 
pute, and  were  in  part  in  Gilford,  and  claimed  in 
Mason’s  right.  The  line  subsequently  was  determined 
as  a straight  line,  running  from  the  point  on  the  pres- 
ent State  boundary  sixty  miles  from  the  mouth  of 
the  Piscataqua  (which  was  several  miles  north  of  its 
source,  and  in  the  town  of  Eaton),  crossing  the  lake 
and  Long  Island,  passing  over  Mount  Major,  of  the 
Gunstock  range,  and  terminating  in  the  town  of 
Rindge,  on  the  Massachusetts  boundary.  Hence,  the 
eastern  part  of  Gilford  was  afterwards  assigned  to 
Mason's  heirs,  and  called  Masonian  shares,  when  the 
remainder  was  bought  of  said  heirs. 

In  1632,  the  lake  and  its  shores  were  visited  by  ex- 
plorers from  Portsmouth,  but  no  settlements  were 
made  or  marks  left.  Mason  died  in  1638,  and  willed 
his  claims  and  property  to  various  heirs.  The  dis- 
puted jurisdiction  of  Massachusetts  over  land  in- 
cluded in  the  after-grant  to  the  proprietors  of  Gil- 
manton,  being  found  in  part  in  Gilford,  was  appar- 
ently decided  in  1652,  when  commissioners  appointed  | 
by  the  General  Court  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  Com-  j 
pany  were  sent  to  establish  the  bounds  agreeable  to 
their  construction  of  their  charter.  They  claimed 
that  the  charter  carried  a strip  of  land  on  the  left 
bank  (north  and  east  side)  of  the  river,  three  miles  in  I 
width,  and  extending  to  its  source,  at  which  point  1 
a line  laid  off  due  east  and  due  west  should  mark  the 
northern  limit  of  their  chartered  lands.  The  exten- 
sion of  this  line  eastward,  as  well  as  westward,  was 
the  claim  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  Company,  but 
was  rejected  by  the  claimants  to  the  territory  on  the  | 
north  side  of  the  river,  and  was  finally  decided  in  | 
their  favor.  But,  agreeably  to  that  interpretation  of  ! 
their  charter,  the  said  court  appointed,  on  the  27th  of 
May,  1652,  a commission  to  settle  the  north  line  of 
their  domain,  and  Captains  Simon  Willard  and  J 
Edward  Johnson  were  put  in  charge  of  this  business. 
They  procured  the  services,  as  surveyors,  of  Jona- 
than Ince,  a student  at  Cambridge,  and  John  Sher- 
man, sergeant  of  Watertown,  and  these,  following  the 
guide  of  certain  Indians,  employed  to  direct  the  route,  j 
ascended  the  river  to  Aquadocton,  the  outlet  of  the  j 
lake,  which  was  declared  to  be  the  head  of  the  river 
(now  the  Weirs),  and  there  they  took  astronomical 
observations,  and  determined  the  latitude  thereof  to 


43°  40'  12".  This  point  was  indicated  by  inscrip- 
tions on  a large  boulder  in  the  middle  of  the  outlet. 
This  inscription,  made  by  drills,  consisting  of  the 
date,  the  initials  of  Governor  Endicott,  and  those  of 
the  surveying  party,  etc.,  may  be  seen  at  the  pres- 
ent time,  though  the  action  of  the  elements  for  two 
hundred  and  thirty-three  years  has  rendered  them 
somewhat  illegible.  This  bound  was  unknown,  or 
unidentified,  for  many  years  and  till  1846.  From 
this  point  three  more  miles  were  to  be  included,  north 
of  the  river,  so  three  minutes  more  were  to  be  allowed, 
making  the  utmost  limit  to  be  at  43°  43'  12"  north 
latitude,  and  said  to  be  “out  into  the  Lake.”  As  the 
course  from  the  mouth  of  the  river  was  westerly,  and 
the  charter  said  three  miles  north  of  ihericer, — i.e.,  on 
its  left  bank, — and  the  course  at  the  last  was  nearly 
due  north,  it  was,  and  is,  a question  where  the  limit 
should  fall.  If  it  be  determined  by  a perpendicular 
line  three  miles  in  length,  maintained  throughout  the 
entire  course,  then  it  would  be  three  miles  nearly  due 
east  of  the  Weirs,  and  off  Smith’s  Intervale,  or  a little 
east  of  Governor’s  Island.  If  due  north  is  taken, 
which  seems  to  be  implied  by  the  addition  of  three  min- 
utes for  the  three  miles,  then  the  boundary  line  will 
pass  through  a point  either  three  miles  due  north 
of  this  inscribed  stone, — i.e.,  near  or  on  Meredith 
Neck, — or  three  miles  north  of  the  point  three  miles 
east  of  the  stone, — i.e.,  in  the  broad  expanse  northeast 
of  Governor’s  Island  and  towards  Bear  Island. 

These  observations  were  made  August  1,  1652,  and 
report  was  made  to  General  Court,  October  19th. 
Jonas  Clarke  and  Samuel  Andrews, 'shipmasters,  were 
sent  to  mark  the  same  latitude  on  the  Atlantic  shore, 
and  determined  it  to  fall  on  the  northern  part  of 
Upper  Clapboard  Island,  in  Casco  Bay,  near  Portland. 
An  east  and  west  line  drawn  through  these  two  points 
of  the  parallel  43°  43'  12"  was  to  constitute  the 
border  line  of  the  province  of  Massachusetts  Bay  ; but 
this  demarkation  did  not  abide  time  and  contendings, 
as  it  was  based  on  a forced  construction  of  the  patent 
letter.  Gilford  territory,  which  was  cut  by  it  from  near 
the  Province  road  and  Cotton’s  Hill  and  over  Liberty 
Hill  and  dow.n  Gunstock  Valley  to  the  Intervale,  was 
not  permanently  dismembered,  and  assigned  to  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  Company.  At 
Aquadocton  there  was  originally  about  three  feet  fall, 
which  has  been  overcome  by  flowage  in  consequence 
of  the  dam  at  Lake  village,  formerly  Folsom’s  Mill. 
While  these  lands,  bordering  on  the  upper  Merri- 
mack and  on  the  South  Lake  shore,  from  Aquadocton 
southward  and  eastward,  had  evidently  qualities 
valuable,  and  calculated  to  induce  occupation  and 
cultivation,  and  Aquadocton  itself  was  one  of  the  best 
fishing-grounds,  yet,  in  opposition  to  all  prospects, 
but  for  sufficient  causes,  this  part  of  the  common  do- 
main remained  unused  and  undeveloped  for  more 
than  a full  century  after  1652.  These  places  were 
known,  to  be  sure,  but  scarcely  more  than  as  a thorough- 
fare of  the  aboriginal  wanderings,  and  assemblings. 


I 


GILFORD.  733 


and  migrations,  and  as  feeding-places.  The  settlers 
of  Piscataqua  made  early  reconnoissance  of  these 
regions,  and  as  early  as  1632  visited,  in  their  course, 
the  lake  and  the  White  Mountains,  and  penetrated 
even  to  Champlain.  They  evidently  marked  the 
place  a desired  resting-place  and  there  built  a block- 
house as  early  as  1722,  “ at  the  Lake,”  as  it  is  sup- 
posed, farther  east  than  the  bounds  of  Gilford,  prob- 
ably in  some  part  of  Alton,  or  at  Merry  Meeting 
Bay,  of  after  fame. 

From  the  four  quarters  of  the  land  there  seemed  to 
meet  here,  as  in  a centre,  the  great  trails  or  pathways 
of  the  Indians,  living  in  all  directions.  And  Aqua- 
docton  was,  even  before,  a place  of  no  mean  repute,  or 
an  unheard-of  retreat  of  the  savage  wilds. 

From  the  south  came  up  the  Penacooks,  the  Nash- 
uas  and  various  remoter  tribes  from  Naumkeag  and 
remoter  parts  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  territory. 
From  the  west  and  northwest  the  Iriquois  and  St. 
Francis  and  others,  through  the  valley  of  the  Con- 
necticut, Baker’s  River  and  the  Pemigewasset.  From 
the  north,  over  the  lake,  and  from  the  valley  of  the 
Ossipee,  the  Saco  and  Androscoggin,  come  the  Pekwau- 
ketts,  the  Ossipees  and  others.  From  the  east  came 
up  the  Cochecos  and  various  tribes  of  Maine.  Here 
was  their  general  rendezvous,  and  here  councils  of 
war  were  held,  tribal  feasts  enjoyed,  questions  settled 
and  disputed,  and  here  issues,  now  unknown,  were 
made  and  destinies  determined.  The  summits  of  the 
Gunstock  range  were  the  outlooks  over  all  this  region, 
and  from  them  to  the  Ossipee,  Chocorua,  and  the 
greater,  more  distant  northern  peaks  and  lesser 
southern  hills,  were  heralded  the  decisions  of  the  con- 
tending and  the  counciling  savages.  The  Indian 
wars  that  marked  that  century  had  much  of  their 
scenes  laid  in  this  locality.  The  exceeding  great  haz- 
ard in  effecting  progressive  occupation  and  settlement 
kept  the  few  actual  settlers  closely  compacted  in  five  or 
seven  towns  that  constituted  the  province  of  New 
Hampshire,  viz.:  Dover,  Portsmouth,  Exeter,  New 
Castle,  Hampton,  Oyster  Bay  and  Great  Island. 

The  changefulness  of  the  mother-country  at  this 
time  also  had  its  effects,  both  directly  and  indirectly 
on  the  expansion  of  the  colony.  The  uncertainty  of 
the  sovereign  personnel,  and  the  spirit  of  the  admin- 
istration at  home,  and  the  changing  figures  of  ap- 
pointed magistrates  and  Governors  here,  made  every- 
thing unsubstantial  and  problematic,  and  destroyed 
the  vital  germ  of  enterprise.  The  commonwealth 
lasted  scarcely  a decade  from  the  execution  of  Charles 
I.,  and  Charles  II.  for  a quarter  of  a century  from  1660, 
held  the  throne,  but,  in  regard  to  these  colonies,  only 
to  appoint  six  or  seven  successive  Governors  in  the 
provinces  of  New  Hampshire  and  Massachusetts. 
The  short  reign  of  James  used  three  more  Governors, 
closing  with  the  tyrannical  and  hated  Edward  Andros. 
William  III.,  in  a reign  of  a little  more  than  one  dec- 
ade, constituted  and  removed  five  more ; and  the 
distressful  King  William’s  War  vexed  the  whole 


country  and  distracted  and  paralyzed  the  energies  of 
the  feeble  band  that  had  set  down  on  the  coast  and 
the  Piscataqua,  but  had  their  eye  and  hope  on  Aqua- 
docton.  Queen  Anne’s  dozen  years’  reign  and  the 
succession  of  George  I.  brought  not  much  better  times ; 
so  that  when  Samuel  Shute  assumed  the  Governorship 
of  the  two  provinces  jointly,  in  1716,  there  was 
scarcely  any  sign  of  Aquadocton’s  being  redeemed 
from  its  wilderness  state,  or  the  condition  of  the  older 
settlements  being  much  improved.  Indians  period- 
ically assembled  on  the  shores  of  the  lake,  and  men 
from  Massachusetts  visited  the  Weirs  for  a winter’s 
stock  offish,  but  the  glebe  was  yet  unbroken,  and  the 
forests  pathless,  save  by  the  trail  of  the  red  man. 

By  the  appointment  of  John  Wentworth  as  Lieu- 
tenant-Governor of  New  Hampshire,  to  act  under  and 
with,  and,  in  certain  contingencies,  instead  of,  Gov- 
ernor Shute,  of  Massachusetts  Bay  province,  on  June 
15,  1716,  the  interests  of  New  Hampshire,  and  espe- 
cially of  the  undeveloped  places  about  the  lake  were 
revived,  more  carefully  looked  after  and  attended  to. 
The  decadence  of  the  spirit  of  expansion  and  enter- 
prise that  followed  the  putting  of  New  Hampshire  un- 
der Massachusetts’  protection  and  control,  in  1689,  and 
during  the  troublous  times  of  William  and  Mary’s  reign, 
seemed  to  have  reached  its  lowest  point  about  the 
time  of  the  accession  of  Queen  Anne,  in  1702,  or  of 
her  death  and  the  commencement  of  the  reign  of 
George  I.,  in  1714.  Those  who  had  suffered  loss  and 
endured  hardships  in  the  earlier  wars,  from  the  time 
of  King  Philip’s,  in  1674,  and  especially  in  that  of 
King  William,  in  1688-90,  now  begin  to  claim  some 
indemnification  or  reward.  This  is  sought  in  grants 
of  unoccupied  lands.  The  paralyzing  effect  of  the 
massacre  at  Dover,  and  the  ruin  of  Salmon  Falls,  and 
the  absence  of  that  master-spirit  of  Major  Waldron, 
now  dead,  determined  that  the  tide  of  progress  would 
not  set  up  the  Coclieco  Valley  to  the  shores  of  the 
lake  and  Aquadocton,  though  this  would  have  been 
the  most  natural  course  of  expansion.  Nor  did  the 
contingencies  of  the  disputed  limitations  and  juris- 
diction of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  Company  favor  the 
extension  of  settlements  up  the  Merrimack,  the  second 
most  natural  path  of  progress  in  occupation  and  im- 
provement. Hence,  the  third  and  most  unlikely  move- 
ment was  made  from  Exeter  into  the  wilderness  by 
the  route  of  no  river  valley,  but  along  the  highlands. 
Hence,  in  1727,  these  claimants,  numbering  nearly 
two  hundred,  a charter  is  granted  to  them  of  all  the 
land  left,  from  the  corner  of  Chichester,  northwest  of 
Barnstead,  and  northeast  of  the  north  line  of  Canter- 
bury (then  including  Loudon  and  Nortlifield),  and 
extending  to  the  lake  and  river,  and  abutting  on  both 
Barnstead  and  the  unincorporated  land  eastward,  after- 
wards known  as  the  New  Durham  Gore,  since  Alton. 

The  occupation  of  this  land  was  now  considered 
feasible,  since  the  Province  Council  and  Assembly  had 
caused  a fort  or  block-house  to  be  built  and  garrisoned 
on  the  shore  of  the  lake.  This  was  ordered  in  1722, 


734 


HISTORY  OP  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


and  was  to  be  fifty  feet  square,  constructed  with  tim- 
bers eight  inches  square,  having  two  wings,  or  flank- 
ers, and  capable  of  giving  accommodation  to  a garrison 
of  one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  and  was  to  be  provi- 
sioned duly.  It  was  to  be  located  near  the  bank  (/ 
the  lake,  where  there  is  an  opening  into  the  lake,  and 
on  the  southeast  side;  which  language,  in  its  first 
statement,  would  seem  to  indicate  Aquadocton,  but,  in 
its  other  words,  appears  to  refer  to  Alton  Bay,  and 
probably  the  eastern  side.  The  purpose  of  building 
and  arming  this  block-house  was  declared  to  be  to 
“annoy  and  check  the  Indians  of  this  region,”  and  so 
secure  quiet  to  the  settlers.  Hence  the  grantees  and 
actual  settlers  of  Gilmanton  had  thus  a defense  in 
their  rear,  as  far  as  it  concerned  some  of  the  most  un- 
friendly tribes  in  this  region;  and,  therefore,  the  fear 
of  molestation  was  measurably  removed.  The  pro- 
prietors were  not  all  from  Exeter,  but  some  of  Ports- 
mouth ; many  of  the  settlers  first  sat  down  tem- 
porarily in  the  southern  part  of  the  grant,  and  after- 
wards re-located  in  the  northern  section,  or  Gilford- 
The  territory  was  divided  into  two  hundred  and  fifteen 
shares,  and  severally  apportioned  to  one  hundred  and 
ninety-two  shareholders,  besides  the  Masonian  heirs ; 
and  the  public  and  governmental  reservations  were 
five  shares. 

The  proprietors  were  not,  to  a great  extent,  actual 
settlers,  yet  their  names  very  largely  correspond  to 
those  known  in  the  history  of  the  plantation.  Ninety 
different  names  appear  in  the  original  list  of  proprie- 
tors, among  which  that  of  Gilman  leads  with  twenty- 
four,  viz.:  Andrew,  Caleb,  Daniel,  Edward  (1st  and 
Jr.),  Jeremiah,  John  (Sr.,  Jr.,  3d  and  Captain),  Jona- 
than, Joseph,  Nathaniel  (Sr.  and  Jr.),  Nehemiah, 
Nicholas  (Sr.,  Jr.  and  3d),  Peter,  Robert,  Samuel  (1st 
and  3d),  Thomas  and  Trueworthy.  Hence  the  name 
Gilmanton  was  most  natural.  The  charter  bears 
date  of  May  20, 1727,  and  in  the  thirteenth  year  of  the 
sovereign,  George  I.,  and  had  three  conditions,  viz. : 
1st,  thesettlement  ofseventy  families  within  three  years 
each  in  a separate  house,  and  each  having  cleared 
three  acres  fit  for  tillage,  and  having  paid  all  assess- 
ments. 2d,  a meeting-house  shall  be  built  within 
four  years.  3d,  three  shares  shall  be  appropriated  for 
public  use,  viz.:  One  for  the  ministerial  support,  one 
for  minister’s  residence  and  one  for  support  of  schools  ; 
providing,  however,  that  no  Indian  war  prevent  the 
settlement,  and  in  such  event,  granting  three  years 
from  the  close  of  such  war. 

The  consideration  of  this  deed  or  title  was  the 
quit-rent  of  one  pound  of  flax  annually  forever,  if 
demanded,  and  due  the  second  Tuesday  of  March. 
Also  all  pine-trees,  twenty-four  inches  in  diameter, 
were  reserved,  under  the  act  of  Parliament,  for  the 
construction  of  ships  in  the  royal  navy,  which  trees 
had  been  marked  and  registered  by  a surveyor,  ap- 
pointed first  in  the  time  of  William,  and  agreeably 
to  the  provincial  statute  of  1708,  by  the  approval  of 
Queen  Anne. 


The  line  of  boundary,  as  defined  by  the  charter, 
was  a straight  northwest  course,  or,  more  accurately, 
north,  47°  west,  and  from  the  southwest  corner  of 
Barnstead  till  the  Merrimack  waters  were  reached, 
about  twelve  and  three-eighths  miles,  which  terminal 
point  was  on  the  shore  of  the  bay,  a little  south  of 
the  outlet  of  Great  Brook  and  one  and  a half  miles 
southwest  of  Burley’s  bridge,  at  East  Tilton.  The 
other  line  ran  six  miles  on  the  Barnstead  line,  or, 
more  accurately,  six  miles  and  one  hundred  and 
twenty-two  rods,  passing  one  mile,  ninety-five  rods 
beyond  Barnstead  northeast  corner,  as  now  estab- 
lished. This  course  was  east,  43°  north  (said  to  be 
northeast),  and  thence  the  line  was  to  run  northwest 
(north,  47°  west)  two  miles  (two  miles,  sixtv-five  rods), 
and  thence  north  (north,  1°  west)  seven  miles  to  the 
lake, — i.e.,  seven  miles,  forty-eight  rods.  Thence  the 
shore  of  the  lake  and  the  river,  or  series  of  bays,  was 
to  be  the  terminal  margin,  not  including  the  islands 
off  shore  in  the  whole  course.  This  tract  contained 
about  eighty-five  thousand  acres  of  land,  about  one- 
third  of  which  constitutes  the  original  town  of  Gil- 
ford as  set  off. 

At  the  expiration  of  the  three  years,  in  1730,  the 
settlement  of  the  seventy  families  had  not  been  ef- 
fected, and  the  proprietors  petitioned  for  extension  of 
time.  It  is  not  alleged  that  the  condition  of  out- 
breaking Indian  wars  formed  the  basis  of  this  neglect 
and  needed  prolongation  of  time ; but  the  country 
was  far  from  being  tranquil  during  this  period.  The 
charter,  still  unpaid  for,  was  held  by  the  clerk  of  the 
Council ; yet  they  made  provision  for  its  redemption, 
and  for  laying  out  the  plant  and  making  it  accessible 
by  a chosen  and  cut  or  cleared-out  pathway  or  road ; 
but  this  work  was  delayed  another  year. 

The  principal  names  connected  with  the  survey 
and  much  of  the  early  doings  of  the  proprietors  were 
those  of  Edward  Gilman,  who  seems  to  be  the  ac- 
cepted surveyor,  and  Jethro  Parsons  and  Oliver 
Smith.  These,  with  five  other  men  as  assistants,  be- 
gan the  bounding  of  the  town  June  14,  1731,  and 
simply  ran  the  easterly  line,  as  defined  by  the  words 
of  the  charter.  This  took  twelve  days,  as  the  line 
was  about  sixteen  miles  long,  and  lay  over  the  moun- 
tains. Beginning  at  a beech-tree,  they  ran  six  miles 
to  a birch,  then  two  miles  to  another  beech,  and 
finally  reached  a hemlock  at  the  pond.  With  these 
four  trees,  only  one  in  Gilford,  the  domain  is  located. 
One  hundred  and  fifty  years  might  not  have  wrought 
the  decay  of  the  beech  and  the  hemlock  (perhaps  the 
birch  should  have  gone) ; but  tradition  identifies 
them  not,  nor  are  seen  the  initials  inscribed  on  them. 

The  next  year  a plan  of  the  town  and  the  laying 
out  of  lots  were  ordered,  and  these  lots  were  to  equal 
or  exceed  the  number  of  proprietors.  Five  ranges  of 
home  lots  were  laid  out  in  tiers,  resting  on  the  south- 
west base  line,  containing  about  forty  acres  each,  and 
extending  to  the  base  of  the  mountains  and  nearly  to 
the  extent  of  the  present  town  of  Gilmanton.  These 


GILFORD. 


735 


lots  were  drawn  by  the  proprietors  for  actual  settling  < 
or  for  disposition  to  whomsoever  they  could  induce 
to  take  up  the  land  and  improve  it  for  themselves. 

October  18,  1732,  these  lots  were  drawn  and  each  i 
one  began  to  take  measures  to  have  the  conditions  of 
the  charter  carried  out.  1 

In  1733  it  was  decided  to  lay  out  a second  division 
of  lots,  and  to  build  block-houses  at  the  extreme 
southeast  part,  and  also  at  the  extreme  northwest,  or  i 
Aquadocton,  which  is  said  to  be  “ fishing-grounds,” 
and  also  to  examine  the  soil  there,  and  see  if  it  be 
good  and  fit  for  a settlement. 

An  opinion  had  already  obtained  that  this  part  of 
the  grant  was  more  valuable  and  more  desirable  for 
i a settlement  than  the  lots  already  laid  out.  This 
proposition  was  not  immediately  carried  out,  but  was 
■ renewed  the  three  following  years  with  variations  in 
the  committee  to  accomplish  it. 

In  1736  the  committee  performed  their  assigned 
work,  and  in  eleven  days  from  the  14th  of  June, 

! cleared  a pathway  from  Epsom  to  Gilmanton  and 
built  two  block-houses,  one  at  the  southeast  corner 
of  the  first  division  of  lots,  and  the  other  at  the 
Weirs.  These  were  the  first  houses  built  on  the 
grant.  As  they  were  simultaneously  constructed,  the 
one  in  the  present  Gilmanton  and  the  other  in  Gil- 
ford, the  two  towns  may  be  said  to  be  of  equal  age. 
The  former  was  eighteen  feet  square  and  the  latter 
fourteen  feet;  and  these,  with  the  other  and  larger 
one  at  the  eastern  part  of  the  lake,  constituted  a tri- 
angulation of  the  region  for  fortification  and  protec- 
tion, and  for  aggression.  The  land  on  the  lake-shore 
and  river  border  was  pronounced  to  be  of  good 
quality  and  suitable  for  settlement ; and,  therefore, 
its  laying  out  was  recommended  and  urged  by  the 
committee  and  demanded  by  others.  The  lay  and 
quality  of  the  land  inclined  the  judgment  of  the 
committee,  that  these  lots  should  face  the  river,  or 
west;  and  as  a detached  section, should  be  erected  in 
ranges  extending  from  Aquadocton  towards  the  Can- 
terbury line,  and  not  connecting  with  or  reaching 
the  first  division. 

A boom  was  now  made  for  the  settlement  of  the 
north  part  of  the  town,  and  two  important  privileges 
were  offered,  viz. : First,  the  choice  of  the  lots  to  be 
laid  out  in  the  second  division  should  not  be  in  the 
arbitrary  manner  of  drawing  them  by  lot,  but  the 
proprietors,  or  settlers,  could  choose  their  shares 
together  and  at  either  end  of  the  division,  and  so 
avoid  being  too  scattered  and  exposed.  Second,  a 
bonus  of  forty  shillings  from  each  proprietor  was 
offered  to  the  first  twenty  or  more  settlers,  who 
would  within  five  years  commence  settlement,  and 
would  clear  and  break  up  two  acres  of  land.  This 
was  an  extension  of  time,  two  years,  and  a reduc- 
tion of  the  quota  of  land  to  be  cleared  by  one  acre, 
as  compared  with  the  proposals  made  for  settling  in 
the  first  division  ; and,  besides,  the  premium  was  not 
inconsiderable,  as  two  pounds  from  each  of  one  hun- 


dred and  ninety-two  proprietors  meant  a little  fortune 
in  those  days,  to  a mere  settler,  or  husbandman.  It 
would  seem  that  these  inducements  should  have  been 
sufficient.  But  they  did  not  secure  acceptance ; and! 
the  next  year  resort  had  to  be  made  to  the  General 
Court  to  extend  the  time  of  settlement,  and  for 
authority  to  collect  taxes  of  the  proprietors.  Already 
nearly  two  hundred  pounds  had  been  expended  in 
surveying,  building  block-houses  and  cutting  path- 
ways, and  several  proprietors  were  in  default  of  pay- 
ment, and  their  shares  had  to  be  sold  to  satisfy  the 
assessments  made. 

In  1738  a committee,  increased  to  the  number  of 
twelve,  was  constituted  to  lay  out  these  lots,  which 
they  did  in  June,  by  the  assistance  of  twenty  other 
hired  men,  in  ten  days  from  the  20th  of  the  month. 
The  first  four  days  were  employed  in  clearing  a way 
from  White  Hall,  or  the  first  block-house,  to  the 
Merrimack  River,  presumably  at  Aquadocton.  The 
lay  or  route  of  this  pathway  was  sketched,  but  with 
some  indefiniteness ; and  hence  different  opinions 
as  to  its  exact  location  may  be  entertained.  As  the 
first  cleared  pathway,  or  road,  in  the  town,  its  position 
is  of  importance.  The  surveyors’  returns  say  that  it 
lay  “ from  White  Hall  to  Loon  Pond,  one  mile  and  a 
half;  thence  to  Block-House  Pond,  a mile  and  a 
half ; thence  to  Third  Camp  Meadow,  four  miles ; 
thence  N.  W.  by  N.,  to  Skeiler’s  Meadow,  three 
miles;  and  on  the  same  course,  five  miles,  to  the 
Pond.”  With  the  want  of  expressed  direction  in  the 
first  three  courses,  or  stages  of  advance,  we  are  to 
make  special  use  of  the  definiteness  of  direction  and 
distances  mentioned  in  the  last  two  stages.  Reversing 
the  course  of  northwest  by  north,  and  laying  off  five 
miles,  the  meadow  land  in  the  valley  of  the  Miles 
River  will  be  reached,  near  the  estate  of  the  late 
David  Brown,  Esq.,  or  that  near  John  Foster's  and  Jona- 
than Morrill’s,  above  the  flowage.  Then,  laying  off 
three  miles  in  the  same  direction  (nearly),  the  pond  at 
the  summit  or  the  head-waters  of  the  Suncook  will  be 
reached  (or,  from  Foster’s  and  Morrill’s  meadow,  the 
margin  of  Young’s  Pond).  Loon  Pond  is  easily 
identified,  and  there  remains  only  Block-House  Pond 
for  identification.  A radius  of  four  miles  from  Third 
Camp  Meadow,  considered  as  at  the  head-waters  of 
the  Suncook,  would  very  nearly  reach  the  Reservoir 
Pond,  or  the  small  pond  a little  to  the  east  of  it,  and 
at  the  head  of  Mill  Brook ; or,  measured  from  Young’s, 
would  reach  Pickerel  Pond.  Either  of  these  three 
ponds  may  have  been  referred  to  as  Block-House 
Pond.  The  only  other  plausible  identification  of 
points  and  direction  of  the  route  is,  that  Pickerel 
Pond,  near  Parsonage  Hill,  represents  Block  House 
Pond;  and  the  vicinity  of  Young’s  Pond,  the  Third 
Camp  Meadow ; and  the  upper  Gunstock  Valley,  south 
of  Gilford  village,  to  Esquire  Weeks’  estate,  that  of 
Skeiler’s  Meadow ; and  that  thence  the  way  crossed 
Meeting-House  Hill  to  the  Weirs;  and  this,  though 
answering  well  as  to  distances,  does  not  agree  as  to 


736 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


the  directions  mentioned  in  the  returns.  As  the  first 
division  of  lots  had  already  been  laid  out,  it  would  be 
natural  to  follow  them  as  far  as  they  extended,  and 
so  avail  themselves  of  the  advantage  of  the  surveyor’s 
marks  and  partial  clearing  of  pathways;  and  this 
would  be  in  the  direction  of  Young’s  Pond,  and  the 
pond  at  the  summit,  or  head-waters,  from  which 
point  Aquadocton,  or  its  immediate  vicinity,  could  be 
sighted,  and  its  bearing  taken ; and  hence  at  this  stage 
first  mention  is  made  of  direction  ; and  the  course 
thence  is  made  as  direct  as  possible. 

With  this  way  cleared,  the  communication  between 
the  first  and  second  divisions  was  made  easy  ; and 
these  thirty-two  men  now  divide  themselves  and  their 
work  into  four  parts.  Two  parties  lay  out  the  lots 
in  five  ranges, — in  all,  numbering  one  hundred  and 
seventy-seven  lots. 

For  encouragement  to  settle  on  these,  not  only 
might  the  settlers  have  the  choice  of  their  lots 
together,  but  they  should  receive  forty  shillings  annu- 
ally from  each  proprietor, — a generous  offer  indeed. 

The  third  house  was  built  by  one  section  of  this 
party  “ for  their  shelter,”  but  its  site  was  not  described, 
nor  does  tradition  locate  it. 

Another  section  of  the  party  spent  six  days  in 
“ looking  out  a convenient  place  for  a way  to  Canter- 
bury.” This  second  way  in  the  territory  was  distinct 
from  the  one  from  Epsom,  via  White  Hall,  and  ran 
parallel  with  the  ranges,  along  the  margin  of  the 
river  at  first,  and  then  south  through  the  upper  part 
of  the  town,  or  Upper  Parish. 

When  it  seemed  so  assured  that  the  town  would  be 
speedily  settled,  and  the  union  of  New  Hampshire 
and  Massachusetts  under  one  civil  administration  had 
kept  somewhat  in  abeyance  the  conflicting  claims  to 
lands  on  the  margin  of  the  river,  so  that  without  hes- 
itation, question  or  protest,  the  second  division  of  lots 
was  laid  out  and  offered  to  settlers,  being  nevertheless 
all  comprehended  in  that  part  of  the  domain  claimed 
by  Massachusetts,  and  the  settlement  of  the  boundary 
in  1741  had  given  advantage  and  impulse  to  the  pro- 
jects and  interests  of  the  proprietors,  there  seemed  un- 
accountably a stay  in  proceedings,  as  neither  the  town, 
or  parts  of  the  town,  realized  progress. 

Then  the  unsettled  state  of  affairs  in  Europe  cul- 
minated in  the  declaration  of  war  between  England 
and  France,  and  brought  on  the  dark  night  of  conflict 
in  the  American  colonies,  paralyzing  all  schemes.  So 
that  from  1738  to  1748  all  things  remained  stationary, 
or  were  retrograding.  Two  cleared  ways  and  three 
houses  were  all  of  Gilford  and  Gilmanton.  On  the 
cessation  of  hostilities,  in  1749,  there  were  attempts 
madeto  revive  the  interests  of  the  scheme, and,  as  pre- 
paratory to  it,  a committee,  with  twenty  men,  by  order 
of  the  proprietors,  spent  eleven  long  summer  days  in 
renewing  the  metes  and  bounds  and  repairing  the 
houses  and  adding  one  new  house  at  Third  Camp 
Meadow  (the  claim  to  which  is  not  determined  either 
in  favor  of  Gilford  or  Gilmanton,  as  its  site  is  not  set- 


tled) and  renewing  the  way  cut  ten  years  before,  which 
by  disuse,  had  become  almost  untraceable  and  useless. 

But  the  time  of  peace  was  too  short  to  admit  of 
much  progress,  and  a second  war  deferred  for  another 
decade  all  advancement ; and  this,  despite  new  and 
generous  offers  held  out  to  pioneers.  To  at  most  forty 
settlers,  who,  within  one  year,  should  build  houses  and 
bring  under  cultivation  three  acres  of  land  yearly, 
there  was  proffered  a premium  of  fifty  acres  of  land 
additional  from  the  undivided  land,  and  this  to  be 
doubled  at  the  end  of  six  years,  as  an  additional  bonus, 

The  only  immediate  effect  of  this  proposed  bounty 
was  some  felling  of  trees  in  1750  by  parties  fromPena- 
cook,  on  land  chosen  and  intended  for  a homestead, 
but  which  was  soon  quit  by  reason  of  the  renewal  of 
hostile  demonstrations.  Indeed,  so  low  did  the  enter- 
prise run,  that  twenty-one  shares  were  to  be  sold  to 
pay  arrearages  of  unpaid  taxes.  The  sale  of  Mason’s 
claim  to  twelve  men  of  Portsmouth  further  complica- 
ted and  embarrassed  matters  pertaining  to  the  settle- 
ment of  the  town. 

To  overcome  this  effectual  obstacle,  the  uncertainty 
of  valid  title,  a way  must  be  devised.  A compromise 
was  made  whereby  these  purchasers,  called  the  heirs 
of  Mason,  quit-claimed  the  remainder  of  the  territory 
for  eighteen  shares  in  equality  with  the  original  pro- 
prietors; these  shares  to  be  reserved  in  guaranty  to  them 
and  exempted  from  taxation  till  occupied.  With  this  ob- 
stacle removed,  a new  bonus  is  offered  of  one  hundred 
pounds  old  tenor,  in  eight  quarterly  instalments,  and  two 
forty-acre  lots  of  land,  to  the  first  twenty  settlers,  and, 
when  there  should  be  ten  families,  to  support  a minis- 
ter and  also  to  build  a saw-mill.  It  would  seem  that 
such  liberal  conditions  should  have  secured  a rush  for 
the  prize.  But  dangers  and  war  are  more  powerful 
than  all  gain. 

The  contract  with  the  Masonian  heirs  involved  or 
required  the  survey  and  laying  out  of  their  eighteen 
shares  and  the  making  of  a plan  of  the  town,  which 
was  done  in  1752  by  one  Nathan  Sanborn,  under  the 
direction  of  a committee  whose  chairman  was  Oliver 
Smith.  This  was  the  third  division,  or  third  laying 
out  of  lots,  and  was  made,  as  the  contract  specified, 
from  the  extreme  eastern  side  of  the  grant.  They 
were  laid  ofl’in  two  ranges  running  from  the  lake-shore 
on  the  north,  and  extending  to  the  margin  of  Young’s 
and  Lougee’s  Ponds,  and  quite  to  the  north-eastern 
limits  of  the  first  division  of  forty-acre  lots.  These 
| lots  were  to  be  equal  in  quantity  and  quality  to  the 
shares  of  the  original  proprietors,  and  they  varied  in 
size  from  two  hundred  to  four  hundred  acres. 

Thus,  having  the  two  vexed  questions  settled, — viz., 
that  of  title  and  that  of  jurisdiction,— the  way  seemed 
prepared  to  easily  carry  out  the  plans  for  improvement 
of  the  grant.  But  there  remained  still  one,  and  an 
abiding,  hindrance, — that  of  exposure  to  Indian  cru- 
elties and  attacks.  The  block-houses  and  fort  did  not 
prove  sufficient  for  defense.  The  borders  of  the  lake 
were  no  ordinary  or  insignificant  locality.  The  drama 


GILFORD. 


737 


of  Indian  conflicts  and  struggles  was  conspicuously 
laid  on  this  battle-ground  and  rendezvous. 

And  another  and  extremely  severe  conflict  was  at 
hand  ; or  rather  the  former  one,  supposed  to  have 
ended  in  1748,  broke  out  anew  in  1754,  and  ended  not 
till  the  most  stubborn  of  these  foes  (the  St.  Francis 
tribe)  was  broken,  in  the  year  1759,  and  peace  was  se- 
cured. 

Indeed,  the  fear  and  reluctance  of  men  to  throw 
themselves  too  far  fromabase,  into theunoccupied and 
exposed  places,  was  not  relieved  till  the  various  colo- 
nies began  to  combine  and  make  common  cause.  The 
action  of  the  congress  of  commissioners  and  their 
declaration  in  1754,  and  the  consequent  successful 
conduct  of  affairs  in  the  five  following  years,  did  much 
to  assure  men  who  would  undertake  enterprises  in  the 
new  parts.  But  the  second  French  War  employed  and 
exhausted  all  the  reserve  forces  of  the  country,  and 
no  one  turned  his  thoughts  toward  the  development 
of  his  interests  in  unsettled  lands  till  after  1760. 
Although,  to  any  sagacious  eye  the  northern  part  of 
Gilmanton  had  the  most  promising  future,  and,  with 
its  mighty  motive-power  in  the  three  water-falls  at  the 
Weirs  and  Lower  Weirs  (Lake  village)  and  Winne- 
squam  (Laconia),  was  destined  to  outstrip  the  other 
sections,  yet  the  settlement  came  up,  and  that  slowly, 
from  Epsom,  through  the  cleared  way,  to  the  southeast 
part  of  the  grant.  Here  the  appearance  of  a settle- 
ment was  effected  in  the  last  days  of  1761.  But,  in 
order  to  effect  this,  increasingly  generous  offers  had 
to  be  made. 

The  fourth  laying  out  of  lands  was  made  of  that 
lying  contiguous  to  the  first  division  of  forty-acre  lots, 
and  was  disposed  into  six  ranges,  and  two  ranges  of 
gores,  these  equal  in  number  on  each  side  of  the 
first  division ; and  these,  of  one  hundred  acres  each, 
( though  varying  somewhat),  were  offered  in  pairs  to 
go  with  each  home  lot  to  the  first  forty  settlers.  A 
grist-mill  and  a saw-mill  were  also  promised  to  be 
erected  by  the  proprietors  for  the  settlers  as  soon  as 
there  were  ten  families. 

A great  inconvenience  and  impediment  to  progress 
at  this  time  was  the  want  of  proper  roads.  The  one 
“ cut  ” and  twice  afterwards  “ cleared,”  from  Epsom  to 
the  Weirs,  twenty-six  miles  in  extent,  and  also  others, 
were  not  much  more  than  mere  foot-paths  or  trails, 
capable,  however,  of  use  to  riders  on  horseback,  which 
mode  of  travel  and  transportation  was  then  most 
common  (even  the  iron-work  of  the  first  saw-mill  and 
grist-mill  being  brought  into  town  in  this  manner).  A 
road  for  wheels  was  first  partially  made  to  the  border- 
line of  the  town  in  1750,  but  was  impassable  for  ox- 
teams  in  1762.  The  town  had  to  make  their  road 
through  the  unsettled  portions  of  the  town  next  to  it, 
in  order  to  find  access  or  approaches  to  its  own  do- 
main. 

Water  communication  in  places  bordering  on  the 
lake  and  river  in  a measure  supplied  this  defect,  and 
travel  in  this  way  was  there  common.  The  first  im- 


provement of  land  was  not  in  the  northern  or  second 
division.  The  two  families  that  came  in  1761,  the 
eight  that  were  added  in  1762,  and  even  the  total  of 
forty-five  found  there  in  1767,  comprising  two  hundred 
and  fifty  individuals,  all  took  their  choice  of  lots  in 
the  lower  part  of  the  grant,  though  some  of  them  sub- 
sequently moved  into  the  upper  section,  or  Upper  Par- 
ish. It  was  not  till  1777  and  1778  that  families  made 
permanent  location  in  the  northern  part.  Contrary  to 
reasonable  expectation,  and  strange  to  say,  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty-five  years  elapsed  between  the  settle- 
ment of  Dover  and  that  of  Gilford,  though  only  less 
than  forty  miles  lay  between  their  boundaries,  and  a 
natural  roadway  extended  directly  from  one  to  the 
other,  via  the  lake-shore,  and,  moreover,  though  pe- 
culiar advantages  offered  inducements  to  expansion 
in  this  very  direction.  So,  also,  upwards  of  sixteen 
years  has  marked  the  progress  of  only  ten  miles  in 
occupation  northward  from  White  Hall. 

The  laying  out  of  the  first  parish,  in  1761,  in  the 
southeast  corner  of  the  town,  six  miles  by  six  and  a 
half,  almost  identical,  in  position  and  extent,  to  the 
present  town  of  Gilmanton,  and  the  providing  for 
preaching  there,  and  the  building  of  a saw-mill  and 
grist-mill,  respectively,  in  this  and  the  following  year, 
all  by  the  proprietors  for  the  benefit  of  the  settlers, 
seemed  to  act  unfavorably  to  the  wider  dispersion  of 
the  inhabitants,  and  to  the  development  of  the  upper 
and  better  lands,  and  the  using  of  its  natural  re- 
sources. This  effected  concentration  of  privileges  and 
interests  there,  formed  the  germ  of  a distinct  munici- 
pality, and  gave  rise  to  a counter  and  competing  cen- 
tralization, which  resulted,  after  fifty  years  of  munici- 
pal unity,  in  the  dismemberment  and  separate  civil 
existence  of  Gilford,  and,  in  the  end,  of  Belmont.  The 
special  adaptation  of  the  upper  part  of  the  territory 
to  agricultural  purposes,  and  of  its  great  motive- 
power  in  the  immense  volume  of  water  furnished  by 
the  lake  to  manufacturing,  as  contrasted  with  the  in- 
significant streams  on  which  the  first  proprietors’ 
mills  were  placed,  only  to  be  shifted  or  to  go  to  de- 
cay, evidently  pointed  to  future  separation  and 
growth.  Men  of  keen  foresight  plainly  saw  this  to 
be  inevitable  and  wisely  acted  upon  the  evidence; 
and,  first  of  all,  after  Samuel  Jewett,  two  men,  Cap- 
tain S.  F.  Gilman  and  James  Ames,  in  1778,  chose 
their  lots  here  and  pitched. 

The  way  to  this  step  was  prepared,  in  a large  meas- 
ure, by  the  building  of  the  Province  road,  eight 
years  before.  To  facilitate  the  settling  of  new  towns 
to  be  granted,  and  those  already  granted,  but  not  im- 
proved (for  many  waited  long  for  inhabitants),  the 
General  Court  laid  this  road  in  1770,  to  extend  from 
Portsmouth  to  Canada ; and  its  lay  was  diagonally 
across  Gilmanton,  from  the  First  Division  and  settled 
portion  to  the  narrows  in  the  river  as  it  enters  Win- 
nesquam,  just  below  the  Falls,  iu  Gilford,  at  later 
times  called  Meredith  Bridge. 

The  General  Court  imposed  on  the  towns  the 


738  HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


building  of  the  road  through  their  domain.  The  in- 
habitants of  Gilmanton  were  opposed  to  the  extension 
of  the  road  into  the  upper  part  of  their  territory, 
and  officially  refused  to  construct  it.  It  cut  the  lots 
diagonally  and  much  to  their  damage,  while  the  lay- 
ing out  of  the  town  provided  for  a regular  system  of  I 
roads  and  made  the  lots  rectangular.  The  expense 
was  considered  excessive  and  burdensome,  while  they 
were  struggling  to  provide  for  other  things,  as  schools 
and  churches  and  the  necessary  roads  to  reach  their  in- 
dividual lands  and  residences.  It  was  also  unfavor- 
able to  concentration  and  prosperity  in  the  neighbor- 
hood already  formed,  to  induce  the  forming  of  distant 
and  rival  neighborhoods ; so  that  the  project  was  not 
viewed  with  favor.  But  the  General  Court  ordered 
the  road  to  be  built  by  contractors,  and  the  cost, 
three  hundred  and  thirty-one  pounds,  was  assessed 
on  the  town.  Thus  a passable  highway  was  opened, 
in  1770,  into  Gilford,  and,  very  wisely,  to  the  part 
where  the  power  was.  This  assured  a settlement 
there  and  growth. 

About  the  same  time  Samuel  Jewett  settled  above 
the  Falls,  at  the  terminus  of  the  Province  road.  It 
is  claimed  this  was  in  1777. 

The  first  two  to  locate  afterwards  were  farmers,  and, 
with  good  judgment,  made  their  choice  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  the  Intervale,  the  one  at  the  southeast  and  the 
other  at  the  southwest  angle  of  that  rich  tract  of  al- 
luvial land. 

James  Ames  settled  near  the  house  built  and  occu- 
pied by  Ebenezer  Smith,  Esq.,  and  Captain  S.  F.  Gil- 
man at  the  head  of  the  spur  of  the  valley  or  meadow 
land,  near  the  heads  of  Black  Brook  and  the  Meadow 
Brook. 

About  this  time  Levi  Lovit  made  a ftmporary  resi- 
dence near  the  outlet  of  the  Lily  Pond,  and  opposite 
the  house  afterwards  and  lately  occupied  by  Increase 
W.  Davis. 

Abraham  Folsom  began  improvements  at  the 
Lower  Weirs,  and  though  his  residence  was  in  that 
part  which,  till  recently,  belonged  to  Meredith,  and, 
later,  Laconia,  yet  his  enterprise  was  for  the  interests 
of  Gilford,  and  his  mill  (grist-mill)  was  the  one  ne- 
cessary accommodation  of  the  first  settlers. 

Daniel  Stevens  located  on  the  Gilford  side  of  the 
river,  and  his  house,  still  standing,  was  for  many 
years  the  only  house  at  that  place  on  the  Gilford 
side. 

Soon  after  these  came  Malachi  Davis,  Samuel 
Blaisdell  and  Lowell  Sanborn,  the  first  two  of  whom 
settled  near  the  residence  of  Captain  Gilman,  and  the 
last  of  whom  at  the  extreme  end  of  the  range,  on  the 
lake-shore. 

Esquire  Benjamin  Weeks,  who  came  into  the  lower 
part  of  the  town  in  1768,  led  a party  into  the  upper 
section  and  located  at  the  western  base  of  Mount  Ma- 
jor, in  1787,  where  there  afterwards  dwelt  a large 
community  of  that  name.  He  was  a leading  man 
and  large  land-holder,  and  successful  in  business. 


The  population  of  the  town  increased  rapidly  after 
the  first  few  years.  There  are  no  returns  extant  that 
show  the  number  of  actual  residents  within  the  limits 
of  that  portion  of  Gilmanton  which  was  set  off  to 
constitute  the  town  of  Gilford  at  the  time  of  such  de- 
tachment living  there.  But  by  the  census  of  1810  we  find 
that  the  whole  town  then  contained  4338  inhabitants  ; 
and  by  the  census  returns  of  1820  it  had  then  3752  re- 
maining in  the  old  town,  and  Gilford  had  1816  ; so  that 
it  is  probable  that  about  1500  inhabitants  were  set  off  to 
form  the  new  town.  The  little  band  of  250  in  1767, 
of  775  in  1775,  or  of  four  at  the  beginning  of  1762, 
had  a remarkable  growth.  And  the  increase  in  the 
second  division  was  not  less  rapid  than  that  of  the 
first,  or  of  the  whole,  which  numbered  only  775  in 
1775,  two  years  before  the  first  families  entered  the 
upper  part  and  actually  made  a beginning  of  settle- 
ment there.  The  census  of  1790  gives  a population 
of  2613,  and  that  of  1800  makes  it  3752.  As  above 
stated,  in  1810  it  was  4338,  and  probably  in  1812  the 
aggregate  was  not  less  than  5000. 

The  list  of  tax-payers  of  Gilford  in  1813,  the  first 
one  made  after  the  incorporation,  contained  294 
names,  including  a few  non-residents.  The  assess- 
ment of  that  year  was  for  $1207.08,  comprising  State 
tax,  $182.68;  county  tax,  $67.35;  and  school  tax, 
$492.08;  and  town  tax,  $465.73. 

They  spent  nearly  as  much  for  schools  as  for  all 
other  town  expenses,  and  maintained  ten  schools  about 
six  months  each. 

Captain  James  Follet  wa?  the  first  collector,  and 
had  been  several  years  before  for  the  Fourth  Col- 
lector’s District  of  Gilmanton,  or  the  Second  Division. 

The  first  Board  of  Selectmen  were  John  Smith, 
Thomas  Saltmarsh  and  John  Gilman.  In  1806  there 
were  in  the  Fourth  Collector’s  District,  nearly  con- 
terminous with  the  future  new  town,  166  assessed 
persons;  and  the  amount  assessed  was  $643.60,  out  of 
$2803.92,  assessed  on  the  whole  town,  showing  that 
the  district  had  not  then  attained  to  the  fourth  part 
of  the  taxable  value  of  the  whole.  In  1808  this  sec- 
tion had  192  tax  payers,  including  a few  non-residents, 
and  was  levied  upon  for  $616.62  in  the  total  of 
$2574.42,  or  about  one-fourth  part.  The  list  of  as- 
sessed had  increased  in  1810  to  the  number  of  206.  The 
inventories  of  these  years  show  that  but  few  acres  of 
) land  had  been  improved  by  each  settler,  they  having 
’ been  extensively  engaged  in  constructing  their  build- 
ings, and  were  now  distracted  by  the  opening  of  an- 
other war  with  England.  Born  or  inaugurated  in  the 
; warlike  season,  the  public  affairs  were  conducted 
somewhat  in  a spirit  of  contention.  Not  only  political, 
but  even  ecclesiastical  affairs  witnessed  many  a battle, 
long  drawn  out  and  most  bitter.  A child  of  strife, 
nursed  in  conflicts,  she  grew  valiant  in  war.  With 
room  for  free  exercise  of  her  arms  over  the  adjacent 
waters  on  the  north  and  the  west,  she  was  prepared  to 
meet  any  assailant  from  either  quarter;  and,  trusting, 
in  her  munition  of  rocks,  she  attended  to  domestic 


GILFORD. 


739 


improvements  without  fear  or  distraction  ; and  the  re- 
sult has  been  not  otherwise  than  laudable,  as  the  fol- 
lowing exhibit  will  plainly  establish: 

The  Personnel  of  the  Early  Settlers.— As  an  ar- 
ticle of  the  prescribed  extent  for  such  a work  as  this 
does  not  admit  of  a book,  or  even  full  chapter,  of  gen- 
ealogies, it  will  be  sufficient  to  append  a few  words 
on  the  persons  and  characters  of  those  early  citizens 
who  constituted  the  body  politic  in  its  first  years  of 
separate  and  corporate  existence.  And  for  this  pur- 
pose will  we  use  the  list  of  tax-payers  in  the  first  year 
of  assessment.  Thirty-five  years  had  doubtless  wit- 
nessed some  falling  out  as  well  as  the  gathering  in  of  a 
body  of  inhabitants,  so  that  our  notices  may  be  wanting 
in  some  names  of  parties  who  had  come  and  gone 
already,  and  some  who  had  not  yet  been  placed  on  the 
list  of  tax-payers,  though  really  resident. 

Daniel  Avery  appears  to  be  among  the  number  as 
early  as  1790,  and  he  commenced  trade  here  at  that 
time,  at  the  bridge,  the  terminus  of  the  Province  road. 
He  afterwards  enlarged  his  business  and  built  a fac- 
tory and  ran  it  many  years,  and  he  was  one  of  the 
heaviest  tax-payers  at  the  first  year  of  the  town’s  sep- 
arate and  independent  management,  and  even  before 
that  date.  His  family  remained  there  for  many  years, 
but  are  not  represented  in  the  place  now  by  that 
name.  James  and  David  Ames  are  among  the  earliest 
on  the  ground.  James  settled  at  the  foot  of  the  hill 
in  the  road,  now  discontinued,  near  Esquire  Ebenezer 
Smith’s,  and  David  located  where  Richard  Dame  lived, 
now  owned  and  occupied  by  William  W.  Watson. 
They  appear  to  have  made  a good  beginning,  but 
long  since  the  families  have  been  reduced  and  scarcely 
represented  among  us.  The  family  is  not,  however, 
extinct,  but  have  mostly  removed  elsewhere. 

Jeremiah  Bartlet  came  early  to  Gilford  and  took  up 
land,  about  1790,  at  the  west  base  of  Gunstock  Moun- 
tain, and  was  a successful  farmer  and  an  upright,  re- 
spected man.  He  lived  to  an  honorable  and  ripe  old 
age  on  the  lot  he  first  occupied,  and  in  his  later  years 
was  afflicted  with  deafness  and  a troublesome  wen  on 
the  neck,  which  increased  in  size  as  his  years  ad- 
vanced. His  exemplary  piety  was  characteristic. 
He  had  two  sons  and  several  daughters.  One  married 
John  Jewett.  His  sons  were  dealers  in  stock  and 
for  a time  drovers.  The  line  of  descent  is  not  traced 
by  numerous  posterity,  but  the  homestead  is  still  occu- 
pied by  lineal  descendants,  some  of  another  name. 
Samuel  Bartlett  was  a citizen  also  at  the  same  time. 
Rev.  Robert  Bartlett  moved  into  town  in  later  times, 
with  a large  family,  occupying  the  Osgood  place,  on 
Liberty  Hill,  and  supplying  the  Universalist  pulpit 
for  a time,  and  dying  only  a few  years  ago  at  h-is 
daughter’s,  in  Lake  village,  at  an  advanced  age.  He 
was  a man  of  good  ability  and  of  activity  in  his  early 
life,  and  had  some  good  positions  before  coming  to 
Gilford. 

The  name  of  Bean,  so  common  in  Gilmanton,  was  also 
well  represented  here  in  the  persons  of  Elijah,  James,  ' 


Solomon  and  John,  and  later  by  Henry,  Joel,  Chase 
and  True.  The  first  of  these  settled  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  town  and  the  others  in  the  northern. 
Their  families  are  still  represented,  though  not  by 
great  numbers  of  the  same  name,  but  by  changed 
names. 

The  family  of  Bennett  was  among  the  first  of  the 
assessed,  and  the  names  of  John,  John,  Jr.,  John  (4) 
and  Wintlirop  appear  on  the  first  year.  They  settled 
in  Chattleborough  and  near  Liberty  Hill.  Some  of 
the  name  in  after-years,  as  Harrison,  was  of  honorable 
mention  in  public  affairs  and  educational  depart- 
ments. The  family  is  still  represented  by  a few. 

The  Blaisdell  family  was  a prominent  one  from 
the  very  first  years.  Samuel  Blaisdell  settled  north 
of  and  near  to  Captain  Gilman,  at  the  Lily  Pond.  He 
worked  at  blacksmith  work,  and  several  of  his  sons 
afterwards  carried  on  the  same  business.  His  sons  were 
William,  John,  Daniel,  Enoch,  Aaron,  Philip  and 
Samuel,  all  men  of  intellectual  and  executive  abili- 
ties. He  exercised  his  talents  as  a lay  preacher, 
holding  meetings  at  his  own  house  before  a regular 
service  was  established  or  meeting-house  built.  Per- 
haps there  was  some  lack  of  agreement  of  his  doc- 
trinal sentiments  and  those  current  or  entertained  by 
many  in  the  vicinity.  William,  the  oldest  son,  was 
later  representative  of  and  preacher  to  the  Order  of 
Christians,  or,  as  they  are  sometimes  called,  Christian 
Baptists.  He  had  good  talents  and  education  and 
was  promoted  in  civil  offices.  Others  of  the  family 
exercised  limitedly  their  gifts  in  lay  preaching.  Mrs. 
Samuel  Blaisdell  was  efficient  as  nurse  and  doctress 
to  her  sex  before  the  regular  physician  was  settled  or 
could  be  easily  called.  The  family  were  largely  nat- 
ural and  apt  mechanics.  Samuel,  of  another  branch 
of  the  family,  was  the  framing  carpenter  of  those  and 
later  days.  The  family  is  now  numerously  repre- 
sented. Eliphlet  and  Jacob  were  also  early  settlers 
Eliphlet  (2),  deacon  a long  time  of  the  Baptist  Churc  h 
at  Lake  village,  and  some  of  that  branch,  were,  by 
affiliation,  Baptists  and  efficient  members.  Other 
branches  of  the  family  were  Free-Will  Baptists  and 
prominent,  and  still  others  were  of  other  and  more 
liberal  belief  and  practice. 

Dr.  Zadock  Bowman  was  practicing  physician  at 
the  beginning  of  the  century,  and  located  at  Meredith 
Bridge.  David  Bowman  was  the  successor  in  the 
estate,  which  was  and  has  been  one  of  prominence. 
Mrs.  Daniel  Tilton  now  represents  the  family.  John 
Boyd  is  sole  representative  of  that  name  in  the  tax- 
list  of  1806,  and  was  possessed  of  an  estate  near  Ben- 
jamin Jewett’s.  Enoch  Boyd  represented  the  name 
in  later  years,  and  occupied  the  homestead.  Abel 
and  Ephraim  Brown,  with  Ephraim,  Jr.,  are  the 
representatives  of  that  name,  the  former  living  at  the 
lakeside,  at  what  was  afterwards  the  Almshouse 
farm,  and  the  others  in  Miles  Valley.  They  were 
men  of  means,  except  Ephraim,  Jr. ; and  NehemiaR 
and  Daniel  were  the  children  in  possession  succes- 


740 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


sively.  Captain  Daniel  and  Neliemiah  were  of  hon- 
orable standing  in  town  affairs. 

The  name  Buzzell  (or  Buswell)  is  early  mentioned, 
and  the  names  of  Isaac,  Ebenezer,  Ichabod,  Ichabod, 
Jr.,  Stephen,  George  and  James  are  enrolled.  The  | 
family  settled  in  the  east  part  of  the  town,  on  both 
sides  of  the  mountain.  The  family  of  manufacturing 
men  at  Laconia  bearing  that  name  came  later  to 
town,  and  first  operated  the  fulling  and  carding-mill  : 
on  Gunstock  River,  and  also  did  business  in  the 
woolen  line  at  Lake  village,  and  since  have  pros- 
ecuted an  extensive  and  successful  enterprise  at  La- 
conia, first  in  the  old  Parker  warp-mill  and  later  in 
Morrison’s  carding  and  fulling-mill  and  the  Belknap 
Mill  and  later  enlargements.  They  have  shown 
business  tact  and  skill.  The  names  of  Boynton,  Bur- 
bank, Bradbury,  Badger,  Burleigh,  Blake,  Beede, 
Burns  and  Bickford  are  found  in  the  list;  but  some 
are  non-resident,  and  of  others  but  little  is  known. 

Tradition  locates  Bickford  at  Richard  Dame’s  or 
Joseph  P.  Smith’s.  Captain  Charles  Beede  came 
later  and  did  blacksmithing  at  Gilford  village  and 
later  at  Laconia,  and  enlisted  in  the  Union  army  at 
an  advanced  age. 

The  name  of  Robert  Carr  is  associated  with  the 
Quaker  faith,  and  he  is  known  as  Elder  Carr.  He  early 
settled  on  an  excellent  glade  of  land  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Miles  Brook,  and  was  one  of  the  frugal  and  fore- 
handed farmers,  living  in  a stately  and  neatly-kept 
house — a semi-inn — of  honorable  repute.  The  team- 
ing of  products  to  Portsmouth  and  freighting  back  of 
groceries  was  a considerable  branch  of  business  in 
those  days,  and  way-places  for  halting  and  accom- 
modation were  in  demand.  The  sons  of  Robert  Carr 
(John  and  Richard)  located  one  at  the  homestead 
and  the  others  at  Alton.  The  family  still  remains  in 
town. 

The  Clough  family,  represented  by  David,  Aaron, 
Moses  and  Caleb,  were  here  early,  one  at  the  east 
base  of  the  mountains  and  the  other  at  the  Hoyt’s 
neighborhood;  and  these  families  have  gone.  John 
C.  Clough  lived  at  Laconia  and  kept  store  on  the 
Meredith  side.  The  family  remains  in  the  place,  but 
the  business  is  closed. 

The  Clark  name  is  more  common,  and  applies  to 
more  than  one  lineage.  Samuel  Clark  settled  a little 
north  of  Folsom’s  Mills,  and  the  family  is  of  honor- 
able mention,  and  from  it  came  the  Hon.  Joseph 
Clark,  of  Manchester,  Esq.  Samuel  Clark,  of  Lake 
village  and  others.  William  Clark  settled  farther 
north,  on  the  Plains.  Jacob  and  Mayhew  were  of 
Meredith  Bridge,  the  former  a shoemaker  and  musi- 
cian. Others  of  the  same  name  dwelt  at  Jewett’s 
Corner  and  Laconia. 

Ezekiel  Collins  settled  here  about  1807,  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Chattleborough  Pond,  and  the  family, 
in  later  generations,  preserved  its  compact  condition 
in_  its  own  neighborhood  and  in  large  numbers. 
Seven  sons  settled  near,  and  daughters  settled  here 


and  elsewhere.  The  mill  in  their  plant  has  long  been 
operated  by  some  one  of  the  name  for  sawing  and 
threshing.  They  were  an  industrious  and  quiet  peo- 
ple and  mainly  successful. 

John  Cotton  settled  near  the  hill  bearing  this  name, 
in  the  south  part  of  the  town  and  a little  off  the  Prov- 
ince road,  and  the  family  still  has  its  representatives 
there.  Simon  Cotton  was  of  the  same  line. 

The  Chase  family  is  represented  as  early  as  1806, 
and  by  the  individual  names  of  Mark,  Green,  James, 
Jr.,  and  Widow  Nancy.  Their  location  is  uncertain. 
Later,  Albert  and  Hazeltine  Chase  came  from  Loudon 
and  were  connected  with  the  business  and  firm  of 
Jewett,  Chase  & Thing,  store-keepers  at  Gilford  vil- 
lage ; Albert,  also,  as  clerk  in  the  store  of  Charles 
Stark  there,  or  Stark  & Goodhue.  Samuel  Connor  is 
among  the  inhabitants  as  early  as  1810,  and  Joseph 
Connor  lived  near  Captain  Gilman’s  and  Lieutenant 
Rand’s.  The  house  has  gone  and  the  family  name  is 
not  preserved  at  present.  They  were  connected  with 
the  McCoys.  The  name  of  Cram  is  associated  with 
inhabitants  at  Meredith  Bridge.  Jonathan  and  Widow 
Cram  are  the  only  names  that  appear  in  the  lists. 

Taxes  were  assessed  on  property  of  Dr.  Call  and 
James  Crocket,  residing  in  Meredith.  A little  later 
the  Cheslev  family  settled  in  the  east  part  of  the 
town,  near  Alton  ; but  the  family  is  no  longer  known 
among  the  people  of  that  section.  The  Coles  came 
later  from  Conway  to  Lake  village  and  engaged  in 
the  furnace  and  foundry  business.  There  were  sev- 
eral of  the  second  generation,  and  they  at  one  time 
comprised  a large  portion  of  the  active  business  men 
of  Lake  village.  Benjamin  Cole,  Esq.,  has  been 
prominent  in  public  affairs  for  many  years.  The  iron 
and  hardware  trade  and  works  were  largely  in  their 
hands,  and  it  was  successfully  conducted  and  associ- 
ated with  general  trade.  The  Crosbys  have  been  of 
honorable  mention.  Josiah  and  Dixi  have  practiced 
medicine  here  with  skill  and  ability.  The  former  was 
also  connected  with  the  Avery  Factory  awhile.  They 
were  first  from  Sandwich  and  later  lived  at  Gilman- 
ton  Corner.  The  father,  Asa  Crosby,  had  an  exten- 
sive practice  in  all  the  region.  Sanborn  Crosby  was 
long  an  inhabitant  near  Meredith  Bridge, — another 
family.  Richard  Dame  settled  near  the  Intervale  and 
was  a laborious  and  successful  farmer ; wore  his  uncut 
hair  in  a queue  after  the  manner  of  the  Quakers,  and 
raised  a large  family,  which  have  almost  lost  the 
name  and  representation  in  the  place  ; yet,  by  mar- 
riage, the  line  is  preserved  under  other  names.  Ben- 
jamin Dame  pursued  the  blacksmith  business  and 
lived  in  different  places  in  town.  The  family  is 
largely  gone,  but  few  remain.  The  Davis  family  was 
prominent  in  early  years.  Malachi  Davis  settled,  in 
1790,  near  the  Lily  Pond  and  held  a good  estate.  He 
was  a father  in  matters  of  religion  and  politics.  His 
house  was  for  many  years  the  place  of  holding  the 
Democratic  caucus,  as  well  as  the  social  religious 
meetings.  His  life  was  prolonged  by  means  of  a 


GILFORD. 


741 


difficult  surgical  operation.  His  family  was  not  large 
in  the  line  of  sons,  but  several  daughters  of  good 
ability  became  well  connected  in  married  life,  and 
still  some  are  alive  in  advanced  age.  Several  families 
of  the  name,  and  related,  settled  in  his  immediate 
neighborhood  and  also  on  the  east  side  of  the  moun- 
tains. A family  of  the  name  resided  at  Meredith 
Bridge,  and  one  at  Lake  village,  known  as  Neighbor 
John.  Nathaniel,  called  also  Island  Davis,  occupied 
Governor’s  Island.  He  was  a stalwart  and  command- 
ing personage,  and  exercised  his  gifts  as  a leader  in 
matters  of  free  church  order  in  preaching  and  public 
discussion.  He  raised  a family  of  four  sons  and 
about  the  same  number  of  daughters,  who  became 
. well  connected.  The  sons  and  himself  were  leaders 
in  political  and  other  public  affairs.  One,  John,  was 
a prominent  teacher  and  afterwards  agent  of  the  fac- 
tory company  at  Lake  village.  They  have  gone  from 
the  island,  but  are  represented  elsewhere.  The  family 
largely  embraced  Miller’s  doctrine,  though  at  first 
following  one  Osgood,  of  anti-church  government 
sentiments.  William  Miller,  in  person,  held  a camp- 
meeting on  the  island  in  1840. 

Abraham  Dearborn  lived  awhile  near  the  head  of 
the  gully  and  elsewhere.  Jeremiah  Dow,  Josiah 
Dow,  Samuel  Dicey,  William  Drew  and  Joseph  Drew 
are  among  the  voters  of  1813.  They  were  connected 
with  Meredith  Bridge,  except  Drew,  who  was  in  the 
central  part  of  the  town.  These  are  now  largely  gone 
from  the  place  as  families.  The  name  of  Eager  was 
formerly  known,  but  is  now  not  current.  Lieutenant 
Winthrop  Eager  is  mentioned  in  1813.  Asa  Eager 
and  John  Eager  were  citizens 'at  Meredith  Bridge 
(Asa  Eager  was  sheriff  and  otherwise  a public  man  ; 
he  kept  hotel  in  early  years)  and  known  as  connected 
with  the  county  affairs  and  the  court.  Eager’s  tav- 
ern was  situated  nearly  opposite  the  court-house. 
The  name  is  not  at  present  met  here. 

The  Eaton  family  settled  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
town.  The  same  name  is  associated  with  the  settle- 
ment at  the  Weirs,  as  occupying  on  the  Meredith 
side.  We  have,  in  1806  and  1813,  Joseph,  Joshua, 
Benjamin  and  Elias.  Later,  Elisha,  Jonathan  and 
Sherburn  are  on  the  records.  Daniel,  Esq.,  was  re- 
cently a successful  teacher.  John  and  Martin  have 
been  in  trade  here  and  in  Salem,  Mass. 

The  Elkins  family  was  formerly  quite  large.  Dan- 
iel, Richard,  Jonathan,  James,  John  and  Ezekiel  are 
among  those  early  here,  and  for  the  most  part  lived 
near  the  Suncook  Mountains  (west  of  them),  and  one 
family  on  the  Lake  road. 

John  Evans,  Esq.,  was  a leading  man,  living  on  the 
east  part  of  the  Lake-Shore  road.  Samuel  and  George 
were  members  of  the  family,  and  the  former  a teacher. 
The  name  is  not  now  found  in  the  town. 

The  Edgerly  name  at  Meredith  Bridge,  as  Nathan- 
iel, the  register  of  deeds,  is  of  later  date. 

The  Edwards  family  was  here  early,  and  Nathaniel, 
in  the  second  generation,  was  a long  while  a propri- 


etor and  conductor  of  the  shoe  business  at  Meredith 
Bridge. 

The  Foster  family  first  located  in  the  centre  of  the 
Intervale,  occupied  the  D.  Y.  Smith  place,  and  also, 
later,  on  Miles  River,  near  the  Morrill  neighborhood. 
Thomas  was  first  here  before  1806,  and  Thomas,  Jr.. 
John  and  Daniel  continued  the  family  to  recent  years; 
but  now  the  name  is  but  little  known. 

Samuel  Foss  was  early  living  near  Mount  Minor. 

Ezekiel  Flanders  occupied  land  on  the  east  side  of 
Mount  Prospect,  and  belongs  to  the  large  family  of 
that  name  in  Alton.  The  line  is  still  continued  here. 

James  Follet  came  to  Gilford  about  1792,  and 
wrought  at  blacksmith  work.  He  was  brother-in-law 
to  Rev.  Richard  Martin,  and  settled  near  him  on 
Meeting-House  Hill.  He  was  efficient  in  public  af- 
fairs, being  repeatedly  the  collector  of  taxes,  consta- 
ble and  captain  in  the  militia.  He  carried  on  the 
tanning  business,  and  engaged  to  some  extent  in  trade, 
which  his  sons  also  took  up  and  conducted  at  different 
places.  He  raised  a large  family  of  sons  and 
daughters  ; the  sons  are  all  enterprising,  efficient  men, 
and  the  daughters  have  all  married  well.  They  have 
been  scattered  and  reduced  in  numbers  in  later  years, 
and  the  original  house,  so  intimately  associated  with 
the  early  town-meetings  and  the  Sabbath  meetings, 
and  the  first  store,  Pearley’s,  has  been  burnt.  Sam- 
uel Follet  is  once  found  on  the  tax-list,  and  that  in 
1810. 

The  Folsom  name  appears  very  early  and  in  fre- 
quency. Jonathan  Folsom  signed  the  Test  Paper 
(political),  in  1776,  as  an  inhabitant  of  Gilmanton ; 
probably  located  not  within  the  limits  of  the  present 
Gilford,  as  it  is  conceded  that  there  were  no  families 
then  settled  on  its  territory.  He  is,  however,  a tax- 
payer in  1813.  Abraham  Folsom  is  said  to  have  set- 
tled in  town  in  1781,  and  to  have  built  his  mill  at  that 
date,  for  the  town  gave  the  five  acres  for  a mill  privilege 
and  built  the  bridge  at  his  mills,  or  the  Weirs  (Lower 
Weirs),  the  year  before, — i.  e.  1780, — and  the  bridge 
was  located  above  the  mills  in  1782.  He  subsequently 
built  his  house  on  the  Meredith  side  and  was  a citizen 
of  that  town,  and  the  estate  and  property  was  included 
therein  till  that  section  was  set  off  to  Gilford  re- 
cently. Two  lots  in  the  eighth  range  were  sold  to 
build  the  bridge,  and  the  five  acres  given  to  him.  The 
other  families  of  this  name  were  those  of  Nathaniel, 
Benjamin,  John,  Dudley  and  others,  who  have  held 
high  places  in  public  affairs  and  several  have  been 
distinguished. 

The  Gilmans  are  both  conspicuous  and  numerous. 
They  came  early  and  later.  Foremost  is  Captain  John 
F.,  who  settled  near  the  Lily  Pond  in  the  same  year 
that  Abraham  Folsom  came,  in  1781.  He  was  a prin- 
cipal citizen  and  land-holder,  and  by  his  captaincy 
was  always  a marked  character.  His  family  was  by 
adoption,  including  James  McCoy  and  Gilman  Thing. 
Ezekiel  Gilman  came  the  same  year  and  settled  near 
Benjamin  Jewett’s  place.  Lieutenant  John  Gilman 


742 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


settled  on  the  south  of  Captain  John  F.;  and  Dudley 
still  further  to  the  southwest,  coming  in  1789  ; and 
Andrew  possessed  a large  estate  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountains,  west  side,  and  near  by  Samuel  and  Joshua,  j 
Levi  and  Samuel  settled  near  Gunstock  or  Meeting- 
House  Hill.  Robinson  Gilman  located  at  Meredith 
Bridge,  and  Antipas  on  Liberty  Hill.  These  all  have 
held  lineal  connections  with  the  great  Gilman  fra- 
ternity, and  they  are  also,  by  one  branch  or  other, 
connected  by  intermarriages  with  most  of  the  fami- 
lies of  the  town  at  large.  Most  of  them  had  large 
families. 

Abel  (elder)  and  Manoah  Glidden  settled  near 
Alton  line  and  the  mountains.  The  latter  came  in 
1796.  They  were  leading  men  in  that  section,  and 
their  descendants  are  still  in  possession  of  the  estates. 
Abel  (2d)  is  also  a minister.  The  father  was  a man 
of  native  talent. 

Levi,  John  and  Jethro  Goss  settled  on  the  north 
part  of  Gunstock  Hill,  and  from  that  place  the  large 
families  of  sons  and  daughters  settled  in  different 
parts  of  the  town  and  elsewhere.  The  homesteads 
have  passed  out  of  the  name,  but  not  all  of  them  from  j 
the  lineal  heirs. 

Elijah  Gove  settled  on  the  west  side  of  Gunstock 
Hill,  and  his  son  Daniel  was  a successor  to  the  estate,  J 
and  a mechanic  and  constructor  of  various  farming 
implements.  The  estate  is  in  the  same  name. 

David  Gould  settled  land  to  the  southeast  of  Gil- 
ford village  and  had  one  son  and  one  daughter.  They 
all  lived  to  a good  old  age  and  the  family  became 
extinct.  They  were  engaged  in  cooperage  and  were 
in  comfortable  circumstances. 

Jonathan  Grant  was  early  an  inhabitant,  and 
several  families  of  the  name,  as  Paul's,  Daniel’s  and 
Levi’s,  have  been  citizens.  They  have  been  located  j 
in  the  south  and  in  the  north  extremes  of  the  eastern 
part  of  the  town,  and  their  families  are  but  little 
represented  now. 

The  names  Godfrey,  Greene,  Gilbert  and  Gilford 
were  known  at  Meredith  Bridge. 

Jacob  Hacket  and  John  Hacket  settled  in  Chattle- 
borough  and  their  families  have  become  extinct,  or 
nearly  so,  and  the  remnant  has  removed. 

David  Hale  settled  on  the  Oaks  road  and  was  a 
prominent  citizen  and  of  good  property,  but  died 
about  the  time  the  town  was  incorporated.  The  name 
has  disappeared.  The  Hibbard  and  Plummer  fami- 
lies succeeded  to  the  estate,  and  they,  in  turn,  have 
become  extinct  in  that  neighborhood. 

Nathan  Hatch  settled  in  the  lower  Gunstock  Valley 
and  carried  on  the  cooper's  business,  and  had  a family, 
who  are  still  in  Gilford,  though  not  occupying  the 
homestead  or  pursuing  the  trade. 

The  Hoyt  family  was  one  of  prominence  and  large 
numbers  and  rank.  Simeon,  Daniel  and  Enoch  Hoyt 
settled  in  Chattleborough  and  held  large  estates  and  j 
excellent  lands.  They  had  large  families,  who  settled 
in  different  parts  of  the  town  and  many  emigrated  to 


other  places.  Simeon  Hoyt  built,  with  Ebenezer 
Smith,  Esq.,  the  Gunstock  Mills  in  1789,  six  years 
after  his  settling  in  Gilford.  Ebenezer  Hoyt  went  to 
Hampstead,  and  Samuel,  James  and  James,  Jr.,  were 
citizens  in  1806. 

James  Hoyt  (3d)  is  also  in  the  list  of  1813  and 
1808.  One  of  this  name  lived  near  Lieutenant  J. 
Gilman’s,  and  one  settled  near  the  Upper  Weirs  and 
had  two  sons,  who  were  well  educated  and  held  posi- 
tions of  importance  in  educational  affairs,  and  a 
daughter,  who  was  married  to  Captain  Winborn  San- 
born, so  long  in  command  of  steamers  on  the  lake 
and  lately  deceased.  Colonel  Peaslee  Hoyt  settled  at 
the  base  of  Mount  Major ; Nathaniel  on  Liberty 
Hill;  Simeon,  Jr.,  Enoch,  Jr.,  and  Thomas  near 
Chattleborough  Pond.  These  families  were  in  good 
social  standing  and  were  active  citizens. 

The  name  of  Hunt  is  also  of  prominence.  Abel 
Hunt  came  in  1783  and  settled  near  the  Intervale. 
He  raised  a large  family  and  carried  on  the  carpen- 
ter’s and  cabinet-maker’s  business.  He  had  the  only 
turning-lathe  in  the  place,  and  made  chairs  and  other 
furniture.  He  was  employed  to  do  the  inside  work 
and  construct  the  pews  in  the  first  church. 

Enoch  Hunt  settled,  in  1794,  near  Captain  I.  F. 
Gilman’s  and  was  a prominent  citizen,  and  his  sons — 
William,  Samuel,  Joseph,  Ebenezer  S.,  John  S.  and 
Enoch — were  persons  of  standing  and  figured  largely 
in  public  affairs.  Benjamin  Hunt  also  settled  in  this 
vicinity ; his  successors  carried  on  mechanical  enter- 
prises and  have  settled  elsewhere. 

The  names  of  Horn,  Hadley,  Hill  and  Hutchinson 
also  are  found  among  the  early  inhabitants ; the  two 
last  named  lived  at  the  foot  of  Gunstock  Mountain, 
and  the  name  has  ceased  to  exist  there. 

Aaron  Jackson  settled  near  Jacob  Jewett’s  and 
was  related  to  Richard  Martvn  by  marriage.  His 
son  Stanford  built  near  him  and  committed  suicide 
in  his  building.  The  name  has  disappeared. 

Major  Jabez  James  came  into  town  in  1784  and 
settled  near  Cotton’s  Hill,  on  the  north  incline,  on 
some  excellent  land.  He  was  one  of  the  largest  tax- 
payers in  the  first  years.  His  estate  still  remains  in 
the  name  and  the  family  holds  its  rank.  He  was  a 
Revolutionary  soldier  and  had  sons,  John  and  Jona- 
than, who  settled  near.  Jonathan  and  John  James 
settled  near  each  other  in  the  same  neighborhood 
and  their  families  are  still  represented  in  the  place, 
though  some  have  removed  to  other  places.  The 
families  were  not  large,  but  of  good  standing  and 
worthy  in  example. 

The  Jewett  families,  already  alluded  to,  are  of 
honorable  mention  and  have  been  important  as  con- 
nected with  the  business  affairs  and  pursuits  of  the 
people.  Samuel  Jewett  is  said  to  have  settled  in 
1777  (though  another  statement  makes  him  to  have 
been  first  mentioned  in  the  records  in  1789)  and  lived 
a half-mile  from  the  Bridge,  or  Falls,  and  above 
them.  He  sold  land  for  a mill  privilege  in  1780. 


GILFORD. 


743 


Benjamin  and  Jacob  settled,  successively,  to  the  north 
of  him.  and  their  estates  extended  in  a line  two  miles 
to  the  northeast.  Their  families  have  continued 
distinct  and  prominent  till  the  present  time.  In 
1806,  Benjamin,  Jr.,  is  found  in  the  list.  He  suc- 
ceeded, about  1816,  Jonas  Sleeper  in  trade  and  other 
business  at  Gilford  village  and  did  the  chief  business 
there  for  many  years.  As  postmaster,  justice,  town 
treasurer  and  in  other  positions  of  trust  and  responsi- 
bility he  proved  a valuable  citizen  and  efficient 
official.  His  brothers  were  John  and  Moses.  Other 
families  of  the  name  were  John,  Smith,  Woodman, 
Samuel,  Jr.,  and  Rev.  Daniel,  all  active  men. 

Joseph  Jonas  was  a citizen  in  1813,  but  does  not 
appear  in  earlier  lists. 

Abel,  Samuel  and  Daniel  Kimbal  and  George 
Keniston  were  assessed,  but  the  time  and  place  of 
their  settlement  is  not  certain.  Later,  Mr.  Kimbal 
lived  north  of  Samuel  F.  Gilman. 

Elder  John  Knowles  settled  on  the  south  part  of 
Liberty  Hill  and  became  the  minister  of  a church 
organized  in  that  part  of  the  town.  He  also  preached 
at  Gilford  village  and  other  places.  He  was  a farmer 
at  the  same  time  and  a man  of  high  standing.  His 
sons,  John  D.  and  Elbridge,  became  ministers  also. 
The  former  preached  at  various  places  and  embraced 
Second  Adventism.  The  latter  was  settled  at  the 
Province  Road  Church,  a Free-Will  Baptist.  Wil- 
liam, another  son,  lived  at  different  places,  and  was 
a while  the  miller  at  the  Hoyt  (then  Morrill’s)  Mill. 
Another  sou  became  a Shaker  at  Canterbury.  The 
family  and  name  is  but  limitedly  known  at  the 
present  time. 

Colonel  Samuel  Ladd  came  to  Meredith  Bridge  and 
bought  of  Stephen  Gale  his  mill  and  mill  privilege. 
This  mill  was  built  about  1775  on  the  Meredith  side 
and  was  carried  away  by  a freshet  in  1779.  In  1780, 
Colonel  Ladd  rebuilt  the  mill  on  the  Gilford  side,  and 
also  built  a dwelling-house,  which  was  the  first  one 
at  that  place,  and  has  ever  since  been  known  as  the 
Mill-House.  The  dam  built  here  proved  insufficient 
to  withstand  the  pressure  of  so  great  a volume  of 
water.  It  was  carried  away  three  times  (in  three 
successive  years)  after  Colonel  Ladd  built  it  and  once 
before.  The  mill  was  burnt  in  1788  and  rebuilt  and 
enlarged,  with  machinery  for  sawing  added  to  that 
for  grinding.  With  heroic  courage,  he  established 
the  milling  business  at  this  place.  Dudley  Ladd  con- 
tinued the  enterprise,  and  Jonathan  appears  taxed 
in  1813. 

John  Lamprey  settled  near  the  Alton  line  and 
built  a saw-mill  on  a small  stream  near  his  house. 
His  was  the  only  family  of  that  name  in  Gilford  at 
that  time,  but  at  a later  date  a family  of  the  name 
located  at  Meredith  Bridge.  He  was  a man  of  great 
strength  and  endurance.  His  sons  were  John,  Rich- 
ard, Samuel  and  Reuben,  who  settled  in  different 
places.  The  family  is  but  limitedly  represented  at 
the  present  time  here. 


Winthrop,  Moses  and  Vowell  Langley  appear  in 
the  lists,  and  their  location  was  in  the  northwest  part 
of  the  town,  and  the  name  is  not  now  common. 

The  Leavitt  family  is  reckoned  as  among  the  early 
comers  into  town.  Stephen  is  said  to  have  come  in 
1785,  and  Jonathan  in  1793.  The  particular  families 
that  have  located  in  town,  besides  Jonathan’s  and 
Stephen’s,  were  those  of  Reuben,  Jonathan,  Jr., 
Lieutenant  Samuel  and  Miles,  all  on  the  Lake- 
Shore  road  ; and  Benjamin,  Stephen,  Jr.,  and  Jacob, 
all  on  the  Intervale ; Miles  Jr.,  in  the  Miles  River 
Valley;  Nehemiah,  Samuel,  Jr.,  and  Jonathan  (the 
Little)  and  Levi,  elsewhere  in  town.  The  family 
grant  was  a large  one,  and  the  descendants  are 
widely  dispersed  and  variously  connected.  Fred- 
erick Lewis  is  in  the  list,  but  his  location  is 
uncertain.  Joseph  and  Benjamin  Libby  settled  on 
the  Oaks  road,  and  later,  Elias  occupied  the  place. 
The  family  was  of  good  repute,  and  is  still  there. 
Levi  Lovit  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers,  first  lo- 
cating near  Black  Brook,  then  near  Governor’s  Is- 
land, after  a short  residence  in  Meredith;  his  trade 
was  that  of  basket-making,  and  the  sons  followed 
the  same  business.  Ephraim  Mallard  settled  early 
at  Meredith  Bridge,  and  carried  on  the  cabinet  and 
furniture  business ; and  he  was  for  many  years  moder- 
ator at  town-meetings,  and  was  a man  of  distinction, 
and  trustworthy.  Was  representative,  and  held  sev- 
eral other  offices  in  the  gift  of  the  people.  The  only 
other  family  of  the  name  was  that  of  Henry,  a 
brother,  who  lived  at  the  centre  and  eastern  part  of 
the  town,  in  different  houses.  James  McCoy  was 
brought  to  town  by  Captain  S.  F.  Gilman,  by  whom 
he  was  brought  up,  and  near  whom  he  lived.  He  had 
the  care  of  the  burying-ground  in  that  part  of  the 
town,  and  was  thought  to  have  magic  power,  or  art,  to 
cure  the  toothache.  His  family  and  name  have  not 
been  known  in  town  for  some  years. 

Elder  Richard  Martin  came  to  Gilford  in  the  year 
1796.  Four  years  previous,  in  1792,  two  meeting- 
houses were  begun  in  what  was  then  called,  as  a whole, 
the  Upper  Parish,  viz.:  the  Province  Road  and  the 
Gunstock  meeting-houses.  The  one  was  intended  as 
a Second  Parish  Congregational  Church ; and,  as  the 
Baptist  interests  and  cause  was  pushed  in  the  Lower 
Parish,  to  a separation  the  Upper  Parish  Church 
(being  built  by  common  taxation,  or  town  aid)  was  to 
be  for  the  free  use  of  Baptists  also,  and  even  of  any 
other  dissenting  parties  or  bodies.  The  Baptists  were 
conceded  the  use  of  the  church  a portion  of  the  time, 
and  to  the  occupancy  of  the  church  for  that  part  of 
the  time  Elder  Martin  was  invited  by  the  Baptist 
party,  as  he  had  been  ordained  the  year  previous,  at 
Lee,  as  a Baptist  preacher.  He  settled  on  the  lot 
next  to  the  church.  It  is  not  stated  that  this  lot  was 
the  one  regularly  reserved  as  a parsonage  lot.  It  partly 
abutted  on  the  lot  set  apart,  in  1780,  for  the  minis- 
terial support,  viz.:  No.  10,  in  the  thirteenth  range> 
and  the  one  on  which  the  village  is  mostly  situated. 


744 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


A forty-acre  lot,  on  the  south  end  of  the  second  divi- 
sion of  such  lots,  was,  in  1771,  assigned,  apparently,  for 
each  of  the  two  Upper  Parish  ministerial  supports,  and 
another  one  hundred  acre  lot  in  Tioga,  No.  13  of  the 
seventh  range,  so  that  the  two  North  Parish  enter- 
prises seemed  to  have  their  provisions  made  for  sup- 
port. Perhaps  the  Baptists  did  not  claim  exclusive 
right  to  this;  hence  Mr.  Martin  did  not  settle  on  it. 
He  built  his  house  conveniently  near  to  the  church 
as  it  were,  forty  rods. 

When  measures  were  taken  to  install  him  by  the 
Baptists  he  dissented  from  the  Calvinistic  feature  of 
their  articles  of  faith,  being  an  Immersionist,  but  not 
a Calvinist.  He  therefore  became  a preacher  of  that 
party,  which  also  rejected  the  Calvinistic  sentiments, 
and  which  was  organized  into  an  Anti-Calvinistic 
Baptist  Church,  agreeing  substantially  with  the 
preachings  of  Benjamin  Randal  and  John  Buzzell 
and  which  'had  already  been  termed  the  Free-Will 
Baptists. 

He  exercised  his  ministry  with  and  for  this  class  of 
people,  in  this  and  adjoining  places,  for  a little  more 
than  twenty-five  years,  until  his  death,  in  1824.  He 
was  a man  endeared  and  faithful.  He  cultivated  his 
farm,  and,  with  his  sons,  carried  on  some  business  in 
the  line  of  tanning,  as  did  his  brother-in-law,  James 
Follet,  who  was  settled  by  his  side.  His  family  in- 
cluded two  sons — Richard,  Jr.,  and  John  L. — and  a 
daughter,  who  married  George  Saunders.  These 
were  persons  of  marked  power.  Richard  was  efficient 
as  a ready  lay  preacher,  and  John  L.  as  a propagator 
of  doctrines  differing  from  those  held  by  the  father, 
and  more  coincident  with  the  Universalist  faith. 
He  was  prominent  in  public  civil  affairs  while  he  re- 
mained a citizen  of  Gilford,  from  which  he  emigrated 
after  the  death  of  his  father,  and  was  of  honorable 
standing  elsewhere.  Richard,  Jr.,  lived  at  Lake 
village,  or  near  there,  for  many  years,  and  left  a 
daughter. 

Aaron  Martin,  of  another  lineage,  was  a manu- 
facturer of  paper  at  Meredith  Bridge,  in  the  days  of 
its  beginning.  His  paper-mill,  located  on  the  Gilford 
side,  was  burnt,  and  ceased  operations  many  years 
ago,  and  the  manufactory  has  not  been  rebuilt  or  the 
work  resumed  by  other  adventurers. 

The  Martin  name  has  not  been  on  the  lists  in  later 
years. 

Lieutenant  Samuel  B.  Mason  and  Ephraim  Mason 
are  in  the  lists.  Mason  located  near  the  lake,  east 
from  Governor’s  Island.  The  family,  once  of  some 
standing,  has  not  remained  to  the  present. 

Caleb  Marsten  came  to  town  in  1793,  and  settled 
east  of  the  Intervale,  on  the  Mountain  road.  He  was 
a man  of  leading  ability,  a leader  in  meetings,  and 
improved  his  gifts  as  lay  preacher,  and  was  deacon  of 
the  first  church.  He  had  but  one  son,  Captain  Caleb 
O.,  who  was  a prominent  citizen,  and  several  daugh- 
ters, who  became  well  connected;  and,  though  the 
name  has  disappeared,  the  lineal  descendants  are 


many,  and  preserve  the  qualities  of  the  parent 
stock.  Some  of  the  best  elements  of  society  are 
traceable  to  this  source. 

James  Merrill  settled  on  the  Intervale,  and  from 
this  family  was  Major  J.  Q.  Merrill  descended.  The 
family  had  but  few  members. 

Another  brother  settled  south  of  Folsom’s  Mills, 
and  was  a farmer. 

John  Meloon  was  an  early  settler  and  miller  at  the 
Morrill  grist-mill. 

A son,  Waldo,  emigrated  to  Bear  Island,  and  the 
name  is  no  longer  known  here. 

John  Mooney  came  from  New  Durham,  and  settled 
near  Alton,  on  the  Mountain  road.  *He  was  a man 
of  standing  and  property.  He  had  a large  family ; 
his  sons  were  Benjamin,  Burnham,  Joseph,  Stephen 
(who  was  a preacher  among  Adventists)  and  Charles. 
The  estate  is  still  held  in  the  name,  and  many  of  the 
descendants  live  in  the  vicinity. 

The  Morrill  families  are  prominent  among  the  in- 
habitants. These  are  not  from  the  same  stock,  and 
are  located  in  different  parts. 

Barnard  Morrill  came  early  from  Brentwood ; 
worked  with  Jeremiah  Thing  and  learned  the  tan- 
ning business.  Mr.  Thing’s  residence  and  business  was 
on  Liberty  Hill.  Afterwards  Mr.  Morrill  located  at 
Hoyt  & Smith’s  mill,  on  the  ministry  lot,  and  carried 
on  the  tanning  and  shoe  business.  Subsequently  he 
purchased  the  mill  and  the  grist-mill  and  the 
ministry  lot,  and  carried  on  the  large  part  of  the 
business  of  the  place.  He  was  esquire  and  captain 
and  a leading  man  in  his  times.  He  had  but  one  son, 
General  J.  J.  Morrill,  who  continued  his  business, 
enlarged  it  and,  in  company  with  other  men  at 
different  times  (in  the  tanning  department  only), 
prosecuted  it  for  many  years  by  steam-power.  The 
lumbering  interests  have  all  the  time  engaged  their 
special  attention.  The  property  held  by  them  has 
been  large,  and  located  in  different  parts  of  the  town 
and  elsewhere.  Farming,  and  on  an  improved  plan, 
has  been  successfully  and  continuously  conducted, 
and  profitably. 

Jonathan  Morrill  settled  in  the  upper  part  of  the 
Miles  River  Valley,  at  the  natural  pond  included  in 
the  Foster’s  Pond  ffowage.  The  descendants,  a large 
family  of  sons,  settled  in  the  immediate  vicinity, 
called  the  Morrill  Neighborhood.  They  have  gained 
wealth  by  industry  and  economy,  and  still  hold  their 
numbers  and  standing. 

James  Morrill  settled  near  the  mountains ; Zebedee, 
near  the  Jewetts;  Samuel  and  John  D.,  at  the  foot  of 
Mount  Major,  and  afterwards  elsewhere. 

Amos  Morrill  carried  on  the  wool- carding  business 
at  Hoyt’s  Mills  at  one  time,  which  business  was 
transferred  to  the  fulling-mill  below,  on  the  same 
stream,  and  carried  on  by  other  parties. 

Benjamin  and  Henry  and  Uriah  Morrison  were 
citizens  at  early  times,  the  latter  being  minister  of 
the  Baptist  Church  when  it  worshiped  in  the  Gun- 


GILFORD. 


745 


stock  meeting-house,  or  in  the  school-house  and 
other  places  in  the  vicinity,  as  that  was  their  custom 
for  many  years  before  the  church  was  built  at  Lake 
village.  He  came  from  Somersworth  to  supply  the 
Baptists  in  the  Upper  Parish,  then  organized  into  the 
Second  Church,  and  placed  under  his  care  in  1811. 
He  lived  near  the  Locklin,  in  the  house  afterwards 
occupied  by  Dr.  Josiah  Sawyer.  He  died  in  1817, 
after  a pastorate  of  about  six  years,  and  his  wife  died 
soon  after  this,  in  1819,  and  the  family  did  not  remain 
in  town  afterwards. 

The  other  Morrison  families  were  not  long  con- 
tinued in  town,  save  that  of  James  and  Abram. 
Benjamin  is  said  to  be  of  Deerfield. 

! The  Morrison  family  located  on  Liberty  Hill,  of 
whom  Mrs.  Barnard  Morrill,  Esq.,  was  descended 
i (viz.,  Jonathan  Morrison,  who  was  a Revolutionary 
soldier),  emigrated  elsewhere,  and  was  succeeded  by 
John  Stevens.  (He  lived  awhile,  after  leaving 
Gilford,  in  Tuftonborougli,  N.  H.) 

James  Morrison  succeeded  to  his  father’s  estate  at 
Meredith  Bridge,  and  was  a teacher  at  times,  and 
afterwards  carried  on  the  wool-carding  business  at 
Meredith  Bridge,  in  the  old  Parker  warp-mill,  and 
added  fulling  and  dressing  of  cloth  to  his  business, 
and  was  succeeded  in  the  business  by  the  Buzzells, — 
father  and  sons.  He  left  no  family,  and  was  a man 
of  good  ability  and  decided  character. 

Abram  Morrison,  his  brother,  has  long  been  a busi- 
ness man  at  the  same  place.  He  kept  the  Eager 
Hotel  from  1846  to  1857,  the  Willard  from  1857  to 
1868,  and  since  then  a livery-stable,  and  succeeds  to 
the  homestead  and  brother’s  residence. 

Captain  John  Moody  was  assessed  but  not  definitely 
located.  The  Moody  family  and  name  was  known  to 
the  Lower  Parish,  and  not,  save  as  land-holder,  here. 

Jacob  Morse  settled  on  the  border  of  Alton,  near 
two  sons, — Abner  and  David, — whose  families  still 
remain.  They  were  industrious  farmers. 

Dr.  George  W.  Munsey,  in  boyhood,  lived  with 
Samuel  Blaisdell.  In  youth  he  studied  at  Dummer’s 
Academy,  in  Newbury,  Mass.,  and  was  a teacher ; 
when  a young  man,  married  Hannah  Barton,  of 
Epsom,  and  afterwards  practiced  medicine  in  Moul- 
tonborough,  Centre  Harbor  and  Gilford,  living  in 
several  places  in  this  town,  as  at  David  Hale’s,  on  the 
Oaks  road,  near  the  Alton  line,  on  the  Pond  road, 
and  at  two  places  in  the  Centre  village.  He  was  a 
practitioner  of  no  ordinary  ability  and  skill ; but, 
having  a large  family  to  support  and  an  uuremuner- 
ative  practice,  peculiar  to  those  days,  was  often  in 
straitened  circumstances.  He  had  good  powers  of 
oratory,  and  after  the  Washingtonian  movement,  led 
by  John  Hawkins,  he  lectured  on  temperance  as  a 
reformed  man.  He  lived  past  his  four-score,  and  his 
wife  to  her  one  hundredth  year.  Of  his  sons,  Barton 
is  a physician  of  the  eclectic  practice  and  the  homoe- 
opathic principle.  His  skill  as  a practitioner  and 
handiness  as  an  artisan  are  beyond  doubt.  He  early 
47 


worked  at  the  jeweler’s  business,  and  in  that  showed 
rare  inventive  ability.  His  travel  has  been  extensive, 
both  in  this  and  in  other  countries,  and  his  attain- 
ments are  commensurate. 

The  other  sons  were  George  W.,  Benjamin,  William, 
Amos  Prescot  and  David  Hall.  Of  these,  George  W., 
first,  and  afterward  Amos  Prescot  and  David  Hall 
worked  at  the  trade  of  shoe-making ; and  William 
and  Benjamin,  who  emigrated  to  Cape  Ann,  were  in 
trade  and  business  there.  Of  the  six  daughters,  four 
remain  living,  and  are  active  in  their  spheres.  One 
of  these  is  the  wife  of  Rev.  Josiah  Gilman,  of  Lynn, 
Mass. 

Josiah  and  Robert  Moulton  are  early  tax-payers, 
but  tradition  fixes  not  their  habitat ; and  John  C., 
of  Meredith  Bridge,  was  of  prominence  as  postmaster, 
trader  and  later  as  a manufacturer.  He  began  busi- 
ness at  Lake  village,  where  he  was  burnt  out.  His 
social  and  political  and  official  standing  has  been 
high. 

Captain  Jonathan  Nelson  was  tax-payer,  but  his 
habitat  uncertain. 

Captain  John  S.  Osgood  settled  near  Samuel  Jew- 
ett’s, and  Samuel  located  on  Liberty  Hill ; Prescot  at 
Meredith  Bridge.  The  name  and  family  was  of  some 
standing.  In  later  years  Enoch  Osgood  (wheel- 
wright) lived  at  Gilford  village,  and  Dr.  Osgood 
(dentist)  practiced  his  profession  at  Laconia. 

Of  Micajah  Osborne,  only  his  assessment  is  men- 
tioned. 

John  and  Joseph  Odlin  have  been  citizens  and 
tradesmen  in  recent  times. 

A Page  family,  that  of  a soldier  in  the  War  of  the 
Revolution,  wassettled  near  Daniel  Hoyt’s.  The  house 
and  family  soon  disappeared,  but  Henry  Page,  of  San- 
down,  was  a tax-payer  for  many  years,  and  then  ceases 
that  name  altogether. 

Captain  Rufus  Parish  is  tax-payer  for  Cynthia 
Parish. 

William  Peasley  also  is  a tax-payer,  though  prob- 
ably non-resident. 

Stephen  Pearly  was  settled  at  Meredith  Bridge, 
where  he  was  in  trade,  and  stocked  a store  at  James 
Follet’s,  and  by  clerks  carried  on  a business  some  years. 
He  was  a tax-payer  in  the  early  years  of  the  town ; a 
man  of  distinction  and  enterprise  at  the  village  where 
he  lived.  The  family  included  Dr.  John  L.  Pearly,  of 
some  note  as  a practitioner  and  as  a citizen  of  Mere- 
dith and  Laconia. 

The  Piper  family  was  settled  first  in  the  south- 
eastern part  of  the  town,  and  the  names  of  Nathaniel 
and  Thomas  are  the  only  ones  in  the  early  tax-lists. 
Alfred  lost  an  arm  and  lived  many  years  at  Mere- 
dith Bridge. 

Henry  Plummer  came  early  to  Gilmanton.  Henry, 
Jr.,  settled  at  the  base  of  Mount  Minor,  or  the  Piper 
Mountain  ; he  was  a mason  by  trade.  William  or 
Billy  Plummer  is  in  the  list,  and  Jesse  Plummer  also 
lived  near  the  mountain.  The  heirs  of  Hannah 


746 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Plummer  are  also  in  the  list  of  the  assessed.  Thomas 
and  Moses  are  found  dwelling  on  the  Oaks  road  on 
the  homestead,  and  Thomas  later  at  the  Plains  and  in 
Lake  village.  He  was  a wheelwright  and  worked  at 
that  trade  many  years,  and  died  at  an  advanced  age 
and  left  no  family.  Moses  left  two  sons,  Thomas  and 
James,  who  were  active  business  men,  but  lived  at 
different  places.  James  was  hotel  landlord  and 
tradesman. 

Joseph  and  Israel  Potter  settled  early  in  the  vicinity 
of  Gilford  village.  They  were  brothers,  held  good 
lots  and  their  families  remain  to  this  day.  They 
came  directly  from  the  Lower  Parish,  where  Samuel 
Potter  settled  in  1783.  Their  families  were  not  large 
and  they  both  worked  at  shoe-making.  In  the  second 
generation  these  families  were  large,  through  Joseph, 
Jr.,  of  one,  and  Thomas  of  the  other.  The  late  Adju- 
tant John  M.  and  Thomas  D.,  of  Boston,  being  of 
considerable  note  as  traders  and  manufacturers,  rep- 
resent these  families  respectively. 

Jonathan  Prescot  came  to  Gilmanton  in  1793,  and 
died  in  1809.  Jonathan,  of  the  third  generation,  son  of 
Timothy,  was  tax-payer  in  1813.  Horatio  G.  was  also 
a citizen  at  the  same  time,  and  did  business  at  Mere- 
dith Bridge,  and  was  the  first  postmaster  there,  in 
1824.  The  office  was  named  simply  Gilford,  though 
sometimes  kept  on  the  Meredith  side. 

Richard  Palmer  is  assessed  in  1808,  but  his  habitat 
is  uncertain. 

Jacob  Quimby  was  a resident  at  one  time  near  the 
Intervale. 

Lieutenant  Philbrook  Rand  settled  near  Abel 
Hunt’s  in  1790,  and  north  of  Gunstock  Hill,  and  im- 
proved some  excellent  land.  The  family  still  occupy 
the  old  homestead,  and  Simon,  his  son,  has  been  a 
prominent  citizen.  Joseph  Rand  lived  awhile  at  the 
village,  and  removed  from  the  town  in  its  first  years. 
The  Rand  family  was  not  large.  George  Rand  was 
once  a resident,  but  emigrated  early,  and  Samuel  also. 

Benjamin  Richardson  appears  to  be  an  inhabitant 
in  1813.  Habitat  uncertain. 

Joseph  Robberts,  from  New  Durham,  settled  in 
the  Mooney  neighborhood,  and  was,  by  trade,  a 
tailor.  He  carried  on  also  farming,  and  had  a large 
family,  of  whom  Charles  and  Joseph  are  successful 
business  men  in  Boston, — dealers  in  iron  and  ma- 
chinery. They  wrought  at  blacksmithing  before 
leaving  Gilford.  The  family  lias  gone  from  the 
homestead,  and  settled  in  various  places. 

The  Rollins  name,  so  common  in  Alton,  had  one 
representative  in  Gilford  in  John  Rollins,  who  is 
taxed  for  property  near  the  Alton  line.  Elder  John 
Rollins,  from  Moultonborough,  preached  a while, 
succeeding  Richard  Martin. 

The  Rowe  family  is  quite  extensive,  and  was  early 
settled  in  the  place.  Ezekiel  and  Jacob  came  in 
1796.  Jeremiah  appears  soon  after,  and  Richard  and 
Samuel;  also  Jeremiah  (2d  and  3d),  and  Joseph. 
They  settled  in  the  south  part  of  the  town,  near 


Liberty  and  Cotton’s  Hills.  Kelley  Rowe  was  after- 
wards a Baptist  preacher,  though  never  ordained. 
Benjamin  Rowe  came  from  Brentwood  in  1816,  and 
worked  at  the  wool-carding  business,  at  the  Upper 
Mill,  near  Hoyt’s  saw-mill,  and  also  at  the  Lower  Mill, 
whither  the  machinery  was  removed.  He  also  car- 
ried on  farming,  brick-making  and  the  making  of 
farming  implements,  as  wheels,  plows,  rakes,  etc. 
He  lived  to  be  nearly  one  hundred  years  old;  was  a 
teacher  of  vocal  music  and  a drummer  in  early  life. 
His  oldest  son,  Hon.  John  M.,  was  long  engaged  in 
the  quarry  business,  at  Frankfort,  Me.,  and  resides 
still  there.  Another  son,  Benjamin  F.,  was  professor 
of  elocution,  teaching  that  department  at  Bowdoin 
College  and  elsewhere,  and  died  young.  The  members 
of  this  family  were  all  excellent  singers  and  musicians. 

Moses  Rowell  settled  on  the  Oaks  road,  between 
the  Weirs  and  Upper  Weirs,  and  had  two  sons,  Jacob 
and  Philip.  These  three  families  are  nearly  extinct; 
the  name  is  not  left. 

Jacob  Rundlet  (sometimes  spelled  Ranlet)  settled 

! near  Governor’s  Island,  and  was  a man  of  influence, 

I . 1 

and  held  the  office  of  deacon.  The  family  name 
is  lost,  though  a lineal  descendant  represents  the 
family.  Theophilus  Ranlet  is  the  only  other  one  of 
the  name  on  the  tax-list. 

Isaac  Runnells  settled  on  the  Intervale  at  the 
Thomas  Foster  place.  The  name  and  family  have 
not  had  a representative  in  later  years. 

Thomas  Saltmarsli,  selectman  the  first  year  of  the 
town’s  corporate  state,  had  settled  at  the  Pond,  called 
sometimes  the  Saltmarsli  Pond,  and  sometimes  Chat- 
tleborough  Pond,  after  the  name  of  one  Thomas 
Chattle,  who  had  lived  awhile  and  squatted  on  the 
opposite  (south)  shore  of  it;  and  he  (Saltmarsh)  had 
a good  farm  and  good  social  standing.  The  family 
continued,  represented  by  three  sons,  Thomas,  Wil- 
liam and  Seth,  but  has  now  disappeared. 

The  Sandborn,  or  Sanborn  family,  is  extensive  and 
of  several  distinct  divisions.  The  numerous  inhabit- 
ants of  Sanbornton  are  allied.  Deacon  Jonathan 
settled  at  the  foot  of  Liberty  Hill,  and  had  a good 
estate.  He  was  a man  of  piety  and  influence,  and 
his  sons  were  Jonathan,  Jacob  and  Joseph.  The 
latter  was  a trader  at  Gilford  village,  and  carried  on 
extensively  the  cooperage  business,  making  barrels 
for  the  Portsmouth  market.  Israel  settled  south  of 
Liberty  Hill,  and  his  son  was  Deacon  Levi,  of  Mere- 
dith Bridge,  and  daughter  Mary,  the  school-mistress 
of  those  early  years.  Benjamin  Sanborn,  of  another 
lineage,  settled  in  the  Jewett  neighborhood ; and  his 
sons  were  Benjamin  Jr.,  Esq.,  and  Abial.  Lowell 
Sanborn,  of  still  another  lineage,  whose  sons  were 
Lowell,  Richard  and  Elisha,  settled  near  the  lake, 
off  Governor’s  Island  : and  Samuel  Gilman  Sanborn, 
father  of  Captain  Winborn  and  John  G.  (also  a son 
of  Lowell,  Sr.),  was  located  in  the  same  neighbor- 
hood, and  was  a man  of  uncommon  ability  and  hon- 
orable influence. 


GILFORD. 


747 


Richard  settled  near  Captain  S.  F.  and  Lieuten- 
ant John  Gilman.  He  was  a carpenter,  as  was 
Lowell  and  his  sons,  and  also  his  own  three  sons, — 
Lowell,  Jr.,  Richard,  Jr.,  and  Osgood.  By  these  six 
or  seven  men  much  of  the  building  of  those  days  was 
done.  Samuel  and  David  are  reckoned  in  the  same 
connection.  Benjamin,  of  Laconia,  the  carpenter, 
was  of  the  family  of  Lowell ; and  Benjamin,  the  shoe- 
dealer,  first  at  Lake  village  and  later  of  Laconia, 
was  of  another  family.  Mesheck  Sanborn  came  later 
to  Gilford  village  from  Brentwood,  to  conduct  the 
wool-carding  and  fulling  business.  He  bought  and 
; run  the  Chapman  (or  Mingo)  Mill ; was  afterwards  post- 
master and  store-keeper, alone  and  in  company;  was 
1 town  clerk  and  in  various  places  of  responsibility.  He 
had  no  sons,  but  five  daughters,  who  are  well  con- 
| nected,  one  of  them  being  the  wife  of  General  J.  J. 
Morrill,  and  another  married  Dr.  A.  G.  Weeks. 
Lowell  Sanborn,  popularly  termed  Deacon  Lowell, 
a millwright  and  mechanic  at  large,  was  from  Gil- 
manton,  and  returned  thither  and  was  miller  at  Mor- 
rill’s grist-mill  awhile.  Joseph  Sanborn,  the  tailor, 
lived  and  worked  at  his  trade  near  Gunstock  Hill. 
John  Sargent  settled  very  near  and  to  the  southwest 
of  Captain  Gilman’s.  He  had  no  son  ; so  his  estate 
was  inherited  by  his  son-in-law,  JohnS.  Hunt.  Wil- 
liam Sargent,  drover  and  later  a hotel-keeper  at  Lake 
village,  first  settled  on  that  part  of  Meredith,  and 
later  of  Laconia,  which  has  been  lately  annexed  to 
Gilford.  He  was  a man  of  business,  and  had  suffered 
the  loss  of  an  arm  and  an  eye.  George  Sanders  set- 
tled near  the  lake,  by  the  Sanborns,  and  was  a lead- 
ing citizen.  He  married  the  daughter  of  Richard 
Martin,  had  a superior  farm,  and  a son  of  his,  George 
W.,  still  lives  in  town,  though  noton  the  homestead, 
but  near  by,  on  the  Intervale,  at  Captain  I.  P.  Smith’s 
place.  S.  W.  Sanders,  dealer  in  hardware  at  La- 
conia, is  of  another  family. 

Josiah  Sawyer  early  settled  on  the  height  of  land 
| west  of  the  Miles  River  Valley,  and  cultivated  a 
large  plant  there  and  adjacent.  His  sons  were  Is- 
rael, Dr.  Josiah,  John  and  Joseph,  and  of  these, 
Israel  had  the  homestead,  John  settled  in  West  Alton, 
Joseph  in  Gilmanton,  and  Dr.  Josiah  practiced  med- 
icine in  Gilford.  He  was  a practitioner  of  some 
medical  skill,  though  not  read  in  the  regular  course. 
Religiously,  he  held  deistical  sentiments.  The  Saw- 
yer name  is  still  kept,  though  there  were  but  few 
males  in  the  line.  Seth  Sawyer  afterwards  preached 
a while  in  the  Gilford  village  church. 

Thomas,  William,  Mathias  and  John  Sewall  are  the 
individuals  bearing  this  surname.  Thomas  first  lived  in 
the  south  part  of  the  town,  near  Liberty  Hill ; subse- 
quently he  moved  to  the  plains  near  Black  Brook  and 
married  the  widow  of  Samuel  Bartlett ; he  was  a drover 
at  one  time.  Mathias  lived  near  him  there  and  also  at 
other  places,  and  worked  at  the  tanning  business,  as 
did  also  Thomas.  He  lived  at  Gilford  village  at  dif- 
ferent times  and  worked  at  Thing’s  and  Morrill’s 


tanneries.  William  and  John  are  supposed  to  have 
remained  at  the  south  part  of  the  town.  The  family 
name  has  disappeared,  though  a lineal  descendant  re- 
mains. 

Levi  Shaw  settled  first  near  Israel  Potter’s,  on 
the  Sanborn  place,  then  at  or  near  Saltmarsh  Pond, 
and  afterwards  to  the  south  of  the  pond.  He  was  a 
man  of  great  physical  strength  and  endurance.  The 
family  name  has  become  extinct,  but  the  line  is 
kept  by  other  names.  William  Sibley  early  settled 
near  Gunstock  Mountain.  His  father  was  the  first 
merchant  in  Gilmanton.  His  half-brother,  George 
Littlefield  Sibley,  located  at  Meredith  Bridge ; was 
in  trade  many  years  and  agent  of  the  railroad  com- 
pany, and  afterwards  retired  and  died  at  great  age. 
William  Sibley  had  no  male  children,  and  Mrs.  John 
Elkins  succeeded  to  the  paternal  estate.  The  family 
name  is  now  extinct. 

The  name  of  Sleeper  is  represented  by  Esquire  Ne- 
hemiah,  Henry,  Joseph  and  Jonas.  Nehemiah,  Esq., 
settled  on  the  lake-shore,  near  Esquire  Evans’,  and 
was  possessed  of  a good  estate,  to  which  George, 
now  of  Laconia,  succeeded.  Joseph  and  Henry  were 
settled  near  Wm.  Sibley’s,  at  the  west  base  of  Gun- 
stock  Mountain,  and  Henry  did  business  at  Gilford 
village  and  emigrated  thence.  Joseph  was  the  ac- 
credited surveyor  of  his  times,  and  had  defined  for 
conveyance  most  of  the  lands  of  the  town.  He  sub- 
sequently moved  to  the  farm  in  the  Jewett  neighbor- 
hood. Henry,  Jr.,  lives  at  Lake  village,  and  has  held 
important  offices  in  the  town  government.  Jonas 
Sleeper  was  trader  at  Gilford  village  and  died  of 
spotted  fever  in  the  epidemic  of  the  winter  of  1814- 
1815.  His  sons  were  Dr.  Francis,  of  Laconia  ; Jonas, 
lawyer,  of  Haverhill,  N.  H. ; and  Sarah,  lately  Mrs. 
Smith,  of  Bankok,  Siam.  It  was  an  intellectual 
family.  The  mother  was  the  daughter  of  Farmer 
Bean,  of  Gilmanton.  The  daughter  was  preceptress 
at  New  Hampton,  and  one  of  the  first  missionaries  of 
the  Baptist  Society  to  India,  and  she  has  lived  there 
for  a period  of  some  fifty  years.  Francis  was  maimed 
in  childhood  by  the  fracture  of  his  skull  from  a 
fragment  of  a blast;  and,  though  he  sustained  the 
loss  of  some  portion  of  the  brain,  yet  skillful  sur- 
gery restored  health,  and  there  seemed  no  detriment 
of  intellectual  ability  resultant.  The  mother  mar- 
ried Benjamin  Jewett,  Jr.,  Esq.,  and  died  soon  after. 

The  Smith  family  is  of  special  importance  in  Gil- 
ford history.  Judge  Ebenezer  Smith,  of  Meredith, 
was  a man  superior  in  the  affairs  of  the  State 
about  the  time  of  the  Revolutionary  War.  His 
connection  with  the  early  surveys  of  this  territory 
enabled  him  to  know  the  location  of  the  best  lands. 
He  chose  considerable  tracts  on  and  near  the  Inter- 
vale, and  between  bogs  in  Meredith.  His  sons, 
Ebenezer,  Esq.  and  John,  Esq.,  improved  the  land 
thus  selected  here — Esquire  Ebenezer  at  the  head, 
and  Esquire  John  at  the  foot  of  the  Intervale.  One 
Oliver  Smith,  also  connected  with  the  survey,  had  a 


748 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


place  and  a rude  building  on  the  east  margin  of  the 
Intervale. 

The  sons  of  Esquire  Ebenezer  were  John,  Isaac, 
Daniel,  Joseph  P.  and  Ebenezer,  Jr.  John  occupied 
the  homestead  after  the  sudden  and  accidental  death 
of  the  father,  and  had  no  sons.  Ebenezer,  Jr.,  located 
a little  distance  north  of  the  homestead,  and  had  one 
son,  Jeremiah.  Joseph  P.  settled  at  different  places, 
elsewhere  and  at  the  village,  and  finally  on  the  flank 
of  the  Intervale,  near  Caleb  Marston’s  estate — a place 
bought  of  Joseph  Fifield,  and  improved  by  True  Bean, 
and  he  had  no  sons.  Daniel  was  of  an  inventive 
nature,  and  engaged  in  manufacturing  at  Meredith 
village,  and  afterwards,  on  a reverse  in  business, 
lived  at  his  father-in-law’s,  Richard  Dame’s,  and 
engaged  in  farming,  and  still  later  lived  at  Gilford 
village,  where  he  died,  and  left  no  son.  Isaac  settled 
on  the  Lake-Shore  road,  beyond  the  limits  of  Gilford, 
and  he  had  no  son.  The  family  held  social  distinc- 
tion from  first  to  last. 

The  other  son  of  Judge  Smith,  John,  Esq.,  lived 
awhile  here,  and  latterly  at  the  homestead  in  Mere- 
dith, and  his  son,  Captain  John,  or  Deacon  John, 
called  John  P.,  occupied  the  spacious  house  in  Gilford. 
The  property  of  father  and  son,  as  well  as  that  of  the 
grandfather,  was  great,  and  was  increased  by  inherit- 
ance from  another  son  of  Judge  Smith,  Daniel,  of 
Meredith.  The  religious  character  of  Esquire  John 
and  Deacon  John  P.  was  well  marked  and  of  a 
high  order,  aud  generous  gifts  to  the  needy  were  of 
no  infrequent  occurrence.  Here  was  an  asylum  for 
the  distressed.  John  P.  had  two  sons  and  one 
daughter, — Daniel  K.,  a proficient  scholar,  a surveyor 
of  precision  and  repute,  who  died  in  middle  age,  after 
holding  a major’s  commission  and  being  married,  but 
having  no  issue;  John  P.,  Jr.,  who  still  lives  in 
Gilford  ; and  the  wife  of  Richard  Gove,  of  Laconia, 
many  years  ago  deceased,  and  without  issue.  A son 
of  Washington  Smith,  of  Meredith  (the  remaining 
son  of  Judge  Smith),  by  the  name  of  Joshua,  lived 
in  that  part  of  Laconia  lately  annexed  to  Gilford. 
John  Rice  Smith,  of  Meredith,  has  been  a tax-payer 
in  Gilford  on  account  of  land  occupied  by  sons-in- 
law,  Stanford  Jackson  and  Dudley  Gilman  and  Moses  \ 
Dockham.  The  Smith  name  was  not,  as  elsewhere, 
proverbially  common  here. 

The  Stevens  family  was  early  in  Gilford.  Paul 
Stevens,  who  worked  at  shoe-making,  first  lived  in 
the  south  part  of  the  town,  and  then  near  Israel 
Potter’s,  in  the  house  built  by  Samuel  Potter.  He 
had  a large  family,  of  which  was  Colonel  Ebenezer 
Stevens,  who  worked  at  the  blacksmith  trade  at  Gil- 
ford village,  and  since  living  at  Meredith  village, — a 
man  of  high  social  standing  and  rare  ability.  Also  j 
William,  who  also  worked  at  blacksmithing  at  Gil- 
ford village,  and  afterwards  emigrated  to  the  West, 
having  one  daughter,  the  wife  of  Benjamin  Wad- 
leigh,  Esq.  Also  Paul,  Jr.,  who  was  a mason  by 
trade;  and  Smith,  and  John  and  Moses,  and  several  * 


daughters,  who  were  residents,  and  conducted  busi- 
ness in  the  line  of  millinery  at  several  places. 

John  Stevens  settled  on  Liberty  Hill  and  had  a 
large  estate  there,  bought  of  Jonathan  Morrill.  He 
had  sons,  Sherburn,  Hubbard  and  Sickum.  The 
estate  was  later  occupied  by  his  daughters,  but  has 
since  passed  into  other  hands.  The  sons,  except  Sher- 
burn, moved  to  other  places,  and  the  other  members 
of  the  family  also  removed.  Sherburn  lived  south  of 
Liberty  Hill  and,  at  last,  near  Laconia.  He  had  two 
sons,  Frank  and  John,  who  were  dentists,  and  the 
former  was  also  physician. 

Daniel  Stevens  was  an  early  settler,  and  located  at 
the  south  part  of  the  town.  Benjamin  Stevens  lived 
near  Lieutenant  John  Gilman,  and  afterwards  moved 
to  the  town  of  Hill.  Ensign  Stevens  (so  called),  once 
lived  on  Gunstock  Hill,  where  Jeremiah  Gilman 
afterwards  lived,  and  later  lived  at  Lake  village  and 
elsewhere. 

Nathaniel  Stevens,  a tailor,  came  to  Meredith 
Bridge  about  1840,  and  pursued  his  vocation  there 
many  years,  and  with  good  success. 

Nathan  Swain  and  Joseph  Swain  were  citizens;  the 
latter  located  near  the  Locklin,  and  had  sons,  Moses 
and  Silvester,  who  live  elsewhere.  He  was  a man 
of  religious  activity.  His  wife  died  from  burns, 
when  his  house  was  consumed.  The  estate  has  gone 
out  of  the  name,  but  to  direct  heirs. 

Chase  Swain  lived  at  different  places,  and  a sou, 
Charles,  was  a blacksmith  at  Gilford  village  and  other 
places. 

Henry  Swasey  lived  in  the  west  part  of  the  town, 
and  his  son  Henry  served  his  time  at  Henry  Whit- 
tier’s, and  has  since  been  in  trade  at  Lake  village. 

Littlefield  Taylor  was  in  the  tax-list  of  1813,  and 
his  residence  not  indicated. 

Badger  Taylor  was  a machinist  at  Meredith  Bridge 
for  many  years.  He  had  one  son,  who  became  a 
minister,  and  a daughter  who  was  well  connected. 

General  Tay  (so  called),  lived  at  Meredith  Bridge, 
and  was  builder  there. 

The  Thing  family  is  an  old  one,  and  includes  Jere- 
miah, Jesse,  Joseph,  Jeremiah,  Jr.,  and  Morrill,  and 
some  of  later  generations,  though  not  numerous. 

Jeremiah  settled  on  Liberty  Hill  before  the  begin- 
ning of  this  century,  and  carried  on  the  tanning  busi- 
ness, and  had  Bernard  Morrill  as  apprentice,  and 
others.  He  came  from  Brentwood  and  had  two  sons, 
Jeremiah,  Jr.,  and  Morrill,  who  also  were  tanners. 
The  former  lived  at  the  homestead  till,  in  later  years, 
he  went  into  trade  with  Jewett  & Chase,  at  the  vil- 
lage, and,  still  later,  at  New  Hampton. 

He  was  in  his  younger  years  a school-teacher  and  a 
severe  disciplinarian.  Morrill  Thing  carried  on  the 
tanning  business  at  Gilford  village  for  several  years, 
and  afterwards  at  the  homestead ; and,  after  the 
death  of  his  parents,  moved  to  the  Mathias  Weeks 
place,  and  remained  there  till  death.  He  was 
repeatedly  in  office  as  selectman  and  representative 


GILFORD. 


749 


I 

and  in  other  positions.  He  was  well  versed  in  town 
affairs,  and,  in  the  Legislature,  a man  of  ability  and 
trust.  His  family  were  mostly  short-lived,  and  but 
few  of  them  remain.  His  wife  was  from  the  line  of 
Esquire  Benjamin  Weeks,  and  an  executive  woman. 

! Associated  is  Jesse  Thing,  of  whom  less  is  known 
now.  Joseph  Thing  lived  near  the  mountain,  by 
William  Sibley’s.  His  son  Joseph  lived  at  Lake  vil- 
lage, and  a grandson  is  an  artist  in  Ohio.  He  after- 
wards moved  to  Lake  village,  and  was  a man  of 
ability.  He  was  a carpenter  by  trade  ; built  the 
Goodhue  house,  and  kept  a small  store.  He  was 
- elevated  to  positions  of  trust,  and  was  a useful  citi- 
zen. Gilman  Thing  succeeded  to  the  Captain  Gilman 
estate,  and  had  no  son. 

The  Thompson  family  was  one  of  the  early  ones, 
and  quite  large.  David  Thompson  settled  near  the 
Miles  River  in  its  middle  course.  His  sons  were 
Jonathan,  Jr.,  and  Levi  B.,  the  latter  being  the 
youngest  of  the  family,  and  inheriting  the  homestead. 
After  the  death  of  the  parents  he  removed  to  Top- 
sham,  Me.,  and  was  in  trade  in  Brunswick,  Me.,  for 
some  years,  where  his  son,  Dr.  A.  J.  Thompson,  grad- 
uated. He  afterwards  was  in  trade  at  Gilford  village 
with  his  older  son,  John,  and,  still  later,  moved  to 
Sanbornton.  Dr.  A.  J.  Thompson  was  in  practice  at 
Meredith  Bridge ; went  into  the  army,  and,  after 
practicing  in  Salem,  Mass.,  awhile,  died  there.  He 
was  a man  of  superior  talents  and  of  high  social  stand- 
ing. Samuel  Thompson  settled  on  the  Lake-Shore 
road,  near  the  Intervale,  and  had  three  sons,  who 
lived  elsewhere  in  the  State.  Jonathan  Thompson 
lived  on  the  road  near  Governor’s  Island.  Jacob 
Thompson  lived  at  various  places.  Thomas  and 
Charles  are  also  named.  Most  of  the  members  of 
these  three  Thompson  families  were  of  great  stature, 
and  one  was  called,  to  distinguish  him  from  another 
of  the  same  name,  “ Long  John.”  The  families  have 
been  much  reduced  in  later  years,  and  there  is 
scarcely  any  of  the  lineage  bearing  the  name  left  in 
town. 

The  Thurston  family  was  early  on  the  ground  as 
settlers.  Benjamin  Thurston  came  soon  after  Sam- 
uel, who  is  recorded  as  settling  in  1791.  Samuel 
located  in  the  south  part  of  the  town,  and  Benjamin 
near  the  Intervale.  Miles  L.  and  Benjamin  L.  suc- 
ceeded him  in  the  order  of  descent  and  on  the  home- 
stead. They  held  a large  landed  estate,  and  were  in 
good  circumstances  and  robust.  The  widow  of  Ben- 
jamin (1st)  lived  to  be  in  her  one  hundredth  year, 
and  left  one  son  and  several  daughters.  Daniel, 
Benjamin,  Jr.,  and  Samuel,  Jr.,  were  of  the  other 
original  family,  and  settled  in  various  places,  some  on 
the  Lake-Shore  road  and  in  Alton.  Daniel  Torsey 
settled  near  the  mountain,  in  the  south  part  of  the 
town,  but  was  reduced,  and  for  long  years  lived  at  the 
almshouse,  and  died  aged.  Henry  and  Alva  Tucker 
are  in  the  list.  The  latter  was  a mechanic  at  Mere- 
dith Bridge.  He  was  a man  of  ability  and  good 


standing.  Henry  Wadleigli  came  to  town  with  Es- 
quire Benjamin  Weeks  in  1787.  He  was  son-in-law 
to  Esquire  Weeks,  and  settled  near  him,  and  worked 
at  blacksmithing.  He  had  sons,  William  and  Ben- 
jamin, who  also  worked  at  the  blacksmith  trade,  and 
the  latter  also  at  stone-cutting,  and  has  had  important 
official  positions,  and  is  a skilled  workman.  The 
family  is  still  represented  in  the  third  and  fourth 
generations. 

David  Watson,  of  Meredith,  cleared  land  in  Gil- 
ford, near  the  Gunstock  River  and  the  present  village, 
and  began  building  in  1798.  His  sons,  Jonathan 
and  Job,  lived  on  the  place.  Jonathan  also  subse- 
quently lived  near  the  Locklin,  in  the  Swain  house, 
and  at  length  moved  back  to  Meredith.  His  son, 
David,  of  Boston,  was  born  in  Gilford,  and  has  been 
long  in  business  in  Boston.  Job  occupied  the  estate 
in  1811,  and  had  a large  family.  Two  sons,  John  and 
Charles,  graduated  at  Bowdoin  College  and  at  Union 
Seminary,  and  have  labored  in  various  places.  David 
became  a carpenter,  learned  his  trade  in  Lowell,  and 
worked  there  some  years,  and,  later,  at  Laconia, 
where  he  lives  now.  The  daughters  are  settled  in 
different  places,  and  have  been  well  connected. 
Others  bearing  the  name  have  at  times  resided  in  the 
town. 

John  Webster,  in  1806,  and  Dudley  Webster,  in 
1813,  are  taxed;  supposed  to  dwell  near  Malachi 
Davis,  and  at  a time  near  Jackson’s  meadow. 

The  Weeks  families  are  large  and  of  special  im- 
portance in  the  history  of  the  town,  both  in  its  earlier 
stages  and  in  its  more  recent  course.  Benjamin 
Weeks,  Esq.,  as  has  been  said,  came  to  this  part  of 
the  town  in  1787.  He  had  lost  a barn  and  stock  of 
hay  in  the  Lower  Parish  a little  before  by  fire.  His 
father  had  died  about  the  same  time  in  Greenwood, 
N.  H.,  and  left  not  much  property.  He  moved  to 
Burton  for  two  or  three  years,  and  returned  without 
success,  in  1792.  He  bought  land  largely,  and  sold 
many  pieces,  and  had  four  hundred  or  five  hundred 
acres.  His  older  brother,  John,  came  with  him  and 
lived  near  by,  towards  Jonathan  Sanborn’s,  and  died 
in  1816,  aged  about  eighty-four  years.  Deacon  Noah 
Weeks,  another  brother,  came  about  the  same  time, 
and  settled  to  the  southwest  of  him,  on  Liberty  Hill, 
or  its  vicinity.  Esquire  Weeks  had  six  sons  and  one 
daughter,  all  born  in  the  last  quarter  of  the  last  cen- 
tury. He  aided  them  in  education  and  to  commence 
trade.  Daniel,  the  oldest,  began  trade  in  1801  at  the 
home  place;  Elisha,  the  third  son,  began  trade  there 
in  1802;  Matthias,  the  second  son,  studied  law,  and 
run  the  tan-yard  awhile ; and  William  attended  the 
academy  at  Gilmanton,  fitted  for  college  and  gradu- 
ated, and,  being  feeble  in  health,  went  South,  and 
taught  a few  years,  and  died  in  1810,  probably  the 
first  one  from  this  town,  or  its  territory,  who  gradu- 
ated at  college,  which  was  in  1806.  Benjamin  and 
Levi  R.  also  engaged  in  trade  in  their  early  life. 
Sally  married  Henry  Wadleigh,  and  was  inclined  to 


750 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


literary  life,  but  died  early.  From  these  were  a 
large  community  of  active,  enterprising  citizens. 
Elisha  settled  in  Strafford ; Levi  R.  moved  to  other 
places;  and  from  Benjamin’s  and  Daniel’s  families, 
each  large,  came  a number  of  tradesmen,  and  a good 
share  of  the  business  in  this  part  of  the  town  has 
been  done  by  them.  The  family  of  Deacon  Noah — 
viz. : Noah,  Ira  and  Mathias — have  also  been  of 
honorable  career,  and  have  been  marked  for  piety 
and  honesty. 

The  Whittier  family  are  also  of  honorable  mention 
and  important.  Deacon  Andrew  Whittier  came  and 
settled  early  near  Daniel  Hoyt’s.  He  was  a man  of 
influence,  and  raised  a family  who  were  among  the 
enterprising  men  of  former  days.  Timothy  succeeded 
to  the  homestead.  Jonathan  settled  nearly  on  the 
north,  and  was  a wheelwright  and  framer.  He  after- 
wards built  and  operated  a mill,  including  grist-mill, 
thresher  and  carriage-shop.  Andrew  wrought  at 
shoemaking  nearer  the  village,  and  at  later  times 
lived,  and  died  at  his  father-in-law’s,  Abel  Hunt’s. 
Moses  and  Henry  settled  on  the  Oaks  road,  near  the 
Upper  Weirs.  Moses  was  a mechanic,  but  Henry 
was  a farmer,  and  had  no  family. 

John  Weymouth  is  taxed  in  1813;  and  Charles 
Willey,  who  lived  near  Governor’s  Island  ; and  Jacob, 
at  Lake  village ; and  Job  Wilson  and  Benning  Wil- 
kinson, concerning  whom  little  is  known  ; also  Jere- 
miah Young,  of  uncertain  location  and  history.  Dr. 
I.  K.  Young  preached  only  a short  time  in  the  church 
at  Meredith  Bridge,  while  it  stood  on  the  Gilford 
side.  Samuel  York  lived  on  the  Intervale  and  had 
sons  and  daughters. 

These  constitute  the  inhabitants  till  time  brought 
in  new  ones. 

The  Topography  of  the  Town. — The  form  of  the 
plat  is,  in  a measure,  determined  by  the  water  frontage 
and  the  terminal  mountain  run.  It  would  have  been 
nearly  rhomboidal,but  for  the  truncation  of  the  south- 
east corner,  which  was  rendered  advisable  by  reason 
of  such  section,  by  the  line  of  the  watershed  upon 
a continuous  chain  of  eminences.  The  only  line 
that  seems  not  determined  by  some  natural  feature  is 
on  the  southwest,  and  is  there  in  coincidence  with  the 
ranges  of  hundred-acre  lots  and  lies  between  the  elev- 
enth and  twelfth  ranges — (a  detachment  of  a portion 
of  the  eleventh  range,  near  Winnesquam  was  made 
only  a few  years  ago  and  annexed  to  Gilford,  and  still 
later  that  same,  with  theadjacentportion  ofthe  twelfth 
range  and  several  ofthe  southernmost  lots  of  the  sec- 
ond division  of  forty-acre  lots  and  with  the  common 
lots,  was  detached  from  Gilford  and  annexed  to  La- 
conia). About  two-thirds  ofthe  territory  of  the  town 
lies  on  the  northern  slope,  and  is  drained  directly 
into  the  lake.  The  other  one-third  slopes  to  the  west, 
and  is  drained  by  short  water-courses  into  the  river 
at  Lake  village,  Laconia  village  and  Winnesquam. 
There  are  onlyfoqr  inland  natural  ponds  and  these  of 
small  dimensions,  and  are  the  sources  of  as  many 


streams,  which  flow  in  three  valleys  in  the  town.  The 
first  is  at  the  southeast  border  of  the  town,  nearly 
on  the  division  line,  and  while  it  has  little  or  no 
basin  of  drainage,  discharges  any  overflow  in  an 
almost  indistinguishable  outlet  into  the  Suucook 
River.  Proverbially,  it  is  said  to  have  no  outlet  or 
inlet,  but  catches  and  bolds  the  rain  fall  on  the  surface 
and  narrow  terminal  rim,  and  overflowing  when  this 
is  in  excess  of  its  capacity.  It  abounds  with  horned 
pouts.  The  second  is  a little  pool  on  the  Miles  River, 
near  its  source.  It  was  largely  increased  in  extent, 
at  one  time,  by  flowage  in  consequence  of  the  dam  at 
Foster’s  mill,  which  is  no  longer  kept  up.  The  third 
is  a small  circular  pond  on  the  west  side  of  the  town, 
which  abounds  in  lilies  (hence  called  the  Lily  Pond), 
and  also  produces  a species  of  leeches.  With 
a very  slight  fall,  it  discharges  its  water  through 
Black  Brook  (so  called)  into  the  bog  at  the  Plains  (so- 
called)  above  Lake  village.  The  fourth  is  near  the 
centre  of  the  town,  and  is  known  as  the  Saltmarsh 
Pond,  being  near  the  residence  of  Thomas  Saltmarsh, 
a prominent  citizen  of  Gilmanton,  and  afterwards 
one  of  the  first  Board  of  Selectmen  of  Gilford.  It  is 
larger  than  the  other  three,  and  also  abounds  with  lilies 
and  the  horned  pout,  and  discharges  its  waters 
through  Jewett’s  Brook  into  the  river  above  the  falls 
at  Laconia. 

Besides  the  Winnipiseogee,  or  Merrimack,  on  the 
western  side  of  the  town,  and  by  reason  of  the  an- 
nexation recently  of  a portion  of  land  detached  from 
Laconia,  also  flowing  now  through  a part  of  the  town, 
there  are  seven  other  streams  in  or  adjoining  the 
town,  and  these,  though  mostly  inconsiderable  in 
size,  furnish  considerable  hydraulic  power.  The 
most  eastern  rises  and  flows  a short  distance  in  Gil- 
ford, and  then,  flowing  along  the  Alton  line,  passes 
finally  into  that  town,  and  enters  the  lake  at  AVest 
Alton.  It  was  not  made  much  use  of  for  motive- 
power,  except  in  its  lower  courses  in  Alton.  Its  two 
branches  drain  the  extreme  eastern  part  of  the  town. 
The  second  is  of  greater  volume,  and  rises  near  the  Sun- 
cook  Pond,  and  flows  north  through  a deep  and  rapidly- 
descending  valley-bottom  to  the  lake,  and  is  called 
Miles  River,  or  Leavitt’s  Brook,  taking  its  name  from 
two  men  by  the  name  of  Leavitt,  Miles  and  Samuel, 
who  had  mills  on  it.  It  drains  the  eastern  side  of 
Mount  Major  and  Gunstock  and  the  western  side  of 
Mount  Prospect.  Foster’s  and  Colby’s  mills  were  also 
on  this  stream  ; only  Colby’s  is  now  operated. 

The  third  and  still  larger  is  the  Gunstock,  which  ex- 
tends through  the  entire  length  of  the  town  from 
south  to  north.  It  drains  the  western  side  of  the 
former  mountains,  and  also  Mount  Minor,  the  north- 
ern side  of  Liberty  Hill,  and  the  eastern  slope  of 
Meeting-House  Hill,  or  Gunstock  Hill. 

The  valley  of  the  Gunstock  is  broad  in  parts  and 
contains  some  of  the  best  land  in  the  town.  Midway  in 
its  course  Gilford  village  is  situated,  where,  in  a narrow 
gorge,  the  mills  are  situated,  and  the  power  is  great. 


GILFORD. 


751 


and  the  fall  abrupt  for  a half-mile.  Six  mills 
have  been  located  on  this  stream,  and  its  lower  waters 
course  sluggishly  through  a plain  of  about  one  mile 
square,  of  alluvial  formation  and  exceedingly  fer- 
tile. A small  stream,  called  the  Meadow  Brook,  or 
Black  Brook,  courses  through  an  arm  of  this  plain, 
which  is  known  as  the  Intervale,  and  enters  the  lake 
near  the  mouth  of  the  Gunstock.  This  stream  has 
no  fall,  and  is  more  of  a creek  than  a river.  These 
rivers  at  certain  seasons  abound  with  the  suckeri 
which  comes  up  from  the  lake  to  spawn,  in  the  man- 
ner of  herring. 

The  stream  flowing  from  the  Lily  Pond,  by  the 
raising  of  the  dam  across  the  rapids  in  the  Winni- 
piseogee  at  Lake  village,  and  the  consequent  flowage, 
has  been  rendered  an  inlet  of  Long  Bay  up  half  its 
i course,  and  there  is  no  hydraulic  power  on  this 
stream . 

The  sixth  stream  has  about  three  miles  course  and 
i several  small  tributaries.  Its  main  branch,  in  its  upper 
course,  has  good  power.  Collins’  mill  is  on  it.  It 
drains  a section  of  the  town  extending  nearly  to  the 
I centre,  in  the  direction  of  the  Gully  and  the  north- 
west slope  of  Liberty  Hill.  Its  lower  course  is  with- 
out much  fall,  and  passes  through  some  excellent 
farms,  and  reaches  the  river  between  bogs  above  the 
falls  at  Laconia  village,  in  the  original  Samuel  Jew- 
ett estate.  It  is  called  the  Jewett  Brook  there,  but 
Collins’  Stream  in  that  part  where  their  mill  is  lo- 
cated, and  where  it  issues  from  Saltmarsh  Pond,  or, 
as  it  is  sometimes  called,  Chattleborough  Pond.  On 
the  Gully  branch  lies  an  old  meadow,  called,  formerly, 
the  Jackson,  or  the  Smith’s  meadow,  owned  first  by 
I.  R.  Smith,  of  Meredith,  and  later  by  his  daughter, 
Mrs.  Jackson,  and  also  by  H.  Bugbee  and  others. 

The  seventh  stream  rises  in  the  southwest  part  of 
the  town,  and  in  the  edge  of  Gilman  ton  (now  Bel- 
mont), and  one  branch  of  it  near  Cotton’s  Hill,  and 
also  receives  the  waters  of  the  north  slope  of  Ladd’s 
Hill,  in  Belmont.  Passing  the  Province  road,  it 
courses  through  the  plain  in  the  southwest  part  of 
the  village  of  Laconia,  and  falls  into  the  Winne- 
squam  at  it  southeast  angle.  It  was  called  theDurkey 
Brook,  and  on  its  banks,  near  its  mouth,  there  was  a 
spring,  once  reputed  to  be  mineral  and  medicinal, 
Some  use  of  its  power  is  made  -near  the  Concord  stage 
road. 

The  great  river,  Winnipiseogee,  has,  or  had,  three 
places  of  power:  At  the  Weirs,  or  Prescott’s  Mills, by 
wing-dams,  three  feet  of  head  was  utilized;  but  flow- 
age  has  ruined  this  privilege  and  it  has  long  been  in 
disuse.  At  Lake  village  a single  head  of  twenty 
feet  gives  great  power,  and  it  has,  from  the  first,  been 
well  used.  The  Lower  Falls,  at  Laconia,  has  also  a 
single  head  of  some  greater  height.  The  current, 
however,  is  not  quite  all  utilized,  the  river  proper 
being  here  nearly  a mile  in  length  from  bog  to  bog, 
in  the  natural  state,  or  level. 

The  altitude  of  the  surface  of  the  town  is  also  re- 


markable. There  are  four  elevated  portions  that  re- 
ceive the  title  of  mountains,  and  four  that  bear  par- 
ticular names  as  hills,  besides  some  lesser  hills  that 
bear  no  names  unless  those  known  only  to  the  imme- 
diate locality.  The  most  elevated  portion,  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  town,  is  called  Mount  Major,  or, 
on  the  chart  (nautical),  Gunstock  Mountain.  Its 
summit  is  about  two  thousand  six  hundred  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  lake,  and  that  level  is  five  hundred 
feet  above  the  sea-level ; hence,  it  is  three  thousand 
feet  high.  From  its  summit  the  surface  of  the  ocean, 
off  Portsmouth,  can  be  seen,  by  the  unaided  eye, 
under  the  morning  sun.  It  has  been  a surveyor’s 
post,  in  the  triangulation  of  the  Atlantic  region,  for 
the  purpose  of  making  a chart  of  the  coast.  The 
United  States  government  had  property  in  monu- 
ment signals,  on  it,  and  for  a series  of  years  occupied 
its  apex  as  a signal  and  surveying-station,  furnishing 
it  with  instruments  and  manning  it  with  operators. 
It  commands  a view  of  the  greater  part  of  the  State 
and  a part  of  Maine.  Its  highest  part  is  not 
j wooded,  and  from  it  are  seen  some  twenty-five  bodies 
I of  water. 

Mount  Gunstock,  locally  so  called  (and  sometimes 
Suncook,  and  still  again,  sometimes  Peaked  Moun- 
tain), is  the  next  in  altitude,  but  of  some  three  hun- 
dred feet  less  elevation.  It  stands  to  the  northwest 
of  Mount  Major.  It  is  in  the  western  slope  of  this, 
in  a ridge  running  down  the  mountain,  that  the  mine 
of  iron  ore  is  situated,  it  being  a trap  of  some  two  feet 
in  width,  and  extending  downward  and  inward,  and 
has  once  been  worked.  It  is  protoxide  and  peroxide 
of  iron,  in  the  proportion  to  make  magnetic  ore.  It 
is,  in  some  of  its  parts,  eighty-five  per  cent,  pure 
iron,  and  a well-formed  horse-shoe  nail  has  been  made 
from  it,  directly,  on  the  anvil,  without  going  through 
the  process  of  smelting.  A road  was  built  to  it  by 
the  mining  company  some  sixty  years  ago,  but  is  not 
now  used.  By  a circuitous  route,  the  summit  of  the 
mountain  can  be  almost  attained  by  vehicle,  and  the 
remainder  of  the  journey  made  on  horseback  or  on 
foot.  This  summit  was  once  much  used  for  purposes 
of  celebration.  In  one  Presidential  campaign  an  ox 
was  dressed  here  and  served,  roasted  whole,  to  a large 
assemblage  of  people, — a mass-meeting.  A spur  or 
wing  of  highland  extends  from  this  northward  and 
abuts  the  lake  in  a bold  headland,  and  is  the  ridge 
separating  the  valleys  of  the  Miles  and  the  Gunstock 
Rivers. 

Mount  Minor,  sometimes  called  the  Piper  Moun- 
tain, is  the  next  in  elevation,  and  stands  to  the  south- 
west of  Mount  Major  as  a spur  in  the  direction  of 
the  line  of  hills  that  extends  through  the  town  of 
Gilmanton.  This  mountain  is  some  eight  hundred 
feet  less  in  height  than  Mount  Major,  and  forms  a de- 
scending slope  without  much  valley  between  them,  as 
is  not  the  case  between  Mount  Major  and  Gunstock. 
A spur  runs  from  Mount  Major  to  the  northeast,  in- 
to Alton,  in  the  line  of  Suncook  Pond,  and  its  ridge 


752 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


is  the  dividing  line  of  Gilmanton,  and  is  sometimes 
called  Morse’s  Mountain.  These  highlands  cover 
about  one-third  of  the  town,  and  have  been  heavily 
wooded  at  times.  Parts  of  this  tract  were  subse- 
quently cleared,  and  parts,  at  different  periods,  were 
burnt  over  by  forest-fires.  The  whole  tract,  as  far  as 
it  is  cleared,  is  excellent  grazing-land  for  sheep. 

The  lesser  elevations,  called  by  distinctive  names  as 
hills,  are,  first,  Liberty  Hill,  a cultivated  plateau, 
about  nine  hundred  feet  above  the  lake-level,  and 
commanding  a complete  view  of  the  western  part  of 
the  lake  and  the  northwest  part  of  the  town  and  the 
more  distant  highlands  and  towns.  It  contains  some 
excellent  farms,  but  is  not  so  extensively  cultivated 
on  its  southern  part  as  it  was  formerly.  A road  cuts 
another  road  at  right-angles  at  the  highest  point, 
where  a liberty-pole  once  stood. 

Cotton’s  Hill  is  on  the  border  of  Gilmanton  (now 
Belmont),  and  is  an  isolated  peak.  Its  northern  slope 
is  a gentle  incline  and  contains  excellent  farms. 
Its  southern  and  western  declivities  are  more  abrupt 
and  the  soil  is  less  arable.  It  is  crowned  with  a 
stately  growth  and  is  a conspicuous  object  from  all  di- 
rections, and  beautiful  for  its  symmetry. 

Gunstock  Hill,  across  the  Gunstock  Valley,  and 
opposite  Gunstock  Mountain,  is  a long  ridge,  some- 
what in  the  line  of  a detached  section,  called  Boyd’s 
Hill,  and  of  the  Lochlin,  and  extends  north  and 
south  on  the  west  side  of  the  valley  of  that  name, 
and  is  the  eastern  limit  of  the  second  division  of 
forty-acre  lots  in  the  original  survey.  It  was  selected 
for  the  site  of  the  first  church,  built  in  1792,  and  is 
sometimes  called  Meeting-House  Hill.  Here  it  was 
thatthe  first  settlers  intended  to  make  the  town  and  fix 
the  centre  and  the  pivot  of  all  affairs  ; but,  with  water- 
power on  either  side  and  none  there,  it  was  the  mani- 
fest destiny  to  yield  to  the  valleys.  This,  at  first, 
was  the  most  improved  part  of  the  town,  and,  as  far  as 
excellency  of  glebe  was  concerned,  it  was  not  a bad 
choice. 

Other  highlands  received  particular  and  local  ap- 
pellations, from  ownership  or  adjacent  dwellers,  save 
one,  in  the  Miles  Valley,  called  Cobble  Hill,  which 
is  a conical  pile  between  the  two  arms  of  the  river, 
very  symmetrical  in  shape  and  rising  to  about  five  hun- 
dred feet  from  the  surrounding  lands,  like  an  artificial 
mound,  and  is  of  about  one  mile  in  circuit  at  its  base. 
It  is  grazing-land,  and  beautiful  to  behold  from  valley 
or  surrounding  mountain  brows.  By  slight  change  in 
the  height  of  the  flowage  of  the  river,  its  waters 
would  flow  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  hill,  and  into 
the  other  branch. 

The  grades  of  soil  and  wood-growths  are  worthy  of 
mention.  A section  adjacent  to  the  river,  or  the  west 
side,  is  mainly  a strong,  rocky  soil,  and  produces  a 
hardwood  growth,  with  a slight  exception  of  the 
plain  near  Black  Brook.  The  northern  part  of  this 
belt  is  called  the  Oaks  road,  and  Oaks  District.  It 
produced  a peculiarly  good  variety  of  white  oak, 


much  sought  after  by  wheelwrights  for  use  in  their 
craft.  The  more  remote  belt  from  the  river  was  of  a 
lighter  soil,  and  produced  a {fine  growth.  This  was 
of  superior  quality. 

It  was  a stately  forest,  and  extended  from  the  lake- 
shore  up  the  Gunstock  Valley  to  the  base  of  Liberty 
Hill.  In  it  the  royal  brand  might  have  been  seen, — 
perhaps,  destiny — fixing  some  of  the  mammoth  forms 
for  the  royal  navy-yards.  From  these,  in  the  plain 
of  the  upper  Gunstock,  the  first  settlers  practiced  the 
art  of  turpentine  gathering  as  a source  of  income. 

These  on  that  particular  plot  were  early  manufac- 
tured into  the  superior  lumber  of  those  days,  which  is 
now  the  wonder  of  those  who  witness  the  demolition  of 
the  original  houses  and  buildings.  The  huge  radical 
remains  of  these,  seemingly  imperishable  in  the  soil, 
were  cleared  by  a mechanical  device  called  stump- 
i wheels,  which  were  constructed  of  some  fifteen  or 
twenty  feet  in  height,  with  a revolving  axle  of  great 
diameter  and  strength,  from  which  a cable  chain,  of 
great  size  and  strength,  passed  under  and  around  a 
principal  root,  over  which  the  wheels  were  set ; and 
then  the  third  wheel,  fixed  on  the  axle,  with  a chain 
wrapping  it  in  a groove  in  the  rim,  to  which  chain  the 
team  was  attached,  and  by  a deploying  advance  wound 
up  the  cable  and  lifted  the  stump.  Thus  the  ground 
was  cleared  and  broken  in,  and  now  is  some  of  the 
finest  lots  in  this  part.  The  third  belt  produces  a 
hardwood  growth,  and  is  a rocky  but  loamy  soil, 
with  a clay  subsoil  and  excellent  for  agricultural  uses. 
It  rises  into  the  elevated  parts,  where  there  is  a mix- 
ture of  stately  spruce  and  some  inferior  variety  of 
oak.  The  average  soil  is  best  for  grasses  and  native 
crops.  There  are  partial  or  limited  deposits  of  clay 
and  of  sands.  The  present  town  and  county  boundary 
is  in  mid-lake,  but  originally  the  grant  was  limited  by 
the  shore-line  of  the  lake,  river  and  bays,  including 
no  islands.  Governor’s  Island,  long  known  also  as 
Davis’  Island,  and  connected  to  the  mainland  by  a 
bridge  built  by  the  owner  of  the  island,  was  annexed 
to  the  town  at  a later  period.  It  contains  about  five 
hundred  acres  of  land  of  a very  superior  quality.  It 
was  formerly  covered  with  a very  heavy  growth  of 
timber,  pine  at  the  eastern  extremity  and  hardwood  on 
the  western  portion.  This  is  not  the  original  grant 
or  share  of  Gilmanton,  reserved  for  the  Governor,  as 
that  share  was  laid  out  to  Governor  Shute,  in  the  cen- 
tre of  the  original  town,  and  at  the  north  extreme  of 
the  upper  one  hundred  acre  lots,  and  just  to  the  west 
of  Young’s  Pond,  a rectangular  plot  of  five  hundred 
acres.  But  this  island  received  its  name  from  Gov- 
ernor Wentworth’s  taking  a fancy  to  it.  Another 
island  on  which  were  buildings  built  and  a farm  im- 
proved, and  known  as  Welch  Island,  is  also  included 
within  Gilford  limits.  Other  smaller  and  unimport- 
ant islands — as  Locke’s,  Timber  and  Mark — are  asso- 
ciated with  the  south  shore  and  contain  excellent 
grazing  land,  and  are  in  parts  well  stocked  with  tim- 
ber-growth, and  are  valuable. 


GILFORD. 


753 


The  system  of  ways  or  roads  was  provided  for  in  the 
original  laying  out  of  the  town  by  reserved  range- 
ways  and  sideways  at  intervals  in  the  setting  out  of 
the  ranges  and  lots.  Yet  these,  in  a measure,  were 
] found  to  be  so  located  as  to  be  both  inconvenient  for 
use  and  impracticable  for  construction  ; and  yet  many 
of  the  roads  correspond  quite  nearly  to  the  old  range- 
wavs,  and  the  original  lots  preserve,  for  the  most  part, 
the  original  form  and  entirety,  so  that  from  many 
eminences  the  view  shows  the  quadrangular  sub- 
divisions of  the  whole  territory. 

The  road  designed  to  accommodate  the  first  and 
I second  tiers  of  forty-acre  lots  was  built  within,  or 
alongside  these  ranges,  from  the  Weirs  to  the  Province 
i road  at  the  Lower  Falls,  or  the  present  Laconia.  In 
its  lower  part  it  coursed  along  the  river-side  and 
through  the  land  left  undivided  at  the  time  of  the  lay- 
ing out  of  the  five  ranges  in  the  original  survey,  and 
which,  lying  between  the  river  border  and  the  second 
range,  was  later  laid  out  and  designated  as  the  eighth 
range,  the  common  and  the  village  lots,  and  corre- 
sponded to  like  supplemental  laying  out  in  the  upper 
part  nearer  the  Weirs,  which  was  classed  as  the  sixth 
; and  seventh  ranges,  and  a common  or  gore.  On  these 
lands  were  afterwards  built  the  greater  part  of  the  two 
villages  called  Lake  village  and  Meredith  Bridge 
| (now  Laconia)  and  also  a small  collection  of  houses  at 
! the  Weirs. 

A road  for  the  accommodation  of  the  third  tier  of 
j lots  ran  parallel  to  this  first  road  in  a most  direct 
course,  till  half  the  course  was  passed  over,  and  then, 
by  reason  of  the  broken  surface  of  the  land  and  the 
abruptness  of  its  inclines,  it  deflected  to  the  west  and 
met  the  first  road  at  Jewett’s  estate  ; only  patches  of 
it  were  built  and  are  traceable  in  the  south  part  of  the 
town. 

The  third  parallel  road  began  a little  distance  from 
the  lake-shore,  at  the  head  of  the  Intervale,  and 
passed  over  Gunstock,  or  Meeting-House  Hill ; and, 
instead  of  crossing  the  Locklin  Hill,  deflected  to  the 
east  and  joined  with  the  fourth  road,  which  also  began 
near  the  lake,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Intervale,  and 
ascended  Spring  Hill,  and  by  some  deflections  contin- 
ued past  the  village  and  over  Liberty  Hill  to  Gilman- 
ton, keeping  on  the  first  and  second  tier  of  one  hun- 
dred acre  lots  through  the  whole  length  of  the  town. 

The  fifth  parallel  road,  on  the  third  tier  of  hundred- 
acre  lots,  was  built  along  the  west  base  and  under  the 
brow  of  the  mountains,  from  the  Gilmanton  line 
nearly  through  the  town,  though  its  last  stages  were 
not  more  than  a drift-way.  It  was  broken  and  disap- 
peared for  the  last  mile  or  two  before  reaching  the 
lake,  where  it  would  have  crossed  high  hills. 

The  sixth  way  was  only  opened  as  a bridle-road  or 
cartway  up  the  Miles  Valley  to  near  the  Skeiler 
Meadow,  and  then,  as  a public,  traveled  road,  to  the 
base  of  the  mountains ; and  in  two  branches  (one  of 
which  becomes  a substitute  for  a seventh  road,  which 
would  pass  over  Mount  Prospect  and  to  the  terminal 


ridge  on  the  south  boundary  line  of  the  town,  and 
through  the  Masonian  lots).  At  the  base  of  the 
mountain  it  turns  to  the  east  and  goes  to  the  Alton 
line,  in  two  branches,  as  part  of  an  eastand  west  road. 

The  roads  designed  to  cross  these,  and  run  east  and 
west,  were  fewer  in  number  and  not  so  regular  or 
easily  traced,  as  the  lots  in  different  ranges  overlapped 
and  were  not  parallel  to  the  extreme  margins  or  bor- 
der lines  of  the  town.  The  first,  however,  known  as 
the  Pond  road,  was  quite  direct  and  continuous  along 
the  lake-shore  from  the  Weirs  to  the  Alton  line, 
and  was  determined  more  by  the  natural  features  of 
the  land  than  by  the  division  of  lots  and  settlements 
made. 

The  second  road,  in  this  direction,  set  off  at  the 
Plains,  north  of  Black  Brook,  and  continued  to  the 
head  of  the  Intervale,  ascended  the  Ames  and  the 
Sawyer  Hills,  and  descended  into  the  Miles  Valley, 
and  was  deflected  round  the  south  end  of  Mount  Pros- 
pect, and  reached  the  Alton  line  as  identical  with  the 
deflections  of  the  sixth  north  and  south  road,  and  is 
known  as  the  Mountain  road  or  route. 

The  third  sets  off  a little  north  of  Lake  village 
and  by  slight  deflections  extends  to  Hoyt’s  Mills,  or 
Gilford  village,  and  should  have  passed  over  the 
mountain  by  the  Old  Stair- Way,  a ravine  with  regular 
rock  formation. 

The  fourth  sets  off  at  Jewett’s  Corner,  and  in  twro 
branches  reaches  the  mountain  bases, — one  via  Chat- 
tleborough  and  the  other  by  Liberty  Hill.  A third 
branch,  of  a later  laying  out,  reaches  Gilford  village 
by  the  Gully  route  (so  called).  These,  with  later  al- 
terations constitute  the  road  system  of  the  town.  The 
sharpness  of  the  hills,  in  the  roads,  has  given  occa- 
sion for  the  re-location  of  many  roads,  around  the 
hills,  in  different  parts  of  the  town. 

While  this  system  of  roads  and  cross-roads  was  all 
provided  for  in  the  plan  and  survey  of  the  town,  they 
were  laid  out  at  different  times,  as  necessity  required, 
and  in  separate  sections  when  demanded.  The  oldest 
road  is,  of  course,  the  Gilford  portion  of  the  Province 
road,  laid  out  as  a State  or  colony  road  by  the  General 
Court  in  1770,  and  committed  to  Gilmanton  for  con- 
struction through  its  own  territory ; but,  on  its  refusal 
to  build  it,  it  was  built  by  contractors  engaged  by  the 
colony  government,  and  the  cost,  three  hundred  and 
thirty-one  pounds,  assessed  on  the  town.  It  had  to 
be  repaired  and  the  bridge  rebuilt  in  1790,  at  town  ex- 
pense. The  roads  of  the  town  have  usually  been 
built  by  direct  individual  assessment,  and  worked  out 
by  all  the  tax-payers  of  the  town,  but  repaired  and 
kept  in  order  by  a system  of  district  supervision  and 
taxation,  the  town  being  divided  into  some  thirty 
highway  districts. 

Portions  of  highways  were  at  first  made  by  individ- 
uals for  their  own  convenience,  and  on  their  own 
lands,  without  any  formal  laying  out ; while  to  oth- 
ers there  are  records  of  legal  laying  out  by  proper 
authorities.  Among  those  returned  are  the  following — 


754 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


an  incomplete  list,  but  showing  the  progress  of  settle- 
ment: In  1782,  one  by  Abel  Hunt’s.  In  1785,  one 
from  Peaslee  Rodgers’  to  Noah  Weeks’,  one  to  Fol- 
som’s Mills  and  to  Simeon  Hoyt’s  and  one  from  Sam- 
uel Smith’s  to  Meredith  Bridge.  In  1787,  from  Thomas 
Foster’s  (Intervale)  to  the  pond,  etc., — i.e.,  on  the 
Pond  road.  At  the  same  date,  from  Ebenezer  Smith’s 
to  the  Gunstock  Mills, — i.e.,  probably  via  Spring  Hill 
and  Kelley  Corner,  though  possibly  a mill-road 
through  the  pine  woods  lot.  The  present  road,  by  the 
tannery  and  carding  and  fulling-mill,  was  of  a much 
later  laying  and  building. 

The  older  approach  by  traveled  road  was  by  Pot- 
ter’s Hill  to  the  mills.  In  1788,  one  from  the  Prov- 
ince road  to  Simeon  Hoyt’s,  probably  the  middle  road 
from  Liberty  Hill  south.  In  1789,  one  from  Philbrook 
Rand’s  to  David  Clough’s,  that  is,  over  Gunstock  or 
Meeting-House  Hill,  to  Thomas  Hoyt’s  (nOw  Mr.  Rog- 
ger’s.)  Also  one  from  David  Ames’  (R.  Dame’s)  to 
Thomas  Frohock’s  (late  D.  Y.  Smith’s),  and  one  from 
Josiah  Sawyer’s  to  Ephraim  Brown’s.  In  1790,  one 
from  Levi  Gilman’s  to  the  Gunstock  road.  In  1792, 
one  from  Samuel  F.  Gilman’s,  via  Ezekiel  Gilman’s 
(Zebedee  Morrill’s)  to  Jacob  Jewett’s  (Deacon  Isaac’s), 
doubtless  to  meet  a road  already  made  from  the  Prov- 
ince road  past  Samuel  Jewett’s,  the  next  house.  In 
1794,  one  by  Daniel  Hoyt’s  and  one  from  Samuel 
Gilman’s  (3d)  to  Samuel  Gilman’s.  In  1797,  one 
from  Jeremy  Rowe’s  to  Samuel  Thurston’s,  in  the 
south  part  of  the  town.  In  1799,  one  from  Wil- 
liam Hunt’s  to  Josiah  Tilton.  In  1800,  one  from 
Jeremy  Rowe’s  to  Meredith  Bridge,  and  one  from 
Thomas  Foster’s  to  James  Ames’,  across  the  In- 
tervale, in  1801.  Also  in  the  same  year,  one  from 
John  Smith’s  to  the  Upper  Weirs.  In  1803,  one  from 
David  Hale’s  to  the  Great  Weirs  (Lake  village).  In 
the  same  year,  one  on  Governor’s  Island  to  Nathan- 
iel Davis’.  In  1805,  from  J.  Smith’s  to  the  Great 
Weirs,  probably  by  Malachi  Davis’.  In  1807,  from 
David  Gould’s  to  Joseph  Potter’s,  and  in  1808,  one 
from  D.  Hale’s  to  the  Weirs  (Oaks  road),  and  from  A. 
Jackson’s  to  Samuel  Thurston’s  ( via  the  Collins 
neighborhood),  and  one  more  in  1812,  from  Bartholo- 
mew Gale’s  to  Meredith  Bridge.  A few  others,  omit- 
ted here,  make  up  most  of  the  roads  of  the  town. 

The  bridges  of  the  town,  except  a few  of  the  larger 
and  more  costly,  have  been  built  by  the  districts.  The 
only  bridge  on  the  Miles  River,  of  much  expense  and 
difficulty,  was  the  one  at  Miles  Leavitt’s,  which  went 
down-stream  in  a freshet,  with  the  mill  also,  which 
was  rebuilt  higher  up-stream.  The  one  at  the  town 
farm  has  also  been  damaged  at  times  by  the  overflow 
of  the  stream.  There  are  eleven  bridges  spanning  the 
Gunstock,  several  of  which  have  been  carried  away 
in  high  water.  Three  are  on  the  Intervale,  and  that 
whole  surface  is  overflowed  in  times  of  freshet.  Two 
are  at  Copp’s  Mill  and  of  recent  construction ; one  at 
the  fulling-mill ; one  at  the  tannery ; two  at  the  saw- 
mill and  Village  road  ; one  at  Whittier’s  Mill,  often 


damaged ; and  one  at  Esquire  Weeks’  residence.  The 
bridges  on  the  Winnipiseogee,  including  railroad 
bridges,  are  now  ten  in  number,  and  expensive  struc- 
tures. 

Providence  road  bridge  is  the  oldest,  and  has  been 
three  times  rebuilt,  and  is  now  a substantial  structure. 
The  first  was  a rude  affair  and  short-lived.  The  bridge 
at  Folsom’s  Mills  was  built  in  1782,  and  has  been  two 
or  three  times  repaired,  or  substantially  rebuilt.  The 
raising  of  the  water-level  by  the  new  dam  necessitated 
the  construction  of  a bridge  of  greater  height  and 
firmer  build.  There  has  been  added,  in  later  years, 
another  bridge  near  where  the  old  footway  on  the  dam 
was.  The  railroad  crosses  the  stream  above  these  and 
again  twice  at  the  Lower  Falls,  or  Laconia.  The  Weirs 
bridge  was  built  in  1803,  and  has  been  twice  rebuilt 
and  raised  higher,  to  allow  passage  to  steamers  under 
it,  in  the  river  channel.  The  channel  was  cut  deeper 
some  years  ago,  and  recently  the  United  States  gov- 
ernment has  appropriated  money  for  the  improve- 
ment of  the  passage  into  and  out  of  the  lake. 

The  second  bridge  was  built  at  Laconia,  on  Mill 
Street,  and  has  twice  been  rebuilt.  It  is  just  below 
the  dam,  and  indispensable,  though  its  approach  from 
Lake  Street  or  the  Gilford  side  was  difficult.  The 
third  bridge  there,  on  Church  Street,  was  built  about 
1850,  and  was  unfinished  for  some  years.  Meredith 
laid  her  road  to  the  river  centre  and  built  the  bridge 
to  that  point.  Gilford  endeavored  to  defeat  the  build- 
ing of  the  road  and  bridge,  and  refused  to  proceed 
in  its  construction.  But  at  length  the  project  succee- 
ded, and  the  street  and  bridge  is  now  much  used.  The 
Messar  bridge,  at  the  upper  point  of  the  narrows,  or 
at  the  foot  of  Little  Bay,  was  also  strenuously  opposed, 
as  likewise  the  filling  above  it,  which  was  deemed  im- 
practicable at  first,  and  stoutly  opposed.  The  bridge 
in  the  lower  part  of  the  village  is  of  recent  construc- 
tion, but  was  found  a desideratum  by  reason  of  the 
expansion  of  the  village  in  that  direction  and  the  in- 
crease of  business  in  that  part.  The  bridge  leading  to 
Governor’s  Island  was  built  in  1820,  and  mainly  by 
the  owners  of  the  island.  Its  support  being  expen- 
sive, they  asked  the  town’s  support  of  it,  and  the  town 
at  length  assumed  it.  It  is  about  thirty  rods  from 
shore  to  shore.  Two  natural  formations  project  on 
the  opposite  sides  and  make  a natural  fitness  for  the 
place  of  a bridge.  It  was  built  by  sinking  a structure 
of  logs  in  square  sections  and  filled  with  stone,  the 
greatest  depth  being  about  twenty-five  feet,  and  there 
is  left  an  open  pass-way.  not  in  the  deepest  part  of  the 
channel,  of  some  fifteen  feet  width,  through  which 
row-boats,  if  small,  may  pass.  The  filling  of  stone 
on  each  side  of  the  bridge  renders  it  enduring  against 
the  action  of  the  waves. 

The  Industries  of  the  Town.— The  main  pursuits 
of  the  inhabitants  of  Gilford  have  been  agricultural ; 
and  yet  various  other  pursuits  have  also  been  followed, 
and  the  mingled  interests  of  these  projects  have  held 
the  attention  of  those  who  were  ready  for  any  under- 


GILFORD 


755- 


taking  that  evidently  might  be  profitable  or  honor-  i 
able  to  the  projector. 

While  agriculture  has  been  engaged  in  by  most  of 
the  people,  it  has  been  conducted  with  varying  wis- 
dom, and  been  variously  successful  in  different  depart- 
ments thereof,  and  in  different  times.  The  soil,  vary- 
ing much  in  its  productive  power,  and  its  special 
adaptation  to  particular  growths,  is,  on  the  whole,  good 
and  remunerative.  There  are  sections  in  the  high- 
lands of  the  east  part  that  are  particularly  adapted 
to  grazing,  and  there  wool-raising  has  been  one  prin- 
cipal object,  and  its  ends  attained  without  great  diffi- 
culty. On  the  higher  parts  of  the  mountains  the 
native  grasses  are  unmixed  with  the  baser  or  inferior 
grasses  of  the  wet  lowlands,  and  are  more  concentra- 
ted, nourishing  and  sweet-flavored.  Hence,  sheep 
seek  these  places,  both  for  the  coolness  of  the  air  or 
refreshing  breezes  and  for  the  abundance  and  rich- 
ness of  the  feed.  There  they  fatten,  and  yield  their 
fibre,  which  brings  in  a good  income  to  the  investor 
and  cultivator.  Formerly,  each  and  every  farmer  had 
his  limited  stock  of  sheep  ; and  it  was  thought  to  be 
an  absolute  necessity  to  the  proper  exercise  of  good 
husbandry  to  have  a little  store  of  wool  for  domestic 
manufacturing,  and  a little  stock  of  mutton  in  a well- 
replenished  larder.  The  surplus  above  home  demand 
in  these  two  items  of  flock -growth  sought  the  market 
for  revenue,  or  exchange  for  other  necessaries,  or,  per- 
chance, for  the  mere  glory  of  laudable  and  successful 
production.  In  response  to  this  usual,  known  and 
tempting  venal  store,  the  far-seeing  wool-monger 
was  sure  to  be  on  hand  at  the  fit  season,  and  with  the 
proper  ore  in  sack  or  wallet,  intent  on  a commercial 
raid.  There  is  one  “lost  art,”  or  lost  sight,  in  these 
days  of  steam  and  vapor : that  is,  the  old-time 
drover,  in  his  long  blue  frock, — a professional  uni- 
form, half-driving  and  half-walking,  and  riding  anon; 
and  collecting  from  farm-yard  to  farm-yard,  till  his 
bleating  throng  and  lowing  host  fill  the  way,  resem- 
bling a crusading  army ; and  when  the  muster  is 
complete,  taking  up  the  long,  tedious  pilgrimage,  in 
one  line  of  march,  from  the  Aquacfocton  hill-sides  j 
and  sheep-cots  to  the  noisy  sale-yards  and  slaughter- 
houses of  that  far-famed  and  bloody  Brighton. 

The  meritorious  generalship  of  such  a campaign 
was  for  no  ordinary  man.  The  special  commission 
for  this  royal  order  fell  to  the  lot  of  such  meat-men 
as  Nathan,  Jeremiah  (called  Jed.)  and  Asa  Bachelder, 
Thomas  Sewell,  William  Sargent,  Nathan  Bartlett 
and  a few  others,  and  in  the  later  days,  John  O. 
Sanborn,  Harrison  Gilman,  Joseph  Sanborn,  Jr.,  John 
Weeks,  Carroll  Follet,  Ladd  & Co.  and  a few  others, 
who  now  are  content  to  skirmish  a little  at  short- 
range  and  on  the  offensive.  While  the  old  stock 
variety  was  generally  raised,  an  improved  variety  of 
fine-wooled  stock  was  kept  in  the  mountan  region  by 
principally  the  Weeks  Brothers  & Sons.  This  merino 
wool  was  very  superior  for  fine  cloth-making,  and 
brought  a very  high  price  in  the  market, — sometimes 


as  high  as  a dollar  per  pound,  and  nearly  double  that 
of  the  common-stock  wool.  But  as  the  sheep  were  of 
a diminutive  size  bodily,  each  one  yielded  a less  quan- 
tity both  of  fleece  and  meat,  and  they  were  less 
remunerative  for  the  purposes  of  food  or  clothing; 
and  so  merino  wool-culture  declined. 

In  later  years,  still  another  species  was  generally 
kept,  of  greater  size,  and  producing  a staple  of 
coarser  and  longer  fibre.  But  the  extent  of  sheep 
and  wool-raising  has  grown  less  of  late,  by  reason  of 
lower  prices  of  wool,  though  the  less  value  in  the 
fleece  has  been  offset  by  higher  prices  for  the  lambs 
and  the  mutton. 

In  the  line  of  stock-raising,  the  production  of  beef 
is  and  has  been  an  important  branch  of  business. 

The  ridges  of  land  devoted  to  pasturage  were  well 
adapted  to  neat-cattle-feeding,  and  produced  beef  of 
an  excellent  quality,  and  gave  abundant  thrift  to  the 
stock  so  devoted.  In  the  earlier  years,  in  times  of 
less  demands  for  meats,  with  less  population,  and 
greater  production  of  feeding,  a large  surplus  of  beef 
was  sent  to  market  by  drift.  Stock  was  kept  less 
sumptuously  at  the  barns,  and  in  winter  seasons,  and 
almost  universally,  beef  was  grass-fed  and  young, 
and  less  expensively  produced  for  the  market. 

The  average  farmer  depended  on  his  neat-stock 
sold  for  the  greater  amount  of  cash  needed  to  meet 
obligations  and  procure  other  means  of  living. 
Nearly  all  the  yearly  increase  of  live-stock  by  genera- 
tion was  kept,  and  little  slaughter  of  the  young 
was  tolerated.  Veal  was  a rarity  on  the  table  of  the 
farmer  or  the  inn. 

The  dairy  interests  were  important,  and  were 
mostly  for  distant  markets.  Cheese-making  was  as 
extensive  as  butter-making.  The  better  farmer  was 
accustomed  to  take  his  ox-load  of  butter  and  cheese 
in  the  fall  season,  and  draw  it  to  Portsmouth,  and 
exchange  them  for  West  India  goods, — that  is,  for 
sugar,  salt,  and  perchance  a cask  of  “the  ardent,” 
and  fish.  The  lesser  farmer  had  to  obtain  these 
through  the  medium  of  the  common  store,  and  make 
the  home-made  spruce  beer  and  domestic  cider 
answer  for  the  more  costly  and  stronger  drinks  of  the 
gentlemen.  In  those  days,  at  about  every  tenth 
house  was  the  cider-mill ; and  hence,  the  demand  for 
the  cooper’s  service  was  immense.  This  craft,  as  far 
as  the  making,  or  rather,  the  repairing,  of  cider-casks 
was  concerned,  was  carried  on  in  a decidedly  unique 
manner. 

About  the  time  of  the  apple-picking  and  cider- 
making, in  November,  a set  of  craftsmen  took  up  the 
march,  and  went  the  rounds  of  the  neighborhood,  to 
renew  the  hoops  on  the  casks  needed,  and  merry 
indeed  was  the  music  of  the  cooper’s  whack,  ringing 
over  the  hills.  Cider  was  scarcely  a commodity  for 
market;  either  it  was  considered  too  sacred  to  be  bar- 
tered, or  it  was  not  sufficient  in  quantity  for  more 
than  the  limit  of  home  consumption.  Improved 
fruit,  or  its  culture,  was  quite  largely  undertaken 


56 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


some  years  ago;  and  both  new  orchards  were  set 
from  grafted  nurseries,  and  old  orchards  were  grafted. 
Very  limited  attempts  were  made  to  propagate  or 
cultivate  other  fruits.  The  cherry,  the  plum  and 
pear  were  considered  as  the  luxury  of  the  favored 
few.  Sugar-making,  from  the  maple,  has  been  en- 
gaged in  only  to  a small  extent,  and  that  in  a dimin- 
ishing proportion. 

Poultry-raising  has  always  been  engaged  in  to  a 
considerable  extent,  and  in  greater  variety  formerly. 
The  vigil-keeping  goose  and  the  turkey  have  had 
their  day,  but  are  fast  disappearing.  The  former  is 
almost  unknown,  and  the  latter  scarce.  The  hen  is 
current,  but  egg-production  was  never  extensive. 

Other  animals  were  sometimes  kept,  not  entirely 
for  profit,  or  for  executing  undertakings,  but  more 
particularly  for  convenience  and  fancy.  The  horse 
was  thought  to  be  as  necessary  to  a complete  furnish- 
ing of  the  barn-yard  as  the  dog  or  cat  was  to  the  com- 
plete house.  But  yet  some  business  was  done  in 
raising  horses  for  the  market  or  to  sell.  And  now 
and  then  more  than  the  one  “ domestic  horse  ” graced 
the  barn-yard  of  the  more  opulent;  and,  perchance, 
was  spared  to  supply  the  needed  horse- power  in  those 
days  of  stage-coaches,  or  even  to  supply  and  serve  the 
desire  and  passion  of  the  rich  and  those  indulging  in 
pride-show.  An  exception,  perhaps,  may  be  taken  in 
pork-producing,  for  though  the  keeping  of  swine  was 
for  domestic  ends,  to  furnish  the  home  larder,  yet 
many  a dressed  porker  found  its  way  to  Portsmouth 
market,  and  later  into  other  cities,  whither  trade  was 
subsequently  directed,  and  sent  back  in  lieu  of  it  the 
daintier  luxuries  of  commerce  or  clean  cash.  In 
earlier  times  wheat-raising  was  quite  extensive  and 
fairly  profitable.  But  from  about  1830  this  crop  be- 
came oftentimes  uncertain  or  a failure,  by  reason  of 
the  weevil-fly,  whose  ravages  were  great  after  the  de- 
crease of  the  native  clover-growth,  in  which  they  had 
before  that  worked  and  spent  their  fury.  Hence, 
gradually  the  wheat-culture  declined,  and  the  crop 
became  insufficient  to  meet  demands,  and  is  now  al- 
most absolutely  a thing  of  the  past,  and  not  likely  to 
be  revived.  It  was  a rare  thing  in  former  times  for  a 
farmer  to  buy  a barrel  of  flour.  It  was  considered 
evidence  of  miserable  husbandry,  and  a sure  omen  of 
ill  success,  or  a failing  fortune,  or  a precursor  to  a 
financial  ruin.  Likewise  the  corn  crop  was  abundant 
and  extensively  put  on  the  market.  But  very  little 
of  it  was  used  for  stock-feeding,  either  in  their  ordi- 
nary keeping  or  for  their  fattening.  The  surplus  above 
home  consumption  and  local  supply  of  the  domestic 
market  was  not  inconsiderable.  The  oat  crop  and  the 
potato  crop  were  also  in  excess  of  home  consumption, 
and  became  articles  of  merchandise  in  the  market. 
The  cultivation  of  flax  was  formerly  extensive,  and 
now  is  unknown.  As  a general  rule,  each  farmer  had 
his  plot  annually  sown,  and  its  yield  carefully  se- 
cured, properly  treated  or  cured  and  well  stored. 
And  in  due  time  it  was  manufactured, — the  seed  into 


linseed  oil,  which  was  once  successfully  and  exten- 
sively done  at  Meredith  Bridge,  and  the  fibre  to  the 
stage  of  the  dressed  hank,  or  thread,  or  the  fabric. 
The  diminutive  linen  foot-wheel,  and  the  larger  tow- 
wheel,  also  usable  for  wool-spinning,  were  the  abso- 
lutely necessary  and  commendable  articles  of  outfit 
to  the  then  diligent  housewife.  The  factory  was  not 
then  on  the  water-courses,  but  the  substitute  was  on 
all  the  hill-sides.  Home-made  fabrics  of  wool  and 
flax,  and  to  some  extent  of  even  cotton,  were  the 
almost  universal  supply  for  apparel  and  house- 
furnishing, and  somewhat  for  the  market.  The  blithe, 
sweet-singing  maid  of  those  days,  standing  at  the 
helm  of  her  new-improved,1  Shaker-made  patent 
spinning-wheel,  was  in  her  dignity,  and  when  the 
accredited  stent  of  four  skeins  daily  of  seven  knots, 
each  containing  twenty  double  threads,  on  an  honest 
reel,  was  got  off,  and  in  good  season  in  the  afternoon, 
she  was  in  her  felicity,  having  earned  the  title  of 
“ clever  girl  ” or  “ spinster.” 

The  diligence  of  all  the  members  of  the  family 
made  it  no  onerous  service  to  provide  adequate  rai- 
ment and  other  textile  furnishing  for  the  household. 
The  house  was  a busy  place,  and  resonant  with  the 
hum  of  the  spindle,  the  rattle  of  the  whacking-loom 
and  the  hundred  processes  of  domestic  labor. 

One  industry  in  the  agricultural  department  de- 
serves mention,  and  that  was  the  silk-culture.  About 
1840  the  mulberry-tree  was  cultivated  on  the  light 
soil  in  the  Gunstock  Valley  above  Gilford  Village, 
having  been  planted  and  introduced  by  Mr.  Benjamin 
Rowe.  The  silk-worm  grub  was  obtained  and  fed  by 
the  mulberry  leaf,  and  a successful  product  of  the 
silk  cocoons  was  realized.  These  were  sold  unreeled, 
and  the  manufacturing  of  the  silk  of  commerce  from 
these  was  done  elsewhere.  An  enthusiasm  in  this 
new  industry  was  for  a time  quite  extensively  shared 
by  the  people  possessing  light  soils,  which  were  pro- 
nounced to  be  especially  adapted  to  the  mulberry 
culture  ; but  the  enterprise,  though  not  fruitless,  was 
not  extended,  and  for  a want  of  interested,  enterpris- 
ing operators,  the  scheme  was  not  long  prosecuted, 
and  the  silk-producing  interests  ceased.  A few  re- 
maining trees  only  indicate  the  former  attempt.  From 
the  “ light  infantry  ” of  domestic  manufactory  we 
proceed  to  notice  some  of  the  “ heavy  artillery  ” of 
man-operated  machinery.  And  first  of  these  is  the 
saw-mill.  Lumber-making  has  been  practiced  since 
the  settlement  of  the  town,  but  only  at  first  to  meet 
existing  necessities  in  the  first  building  of  dwellings. 
In  later  years  much  lumber  has  been  manufactured 
for  the  general  market.  The  saw-mills  at  first  were 


l The  improvement  of  the  Shaker  wheel  consisted  in  the  patent  head 
(so  called),  which  secured  greater  velocity  to  the  revolving  spindle,  by 
means  of  some  gearing  between  the  band-wheel  and  spindle-block,  and 
also  by  an  apparatus  for  adjusting  the  tension  of  the  larger  and  lesser 
wheel-bands.  This  invention  saved  many  a weary  whirl  during  a day’s 
work,  for  which  benign  appliance  there  was  often  beard  a “ God  bless 
the  good  Shaker  !** 


GILFORD. 


75T 


mainly  for  producing  boards  and  plank.  The  first 
dwellings  were  covered  with  shingles  and  clapboards 
made  by  hand,  being  rived  and  shaved  by  the  farmer 
in  his  leisure  days.  Afterwards  sawn  shingles  were 
used,  but  were  vastly  inferior.  The  saw-mills  of  the 
] towu  have  been  the  following  : Lamprey’s,  near  Alton 
J line,  which  was  abandoned  forty  years  ago.  It  was 
;j  operated  by  a small  and  inadequate  stream,  and  only 
survived  to  meet  a local  need  at  that  time.  Foster’s 
mill  was  huilt  after  Lamprey’s  went  to  disuse,  and 
was  to  supply  its  place  in  the  interests  and  demands 
of  that  part  of  the  town.  It  also  was  inappropriately 
j located,  and  proved  unsuccessful,  and  ran  but  a few 
I years.  A large  tract  of  heavily-wooded  land  in  that 
i section  of  the  town  was  subsequently  cleared,  and  its 
I timber  was  manufactured  into  lumber  by  steam- 
power,  and  the  lumber  marketed.  Colby’s  mill,  on 
the  same  stream,  the  Miles  River,  was  built  after  the 
disuse  of  Foster’s,  but  was  more  the  successor  of  the 
Leavit  mill,  which  had  been  twice  built  and  carried 
away,  the  first  being  a grist-mill,  and  the  second  for 
sawing,  and  the  third  now  in  use,  for  both  sawing 
lumber  and  also  shingles,  and  lately  for  threshing, 
besides.  On  the  same  stream,  below,  was  the  ancient 
Brown  & Leavit  mill,  for  sawing,  not  now  in  operation. 

One  of  the  earliest  mills  for  sawing  lumber  was  that 
built  on  the  Gunstock  stream  by  Simeon  Hoyt  and 
Esquire  Ebenezer  Smith,  in  1789.  As  this  was  erected 
at  the  waterfall  included  in  one  of  the  public  shares  or 
the  ministerial  lot,  it  was  subject  to  some  conditions 
and  limitations,  and  the  permission  of  the  use  of  the 
waterfall  and  adjacent  lands  was  granted  to  these  two 
gentlemen  in  1788,  to  extend  fifteen  years,  and  conced- 
ing the  right  to  clear  and  occupy  for  their  mill-yard  two 
acres,  and  on  both  sides  of  the  river.  They  are  also 
bound  not  to  unnecessarily  cut  timber  on  the  adjacent 
lots  and  to  remove  the  mill  at  the  expiration  of  the  lease, 
or  to  sell  it  to  the  town;  and,  meantime,  to  give  free 
right  to  saw  on  the  part  of  the  people  any  material 
■ desired  for  a meeting-house  in  that  part  of  the  town. 
This  mill  was  then  the  only  one  in  that  heavily- 
wooded  section.  It  was  the  source  of  all  the  board 
and  plank-stock  of  that  part,  and  shared,  with  other 
parts,  the  general  patronage  of  the  whole  region. 
There  was  not  much  sawing  of  timber,  that  being 
almost  always  hewn.  The  mill  was  not  removed  nor 
sold  to  the  town ; but  the  encroachments  on  the 
public  lot  being  so  frequent  and  easy,  the  whole  lot 
was  sold  and  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  invested  for  the 
benefit  of  the  ministry.  The  mill,  with  the  lot,  was 
bought  by  Bernard  Morrill,  and  it  has  been  owned 
and  run  by  him  and  his  son  until  the  present  time. 
The  flowing  of  the  meadows  above  the  village, 
while  owned  by  parties  not  operating  the  mill,  was 
limited  to  the  20th  of  May  yearly,  when  the  mill 
must  stop ; but  by  a single  ownership,  both  of  the 
mill  and  meadow,  the  flowing,  and,  consequently,  the 
business  of  the  mill,  was  afterward  unrestricted  as  to 
times  and  seasons. 


This  mill  has  been  operated  by  employed  men  at 
most  times  and  has  not  often  been  idle  for  want  of 
work  on  hand  when  there  was  a water  supply,  and  it 
has  been  the  source  of  a good  income  to  the  owners 
and  operators.  It  has  been  several  times  damaged 
by  freshets  and  substantially  rebuilt,  and,  in  later 
time,  has  been  furnished  with  circular  instead  of  up- 
right saws.  The  greater  part  of  an  immense  forest 
of  timber  in  the  Gunstock  Valley  and  western  moun- 
tain slopes  has  been  converted  into  lumber  at  this 
mill,  and  thence  taken  to  market  or  used  in  building 
in  this  vicinity. 

It  has  been  an  appreciated  accommodation  to  the 
public  and  a source  of  revenue  to  the  owners  and  the 
class  of  men  to  whom  its  business  furnished  employ- 
ment, and  who  lived  upon  the  results  of  their  engage- 
ment in  its  operation. 

About  1835  a movement  was  made  to  build  a mill 
on  the  lower  part  of  the  stream,  near  the  only  re- 
maining large  tract  of  pine  timber  land.  This  was 
built  by  Joseph  Potter  on  his  land,  and  under  the 
foremanship  of  Mr.  Bachelder  (called  Boston  John). 
Mr.  Potter  and  son  entered  upon  the  business  of 
the  manufacturing  of  lumber,  including  shingles  and 
clapboards  and  lath.  The  mill  was  operated  many 
years,  mainly  by  John  M.  Potter,  and  was  after- 
wards sold  to  ITazen  Copp,  who  built  dwelling-houses 
near  by,  and  is  still  operated  by  his  son,  Augustus 
Copp.  Facilities  for  grinding  corn  were  added  re- 
cently, and  it  has  cut  the  entire  growth  of  heavy 
pine  timber  in  its  vicinity  into  marketable  lumber. 
It  was  only  after  years  of  endeavor  and  repeated 
trials  that  the  dam  was  made  permanent  and  sub- 
stantial. 

The  location  of  the  mill  was,  at  first,  on  no  public 
road,  and  it  necessitated  the  laying  and  maintaining 
of  the  Valley  road  past  it,  and  from  the  Intervale  to 
the  Fulling-mill  route  or  road,  involving  two  bridges 
over  the  stream.  Shingle-sawing  was  early  added  to 
wool-carding  and  fulling,  at  the  Mingo  Fulling-Mill, 
and  is  still  carried  on  by  Deacon  Heman  Hunter. 
The  same  business  has  been  carried  on  there  by  the 
successive  owners,  Meshech  Sanborn,  Christopher 
Gilman,  Benjamiu  Gilman  and  others. 

There  were  two  mills  at  the  Weirs — one  on  either 
side  of  the  river.  The  Prescot  Mill  there  gave  name 
to  the  place  for  a time,  as  it  was  currently  denomi- 
nated “Prescot’s  Mills”  as  well  as  Weirs.  The  head 
was  so  slight  at  this  point  that  the  power  was  small, 
notwithstanding  the  great  volume  of  supply  of  water 
and  its  being  constant ; hence  the  privilege  was  con- 
sidered as  unimprovable  and  of  little  value,  so  that 
it  naturally  fell  into  disuse,  and,  later,  the  heighten- 
ing of  the  dam  at  Lake  village  destroyed  the  privi- 
lege altogether,  and  so  both  mills  ceased  long  ago. 

The  lumber  manufacture  was  extensive  at  the  falls 
at  the  foot  of  the  bay.  Here  Abraham  Folsom  built 
in  1780,  and  the  mill  has  been  in  nearly  continuous 
operation  for  more  than  one  hundred  years.  He  also 


758 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE 


built  and  operated  a grist-mill,  and  another  saw-mill 
was  afterwards  built  on  the  east  side  of  the  river, 
then  called,  by  way  of  distinction,  the  “ Gilford 
side,”  and  was  called  at  a time  Bachelder’s  Mill,  and 
again  Lyford’s  Mill,  and  by  the  name  of  other 
owners  or  operators.  In  it  the  experiment  was  made 
of  running  a gang  of  saws,  without  good  success. 

These  mills  have  largely  been  supplied  with  a stock 
of  logs  from  the  lake  and  bay,  by  being  rafted  from 
places  on  the  borders  of  the  same.  These  mills  could 
do  business  the  year  round  ; whereas  the  mills  on  the 
smaller  and  variable  streams  would  be  capable  of 
operation  only  in  the  seasons  of  the  year  when  the 
water  supply  was  abundant.  This,  however,  was  not 
altogether  unfavorable  to  the  owners,  who  had  other 
business  to  prosecute,  and  the  demand  for  sawing  was 
limited  to  seasons  intervening  between  the  pressing 
■claims  of  agricultural  interests.  So  great  was  the 
volume  of  lumber  manufacturing  at  Lake  village,  and 
proportionally  so  in  excess  of  all  other  pursuits  and 
products,  that  the  place  became  known  best  by  the 
current  designation  of  “ Slab  City,”  and  bore  that 
title  for  a long  time.  Well  might  it  have  been  called 
Log  Town,  as  the  river  approaches  were  crowded  at 
nearly  all  seasons  with  rafts  of  logs,  floated  thither 
from  the  lake. 

At  the  season  of  low-water  there  was  not  the 
desired  height  of  head  or  quantity  of  flow  into 
the  wing-dams  and  upon  the  rival  wheels  there  on 
the  different  sides  of  the  river;  hence  a de- 
vice was  resorted  to  to  effect  this  matter,  viz. : the 
construction  of  a sort  of  submerged  breakwater — a 
curb  of  plank-work  filled  with  stone,  to  anchor  or 
ballast  it,  extending  far  up  the  middle  of  the  channel 
into  the  current  places  of  the  river, — which  should  di- 
vide the  flow  and  direct  it  in  due  proportion  into  the 
respective  mill-ponds,  and  not  suffer  it  to  flow  in 
greater  measure  to  either  one  side,  as  it  was  inclined 
to  do  by  reason  of  any  obstruction  or  change  of 
channel. 

Competing  interests  were  the  foundation  of  rivalries 
and  jealousies  and  devices  on  the  part  of  the  actors 
in  the  Folsom  and  the  Bachelder  enterprises,  which, 
however,  gave  life  and  thrift  to  the  business  under- 
takings. 

The  lumber-mill  at  the  Lower  Falls — Meredith 
Bridge — was  subject  to  just  the  same  local  competi- 
tion ; yet  it  found  rivals  and  antagonists  both  in  the 
competition  of  the  upper  mills  and  also  in  the  com- 
petition of  other  and  diverse  interests  and  enter- 
prises near  to  it. 

In  1780,  Colonel  Samuel  Ladd  built  his  mill  as  the 
successor  of  that  of  Stephen  Gale,  who,  in  the  four 
or  five  previous  years,  had  been  endeavoring  to  use 
the  water-power  at  that  place  and  had  built  a mill 
on  the  Meredith  side,  and  had  lost  his  hold  on  the 
reservoir  by  the  yielding  of  his  dam-structure  to  the 
force  of  the  stream.  Fire  and  flood  alike  opposed 
Colonel  Ladd’s  determination,  and  his  works  were 


four  times  destroyed,  but  only  to  be  rebuilt  and  en- 
larged by  his  indomitable  will  and  equally-matched 
courage.  He  added  compass  to  his  undertakings  and 
enjoyed  a fair  share  of  patronage  in  the  lumber- 
making engagements  of  the  time  and  place,  and  he 
even  surpassed  Folsom  in  the  grinding  and  flouring 
patronage  of  the  wide  field.  This  saw-mill  con- 
tinued, till  a comparatively  recent  date,  to  do  its 
proper  work.  But  it  was  unfortunately  located  in 
regard  to  its  yard-room  and  its  approaches,  and  hence 
went  into  disuse  many  years  ago ; and  the  sawing 
business  at  this  place  has  been  done  since,  first,  by 
water-power,  on  the  canal  on  Laconia  side,  by  Cook 
& Co.  at  their  sash  and  door  manufactory,  and 
still  later,  by  the  same  company,  by  steam-power  on 
the  Gilford  side,  where  no  inconsiderable  amount  of 
lumber-making  has  been  done. 

Besides  the  above  enumerated  sawing  establish- 
ments, the  Collins  mill  has  been  in  operation  for 
some  years,  where  the  sawing  of  both  lumber  and 
shingle  has  been  prosecuted ; and  the  Whittier  mill 
did  gig-sawing  and  had  small  circular  saws  for  the 
cutting-up  business  in  carriage-making. 

With  these  saws  Gilford  has  not  only  met  its  own 
building  demands,  but  has  done  no  small  amount  of 
work  in  furnishing  other  parts  with  stock.  Its  great 
wooded  area  and  stately  forests  made  this  department 
of  industry  to  be  both  inevitable  and  successful,  and 
also  inspiring  and  inviting  enterprise.  These  primi- 
tive growths  have  disappeared  before  the  vigorous 
lumbermen  and  made  useful  under  the  severe 
attacking  saws ; but  the  broadaxeman’s  blade  played 
no  unimportant  part  in  bringing  this  beauty  and 
service  out  of  the  rough  wilderness  and  unused 
bower. 

A branch  of  industry  akin  to  lumber-making  was 
formerly  prosecuted  extensively,  viz.,  stave-making 
and  the  associated  cooperage.  The  oak  growth  of  the 
mountain-sides  furnished  abundant  and  excellent  ma- 
terials for  making  casks  of  various  sizes  and  uses. 
These  staves  were  rived  on  the  hill-sides  and  wrought 
in  the  many  cooper-shops  and  transported  to  the 
markets  far  and  near.  Shooks,  for  casks  of  one  hun- 
dred gallons  capacity  and  upward,  were  extensively 
made  and  sent  to  the  West  Indies  for  the  molasses 
manufacturers.  Barrels  for  fish-packers,  beef  and 
pork-packers  and  for  liquors  were  made  and  trans- 
ported to  Portsmouth.  This  work  of  manufacturing 
was  done  principally  at  the  centre  of  the  town, 
though  to  some  extent  in  other  j>arts.  Jonas  Sleeper, 
Joseph  Sanborn,  Henry  Sleeper,  George  Wm.  Weeks 
and  others  engaged  extensively  in  this  as  a branch  of 
trade  and  enterprise.  Workmen  wrere  employed  by 
them  both  for  stave-riving  and  cask-making.  The 
coopers  in  business  were  Nathan  Hatch,  Ebenezer  S. 
Hunt,  Joseph  Sanborn  & Sons,  Samuel  & Joshua 
Gilman,  Moses  Jewett,  David  Gould,  Ezekiel  & Na- 
than Collins,  J.  L.  Davis,  Simeon  & Nathaniel  Davis 
and  many  others.  Indeed,  the  cooper-shop  was  a 


i 


GILFORD. 


759 


common  annex  to  the  other  buildings  of  many  a 
I place,  and  Cooper  was  not  an  unfrequent  prefix  to  a 
surname,  as,  for  example,  Cooper-Gilinan  andCooper- 
' Jewett.  The  latter  emigrated  to  Cape  Cod,  where 
| the  fish-barrel  was  in  requisition. 

The  transportation  of  the  manufactured  casks  was 
an  undertaking  of  considerable  magnitude.  The  huge 
load  on  the  mammoth  vehicle,  drawn  fifty  miles  in 
two  days  by  stalwart  ox-teams,  was  no  trivial  matter 
to  carry  out;  and  the  sight  of  these  huge  moving 
piles  was  no  tame  affair  to  youthful  curiosity  and 
astonishment,  as  was  also  the  music  of  the  coopers’ 

1 instruments,  deftly  handled,  to  their  admiration  of 
the  artificers. 

The  mills  for  grinding  have  been  erected  and 
•operated  as  follows:  Folsom’s  mill,  at  the  Lake  vil- 
lage site.  This  was  first  and  chiefly  used  for  corn- 
grinding. In  due  time  a rye  crop  was  raised  and  was 
ground  in  the  same  set  of  stones,  producing  an  un- 
bolted meal.  Finally,  wheat  was  a product  and  re- 
quired bolting,  and  hence  a bolter  was  added,  and  it 
became  a flouring-mill  of  general  patronage. 

Ladd’s  mill  was  successfully  run,  from  1780,  in  con- 
nection with  the  saw-mill,  which  was  in  the  upper  story 
of  the  building,  and  the  grinding  on  the  lower  floor. 
This  mill  rivaled  the  Folsom  mill,  being  more  accessible 
by  the  main  part  of  the  population.  There  was  some 
competition  between  the  two  as  to  the  quantity  and 
quality  of  flour  made  from  a bushel  of  farmer’s  wheat; 
and  so  high  did  the  enthusiasm  of  good  millership 
run  at  times  that  it  was  declared  of  some  that  flour 
was  produced  and  returned  from  their  favorite  mill 
exceeding  the  weight  of  the  grist  taken  to  the  mill. 
But  this  must  have  been  to  special  customers.  Yet  it 
must  have  effectually  annulled  the  tradition  that 
millers  were  not  scrupulously  exact  in  taking  only 
lawful  toll,  or,  at  least,  it  should  have  proved  that 
Gilford  millers  were  exceptionally  honest. 

Ladd’s  mill  was  succeeded  by  one  built  by  the 
factory  company,  and  located  farther  down-stream 
and  below  the  factory,  or  Ticking-Mill  (so  called).  Its 
capacity  was  increased  by  adding  two  runs  of  stones 
and  using  two  bolters.  Many  farmers  used  “ fine 
Indian,”  or  bolted  corn-meal,  as  a substitute  for 
wheat-flour,  to  make  a superior  bread. 

Millers  Bachelder  and  Dimond  successively  and 
successfully  presided  for  a full  term  of  service  and 
years  at  the  wheels  of  the  Meredith  Bridge  Grinding 
and  Flouring-Mill.  The  universal  custom  was  for 
each  farmer  to  carry  frequent  and  small  grists  to  the 
mill,  and  have  them  milled  for  a toll  of  one-sixteentli, 
or  two  quarts  on  a bushel.  Ready-ground  meal,  or 
even  flour,  was  at  first  rarely  ever  for  sale  or  to  he 
purchased.  The  toll-grain  was  on  sale,  but  oftener 
transported  than  sold  in  the  place  and  to  residents. 
The  balance  of  most  crops  was  in  favor  of  exportation 
or  the  market,  and  usually  went  to  the  cities,  Ports- 
mouth or  Boston.  In  later  years  the  great  bulk  of 
milling  is  that  of  the  stock  imported  and  on  sale. 


The  mill  at  Gilford  village,  at  the  Hoyt’s  and 
Smith’s  privilege,  was  built  not  many  years  after  the 
two  other  ones  at  the  river.  It  accommodated  the 
centre  and  eastern  and,  to  some  extent,  the  southern 
parts  of  the  town.  It  did  both  grinding  and  bolting, 
and  continued  in  use  till  about  1840,  or  till  the  build- 
ing of  the  tannery  at  the  same  dam,  and  was  repeat- 
edly repaired.  It  is  still  standing,  and  has  been 
owned  some  seventy  years  by  the  same  parties  and 
the  same  that  owned  the  saw-mill,  viz. : Esq.  Bernard 
and  General  J.  J.  Morrill  and  son.  The  millers  at 
this  mill  have  been  J.  Pickering,  S.  Trefran,  W. 
Meloon,  William  Knowles,  Lowell  Sanborn  (Deacon 
Lowell,  so  called)  and  others  temporarily.  At  this 
mill,  and  at  others  also,  for  a limited  appointed  time 
in  the  spring,  the  yearly  stock  of  gypsum,  or  plaster 
of  Paris,  a cheap  fertilizer,  was  ground,  and  other 
grinding  was  deferred  for  that  period  and  afterwards 
resumed.  Also,  in  the  last  of  May  usually,  a day  or 
two  was  appropriated  to  salt-grinding,  for  dairy  uses, 
which  wonderfully  accommodated  farmers’  wives  and 
saved  them  innumerable  poundings  of  the  mortar  and 
pestle,  whose  music,  however,  was  the  delightful 
matinee  of  hill  and  dale,  announcing  to  many  a 
hungry  toiler  the  sure  progress  of  kitchen-work,  and, 
like  gong  or  bell  or  trumpet,  was  the  first  prelude  of 
an  unannounced  but  ready  breakfast. 

The  disuse  of  the  mill  at  Morrill’s  left  the  field  open 
for  enterprise.  Moreover,  the  Leavitt  mill,  on  Miles 
River,  had  been  carried  away,  and  the  eastern  part  of 
the  town  was  left  dependent  on  some  other  mill.  It 
was  opportune  to  build. 

At  this  time  Jonathan  Whitcher  built  a mill  on 
the  Upper  Gunstock  for  grinding  and  bolting,  to 
which  he  added  also  a threshing-machine,  a turning- 
lathe  and  other  machinery  for  making  wheels,  car- 
riages and  furniture.  This  mill  continued  only  a few 
years,  and,  after  repeated  damages  to  its  long,  weak 
and  expensive  dam,  and  to  the  mill  itself,  by  freshet, 
by  reason  of  a want  of  patronage  and  its  unprofitable- 
ness, it  ceased  to  be  maintained  and  was  consequently 
abandoned. 

Jeremiah  Hunt  was  in  business  at  this  mill  for 
himself,  in  the  wheel  and  furniture  interests,  and  in 
company  in  other  departments,  and  was  miller  at  a 
time.  Then  the  whole  of  grinding  and  flouring  was 
centred  at  Lake  village  and  Laconia,  except  a little 
corn-grinding  at  Copp’s  mill  at  a time  later.  With 
less  cereal  products  produced,  and  more  imported  and 
used,  this  is  an  adaptation  both  wise  and  in  the  line 
of  natural  drift.  Yet  it  involves  more  labor  and 
furnishing,  and  makes  the  result  less  lucrative.  The 
old-time  going  to  mill,  with  grist  on  the  shoulder  or 
on  horseback,  has  given  place  to  more  extended  trips 
in  vehicles,  light  and  heavy.  The  preparation  of  the 
grain  for  the  milling  state  has  been  variously  done. 
At  one  time  the  flail  and  coursing  breezes  were  all 
the  mediation  used.  Then  the  mechanical  fanning- 
mill  was  resorted  to  to  conquer  a calm.  Then  the 


760 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


separating-mill,  or  thresher,  was  used  and  operated 
by  horse-power  and  by  water-power. 

Two  styles  of  the  portable  horse-power  machines 
were  invented  and  used.  One  was  constructed  with 
a sweep  and  gearing  and  rope-tension,  operated  by 
horses  in  draught.  The  other  with  a treadle  incline 
and  belting,  and  operated  by  horse-weigbt  on  the 
treadle.  One  of  the  former  was  owned  and  operated 
by  a Mr.  Bachelder,  going  from  farm  to  farm.  Sam- 
uel Blaisdell  & Sons  owned  and  operated  one  of  the 
latter  pattern ; and  still  others  were  brought  into 
parts  from  adjacent  towns.  But  the  inconvenience 
of  so  frequent  relocation  and  transportation,  and  the 
entertainment  of  the  workmen  and  horses,  was  such 
that  the  stationary  mill,  to  be  operated  by  water- 
power, promised  better  success  and  speedy  introduc- 
tion ; and  proved  so.  Hence,  the  almost  simulta- 
neous construction  of  two  such  mills  about  the  year 
1835  or  1840, — the  first  at  the  Whittier  mill  and  the 
other  at  the  carding,  fulling  and  shingle-mill,  owned 
by  Christopher  Gilman,  then  by  Meshech  Sanborn, 
Benjamin  Gilman  and  Hermon  Hunter.  The  same 
provision  for  the  threshing  season  was  made  at  the 
Collins  mill  and  at  Meredith  Bridge  and  Lake 
village,  and,  later,  at  Colby’s. 

The  first  years  these  mills  were  in  use  the  patronage 
was  extensive.  Farmers  drew  their  two,  five,  or  ten 
tons  of  grain  from  one  to  eight  miles  to  have  it 
threshed  and  returned,  each  one  going  at  an  ap- 
pointed time.  These  mills  have  but  little  patronage 
now,  and  some  of  them  have  ceased  to  be  used  at 
all.  So  little  grain  is  raised  that  it  is  not  a great  task 
to  separate  it  by  hand-flail,  or  not  very  unprofitable 
to  feed  the  oat  crop  unthreshed.  And  rye  is  rarely 
threshed  in  this  machine,  because  of  the  damage  to 
the  straw. 

Mills  for  wool-carding  and  cloth-dressing,  were  put 
in,  one  at  Laconia,  operated  by  James  Morrison 
and  afterwards  by  John  Buzzell,  who,  though  they 
lived  in  Gilford,  did  their  work  on  the  Meredith  side. 
This  was  discontinued  some  years  ago,  on  the  decline 
of  home-made  cloth  and  yarn,  and  to  give  place  to 
their  enterprise  of  cloth-making. 

The  carding  was  first  done  by  machinery  at  the 
village  on  the  Hoyt’s  and  Smith’s  mill  privilege.  Sub- 
sequently a mill  was  built  a mile  below,  at  the  junc- 
tion of  an  eastern  branch  of  the  river,  and  machinery 
for  fulling  and  dressing  and  pressing  cloth  was  put  in 
and  operated  by  skilled  workmen,  and  the  carding 
machinery  was  transferred  from  Hoyt’s  mill  to  this. 
Fulled  cloth  for  men’s  wear  and  the  pressed  cloth,  a 
kind  of  flannel,  for  women’s  wear,  was  the  general 
dependence.  This  mill  and  work  was  continued  till 
the  fashionableness  of  satinet  came  about,  and  then 
both  the  Buzzell’s  mill  at  Laconia  and  the  private 
loom  of  the  farmer’s  house  produced  that  pattern  of 
fabric.  The  warp  (cotton)  for  the  domestic  article  was 
made  for  many  years  by  Mr.  Parker  and  his  children, 
at  the  end  of  the  bridge  opposite  Ladd’s  grist-mill. 


Stephen  Chapman  was  a fuller  at  Gunstock  Fulling- 
Mill,  and  others  conducted  the  business  for  a term, 
and  the  business  ceased  nearly  a half-century  ago. 
Later  the  wool-carding  ceased,  and  neither  is  now  in 
use. 

The  Ticking  Company  was  located  on  the  Gilford 
side,  at  Meredith  Bridge.  It  was  very  early  in  opera- 
tion, making  bed-ticking  ; while  the  brick  mill  made 
sheetings. 

The  Ticking,  Company  of  which  W.  Melcher, 
Thomas  Bobb,  Mr.  Green  and  three  others  were 
members,  was  a well-managed  and  successful  firm. 

It  realized  less  changefulness  than  the  other  com- 
panies. Some  changes  occurred,  however,  in  after- 
years,  both  in  the  personnel  of  the  company  and  in 
its  business.  The  new  company  built  more  exten- 
sively, and  changed  the  machinery  from  cotton- 
working to  that  of  wool-working,  and  from  that  of 
cloth-making  to  that  of  knitting-works,  and  are  pro- 
ducing hosiery  goods  in  all  the  mills  belonging  to 
the  company.  The  daily  products  of  these  mills  are 
immense,  and  go  to  commission  agents  in  Boston, 
and  thus  are  put  upon  the  general  trade,  and  are  of  a 
high  standard. 

The  first  cotton-mill  at  Lake  village  was  one  of  the 
earliest  built,  and  in  near  succession  to  the  Avery 
mill  at  Meredith  Bridge.  Later  the  woolen  mill 
(so  called)  was  built,  but  not  immediately  put  into 
operation  or  furnished  with  machinery.  These  were 
both  built  on  the  then  Meredith  side  of  the  river. 
The  change  of  the  ownership  of  the  property  at  this 
place  was  unfavorable  to  the  development  of  the 
interests  in  manufactures  here.  The  Pingree  owner- 
ship and  management  promised  better  times,  but 
soon  left  no  better  condition,  and  the  Locks  and  Canal 
Company,  while,  by  a higher  dam,  it  created  greater 
head,  left  the  use  of  the  motive  power  undeveloped, 
and  rather  restricted  and  retarded  expansion  at  this 
place.  In  quite  recent  years  a mill  has  been  built 
and  put  into  operation  on  the  east  side  of  the  river, 
and  is  producing  hosiery  goods.  Hosiery  was  also 
made  at  one  time  in  the  carding-mill  at  Gunstock 
Valley,  by  Augustus  Copp  and  others ; but  it  did  not 
continue  many  years. 

The  foundry  industry  was  early  and  latterly  an 
important  one.  The  smelting  furnace  was  never 
completed.  It  was  begun  at  Folsom’s  or  Bachelder’s 
Mills,  and  was  designed  on  a grand  scale.  A huge 
conical  chamber  was  half-built  of  stone,  and  remained 
in  statu  quo,  unfinished,  for  a time,  and  was  then 
finally  removed. 

Mismanagement  and  a fatal  casualty  at  the  moun- 
tain, the  distance  of  transporting  the  ore  and  the 
expensiveness  of  getting  it  out,  the  cost  of  preparing 
and  running  the  furnace,  so  as  to  compete  with  other 
iron-mining  companies  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
State,  together  with  the  limitation  of  capital,  proved 
too  great  obstacles  to  the  success  of  the  iron-mining 
project;  and  hence  it  was  soon  utterly  abandoned. 


GILFORD. 


761 


But  a blast  furnace  was  put  into  operation  for  using 
pig  in  castings.  This  industry  proved  feasible,  and, 
being  well  managed,  was  profitable.  As  the  use  of 
stoves  came  to  be  so  extensive,  their  production  was 
an  important  industry;  also  hardware,  in  the  line  of 
culinary  utensils  and  farming  implements,  were  in 
increasing  demand. 

The  discontinuance,  gradually,  of  the  old  wooden  [ 
and  iron-clad  plow,  and  the  introduction  of  the  cast- 
iron  one,  made  ready  market  for  a great  quantity  of 
foundry  products,  and  gave  employment  to  a large 
number  of  moulders  and  foundry-workers  and  much 
capital.  This  industry,  conducted  chiefly  by  the 
Cole  family,  has  been  an  extensive  and  leading  one 
at  Lake  village,  and  a substantial  benefit  to  both  the 
village  and  the  town  in  general.  The  trade  in,  as 
well  as  the  production  of,  this  class  of  merchandise 
has  been  mainly  at  Lake  village  and  in  the  hands  of 
these  men.  Hence  the  place  was  called,  for  a long 
period,  the  Furnace  village. 

The  iron-work  done  in  the  repair  shops  of  the  rail- 
road located  here  has  also  increased  the  business  of 
i casting  and  added  much  to  the  bulk  of  foundry  pro- 
duction, and  the  shops  have  given  employment  to  a 
large  force  of  workmen  and  given  impulse  and  growth 
to  the  place. 

This  village,  in  population  and  business,  has  in- 
j creased  rapidly  of  late  years,  and  is  now  the  rival  of 
Laconia,  and  by  water  approaches  is  even  better  con- 
nected. These  two  largest  centres  of  business  and 
population  were  begun  at  nearly  the  same  time,  but 
the  lower  one  had  decidedly  the  advantage  for  many 
years,  particularly  in  having  the  court,  the  academy, 
the  greater  trade,  the  greater  extent  of  manufactures, 
better  connections  in  the  old  modes  of  travel  by  the 
stage  lines,  the  bank,  the  taverns,  the  law-offices,  the 
resident  physicians,  the  churches  and  the  central  po- 
sition in  relation  to  the  other  towns  already  then  set- 
tled. All  these  things  contributed  much  to  the  pros- 
perity and  importance  of  the  Lower  village,  and  were 
. almost  entirely  wanting  in  the  Upper  village. 

From  the  working  of  cast-iron  to  that  of  wrought- 
iron  the  transition  is  natural  and  easy.  The  initial 
department  of  this  work  was  that  of  the  common 
blacksmith.  The  places  and  parties  of  this  industry 
have  been  alluded  to  in  the  notices  of  the  personnel 
of  the  first  settlers  and  need  now  no  minute  tracing. 
The  services  of  the  blacksmith  were  a primary  neces- 
sity and  demand,  as  not  only  for  horse-shoeing  and 
ox-shoeing  and  the  ironing  of  vehicles  and  making  of 
farming  tools,  but  even  the  nails  used  by  the  carpen- 
ter were  made  of  wrought-iron  and  produced  at  the 
common  smith’s  forge  in  the  early  days  of  the  settle- 
ment. 

Some  of  the  first  artisans  in  this  line  were  Antipas 
Gilman,  in  the  south  part  of  the  town,  and  his  two 
sons, — Winthrop  and  Josiah, — the  latter  of  whom 
worked  also  afterwards  at  the  village  and  subsequently 
became  preacher  to  the  Universalist  Society  there  and 
48 


finally  settled  in  Lynn,  Mass.,  following  his  profession 
there;  and  Henry  Wadleigh,  in  Chattleborough ; 
and  Samuel  Blaisdell,  at  his  place  in  the  northwest 
part  of  the  town ; succeeded  by  some  four  of  his  sons, 
particularly  Philip  O.,  who  worked  at  the  same  place; 
and  John,  who  wrought  at  the  village  and  elsewhere 
and  finally  on  Gunstock  Hill ; and  Daniel,  at  the  Lake- 
side road  (the  Captain  Locke  place)  and  afterwards 
at  the  Plains,  his  present  residence;  also  James  Fol- 
lett,  on  Gunstock  Hill ; and  at  the  village  also  Wil- 
liam and  Ebenezer  Stevens,  successively;  and  Josiah 
Gilman,  already  mentioned;  and  William  H.  Wad- 
leigh, who  wrought  in  several  shops  and  for  many 
years;  and  in  later  times  Charles  Beede,  Benjamin 
Dame,  Gilman  Leavitt,  Dudley  Leavitt,  with  Charles 
Beede,  Jacob  Blaisdell,  Charles  Swain,  a Mr.  Cross 
and  others  temporarily.  There  have  been  six  shops 
at  the  village,  and  the  work  done  there  has  been  of 
considerable  variety  as  well  as  magnitude.  John 
Blaisdell  made  hoes  and  edge-tools.  His  shop  stood 
near  the  present  site  of  the  church  and  town  hall. 
Beede  (alone  and  with  D.  Leavitt)  made  axes  and 
pitchforks  and  chains,  and  he  built,  on  the  new  road, 
the  present  Wadleigh  shop.  Gilman  Leavitt  and 
Wadleigh,  and,  to  some  extent,  others,  ironed  wagons, 
carriages  and  sleighs,  and  were  tire-setters,  and  all 
did  shoeing. 

Smith-work  -was  done  at  Lake  village  by  Rabie  and 
Hiram  Gilman,  and  later,  for  carriages,  by  Rublee, 
who  puts  up  the  wood-work  also.  The  same  business, 
on  a large  scale,  was  done  at  Meredith  Bridge  by 
Thomas  Babb,  on  the  Gilford  side.  The  most  of  the 
smith-work  there  was  done  on  the  Meredith  side  by 
Daniel  Tucker  and  others. 

The  machinist  business  was  carried  on  in  connection 
with  the  factory  and  afterwards  in  separate  build- 
ings. Badger  Taylor  and  Alva  Tucker  were  early 
workmen  at  this  trade.  Later,  a large  building  has 
been  devoted  to  the  business,  located  on  the  site  of 
the  old  Ladd’s  mill. 

The  tanning  and  shoe-making  and  peg-making  in- 
dustries have  been  important.  The  old-style  tan- 
yard  and  the  bark-mill  was  quite  common  in  different 
parts  of  the  towrn.  Benjamin  Weeks,  Esq.,  built  one 
in  1792,  and  he  did  some  business  in  the  line  and  in 
connection  with  his  son  Matthias.  Jeremiah  Thing, 
nearly  as  early,  pursued  the  business  on  Liberty 
Hill.  Captain  James  Follett  and  also  Richard  Mar- 
tin had  yards  on  Gunstock  Hill.  The  latter  was  run 
by  John  L.  Martin  afterwards  and  bought  by  Joseph 
& S.  IS.  Gilman.  These  all  have  ceased  to  be  oper- 
ated. 

Bernard  Morrill  carried  on  an  extensive  business  at 
the  village,  which  was  enlarged  and  continued  by 
I.  I.  Morrill  and  by  I.  I.  & J.  D.  Morrill  and  by  I.  I. 
Morrill  and  Samuel  Wright.  About  forty  years  ago 
the  old  yard  was  abandoned  and  a new  mill  was  built, 
with  steam  works  and  water-power,  for  grinding  bark. 
This  has  been  in  operation  till  within  a short  time 


62 


HISTORY  OF  MERRIMACK  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


for  tanning,  but  the  currying  ceased  some  years  ago. 
Another  yard  was  many  years  in  use  at  the  village, 
run  by  Matthias  Sewall  and  also  Morrill  Thing,  but 
ceased  to  be  used  thirty  years  since.  Matthias  Sewall 
had  a yard  and  business  at  the  Plains  before  and 
after  doing  business  at  the  village.  James  Crocket 
did  a large  tanning  business  at  Meredith  Bridge,  near 
the  Eager  tavern  and  court-house.  This  was  aban- 
doned nearly  fifty  years  ago.  The  main  business  in 
this  line  was  done  on  the  Meredith  side  by  Worcester 
Boynton,  on  the  site  of  the  Buzzell  mill  and  at 
Morrison’s  livery  stable.  A small  amount  of  business 
was  done  in  this  line  at  other  points  in  town. 

The  craft  of  the  shoemaker  was  a special  one  from 
the  first.  William  Clark  was  the  itinerant  shoemaker, 
going  from  house  to  house  to  do  the  yearly  shoe  and 
boot-making  for  the  families  in  turn. 

Joseph  Potter,  Sr.,  was  a permanently-located 
shoemaker  at  his  homestead. 

Samuel  Gilman  (1st),  a deformed  or  crippled  man, 
practiced  cobblerv  on  Gunstock  Hill.  His  son  Jere- 
miah and  grandson  Daniel  continued  the  business  at 
the  village  (at  B.  Morrill’s)  and  on  Gunstock  Hill, 
and  the  last-mentioned  at  three  different  locations  in 
the  village,  and,  finally,  at  the  homestead,  near  the 
original  place,  on  the  hill.  Paul  Stevens  pursued  the 
trade  first  in  the  south  part  of  the  town  and  after- 
wards near  the  village.  Israel  Potter  and,  lately,  his 
grandson,  T.  O.  Potter,  worked  at  the  business  at  the 
old  homestead  and  near  by. 

Leavit  Sleeper  very  early  was  shoemaker  at  Gil- 
ford village.  George  W.  Munsey  early  learned 
the  business  at  Meredith  Bridge,  with  one  Mugget, 
and  for  many  years  pursued  the  business  at  the  vil- 
lage. David  Hale  Munsey  and  Amos  Prescot  Mun- 
sey also  carried  on  the  business,  in  connection  with 
George  W.,  and  the  former  also  separately,  and  the 
work  has  not  entirely  ceased  at  the  shop  of  David 
Hale  Munsey.  He  has  worked,  or  located  his  shop, 
at  some  four  different  points  in  the  village.  Thos. 
Perkins  Ayer  carried  on  the  business  at  three  differ- 
ent places  in  the  village,  and  finally  at  the  Plains. 
Daniel  Gilman  and  T.  P.  Ayer  worked  also  at  har- 
ness-making. George  Crosby,  at  Gunstock  Hill, 
worked  also  at  harness-making  and  shoemaking.  An- 
drew Whittier  pursued  the  trade  in  the  east  part  of 
the  village  for  many  years  ; and  Joseph  Potter,  son 
of  Joseph  Jr.,  was  his  apprentice.  John  Avery  was 
apprentice  of  Daniel  Gilman,  and  Jonathan  Leavitt 
of  Thos.  P.  Ayer.  Warren  Thompson  worked  at  the 
business  at  the  village,  and  at  Laconia  afterwards. 
Nathaniel  Edwards  and  Jacob  Clark  were  shoe- 
makers at  Meredith  Bridge,  and  Daniel  Dinsmore 
carried  on  the  harness-making  business,  first  on  the 
Gilford  side  and  afterwards  on  the  Laconia  side.  Si- 
mon Rowe  also  for  a time  worked  at  the  business  at 
Gilford  village,  on  sole-work.  There  has  been  no 
shoe  manufactory  on  a large  scale  in  Gilford,  but  the 
workmen  at  the  business  have  been  numerous.  Some 


of  these  have  also  been  dealers  in  leather,  especially 
George  W.  and  D.  H.  Munsey,  Thos.  P.  Ayer  and  Dan- 
iel Gilman.  The  sole-leather  trade  was  considerable. 
In  later  years  ready-made  shoes,  for  sale  in  shoe- 
stores,  supply  the  greater  part  of  the  demand,  so  that, 
with  a greater  population  and  larger  volume  of  bus- 
iness in  the  shoe  line,  the  custom-workers  are  less. 
It  was  the  almost  universal  custom  for  each  man  to 
buy  a stock  of  leather  and  have  it  made  into  shoes 
and  boots  for  the  family  on  measure.  The  first  set- 
tlers rarely  had  boots,  but  used  the  shoe  and  buskin, 
and  some  thought  it  a sinful  extravagance  to  wear 
boots,  especially  of  calf-skin. 

The  manufacture  of  shoe-pegs  was  begun  on  the 
north  side  of  the  river,  on  the  canal,  by  Mr.  S.  K. 
Baldwin,  and  was  brought  to  a pause  by  the  great 
fire,  which,  originating  in  the  peg-factory,  destroyed 
the  greater  part  of  the  business  section  of  the  place. 
This  industry  was  resumed  on  the  Gilford  side  in  the 
place  of  the  grist-mill,  at  Ladd’s  mill.  It  was  car- 
ried on  for  a term  of  years,  turning  out  about  fifty 
bushels  of  pegs  daily,  many  of  which  were  exported 
to  Europe  after  supplying  the  home  market.  Af- 
ter the  destruction  of  these  works  the  enterprise 
was  started  anew,  with  increased  capacity,  in  build- 
ings erected  a short  distance  up-stream,  and  operated 
by  power  at  the  dam,  communicated  by  continued 
shafting.  The  drying  process  is  attended  by  consid- 
erable danger  of  conflagration.  The  timber  used, 
principally  white-birch  and  white-maple,  was  at  last 
brought  by  railroad  from  the  upper  part  of  the  State 
and  Vermont.  The  business  was  attended  with  suc- 
cess by  Mr.  Baldwin  & Sons. 

The  manufacture  of  hats  and  caps  was  undertaken 
by  different  parties  at  sundry  times  and  divers  places. 
A hat  manufactory  was  started  very  early  at  Avery’s, 
and  Mr.  Hibbard,  on  the  Oaks  road,  was  a hatter, 
and  J.  G.  Weeks,  at  the  village,  conducted  the  bus- 
iness. G.  W.  & John  G.  Weeks,  at  the  village, 
made  also  a stock  of  caps,  of  cloth  and  partly  of  fur. 
The  industry  of  millinery  was  very  limited  in  the 
days  of  home-made  apparel.  Miss  Nancy  and  Fanny 
Stevens  conducted  a limited  business  in  that  line  at 
the  village,  and  some  volume  of  business  of  the  same 
was  done  at  Meredith  Bridge  and  Lake  village.  Like- 
wise, dress-making  was  but  limitedly  conducted  as 
an  industry  of  itself,  the  average  woman  consider- 
ing herself  a master  of  the  art,  if  the  construction 
of  their  apparel  in  the  simple  style  of  former  days 
could  be  said  to  involve  anything  of  artifice  at  all. 
Yet  to  the  higher  class  there  were  some  ministering 
adepts  to  meet  the  imagined  exigency ; and  these 
were  represented  slightly  among  other  craftsmen, 
and  their  services  were  generously  rewarded. 

The  tailor  and  tailoress  were  much  more  in  de- 
mand, though  the  major  part  of  men’s  apparel  was 
made  up  by  the  clever  maid  of  the  house,  or  her 
training  and  instructive  mother  and  sister.  The 
craft  was,  however,  represented  from  the  beginning. 


GILFORD. 


763 


The  primitive  tailor  was  also  an  itinerant,  and,  with 
bodkin  and  goose  and  press-board,  migrated  through 
the  neighborhood  to  uniform  the  lad  and  sire;  the 
“hailed  of  all  men”  was  the  tailor.  A clever  dame 
by  the  name  of  Hannah  Parsons,  from  Gilmanton, 
j used  to  make  her  yearly  tour  a-tailoring,  to  the  in- 
finite delight  of  the  ragged  urchin  and  tattered  swain. 
Joseph  Sanborn,  Sr.,  was  also  of  this  craft,  and  lived 
near  Meeting-House  Hill.  Misses  Ann  and  Sarah 
Munsev  carried  on  this  business  some  years  at  Gil- 
ford village;  and  later,  Simon  Goss  and  one  McFar- 
land ; and  in  the  east  part  of  the  town  Joseph  Rob- 
erts practiced  the  vocation.  Mrs.  Bartlet,  on  the 
Plains,  and  Messrs.  Bugbee  and  Odlin,  at  the  Furnace 
village,  conducted  the  business.  At  Meredith  Bridge 
| the  main  business  was  done  at  first  on  the  Meredith 
side  by  Francis  Russell,  and  afterwards  by  Charles 
Russell  and  others.  In  later  times,  Nathaniel  Stevens 
carried  on  the  business  in  different  shops. 

The  artisans  on  wood-work  have  not  been  few  in  Gil- 
ford, nor  in  apt.  Chief  of  these  has  been  the  carpenter, 
including  ship  carpenter  and  framer.  The  average  set- 
tler was  a clever  worker  on  wood,  and  he  consequently 
rudely  constructed  many  things  himself,  as  out-build- 
ings  and  many  things  needed  in  husbandry,  and 
left  for  the  carpenter  the  more  difficult  mechanisms, 
or  the  superintendence  of  non-journeymen  workers. 
In  the  class  of  skilled  journeymen  workers  were 
the  following, — viz.:  The  Sanborns  (Lowell,  Richard, 
Lowell,  Jr.,  Richard,  Jr  , Osgood,  Benjamin,  Lowell 
(Deacon)  so-called)  and  others.  They  all,  or  nearly 
all,  were  practicing  farming,  or  some  other  collateral 
j vocation  also  at  intervals.  Then  the  Blaisdells 
| (Samuel,  the  framer,  Eliphlet  and  Hugh)  and 
others.  Then  Joseph  Thing,  Sr.  and  Jr.;  also  John 
and  Abel  and  Abel,  Jr.,  Hunt.  The  Hunts  were 
finishers  in  panel-work,  banisters  and  ornamenta- 
tions. In  later  years  there  were  David  Watson, 
Gardner  Cook,  Thomas  M.  Smith,  F.  Follet,  P.  Lovit, 
Jeremiah  Hunt,  A.  Woodward  and  many  others. 

| Jonathan  Watson  and  Thomas  Ayers  were  broad- 
axemen,  and  had  worked  at  ship-carpentry.  Sam- 
uel Leavit  and  a Mr.  Bachelder  were  handy  as  mill- 
wrights. Thomas  Plummer,  Joshua  Gilman,  Enoch 
Osgood,  Jonathan  Whittier,  Daniel  Gove,  Benjamin 
Rowe,  Simeon  Hoyt,  Jr.,  John  Abel,  Jr.,  and  Jere- 
miah Hunt  and  a few  others  were  wheelwrights,  as 
well  as  handy  at  carpentry. 

Door,  sash  and  blinds  were  formerly  made  by  the 
common  carpenter,  but  now  at  factories.  The  trade 
of  carpentry  has  been  an  important  one,  as  the  work  to 
be  done  has  always  been  of  considerable  magnitude, 
the  most  of  the  buildings  having  been  made  of  wood, 
and  not  a few  of  large  dimensions  and  improved  pat- 
terns. 

Cabinet  and  furniture-making,  as  an  industry,  has 
been  carried  on  at  different  places,  as  at  Meredith 
Bridge  by  Ephraim  Mallard,  and  on  the  Meredith  side 
by  the  Somes  Brothers ; at  Gilford  village  in  the 


Whitter  mill,  by  Jeremiah  Hunt ; at  Abel  Hunt’s  by 
himself  and  son,  and  by  a few  others  at  other  places. 

Coffins  and  caskets  were  formerly  made  by  common 
carpenters. 

Artisans  on  stone  work  have  been  of  some  note 
and  carried  on  a limited  business,  both  here  and  in 
some  other  places.  Esquire  Benjamin  Wadleigh  and 
Prescot  Goss  are  still  in  active  life  as  stone-cutters. 
Formerly  there  was  quite  a general  inclination  on  the 
part  of  the  young  men  of  this  town  to  enter  upon  the 
stone-cutting  business.  John  & Freeman  S.  Gil- 
man were  engaged  in  the  business  extensively  here 
and  especially  in  Massachusetts.  John  M.  Rowe  in 
Frankfort,  Me.,  where  he  quarried  for  Boston  mar- 
ket great  quantities  of  building-stone.  William  Levi, 
Dudley  and  Benjamin  Folsom  were  also  engaged  in 
the  business,  and  Joseph,  son  of  Joseph  Potter,  Jr. 
Simeon  Hoyt,  Jr.,  also  pursued  the  building  of  stone- 
work, and  various  other  parties  engaged  in  the 
coarser  grades  of  stone-work  and  building,  as  stone- 
masons. There  were  here  only  a few  formations  of 
stone  which  were  good  for  quarrying.  The  mountain 
deposits  were  of  coarse  and  not  compact  substance, 
and  the  boulder  masses  were  not  usually  fissile  ; yet 
some  good  monumental  works  have  been  made  of 
them. 

Workers  of  marble  have  been  Jno.  Merrill  and 
Merrill,  Hull  & Co.  This  establishment  has  been 
a successful  one,  and  has  been  lately  located  on 
the  Meredith  side,  at  Laconia,  and  employs  several 
workmen. 

The  ordinary  work  of  brick-masons  has  been  limited, 
as  but  few  brick  buildings  have  been  built  in  town. 
William  and  Henry  Plummer,  and  Paul  and  Smith 
Stevens  and  some  others  did  the  masonry  of  former 
years,  and  in  later  times  the  work  is  dependent  on 
artisans  in  the  craft  from  other  places. 

The  industry  of  brick -making  was  prosecuted  in 
town  a few  years,  particularly  by  Benjamin  Rowe,  on 
the  Pine  Hill  stream,  and  this  yard  supplied  the 
domestic  market.  But  the  notable  Dol  brick -yard,  at 
the  Weirs,  on  the  Meredith  side,  was  such  in  capacity, 
and  by  reason  of  the  peculiar  character  of  its  clay, 
and  in  the  quantity  and  quality  of  its  products,  that 
competition  was  impossible;  hence,  the  few  clay  de- 
posits in  the  town  were  not  extensively  used  in  brick- 
making. 

The  industry  of  pottery  was  carried  on  for  many 
years,  conducted  by  one  Mr.  Goodhue,  at  Gilford 
village.  The  clay  was  obtained  from  the  Weirs,  and 
was  made  into  kiln-burnt  brown  earthen- ware.  For 
milk-pans  and  crocks  of  various  sizes  and  forms  it 
was  an  excellent  article,  and  was  in  general  use  till, 
in  later  years,  the  use  of  tin  in  the  manufacture  of 
wares  for  dairy  uses,  and  stone  for  making  jars  and 
other  vessels,  superseded  them,  and  caused  this  in- 
dustry to  be  discontinued,  and  much  to  the  satisfaction 
of  the  using  public,  as  the  earthenware  was  very 
fragile,  as  well  as  ponderous,  and  its  glazing  poisonous. 


764 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


The  manufacture  of  artificial  limbs  has  been  an 
industry  pursued.  The  Palmer  limb  was  invented  at 
Meredith  Bridge,  and  manufactured  by  him  there 
(the  iron-work  by  Charles  Clement),  at  the  corner  of 
Main  and  Church  Streets;  but,  subsequently,  Wood- 
man Jewett  pursued  the  enterprise  in  Gilford,  and 
then  Samuel  Jewett  and  others  engaged  in  it,  and 
finally  the  works  were  mostly  removed  to  other 
places,  as  New  York  and  Philadelphia. 

Paper  boxes  have  been  manufactured  by  E.  Bea- 
man and  another  firm  at  Laconia.  The  demand  for 
them  has  been  great,  and  the  industry  employs  many 
hands  and  considerable  capital.  The  old-fashioned 
band-box,  of  a wooden  veneer,  has  been  superseded 
by  the  modern  paste-board  box  of  various  forms  and 
sizes,  in  which  light  manufactured  goods  are  packed 
and  sent  to  the  market  or  the  commission  agent. 

The  trade  of  basket-making  was  pursued  by  Levi 
Lovit  and  Ichabod  Buzzell  at  the  east  and  west  parts 
of  the  town  respectively ; also  the  sons  of  these,  re- 
spectively, at  the  same  places  ; and  that  of  the  former 
at  Laconia  in  later  years.  Ezekiel  Collins  also  pur- 
sued the  business  near  Laconia,  and  Abel  Hunt  & 
Son  at  his  place.  These  last  also  reseated  the  ashen 
chairs,  and  manufactured  other  articles.  The  industry 
of  palm-leaf  braiding  was  extensively  pursued  at  one 
time.  The  work  was  done  in  the  families,  and  con- 
ducted by  the  traders;  those  at  Gilford  village,  Laco- 
nia and  Lake  village;  particularly  G.  W.  Weeks, 
Mesheck  Sanborn,  Horace  Bugbee  and  a few  others. 

The  enterprise  and  business  of  general  trade  has 
been  important,  and  was  early  entered  into,  and  is 
continued  in  increased  amount  and  compass.  Ben- 
jamin Weeks,  Esq.  began  trade  at  his  residence  in 
the  last  century.  His  sons,  Daniel  and  Elisha,  were  j 
conducting  the  business  there  in  the  two  first  years  I 
of  this  century,  the  former  succeeding  the  latter.  I 
The  latter  also  did  business  later  in  Boston,  which 
business  was  crippled  in  the  time  of  the  War  of  1812,  ! 
and  he  returned  to  Gilford  and  did  more  or  less  trad- 
ing here  in  an  informal  way  afterwards.  His  sons, 
John  G.  and  George  W.,  were  long  in  trade  at  the  j 
village,  and  the  latter,  later,  at  Lake  village.  A store 
was  stocked  at  Gunstock  meeting-house  by  Stephen 
Pearly,  of  Meredith  Bridge,  and  was  run  a few  years 
by  a clerk,  and  the  same  was  closed  and  the  building 
removed  to  the  village.  After  this,  Joseph  Sanborn 
was  in  trade  there  for  several  years,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Jonas  Sleeper,  and  he,  in  turn,  by  Ben-  j 
jamin  Jewett,  Jr.,  Esq.  About  this  time  Levi  R. 
Weeks  began  trade  there,  but  soon  removed  from  ' 
town,  as  did  also  Elisha. 

Charles  Stark  entered  into  trade  at  the  Goodhue 
pottery,  and  in  a few  years  was  succeeded  by  Ben- 
jamin Weeks,  Jr.,  and  later  by  George  W.,  and  then 
by  Weeks  & Follet.  These  stores  were  well  patron- 
ized and  successfully  conducted. 

About  the  year  1840,  the  business  being  large,  - 
rivalry  began,  and  a new  firm  was  formed  by  Ben-  1 


| 

jamin  Jewett,  formerly  in  the  business,  and  Albert 
Chase,  who  had  been  clerk  at  the  Stark  store  and 
also  at  Jewett’s,  and  Jeremiah  Thing.  The  firm  of 
Jewett,  Chase  & Thing  continued  but  a few  years,  be- 
came embarrassed,  and  was  dissolved.  The  firm  of 
Weeks  & Follet'  was  afterwards  dissolved,  and 
G.  W.  & Benjamin  F.  Weeks  went  into  trade  in  the 
Jewett,  Chase  & Thing  store.  Richard  Glidden  was. 
afterwards  associated  with  G.  W.,  and  B.  F.  went 
out  of  trade.  In  later  years  George  W.  went  into 
trade  with  his  sons  at  Lake  village.  Levi  B.  Thompson 
returned  from  Brunswick,  Me.,  and  set  up  trade  in  a 
new  store,  and  George  W.  & John  Munsey  traded 
at  the  Jewett  store,  and  afterwards  in  the  Thompson 
store.  Mesheck  Sanborn,  a long-term  postmaster, 
traded  in  a third  store,  and  was  succeeded  by  John 
Sleeper.  Trade  began  to  decrease  under  the  facilities 
of  transit  to  Meredith  bridge,  after  the  building  of 
the  Gully  road,  and  the  three  stores  were  succeeded 
by  two,  and  at  length  by  one,  and,  in  reduced  volume 
of  business,  Martin  Eaton  continued  the  business 
for  awhile,  and  at  present  the  Jones  store  supplies  the 
demands. 

At  Lake  village  the  store  on  the  west  side  was  the 
only  store  at  first ; afterwards,  Cole’s  store  at  the  fur- 
nace, and  the  Bugbee  store,  at  the  bridge,  were  added ; 
afterwards,  G.  W.  Weeks  and  various  other  dealers 
opened  places  of  trade,  and  the  business  is  now  of 
large  capacity,  and  holds  an  enlarged  place  in  the 
supply  of  the  outlying  districts,  and  in  the  patronage 
on  the  part  of  those  who  more  and  more  make  their 
marketing  here. 

The  bakery  business  has  been  carried  on  at  Lake 
village  by  Charles  Elkins.  The  trade  at  Meredith 
bridge  in  early  years  was  predominantly  given  to  the 
Meredith  side,  and  to  this  day  the  bulk  of  trade  is 
there. 

The  French  store,  however,  has  done  a fair  share 
of  business  since  its  opening,  which  was  at  an  early 
date,  and  has  not  frequently  changed  ownership. 
Henry  French  conducted  it  for  many  years,  and  was 
principal  member  of  later  partnerships.  Avery’s 
store  was  the  first  opened,  in  1790,  at  the  end  of  the 
bridge.  Various  other  business  concerns  were  located 
in  two  small  buildings  on  each  side  of  the  roadway, 
at  the  abutment  of  the  bridge.  The  one  on  the  up- 
river side  of  the  roadway  was  built  by  L.  B.  Walker, 
Esq.,  and  extended  beyond  the  natural  shore-line 
into  the  river,  and  its  supposed  obstruction  to  the 
water-flow  created  a sensation  on  the  part  of  those 
interested  in  the  water-power  above,  and  demands 
were  made  for  its  withdrawal,  on  penalty  of  its  being 
overturned  into  the  river. 

Richard  Gove  conducted,  for  nearly  a half-century, 
the  jewelry  business  in  this  and  other  buildings.  The 
post-office,  established  in  1824,  was  once  kept  in  the 
building  on  the  down-river  side  of  the  way  by  Mr. 

A.  C.  Wright,  who  conducted  the  paper,  the  Winni- 
piseogee  Gazette , and  did  business  as  shoe-dealer,  and 


GILFORD. 


765 


afterwards  in  Lowell,  Mass.,  whence  he  came,  and 
whither  he  returned.  The  large  block  on  the  corner 
has  been  occupied  by  various  parties  for  offices,  resi- 
dences and  trading-places,  and  on  its  site,  since  its 
destruction,  have  been  located  various  structures, 
among  which  is  a market,  a shoe-shop  and  drug-store. 
Swain’s  store  has  been  recently  added,  and  one  oppo- 
site the  hosiery  was  in  occupancy  by  I.  Tilton  for 
some  years. 

Hotel-keeping,  a branch  of  trade,  has  been  of  some 
importance  and  has  been  conducted  by  a few  enter- 
prising men  as  landlords. 

The  Lawrence  tavern,  on  Gilford  side,  was  rival  of 
the  Robinson’s  tavern,  on  the  other  side.  It  was  kept 
by  Ebenezer  Lawrence,  and  afterwards  by  John  Til- 
ton, and  then  became  the  Willard  Hotel,  and  was 
considered  “ beautiful  for  situation,”  and  a favorite 
resort  to  the  best  class  of  the  traveling  public  and  for 
boarders.  It  was  afterwards  kept  by  Young,  Morrison 
& Everet.  The  Eager  tavern  was  nearer  the  court- 
house, but  “ the  court  ” usually  made  his  abode  at  the 
Willard,  and  the  litigant  more  generally  at  the  Eager 
and  Robinson’s.  The  Eager  has  often  changed  land- 
lords and  name.  It  has  been  kept  by  Asa  Eager,  Frank 
! Chapman,  Charles  Beede,  Hiram  Yerrill,  Mr.  Tuck,  A. 
Morrison,  John  Blaisdell  and  others,  at  different 
times,  and  known  as  the  Belknap  House  and  by  other 
names,  and  been  enlarged  and  rebuilt.  The  building 
of  another  house  at  Winnesquam,  “ The  Bay  View,” 

: and  now  still  another,  “Vue  De  L’Van,”  has  been 
in  response  to  summer  travel  and  required  boarding, 
which  has  greatly  increased;  and  other  houses  for 
boarding,  such  as  the  Maplewood,  etc.,  have  been 
opened. 

At  Lake  village,  Sargent’s  tavern  was  opened  some 
thirty  years  ago,  and  before  that  there  was  no  public- 
house  and  not  much  travel  to  require  one.  The  travel 
by  stage  was  mainly  through  Meredith.  As  to  travel, 
its  mode,  direction  and  extent,  great  changes  have 
occurred.  The  stage-lines  were  from  Conway  and 
the  upper  parts  of  the  State  to  Concord  and  Boston. 
Daily  trips  were  made  each  way.  ODe  day  took  pas- 
sengers from  the  upper  towns  to  Concord,  and  the 
next  day  to  Lowell  and  Boston.  These  stages  were 
usually  filled.  Daniel  Greene  drove  a mail  line  from 
Meredith  Bridge,  through  Gilmanton,  to  Pittsfield, 
and  a bi-weekly  stage  ran  to  Alton  Bay.  This  last 
route  underwent  some  alterations, — at  one  time  pass- 
ing through  Gilford  village,  and,  at  another,  via  In- 
tervale to  Lake  village,  and  was  finally  discontinued 
and  a special  route  made  to  the  village;  and  West 
Alton  was  connected  with  Alton  Bay. 

Robert  Carr  kept  a semi-hotel,  or  entertained 
teamsters  and  travelers,  as  a halting-place  between 
Emerson’s,  at  West  Alton,  and  Meredith  Bridge. 
Captain  James  Follet  furnished  meals  and  enter- 
tained at  town-meetings  and  on  other  public  occasions 
at  the  Meeting-House  Hill.  These,  with  many  other 
places  recently,  furnishing  board  in  the  summer  sea- 


son, constituted  the  hotel  provisions  in  the  town  and 
vicinity. 

About  1845  travel  by  rail  began.  The  Boston, 
Concord  and  Montreal  Railroad  was  first  opened  to 
Meredith  Bridge,  and  afterwards  to  Plymouth,  and 
finally  to  Wells  River. 

The  repair-shops  were  located  at  Lake  village,  and 
a wharf  and  lauding  at  the  Weirs. 

Before  this,  in  1832,  the  first  steamboat,  the  “ Bel- 
knap,” was  built  at  Lake  village,  and  got  up  into  the 
lake  by  being  buoyed  up,  to  pass  the  shallows  at  the 
Weirs.  She  was  a heavy,  clumsy  boat,  and  ran  only 
a few  years  till  she  ran  aground  near  Long  Island, 
and  was  finally  broken  up  and  disposed  of.  Captain 
Winborn  Sanborn  was  the  commander  of  her,  and  he 
was,  in  after-years,  also  of  the  “ Lady  of  the  Lake.” 
Since  that  time  the  “ Lady  of  the  Lake,”  the  “ White 
Mountain,”  the  “ Long  Island,”  the  “ Winnipesau- 
kee,”  the  “ Minneola,”  the  “ James  Bell”  and  many 
other  smaller  steamers  have  been  put  upon  routes  on 
the  lake,  and  communicate  with  the  Weirs  and  Lake 
village.  Much  transportation  has  been  made  also  by 
the  horse-power  toll-boats,  and  in  gondolas  (so-called 
popularly),  and  by  rafts  and  smaller  boats. 

The  corporations  located  in  the  town,  or  doing 
business  therein,  have  been  the  Iron-Mining  and  Foun- 
dry Company,  the  Ticking-Mill  Company,  the  steam- 
boat companies,  the  Academy  Corporation,  the  Horse 
Railroad  Company  (formed  in  1883,  and  running  street 
cars  from  Laconia  and  Lake  village),  the  Savings- 
Bank,  National  Bank  and  some  smaller  concerns 
that  do  business  on  joint  capital  and  have  common 
interests. 

In  educational  work  and  facilities,  the  town  has  a 
commendable  record  in  the  past,  and  standing  at 
present. 

When  the  town  was  incorporated  there  had  been 
formed  ten  districts  in  which  schools  had  been  main- 
tained, and  the  money  raised  that  year  for  the  sup- 
port of  these  schools  was  four  hundred  and  ninety- 
two  dollars.  These  districts  have  since  been  increased 
till  they  numbered  fourteen.  The  added  districts 
were  the  Lake  village  (the  village  having  grown  up 
since  that  time),  the  Zebedee  Morrill  District,  the 
Daniel  Brown  District  and  the  Captain  Marsten  Dis- 
trict. These  schools  were  maintained  by  the  school- 
money,  divided  according  to  the  valuation  of  the 
district,  as  bounded.  Hence,  they  varied  in  duration, 
and  often  were  of  short  duration.  Usually,  a sum- 
mer and  a winter  term  was  held,  of  eight  or  twelve 
weeks  each.  Select  schools  were  occasionally  held  at 
Gilford  village  and  at  Lake  village  in  more  recent  years, 
and,  in  1820,  an  academy  was  established  at  Meredith 
Bridge,  which  was  sustained  some  forty  years,  and 
then  consolidated  with  the  High  School  or  graded 
schools  of  that  village.  This  was  a rival  school  of 
the  Gilmanton  Academy,  which  was  established  there 
in  1794. 

The  academy  had  not,  alas  ! the  prestige  of  that  of 


766 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Gilmanton,  a generous  grant  of  land  from  the  State 
and  the  appropriation  of  its  school-lot  from  the  town. 
But  it  had  the  moral  support  of  the  better  class 
of  the  community,  and  a liberal  patronage.  It 
was  well  instructed  and  managed  under  Precep- 
tor Joshua  M.  Pitman,  from  Meredith,  and  Dyer 
H.  Sanborn,  from  Gilmanton,  and  John  C.  Clark,  Mr. 
Emerson  and  others,  whose  preceptorships  were  the 
good  fortune  of  the  corporation  and  the  praise  of  the 
patrons  and  students.  There  had  been  a short  interim 
in  the  principalship  when  Benjamin  Stanton,  from 
Lebanon,  Me.,  and  a graduate  of  Bowdoin  College,  as- 
sumed the  duties  of  principal,  and  Clara  Stanton  those 
of  assistant  and  preceptress,  which  was  in  1849,  and 
continued  till  1853. 

The  school  was  sustained  a few  years  afterwards 
and  was  taught  by  several  teachers,  among  whom  were 
Woodbury  L.  Melcher,  A.M.,  Mr.  Richer,  Professor 
Hammond,  Professor  Burleigh  and,  after  consolida- 
tion, by  J.  G.  Jewett  and  others,  and  was  at  length 
consolidated  with  the  graded  public  schools,  and  its 
record  becomes  merged  in  that  of  the  town  schools. 
At  different  times  select  schools  were  held  for  a single 
term  at  Gilford  village.  Such  were  taught  by  Albert 
G.  Weeks  and  Nathan  Weeks,  William  H.  Farrar,  C. 
C.  Watson,  D.  S.  Frost,  Dr.  Dearborn  and  others. 
The  old-time  teachers  were  severe  disciplinarians,  and 
the  scholars  of  that  day  stalwart  and  rude.  The  fe- 
male teachers  of  the  summer  school  were  somewhat 
noted  for  their  matronly  kindness  and  care  and  ad- 
vanced age.  Two  by  the  name  of  Mary  Sanborn  fol- 
lowed the  vocation  till  in  far  advanced  years. 

Among  the  male  teachers  who  exclusively  taught 
the  winter  schools  were  William  H.  Farrar,  Albert 
G.  Weeks,  Ira  G.  Folsom,  Rev.  Mr.  Damon,  Daniel 
K.  Smith,  Rev.  D.  C.  Frost  and  others,  who  were  men 
of  ability  and  extended  education,  and  some  were 
collegians.  Of  another  class,  athletic  and  disciplina- 
rians, were  Jeremiah  Thing,  James  Morrison,  John 
Davis,  J.  J.  Morrill,  Daniel  Eaton,  George  Hoyt, 
Samuel  Evans,  Jonathan  Weeks,  Harrison  Bennet, 
William  B.  Weeks,  Benjamin  Sanborn,  David  Y. 
Smith,  Aaron  Blaisdell,  Daniel  Blaisdell,  John  M. 
Rowe,  Nathan  Weeks,  William  Morrill,  Harrison  San- 
born, Rufus  Morrill,  S.  S.  Ayer,  William  Hunt,  George 
Sanders,  George  Sleeper,  Nehemiah  Sleeper,  Simon 
Rowe,  Shepherd  Rowe,  Rev.  J.  L.  Sinclair,  M.  B.  Smith 
and  many  others.  Nehemiah  Sleeper  was  school  com- 
mittee for  the  town  at  its  commencement,  and  Es- 
quire Benjamin  Weeks  was  a leading  man  in  educa- 
tional interests  even  before  the  incorporation  of  the 
town.  A few  sons  of  Gilford  have  graduated  at  col- 
lege,— William,  son  of  Esquire  Benjamin  Weeks, 
Albert  G.  Weeks,  Ira  Folsom,  J.  P.  Watson,  Wood- 
bury L.  Melcher,  C.  C.  Watson,  John  B.  Morrill,  A.  j 
J.  Thompson,  Jonas  Sleeper,  Daniel  Dinsmore,  Joseph 
B.  Clark  and  a few  others. 

The  town  early  contained  circulating  libraries,  ! 
which  did  much  for  the  instruction  and  general  intel- 


ligence of  the  community  ; these  were  well  read,  but 
have  not  been  maintained.  A public  library  is  pro- 
vided by  Laconia  for  that  part  of  Gilford  now  de- 
tached. 

There  have  been  two  newspapers  published  in 
town, — one  more  recently  at  Lake  village  and  one 
formerly  at  Meredith  Bridge, — but  papers  published  in 
Boston  and  New  York  have  larger  circulation. 

The  Gazette  ( WinnipesauJcee),  at  Meredith  Bridge, 
was  edited  and  published  sometimes  in  Gilford  and 
sometimes  in  Meredith,  and  under  changed  names. 
Among  its  editors  and  managers  have  been  Charles 

Lane,  J.  C.  Moulton,  A.  C.  Wright,  Mr. Baldwin 

(of  unhappy  and  premature  death),  and  several  others. 
Mr.  Drake  wras  some  years  foreman  printer.  The  La- 
conia Democrat  maybe  considered  the  successor  of  the 
Gazette,  and  has  been  well  conducted,  but  belongs  to 
Laconia  properly.  The  Lake  Village  Times  is  under 
the  management  of  the  Hon.  Mr.  Haynes,  member 
of  Congress,  and  is  a successful  issue  and  patronized 
by  readers  of  the  town  of  the  Republican  party  and 
sympathies.  Gilford  has  not  been  distinguished  for 
authors  and  authorship,  unless  we  except  the  work 
done  in  the  line  of  text-books  by  Dyer  H.  Sanborn, 
and  the  ordinary  editorials  in  the  regular  issues  of 
newspapers. 

In  professional  ranks  and  services  there  have  been 
adepts  and  honorable  success.  The  medical  practi- 
tioners have  been  many,  and  by  no  means  in  dis- 
honor. They  have  been  generally  trustworthy  and  effi- 
cient, and,  in  some  instances,  distinguished.  In  the  first 
years  after  the  settlement  of  this  part  of  the  Gilmanton 
territory  the  demand  for  medical  and  surgical  services 
was  met  by  the  abundant  supply  of  doctors  resident 
in  Old  Gilmanton.  Many  of  them  had  a wide  prac- 
tice, even  spanning  Gilford,  and  extending  across  the 
lake  into  towns  adjacent  to  the  northern  shore.  Such 
men  were  Dr.  William  Smith,  in  1768  and  to  1830 ; 
Jonathan  Hill,  1778  and  onward  into  the  present  cen- 
tury; Obadiah  Parish,  1790-94;  Abraham  Silver, 
1790-1801;  Simon  Foster,  1793-1824 ; Daniel  Jacobs, 
1796-1815;  Benjamin  Kelley,  1801-39;  Asa  Crosby, 
1816-32 ; Thomas  H.  Merrill,  1814-22 ; William  Pres- 
cott, 1815-33 ; Dixie  Crosby,  1824^38,  and  at  Gilford, 
1835-38;  Otis  French,  1828  and  onward;  Jacob  Wil- 
liams, 1816-28 ; Nathan  C.  Tebbetts,  1825  and  on- 
ward ; John  C.  Page,  who  practiced  at  Gilford  village 
in  1826  aud  Gilmanton,  1832-36,  and  was  afterward  a 
minister ; Nahum  Wight,  1832  and  onward  many 
years;  Joseph  Gould,  1820  and  onward;  Edward  G. 
Morrill,  1834  and  afterward  ; and  some  others  for  a 
short  time. 

Those  who  have  located  and  practiced  in  this  town, 
more  exclusively,  were  Zadock  Bowman,  at  Mere- 
dith Bridge,  in  early  times ; J.  C.  Prescot ; Dixie 
Crosby,  about  1835,  and  who  became  distinguished  as 
surgeon  and  professor  in  Dartmouth  Medical  College; 
Josiah  Crosby,  succeeding  Dixie  ; Andrew  McFarland, 
1838  and  onward ; J.  L.  Peasley,  who  soon  retired 


GILFORD. 


767 


from  practice ; Dr.  Garland,  about  1845-60 ; Dr. 
Ayer,  1850  and  onward  ; Dr.  Francis  Sleeper,  native- 
born,  and  practicing  till  about  1860;  Warren  Sleeper 
and  Warren  Leach,  homoeopatbists,  or  of  the  Botanic 
School ; Dr.  Knowles,  a few  years,  about  1845 ; Dr. 
Prescot,  succeeding  Knowles ; Dr.  Wilson,  about 
1875,  and  again  at  present ; Dr.  Weeks,  homceopathist ; 
Dr.  Foster,  to  the  present  time ; Dr.  B.  Munsey, 
eclectic  to  the  present  time  at  Gilford  village  and 
also  Laconia ; Dr.  Josiah  Sawyer,  at  the  village  for 
many  years  prior  to  1845;  Dr.  George  W.  Munsey,  at 
the  village  for  some  forty  years  prior  to  1856 ; Dr. 
Charles  Tebbets,  at  the  village  and  later  at  Laconia ; 
Dr.  Dearbon,  at  the  village  a short  time  ; Dr.  Devan, 

; at  the  village  and  Lake  village;  Dr.  Moore  and  Dr. 

! Goss,  homoeopathists  at  Lake  village;  Dr.  Frank 
Russell  and  Dr.  I.  S.  French,  native-born,  and  gradu- 
ating as  residents ; Drs.  Frank  Stevens  and  Hosea 
Smith  and  others  studied  medicine  with  Drs.  Garland 
and  Ayer,  and  practiced  elsewhere.  There  was  also 
in  early  times  a class  who  practiced  limitedly  without 
professional  education,  as  Mrs.  Samuel  Blaisdell  and 
Mrs.  Frohock,  and  others ; also,  Nathaniel  Davis, 
Sr.,  D.  Y.  Smith  and  I.  S.  Gilman,  by  patent  prep- 
aration. Mrs.  A.  F.  Wiley  is  sole  representative  of 
female  practice,  under  a regular  diploma,  and  after  a 
full  course  of  medical  education.  Her  location  was 
first  at  Gilford  village,  and  afterwards  at  Laconia. 

The  spotted  fever  epidemic  was  in  1816,  and  Dr. 
Asa  Crosby  discovered  an  effectual  remedy  for  it; 
other  fevers,  notably  the  typhoid,  has  been  at  times 
epidemic,  but  this  array  and  force  of  medical  ability 
has  proved  a defiance  to  their  ravages,  and  protected 
life  effectually. 

A special  instance  of  surgical  operation  was  the 
case  of  Malachi  Davis,  who  was  opened  and  had 
gravel  extracted,  and  lived  many  years  afterwards. 
The  surgery  of  Dr.  Ayer  was  skillful,  as  was  also  that 
of  the  Crosbys. 

The  legal  profession,  though  not  represented  by  so 
numerous  a host  as  was  the  medical,  was  nevertheless 
not  without  distinguished  men.  The  shiretown  of 
Strafford  County,  and  later  of  Belknap,  would  natur- 
ally collect  into  its  domain  much  legal  talent  and 
furnish  much  practice. 

The  first  court-house  and  courts  were  at  East  Gil- 
manton,  where  there  is  now  no  village.  In  1799  the 
courts  began  to  be  held  at  the  Academy  village,  and 
the  legal  men  were  collected  and  resident  there. 
Later  still,  the  courts  and  court-house  were  located  in 
what  was  thereafter  Gilford.  The  several  lawyers  of 
Gilmanton  and  from  other  places  came  here  to  trans- 
act business  in  the  court,  and  at  length  the  legal 
talent  wa3  massed  at  this  point.  Timothy  Call  was 
here  as  early  as,  or  before,  1801,  and  ten  years  later 
Lyman  B.  Walker,  and  Stephen  C.  Lvford  in  1815, 
and  Benjamin  Boardman  ten  years  later.  Gilmanton 
was  thirty-two  years  without  a lawyer,  when,  in  1793, 
Stephen  Moody,  pioneer  of  the  profession  in  this  part 


of  the  county,  appeared  in  that  capacity  among  the 
inhabitants  of  the  Lower  Parish.  The  more  important 
matters  in  question  had  been  managed  by  lawyers  of 
Exeter  and  other  places  of  older  settlement,  and 
Joseph  Badger,  as  magistrate,  with  the  justices  in 
their  official  administration  before  him,  disposed  ofthe 
matters  of  minor  moment.  In  the  immediately  subse- 
quent years  the  law  business  of  the  early  settlers  of 
Gilford  was  done  by  the  lawyers  of  Gilmanton  pro- 
per, where  there  were  practicing,  besides  Stephen 
Moody,  John  Ham,  after  1801 ; Nathaniel  Cogswell) 
after  1805;  Benjamin  Emerson,  after  1822;  Nathan 
Crosby,  after  1824;  James  Bell,  about  1825  (who 
afterwards  pursued  his  profession  in  Gilford);  George 
Minot,  in  1831;  Arthur  Livermore,  in  1833;  Ira  A. 
Eastman,  in  1834;  E.  St.  L.  Livermore,  in  1835; 
William  Butterfield,  in  1841 ; George  G.  Fogg,  in 
1844 ; and  others  later.  The  courts  of  Strafford 
County  being  held  at  two  places,  Dover  and  Gilford, 
the  share  of  litigation  in  the  county  was  less  for  the 
term  sitting  at  Gilford  than  that  for  the  term  sitting 
at  Dover  ; yet  some  very  important  cases  were  tried 
at  Gilford,  and  “court  time,”  especially  “great 
day,” — i.e.  the  day  for  criminal  cases,  viz. : the  first 
Thursday — was  a season  of  great  concourse  and  a gala- 
day  for  venders  and  jockeys  and  horse-racing,  and  all 
manner  of  excitement  and  excesses,  personal  and 
social.  The  effect  of  the  time  was  both  to  partially 
clear  and  to  replenish  the  docket,  and  both  to  empty 
and  to  fill  the  pockets,  as  depended. 

Many  lawyers  of  Dover  and  Portsmouth,  of  Exeter 
and  Concord  and  other  places,  were  accustomed  to 
practice  at  the  Strafford,  (later,  the  Belknap)  bar  ; and 
many  a powerful  plea  and  weighty  charge  and  able 
opinion  or  decisive  verdict  was  made  and  heard  and 
given  and  rendered  in  the  court-house  at  this  place. 
The  mighty  men,  Pearce  and  Hale,  Atherton  and 
Bellows,  Butters  and  Bell,  argued  causes  masterly 
here.  Later  and  not  much  lesser  advocates  before 
this  bar  were  Whipple  and  Stevens,  Hibbard  and  Lov- 
ell, Hutchinson  and  Melcher,  Vaughan  and  Clark 
(both  Joseph  B.  and  Samuel),  Jewel  and  Jewett,  and 
others  who  follow  in  the  train  of  Walker  and  Board- 
man,  and  Lyford  and  Hazeltine. 

The  common  justices  of  the  town,  who  did  much 
of  the  minor  law  business  of  the  town,  were  headed 
by  Esq.  Benjamin  Weeks,  who,  as  mediator  between 
man  and  man,  heard  and  advised  in  those  intermin- 
able questions  of  disputed  rights  of  possession,  aris- 
ing from  the  imperfectly-defined  boundaries  to 
plants  in  the  wilderness;  as  also  in  matters  of  dues, 
not  considered  consistent  with  ability  or  determina- 
tion ; and  in  matters  of  demeanor,  private  and  pub- 
lic; and  this,  no  narrow  sphere  for  the  good  esquire. 

Among  those  thus  honorably  constituted  and  act- 
ing were  the  following:  Benjamin  Jewett,  Jr.,  Ber- 
nard Morrill,  E.  S.  Hunt,  Mesheck  Sanborn,  Josiah 
Sawyer  and  Daniel  Weeks,  for  the  centre  of  the 
town;  Joseph  P.  Smith,  Daniel  Brown  and  Daniel 


768 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Eaton,  for  the  east  part  of  the  town ; John  Evans, 
Samuel  Leavitt,  Ebenezer  and  John  Smith,  for  the 
north  ; Charles  Hibbard,  Joseph  Libbey,  Aaron  C. 
Blaisdell,  G.  Thing,  George  Saunders,  Samuel  G. 
Sanborn  and  Aaron  Robinson,  for  the  northwest; 
Benjamin  Sanborn,  Joseph  Sleeper,  Benjamin  Cole, 
John  Blaisdell,  V.  Barron,  for  the  west  part  of  the 
town  ; and  Morrill  Thing,  J.  James,  Ephraim  Mal- 
lard , Ebenezer  Lawrence,  Woodbury  Melcher,  and 
many  others,  in  the  south  part  of  the  town  and  Mere- 
dith Bridge. 

The  Probate  Court  twas  held  at  Gilford,  and  after 
the  division  of  the  county  Warren  Lovell  was  many 
years  the  judge  and  Esquire  Vaughn  the  clerk. 
The  successors  will  be  learned  from  reference  to 
another  chapter,  treating  of  the  courts,  the  bench 
and  the  bar. 

The  Sheriffs  of  the  county  have  been  Asa  Eager, 

Philbrick,  Bartlett  Hill  and  others,  as  will  also 

be  seen  from  the  section  appropriated  to  the  bench 
and  the  bar.  The  deputies  have  been  these,  some  be- 
fore promotion,  and  as  not  promoted,  Dudley,  Smith 
and  others,  as  will  also  be  seen  from  reference  to  the 
same  article.  There  have  been  important  causes 
tried  at  this  bar  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas, — 
e.  g.t  the  case  of  Hain  vs.  the  town  of  Alton,  to  re- 
cover damages  by  reason  of  imperfect  or  obstructed 
highways;  twice  tried  without  agreement  and  verdict 
by  the  jury,  and  transferred.  The  cases  of  land-hold- 
ers vs.  the  Locks  and  Canal  Company,  to  recover  dam- 
ages for  unnatural  flowages.  The  company,  by  Hon. 
James  Bell,  Esq.,  their  agent,  assisted  by  Hon.  Charles 
G.  Atherton  and  others,  defended  themselves  vs.  many 
land-holders  and  mill-owners  on  the  Winnesquam 
and  other  bays,  who  brought  suits  for  damages  to 
lands  and  mill  privileges.  The  company  lost  their 
case,  and  appealed,  and  afterwards  compromised. 
The  company,  to  secure  greater  capacity  of  reservoir 
in  the  lake  and  bays,  instituted  a critical  survey  of 
the  lake  and  its  surroundings  by  a skilled  civil 
engineer,  Haniel  K.  Smith,  assisted  by  others,  and 
caused  an  accurate  computation  to  be  made  of  the 
whole  basin’s  increase  in  capacity,  by  a definite  in- 
crease of  height  by  flowage  (above  the  natural  level) ; 
also  the  amount  capable  of  being  drawn  by  reducing 
the  natural  level  to  a definite  extent.  The  result  of 
the  litigation  in  cases  on  the  Winnesquam,  and  the 
unexpected  amount  of  damages  that  would  result 
from  raising  the  surface  of  the  lake,  led  to  the  de- 
cision to  attempt  only  a slight  increase  of  flowage, 
and  an  extra  draught  by  means  of  a canal,  cut  in  the 
bed  of  the  river  at  Aquadocton,  which  decision  was 
carried  into  effect,  and  whatever  damages  were  occa- 
sioned, either  by  draught  or  flowage,  were  paid,  by 
agreement  with  the  parties  sustaining  them.  The 
surveying  of  Smith  & Crocker,  of  Laconia,  was 
notable  and  of  fine  specimen.  The  desire  of  the 
company  to  add  height  to  the  dam  at  the  foot  of 
Winnesquam,  and  at  Lake  Village  and  Meredith 


Bridge,  and  thereby  to  increase  the  reservoir  capacity 
of  the  lakes  and  bays,  was  accomplished  in  a meas- 
ure, but  by  purchase,  and  not  by  court  decisions. 

The  litigation  of  citizens  with  one  another,  or  the 
town  with  individuals,  or  either  with  corporations, 
has  not  been  to  a great  extent,  and  the  courts  have 
been  generally  good  arbiters  of  justice.  Pauper 
cases  and  disputed  possession,  and  building  of  roads 
and  bridges,  have  constituted  the  greater  part  of  legal 
actions  and  contentions.  Cases  of  prosecutions  for 
liquor-selling  without  license  were  at  one  time  quite 
numerous.  Criminal  cases  have  been  few,  and  the 
courts  and  the  legal  profession,  in  such  cases,  have 
honorably  dealt  with  the  arraigned,  according  to  the 
law  and  the  testimony. 

The  Ecclesiastical  History  of  Gilford  is  of  im- 
portance and  interesting.  It  will  embrace  the  rela- 
tion and  development  of  several  denominations ; the 
annals  of  the  several  particular  churches  organized  in 
the  town ; and  the  biographical  sketches  of  the 
ministers  raised  up  and  laboring  here,  with  notices  of 
the  leading  men  in  these  churches  and  of  special 
issues  taken  and  decided.  The  aims  and  the  pro- 
visions of  the  proprietors  of  Gilmanton  and,  more 
primarily,  of  the  colonial  authorities,  were  religious 
rather  than  ecclesiastical.  They  did  not  foresee 
or  anticipate  a heterogeneous  moral  community,  and 
yet  the  primal  stock  and  idea  was  narrow  and  ex- 
clusive, and,  to  their  surprise,  was  found  to  be  thus 
developing  itself.  Their  religious  sentiments  mani- 
fested a dogmatic  nature  and  tendency.  At  the  first 
a man  was  placed  in  service  by  comparatively  disin- 
terested authorities,  the  district  proprietors,  who 
labored  more  for  the  moral  improvement  of  the 
people  than  for  the  special  ecclesiastical  outlook,  or 
even  the  spiritual  culture. 

He,  the  Rev.  William  Parsons,  was  a man  of  moral 
rectitude  and  devotion,  and  of  great  catholicity,  of 
sentiment  and  fellowship.  He  was  sent  by  the  pro- 
prietors to  fulfill  their  stipulated  engagement  as  a re- 
ligious instructor  for  the  first  ten  years  of  the  settle- 
ment. This  he  fulfilled  with  punctilious  exactness 
and  faithfulness.  But  the  germs  of  two  faiths  and 
typical  life  were  in  this  nascent  body  politic ; and 
when  the  throes  were  past  it  was  found  that  twins 
were  brought  forth,  and  they,  like  the  typical  pair, 
had  been  taking  each  other  by  the  heel  in  ante-natal 
strife. 

The  people,  when  they  came  to  exercise  their 
choice  in  regard  to  a settled  minister,  found  a portion 
of  them  united  on  Rev.  Isaac  Smith.  Without  dis- 
respect or  averting  any  regard  for  Mr.  Parsons,  who 
was  then  nearly  sixty  years  of  age  and  in  many  ways 
still  useful,  the  people  attempted  to  provide  for  the 
future  spiritual  guide  to  the  rapidly-expanding 
settlement.  In  1773,  when  this  point  in  religious 
affairs  had  been  reached,  the  thoughts  of  many  pros- 
pectors had  been  directed  to  the  outlook  of  the  place 
at  the  terminus  of  the  Province  road,  which  had  now 


GILFORD. 


769 


been  built  three  years,  and  the  inevitable  enlarge- 
ment in  that  quarter  expected  was  taken  into  ac- 
count when  they  were  devising  ways  and  means  for 
having  a settled  ministry.  Yet,  evidently,  some  fore- 
saw two  parishes  in  their  laying  out  and  defining  the 
First  Parish,  but  doubtless  did  not  forecast  two  faiths. 
In  deciding  the  question  of  the  location  of  the  first 
church,  as  well  as  in  the  selection  of  the  minister, 
there  was  developed  a decided  opposition  ; and  this 
opposition  was  found  to  be  not  altogether  as  to  the 
question  of  convenience  and  accommodation,  but 
involved  matters  of  belief  aud  special  interest. 
Hence,  in  1774,  about  the  time  Stephen  Gale  was 
locating  and  building  his  mills  at  Meredith  Bridge, 
the  people  were  building  their  churches  in  the  Lower 
Parish.  The  Baptist  element  proved  to  be  strong 
and  persistent.  They  felt  able  to  rival  the  Congrega- 
tionalists,  and  succeeded  iii  raising  their  church 
building  tbe  same  day  that  the  other  party  did  theirs. 

' Their  church  was  existing,  as  the  first  in  the  State, 
on  November  16,  1773.  The  Congregationalists’ 
interests  and  affairs  were  managed  townwise.  Hence, 
no  action  churchwise  antedates  the  Baptist  records. 
Mr.  Smith  preached  preliminary  to  a stated  engage- 
ment in  the  fall  of  1773  and  regularly  after  May  18, 
1774,  and  was  inducted  into  the  pastorate  November 
30th  of  the  same  year,  at  which  date  the  history  of  | 
the  church,  as  an  organization,  may  be  considered  to 
begin,  prior  doings  being  not  organic  action. 

The  Baptist  Church,  though  already  organized, 
with  moderator,  clerk  and  deacon,  was  without  a 
regular  minister  installed.  Ministers  of  that  order 
from  other  places  supplied  them  occasionally  and 
administered  baptism.  Deacon  Thomas  Edgerly  and 
Samuel  Weeks,  as  clerk,  officiated  in  public  service 
in  the  interval  and  a few  years  later,  in  1777,  Samuel 
Weeks  and  Edward  Locke  were  licensed  to  preach  in 
the  church,  and  go  forth  on  all  the  field  as  preachers 
of  the  gospel  and  hold  meetings  anywhere.  These 
going  forth  accordingly,  and  Mr.  Smith  as  well, 
visited  places  beyond  the  First  Parish  lines,  in  what 
was  beginning  to  be  called  the  Upper  Parish,  includ- 
ing what  was  afterwards  called  the  Gunstock  Parish,  ! 
and  also  what  was  in  later  years  denominated  the 
Upper  Parish  of  Gilmanton,  the  former  being  now 
Gilford  and  the  latter  Belmont.  The  sowing  of  this 
seed  of  dissent  and  independency  yielded  its  first 
harvest  in  1779  and  1780,  when  it  was  seen  to  be  a 
game  at  which  more  than  one  could  play.  Edward 
Locke,  the  licensed  preacher,  had  become  tinctured 
with  Arminian  sentiments,  and  dissented  from  the 
articles  of  faith  adopted  by  that  church  three  years 
previous.  Samuel  Weeks  was  then  ordained,  but 
soon  took  the  same  course  and  left  the  church  and 
town,  leaving  thus  the  church  unsupplied. 

Four  years  later  Dudley  Young  was  appointed  to 
officiate  in  public  services ; and  soon  after  this  Elder 
Powers  was  called,  who  was  constituted  pastor  of  the 
church  by  ordination  and  installation,  which  took 


place  on  the  14th  of  June,  1776.  The  town  took  ac- 
tion, in  which  the  words  “Upper  Parish”  are  used, 
as  early  as  1777.  In  1780  the  two  ministerial  lots 
were  designated  as  No.  13  in  the  seventh  range  and 
No.  10  in  the  thirteenth  range.  These  were  situated 
outside  of  the  First  Parish,  the  latter  in  Gunstock  Par- 
ish, and  which  was  afterwards  known  as  the  minis- 
terial lot  appropriated  to  the  benefit  of  that  parish  in 
particular ; and  the  former  in  the  Tioga  Parish,  or 
Upper  Parish,  Gilmanton,  and  hence,  presumably, 
designated  for  the  special  benefit  of  that  parish.  Thus 
there  was  at  this  early  date  a recognition  of  the  pros- 
pect of  three  parishes.  There  were  issues  made  on 
the  taxation  of  all  citizens  to  support  the  Congrega- 
tional, or  the  town’s,  meeting-house  service,  and  the 
decision  was  that  they  should  be  exempt  who  should 
file  a certificate  from  the  wardens  of  the  Baptist 
Church  that  they  had  paid  to  the  support  of  preach- 
ing at  their  church.  But  in  regard  to  the  inhabitants 
of  the  Upper  Parish,  it  was  voted  by  the  town  in  1787, 
that  they  be  taxed  to  either  the  Congregational  or 
the  Baptist  support,  and  that  the  money  so  levied 
be  appropriated  to  supply  preaching  in  that  part  of 
the  town,  and  given  to  the  two  regular  ministers, 
Powers  and  Smith,  who  should  render  service  there, 
each  according  to  the  amount  so  raised  and  desig- 
nated. The  place  of  holding  their  services  was  left 
to  the  judgment  and  choice  of  the  adherents,  or  their 
preachers,  respectively,  as  there  were  no  churches  yet 
built  in  the  Upper  Parish,  or  parishes  more  properly. 
The  same  action  was  taken  in  1788  also,  and  thus  it 
appears  that  Mr.  Smith  and  Mr.  Powers  were  the  first 
authorized  preachers  in  this  part  of  the  town,  or  in 
Gilford.  The  people  now  began  to  provide  for  the 
building  of  another  church  to  accommodate  that  part 
of  the  town.  The  same  rivalry  and  contention  on  the 
question  of  location,  or  of  division,  took  place  here  as 
had  been  encountered  in  the  Lower  Parish,  and  the 
result  was  the  same,  viz.:  two  houses  built  the  same 
year,  1792.  One  was  located  on  the  Province  road, 
two  or  three  miles  south  of  Meredith  Bridge,  and  the 
other  on  Gunstock  Hill,  now  in  Gilford;  and  these 
were  some  four  or  five  miles  apart.  These  became 
centres  of  two  distinct  parishes,  Gunstock  and  Upper 
Gilmanton.  The  Congregationalist  interests  more 
largely  centred  in  this  lower,  or  now  middle  house, 
and  the  Baptist  influence  predominated  in  the  upper, 
or  Gunstock  house,  and  in  that  vicinity ; though  that 
house,  being  built  by  the  people  in  common  partici- 
pation, was  open  to  each  society,  or  to  preachers  of 
any  denomination  who  might  be  invited  by  any  con- 
siderable party  of  citizens,  and  to  these  each  for  a 
time  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  citizens  inclin- 
ing and  allying  themselves  to  each  such  order  or 
preacher. 

In  1792,  before  the  completion  of  these  houses,  the 
town  voted  to  tax  the  Congregationalist  Society  in  the 
Upper  Parish  the  same  as  in  the  Lower  Parish,  and 
that  the  society  (implying  that  one  had  been  already 


770 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


formed)  in  the  Upper  Parish  may  lay  out  their  money 
as  they  see  fit.  In  1794,  after  the  houses  were  built, 
the  town  granted  leave  to  Mr.  Smith  to  preach  in  the 
Upper  Parish,  if  an  agreement  could  be  made  between 
him  and  the  people  there.  They  evidently  were  sup- 
porting a separate  interest,  and  yet  not  united  nor 
strong  enough  to  support  entirely  a separate  minister, 
and  much  less  one  for  each  of  the  two  or  more  parties. 
It  is  understood  that  Mr.  Smith’s  preaching  in  the 
Upper  Parish  was  mainly  at  the  Province  road  house, 
and  that  on  that  service  the  Congregationalists  resi- 
dent in  the  Gunstock  region  generally  attended. 

The  Baptists,  who  had  established  themselves  in 
Meredith  in  1782,  controlled  affairs  largely  in  the 
north  part  of  the  town,  and  had  the  principal  occu- 
pancy of  the  Gunstock  meeting-house  for  several 
years.  The  defection  of  Weeks  and  Locke  had 
checked  their  fervor,  and  put  the  Baptist  cause  into  a 
serious  disadvantage.  Nor  were  they  alone  in  the  de- 
parture. John  Shepard,  Esq.,  afterward  most  popular 
and  prominent  in  public  civil  affairs,  who  had  been  a 
member  of  that  church  almost  from  its  beginning, 
was  in  sympathy  with  Locke  and  in  connection  with 
him,  and  Elder  Tozer  Lord,  of  Barrington,  laid  the 
foundation  of  an  extensive  and  organized  secession 
from  the  Baptist  order  and  denomination,  and  the 
founding  of  the  order  of  Free-Will  Baptists,  which 
was  an  anti-Calvinistic  movement  and  successful  in 
many  parts.  He  professed  afterwards  to  have  re- 
ceived these  views  by  a special  Divine  unfolding  or 
revelation  before  they  were  known  to  Locke  and  Lord, 
and  that  he  communicated  the  same  to  them,  and  with 
them  founded  the  order. 

These  three  men,  voluntarily  shutting  themselves 
up  in  the  untenanted  house  of  Esquire  Piper,  on 
Clough’s  Hill,  over  the  Gilmanton  border,  in  Loudon, 
fasted  and  prayed  for  a week,  as  they  said,  and  then 
wrote  out  their  articles  of  faith,  mutually  ordained 
themselves,  Locke  and  Lord  as  preaching  elders  and 
Shepard  as  ruling  elder,  and  went  forth  as  a new  church. 
The  genius  of  the  new  order  was  zealous  propagan- 
dism,  and  the  immediate  action  was  to  go,  the  1st 
of  April,  1780,  to  New  Durham,  and  ordain  one  Ben- 
jamin Randall,  who  became  the  apostle  and  reputed 
originator  of  the  new  faith.  This  doctrinal  faith 
thenceforward  was  advocated  in  various  places  ; and 
when  the  Baptists  sought  a man  to  occupy  the  Gun- 
stock  field,  and  had  united  on  Richard  Martin,  of  Lee, 
who  had  been  ordained  in  1795  and  came  to  labor 
here  the  following  year,  they  found  that  he  held  like 
views. 

The  project  to  form  a Second  Baptist  Church  at  the 
Gunstock  meeting-house,  by  a council  called  October 
12,  1797,  was  therefore  abandoned,  and  the  next 
year  a Free-Will  Baptist  Church  was  organized  there, 
and  Richard  Martin  became  its  pastor  and  continued 
such  a little  more  than  a quarter  of  a century,  and 
until  his  death,  by  apoplexy,  October  17,  1824. 

The  Baptist  cause  was  thus  checked,  or  super- 


seded, and  but  little  effort  was  made  to  sustain 
meetings  regularly  in  Gunstock  Parish  until  1811. 
At  this  time  the  Second  Baptist  Church  was  formed 
by  a territorial  division  of  the  First  Church,  and 
Elder  Uriah  Morrison  was  placed  in  care  of  it,  and 
it  was  convened  part  of  the  time  at  the  church  and 
the  greatest  part  of  the  time  at  other  places,  till  1817, 
when  Mr.  Morrison  died.  He  was  succeeded  by 
Elder  Strong,  who  preached  at  the  school-house  and 
at  various  other  places. 

Soon  after  this  the  Baptists  built  a house  of  wor- 
ship at  Lake  village  and  concentrated  their  interests 
and  held  their  meetings  there.  A large  and  flourish- 
ing church  has  been  gathered  there  under  the  labors  of 
Elders  A.  M.  Swain,  L.  Chase,  H.  D.  Hodge,  Mr. 
Huntley,  J.  M.  Coburn,  A.  Brown,  W.  A.  Horn, 
King  Solomon  Hall  (who  has  been  twice  in  the 
pastorate  and  once  State  commissioner  of  education) 
and  several  others,  as  J.  B.  Damon,  J.  M.  Chick  and 
A.  R.  Wilson.  Kelley  Rowe  improved  his  gift  as  lay 
preacher  with  this  church  and  elsewhere.  Deacon 
Eliphlet  Blaisdell  has  been  a life-long,  active  and  de- 
voted member. 

The  church  building  has  been  rebuilt  and  enlarged 
and  rededicated  in  1871,  and  is  an  elegant  and 
spacious  edifice. 

For  a few  years  after  the  death  of  Richard  Martin 
his  church  continued  to  occupy  the  Gunstock  meet- 
ing-house the  major  part  of  the  time  and  was  minis- 
tered to  by  various  ministers  from  abroad,  one  of 
whom  was  John  Rollins.  The  other  denominations 
claimed  its  use  their  share  of  the  time,  and  there 
was  no  little  contention  for  its  occupancy  and  com- 
plaint for  too  frequent  occupancy  by  others.  The 
Baptists,  too,  complained  of  exclusion.  The  Univer- 
salists  demanded  it  a part  of  the  time ; William 
Blaisdell  occupied  it  part  of  the  time  in  the  interest 
of  the  Christians,  or  Christian  Baptists,  whose  tenets 
and  faith  he  indorsed  and  advocated  at  that  time. 
The  Congregationalists  claimed  its  use  a fourth  part 
of  the  time.  Under  the  force  of  these  existing 
circumstances  and  conditions,  and  these  discordant 
and  jealous  sentiments,  the  several  parties  success- 
ively relinquished  their  claims,  and,  for  peace  and 
prosperity’s  sake,  located  themselves  in  different 
quarters;  and  so  the  old  church  was  abandoned. 
And  for  several  years  it  served  only  for  a place  to 
1 hold  the  town-meetings,  till  the  building  of  the  new 
town  hall,  about  1840. 

It  was  finally  sold  to  Captain  Benjamin  Weeks  and 
others,  and  taken  down.  It  was  a stately  edifice,  two 
stories  in  height,  steepleless,  with  two  porches  for 
| entries  to  the  end-doors  and  for  stairways  to  the  gal- 
leries ; a broad  door  in  front,  leading  to  the  broad 
aisle  ; galleries  on  three  sides,  the  east,  west  and 
south  ; a sounding-board  suspended  over  the  high  and 
narrow  pulpit,  and  the  singers’  seats  opposite,  in  the 
left;  square  (and  a tew  oblong)  pews,  above  and  be- 
l low, built  in  panel-work,  with  rail  and  banisters;  and 


GILFORD 


771 


double  rows  of  small  and  thickly-set  windows,  thus 
| making  a grand  appearance,  and  commanding  admi- 
ration in  the  beholder,  and  wonder  and  pride  to  the 
townsman.  Its  timbers  were  massive  and  frame 
strong,  and  should  have  endured  ages,  and  yet  it 
stood  scarcely  fifty  years.  It  sat  on  the  very  summit 
of  a hill,  about  six  hundred  feet  above  the  lake-level, 
and  commanding  one  of  the  finest  prospects  and 
scenery  of  New  England,  and  itself  a conspicuous 
landmark  and  object  of  veneration  and  beauty  in  all 
this  region  ; but  its  glory  was  despoiled  by  discord 
and  strife,  alienation  and  division;  its  beauty  had 
departed.  Soon  after  the  close  of  Elder  Martin’s 
pastorate,  or  bishopric  (for  he  was  not  confined  to 
labor  in  this  church,  but  superintended,  or  oversaw, 
.'churches  or  enterprises  in  Gilmanton  Upper  and 
Lower  Parishes,  and  Sanbornton  and  elsewhere),  the 
church  was  reconstructed,  and  they  built  a house  at 
the  village.  This  had  a large  congregation  in  attend- 
ance, coming  from  all  parts  of  the  town.  The 
church  has  been  ministered  to  by  Elders  John  L.  Sin- 
clair, Abel  Glidden,  John  D.  Knowles,  John  Knowles, 
Elbridge  Knowles,  John  Pinkliam,  Ezekiel  True, 

1 Maxy  Burlingame,  D.  C.  Frost,  Seth  Perkins,  G. 

! Sanborn,  G.  A.  Park,  I.  C.  Kimball,  J.  W.  Rich,  F. 
E.  Wiley,  Mr.  Emery,  Mr.  Hyatt  and  some  others. 
It  was  reorganized  about  1855. 

The  Second  Free-Will  Baptist  Church  was  organ- 
ized November  6,  1816,  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
town  and  northern  part  of  Gilmanton.  It  was  not  to 
be  considered  as  distinctively  a church  of  the  Upper 
Parish  of  Gilmanton,  though  it  used  the  Province 
road  meeting-house  most  of  the  time.  The  church 
at  Fellows’  Mills,  under  Peter  Clark,  was  the  regular 
church  of  this  order  in  Upper  Gilmanton,  and  this 
church,  whose  members  mostly  lived  in  Gilford,  was 
considered,  as  appropriately  classed,  a church  of 
Gilford,  and  it  was  under  the  care  of  Elder  John 
Knowles,  Sr.,  while  sometimes  supplied  and  superin- 
tended by  Elder  Martin.  It  had  about  fifty  members, 
and  continued  till  the  death  of  Elder  Knowles,  in 
1837.  After  that  time  the  major  part  of  the  members 
joined  the  First  Church,  at  Gilford  village,  and  a new 
church  was  organized  at  the  Province  road  house, 
and  became  distinctively  a church  of  Upper  Gilman- 
ton, and  is  not,  in  a proper  sense,  the  successor  of  the 
Second  Church,  though  some  of  its  members  are  res- 
idents of  Gilford,  and  a large  part  of  the  Second 
Church  was  incorporated  into  it.  Elbridge  Knowles, 
son  of  John,  Sr.,  was  its  pastor,  and  it  has  had  a con- 
tinued line  of  succession  since  then. 

A Third  Free-Will  Baptist  Church  was  gathered  at 
Lake  village  in  1838.  Meetings  were  at  first  held 
some  four  years,  in  a room  in  the  upper  story  of  the 
woolen-mill,  by  I.  L.  Sinclair  and  others.  Subse- 
quently a chapel  was  built  on  the  main  street,  north 
of  the  Baptist  Church,  in  1842,  and  Elder  Waldron 
(T.  N.  H.),  Nahum  Brooks,  John  Pettingale,  William 
Johnson  and  Uriah  Chase  supplied  the  congregation. 


At  length  a commodious  house  was  built  on  the 
Commons  Hill,  in  1852,  and  has  been  occupied  since. 
I.  L.  Sinclair  and  Elders  H.  S.  Kimbal,  Smith  Fair- 
field,  Kinsman  R.  Davis,  Ezekiel  True,  I.  N.  Knowles, 
S.  D.  Church,  Hosea  Quimby,  C.  B.  Peckliam  and 
others  have  supplied  it ; also,  M.  C.  Henderson,  I. 
W.  Scribner,  C.  E.  Cate,  E.  W.  Ricker,  E.  W. 
Porter  and  a few  others  more  temporarily. 

A Fourth  Free-Will  Baptist  Church  wras  gathered 
at  Meredith  Bridge,  which  worshiped  awhile  in  the 
court-house,  and  afterwards  built  a commodious 
house,  which  has  been  rebuilt,  then  burnt  and  rebuilt 
again.  The  church  has  prospered,  and  the  congrega- 
tion has  been  one  of  the  largest  of  the  place.  It  has 
had  for  its  supply  Revs.  Nahum  Brooks,  I.  D.  Stewart, 
Ebenezer  Fisk,  A.  D.  Smith,  Elders  F.  Lyford,  F. 
Locke,  Lewis  Malvern,  Granville  Waterman,  F. 
George  and  others.  Its  sanctuary  is  elegant  and 
spacious. 

The  Universalists  built  a church  at  Gilford  village 
at  the  time  of  abandoning  the  old  Gunstock  house, 
and  held  services  in  it  a few  years,  with  intervals  of 
discontinuance.  Josiah  Gilman  and  Robert  Bartlett 
supplied  the  society  some  years,  and  lived  on  Liberty 
Hill,  the  latter  on  the  Osgood  estate  and  the  former 
at  his  father’s,  Antipas  Gilman,  and,  later,  at  the  vil- 
lage. William  Blaisdell  preached  for  the  Christians. 
Other  preachers  occupied  the  pulpit  at  times,  and,  in 
later  years,  the  Second  Methodist  Church  have  used 
the  building  and  held  service  regularly. 

The  Universalist  society  that  was  gathered  at  Mer- 
edith Bridge  built  a house  and  held  services  there 
many  years,  but  subsequently  sold  the  house  to  the 
Methodist  society,  who  now  occupy  it.  The  Univer- 
salist society  was  supplied  by  Elders  Atchinson, 
Prince  and  others.  The  society  was  not  large,  but 
was  prosperous  for  a number  of  years,  and  then  was 
given  up,  and  has  now  no  open  existence. 

The  people  of  Unitarian  sentiments,  not  being 
numerous  and  wealthy  enough  to  maintain  a separate 
church  and  services,  and  being  well  pleased  with  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Young  and  his  preaching,  united  in  the 
congregation  worshiping  in  the  North  Church,  and 
only  in  later  years  have  had  a church  and  supply. 
Their  church  was  located  on  the  Laconia  side,  but 
some  of.  the  principal  adherents  lived  in  Gilford. 

The  Congregationalists,  who  at  first  held  services 
in  the  Gunstock  and  Province  road  meeting-houses, 
having  but  limited  privileges  in  those  houses,  by  rea- 
son of  the  claimed  rights  of  other  sects,  began  to  cen- 
tre their  interests  at  Meredith  Bridge,  and  built  a 
church  in  the  south  part  of  the  village,  which  was 
about  midway  between  the  Gunstock  and  Province 
road  meeting-houses.  Here  a church  was  organized 
in  1824,  the  year  in  which  Elder  Martin  died,  and 
the  current  began  to  run  in  favor  of  relinquishing 
claims  to,  and  occupancy  of,  the  old  church.  They 
enjoyed  the  services  of  Mr.  Jotham  Sewell  Norwood 
for  five  years,  and  in  1832  settled  Rev.  J.  K.  Young. 


772 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Soon  after  the  beginning  of  his  pastorate  the  church, 
together  with  the  dwelling-house  of  Esquire  L.  B. 
Walker,  was  burnt.  It  stood  south  of  the  Lawrence 
tavern  (since  the  Tilton  and  the  Willard).  The  so- 
ciety decided  to  rebuild  on  the  Meredith  side,  and 
thenceforward  the  church  is  no  longer  called  a church 
of  Gilford,  though  a large  part  of  its  communicants 
and  attendants  have  belonged  to  this  town ; and 
they  are  the  only  representatives  of  the  orthodox 
faith  in  the  town,  and  are  citizens  of  good  standing 
and  of  financial  ability.  Some  of  that  religious  be- 
lief mingled  in  the  Free-Will  Baptist  congregations 
at  Gilford  village  and  Lake  village,  as  a matter  of 
convenience,  there  being  no  Congregational  Church 
near  in  either  direction.  This  church  has  had  pros- 
perity, and  enjoyed  distinction  among  other  churches, 
under  the  long  pastorate  and  able  services  of  Dr. 
Young  and  his  successors,  the  Revs.  Stone,  Bacon, 
Fullerton  and  Thurston;  and  it  supplies  an  impor- 
tant place  in  the  religious  interests  and  moral  power 
of  Gilford  society. 

The  two  Methodist  Churches,  already  alluded  to, 
one  located  at  Gilford  village,  and  the  other  at  La- 
conia village,  are  of  recent  origin,  and  yet  hold  some 
prominence  in  the  religious  elements  and  forces  of 
society.  They  are  neither  of  them  strong,  but  jealous 
of  their  interests  and  zealous  in  their  work.  Their 
growth  has  not  been  rapid,  nor  yet  quite  limited. 
The  succession  of  appointments,  by  Conference,  has 

been,  to  the  Gilford  Church, — Rev.  A.  R.  Lunt, 

Knott,  James  Morrison, Hardy, Berry  and 

Tisdale;  and  in  the  Laconia  Church,  the  ap- 
pointments have  been  well-chosen  and  good. 

The  Catholic  portion  of  the  community  have  had 
church  privileges  at  Laconia,  where  a church  was 
built  about  1850.  It  was  afterwards  burned  by  light- 
ning, and  rebuilt.  It  is  a large  and  well-built  edi- 
fice, and  has  a numerous  constituency  and  attendants 
from  both  Gilford  and  Laconia. 

The  Adventists  have  had  a chapel  at  Lake  village, 
and  for  several  years  maintained  regular  services 
there.  Likewise,  the  same  people  held  services  at 
Governor’s  Island,  or  vicinity.  Nathaniel  Davis 
preached  that  doctrine,  and  arranged  for  its  procla- 
mation by  Miller  himself  and  other  leading  advo- 
cates, at  the  island  and  vicinity,  in  camp-meetings 
and  other  assemblies.  The  faith  was  held  by  many 
in  the  east  part  of  the  town,  and  preached  by  Stephen 
Mooney,  Abel  Glidden  (2d)  and  others.  Their  chapel 
is  in  Alton.  Rev.  J.  Knowles,  Jr.,  also  embraced 
and  advocated  the  doctrine. 

Nathaniel  Davis,  in  earlier  times,  embraced  and 
propagated  a peculiar  faith  of  one  Osgood,  who  re- 
jected and  discouutenanced  all  forms  of  church  gov- 
ernment, or  covenant,  and  holding  a free  religion. 

There  have  been  a few  inhabitants  holding  the 
tenets  of  the  Friends,  Elder  Robert  Carr  being  per- 
haps the  best  known  among  them.  There  was  no 
regular  meeting  of  their  adherants  maintained  in 


town,  and  the  nearest  Quaker  meeting-houses  were 
that  near  Gilmanton  Academy  and  that  near  Wolf- 
borough  Bridge.  These  were  not  so  distant  as  to  be 
inaccessible  at  the  times  of  their  Yearly  and  Quarterly 
meetings.  Their  numbers  have  decreased  and  their 
Meetings  are  not  regularly  held  at  Gilmanton. 

A few  from  Gilford  have  adopted  the  Shaker  faith 
and  joined  the  Canterbury  Family,  or  colony  of  them, 
particularly  a Knowles  family,  in  the  south  part  of 
the  town,  and  related  to  the  family  of  Elder  John 
Knowles.  The  community  at  Canterbury  was  in 
good  favor  in  these  parts  prior  to  the  years  1840  or 
1845,  and  were  adjudged  to  be  sincere  and  upright, 
honorably  industrious  and  enviably  ingenious,  pros- 
perous and  pure.  Attendance  on  their  public  Sab- 
bath service,  for  recreation  and  curiosity,  was  one 
while  quite  common  by  young  people  of  this  and 
other  towns.  Their  public  services  were  discon- 
tinued and  the  attendance  ceased. 

To  complete  the  list  of  special  religionists,  which, 
as  will  be  seen  by  a careful  observer,  has  already 
reached  no  inconsiderable  breadth,  there  must  be 
added  the  Deist  and  Atheist,  which  were  not  unrep- 
resented among  our  sober  and  thoughtful  popula- 
tion. Dr.  Josiah  Sawyer  secured,  from  some  source, 
ordination  for  the  propagation  of  sentiments  which 
he  professed  to  hold,  and  which  he  represented  and 
endeavored  to  inculcate  or  proclaim.  These  seemed 
to  be  deistical  or,  later,  atheistical,  seemingly  in- 
cluded a certain  type  of  annihilationism,  or,  at  least, 
the  non-immortality,  and  perhaps,  more  correctly,  the 
non-existence  of  the  soul  and  a future  state.  He  was  not 
without  some  following,  and  that  on  the  part  of  per- 
sons in  good  intellectual  and  social  standing, 
who,  when  elected  to  positions  of  public  trust  and 
responsibility,  and  consequently  were  required  to  take 
oath,  declined  to  do  so  in  the  usual  form  on  grounds 
of  disbelief  in  either  the  Divine  interposition  or  of 
the  actual  Divine  existence. 

These  remarks  perhaps  sufficiently  cover  the  vari- 
ous phases  of  religious  life  and  sentiment,  unless  we 
include  witchcraft  and  necromany.  It  was  once  widely 
believed  that  a Mrs.  Roggers  and  a Mrs.  Clark  were 
representatives  of  the  world  of  mystery,  or  witch- 
dom.  Jugglery,  not  of  the  modern  spiritualistic  type, 
was  indeed  exercised  by  some,  though  not  claiming 
for  it  any  religious  nature  or  relation.  Many  mar- 
velous facts  and  peculiar  features  of  ecclesiastical 
history  might  be  added,  which  have  diversified  the 
fields  of  church  as  well  as  state,  without  exhausting 
the  reservoirs  of  memory  or  the  store-house  of  the 
common  annals  and  tradition,  but  these  may  suffice. 
A word,  however,  may  be  due  in  regard  to  Sabbath- 
schools.  In  the  time  of  Mr.  Nathaniel  Goodhue’s  re- 
sidence a school  was  opened  at  the  Mill-House  and 
then  at  the  Potter’s  shop  about  the  year  1820.  The 
Baptists,  and  notably  Miss  Sally  Sleeper,  afterward 
missionary  to  Siam,  were  enthusiastic  in  the  new  type 
of  Christian  work.  During  the  following  half-cen- 


* 


GILFORD. 


773 


tury  this  means  of  religious  instruction  and  moral 
culture  has  been  made  a prominent  feature  of  church 
labor  in  all  of  the  evangelical  churches  of  the  town. 

Military  History. — The  matter  and  the  facts  em- 
braced in  the  military  history  of  the  town  are  worthy 
of  mention,  and  no  less  important  and  interesting 
than  those  of  other  departments.  The  Revolutionary 
War  began,  but  was  not  ended,  before  there  were 
any  settlers  occupying  seats  on  the  soil  of  the  present 
town  of  Gilford,  and  hence  we  may  not  expect  to 
find  men  from  this  place  in  the  Revolutionary  army. 
Yet  there  were  men  there  who  afterwards  were  some 
of  our  own  citizens,  as,  for  example,  Thomas  Fro- 
hock,  one  of  the  men  in  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill 
(one  of  the  three-months’  men,  serving  from  April  23d 
to  August  1, 1775).  He  knew  no  fatigue,  and  would 
accept  no  relief  while  the  redoubt  on  Breed’s  Hill 
was  being  constructed  in  the  night  of  preparation 
before  that  eventful  day,  June  17,  1775.  He  was  one 
of  one  hundred  and  fifty-one  men  in  Gilmanton  be- 
tween the  ages  of  sixteen  and  fifty,  according  to  the 
military  census  taken  in  that  year,  twelve  of  whom 
went  to  the  front  at  the  first  call  of  the  American 
cause.  He  also  re-enlisted  in  1776  and  served  three 
months  and  eight  days  under  Washington  at  New 
York,  and  was  one  of  the  thirty-six  men  enlisted  in 
that  year;  and  the  family  name  was  originally  Spar- 
Hawk,  or  Sparrow-Hawk,  but  to  escape  British  ap- 
prehension and  execution  for  deserting  the  British 
cause  before  this,  the  changed  name  Frohock  was 
taken  and  has  been  ever  since  retained.  Before  the 
close  of  the  war  Gilmanton  had  furnished  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  enlisted  men,  among  whom  are 
other  names  of  Gilford  inhabitants,  as  Major  Jabez 
James,  John  Cotton,  Benjamin  Libbie,  Lieutenant 
Samuel  Ladd,  David  Clough,  Abel  Hunt,  Enoch 
Hunt,  Mr.  Page,  Ichabod  Buzzell,  Jacob  Jewett, 
Jeremiah  Bartlett  and  others.  A part  of  the  militia 
was  called  into  service  in  1781  and  ten  men  went. 
The  afterwards-organized  militia  called  for  two  com- 
panies of  infantry  from  Gilford  proper;  also  a rifle 
company  and  light  infantry  company  and  some  artil- 
j lerymen  and  cavalrymen. 

As  the  territory  was  first  settled  in  the  time  of  the 
i Revolutionary  War,  so  it  was  set  olf  and  incorporated 
into  a township  in  the  time  of  the  War  of  1812.  Born 
and  reborn  amid  the  throes  of  civil  strife,  she  would 
be  expected  to  inherit  a somewhat  belligerent  nature 
and  develop  into  a championship.  Into  this  war  she, 
as  the  youngest  municipality,  sent  her  honorable 
quota.  Nor  were  her  sons  wanting  in  courage  when 
the  conflict  grew  severe.  There  were  three  drafts 
made  for  the  army  and  many  watchers  went  to  the 
Canada  line  to  stand  as  sentinels  and  watchers  on  our 
borders.  The  men  were  Joseph  York,  Stephen  Langley 
(who  had  settled  near  the  Benjamin  Libbey  place,  by 
Long  Bay),  Frank  Bowman,  who  lived  near  the  Weirs 
and  who  died  in  the  army.  He  was  an  Indian  doctor 
and  said  to  be  a Prussian.  He  was  one  while  located  at 


the  Stone-Dam  Island,  then  previously  at  or  near  the 
Weirs;  Daniel  Foster,  Joseph  Libbey  going  to  the 
line;  Ira  Seabury  to  go  to  Portsmouth ; and  from  Cap- 
tain Bradford’s  company, — Lieutenant  Henry  Mal- 
lard, who  was  a carpenter;  and  Mark  Chase,  who 
went  as  a substitute.  Captain  Mason  led  bis  company 
to  the  line.  Lieutenant  Samuel  Leavitt  was  officer  in 
Mason’s  company.  The  men  of  1812  were  mainly 
sent  to  Portsmouth.  The  spirit  of  resistance  ran  high, 
and  yet  there  were  opposers. 

The  matter  of  pension  was  not  hotly  handled  in  those 
days.  Lieutenant  Philbrick  Rand  was  prominent  in 
military  affairs.  So  was  also  Lieutenant  John  Gilman. 
The  distress  was  considerable,  but  not  extreme,  on 
account  of  the  war. 

The  organization  of  the  militia  and  its  annual 
muster  were  continued  till  about  1855,  when  the  old 
organization  was  abolished  and  muster  was  no  longer 
required,  and  so  this  gala  season  was  lost  sight  of,  to 
a great  relief. 

Under  the  old  regime,  the  Tenth  Regiment  was 
raised  in  the  original  towns  of  Gilmanton  and  Barn- 
stead,  or,  later,  of  Gilford,  Gilmanton  and  Barnstead. 
The  muster-field,  in  earlier  years,  was  at  Lower  Gil- 
manton ; but  in  later  years  it  was  by  circuit,  held,  in 
turn,  at  Gilford  and  Barnstead  also. 

The  law  required  a company  parade  and  drill  in 
the  month  of  May  annually,  and  for  preparation  for 
the  regimental  parade  a company  drill  was  practiced, 
at  the  option  of  the  officers  and  company,  in  Septem- 
ber, a short  time  previous  to  the  annual  muster,  and 
besides  these  three  regular  parades  there  were  also 
occasionally  other  special  drills.  The  officers  in  the 
regiment,  the  commissioned  ones,  also  had  a regi- 
mental drill  before  the  muster,  at  which  arrangements 
for  muster-day  were  made  between  the  regimental 
and  the  subordinate  company  officers  and  orders 
given  accordingly. 

The  men  of  Gilford  who  held  regimental  and  higher 
official  rank  were  Peaslev  Hoit,  Ebenezer  Stevens, 
Benjamin  F.  Weeks  and  George  W.  Weeks,  success- 
ively, colonels ; and  John  M.  Potter,  J.  Q.  Merrill 
and  Daniel  K.  Smith,  majors;  Nathan  Weeks,  regi- 
mental staff-officer ; J.  J.  Morrill,  general ; Major 
Robie,  drum-major;  J.  M.  Potter,  adjutant. 

The  independent  companies,  Riflemen  and  Light 
Infantry,  received  their  arms  and  equipments  from 
the  State,  and  they  were  usually  uniformed.  The 
Rifle  Company  was  of  later  organization  and  enlisted 
from  the  north  part  of  the  town.  The  Light  Infantry 
company  was  enlisted  mainly  from  Meredith  Bridge. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


HON.  B.  J.  COLE. 

Hon.  Benjamin  James  Cole,  son  of  Isaac  and  Han- 


774  HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


nah  (Atwood)  Cole,  was  born  in  Franconia,  N.  H., 
September  28,  1814. 

James  Cole,  the  first  of  the  name  in  America,  came 
to  the  Plymouth  Colony  in  1683,  and  was  granted 
lands  on  Leyden  Street,  Plymouth,  in  1637.  His  de- 
scendants scattered  to  various  parts  of  New  England, 
and  we  find  the  name  a prominent  one  in  Rowley, 
Mass.  The  family  is  an  old  and  honored  one,  and,  in 
the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century,  the  great- 
grandfather of  Benjamin  James  Cole  was  a man  of 
solid  worth  and  property  in  Rowley.  Among  his 
numerous  children  was  Solomon,  born  in  1742.  The 
family  was  strongly  patriotic,  and  Solomon  and  his 
brothers  performed  twenty-seven  years’  service  in  the 
colonial  army  of  the  Revolution.  Solomon  was  en- 
gaged throughout  the  war,  participated  in  the  battle 
of  Bunker  Hill  and  in  numerous  other  engagements, 
and  was  wounded  at  Chippewa  Plains.  The  house  in 
which  he  was  born  is  still  standing  in  Rowley,  and 
occupied  by  one  of  the  name,  Caleb  Cole. 

Solomon  married  a Barker,  and  had  eight  sons, — 
Timothy,  John,  Isaac,  Benjamin,  Solomon,  Kimball, 
Samuel  and  Asa, — and  was  one  of  the  stalwart 
men  to  whose  patriotic  principles,  firmness  of  pur- 
pose and  religious  character  so  much  of  our  modern 
prosperity  is  due.  He  was  of  medium  size,  pleasant  and 
social  manners  and  a tailor  by  trade.  He  lived  in  Row- 
ley  and  Methuen  until  1796.  From  that  time  until  his 
death,  in  1835,  at  the  age  of  ninety-three,  he  resided 
with  his  sons,  Isaac  and  Rev.  Samuel,  in  Landaff 
and  Lisbon,  N.  H.  (Samuel  was  a minister  of  the 
gospel  for  forty  years,  and  his  son,  Rev.  Moores  Cole, 
has  been  in  the  Christian  ministry  forty-eight  years.) 

Isaac  Cole  was  born  in  Rowley,  Mass. ; became 
first  a cooper,  then  a carpenter;  married  Hannah  At- 
wood when  he  was  about  twenty-three,  and  settled  in 
Chester,  N.  H.  (Mrs.  Cole  was  a woman  of  deep  re- 
ligious principle,  who  carried  her  belief  into  daily 
life.  She  was  a native  of  Atkinson,  N.  H.,  and  a 
cousin  of  Harriet  Atwood,  who  married  Rev.  Mr. 
Newell,  and  was  one  of  the  first  female  missionaries 
who  went  to  India  from  the  United  States.)  Mr. 
Cole  lived  in  Chester  for  a few  years,  when,  purchas- 
ing new  lands  in  Landaff,  he  removed  thither  and 
gave  his  name  to  “ Cole’s  Hill.”  His  nature  did  not 
incline  to  agriculture,  and,  about  1813,  he  went  to 
Franconia  to  assume  the  superintendence  of  the 
wood-working  department  of  the  New  Hampshire 
Iron  Manufacturing  Company,  located  there,  and 
continued  in  this  position  eight  years.  In  1821  he 
changed  his  residence  to  Salisbury  (now  Franklin 
village),  where  he  constructed  one  of  the  first  foun- 
dries built  in  New  Hampshire.  This  he  conducted 
six  years,  when,  in  1827,  the  very  great  advantage  af- 
forded at  “ Batchelder’s  Mills”  (now  Lake  village),  in 
Gilford,  induced  his  removal  to  that  place.  Here  he 
established  the  small  foundry  which  was  the  germ  of 
the  large  works  of  the  present  Cole  Manufacturing 
■Company,  and  was  carried  on  by  him  nine  years.  He 


was  an  active  man,  of  mechanical  aptitude,  of  great 
industry  and  a worthy  member  of  the  Free  Baptist 
Church  for  many  years.  He  died  aged  eighty-five. 

Benjamin  James  Cole  was  seven  years  old  when 
his  father  removed  to  Salisbury,  and  had  the  advan- 
tages of  education  afforded  by  the  public  schools  of 
that  town  and  Noyes  Academy  until  he  was  thirteen, 
afterwards  attending  Sanbornton  Academy.  When 
about  nineteen  he  was,  for  nearly  a year  and  a half, 
unable  to  attend  either  to  study  or  business,  by  rea- 
son of  ill  health.  In  December,  1836,  in  connection 
with  his  older  brothers,  Isaac  and  John  A.,  he  pur- 
chased the  foundry  of  his  father  at  Lake  village,  and 
succeeded  to  his  business,  taking  the  firm-title  of 
“ Cole  & Co.”  This  firm  continued  operations,  and, 
in  1846,  it  became  “ Cole,  Davis  & Co.”  This  co- 
partnership had  an  existence  of  ten  years,  when,  in 
1857,  Mr.  Cole  became  sole  proprietor,  and  conducted 
it  until  1873  under  the  name  of  “ B.  J.  Cole&  Co.”  The 
various  demands  for  his  manufacture  had  steadily  de- 
veloped, from  the  small  iron  foundry  established  by 
his  father,  a diversified  and  rapidly-increasing 
business,  necessitating  the  erection  of  new  and  addi- 
tional buildings,  the  introduction  of  machinery  and  a 
large  increase  of  the  capital  invested.  In  1873  the 
plant  was  taken  by  a stock  company,  incorporated  as 
the  “ Cole  Manufacturing  Company,”  with  a capital 
of  sixty  thousand  dollars,  of  which  all  the  stock  was 
owned  by  Mr.  Cole  and  family,  except  about  eight 
per  cent.  This  company  has  carried  on  extensive 
operations.  Their  annual  product  has  ranged  as 
high  as  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  thousand  dollars, 
with  one  hundred  and  sixty  employes,  and  during  the 
present  depressed  times  the  product  is  about  sixty 
thousand  dollars,  with  sixty  operatives.  They  con- 
struct machinery  for  the  manufacture  of  various  kinds 
of  products,  such  as  hosiery,  woolen  goods,  lumber, 
paper-pulp  and  paper.  During  and  after  the  Civil 
War  they  have  made  one  hundred  thousand  dollars’ 
worth  of  looms  in  one  year.  They  also  make  a spe- 
cialty of  manufacturing  water-wheels.  In  their  forge 
and  foundry  they  manufacture  car-axles,  agricultural 
implements  and  stoves.  The  company  has  just  com- 
pleted eight  sets  of  machinery  for  manufacturing 
“ excelsior,”  which  will  be  placed  in  the  first  mill 
erected  for  that  purpose  in  California.  The  man- 
agement of  this  corporation  has  been  under  the  per- 
sonal supervision  of  Mr.  Cole.  He  was  the  treasurer 
and  superintendent  of  the  company  until  1883,  when 
Colonel  Henry  B.  Quimby  was  elected  to  the  super- 
intendency on  Mr.  Cole’s  resignation.  This  estab- 
lishment has  done  all  the  castings  for  the  B.,  C.  and 
M.  Railroad  since  the  road  was  built,  the  business  of 
this  one  production  amounting  from  ten  thousand 
dollars  to  thirty  thousand  dollars  per  annum.  The 
power  for  this  large  manufactory  is  given  mostly  by 
water,  of  which  they  have  two  hundred  horse-power. 
They  have  been  necessitated  to  use  steam  but  a few 
months  in  thirty  years’  time. 


' 


GILFORD. 


775 


In  1848,  Mr.  Cole  was  an  incorporator  of  tlie  Win- 
nipesaukee  Steamboat  Company,  and  was  elected  its 
first  president,  which  office  he  still  retains,  and,  in 
1849,  with  the  late  Captain  William  Walker,  built 
the  steamer  “Lady  of  the  Lake”  for  this  company. 
He  has  built  several  mills  and  bridges  on  contract ; 
was  one  of  the  incorporators  of  Lake  Village  Savings- 
Bank,  and  for  ten  years  its  president ; also,  one  of  the 
incorporators  of  the  Laconia  National  Bank,  of  which 
he  was  a director  ten  years;  and  an  incorporator  and 
the  present  president  of  the  Wardwell  Needle  Com- 
| pany,  of  Lake  village.  In  connection  with  his  manu- 
facturing Mr.  Cole  carried  on  merchandising  for  over 
thirty  years,  and  for  half  a century  he  has  been  inti- 
mately connected  with  the  growth  and  prosperity  of 
Lake  village,  and  one  of  the  vital  factors  of  its  flour- 
j ishing  condition. 

He  married,  June  17,  1838,  Mehitable  A.,  daughter 
of  Nathan  and  Peace  (Clifford)  Batchelder,  of  Lake 
village.  She  is  a descendant,  on  the  one  side,  from 
the  celebrated  colonial  minister,  Rev.  Stephen  Bach- 
ilor;on  the  other,  from  the  honorable  old  English 
family  of  Clifford.  Their  children  are  Ellen  A.  and 
Octavia  M.,  who  married  Colonel  Henry  B.  Quimby, 
and  has  two  children,  Harry  Cole  and  Candace  E. 

Mr.  Cole  was  a Democrat  until  the  breaking  out  of 
the  Rebellion,  in  1861 ; since  then  he  has  been  a Re- 
publican. He  represented  Gilford  in  the  State  Legisla- 
ture of  1849  and  1850.  In  1862, 1863  and  1864  he  was  a 
candidate  of  the  Republican  party  for  State  Senator 
in  the  Sixth  Senatorial  District;  but  as  he  represented 
a minority  party,  he  was  not  elected.  He  was  nom- 
inated and  elected  a member  of  the  Governor’s  Coun- 
cil for  the  Second  Councilor  District,  and  served  as 
such  in  the  years  1866  and  1867.  He  wTas  a delegate 
to  the  Constitutional  Convention  in  1868.  He  was  a 
delegate  to  the  National  Republican  Convention 
which  renominated  Lincoln  at  Baltimore,  in  1864. 
He  is  a member  of  the  Free-Will  Baptist  Church  and 
a trustee  of  New  Hampton  Institution. 

Mr.  Cole  is  a man  of  influence  in  his  town  and 
| church,  and  throughout  a large  business  acquain- 
tance. He  has  a kind,  social  and  affectionate  na- 
! ture,  and  cherishes  home  and  friends.  Hehasawinning 
personal  magnetism,  which  makes  for  him  many 
friends.  To  these  he  is  loyal,  and  he  enjoys,  to  an 
unusual  degree,  the  marked  confidence  of  the  better 
portion  of  society  and  leading  business  men.  He  is 
generous  in  the  highest  degree  in  contributing  to 
religious  and  charitable  objects,  and  no  case  of  deserv- 
ing need  or  suffering  ever  appealed  unsuccessfully  to 
him.  He  is  not  only  a prominent  and  leading  busi- 
ness man,  an  active  temperance  worker,  but,  higher 
yet,  a consistent  Christian,  whose  active  zeal  has 
done  much  for  the  church  and  society  of  his  locality. 


CAPTAIN  WINBORN  A.  SANBORN. 

In  the  “History  of  Belknap  County”  it  is  fitting 
that  there  should  be  a record  of  Captain  Sanborn, 


who  was  so  widely  and  pleasantly  known,  and  so 
intimately  identified  with  steamboat  navigation  on 
Lake  Winnipesaukee,  and  to  whose  energy  and  en- 
terprise the  development  of  that  beautiful  summer 
resort,  Weirs,  is  largely  due. 

Winborn  Adams  Sanborn,  whose  life  commenced 
December  13,  1810,  in  Gilford,  N.  H.,  was  the  eldest 
of  the  four  sons  of  Samuel  Gilman  and  Sally  (Mason) 

1 Sanborn.  The  Sanborn  family  is  of  English  origin, 
the  name  being  derived  from  the  parish  bearing  the 
name  Sanborn.  The  emigrant,  John  (son  of  John, 
who  married,  in  England,  the  daughter  of  Rev. 
Stephen  Bachilor),  came  to  America  in  1632,  and 
to  Hampton,  N.  H.,  in  1640.  He  was  a man  of 
note,  with  the  title  of  lieutenant.  One  of  his  de- 
scendants  in  the  seventh  generation  was  Samuel  Gil- 
man Sanborn,  a man  of  marked  ability,  who  was 
born  March  20,  1787,  on  the  Sanborn  homestead,  in 
Gilford,  which  was  the  first  land  cleared  in  the 
Weirs  district,  and  the  home  of  his  ancestors  from 
the  first  settlement.  When  a mere  lad,  his  ardent 
desire  was  for  an  education,  and,  in  response  to  his 
earnest  request,  he  was  permitted  to  attend  the  acad- 
emy at  Sanbornton  Square  for  a few  terms.  The 
j sacrifices  his  parents  made  in  order  to  pay  his  ex- 
penses were  amply  rewarded  by  his  progress.  He 
was,  for  many  years,  a successful  teacher.  He  was  a 
man  of  intelligence  in  public  affairs,  served  his  town 
many  years  as  selectman  and  representative,  held  a 
commission  as  justice  of  the  peace  for  a long  period, 
and  was  universally  known  as  “’Squire”  Sanborn. 
After  a useful,  honored  and  respected  life,  he  died  at 
the  age  of  eighty-two,  upon  the  farm  where  he  and 
his  wife  had  lived  for  nearly  sixty  years.  Sally 
(Mason)  Sanborn,  his  wife,  was  the  daughter  of  Cap- 
tain Lemuel  B.  and  Molly  (Chamberlain)  Mason,  of 
Durham,  N.  H.  Captain  Mason  was  among  the  early 
settlers  of  Gilford.  He  was  a Revolutionary  soldier, 
having  joined  the  Continental  army  at  Portsmouth 
when  only  sixteen  years  of  age,  and  remained  in  con- 
stant service  till  the  close  of  the  war.  He  also  en- 
listed and  took  part  in  the  War  of  1812.  When  the 
division  of  Gilmanton  took  place,  according  to  the 
family  tradition,  corroborated  by  the  testimony  of 
the  old  inhabitants,  he  was  invited  to  name  the  new 
town,  which  he  called  Guilford,  from  the  battle  of 
Guilford  Court-House,  S.  C.,  in  which  he  was  an 
active  participant. 

Winborn  Adams  Sanborn  (8)  received  his  name  in 
remembrance  of  the  gallant  Lieutenant-Colonel  Win- 
born Adams,  who  bravely  fought  and  lost  his  life 
during  the  Revolution,  at  Stillwater.  His  early  life 
was  passed  upon  the  farm  aiding  his  father  in  his 
labors.  His  opportunities  for  learning  were  extremely 
limited,  and  his  only  chance  for  an  education,  beyond 
a few  weeks  at  the  district  school  each  year,  was  one 
term  at  “Master”  Leavitt’s  select  school  at  Mere- 
dith, and  two  terms  at  Gilford  Academy.  Books  and 
newspapers  were  scarce;  but  the  few  that  fell  into 


776 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


his  hands  were  eagerly  perused,  and  their  contents 
carefully  stored  in  his  memory.  By  improving  his 
leisure  moments  he  became  a man  of  rare  intelli- 
gence. To  the  last  of  his  days  he  never  allowed  a 
newspaper  to  be  carelessly  destroyed.  When  only 
seventeen,  he  began  teaching,  and  for  several  win- 
ters taught  in  Gilford  and  adjoining  towns.  His  life 
was  uneventful,  and  his  active  and  energetic  nature 
was  not  content  with  quietude,  and,  at  the  age  of 
twenty,  he  left  home  to  carve  out  his  future  alone 
and  unaided.  With  his  love  of  adventure,  he  went 
to  Massachusetts  and  engaged  as  a common  sailor  for 
a twelve  months’  voyage  on  an  East  India  trading- 
vessel,  bound  from  Salem  to  Bombay,  India.  To  a 
country  boy,  who  had  never  been  beyond  the  capital 
of  his  own  State,  a sea-faring  life  was  particularly 
attractive ; but,  to  gratify  his  parents,  he  relinquished 
his  plan  of  following  the  sea  as  a vocation,  after  this 
voyage.  His  neatly-written  log-book  is  still  pre- 
served. In  1833  he  became  the  first  commander  of 
the  “ Belknap,”  the  first  steamboat  on  Lake  Winnipe- 
saukee.  At  the  end  of  two  seasons  he  gave  up  his 
position,  and,  with  his  love  of  adventure  still  una- 
bated, started  west.  He  first  stopped  at  Wheeling, 
Ya.,  where  he  at  once  secured  a situation  as  assistant 
teacher  in  Wheeling  Academy;  then,  allured  by  the 
letters  of  a friend,  he  journeyed  to  St.  Louis.  He 
readily  found  employment,  but  was  soon  compelled 
to  return  home  on  account  of  ill  health.  The  entire 
journey — going  and  returning  — from  New  Hamp- 
shire to  St.  Louis  was  by  stage  over  the  Allegheny 
Mountains.  (Postage  between  the  two  places  was 
twenty-five  cents  a letter.) 

On  arriving  in  New  Hampshire,  he  resumed  the  | 
command  of  the  “Belknap.”  After  a few  seasons,  he 
left  this  position  to  establish  himself  as  a “country 
trader”  at  Alton  Bay.  In  this  undertaking,  he  was 
financially  unsuccessful;  but,  with  unfaltering  cour- 
age, he  tried  again, — this  time  as  book-keeper  for 
“ Isaac  & Seth  Adams,”  iron  founders,  of  South  Bos- 
ton, Mass.  Here,  by  a faithful  discharge  of  his  j 
duties,  he  won  the  confidence  of  his  employers,  and 
the  strong  friendship  thus  formed  continued  to  the 
end  of  their  lives.  All  his  leisure  moments  were 
now  given  to  the  study  of  machinery,  and,  in  a short 
time,  he  became  au  engineer  of  one  of  the  harbor 
steamers.  He  soon  procured  a better  situation  as 
engineer  of  the  steamer  “Decatur,”  running  between 
Boston  and  Newburyport,  and  retained  this  position 
till  he  was  offered  and  accepted  a more  lucrative  one 
as  engineer  of  the  steamer  “ Ohio,”  on  the  same 
route.  While  here,  a long  and  distressing  illness 
began,  and  he  once  more  returned  to  his  home  in 
Gilford,  where,  for  two  years,  he  was  unable  to  attend 
to  any  business. 

In  the  winter  and  spring  of  1851  he  superintended 
the  construction  of  the  “Dover”  at  Alton  Bay,  and, 
on  its  completion,  became  its  captain,  and  continued 
in  that  office  for  several  summers,  his  winters  being 


mainly  passed  upon  his  farm,  in  Gilford.  In  the  fall 
of  1852  his  friends  and  old  employers,  Isaac  & Seth 
Adams,  needed  a man  of  trust,  and  secured  him  to 
superintend  the  erection  of  machinery  in  Cienfuegos, 
Cuba,  where  he  passed  several  months.  In  1863,  he 
became  a large  stockholder  in,  and  the  captain  of, 
the  “Lady  of  the  Lake.”  In  the  fall  of  1869,  Cap- 
tain Sanborn,  with  his  brother,  went  on  a pleasure 
trip  to  Florida,  and,  while  there,  found  a good  open- 
ing for  the  lumber  business;  and  the  next  spring, 
1870,  he  formed  a partnership  with  Charles  L.  Hoyt, 
a fellow-townsman,  purchased  a saw-mill  and  com- 
menced the  manufacture  of  lumber  in  Fernandina. 
When  he  relinquished  navigation,  in  1869,  he  fully 
expected  to  exclusively  devote  himself  to  his  Florida 
interests;  but  his  natural  liking  for  a seaman’s  life 
and  the  power  of  habit  were  too  strong  for  this,  and, 
in  1878,  he  again  became  captain  of  the  “Lady,” 
which  position  he  occupied  until  the  time  of  his 
death.  As  captain,  he  came  in  contact  with  people 
from  all  parts  of  the  United  States,  and  his  courtesy, 
combined  with  his  extended  knowledge  gained  by 
travel,  reading  and  discriminating  powers  of  observa- 
tion, speedily  won  their  friendship.  During  this 
time,  however,  he  continued  the  southern  business, 
which  had  now  become  extensive,  embracing  the 
manufacture  and  wholesaling  of  lumber,  merchan- 
dising, etc.  In  1880,  in  addition  to  his  many  other 
cares,  he  conceived  the  idea  of  building  a hotel  at 
Weirs.  With  him  to  think  was  to  act,  and  in  six 
weeks  from  the  time  the  sills  were  laid,  “Hotel 
Weirs”  was  ready  for  occupancy.  Of  all  his  enter- 
prises, this  interested  and  pleased  him  the  most. 

In  1835,  Captain  Sanborn  married  Lavinia  Peaslee 
Hoyt,  a very  fine-looking  and  intelligent  woman, 
only  daughter  of  James  Hoyt,  Jr.,  and  his  wife,  Ruth 
(Ayer)  Gordon.  Mrs.  Sanborn  was  born  in  Gilford, 
and  died  on  the  home  farm,  April  20,  1877.  Of  their 
two  children,  the  son  died  in  infancy;  the  daughter, 
Ellen  E.,  married  Captain  John  S.  Wadleigh,  the 
present  commander  of  the  “ Lady.” 

While  in  the  full  possession  of  all  his  faculties, 
after  a brief  illness,  Captain  Sanborn  met  death  as 
bravely  as  he  had  life,  at  Fernandina,  Fla.,  February 
21,  1882.  His  remains  were  brought  to  Gilford,  and 
deposited,  with  Masonic  rites,  in  the  family  burial- 
place,  March  3,  1882. 

In  politics,  Captain  Sanborn  was  one  of  the  “ Old 
Guard  ” Abolitionists.  He  represented  his  native 
town  two  years  in  the  Legislature.  He  was,  for 
many  years,  an  active  member  of  Mount  Horeb 
Commandery  of  Knights  Templar,  F.  and  A.  M.  He 
was  decided  in  his  views,  yet  charitable  to  all ; in 
religion  a “Liberal;”  sincere  in  his  friendships;  gen- 
erous to  the  needy,  yet  unostentatious  in  his  manner 
of  giving.  He  was  courageous,  self-reliant,  strong  in 
his  convictions,  and  his  keen  observation  and  well- 
balanced  mind  enabled  him  to  decide  promptly  and 
i justly  in  matters  of  importance.  He  possessed  the 


GILFORD. 


777 


soundest  common  sense  and  that  practical  view  of 
j matters  that  made  him  competent  to  guide  his  own 
attairs  with  discretion  and  give  helpful  advice  and 
counsel  to  others.  The  humane  side  of  his  being  was 
quickly  and  energetically  responsive.  All  the  ties  of 
nature  and  of  friendship  rooted  deeply  in  his  soul, 
and  whoever  won  his  confidence  found  in  him  a rare 
and  valued  friend. 


KEV.  K.  S.  HALL.1 

Rightly  to  estimate  achievement  in  any  depart- 
ment, account  must  be  taken  alike  of  the  impelling 
and  repelling  forces,  the  aids  and  hindrances,  the  en- 
j couragements  and  rebuffs,  which  have  combined  to 
make  it  what  it  is.  Heredity,  social  position,  wealth, 
poverty,  dictate  most  careers.  Social  aptitude,  wise 
training  and  family  influence  send  countless  numbers 
of  men  triumphantly  to  their  goal ; while  the  want 
of  hese  often  makes  every  step  wearisome  and  suc- 
cess well-nigh  impossible.  The  thoughts  of  one 
man  move  to  the  music  of  rhyme  and  rhythm, 
and  he  cannot  but  choose  to  be  a poet.  Those 
of  another  clothe  themselves  in  the  sonorous 
language,  the  felicitous  expressions  of  an  orator; 
i the  imagination  of  a third  is  an  exhaustless  foun- 
tain, overflowing  in  pen-pictures  which  delight 
the  world.  We  admire  the  result ; yet  we  remember 
that  the  genius  of  each  was  given,  not  won.  An 
illustrious  name,  an  attractive  physique,  a graceful 
address,  smooth  the  way  for  merit,  commend  it  to 
notice,  make  it  conspicuous  to  the  common  eye,  and 
this  we  perceive.  It  is  the  battle  which  is  fought 
without  adventitious  aid,  but  against  the  odds  of 
hostile  circumstances,  which  excites  our  deepest 
sympathy  and  our  most  hearty  praise.  These  ideas 
apply  with  striking  force  to  Rev.  King  Solomon  Hall, 
of  Lake  village,  N.  H.  He  was  born  in  Groton, 
N.  H.,  October  22, 1819,  the  offspring  of  Josiah  and 
Sarah  White  Hall.  His  father  died  when  he  was 
three  years  old,  leaving  a family  of  six  children  in 
| circumstances  of  indigence,  mainly  dependent  for 
1 support  on  • their  widowed  mother.  At  the  age  of 
' seven  he  went  to  reside  in  a farmer’s  family,  where 
! lie  remained  about  seven  years.  The  facilities  of- 
i fered  him  in  childhood  for  acquiring  an  education 
were  extremely  limited.  From  the  age  of  six  to 
fourteen  he  attended  the  district  school  about  six 
weeks  each  year  in  winter,  none  being  held  in  sum- 
mer. These  were  kept  in  private  houses,  no  school- 
house  having  been  built  until  after  he  left  the  dis- 
trict. The  seats  and  desks  were  of  the  rudest  pat- 
tern, the  former  being  made  of  slabs,  with  legs  fitted 
into  the  oval  sides.  In  very  cold  weather  it  was 
necessary  for  comfort  to  draw  the  seats  around  the 
open  fire.  The  childhood  of  Mr.  Hall  was  overcast 
with  many  shadows.  While  kindly  cared  for,  as  the 

1 By  S.  H.  Quincy,  Lancaster,  Mass. 


world  goes,  his  sources  of  pleasure  were  meagre ; no 
mother’s  companionship  cheered  him  in  his  daily 
tasks,  and  his  father’s  voice  was  silent  in  the  grave. 
The  elasticities  of  youth  were  checked  and  left  a deep 
impression  on  his  future  character.  The  stern  battle 
of  life  was  begun.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  found 
employment  in  a factory  in  Lowell,  where  he  re- 
mained about  four  years.  In  the  spring  of  1839  he 
attended  a select  school,  taught  by  Miss  Spaulding, 
at  Rumney,  where,  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  he  com- 
menced the  study  of  English  grammar.  The  writer, 
a member  of  the  same  school,  well  remembers  how 
keenly  he  felt  the  loss  of  early  training,  and  how 
deeply  he  deplored  the  fact  that  he  was  so  far  behind 
many  so  much  younger  than  himself.  But  a new 
revelation  inspired  him  with  fresh  zeal.  He  clearly 
saw  the  necessity  of  educational  acquisition.  A new 
life  opened  before  him,  which  was  filled  with  promise, 
though  many  discouragements  darkened  his  daily 
life.  He  had  no  advantages  of  early  study ; conse- 
quently his  abilities  for  acquisition  were  not  rapid. 
But  he  was  thoroughly  in  earnest,  and  he  here  de- 
veloped the  careful  and  patient  investigation  which 
were  marked  characteristics  of  his  after-career.  In 
the  autumn  of  the  same  year  he  entered  the  Academi- 
cal Department  of  the  New  Hampton  Institution  and 
graduated  from  the  theological  department  of  the 
same  school  in  1845.  The  writer,  a room-mate  for 
two  years,  clearly  recalls  his  heroic  struggles  during 
this  critical  period  of  his  life.  He  was  entirely  de- 
pendent on  his  own  earnings  for  support.  Not  the 
gift  of  a dollar  did  he  ever  receive  from  a relative 
after  he  was  seven  years  of  age.  But  some  friends  in 
Rumney  and  New  Hampton,  touched  by  his  manly 
efforts  to  secure  an  education,  rendered  him  some  as- 
sistance, which,  although  small  in  amount,  was  most 
gratefully  received.  He  taught  school  during  the 
winters,  together  with  evening  schools  in  singing, 
writing  and  geography  ; and  during  the  latter  part  of 
his  connection  with  the  institution,  besides  occasion- 
ally preaching  elsewhere,  he  regularly  supplied,  for 
several  terms,  the  pulpit  of  the  Baptist  Church  in 
Danbury,  frequently  walking  fifteen  miles  to  reach 
an  appointment. 

During  one  term,  while  other  students  were  en- 
gaged in  recreation,  he  cultivated  the  soil,  giving  the 
proceeds  for  a copy  of  “ The  Religious  Encyclopaedia.’’ 
But  these  struggles  with  adverse  elements  were  not 
without  reward.  He  never  grew  discouraged,  and 
these  fierce  contests  were  daily  developing  into  a 
sturdy  manhood.  With  self-reliance  came  firmness 
and  moral  strength.  He  was  sedate — perhaps  a na- 
tive feature  of  his  character,  enhanced  by  the  sur- 
roundings of  his  boyhood  and  his  earliest  recollec- 
tions, mingled  with  poverty  and  the  laborious  toil  of 
his  mother’s  needle.  Still,  he  was  always  cheerful, 
and  had  a host  of  friends. 

The  frivolities  and  merry-makings,  in  which  too 
many  of  the  young  men  engaged,  had  no  allurements 


50 


778 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


for  him.  His  aims  in  life  were  too  serious,  liis 
efforts  too  arduous,  his  time  too  precious  to  give  to 
any  hours  spent  in  such  amusements,  the  glitter  of 
even  a passing  pleasure. 

In  the  first  term  of  his  academic  course  he  had  be- 
come deeply  interested  in  a religious  life,  and,  in 
November,  1839,  he  was  baptized  and  received  into 
the  Baptist  Church  in  Rumney,  and  by  the  same 
licensed  to  preach  in  September,  1840.  During  this 
period  of  his  life  he  had  the  aid  of  high  religious 
convictions,  and  in  his  greatest  straits  found  comfort 
and  strength  from  the  Father,  who,  out  of  this 
severe  discipline,  was  to  raise  an  efficient  helper  in 
his  earthly  vineyard.  The  same  patient  study  was 
continued.  No  subject  was  left  until  thoroughly 
understood ; and  what  had  been  somewhat  slowly 
acquired  was  not  forgotten.  He  graduated  with  credit 
to  himself  and  with  the  confidence  and  well-wishes 
of  the  entire  faculty.  His  after-life  belongs  to  the 
Baptist  denomination  of  the  State.  He  was  ordained 
a pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  in  Hopkinton,  N.  H., 
April  22,  1846,  having  supplied  them  regularly  from 
the  September  previous. 

On  the  30th  of  July,  1847,  at  Warner,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Ann  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Dr.  Caleb  and 
Eliza  Follansbee  Buswell.  He  was  dismissed  Septem- 
ber 30,  1851  ; settled  with  the  church  at  Lake  village 
October  1,  1851 ; dismissed  February,  1859;  with  the 
Merrimack  Street  Church,  Manchester,  March  30, 
1859;  dismissed  October  1,  1862;  with  the  church  at 
Methuen,  Mass.,  October  1,  1862 ; dismissed  April 
30,  1867 ; with  the  church  at  Lake  village  May  1, 
1867  ; dismissed  August  1,  1880;  with  the  church  at 
Rumney  April  17,  1881  ; dismissed  October  1,  1883. 

It  is  safe  to  say  that,  during  this  long  period  of 
thirty-seven  years  of  active  pastoral  work,  the  minis- 
try of  Mr.  Hall  was  remarkably  successful.  He  was 
thoroughly  devoted  to  his  calling,  and  his  whole 
heart  was  enlisted  in  the  salvation  of  mankind.  He 
was  warmly  welcomed  to  the  several  churches  at  his 
settlements,  and  when  the  stern  decree  of  duty 
called  him  away  there  were  very  many  grieving 
friends. 

The  amount  of  good  that  he  accomplished  will 
never  be  known  until  the  veil  is  lifted  from  the 
future. 

He  will  have  many  stars  in  the  crown  of  his  re- 
joicing. As  an  illustration  applicable  to  all  his 
parishes,  I quote  from  the  history  of  the  First  Bap- 
tist Church  in  Methuen,  published  in  the  Minutes  of 
the  Association  for  1880 ; after  speaking  of  especial 
trials,  it  says : 

“The  coming  of  Mr.  Hall  at  this  time  was  very  opportune,  and  gave 
cncouragenieut  to  the  church  to  renew  their  diligence  and  reconsecrate 
themselves  to  the  work  of  God.  lie  was  especially  adapted  to  the  field, 
and  by  his  genial  manner,  dignified  bearing  and  sympathetic  heart  won 
not  only  the  hearts  of  his  church  and  congregation,  but  the  respect  of 
the  community.  His  labors  are  frequently  referred  to  now  among  the 
older  members  of  his  church,  and  his  kindness  is  cherished  with  tender 
rocollectiou  by  those  who  shared  it  in  times  of  trials  and  sorrow. 


His  labors  were  blessed  to  the  strengthening  of  the  church  and  a con- 
tinuance of  harmony  and  spiritual  activity.  In  the  spring  of  18GG  there 
was  a quickening  of  the  church  and  many  were  added,  who  became  use- 
ful and  efficient  helpers.  . . . Having  labored  earnestly  and  successfully 
for  about  five  years,  Mr.  Hall  resigned  his  pastoral  care  March  27,  1867. 
The  church,  being  anxious  to  have  him  continue  his  labors,  urgently  re- 
quested him  to  reconsider  his  determination  and  remain  with  them. 
Still  adhering  to  his  purpose,  the  church  very  reluctantly  accepted  his 
resignation.” 

But  the  labors  of  Mr.  Hall  were  not  by  any  means 
confined  to  those  pertaining  strictly  to  his  profession. 
His  reputation  extended  far  beyond  his  pastorates, 
and  he  became  a power  in  the  denomination  through- 
out the  State.  His  advice  was  widely  sought.  He 
was  deeply  interested  in  educational  institutions,  and 
his  keen  insight  and  patient  endeavor  fully  equipped 
him  to  be  of  great  service  in  this  direction.  All 
charitable  organizations  of  merit  found  in  him  an 
active  helper.  His  has  been  truly  a busy  life.  Among 
his  published  works  are  some  twenty  or  more  reports 
as  school  committee  of  various  dates  for  the  towns  of 
Hopkinton,  Meredith  and  Laconia,  N.  H.,  and 
Methuen,  Mass. ; reports  as  school  commissioner  for 
Belknap  County  for  1854,  1855,  1858  and  1859;  re- 
port of  the  New  Hampshire  Board  of  Education  to 
the  Legislature,  1855 ; seventh  and  eighth  annual 
reports  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  New  Hamp- 
shire State  Normal  School ; seventeen  reports  as  sec- 
retary of  the  New  Hampshire  Baptist  Convention; 
discourse  delivered  at  the  funeral  of  Mrs.  Martha  R. 
Herrick,  wife  of  Rev.  J.  S.  Herrick,  Rumney,  N.  H. ; 
the  first  half-century  of  the  First  Baptist  Church 
in  Methuen,  Mass.,  1865.  The  honorary  degree  of 
A.M.  was  conferred  on  him  by  Dartmouth  College  in 
1860;  that  of  D.D.  by  Central  University,  Iowa,  in 
1882.  Mr.  Hall  was  a member  of  the  New  Hamp- 
shire Board  of  Education  for  Belknap  County  for 
four  years  ; secretary  of  the  board  in  1855,  and  chair- 
man in  1858.  He  was  for  several  years  a trustee  of 
New  Hampton  Academical  and  Theological  Institu- 
tion, previous  to  its  removal  to  Vermont;  and  for 
twenty  years  held  the  same  position  in  regard  to  the 
New  London  Literary  and  Scientific  Institution  (now 
Colby  Academy).  He  was  also  a trustee  of  the  New 
Hampshire  State  Normal  School  for  seven  years,  from 
1872,  and  for  two  years  secretary  of  the  board.  He 
was  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  New  Hampshire 
Baptist  Pastoral  Association  from  1851  to  1861  inclu- 
sive. He  was  a trustee  of  the  New  Hampshire  Bap- 
tist Convention  from  1849  to  1862  and  from  1867  to 
1878,  and  secretary  of  the  same  from  1856  to  1862 
and  from  1867  to  1878 — in  all  seventeen  years.  In 
all  these  various  trusts,  strict  fidelity  to  duty,  an  un- 
swerving integrity  and  an  unvarying  courtesy  were 
the  marked  characteristics  of  his  office. 

The  great  measure  of  success  which  has  attended 
his  career,  Mr.  Hall  cheerfully  claims  is  largely  due 
to  his  wife,  who,  by  her  ability  and  liberal  culture, 
combined  with  strict  economy,  industry  and  tact,  has 
proved  a helpmate  in  so  many  ways  for  nearly  forty 
years. 


GILFORD. 


779 


Mr.  Hall  does  not  possess  the  qualities  that  make 
what  the  world  would  call  a brilliant  man.  Conclu- 
sions do  not  come  to  him  as  intuitions  or  startling 
revelations. 

His  grasp  of  mind,  always  comprehensive,  is  too 
massive  to  move  by  electricity. 

Results  are  rather  worked  out  by  careful  investiga- 
tion. Conscientious  in  every  fibre  of  his  being,  he 
desires  clearly  to  see  the  right.  Consequently  he  has 
always  been  a safe  counselor,  and  his  judgments 
have  seldom  failed.  As  a pastor,  he  has  been  prudent 
and  watchful,  pure  and  dignified  in  his  daily  life, 
always  casting  oil  upon  troubled  waters.  His  heart 
has  always  been  open  to  the  anguish  of  suffering  or  the 
wail  of  sorrow. 

In  his  religious  views,  it  seems  unnecessary  to  say 
that  he  has  always  been  a Baptist  to  the  core.  To 
him  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible  are  clear  and  explicit 
and  a living  truth. 

But  he  is  exceedingly  catholic  and  tolerant  of  the 
views  of  others,  as  it  would  be  a part  of  his  nature  to 
be.  Firm  and  uncompromising  in  what  he  believes 
to  be  the  teachings  of  the  Scriptures,  and  in  his 
preaching  never  withholding  them,  he  would  not 
willingly  injure  the  feelings  of  a single  human  being. 

Mr.  Hall  is  not  a controversialist  for  the  sake  of 
argument.  There  is  nothing  pugnacious  in  his  na- 
ture. He  loves  those  things  that  tend  to  peace. 
Still,  when  principle  is  involved,  he  is  firm  and  even 
aggressive.  An  indomitable  perseverance  is  one  of 
his  marked  characteristics.  Without  this  quality, 
he  never  would  have  achieved  success.  Indeed,  his 
better  aspirations  would  have  been  utterly  crushed  in 
early  life;  and  by  this  alone  he  has  borne  the  most 
serious  responsibilities  and  carried  through  the 
greatest  enterprises  of  his  life. 

Mr.  Hall  has,  from  his  earliest  boyhood,  been  a 
stanch  temperance  advocate,  having  never  drunk 
a glass  of  intoxicating  liquor  as  a beverage,  nor  used 
a particle  of  tobacco  in  any  form.  Besides  lecturing 
on  temperance,  he  has  always  sought  to  persuade 
young  men  to  abstain  from  the  use  of  these  stimu- 
lants, and  he  has  joyful  reason  to  believe  that, 
through  his  earnest  efforts,  many  children  and  youth 
have  been  saved  from  the  terrible  evils  of  intemper- 
ance. 

Since  his  return  to  Lake  village,  Mr.  Hall  has 
found  recreation  and  pleasure  in  fruit-culture,  par- 
ticularly that  of  grapes  and  pears,  of  which  he  has 
had  on  his  grounds  about  fifty  varieties  of  each. 
Premiums  for  the  best  show  of  these  fruits  have  been 
repeatedly  awarded  him  by  the  Grafton  and  Belknap 
Counties  Agricultural  Fairs. 

Long-continued  illness  alone  compelled  him  to 
relinquish  the  active  work  of  the  ministry;  with 
returning  health,  many  pulpits  would  be  gladly 
opened  to  him.  But  it  is  not  probable  that  he  will 
enter  upon  another  pastorate.  He  and  his  worthy 
wife  are  living  quietly  in  their  pleasant  home  at  Lake 


village,  where  so  many  hope  that  the  evening  ot 
their  days  may  be  spanned  with  the  bow  of  promise. 

He  is  still  frequently  called  to  the  bridal  and  the 
funeral.  His  interest  is  in  no  manner  relaxed  in  the 
success  of  Christian  effort ; and  as  the  shadows  begin 
to  gather,  a long  life  devoted  to  the  welfare  of  his 
kind  grows  luminous  with  a brightness  which  merges 
into  the  glories  of  the  hereafter.  This  hastily- 
prepared  sketch  is  the  tender  testimonial  of  an  old 
schoolmate  and  a life-long  friend.  To  those,  so  few 
of  whom  are  living,  who  know  the  privations  of  his 
childhood  and  youth  and  the  heroic  struggle  of  his 
early  manhood,  out  of  which  came  ultimate  success, 
it  will  not  seem  like  words  of  adulation,  but  a calm 
and  dispassionate  rehearsal  of  some  of  the  events 
and  characteristics  of  a valuable  life. 


MARTIN  ALONZO  HAYNES. 

Martin  Alonzo  Haynes  comes  from  old  Puritan 
stock,  being  a descendant,  in  the  eighth  generation, 
from  Samuel  Haynes,  who  came  over  from  England, 
in  1635,  in  the  ship  “Angel  Gabriel ;”  was  wrecked  at 
Pemaquid  (now  Bristol)  Me.,  in  the  great  hurricane 
of  15th  of  August,  same  year;  finally  settled  at  Ports- 
mouth, N.  H.,  in  the  parish  of  Greenland,  in  1650; 
was  one  of  the  nine  founders  and  a deacon  of  the 
First  Congregational  Church  of  Portsmouth;  was  a 
selectman  from  1653  to  1663,  and  ;held  many  other 
offices  of  trust. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  at  Springfield, 
N.  H.,  July  30,  1842,  and  four  years  later  his  parents 
removed  to  Manchester,  N.  H. 

His  father,  Elbridge  G.,  was  for  thirty  years  a prom- 
inent figure  in  the  city’s  history,  noted  for  his  un- 
swerving convictions,  his  old-fashioned  integrity  and 
sound  judgment  and  his  interest  in  public  affairs. 

He  was  anxious  that  his  children  should  enjoy 
better  advantages  than  had  been  his  in  youth,  and 
the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War  found  Martin,  his  oldest 
child,  with  a good  High-School  education  and  the 
printer’s  trade  acquired.  But  President  Lincoln’s 
first  call  for  troops  found  the  boy  of  eighteen  ready, 
and  he  enrolled  his  name  and  was  mustered  into  the 
“Abbott  Guard,”  the  first  company  to  enter  the  camp 
of  the  First  Regiment  at  Concord.  Before  leaving 
the  State  the  company  was  transferred  to  the  Second 
Regiment  and  re-enlisted  for  three  years. 

Shortly  after  the  regiment’s  arrival  at  Washington 
he  was  appointed  clerk  to  the  regimental  commissary; 
but  when  the  first  advance  was  made  into  Virginia, 
learning  the  arrangements  contemplated  his  remain- 
ing back  in  camp,  he  threw  up  his  clerkship  in  dis- 
gust, demanded  his  musket  and  took  his  place  in  the 
ranks  of  his  company. 

It  is  his  boast  that  he  served  as  a private  soldier  for 
three  years,  that  he  participated  in  every  engagement 
of  the  regiment  from  Bull  Run  to  Cold  Harbor,  that 


780 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE 


lie  never  answered  to  “ surgeon’s  call  ” and  was  never 
a day  off  duty. 

He  was  three  times  slightly  wounded, — at  First 
Bull  Run,  in  the  neck  by  a splinter  from  a fence-rail, 
while  defending,  late  in  the  day,  the  sunken  road, 
immediately  in  front  of  the  Henry  house;  at  Glen- 
dale, receiving  a severe  contusion  in  the  groin  from  a 
spent  ball ; at  Second  Bull  Run,  in  the  famous  bay- 
onet charge  of  Grover’s  Brigade,  w'hen  the  Second 
Regiment  pierced  two  rebel  lines  of  battle,  he  re- 
ceived a savage  blow  in  the  face  and  bled  profusely, 
but  carried  out  of  the  mel6e  the  wounded  Lieutenant 
Rogers,  who  died  in  his  arms. 

In  this  affair  the  regiment  lost  132  out  of  332  men. 
At  Gettysburg,  where  the  regiment  rendered  the 
“Peach  Orchard”  famous  and  suffered  the  terrible 
loss  of  193  out  of  354  engaged,  the  three  men  nearest 
him  in  line  were  all  wounded  by  fragments  from  one 
shell,  but  he  escaped  unmarked. 

Upon  his  return  from  the  war  he  resumed  news- 
paper work  at  Manchester  for  a while,  serving  upon 
the  editorial  staff  of  the  Daily  Mirror  and  Daily 
Union,  until  he  left  to  take  the  position  of  clerk  and 
paymaster  of  the  Rockingham  Mills,  at  Portsmouth, 
N.  H.  He  remained  there  until  the  suspension  of 
the  mills — about  a year. 

In  January,  1868,  in  company  with  Benjamin  F. 
Stanton,  he  founded  the  Lake  Village  Times  newspa- 
per, and  has  retained  control  of  the  paper  ever  since,  ! 
with  the  exception  of  the  first  three  years,  as  sole 
proprietor. 

He  represented  the  town  of  Gilford  in  the  New 
Hampshire  House  of  Representatives  in  1872  and 
1873,  in  the  first  year  serving  as  chairman  of  the 
committee  on  fisheries,  in  the  latter  as  chairman  of 
the  military  committee.  He  wTas  an  aide-de-camp  on 
the  staff  of  Governor  Prescott,  with  the  rank  of  colo- 
nel. In  1876  he  was  appointed  clerk  of  the  Circuit 
Court  and  the  Superior  Court  of  Judicature  for  Belk- 
nap County,  retaining  the  position  until  1883,  when 
he  resigned  to  take  a seat  in  the  National  Congress. 
In  1881  and  1882  he  served  as  president  of  the  New 
Hampshire  Veteran  Association,  which  he  turned 
over  to  his  successor  not  only  free  from  debt,  but  with  ! 
several  thousand  dollars’  worth  of  buildings  for  the  { 
accommodation  of  its  annual  reunions  at  Weirs.  He  ! 
was  also  Commander  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Re- 
public, Department  of  New  Hampshire,  during  the  | 
same  years. 

Upon  the  approach  of  the  fall  elections  of  1882  his 
old  comrades-in-arms  brought  his  name  forward  for 
the  Republican  nomination  to  Congress  from  the  First 
New  Hampshire  District,  and  after  a canvass  which 
is  memorable  in  the  history  of  New  Hampshire  poli- 
tics he  was  nominated  in  the  convention,  at  Dover,  I 
and  elected  in  November  by  an  unprecedented  plu- 
rality of  nearly  thirty-eight  hundred.  In  1884  he  was  , 
renominated  by  acclamation  in  the  convention  held 
at  Wolfeborough,  and  received  nearly  twenty-five  1 


hundred  plurality  at  the  polls,  his  opponent  being 
Rev.  L.  F.  McKinney,  of  Manchester,  one  of  the  ablest 
and  most  popular  men  of  his  party  in  the  State.  In 
both  elections  he  ran  very  far  ahead  of  his  ticket,  re- 
ceiving hundreds  of  Democratic  votes. 

He  was  married,  in  1863,  to  Miss  Cornelia  T.  Lane, 
of  Manchester,  and  two  daughters  survive  to  bless 
their  pleasant  home,  which  is  delightfully  situated  in 
Lake  village,  surrounded  with  fruit  and  forest-trees 
and  looking  down  upon  the  waters  of  Lake  Winni- 
pesaukee. 

He  has  delivered  many  addresses  and  poems  at  sol- 
diers’ reunions  and  gatherings;  but  his  chief  literary 
work  was  a “ History  of  the  Second  Regiment,”  copies 
of  which  are  now  eagerly  sought  for  by  collectors.  He 
is  decidedly  a man  of  the  people,  makes  friends  and 
keeps  them,  and  delights  in  the  sports  of  gun  and 
rod. 


JOHN  S.  CRANE. 

Among  the  vigorous,  active  and  successful  men  of 
Belknap  County  must  be  mentioned  John  Summer- 
field  Crane,  of  Lake  village.  He  was  born  in  Spring- 
field,  Mass.,  February  3,  1834,  and  was  son  of  Luther 
and  Rebecca  (Manter)  Crane. 

The  Crane  family  has  been  a representative  one  in 
various  spheres,  in  New  England  from  the  days  of  its 
first  settlement.  Jasper  Crayne  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  New  Haven  colony,  signed  its 
“ fundamental  agreement”  June  4,  1639,  and  became 
one  of  its  leading  and  influential  members.  Another 
branch  of  the  same  family  settled  in  Berkley,  Mass., 
at  its  first  settlement,  and  the  descendants  of  this 
pioneer  have  ever  held  positions  of  responsibility, 
and  been  represented  in  every  generation  in  medicine, 
law  and  theology.  Henry  Crane  settled  in  Dorches- 
ter early.  His  descendants  are  numerous.  One  of 
them,  John,  was  a pioneer  of  Taunton,  and  he  is  the 
progenitor  of  the  numerous  families  of  that  name  in 
Norton  and  Canton.  Luther  Crane  wras  a native  of 
the  latter  town,  but,  owing  to  the  incompleteness  of 
the  records,  we  find  it  impossible  to  give  the  exact 
line  from  Henry. 

John  S.  Crane  not  only  descends  from  good 
paternal  stock,  but  his  mother,  a native  of  Plymouth, 
Mass.,  was  a lineal  descendant  of  the  famous  Gover- 
nor and  writer  of  “ Plymouth  Colony,”  William 
Bradford.  From  such  a stock  we  should  expect  good 
offspring,  and  when  we  see  the  odds  against  which 
Mr.  Crane  has  been  compelled  to  battle,  and  the 
signal  success  that  has  attended  his  career  from  the 
humble  condition  of  his  boyhood  up  to  the  station  he 
now  occupies  of  a leading  and  wealthy  manufacturer, 
we  must  concede  to  him  his  full  share  of  the  ability 
of  his  strong  progenitors,  and  acknowdedge  him  as 
one  who,  in  the  highest  sense  of  the  term,  is  a “self- 
made”  man. 

Luther  Crane  was  a hatter,  of  an  ingenious  and 


RESIDENCE  OF  J.  S.  CRANE, 

LAKE  VILLAGE,  N.  H. 


GILFORD. 


781 


mechanical  nature,  and  was  employed  by  the  Hamil- 
ton Cotton  Manufacturing  Company  as  a spinner  in 
the  first  cotton-mill  in  Lowell.  He  then  removed  to 
Ohio,  and  when  John  was  nine  years  old  came  to 
Salmon  Falls,  N.  H.,  where  he  became  a resident. 
John  was  a lad  of  quick  conception,  and  made  good 
progress  during  his  attendance  at  the  district  school 
and  South  Berwick  Academy.  His  skill  in  drawing 
wras  so  great  that  a gentleman  voluntarily  offered  to 
educate  him  as  an  artist ; but,  with  the  impulsiveness 
of  youth,  he  did  not  avail  himself  of  this  offer,  and  at 
fifteen  years  of  age  shipped  as  a boy  before  the 
mast  on  a clipper  ship  bound  for  India.  The  voyage 
lasted  twenty-two  months,  and  the  vessel  circumnavi- 
gated the  globe.  On  the  return  from  the  Sandwich 
Islands  Mr.  Crane  was  the  ship-carpenter.  The  hard 
actualities  of  a sailor’s  life  dispelled  his  romantic 
dreams,  and,  during  the  long  hours  in  which  there 
was  nothing  to  do  but  think,  he  decided  to  “ make  a 
man  of  himself”  by  honest  industry  and  patient  ap- 
plication. So,  returning  to  Salmon  Falls,  he  entered 
a shop  to  learn  the  trade  of  machinist,  which  was  his 
choice  from  his  aptitude  for  mechanics.  Remaining 
here  one  year,  he  went  to  Lawrence  for  six  months’ 
labor,  then  to  the  Lowell  Machine-Shop,  in  Lowell, 
conducted  by  Lucius  Cutter.  By  this  time  he  had 
attained  proficiency  in  his  calling,  and,  after  six 
months’  service  here,  was  engaged  by  Lucius  Waite 
to  fit  up  and  take  charge  of  a sewing-machine  manu- 
factory for  one  year.  This  business  was  then  discon- 
tinued, and  Mr.  Crane,  after  working  a short  time  in 
Manchester,  concluded  to  visit  the  West,  and  see  if  he 
could  find  a suitable  place  to  establish  himself  with 
the  small  capital  acquired  by  his  industry  and  careful 
savings.  Not  finding  a situation  to  his  mind,  he  re- 
turned to  Lowell  and  became  the  superintendent  of  a 
pattern  and  model-shop  for  one  year.  In  1855  he 
removed  to  Franklin,  N.  H.,  to  complete  and  place  in 
running  order  some  knitting-machines  for  a Lowell 
house.  This  kept  him  busy  for  only  a short  period, 
and,  in  the  spring  of  1856,  he  began  the  connection 
with  the  manufacturing  interests  of  Lake  village, 
which  has  been  of  such  value  to  him,  and  which  links 
him  with  every  step  in  the  rise  of  an  important 
industry  in  this  place.  He  was  employed  by  B.  J. 
Cole  to  build  knitting-machines  for  Thomas  Apple- 
ton,  the  manufacturer.  This  was  the  introduction  of 
this  branch  of  manufacturing  to  this  vicinity,  and 
began  a new  and  successful  era  in  its  progress.  He 
worked  for  Mr.  Cole  six  months,  and  then  made  a 
contract  with  Mr.  Appleton  to  build  knitting-ma- 
chines at  his  mill,  and,  about  the  same  time  (fall  of 
1857),  became  his  superintendent.  These  positions 
he  occupied  until  the  spring  of  1862.  Designing  and 
perfecting,  in  connection  with  John  Pepper,  what 
was  called  the  “ Pepper  Knitting-Machine,”  he  then 
took  the  contract  to  build  the  machines,  and,  with 
William  Pepper,  formed  the  firm  of  Crane  & 
Pepper.  They  began  work  with  fifteen  operatives, 


in  a building  owned  by  B.  J.  Cole,  and  constructed 
from  fifteen  to  twenty  machines  per  month.  They 
were  burned  out  about  1863,  and  John  Pepper  built  a 
new  shop  for  the  firm  on  the  site  of  the  old  Small  mill. 
About  this  time  Mr.  Crane,  Benjamin  F.  Peaslee,  of 
Lake  village,  and  Thomas  Joyce,  of  Boston,  formed 
the  Winnipesaukee  Hosiery  Company,  purchased 
the  machinery  of  the  Pulsifer  mill,  and,  in  1864, 
began  the  manufacturing  of  hosiery,  employing 
thirty  hands,  with  Mr.  Peaslee  in  charge  and  Mr. 
Crane  as  superintendent.  In  December,  1864,  Mr. 
Crane  purchased  the  interests  of  his  partner,  and 
after  running  the  works  till  March,  1865,  sold  the 
whole  to  R.  M.  Bailey.  The  manufacture  of  knit- 
ting-machines continued  until  about  1869,  when  Mr. 
Crane  sold  out  this  business  and  became  connected 
with  Walter  Aikin,  of  Franklin,  in  the  proprietorship 
of  the  “Gilmore  Revolving  Diamond  Stone-Dressing 
Machine,”  for  dressing  mill-stones.  Mr.  Crane  spent 
most  of  his  time  in  Franklin,  and  for  two  years  was 
engaged  in  introducing  this  invention  to  the  public. 
Returning  to  Lake  village,  he  purchased,  for  two 
thousand  dollars,  the  interest  of  Charles  H.  Young 
in  the  firm  of  Young  & Peaslee,  engaged  in  manu- 
facturing circular  knitting-machines  under  Young’s 
patent,  and,  in  the  spring  of  1872,  the  firm  of  Crane 
& Peaslee  began  its  existence  with  six  men,  and  for 
two  years  made  one  hundred  and  fifty  hosiery-ma- 
chines a year. 

In  1873,  Mr.  Crane  designed  and  perfected  a ma- 
chine for  making  shirts  and  underwear  on  the  same 
principle,  which  he  secured  by  patents,  and  in  Sep- 
tember, 1874,  moved  his  manufactory  to  its  present 
location.  The  new  machines  became  an  important 
addition  to  this  business,  as  they  were  rapidly  called 
for.  In  January,  1875,  the  firm  employed  ten  men, 
with  a monthly  pay-roll  of  four  hundred  dollars,  and, 
in  spite  of  the  depressed  times,  they  continued  to  do 
a most  prosperous  business.  In  November,  1878,  Mr. 
Peaslee  sold  his  half-interest  to  Mr.  Crane  for  four 
thousand  dollars.  B.  F.  Drake  purchased  one-third 
interest,  and  the  firm  became  J.  S.  Crane  & Co., 
and  they  carried  on  the  business  until  July,  1884, 
employing  as  high  as  sixteen  men,  and,  from  a j)ro- 
duction  of  five  thousand  dollars,  in  1868,  the  business 
steadily  increased  until  it  amounted  to  fifty  thousand 
dollars  annually.  Purchasing  Mr.  Drake’s  interest 
at  the  above  date,  Mr.  Crane  has  since  continued 
manufacturing  under  the  same  name,  with  his  son  as 
partner.  They  now  employ  from  twenty  to  twenty- 
five  men,  and  have  a yearly  business  of  seventy-five 
thousand  dollars.  Their  specialties  are  circular 
knitting-machines,  for  hosiery,  underwear,  Jersey 
cloth  and  stockinet. 

About  1883,  Mr.  Crane  became  jointly  interested 
with  R.  F.  M.  Chase  in  a patent  knit  fabric, — the 
“stockinet,” — which  bids  fair  to  become  one  of  the 
leading  features  of  this  class  of  goods  in  the  country, 
and  to  assume  enormous  business  proportions.  To 


782 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


this  Mr.  Crane  has  given  his  whole  attention,  has  in- 
vented and  improved  inventions,  patented  improve- 
ments, and  also  constructed  machines  for  making 
Jersey  cloth  and  stockinet.  The  machines  of  his 
manufacture  are  in  use  in  all  parts  of  the  United 
States,  but  to  the  greatest  extent  in  New  England. 
He  has  taken  orders  for  this  class  of  machinery  as 
high  as  fifty  thousand  dollars’  worth  at  one  time. 

Mr.  Crane  married,  in  1856,  Clara  J.  Smith,  of 
Nashua,  a lady  well  fitted  to  appreciate  and  promote 
the  artistic  ideas  of  Mr.  Crane  and  be  an  efficient 
associate  of  his  life.  Their  only  child  is  Mazellah  L. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Crane  is  a pronounced  Republican. 
He  represented  Laconia  in  the  State  Legislature  of 
1875,  and  Gilford  in  that  of  1878.  He  was  one  of  the 
incorporators  and  is  now  a director  of  Lake  Village 
Savings-Bank,  and  belongs  to  the  various  Masonic 
bodies  to  the  commanderv. 

Mr.  Crane  can  attribute  his  success  to  persistent 
and  indefatigable  industry,  to  the  close  and  concen- 
trated action  of  mind  and  body  and  his  quick  and 
intelligent  appreciation  of  men  and  things.  His 
natural  tastes  are  in  harmony  with  artistic  and 
cultured  surroundings,  and  his  business  has  enabled 
him  to  gratify  his  desires.  He  has  designed  and 
erected  the  handsomest  residence  in  the  town,  a view 
of  which  appears  on  another  page,  and  his  home 
abounds  in  all  the  comforts  that  money  will  buy. 
He  is  a lover  and  owner  of  fine  horses,  intelligent  j 
dogs  and  a fine  steam  yacht,  and  is  passionately  fond 
of  aquatic  and  field  sports.  He  is  a good  citizen,  a 
social  companion,  a strong  friend,  and,  with  his 
positive  and  energetic  nature,  may  be  truthfully 
called  a good  type  of  the  rushing,  active,  impetuous 
and  successful  Americans  of  the  nineteenth  century. 


MOSES  SARGENT. 

But  little  more  than  a quarter  of  a century  had 
passed  after  the  long  and  exhausting  Revolutionary 
war,  when  manufactures  were  few  and  in  their  infan- 
cy, and  our  people  were  chiefly  agriculturists  and  day 
laborers,  compelled  to  exercise  the  utmost  economy, 
and  but  a limited  number  were  able  to  give  their 
children  the  advantages  of  a liberal  education,  when 
Moses  Sargent,  son  of  Moses  and  Nancy  (Morrill) 
Sargent,  first  saw  the  light  of  day,  in  the  old  town  of 
Amesbury,  Mass.,  December  16,  1803.  His  father 
was  a ship-carpenter,  wholly  dependent  on  his  daily 
labor,  and  when  Moses  was  but  a few  years  old  Mr. 
Sargent  met  with  an  accident,  which  seriously  crip- 
pled him  for  life,  and  incapacitated  him  from  longer 
attending  upon  his  vocation;  so,  at  the  age  of  nine 
years,  the  young  lad  was  obliged  to  go  out  into  the 
world  of  work  and  struggle  for  a living,  not  only  for 
himself,  but  for  his  parents,  without  any  of  the  ad- 
ventitious aids  of  education  or  inherited  rank,  and 
with  only  his  brave  heart  and  willing  hands. 

He  commenced  work  in  a factory  in  Amesbury,  * 


which  was  the  first  broadcloth-factory  erected  in  the 
United  States.  Being  a good,  honest,  industrious, 
hard-working  lad,  he  soon  attracted  the  attention  of 
his  employers,  and  the  agent  of  the  factory  gave  him 
one  term’s  schooling,  when  he  was  about  thirteen,  and 
he  also  wrote  off  the  multiplication  table  for  him  to 
learn  while  at  his  work.  But  to  the  eagerly  desirous 
and  willing  searcher  for  knowledge  the  way  is  made, 
opened  or  found  in  some  manner,  sooner  or  later, 
and  at  a school,  which  was  kept  on  Sunday,  by  a 
Quaker  gentleman  and  philanthropist,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  giving  the  factory  operatives  an  opportunity 
to  obtain  some  education,  Moses  learned  the  rudi- 
ments of  mathematics,  and  took  a peep  into  that 
realm  of  knowledge  which  he  had  so  longed  to  enter. 
His  diligence  and  rapid  progress,  and  his  wish  for  an 
education,  so  impressed  his  teacher,  that  when  he  was 
about  sixteen  he  offered  to  pay  the  expenses  of  Moses’ 
tuition  at  some  good  school,  but  as  he  was  almost  the 
sole  dependence  of  his  parents  he  was  forced  to  de- 
cline this  kind  offer, 

He  remained  for  eight  years  in  the  broadcloth-fac- 
tory, when  Amos  Lawrence  and  his  brother,  with 
others,  under  the  firm-title  of  ‘‘A.  & A.  Lawrence  & 
Co.,”  started  a flannel-factory,  where  Moses  engaged 
work  and  was  employed  for  twelve  years.  About 
1830  this  firm  purchased  a broadcloth-factory  a 
short  distance  up  the  river,  for  the  purpose  of  using  it 
for  making  satinets,  and  Mr.  Sargent,  who  had  grown 
up  almost  to  manhood  in  the  factories,  and  had  made 
capable  and  good  use  of  his  time,  and  become  a skilled 
and  experienced  workman,  was  given  the  super- 
intendence of  the  putting  in  of  the  machinery  and 
getting  the  manufactory  in  running  order.  He  held 
this  position  for  about  three  years,  when  he  wrent  to 
Byfield,  leased  a water  privilege,  and  with  one  set  of 
cards  he  started  the  manufacture  of  yarn  in  a small 
way  on  his  own  account.  He  continued  in  business 
here  for  two  years,  when  his  health  failed  and  he  was 
advised  by  his  physician  to  leave  the  proximity  of 
the  salt  water,  and  in  December  1835,  he  came  to 
Batchelder’s  Mills,  N.  H.  (now  Lake  village),  and  leased 
a yarn-mill  of  the  Lake  Company,  and  fitted  it  up  to 
make  woolen  yarn  for  domestic  knitting  purposes. 
Mr.  Sargent  was  the  pioneer  manufacturer  of  this  yarn 
in  New  Hampshire.  He  commenced  with  one  set  of 
twenty-four-inch  cards  and  ten  operatives,  and  for 
twenty-nine  years  he  wras  engaged  in  this  industry. 
The  business  steadily  augmented,  and  the  one  set  of 
cards  was  increased  to  five,  and  for  the  last  two  years 
Mr.  Sargent  himself  manufactured  the  yarn  into 
stockings;  among  his  contracts,  filling  two  for  the 
United  States  government,  amounting  to  one  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  pairs. 

Shortly  after  the  close  of  the  Civil  War  Mr. 
Sargent  disposed  of  his  business  interests  to  the 
Belknap  Company,  of  Laconia,  and  for  about  a year 
was  not  in  active  business.  He  then  went  to  Upper 
Gilmanton,  bought  a cotton-mill,  fitting  it  up  for 


GILFORD. 


783 


making  cotton  stockings,  and  carried  on  this  manu- 
facture for  six  years,  employing  two  hundred  opera- 
tives. His  factory  was  then  purchased  by  “A. 
Lawrence  & Co.,”  who  after  a few  years  formed  a 
stock  company ; fifty  shares  of  the  stock  were  given  to 
Mr.  Sargent,  in  consideration  of  friendship,  long 
acquaintance  and  the  pleasant  business  relations 
which  had  always  existed  between  them. 

During  his  residence  in  Upper  Gilmanton  he  took 
an  interest  in  the  affairs  of  the  town,  and  it  was 
through  his  influence  that  the  name  was  changed  to 
Belmont.  Politically,  he  was  a Whig,  and  is  now  a 
Republican,  and  represented  Belmont  in  the  State 
Legislature  in  1872,  and  its  prosperity  and  growth  is 
due,  in  a large  measure,  to  Mr.  Sargent’s  enterprise. 
He  relinquished  business  after  the  sale  of  his  interests 
in  Belmont,  and  returned  to  Lake  village,  which  has 
since  been  his  home. 

Mr.  Sargent  married,  first,  October  27, 1824,  Judith, 
daughter  of  Stephen  and  Esther  (Reynolds)  Hoyt. 
Their  children  were  Mary  (married  H.  O.  Heywood, 
has  two  surviving  children,  and  resides  in  Lake  vil- 
lage.); Stephen  H.,  who  now  lives  in  Salem,  Mass.; 
Moses,  who  is  agent  of  the  Gilmanton  Mills,  Belmont; 
John,  deceased;  David,  deceased;  and  FrankS.,  now 
an  overseer  under  Moses.  Mrs.  Judith  Sargent  died 
July  26,  1849;  and  Mr.  Sargent  married,  second, 
Mrs.  Mary  Huntington  (born  Seavey),  in  February, 
1850.  She  died  December  2,  1854,  and  he  then 
married,  Sarah,  daughter  of  Gilman  and  Sally 
Thyng. 

Mr.  Sargent  has  been  a resident  of  Lake  village 
for  many  years,  but  his  devotion  to  business  has  pre- 
vented him  from  being  especially  active  in  its  public 
affairs  or  taking  official  position;  yet  he  has  always 
contributed  generously  to  every  worthy  object,  public 
or  private.  He  was  one  of  the  incorporators  of  the 
Lake  Village  Savings-Bank,  and  director  and  vice- 
president  from  its  establishment  until  the  present 
time.  For  forty  years  he  has  been  a member  of  the 
Baptist  Church,  and  conscientiously  acted  according 
to  the  truths  and  doctrines  of  the  same.  For  forty 
years,  also,  he  had  been  a member  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd-Fellows,  and  has  taken  an  active  part 
and  taken  all  the  degrees.  His  attention  has  been 
drawn  somewhat  in  the  direction  of  military  organi- 
zations and  at  one  time  he  was  a lieutenant  in  the 
militia. 

Mr.  Sargent  for  more  than  three-score  years  has 
been  a producer,  and  not  a mere  consumer,  earning 
his  own  bread,  and  assisting  his  parents  while  yet  a 
mere  lad,  and  before  attaining  his  majority  he  had 
provided  a comfortable  home  for  them.  The  patient 
industry  that  characterized  his  early  years,  when  his 
daily  bread  and  that  of  others  was  earned  by  the  toil 
of  his  hands  and  the  sweat  of  his  brow ; the  perse- 
vering energy  which  he  manifested  when,  starting 
from  an  humble  beginning,  he  entered  upon  the  special 
line  of  manufacturing  through  which  he  gained  suc- 


cess,— all  these  are  worthy  of  record ; for,  “ men  may 
come  and  men  may  go,  but  the  work  they  do  lives 
after  them,  and  the  industries  they  plant  or  aid  in 
advancing  go  on  after  they  are  gathered  to  their 
fathers.” 

Mr.  Sargent,  mindful  of  early  struggles,  has  assisted 
many  young  men  to  start  in  life,  both  with  his  coun- 
sel and  means.  Social,  kind-hearted  and  cheerful, 
he  is  a pleasant  friend ; of  sterling  integrity  and  an 
enterprising  man  he  has  made  a deep  impress  upon 
the  industrial  development  of  this  section,  and  now, 
in  his  eighty-second  year,  honored  and  esteemed  by  a 
large  number  of  acquaintances,  there  will  be  nowhere 
found  a tongue  to  whisper  aught  against  his  integrity 
or  his  broad  Christian  charity. 


JOSEPH  CLIFFORD  MOORE. 

Hon.  Joseph  Clifford  Moore,  editor  of  the  Manches- 
ter Union  and  the  financial  head  of  the  LTnion  Pub- 
lishing Company,  is  a thorough  representative  of  that 
valuable  class  known  as  self-made  men.  He  is  the 
second  son  of  Dr.  D.  F.  and  Frances  S.  Moore,  and 
was  born  in  Loudon,  N.  H.,  August  22,  1845.  His 
early  education  was  limited  to  the  common  schools, 
and  more  or  less  shared  with  labor.  Later  in  life, 
having  made  the  best  of  such  advantages  as  came 
within  his  reach,  he  pursued  with  success  a course  of 
medical  training  at  New  York  Medical  College. 
From  this  training  he  returned  to  Lake  village,  the 
business  centre  of  the  town  of  Gilford,  which  has 
been  his  home  since  he  was  ten  years  of  age,  and 
entered  upon  the  practice  of  medicine  in  partnership 
with  his  father,  Dr.  D.  F.  Moore.  This  was  in  1866, 
and  from  that  time  up  to  his  joining  in  the  newspaper 
enterprise  at  Manchester,  in  November,  1879,  he  fol- 
lowed his  profession  with  untiring  industry  and  grati- 
fying success.  His  practice  extended  over  a wide 
section,  and  involved  long  hours  and  much  arduous 
travel.  During  this  time  he  was  also  active  in  gen- 
eral business  enterprises. 

Mr.  Moore  began  his  journalistic  career  without 
the  benefit  of  any  special  training  whatever,  but 
brought  to  the  work  a clear,  cool  head,  ripe  judgment 
and  honest  purpose;  but  it  was  early  apparent  that 
he  possessed  that  rare  quality,  “ the  newspaper  fac- 
ulty.” Careful,  prudent,  cautious  and  conservative 
by  nature,  he  applied  that  faculty  with  constantly 
increasing  shrewdness  and  wisdom ; so  that  the  en- 
terprise not  only  developed  a remarkably  rapid,  but 
a sound  and  healthy,  growth.  Exercising  good 
business  judgment  and  methods,  he  successfully  main- 
tained the  financial  standing  of  the  paper,  notwith- 
standing the  excessive  demands  of  a rapidly-growing 
plant.  In  shaping  the  tone  and  conduct  of  The 
Union,  he  has  uniformly  aimed  to  give  it  a character 
for  independence,  integrity  and  respectability,  ad- 
vancing it  on  the  true  line  of  progressive  modern 
journalism.  He  is  a ready  editorial  writer  on 


784 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


political  and  general  topics,  escliews  the  ornamental 
and  descriptive,  and  goes  straight  at  the  meat  of  a 
matter  in  a plain  and  direct  style.  His  methods  are 
convincing  as  well  as  terse  and  vigorous. 

Mr.  Moore  has  always  taken  a warm  and  active 
interest  in  politics,  not  from  the  selfish  motives  of 
the  office-seeker,  but  as  an  ardent  believer  in  and 
stanch  supporter  of  a sound,  sterling  and  progressive 
Democracy.  At  the  State  election  of  1880  he  was 
elected  a member  of  the  State  Senate  from  the  Sixth 
Senatorial  District,  and  filled  the  seat  with  credit  to 
himself  and  his  constituency.  He  introduced  and 
was  chiefly  instrumental  in  securing  the  passage  of 
the  measure  which  created  the  present  State  Board 
of  Health.  Always  under  self-command,  easy  and 
agreeable  in  manner,  he  proved  to  be  valuable  in 
legislative  work,  and  was  invariably  relied  upon  to 
release  the  Senatorial  body  when  sharp  conflict  of 
opinion  led  it  into  a jangle.  Since  the  expiration  of 
this  official  trust  his  time  has  been  given  exclusively 
to  business  matters  and  the  conduct  of  the  Union.  ‘ 


In  January,  1885,  he  was  unanimously  chosen 
})resident  of  the  New  Hampshire  Club,  an  organi- 
zation comprising  the  leading  business  and  profes- 
sional men  of  the  State,  and  shortly  after  accom- 
panied it  on  a successful  excursion  South.  As 
president  of  this  body  he  is  broad  and  liberal,  seeking 
only  to  develop  its  interests  and  extend  its  in- 
fluence. 

Dartmouth  College,  at  the  June  commencement, 
1884,  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  A.M. 

Mr.  Moore  retains  his  residence  at  Lake  village, 
with  his  aged  parents.  He  is  married,  but  has  no 
children.  In  manner  he  is  easy  and  agreeable,  and 
is  favored  with  an  excellent  address  and  attractive 
personal  presence.  In  business  affairs  he  is  careful 
and  conservative,  and  at  the  same  time  enterprising. 
Honorable  and  just  in  his  transactions,  he  enjoys  the 
confidence  and  respect  of  business  men.  At  this 
writing  he  is  in  the  full  vigor  of  his  powers,  with 
the  promise  of  a useful  and  successful  future  before 
him. 


HISTORY  OF  GILMANTON. 


BY  REV.  S.  S.  >'.  GREELEY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  present  people  and  the  multitudes  who  have 
gone  out  all  over  the  land  from  the  old  town  of  Gil- 
manton  have  enjoyed  opportunity  to  learn  of  the 
earlier  history  of  their  town  from  one  of  the  most 
thorough  and  complete  town  histories  that  in  its  day 
had  issued  from  the  press.  Indeed,  the  work  was 
never  so  eagerly  sought  after,  never  so  highly  prized, 
as  at  the  present  time,  though  its  records  ended  nearly 
forty  years  ago. 

Personally,  I have  owned  three  or  four  copies  to- 
gether, but  literary  friends  have  “ borrowed  ” them, 
litigants  have  desired  to  turn  to  something  in  “that 
book”  which  might  help  their  case,  or  strangers  want- 
ed to  know  something  about  the  town,  or  descendants 
of  sundry  ancients  desired  to  be  certain  where  they 
came  from, — and  so  I loaned  them  the  books,  and 
after  the  passage  of  years  can  only  sing  in  mournful 
cadence, — 

41  When  shall  we  meet  again — 

Meet  ne’er  to  sever?  ” 

The  historian  of  Gilmanton,  Rev.  Daniel  Lancaster, 
for  more  than  twenty  years  Congregational  pastor  in 
the  town,  very  early  in  his  ministry,  seemed  to  hear 
the  voice  of  Bildad  the  Shuhite  sounding  down  the 
centuries,  “ Inquire,  I pray  thee,  of  the  former  age 
and  prepare  thyself  for  the  search  of  their  fathers : 
shall  not  they  teach  thee?  ” So  from  the  fathers  dead, 
from  the  aged  living,  from  town  records,  church  rec- 
ords, school  records  and  transpiring  events  he  brought 
out,  at  length,  Lancaster’s  “ History  of  Gilmanton,” 
as  he  says  in  his  preface,  “ at  the  cost  of  an  amount  of 
labor  which  none  can  estimate  but  those  who  have 
made  similar  attempts ; a labor  that  has  been  con- 
tinuous through  nearly  twenty  years.”  But,  in  his 
modesty  on  the  issue  of  the  work,  he  suppressed  al- 
most one-half  of  it. 

Some  hundreds  of  copies  passed  through  the  bind- 
ery and  were  thrown  on  the  market,  when  again,  in 
his  modesty,  he  concluded  that  as  many  copies  were 
completed  as  ever  would  be  called  for  and  no  more 
were  issued.  That  was  not  the  worst  of  it.  Half  a 
cart-load,  more  or  less,  of  printed  sheets  were  disposed 
of  for  wrapping  paper ! 


The  work  sold  for  about  seventy-five  cents.  Num- 
bers of  prominent  citizens  subscribed  for  ten,  fifteen 
and  twenty  copies  by  way  of  encouragement,  and 
gave  them  to  friends  and  sold  to  others,  as  they  had 
opportunity,  till  the  stock  is  long  since  exhausted, 
and  the  call  for  the  book  from  far  and  near  is  more 
imperious  as  the  years  move  on,  and  never  so  earnest 
as  it  is  to-day.  Ten,  twenty  and  thirty  dollars  are 
offered  for  a copy ! This  history  of  a history  is  an 
illustration  of  the  increasing  value  of  family,  town 
and  county  annals,  if  not  with  cotemporaries,  with 
generations  yet  unborn.  All  that  makes  up  the  world 
and  life  is  ever  changing,  but  “ the  past  is  with  the 
past  ” and  will  ever  stay  there.  It  cannot  be  changed. 
It  has  already  “ put  on  immortality,”  and  its  events, 
like  old  monuments  in  Egypt,  become  but  the  more 
interesting  the  farther  their  age  is  pushed  up  the 
river  of  time. 

If  these  statements  are  true,  then  this  inference 
follows  : that  families  to  whom  this  new  collection  of 
town  histories  is  offered  should  not  fail  to  secure  it, 
though  at  large  first  cost.  While  whole  family  libraries 
wax  old  and  are  neglected,  local  history  becomes  but 
the  more  valuable,  as  seen  through  the  vista  of  years. 

Gilmanton  was  incorporated  in  1727.  It  was  named 
and  originally  spelled  Gilmantown,  from  the  fact  that 
among  the  grantees  of  a charter,  issued  by  His 
Majesty,  King  George,  there  were  twenty-four  per- 
sons by  the  name  of  Gilman. 

This  charter  opens  with  kingly  dignity, — “ George, 
by  the  grace  of  God  and  Great  Britain,  France  and 
Ireland,  King,  Defender  of  the  Faith,  &c.,  Greeting.” 

Then  he  would  have  all  people  know  that  “ wee  ” 
(with  concurence  of  his  counsel),  “ for  the  due  en- 
couragement of  settling  a new  plantation,  do  give  and 
grant,  in  equal  shares,  unto  sundry  of  our  beloved 
subjects  that  inhabit  or  shall  inhabit  within  the  said 
grant,  within  our  province  of  New  Hampshire,  all  the 
tract  of  land  within  the  following  bounds.”  Here 
follows  a most  liberal  slice  of  the  earth : 

“ From  the  head  of  Barnstead,  next  to  the  town  of  Chichester  ; thence 
on  the  N.  W.  line  to  Winipissiokee  Pond,  or  the  river  that  runs  out  of 
said  Pond,  and  from  the  first  place  where  it  began,  to  run  N.  E.  six 
miles  ; then  N.  W.  two  miles  ; then  due  N.  to  Winipissiokee  Pond ; then 
on  said  Pond  and  river  to  meet  the  first  line  ; provided  it  do  not  entrench 
on  any  former  legallgrante.’' 


785 


786 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


His  Majesty  then  proceeds  with  certain  royal  “con- 
ditions ” to  be  fulfilled  by  the  inhabitants  of  the 
town  from  that  date  “ forever ! ” Evidently  at  the  is- 
suing of  this  instrument  the  geography  of  King 
George  did  not  make  a note  of  Concord,  Lexington  and 
Bunker  Hill  and  another  “ George,”  whose  “sir-name” 
was  Washington ! 

The  charter  was  signed  on  the  20th  of  May  by  His 
Majesty’s  Colonial  Governor,  John  Wentworth. 

During  the  French  War  several  frontier  towns  had 
been  greatly  tried  by  the  raids  of  hostile  Indians. 
They  had  pillaged,  carried  away  and,  in  sad  in- 
stances, murdered  the  early  settlers.  These  suffer- 
ings and  exposures  deterred  the  waiting  families  for 
Gilmanton  from  any  speedy  entrance  upon  their 
granted  lands.  They  did  not  sing  with  any  great  ear- 
nestness,— 

“ Oh,  for  a lodge  in  this  vast  wilderness  ! ’* 

and  the  settlement  of  Gilmanton  was  delayed  for  a 
series  of  years.  In  fact,  there  was  no  permanent  set- 
tlement until  the  close  of  1761.  From  1727,  the  year 
the  charter  was  granted,  until  1766,  a period  of  nearly 
forty  years,  the  town -meetings  were  held  in  Exeter. 

On  the  memorable  evening  of  December  26,  1761, 
Benjamin  Mudgett  and  his  wife,  from  the  town  of 
Brentwood,  arrived  in  Gilmanton,  having  come  that 
day  from  Epsom,  a distance  of  not  less  than  twelve 
miles,  on  foot.  Mrs.  Mudgett  was  the  first  white  wo- 
man who  set  foot  on  the  soil  of  Gilmanton,  and  she 
passed  the  first  night  in  town  with  no  other  woman 
nearer  than  Epsom.  On  the  next  day,  December 
27th,  John  Mudgett  and  wife,  with  great  weariness, 
reached  town.  About  fifteen  days  later,  January  10th, 
Orlando  Weed  and  wife  joined  them,  and  here  these 
three  families  remained  through  a winter  of  terrible 
severity  (1762).  “ Snows  were  so  frequent  and  so  deep  as 
to  prevent  passing  in  any  direction  for  two  months, 
being  nearly  six  feet  on  the  level.”  So  writes  Mr. 
Benjamin  Kimball,  of  Concord,  in  his  journal.  Mrs. 
Mudgett  (of  the  first  family)  was  the  daughter  of 
Joshua  Bean,  who,  by  two  marriages,  had  twenty-one 
children.  They  all  came  at  length  from  the  home  in 
Brentwood  about  1780,  and  settled  in  Gilmanton, — a 
valuable  accession  to  the  population.  Mrs.  Mudgett 
lived  in  Gilmanton  until  the  inhabitants  had  in- 
creased in  number  to  more  than  five  thousand.  This 
was  before  Gilford  was  disannexed.  She  died  in  Mer- 
edith July  9,  1834,  aged  ninety-five  years.  She  was 
mother  of  the  first  male  child  born  in  town, — Samuel 
Mudgett,  born  February  15,  1764. 

The  first  child  born  in  the  town  was  Dorothy,  daugh- 
ter of  Orlando  Weed  and  wife,  October  13,  1762. 
The  early  families  were  generally  large,  embracing, 
most  of  them,  from  ten  to  twelve,  and  some  even  fif- 
teen children. 

“Tempora  mutantur.” 

In  the  course  of  the  next  season,  1762,  seven  fami- 
lies moved  in.  Many  prospectors  prepared  to  move 


their  families  the  following  season.  Jeremiah  Connor 
had  cleared  land  and  built  a camp,  and  Captain  Jo- 
seph Badger  and  his  two  sons,  William  and  Joseph, 
had  put  in  some  seed  and  built  a log  house. 

Captain  Joseph  Badger  was  one  of  the  original  pro- 
prietors, and  from  his  first  entrance  into  Gilmanton  in 
person,  seems  to  have  won  the  respect  and  confidence 
of  the  settlers,  and  was  never  free  from  the  occupancy 
of  public  trusts.  Although  here  in  the  spring,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  sickness  and  death  of  his  son,  in  the 
month  of  May,  he  did  not  remove  his  family  from  ' 
their  home  in  Haverhill,  Mass.,  until  July.  His  was 
the  eighteenth  family,  and  at  the  raising  of  his  barn 
that  season,  the  first  framed  building  erected  in  the 
town,  he  had,  as  he  often  afterwards  related,  every 
man,  woman  and  child  to  take  supper  with  him. 

On  August  1, 1763,  the  first  minister  moved  his  fam- 
ily into  town,  for  a permanent  residence, — the  Rev. 
William  Parsons.  He  became  a proprietor  of  Gilman- 
ton and  was  employed  by  the  corporation  to  preach  to 
the  settlers,  and  for  the  first  ten  years  was  preacher 
and  schoolmaster.  Before  auy  school-houses  were 
furnished  he  taught  in  private  houses.  He  was  a very 
useful  citizen,  and  a minister  earnest  and  faithful, 
and  did  much  to  give  a right  direction  to  the  early 
movements  in  regard  to  religious  institutions. 

In  March,  1773,  the  Rev.  Isaac  Smith  came  into 
town,  the  second  minister,  and  entered  upon  a pastor- 
ate of  forty  years. 

This  year  came  also  William  Sibley,  the  first  mer- 
chant, together  with  Lieutenant  Peter  Folsom,  Simeon 
Copp,  Colonel  Samuel  Greeley,  Lieutenant  Ebenezer 
Eastman,  Samuel  and  Nicholas  Gilman  and  twenty 
others. 

The  next  year,  1774,  was  memorable  for  the  erec- 
tion of  two  houses  of  worship, — one  by  the  town  for 
the  use  of  the  Congregationalists,  and  one  by  individ- 
uals for  the  use  of  the  Baptists.  A Congregational 
Church  was  organized,  and  the  Rev.  Isaac  Smith  was 
ordained  over  it.  This  year  the  town  voted  to  build 
a school-house  at  Peaked  Hill  (Centre  village). 

But  we  hasten  now  from  the  toils  and  prosperous 
progress  of  those  who  struggled  to  make  the  wilder- 
ness bud  and  the  desert  blossom  like  the  rose,  to  the 
times  when  the  cloud  of  war  darkened  all  the  land. 
Gilmanton  had  now  become  the  home  of  many  dis- 
tinguished men,  lofty  in  character,  wise  in  counsel, 
brave,  patriotic,  unswerving  in  devotion  to  their  coun- 
try and  their  God.  Their  names  are  illustrious  in  the 
annals  of  the  town,  and  their  descendants  have  been 
largely  men  and  women  worthy  of  their  sires.  They 
have  been  leading  minds  in  town  affairs,  and  occu- 
pants of  public  positions  of  wide  responsibility. 

At  the  opening  of  1775  the  Revolutionary  War 
commenced,  in  which  struggle  Gilmanton  bore  an 
honorable  part.  She  not  only  sent  her  representative, 
Colonel  Antipas  Gilman,  to  the  deliberative  conven- 
tion called  at  Exeter,  but  these  earnest  men  were  ready 
also  to  take  the  field.  Accordingly,  a few  days  after 


GILMANTON. 


787 


the  battle  of  Lexington,  twelve  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Gilmanton,  Lieutenant  Ebenezer  Eastman  at  their 
head,  volunteered,  and  marched  forth  to  the  rescue. 
This  officer,  in  the  absence  of  the  captain,  commanded 
a company  at  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  on  the  17th 
of  June.  There  is  an  interesting  story  current  in  this 
connection,  out  of  which  the  poet,  B.  F.  Taylor,  wove 
his  popular  effusion  known  as  “ Mary  Butler’s  Ride.” 

She  was  the  young  wife  of  Lieutenant  Eastman. 
When  he  hastened  to  the  war  she  was  left  alone  with 
a young  child.  Report  soon  reached  her  of  the  bat- 
tle of  Bunker  Hill,  and  that  her  husband  was  among 
the  killed.  She  determined  to  know  if  it  was  but 
flying  rumor  or  serious  fact  for  her.  There  were 
no  roads,  no  guides  but  spotted  trees  ; no  carriage  to 
convey  her  ; but,  mounting  her  horse,  with  her  infant 
child  on  the  saddle  before  her,  she  struck  out  for 
her  father’s  house  in  Brentwood,  a distance  at  least 
of  forty  miles.  When  she  reached  her  father’s  house 
the  news  of  the  battle  was  confirmed,  but  no  list  of 
the  killed  or  wounded. 

Leaving  her  infant  child,  she  mounted  again,  and 
on  reaching  Charlestown  found  her  husband  alive 
and  well. 

“ Then  up  rose  Mary  Butler,  and  6et  her  wheel  at  rest : 

She  swept  the  puncheon  floor,  she  washed  the  cottage  pride — 

The  cottage  pride  of  three  weeks  old — and  dress'd  him  in  his  best. 

She  wound  the  clock  that  told  the  time  his  mother  was  a bride, 
And  porringer  and  spoon  she  deftly  laid  aside  ; 

She  strung  a clean  white  apron  across  the  window  panes 

And  swung  the  kettle  from  the  crane  for  fear  of  rusting  rains, 

Then  toss’d  the  saddle  on  the  bay,  and  donn’d  her  linen  gown. 

Full  seventy  miles  to  Cambridge  town  ! Bring  out  3rour  civic  crown  ! 

I think  ’twill  fit  that  brow  of  hers,  who  sadly  smiled  and  said, — 

4 We’ll  know  about  your  father,  boy,  and  who  is  hurt  or  dead.’  ” 

The  ancient  cellar  over  which  stood  the  cottage  of 
Lieutenant  Eastman  is  a frequented  spot  by  summer 
visitors,  and,  till  lately,  scattering  rose-bushes  opened 
their  fragrant  annual  tributes  to  the  memory  of  the 
brave. 

At  a late  festival  of  the  Centre  Congregational 
Church,  a granddaughter  of  Mary  Butler,  Mrs.  W.  C. 
H.  Hutchinson,  came  upon  the  platform  before  the 
audience,  and  spun  upon  that  identical  “ wheel.”  Af- 
terwards a small  skein  was  sent  to  the  poet  (Milwau- 
kee, Wis.),  bringing  from  him  a pleasant  note  of 
thanks,  which  he  concludes  with  expressions  of  great 
joy  that  in  these  days  any  ladies  are  found  that  can 
spin. 

On  the  1st  of  December  of  this  year  (1775)  the 
town  was  divided  by  the  selectmen  and  a Committee 
of  Safety  into  two  militia  companies. 

By  order  of  the  Provincial  Congress,  a second  cen- 
sus was  taken  September  25,  1775,  with  the  following 
showing  lor  Gilmanton  : Males  under  sixteen  years  of 
age,  238 ; males  from  sixteen  to  fifty,  151 ; males  above 
fifty,  16;  males  absent  in  the  army,  12;  the  whole 
number  of  females,  357 ; negroes  and  slaves,  4, — total 
population,  778. 

In  the  month  of  May,  1776,  a very  worthy  citizen  died 
who  was  a lieutenant  in  the  militia,  by  the  name  of 


Joseph  Philbrook,  leaving  a widow  and  two  children. 
He  had  been  one  of  the  selectmen  ; was  at  the  time  of 
his  death  one  of  the  building  committee  of  the 
meeting-house. 

His  was  the  first  silent  form  laid  in  the  cemetery 
near  the  First  Congregational  Meeting-House  (known 
in  these  later  times  as  the  “Old  Smith  Meeting- 
House  ”). 

There  is  a full  notice  in  “ Lancaster’s  History,” 
but  for  a long  period  it  did  not  seem  to  be  known 
who  it  was  that  “lay  like  a warrior  taking  his  rest” 
in  a quiet  nook  in  the  ancient  burying-place.  But 
now,  after  more  than  a hundred  years,  his  grave  is 
decorated  with  the  sweet  flowers  of  the  spring-time, 
as  comrades  adorn  with  loving  hands  the  graves  of 
modern  heroes  who  for  their  country  died. 

In  July  of  this  year  sixteen  soldiers  were  enlisted 
under  command  of  Joseph  Badger,  Jr.,  in  aid  of  the 
northern  army.  Captain  John  Moody  enlisted  twenty 
men  and  marched  to  New  York  under  Washington. 

At  a union  town-meeting  of  Gilmanton  and  Barn- 
stead,  November  22d,  Joseph  Badger,  Esq.,  was  chosen 
a representative  to  the  Assembly  to  meet  in  Exeter 
in  December. 

In  1782,  Great  Britain  having  acknowledged  the 
independence  of  the  United  States,  there  was  no 
longer  need  of  providing  men  for  battle-fields.  There 
had  been  enlisted  in  all  eighty-one  men. 

The  town  of  Gilmanton,  after  the  incoming  of  the 
day  when  it  was  exultingly  said  “We  have  a Country  !” 
made  rapid  strides  in  all  the  factors  of  municipal 
prosperity.  It  rapidly  attracted  immigration  within 
its  borders,  and  very  largely  immigrants  of  a higher 
order  as  to  intelligence,  culture,  refinement,  moral  and 
Christian  attainments. 

On  the  lltli  of  March,  at  the  annual  town-meeting, 
the  article  in  the  warrant  to  bring  in  votes  for  Presi- 
dent and  representatives  under  the  Constitution  the 
State  had  now  adopted,  seems  for  the  first  time  to  have 
been  acted  upon. 

March  10,  1785,  a committee  was  chosen  to  divide 
the  town  into  school  districts.  It  was  also  voted  to 
raise  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  for  the  support  of 
schools  the  ensuing  year.  The  same  was  voted  for 
the  following  year. 

In  March  meeting,  1778,  it  was  “Voted,  that  ten 
dollars  bounty  be  given  for  full-grown  wolves,  five 
dollars  for  whelps’  heads,  and  £9  pr.  head  for  cata- 
mounts, if  killed  within  two  months,  and  £6  if  killed 
after  that  time.”  Colonel  Joseph  Badger,  Jr., 
Colonel  Joseph  Greeley  and  John  Shepard,  Esqs., 
were  appointed  to  ascertain  the  line  on  the  northeast 
side  of  the  school  lot,  and  to  lay  out  the  broad  high- 
way near  the  meeting-house  into  house-lots,  with  a 
view  to  build  up  a village. 

On  November  29,  1790,  the  freemen  of  the  town  for 
the  first  time  carried  their  votes  for  representatives  to 
Congress,  and  for  electors  of  President  and  Vice- 
President  of  the  United  States.  The  vote  stood  : For 


788 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Representative  to  Congress,  Thomas  Cogswell,  fifty-  [ 
nine;  for  Elector,  Hon.  Joseph  Badger,  seventy-two; 
and  they  were  chosen. 

The  town  also  met  on  the  13th  of  August,  and  ap- 
pointed Thomas  Cogswell,  Esq.,  Colonel  Samuel 
Greeley  and  Colonel  Joseph  Badger,  Jr.,  a committee 
to  devise  a plan  to  detect  thieves,  in  case  there 
should  be  anything  stolen. 

At  a meeting  of  the  town  August  8th,  Colonel 
Thomas  Cogswell  was  chosen  a delegate  to  a conven- 
tion, to  be  lioldeu  in  Concord  on  the  first  Wednesday 
in  September,  to  revise  the  Constitution.  It  was  at 
this  convention  that  the  title  of  the  chief  magistrate 
of  the  State  was  changed  from  President  to  Governor. 

In  1794,  March  13th,  the  votes  were  for  State  and 
county  as  well  as  for  town  officers.  From  citizens  of 
Gilmanton  the  voice  of  the  town  was  for  Hon.  Joseph 
Badger,  on  the  Governor’s  Council,  and  for  repre- 
sentatives to  the  General  Court,  Joseph  Badger,  Jr., 
and  Colonel  Samuel  Greeley. 

It  was  by  the  zealous  interest  and  efforts  of  these 
representatives  that,  on  the  20th  of  June,  the  charter 
of  the  Academy  was  issued  by  the  Legislature. 

Passing  the  regular  routine  of  business  and  the 
annual  increase  of  population  in  a town  now  widely 
known  and  prosperous,  we  come  to  the  first  act  of 
cutting  up  or  cutting  off  a valued  section  of  the  town. 
At  the  town-meeting  in  1792  the  Upper  Parish 
(Gunstock)  presented  a petition  to  be  set  off  into 
another  town.  Referred  to  a committee  of  twelve.1 
In  1811,  a disinterested  committee  was  appointed  to 
describe  the  boundary  lines  of  Gunstock  (so  called)  to 
be  set  off  as  a new  town.  This  committee  reported 
boundaries  on  the  31st  of  May.  March  12th,  on  the 
petition  to  have  the  town  consent  by  vote  to  set  off  I 
Gunstock  Parish  into  a separate  town,  the  petition 
failed  of  being  carried.  But,  on  the  article  to  see 
whether  the  town  would  oppose  in  the  Legislature 
the  application  about  to  be  made  by  citizens  of  Gun- 
stock  Parish  for  an  act  of  incorporation,  it  was  voted 
in  the  negative.  The  application,  therefore,  was 
successful,  and,  on  June  16th,  that  part  of  Gilmanton 
known  as  Gunstock  was  disannexed,  and,  by  act  of  ! 
the  Legislature,  erected  into  a separate  town  called 
Gilford. 

Following  thus  for  half  a century  the  progress  of 
affairs,  we  come  to  the  times  and  doings  that  were 
within  the  memories  of  recent  fathers  and  mothers, 
and  in  wrhich  they  were  actors.  Minute  detail  from 
year  to  year  is  unnecessary  and  quite  beyond  the 
limits  allowable  to  this  sketch.  Diminished  by  the 
sundering  of  pleasant  farms  and  many  pleasant 
families,  there  were  yet  left  more  than  the  constitu-  i 
tional  “ six  miles  square  ” of  our  newer  western 
States.  Gilmanton  yet  remained  a grand  old  towm, 

1IQ  1808,  at  the  annual  meeting,  March  8th,  a petition  was  presented 
to  have  the  Upper  Parish  set  off,  to  be  united  with  part  of  Meredith.  The 
town  voted  that  it  was  not  expedient  to  set  off  the  Upper  Parish  as  a town 
to  be  annexed  to  a part  of  Meredith. 


and  Gilford  opened  new  doors  for  new  officials  to  fill 
newr  offices. 

Gilmanton  has  always  been  and  still  is  a “ high  old 
town ! ” Lifted  tow'ard  heaven  to  an  elevation  sur- 
passed only  by  Bethlehem,  under  the  shadow  of  the 
White  Mountains,  it  has  an  atmosphere  so  pure  that 
every  breath  is  vital.  It  has  beautiful  ponds,  flowing 
rivers,  meadow  brooks  and  bubbling  springs,  into 
some  of  which  nature  has  dropped  a few  “ drugs”  for 
special  invalids : so  that  for  healthfulness  it  is  unsur- 
passed. Its  up-building  force  for  debilitated  ones  is 
increasingly  appreciated,  and  for  the  seekers  of  rest 
and  quiet  from  the  hard  taxation  of  extended  busi- 
ness, and  for  retirement  from  literary  toils  on  the  one 
hand,  or  on  the  other,  for  the  prosecution  of  literary 
labor  with  every  outside  inspiration,  the  denizens  of 
the  cities  are  finding  here  in  annual  visits  the  fulness 
of  the  desirable  qualities  “ restful  ” and  “ helpful.” 

The  natural  surroundings  of  Gilmanton  are  wTon- 
derfully  beautiful.  With  its  own  high  altitude  it 
has  mountain-peaks  from  whose  summits  the  entire 
circle  of  the  horizon  seems  one  vast  amphitheatre  of 
grandeur  and  beauty.  Mountains  stand  like  mighty 
buttresses  in  endless  variety  of  contour  and  elevation, 
and,  far  as  the  eye  can  see,  wide  valleys  with  cultured 
farms,  hamlets  and  villages,  dim  woods  and  glistening 
streams  and  templed  hills  stretch  away  into  a land- 
scape that  is  indeed  a “study”  for  the  artist.  An 
intelligent  visitor  (one  of  the  most  distinguished 
editors  of  our  State)  said  recently,  “As  I ride  in 
various  directions  from  day  to  day,  I am  struck  with 
the  fact  that  while  the  views  are  ever  changing  and 
new'  vistas  constantly  opening,  there  is  not  a tame  one 
among  them.” 

Gilmanton  again  Territorially  Diminished.— By 

an  act  of  the  Legislature,  approved  by  His  Excellency, 
Ichabod  Goodwin,  Governor,  June  28,  1859,  the  town 
of  Gilmanton  parted  company  with  many  valuable 
and  esteemed  fellow-citizens,  and  with  the  “ Upper 
Village  ” or  “ Factory  Village,”  one  of  the  three 
grand  points  of  interest  in  the  original  towm.  They 
parted  with  many  regrets  on  both  sides.  The  histo- 
rian of  what  is  now  “ Belmont”  can  tell  the  story — 
while  the  writer  hereof  knows  but  little  about  it,  hav- 
ing lived  out  of  Gilmanton  and  out  of  New  Hamp- 
shire nearly  the  whole  of  his  professional  life.  He 
has  never  conversed,  however,  with  any  citizen  in 
either  town  who  did  not  deprecate  the  division.  The 
result  has  proved  advantageous  to  “ Upper  Gilman- 
ton ” (afterwards  named  “ Belmont”),  while  the  an- 
cient and  honorable  Centre  village,  or  “ The  Corner,” 
finds  itself  on  the  corner  quite  too  literally. 

In  the  bill  enacting  the  division  it  was  stated  that 
the  first  town-meeting  in  Gilmanton  (diminished) 
should  be  called  by  a committee  consisting  of  Moses 
Price,  Cyrus  Gilman  and  Isaac  E.  Smith,  who,  on  the 
13th  of  July,  1859,  were  duly  sworn  before  Levi  H. 
Mudgett,  Esq.,  justice  of  the  peace.  • 

On  the  14th  of  July  this  committee  issued  their 


GrILM  ANTON. 


789 


“ warrant,”  calling  the  first  town-meeting  in  Gilman- 
tou  at  Academy  Hall,  on  Saturday,  the  6th  day  of 
August,”  prox.,  “ at  nine  of  the  clock  in  the  fore- 
noon.” Agreeably  to  the  call,  the  legal  voters  of 
Gilmanton  (diminished)  assembled  in  town-meeting 
and  chose  John  L.  Kelley  moderator,  Levi  W.  Sanborn 
town  clerk,  and  proceeded  to  fill  all  the  required  of- 
fices and  appointments  until  the  regular  town-meet- 
ing in  the  following  March. 

Up  to  the  time  of  the  constitutional  reconstruction 
the  town  had  sent  two  representatives  to  the  General 
Court;  since  that  change,  diminishing  the  House  and 
enlarging  the  Senate,  the  town  is  allowed  but  one 
representative.  The  following  is  the  list  of  represen- 
tatives since  the  division  of  the  town  and  incorpora- 
tion of  Belmont : 

March  30,  1860,  first  March  meeting,  Cyrus  Gilman  and  John  K. 
Woodman  were  chosen  representatives. 

1861.  — The  same. 

1862.  — Isaac  E.  Smith  and  Reuben  W.  Page. 

1863.  — The  same. 

1804. — Jonathan  Brown  and  John  L.  Kelley. 

I860.— John  L.  Kelley  and  Burleigh  F.  Parsons. 

1866.  — Joseph  S.  Kimball  and  Burleigh  F.  Parsons. 

1867.  — Joseph  S.  Kimball  and  Ezra  Ham. 

1868.  — Ezra  Ham  and  Rufus  E.  Gale. 

1869.  — Rufus  E.  Gale  and  George  W.  Sanborn. 

1870.  — Henry  E.  Marsh  and  George  W.  Sanborn. 

1871. — John  S.  Page  and  Thomas  Cogswell. 

1872.  — The  same. 

1873. — Enos  T.  Gilman  and  Joseph  B.  Durrell. 

1874.  — The  same. 

1875.  — Levi  C.  Grant  and  Jeremiah  W.  Sanborn. 

1876.  — The  same. 

1877.  — Joseph  W.  Marsh  and  William  B.  Thompson. 

Biennial  Elections. 

1879-80. —Stephen  S.  N.  Greeley. 

1881-82. — Lewis  E.  Jenkins. 

1883-84. — Henry  E.  Marsh. 

1885-86.— John  Connell. 

Gilmanton  in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion. — The 

guns  at  Fort  Sumter  finally  awoke  startling  echoes 
among  these  distant  hills,  and  the  children  of  patriot 
sires  began  to  bestir  themselves  for  the  defense  of 
their  country.  The  Rebellion  that  had  been  widely 
spoken  of  as  a mad  uprising  that  “ would  soon  shame 
itself  to  death,”  or  “be  crushed  dowu  in  six 
months,”  was  showing  itself  a more  formidable  out- 
break than  the  wisest  statesmen  had  apprehended  at 
the  beginning.  The  call  had  gone  forth  for  men, 
strong  and  true,  to  turn  from  the  peaceful  fields  of 
culture  and  the  walks  of  industry  to  fields  of  battle. 
Gilmanton  had  strong  men,  for  whom  the  bugle-blast 
was  sounding,  but,  in  such  an  unanticipated  exigency, 
who  should  care  for  the  loved  ones  left  in  the  home  ? 

At  a legal  town-meeting,  by  special  warrant  con- 
vened on  the  11th  of  May,  1861  (John  L.  Kelley, 
moderator),  David  Hatch,  Jonathan  P.  Hill,  Thomas 
Cogswell,  John  K.  Woodman,  George  W.  Sanborn, 
Stephen  Gale,  Stephen  L.  Greeley,  Samuel  Parsons 
and  Nahum  Wight,  were  appointed  a committee  to 
consider  a resolution  submitted  to  the  meeting  by 
Jonathan  P.  Hill,  as  follows  : 


“ Resolved , That  the  selectmen  be  authorized  to  hire  for  and  in  behalf 
| of  the  town  such  suni  or  sums  of  money  as  they  may  think  proper,  not 
! exceeding  one  thousand  dollars,  to  be  expended  for  the  benefit  of  the 
family  or  families  of  such  person  or  persons  as  may  serve  as  volunteers 
in  the  State  or  United  States’  service  from  the  town  of  Gilmanton  : and 
to  be  left,  at  the  discretion  of  the  selectmen,  to  apply  the  same  in  such 
case  or  cases  as  they  may  think  that  humanity  and  the  best  good  of  our 
common  country  may  require.” 

This  was  but  the  beginning  of  the  contribution  of 
money  for  the  country’s  sake,  and  evidence  of  the 
little  apprehension  at  the  time  of  what  the  Rebellion 
would  yet  cost  the  people. 

At  a special  meeting  of  the  town,  December  5,  1861 
(Thomas  Cogswell,  Moderator),  “ Voted,  that  the  chair 
appoint  a committee  of  three  to  draft  a resolution.” 
The  chair  appointed  John  L.  Kelley,  John  M.  Durgin 
and  Jonathan  P.  Hill,  who  reported  a resolution 
similar  to  the  foregoing,  but  setting  the  limit  of  pro- 
vision at  fifteen  hundred  dollars. 

At  the  regular  annual  meeting,  holden  March  11, 
1862  (George  W.  Sanborn,  moderator),  the  following 
resolution  presented  by  Hon.  Thomas  Cogswell 
passed : 

“ Resolved,  That  the  legal  voters  of  Gilmanton,  in  town-meeting  as- 
sembled, do  approve  of  President  Lincoln’s  message  of  March  6tb,  and 
respectfully  request  our  Senators  and  representatives  in  Congress  to  vote 
in  favor  of  the  resolution  therein  recommended  by  the  President. 

“ And  further,  Resolved , That  the  town  clerk  send  copies  of  the  fore- 
going resolution  to  each  of  our  delegation  in  Congress.” 

August  9,  1862,  at  a legal  meeting  called  by  peti- 
tion of  Thomas  Cogswell  and  thirty-seven  others 
(Henry  W.  Dudley,  moderator),  Thomas  Cogswell  pre- 
sented the  following  resolution,  which  was  passed : 

“ Whereas , The  President  of  the  United  States  has  called  for  three 
hundred  thousand  men  to  enlist  for  three  years,  or  during  the  war  ; 

“Be  it  Resolved , by  the  legal  voters  of  Gilmanton,  in  town-meeting 
assembled,  that  the  selectmen  of  said  town  be  authorized  to  pay  to  each 
able-bodied  man,  resident  of  said  Gilmanton,  wTho  shall  enlist  and  be 
mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  for  three  years,  or  during 
war,  unless  sooner  discharged,  a bounty  of  two  hundred  dollars  until 
October  1,  1862. 

“ And  it  is  further  Resolved , That  the  selectmen  be  authorized  to  hire 
for,  and  on  the  credit  of,  sd  town  of  Gilmanton,  the  sum  of  fifteen  thou- 
sand dollars,  to  be  applied  as  herein  directed,  or  so  much  of  said  sum  as 
may  be  needed.” 

By  au  order  of  the  President  of  the  United  States 
August  4,  1862,  the  Governor  of  New  Hampshire  was 
required  to  furnish  five  thousand  and  fifty-three  men 
to  be  drafted,  from  the  enrolled  militia  of  the  State 
for  the  term  of  nine  months’ service.  Immediately  the 
Governor  authorized  the  selectmen  of  the  towns  to 
accept  volunteers  in  lieu  of  drafted  men  ; where- 
upon, at  a legal  town-meeting  September  2,  1862 
(Thomas  Cogswell,  moderator),  the  following  resolu- 
tion, by  C.  S.  P.  Sanderson,  was  adopted  : 

“ Whereas , it  is  desirable  to  raise  the  quota  of  this  town  without  resort- 
ing to  a draft,  therefore  be  it  Resolved,  etc.,  that  the  selectmen  of  the 
town  of  Gilmanton  be  authorized  and  instructed  to  pay  to  each  able- 
bodied  man,  resident  in  said  town,  who  may  volunteer  to  take  the 
place  of  those  who  might  otherwise  be  drafted  from  said  town 
and  then  be  mustered  into  the  military  service  of  the  United  States 
for  the  term  of  nine  months,  unless  sooner  discharged,  the  sum  of  one 
hundred  dollars  w hen  mustered  into  the  United  States  service,  and  when 
ordered  out  of  the  State  the  additional  sum  of  one  hundred  dollars — pro- 


790 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Tided  that  the  above  sums  shall  not  be  paid  to  more  than  a sufficient  j 
number  of  men  to  complete  the  quota  of  the  town. 

“ And  be  it  further  Resolved,  That  the  selectmen  be  hereby  authorized 
to  hire,  on  the  credit  of  the  town,  the  sum  of  ten  thousand  dollars,  or 
such  part  of  said  sum  as  may  be  necessary  for  the  purpose  aforesaid.” 

At  a legal  meeting  of  the  town  on  Saturday,  Octo- 
ber 3,  1863  (Jonathan  P.  Hill,  moderator),  a resolu- 
tion was  passed  that, — 

“ Whereas,  forty-five  men  of  the  enrolled  militia  of  this  town  have  been 
drafted  under  the  conscription  law  : 

“ And  Whereas  the  Legislature,  at  the  late  June  session,  authorized 
towns  and  cities  to  appropriate  to  drafted  men  or  their  substitutes  the 
gum  of  three  hundred  dollars  each,  as  a bounty,  therefore  Resolved , That 
the  town  of  Gilmanton  pay  the  siim  aforesaid  to  each  drafted  man  or 
substitute,  or  order,  ten  days  after  being  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  • 
United  States.  It  was  also  further  voted  that  the  town  hire  the  sum  of 
fifteen  thousand  dollars,  to  be  appropriated  to  this  purpose  so  far  as 
needed.” 

At  a legal  meeting  of  the  town  on  Tuesday,  De- 
cember 1,  1863,  on  petition  of  Charles  S.  P.  Sander- 
son and  others  (George  W.  Sanborn,  moderator), 
Thomas  Cogswell  submitted  a resolution  in  substance, 
that, — 

“ Whereas,  on  the  17th  of  October,  1863,  the  President  of  the  United 
States  issued  a proclamation  calling  upon  the  Governors  of  the  loj’al  : 
States  for  300,000  volunteers  to  serve  in  the  army  for  three  years,  and  if 
not  raised  voluntarily,  must  be  raised  by  draft,  after  the  fifth  of  January  j 
next  ; and  Whereas  the  Government  of  the  United  States  ofler  a bounty 
of  four  hundred  and  two  dollars — to  be  paid  in  instalments — to  veteran  ! 
volunteers,  and  three  hundred  and  two  dollars  to  new  recruits ; and 
Whereas  the  Governor  of  New  Hampshire  has,  by  his  Proclamation  of 
4th  November,  called  on  the  cities  and  towns  of  the  State  to  take  imme- 
diate measures  to  raise  their  quota  of  men,  and  has  offered  a bounty  of 
one  hundred  dollars  to  each  volunteer  in  addition  ; the  quota  of  Gilman- 
ton at  this  time  being  twenty-one  men.  Now,  therefore,  be  it  Resolved , 
that  the  selectmen  be  and  are  hereby  authorized  to  pay  to  each  volun- 
teer the  whole  amount  offered  by  the  general  and  State  Governments,  I 
and  further,  that  the  selectmen  are  authorized  to  offer  and  to  pay  to  each 
volunteer  a yet  additional  sum,  when  mustered  into  the  service  of  the 
United  States,  necessary  to  obtain  said  volunteers  to  fill  the  town’s  quota 
of  twenty-one  men.  Also  Resolved , that  the  selectmen  hire,  on  the  credit  | 
of  the  town,  the  sum  of  thirteen  thousand  dollars  before  the  5th  day  of 
January  next,  or  so  much  as  may  be  needed  to  the  carrying  out  of  this 
resolution.” 

At  a called  meeting  of  the  town  on  the  20th  of 
February,  1864  (Stephen  L.  Greeley,  moderator), 
voted  to  pass  resolutions  presented  by  C.  S.  P.  Sander- 
son. These  were,  first,  “ to  pay  each  veteran  soldier  { 
belonging  to  this  town  who  has  re-enlisted  to  make  I 
up  the  quota  of  this  town  under  the  recent  call  of  the 
President  of  the  United  States  for  ‘ five  hundred 
thousand  more,’  the  sum  of  two  hundred  dollars. 
Also,  that  the  town  hire  two  thousand  dollars,  or  J 
what  portion  thereof  may  be  needed.”  At  a legal 
meeting  of  the  town,  March  29,  1864  (Stephen  L. 
Greeley,  moderator), — 

“ Voted , to  accept  and  adopt  resolutions  presented  by  Thomas  Cogswell, 
in  view  of  the  call  of  the  President  for  two  hundred  thousand  men  for  j 
three  years,  or  the  war,  to  wit:  That  the  selectmen  of  the  town  of  Gil-  ] 
manton  be  authorized  to  pay  to  each  citizen  who  shall  volunteer, 
agreeably  to  the  call  of  the  President,  till  the  town’s  quota  be  filled,  the  J 
sum  of  two  hundred  dollars  when  mustered  in.  And,  that  the  selectmen  ^ 
hire  thirty-two  hundred  dollars  to  pay  said  volunteers.” 

August  13, 1864,  at  a legal  town-meeting  (George  W. 
Sanborn,  moderator),  the  following  resolution  was 
presented  by  Thomas  Cogswell : That 


“ Whereas,  the  President  of  the  United  States  called,  on  July  18,  1864, 
for  five  hundred  thousand  men,  the  town  of  Gilmanton  w ill  pay  a bounty 
of  three  hundred  dollars  to  each  man  wrho  will  volunteer  for  the  term  of 
three  years  to  act  as  a substitute  for  any  man  subject  to  draft  who  may 
wish  to  put  in  a substitute  in  advance  of  impending  or  future  drafts. 

“Also  the  town  will  pay  one  hundred  dollars,  two  hundred  dollars 
and  three  hundred  dollars,  respectively,  to  each  man  who  will  volunteer 
for  the  terms  of  one  year,  two  years  and  three  years,  respectively  ; to  be 
credited  on  the  quota  of  the  town  for  the  impending  and  future  drafts. 

“Also,  the  selectmen  are  authorized  to  hire  thirty  thousand  dollars, 
by  sale  of  town  orders  on  the  best  terms,  or  such  part  of  said  sum  as  may 
be  necessary  for  the  above  purposes.” 

At  a legal  town-meeting  August  30,  1864  (George 
W.  Sanborn,  moderator),  accepted  and  adopted  a 
resolution  by  C.  S.  P.  Sanderson, — 

“ That  the  town  will  pay  to  each  drafted  man  at  his  muster  in  the 
sum  of  two  hundred  dollars  in  addition  to  the  State  bounty,  and  to  each 
substitute  who  will  take  the  place  of  the  drafted,  one  hundred  dollars 
for  one  year,  two  hundred  dollars  for  two  years  and  three  hundred  dol- 
lars for  three  years,  respectively,  in  addition  to  the  State  bounty. 

“Also  that  the  selectmen  be  authorized  to  hire  or  raise,  by  the  sale  of 
town  orders,  the  sum  of  twenty  thousand  dollars,  or  what  may  be  needed 
for  these  payments.” 

At  a legal  meeting  September  6,  1864  (George  W. 
Sanborn,  moderator),  it  was  voted  to  adopt  resolutions 
presented  by  Thomas  Cogswell, — 

“ I.  There  shall  be  paid  by  town  orders,  to  each  citizen  that  has  vol- 
unteered into  the  service  of  the  United  States,  since  the  30th  day  of  last 
August  up  to  this  sixth  day  of  September,  instant,  when  fully  mustered 
in  and  placed  on  this  town’s  quota,  under  the  last  call  of  the  President, 
five  hundred  dollars  for  one  year’s  men,  ten  hundred  dollars  for  two 
years’  men  and  fifteen  hundred  dollars  for  three  years’  men,  including 
what  was  voted  on  the  13th  day  of  August  last,  to  one,  two  and  three 
years’  men,  wiio  might  volunteer  to  fill  the  quota  of  the  tow  n of  Gilman- 
ton. 

“II.  That  the  selectmen  be  authorized  and  directed  to  pay,  by  town 
orders,  to  each  inhabitant  of  said  town  who  shall  volunteer  for  one  year 
to  fill  the  balance  of  said  town’s  quota  the  sum  of  eight  hundred  dol- 
lars.” 

At  this  meeting  it  was  voted  also  to  accept  and 
adopt  a resolution  by  C.  S.  P.  Sanderson  “ that  the 
selectmen  hire,  on  the  credit  of  the  town,  the  sum  of 
forty  thousand  dollars,  or  such  sum  as  may  be  neces- 
sary to  carry  the  foregoing  resolutions  into  effect.” 
At  this  time  the  indications  were  that  the  war  was 
near  its  end.  It  was  so  contended  by  Hon.  Thomas 
Cogswell  and  others  before  the  Assembly.  Whether 
the  town  actually  hired,  after  all  that  had  been  de- 
voted, “the  sum  of  forty  thousand  dollars”  is  best 
known  to  the  men  who  were  at  that  time  its  citizens; 
but  it  looks  at  this  late  day  that  if  that  was  so,  and  if 
there  were  men  who  enlisted  for  three  years  when  al- 
most “ the  fight  was  done,”  with  town  bounty  and 
State  bounty  and  government  bounty,  they  found  a 
bonanza ! 

We  Avho  went  to  the  front  in  the  early  days  had  no 
bounties.  The  fighting  thousands  in  the  field  had 
soldiers’  wages  and  hard  struggle  and  hard-tack  and 
were  volunteers. 

As  with  our  towns  generally,  the  war  laid  upon  Gil- 
manton a heavy  burden.  But  it  is  being  nobly  lifted, 
— taxes  are  every  year  less,  while  the  debt  is  rapidly 
diminishing. 

“ The  morning  light  is  breaking.” 

According  to  the  most  accurate  estimates  of  town 


GILMANTON. 


791 


officials,  Gilmanton  raised  for  war  purposes  about 
seventy-five  thousand  dollars.  She  furnished  for  the 
army  more  than  two  hundred  men.  Died,  from  the 
effects  of  war  and  lying  within  the  town,  forty. 

Gilmanton  Academy.— Judge  Tourgee,  in  his 
“ Fool’s  Errand,”  says,  tersely  and  forcibly  : “ The 
remedy  for  darkness  is  light ; for  ignorance,  knowl- 
edge ; for  wrong,  righteousness.  Educate  the  voter, 
because  the  nation  cannot  afford  that  he  should  be 
ignorant.”  President  Hayes  said,  in  a speech  in 
Canton,  Ohio:  “ Ignorant  voters  are  powder  and  balls 
for  the  demagogue.”  The  New  England  fathers  believed 
devoutly  in  great  truths  for  the  popular  weal,  which 
are  accepted  to-day  and  are  a power  for  good.  They 
saw  that,  especially  in  republics,  popular  ignorance  is 
popular  peril.  But  they  saw,  still  further,  that  edu- 
cation must  be  more  than  simply  of  the  intellect. 
Science  is  not  virtue.  There  must  be  the  pervasive 
influence  of  that  religion  which  sanctifies  the  power 
of  knowledge,  and  teaches  the  freeman  what  is  true 
liberty ; which  puts  the  eternal  Potentate  on  the 
throne,  and  writes  His  Law  on  the  great  popular 
heart. 

In  the  settlement  of  New  England  towns  the 
fathers  gave  these  matters  early  attention.  After  the 
pattern  of  the  Pilgrims  landing  on  the  bleak  coast  of 
Plymouth,  ‘‘ they  built  a shelter  for  their  heads  with 
rapid  industry,  then  built  a house  for  God,  and  built 
the  school-house  beneath  its  shadow.”  They  put  the 
Bible  there,  with  the  intent  that  it  should  stay  there. 
The  founders  of  Gilmanton  took  early  measures  to 
provide  for  the  education  of  the  young.  In  the 
seventh  year  of  the  settlement,  1769,  they  voted  to 
hire  a teacher  eight  months  the  ensuing  year,  and  to 
build  two  school-houses.  The  following  year,  1770, 
they  voted  a tax  of  twenty  pounds  for  the  schools.  In 
the  time  of  the  Revolutionary  War  Rev.  Mr.  Parsons 
was  paid  three  hundred  and  eighty-nine  pounds  and 
Dr.  William  Smith  ninety  pounds  for  teaching  schools. 
After  the  war  Eliphalet  Wood  was  a celebrated 
teacher,  and  opened  a private  school  near  ‘“Smith 
Meeting-House,”  which  was  quite  largely  attended. 
Afterwards  Rev.  Samuel  Hidden  (Father  Hidden) 
taught  with  great  celebrity ; and  at  a later  period 
Dudley  Leavitt  taught  with  success  and  honors. 

Soon  the  districts  employed  and  paid  their  own 
teachers,  and  their  transactions  ceased  to  be  matters 
of  town  record. 

There  were  now  many  leading  citizens  who  desired 
the  establishment  of  an  institution  of  higher  order 
and  broader  reach  than  the  common  schools.  After 
due  consultation,  a petition  was  presented,  and  Gil- 
manton Academy  was  incorporated  by  the  Legislature 
in  1794. 

A commodious  building  was  rapidly  pushed  for- 
ward, and  the  school  opened  under  the  instruction  of 
Peter  L.  Folsom,  A.B.,  a graduate  from  Dartmouth 
College,  who  continued  as  principal  during  the  fol- 
lowing six  years.  At  the  opening  of  the  school  a 


sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Mr.  Smith.  From 
that  date  to  the  present  the  school  has  lived,  while 
many  kindred  institutions  have  passed  away.  It  has 
never  lost  a term  in  the  ninety-one  years.  What  is 
on  record  of  its  early  history  must  be  gathered  from 
the  careful  chronicles  of  Rev.  Mr.  Lancaster ; for  in 
an  unfortunate  fire  on  the  night  of  September  25, 
1872,  all  the  records,  with  the  miscellaneous  papers, 
were  burned.  The  records  had  been  carefully  kept 
by  Stephen  L.  Greeley,  Esq.,  who  held  the  office  of 
secretary  of  the  board  of  trustees  for  fifty  successive 
years. 

In  1796  a fund  had  been  raised  of  five  thousand 
five  hundred  dollars.  On  October  1,  1799,  Ste- 
phen Moody,  Esq.,  was  elected  to  the  board  and  to 
the  office  of  treasurer,  which  office  he  held  for  thirty- 
five  years. 

Matters  went  on  very  pleasantly  and  prosperously 
till,  in  1808,  a sad  trial  came,  through  the  entire  de- 
struction of  the  academy  building  by  fire,  on  the 
night  of  the  22d  of  January,  and  through  the  care- 
less deposit  of  ashes  in  a barrel.  But  the  fathers 
were  men  of  might  and  indomitable  purpose.  On 
tbe  24th  of  February,  just  four  weeks  and  four  days 
after  the  fire,  the  frame  of  the  present  building  was 
erected.  The  town  voted  to  contribute  two  hundred 
and  fifty  dollars  toward  completing  the  building,  and 
the  trustees  granted  the  future  right  to  hold  in  the 
hall  its  meetings  for  town  business. 

As  Gilmanton  Academy  is  one  of  the  three  acade- 
mies first  founded  in  the  State,  so  it  has  maintained 
its  integrity  through  all  vicissitudes.  Its  children 
are  a multitude,  widely  scattered  abroad,  and  it  is 
here  suggested  that  many  of  them,  who  have  attained 
not  only  to  fame  but  to  fortune,  would  remember  their 
Alma  Mater  with  some  generous  donations.  She  is 
now  venerable  for  age  and  good  works.  Her  “ bow 
abides  in  strength,”  but  she  greatly  needs  pecuniary 
aid,  in  order  to  enlarge  her  usefulness. 

Through  the  opportune  publication  of  the  town 
history  by  Rev.  Mr.  Lancaster,  the  names  are  pre- 
served of  all  who  had  care  of  this  institution  from 
the  beginning, — men  who  were  zealous  for  popular 
education,  and,  so  far  as  citizens  of  Gilmanton,  men 
who  did  much  for  the  prosperity  and  honor  of  the 
town.  The  reading  of  the  roll  awakens  emotions  of 
gratitude  and  of  sadness.  Not  one  of  these  men  is 
to-day  among  the  living. 

“ Man  being  in  honor  continueth  not,” 

but,  departing  late  or  early, 

“ The  good  man  cannot  die  before  his  time, 

The  Lord’s  appointment  is  the  servant’s  hour.” 

Beginning  with  names  of  the  first  curators,  ap- 
pointed at  the  issuing  of  the  charter,  in  1794,  they 
stand  as  follows : Hon.  Joseph  Badger,  Rev.  Isaac 
Smith,  A.M.,  Rev.  Joseph  Woodman,  A.M.,  Rev. 
J edediah  Tucker,  A.M.,  Rev.  Simon  Finley  Williams, 
A.M.,  Hon.  Joseph  Badger,  Jr.,  Samuel  Greeley,  Esq., 
Hon.  Ebenezer  Smith,  Hon.  Thomas  Cogswell,  Joseph 


792 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Parsons,  Esq.,  Stephen  Moody,  Esq.,  Enoch  Wood, 
Esq.,  His  Excellency  William  Badger,  John  Ham, 
A.M.,  Thomas  Burns,  Esq.,  Daniel  Smith,  Esq.,  Peter 
L.  Folsom,  A.M.,  Rev.  Abraham  Bodwell,  A.M.,  Rev. 
William  Patrick,  A.M.,  Rev.  Luke  Ainsworth  Spot- 
ford,  A.M.,  Rev.  Enoch  Corser,  A.M.,  Stephen 
Leavitt  Greeley,  Esq.,  Francis  Cogswell,  Esq.,  A.M., 
Jeremiah  Wilson,  Esq.,  Rev.  Heman  Rood,  A.M., 
Rev.  Daniel  Lancaster,  A.M.,  Andrew  Mack,  A.M., 
Rev.  Nathaniel  Bouton,  D.D.,  Rev.  Nathan  Lord,  D.D., 
Stephen  C.  Lyford,  A.M.,  Rev.  Jonathan  Clement, 
A.M.,  Hon.  Thomas  Cogswell,  Jonathan  Clarke,  Esq., 
Rev.  William  Cogswell,  D.D.,  Nahum  White,  M.D., 
Hon.  Ira  A.  Eastman,  A.M.,  Rev.  John  K.  Young, 
A.M.,  Hon.  William  C.  Clarke,  A.M.,  Asa  McFar- 
land, A.M.,  Rev.  Joseph  Blake,  D.D.  AVith  the  one 
exception  of  Rev.  Joseph  Blake,  all  the  foregoing 
have  passed  away. 

At  this  present  time  (July,  1885),  the  official  board 
is  as  follows  : Trustees, — Colonel  Thomas  Cogswell, 

A. M.,  president  and  treasurer  ; Rev.  S.  S.  N.  Greeley, 
secretary  ; Colonel  Joseph  Badger,  A.M.,  Rev.  Moses 
T.  Runnels,  A.M.,  AA7illiam  Pitt  Eastman,  Esq.,  John 

B.  B.  Batchelder,  Esq.,  Stephen  H.  Dearborn,  Daniel 
S.  Ayer,  Stephen  G.  Clarke,  Esq.  Instructors, — 
Samuel  W.  Robertson,  A.B.,  teacher  of  Latin,  Greek 
and  natural  science ; Mrs.  Grace  K.  Robertson, 
teacher  of  mathematics  and  English  ; Mrs.  Emma  P. 
Dearborn, teacher  of  music  (instrumental  and  vocal); 
James  W.  McMurphy,  librarian ; AVUliain  M.  Dear- 
born, librarian  in  long  summer  vacation. 

Some  notice  may  be  proper  here  of  trustees  of  the 
academy  who,  living  for  years  in  the  town,  and 
having  more  immediate  care  of  the  institution,  have 
deceased  since  the  issue  of  any  town  history. 

Ex-Governor  AVilliam  Badger.  (See  Belmont.) 

Jeremiah  AVilson,  Esq. — Thomas  AVilson  came 
to  this  country  from  Scotland  in  1633.  He  was 
admitted  a freeman  in  Massachusetts  in  1634.  He 
soon  removed  beyond  the  limits  of  Massachusetts, 
and  was  one  of  a party  that  left  Boston  on  account 
of  the  Arminian  controversy,  and  began  a plantation 
at  Squamset  Falls,  which  they  called  Exeter.  In 
1638  they  combined  into  a separate  body  politic, 
which  has  been  known  as  the  “ AAHieelright  Com- 
pact,” so  called  from  John  A\Theelriglit,  a preacher  at 
Braintree  (then  a part  of  Boston),  a man  of  piety, 
learning  and  zeal.  This  combination  lasted  three 
years.  Their  laws  were  made  in  a popular  Assembly, 
and  formally  assented  to  by  the  rulers,  who  were 
Isaac  Grosse,  Nicholas  Needham  and  Thomas  AVilson. 

He  had  a son,  Humphrey  AVilson,  who  had  a son, 
Thomas  AVilson,  born  May  30,  1677,  and  married 
Mary  Light,  October  16,  1698.  He  was  one  of  the 
original  proprietors  of  Gilmanton.  They  also  had  a 
son  Humphrey,  who  was  born  December  9,  1699  ; 
married  Mary  Leavitt.  He  was  an  original  pro- 
prietor. Captain  Nathaniel  AVilson  was  their  son, 
born  June  24,  1739;  married  Elizabeth  Barber, 


March  15,1762.  He  came  to  Gilmanton  from  Epping 
in  March,  1769,  and  settled  on  what  has  since  been 
well  known  as  “ AVilson  Hill.”  He  was  one  of  the 
original  five  members  organized  into  the  “ First  Con- 
gregational Church,”  November  30,  1774,  that  wor- 
shiped so  many  years  in  the  “ Old  Smith  Meeting- 
House,”  under  the  pastor  they  settled,  the  Rev.  Isaac 
Smith.  He  was  one  of  the  selectmen  in  1770,  and 
one  of  a “ Committee  of  Safety  ” chosen  by  the  town 
in  1777.  He  was  commander  of  a company  of  thir- 
ty-five men  called  into  military  service  from  Gilman- 
ton and  vicinity.  They  joined  Colonel  Thomas 
Stickney's  regiment  of  General  John  Stark’s  brigade, 
in  defense  of  the  western  frontier  from  the  ravages  of 
Burgoyne’s  army.  They  fell  in  with  the  enemy 
August  15th,  at  Bennington,  and  occupied  the  right 
wing  in  that  well-fought  battle,  which  turned  the 
fortunes  of  the  British  commander,  and  led  the  way 
to  the  speedy  surrender  of  his  whole  army  to  the 
American  forces.  This  service  won  great  honor  for 
the  town.  They  were  out  two  months  and  one  day. 
Captain  AVilson  was  a good  farmer  and  mechanic,  an 
energetic  and  industrious  man,  a very  worthy  citizen 
and  an  exemplary  Christian. 

Jeremiah  AVilson,  son  of  Captain  Nathaniel  AVil- 
son and  Elizabeth  Barber,  was  the  youngest  of  nine 
sons.  He  was  boru  October  14,  1781 ; married  Abi- 
gail Prescott  Sanborn,  daughter  of  Deacon  Abraham 
Sanborn,  May  23,  1803.  He  succeeded  his  father  in 
possession  of  the  AATlson  farm,  which  he  much  im- 
proved and  enlarged  by  purchase.  He  obtained, 
mostly  by  his  own  exertions,  a good  common  school  edu- 
cation; engaged  early  in  trade,  which  he  pursued  about 
thirty  years,  at  the  same  time  conducting  agricultural 
operations  rather  extensively.  In  the  later  years  of 
his  life  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  mountain  lands 
in  the  north  part  of  Gilmanton  and  adjoining  towns, 
of  which  he  purchased  several  thousand  acres,  cleared 
up  extensively  from  the  original  forests,  and  valuable 
for  grazing. 

He  was  for  several  years  one  of  the  selectmen  ; five 
sessions  he  was  a member  of  the  Legislature,  and  for 
many  years  the  candidate  of  his  party  for  councilor. 
He  was  a leading  citizen,  watchful  of  the  public 
interests,  much  engaged  in  business  for  others,  active 
and  energetic  to  accomplish  whatever  he  undertook. 
He  was  a zealous  supporter  of  public  worship  and  a 
promoter  of  reforms.  He  was  esteemed  for  integrity 
of  character  and  a sound  judgment.  At  the  annual 
meeting  in  1827  he  was  elected  to  the  board  of 
trustees  of  Gilmanton  Academy.  He  was  an  earnest 
friend  of  education  for  the  people  and  desirous  that 
facilities  for  broader  culture  than  he  had  himself 
enjoyed  should  be  zealously  maintained  and  perpet- 
uated. After  the  lapse  of  ten  years,  with  pressing 
cares  upon  him,  he  tendered  his  resignation,  in  1837. 
He  died  suddenly  and  alone  in  his  pasture  at  the 
mountains,  supposed  of  apoplexy,  August  15,  1846. 

- His  wife  died  June  12,  1854.  They  left  no  children. 


. 


. 

. 

H BF*  ' 


"|-  - saaii 


GILMANTON. 


793 


Hon.  Thomas  Cogswell,  Sr.— In  the  artistic, 
interesting  and  instructive  volume  issued  by  Colonel 
John  B.  Clarke  (Manchester,  1882),  “Sketches  of 
Successful  New  Hampshire  Men,”  there  is  a finely- 
drawn  portraiture  of  the  subject  of  this  notice,— so 
truthful,  just  and  worthy  of  a good  and  honored  man, 
that  nothing  better  can  be  done  than  to  crave  per- 
mission to  transfer  that  article  largely  to  this  new 
volume. 

The  town  of  Gilmanton,  says  this  anonymous 
writer,  has  always  been  distinguished  for  its  strong 
and  able  men,  who  have  exercised  a powerful  influ- 
ence in  the  affairs  of  their  town  and  State.  It  has 
furnished  men  to  fill  nearly  every  position  of  trust 
and  honor  within  the  gift  of  the  people  of  our  State; 
and  it  has  ever  been  proud  of  its  illustrious  sons. 
Among  the  very  strong  men  of  this  old  town  stood 
Hon.  Thomas  Cogswell,  who,  in  the  year  1820,  at  the 
age  of  twenty-one,  moved  hither  from  Atkinson, 
N.  H.,  where  he  was  horn  December  7,  1798.  He 
was  one  of  a family  of  nine  children  of  William  and 
Judith  (Badger)  Cogswell,  eight  of  whom  lived  to 
years  of  maturity.  He  settled  on  the  farm  formerly 
occupied  by  his  grandfather,  the  Hon.  Joseph  Bad- 
ger, and,  with  strong  hands  and  indomitable  courage, 
commenced  gaining  a livelihood  for  himself  and 
young  wife,  Mary  Noyes,  whom  he  married  just  before 
moving  here. 

Among  the  older  settlers  he  soon  became  a leading 
man  of  the  town,  and  ever  afterward  took  an  active 
part  in  all  its  local  affairs,  and  for  the  whole  period 
of  his  life  was  honored  and  respected  by  his  neighbors 
and  townsmen,  and  received  at  their  hands  every 
office  in  their  gift.  There  is  no  position  that  more 
truly  shows  the  strength  and  power  of  a man  than 
that  of  moderator  of  a New  Hampshire  town-meeting; 
but  for  many  successive  years  he  was  chosen  to 
preside  over  the  deliberations  of  the  annual  and  other 
meetings  of  this  then  large  town ; and  always  did  so 
with  great  dignity,  and  to  the  perfect  satisfaction  of 
ail.  He  was  also  chosen  one  of  the  Board  of  Select- 
men, and  represented  the  town  in  the  Legislature,  and 
while  a member  of  that  body  introduced  and  sup- 
ported a bill  to  repeal  the  law  authorizing  imprison- 
ment for  debt.  For  ten  years  he  was  a deputy  sheriff 
of  the  old  county  of  Strafford,  and  during  all  this  time 
was  actively  engaged  in  the  duties  of  the  office.  For 
years  he  was  county  treasurer.  In  1841  he  was 
appointed  one  of  the  judges  of  the  Court  of  Common 
Pleas  for  the  new  county  of  Belknap,  and  held  that 
position  till  the  change  in  the  judiciary  system  of  the 
State,  in  1855.  In  1856  he  was  elected  a member  of 
the  Governor’s  Council  from  District  Number  Three. 
For  over  forty  years  he  was  a justice  of  the  peace. 
He  was  an  officer  in  the  New  Hampshire  militia, 
and  attained  the  rank  of  captain.  He  was  of 
Revolutionary  stock,  his  father  and  seven  uncles 
having  served  in  that  war,  and  performed,  in  the 
aggregate,  thirty-eight  years  of  service. 

51 


For  seven  years  in  succession  he  taught  the  winter 
school  of  his  district,  and  attended  to  all  the  affairs  of  his 
farm  in  their  season.  During  his  whole  life  he  was  in- 
terested in  and  a promoter  of  education.  Gilmanton 
Academy,  established  by  the  efforts  of  his  grandfather, 
General  Joseph  Badger,  and  his  uncle,  Hon.  Thos  Cogs- 
well, with  the  assistance  of  other  strong  and  good 
men,  early  received  his  aid  and  co-operation,  and  he 
was  one  of  its  board  of  trustees  twenty-eight  years 
(1840-68). 

Notwithstanding  the  burdens  of  almost  continuous 
public  service  for  so  many  years,  Mr.  Cogswell  was  a 
large  and  successful  farmer,  adding  year  after  year 
by  his  own  exertions  to  his  original  farm,  so  that  at 
his  death  he  owned  in  one  tract  nearly  one  thousand 
acres  of  valuable  land, — “ Does  farming  pay  ?”  Mr. 
Cogswell  loved  the  soil,  studied  its  cultivation  by  the 
best  methods,  loved  agriculture  as  a science  and  a 
great  art,  to  be  prosecuted  not  only  diligently,  but 
intelligently,- -the  foundation  of  the  wealth  and  pros- 
perity of  the  whole  country, — and  so  with  him,  “ Farm- 
ing paid !” 

In  early  life  he  became  a member  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Church  at  Gilmanton  Iron-Works,  and  was 
deacon  of  the  same  from  March  1,  1839,  through 
many  years  of  active  service  and  usefulness.  He 
always  gave  freely  of  his  means  for  the  advancement 
of  the  cause  of  the  Christian  religion. 

He  possessed  to  an  uncommon  degree  strong  natural 
powers  of  mind,  and  was  capable  of  grasping  difficult 
questions  and  giving  a good  legal  opinion.  His  mind 
was  essentially  judicial,  and,  had  he  devoted  himself 
to  the  study  and  practice  of  law,  would  undoubtedly 
have  been  a leading  mind  in  that  profession.  For 
many  years  he  was  consulted  by  his  neighbors  and 
townsmen  upon  the  troubles  that  frequently  rose 
between  them,  and,  to  his  credit,  by  his  clear  and 
practical  judgment  saved,  frequently,  long  and  expen- 
sive litigation.  He  was  true  to  every  trust  committed 
to  him,  and  was  scrupulously  honest  and  exact  in  all 
his  dealings. 

In  politics,  Thomas  Cogswell  was  a Democrat  to  the 
end  of  his  life.  During  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  he 
was  a strong  supporter  of  the  government,  and  a 
friend  and  well-wisher  of  every  soldier  in  the  field. 

He  saw  clearly  and  plainly  that  his  duty  as  an 
American  citizen  was  to  render  all  the  aid  in  his 
power  to  help  carry  on  and  bring  to  a successful  close 
the  terrible  struggle  then  going  on.  He  was  a lover 
of  his  country,  and  delighted  in  its  free  institutions, 
and,  though  strong  in  his  political  convictions,  was 
never  a partisan. 

Mr.  Cogswell  was  noted  for  his  energy  and  force  of 
character,  and  when  he  once  made  up  his  mind  as  to 
a certain  course  to  pursue,  he  never  changed  it  until 
he  was  thoroughly  satisfied  that  he  was  wrong.  He 
was  a natural  leader  among  men,  and  possessed  the 
characteristics  of  a great  general. 

He  was  a ready  and  fluent  public  speaker,  and  few 


794 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


i 


men  could  better  entertain  an  audience.  He  excelled 
in  strong  common-sense,  and  could  state  exactly  his 
position  on  any  subject  that  interested  him.  He  was 
always  well  informed,  particularly  on  the  history  of 
his  country  and  its  many  political  changes.  He  was 
of  commanding  appearance  and  was  a noticeable  per- 
son in  an  assembly.  He  was  of  an  affectionate 
disposition  and  sympathized  in  the  afflictions  of 
others.  He  died  August  8,  1868,  and  was  buried  in 
the  old  historic  burying-ground  in  Gilmanton,  near 
the  dust  of  his  illustrious  ancestors;  and  in  his  death 
the  town  lost  a wise  counselor,  the  poor  a generous 
friend  and  the  community  at  large  an  honest  and  up- 
right man. 

There  are  four  surviving  children,— Mary  C.  Bur- 
gess, wife  of  the  late  Dr.  Burgess,  now  living  in  Bos- 
ton, Mass. ; Martha  B.  Batchelder,  wife  of  the  late  Dr. 
Batchelder,  also  residing  in  Boston ; .Tames  W.  Cogs- 
well, sheriff  of  Belknap  County;  and  Thomas  Cogs- 
well, a lawyer,  residing  on  the  old  homestead  at 
Gilmanton. 

Stephen  L.  Greeley,  Esq.,  was  born  in  Gilman- 
ton, and  passed  most  of  his  life  of  nearly  eighty-seven 
years  in  his  native  town.  He  was  son  of  Colonel 
Samuel  Greeley,  who  came  to  Gilmanton  from  Brent- 
wood, and  commenced  working  on  his  land  in  1771, 
and  erected  his  buildings  and  a saw-mill  when  his 
nearest  neighbor  on  the  west  was  six  miles  distant, 
and  when  no  road  was  laid  out  within  two  miles  of 
his  farm.  He  married,  June  12,  1773,  Mary  Leavitt, 
of  Brentwood,  then  in  her  sixteenth  year,  and  came 
immediately  to  Gilmanton.  Colonel  Greeley  had  early 
a prominent  part  in  the  affairs  of  the  town,  and 
became  a man  of  property  and  wide  influence.  He 
was  a magistrate  for  many  years ; was  on  the  Board 
of  Selectmen  at  the  age  of  thirty-two  ; was  repeatedly 
representative;  was  from  the  beginning  a trustee  of 
the  academy,  and  one  of  the  original  actors  in  secur- 
ing the  grant  of  its  charter  by  the  Legislature. 
There  has  recently  died  at  Gilmanton  Iron-Works  an 
esteemed  citizen,  Moses  P.  Page,  Esq.,  nearly  ninety 
years  of  age,  who  said  to  me  in  a familiar  chat,  not 
long  ago  : “I  voted  representative  ticket  for  Colonel 
Samuel  Greeley,  your  grandfather,  and  we  sent  him. 
I voted  for  Stephen  L.  Greeley,  your  father,  and  we 
sent  him.  I voted  for  Stephen  S.  N.  Greeley,  and  we 
sent  him,” — three  generations  in  one  family. 

While  in  the  Legislature,  in  1809,  Colonel  Greeley 
procured  a donation  of  land  for  the  academy  in  the 
township  of  Bethlehem,  which  was  afterwards  sold 
for  four  thousand  five  hundred  dollars, — a sad  mistake, 
and  which  some  of  the  trustees  earnestly  opposed. 
Mr.  Beecher  once  said  : “ Men’s  hindsight  is  vastly 
better  than  their  foresight!”  Colonel  Greeley  pro- 
cured also  five  hundred  dollars  towards  finishing  the 
court-room,  after  the  destruction  of  the  first  building 
by  fire.  He  died  June  14, 1824,  in  his  seventy-seventh 
year.  His  wife  died  August  25,  1835,  aged  seventy- 
eight.  They  left  nine  children. 


Stephen  Leavitt,  the  eighth  of  these  children,  was 
born  September  30,  1788;  married  Nancy  Norton, 
May  17,  1810,  who  was  born  August  17,  1786.  She 
died  April  3,  1813,  at  the  age  of  twenty-seven. 
She  was  daughter  of  Dr.  Bishop  Norton,  of  Newbury  - 
port,  a widely-known  and  extensive  druggist  in  the 
palmy  days  of  that  ancient  town.  It  was  in  his  for- 
mer pleasant  home  on  School  Street  that  George 
Whitefield  died.  Mrs.  Greeley  left  two  children, — 
Anne  Maria,  who  married  Hon.  William  C.  Clarke, 
formerly  Attorney-General  of  New  Hampshire,  and 
Stephen  Sewall  Norton.  After  the  death  of  his  wife, 
though  a young  man,  with  two  young  children  on  his 
hands,  Mr.  Greeley  did  not  marry  a second  time.  Two 
head-stones  in  the  cemetery  he  gave  the  village  read 
rather  singularly:  “A  husband — died  at  the  age  of 
86  years  and  six  months ; the  wife  by  his  side,  aged 
23, — all  those  long  years  between,  with  their  varied 
histories!”  Mr.  Greeley  engaged  early  in  mercantile 
pursuits,  and  was  a merchant  in  Gilmanton  Centre 
village,  and  almost  on  the  same  spot,  for  more  than 
sixty  years,  and  at  his  death  was  reported  the  oldest 
merchant  in  the  State.  As  a matter  of  course,  he 
formed  a wide  and  ever-widening  acquaintance  with 
business  men.  He  stood  in  the  highest  esteem  and 
confidence  of  a multitude  of  the  old  prominent  mer- 
chants of  Boston  and  their  sons  after  them.  He  was 
a man  of  courtly  and  refined  manners,  scrupulously 
neat  in  dress,  wearing  black  broad-cloth  suit,  with 
snowy  white  cravat,  so  that  when  they  traveled  to- 
gether, strangers  very  naturally  supposed  that  he  was 
the  minister,  and  the  son  the  merchant ! Four  times 
a year  he  went,  by  the  old  stage-coach,  to  make  his 
purchases  in  Boston,  taking  two  days  to  go  and  two  to 
return,  and  the  almost  endless  variety  of  the  stock  in 
trade  his  wide  custom  required  him  to  carry  and  to 
handle  was  a curiosity.  Gilmanton,  in  the  long  years 
of  the  stage-coach,  had  four  and  five  stores,  and  was 
alive  with  industries  in  quite  varied  departments.  His 
business  moved  steadily  on,  whatever  the  spirit  of  the 
times,  and  was  always  conducted  with  honesty  and 
strict  integrity  towards  all  men. 

He  was  three  years  town  clerk,  three  years  repre- 
sentative in  the  State  Legislature,  for  many  years  a 
magistrate,  three  times  was  moderator  in  meetings  of 
the  town,  and,  in  1824,  was  elected  a trustee  of  Gil- 
manton Academy,  and,  November  3,  1825,  was  made 
secretary  of  the  hoard,  which  office  he  held  continu- 
ously for  fifty  years. 

Though  holding  no  membership  in  any  church,  he 
honored  every  Christian  institution,  believed  in  pub- 
lic worship  and  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  as  the 
very  palladium  of  popular  liberty  and  the  prosperity 
and  safety  of  every  community.  So  at  church  his 
attendance  was  constant,  and  to  her  support  and 
to  every  good  enterprise  he  gave  with  a liberal  hand. 

He  had  an  exalted  idea  of  the  true  Christian  char- 
acter, and  through  a deep  conviction  of  personal 
unworthiness,  could  never  feel  willing  personally  to 


GILMANTON. 


795 


profess  it.  But,  in  the  waning  years  of  life,  the  great 
things  of  the  hereafter  seemed  more  and  more  to  stir 
his  thought,  and  to  become  themes  of  ready  conversa- 
tion, and  when  at  last,  as  a lone  pilgrim,  his  young  wife 
so  many  years  gone  before,  and  his  children  out  in 
the  battle  of  life,  he  came  gently  down  to  “the  inevi- 
table hour,”  there  was  no  fear  in  death,  nor  darkness 
in  the  valley  of  shadows.  He  died  in  the  home  he 
had  occupied  for  seventy  years,  June  1,  1875. 

Andrew  Mack,  Esq. — Among  Gilmanton’s  prom- 
inent and  useful  citizens  through  many  years  must 
be  mentioned  Andrew  Mack.  He  was  born  in  Lon- 
donderry, N.  H.,  January  19,  1786.  His  grand- 
father, John  Mack,  married  Isabella  Brown,  daughter 
of  the  Lord  of  Londonderry,  came  to  this  country 
and  settled  in  Londonderry,  N.  H.  They  bad  eight 
children.  Of  these,  Andrew  married  Elizabeth 
Clark,  daughter  of  Robert  Clark  of  Londonderry, 
N.  H.,  and  they  also,  had  eight  children,  the  seventh  of 
whom  was  Andrew,  of  Gilmanton.  He  fitted  for  col- 
lege at  the  Pinkerton  Academy,  and  graduated  at 
Dartmouth  College  in  1808.  He  taught  in  Gilman- 
ton -Academy  two  years,  was  tutor  at  Dartmouth 
College  one  year,  taught  one  year  at  Hampton  Acad- 
emy, and,  returning  to  Gilmanton,  was  preceptor  of 
the  academy  nine  years  more, — making  in  all  eleven 
years.  In  the  autumn  of  1821  he  removed  to  Haver- 
hill, took  charge  of  the  academy,  and  in  the  autumn 
of  1831  returned  to  Gilmanton  i'or  a permanent  home. 

He  was  soon  made  a magistrate  and  treasurer  of 
the  town.  In  1833  he  was  elected  a trustee  of  Gil- 
manton Academy,  which  office  he  held  to  June,  1875, 
forty-two  years.  August  19,  1834,  he  was  elected 
treasurer  of  the  board  and  held  that  office  thirty-six 
years.  Scholarly,  cultured  in  taste,  keeping  himself 
informed  of  the  march  of  science  and  improvements 
in  the  methods  of  education,  lie  was  just  the  man 
out  of  his  quiet  and  retired  life  to  exert  a quicken- 
ing and  healthful  influence  upon  the  school  and  all 
that  pertained  to  it.  He  was  methodical,  accurate, 
prompt,  conscientious  in  all  business  details,  and 
while  treasurer  and  manager  of  the  academy’s  funds 
for  thirty-six  years,  would  accept  no  compensation. 

On  the  4th  of  January  1835,  he  united  by  profes- 
sion with  the  Centre  Congregational  Church,  and 
December  16, 1836,  was  elected  to  the  office  of  deacon, 
which  office  he  held  till  his  death, — nearly  thirty-nine 
years.  He  was,  as  a church  officer,  and  as  a man,  as 
nearly  up  to  the  apostolic  requisition  as  can  ordina- 
rily be  found,  “ holding  the  mystery  of  the  faith  in  a 
pure  conscience,  not  double-tongued,  not  given  to 
much  wine,  grave  (yet  always  cheerful),  the  husband 
of  one  wife,”  who  was  in  every  sense  a help-meet  for 
him. 

Deacon  Mack  was  married,  January  13,  1824,  to 
Maria  L.  Burns,  daughter  of  Thomas  Burns,  Esq. 
They  had  four  children.  One  son,  a promising  and 
beloved  young  man,  sickened  and  died  while  pursuing 
his  studies  in  Dartmouth  College.  Two  daughters 


were  married  and  died  young,  leaving  only  one  sur- 
viving son,  Dr.  William  Andrew  Mack,  of  Pittsfield. 
The  care  and  caution  of  Deacon  Mack,  which  was 
conspicuous  in  his  business  life,  was  also  evident  in 
relation  to  the  higher  spiritual  concerns,  more  impor- 
tant than  all.  As  he  was  coming  very  near  to  the 
deep  shadow  of  death,  I was  sitting  on  the  side  of  the 
bed  with  him,  when  he  said : “ I have  been  recently 
very  carefully  examining  the  evidences  of  my  hope 
and  faith,  and  my  preparedness  for  ‘ the  better 
country,’  and  I think  they  are  more  and  more  clear, 
abiding  and  sure.”  A happy  consciousness!  And  in 
that  strong  confidence  he  soon  passed  away ; — heaven's 
gain,  but  a sad  loss  to  a little  church,  in  which  he  was 
as  a pillar  of  strength. 

Deacon  Mack  died  at  bis  home  in  Gilmanton,  June 
16,  1875. 

Rev.  Daniel  Lancaster  was  born  in  Acworth, 
N.  H.,  November  30,  1796 ; graduated  from  Dart- 
mouth in  1821,  and  from  Andover  Theological  Semi- 
nary in  1824;  licensed  to  preach  in  the  latter  year  by 
the  Haverhill  (Mass.)  Congregational  Association  ; and 
he  was  ordained  pastor  of  the  First  Congregational 
Church  in  Gilmanton,  N.  H.,  in  1825.  Seven  years 
later  he  was  called  by  the  Centre  Church  in  Gilman- 
ton, with  which  he  retained  his  connection  until  1852, 
making  a continuous  ministry  in  the  town  of  twenty- 
seven  years. 

Mr.  Lancaster  held  a prominent  position  among 
the  ministers  of  New  Hampshire,  and  in  ecclesiastical 
affairs.  For  twelve  years  he  was  secretary  of  the  New 
Hampshire  Bible  Society,  and  for  nine  years  scribe 
of  the  Deerfield  Congregational  Association.  For 
seven  years  he  was  secretary  of  the  Strafford  County 
Conference,  and  for  six  years  its  moderator.  For 
many  years  also  he  w-as  a trustee  of  the  New  Hamp- 
shire Missionary  Society.  In  1831  he  was  elected  a 
trustee  of  Gilmanton  Academy,  and  subsequently 
was  the  moving  power  in  opening  a department  of 
theology  which  was  contemplated  at  some  date  in  the 
original  charter.  He  was  an  officer  in  several  other 
religious  and  educational  institutions. 

With  all  his  cares  upon  him,  he  was  an  unwearied 
writer  for  the  religious  press,  at  the  same  time,  in  his 
pastoral  visits  and  explorations  in  the  length  and 
breadth  of  the  town,  seeking  out  facts  of  interest 
with  the  marked  taste  of  an  antiquarian.  In  1845  he 
published  the  “ History  of  Gilmanton,”  already 
spoken  of.  After  his  dismission  from  his  long-loved 
church  in  Gilmanton  (which  the  church  never  should 
have  permitted),  Mr.  Lancaster  removed  to  Concord, 
where  he  served  one  session  as  chaplain  of  the  Legis- 
lature, and  wras  for  three  years  chaplain  of  the  New 
Hampshire  Insane  Asylum.  He  also  preached  three 
years  at  Fisherville,  being  at  the  same  time  principal 
of  a school  for  young  ladies  in  Concord,  and  the 
editor  of  a weekly  temperance  journal.  In  1855  he 
accepted  a call  from  the  Congregational  Church  in 
Middletown,  N.  Y.,  where  he  remained  in  the  pas- 


796 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


torate  for  five  years.  In  1860  he,  with  his  family, 
removed  to  New  Yrork  City,  which  was  his  home 
until  his  death.  He  did  not  assume  the  further  cares 
of  any  “ jjarish,”  but  preaching  frequently  and  most 
acceptably  till  about  ten  years  before  he  retired  from 
public  labor.  About  this  time  he  had  the  sad  afflic- 
tion  of  the  failure  of  sight,  which  gradually  increased 
almost  to  blindness.  In  an  obituary  notice  in  the 
New  York  Evening  Post,  by  Greenleaf  Clarke,  Esq., 
speaking  of  this  and  of  the  recent  dead,  he  says, — 

“ He  bore  this  hardship  like  all  other  trials  in  life— with  a degree  of 
cheerful  Christian  resignation  which  is  rarely  witnessed.  ' His  kindness 
of  heart  was  unfailing  ; and  while  rigorous  in  his  sense  of  duty,  he  was 
always  tolerant  of  all  minor  failings  in  others.  Of  dignified  hearing,  and 
in  appearance  the  type  of  an  old-school  clergyman,  he  was  without  a tinge 
of  austerity,  and  possessed  a vein  of  quiet  humor  that  gave  a charm  to 
his  conversation.  To  the  last  he  preserved  a youthful  freshness  of  mind 
and  an  interest  in  all  passing  events  that  are  unusual  in  a man  of  his  ad- 
vanced years  and  retired  habits.” 

Rev.  Lyman  Abbott,  of  the  New  York  Christian 
Union,  said  of  him, — 

“I  had  an  active  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Lancaster  for  about  three 
years  previous  to  his, — death  an  acquaintance  which,  on  my  part,  was 
one  of  uniform  affection  and  esteem.  The  garrulity  of  old  soldiers  is 
proverbial.  Mr.  Lancaster  was  an  exception  to  the  proverb.  He  was 
already  an  old  man  then,  retired  without  a pension  from  the  army  in 
which  he  had  served  faithfully  and  long.  He  was  then  seventy  years 
of  age.  But,  intimately  as  I knew  him,  it  was  not  till  after  his  death 
that  I learned  from  others  the  brief  story  of  his  life  and  the  positions  of 
honor  and  influence  he  had  occupied.” 

Mr.  Lancaster,  to  the  close  of  life,  maintained  the 
warmest  interest  and  love  for  the  college  from  which 
he  was  graduated,  and  in  the  autumn  of  1863  he 
formed  the  idea  that  its  welfare  might  be  advanced 
by  the  formation  of  an  Alumni  Association  in  New 
York  City.  By  personally  visiting  many  of  the  grad- 
uates of  Dartmouth,  and  expending  much  time  and 
labor,  he  succeeded  in  inspiring  them  with  his  own 
enthusiasm  in  the  project,  and  the  result  was  the 
speedy  formation  of  the  Dartmouth  College  Alumni 
Association, — the  pioneer  of  all  the  organizations  of 
the  kind  in  the  city  of  New  York.  Until  the  last 
three  years  of  life  Mr.  Lancaster  attended  regu- 
larly the  annual  dinners  of  the  association  as  an 
honored  guest.  He  was  the  last  survivor  of  the  Dart- 
mouth class  of  1821. 

Mr.  Lancaster  was  twice  married, — the  first  wife, 
Anne  E.  Lemist,  daughter  of  John  Lemist,  of  Dor- 
chester, Mass. ; he  married  August  29, 1827 ; she  died 
August  27,  1829,  aged  twenty-eight  years.  He  mar- 
ried, in  Gilmanton,  Eliza  Gibbs  Greeley,  daughter  of 
Daniel  Greeley,  Esq.,  of  Foxcroft,  Me.,  February  14, 
1831.  There  were  five  children,  two  only  of  whom 
survive,  and,  with  the  mother,  are  highly  esteemed 
and  useful  citizens  in  the  great  metropolis  to-day. 
Rev.  Mr.  Lancaster  died  May  28,  1880. 

Hon.  Ira  Allen  Eastman,  son  of  Stephen  and 
grandson  of  Lieutenant  Ebenezer  Eastman,  was  born 
in  Gilmanton  January  1,  1809;  fitted  for  college 
principally  at  Gilmanton  Academy,  and  graduated  at 
Dartmouth  in  1829.  He  read  law  in  Troy  and  Albany, 


N.  Y.,  and  was  admitted  in  the  city  of  New  York  to 
the  Supreme  Court  and  Court  of  Chancery  in  May 
1832.  He  commenced  practice  in  Troy,  and  was 
married  to  Jane,  daughter  of  John  N.  Quackenbush, 
Esq.,  of  Albany,  February  20,  1833.  He  returned  to 
Gilmanton  in  the  spring  of  1834,  and  began  his 
official  career  as  clerk  of  the  State  Senate  in  1835 ; 
he  represented  Gilmanton  in  the  Legislature  in  1836, 
1837  and  1838,  filling  the  Speaker’s  chair  during  the 
two  latter  years.  He  was  register  of  Probate  for 
Strafford  County  from  1836  to  1839,  when  (1839)  he 
was  elected  to  Congress  for  two  years,  and  re-elected 
in  March,  1841,  for  two  years  more,  and,  September 
26,  1844,  was  appointed  circuit  judge  of  the  Court  of 
Common  Pleas  for  the  State  of  New  Hampshire,, 
which  office  he  held  until  1859.  In  1863  he  was  the 
Democratic  candidate  for  Governor,  making  a remark- 
able  run  and  very  narrowly  escaping  election.  In 
1851  he  was  elected  a trustee  of  Gilmanton  Academy, 
and  from  1875  to  1879  was  president  of  the  board. 
In  1857  he  was  chosen  a trustee  of  Dartmouth  Col- 
lege, a position  he  held  to  the  time  of  his  death. 

He  ever  retained  a deep  interest  in  his  native  "town 
and  the  academy,  and  was  seldom  absent  at  the  meet- 
ings of  its  trustees,  and  equally  so  after  he  had  re- 
moved from  the  town  and  built  his  pleasant  home  in 
Manchester. 

His  death  was  after  a very  brief  illness,  and  an 
obituary  in  one  of  the  city  papers  said : “ In  the  death 
of  Hon.  Ira  A.  Eastman  the  State  has  lost  one  of  its 
most  widely-known  and  honored  citizens.  Retiring 
from  many  years  of  public  service,  discharged  with 
diligence  for  the  past  ten  years,  he  has  found  sufficient 
employment  in  the  management  of  his  private  affairs. 
He  died  at  his  home  in  Manchester  March  21,  1881.” 

Rev.  Heman  Rood,  D.D.,  was  born  in  Jericho, 
Vt.,  January  29,  1795.  He  was  one  of  eleven  children 
of  Thomas  D.  and  Sarah  (Bradley)  Rood.  His  grand- 
father came  from  Scotland  and  settled  in  Lanes- 
borough,  Mass.,  about  the  year  1730,  where  he  lived 
until  his  removal  to  Jericho,  some  five  or  six  years 
before  the  Revolutionary  War.  He  was  the  first 
Christian,  and  his  the  third  family  that  settled  in 
that  town.  Having  received  a thorough  common- 
school  education,  at  the  age  of  fifteen  Heman  Rood 
commenced  teaching.  In  the  spring  of  1814  he  began 
fitting  for  college  at  Shoreham  Academy.  At  twenty 
years  of  age  he  entered  Middlebury  College,  gradu- 
ating in  1819  Subsequently  he  was  for  two  years 
principal  of  Montpelier  Academy,  and  was  then  ap- 
pointed for  one  year  tutor  at  Middlebury.  In  1822 
he  entered  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Andover. 
Completing  the  three  years’  course,  he  was  licensed 
to  preach  by  the  Suffolk  Association  June,  1825. 
While  in  the  seminary  he  received  an  invitation  to 
preach  at  Gilmanton  (N.  H.)  Centre  village.  Hither- 
to the  people  of  that  section  had  worshiped  at  “the 
Old  Smith  Meeting-House,”  three  miles  distant,  and 
with  the  original  “First  Congregational  Church”  of 


GILMANTON. 


797 


the  fathers.  Mr.  Rood  commenced  his  labors  at  the 
Academy  or  Centre  village,  Sabbath,  October  22, 1825. 
A church  was  soon  formed  and  a house  of  worship 
erected.  He  was  ordained  and  installed  over  this 
new  church  July  12,  1826.  Dr.  Justin  Edwards 
preached  the  sermon  from  1st  Timothy  iii.  15  : “ That 
thou  mavest  know  how  thou  oughtest  to  behave  thy- 
self in  the  house  of  God,”  etc.  During  the  ministry 
of  Mr.  Rood,  of  about  four  and  a half  years,  there  was 
one  very  interesting  time  of  revival,  in  which  over 
twenty  prominent  citizens  were  brought  into  the 
church.  Receiving  an  unexpected  call  from  New 
Milford,  Conn.,  he  was  dismissed  from  his  first  pastor- 
ate March  3,  1830,  and  installed  over  the  Congrega- 
tional Church  in  New  Milford  April  21,  1830.  In 
later  life  he  considered  that  his  most  important  work 
was  performed  at  this  place.  In  the  spring  and  sum- 
mer of  1832  there  was  a very  general  religious  in- 
terest in  the  town  resulting  in  the  addition  to  the 
church  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  persons,  ninety- 
nine  of  whom  were  received  together,  on  the  first 
Sabbath  of  1833.  On  July  28,  1835,  he  was  dismissed 
from  this  pastorate,  and  on  September  9th  accepted 
the  appointment  of  professor  of  Hebrew  and  Biblical 
Literature  in  a new  Theological  Seminary  at  Gilman- 
ton,  N.  H.,  the  field  of  his  first  public  labors.  He 
held  that  position  a little  more  than  eight  years,  when, 
on  account  of  the  general  moneyed  stringency  and 
the  decrease  of  students,  he  and  Professor  Aaron 
Warner  tendered  their  resignations,  November  22, 
1843.  The  three  following  years  he  was  principal  of 
a High  School  in  Haverhill,  N.  H.,  and  was  after- 
wards for  five  years  acting  pastor  at  Quebec,  Vt.,  and 
for  six  following  years  at  Hartland,  Vt.  At  the  age  of 
seventy  he  gave  up  his  regular  work  in  the  ministry 
and  removed  to  Hanover,  N.  H.,  and  there  engaged 
in  a private  study  of  the  Bible.  As  a result  of  that 
study,  several  interesting  articles  have  appeared  in 
religious  periodicals.  It  has  been  understood  also 
that  he  was  preparing  a critical  and  labored  com- 
mentary on  the  Psalms.  Mr.  Rood  married  Frances 
Susan  Moody,  daughter  of  Stephen  Moody,  Esq.,  of 
Gilmanton,  November  29,  1827.  A few  years  ago 
Middlebury  College  gave  him  the  honorary  degree 
of  Doctor  of  Divinity.  He  spent  his  last  few  years 
with  his  children,  and  after  a gradual  coming  down 
to  the  close  of  life  and  labors — strong  in  faith  and 
joyously  confident  in  the  truths  he  had  preached  for 
many  years — at  the  home  of  a daughter  in  Westfield, 
N.  Y.,  he  died  June  8,  1882.  His  remains  were 
brought  to  Hanover  and  interred  beside  his  wife,  who 
had  preceded  him  some  seven  years  to  “ the  better 
country.” 

Nahum  Wight,  m.  d1.,  died  at  his  home  in  Gil- 


1 In  the  above  notice  I draw  largely  from  the  excellent  tribute  read 
before  the  New  Hampshire  Medical  Society  by  Dr.  John  Wheeler,  of 
Pittsfield,  president  of  the  society,  at  an  annual  meeting,  June  18,  1884  ; 
also  from  the  sermou  preached  at  the  funeral  of  Dr.  Wight,  May  lo, 
1884. 


manton  on  May  12,  1884.  Born  in  Gilead,  Me.,  No- 
vember 20,  1807 ; the  eldest  of  a family  of  fifteen 
children  ; acquired  his  education  mainly  by  his  own 
efforts;  placed  himself  for  medical  instruction  un- 
der the  charge  of  Dr.  John  Grover,  of  Bethel,  Me., 
father  of  United  States  Senator  Grover,  of  Oregon, 
the  latter  being  for  a time  a pupil  of  Dr.  Wight ; 
graduated  from  the  medical  school  at  Bowdoin  Col- 
lege in  the  spring  of  1832  and  in  November  of  the 
same  year  settled  at  the  Academy  village,  in  Gilman- 
ton, succeeding  Dr.  William  Prescott,  a man  dis- 
tinguished as  a medical  man  and  scientist.  His  com- 
petitors, when  he  entered  this  field,  were  Dr.  Dixie 
Crosby  and  Dr.  John  C.  Page.  After  a few  years 
Dr.  Crosby  was  called  to  a professorship  at  the  Dart- 
mouth Medical  College,  and  Dr.  Page  entered  the 
ministry,  leaving  to  Dr.  Wight  the  entire  practice 
without  competition. 

Gilmanton  village,  though  small,  was  at  this  time, 
in  many  respects,  important.  It  was  the  business 
centre  of  a large  and  thrifty  farming  community  in 
a town  of  nearly  four  thousand  inhabitants.  Here 
the  highest  court  in  New  Hampshire  held  its  stated 
sessions ; here,  also,  was  one  of  the  oldest  and  most 
flourishing  academies  in  the  State;  and  here  was 
the  seat  of  a theological  seminary,  conducted  by  pro- 
fessors eminent  for  learning  and  piety.  The  society 
of  the  place  was  noted  for  morality,  intelligence 
and  refinement.  Into  such  a community  the  young 
physician  entered,  and  rapidly  won  respect,  confi- 
dence and  patronage. 

Dr.  Wight  began  early  to  take  charge  of  medical 
students,  and  did  so  till  near  the  close  of  his  life 
More  than  forty  young  men  were  under  his  direction 
during  the  whole  or  a part  of  their  course  of  profes- 
sional study.  For  several  years  he  maintained  a dis- 
secting-room, from  which  some  dry  preparations  are 
still  preserved,  that  for  perfection  of  execution  are 
not  surpassed  in  any  medical  museum. 

Dr.  Wight  continued  earnest  in  his  extending  prac- 
tice and  in  teaching,  studious  and  growing  in  knowl- 
edge and  reputation,  till,  in  1846,  he  determined  to  go 
abroad  for  medical  improvement.  He  was  in  Europe 
nearly  twelve  months,  visiting  the  medical  centres, 
studying  and  observing.  He  made  the  utmost  of  his 
opportunities.  Having  gained  much  practical  knowl- 
edge and  obtained  a supply  of  excellent  instruments, 
he  returned  to  his  professional  work  with  renewed 
zeal.  His  letters  from  abroad  were  much  enjoyed 
by  such  a scholar  as  the  late  Professor  E.  R.  Peaslee, 
and  his  lectures  after  his  return  were  received  with 
great  favor.  This  foreign  travel  and  study  from  the 
savings  of  a moderate  income  was  quite  a bold  un- 
dertaking for  a country  doctor  forty  years  ago.  Dr. 
Wight  attained  eminence  in  his  profession.  His 
practice  was  distinguished  for  definiteness  in  diagno- 
sis, in  which  he  early  began  to  excel.  His  faith  in 
the  use  of  drugs  was  reasonable,  but  limited.  He 
was  a good  surgeon,  often  called  by  other  physicians 


798 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


for  consultation  and  operations;  and  by  medical 
brethren  and  the  people,  in  a wide  field,  bis  medical 
services  and  opinions  were  held  in  high  estimation. 
Many  difficult  surgical  operations  were  performed  by 
him  successfully.  He  loved  the  profession  of  his 
choice  and  strove  to  elevate  it.  Having  been  for 
many  years  a member  of  the  Centre  District  Medical 
Society,  in  1839  he  was  received  a Fellow  of  the  State 
organization.  He  took  occasional  part  in  its  discus- 
sions, read  papers  before  it  and  in  1874  was  elected 
its  president. 

It  has  been  a remarkable  and  unusual  life, — fifty- 
two  years  of  medical  practice  in  one  town,  by  night 
and  day,  in  heat  and  cold,  in  sunshine  and  storm,  in 
strength  and  in  weariness. 

In  the  civil  and  educational  affairs  of  the  town  Dr. 
Wight  has  been  called  to  fill  important  and  honorable 
positions.  In  three  successive  years — 1841,  ’42,  ’43 — 
he  was  representative.  In  1851  he  was  elected  a trustee 
of  the  academy  and  held  the  office  till  his  death, — 
thirty-three  years.  November  10,  1870,  he  was 
elected  treasurer,  which  office  he  held  nearly  four- 
teen years. 

Dr.  Wight,  though  not  in  membership,  was  a warm 
and  generous  friend  of  the  Congregational  Church 
and  a constant  attendant  on  public  worship,  so  far  as 
professional  services  made  it  possible. 

Dr.  Wight  was  married,  September  3, 1833,  to  Mary 
Ann  Straw,  daughter  of  Lieutenant  Gideon  Straw,  a 
widely-known  citizen  of  Newfield,  Me.  She  was  an 
excellent  woman,  wife  and  mother.  Neither  ostenta- 
tious nor  spasmodic,  the  sincerity  of  her  piety  shone 
in  her  daily  life. 

Dr.  Wight  survived  his  wife  and  five  of  his  eight 
children.  It  was  his  fate  to  meet  with  much  af- 
fliction. 

His  first-born,  a son  who  much  resembled  his 
father,  and  in  whom  his  ambition  and  dearest  hopes 
centred,  with  trunk  packed  for  the  journey  to  enter 
college,  suddenly  sickened  and  died.  The  father’s 
grief  at  this  loss  was  terrible.  Its  dark  shadow  rested 
on  all  his  after  life.  He  performed  two  surgical  opera- 
tions, of  a severe  and  hazardous  character,  upon  his 
wife,  by  her  requirement.  The  writer  was  called  once 
to  assist.  An  anaesthetic  made  the  patient  calm  and 
comfortable — the  surgeon  suffered.  The  operation 
was  well  performed,  and  death  was  averted  several 
years. 

On  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  his  coming  to  Gil- 
inanton  a large  number  of  his  friends  gathered  at  his  i 
home  and  commemorated  the  event  in  an  impressive 
and  happy  manner.  A few  weeks  after  this  occasion 
he  was  warned  suddenly  by  a mild  apoplectic  attack. 
From  this  he  nearly  recovered,  till  about  two  weeks 
before  his  death,  when  he  was  found  in  bed  helpless, 
with  signs  of  cerebral  hemorrhage.  Although  he  rallied 
for  a little  time,  he  gradually  sank,  and  calmly  passed 
away.  At  his  funeral  the  church  was  filled  by  neigh- 
bors, patrons,  physicians,  clergymen  and  representa- 


tives of  the  bar  and  bench,  many  of  whom  came  from 
a distance,  all  friends  of  the  good  old  physician. 
The  religious  services  were  conducted  by  the  pastor, 
Rev.  S.  S.  N.  Greeley,  who  uttered  an  eloquent  and 
tender  eulogy  on  the  pleasant  acquaintance  of  his 
early  life  and  the  intimate  friend  of  recent  years. 
The  remains  were  borne  to  the  village  cemetery,  beau- 
tiful by  nature.  Physicians  and  chosen  friends  sadly 
and  thoughtfully,  with  careful  hands,  lowered  to  his 
last  resting-place  all  that  was  mortal  of  Nahum 
Wight.  For  more  than  half  a century  he  honored  our 
profession,  and  was  a benefactor  to  his  race. 

Gilmanton  Theological  Seminary. — Some  men- 
tion should  be  made  of  this  institution,  though  its 
brief  but  useful  history  is  widely  known.  It  was  con- 
templated by  the  fathers,  and  provided  for  by  the  terms 
of  the  original  charter  of  Gilmanton  Academy  (as  An- 
dover Seminaxy  rests  back  to-day  on  the  charter  of 
Phillips  Academy),  and  after  many  years  a theological 
class  was  received.  There  were  circumstances  that  led 
good  men  to  believe  that  the  time  had  at  length  come 
to  open  a department  of  theology.  After  the  great 
revivals  of  religion  in  the  years  1832-33  there  was  an 
unusual  call  for  preachers,  especially  for  home  mis- 
sionary parishes  and  the  sparse  settlements  of  North- 
ern New  England,  and  the  existing  seminaries  were 
unable  to  supply  the  demand.  In  the  State  of  New 
Hampshire  alone  there  were  more  than  a hundred 
towns  without  any  Congregational  minister,  and  over 
fifty  Congregational  Churches  without  a pastor. 

At  the  same  time,  as  another  consequence  of  these 
revivals,  there  was  quite  a large  class  of  men,  partly 
educated,  who  earnestly  desired  to  study  for  the  min- 
istry without  a previous  college  course,  on  account  of 
their  age  or  pecuniary  inability,  but  men  who,  by 
practical  knowledge  of  the  world,  by  energy,  physical 
strength  and  talents,  were  admirably  adapted  for  these 
waiting  fields.  There  were,  however,  even  at  the  first, 
several  graduates  of  colleges  who  studied  at  Gilman- 
ton with  much  pleasure  and  profit;  and  it  is  worthy 
of  note  that  in  late  years  the  theological  seminaries  at 
Andover  and  Chicago  have  made  separate  provision, 
by  the  endowments  of  professorships  and  special 
courses  of  instruction  for  just  this  class  of  men  for 
whom  the  seminary  at  Gilmanton  was  first  opened. 

It  was  on  August  15,  1835,  at  their  annual  meeting, 
having  been  maturing  plans  for  two  years,  that  the 
trustees  of  Gilmanton  Academy  called  the  Rev.  He- 
man  Rood,  from  New  Milford,  Conn.,  to  open  and  con- 
duct a department  of  theology.  He  accepted  the  ap- 
pointment and  was  inaugurated  professor  of  theology 
and  Biblical  literature  on  the  9th  of  September.  The 
seminary  commenced  operations  the  following  month, 
October,  1835.  The  course  of  instruction  began  with 
seven  students. 

Very  soon,  by  the  advice  of  men  in  whom  the  board 
had  confidence  (says  the  historian  of  Gilmanton, 
p.  170),  both  in  New  Hampshire  and  in  Massachu- 
setts, the  plan  of  the  department  was  enlarged  so  as 


GILMANTON 


799 


to  include  a more  complete  course  of  training  for  the 
ministry,  and  Rev.  Aaron  Warner,  D.D.,  was  appointed 
professor  of  sacred  rhetoric.  He  was  inaugurated  on 
the  first  anniversary,  August  25,  1836.  There  has 
been  printed  for  the  family  and  personal  friends  a 
very  interesting  life-sketch  of  Professor  Warner,  by 
Professor  Crowell,  of  Amherst  College  (a  son-in-law), 
in  which,  speaking  of  this  appointment,  he  says  : 
“Professor  Warner  was  in  full  sympathy  with  the  ob- 
ject for  which  the  seminary  was  established.  During 
the  seven  years  and  a half  of  his  connection  with  it 
he  untiringly  devoted  all  his  energies  to  its-  interests, 
and  especially  to  the  work  of  his  own  department, — 
the  training  of  students  in  the  art  of  pulpit  discourse, 
— and,  according  to  the  testimony  of  competent  ob- 
servers, and  particularly  of  his  pupils,  with  a large 
measure  of  success.”  Says  his  colleague,  Rev.  He- 
man  Rood,  D.D. : “ Professor  Warner  was  very  useful 
and  popular  as  a teacher  in  the  seminary.  The  classes 
were  well  and  thoroughly  trained  in  his  department. 
They  learned  to  write  correctly  and  to  speak  and 
preach  impressively.  He  once  afterwards  said  to  me 
that  he  regarded  the  years  spent  in  the  seminary  as 
the  happiest  and  most  useful  years  of  his  life.”  After 
closing  these  years  of  usefulness  Professor  Warner 
was  appointed  to  the  chair  of  rhetoric,  oratory  and 
English  literature  in  Amherst  College,  upon  the  duties 
of  which  he  entered  in  January,  1845.  The  college  at 
that  time  was  in  circumstances  that  necessitated  the 
performance  of  labor  sufficient  for  three  men. 

It  gradually  undermined  his  strength,  and  a weak- 
ness of  the  eyes,  which  had  long  been  a trial  to  him, 
increased  almost  to  blindness,  so  that  he  resigned  his 
severe  toils  in  the  autumn  of  1853,  having  held  his 
professorship  through  a term  equaled  at  that  date  by 
only  three  out  of  seven  instructors  who  had  preceded 
him  in  that  position.  Professor  Warner  continued  to 
reside  in  Amherst  the  years  that  were  left  him,  till,  in 
the  full  assurance  of  hope,  he  died  May  14,  1876,  in 
the  middle  of  his  eighty-second  year. 

In  September,  1839,  the  institution,  that  had  now 
taken  on  the  form  and  offices  of  a distinct  theologi- 
cal seminary,  was  increased  in  facilities  by  the  call  to 
a professorship  of  the  Rev.  Isaac  Bird,  late  of  the  Sy- 
rian Mission  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.  Mr.  Bird  was  ad- 
mitted to  be  one  of  the  finest  linguists  in  his  day, 
among  the  entire  regiment  of  the  board’s  mission- 
aries. Lancaster  (“History,”  p.  221)  says  of  him:  “He 
sailed  as  a missionary  to  Syria  in  December,  1822; 
resided  at  Beyroot  the  greater  part  of  ten  years,  be- 
sides short  residences  in  different  villages  in  Mount 
Lebanon,  at  Jerusalem,  Malta  and  Smyrna,  four  years 
more.  He  was  in  the  constant  conversational  use  of 
the  Italian  and  Arabic  languages  for  twelve  years,  and 
acquired  a ready  reading  knowledge  of  the  Syriac, 
French,  Spanish  and  German,  besides  some  acquain- 
tance with  the  Turkish  and  Persian.  He  returned  to 
this  country  at  the  close  of  1836,  and  was  an  instructor 
at  Gilmanton  in  the  department  of  theology  from  Sep- 


tember, 1839,  to  December,  1843,  and  from  that  time 
was  instructor  in  sacred  literature,  to  which  depart- 
ment he  was  elected  professor  July  9,  1844,  and  was 
inaugurated  on  the  1 1th  of  the  same  month.” 

In  1838,  Dr.  Dixie  Crosby  was  appointed  lecturer  on 
anatomy,  physiology  and  health,  succeeded  by  Dr. 
Nahum  Wight  in  1844. 

On  the  23d  of  April,  1839,  the  ground  was  broken 
for  the  erection  of  a new  building  for  the  use  of  the 
seminary,  of  brick,  eighty-eight  feet  long,  fifty  'feet 
wide  and  three  stories  high  above  the  basement.  The 
plan  of  this  building  was  drawn  by  Ami  B.  Young, 
Esq.,  architect  of  the  custom-house  in  Boston,  and 
was  one  of  the  most  admirably  adapted  to  the  pur- 
poses intended  of  any  college  or  seminary  hall  then 
known  in  the  country.  In  November  of  1839  the 
walls  were  up  and  covered  by  a roof.  “Its  location,” 
says  Professor  Crowell  (“  Memorial  of  Professor  War- 
ner,” p.  40),  “is  on  an  elevation  commanding  a beauti- 
ful prospect,  secured  in  1837,  and  money  to  defray 
the  cost  of  its  erection  gradually  obtained,  and  on 
August  18,  1841,  the  completed  building  was  dedicated 
with  public  services,  Professor  Warner  delivering  the 
dedicatory  address.” 

At  this  time  there  had  been  donated  by  a multitude 
of  friends  and  publishers  in  Boston,  and  more  largely 
in  New  York,  a library  of  nearly  four  thousand  vol- 
umes. With  its  able  teachers,  the  seminary  greatly 
prospered,  and  visiting  clergymen  and  friends  from  far 
and  near  gave  their  testimony  that  they  found  every- 
thing about  it  and  pertaining  to  it  on  a vastly  higher 
plane  than  they  had  anticipated. 

Within  three  years  from  the  first  anniversary 
twenty-two  of  its  graduates  were  settled  in  the  pastor- 
ates of  churches,  most  of  them  in  New  Hampshire, 
and  for  the  first  seven  years  the  number  of  graduates 
averaged,  yearly,  ten.  Each  man  was  spoken  for  be- 
fore his  term  of  study  was  completed.  To  meet  the 
current  expenses  of  the  institution,  it  was  obliged  to 
rely  chiefly  on  yearly  donations.  The  embarrassed 
state  of  mercantile  affairs  throughout  the  country  in 
the  years  1841  and  1842  prevented  the  continuance  of 
these  gifts,  and  caused  such  a pressure  in  the  finan- 
cial condition  of  the  seminary  that  by  the  next  year 
the  support  of  the  professors  almost  entirely  failed, 
and  there  seemed  to  be  no  alternative  but  withdrawal. 
Accordingly,  on  the  22d  of  November,  1843,  Professor 
Warner  and  Professor  Rood  both  resigned. 

At  the  same  date  Rev.  William  Cogswell,  D.D., 
professor  of  history  and  national  education  in  Dart- 
mouth College,  was  appointed  president  and  profes- 
sor of  Christian  theology  in  the  seminary.  There  is 
little  need  to  speak  him  particularly  here,  as  he  was 
a man  of  national  reputation.  The  appointment, 
and  his  coming  at  this  time  of  trial,  simply  show  how 
highly  the  seminary  was  prized  by  scholars  and  pub- 
lic officials  in  the  Christian  Church,  and  their  readi- 
ness to  sacrifice,  if  in  any  way  possible,  to  save  it. 
Dr.  Cogswell  accepted  the  office  January  11,  1844, 


800 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


entered  at  once  on  its  duties  and  was  inaugurated 
February  7th  the  same  year.  At  the  same  time  Mr. 
Charles  Tenney,  a very  popular  principal  of  the 
academy  (Dartmouth,  1835),  was  ordained  an  evan- 
gelist, and  was  appointed  instructor  of  sacred  rhetoric 
in  the  seminary.  By  new  special  gifts  from  benevo- 
lent friends,  and  by  severe  sacrifices  from  residents  in 
the  village,  the  seminary  struggled  on  till  the  census 
shows  over  fifty  men  that  passed  through  and  out  of 
it,  publicly  to  toil  in  the  world:s  great  field  of  whiten- 
ed harvest.  At  this  date  quite  a large  number  of  them 
have  ceased  from  their  labors,  having  heard  a voice 
saying,  “ Come  up  higher others  are  enfeebled 
through  age  and  toil,  and  others  growing  old  are  yet 
young,  and  working  “ while  the  day  lasts.”  One  of 
the  number,  nigh  upon  the  period  that  is  reached 
only  “by  reason  of  strength,”  several  years  ago 
received  “ extreme  unction”  in  a doctorate  of  divini- 
ty, and  still  lives,  while  the  rest  have  been  enabled  to 
dodge  it  hitherto. 

Under  all  the  difficulties  and  discouragements  Dr. 
Cogswell  struggled  manfully  to  sustain  the  institu- 
tion, but  not  only  was  there  stringency  in  pecuniary 
matters  all  abroad,  but  the  young  men  were  few  who 
turned  their  thoughts  toward  the  ministry.  Of  course; 
then  the  regular  routine  of  the  past  had  to  be  sus- 
pended; but  the  trustees  offered  the  free  use  of  rooms 
and  furniture  in  the  building,  use  of  the  library  and 
what  of  instruction  they  might  obtain  to  any  and  all 
students  who  would  like  to  repair  to  the  seminary  j 
for  a season. 

The  great  hall  is  the  property  of  the  academy,  and 
is  used  for  summer  boarders  in  the  long  vacation,  and 
by  students  of  the  academy  in  term-time. 

The  Churches. — The  churches  of  Gilmanton,  like 
the  population  of  the  town,  have  decreased  in  mem- 
bershin  and  pecuniary  ability.  The  fathers  and  the  j 
mothers  in  Israel  are  mostly  numbered  with  the  dead, 
while  the  warm  young  blood  of  the  children  flows  in 
the  life  of  churches  in  the  larger  towns  and  cities. 
It  is  so  all  abroad  through  our  New  Hampshire,  j 
And  yet,  worthy  of  all  honor  and  needed  help  are 
these  little  churches  scattered  over  the  hills  and 
valleys.  They  have  impoverished  themselves  by 
giving  to  others.  They  have  not  much  ability  to  “go 
down  to  the  battle,”  but  they  are  “ sticking  by  the 
stuff;”  they  are  holding  back  the  tide  of  iniquity, 
and  are  shedding  quietly  and  beautifully  that 
hallowed  light  without  which  large  sections  of  our 
State  would  be  speedily  in  moral  darkness. 

Since  the  publication  of  Lancaster’s  “ History  of 
Gilmanton,”  the  old  First  Church  at  the  “Smith 
Meeting-House”  has  become  virtually  extinct,  and  J 
for  several  years  has  not  been  reported  in  the 
minutes  of  the  General  Association. 

According  to  Rev.  Mr.  Lancaster  (“  History,”  page 
192),  its  first  pastor,  Rev.  Isaac  Smith,  preached  forty- 
three  years,  and,  after  a short  illness,  died  among  his 
people,  March  25,  1817,  in  the  seventy-third  year  of  1 


his  age.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Luke  Ainsworth 
Spofford,  who  was  ordained  on  June  9,  1819.  His 
pastorate  was  about  six  years,  during  which  time 
thirty  were  added  to  the  church.  On  account  of  in- 
sufficient health  for  so  large  a field  of  labor,  he  asked 
release,  and  was  dismissed  on  the  9th  of  June,  1825. 

On  the  21st  September,  1825,  the  Rev.  Daniel  Lan- 
caster was  settled,  having  received  two  calls  from  the 
church. 

On  the  26th  February,  1826,  letters  of  dismission 
and  recommendaiion  were  voted  to  twenty-five  mem- 
bers of  the  church  to  form  a new  church  at  the 
Centre  village  (Academy),  and  on  the  12th  October, 
1830,  thirteen  individuals  were  dismissed  to  form  a 
church  at  Gilmanton  Iron-Works. 

These  two  special  periods  of  emigration  diminished 
the  church  by  thirty-eight  members.  On  the  other 
hand,  there  were  two  special  revival  seasons,  in  the 
winter  of  1846-47  and  in  1831,  which  brought  into 
the  church  seventy-five  new  members.  Thus  the 
number  was  more  than  restored,  but  the  pecuniary 
ability  of  the  church  was  not  restored,  and  on  July 
25,  1832,  Rev.  Mr.  Lancaster  was  dismissed  for  want 
of  support.  During  his  ministry  of  six  years  eighty- 
five  were  added  to  the  church ; there  were  one  hun- 
dred and  eighteen  baptisms  and  over  one  hundred 
burials  of  the  dead. 

After  this  removal  of  their  pastor  the  church  se- 
cured supplies  as  they  had  opportunity,  till,  in  1834, 
they  had  the  Rev.  Francis  P.  Smith,  son  of  the  first 
minister,  as  acting  pastor  through  the  entire  year. 
A revival  season  was  enjoyed  during  this  year,  and 
twenty  were  added  to  the  church.  At  the  close  of 
Mr.  Smith’s  engagement  the  Rev.  Josiah  Carpenter 
was  secured  for  a year,  under  whose  ministry  twelve 
were  added  to  the  church.  Subsequently  students 
from  the  seminary  preached  as  Sabbath  supplies,  till 
Mr.  Horace  Wood,  a licensed  graduate,  engaged  with 
them  for  a considerable  period ; but  in  the  recent 
years  there  has  been  in  the  meeting-house  no  regular 
service.  Occasionally  neighboring  pastors  preach  an 
afternoon  or  evening  sermon  ; otherwise  the  house  is 
closed,  and  silence  reigns.  The  families  surrounding 
have  greatly  changed.  Some  have  become  extinct, 
others  removed,  and  others,  who  in  these  days  go  to 
church  anywhere,  go  to  the  village,  or  to  the  Iron- 
Works  or  to  the  church  at  Lower  Gilmanton  ; and  yet, 
there  is  the  spirit  of  beauty  and  of  sacredness  linger- 
ing about  the  old  spot.  Near  at  hand  is  the  burying- 
ground,  “where  the  forefathers  of  the  hamlet  sleep,” 
and  numbers  of  the  patriot  dead  are  gathered  here, 
whose  graves  are  decorated  by  loving  hands  at  the 
appointed  seasons.  A few  years  since,  John  B.  Batch- 
elder,  Esq.,  in  early  life  a resident,  and  educated  in 
the  town,  awakened  a lively  interest  in  an  enlarge- 
ment and  beautifying  of  this  ancient  cemetery,  and 
a wonderful  change  was  effected.  It  is  now  a pleas- 
ant and  ample  inclosure,  adorned  with  trees  and 
blooming  with  flowers,  while  new  care  and  taste  and 


GILMANTON. 


801 


generous  expenditure  are  at  once  observable  in  the 
erection  of  monuments  for  the  dead. 

Here,  also,  at  the  “ Old  Smith  Meeting-House,”  are 
held  the  public  services  of  the  soldiers’  “ Memorial 
Day,”  when  there  is  a general  gathering  of  the  people 
of  the  town. 

The  Centre  Congregational  Church. — The 
twenty-five  persons  from  the  old  First  Church  were 
organized  into  a new  church  by  an  invited  council 
on  the  8tli  of  March,  1826.  Rev.  Heman  Rood,  the 
first  pastor,  was  ordained  July  12,  1826.  A new 
house  of  worship  was  built  at  a cost  of  three  thousand 
five  hundred  dollars,  and  dedicated  September  30, 
1827.  Mr.  Rood  continued  with  the  church  three 
and  a half  years  from  his  ordination. 

In  1835,  December  16th,  Rev.  Daniel  Lancaster, 
who  had  removed  from  the  old  First  Church,  was  in- 
stalled pastor.  He  finished  a laborious  and  most  suc- 
cessful ministry  January  25,  1852,  having  done 
service  in  the  town  more  than  twenty-seven  years. 
In  the  following  spring,  April  22,  1852,  the  Rev. 
Roger  M.  Sargent  was  installed  pastor,  who  con- 
tinued with  the  church  till  January  31,  1860,  when 
he  was  dismissed,  and  accepted  a call  from  Farming- 
ton,  N.  H.  June  13,  1860,  the  Rev.  Joseph  Blake, 
D.D.,  was  installed,  and,  finding  his  health  failing, 
was  dismissed  February  14,  1871.  But  on  October 
25th,  having  been  recalled  by  the  church,  he  was  re- 
installed, and  continued  pastor  till  his  final  dismis- 
sion, June  3,  1879,  though  he  had  removed  from  the 
town  two  months  before.  His  ministry  was  more  than 
eighteen  years.  Immediately  on  his  leaving,  the  parish 
applied  to  Rev.  S.  S.  N.  Greeley,  a townsman,  who 
had  returned  after  three  years  in  the  army  and  eight 
years  ministry  in  the  city  of  Oswego,  N.  Y.,  to  re- 
cruit in  health  in  the  wonderful  air  of  the  moun- 
tains. He  told  the  committee  he  did  not  come  back 
to  New  Hampshire  to  take  churches,  nor  to  remain 
in  his  childhood’s  home;  but,  in  the  destitution  of 
the  people  and  church  of  the  fathers,  he  would  give 
them  a few  Sabbaths  till  they  could  look  round.  It 
is  sufficient  to  remark  that  the  “ coming  man  ” has 
not  come  yet,  and  it  has  now  been  more  than  seven 
years. 

Iron-Works  Congregational  Church  was  con- 
stituted by  an  ecclesiastical  council,  October  20,  1830. 
On  the  12th  of  September  the  church  extended  a call 
to  Mr.  Charles  G.  Safford,  a recent  graduate  from 
Andover,  who  was  ordained  pastor  September  28, 1831. 
On  the  12th  of  June,  1836,  Rev.  Mr.  Safford  was  dis- 
missed on  account  of  failing  health.  There  had  been 
two  seasons  of  revival  during  his  ministry  of  four 
years  and  nine  months,  and  fifty-six  new  members  had 
•come  into  the  church. 

Early  in  the  year  1838  a revival  commenced  under 
the  labors  of  Rev.  Jeremiah  Blake,  M.D.,  a student 
in  frilmanton  Theological  Seminary,  more  powerful 
than  any  yet  witnessed,  which  resulted  in  the  addition 
of  sixty-two  to  the  church,  fifty-five  in  one  day  by 


profession.  On  January  31, 1839,  Rev.  Stephen  S.  N. 
Greeley  was  ordained  pastor  of  the  church,  (graduated 
at  Dartmouth  College  in  1835 ; studied  one  year  at 
Andover  and  two  years  at  Gilmanton  Theological  Sem- 
inary). After  nearly  four  years’  pleasant  labor  among 
his  townsmen,  Mr.  Greeley  received  an  earnest  call  to 
the  Congregational  Church  in  New  Market  (Lamprey 
River).  The  church  there  was  in  great  trial  at  the 
time  from  outside  pressure,  but  was  “ fighting  a good 
fight  ” — and  the  field  was  an  important  one.  It  was 
to  be  made  manifest  that  the  Christian  Churches  did 
not  desire  to  “ bind  the  fetters  on  the  slave !”  Mr. 
Greeley  requested  dismission  from  the  church  at  Gil- 
manton Iron-Works,  which  was  approved  by  council 
October  19,  1842,  had  a lively  time  in  his  new  field 
the  first  few  months,  with  five  years  pleasant  labor 
following,  till  called  to  the  then  Seventh  Church  in 
Springfield,  Mass.  (Chicopee  Falls).  On  the  6th  of 
November,  1844,  the  church  at  the  Iron  Works 
received  another  pastor  in  the  ordination  of  the  Rev. 
Rufus  Childs.  He  was  pastor  at  the  time  “ Lancaster’s 
History  ” was  issued  ; but  in  the  church  records  there 
appears  no  statement  of  the  date  of  his  dismission. 
It  must  have  been  near  the  close  of  1855,  for  on  the 
first  Sabbath  in  1856  (January  3d)  it  is  stated  that  the 
pulpit  was  occupied  by  Rev.  Jairus  Ordway.  Sub- 
sequently Mr.  Ordway  was  engaged  as  acting  pastor, 
and  remained  with  the  church  till  March  1,  1861. 
December  1,  1870,  Rev.  N.  S.  Moore  commenced 
labor  as  acting  pastor,  and  closed  his  labors  of  three 
years’  continuance,  December  28,  1873.  July  22, 
1875,  Rev.  George  Rogers  (from  England)  was  ordained 
pastor,  and  in  failing  health  was  dismissed  by  Coun- 
cil February  22,  1877.  He  soon  died.  August  30, 
1877,  Mr.  Charles  L.  Tomblin  succeeded ; supplied 
till  June  1,  1878,  and  was  followed  by  Mr.  Cassan- 
der  C.  Sampson  in  one  year’s  service. 

January  1,  1880,  Rev.  E.  J.  Roke  (also  from  Eng- 
land) commenced  a year’s  service,  and  closed  his 
labors  April  1,  1881. 

On  the  12th  of  December,  1882,  the  church  extended 
a unanimous  call  to  Rev.  Lyman  White,  for  some 
years  pastor  in  Deerfield,  but  had  been  supplying  the 
Iron-Works  pulpit  for  a season.  He  is  still  with  the 
church  as  acting  pastor,  strong  in  the  confidence  of 
his  people,  and,  as  a minister,  able,  faithful  and  useful. 

The  Free-Will  Baptist  Church,  Gilmanton 
Iron  Works.1 — The  Free-Will  Baptist  Church 
at  Gilmanton  Iron-Works  was  organized  between  the 
years  1785  and  1790.  The  denomination  was  in  its  in- 
fancy, with  but  few  ministers  of  the  gospel ; therefore, 
only  a few  of  the  churches  had  a settled  pastor  for  the 
first  thirty  or  forty  years.  These  servants  of  the  Lord 
“ had  a mind  to  work  ; ” so  they  frequently  visited  and 
encouraged  the  destitute  churches.  This  church  had 
a few  stated  supplies  by  such  men  as  Elders  Abel  Glid- 


1 The  above  is  kindly  furnished  by  Harlan  Page,  Esq.,  clerk  of  the 
church. 


802 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


den,  Thomas  Flanders  and  Ezra  Ham,  until  about  1835 
when  Elder  Hezekiah  Buzziel  was  settled  as  pastor  of 
the  church,  and  continued  with  them  some  five  years. 
After  his  retirement  the  church  has  had  the  following 
succession  of  pastors,  in  their  order,  down  to  the 
present  time:  Rev.  Samuel  P.  Fernald,  from  1840- 
49  ; Benjamin  McMurphy,  1849-52 ; Ichabod  R.  Cook, 
1852-55 ; Thomas  Keniston,  1855-60  ; John  M.  Dur- 
gin,  1860-62  ; Moses  Quimby,  1862-65;  Gilman  San- 
born, 1866-68;  John  C.  Osgood,  1868-73;  John  M. 
Durgin,  1873-75;  John  B.  Leighton,  1875-77;  Wal- 
lace W.  Brown,  1877-79;  George  W.  Price,  1879-81; 
Moses  Quimby,  1881-83;  Orrin  Pitts,  1883-85  ; James 
C.  Nelson,  1885,  present  pastor.  In  quite  recent  years 
the  congregation  has  rejoiced  in  the  possession  of  a 
commodious  and  tasteful  house  of  worship,  and  two 
years  since  received  from  Samuel  Goodwin,  Esq.,  a 
native,  but  a successful  business  man  in  New  York 
City,  the  very  desirable  gift  of  a tower-clock  and 
bell. 

The  Free-Will  Baptist  Church,  Lower  Gil- 
maxton. — Rev.  H.  B.  Huntoon,  present  pastor  of 
this  church  furnishes  the  following  report  after  dili- 
gent search  for  facts  for  this  history,  saying,  “ It  is 
very  imperfect,  but  the  best  I could  do  with  the  little 
material  I have  at  command.” 

The  Free-Will  Baptist  Church  was  organized  at 
Lower  Gilmanton  January  8,  1860,  and  enrolls  the 
following  pastors,  with  periods  of  labor:  Moses  Fol- 
som, two  years ; John  Malvern,  one ; J.  C.  Osgood, 
one;  C.  B.  Griffin,  two;  J.  G.  Munsey,  four;  D.  L. 
Edgerly,  two ; John  M.  Durgin,  one ; C.  L.  Plum- 
mer, two;  John  Chamberlain,  one;  L.  E.  Hall,  two 
and  a half;  H.  B.  Huntoon,  present  pastor. 

For  many  years  the  church  at  Lower  Gilmanton 
was  Calvinistie  Baptist.  Lancaster’s  “ History  ” (p. 
199)  states  that  it  was  organized  November  16,  1773, 
and  on  the  14th  of  June,  1786,  settled  as  pastor 
Elder  Walter  Powers,  who  continued  with  them  about 
twenty  years.  He  was  succeeded  by  Elder  Phinehas 
Richardson,  who  resigned  his  care  of  the  church  after 
a ministry  of  eighteen  years.  It  was  with  deep  re- 
gret that  the  church  parted  with  him.  The  greatest 
harmony  had  existed,  and  one  hundred  and  sixteen 
new  members  had  been  brought  into  the  church. 

At  two  different  periods  after  the  retirement  of 
Elder  Richardson  the  church  was  supplied  by  Elder 
Hiram  D.  Hodge,  an  unusually  interesting  preacher 
— scholarly,  logical,  clear  and  convincing.  There 
were  several  pastors  or  supplies  after  he  left ; but  as 
time  went  on,  emigration  and  death  had  reduced  the 
church  to  the  degree  that  they  finally  ceased  to  main- 
tain a distinct  organization,  and  the  very  few  that  are 
yet  living  unite  in  service  with  the  Free-Will  Bap- 
tists, who  occupy  the  house  of  worship  on  the  old 
location,  but  reconstructed  from  the  old  timber,  neat, 
tasteful,  a smaller  house  with  a larger  liberty  ! 

In  the  by-gone  years  Lower  Gilmanton  was  a live 
and  prosperous  section  of  the  town,  and  many  were 


the  travelers  by  the  rattling  stage-coach,  and  many 
the  wearied  teams  with  their  drivers,  who  found  rest 
and  abundant  supply  for  all  pressing  needs  at  the 
well-filled  barns  and  loaded  tables  of  “ Major  Parish.” 
He  was  a landlord  of  the  old  school  ; genial,  witty, 
attentive  to  his  customers,  and,  in  business  matters, 
one  that  “ knew  how  to  keep  a hotel.”  Here  were 
the  law-offices  of  Benjamin  Emerson  and  John  Ham, 
Esqs.,  with  their  pleasant  and  spacious  residences, 
and  here  were  stores  and  varied  industries  that  were 
pursued  with  profit.  But  in  these  latter  days  business 
is  not  rushing.  As  with  many  hopeful  localities  in 
earlier  times,  a change  has  become  strikingly  evident; 
from  every  direction  roundabout  the  remaining  peo- 
ple the  voice  of  the  steam-engine  is  heard  in  the  land, 
but  it  steers  quite  clear  of  this  section. 

The  Society  of  Friends. — Lancaster  (“  History,” 
p.  204),  in  a brief  paragraph,  states  that  “ A Society 
of  Friends  was  organized  in  Gilmanton  about  the 
year  1780.”  Well  do  citizens  remember  the  quiet, 
happy  old  age  of  some  of  these  early  founders.  They 
were  industrious,  self-controlled,  honest,  truthful,  and, 
as  citizens,  always  interested  in  the  prosperity  of  the 
town,  and  numbers  of  them  long  occupied  official 
positions.  They  are  all  dead,  but  the  church  or  soci- 
ety still  lives.  A little  group  of  the  children  of  the 
early  sires  still  keep  up  the  organization,  hold  regular 
meetings,  stir  up  one  another’s  pure  minds  by  way  of 
remembrance,  or  devoutly  “ meditate.”  They  are 
notable  examples  of  the  perseverance  of  the  saints. 
Some  five  years  ago  they  took  down  the  old  house 
where  their  fathers  worshiped,  and  on  the  old  site 
in  the  Academy  village  erected  as  commodious,  well- 
planned,  thoroughly-finished  and  pleasant  a Sabbath 
home  as  any  people  need  desire,  and  while  their  chil- 
dren are,  in  numbers  of  instances,  by  marriage  or 
removal,  absorbed  into  other  congregations,  still  they 
are  determined  that  a remnant  shall  remain. 

The  Methodist  Church. — Two  Methodist  classes 
(1807-1818)  were  established  here,  connected  ivith  the 
Northfield  Circuit,  and  had  only  occasional  preaching. 
In  1826-7  a brick  meeting-house  was  built,  at  a cost 
of  about  two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  which 
was  dedicated  in  1827.  Elder  George  Storrs  preached 
the  sermon.  He  was  on  the  circuit  two  years  (1828- 
29)  and  was  a strong  man.  He  became  famous  in  the 
early  days  of  anti-slavery  as  a bold  and  convincing 
lecturer.  He  was  the  man  whowras  arrested  while  on 
his  knees  in  prayer  in  the  Congregational  pulpit  in 
Pittsfield,  where  the  pastor,  Rev.  Jonathan  Curtis,  had 
invited  him  to  lecture. 

Lancaster's  “ History  ” records,  through  quite  a series 
of  years,  the  succession  of  ministers  in  the  Methodist 
Church,  but  at  this  date  it  is  a lengthy  roll,  and  mostly 
a very  worthy  one,  for  which  there  is  neither  space 
nor  necessity  for  record  here.  The  wheel  turns  round, 
and  each  man  jumps  off  at  the  appointed  locality  only 
for  a season.  The  church  has  experienced  trying 
losses  by  removals  and  deaths  of  efficient  members, 


GILMANTON. 


80S 


and  lives  to-day  only  by  severe  sacrifices.  But  it  has 
held-  on  its  way  perseveringly  and  usefully,  and  has 
the  best  wishes  of  the  entire  community  that  it  may 
continue  long  and  prosper. 

The  Villages. — Gilmanton  Iron- Works. — We 
have  spoken  of  the  settlement  at  Lower  Gilmanton, 
past  and  present,  and  of  the  quiet  section  full  of 
tender  memories,  where,  by  the  old  Smith  Meeting- 
House,  the  sod  was  early  opened  to  receive  the  dead. 
A few  words  concerning  the  Iron-Works  village  may 
be  due  in  this  connection.  There  are  not  smelting 
furnaces,  nor  heavy  castings  and  wondrous  mould- 
ings of  glowing  metal  in  these  days,  as  strangers  sup- 
pose, at  Gilmanton  Iron- Works.  But  in  the  early 

settlement  of  the  place  there  were  discovered  here 
and  there,  and  especially  in  the  neighboring  Suncook 
or  Lougee  Pond,  deposits  of  iron  ore.  Yankee  con- 
trivance lifted  this  ore  from  its  bed  twenty  feet  under 
water  and  established  “ works,”  and  for  a time  prose- 
cuted the  making  of  iron  for  the  market.  But  it  was 
found  ere  long  that  the  obtaining  the  ore  under  diffi- 
culties and  the  limited  supply,  so  far  as  then  known, 
would  forbid  continuance  of  the  undertaking  as  a pay- 
ing investment.  But  it  gave  name  to  “Avery  town,” 
as  the  first  designation  was,  and  from  the  early  day  it 
has  been  known  as  “Gilmanton  Iron-Works.” 

It  has  a fine  water-power,  furnishing  opportunity 
for  a large  amount  of  machinery  and  manufactures. 
This  power  has  long  been  utilized  to  considerable 
extent,  and  the  village  is  a stirring  business  point, 
beyond  any  other  locality  in  the  town.  There  are 
signs  of  thrift  and  neatness  about  the  homes  of  the 
people,  and  the  village  has  improved  every  way  in 
the  recent  years.  There  is  evidence  in  stores  and 
shops  of  lucrative  business  and  in  the  professional 
walks, — three  or  more  clergymen  guard  their  spiritual 
folds,  four  or  more  physicians  have  care  for  the  health 
of  the  people,  and,  that  the  right  may  prevail,  the 
genial  and  watchful  Colonel  Thomas  Cogswell  pays 
honor  due  to  “the  Majesty  of  Law;”  has  a busy  life 
in  adjusting  the  claims  of  law  and  equity  between 
man  and  man, — “ Fiat  Justitia,”  etc.  (“  Let  justice  be 
done  though  the  heavens  fall).” 

Gilmanton  Iron-Works  within  the  past  year  has 
established  a new  industry  in  the  erection  of  a large 
shoe-factory.  “It  is  in  successful  operation,”  writes 
one  of  the  principal  owners,  “ and  gives  employment 
to  about  seventy-five  persons.  We  have  a good  lo- 
cation and  a fine  building.”  Among  other  manufac- 
turing is  the  sash  and  blind-shop  of  Reuben  Giles, 
the  grist  and  saw-mill  of  Danford  Cook,  the  plow- 
shop  and  rake-factory  of  the  Marsh  Brothers.  All 
these  are  cheeringly  prosperous. 

The  village  of  the  Iron-Works,  lying  low  under 
surrounding  hills,  at  the  water-level,  would  not  be 
judged  as  healthful  as  other  portions  of  the  town. 
But  large  is  the  number  who  have,  at  a very  advanced 
age,  reached  the  bounds  that  were  set  that  no  man 
can  pass. 


On  the  21st  of  August,  1885,  a prominent  citizen, 
Moses  P.  Page,  died,  a citizen  aged  and  so  prominent 
as  to  challenge  some  special  notice.  He  lived  to 
within  two  months  of  ninety  years,  being  eighty-nine 
years  and  ten  months.  He  was  born  in  Gilmanton 
October  30,  1795,  and,  with  the  exception  of  a single 
year,  passed  his  whole  life  in  town.  He  was  educa- 
ted in  the  town  school  and  Gilmanton  Academy,  and 
commenced  mercantile  life  in  Lower  Gilmanton ; 
then  at  Gilmanton  Iron- Works  in  1818 ; opening  a 
store,  he  continued  a successful  merchant  fifty  years. 
Mr.  Page  was  one  of  the  thirteen  who  formed  the  Con- 
gregational Church  in  Gilmanton  Iron- Works.  He  was- 
a constant  attendant  upon  public  worship  and  a daily 
reader  of  the  Scriptures.  He  also  kept  himself  in- 
formed in  relation  to  the  doings  of  the  various  benev- 
olent societies.  While  living  he  made  the  following 
donations:  To  the  American  Home  Missionary  So- 
ciety, $2500;  to  the  New  Hampshire  Bible  Society, 
$2500;  to  the  American  Board  for  Foreign  Missions, 
$2500;  to  the  New  Hampshire  Missionary  Society, 
$2500;  to  the  American  Missionary  Association  for 
Educating  the  Colored  People  at  the  South,  $10,000  ; 
to  the  Gilmanton  Iron-Works  Congregational  Church, 
$3333 ; also  his  pew  in  the  meeting-house  for  the  min- 
ister and  his  family;  and  to  said  society,  by  his  will, 
he  gave  his  dwelling-house  for  a parsonage.  His 
gifts  in  all  amounted  to  about  $25,000. 

The  Centre  Village. — The  Centre  village,  Acad- 
emy village,  (or,  vulgarly,  Gilmanton  Corner),  needs- 
but  brief  mention ; for,  though  greatly  changed  in 
many  respects,  it  is  as  pleasant  to  the  eye  as  it  ever  was. 
It  is  reduced  in  population  and  wealth,  yet  has 
many  visitors  from  near  and  far,  who  come  and 
go.  The  mountains  hold  fast  their  old  positions,  “as 
the  mountains  were  round  about  Jerusalem ; the 
little  hills  rejoice  on  every  side,”  and  rising  suns  and 
evening  sunsets  are  glorious  to  the  vision.  “ Do  you 
keep  painted  up,  and  the  village  neat  and  tidy,  as 
when  I went  to  school  at  the  academy  ?”  asked  the 
worthy  president  of  the  New  Hampshire  Medical  So- 
ciety. Generally  so,  and  a little  more  so,  though  the 
ability  to  gratify  taste  is  far  less  than  the  desire.  The 
attractions  for  business  men  and  money-making  are 
not  strong.  There  are  no  facilities  for  manufactures 
nor  the  convenience  of  railroad  stations,  and  yet 
every  day  the  sharp  whistle  of  engines,  and  often  the 
rumble  of  wheels,  are  distinctly  heard  from  the  four 
cardinal  points  ; but,  to  the  waiting  traveler,  eight, 
ten  or  twelve  miles  of  outstretched  country  must  be 
first  passed  over  ere  the  eye  sees  what  seemed  so  nigh 
at  hand.  It  is  most  forcibly  suggestive  of  the  love- 
song  in  one  of  the  operas,  “Thou  art  so  near  and  yet 
so  far  ! ” But,  if  not  pressed  by  urgent  business, 
these  stage  and  carriage-rides  are  highly  enjoyable, 
and,  to  the  worn  and  weary  under  the  cares  of  life, 
seeking  for  quiet,  there  is  a feeling  of  positive  relief 
in  deliverance  from  smoke  and  noise  and  the  endless 
excitements  of  large  towns  and  cities.  Gilmanton 


804 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


has  some  very  pleasant  residences,  with  tasteful  sur- 
roundings, as,  for  instance,  the  country-seat  of  Z.  S. 
Kitchen,  Esq.,  of  New  York,  built  with  all  modern 
improvements  but  a few  years  since  ; then,  nearly  op- 
posite, the  massive  old  homestead  of  Major  Ebenezer 
Eastman,  once  the  home  of  Mary  Butler,  now  im- 
proved, owned  and  occupied  in  the  summer  months 
by  Dr.  J.  M.  AY.  Kitchen,  of  New  York  ; then  the 
lofty  mansion,  purchased  and  improved  a year  ago 
by  the  celebrated  lecturer,  John  L.  Stoddard.  From 
these  points,  also  from  the  “ Prospect  House,”  the 
views  are  uncommonly  fine.  Another  home,  with  a 
wonderful  outlook,  is  that  of  Colonel  Cyrus  Gilman, 
on  the  southern  outskirts  of  the  village  ; also,  the  en- 
tire sweep  of  the  horizon  at  Oakland  Cottage,  the 
residence  of  J.  Horace  Drew,  Esq.  The  late  Rev.  Dr. 
Prime  (“  Irenaeus  ” of  the  New  York  Observer),  while 
boarding  there  in  a recent  summer,  sent  a capital  let- 
ter to  his  paper,  extracts  from  which  will  close  this 
article. 

“ Oakland  Cottage,”  with  its  pleasant  outlying 
fields,  was  once  Copp’s  Hill,  from  the  owner  of  years 
ago.  There  resided  in  the  family  an  ancient  and  pious 
spinster,  quiet  and  meditative,  to  whom  in  the  love 
of  nature  holding  communion  with  her  visible  forms,  ( 
she  spake  a varied  language. 

The  view  of  the  village  from  this  high  point,  es- 
pecially before  the  obscuring  growth  of  trees  and  j 
shrubbery  on  streets  and  in  yards,  was  like  a clear- 
cut  picture.  “ I sit  by  my  window  on  beautiful  sum- 
mer mornings,”  said  the  ancient  dame,  “ and  look  down 
upon  the  plain  and  upon  the  village,  and  I think  of  , 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah !” 

Doubtless,  she  had  not  the  least  intention  of  com-  | 
plimenting  the  villagers.  It  was  only  because  her  | 
thoughts  ran  Scripturally.  There  is  a fine  view  from  j 
the  vicinity  of  the  recent  home  of  Levi  Grant,  Esq.,  j 
of  the  Tamworth  and  Sandwich  Mountains,  and  one 
of  the  best  in  all  the  region  of  Mount  AVashington. 
A lovely  view  is  also  had  of  distant  mountain  scenery, 
parts  of  Loudon,  Canterbury,  the  Shaker  village, 
part  of  Concord,  etc.,  from  the  dwelling  of  Mr. 
Richard  D.  ATarney,  immediately  in  the  village. 
Then,  but  a little  way  off,  stands  and  firmly  abides 
the  well-known  Peaked  Hill,  and  here  the  view  tran- 
scends the  largest  anticipations  of  its  visitors.  Such 
is  its  relative  position  that  it  seems  to  stand  alone, 
detached  from  the  mountain  range  of  which  it  is 
really  a part,  while,  as  on  the  apex  of  a cone,  the  j 
world  falls  off  on  every  hand,  and  rises  again  to-  j 
ward  the  distant  horizon.  Here  one  gets  a marvel- 
ous view  of  the  mountain  scenery  in  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  extending  into  Maine  and  Vermont,  i 
Peaked  Hill  has  been  for  many  years  a favorite  re- 
sort for  pleasure  parties,  for  students  of  the  academy 
and  visitors  who  love  to  climb  for  the  sake  of  the 
climbing. 

There  are  other  places  of  interest  that  are  worth 
the  visiting,  as  Porcupine  Ledge,  the  Gulf,  Lougee  1 


Pond,  with  its  fine  fishing,  and  Loon  Pond,  the  largest 
and  most  beautiful  body  of  water  in  this  region, 
where  sail-boats  may  have  the  most  ample  swing. 

Beside  this  pond  the  traveled  road  leading  to  Lower 
Gilmanton,  Pittsfield,  etc.,  rises  into  a long  and  quite 
tedious  hill,  but  on  reaching  the  “ height  of  land,” 
while  the  horse  should  stand  and  rest  a little,  the 
traveler  if  possessed  of  any  “ sense  of  the  beautiful,” 
will  be  very  willing  to  have  him.  A lady  artist  from 
Boston  said,  in  her  enthusiasm,  “ I want  to  get  me  a 
tent  and  a cooking-stove,  and  just  come  here  and 
stay.” 

If  one  shall  continue  his  tour  some  two  miles  be- 
yond this  hill,  there  will  come  in  sight  the  beautiful 
and  yet  higher  grounds  and  farm  of  Jeremiah  AVil- 
son,  Esq.,  deceased,  at  present  owned  and  cultivated 
by  his  nephew  and  heir,  George  AAT.  Sanborn,  Esq. 
The  prospect  from  this  summit  is  of  wide  extent,  and 
exceptionally  striking  in  variety.  The  location  of 
the  old  AVilson  mansion  is  very  commanding,  and 
has  about  it  a vet-lingering  savor  of  aristocracy — an 
element  which,  for  many  years,  was  attributed  to  “ Gil- 
manton Corner”  pre-eminently;  but  whether  pervad- 
ing the  atmosphere  like  a miasm,  or  like  an  imponder- 
able agent  in  nature,  when  one  would  put  his  finger 
upon  it,  it  was  not  there ! But  this  owner  and  occu- 
pant of  the  AYilson  property,  if  not  an  aristocrat,  is  a 
periodical  autocrat,  whose  favor  with  his  fellow-citi- 
zens is  worthy  to  be  put  on  record. 

In  years  gone  by,  at  the  town-meetings,  the  strife  of 
parties  at  the  very  opening  was  often  fierce  and  long 
on  the  simple  matter  of  the  moderator.  This  was 
from  the  idea  that  whatever  might  be  the  political 
stripe  of  the  moderator,  so  would  be  the  elections  of 
the  day.  He  was  a sort  of  standing  prophecy,  a fore- 
casting shadow.  This  is  all  changed,  and  being 
struck  with  the  facts  in  a later  acquaintance  with 
Gilmanton,  that  no  sooner  is  a town-meeting  assem- 
bled than  George  AY.  Sanborn  is  called  to  the  chair, 
a little  note  was  sent  to  him,  saying, — 


“ Tell  me  about  the  late  Jeremiah  Wilson — the  date  of  birth  and  death 
and  anything  of  family  history  ; also,  have  you  any  records  from  which 
you  could  tell  me  how  many  times  you  have  been  moderator  of  Gilman- 
ton town-meetings  ?" 

There  was  returned  soon  the  following  racy  reply  : 

“ Dear  Sir  : I herewith  send  you  date  of  death  of  Esquire  Wilson  and 
matters  pertaining  to  his  family,  taken  partly  from  Belknap’s  and  Lan- 
caster’s Histories,  and  partly  from  my  own  records.  Please  use  what  i9 
I>ertinent  to  your  object.  As  to  your  humble  servant,  I hardly  perceive 
that  there  is  anything  that  can  adorn  your  article  on  Gilmanton  or  en- 
hance its  value.  In  answer  to  your  question,  I will  say,  I have  had  the 
honor  to  preside  at  twenty-one  March  elections,  commencing  in  March, 
1862,  and  including  every  one  to  the  present  time,  excepting  1872,  ’73, 
’74  ; also  at  six  and  probably  seven  November  elections  (am  not  positive 
about  that  of  1868).  Besides  these,  I have  presided  at  six  special  town- 
meetings,  60  that  in  all  I am  confident  my  fellow-citizens  have  elected 
me  moderator  thirty-four  times.  I was  born  in  Sandwich  May  11, 
1822  (I  was  entirely  innocent  of  that).  I was  married  to  Mary  Ann 
Brown,  March  24,  1846— that  was  premeditated.  My  decease  is  not  on 
record  yet.  In  my  youth  I was  taught  at  Gilmanton  Academy  by  Sewell 
Greeley — “ associate  teacher, ”as  he  was  called  then.  I trained,  on  several 
occasions,  with  Rev.  S.  S.  N.  Greeley,  as  chaplain  of  the  Tenth  Regiment, 


GILMANTON. 


805 


at  (‘general  muster.’)  Been  representative  two  years— 1869-70— and 
worked  hard  on  the  farm  most  of  the  time. 

“ Yours,  most  respectfully, 

“ Geokge  W.  Sanborn.'1 

With  thanks  for  information  and  assistance 
promply  conveyed,  this  section  must  close  with  refer- 
ence to  one  more  point  of  observation,  with  beautiful 
outlook  in  and  around  the  Centre  village  of  Gilman- 
ton.  Summer  guests  have  named  it,  very  prettily, 

“ Sunset  Rock.”  It  is  but  a few  rods  northwest  from 
the  Prospect  House,  on  the  summit  of  a gentle  rise 
of  land,  but  from  its  relative  position  affording  a 
broad  sweep  of  horizon,  with  distant  mountains,  that 
is  quite  unusual  and  truly  beautiful. 

The  following  is  a letter  written  to  the  New  York 
Observer  by  “ Iremeus.” 

“Among  the  Mountains  of  the  Granite  State — Gilmanton:  Its 

Beautiful  Situation,  Its  Ancient  People,  Its  Sons  and  Schools. 

“ At  Old  Orchard  Beach  I celebrated  the  praises  of  Lake  Winnipesau- 
kee.  If  that  does  not  spell  the  word  as  you  learned  it  in  your  geogra- 
phy days  lean  spell  it  twenty-five  other  ways,  as  it  is  in  a work  now 
lying  near  me,  on  New  Hampshire.  All  right,  so  take  your  choice.  It 
is  by  some  writers  regarded  the  most  beautiful  lake  in  America. 

“A  few  years  ago  some  friends  of  mine,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kitchen,  of 
Twenty-third  Street,  traveling  in  the  summer,  became  enamored  of  this 
Gilmanton  village— this  elevated,  picturesque,  cool,  healthful  and  peace- 
ful region.  They  returned  and  built  a beautiful  country  seat.  Remote 
from  cities  and  unvexed  with  cares  they  find  it  a pleasant  summer  home. 
What  we  heard  from  them  drew  us  to  the  hills  of  New  Hampshire,  and 
to  this  particular  hill,  of  which  I am  writing.  In  the  open  air,  at  noon, 
in  the  shade  on  a hot  day,  it  is  as  cool  as  a garden  of  cucumbers.  We 
are  at  Mrs.  Drew’s  farm-house,  on  ‘Oakland  Hill,' — the  most  command- 
ing and  beautiful  site  in  this  romantic  region.  From  the  summit  we  have 
a panorama  of  extraordinary  extent  and  variety,  with  rare  combination 
of  sublimity  and  beauty.  The  circle  of  the  horizon,  fifty  miles  away  in 
every  direction,  is  a rampart  of  mountains,  whose  lofty  peaks  and  grace- 
ful curves  make  a battlemented  wall  three  hundred  miles  around,  sur- 
mounted by  an  azure  dome,  in  the  zenith  of  which,  this  moment,  biases 
the  noonday  6un.  Nearest  to  my  right  hand  is  Mount  Kearsarge,  classic 
in  all  time  for  the  story  of  naval  war ; Ascutney,  full  of  history  and 
poetry,  and  the  Grand  Monadnock  and  the  two  domes  of  the  Unconoo- 
nock— the  Indian  for  * breaks,’ — which  they  are  fabled  to  resemble  ; Mt. 
Major,  Mt.  Minor  and  the  great  Moose  Mountain ; and,  in  the  north, 
the  mighty  White  Mountains,  in  grand  array,  make  a faint  claim  for  this 
region  to  be  called  the  ‘ Switzerland  of  America.’  At  least  thirty  different 
townships  are  in  sight  from  our  door.  The  population  is  sparse  and  does 
not  increase.  Young  people  are  enticed  by  the  commerce  and  arts  and 
chances  of  the  age  to  quit  their  native  hills  and  seek  ‘fresh  fields  and 
pastures  new  ’ in  other  regions.  Instead  of  saying, — ‘ The  fathers,  where 
are  they  ?’  it  is  the  children  for  whom  you  must  inquire,  and  you  get  no 
answer.  They  are  gone.  But  it  is  a remarkable  place  for  longevity. 
Those  who  stay,  live.  The  town  has  records  of  more  than  fifty  of  its  in- 
habitants who  have  lived  more  than  ninety  years  ; some  one  hundred, 
one  hundred  and  three  and  one  hundred  and  four  years. 

“ This  same  Gilmanton  is  not  the  least  among  the  tribes  of  the  Granite 
State,  for  out  of  it  have  gone  some  of  the  most  illustrious  sous  of  New 
England.  Among  the  original  families  was  that  of  Adams,  and  by-and- 
by  one  of  them  begat  a son,  who  begat  John,  who  begat  John  Quincy, 
who  begat  Charles  Francis  ; and  so  the  family  of  Adams  came  out  of  the 
tribe  of  Gilmanton.  Even  so  the  house  of  Webster  was,  and  still  is,  here  ; 
and  one  of  that  name  begat  Ebenezer,  who  begat  two  sons, — Ezekiel  and 
Daniel, — and  Daniel  grew  up  in  a town  near  by  and  became  a mighty  man. 
And  time  would  fail  me  to  speak  of  Cogswell,  Clifford,  Dudley,  Clark, 
Eastman,  Greeley,  Hackett,  Hutchinson,  Moody,  Nelson,  Page,  Parsons, 
Peaslee,  Prescott,  Sanborn,  Shepard  and  many  others  whose  names  are 
familiar,  and  whose  ancestors  once  dwelt  among  these  hills.  It  is  often 
said  of  a country  like  Scotland  or  New  Hampshire,  that  it  ‘ is  a great 
country  to  go  from  ; ’ and  what  better  can  be  said  of  a land  than  this, — 
‘that  it  gives  birth  to  good  and  great  men.’  It  may,  indeed,  be  too  small 
for  them  to  grow  in,  and  so  the  world  is  richer  and  better  when  they  are 
driven  to  go  abroad  on  the  face  of  the  earth  to  be  known  and  felt  among 


men.  Out  of  the  least  of  the  tribes  may  spring  the  leader,  and  thus  the 
least  becomes  the  greatest. 

“ Here  is  one  way  in  which  this  town  made  itself  a home,  out  of  which 
arose  men  of  mark.  In  the  year  1792  the  town  raised  a committee  of 
twenty  citizens  to  consider  the  question  of  founding  an  academy  for 
higher  education  than  the  common  school,  and  on  the  report  of  this  com- 
mittee they  planted,  endowed,  and,  in  two  years’  time,  had  in  operation 
an  institution  which  has  flourished  from  that  day  to  this  under  a long 
series  of  successful  and  eminent  teachers,  fitting  for  college  and  business 
generations  of  young  men  who  have  made  their  mark  in  the  church,  the 
State  and  the  world  ; and  I will  say,  a better  place  for  a boy’s  school  is 
not  to  be  found  in  New  England,  so  far  as  my  knowledge  extends. 

“ By  and  by  the  trustees  found,  in  their  original  constitution,  a clause 
requiring  them  to  provide  instruction  in  ‘ the  doctrines  of  religion  re- 
vealed,’ and,  on  the  strength  of  this,  they  established  a theological  semi- 
nary, built  a large  brick  edifice  and  called  able  and  learned  professors. 
They  graduated  from  the  opening,  in  1835,  some  ten  or  twelve  classes  of 
young  men.  One  of  the  graduates  in  its  first  class  was  the  present  pastor 
of  the  village  church,  Rev.  S.  S.  N.  Greeley,  who  adds  to  his  pastoral 
work  the  care  of  a farm,  and  has  a seat  in  the  Legislature  of  the  State, 
and  is  chairman  of  the  House  committee  on  education.  But  there  was  no- 
call for  this  seminary  to  be  perpetuated.  We  have  more  seminaries  and 
colleges  than  are  needed  now.  It  is  more  economical,  wiser  and  better  to- 
concentrate  the  funds,  the  learning  and  energy  of  the  churches  on  a few 
institutions,  and  make  them  first-class  with  all  possible  furnishings,  than 
to  multiply  feeble  colleges  and  seminaries  in  every  State  or  section.  Thia 
has  been  carried  on  to  a deplorable  excess,  and  a mortality  among  them, 
with  a ‘survival  of  the  fittest,’  tends  to  the  improvement  of  education  in 
the  church  and  in  the  country.” 

Longevity. — -The  following  is  a portion  of  a letter 
written  by  a lady  resident  of  Gilmanton  in  answer  to 
a letter  to  Rev.  Mr.  Greeley  (in  his  absence  from 
home)  by  W.  H.  Ward,  editor  of  the  New  York  In- 
dependent, inquiring  as  to  the  truth  of  the  report 
going  the  rounds  of  the  newspapers,  that  only  one 
child  had  been  born  in  Gilmanton  Iron- Works  dur- 
ing the  last  five  years : 

“Gilmanton  Centre  Village. 

“ I have  been  talking  by  telephone  with  Rev.  Dr.  Blake,  of  Gilman- 
ton Iron-Works,  and  learned  that  within  the  last  five  years  only  one^ 
child  lias  been  born  there,  and  he  is  now  more  than  four  years  old.  We, 
in  this  Academy  village,  would  not  be  unduly  elated  or  too  boastful  over 
our  neighbors,  but  during  that  time,  in  the  families  resident  here,  there 
have  been  seven  or  eight  births. 

“ To  those  of  us  familiar  with  the  rapid  increase  of  population  in  the 
West,  this  feature  of  the  inland  towns  of  New  England  is  strange  and 
saddening.  Rut  ‘ we  must  count  up  our  mercies,’  and  we  certainly 
have  our  share  of  those  in  unusual  second  childhood,  according  to  the 
common  reckoning  of  that  period.  Not  long  ago  a bright,  old  citizen, 
one  hundred  years  old,  wrote  his  name  very  legibly  for  his  numerous, 
callers.  Our  neighbor  across  the  street  received  her  friends  on  her 
ninetieth  birthday,  and,  till  about  a yearbefore  her  death,  worked  in  her 
garden  almost  daily,  took  a deep  interest  in  the  important  questions  of 
the  day  and  read  without  glasses  to  the  last.  In  the  very  next  house,  with 
the  granddaughter  of  Mary  Butler,  lived  another,  ninety-seven  years 
old.  A few  yards  beyond,  one  ninety-three,  and  in  the  house  adjoining, 
bright  and  active  at  eighty-tliree,  is  one  highly  esteemed.  On  my  right 
lives  a widow  eighty-one  years  of  age,  who  does  all  the  cooking  for  a 
house  full  of  summer  boarders,  besides  making  butter  and  taking  care  of 
her  garden,  and  reading  without  glasses  more  than  many  people  of  leis- 
ure. Just  across  the  academy  green  is  a lady  verging  upon  ninety. 
When  not  busy  about  her  house  she  reads  the  best  books  of  the  day  and 
entertains  friends  with  her  just  criticisms  and  comments  and  her  many 
pleasant  recollections.  She  commenced  the  Bible  with  Scott’s  Commen- 
tary last  January,  reading  the  text,  with  all  the  notes  and  practical  ob- 
servations ; and,  if  she  lives,  will  finish  it  by  the  close  of  this  year.  There 
are  many  others  I could  add  to  this  list  of  ‘ worthies,’  and  I have  chosen 
these  six  widows,  as  they  all  have  lived,  within  a few  rods  of  each  other. 

“ The  young  people  go  to  the  West  and  to  the  cities,  and  the  census- 
taker  is  lightly  taxed — but  do  not  the  pure  air  of  these  breezy  hills  and 
* the  touch  of  the  mountain  sod  ’ seem  to  favor  vigor  of  body  and  mind  ? 

“S.  B.  C.  G.,  in  Manchester  Mirror.''1 


806 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


The  centenarian  alluded  to  in  the  above  commu- 
nication was  Mr.  Russell  Philips.  He  was  a native 
of  Connecticut ; passed  his  first  seven  years  of  life  in 
New  Hampshire,  in  Loudon ; moved  into  Gilmanton 
in  1824.  He  became  a member  of  the  Methodist 
Church,  and  was  a brother  in  whom  could  well  he 
reposed  an  unshaken  confidence.  His  was  an  every- 
day religion. 

His  wife  was  Mary  Merrill.  They  had  seven  chil- 
dren,— Clarissa,  Hiram,  Calvert,  Mary,  Josephine, 
Phvlena  and  Dr.  Butler,  of  Suncook.  On  the  11th  of 
June,  eleven  years  ago,  the  oldest  daughter  became 
totally  blind.  There  is,  however,  in  this  sad  ca- 
lamity, “ light  within,”  and  she  lives  in  waiting  “ for 
the  dawning  of  the  morning,  when  the  shadows  pass 
away.” 

Mr.  Philips  died  September  15,  1874,  aged  one  i 
hundred  years  and  six  months. 

It  was  intended  to  present  in  this  article  brief  no-  i 
tices,  or  at  least  the  names,  of  a multitude  of  distin- 
guished men  who  were  natives,  or  pursued  their  early 
■education  in  Gilmanton,  but  space  forbids. 

By  the  census  of  1880  the  population  of  Gilman- 
ton is  fourteen  hundred  and  eighty-five.  By  the 
records  of  its  history,  among  the  earliest  settlers  were 
a family  of  Weeds.  The  last  to  leave  will  be  weeds, 
unless  our  young  men  come  out  of  cities  on  to  these 
farms,  that  have  all  the  elements  of  beauty  and  fruit- 
fulness. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


THOMAS  DURRELL. 

There  is  always  something  encouraging  and  inspir- 
ing in  the  record  of  a brave  and  honest  struggle  with 
the  difficulties  of  life  and  the  untoward  circumstances 
of  one’s  lot,  when  that  struggle  results  in  success, — a 
success  gained  by  honest  and  persistent  endeavor. 
We  have  an  example  of  this  in  the  life  of  Thomas 
Durrell,  who  was  born  in  Gilford,  N.  H.,  January  29, 
1798.  He  was  born  and  educated  among  a peculiar,  { 
tried  and  worthy  people,  among  plain,  frugal,  solid, 
toiling  pioneers, — a race  quite  different  from  those  com-  | 
prising  the  society  of  the  present  time.  The  principal 
capital  of  those  days  consisted  in  the  virtues  and  per- 
sonal energies  of  the  people.  In  his  boyhood  our 
country  knew  very  little  of  newspapers,  libraries, 
academies  and  colleges;  it  knew  chiefly  country  school-  j 
houses,  and  working,  thinking  men  and  women. 

His  grandfather  was  Eliphalet  Durrell,  an  English 
emigrant  who  settled  in  Northwood,  N.  H.,  and  was 
one  of  the  pioneer  farmers  of  the  eighteenth  century.  | 
The  name,  although  domiciled  in  England  for  cen-  i 
turies,  betrays  its  Norman  French  extraction. 

Joseph,  son  of  Eliphalet,  married  Olive  Garmon,  a 
descendant  of  Joseph  Garmon,  one  of  the  early  set-  I 


tiers  of  Northwood,  and  removed  to  Gilford,  with  his 
young  wife,  to  make  a home.  Gilford  was  at  that 
time  very  sparsely  settled,  the  country  a wilderness  of 
rocks  and  woods,  and  every  new-comer  had  to  clear 
his  land,  fell  the  trees  and,  with  courageous  heart  and 
hands,  convert  the  forest  into  cultivated  fields. 

The  young  couple  remained  in  Gilford  for  a few 
years,  working  with  patient  and  unremitting  industry, 
and  then  removed  to  Gilmanton,  where  Mr.  Durrell 
purchased  a lot  of  land.  Three  children  were  born 
to  Joseph  and  Olive  (Garmon)  Durrell, — Nicholas, 
Thomas  and  Polly,  who  married  Jerry  Hutchinson. 
Joseph  Durrell  died  in  1819,  at  the  age  of  forty-six, 
and  his  land  was  inherited  by  his  two  sons.  Nicholas 
was  a man  of  energy,  a colonel  in  the  militia.  His 
barn  was  struck  by  lightning  in  1831,  with  a loss  of 
about  one  thousand  dollars,  and  he  soon  after  sold  his 
interest  in  Gilmanton  to  his  brother,  and  emigrated  to 
Thornton,  N.  H.,  and  died  there. 

Thomas  Durrell  married,  April  19,  1819,  Sarah, 
daughter  of  Levi  and  Esther  (Melcher)  Hutchinson. 
(Levi  Hutchinson  was  a soldier  in  the  War  of  the 
Revolution,  and  one  of  the  detachment  sent  the  night 
before  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  to  throw  up  entrench- 
ments there).  Thomas  and  Sarah  (Hutchinson)  Dur- 
rell had  eight  children, — Joseph  B.,  Ann  M.  (Mrs.  John 
Wallace,  of  Sanbornton),  Martha  C.  (died  aged  four- 
teen years),  Sarah  A.  (Mrs.  George  Folsom),  Thomas 
F.  (died  in  California),  Eliza  J.  (Mrs.  Hiram  Richard- 
son, of  Concord),  Lewis  E.  and  Charles  W. 

Mr.  Durrell  remained  in  Gilmanton,  and  for  many 
years  was  one  of  the  hardest-working  men  of  this  sec- 
tion. He  continued  making  additions  to  his  farm 
until  he  owned  about  two  thousand  five  hundred  acres 
in  one  body,  and  gave  his  name  to  Durrell’s  Mountain. 
An  old  citizen  informs  us  that  Mr.  Durrell  told  him 
that  he  had  made  about  forty  miles  of  stone  wall, 
and  to  the  observer  of  the  work  to-day  it  would  seem 
as  if  this  was  rather  under  than  over-estimated.  The 
same  qualities  which  made  him  successful  as  a farmer 
recommended  him  to  offices  of  trust.  He  devoted 
much  time  and  attention  to  the  public  interests  of  the 
town,  attended  every  town-meeting  from  the  time  he 
was  a voter  until  the  year  of  his  death,  and  for  many 
years  was  a man  of  much  influence.  He  was  often 
called  to  office  in  the  town,  served  as  selectman,  rep- 
resentative, etc.,  and  was  honored  by  an  election  as 
county  treasurer.  In  all  his  official  duties  the  same 
safe  conservatism,  active  energy  and  unflinching  in- 
tegrity which  prevailed  in  his  private  life  were  exhib- 
ited. He  was  interested  in  the  military  organizations 
of  the  State,  and  in  1825  was  appointed  adjutant  of 
the  Tenth  Regiment.  Politically,  Mr.  Durrell  was  of 
the  Jeffersonian  school,  and  remained  true  to  those 
old  Jeffersonian  and  Jacksonian  ideas,  having  always 
voted  the  straight  Democratic  ticket  with  one  exception. 

In  1861,  Mrs.  Durrell  died,  and  the  following  year 
Mr.  Durrell  married  Mrs.  Francis  A.  Burns,  and  im- 
mediately purchased  the  James  Bell  estate,  in  Laco- 


_ 


GILMANTON. 


807 


nia,  where  he  made  his  residence,  attending  to  his 
numerous  financial  interests  until  his  death,  May  9, 
1883,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-five  years.  He 
was  the  owner  of  the  Cerro  Gordo  Hotel,  and  after  the 
destruction  of  that  hotel  by  fire  he  erected  several 
stores  on  this  property.  He  was  one  of  the  incorpo- 
rators of  the  Laconia  National  Bank,  of  which  he  was 
made  a director,  and  was  actively  connected  with 
various  business  enterprises.  He  was  for  many  years 
a member  of  the  Congregational  Church  at  Gilmanton 
Iron-Works  and  the  North  Church,  of  Laconia. 

Mr.  Durrell  was  a fine-looking  man,  of  pleasant 
manners,  social,  kind-hearted,  careful  and  conserva- 
tive in  business  matters.  He  was  a man  of  good  per- 
sonal habits,  of  strong  constitution,  with  good  health, 
and  retained  the  use  of  his  faculties  in  an  unusual 
manner.  He  adopted  and  maintained  through  life 
good  rules  of  thought  and  good  principles  of  conduct, — 
the  soundest  and  best  of  rules,  as  his  long  life  and  bis 
success  fully  testify.  Thorough,  positive  and  ener- 
getic, he  accomplished  much  and  was  a valued  and 
worthy  citizen. 


THOMAS  COGSWELL,  JR. 

Thomas,  youngest  son  of  Hon.  Thomas  and  Polly 
Noyes  Cogswell,  was  born  in  Gilmanton  February 
■8,  1841 ; was  educated  at  Gilmanton  Academy  and 
Dartmouth  College,  from  which  institution  he  grad- 
uated in  the  class  of  1863.  In  1862,  Mr.  Cogswell 
enlisted  in  Company  A,  Fifteenth  New  Hampshire 
Volunteers,  and  was  at  once  appointed  first  lieuten- 
ant, soon  afterwards  being  promoted  to  captain.  He 
was  stationed  in  the  Department  of  the  Gulf,  under 
General  Banks,  and  was  with  his  regiment  at  the 
siege  and  surrender  of  Port  Hudson.  Upon  the  ex- 
piration of  his  term  of  service,  in  1863,  Mr.  Cogswell 


pursued  the  study  of  law  with  Messrs.  Stevens  & 
Vaughan,  at  Laconia,  and  at  Harvard  Law  School, 
and  was  admitted  as  an  attorney-at-laiv  in  the  Su- 
preme Court  of  New  Hampshire  in  September,  1866. 
He  commenced  the  practice  of  law  at  Gilmanton 
Iron- Works  in  December,  1866,  where  he  has  since 
remained. 

The  town  of  Gilmanton  has  generally  been  largely 
Republican  in  its  politics ; yet  Mr.  Cogswell,  al- 
though a Democrat,  has  been  elected  to  nearly  every 
office  in  the  gift  of  his  townsmen.  In  1868  was  su- 
perintending school  committee;  in  1871  and  ’72, 
representative  in  the  State  Legislature,  and  the  last 
year  candidate  of  his  party  for  Speaker ; in  1880, 
1881  and  1882  was  one  of  the  selectmen,  and  for  two 
years  was  chairman  of  the  board ; in  1878  was 
chosen  State  Senator  from  District  No.  6.  Mr.  Cogs- 
well was  appointed  colonel  on  Governor  Weston’s  staff 
in  1871.  In  addition  to  a busy  professional  life,  Mr. 
Cogswell  has  carried  on  extensive  farming  operations, 
and  has  made  great  improvements  on  the  large  farm 
formerly  occupied  by  his  ancestors. 

In  the  cause  of  education  Mr.  Cogswell  has  always 
been  active,  and  for  many  years  has  been  one  of  the 
board  of  trustees  of  Gilmanton  Academy,  and  at  the 
present  time  is  president  and  treasurer  of  the  same. 
Mr.  Cogswell  is  noted  for  his  liberality  and  public 
spirit,  and  large  numbers  of  poor  people  have  cause 
to  remember  him  as  a good  friend  in  their  time  of 
need. 

Mr.  Cogswell  is  a member  of  Winnipesaukee  Lodge 
of  F.  and  A.  Masons ; also  of  Post  37,  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic,  at  Laconia,  and  Crystal  Lake 
Grange,  Patrons  of  Husbandry,  Gilmanton  Iron- 
Works.  In  1873,  Mr.  Cogswell  married  Florence, 
daughter  of  R.  D.  Mooers,  of  Manchester,  and  has 
three  children, — one  daughter  and  two  sons. 


HISTORY  OF  LACONIA. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Geographical — Early  History — Eudicut  Rock — Original  Owners  of  Land — 
Former  Proprietors  .of  Laconia  Village — Meredith  Bridge  in  1813 — 
Laconia  in  1842 — The  First  Tavern — First  Saw-Mill. 

The  town  of  Laconia  lies  near  the  centre  of  the 
county,  and  is  bounded  as  follows:  North  by  Mere- 
dith ; East,  Gilford  and  Long  Bay ; South,  Belmont 
and  Lake  Winnesquam  ; West,  by  Lake  Winnesquam. 

In  the  year  1622  “ the  council  established  at  Ply- 
mouth, in  the  county  of  Devon,  for  the  planting, 
ruling  and  governing  of  New  England,  in  America,” 
granted  to  Captain  John  Mason  “ all  the  lands  be- 
tween the  rivers  Merrimack  and  Sagadahoc,  extend- 
ing back  to  the  great  lakes  and  rivers  of  Canada,  and 
this  was  called  Laconia.”  This  was  the  famous  Ma- 
sonian  grant  which  so  much  and  so  long  affected  the 
geography  and  history  of  the  province  of  New  Hamp- 
shire. 

In  laying  out  a new  township  from  Meredith  and 
Gilford  the  town  fathers  very  properly  and  appropri- 
ately sought  to  commemmorate  the  historical  fact 
above  mentioned  and  chose  the  present  name  of 
Laconia.  For  this  reason  much  of  the  early  his- 
tory of  Laconia  will  be  found  in  the  histories 
of  Gilmanton  and  Meredith.  The  population  of 
Laconia,  according  to  the  census  of  1880,  was  about 
three  thousand  eight  hundred,  hut  it  is  proba- 
ble that  the  increase  since  that  time  will  carry  the 
number  of  inhabitants  to  four  thousand  and  over. 

Strange  as  it  may  appear,  the  territory  of  Laconia 
was  once  claimed  as  within  the  jurisdiction  of 
Massachusetts  Bay  Colony.  As  early  as  1638  the 
colony  had  sent  out  a surveying  party,  who  ascended 
the  Merrimack  River  and  marked  a tree  somewhere 
near  the  confluence  of  the  Pemigewasset  and  Winni- 
piseogee  Rivers  as  the  northern  bound  of  the  colony. 
Some  years  later,  “upon  perusal  of  our  charter,”  they 
of  the  Bay  Colony  who  had  the  affairs  of  the  settle- 
ment in  charge  decided  that  they  had  not  extended 
their  claim  far  enough  north  into  the  wilderness;  so 
they  dispatched  a new  party  into  the  north-land  to 
expand  their  frontier.  Accordingly,  in  May,  1652, 
Captain  Simon  Willard  and  Edward  Johnson  were 
named  as  commissioners.  They  started  from  Ipswich 
in  a sail-boat  with  a small  company  of  assistants,  and 
sailed  up  the  Merrimack  River.  In  the  company  was 
Jonathan  Ince,  John  Sherman  and  at  least  two  Indians. 
The  river  was  the  Indian  thoroughfare,  and  around 
808 


the  numerous  falls  of  its  course  the  red  men  had 
paths,  called  carrying  places.  There  is  no  record  extant 
| of  how  the  expedition  overcame  the  natural  obstacles 
of  the  journey ; but  certain  it  is  that  they  arrived  at 
the  Weirs  August  1,1652,  and  there  marked  a boulder 
as  the  north  bound  of  the  colony.  They  returned  to 
the  lower  settlements  after  an  absence  of  nineteen 
days,  and  for  nearly  two  centuries  their  monument 
was  lost  to  human  ken. 

In  1725,  John  Lovewell,  with  his.band,  traversed  the 
wilderness,  seeking  for  the  scalps  of  hostile  Indians, 
but  it  was  years  later  before  the  white  men  came  to 
stay. 

The  rock  marked  by  Simon  Willard  and  party  has 
had  a history.  Its  location  was  rediscovered  by 
chance  about  the  year  1854,  while  making  an  exca- 
tion in  the  channel,  and  it  was  visited  by  Judge  Saw- 
yer, Philip  Carrigain  and  others  interested  in  his- 
torical subjects.  The  Lake  Company  had  raised  the 
water  of  the  lake  by  a dam,  and  it  was  exposed  to 
the  action  of  ice,  and  from  fear  that  the  inscription 
would  be  entirely  lost,  J.  A.  Dupee,  a former  treasurer 
of  the  Lake  Company,  sent  Italian  artists  to  make  a 
cast  of  the  inscription,  and  facsimiles  were  made, 
one  of  which  can  be  seen  at  the  New  Hampshire 
Historical  Society’s  rooms  in  Concord.  The  lovers  of 
history  and  the  antique,  however,  were  not  satisfied 
with  doing  this  alone,  but  agitated  the  matter,  and 
at  last,  in  1883,  got  an  appropriation  from  the  State 
Legislature  for  raising  the  rock  above  the  surface, 
and  surrounding  it  by  safeguards  against  further 
harm.  The  Legislature  of  1885  made  a further  ap- 
propriation. Hon.  John  Kimball,  E.  P.  Jewell,  Esq., 
and  W.  E.  Buck  are  the  commissioners  having  the 
business  in  charge. 

This  hound  lost  all  interest  for  the  Massachusetts 
Bay  Colony  in  1740,  when  the  present  boundary  be- 
tween the  two  States  was  established. 


El  S W 

W P I 0 H N 

E N D I C V T 
GOV 


LETTERS  OX  STOXE. 


LACONIA. 


809 


Original  Owners  of  Land. — Colonel  Samuel  Ladd 
bought  the  land  on  what  is  now  called  Ladd  Hill  in 
1780.  He  soon  after  purchased  two  and  a half  acres 
on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  of  Samuel  Jewett,  for 
seven  Spanish  milled  dollars.  The  land  on  the  other 
side  of  the  river  he  already  owned.  A saw-mill  was 
soon  after  erected  on  this  lot  of  land,  and  as  the  wa- 
ter privilege  was  better,  was  an  improvement  over  the 
mill  at  “ Wears.” 

Former  Owners  of  Laconia  Village. — The  land 
on  the  north  side  of  Winnipesaukee  River  was  first 
owned  by  Master  (schoolmaster)  James,  of  Exeter. 
Stephen  Gale,  of  Gilmanton,  next  purchased  the  land 
and  sold  it  to  Colonel  Samuel  Ladd  in  1783.  This 
tract  of  land  ran  from  where  the  river  empties  into 
Lake  Winnesquam  to  a point  near  the  Church  Street 
bridge,  and  embraced  all  the  land  between  this  line  and 
the  river.  Colonel  Ladd  also  purchased  all  the  land 
possible  adjoining  this  property,  and  probably  owned 
about  all  that  the  present  village  of  Laconia  covers 
north  of  the  river.  When  Colonel  Ladd  died,  in  1801, 
his  property  was  divided  among  the  heirs  and  a large 
portion  of  the  land  was  inherited  by  the  wife  of  Ste- 
phen Perley,  Esq.  When  the  town  of  Gilmanton  was 
divided  into  lots,  the  land  on  the  south  side  of  the 
river,  from  the  outlet  at  Round  Bay  to  Gove’s  Point, 
was  divided  into  two  lots  about  one  hundred  and 
twenty  rods  wide.  Most  of  this  property  was  first 
owned  by  James  Conner  and  John  Lowe,  but  was  soon 
after  purchased  by  Samuel  Jewett,  together  with  other 
land  further  to  the  east.  Daniel  Avery  and  Dr.  Bow- 
man afterwards  bought  part  of  this  property. 

The  land  where  the  first  settlement  was  made  in 
Laconia  was  near  the  head  of  Round  Bay,  and  was 
purchased  by  Ebenezer  Smith  of  John  Purmont,  the 
original  owner. 

Meredith  Bridge  in  1813.— The  late  Timothy  D. 
Somes  came  to  Meredith  Bridge  in  1813,  and,  in  a 
statement  made  a short  time  before  his  death  (in  1884), 
gives  the  following  interesting  facts  regarding  the 
Bridge  at  that  time : He  states  that  there  was  but 

one  church  then,  and  no  settled  minister  in  town. 
The  church  was  built  by  individuals  and  belonged  to 
no  particular  denomination  ; was  a small  building  and 
stood  on  the  lots  just  below  the  present  Willard  Hotel. 
There  was  a cotton-mill  where  thebrick  Belknap  Mill 
now  stands  ; this  building  was  of  the  same  size  on  the 
ground  in  1813  as  to-day,  and  was  called  the  Avery 
Mill.  The  owners  were  Daniel  Avery,  Daniel  Tucker, 
Stephen  Perley,  and  perhaps  others  were  also  inter- 
ested. This  mill  was  burned  down  some  eight  or  nine 
years  after  Mr.  Somes  came  here.  There  was  a cloth- 
ing-mill at  the  end  of  Mill  Street  bridge,  on  the  site 
now  occupied  by  J.  W.  Busiel  & Co.’s  dye-house. 
This  clothing-mill  was  owned  and  operated  by  Sam- 
uel and  Nathan  Bean. 

There  was  an  oil-mill  a few  feet  above  the  clothing- 
mill  owned  by  Stephen  Perley, — a small  mill,  with 
one  set  of  stones.  The  oil  was  sold  and  used  for  paint- 
52 


iug  purposes.  Daniel  Tucker  owned  a blacksmith- 
shop  where  L.  F.  Busiel’s  hosiery-mill  is  to-day. 
Tucker’s  shop  was  run  by  water-power  and  had  a 
small  trip-hammer.  He  manufactured  axes,  scythes, 
shears  and  other  edge-tools.  There  was  a bell  foundry 
just  below  Tucker’s  shop,  owned  and  run  by  the  well- 
known  Holbrooks.  They  cast  the  first  bell  rung  in 
town  ; this  bell  was  hung  in  the  bell-tower  of  the  cot- 
ton-factory.  The  Holbrooks  afterwards  left  town  and 
continued  business  in  Massachusetts,  where  they 
achieved  a national  reputation.  The  North  Church  bell 
and  other  bells  in  town  were  cast  by  the  Holbrooks. 

There  was  a small,  narrow  bridge  across  the  river 
on  Main  Street  at  that  time,  near  where  the  present 
bridge  is  located.  The  bridge  had  no  railing  then  ; 
but  a man  named  French  fell  off  into  the  water  and 
was  drowned  soon  after  Mr.  Somes  came  here,  and 
then  the  bridge  was  supplied  with  a railing. 

On  the  Gilford  side  was  a saw-mill  owned  by  Dud- 
ley Ladd.  It  stood  near  the  end  of  Mill  Street  bridge, 
on  the  Baldwin  site.  There  was  a grist-mill  on  the 
site  now  occupied  by  the  Pitman  picker-house,  owned 
by  Jonathan  Ladd,  a brother  of  Dudley  Ladd.  The 
house  where  Rev.  J.  P.  Atkinson  lives  was,  in  1813, 
kept  as  a hotel  by  Jonathan  Folsom,  and  was  proba- 
bly the  first  hotel  in  the  place. 

The  road  through  the  village  was  the  old  Province 
road  ; the  only  road  to  Lake  village  was  what  is  now 
called  Lake  Street.  At  Lake  village  Mr.  Folsom  had 
at  that  time  a saw-mill,  and  a grist-mill  on  the  Mere- 
dith, or  Laconia,  side  of  the  river.  There  were  only 
five  houses  on  the  Gilford  side  at  Lake  village  in 
1829.  Mr.  Folsom’s  house  was  the  only  dwelling  at 
Lake  village  in  1813  on  that  side  of  the  river. 

There  were  but  thirty-four  houses  at  Meredith 
Bridge  in  1813,  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  and 
some  of  these  were  mere  shanties.  The  best  house  in 
town  then  was  the  John  A.  Harper  residence,  where 
Mrs.  Dr.  Prescott  now  lives.  Mr.  Harper  was  the 
only  lawyer  in  town,  and  was  an  able  man  ; was  at 
one  time  a member  of  Congress. 

The  mails  were  frequently  carried  from  Concord  to 
Centre  Harbor  on  horseback.  No  wagons  were  to  be 
seen  on  the  streets  when  Mr.  Somes  came  here,  but 
all  business  seemed  to  be  done  on  horseback.  It  was 
no  uncommon  thing  to  see  four  persons  on  one  horse, 
and  Mr.  Somes  stated  that  he  had  been  one  of 
three  persons  on  a horse’s  back  many  times.  The  first 
wagon  ever  made  in  these  parts  was  built  by  James 
Jackson,  in  Meredith. 

The  leading  spirits  then  at  Meredith  Bridge  were 
John  A.  Harper;  Stephen  Perley,  who  lived  on  the 
spot  now  occupied  by  the  Parker  block  ; Dudley  Ladd  ; 
Jonathan  Ladd  ; Asa  D.  Eager,  who  lived  where 
Gove’s  Block  now  is  ; Deacon  Kimball,  who  carried 
on  an  earthenware  business  on  the  lot  next  to  the 
Gilford  Hosiery  boarding-house  ; Daniel  Avery,  who 
lived  where  the  residence  of  W.  L.  Melcher,  Esq.,  is 
now  located,  in  the  house  called  the  Andrew  Wood- 


810 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE 


man  house  ; Mr.  Avery  had  a small  store  nearly  op- 
posite his  residence,  where  he  sold  groceries  and  rum. 
Soon  after  1813,  Mr.  Avery  went  into  the  potash  busi- 
ness in  a building  just  south  of  his  store.  Ur.  Za- 
dock  Bowman  was  the  only  physician  in  town  ; he 
lived  where  D.  A.  Tilton’s  house  stands.  The  doctor 
was  very  peculiar  and  eccentric;  not  much  of  a phy- 
sician, but  did  what  business  there  was,  and  also  made 
money  by  letting  money  and  farming ; was  a short, 
thick-set  man,  and  owned  a large  amount  of  land. 

Mr.  Somes  spoke  very  highly  of  Stephen  Perley, 
and  said  that  no  man  left  his  impress  more  distinctly 
than  Mr.  Perley.  He  was  a large,  noble-looking  man, 
owned  a great  deal  of  property,  did  a large  business 
and  was  connected  with  all  the  enterprises  that 
tended  to  build  up  the  town.  Mr.  Perley  kept  the 
post-office  for  quite  a number  of  years  ; was  an  active 
Democrat ; kept  a general  supply  store,  and,  as  usual 
in  those  days,  sold  rum,  but  it  is  said  never  drank  any 
himself.  In  1813  Mr.  Perley  traded  in  a small  wooden 
building,  where  afterwards  a brick  store  was  erected, 
about  half  of  which  is  now  standing  on  the  corner  of 
Main  and  Mill  Streets.  There  was  no  Main  Street  then 
above  Mill  Street.  The  first  place  where  Mr.  Somes 
attended  school  was  in  a little,  old-fashioned  school- 
house  near  the  present  location  of  Huse’s  machine- 
shop.  In  1813  a small  brook  ran  through  Bank  Square, 
following  what  is  now  the  course  of  the  canal.  The 
brook  was  crossed  by  small  bridges  of  one  or  two  planks. 

A copy  of  the  Belknap  Gazette,  printed  in  1842, 
gives  a very  good  idea  of  the  village  of  Laconia  at 
that  time.  Colonel  Charles  Lane  was  the  editor  and 
publisher  of  the  Gazette,  and  from  its  columns  it  ap- 
pears that  there  were  in  the  place  three  cotton-mills, 
a woolen-mill,  grist-mill,  saw-mills,  shingle,  clap- 
board, sash  and  door  machinery,  a large  tannery  and 
various  other  industries.  There  was  a large  printing 
establishment  operated  by  D.  B.  Allison,  with  water- 
power press,  and  a bindery  and  book-store  connected. 
There  were  ten  stores,  two  apothecaries,  one  jeweler 
and  watchmaker,  two  barbers,  two  physicians,  five  j 
lawyers,  three  clergymen,  three  taverns,  three  new 
churches,  well  finished  and  painted,  and  one  academy 
in  a flourishing  condition.  William  Clark,  Benjamin 
Boardman,  Lyman  B.  Walker  and  H.  L.  Hazelton 
were  of  the  legal  fraternity.  Nathaniel  A.  Stephens  j 
ran  a tailor  shop  over  George  L.  Sibley’s  general  mer- 
chandise store.  Lewis  H.  Ham  was  a dealer  in  gro-  { 
ceries  and  provisions.  A.  G.  Folsom  was  also  in  the 
grocery  business,  and  William  M.  Ladd  sold  patent 
medicines  and  drugs.  Wilson  & Barron  and  Gale, 
Pitman  & Co.,  general  merchandise,  were  also  in 
business  at  this  time. 

The  regular  stage  line  went  through  from  Holder- 
ness  to  Boston  in  one  day,  at  that  time  leaving  the 
Belknap  Hotel  at  six  o’clock  in  the  morning,  going 
three  days  in  the  week  by  way  of  Pittsfield  and  Ex- 
eter, and  the  remainder  of  the  time  via  Concord  and 
Manchester. 


Dr.  Josiah  Crosby  had  just  opened  an  eye  and  ear 
infirmary.  The  Gilford  Academy  was  under  the  in- 
struction of  Joshua  M.  Pitman.  S.  J.  Osgood  the 
barber  advertised  his  business.  Gove  & Currier  were 
dealers  in  furniture,  opposite  John  C.  Moulton’s 
tavern.  In  1842,  New  Hampton  was  the  only  town 
in  Belknap  County  that  did  not  permit  the  open  sale 
of  liquor  ; but  in  October,  1842,  all  the  public-houses 
in  Laconia  claimed  to  discontinue  the  sale  of  ardent 
spirits.  A declaration  of  independence  was  issued  in 
1843,  signed  by  one  hundred  and  two  citizens,  who 
pledged  themselves  to  prevent  the  sale  of  liquor  in  the 
town.  Soon  after  this  it  was  announced  that  the  sale 
of  intoxicating  drinks  in  the  village  had  entirely 
ceased.  The  Meredith  Bridge  Washingtonian  Total 
Abstinence  Association,  Miss  Harriet  Gale,  secretary, 
was  then  in  active  operation. 

First  Tavern. — The  first  public-house  erected 
within  the  precincts  of  what  is  now  Laconia  village 
was  built  about  1783,  and  stood  a short  distance  above 
the  Main  Street  bridge  of  to-day.  A store  and  stable 
were  connected  with  the  establishment.  The  tavern 
proved  to  be  a handy  “ half-way  house  ” between  Gil- 
manton  and  Meredith  Parade. 

A log  house  was  built  on  the  spot  where  W.  D. 
Huse’s  machine-shop  now  stands,  about  1780,  and 
after  the  saw-mill  was  started  was  replaced.  This 
second  building  stood,  with  more  or  less  repairs,  until 
a few  years  ago. 

The  first  saw-mill  in  town  was  built  at  Weirs,  in 
1766,  by  the  proprietors  of  the  township.  Ebenezer 
Smith  and  William  Mead  had  charge  of  the  mill,  and 
paid  rent  for  the  same.  The  iron-work  for  this  mill 
was  brought  from  Exeter,  and  the  wood-work  was 
hewn  on  the  spot.  The  power  was  obtained  from  a 
large  under-shot  wheel.  The  mill,  although  of  course 
a rude  affair,  answered  all  purposes  and  remained  in 
use  for  many  years.  For  the  first  ten  years  after  the 
mill  was  built  the  logs  were  sawed  on  the  “ halves  ” 
plan,  and  one-quarter  went  to  the  owners  of  the  mill 
for  rent. 


CHAPTER  II. 

LACONIA—  ( Continued). 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

Congregational  Church. — The  first  religious  or- 
ganization in  Meredith  Bridge  was  incorporated  by 
an  act  of  the  Legislature,  in  1811,  as  the  Meredith 
Bridge  Religious  Society.  The  members  of  the  origi- 
nal society  were  Stephen  Purley,  Daniel  Avery,  John 
A.  Harper,  John  Smith,  Jonathan  Ladd,  Simeon 
Taylor,  Dudley  Ladd,  Daniel  Kimball,  Daniel  Tuck- 
er, Horatio  G.  Prescott,  Samuel  H.  Bean,  John  Bur- 
leigh, Josiah  Randlet,  James  Crockett,  Samuel  Jew- 
ett and  Jacob  Jewett.  The  first  meeting  of  this  soci- 
ety was  held  August  3,  1811.  Their  by-laws  ordered 
that  all  moneys  were  to  be  raised  by  assessment  on 


LACONIA. 


811 


the  members,  in  proportion  to  the  ratable  property  of 
said  members.  The  meeting-house,  when  built,  was 
to  be  open  to  all  religious  denominations.  The  by- 
laws stated  : “ The  use  and  occupation  of  the  house 
shall  be  open  to  all  religious  denominations  in  such  a 
way  that  no  one  proprietor  thereof  shall  be  barred 
from  introducing  any  regular  preacher  of  any  religious 
denomination  into  said  house  for  the  purpose  of 
preaching  such  a proportion  of  the  time  as  shall  be 
equal  to  his  or  her  proportion  of  property  therein.” 

In  1809  the  lot  south  of  what  is  now  the  Willard 
Hotel,  containing  about  five  rods  front  on  Province 
road,  was  purchased  by  Daniel  Avery,  as  trustee  for 
the  inhabitants,  as  a site  for  a church  building.  The 
price  paid  for  the  land  was  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  dollars,  and  the  money  was  raised  by  subscription 
of  twenty-seven  of  the  business  men  and  farmers  in 
the  vicinity. 

Dr.  Bowman  offered  a larger  lot  on  what  is  now 
Court  Street,  and  at  a less  price,  but  the  Province 
road  site  was  thought  the  better  location,  and,  accor- 
dingly, the  church  was  built  there.  The  building  was 
built  largely  by  subscriptions  of  lumber  and  labor. 
One  person  gave  a certain  amount  of  lumber,  another 
agreed  to  lay  one  thousand  of  shingles  on  the  roof, 
and  many  others  gave  from  a day  to  two  weeks’  labor 
on  the  edifice.  The  dimensions  of  the  building  were 
nearly  fifty  by  forty  feet,  high-posted,  with  two  rows 
of  windows  for  light.  The  end  facing  the  street  was 
ornamented  with  a bell-tower  aud  large  steeple,  with 
a wooden  fish  as  a weather-vane.  This  steeple  was 
a great  affair  for  that  time,  and  was  considered  by 
many  the  most  beautiful  church-steeple  in  all  New 
England.  Inside  the  church  was  a good-sized  gal- 
lery, in  which  the  pews  were  sold,  which  were  of  the 
old-style,  square  and  high-backed. 

This  church  building  remained  in  use  for  twenty- 
six  years,  and  was  destroyed  by  fire  on  the  morning 
of  February  27,  1836. 

Several  missionaries  of  various  denominations  vis- 
ited Meredith  Bridge  after  the  erection  of  the  new 
church,  but  none  of  them  appeared  to  remain  very  long. 
Rev.  John  Turner,  of  Massachusetts,  was  the  first  pas- 
tor who  was  rewarded  with  anything  like  success  for 
his  efforts.  The  following  extract  from  a letter  writ- 
ten by  Mr.  Turner,  in  1833,  and  dated  at  Boston, 
Mass.,  will  give  some  of  the  difficulties  under  which 
he  and  other  clergymen  labored  at  that  time  in  Mere- 
dith Bridge : 

“ I was  the  first  missionary  who  succeeded  in  gain- 
ing a congregation  to  hear  me  at  Meredith  Bridge. 
There  preceded  me  three  missionaries,  whose  names 
I do  not  now  recollect,  who,  not  being  able  to  gather 
any  of  the  people  in  a few  days  to  hear  them  preach, 
and  who  encountered  sour  looks  and  hard  words  from 
everybody,  were  discouraged,  and  went  away  without 
doing  anything,  practically  saying  that  the  soil  was 
too  sterile  to  be  broken  up  by  the  plowshare  of  the 
Gospel,  and  was  incapable  of  culture;  so  they  left  it, 


as  that  which  bears  briars  and  thorns  and  is  nigh 
worthless. 

“ If  I mistake  not,  I made  my  first  visit  to  that 
place  as  a missionary  in  June,  1813,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Massachusetts  Society  for  Promoting 
Christian  Knowledge,  in  whose  employment  I labored 
the  whole  time  I was  there.  To  them  I looked,  and 
from  them  I received  my  support.  I first  went  on  a 
commission  of  three  months  to  all  the  towns  destitute 
of  a settled  minister,  which  lay  on  every  side  of  Win- 
nipiseogee  Lake,  making  Meredith  Bridge  my  princi- 
pal stand,  and  to  use  my  own  discretion  ingoing  from 
one  place  to  another  as  I thought  best.  This  com- 
mission was  renewed  from  time  to  time,  as  it  expired, 
for  three  years,  in  which  I was  constantly  in  their  em- 
ployment on  that  interesting  ground,  except  a few 
weeks  at  a time  when  I visited  my  family  and  preach- 
ed to  the  people  of  my  charge.  . . . 

“ The  Congregational  missionaries  once  passed 
through  the  country  like  shooting  stars,  making  a lu- 
cid path  ; but  being  obliged  by  their  commissions  to 
pass  on,  they  were  not  able  to  cultivate  the  seed  sown. 
Sectarians  were  silent  while  they  passed  along,  but 
then  fell  into  their  train,  and  turned  the  excite- 
ment which  they  had  occasioned  against  the  order 
by  whom  their  attention  had  been  roused  to  the  things 
of  religion,  so  that  they  hurt  rather  than  benefited 
the  cause  in  which  they  labored.  I therefore  refused 
to  accept  a commision  of  that  kind,  lest  I should  do 
an  injury  to  the  cause  of  Christ. 

“ My  reception  by  the  people  of  Meredith  Bridge, 
when  I first  went  among  them,  was  by  no  means  flat- 
tering. Sectarians  of  every  name  had  blended  their 
influence,  and  succeeded  in  planting  a deep-rooted 
prejudice  in  the  minds  of  all  the  people  against  the 
Congregational  ministry.  The  first  remarks  I made 
in  my  journal  on  that  ground  I distinctly  recollect  to 
be  nearly  in  the  following  words:  ‘This  morning  I 
came  from  Tuftonborough,  over  the  lake  to  Alton,  and 
walked  to  this  place,  the  distance  being  sixteen  miles, 
and  came  to  Mr.  Avery’s  before  eight  o’clock,  to 
whom  I had  letters  of  introduction.  I was  weary  and 
exhausted  when  I came  out  of  the  wilderness  through 
which  I passed,  but  when  the  village  broke  upon  my 
eye  the  contrast  was  animating.  Everything  before 
me  and  around  me  was  pleasant  to  the  eye;  but  when 
I went  from  house  to  house  and  mingled  with  the  in- 
habitants my  heart  sank  within  me.  From  eight 
o’clock  in  the  morning  to  four  in  the  afternoon  I met 
not  an  individual  who  welcomed  me  in  words  or  looks. 
But  at  four  in  the  afternoon  I found  a family  about 
half  a mile  out  of  the  village,  Mr.  Jacob  Jewett’s,  who 
received  me  with  open  arms,  and  welcomed  me  to 
their  home. 

“When  I introduced  myself  to  Mr.  Jewett  he  said  : 
‘ I am  very  glad  and  very  sorry  to  see  you.’  To  my 
inquiries  regarding  his  reply,  he  answered:  ‘I  am 
glad  to  see  a minister  of  the  gospel ; but  I am  sorry  to 
see  you  here,  for  I know  that  you  can  do  no  good, 


812 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


for  none  will  hear  you  preach,  and  you  will  be  in- 
sulted and  abused.’ 

“But  as  hard  looks  and  lowering  countenances  never 
broke  my  head  or  heart,  I ventured  to  appoint  a 
meeting  for  the  Sabbath  at  the  meeting-house.  We 
were  agreeably  disappointed  to  find  about  fifty  per- 
sons who  turned  out  to  hear  the  word  of  God.  I did 
not  visit  in  the  village  any  more  for  three  weeks,  but 
preached  to  them,  according  to  appointment,  every 
Sabbath,  and  found  the  congregations  increasing  in 
number  about  fifty  each  succeeding  Sabbath.  Rightly 
knowing  that  the  sectarians  would  let  me  alone  while 
they  thought  I would  soon  leave  the  ground,  I made 
my  appointments  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath,  leading 
them  to  think,  when  an  appointment  was  made,  that 
it  might  be  the  last.  In  this  way  I kept  them  easy 
so  that  they  broke  not  upon  me,  nor  interfered  in  my 
labors,  till  I had  awakened  an  interest  among  the  peo- 
ple in  my  favor.  Knowing  that  the  prejudice  among 
the  people  was  so  strong  against  notes,  that  if  a min- 
ister should  show  a scrap  of  paper  ever  so  small,  while 
preaching,  it  would  drive  all  out  of  the  house,  I 
preached  extemporaneously  to  them  for  nine  months, 
and  had  not  even  the  Bible  with  me  in  the  pulpit, 
lest  they  should  think  notes  were  hidden  therein. 

“There  was  another  evil  which  I had  to  encounter, 
namely,  a suggestion  from  some  that  the  sermons 
were  written  and  committed  to  memory,  and  preached 
a thousand  times.  They  soon,  however,  gave  me  an 
opportunity  to  stop  this  by  giving  me  three  portions 
of  Scripture  in  one  day,  as  I was  going  into  the  pulpit, 
from  which  I preached  to  their  satisfaction  the  three 
services  of  the  day. 

“ Had  it  not  been  for  the  unbounded  kindness  and 
hospitality  of  Mr.  Jacob  Jewett,  whose  house  and 
stable  were  ever  open  for  my  accommodation,  I prob- 
ably should  have  been  discouraged  at  the  outset, 
as  others  before  me  had  been.  . . . After  I 

had  been  there  about  two  months  the  church  where  I 
preached  on  the  Sabbath  was  generally  full.” 

After  Mr.  Turner,  who  remained  about  three  years, 
came  Rev.  Jotham  Sewell,  Rev.  Henry  Sewell,  Rev. 
Nathan  Fiske  (afterwards  professor  of  Greek  in  Am- 
herst College)  and  Rev.  Francis  Norwood.  Mr.  Nor- 
wood came  in  June,  1824,  and  the  church  was  organ- 
ized July  20th.  He  stayed  till  1830;  Rev.  J.  K. 
Young,  from  August  12,  1831,  to  1806;  Rev.  H.  M. 
Stone,  1868  to  1871 ; Rev.  William  T.  Bacon,  1871  to 
1876,  Rev.  J.  E.  Fullerton,  1877  to  1881.  The  pres- 
ent efficient  pastor  is  Rev.  Charles  A.  G.  Thurston. 

The  society  owns  a large,  substantial  church  edifice, 
with  a clock-tower  supporting  a lofty  and  graceful 
spire.  The  interior  is  conveniently  arranged  ; a large 
vestry  below,  capable  of  accommodating  three  hun- 
dred people,  and  a smaller  vestry  afford  space  for 
religious  and  social  gatherings.  A beautiful  and 
spacious  audience-room  above  affords  one  of  the  most 
pleasing  interiors  in  the  State. 

The  Laconia  Free  Baptist  Church  was  organized 


March  17,  1838.  Rev.  Nahum  Brooks  was  the  first 
pastor  ordained  here,  and  served  till  December  10, 
1843;  Rev.  Silas  Gaskill  served  from  December  31, 
1843,  to  April  4,  1844;  Rev.  I.  D.  Stewart,  from  April 
4,  1844,  to  April  3,  1852;  Rev.  Ebenezer  Fisk,  from 
April  8,  1852,  to  September  8,  1853;  Rev.  G.  H. 
Pinkham,  from  September  8,  1853,  to  May  24,  1855; 
Rev.  A.  Redlow,  from  September  7,  1855,  to  April, 
1857  ; Rev.  A.  D.  Smith,  from  September  5,  1857,  to 
April,  1861 ; Rev.  Arthur  Caverno,  from  September  7, 
1861,  to  April  5,  1862 ; Rev.  C.  H.  Smith,  from  Sep- 
tember 6,  1862,  to  May,  1864;  Rev.  A.  D.  Smith,  from 
June  4,  1864,  to  May  8,  1873;  Rev.  F.  H.  Lyford, 
from  May  8,  1873,  to  April  31,  1875 ; Rev.  J.  Frank 
Locke,  from  May  4,  1875,  to  April  1,  1876 ; Rev. 
Lewis  Malvern,  from  May  6,  1876,  to  January  24, 
1880;  Rev.  G.  C.  Waterman,  from  March  6,  1880,  to 
April  2,  1881 ; Rev.  F.  D.  George,  from  May  7,  1881, 
to  January  17,  1883;  Rev.  Lewis  Malvern,  from 
January  17,  1883. 

The  present  membership  of  the  church  is  179;  the 
Sunday-school  numbers  260.  The  church  was  built 
before  1840,  and  remodeled  at  an  expense  of  $12,000 
in  1873.  It  was  burned  to  the  ground  October  14, 
1876,  and  rebuilt  the  following  year  for  $10,000. 
The  society  is  composed  of  the  strong  business  men 
of  the  village. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  first  organ- 
ized in  1838,  and  was  in  a flourishing  condition  for  a 
number  of  years,  when,  from  internal  dissension,  the 
church  languished.  It  was  resuscitated  about  1860. 
At  first  they  worshiped  in  the  court-house  and  at  Fol- 
som Hall  until,  in  1868,  the  society  purchased  the 
Unitarian  meeting-house.  There  are  at  present  one 
hundred  and  twenty-five  church  members.  The  society 
owns  the  church  edifice,  clear  of  debt ; they  owe  a small 
sum  on  the  parsonage.  Since  1860  the  following  pas- 
tors have  been  in  charge : Revs.  G.  W.  H.  Clark,  Wil- 
liam H.  Thomas,  George  S.  Noyes,  Calvin  Holman, 
George  W.  Norris  (who  in  1868  raised  the  money  for 
buying  the  meeting-house),  B.  W.  Chase,  H.  B.  Copp, 
T.  Carter,  E.  R.  Wilkins,  S.  C.  Keeler  and  the  present 
pastor,  Rev.  G.  A.  McLaughlin. 

The  meeting-house  is  a modest  and  attractive 
building  of  familiar  New  England  architecture,  hav- 
ing a tower  with  a bell  and  a pretty,  tapering  spire. 
The  audience-room  is  tastefully  frescoed,  and  con- 
tains a fine  organ  and  appropriate  appointments. 

The  Universalist  Society  was  organized  July  19, 
1848,  at  Meredith  Bridge.  They  built  a meeting- 
house, employed  a preacher  and  continued  to  hold 
services  until  about  1846,  when  the  society  lan- 
guished. From  that  time  until  1860  there  were  only 
occasional  services  held.  At  that  time  the  organiza- 
tion was  revived,  preaching  was  supplied,  and  in  1867 
the  name  was  changed  to  the  First  Unitarian  Society" 
of  Laconia.  The  church  was  repaired  and  meetings 
were  held  until  the  congregation  outgrew  their  ac- 
commodations. In  May  of  that  year  a committee  was 


LACONIA. 


813 


appointed  to  build  a new  church,  and  the  next  year  the 
old  building  was  sold  to  the  Methodist  Society.  The 
new  edifice  cost  over  twenty  thousand  dollars,  and 
was  dedicated  in  1868.  It  is  centrally  located,  and  is 
the  most  conspicuous  building  in  the  town.  The  in- 
terior is  elaborately  finished,  containing,  in  the  base- 
ment, a Sunday-school-room,  a study,  a dining-room 
and  a kitchen,  and  above,  a large  audience-room, 
lighted  by  cathedral  windows,  with  elegantly-paneled 
wall  and  ceiling  and  rich  walnut  furniture.  The  gener- 
al effect  of  the  room  is  pleasing,  and  expresses  quiet 
elegance.  Rev.  Thomas  L.  Gorman  was  the  first  set- 
tled minister;  he  was  succeeded,  in  1869,  by  Rev.  C. 
Y.  De  Normandie,  who,  in  turn,  was  succeeded,  in 
1873,  by  Rev.  Clarence  Fowler;  later,  by  Rev.  James 
Collins,  Rev.  Enoch  Powell,  Rev.  John  D.  Wells,  and, 
in  September,  1884,  by  the  present  pastor,  Rev.  James 
Pardee.  The  society  includes  about  one  hundred 
families. 

The  St.  Joseph  Roman  Catholic  Church. — For 

more  than  half  a century  there  have  been  Catholics 
in  Laconia  and  Lake  village.  As  their  numbers 
grew,  they  were  occasionally  visited  by  priests  from 
other  parishes,  Fathers  Dailey  and  McDonald,  of 
Manchester,  among  others.  Rev.  T.  H.  Noiseux,  then 
of  Lancaster,  gathered  the  faithful  into  a society  about 
the  close  of  the  war,  and  stimulated  them  to  raise 
money  and  build  a church.  Accordingly,  a lot  on 
Main  Street  was  bought,  and  a building  was  erected, 
and  was  consecrated  by  Rt.  Rev.  David  W.  Bacon. 
The  people  now  wanted  a resident  priest,  and,  in 
1871,  Rev.  John  W.  Murphy  was  settled — the  parish 
including  Laconia,  Lake  village,  Franklin,  Ashland, 
Canaan,  Lebanon,  Hanover  and  other  places.  In 
April,  1872,  Father  Murphy  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
M.  T.  Goodwin,  a gentleman  of  great  learning,  elo- 
quence and  zeal,  who  reduced,  by  his  exertions,  the 
church  debt. 

The  Catholic  Church  was  burned  July  1,  1877, 
having  been  struck  by  lightning  ; but  the  money  for 
the  erection  of  a new  edifice  was  quickly  raised. 
Father  Goodwin  left  the  parish  the  same  year,  and 
was  succeeded  the  year  following  by  the  present  in- 
cumbent, Rev.  John  Lambert,  under  whose  ministra- 
tions the  rebuilding  of  the  church  was  conducted. 
The  basement  was  first  occupied  February  24,  1879; 
the  church  was  finished  in  1881,  and  was  consecrated 
the  first  Sunday  in  May. 

In  1879  a convent  school  was  opened  in  the  village 
by  four  Sisters  of  Mercy,  of  whom  Sister  Margaret 
was  superior.  The  school  can  accommodate  two 
hundred  scholars. 

In  September,  1881,  the  parish  purchased  a ceme- 
tery lot  of  six  acres,  which  was  consecrated  July  5, 
1885. 

In  1884  Franklin  was  erected  into  a separate  par- 
ish, Ashland  and  northern  towns  having  been  de- 
tached several  years  earlier. 

The  church  is  of  Gothic  architecture,  cruciform, 


with  tower  on  epistle  side,  and  cost  about  six  thou- 
sand dollars. 


CHAPTER  III. 

LACONIA— (Continued). 

The  Press — The  Belknap  Gazette — The  Laconia  Democrat — The  Belknap 
Tocsin — Horse  Railroad — Telephone  Company — Roads  and  Bridges — 
Fire  Department— Fire-Alarm  Telegraph— First  Fire-Engine— Li- 
braries. 

Belknap  Gazette. — The  Belknap  Gazette  was  the 
first  newspaper  published  in  Meredith  Bridge,  and 
was  started  about  1840  by  the  late  Colonel  Charles 
Lane.  Colonel  Lane  conducted  an  extensive  estab- 
lishment for  those  days,  running  a printing-office 
and  book-bindery,  located  about  where  the  post-office 
building  now  stands.  Bibles,  hymn-books  and  works  of 
that  kind  were  printed  on  a hand-press  and  furnished 
to  order  all  complete.  Colonel  Lane  was  a Jefferson- 
ian Democrat,  and  in  1843  the  Whigs  bought  the  pa- 
per and  afterwards  controlled  it.  Various  editors 
and  proprietors  had  the  management  of  the  Gazette 
after  Colonel  Lane,  but  the  paper  was  discontinued 
in  1861.  The  late  J.  H.  Brewster  was  the  last  pro- 
prietor, and  his  reason  for  stopping  the  publication 
was  the  war  prices  of  paper  and  scarcity  of  laborers. 

The  Laconia  Democrat. — In  the  year  1848,  Abram 
Keach  and  D.  K.  Seaver,  of  Manchester,  came  to 
Meredith  Bridge  to  print  a weekly  newspaper  for 
Enoch  Gordon.  At  this  time  Belknap  and  Carroll 
were  the  only  counties  in  the  State  that  had  no  “or- 
gans.” The  paper  was  called  The  New  Hampshire 
Democrat,  and  the  first  number  was  printed  the  last 
week  in  December,  1848,  and  bore  the  date  January  4, 
1849.  This  issue  bore  the  name  of  E.  Gordon,  publisher 
and  proprietor;  but  as  Gordon  could  furnish  no  secur- 
ity to  carry  out  his  contract  with  the  printers,  his 
connection  was  severed  after  one  issue,  and  Messrs. 
Keach  & Seaver  assumed  control,  with  J.  Elkins,  Esq., 
as  editor.  The  paper  was  a success  from  the  start,  and 
was  at  that  time  said  to  be  the  neatest  printed  sheet 
in  the  State.  May  13,  1850,  Seaver  retired  from  the 
business  and  Keach  continued  alone  until  1852,  when 
the  paper  passed  into  the  hands  of  Samuel  C.  Bald- 
win. David  A.  Farrington  of  Concord  was  associated 
with  Mr.  Baldwin  from  1854  to  1857  and  then  retired. 
Mr.  Baldwin  committed  suicide,  and  the  paper  was  pur- 
chased by  Joseph  B.  Batchelder,  January  24,  1862, 
who,  in  turn,  disposed  of  the  concern  to  O.  A.  J. 
Vaughan  in  January,  1868.  Mr.  Vaughan  died  April 
6,  1876,  and  in  June  of  that  year  William  M.  Ken- 
dall, Jr.,  of  Lebanon,  N.  H.,  took  control  and  united 
the  Democrat  and  Weekly  News,  which  he  had  pre- 
viously published  at  Lebanon.  The  Democrat  was 
enlarged  and  otherwise  much  improved  about  this 
time ; but  Mr.  Kendall  became  weary  of  the  business, 
and  was  succeeded  in  1878  by  Edwin  C.  Lewis  and 
Fred.  W.  Sanborn.  Mr.  Sanborn  retired  in  April, 


814 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


1882,  and  the  paper  is  now  published  by  the  firm  of 
Lewis,  Vaughan  & Co.  An  evening  edition  was 
commenced  in  December,  1883,  and  continued  about 
a year,  but  not  receiving  sufficient  encouragement, 
was  discontinued  for  the  time  being. 

The  Belknap  Tocsin.— This  paper  was  established 
as  a Republican  organ  by  Messrs.  C.  W.  & A.  J. 
Hackett,  of  Belmont,  in  the  summer  of  1881.  The 
Tocsin  was  a large  paper,  neatly  printed  and  ably 
edited.  A daily  edition  was  commenced  about  a 
year  later,  and  the  Lakeside  News  from  Lake  village 
merged  with  the  Tocsin,  Mr.  E.  G.  Wilcomb,  of  the 
News,  taking  an  active  interest  in  the  firm.  The 
Hacketts  shortly  after  gave  up  the  business,  and  the 
paper  was  continued  until  March,  1884,  at  which 
time  Mr.  Wilcomb  sold  out  to  Lewis,  Vaughan  & Co., 
of  the  Democrat , and  the  Tocsin  was  discontinued. 
The  paper  did  not  receive  a hearty  support  from  the 
Republicans  of  the  county,  and  it  was  evident  from 
the  first  that  the  Tocsin  would  not  long  continue. 

Horse  Railroad. — The  Laconia  and  Lake  Village 
Horse  Railroad  was  chartered  at  June  session,  1881, 
of  the  New  Hampshire  Legislature.  The  grantees 
were  A.  G.  Folsom,  James  H.  Tilton,  J.  P.  Hutchin- 
son and  Richard  Gove.  The  capital  stock  was  fixed 
at  fifteen  thousand  dollars,  and  the  road  built  in  the 
summer  of  1882.  The  first  car  was  run  over  the  road 
on  Friday  afternoon,  August  18,  1882.  The  first 
annual  meeting  of  the  stockholders  was  held  at 
Folsom  Hall  January  16,  1883.  A.  G.  Folsom,  J.  P. 
Hutchinson,  S.  C.  Clark,  C.  A.  Busiel,  S.  S.  Wiggin, 
R.  Gove  and  S.  B.  Smith  were  elected  directors, 
and  subsequently  A.  G.  Folsom  was  chosen  president 
of  the  board,  J.  P.  Hutchinson  clerk,  and  W.  L. 
Melcher  treasurer.  Bela  S.  Keniston  was  the  first 
superintendent  of  the  road.  About  two  and  one- 
half  miles  of  track  were  laid,  extending  from  the 
Williard  Hotel,  in  Laconia,  to  the  steamboat  landing 
in  Lake  village.  The  road  was  a success  from  the 
commencement. 

Telephone  Company. — The  Winnipesaukee  Bell 
Telephone  Company  was  incorporated  April  23, 
1881.  E.  H.  Blaisdell  was  the  first  president ; W.  F. 
Knight,  secretary ; S.  B.  Smith,  treasurer  ; Augustus 
Doe,  D.  W.  Marsh,  E.  H.  Blaisdell,  G.  H.  Everett 
and  E.  C.  Lewis.  The  capital  raised  amounted  to 

$ . The  lines  of  the  company  now  extend  to 

Lake  village,  Weirs,  Meredith,  Gilmanton,  Tilton 
and  Belmont. 

Roads  and  Bridges. — The  first  bridge  over  the 
Winnipesaukee  River  was  built  in  1764,  four  years 
before  the  town  of  which  Laconia  was  then  a part 
was  chartered  under  the  name  of  Meredith.  This 
bridge  was  built  of  logs  and  was  termed  a passable 
bridge.  It  stood,  with  occasional  repairs,  for  nearly 
fifty  years,  and  was  replaced  with  a better  structure 
about  1810.  The  bridge  at  Great  Weirs  was  built 
in  1804. 

In  1781  a road  was  built  from  the  head  of  Round 


Bay  to  the  falls  of  the  Winnipesaukee  River,  and  from 
Folsom’s  Falls  (Lake  village)  to  what  is  now  Church 
Street,  and  half  of  a bridge  was  built  soon  after,  the 
town  of  Gilmanton  building  the  other  end  of  the 
bridge.  The  first  bridge  across  Mill  Street  was  built 
in  1788,  a few  years  after  the  saw  and  grist-mills  were 
put  in  operation. 

Fire  Department. — Soon  after  the  erection  of  the 
cotton-mill,  in  1813,  measures  were  taken  to  procure 
apparatus  to  extinguish  fires,  and  the  first  fire-engine 
was  purchased  in  1815,  and  a suitable  engine-house 
provided  on  Mill  Street,  in  about  the  location  of  the 
Belknap  boarding-house.  There  was  no  suction  hose 
attached  to  the  first  engine,  and  it  was  therefore 
equipped  with  leather  buckets,  and  the  water  poured 
into  the  top  and  forced  out  with  the  brakes.  This 
engine  was  destroyed  in  1855.  The  company  to  work 
the  engine  was  incorporated  in  1814  by  the  Legisla- 
ture, and  went  under  the  name  of  Meredith  Bridge 
Engine  Company. 

In  1834  a hose  company  was  organized  to  operate 
force  pumps,  one  of  which  was  located  in  the  yard  of 
the  cotton-mill,  and  the  other  just  across  the  river, 
on  Mill  Street.  This  company  was  incorporated 
under  the  name  of  Meredith  Bridge  Hose  Company, 
James  Molineaux,  Alvah  Tucker  and  Abram  Brig- 
ham being  foremost  in  the  enterprise. 

The  present  fire  precinct  was  established  by  the 
Legislature  in  1849,  and  the  hand  tub  “ Torrent,  No. 
2,”  was  purchased  in  that  year,  and  a company  was 
formed  to  man  the  machine.  A store-house  in  the 
Belknap  mill-yard  was  used  for  an  engine-house  for 
some  time,  until  the  precinct  erected  the  house  on 
Water  Street,  where  the  old  Torrent  is  now  stored. 
The  Torrent  boys  were  the  first  company  at  the 
Bridge  to  procure  uniforms,  and  for  many  years  a vast 
amount  of  pride  was  taken  in  this  engine  and  its 
company. 

In  1875  a steam  fire-engine  was  purchased,  the 
“ Laconia,”  also  a new  hose-carriage  and  a hook-and- 
ladder  truck.  In  this  year  the  present  companies 
were  organized  as  follows : Laconia  Steam  Fire-En- 
gine Company,  No.  1,  Reliance  Hose  Company,  No. 
1,  and  Laconia  Hook-and-Ladder  Company,  No.  1. 
The  Fire  Department  now  has  two  engine-houses, 
about  a dozen  large  reservoirs  and  other  property, 
valued  at  nearly  fifteen  thousand  dollars. 

Fire-Alarm  Telegraph. — The  fire-alarm  telegraph 
was  introduced  in  Laconia  by  Frank  H.  Cliamplin. 
The  sum  of  one  thousand  dollars  was  raised  in 
March,  1876,  and  the  apparatus  was  manufactured 
by  F.  H.  Champlin  and  0.  L.  Andrews.  There  are  at 
present  about  ten  miles  of  wire  connected  with  forty 
six-inch  gongs  in  the  dwellings  of  the  firemen,  and  a 
twelve-inch  gong  on  Gove’s  Block,  on  Main  Street. 
Twenty-four  signal-boxes  are  distributed  throughout 
the  precinct. 

At  a meeting  of  the  legal  voters  of  the  Meredith 
Bridge  Fire  Precinct,  held  at  the  Universalist  Church 


LACONIA. 


815 


(on  Lake  Street),  on  Saturday,  September  22,  1849,  it 
was  voted  to  adopt  an  act  making  further  provision 
for  the  extinguishment  of  fires.  Nathan  B.  Wad- 
leigh  was  chosen  chief  engineer,  with  Alvah  Tucker, 
Charles  Ranlet,  I.  E.  Brown,  James  S.  Hoit,  Charles 
Lane,  J.  F.  Clough,  E.  Mallard,  John  T.  Coffin,  A. 
Warren  and  T.  D.  Whipple,  assistant  engineers. 

The  sum  of  one  thousand  dollars  was  voted  for  the 
purchase  of  a fire-engine  and  other  necessary  appa- 
ratus. 

First  Fire-Engine.  — Stephen  Perley  was  ap- 
pointed a committee  to  go  to  Boston  and  purchase 
the  engine.  By  his  bill  to  the  precinct  we  find  that 
the  sum  of  two  hundred  and  seventy  dollars  was  paid 
for  the  machine.  Seventeen  dollars  was  charged  for 
hauling  the  “ tub  ” to  Meredith  Bridge,  and  the  pre- 
cinct also  paid  eight  dollars,  one-quarter  of  Mr.  Per- 
ley’s  expenses.  The  committee  appointed  to  locate 
an  engine-house  reported  in  favor  of  building  on  the 
court  leading  to  the  burying-ground  (on  Water  Street, 
where  the  engine  buildings  are  now  located).  It  was 
first  kept  in  Avery  mill-yard. 

Laconia’s  Libraries. — The  Meredith  Bridge  Social 
Library  was  started  in  1803.  The  first  meeting  was 
held  February  14th,  when  Jeremiah  H.  Woodman 
presided,  Daniel  Avery  acted  as  clerk  and  Simeon 
Taylor,  J.  H.  Woodman  and  Richard  Boynton  were 
chosen  a committee  to  draft  a constitution.  They  re- 
ported, April  25th,  a constitution  of  t\venty-seven 
articles.  The  annual  meetings  were  to  be  held  the 
last  Monday  in  December,  at  five  P.M.,  in  the  hall  at 
Mrs.  Deborah  Sanborn’s  tavern.  Members  were  to 
pay  an  entrance  fee  of  two  dollars  and  an  annual  as- 
sessment of  fifty  cents.  No  professional  books,  in 
law,  physic  or  divinity,  could  be  purchased  at  the  ex- 
pense of  the  proprietors.  The  officers  were  moderator, 
clerk,  librarian  and  three  directors;  and  the  library 
was  to  be  open  each  Saturday  from  three  to  six  p.m. 
At  the  first  annual  meeting,  in  December,  1803,  the 
membership  was  reported  to  be  thirty  and  the  amount 
expended  for  books  was  $83.47,  the  largest  amount 
reported  in  any  one  year,  the  average  sum  being  less 
than  thirty  dollars.  In  1805  only  $13.55  was  used  in 
buying  books,  but  Lieutenant  Stephen  Perley  was 
paid  eight  dollars  for  covering  books  with  sheep- 
skin. 

The  library  was  incorporated  in  1807,  and  Stephen 
Perley  and  David  Avery  called  the  first  meeting  of 
the  corporation.  John  Burleigh  was  elected  modera- 
tor, John  A.  Harper  clerk,  Simeon  Taylor,  J.  A.  Har- 
per and  Dr.  Zadock  Bowman  directors  and  Daniel 
Avery  librarian.  The  fee  for  membership  was  ad- 
vanced from  three  dollars  to  $3.50  in  1806,  $4.25  in 
1810,  and  to  six  dollars  in  1826.  In  1811  the  librarian 
was  authorized  to  sue  as  many  as  he  thought  proper 
of  those  who  were  delinquent  in  dues  and  fines  for 
six  months.  The  result  was  that  forty-one  dollars 
was  expended  for  books  that  year  instead  of  nothing, 
as  the  year  before.  It  was  also  voted  to  enlarge  the 


book-case  or  get  a new  one,  to  buy  the  “ History  of 
England”  and  make  a catalogue.  The  records  do  not 
state  how  many  volumes  there  were,  but  a copy  of 
the  catalogue  was  ordered  to  be  hung  in  the  library- 
room. 

There  were  twenty-three  members  to  meet  at  the 
annual  meeting  in  1818.  Those  who  were  delinquent 
for  three  years  were  expelled,  and  once  more  the 
“ History  of  England”  was  ordered,  but  two  or  three 
years  seem  to  have  slipped  away  before  it  was  ob>- 
tained.  In  1820  the  library  subscribed  for  the  North 
American  Review,  which  was  continued  for  several 
years.  In  1821  we  have  the  only  record  of  the  books 
actually  purchased  in  one  year.  They  cost  twenty- 
five  dollars,  and  consisted  of  the  North  American 
Review,  Federalist,  “Delano’s  Voyages,”  “Presi- 
dent’s Hour,”  “ Gazetteer  of  the  Bible,”  “ My  Friend’s 
Family,”  “Watts  on  the  Mind  ” and  “ Schoolcraft’s 
Tours.” 

In  1826,  Rev.  Francis  Norwood  was  given  one  share 
while  he  remained  in  town.  In  1831,  Rev.  John  K. 
Young  “was  allowed  the  use  of  Butterworth’s  ‘Con- 
cordance of  the  Bible  ’ from  the  time  he  took  it  from 
the  library  until  otherwise  ordered  by  the  proprie- 
tors,” and  he  was  also  given  a share  in  the  library. 
Conveyances  of  shares  are  recorded  with  all  the  for- 
mality which  attends  the  transfer  of  real  estate,  and 
the  records  show  the  names  of  nearly  all  the  leading 
men  in  Meredith,  Gilford  and  Gilmanton. 

In  1836  an  attempt  was  made  to  create  a new  in- 
terest in  the  enterprise,  and  it  was  proposed  to  bring 
in  twenty  new  members  at  four  dollars  apiece,  if  so 
many  could  be  found.  But  the  attempt  seems  to  have 
been  a failure,  for  in  1837  the  record  ends  veiy  ab- 
ruptly. At  that  time  S.  C.  Lyford  was  president; 
J.  T.  Coffin,  Sr.,  clerk;  Otis  Beaman,  librarian ; Daniel 
Tucker,  G.  L.  Sibley  and  Francis  Russell,  directors. 

We  do  not  find  that  the  yearly  accounts  ever  rose 
as  high  as  ninety  dollars,  and  there  is  a prudence 
and  carefulness  shown  in  looking  after  small  items 
that  is  positively  ludicrous.  For  instance,  the  rec- 
ord for  1813  shows  that  there  is  $1.38  in  Dr.  Bow- 
man’s hands,  twenty-three  cents  due  from  the  libra- 
rian, and  $1.67  from  J.  A.  Harper.  The  same  items 
are  reported  due  in  1815,  and  in  1816,  Dr.  Bowman 
still  stands  charged  with  $1.38,  and  the  estate  of  J.  A. 
Harper  with  $1.67.  We  do  not  see  that  the  Harper 
estate  ever  paid.  The  Bowman  item  appears  in  1817 
and  then  drops  out. 

In  the  thirty-four  years  covered  by  the  records  the 
whole  amount  expended  for  books  could  not  have 
been  but  little  more  than  what  the  town  of  Laconia 
annually  appropriates  for  the  public  library  ; and 
yet  it  is  plain  the  Social  Library  furnished  more  or 
less  reading  for  the  most  intelligent  families  living 
within  several  miles  of  the  “ Bridge.” 

The  library  was  for  some  years  kept  in  the  Avery 
store,  and  some  of  our  older  citizens  remember  to 
have  seen  it  there.  They  all  speak  of  it  as  a small 


816 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


affair,  almost  insignificant  when  compared  with  some 
of  the  private  libraries  which  may  now  be  seen  here. 
The  late  John  T.  Coffin  had  the  care  of  it  for  many 
years,  and  it  was  located  in  the  rooms  of  the  Meredith 
Bridge  Savings-Bank.  During  its  later  years  it  seems 
to  have  been  unused  and  neglected,  and  was  practi- 
cally unknown  and  forgotten  to  all  but  a few  of  the 
surviving  proprietors. 

It  went  through  the  fire  of  1846  in  safety  and  met 
its  fate  in  the  big  fire  of  1860.  Mr.  John  T.  Coffin 
was  among  the  very  last  to  see  it.  He  tells  us  that  it 
was  in  a case  some  eight  feet  long  and  six  feet  high, 
and  stood  in  the  bank-room.  By  dint  of  hard  work, 
all  the  other  property  of  value  was  carried  out  and 
the  library  case  was  moved  toward  the  door.  But  he 
could  not  obtain  sufficient  help  to  carry  it  out  before 
the  flame  broke  into  the  room,  and  so  he  was  forced 
to  leave  the  old  relic  to  make  his  own  escape  through 
a back-door;  and  this  was  the  end  of  the  Meredith 
Bridge  Social  Library  fifty-seven  years  after  its  organ- 
ization. With  it  there  went  many  old  papers  which 
would  have  been  of  priceless  value  to  the  future  histo- 
rian of  the  town,  and  if  the  old  volumes  had  been 
spared,  there  are  many  besides  the  antiquarian  book- 
worm who  would  have  enjoyed  themselves  in  shaking 
the  dust  from  the  calfskin  covers  and  examining  the 
literature  which  our  fathers  read  half  a century  ago. 

The  foregoing  facts  in  regard  to  the  first  public 
library  at  Meredith  Bridge  were  published  in  the 
Laconia  Democrat  in  1883,  and  were  taken  from  a 
record-book  then  in  the  possession  of  the  late  Deacon 
F.  W.  Reeves,  but  since  presented  to  the  Laconia 
Public  Library. 


CHAPTER  I Y . 

LACONIA — ( Continued). 

WEIRS  AND  LAKE  WINNIPESAUKEE. 

The  vicinity  of  Weirs,  which  lays  just  within  the 
limits  of  Laconia  and  at  the  outlet  of  Lake  Winnipe- 
saukee,  has  been  famous  as  a summer  resort  further 
back,  probably,  than  the  historical  or  traditionary 
records  exist.  Long  before  the  white  men  invaded 
New  England,  the  Winnipesaukees,  a branch  of  the 
Penacook  tribe  of  Indians,  maintained  a permanent 
ahquedaukenash,  or  fisli-weir,  at  the  outlet  of  the  lake,  | 
and  all  the  tribes  in  the  vicinity  would  gather  to  par- 
ticipate in  the  spring  and  fall  catch  of  shad.  The 
weir  was  constructed  by  placing  large  boulders  in 
an  irregular  line  across  the  river  at  a proper  distance 
from  the  outlet.  The  rocks  were  generally  placed 
some  ten  feet  apart,  and  a matting  woven  of  twigs 
and  tough  bark  was  strung  from  rock  to  rock  entirely 
across  the  stream,  leaving  a narrow  opening  in  the 
centre  of  the  weir,  through  which  the  fish  must  pass 
to  enter  the  waters  of  Lake  Winnipesaukee.  When 
the  shad  would  reach  the  weirs  and  crowd  through 


the  opening  was  the  red  man’s  harvest-time.  The 
braves  would  man  the  canoes,  and,  paddling  out 
among  the  struggling  fish,  with  spear  and  dig-net 
would  soon  fill  the  boat  to  the  water’s  edge  and 
return  to  the  shore  to  deliver  the  shad  to  the 
squaws.  The  fish  were  split  open  and  cleaned,  and 
either  laid  out  to  dry  on  flakes  or  hung  up  and 
smoked  for  winter  use.  This  wholesale  method 
of  fishing  was  also  indulged  in  to  a certain  extent 
by  the  early  settlers,  and  as  shad  were  plenty 
in  those  days,  many  loads  were  used  to  enrich  the 
soil  on  the  high  ground  in  the  vicinity  of  the  river. 
The  weir  was  constructed  in  a substantial  manner 
and  portions  of  it  remained  long  after  the  mill-dams 
on  the  Merrimack  had  stopped  the  annual  visitation 
of  the  shad;  and  now,  although  the  Indian,  the 
shad  and  the  ahquedauken  are  among  the  things  of 
the  past  in  this  vicinity,  the  name  by  which  the 
locality  was  known  still  remains,  and  the  Weirs  is  to- 
day one  of  the  most  popular  summer  resorts  in  New 
Hampshire.  Until  within  a few  years,  however,  the 
place  was  simply  known  as  the  landing-place  of  the 
steamer  “ Lady  of  the  Lake,”  in  connection  with  the 
railroad. 

The  visitor  to  Weirs  now  will  find  three  large 
hotels, — the  Hotel  Weirs,  built  by  the  late  Captain  W. 
A.  Sanborn,  for  many  years  commander  of  the  “ Lady 
of  the  Lake  ; ” the  Lakeside,  built  by  L.  R.  & G.  W. 
Weeks ; and  the  Winnicortte,  built  by  D.  S.  Doolittle. 
Besides  these  are  many  less  pretentious  places  of 
resort,  and  in  the  grove  near  the  wharf  are  numerous 
cottages  of  all  grades,  neatly  laid  out  along  the 
avenues.  Opposite  the  passenger  station  is  the  per- 
manent encampment  of  the  Veteran  Association  of 
New  Hampshire,  who  held  their  first  reunion  here  in 
1879.  These  reunions  are  held  every  year  and  gener- 
ally last  three  days,  calling  together  thousands  of 
New  Hampshire’s  veteran  soldiers,  many  of  them 
coming  from  far  distant  States  to  attend  the  gather- 
ing. Large  and  substantial  buildings  have  been 
erected,  which  serve  as  barracks,  regimental  head- 
quarters, dining-rooms,  officers’  headquarters,  etc. 

In  the  grove,  nearer  the  lake,  the  Methodists, 
Unitarians  and  various  other  societies  hold  an  annual 
gathering.  An  annual  New  England  musical  festival 
was  also  established  in  1884. 

Lake  Winnipesaukee  lies  in  the  counties  of  Belk- 
nap and  Carroll,  and  is  very  irregular  in  form.  Its 
area,  exclusive  of  two  hundred  and  seventy-four  is- 
lands, is  upwards  of  seventy-one  square  miles  and  the 
distance  around  its  shores  is  one  hundred  and  eighty- 
two  miles.  It  is  about  twenty-five  miles  long  and 
varies  from  one  to  seven  miles  in  width.  There  are 
ten  islands,  each  having  an  area  of  more  than  one 
hundred  acres,  and  one  (Long  Island)  having  an  area 
of  over  one  thousand  acres.  At  the  west  end  the 
lake  is  divided  into  three  large  bays,  at  the  north  is 
a fourth  and  at  the  east  end  there  are  three  others. 
The  waters  descend  four  hundred  and  seventy-two 


LACONIA. 


817 


feet  on  their  way  to  the  Atlantic,  forming  a rapid 
river  of  the  same  name  as  the  lake,  and  emptying  into 
the  Merrimack.  The  waters  of  the  lake,  are  so  clear 
that  the  fish  which  abound  in  it  can  be  seen  playing 
among  the  stones  at  the  depth  of  many  feet. 

While  Lake  Winnipiseogee  is  distinctively  a moun- 
tain lake,  yet  it  laeks  almost  all  those  wild,  rough 
features  of  mountain  scenery  that  usually  character- 
ize inland  lakes  in  mountainous  regions.  The  shore, 
seen  from  a distance,  appears,  as  it  is,  comparatively 
smooth  and  level,  but  the  mountains  rise  high  on  all 
sides.  The  islands  which  dot  its  surface  are  covered 
with  vegetation  and  are  generally  neither  rocky  nor 
precipitous. 

Steamboat  Navigation. — The  first  steamboat  ever 
operated  on  the  lake  was  called  the  “ Belknap,”  and 
was  built  by  Ichabod  Bartlett,  a well-known  lawyer, 
and  Stephen  C.  Lyford,  Esq.,  of  Laconia.  The  keel  was 
laid  at  Lake  village  in  1842,  and  the  boat  was  fin- 
ished early  in  the  season  of  the  next  year,  the  launch 
taking  place  in  June,  1833.  The  work  of  getting  the 
boat  through  the  channel  at  Weirs,  into  the  lake 
proper,  occupied  nearly  a week,  the  channel  at  that 
time  being  a shallow,  turbulent  stream,  with  many 
large  boulders  at  the  bottom,  and  was  only  navigable 
for  very  small  boats  with  but  little  draught  of  water. 

The  master-mechanic  of  the  “Belknap”  was,  at 
first,  Charles  Bell,  of  Weathersfield,  Conn.  Bell, 
however,  was  drowned,  at  Lake  village,  while  pulling 
planks  from  the  dam.  He  was  succeeded  by  Harry 
Upton,  who  completed  the  boat.  The  first  pilot  was 
Perkins  Drake,  for  many  years  well-known  as  a 
stage-driver  between  Centre  Harbor  and  Laconia. 
Levi  Cowdin  was  the  first  engineer.  James  Jewett 
was  the  captain  of  the  “ Belknap,”  and,  consequently, 
the  first  commander  of  any  steam  craft  to  travel  the 
waters  of  the  lake. 

The  general  make-up  of  the  “ Belknap,”  from  its 
primitive  nature,  was  rather  uncouth  in  appearauce, 
and  very  much  unlike  any  of  our  modern  constructed 
boats,  especially  above  the  water  line.  A striking 
peculiarity  was  her  engine,  of  the  horizontal  pattern, 
of  high  pressure.  The  exhaust  could  be  distinctly 
heard,  in  calm  weather,  a distance  of  ten  miles- 
There  were  many  different  compartments  all  built 
upon  the  lower  deck,  like  so  many  small  houses.  The 
pilot-house  was  a small,  elevated  “ coop,”  the  entrance 
being  effected  by  a flight  of  stairs  upon  the  outside. 
The  ladies’  and  gents’  cabin,  captain’s  quarters,  etc., 
were  of  small  size  and  ill-shaped.  The  model  of  the 
hull  was  rather  out  of  proportion,  the  width  being 
greater  in  proportion  to  the  length  (ninety  feet)  than  it 
ordinarily  should  be  in  boats  of  her  size.  The  “ Bel- 
knap ’’  did  not  run  but  three  or  four  years,  being  cast 
away  upon  a sand-bar  near  what  is  now  Steamboat  Is- 
land. From  that  event  the  island  takes  its  present 
name.  The  mishap  was  caused  by  a misunderstand- 
ing on  the  part  of  the  engineer.  The  “Belknap” 
was  towing  a large  raft  of  timber  from  Centre  Harbor 


to  Alton  Bay.  It  was  in  early  spring-time,  and  the 
lake  was  very  rough.  Through  some  mismanage- 
ment, the  boat  was  drifting  toward  the  island  with  the 
fury  of  the  wind  and  wave.  The  signal  given  to  back 
the  boat  was  understood  by  the  engineer  to  be  that 
for  going  forward,  which  resulted  in  the  boat  striking 
a sand-bar  with  such  force  as  to  be  unable  to  get  off. 
Subsequently  the  steamer  “hogged,”  which  opened 
several  seams  below  the  water-line,  and  she  soon 
filled  with  water.  Several  unsuccessful  attempts  to 
get  her  oft' the  bar  were  made,  without  effect,  however, 
the  last  being  on  the  Fourth  of  July  of  that  year, 
when  the  efforts  of  forty  men  failed  to  move  her,  and 
she  was  left  to  her  fate,  and  after  removing  her  en- 
gine, boiler  and  iron-work  generally,  she  finally  went 
to  pieces.  Thus  ended  in  disaster  and  evil  forebod- 
ings the  career  of  the  pioneer  steamboat  on  the  lake. 
The  “ribs  ” and  other  portions  of  the  hull  are  still  to  be 
seen  to-day  upon  the  sand-bar  where  she  went  to 
pieces,  and  affords  the  curiosity-seeker  an  interesting 
object  for  investigation. 

A few  years  afterwards  a charter  for  the  Winnipe- 
saukee  Steamboat  Company  was  obtained  through 
the  Legislature,  which  resulted  in  the  construction  of 
the  “ Lady  of  the  Lake,”  about  the  year  1848.  This  boat 
was  designed  to  run  between  Weirs,  Centre  Harbor 
and  other  places  about  the  lake.  Her  first  captain 
was  William  Walker,  of  Lake  village.  Not  long 
after,  she  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  B.,  C.  & M.  R.  R., 
in  whose  interest  she  still  remains.  During  her  ca- 
reer she  has  undergone  some  changes,  and  suffered 
numerous  tinkerings  from  time  to  time,  none  of  which 
have  been  more  thorough  and  complete  than  the  re- 
pairs made  in  the  year  1882,  when  nearly  a new  hull 
was  added,  and  extensive  improvements  were  also 
made,  both  above  and  below  the  lower  deck.  At 
present  she  is  regarded  as  being  as  stanch  and  fleet 
as  at  any  time  since  the  original  construction.  Since 
the  days  of  Captain  Walker  she  has  been  commanded 
by  Eleazer  Bickford,  of  Meredith,  Stephen  Cole,  of 
Lake  village,  Winborn  Sanborn  and  J.  S.  Wadleigh, 
of  Laconia,  the  latter  being  her  present  captain.  Her 
route  during  the  season  lies  between  Weirs,  Centre 
Harbor  and  Wolfeborougli,  several  trips  being  made 
daily  in  connection  with  the  time-table  of  the  Boston 
and  Lowell  Railroad  at  Weirs. 

Next  on  the  list  came  the  “ Long  Island,”  built  by 
Perley  R.  & George  K.  Brown,  of  Long  Island,  with 
a carrying  capacity  of  about  one  hundred  passengers. 
This  boat  was  designed  for  general  commerce  about 
the  lake,  and  is  still  in  existence. 

About  this  time  Langdon  Thyng  constructed  the 
“Jenny  Lind”  (at  first  a horse-boat)  at  Lake  village, 
whose  carrying  capacity  was  about  the  same  as  that 
of  the  “Long  Island.” 

This  brings  us  down  to  the  building  of  the  “Red 
Hill,”  by  the  “Red  Hill  Steamboat  Company,”  at 
Lee’s  Mills,  in  Moultonborough,  with  Allen  Bumpus 
I as  her  captain.  This  boat  was  of  a rather  uncouth 


818 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


architecture,  and  built  for  the  trade  between  the 
“Mills”  and  Alton  Bay.  The  hull  of  this  boat  was 
modeled  something  like  that  of  a scow.  She  was  very 
laborious  in  her  movements.  The  “ Red  Hill  ” was 
finally  sent  “up  in  a balloon”  one  fine  day,  by  the 
bursting  of  her  boiler.  Remnants  of  her  hull  can  still 
be  seen  on  the  shore  at  Alton  Bay,  just  below  the 
bridge  that  crosses  the  Merry  Meeting  River.  Charles 
Brown,  of  Lake  village,  next  came  out  with  the  “Nau- 
gatuck,” afterward  sold  to  Sweet  & Morrison,  of  Wolfe- 
borough,  which  is  still  in  existence,  though  a little  the 
worse  for  wear.  About  this  time  William  Guptil,  of 
Wolfeborough,  built  the  “ Dolly  Dutton.”  Both  the  last- 
named  boats  had  a carrying  capacity  of  about  one 
hundred  passengers.  We  have  next  to  speak  of  the 
“ Seneca,”  of  about  the  same  size  as  the  two  boat3  named 
which  finally  went  ashore  on  the  “Goose  Egg,”  a 
dangerous  rock  on  the  Moultonborougli  “coast,”  which 
terminated  fatally,  and  the  end  came.  Uriah  Hall 
was  her  captain,  residing  at  Melvin  village.  Hall 
subsequently  constructed  the  “ Ossipee,”  a similar  craft, 
another  specimen  of  the  laboring  craft.  Ansel  Lam- 
prey built  the  “Gazelle”at  Tuftonborough,  a little  later 
on,  which  subsequently  came  into  the  possession  of 
Dearborn  Haley. 

In  those  days  came  the  introduction  of  the  steam 
yachts,  such  as  the  “Pinafore,”  “Nellie”  “Bristol,”  etc., 
the  “ Nellie”  being  the  first  propeller  ever  introduced 
to  the  waters  of  the  lake.  The  “Nellie”  was  origin- 
ally a steam  launch  and  used  at  Portsmouth,  from 
whence  she  was  taken  to  the  lake  by  George  Dun- 
can. Soon  after  she  became  the  property  of  Dear- 
born Haley,  at  Wolfeborough.  Later  on  she  was  owned 
by  a Mr.  Waldron,  at  Farmington,  but  still  remained 
in  the  lake,  being  used  by  the  summer  boarders  at 
the  Winnipesaukee  House,  at  Alton  Bay,  under  the 
management  of  A.  0.  Philips  & Co.  A few  years 
previous  to  this  epoch  came  the  “Union,”  Captain  John 
Tabor,  of  Wolfeborough,  a craft  with  eminent  renown 
and  always  a constant  attendant  at  the  Alton  Bay 
camp-meetings  in  their  early  stages.  The  “ May- 
flower”,built  at  Wolfeborough,  with  several  owners,  put 
in  an  appearance  about  this  time  as  a freight-boat 
more  particularly,  did  good  service,  and  was  quite  a 
favorite  with  small  excursion  parties  to  different 
parts  of  the  lake. 

At  the  time  of  the  completion  of  the  “Cocheco 
Railroad,”  some  thirty-five  years  since,  between  Dover 
and  Alton  Bay,  it  became  advisable  to  open  commu- 
nication with  the  various  towns  which  lined  the 
shores  of  different  parts  of  the  lake,  and  for  that 
purpose  a steamer  was  constructed  at  Alton  Bay 
called  the  “ Dover.”  This  was  about  the  year  1852. 
Captain  Winborn  Sanborn,  of  Gilford,  was  her  first 
captain.  Augustus  Wiggin,  of  Tuftonborough,  at  that 
time  acted  as  captain’s  clerk,  and  some  time  after- 
ward the  “ clerk  ” became  the  captain.  Owing  to 
some  oversight  in  the  location  of  the  Dover’s  engine 
and  boiler  when  placed  in  her  native  element,  she 


settled  at  th.e  bow,  and  large  quantities  of  stone  were 
placed  in  the  stern  to  counteract  that  influence  and 
make  her  assume  a natural  position  in  the  water. 
Later  on  it  became  necessary  to  increase  her  size,  and 
an  addition  of  about  twenty  feet  was  made  in  the 
centre.  Thorough  repairs  were  made  otherwise,  and 
her  name  changed  to  the  “ Chocorua,”  with  Captain 
Wiggin  still  master.  The  “ Chocorua”  did  good  service 
for  several  years,  but  it  soon  became  necessary  to 
have  a new  boat,'  and  the  present  “Mount  Washing- 
ton ” was  constructed.  This  was  about  1872.  Cap- 
tain Wiggin  assumed  command,  and  with  a popular 
notion  of  “what  to  do  and  how  to  do  it,”  has  suc- 
ceeded in  making  his  route  one  much  sought  after  by 
tourists  and  pleasure-seekers.  The  “ Mount,”  as  she 
is  familiarly  termed,  is  a model  of  neatness  and  work- 
manship, and  said  to  be  the  fastest  boat  on  the  lake. 
Following  the  advent  of  the  “Mount  Washington,” 
the  “ Chocorua  ” lay  in  the  dock  at  Alton  Bay  that 
season,  and  underwent  the  process  of  “ decomposi- 
tion” to  a certain  extent.  The  apartments  compos- 
ing her  upper  decks  were  sold  to  various  parties  there- 
abouts, principally  those  connected  with  the  camp- 
meeting association,  and  utilized  for  lodging-rooms, 
being  located  mostly  about  the  vacant  space  near 
the  passenger  depot.  The  pilot-house  was  secured  by 
“Aunt  Mary”  Ryan,  of  the  “Alton  Bay  Cottage,” 
who  set  it  up  on  the  lawn  for  a sort  of  a summer 
house,  or  “lover’s  retreat.” 

The  first  horse-power  craft  ever  on  the  lake  was 
built  and  owned  by  Captain  David  Parsons  in  1838, 
at  Long  Island.  About  the  year  1875,  Dearborn 
Haley,  of  Wolfeborough,  built  the  “ Maid  of  the  Isles,” 
a propeller,  with  an  engine  of  one  hundred  and  twenty 
horse-power,  and  capable  of  carrying  five  hundred  pas- 
sengers. The  “ Maid”  was  of  a very  fine  model,  with  up- 
per and  lower  decks,  and  calculated  to  be  very  fast. 
’Tis  said  that  her  owner  intended  that  she  should  be  a 1 
sort  of  “ mediator”  between  the  “Lady”  and  “Mount.” 

She  was  used  only  a part  of  two  seasons,  and  subse- 
quently lay  “moored ” in  the  “offing”  near  Wolfe- 
borough, until  last  season,  when  her  cable-chain  wore 
a hole  through  her  hull  below  the  water  line  and  she 
sank.  She  was  raised  afterwards  and  towed  to  a 
position  on  the  back  side  of  Long  Island,  where  she 
lies  at  present  in  her  wonted  useless  condition.  She 
is  said  to  have  cost  about  twenty  thousand  dollars. 

The  failure  of  this  craft  was  due  to  her  immense 
draught  of  water,  which  was  about  seven  and  a half 
feet.  Her  captain  was  Anson  Lamprey,  of  Long 
Island.  Since  that  time  has  come  to  “ Mineola”  a fine 
little  steam  yacht;  the  “Maud  S.,”  of  South  Wolfe- 
borough ; the  “ Grade,”  of  Meredith  village ; the 
“Undine”  and  “ Laconia,”  of  Lake  village;  and 
several  other  crafts  of  this  class,  as  among  the  batch 
of  steam-yachts. 

The  “James  Bell”  was  built  and  owned  by  Messrs. 
Wentworth  & Sweet,  of  Centre  Harbor,  in  1859,  who 
some  years,  since  sold  her  to  the  B.,  C.  & M.  R.  R., 


LACONIA. 


819 


since  which  time  she  has  been  used  as  an  excursion 
boat  with  headquarters  at  Lake  village.  Stephen 
Wentworth  was  her  first  captain.  Clarence  W. 
Adams,  of  Lake  village,  is  her  present  captain. 
The  “ Bell”  was  thoroughly  repaired  during  the  sum- 
mer of  1882,  and  is  now  regarded  to  be  in  first-class 
condition. 

The  “ Winnipesaukee,”  Captain  Robert  Lamprey, 
Jr.,  formerly  on  the  line  between  Lake  village  and 
Long  Island,  makes  her  headquarters  at  Tufton- 
borough  and  is  run  mostly  for  freighting  purposes. 
This  brings  us  down  to  the  “ Belle  of  the  Wave,” 
which  was  built  at  Long  Island  by  Arthur  H.  Lam- 
prey (a  son  of  Uncle  Robert).  The  “Belle”  was  a 
propeller,  carried  a forty  horse-power  engine  and 
rated  for  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  passengers. 
Her  model  was  perfect  for  attaining  speed. 

The  “Belle”  was  burned  at  Long  Island  in  the  fall 
of  1884,  and  the  next  year  was  replaced  with  a larger 
and  better  boat  of  similar  build,  called  the  “ Lam- 
prey,” and  commanded  by  Captain  George  Lam- 
prey. 


CHAPTER  Y. 

LACONIA — ( Continued). 

Manufacturing  Interests— Post-Office — Banks. 

Manufacturing1  Interests.— Granite  Hosiery- 
Mills. — The  Granite  Hosiery-Mills  were  established 
by  the  late  John  W.  Busiel  in  1847,  and  after  the 
death  of  Mr.  Busiel  the  business  was  continued  by 
his  sons,  Charles  A.,  John  T.  and  Frank  E.,  under 
the  firm-name  of  John  W.  Busiel  & Co.  They 
manufacture  men’s,  women’s  and  children’s  hose, 
employing  about  one  hundred  and  seventy-five 
hands.  Their  mills  are  built  of  brick,  and  are  the 
best  buildings  for  the  purpose  in  the  town. 

White  Mountain  Mills. — Lewis  F.  Busiel,  pro- 
prietor of  the  above-named  mills,  commenced  busi- 
ness in  Laconia  in  1853,  and  at  first  only  manufac- 
tured hosiery  yarn.  Machinery  for  the  production  of 
hosiery  was  added  in  1855.  Mr.  Busiel  is  said  to  be 
the  oldest  living  manufacturer  (of  power-loom  pro- 
duction) in  the  country. 

Gilford  Hosiery  Company. — Incorporated  in 
1864.  Capital  stock,  seventy-five  thousand  dollars. 
About  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  hands  are  em- 
ployed by  this  company  in  the  manufacture  of 
hosiery.  Hon.  John  C.  Moulton,  the  treasurer  and 
largest  owner  in  the  corporation,  is  identified  with 
the  growth  and  prosperity  of  the  town  in  a large 
measure,  having  taken  a prominent  part  in  nearly  all 
the  large  enterprises. 

Pitman  Manufacturing  Company.  — Estab- 
lished by  the  late  Joseph  P.  Pitman.  Manufacture 
ladies’  and  children’s  hose.  Employ  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  hands.  Have  been  established  in 
the  mill  they  now  occupy  since  1875. 


Winnipiseogee  Mill. — In  1872,  Mr.  Frank  P. 
Holt  started  in  the  paper  box-making  business  in 
Laconia,  with  a capital  of  less  than  one  hundred 
dollars.  About  five  years  later  he  went  in  company 
with  Mr.  James  T.  Minchin,  under  the  firm-name  of 
Minchin  & Holt,  and  commenced  the  manufacture  of 
underwear  and  hosiery.  After  three  years  Mr.  Min- 
chin retired,  and  the  business  has  since  been  con- 
tinued by  Mr.  Holt  alone.  About  one  hundred  and 
seventy-five  hands  are  employed.  Annual  product, 
one  hundred  and  seventy-five  thousand  dollars. 

Abel  Machine  Company. — Established  by  the 
late  William  H.  Abel.  Manufacture  all  kinds  of 
knitting-machinery  and  bobbin-winders.  The  Abel 
machines  have  a world-wide  reputation,  and  are  used 
in  all  parts  of  the  United  States  and  also  in  some 
foreign  countries. 

O’Shea  Brothers. — In  1875,  Messrs.  Dennis  and 
John  O’Shea,  Jr.,  rented  a small  store  on  Bank 
Square  and  started  in  the  dry-goods  business.  To-day 
the  firm  of  O’Shea  Brothers  is  one  of  the  best  known 
in  New  Hampshire,  occupies  the  largest  store  and 
does  a larger  business  than  any  other  concern  in  the 
State. 

Laconia  and  Lake  Village  Water- Works. — 
This  organization  was  chartered  by  the  Legislature  of 
1883.  Capital,  fifty  thousand  dollars.  The  first  annual 
meeting  was  held  June  1,  1885,  and  the  following 
board  of  officers  was  elected : Clerk,  J.  W.  Ashman  ; 
Treasurer,  W.  L.  Melclier ; Directors,  John  C.  Moul- 
ton, W.  L.  Melclier,  B.  J.  Cole,  E.  A.  Hibbard,  B.  F. 
Drake,  Gardner  Cook,  H.  B.  Quinby.  John  C.  Moul- 
ton subsequently  elected  chairman  of  the  board  of 
directors.  The  pipes  were  laid  in  the  summer  of 
1885  by  N.  W.  Ellis  & Co.,  of  Manchester,  N.  H. 

G.  Cook  & Son. — Gardner  Cook,  the  senior  mem- 
ber of  this  firm,  established  himself  in  the  saw-mill 
and  sash  and  blind  business  here  in  1852.  Some 
forty  hands  are  now  employed,  and  a large  quantity 
of  first-class  work  is  produced  annually.  The  entire 
factory  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1883,  but  immediately 
rebuilt. 

Meredith  Cotton  and  Woolen  Company. — 
The  first  meeting  of  this  company  was  called  July  1, 
1811,  and  the  warrant  for  the  meeting  was  signed  by 
Stephen  Perley,  Daniel  Tucker  and  John  A.  Harper. 
The  shares  of  stock  were  issued  and  sold  to  the  citi- 
zens of  Gilford  and  Meredith,  laud  was  purchased 
of  Stephen  Perley  and  a large  wooden  mill  erected 
on  the  site  of  the  present  Belknap  brick  mill.  This 
was  one  of  the  first  mills  for  the  manufacture  of  cot- 
ton goods  in  the  country.  Considerable  of  the  ma- 
chinery was  built  in  a machine-shop  near  by,  operated 
by  John  Chase.  The  mill  was  not  fairly  in  operation 
until  1813.  Daniel  Avery,  a prominent  citizen  at 
that  time,  was  the  first  agent,  and  accumulated  con- 
siderable property  and  did  much  to  advance  the  in- 
terests of  the  village. 

Carding-Mill. — About  1800  a carding-mill  was 


820 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


established  by  Samuel  & Nathan  Bean  on  the  lot 
now  occupied  by  J.  W.  Busiel  & Co.  The  building 
in  which  the  business  was  carried  on  was  torn  down 
and  replaced  by  Messrs.  Busiel  in  1882. 

Paper-Mill. — About  1800  a paper-mill  was  built 
on  Mill  Street  by  Aaron  Martin.  The  rags  were 
ground  to  a pulp  with  water-power,  but  most  of  the 
other  labor  was  performed  by  hand,  and  a coarse 
paper  was  turned  out  until  1834,  when  the  building 
was  destroyed  by  fire. 

Bell- Foundry. — In  1810,  George  Holbrook,  who 
served  an  apprenticeship  in  Boston  with  the  famous 
Paul  Revere  of  the  midnight  ride,  established  a bell- 
foundry  at  Meredith  Bridge,  near  the  site  of  the 
present  Belknap  Mill.  The  foundry  was,  of  course,  a 
small  affair ; sleigh-bells,  door-knockers  and  church- 
bells  were  cast.  In  1816  the  concern  was  removed  to 
Medway,  Mass.,  where  it  is  still  in  operation,  and  the 
Holbrook  bells  have  a world-wide  reputation.  The 
bell  now  in  use  at  the  Belknap  Mill  was  cast  at  the 
foundry  in  Meredith  Bridge,  and  bears  Holbrook’s 
name  and  the  date  of  casting. 

In  1808,  Daniel  Tucker  purchased  land  of  Stephen 
Perley  where  the  present  mill  of  L.  F.  Busiel  now 
stands,  and  erected  the  first  machine-shop  in  Meredith 
Bridge.  The  shop  was  equipped  with  a small  trip- 
hammer, forges,  anvils,  etc.,  and  almost  all  tools  used 
by  farmers  and  carpenters  were  manufactured.  Mr. 
Tucker  lived  in  the  small  yellow  house  on  Mill 
Street,  opposite  F.  P.  Holt’s  office,  until  1813,  when, 
having  accumulated  considerable  property,  he  erected 
what  is  now  known  as  the  Mansion  House  in  the 
rear  of  the  Unitarian  Church.  When  erected,  this 
was  the  largest  house  and  one  of  the  best  houses  at 
the  Bridge,  and  a handsome  lawn  extended  in  front 
of  it  to  Main  Street.  Mr.  Tucker  went  out  of  busi- 
ness in  1832,  outside  competition  proving  too  much 
for  the  industry. 

Postmasters. — Following  is  a list  of  the  different 
postmasters  and  the  date  of  their  appointment  up  to  | 
the  present  time : 

Meredith,  Strafford  County,  N.  II. — Stephen 
Perley,  April  1,  1805;  Jonathan  Ladd,  July  1,  1807 ; 
Stephen  Perley,  July  13, 1813  ; John  Langdon  Perley, 
May  7,  1829;  Stephen  Perley,  July  15,  1830.  Dis- 
continued February  22,  1833. 

Gilford,  Strafford  County,  N.  H. — Horatio  j 
G.  Prescott,  April  3,  1824;  Francis  Russell,  July  24(  I 
1829;  Hugh  More,  March  19,  1830;  L.  B.  Walker, 
August  23,  1830;  Jacob  G.  Foss,  February  3,  1841  ; 
Benjamin  Boardman,  December  2,  1843  ; J.  C.  Moul- 
ton, July  31,  1845  ; Caleb  P.  Smith,  June  25,  1849; 
Coryden  W.  Cook,  December  6,  1850 ; Andrew  C. 
Wright,  November  7,  1851 ; Charles  S.  Gale,  January 
12,  1853;  John  C.  Moulton,  April  1,  1853.  Changed 
to  Laconia  July  26,  1855;  J.  C.  Moulton  continued; 
S.  W.  Sanders,  July  10,  1861 ; Joseph  E.  Odlin,  Octo- 
ber 4, 1861 ; Perley  Putnam,  1874. 

Tremont  Hotel. — In  1810,  Horatio  G.  Prescott 


erected  a large  building  on  the  corner  of  Main  and 
Lake  Streets,  as  a tavern,  known  as  the  “Tremont.” 
The  building  was  three  stories  high  and  had  one  hun- 
dred and  fifteen  feet  front  on  Main  Street.  The 
“Tremont”  soon  passed  into  the^hands  of  Lyman  B. 
Walker,  Esq.,  and  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1872. 

Laconia  Savings-Bank  was  incorporated  in  1831, 
as  the  Meredith  Bridge  Savings-Bank.  Its  first 
treasurer  was  John  T.  Coffin,  who  died  in  1860,  and 
whose  portrait  adorns  the  trustees’  room  at  the  pres- 
ent time.  John  T.  Coffin,  Jr.,  shortly  afterward 
assumed  the  position.  In  1864,  Woodbury  L.  Melcher 
was  elected  treasurer,  and  remains  such  at  this  date. 
A portrait  of  Mr.  Melcher’s  father,  who  was  the 
president  of  the  bank  for  many  years,  hangs  upon  the 
wall  in  the  banking-room.  In  1869  the  name  of  the 
institution  was  changed  to  that  of  Laconia  Sav- 
ings-Bank. The  first  deposit  was  received  March  27, 
1832.  The  only  one  of  the  original  members  of  the 
corporation  now  living  is  Dr.  John  L.  Perley.  Its 
assets  amount  to  over  eight  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars, with  a surplus  of  over  forty  thousand  dollars. 

The  present  officers  of  the  bank  are  Albert  G.  Fol- 
som, president;  W.  L.  Melcher,  treasurer;  Edmund 
Little,  clerk  ; trustees,  Daniel  A.  Tilton,  Jas.  S.  Hoit, 
Ellery  A.  Hibbard,  Ebenezer  Stevens,  Almon  C. 
Leavitt,  Samuel  B.  Smith,  Noah  L.  True,  W.  L. 
Melcher. 

Presidents : George  L.  Sibley,  1831 ; Stephen  W. 
Mead,  1843;  John  L.  Perley,  1847;  Woodbury 
Melcher,  1862;  Albert  G.  Folsom,  1871. 

Treasurers:  Stephen  C.  Lyford,  1831;  John  T. 
Coffin,  1833 ; John  T.  Coffin,  Jr.,  1861;  Woodbury  L. 
Melcher,  1864. 

The  Laconia  National  Bank  has  a capital  of 
one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars.  President, 
J.  C.  Moulton ; Cashier,  O.  W.  Tibbetts. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

LACONIA — (Continued). 
CIVIL  HISTORY. 


Incorporation  of  Town — First  Town-Meeting — Officers  Elected — List  of 
Town  Officers  from  Incorporation  of  Town  to  1886. 

Laconia  was  incorporated  in  1855. 

The  following  is  a copy  of  the  warrant  for  the  first 
town-meeting : 

“ To  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Laconia,  in  the 
county  of  Belknap,  in  said  state,  qualified  to  vote 
in  town  affairs  : 

“You  are  hereby  notified  to  meet  at  the  Freight 
Station  of  the  B.  C.  & Montreal  Railroad,  near  the 
house  of  Stephen  Gale,  in  Laconia,  on  Thursday,  the 
second  day  of  August  next,  at  nine  of  the  o’clock  in 
the  forenoon,  to  act  upon  the  following  subjects: 

“ 1st.  To  choose  a moderator  to  preside  in  said  meet- 
ing. 


LACONIA 


821 


“ 2d.  To  choose  all  necessary  town  officers  for  the 
year  ensuing. 

“Given  under  our  hands  and  seal,  this  seventeenth 
day  of  July,  eighteen  hundred  and  fifty-five. 


“ H.  N.  Burnham,  ] 
“ Stephen  Gale, 

“ John  C.  Moulton, 

“ Sam’lW.  Sanders, 


Authorized  to  call 
said  meeting. 


“ A true  copy. 


“Attest  B.  P.  Gale,  Town  Clerk.” 


“ Laconia,  August  2d,  1855. 

“ We  hereby  certify  that  we  gave  notice  to  the  in- 
habitants within  named  to  meet  at  the  time  and 
place  and  for  the  purposes  within  mentioned,  by 
posting  up  an  attested  copy  of  the  within  warrant  at 
the  place  of  meeting  within  named,  and  a like  attested 
copy  at  the  Store  of  George  W.  Weeks,  being  a public 
place  in  said  town,  on  the  seventeenth  day  of  July, 

1855. 

“ H.  N.  Burnham. 

“ Stephen  Gale. 

“ John  C.  Moulton. 

“ Sam’l  W.  Sanders. 


“ A true  copy  of  the  original. 

“Attest  B.  P.  Gale,  Town  Clerk.” 

First  Town-Meeting. — “At  a legal  town-meeting, 
duly  notified  and  holden  at  Laconia  in  the  county  of 
Belknap,  on  Thursday,  the  second  day  of  August,  in 
the  year  eighteen  hundred  and  fifty-five,  the  legal 
voters  of  said  town,  by  major  vote  and  by  ballot,  chose 
Horatio  N.  Burnham  moderator  to  preside  in  said 
meeting,  who,  being  present,  took  the  oath  of  office 
by  law  prescribed. 

“Chose  Benjamin  P.  Gale  Town  Clerk,  who,  being 
present,  took  the  oath  of  office  by  law  prescribed. 

“Chose  Samuel  W.  Sanders,  John  Davis  (2d)  and 
Ebenezer  S.  Cate  Selectmen  of  said  town,  who,  be- 
ing present,  severally  took  the  oath  of  office  by  law 
prescribed. 

“ Chose  Elijah  Beaman  Town  Treasurer. 

“Chose  John  K.  Young  Superintending  School 
committee  of  said  town. 

“And  the  inhabitants  of  said  town,  legal  voters 
therein,  present  at  said  meeting,  by  major  vote 

“Chose  John  W.  Robinson,  Hugh  Blaisdell  aud 
John  C.  Moulton  Auditors. 

“Chose  Harrison  Sibley,  Thomas  Wilder,  Moses 
B.  Gordon  and  Benjamin  P.  Gale  surveyors  of  wood. 

“Chose  Nathan  B.  Wadleigh,  John  Davis  (2d), 
Joseph  Ranlet  and  Moses  B.  Gordon  surveyors  of 
lumber. 

“ Chose  Noah  Robinson  town  Agent. 

“ Chose  Horatio  N.  Burnham  weigher  of  hay. 

“Chose  James  S.  Hoit  Sealer  of  weights  and  meas- 
ures. 

“ Chose  David  Blaisdell,  Pound-Keeper. 

“ Chose  Ebenezer  S.  Cate,  Charles  Smith  and  Jo- 
seph W.  Robinson  fence-viewers.] 


“ Chose  Charles  Gould,  Charles  S.  Gale,  Moses  Sar- 
gent and  Westley  Maloon  hog-reeves. 

“ Chose  Edward  Baron  surveyor  of  highways  for  dis- 
trict number  one. 

“Chose  Lewis  W.  Boynton  surveyor  of  highways 
for  district  number  two,  who,  being  present  took  the 
oath  of  office  by  law  prescribed. 

“ Chose  Lucian  A.  Ladd  surveyor  of  highways  for 
district  number  three. 

“ Chose  Reuben  P.  Smith  surveyor  of  highways  for 
district  number  four. 

“Chose  James  R.  Gray  surveyor  of  highways  for 
district  number  five,  who,  being  present,  took  the 
oath  of  office  by  law  prescribed. 

“Chose  John  C.  Folsom  surveyor  of  highways  for 
district  number  six. 

“ Chose  Nathaniel  Sanborn  surveyor  of  highways 
for  district  number  seven. 

“ Chose  John  L.  M.  Swain  surveyor  of  highways  for 
district  number  eight. 

“Chose  Jacob  Smith  surveyor  of  highways  for 
district  number  nine. 

“ Chose  John  M.  Robinson  surveyor  of  highways 
for  district  number  ten. 

“ Chose  James  Gordon  surveyor  of  highways  for 
district  number  eleven. 

“ Chose  Ebenezer  S.  Cate  surveyor  of  highways  for 
district  number  twelve,  who,  being  present,  took  the 
oath  of  office  by  law  prescribed. 

“ Chose  James  S.  Hoit,  Hugh  Blaisdell,  Augustus 
Dow,  Horatio  N.  Burnham  and  John  C.  Moulton  con- 
stables. 

“ Voted,  that  when  this  meeting  adjourn,  it  adjourn 
to  last  Saturday  in  August. 

“ Voted,  that  this  meeting  stand  adjourned  to  the 
last  Saturday  in  August,  two  of  the  clock  in  the  af- 
ternoon, at  this  place. 

“ A true  record, 

“ Attest  B.  P.  Gale,  Town  Clerk.” 

1855.  — First  town-meeting,  second  Tuesday  of  Au- 
gust, 1855.  Elected  B.  P.  Gale,  town  clerk  ; S.  W. 
Sanborn,  John  Davis  (2d),  Ebenezer  S.  Cate,  select- 
men ; Elijah  Beaman,  town  treasurer;  John  K. 
Young  superintending  school  committee. 

1856.  — B.  P.  Gale,  town  clerk ; J.  S.  Hoitt,  repre- 
sentive;  John  Davis  (2d),  D.  A.  Farrington,  J.  W. 
Robinson,  selectmen. 

1857.  — B.  P.  Gale,  town  clerk ; G.  W.  Stevens, 
representative;  David  A.  Farrington,  J.  W.  Robinson, 
E.  B.  Prescott,  selectmen  ; K.  S.  Hale,  superintending 
school  committee. 

1858.  — B.  P.  Gale,  town  clerk ; G.  W.  Stevens,  repre- 
sentative ; Joseph  W.  Robinson,  E.  B.  Prescott, 
James  Pike,  selectmen ; John  Davis  (2d),  super- 
intending school  committee. 

1859.  — B.  P.  Gale,  town  clerk;  Bradstreet  Wiggin, 
representative;  James  Pike,  Augustus  Doe  and  E.  P. 
Osgood,  selectmen  ; William  N.  Blair,  superintending 
school  committee. 


822 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


1860.  — B.  P.  Gale,  town  clerk;  Bradstreet  Wiggin, 
Augustus  Doe,  representatives;  James  Pike,  E.  P. 
Osgood  and  Samuel  L.  Smith,  selectmen;  Daniel  C. 
Woodman,  superintending  school  committee. 

1861.  — B.  P.  Gale,  town  clerk ; Augustus  Doe, 
representative;  Samuel  L.  Smith,  H.  O.  Haywood, 
John  Chapman,  selectmen ; Daniel  C.  Woodman, 
superintending  school  committee;  Samuel  L.  Smith, 
town  treasurer. 

1862.  — B.  P.  Gale,  town  clerk ; Benjamin  P.  Gale, 
representative ; Joseph  W.  Robinson,  Nathan  B. 
Wadleigh,  E.  C.  Haserick,  selectmen;  John  Davis 
(2d),  superintending  school  committee  ; Noah  Robin- 
son, treasurer,  elected  by  the  people,  and  Joseph  W. 
Robinson  was  appointed  treasurer  by  selectmen. 

1863.  — B.  P.  Gale,  town  clerk  ; Benjamin  P.  Gale, 
representative;  Joseph  W.  Robinson,  Nathan  B. 
Wadleigh  and  E.  C.  Haserick,  selectmen;  John 
Davis  (2d),  superintending  school  committee. 

September  28th,  “ Voted  to  pay  a bounty  of  three 
hundred  dollars  to  those  who  may  be  drafted  or 
their  substitutes.”  November  30,  1863,  “ Voted  that 
selectmen  be  authorized  to  fill  quota  by  advancing 
to  volunteers  all  bounties,  town,  State  and  national, 
when  mustered,  amount  not  to  exceed  five  hundred 
dollars. 

1864.  — B.  P.  Gale,  town  clerk  ; Joseph  W.  Robin- 
son, representive ; Benjamin  M.  Sanborn,  John  Davis 
{2d),  and  Samuel  M.  Doe,  selectmen ; Samuel  L. 
French,  superintending  school  committee ; Benjamin 
M.  Sanborn,  treasurer. 

August  10th,  “ Voted  to  pay  soldiers  under  last  call 
to  fill  quota,  8100  for  one  year,  8200  two  years,  8300 
for  three  years’  men.”  “ Voted  to  pay  drafted  men 
$200.” 

August,  1864,  Francis  M.  Cawley,  superintending 
school  committee. 

December  28th,  “ Voted  to  pay  the  sum  of  $600  to 
enrolled  men  mustered  for  three  years,  and  8300  to 
those  who  may  enlist  as  substitutes  for  enrolled  men 
and  mustered  for  three  years,  and  that  any  enrolled 
man  shall  be  entitled  to  have  a substitute  put  in  for 
himself,  and  said  sum  of  8300  shall  be  paid  to  said  sub- 
stitute, said  enrolled  man  paying  the  difference  be- 
tween legal  bounties  and  the  cost  of  said  substitute, 
and  8200  be  paid  to  drafted  men  for  one  year.” 

1865.  — Benjamin  P.  Gale,  town  clerk ; E.  A.  Hib- 
bard, representative ; Benjamin  M.  Sanborn,  John 
Davis  (2d)  and  Samuel  M.  Doe,  selectmen;  Fran- 
cis M.  Cawley,  superintending  school  committee ; 
B.  M.  Sanborn,  treasurer. 

1866.  — B.  P.  Gale,  town  clerk  ; E.  A.  Hibbard  and 
Samuel  M.  Doe,  representatives ; Benjamin  M.  San- 
born, E.  P.  Osgood  and  Jonathan  G.  Dow,  selectmen  ; 
Francis  M.  Cawley,  superintending  school  committee, 
resigned  September  10th,  and  S.  Lowell  French  ap- 
pointed. 

1867.  — B.  P.  Gale,  town  clerk ; B.  M.  Sanborn, 
Samuel  M.  Doe,  representatives ; B.  M.  Sanborn,  E. 


P.  Osgood,  Jonathan  G.  Dow,  selectmen  ; S.  Lowell 
French,  superintending  school  committee ; B.  M. 
Sanborn,  treasurer. 

1868.  — B.  P.  Gale,  towTn  clerk;  Benjamin  M.  San- 
born and  E.  P.  Osgood,  representatives;  Samuel  M. 
S.  Moulton,  Alpheus  Dolloff  and  S.  J.  P.  Hadley,  se- 
lectmen ; Otis  G.  Smith,  superintending  school  com- 
mittee; B.  M.  Sanborn,  treasurer. 

1869.  — B.  P.  Gale,  town  clerk  ; John  W.  Busiel  and 
E.  P.  Osgood,  representatives ; Samuel  M.  S.  Moul- 
ton, Alpheus  Dolloff  and  S.  J.  P.  Hadley,  selectmen ; 
Otis  G.  Smith,  superintending  school  committee; 
Samuel  M.  S.  Moulton,  treasurer. 

1870.  — B.  P.  Gale,  town  clerk ; John  W.  Busiel  and 
Jonathan  G.  Dow,  representatives;  Alpheus  Dolloff, 

! Taylor  L.  Grant  and  Charles  F.  Robinson,  selectmen  ; 
C.  Y.  De  Normandie  and  O.  A.  J.  Vaughan,  school 
committee;  Alpheus  Dolloff,  treasurer. 

1871.  — B.  P.  Gale,  town  clerk;  Timothy  D.  Somes 
and  Jonathan  G.  Dow,  representatives;  Almon  C. 
Leavitt,  Charles  F.  Robinson,  Frank  M.  Rollins,  se- 
lectmen ; C.  Y.  De  Normandie  and  King  S.  Hall, 
school  committee  ; Daniel  S.  Dinsmore,  treasurer. 

1872.  — Benjamin  P.  Gale,  town  clerk;  Timothy  D. 
Somes,  Thomas  O’Donnell  and  John  F.  Prescott, 
representatives;  Frank  M.  Rollins,  Samuel  M.  Doe, 
Langdon  G.  Morgan,  selectmen ; Erastus  P.  Jewell, 
King  S.  Hall,  school  committee ; Benjamin  M.  San- 
born, treasurer  ; Benjamin  Munsey,  W.  F.  Bacon  and 
O.  A.  J.  Vaughan,  prudential  committee.  “Voted,  to 
put  in  street  lights.” 

1873.  — February  17th,  B.  P.  Gale  resigned  as  town 
clerk  and  George  L.  Mead  appointed  in  his  place  ; 
George  L.  Mead  elected  town  clerk  March,  1873 ; 
Langdon  G.  Morgan,  Samuel  M.  Doe  and  John  B. 
Pulsifer,  selectmen  ; Erastus  P.  Jewell,  John  F.  Pres- 
cott and  Thomas  O’Donnell,  representatives;  King  S. 
Hall,  school  committee ; Danl.  S.  Dinsmore,  treasurer. 

1874.  — George  L.  Mead,  town  clerk ; John  T.  Busiel, 
Langdon  G.  Morgan,  John  B.  Pulsifer,  Selectmen  ; 
Daniel  S.  Dinsmore,  treasurer;  William  F.  Bacon, 
school  committee ; E.  P.  Jewell,  John  S.  Wadleigh, 
Frank  M.  Rollins,  representatives. 

1875.  — William  F.  Knight,  town  clerk  ; John  S. 
Crane,  D.  S.  Dinsmore,  A.  J.  Thompson,  John  M. 
Robinson,  representatives ; Jonathan  L.  Moore, 
Francis  M.  Davis  and  Frank  W.  Reeves,  selectmen  ; 
B.  P.  Gale,  treasurer;  Charles  F.  Stone  and  K.  S. 
Hall,  school  committee.  B.  P.  Gale  resigned  and  W. 

L.  Melcher  appointed  in  his  place. 

1876.  — George  A.  Hatch,  town  clerk ; Richard 
| Gove,  Lewis  F.  Busiel,  Joshua  B.  Robinson  and  S. 

M.  S.  Moulton,  representatives  ; Sylvester  S.  Wiggin, 
George  L.  Mead  and  Smith  E.  Dockham,  selectmen  ; 
Benjamin  P.  Gale,  treasurer;  John  T.  Busiel,  school 
committee;  Samuel  M.  Doe  appointed  treasurer  in 
place  of  B.  P.  Gale,  resigned ; Mrs.  E.  S.  Wadleigh  ap- 
pointed superintending  school  committee  July  17, 
1876. 


LACONIA. 


823 


1877. — George  A.  Hatch,  town  clerk  ; Sylvester  S. 
Wiggin,  George  L.  Mead  and  Joseph  P.  Pitman  (2d), 
selectmen  ; Samuel  M.  S.  Moulton,  Lewis  F. 
Busiel  and  Joshua  B.  Robinson,  representatives; 
Benjamin  P.  Gale,  treasurer;  Mrs.  Ellen  E.  S.  Wad- 
leigh,  superintending  school  committee. 

March,  1878. — George  F.  Leavitt,  town  clerk; 
Nelson  Richardson,  Joseph  P.  Pitman  (2d),  Samuel 
M.  Doe,  selectmen ; Benjamin  P.  Gale,  treasurer ; 
Mrs.  Ellen  S.  Wadleigh,  superintending  school  com- 
mittee ; George  A.  Hatch,  Charles  A.  Busiel  and  Ste- 
phen J.  P.  Hadley,  representatives. 

November,  1878. — Charles  A.  Busiel,  George  A. 
Hatch,  Stephen  J.  P.  Hadley,  representatives  for  two 
years ; S.  F.  Noble,  H.  F.  Moulton  and  P.  C.  Smith, 
supervisors;  E.  P.  Jewell,  D.  S.  Dinsmore,  John  T. 
Busiel,  J.  H.  Tilton,  W.  S.  Thomas  and  Charles  F. 
Pitman,  trustees  of  Public  Library. 

1879.  — George  F.  Leavitt,  town  clerk ; Nelson 
Richardson,  treasurer ; Mrs.  Lydia  E.  Warner,  super- 
intending school  committee ; Sylvester  J.  Lam- 
prey, Frank  W.  Reeves  and  Paul  C.  Smith,  select- 
men ; John  T.  Busiel,  James  H.  Tilton,  trustees  of 
Public  Library  ; Daniel  S.  Dinsmore,  appointed  treas- 
urer in  place  of  Nelson  Richardson. 

1880.  — John  W.  Ashman,  town  clerk;  Daniel  S. 
Dinsmore,  treasurer ; Paul  C.  Smith,  Frank  W. 
Reeves  and  S.  J.  Lamprey,  selectmen ; Mrs.  Lydia  E. 
Warner,  superintending  school  committee;  Charles 
F.  Pitman,  Daniel  S.  Dinsmore,  trustees  of  Public 
Library  ; David  B.  Story,  appointed  supervisor  in 
place  of  Paul  C.  Smith,  elected  selectman ; George 
H.  Tilton  appointed  supervisor  in  place  of  H.  F. 
Moulton,  resigned.  November,  1880,  Benjamin  P. 
Gale,  Sylvester  S.  Wiggin  and  Benjamin  E.  Thurs- 
ton, representatives;  David  B.  Story,  George  H. 
Tilton  and  John  F.  Batchelder,  supervisors. 

1881.  — J.  W.  Ashman,  town  clerk ; Sylvester  J. 
Lamprey,  P.  C.  Smith  and  David  B.  Story,  select- 
men; Orran  W.  Tibbetts,  treasurer  ; Lydia  E.  War- 
ner, superintendjng  school  committee;  E.  P.  Jewell 
and  W.  S.  Thomas,  trustee  of  Public  Library;  George 
B.  Lane,  appointed  supervisor  in  place  of  D.  B.  Story 
elected  selectman  April  14,  1881.  Edgar  A.  Rowe 
was  appointed  supervisor  February  28,  1882,  in  place 
of  G.  H.  Tilton,  resigned. 

1882.  — John  W.  Ashman,  town  clerk ; .Orran  W. 
Tibbetts,  treasurer ; David  B.  Story,  Sylvester  J. 
Lamprey  and  David  0.  Burleigh,  selectmen ; John 
H.  Robinson,  superintending  school  committee; 
James  H.  Tilton  and  John  T.  Busiel,  trustees  Public 
Library;  Lydia  E.  Warner,  appointed  superintending 
school  committee  in  place  of  J.  H.  Robinson,  March 
20,  1882 ; John  H.  Robinson,  appointed  October  12, 
1882,  supervisor  in  place  of  J.  F.  Batchelder,  re- 
signed November,  1882  ; John  T.  Busiel,  Charles  F. 
Moulton  and  Horatio  F.  Moulton,  representatives ; 
George  B.  Lane,  George  E.  Stevens  and  John  H.  Rob- 
inson, supervisors. 


1883.  — John  W.  Ashman,  town  clerk ; Orran  W. 
Tibbetts,  treasurer;  Angeline  B.  Eastman,  superin- 
tending school  committee ; Daniel  S.  Dinsmore  and 
Charles  F.  Pitman,  trustees  Public  Library. 

1884.  — John  W.  Ashman,  town  clerk ; Orran  W. 
Tibbetts,  treasurer;  Sylvester  J.  Lamprey,  Freeman 
W.  Ladd  and  Seth  Flanders,  selectmen ; Angeline 
B.  Eastman,  superintending  school  committee;  John 
W.  Ashman  and  William  F.  Knight,  trustees  Public 
Library.  November,  1884,  Napoleon  B.  Gale,  Sylves- 
ter J.  Lamprey  and  Stetson  J.  Hutchins,  representa- 
tives ; George  B.  Lane,  George  E.  Stevens  and  John 
H.  Robinson,  supervisors. 

1885.  — George  B.  Lane,  town  clerk  ; Orran  W. 
Tibbetts,  treasurer;  Sylvester  J.  Lamprey,  Freeman 
W.  Ladd  and  Jonathan  G.  Dow,  selectmen  ; John  T. 
Busiel  and  James  H.  Tilton,  trustees  Public  Library ; 
Angeline  B.  Eastman,  superintending  school  com- 
mittee. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

LACONIA — ( Continued), 

MASONIC  HISTORY. 

Mount  Lebanon  Lodge,  No.  32,  A.  F.  and  A.  M., 

was  chartered  June  10,  1819;  Lyman  B.  Walker, 
John  Chase,  Nathan  Bean,  charter  members.  The 
following  were  the  first  officers  February  23,  1820  : 
Jonathan  Piper,  W.  M.;  Benjamin  Swasey,  S.  W.; 
John  Burns,  J.  W.;  Lyman  B.  Walker,  Sec. 

The  first  application  received  was  from  John  Avery, 
February  23,  1820,  and  received  his  E.  A.  Degree 
March  29,  1820. 

October,  1820. — Benjamin  Swasey,  W.  M.;  Aaron 
Martin,  S.  W.;  Jonathan  Piper,  J.  W.;  Mark  W. 
Piper,  Sec. 

October,  1821. — Aaron  Martin,  W.  M.;  Jonathan 
Piper,  S.  W.;  Lyman  B.  Walker,  J.  W.;  John  T.  Cof- 
fin, Sec. 

Received  an  act  of  incorporation  June  27,  1822. 

October,  1822. — Benjamin  Swasey,  W.  M.;  John  T. 
Coffin,  S.  W.;  Stephen  P.  Tolman,  J.  W.;  Francis 
Russell,  Sec. 

May,  1824. — John  T.  Coffin,  W.  M.;  John  Averv, 
S.  W.;  Amos  Smith,  J.  W.;  Francis  Russell,  Sec. 

May,  1825. — John  T.  Coffin,  W.  M.;  Francis  Rus- 
sell, S.  W.;  Amos  Smith,  J.  W.;  James  Molineux, 
Sec. 

May,  1826. — Francis  Russell,  W.  M.;  Benjamin 
Swasey,  S.  W.;  John  Avery,  J.  W.;  James  Molineux, 
Sec. 

May,  1827. — Francis  Russell,  W.  M.;  James  Moli- 
neux, S.  W.;  Jeremiah  Avery,  J.  W.;  Thomas  Wilder, 
Sec. 

May,  1828. — Aaron  Martin,  W.  M.;  James  Moli- 
neux, S.  W.;  Jeremiah  Avery,  J.  W.;  Thomas  Wilder, 
Sec. 


824 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


May,  1829. — Francis  Russell,  W.  M.;  Benjamin  R. 
Gilman,  S.  W.;  John  Avery,  J.  W.;  William  T.  Cool- 
idge,  Sec. 

May,  1830. — James  Molineux,  W.  M.;  Benjamin 

R.  Gilman,  S.  W.;  I.  W.  Mudgett,  J.  W.;  AV.  T.  Cool- 
idge,  Sec. 

May,  1831. — Amos  Smith,  W.  M.;  Benjamin  R. 
Gilman,  S.  W.;  I.  W.  Mudgett,  J.  W.;  Charles  ^Mor- 
gan, Sec. 

Alay,  1832. — Amos  Smith,  W.  M.;  Benjamin  R. 
Gilman,  S.  W.;  I.  W.  Mudgett,  J.  W.;  Charles  Mor- 
gan, Sec. 

May,  1833. — Aaron  Martin,  W.  M.;  B.  R.  Gilman, 

S.  W.;  I.  W.  Mudgett,  J.  W.;  Charles  Morgan,  Sec. 
May,  1835. — L.  B.  Walker,  AV.  M.;  J.  Elkins,  S.W.; 

L.  M.  Barker,  J.  W.;  D.  H.  Sanborn,  Sec. 

May,  1836.— Jeremiah  Elkins,  W.  M. ; Amos  Smith,  | 
S.  W. ; Mark  Chase,  J.  W. ; D.  H.  Sanborn,  Sec. 

No  meetings  were  held  from  May,  1836,  to  August 
7,  1844. 

August  7,  1844. — John  T.  Coffin,  W.  M. ; Mark 
Chase,  S.  W. ; James  S.  Hoitt,  J.  W. ; Chas.  Morgan, 
Sec. 

May,  1845. — Francis  Russell,  AV.  M. ; Mark  Chase, 
S.  W. ; James  S.  Hoitt,  J.  W. ; B.  Boardman,  Sec. 

May,  1846. — Jeremiah  Elkins,  W.  M. ; B.  Board- 
man,  S.  W. ; J.S.  Hoitt,  J.W. ; Charles  Morgan,  Sec. 
May,  1847. — Francis  Russell,  W.  M. ; J.  S.  Hoitt, 

S.  W.;  Samuel  Winkley,  J.W. ; N.  P.  Burnham,  Sec. 
April,  1848. — Francis  Russell,  W.  M. ; James  S. 

Hoitt,  S.  W. ; Samuel  Winkley,  J.  W.;  John  T.  Cof- 
fin, Sec. 

April,  1849.  — Francis  Russell,  W.  M. ; Samuel 
Winkley,  S.  W. ; Amory  Warren,  J.  W. ; John  T. 
Coffin,  Sec. 

April,  1850.  — Francis  Russell,  W.  M. ; Samuel 
Winkley,  S.  W.;  John  Brown,  J.  W. ; John  T.  Cof- 
fin, Sec. 

April,  1851. — Jeremiah  Elkins,  W.  M. ; John 
Brown,  S.  W. ; Elbridge  E.  Webster,  J.  W. ; John  T. 
Coffin,  Sec.  • J 

April,  1852. — Jeremiah  Elkins,  W.  M.;  Elbridge 
E.  Webster,  S.  W. ; Benjamin  R.  Gilman,  J.  W. ; 
John  T.  Coffin,  Sec. 

April,  1853.— James  S.  Hoitt,  W.  M. , Elbridge  E. 
Webster,  S.  W. ; Benjamin  R.  Gilman,  J.  W. ; John 

T.  Coffin,  Sec. 

April,  1854. — James  S.  Hoitt,  W.  M. ; E.  E.  Web- 
ster, S.  W. ; B.  R.  Gilman,  J.  W. ; John  T,  Coffin, 
Sec. 

April,  1855. — Francis  Russell,  W.  M. ; James  S_ 
Hoitt,  S.  W.;  B.  R.  Gilman,  J.  W. ; John  T.  Coffin’ 

Sec. 

April,  1856. — Francis  Russell,  W.  M. ; Elbridge  E.  | 
Webster,  S.  W. ; James  3.  Hoitt,  J.  W. ; John  T.  Cof- 
fin, Sec. 

April,  1857.— Elbridge  E.  Webster.  W.  M. ; Charles 
C.  Clement,  S.  W. ; J.  S.  Thing,  J.  W. ; Ira  F.  Fol-  i 
som,  Sec. 


April,  1858. — Elbridge  E.  Webster,  W.  M. ; Charles 

C.  Clement,  S.  W. ; J.  S.  Thing,  J.  AY.;  Ira  F.  Fol- 
som, Sec. 

April,  1859. — Charles  C.  Clement,  W.  M.,  J.  S. 
Thing,  S.  AY.;  E.  H.  Blaisdell,  J.  AY. ; Thomas  AVil- 
der,  Sec. 

April,  1860. — Eldridge  E.  AVebster,  AV”.  M.;  John 
Aldrich,  S.  AAT.;  C.  P.  S.  AYardwell,  J.  AY.;  Thomas 
AATilder,  Sec. 

April,  1861. — John  Aldrich,  AY.  M.;  C.  P.  S.  AVard- 
well,  S.  AA7.;  AAr.  L.  Melcher,  J.  AV.;  Thomas  Wilder, 

Sec. 

April,  1862. — John  Aldrich,  AV.  M.;  AY.  L.  Melcher, 
S.  AV7.;  Alpheus  Dolloff,  J.  AV.;  Thomas  H.  Belt, 
Sec. 

March,  1862. — AToted  that  the  regular  meetings  in 
April,  June,  August,  October,  December  and  Feb- 
ruary be  held  at  Lake  village;  and  months  of  May? 
July,  September,  November,  January  and  March  at 
Laconia,  for  the  year. 

April,  1863.— Alpheus  Dolloff,  AV.  M.;  AV.  L.  Mel- 
cher, S.  AV.;  Samuel  E.  Y”oung,  J.  AY.;  Thomas  H. 
Belt,  Sec. 

In  1863. — Took  a lease  of  hall  in  Folsom’s  Block 
for  ten  years. 

1864. — AV.  L.  Melcher,  AY.  M.;  Samuel  E.  Y”oung, 
S.  AV.;  B.  F.  Peaslee,  J.  AV7.;  John  T.  Coffin,  Sec. 

April,  1865.— Alpheus  Dolloff,  AV.  M.;  B.  F.  Peaslee, 
S.  AV7.;  John  F.  Morrill,  J.  VV.;  S.  M.  S.  Moulton, 
Sec. 

April,  1866. — E.  E.  AVebster,  AV.  M.;  A.  J.  Thomp- 
son, S.  AV”. ; J.  S.  Crane,  J.  AV.;  E.  B.  Bell,  Sec. 

April,  1867.— Alpheus  Dolloff,  AV.  M.;  E.  B.  Bell, 
S.  AV”.;  George  E.  Chase,  J.  AY”.;  George  B.  Lane,  Sec. 

April,  1868. — Ezra  B.  Bell,  AV.  M.;  George  E. 
Chase,  S.  AV.;  J.  G.  Jewett,  J.  AV.;  George  B.  Lane, 
Sec. 

April,  1869. — Alpheus  Dolloff,  AV.  M.;  J.  C.  Blake, 
S.  VV.;  R.  R.  Somes,  J.  VV.;  George  B.  Lane,  Sec. 

April,  1870. — Alpheus  Dolloff,  AV”.  M.;  I.  P.  Plum- 
mer, S.  AV7.;  Arthur  Tucker,  J.  VV”.;  George  B.  Lane, 
Sec.  • 

April,  1871-72. — I.  P.  Plummer,  AV”.  M. ; D.  S. 
Dinsmore,  S.  AV. ; G.  B.  Lane,  J.  AV.  ; VV7.  F.  Knight, 
Sec. 

April,  1873. — D.  S.  Dinsmore,  AV.  M. ; J.  B.  Hend- 
ley,  S.  AV”_;  H.  B.  Quinby,  J.  AV7. ; George  L.  Mead, 
Sec. 

April,  1874. — D.  S.  Dinsmore,  AV”.  AI. ; AV”.  H. 
Jones,  S.  AV”. ; E.  C.  Coveil,  J.  VV”. ; George  L.  Mead, 
Sec. 

April,  1875. — D.  S.  Dinsmore,  AV”.  AI. ; AV”.  H.  Jones, 
S.  VV. ; E.  C.  Covell,  J.  VV”. ; F.  H.  Champlin,  Sec. 

1876-77.— AV”.  H.  Jones,  AV.  AI. ; E.  C.  Coveil,  S.  AV”.; 
Isaac  Fonda,  J.  AV”. ; F.  H.  Champlin,  Sec. 

1878.  — E.  C.  Covell,  AV”.  AI.;  I.  Fonda,  S.  AV”. ; K. 

D.  Sawyer,  J.  AV”. ; George  B.  Lane,  Sec. 

1879.  — Edgar  C.  Covell,  VV”.  AI.;  Isaac  Fonda, 
S.  AV”. ; B.  Frank  Drake,  J.  V'.;  George  B.  Lane,  Sec. 


■ 


LACONIA. 


825 


1880—  Isaac  Fonda,  W.  M. ; John  B.  Hendley, 
S.  "W.;  M.  M.  Robinson,  J.  W. ; George  B.  Lane, 
Sec. 

1881. — Isaac  Fonda,  W.  M. ; Mark  M.  Robinson, 
S.  W.;  John  G.  Jewett,  J.  W. ; George  B.  Lane, 
Sec. 

1882-83. — Mark  M.  Robinson,  W.  M. ; John  G. 
Jewett,  S.  W. ; Edgar  A.  Rowe,  J.  W. ; George  B. 
Lane,  Sec. 

1884. — John  G.  Jewett,  W.  M. ; Kendrick  D. 
Sawyer,  S.  W.;  Edgar  A.  Rowe,  J.  W.;  George  B. 
Lane,  Sec. 

1885.  — Kendrick  D.  Sawyer,  W.  M.;  Edgar  A. 
Rowe,  S.  W. ; Stephen  S.  Jewett,  J.  W. ; George  B. 
Lane,  Sec. 

The  first  meeting  of  Mount  Lebanon  Lodge,  No. 
32,  was  held  in  the  house  now  occupied  by  L.  F. 
Busiel,  on  Pleasant  Street ; afterwards  a hall  was  fitted 
up  in  the  Williard  Hotel ; then  to  what  was  called  the 
office  building  of  L.  B.  Walker,  on  Main  Street ; then 
to  the  hall  on  land  now  occupied  by  them  till  the  fire 
in  1860,  when  meetings  were  held  alternately  at  Lake 
village  and  this  place;  after  Mr.  Folsom  built  the 
present  block  the  lodge  was  permanently  located 
again. 

Pythagorean  Council,  Royal  and  Select  Masters, 

No.  6,  was  instituted  at  Sanbornton  Square  in  1830; 
after  working  a few  years  became  dormant;  in  1870 
it  was  revived  and  removed  to  Laconia  with  the  fol- 
lowing charter  members : Charles  Lane,  A.  J. 
Thompson,  Alpheus  Dolloff,  John  P.  Smith,  Jr., 
George  B.  Lane,  Hazen  Copp,  Fred.  H.  Coffin,  John 

C.  Blake,  B.  F.  Peaslee,  C.  P.  S.  Wardwell,  Francis 
Russell,  Ezra  B.  Bell,  A.  H.  Busiel,  G.  A.  Copp,  E.  J. 
Dinsmore,  C.  H.  Fullerton,  J.  L.  Flanders,  Isadore 
Fox,  Jewell  Gove,  E.  W.  Gourd,  E.  C.  Hasiruk, 
W.  H.  Jones,  I.  P.  Plummer,  R.  R.  Somes,  C.  A. 
Sanborne,  K.  D.  Sawyer,  H.  P.  Smith,  George  R. 
Somes  and  E.  E.  Webster. 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  officers  of  Pythagorean 
Council  from  its  organization  in  1870  to  1886: 

1870.  — Charles  Lane,  T.  I.  M. ; Andrew  J.  Thomp- 
son, D.  M.';  Alpheus  Dolloff,  P.  C.  of  Work. 

1871.  — Andrew  J.  Thompson,  T.  I.  M. ; Alpheus 
Dolloff,  D.  M. ; I.  P.  Plummer,  P.  C.  of  Work. 

1872.  — Alpheus  Dolloff,  T.  I.  M. ; George  B.  Lane, 

D.  M. ; I.  P.  Plummer,  P.  C.  of  Work. 

1873.  — I.  P.  Plummer,  T.  I.  M. ; George  B.  Lane, 
D.  M. ; W.  H.  Jones,  P.  C.  of  Work. 

1874. — George  B.  Lane,  T.  I.  M. ; W.  H.  Jones, 
D.  M. ; K.  D.  Sawyer,  P.  C.  of  Work. 

1875.  — George  B.  Lane,  T.  I.  M. ; F.  R.  Gammon, 
D.  M. ; B.  W.  Crosby,  P.  C.  of  Work. 

1876.  — Frank  R.  Gammon,  T.  I.  M. ; George  A. 
Hatch,  D.  M. ; Frank  H.  Champlin,  P.  C.  of  Work. 

1877.  — George  A.  Hatch,  T.  I.  M. ; Frank  H. 
Champlin,  D.  M. ; George  R.  Somes,  P.  C.  of  Work. 

1878-79. — Frank  H.  Champlin,  T.  I.  M. ; Charles 
M.  Elkins,  D.  M. ; George  E.  James,  P.  C.  of  Work. 
53 


1880.  — Charles  M.  Elkins,  T.  I.  M.;  John  R. 
Champlin,  D.  M. ; W.  H.  Jones,  P.  C.  of  Work. 

1881.  — W.  H.  Jones,  T.  I.  M. ; John  R.  Champlin,  * 
D.  M. ; Frank  H.  Champlin,  P.  C.  of  Work. 

1882.  — K.  D.  Sawyer,  T.  I.  M. ; E.  J.  Dinsmore, 
D.  M. ; G.  H.  Everett,  P.  C.  of  Work. 

1883.  — K.  D.  Sawyer,  T.  I.  M. ; G.  H.  Everett,  D. 
M. ; C.  E.  Frye,  P.  C.  of  Work. 

1884-85. — George  H.  Everett,  T.  I.  M. ; C.  E.  Frye, 
D.  M. ; S.  S.  Jewett,  P.  C.  of  Work. 

John  L.  Perley,  Jr.,  Post,  No.  37,  G.  A.  R.,  was 
chartered  November  30,  1877,  with  the  following 
charter  members:  W.  H.  Piper,  D.  H.  Lewis,  John 
F.  Baker,  A.  H.  C.  Jewett,  James  Collins,  Jr.,  Jack- 
son  H.  Lawrence,  P.  H.  Rowen,  Edward  C.  Ryan, 
Winslow  O.  Whipple,  William  Goulding,  Bernard 
Mulligan,  Charles  W.  Baldwin,  D.  A.  H.  C.  Jewett, 

S.  M.  S.  Moulton,  A.  J.  Farrar,  H.  L.  Wilkinson, 
M.  B.  Plumber,  George  B.  Lane,  D.  B.  Nelson,  John 
! L.  Bachelder. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


HON.  JOHN  CARROLL  MOULTON. 

The  first  historic  mention  of  the  Moulton  family  is 
in  the  “ Doomsday  ” Book,  compiled  in  1086.  This 
shows  the  Moultons  to  be  of  Norman  origin,  and  to 
have  accompanied  William  the  Conqueror  in  his  in- 
vasion and  conquest  of  England,  1066.  The  follow- 
ing concerning  the  early  history  of  the  family  and 
description  of  coat-of-arms  is  furnished  by  John  T. 
Moulton,  of  Lynn  : “Thomas  de  Multon  was  a fav- 
orite of  Richard  Cceur  de  Leon  (1190).  He  is  called 
‘Lord  of  Gillesland,’  in  Cumberland,  and  by  the 
Normans  ‘ Lord  de  Vaux.’  Sir  Walter  Scott  intro- 
duces him  as  such  in  the  ‘ Talisman.’  He  is  proba- 
bly the  same  Thomas  de  Multon  who,  as  one  of  the 
barons,  signed  Magna  Charta,  in  1215.  Thomas  de 
Multon,  doubtless  a grandson  of  the  first  Thomas, 
was  also  a signer  of  the  Great  Charter  of  Edward,  in 
1297.  They  were  Lords  of  Egmont,  in  Cumberland. 
Multon  Hall,  in  Wilberton,  now  in  ruins,  was  once 
the  property  of  Sir  Thomas.  Dugdale  says  : ‘ Acre 
was  an  old  hospital  for  poor  people,  dedicated  to  St. 
Leonard,  which,  being  given  with  the  manor,  a.d. 
1230,  to  the  Knights  Hospitalers  by  Sir  Thomas  Mul- 
ton, Knight,  etc.’  Prior  to  1571  the  Moultons  bore 
arms  with  devices  differing  somewhat  in  minor  details, 
yet  alike  in  the  main.  The  following  is  the  descrip- 
tion of  the  arms  granted  in  1571 : Moulton — Argent  ; 
three  bars ; gules,  between  eight  escallop  shells,  sa- 
ble ; three,  two,  two  and  one.  Crest  on  a pellet,  a 
falcon  rising  Argent.” 

As  many  as  seven  Moultons  were  in  America  at  a 
very  early  date,  one  in  the  Jamestown,  Va.,  settle- 
ment. In  1635,  John  and  Thomas  Moulton  emigrated 


826 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


from  Norfolk  County,  England,  to  Newbury,  Mass. 
They  came  to  Hampton,  N.  H.,  in  1638,  and  their 
names  appear  on  the  list  of  the  first  settlers.  John 
Moulton  (1)  was  born  in  England  about  1599;  mar- 
ried Anne  — — . Their  children  were  Henry,  Mary, 
Anna,  Jane  and  Bridget  (twins),  John  and  Ruth.  He 
was  a man  of  note,  and,  in  1639,  was  a representa- 
tive to  the  General  Court.  John  (2),  born  in  New- 
bury in  1638,  married  Lydia,  daughter  of  Anthony 
Taylor,  also  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  Hampton. 
John  (2)  was  a “ Lieutenant.”  The  children  were 
Martha,  John,  Lydia,  Daniel,  James,  Nathan,  David, 
Anna,  Lydia,  Jacob  and  Rachel.  Jacob  (3),  born 
1688,  married  Sarah  Smith,  December  10,  1714.  He 
died  in  1751,  and  his  wife  in  1739.  Children  : Sarah, 
Lydia,  Nathan,  Dorothy,  Jonathan  and  John. 

General  Jonathan  Moulton  (4)  was  born  in  1726, 
and  died  in  1788.  He  was  representative  to  the  Gen- 
eral Court  in  1755-58 ; was  distinguished  for  his 
energy  and  enterprise,  and  rendered  valuable  service 
in  the  Indian  wars.  When  thirty-seven  years  old, 
in  1763,  the  town  of  “ Moultonborough  ” was  granted 
to  him  and  sixty-one  others  by  the  Masonian  proprie- 
tors. He  had  great  foresight  and  shrewdness.  The 
following  amusing  incident  of  the  way  in  which  he 
obtained  the  grant  of  land  now  known  as  the  town  of 
New  Hampton  is  characteristic:  “Having  a very 
fine  ox  weighing  fourteen  hundred  pounds,  fattened 
for  the  purpose,  he  drove  him  to  Portsmouth  as 
a present  to  Governor  Wentworth.  He  refused 
any  compensation,  but  said  he  would  like  a 
charter  of  a small  gore  of  land  he  had  discovered 
adjoining  Moultonborough.  The  Governor  granted 
this  simple  request,  and  General  Moulton  called  it 
New  Hampton  in  honor  of  his  native  town.  This 
small  gore  of  land  contained  nineteen  thousand  four 
hundred  and  twenty-two  acres,  and  a part  now  con- 
stitutes Centre  Harbor.”  In  July,  1774,  General 
(then  Colonel)  Moulton  was  one  of  the  four  delegates 
to  the  Provincial  Congress,  at  Exeter,  to  choose  dele- 
gates to  the  Continental  Congress.  His  title  of  gen- 
eral was  gained  in  the  Revolution,  where  he  greatly 
distinguished  himself.  In  1777  he  was  stationed  at 
Saratoga.  Energetic,  and  a born  leader  of  men, 
General  Moulton  did  much  to  forward  the  settlement 
and  build  up  the  region  adjacent  to  the  lake  on  the 
north,  and  absolutely  created  the  three  towns  of 
Moultonborough,  New  Hampton  and  Centre  Harbor. 
Among  the  children  by  his  first  wife,  Abigail  Smith, 
was  Benning  (5),  who  was  born  May  21,  1761.  He 
married,  November  7,  1782,  Sally  Leavitt,  and  settled 
in  Centre  Harbor  in  1783,  where  he  died  December 
23,  1834.  They  had  six  children, — Nancy  (married 
Jonathan  Moulton),  Jonathan  S.,  Thomas  L.,  Ben- 
niug,  John  H.  and  Elizabeth  (Mrs.  Daniel  Hilton). 
Jonathan  Smith  (6)  was  born  at  Centre  Harbor  De- 
cember 14,  1785.  He  married  Deborah  Neal,  and 
died  November  15,  1855.  He  was  a large  farmer  and 
also  was  quite  extensively  engaged  in  merchandising. 


Mrs.  Moulton  is  now  living  with  her  son,  John  C.,  at 
the  advanced  age  of  ninety-seven,  in  the  full  posses- 
sion of  her  faculties. 

Hon.  John  Carroll  Moulton  (7),  son  of  Jonathan 
Smith  and  Deborah  (Neal)  Moulton,  was  born  at 
Centre  Harbor,  N.  H.,  December  24,  1810.  His  dis- 
trict-school education  was  supplemented  by  an  at- 
tendance of  several  terms  at  Holmes’  Academy, 
Plymouth,  N.  H.,  then  in  charge  of  that  famous 
educator,  Samuel  Burns.  Evincing  an  aptitude  for 
mathematics,  he  availed  himself  of  the  instruction  of 
“ Master  Dudley  Leavitt,”  the  astronomer  and  mathe- 
matician, whose  fame  was  almost  world-wide.  Under 
this  tuition  he  developed  rapidly  a great  proficiency 
in  this  branch  of  science,  which  has  been  of  valuable 
assistance  to  him.  In  vacation-time  he  assisted  his 
father  in  all  branches  of  his  extensive  business.  And 
so  he  attained  manhood,  acquiring  a strong  physique 
by  labor  among  the  rocks  and  hills,  and  a mental  dis- 
cipline of  more  than  ordinary  quality  formed  as  acute 
and  powerful  a mind.  He  commenced  active  life  by 
entering  into  trade  at  Sandwich,  but  in  a few  months 
removed  his  business  to  Centre  Harbor,  and,  in  1833, 
opened  a hotel  in  that  place,  and  continued  both  as 
merchant  and  landlord.  This  hotel  met  with  great 
approval,  and  was  the . pioneer  of  the  numerous  and 
elegant  hostelries  of  that  attractive  summer  resort.  In 
1836  he  changed  his  residence  to  Lake  village,  and 
engaged  in  merchandising  and  manufacturing.  In 
1841  he  removed  to  Meredith  Bridge  (now  Laconia), 
and  from  that  time  he  has  been  one  of  the  formative 
and  directing  forces  of  the  progress  of  this  flourishing 
place, — first,  as  landlord  of  the  popular  “ Belknap 
Hotel ; ” next,  as  bookseller  and  druggist ; then  as 
postmaster  of  the  lively  village,  appointed  by  Presi- 
dent Tyler.  He  continued  in  this  office,  being  reap- 
pointed by  President  Polk,  for  about  six  years,  when, 
under  the  Whig  administration  of  Taylor,  he  was 
deemed  an  “ offensive  partisan  ” and  removed.  He 
was  again  appointed  by  Frank  Pierce,  continued  in 
office  by  Buchanan,  but  shortly  after  Lincoln’s  acces- 
sion to  the  Presidency  he  was  succeeded  by  a Repub- 
lican. This  long  term  of  service — sixteen  years — is 
the  strongest  proof  of  his  popularity. 

In  1861,  Mr.  Moulton  became  a partner  in  the  large 
freight-car  manufactory  which  had  been  conducted  at 
Laconia  by  Charles  Ranlet  & Co.,  until  Mr.  Ranlet’s 
death,  in  1860.  Giving  his  personal  attention  to  the 
business,  he  rapidly  developed  a large  and  profitable 
industry.  The  works  have  been  frequently  enlarged, 
extensive  buildings  put  up,  and  the  quality  of  work 
advanced  until  passenger-cars  of  the  finest  style  were 
manufactured  here  and  the  “ Laconia  Car  Company” 
had  a national  reputation.  This  gave  employment 
to  hundreds  of  workmen,  the  pay-roll  amounting  to 
eight  thousand  dollars  per  month.  The  entire  plant 
was  destroyed  by  fire  in  February,  1881.  With 
characteristic  energy,  Mr.  Moulton  began  work  on 
new  buildings  before  the  ruins  were  cold,  and  work 


. 


■ 


. 


. 


LACONIA. 


827 


was  resumed  in  the  new  factory  in  less  than  a month. 
This  was  done  by  Mr.  Moulton  when  men  at  his  ad- 
vanced age  and  with  his  ample  fortune  would  have 
retired  from  active  life  and  its  responsibilities. 

His  persevering  nature  was  turned,  in  1865,  to  the 
establishment  of  a bank  to  accommodate  the  financial 
needs  of  the  business  interests  so  largely  increasing 
in  Laconia  and  its  vicinity.  In  obtaining  a charter 
for  a national  bank,  he  had  to  meet  and  overcome 
“ almost  insurmountable  obstacles  ; ’’  but  his  labors 
resulted,  however,  in  the  securing  the  charter  for,  and 
the  founding  of,  the  “ Laconia  National  Bank.”  He 
was  at  once  elected  to  its  presidency,  which  he  still 
retains.  In  1868  he  became  the  sole  owner  of  the 
“ Gilford  Hosiery  Corporation,”  which  furnishes  em- 
ployment to  many  operatives,  mostly  females,  and 
does  a most  prosperous  business,  the  annual  product 
having  been  as  high  as  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
thousand  dollars.  Mr.  Moulton,  with  Benjamin  E. 
Thurston,  owns  the  extensive  flour  and  grain-mill  at 
Laconia.  In  other  and  widely  varying  ways  has  Mr. 
Moulton  contributed  greatly  to  the  improvement, 
growth  and  prosperity  of  Laconia,  and  he  is,  beyond 
cavil,  one  of  the  ablest  financiers  of  this  section  of 
the  State.  Sterlingly  Democratic  in  his  principles, 
he  represented  the  Sixth  District  in  the  State  Senate 
in  1871  and  1872,  and  was  elected  a member  of  the 
Governor’s  Council  in  1874.  He  was  a delegate  to 
the  National  Democratic  Convention  in  1876,  and  a 
candidate  for  Presidential  elector  on  the  Tilden 
ticket. 

Mr.  Moulton  is  a charter  member  of  Winnipesau- 
kee  Lodge  of  Independent  Order  of  Odd-Fellows, 
which  was  founded  at  Laconia  in  1842,  and  is  now 
one  of  the  Uniformed  Patriarchs  of  the  order. 

He  married,  July  15,  1833,  Nellie  B.,  daughter  of 
Samuel  M.  Senter.  Her  ancestor,  Colonel  Joseph 
Senter,  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Centre  Harbor. 
They  had  five  children, — Edwin  C.,  deceased,  an  ac- 
tive business  man  ; Samuel  M.  S.,  connected  inti- 
mately with  his  father's  extensive  business  operations; 
William  H.,  died  young;  Horatio  F.,  superintendent 
of  a hosiery-mill  at  Columbia,  S.  C. ; and  Ida  L. 
(Mrs.  Joshua  B.  Holden),  who  resides  in  Boston.  Mrs. 
Moulton  died  November  18,  1860,  and  Mr.  Moulton 
married,  August  18,  1866,  Sarah  A.  McDougall,  a 
lady  of  estimable  qualities  and  generous  character. 

Mr.  Moulton  has  had  no  small  share  in  all  the 
prominent  business  enterprises  of  the  lake  region  for 
the  last  half-century.  Faithful  in  the  discharge  of 
official  duties,  far-seeing,  bold,  persistent,  he  deserves 
and  has  won  a success  far  beyond  the  hopes  and 
aspirations  of  his  early  manhood.  Unlike  many  men 
of  wealth,  he  gives  with  a liberal  hand  to  all  things 
tending  to  advance  the  financial,  educational  and 
moral  interests  of  the  people  with  whom  he  has  been 
so  long  connected. 

His  benefactions  in  behalf  of  liberal  Christianity 
have  always  been  marked.  The  organization  of  the 


Unitarian  Society  of  Laconia  was  accomplished 
largely  by  his  active  energy,  and  its  church  owes  its 
erection,  in  a great  measure,  to  his  labors  and  finan- 
cial aid.  He  is  also  one  of  the  most  generous  of  its 
supporters.  Pleasing  in  his  intercourse,  a strong  and 
powerful  friend,  he  possesses  qualities  which  endear 
him  to  a large  circle,  who  esteem  him  for  his  worth. 
He  has  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  his  children  filling 
honorable  and  useful  positions  in  business  circles  and 
society,  and  worthy  descendants  of  a noble  ancestry. 


COLONEL  SELDON  CROCKETT. 

Seldon  Crockett,  son  of  Samuel  and  Sarah  (Wil- 
comb)  Crockett,  was  born  in  Meredith  (now  Laconia), 
N.  H.,  October  9,  1804,  and  died  June  14,  1868,  at  his 
birthplace,  aged  sixty-four  years. 

His  grandfather,  Captain  Joshua  Crockett,  was  a 
native  of  Newburyport,  Mass.,  who,  according  to  the 
family  tradition,  came,  when  a young  man,  with 
six  others,  to  Meredith  (then  New  Salem)  to  avail 
themselves  of  the  government  grant  of  fifty  acres 
of  land  to  each  settler,  with  the  privilege  of  pur- 
chasing as  many  more  as  he  might  desire  at  the  nom- 
inal price  of  fifty  cents  per  acre.  They  camped  on 
what  is  since  known  as  “ Cotton’s  Hill.”  The  wild 
appearance  of  the  country  discouraged  five  of  the 
number,  and  the  next  morning  they  abandoned  the 
enterprise.  The  others,  Colonel  Ebenezer  Smith  and 
Captain  Crockett,  selected  their  future  homes  from 
the  top  of  a tall  pine-tree,  Captain  Crockett  choosing 
the  land  between  Winnisquam  Lake  and  Bound  Bay, 
“so  he  could  have  it  fenced  by  water  on  two  sides.” 
On  this  location  he  cut  trees,  cleared  enough  land  to 
plant  a few  potatoes  he  had  brought  on  his  wearisome 
way,  and  erected  a log  cabin — the  first  dwelling 
“ within  an  area  of  forty  miles.”  This  occupied  the 
site  of  the  present  summer  residence  of  Mrs.  Crockett. 
The  next  year  Captain  Crockett  brought  his  mother 
to  his  new  home  and  the  battle  with  the  wild  and  re- 
fractory forces  of  nature  was  commenced.  For  this 
Captain  Crockett  was  especially  well  fitted.  Possessed 
of  a strong  and  active  frame,  of  great  energy  and  ex- 
ecutive force,  he  enjoyed  the  labor  and  the  life.  He 
was  a noted  hunter  of  the  various  wild  animals  of  the 
country,  was  captain  of  a company  of  riflemen  raised 
for  service  in  the  Revolution  and  died  aged  seventy- 
three  years. 

His  son,  Samuel  Crockett,  born  1780,  inherited  a 
portion  of  the  acres  of  his  father,  and,  by  his  wife, 
Sarah  Wilcomb,  had  a family  of  four  boys  and  one 
girl.  He  was  a highly-prized  member  of  the  Free- 
Will  Baptist  Church,  and,  with  his  pious  wife,  would 
go  on  horseback  eight  miles  to  the  nearest  religious 
services.  She  was  a much-beloved  and  devoted  Chris- 
tian. Her  faith  in  the  efficacy  of  prayer  was  strong 
and  unswerving,  and  many  wonderful  instances  of 
marked  answers  to  fervent  petitions  are  handed  down 
to  the  present  generation.  She  was  a most  remarka- 


828 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


ble  woman  in  many  ways,  and  lived  to  the  good  old 
age  of  eighty-six,  surviving  her  husband  (who  died  in  1 
1854)  twelve  years. 

Seldon  Crockett  came  of  industrious  ancestors,  and 
was  a worker  from  very  early  years.  The  common 
school,  of  a few  months  in  each  year,  where  he  ac- 
quired his  education,  was  the  college  of  those  days, 
and  for  the  practical  business  life  of  active  New  Eng- 
land it  did  its  work  well.  It  made  independent,  clear- 
headed, self-reliant  men,  who  could  reason  logically, 
and  logically  carry  their  conclusions  into  practical 
results.  From  the  age  of  sixteen,  when  he  left  home,  ' 
Seldon  earned  his  living  and  gave  of  his  earnings  to 
help  his  parents.  His  seventeenth  year  was  passed  on 
a farm  in  Massachusetts,  and  fifty-eight  of  the  sixty 
dollars  received  for  his  labor  were  given  to  his  father,  j 
He  afterward  became  a manufacturer  of  furniture  in 
Boston,  and,  by  his  energy  and  industry,  created  a 
successful  business. 

In  1831,  Mr.  Crockett  married  Lucy,  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Susan  (Learned)  Eliott,  of  Watertown, 
Mass.  This  union  with  a lady  possessing  the  noblest 
qualities  of  the  leading  New  England  families,  from 
whom  she  descended,  proved  most  felicitous.  She  ably 
seconded  all  his  labors,  joined  in  his  benefactions  and 
was  a prominent  factor  in  his  success.  Their  children 
are  Seldon  Frank,  Sarah  W.  (Mrs.  William  W. 
Hague),  Susan  E.  (Mrs.  S.  Stillman  Blanchard),  Grace 
H.  (Mrs.  J.  L.  Grandin)  and  Lucy  E.  (Mrs.  S.  A. 
Shannon). 

But  it  is  pre-eminently  as  the  genial  landlord, 
friend  and  host  that  Colonel  Crockett  is  recalled  to  the 
memory  of  his  numerous  friends,  or  should  appear  in 
history  for  the  perusal  of  coming  generations.  Dis- 
posing of  his  manufacturing,  on  account  of  ill  health, 
in  1844  he  became  the  proprietor  of  the  “ Bromfield 
House,”  in  Boston,  and  until  his  death,  a period  of  ! 
more  than  a quarter  of  a century,  he  conducted  it  with 
admirable  ability,  and  many  prominent  citizens  of 
New  England  made  it  their  chosen  place  of  resort. 

During  his  long  residence  in  Boston  Colonel  Crock- 
ett won  the  respect  of  all  who  knew  him  as  a gentle- 
man of  kind  spirit,  courteous  manners  and  undeviating 
uprightness.  He  was  loyal  to  his  friendships  and  to 
all  his  business  relations.  Not  as  demonstrative  of 
his  religious  feelings  as  many  others,  he  showed  by 
his  daily  life  that  his  mind  and  heart  were  under  con- 
trol of  religious  principle,  and  for  years  was  a valued 
member  of  the  Rowe  Street  Baptist  Church,  then  under 
the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Baron  Stow,  D.D.  Every  one 
met  Colonel  Crockett  with  pleasure  and  parted  from 
him  with  regret.  His  friends  came  voluntarily  to  him 
from  the  highest  circles  of  political,  business  and 
social  life,  alike  from  city  and  country,  and  remained 
friends  during  life.  He  was  most  unassuming  and  un- 
obtrusive, yet  the  sterling  worth  of  the  man  forced 
a recognition  of  his  merits  and  an  appreciation  of  his 
exalted  character  upon  all  with  whom  he  came  in 
contact;  and,  when  a member  of  the  Boston  Common 


Council,  the  only  position  he  would  accept,  he  never 
took  part  in  anything  conducted  for  mere  show,  but 
was  one  of  the  working  members,  faithfully  discharg- 
ing his  duties  without  ostentation  or  display.  He 
ever  had  a warm  sympathy  for  young  men  coming 
from  the  country  to  seek  occupation  in  the  city,  and 
his  nature  went  out  to  their  aid  in  all  ways,  and  many 
men  of  prominence  owe  their  success  to  his  kind  in- 
terest and  generous  assistance.  President  Pierce  once 
gave  this  advice  to  Colonel  Thomas  J.  Whipple, — 
“ You  are  going  to  Boston,  colonel,  and  you  may  want 
a friend  to  advise  and  consult  with.  Now,  if  that 
time  comes,  go  to  Colonel  Seldon  Crockett,  of  the 
1 Bromfield  House ; ’ he  is  a safe  and  reliable  man, 
and  always  ready  to  assist  a friend  ; he  is  a good  man 
to  tie  to.” 

The  character  of  Colonel  Crockett,  the  quality  of 
his  intimate  friends  and  the  esteem  in  which  he  was 
and  is  held  can  best  be  told  by  some  of  those  friends, 
and,  fortunately,  their  utterances  are  on  record.  We 
extract  from  the  Boston  Advertiser  of  April  8,  1869, — 

“ A number  of  gentlemen,  who,  for  more  than  a generation,  have  en- 
joyed the  hospitality  of  that  famous  hostlery  the  ‘ Bromfield  House, ” 
which  is  about  to  be  removed  before  the  progress  of  business  enterprise, 
determined  to  hold  a festive  gathering  in  the  old  house  before  it  should 
be  closed,  in  order  to  revive  the  recollection  of  the  many  pleasant  hours 
they  had  passed  within  its  walls,  aud  to  testify  their  respect  for  the  hon- 
ored landlord  of  60  many  years — Colonel  Seldon  Crockett.” 

The  committee  of  arrangements  consisted  of  Hon. 
Marshall  P.  Wilder,  the  originator  of  the  “gathering,” 
Hon.  George  P.  Sanger,  Benjamin  Callender,  M.  P. 
Kennard,  James  A.  Dupee,  P.  H.  Wentworth  and  A. 
K.  Loring.  Among  the  invited  guests  present  were 
ex-President  Pierce,  Mayor  Shurtleff,  Rev.  Drs. 
Hague  and  Stow,  Hon.  George  S.  Hillard,  Hon. 
George  P.  Sanger,  Judge  Joel  Parker,  Judge  C.  Levi 
Woodbury,  Hon.  Peleg  W.  Chandler,  Judge  Burbank, 
of  Lenox,  George  Lunt,  Esq.,  and  Hon.  Richard 
Frothingham.  We  extract  briefly  from  a few  of  the 
speeches. 

Ex-President  Pierce  said  : 


“I  have  made  this  house  my  sojourning- place  while  in  Boston  for 
many  years,  and  my  knowledge  of  it  and  the  noble  man  who  presided 
over  it  is  but  a type  of  your  own,  and  your  appreciation  of  them  is  but  a. 
type  of  my  own.  I have  been  here  through  many  and  long  years,  and  I 
can  truly  say,  what  I think  can  rarely  be  said  by  any  of  us  of  other  places, 
that  I have  known  not  a single  disagreeable  association  or  a single 
memory  that  it  is  not  pleasant  to  cherish.” 

Hon.  Marshall  P.  Wilder : 

“ For  more  than  a quarter  of  a century  the  ‘ Bromfield  House,1  under 
the  administration  of  the  Crocketts,  has  been  celebrated  for  its  quiet, 
well-regulated,  home-like  character  ; especially  has  it  been  noted  for  the 
excellence  of  its  dinners,  and  it  has  long  since  passed  into  a proverb, — 1 If 
you  wish  for  a good  dinner,  go  to  the  ‘Bromfield  House.1  It  is  this 
which  has  made  this  house  the  resort  of  those  who  sought  comfort  rather 
than  display.  Around  this  hospitable  board  have  sat  Presidents  of  the 
United  States,  members  of  the  Cabinet  and  Congress,  Governors  and 
Judges  of  our  own  and  other  States,  and  eminent  men  from  the  various 
professional,  commercial  and  business  walks  of  life ; and  who  that  has 
been  an  inmate  of  this  house  does  not  remember  the  cheerful  smile,  the 
cordial  grasp,  the  hearty  welcome  of  the  late  Colonel  Seldon  Crockett — 
characteristics  happily  perpetuated  in  his  worthy  son — and  who  that  has 


LACONIA. 


829 


enjoyed  the  comforts  and  hospitalities  of  this  house  would  not  join  with 
us  in  the  language  of  Slienstone : 

“ ‘ Whoe'er  has  traveled  life’s  dull  round, 

Where'er  his  stages  may  have  been, 

Will  surely  say,  here  have  I found 
The  warmest  welcome  of  an  inn.’  ” 

Hon.  PelegW.  Chandler  brought  up  the  memories  of 
his  boyhood  and  his  first  visit  to  Boston.  As  a coun- 
try lad,  he  called  upon  his  wealthy  uncle  at  the  din- 
ner hour,  and  when  he  came,  in  response  to  the  an- 
nouncement that  “ his  nephew  wished  to  see  him,”  he 
asked  Peleg  what  he  wanted  to  do.  “See  Boston.” 
“ Of  course ; well,  a good  place  to  start  from  is  Bow- 
doin  Square,”  bade  him  “good-day,  as  his  carriage 
was  waiting,”  and  he  saw  him  no  more.  He  had  a 
letter  of  introduction  to  Colonel  Crockett,  who  re- 
ceived him  heartily,  cordially  entered  into  his  plans, 
gave  him  his  advice  and  hospitality  and  made  him  at 
home  and  among  friends,  and  through  his  counsel  he 
had  become  what  he  was.  So  warm,  so  encouraging,  so 
lasting  was  this  friendship  that  Mr.  Chandler  was 
feelingly  eloquent  when  he  spoke  of  the  many  excel- 
lent qualities  of  “ his  dear  friend,  Colonel  Crockett.” 
We  close  this  tribute  to  the  memory  of  this  most 
worthy  Christian  gentleman  in  the  language  of  Colo- 
nel John  G.  Greene,  of  the  Boston  Post,  at  the  time 
of  Colonel  Crockett’s  death  : 

“ He  was  faithful  to  all  the  duties  of  life,  and  leaves  a memory  worthy 
of  ardent  emulation.  Benevolent,  confiding,  honorable  in  all  business 
transactions,  spirited  and  patriotic  as  a citizen,  tender  as  a husband, 
parent  and  friend,  he  commanded  undeviating  respect.” 


DAVID  S.  PRESCOTT,  M.D. 

David  S.  Prescott,  M.D.,  was  born  at  Franklin, 
N.  H.,  April  26,  1823,  and  died  at  Laconia  February 
25,  1874.  He  was  a descendant  of  a family  whose 
name  is  sufficient  to  command  respect.  Inheriting  in 
a large  measure  some  of  the  prominent  characteris- 
tics of  his  ancestors,  David  was  not  content  to  pass 
his  life  quietly  on  the  farm,  and  endowed  with  a heart 
full  of  glowing  ambition  and  high  aspirations,  he  de- 
sired an  education  which  should  enable  him  to 
achieve  success  in  a larger  and  broader  field  of  action. 
But  his  parents’  circumstances  did  not  afford  him  the 
advantages  of  liberal  culture,  and  he  was  dependent 
on  his  own  efforts  for  the  means  of  acquiring  the 
knowledge  he  sought,  and  with  the  courage  and 
energy  of  an  earnest  boy,  he  took  up  the  burden  of 
life  while  very  young  and  went  to  work  in  his  father’s 
saw-mill  in  order  to  earn  money  to  go  to  school.  But 
the  brave  lad’s  career  was  soon  impeded  by  an  acci- 
dent, which  appeared  to  blast  his  fond  hopes  of  a 
bright  future.  His  right  hand  was  badly  injured, 
leaving  only  the  thumb  and  fore-finger,  and  David's 
first  words  to  his  father  were,  “ I am  ruined  for  life.” 
However,  he  soon  took  heart  again,  and,  with  the  en- 
couragement and  aid  of  his  father,  he  found  employ- 
ment and  succeeded  in  gaining  sufficient  money  to 
carry  on  his  studies.  His  preparatory  medical  edu- 


cation was  pursued  under  the  direction  of  Dr.  L.  M. 
Knight,  of  Franklin,  N.  H. ; he  was  graduated  at 
Dartmouth  Medical  College  in  1849,  commenced  the 
practice  of  his  profession  January  1,  1850,  at  Temple, 
N.  H.,  and  removed  to  Laconia  in  1853,  where  he 
married  Mrs.  Olive  J.  Knowles  (widow  of  Dr.  Knowles, 
of  Laconia,  and  daughter  of  Jonathan  and  Betsey 
(Lawrence)  Ladd),  who  survives  him. 

Dr.  Prescott  now  addressed  himself  fully  to  the 
noble  and  self-denying  labors  of  a medical  man,  and 
evinced  great  patience  in  the  midst  of  the  cares  and 
trials  of  his  profession.  The  difficulties,  lack  of 
means,  ill  health,  etc.,  with  which  he  had  to  contend 
in  preparing  for  his  life-work  did  not  crush  his  spirit 
nor  prevent  his  rising  in  the  world.  They  only 
seemed  to  develop  his  manhood,  to  bring  out  those 
sterling  qualities  which  constitute  a truly  noble 
character.  He  was  peculiarly  adapted  to  his  work  ; 
his  large  and  sympathetic  heart  was  drawn  toward 
suffering  in  any  form,  and  his  tender  and  gentle  man- 
ner was  restful  to  the  sick.  His  interest  in  his  pa- 
tients was  not  merely  professional ; he  was  at  once 
their  friend,  counselor  and  sympathizer  in  all  trials, 
and  his  advice  and  pecuniary  help,  where  needed, 
was  given  freely,  and,  although  never  of  sound  phy- 
sique, his  first  and  last  thought  was  the  comfort  of 
others.  Through  his  long  and  arduous  career  of  ser- 
vice in  his  noble  and  humane  profession  it  is  not  too 
much  to  say  that,  by  untiring  devotion  to  medical 
duty,  by  the  constant  care,  patience,  fidelity  and  skill 
in  the  daily  exercise  of  a pursuit  so  important  to 
humanity,  he  illustrated  the  best  qualities  of  a phy- 
sician, and  won  the  respect,  enduring  love  and  grati- 
tude of  the  community.  Can  any  one  doubt  the 
popularity  and  success  of  such  a man  ? 

Politically,  Dr.  Prescott  was  a Democrat,  and  his 
object,  first  and  last,  the  good  of  his  country.  He 
believed  in  party  action,  without  being  a partisan,  and 
in  all  things  followed  the  dictates  of  his  judgment 
and  conscience.  When  the  emancipation  proclama- 
tion was  issued,  he  said : “ Slavery  is  dead,  and  I 
thank  God  for  it.”  He  was  a strong  temperance  ad- 
vocate and  an  indefatigable  worker  in  the  cause  ; ac- 
tive in  educational  matters,  and  in  all  affairs  of  pub- 
lic interest  he  took  an  intelligent  concern. 

As  a Christian  worker,  Dr.  Prescott  deserves  especial 
mention.  His  earnestness  and  fervor  awoke  a re- 
sponse in  every  soul.  He  was  a regular  attendant  of 
and  participator  in  the  prayer-meeting  whenever  his 
duties  permitted.  He  was  a natural  leader  in  the 
church,  the  promoter  and  organizer  of  every  benevo- 
lent movement  and  a most  liberal  contributor.  His 
home,  his  time  and  his  money  were  at  the  service  of 
his  Master  ; and,  in  alluding  to  his  death,  his  pastor, 
Rev.  Mr.  Bacon,  said,  “In  losing  Dr.  Prescott,  I lose 
my  right  arm.”  Never  did  the  Congregational  Church 
of  Laconia  lose  a more  valued  or  efficient  member. 

If  a Sabbath-school  excursion  was  in  contempla- 
tion, he  looked  up  the  children  of  the  poor  and  ar- 


830 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


ranged  for  them  to  attend  at  his  expense ; and  in  all 
church  charities  his  customary  words  to  the  members 
were,  “ Put  your  hands  in  your  pockets,  and  put  them 
down  deep and  he  enforced  his  words  by  personal 
example.  His  patients  felt  the  sincerity  and  earnest- 
ness of  his  religious  nature,  and,  to  use  the  language 
of  one,  “ he  prescribed  for  body  and  soul.”  The 
magnetic  influence  of  the  man  was  wonderful,  and 
showed  itself  alike  in  eloquent  and  burning  oratory, 
captivating  tones  of  song  and  vigorous  personal  en- 
deavor. 

Dr.  Prescott  was  a wise,  benevolent,  conscientious, 
public-spirited  man,  whose  example  and  influence 
were  beneficent  in  all  the  relations  of  life,  whose 
memory  is  gratefully  cherished,  and  those  who  knew 
him  will  say  that  this  is  not  the  language  of  eulogy, 
but  simple  truth. 

“ Better  than  storied  urn  or  animated  bust”  is  such 
a monument  of  tender  memories. 


NAPOLEON  BONAPARTE  GALE. 

The  annals  of  an  honest,  industrious  and  useful 
life  are  of  more  value  as  a lesson  to  coming  genera- 
tions than  many  of  those  which  are  placed  high  on 
the  scroll  of  fame. 

Napoleon  Bonaparte  Gale,  son  of  Daniel  and  Abi- 
gail (Page)  Gale,  was  born  in  Gilmanton  (now  Bel- 
mont) March  3,  1815.  His  grandfather  was  Stephen 
Gale,  who  married  Susannah  Flanders.  Stephen 
Gale  was  born  in  Exeter  in  1739.  He  moved  to  Ray- 
mond, where  he  owned  and  conducted  a mill.  He 
was  one  of  the  sturdy,  patriotic  men  of  that  period 
to  whom  we  of  the  present  are  so  much  indebted, 
and  served  as  a soldier  in  the  French  and  Indian 
War.  He  was  stationed  at  Tioga,  in  the  western 
part  of  New  York,  and  did  good  and  valiant  service. 
When  discharged,  he  was  obliged  to  journey  on  his 
homeward  way  hundreds  of  miles  on  foot,  through 
the  trackless  wilderness,  exposed  to  cold  and  other 
perils,  and  for  three  days  was  entirely  without  food. 

In  1780  he  settled  in  Gilmanton,  and  gave  the 
name  “ Tioga  ” to  the  place  where  he  made  his  home, 
on  account  of  its  resemblance  to  the  country  where 
he  served  as  a soldier,  and  that  part  of  the  town  even 
yet  bears  the  name  he  conferred  upon  it.  He  died 
September  10,  1813,  having  “served  his  day  and 
generation  well.” 

Daniel,  son  of  Stephen  and  Susannah  (Flanders) 
Gale,  was  born  in  Raymond  April,  1775,  and  died 
October,  1845.  He  came  to  Gilmanton  with  his  par- 
ents when  he  was  five  years  old,  and  was  ever  after  a 
resident  there.  He  was  a bright,  intelligent  boy,  and 
improved  his  opportunities  for  education  to  the  ut- 
most, and  became  the  schoolmaster  of  the  town, 
which  position  he  held  with  credit  for  over  twenty- 
five  years.  He  was,  besides,  in  numerous  ways,  one 
of  the  influential  men  of  the  town,  holding  manv 
offices  of  honor  and  trust.  He  was  selectman  for 


twenty  years,  justice  of  the  peace  for  many  years, 
representative  to  the  General  Court  for  several  terms, 
and  one  of  the  associate  judges  of  the  Court  of  Ses- 
sions. He  transacted  much  Probate  business,  and 
attended  to  the  securing  of  Revolutionary  claims  and 
pensions.  His  nature  was  positive  and  energetic ; 
his  judgment  sound  and  practical ; his  memory  very 
retentive, — he  could  carry  in  his  mind  the  locations 
and  boundaries  of  all  the  farms  in  a large  area,  and 
his  accuracy  in  this  respect  was  so  well  known  that 
when  any  dispute  arose  concerning  boundaries,  he 
was  at  once  appealed  to,  and  his  decision  was  received 
as  final.  Kind-hearted  and  generous,  he  worked 
more  for  the  good  of  others  than  for  remuneration, 
and  although,  with  the  same  opportunities,  a cold, 
calculating  man  of  the  world  would  have  become 
rich,  Judge  Gale  was  so  only  in  the  love  and  esteem 
of  his  fellow-townsmen.  He  was  of  large  physique, 
well  proportioned,  over  six  feet  high,  weighing  over 
two  hundred  pounds,  and  a very  distinguished  and 
fine-looking  man.  He  married  Abigail,  daughter  of 
Deacon  Benjamin  and  Hannah  (Sanborn)  Page,  of 
Epping.  Their  children  attaining  maturity  were 
Hazen,  Daniel  M.,  Napoleon  B.  and  Benjamin  P. 
Mrs.  Gale  was  born  in  1779,  and  died  in  1856,  surviv- 
ing her  husband  eleven  years.  She  descended  from 
two  good  colonial  families,  and  was  a thrifty,  prac- 
tical woman  of  strong  executive  powers,  and  im- 
pressed her  individuality  upon  her  children,  and 
labored  zealously  that  they  might  receive  a good 
education.  She  was  strongly  orthodox  in  her  opin- 
ions, and  her  father  was  a deacon  in  the  Congrega- 
tional Church. 

Napoleon  passed  his  early  years  with  his  parents, 
attending  the  town  school  and  supplementing  his 
education  by  attendance  at  Sanbornton  and  Gilman- 
ton Academies.  When  eighteen  years  old  his  brother, 
Daniel  M.  (who  had  purchased  the  interest  of  his 
uncle  Stephen  in  the  mercantile  house  of  “ Gale  & 
Pitman,”  doing  business  at  Laconia  and  Lake  village), 
offered  him  a position  as  clerk,  which  he  accepted, 
and  continued  with  the  firm  until  1835,  when  the 
store  at  Lake  village  was  sold,  and  he  returned  to  the 
home  farm  at  Gilmanton, 

In  August,  1835,  the  young  man,  not  having  yet 
attained  his  majority,  went  to  Boston,  and  engaged 
as  clerk  in  a grocery-store,  where  he  remained  nearly 
four  years,  doing  his  duties  faithfully,  and  every  year 
adding  to  his  mercantile  knowledge.  In  1839  he 
came  to  Meredith  and,  in  company  with  Joshua  R. 
Smith,  engaged  in  merchandising  under  the  name  of 
“Smith  & Gale.”  In  the  fall  of  1840,  on  account  of 
ill  health,  he  removed  to  his  father’s  house,  and  after 
the  death  of  his  father,  in  1845,  he  assumed  the  care 
of  the  home  farm._ 

In  August,  1852,  his  health  being  re-established  he 
went  into  the  Belknap  County  Bank  as  a substitute 
for  his  brother,  Daniel  M.,  the  cashier,  who  was  ill, 
and  was  ever  after  connected  with  the  bank.  In  No- 


Y; 


a 


LACONIA. 


831 


vember,  1853,  he  was  elected  cashier,  and  held  that 
office  until  the  expiration  of  the  charter,  in  1866,  and 
the  closing  up  of  its  affairs,  some  three  years  later. 

In  1868  Mr.  Gale  was  one  of  the  incorporators  of 
the  Belknap  Savings-Bank,  and  was  one  of  the  trustees. 
Upon  the  resignation  of  the  presidency  by  Dr.  Perlev, 
Mr.  Gale  was  elected  president,  and  still  holds  the 
position.  Politically,  he  is  a Democrat,  and  repre- 
sented the  town  of  Belmont  in  1867-68,  and  is  one  of 
the  representatives  of  Laconia  this  present  year 
(1885),  of  which  place  he  is  now  a resident. 

Major  Gale,  as  he  is  universally  called,  carries  his 
seventy  years  with  the  appearance  of  a much  younger 
man  ; possesses  great  strength  of  character,  can  say 
yes  when  he  means  yes,  and  no  when  he  means  no, 
and  is  a model  banker.  He  commenced  by  keeping 
the  books,  and  knows  all  the  details,  and  there  is  no 
need  of  an  “ expert  ” to  “ straighten  out  ” the  affairs 
of  this  bank  while  Major  Gale,  with  his  clear  mind,  is 
at  the  helm. 

In  a business  career  of  over  half  a century  his  life 
has  been  one  of  unblemished  integrity  and  conscien- 
tious uprightness.  He  is  ever  honest  in  all  transac- 
tions,— not  because  honesty  is  the  best  policy,  but 
because  of  his  sound  principles,  which  he  never  for 
one  moment  compromised.  He  has  sought  no  means 
of  obtaining  wealth  by  any  speculative  or  hasty 
methods,  choosing  rather  to  labor  with  untiring  zeal 
and  cheerful  industry  in  his  own  field,  in  which  he 
has  won  and  deserved  the  confidence  of  the  entire 
community. 

Kind-hearted  and  generous,  in  all  good  causes  he 
gives  with  a liberal  hand,  without  ostentation  and 
assumption.  Public-spirited  and  enterprising,  he 
advocates  and  promotes  any  effort  for  the  improve- 
ment and  betterment  of  this  section.  He  is,  in  many 
ways,  one  of  Laconia’s  representative  men,  and 
among  the  most  honored  of  her  citizens. 


JOSEPH  P.  PITMAN. 

Joseph  P.  Pitman,  for  more  than  fifty  years  an 
honored  and  influential  citizen  of  what  is  now  Laconia, 
descended  from  a family  which  had  been  long  and 
favorably  known  in  Belknap  County. 

Among  the  officers  elected  at  the  first  town-meeting 
held  in  Meredith  appears  the  name  of  the  grand- 
father, Ebenezer  Pitman,  who  was  afterward  made 
representative  to  the  General  Court,  and  served 
several  years  as  town  clerk.  The  confidence  of  his 
fellow-citizens  was  also  bestowed  upon  the  son,  Eben- 
ezer Pitman,  Jr.,  who  was  likewise  for  a number  of 
terms  a representative  to  the  General  Court,  and  in 
various  ways  rendered  valuable  service  to  his  own 
townsmen  by  virtue  of  his  legal  acquirements. 

Joseph  P.  Pitman,  second  son  of  Ebenezer  Pitman, 
Jr.,  was  born  on  the  old  homestead  in  Meredith  Jan- 
uary 12,  1809.  Passing  his  earlier  days  upon  the 
farm,  attending  school  as  opportunity  offered,  he 


profited  greatly  by  his  advantages.  But  eaggr  to 
know  and  quick  to  learn,  he  was  not  content  with  the 
instruction  to  be  obtained  at  home,  and  therefore 
entered  the  academy  at  New  Hampton,  and  made 
such  progress  that  prior  to  his  majority  he  has  taught 
several  terms  of  school,  and  had  been  a clerk  for  two 
years  in  Concord.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  began 
business  in  what  is  now  Laconia,  in  connection  with 
the  late  Daniel  M.  Gale,  and  subsequently  continued 
it  with  his  brother,  John  M.  Pitman,  afterward,  for 
more  than  thirty  years,  with  his  intimate  friend, 
Daniel  A.  Tilton,  and  from  1877  in  company  with 
his  own  son,  Joseph  W.  Pitman.  Mr.  Pitman  early 
acquired  an  enviable  reputation  as  a sucessful  business 
man  of  sound  practical  judgment,  and  was  conse- 
quently selected  to  fill  many  positions  of  responsibility 
and  trust.  From  1836  to  1841  he  was  both  agent  and 
treasurer  of  the  Winnipesaukee  Lake  Cotton  and 
Woolen  Manufacturing  Company,  and  during  a part 
of  this  time  he  was  also  engaged  in  business  at  Lake 
village,  in  company  with  the  late  John  Y.  Barron. 
In  1842  he  was  made  a director  in  the  Winnipesaukee 
Bank,  and  rendered  such  essential  service  in  the 
management  of  its  affairs  as  to  prevent  its  threatened 
failure. 

During  the  twenty  years  of  its  existence,  from  1846 
to  1866,  he  was  a director  of  the  Belknap  County 
Bank,  acting  on  the  discount  committee,  and  in  1876 
he  was  chosen  a trustee  of  the  Belknap  Savings- 
Bank,  an  office  which  he  continued  to  hold  during 
the  remainder  of  his  life. 

Mr.  Pitman  was  a director  of  the  Winnipesaukee 
Steamboat  Company,  also  of  the  Concord  Railroad, 
president  of  the  Pemigewasset  Valley  Railroad. 

But  his  ability  was,  perhaps,  put  to  the  severest 
test  in  connection  with  the  Boston,  Concord  and 
Montreal  Railroad,  of  which  at  the  time  of  his  death 
he  was  senior  director,  having  been  elected  to  that 
office  as  early  as  1858.  It  was  mainly  through  his 
persistent  energy,  foresight  and  tact  that  the  railroad 
enterprise  was  preserved  from  financial  ruin  and  its 
late  prosperity  secured.  What  Mr.  Pitman  accom- 
plished in  connection  with  the  distinguished  president 
of  the  road,  the  late  John  E.  Lyon,  in  restoring  the 
credit  of  the  corporation  when  failure  seemed  inevit- 
able, can  be  appreciated  only  by  those  who  knew  the 
difficulties  and  discouragements  with  which  he  had 
to  contend. 

For  a number  of  years  Mr.  Pitman  was  engaged  in 
manufacturing,  and  his  efforts  in  this  direction  were 
concentrated  in  1868  in  the  production  of  knit-goods. 

In  conducting  this  business  he  held  a controlling  in- 
terest in  the  firm  of  Pitman,  Tilton  & Co.,  which  was, 
in  1874,  incorporated  as  the  Pitman  Manufacturing 
Company,  and  in  this  he  was  president  and  principal 
owner. 

Mr.  Pitman  was  a life-long  Democrat  and  thoroughly 
interested  in  the  success  of  the  party,  without  ever 
seeking  any  official  position  for  himself. 


832 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Hq  was,  however,  a representative  from  Meredith 
to  the  General  Court  in  1851  and  1852,  and  showed 
that  he  was  thoroughly  well  adapted  to  the  work  of 
legislation. 

Mi-.  Pitman  was  for  forty-three  years  a member  of 
the  Laconia  Congregational  Church,  and  identified 
with  its  activity  in  many  relations.  He  was  the  prin- 
cipal member  of  the  building  committee,  under  whose 
direction  the  house  was  remodeled  in  1871,  making  it 
at  that  time  one  of  the  finest  church  edifices  in  North- 
ern New  Hampshire. 

He  was  a man  whose  kindness  of  heart  was  recog- 
nized by  those  with  whom  he  came  in  contact  from 
day  to  day,  and  he  was  held  in  grateful  remembrance 
by  the  many  who  had  become  indebted  to  him  for 
wise  counsel  or  timely  encouragement. 

Prompt  in  aiding  every  worthy  effort  to  secure  in- 
dividual prosperity  or  public  advantage,  he  was 
especially  interested  in  the  success  of  young  men  who 
desired  to  engage  in  business  for  themselves,  and 
lived  to  see  many  manufactories  and  other  business 
enterprises  thoroughly  established  through  the  finan- 
cial assistance  they  had  received  from  him.  The 
following,  taken  from  the  resolutions  adopted  by  his 
townsmen,  who  had  been  called  together  for  that  pur- 
pose immediately  after  his  death,  will  show,  to  some 
extent,  how  he  was  regarded  by  those  among  whom 
the  greater  part  of  his  life  had  been  passed: 


“ We  deeply  lament  the  loss  which  we,  in  common  with  others,  have 
sustained  by  the  death  of  one  so  intimately  connected  with  the  substantial 
history  and  prosperity  of  our  town.  Mr.  Pitman  was  widely  and  most 
favorably  known  as  a strong  business  man,  of  undoubted  integrity  and 
great  sagacity,  always  punctual  in  meeting  every  engagement,  and  faith  - 
ful  in  performing  every  duty,  and  combining  energy  with  prudence  to  a 
rare  degree.  No  one  has  contributed  more  largely  to  give  to  Laconia  its 
enviable  rank  as  a business  centre  thau  Mr.  Pitman,  and  his  loss  will  be 
long  and  severely  felt  far  beyond  the  immediate  circle  in  which  he 
moved.” 

Although  so  far  advanced  in  years,  Mr.  Pitman 
continued  to  be  actively  engaged  in  business  to  the 
end  of  life. 

His  last  illness  was  of  short  duration,  and  he  died 
in  peace  at  his  own  home  on  the  16th  of  February, 
1883,  aged  seventy-four  years.  Thus  for  upwards  of  a 
half-century  Mr.  Pitman  was  a resident  of  Laconia, 
holding  a high  place  in  the  esteem  of  his  fellow- 
citizens,  on  account  of  the  upright  character  of  his 
life,  and  succeeding  by  patient  industry  and  skillful 
management  in  acquiring  a large  estate. 

Mr.  Pitman  was  married,  on  May  9,  1841,  to  Char- 
lotte Abby,  daughter  of  Charles  and  Abigail  Parker. 
Their  children  were  Elizabeth  W.  (now  Mrs.  Charles 
U.  Bell,  of  Lawrence,  Mass.);  Helen  M.,  deceased 
(the  first  wife  of  Mr.  Bell) ; Charles  F.  (the  present 
manager  of  the  Pitman  Manufacturing  Company) ; 
Joseph  W.  and  Walter  H.,  who  continue  the  business 
of  the  father  under  the  established  partnership  name 
of  J.  P.  Pitman  & Co. 


HISTORY  OF  MEREDITH. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Introductory — Topography  and  Description  of  Town — First  Settlement — 
Extracts  from  Proprietors’  Records  of  Salem  and  New  Salem — Pro- 
prietors’ Grant — Names  of  Persons  Drawing  Lots — First  Saw-Mill — 
First  Improvements  and  Residents — First  Births — Grist-Mill,  etc. 

The  history  of  Meredith  really  covers  a period  of 
nearly  two  and  a half  centuries,  for  in  1652  a party  of 
hardy  adventurers  was  detailed  by  Massachusetts  to 
seek  the  northern  source  of  the  Merrimack,  and  at 
the  ancient  Aquedoctan,  or  Weirs,  August  1,  1652, 
they  chiseled  the  inscription  on  the  rock  which  bears 
the  name  of  Endicott,  so-called  in  honor  of  the  Gov- 
ernor of  Massachusetts,  who  gave  them  their  commis- 
sion. 

The  foot  of  Lake  Winnipesaukee  was  a favorite 
resort  for  the  red  man.  Large  villages  stood  on  each 
side  of  the  river,  and  on  the  Laconia  side  can  yet  be 
seen  the  site  of  one  of  their  forts.  Eighty  years  ago 
their  dams  filled  the  river,  built  for  the  purpose  of 
taking  the  shad,  which  swarmed  there  in  the  fall. 
Here  the  warlike  chief,  Wohawa,  called  a council  to 
inflame  the  neighboring  tribes  just  previous  to  the 
bloody  days  of  1675,  and  here  the  gallant,  but  ill-fated, 
Lovewell  often  halted  in  his  raids  on  the  Ossipees. 
This  whole  region  is  rich  in  legendary  lore,  and  many 
an  interesting  story  could  be  related  if  time  and 
space  would  permit;  but  we  must  turn  to  more  au- 
thentic history. 

Meredith  is  one  of  the  oldest  towns  in  this  part  of 
the  State.  Her  early  settlers  were  men  and  women 
of  a most  sturdy  character.  They  were  pioneers  of  a 
more  than  ordinary  type,  and  took  an  active  part  in 
the  formation  of  the  Granite  State,  and  stamped 
their  individuality  upon  its  enactments.  The  exam- 
ple which  they  displayed  of  heroic  faith,  of  invinci- 
ble courage,  of  bold  and  untiring  enterprise,  and 
their  sacrifices  in  developing  the  resources  of  the 
country,  all  reflect  honor  upon  them,  and  their  de- 
scendants should  recall  their  heroic  struggles  with 
pride,  and  by  these  recollections  be  stimulated  to  an 
emulation  as  noble,  to  a patriotism  as  pure,  to  virtues 
as  exalted  and  philanthropy  as  generous. 

This  town  wras  incorporated  by  the  Governor  and 
Council  December  30,  1768,  and  was  within  the 
bounds  of  Mason’s  patent.  By  an  act  approved 
December  30,  1799,  Stone  Dam  and  Bear  Islands 


were  annexed.  A division  of  the  town  took  place 
July  14,  1855,  the  southeasterly  portion  being  incor- 
porated into  a town  by  the  name  of  Laconia.  By  an 
act  approved  July  3,  1873,  a portion  of  Meredith  was 
annexed  to  Centre  Harbor. 

Meredith  is  thirty-six  miles  north  of  Concord,  and 
is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Centre  Harbor  and  Lake 
Winnipesaukee ; north  and  northeast  by  said  lake  ; 
southeast  by  Laconia ; south  by  Sanbornton,  and 
west  and  northwest  by  New  Hampton.  Waukawan 
Lake  (formerly  called  Measley  Lake),  near  the  vil- 
lage, is  connected  with  Lake  Winnipesaukee  by  a 
stream  affording  a large  amount  of  water-power. 
As  a farming  town,  it  is  surpassed  by  but  few  in  the 
State.  Agriculture  is  the  principal  employment  of  its 
inhabitants,  who  are  well  recompensed  for  the  labor 
bestowed.  The  soil  is  deep,  fertile,  easily  cultivated, 
and  many  of  the  farms  beautifully  situated  on  the 
shores  of  Lake  Winnipesaukee,  which  washes  a large 
portion  of  its  southern  and  northeastern  borders.  At 
Meredith  village  there  is  one  of  the  best  water  privi- 
leges in  the  State,  which  is  controlled  by  the  Mere- 
dith Mechanic  Association,  and  there  is  considerable 
capital  invested  in  manufactures.  The  population  is 
about  eighteen  hundred.  There  are  two  post-offices, — 
Meredith  village  and  Meredith  Centre.  The  present 
town  officers  are, — Selectmen,  William  S.  Smith,  J.  L. 
Prescott,  0.  N.  Roberts  ; Clerk,  I.  C.  Boynton  ; Treas- 
urer, T.  S.  Moses;  Superintendents,  F.  L.  Mason, 
John  Webster.  S.  W.  Rollins,  Esq.,  Probate  judge 
of  Belknap  Coutity,  is  a resident  of  of  the  town. 

The  oldest  physician  is  George  Sanborn,  M.D.  The 
present  churches  are  Congregational,  Calvin  Baptist 
and  Free-Will  Baptist.  There  is  one  bank,  Meredith 
Village  Savings-Bank,  with  a deposit  of  three  hun- 
dred and  thirty  thousand  dollars,  and  over  nine  hun- 
dred and  ninety  depositors.  The  manufacturers  are 
Waukawan  Hosiery  Mills,  Samuel  Hodgson,  proprie- 
tor (see  biography) ; J.  A.  Lang,  piano-forte  cases ; 
Meredith  Shook  and  Lumber  Company  ; American 
Twist  Drill  Company;  Wadleigh  Plow  Company; 
J.  S.  Robinson  & Co.,  organs;  G.  H.  Clark  & Co., 
lumber. 

First  Settlement— Extracts  from  “Proprietors’ 
Records  ” of  Salem  and  New  Salem. — The  first  set- 
lement  of  this  territory  was  commenced  in  1748,  and 

833 


834 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


the  land  was  surveyed  and  laid  out  as  the  town  of 
Salem,  which  soon  was  changed  to  New  Salem,  and 
this  name  the  township  bore  until  the  incorporation 
of  Meredith.  The  business  was  done  and  proprie- 
tors’ meetings  held  for  twenty  years  principally  in 
Exeter.  We  give  extracts  from  “ Proprietors’  Rec- 
ords,” the  following  being  the  first  record  : “Novem- 
ber the  3d,  1748,  Ensign  Jonathan  Longfellow  and 
fifty-nine  others  petition  ‘ that  they  may  have  a town- 
ship or  a tract  of  land  granted  or  given  to  them  and 
to  their  heirs  forever.  Gentlemen,  whose  right  it  is  to 
grant  or  give  our  request,  we  being  the  loyal  and  du- 
tiful subjects  of  His  Majesty,  King  George  the  Sec- 
ond, we  pray  you  to  grant  or  give  to  us  a part  of  the 
land  which  is  to  be  laid  out  into  townships  in  our  fron- 
tiers above.’  ” The  same  persons  met  November 
10,  1748,  and  organized  by  voting  “ Ensin  Oliver 
Smith,  moderator,  and  Jethro  Person,  treasurer,  to 
keep  the  money  to  be  raised  by  the  society  for  carry- 
ing on  the  business.”  “ Voted , Ensin  Oliver  Smith, 
Joseph  Juewt,  Joseph  Smith  and  Daniel  Clark  be  a 
committee  to  go  up  and  lay  out  a township.”  Decem- 
ber 19,  1748,  “ Voted,  Joseph  Rawlins  have  two 
pounds  three  shillings,  old  tenor,  for  going  to  Hamp- 
ton and  Eping  for  a surveyor.”  November  14,  1749, 
“ Voted,  That  there  be  a cornety  to  jovn  with  the  comi- 
tey  of  the  first  town  to  ron  the  line  at  the  head  of  sd 
Towns  betwen  the  Pound  and  Pemigewasset  river, 
and  to  look  out  a place  for  a saw-mill  and  for  a Sen- 
ter  Scware.”  At  a meeting  of  the  proprietors,  held 
at  the  dwelling-house  of  Tilton  Lawrence,  at  Strat- 
ham,  December  26,  1750,  “ Voted,  _ Ensin  Jonathan 
Longfellow  moderator  for  sd  meeting.  Voted,  Joseph 
Juett,  Josiah  Sandborn  and  Jonathan  Longfellow,  or 
aney  two  of  them,  to  go  down  to  Portsmouth  and  order 
draw  the  first  division  of  lots.”  [This  first  divi- 
sion comprised  about  what  is  now  contained  in  the 
town  of  Laconia,  with  a little  of  the  present  Meredith 
on  its  northern  boundary],  “Voted,  Five  shillings  on 
each  wright.  Voted,  That  all  that  don’t  pay  to  Mr. 
Josiah  Sandborn  their  respective  somes  due  on  their 
wrights  at  or  before  the  4th  day  of  January  next,  their 
wrights  to  be  forfeted  for  their  negleckting.  Josiah 
Sandburn,  Daniel  Smith  and  Joseph  Clark  be  a com- 
mit)', ajust  accounts  with  the  Treshurs  and  Colectors 
for  the  town  of  Salem.”  November  2,  1752,  “A  com- 
mittee was  chosen  to  lay  out  a second  division  of 
lots.”  [This  division  included  the  portion  on  the 
west  and  north  of  Winnisquam  Lake.]  At  a meeting 
of  the  proprietors  of  the  township  of  Salam  (so 
called),  at  the  house  of  Captain  John  Lights,  in  Ex- 
eter, January  1,  1753,  “ Voted,  That  the  Proprietors’ 
annauel  meateing  for  the  future  shall  be  on  the  first 
Monday  in  Jauary,  in  order  to  chuse  Town  officers. 
Voted,  That  their  should  be  three  assessors  and  one 
collector  chosen  for  the  year  ensueing.  Voted,  That 
Mr.  Josiah  Sambon  be  Treasure  for  this  year.  Voted, 
That  Mr.  Jonathan  Longfellow  shall  have  one  shil- 
ling, old  tenor,  Pracer  for  every  acer  he  shall,  on  his 


own  charge,  Gitt  added  to  the  township  of  Salom, 
more  than  is  contained  in  the  two  Plans  all  Readey 
taken,  and  to  Gitt  it  confeirmd  by  the  Grantors;  and 
if  he  dose  not  git  any  added,  is  to  have  nothing  for 
his  charges  ; and  that  the  assessors  shall  taxe  the 
Proprietors  for  to  pay  him  for  what  he  Gitts  added.” 
May  3,  1754,  the  proprietors  of  Portsmouth  increased 
the  grant  by  calling  the  north  line  twelve  miles  in- 
stead of  seven,  so  adding  Meredith  Neck. 

PROPRIETORS’  GRANT. 

“ At  a meeting  of  the  Proprietors  of  the  lands  purchased  of  John 
Tufton  Mason,  Esq.,  in  the  Province  of  New  Hampshire,  held  by  ad- 
journment at  the  dwelling-house  of  Sarah  Prust,  widow,  in  Portsmouth, 
on  Saturday,  the  thirty-first  day  of  December,  Anno  Domini  1748,  Fofed, 
that  their  be  and  hereby  is  granted  unto  Samuel  Palmer,  Esqr.,  Jonathan 
Shaw,  Benja  Shaw,  Junr.,  all  of  Hampton  in  sd  Province  ; Samuel  Good- 
hew,  Junr.,  John  Purmot,  John  Smith,  Benja  Jewett,  Joseph  Rawlings, 
Elisha  Smith,  Daniel  Clark,  Tilton  Larrance,  Joseph  Clarke,  Jonathan 
Sibbley,  Richard  Scammon,  James  Scammon,  Benja  Whicher,  William 
Chase,  Moses  Chase,  Benja  Norris,  Lazarus  Row,  Joseph  Fifield,  Moses 
Rawlings,  John  Taylor,  Jacob  Low,  David  Rawlings,  Chase  Robinson, 
Josiah  Goodhue,  all  of  Stratham  in  said  Province  ; Jonathan  Longfel- 
low, John  Light,  Joseph  Wadleigh,  Jonathan  Wadleigli,  Daniel  Smith, 
Daniel  Gale,  Josiah  Robinson,  Junr.,  Joseph  Robinson,  Joseph  Pearson, 
Eliphelet  Rawlins,  Joseph  Rawlings,  Junr.,  Nathaniel  Bartlet,  Junr., 
Ephraim  Robinson,  Abraham  Clark,  Joseph  Rawlings,  Daniel  Thurstin, 
Josiah  Sambon,  John  Morgen,  Joseph  Goodhew,  Oliver  Smith,  Junr , Ja- 
cob Longfellow,  JohnLeavit,  Junr.,  Oliver  Smith,  Joseph  Norris,  Samuel 
Norris,  Benja  Norris,  Samuel  Norris,  Junr.,  Josiah  Sambon,  Robert  Cut- 
tier,  all  of  Exeter  in  said  Province,  and  Thomas  Ford,  of  Nottingham 
in  said  Province  (together  with  twenty  other  persons  hereafter  to  be 
named  by  said  Proprietors),  in  equal  shares,  excepting  as  hereafter  here- 
in excepted,  on  the  terms,  conditions  and  limitations  hereinafter  ex- 
pressed : all  that  tract  of  land  within  the  Province  of  New  Hampshire, 
Containing  the  extent  and  quantity  of  Six  miles  Square,  etc.” 

The  conditions  of  this  grant  were,  that  there  should 
be  one  hundred  shares,  each  share  to  consist  of  two 
lots,  to  be  laid  out  within  one  year,  one  share  to  be 
for  the  first  minister  of  the  gospel  to  settle  on  the 
land,  six  acres  to  be  left  for  public  purposes, — build- 
ing a meeting-house  and  school -house,  a training- 
field,  a burying-place,  etc.  Each  of  the  owners  of 
the  eighty  shares  not  reserved  by  proprietors  should 
build  an  house  eighteen  feet  long  and  fourteen  feet 
wide,  or  equal  thereto,  upon  some  part  of  his  land, 
and  clear  three  acres  of  it  fit  for  tillage  or  mowing 
within  eight  years  from  that  date,  and  ten  years  to 
build  a meeting-house. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  persons  drawing 
lots  in  New  Salem,  May  3,  1754,  with  number  of  lot 
in  first  division  : 

“ 1,  John  Leavitt,  Jr.  ; 2,  Samuel  Sally  & March  ; 3,  Proprietors  ; 4, 
Heirs  of  Jonathan  Odiorne,  Esqr. ; 5,  Theo.  Atkinson,  Esqr.  ; 6,  Benja 
Shaw ; 7,  Nath®1  Bartlett,  Jun.  ; 8,  Joshua  Pierce,  Esqr.  ; 9,  Benj* 
Whitcher ; 10,  Samuel  Norris;  11,  Richard  Scammon;  12,  John  Shaw, 
Junr. ; 13,  Joseph  Fifield  ; 14,  Benja  Norris,  Stratham  ; 15,  Benja  Norris, 
Exeter  ; 16,  Proprietors ; 17,  Josiah  Sambon,  Jun. ; 18,  Jacob  Low ; 19, 
Mess™.  Tomlinson  & Mason  ; 20,  Daniel  Gale  ; 21,  Joseph  Clark  ; 22, 
Richard  Wibirn,  Esq.  ; 23,  Daniel  Thurston  ; 24,  Robert  Cuttler ; 25, 
Thomas  Ford ; 26,  William  Chase ; 27,  Epli1111  Robinson ; 28,  Joseph 
Peirson  ; 29,  Joseph  Robinson  ; 30,  Elisha  Smith;  31,  John  Smith  ; 32 
Nathel  Mesarve  & Com. ; 33,  Joseph  Rawlings  ; 34,  Josiah  Sambon  ; 35, 
Joseph  Jewett ; 36,  Josiah  Robinson,  Jun.  ; 37,  Jacob  Longfellow ; 38, 
Joseph  Norris ; 39,  Thomas  Packer,  Esq.  ; 40,  John  3Iorgin  ; 41,  Moses 
Chase ; 42,  Josiah  Goodhue ; 43,  Daniel  Smith ; 44,  James  Gibson  ; 45» 
John  Moffatt,  Esqr. ; 46,  John  Purmort ; 47,  Daniel  Pirce  & Mary  More ; 
48,  David  Rawlings ; 49,  Joseph  Rawlings,  North  Hampton  ; 50,  Chase 
Robinson  ; 51,  Samel  Palmer,  Esq.  ; 52,  James  Scammon  ; 53,  Josiah 


MEREDITH. 


835 


Gooilhur  ; 54,  Stark  H.  K.  Wentworth,  Esqr.  ; 55,  Jonathan  Longfellow  ; 
66,  Tho*  Walingford,  Esq?. ; 57,  John  Light;  58,  Eliph“  Rawlings;  59, 
Tilton  Larrance  ; 60,  Oliver  Smith  ; 61,  John  Kindge ; 62,  Jonathan 
Wadligh ; 63,  Samuel  Goodhue,  Junr. ; 64,  Lazarus  Row;  65,  John 
Wentworth,  Esqr. ; 66,  Moses  Rawlings ; 67,  Abram  Clark  ; 68,  John 
Taylor;  69,  Joseph  Rawlings,  Jun.  ; 70,  Samuel  Norris,  June  ; 71,  Jona- 
than Shaw ; 72,  Daniel  Clark  ; 73,  Benj»  Jewett ; 74,  Joseph  Wadligh  ; 
75,  George  Jeffery  ; 76,  Oliver  Smith,  June  ; 77,  Jonathan  Sibley  ; 78, 
Proprietors ; 79,  Proprietors ; first  settled  minister,  Lott  for  ministry, 
School  Lott.” 

At  a proprietors’  meeting,  held  January  2,  1764, 
this  action  was  taken,— 

“ Whereas,  those  persons  that  first  settle  in  new  Towns  are  exposed  to 
many  difficulties,  as  well  as  great  charges  in  clearing  of  ways  to  their 
own  particular  lots,  Ac.  It  is  therefore  Voted  the  Proprietors  of  the 
above  sd  Township  be  taxed  with  four  thousand  Pounds,  old  tenor,  to  be 
paid  in  one  year  to  the  first  twenty  Proprietors  that  appear  and  give 
obligation  to  settle  their  Rights  in  the  above  sd  Township  in  the  follow- 
ing manner  (or  some  person  under  them), — Viz.:  To  fall  six  acres  of 
trees  in  one  year  from  this  date  A to  clear  up  three  acres  of  said  land  fit 
for  planting  or  mowing  in  sixteen  months  from  this  date,  A in  twenty 
months  to  have  a house  built  fit  to  dwell  in,  eighteen  feet  long  A four- 
teen wide,  or  equal  thereto,  A to  abide  there  four  years  after  that  time, 
and  if  in  case  that  twenty  proprietors  do  not  appear  in  Six  months  from 
this  date  to  settle  their  Rights  on  the  above  conditions  the  number  of 
Proprietors  that  do  appear  shall  be  entitled  to  the  four  thousand  pounds, 
to  be  equally  divided  between  them.  Voted  that  there  be  a Bridge 
built  over  Winnepiseoke  River,  at  the  saw  mill  grant,  within  twenty 
month  from  this  date.” 

The  First  Saw-Mill  was  commenced  in  1765,  on 
the’a  lore-men  tinned  grant  (which  covered  the  present 
business  portion  of  Laconia  on  the  Meredith  side); 
but  after  it  was  carried  away  by  the  freshet  of  1779 
it  was  rebuilt  on  the  Gilmanton  side,  in  1780. 

January  6,  1766,  “Voted  that  Mr.  Ebenr  Smith  & 
William  Mead  shall  have  the  care  & charge  of  the 
saw-mill  in  New  Salem  for  the  space  of  three  years 
to  come,  and  that  they  shall  saw  logs  to  the  halves 
for  any  of  the  Proprietors  or  settlers  in  said  Town- 
ship that  shall  bring  logs  on  the  stage  of  said  mill.” 
First  Improvements  and  Residents. — September 
29,  1766,— 

“ A committee  to  view  the  settlement  at  New  Salem  have  been  and 
viewed  the  same,  and  find  as  followeth,  Viz4: 

‘ ‘ 1.  Abram  Folsom  has  a house  built,  A 10  acres  of  land  fell,  A 3 clear, 
A his  son  there. 

“ 2.  Ephra  Robinson,  a house  built,  & 7 or  8 acres  of  land  fell,  & 3 
acres  clear,  and  James  Quinby  there. 

“3.  Eliphelet  Rawlings,  a house  built,  8 or  9 acres  of  land  fell,  A 3 
acres  clear,  and  Eaton  & his  wife  A 7 children  there. 

“4.  Jonathan  Shaw,  a house  built,  6 acres  of  land  fell,  A 3 clear,  A 
Torey  A his  wife  A G children  there. 


Salem  was  probably  that  of  Tamar,  daughter  of  Jacob 
Eaton,  March  11,  1767 ; the  second  was  that  of 
Daniel,  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Sarah  Smith,  born  July 
4,  1767. 

January  5,  1767,  “ Voted  the  expences  of  this  meet- 
ing be  paid  by  the  Proprietors.  Voted  that  Mr. 
Joshua  Folsom  shall  have  paid  him  by  the  Proprie- 
tors of  New  Salem  forty  pounds,  lawful  money,  if  the 
said  Folsom  does  build  a good  Grist-Mill  in  the  above 
said  Township,  on  the  stream  that  runs  out  of  a Pond 
between  Richard  Wibard,  Esqr.,  & Joseph  Robinson’s 
lot  into  the  great  Bay  in  said  Township,  & finish  it 
completely  fit  to  grind  corn  and  grain.”  The  site 
was  at  the  Falls  at  Meredith  Centre. 

June  14,  1768,  “ Voted  that  Ebenr  Smith,  Joshua 
Folsom,  William  Mead,  Abram  Folsom,  Jur.,  & 
Jonathan  Smith  be  a committee  to  lay  out  the  second 
& third  Division  of  lots  in  said  Township.” 


CHAPTER  II. 

MEREDIT II — ( Continued ). 

Petition  for  and  Ordinance  of  Incorporation  of  Meredith — Warning  and 
Records  of  First  Town-Meeting — Action  of  Town  Concerning  Fish — 
Sleds — Town-House — Meeting-House — Preaching — Schooling. 

This  petition  for  an  incorporation  was  presented  in 
1768  — 

“ To  His  Excellency  John  Wentworth,  Esqr.,  Captain-General,  Governor 
A Commander  in  Chief  in  and  over  His  Majesty’s  Province  of  New 
Hampshire,  A the  Hon.  : His  Majesty's  Council. 

“The  humble  Petition  of  David  Lawrence,  Esqr.,  and  Ebenezer  Smith, 
Gentn,  in  behalf  of  themselves  and  others,  Proprietors  and  Inhabitants 
of  New  Salem,  in  the  Province  aforesaid,  upon  Winipisiokee  Pond. 

“Sheweth  That  17  Families  have  actually  Settled  and  are  now  resi- 
dent in  New  Salem  aforesaid,  and  four  other  Families  preparing  to  go  A 
reside  there. 

“ That  they  humbly  apprehend  they  are  ripe  for  an  Incorporation  and 
an  Investment  with  Town  Privileges,  which  will  greatly  assist  the  pres- 
ent Settlement,  and  accelerate  its  Completion,  as  they  can  thereby  make 
proper  Highways,  & have  power  to  chuse  Town  Officers,  Ac. 

“ They  therefore  pray  your  ExcellcJ  A IIonrs  to  take  the  premises  into 
your  Consideration,  and  that  they  may  be  incorporated  accordingly. 

“ And  your  Petrs  will  ever  pray,  Ac. 

“David  Lawrence. 
“Ebenezer  Smith. 

“Portsmouth,  16th  June,  17G8.” 

INCORPORATION. 


“5.  Jonathan  Robinson,  6 acres  of  land  fell,  A 3 clear,  A a small  house 
built,  A a frame  of  another,  A Robert  Briant  there. 

“ 6.  Samuel  Goodhue,  5 acres  of  land  fell,  A about  half  clear,  a house 
part  built,  A Pitman  there. 

“ 7.  William  Mead,  a house  built,  1G  acres  of  land  fell,  A 6 clear,  A a 
house  built,  A himself  there.  One  Right  he  settles  for  Ebenr  Smith. 

“8.  Josiah  Sambon,  a house  built,  G acres  of  land  fell,  A 3 clear,  A 

Masten  there. 

“10.  Ebenezer  Smith,  G acres  of  land  fell,  A 3 clear,  A a house  part 
built,  A George  Bean,  wife  A children. 

“ 11.  ditto,  6 acres  of  land  fell,  one  clear,  Judkins  to  settle  ditto,  25 
acres  of  land  fell,  18  acres  clear,  2 Houses  A a barn  frame,  A his  family 
there  ; ditto  6 acres  of  land  fell,  A 2 clear,  a house  built,  Danford  to 
settle. 


“ John  Odlin,  n 
“ Joseph  Hoit,  j 


Committee .” 


The  first  birth  among  the  early  settlers  of  New 


“Province  of  New  | George  the  third,  by  the  Grace  of  God,  of  Great 
Hampshire.  ) Britain,  France  and  Ireland,  King,  Defender  ot 
the  faith,  Ac. 

“ To  all  whom  these  presents  shall  come,  Greeting : Whereas,  our 
Loyal  Subjects,  Inhabitants  of  a certain  tract  of  Land  within  our  prov- 
ince of  New  Hampshire,  known  by  the  name  of  New  Salem,  and  con- 
taining six  miles  square,  and  bounded  as  hereafter  mentioned,  have 
humbly  petitioned  us  that  they  may  be  erected  and  incorporated  into  a 
township  and  infrancliised  with  the  same  priviledges  which  other  towns 
within  our  said  province  have  and  enjoy  by  law,  and  it  appearing  unto 
us  to  be  conducive  to  the  general  good  of  our  said  province,  as  well  as  of 
the  said  inhabitants  in  particular  by  maintaining  good  order  A encourag- 
ing the  culture  of  the  land,  that  the  same  should  be  done.  Know  ye, 
therefore,  that  we,  of  our  special  grace , certain  knowledge,  and  for  the 
encouragement  and  promotion  of  the  good  purposes  and  ends  aforesaid, 
and  with  the  advice  of  our  trusty  and  well-belov’d  JOHN  WENT- 
WORTH, Esqr  , our  Governor  and  Commander  in  Chief  of  our  said  Prov- 
ince and  of  our  said  Council  of  the  same,  have  erected  and  ordained, 


836 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


and  by  these  presents,  for  us,  our  heirs  and  Successors,  do  will  and  or- 
dain, that  the  Inhabitants  of  the  tract  of  Land  aforesaid  & others  who 
improve  thereon  hereafter,  the  same  being  butted  and  bounded  as  fol- 
lows, viz*. : Beginning  at  a Hemlock  tree,  mark’d  with  sundry  Letters 
& spotted  on  four  sides,  standing  at  the  great  bay  on  Winipesioke  River 
at  the  N.  E.  side  line  of  Sanborn  town,  where  said  line  leaves  said  Bay  ; 
thence  runs  northwesterly,  bounding  on  said  Sanborn  town  ^ive  miles 
and  124  Rods  to  a beach  tree  mark’d,  it  being  the  corner  bounds  between 
said  Towns  ; thence  North,  55  Degrees  East,  ten  miles  and  226  rods  to  an 
hemlock  tree  & spruce  tree,  both  standing  on  a rock  ; thence  to  35  De- 
grees East,  30  rods  to  a pine  tree  mark’d,  standing  on  a ledge  of  Rocks 
by  the  side  of  Winipesioke  pond,  where  a small  brook  or  branch  runs 
into  said  Pond,  River  and  Bays,  till  it  comes  to  the  bound  begun  at,  be 
and  hereby  are  declared  to  be  a Town  Corporate,  and  are  hereby 
erected  and  incorporated  into  a Body  Politic  and  Corporate  to  have 
continuance  and  Succession  forever  by  the  name  of  MEREDITH  with 
all  the  powers  and  Authorities,  priviledges,  Immunities  and  Franchises 
which  any  other  Towns  in  said  Province  by  law  have  and  enjoy,  to  the 
6aid  Inhabitants  or  who  shall  hereafter  Inhabit  there,  and  their  Succes- 
sors for  ever,  always  reserving  to  us,  our  heirs  and  Successors,  all  white 
pine  trees  which  are  or  shall  be  found  growing,  and  being  on  the  said 
tract  of  Land  fit  for  the  use  of  our  Roy  all  navy,  reserving  also  to  us,  our 
heirs  and  successors,  the  power  and  right  of  dividing  said  town  when  it 
should  appear  necessary  and  convenient  for  the  Inhabitants  thereof. 
Provided,  Nevertheless,  & tis  hereby  declar’d  that  this  Charter  & grant 
is  not  intended  and  6ball  not  in  any  manner  be  construed  to  affect  the 
private  property  of  the  said  soil  within  the  Limits  aforesaid,  and  as  the 
severall  towns  within  our  said  Province  are  by  the  laws  thereof  enabled 
& authoris’d  to  Assemble  & by  the  majority  of  the  voters  present  to  chuse 
all  Officers  & transact  such  affairs  as  in  the  said  Laws  are  declar’d.  We 
do  by  these  presents  nominate  and  appoint  Ebenezer  Smith  to  call  the 
first  meeting  of  said  Inhabitants,  to  be  held  within  the  said  Town,  at 
any  time  within  Three  months  from  this  date ; hereof  giving  legal 
notice  of  the  time  & design  of  holding  such  meeting,  after  which  the 
annual  meeting  in  said  Town  shall  be  held  for  the  choice  of  said  officers 
and  the  purposes  aforesaid  on  the  first  Monday  in  April  annually. 

“ In  Testimony  whereof  we  have  caus’d  the  Seal  of  our  said  Province 
to  be  hereto  affixed.  Witness  our  aforesaid  Governor  and  Commander 
in  chief,  this  thirtieth  day  of  December,  in  the  9th  year  of  our  reign, 
Annoqui  Dominit  1768. 

“ By  his  Excellency  command  with  advice  of  council. 

“ Recorded  in  the  Secretary’s  office. 

“ T.  Atkinson,  Junp.,  J.  W. 

“Attest  T.  Atkinson.  “J.  Wentworth. 

“ A true  Coppy,  “ Attest  Dan’l  Smith,  T.  Clerk. *' 

June  13,  1769,  the  proprietors  of  Meredith  met  at 
the  house  of  Caleb  Robinson,  innholder,  at  Exeter, 
and  John  Folsom,  Jeremy  Smith  and  Captain  John 
Odlin  were  accepted  as  second  settlers ; also,  “ Voted 
Ebenezer  Smith,  Esq.,  ten  pounds  sixteen  shillings, 
Lawful  money,  for  his  charges  in  getting  the  charter 
of  Incorporation  for  the  Town  of  Meredith.- ” June 
7,  1770,  the  proprietors  “ Voted  to  apply  fifty  dollars 
for  preaching  the  Gospel  the  present  year  in  the 
town.”  According  to  the  records,  the  first  proprie- 
tors’ meeting  held  in  Meredith  met  at  the  dwell- 
ing-house of  Ebenezer  Smith,  Esq.,  September  17, 
1778,  pursuant  to  warning  given  by  Ebenezer  Smith, 
proprietors’  clerk,  and  Jonathan  Smith,  Joseph  Rob- 
ards  and  Abram  Folsom,  assessors,  and  elected  Wil- 
liam Mead  moderator. 

WARNING  FOR  FIRST  TOWN-MEETING. 

“ Province  of  New  | These  are  to  notify  and  warn  all  the  freeholders  and 
Hampshire.  J other  Inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Meredith  that 
are  qualified  by  law  to  vote  in  town-meetings,  that  they  assemble  them- 
selves together  on  Monday,  the  twentieth  day  of  this  instant,  March,  at 
the  dwelling  house  of  me,  the  Subscriber  in  said  town,  at  twelve  of  the 
clock  on  said  day,  then  and  thier  to  chuse  a moderator  for  6aid  meeting, 
and  town  clerk,  Constable  & Selectmen,  and  all  other  town  Officers  as  the 
law  directs  to  be  chosen  at  such  meetings. 


“ Dated  at  Meredith  this  sixth  day  of  March,  Anno  Domini  1769. 

“ Ebenezer  Smith. 

“ By  order  of  the  authority  to  call  said  meeting .” 
TRUE  COPY  OF  THE  RECORD  OF  THE  FIRST  TOWN-MEETING. 
“ Province  of  New ) At  a legal  meeting  of  the  freeholders  and  other  In- 

Hampshire.  i habitants  of  the  town  of  Meredith,  held  on  Mon- 
day, the  twentieth  day  of  March,  1769.  at  the  house  of  Ebenezer  Smith. 

“ lly.  Voted  William  Mead,  Moderator. 

“ 21y.  Ebenezer  Smith,  town  Clerk  & sworn. 

“ 31y.  Voted  Ebenezer  Smith,  Ruben  Marston  and  Ebenezer  Pitman  be 
selectmen  for  the  year  Insewing  and  sworn. 

“ 41y.  Nicholas  Carr  Folsom  chosen  constable  and  sworn. 

“ 51y.  Voted  Abraham  Folsom  & Ruben  Marston  servairs  of  highways 
& sworn. 

“ 61y.  Voted  Thomas  Danford  & Ebenezer  Pitman,  tythingmen  & 
sworn. 

“ 71y.  Voted  Abraham  Folsom  & Robert  Bryent  be  assessors  & 6 worn. 

“ 81y.  Voted  Abraham  Folsom  & Robert  Bryent  be  auditors  & sworn. 

“ 91y.  Voted  Samuel  Torrey  <fc  Abraham  Folsom,  fence  viewers  and  not 
sworn. 

“ lOly.  the  meeting  was  desolved. 

“Attest  “Ebenezer  Smith,  Town  Clerk.” 

April  1,  1771,  “ Voted  that  the  town  petition  the 
General  Court  of  said  Province  from  an  act  that  the 
Inhabitants  of  sd  Meredith  may  have  liberty  to  catch 
fish  in  Winepisockey  River  three  days  in  each  week 
and  that  the  sd  river  may  be  kept  clear  of  wears  or 
any  other  incumbrance  to  the  free  passage  of  the  fish 
the  other  four  days  of  each  week.”  April  6,  1772, 
“ Voted  that  no  person  or  persons  shall  use  or  improve 
in  the  publick  road  in  sd  town  any  ox-sled  or  sleds 
under  the  demention  of  four  feet  and  six  inches  in 
whedth,  upon  paine  of  forfiting  his  or  their  sled  or  sleds 
that  shall  be  so  found  under  the  aforesaid  dementions, 
to  be  forfited  unto  the  present  Selectmen  of  sd  town 
and  by  the  said  Selectmen  taken  from  the  owner  or 
owners  upon  sight  and  utterly  destroyed,  etc.  Voted 
to  build  a house  for  the  publick  use  of  said  town, 
about  24  feet  by  20,  in  six  months  from  this  date  & 
to  be  borded  & the  flowers  layd.”  April  4,  1774, 
‘‘Voted  to  build  a meeting-house  in  said  town  forty 
feet  long  & thirty-two  feet  in  wedth,  to  be  eight  feet 
studed  and  that  the  said  meeting-house  be  set  on  the 
west  side  of  the  Province  Road  on  the  lot  drawn  to 
the  original  Right  of  John  Leavitt,  Jur.,  in  the  first 
division  in  said  town,  and  that  the  same  be  completed 
within  sixteen  months  from  this  date.”  April  3,  1775, 
“ Voted  to  raise  six  pounds,  lawthl  money,  to  be  applied 
to  hire  preaching  some  part  of  the  year  ense wing. 
Voted  to  raise  six  pounds,  lawful  money,  to  be  applyd 
for  schooling  and  that  the  Selectmen  hire  some  suti- 
ble  woman  to  keep  the  same  if  they  can  convenantly 
hire  such  a one.” 

CHAPTER  III. 

MEREDITH — {Continued). 

War  of  the  Revolution — Action  of  Town  Concerning  Deputy — Powder, 

Lead  and  Flints— Firearms— Committee  of  Safety— Soldiers’  Pay,  etc. — 

Names  of  Legal  Voters — Names  of  Soldiers — Soldiers’  Orders  And  other 

Documents — War  of  1812. 

Revolution. — This  infant  town  took  a strong  and 
patriotic  stand  in  the  Revolutionary  contest.  At  a 


MEREDITH 


837 


special  town-meeting  held  May  15, 1775,  the  following 
action  was  taken : 

“ Ebenezer  Smith  was  chosen  as  Deputy  to  meet  with  the  Deputies 
from  the  other  towns  in  said  Province,  which  convention  is  proposed  to 
be  holden  at  the  town  of  Exeter,  in  said  Province,  the  seventeenth  day 
of  this  instant,  May,  at  ten  o’clock  A.  M.,  with  full  power  to  adopt  and 
pursue  such  measures  as  may  be  judged  most  expedient  to  preserve  and 
restore  the  Rights  of  this  and  the  other  Colonies,  and  that  he  is  hereby 
impowcred  to  act  in  behalf  of  himself  and  his  constituants  for  six  months 
if  it  should  be  thought  by  said  convention  necessary,  and  to  adjurn  as  oc- 
casion may  require.  Voted  that  the  Selectmen  of  said  town  purchas 
one  barriel  of  powder  of  about  fifty  or  6ixty  wt.,  and  lead  or  bullets  & 
flints  answerable  thereto  and  that  they  apply  for  the  part  of  the  Prov- 
ince stock  of  powder  belonging  to  this  town  and  that  they  also  purchase 
ten  good  guns  at  the  cost  & charge  of  said  town  and  to  be  procured  as 
soon  as  may  be.  Voted  to  inlist  ten  soldiers  of  this  town  to  hold  them- 
selves in  readiness  to  march  to  the  releaf  of  any  of  ouer  distresed  country 
breathren,  and  that  they  be  furnished  by  the  committee  of  said  town  at 
the  cost  thereof,  and  that  each  soldier  have  two  shillings  pr  day  for  each 
day  they  shall  expend.” 

August  29, 1776,  “ Chose  a Committee  of  safety  to 
consist  of  five  persons.  Voted  John  Folsham,  Jona- 
than Smith,  Nathaniel  Robinson,  William  Mead  and 
Lieutenant  Joseph  Robards  be  said  Committee.  Voted 
to  raise  the  sum  of  forty-five  pounds,  lawful  money,  to 
be  applyed  to  purchase  fire-arms,  such  a number  as 
that  sum  will  purchas,  for  the  use  and  service  of  said 
town,  and  that  the  selectmen  of  said  town  be  a com- 
mittee to  applye  that  sum  of  money  to  procure  said  fire- 
arms at  the  cost  and  charge  of  said  town,  as  abovesaid, 
as  soon  as  may  be.” 

An  article  in  the  warrant  calling  a town-meet- 
ing on  March  31,  1777,  at  the  house  of  Ebenezer 
Smith,  where  the  meetings  were  usually  held,  was  for 
the  town  “to  assist  Captain  Joshua  Crocket  in  the 
raising  eight  men  from  the  company  under  his  com- 
mand to  serve  in  the  Continental  Army  the  term  of 
three  years,  or  during  the  war  with  Britain,  as  they 
chuse,  including  those  that  have  already  enlisted  and 
passed  muster  in  either  of  the  regiments  of  Stark, 
PoororScammell,  and  see  what  sum  the  town  will  vote 
to  raise  for  those  that  shall  appear  to  enlist  into  said 
service  as  aforesaid,  and  vote  thereon  as  the  town  shall 
see  fit  when  met.” 

At  an  adjourned  meeting  of  the  town,  April  7, 1777, 
this  action  was  taken, — “ Voted  to  choose  a committee 
of  three  persons  to  procure  the  five  men  that  are  the 
remainder  part  of  the  proportion  of  men  for  the 
three  Continental  Regiments  to  be  raised  from  this 
town  at  the  cost  and  charge  of  said  town,  and  that  the 
committee  allow  & pay  each  man  the  sum  of  ten 
pounds,  lawfull  money,  as  a town  bounty,  and  allow  in 
that  proportion  and  give  credet  to  all  and  each  per- 
son that  have  been  from  this  town,  according  to  their 
respective  times  they  have  served  accordingly  in  the 
present  war.”  April  6,  1778,  “ Voted  to  raise  eighty 
pounds  to  pay  the  other  Continental  Soldier  to  be 
raised  for  and  in  behalf  of  this  town,  and  if  said  sol- 
dier should  not  be  procured,  then  the  money  to  be  for 
the  use  of  said  town.” 

On  March  29, 1777,  when  the  call  was  issued  for  all 
legal  voters  to  assemble,  the  following  names  were  en- 
tered in  the  town  records : 


John  Folsham,  Nicholas  Carr,  Joshua  Folsham,  Joseph  Robards,  Sam- 
uel Tonery,  David  Watson,  Job  Judkins,  George  Bean,  Jonathan  Clark, 
Gordon  Lawrence,  Nathaniel  Doeham,  William  Mead,  John  Mead,  Ben- 
jamin Mead,  Reuben  Marsten,  Jr.,  Thomas  Frohock,  John  Gilman,  Isaac 
Farren,  John  Dockham,  John  Sweasey,  Jacob  Eaton,  Benjamin  Batch- 
elder,  Phillip  Connor,  Nathaniel  Holland,  Robert  Bryant,  Benjamin 
Sinclair,  Nathaniel  Robinson,  Gideon  Robinson,  William  Ray,  James 
Merilles,  Thomas  Sinclear,  David  Broughton,  Eben  Pitman,  Abram 
Swain,  Joshua  Crockett,  John  Kimball,  Thomas  Doeham,  Jonathan 
Smith,  Pearson  Smith,  Timothy  Somes,  Jonathan  Edgerly,  Daniel  Morri- 
son, Jonathan  Samuel  Shepherd,  Jonathan  Crosby,  Elias  Swain,  Chase 
Robinson  and  Abraham  Folsom. 

Among  the  Revolutionary  soldiers  accredited  to 
Meredith  we  give  these  names, — 

Nathaniel  Holland,  John  Robinson,  Jonathan  Crosby,  Jonathan  Smith, 
Jr.,  Moses  Senter,  Oliver  Smith,  Thomas  Frohock,  Aaron  Rawlings,  Jo- 
seph Eaton,  James  Sinclair  and  William  Maloon  (Jonathan  Smith  was  in 
Rhode  Island  service). 

April  5,  1784,  the  town  voted  “that  the  selectmen 
settle  with  those  soldiers  who  have  served  during  the 
war  as  this  town’s  quota  of  the  Continental  [Army],  as 
they  shall  think  just,  and  make  provision  for  the  pay- 
ment thereof,  as  they  shall  judge  best,  and  also  settle 
with  Thomas  Frohock  for  the  loss  of  a gun  & blanket 
lost  in  the  army.” 

The  following  are  interesting  documents  in  this 
connection  : 

SOLDIERS’  ORDERS. 

44  meredith  December  y6  15th  1777 — 

‘‘Sr  Pleas  to  pay  Col0  Ebenezer  Smith  the  full  Sum  of  the  Rations  Due 
to  me  the  Subscriber  as  an  Ensign  in  your  Regiment  in  Gen1  Starks  Bri- 
gade— and  you  will  oblige  your  Humble  Serv* 

44  Robert  Bryant,  Ensign. 

44  To  Col°  Thomas  Stickney — of  Concord — ” 


“ To  the  paymaster  of  the  continental  men  Pleas  to  pay  Ebenezer 
Smith  the  whole  of  Pay  due  to  me  up  to  the  first  of  the  year  1782  I 
being  soldier  in  the  Newhampshire  line  in  Colonel  Reids  regiment  and 
you  will  oblige  your  Humble  Serv* 

his 

“Aron  x Rolins 
mark 

44  Meredith  December  the  2d  1783. 

44  test  Robert  Bryant  John  Kimbel  ” 

44  New  Salem  January  27th  1785 
44  To  the  Treasurer  of  the  State  of  New  Hampshire 
44  Sir  please  to  pay  Daniel  Cook  or  his  order  all  that  is  due  to  my  late 
husband  Nathaniel  Chase  deceased  who  was  a Soldier  in  the  2d  N H R, 
and  was  killed  in  1781 — 

“Attest — “ Value  recd  witness  my  hand 

her 

44  Sam11  Gilman  44  Betsy  x Chase.” 

mark 


RELATIVE  TO  WILLIAM  MALOON,  SOLDIER. 

“ The  deposition  of  Nathaniel  Wadleigh,  of  lawful  age,  testifies  & 
says  that  William  Mallon  was  in  the  Service  in  the  Contental  Army  a b 
one  of  the  six  months  men  in  the  first  New  Hampshire  Regiment  in 
Captain  Farewells  Company  in  the  year  1781 — & I suppose  that  he  had 
his  discharge  at  the  same  time  that  I & the  Rest  had  our  discharge  & 
he  & myself  Came  out  of  Camp  together  & further  saith  not — 

44  Nathaniel  Wadleigh. 

“ Meredith  March  12th  1791 
44  [Sworn  before  Ebenezer  Smith].” 

44 1 certify  that  In  Conformity  with  an  act  of  Congress  of  the  5th  of 
July,  1812,  Entitled  an  act  Concerning  Invaled  Pensioners,  Nehemiah 
Leavitt,  who  was  a Corparel  In  the  newhampshire  Line  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary Army  is  Placed  on  the  Pension  of  the  United  States  and  Roll  of 
the  Newhampshire  agency  at  the  Rate  of  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents  pr 
Month,  to  Commence  on  the  twenty-Eighth  day  of  December  one  thou- 
sand Eight  hundred  and  eleven. 

“Given  at  the  War  office  of  the  United  States  this  twentieth  day  of 
October  1812 — 

“ W.  Eustis.”  | 


838 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


The  War  of  1812.  — The  town  does  not  seem  to  have 
taken  a very  active  part  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  but 
little  concerning  it  is  to  be  found  in  the  records. 
August  1,  1812,  a warrant  was  issued  for  a town-meet- 
ing, to  see  what  compensation  the  town  will  make  to 
the  militia  who  are  attached  to  the  regular  service 
from  this  town,  “ by  virtue  of  a Law  of  the  Congress 
of  the  United  States,”  in  addition  to  the  pay  to  be 
allowed  by  the  general  government,  agreeable  to  a 
petition  of  sundry  inhabitants  of  said  town.  At  the 
legal  meeting  following,  on  September  19th,  the  vote 
was  passed  not  to  raise  any  money  for  that  purpose. 

Theophilus  Dockham,  a soldier  of  Meredith,  was 
taken  prisoner  at  General  Hull’s  defeat. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

MEREDITH— (Continued). 

Civil  History  after  the  Revolution — Extracts  from  Town  Records  con- 
cerning Place  of  Town-Meeting — Change  of  Date  of  Town-Meeting — 
Preaching  of  the  Gospel — Parsonage  Right — Weirs  Bridge — Equip- 
ments of  War — Punishment  of  Rogues,  Vagabonds,  etc. — “Pole 
Parish”  at  Meredith  Bridge — Town  Farm — Proprietors  of  Winnipe- 
saukee  Steamboat  granted  Permission  to  raise  Bridge — Fire-Engine 
Company — Boston,  Concord  and  Montreal  Railroad — Village  Precinct 
at  Meredith  Bridge — Town-House — The  Great  Catastrophe — Village 
Precinct,  Meredith  Village — Committee  of  Investigation,  etc. — Present 
Town-House. 

Civil  History. — In  1778,  Ebenezer  Smith  was  chosen 
to  represent  the  town  in  a convention  to  meet  at  Con- 
cord, June  10th,  “ for  the  laying  of  a plan  of  govern- 
ment for  this  State.”  This  year  Meredith  was 
represented  in  the  General  Court  with  Sanbornton. 

The  town  held  its  meetings  at  the  houses  of  the 
citizens  until  August  30,  1790,  when  the  place  of 
holding  was  changed  to  the  North  Church.  The  date 
of  annual  meeting  was  changed,  by  an  act  passed 
November  5,  1784,  to  the  second  Monday  in  March. 
March  9,  1795,  the  town  voted  Chase  Wiggin  consta- 
ble, and  that  he  pay  nineteen  shillings  for  that  office. 
September  14,  1801.  at  a special  meeting,  the  town 
“ Voted  to  raise  sixty  dollars  for  to  be  apply ed  to  hyre 
the  Preaching  of  the  Gospel  in  said  town  the  currant 
year.  Voted,  to  sell  the  Parsonage  Right  in  said 
town.  Voted,  to  Lease  said  Lots  for  the  Terms  of 
eighty  years,  or  as  long  as  wood  Grows  or  water 
Runs,  the  interest  to  be  paid  yearly,  to  be  applyed 
for  the  use  of  hiring  the  Preaching  of  the  Gospel  in 
town  annually.”  March  12,  1804,  “ Voted,  that  the 
town  should  build  the  one-half  a Bridge  over  the 
river  at  the  Great  wears  (so  called),  at  the  outlet  of 
Winnipissogee  pond.” 

One  article  in  the  warrant  calling  the  meeting  of 
March  13,  1810  was 

“ To  see  what  method  the  Town  will  accept  to  procure  Powder,  Ball, 
Flints,  Tin  or  Camp-Kitties,  and  a place  for  the  safe  keeping  of  the 
same,  agreeably  to  law  of  this  State ; also,  to  sec  if  the  Inhabitants  of 
said  town  will  vote  to  build,  purchase  or  hire  a Building  or  house  to  be 
used  for  the  keeping,  correcting  and  setting  to  work  of  Rogues,  Vagabonds, 


Common  beggars,  Lewd,  Idle  and  disorderly  Persons,  and  to  appoint 
proper  officers  for  the  Government  of  said  house,  and  to  make,  establish 
and  adopt  all  necessary  rules,  orders  and  Regulations  for  the  Ruling, 
Governing  and  punishing  of  Such  Persons  as  may  there  be  committed  ; 
also  To  see  if  the  town  will  give  their  consent  that  a Pole  Parish  shall 
be  incorporated  at  Meredith  Bridge,  to  consist  of  Poles  belonging  to 
Meredith  and  Gilmantown,  by  the  name  of  the  Meredith  Bridge  Religish 
Society,  agreeable  to  a Petition  of  Sundrey  inhabitants  and  freeholders 
of  said  town.  Also,  Voted , to  choose  committee  of  three  to  confer  with 
the  Selectmen  of  committee  of  Gilmantown  and  Sanborntown,  concern- 
ing erecting  a building  to  put  Vagabonds  and  Disorderley  persons  in  and 
imploy  them.” 

In  September,  1827,  the  town  “ Voted,  not  to  divide 
the  town  into  school  districts,  agreeably  to  the  late 
law  of  the  State  of  New  Hampshire.”  In  November 
of  the  same  year  this  vote  was  passed,  that  “ all  the 
school  districts  in  said  town  be  defined  as  they  are 
now  defined.” 

At  the  annual  town-meeting  held  March  9,  1830, 
it  was 

“Voted,  that  the  selectmen  be  authorized  and  directed  to  purchase  a 
farm  for  the  use  of  said  Town,  and  take  a Deed  of  the  same,  and  also 
that  the  Selectmen  be  authorized  and  directed  to  give  the  Towns  secur- 
ity for  the  purchase  sum,  payable  at  such  time  and  in  such  manner  as 
the  Selectmen  may  deem  proper,  and  that  such  farm  shall  not  exceed 
the  value  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars,  and,  when  such  purchase  has  been 
made,  the  said  Selectmen  are  authorized  and  directed  to  proceed  and 
make  arrangements  to  move  the  poor  of  the  Town  of  Meredith  onto 
said  farm  as  speedily  as  circumstances  will  authorize,  and  that  the 
Selectmen  be  authorized  to  appropriate  for  this  purpose  any  sum  of 
money,  raised  or  not  otherways  appropriated,  belonging  to  said  Town.” 

March  11,  1829,  “Voted,  that  the  police  law  of 
Portsmouth  be  adopted  at  Meredith  Bridge  and  three- 
fourths  of  a mile  from  said  bridge  every  way  on  the 
Meredith  side  and  no  farther  ;”  also,  “ that  idle  per- 
sons be  made  to  work.”  October  2,  1832,  “ Voted, 
not  to  give  any  liberty  to  the  proprietors  of  Winni- 
pisogee  Steamboat  to  raise  Wares  (Weirs)  Bridge.’’ 
In  November,  1832,  however,  they  amended  their 
vote  in  this  way,  “ That  the  proprietors  of  Winnipis- 
iogee  Steamboat,  now  building,  or  any  of  them  have 
the  right,  so  far  as  this  town  is  Interested,  to  raise 
and  make  such  alterations  in  the  Bridge  at  the  Waresi 
at  the  outlet  of  the  lake,  as  will  be  found  Necessciry 
in  order  for  the  safe  passage  of  the  Said  Boat  over 
the  falls  at  said  outlet  at  all  times.”  March  12,  1839, 
“ Voted,  44(1  votes  out  of  a total  of  467  for  a division 
of  Strafford  County  into  three  parts.” 

Fire-Engine  Company. — May  11,  1840,  “Lul?e 
Furnald,  Joseph  Dodge,  David  Corlis,  Jr.,  Nathaniel 
G.  Corliss  and  John  Busiel  have  given  notice  that  we 
and  our  associates  have  formed  ourselves  into  a com- 
pany, to  be  known  by  the  name  of  the  First  Fire-En- 
gine Company  in  Meredith  village,  agreeably  to 
an  act  of  the  Legislature  of  New  Hampshire, 
passed  July  1,1831,  A.  B.  Merrick,  clerk.”  March 
11,  1845,  “ Voted,  that  the  selectmen  be  authorized  to 
invest  the  sum  of  S10,000  in  the  capital  stock  of  the 
Boston,  Concord  & Montreal  Railroad,  providing  that 
the  railroad  comes  through  Meredith  and  stop  build- 
ing the  road  called  the  Long  routes.”  March  11, 
1846,  “ Voted,  that  the  surplus  fund  agents  be  author- 
ized to  collect  and  pay  over  the  two  first  assessments 


MEREDITH. 


839 


that  is  now  due  on  the  railroad  stock,  which  the  town 
by  vote  directed  the  selectmen  to  subscribe  for  at  the 
last  annual  meeting,  and  if  the  road  should  go  north 
of  Lake  village  they  shall  pay  over  the  assessments  as 
they  are  called  for.”  March  14,  1848,  “ Voted,  that 
the  town  agent  be  directed  to  collect  twenty-six  hun- 
dred dollars  of  the  town  funds  in  his  hands,  and  pay 
the  same  to  the  treasurer  of  the  Boston,  Concord  and 
Montreal  Railroad,  in  part  of  assessment  on  stock 
taken  in  said  road  by  the  town.”  March  14,  1849, 
“ Voted,  that  the  selectmen  be  authorized  to  borrow 
a sum  of  money,  not  to  exceed  seventeen  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars,  to  meet  the  deficiency  in  the  town’s  sub- 
scription for  railroad  stock.”  August  20,  1849,  “ Pur- 
suant to  an  application  and  request  of  Stephen  Gale, 
W.  Melchor,  John  T.  Coffin,  Jeremiah  Elkins  and 
sixty-five  other  citizens  of  Meredith  Bridge,  dated 
July  25,  1849,  made  to  the  selectmen  of  the  town,  the 
latter  established  a village  precinct  there.”  March 
9,  1852,  “ Voted,  by  221  to  125,  against  amendment  of 
State  Constitution  abolishing  the  religious  test ; by 
174  to  165,  in  favor  of  the  amendment  abolishing  the 
property  qualification  of  voters.”  March  15,  1854, 
“ Voted,  that  the  town  of  Meredith  build  a town-house 
at  Meredith  village,  providing  the  inhabitants  of 
Third  Division  build  one-half  of  the  house  by  con- 
tribution, and  pay  their  share  to  be  raised  by  taxes. 
Voted,  that  the  town  build  a town-house,  in  conjunc- 
tion with  the  citizens  of  Meredith  village,  at  Mere- 
dith village.  Voted,  that  the  town  raise  seven  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars  for  the  purpose  of  building  a 
town-house  at  Meredith  village,  and  that  as  much  of 
that  sum  as  may  be  necessary  to  do  the  same  be  ap- 
plied thereto.  Voted,  that  the  town  of  Meredith  build 
and  finish  a suitable  town-house,  and  that  the  same 
be  finished  in  season  for  the  annual  meeting  to  be 
holden  on  the  second  Tuesday  of  March,  1855.  Voted, 
that  John  Haynes,  William  Pike  and  David  B.  Plumer 
shall  be  the  building  committee  to  see  to  the  buildingof 
the  town-house  at  Meredith  village.  Voted,  that  the 
selectmen  be  authorized  to  call  the  next  annual  town- 
meeting in  1855  at  Meredith  village,  if  the  town- 
house  is  finished  and  is  ready.” 

The  Great  Catastrophe.— The  annual  town-meet- 
ing met,  pursuant  to  warning,  at  9 A.M.,  March  13, 
1855,  in  the  yet  unfinished  town  hall  at  Meredith  vil- 
lage. Soon  after  organization,  while  preparing  to 
take  a vote  by  ballot,  the  rush  of  the  voters,  of  whom 
there  were  from  six  to  eight  hundred  present,  threw 
too  much  weight  upon  the  timbers  sustaining  the 
floor.  They  gave  way  and  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  were  precipitated  into  the  basement.  Out  of 
this  vast  mass  of  humanity  sixty  persons  were  carried 
from  the  ruins  seriously  injured,  “ with  broken  bones, 
dislocated  joints  and  internal  injuries.”  Four,  James 
W.  Durgin,  Washington  Smith,  Benjamin  D.  Robin- 
son and  Nathaniel  Nichols,  died  in  a short  time;  a 
number  of  others  were  so  injured  as  to  cause  their 
death  after  a longer  period,  and  others  were  crippled 


for  life.  Medical  aid  was  procured  from  all  the  ad- 
joining towns  and  from  Concord,  and  it  was  long  be- 
fore the  community  recovered  from  the  terrible  effect 
of  the  catastrophe. 

In  1855,  among  the  votes  cast  for  representatives 
to  General  Court,  Elizabeth  Bachelder  received  three. 
In  July  of  the  same  year,  by  act  of  the  Legislature,  the 
town  of  Meredith  was  divided  and  the  town  of  La- 
conia organized,  and,  in  1859,  a village  precinct  was 
laid  out  and  established  at  Meredith  village. 

“The  undersigned,  Selectmen  of  Meredith,  having,  agreeably  to  a 
Petition  of  Amos  Cram  and  others,  inhabitants  of  Meredith  Village,  so 
called,  established  the  following  lines  as  the  boundary  of  a Village  Pre- 
cinct, do  coinmmence  as  follows : Beginning  on  Lake  Winnipissiogee, 
opposite  of  the  southeast  corner  of  land  owned  by  Joseph  W.  Lang  and 
occupied  by  Thomas  E.  Lang,  Jr.,  on  the  neck  road,  so  called  ; thence 
northerly,  across  the  said  road  on  the  line  between  the  said  Joseph  W. 
Lang’s  land  and  land  of  Joseph  Elaand  on  line  between  land  of  said  Ela 
and  George  G.  Hoyt ; thence  on  line  between  Madison  Chase  and  Joseph 
Ela  to  land  of  I)r.  John  Sanborn  ; thence  northerly,  between  said  Chase 
and  said  Dr.  Sanborn’s  land,  to  the  main  road  leading  by  Richard  Neal’s 
house ; thence  across  said  road  between  said  Sanborn’s  aiic^  said  Ela’s 
land;  thence  on  the  northerly  and  easterly  side  of  said  Ela’s  land  to 
land  of  Timothy  Badger,  on  mill  brook,  near  said  Badger’s  bark-mill ; 
thence  westerly,  on  said  mill  brook  and  mill  pond,  to  land  of  J.  Ela ; 
thence  on  said  Ela’s  land  to  land  of  said  Badger ; thence  between  6aid 
Badger’s  land  and  land  of  Thomas  E.  Lang  to  land  of  Samuel  Bean  and 
John  How  ; thence  westerly,  between  the  said  Bean’s  and  How’s  land 
and  land  of  Thomas  E.  Lang,  to  Measley  Pond  ; thence  southerly  on 
said  Measley  Pond  to  the  main  road  leading  from  Meredith  Village  to 
William  Pike’s  dwelling-house ; thence  easterly,  across  said  road,  to 
land  of  David  Corliess  ; thence  southerly,  on  said  Corliss’  land,  to  land  of 
Bradbury  Robinson  ; thence  on  the  westerly,  southerly  and  easterly  side 
of  said  Robinson’s  land,  across  the  main  road  leading  from  Meredith 
Village,  by  the  house  of  A.  P.  Ladd,  to  Lake  Winnipissiogee  ; thence  on 
the  westerly  and  northerly  shore  of  said  Lake  to  the  bounds  began  at. 

“George  G.  Hoyt,  ■)  Selectmen 
“David  R.  Lovejoy,  J-  of 
“Shepard  Rowe,  J Meredith. 

“Meredith,  March  5th,  1859.” 

In  1871  the  financial  affairs  of  the  town  were 
found  to  be  in  a very  unsatisfactory  condition,  and  at 
a special  town-meeting,  held  May  26tli,  a committee 
of  investigation,  consisting  of  S.  W.  Rollins,  S.  D. 
Pease  and  G.  G.  Hoyt,  was  appointed,  and  the  select- 
men were  authorized  to  offer  a reward  of  five  hundred 
dollars  “ for  the  recovery  of  the  town  records  and 
papers  which  had  been  lost.”  This  committee  had 
an  arduous  task  which  lasted  several  years,  but  it 
saved  quite  an  amount  of  money  for  the  town.  At 
the  same  meeting  the  town  voted  one  thousand  dol- 
lars to  pay  “ expense  of  defending  the  annexation 
of  part  of  the  town  to  Centre  Harbor.”  January 
21,  1873,  the  town  voted  to  exempt  from  taxation  for 
a term  not  exceeding  ten  years  any  manufacturing 
establishment  which  should  be  erected  or  put  into 
operation  with  a capital  of  five  thousand  dollars  or 
upwards.  May  23,  1876,  “ Voted  to  build  a Town- 
House  on  the  lot  of  Josiah  T.  Sturtivent,”  and  appro- 
priated five  hundred  dollars  in  addition  to  what  had 
been  raised  for  that  purpose ; appointed  George  H. 
Clark,  John  S.  Sanborn,  Benjamin  F.  Wiggin  a 
committee  to  convey  the  old  lot  to  Mr.  Sturtivent,  if 
they  accept  his  proposition,  and  to  receive  a convey- 
ance of  the  lot  from  him  in  accordance  therewith, 


840 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


and  to  give  a lease  of  the  first  story  of  the  building. 
November  7,  1876,  “ Voted  three  hundred  dollars,  to 
provide  seats,  lights  and  warming  apparatus  for  the 
new  town  hall.”  December  23,  1876,  accepted  and 
adopted  the  report  of  committee  on  town-house  and 
ratified  the  deed  taken  and  lease  given  by  the  com- 
mittee. 


CHAPTER  V. 

MEREDITH — ( Continued ). 

War  of  the  Rebellion — Action  of  the  Town  and  Extracts  from  Town 
Records— Aid  for  Families  of  Volunteers— Bounties,  etc. — Selectmen 
During  the  War — Recruiting  Agents — Names  of  Soldiers — Roster  of 
Company  I,  Twelfth  Regiment,  New  Hampshire  Volunteers. 

The  Civil  War  (1861-65). — Meredith  furnished 
for  this  war,  out  of  a voting  population  of  but  a few 
over  five  hundred,  one  hundred  and  twenty-two  offi- 
cers and  soldiers  of  her  townsmen,  and  one  hundred 
and  five  volunteer  substitutes, — making  a total  of  two 
hundred  and  twenty-seven.  The  record  is  a noble 
one,  and  indicates  that  the  spirit  of  patriotism  which 
animated  the  first  settlers  still  dwells  in  the  breasts 
of  its  people,  and  that  they  are  worthy  sons  of  noble 
sires.  W e quote  from  the  town  records  the  action 
taken  by  the  town. 

September  12,  1861,  the  town  “ Voted  to  raise  three 
hundred  dollars,  to  be  expended  in  aiding  the  wives 
and  children  (under  sixteen  years)  of  volunteers  or 
enrolled  militia  of  this  State,  who  may  be  mustered 
or  enlisted  into  the  United  States  service,  and  also, 
for  the  aid  of  parents  or  children  dependent  on  them 
for  support.”  Lev;  Towle,  Isaiah  Winch  and  Simeon 
D.  Pease  were  appointed  a committee  to  appropriate 
the  money. 

January  7,  1862,  “ Voted  to  raise  six  hundred 
dollars  on  the  credit  of  the  town  to  aid  the  wives  and  ' 
children  of  enlisted  soldiers,  to  be  laid  out  under  the 
direction  of  the  selectmen.” 

March  11,  1862,  “ Voted  to  raise  four  hundred 
dollars  for  the  benefit  of  the  wives  and  children  of 
enlisted  soldiers.  ” 

July  1,  1862,  “ Voted  to  raise  and  pay  to  all  per- 
sons that  may  enlist  in  the  service  of  the  United 
States,  one  hundred  dollars  ; this  includes  the  num- 
ber to  fill  our  quota  of  the  first  call.  Voted  to  raise 
fifty  dollars  and  pay  to  each  person  that  enlists  into 
the  service  of  the  United  States  to  fill  our  quota  on 
the  last  call.”  This  vote  was  reconsidered,  and  in  its 
place  it  was  “ Voted  to  appropriate  and  raise  the  sum 
of  one  hundred  dollars  for  each  and  every  soldier, 
citizens  and  residents  of  this  town,  who  shall  enter 
into  the  service  of  the  United  States  on  or  before 
August  18, 1862  ; the  same  to  be  paid  after  the  soldier 
is  mustered  into  service,  and  not  to  exceed  one  hun- 
dred and  one  men ; and  the  the  selectmen  are  in- 
structed to  hire  said  sum  of  money  upon  the  credit  of 
the  town.” 


October  4,  1862,  “ Voted  to  pay  one  hundred  dol- 
lars to  those  that  may  enlist  in  the  service  of  the 
United  States  as  nine  months’  men  to  fill  our  quota, 
also  to  all  those  that  have  enlisted  in  said  service 
since  September  18, 1862 ; ” also,  “ Voted  to  raise  a sum 
not  exceeding  four  thousand  dollars  to  aid  dependent 
families  of  volunteers  that  have  enlisted  into  the 
service  of  the  United  States.” 

March  10,  1863,  “ Voted  to  raise,  for  the  purpose 
of  aiding  dependent  families  of  volunteers  now  in 
LTnited  States  service,  a sum  not  exceeding  five  thou- 
sand dollars,  and  that  the  selectmen  be  authorized  to 
hire  and  appropriate  the  same  as  it  is  needed.” 

August  1,  1863,  “ Voted  to  raise  three  hundred 
dollars  for  every  man  that  is  drafted  into  the  United 
States  service,  or  his  substitute,  to  be  paid  after  he  is 
mustered  into  service.” 

December  1,  1863,  “ Voted  to  raise  for  the  purpose 
of  aiding  the  families  of  volunteers  who  have  enlisted 
into  the  United  States  service  from  Meredith,  or 
who  may  enlist  under  the  call  of  the  President  for 
three  hundred  thousand  men,  and  those  that  have 
been  or  may  be  conscripted  into  said  service,  or  their 
substitutes,  a sum  not  to  exceed  two  thousand  dollars, 
and  that  the  selectmen  be  authorized  to  borrow  the 
money  on  the  credit  of  the  town.” 

December  1,  1863,  “ Voted  to  raise  a sum  not  to 
exceed  fifteen  thousand  dollars,  to  be  applied  as 
bounties,  with  which  to  raise  the  quota  of  the  town, 
under  the  last  call  of  the  President  for  three  hundred 
thousand  men,  and  that  the  selectman  be  instructed 
to  fill  the  quota  by  themselves  and  agents.” 

March  8,  1864,  a motion  was  made  to  pay  enlisted 
men  from  this  town  one  hundred  dollars  bounty. 
“ Voted  to  amend  this  by  adding  one  hundred  dollars ;” 
also,  “ Voted  to  raise  ten  thousand  dollars,  to  be  ex- 
pended in  obtaining  volunteers  for  the  army,  at  such 
times  and  as  the  agents  deemed  best.” 

June  6,  1864,  “ Voted  to  raise  the  sum  of  ten  thou- 
sand dollars,  to  be  paid  as  bounties  for  volunteers, 
drafted  men  or  their  substitutes,  who  may  be  mustered 
into  the  service  of  the  United  States  for  the  town, 
under  any  anticipated  or  future  calls  for  volunteers 
or  drafted  men  for  such  service.” 

August  11,  1864,  “ Voted  to  raise  twenty  thousand 
dollars,  and  appropriate  the  same  as  bounties  to 
soldiers  who  shall  be  mustered  into  the  United  States 
service,  to  fill  the  last  call  of  the  Government, 
whether  said  soldiers  shall  voluntarily  enlist  or  go  as 
substitutes  for  drafted  or  enrolled  men,  and  for 
bounties  for  men  drafted  under  said  call  for  one  year, 
who  shall  be  mustered  into  United  States  service  as 
part  of  the  quota  of  the  town,  and  for  incidental 
expenses  in  obtaining  and  recruiting  the  volunteers 
aforesaid.” 

March  1,  1865,  “ Voted  to  raise  fifteen  hundred  dol- 
lars to  aid  families  of  volunteers,  drafted  men  or 
their  substitutes ; also  to  raise  fourteen  thousand  dol- 
lars to  refund  the  money  paid  out  by  drafted  men  and 


MEREDITH. 


841 


others  who  obtained  substitutes  who  have  filled  the 
town’s  quota  ; also  the  amount  raised  by  subscription 
to  aid  the  same.” 

Selectmen  during  the  War.— As  it  required  as 
high  an  order  of  statesmanship  to  creditably  fill  the 
office  of  selectman  during  this  critical  period  as  to  be 
a Congressman  in  time  of  peace,  we  give  the  names  of 
those  entrusted  with  the  office, — 1861,  John  W. 
Bedee,  Sheppard  Rowe,  Levi  Towle;  1862,  Levi 
Towle,  Isaiah  Winch,  Simeon  D.  Pease;  1863-65, 
Colonel  Ebenezer  Stevens,  Nathan  L.  True,  John 
Smith  (2d) ; 1866,  John  Smith  (2d),  Levi  Towle, 
Charles  L.  Hoyt. 

Town  Agents. — Daniel  S.  Bedee  and  James  H- 
Plaisted  were  recruiting  agents  to  procure  volunteers, 
and  served  through  nearly  every  year  of  the  war. 
■Occasionally  another  was  associated  with  them. 

names  of  soldiers  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion. 

(Taken  from  the  selectmen’s  report  of  the  year  ending  March  1,  1865. 
Those  marked  (*)  are  from  other  towns,  reported  with  the  company.) 
Oscar  G.  Swasey,  private,  First  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  discharged 
and  dead. 

■Sylvester  Gordon,  private,  Second  New  Hampshire  Regiment 
Henry  Clifton,  private,  Second  New  Hampshire  Regiment. 

Oeorge  Piper,  private,  Third  New  Hampshire  Regiment. 

Edward  E.  Lawrence,  private,  Fourth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  served 
three  years  and  discharged. 

Brackett  L.  Carr,  private,  Fourth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  died  from 
wounds. 

Benjamin  Fairfield,  private,  Fourth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  dead. 
Frank  Garland,  private,  Fourth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  dead. 

N.  S.  F.  Leavitt,  private,  Fourth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  re-enlisted. 
Michael  Morris,  private,  Fifth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  discharged. 
Benjamin  M.  Bean,  private,  Fifth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  discharged 
and  dead. 

Benjamin  F.  Chase,  private,  Fifth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  killed  in 
action. 

John  L.  Hadley,  private,  Fifth  New  Hampshire  Regiment. 

John  R.  McCrillis,  private,  Fifth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  re-enlisted 
and  promoted  to  captain. 

Edward  Amidon,  private,  Fifth  New  Hampshire  Regiment. 

M.  F.  Hutchins,  private,  Fifth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  discharged. 
John  Elliott,  private,  Fifth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  discharged. 

Frank  B.  Jenness,  private,  Fifth  New  Hampshire  Regiment. 

George  W.  Wiggin,  private,  Sixth  New  Hampshire  Regiment. 

Horace  Sceggel.  private,  Sixth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  discharged. 
James  M.  Seavy,  private,  Seventh  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  re-enlisted 
and  promoted. 

Dr.  H.  H.  Smith,  surgeon,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  transferred 
to  Second  Louisiana  Cavalry,  surgeon. 

Philip  McCrillis,  private,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  discharged. 
Asa  D.  Peabody,  private,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  discharged 
and  dead. 

Reuben  Bean,  private,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  died  in  ser- 
vice. 

Lewis  Bean,  private,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  died  in  6er- 

• vice. 

Stephen  Hawkins,  private,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  died  in 
service. 

John  P.  Moulton,  private,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Regiment. 

Albert  Hodsdon,  private,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Regiment. 

George  C.  Meserve,  private,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Regiment. 

Freeman  A.  Chase,  private,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  wounded 
and  discharged. 

Daniel  Bennett,  private,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  discharged. 
Luther  Dockham,  private,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  re-en- 
listed. 

Joseph  H.  Chase,  private,  Ninth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  died. 
Nathaniel  Nichols,  private,  Ninth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  died  in 

• service. 


Samuel  P.  Smith,  private,  Tenth  Massachusetts  Regiment,  served  three 
years  and  was  discharged. 

Simeon  P.  Smith,  private,  Tenth  Massachusetts  Regiment,  died  from 
wounds. 

Lyman  P.  Tilton,  private,  Twentieth  Massachusetts  Regiment. 

Charles  S.  Glidden,  private,  Thirty-third  Massachusetts  Regiment. 

George  Sturtevant,  private,  Thirty-third  Massachusetts  Regiment. 

Edwin  A.  Leavitt,  private,  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  promoted. 

Richard  W.  Black. 

Stephen  Cornell,  captain,  United  States  army. 

Melvin  Chase,  private,  First  New  Hampshire  Battery. 

Officers  of  the  Twelfth  New  Hampshire  Regiment. 

Isaiah  Winch,  regimental  quartermaster. 

Daniel  S.  Bedee,  adjutant,  discharged. 

Dr.  J.  H.  Sanborn,  assistant  surgeon,  discharged. 

E.  E.  Bedee,  sergeant-major,  promoted  to  captain. 

J.  H.  Prescott,  quartermaster-sergeant,  promoted  to  second  lieutenant 
and  discharged. 

The  following  is  the  roster  of  Company  I,  Twelfth 
New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  from  its  organization  to 
September  1,  1864: 

J.  W.  Lang,  Jr.,  received  captain’s  commission  in  Company  I September 
8,  1862  ; honorably  discharged  August  19,  1864,  for  physical  disa- 
bility, on  account  of  wounds  received  at  Chancellorsville  May  3 
1863. 

W.  H.  H.  Fernald,  received  first  lieutenant’s  commission  in  Company  I 
September  8,  1862  ; received  captain's  commission  and  transferred 
to  Company  A,  Twelfth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  December  20, 
1863  ; honorably  discharged  Deeember  18,  1864. 

William  W.  Stevens,  received  second  lieutenant’s  commission  September 
8,  1862 ; discharged  on  surgeon’s  certificate  of  disability  April  5 

1863. 

Goorge  S.  Cram,  appointed  orderly  sergeant,  to  date  from  September  9, 
1862  ; discharged  for  promotion  March  6,  1863  ; received  second 
lieutenant’s  commission  and  assigned  to  Company  E,  Twelfth  New 
Hampshire  Volunteers,  March  6,  1863  ; killed  in  battle  at  Chancel- 
lorsville May  3,  1863. 

Edwin  Pronk,*  sergeant,  to  date  from  September  9,  1862  ; discharged  for 
disability  August  4,  1863. 

Levi  Leacb,  appointed  sergeant,  to  date  from  September  9,  1862;  dis- 
charged for  disability  April  3,  1864,  on  account  of  wounds  received 
at  Gettysburg  July  2,  1863. 

William  P.  Ham,*  appointed  sergeant,  to  date  from  September  9,  1862  ; 
appointed  orderly  sergeant  November,  1863  ; discharged  by  reason 
of  promotion  February  3,  1864  ; received  second  lieutenant’s  com- 
mission and  mustered  and  assigned  to  Company  I February  4,  1864  ; 
died  of  wounds,  June  15,  1864,  received  at  Coal  Harbor  June  3 

1864. 

Moses  F.  Hutchins,  appointed  sergeant,  to  date  from  September  9, 1862  ; 
left  hand  shot  off  accidentally  in  camp  at  Orleans,  Va. ; discharged 
December  12,  1862. 

Alden  A.  Kidder,  appointed  corporal,  to  date  from  September  9,  1862  ; 
appointed  sergeant,  to  date  from  January  1,  1863  ; appointed  orderly 
sergeant,  to  date  from  February  4,  1864. 

Moses  Chapman,  appointed  corporal,  to  date  from  September  9,  1862  ; ap- 
pointed sergeant  to  date  from  October  13,  1863. 

Samuel  W.  George,  appointed  corporal,  to  date  from  September  9,  1862  ; 
died  of  congestion  of  the  lungs  in  camp  near  Falmouth,  Va.,  Jan- 
uary 4,  1862. 

George  G.  Badger,  corporal ; discharged  for  disability  February  11, 
1864,  of  wounds  received  at  Chancellorsville,  May  3,  1863. 

George  W.  Ham,  appointed  corporal,  to  date  from  September  9,  1862  ; 
discharged  from  hospital  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  December  29, 
1862. 

Loami  Hartshorn,  appointed  corporal,  to  date  from  September  9,  1862  ; 
appointed  sergeant  to  date  from  February  4,  1864. 

Dudley  F.  Norris,  appointed  corporal,  to  date  from  September  9,  1862  ; 
appointed  orderly-sergeant,  to  date  from  March  12,1862  ; discharged 
for  disability,  November  2,  1863,  on  account  of  wounds  received  at 
Chancellorsville  May  3, 1863. 

Robert  Forsaith,  appointed  corporal,  to  date  from  September  9, 1862  ; 
killed  in  battle  at  Chancellorsville,  Va.,  May  3,  1863. 

Edwin  Avery,*  died  at  Annapolis,  Md.,  of  chronic  diarrhoea,  October  30, 
1863. 


842 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Oliver  S.  Bickford. 

Charles  R.  Boynton,*  died  of  chronic  diarrhoea,  July,  1864. 

W inborn  Bryant,  discharged  for  disability  December  10,  1863. 

William  0.  Bryant,  killed  in  battle  at  Coal  Harbor,  June  3, 1864. 

Sullivan  Bryant,  wounded  at  Gettysburg,  July  2,  1863,  and  transferred 
to  Invalid  Corps  December  8,  1863. 

George  L.  Brown,*  died  May  22,  1863,  of  wounds  received  at  Chancel- 
lorsville. 

Albert  L.  Busiel,  died  at  Concord,  N.  H.,  date  unknown ; accidentally 
shot. 

Dana  Busiel. 

Ezra  B.  Burbank.* 

Rufus  F.  Bickford.* 

Joseph  G.  Chapman,  division  wagon-master. 

C.  C.  Chapman. 

John  P.  Clay,  died  in  June,  1864,  of  wounds  received  in  front  of  Peters- 
burg. 

John  P.  Clifton. 

George  W.  Clifton,  appointed  corporal  January,  1864. 

John  F.  Clough,  discharged  for  disability  October  17,  1863,  from  wounds 
received  at  Chancellorsville. 

George  S.  Clough,  discharged  for  disability  November  17,  1862. 

Charles  B.  Clough,  died  of  chronic  diarrhoea,  October  8, 1863,  at  Mere- 
dith, N.  H. 

George  W.  Davis. 

N.  S.  Davis,  appointed  corporal  February,  1863  ; discharged  for  disa- 
bility March  7,  1864,  on  account  of  wounds  received  at  Chancel- 
lorsville, May  3,1863. 

JohnS.  S.  Dolloff,  appointed  corporal  March,  1864  ; killed  at  Coal  Har- 
bor, June  3,  1864. 

Levi  S.  Downing,  died  of  camp  fever  in  camp  near  Falmouth,  Va.,  De- 
cember 27,  1862. 

Orlando  Durgin,*  October  19,  1862,  sent  to  general  hospital,  Harper’s 
Ferry,  Va. 

Carlton  C.  Durgin,*  died  in  camp  near  Falmouth,  Va.,  of  camp  fever, 
February  2, 1863. 

George  H.  Follett,*  died  at  Hartwood  Church,  Va.,  of  measles,  Novem- 
ber 25, 1862. 

William  E.  S.  Foss,  discharged  from  hospital  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Jan- 
uary 14, 1863. 

James  Fullerton,  died  of  typhoid  fever  in  hospital  at  Berlin,  Md.,  No- 
vember 9,  1862. 

N.  L.  Greenleaf,  sent  to  general  hospital,  Washington,  D.  C.,  November, 
17,  1862. 

George  W.  Gines.* 

George  W.  Gordon.* 

Daniel  F.  A.  Goss,  discharged  for  disability  September  4, 1863. 

Albert  A.  Graves.* 

Benjamin  S.  Hawkins,*  died  of  chronic  diarrhoea,  September,  1862,  at 
Centre  Harbor,  N.  II. 

William  H.  Hawkins,  died  June  16, 1863,  of  wound  received  at  Chancel- 
lorsville, May  3, 1863. 

James  Hawkins,  died  in  hospital  July  3,  1863,  of  wounds  received  at 
Gettysburg,  July  2,  1863. 

Lorenzo  Hawkins. 

Josiah  B.  Hill,*  died  in  hospital  at  Harper's  Ferry,  Va.,  of  typhoid 
fever,  November  9,  1862. 

George  W.  Hall,  discharged  for  disability  November  3,  1863. 

James  B.  How. 

Willard  L.  Huntress,  discharged  for  disability  April  16,  1864. 

H.  S.  Hutchins,*  wounded  at  Chancellorsville,  May  2,  1863;  promoted 
sergeant,  to  date  from  February  4,  1864  ; discharged  for  promotion. 
April  4,  1864;  received  second  lieutenant’s  commission  and  assigned 
to  First  United  States  Volunteers  ; promoted  to  first  lieutenant  July, 
1864. 

Jeremiah  F.  Jeuness,  appointed  corporal  February,  1864. 

Charles  H.  Jenness. 

John  H.  Ladd. 

John  L.  Lawrence,  discharged  for  disability,  December,  1862. 

Bradford  Leach,  died  of  camp  fever  in  camp,  near  Falmouth,  Va.,  De- 
cember 25,  1862. 

Willie  S.  Leach,  died  in  camp  near  Falmouth,  Va. , of  camp  fever,  Feb- 
ruary 17,  1863. 

Charles  P.  Leavitt,*  discharged  for  disability  June  15,  1864,  on  account 
of  wounds  received  at  Chancellorsville,  May  3,  1863. 

John  Lovett,  discharged  for  disability  from  camp  near  Falmouth,  Va., 
March  28,  1863. 


Walter  G.  Meloon,  died  in  Washington,  D.  C.,  June  16, 1863,  of  wounds 
received  at  Chancellors ville,  May  3, 1863. 

George  S.  McCrillis,*  promoted  corporal  August,  1864,  and  promoted  ser- 
geant November,  1864. 

John  P.  McKendrick,  discharged  September  1,  1863,  for  disability,  by 
wounds  received  at  Chancellorsville,  May  3,  1863. 

George  H.  Moulton,*  died  in  hospital  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  of  typhoid 
fever,  October  22,  1862. 

N.  Lyman  Merrill,*  appointed  corporal  November,  1861;  promoted  to 
sergeant,  to  date  from  May  1,  1864. 

| Albert  Merrill.* 

John  N.  Marshe,  died  at  Convalescent  Camp,  Va.,  of  diphtheria,  June 
30,  1863. 

Samuel  B.  Noyes,  wounded  at  Gettysburg,  July  2,  1863  ; discharged 
April  24,  1864,  for  promotion  ; received  second  lieutenant’s  commis- 
sion, and  assigned  to  the  First  United  States  Volunteers  ; promoted 
to  first  lieutenant  July,  1864. 

George  F.  Nichols,*  died  of  camp  fever  at  camp  near  Knoxville,  Md., 
October  24,  1862. 

Enos  II . Nudd.* 

Charles  H.  Perkins,  discharged  from  camp  near  Falmouth,  Va.,  for  dis- 
ability, January  27,  1863. 

Alonzo  S.  Philbrook,  died  of  camp  fever  in  camp  near  Falmouth,  Va., 
December  22,  1862. 

Oscar  L.  Piper,  discharged  for  disability  at  camp  near  Falmouth,  Va., 
April  16, 1863. 

B.  G.  Piper,*  died  May  17,  1863,  of  wounds  received  at  Chancellorsville, 

May  3, 1863. 

Newton  B.  Plummer,  received  a captain’s  commission  and  assigned  to 
the  Thirty-second  Regiment  United  States  Volunteers  March, 
1864. 

Nathan  G.  Plummer,  appointed  corporal,  to  date  May  1,  1864  ; wounded 
at  Coal  Harbor,  June  3,  1864. 

H.  S.  Plaisted,*  killed  in  battle  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  2,  1863. 

James  Prescott,  discharged  for  disability  November  17,  1862. 

Stephen  J.  Pitman. 

Darius  Robinson,  accidentially  shot  on  board  cars  between  Baltimore  and 
Washington,  September  27, 1862. 

William  H.  Rogers,*  appointed  corporal  February,  1863  ; killed  in  battle 
at  Chancellorsville,  Va.,  May  3,  1863. 

William  H.  Skinner. 

Gilman  Smith,  died  May  14,  1863,  of  wounds  received  at  Chancellors- 
ville, Va.,  May  3,  1863. 

C.  C.  Smith. 

Daniel  Shaw,  died  May  17,  1863,  of  wounds  received  at  Chancellorsville, 
May  3,  1863. 

William  II.  Stickney,*  wounded  in  battle  of  Chancellorsville, Va.,  May  3, 
1863. 

Edwin  S.  Towle,*  discharged  for  disability  July  16,  1863. 

John  W.  Towle,*  discharged  tor  disability  April  3,  1863. 

W.  S.  True,*  died  of  camp  fever  in  camp  near  Falmouth,  Va.,  December 
25, 1862. 

D.  G.  M.  Twombly,  killed  in  battle  at  Chancellorsville,  Va.,  May  3, 

1863. 

Simeon  T.  Ward,*  appointed  corporal  January,  1864. 

James  Wallace,*  killed  in  battle  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  2, 1863. 

John  F.  Webster,  wounded  in  battle  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  2,  1863  ; 
appointed  corporal  May  1,  1864. 

Ammon  R.  Webster,*  wounded  at  Chancellorsville,  May  3,  1863  ; trans- 
ferred to  Invalid  Corps  April  10, 1864. 

Thomas  Welch,  appointed  corporal  February  1864. 

Under  the  call  of  the  President,  July  3, 1863,  there 
were  twenty-three  men  drafted  September  29,  1863, 
allot  whom  furnished  substitutes.  Under  the  Presi- 
dent’s call  made  October  17, 1863,  the  town  furnished 
twenty-six  volunteers,  only  one  (William  Prescott) 
from  the  town.  In  answer  to  the  call  for  more  troops 
made  March  14, 1863,  Meredith  furnished  sixteen  vol- 
unteers, as  follows : 

John  R.  McCnllis,  Fifth  New  Hampshire  ; re-enlisted  ; promoted  to  cap- 
tain. 

William  H.  Lovering,  First  New  Hampshire  Cavalry ; re-enlisted. 
Luther  Dockham,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  ; re-enlisted. 

Martin  B.  Plumber,  First  New  Hampshire  Cavalry. 


ii 


MEREDITH 


843 


The  other  twelve  were  not  residents  of  Meredith. 
Three  were  drafted  and  furnished  substitutes. 

July  18,  1864,  when  the  President  called  for  five 
hundred  thousand  men,  this  town  furnished  forty-five 
men,  of  whom  five  were  volunteers  from  Meredith, 
namely, — 

George  T.  Cram,  captain,  First  New  Hampshire  Cavalry. 

George  E.  Gilman,  lieutenant,  First  New  Hampshire  Cavalry. 

John  Badger,  private,  First  New  Hampshire  Heavy  Artillery. 

Oscar  J.  Piper,  private,  First  New  Hampshire  Heavy  Artillery. 

Frank  B.  Swain,  private,  First  New  Hampshire  Heavy  Artillery. 

Twenty  enrolled  men  furnished  substitutes ; the  re- 
mainder were  volunteers,  not  residents  (twenty  in 

number). 

Under  the  last  call  of  the  President,  made  Decem- 
ber 19, 1864,  nine  enrolled  men  furnished  substitutes, 
that  number  being  more  than  sufficient  to  fill  the 
quota,  or  accounts  of  credits  for  three  years’  men. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

MERED ITH — ( Continued). 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

Vote  of  Town  concerning  Town  Minister — Rev.  Simon  Finley  Williams 

— Letter  of  Acceptance — Dismissal — First  Congregational  Society — Or- 
ganization— Pastors— Church  Edifices — Rev.  Giles  Leach — Rev.  Charles 

Burnham  - Original  Members,  Etc. — Second  Advent. 

“State  of  New  Hampshire,  Strafford,  SS. 

“ These  are  to  notify  and  warn  all  the  Freeholders  and  other  Inhabit- 
ants of  the  town  of  Meredith,  who  are  legal  voters  in  town  affairs,  to 
meet  and  assemble  themselves  at  the  North  meeting-house,  in  said  town, 
on  Monday,  the  second  day  of  January  next,  precise]}'  at  ten  of  the  clock 
in  the  forenoon  for  the  following  purposes:  Viz*.:  lly.  to  choose  a 
moderator  for  said  meeting.  21y.  to  see  if  the  town  will  Vote  to  give  the 
Reverend  Mr.  Simon  Finley  Williams  a call  to  settle  in  the  ministry  in 
said  town.  3dly.  to  see  what  encouragement  they  will  Vote  to  give  the 
said  Mr.  Williams  for  settling  in  said  town,  as  above.  4thly.  to  choose  a 
Committee,  of  as  many  persons  as  the  town  shall  think  proper,  to  treat 
with  Mr.  Williams  on  the  matter,  and  make  report  to  the  town  of  Mr. 
Williams'  aprobation  or  disaprobation  of  the  encouragement.  Voted  51y. 
to  pass  any  Vote  or  Votes  in  or  about  the  said  premises,  as  the  town  shall 
think  best  when  met. 

‘ Given  under  our  hands  and  seal  at  Meredith,  aforesaid,  this  tenth 
day  December  A.  Domini,  1791. 

“ William  Davis,  j Selectmen 
“ Reuken  MORGIN,  J of  Meredith. 

“Meredith,  January  2d,  1792. — We,  the  subscribers,  hereby  certify  that 
the  within  notification  for  a town-meeting  has  been  publicly  posted  in 
said  town  more  than  fifteen  days  last  past. 

“William  Davis,  \ Selectmen 
“ Reuben  Morgin,  j of  Meredith.''1 

“At  a legal  meeting  of  the  Inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Meredith,  held 
at  the  north  meeting-house,  in  said  town,  on  Monday,  the  second  day  of 
January,  1792,  for  ye  following  purposes  : Viz*. : Firstly,  to  choose  a 
moderator  to  govern  said  meeting.  Secondly,  to  see  if  the  town  will  Vote 
to  give  the  Reverend  Mr.  Simon  Williams  a call  to  settle  in  the  ministry 
in  said  town,  aud  to  see  what  encouragement  the  town  will  Vote  to  give 
sai'l  Mr.  \V  illiams  to  settle  in  said  town,  as  above,  as  town's  minister. 

*•  Hy*  When  met  chose  Capt.  Joshua  Woodman  moderator  for  said 
meeting. 

“ 21y.  the  town  clerk  being  absent,  choose  John  Gilman,  clerk,  P.  T., 
to  keep  the  minutes  of  the  meeting,  who  was  sworn  by  the  moderator, 
there  being  no  magistrate  present. 

“3dly-  Voted  to  give  the  said  Mr.  Williams  a call  to  settle,  as  above, 
and  Voted  to  choose  a Committee  to  consult  together  what  sums  to  offer 

54 


to  Mr.  Williams  and  report  to  the  town  at  this  meeting  for  their  accept- 
ance or  non-acceptance,  and  for  that  purpose  chose  as  a committee  Capt. 
William  Davis,  L*  Joseph  Robards,  Mr.  Chase  Robinson,  Ens.  Robert 
Bryant,  Mr.  Gideon  Robinson,  Ens.  Daniel  Smith,  Ens.  Joseph  Neal,  Lt. 
Reuben  Morgin,  John  Robards,  John  Perkins,  Moses  Merrill,  Capt. 
William  Ray,  Reuben  Marston,  William  Pike  and  Jonathan  Danforth. 
After  said  committee  had  consulted  together  on  the  premises  made  the 
following  Report,  Viz*.  : that  as  their  oppinion  the  town  should  build  a 
house  forty  feet  in  length  and  thirty-two  feet  in  width,  two  stories  high, 
for  said  Mr.  Williams,  on  the  first  Division  lot,  in  said  town,  called  the 
minister's  lot,  and  board,  clapboard  and  shingle  said  house  and  make  and 
compleate  a good  cellar  under  the  one-half  of  said  house,  and  build  a 
good  stack  of  chimneys  in  said  house,  and  finish  three  rooms  in  said 
house  in  a good  workmanlike  manner,  to  be  done  and  compleated  by  the 
first  of  November  next,  as  a settlement,  and  to  give  the  said  Mr.  Wil- 
liams sixty  pounds,  as  sallery,  yearly,  so  long  as  he  shall  continue  to  be 
the  town’s  minister,  the  one-third  part  of  said  sum  to  be  paid  in  cash,  the 
one-third  part  to  be  paid  in  good  beef  and  pork,  the  above  beef  and  pork 
to  be  at  the  common  cash  price  ; which  report  the  town  Voted  to  receive. 
The  town  chose  a committee  of  three  persons,  Viz*.  : „Capt.  William 
Davis,  Capt.  William  Ray  and  Lt.  Joseph  Robards,  to  present  the  same  to 
Mr.  Williams  for  his  aprobation  or  disaprobation.  The  town  also  Voted 
that  if  Mr.  Williams  should  settle  in  town  that  he  shall  preach  in  the 
second  and  third  Divisions  their  full  proportion  according  to  the  money 
they  pay  towards  the  support  of  said  Mr.  Williams,  if  requested. 

“Attest, — 

“Joshua  Woodman,  Moderator. 
“John  Gilman,  Clerk,  P.  T." 

“ Meredith,  January  the  28th,  1792. 

“ Gentlemen : 

“ As  God  the  Supreme  has  seen  meet  to  bring  me  among  you  to  preach 
the  glad  tidings  which  the  gospel  affords,  and  has  disposed  the  hearts  of 
the  people  of  this  town  to  manifest  so  strong  an  attachment  towards  me 
as  to  make  choice  of  me  in  so  public  and  united  a manner  to  settle  among 
you  as  a gospel  minister,  as  appears  from  the  Votes  Committed  to  me  as 
a committee,  chosen  by  the  tow  n at  a legal  meeting  for  that  purpose,  I 
have,  in  the  most  serious  and  prayerful  manner,  attended  to  your  invita- 
tion, wishing  not  to  keep  you  in  long  suspense  respecting  the  matter, 
have  thought  it  to  be  my  duty  to  give  this,  my  answer,  in  the  affirmative, 
praying  that  the  God  of  peace  may  so  rule  in  each  of  our  hearts  that  the 
connection  may  be  for  the  advancement  of  His  glory  and  our  mutual 
happiness  ; that  I may  be  enabled,  by  divine  assistance,  to  serve  you  in  the 
sacred  office,  and  being  faithful  to  my  Lord  in  performance  of  the  solemn 
vows  already  taken  upon  me,  and  that  you  all  may  ever  hear  the  word 
with  joy  and  be  nourished  thereby,  that  I may,  to  the  end  of  my  short 
life,  have  abundant  reason  to  adore  the  God  who  sent  me  to  feed  his  flock 
in  this  place  by  our  adhearing  to  the  rules  of  the  Gospel  shall  at  some 
future  day  be  my  crown  and  joy  in  the  Lord. 

“ I am.  Gentlemen,  with  all  possible  esteem, 

“ Your  friend  and  pastor-elect, 

Simon  Finley  Williams. 
“To  Capt.  Davis,  j Committee 
“Capt.  Ray,  j-  of  the 
“ Lieut.  Roberts,  J Town." 

The  pastorate  of  Mr.  Williams  did  not  result  in  as 
much  good  as  might  have  been  expected  from  these 
sonorous  expressions,  as  his  private  life  was  not  in 
conformity  with  his  belief  and  caused  much  discon- 
tent and  scandal.  Cognizant  of  this,  in  1797  he 
asked  for  his  dismissal ; but  the  town  voted  not  to 
dismiss  him,  hut  appointed  a committee  “ to  confer 
and  arbitrate  with  him.”  “ He  had  to  give  up  all  the 
back-pay  due  him  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds, — 
40  pounds  in  back  sallery  and  six  acres  of  land,  and 
80  pounds  lawful  money,  iu  other  pay,  and  an  addi- 
tion of  9 acres  of  land.”  And  finally,  six  months 
after  his  request,  the  town  “ Voted  to  dismiss  Rev.  S. 
F.  Williams  from  this  ministry,  he  giving  up  fifteen 
acres  of  land  and  all  the  back  sallery.” 
Congregational  Church— First  Congregational 
Society.— The  Congregational  Church  in  Centre 


844 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Harbor  and  Third  Division  of  Meredith  was  organized 
February  20,  1815,  by  the  assistance  of  Rev.  Edward 
W arren,  missionary.  Moses  Morse  was  elected  dea- 
con of  said  church.  On  March  11,  1817,  the  town 
took  action  on  the  article  in  the  warrant  calling  the 
meeting,  “to  see  if  the  town  has  any  objection  to  a 
society  being  incorporated  in  the  Third  Division  of 
said  town,  to  be  known  by  the  name  of  the  First 
Congregational  Society  in  Meredith,”  and  “ Voted 
that  Ebenezer  Pitman,  Jr.,  the  representative,  be 
instructed  to  care  for  the  bill  of  incorporation  before 
the  Legislature,  that  the  town  funds  may  not  be  em- 
braced in  the  act  of  incorporation.” 

March  24,  1817,  Rev.  Daniel  Smith  was  installed 
over  said  church.  The  meetings  were  held  half  the 
time  on  Centre  Harbor  Hill,  and  the  other  half  in  the 
Third  Division  of  Meredith,  in  a church  built  a mile  and 
one  fourth  north  of  Meredith  village,  which  was  raised 
in  1808,  and  owned  by  Congregationalists  and  Calvin- 
istie  Baptists.  Rev.  Daniel  Smith  died  in  Meredith 
August  18, 1824.  The  next  mention  we  have  of  a settled 
pastor  is  January  1,  1829,  when  Rev.  Reuben  Porter 
was  installed,  and,  April  27, 1830,  was  dismissed.  He 
was  followed  by  the  Rev.  Joseph  Lane,  who  entered 
upon  his  pastorate  April  20,  1831,  and  was  dismissed 
in  April,  1833. 

April  19,  1831,  this  church  “Vofed  to  assume  the 
name  of  the  First  Congregationalist  Church  in  the 
Third  Division  of  Meredith.”  A new  church  edifice 
was  built  one-fourth  of  a mile  north  of  Meredith  vil- 
lage by  this  church  and  society,  and  was  dedicated 
February  7,  1833. 

After  the  dismissal  of  Rev.  Joseph  Lane,  for  nearly 
three  years,  Rev.  Abram  Wheeler  acted  as  pastor. 
March  28,  1838,  Rev.  Eli  W.  Taylor  was  installed, 
and  his  dismissal  took  place  September  12,  1841. 

Rev.  Giles  Leach  was  installed  over  this  church 
November  23,  1842.  A brief  sketch  of  this  earnest 
and  fervent  preacher  of  the  gospel,  and  of  one  who 
left  a pleasant  memory  of  his  life  and  ministry  in 
Meredith,  is  in  place  here.  Mr.  Leach  was  born  in 
Bridgewater,  Mass.,  April  1,  1801.  He  graduated 
at  Amherst  College  in  1826  and  at  Andover  (Mass.) 
Theological  Seminary  in  1833.  His  first  parish  was 
Sandwich,  N.  H. ; from  there  he  was  called  to  this 
town,  where  he  remained  nearly  twelve  years,  severing 
his  connection  with  this  church  May  23,  1854.  His 
next  pastorate  was  in  Wells,  Me. ; then  he  went  to 
Rye,  N.  H.  Here  his  wife  died,  and  at  the  urgent 
solicitation  of  his  four  daughters,  he  resigned  his 
charge,  and  made  his  home  with  them,  passing  the 
different  seasons  of  the  year  at  their  homes.  At 
present  writing  he  is  rapidly  approaching  the  dark 
river  of  death,  having  had  paralysis.  He  is  a man 
of  whom  it  can  truly  be  said,  “ In  him  there  is  no 
guile.” 

Rev.  Charles  Burnham  became  pastor  of  the 
church  January  8,  1857  ; his  pastorate  was  one  of  the 
longest  ever  known  in  its  history.  His  dismissal  took 


place  April  19,  1871.  He  was  a scholarly  man  and 
an  eloquent  preacher.  In  November,  1872,  Rev. 
George  J.  Bard  succeeded  Mr.  Burnham,  and  was 
dismissed  November  28,  1882.  Rev.  John  E.  Wildey 
was  ordained  and  installed  as  pastor  February  28, 
1883,  and  is  the  present  clergyman. 

About  1842  the  church  building  was  removed  to 
its  present  location.  In  1871  it  was  enlarged  and 
thoroughly  repaired  at  an  expense  of  over  four  thousand 
dollars.  In  1878  the  society  built  a chapel  near 
their  church.  February  20,  1885,  this  church  cele- 
brated its  seventieth  anniversary. 

The  following  were  the  thirteen  original  members 
of  the  church : Ephraim  Doton,  David  Robinson, 
Moses  Morse,  Jeremiah  Towle,  Joshua  Norris,  Stephen 
Norris,  Hannah  Morse,  Elizabeth  Robinson,  Mary 
Ladd,  Abigail  Norris,  Dorethy  Sturtevant,  Sarah 
Norris,  Susannah  Doton.  During  its  existence  there 
have  been  enrolled  three  hundred  and  ten  mem- 
bers, and  its  present  membership  is  eighty-three. 
The  church  and  society  are  free  from  debt.  The 
Sabbath-school  numbers  eighty  scholars  and  eleven 
teachers. 

We  copy,  as  worthy  of  notice  in  these  days  of 
“ woman’s  rights,”  one  of  the  rules  published  by  this 
church  in  1829 : 

“Resolved,  that  it  is  the  duty  of  Parents  and  Guardians  to  require  the 
children  and  members  of  their  respective  families  punctually  to  attend 
the  public  worship  of  God  on  the  Sabbath  and  at  other  seasons,  as  op- 
portunity may  present,  and  utterly  to  forbid  their  attending  the  meet- 
ings of  Female  preachers  or  speakers.” 

The  present  deacons  are  Moses  Morse,  John  Osgood, 
Joliu  Sanborn,  Richard  Furber,  Daniel  Norris,  Levi 
Leach,  Horatio  N.  Newell,  George  N.  Wiley,  Charles 
Maloon.  Clerk,  James  Seavey. 

Second  Advent. — In  1843,  Rev.  William  Miller 
and  Rev.  Joshua  V.  Himes  held  the  first  Millerite,  or 
Second  Advent  meetings  in  the  town,  and  from  that 
time  there  has  been  occasional  preaching  by  various 
persons.  The  number  of  believers  in  this  faith  was 
once  quite  large,  and  a meeting-house  was  erected 
on  the  “ Neck,”  but  no  organized  society  was  formed 
and  no  stated  services  held  regularly.  At  present 
meetings  are  held  at  the  town  hall. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

M EKEDITII — ( Continu*  d). 

ECCLESI  AST  I C A L HI  STO  K Y — ( Co  nt  inued ) . 

The  Original  Baptist  Church — Character  of  Its  Members — Elder  Folsom 
— Description  and  Fate  of  the  Old  Meeting-House — Petition  for  Vote 
of  Town  Concerning,  and  Incorporation  of,  the  Society — Elder  Parker 
Fogg — Elder  Lewis  Caswell— Other  Pastors — Disbanding  of  the  Society 
— Second  Baptist  Church— Organization — First  Place  of  Worship- 
Brick  Meeting-House — Pastors — Meredith  Village  Church — Member- 
ship— .Sabbath-School. 

The  Original  Baptist  Church  of  Meredith. — The 

village  church  of  the  denomination,  being  part  heir 


MEREDITH. 


845 


and  successor,  was  founded  in  1779,  a little  more  than 
a decade  after  the  incorporation  of  the  town.  In  the  | 
hundred  years  and  more  which  have  passed  the 
successive  societies  have  had  their  seasons  of  great 
usefulness  and  prosperity,  and  have  also  had  their 
dark  days  of  trial  and  adversity.  Through  their 
chosen  elders  and  teachers  they  have  ministered  to 
the  spiritual  needs  of  four  generations  of  the  Meredith 
people.  This  church  was  founded  during  the  War  of 
the  Revolution,  when  men  and  the  country  were  un- 
settled, when  opportunities  of  education  were  very 
limited  and  the  code  of  morals  different  from  the 
present  time,  when  the  demoralizing  influences  of 
war — which  one  generation  can  hardly  live  down — 
were  upon  the  people  and  when  everything  was  more 
or  less  in  a state  of  chaos.  The  men  who  founded  this 
first  Baptist  Church  were  “men  of  strong  convictions 
concerning  the  truth,  and  considered  doctrinal  views 
essential  to  church  membership,  withdrawing  the 
hand  of  fellowship  on  more  than  one  occasion  from 
those  who  dissented  in  some  way  from  the  articles  of 
faith.  They  took  the  Bible  as  their  counselor  in  all 
spiritual  matters,  and  they  refused  to  walk  in  fellow- 
ship with  those  who  perverted  and  ignored  the  ordi- 
nances of  baptism  and  the  Lord’s  Supper.  They  were 
also  zealous  in  propagating  the  peculiar  tenets  of 
t leir  faith.  Yet  it  was  not  only  purity  of  doctrine, 
but  purity  of  life  and  conduct,  for  which  they  earn- 
estly strove.  The  records  of  their  times  show  that  it 
was  not  only  considered  a matter  of  discipline  for  any 
church  member  to  indulge  in  intemperance  or  any 
other  vice,  but,  as  now,  it  was  in  some  degree  an  occa- 
sion of  social  ostracism.”  In  this  brief  tribute  we 
clearly  perceive  that  they  followed  the  dictates  of 
their  consciences  with  firmness.  Of  the  original 
settlers  in  Meredith  (originally  New  Salem),  the 
larger  half  came  from  towns  in  Rockingham  County. 
They  settled  near  the  Parade  (see  Meredith’s  Parade, 
in  this  history),  and  from  time  to  time,  probably 
commencing  as  early  as  1770,  they  received  the 
spiritual  ministrations  of  Dr.  Samuel  Shepard, 
ot  Brentwood,  a skillful  and  learned  physician, 
an  eloquent  preacher  and  a Baptist  missionary. 
Through  his  efforts,  the  cause  of  the  Master  was  so 
strengthened  that  on  the  4th  of  November,  1779,  the 
people  met  at  Mr.  William  Mead’s  and,  without  cere- 
mony, formed  themselves  into  a church.  They 
adopted  the  name  of  Anti-Pedo  Baptist  Church  of 
Meredith  at  a meeting  held  Aug.  3, 1780,  and  adopted 
Calvinistic  articles  of  faith.  On  the  21st  of  August  in 
the  same  year  nineteen  male  and  eight  female  mem- 
bers were  added  to  the  church,  and  at  the  meeting 
held  to  vote  on  their  reception  John  Gilman  was 
chosen  clerk  of  the  society.  Nicholas  Eolsom  and 
Abram  Swain  were  chosen  ruling  elders,  and  Jonathan 
Edgerly  and  Brother  Crocket  deacons.  The  right 
haud  of  fellowship  was  given  to  the  deacons  by  Elder 
Folsom,  and  the  ordination  prayer  was  made  by  John 
Mead.  John  Kimball  and  Gideon  Robins  assisted  in 


the  laying  on  of  hands.  After  this  their  numbers  so 
increased  that,  in  1782,  it  was  voted,  after  a season  of 
prayer  and  fasting,  to  set  apart  Nicholas  Folsom  to 
the  work  of  the  Christian  ministry.  Accordingly,  on 
the  second  Wednesday  in  September  of  the  same 
year,  a council  of  the  ministers  and  delegates  from 
the  churches  in  Brentwood,  Madborough,  Gilmanton 
and  Sandwich,  met  and  ordained  Mr.  Folsom,  the 
sermon  being  preached  by  Elder  Hooper,  of  Brent- 
wood. In  the  same  year  an  effort  was  made  to  make 
Elder  Folsom  the  town  minister,  but  the  town  voted 
not  to  receive  him.  He  was  generally  respected,  but 
the  voters  objected  to  his  doctrinal  view's.  Elder 
Folsom,  however,  continued  to  preach  until  near  the 
close  of  the  eighteenth  century,  one-half  the  time  in 
Meredith  and  one-half  in  Sanbornton,  during  which 
time  the  Meredith  Church  lost  forty-five  members, 
who  removed  their  membership  to  Sanbornton,  it 
being  nearer  their  homes.  These  meetings  of  the 
church  were  held  at  school-houses  and  private  resi- 
dences, in  the  three  divisions  of  the  town,  and  were 
called  branch  or  neighborhood  meetings.  In  the 
absence  of  Elder  Folsom,  some  of  the  associate  elders 
or  deacons  officiated. 

Elder  Folsom  received  no  compensation  for  his 
services  except  by  the  voluntary  contribution  of  the 
people.  He  rode  about  the  country  on  horseback, 
and  whatever  he  received  by  way  of  donation  found  a 
place  in  his  capacious  saddle-bags.  He  owned  a good 
farm  in  Meredith,  which  he  cultivated. 

He  is  mentioned  as  being  a plain,  direct  and  forci- 
ble preacher,  preaching  what  he  believed  the  truth, 
without  fear  or  favor.  Many  of  the  older  people 
recollect  hearing  their  parents  relate  his  witty  savings, 
and  homely  but  telling  illustrations. 

There  are  several  versions  concerning  the  fate  of  the 
old  meeting-house,  which  was  probably  built  during 
the  last  decade  of  the  century.  The  following  is 
from  one  of  the  old  citizens : 

“ The  original  meeting-house  wiis  about  the  size  of  a district  school- 
house  and  stood  on  the  left-hand  side  of  the  highway.  Early  in  this 
century  it  was  set  on  fire  by  a Mrs.  Morgan,  an  erratic  woman,  and 
wholly  destroyed.  She  lived  in  the  neighborhood  and  was  offended  be- 
cause the  people  came  to  her  house  at  the  intermission  of  services  to 
warm  themselves,  for  in  those  days  places  of  worship  were  not  warmed, 
and  declared  she  would  have  relief  from  the  annoyance.  Her  husband 
paid  for  the  building  destroyed.” 

The  society  then  worshiped  in  the  town-house, 
which  stood  on  the  Meredith  village  border  of  the 
Parade,  occupying  it  one  Sunday  and  the  Congrega- 
tionalists  the  next,  and  also  alternating  in  the  occu- 
pancy of  a meeting-house  in  the  Third  Division  oftlie 
town.  The  town-house  had  the  old-fashioned  high- 
back  pews,  a high  pulpit,  above  which  was  a sound- 
ing-board, and  a gallery  on  the  highway  end,  under 
which  was  the  entrance.  This  arrangement  could 
not  have  lasted  many  years,  as  a second  place  of  wor- 
ship was  built  near  the  General  Wadleigh  place,  where 
the  Union  School-house  now  stands.  The  cottage 
near  the  Wadleigh  house  was  the  parsonage. 


846 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


From  1800  to  1820  little  of  note  occurred.  The 
church  was  compelled  to  discipline  some  of  its  mem- 
bers, and  to  wage  a continual  war  against  thebesetting 
sin  of  the  times,  intemperance,  but  the  branch  and 
neighborhood  meetings  were  continued,  and  the  mem- 
bership increased.  Elder  F olsom,  whose  life  had  been  . 
one  of  self-sacrifice  to  duty,  began  now  to  show  signs 
of  age.  He  had  gone  cold,  weary  and  hungry  for  the 
Master’s  cause,  and  knew  little  of  the  comforts  of  this 
generation.  Even  his  fireside,  which,  however  poor 
and  humble,  might  have  been  pleasant,  was  made 
uncomfortable.  It  is  said  he  tried  to  keep  the  church 
records  upon  birch-bark.  He  wrote  by  the  light  of  a 
tallow  dip,  and  upon  complaining  at  one  time  to  his 
wife  of  the  poor  light,  she  seized  the  records  and  threw 
them  into  the  fire,  saying  she  would  make  it  light 
enough  for  him.  The  records  were  rewritten  from 
memory. 

Rev.  Nicholas  Folsom  was  born  in  Brentwood, 
N.  H.,  in  1747.  His  father  was  an  Englishman, 
named  John  Smith,  who  took  the  name  FoEham  from 
his  native  town  after  he  came  to  America,  and  be- 
came a settler  in  Meredith  in  1778,  accompanied  by 
his  son  Nicholas,  who,  in  his  youth,  was  a soldier  in 
the  Indian  War,  and  who,  in  July,  1777,  enlisted  in  Cap-  j 
tain  Chase  Taylor’s  company  of  volunteers  from  San-  | 
bornton,  and  fought  valiantly  in  the  battle  of  Ben- 
nington. He  was  in  service  until  September  18,1777. 
He  lives  in  the  memory  and  traditions  of  Meredith 
as  a man  of  more  than  ordinary  gifts,  fond  of  telling, 
both  in  and  out  of  the  pulpit,  incidents  of  warlike 
experience.  Tall,  dark-complexioned,  well-propor- 
tioned he  was  one  who  never  thought  it  necessary  to 
be  stern,  even  in  moments  of  religious  excitement. 
He  was  thoroughly  in  earnest,  however,  and  deeply 
impressed  that  he  was  a chosen  instrument  to  preach 
the  gospel  to  the  pioneers.  It  is  stated  that  he  often 
started  from  home  without  his  breakfast,  preaching 
in  Meredith,  Moultonborough  and  Sandwich  the  same 
day,  reaching  home  at  night  after  a travel  of  almost 
forty  miles,  and  going  supperless  to  bed.  This  was  his 
life  for  many  years.  After  the  ordination  of  his  suc- 
cessor, Elder  Fogg,  Elder  Folsom  passed  the  remain- 
der of  his  life  upon  his  farm,  where  he  died  Decem- 
ber, 1830,  aged  eighty-three  years. 

During  the  pastorate  of  Elder  Folsom  this  society 
was  incorporated,  and  became  a legal  body,  as  is  shown 
by  these  documents. 

The  following  is  a copy  of  the  petition  of  the  Bap- 
tist Society  for  an  incorporation,  1797. 

“ To  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  State  of  New 

Hampshire  convened  at  Concord  June,  1797  : 

“ Humbly  Sheweth  the  Petition  of  the  undersigned  that  they  are  and 
have  been  a Religious  Society  in  the  town  of  Meredith  for  a Number  of 
years  Past  Known  by  the  Name  of  the  Baptist  Society  and  have  Erec- 
ted a meeting-house  and  ordained  a Leading  teaching  Elder  But  we 
Labour  under  Some  Disad vantages  for  Not  being  Incorporated  into  a 
Body  Poletb  k so  far  as  to  manage  our  Panoshall  affaire  and  Being 
unconnected  with  the  other  Society  in  said  town  we  your  Humble 
Petitioners  pray  this  Honorable  Court  to  pass  an  act  to  Encorporate 
Said  Society  with  full  Power  to  transact  their  own  matters  as  Concern 


them  at  any  time  as  are  Incident  to  a Religious  Society  we  Desire  that 
said  Incorporation  may  be  such  that  any  Person  or  Persons  may  here- 
after have  Liberty  at  any  time  to  Joyn  this  Society  or  withdraw 
them  selves  therefrom  as  they  may  see  fit  and  as  in  Duty  Bound  we 
your  humble  Petitioners  Shall  Ever  Pray 

“Meredith  April  1797 

“Abraham  Swain,  John  Mead,  Stephen  Mead,  Ebenr  Pitman,  Ebenr 
Pitman,  Jr, Elias  Swain,  Jun.,  Edward  fox,  Elisha  Piper,  Daniel  Piper, 
Daniel  Smith,  3d,  Samuel  Edgerly,  Jesse  Plumer,  Moses  Plumer,  Amos 
PI  inner,  nathan  plumer,  Taylor  Pearson,  Levi  Leavitt,  Joseph  Pearson, 
Joshua  Woodman,  James  Sanborn,  Jesse  Plumer,  Jur,  Jethro  Pearson, 
Nathaniel  Plumer,  Joseph  Goss,  \\'m  Randlett,  Enoch  Gorden,  James 
Gordon,  Levi  Randlet,  Amos  Levitt,  John  Robinson,  Nathanael  folsoni, 
thomas  Dolloff,  Joshua  Moses,  Joseph  Moses,  Joshua  Crocket,  thomas 
Crosbie,  David  Boynton,  Jr,  Jeremiah  Pike,  John  Swain,  Samuel  Sibley, 
William  pike,  Benjamin  Peas,  Timothy  Wamouth,  timothy  morrill, 
Benjamin  Crosbie,  James  Peas,  Nicholas  Smith,  Joseph  Pease,  Jonathan 
Farrar,  Philip  Connor,  Bradstreet  Wiggiu,  John  McDauiel,  hesekiah 
swain,  David  Lawrence,  Stephen  Farier,  Job  Judkins,  Jonathan  Killey, 
Gordon  Lawrence,  Abraham  Drake. 

“the  under  Signed  have  no  objections  to  the  prayer  of  the  within  Pe- 
tition being  Granted  we  being  Inhabitants  of  said  meredith — 

“ may  1797 — 

“ Ebenezer  Smith,  Daniel  Smith,  Isaac  farrar,  Robert  Bryant,  Ebenr 
Weeks,  Reuben  morgin,  James  Nichols,  John  Cate,  Jonathan  Page, 
Elias  Philbrick,  John  Perkins,  Daniel  Colby.” 

A copy  of  the  foregoing  was  posted  at'  the  house  of 
“ David  Boynton,  Inholder,”  and  served  on  the  select- 
men. (See  following  document). 

VOTE  OF  THE  TOWN  RELATIVE  TO  THE  BAPTIST  SOCIETY,  1707. 

“Strafford  ss  Meredith  August  ‘2Sth  1797 

“At  a Legal  town  Meeting  this  day  holden  at  the  North  Meeting- 
House  in  said  town  the  fourth  article  in  the  Warrant  for  said  Meeting  to 
Consider  of  the  Petition  of  the  Baptist  Society  of  this  town  at  the  Gen- 
eral Court  of  this  State  Praying  for  an  incorporation 

“Voted  that  they  would  not  uppose  the  Petition  of  the  Baptist  Society 
at  the  General  Court  praying  for  an  incorporation — 

“ The  Above  is  a true  Coppy  from  record  Attest — 

“Danif.i.  Smith  Jr  Town  C/er£” 

The  society  was  incorporated  by  an  act  passed  De- 
cember 14,  1797. 

About  t lie  time  Elder  Folsom’s  health  and  powers 
declined,  at. a meeting  held  at  the  house  of  John 
Wadleigh,  Barker  Fogg  was  admitted  to  member- 
ship in  the  church  by  letter.  He  was  a brilliant  and 
enthusiastic  young  man  and  apparently  zealous  in 
building  up  the  cause.  Accordingly,  it  was 
voted  to  give  him  ordination,  the  exercises  to  take 
place  in  February,  1821,  at  the  meeting-house  in  the 
Third  Division.  There  is  no  record  of  the  ordination. 
Elder  Folsom  died  soon  alter,  and  Mr.  Fogg  became 
sole  pastor. 

“ At  first  Elder  Fogg  was  an  acceptable  preacher  and 
instrumental  in  doing  good ; but  he  had  inherited  a 
strong  appetite  for  intoxicating  liquor,  which  proved 
his  ruin  and  was  the  cause  of  great  sorrow  and 
trial  to  the  church.  After  he  had  been  pastor  for  a 
number  of  years  it  became  evident  that  he 
lacked  the  powers  of  self-control,  and  indulged  too 
freely  in  the  use  of  intoxicants.  Many  became  dis- 
satisfied with  him  as  pastor  and  declined  to  hear 
him  preach.  • Noticing  the  change  in  the  feelings  of 
the  membership  towards  him,  he  resigned  his  charge 
and  engaged  in  missionary  labor  for  the  State  Con- 
vention. The  evil  habit,  however,  increased  upon 
him  until  it  completely  destroyed  his  usefulness  as  a 


MEREDITH. 


847 


minister.  These  and  other  complications  served  to 
check,  to  a great  degree,  the  growth  of  the  church.” 
From  1824  to  1829  the  organization  appears  to  have 
been  dormant,  but  in  1829  a number  of  students  at 
the  New  Hampton  Institution  were  zealous  in  the 
Master’s  cause  and  had  a wish  to  labor  in  this  town 
and  some  of  the  surrounding  ones,  in  the  hope  of 
causing  a revival.  Among  this  number  was  an  earn- 
est and  talented  young  man,  afterward  a successful 
evangelist,  who  visited  this  church  and  held  pro- 
tracted meetings.  He  was  assisted  by  Elder  Evans, 
by  Elder  James  Barnaby,  also  a student  and  a man 
who  figured  conspicuously  in  the  anti-Masonic  ex- 
citement of  the  times,  and  by  some  of  the  local 
brethren.  These  meetings  were  the  cause  of  great 
good  to  all  the  churches  in  the  vicinity.  On  the  29th 
of  October,  1829,  a large  number  were  baptized  by 
Elder  Evans.  On  the  21st  of  December,  Lewis  Cas- 
well joined  the  church  by  letter,  and  it  was  voted  to 
give  him  ordination,  which  was  done  on  the  31st  of 
January,  1830.  Elder  Caswell  proved  to  be  'the 
right  man  in  the  right  place,  and  the  year  that  fol- 
lowed was  one  of  the  greatest  blessings  to  the  church 
of  any  in  its  history.  In  1831  thirteen  members 
withdrew  to  form  the  Second  Baptist  Church  of  Mer- 
edith, and  in  1833  others  withdrew  to  form  the  church 
at  Piper’s  Mills.  In  1833  a council  was  convened 
to  consider  the  charges  against  Mr.  Fogg,  then  still 
a member  of  the  church.  The  charges,  “ intemper- 
ate habits,”  were  sustained  and  lie  was  deposed  from 
the  ministry.  But  Parson  Fogg  had  many  excellent 
qualities;  he  is  remembered  as  a friendly,  kind- 
hearted  and  sympathetic  man.  He  had  uncommon 
gifts  ; he  once  read  a paper  before  a large  assembly 
of  ministers  on  “ The  connection  of  time  with  eter- 
nity,” which  created  a profound  impression.  His 
memory  should  not  be  treated  lightly,  nor  his  habits 
be  censured  too  severely.  He  lived  at  a time  when 
the  use  of  stimulants  was  more  common  than  now; 
when  they  were  less  under  the  ban  of  society.  El- 
der Caswell  resigned  after  the  deposition  of  Mr. 
Fogg.  He  was  a man  of  exalted  piety  and  highly 
regarded  by  his  people.  He  was  a strong,  positive 
man,  unbending  and  uncompromising  in  his  views 
touching  society  affairs,  and  was  one  of  the  few 
New  Hampshire  preachers  who,  from  1827  to  1835, 
and  later,  were  outspoken  in  their  condemnation  of 
Free-Masonry. 

During  1834  and  1835  the  church  had  no  regular 
pastor.  In  December,  1835,  the  Rev.  A.  M.  Swain, 
of  Salem,  N.  Y.,  was  engaged  to  preach.  He  re- 
mained about  two  years,  the  society  showing  a falling 
off  in  membership  during  his  pastorship.  In 
1838  and  1839  the  church  was  destitute  of  a pastor. 
In  1839  the  church  ordained  the  Rev.  Barzilla 
Pierce  as  pastor.  Elder  Pierce  remained  until  1842. 
In  1843  the  church  was  apparently  in  a prosperous 
condition.  During  the  years  of  1844  and  1845,  El- 
der Chickering,  of  New  Hampton,  supplied  one- 


third  of  the  time,  and  two-thirds  for  the  second  or 
village  church.  The  church  struggled  on  for  a year 
or  more,  but  finding  it  impossible  to  sustain  preach- 
ing, in  1846  disbanded  by  general  consent.  In 
justice,  however,  it  should  be  said  that  “ the  good  peo- 
ple who  formed  its  membership  through  all  these 
years  seem  to  have  striven  to  support  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel  and  to  maintain  a proper  measure  of 
discipline.  That,  after  nearly  seventy  years  of  effort, 
they  were  compelled  to  disband  was  not  their  fault. 
Situated  as  the  church  was,  half-way  between  the 
last-growing  villages  of  Meredith  Bridge  (now  Laco- 
nia) and  Lake  village  on  one  side  and  Meredith  on 
the  other,  the  result  was  only  a question  of  time. 
But  the  work  that  was  done  and  the  good  accom- 
plished will  be  recorded  in  the  Lamb’s  Book  of 
Life,  and  the  record  thereof  shall  not  pass  away 
like  the  things  of  this  world,  but  will  continue  un- 
to the  end  of  time.” 

The  Second  Baptist  Church  was  formed,  during 
the  revival  of  1881,  by  thirteen  members  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church.  The  petition  was  signed  by  Benja- 
min R.  Rollins  and  eighteen  others,  and  on  the  30th 
of  May  the  request  was  granted.  On  the  1st  of  June 
the  petitioners  met  and  formed  themselves  into  a 
church.  At  this  meeting  they  voted  to  call  an  eccle- 
siastical council  to  assemble  June  15th,  which  was 
done;  the  council  convened  and  the  organization  com- 
pleted according  to  denominational  custom.  The 
sermon  was  preached  by  the  Rev.  William  Taylor, 
who  preached  for  the  church  two  years,  the  services 
being  held  at  the  Towle  Hill  meeting-house.  In  the 
mean  time  the  society  voted  to  build  a meeting-house 
of  brick,  and  Elder  Taylor  selected  the  location,  and 
the  church  was  built  “ upon  a rock,”  and  although  a 
large  undertaking  for  so  small  a society,  yet  it  was 
completed,  and  some  years  since  entirely  paid  for. 
In  1834  the  church  settled  its  first  pastor,  Rev. 
Christy  G.  Wheeler,  who,  on  account  of  failing 
health,  resigned.  Mr.  Daniel  Mattison  then  supplied, 
and  in  December,  1836,  he  was  ordained ; but  in 
November,  1840,  he  died,  leaving  a character  of  most 
earnest  piety.  He  is  remembered  also  as  a man 
of  promise  and  power.  For  a year  or  two  after  Mr. 
Mattison’s  death  the  pulpit  was  supplied  by  New 
Hampton  students;  but  in  January,  1842,  a call  was 
extended  to  Rev.  Samuel  Eastman,  which  was  ac- 
cepted, but  he  resigned  at  the  end  of  the  year,  not 
being  fully  Calvinistic  in  his  views.  His  pastorate, 
however,  was  a successful  one,  inasmuch  as  there 
were  many  additions  to  the  church.  From  that  time 
until  1845  there  was  no  settled  pastor;  then  Rev. 
Samuel  Cook  was  ordained  and  remained  with  the 
church  until  April,  1849,  when  he  resigned.  Some 
time  between  the  years  1845  and  1849  the  church 
solicited  and  received  aid  from  the  State  Convention. 
Elder  Cook  was  a very  earnest  man,  and  gained  the 
affection  of  his  people.  In  May,  1849,  the  Rev.  E. 
W.  Cressy,  of  Concord,  became  pastor,  but  owing  to 


848 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


the  dissension  in  the  church,  arising  from  the  revi- 
sion of  the  church  creed,  his  labors  were  of  no  avail, 
and  December,  1850,  he  resigned.  After  that  there 
was  occasional  preaching;  then  the  house  was 
closed. 

In  1852,  Rev.  Stephen  G.  Abbott  ottered  to  preach 
if  the  people  would  open  the  house.  His  offer  was 
accepted,  and  he  was  acting  pastor  until  1855,  and 
the  people  have  reason  to  think  of  him  and  his  ser- 
vices with  gratitude. 

In  1856,  Rev.  George  Daland,  of  South  Braintee, 
Mass.,  was  settled ; but  at  this  time  the  slavery  ques- 
tion was  the  disturbing  element  of  the  country,  and 
the  church  was  not  exempt  from  its  influence,  and  ! 
in  1858,  Mr.  Daland  closed  his  pastorate  in  Mere- 
dith. 

The  following  two  years  the  church  was  without  a 
pastor. 

About  1860  the  title  Second  Baptist  Church  (there 
being  no  First  Church  then  existing)  was  changed  to 
Meredith  Village  Baptist  Church. 

In  1861,  Rev.  Nathaniel  Goodhue  was  pastor;  but, 
in  the  fall  of  1863,  he  desired  his  dismissal,  as  he  was 
no  longer  in  accord  with  the  tenets  of  the  denomina- 
tion. He  was  followed  by  Rev.  H.  I.  Campbell,  who 
remained  about  two  years. 

Rev.  Joseph  Storer  became  pastor  in  February,  1866, 
and  served  until  1872,  building  up  the  cause  zealously. 
During  this  time  the  church  edifice  was  repaired. 
Following  his  resignation  the  church  was  closed,  but 
from  1873  to  the  fall  of  1875  the  pulpit  was  supplied 
by  efficient  preachers  of  the  gospel,  when  Rev.  Wil- 
liam H.  Stewart  took  charge  of  the  church  and 
Sunday-school,  and  by  his  fervor  and  zeal  revived 
the  local  interests  of  the  parish. 

Mr.  Stewart  was  a chaplain  iu  the  navy  and  was 
compelled  to  resign  at  the  end  of  two  years,  being 
ordered  to  report  for  duty. 

Rev.  T.  M.  Merriman  was  pastor  from  1877  to 
1879. 

The  next  pastor  was  Rev.  James  Graham,  who  sup- 
plied for  the  church  from  January  to  May,  1879, 
when  he  was  regularly  ordained. 

Mr.  Graham  resigned  July,  1884,  and  January,  1885, 
Rev.  S.  P.  Everett,  the  present  pastor,  became  his 
successor. 

He  is  a man  possessing  characteristics  which  should 
win  for  him  success  in  his  chosen  field  of  labor. 
Quick,  energetic,  with  pleasing  manners  and  of 
sound  doctrinal  faith,  the  church  bids  fair  to  go  on 
and  prosper  under  his  earnest  teachings.  The  resi- 
dent membership  of  the  church  in  1884  was  eighty. 
The  Sabbath-school  had  one  hundred  and  sixty' 
scholars  and  fourteen  teachers. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

MEREDITH — ( Continued). 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY — ( Continued ). 

The  Free-Will  Baptist  Church — Origin — First  Meeting — Baptisms — Un- 
der New  Durham  Church — Officers  and  their  Duties— First  Monthly 
Meeting — “Labor  and  Exclusion’’ — Separate  Organization — Extent 
— Religious  Interest — Branches— Houses  of  Worship — Early  Ministry 
— Early  and  Later  Pastors — General  Conference,  Etc. — The  Meredith 
Village  Church  — Organization  — Pastors,  Etc.  — Reorganization  — 
Names  of  Organizing  Members — First  Church  Edifice — Pastors — 
Chapel  and  Remodeling  Church— Membership — Sabbath -School — 
Church  at  Meredith  Centre. 

The  Free-Will  Baptist  Church. — The  Free-Will 

Baptist  Church  of  Meredith  had  its  origiu  iu  this 
town  in  the  year  1800.  Elder  Simon  Pottle,  of  Mid- 
dleton,— a ready  speaker,  but  wanting  in  caution, 
which  finally  proved  his  ruin, — came  into  that  part  of 
the  town  now  known  as  Oak  Hill,  about  two  and  a half 
miles  from  the  village,  and  held  some  meetings.  At 
the  first  meeting,  as  the  record  runs,  “ seven  professed 
to  be  brought  to  a knowledge  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus.  The  work  increased  in  a most  glorious  manner.” 
This  was  in  August  of  that  year.  September  3d,  Elder 
Richard  Martin,  of  Gilford,  came  and  baptized  four- 
teen persons,  viz. : Robert  Smith,  Abigail  Smith, 
Polly  Smith,  William  Pike,  Phebe  Pike,  Nancy  Pike, 
Rebecca  Pease,  Rebecca  Pease  (2d),  Robert  Pease, 
Nathaniel  Pease,  Simeon  Pease,  Theodore  Hart,  Peter 
Peters  and  Sally  Sinclair.  On  the  23d  of  the  same 
month  he  baptized  eleven  more.  The  next  day  El- 
der Pottle  baptized  a few.  Baptisms  were  frequent 
there  and  in  Centre  Harbor.  It  is  probable  the  form 
of  the  organization  took  place  at  the  first  baptism 
under  the  name  of  “Monthly  Meeting  of  Meredith,” 
and  was  regarded  a branch  of  the  New  Durham 
mother-church.  This  took  place  September  3,  1800, 
as  the  record  of  the  second  baptism  (September  23d) 
says,  “ and  were  added  to  this  Monthly  Meeting.”  At 
their  first  monthly  meeting,  October  11th,  after  their 
organization,  Simeon  Pease — years  after  chosen  dea- 
con— was  appointed  clerk.  At  that  meeting  they  pe- 
titioned the  Quarterly  Meeting,  held  the  next  week  at 
New  Durham,  to  be  recognized  and  constituted  a 
Monthly  Meeting.  Thirty-three  signed  the  petition, 
being  the  then  members  of  the  meeting.  The  following 
Wednesday,  the  Quarterly-Meeting  convened  and 
their  request  was  granted,  and  they  were  received  and 
recognized  as  a Monthly  Meeting  and  a branch  of  the 
New  Durham  Church.  The  name,  then,  of  the  com- 
munity of  churches  was  “Free-Will  Anti-Pedo  Bap- 
tists.” The  notice  of  the  Quarterly  Meeting’s  action 
was  signed  bv  Elder  John  Shepard,  moderator,  and 
Elder  Benjamin  Randall,  clerk.  They  adopted  the 
“ Order  and  Discipline  of  the  New  Durham  Church,” 
(the  first  church  organized  by  Elder  Randall,  the 
founder  of  the  Free-Will  Baptist  denomination,  in 
1780).  This  “ Order  and  Discipline”  recognized  for  of- 
ficers, teaching  elders,  ruling  elders,  deacons,  wardens, 
treasurer  and  clerk.  The  teaching  elders  were 


MEREDITH. 


849 


preachers.  The  ruling  elders  were  to  have  the  over- 
sight of  the  church,  and,  in  the  absence  of  a preach- 
ing elder,  could  administer  the  ordinances.  “They 
must  he  plain  in  dress  and  temperate  in  living;”  they 
were  to  “ improve  their  gifts,”  and,  frequently,  they 
became  preachers.  The  deacons,  in  addition  to  their 
proper  duties,  could  administer  the  ordinances  in  the 
absence  of  a teaching  and  ruling  elder.  They  also 
were  to  exercise  their  gifts.  Wardens  were  to  look  af- 
ter the  finances,  assessing  and  collecting  taxes  for 
church  purposes.  The  record  of  the  first  Monthly 
Meeting  after  the  Quarterly  Meeting  recognition 
says, — 

“ Opened  the  meeting  with  repeated  petitions  to  Almighty  God  for 
His  assistance  ana  direction  in  the  duties  of  the  day,  and  He  was  pleased 
to  answer,  to  our  6ouls’  great  joy  and  satisfaction.  All  glory  to  His 
Heavenly  Name  ! Each  member  present  related  the  travail  of  his  mind  to 
great  satisfaction,  with  firm  resolutions  to  press  on  towards  the  glorious 
work.  Our  meeting  continued  until  about  eleven  o’clock  in  the  even- 
ing, with  strong  cries  and  groauings  in  travail  for  the  prosperity  of 
Zion,  that  her  gates  might  be  crowded  with  converts  ! We  have  cause 
to  say  it  was  good  for  us  to  meet  together,  for  Zion's  God  was  with  us 
of  a truth,  and  His  Almighty  power  was  made  manifest  in  a wonderful 
manner.  Then  concluded  with  a few  songs  of  praise  to  our  Governor 
and  King  ! ” 


Their  “ Order  and  Discipline  ” required  the  meet- 
ing to  report  to  the  Quarterly  Meeting  every  session 
by  delegates,  and  to  present  the  book  of  records  for 
inspection.  Labor  was  carried  on  with  disorderly 
and  delinquent  members  by  the  meeting,  but  “ re- 
jectment  ” was  by  the  < Quarterly  Meeting.  A letter 
was  made  out  and  forwarded  to  the  party  excluded, 
signed  by  the  moderator  and  clerk  of  the  meeting. 

This  form  of  organization  went  on  for  a while,  till 
the  meeting  requested  the  Quarterly  Meeting  to  allow 
them  full  power  to  manage  their  own  affairs,  and  their 
request  was  granted.  In  April  following  the  organiz- 
ation, John  Knowles,  of  Centre  Harbor,  was  chosen 
ruling  elder,  and  Nicholas  Smith,  of  New  Hampton, 
deacon  ; and,  subsequently,  they  were  ordained  as 
such.  Afterwards  (1803)  Theodore  Hart  was  ap- 
pointed ruling  elder,  and  Daniel  Veasey  deacon. 

The  religious  interest  at  the  beginning  continued, 
and  frequent  baptisms  were  had  until,  on  the  1st  of 
January,  the  meeting  numbered  fifty-six.  The  work 
gradually  spread  over  this  and  adjoining  towns  till 
the  membership  embraced  not  only  Meredith,  but 
New  Hampton,  Centre  Harbor  and  Centre  Harbor 
Neck,  Holderness,  Moultonborough  and  Moultonbor- 
ough  Neck.  At  the  end  of  the  second  year  the  meeting 
numbered  one  hundred  and  thirty-four.  Subse- 
quently it  numbered  more  than  double,  if  not  thrice, 
that  number. 

The  meetings  in  their  early  history  were  character- 
ized hy  great  religious  fervor  and  power.  Not  infre- 
quently persons  were  known  to  possess  so  much 
“power”  as  to  lose  consciousness  and  would  remain 
in  this  state  for  hours.  All  understood  this;  no  one 
was  alarmed  or  thought  it  strange.  There  were  sea- 
sons of  spiritual  agony  called  a travail  of  soul.  Often 
conversions  took  place  at  these  meetings. 


The  record  of  an  adjourned  meeting  held  at  Wad- 
leigh  Cram’s,  Centre  Harbor,  February  20,  1801, 
says,— 

“We  found  it  to  be  a meeting-place,  indeed,  for  Jesus  was  with  us, 
and  so  refreshed  our  souls,  that,  for  a long  time,  there  was  a shouting 
like  men  filled  with  wine.  A number  of  our  young  converts,  who  were 
about  four  months  old,  were  filled  with  the  spirit  of  prophecy  aud  spake 
with  new  tongues,  declaring  the  house  of  Saul  waxes  weaker  and  the 
house  of  David  stronger.  Glory  to  God  !” 

Their  Christian  zeal  and  love,  and  readiness  in 
obeying  the  commands  of  Christ,  are  seen  by  a record 
of  a meeting  for  baptism,  held  at  William  Clark’s,  in 
Centre  Harbor,  January  28th,  just  previous  to  the 
above-mentioned  meeting,  when  Elder  Pottle  baptized 
three  through  the  ice  at  the  head  of  Waukawan 
Lake,  the  ice  being  two  feet  in  thickness. 

When  without  a preacher  they  conducted  their 
meetings  among  themselves,  the  ruling  elder  pre- 
siding. The  meeting  soon  covered  so  large  a territory 
that  branch  ones  were  formed,  which  monthly  re- 
ported to  the  parent.  The  first  year  a class  was 
formed  on  Centre  Harbor  Hill,  under  the  care  of 
Ruling  Elder  J.  Knowles,  which  afterwards  grew  into 
a church.  The  next  year  a branch  meeting  was 
formed  on  Moultonborough  Neck.  The  following 
year,  1803,  one  was  formed  in  the  “Second  Division  ” 
of  Meredith,  ultimately  becoming  a church  now  in 
existence.  Some  time  after,  one  was  formed  in  the 
west  part  of  Centre  Harbor  and  Holderness.  Still 
later,  another  church  sprang  up  in  East  Holderness. 
In  1838  a church  was  formed  at  the  village  out  of  the 
old  church*  In  1839  another  one  was  formed  out  of 
its  membership  on  Meredith  Neck,  which,  in  1843, 
was  largely  broken  up,  and  which  finally  became  ex- 
tinct. Thus  reduced  in  membership  and  territory, 
the  mother-church  became  small  and  feeble.  This 
church  has  had  a wide-spread  influence.  It  has  had 
much  to  do  with  moulding  the  religious  sentiment 
and  opinions  of  this  region,  and  in  gathering  men 
out  of  sin.  A house  of  worship  was  built  between 
1800  and  1804,  not  long  after  the  establishment  of  the 
meeting.  In  later  years  it  was  remodeled  into  the 
form  it  now  has.  The  church  had  not  in  those  early 
years  a stated  ministry,  for  a settled  pastor  was  then 
hardly  known  in  this  denomination.  The  supply  was 
mostly  by  traveling  preachers  ; yet,  at  a comparatively 
early  date,  this  church  had  stated  supplies  and  pas- 
tors. Among  the  first  preachers  were  Pottle,  Martin, 
Magoon,  Dana  and  Colby.  Later  were  Moody,  Hill, 
Manson,  Stevens,  the  Pettingills,  Perkins,  Webber, 
Sanborn,  Knowles,  Jackson,  Moulton,  Sinclair  and 
Veasey.  Its  experience  has  been  varied.  For  a 
number  of  years  its  prosperity  was  far  beyond  any- 
thing now  known  in  a country  place,  numbering  its 
membership  to  three  hundred  and  fifty-two.  Then 
there  were  seasons  of  “ low-tide.”  Although  so  many 
churches  and  societies  have  been  formed  out  of  its 
membership  and  territory,  still  it  fives,  though  greatly 
reduced  in  size. 

In  1832  the  Sixth  General  Conference  of  the  denoin- 


850 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


illation  was  held  with  this  church.  There  was  a 
large  attendance.  The  business  was  transacted  at  the 
Pease  School-house,  and  the  worship  conducted  at  the 
church  and  in- the  adjacent  grove.  Of  the  delegates 
attending,  Rev.  S.  Curtis,  of  Concord,  still  survives. 
Of  the  large  number  of  ministers  present,  not  dele- 
gates, Rev.  J.  Woodman,  Rev.  I).  Jackson  and  Rev. 
D.  P.  Cilley  and  perhaps  others  are  now  living. 

The  present  pastor  of  the  old  (Oak  Hill)  church  is 
the  venerable  and  faithful  Rev.  J.  Erskine,  to  whose 
courtesy  we  are  indebted  for  the  above  valuable 
sketch. 

The  Meredith  Village  Free-Will  Baptist  Church 

was  organized  October  18,  1838.  The  council  was 
composed  of  the  following  brethren  : Peter  Clark, 
Hiram  Stevens,  E.  Mack,  D.  Pettingill,  PI.  Webber 
and  E.  Wiley.  Peter  Clark  was  chairman  and  E. 
Mack  scribe. 

A communication  was  presented  to  this  council 
from  the  First  Free-Will  Church  in  Meredith  (Oak 
Hill),  setting  forth  the  action  of  that  church  and  the 
granting  of  letters  of  dismission  to  fifty-four  members 
of  that  church  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  a church 
at  Meredith  village.  With  these  persons  we  find  the 
names  of  Daniel  Smith.  David  Vittum  and  John 
Haynes. 

The  organization  was  completed  and  rules  were 
adopted,  taking  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  their  guide 
in  faith  and  doctrine,  and  a very  decided  position  on 
the  temperance  question.  David  Vittum  and  John 
Haynes  were  chosen  deacons,  and  Josiali  C.  Vittum 
clerk.  A request  was  made  to  the  Sandwich  Quarterly 
Meeting  for  admission  to  that  body,  which  was 
granted.  Elder  Hiram  Stevens,  an  extemporaneous 
speaker  of  force  and  ability,  acted  as  pastor  until 
June  20,  1839,  at  which  time  Rev.  Ilosea  Quimby  be- 
came pastor,  and  remained  until  some  time  during  the 
year  1842.  He  was  a quiet,  effective  speaker,  whose 
sermons  appealed  to  the  best  elements  of  his  hearers. 
In  November,  1842,  I.  D.  Stewart  was  invited  to 
preach  for  a time,  and  soon  after  was  ordained  as  pastor 
of  the  church.  During  the  following  year  thirty-four 
were  baptized  and  united  with  the  church,  the  num- 
ber of  members  at  this  time  being  one  hundred  and 
four.  About  the  first  of  the  year  1844,  Mr.  Stewart 
was  dismissed.  There  is  no  record  of  the  church 
after  Rev.  Mr.  Stewart’s  dismissal  until  December  21, 
1846,  when  it  was  thought  best  to  give  up  the  organ- 
ization and  return  to  Oak  Hill  Church,  which  was 
done. 

May  25,  1854,  by  request,  previous  to  this  date,  the 
Sandwich  Quarterly  Meeting  had  appointed  the  fol- 
lowing as  a council  to  come  to  Meredith  village  and 
organize  a church  : Rev.  L.  B.  Tasker,  Rev.  P.S.  Bur- 
bank and  Rev.  J.  Runnels.  A church  was  organized 
with  the  following  members:  David  Vittum,  Daniel 
Smith,  John  Haynes,  P'rancis  Hawkins,  John  How, 
Mooney  Baker,  Greenlief  Maloon,  Ebenezer  Stevens 
and  David  P.  Cotton.  The  officers  were  David  P. 


Cotton,  clerk;  David  Vittum  and  John  Haynes, 
deacons;  and  it  was  voted  to  take  the  name  of  “ Mer- 
edith Village  Free-Will  Baptist  Church,”  and  it  was 
subsequently  received  by  the  Sandwich  Quarterly 
Meeting  as  a member  of  that  body.  The  confession 
of  faith  and  church  covenant  of  the  denomination 
was  adopted. 

January,  1855,  Rev.  Hosea  Quimby  was  settled  as 
pastor,  and  remained  until  January,  1857.  About 
this  time  the  hall  where  they  worshiped  was  destroyed 
by  fire,  and  for  several  years  there  was  no  settled 
pastor. 

In  1858  the  society  commenced  to  build  a church. 
There  was  standing  on  the  “ Parade  ” a meeting- 
house, erected  in  the  year  1776.  This  building  the 
proprietor  kindly  gave  to  the  society.  It  was  removed 
to  the  village  and  rebuilt  during  the  following  year. 

June  26,  1861,  A.  B.  Meservey  was  ordained,  and 
was  pastor  until  April,  1862,  when  he  resigned  the 
pastorate  to  become  the  principal  of  New  Hampton 
Institution.  July  17,  1862,  Rev.  L.  B.  Tasker  was 
called  to  the  pastorate  and  remained  until  April  26, 
1863;  soon  after  Rev.  Francis  Reed  became  pastor 
and  was  dismissed  June  11,  1865.  In  April,  1866, 
Rev.  J.  Erskine  was  settled  as  pastor.  May  10,  1866, 
James  McLean  and  J.  S.  Vittum  were  chosen  dea- 
cons. In  June,  1869,  the  New  Hampshire  Yearly 
Meeting  held  its  sessions  with  this  church.  Rev.  Mr. 
Erskine  was  dismissed  November,  1870,  and  J.  H. 
Durkee  was  ordained  September  28,  1871,  and  settled 
as  pastor.  November,  1871,  Alvah  Cotton  and  H.  F. 
Hawkins  were  chosen  deacons,  and  in  September, 
1872,  Rev.  Mr.  Durkee  was  dismissed.  Rev.  L.  Given 
was  pastor  from  February  27,  1873,  to  September  16, 
1875,  and  from  this  time  until  May,  1878,  the  society 
depended  on  supplies,  and  meetings  were  sustained 
only  a part  of  the  time.  August  16, 1878,  Rev.  R.  H. 
Tozer  became  pastor;  was  dismissed  June  13,  1880. 
From  September  11,  1880,  to  April  6,  1882,  Rev.  N.S. 
Palmeter  was  pastor.  In  April,  1882,  Rev.  J.  Burn- 
ham Davis  became  pastor,  and  in  September,  1882, 
John  Hodsden  was  elected  deacon. 

During  the  fall  of  1883  the  society  built  a chapel 
at  a cost  of  nine  hundred  dollars,  and  in  the  spring  of 
1884  the  church  was  repaired  and  remodeled  at  an 
expense  of  sixteen  hundred  dollars,  the  seating 
capacity  of  the  church  being  increased  one-third. 
The  church  and  chapel  are  very  pleasantly  and 
neatly  fitted  up,  much  taste  being  shown  in  all  their 
appurtenances.  It  is  now  a model  building  for  a 
small  society. 

The  hou-e  was  rededicated  July  3,  1884.  May  16, 
1885,  Rev.  Mr.  Davis  was  dismissed.  Since  its  last 
organization  there  have  been  two  hundred  and  sixty- 
six  members  connected  with  the  church,  and  at  the 
present  time  the  society  is  in  a prosperous  condition. 
The  Sabbath-school  has  always  been  considered  of 
vital  importance  and  its  interests  receive  proper  at- 
tention. 


MEREDITH. 


851 


The  Free-Will  Baptist  Church  of  Meredith  Cen- 
tre had,  as  we  are  informed  by  the  present  pastor, 
Rev.  L.  E.  Hall,  an  organization  as  early  as  1813,  for 
a covenant  is  in  existence  bearing  that  date,  to  which 
are  affixed  ten  names.  The  records  are  very  incom- 
plete, affording  absolutely  nothing  of  the  progress  or 
growth  of  the  church.  At  present  it  has  a good 
meeting-house,  vestry  and  parsonage,  with  sixty-four 
resident  and  thirty-four  non-resident  members. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

MEREDITH — ( Contin  ued). 

Representatives  to  General  Court — Societies— Chocorua  Lodge,  F.  and 
A.  M. — Belknap  Lodge,  I.  0.  O.  F. — George  S.  Cram  Post,  G.  A.  It. — 
William  S.  Leach  Camp,  S.  of  V. — Temperance — Waukawan  Lodge, 
I.  0.  G.  T. — White  Mountain  Lodge,  I.  0.  G.  T. — Blue  Kibbon  Club— 
Meredith  Mechanic  Association — Meredith  Village  Savings-Bank — 
Weekly  News — Public  Library  and  Reading  Room. 

Representatives  to  General  Court. — The  first 
representative  sent  by  Meredith  to  the  General 
Court  was  elected  at  a town-meeting,  duly  warned 
and  held  at  the  North  Church,  March  11,  1793. 
“ Eighty-four  votes  were  cast  for  Ebenezer  Smith,  and 
none  for  any  other  person,”  to  serve  one  year. 


1793.  Ebenezer  Smith. 

1794.  Chase  Robinson  (until  June). 

1795.  Ebenezer  Smith. 

1790.  Ebenezer  Smith. 

1797.  Ebenezer  Smith  (first  half). 
Richard  Boynton  (se'd  half ). 

1798.  Richard  Boynton. 

1799.  Richard  Boynton. 

1800.  Richard  Boynton. 

1801.  Daniel  Smith. 

1802.  Daniel  Smith. 

1803.  Johu  Mooney. 

1804.  Winthrop  Robinson. 

1805.  Winthrop  Robinson. 

1800.  Stephen  Pcrley. 

1807.  Stephen  Perley. 

1808.  Isaac  Ladd. 

1809.  John  A.  Harper. 

1810.  John  A.  Harper. 

1811.  Jonathan  Ladd 

1812.  Jonathan  Ladd. 

1813.  Daniel  Smith. 

1814.  Daniel  Smith. 

1815.  Daniel  Smith. 

1816.  Ebenezer  Pitman. 

1817.  Ebenezer  Pitman,  Jr. 

1818.  Ebenezer  Pitman,  Jr. 

1819.  Captain  Ebenezer  Pitman. 

1820.  Captain  Ebenezer  Pitman. 

1821.  Captain  Ebenezer  Pitman. 

1822.  Captaiu  Ebenezer  Pitman. 
John  Durkee. 

1823.  Richard  Odell. 

John  Durkee. 

1824.  Jonathan  Pearson. 

Stephen  Gale. 

1825.  Stephen  Gale. 

Washington  Smith. 

1826.  Jonathan  Pearson. 
Washington  Smith. 

1827.  Washington  Smith. 

George  L.  Sibley. 


1828.  Washington  Smith. 
Warren  Lovell. 

1829.  Warren  Lovell. 
Stephen  Perley. 

1830.  Stephen  Perley. 
Warren  Lovell. 

1831.  Ebenezer  S.  Mooney. 
Jonathan  Folsom. 

1832.  Ebenezer  S.  Mooney. 
Jonathan  Folsom. 

1833.  Ebenezer  S.  Mooney. 
William  Pike. 

1834.  William  Pike. 

John  L.  Perley. 

1835.  John  L.  Perley. 
Samuel  Bean. 

1836.  Samuel  Bean. 

John  L.  Perley. 
Ebenezer  Bickford. 

1837.  Warren  Lovell. 
Ebenezer  Bickford. 
James  Molineaux. 

1838.  Warren  Lovell. 
Ebenezer  S.  Mooney. 
John  T.  Coffin. 

1839.  Warren  Lovell. 
Ebenezer  S.  Mooney. 

1840.  Joseph  Ela. 

Abel  Eastman. 

1841.  Winthrop  Young. 
Abel  B.  Eastman. 
Joseph  Ela. 

1842.  Winthrop  Young. 
Joseph  B.  Tilton. 
Joseph  S.  Neal. 

1843.  Joseph  B.  Tilton. 
Bradbury  Robinson. 

1844.  John  Wadleigh. 
David  B.  Plummer. 

1845.  John  Wadleigh. 
David  B.  Plummer. 

1846.  David  B.  Plummer. 


George  W.  Stevens. 
Stephen  C.  Lyon. 

1847.  Thomas  Eastman. 
Ebenezer  Bickford. 
John  Haynes. 

1848.  Thomas  Eastman. 
Ebenezer  Bickford. 
John  Haynes. 

1849.  Bradbury  C.  Tuttle. 
Robert  E.  Merrill. 
John  G.  Robinson. 

1850.  Bradbury  C.  Tuttle. 
John  G.  Robinson. 
Robert  E.  Merrill. 

1851.  Thomas  H.  Holland. 
Joseph  P.  Pitman. 
David  B.  Plummer. 

1852.  Joseph  P.  Pitman. 
Noah  Pease. 

Thomas  II.  Holland. 

1853.  Noah  Pease. 

James  S.  Hoit. 

James  M.  Prescott. 

1854.  Ebenezer  Stevens. 
Rufus  Stevens. 
Bradstreet  Leirvitt. 

1855.  Bradstreet  Leavitt. 
Ebenezer  Stevens. 
Rufus  Stevens. 

1856.  Joseph  W.  Lang. 
David  Plummer. 

1857.  Joseph  W.  Lang. 
David  Plummer. 

1858.  George  W.  Gilman. 
Ebenezer  S.  Robinson. 

1859.  George  W.  Gilman. 
Ebenezer  S.  Robinson. 

1860.  Gideon  Piper. 

Isaac  Leavitt. 

1861.  Joseph  W.  Lang,  Jr. 
Isaac  Leavitt. 

1862.  Joseph  W.  Lang,  Jr. 


Levi  S.  Swain. 

1863.  John  M.  Wiggin. 

John  Burden. 

1864.  John  M.  Wiggin. 

John  Burden. 

1865.  Noah  L.  True. 

William  11.  K.  Fernal. 

! 1866.  Asahel  Sanborn. 

Johu  Smith  (2d). 

1867.  Asahel  Sanborn. 

John  Smith  (2d). 

1868.  John  Smith,  Jr. 

Johu  Nealey. 

| 1869.  John  Nealey. 

Nathan  B.  Wadleigh. 
1870.  Charles  B.  Swain. 

Nathan  B.  Wadleigh. 
i 1871.  Charles  B.  Swain. 

George  Sanborn. 

I 1872.  George  Sanborn. 

Benjamin  F.  Wiggin. 

! 1873.  Benjamin  F.  Wiggin. 

Joseph  W.  Lang,  Jr. 
i 1874.  Josiah  S.  Prescott. 

Ebenezer  T.  Blake. 

1875.  No  representative  sent. 

1876.  Eleazer  Bickford. 
Joseph  W.  Lang,  Jr. 

1877.  Nathaniel  Davis. 

James  II.  Plaisted. 

1878.  Tbaddeus  S.  Moses. 
Simeon  D.  Pease. 

1879.  Ebenezer  S.  Robinson. 

1880.  Ebenezer  S.  Robinson. 

1881.  James  Pike. 

1882.  James  Pike. 

1883.  John  H.  Knowles. 
Moses  R.  Marshall. 

1884.  John  H.  Knowles. 
Moses  It.  Marshall. 

18 ?5.  John  Webster. 

George  F.  Sanborn. 


Societies — Chocorua  Lodge,  F.  and  A.  M.,  No. 
83. — This  lodge  was  organized  under  a charter  granted 
June  12,  1867.  The  charter  members  were  H.  P. 
Smith,  J.  P.  F.  Smith,  S.  B.  Noyes,  J.  W.  Lang,  Jr., 
John  A.  Lang,  Isaiah  Winch,  J.  G.  Chapman,  D.  B. 
Cummings,  John  Sanborn,  Joseph  W.  Lang,  John 
Smith  (2d),  T.  L.  Gordon,  S.  F.  Emery,  J.  L.  Hun- 
tress, A.  P.  Ladd,  E.  Bickford,  Jr.,  T.  E.  Lang,  J.  It. 
Buzzell,  D.  S.  Metcalf,  Simeon  Johnson,  Charles  E. 
Neal,  Charles  H.  Dearborn.  Past  Masters  in  order 
of  service:  H.  P.  Smith,  J.  P.  F.  Smith,  Charles  W. 
Neal,  Smith  F.  Emery,  George  K.  James,  James  H. 
Hiuehclifte,  Francis  H.  Cram,  Charles  D.  Maloon, 
j Haven  Palmer. 

Present  officers  (1885):  James  H.  Hiuchcliffe,  W. 
M. ; Fred.  H.  Smith,  S.  W.;  Perry  A.  Ellsworth,  J. 
W. ; John  A.  Lang,  Treas. ; Curtis  F.  Smith,  Sec. ; 
Frank  W.  Smith,  S.  D. ; Joseph  W.  Mead,  J.  D. ; 
James  D.  Bartlett,  S.  S. ; Edmund  Quimby,  J.  S. ; 
Charles  I).  Maloon,  Chap.;  Joseph  W.  Lang,  Jr., 
Marshal;  Henry  B.  Clough,  Tiler;  Eleazer  Bick- 
ford, Representative  to  Grand  Lodge.  The  present 
membership  is  seventy-four.  Regular  communication, 
Wednesday  on  or  before  each  full  moon. 

Belknap  Lodge,  I.  O.  of  O.  F.,  No.  14. — This 
lodge  was  instituted  April  8,  1879.  The  charter 


852 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


members  were  Frank  P.  Carey,  Howard  F.  Hill, 
John  A.  Lang,  Thomas  B.  Nichols,  Alvin  Peavey. 
Marvin  C.  Brown,  Brad.  R.  Dearborn,  R.  Freeman 
Sanborn. 

Officers  first  year  (nine  months) : F.  P.  Carey, 
N.  G. ; Alvin  Peavey,  V.  G. ; B.  R.  Dearborn,  Sec.; 
J.  A.  Lang,  Treas. 

1880.  — Officers  : first  term,  A.  Peavey,  N.  G. ; I.  C. 
Boynton,  V.  G. ; B.  R.  Dearborn,  Sec. ; J.  A.  Lang. 
Treas.  Second  term,  I.  C.  Boynton,  N.  G. ; B.  R. 
Dearborn,  Y.  G. ; D.  A.  Ambrose,  Sec. ; J.  A.  Lang, 
Treas. 

1881.  — Officers  : first  term,  B.  R.  Dearborn,  N.  G.  ; 
D.  A.  Ambrose,  V.  G. ; F.  P.  Carey,  Sec. ; J.  A.  Lang, 
Treas.  Second  term,  D.  A.  Ambrose,  N.  G.;  W.  M. 
Rand,  V.  G. ; F.  P.  Carey,  Sec.;  I.  C.  Boynton, 
Treas. 

1882.  — Officers:  first  term,  W.  M.  Rand,  N.  G. ; G. 
H.  Norris,  V.  G. ; F.  P.  Carey,  Sec.;  I.  C.  Boynton, 
Treas.  Second  term,  G.  H.  Norris,  N.  G. ; T.  J.  Sin- 
clair, V.  G.  ; D.  A.  Vittum,  Sec. ; J.  D.  Bartlett, 
Treas. 

1883.  — Officers:  first  term,  T.  J.  Sinclair,  N.  G.;  J. 
D.  Bartlett,  Y.  G. ; F.  W.  Elliott,  Sec.;  F.  W. Smith, 
Treas.  Second  term,  J.  D.  Bartlett,  N.  G. ; James 
Graham,  V.  G. ; P.  A.  Ellsworth,  Sec. ; F.  W.  Smith, 
Treas. 

1884.  — Officers:  first  term,  .T.  Graham,  N.  G. ; P.  A. 
Ellsworth,  V.  G. ; A.  M.  Black,  Sec.;  F.  W.  Smith, 
Treas.  Second  term,  P.  A.  Ellsworth,  N.  G. ; C.  W. 
Maloon,  V.  G. ; A.  M.  Black,  Sec. ; F.  W.  Smith,  Treas. 

1885.  — Officers:  first  term,  B.  R.  Dearborn,  N.  G.  ; 
A.  M.  Black,  V.  G. ; D.  A.  Vittum,  Sec.;  F.  W. 
Smith,  Treas. 

This  lodge  has  furnished  three  District  Deputies — 
F.  B.  Carey,  Alvin  Peavey  and  J.  D.  Bartlett.  Pres- 
ent number  of  members,  fifty-seven.  Meetings  week- 
ly, Monday  evenings. 

George  S.  Cram  Post,  No.  54,  G.  A.  R. — This 
post  was  chartered  June  26, 1880.  The  charter  mem- 
bers were  Levi  Leach,  Horace  W.  Clark,  Joseph  W. 
Lang,  Jr.,  George  K.  James,  Charles  H.  Perkins,  John 
S.  Piper,  Cyrene  Bixby,  John  P.  Kendrick,  Phillip 
McCrillis,  Stephen  K.  Philbrick,  Alden  A.  Kidder, 
John  R.  Quimby,  Alvah  Cotton,  John  E.  Locke, 
Frank  D.  Clark,  George  G.  Badger. 

The  first  Commander  was  Captain  J.  W.  Lang,  Jr., 
late  of  the  Twelfth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers. 
Nearly  all  of  the  members  comprising  this  post  served 
in  the  Twelfth  Regiment.  The  present  membership  is 
forty-eight.  The  Past  Commanders  are  .J.  W.  Lang, 
Jr.,  George  Dallison  and  C.  C.  Whittier.  Regular  en- 
campment, Friday  evening  of  each  week.  It  has  a 
small  post  fund  and  a relief  fund.  Present  Comman- 
der, Phillip  McCrillis;  Quartermaster,  George  K. 
James;  W.  B.  Reynolds,  Adjutant.  The  post  was 
named  in  honor  of  George  S.  Cram,  Twelfth  New 
Hampshire  Volunteers,  who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of 
Chancel  lorsville. 


George  S.  Cram  Relief  Corps,  No.  2. — Auxili- 
ary to  the  G.  A.  R..  Meetings,  every  other  Monday 
evening,  7.30  o’clock.  Kate  Cram,  president ; Maria 
P.  Kendrick,  Sec. 

William  S.  Leach  Camp,  No.  3,  Sons  of  Vet- 
erans.— Through  the  earnest  labors  of  a prominent 
comrade  of  George  S.  Cram  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  ten  of  the 
patriotic  sons  of  veteran  soldiers  who  were  entitled  to 
the  benefits  of  the  Order  of  Sons  of  Veterans  signed 
an  application  for  a charter  and  secured  the  third 
charter  issued  for  New  Hampshire,  which  gave  the 
camp  the  privilege  of  recommending  a major  for  the 
State  Division  of  the  order.  The  charter  members- 
were  Francis  H.  Cram,  Albert  A.  Kidder,  Frank  L. 
Hartshorn,  IV.  E.  McPherson,  E.  E.  Kendrick,  War- 
ren B.  .Tencks,  Fred.  L.  Hawkins,  Harry  L.  Fernal, 
Fred.  B.  Wilson,  George  JI.  Thurston. 

The  camp  was  instituted  Thursday  evening,  March 
14,  1883,  Lieutenant-Colonel  E.  A.  Badger,  of  Lake 
village,  acting  as  installing  officer.  Francis  H.  Cram 
was  installed  captain,  and  he  has  been  followed  by 
Brothers  George  H.  Thurston,  Albert  A.  Kidder  and 
W.  E.  McPherson,  the  present  incumbent.  The 
camp  now  numbers  twenty-two  members  in  good 
standing,  with  a future  which  is  indeed  encouraging, 
although  at  present  the  brothers  are  largely  scattered 
throughout  the  Union.  Francis  H.  Cram  is  now 
serving  as  Lieutenant-Commander  of  the  New  Hamp- 
shire Division. 

The  camp  was  presented,  May  30,  1885,  with  a fine 
portrait  of  William  S.  Leach,  whose  name  the  camp 
commemorates.  This  was  the  gift  of  Levi  and  Ed- 
ward Leach,  father  and  brother  of  the  gallant  sol- 
dier-boy. 

Meredith  is  the  banner  temperance  town  of  the 
State.  For  the  population,  it  has  the  largest  number 
of  enrolled  troops  against  the  traffic  in  and  use  of  in- 
toxicating drink,  and  to-day  the  temperance  forces 
are  strong  and  well  equipped.  No  concealed  or 
“winked-at”  trafficin  ardent  spirits  is  allowed  within 
the  limits  of  the  town,  and,  though  the  battle  has 
been  a severely-fought  one,  the  friends  of  true  prog- 
ress can  feel  themselves  encouraged  by  the  present 
outlook. 

There  are  three  temperance  organizations  in  Mere- 
dith,— 

Wackawak  Lodge,  No.  9,  I.  0.  G.  T.,  of  Mere- 
dith village,  was  organized  July  26,  1865,  with  thirty- 
three  members.  It  has,  with  but  few  exceptions, 
held  weekly  meetings  to  the  present  time.  It  has  had 
over  three  hundred  different  members,  and  has  now  a 
membership  of  fifty-nine,  all  active  and  energetic 
workers.  There  are  only  three  of  the  charter  mem- 
bers now  connected  with  the  lodge, — James  M.  Bedee 
(now  Lodge  Deputy  and  Treasurer),  Mary  E.  Bedee  and 
Mrs.  Lizzie  P.  Lang.  Meets  Thursday  evenings, 
weekly. 

White  Mountain  Lodge,  No.  73,  I.  O.  G.  T.,  of 
Meredith  Centre,  was  organized  March  29,  1883,  with 


MEREDITH. 


853 


the  following  officers : Rev.  George  Pinkham,  W.  C.; 
Mrs.  S.  E.  M.  Pinkham,  W.  Y.  T.;  N.  13.  Plummer, 
Treas.;  Ida  Batchelder,  W.  F.  S.;  Mrs.  Mary  M.  Cate, 

W.  L.  S.;  Mrs.  H.  L.  Pitman,  W.  R.  S.;  Amos  K. 
Veasey,  W.  Chaplain ; Fred.  L.  Batchelder,  W.  O. 
G.;  George  L.  P.  Corliss,  P.  W.  C.  T.;  Frank  A. 
Arnold,  W.  M.;  Annie  Hill,  W.  D.  M.;  Lodge  Depu- 
ties : 1883-84,  George  L.  P.  Corliss ; 1885,  A.  lv. 
Veasey.  Weekly  meetings,  Friday  evening.  This 
has  been  a remarkably  lively  lodge,  having  had  at 
times  as  high  as  one  hundred  and  forty-five  members, 
and  now  numbers  ninety-two.  The  Worthy  Chiefs 
from  organization  have  been  Rev.  George  Pinkham, 
J.  H.  Robinson,  A.  K.  Veasey,  J.  H.  Albright,  W.  H. 
Cate,  N.  B.  Plummer,  John  Webster,  D.  S.  Corliss  and 

X.  G.  Plummer. 

The  Blue  Ribbon  Club,  organized  in  1879,  was 
inaugurated  by  Messrs.  Booth  and  Smith,  February 
16,  1879.  It  has  held  meetings  nearly  every  Sunday 
evening  since  that  date,  numbers  about  two  thousand 
three  hundred  members  on  its  roll,  and,  in  connec- 
tion with  the  Good  Templars,  is  doing  a fine  work. 
Meetings,  Sunday  evenings,  at  the  town  hall. 

The  Meredith  Mechanic  Association  was  incor- 
porated in  1859.  The  incorporators  were  Joseph  W. 
Lang,  Ebenezer  Stevens,  Joseph  Ela,  .James  P.  F. 
Smith,  Hanson  Beede  and  John  W.  Beede,  with  their 
associates,  successors  and  assigns.  The  first  officers 
were  elected  July  8,  1859,  as  follows:  Joseph  Ela, 
president  and  agent;  J.  W.  Ela,  clerk;  J.  W.  Lang, 
treasurer;  Ebenezer  Stevens,  John  F. Barron,  Seneca 
A.  Ladd,  Daniel  Smith,  directors. 

Mr.  Ela  resigned  his  office  September  3,  1859,  on 
accountof  ill  health,  and  Ebenezer  Stevens  was  elected 
to  serve  the  remainder  of  the  year,  when  Mr.  Ela 
was  again  elected  and  served  as  president  and  agent 
until  1871.  George  G.  Hoyt  was  then  elected  presi- 
dent and  he  now  holds  the  office.  Joseph  W.  Lang 
was  treasurer  until  1861;  Ebenezer  Stevens,  from  1861 
to  1862;  J.  W.  Lang,  from  1862  to  1863,  when  S.  W. 
Rollins  was  appointed  and  served  until  1871 ; Seneca 
A.  Ladd  was  then  elected  treasurer,  and  appointed 
agent,  and  he  has  since  filled  these  offices. 

The  property  held  by  the  association  consists  of 
all  the  water-power  afforded  by  Waukawan  Lake,  in 
one  fall  of  forty-two  feet  to  Winnipesaukee  Lake, 
three  factory  buildings,  three  shops,  one  store  and 
three  houses. 

The  capital  stock  was  at  first  twenty  thousand  dol- 
lars, which,  by  vote  of  the  stockholders,  might  be  in- 
creased to  not  exceeding  fifty  thousand  dollars.  In 
1861,  by  vote,  it  was  raised  to  twenty-five  thousand 
dollars,  and  January  18,  1871,  to  thirty-five  thousand 
dollars,  this  being  the  present  amount  of  capital  stock, 
divided  into  shares  of  one  hundred  dollars  each,  and 
held  by  forty  persons.  Dividends,  averaging  from  the 
commencement  four  and  a half  per  cent,  per  annum, 
have  been  paid.  It  is  out  of  debt  and  paying  a divi- 
dend of  two  per  cent,  semi-annually. 


The  present  officers  are : President  and  Clerk,  George 
G.  Hoyt;  Treasurer  and  Agent,  Seneca  A.  Ladd; 
Directors,  G.  G.  Hoyt,  J.  W.  Beede,  J.  PI.  Plaisted, 
Samuel  Hodgson,  Ebenezer  Stevens. 

The  Meredith  Village  Savings-Bank  was  incor- 
porated June,  1869,  with  the  following  corporators: 
Joseph  W.  Lang,  Seneca  A.  Ladd,  Joseph  Ela,  J. 
W.  Lang,  Jr.,  C.  S.  Prescott,  Ebenezer  Stevens,  X. 
B.  Wadleigh,  John  W.  Beede,  Isaiah  Winch,  George 
Sanborn,  George  M.  Burleigh,  J.  S.  Neal,  J.  PI.  Pres- 
cott, C.  P.  Towle,  George  G.  Hoyt,  Charles  L.  Hoyt, 
J.  M.  Beede,  D.  S.  Beede,  A.  E.  Leavitt  and  S.  D. 
Pease. 

October  4,  1869,  the  first  meeting  was  held,  at 
which  time  Joseph  W.  Lang  was  chosen  president  ; 
Seneca  A.  Ladd,  treasurer  and  secretary ; and  the 
same  two  persons  have  been  elected  to  the  same 
offices  every  year  since.  At  an  adjourned  meeting,  held 
October  7,  1869,  the  following  names  were  added  as 
corporators:  D.  S.  Metcalf,  Charles  Smith,  R.  S. 
Keneson,  W.  H.  II.  Mason  and  C.  P.  St.  Clair. 
At  this  time  a board  of  trustees  were  chosen  as  follows  : 
Joseph  Ela,  John  W.  Beede,  Charles  Smith,  J.  M. 
Beede,  C.  S.  Prescott,  S.  I).  Pease,  R.  S.  Keneson, 
William  H.  H.  Mason,  George  G.  Hoyt  aud  C.  P.  St. 

I Clair.  ' 

This  bank  has  been  very  successful  from  the  first. 
Its  officers  have  all  been  practical  men,  and  only 
those  who  were  successful  in  their  private  business. 
Its  deposits — the  first  of  one  hundred  dollars,  on  No- 
vember 10,  1869,  by  Mrs.  J.  I*.  Lang — have  steadily 
increased  to  three  hundred  and  thirty  thousand  dol- 
lars, a guarantee  fund  of  sixteen  thousand  dollars  and 
undivided  profit  of  twenty  thousand  dollars.  There 
is  no  paper  held  known  to  be  bad  or  doubtful,  and  no 
principal  or  interest  overdue.  July  1,  1870,  it  de- 
clared an  interest  dividend  of  two  and  a half  per  cent., 
and  has  repeated  the  same  rate  every  six  months 
since,  and  during  the  same  time  has  paid  four  extra 
dividends. 

The  president,  possessing  much  valuable  experi- 
ence, and  having  long  been  a model  business  man, — 
at  all  times  in  the  right  place, — has  rendered  valuable 
aid. 

The  treasurer,  fully  understanding  the  true  object 
of  a savings-bank,  has  faithfully  and  impartially 
attended  to  his  important  duties. 

The  finance  committee  are  practical  men,  with 
much  veneration  for  law  and  precedents,  are  well 
qualified  for  the  business  and  ever  attentive  to 
duty. 

The  present,  active  officers  are  Joseph  W.  Lang, 
president ; Seneca  A.  Ladd,  treasurer ; Samuel  W. 
Rollins,  John  W.  Beede,  Ebenezer  Stevens,  finance 
committee. 

The  Meredith  Weekly  News. — The  first  paper 
published  in  Meredith  since  the  division  of  the  town 
was  established  July  22,  1880,  by  George  F.  Sanborn, 
who  still  controls  it.  Since  its  advent  it  has  been 


854 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


enlarged  the  third  time,  in  the  mean  time  changing 
its  name  to  the  Meredith  News.  It  is  now  pub- 
lished— folio  form  of  thirty-two  columns — independent 
in  character  and  politics.  Prosperous  and  with  an 
increasing  circulation,  the  paper  bids  fair  to  become 
one  of  the  permanent  institutions  of  the  town. 

The  Meredith  Public  Library  and  Reading-Room 
adjoins  the  office  of  the  News  and  is  under  the  man- 
agement of  George  F.  Sanborn.  The  library  was 
established  March,  1882,  by  subscription  and  donation 
of  books  from  John  Smith,  Jr.,  of  Boston,  and  others 
who  contributed  liberally.  An  appropriation  by  the 
town  has  given  it  an  addition  of  many  valuable 
works,  making  in  all  about  ten  thousand  volumes. 
It  has  now  a solid  basis,  and  is  well  patronized. 

March  13, 1883,  Aaron  T.  Clough,  George  G.  Hoyt, 
George  F.  Sanborn,  E.  P.  Robinson  and  N.  B.  Plum- 
mer were  appointed  trustees. 


CHAPTER  X. 

M CREDIT  H— ( Continued). 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Colouel  Ebenezer  Smith — Education — Early  Votes  of  the  Town  Con- 
cerning “Schooling  ” — “ Master  Leavitt  ” — School-Houses  at  Meredith 
Village — Number  of  School  Districts  and  Attendance  of  Scholars,  1884 
-85 — First  Singing-School — Dudley  Leavitt — Early  Navigation — First 
Steamboat— Early  Business  Men  of  Meredith  Village— Meredith  Parade 
— A Curious  Relic — Conclusion. 

Colonel  Ebenezer  Smith  was,  above  all  others, 
the  principal  man  of  the  early  days  of  Meredith.  He 
was  proprietors’  clerk,  first  town  clerk  (both  positions 
were  held  many  years),  justice  of  the  peace  and  se- 
lectmen for  a long  period  of  time,  first  representa- 
tive to  the  General  Court,  colonel  of  the  First  Regi- 
ment of  militia,  and  often  received  all  the  votes  cast 
in  the  town  for  offices  of  honor  and  trust,  such  as 
Senator  and  Presidential  elector.  Making  his  home 
in  the  town  in  the  spring  of  1766,  he  was  almost 
alone  in  the  wilderness,  and  the  old  record-books 
show  him  to  have  been  the  genius  of  the  improve- 
ment of  the  settlement,  and  the  good  people  of  Mere- 
dith to-day  owe  much  to  the  shrewd  practicality, 
strong  common  sense,  business  ability  and  earnest 
labor  of  this  old  pioneer.  He  is  allowed,  September 
2,  1765,  £6  12*.  3 d.  for  cutting  road  and  building 
bridge.  November  3d  he  received  eighteen  pounds 
for  work  on  saw-mill,  and  thirty  pounds  for  settling 
rights.  He  was  autocratic  and  controlled  the  infant 
town  as  a Czar  his  realm,  but  his  rule  was  for  the 
public  good.  For  example,  when  the  assessors  would 
meet  to  fix  the  taxes,  he  would  say,  “ Put  such  an  one 
down  for  an  amount  much  less  than  the  assessment 
on  his  valuation;  he  has  been  sick,  had  poor  crops 
or  has  lost  an  ox,”  etc.  Another  settler,  who  had 
had  good  fortune,  he  would  tax  a larger  amount  than 
the  assessment.  Never  was  his  decision  appealed 


from,  nor  was  there  any  appeal.  He  would  meet 
angry  neighbors  who  were  going  to  the  “ Bridge  ” for 
the  law  against  some  one,  and  authoritatively  turn  them 
towards  home,  and  thus  prevented  strife  and  law- 
suits. He  was  truly  a great  man.  He  died  August 
22,  1807,  leaving  numerous  descendants. 

Education. — 111  a quiet  manner  the  people  of  Mere- 
dith have  paid  attention  from  the  first  to  the  educa- 
tional interests  of  the  town.  April  5,  1773,  it  was 
“ Voted  to  raise  the  sum  of  six  Spanish  milled  dollars 
for  to  hire  schooling  the  present  year,  and  not  to 
build  a school  [house]  this  present  year.”  In  the 
same  year  we  find  Jeremiah  Smith  credited  “ by  cash 
paid  Jonathan  Smith  for  schooling,  £16.” 

March  10, 1778,  the  town  took  action  to  build  three 
school-houses,  and  also  “ that  the  selectmen  shall 
make  tax  on  the  said  districts  to  pay  the  cost  of 
building,  after  the  houses  are  completed,”  and  voted 
for  eight  months’  school.  Up  to  this  time,  and  for 
several  years  the  amount  annually  voted  by  the 
town  for  school  purposes  was  usually  five  pounds. 
Some  years  later  there  was  no  school  and  the  money 
raised  increased  the  length  of  time  taught  the  ensu- 
ing year.  Four  months  in  each  year  there  was 
usually  a school.  One  of  the  most  celebrated  of  the 
early  teachers  was  Dudley  Leavitt,  of  almanac  fame, 
whose  reputation  as  a mathematician  and  astrono- 
mer extended  to  the  scientific  circles  of  Europe. 
His  first  school  was  taught  in  a house  standing  on 
the  corner  of  a lot  now  owned  by  C.  C.  Whittier, 
near  the  Prospect  House,  on  the  old  road  from  Mere- 
dith village  to  Centre  Harbor.  In  digging  for  a 
foundation  of  a bank-wall,  about  May  1,  1885,  Mr. 
Whittier  came  upon  the  foundation  of  the  old  school- 
house.  Mr.  Leavitt  afterwards  taught  school  on 
Meredith  Parade.  In  1800  the  town  raised  three 
hundred  dollars  for  schools.  March  12,  1804,  the 
town  “ Voted  to  raise  four  hundred  dollars  for  the  use 
of  schooling  the  ensuing  year.”  We  cannot  find 
the  record  of  any  action  of  the  town  at  any  period 
of  its  history  increasing  that  amount. 

The  school-house  at  Meredith  village  was  located 
on  Plymouth  Street,  wdiere  a house  was  erected, 
which,  becoming  too  small,  in  time,  for  the  number 
of  scholars,  was  succeeded,  somewhere  about  1840,  by 
a larger  house  of  two  rooms,  which  was  occupied  un- 
til the  completion  of  the  present  school  building. 
June  27,  1871,  John  Wadleigh,  Hosea  S.  Swain  and 
Edward  F.  Wiggin,  school  committee,  located  the 
site  for  the  present  school  building  on  land  belonging 
to  Colonel  Ebenezer  Stevens,  and  appraised  the  value 
of  the  site  at  eight  hundred  and  thirty-three  dollars. 
The  building  was  at  once  erected  and  occupied. 

From  reports  of  school  committee  and  Board  of 
Education  for  the  year  ending  March  1,  1885,  we 
find  seventeen  school  districts  in  town,  the  one  at 
Meredith  village  having  a graded  school  of  four  de- 
partments. The  total  number  of  scholars  attending 
school  during  the  year  was  three  hundred  and  sixty- 


MEREDITH. 


855 


four.  Of  these,  one  hundred  and  ninety  were  on  the 
rolls  of  the  graded  school. 

The  First  Singing-School  in  the  town  was 
taught  nearly  one  hundred  years  ago  (1795)  by  Dea- 
con Josiah  Perkins,  father  of  John  Perkins,  now  of 
Meredith  village. 

Dudley  Leavitt. — This  noted  astronomer,  school 
teacher  and  almanac-maker  was  for  years  an  honored 
character  of  Meredith.  His  fame  extended  to 
European  countries,  and  it  is  related  that  one  of  the 
French  savans,  who  visited  his  plain  abode,  was  much 
surprised  at  the  simplicity  of  the  surroundings,  as  he 
expected  to  find  an  imposing  mansion  instead  of  a 
pioneer  cabin,  and  when  he  learned  that  the  annual 
revenue  of  Mr.  Leavitt  amounted  to  seventy-five  dol- 
lars, and  that  “he  hart  all  he  wanted,”  he  could  not 
understand  in  the  slightest  degree  such  Spartan  qual- 
ities as  he  saw  exhibited. 

For  many  years  Dudley  Leavitt  drew  many  from 
long  distances  to  avail  themselves  of  the  great  advan- 
tages of  his  tuition.  His  “Farmers’  Almanac”  occu- 
pied, next  to  the  Bible,  the  honored  place  in  New 
Hampshire  homes.  It  is  doubtful  whether  any  other 
person  has  had  so  much  to  do  with  the  intellectual 
development  of  Meredith,  or  so  impressed  his  person- 
ality upon  its  people.  The  few  now  living  who  were 
his  pupils  speak  of  him  with  veneration.  To  have 
received  instruction  from  “Master  Leavitt”  was  as 
satisfactory  in  educational  requirements  at  that  time 
as  a college  diploma  would  be  to-day. 

Early  Navigation  on  Lake  Winnipesaukee. — 
During  the  early  history  of  this  vicinity  great  diffi- 
culty was  experienced  by  the  settlers  in  transporting 
goods  and  household  necessities  from  the  distant 
markets  of  Dover  and  Portsmouth.  The  roads  con- 
sisted only  of  “ bridle-paths,”  which  were  only  wide 
enough  for  a single  horse,  and  all  the  articles  had  to 
be  carried  upon  horseback,  or  oftener  on  the  backs 
of  the  settlers  themselves.  At  last  they  got  tired  of 
these  means  of  transportation,  and  constructed  a road 
from  Dover  to  Alton  Bay  about  the  commencement 
of  the  present  century.  From  Alton  Bay  the  supplies 
wrere  distributed  to  this  section  by  means  of  boats, 
and,  almost  simultaneously  with  the  construction  of 
this  road,  the  old  “Gundalow”  boat  was  built  by  one 
Smith,  of  Dover,  to  carry  the  goods  and  passengers 
across  the  lake  to  their  point  of  destination.  This 
was  a huge,  flat-bottomed,  unwieldy  craft,  propelled 
by  sail,  if  the  wind  was  favorable,  and  when  it  was 
not,  by  large  oars.  It  ran  no  regular  trips,  but  visited 
the  Weirs,  Meredith  village,  Centre  Harbor  and  sev- 
eral other  points  when  necessary.  After  running  a 
number  of  years  it  was  “shipwrecked”  on  “Great 
Boat  Ledge”  in  a heavy  gale. 

In  1830  a stock  company  was  formed  for  the  pur- 
pose of  building  a steamboat,  and  work  was  soon 
after  cpmmenced  upon  it  at  Lake  village,  and  it  was 
completed  in  1833.  Great  difficulty  was  experienced 
in  getting  up  through  the  channel  at  the  Weirs,  on 


account  of  the  low  water.  Like  the  old  “Gundalow,”' 
it  ran  no  regular  trips,  visiting  all  points  on  the  lake 
when  necessary.  It  was  about  one  hundred  feet  in 
length,  and  flat-bottomed.  The  engine  was  in  no 
way  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  boat,  in  head 
winds  hardly  able  to  hold  its  own,  and  making  a noise 
that  could  be  heard  for  miles.  The  time  employed  in 
making  the  trip  between  Alton  Bay  and  Centre  Har- 
bor, when  the  wind  was  favorable,  was  nearly  six 
hours.  Now  the  time  made  between  these  two  points 
is  two  hours,  regardless  of  wind  or  weather.  Captain 
W.  A.  Sanborn,  of  the  Weirs,  was  her  captain,  and 
Perkins  Drake,  of  Lake  village,  her  pilot.  In  the 
month  of  November,  1841,  the  steamboat  was 
wrecked  on  what  is  now  known  as  Steamboat  Island. 
Oilier  steamers  were  soon  after  built,  and  run  upon 
the  lake,  among  which  were  the  “Red  Hill,”  the 
“Seneca,”  the  “Union”  and  the  “Lady.” 

Early  Business  Men  of  Meredith  Village. — Ac- 
cording to  the  venerable  Joseph  Ela,  the  merchants, 
in  1822,  when  he  came  here  to  establish  a store  for 
Joseph  Smith,  which  he  did  near  the  present  resi- 
dence of  J.  A.  Lang,  were  J.  B.  Swasey,  whose  store 
was  opposite  the  residence  of  Colonel  Ebenezer  Ste- 
vens ; John  Towle,  an  old  merchant,  kept  in  the  next 
block  towards  the  post-office  from  the  present  Ma- 
sonic Hall;  Samuel  Gilman,  who  occupied  what  is 
now  the  post-office  building;  Samuel  Bean,  located 
where  the  meat-market  now  stands ; Captain  Badger’s 
tan-yard  was  where  Mr.  Hodgson’s  factory  is  now ; 
Mr.  Moulton  was  a cloth-dresser  and  manufacturer, 
after  the  primitive  manner  of  that  period.  The  law- 
yers were  Esquire  Harper,  Jonathan  C.  Everett  and. 
later,  Judge  Lovell.  The  principal  physician  was 
Dr.  John  Sanborn,  a man  of  great  value,  not  only 
as  a physician,  but  who  is  remembered  as  one  who 
did  more  to  inculcate  a desire  for  knowledge  in  the 
minds  of  the  youth  than,  perhaps,  any  other  person 
who  ever  lived  here. 

Meredith  Parade. — Among  the  places  in  this  sec- 
tion which  has  a claim  to  historical  mention,  none 
has  a more  interesting  history  than  that  of  Meredith 
Parade. 

Shortly  after  the  close  of  the  War  of  1812-15 
with  Great  Britain,  the  State  militia  was  thoroughly 
reorganized,  and  every  competent  man  between  the 
ages  of  eighteen  and  forty-five  belonged  to  it.  The 
companies  of  Meredith,  Centre  Harbor,  New  Hamp- 
ton and  Sanbornton  comprised  the  Twenty-Ninth 
Regiment,  numbering  over  five  hundred  men.  The 
law  required  that  they  should  meet  at  some  place  as 
often  as  once  a year  for  drill.  The  place  selected  for 
this  purpose  was  known  as  Meredith  Parade.  The 
grounds  were  used  for  this  purpose  until  about  the 
year  1840,  and  became  famous  throughout  the  coun- 
try for  its  annual  gatherings. 

These  musters  were  looked  upon  as  events  of  great 
importance.  “ Each  soldier,”  as  the  law  read,  “ was 
commanded  to  appear  armed  and  equipped,  said 


856 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


equipments  to  consist  of  a gun,  two  flints,  a jJriming- 
wire  and  brush,  a knapsack  and  twenty-four  rounds 
of  cartridges.”  Soldiers  who  failed  to  put  in  an 
appearance  were  charged  a heavy  fine,  unless  they 
could  give  a reasonable  excuse.  Two  old-time 
"taverns”  and  two  stores  furnished  the  crowds  with 
rations  and  the — at  that  time — indispensable  article 
known  as  New  England  rum.  Many  old  Revolu- 
tionary veterans,  who  had  participated  in  the  battles 
from  Lexington  to  Yorktown  would  be  attracted 
hither.  Old  Indian-fighters  were  also  plenty  and 
fond  of  relating  their  liair-breadth  encounters  with 
the  red  men  of  this  locality.  The  old  Parade  occu- 
pied an  important  place  in  the  early  annals  as  the 
town  metropolis.  Besides  the  two  taverns  and  two 
stores  already  mentioned,  it  had  one  meeting-house, 
which  stood  on  the  Parade-ground,  near  the  line  be- 
tween this  town  and  Laconia.  This  old  church,  with 
its  high-backed  seats, box-shaped  pulpit  with  sounding- 
board,  was  moved  to  Meredith  village  and  remodeled 
into  the  Free-Will  Baptist  Church.  The  old  cemetery 
still  remains,  a mournful  reminder  of  the  past.  The 
head-stones  have  nearly  all  fallen,  and  are  moss-grown 
and  broken  ; but  few  are  legible.  With  the  advent  of 
the  railroad  perished  the  glory  of  the  Parade.  The 
daily  stage  from  Boston  to  Plymouth  was  discon- 
tinued, and  at  the  present  time  but  little  is  left  to 
distinguish  it  from  any  peaceful  farming  community. 

The  “ Neck  ” and  “ Bear  Island  ” were  another  com- 
munity in  themselves.  Many  recollect  the  hardy  old- 
time  residents  of  the  Neck,  although  hardly  one  is 
left.  “ Bear  Island  ” owes  its  name  to  the  fact  that 
bears  were  very  abundant  at  the  time  of  the  first 
settlement.  Robert  Bryant  settled  here  during  the 
Revolution,  coming  from  the  Wadleigh  place,  near 
the  Parade.  Soon  quite  a neighborhood  grew  up 
around  him,  and  forty  years  ago  it  could  boast  quite 
a school  district.  “Aunt  Dolly”  Nichols  was  a noted 
character,  who  lived  alone  about  midway  the  length 
of  the  island.  She  made  a living  by  selling  cider 
and  rum  to  the  boatmen  and  fishermen.  She  bore 
the  reputation  of  being  a witch,  and  furnished  Scrib- 
ner a subject  for  his  Dolly  Plot  in  the  “ Legends  of 
Laconia.” 

A Curious  Relic  was  discovered  in  1872,  about  six 
feet  below  the  surface  of  the  ground,  at  the  bottom 
of  a post-hole  dug  in  the  trail  of  the  Indians  between 
Lakes  Winnipesaukee  and  Waukawan.  It  may  have 
been  the  work  of  some  one  living  in  pre-historic  days, 
as  nothing  like  its  fine  workmanship  has  been  pro- 
duced by  the  Indian  tribes  of  this  locality,  and  it  has 
attracted  great  attention  from  the  scientific  and 
ethnological  world.  This  curiosity  is  of  fine  silicious 
sandstone,  as  hard  as  granite,  of  almost  the  size  and 
shape  of  a goose  egg, — longest  diameter,  three  and 
three-fourths  inches ; transverse,  two  and  five-eighths ; 
weight,  eighteen  ounces, — but  not  a lathe  product, 
deviating  slightly  from  a “ solid  of  revolution.”  A 
conical  hole  (three-eighths  of  an  inch  at  base,  one- 


eighth  at  summit)  passes  along  the  axis,  but  lacks 
nearly  one-eighth  of  an  inch  of  being  concentric  with 
the  base,  and  less  at  the  summit.  Ten  figures — some 
in  low  relief,  but  sunk  below  the  surface, — are  cut 
with  a workmanship  inferior  to  the  gems  of  ancient 
Europe,  but  as  much  superior  to  any  other  ever  found 
on  this  continent.  For  instance,  in  the  ear  of  maize, 
seven-eighths  of  an  inch  long,  there  are  seventeen 
kernels  in  the  row,  and  four  of  the  rows  clearly 
visible,  with  two  more  partly  in  sight.  In  a circle 
below  (nearer  the  broad  end)  is  the  scalp  of  an 
animal  with  large  ears,  a deer’s  leg,  and  another 
figure  like  a three-pointed  cap.  The  scalp  may  be 
also  a cap.  To  the  right  is  a face  in  an  oval,  two  and 
one-eighth  inches  long  and  five-eighths  broad. 
This  resembles  strongly  ancient  Egyptian  counte- 
nances. The  face  is  sunken,  as  the  nose  does  not 
rise  above  the  regular  surface.  The  next  figure  is  an 
Indian  lodge  of  four  poles,  visible  above  where  they 
cross  at  the  top.  Three  breadths  of  curtain  are 
shown,  and  they  are  carefully  roughened,  as  if  of  | 
hides.  This  is  not  on  a depressed  surface.  Below 
this  is  a blank  circle.  There  remains  a series  of  three 
figures  not  in  depressed  surfaces,— first,  four  spears  or 
paddles  arranged  in  a form  suggestive  of  the  letter 
M,  a crescent,  and  under  it  two  maces  in  the  form  of  1 
X,  with  two  dots  between  the  heads.  Lastly,  there  is 
a circular  figure  around  each  end.  One  little  flaw  is 
seen  in  the  edge  of  the  depression  from  which  the  face 
is  raised.  The  stone  was  so  encrusted  as  to  com- 
pletely conceal  all  traces  of  the  carving,  and  only  a 
careful  investigator  would  have  discovered  its  secret. 
This  was  done  by  Seneca  A.  Ladd,  the  Meredith 
philosopher  and  antiquarian,  in  whose  possession  it 
now  is.  This  stone  has  attracted  the  wonder  of  the 
scientific  world,  European  suvans  having  vainly  tried 
to  obtain  it.  The  Smithsonian  Institution  at  Wash- 
ington has  offered  to  send  a man  to  Meredith  to 
make  a cast  of  the  “ egg,”  as  Mr.  Ladd  calls  it. 

Conclusion. — There  is  material  enough  of  interest- 
ing matter  relating  to  Meredith  to  fill  a large  volume, 
and  it  is  not  to  be  expected  that  into  the  space  . 
afforded  by  such  a work  as  this  all  that  is  valuable 
could  be  compressed.  We  have  given  our  attention 
more  especially  to  preserving  what  we  could  of  early 
days,  knowing  that  the  dust  of  oblivion  would  the 
sooner  hide  those  events  and  characters  forever  from 
the  view,  and  have,  also,  faithfully  endeavored  to 
condense  as  much  of  pure  history  as  possible  in  these 
chapters,  giving  the  formation  of  civil  and  religious  1 
organizations  and  their  influence,  development  and 
results,  however,  quite  fully,  as  they,  by  their  com- 
bined action,  have  formed  the  character  of  the  Mere- 
dith of  to-day.  The  patriotism  displayed  by  the  i 
town  has  fully  justified  the  amount  of  space  we  have 
given  to  the  military  history.  We  trust  that  we  have  j 
formed  a nucleus  around  which  some  succeeding 
writer  may  crystallize  all  that  is  worthy  of  preserva- 
tion relating  to  this  ancient  and  honorable  town. 


MEREDITH. 


857 


Our  thanks  are  due  to  all  who  have  rendered  as- 
sistance to  the  writer,  and  especially  to  W.  O.  Clough, 
whose  investigations  and  prepared  articles  in  the 
Meredith  News  have  been  of  much  service. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


GENERAL  JOHN  WADLEIGH. 


It  will  be  a step  in  the  progress  of  a people’s  life 
when  our  memorials  to  the  dead  shall  take  the  form,  not 
of  dull,  senseless,  decorative  marble,  but  of  a means 
of  generating  practical  good,  and  inspiring  life  with 
nobler  and  loftier  ideals.  For  every  man  who  leaves 
behind  him  the  expression  of  great  thoughts,  the 
record  of  noble  deeds  and  a career  of  success  in  his 
particular  field  of  labor  helps  to  educate  each  suc- 
cessive generation.  Such  records  of  life,  work  and 
success  supply  the  most  inspiring  and  disinterested 
motives  to  tbe  highest  exertion  in  the  present  and  in 
the  future.  In  the  various  departments  of  business, 
in  science  and  in  letters,  in  law  and  theology,  in  poli- 
tics and  statesmanship,  Belknap  County  has  been 
honored  by  her  sons’  who,  in  their  appropriate  spheres, 
have  exerted  a deep  influence,  and  the  old  town  of 
Meredith  has  none  whom  her  citizens  justly  hold  in 
greater  esteem  and  regard  than  General  John  Wad- 
leigh,  son  of  Dearborn  and  Polly  (Hayes)  Wadleigh.  He 
was  born  in  Meredith,  N.  H.  June 3, 1806,  and  died  Octo- 
ber 25,  1873.  He  was  a descendant  of  a family  second 
to  none  in  the  State,  whose  members  have  ever  been 
leaders  in  society  and  men  of  influence.  Biography 
scientifically  presents  the  ancestry  of  its  subjects  for 
brief  and  interested  examination.  Past  generations 
are  concerned  in  the  building  of  the  man,  as  well  as 
the  beloved  mother.  General  Wadleigh’s  grand- 
father, John  Wadleigh,  was  among  the  pioneers  of 
the  town,  and  the  men  of  those  early  times  were  men 
of  action.  Energy  was  the  corner-stone  of  their 
characters,  the  secret  of  their  successful  lives, — well- 
directed,  steady,  persistent  energy.  Mr.  Wadleigh 
was  a man  of  note,  and  his  voice  was"  often  heard  in 
the  councils  of  the  town,  where  he  was  many  times 
chosen  to  office.  In  the  great  struggle  of  the  Ameri- 
can colonies  with  the  mother-country  he  was  an 
active  participant,  serving  his  country  with  patriotism 
and  zeal.  He  died  August  11,  1842,  having  nearly 
reached  his  four-score  years  and  ten,  leaving  a name 
and  character  of  inestimable  worth.  His  wife,  Mollie, 
died  November  13,  1827,  aged  seventy  years.  Dear- 
born Wadleigh,  their  son,  was  born  in  Epping,  N.  H. 
He  inherited  the  homestead  farm  in  Meredith,  which 
place  had  been  his  home  from  childhood,  and  mar- 
ried Polly  Hayes,  of  Sanbornton,  a woman  whose 
rare  merit  was  well  known.  It  was  said  of  her,  “She 
was  goodness  itself.”  She  died  November  1,  1864, 


1 


aged  eighty-three.  Dearborn  Wadleigh  was  a man 
much  esteemed  in  the  community,  and  a valued  citi- 
zen. H e was  positive,  strong  in  his  convictions,  and 
in  politics  was  an  old-time  Whig.  He  died  Decem- 
ber 27,  1859,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two. 

General  Wadleigh  remained  with  his  parents  on 
the  old  homestead  until  he  was  of  age,  participated  in 
the  labors  of  the  field  and  received  such  education  as 
the  district  school  afforded,  supplementing  it  at  the 
old  Gilmanton  Academy,  then  in  its  palmy  days. 
While  yet  a lad  his  heart  was  filled  with  the  thoughts 
of  the  future  and  the  ambition  to  be  a leader  among 
men,  and  his  manly  bearing  and  strong  personality 
impressed  itself  upon  those  with  whom  he  was 
brought  in  contact.  The  true  American  inheritance 
of  free  and  independent  thought  had  descended  to 
him  in  more  than  ordinary  measure,  and  he  found  his 
whole  nature  to  be  in  direct  opposition  to  the  Feder- 
alists principles  of  the  Whig  party,  and,  on  reaching 
his  majority,  he  affiliated  with  the  Democrats,  and 
cast  his  maiden  vote  for  their  candidate  at  election 
(town-meeting).  On  bis  return  from  the  meeting  he 
was  informed  that  his  presence  at  home  was  no  longer 
desirable.  The  following  morning,  more  in  sorrow 
than  anger,  he  left  home,  but  with  a brave  spirit  un- 
daunted e\en  by  these  circumstances.  He  went  to 
Boston,  where  he  established  himself  as  a teacher  of 
penmanship,  in  which  art  he  excelled.  His  residence 
in  Boston  was  not  a permanent  one.  His  father  re- 
considered his  hasty  decision,  and  earnestly  entreated 
his  son  to  return  to  his  home;  and  to  this  request 
was  added  tbe  urgent  solicitations  of  the  prominent 
Democrats,  who  assured  him  that  they  appreciated 
the  value  of  a man  who  could  so  persistently  stand 
by  his  political  principles,  even  though  his  filial  re- 
lations were  sacrificed.  After  careful  deliberation, 
and  with  a pardonable  ambition  to  return  to  Mere- 
dith and  justify  the  judgment  of  his  political  friends, 
he  removed  from  Boston,  and  became  a resident  and 
citizen  of  the  town  of  his  birth,  and  tilled  the  ances- 
tral acres.  lie  was  elected  to  many  offices  in  the  gift 
of  his  townsmen.  He  was  presiding  officer  (modera- 
tor) of  the  town-meetings  for  several  years.  He  was 
nominated  for  county  treasurer  of  Strafford  County 
in  1840,  and  at  the  election  the  nomination  was 
indorsed  by  the  voters,  and  he  held  this  office  at  the 
time  Belknap  County  was  organized.  He  also  served 
two  years  and  a half  as  county  treasurer  of  Belknap 
County,  covering  five  terms  of  court,  which  were  held 
semi-annually,  in  February  and  August.  He  was 
continuously  in  office,  civil  or  military,  from 
the  age  of  twenty-one.  He  was  commissioned 
justice  of  the  peace  and  quorum  throughout 
the  State,  and  held  the  position  for  a quarter  of 
a century,  being  first  commissioned  by  Governor 
Isaac  Hill,  January  8,  1838,  and  receiving  the  last 
commission  from  Governor  J.  A.  Gilmore,  October  9, 
1863.  He  was  a member  of  the  Constitutional  Con- 
vention in  1850.  He  represented  Meredith  several 


858 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


times  in  the  General  Court.  In  the  years  1862  and 
1863  he  was  a State  Senator,  and  in  all  these  civil 
offices  his  superior  endowments  were  recognized. 

But  General  Wadleigh’s  prominence  as  a public 
man  was  not  confined  to  civil  affairs ; the  military 
organizations  claimed  his  attention  in  a large  degree. 
He  was  pre-eminently  .a  soldier.  In  manner  and 
bearing,  in  energy  and  self-reliance,  in  the  power  to 
command  and  control  men,  in  quick  apprehension  of 
circumstances  and  scrupulous  attention  to  details, 
his  mind  was  essentially  military.  Ilis  rapid  pro- 
motion from  ensign  to  major-general  serves  to  show 
his  remarkable  ability.  He  was  commissioned  in 
the  New  Hampshire  State  militia  as  follows  : En- 
sign by  Governor  David  L.  Morrill,  April  18,  1827 ; 
lieutenant  by  Governor  Benjamin  Pierce,  April  8, 
1830;  captain  by  Acting  Governor  Joseph  M.  Harper, 
April  20,  1831 ; adjutant  by  Governor  Samuel  Dins- 
moor,  April  15,  1833  ; colonel  bv  Governor  William 
Badger,  July  1,  1834;  brigadier-general  by  Governor 
Isaac  Hill,  September  4,  1837  ; major-general  Second 
Division  by  .Governor  John  Page,  June  27,  1839.  He 
was  honorably  discharged,  at  his  own  request,  June 
18,  1841.  He  was  appointed  adjutant  and  inspector- 
general  of  the  New  Hampshire  militia  by  Governor 
Jared  W.  Williams,  December  7,  1847,  which  office 
he  retained  until  June  26,  1856.  All  the  relations 
between  General  Wadleigh  and  his  officers  were 
characterized  by  the  utmost  cordiality,  and  his  strict- 
ness of  discipline  did  not  detract  from  the  friendship 
existing  between  them. 

General  Wadleigh  married,  in  1831,  Mary  Ann 
Wentworth,  daughter  of  Bradley  and  Nancy  Hanna- 
ford,  of  Meredith.  They  had  four  children, — Le  Roy 
B.,  a resident  of  Clinton,  la.,  a very  able  and  suc- 
cessful business  man,  and  who  inherits  many  of  his 
father’s  characteristics;  Abbie  (Mrs.  Dr.  G.  F.  Brick- 
ett),  died  July  31,  1864 ; John  Dearborn,  died  No- 
vember 10,  1871,  married  Annie,  wife  of  Frank  P. 
Leffingwell,  an  attorney  of  Chicago,  111.  Mrs.  Wad- 
leigh died  December  31,  1866,  aged  fifty-six  years, 
and,  like  her  husband,  enjoyed  the  warmest  regards 
of  the  community. 

General  Wadleigh  was  a religious  man  and  a 
prominent  and  active  member  of  the  Baptist  Church. 
He  possessed  the  fine  feelings  of  the  old-school  gen- 
tleman, and  was  true  as  steel  to  his  friends.  He  was 
a man  of  exemplary  habits,  kind-hearted,  hospitable, 
generous  to  the  needy',  sympathetic  with  the  suffer- 
ing, diligent  and  faithful  to  all  his  trusts  ; as  a citi- 
zen, he  was  a promoter  of  all  movements  tending  to 
advance  the  interests  of  Meredith.  Courage  was 
a conspicuous  quality  of  his  nature.  Inheriting  a 
powerful  physique,  with  immense  impelling  force, 
he  had  the  self-poise  and  boldness  imparted  by  the 
consciousness  of  strength.  His  latent  resources, 
under  the  stimulus  of  difficulty  and  opposition,  were 
always  equal  to  the  demands  made  upon  him  in 
meeting  the  weighty  responsibilities  and  bearing  the 


heavy  burdens  imposed.  His  moral  courage,  tried 
in  many  emergencies,  was  never  found  wanting. 
Neutrality  was  impossible  to  him,  for  he  never 
shirked  a duty  or  an  issue.  Holding  pronounced 
opinions,  he  was  always  ready  and  able  to  defend 
them  against  any'  attack.  His  marvelous  endur- 
ance was  the  wonder  of  his  friends.  His  mind  was 
a battery  always  charged,  his  animal  spirits  a foun- 
tain that  never  failed.  Always  sincere  and  honest 
himself  and  intensely  loyal  to  his  friends,  hypocrisy 
or  disloyalty  to  friendship  was  to  him  an  unpardon- 
able sin.  He  filled  many  high  places  of  honor  and 
responsibility.  That  he  always  discharged  their 
duties  with  fidelity  is  shown  by  the  oft-repeated  and 
long-continued  manifestations  of  public  confidence 
and  trust  reposed  in  him.  His  services  to  the  State 
were  long  and  arduous.  Such  are  the  main  points  of 
the  character,  life  and  official  career  of  General 
Wadleigh. 

To  those  acquainted  with  the  annals  of  New  Hamp- 
shire his  name  is  a familiar  one,  and  in  his  native 
town  no  figure  has  been  more  prominent.  In  his 
character  we  find  many  of  the  crown  jewels  neces- 
sary to  a successful  life.  Of  rare  judgment  and 
irrepressible  energy,  he  hewed  to  the  line  of  unshaken 
purpose,  and  takes  his  place  rightfully  among  those 
whose  memory  history  will  perpetuate.  Every- 
where, in  every  age,  in  every  department  of  life,  we 
find  that  success  springs  from  the  energy  of  the  man, 
— that  is,  the  ingredient  of  his  nature  without  which 
life  remains  an  unfulfilled  promise, — and  as  there  is 
an  inspiration  to  others  in  the  achievements  of  such 
men,  we  gather  up  this  review  of  the  life  of  General 
Wadleigh  and  lay  it  with  honored  record  where  its 
influence  may  descend  with  helpful  strength  to  other 
men  and  other  generations.  His  memory  will  long 
be  cherished,  and  his  life  is  a part  of  the  history  of 
the  State. 


SENECA  A.  LAI)D. 

The  first  person  bearing  the  name  of  Ladd  in 
America,  and  doubtless  the  ancestor  of  all  the  fam- 
ilies bearing  the  name  in  New  Hampshire,  was  Daniel 
Ladd,  who  sailed  from  London  with  his  wife,  Ann. 
March  24,  1633,  in  the  ship  “Mary  and  John,”  and 
settled  at  Ipswich,  Mass.  His  name  is  fifth  on  the 
list  of  sixty-eight  who  founded  the  town  of  Salis- 
bury, in  1638.  In  1640,  with  eleven  others,  he 
removed  to  Pawtucket,  on  the  Merrimack,  and  or- 
ganized the  town  of  Haverhill,  w’here  he  lived, 
respected  and  honored,  to  an  advanced  age.  He  was 
descended  from  an  old  Kentish  family,  who  were 
landed  proprietors  as  early  as  the  fifteenth  century. 

Daniel  Ladd,  a lineal  descendant  from  the  English 
ancestor,  was  born  August  21, 1742,  at  Epping,  N.  H., 
and  became  a fanner.  He  did  not  remain  on  the 
ancestral  acres,  but  dealt  largely  in  new  land,  residing 
first  in  Lee,  then  in  Canterbury,  and  finally  in  Lou- 


MEREDITH. 


859 


don,  where  he  was  an  early  and  esteemed  citizen. 
He  married  Judith  Lyford,  of  Raymond,  about  1765. 
They  had  nine  children,  of  whom  the  eighth  was 
Gideon.  Gideon  was  a chaise  and  carriage-builder. 
He  was  a man  of  much  brain-power.  Sober  and 
sedate  in  his  manners,  of  stern  demeanor,  he  was  a great 
admirer  of  the  characters  of  the  ancient  Greeks  and 
Romans,  whose  history  he  delighted  to  read.  lie 
was  an  industrious  man  and  faithful  to  all  his  duties. 
A life-long  resident  of  Loudon,  he  died  there  Feb- 
ruary 2,  1848.  He  married  Polly  Osgood,  of  Loudon, 
and  had  twelve  children. 

Seneca  Augustus  Ladd,  fourth  son  and  sixth  child 
of  Gideon  and  Polly  (Osgood)  Ladd,  was  born  in 
Loudon,  X.  H.,  April  29,  1819. 

Probably  no  more  marked  individuality  than  liis 
has  been  the  production  of  the  Granite  State.  From 
a child  his  methods  of  thought  and  execution  have 
been  sui  generis.  He  attended  the  town  school,  sum- 
mers, until  ten  years  of  age,  and  winters,  until  he 
was  seventeen,  without  much  progress,  as  he  says : 
“ School-books  and  rules  were  hard  tasks  for  me,  and 
to  obtain  knowledge  in  that  way  was  much  like 
trying  to  take  on  fat  by  eating  saw-dust  bread.” 
Only  one  of  his  teachers  comprehended  his  nature — 
Jolm  L.  French,  afterwards  president  of  Pittsfield 
Bank.  He  allowed  the  youth  to  pursue  his  own 
methods,  originate  his  own  rules,  choose  his  own  time 
and  way  of  study,  only  directing  him  in  their  gen- 
eral course.  From  him  Seneca  had  the  pleasure  of  re- 
ceiving the  prize  offered  to  the  elass — a silver  piece  of 
Spanish  money  worth  six  and  a quarter  cents.  Mr. 
Ladd  still  has  the  coin.  When  thirteen  he  went  to 
learn  the  carriage-maker’s  trade  in  Raymond,  and 
gave  diligent  service  for  four  years,  and,  with  his 
marked  mechanical  aptitude,  was  thoroughly  pre- 
pared to  do  good  work.  He  followed  his  trade  in 
Meredith  for  two  years,  and  then  went  to  Boston  and 
passed  one  year  in  constructing  piano-fortes  for 
Timothy  Gilbert,  in  the  second  manufactory  of  the 
kind  established  in  the  United  States.  Returning  to 
Meredith  in  July,  1839,  he  purchased  mills  and  built 
a large  carriage  manufactory  and  entered  into  busi- 
ness on  quite  an  extensive  scale.  This  was  something 
of  an  undertaking  for  a young  man  but  twenty  years 
of  age ; but  Mr.  Ladd,  with  his  logical  foresight,  had 
mentally  marked  out  the  course  he  must  pursue  to 
win  success.  And  it  came.  For  eleven  years  he 
conducted  his  business  with  success.  In  April,  1850, 
his  entire  plant  was  destroyed  by  fire,  with  its  val- 
uable completed  work.  Mr.  Ladd  immediately  leased 
the  cotton-factory,  then  idle,  and  fitted  it  up  with 
new  machinery  adapted  to  his  purpose,  and  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  pianos  and  melodeons.  He 
devoted  himself  to  this  for  eighteen  years  in  Meredith 
and  Boston,  and  showed  himself  one  of  the  most 
successful  men  of  this  line.  He  made  money  and 
was  conceded  to  be  master  of  all  the  elements  of 
success  in  this  field.  Having  acquired  a sufficient 
55 


property  to  place  him  above  the  necessity  of  an  in- 
cessant devotion  to  business,  and  having  attained  all 
the  mental  development  he  could  expect  in  the  vari- 
ous branches  of  labor  he  had  followed,  he  was  ready 
fora  change  and  further  progress.  His  humanitarian 
and  philanthropic  nature  guided  him  in  this.  As  an 
employer  he  had  noted  the  recklessness  with  which 
the  young  people  squandered  their  wages,  apparently 
not  knowing  how  to  save  their  money,  and  his  advice 
had  frequently  been  given  to  them  to  take  care  of  it. 
In  revolving  the  problem  of  how  to  help  them,  the 
idea  of  a savings-bank  seemed  the  thing  needed.  In 
November,  1869,  he  and  his  associates  procured  a 
charter  from  the  Legislature  and  established  the  Mer- 
edith Village  Savings-Bank  (see  History).  The  good 
accomplished  by  Mr.  Ladd’s  zealous  and  persevering 
efforts  in  founding  this  bank  lias  been  very  great,  and 
will  only  be  appreciated  at  its  full  value  when  looked 
upon  by  those  of  coming  time;  for  it  is  a fact  that 
never  is  a man  fully  understood  or  his  real  worth  com- 
prehended by  his  contemporaries. 

Such  a peculiar  nature  as  Mr.  Ladd’s  must  needs 
have  had  a peculiar  education.  This  has  been  given 
by  careful  observation  of  everything  that  came  in  his 
way;  by  examining  the  structure  and  nature  of  the 
smallest  as  well  as  largest  matters  in  nature;  by  at- 
tending to  the  needs  of  each  of  the  many  sides  of  both 
mental  and  physical  organisms ; by  practical  busi- 
ness, by  newspapers,  scientific  and  literary  works  of 
a high  order,  and  by  avoiding  everything  tending 
to  sensation  or  frivolity.  He  has  never  read  a novel 
or  attended  a theatre.  This  education  has  given  him 
a mental  character  of  strength  and  ability  far  beyond 
that  attained  by  the  usual  curriculum  of  a college 
course,  and  on  any  of  the  grave  subjects  under  dis- 
cussion among  scholars  his  opinion  is  listened  to  with 
earnestness  and  commands  respect.  From  an  early 
day  he  has  been  pronounced  in  his  adherence  to 
temperance.  When  a boy  he  joined  a church,  but 
left  it  as  soon  as  he  found  that  it  was  obligatory  on  him 
to  take  wine  at  communion.  Since  then  he  has  been 
a member  of  no  church,  but  contributed  to  the  sup- 
port of  many.  He  has  never  used  tobacco  or  alcohol 
in  any  form,  and  has  battled  strongly  against  the  rum 
traffic.  Iu  politics,  his  votes  have  always  been  cast 
in  favor  of  universal  freedom.  The  Liberty,  Aboli- 
tion and  Republican  parties  have,  in  turn,  received 
his  warmest  support  and  most  active  services,  and  in 
all  social  and  public  matters  he  has  ever  been  in 
accord  with  the  most  advanced  and  progressive 
minds. 

His  regard  for  the  young  has  been  noticeable 
through  life.  He  rarely  passes  children  without 
bowing  or  speaking  to  them,  and  during  his  life  he 
continually  scattered  kind  deeds  among  them.  Wil- 
liam O.  Clough,  editor  of  the  Nashua  Telegraph,  ex- 
presses the  result  of  this  in  his  own  case,  and  this 
is  but  one  out  of  many  of  like  character:  “Mr.  Ladd 
was  always  giving  me  something,  doing  me  some 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


8G0 


favor,  speaking  kind  words  to  me,  encouraging  me, 
giving  me  to  understand  that  my  chances  in  the 
world  were  just  as  good  as  anybody’s,  providing  I kept 
at  school  and  did  right.  Somehow  I always  felt,  while 
I lived  in  the  neighborhood,  that  he  was  watching 
me,  that  I had  a friend  in  him,  and  for  these  reasons 
I tried  to  be  a good  hoy  and  meet  his  approbation. 
I hold  Mr.  Ladd  in  grateful  remembrance,  and  never 
think  of  him  but  to  honor  him,  or  hear  his  name 
mentioned  hut  to  recall  instantly  his  generosity  to- 
wards me;  and  I thank  him  for  all  the  favors  shown 
me  in  my  youth,  for  all  the  kind  words  spoken  and 
good  advice  given.” 

Mr.  Ladd  married,  first,  Susan  Tilton,  of  Meredith, 
March  24, 184!).  She  was  a most  estimable  and  Chris- 
tian lady,  and  at  her  death,  August  14,  1850,  the 
whole  community  was  wrapped  in  gloom.  Their 
children  were  Fannie  C.  A.  (Mrs.  D.  W.  Coe)  and 
Charles  F.  A.  (deceased).  He  married,  second,  Cather- 
ine S.,  daughter  of  William  Wallace,  Esq.,  of  Henniker, 
June  1,  1852.  They  have  one  child,  Virginia  B. 

Mr.  Ladd  is  an  earnest  student  of  geological  and 
meteorological  science.  He  has  kept  meteorological 
records  for  eighteen  years.  He  has  devoted  much 
time  to  the  study  of  geology,  mineralogy  and  nature, 
and  has  acquired  one  of  the  finest  private  collections 
of  minerals,  antiquities  and  Indian  relics  in  New 
Hampshire.  Notwithstanding  his  penchant  for  sci- 
ence, he  is  a thorough  New  Englander  in  practicality 
and  enjoys  himself  in  constant  occupation. 

Rev.  I.  F.  Holton,  an  eminent  scientist  and  a 
strong  personal  friend,  gives,  in  the  Boston  Daily  News, 
this  graphic  picture  of  Mr.  Ladd  and  the  bank : “ This 
gentleman  of  boundless  courtesy  and  leisure  is  very 
hard  of  hearing,  a man  of  great  reflection,  remarkable 
observation  and  unusual  originality.  The  establish- 
ment looks  like  a professor’s  cabinet;  there  are  no 
signs  of  a bank,  external  or  internal.  Cases  of  books, 
minerals,  coins,  gems  and  antiquities,  a few  pictures, 
a ‘Novelty’  printing-press,  a moderate  safe  and  a 
lounge  or  two,  with  easy-chairs,  complete  the  estab- 
ment.  Clay-stones  and  other  concretions  and  results 
of  frost  have  been  an  especial  study,  and  also  stone 
arrow-heads  of  both  the  Old  World  and  the  New.  Sev- 
eral specimens  are  of  flint  and  probably  came  from 
Europe.”  (For  the  description  of  the  stone  “ egg,” 
the  gem  of  his  collection,  see  History  of  Meredith.”) 

Mr.  Ladd,  through  partial  loss  of  hearing,  has 
been  compelled  to  labor  in  a more  circumscribed 
field  than  otherwise  would  have  been  the  case ; hut 
the  same  fixed  integrity,  persevering  diligence  and 
mental  qualities  which  have  in  so  conspicuous  a 
manner  won  success  iu  the  unassuming  vocation  to 
which  he  has  given  his  attention  could  have  wrought 
only  the  same  successful  result  in  a broader  sphere. 
He  is  an  honorary  member  of  the  New  Hampshire  An- 
tiquarian Society,  resident  member  of  theNew  Hamp- 
shire Historical  Society,  member  of  the  Pilgrim  So- 
ciety of  Plymouth,  Mass.,  and  life-member  of  theNew 


Hampshire  Home  and  School  of  Industry.  Many  of  his 
pithy  sayings  and  expressions  are  worthy  of  beingpre- 
served  as  comparing  well  with  those  given  by  Frank- 
lin in  “Poor  Richard’s  Sayings.”  They  have  a dry, 
pleasing,  Yankee  terseness  which  goes  at  once  to  the 
essence  of  the  subject.  We  regret  we  have  space  for 
but  few, — 

“ Life-possessors,  the  world  over,  are  artists.  Mind, 
however  high  or  low,  is  the  canvas.  All  labor  is 
merely  the  placing  of  colors  and  tints.  The  picture 
exhibits  nature  improved  by  art.  Life  was  not  created 
for  life’s  sake,  but  as  a means  of  perfecting  nature, 
and  thus  form  the  basis  of  perfect  bliss,  the  apparent 
aim  of  all  sensible  beings.”  “The  active  youth,  hav- 
ing a good  physique,  who  shuns  idle  labor,  will  build 
up  a beautiful  and  perfect  body,  a wise  and  powerful 
mind,  and  among  men  will  be  as  a towering  pyramid 
among  chafing  pebbles.”  “It  is  common  for  some 
persons  to  go  back  to  rectify  mistakes,  and  for  others 
to  go  forward  after  duty ; both  are  in  error,  as  there 
cannot  be  any  duty  back  or  forward  of  the  present.” 

Most  kind  and  attentive  in  his  family  relations, 
liberal  in  all  matters  of  public  improvement,  no  man 
in  Meredith  has  stronger  friends.  Confucius,  in. his 
five  classes  of  men,  describes  one  as  “philosophers.” 
“They  are  they  who,  in  their  words,  their  actions 
and  in  the  general  conduct  of  their  lives,  never  de- 
part from  the  line  of  strict  rectitude ; who  do  right 
because  it  is  right;  whose  passions  are  subdued  ; who 
are  always  the  same  in  adversity  and  prosperity ; who 
speak  when  they  ought  to  speak,  and  are  silent  when 
they  ought  to  be  silent ; having  firmness  enough  not  to 
conceal  their  sentiments  when  it  is  proper  to  utter  them, 
although  they  should  lose  thereby  their  fortunes  or 
their  lives;  who  despise  no  one,  nor  prefer  themselves 
to  others;  who  are  not  content  to  derive  their  knowl- 
edge from  ordinary  sources,  but  push  their  investi- 
gations to  the  fountain-head,  so  as  to  free  their 
knowledge  from  all  mixture  of  error;  not  discouraged 
when  they  fail,  nor  proud  when  they  succeed.” 

In  placing  Mr.  Ladd  in  this  class  we  will  receive 
the  approval  of  those  who  understand  him  best. 


SAMUEL  HODGSON. 

It  is  a pleasure  for  the  historian  to  turn  aside  from 
the  narration  of  events  to  chronicle  the  record  of  a 
self-made,  industrious  and  useful  person,  who,  by  his 
own  ability  and  honest  dealing,  has  placed  himself 
high  on  the  list  of  business  men,  as  having  achieved 
a justly-merited  success.  And  of  such  a man  we 
write  when  we  write  of  Samuel,  or  “Sam”  Hodgson, 
as  he  is  familiarly  called. 

Samuel  Hodgson  was  born  January  19,  1842,  in 
Halifax,  Yorkshire,  England.  He  comes  of  a family 
of  respectability,  his  parents,  Ellis  and  Sarah  (Lassey) 
Hodgson,  being  in  comfortable  financial  circum- 
stances. His  school-education  was  acquired  before 
he  was  fourteen  years  old  at  the  boarding-school  of 


'&7T? . 


- 

. 

MEREDITH. 


861 


Mytholmroyd  and  Farrar’s  Academy  at  Halifax.  His 
great-uncle,  George  Wilcock,  manufacturer  of  cotton 
yarns  and  warps,  needing  a clerk,  Sam  took  the  place 
and  rapidly  developed  a practical  knowledge  of  both 
manufacturing  and  financial  departments.  He  re- 
mained here  eight  years,  having  full  charge  the  last 
four,  conducting  the  business  successfully.  His 
father  afterward  established  him  in  manufacturing 
for  himself,  but  he  was  so  hampered  by  conditions, 
which  gave  him  little  opportunity  to  carry  out  his 
own  ideas,  that  he  gave  up  the  concern  to  his  father 
and,  in  1866,  crossed  the  ocean  to  America.  Here  he 
arrived  with  a strong  and  healthy  physique  and  a de- 
termination to  conquer  all  obstacles.  His  eyes  were 
turned  naturally  to  the  manufacturing  town  of 
Lowell,  and  his  first  employment  was  found  in  the 
dye-house  of  one  of  the  large  corporations  there. 
The  quick  observation  of  Mr.  Hodgson,  his  deter- 
mination to  do  his  work  well  and  his  obvious  atten- 
tion to  the  interests  of  his  employers  gained  him  the 
hearty  friendship  and  confidence  of  the  agent  and 
superintendent,  and  was  the  foundation  of  his  suc- 
cessful business  career.  One  of  these  gentlemen,  Mr. 
Appleyard,  in  a few  mouths  went  to  Lake  village  to 
establish  a dye-house,  there  being  a demand  for  one 
at  that  place.  He  soon  had  an  opportunity  to  secure 
Mr.  Hodgson’s  services  and  gladly  accepted  them, 
giving  him  at  the  same  time  an  interest  in  the  busi- 
ness. Before  policies  had  been  issued  on  their  appli- 
cation for  insurance  to  cover  their  own  property  and 
goods  left  there  to  be  colored,  a fire  destroyed  the 
entire  plant,  with  the  exception  of  a few  chemicals 
hurriedly  drawn  from  the  burning  building.  The 
little  capital  economy  had  acquired  for  Mr.  Hodgson 
was  thus  swept  away,  but  the  firm  of  Appleyard  & 
Hodgson  was  soon  at  work  in  a new  building  on  the 
same  spot.  Mr.  Appleyard  soon  formed  another  busi- 
ness connection  at  Ashland,  and  the  dye-house  was 
left  in  Mr.  Hodgson’s  control.  Taking  personal 
charge  of  the  practical  part  of  the  business  and  ex- 
posing himself  in  the  wet  dyeing-room,  thus  depriv- 
ing himself  of  needed  rest  and  sleep,  a rheumatic 
fever  seized  him,  and  with  such  strength  that  his  re- 
covery was  considered  impossible  by  his  physicians. 
His  robust  health  heretofore,  the  careful  nursing  of 
kind  friends  and  an  invincible  will  wrought  a cure, 
however,  and  in  the  intervals  of  delirium  he  gave 
directions  to  an  unskilled  workman,  which  enabled 
the  business  to  go  on  its  regular  course.  The  dye- 
house  was  conducted  to  the  satisfaction  of  his  patrons 
and  with  profit  for  four  or  five  years ; but  as  the  mills 
in  Laconia  and  Lake  village  for  which  he  did  busi- 
ness began  to  add,  gradually,  dyeing  to  their  own 
establishments,  the  demand  arose  for  something  to 
take  the  place  of  the  waning  industry,  and  Mr.  Hodg- 
son, in  1870,  began  the  manufacture  of  cotton  and 
merino  hosiery.  In  1872  the  cotton  hosiery  business 
was  in  a very  unsatisfactory  condition,  and  by  a 
falling  market  Mr.  Hodgson  lost  nearly  all  his  ac- 


cumulated capital,  which  necessitated  the  temporary 
closing  of  his  works.  During  this  year  (1872)  Win. 
H.  Abel,  an  ingenious  mechanic,  came  to  Lake  village 
and,  at  Mr.  Hodgson’s  suggestion,  began  to  experi- 
ment on  the  construction  of  an  automatic  loom  which 
should  take  the  place  of  the  old-style  hand-loom  for 
knitting  stockings  ; for  Mr.  Hodgson  was  convinced 
that  before  this  manufacture  could  become  largely 
profitable  an  improvement  in  the  machinery  used 
would  have  to  be  made.  While  at  work  on  this,  Mr. 
Abel  invented  a machine  for  knitting  mittens,  with 
which,  in  1874,  Mr.  Hodgson  began  the  manufacture 
of  mittens  on  contract,  with  good  success.  In  1876 
he  removed  to  Meredith  village,  leased  the  power  and 
mills  of  the  Mechanics’  Association  and  continued 
manufacturing  mittens  until  1877.  By  this  time  Mr. 
Abel  had  perfected  and  patented  his  automatic  ma- 
chine for  knitting  stockings,  which  made  a full- 
fashioned  stocking  that  possessed  great  advantages 
over  the  common  sewing-machine  work.  This  won- 
derful invention,  doing  by  machinery  that  which  be- 
fore had  to  be  done  by  hand,  entirely  revolutionized 
the  manufacture  of  knit  goods,  furnished  a new  in- 
dustry to  the  country  and  gave  an  impetus  to  this 
branch  of  business,  which  added  largely  to  the  wealth 
of,  and  built  up  rapidly,  Laconia,  Lake  village,  etc.  In 
1877,  Mr.  Hodgson  began  manufacturing  stockings 
with  the  new  machines,  putting  them  in  as*fast  as  possi 
blc  and  to  the  full  capacity  of  his  power.  Since  com- 
ing to  Meredith  he  has  erected  new  buildings,  trebled 
the  floor-room  and  capacity  of  the  mills,  and  has 
been  largely  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  his  spe- 
cialties, woolen  hosiery  and  knit  mittens,  and  is  to-day 
the  principal  motor  of  activity  in  the  village  and 
town.  He  employs  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to 
one  hundred  and  sixty  operatives,  the  greater  number 
of  whom  are  women  and  natives  of  the  vicinity.  Mr. 
Hodgson,  believing  that  good  wages  secure  good 
workmen,  acts  on  his  belief,  and  this  industry  has 
added  much  to  the  prosperity  of  Meredith.  A visit 
to  these  mills  shows  one  secret  of  his  success.  Abso- 
lute purity  is  required  in  every  article ; even  so  simple 
a thing  as  the  soap  used  is  manufactured  here,  and  the 
exact  strength  of  each  dye  is  known,  so  an  exact  re- 
sult can  be  exactly  predicated.  All  material  is  of  the 
best  of  its  kind,  the  machinery,  made  under  special 
patents,  some  of  them  being  entirely  the  property  of 
Mr.  Hodgson,  is  of  the  latest  improved  designs  and 
almost  automatic  in  the  perfection  of  its  workman- 
ship. The  mill  is  fully  ventilated;  perfect  cleanliness 
is  observable  in  every  department.  Mr.  Hodgson  has 
a keen  eye  to  read  human  nature,  and  calls  into  his 
service  the  best  adapted  persons.  His  superintend- 
ent, W.  II.  Hurst,  an  intelligent  gentleman,  formerly 
a practical  knit-goods  manufacturer  of  England,  is 
thoroughly  at  home  in  the  mill,  and,  with  an  expe- 
rienced overseer,  carries  on  the  daily  programme  of 
labor  so  well  that  Mr.  Hodgson  knows  in  his  absence 
that  all  is  going  on  properly.  The  mill  is  protected 


862 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


from  fire  by  good  force  pumps,  with  hydrants  in  each 
room. 

Mr.  Hodgson  is  now  a naturalized  American,  and 
cast  his  first  vote  last  fall  for  President,  and  is  as 
fully  devoted  to  the  welfare  and  prosperity  of  this 
country,  and  as  fully  in  accord  with  American  man- 
ners and  customs,  as  if  he  were  a born  New  Eng- 
lander, and  with  characteristic  good  judgment  has 
taken  one  of  the  daughters  of  New  Hampshire  for  a 
wife,  Elizabeth  A.  Dow',  of  Ashland.  She  has  been 
and  is  truly  a help-meet,  and  now'  superintends  the 
finishing  department  of  the  mill.  Her  practical 
common  sense,  industry  and  frugality  have  been  im- 
portant factors  in  his  success. 

A kind,  social  and  agreeable  companion,  a public- 
spirited  citizen  of  unostentation  and  wdthout  pre- 
sumption, it  goes  without  saying  that  Mr.  Hodgson  is 
immensely  popular,  not  only  among  his  w'orkmen 
and  in  Meredith,  but  throughout  a wide  range  of  ac- 
quaintance. He  is  a member  of  the  New  Hampshire 
Club,  of  the  Amoskeag  Veterans,  and  has  taken  the 
various  Masonic  degrees  to  Knight  Templar. 

Looking  fonvard  to  some  period  of  retirement  from 
manufacturing,  Mr.  Hodgson  is  at  work  on  a farm  of 
tw'o  hundred  acres  with  the  same  system  and  “ push  ” 
that  characterize  all  his  undertakings,  and  although 
rapidly  putting  this  place  into  permanent  improve- 
ment by  a force  which  seems  large  to  the  old-fashioned 
farmer,  yet  his  expenditures  would  be  considered  in 
Boston  only  a fair  salary  for  a confidential  clerk  or  a 
“super”  of  a first-class  manufactory,  and  the  work 
is  done  in  accordance  with  true  business  principles, 
and  is  an  investment  which  will  pay. 

Mr.  Hodgson’s  success  should  be  an  incentive  to 
every  young  man  who,  like  himself,  has  brains,  ener- 
gy and  a capacity  to  carry  ideas  into  practical  work- 
ing. He  has  been  successful  because  he  deserves  to 
be,  and  enjoys  the  friendship  and  esteem  of  the 
leading  men  of  this  section.  A citizen  of  sterling 
integrity,  kind  and  generous  impulses,  and  frank  and 
manly  bearing,  there  is  not  one  who  does  not  heartily 
wish  him  a long  continuance  of  the  prosperity  which 
has  in  no  wise  changed  his  genial  and  cordial  nature. 


JOSEPH  W.  LANG. 

None  of  the  present  generation  of  Meredith  has 
been  more  identified  with  every  phase  of  its  business 
for  the  last  half  century,  or  has  to-day  a higher 
place  in  the  esteem  and  love  of  the  people  of  the 
town,  than  the  honored  and  venerable  Joseph  W. 
Lang.  He  was  born  June  21,  1798,  at  Portsmouth, 
N.  H.,  and  is  descended  from  early  settlers  of  Rock- 
ingham County.  His  grandfather,  Josiali  Lang,  born 
in  Greenland,  N.  II.,  had  three  brothers,  one  of 
w'horn  lived  in  North  Hampton,  one  in  Concord,  and 
one'  in  Sanbornton.  His  parents  were  Josiah  and 
Sarah  (Whidden)  Lang,  and  they  had  those  frugal 
and  honest  virtues  for  which  the  New  Englander  of 


that  day  was  noted.  Josiah  wTas  a farmer  writh  but 
limited  capital,  and  to  provide  a more  efficient 
home  he  moved  to  Tuftonborough,  when  lands 
were  cheap,  and  purchased  six  hundred  acres  of 
land.  He  was  a quiet,  pleasant  man,  whom  every 
one  liked.  His  wife  was  one  of  those  industrious 
Christian  mothers  whose  influence  was  for  good  upon 
her  children.  They  had  three  children,  Joseph  W., 
Thomas  E.,  and  Josiah,  who  died  young.  The  loss 
of  this,  her  youngest  son,  affected  Mrs.  Lang’s  sensi- 
tive nature,  aud  she  never  fully  recovered  from  the 
blow.  In  later  life  they  removed  to  Meredith,  where 
Mr.  Lang  died,  in  1857,  aged  eighty-tliree.  Mrs. 
Lang  survived  him  three  years,  dying  in  1860,  aged 
eighty -seven.  Both  were  mourned  by  many  friends. 

Joseph  W.  Lang  was,  from  very  early  years,  accus- 
tomed to  labor,  aud  grew  to  the  age  of  seventeen 
amid  the  healthful  country  air  and  pleasant  rural  life 
of  his  father’s  farm.  At  this  age  he  had  a conference 
with  his  father  concerning  their  financial  condition. 
The  conclusion  was  this : there  was  then  due  on  the 
farm  six  hundred  dollars,  that  could  never  be  paid 
by  labor  on  it,  and  the  only  way  to  extinguish  the 
debt  was  to  get  money  from  outside;  so  it  was  de- 
cided that  Joseph  should  go  from  home  to  earn  what 
he  could  for  that  purpose.  He  went  to  Portsmouth. 
Wages  were  at  that  time  eight  dollars  per  month  ; 
but  the  young  man  deemed  his  services  worth  at 
least  ten,  and  soon  obtained  employment  as  a ped- 
dler. Knowing  his  mother  would  scarcely  approve 
the  associations  he  would  be  subjected  to,  he  at  once 
wrote  her  not  to  be  worried,  as  he  would  drink  no 
spirits  until  he  had  seen  her.  He  kept  his  word,  not 
only  by  keeping  his  promise,  but  drinking  nothing 
that  would  intoxicate  while  in  the  business,  and  has 
always  held  to  strong  temperance  principles.  Work- 
ing eight  months  the  first  year,  without  losing  a day 
or  drawing  a dollar,  he  returned  home  with  eighty 
dollars  in  his  pocket.  Eleven  weeks  of  the  ensuing 
winter  were  passed  in  “Master”  Leavitt’s  school  in 
Meredith,  from  which  he  graduated.  He  peddled 
three  years,  cleared  the  debt  from  the  home  farm, 
and  developed  those  qualities  of  business  acumen 
and  thrift  which  have  accompanied  him  through 
life.  Adding  one  hundred  more  acres  to  the  home 
farm,  he  taught  school  for  three  years,  both  winter 
and  summer  terms,  and  boarded  at  home.  The  pay 
contrasts  strongly  with  the  present  wages  of  teachers, 
ten  dollars  a month  being  considered  ample  remune- 
ration for  superintending  the  researches  of  a hundred 
(more  or  less)  boys  and  girls  in  the  mysteries  of 
reading,  writing,  arithmetic  and  the  rudiments  of 
grammar.  The  board  was  from  one  dollar  to  one 
dollar  and  a quarter  a week.  Mr.  Lang  was  a suc- 
cessful teacher,  and  much  loved  by  his  pupils. 

Mr.  Lang  had  now  fully  decided  to  become  a set- 
tled farmer,  and  had  about  fifty  acres  of  the  home 
farm  set  off  to  him,  on  which  he  erected  a substantial 
1 house  aud  barn,  and  married,  June  20,  1824,  Mehita- 


MEREDITH 


863 


ble  Clark  Young,  daughter  of  Benjamin  Young,  Esq.,  | 
and  her  counsel  and  assistance  were  very  helpful  to  1 
the  young  agriculturist.  But  the  farmers  of  Tuf- 
tonborough  were  not  long  to  claim,  among  their 
number,  such  a promising  recruit.  Mr.  Joseph 
Smith,  of  Dover,  was  the  chief  business  man  of  the 
Lake  County, — an  extensive  merchant,  who  had 
stores  at  these  places:  Farmington,  Alton  Bay,  Mer- 
edith, Wolfborough,  Centre  Harbor  and  Moulton- 
borough.  In  1826,  wishing  an  honest  and  reliable 
clerk,  his  attention  was  attracted  to  Mr.  Lang.  Mr. 
Crosby,  one  of  his  employes,  went  to  Tuftonborough 
and  offered  the  young  farmer  a salary  of  two  hundred 
and  fifty  dollars  and  the  use  of  a house  for  the  first 
year. 

Upon  due  consideration,  the  offer  was  accepted, 
and  Mr.  Lang  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  Wolfbor- 
ough store.  Remaining  here  about  two  and  one-half 
years,  he  succeeded  Mr.  Crosby  in  the  charge  of  the 
store  at  Meredith,  and  held  that  position  until  the 
failure  of  Mr.  Smith,  in  1830,  when  Mr.  Lang  was 
induced  to  take  the  Meredith  business  as  his  own, 
which  he  did,  assuming  the  liabilities,  which 
amounted  to  six  thousand  dollars,  and  from  that 
time  until  1869,  when  he  retired, — a period  of  about 
forty  years, — he  was  in  active  business,  alone  and 
with  various  partners,  being  the  principal  merchant 
of  the  town.  He  was  also  connected  with  every  en- 
terprise tending  to  the  improvement  and  the  further- 
ing of  industries  in  Meredith.  Prior  to  1835,  Mr. 
Lang,  together  with  Captain  Daniel  Smith,  Mr.  Dav- 
enport, Mr.  Woodman  and  Abel  Philbrick,  purchased 
a grist-mill,  two  stories  in  height,  fitted  it  up  as  a 
cotton-factory,  and  formed  the  Meredith  Village 
Cotton-Factory  Company,  and  carried  on  business  for 
a few  years.  He  was  the  first  agent  and  one  of  the 
incorporators  of  the  Belknap  Steamboat  Company, 
which  built  the  first  steamboat  in  the  State,  “ The 
Belknap,”  at  Lake  village,  and  was  the  only  member 
of  the  company  from  this  section.  He  was  one  of 
the  first  stockholders  of  the  Belknap,  Concord  and 
Meredith  Railroad,  and  for  nineteen  years  a director, 
closing  his  connection  with  the  road,  as  such,  on 
reaching  his  eightieth  year.  He,  with  Joseph  Ela, 
Colonel  Stevens,  F.  Smith  and  others,  purchased  the 
mills  and  privileges  at  Meredith  village  and  formed 
the  Mechanics’  Association,  with  a capital  of  thirty 
thousand  dollars,  and  was  its  first  treasurer,  which 
position  he  held  several  years.  He  was  one  of  the 
incorporators  of  the  Meredith  Village  Savings  Bank, 
and  president  from  its  organization. 

In  February,  1863,  Mrs.  Lang  died,  and  November 
8,  1866,  Mr.  Lang  married  Mrs.  Julia  A.  Taylor, 
daughter  of  Captain  John  B.  and  Comfort  (Sanborn) 
Perkins,  of  Sanbornton,  a lady  with  whom  his  decli- 
ning years  are  passing  most  happily.  [Captain  Per- 
kins, her  father,  lived  to  be  ninety-six  years  old, 
retaining  his  remarkable  memory  to  the  last,  and  his 
clear  understanding  of  occurrences  and  meii  of  the 


past  was  of  inestimable  service  to  Rev.  Mr.  Runnels 
in  preparing  bis  history  of  Sanbornton.] 

In  all  of  the  public  affairs  of  the  town,  Mr.  Lang 
has  been  closely  allied,  and  he  has  been  often  called 
to  offices  of  trust  and  honor  by  his  townsmen.  He 
was  town  treasurer  for  six,  and  moderator  for  many 
years.  Politically,  he  has  been  Whig  and  Republi- 
can, and,  in  the  State  Legislature  of  1856-57,  he  rep- 
resented Meredith.  A faithful  and  active  member  of 
the  Congregational  Church,  giving  freely  and  liber- 
ally to  its  support,  and  living  a life  based  on  the  pre- 
cepts of  the  “Golden  Rule,”  Mr.  Lang  feels  and  acts 
as  if  the  competency  which  he  has  acquired  by  his 
constant  and  unremitting  industry  is  only  intrusted 
to  his  care  for  the  good  of  others.  Goodness  and 
benevolence  are  stamped  upon  his  face,  and,  on  every 
side,  through  all  the  years  of  his  life,  his  kind  acts 
have  been  continuously,  quietly  and  unostentatiously 
done,  he  scarcely  letting  his  “ left  hand  know  what 
his  right  hand  did.” 

“ And  wisest  lie  in  this  whole,  wide  land 
Of  hoarding  till  bent  and  gray  ; 

For  all  you  can  hold  in  your  cold,  dead  hand 
Is  what  you  have  given  away.” 

In  the  fullness  of  years,  honored  by  the  confidence 
and  love  of  the  better  part  of  the  community,  Mr. 
Lang  can  have  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  he 
has  worthily  and  honorably  passed  a useful  and 
laborious  career,  and  that  his  memory  will  be  a sweet 
remembrance  in  the  hearts  of  a large  circle  of  friends. 


COLONEL  EBEXEZER  STEVENS. 

Among  the  leading  business  men  whose  activity, 
enterprise  and  persistent  industry  have  been  powerful 
motors  in  furthering  the  growth  and  developing  the 
physical  and  moral  interests  of  Meredith  must  be 
mentioned  Ebeuezer  Stevens.  He  comes  from  sturdy 
ancestry,  his  great-grandfather,  Major  Ebenezer 
Stevens,  being  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Kingston, 
N.  II.  He  was  a brave  man  and  gallant  soldier,  and 
received  his  title  from  services  rendered  in  the  French 
and  Indian  War.  Major  Stevens  married,  December 
5,  1710,  Elisabeth  Colcord  and  had  four  sons.  He 
died  November  1, 1749.  He  was  a very  distinguished 
and  useful  citizen,  and  such  was  his  integrity  and  be- 
nevolence that  differences  among  the  people  were 
submitted  to  him  with  perfect  confidence  in  a just 
decision.  He  sustained  many  important  functions 
and  discharged  every  duty  with  ability  and  faithful- 
ness and  left  the  beneficial  impress  of  his  strong 
character  upon  the  community  where  he  lived  for 
many  years. 

The  second  son  of  Major  Stevens  was  Colonel 
Ebenezer,  born  June  10,  1715;  married,  first,  1736, 
Mary  Colcord  ; second,  1768,  Dolly  Stevens,  of  New- 
buryport.  His  children  were  Ebenezer,  Jr.,  born  in 
1739,  a deacon  of  the  church  in  Kingston;  John,  born 
in  1770;  Moses,  born  in  1771;  Peter  C.,  born  in  1773 ; 
Paul,  born  in  1775. 


864 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


A romantic  instance  of  Colonel  Ebenezer  Stevens’ 
early  life  is  given  in  our  history  of  “ Rockingham  and 
Strafford  Counties,  N.  H.,” — 

“ When  seven  years  of  age,  he,  with  others,  was 
taken  captive  by  the  Indians,  and  carried  through  Lake 
Wiunipesaukee  to  Canada.  Here  he  remained  for 
one  year,  when  he  was  ransomed  by  his  father  paying 
100  silver  pistareens($17).  It  is  said  that  they  demand- 
ed a higher  price  because  he  wore  a better  hat  and 
better  clothing  than  his  companions.” 

He  received  a common-school  education  and  be- 
came a farmer  and  successful  business  man,  owning 
much  real  estate.  He  was  for  many  years  proprietors’ 
clerk  and  also  transacted  important  business  for  the 
State,  and  Stevenstown  (now  Salisbury)  was  named 
for  him.  He  died  July  19,  1800,  when  nearly  ninety 
years  old. 

Colonel  Stevens  was  a very  polite  gentleman  of  the 
old  school,  and  it  is  related  of  him,  that,  on  riding  on 
horseback  from  meeting,  he  would  carry  his  cocked 
hat  under  his  arm,  a distance  of  two  miles,  bowing  to 
the  people  on  the  way.  He  took  the  father  of  Daniel 
Webster,  as  a boy  of  nine,  to  “ bring  up,”  and  prom- 
ised that  he  should  learn  a trade.  But,  conceiving  a 
liking  for  the  boy,  he  kept  him  on  his  farm  until  he 
was  twenty-one  and  then  started  him  in  life  by  giving 
him  a farm  in  Andover.  Y'ears  passed;  Colonel 
Stevens  began  to  succumb  to  the  infirmities  of  age, 
and  both  mental  and  physical  powers  were  weakened, 
when  Mr.  Webster,  taking  advantage  of  his  condition, 
insisted  that  more  remuneration  was  due  him  as  dam- 
ages for  not  being  taught  a trade,  and  the  colonel  gave 
him  the  farm  in  Salisbury  where  Daniel  Webster 
was  born. 

Paul  Stevens,  the  youngest  son  of  Colonel  Ebenezer  j 
and  Dolly  Stevens,  was  born  in  Kingston  in  1775  and 
received  the  usual  education  and  did  the  work  of 
farmers’  boys  of  that  day.  He  learned  the  shoe- 
maker’s trade  and  was  also  a farmer,  his  father’s  prop- 
erty enabling  all  the  children  to  own  some  land ; but 
his  share  was  a small  farm  in  New  Chester,  worth 
about  six  hundred  dollars.  Here  he  settled,  about 
1796,  with  his  wife  Sally,  daughter  of  Dr.  Howe,  an 
eminent  surgeon  in  the  American  army  of  the  Revo- 
lution, who  was  disowned  by  his  family  for  his  rebel 
affiliations.  His  father  was  Lord  Viscount  Howe,  at 
one  time  Governor  of  Barbadoes,  and  his  mother, 
Mary  Sophia  Charlotte,  daughter  of  Baron  Kilman- 
sigge,  Master  of  the  Horse  to  George  I.,  when  Elector 
of  Hanover,  by  a daughter  of  Count  Platen,  of  the 
empire.  Lady  Howe  was  afterward  created  Countess 
of  Darlington  by  George  I.  This  worthy  couple  had 
four  sons, — George  A.  (killed  in  the  French  and  In- 
dian War  in  America),  Richard  (Lord  Admiral  Howe, 
commander  of  the  British  naval  forces  of  the  Ameri- 
can Revolution);  William  (General  Sir  William  Howe, 
who  commanded  the  British  army  during  the  same 
war)  and  Surgeon  Howe  (the  father  of  Mrs.  Stevens). 

The  money  Dr.  Howe  received  for  his  army  service, 


I some  three  or  four  thousand  dollars,  became  value- 
less by  the  great  depreciation  of  the  Continental  cur- 
rency. 

Paul  Stevens  and  his  wife  remained  in  New  Chester 
for  a few  years,  and  there  four  of  his  children — Dolly 
William,  Mark  and  Sarah — were  born.  Purchasing 
a better  farm,  he  removed  to  New  Hampton,  which 
was  the  birth-place  of  his  two  daughters, — Fanny  and 
Nancy.  Four  or  five  years  passed,  and  Mr.  Stevens 
moved  to  Gilford,  near  Gilmanton,  and  purchased 
one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  rough,  unbroken  land, 
which,  after  many  years  of  hard,  unremitting  labor, 
was  transformed  into  a well-cultivated  farm.  He 
passed  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  Gilford,  dying  in 
August,  1846,  aged  seventy-one  years-  The  rest  of 
his  children — Fifield,  Peter  F.,  Ebenezer,  Moses, 
John,  Paul,  James  S.  and  two  who  died  in  infancy — 
were  born  in  Gilford. 

Paul  Stevens  was  an  intelligent,  unassuming,  quiet 
man,  of  deeply  religious  principles,  much  respected  in 
the  communities  where  he  resided.  Mrs.  Stevens  was 
a noble,  finedooking  woman,  of  great  strength  of  char- 
acter and  religious  feeling,  and  taught  her  children 
Christianity  by  example,  as  well  as  by  word.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Stevens  were  among  the  first  adherents  of  the 
new  belief  of  the  Free-Will  Baptist  Church,  of  which 
they  were  members.  She  survived  her  husband  several 
years  and  died  in  Gilford. 

Colonel  Ebenezer  Stevens,  son  of  Paul  and  Sally 
(Howe)  Stevens,  was  born  May  9,  1810,  and  when 
but  seven  years  old  was  compelled  to  commence  the 
battle  of  life.  He  first  went  to  live  with  a farmer 
whose  home  was  back  of  the  Belknap  Mountains,  in 
what  was  called  “ The  Cellar.”  In  a year  he  changed 
his  abode,  but  until  he  was  fourteen  his  occuj)ation 
was  “ tilling  the  soil.”  He  then  learned  blacksmith- 
ing  of  his  brother  William,  and  worked  with  him  for 
some  time.  Earning  some  money,  he  attended  school 
and  boarded  with  Dr.  Crosby  and  wife.  The  Chris- 
tian kindness  and  sympathy  of  this  worthy  couple 
won  the  young  man’s  heart,  and  enabled  them  to  use 
a strong  and  beneficial  influence  upon  him,  which  is 
appreciated  even  yet,  and  causes  him  to  hold  their 
memory  in  reverential  honor.  Before  he  was  seven- 
teen he  purchased  an  old  shop  in  Gilford  village,  on 
credit,  and,  borrowing  fifty  dollars  as  a capital,  he 
established  himself  as  a blacksmith.  Early  in  the 
morning  and  late  at  night  the  fire  glowed  on  his 
hearth,  and  the  sound  of  his  hammer  was  heard.  He 
was  prospered,  as  the  diligent  and  industrious  always 
are.  The  first  year  he  cleared  three  hundred  and 
twenty-five  dollars.  Having  proved  his  ability  to 
support  himself,  and  being  well  established  in  busi- 
ness, Mr.  Stevens  married,  January  15,  1831,Therina 
daughter  of  John  S.  and  Leah  (Prescott)  Osgood,  and 
granddaughter  of  Colonel  Prescott,  of  Gilmanton. 
They  had  three  children, — Cyrus  A.,  Celcstia  A.  (mar- 
ried Edward  Stowell,  resides  in  North  Adams,  and 
has  two  children)  and  Ebenezer  (who  died  when  four 


MEREDITH. 


865 


years  of  age).  Mrs.  Stevens  died  January  17,  1845, 
aged  thirty-three  years. 

Iu  1837,  Mr.  Stevens  removed  to  Meredith  village 
and  carried  on  blacksmithing  until  1845,  doing  a 
large  business.  About  1850  he  engaged  in  merchan- 
dising with  Joseph  W.  Lang.  This  partnership  con- 
tinued pleasantly  and  profitably  for  six  years,  and  after 
this  Mr.  Stevens  was  in  trade  alone  and  with  various 
partners  for  twenty  years. 

He  married,  April  22,  184G,  Cassandra,  daughter  of 
John  B.  and  Alice  (Ladd)  Swasey,  of  Meredith,  and 
had  one  child — Alice  S.  (married  Henry  W.  Lincoln, 
of  Norton,  Mass.;  they  have  three  children).  [Mrs. 
Stevens  is  a descendant  of  two  early  New  Hampshire 
families  of  repute,  her  father  being  third  in  descent 
from  Ebenezer  Swasey,  of  Exeter,  whose  son  Benja- 
min, born  at  Exeter  October  16,  1752,  married  Jane 
Bond,  February  15,  1777,  and  moved  to  Meredith, 
where  John  B.  was  born  April  3,  1782.  He  settled 
in  Meredith  village,  became  a prominent  business 
man,  having  a large  mercantile  trade,  and  extensively 
owning  real  estate.  He  erected  large  mills  on  the 
water  privilege  owned  previously  by  Daniel  Avery, 
and  in  numerous  ways  served  the  town  as  postmaster, 
etc.,  and  was  a pillar  of  society.  He  died  March  11, 
1828.  His  wife,  Alice  Ladd,  was  a descendant  in  the 
sixth  degree  from  Daniel  Ladd  (see  biography  of 
Seneca  Ladd),  the  line  being  Daniel  (1),  Samuel  (2), 
John  (3),  Timothy  (4),  Eliphalet  (5)  (born  February 
19,  1755,  married  Mary  Park,  of  Windham,  May  13, 
1778),  Alice  (6).  Mrs.  Alice  (Ladd)  Swasey  died 
February  6,  1875,  aged  ninety-six  years.  She  had 
lived  in  Meredith  over  sixty-five  years,  and  in  houses 
located  on  the  same  site.  She  was  a lady  of  intellect, 
and  her  love  of  reading  and  appreciation  of  good 
literature  continued  through  life.  Her  memory  was 
very  retentive,  and,  her  mental  faculties  being  unim- 
paired, she  wrote  a poem  when  she  was  ninety  years 
old,  which  had  all  the  freshness  of  one  written  by  one 
not  half  her  age.  She  ever  possessed  a great  love  of 
the  beautiful  in  art,  literature  and  nature.  Mrs. 
Stevens  inherits  many  of  the  characteristics  of  her 
mother,  and  is  a most  intelligent  and  interesting  lady, 
whom  it  is  a pleasure  to  meet.] 

From  about  theageof  seventeen  Mr.  Stevens  took  an 
interest  in  militia  matters,  and  was  rapidly  promoted 
through  the  various  grades  to  that  of  colonel,  and  held 
the  offices  of  brigade  and  division  inspector  for  many 
years.  In  1845  he  was  elected  selectman  and  served 
three  years,  and  conducted  several  important  lawsuits 
for  the  town  to  a successful  issue.  Since  then  he  has 
been  largely  identified  with  town  and  public  matters. 
He  has  held  the  commission  of  justice  of  the  peace  for 
over  forty  years.  He  was  representative  in  1854  and 
1855.  An  old  Whig,  he  became  an  active  Republican, 
and  was  Presidential  elector  for  Lincoln  in  I860.  He 
was  selectman  of  Meredith  during  the  Rebellion,  and 
was  energetic  in  the  discharge  of  the  onerous  duties 
which  devolved  upon  him  in  that  capacity.  He  as- 


sisted in  the  disbursement  of  thousands  of  dollars ; 
was  offered  the  colonelcy  of  the  Twelfth  Regiment, 
which,  through  his  efforts  and  others,  was  raised  in 
five  days ; he  prepared  the  list  of  soldiers  sent  by 
Meredith,  published  elsewhere  in  this  history,  and 
during  the  war  period  received  the  nomination  of  his 
(the  minority)  party,  and  carried  its  full  vote  for  the 
important  positions  of  State  Senator,  councilor,  etc. 
Before  1850  he  began  to  do  probate  business ; this  has 
grown  largely,  and  a great  portion  of  his  time  since 
has  been  occupied  in  settling  estates,  attending  to 
guardianships  to  which  he  has  been  appointed,  and 
he  has  done  more  of  this  class  of  business,  probably, 
than  any  other  person  in  the  county.  Being  careful, 
prudent  and  kind-hearted,  he  is  peculiarly  fitted  for 
the  guardianship  of  the  poor  and  unfortunate. 

He  has  been  prominently  connected  with  the  Free- 
Will  Baptist  Church  since  1840 ; has  been  trustee  of 
New  Hampton  Seminary,  where,  for  seventeen  years 
consecutively,  he  was  marshal  on  anniversary  occa- 
sions. 

He  was  one  of  the  incorporators,  and  has  served  as 
president  and  treasurer,  of  the  Meredith  Mechanic 
Association  ; one  of  the  incorporators  and  trustees  of 
the  Meredith  Village  Savings-Bank ; one  of  the  di- 
rectors of  the  Belknap  County  Bank,  Laconia,  and  is 
also  trustee  of  Laconia  Savings-Bank. 

We  can  in  no  better  manner  sum  up  the  character 
of  Colonel  Steveus  than  to  repeat  the  words  used  by 
the  historian  of  Kingston  in  describing  his  great- 
grandfather, Major  Ebenezer  : “ He  sustained  many 
important  functions,  and  discharged  every  duty  with 
ability  and  faithfulness.”  Of  untiring  energy  and 
persistent  perseverance,  he  is  a “self-made  ” man  in 
the  highest  sense  of  the  word. 


JOSEPH  ELA. 

Joseph  Ela,  son  of  John  Wliitcher  (Whittier)  Ela 
arid  his  wife,  Mehitable  Dame,  was  born  in  Lee, 
N.  H.,  July  20,  1797. 

The  Ela  family  has  been,  for  many  years,  a reputable 
one  in  England.  The  name  of  the  first  American 
progenitor  of  this  line  is,  doubtless,  Daniel  Ela,  with 
whom  the  town  of  Haverhill,  Mass.,  voted  to  ex- 
change certain  lands  on  October  19, 1658.  From  this 
time  the  name  occurs  frequently  in  Haverhill,  Daniel 
being  often  elected  to  offices  of  trust.  He  was  chosen 
moderator  in  1699  and  town  attorney  in  1700.  He 
was  an  inn. keeper  in  1677  and  possessed  quite  a prop- 
erty for  those  times. 

Israel  Ela,  probably  his  son,  was  made  freeman  of 
Haverhill  in  1677,  and  his  descendants  for  many 
years  occupied  the  lauds  granted  to  Daniel.  He 
married  Abigail  Bosworth,  and  died  March  29,  1700. 
He  had  two  sons  and  three  daughters.  John  Ela, 
second  son  of  Israel,  born  in  Haverhill  June  15, 
1683,  married  Rachel  Page,  had  five  children  and 
died  in  1742,  aged  fifty-nine,  Their  oldest  child, 


866 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Jacob,  born  February  1,  1711-12,  was  twice  married. 
By  his  second  wife,  Mrs.  Ednah  (Little)  Gale,  lie  had 
eight  children,  the  oldest  being  John.  (His  sixth 
child,  Lydia,  married  Daniel  Appleton,  and  num- 
bered among  her  descendants  the  celebrated  family 
of  that  name  in  New  York  City.) 

John  Ela  was  born  in  Haverhill,  Mass.,  January  6, 
1740-41.  He  was  a farmer  and  noted  for  his  great 
size.  He  weighed  four  hundred  pounds.  All  his 
children  were  by  his  first  wife,  Ruth  Whittier.  He 
died  at  the  age  of  forty-six  years.  The  oldest  were 
twins,  Nathaniel  W.  and  John  Whittier,  born 
February  5,  1766.  Nathaniel  became  a citizen  of 
Dover,  where,  for  over  fifty  years,  he  conducted  a 
most  popular  hotel  and  made  a large  range  of  ac- 
quaintance. He  was  a very  genial  person,  a hatter 
by  trade,  which  he  carried  on  for  some  years.  John 
W.  became  a farmer  in  Durham,  Lee  and  Barn- 
stead,  N.  H.,  married  Mehitable  Dame,  of  Dur- 
ham, January  7,  1793,  and  had  three  children, — 
Ednah,  Joseph,  John.  He  died  June  15,  1801,  when 
Joseph  was  but  four  years  old.  Receiving  the  care 
of  a faithful  mother  until  he  was  nearly  fifteen  years 
old,  Joseph  went  to  Dover  to  learn  the  hatter’s  trade 
of  his  Uncle  Nathaniel.  The  confinement  proved  in- 
jurious to  the  young  man,  and  he  had  two  attacks  of 
fever,  in  which  he  nearly  lost  his  life;  but  he  finished 
his  trade,  and,  when  of  age,  in  company  with  another 
young  man,  he  established  himself  as  a hatter  in  Nor- 
way Plains  (Rochester).  His  health  again  failing, 
he  changed  his  business  and  became  a merchant’s 
clerk  for  two  years,  in  which  he  was  so  popular  as  to 
make  many  friends  and  attract  the  attention  of  lead- 
ing merchants. 

The  long  and  unusually  active  business  connection  of 
Mr.  Ela  with  Meredith  and  its  vicinity,  and  his  residence 
in  this  town,  date  from  July  2,  1822,  when  he  came 
to  take  charge  of  the  Meredith  store  of  Joseph  Smith, 
of  Dover,  the  great  merchant  of  the  lake.  For  four 
years  Mr.  Ela  gave  his  unintermitting  and  untiring 
attention  to  the  onerous  duties  of  this  position,  until, 
the  sedentary  life  again  impairing  his  health,  he  found 
he  must  change  his  business  to  one  giving  more  exer- 
cise in  the  open  air.  For  six  months  he  was  a teamster. 
Receiving  the  appointment  of  deputy-sheriff,  in  1828, 
for  the  county  of  Strafford,  and  shortly  after  being 
deputized  to  act  in  Grafton  County,  he  soon  found 
his  hands  full  of  legal  business.  Everything  in  those 
days  was  sold  on  credit,  and  none  were  refused. 
When  the  merchants  were  tired  of  waiting  for 
their  pay,  which  came  in  all  kinds  of  barter, 
money  being  almost  an  unknown  quantity,  the 
debtor  was  sued  and  the  officers  of  the  law  were 
set  at  work.  An  execution  against  the  body  of  any 
debtor  who  owed  thirteen  dollars  could  be  taken  out, 
if  no  property  could  be  found,  and  the  unfortunate 
man  sent  to  the  county  jail  at  Dover.  Many  of  these 
trips  were  taken  by  Mr.  Ela,  who  was  active,  vigor- 
ous and  resolute  in  discharging  his  official  duties, 


tempering  them,  however,  with  as  much  mercy  as 
his  position  would  allow.  For  over  thirty  years  lie 
continued  in  this  official  capacity  in  Strafford  and 
Grafton  until  the  organization  of  Belknap  County, 
then  in  Belknap,  Carroll  and  Grafton ; and  probably 
no  other  olficer  in  any  of  these  counties  ever  trans- 
acted as  much  business,  served  as  many  writs  or  rode 
so  many  miles  as  Mr.  Ela.  For  twenty  years  he  was 
the  “crier”  of  the  courts  of  Strafford  County,  and 
served  in  the  same  office  in  Belknap  County  as  long 
as  he  was  in  active  service,  which  continued  until 
1858  or  1859.  His  long  continuance  in  office  is  the 
strongest  evidence  possible  of  his  capabilities,  his  hon- 
esty, his  devotion  to  duty,  and,  also,  of  his  popularity 
as  a man. 

In  1846,  Mr.  Ela  was  employed  by  the  Lake  Com- 
pany to  purchase  the  right  of  flowage  on  Lake  Win- 
nipesaukee,  and,  in  doing  this,  was  compelled  to  buy 
many  pieces  of  land  beyond  the  flowage  line.  In  set- 
tling with  the  company  Mr.  Ela  received  this  land, 
and  in  this  manner  acquired  much  land  along  Plym- 
outh Street,  in  Meredith  village,  as  well  as  else- 
where. The  possession  of  this  real  estate  led  him  in- 
to building  houses  upon  it,  and  he  has  built  and 
owned  fifty-two  different  houses  in  the  village. 

In  1858  he  suggested  the  importance  of  forming  a 
corporation  to  buy  and  control  the  water-power  at 
Meredith  village,  and  from  his  suggestion  and  active 
interest  the  Mechanics’  Association  was  organized. 
(See  history.) 

Mr.  Ela  was  also  one  of  the  incorporators  and  first 
trustees  of  the  Meredith  Village  Savings-Bank,  and 
has  been,  during  all  the  years  of  his  residence  here, 
connected  with,  and  an  earnest  supporter  of,  all  things 
tending  to  improve,  benefit  or  advance  the. better  in- 
terests of  Meredith.  He  married,  in  1832,  Sally  Mil- 
ler Moulton,  daughter  of  Jonathan  Moulton,  a prom- 
inent manufacturer  of  his  day  in  Meredith.  She 
died  May  21,  1878,  in  her  sixty-fifth  year.  This 
worthy  couple  had  five  children  who  attained  ma- 
turity,— Laura  E.  (married,  first,  Daniel  S.  Bedee, 
whose  surviving  daughter,  Nellie,  is  now  the  widow 
of  James  W.  Horn,  and,  second,  Alvin  Peavey) ; 
John  W.,  educated  at  Cambridge  Law  School,  be- 
came a lawyer  in  Plymouth,  went  out  in  the  Civil 
War  of  1861  as  captain  of  a company  in  Fifteenth 
New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  honorably  discharged  at 
expiration  of  term  of  service,  he  established  himself 
as  a lawyer  in  Chicago,  111.,  where  he  now  enjoys  a 
fine  practice;  Charles  H.,  deceased;  Ednah,  married 
George  E.  Gilman,  now  lives  in  Detroit  and  has  three 
children  ; Luella  C.,  died  aged  seventeen  years. 

Mr.  Ela  has  ever  been  a pronounced  Democrat  of 
the  Jefferson  and  Jackson  school,  believing  their 
doctrines  to  be  the  only  guide  to  a successful  contin- 
uance of  the  republic,  and  he  has  strongly  battled 
for  the  success  of  those  principles.  He  was  appointed 
postmaster  in  1822  and  held  the  office  three  years. 
He  has  been  selectman  six  or  eight  terms,  town  agent 


MEREDITH 


867 


and  special  agent  in  numbers  of  cases,  represented 
Meredith  in  the  State  Legislature  of  1871-72,  and  has 
been  frequently  requested  to  accept  his  party  nomi- 
nation for  Senator  and  other  offices,  which  were  de- 
clined. At  the  time  of  the  construction  of  the  Boston, 
Concord  and  Montreal  Railroad  he  took  several  large 
contracts,  which  were  faithfully  performed.  His 
sight  was  destroyed  by  cataract  in  1872. 

For  over  sixty  years  has  Mr.  Ela  been  one  of  the 
leading  men  of  this  town,  and  to-day,  with  clear 
mind,  he  can  look  back  over  the  whole  of  that  time 
and  tell  the  course,  progress  and  development  of  any 
movement  which  has  occurred,  and  analyze  clearly 
the  reason  of  its  growth  or  failure. 

Successful  in  business,  happy  in  his  family  relations, 
blest  with  the  kind  care  of  loving  descendants  and 
with  a large  circle  of  friends  who  honor  and  esteem 
him  for  his  many  good  qualities,  Mr.  Ela  is  a vener- 
ated member  of  society,  one  of  the  few  remaining 
pensioners  of  the  War  of  1812. 


SIMEON  D.  PEASE. 

The  Pease  family  was  among  the  early  settlers  of 
Meredith  and  is  well  worthy  of  record  in  this  place. 
By  reference  to  the  ecclesiastical  history  of  this  town, 
ve  see  the  great  influence  its  members  had  in  the 
religious  matters  and  progress  of  this  section,  and, 
in  all  ways,  they  have  been  connected  with  the  well- 
doing and  honorable  element  of  its  citizens. 

Joseph  Pease  was  born  March  10,  1774,  and  was 
one  of  the  good,  old-fashioned  men  of  the  last  cen- 
tury. He  was  kind-hearted,  full  of  activity  and 
blunt  earnestness,  and  delighted  in  nothing  better 
than  in  a run  after  the  foxes,  of  which  he  was  a noted 
hunter.  The  children  had  cause  to  love  him  for  his 
kindness.  Before  mounting  his  horse  to  ride  from 
his  house  to  the  village  he  would  fill  his  capacious 
pockets  with  apples  to  throw  to  them.  Often,  when 
shaking  hands  with  a poor  man,  he  would  leave  a 
silver  dollar.  Quaint,  impulsive,  humorous  and  ec- 
centric withal,  fixed  in  his  Democratic  faith,  he  was 
a thoroughly  good  man  and  took  great  pride  in  his 
well-tilled  and  remunerative  farm.  His  brother  Sim- 
eon was  a deacon  for  many  years  in  the  Free-Will 
Baptist  Church  and  possessed  a deeply  religious  na- 
ture. They  were  of  a family  of  eleven  children  of 
Benjamin  and  Anna  (Sanborn)  Pease,  who  established 
their  home  on  Oak  Hill  among  the  first  settlers,  and, 
by  hard  work,  economy  and  steady  battling  with 
obstacles  little  understood  in  these  days,  carved  out  a 
home  and  secured  a competency  for  their  children. 
Benjamin  was  born  August  2,  1743,  and  died  Febru- 
ary 26,  1802,  leaving  the  record  of  a life  usefully 
spent.  Joseph  married,  April  11,  1796,  Hannah  Fol- 
som. They  had  ten  children. 

Simeon  D.  Pease,  son  of  Joseph  and  Hannah  (Fol- 
som) Pease,  was  born  at  Oak  Hill,  Meredith,  July  7, 
1812,  and  died  January  21,  1885.  He  married  Betsey, 


daughter  of  Nathaniel  and  Patience  (Page)  Batch- 
elder.  Their  children  are  (1)  Arzelia  Jane,  mar- 
ried Edwin  Cox,  express  agent  in  Meredith  village  ; 
they  have  one  child,  named  Clarence.  (2)  Laura  E. 
(3)  Mary  R.,  married  Howard  Prescott,  and  lives 
in  Chicago,  111.  (4)  Hannah  A.,  married  Frank 

Cummings;  resides  in  Holderness  ; they  have  one 
child,  Hannah  I.  (5)  Frank  B.,  married  Clara 
Hoyt,  and  is  a member  of  the  mercantile  house  of 
Pease  & Towle,  in  Meredith  village  ; they  have 
one  child,  Betsey  Bertha.  (6)  Simeon  Loring, 
married  Ellen  Hanson,  and  is  a farmer  on  the  old 
homestead.  Simeon,  as  before  mentioned,  was  born 
in  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century,  and,  en- 
vironed by  the  narrowing  circumstances  of  that  per- 
iod, his  education  was  necessarily  limited  to  the  com- 
mon schools  of  his  native  town.  Devoting  himself 
to  agriculture,  he  threw  himself  with  all  the  energy 
of  his  nature  into  the  cultivation  and  improvement 
of  the  ancestral  acres,  succeeding  his  father  in  their 
care  and  became  known  as  one  of  the  best  farmers  of 
the  town.  Industrious  and  frugal,  he  added  to  his 
inherited  property.  He  was  a life-long  Democrat 
and  believed,  with  Jefferson,  that  “ a strict  adherence 
to  the  Constitution  was  the  one  thing  needful  to  the 
perpetuity  of  the  Union,  and  that  any  departure 
from  its  spirit  and  teachings  would  result  in  harm  to 
our  country,”  and  during  all  the  years  of  his  man- 
hood he  battled  strongly  for  his  principles. 

Mr.  Pease  was  an  industrious,  social  man,  possessed 
of  sound  judgment  and  good  common  sense,  which 
were  appreciated  by  his  townsmen,  who  often  asked 
and  heeded  his  counsel  in  affairs  requiring  firmness 
and  deliberation.  He  was  often  chosen  to  positions 
of  public  trust,  served  as  selectman,  and  was  several 
times  elected  representative  to  the  General  Court, 
and  many  times  selected  to  do  other  business  of  pri- 
vate as  well  as  public  character.  He  enjoyed  the 
esteem  of  the  community  for  his  many  sterling 
qualities. 

Mrs.  Pease,  who  survives  her  husband,  is  a descend- 
ant of  the  Rev.  Stephen  Batchelder,  a prominent 
minister,  who  was  born  in  England  in  1561,  and 
emigrated  to  America  in  1632,  and  settled  first  in 
Lynn,  Mass.,  and  afterwards,  1638,  removed  to  Hamp- 
ton and  exerted  a great  influence  for  many  years. 
He  returned  to  England,  where  he  died,  having 
lived  nearly  a century.  Abraham  Batchelder  was 

born  August  13, 1750,  and  married  Nabby , who 

was  born  in  1752  and  died  July  11,  1802.  Their  son 
Nathaniel  was  born  in  Northwood,  N.  H.,  May  16, 
1786,  and  married  Patience  Page.  Their  daughter, 
Mrs.  Pease,  inherits  many  of  the  strong  traits  of  her 
ancestors. 


JAMES  GILMAN. 

One  hundred  years  ago  Exeter  was,  as  it  is  to-day, 
the  abode  of  many  families  of  ancient  and  honorable 
descent.  They  were  people  of  means,  education  and 


868 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


their  patriotism  was  undoubted.  Through  all  the 
colonial  period  they  were  a notable  and  influential 
race,  and  there  have  been  men  among  their  descend- 
ants, in  every  generation,  who  have  done  honor  to 
their  country.  The  Gilmans  came  to  New  Hampshire 
soon  after  its  first  settlement,  and,  in  1679,  Hon. 
John  Gilman  was  one  of  the  councilors  named  in 
President  Cutts’  commission.  Captain  Nicholas  Gil- 
man was  an  officer  of  skill  in  the  Indian  wars  of 
Queen  Anne’s  reign.  Hon.  Peter  Gilman  was  the 
first  to  bear  the  title  of  brigadier-general  in  New 
Hampshire.  Colonel  Daniel  Gilman  was  a grantee 
of  the  town  of  Gilmanton. 

The  American  ancestor  of  the  Meredith  branch  of 
the  family  was  Moses,  who  came  from  Hingham,  Eng- 
land, and  settled  at  Exeter.  The  line  to  the  present 
generation  is  Moses  (1),  James  (2),  Timothy  (3),  James 
(4),  David  (5),  James  (6). 

James  Gilman  (6),  son  of  David  and  Sally  (Clark) 
Gilman,  and  grandson  of  James  and  Deborah  (Good- 
hue)  Gilman,  was  born  in  Meredith  December  31, 
1813.  His  grandfather,  James  (4),  was  born  in  New 
Market,  N.  H.,  May  30,  1750  (O.  S.).  He  was  a tiller 
of  the  soil,  and  resided  in  his  native  town,  working 
industriously,  until  he  was  forty  years  of  age,  when, 
with  his  wife  and  six  children, — James,  Samuel,  Uriah, 
Deborah,  David  and  Josiah, — he  came  to  Meredith,  in 
1790,  when  it  was  comparatively  a young  town,  and 
settled  on  the  lot  where  his  grandson,  James  (6),  now 
lives.  At  the  time  of  the  Revolution  he  served  a few 
months  at  Portsmouth.  He  was  a Democrat,  one  of 
the  old-fashioned  men  of  fixed  principles,  good  judg- 
ment and  few  words,  and  those  words  were  held  as 
law  by  his  children,  who  respected  and  loved  him. 
He  was  a hard-working,  diligent  farmer,  brave  and 
patient  in  accomplishing  whatever  his  hands  found 
to  do,  and  for  forty-eight  years  he  lived  and  labored 
on  the  farm  in  Meredith.  He  died  September  12, 
1838,  when  nearly  four-score  years  and  ten,  having 
served  his  day  and  generation  well.  His  wife  was 
of  the  Goodhue  family,  and  a member  of  the 
Baptist  Church.  She  died  July  4,  1815.  David  (5), 
fourth  son  of  James  (4),  was  born  in  New  Market, 
May  9,  1785.  He  married,  October  22,  1812,  Sally, 
daughter  of  Moses  Clark,  of  Sanborn  ton.  They  had 
three  children, — James  (6),  Martha  and  David.  July 
1,  1817,  less  than  five  years  after  his  marriage,  David 
Gilman  died,  and  his  father,  although  past  the  prime  of 
life,  gave  a home  to  his  grandchildren  and  their 
mother.  David  Gilman  was  a Democrat  in  politics. 
He,  with  his  wife,  were  active  members  of  the  Baptist 
Church. 

James  Gilman  (6)  was  the  oldest  of  the  three  chil- 
dren, and  early  in  life  he  made  a brave  and  honest 
struggle  with  the  difficulties  of  his  lot.  He  became 
a farmer  on  the  old  homestead,  receiving  his  education 
at  the  common  schools  of  the  town,  and  now  resides 
in  the  same  house  that  his  grandfather  built  in  1790. 
In  1836  he  was  surveyor  of  highways,  and  out  of 


twenty-eight  names  on  the  list  there  is  now  but  one 
person  besides  himself  living.  The  same  year,  Feb- 
ruary 24th,  he  married  Susan,  daughter  of  William 
and  Eunice  (Roberts)  Mead,  who  was  born  August 
20,  1810. 

[Mrs.  Gilman  is  a descendant  from  two  old  and 
respected  families  in  Meredith.  Her  grandfather, 
William  Mead,  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  the 
town,  and  was  chosen  moderator  of  the  first  town 
meeting.  He  was  a man  of  good  judgment,  and  one 
whose  counsel  was  of  great  value  to  the  pioneers. 
He  had  a large  family, — seven  girls  and  four  boys. 
His  son  William  married  Eunice  (born  in  1789), 
daughter  of  Lieutenant  Roberts,  whose  name  often 
appears  on  committees  to  serve  for  wise  and  grave 
purposes.  William  Mead  (2)  was  always  a farmer 
and  lived  where  his  grandson,  Joseph,  now  resides, 
on  Meredith  Neck.  He  was  an  upright,  honest  man, 
and  took  great  pride  in  his  farm  and  stock,  and  by 
his  care  and  labor  acquired  property  and  the  reputa- 
tion of  being  an  excellent  farmer.  He  married 
twice,  and  had  an  old-fashioned  New  England  family 
of  fifteen  children, — Eunice,  Joseph,  William  and 
John,  Joshua,  Benjamin,  Daniel,  Polly,  Abigail, 
Susan  and  her  twin,  Stephen,  Smith,  Stephen  and 
Sarah.] 

The  children  of  James  (6)  and  Susan  (Mead)  Gil- 
man were  as  follows  : (1)  Granville  B.,  born  April  16, 
1837;  married  Carrie  Fletcher;  resides  in  San  Fran- 
cisco, Cal.  (2)  Martha  Jane,  born  September  16, 
1839.  (3)  James  Marshall,  born  June  9,  1842 ; mar- 
ried Mattie  Smith ; they  reside  in  California  and 
have  six  children,— Marshall  F.,  Herbert  M.,  Carrie 
A.  James  G.,  Arthur  F.  and  one  other.  (4)  Mary 
Susan,  born  December  7,  1843.  (5)  David  Frank, 

born  May  15,  1846.  (6)  Sarah  Frances,  born  Sep- 
tember 6,  1849;  died  April  13,  1850.  (7)  Ellen 

(Lill),  born  March  29,  1851;  married  Fred.  S.  Pres- 
cott; they  have  three  children, — Leo  F.,  Harry  S. 
and  Frank  G.  (8)  Fanny  M.,  who  died  aged  two 
years  and  nine  months. 

James  Gilman  possesses  unwearied  industry,  and 
through  many  long  years  he  has  been  a worker,  a 
producer  and  not  a mere  consumer.  Early  in  life  he 
learned  the  full  import  of  the  words,  “Thou  shalt 
earn  thy  bread  by  the  sweat  of  thy  brow.”  For 
twenty-four  years  he  diligently  worked  eighteen 
hours  a day.  He  holds  the  old-school  principles, 
such  doctrines  as  were  established  and  current  in  the 
period  of  his  manhood,  for  men  rarely  change  their 
views  and  habits  after  they  pass  middle  life.  So- 
cially, he  is  plain  and  unpretending,  has  an  active, 
keen,  inquiring  mind  and  a clear  and  retentive 
memory.  He  is  a good  conversationalist,  and  gives 
accurate  and  graphic  descriptions  of  the  times  and 
manners  of  the  people  of  his  earlier  years.  Politi- 
cally, Mr.  Gilman  has  ever  remained  true  to  those 
old  Democratic  ideas  of  Jefferson  and  Jackson,  and 
has  been  wise  enough  not  to  be  a lover  of  party 


MEREDITH. 


869 


political  offices.  Religiously,  he  holds  to  the  Bible, 
and  rests  his  hopes  on  it,  and  has  been  a consistent 
member  of  the  Baptist  Church  for  nearly  half  a 
century.  Mr.  Gilman  has  been  through  life  a strong, 
representative  man  of  the  town,  held  in  high  esteem 
by  its  best  citizens,  and  has  the  pleasant  satisfaction 
of  knowing  that  his  children  are  occupying  useful 
and  honorable  positions,  doing  credit  to  the  good 
name  of  the  family. 


GEORGE  GILMAN  FOGG. 

George  Gilman  Fogg  was  born  at  Meredith  Centre, 
N.  H.,  May  26,  1813,  and  died  at  Concord,  N.  H.,  Oc- 
tober 5,  1881.  He  was  the  son  of  David  and  Hannah 
Gilman  (Vickery)  Fogg.  His  father  was  a native  of 
Pittsfield,  and  his  mother  of  Exeter.  He  was  fitted 
for  college  at  the  New  Hampton  Institution  and  grad- 
uated at  Dartmouth  College  in  the  class  of  1839. 
He  studied  law  with  Judge  Lovell,  at  Meredith,  and 
at  the  Harvard  Law  School,  and  commenced  the 
practice  of  his  profession  at  Gilmanton  Iron-Works 
in  1842. 

In  1846  he  was  a member  of  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives and  took  an  active  part  in  the  election  of 
John  P.  Hale  as  Senator.  Up  to  this  time  a Demo- 
crat, he  now  became  a prominent  member  of  the 
Free-Soil  party,  as  it  was  then  constituted,  so  far  as 
they  were  not  affected  by  the  question  of  slavery. 
During  this  session  he  was  elected  Secretary  of  State, 
holding  the  office  for  one  year.  This  necessitated  his 
removal  to  Concord,  which  was  thenceforward  his 
home. 

Mr.  Fogg  was,  practically,  the  founder  of  the  Inde- 
pendent Democrat,  a newspaper  which  exerted  a great 
influence  upon  New  Hampshire  politics.  It  was 
started  in  Manchester  May  1,  1845,  but  removed  to 
Concord  in  June  following.  Mr.  Fogg  did  not  nom- 
inally assume  control  till  February,  1846,  but  he  con- 
tributed to  its  columns  from  the  first.  From  this  time 


until  1861  this  newspaper  absorbed  the  best  energies 
of  his  life.  In  1856  he  made  a trip  to  Kansas  as 
clerk  of  the  Kansas  Commission  of  the  United  States 
House  of  Representatives.  He  was  law  reporter  of 
New  Hampshire  from  1855  to  1859.  He  was  a dele- 
gate from  New  Hampshire  to  the  convention  which 
nominated  Abraham  Lincoln  in  1860,  and  secretary 
of  the  Republican  National  Executive  Committee  in 
the  campaign  which  followed.  After  the  Republican 
party  obtained  control  of  the  State  he  was  also,  for 
several  years,  State  printer,  that  position,  according  to 
custom,  being  always  given  to  prominent  editors.  In 
1861  he  was  appointed  by  President  Lincoln  minister 
for  the  United  States  to  Switzerland,  holding  the  of- 
fice until  after  the  assassination  of  the  President,  in 
1865.  After  his  return  from  Europe  he  was  ap- 
pointed, in  1867,  United  States  Senator  by  Governor 
Smyth,  to  fill  the  unexpired  term  of  Hon.  Daniel 
Clark,  who  had  been  appointed  judge  of  the  United 
States  District  Court  for  New  Hampshire. 

He  resumed  editorial  labor  in  1867  (though  not,  as 
before,  taking  sole  charge  of  the  paper),  finally  sever- 
ing his  official  connection  in  1872.  From  this  time 
to  his  death  he  only  wrote  occasional  articles  for  the 
press. 

Mr.  Fogg  was  a member  of  the  New  Hampshire 
Historical  Society,  succeeding  Rev.  Dr.  Bouton  as 
corresponding  secretary,  trustee  of  Bates  College, 
Maine,  receiving  from  that  institution  the  honorary 
degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws.  He  was  stricken  with  par- 
alysis September  11,  1879,  from  which  he  only  par- 
tially recovered,  and  which  finally  culminated  in  his 
death. 

Mr.  Fogg  was  never  married.  He  left  legacies  to 
Dartmouth  College,  the  school  at  New  Hampton,  the 
Unitarian  Church  in  Concord,  with  which  he  was 
connected,  the  school  district  where  he  was  born,  and 
to  various  charitable  institutions  in  Concord,  in  ad- 
dition to  legacies  to  his  kindred  and  friends.  He  had 
previously  made  a liberal  gift  to  Bates  College. 


HISTORY  OF  NEW  HAMPTON. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Geographical—  Original  Grant— Incorporation  of  Town — Various  Peti- 
tions— Documentary  History— Congregational  Church — New  Hamp- 
ton Academy. 

The  town  of  New  Hampton  lies  in  the  northern 
part  of  the  county,  and  is  bounded  as  follows : 

Northeast,  by  Centre  Harbor;  Southeast,  by  Me- 
redith; North  and  Northwest,  by  Grafton  County; 
Southwest,  by  Merrimack  County, 

The  territory  was  granted  to  General  Jonathan 
Moulton  and  others,  proprietors  of  Moultonborougli, 
January  24,  1765,  and  was  called  Moultonborough 
Addition.  It  was  incorporated  as  a town  November 
27,  1777,  and  received  its  present  name  at  that  time 
at  the  request  of  General  Moulton,  in  honor  of  his 
native  town. 

By  an  act  passed  December  7,  1797,  the  northeast 
part  of  the  town  was  set  off  and  incorporated  as  a 
town  by  the  name  of  Centre  Harbor,  which  name  was 
given  in  consequence  of  its  containing  within  its 
bounds  the  centre  one  of  the  three  principal  harbors 
on  the  north  side  of  the  lake,  said  harbor  having 
borne  that  name  for  some  years  prior  to  the  incor- 
poration of  the  town. 

In  1784  the  following  persons  petitioned  the 
Governor  and  Council  for  the  appointment  of  Benn- 
ing  Moulton  as  a justice  of  the  peace  : 

“Ebenezer  Chamberlain,  Ephraim  Chamberlain)  John  Pain,  James 
towl,  Ezekiel  Morse,  Jame6  Quimby,  Ilosea  Sturturvant,  Josiuh  Towl, 
Amos  Pain,  Richard  Pain,  Daill  page,  Israel  Glines,  Enoch  Cate,  Abel 
Morse,  Moses  Kelsa,  Joseph  Senter,  Ephraim  Moore,  Daniel  Chamber- 
lain,  Bt»njn  Iluckins,  Elisha  Smith,  James  harran,  Ezra  Racket,  Levi 
Drew,  Daniel  Sawyer,  Thomas  Rarran,  John  harran,  Elisha  Cumings, 
John  Smith,  Benjamin  Smith,  John  Rarper,  Isaac  Cummings,  Elisha 
Cumings  iunr,  Nathaniel  Comings,  John  Leavitt,  thomas  Woodman, 
Jonathan  James,  William  Plaisted  Juner,  Joseph  Smith,  James 
Huckins,  William  Plasted,  Samuel  Plaisted,  deniel  Yeesay,  Andrew  j 
Neele,  Epheram  hacket,  John  Boynton,  Sam1  Colcord,  William  Boyn-  | 
ton,  Richard  Boynton,  Nicholas  Smith,  Jeremiah  Ward,  Onesiphorus 
Flanders,  Samell  dollof,  iolin  dollof,  David  Dolsar,  John  Smith,  John 
fuller,  zadock  Sanborn,  Benia  Sanborn,  Joseph  Sanborn,  Zadock  San- 
born Jr.,  Eben«r  Ingalls,  Oliver  smith  Blake,  Moses  Carter,  Daniel 
Rarper,  Oliver  Lyford,  James  Harper,  Mark  blacke  (his  X mark),  Abr.  1 
Drake  Junr,  John  Hutchins,  Robard  Smith,  Joseph  Smith  inner,  Abra- 
ham Drake,  Benj*  Smith  Junr,  Daniel  Ward,  sfmeon  Walton,  Willice 
much,  Jonathan  Dow.' 


“At  a publick  Town  meeting  Holden  in  New  Hampton  the  Sixth  Day 
of  March,  A.  D.  1796,  voted  that  the  N.  E.  part  of  New  Hampton  be  set 
off  as  far  as  Measley  pond,  thence  to  Measley  pond  Brook,  thence  up  the 
middel  of  Sa  Bl*ook  to  Long  pond,  thence  up  the  middel  of  long  pond  to 
the  inlet  at  the  Head  of  Sd  pond,  thence  N.  thirty-five  Degrees  W.  to 
New  Holdernese — 

“ A true  Copy— 

“ Attest.  Ahimaaz  Blanchard,  T.  Clerk.” 

The  territory  named  was  set  off  and  became  a por- 
tion of  Centre  Harbor  December  7,  1797. 

The  following  is  a soldier’s  order : 

“ Newhampton,  August  29,  1792. 

“ To  the  Treasurer  of  the  State  of  New  Hampshire : 

“ Sir,  Pleas  to  Pay  to  John  Nicholl  or  his  order  what  Ever  is  due  to 
me,  I,  John  Smith,  having  been  a Soldier  in  the  l8t  N.  Hampshire  Reg*, 
it  being  for  value  Received. 

“Witness  my  hand. 

“attest.  “John  Smith. 

“ Jn.  B.  Eastham. 

“ Daniel  Kelly.’1 

Congregational  Church. — The  first  reference  on 
the  town  records  to  ecclesiastical  affairs  is  under  date 
of  March  20,  1800,  when  it  was  voted  “to  settle  Mr. 
Hebard  as  a gospel  minister  ;”  yeas,  73  ; nays,  45. 
At  the  same  meeting  it  was  voted  to  choose  a com- 
mittee of  nine  men  to  make  arrangements  for  his 
settlement.  At  an  adjourned  meeting  in  May  fol- 
lowing, the  committee  reported  that  if  Salmon  He- 
bard be  settled  as  minister,  he  shall  have  one  hun- 
dred acres  of  land  off  the  northwesterly  end  of  the 
minister  lot  (so  called),  exclusive  of  six  acres  to  be 
round  about  the  meeting-house  for  the  accommoda- 
tion of  said  town  as  common  and  burying-ground. 
He  was  also  to  have  fifty  acres  more  as  “compensa- 
tion to  him  as  a settlement  for  the  erected  buildings, 
etc.”  It  wras  agreed  that  the  new  minister  should 
have  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  per  year,  and  it 
was  also  agreed  that  he  should  have  two  or  three 
Sabbaths  a year  to  visit  his  friends. 

Rev.  Salmon  Hebard  was  ordained  June  25, 1800. 
In  1801  the  church  had  one  hundred  and  thirty-five 
members.  After  a number  of  years  the  membership 
began  to  decrease,  and  in  about  the  year  1820  meet- 
ings were  discontinued.  In  1833  it  consisted  of  twelve 
members. 


The  following  is  the  vote  of  the  town  relative  to 
setting  off  the  northeast  part,  1796; 

870 


October  7,  1842,  the  church  met  at  the  residence  of 
Rufus  G.  Lewis,  the  following  being  present : Rufus 


NEW  HAMPTON. 


871 


G.  Lewis,  A.  B.  Sanborn,  Noah  Mason  and  Timothy 
Merrick,  of  the  New  Hampton  Church ; and  Rev. 
Daniel  0.  Morton  and  Chester  Stone,  of  Bristol.  At 
this  meeting  the  church  was  formally  dissolved.  The 
records  of  the  church  closed  with  a list  of  nineteen 
members  who  had  received  letters  of  recommendation 
to  the  church  in  Bristol,  May  4,  1842,  and  of  one 
other  member  to  the  same  church,  May  6,  1843. 

A literary  institution,  called  the  New  Hampton 
Academy,  established  here,  was  incorporated  June 
27,  1821.  The  management  of  the  institution  was 
placed  in  the  hands  of  three  trustees,  and  so  contin- 
ued until  1826.  In  June  of  that  year  the  name  of 
the  institution  was  changed  by  law  to  “ The  Academ- 
ical and  Theological  Institution  in  New  Hampton,” 
and  the  number  of  trustees  increased  to  eleven,  five 
of  whom  were  to  be  appointed  by  the  proprietors 
and  five  by  the  Baptist  Convention.  The  principal 
of  the  school  was  also  to  be  one  of  the  trustees.  By 
an  act  of  the  Legislature,  approved  July  6,  1849,  the 
control  of  the  academy  passed  into  the  hands  of  the 
Baptist  Convention,  which  was  empowered  to  appoint 
all  of  the  eleven  trustees.  This  institution  was  re- 
moved to  Vermont  about  1852. 


CHAPTER  II. 

NEW  HAMPTON — (Continued). 

NEW  HAMPTON  INSTITUTION. 

The  history  of  the  New  Hampton  Institution 
naturally  divides  itself  into  three  periods,  the  bound- 
aries of  which  are  sharply  defined. 

The  beginning  of  the  first  period  is  set  forth  in  the 
following  characteristic  announcement: 

“New  Hampton  Academy. 

“The  public  are  informed  that  the  first  term  of  this  Seminary  for  the 
instruction  of  young  gentlemen  and  ladies,  will  commence  on  Monday, 
the  17th  day  of  September  next,  at  the  new  and  elegant  building  on  the 
town  common,  within  six  rods  of  the  meeting-house. 

“ Mr.  George  Richardson,  who  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  at  the 
last  commencement,  and  is  now  Preceptor  of  Moore’s  School,  at  Han- 
over, is  engaged  as  Preceptor.  Said  Richardson  is  highly  recommended 
by  Prof.  Adams,  of  Dartmouth  College,  as  a man  of  good  moral  charac- 
ter and  respectable  literary  acquirements,  and  has  given  general  satis- 
faction as  a public  teacher. 

“Tuition,  353.00  per  quarter.  Board,  from  $1.00  to $1.38  per  week. 

“ New  Hampton,  July  19,  1821. 

“ William  B.  Kelley,  ^ Trustees  of 
“ Nat’l  Norris,  ) said  Academy .” 

It  is  a matter  of  surprise,  in  the  retrospect,  how 
there  ever  happened  to  be  a New  Hampton  Institu- 
tion, and  how  it  so  early  acquired  and  has  so  long 
maintained  its  widely-extended  reputation.  “The 
new  and  elegant  building  ” was  only  a two-story  frame 
building,  twenty-four  by  thirty-two,  and  at  the  open- 
ing of  the  first  term  had  but  one  room  ready  for 
occupation.  Without  libraries,  philosophical  ap- 
paratus or  even  black-boards,  it  was  furnished  with 
plain,  unpainted  seats  and  desks  of  pine,  like  the 


district  school-house  of  thirty  years  ago,  and  was 
heated  from  an  open  fire-place.  The  little  building 
stood  on  the  town  common  in  a country  with  such  a 
sparse  population  that  scarce  a dozen  buildings  of  any 
kind  could  be  found  within  a radius  of  half  a mile, 
and  was  surrounded  by  a community  who  quite  gene- 
rally entertained  the  notion  that  education  spoiled 
people  for  work,  and  that  learning  was  an  aristocrat- 
ical  luxury;  and  yet  with  all  these  drawbacks,  the 
New  Hampton  Institution  has  been,  from  the  first, 
remarkably  successful,  having  had  a much  wider 
patronage  than  has  been  usual  in  schools  of  a 
similar  grade,  and  having  maintained  an  exception- 
ally good  reputation  during  its  whole  history. 

The  original  movement  for  the  erection  of  an  acad- 
emy building  grew  out  of  a combination  of  circum- 
stances. There  was  at  the  time  an  unusual  interest 
in  educational  matters  manifested  in  different  parts 
of  the  State.  The  journals  of  the  Legislature  show 
that  academies  were  springing  up  on  every  side,  and 
to  locate  an  academy  in  a community  was  regarded  as 
a popular  thing  to  do,  and  as  a probable  source  of 
material  prosperity.  John  K.  Simpson,  Esq.,  a native 
of  the  town  and  a successful  Boston  merchant,  did 
much  to  intensify  this  feeling.  Keenly  alive  to  the 
interests  of  his  native  town,  and  with  little  sympathy 
for  the  prejudice  against  education  then  entertained 
by  Free-Will  Baptists,  with  whom  he  was  connected, 
he  was  an  early,  if  not  the  foremost,  leader  in  the 
enterprise.  At  Quarterly  Meetings  and  elsewhere  he 
spoke  earnestly  upon  the  subject,  and  undoubtedly 
promised  a liberal  contribution  from  his  own  purse. 
What  other  causes  conspired  to  bring  about  the  re- 
sult we  may  not  know,  but  the  fact  remains  that  on 
the  17tli  day  of  September,  1821,  the  door  of  the 
academy  was  opened,  and  since  that  time,  with  the 
exception  of  a few  months,  a school  has  been  regu- 
larly maintained. 

At  first  the  academy  was  little  in  advance  of  the 
common  school.  Few,  if  any,  of  the  students  had 
mastered  more  than  the  rudiments  of  an  English 
education.  Fully  one-third  of  the  fifty  or  sixty  who 
sat  in  Preceptor  Richardson’s  school-room  were  Bos- 
ton lads,  who,  to  come  here,  had  to  submit  to  the 
hardship  of  a two-days’  journey  by  stage-coach,  and 
to  exchange  the  comforts  of  their  city  homes  for  the 
rough  fare  of  poor  country  farmers. 

There  were  four  terms  of  twelve  weeks  each.  All 
the  students  remained  in  the  school-room  for  six 
hours  daily,  and  the  green-hide  was  the  last  resort  in 
enforcing  discipline.  Mr.  Richardson  remained  until 
1825,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Bezaleel  Smith,  who 
was  recently  an  orthodox  minister  in  West  Hartford, 
Vt. 

It  was  during  this  year  (1825)  that  the  first  im- 
portant change  in  the  management  of  the  school  oc- 
curred. At  that  time  the  Baptist  denomination  was 
without  an  academy  in  New  England.  Mr.  Simpson, 
i who,  after  removing  to  Boston,  had  become  connected 


872 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


with  the  Baptists,  proposed  that  the  proposition  be 
made  to  the  Baptists  of  New  Hampshire  to  take  the 
school  under  their  patronage.  The  trustees,  having 
learned  by  experience  the  difficulties  attending  the 
maintenance  of  a school  dependent  so  largely  upon 
local  patronage,  were  quite  ready  to  receive  assistance 
from  abroad.  Mr.  Simpson,  with  a prophetic  shrewd- 
ness little  less  than  wonderful,  stated  that  “ the  Free- 
Will  Baptists  are  not  prepared  to  enter  this  enterprise 
now,  hut  they  will  be  in  about  twenty-five  years” — a 
prophecy  whose  literal  fulfillment  came  only  twenty- 
seven  years  later.  Accordingly,  the  proposition  was 
made  that  the  Baptists  assume  control  of  the  school, 
“ with  the  right  to  appoint  one-half  of  the  trustees, 
besides  the  Principal,  who  should  be  a Baptist  and 
President  of  the  Board.”  At  a Baptist  State  Conven- 
tion this  proposition  was  accepted  and  Rev.  B.  F. 
Farnsworth,  then  editor  of  the  Christian  Watchman, 
was  chosen  principal. 

The  school,  by  virtue  of  an  amended  charter,  now 
became  known  as  “The  New  Hampton  Academical 
and  Theological  Institution,”  and  at  once  commenced 
a vigorous  growth.  The  patronage  of  the  Baptists 
immediately  secured  a large  attendance  of  students 
from  every  New  England  State,  besides  occasional 
representations  from  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Penn- 
sylvania and  the  Canadas.  The  slender  accommoda- 
tions were  soon  filled  to  overflowing,  and  new  build- 
ings became  necessary.  In  1826  a new  building,  for 
recitations,  was  added,  and  in  1829  a large  brick  block 
of  three  stories  was  erected  for  dormitories. 

During  the  same  year  (1829)  the  people  at  the  “ Vil- 
lage,” aroused  to  action  by  the  success  attending  the 
school  at  the  “Centre,”  erected  a school  building  and 
opened  what  soon  became  known  as  the  “ Female  De- 
partment.” Previous  to  this  time  the  attendance  had 
been  largely  confined  to  males,  but  afterwards  the  two 
sexes  were  quite  equally  divided.  Under  the  care  of  Pro- 
fessor Farnsworth  and  of  Rev.  E.  B.  Smith,  D.D.,  who 
succeeded  him  as  principal  in  1832,  the  school  rapidly 
improved  in  the  extent  and  thoroughness  of  its  course 
of  study,  and  was  annually  attended  by  more  than 
three  hundred  different  students.  The  female  depart- 
ment, under  the  care  of  Miss  Martha  Hazeltine  and 
of  Miss  Sarah  Sleeper,  who  followed  her  as  principal 
in  1839,  justly  held  an  advanced  position  among  the 
female  seminaries  of  that  day.  It  is  not  too  much  to 
say  that  these  ladies  did  here  what  their  cotempora- 
ries, Miss  Lyon  and  Miss  Banister,  were  doing  at 
Mount  Holyoke.  They  impressed  all  the  pupils  with 
whom  they  came  in  contact  with  their  own  earnest,  self- 
sacrificing  spirit,  and  awakened  in  them  a high  opinion 
of  the  mission  and  dignity  of  true  womanhood.  They 
made  their  department  a place  of  thorough  and  faith- 
ful instruction,  and  of  earnest,  painstaking  study.  As 
a result,  many  of  their  pupils  became  missionaries, 
and  not  less  than  one  hundred  of  them  became  suc- 
cessful teachers  in  female  seminaries. 

In  1829  a Theological  Department  was  opened, 


which,  for  twenty-three  years,  had  an  annual  average 
attendance  of  twenty-five. 

The  three  literary  societies — the  “ Literary  Adel- 
phi,”  founded  in  1827,  the  “ Social  Fraternity,”  in 
1830,  and  the  “ Ladies’  Literary  and  Missionary  Asso- 
ciation,” in  1833 — added  largely  to  the  interest  felt 
in  the  school,  and,  by  means  of  their  libraries,  read- 
ing-rooms and  weekly  meetings,  afforded  an  ample 
field  for  valuable  discipline  and  public  display,  of 
which  their  members  were  always  ready  to  avail 
themselves. 

The  death  of  its  first  patron,  Mr.  Simpson,  in  1837, 
and  the  financial  disturbances  of  that  year,  put  an 
end  to  the  liberal  plans  that  were  entertained  for  the 
future  enlargement  of  the  school. 

From  1837  to  1852  there  seems  to  have  been  but 
little  change.  The  attendance  of  pupils  averaged  over 
three  hundred  annually,  and  teachers  were  not  want- 
ing to  maintain  the  credit  of  the  Institution.  But 
financial  embarrassments,  for  a long  time  a source  of 
difficulty,  at  last  compelled  the  trustees  to  consent  to 
the  removal  of  the  school  to  Fairfax,  Vt. 

It  has  been  estimated  that  during  this  period  not 
less  than  seven  thousand  five  hundred  different 
students  were  connected  with  the  Institution. 

But  the  departure  of  the  Baptists  was  not  to  close 
the  New  Hampton  School  history  ; it  merely  opened 
the  way  for  the  fulfillment  of  Mr.  Simpson’s  predic- 
tion. The  Free-Will  Baptists  were  now  ready  for  the 
enterprise.  Defeated  in  several  attempts  to  maintain 
unendowed  schools,  the  generous  offers  that  came 
from  New  Hampton  aroused  them  to  make  another 
effort,  and  a variety  of  events  conspired  to  make  the 
movement  successful.  Here  was  a small  community 
which  had  grown  up  around  the  academy,  all  of 
whose  associations  and  business  plans  hinged,  more 
or  less,  upon  the  culture,  life  and  material  activity  to 
which  the  school  gave  rise ; here  were  ample  school 
buildings  which,  to  devote  to  mechanic  arts,  seemed 
a profanation,  while  to  allow  them  to  fall  down  in 
ruins  was  a sight  not  to  be  endured ; here  still  re- 
mained the  prestige  of  the  name  “New  Hampton,” 
which  would  be  a power  in  a thousand  New  England 
homes;  here  was,  very  nearly,  the  numerical  and 
geographical  centre  of  the  Free-Will  Baptist  denom- 
ination ; here  were  the  libraries  of  the  two  societies 
who,  after  a somewhat  bitter  canvass,  had  decided  by 
a decisive  vote  to  remain  in  New  Hampton,  and  here 
was  the  man,  Colonel  R.  G.  Lewis,  with  brain  quick 
to  conceive,  with  liberal  heart,  and  hands  prompt  to 
do,  who  felt  the  burden  of  a mission  to  give  a tithe  of 
the  means  a kind  Providence  had  given  him,  for  the 
benefit  of  those  among  whom  he  lived.  What  could 
be  more  natural  than  a proposition  to  the  Free-Will 
Baptists  to  come  in  and  occupy  the  abandoned  ground, 
and  a prompt  acceptance  of  the  proposition  by  them? 

A new  charter,  with  the  name  of  the  “New  Hamp- 
ton Literary  and  Biblical  Institution,”  was  approved 
January  5,  1853,  and  the  corporation  organized 


NEW  HAMPTON. 


873 


twenty  days  after.  The  charter  contains  the  names 
of  the  following  gentlemen:  Ebenezer  Fisk,  Levi 
Carter,  Rufus  G.  Lewis,  Henry  Y.  Simpson,  Russell 
Cox,  Dana  Woodman,  Thomas  Perkins,  Benjamin 
Magoon,  David  B.  Plummer,  Benjamin  J.  Cole, 
Smith  Swain,  Daniel  Smith  and  William  Moore. 

It  was  voted  that  all  the  departments  should  be 
located  at  the  “Village.”  The  old  school  buildings 
were  purchased  at  once  and  the  work  of  removing 
those  at  the  “Centre”  commenced.  The  library 
belonging  to  the  ladies’  literary  society,  the  cabinets 
of  curiosities,  the  philosophical  apparatus  and  the 
chapel  bell  were  removed  to  F airfax.  The  remainder 
of  the  school  property  passed  into  the  hands  of  the 
new  corporation  by  purchase. 

The  Female  Department  was  opened  in  the  “ Old 
Seminary  ” in  April,  1853,  with  Mrs.  C.  P.  Stanton  as 
principal,  assisted  by  four  lady  teachers,  with  fifty- 
seven  students  in  attendance.  Three  weeks  later, 
the  Male  Department  was  reopened  in  what  is  now 
Commercial  Hall,  formerly  the  “Chapel”  at  the 
“ Centre,”  with  Professor  Benjamin  Stanton  prin- 
cipal and  Rev.  I.  D.  Stewart  assistant.  Mr.  A.  P. 
Shattuck  was  teacher  of  penmanship  in  both  depart- 
ments. There  were  forty-one  students  present. 

The  school  rapidly  increased  in  numbers,  and  the 
average  aggregate  attendance  for  the  next  five  years 
was  seven  hundred  and  thirty-five  annually. 

In  1853  the  old  “ Brick  ” at  the  “ Centre  ” was 
taken  down  and  the  materials  used  in  the  erection  of 
“Randall  Hall,”  and  a wooden  building  of  two  stories, 
immediately  in  the  rear  of  it,  was  added  for  a board- 
ing-house. About  the  same  time  the  building  known 
as  the  “ Lodge  ” was  opened  for  a female  boarding- 
house. In  1858  the  trustees  purchased  the  building 
formerly  owned  by  Miss  Sleeper,  and  now  known  as 
the  “ Centre  House.”  The  old  village  church,  which 
for  some  years  had  been  used  as  a chapel,  was  taken 
down  in  1859,  and  the  materials  employed  in  the 
erection  of  “ Chapel  Hall.”  During  the  same  year 
the  “ Old  Seminary  ” ceased  to  be  used  and  was  soon 
after  removed. 

In  1854  the  Biblical  School  was  transferred  to 
New  Hampton  from  Whitestown,  N.  Y.  This  de- 
partment, under  the  instruction  of  Rev.  J.  J.  Butler, 
D.D.,  and  Rev.  J.  Fullonton,  D.D.,  occupied  a por- 
tion of  the  Institution  buildings,  but  was  entirely  dis- 
tinct from  the  other  departments  of  the  school,  being 
under  the  control  of  the  Free-Will  Baptist  Education 
Society.  It  was  afterwards,  in  1870,  removed  to  Lew- 
iston, Me.,  having  had  an  average  annual  attendance 
of  about  twenty. 

The  aggregate  attendance  in  all  the  departments  of 
the  Institution  since  its  reorganization  has  been  about 
six  hundred  annually. 

The  school  is  located  in  New  Hampton  village, 
near  the  geographical  centre  of  the  State,  and  is  acces- 
sible daily  from  almost  every  part  of  New  England. 
It  is  seven  miles  from  Ashland  Station,  on  the  Boston, 


Concord  and  Montreal  Railroad ; five  miles  from  Bristol 
Station,  on  the  Northern  Railroad,  and  thirteen  miles 
from  Center  Harbor,  on  the  Winnipesaukee. 

The  air,  water  and  drainage  are  good ; the  scenery 
is  beautiful ; the  climate  is  healthful.  There  was  one 
period  of  twelve  successive  years  in  which  there  was 
not  a single  death  of  any  student  connected  with  the 
Institution.  The  buildings  are  pleasantly  situated, 
and  their  internal  arrangements  are  neat  and  commo- 
dious. Chapel  Hall  has  a brick  front  fifty  feet  in 
length,  three  stories  high,  with  a wing  extending  in 
the  rear  seventy  feet,  two  stories  high.  This  building 
is  used  for  a chapel,  recitation-rooms,  laboratories, 
cabinet,  library,  etc.  It  contains  sixteen,  large,  well- 
ventilated  rooms.  Randall  Hall  is  a brick  building 
one  hundred  feet  long  and  three  stories  high.  The 
whole  of  the  upper  floor  is  occupied  by  the  Commer- 
cial College.  The  remainder  of  the  building  is  used 
for  libraries  and  dormitories  for  gentlemen  students. 

In  the  Ladies’  Department  it  is  the  aim  to  combine 
the  influence  of  family  life  with  the  literary  advan- 
tages of  the  Institution.  Instead  of  one  large  dormi- 
tory, the  young  ladies  ar£  accommodated  in  several 
smaller  ones,  thus  enabling  students  to  mingle  more 
freely  with  each  other  and  with  their  teachers. 

There  are  six  buildings  belonging  to  the  Institution, 
the  value  of  which  is  estimated  by  the  trustees  at 
about  thirty  thousand  dollars. 

There  are  six  courses  of  study, — the  English 
and  classical,  the  classical,  the  English,  the  scien- 
tific, the  musical  and  the  Commercial  College 
course.  All  these  are  open  to  both  sexes,  and 
those  who  complete  them  are  entitled  to  receive  di- 
plomas. The  classical  course  is  unsurpassed  in  thor- 
oughness. The  course  in  Latin  and  Greek  includes 
the  usual  amount  required  for  admission  to  college. 
Derivation,  synonyms  and  the  systematic  analysis  of 
words  receive  careful  attention.  French  and  German 
are  taught  by  a lady  who  has  spent  several  years  in 
France  and  Germany.  The  natural  sciences  are 
taught  according  to  the  most  approved  methods,  and 
the  most  important  truths  are  illustrated  by  the  use 
of  apparatus.  There  is  a good  cabinet  of  minerals 
and  fossils.  The  course  in  mathematics  consists  of 
four  terms  in  arithmetic,  four  in  algebra,  two  in  ge- 
ometry and  one  in  surveying.  In  the  Commercial 
College  are  taught  penmanship,  commercial  law,  sin- 
gle and  double-entry  book-keeping,  commission, 
joint-commission,  freight  and  express  business,  polit- 
ical economy  and  banking.  The  course  is  systematic, 
thorough  and  practical. 

The  college  bank  is  organized  each  term  with  a 
cash  capital  of  four  hundred  thousand  dollars,  in 
which  the  books  are  kept  and  business  is  transacted 
as  in  legal  national  banks. 

The  merchandise  emporium  is  a wholesale  estab- 
lishment with  an  inventory  of  merchandise  amount- 
ing to  more  than  two  hundred  thousand  dollars, 
where  the  books  are  kept  according  to  the  most  ap- 


874 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE, 


proved  methods  for  the  jobbing  business.  The  price 
of  merchandise  is  regulated  by  a varying  standard, 
allowing  ample  opportunity  for  the  exercise  of  finan- 
cial ability. 

There  are  six  telegraph-offices  in  the  rear  of  the 
hall,  furnished  with  first-class  apparatus.  Telegraphy 
is  taught  wholly  by  sound. 

Special  attention  is  given  to  music,  drawing,  paint- 
ing and  elocution. 

Connected  with  the  Institution  are  four  libraries, 
containing  about  four  thousand  volumes  of  well-se- 
lected books,  to  all  of  which  students  have  access 
free  of  charge. 

As  a large  proportion  of  the  students  who  have 
been  connected  with  the  Institution  have  been  com- 
pelled to  support  themselves  by  their  own  exertions, 
it  has  been  the  constant  aim  of  the  trustees  to  fur- 
nish the  best  facilities  for  obtaining  an  education 
with  the  least  possible  expense. 

Hence,  the  expenses  of  students  have  been  less 
than  at  any  other  school  of  similar  grade  in  the 
State. 

The  school  is  organized  on  the  modern  plan  ot 
most  similar  institutions,  with  two  departments  em- 
bracing both  sexes  under  the  same  general  govern- 
ment and  instruction.  A board  of thirty-six  trustees, 
two-thirds  of  whom  must  be  members  of  Free- 
Will  Baptist  Churches,  exercise  a general  control  and 
supervision  of  the  affairs  of  the  Institution ; but  the 
practical  management,  for  the  most  part,  devolves 
upon  the  executive  committee,  consisting  of  five 
members,  usually  residents  of  New  Hampton. 

The  government  of  the  students  is  entrusted  to 
the  faculty,  consisting  of  the  salaried  teachers.  The 
discipline  is  mild,  but  firm  and  decided.  There  are 
ten  teachers  connected  with  the  Institution, — four  fe- 
males and  six  males. 

From  the  reorganization  of  the  school  in  1853  to 
1868  there  were  frequent  changes  in  the  faculty. 
During  those  fifteen  years  there  were  eight  different 
principals,  but  the  present  principal  has  had  charge 
of  the  school  during  the  last  seventeen  years. 

The  Institution  has  an  endowment  of  about  ten 
thousand  dollars,  which  ought  to  be  largely  increased. 
It  is  hoped  that  the  alumni  will  see  that  the  school 
is  properly  and  speedily  endowed. 

The  trustees  consider  that  the  school  is  in  as  good 
a state,  and  is  as  worthy  of  patronage,  as  it  has 
ever  been,  and  it  will  be  their  constant  endeavor  to 
advance  with  the  progressive  spirit  of  the  age. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH. 


REV.  A.  B.  MESERVEY. 

Rev.  Atwood  Bond  Meservey,  son  of  William  and 
Elvipa  (Bond)  Meservey,  was  born  at  Appleton,  Me., 


September  30,  1831.  His  father  was  a farmer  and  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  and  all  the  religious 
influences  of  Christian  home-life  were  thrown  around 
the  early  years  of  the  children.  After  receiving  the 
education  given  at  district  schools  and  several  terms 
at  High  Schools  and  academies,  Mr.  Meservey  made 
choice  of  medicine  as  his  profession,  and  attended 
lectures  in  the  school-year  of  1852-53  at  Bowdoin 
College.  He,  however,  was  actively  engaged  in  re- 
ligious exercises,  having  joined  the  Free-Will  Bap- 
tist Church  at  South  Montville,  Me.,  in  1850,  and, 
after  long  and  earnest  consideration,  he  decided  to  be- 
come a clergyman,  and,  in  1855,  came  to  New  Hampton 
to  prepare  for  college.  He  was  graduated  from  the 
literary  department  in  1857,  and  then  passed  three 
years  here  in  the  study  of  theology,  supplementing 
this  by  six  months’  attendance  at  Andover  (Mass.) 
Theological  Seminary,  afterwards,  in  1862,  attending 
lectures  on  physical  geography  and  geology  at  Brown 
University.  He  may  be  justly  called  a self-educated 
man,  as  he  earned  the  necessary  money  to  defray  his 
expenses  while  studying  by  teaching  and  preaching. 
In  1861  he  was  ordained  pastor  of  the  Free-Will 
Baptist  Church  at  Meredith  village.  In  the  fall  of 
1862  he  became  convinced  that  a most  useful  field  of 
Christian  labor  was  presented  to  him  in  educational 
work,  and  commenced  his  long  and  valuable  con- 
nection with  New  Hamilton  Institution,  as  pro- 
fessor of  mathematics  and  natural  sciences,  and,  from 
that  time,  he  has  been  identified  with  the  educational 
interests  of  the  State.  He  went  to  Northwood,  in 
1867,  as  the  principal  of  the  seminary,  and  after  a 
year’s  service  in  that  capacity  he  returned  to  New 
Hampton  and  became  principal  of  the  school. 

Mr.  Meservey  has  shown  himself  to  be  unusually 
well  fitted  for  the  labors  devolving  upon  him  of 
maintaining  a high  standard  of  scholarship  among 
the  students,  of  impressing  a spirit  of  integrity, 
purity  and  elevated  purpose  upon  their  minds,  coupled 
with  an  energy  and  thoroughness  which  would  insure 
valuable  practical  results ; and  under  his  guidance 
and  unremitting  exertions  the  school  has  taken  a 
high  rank.  He  has  given  himself  without  reserva- 
tion to  this  end,  and  with  his  characteristic  zeal  has 
sown  lavishly  the  seed  which  has  brought  forth  as 
bountiful  fruit.  As  an  instructor  he  has  made  sim- 
plicity and  thoroughness  the  prime  objects  of  his 
attention,  and  with  an  enthusiasm  that  was  conveyed 
to  his  pupils,  he  carried  them  over  all  obstacles,  mak- 
ing himself  at  the  same  time  at  once  their  instructor, 
counselor  and  friend.  The  graduates  of  the  “ Insti- 
tution” under  his  management  are  scattered  over  the 
whole  land,  and  recall  with  pleasure  the  days  of  their 
sojourn  at  New  Hampton,  and  the  friendly  and 
inspiring  memories  of  school  and  principal.  Many 
of  them  are  filling  responsible  positions  of  honor  and 
trust,  doing  credit  to  themselves  and  to  their  teachers, 
and  gratefully  confess  their  indebtedness  for  the 
stations  they  are  occupying  to  the  kind  and  faithful 


NEW  HAMPTON. 


875 


perseverance,  fatherly  sympathy  and  religious  care  of 
Professor  Meservey. 

The  school  has  been  conducted  under  great  disad- 
vantages. No  rich  endowment  fund  has  given  its 
wealth  to  lighten  the  care  of  management,  and  it  has 
been  a struggle,  always  continuing  and  never  ending, 
to  bring  about  the  desired  result  of  yearly  advanc- 
ing its  efficiency  and  strength  ; but  Professor  Meser- 
vey has  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  each  succes- 
sive graduation  day  has  added  to  the  reputation  of 
the  school  and  to  the  solidity  of  its  foundation.  The 
“business  college”  is  conceded  to  be  the  best  in  the 
State,  while  every  department  is  doing  excellent 
labor. 

He  has  been  an  educator  in  other  ways, — in  the 
pulpit,  on  the  lecture  platform,  and  last,  not  least,  as 
an  author.  A serial  contributed  to  the  Congregation- 
olid,  and  since  published  in  book-form  by  D.  Lothrop 
& Co.,  under  the  title  of  “Through  Struggle  to  Vic- 
tory,” is  an  earnest  plea  for  aid  to  needy  students 


preparing  for  the  Christian  ministry.  In  1875  he 
published  “ Meservey’s  Book-Keeping,”  which  has 
met  with  favor,  being  now  in  use  in  over  five  hundred 
schools  in  various  towns  and  cities  of  New  England, 
and  in  over  ninety  academies  and  seminaries.  He 
has  just  issued  from  the  press  “ First  Lessons  in 
Political  Economy.”  These  works  present  the  sim- 
plicity, earnestness  and  directness  so  characteristic 
of  the  author. 

Mr.  Meservey  received  the  degree  of  A.M.  from 
Brown  University,  and  that  of  Ph.D.  from  Bates 
College.  Republican  in  politics,  he  represented  New 
Hampton  in  the  State  Legislature  in  1867. 

Mr.  Meservey  married,  first,  in  1861,  Miss  Lizzie 
Bean,  of  Candia  (they  had  one  child,  Lizzie) ; second, 
in  1869,  Miss  Loanna  Sherburne  Mead,  of  Northwood ; 
(their  only  child,  John  Edwin,  died  in  infancy);  third, 
in  1883,  Miss  Clara  Bell  Fall,  of  Great  Falls  (she  was 
the  valued  lady  principal  of  the  “Institution”  for 
three  years ; they  have  one  child,  Arthur  Bond). 


HISTORY  OF  TILTON 


BY  J.  J.  DEARBORN,  M.D. 


CHAPTER  I. 

On  the  28th  of  October,  1748,  a petition  containing 
sixty  names  was  addressed  to  His  Majesty,  King 
George  the  Second,  asking  for  a tract  of  land  in  this 
vicinity.  Before  granted,  it  was  found  that  the  land 
desired  came  within  the  Masonian  claim.  These 
sixty  petitioners  then  addressed  the  Masonian  pro- 
pcietors  for  the  tract  of  land,  which  they  granted, 
with  the  proviso  that  they  (the  grantors)  should 
name  twenty  other  grantees.  The  petitioners  ac- 
cepted their  proposal,  and  the  land  was  granted  on 
the  31st  of  December,  1748.  It  was  substantially  the 
same  ground  covered  in  the  act  of  incorporation  of 
Sanbornton,  March  1,  1770. 

It  is  a singular  fact,  but  nevertheless  true,  that  the 
first  settlement  of  Sanbornton  occurred  within  the  I 
present  town  of  Tilton.  From  Rev.  M.  T.  Runnels’ 
“History  of  Sanbornton”  (vol.  i,  p.  44)  we  obtain 
the  following  information  : That  the  first  settlement 
was  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  Andrew  Philbrick,  J 
just  above  East  Tilton,  on  the  Laconia  road ; that 
the  town  was  settled  in  1765-66  by  John  Sanborn, 
David  Dustin,  Andrew  Rowen  and  others  It  is 
equally  certain  that  Daniel  Fifield  and  Samuel  Shep- 
pard moved  to  the  town  in  1764;  the  three  first 
settlers  being  Moses  Danforth,  who  settled  near 
Little  Bay,  Andrew  Rowen,  at  East  Tilton,  and  Solo- 
mon Copp,  they  coming  here  early  in  the  spring 
of  1764. 

The  first  frame  house  in  town  was  erected  by  Ser- 
geant John  Sanborn  in  1765,  some  three-fourths  of  a 
mile  north  of  Tilton  village,  on  land  now  owned  by 
F.  A.  Morgan,  on  the  road  leading  from  the  village 
to  Sanbornton  Square.  The  first  settlement  at  Tin 
Corner  was  made  in  1764-65.  The  first  store  within 
the  bounds  of  Tilton  was  built  by  a Mr.  Duncan, 
from  Concord,  as  early  as  1789.  It  stood  on  the 
corner  now  occupied  by  the  town  hall. 

The  first  permanent  saw-mill  within  the  piesent 
town  was  known  as  the  old  Morrison  or  Darling 
privilege,  it  being  the  first  west  of  the  present 
railroad  station,  and  was  built  previous  to  January'  5, 
1775;  and  there  must  have  been  a grist-mill  in  con- 
nection with  the  saw-mill  as  early  as  1766. 

In  the  granting  of  most  of  the  townships  in  this  J 
State  by  Massachusetts,  or  the  Masonian  proprietors, 
876 


a territory  equal  to  six  miles  square,  and  frequently 
larger,  was  granted  to  actual  settlers  under  conditions 
named  in  their  charters.  As  their  population  increased, 
the  towns  became  incorporated  under  State  laws. 
The  residents  were  economical,  thrifty  and  energetic  ; 
their  land  gave  abundant  crops,  and,  for  a time,  they 
were  content ; but,  as  their  children  reached  maturity, 
population  and  wealth  increased,  they  became  pos- 
sessed with  the  idea  that  the  old  town  contained  too 
much  territory.  The  business  had  changed  from 
where,  in  times  past,  it  had  developed,  one  portion  of 
the  town  having  grown  with  greater  rapidity  than 
the  rest,  and  soon  the  effort  was  made  to  incorporate 
a new  town.  In  many  instances  a new  town  was 
made  from  two  or  more  older  towns;  while  in  other 
instances  a new  town  was  incorporated  from  the 
original  township. 

Formation  of  the  Town  of  Tilton.— The  first  ac- 
tion taken  in  regard  to  the  formation  of  the  town 
of  Tilton  was  a petition  presented  to  the  General 
Court  in  1850.  In  1860  two  special  town-meetings 
were  held  in  the  old  town  of  Sanbornton,  to  act  on 
the  division  of  the  town,  but  nothing  came  from  it. 
A special  town-meeting  was  held  May  18,  1869,  to  act 
on  an  article  relative  to  the  division  of  the  town,  one 
hundred  and  fifty  voting  to  dismiss  the  article  and 
one  hundred  and  five  voting  in  its  favor.  The  men 
at  the  helm  were  energetic,  courageous  and  de- 
termined on  the  formation  of  a new  town,  and  this 
proved  the  final  and  decisive  action.  Sanbornton 
appointed  Herman  T.  Ilale  as  agent,  authorizing 
him  to  employ  such  counsel  as  was  necessary  to  op- 
I pose  the  division  of  the  town. 

As  first  proposed,  it  was  intended  to  make  the  di- 
vision on  the  fourth  range  line,  with  a southern  de- 
tour at  the  east  end,  thereby  giving  Mosquito  bridge 
to  Sanbornton;  but  by  the  act  approved  June  30, 
1869,  third  range  line  was  adopted,  with  a northern 
detour,  thereby  assigning  the  bridge  to  this  town. 

ACT  OF  INCORPORATION. 

“ An  act  to  constitute  the  Town  of  Tilton  from  a Part  of  the  Territory 
of  the  Town  of  Sanbornton. 

“ Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Court  Convened : 

“ Section  1.  That  all  that  part  of  Sanbornton  lying  within  the  following 
lines  and  boundaries,  to  wit : Beginning  at  the  centre  of  the  Winnipi- 
seogee  River,  at  the  southwest  corner  of  said  Sanbornton,  on  the  line  of 
the  town  of  Franklin  ; thence  northerly,  on  the  line  between  said  Frank- 


TILTON, 


877 


lin  and  said  Sanbornton,  to  the  north  side  of  the  third  range  of  lots  in 
said  Sanbornton  ; thence  easterly,  on  the  north  side  of  said  range  line,  to 
the  highway  leading  from  Union  Bridge  to  Laconia,  across  the  Bay 
Bridge ; thence  on  the  north  line  of  said  highway  to  the  Sanbornton 
town  line,  on  the  northerly  side  of  said  Bay  Bridge  ; thence  on  said  San- 
bornton town  line,  down  the  Winnipiseogee  River  to  the  place  of  begin- 
ning _be,  and  the  same  hereby  is,  severed  from  the  Town  of  Sanbornton 
and  made  a body  politic  and  corporate  by  the  name  of  Tilton. 

“ Section  2.  All  real  and  personal  property,  including  all  debts,  claims 
and  demands  of  every  kind  now  owned  by  and  due  to  the  town  of  San- 
borntou,  all  school  and  other  funds  belonging  to  said  town,  and  the  pro- 
portion of  the  literary  fund,  which,  until  a new  apportionment  of  State 
taxes,  shall  be  payable  to  said  towns,  shall  be  divided  between  them  in 
the  proportion  of  $4.50  to  Sanbornton  and  $5.50  to  Tilton.  And  if  said 
towns  cannot  agree  upon  the  division  of  any  such  property,  the  County 
Commissioners  for  the  County  of  Belknap,  for  the  time  being,  upon  the 
request  of  either  town,  may  make  divison  of  the  same,  or  assign  the  same, 
or  any  part  thereof,  to  either  of  said  towns,  and  may  order  the  town  to 
which  such  property  may  be  assigned,  to  pay  over  such  sums  of  money 
to  the  other  town  as  in  their  opinion  is  equitable,  according  to  the  fore- 
going proportion,  and  may  tlx  the  time  of  payment. 

“Section  3.  All  taxes  assessed  since  March  last  upon  the  polls  and  estate 
of  persons  residing  in  Said  town  of  Tilton,  as  hereby  constituted,  and  all 
non-resident  taxes  assessed  since  March  last  in  said  town,  shall  be  collected 
by  the  collector,  to  whom  the  same  lias  been  committed  for  that  purpose  ; 
and  after  deducting  therefrom  the  State  and  county  taxes,  shall  be  by 
him  paid  over  to  said  town  of  Tilton,  in  the  same  manner  in  which  he 
is  directed  to  pay  the  same  to  the  town  of  Sanbornton  before  this  di- 
vision thereof;  and  the  treasurer  of  the  town  of  Tilton,  when  duly 
chosen  and  qualified,  shall  have  the  same  power  to  issue  an  extent  against 
such  collector  for  any  neglect  to  comply  with  the  provisions  of  this  Act 
that  he  would  have  if  such  collector  had  been  chosen  by  said  town  of 
Tilton. 

“Section  4.  All  debts  and  liabilities  heretofore  incurred  by  said  town  of 
Sanbornton,  and  all  municipal  expenses  of  said  town  since  the  first  day  of 
March  last,  shall  be  paid  by  the  aforesaid  towns  in  the  same  proportion 
as  hereinbefore  prescribed  for  the  division  of  property. 

“Section  5.  All  paupers  now  supported  by,  and  in  actual  receipt  of  as- 
sistance from,  said  Sanbornton,  shall  be  supported  by  the  towns  of  San- 
bornton and  Tilton,  each  contributing  in  the  same  proportion  as  here- 
inbefore mentioned  for  the  division  of  property,  until  such  time  as  either 
of  said  towns  shall  call  for  a division  of  said  paupers  ; and  if  said  towns 
do  not  agree  upon  a division,  the  aforesaid  county  commissioners,  for  the 
time  being,  shall,  upon  the  request  of  either  of  said  towns,  determine 
and  assign  to  each  of  them  its  proportion  of  said  paupers,  upon  the  same 
basis,  as  near  as  practicable,  as  that  prescribed  for  a division  of  the 
town  property,  and  determine  which  of  said  paupers  shall  be  supported 
by  each  of  said  towns. 

“Section  6.  In  all  assessment  of  State  and  county  taxes,  until  the  Leg- 
islature shall  otherwise  order,  Sanbornton,  as  constituted  after  this  divi- 
sion thereof,  shall  pay  $3.15  and  Tilton  $2.94  ; and  the  State  and  county 
treasurers  shall  issue  their  respective  warrants  accordingly. 

“ Section  7.  Jeremiah  C.  Tilton,  Alexander  II.  Tilton,  Addison  B. 
AVyatt,  or  any  two  of  them,  may  call  the  first  meeting  of  said  town  of 
Tilton  by  posting  up  a warrant  for  that  purpose,  as  the  law  direct.  At 
Which  meeting  either  of  said  persons  may  preside  until  a moderator  be 
chosen,  and  at  such  meeting  all  necessary  town  officers  may  be  chosen. 
“Section  8.  This  act  shall  take  effect  from  and  after  its  passage. 

“ Samuel  M.  Wheeler, 

“ Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 

“John  Y.  Mugridge,  President  of  the  Senate. 

“ Approved  June  30,  1869. 

“ Onslow  Stearns,  Governor.’’ 

From  Rev.  M.  T.  Runnels’  most  valuable  “ History 
of  Sanbornton  ” (p.  259)  we  gather  the  following  sta- 
tistics : 

“According  to  the  provisions  of  this  Act,  as  we  learn  from  the  San- 
bornton town  records,  Tilton’s  portion  of  the  cash  in  the  treasury  was 
$114.02;  Sanbornton’s,  $338.75,  total, — $752.77.  Debt  in  rates  : Tilton’s 
portion,  11-20,  $48,309.20;  Sanbornton’s  9-20,  $39,574.80  (but  in  reality, 
Tilton  assumed  $17  less,  $48,352.20,  and  Sanbornton  $17  more,  $39,- 
591.80,  that  sum  ($17)  being  paid  by  Tilton  to  Sanbornton  in  order  to 
distribute  the  rates  between  the  towns  without  charging),— total,  $87,944. 
Whole  amount  of  school  and  parsonage  fund,  $5707, — Tilton’s  portion, 
(11-20),  $3166.35  ; Sanbornton’s,  (9-20),  $2590.65.  Railroad  stock, 


thirty-eight  shares  and  $30  in  scrip,  equaling  $3830,— Tilton’s  portion, 
$2106.50  ; Sanbornton’s,  $1723.50,  but  Tilton  takes  for  its  portion  twenty- 
one  shares  and  $30  in  scrip,  and  pays  Sanbornton  $1.35,  and  Sanbornton 
takes  seventeen  shares  for  its  portion,  the  scrip  only  selling  for  about  ten 
cents  on  a dollar.  Amount  of  taxes  assessed  in  Sanbornton  for  1869 
(before  division)  $17,297.60, — Sanbornton’s  portion,  $9886.10;  Tilton’s, 
$7321.50.  Whole  amount  of  real  and  personal  estate  sold.  $4750.07  ; ex- 
penses, $141.78,  balance,  $4608.29,  of  which  received  by  the  town  of  Tilton, 
$2534.55.’ 5 

The  name  “ Tilton  ” was  adopted  by  the  citizens  of 
the  proposed  new  town  at  the  suggestion  of  Hon. 
Charles  E.  Tilton  (the  fourth  generation  in  line  of  de- 
scent from  the  original  settler),  its  wealthiest  citizen, 
whose  magnificent  gifts  to  and  pride  of  his  native  vil- 
lage has  done  much  to  render  this  place  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  and  attractive  in  the  country. 

The  name  is  not  in  honor  of  himself  individually, 
but  for  his  ancestry. 

Nathaniel  Tilton,  the  patriarch  of  this  family,  re- 
moved to  that  part  of  Sanbornton  now  Tilton  be- 
tween 1768  and  1771,  settling  on  tbe  farm  now  owned 
by  Charles  W.  Colby,  nearly  a mile  north  of  Tilton 
village.  His  name  was  very  prominent  in  the  early 
history  of  the  first  church,  of  which  he  was  deacon  for 
more  than  thirty-nine  years.  He  died  Feb.  11, 1814. 

His  son  Jeremiah  (Colonel)  built  the  original  hotel 
on  the  site  of  the  Dexter  House  and  occupied  the 
same  (see  Copp  mill).  He  served  in  the  Revolutionary 
War  six  months  and  was  a colonel  in  the  State 
militia,  a justice  of  the  peace,  and,  in  all  respects, 
may  be  regarded  as  among  the  prime  founders  of 
this  thriving  village.  He  died  April  10,  1822,  aged 
sixty  years. 

His  son  Samuel,  born  August  20,  1789,  commenced 
his  business  career  at  his  father’s  trip-hammer  shop, 
then  occupied  the  hotel,  adding  another  story  to  the 
original  building;  a man  of  great  business  energy  and 
sagacity  and  always  remained  at  the  Bridge  village. 
He  accomplished  much  for  its  prosperity  and  was  a 
“living  spirit”  in  the  affairs  of  the  town  at  large  for 
many  years.  Besides  other  offices,  he  was  elected  Re- 
presentative five  times  (1826-29  and  1835) ; was  sheriff, 
justice  of  the  peace  and  United  States  marshal  under 
President  Pierce,  having  previously  been  chosen  one 
of  the  State  electors  for  President  of  the  United 
States  in  1848  and  delegate  to  the  Baltimore  Conven- 
tion in  1852.  As  a friend,  he  was  honest,  firm  and 
unwavering,  and  no  falsehood  or  pretense  whatever 
had  the  least  influence  in  detaching  him  from  those 
in  whom  he  confided.  The  records  of  the  schools, 
seminary  and  houses  of  religious  worship  in  his  native 
village  will  all  bear  witness  that  no  man  among  us 
gave  more  freely  or  abundantly  than  he  did  towards 
their  establishment ; always  conservative  and  patri- 
otic in  his  feelings,  a strong  friend  of  the  Union  and 
a most  decided  and  outspoken  opponent  of  all  kinds  of 
radicalism.1  He  died  November  12,  1861.  For  an 
account  of  his  son,  Hon.  Charles  Elliott  Tilton,  the 
reader  is  referred  to  his  biographical  sketch. 


1 Runnels’  “History  of  Sanbornton,'’  vol.  ii.  pp.  800.  See  notes. 


878 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


The  Memorial  Arch  of  Tilton,  considered  as  a 
work  of  art  in  its  solid  and  massive  completeness,  or 
in  the  light  of  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  designed 
(commemoration  of  a family  name),  and  erected  from 
the  resources  of  an  individual,  stands  emphatically 
solitary  and  alone. 

For  ages  monuments  have  been  chiseled  with 
virtues  that  once  inspired  the  dust  beneath  them. 
Cenotaphs  have  kept  from  forgetfulness  the  memory 
of  the  unsepulchred  dead,  and  obelisks  in  hiero- 
glyphics are  preserved  from  an  older  age  as  reminders 
of  the  common  desire  not  to  be  forgotten.  History 
itself  is  antedated  in  discovered  symbols  honoring  the 
dead  among  the  ruins  of  forgotten  cities. 

All  these  visible  tokens  are  manifestations  of  that 
longing  for  immortality  common  to  the  human  heart. 
An  impression  has  gone  abroad  that  the  Arch  of 
Tilton  is  a facsimile  of  that  of  Titus.  Such  is  not 
the  fact,  except  that  the  relative  proportions  are  pre- 
served. 

The  arch  on  the  Sacred  Way  was  built  by  Ves- 
pasian on  the  return  of  his  son  Titus  from  the 
capture  and  destruction  of  Jerusalem. 

It  illustrated  his  triumph  in  that  its  inscription 
bore  his  name,  while  profuse  carvings,  representing 
Jewish  captives  bearing  the  consecrated  utensils  of 
the  temple,  were  literal  interpretations  of  actual 
events.  All  this  is  replaced  in  its  American  counter- 
part by  the  severest  simplicity  consistent  with  archi- 
tectural taste. 

The  two  columns  in  that  of  Titus  apparently  spring 
from  a foundation  level  with  the  face  of  the  earth, 
and  are  built  of  marble. 

These  rise  from  a cut  granite  platform  approached 
by  five  courses  of  easy  steps  on  all  sides,  the  whole 
resting  on  a sub-foundation  of  solid  stone  and  cement 
seven  feet  in  depth,  in  the  form  of  a parallelogram, 
forty  feet  by  seventy.  It  is  superior  in  size  to  the  one 
which  for  eighteen  hundred  years  has  recalled  the 
destruction  of  that  most  magnificent  temple,  the  in- 
human atrocities  of  a Roman  soldiery  and  the  un- 
paralleled sufferings  of  the  chosen  people  of  God. 
That  emphasizes  the  glory  of  potentates,  which 
comes  of  carnage,  slaughter  and  sanguinary  violence ; 
this  is  the  product  of  peace  and  prosperity,  and  an- 
nounces the  blessings  of  good-will  and  the  liberality 
of  a citizen  in  the  ranks  of  the  people. 

Its  height  is  fifty-five  feet  and  its  width  forty  feet. 
Eight  hewn  stones  makethe  entire  covering,  weighing 
one  hundred  and  thirty  thousand  pounds.  It  is  most 
thoroughly  constructed,  was  two  years  in  building 
and  completed  without  accident. 

Its  location  is  on  a mound-sliaped  hill,  one  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  above  the  river,  which  gently  flows  at 
its  base.  Marl,  hard-pan  and  rock  make  the  elevation, 
and  nothing  but  an  earthquake  can  disturb  the  founda- 
tion. 

The  view  from  the  baseof  the  arch  is  as  if  one  stood  in 
the  centre  of  a vast  amphitheatre  adorned  with  every 


variety  of  landscape.  Within  a boundary  from 
Kearsarge  and  Rugged  Mountains  in  the  east  to  the 
hills  of  Meredith  in  the  north,  circumscribed  by  the 
horizon  that  marks  the  highlands  to  Ossipee  and 
Gilford  Mountains  in  the  east  and  south,  the  prospect 
is  unobstructed. 

Visible  at  all  points  of  the  compass  are  villages  or 
well-tilled  farms  nestling  on  hill-top  or  slope,  teem- 
ing with  industry  and  life,  while  the  puff  of  the 
locomotive,  the  shriek  of  the  whistle  and  the  pealing 
of  bells  are  sounds  that  come  and  go  with  every 
breeze.  Forests  that  never  echoed  with  the  woodman’s 
stroke  add  completeness  to  the  scene,  as  if  of  some 
genius  had  designed  the  broad  expense  and  filled  it 
with  gems  of  beauty.  An  extensive  traveler,  who  de- 
lights in  the  beauties  of  American  scenery,  says  that 
in  extent  and  diversity  it  exceeds  anything  he  ever 
saw.  This  opinion  is  confirmed  by  many  others  who 
have  visited  the  site. 

A polished  device  in  Scotch  granite,  on  which  a 
Numidian  lion  is  reclining,  the  whole  weighing  fifty 
tons,  rests  between  the  two  columns  of  the  arch, 
bearing  this  inscription, — 

“Tilton,  1883.” 

Each  end  of  the  keystone,  in  raised  letters,  reads 
“Memorial  Arch  of  Tilton,  1882.’’  Ten  or  twelve 
acres  of  land  are  inclosed  in  the  tract  on  which  this 
memorial  has  been  erected. 

Four  elegant  cut-glass  lamps,  supplied  with  gas, 
are  lighted  each  dark  night,  making  the  locality  a 
land-mark  for  many  surrounding  miles. 

A concrete  walk  and  drive-way  for  carriages  lead  to 
the  summit  from  two  different  directions.  Large 
numbers  of  visitors  in  good  weather  daily  travel  over 
them  and  avail  themselves  of  the  enchanting  prospect 
and  a nearer  inspection  of  the  arch.  It  counts  one 
among  the  many  attractions  to  our  thrifty  town  con- 
tributed by  Mr.  Charles  E.  Tilton,  of  the  fourth 
generation  from  Nathaniel  Tilton,  the  original 
pioneer  of  the  family,  of  about  one  hundred  and 
fifteen  years  ago. 

The  old  ancestor,  at  the  signal  of  danger,  visible  to 
his  clearing  on  the  range  above,  may  sometime  have 
sped  his  way  to  the  old  fort  that  once  occupied  the 
hill.  Be  that  as  it  may,  with  all  his  remembered 
virtues,  there  is  no  sign  that,  with  a prophet’s  ken,  his 
vision  caught  sight  of  the  benefactions  that  were  to 
emanate  from  his  descendant. 

It  is  enough  that  we  possess  them,  and  that  the 
present  generation  is  not  insensible  to  their  value  or 
unmindful  of  the  enlarged  liberality  that  gave  them 
form. 

Village  Advantages. — Tilton  village  is  situated  on 
the  old  Boston,  Concord  and  Montreal  Railroad,  now 
known  as  the  White  Mountain  Division  of  the  Bos- 
ton and  Lowell  Railroad,  eighteen  miles  north  of  Con- 
cord, ten  miles  south  of  Laconia,  the  shire-town  of 
the  county,  and  in  close  proximity  to  Franklin,  at 
which  place  the  Northern  Division  of  the  Boston  and 


TILTON. 


879 


Lowell  Railroad  passes,  passenger  facilities  between 
these  roads  being  conducted  by  J.  L.  Lawrin’s  twelve- 
passenger  four-horse  coach  route,  which  makes  two 
round  trips  a day,  connecting  with  the  important 
trains  over  both  roads,  viz., — passengers  coming  down 
over  the  White  Mountain  road  and  wishing  to  go  up 
over  the  Northern,  instead  of  going  to  Concord,  take 
this  stage  and  save  over  thirty-six  miles  travel.  Quick 
time  and  sure  connections  are  made  as  they  carry  the 
United  States  mail.  Daily  stage  leaves  here  for  San- 
boruton  and  New  Hampton  and  semi-daily  stage  for 
Belmont  and  Gilmanton.  • 

The  railroad  facilities  are  very  good,  the  track 
laid  with  steel  rails  and  a ride  of  but  two  hours  and 
forty  minutes  from  Boston  ; while  passengers  taking 
the  two  p.  M.  train  arrive  in  New  York  at  half-past 
ten  the  same  day.  The  past  summer  twelve  passen- 
ger trains  have  stopped  here  daily ; the  passenger  Pull- 
man and  Mann  boudoir  coaches  were  of  the  best,  and 
the  road  earned  the  reputation  of  being  the  best 
equipped  of  any  in  New  England.  The  passenger 
station  is  a model  for  size,  comfort  and  convenience, 
modern  in  in  its  construction,  the  inside  finished  in 
hard  woods,  heated  by  steam,  lighted  by  gas  and  con- 
tains all  conveniences  for  passenger  and  railroad  facil- 
ties. 

A charter  has  been  granted  to  build  and  operate  a 
railroad  from  this  place  to  Belmont.  Application  has 
been  made  to  the  Grand  Court  for  right  to  construct  a 
railroad  from  here  to  Franklin,  and  there  is  a bright 
prospect  of  seeing  the  road  in  operation  within  three 
years. 

The  location  of  the  town  offers  unusual  water-power 
facilities,  which,  by  its  proximity  to  the  leading  lines 
of  transportation,  should  place  it  foremost  in  the 
ranks  for  manufacturing  industries.  The  quantity, 
quality,  purity  from  sediment  cannot  be  excelled  in 
the  United  States.  It  contains  no  lime,  iron  or  other 
injurious  material  held  in  solution  to  deaden  the 
colors  used  in  dyeing  ; no  sawdust  or  vegetable  mate- 
rial to  prevent  the  proper  washing  of  wool.  It  drains 
no  territory  containing  tanneries  and  filthy  material, 
and  is  as  pure  drinking  water  as  cau  be  found  in  flow- 
ing streams. 

With  Lake  Winnipiseogee  back  of  us,  a dam  across 
its  outlet  into  Winnipiseogee  River,  retaining  her 
waters  to  such  an  extent  that  the  water-power  com- 
pany can  prevent  its  overflow  to  not  less  than  two 
hundred  and  fifty  cubic  feet  per  second  (the  dam 
being  five  hundred  and  two  feet  above  mean  tide), 
with  an  unobstructed  flow  of  water  from  Great  Bay, 
or  Winnesquam  Lake,  containing  2,003,729,124  square 
feet  to  Middle  Bay,  of  two  miles  in  length  and  three- 
fourths  of  a mile  in  width,  thence  to  Little  Bay  and 
to  the  falls  at  East  Tilton.  There  is  not  an  obstruc- 
tion on  this  great  body  of  water.  At  East  Tilton  is 
a large,  strong  dam  affording  an  immense  power, which 
at  present  is  only  utilized  by  Byron  W.  Brown  at  his 
mill,  and  he  has  built  a short  canal. 


Such  is  the  water-power  here  that,  before  efforts 
were  made  to  start  water-power  manufacturing  at 
Manchester,  it  was  determined  to  use  the  power  at 
this  place,  and,  with  that  object  in  view,  the  water- 
power party  closed  negotiations  for  the  land  there- 
about. It  is  a fact  that,  but  for  the  stubbornness  of  one 
man,  the  great  industries  of  Manchester  would  have 
been  located  here.  Below  this  first  dam  is  another 
fall  of  water  unutilized.  This  power  lies  idle  and 
with  a small  expense  could  be  utilized,  and  is  par- 
ticularly valuable  on  account  of  its  nearness  to  the 
railroad. 

The  first  dam  across  the  river  at  Tilton  allows  the 
present  fall  of  eight  feet,  and  Ballantyne  & Fletcher 
have  the  right  to  flow  back  to  East  Tilton,  a distance 
of  two  miles.  The  power  is  only  utilized  by  Messrs. 
Ballantyne  & Fletcher,  proprietors  of  the  Granite  Mill, 
manufacturers  of  ladies’  woolen  dress-goods.  They 
employ  seventy  hands,  with  a pay-roll  of  two  thousand 
dollars  per  month,  and  at  present  make  fifteen 
thousand  yards  of  six-fourth  cloth  a month.  On 
their  side  of  the  river  are  two  good  privileges.  At  the 
other  end  of  the  dam  is  an  equally  good  unoccupied 
mill-site.  The  next  dam  below  is  occupied  by  Copp’s 
grist-mill,  Dodge’s  hosiery-mill,  and  the  other  end  by 
Richard  Firth,  proprietor  of  the  Elm  Mill,  who  man- 
ufactures about  the  same  quality  of  goods  as  Ballan- 
tyne & Fletcher,  running  three  looms. 

Continuing  down-stream  is  the  coffer-dam,  with  a 
water-fall  of  eleven  feet.  George  E.  Buel  & Co.’s  large 
hosiery-mill  occupy  one  end  of  the  dam ; they  employ 
ninety  operatives  and  do  an  annual  business  amount- 
ing to  from  one  hundred  and  thirty  thousand  to  one 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

The  cotton-mill  at  the  other  end  is  being  converted 
into  a shoe  manufactory  by  the  Pillsbury  Brothers. 
They  will  employ  not  less  than  three  hundred  people 
with  a monthly  pay-roll  of  ten  thousand  dollars.  Here 
are  certainly  two  splendid  privileges.  Next  in 
order  is  the  Tilton  Mills,  who  only  occupy  one  end  of 
the  dam  with  a twelve-foot  fall  of  water.  The  other 
end  is  unoccupied  and  the  land  and  power  can  be 
bought  remarkably  cheap.  From  the  above  we  find 
there  are  nine  water  privileges,  all  dammed,  and  free 
use  of  the  power  is  guaranteed.  This  is  exclusive  of 
the  power  at  East  Tilton. 

Forty-four  rods  below  the  Tilton  Mill  is  a fifteen-foot 
fall ; forty-four  rods  below  the  last  is  a fall  of  twenty- 
three  feet;  these  falls  are  undeveloped.  Adjoining 
land  to  all  these  privileges  will  be  disposed  of  at  a 
very  reasonable  figure  to  persons  who  will  erect  mills 
and  run  them.  When  one  thinks  of  the  manufactur- 
ing industries  conducted  at  Manchester,  Lawrence  and 
Lowell,  and  that  their  power  comes  from  here,  it 
seems  surprising  that  so  much  steam-power  is  utilized, 
when  water-power  can  be  obtained  under  such  favor- 
able circumstances,  and  all  within  half  a mile  of  the 
railroad.  The  fall  of  Winnipiseogee  River,  from 
Great  Bay  through  this  town,  is  some  one  hundred 


8S0 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


and  forty  feet,  and  the  whole  fall  of  the  river  two 
hundred  feet. 

Statistical. — The  census  of  the  town  in  1870  was 
1147 ; in  1880, 1282,  and  by  reference  to  the  Governor 
and  other  votes  the  voting  population  will  be  found. 
The  selectmen’s  valuation  in  1876  was  $635,008. 

Following  is  the  selectmen’s  inventory  made  in  the 
spring  of  1885  : 

Number  of  polls,  330,  $33,000;  horses,  197,  $13,000; 
land  and  buildings  (6585  acres),  $394,930;  oxen,  56, 
$2795 ; cows,  277,  $7421 ; other  meat  stock,  140,  $2259; 
sheep,  220,  $657 ; hogs  taxable,  16,  $102;  carriages,  61, 
$4455;  stock  in  public  funds,  $6200;  money,  $290.80; 
stock  in  trade,  $48,005;  mills,  $48,790 ; total  valua- 
tion, $608,004  ; total  taxes,  including  highway, 
$9158.39;  rate  per  cent,  on  all,  $1.50;  on  each,  $1.00; 
poll-tax,  $1.13. 

The  assets  of  the  town  March  1,  1885,  $6886.88, 
leaving  a net  indebtedness  of  $12,324.11. 

Water. — At  the  northeast  portion  of  the  town  is  a 
small  portion  of  Lake  Winnisquam,  or,  as  it  was 
called  in  old  times,  Great  Bay.  Continuing  south  is 
the  Sanbornton  or  Middle  Bay,  some  two  miles  in 
length  and  three-fourths  of  a mile  in  width,  whose 
waters  flow  into  Little  Bay,  constituting  the  third  of 
these  bays,  which  are  most  picturesque  and  beautiful 
bodies  of  water,  affording  boating  and  fishing,  and 
many  are  the  pleasures  enjoyed  on  their  cool,  clear 
waters  in  the  summer,  while  in  the  winter  they  are 
famous  resorts  for  the  fishermen,  who,  fishing  through  1 
the  ice,  generally  meet  with  good  success.  The 
southern  shores  of  the  town  are  washed  by  the  I 
Winnipesaugee  River,  whose  falls  afford  water-power 
for  many  and  varied  industries. 

Bamford,  Gulf,  Hunt,  Packer  and  Meadow  Brooks 
are  the  principal  small  streams  of  water. 

The  surface  is  generally  uneven,  being  diversified 
with  hills  and  valleys.  Some  of  the  hills  are  quite 
elevations,  but  most  of  them  can  be  cultivated  to 
their  summits.  The  soil  throughout  the  town  is  very 
good,  and  produces  all  the  crops  cultivated  in  this 
climate. 

Villages. — The  business  portion  of  the  town  is  at 
Tilton,  formerly  known  as  Sanbornton  Bridge,  situ- 
ated on  the  Winnipesaugee  River,  where  it  forms  the  j 
boundary  line  between  this  town  and  Northfield,  i 
the  business  portion  of  Northfield  being  situated  on 
the  southern  side  of  the  river,  in  Merrimack  County. 
Their  manufacturing  interests,  post-office,  Fire  Pre- 
cinct and  village  improvement  societies  being  in 
common,  both  villages  are  known  as  Tilton;  the 
post-office  of  Northfield  proper  being  at  the  depot, 
four  miles  from  Tilton.  The  villages  are  connected 
by  two  elegant  iron  bridges,  completed  in  the  spring 
of  1882,  at  a cost  to  both  towns  of  $5500,  the  upper  I 
one  costing  $3250,  of  which  Mr.  Charles  E.  Tilton 
paid  $500,  the  sum  being  equally  divided  between 
the  towns.  The  upper  bridge  is  much  more  elabo- 
rate and  ornamental,  with  high  arching  truss. 


In  addition  to  the  manufacturing  industries  there 
are  twenty-two  stores,  seven  halls,  three  churches, 
one  hotel,  two  hay  stables,  one  steam  laundry,  an 
elegant  brick  building  containing  the  post-office, 
town-hall,  town  offices  and  one  store  and  bank. 

The  villages  are  united  in  what  is  known  as  the 

Fire  Precinct,  which  was  formed  in  1867,  the  fire 
apparatus  consisting  of  two  hand-engines  ; the  large 
one  having  eight-inch  cylinder,  and  requiring  fifty 
men  to  properly  operate,  and  throwing  a stream  one 
hundred  and  sixty  feet.  The  small  is  the  most  efficient. 
Both  tubs  are  kept  in  good  condition.  They  have 
fifteen  hundred  feet  of  hose,  and  with  the  mill- 
pumps  answer  all  ordinary  requirements. 

The  village  has  extensively  suffered  from  fires, — 
first,  when  it  was  part  of  Sanbornton  in  1838 ; again, 
the  7th  of  November,  1863;  and  the  most  destructive 
fire  which  has  occurred  in  the  town  took  place  on 
the  27th  of  May,  1875,  involving  a loss  of  sixty 
thousand  dollars,  for  an  account  of  which  the  reader 
is  referred  to  the  Laconia  Democrat,  June  3,  1875. 

Village  Improvement  Association  was  formed 
at  the  time  Rev.  Lucius  Waterman  was  pastor  of  the 
Episcopal  Church  (1879-81),  he  being  the  prime 
mover  in  forming  the  association  which  has  done 
much  towards  beautifying  the  place;  principally 
through  their  efforts,  some  two  miles  of  concrete  walk 
has  been  laid,  street-lamps  added  and  other  improve- 
ments made. 

East  Tilton  Village,  situated  four  miles  east  of 
Tilton,  on  the  railroad,  is  a thriving  hamlet,  contain- 
ing two  stores,  owned  respectively  by  Chase  Rollins 
and  William  C.  Mudgett ; the  former  is  postmaster; 
both  keep  good  stock  of  such  goods  as  are  usually 
found  in  country  stores.  Here  are  two  churches, 
school-house  and  twenty-five  or  thirty  dwellings. 
Byron  W.  Brown  has  a large  saw-mill,  with  a capacity 
of  getting  out  twelve  thousand  feet  of  lumber  a 
day,  in  addition  he  has  a shingle-mill ; also  a grist- 
mill with  three  run  of  stones, one  set  of  which  is  used 
for  flour,  and  employs  twelve  men. 

Tin  Corner,  once  a thriving  hamlet,  containing  a 
hotel,  store,  blacksmith,  shoe-making,  house-joiner 
and  cabinet-maker  shops  and  a large  tin-ware  estab- 
lishment. All  have  succumbed  to  the  inevitable 
and  nothing  hut  farming  is  left. 

Religious  Societies. — The  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  of  Northfield  and  Tilton  is  the  oldest 
and  contains  the  largest  number  of  communicants. 
The  church  was  formed  on  the  Northfield  side  of  the 
river  in  1806,  where  it  continued  till  the  4th  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1857,  at  which  time  the  present  church,  on 
this  side  of  the  river,  was  dedicated.  The  house  con- 
tains a large  vestry  and  committee-rooms  with  modern 
improvement.  In  1880  the  building  was  thoroughly 
repaired,  the  old  tower  was  taken  down  and  the 
present  one  erected.  At  the  completion  of  Rev. 
Nathan  P.  Philbrook’s  pastorate  there  were  two  "hun- 
dred and  fifteen  members  and  thirty-nine  on  probation. 


TILTON. 


881 


The  following  have  been  the  pastors  since  the  in- 
corporation of  the  town  : Rev.  Charles  W.  Millen, 

1870-71;  Rev.  William  H.  Jones,  1872-73;  Rev. 
Lewis  P.  Cushman,  1874 ; Rev.  John  W.  Adams, 
1875-76 ; Rev.  Silas  E.  Quimby,  1877-78  ; Rev.  Nelson 
M.  Bailey,  1879-80;  Rev.  Nathan  P.  Philbrook, 
1881—83 ; Rev.  Charles  S.  Nutter,  to  present  time. 

The  Congregational  Church  of  Northfield 
and  Tilton  was  organized  in  the  former  town  July 
18,  1822,  and  has  continued  an  active  and  successful 
church.  The  present  building  was  erected  (in  this 
town)  in  1837.  In  1869-70  the  house  was  elevated, 
a vestry  and  pastor’s  rooms  placed  underneath  the 
church  and  the  whole  building  thoroughly  repaired. 
In  1881  the  old  pews  were  removed,  modern  ones 
added,  the  floor  leveled,  an  addition  built  at  the  rear 
for  the  organ,  which  was  built  over,  and  gas  added, 
the  whole  expense  amounting  to  six  thousand  dollars. 

Rev.  Corban  Curtice  was  pastor  at  the  time  of 
incorporating  the  town,  continuing  until  the  follow- 
ing year;  succeeded  by  Rev.  Theodore  C.  Pratt, 
1870-75;  Rev.  Frederick  T.  Perkins,  1875-83;  Rev. 
C.  B.  Strong,  July  1,  1884,  to  May  3,  1885  ; Rev.  C.  C. 
Sampson,  May  11,  1885. 

Trinity  Parish  (Episcopal)  Church  of  Til- 
ton was  organized  by  Dr.  James  H.  Eames,  of 
Concord,  in  the  fall  of  1860,  securing  the  temporary 
services  of  Rev.  B.  Colburn,  who  officiated  some  three 
or  four  months.  The  society  purchased  the  brick 
edifice  formerly  occupied  by  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  on  the  Northfield  side  of  the  river,  put  the 
same  in  thorough  repair  at  a total  expense  of  some 
three  thousand  dollars,  which  was  duly  consecrated 
on  the  1st  of  October,  1861,  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Carlton 
C.  Chase,  bishop  of  the  diocese. 

The  Rev.  Marcellus  A.  Herrick,  D.D.,  however,  is 
regarded  as  the  founder  of  the  church,  he  removing 
to  Northfield,  and  for  fifteen  years  was  most  effective 
and  unwearied  in  promoting  the  interests  of  his 
parish. 

Dr.  Herrick  took  charge  of  the  parish  as  rector  on 
the  15th  of  February,  1861,  and  continued  until  his 
death,  October  31,  1875.  When  he  settled  here  the 
church  had  but  a single  communicant  within  the 
limits  of  the  parish.  April  1,  1861,  the  first  regular 
parish-meeting  was  held  and  church  officers  elected. 
In  1872  the  foundation  of  their  new  house  of  worship 
was  laid  in  Tilton,  It  was  tastefully  and  substan- 
tially built  of  brick,  and  on  Easter  Sunday,  April 
13,  1873,  services  were  held  in  it  for  the  first  time. 
The  house  was  consecrated  May  25, 1875,  by  Rt.  Rev. 
William  W.  Niles,  bishop  of  the  diocese  of  New 
Hampshire.  The  whole  cost  of  the  lot,  building, 
organ  and  other  furniture  was  about  fifteen  thousand 
dollars.  Mrs.  Dr.  Eames,  of  Concord,  presented  the 
chancel  window.  On  the  left  is  a large  painting 
from  Richelieu  done  at  Rome,  representing  Christ 
delivering  the  keys  to  Saint  Peter  with  the  injunction : 
“ Feed  my  Sheep.” 


The  building  is  forty-two  by  sixty-two,  with  a large 
tower  at  the  northwest  corner,  and  is  a most  beau- 
tiful structure. 

After  the  death  of  Dr.  Herrick,  Rev.  Frank  S.  Har- 
raden  was  rector  for  one  year  from  the  spring  of  1876 ; 
Rev.  Henry  H.  Haynes  rector  for  one  and  a half 
years  (1777-79);  Rev.  Lucius  Waterman  (1879-81), 
Rev.  Frederick  C.  Cowper  acting  as  assistant  during 
the  time  Mr.  Waterman  was  in  Europe  (1881).  Rev. 
Isaac  Peck  rector  over  a year  closing  his  services  in 
October  1885. 

Free-Will  Baptist  Church  at  East  Tilton 
was  organized  March  27,  1827.  In  June,  1834,  they 
built  a house  of  worship,  forty-eight  by  forty,  thir- 
teen feet  post,  costing  $835.73.  In  1861  the  building 
was  turned  round  and  remodeled  at  an  expense  of 
nine  hundred  dollars.  In  1876  the  building  was 
again  repaired  and  put  in  good  condition. 

The  following  had  been  the  pastors  since  incorpo- 
ration : 

Rev.  Gilman  Sanborn,  September  1,  1869,  till  June, 
1870 ; Rev.  Otis  F.  Russell,  June,  1870,  to  May,  1871 ; 
Rev.  E.  Preston  Moulton,  May,  1871,  to  May  4,  1872  ; 
Rev.  Mr.  Walker  resided  at  Laconia  and  occupied  the 
pulpit  nearly  one  year ; Rev.  John  G.  Munsey,  May, 
1873,  till  February  20,  1878;  Rev.  J.  Herbert  Yeo- 
man, from  June  1, 1878,  two  years  ; Rev.  William  H. 
Yeoman,  1880  till  March,  1884;  Rev.  John  G.  Mun- 
sey, the  present  incumbent. 

Methodist  Church  at  East  Tilton  was  built 
previous  to  1835  and  thoroughly  repaired  in  1879,  and 
since  the  incorporation  of  the  town  nine  pastors 
have  most  acceptable  filled  the  ministerial  positions 
with  their  people. 

Educational — New  Hampshire  Conference 
Seminary  and  Female  College. — Situated  on 
Academy  Hill,  just  north  of  the  village  and  facing 
the  south,  overlooking  the  village,  the  valley  of  the 
Winnipiseogee  River  and  a panorama  of  mountains 
and  quiet  valleys,  is  situated  the  above  seminary, 
composed  of  three  buildings ; the  central  is  sur- 
mounted by  a cupola.  It  contains  the  president’s 
office,  chapel,  reading-room  and  well-furnished  reci- 
tation-rooms on  the  two  lower  stories,  and  a spacious 
hall  in  the  upper  story.  Three  rods  from  either  ex- 
tremity of  this  main  building  are  two  other  three- 
story  buildings,  that  on  the  west  being  the  ladies’ 
boarding-house,  that  on  the  east  being  devoted  to 
male  teachers  and  students.  These  buildings  are  of 
brick,  and  during  the  summer  of  1886  extensive 
alterations  will  be  made,  which  will  unite  the  three 
buildings  in  one,  and  the  central  will  have  a large 
clock  placed  in  the  tower. 

During  the  year  1845  the  first  seminary  building 
was  erected  on  the  Northfield  side  of  the  river,  on 
the  site  now  occupied  by  Miss  Hannah  Houghton. 

The  building  was  of  brick  and  was  unpretending 
in  appearance.  In  1857  the  building  was  found 
inadaquate,  and  in  August  of  that  year  a commodious 


882 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


and  substantial  edifice  was  dedicated,  where,  under 
one  roof,  the  faculty  and  students  found  a pleasant 
home. 

On  the  night  of  November  7,  1862,  the  structure 
was  destroyed  by  fire  and  the  school  left  homeless. 
“ The  old  .-ite  was  abandoned  and  the  present  and 
more  desirable  location  adopted.  During  the  darkest 
days  of  the  Rebellion  the  buildings  were  completed 
and  consecrated  (August  24, 1864)  to  their  noble  work 
— the  education  of  the  young.  Although  under  control 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  the  school  is  by 
no  means  sectarian.  It  has  ever  enjoyed  a liberal 
patronage  from  Christian  parents  of  every  denomina- 
tion.” 1 Among  its  graduates  are  found  ten  eminent 
lawyers,  two  members  of  Congress  and  one  New 
Hampshire  State  officer,  a number  of  successful 
business  men,  at  least  ten  prominent  clergymen, 
one  distinguished  theological  author,  four  physicians 
and  ten  professors.  All  branches  of  education  are 
taught,  including  mu.-ic,  art,  language  and  scientific 
course.  The  insiiiution  was  under  the  management 
of  Rev.  Silas  E.  Quimby,  A.M.,  until  1885,  to  whom 
much  credit  is  due  for  the  successful  and  able  man- 
ner in  which  the  institution  is  conducted.  Rev.  D. 
C.  Knowles,  A.M.,  became  president  succeeding  Rev. 
Mr.  Quimby,  and  is  bringing  the  school  to  a higher 
grade. 

Union  School  District,  No.  1,  was  formed  out 
of  Districts  Nos.  2 and  28  (old  districts  in  Sanborn- 
ton),  in  Tilton,  and  District  No.  10,  in  Northfield ; 
the  first  officers  being  appointed  by  the  selectmen 
April  16,  1872,  consisting  of  W.  Balcom,  of  North- 
field,  Adam  S.  Ballantyne,  Charles  B.  Garmon  and 
Samuel  J.  Tilton,  prudential  committee.  There  be- 
ing a question  of  the  legality  of  this  union,  a special 
act  of  the  General  Court  was  granted.  Pending  the 
granting  of  this  act,  a meeting  was  held,  May  28, 

1872,  at  the  school-house  in  No.  28  (which  stood  on 
what  is  now  the  Park,  owned  by  Mrs.  A.  H.  Tilton,  at 
the  west  part  of  the  village, — the  school-house  being 
subsequently  sold,  moved  west  of  its  old  location  and 
fitted  for  a dwelling-house),  and  Charles  T.  Hill 
elected  clerk  pro  tern.  The  action  of  this  meeting 
was  that  Messrs.  W.  S.  Clark,  Charles  C.  Rogers  and 
Franklin  J.  Eastman  were  chosen  a building  com- 
mittee to  select  the  site,  put  in  the  foundation  and 
superintend  the  erection  of  the  school-house.  The 
plan  of  Mr.  Arthur  Smyth  for  a building  costing 
four  thousand  four  hundred  dollars  was  accepted, 
and  a sum  of  money  not  exceeding  five  thousand  dol- 
lars was  voted  to  purchase  land  and  erect  the  build- 
ings, three  thousand  dollars  being  raised  by  taxation 
and  the  balance  being  borrowed  at  a low  rate  of  in- 
terest. One-half  acre  of  land  was  given  by  Mr. 
Franklin  J.  Eastman  on  the  Northfield  side  of  the 
river,  and  the  present  building  erected.  In  March, 

1873,  the  building  committee  reported  the  cost  of  the 


building,  $4947.35,  and  the  entire  cost,  including 
wells,  pumps,  etc.,  at  $5130.73. 

After  the  act  of  incorporation  was  granted,  the 
citizens  met,  September  4,  1872,  and  chose  a Board  of 
Education,  as  follows:  Rev.  Marcellus  A.  Herrick, 
Rev.  Theodore  C.  Pratt  and  Rev.  John  B.  Robinson. 

The  check-list  was  first  used  at  the  annual  meeting 
in  1883.  Three  schools  are  kept  in  the  bnilding, 
consisting  of  primary,  intermediate  and  grammar 
departments,  and  the  schools  are  fully  up  to  the 
standard.  The  district  schools  consist  of  five  in  num- 
ber, situated  as  follows:  No.  1,  at  Tin  Corner  (it  was 
the  first  school  district  in  the  old  town  of  Sanborn- 
ton) ; No.  2,  on  the  Sanborn  road  ; No.  3,  at  East  Til- 
ton village  ; No.  4,  above  Tilton  village ; No.  5,  above 
East-  Tilton,  and  known  as  the  Rollins  District.  With 
the  exception  of  the  graded  school,  no  new  buildings 
have  been  erected,  but  all  are  in  thorough  repair  and 
conveniently  situated.  The  average  length  of  the 
school  term  is  not  far  from  thirty-six  weeks  a year. 

Mills. — Tilton  Mills. — In  1828,  Nathaniel  Holmes 
removed  here  from  Meredith,  and  built  the  first  cot- 
ton-mill for  making  yarn  and  warp  on  the  site  of  the 
present  Tilton  Mills.  The  mill  was  forty  by  fifty  feet, 
and  did  much  towards  giving  Tilton  its  prosperity. 

“ In  1859,  Colonel  A.  H.  Tilton  put  two  sets  of  wool- 
en machinery  into  this  mill  and  started  on  cassimeres; 
he  invented  and  made  the  all-wool  goods  known  as 
Tweeds.  The  mill  property,  embracing  seventy-five 
acres,  and  extending  one-third  of  a mile  down  the  river, 
controls  an  immense  water-power,  with  twelve  feet 
fall  at  the  mills,  fifteen  feet  fall  forty-four  rods  farther 
down  and  twenty-three  feet  fall  forty-four  rods  below 
the  last.”2  Colonel  Tilton  was  soon  obliged  to  en- 
large the  mill,  and  in  1865  doubled  its  capacity. 

The  mill  property  consists  of  the  main  building, 
dye-house,  picker-house,  sorting,  dye,  finishing  and 
waste-houses  as  separate  buildings.  “The  Tilton 
tweeds”  have  attained  a wide  celebrity,  and  for  years 
were  manufactured  exclusively,  but  as  times  changed 
and  the  market  required,  meltons  have  been  gradually 
added,  and  up  to  the  present  time  the  mills  have  made 
fifty-five  styles  of  goods.  All  the  narrow  looms  have 
given  place  to  the  broad  looms,  of  which  there  are 
twenty.  The  mill  is  equipped  with  four  sets  of  woolen 
machinery.  There  has  recently  been  added  one  new  set 
of  cards,  a hydro-extractor,  BrammePs  self-feeders 
and  a rotary  fulling-mill,  a Bigelow  steam  boiler  of 
sixty-four  horse-power,  a new  Rodney  & Hunt  tur- 
bine water-wheel,  a new  dye-house,  and  the  capacity 
of  the  finishing-room  has  been  doubled.  They  give 
employment  to  seventy-five  hands,  with  a monthly 
pay-roll  of  two  thousand  dollars,  and  manufacture 
three  thousand  six  hundred  yards  of  cloth  per  month. 

Bailey,  or  Winnisquam,  Cotton  Mill  was  built 
in  1868  by  R.  M.  Bailey,  and  now  owned  by  the  New 
Hampshire  Manufacturing  Company  (Dexter,  Abbott 


1 Granite  Monthly /,  July,  1880. 


2 Runnels’  '‘History  of  Sanbornton,”  vol.  i.  p.  221. 


TILTON. 


883 


& Co.,  Boston).  The  factory  is  of  wood,  one  hundred 
and  sixty  by  fifty-eight  feet,  three  stories  in 
height,  with  basement.  Mr.  Charles  T.  Almv  was  the 
last  lessee,  manufacturing  cotton  yarns  and  silesias 
or  fine  sheetings,  operating  seven  thousand  three  hun- 
dred spiudles,  and  employed  fifty  hands.  The  mill 
has  remained  vacant  since  Mr.  Almy  vacated  it,  the 
1st  of  January,  1884. 

In  the  fall  of  1885  this  mill  was  sold  to  J.  A.  & 
A.  J.  Pillsbury,  under  the  firm-name  of  Pillsbury 
Brothers,  shoe  manufacturers  of  Northwood,  who  are 
remodeling  the  mill  preparatory  to  occupying  the 
whole  as  a shoe  manufactory. 

Lord  Brothers’  Manufacturing  Company. — 
In  1877,  Messrs.  J.  S.  Towle  and  Albert  C.  Lord,  un- 
der the  firm-name  of  Towle  & Lord,  began  the  manu- 
facture of  eye-glasses  in  one  end  of  Hazen  Copp’s 
woolen-mill,  giving  employment  to  four  hands.  As 
they  grew  in  experience  and  perfected  their  machin- 
ery so  the  demand  for  their  goods  increased  and  more 
room  was  required.  November  22,  1877,  Mr.  Towle 
sold  out  to  George  W.  Lord,  and  the  firm-name  con- 
tinues as  above,  Mr.  Towle  still  continuing  in  their 
employ.  In  the  summer  of  1878  the  brothers  erected 
their  present  thoroughly-constructed  building  for 
their  steam  factory,  situated  on  Main  Street,  op- 
posite the  depot.  The  building  is  thirty-two  feet 
front,  eighty  feet  long,  having  two  high-posted  stories 
and  basement,  and  costing  some  ten  thousand  dollars. 
Since  then  they  have  added  a wing  twenty  by  forty- 
two  feet  and  two  stories  high.  They  removed  to  this 
building  thelst  of  January,  1879.  They  employ  from 
thirty-five  to  forty  workmen,  and  do  an  annual  bus- 
iness of  from  fifty  thousand  to  sixty-five  thousand  dol- 
lars, having  the  largest  special  factory  in  the  United 
States.  Their  specialty  is  eye-glasses,  from  the  com- 
mon to  the  best  French  pebble,  and  a patented  metal- 
lic spectacle-case.  Although  not  making  bows  for 
spectacles,  yet  they  do  considerable  in  setting  the 
lenses.  Mr.  Albert  Lord  has  just  patented  an  adjust- 
able nose-piece  for  eye-glasses,  which  grips  the  sides 
of  the  nose  without  causing  any  undue  pressure,  and 
will  not  slip  from  the  nose  during  movements  of  the 
nasal  muscles. 

In  addition  to  their  factory,  they  have  a large 
wholesale  and  retail  jewelry -store  and  large  drug- 
store. 

Tilton  Machine-Shop —Benjamin  C.  Stevens, 
proprietor,  established  himself  in  Franklin  in  1872, 
and  in  December,  1882,  removed  to  Tilton,  occupy- 
ing the  shop  in  the  rear  of  Lord  Brothers’  Manufact- 
uring Company,  and  using  their  steam-power.  The 
proprietor  possesses  considerable  inventive  skill,  and 
makes  a specialty  of  drafting  and  making  difficult 
machinery  for  special  work.  He  has  originated  very 
complicated  labor-saving  machinery,  and,  as  it  was 
for  special  purposes,  it  has  never  been  patented.  He 
employs  five  hands,  and  does  all  kinds  of  iron  repair- 
work. 


Copp  Grist-Mill. — On  the  site  now  occupied  by 
this  mill  was  erected  the  first  manufacturing  industry 
at  Saubornton  Bridge, — i.  e.,  Tilton,  proper.  It  was 
a trip-hammer,  scythe-shop  and  grist-mill,  conducted 
by  Tilton  & Smith,  and  erected  as  early  as  1788. 
Benjamin  Smith  is  said  to  have  built  the  first  house 
in  what  is  now  Tilton  village. 

In  1872,  Mr.  Hazen  Copp  built  the  present,  thirty- 
five  by  sixty,  two-story  grist-mill,  fitted  it  with 
modern  improvements,  four  run  of  stones,  a flour-mill 
and  two  bolting-machines,  and  at  present  conducts 
the  business.  In  1877  Mr.  Copp  built  the  mill  just 
below,  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Arthur  M.  Dodge  as  a 
hosiery  manufactory.  The  mill  is  thirty-five  by 
sixty,  three  stories  in  height,  the  machinery  in 
both  mills  being  run  by  the  same  fall  of  water.  The 
estimated  value  of  both  mills  is  fifteen  thousand 
dollars. 

Dodge’s  Mill. — Late  in  the  fall  of  1884,  Mr. 
Arthur  M.  Dodge,  of  Franklin,  leased  the  old  Colvin 
Mill,  owned  by  Hazen  Copp,  and  put  in  one  set  of 
cards,  and  began  the  manufacture  of  all-wool  Shaker 
hose,  weighing  two  pounds,  four  ounces  per  dozen. 
He  has  twenty  one  knitting-machines,  ten  of  which 
knit  the  hose  entire.  The  mill  started  up  January  1, 
1885;  employs  twenty-eight  operatives,  with  a 
monthly  pay  roll  of  seven  hundred  dollars. 

Societies. — Doric  Lodge,  No.  78,  A.  F.  and  A.  M., 
organized  July  2,  1866,  and  consists  of  eighty-eight 
members.  Past  Masters:  Adam  S.  Ballantyne,  John 
Fletcher,  Frank  L.  Mason,  John  F.  Eastman,  Samuel 
Condon,  Jr.,  Daniel  W.  Page,  Selwin  B.  Peabody, 
Charles  R.  Gould,  James  L.  Mowe. 

Harmony  Lodge,  No.  65,  I.  O.  0.  F.,  was  insti- 
tuted April  13,  1881.  Charter  members  are  as  fol- 
lows: Sidney  E.  Smith,  Enoch  G.  Clark,  Leroy  S. 
Atkinson,  Albert  A.  Adams,  John  W.  Watts,  Frank 
W.  Hurlburt,  Otis  C.  Hurlburt,  Frank  W.  Fletcher, 
Albert  C.  Muzzey,  Enos  H.  Johnson,  A.  G.  Arnold 
and  Frederick  A.  Clement. 

Following  is  the  list  of  the  first  officers:  G.  E. 
Smith,  N.  G. ; E.  G.  Clark,  V.  G. ; L.  S.  Atkinson, 
Sec. ; A.  A.  Adams,  Treas. ; J.  M.  Watts,  W. ; F.  W. 
Hurlburt,  C. ; A.  C.  Muzzey,  N.  G.  R.  S. ; T.  W. 
Long,  N.  G.  L.  S- ; F.  W.  Fletcher,  V.  G.  R.  S. ; E. 
C.  Healy,  V.  G.  L.  S. ; A.  Arnold,  R.  S.  S. ; F.  A. 
Clement,  L.  S.  S. ; E.  H.  Johnson,  I.  G. ; 0.  C.  Hurl- 
burt, O.  G. ; M.  C.  Abbott,  Chap. 

Knights  of  Honor,  No.  928,  was  instituted  in 
this  place  February  7,  1878.  They  have  a fine  hall 
and  reception-rooms  adjoining.  The  floors  are  laid 
with  birch,  the  other  wood-work  is  ash,  the  ceiling  is 
handsomely  frescoed  and  the  furniture  is  modern. 
There  are  forty  members,  and  but  six  deaths  have 
occurred  since  their  organization. 

Crescent  Lodge,  No.  451,  Knights  and  Ladies 
of  Honor,  like  the  former,  is  a charitable  organiza- 
tion, consisting  of  ladies  and  gentlemen,  this  lodge 
having  a third  more  of  the  former  than  of  the  latter 


00 


884 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


members.  The  lodge  was  organized  in  August,  1883, 
and  has  forty-four  members. 

Minnehaha  Division,  No.  8,  Sons  of  Temper- 
ance, was  organized  April  23,  1883,  with  twelve 
charter  members.  The  lodge  has  steadily  increased 
in  numbers  and  influence,  and  most  of  the  young 
people  are  members  and  constant  attendants.  They 
have  a fine  hall  in  Hill’s  Block. 

Independent  Order  of  Good  Templars,  un- 
der the  name  of  Tilton,  No.  52,  was  formed  August  7, 
1885.  The  organization  has  some  forty  members, 
meets  weekly  and  is  in  a flourishing  condition. 

Women’s  Christian  Temperance  Union.— Or- 
ganized in  March  1863,  has  a large  number  of  mem- 
bers, and  is  in  a flourishing  condition. 

The  Tilton  Cornet  Band  was  organized  in  June, 
1880,  consisting  of  twenty  pieces,  and  finely  uni- 
formed. W.  P.  Long  is  president ; T.  J.  Davis,  treas- 
urer; Nathan  S.  Cheaver,  secretary;  and  Frederick 
Clement,  director. 

Post  No.  62,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic, 
was  organized  on  the  6th  of  October,  1881,  with  twelve 
charter  members,  and  named  “Adams  K.  Tilton,” 
in  honor  of  that  gentleman,  who  was  born  in  that 
part  of  Sanbornton  now  included  in  Tilton,  Feb- 
ruary 21,  1833;  son  of  John  A.  and  Clarissa  (Kimball) 
Tilton;  grandson  of  Jacob,  and  great-grandson  of 
Nathaniel  and  Abigail  (Gilman)  Tilton. 

Mr.  Tilton  resided  in  his  native  town  until  1853, 
when  he  removed  to  Pawtucket,  R.  I.,  and  followed 
his  trade,  that  of  a sash,  door  and  blind-maker ; 
married  Miss  Ellen  Elizabeth  Arnold  in  May,  1864, 
at  that  time  being  a soldier.  He  first  enlisted  in  the 
First  Rhode  Island  Regiment  in  1861,  and  was  after- 
wards captain  of  one  of  the  companies  in  the  Sixth 
New  Hampshire  Infantry.  He  was  instantly  killed 
by  a shot  which  penetrated  the  brain  just  over  the  eye, 
in  an  action  at  Poplar  Grove  Church,  Va.,  Sep- 
tember 30,  1864. 

The  organization  has  had  thirty-six  members,  and 
at  present  has  twenty-nine.  When  first  organized 
they  met  in  Knights  of  Honor  Hall,  then  in  the  North- 
field  town  hall,  and  May  11,  1882  removed  to  their 
present  hall  in  Hill’s  Block. 

Following  is  the  list  of  the  first  officers  chosen,  and 
the  “ Roster  ” at  this  time  (1885) : 

First  officers  : Commander,  George  E.  Dow ; S.  V. 
C.,  Leander  H.  Irving;  J.  V.  C.,  L.  D.  Miller;  Chap- 
lain, Otis  C.  Wyatt ; Surgeon,  A.  A.  Moulton,  M.D. ; 
Officer  of  the  Day,  T.  K.  Bean  ; Officer  of  the  Guard, 
C.  H.  Davis  ; Quartermaster,  S.  A.  Clark;  Adjutant, 
Charles  W.  Tilton ; Sergeant-Major,  Charles  W. 
Davenport ; Quartermaster-Sergeant,  Francis  Schiatt. 

Present  officers : Commander,  Charles  W.  Tilton; 
S.  V.  C.,  William  II.  Tripp;  J.  V.  C.,  Charles 
H.  Davis ; Chaplain,  Otis  C.  Wyatt ; Surgeon,  A. 
A.  Moulton,  M.D. ; Officer  of  the  Day,  Leander 
Irving;  Officer  of  the  Guard,  Francis  Schiatt; 
Quartermaster,  John  Haslom ; Adjutant,  George  E. 


Dow;  Sergeant-Major,  Lorenzo  D.  Miller;  Quarter- 
master Sergeant,  Edgar  A.  Porter. 

Banks. — The  charter  of  the  original  State  Bank  of 
Sanbornton  Bridge,  known  as  the  “Citizens’  Bank,” 
was  granted  in  June,  1853.  The  first  meeting  was 
held  the  3rd  of  the  following  August.  Asa  P.  Cate 
chosen  president,  and  Charles  Minot,  of  Concord, 
cashier;  Samuel  Tilton,  Thomas  Chase,  Benjamin 
Hill,  Isaac  Whittier,  John  Kenniston  and  Woodbury 
Melcher,  directors.  These  gentlemen  were  men  of 
influence,  of  more  than  ordinary  mental  capacity 
and  universally  respected  for  business  capacity.  The 
capital  stock  was  fifty  thousand  dollars.  Mr.  Minot 
owned  the  present  house  of  William  T.  Cass,  and  the 
business  was  started  in  the  room  now  occupied  for 
that  purpose.  In  1855,  Mr.  Cass  bought  the  property, 
and  succeeded  Mr.  Minot  as  cashier.  As  time  passed 
on,  considerable  feeling  and  disagreement  arose  in 
the  minds  of  the  stockholders  and  officers  in  chang- 
ing its  character  from  State  to  a National  Bank.  At  a 
meeting  of  the  officers  of  the  bank,  held  February  20, 
1865,  Woodbury  Melcher  made  a motion  that  the 
bank  be  changed  to  a National,  and,  on  a vote  being 
taken,  Messrs.  Austin  F.  Pike,  Eleazer  Davis,  Robert 
Gray  and  Woodbury  Melcher  voted  in  the  affirma- 
tive, and  Asa  P.  Cate  in  the  negative.  Agreeable  to 
this  vote,  a national  charter  was  obtained,  and  it  was 
intended  to  have  the  capital  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars,  but,  through  delay,  it  only  reached  seventy 
thousand  dollars.  It  became  known  as  the  Citizens’ 
National  Bank  of  Tilton. 

The  first  meeting,  after  obtaining  their  second  char- 
ter, was  held  May  25,  1865,  and  consisted  of  the  fol- 
lowing directors : Asa  P.  Cate,  Austin  F.  Pike,  Wood- 
bury Melcher,  Eleazer  Davis,  John  Kenniston,  Rob- 
ert Gray  and  E.  S.  Wadleigh.  Mr.  Cate  was  chosen 
president,  and  William  T.  Cass  cashier.  From  the 
time  the  bank  was  started,  in  1853,  to  the  present 
time  (1885),  the  average  semi-annual  dividend  has 
been  4i%  per  cent.  The  charter  has  recently  been 
extended  to  March  20,  1905. 

Iona  Savings-Bank,  organized  in  1870,  with  per- 
petual charter.  The  first  meeting  was  held  July  30th, 
with  the  following  directors : Asa  P.  Cate,  Benjamin 
F.  Cofran,  Eleazer  Davis,  J.  Frank  Taylor,  Addison 
B.  Wyatt,  John  Kenniston,  A.  H.  Tilton,  Milton 
Gerrish  and  B.  T.  Brown.  A.  P.  Cate  was  chosen 
president,  and  William  T.  Cass  treasurer. 

Eleazer  Davis  made  the  first  deposit  of  one  thou- 
sand dollars,  and  Arthur  T.  Cass  made  the  second. 
The  former  has  been  withdrawn.  For  a number  of 
years  the  dividends  have  amounted  to  five  per  cent. 

From  the  bank  commissioners’  report  of  1884  we 
gather  the  following  facts : A.  S.  Ballantyne,  presi- 
dent; William  T.  Cass,  treasurer.  Amount  due  de- 
positors, $270,388.10;  guaranty  fund,  $4300 ; surplus, 
$7484.01 ; net  earnings  for  the  year  1883,  $14,372.96; 
expenses  for  the  year  1883,  $896.95. 

Physicians  and  Lawyers. — The  following  sketches 


TILTON. 


885 


are  from  Rev.  Mr.  Runnels’  “ History  of  Sanborn- 
ton  ” (vol.  i.,  pp.  239-240) : 

Dr.  Byley  Lyford  (1857)  was  the  son  of  Jere- 
miah and  Naomi  (Dickey)  Lyford,  and  was  born  June 
25,  1822,  in  Stanstead,  C.  E.  He  attended  school  in 
Newbury,  this  State,  studied  his  profession  in  Camp- 
ton,  and  graduated  at  the  Dartmouth  Medical  College, 
Hanover,  in  1849.  Having  practiced  one  year  in 
Campton,  three  years  in  Hillsborough  and  four  years 
in  Nashua,  he  became  established  at  the  Bridge 
(Tilton),  in  this  town,  in  the  eighth  year  after  his 
graduation,  and  here  for  eighteen  years  continued  in 
practice  till  his  sudden  death,  January  23,  1875.  . . . 
He  was  highly  prized  in  this  and  the  adjoining  towns 
for  his  medical  skill  and  kindly  sympathy  for  those 
in  distress.  “One  of  the  ablest  physicians  in  New 
Hampshire.”  He  was  married  in  Nashua,  March  6, 
1851,  to  Vashti  P.,  daughter  of  Hon.  Zebadiah  and 
Vashti  Shattuck ; one  child,  Mrs.  George  G.  Trow- 
bridge, resides  in  Chelsea,  Mass. 

Dr.  James  Prescott  Osborne  (18G4)  was  born 
June  3,  1833,  in  Piermont,  being  the  son  of  Cyrus 
and  Sally  C.  (Thresher)  Osborn.  . . . Graduated  at  the 
Dartmouth  Medical  College  in  1855.  He  first  prac- 
ticed at  Felchville,  Vt.,  eight  years.  . . . In  the  fall  of 
1864  he  came  to  Sanbornton  Bridge  (Tilton)  and 
entered  into  partnership  with  Dr.  Lyford  for  three 
years,  from  December  12th,  since  dissolving  which 
(1867)  he  has  maintained  an  extensive  practice  by 
himself  till  the  present.  . . . He  married  Sally  P. 
Stanyan,  of  Wentworth,  March  18,  1855.  One  child, 
Flora  G.,  born  October  6,  1862. 

Dr.  Franklin  L.  Wason  (1870)  resided  on  the 
Sanborn  road,  in  Tilton.  He  had  a successful  prac- 
tice in  his  immediate  neighborhood,  in  other  parts  of 
Tilton  and  the  adjoining  towns.  In  1877  he  relin- 
quished practice  and  removed  to  Meredith  village, 
where  he  has  a drug-store.  He  was  born  in  Freedom 
August  18, 1834.  He  married,  first,  Amanda C.,  daugh- 
ter of  Ebenezer  Colby,  August,  1852,  died  December 
27,  1869;  married,  second,  Mrs.  Carrie  (Philbrick) 
W.  Meeks,  November  28,  1872. 

Dr.  Albert  Alonzo  Moulton  (1874)  was  the 
son  of  Jonathan  and  Mary  (Morse)  Moulton,  and  was 
born  in  Meredith  October  6,  1829;  studied  medicine 
at  Bristol  and  Hanover,  and  graduated  M.D.  at  the 
Dartmouth  Medical  College,  1850.  He  practiced  at 
Meredith  six  years,  and  in  Concord  from  1856  till 
1874,  including  one  year  as  surgeon  in  the  Third 
Regiment  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  by  which 
service  his  health  was  seriously  impaired.  He  has 
practiced  in  Tilton  since  1874  to  the  present.  . . . 
Married  Anna  Maria  Sawyer,  of  Bristol,  May,  1850; 
died  in  Concord  June,  1872.  One  son,  Arthur  C., 
resides  in  Colorado. 

John  J.  Dearborn,  M.D.,  removed  to  Tilton  in 
December,  1884.  (See  “ History  of  Salisbury.”) 

Lawyers.— Hon.  Asa  Piper  Cate  (1840—71 ) was 
a native  of  Northfield,  the  eldest  child  of  Simeon, 


Jr.,  and  Lydia  Durgin,  born  June  1,  1813.  He  read 
law  with  Hon.  G.  W.  Nesmith  at  Franklin,  and  be- 
gan practice  in  his  native  town,  which  he  represented 
in  the  Legislature,  1839-40,  and  at  several  other  times. 
In  1844  he  was  a member  of  the  Senate  and  president 
of  the  same  in  1845,  and  railroad  commissioner  three 
years.  In  1858-60  he  was  the  Democratic  candidate 
for  Governor  of  the  State.  As  president  of  the  Citizens’ 
National  Bank  (which  see)  and  largely  interested  in 
the  Boston, Concord  and  Montreal  and  White  Mountain 
Railroads,  he  rep  resented  the  moneyed  interests  of  the 
place.  July  24, 1871,  he  was  appointed  judge  of  Pro- 
bate for  Merrimack  County,  holding  the  office  until 
near  his  death.  His  law-office  was  in  Judge  Atkin- 
son’s old  office,  which  stood  at  the  south  end  of  Hill’s 
Block.  “He  was  a genial  gentleman  and  enjoyed 
the  confidence  of  his  townsmen  and  acquaintances  to 
a large  degree.  An  adept  in  horticulture  and  a lover 
of  his  well-tilled  acres,  the  homestead  in  Northfield, 
where  for  many  years  he  resided,  was  always  made 
peculiarly  attractive  to  those  who  visited  him.  He 
lived  and  died  a conscientious  Christian,  greatly 
mourned  and  missed  as  a pillar  of  the  Episcopal 
Church  and  Society  in  Northfield  and  Tilton.  He 
died  December  12,  1874,  and  his  funeral  was  attended 
by  nearly  all  the  members  of  the  Belknap  and  Merri- 
mack bars.  He  married  Clara  Proctor,  September  2, 
1840,”  1 three  children  being  born  to  them. 

Charles  C.  Rogers,  Esq.  (1858),  born  at  Broom- 
field, Vt.,  August  19,  1834;  read  law  with  his  cousin, 
Benjamin  A.  Rogers,  Esq.,  at  Tilton,  succeeding  him 
in  practice  in  April,  1858.  He  enjoys  a large  and 
lucrative  practice,  and  has  the  confidence  of  the 
people.  In  June,  1874,  he  was  appointed  county 
solicitor  ; removed  by  address  of  Legislature  in  July, 
1876;  elected  to  the  same  office  in  November,  1878, 
and  re-elected  in  1880. 

Married  August  27,  1860,  Sophia  Currey.  Chil- 
dren: (1)  John  W.,  born  October,  1861,  graduated 
from  Dartmouth  College  in  1883,  resides  at  San 
Antonio,  Texas,  and  is  a professor  of  languages  and 
the  higher  mathematics  in  St.  Mary’s  Hall,  a semi- 
nary for  girls  ; (2)  Carrol  B.,  born  April  28, 1863,  died 
February  27, 1873;  (3)  Arthur,  born  January  25,  1870, 
died  February  26,  1873;  (4)  George  Bell,  born  Sep- 
tember 25,  1874;  (5)  Herberts.,  born  April  29,  1877. 

Francis  R.  Chase,  Esq.  (1866-76),  a native  of 
Gilmanton ; read  law  with  Judge  Dana,  of  Frye- 
burg,  Me.,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  soon  after 
his  marriage,  in  1843,  to  Huldah  P.  Fessenden.  He 
removed  to  Northfield  in  1866,  opening  an  office  in 
Tilton.  He  represented  the  town  of  Northfield  in 
the  Legislature  in  1871-72,  and  was  a prominent 
member  of  the  Episcopal  Society.  He  died  March 
12,  1876,  in  his  fifty-eighth  year. 

James  Otis  Lyford,  Esq.  (1880-82),  the  son  of 
James  Lyford,  wras  born  in  Boston,  Mass.,  June  28, 


1 Runnels’  “ History  of  Sanbornton,”  vol.  ii.,  pp.  105. 


886 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


1853.  He  graduated  at  the  New  Hampshire  Con- 
ference Seminary  in  1872;  read  law  at  Concord;  was 
a member  of  the  Constitutional  Convention  from 
Canterbury  in  1876,  and  for  the  years  1877-79  edited, 
the  People  at  Concord.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
in  1880  and  opened  an  office  in  Eastman’s  Block, 
Tilton ; married,  May  2,  1882,  Susan  A.  Hill,  and 
soon  after  took  up  his  residence  at  Washington,  D.  C., 
where  he  is  engaged  in  one  of  the  departments. 

Walter  D.  Hardy,  Esq.  (1882-84),  son  of  An- 
thony C.  and  Eliza  (Martin)  Hardy,  born  at  Leb- 
anon June  27,1857;  graduated  at  Penacook  Academy 
(Concord)  ; taught  in  the  same  one  year  ; read  law 
with  Sargent  & Chase,  of  Concord,  in  1878-80,  then 
with  Hon.  E.  B.  S.  Sanborn  at  Franklin  Falls;  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  August,  1881 ; continuing  with 
Esquire  Sanborn  till  the  spring  of  1882,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Tilton  and  took  Esquire  Lvford’s  place. 
At  the  fall  election,  in  1882,  he  was  elected  solicitor 
for  Belknap  County,  assuming  the  position  in  July, 
1883,  and  held  it  until  July,  1885,  although,  No- 
vember 1,  1884,  he  became  associated  as  partner  with 
Hon.  E.  B.  S.  Sanborn  at  Franklin,  under  the  firm- 
name  of  Sanborn  & Hardy.  He  was  succeeded  by 

William  B.  Fellows,  Esq.,  son  of  Colonel  E.  Q. 
and  Mary  E.  (Quimby)  Fellows;  born  at  Sandwich, 
July  5, 1858  ; took  a college  preparatory  course  at  the 
New  Hampshire  Conference  Seminary  and  Female 
College,  completing  the  three  years’  course  in  the 
spring  of  1876;  entered  Dartmouth  College,  from 
which  he  graduated  in  1880  and  immediately  began 
the  study  of  law  under  Hon.  E.  A.  Hibbard,  of 
Laconia ; admitted  to  the  bar  the  1st  of  September, 
1883,  and  opened  an  office  at  Ashland,  where  he  was 
married  to  Ida  G.  Scribner,  November  1,1881;  two 
children  ; removed  to  Tilton  in  the  fall  of  1884. 

Postmasters— Tilton. — Bradbury  M.  Morrill,  ap- 
pointed April  19,  1869,  the  office  being  in  the  Colby 
house,  west  of  the  hotel ; office  changed  name  from 
Sanbornton  Bridge  to  Tilton  July  21,  1869. 

Jeremiah  C.  Tilton,  appointed  January  23,  1871, 
he  removing  the  office  back  to  the  corner  store,  on 
the  site  of  the  present  town  hall. 

George  W.  Tilton,  appointed  July  15,  1872.  The 
office  again  moved  back  to  the  Colby  building. 

Daniel  F.  Hill,  appointed  March  10,  1877,  and  is 
the  present  incumbent.  After  the  town-hall  building 
was  completed,  it  was  removed  to  its  present  ample 
and  well-furnished  accommodations. 

East  Tilton. — Chase  Rollins,  appointed  Novem- 
ber 23,  1868,  and  still  continues;  uame  changed  to 
East  Tilton  July  21,  1869. 

Town  Officers. — Until  1795  the  State  law  required 
that  the  annual  meeting  for  the  election  of  State, 
county  and  town  officers  should  be  held  the  last 
Tuesday  in  March,  when  the  day  was  changed  to  the 
second  Tuesday.  On  the  revision  of  the  State  Consti- 
tution,   , the  law  was  so  changed  that  the  State 

and  county  officers,  including  town  representatives 


and  Board  of  Supervisors,  were  elected  biennially,  in 
November,  the  first  election  under  this  form  occur- 
ring in  November,  1877. 

The  first  meeting  for  the  election  of  town  officers 
was  held  on  the  17th  of  July,  1869. 

moderators. 

William  T.  Cass,  1869,  ’70,  ’71,  ’73,  ’74. 

Joseph  P.  Dearborn,  1872. 

Bradbury  T.  Brown,  1875,  ’76,  ’77,  ’78,  ’79,  ’80,  ’81. 

Adam  S.  Ballantyne,  1882,  ’83,  ’84. 

George  H.  Brown,  1885. 

TOWN  CLERKS. 

Lyman  B.  Ames,  18G9. 

Samuel  H.  Williams,  1870,  ’71,  ’73,  ’74,  ’75,  ’76,  ’77,  ’78. 

Selwin  B.  Peabody,  1872. 

George  A.  Stevens,  1879,  ’80,  ’81,  ’82,  ’83. 

Walter  C.  Wyatt,  1884. 

Leroy  S.  Atkinson,  1885. 

SELECTMEN. 

1869-70.— Elezear  Davis,  Horace  Moulton,  Leonard  K.  Clough. 

1871-72. — Bradbury  T.  Brown,  Jacob  B.  Sanborn,  Dearborn  S.  Daniels. 

1873.  — Bradbury  T.  Brown,  Jacob  B.  Sanborn,  John  C.  Ladd. 

1874.  — Jacob  B.  Sanborn,  Horace  Sanborn,  John  C.  Ladd. 

1875-76. — Amos  II.  Jones,  Charles  B.  Garmon,  Henry  Q.  Dalton 

1877.  — Ebenezer  L.  Sanborn,  Joseph  P.  Dearborn,  Henry  Q.  Dalton. 

1878.  — Ebenezer  L.  Sanborn,  Henry  Q.  Dalton,  Samuel  S.  Hussey. 

1879. — Russell  T.  Noyes,  Horace  Sanborn,  William  H.  H.  Rollins. 

1880. — Enoch  G.  Philbrick,  John  B.  Batchelder,  William  C.  Mudgett. 

1881.  — Horace  Sanborn,  Richard  Firth,  William  II.  II.  Rollins. 

1882.  — Horace  B.  Savage,  Rufus  Bartlett,  William  II.  Seavey. 

1883-84. — Horace  B.  Savage,  William  H.  Seavey,  Alden  Moulton. 

1885. — Bradbury  T.  Brown,  Dearborn  S.  Daniels,  Grorge  W.  Lord. 

REPRESENTATIVES. 

1869-70,  Lyman  B.  Ames  ; 1871-72,  Joseph  Hill  ; 1873-74,  Byron  W. 

I Brown  ; 1875-76,  Enoch  G.  Philbrick  ; 1877,  Russell  T.  Noyes  ; 1878, 
• George  H.  Brown  (re-chosen  in  November  of  that  year  for  biennial 
term,  1879);  1880,  Selwin  B.  Peabody,  two  years;  1882,  Richard  Firth, 
two  years  ; 1884,  George  S.  Philbrick,  two  years. 

TOWN  TREASURERS. 

(Until  the  revised  constitution  went  into  efTect  in  1878,  the  office 
waa  filled  by  the  chairman  of  the  selectmen).  1879,  Eleazer  Davis  ; 
1880,  John  F.  Taylor ; 1881-85,  Amos  H.  Jones  : 1882-83,  Russell  T. 
Noyes  ; 1884,  William  T.  Cass. 

SUPERINTENDING  SCHOOL  COMMITTEE. 

1809-71,  Sylvester  Dixon  ; 1872-73,  Dr.  Frank  L.  Wason  ; 1874,  Theo- 
dore C.  Pratt ; 1875-76,  Joseph  P.  Dearborn  ; 1877-78,  GeorgeS.  Philbrick  ; 
1879,  J.  Herbert  Yeoman ; 1880,  James  O.  Lyford,  Dr.  Frank  L.  Aiken 
and  Walter  I).  Hardy;  1881-83,  Sylvester  Dixon;  1884,  Freeman  C. 
Libby  ; 1885,  Edwin  Smith. 

Vote  for  Governor. — The  following  votes  and 
figures  will  show  the  increase  of  voting  population, 
and  the  growth  and  development  of  the  political 
parties.  The  total  Governor  vote  of  Sanbornton  in 
1869,  the  last  year  in  which  the  people  of  what  was 
later  Tilton  voted  with  the  old  town,  was  five  hun- 
dred and  fifty.  The  successful  candidate  is  marked 
with  an  asterisk  (*). 

1870. — John  Bode],  112;  Onslow  Stearns,*  95;  Samuel  Flint,  24;  Lo- 
renzo D.  Barrows,  26 — 257. 

1871.  — James  A.  Weston,*  157;  James  Pike,  103;  scattering,  7—267. 

1872.  — James  A.  Weston,  157;  Ezekiel  A.  Straw,*  102;  scattering,  17 
—276. 

1873.  — James  A.  Weston,  153;  Ezekiel  A.  Straw,*  113 ; scattering  14 — 

280. 

1874. — James  A.  Weston  (elected  by  the  House  and  Senate),  156  ; Lu- 
ther McCutchins,  121 ; John  Blackman,  22 — 299. 

1875.  — Hiram  R.  Roberts,  175;  Person  C.  Cheney,*  127  Nathaniel 
White,  11— 313. 


TILTON. 


887 


1876.— DaDiel  Marcy,  159;  Person  C.  Cheney,*  138;  scattering,  7— 

304. 

7877.— Daniel  Marcy,  149  ; Benjamin  F.  Prescott,*  128 ; scattering,  9 
— 28G. 

j 878  —Frank  A.  McKean,  152;  Benjamin  F.  Prescott,*  118;  scatter- 
ing, 8—278.  The  first  biennial  election  for  State  anil  county  officers 
held  November  5,  1878. 

1878. — Second  election  : Frank  A.  McKean,  142;  Natt  Head,*  127 — 

267. 

1880— Frank  Jones,  187;  Charles  H.  Bell,  167;  Warren  G.  Brown, 

1—355. 

1882. — Martin  V.  B.  E<lgerly,  1 13 ; Samuel  W.  Hale,*  179 — 322. 

1884. — Moody  Carrier,*  154  ; John  51.  Hill,  174  ; Larkin  D.  Mason, 

16—349. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


CHARLES  E.  TILTON. 

Deacon  Nathaniel  Tilton,  whose  descendants  have 
borne  a prominent  part  in  all  that  has  made  the 
renown  of  Sanbornton  back  to  a period  of  time  ante- 
dating the  Revolution  to  the  present,  little  thought, 
and  perhaps  cared  less,  that  the  date  of  his  settlement 
and  the  place  from  which  he  came  would  ever  be 
shaded  with  uncertainty. 

He  removed  from  Stratham  or  New  Market,  and 
settled  on  the  lot  now  owned  by  Charles  W.  Colby  & 
Son  somewhere  between  1768  and  1771. 

In  November  of  the  latter  year  he  signed  the  orig- 
inal church  covenant,  his  signature  being  the  second 
on  that  instrument. 

Less  than  two  months  later  he  was  chosen  second 
deacon,  which  office  he  filled  acceptably  almost  for 
forty  years,  when,  on  his  own  motion,  he  was  excused 
by  the  church  from  performing  the  duties  pertaining 
to  it  any  longer. 

There  is  reason  to  believe  that  this  ancestor  of  the 
Tilton  family  was  an  upright  and  godly  man,  and  a 
strict  observer  of  the  ordinances  of  the  church  ; that 
the  unwritten  obligations  imposed  by  his  confession 
of  faith  were  conscientiously  regarded  and  discharged. 

It  is  well  authenticated  that  the  earliest  religious 
instruction  received  by  his  grandchildren  in  catechis- 
irtal  teaching  and  in  sacred  song  came  from  the  lips 
of  this  devout  and  honored  old  patriarch. 

Those  early  precepts  may  not  have  matured  in  open 
acceptance  of  conventional  forms,  or  in  public  ac- 
knowledgments of  creeds,  yet  the  inclination  of 
mind  then  formed  may  have  been  the  seed  that  has 
borne  the  fruit  of  generous  liberality  to  every  church 
enterprise  and  demand,  or  educational  purpose  ever 
manifested  on  the  part  of  his  descendants.  His  son 
Jeremiah  was  born  in  1762,  probably  at  Hampton  or 
Kensington,  and  came  into  town  when  a lad  of  six 
or  eight  years  with  his  father.  He  grew  to  be  an 
energetic  man  of  business,  identifying  himself  to  a 
remarkable  degree  with  the  improvements  and  fa- 
cilities required  by  a new  country.  He  built  the 
original  Dexter  House,  engaged  in  blacksmithing 


when  utensils  of  iron  were  more  often  forged  at  home 
than  purchased  abroad.  He  put  in  operation  a grist- 
mill, acted  as  justice  of  the  peace,  was  a colonel  in 
the  militia  and  a soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  War. 
He  was  the  father  of  eleven  children, — six  daughters 
and  five  sons— all  of  them  possessing  strong  points  and 
sterling  qualities  of  character.  Samuel,  the  second 
child  and  son,  was  born  in  1789. 

He  was  a marked  man,  of  fine  presence,  unusual 
sagacity,  solid  sense  and  self-reliance. 

He  possessed  qualities  which  would  have  made 
him  a foremost  man  in  any  position  Providence 
might  have  assigned  him.  Runnels  says,  “Asa  friend 
he  was  honest,  firm  and  unswerving,  a liberal  con- 
tributor” to  religious  and  educational  interests,  and, 
in  the  broadest  sense  of  the  term,  a public-spirited 
citizen. 

He  married  Myra,  daughter  of  Samuel  Ames,  of 
Canterbury,  in  1815,  a lady  of  unusual  excellence. 
She  was  endowed  with  characteristics  which,  to  a 
great  extent,  form  the  ideal  of  a noble  woman,  a 
model  wife  and  devoted  mother. 

Charles  Elliott  Tilton  was  their  youngest  son  of  a 
family  of  five  children,  and  was  born  within  a stone’s 
throw  of  his  present  premises,  September  14,  1827. 
He  received  the  benefit  of  a good  common-school  edu- 
cation, and  at  the  age  of  fifteen  was  placed  under  the 
tuition  of  Professor  Dyer  H.  Sanborn,  and  subse- 
quently entered  a military  school  at  Norwich,  Vt., 
where  he  remained  three  years.  The  training  and 
discipline  acquired  here  well  fitted  him  for  the  intense 
activity  required  by  the  business  enterprises  he  orig- 
inated and  developed,  or  was  engaged  in,  on  the 
Pacific  slope  from  1850  to  1880, — a period  of  thirty 
years. 

On  the  declaration  of  the  war  with  Mexico  he  was 
offered  a captain’s  commission  by  Colonel  Ransom, 
which  he  was  anxious  to  accept,  but  the  honor  was 
declined  on  account  of  paternal  influence. 

Young  Tilton,  with  a limited  outfit,  repaired  to 
New  York,  and  was  employed  by  his  brother  Alfred, 
a well-known  and  successful  merchant. 

Although  most  favorably  situated  with  excellent 
prospects  of  promotion,  New  York  failed  to  satisfy 
the  ambition  that  had  grown  with  his  youth  of  twenty 
years.  He  cut  loose  from  all  present  and  prospective 
advantages  held  out  in  this  great  commercial  mart, 
from  friends  and  acquaintances,  and  visited  nearly  all 
of  the  inhabited  West  India  Islands  with  a view  to 
future  business.  He  prospected  the  Amazon  and 
Orinoco  Rivers  to  the  head-waters  in  canoes,  aided 
by  native  Indians  as  guides,  visiting  localities  seldom, 
if  ever,  seen  by  white  men. 

He  then  proceeded  on  land  to  Caracas  and  La 
Guayra,  from  thence  to  Maracaybo,  St.  Matha,  Car- 
thagena,  Chagres  and  Panama. 

Having  been  absent  from  civilization  for  a long 
time,  the  knowledge  of  gold  discoveries  in  California 
and  the  thousands  on  the  isthmus  on  their  way  to 


888 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


gather  it,  representing  every  tongue  and  condition, 
were  stubborn  facts  which  changed  his  purposes ; 
causing  a revolution  in  his  plans  which  ended  in 
the  realization  of  his  youthful  dream  of  fortune. 

His  knowledge  of  the  Spanish  language  was  the 
means  of  attaching  himself  to  a company  of  gold- 
hunters  from  Vermont,  who  made  use  of  his  services 
in  the  purchase  of  subsistence  from  the  natives  while 
waiting  for  transportation  to  San  Francisco.  For 
three  months  his  party  remained  here ; every  arrival 
from  the  East  added  large  numbers  to  the  thousands 
already  in  Panama.  A chance  came  at  last  to  leave. 

It  was  announced  by  the  agent  of  the  Pacific  Mail 
Steamship  Company  that  the  steamer  “ Panama  ” 
would  soon  arrive  from  New  YTork,  and  that  in  due 
time  one  hundred  and  fifty  deck  passages  to  San 
Francisco  would  be  disposed  of  at  one  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars  each. 

The  vast  army  of  resolute  adventurers  (not  less  than 
fifteen  thousand)  swarming  on  the  Isthmus  demanded 
fair  play  in  face  of  the  fact  that  the  chances  were 
ninety-nine  out  of  every  hundred  against  any  one 
individual  securing  the  coveted  ticket. 

In  deference  to  public  opinion,  the  agent  advertised 
that  on  a designated  day,  at  nine  o’clock  a.m.,  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  tickets  would  be  issued  on  the  principle 
of  “ first  come,  first  served.” 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  the  solitary  exception 
in  the  vast  throng  who  alone  lacked  ready  funds,  in 
that  no-credit  period,  wherewith  to  pay  his  passage. 

He  visited  the  agent,  but  could  obtain  no  con- 
cession in  his  own  behalf,  and  the  inevitable  fact 
confronted  him  that  he  had  now  reached  the  tightest 
spot  in  his  career. 

The  parting  words  of  the  agent,  “ Boy,  if  you  get 
here  I’ll  take  your  draft  on  your  brother,”  lifted  the 
burden  and  inspired  courage  for  the  terrific  struggle 
which  began  at  midnight  on  that  memorable  occasion. 

At  twelve  o’clock  preceding  the  morning  of  the  sale 
the  streets  of  Panama  were  filled  with  a turbulent  mob, 
each  one  desperate  and  determined  on  securing  a 


passage. 

For  nine  long  hours  the  crazed  and  maddened 
crowd  hooted  and  yelled,  struggled  and  pushed, 
swayed  and  surged  in  front  of  the  ticket-office.  Hats, 
coats,  vests  and  shirts  were  torn  from  their  owners, 
and  in  many  cases  men  denuded  of  all  clothing 
were  seen  in  this  raging  sea  of  humanity. 

In  ten  minutes  after  the  time  appointed  for  sale  the 
one  hundred  and  fifty  passages  were  secured.  Young 
Tilton,  stripped  to  his  pantaloons,  was  recognized  by 
the  agent,  and  his  profane  salutation  had  a flavor  of 
admiration  in  it  as  he  passed  him  ticket  No.  102, 
with  “ I’ll  take  your  draft,  my  boy.” 

He  had  intuitively  recognized  the  unflinching 
pluck  and  innate  honesty  of  his  new  acquaintance. 
Tickets  changed  hands  freely  at  from  twelve  to  fifteen 
hundred  dollars  each. 

A young  man  by  the  name  of  Newhall  purchased  one 


at  twelve  hundred  dollars,  and  chance  or  Providence 
(let  the  sequel  decide)  brought  him  and  Tilton  to- 
gether as  messmates.  They  pre-empted  a section  of 
the  deck,  and  at  no  time  during  their  passage  did 
both  leave  it  at  the  same  time.  Tilton  from  his 
limited  funds  bought  a bag  of  crackers  and  a few 
pounds  of  cheese,  which  for  twenty-two  days  made 
the  daily  fare  of  the  two  adventurers  on  their  way  to 
the  land  of  gold.  Six  feet  square  of  oaken  plank  made 
their  domicile  and  dormitory,  and  the  skies  of  the 
Pacific  their  only  roof. 

Youth  and  young  blood  were  proof  against  such 
accommodations,  and  when  San  Francisco,  with  its 
piles  of  sand  and  scattered  red  cedar  shanties,  first 
met  their  view,  it  gave  faint  promise  of  its  future 
opulence  and  magnificence. 

Newhall  went  to  the  mines  and  shortly  returned 
home-sick,  dejected  and  without  funds,  and  there 
were  thousands  similarly  situated.  No  chance  existed 
for  working  a passage  to  the  East,  and  all  attempts  to 
obtain  one  proved  failures. 

There  is  a divinity  which  shapes  our  ends,  and  the 
divinity  in  Newliall’s  affairs  was  a little  red  flag.  He 
was  a ready  talker,  witty  and  quick  at  repartee.  Til- 
ton’s fertile  perception  had  grasped  the  possibilities 
as  he  entered  the  auction-room  and  solicited  employ- 
ment for  an  auctioneer. 

An  arrangement  was  made  in  less  time  than  it  takes 
to  record  it,  and  young  Newhall  was  engaged  for  the 
night  to  sell  jack-knives,  needles,  combs,  &c.,  on 
trial. 

He  suited,  was  retained  at  good  rates,  was  prudent 
and  saved  his  money  and  soon  started  a similar  ven- 
ture for  himself,  which  developed  into  an  immense 
business,  from  which  he  retired  with  a fortune  of  two 
millions  of  dollars.  His  sons  became  his  successors, 
and  their  warehouse  is  still  found  adjoining  the  Bank 
of  California,  on  Sansome  Street,  the  leading  auction 
and  commission  house  on  the  Pacific  Coast. 

Newhall  never  forgot  the  friendship  that  stood  by 
him  in  the  days  of  his  need,  or  the  prompting  that 
was  instrumental  in  his  success.  Identified  as  Mr. 
Tilton  became  with  the  development  of  the  resources 
of  our  Western  coast  and  its  ever-receding  frontier 
for  thirty  years,  his  diversified  operations  required 
the  assistance  of  many  men. 

Through  such  agency  others  became  successful  who 
can  trace  their  fortune  to  a beginning  apparently  as 
remote  and  improbable  as  could  Newhall. 

In  Clarke’s  “Sketches  of  Successful  New  Hampshire 
men,”  it  is  stated  that  “Iu  all  this  period  Mr.  Tilton  was 
interested  in  many  enterprises  on  the  coast  and 
frontier.  Among  them  may  be  mentioned  the  navi- 
gation of  the  Columbia  and  Willamette  Rivers. 

“ He  was  one  of  five  who  controlled  what  has  de- 
veloped into  the  Oregon  Railway  and  Navigation 
Company,  with  a capital  of  twenty-four  million  dol- 
lars. 

“ As  early  as  1851  he  interested  himself  with  a friend 


TILTON. 


889 


of  his  boyhood,  W.  S.  Ladd,  who  started  in  business  in 
Portland,  Oregon. 

“ In  1860  they  organized  the  first  banking-house  in 
that  territory,  under  the  style  of  Ladd  & Tilton, 
which  soon  acquired  a national  reputation.  For  over 
twenty  years  it  occupied  a high  rank  among  the 
financial  institutions  of  the  country.  Under  their 
control,  whatever  stress  affected  the  world  of  finance, 
the  credit  of  this  house  remained  unquestioned  and 
unimpaired.  Mr.  Tilton  retired  in  1881.  Since  then 
Mr.  Ladd  and  his  sons  have  fully  maintained  its 
honestly-earned  repute. 

“ Soon  afterwards  the  banking-house  of  Ladd  & Bush 
was  founded  at  Salem,  Oregon,  also  the  First  National 
Bank  of  Portland  and  the  First  National  Bank  of 
Walla-Walla,  Washington  Territory,  in  all  of  which 
Mr.  Tilton  was  interested. 

“ At  the  same  time  he  was  largely  engaged  in  trans- 
portation across  the  plains.  He  fully  understood  the 
requirements  of  merchandise  in  Utah,  Montana, 
-Wyoming  and  Colorado.  He  furnished  and  dis- 
patched large  trains  from  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  to 
Utah,  and  from  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  to  Colorado,  and 
from  thence  to  Montana,  giving  his  personal  attention 
to  them  all. 

“ A country  largely  held  by  hostile  Indians  had  to  be 
traversed,  and  few  trains  reached  their  destination 
unmolested.  Desperate  encounters  occurred  fre- 
quently, resulting  in  more  or  less  loss  of  life  and 
property,  and  once  ending  in  the  capture  of  the  entire 
train. 

“Other  obstacles  had  to  be  met,  incident  to  such 
undertakings,— like  storms,  swollen  rivers  and  break- 
downs, which  would  have  seemed  insuperable  to  any 
one  of  less  force  of  character.  He  purchased  lands  in 
all  the  Territories,  which  investments  have  proved  ad- 
vantageous. 

“He  engaged  in  many  other  transactions  which 
his  keen  perceptions  led  him  to  believe  would  be  re- 
munerative, so  that,  in  fact,  there  were  but  few  enter- 
prises of  importance  connected  with  the  growth  of  the 
Pacific  slope,  whether  pertaining  to  its  finance,  in- 
ternal improvement,  its  foreign  and  domestic  com- 
merce, in  which  the  cool  and  sagacious  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  not  a participator.  To  organize  and  direct 
successfully  such  varied  and  extended  operations,  out- 
lined only  in  part,  required  a mind  strong  in  per- 
ception and  purpose.  A union  of  these  qualities  with 
that  adventurous  spirit  which  led  the  youth  of  eighteen 
to  the  sources  of  the  Orinoco  and  Amazon  in  pursuit 
of  wealth  constituted  a mental  plant  which  could  well 
measure  the  possibilities  of  a new  country  and  turn  to 
advantage  pecuniarily  its  development. 

“ In  all  this  time  Mr.  Tilton  enjoyed  excellent  health 
and  immunity  from  serious  accident. 

“After  living  amidst  the  malaria  of  tropical  lagoons, 
sleeping  by  the  side  of  his  mustang  on  the  plains, 
blockaded  by  storms  among  the  Sierras  and  assailed 
by  hostile  Apaches,  he  returns  to  his  native  hills  un- 


scathed, with  a sound  constitution  and  his  youthful 
purpose  fully  accomplished.” 

Since  1881  more  of  his  time  has  been  spent  in  Tilton 
than  for  many  years  previously,  and  has  been  occupied 
to  a considerable  extent  in  superintending  the  various 
improvements  he  has  planned. 

There  are  two  conditions  apparent  at  all  times  in 
whatever  he  does, — thoroughness  and  general  utility. 

He  has  constructed  an  artificial  island,  and  on  it  an 
elegant  summer-house  surrounded  with  statuary 
enduring  as  marble  and  bronze,  and  refreshing  shade, 
easily  accessible  by  a solid  bridge  of  granite  and  iron, 
all  of  which  is  the  common  property  and  of  any  who 
choose  to  avail  themselves  of  its  enjoyment. 

Fountains  as  classic  and  permanent  as  ever  adorned 
the  streets  of  Rome  are  kindly  tributes  to  the  needs 
of  man  and  beast. 

The  grateful  coolness  of  a shady  park,  with  easy 
drives  and  rural  seats,  for  many  summers  to  come  will 
invite  the  visitors’  presence  and  return. 

A town  hall  of  brick  and  granite,  with  its  recurring 
income,  will  remind  posterity  for  generations  of  the 
large  liberality  which  gave  it  form. 

Generous  outlays  for  cemetery  improvements  and 
for  a driving  park  unexcelled  in  all  that  makes  one 
perfect  are  substantialities  which  will  remain  evi- 
dences of  a broad  humanity  which  recognized  the 
enjoyments  as  well  as  the  necessities  of  mankind. 

His  liberal  contributions  for  church  and  school 
interests  are  influences  which  may  be  felt  “ to  time’s 
remotest  bound.” 

There  are  many  other  attractions  in  our  village 
which  can  be  traced  to  his  direct  agency. 

The  elegant  passenger  depot  and  its  appointments 
the  iron  bridges,  and,  in  fact,  all  the  public  improve- 
ments of  the  town  are  indebted  more  or  less  to  him 
for  their  construction. 

His  bounty  has  recognized  the  field  of  our  needs, 
our  comfort  and  our  pleasure. 

As  a natural  sequence,  a business  career  as  extensive 
and  diversified  as  his  has  been  requires  occupation 
now.  His  various  enterprises  in  Tilton,  which  are 
giving  more  than  a local  reputation  to  the  town, 
afford  rest  as  well  as  employment  to  a mind  by  nature 
and  habit  inclined  to  vigorous  activity. 

His  thirty  years  of  participation  in  those  renewing 
instrumentalities  which  have  wrested  a territory  as 
large  as  the  original  thirteen  States  from  Indian  and 
half-breed  supremacy,  and  which  now  teems  with  an 
enlightened  population  possessing  all  the  adjuncts  of 
civilization,  wrnuld  furnish  ample  incident  and  ad- 
venture to  fill  a volume. 

He  quietly  takes  his  place  as  one  of  the  people 
among  his  former  neighbors,  asking  no  consideration 
except  what  inures  to  every  well-meaning  citizen. 

The  golden  dream  of  his  boyhood’s  days  has  come 
to  pass,  yet  the  memories  of  youth  and  early  associ- 
ations remain  the  most  sensitive  chords  in  his  nature. 
Herein  lies  the  inspiration  for  that  munificence 


890 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


which  has  given  the  town  bearing  his  family  name 
prominence  and  fame  abroad,  and  himself  esteem  and 
consideration  as  well. 

His  cordial  and  unpretentious  bearing  at  all  times 
indicate  his  true  character.  His  sympathies  are  of 
and  with  the  people.  Possessing  marked  elements  of 
personal  popularity,  thus  far  his  record  leaves  no 
sign  of  the  politician. 

Public  positions  which  would  have  tempted  the 
ambition  of  almost  any  man  have  been  proffered  him, 
but  declined,  in  obedience  to  a resolution  formed  in 
early  life  to  hold  no  office.  He  has  well-defined 
political  convictions,  yet  his  suffrage  is  influenced  by 
higher  motives  than  control  the  mere  partisan.  The 
character  of  the  candidate,  his  record  as  affecting  the 
business  interests  of  the  country,  are  more  potent  than 
party  discipline  or  platforms  in  directing  his  vote. 

At  his  elegant  residence,  overlooking  the  beautiful 
village  which  bears  his  name,  the  warmest  welcome 
is  extended  and  the  largest  hospitality  dispensed  to 
all  his  life-long  friends  and  acquaintances. 

What  was  the  personal  appearance  of  the  subject 
of  this  sketch  ? may  be  asked  an  hundred  years  hence. 
In  height,  five  feet  ten ; well  and  compactly  formed 
and  without  surplus  flesh  ; of  erect  carriage,  regular  [ 
features;  clear  blue  eyes,  and  when  young  must  have  ! 
given  promise  of  the  fine  presence  and  noble  manhood  | 
he  now  possesses. 

His  weight  is  about  two  hundred  pounds,  and  at 
fifty-seven  he  is  a well-preserved  model  of  a self-made 
man  with  all  his  mental  faculties  in  mature  perfection. 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  he  holds  the  undivided 
regard  of  all  his  neighbors  and  townsmen. 

That  he  may  long  live  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  a re- 
markable business  career,  as  bold  and  original  as  it 
proved  successful,  is  the  ardent  wish  and  silent  prayer  j 
of  all  who  know  him. 


ALEXANDER  HAMILTON  TILTON. 

The  first  ancestor  of  Mr.  Tilton  of  whom  there  is 
definite  information  was  Nathaniel  (1),  who  settled  | 
in  Sanbornton,  N.  II.,  prior  to  1771.  He  was  one  of 
the  signers  of  the  original  “Church  Covenant,” 
and  was  a deacon  of  the  old  church  for  nearly  fortv 
years.  He  lived  a devoted  Christian  life  and  died 
February  11,  1814.  He  married  Abigail  Gilman  (a 
relative  of  Governor  Gilman),  who  bore  him  seven 
children,  one  of  whom,  Jeremiah  (2),  was  born  in 
1762,  and  was  in  the  Revolutionary  War  at  the  age 
of  sixteen  as  a teamster;  was  later  a colonel  in  the 
State  militia;  also  was  a justice  of  the  peace  and  an 
energetic  business  man,  who  did  much  to  build  up 
the  village  which  later  was  given  the  name  of  Tilton. 
He  built  the  original  hotel  on  the  site  of  the  present 
Dexter  House,  and  was  proprietor  of  a grist-mill  and 
a trip-hammer  shop.  He  suffered  much  during  the 
later  years  of  his  life  from  rheumatism.  He  died 
April  10,  1822.  February  21,  1786,  he  married 


Mehitable  Hayes,  who  bore  him  eleven  children, — 
John  (3),  born  July  16,  1787 ; married  Eunice  Jaques, 
died  August  29,  1863.  Samuel  (3),  born  August  20, 
1789;  married,  first,  Myra  Ames,  January  31,1815,  and, 
second,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Haven,  March  6,  1858 ; died 
November  12,  1861.  Sally  (3),  born  in  1791  ; single; 
died  January  31,  1818.  Jeremiah,  Jr.  (3),  born  Sep- 
tember 10,  1793  ; married  Nancy  Carter,  December  9, 
1816  ; died  January  23,  1863.  James  P.  (3),  born  No- 
vember, 1796;  married  Mary  G.  Cross,  July  16, 1820; 
died  April  1,  1872 ; he  was  a soldier  in  the  War  of 
1812.  Abigail  (3),  born  in  1798;  single;  died  Oc- 
tober 29,  1819.  Mahala  (3),  born  in  August, 

1800 ; married  Hon.  D.  C.  Atkinson  (first  wife), 
October  12,  1818  ; died  June  12,  1820.  Mary  P.  (3), 
born  December  13,  1802 ; married  Parson  Whidden, 
January  31, 1832  ; died  October  5,  1875.  Alexander 
Hamilton  (3),  born  December  25,  1804.  Mehitable 
(3),  born  August  26,  1807;  married  Hon.  D.  C.  At- 
kinson (second  wife),  September  3,  1828;  died  No- 
vember 12,  1844.  Sophronia  (3),  born  in  1810;  sin- 
gle ; died  March  12,  1845. 

Alexander  Hamilton,  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
passed  his  boyhood  on  the  old  Tilton  place,  in  San- 
bornton, and  at  “ the  Bridge,”  where  his  father  re- 
moved. His  educational  advantages  were  such  as 
were  afforded  in  the  common  schools.  Although  his 
parents  had  planned  that  he  should  take  a collegiate 
course,  his  own  inclinations  were  for  trade  or  man- 
ufacture, and  at  the  age  of  sixteen  he  entered  the 
woolen-mill  of  his  brother  and  learned  the  trade  of 
a clothier.  He  was  an  energetic  young  man,  ready 
to  see,  and  soon  mastered  the  details  of  the  business 
so  readily  that  he  was  taken  into  partnership  and  so 
continued  for  several  years. 

After  dissolving  partnership  with  his  brother  he 
started  on  his  own  account  the  clothing  business  at 
Meredith  village,  but  after  several  years  of  fair  suc- 
cess he  returned  to  Sanbornton  Bridge  and  engaged 
in  general  merchandising  with  William  Follansbee, 
and  continued  in  partnership  with  him  several  years; 
then  dissolved  with  him  and  went  into  partnership 
with  Mr.  Colby,  in  another  store  on  the  Nortlifield 
side  of  the  river,  and  continued  with  him  until  the 
fall  of  1837,  when  he  formed  a partnership  with 
George  S.  Baker,  and  commenced  the  manufacture  of 
cassimeres.  He  also  built  a woolen-mill  on  the  site 
of  the  old  Darling  mill,  but  sold  the  privilege  to  the 
“Lake  Company”  (an  association  of  Boston  capital- 
ists, who  were  buying  up  the  control  of  the  stream), 
although  he  continued  to  run  the  mill  on  a lease. 
He  was  successful  here  for  several  years.  In  1855 
this  mill  was  burned.  After  the  fire  he  took  the  old 
Holmes  cotton-mill,  changed  it  into  a woolen-mill, 
and,  in  1859,  doubled  the  size  of  it  to  meet  the  re- 
quirements of  a large  business.  He  carried  on  the 
manufacture  of  woolen  goods  here  until  near  the  time 
of  his  death,  employing  part  of  the  time  as  many 
as  sixty  hands.  Mr.  Tilton  was  the  inventor,  and 


TILTON, 


891 


for  years  the  proprietor,  of  an  ingeniously-woven 
goods,  to  which  was  given  the  name  of  “ Tilton 
tweeds.”  These  goods  were  soon  in  great  demand, 
and  to  this  day  are  celebrated. 

Mr.  Tilton  built  a fine  residence  on  the  bluff  over- 
looking his  mills  (the  house  now  owned  by  J.  F. 
Taylor),  but  when  taking  the  Holmes  mill  he  removed 
to  the  Holmes  mansion  and  lived  there  the  remainder 
of  his  life.  In  politics  Mr.  Tilton  was  a Democrat — 
active  and  influential  in  advancing  the  interests 
and  policy  of  his  party — he  became  a power  widely 
felt.  He  was  for  many  years  a director  of  the 
Boston,  Concord  and  Montreal  Railroad,  was  jus- 
tice of  the  peace,  and  while  he  never  made  a 
public  profession  of  religion,  he  was  a liberal 
man  and  made  frequent  donations  to  the  support 
of  public  worship,  both  in  his  native  town,  and  at 
“the  Bridge.”  One  of  his  public  donations  was 
an  elaborate  receiving-tomb,  which  stands  in  the 
Park  Cemetery.  Mr.  Tilton  suffered  severely  in  the 
last  years  of  his  life  from  chronic  troubles,  and  died 
at  his  home  August  16,  1878,  respected  and  beloved, 
and  as  one  of  those  whose  thrift  and  enterprise  had 
done  so  much  to  build  up  the  community  in  which  he 
lived,  his  loss  is  severely  felt.  July  27,  1837,  Mr. 
Tilton  married  Abigail  B.  Baker,  eldest  daughter  of 
Mark  and  Abigail  Ambrose  Baker,  who,  since  his 
death,  has  carried  on  the  business  of  manufacturing 
the  “Tilton  tweeds”  in  a highly  successful  man- 
ner, having  associated  with  her  Mr.  Selwin  B.  Pea- 
body as  partner. 

Mr.  Tilton  had  three  children, — Albert  Baker  (4), 
born  June  9,  1845 ; married  Abbie  Gardner  Day,  of 
Boxford,  Mass.,  August  15,  1866,  and  died  August  25, 
1870;  his  widow  married  William  J.  Durgin,  No- 
vember 27,  1873.  Alfred  Edwin  (4),  born  October 
17,  1846;  died  November  2,  1846.  A.  Evelyn  (4), 
born  March  2,  1854;  died  July  20,  1876.  She  was  a 
lovely  character,  but  early  was  taken  to  Him  who 
gave,  “ While  the  evil  days  come  not,  nor  the  years 
draw  nigh,  when  thou  shalt  say,  I have  no  pleasure  in 
them.” 


SELWIN  BANCROFT  PEABODY. 

The  great-grandfather  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
was  Samuel  (1),  who  was  born  September  1,  1741,  and 
lived  in  Andover,  Mass.,  where  most  of  his  children 
were  born. 

He  married  Elizabeth  Wilkins,  of  Amherst,  and 
died  August  6,  1814.  His  wife  died  July  18,  1836. 
His  son,  John  (2),  was  born  August  15,  1775.  He 
was  a millwright,  carpenter  and  cabinet-maker,  and 
lived  in  New  Boston.  He  married  Mary  Holt,  and 
died  May  1,  1832.  Of  his  children.  John,  Samuel 
and  Sargon  were  farmers,  Jacob  a brick-maker,  James 
and  William  were  blacksmiths,  Ezekiel  and  Noah 
hatters,  and  Joseph  a merchant.  Noah  (3)  was  born 
September  4,  1810.  He  married  Isabella  Walker 


Richards,  December  9,  1834,  and  removed  from  Sut- 
ton, N.  H.,  to  Sanbornton  Bridge  in  1842,  and  opened 
a hatter’s  shop.  He  afterwards  went  into  the  mer- 
cantile business,  in  which  he  continued  eighteen 
years,  with  fair  success  only.  Desiring  a change,  he 
closed  out  and  entered  the  counting-room  of  Alex- 
ander H.  Tilton,  and  becoming  familiar  with  the 
manufacture  of  goods,  he  took  the  position  of  fin- 
isher. Here  he  remained  many  years,  and  had  finally 
the  principal  care  of  the  large  business  of  the  Tilton 
Mills.  He  was  a prominent  member  of  the  Congre- 
gational Church  and  a man  of  excellent  standing  as 
a citizen  and  a Christian.  He  died  September  11, 
1876.  His  children  were  Selwin  Bancroft  (4),  born 
January  13, 1839 ; James  Van  Ness,  born  October  13, 
1841 ; and  Georgiana  Isabel,  born  November  15, 
1843,  married  David  F.  Cheney,  formerly  of  Frank- 
lin, N.  H.,  and  now  of  Lawrence,  Mass.  The  subject 
of  this  sketch,  at  the  age  of  three  years,  moved  to 
the  “ Bridge,”  and  here  his  boyhood  was  passed.  In 
addition  to  the  advantages  of  the  common  schools  of 
the  town,  he  attended  the  Tilton  Institute,  where  he 
took  the  full  preparatory  course  for  Dartmouth  Col- 
lege. It  was  during  this  preparatory  course  that  he 
began  to  look  upon  the  medical  profession  as  the  one 
of  his  choice,  and  at  its  close  he  entered  the  office  of 
Dr.  Lyford,  at  the  Bridge,  where  he  remained  a short 
time  and  then  went  to  Lawrence,  Mass.,  to  study 
under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Sayforth.  To  obtain  the 
necessary  means  to  go  on  with  his  studies,  he  taught 
school  at  Sanbornton  Bridge,  also  in  Northfield  and 
at  Bellaire,  Ohio.  At  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil 
War  he  enlisted  in  the  Fortieth  Massachusetts  Vol- 
unteers, and  served  until  the  close  of  the  war,  being 
in  nearly  all  the  engagements  of  his  regiment,  nota- 
bly the  siege  of  Suffolk,  Va.;  Baltimore  Cross-Roads, 
Va.;  siege  of  Fort  Wagner,  S.  C.;  Ten-Mile  Run  and 
Barber’s  Ford,  Fla.;  Drury’s  Bluff,  Petersburg  Heights 
and  the  siege  of  Petersburg,  Va. ; Bermuda  Hun- 
dred ; Fair  Oaks  and  capture  of  Richmond.  From 
his  knowledge  of  medicine  he  became  very  efficient 
in  the  medical  department  of  the  army,  and  was  on 
detached  duty  a portion  of  the  time.  He  was  in  the 
dispensary  of  Jarvis  General  Hospital,  Baltimore,  in 
the  office  of  provost  marshal  at  Governor’s  Island, 
and  was  wounded  before  Petersburg.  At  the  close  of 
the  war  he  entered  the  drug  store  of  Burleigh  Bros., 
in  Boston,  Mass.,  at  which  place  he  received  a serious 
injury  by  falling  through  an  open  hatchway,  from 
which  injury  he  was  a longtime  in  recovering. 

In  1869,  his  health  not  being  as  good  as  before  the 
accident,  Mr.  Peabody  went  into  Tilton’s  mill  and 
learned  the  business  in  all  its  branches,  and  shortly 
after  the  death  of  the  proprietor,  in  1878,  was  invited 
to  become  associated  with  the  widow  of  Mr.  Tilton 
in  the  conduct  and  management  of  the  large  business 
left  by  him.  Since  this  time  Mr.  Peabody  has  been 
the  practical  head  of  the  firm,  the  business  of  which 
has  been  largely  increased  until  now  the  full  capa- 


892 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


city  of  the  mill,  about  fourteen  hundred  yards  per 
day,  is  reached.  It  is  at  this  mill  that  the  celebrated 
Tilton  tweeds  are  made.  In  addition  to  these  tweeds, 
there  are  made  some  styles  of  cassimeres  (introduced 
by  Mr.  Peabody),  which  have  become  staple  in  the 
general  market. 

In  1880,  Mr.  Peabody  built  a fine  residence  for 
himself,  adjoining  the  Tilton  mansion,  on  a gentle 
slope  overlooking  the  mill  in  which  he  has  won  his 
large  financial  success. 

In  politics  Mr.  Peabody  is  a Democrat.  He  has 
represented  the  town  in  the  General  Court;  has  been 
town  clerk  ; is  a director  in  the  National  Bank  and 
on  the  Board  of  Education,  and  is  an  attendant  on 


public  worship  at  the  Congregational  Church  of 
Tilton. 

February  7,  1867,  Mr.  Peabody  married  Elizabeth 
S.,  daughter  of  Darius  M.  and  Elizabeth  Richards, 
of  New  Bedford,  Mass.  From  this  union  there  have 
been  three  children, — Leon  Bancroft  (5),  born  De- 
cember 17,  1867,  died  March  22,  1868  ; an  infant 
daughter,  born  June  7,  1869;  and  Isabella  Weston 
(5),  born  December  18,  1871. 

Mr.  Peabody’s  brother,  James  Van  Ness  (4),  is  a 
finisher  in  the  Tilton  Mills,  and  lives  in  Northfield, 
N.  H.  He  married  Susan  Mary  Rand,  January  1, 
1865.  They  have  one  child, — Leon  Bancroft  (5),  born 
February  25,  1871. 


HISTORY  OF  SANBORNTON. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Geographical— Original  Grant— The  First  Settlements — Names  of  Pio- 
neere— Initial  Events— Witchcraft  in  Sanbornton— Incorporation  of  the 
Town— Petition — The  First  Town-Meeting — Selectmen  Elected — 
Second  Town-Meeting— Third  Town-Meeting. 

Sanbornton  lies  in  the  western  part  of  the  county, 
and  is  bounded  as  follows : 

West,  by  Merrimack  County;  East,  by  Great  Bay; 
South,  by  Tilton ; North,  by  Meredith  and  New 
Hampton. 

The  township  was  granted  by  the  Masonian  pro- 
prietors, December  31,  1748,  to  John  Sanborn,  of 
Hampton,  and  others.  The  grantees  were  residents 
of  Hampton,  Exeter  and  Stratham,  twelve  of  whom 
were  named  Sanborn  ; hence  the  name  of  the  town. 
Settlements  were  retarded  by  reason  of  trouble  with 
the  Indians,  and  none  were  permanently  made  until 
1764.  In  1768  there  were  thirty-two  families  in 
town. 

The  first  settlers  were  Moses  Danforth,  Thomas 
Danforth,  Solomon  Copp,  Daniel  Fifield,  Samuel 
Shepard,  John  Sanborn,  David  Dustin  and  Andrew 
Rowen,  in  1764. 

It  i3  certain  from  the  “Proprietors’  Records,”  as 
below  (says  Rev.  Mr.  Runnels,  in  his  excellent  “ His- 
tory of  Sanbornton  ”),  that  the  two  Danforths,  Solo- 
mon Copp,  Daniel  Fifield  and  Samuel  Shepard,  and, 
as  we  know  from  other  sources,  Andrew  Rowen,  and 
perhaps  David  Dustin  (1766?),  had  moved  to  town 
during  the  season  of  1764.  Also  that  Daniel  Sanborn 
and  probably  his  cousin  John  were  in  town — the 
former  as  builder  of  the  mill — early  that  year,  but 
that  they  did  not  move  their  families  till  the  late 
winter  or  early  summer  of  1766.  We  find  the  clerk 
of  the  proprietors,  by  order  of  the  committee,  calling 
a meeting  March  2,  1765, 

“To  consider  of  a petition  of  a number  of  inhabitants  of  said  town, 
seting  forth  theair  inebility  to  support  their  families  by  reason  of  the 
scarcity  of  provisions,”  for  which  they  “pray  the  proprietors  wold  help 
i them.” 

At  the  first  meeting,  March  18th,  it  was  voted  not  to 
give  them  any  help  ; but  at  a second  meeting,  March 
27th,  motives  of  humanity  triumphed,  this  former  vote 
was  reconsidered,  and  it  was  then  voted  that 


“The  above  s’d  petishoners,  namely  Moses  Danford,  Thomas  Danford, 
Solomon  Cops,  Daniel  Fifield  and  Samuel  Shepprd,  shall  receive  of  the 
proprietors  £100  o.  t.  for  theair  help,  the  money  to  be  equely  divided 
among  them.” 

It  seems,  therefore,  certain  that  soon  after  the  en- 
couraging vote  of  February  6,  1764,  and  during  the 
following  season,  in  which  Daniel  Sanborn’s  first  mill 
was  built  and  destroyed,  the  first  actual  settlers,  with 
their  families,  came  to  town.  They  must  have  passed 
the  winter  of  1764-65  in  their  settlements,  as  their  peti- 
tion had  reached  Exeter  prior  to  March  2,  1765,  and 
they  could  not  have  moved  hither  in  the  dead  of 
winter.  The  conclusion  is,  that  the  persons  above 
mentioned,  and  probably  one  or  two  others  of  the 
first  settlers  who  were  in  easier  circumstances,  made 
a commencement  during  the  spring  or  summer  of 
1764. 

It  was  during  the  previous  season,  doubtless  (1765), 
that  the  first  “ framed  house  ” in  town  was  erected  by 
Sergeant  John  Sanborn,  near  the  original  Sanborn 
homestead,  now  disappearing  (1880)  under  the 
ownership  of  Mr.  Morgan,  three-quarters  of  a mile 
north  of  Tilton  village.  To  the  one  finished  room  of 
this  house  Mr.  Sanborn  repaired  with  his  family, 
February,  1766,  and  himself,  his  cousin  Daniel,  who 
moved  up  a few  days  before,  and  three  other  men, 
with  their  families, — five  in  all, — were  here  domiciled 
the  rest  of  the  winter,  the  beds  being  turned  up  in 
the  day-time  and  completely  covering  the  floor  at 
night ; the  cattle  also  being  tied  up  in  the  back  part 
of  the  house.  It  is  certain,  however,  that  the  wife  of 
Daniel  Sanborn  did  not  arrive  in  town  till  the  June 
following,  when  he  had  put  up  the  first  part  of  his 
house  at  the  Square  (now  the  Thomas  M.  Jaques 
place),  with  material  brought  on  his  own  and  other 
men’s  backs,  by  easy  stages,  from  his  mill  at  the 
bridge,  at  least  a portion  of  the  way,  for  several  days 
in  succession  ! A similar  experience  is  assigned  to 
Edward  Kelley, — backing  the  boards  of  his  house, 
still  higher  up  the  hill,  to  the  present  “Kelley 
Ledge.” 

To  this  or  one  of  the  two  preceding  years  (1764, 
1765)  must  be  referred  the  experience  of  three  young 
men, — Satchel  Clark,  Jacob  Smith  and  John  Thorn, — 

8‘>3 


894 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


who  came  from  Epping,  with  provisions  (for  a few 
days),  axes  and  guns,  to  a point  just  west  of  the  pres- 
ent Tin  Corner,  in  Tilton.  They  were  there  engaged 
in  felling  trees,  helping  each  other  by  turns,  when,  on 
one  occasion,  their  camp  took  fire  from  the  fire  of 
their  boiling  pork,  near  by.  They  were  first  alarmed 
by  the  report  of  one  of  the  guns  at  a distance  ; a sec- 
ond gun  was  heard  after  they  started,  and  the  third 
before  they  reached  the  burning  camp,  to  which  they 
hastened,  but  not  in  season  to  save  their  effects.  They 
were  obliged  to  go  to  Canterbury  in  order  to  replace 
the  provisions  they  had  lost.  This  camp  is  said  to 
have  stood  on  the  site  of  the  old  burying-ground,  west 
of  the  late  Lorenzo  Smith’s. 

Nathaniel  Burley  and  family  settled  on  CalefHill. 

It  is  well  authenticated,  by  tradition  in  this  latter 
family,  that  there  were  “only  three  or  four  little 
clearings  at  the  Square  ” on  Burley's  arrival  in  town, 
viz. : Daniel  Sanborn’s,  as  before  named;  his  brother 
Aaron’s,  a little  south  (present  Kimball  or  Joshua 
Lane  place);  Josiah  Sanborn’s,  in  the  hollow  east  of 
the  Square;  and  Edward  Kelley’s,  on  the  hill  above; 
while  their  nearest  neighbors  in  other  directions  were 
John  Sanborn,  “ this  side,”  and  Ebenezer  Morrison 
and  Benjamin  Darling,  “at  the  Bridge”  (now  Eleazer 
Davis’);  Clark,  Smith  and  Thorn,  “at  the  Tin  Cor- 
ner;” the  D.mforths,  “on  the  Plains;”  Solomon 
Copp  and  Andrew  Rowen,  “ near  the  Ferry  ; ” and 
David  Dustin,  “at  the  north.”  The  latter  part  of  this 
year  were  added  to  their  immediate  neighborhood 
John  Folsom  upon,  and  Samuel  Smith  to  the  north  of 
Calef  Hill,  and  others  in  other  parts  of  the  town,  as 
will  soon  appear;  while  the  next  year  Major  Taylor 
came  to  the  Square ; and  the  second  spring  (1769), 
William  Thompson,  to  the  present  Eben  Burleigh 
place.  It  is  also  a tradition  from  the  Burley  family 
that  their  crops  were  cut  off,  or  greatly  injured,  these 
two  first  years  in  succession, — in  1767  by  frost,  in  1768 
by  hail, — but  “the  third  year,  1769, ’they  succeeded.” 

The  first  chaise  was  driven  to  town  in  1800  by 
Israel  Adams,  and  this  was  the  only  one  in  1803. 
Prior  to  1818  no  more  than  seven  others  are  believed 
to  have  been  owned  here,  and  these,  as  vividly  re- 
membered by  the  late  Benaiah  S.  Crockett,  were 
Peter  Hersey’s,  Andrew  Lovejoy’s,  Nathan  Taylor’s, 
Moses  March’s,  Thomas  Kimball’s,  Nathaniel  Piper’s 
and  Stuart  Hoyt’s.  As  to  the  priority  of  four-wheeled 
vehicles,  a difference  of  statement  has  appeared.  It 
lies  between  the  wagon  made  at  Hampstead  by  David 
Fogg,  in  1806,  afterwards  sold  to  Page  Philbrook,  and 
by  him  driven  to  town,  and  that  introduced  by  Clark 
Gordon,  the  clothier  on  Salmon  Brook.  The  former 
was  more  probably  the  first,  the  latter  more  striking 
and  better  remembered.  Its  body  was  capacious, 
holding  ten  bushels.  It  was  painted  gaudily,  in  large 
checks,  and  set  on  the  axle-tree  with  big  springs 
under  the  seat.  It  was  popular,  and  was  “let”  con- 
tinually for  two  or  three  years,  paying  its  original 
cost,  seventy  dollars,  several  times  over.  This  must 


have  been  prior  to  1814,  soon  after  which  wagons  be- 
gan to  multiply  in  town  from  the  shop  of  Joseph  W. 
Clement,  at  the  Tin  Corner.  Their  cost  at  first  was 
about  thirty  dollars,  being  set  on  wooden  axle-trees, 
with  a hole  for  the  tongue,  and  linch-pins  instead  of 
nuts.  Iron  axle-trees  next  came  into  use,  then 
leather  thoroughbraces,  and  finally  elliptical  springs. 

The  first  framed  barn  was  erected  by  Josiah  San- 
born, in  the  valley  of  Thomas’  Brook,  east  of  the 
Square.  The  first  cows  in  town  fared  hard  in  winter 
from  the  lack  of  good  hay,  and  went  farrow  for  three 
years  or  more.  To  a Mr.  Pease,  who  came  to  Steele’s 
Hill  from  Newmarket  after  1768,  and  made  only  a 
short  stay  in  town,  is  yet  ascribed  the  introduction  of 
the  first  improved  stock  into  the  town  of  Sanbornton. 

Even  after  grist-mills  were  built  in  Sanbornton, 
and  the  settlers  had  ceased  to  bring  their  meal  from 
distant  towns  on  their  backs,  the  Smith  Brothers, 
one  or  both,  on  the  mountain,  continued  to  pulverize 
their  corn  on  a large  fiat  or  hollowed  rock,  as  the 
Indians  had  done  before  them  (witness  a stone  used 
for  that  purpose,  as  supposed,  near  the  Esquire  Clark 
place,  in  Franklin) ; while  in  the  east  part  of  the 
town  it  was  still  easier  for  certain  families  to  boat 
their  grists  across  the  Great  Bay  to  Meredith  Bridge, 
and  even  across  the  second  bay  to  Lake  village.  Mr. 
Elisha  Smith,  in  particular,  had  an  old-fashioned  boat 
made  of  two  large  pine  logs,  each  hollowed  out  on  one 
side  and  mortised  together.  This  boat  would  carry 
sixteen  persons ; and  Mr.  Smith  was  accustomed  to 
cross  the  bay  with  each  of  his  boys,  who  were  large 
enough  to  carry  a peck  of  grain  (himself  one  and  a 
half  bushels)  over  the  neck  of  land  in  Laconia,  from 
Danforth  rock,  by  the  present  county  farm,  to  the 
Lake  village  miller’s  boat,  on  the  shore  of  Round 
Bay. 

There  was  only  one  person  in  Sanbornton  who 
suffered  from  “ witchcraft.”  The  witch  (says  Mr. 
Runnels)  was  Mrs.  Mehitable  Danforth,  on  the  Plains. 

He,  Mr. , was  on  a certain  occasion  bringing  half 

a barrel  of  rum  to  town  with  an  ox-team.  Mrs. 
Danforth,  as  he  alleged,  wished  him  to  stop  and  tap 
the  rum  at  her  house ; and  upon  his  declining  to  do 

so,  bewitched  one  of  his  oxen.  Mr. beat  the 

ox  severely.  Poor  Mrs.  Danforth  became  very  lame, 
and  was  compelled  to  keep  her  bed  several  days. 

Mr. was  pursued  by  the  Evil  Spirit,  and  used  to 

show  prints  of  the  cloven  foot  on  several  rocks,  which 
were  made,  as  he  said,  in  the  chase  across  the  pasture 
near  Mr.  John  Perkins’s,  and  are  still  there  to  be 
seen  ! The  only  strange  thing  now  appearing  is  that 
such  ludicrous  stories  were  ever  “ credited  by  so  many 
of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town,”  as  affirmed  by  the 
annalist  of  the  town  in  1841.  The  truth  of  the  mat- 
ter was  doubtless  this : that  while  the  said  Mr. 

was  crossing  Danforth  Brook  with  his  undesirable 
load,  brought  all  the  way  from  Concord,  one  of  his 
cattle  faltered;  and  feeling  thus  vexed  or  “plagued,” 
he  charged  his  difficulty  upon  “ the  witch,  Hitty,” 


SANBORNTON. 


895 


which  he  should  more  reasonably  have  done  upon 
the  weariness  of  the  oxen  and  his  own  muddled 
brain.  This  same  Mr.  , at  another  time,  ac- 

counted for  the  curious  marks  on  the  rocks — one  of  a 
man’s  boot  and  the  other  a cloven  foot — in  the  fol- 
lowing manner : His  Satanic  Majesty  appeared  to 
him  one  night,  desiring  to  hold  an  argument ; and, 
when  baffled  in  the  discussion,  retreated  in  great 
haste,  leaving  his  footprints  upon  the  solid  rock. 

Incorporation  of  the  Town. — The  first  movement 
for  incorporation  of  the  town  was  a petition  presented 
to  the  Governor  March  1,  1770,  as  follows  : 

“ Petition  of  Joseph  Hoit  and  associates , for  a Charter  of  Incorporation 
for  ye  town  of  1 Sanborn.'1  1770,  March  1.  Granted 
“ Province  of  New  Hampshire. 

“To  his  Excellency,  John  Wentworth,  Esq.,  Captain  General,  Gov- 
ernor and  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  Province  aforesaid,  in  Council. 

“The  Petition  of  Joseph  Iloit  of  Stratham,  and  his  Associates,  humbly 
shewelh  : 

“That  your  Petitioners,  being  agents  for  and  interested  in  the  Town- 
ship of  ‘ Sanborn’  (so  called),  in  which  there  are  upwards  of  Forty  Fam- 
ilies settled,  who  are  very  desirous  of  being  incorporated  into  a Town, 
for  many  good  reasons,  humbly  request  your  Excellency  and  Honors  to 
grant  them  that  privilege  by  a Charter  of  Incorporation,  as  usual  ; and 
your  Petitioners,  as  in  duty  bound,  shall  ever  pray,  etc. 

(Signed)  [only  by  two, — the  committee  of  January  8th], 

“Joseph  IIoit, 

“ Josiah  Sanborn. 

“ Portsmouth,  1 March,  1770.” 

The  petition  was  grauted  and  the  town  was  char- 
tered March  10, 1770,  by  “ His  Excellency’s  command 
with  advice  of  the  Council.”  John  Wentworth  was 
Governor,  and  Theodore  Atkinson  secretary. 

Of  the  first  town-meeting  held  under  this  charter 
there  is  no  record,  but  it  is  said  that  it  was  held  at 
the  house  of  Lieutenant  Chase  Taylor.  The  select- 
men elected  at  this  meeting  were  Aaron  Sanborn,  Col- 
onel E.  Weeks  and  Stephen  Gale.  These  names  are 
found  in  “ Returns  of  roads”  for  1770. 

The  second  town-meeting  (says  Mr.  Runnels)  was 
warned  by  the  selectmen  to  be  held  at  the  dwelling- 
house  of  Daniel  Sanborn,  at  twelve  o’clock  on  Tues- 
day, March  26,  1771.  This  was,  in  part  at  least, 
the  house  at  the  Square  since  occupied  by  Dr.  B. 
Sanborn  and  sons,  and  more  recently  by  Chase  and 
Thomas  M.  Jaques,  rebuilt  in  1878.  Officers  were 
chosen  at  this  meeting,  and  “ye  Selectmen’s  account” 
accepted.  It  was  also  voted  to  “rate  all  land  that  is 
cleared  or  sowed  with  grain  or  hay  seed  ” ; after- 
wards (1784),  excepting  “ new  land  sowed  with  Fall 
grain.”  There  should  now  be  noticed  the  last  of  the 
“ Town  Papers”  pertaining  to  Sanbornton,  found  in 
the  “Provincial  Records”  (vol.  ix.  p.  757),  indorsed 
“Petition  for  Daniel  Sanborn  to  be  a Justice  of  the 
Peace, — 

“Province  of  New  Hampshire. 

“ Tohis  Excellency , John  Wentworth , Esq.,  Captain  General,  Governor  and 
Commander  in  Chief  in  and  over  Jus  Majesty's  Province  of  New  Hamp- 
shire, in  Councill : 

“The  Humble  Petition  of  the  subscribers,  Proprietors  of  the  Town  of 
Sanbornton,  in  said  Province,  sheweth  : That  your  Petitioners  humbly 
Conceive  that  it  would  be  Greatly  for  the  Benefit  of  the  Inhabitants,  as 
well  as  the  Proprietors  of  said  Town,  to  have  one  of  the  Inhabitants  of 
said  Town  Commissionated  as  a Justice  of  the  Peace  there  ; and  having 


Understood  that  the  Inhabitants  have  already  Petitioned  Your  Excellency 
that  Daniel  Sandborn,  Esq.,  of  that  Town,  may  be  Appointed  by  your 
Excellency  to  that  honorable  place,  we  begg  leave  to  Join  them  in  the 

said  request,  and  Pray  your  Excellency  to  Appoint  him  accordingly 

And  your  Petitioners,  as  in  Duty  bound,  shall  ever  Pray,  &c. 

“July  10, 1771. 

“ John  Taylor,  David  Burley  (J),  Samuel  Folsom  (|),  Joseph  Hoitt, 
Theophilus  ltunlet,  Jr.  ({),  David  Fogg  (J),  Jona.  Rawlings,  Jethro  Per- 
son, Edward  Taylor,  Josiah  Folsom  (J),  Joseph  Smith,  John  Fogg,  Wil- 
liam Chase,  Jr.,  Abraham  Perkins  (I),  Samuel  Fogg,  Jeremiah  Sanborn, 
Joseph  Clark  (J),  Ezra  Barker  (J),  Josiah  Sanborn,  Josiah  Dearborn  ([), 
John  Dearborn,  Daniel  Hoit  (t),  John  Folsom  (J),  Ebenezer  Samborn, 
Jonathan  Jewett  (|),  Jacob  Jewett  (J),  John  Sanborne,  Joseph  Hoit,  Jr., 
John  Hopkinson.” 

Note. — The  above  twenty-nine  signatures  indicate  many  changes  in 
the  Board  of  Proprietors  since  their  first  petition.  Those  marked  (J), 
thirteen  in  all,  do  not  appear  on  the  list  of  1748.  The  petition  of  the  in- 
habitants referred  to  has  never  come  to  light. 

At  the  third  annual  meeting  (1772)  it  was  voted  among 
various  other  items,  “Roads,  Bridges,  Fishing,”  etc., 
“to  improve  Chase  Taylor’s  barn-yard  as  a pound.” 
The  “warrant  ” for  the  fourth  annual  meeting  (1773) 
is  headed  “ Province  of  New  Hampshire,  Rocking- 
ham, ss.,”  and  commences,  “ This  is  to  notify  and 
warn  ye  freeholders  and  other  inhabitants  to  meet,” 
etc.,  “ ten  o’clock  in  ye  forenoon  ” being  then  estab- 
lished, as  it  has  ever  since  continued,  for  the  hour  of 
meeting ; but  a warrant  for  a speial  meeting,  called 
for  December  13,  1773,  is  headed,  “ Province  of  N.  H., 
Strafford,  ss.”  indicating  the  new  county  organiza- 
tion of  that  year. 


CHAPTER  II. 

SAN  BORNTON — ( Continued'! . 

MILITARY  HISTORY. 

War  of  the  Revolution — List  of  Soldiers — War  of  1812 — Names  of  Sol- 
diers— War  of  the  Rebellion — List  of  Soldiers. 

War  of  the  Revolution. — The  town  responded 
nobly  to  the  support  of  the  colonial  cause.  The  first 
soldiers  from  the  town  were  enlisted  early  in  the  year 
1775  and  were  assigned  to  Captain  Jeremiah  Clough’s 
company,  of  Canterbury,  as  follows: 

Aaron  Sanborn,  Thomas  Lyford,  Jonathan  Thomas,  Nathan  Taylor, 
Ebenezer  Eastman,  Jacob  Garland,  Daniel  Gale,  Levi  Hunt,  Philip 
Hunt,  William  Hayes,  John  Lary,  Joseph  Smith,  William  Thompson, 
William  Taylor,  Jacob  Tilton,  Stephen  Riggs,  Israel  Tilton,  Elisha 
Cate,  Jacob  Smith,  Jonathan  Lang.  Captain  Abraham  Perkins,  Nathan 
Taylor,  Captain  Chase  Taylor,  James  Sinclear  (Sinclair),  James  Lary 
(Leary),  Joseph  Sinclear,  David  Dustin  (Dusten)  Micail  Cofleen 
(Michael  Coffin)  Abiel  Chandler,  Benjamin  Johnson,  Samuel  Smith, 
Henry  Danforth,  John  Brier,  Thomas  Calley,  Elisha  Cate,  Simeon  Cate, 
Nicholas  Clark,  Satchell  Clark,  Thomas  Critchett,  Aaron  Ellsworth, 
John  Folsom,  Daniel  Gale  (wounded),  Caleb  Gilman  (discharged  August 
17th),  Samuel  Harper,  Jonathan  Morrison,  Robert  Smart  (went  as  the 
“waiter”  of  Captain  Taylor),  Daniel  T.  Sanborn,  Jonathan  H.  Sanborn, 
Timothy  Smith,  Ichabod  Swaine,  Jonathan  Taylor,  Jonathan  Thompson, 
Thomas  Taylor  (died  August  25,  1777),  Joseph  Jewett  (died  September 
2,  1777),  Andrew  Rowan  (died  March  1, 1778),  Joseph  Smith,  John  Smith, 
Stephen  (Stevens)  Burley,  Caleb  Gilman,  Samuel  Silver, William  Burley, 
Jonathan  Bean,  Moses  Cass,  John  Durgan  (Durgiu ; wounded),  John 
Rowan,  Jeremiah  Smith,  John  Morrison,  JohnYegoold,  Jonathan  Chase 
(re-inlisted  for  1780),  John  Magoon  (died  October  25,  1777,  from  wounds 
in  battle  of  October  7th),  Humphrey  Hunt,  Joseph  Gilman,  Jacob  Thomas, 


896 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


James  Sanborn,  Nathan  Hoit,  Jonathan  Hobbs  Sanborn,  Jeremiah  Til- 
ton, Joseph  Burley,  Jeremiah  Sanborn,  Jonathan  Perkins,  Moses  Leav- 
itt, Joseph  Leavitt,  John  Taylor,  Jonathan  Taylor,  Jonathan  Cate,  Jona- 
than Thomas,  Samuel  Fifield,  Josiah  Sanborn,  Lieutenant  Thomas  Ly- 
ford,  Henry  Smith,  Simon  Gilman,  Samuel  Smith,  Ezekiel  Danforth, 
Moses  Danforth,  Chase  Taylor,  Jr.,  Thomas  Copp,  Sergeant  John  San- 
born, Joseph  Hoit,  Jeremiah  Swain,  Dudley  Swain,  John  Rowan. 

The  following  persons  signed  the  “ Association 
Test,”  in  1776 : 

“Richard  Beacham,  Eliphalet  Brown,  John  Bryen  [Bryer ?]  Jacob 
Bam  ford,  Nathaniel  Burley,  Stephens  Burley,  Elisha  Carter,  Jonathan 
Cass,  Enoch  Cate,  James  Cates,  James  Cates,  Jonathan  Chase,  John 
Clark,  Joseph  Clark,  Nicholas  Clark,  Satchel  Clark,  Satchel  Clark,  Benja- 
min Colby,  Isaac  Colby,  John  Colby,  Solomon  Copp,  Thomas  Cricket 
[Critchet?],  Moses  Danforth,  Benjamin  Darling,  William  Durgin,  Jun., 
David  Dustin,  Enoch  Ealy,  Ebenezer  Eastman,  Josiah  Emery,  Daniel 
Fifield,  John  Folsom,  John  Folsom,  Daniel  Gale,  John  Gale,  Stephen 
Gale,  James  Gibson,  Nicholas  Giles,  Caleb  Gilman,  Joseph  Gilmon, 
Moses  Gilmon,  Ebenezer  Gove,  Samuel  Harper,  William  Hayes,  Jun., 
Joseph  Hoit,  Philip  Hunt,  Andrew  Jewett,  John  Johnson,  Edward  Kel- 
ly, Daniel  Lane,  John  Lane,  Gideon  Leavitt,  Josiah  Miles,  Jun.,  Ebe- 
nezer Morrison,  Samuel  Morrison,  David  Run,  David  Ran,  Theo.  Rand- 
let,  Jotham  Rawlins,  Moses  Kendall,  John  Robinson,  Aaron  Samborn, 
Abijah  Sanborn,  Benjamin  Sanborn,  Daniel  Sanborn,  Ebenezer  Sanborn, 
Josiah  Sanborn,  Josiah  Sanborn,  Thomas  Sincklar,  Robert  Smart,  Eli- 
sha Smith,  Jacob  Smith,  Jonathan  Smith,  Jun.,  Timothy  Smith,  Icha- 
bod  Swain,  Chase  Taylor,  Jonathan  Taylor,  Charles  Thomas,  Moses 
Thompson,  John  Thorn,  Nathaniel  Tilton,  William  Tomson,  Cole  Weeks, 
Joseph  Woodman. 

“July  3,  1776. 

“ Pursuent  to  the  w ithin  request,  the  Inhabitants  of  said  Sanbornton 
[being  now  at  home]  have  all , except  one , Benjamin  Hoit,  severally  sub- 
scribed their  names  hereunto. 

“ To  the  HonM  General  Court,  or  Committee  of  Safety  of  the  Colony 
of  New  Hampshire.” 

War  of  1812. 1 — A large  majority  of  the  citizens  of 
Sanbornton  were  at  first  opposed  to  the  War  of  1812. 
On  one  occasion,  the  year  before,  at  a “ test  vote  ” in 
town-meeting,  it  is  said  that  only  eleven  in  the  whole 
town  were  found  ready  to  support  what  were  then 
called  the  Republican  or  war  measures  of  the  ad- 
ministration, which  were  thought  to  be  tending 
towards  the  opening  of  hostilities.  But  after  the 
British  had  perpetrated  their  outrages  upon  our  seat 
of  government,  in  August,  1814,  and  their  fleets  w'ere 
seen  hovering  along  the  coast  of  New7  England  as  if 
meditating  an  attack,  then  the  patriotic  spirit  of  ’76 
w7as  easily  stirred.  It  seems  that  a mass-meeting  of 
the  citizens  had  been  previously  held,  and  at  a sec- 
ond meeting,  “September  21,  1814,”  the  committee, 
through  Nathan  Taylor,  chairman,  reported  a draft 
for  a “ military  association,”  which  was  immediately 
signed  by  seventy-two  individuals,  as  follows : 

“Joshua  Lane,  William  Weeks,  Robert  Steele,  John  Clark  (3d),  John 
Morrison,  James  Chapman,  Samuel  Dustin,  Symmes  Sawyer,  Jona. 
Gove,  Jonathan  Moore,  J.  B.  Perkins,  Caleb  Kimball,  Nathaniel  Burley, 
James  Clark,  Benjamin  P.  Sanborn,  Reuben  Philbrick,  Joseph  Smith, 
Jr.,  Daniel  Burleigh,  David  Burley,  Durban  Sanborn,  Samuel  Shirley, 
James  Sanders,  Christopher  Sanborn,  George  Whicher,  Obadiah  Elkins, 
Nathan  Taylor,  Joshua  Lovejoy,  Cole  Weeks,  Jona.  Perkins,  Ebenr. 
Sanborn,  Elisha  Smith,  Jacob  Tilton,  Jereh.  Tilton,  Page  Philbrick, 
Jereli.  Sanborn,  Jr.,  William  Taylor,  Jonathan  Taylor,  Jr..  Jonathan 
Taylor  (3d),  Elipht.  Ordway,  Reuben  P.  Smith,  Benjamin  Brow  n,  Philip 
Hunt,  Nat.  Perley,  Jonathan  Whicher,  Jeremiah  Smith,  John  Durgin, 
Robert  Hunkins,  Aaron  Wadleigh,  Thomas  Morrison,  Stephen  Merrill, 
John  P.  Hayes,  Richard  Hazelton,  Peter  Hersey,  D.  C.  Atkinson,  Sami. 


C.  Dudley,  John  D.  Sanborn,  Jeremiah  Sanborn  (3d),  Simeon  Moulton, 
Jonathan  Morrison, Wilm.  Robertson,  Joseph  Chapman,  Stephen  Bowles, 
Joseph  Sanborn,  Jr.,  John  Saunders,  Ebenr.  Sanborn,  Jr.,  Ebenr.  Chase, 
Josiah  Sanborn  (3),  John  Lane,  Jr.,  Joseph  Huse,  Jr.,  Caleb  Rogers, 
Samuel  Clark,  Zebulon  Smith.” 

LIST  OF  SOLDIERS. 

Jonathan  Darling,  James  Herrick,  Demetrius  Holcomb,  Nathaniel 
Burleigh,  Moses  Gilman,  Daniel  Johnson,  David  Burleigh,  Ephraim 
Burse  (?),  William  Cawley,  Nathaniel  Danforth  (4th),  Barachias  Farn- 
ham,  James  Mason,  John  S.  Mason,  Nathaniel  Proctor,  Robert  Sea vey, 
Jr.,  John  Twist,  Seth  Tappan,  Moses  Smith,  Luther  Wallace,  Noah 
Robertson,  John  Wiggins,  Nathaniel  W'oodman,  Jonathan  Whicher, 
Joshua  Smith,  Chase  Perkins,  Bradbury  Morrison, /William  Eaton,  Eben- 
ezer Brown,  Asa  Currier,  Jonathan  Taylor,  Nathan  Fogg,  Nathaniel 
Buswell,  Stephen  Hersey,  Abijah  Sanborn,  Ebenezer  Colby,  Thomas 
Webster,  John  Abram,  Charles  Ayres,  Nathaniel  E.  Badger,  Thomas 
Bruse,  Jacob  Bumford,  John  Bumford,  Peter  Burley,  James  Cate,  Eb- 
enezer Caverly,  Taylor  Clark,  John  Crockett,  David  Ellsworth,  Jeremiah 
Ellsworth,  Abram  Fowder,  Reuben  Giles,  Samuel  Gilman,  David  Hender- 
son, William  S.  Haniford,  John  Hunkins,  Robert  Hunkins.  Abraham  Hunt, 
Kelly  Lakeman,  David  Lane,  Thomas  Lane,  John  Leavitt,  Joseph  Leav- 
itt, Charles  Lougee,  John  Morrison,  Joseph  Philbric  (3d),  Joseph  Phi I- 
bric,  Jr.,  Nathan  Philbric,  Richard  Prescott,  Nathaniel  Robinson,  James 
Sanborn  (4th),  Jonathan  Sanborn  (3d),  Jonathan  Sanborn  (4th),  Josiah 
Sanborn,  Simeon  Sanborn,  William  Sanborn,  John  Sawryer,  Joseph 
Shute,  Levi  Tilton,  Reuben  Whicher,  Jona.  Soames,  Nathan  T.  Moore, 
Jona.  Bailey,  James  P.  Tilton,  John  Blake,  William  Chase*(discharged 
November  3,  1814),  Nathan  Huse,  Levi  Conner,  Henry  Sanborn,  Wil- 
liam Durgin,  William  Hayes,  Jr.,  Moses  Rollins,  Walker  Buzzell,  Jere- 
miah Burleigh,  Jonathan  Cate,  Joseph  Clark  (died  while  in  service,  at 
Boston,  1815),  David  Clark  (died  in  the  service,  in  Ohio,  1814),  John 
Critchett  (killed  on  board  the  “ Chesapeake,”  1813),  James  Hersey  (died 
of  gun-shot  w'ound,  in  Northern  New  York,  November,  1813).  Robert  S. 
Hoyt,  Zebulon  S.  Johnson,  Dudley  Pottle,  George  W.  Prescott,  John  L. 
Sanborn  (died  on  board  a prison  ship,  1813),  James  Silver  (died  in 
Northern  New  York),  Israel  Tilton,  Richard  Wallis  (died  in  Sanborn- 
ton, 1814). 

Sanbornton  Soldiers  in  the  War  of  Rebellion,2 
1861-65  . — In  Fourth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  en- 
listed September  18-20,  1861,  for  three  years,  were 
the  following : 

diaries  K.  Buswell,  private,  Company  D ; discharged  for  disability  De- 
cember 31,  1862. 

Charles  C.  Clark,  corporal,  Company  D ; discharged  for  disability  De- 
cember 5,  1861 ; re  enlisted  Fifteenth  Regiment,  corporal  Company 
H,  October  11,  1862. 

Andrew’  B.  Cutler,  private,  Company  D ; re-enlisted  veteran.  Company 
D,  January  1,  1864  ; captured  at  Deep  Run,  Ya.,  August  16,  1864  ; 
died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C.,  December  22,  1864. 

Charles  H.  Dearborn,  private,  Company  D ; died  of  disease  at  Hilton 
Head,  S.  C.,  July  20, 1863. 

Albert  L.  Fitzgerald,  private,  Company  D ; promoted  to  corporal ; then 
to  first  lieutenant,  October  26, 1863  ; discharged  for  disability. 
Benjamin  T.  Hannaford,  private,  Company  D ; resided  in  Northfield, 
but  re-enlisted  for  Sanbornton  December  26,  1863. 

Abner  L.  Knowlton,  corporal,  Company  D ; promoted  to  first  sergeant  ; 
re  enlisted  January’  1,  1864  ; commissioned  first  lieutenant  Company 
H November  9,  1864  ; commissioned  captain  Company  H Febru- 
ary 17,  1865  ; mustered  out  August  23,  1865. 

Horace  B.  Morrison,  private,  Company  I) ; promoted  to  sergeant ; mus- 
tered out  September  27, 1864. 

John  W.  Sanborn,  private,  Company  D ; promoted  to  corporal  ; mus- 
tered out  September  27,  1864. 

Winthrop  II.  Smith,  private,  Company  I);  discharged  for  disability 
October  19,  1861. 

Charles  W.  Tilton,  second  lieutenant,  Company  K : resigned  January  16, 
1862;  re-enlisted,  Ninth  Regiment,  first  lieutenant  Company  C, 
August  10,  1862. 

In  Sixth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  enlisted  No- 
vember 30,  1861,  for  three  years,  were  the  following  : 

Elijah  Hastings,  private,  Company  I ; promoted  to  corporal ; discharged 
at  Washington,  D.  C.,  for  disability,  November  27,  1862. 


•From  Runnels'  ‘ History  of  Sanbornton.” 


‘-From  Runnels'  “ History  of  Sanbornton.” 


RAN  BORN  TON. 


897 


Charles  Jaques,  private,  Company  I ; discharged  for  disability  at  New- 
bern,  N.  C.,  June  24, 1862. 

Janies  E.  Sanborn,  private,  Company  I ; re-enlisted  as  veteran  for  three 
years,  December  19,  1863  ; wounded  May  12  and  June  5,  1864  : 
promoted  to  sergeant ; and  to  first  sergeant  July  1,  1865  ; mustered 
out  July  17,  1865. 

In  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  enlisted  De- 
cember 20-31,  1861,  for  three  years,  were  the  follow- 
ing: 

George  A.  Flanders,  captain,  Company  F ; wounded  May  27,  1863  ; pro- 
moted to  lieutenant-colonel  December  16, 1863  ; mustered  out  Jan- 
uary 18,  1865. 

Joseph  W.  Blake,  private,  Company  F ; discharged  for  disability  July 
3,  1862. 

Elijah  P.  Burns,  private,  Company  F ; promoted  to  corporal  December 
1,  1863  ; mustered  out  January  18,  1865. 

Benaiali  S.  Cawley,  private,  Company  G ; promoted  to  corporal  January 
1,  1864  ; re-enlisted  January  4,  1864  ; transferred  to  Company  B, 
Veteran  Battalion,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  January  1, 
1865  ; mustered  out  October  28, 1865. 

Amos  K.  Copp,  private,  Company  D ; promoted  to  corporal  August  1, 

1863  ; transferred  to  Veteran  Reserve  Corps  April  10, 1864. 

Aaron  B.  Fellows,  private,  Company  F ; transferred  to  Veteran  Reserve 
Corps  May,  1864. 

Samuel  C.  Fifield,  private,  Company  F ; discharged  for  disability  March 
27, 1863. 

George  H.  Flagg,  corporal,  Company  D ; promoted  to  sergeant  January 
10,  1863  ; discharged  for  disability,  at  New  Orleans,  La.,  April  22, 

1864. 

Ephraim  L.  Frost,  private,  Company  F ; mustered  out  January  18, 

1865. 

Josiah  C.  Gilman,  corporal,  Company  F ; promoted  to  sergeant  January 
6,  1863 ; re-enlisted  January  4,  1864 ; wounded  April  8,  1864  i 
died  of  disease  October  14,  1864. 

Nathan  P.  Hancock,  private  Company  F ; discharged  for  disability, 
April,  1864. 

William  F.  Hannaford,  private,  Company  F ; re-enlisted  January  4,1864  ; 
promoted  to  corporal  February  14,  1864  ; to  sergeant  September  1, 
1864 ; to  first  sergeant  November,  1864  ; not  officially  accounted 

for. 

William  Herrick,  private,  Company  D ; re-enlisted  January  4,  1864 ; 
transferred  to  Company  A,  Veteran  Battalion,  Eighth  New  Hamp- 
shire Volunteers,  January  1, 1865  ; mustered  out  October  28,  1865. 
Leonard  Huse,  private,  Company  F ; died  of  disease  at  Brashear  City, 
La.,  May  31,  1863. 

William  S.  Huse,  private,  Company  F ; transferred  to  Veteran  Reserve 
Corps  April  30,  1864. 

John  B.  Lamprey,  private,  Company  D ; re-enlisted  January  4,  1864  ; 
transferred  to  Company  A.,  Veteran  Battalion,  Eighth  New  Hamp- 
shire Volunteers ; discharged  for  disability  at  Concord,  June  2, 
1865. 

Spencer  Lane,  corporal,  Company  D ; promoted  to  sergeant  January  1, 

1864  ; re  enlisted  January  4,  1864 ; promoted  to  sergeant-major 
November  13, 1864  ; mustered  out  January  18,  1865. 

Ezra  E.  Morrill,  private,  Company  D ; promoted  to  corporal  ; re-enlisted 
January  4,  1864;  transferred  to  Company  A,  Veteran  Battalion, 
Eighth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers ; promoted  to  sergeant  August 
21,  1865  ; mustered  out  October  28,  1865. 

• Hanan  Piper,  private,  Company  D ; mustered  out  January  18,  1865. 
Joseph  P.  Sanborn,  private,  Company  F ; discharged  for  disability  March 
27,  1863. 

Joseph  Wallis,  first  sergeant,  Company  F ; promoted  to  second  lieuten- 
ant January  3,  1863  ; killed  at  Poll;  Hudson,  La.,  June  14,  1863. 
George  R.  Wliicher,  private  Company  F. 

In  New  Hampshire  Battalion,  First  New  England 
Cavalry,  mustered  in  October  24  and  December  17, 
1861,  for  three  years,  were  the  following: 

Hosea  Q.  Mason,  Troop  B ; promoted  to  sergeant  December  30,  1861 ; dis- 
charged for  disability  at  Concord,  May  11,  1862. 

Samuel  W.  Leighton,  Troop  I ; promoted  to  corporal  July  13,  1862  ; died 
at  Camp  Parole,  Annapolis,  Md.,  September  17,  1863. 

John  W.  Swain,  Troop  K ; discharged  for  disability  February  4,  1863. 


In  Second  United  States  Sharpshooters,  enlisted 
for  three  years,  was, — 

David  C.  Wyatt,  first  enlisted  September  9,1861;  re-enlisted  veteran 
January  4,  1864;  promoted  to  sergeant  March  1,  1864;  wounded 
severely  August  15,  1864  ; transferred  to  Fifth  New  Hampshire  Vol- 
unteers January  30,  1865. 

In  New  Hampshire  Battalion,  First  New  England 
Cavalry  (added),  enlisted  January  21,  1862,  for  three 
years,  were  the  following : 

Byron  L.  Carr,  Troop  M ; re-enlisted  February  1,  1864. 

Clarence  B.  Sanborn,  Troop  M. 

Otis  C.  Wyatt,  lieutenant ; promoted  to  captain  of  Troop  B March  31, 

1864. 

In  Ninth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  mustered  in 
July  17  (August  13  and  15),  1862,  for  three  years, 
were  the  following : 

Aaron  Chase,  private,  Company  B ; transferred  to  brigade  band  October 
1,  1862. 

Charles  H.  Chase  (August  15th),  private,  Company  C. 

Samuel  R.  Eastman,  corporal,  Company  C. 

John  F.  Evans,  private,  Company  C ; promoted  to  corporal  ; captured 
July  30,  1864  ; died  of  disease  at  Darwell,  Va.,  January  15,  1865. 
Levi  W.  Hill,  wagoner,  Company  C ; discharged  for  disability  December 
1,  1862. 

Paul  B.  Johnson,  private,  Company  C;  discharged  for  disability  at  Con- 
cord, December  23,  1863. 

Horace  B.  Page  (August  13)  ; transferred  to  Veteran  Reserve  Corps 
September  30,  1863  ; mustered  out  August  12,  1865. 

Samuel  D.  Pearson,  private,  Company  C;  died  of  starvation  at  Salisbury, 
N.  C.,  November  9,  1864. 

In  Twelfth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  Company  D, 
and  “mustered  in  September  5,  1862”  (unless  other- 
wise designated),  for  three  years,  were  the  following: 

J.  Ware  Butterfield,  captain  ; honorably  discharged  November  17,  1862. 
John  M.  Bickford,  corporal  ; wounded  May  3,  1863  ; transferred  to 
Veteran  Reserve  Corps  February  29,  1864  ; mustered  out  July  26, 

1865. 

Benjamin  E.  Blackstone,  private ; discharged  by  order  at  Washington, 
D.  C.,  November  26,  1862. 

Henry  C.  Buzzell,  private  ; promoted  to  corporal  November  6,  1863  ; ser- 
geant May  1,  1864  ; wounded  severely  June  3,  1864  ; died  of  wounds 
at  Washington,  D.  C.,  June  29,  1864. 

James  T.  Calley,  private  ; died  of  disease  at  Falmouth,  Va.,  January  13, 
1863. 

Charles  A.  Cate,  private,  Company  II,  September  9th  ; killed  at  Chancel- 
lors ville,  Va.,  May  3,  1863. 

Augustus  L.  Chapman,  private,  September  9th  ; killed  at  Chancellors- 
ville,  Va.,  May  3,  1863. 

Smith  Chapman,  private. 

Leonard  Conant,  wagoner  ; mustered  out  June  18,  1865. 

John  G.  Donivan,  private;  wounded  May  3, 1863  ; mustered  out  June  21, 
1865. 

Cyrus  P.  Dow,  private,  Company  H,  September  9th’;  wounded  slightly 
June  3,  1864  ; promoted  to  corporal  September  1,  1864  ; mustered 
out  June  21,  1865. 

Charles  W.  Drown,  private  ; promoted  to  corporal  February  6,  1864  ; to 
sergeant  May  1,  1864  ; wounded  slightly  June  3,  1864  ; discharged 
by  order  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  May  19,  1865. 

Charles  E.  Edgerly,  private  ; wounded  May  3,  1863  ; discharged  for  dis- 
ability at  Concord,  October  14,  1863. 

Charles  H.  Foss,  private  ; transferred  to  Veteran  Reserve  Corps  February 
15,  1861 ; mustered  out  July  4,  1865. 

Andrew  P.  Gilman,  private  ; wounded  May  3,  1863  ; discharged  for  dis- 
ability at  Concord,  October  17,  1863. 

George  B.  Gilman,  private. 

Moses  B.  Gilman,  private  ; transferred  to  Veteran  Reserve  Corps  Septem- 
ber 30, 1863  ; mustered  out  July  6,  1865. 

Ward  E.  Gilman,  private  ; wounded  May  3,  1863  ; mustered  out  June  21, 
1865. 

Dow  B.  Griffin,  private  ; mustered  out  June  21,  1865. 


898 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


George  W.  Hall,  first  sergeant ; wounded  May  3,  18G3 ; promoted  to 
second  lieutenant  January  4,  1864  ; to  first  lieutenant  July  20,  1864  ; 
commissioned  captain  January  10,  1865  (declined)  ; mustered  out 
June  21,  1865. 

Arthur  L.  Hannaford,  private,  September  9th  ; wounded  May  3,  1863  ; 
promoted  to  corporal  May  1, 18G5  ; mustered  out  June  21,  1865. 

Clark  V.  Hines,  private,  Company  E;  mustered  out  June  21,  1865. 

James  M.  Hodgdon,  private,  Company  E;  mustered  out  June  21,  18G5. 

John  G.  Hodge,  private ; promoted  to  corporal  ; killed  at  Chancellora- 
ville  May  3,  1863. 

Alanson  P.  Howe,  private. 

Prescott  Y.  Howland,  corporal ; discharged  for  disability  at  Washington, 
I).  C.,  October  30,  1862. 

John  Jones,  private ; wounded  May  3,  1863  ; transferred  to  Veteran  Re- 
serve Corps  February  23,  1864  ; mustered  out  August  14,  1864. 

Josiah  Jones,  private ; discharged  for  disability  at  Alexandria,  Va., 
November  20,  1863. 

Asa  Keniston,  private,  September  9th  ; discharged  by  order  at  Falmouth, 
Va.,  March  19,  1863. 

Arthur  L.  Kimball,  private  ; mustered  out  June  21,  1865. 

Frank  Knowlton,  private  ; promoted  to  corporal  March  17,  1863  ; killed 
at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  2,  1863. 

Jonathan  E.  Leavitt,  private  ; died  of  wrounds  at  Gettysburg,  July  3, 
1863. 

Wesley  Leighton,  private,  Company  H,  September  9th  ; killed  at  Gettys- 
burg, July  2,  1863. 

William  S.  Martin,  private  ; wounded  May  3,  1863 ; died  of  wounds  at 
Potomac  Creek,  June  2,  1863. 

John  Moores,  private ; wounded  May  3,  1863 ; promoted  to  corporal 
April  19,  1864  ; to  sergeant  November  1,  1864  ; mustered  out  June 
21,  1865. 

Bradbury  31.  3Iorrill,  second  lieutenant,  September  8th  ; promoted  to  first 
lieutenant  Company  E November  18,  1862  ; honorably  discharged 
November  11,  1863. 

Frederick  F.  Osgood,  private. 

Alfred  V.  Perry,  private  ; mustered  out  June  21, 1865. 

Hiram  C.  Philbrick,  private,  September  13th  ; promoted  to  corporal  3Iay 
9,  1865;  mustered  out  June  21,  1865. 

Leavitt  S.  Roberts,  corporal  ; promoted  to  sergeant ; transferred  to  In- 
valid Corps  December  1,  1863. 

William  E.  Roberts,  private,  September  2,  1863;  tranferred  to  Veteran 
Reserve  Corps  February  2,  1865  ; mustered  out  July  25,  1865. 

Ira  Robinson,  private  ; wounded  May  3,  1863  ; transferred  to  Invalid 
Corps  February  23,  1864. 

William  31.  Robinson,  private,  September  2, 1863  ; wounded  May  2,  1863  ; 
mustered  out  June  21,  1865. 

Leander  S.  Rowe,  private,  September  9th  ; discharged  by  order  at  Wash- 
ington, 1).  C.,  December  11,  1862. 

Benjamin  F.  Sanborn,  private ; killed  at  Chancellorsville,  Va.,  May  3, 
1863. 

Freedom  Sanborn,  private,  Company  II  ; discharged  for  disability  at 
Point  Lookout,  31d.,  February  1,  1864. 

Oscar  P.  Sanborn,  private;  wounded  3Iay  3,  1863  ; discharged  by  order 
at  Alexandria,  Va.,  November  18,  1863. 

Theodore  Sanborn,  private ; died  of  disease  at  Fortress  3Ionroe  January 
28,  1865. 

William  H.  Sanborn,  corporal  ; wounded  June  3,  1864  ; promoted  to  ser- 
geant January  1,  1865  ; mustered  out  June  21,  1865. 

Andrew  J.  Small,  private  ; missing  at  Chancellorsville  3Iay  3,  1863  ; 
gained  from  missing  ; wounded  slightly  3Iay  14, 1864  ; mustered  out 
June  21, 1865. 

George  II.  Smith,  private,  Company  G,  September  9th;  killed  at  Chancel- 
lorsville May  3,  1863. 

George  W.  Swain,  private  ; killed  at  Chancellorsville  3Iay  3,  1863. 

Samuel  B.  Swain,  sergeant ; promoted  to  first  sergeant  3Iay  1, 1864  ; 
mustered  out  June  21,  1865. 

Lafayette  W.  Tilton,  private  ; transferred  to  Invalid  Corps  February 
23,  1864. 

Isaac  B.  Virgin,  private ; discharged  by  order  at  Washington,  January 

3. 1863. 

Albert  P.  Wadleigh,  private  ; died  of  disease  at  Falmouth,  Va.,  January 

20. 1863. 

Orrin  W.  Wallace,  private  ; discharged  by  order  at  Falmouth,  Va., 
3Iarch  21, 1863. 

Benjamin  W.  Weeks,  private  ; died  November2G,  1862. 

It  appears  from  the  above  record  that  May  3,  1863, 


was  the  severest  day  of  the  whole  war  for  the  “ San- 
bornton  boys,”  no  less  than  thirteen  of  their  number 
being  on  that  day  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Chancel- 
lorsville, and  six  killed  or  fatally  wounded. 

In  the  Fifteenth  New  Hampshire  Regiment  (nine 
months’  men),  Company  H,  mustered  in  October  11, 
1862,  and  mustered  out  August  13, 1863  (unless  other- 
wise designated),  were  the  following: 

Jacob  P.  B.  Sanborn,  captain,  commissioned  November  3,  1862. 

Bracket  J.  Baker,  musician. 

John  D.  Blake,  corporal,  sick  at  Sanbornton. 

George  F.  Bowers,  private,  died  of  disease  at  Carrollton,  La.,  3Iay  9, 
1863. 

Horace  A.  Burley,  private,  died  of  disease  on  board  United  States  trans- 
port July  30,  1863. 

Jason  J.  Burley,  sergeant. 

Charles  W.  Buzzell,  private. 

Irving  W.  Coombs,  private. 

John  C.  Coombs,  corporal. 

George  Dawson,  private. 

Thomas  W.  Donald,  private. 

Moses  E.  Eastman,  private,  died  of  disease  on  board  United  States  trans- 
port July  27,  1863. 

Daniel  S.  Gilman,  private. 

John  Hicks,  private. 

Samuel  H.  Jacobs,  private,  sick  at  Sanbornton. 

John  Perkins,  private,  October  31,  1862. 

Daniel  31.  Philbrook,  private,  October  31, 1862. 

Thomas  Philbrook,  private. 

William  H.  Philbrook,  sergeant. 

John  Runnels,  private. 

Adoniram  T.  Sanborn,  musician. 

Charles  II.  Sanborn,  private,  died  of  disease  at  Carrollton,  La.,  May  25, 
1853. 

Harlan  P.  Sanborn,  private,  sick  at  Sanbornton. 

John  S.  Sanborn,  private. 

John  Y.  Sanborn,  private. 

Johu  B.  Shute,  private,  died  of  disease  at  Carrollton,  La.,  February  13, 

1863. 

Horace  P.  Swain,  private. 

Samuel  T.  Swain,  private,  sick  at  Sanbornton. 

James  S.  Walker,  private. 

In  the  Sixteenth  New  Hampshire  Regiment  (nine 
months’  men)  was 

James  Pike,  colonel,  commissioned  November  1,  1862  ; mustered  out  Au- 
gust 20,  1863. 

In  First  Regiment  Heavy  Artillery  was 

Oliver  D.  Philbrook,  sergeant,  Company  M,  enlisted  December  20, 
1863  ; mustered  out  June  9,  I860 ; was  also  previously  enlisted. 

Recruits  in  the  Various  Regiments. — The 
following  are  all  headed  “ recruits,”  yet  accredited  to 
the  town  of  Sanbornton.  A few  only  resided  in  town. 
Many  of  them  were  foreigners,  as  shown  by  their 
names  ; quite  a number  unsoldierly  in  their  conduct, 
as  the  word  “ deserted”  appears  after  their  names.  It 
is  needless  here  to  specify  such  ; but  we  give  the 
names  of  all  in  full,  with  other  notes.  The  patriot- 
ism of  the  town  will  thus  be  correctly  measured,  as 
these  men  were  either  hired  by  the  town  authorities 
on  draft,  or  put  into  the  service  by  individual  citizens 
as  their  substitutes.  The  names  are  entered  in  the 
order  of  the  State  regiments. 

In  the  Second  New  Hampshire  Regiment  was 

Henry  Harris,  mustered  in  December  6,  1864 ; not  officially  accounted 
for. 


SANBORNTON. 


899 


In  the  Third  New  Hampshire  Regiment  were  the 
following : 

Charles  Everhard,  Company  F,  mustered  in  December  14, 1864  ; out  July 
20,  1865. 

George  Roberts,  Company  K,  December  23,  1864,  to  June  15,  1865. 

In  the  Fourth  New  Hampshire  Regiment,  enlisted 
“for  three  years,”  between  December  20  and  28,  1864, 
except  where  otherwise  stated,  were  the  following  : 

Thomas  Atkinson,  Company  E. 

John  Bantist,  Company  I. 

John  Carroll,  Company  I. 

Charles  Harrison,  enlisted  volunteer  September  17,  1862 ; not  officially 
accounted  for. 

Teter  Kelley,  Company  I,  mustered  in  September  29,  1863 ; captured  at 
Drury’s  Bluff,  Va.,  May  16,  1864  ; released  February  24,  1865  ; mus- 
tered out  August  4,  1865. 

Henry  McCormick,  Company  F,  not  officially  accounted  for. 

John  McDonreld,  Company  F,  shot  by  provost  guard  March  14,  1865. 
William  Price,  not  officially  accounted  for. 

William  L.  Velpman,  Company  I,  enlisted  October  6,  1863  ; mustered  out 
August  23,  1865. 

In  the  Fifth  New  Hampshire  Regiment  was 

John  Lynch,  Company  F,  mustered  in  August  29,  1864. 

In  the  Sixth  New  Hampshire  Regiment  (mostly 
enlisted  for  three  years,  between  December  28,  1863, 
and  January  5, 1864)  were  the  following: 

Charles  Burns,  Company  C. 

0.  n.  Dorn,  Company  H. 

William  N.  Duesbury,  Company  I,  promoted  to  corporal  July  1,  1865; 

mustered  out  July  17,  1865. 

James  Dunn. 

Julius  Frank,  Company  B. 

Anthony  Hagerty,  Company  D,  mustered  in  August  26, 1864  ; first  in  the 
Ninth  Regiment ; absent,  prisoner  of  war,  July  17,  1865. 

John  Harbeck,  Company  H. 

Obed  Harris,  Company  I,  first  in  the  Eleventh  Regiment ; absent,  sick, 
since  December  29,  1863  ; no  discharge  furnished. 

Antoine  Hernandes,  Company  H. 

Lawrence  Laughlin,  Company  A,  transferred  to  the  Department  of  the 
Northwest  October  10, 1864. 

James  McCormick,  Company  B,  mustered  out  July  17, 1865. 

James  McGrough. 

John  W.  Medford,  Company  D. 

Joseph  Rivers,  Company  I. 

Charles  F.  Rogers,  Company  I,  killed  in  action  June  3,  1864. 

Robert  Sanders,  Company  B. 

Fred.  Smith,  Company  H,  absent,  sick,  July  17, 1865. 

Thomas  Sullivan,  Company  F. 

William  Werner. 

John  W.  Williams,  Company  I,  wounded  May  12,  1864 ; since  absent, 
sick. 

In  the  Seventh  New  Hampshire  Regiment  were 
the  following : 

Frederick  Bolte,  Company  H,  mustered  in  September  20, 18G3  ; out  July 
20,  1863. 

Michael  Hayes,  Company  H,  mustered  in  November  29,  1864. 

Charles  Meier,  mustered  in  January  13,  1865. 

Charles  B.  Silver,  Company  G,  mustered  in  September  29,  1863,  for  three 
years ; mustered  out  July  20,  1865. 

In  the  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Regiment  were  the 
following : 

Charles  L.  Arlin  (formerly  of  Northfield),  re-enlisted,  Company  D,  Jan- 
uary 4,  1864  ; transferred  to  Company  A,  Veteran  Battalion,  Eighth 
New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  January  1,  1865  ; promoted  to  corporal 
October  16,1865;  mustered  out  October  28,  1865. 

Luigi  Brigolie,  Company  B,  enlisted  September  30, 18G3. 

Charles  H.  Hibbard,  Company  D,  mustered  in  August  11,  1864  ; trans- 
ferred to  Company  A,  Veteran  Battalion,  Eighth  New  Hampshire 
Volunteers,  January  1,  1865 ; mustered  out  July  21,  1865. 


Charles  W.  Kimball  (formerly  of  New  Hampton),  Company  F,  re-en- 
listed, Company  D,  January  4,  1864  ; transferred  to  Company  A, 
Veteran  Battalion,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  January  1, 
1865  ; mustered  out  October  28,  1865. 

James  Morrison,  enlisted  August  17,  1864  ; not  officially  accounted  for. 
John  Presby  (formerly  enlisted  from  Northfield),  re-enlisted,  sergeant, 
Company  D,  Jaunary  4,  1864  ; not  officially  accounted  for. 

George  Slamer,  enlisted,  Company  D,  September  29,  1863. 

Elbert  G.  Smith  (formerly  of  New  Hampton),  Company  F ; re-enlisted, 
Company  D,  January  4,  1864;  transferred  to  Company  A,  Veteran 
Battalion,  Eighth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  January  1,1865  ; 
promoted  to  corporal  May  1,  1865  ; mustered  out  October  28,  1865. 
Roswell  M.  Wells  (formerly  of  New  Hampton),  Company  F ; re-enlisted, 
Company  D,  January  4,  1864 ; died  of  accidental  gunshot  wound 
October  30, 1864. 

In  the  Ninth  New  Hampshire  Regiment  was 

John  Blake,  mustered  in  August  26,  1864. 

In  the  Tenth  New  Hampshire  Regiment  were  the 
following : 

Alexander  Anderson,  private,  Company  G,  mustered  in  February  10, 
1864  ; transferred  to  Second  New  Hampshire  Volunteers  June  21, 
1865. 

Ictave  Chapine,  private,  Company  F,  February  20,  1864  ; wounded 
severely  May  12,  1864 ; transferred  to  Second  New  Hampshire  Vol- 
unteers June  21,  1865. 

David  Stone,  private,  Company  F,  mustered  in  February  10,  1864,  and 
transferred  to  Second  New  Hampshire  Volunteers  June  21,  1865. 

In  the  Eleventh  New  Hampshire  Regiment  were 
the  following : 

Charles  Brown,  mustered  in  December  29,  1863. 

John  Johnson,  mustered  in  December  29,  1863,  Company  B ; wounded 
slightly  May  16,  1864;  severely,  July  30,  1864;  died  of  disease  at 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  August  30,  1864. 

John  Nelson,  mustered  in  December  29,  1863  ; wounded  severely  May  12, 
1864;  discharged  for  disability,  at  Wellington,  D.  C.,  October  21, 
1864. 

George  Scribner,  mustered  in  December  29,  1863. 

Edward  Willson,  mustered  in  December  29,  1863. 

In  the  Twelfth  New  Hampshire  Regiment  were  the 
following : 

John  N.  Colby,  Company  D,  enlisted  March  30,  1864. 

Thomas  W.  Donald,  private,  Company  D,  mustered  in  October  21,  1863  ; 

transferred  to  Second  New  Hampshire  Volunteers  June  21,  1865. 
Edmund  Greenhalgli,  musician,  Company  D,  mustered  in  January  2, 
1864  ; transferred  to  Veteran  Reserve  Corps  April  12,  1865  ; mus- 
tered out  August  24,  1865. 

In  the  First  Regiment  New  England  Cavalry,  New 
Hampshire  Battalion,  Troop  B (all  enlisted  March  29 
or  30,  1864;  all  but  two  mustered  out  July  15,  1865), 
were  the  following : 

George  W.  Carleton,  absent,  sick,  since  June  16,  1864  ; no  discharge  fur- 
nished. 

Gilbert  G.  Chase, .missing  June  29,  1864  ; gained  from  missing  ; promoted 
to  corporal  July  1,  1865. 

Peter  Farley. 

Cornelius  Jenotte,  missing  at  Lacy  Springs,  Va.,  December  21,  1864  ; 

gained  from  missing ; promoted  to  corporal  May  1,  1865. 

Jeremiah  Manning. 

Benjamin  F.  Marsh. 

John  Nichols. 

Alvah  Smith,  promoted  to  corporal  July  1,  1865. 

Charles  York,  captured  June  29, 1864  ; died  of  disease  at  Andersonville, 
Ga.,  September  14,  1864  ; grave  No.  8736. 

In  Troop  C (chiefly  mustered  in  March  30  and  31, 
1864,  and  out  July  15,  1865)  were  the  following: 

Paul  Bernard,  promoted  to  corporal  June  1,  1865. 

Jessino  B.  Favour,  died  at  Frederick  City,  Md.,  March  21, 1865. 

Charles  Giliss,  promoted  to  troop  quartermaster-sergeant  July  1,  1865. 
Albert  Horney,  appointed  bugler. 

John  Lee,  mustered  out  June  5, 1865. 


900 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Matthew  Sullivan,  mustered  in  April  5,  1864 ; promoted  to  corporal  May 
1, 1865. 

In  Troop  D were  the  following : 

Robert  B.  Ferris,  enlisted  July  28,  1864. 

John  Murphy,  enlisted  July  28,  1864, 

William  Newell,  enlisted  August  16,  1864. 

George  Sailor,  enlisted  July  28,  1864. 

George  Williams,  enlisted  August  5,  1864. 

In  Troop  E,  all  mustered  in  between  June  8 and 
August  17,  1864  (the  major  part  July  16  and  21), 
and  deserted  in  a body,  were  the  following  : 

William  Anderson,  John  Blair,  Edward  Bradley,  John  Brady,  John 
Brown,  John  Cronah,  John  Dailey,  George  Duley,  John  Farrell,  Henry 
Flarthey,  James  Gilman,  George  Ilane,  James  Hardgrove,  Thoma9 
Jones,  Charles  Kent,  William  King,  James  Markham,  Timothy  McCar- 
ty, Daniel  Miller,  William  Simpson,  Andrew  Smith,  John  Smith  (2d), 
Albert  Walsh. 

In  Troop  F (mustered  in  July  16,  1864;  out  July 
15,  1865)  were  the  following: 

James  Benton  and  James  Fitzgerald. 

In  Troop  G were  the  following : 

John  Canning,  mustered  in  July  29,  1864. 

George  Goodman,  mustered  in  July  21, 1864. 

In  Troop  I were  the  following : 

William  Anson,  mustered  in  August  13,  1864. 

George  Edward,  mustered  in  August  13, 1864  ; mustered  out  June  12, 
1865. 

John  G.  Sanborn,  mustered  in  January  5,  1864  (was  also  previously  en- 
listed). 

In  the  Veteran  Reserve  Corps  were  the  following: 

Westley  Alexander,  mustered  in  June  30, 1864. 

William  Bannister,  mustered  in  July  28, 1864. 

Pat.  C.  McQueeney,  mustered  in  Juno  25,  1864. 

We  supplement  the  above  lists  by  the  following 
fourteen  names  of  individuals  who  are  otherwise 
known  to  have  served  their  country  as  Sanbornton 
men  in  the  war  of  1861-65.  A few  of  these,  though 
belonging  to  New  Hampshire  regiments,  yet  fail,  by 
an  oversight,  to  be  noticed  in  the  adjutant-general’s 
reports ; others  were  enlisted  in  regiments  out  of  the 
State,  and  others  still  served  in  some  different  army 
departments. 

Amos  D.  Baker,  Sylvester  Chapman,  William  O.  Daniels,  Ebenenezer 

C.  Fifield,  George  P.  Ilowe,  John  M.  Howe,  Rufus  Howe.  Jr.,  Sylvester 

D.  Hunt,  Oliver  P.  Morrison,  Carleton  Rollins,  Josiah  S.  Swain,  Fred- 
eric P.  Taylor,  Albert  K.  Tilton,  Jeremiah  C.  Tilton. 


CHAPTER  III. 

SANBORNTON — (Continued). 

Ecclesiastical  History— Congregational  Church — First  Baptist  Church — 
Second  Baptist  Church — Third  Baptist  Church — The  Woodman  San- 
bornton Academy — The  Sanbornton  and  Franklin  Union  Academy — 
Physicians — Lawyers — Civil  History— Representatives — Town  Clerks 
— Treasurers. 

Congregational  Church.1— The  first  reference  on 
the  town  records  in  relation  to  the  support  of  the 
gospel  is  under  date  of  July  13,  1767,  when  it  was 
voted  that  “they  would  raise  a dollar  on  each  right, 

1 Condensed  from  “ History  of  Sanbornton.” 


liable  to  pay  taxes,  for  to  hire  a minister  this  present 
year,”  and  Josiah  Sanborn,  Captain  Joseph  Hoit  and 
Ebenezer  Sanborn  were  chosen  a committee  for  that 
purpose.  Whether  a preacher  was  actually  hired 
during  the  summer  of  1767  is  uncertain;  but  June 
17,  1768,  “fifty  dolers”  were  voted  “to  be  laid  out  in 
preaching  this  summer,”  and  the  first  two  of  the  for- 
mer committee  were  chosen  to  carry  it  into  effect. 
A similar  vote  was  passed  for  each  of  the  three  fol- 
lowing years.  On  the  29th  of  July,  1771,  the  pro- 
prietors began  to  afford  more  substantial  aid,  it  being 
voted  that  ten  dollars  be  raised  on  each  original 
“right,”  liable  to  be  taxed,  to  assist  and  help  the  in- 
habitants of  the  town  in  supporting  a gospel  minis- 
ter, if  they  settle  one  among  them.  Three  dollars  of 
each  ten  were  to  be  paid  the  first  year,  within  six 
months  after  the  minister  is  first  settled,  three  dollars 
more  within  twelve  months  after  the  first  payment, 
two  dollars  the  third  year,  one  dollar  the  fourth  year, 
and  one  dollar  the  fifth  year,  in  case  the  inhabitants 
settle  one  within  two  years  from  the  passing  of  this 
vote,  or  otherwise  to  be  of  none  effect.  This  was 
wisely  arranged  to  stimulate  the  people  to  immediate 
effort,  and  aid  them  for  a course  of  years,  according 
to  tlieir  disposition  and  ability  to  help  themselves. 
The  same  favorable  regard  of  the  proprietors  for  the 
settlers  was  shown  the  next  year,  May  27,  1772,  in 
their  passing  a vote  to  raise  one  dollar  on  each  right 
“to  help  the  inhabitants  to  build  a meeting-house 
for  the  public  worship  of  God  in  s’d  town.” 

Meanwhile,  the  settlers  had  resolutely  started,  and, 
as  was  natural,  in  the  direction  of  a house  for  wor- 
ship first ; one  of  the  principal  votes  at  their  second 
annual  town-meeting,  1771,  being, — 

“To  appoint  ami  clear  a place  for  a meeting-house  this  year ; to  set 
s’d  house  on  yc  center  range  line,  near  y®  main  rode  (thus  early  deserting 
the  inaccessible  spot  designated  by  the  first  surveys) ; to  build  it  by  y® 
sale  of  y®  pews,  and  according  to  y®  plan  drawn  of  y®  same ; to  put  up  y® 
frame  and  cover  it  within  two  year  from  May  next,  and  chuse  a Com- 
mittee to  vamlue  of  [oflTJ  ye  pews  and  stuff  for  building  s’d  bouse.” 

The  same  year  no  tardy  response  was  given  to  the 
liberal  offer  of  the  proprietors;  for  in  just  ten  days 
after  their  vote,  August  8,  1771,  a special  meeting  of 
the  town  was  called  by  the  selectmen,  at  the  house  of 
Daniel  Sanborn,  for  the  sole  purpose  of  considering 
proposals  for  settling  a minister,  when,  after  mature 
deliberation,  and  in  view  of  the  proprietors’  offer  (see 
above),  it  was  voted, — “to  give  Mr.  Joseph  Wood- 
man a call  to  settle  in  ye  gospel  ministry  in  this 
town.”  His  perquisites  were  to  be  as  follows:  First, 
“two  hundred  dollars  as  a yearly  sallery, — $180  in 
money  and  $20  in  labor  at  money  price, — the  first 
two  years,  and  after  that  $120  in  money  and  $80  in 
labor  yearly;”  the  selectmen  to  agree  with  Mr. 
Woodman  each  year  “how  yc  labor  above  voted  shall 
he  paid.”  Second,  “Twenty  cord  of  good  fire-wood, 
cut  into  cord-wood  length,  to  he  hauled,  yearly,  to 
Mr.  Woodman’s  door.”  Third,  Mr.  Woodman  was 
to  “receive,  if  he  settle  in  y*  gospel  ministry  here, 
the  vallue  of  100  dollars  in  labor  and  stuff,  for  to 


SANBORNTON 


901 


build  him  a house,  to  be  paid,  so  much  as  will  set 
him  up  a house-frame,  next  spring,  and  the  remainder 
iu  boards,  shingle  and  clapboards,  in  yc  fall  of  the 
year  following.”  At  'a  subsequent  meeting,  October 
7th,  it  was  voted  that  “Mr.  Woodman,  if  he  settles 
in  the  gospel  ministry  iu  this  town,  shall  have  liberty 
to  preach  old  sermons  when  his  health  will  not  admit 
of  his  making  new  ones;”  also,  that  he  “shall  have 
liberty  to  be  absent  three  Sabbaths  in  a year,  yearly, 
to  visit  his  friends.”  “Wednesday,  the  13th  of  No- 
vember next,”  was  appointed  “ for  ye  day  of  Mr. 
Woodman’s  ordination,  should  he  accept  the  call,” 
and  it  was  voted  to  “send  to  ye  Churches  of  Canter- 
bury, Concord,  Pembroke,  Epping,  the  first  in  Row- 
ley,  ye  second,  third  and  fourth  in  Newbury,  to  assist 
in  ye  ordination.”  Mr.  Woodman  accepted  and  was 
ordained  November  13,  1771.1 

The  sole  objects  of  special  meetings,  December  13, 
and  30,  1773,  was  to  take  further  measures  for  build- 
ing and  “compleating”  the  meeting-house.  This  en- 
terprise seems  to  have  flagged  for  more  than  two 
years,  Mr.  Woodman  quietly  preaching  where  or- 
dained, at  Daniel  Sanborn’s ; hence  the  following 
emphatic  votes : 

“To  build  the  m.  h.  on  an  entire  new  plan,  viz.,  60 
feet  in  length  by  431  feet  in  wedth,  and  to  build 
36  pews  below,  as  by  s’d  plan” ; to  choose  a com- 
mittee “ to  vandue  off  ye  pews  and  stuff,  and  to 
build  said  house  as  far  as  s’d  pews  will  go,  with  yc  money 
that  ye  proprietors  of  the  town  have  and  shall  vote 
for  s’d  house.”  Also  that  “ the  meeting-house  shall 
be  raised,  boarded,  shingled,  and  ye  lower  flowers 
laid  and  the  lower  part  of  ye  house  glassed  by  the  1st 
of  November,  1774;  that  the  house  shall  be  finished, 
so  far  as  the  pew  money  shall  go  towards  it,  by 
Nov.  1,  1775 and  finally,  “that  all  the  stuff  for  the 
frame  shall  be  brought  to  the  meeting-house  green 
by  the  last  of  April  next,  and  the  boards,  shingles 
and  other  covering  by  the  last  of  September  next.” 

It  is  quite  doubtful  whether  much  assistance  was 
afforded  by  the  proprietors  on  this  new  plan.  The 
former  meeting-house  committee  appear  to  have  pro- 
posed these  dimensions  to  the  proprietors,  who  re- 
jected them  in  their  meeting  of  November  17th.  By 
the  first  of  the  above  votes  the  town  confirmed  the 
recommendation  of  their  committee,  in  opposition  to 
the  proprietors  ! 

Meanwhile,  “dark  and  perilous  times”  were  ap- 
proaching, so  that  our  fathers“found  it  simply  impossi- 
ble to  accomplish  all  they  had  marked  out  in  the  time 
specified.”  Tradition  says  they  were  working  upon 
the  meeting-house  when  the  news  of  Bunker  Hill 


■The  seven  individuals  whose  names  are  found  subscribed  to  the  First 
Church  covenant,  in  November,  1771,  and  who  wrere  therefore  the 
earliest  professors  of  religion  in  the  town,  were  James  Cate,  Nathaniel 
Tilton,  Daniel  Sanborn,  Benjamin  Darling,  Josiah  Sanborn,  Aaron  San- 
born and  Abijah  Sanborn.  The  first  confession  of  faith  bears  date 
“ Jan’y  y«  2d,  1772,”  at  which  time  Mr.  Darling  and  Mr.  Tilton  were 
chosen  .as  the  two  firet  deacons. 


first  reached  them,  and  that  among  these  workmen 
w'ere  some  who  left  for  the  scene  of  conflict ! The 
annalist  of  1841  says:  “Mr.  Woodman  preached  the 
first  sermon  in  the  meeting-house,  May  21,  1775;” 
but  it  must  have  been  in  a rough,  unfinished  state, 
for  in  1777  fifty  dollars  “of  ye  money  in  ye  selectmen’s 
hands”  is  voted  “ to  belaid  out  on  ye  meeting-house  this 
year,”  and  it  was  never  used  for  town  purposes  till  the 
1st  of  January  following;  while  iu  March,  1780, 
“ 18,000  clapboard  nails  and  200  squares  of  glass  for  y° 
meeting-house”  was  the  order;  two  years  later,  voted 
“ to  get  thirteen  thousand  of  clapboard  nails  and  one 
hundred  feet  of  glass ; also  2000  shingle  tens  and 
1000  double  tens;”  and  June  23,  1783,  the  constable 
having  warned  a meeting  “relative  to  settling  some 
disputes  that  have  arisen  concerning  some  of  ye  pews 
in  the  meeting-house,”  it  was  “voted  to  leve  an  ally 
of  two  feet  and  four  inches  wide  between  ye  fore 
seat  and  ye  pews,  and  that  there  shall  be  a seat  for 
children  in  s’d  ally  adjoining  to  s’d  fore  seat.  ” Fin- 
ally, September  4th,  (same  year),  “voted  to  finish 
ye  Gallery  in  ye  meeting-house ;”  chose  Captain 
Aaron  Sanborn,  Lieutenant  William  Chase  and  En- 
sign Elijah  True  “to  vendue  of  [off]yejDeios  in  said  gal- 
lery, and  stuff  for  said  pews,  and  ye  work  to  finish 
ye  same ;”  also  “voted  to  build  seven  pews  at  each 
end  of  said  gallery  and  six  pews  on  ye  fore  side,  to  be 
equally  divided  as  to  length,  and  to  be  5}  feet  wide 
within  boards,”  with  John  Johnson,  Benjamin  San- 
born and  Ensign  Nathaniel  Grant  “to  examine  the 
work  when  done.”  Not  till  1785  and  1786  was  the 
definite  action  taken  which  resulted  in  the  “finishing 
of  ye  pulpit  by  ye  money  raised  for  ye  pews,” 
with  Ensigns  Elijah  True  and  Nathaniel  Grant  and 
Lieutenant  William  Chase  committee  for  the  same; 
and  not  till  March  31,  1789,  did  the  town  vote  to  lath 
and  plaster  the  meeting-house,  with  the  selectmen  as 
committee. 

In  1786  it  was  agreed  with  Mr.  Woodman,  accord- 
ing to  town  vote,  that  his  wood  rate  should  be  “ad- 
ded to  ye  $120  rate,”  and  that  the  selectmen  should 
“vendue  of[f]  ye  wood  to  ye  lowest  bidder,  two  cord 
at  a bid.”  Four  new  pews  were  ordered  for  the 
meeting-house  iu  1787, — two  at  the  west  end  of  the 
men’s  seats,  lower  floor,  and  two  at  the  east  end  of 
the  women’s  seats,  each  about  six  feet  square.  April 
5,1790,  “ Voted,  James  Sanborn  to  keep  key  of  the 
meeting-house,  and  to  sweep  s’d  house  at  one  dollar 
per  year.” 

Mr.  Woodman  was  dismissed  November  13,  1806, 
and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Abraham  Bodwell,  who 
was  ordained  in  1806  and  remained  until  1852.  Rev. 
James  Boutwell  was  pastor  from  1852  to  1865,  when 
he  was  succeeded  by  the  present  honored  pastor, 
Rev.  Moses  Thurston  Runnels,  who  was  installed  June 
11,  1868. 

Mr.  Runnels  is  the  author  of  the  “ History  of  San- 
bornton,”  an  elaborate  work  of  sixteen  hundred 
pages,  published  in  1882.  For  completeness  and  ex- 


902 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


cellent  arrangement  it  is  unrivaled,  and  takes  front 
rank  among  the  standard  local  works  of  the  day. 

First  Baptist  Church. — This  church  was  organized 
August  12, 1792,  with  forty  members.  The  first  church 
edifice,  however,  was  erected  in  1791,  and  near  the 
then  residence  of  Deacon  William  Chase,  now  Charles 
B.  Perley’s.  Lieutenant  Benjamin  Morgan,  Deacon 
William  Chase  and  Peter  Hersey  are  said  to  have 
been  “ pillars  and  prominent  actors  in  starting  this 
society  and  building  its  first  meeting-house ;”  and 
there  were  three  earnest  supporters  of  the  enterprise 
in  one  neighborhood,  in  the  south  part  of  the  town, 
above  Tin  Corner,  viz.  : Deacon  Taylor  Clark,  Win- 
throp  Durgin  and  Jonathan  Chase.  The  house  was 
not  completed  till  the  next  year,  and  was  for  the  first 
time  occupied  by  the  “ Meredith  Association  ” Sep- 
tember, 1792.  The  printed  “ sketch”  of  1833  says: 
“About  this  time”  (of  the  erection  of  the  house) 
“ the  brethren  who  had  been  baptized  and  united  with 
the  Baptist  Church  in  Meredith  were  set  off  and  con- 
stituted into  a separate  church,  and  received  the 
name  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  in  Sanbornton.” 
This  was  on  “ August  12th  ” (probably  of  1792),  or  just 
before  the  above-noted  meeting  of  the  “ Association,” 
though  one  other  account  puts  the  date  of  the 
church’s  formation  one  year  later.  The  church  then 
consisted  of  about  forty  members.  The  “society” 
must  have  been  organized  about  the  same  time,  as 
Father  Crockett  afterwards  speaks  of  the  “ agree- 
ment between  the  Church  and  Society  ” and  him* 
self,  entered  upon  in  1794. 

In  1833  the  meeting-house  was  removed  one  mile 
to  the  northwest  of  its  original  site,  and  rebuilt  on 
its  present  location,  near  Crockett’s  Corner. 

The  following  is  a list  of  pastors: 

Rev.  Nicholas  Folsom,  of  Meredith,  preached  half  the  time,  1792,  and 
first  part  of  the  year  1793  ; Rev.  John  Crockett,  ordained  September  3, 
1794,  having  preached  from  April,  1793,  until  1833  ; Rev.  Noah  Ilooper, 
1833-37  ; Rev.  Ainasa  Buck,  professor  at  New  Hampton  Institute,  sup- 
ply, 1837-38;  Rev.  Stephen  Coombs,  1838-41;  Rev.  Pascal  C.  Himes, 
1842-43;  Rev.  Leland  Huntley,  1843-47  ; Rev.  S.  S.  Leighton,  1848-49; 
Rev.  Hiram  D.  Hodge,  1850-54  ; Rev.  Jeremiah  D.  Tilton,  1854-C6  ; Rev. 
A.  McGlauflin,  1806-67  ; Rev.  C.  A.  Cooke,  1869  ; Rev.  G.  1).  Ballantiue, 
1870-72;  Rev.  F.  W.  A.  Rankin,  1872-79;  Rev.  Augustus  A.  Bickford, 
1879-82;  Rev.  Jeremiah  D.  Tilton,  1882  to  present  time. 

The  Second  Baptist  Church  was  organized  Septem- 
ber 9,  1822.  A meeting-house,  however,  had  been 
erected  at  the  Bay  as  early  as  1808.  This  church  was 
remodeled  in  1836. 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  pastors  from  1808  to 
the  present : 

Rev.  Moses  Cheney,  pastor  of  original  church;  Rev.  William  Taylor, 
first  pastor  of  present  church  ; Rev.  Daniel  Mattison,  acting  pastor  in 
1835  (in  all,  one  or  two  years),  dismissed  to  Baptist  Church  in  Meredith 
August  21,  1836,  and  there  ordained ; Rev.  Benjamin  Congden,  or- 
dained May  31,  1837;  Rev.  Francis  E.  Cleaves,  October  18,  1843,  dismissed 
October  31,  1846  ; Rev.  Levi  Walker,  acting  pastor  1846-47  ; Rev.  Oliver 
Barron,  July  30,  1847,  dismissed  July  G,  1850  ; Rev.  William  Norris, 
pastor  from  March,  1851,  till  June  1,  1852,  when  he  died  in  office  ; Rev. 
John  Q.  A.  Ware.  September  3,  1853,  dismissed  October,  1857  ; Rev.  H. 
W.  Day,  preached  one  year  or  more,  1857-58,  enjoying  an  extensive  re- 
vival of  religion,  but  name  not  recognized  as  pastor  on  the  church 
records ; Rev.  Charles  Newhall,  November  6,  1859,  dismissed  May,  1801  ; 


Rev.  S.  S.  White,  call  given  March,  1862,  having  supplied  from  October, 
1861,  dismissed  April  7,  1864 ; Rev.  A.  W.  Boardman,  from  July,  1865, 
till  March,  1866;  Rev.  Gideon  Smith,  from  August,  1866,  till  March, 
1869  ; Rev.  V.  E.  Bunker,  from  April,  1870,  till  April,  1872  ; Rev.  H.  W. 
Dalton,  from  May,  1874,  till  May,  1878  ; R^v.  William  Nelson  Murdock, 
from  November,  1880,  to  1882  ; Rev.  Joseph  W.  Merrill,  1883  to  1884. 

No  pastor  at  present. 

The  Third  Baptist  Church.— This  church  was  or- 
ganized June  20,  1833.  The  church  edifice  had  been 
erected  four  years  previously,  in  1829,  on  Pine  Hill, 
in  Meredith.  The  building  was  removed  to  North 
Sanbornton,  on  its  present  location,  in  1839,  and  com- 
pleted in  1840.  It  has  since  been  remodeled,  and 
was  rededicated  September  10,  1876. 

The  following  is  a list  of  pastors : 

Rev.  Moses  Cheney,  Rev.  Samuel  Mattison,  Rev.  Herman  Haven,  Rev. 
Stephen  Coombs,  Rev.  Oliver  Barron,  Rev.  Daniel  M.  Dearborn,  Rev. 
Valentine  E.  Bunker,  Rev.  Augustus  A.  Bickford  and  Rev.  Moses  P. 
Favor. 

There  is  no  pastor  at  present. 

The  Woodman  Sanbornton  Academy  was  incor- 
porated June  27,  1826,  with  the  following  trustees : 
Hon.  Nathan  Taylor  and  Revs.  Abraham  Bodwell 
and  John  Crockett,  of  Sanbornton  ; Rev.  William 
Patrick,  of  Canterbury  ; Jeremiah  H.  Woodman,  of 
Rochester  ; Aaron  Woodman,  of  Boston  ; Drs.  Benaiah 
Sanborn  and  Thomas  P.  Hill,  Jonathan  Moore,  Abel 
Kimball,  Jesse  Ingalls  and  Peter  Hersey,  all  of  San- 
bornton. 

The  first  preceptor  was  D.  L.  Nichols,  in  1826,  and 
the  last,  Albert  P.  Whittemore,  in  1858. 

The  Sanbornton  and  Franklin  Union  Academy 
was  erected  in  1845,  at  the  chapel.  The  last  term  ot 
school  was  held  in  1861.  The  first  teacher  was  Hib- 
bard Hanaford,  in  1845,  and  the  last,  Calvin  Brown, 
in  1861. 

Physicians. — The  following  physicians  have  prac- 
ticed in  this  town  and  Tilton  : 

Dr.  Hugh  March,  1777  ; Dr.  Benaiah  Sanborn,  1779  ; Dr. Chicker- 

ing,  1782 ; I)r.  Daniel  Jacobs,  1790  ; Dr.  Samuel  Gerrish,  1797-98 ; Dr. 
Colby,  1800;  Dr.  Alexander  T.  Clark,  1801;  Dr.  Ephraim  Crockett,  j 
18o2-3;  Dr.  Thomas  Webster,  1810;  Dr.  Joseph  M.  Harper,  1810;  Dr. 
Peter  Bartlett ; I)r.  Symes  Sawyer,  Dr.  John  Carr  and  Dr.  Sweatt,  1813  ; 

Dr.  Thomas  P.  Hill,  1816  ; Dr.  Mark  Harris,  1817 ; Dr.  Olradiah  E.  Dur- 
gin, 1820 ; l)r.  Daniel  Mowe,  1824  ; Dr.  Calvin  McQueston  ; Dr.  Na- 
thaniel G.  Ladd,  1835;  Dr.  James  B.  Abbott,  1843;  Dr.  Charles  C.  Teb- 
betts,  184.5-46  ; l)r.  Ephraim  F.  Wilson,  1846  ; Dr.  By  ley  Lyford,  1857 ; 

Dr.  James  Prescott  Osborne,*  1864  ; Dr.  Alfred  W.  Abbott  and  Dr. 
Franklin  L.  Mason,  1870;  Dr.  Albert  Alonzo  Moulton,1  1874 ; Dr.  Ed- 
ward Abbott,2  1881. 

Lawyers. — The  following  lawyers  have  practiced 
in  this  town  and  Tilton  : 

William  Harper,  Esq.,  1785-1809;  John  A.  Harper,  Esq.,  1800;  Hon. 
Daniel  C.  Atkinson,  1808-42;  Matthew  Perkins,  Esq.,  1809-26;  Charles 
Jesse  Stuart,  Esq.,  1812-23  ; Charles  Gilman,  Esq.,  182G-33  (?) ; Benjamin 
Boardman,  Esq.,  1833  (?— )36  ; Hon.  Asa  P.  Cate,  1840  (?-)  71  ; Benjamin 
A.  Rogers,  Esq.,  1840  (?)-58  ; Benjamin  M.  Colby,  Esq.,  1845  (?)-63;  Chas. 

C.  Rogers,  Esq.,  1858;  Francis  R.  Chase,  Esq.,  1866-76;  James  Otis  Ly- 
ford, Esq. 

Civil  History. — The  following  is  a list  of  represen- 
tatives, town  clerks  and  treasurers  : 


1 In  practice  in  Tilton.  2 In  practice  in  Sanbornton. 


SANBORNTON. 


903 


REPRESENTATIVES. 


John  Sanborn,  1784. 

William  Harper  (Captain,  Esq.), 
1785-1 ROO. 

James  Bersey,  1787-89. 

Samuel  Prescott  (Capt.,  Esq.,  1801 
-7. 

Bradstreet  Moody  (Esq.),  1808-14; 
Samuel  Gerrish  (Esq.,  M.D.),  1809. 
Andrew  Lovejoy,  1810. 

Nathan  Taylor  (Esq.,  lion.),  1811- 
20. 

Jeremiah  Sanborn  (Esq.),  1814-15; 
David  Johnston  (Esq.),  1815— 1G. 
Stephen  Gale  (Col.),  1816-19. 
Joseph  Woodman,  1817-22. 

James  Clark  (Esq.),  1820-28. 

Noah  Eastman  (Esq.),  1824-27. 
Matthew  Perkins  (Esq.),  1825. 
Samuel  Tilton  (Esq.),  1826-35. 
Charles  Lane  (Esq.),  1829-31. 
Joseph  W.  Clement,  1831. 

William  Jones,  1834-35. 

John  Comerford,  1834-37. 

Zebulon  Smith,  Jr.,  1836-37. 
William  Durgin,  1838^40. 

David  Taylor,  1838-40. 

Thomas  Taylor,  Jr.,  1839-49. 
Chase  Perkins,  1839-49. 

John  Curry,  1840-41. 

Benjamin  Cawley,  1841-42. 
Bradbury  Morrison,  1841-42. 
Alexander  H.  Tilton,  1843-44. 
Ebenezer  Brown,  1843-44. 

Dyer  H.  Sanborn,  1845^46. 

Stephen  Coombs,  1845-46. 

Walter  H.  Sleeper,  1847-48. 

Walter  Ingalls,  1847-48. 

Littlefield  Taylor,  1847-48. 

John  S.  Lane,  1849. 

Zenas  Clement,  1849. 


Josiah  D.  Piper,  1850-51. 

John  B.  Perkins,  1850-51. 

Oliver  Knowlton,  1850-51. 

Curtis  Weeks,  1852-53. 

Oliver  Barron,  1852. 

Joseph  L.  Conner,  1852-53. 
Jonathan  S.  Taylor,  1854-57. 
Kufus  G.  L.  Bartlett,  1854. 
Jonathan  Sanborn  (3d),  1854-56. 
John  T.  Durgin,  1855. 

Jeremiah  C.  Tilton,  1855. 

Stacy  Brown,  1856-57. 

Jeremiah  S.  Thompson,  1858. 
Alvin  Sargent,  1858. 

Charles  W.  Colby,  1859. 

Ebenezer  F.  Odell,  1859. 

James  Taylor,  1859. 

Josiah  H.  Philbrick,  1860. 

David  C.  Clough,  1860. 

Ira  Woodman,  1860. 

Jonathan  H.  Taylor,  1861. 
Bradbury  T.  Brown,  1861-62. 
Jonathan  M.  Taylor,  1862. 

Joseph  B.  Dearborn,  1863-64. 
Taylor  C.  Prescott,  1863-64. 
Leonard  K.  Clough,  1865-66. 

John  S.  Wallis,  1865-66. 

John  F.  Taylor,  1867-68. 

Joseph  L.  Calley,  1867-68. 

Lyman  B.  Ames,  1869. 

William  S.  Woodman,  1869. 
Samuel  M.  Thompson,  1870-71. 
Barnard  II.  Burleigh,  1872-73. 
Daniel  A.  Sanborn,  1874-75. 
Edmund  Keasar,  1876-77. 

Charles  Cawley,  1878  ; Nov.,  1878, 
for  1879. 

Arthur  C.  Taylor,  1880. 

1882-83  voted  not  to  send. 

Jason  J.  Burley,  1884-85. 


Selectmen  of  the  Town. — We  find  two  distinct 
series  of  boards  of  selectmen  ; first,  upon  the  records 
of  the  proprietors,  who  seem  early  to  have  adopted  the 
form  of  a town  organization,  probably  to  encourage 
settlement.  For  some  reason  the  last  two  of  their 
four  elections  were  made  after  the  incorporation  of 
the  town,  so  that  virtually  there  were  two  sets  of 
selectmen  for  a few  years.  The  proprietors’  boards 
were  chiefly  designed  as  “assessors”  to  manage  their 
own  financial  concerns.  We  give  the  first  board  of 
each  of  these  two  series  in  full  (three  individuals) ; 
afterwards,  as  with  other  town  officers,  only  the  names 
for  each  year  of  those  that  had  not  been  previously 
elected.  First  series  (proprietors’) : Jethro  Person 
(Capt.),  Edward  Taylor  (Dea.)  and  Josiah  Robinson 
(Capt.),  April  21,  1763  (the  last,  also,  1770-74) ; same 
re-elected  as  “assessors”  March  27,  1765;  Joseph 
Hoit  (Capt.),  Joseph  Clarke,  June  25,  1770 ; David 
Fogg  (Left.),  Abraham  Sanborn  (Left.),  June  22, 1774. 
Second  series  (chosen  by  the  town)  , — 


Aaron  Sanborn  (Ens.,  Lieut.), 
1770-84. 

Cole  Weeks,  1770. 

Stephen  Gale,  1770-76. 

Josiah  Sanborn,  1771-72. 


John  Sanborn,  1771-86. 

Jacob  Smith,  1771. 

Chase  Taylor  (Capt.),  1771-82. 
John  Gibson,  1771. 

Ebenezer  Morrison,  1772-8  ). 


Samuel  Smith,  1772. 

James  Cates,  1773-81. 

Benjamin  Hoit,  1773. 

Daniel  Sanborn  (Esq.),  1774-81. 
Jonathan  Taylor,  1774-76. 

Caleb  Gilmon,  1775. 

Samuel  Lane,  1777-80. 

Josiah  Emery  (Esq.),  1778-98. 
Benjamin  Darlin  (Dea.),  1778. 
William  Chase  (Capt.),  1779-95. 
Samuel  Morrison,  1779. 

William  Harper  (Capt.),  1781. 
Nicholas  Clark,  1782. 

Benjamin  Colby,  1782. 

James  Hersey,  1783-85. 

John  Lane,  1783-84. 

Nathaniel  Grant,  1785-86. 

Elijah  True,  1786. 

Moses  Thompson,  1787-95. 
Andrew  Jewett,  1787-88. 

Jonathan  Chase,  1795-1807. 

David  Philbrick  (Capt.),  1796-98. 
Nathaniel  Piper  (Ens.),  1796-97. 
Samuel  Prescott,  Jr.,  1798-99. 
Br[o]adstreet  Moody,  1799-1805. 
Ebenezer  Gove  (Major),  1800-2. 
Joshua  Lane,  1803-10. 

John  Taylor,  1804. 

Cole  Weeks,  Jr.,  1805. 

Stephen  Gale,  Jr.  (Major,  Col.), 
1806-18. 

David  Johnston  (Esq.),  1806-14. 
Nathan  Taylor  (Esq.).  1808-9. 
Joseph  Woodman  (Capt.),  1811-27. 
Samuel  Dustin,  1815-24. 

Joseph  Smith,  Jr.  (Capt.),  1816- 

22. 

Christopher  S.  Sanborn,  1817-18. 
Noah  Eastman,  1818-39. 

Chase  Perkins,  1821-44. 

Samuel  Clark,  1823-26. 

Bradbury  Morrison,  Jr.,  1826. 
Nathan  S.  Morrison,  1827-28. 
Thomas  Taylor,  Jr.,  1827-35. 
Joseph  W.  Clement,  1829-31. 
Zebulon  Smith,  Jr.,  1829-31. 
David  Taylor,  1829-33. 

Abel  Philbrook,  1830-32. 

William  Durgin,  1832-36. 

Joshua  L.  Woodman,  1832-36. 
Joseph  G.  March,  1834-35. 

David  Shaw,  1836-38. 

John  Lane,  Jr.,  1836-37. 

Asa  Currier,  Jr.,  1837-39. 
Nathaniel  H.  Clark,  1838-42. 
Oliver  Knowlton,  1838  41. 
Dearborn  Sanborn,  1839. 

Daniel  II.  Clement,  1840—41. 
Ebenezer  Brown,  1840—41. 

Folsom  Morrill,  1842. 

Jonathan  Taylor,  Jr.,  1842. 
Barnard  Smith,  1843-44. 

John  Curry,  1843-44. 


John  S.  Lane,  1845-46. 

Walter  H.  Sleeper,  1845—46. 
James  Osgood,  1845-46. 

Curtis  Weeks,  1847-67. 

Samuel  Smith,  1847^48. 

Charles  Woodman,  1847-50. 
John  Goold,  1848. 

Ebenezer  F.  Odell,  1849-55. 
Person  C.  Shaw,  1849-50. 
Edward  Evans,  1851. 

Jacob  B.  Philbrook,  1851. 

Amos  H.  Jones,  1852-69. 

John  S.  Durrell,  1852-53. 
Nathaniel  O.  Burleigh,  1852-53. 
Bradbury  T.  Brown,  1854-56. 
Noah  B.  Brown,  1854-56. 
William  S.  Woodman,  1854-82. 
Benjamin  M.  Durgin,  1855. 
Richard  Calley,  1855. 

Joseph  P.  Dearborn,  1857-65. 
Joseph  Wallis,  1857. 

David  Burley,  1857-65. 
Abraham  B.  Sanborn,  1858-59. 
John  S.  Gilman,  1858-59. 
Herman  T.  Hale,  1859-70. 
Samuel  S.  Hersey,  1860-61. 
Benjamin  Calley,  1860-61. 

Ira  Woodman,  1862-63. 

Chase  W.  Colby,  1862-63. 
Samuel  G.  Hanaford,  1862-63. 
Stephen  C.  Robinson,  1864-65. 
Eleazer  Davis,  1866-68. 

Joseph  S.  Clark,  1866-67. 
Arthur  C.  Taylor,  1868-69. 
Arthur  J.  Crockett,  1868-69. 
Jonathan  M.  Taylor,  1869. 
Barnard  H.  Smith,  1870-71. 
Jeremiah  B.  Calef,  1870-71. 
Eleazer  D.  Weeks,  1871-73. 
Joseph  N.  Sanborn,  1872-73. 
Hiram  B.  Philbrook,  1872-73. 
David  C.  Clough,  1874-75. 
Benjamin  M.  Burley,  1874-75. 
Samuel  D.  Weeks,  1874-75. 
Stephen  M.  lVoodman,  1876-77. 
John  W.  Currier,  1876-77. 
Stephen  S Hersey,  1876-77. 
Timothy  B.  French,  1878-79. 
Curtis  B.  Burley,  1878-79. 
Richard  D.  Johnson,  1878-81. 
Albert  M.  Osgood,  1880-81. 
Stephen  P.  Wiggin,  1882. 
Gilman  D.  Lane,  1882. 

William  S.  Woodman,  1883. 
Gilman  D.  Lane,  1883. 

Calvin  P.  Burley,  1883. 

Richard  D.  Johnson,  188  4. 
Calvin  P.  Burley,  1884. 

Janies  W.  Sanders,  1884—85. 
Samuel  D.  Weeks,  1885. 

Hazen  L.  Phillbrook,  1885. 
Curtis  B.  Burley,  1885. 


Town  Clerks.  — Joseph  Rollins,  proprietors’ 
“clarke,”  1748;  Josiah  Sanborn  (2d),  proprietors’ 
“clarke,”  1763.  Chosen  by  the  town, — 


Daniel  Sanborn  (‘*clark”),  1771- 
92. 

Samuel  Lane,  1784-99. 

Joshua  Lane,  1800-20. 

Joshua  Lovejoy,  1811. 

Joseph  Woodman,  pro  tem.  (at 
aspcia  utow-meeting),  Sept.  4, 
1815. 


John  Lane,  Jr.,  pro  tem.,  Feb.  3, 

1819. 

Noah  Eastman,  pro  tem.,  Nov.  6, 

1820. 

Thomas  P.  Hill,  1821-23. 

John  Carr,  1824—54. 

Chase  Perkins,  1834-35. 

J Henry  P.  Lane,  1836-42. 


904 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Brackett  L.  Johnston,  1839. 
Walter  H.  Sleeper,  1843-44. 
James  B.  Abbott,  1850-51. 
Horace  Sanborn,  1855-59. 


Jonathan  M.  Taylor,  1856-73. 
Jason  J.  Burley,  1874-84. 
Herbert  J.  L.  Bodwell,  1885. 


Towx  Treasurers. — Josiah  Sanborn,  1748  (chos- 
en by  the  proprietors). 

The  town  seems  to  have  elected  a treasurer  as  a 


and  since,  the  office  was  chiefly  filled  by  the  first  se- 
lectman. till  the  new  Constitution  of  1878  came  in 


force. 

Joshua  Lovejoy  (Esq  ),  1810. 
Charles  Lane,  1837-38. 
Daniel  Sanborn,  1839. 
Winthrop  Dearborn,  1840. 


Eliphalet  Ordway,  Jr.,  1841-42. 
Thomas  J.  Sanborn, 1843. 
Samuel  P.  Calef,  1879-84. 
Thomas  0.  Taylor,  1885. 


distinct  officer  but  a few  times,  designated,  as  in  1842,  There  are  five  hamlets  in  the  town,  viz. : San- 
“ school,  parsonage,  and  surplus  fund  treasurer.”  In  bornton  Square,  Salmon  Brook,  The  Chapel,  North 
1845,  “ Voted  not  to  choose.”  At  other  times,  before  Sanbornton,  Clark’s  Corner. 


APPENDIX. 


MERRIMACK  COUNTY. 


CONCORD. 

The  Free-Will  Baptist  Church  of  Concord, 

N.  H.,  was  organized  June  23,  1857,  by  a council 
consisting  of  Revs.  Oliver  Butler,  Elias  Hutchings, 
Ebenezer  Fish  and  Silas  Curtis.  The  church  num- 
bered twenty-seven  members.  Josiah  S.  Ingalls  was 
chosen  clerk,  and  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  church 
Hosea  W.  Merrill  and  Paul  Robinson  were  chosen 
deacons.  For  the  first  year  from  its  organization  the 
pulpit  of  the  church  was  supplied  by  Mr.  J.  P. 
hutting,  a student  at  New  Hampton  Institute,  Rev. 
C.  E.  Blake  and  Rev.  Silas  Curtis.  Rev.  Mr.  Curtis 
gave  the  right  hand  of  fellowship  to  fourteen  mem- 
bers during  this  time,  and  nine  more  were  added  by 
Rev.  Mr.  Blake,  three  of  whom  he  baptized.  Novem- 
ber 23,  1858,  Rev.  J.  P.  Nutting  was  ordained  pastor 
of  the  church,  and  remained  with  the  church  until 
September,  1862.  He  resumed  the  pastorate  after  a 
year’s  absence,  continuing  his  relation  until  January 
1866.  His  successors  have  been  as  follows:  Rev. 
A.  K.  Moulton,  1866-69;  Rev.  Silas  Curtis,  1869-75; 
Rev.  F.  L.  Wiley,  1875-76 ; Rev.  H.  F.  Wood,  1876- 
82;  without  a pastoi-,  1882-83;  Rev.  A.  T.  Hillman, 
1883.  The  whole  number  who  have  joined  the  church 
since  its  organization  is  about  three  hundred.  Pres- 
ent membership,  one  hundred  and  sixty-four.  The 
present  deacons  are  James  B.  Fellows  and  Moses  B. 
Smith.  A flourishing  Sunday-school  has  been  main- 
tained from  the  first,  besides  which  the  children  are 
organized  into  a society  called  the  “ Willing 
Workers.” 

L.  W James  is  superintendent  of  the  Sunday- 
school  ; Frank  Heath,  assistant  superintendent; 
Hattie  B.  Fellows,  secretary  and  treasurer. 

The  church  owns  an  edifice  free  from  debt,  capable 
of  seating  three  hundred  persons;  also,  a vestry  with 
seating  capacity  for  one  hundred  and  fifty. 

The  'church  was  true  to  the  anti-slavery  position 
of  its  denomination,  and  takes  advanced  ground 
to-day  on  all  social  and  moral  questions. 

Its  present  condition  is  as  bright  with  hope  as  its 
past  was  marked  with  struggles. 


First  Baptist  Church  of  Penacook1  was  organ- 
ized August  6, 1845,  with  the  following  members  : Wil- 
liam H.  Allen,  Cbloe  F.  Allen,  Ebenezer  W.  Allen, 
Caroline  Allen,  Sarah  A.  Burpee,  David  Brown, 
Eunice  H.  Brown,  Henry  H.  Brown,  Mary  A.  D.  Brown, 
John  S.  Brown,  Samuel  F.  Brown,  Hannah  M. 
Brown,  Martha  A.  Brown,  Philip  C.  Clough,  Lucy 
Clough,  Sarah  E.  Call,  Martha  A.  Crowell,  Mary  Dick- 
erman,  Sarah  Eastman,  Luke  Eastman,  Sarah  C.  East- 
man, Benjamin  Hoyt,  Jeremiah  A.  Haynes,  Sarah 
Haynes,  Joseph  F.  Hale,  Lucretia  Johnson,  Martha  A. 
Perkins,  Nancy  Sanborn,  Hiram  Simpson,  Mary  S. 
Simpson,  Jacob  Tewksbury,  Joanna  Tewksbury,  Rev. 
Edmund  Worth,  Maria  Webster. 

The  new  church  building  was  erected  in  1857-58, 
and  dedicated  September  8,  1858. 

The  following  have  been  pastors:  Rev.  Edmund 
Worth,  Rev.  Joseph  Storer,  Rev.  Joseph  Henry 
Gilmore,  Rev.  Ira  E.  Kenney,  Rev.  George  G. 
Harriman,  Rev.  William  B.  Smith,  Rev.  Julius  B. 
Robinson,  Rev.  George  T.  Raymond,  Rev.  Welcome 
E.  Bates. 

The  present  officers  are:  Pastor,  Rev.  Welcome  E. 
Bates;  Deacons,  Franklin  A.  Abbott,  Henry  F. 
Brown,  William  H.  Allen  ; Treasurer,  Franklin  A. 
Abbott  ; Superintendent  of  Sunday-School,  Edmund 
PI.  Brown;  Clerk,  M.  Quincy  Bean. 

Railroads. — Concord  and  Claremont  Rail- 
road was  chartered  June  24,  1848;  united  with 
Central  Railroad  Company  June  8,  1853,  under  title 
of  Merrimack  and  Connecticut  Rivers  Railroad  Com- 
pany. The  road  from  Concord  to  Bradford,  twenty- 
seven  miles,  was  completed  July  10, 1850  ; the  branch 
(Contoocook  River  Railroad)  from  Contoocook  to 
Hillsborough,  fourteen  and  one-lialf  miles,  was 
opened  in  December,  1849.  On  July  12,  1856,  the 
latter  was  united  with  and  sold  to  the  Merrimack  and 
Connecticut  Rivers  road.  The  Sugar  River  Railroad, 
an  extension  from  Bradford  to  Claremont,  twenty- 
nine  miles,  was  chartered  July  7,  1856;  opened  in 
1872;  consolidated  with  the  Merrimack  and  Connec- 
ticut Rivers  roads  on  October  31,  1873,  under  the 
existing  title  of  the  Concord  and  Claremont  Railroad. 
Total  mileage,  seventy  miles  ; estimated  cost,  $1,126,- 
606.38.  The  road  has  never  paid  any  stock  dividend. 

1 Furnished  by  M.  Quincy  Bean. 


905 


906 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE 


The  Northern  Railroad  was  originally  char- 
tered June  18,  1844.  This  charter  was  superseded 
December  27,  1844,  because  it  contained  no  provision 
to  take  land.  The  Bristol  Branch  was  chartered  as 
the  Franklin  and  Bristol  Railroad  July  8,  1846; 
consolidated  with  the  Northern  January  1,  1869. 
The  Northern  road  was  opened  to  Franklin  December 
28,  1846,  and  was  operated  by  the  Concord  Railroad 
until  the  completion  of  the  line  to  Grafton,  on  the 
1st  day  of  September,  1847.  On  the  17th  of  Novem- 
ber following  the  road  was  opened  to  Lebanon,  and  to 
White  River  Junction  in  June,  1848.  The  Bristol 
Branch  was  opened  in  1848 ; cost,  $200,000 ; cost  per 
mile,  $16,000.  Northern  : Cost,  exclusive  of  branch, 
$2,868,400 ; leased  to  Boston  and  Lowell  road  for 
ninety-nine  years  at  five  per  cent. 

Concord  Railroad. — This  road  was  chartered 
June  27,  1835,  being  the  second  charter  granted  by 
this  State.  It  was  not  until  February,  1841,  that  the 
first  etfective  steps  were  taken  in  the  enterprise. 
During  the  remainder  of  that  year  the  work  of  con- 
struction was  vigorously  prosecuted.  The  rails  were 
all  bought  abroad,  and  it  was  one  of  the  incidents  of 
the  year  that  a brig  with  a cargo  of  four  hundred 
tons  of  rails  for  this  road  was  lost  at  sea.  The  Con- 
cord road  was  opened  to  Manchester  July  4, 1842,  and 
to  Concord  September  1st  of  the  same  year.  A sec- 
ond track  was  laid  in  1846-48.  The  total  capital 
expended  was  one  million  five  hundred  thousand 
dollars.  Since  its  opening,  in  1842,  the  road  has  paid 
a dividend  of  ten  per  cent,  for  twenty-four  years,  and 
a dividend  ranging  from  six  to  nine  per  cent,  during 
the  remaining  nineteen  years.  Since  1868  ten  per 
cent,  dividends  have  been  regularly  declared.  The 
financial  prosperity  of  this  road  has  few,  if  any, 
parallels  in  the  country.  This  has  been  due,  in  the 
main,  to  its  small  cost  of  construction,  $40,506.62  per 
mile;  to  its  low  grades,  the  maximum  being  but 
fifteen  feet  to  the  mile;  and  to  its  steadily-expanding 
local  business,  as  well  as  the  extensive  traffic  that  has 
fallen  to  it  by  the  development  of  the  roads  to  the 
north  and  west. 

Concord  and  Portsmouth  Railroad. — The  ori- 
gin of  this  road  was  a charter  granted  July  1, 1845,  to 
the  Portsmouth,  Newmarket  and  Concord  Railroad, 
which  was  united  with  the  Portsmouth,  Newmarket 
and  Exeter  Railroad  the  same  year.  The  charter  ex- 
pired in  1850,  when  the  time  was  extended  threeyears, 
and  the  present  name  adopted.  The  road  was  built 
in  1851-52.  After  passing  through  several  years  of 
financial  embarrassment,  the  road,  on  the  1st  of  June, 
1855,  went  into  the  hands  of  the  trustees  of  the  mort- 
gage bond-holders.  On  September  1,  1857,  the  fran- 
chise was  sold,  in  accordance  with  a special  act  of 
the  Legislature,  the  capital  being  limited  by  the  new 
company  to  $250,000.  On  the  11th  of  September, 
1858,  the  road  was  leased  to  the  Concord  Railroad 
for  five  years  at  an  annual  rental  of  $15,000  and 
$2500  additional,  to  be  laid  out  in  improvements. 


In  1861  a new  lease  for  ninety-nine  years  was  made 
to  the  Cdncord  road,  the  rental  being  increased  to 
$24,500  and  $500  for  expenses  of  organization.  The 
capital  stock  is  now  $350,000,  and  the  rental  equiva- 
lent to  seven  per  cent.  The  coal  traffic  of  this  road 
has  become  the  most  extensive  in  the  State,  and 
alone  affords  a handsome  revenue  to  the  lessee  above 
the  rental.  The  importance  of  this  road  to  the  coal 
supply  of  the  great  manufacturing  interests  of  South- 
ern and  Central  New  Hampshire  cannot  be  overesti- 
mated. 

The  Manchester  and  North  Weare  Rail- 
road was  chartered  June  24,  1848,  as  the  New 
Hampshire  Central  Railroad  Corporation.  The  line 
as  built  extended  between  Manchester  and  Henniker, 
a distance  of  twenty-five  miles,  where  it  intersected 
the  Contoocook  River  Railroad.  The  road  was 
opened  to  Oil-Mill  village  February  19,  1850,  and  to 
Henniker  December  10,  1850.  Its  cost  was  $546,- 
587.49.  It  was  rechartered  in  1858,  and  the  incorpo- 
rators authorized  to  select  their  own  name,  when  the 
present  one  was  chosen.  The  property  was  purchased 
at  a trustees’  sale  in  1859  for  the  sum  of  two  hundred 
thousand  dollars,  and  has  since  been  owned  and 
operated  by  the  Concord  road.  Six  miles  of  the 
track,  between  Henniker  and  North  Weare,  were 
torn  up  on  Sunday,  October  31,  1858,  by  Joseph  A. 
Gilmore,  superintendent  of  the  Concord  road.  The 
accounts  are  merged  in  those  of  the  Concord  road, 
though  a nominal  organization  is  maintained. 

Suncook  Valley  Railroad. — The  first  charter, 
which  lapsed,  was  granted  January  4,  1849 ; second 
charter  was  granted  July  1,  1863.  Built  in  1868  and 
1869  ; road  opened  in  the  latter  year.  The  road  cost 
$454,700.  On  the  1st  of  January,  1870,  the  road  was 
leased  to  the  Concord  and  Manchester  and  Lawrence 
Railroad  corporations  for  the  term  of  forty-two  years, 
at  an  annual  rental  of  $14,400  and  $300  additional 
for  the  yearly  expenses  of  organization.  In  the 
construction  of  the  road  gratuities  were  contributed 
to  the  amount  of  $109,700,  as  follows:  Manchester, 
$50,000;  Pittsfield,  $31,000;  Epsom,  $17,700;  Pitts- 
field Manufacturing  Company,  $3000;  individuals, 
$8000.  The  total  cost  of  the  road,  including  gratui- 
ties, was  $454,070.  Cost  per  mile,  $20,046.  Of  the 
original  3451  shares,  1051  were  taken  by  the  Concord 
and  Manchester  and  Lawrence  corporations,  leaving 
2400  upon  which  interest  is  paid  at  the  rate  of  six 
per  cent,  per  annum. 

The  Manchester  and  Lawrence  Railroad 
was  chartered  June  30,  1847,  from  Salem,  this  State, 
to  Manchester  connecting  with  Concord  Railroad.  The 
road  was  opened  to  Manchester  November  13,  1849. 
The  Methuen  Branch  was  chartered  bv  Massachusetts 
in  1846,  and  is  owned  by  the  Boston  and  Maine  Rail- 
road, by  which  it  is  kept  in  repair.  The  branch  is 
operated  by  the  Manchester  and  Lawrence,  for  which 
an  annual  rental  of  ten  thousand  dollars  is  paid.  The 
cost  of  the  Manchester  and  Lawrence  road  was  one 


APPENDIX 


907 


million  dollars.  After  several  years  of  ineffectual 
operation  the  road  was  leased  to  the  Concord  Rail- 
road, in  1856,  for  five  years,  and  in  1861  the  lease  was 
extended  for  twenty  years.  The  last  year  that  the 
Manchester  and  Lawsence  was  operated  indepen- 
dently a dividend  of  three  per  cent,  was  declared, 
while  seven  per  cent,  was  earned.  The  twenty-year 
contract  was  broken  in  1867  by  a decision  of  the  court 
that  it  was  illegal.  The  road  passed  into  the  hands  of 
a receiver,  but  has  been  operated  for  the  directors  by 
the  Concord  road,  which  pays  ten  ppr  cent,  upon  the 
cost  of  one  million  dollars.  Cost  per  mile,  $44,662.79. 

Line  of  Hoad. — Nashua  to  Concord,  34.53  miles, 
double  track.  Branch : Hooksett  to  Suncook,  2.5 
miles.  Leased  : Concord  and  Portsmouth  road,  40.5 
miles;  Suncook  Valley  road,  20  miles;  Nashua, 
Acton  and  Boston  road,  20.21  miles,  of  which  5.75 
miles  are  in  New  Hampshire.  The  entire  road  is 
operated  by  the  Boston  and  Lowell  Railroad.  The 
Concord  road  owns  and  operates  the  Manchester  and 
North  Weare  Railroad,  19  miles,  and  in  effect  oper- 
ates the  Manchester  and  Lawrence  Railroad,  22.39 
miles,  to  the  Massachusetts  line.  Entire  line  owned 
and  operated,  159.13  miles. 

The  Boston,  Concord  and  Montreal  Railroad 
was  chartered  December  27,  1844,  in  which  year  con- 
struction was  begun.  Opened  to  Sanbornton  Bridge 
(now  Tilton)  May  22,  1848  ; to  Meredith  Bridge  (now 
Laconia)  August  8,  1848  ; to  Lake  village  October  1, 
1848;  to  Meredith  village  March  19,  1849;  to  Plym- 
outh January  21,  1850;  to  Warren  June,  1851; 
to  Wells  River  May  10,  1853.  The  White  Mountains 
Railroad,  an  extension  northward  of  the  main  line, 
was  chartered  December  24,  1848  ; opened  to  Little- 
ton in  August,  1853;  to  Lancaster  in  November, 
1870  ; to  Northumberland  in  August,  1872;  to  Fab- 
van’s  in  July,  1874;  to  base  of  Mount  Washington 
July  6,  1876.  The  White  Mountains  road  was  con- 
solidated with  the  Boston,  Concord  and  Montreal 
in  1873,  the  owners  of  the  former  receiving  $300,000 
in  six  per  cent,  consolidated  bonds  for  their  property. 
The  cost  of  the  line  from  Concord  to  Woodsville  was 
$2,850,000.  No  dividends  have  been  paid  on  the  old 
common  stock,  amounting  to  $459,600.  The  pre- 
ferred stock,  amounting  to  $800,000,  has  paid  six  per 
cent,  dividends  since  1867.  The  bonded  indebtedness 
of  the  road  originally  incurred,  and  covering  the  con- 
struction of  the  extensions  and  branches,  amounts  to 
$3,069,600.  Leased  to  Boston  and  Lowell  road  June 
1,  1884,  at  six  per  cent,  on  preferred  stock,  and  five 
per  cent,  thereafter  for  the  term  of  ninety-nine  years. 

Free-Masonry  in  Concord '—Grand  Lodge  of 
New  Hampshire. — Free-Masonry  was  first  estab- 
lished in  New  England  in  1733.  In  that  year  the 
Right  Honorable  Anthony  Lord  Viscount  Montague, 
Grand  Master  of  Masons  in  England,  appointed 


1 The  material  for  this  article  was  furnished  by  Mr.  George  Perley 
Cleaves,  Grand  Secretary. 


Henry  Price  Provincial  Grand  Master  of  New  Eng- 
land, and  on  July  30th  a Grand  Lodge  was  organized 
at  Boston. 

At  the  celebration  of  the  Festival  of  St.  John  the 
Evangelist  by  the  Grand  Lodge,  June  24,  1734,  a 
petition  from  the  Free-Masons  resident  in  Ports- 
mouth, N.  H.,  for  the  erection  of  a lodge  there,  was 
granted. 

Upon  the  appointment,  in  1736,  of  Robert  Tomlin- 
son to  be  Grand  Master  of  North  America,  in  place 
of  Henry  Price,  resigned,  by  the  Right  Honorable 
John,  Earl  of  London,  Grand  Master  of  England, 
a charter  was  issued  and  the  lodge  duly  constituted. 
This  was  the  first  lodge  of  Free-Masons  in  New 
Hampshire. 

During  the  years  1780  to  1788  several  lodges  were 
chartered  in  New  Hampshire  by  the  Grand  Lodge  in 
Massachusetts. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  New  Hampshire  was  organ- 
ized by  deputies  from  the  lodges  in  State,  at  Ports- 
mouth, July  8,  1789,  and  General  John  Sullivan, 
President  of  the  State  of  New  Hampshire,  was 
elected  Grand  Master  of  Masons  in  New  Hampshire. 
With  the  exception  of  the  year  1791,  in  which  no 
record  can  be  found,  the  Grand  Lodge  held  quarterly 
meetings  regularly,  every  year,  until  1814,  when  an- 
nual meetings  were  established  in  place  of  quarterly, 
which  have  been  held  regularly  since,  and  the  trans- 
actions have  been  printed  annually  since  1816. 

In  the  following  list  of  Grand  Masters  will  be  found 
the  names  of  men  who  have  been  prominent  in  both 
State  and  national  affairs  : 

There  are  now  seventy-six  lodges,  having  eight 
thousand  one  hundred  and  forty-four  members. 

The  following  is  a list  of  Grand  Masters : 

John  Sullivan,  Hall  Jackson,  Nathaniel  Adams,  Thomas  Thompson, 
Clement  Storer,  Edward  J.  Long:,  William  H.  Woodward,  John  Harris, 
Joshua  Darling,  Samuel  Larkin,  James  F.  Dana,  Henry  Hubbard, 
James  Wilson,  Jr.,  Artemas  Rogers,  Charles  Gilman,  Jesse  Carr,  Weare 
Tappan,  Israel  Hunt,  Jr.,  Robert  Smith,  Thomas  Rundlett,  Cyrus  Cressy, 
John  Christie,  Horace  Chase,  Daniel  Balch,  Ichabod  G.  Jordan.  Alfred 
G.  Greeley,  George  II . Hubbard,  Moses  Paul,  Aaron  P.  Hughes,  Charles 
II.  Bell,  Jonathan  E.  Sargent,  John  II.  Rowell,  Alexander  M.  Winn, 
John  R.  Holbrook,  Nathaniel  W.  Cumner,  William  Barrett,  John  J. 
Bell,  Solon  A.  Carter,  Andrew  Bunton,  Frank  A.  McKean,  Alpheus  W. 
Baker,  John  Francis  Webster,  Henry  E.  Burnham. 

The  officers  of  the  Grand  Lodge  for  1885  are : 

Elected. — Grand  Master,  Henry  Eben  Burnham,  Manchester ; Deputy 
Grand  Master,  William  Russell  Burleigh,  Great  Falls  ; Senior  Grand 
Warden,  George  Washington  Currier,  Nashua  ; Junior  Grand  Warden, 
Frank  Dana  Woodbury,  Concord  ; Grand  Treasurer,  Joseph  Kidder, 
Manchester ; Grand  Secretary,  George  Perley  Cleaves,  Concord. 

Appointed. — District  Deputy  Grand  Masters  : Bradford  S.  Kingman, 
Newmarket,  District  No.  1 ; George  A.  Bailey,  Manchester,  District  No. 
2 ; George  H.  Eaines,  Keene,  District  No.  3 ; Marcell  us  IT.  Felt,  Hills- 
borough Bridge,  District  No.  4 ; Albert  S.  Batchellor.  Littleton,  District 
No.  5 ; George  F.  Horn,  Wolfeborough,  District  No.  6.  Grand  Lecturers  : 
George  E.  Thompson,  Manchester,  for  the  State  ; Charles  C.  Dorr,  Dover 
District  No.  1 ; Winfield  S.  Stetson,  Nashua,  District  No.  2 ; William 
Butler,  Troy.  District  No.  3 ; John  A.  Lang,  Franklin  Falls,  District  No. 
4 ; Charles  E.  Mclntire,  Lancaster,  District  No.  5 ; Frank  W.  Parker, 
Effingham,  District  No.  G.  Rev.  Daniel  C.  Roberts,  Concord,  and  Robert 
Ford,  Danbury,  Grand  Chaplains  ; John  Pender,  Portsmouth,  Senior 
Grand  Deacon  ; Charles  C.  Hayes,  Manchester,  Junior  Grand  Deacon  ; 
George  C.  Perkins,  Lebanon,  John  K.  Wilson,  Manchester,  Charles  C. 


908 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Danforth,  Concord,  and  Alfred  R.  Evans,  Gorham,  Grand  Stewards ; 
Joseph  W.  Hildreth,  Manchester,  Grand  Marshal ; John  McLane,  Mil- 
ford, Graud  Sword-Bearer;  Benjamin  F.  Heath,  Warner,  and  Nathaniel 
S.  Gale,  Penacook,  Grand  Pursuivants  ; Samuel  W.  Emerson,  Concord, 
Grand  Tiler. 

The  Grand  Encampment  of  Knights  Templar 
of  the  State  of  New  Hampshire  was  formed  at 
Concord,  June  13,  1826,  by  a convention  of  delegates 
from  the  several  encampments  in  the  State,  under  a 
warrant  from  Henry  Fowle,  Deputy  General  Grand 
Master  of  the  General  Grand  Encampment  of  the 
United  States,  with  the  following  organization  : 

John  Harris,  Hopkinton,  Grand  Master  ; James  F.  Dana,  Hanover, 
Deputy  Grand  Master ; Joseph  W.  White,  Portsmouth,  Grand  Generalis- 
simo ; Timothy  Kenrick,  Lebanon,  Grand  Captain-General  ; Rev.  Jona- 
than Nye,  Claremont,  Grand  Prelate ; Samuel  Cushman,  Portsmouth, 
Grand  Senior  Warden  ; Harrison  G.  Harris,  Warner,  Grand  Junior 
Warden  ; Calvin  Benton,  Lebanon,  Grand  Treasurer  ; Thomas  Hale, 
Portsmouth,  Grand  Recorder  ; Alpheus  Baker,  Lebanon,  Grand  Warder  ; 
Jacob  Silver,  Hopkinton,  Grand  Standard-Bearer ; Jacob  Carter,  Han- 
over, Grand  Sword-Bearer. 

There  were  three  encampments, — De  Witt  Clinton, 
at  Portsmouth;  Trinity,  at  Hanover;  and  Mount 
Horeb,  at  Hopkinton. 

The  Grand  Encampment  continued  to  hold  its  an- 
nual meetings  regularly,  without  adding  to  the  num- 
ber of  its  subordinates,  until  June,  14,  1837,  which  is 
the  date  of  the  last  record.  About  this  time,  when 
strong  anti-Masonic  excitement  was  raging,  threaten- 
ing to  destroy  every  vestige  of  Free-Masonry 
throughout  the  land,  many  ardent  friends  of  the  order 
became  discouraged,  and  some  of  the  lodges,  chapters, 
councils  and  encampments  ceased  to  keep  up  their 
organization — some  from  want  of  patronage,  others 
from  fear  and  more  from  a sense  of  prudence  and 
sound  discretion. 

As  the  persecution  abated  and  the  public  mind  be- 
came more  tranquil,  Free-Masonry  began  to  revive 
and  flourish  with  new  life.  Dormant  lodges  were  re- 
suscitated, new  lodges  organized  and  the  numbers  in-  j 
creased  to  a degree  heretofore  unknown  in  the  history 
of  the  fraternity. 

Capitular,  Cryptic  and  Templar  Masonry,  as  well 
as  Symbolic,  received  a ne\y  impulse.  Two  of  the 
encampments  which  had  long  lain  dormant — Trinity, 
at  Hanover,  reorganized  and  removed  to  Manches- 
ter ; Mount  Horeb,  at  Hopkinton,  reorganized  and 
removed  to  Concord — two  new  commanderies  were 
instituted — North  Star,  at  Lancaster,  and  St.  Paul,  at 
Dover;  all  giving  promise  of  future  prosperity  and 
usefulness. 

By  a revision  of  the  constitution  of  the  General 
Grand  Encampment,  in  1856,  the  name  was  changed 
to  that  of  “ Grand  Encampmentof  the  United  States.’’ 
State  Grand  Bodies  were  styled  “Grand  Command- 
eries,” and  their  subordinates  “ Commanderies.” 

A convention  of  delegates  of  the  several  command- 
eries in  the  State  was  held  at  Concord,  June  12, 1860, 
and  the  Grand  Commanderv  of  the  State  of  New 
Hampshire  was  formed.  Under  the  authority  of  a war- 
rant from  Benjamin  Brown  French,  Grand  Master, 


the  organization  was  perfected  and  the  officers  in- 
stalled hv  the  Grand  Master,  August  22,  1860. 

The  officers  were, — 

Daniel  Balch,  Manchester,  Grand  Commander ; Edward  H.  Rollins, 
Concord,  Deputy  Grand  Commander  ; Albert  R.  Hatch,  Portsmouth, 
Grand  Generalissimo ; Jared  I.  Williams,  Lancaster,  Grand  Captain- 
General  ; Thomas  G.  Salter,  Dover,  Grand  Prelate  ; Josiah  Stevens,  Jr., 
Concord,  Grand  Senior  Warden  ; John  S.  Kidder,  Manchester,  Grand 
Junior  Warden  ; John  Knowlton,  Portsmouth,  Grand  Treasurer  ; Horace 
Chase,  Hopkinton,  Grand  Recorder  ; Richard  N.  Ross,  Dover,  Grand 
Standard-Bearer ; Henry  0.  Kent,  Lancaster,  Grand  Sword-Bearer ; 
Thomas  Snow,  Somersworth,  Grand  Warder ; Lyman  A.  Walker,  Com 
cord,  Grand  Captain  of  the  Guard. 

Since  the  organization  of  the  Grand  Commandery 
four  commanderies  have  been  instituted,  viz. : Sulli- 
van, at  Claremont ; Hugh  de  Payens,  at  Keene ; St. 
George,  at  Nashua;  and  St.  Girard,  at  Littleton — mak- 
ing nine  commanderies,  with  a membership  of  one 
thousand  two  hundred  and  fifty-five. 

The  present  officers  are, — 

Don  Hermon  Woodward,  Keene,  Grand  Commander;  Charles  New- 
ell, Towle,  Concord,  Deputy  Grand  Commander;  John  James  Bell, 
Exeter,  Grand  Generalissimo  ; Edward  Richard  Kent,  Lancaster,  Grand 
Captain-General  ; Rev.  Daniel  Crane  Roberts,  Concord,  Grand  Prelate ; 
Charles  Carroll  Danforth,  Concord,  Grand  Senior  Warden ; Nathaniel 
Wentworth,  Cumner,  Manchester,  Grand  Junior  Warden  ; Frank  Albert 
McKean,  Nashua,  Grand  Treasurer ; George  Perley  Cleaves,  Concord, 
Grand  Recorder ; Henry  Augustus  Marsh,  Nashua,  Grand  Standard- 
Bearer  ; Charles  Chase  Doit,  Dover,  Grand  Sword-Bearer  ; ThaddeusEzra 
Sanger,  Littleton,  Grand  Warder;  George  Washington  Currier,  Nashua, 
Grand  Captain  of  the  Guard. 

Mount  Horeb  Commandery,  Knights  Tem- 
plar.-— Henry  Fowle,  Deputy  Grand  Master  of  the 
General  Grand  Encampment  of  the  United  States, 
granted  a charter  dated  May  1,  1826,  to  Mount  Horeb 
Encampment,  Knights  Templar,  to  be  located  at 
Hopkinton,  N.  H.,  and  in  the  same  month  he  visited 
Hopkinton,  where  he  constituted  and  dedicated  the 
encampment  and  installed  its  officers.  The  first  com- 
plete list  of  officers  were, — 

John  Harris,  Commander;  Harrison  G.  Harris,  Generalissimo;  Enoch 
Darling,  Captain-General ; Rev.  Moses  B.  Chase,  Prelate  ; Daniel  C. 
Gould,  Senior  Warden  ; Nathan  Davis,  Junior  Warden  ; William  Little, 
Treasurer  ; Horace  Chase,  Recorder  ; Herman  Davis,  Standard-Bearer  ; 
Daniel  Chase,  Sword-Bearer  ; Jacob  Silver,  Warder. 

The  encampment  continued  for  several  years,  re- 
ceiving but  few  additions  to  its  numbers,  until  the 
times  of  anti-Masonic  excitement,  when  it  gradually 
declined  and  eventually  ceased  to  meet  altogether. 
It  remained  dormant  until  the  year  1859,  when  a 
number  of  the  members,  still  residing  in  the  vicinity, 
together  with  several  Knights  Templar  residing  in 
the  adjoining  city  of  Concord,  presented  a petition  to 
the  Grand  Master  of  the  Grand  Encampment  for  a 
revival  of  the  charter  and  the  removal  of  the  encamp- 
ment to  Concord. 

The  request  was  granted,  the  original  charter  was 
properly  endorsed  and  returned  to  the  commandery 
(the  title  having  been  changed  to  commandery  by  a 
revision  of  the  constitution),  the  commandery  was  re- 
organized, and  on  the  21st  of  November,  1859,  the 
following  officers  were  installed  : 

Edward  H.  Rullins,  Commander  ; Reuben  G.  Wyman,  Generalissimo  ; 
Lyman  A.  Walker,  Captain-General  ; Charles  W.  Harvey,  Prelate  ; Jo- 


APPENDIX 


909 


siali  Stevens,  Jr.,  Senior  Warden  ; Abel  Hutchins,  Junior  Warden  ; 
Jeremiah  F.  Daniel],  Treasurer ; Horace  Chase,  Recorder ; James  L. 
Peabody,  Standard-Bearer  ; Titus  V.  Wadsworth,  Sword-Bearer  ; William 
H.  Wyman,  Warder. 

The  commandery  has  prospered  to  an  extent  that 
could  have  hardly  been  anticipated  at  the  time  of  its 
reorganization,  gradually  but  steadily  growing  until  it 
has  taken  a high  position  among  the  commanderies 
of  the  State. 

It  numbers  among  its  members  men  of  deservedly 
high  rank  in  every  profession,  who  have  evinced  a 
lively  interest  in  its  affairs,  and  who  have  been  ready 
to  give  of  their  time  and  means  for  the  advancement 
of  its  interests. 

The  following  have  served  as  Commanders  : 

Edward  H.  Rollins,  Lyman  A.  Walker,  John  H.  George,  Josiah  Stev- 
ens, Jr.,  George  P.  Cleaves,  Abel  Hutchins,  Samuel  F.  Morrill,  Edward 
Dow,  John  Francis  Webster,  Joseph  W.  Hildreth,  Charles  N.  Towle, 
Frank  D.  Woodbury,  Charles  C.  Danforth. 

The  officers  are, — 

Thomas  A.  Pilsbury,  Commander;  Rev.  Daniel  C.  Roberts,  Generalis- 
simo ; Frank  L.  Sanders,  Captain-General ; Edward  Dow,  Prelate ; 
Waldo  A.  Russell,  Senior  Warden  ; Charles  F.  Batchelder,  Junior  War- 
den ; Stillman  Humphrey,  Treasurer;  Edgar  H.  Woodman,  Recorder  ; 
George  0.  Dickerman,  Standard-Bearer  ; James  C.  Badger,  Sword-Bearer ; 
Will  J.  Green,  Warder. 

Horace  Chase  Council. — Charter  granted  by 
Grand  Council  to  Lyman  A.  Walker,  Charles  H. 
Woods,  Abel  Hutchins,  William  W.  Taylor,  Luther 
W.  Nichols,  Jr.,  Edward  P.  Colby,  Reuben  G.  Wy- 
man, Gust.  Sargent  and  Joseph  W.  Robinson. 

The  following  were  the  first  officers,  June  11,  1862 : 

Charles  H.  Wood,  T.  I.  Master  ; Lyman  A.  Walker,  R.  I.  Master  ; Lu- 
ther W.  Nichols,  I.  Master  ; Abel  Hutchins,  Treasurer  ; Gust.  Sargent, 
Recorder ; Josiah  Stevens,  C.  of  G.  ; Joseph  W.  Robinson,  C.  of  C. ; 
William  W.  Taylor,  Marshal ; Reuben  G.  Wyman,  Steward. 

The  following  have  been  Masters  : 

Charles  H.  Wood,  Luther  W.  Nichols,  Jr.,  John  A.  Harris,  Thomas  J. 
Sanborn,  Edward  Dow,  Charles  N.  Towle,  Frank  D.  Woodbury,  R.  0. 
Wright,  John  Francis  Webster,  George  P.  Cleaves,  Waldo  A.  Russell, 
James  C.  Badger. 

The  following  are  the  present  officers : 

James  C.  Badger,  T.  I.  Master  ; Frank  G.  Edgerly,  Deputy  Master  ; 
Charles  C.  Danforth,  P.  C.  of  the  Work  ; Stillman  Humphrey,  Treas- 
urer ; Frank  P.  Mace,  Recorder  ; J.  Frank  Webster,  C.  of  G. ; Frank  L. 
Sanders,  Conductor  ; John  W.  Straw,  Marshal  ; Edgar  H.  Woodman, 
Steward  ; George  P.  Cleaves,  Chaplain  ; Samuel  W.  Emerson,  Sentinel. 

Blazing  Star  Lodge,  No.  11. — Warrant  granted 
by  Grand  Lodge  in  session  at  Portsmouth,  February 
13, 1799,  to  Isaac  De  La  Mather,  Daniel  Warner,  Da- 
vid McCrillis,  Robert  B.  Wilkins,  Moses  Lewis, 
Michael  McClary,  Moses  Sweatt,  Jacob  Martin  and 
Benjamin  Gale. 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  officers  for  1799: 

Daniel  Warner,  Master;  David  McCrillis,  S.  W.  ; Benjamin  Gale,  J. 
W. ; John  Odlin,  Treasurer;  Isaac  De  La  Mather,  Secretary;  Levi  Hut- 
chins, S.  D. ; Moses  Sweatt,  J.  D.  ; Benjamin  Kimball,  S.  S.  ; Moses  Da- 
vis, J.  S.  ; Robert  B.  Wilkins,  Tiler. 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  Masters : 

1799,  Daniel  Warner ; 1799,  Andrew  Bowers;  1800,  David  McCrillis; 
1801,  John  Odlin  ; 1802,  Andrew  Bowers ; 1803,  John  Odlin  ; 1803,  John 


Harris;  1804,  Sherburn  Wiggin ; 1805,  John  Harris;  1806,  Aquila  Da- 
vis ; 1807,  Peter  C.  Farnum  ; 1808,  Joshua  Darling;  1809,  John  Harris; 
1810,  Abel  Hutcliin8  ; 1811,  Joseph  Hastings;  1812,  Zadok  Howe;  1813, 
John  Odlin  ; 1814,  John  Harris;  1815,  Stephen  Blanchard  ; 1817,  Tim- 
othy Chandler ; 1818,  Timothy  Chandler  ; 1819,  Abner  Jones  ; 1820,  Ab- 
ner Jones  ; 1821,  Abner  Jones;  1822,  Daniel  Chase  ; 1823,  Robert  Davis, 
Jr.  ; 1824,  Thomas  Waterman  ; 1825,  Jeremiah  Prichard  ; 1826,  Jeremiah 
Prichard  ; 1827,  Ilosea  Fessenden  ; 1828,  Hosea  Fessenden  ; 1829,  II o- 
sea  Fessenden  ; 1830,  Ebenezer  S.  Towle  ; 1831,  Ebenezer  S.  Towle  ; 1832, 
Ebenezer  S.  Towle  ; 1833,  Ebenezer  S.  Towle ; 1834,  Isaac  Eastman  ; 
1835,  Isaac  Eastman  ; 1836,  Isaac  Eastman  ; 1837,  Isaac  Eastman  ; 1838, 
Isaac  Eastman  ; 1839,  Isaac  Eastman  ; 1840,  Isaac  Eastman  ; 1841,  Isaac 
Eastman ; 1842,  Isaac  Eastman  ; 1843,  Isaac  Eastman ; 1844,  Isaac 
Eastman;  1845,  Daniel  Chase;  1846,  Chase  Hill;  1847,  Horace 
Chase ; 1848,  Hosea  Fessenden  ; 1849,  Thompson  Barron ; 1850, 

Chase  Hill;  1851,  Thompson  Barron  ; 1852,  John  Moore;  1853,  John 
Moore  ; 1854,  John  Moore  ; 1855,  Amos  B.  Currier;  1856,  Edward  H. 
Rollins;  1857,  Abel  Hutchins;  1858,  Lyman  A.  Walker;  1859,  Lyman 

A.  Walker;  1860,  Lyman  A.  Walker;  1861,  Lyman  A.  Walker  ; 1862, 
Lyman  A.  Walker;  1863,  Lyman  A.  Walker;  1864,  Gilbert  II.  Seavey, 
1865,  Gilbert  H.  Seavey  ; 1866,  Joseph  W.  Robinson  ; 1867,  Joseph  W. 
Robinson  ; 1868,  John  A.  Harris  ; 1869,  John  A.  Harris  ; 1870-71,  Sam- 
uel F.  Morrill  ; 1872-75,  Horace  A.  Brown  ; 1876-77,  William  A.  Clough  ; 
1878-79,  John  Francis  Webster ; 1880-81,  Reuben  A.  Gerry;  1882-83, 
Frank  L.  Sanders;  1884-85,  Silvester  P.  Danforth. 

The  following  are  the  present  officers: 

Silvester  P.  Danforth,  W.  Master ; Frank  G.  Edgerly,  S.  W.  ; Leroy 
M.  Gould,  J.  W. ; Horace  A.  Brown,  Treasurer  ; Will  J.  Green,  Secre- 
tary ; Martin  E.  Young,  S.  D.  ; Henry  O.  Adams,  J.  I).  ; George  A. 
Young,  S.  S. ; Fred.  N.  Ladd,  J.  S. ; J.  Frank  Webster,  Chaplain  ; Isaac 
W.  Hammond,  Marshal ; Harry  Baker,  Organist ; Samuel  W.  Emerson, 
Tiler. 

Eureka  Lodge,  No.  70. — Warrant  was  granted  by 
Grand  Lodge  in  session  at  Concord,  June  13,  1860,  to 
John  Dame,  George  H.  Emery,  Thomas  L.  Tullock,  Al- 
len Tenny,  Charles  C.  Clement,  Abel  Hutchins,  James 

B.  Gove,  Edward  Dow  and  Luther  W.  Nichols,  Jr. 
The  . following  were  the  officers  in  1860: 

John  Dame,  Master;  Charles  C.  Clement,  S.  W.  ; George  H.  Emery, 
J.  W.  ; Abel  Hutchins,  Treasurer  ; Thomas  L.  Tullock,  Secretary  ; Al- 
len Tenny,  S.  D.  ; Edward  Dow,  J.  D.  ; James  B.  Gove,  Marshal ; Wil- 
liam E.  Webster,1  Tiler. 

The  following  is  a list  of  Masters : 

1860,  John  Dame  ; 1861,  Abel  Hutchins;  1862-64,  Luther  W.  Nichols, 
Jr. ; 1865-67,  George  P.  Cleaves  ; 1868,  Hall  B.  Rand  ; 1869,  Frank  D. 
Woodbury  ; 1870-71,  James  T.  Gordon  ; 1872-73,  Charles  N.  Towle  ; 
1874-75,  Edward  Dow  ; 1876,  Samuel  C.  Crockett ; 1877-78,  Darius  Mer- 
rill; 1879-80,  Frank  D.  Woodbury  ; 1881-82,  George  A.  Dickerman; 
1883-84,  Frank  P.  Mace  ; 1885,  Frank  W.  Smith. 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  officers  for  1885 : 

Frank  W.  Smith,  W.  M. ; Waldo  A.  Russell, S.  W.  ; Franks.  Streeter, 
J.  W.  ; Darius  Merrill,  Treasurer  ; Frank  P.  Quimby,  Secretary ; Arthur 

C.  Stewart,  S.  D. ; Fred.  A.  Carr,  J.  D.  ; Ira  C.  Evans,  S.  S.  ; William 

D.  Merrick,  J.  S. ; Rev.  Elijah  L.  Wilkins,  Chaplain  ; George  P.  Cleaves, 
Marshal  ; Samuel  W.  Emerson,1  Tiler. 

Trinity  Chapter. — Charter  granted  hy  Thomas 
Smith  Webb,  General  Grand  King  of  the  General 
Grand  Chapter  of  Royal  Arch  Masons  of  the  United 
States,  February  16,  1807,  to  John  Harris,  William 
Webster,  Moses  Lewis,  Abel  Hutchins,  Joel  Harris, 
Elisha  Hitchcock,  Lemuel  Hitchcock,  Robert  Fowle, 
Aquila  Davis,  Peter  C.  Farnum,  George  Richards, 
Samuel  Boardman  and  Joshua  Darling,  empowering 
them  to  “ form  and  hold  a Royal  Arch  Chapter”  in 
Hopkintou. 


1 Not  a member. 


910 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Confirmed  by  General  Grand  Chapter  in  New  York, 
June  7,  1816,  next  session  after  granting  the  charter. 
Authorized  by  Grand  Chapter  on  June  9,  1847,  to 
move  to  Concord.  Was  represented  in  convention  to 
form  Grand  Chapter  at  Hopkinton,  June  11,  1818. 

The  following  were  the  first  officers  : 

John  Harris,  Ii.  P.  ; William  Webster,  King  ; Moses  Lewis,  Scribe  ; 
Abel  Hutchins,  Treasurer  : Joshua  Darling,  Secretary;  Aquila  Davis 
C.  of  H.  ; Peter  C.  Farnum,  P.  S. ; Joel  Harris,  R.  A.  C.  ; Elisha  Hitch- 
cock, M.  of  3d  V.  ; Samuel  Hitchcock,  M.  of  2d  V. ; Robert  Fowle,  M.  of 
1st  V.  ; Joseph  Harvey,  Tiler. 

The  following  have  been  High  Priests: 

John  Harris,  Joshua  Darling,  Aquila  Davis,  Thomas  W.  Colby,  Abel 
Hutchins,  Harrison  G.  Harris,  A.  Cady,  Horace  Chase,  Stephen  Blanch- 
ard, Jr.,  Artemas  Rogers,  Stephen  Sibley,  Jacob  Silver,  Abram  Brown, 
Daniel  Chase,  William  Little,  Nicholas  Fowler,  Ebenezer  Syms,  John 
Moore,  Joseph  W.  Clement,  Albert  L.  Long,  Josiah  Stevens,  Jr.,  Ly- 
man A.  Walker,  Charles  W.  Harvey,  Albert  H.  Drown,  Thomas  J.  San- 
born, John  A.  Harris,  Luther  A.  Nichols,  Jr.,  Edward  Dow,  Charles  N. 
Towle,  Frank  D.  Woodbury,  George  P.  Cleaves,  J/Frank  Webster,  Frank 
L.  Sanders,  Waldo  A.  Russell,  Horace  A.  Brown,  Will  J.  Green. 

The  following  is  a list  of  the  present  officers: 

Will  J.  Green,  High  Priest  : Frank  G.  Edgerly,  E.King  ; Arthur  C. 
Stewart,  E.  Scribe  ; Stillman  Humphrey,  Treasurer  ; Frank  W.  Smith, 
Secretary  ; James  C.  Badger,  C.  of  H. ; Frank  L.  Sanders,  P.  S.  ; Silves- 
ter P.  Danforth,  R.  A.  C.  ; Charles  E.  Thurston,  M.  of  3d  V. ; Martin 
E.  Young,  M.  of  2d  V.  ; J.  Frank  Webster,  M.  of  1st  V. ; Charles  N. 
Towle,  George  P.  Cleaves,  Stewards ; Horace  A.  Brown,  Chaplain  ; Sam- 
uel IV.  Emerson, 'Tiler. 

Grand  Royal  Arch  Chapter  of  New  Hamp- 
shire.— Royal  Arch  Chapters  were  chartered  in  New 
Hampshire  by  the  General  Grand  Chapter  of  the 
United  States,  as  follows:  St.  Andrew’s  Chapter,  at 
Hanover  (now  at  Lebanon),  January  27,  1807 ; Trin- 
ity Chapter,  at  Hopkinton  (now  at  Concord),  Febru- 
ary 10,  1807  ; Washington  Chapter,  at  Portsmouth, 
November,  1815;  Cheshire  Chapter,  at  Keene,  May 
4,  1816. 

A convention  of  the  officers  of  the  several  chapters 
was  held  at  Hopkinton  June  11,  1818,  and  a commit- 
tee appointed  to  obtain  the  consent  of  the  General 
Grand  Chapter  for  the  formation  of  a Grand  Chapter, 
and  the  convention  adjourned  to  meet  at  Concord  on 
the  10th  day  of  June,  1819,  at  which  time  a Grand 
Chapter  wras  organized,  regulations  adopted  and  the 
following  officers  elected  and  installed: 

John  Harris,  G.  H.  P. ; Thomas  S.  Bowles,  D.  G.  II.  P.  ; Henry 
Hutchinson,  G.  Iv  ; Broughton  White,  G Scribe  ; J.  Davenport,  G.  T.  ; 
Thomas  W.  Colby,  G.  Sec. ; Rev.  Thomas  Beede,  G.  C. ; Timothy  Kenrick, 
G.  M.  ; Albe  Cady,  Alplieus  Baker,  Charles  A.  Saxton,  Andrew  Tierce, 
G.  S. ; Jesse  Corbett,  G.  T. 

Since  1819  annual  meetings  have  been  held 
regularly  and  the  proceedings  printed.  The  Grand 
Chapter  suffered  more,  perhaps,  during  the  excite- 
ment of  the  anti-Masonic  times  than  did  the  Grand 
Lodge.  But  the  Royal  Arch  Masons  of  those  days 
were  not  to  be  easily  discouraged. 

The  Grand  High  Priests  have  been  as  follows  : 

John  Harris,  Thomas  S.  Bowles,  Jonathan  Nye,  Thomas  W.  Colby, 
Samuel  Cushman,  Frederick  A.  Sumner,  Andrew  Pierce,  Robert  Smith, 
Brackett  L.  Greenough,  Weare  Tappan,  Daniel  Chase,  David  Parker, 
Philemon  Tolies,  John  Knowlton,  Daniel  Balch,  John  J.  Prentice,  Al- 


bert R.  Hatch,  John  Christie,  Theodore  T.  Abbott,  Moses  Paul,  Jonas 
Livingston,  Samuel  W.  Wilcox,  Edward  W.  Harrington,  John  R.  Hol- 
brook, Thomas  E.  Hatch,  Nathaniel  W.  Cumner,  Daniel  R.  Marshall, 
John  A.  Harris,  Edward  Gustine,  William  Barrett,  John  D.  Patterson, 
Andrew  J.  Thompson,  John  J.  Bell,  George  W.  Currier,  Albert  S.  Wait, 
Charles  N.  Towle,  Alpheus  W.  Baker. 

There  are  twenty-one  chapters,  with  two  thousand 
four  hundred  and  fifty  members.  The  present  officers 
are  as  follows : 

Alpheus  Wooster  Baker,  Lebanon,  G.  II.  P.  ; John  Francis  Webster, 
Concord,  D.  G.  H P.  ; John  Colin  Neal,  Franklin  Falls,  G.  K.  ; Harlan 
Page  Goodrich,  Lebanon,  G.  Scribe  ; J.  Wyman  Hildreth,  Manchester, 
G.  T ; George  Perley  Cleaves,  Concord,  G.  Sec.  ; Joseph  Kidder,  Manches- 
ter, G.  C.  ; Nathan  Parker  Hunt,  Manchester,  G.  C.  of  H.  ; Henry  A. 
Marsh,  Nashua,  G.  P.  S.  ; Horace  A.  Brown,  Concord,  G.  R.  A.  C.  ; Wil- 
liam H.  W.  Hinds,  Milford,  G M.  of  3d  Y. ; William  F.  Knight,  Laconia, 
G.  M.  of  2d  Y.  ; George  P.  Kimball,  Nashua,  G.  M.  of  1st  Y.  ; John  H. 
Steele,  Peterborough,  George  E.  Beacham,  Great  Falls,  G.  S.  ; Samuel 
W.  Emerson,  Concord,  G.  T. 

Tyrian  Council  of  Royal  Masters  (the  first 
in  New  England)  was  established  at  Hopkinton,  N.  H., 
in  1815,  and  was  afterwards  united  with  a coun- 
cil of  Select  Masters  established  in  that  town.  Sub- 
sequently other  councils  of  Royal  and  Select  Masters 
were  established  at  Portsmouth,  Hanover  and  Clare- 
mont. These  councils  organized  a Grand  Council  in 
1823.  The  Grand  Council  organized  councils  in 
Keene,  Sanbornton  and  Dover.  Of  the  above-named 
councils,  but  two  are  now7  in  existence, — Orphan 
Council,  at  Dover,  and  Columbian  Council,  at  Clare- 
mont. 

The  Grand  Council  was  formed  at  Keene,  July  9, 
1823.  No  record  of  the  Grand  Body  has  been  pre- 
served. The  list  of  Grand  Officers,  as  published  in  the 
New  Hampshire  Patriot  of  July  21,  1823,  is  as  follows: 

Jonathan  Nye,  G.  M. ; Thomas  S.  Bowles,  D.  G.  M. ; Godfrey  Stevens, 
G.  I’.  C.  of  W.  ; Albe  Cady,  G.  T. ; James  Wilson,  Jr.,  G.  R. ; Sebastian 
Streeter,  G.  C. ; Charles  Abbott,  G.  C.  of  G. ; Annis  B.  Young,  G.  S. ; 
Samuel  P.  Drown,  G.  Sent. 

This  Grand  Council  was  in  existence  in  1832; 
whether  any  later,  is  not  known  to  the  writer.  The 
present  Grand  Council  of  New  Hampshire  was  formed 
at  Concord  June  11,  1862,  by  the  then  existing  coun- 
cils,—Orphan  Council,  at  Dover,  Columbian  Council, 
at  Claremont,  and  Adoniram  Council,  at  Manchester: 
the  two  former  mentioned  above  and  the  latter  or- 
ganized in  1856,  by  authority  from  the  Grand  Coun- 
cil of  Connecticut.  The  officers  first  elected  were 
as  follows : 

Daniel  Balch,  G.  M. ; Charles  A.  Tufts,  D.  G.  M. ; Lewis  Woodman, 
G.  C.  ; Moses  O.  Pearson,  G.  Chap. ; Richard  N.  Ross,  G.  T. ; Samuel  M. 
Wilcox,  G.  R. ; John  B.  Fi6k,  G.  C.  of  G. ; Philemon  Tolies,  G.  S. ; 
Charles  H.  Woods,  G.  Sent. 

There  are  now  nine  councils,  with  eight  hundred 
and  ninety-eight  members. 

The  following  have  served  as  Grand  Masters  : 

Daniel  Balch,  Charles  A.  Tufts,  John  R.  Holbrook,  Thomas  J.  San- 
born, George  H.  True,  John  A.  Harris,  Oliver  C.  Fisher,  Andrew  J. 
Thompson,  Henry  P.  Glidden,  Harvey  L.  Currier,  Frank  D.  Woodbury, 
Edward  II.  Currier,  Rensselaer  O.  Wright,  George  P.  Cleaves,  John 
Gillis. 

The  present  officers  are  as  follows  ; 

Elliott  Bernard  Hodge,  Plymouth,  G.  M.  ; Waldo  Adolphus  Russell, 
Concord,  D.  M.  ; Joshua  Wright  Hunt,  Nashua,  G.  P.  C.  of  W. ; Joseph 


APPENDIX. 


911 


W.  Hildreth,  Manchester,  G.  T. ; George  I’.  Cleaves,  Concord,  G.  K.  ; 
Charles  J.  Darrah,  Manchester,  G.  C.  of  G. ; George  H.  Everett,  Laconia, 
G.  C.  of  C. ; Rev.  Josiah  L.  Seward,  Keene,  G.  C. ; Edward  F.  Ilonghton, 
Claremont,  G.  M. ; James  C.  Badger,  Concord,  G.  S. : Samuel  \V.  Emer- 
son, Concord,  G.  Sent. 


EPSOM. 


Census. — By  the  census  of  1773  Epsom  had  eigh- 
teen unmarried  men  from  sixteen  to  sixty  years  of 
age,  fifty-three  married  men  of  that  age,  eighty-six 
boys  under  sixteen  years  of  age,  and  one  man  sixty 
years  old  or  more  ; one  hundred  and  nine  unmarried 
women,  fifty-three  married  women,  four  widows  and 
two  slaves. 

“Agreeable  to  a requisition  from  the  Gen1  Assembly  for  making  out 
& returning  to  the  Gen1  Court  an  exact  No.  of  all  polls  of  Twenty-One 
years  & upwards,  paying  for  Themselves  a poll  Tax,  We  have  Acord- 
ingly  Numbered  Those  belonging  to  the  Town  of  Epson,  which  Number 
Amounts  to  Ninety-Nine. 

“Epsom,  16th  December. 

“Jerf.miah  Prescott,  1 Selectmen 
“Thomas  Babb,  ) for  Epsom. 


“State  of  New  Ham*  1 
Rockingham,  SS.  > 


“December  16th,  1783. 


“ Jeremiah  Prescott  & Tho8  Babb,  above  nanv1,  made  Oath  to  the  Truth 
of  the  above  return  by  them  subscrib’d 

“Before  “ Mich1  McClary,  J.  P." 


The  Gray  Family. — Another  family  that  was  prom- 
inent in  town  for  many  years,  but  leaves  no  male 
descendent  bearing  their  name,  was  that  of  Captain 
Janies  Gray. 

Mr.  Gray  was  born  in  Newburyport,  Mass.,  October 
8,  1749.  He  came  to  Epsom  when  nineteen  years  of 
age  and  was  employed  by  the  town  to  teach  school. 

In  July,  1769,  he  married  Jane  Wallace,  who  lived 
but  a few  years. 

At  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  Mr.  Gray  at  once 
joined  the  American  forces  and  received  a captain’s 
commission  in  the  First  New  Hampshire  Regiment. 

As  will  be  seen  by  the  accompanying  papers,  he  was 
appointed  an  enlisting  officer  by  Colonel  Marshall,  of 
Boston,  and  did  valiant  service  at  Ticonderoga. 

He  married,  for  a second  wife,  Susannah  Parsons,  of 
Newbury,  Mass.,  daughter  of  Rev.  Moses  Parsons 
and  sister  to  Judge  Theophilus  Parsons.  About  1778 
they  moved  to  Epsom,  bringing  into  town  the  first 
chaise  ever  owned  iii  that  place. 

They  lived  for  several  years  in  the  house  of  the 
widow  of  Rev.  John  Tucke,  the  first  settled  minister 
in  town,  which  we  understand  to  have  been  where 
George  W.  Bachelder  now  lives.  They  then  moved 
on  to  Sanborn’s  Hill,  and  owned  and  occupied  the 
farm  now  owned  by  Samuel  Quimby.  Aftenvards 
they  bought  on  the  turnpike,  on  what  has  ever  since 
been  known  as  “ Gray’s  Hill.” 

He  had  a grist-mill  on  the  Little  Suncook  River, 
near  where  the  mill  of  Horace  Bickford  now  stands. 
He  was  a delegate  to  the  Constitutional  Convention  in 
1788,  and  was  also  town  clerk,  selectman  and  repre- 
sentative. 

His  appointment  or  commission  as  coroner  for 


the  county  of  Rockingham,  dated  December  25, 
1784,  signed  by  Mesheck  Weare,  President  of  the 
State,  is  still  in  a good  state  of  preservation,  in  the 
hands  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Susan  M.  G.  Perkins. 

He  was  teacher  of  vocal  music  and  for  several 
years  was  church  chorister. 

The  mother  of  Mr.  Gray  was  with  him  when  he 
first  came  to  town,  and  she  was  employed  as  a 
school-teacher. 

Moses  Parsons  Gray,  the  oldest  son  of  James  and 
Susannah  Gray,  was  born  in  Epsom  June  29,  1779. 
When  quite  a small  boy  he  went  to  Byfield,  Mass.,  to 
live  with  his  Grandmother  Parsons,  with  whom  he 
moved  to  Boston  and  attended  school  there.  At  the 
age  of  fifteen  years  he  became  a clerk  in  a store  for 
a short  time,  but  soon  entered  his  uncle’s  employ  as  a 
sailor,  that  he  might  learn  the  art  of  navigation. 
When  he  became  of  age,  he  took  command  of  the 
ship  “Diana”  and  made  several  voyages  to  the  West 
Indies  and  other  foreign  ports,  having,  while  following 
the  sea,  visited  Spain,  Portugal  and  Russia. 

When  about  thirty  years  of  age  he  returned  to  Ep- 
som, where  he  resided  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
November  8,  1858.  After  coming  to  Epsom  he 
taught  school  in  the  Cilley  District  and  also  in  the 
Centre  District. 

While  in  Boston,  after  he  had  left  school,  he 
employed  his  spare  moments  in  the  study  of  survey- 
ing, which  art  he  was  very  frequently  called  upon  to 
practice  while  in  Epsom,  there  being  hardly, a di- 
vision line  in  the  town  but  what  he  was  acquainted 
with,  and  he  was  often  called  to  other  towns  in  the 
capacity  of  a surveyor.  A plan  of  the  town  drawn 
by  him  is  now  in  the  possession  of  the  town. 

Although  he  never  studied  law,  yet  his  reading  and 
his  intercourse  with  his  uncle,  Chief  Justice  Parsons, 
made  him  familiar  with  much  that  pertained  to  the 
profession,  so  that  he  was  often  called  upon  to  assist 
in  the  settlement  of  disputes. 

While  he  was  hardly  ever  elected  to  any  office  by 
the  town,  yet  he  very  frequently  assisted  those  who 
were  elected,  and  his  peculiar  handwriting  can  be 
found  in  several  places  upon  the  records. 

Theodore  Parsons  Gray,  born  August  8,  1781,  fol- 
lowed the  sea,  and  was  killed  by  falling  from  aloft  to 
the  main-deck,  September  20,  1796,  and  was  buried 
in  “that  vast  cemetery  where  there  are  no  monu- 
ments.” 

Katharine  L.  Gray,  born  February  19, 1783,  married 
Dr.  John  Proctor,  and  lived  in  Epsom,  where  he  died 
in  June,  1837.  She  died  in  Georgetown,  Mass., 
March,  1854.  They  left  no  children. 

Lucretia  B.  Gray,  born  May  5,  1785,  married  Wil- 
liam Brown  and  lived  in  Epsom,  where  she  died  May 
11,  1875,  leaving  one  son  and  two  daughters,  one  of 
whom,  Mrs.  Susan  E.  P.  Forbes,  has  recently  pur- 
chased “ Fatherland  Farm,”  the  old  Parsons  home- 
stead, at  Byfield,  Mass.,  where  she  spends  her  sum- 
mers. 


912 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


James  H.  Gray,  born  June  29,  1787,  was  also  a 
sailor,  and  died  when  but  twenty-three  years  of  age, 
upon  an  island  off  the  coast  of  Florida. 

Judith  Parsons  Gray,  born  March  12,  1789,  mar- 
ried John  Rand,  of  Epsom. 

Of  the  eight  children  born  to  them,  only  one 
has  died, — James  G.,  who  died  December,  1850. 

The  following  found  among  the  well  preserved 
papers  of  the  late  Captain  James  Gray,  we  deem  of 
sufficient  interest  to  be  given  a place  in  the  history 
of  Epsom: 

Letter  from  Captain  Gray  to  his  wife. 

“ Charlestown  (No.  4),  May  18th,  1777. 

“ My  Dear  Susie : As  I would  not,  if  possible,  let  any  opportunity  of 
writing  to  you  pass  unnoticed,  therefore  I embrace  the  present  by  the 
po6t  to  Exeter,  viz.  : Mr.  Waldo.  I arrived  here  last  Tuesday  at  night, 
as  you  will  fiud  by  my  Journal,  transmitted  to  your  Father  ; but  it  was 
attended  with  some  difficulty,  the  roads  being  so  excessively  miry  and 
my  horse  taken  sick  that  I was  obliged  to  walk  a considerable  part  of 
the  way  ; but  at  present  am  very  well.  I expect  on  Tuesday  next  to 
take  my  departure  for  Ticonderoga,  to  put  my  baggage  upon  my  horse 
k travel  through  the  woods,  which  journey  is  eighty  miles  from  here. 
When  I left  Exeter  I forgot  my  Coffe  pot  and  thought  not  of  it  until  I 
got  to  Keene,  so  that  I am  now  at  a loss  how  to  make  use  of  my  coffee. 
Since  I came  here  I have  heard  from  my  Brother,  by  Mr.  Tucker,  who 
left  him  about  a fortnight  since  in  good  health  and  high  spirits.  Capt. 
McClary  has  been  very  ill  here,  but  has  marched  since  through  the 
woods. 

“ My  Love  and  duty  to  the  family.  The  reason  of  my  putting  my 
Baggage  upon  my  horse  or  going  on  foot  is  because  the  wagon  cannot 
get  through  the  woods.” 

Letter  from  Captain  James  Gray  to  his  father-in-law , the  original  being  in 

the  possession  of  his  granddaughter , Mrs.  A.  W.  Perkins , of  Chichester. 

“Ticonderoga,  Julie  26,  1777. 

“ HoM.  Sir:  The  last  letter  which  I 6ent  you  by  Col.  Little  I hope 
came  safe  to  hand.  I have  now  the  pleasure,  by  Dr.  Conner,  of  Exeter, 
to  write  a second.  The  Wednesday  after  the  date  of  my  first  l set  of 
from  No.  4 for  Ticonderoga.  Our  waggon  not  being  able  to  carry  our 
Baggage  through  the  woods,  I was  obliged  to  load  mine  upon  my  horse 
and  venture  my  body  upon  my  Legs  through  to  my  Journey’s  end,  which, 
perhaps,  may  be  said  to  be  no  small  risque.  However,  after  a tedious 
Journey,  I arrived  at  Ticonderoga,  distance  from  No.  4 eighty  miles,  the 
28th  of  May.  Nothing  worthy  of  observation  has  occurred  to  me  since 
I came  into  Camp  until  the  17th  instant,  at  which  time  the  Camp  at 
Ticonderoga  was  alarmed  by  the  report  of  small  arms  at  about  half  a 
mile  distant  from  the  Line,  in  the  woods,  which  proved  to  be  a party  of 
Indians,  about  thirty  in  number,  which  lay  in  ambush  for  us  and  had 
then  fired  upon  some  of  our  men  as  they  were  returning  from  duty  into 
Camp,  three  of  which  were  killed  and  one  carried  off  by  the  Savages, 
upon  which  a scou ting-party  was  immediately  sent  in  pursuit  of  them  ; 
but  so  precipitate  was  their  retreat  that  we  could  not  overtake  them  ; 
but  in  their  hurry  to  Crown  Point  they  were  met  by  a party  of  Bangers, 
eleven  in  number,  who  readily  gave  them  fire.  The  Indians  returned 
the  same,  upon  which  three  or  four  rounds  were  exchanged,  when  the 
Commander  of  the  party  of  Rangers,  Lieut.  Little,  received  a wound  in 
the  arm  & was  obliged  to  retreat  with  the  loss  of  three  men.  The  next 
day  a scouting* party  came  upon  the  same  grounds,  where  they  found  one 
Indian  dead  and  took  another  who  could  not  keep  up  w ith  his  party'  ; 
him  they  brought  into  Camp  and  now  have  him  confined. 

“ Sir  : If  I am  not  to  tedious,  I would  ob^rve  that  those  four  men  who 
were  killed  and  taken  belonged  to  one  Company  and  one  mess,  and  the 
fifth,  who  was  the  only  one  left  of  the  mess,  was  the  next  day  standing 
with  his  gun  loaded  in  his  hands,  leaning  his  chin  upon  the  muzzle  of 
his  gun,  w'hen  it  wrent  off,  as  he  was  talking  with  his  Brother,  and  drove 
the  whole  charge  through  his  head,  dashing  his  brains  through  the  side 
of  the  house  by  which  they  were  standing. 

“ I have  just  received  news  from  Ticonderoga  that  the  British  Troops 
are  landed  at  Crown  Point ; this  I believe  to  be  depended  upon  as  a fact, 
60  that  we  are  now  preparing  for  Battle. 

‘ Gen.  St.  Clair  has  the  Command  of  the  Troops  in  this  department. 
We  have  fit  for  duty  about  3000  men  and  about  1000  unfit  for  duty,  by 
reason  of  disorders  that  are  incident  to  Camp  life. 


“ The  18th  I w’as  ordered,  w’ith  my  Company,  to  take  command  of  this 
post,  w’here  we  are  to  keep  Garrison  within  the  stockade.  How  long  we 
6hall  remain  here  I can’t  say.  I will  endeavor  to  write  again  by  the 
post  who  goes  and  comes  through  this  Garrison. 

“ A letter,  sir,  w’ould  be  very  acceptable. 

“ My  Duty  and  respects  to  all. 

“ Your  Son, 


“ James  Gray. 

“Rev.  Moses  Parsons,  Newbury  Falls. 

“To  be  left  at  Mr.  Davenport’s  Tavern.” 


Upon  the  back  of  an  old  document,  headed  “ Re- 
turn of  the  3d  New  Hampshire  Regiment  of  Foot, 
in  the  service  of  the  United  States,  commanded  by 
Col.  Alexander  Scannel,  Ticonderoga,  June  28, 1777,” 
in  which  Captains  Gray  and  McClary,  of  this  town, 
were  reported  as  on  duty,  the  former  with  thirty-nine 
men  and  the  latter  with  forty-nine,  is  found  the  fol- 
lowing in  Captain  Gray’s  beautiful  writing  : 

“ Sunday',  6th  July,  1777, — Retreated  from  Sheensboro’  & lost  all  my 
money,  Baggage,  &c.  Lodged  in  the  woods  at  Night. 

“Monday,  7th,  — Got  into  Fort  Ann  at  6 in  ye  morning  ; everything  in 
the  utmost  confusion  ; nothing  to  eat.  At  11  o’clock  a.m.  was  ordered 
to  take  the  Command  of  a party  upon  a scout  and  marched  with  150  men 
besides  17  Rangers  ; had  not  marched  from  Garrison  into  the  woods  more 
than  half  a mile,  after  detaching  my  front,  Rear  and  flanking  Guards, 
when  we  met  with  a party  of  Regulars  and  gave  them  fire,  which  was 
Returned  by  the  enemy,  who  then  gave  back.  - 1 then  pursued  them 
with  close  fire  till  they  betook  themselves  to  the  top  of  a mountain.  At 
the  foot  of  this  mountain  we  posted  our  selves  and  continued  our  fire 
until  6 p.m.,  when  a reinforcement  of  150  more  joined  me ; but  night 
approaching  obliged  me  to  return  with  my  party  to  Garrison,  after  find- 
ing one  of  my  party  killed  and  3 wounded,  and  three  of  the  enemy  killed 
by  our  first  fire. 

“ Tuesday  Morning,  8th,— Myself,  with  Capt.  Hutchins,  with  the  same 
number  of  men,  marched  to  the  aforesaid  mountain  and  attacked  the 
enemy  very  warmly.  The  engagement  lasted  about  2 hours,  at  which 
time  the  Commander  of  ye  Garrison  sent  Colo.  Ransleur  with  a small 
party  of  militia  to  reinforce  us.  We  then  advanced  (firing)  up  the  hill, 
where  we  found  the  enemy’s  surgeon  dressing  a Capt8  Leg.  Those,  with 
two  of  their  wounded  soldiers,  we  took  and  sent  in,  and  a number  of  our 
own  people,  men  & women,  who  were  the  day  before  cut  off  by  the 
enemy,  we  retook.  At  last,  finding  our  ammunition  gone  and  none  to 
be  had  in  Garrison,  ordered  off  my  wounded  and  some  of  the  dead,  and 
formed  a retreat.  Much  fatigued  when  I returned  and  found  no  re- 
freshments, neither  meat  or  drink  ; immediately  a Council  was  called  and 
the  prisoners  who  were  retaken  bro4  upon  examination,  who  gave  infor- 
mation that  an  express  just  arrived  before  we  made  this  second  attack 
and  gave  the  enemy  intelligence  that  a reinforcement  of  200D,  with  In- 
dians, were  near  at  hand  to  join  them,  at  which  time  they  were  to  make 
a general  attack  upon  us.  It  was  then  determined  upon  to  retreat  to 
fort  Edward,  after  setting  fire  to  the  Garrison.  Accordingly,  the  wounded 
were  sent  off,  except  one,  who  was  one  of  my  own  Company ; him  the 
Surgeon  tho*  proper  not  to  order  off,  that  he  would  soon  expire,  or  that 
if  he  was  likely  to  live,  the  enemy,  when  they  took  possession,  would 
take  care  of  him.  This  I knew  not  of  till  we  were  ordered  to  march,  at 
which  time  I turned  back  alone  (my  Company  being  gone)  to  the  rear  of 
the  Army,  where  I found  him.  I then  picked  up  a tent  & fastened  it  be- 
tween two  poles,  laid  him  upon  it,  and  hired  four  soldiers  to  carry  him. 
I took  their  four  guns  with  my  own  and  carried  them  to  fort  Edward  ; 
this  was  about  3 o'clock  p.m.  ; rained  very  hard  ; distance  from  fort 
Ann  to  Fort  Edward,  14  miles  ; arrived  at  Fort  Edward  at  10  in  the 
Evening  ; no  Barracks  nor  Tents  to  go  into  ; therefore  laid  down  in  the 
rain  and  slept  upon  the  ground  ; the  fatigue  of  this  day  I believe  I shall 
always  remember. 

“ CoD  Ransleur,  wounded;  Cap4  Weare,  wounded;  Ensign  Walcutt, 
killed  ; Isaac  Davis,  a sergeant  in  my  company,  killed.  Our  loss  in  the 
two  skirmishes  about  15  ; the  Enemy's  unknown. 

“ Weduesd?  !lth, — I found  my  self  very  much  indisposed,  having  no 
cloths  to  shift  myself  with  & nothing  to  eat  or  drink,  but  walking  about 
to  make  myself  warm.  Upon  parade  I met  Capt.  Peters  (a  Dutchman), 
a gentleman  I never  had  seen  but  once  before  ; he  seeing  me  in  my  help- 
less situation  took  me  to  his  tent,  gave  me  a dram,  then  ordered  some 
warm  breakfast  for  me.  Here  I refreshed.  He  then  procured  barracks 


APPENDIX. 


913 


for  my  Company  and  furnished  with  Blankets  to  lodge  on.  I then  sent 
my  wounded  men  off  to  Albany.  Applied  for  kettles  for  my  Compy,  but 
in  vain  ; obliged  to  mix  our  flour  in  our  hats  and  bake  it  upon  Chips 
before  the  fire  and  broil  our  salt  beef  upon  the  coals. 

“Thur.  10th, — Confined  to  my  barrack  ; sent  for  a Doctor— none  could 
attend — no  appetite  to  food. 

“Frid.  11,— Applied  by  an  officer  to  Gen.  Schuyler  to  go  down  the 
river  to  recruit  my  health  ; could  not  obtain  it. 

“Sat.  12th,— Gen3  St.  Clair,  Poor,  Patterson  & Termo  arrived.  Gen. 
Nixon’s  Brigade  marched  into  camp  in  the  Evening.  Gen1  Poor,  having 
heard  that  I was  sick,  came  with  Col0  Long  & Maj.  McClintock  to  see  me 
and  gave  me  liberty  to  go  to  Saratoga  to  recruit. 

“Sun.  13th, — Setoff  on  horseback  and  rode  to  Fort  Miller,  where  I met 
with  Col.  Scammell,  then  proceeded  to  Saratoga,  but  the  inhabitants 
being  alarmed  by  the  Tories,  who  every  night  were  plundering  houses, 
were  moving  off ; therefore,  I was  obliged  to  ride  until  12  at  night  before 
I could  get  a lodging.  Lodged  at  Mr.  Van  Vaiters. 

“ MondJ  14th,— Set  off  and  well  to  Still  Watter;  could  get  no  enter- 
tainment ; rode  to  ‘ Half-Moon.’  ” 

Upon  the  above  return  is  the  following: 

“Bill  of  Loss. 


£ 8.  d 

“ 1 Loose  coat 7 0 0 

3 Jacketts 7 0 0 

9 Holland  shirts 28  0 0 

17  pair  stockings 14  8 0 

1 pr.  Silver  Buckles 1 10  0 

1 Table  cloth 0 10  0 

1 pair  Knee  Garters 0 3 0 

1 snug  coat 3 15  0 

3 pr.  Breeches 6 0 0 

9 Necks 2 14  0 

2 pair  Shoes 1 4 0 

1 Barcelona  Handkf 0 12  0 

190  Dollars 57  0 0 

Apparatus  for  mending  clothes,  etc 1 4 0 

“ Total,  £131  14s.  Oci..  Lawful  Money.” 


The  above  being  in  Captain  Gray’s  handwriting,  it 
is  safe  to  conclude  that  it  is  what  was  lost  on  his  re- 
treat from  Sheensborough  to  Fort  Ann,  July  G,  1777. 

“ To  Captain  James  Gray  : 

“You  are  hereby  empowered,  immediately,  to  enlist  a Company  to 
consist  of  Eighty-eight  able-bodied  and  effective  men,  including  Non- 
Commissioned  Officers  and  Privates,  as  Soldiers  in  the  Service  of  the 
Colony,  to  defend  and  secure  the  Harbour  of  Boston,  and  cause  them  to 
pass  Muster  as  soon  as  possible  at  Boston. 

“Boston,  14th  Day  of  May,  1776. 

“Tiio8  Marshall.  Coll°. 

“We,  the  Subscribers,  hereby  severally  inlist  Ourselves  into  the  Ser- 
vice of  the  Colony  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  to  serve  in  a Company  whereof 
James  Gray  is  Captain,  until  the  first  day  of  December  next,  unless  the 
service  should  admit  their  discharge  sooner,  and  each  of  us  do  engage 
to  furnish  and  carry  with  us  into  the  Service  a good,  effective  Fire  Arm 
and  Bayonet,  if  to  be  obtained,  Cartridge  Box,  Knapsack  and  Blanket ; 
and  when  formed  we  engage  to  march  to  the  Town  of  Boston,  or  such 
Place  within  the  Colony  as  the  General  Court  of  said  Colony  shall  ap- 
point ; and  do  hereby  oblige  Ourselves  faithfully  to  observe  and  obey  all 
such  orders  as  we  shall  from  Time  to  Time  receive  from  our  Superior 
Officers. 

“ May  30th,  Seth  Richardson  ; June  3d,  Joseph  Dale  ; June  3d,  Joseph 
Hilbort;  June  6th,  Daniel  Berry  ; June  12th,  John  Maley  ; June  13th, 
John  Holman;  June  13th,  John  Hutchinson, Jun.  ; June  13th,  Benja- 
min Jeffery  ; June  15th,  David  Tolton.” 

An  evidence  of  the  generosity  and  benevolence  of 
the  early  inhabitants  is  shown  by  the  following  sub- 
scription-paper found  among  the  papers  of  the  late 
Captain  James  Gray : 

“ Whereas,  by  a late  distressing  fire,  in  the  Town  of  Portsmouth,  many 
of  its  Inhabitants  are  deprived,  not  only  of  common  necessaries  of  life, 
but  even  of  acomon  shelter  at  this  inclement  season  ; and,  considering 


it  a duty  incumbent  on  all  to  commisserate  and  assist,  as  far  as  in  their 
power,  by  extending  the  liberal  hand  to  alleviate  the  distresses  of  the 
poor  and  indigent ; 

“ Therefore,  we,  the  subscribers,  inhabitants  of  the  Town  of  Epsom, 
voluntary  subscribe  the  sums  annexed  to  our  names,  respectively,  to  be 
particularly  appropriated  to  & for  the  relief  of  those  inhabitants  in 
the  Town  of  Partsmouth  who  are  most  distressed  by  the  late  calamity, 
& promise  to  pay  the  same  to  the  committee  appointed  to  receive  donations 
in  Epsom  by  the  1st  day  of  February,  1803. 

“ Jan.  15th,  1803. 


Name 

Amt. 

Name. 

Amt. 

“Levi  Brown 

. ,?2 

50 

Sam1  Morrill  . . . 

. ...  5 

00 

John  Babb 

. . 1 

00 

David  L.  Morrill  . . 

. ...  5 

00 

John  Ham 

. . 1 

00 

Francis  Lock.  . . . 

00 

Sam1  Osgood,  Jr  . . . . 

. . 1 

00 

Jona  Pearson  . . . 

50 

Isaac  Osgood 

50 

Sam1  Lock 

00 

Moses  Osgood 

. . 1 

00 

John  McClary  . . . 

. . . . i 

00 

Thomas  Babb 

00 

James  Gray  .... 

. ...  5 

00 

John  Godfrey 

. . 2 

00 

Thos  Bickford  . . . 

. . . . 1 

00 

Michael  McClary.  . . . 

. . 20 

00 

Daniel  Cilley.  . . . 

. . . . 5 

00 

Elizabeth  McClary  . . . 

9 

00 

James  Moses  .... 

00 

Benj.  Moody 

. . 3 

00 

Jeremih  Prescott . . 

50 

J.  II.  McClary  . . . . 

00 

Josiah  Sanborn  . . 

. ...  5 

00 

McClary  & Gookin  . . 

. . 10 

00 

James  Brown.  . . . 

. . . . 1 

ro 

Thomas  Marden  . . . . 

50 

John  Wallis  ... 

00 

Joseph  C.  Wallis  . . . . 

. . 1 

00 

Joseph  Wallis  . . . 

29 

Mark  French 

. . 1 

00 

Sam1  Lear 

00 

Joseph  Brown 

25 

Dan1  Phil  brick  . . . 

. . . . i 

00 

Josiali  Knowles  . . . . 

00 

Wm  Barton  .... 

. . . . 1 

00 

Geo.  Sanders 

00 

— 

— 

Wm  Sherburne 

50 

Total 

. . $112  37” 

Andw  Sanborn 

. . 2 

00 

^ . FRANKLIN. 

Congregational  Church. — This  church  was  organ- 
ized Ji*ne  11,  1822,  under  the  advice  and  direction  of 
Revs.  Samuel  Wood  and  Ebenezer  Price,  both  of 
Boscawen  ; Rev.  Thomas  Worcester,  of  Salisbury ; and 
Rev.  Abraham  Bodwell,  of  Sanbornton,  who  was  ap- 
pointed by  the  church  its  first  moderator.  A Church 
Covenant  and  Confession  of  Faith  was  at  that  time 
adopted  and  signed  by  fourteen  persons. 

The  church  edifice,  in  which  the  society  still  con- 
tinues to  worship,  was  erected  in  1820,  from  funds 
raised  by  subscription  and  the  sale  of  pews.  It  was 
built  upon  a very  eligible  lot,  the  gift  of  Ebenezer 
Eastman,  in  what  was  then  known  as  Republican 
village,  in  Salisbury,  by  residents  of  four  adjacent 
towns  representing  different  denominations,  the  Con- 
gregationalists  predominating.  Portions  of  these 
four  towns,  including  Republican  village,  were,  De- 
cember 24,  1828,  formed  into  the  town  of  Franklin. 
The  bell  still  in  use  was  purchased  and  placed  up- 
on the  house,  when  finished,  by  individual  subscrip- 
tions, the  only  subscriber  now  living  being  Richard 
Judkins,  of  Franklin. 

During  the  first  eight  years  after  the  house  was 
built  worship  was  maintained  through  the  assistance 
of  several  ministers  of  the  gospel,  a complete  list  of 
whom,  unfortunately,  is  not  found  in  the  records, 
who  served  for  short  periods  only  ; but  November  16, 
1828,  Rev.  Joseph  Lane  became  acting  pastor  and 
served  for  more  than  two  years.  He  was  succeeded 


914 


HISTORY  OF  BELKNAP  COUNTY,  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


by  Rev.  Benjamin  P.  Stone,  who  was  ordained  the 
first  pastor  of  the  church  and  society  May  26,  1831, 
and  dismissed  May  2,  1832.  The  ministrations  of 
Revs.  D.  D.  Tappan  and  Samuel  Nichols,  who  served 
as  acting  pastors,  extended  over  the  next  four  and  a 
half  years,  the  former  serving  about  one,  and  the 
latter  about  three  and  a half  years.  Its  second  pas- 
tor, Rev.  Isaac  Knight,  was  installed  September  27, 
1837,  and  dismissed  December  21,  1848. 

Rev.  William  T.  Savage,  its  third  pastor,  was  in- 
stalled September  4,  1849.  His  able  and  faithful 
ministrations  covered  a period  of  exactly  a quar- 
ter of  a century. 

The  fourth  pastor  of  the  church,  Rev.  Austin  H. 
Burr,  then  a recent  graduate  of  Andover  Seminary, 
was  ordained  and  installed  over  the  church  November 
3,  1875.  Mr.  Burr  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  W.  A.  Had- 
ley and  Rev.  H.  M.  Andrews,  acting  pastors. 

In  1831  and  the  two  subsequent  years  a doctrinal 
controversy  prevailed  in  the  society,  which  resulted 
in  the  surrender  of  the  church  edifice  for  a brief  per- 
iod to  those  of  Unitarian  views,  who,  soon  finding 
themselves  incapable  of  maintaining  worship,  resur- 
rendered it  to  those  of  Orthodox  faith,  who  have 
advanced  in  number  and  strength  to  the  present  time. 

For  many  years  previous  to  the  ministry  of  Dr. 
Savage,  the  church  received  pecuniary  aid  from  the 
New  Hampshire  Missionary  Society,  but  during  the 
last  quarter  of  a century  or  more  it  has  b^n  a self- 
sustaining  church.  It  has,  moreover  contributed  lib- 
erally to  the  support  of  many  of  the  worthy^nstitu- 
tions  and  benevolent  objects  of  the  day. 

In  1834  through  the  agency  of  Benjamin  Wood- 
bury, formerly  of  New  London  in  this  State,  a schol- 
arship was  founded  for  Oberlin  College,  Ohio.  Par- 
ker Noyes,  Esq.,  Dr.  Jesse  Merrill  and  Deacon  Dear- 
born Sanborn,  all  members  of  the  church,  were  the 
principal  contributors  to  this  object.  The  church 
also  took  an  early  and  decided  stand  in  regard  to  the 
question  of  temperance.  September  6,  1834,  Deacon 
Paul  Noyes  at  a church  meeting  moved  the  following 
resolution,  which  was  unanimously  adopted  : 

“ Resolved,  That  no  person  shall  be  admitted  as  a member  of  this 
church  who  does  not  adopt  the  total  abstinence  principles  of  the  day  in 
regard  to  the  use  of  ardent  spirits.” 

The  enjoyment  of  special  seasons  of  religious  in- 
terest and  precious  in-gatherings  had  not  been  with- 
held from  its  experience. 

Several  years  since,  the  church  edifice  was  exten- 
sively repaired  by  the  pew-holders  at  an  expense 
of  about  fifteen  hundred  dollars.  More  recent- 
ly, in  1876-77,  the  society  secured  ownership  of 
the  old  academy  building  and  lot,  enlarged  and  re- 
constructed the  house,  converting  it  into  one  of  the 
best  vestries  in  the  State,  with  excellent  facilities  for 
Sabbath-school  and  social  religious  work,  and  con- 
venient apartments  for  both  a Sabbath-school  and  a 
public  library,  at  an  aggregate  cost  of  more  than  three 
thousand  dollars. 


PEMBROKE. 

The  Langmaid  Murder.— On  the  4th  day  of 
October,  1874,  the  quiet  community  of  Pembroke  was 
aroused  by  the  news  of  a terrible  crime  committed  in 
their  midst.  Josie  A.  Langmaid,  a daughter  of  James 
F.  Langmaid,  a prosperous  farmer  living  on  Buck 
Street,  was  brutally  murdered  by  a fiend  in  human 
guise  on  her  way  to  school  at  the  Pembroke  Academy. 
She  was  scarcely  eighteen  years  of  age,  and  was  gen- 
erally beloved  by  all  who  knew  her.  Her  murderer 
was  twice  tried  by  the  highest  courts  of  the  State  and 
convicted  by  a chain  of  circumstantial  evidence.  He 
was  hung  in  the  prison  at  Concord  March  15,  1878. 
His  very  name  should  be  obliterated  from  the  annals 
of  the  State. 

The  details  of  the  murder  were  of  the  most  atro- 
cious character,  unfit  for  the  ears  of  the  rising  gen- 
eration, but  the  memory  of  the  murdered  maiden- 
student,  kept  alive  in  song  and  story,  will  long 
survive.  A commemorative  monument  on  Academy 
Street  marks  the  place  of  the  cruel  deed  and  testifies 
to  the  love  and  respect  in  which  she  was  held  by  her 
townspeople. 

JeweU  Lodge,  No.  94,  A.  F.  A.  M.— Jewell 
Lodge,  named  in  honor  of  Colonel  David  L.  Jewell, 
of  this  village,  was  organized  April  7,  1879,  working 
under  a dispensation  which  was  granted  October  20, 
1879,  from  the  Grand  Lodge,  until  May  19, 1880,  when 
a charter  was  granted  to  Edmund  E.  Truesdell, 
Augustus  B.  Johnson,  John  P.  Johnson,  Charles 
Williams,  David  L.  Jewell,  George  H.  Larabee, 
George  P.  Cofran,  Nathaniel  Head,  George  P.  Little, 
Oscar  B.  Truesdell,  Enoch  H.  Holt,  James  M.  Young, 
Frederick  E.  Northrop,  Joel  N.  Corbin,  Otis  S.  East- 
man, William  Wainwright,  LewisS.  Dunbar,  Henry  M. 
Hadley,  Martin  R.  Sawyer,  John  B.  Haselton,  Charles 
P.  Bridgman,  Josiah  W.  Dudley,  Edwin  P.  Northrop, 
Retyre  M.  Davis,  Benjamin  L.  Culver,  Joseph  L.  Hos- 
mer,  William  F.  Head,  George  A.  Robie,  Eben 
H.  Nutting,  Samuel  S.  Ordwav,  Charles  P.  Morse, 
Addison  N.  Osgood,  Alonzo  Osgood,  Charles  F.  Hil- 
dreth, Clifton  B.  Hildreth  and  Charles  A.  Seavey, 
who,  realizing  from  the  beginning  that  liberal  con- 
tributions and  increasing  executive  labor  were  the 
most  essential  requisitions  for  the  future  prosperity 
and  success  of  the  work  before  them,  began  at  once  to 
lay  the  foundation  of  what  is  to-day  one  of  the  most 
prosperous  and  flourishing  lodges  within  the  Masonic 
juristiction  of  the  State.  Its  first  officers  were  George 
II.  Larabee,  Worshipful  Master;  Charles  P.  Bridg- 
man,Senior  Warden ; George  P.  Little  Junior  Warden ; 
Charles  Williams,  Treasurer;  John  P.  Haselton, 
Secretary  ; Oscar  B.  Truesdell,  Senior  Deacon  ; Enoch 
II.  Holt,  Junior  Deacon;  Frederick  A.  Northrop, 
Senior  Steward  ; Henry  M.  Hadley,  Junior  Steward  ; 
George  W.  Ruland,  Chaplain  ; William  Wainwright 
Tiler.  But  one  death  has  occurred  among  its  charter 
members  up  to  the  present  time, — that  of  our  beloved 


APPENDIX. 


915 


Brother  Nathaniel  Head — who  has  gone,  we  trust,  to 
a higher  and  brighter  Lodge ; a good  man  and  true 
brother,  ever  ready  to  stretch  forth  a helping  hand 
with  a free  and  liberal  heart ; beloved  in  life  and 
mourned  in  death.  To  Worshipful  Brother  Edmund 
E.  Truesdell  we  are  indebted  for  the  energy,  perse- 
verance and  correspondence  necessarily  required  in 
collecting  the  portraits  of  all  the  charter  members, 
which  are  grouped  in  a massive  gilt  frame,  in  all  re- 
spects a combination  of  good  taste  and  artistic  skill, 
and  placed  in  a position  assigned  it  upon  the  wall  of 
our  reception  parlor,  there  to  remain  through  the 
ages  that  are  to  come.  The  Past  Masters  are  George 
H.  Larabee,  Charles  P.  Bridgman  and  Edmund  E. 
Truesdell,  and  let  us  here  add  that  too  much  credit 
cannot  be  given  to  these  three  brothers  for  the  in- 
creasing efforts  which  they  have  at  all  times  mani- 
fested to  render  whatever  assistance  in  their  power, 
financially  and  socially,  that  would  tend  to  make  its 
work  harmonize  with  the  pure  principles  contained 
in  the  order.  In  1880  Jewell  Lodge,  by  invitation  of 
Andrew  Buntin,  then  Grand  Master,  exemplified  the 
work  in  the  third  degree  before  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
New  Hampshire,  and  although  at  that  time  being 
the  youngest  lodge  in  the  State,  it  won  from  the  craft 
unexcelled  praise  for  the  acceptable  manner  in  which 
•t  performed  the  work  assigned  it,  and  it  was  at  this 
time  that  Jewell  Lodge  took  its  rank  among  the  best 
working  lodges  in  the  State,  a position  which,  by  its 
harmonious  and  increasing  efforts  it  has  maintained 
up  to  the  present  time.  Its  hall,  reception  and  ban- 
quet rooms  were  fitted  up  in  an  elegant  and  elaborate 
manner,  at  an  expense  of  about  two  thousand  dollars, 
being  all  paid  for  and  a balance  in  the  treasury  when 
the  lodge  was  dedicated,  showing  the  deep  interest 
and  liberality  which  characterized  its  charter  mem- 
bers, who  have  contributed  many  valuable  gifts  to 
the  lodge,  among  which  was  a beautiful  and  costly  set 
of  jewels,  presented  by  David  L.  Jewell,  and  I think 
the  aim  of  Jewell  Lodge  has  ever  been  liberality  and 
nobility  of  purpose,  always  realizing  that  it  is  the 
high  character  to  which  its  credit  has  attained  that 
has  brought  Masonry  from  beyond  the  dark  ages,  and  it 
is  its  character  which  will  carry  the  noble  work  on 
through  an  unknown  future  till  time  shall  be  no 
more. 

Although  Masonry  may,  by  some  of  the  unini- 
tiated, he  considered  as  derogatory  to  the  advance- 
ment of  man,  yet  the  experience  of  ages  has  taught 
the  conservative  and  thinking  mind  that  it  is  an  in- 
stitution whose  moral,  social  and  intellectual  attain- 
ments are  so  deeply  rooted  in  the  heart  of  civilized 
society  and  indorsed  by  so  many  great  and  good  men 
of  every  age  and  country,  that  its  advancement  is  es- 
sential to  the  welfare  of  a true  and  noble  cause,  and,  to 
more  fully  demonstrate  this  fact,  ancient  history  in- 
forms us  that  it  has  been  the  usual  and  almost  uni- 
versal custom  for  even  monarchs,  for  a season,  since  the 
reign  of  the  wise  King  of  Israel,  to  lay  aside  the 


I sceptre  and  descend  the  throne  to  patronize  its  mys- 
1 teries  and  mingle  with  the  assemblies  of  the  order. 


CANTERBURY. 

JOSEPH  CLOUGH. 

Joseph  Clough  was  one  of  the  most  prominent 
men  in  the  political,  religious  and  business  affairs  of 
the  town  for  many  years. 

- His  life  covered  nearly  a century,  and  during  his 
active  manhood  he  was  diligent  and  energetic. 

He  was  born  in  Canterbury  February  1,  1795,  in 
the  Mansion  House,  where  he  spent  his  life,  and  where 
he  died,  March  24,  1885.  He  was  born  during  the 
second  term  of  Washington’s  administration,  and 
died  subsequent  to  the  commencement  of  Cleveland’s 
administration ; thus  he  lived  under  the  administra- 
tions of  all  the  Presidents  of  the  United  States. 

His  grandfather,  Thomas  Clough,  came  to  Can- 
terbury from  Salisbury,  Mass.,  very  soon  after  the 
town  was  chartered,  probably  about  1735.  The  rec- 
ord of  the  marriage  of  this  Thomas  Clough  in  Can- 
terbury was  the  10th  of  December,  1741.  The 
father  of  Joseph  was  born  August  29,  1753. 

This  family  was  among  the  earliest  settlers  of  the 
town  and  many  of  the  descendants  of  it  still  live  there. 

Joseph  Clough  was  a pioneer  in  the  cause  of  tem- 
perance, Vnd  was  true  to  it  through  his  whole  life  in 
theory  and  practice.  His  example  in  this  particular 
never  contributed  a reproach  or  a weakness. 

He  was  careful  and  correct  in  the  transaction  of 
such  business  as  is  often  necessary  to  be  done  be- 
tween neighbors  in  country  towns  where  there  are  no 
educated  lawyers,  such  as  conveying  property,  dis- 
posing of  estates  by  wills  and  settlements  under 
them,  much  of  which  he  did  and  did  well. 

He  was  elected  a member  of  the  Executive  Council 
in  1848  and  1849. 

He  married  Mehitable  Ambrose  Chase,  daughter  of 
Stephen  Chase,  of  Northfield,  May  31,  1817.  She 
survived  him  thirteen  days. 

In  1838  he  was  ordained  a minister  of  the  Free- 
Will  Baptist  denomination,  and  for  many  years 
preached  in  the  church  in  what  is  called  the  “ Baptist 
District”  in  the  town,  and  elsewhere  in  the  neighbor- 
ing towns. 

His  Christian  life  was  characterized  by  a constant 
and  steadfast  devotion,  by  a belief  that  did  not 
weaken  when  death  approached,  by  a prudence  that 
was  not  deferred  nor  abandoned  when  farm-work  was 
most  pressing,  and  by  a conviction  that  afforded  con- 
solation through  the  many  vicissitudes  and  trials  of  a 
long  life. 

He  was  a representative  man  in  his  sphere  and 
time,  and  whose  memory  is  cherished  in  these  re- 
spects : that  he  was  an  industrious  farmer,  an  obliging 
neighbor,  a conscientious  business  man,  a worthy  ex- 
ample and  a faithful  Christian  to  the  end  of  life. 


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